Hats Off to Jim Webb

Sen. Webb opened and quickly closed the Senate today, with most Senators out on Christmas break. The purpose was to prevent Bush from nominating recess appointments. I don't trust this president and what's more the idiot nominates criminals and other idiots. We only have a year left but Bush has proven he can screw things up in less time than that. Republicans will write off the Democrats and these maneuvers, which will continue through the break, as destructive impediments to doing the country's work. I'm sick of hearing this from self-serving bastards who wasted the country's time and money when they had control on pet projects and rubber-stamping a boob's failed foreign and domestic policies. Freeze up Bush. Make him even more impotent. I'd rather have nothing done than something done by an idiot and his lackeys.

Vick Gets 23 Months

The monkey was sentenced today to 23 months. The dog lover in me wishes he could be watered down and electrocuted (or at least given a longer prison sentence), but I understand that we have an overburdened prison system with drug dealers, murderers, and the like. It still infuriates me that people like Jamie Foxx and Jesse Jackson could support this barbaric monkey, that the fact that Vick is black means more than his actions. It's also sad that he might play ball again. I hope Goodell keeps him out but I doubt it. At least he's taken a huge financial hit that he will probably never recover.

Creating News From Nothing

FOX has decided to take issue with the possibility that some of the questioners from last night's Republican YouTube debate might have been Democrats. Oh my God! You mean the questioners might have preferences in such a hotly contested presidential race?! Why is this an issue? We should expect each candidate regardless of their political affiliation to answer uncomfortable, unscripted questions. Isn't that the whole point of a YouTube debate? Unfortunately the questions were not even difficult ones. Each candidate was able to easily issue the same talking points dribble that we've come to expect from today's Republicans. Way to go FOX News. Always at the forefront of journalism.

Bush: The Eternal Optimist

Bush met with Abbas and Olmert today in an attempt to restart the peace process that would include the help of regional powers like Saudi Arabia. Though Bush is completely incapable of securing Iraq, he is "optimistic" that he can bring peace to the Middle East. So what he could not do for one country in four and half years he plans on doing for an entire region in 13 months. Yeah that sounds like the Bush we know, optimistic but totally incompetent.

FOX Tries to Make Us Feel Good About Troop Deaths

Citing a report from the Congressional Research Service, FOX is trying to lift our spirits about the 3,800 service members who died in 2005 and 2006, comparing it to the 4,699 who died during the peaceful years from 1981 to 1982. Wow that's great. Really puts it all in perspective. I guess I'll wait until 700 more die in these failed wars before I criticize Bush anymore. Thanks FOX News.

Thompson Should Go Back to Sleep

Thompson is to give a speech at The Citadel where he is expected to call for increased military spending and a larger military force. His plans would increase military spending by roughly 0.5% of GDP to 4.5% and increase our Army and Marine forces from a combined 657,000 to 1,000,000. But why? What is the logic behind that? How will we pay for it? Better yet, how will we pay for it and the domestic expenditures we face to restore quality to education, health care, etc?

We currently spend more than any other country on our military and more than most countries combined. The only reason for such increases would be to prepare for an invasion of a major country, which should absolutely be the furthest thought from any politician's mind. We could have done much better in Iraq and Afghanistan over the last four and a half years with the military we have had this administration come up with anything resembling a plan prior to invading. The answer is not to throw more money at the problem and hope it goes away. There is no need for these Republican candidates to sound more war hungry than the next guy. In fact, it might be nice to hear more about how they will address our crumbling education, health care, Social Security, the housing crisis and the economy, etc. and less about war with Iran (which is not feasible), abortion, and gay marriage (which are not relevant to righting this country).

ACLU Fighting for Our Soldiers

The ACLU tends to get a great deal of scorn. In fact sites like stoptheaclu.com are designed to bring them down. And while many of the issues they get involved in seem ridiculous, they do serve a purpose (e.g. Brown v Board), particularly as a counterweight to extreme groups like the American Family Association, which is trying to ban porn from military bases. The following link leads to an excellent post about the story...http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/67013/.

These soldiers are expected to fight two failing wars and sacrifice their first amendment rights? We cannot afford them one little pleasure? Some might argue that the porn increases rapings. But how does taking it away and expecting the soldiers to bottle up their sexual frustrations make any sense? We could give them more time at home with their wives and girlfriends, but that type of rhetoric is anti-troop and defeatist. And don't these idiots at the AFA have anything better to worry about? Perhaps whether our men and women should be over there in the first place. I am so sick of these holier-than-thou religious groups trying to dictate their self-righteousness to everyone else.

Way to Go Ron Paul

Ron Paul set the GOP one-day fundraising record yesterday, bringing in $4.2 million. It's encouraging to see the one sane, rational, true Republican in the whole ugly field succeeding. It gives a false sense of hope that we might not be stuck with another country bumpkin or a 9/11 exploiter with an itchy trigger finger, each determined to prove he's more pro-war and intolerant than the other.

Impeaching Cheney

Kucinich is expected to bring legislation today calling for the impeachment of Dick. While I applaud the sentiment and the frustration behind it and recognize the need for dissent at a time when foreign policy is so broken, Pelosi would be wise to table it, as she is expected to do. Impeachment is unfortunately not possible, and if the Dems want to stay in power they need to focus on righting a country that has gone so terribly off course over the last seven years.

Bush and Congress Continue to Bicker

Bush is again accussing Congress of ineptitude and again forgetting his own complete incompetence. Jim Manley, an aide to Sen. Harry Reid, was quick to remind him..."Taking advice from President Bush about fiscal responsibility and getting things done for the American people is like taking hunting lessons from Dick Cheney. Neither is a very good idea." Thank you for showing some backbone Jim Manley. Take him to task. This "president" cannot and should not be allowed to point fingers at others after he managed to so completely violate this country over a six year period. But that's what happens when you hand an idiot a rubber stamp .

Cheney's a Confederate!

The AP is reporting that Cheney went on a hunting trip to the Clove Valley Rod & Gun Club 70 miles north of NY City, where a small confederate flag was visible inside a garage on the property. You can already see where this is going can't you? The link must of course be that if some groundskeeper placed it there, then that must mean Cheney supports lynching black people, right? This is an absurd story fabricated by the media and one that gives fodder to the nuts who support this administration. It gives them an example of the "obvious" liberal bias in the media, especially when the article reads "The photo was shown to New York City civil rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton, who issued a statement demanding that the vice president "leave immediately, denounce the club and apologize for going to a club that represents lynching, hate and murder to black people." I can picture the reporter thinking "How can I can turn this into a story? Hmmm. I know. I'll go talk to Sharpton. Rev. Klump is always good for a sound bite."

School Bans Harry Potter

St. Joseph's, a Catholic school in Massachusetts, has banned Harry Potter and his witchcraft from the library. This is absurd. Are we living in the dark ages? Maybe they could hold a book burning, as was common in the state back in the 17th century. Where is the threat here? That the books might turn the children into satanists? According to Rev. Ron Barker, pastor of the school, yes. He has to "protect the weak and the strong."

White House Edits CDC Report

The White House cut CDC director Julie Gerberding's 14 page testimony on the health effects of global warming to just 4 pages, editing out statements like "CDC considers climate change a serious public health concern." According to one CDC official "It was eviscerated." I am sick of this administration trying to alter science to fit its religious and corporate agendas. Even if you are skeptical of global warming, what is the harm in playing along when the potential consequences of not doing so are so severe? I can't believe we have to put up with this idiot for another 15 months.

Brownback Finally Done

Senator Brownback realized what was obvious to 99% of America and officially dropped out of the race today. He has said he will not run for a third term, but it is widely believed he will run for governor, which will bring him one state closer to achieving a theocracy. My heart goes out to the tolerant citizens of Kansas, however few they may be.

Brownback Is Out!

Sources close to the Kansas senator have said he will drop out of the presidential race on Friday, citing insufficient funds. His platform consisted almost entirely of religiously based domestic policies like hanging gays and legalizing abortion clinic bombings. Shocking that the majority of Americans don't want a theocracy. Nice to see he wasted a few million dollars though. It must have been those damn stem cells he talks to that were pushing him to run.

Support James Dobson

I know how crazing the title sounds. The man typifies the kind of right wing lunacy that is destroying my party. But when I heard that he and the other right wing religious lunatics might start a third party it gave me hope that maybe one day rationality will return to the Republican party. Go for it "Dr." Dobson. Break away!

Bush Criticizes Congress?

He doesn't have intelligence, integrity, or a good handle on the English language, but Bush does have balls. Today Bush addressed Congress' failure to do anything meaningful, saying "Congress has little to show for all the time that has gone by". Are you kidding! It takes major cajones to say something like that after you have a guaranteed stamp for the first six years of your presidency and have nothing good to show for it. No president has undermined the constitution, engaged in such fiscal irresponsibility, AND destroyed America's standing in the world as much as this rube. He is an embarrassment to the office and this country. But he does have giant balls.

Fair and Balanced Moment of the Day

As Congress prepares for a resolution condemning Limbaugh, FOX News weighed in with this piece of journalistic opinion "Senate Democrats frustrated by failed battles against Republicans to change Iraq war policy are instead taking on one of the war's staunchest supporters." Failed battles. They ought to link those words to patriotic music that plays when you click them.

Congress Wasting Time

I am sick of these worthless resolutions condemning MoveOn and Limbaugh. They need to be spending their time fixing the messes Bush has created and righting this country, not pounding their chests. How about a resolution calling on legislators to get to work!

Limbaugh - The Phony Patriot

Limbaugh is under fire from Democrats for calling anti-war soldiers "phony soldiers". Limbaugh and his supporters are trying to claim he was referencing one phony soldier named Jesse Macbeth when he made the reference while talking with a caller. Given the context of the conversation, however, and everything we know about Rush, I find it hard to believe he meant anything other than to discount those who have sacrificed so much in Iraq and who might have a different opinion on this failed mess of a war.

He had his chance to distance himself from that perspective when the caller said "The phony soldiers. If you talk to a real soldier, they are proud to serve. They want to be over in Iraq. They understand their sacrifice, and they're willing to sacrifice for their country." Rush said nothing. So none of the soldiers who have lost limbs and speak out against this war are real? This is pathetic. Rush is a phony patriot. He wants to defend this war and this monkey of a president, he can lift his fat ass out of that cushy chair, put down the oxycotin, and fight. Like a real patriot. God damn worthless blowhard.

Giuliani: Cashing in on 9/11

A Giuliani friend will be holding a fundraiser Wednesday night for the presidential candidate. The admission price? $9.11. We all know he was the mayor on 9/11. He won't let us forget it for Christ's sake. At this point, he's milking it for political gain and it's disgusting.

Craig Reconsiders

After announcing that he would resign, Senator Craig has announced that he is reconsidering. This is ridiculous. The guy is a drama queen. He's in. He's out. He's in. Sounds much like his trips to the closet.

Another Anti-Gay Gay Republican

I know this is old news, but it fits with the Larry Craig incident and the theme of hypocrisy on the right. Back in July, Florida state representative Bob Allen also solicited an undercover cop in a public bathroom for sex. Allen, however, was so desperate that he was willing to pay to give someone else a bj. And in his defence he claims that he was intimidated by all the black men in the area and was just trying to get out alive. LOL. I hate it when blacks cluster!

Another Anti-Gay Gay Republican

Larry Craig, Republican Senator from Idaho, voted in favor of the Federal Marriage Amendment. In fact, the senator is so socially conservative that he received a 96 out of 100 from the American Conservative Union. He also solicited a male plainclothes police officer for sex in the Minneapolis Airport. Social conservatives are providing added truth to the phrase "thou doth protest too much".

Gonzales Resigns!

I didn't think we'd get rid of that pathetic, lying sack of crap. I figured they would hold out until they were kicked out. It warms my heart to see the Bush administration falling apart.

NAACP: Always on the Wrong Side of the Issue

R.L. White, president of the NAACP Atlanta chapter, held a press conference in which he supported Michael Vick. He also thinks Vick's co-defendants lied when they implicated Vick in order to "save their own necks." Oh and that "Michael Vick has received more negative press than if he had killed a human being." If that was not enough to demonstrate his high aptitude, then according to the AP, "White said he does not support dogfighting and that he considers it as bad as hunting." The only thing NAACPers care about is the color of the guy's skin. If he's black, then it's all a conspiracy trying to keep the black man down. Someone needs to explain in very simple language that there is no way Vick potentially gives up his career if he had absolutely nothing to do with this. Idiots. Water down Vick and electrocute him.

Fair and Balanced Moment of the Day

Elvira Arellano, an illegal immigrant who took refuge in a Chicago church while fighting deportation, was arrested and deported yesterday. Although the FOX News ran the AP article their headline reads "Feds Win Immigration Standoff". You can almost feel the joy exuding from the words. Arellano broke the law and should have to jump through the same hoops as everyone else. But this issue is not black and white. These are not terrorists. They're hard-working individuals who want better lives for themselves and their families. She leaves behind an 8 year old son. FOX could temper their excitement slightly.

Democrats Enter at Your Own Peril

Hastert announced that he will not be seeking re-election when his term expires in 2009. While Democrats view this as a chance to pick up another seat, National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Ken Spain issued this dire warning..."Any Democrat thinking of getting into this race does so at his or her own peril". Who says that?

Fair and Balanced Moment of the Day

O'Reilly accusing other media outlets of propaganda is the height of hypocrisy. My favorite quote from the clip..."The press has become ideological. It's not in business to inform, but to push a political point-of-view". How do people swallow this crap?

http://www.foxnews.com/video2/player06.html?081407/081407_views_oreilly&OReilly_Factor_Talking_Points&O%27Reilly%3A%20Propaganda%20and%20the%20press&acc&Bill%20O%26%2339%3BReilly&-1&Opinion&160&&&new

Half Hour News Flop

FOX announced that it will be cancelling the Half Hour News Hour, the right wing answer to the Daily Show that started in January. According to many at FOX, such as O'Reilly and Hannity, the vast majority of Americans share Republican values. I guess they just don't share Republican humor. Bias against FOX aside, that was some of the worst humor I have ever heard.

Thompson Drops From Race

Apparently Tommy Thompson felt like he'd been hit by a Mack truck when he learned of his 6th place finish in the Iowa Republican straw poll. Here's the really hilarious part...he was hoping for a top two finish! It amazes me when super long shots like Thompson enter a presidential race with such high hopes, particularly when the person's last job was a cabinet post (Secretary of Health and Human Services) with one of the worst administrations in history. What's more, Thompson's Health Department has overseen a rapid rise in obesity, especially among children. His stint as secretary is representative of the failures of the entire administration! Hopefully the religious nuts will be the next to drop out.

Rove Departs Unscathed

Rove announced today that he will be leaving the administration he created at the end of this month. Unfortunately I can feel no relief. He's been a destructive force for America for six and a half years and leaves a lame duck president that is almost completely impotent during his last year and a half year in office. This is merely to divert attention and criticism away from the White House, all part of their plan of hoping the problems and the critics go away. It's sad that a man who has been at the heart of every scandal will most likely just quietly fade away. Nothing short of this pathetic administration's complete departure from power is going to bring me any relief.

Steroids Break Aaron's Record

Put an asterisk by Bonds' name in the record books. It's just too bad the government couldn't nail him before he broke the mark.

Obama's Invasion of Pakistan

Somehow this statement from Obama "There are terrorists holed up in those mountains who murdered 3,000 Americans. They are plotting to strike again. If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharraf will not act, we will." has become some type of implication that Obama would invade Pakistan. Huh?

Republicans have railed against Obama for the statement. Are they upset that Bush didn't make it first? I am certainly not a fan of Obama. He leaves much to be desired. But I think it's highly hypocritical of Republicans to attack Democrats for being too weak and then attack them for being too strong. Republicans lose the right to make such attacks while supporting Bush the Boob during his failed and reckless war in Iraq that has yielded little if anything. Where is this same level of criticism of Bush from the right? I'm far more upset about the trillion dollars and thousands of lives that will be spent on a war for which there was absolutely no forethought or planning (literally zero).

Pakistan poses far more of a terrorist threat than Iraq. Bin Laden is believed to be seeking refuge there and Al Qaeda has surpassed its pre-9/11 strength there. I understand the complexities Pakistan presents, the trade off between Musharraf and religious extremism. Musharraf is facing stiff opposition from religious extremists, the threat of which may or may not be overblown by his government and may or may not have been allowed to remain so that Musharraf can stay in charge of both the military and the government. But I would expect any president, particularly the idiot we have now who maintains himself as the warrior president, to act on information on OBL when Pakistan will not. He was referring to surgical strikes, not an all out invasion. This criticism is ridiculous.

Also, I thought this statment from Pakistan's Foreign Minister was hilarious "It's a very irresponsible statement, that's all I can say,", particularly since it required world outrage for his government to say anything about the Religious Affairs Minister declaring suicide bombings justifiable in the wake of Salman Rushdie's knighthood.

Gonzales Still Oblivious

Gonzales admitted earlier today that he may have used "confusing" language during his testimony but that he's "determined to address any such impression". Lets see if I can summarize what's been happening...

Gonzales disgraced the office of attorney general. When discovered, he lied to Congress and vowed to stay and fix the problem (apparently unaware that he is the problem). When pressured about his testimony he vowed to "address any such impression". Basically their solution to this is to just keep saying "we'll get right on that" and hope no one realizes that the administration is the problem.

What's going on here is much like using a pacifier to calm a baby when what the baby really wants is food. It works for a while until the baby figures out nothing is coming from the pacifier. These bastards are going to be as conciliatory and placating as possible in the hopes of either buying enough time that people grow too tired of the investigation or their time in office expires (which can't come soon enough).

Sad Day for Journalism

Right wing media mogul Rupert Murdoch, who owns such bastions of journalistic integrity as FOX News, appears likely to acquire The WSJ. The Bancroft family, until now the only thing standing in the way of Murdoch's bid, has agreed to the $5 billion offer. I love The WSJ, but I doubt its integrity can survive Rupert Mudoch's right wing bent. Hopefully it will not become the joke that is FOX News.

FBI Director Contradicts Gonzales

FBI Director Robert Mueller testified Thursday that his boss AG Gonzales had in fact visited the ailing Ashcroft in the hospital to discuss the NSA's wiretapping program, which is contrary to Gonzales' sworn testimony. It still amazes me that Bush supporters can stand by these assholes when the evidence is so completely damning. Is it just a blind hatred of the Democrats that compels such ridiculous loyalty? Crimes have been committed by this administration and its supporters are offended by the notion that people are criminalizing their criminal actions. The Congress is doing the people's business by investigating this administration and a Republican Congress would do no less to a Democratic president. Fry the S.O.B. Fry 'em all.

Everyday A Colonoscopy

The president is to cede powers temporarily to Dick while he undergoes a routine colonoscopy. How will that be different from any other day?

Vitter Sweet

Vitter made his first public address today, apologizing for his involvement with the DC prostitution ring. At the same address, his wife, the same woman who said she would react much like Lorena Bobbit in this situation, requested that the media back off. I feel sorry for their children, but it's extremely gratifying to see him under the spotlight of public scrutiny after he had the audacity to declare himself a family values candidate, the hypocritical bastard. This is the type of men leading the charge against homosexuality in defense of the "sanctity" of marriage. He is the type of man hijacking my party and arrogantly declaring it the family values party. It seems like a week doesn't go by any more without the hypocrisy shining through. Hats off to Larry Flynt for exposing the s.o.b. I'm taking bets on how long before Vitter is found with a prostitute. Any takers?

Al Qaeda Strongest Since 9/11

A new threat assessment report from U.S. counterterrorism analysts says that Al Qaeda is now as strong as it was in the months prior to 9/11. The title is "Al Qaeda better positioned to strike the West". But how can that be? The administration and its Bushbots tell me we're fighting them over there so they can't attack us here. Idiots.

We can stay in Iraq for decades. Hell we can even start fighting with something resembling a strategy or a plan, but we will probably be attacked again and staying over there doesn't make a damn bit of difference. As a matter of fact, our presence only creates new terrorists, new insurgents. But anyone who dares to mention the facts, or dares to recognize the complete incompetence, is shouted down as unpatriotic or defeatist. Bullshit. It's called independent thought. It's called not swallowing the illogical crap laid out day after day like a cheap Chinese buffet. It's called seeing the facts that keep slapping us in the face like we're red-headed step children. Bush and his tiny minority of dumb, deaf, and blind supporters don't have a freakin clue.

If for some reason we needed more proof of this, Bush clarified his stubborn incompetence and complete ineptitude today by saying "When we start drawing down our forces in Iraq, it will (be) because our military commanders say the conditions on the ground are right, not because pollsters say it’ll be good politics.” Those pollsters are reflecting the large majority of Americans and a large number of military and civilian experts who realize this whole war is FUBAR you idiot. How did this monkey become president?

Muffling Science for Political Gain

Former surgeon general Dr. Richard Carmona is accusing the Bush administration of muffling science in favor of political gain. Shocking. The following links to the story from the AP. I started quoting good passages but quickly realized the whole thing was quotable.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/07/10/surgeon.general.ap/index.html

This is insane! Politics should not be interfering with the surgeon general's work. He should not have Bush aides editing and blocking his speeches/efforts. God forbid we teach (or preach in the case of this administration) something besides abstinence to horny teenagers who will have sex no matter what. He should not be barred from speaking at the Special Olympics because the Kennedys support it.

And then the audacity of the administration (via spokesman Tony Fratto) to say "It's disappointing to us if he failed to use his position to the fullest extent in advocating for policies he thought were in the best interests of the nation. We believe Dr. Carmona received the support necessary to carry out his mission." I'm sick of this administration! I want my country back damn it! Viva la revolucion!

Pope: Other Churches Not True

Pope Benedict XVI, who looks much like pure evil, issued a statement asserting that other denominations are not true Churches. A bit ironic. I don't think a man who walks around in Prada and who lives in a palace whose art alone could end poverty has any right to tell other churches they're illegitimate. It must be necessary to have priceless artwork and worship in ornate settings in order to be spiritual and fully understand God's word.

Fair and Balanced Moment of the Day

With breaking news that Gonzales had knowledge of Patriot Act abuses prior to testifying that he had none, FOX News.com places the story below the major headlines with stories like "Woman Charged With Attacking Husband With Fork". This is significant breaking news and they attempt to hide it among the "also making news".

Surely the stories that made FOX's headlines must have been comparable stories, right? One article asks "Is She On Ecstasy" and is about a little girl in a video rolling her eyes into the back of her head. Another reads "U.S. Officials: Some Progress Made in Iraq". According to U.S. officials we've been making "progress" for four years. Unbelievable. Tabloid journalism at its finest.

Gonzales Knew!

Gonzales knew information had been obtained illegally by the FBI prior to saying "There has not been one verified case of civil liberties abuse". According to the AP...

"Six days earlier, the FBI sent Gonzales a copy of a report that said its agents had obtained personal information that they were not entitled to have. It was one of at least half a dozen reports of legal or procedural violations that Gonzales received in the three months before he made his statement to the Senate intelligence committee, according to internal FBI documents released under the Freedom of Information Act.

The acts recounted in the FBI reports included unauthorized surveillance, an illegal property search and a case in which an Internet firm improperly turned over a compact disc with data that the FBI was not entitled to collect, the documents show. Gonzales was copied on each report that said administrative rules or laws protecting civil liberties and privacy had been violated."

It's so sad that the state of this administration is such that this comes as absolutely no surprise. It's one thing after another. This time he won't be able to stone wall with "I don't recall" until they can find a scapegoat. Fry the bastard!

New White House Position: "Don't Worry About It"

Congress is revisiting the DOJ firings and attempting to subpoena two former White House aides, which the White House has rebuffed by claiming executive privilege. This is from a recent AP article:

"In a letter to the heads of the House and Senate Judiciary panels, White House counsel Fred Fielding insisted that Bush was acting in good faith and refused lawmakers’ demand that the president explain the basis for invoking the privilege. “You may be assured that the president’s assertion here comports with prior practices in similar contexts, and that it has been appropriately documented,” the letter said."

Oh good. The White House says nothing improper happened so we shouldn't trouble ourselves. Wait. Isn't this the same administration that has told us for four years that we're making progress in Iraq? Isn't this the same administration that promised to get tough on crime, appointed tough judges, and then overturned a judge's sentence on Libby, a man who committed treason and spent less time in jail than Paris Hilton? Bullshit. This administration loves to claim that Congress is wasting the nation's time and money, but this administration has done just that for over six years. I hope they keep digging. These bastards need to be brought to justice for the way they've damaged this country.

Libby Verdict: A Legal Perspective

The following article from Law.com makes some excellent points...

http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1183453585080&pos=ataglance

The judge who sentenced Libby was appointed by Bush specifically because of his reputation for being tough on crime. This administration is crap.

Libby's Reprieve

As expected, Libby will not have to serve a day of his sentence for treason. Although Bush has nothing left to lose, he took the oh so courageous approach of not pardoning Libby (so as not to totally offend the 72% majority who realize Bush and Cheney are complete fuckups) but rather commuting his sentence (so as to appease the 28% who are blind, deaf, and dumb).

Amusingly, Bushbots are quick to point fingers at Clinton, as if that makes everything better and returns to them the moral highground, which they've attempted to hold over Democrats like a trophy. Nor can they so much as imply to be the national security party. The administration outed a covert agent for political gain and supporters want to distort that fact in any way possible.

What's more, if the Bush administration was a Democratic one, those currently defending Libby, Bush, and Cheney would be calling for impeachment (and some might call for much worse). This is hypocrisy at its worst. But Libby was merely a puppet, and unfortunately the master will never be brought to justice. Cheney would eliminate the DOJ, or any other department that pointed the finger his way, before that ever happened.

Fair and Balanced Moment of the Day

With the many issues in the world deserving of our attention, FOX thought it was necessary to continue the war with Rosie O'Donnell and make this headline news...

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,286835,00.html

Rosie often says stupid things, but who gives a damn? Tabloid journalism at its finest.

Something to Hide

According to the Washington Post,

"Since 2003, the vice president's staff has not cooperated with an office at the National Archives and Records Administration charged with making sure the executive branch protects classified information. Cheney aides have not filed reports on their possession of classified data and at one point blocked an inspection of their office. After the Archives office pressed the matter, the documents say, Cheney's staff this year proposed eliminating it."

Cheney proposed eliminating a government office that displeased him! And one that is necessary to the national security of this country! What's more, Cheney proposed inserting a specific exemption for the vice president from the requirements of the oversight office. Republicans ought to be particularly outraged by this, seeing as how they present themselves as the "we're the only ones who take national security seriously" party. You only take such action when you have something to hide. This administration is corrupt and they don't give a damn. With 19 months to go and poll numbers about as low as they can go, why should they give a damn? I've got all kinds of expletives for this administration.

Bush Expected to Make Another Stupid Decision

Bush is expected to veto another bill loosening federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. This will be only his third use of the veto power and he's choosing to use it (for the second time!) against beneficial research on bundles of cells that get discarded anyway. God forbid he should do something right before he leaves office.

Muslim Extremism

Pakistan's religious affairs minister, Mohammed ul-Haq, is calling for suicide bombings in the wake of the recent knighting of "The Satanic Verses" author Salman Rushdie, calling it an affront to Muslims. According to Haq,

"The West is accusing Muslims of extremism and terrorism. If someone exploded a bomb on his body he would be right to do so unless the British government apologizes and withdraws the 'sir' title,"

So because you disagree with an author's writings, it's okay to blow up innocent people? And the scary part is that this guy is a member of an ally government. Between this and the Danish cartoon uproar, the world is left with little to contradict the violent image of Islam. However, I believe that the religion is fundamentally peaceful. While you can point to passages in the Quran that call for believers to strike down non-believers, you can find equally disturbing passages in the Bible. Islam has been hijacked by extremists who have forced themselves upon the world stage as spokesmen for the religion, much as the Republican Party has been seized by religious conservatives. Rational leaders of Islam need to step up and denounce such extremism.

Call A Fat Kid Fat

According to the Associated Press, a committee of medical experts has recommended that "Doctors ought to quit using fuzzy terms to define children's weight problems and instead refer to truly fat kids as overweight or obese". Amen. Such children are often euphamistically referred to as "at risk for overweight". This country is facing a serious obesity problem, and telling those who are obese that they may have a slight problem is not going to cut it.

A Gay Love Bomb

In 1994 a military researcher requested $7.5 million to develop a bomb that would create an overwhelming sex drive in enemy forces, thus causing them to have sex with each other rather than fight. I'd like to know how I can get ahold of some of this. There are several conservatives with pent up homosexual rage that would really benefit from a gay bomb. They could release all of that tension and have an excuse for it too!

Gonzales No Confidence Vote Fails

As with everything else, Bush is going to let this drag out in an attempt to make the Democrats look petty and more obsessed with damaging the administration than doing the country's business. However, I think a few comments regarding the no confidence vote are noteworthy...

Bush...
"They can have their votes of no confidence, but it's not going to make the determination about who serves in my government,"
My government! My government! Are you kidding me? Who let George off his leash again?

Bush again...
"This process has been drug out a long time. It's political."
Those political bastards!

Gonzales...
"I am going to be focusing on what the American people expect of the attorney general of the United States and this great Department of Justice."
You self-serving bastard! It would have been nice of you remember that before your neck was on the block.

And finally, the beautiful human being that is Trent Lott...
"This is a nonbinding, irrelevant resolution proving what? Nothing...Maybe we should be considering a vote of no confidence on the Senate or on the Congress for malfunction and an inability to produce anything."
Ahhh, much like the first six years of Bush's "presidency" when taxpayers' money was used as toilet paper by the Republican-controlled Congress.

Idiots. Our government is being run by complete morons. It's absolutely disgusting.

Libby's Pardon

Talk of Bush granting Libby a pardon is beginning to swirl even before Libby begins his appeals process. Cheney's office issued this statement...

"The defense has indicated it plans to appeal the conviction in the case...Speaking as friends, we hope that our system will return a final result consistent with what we know of this fine man."

The judicial system may not return that result, but the bastard will get off with a pardon from Bush. What ever happened to the administration's tough rhetoric when the leak was first exposed? The "we'll find out who did this and punish 'em up something fierce" crap. Bush will pardon him because Bush has nothing left except the few friends like Libby who are willing to jump in front of a 747, get back up, and say "thank you sir may I have another". This administration is shit and it's severly altered my party for the worse.

Libby Gets 30 Months

While it's good to see some justice brought to this case, I can't help but feel as though the big fish keep getting away. Cheney was involved and Rove is at the heart of every scandal. The revelation that Plame was covert at the time of her outing means this can no longer be dismissed by those on the right (Hannity, O'Reilly, and all the other lemmings) as a baseless witch hunt. Libby was certainly guilty, but he's merely a fall guy to appease the masses.

If the tables were turned and this was happening to a Democratic administration, the Republicans would be discussing impeachment daily. They would scoff at the idea of a man like Libby committing treason and receiving just 30 months. Clinton lied about having sex with a woman and the same hypocritical Republicans who are now downplaying this case were on that like white on rice. This is utterly absurd.

Dr. Death Released Today

The release of Dr. Kevorkian from a Michigan penitentiary today renews, if only briefly, the assisted suicide debate. I support a person's right to make such a choice. The government has no place forcing a perfectly competent yet terminally ill person to endure, in some cases, the kind of pain that requires a drug-induced coma. Those who criticize doctors like Kevorkian, who are complying with a patient's request, accuse him of playing God, but are those critics not playing the same game? They want to step in and decide what is best for someone who is fully capable of deciding what is best for themselves.

The pro-choice groups are not advocates of pleasure killings, as the pro-life groups love to imply. Life should be safe-guarded, but not merely for a group's self-righteous crusade. There should be appropriate legislation in place that allows competent, terminally ill patients to go through a certain screening process that will enable them to peacefully end their lives, as opposed to the extremely painful, bed-ridden state in which some spend their last days.

ACLU Sues Boeing

The ACLU's latest lawsuit has been brought against Boeing on behalf of three people abducted by the CIA, apparently reasoning that the flight and logistics support provided to the CIA meant that Boeing was involved in the abductions. This is akin to suing Smith & Wesson because someone shot you with one of their hand guns. Even if Boeing somehow knew about the prisoner transfers, Boeing would not be privy to any information that would allow them to determine whether the abductions were legal. When I hear stories like this about the ACLU I have to remind myself repeatedly that the ACLU has done some very good things (Brown v. Board of Education) and does serve a purpose, particularly as a counter-balance.

Bomb Threat at Falwell's Funeral

Falwell's message of love really had an impact on his students. Preliminary reports are surfacing that a 19 year old student named Mark Uhl (and maybe others) at Liberty "University", Falwell's brainwashing institution, made "napalm-like" bombs that he planned to use on protesters at Falwell's funeral. Falwell would be proud, especially if the crowd contained gays, blacks, or any other person not exactly like Falwell and his cult followers. Were it not for Clinton Portis' remarks released today, this would surely be the quote of the day...

From the Lynchburg Sheriff, "At this time it is not believed that these devices were going to be used to interrupt the funeral services at Liberty University".

Some forget that most people carry "napalm-like" bombs around in their vehicles only to use them much like those snapper fireworks that little children play with.

C'Mon, Everyone Fights Dogs

What ever happened to athletes as role models? Sure, there are still plenty of athletes for kids to look up to, but the number of athletes who set terrible examples seems to have skyrocketed. According Clinton Portis, though, Michael Vick most certainly falls into the first category, the model citizen type. The same man who fights dogs, gives spectators the finger, and displays all manner of inappropriate behavior. In a recent interview, Portis had this to say regarding the allegations that Vick fights dogs...

"I think people should mind their business, you know. I don't know if he was fighting dogs or not, but it's his property, his dog, if that's what he wants to do, do it."

Okay so maybe he's not aware that dog fighting is a felony...

"It can't be too bad of a crime. There's a lot of stuff that's crimes, you know. It's killers on the loose over here and you want to hunt down Michael Vick over fighting some dogs." And so elegantly stated too. Put it in perspective for us Clinton...

"I think behind closed doors the same people who do all the judging are probably some of the harshest people around. They're Internet predators and everything else." I've got nothing for that gem.

Now this isn't coming from someone who knows nothing about dog fighting. Portis is well versed...

"I'm from Laurel, Mississippi, so I know a lot of backroads that got a dog fight if you want to go see it."

Wait for it...

"Then I think he got cheated. You take a positive role model...and put him behind bars for no reason, over a dog fight."

Besides the laughable notion that Michael Vick is a positive role model and should be anywhere but behind bars, I love fact that he says "put him behind bars for no reason" and then lists the reason. Thank you for defining stupid for us Clinton.

Gonzales Should Go

I thought an AP article made a very good, succinct point today...

"In pushing counterterror programs that courts found unconstitutional and in stacking the ranks of federal prosecutors with Republican loyalists, Gonzales has put Bush’s stamp on an institution that is supposed to operate largely free of the White House and beyond the reach of politics."

Bush Finds Fall Guy

Bush has found his "war czar" in Lt. Gen. Lute, currently the Pentagon's director of operations. Other titles for the position include fall guy, scapegoat, whipping boy, and patsy. I want to know who the hell was in charge of the Iraq and Afghan wars prior to this guy and why, after four years, are we just now appointing someone whose offical role is to oversee them. This is insane.

Jerry Falwell Dead

I don't wish death upon many people. It's pretty much restricted to the Osama bin Ladens and Eric Rudolphs of the world. However, I can say I'm not sad to see Falwell leave. There is certainly a little less hate in the world. The man was an ignorant, gluttonous, manipulative, self-serving bigot. If the devil really does have a sense of humor, Falwell will be naked and bathed for all eternity by black homosexual transvestites. Some highlights from Falwell's life....

On Sep. 11..."I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way, all of them who have tried to secularize America. I point the finger in their face and say 'you helped this happen.'"

On homosexuality..."AIDS is the wrath of a just God against homosexuals."

How people like Falwell can be so full of hate and have the audacity to call themselves Christians is beyond me.

Dadullah Dead

The killing of Mullah Dadullah this weekend is a great accomplishment for U.S. forces, but looking at the big picture I wonder what these events accomplish anymore. His Taliban group appears to be no different than any other terrorist organization that loses one of its heads. It grows another. The Israelis know this firsthand with the Palestinians. My excitement is subdued because Dadullah was just another leader. In order to succeed we have to achieve more significant and permanent gains through political, economic, and social advancements. In Iraq and Afghanistan we are fighting a cause more than specific individuals, a cause that has spread because of the lack of strong political, economic, and social advancements.

Satan Working With Immigrants to Destroy America

http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/220065/4/

This story reads like an SNL skit. It takes a few sentences before you realize these people are serious and actually are that stupid.

Some highlights from Don Larsen...

"illegal immigrants "hate American people" and "are determined to destroy this country, and there is nothing they won't do." Do tell...

"Illegal aliens are in control of the media, and working in tandem with Democrats, are trying to "destroy Christian America" and replace it with "a godless new world order -- and that is not extremism, that is fact," (at this point Larsen began to cry)

Which is to say that...

"If the Democrats take over the country, we will be dead, and we will have abortion and partial-birth abortion and the Republican Party will go into extinction," he said. "Nancy Pelosi and the ACLU would oppose this (resolution)."

This guy could be Brownback's running mate, assuming of course that Sammy has a shot in hell of getting out of the primaries. And as far as I know, Mexicans and South Americans, which account for much of the illegal immigration, typically are staunchly Catholic, i.e. for God and against abortion.

Ashamed of Giuliani

I was really hoping that at least one of the primary Republican contenders would not bow to the religious right. The last hope was Giuliani, who indicated last night that he would support overturing Roe v Wade. So all three candidates in the top tier have now changed their minds on that issue to pander to religious conservatives. Sad. How much capital does he really think he can pick up from that group in light of his "abismal" personal social record that includes three marriages? Then again, Romney and McCain are not exactly pristine in that area either.

Mission Accomplished

On the fourth anniversary of Bush's triumphant landing on the USS Lincoln and delivery of his victory speech in front of the "Mission Accomplished" sign, many argued over the true intent of the message. However, it's impossible to argue that it meant anything other than the "end of major military operations". Bush supporters have comically danced around the issue, trying to sell the administration's line that it was merely meant to mark a historic milestone for the USS Lincoln as the ship concluded a record number of days at sea. I love that one.

That sign doesn't go up behind the President of the United States without him and his people authorizing it. To think otherwise is to be completely blind to reality. Furthermore, it fits with everything we know about the administration. They were concerned with one thing and one thing only...defeating Saddam's military. There was absolutely no thought given to post-war Iraq. That "Mission Accomplished" message was heralded by all supporters to anyone who would listen. FOX could barely contain itself. The idea that it was an accident or coincidence is laughable.

Bush to Veto Hate Crimes Legislation?

The House and Senate, with strong support from Republican legislators, look set to pass legislation that would include gender and sexual orientation under hate crimes laws. In his infinite wisdom, Bush has decided this would be worthy of one of the very few vetoes he has ever wielded. With your presidency falling apart under the weight of Iraq and a variety of scandals, why oppose something that is designed to protect a group that is indisputably the object of a great deal of hatred while imposing upon no one? Idiot! Where are his handlers? Who let him off his leash?

Conservatives rolled out their spokesmen though in some feeble attempt to explain why homosexuals should not be protected. "Dr." James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family and expert bigot, has seen through the maniacal, subversive, anti-Christian liberal propaganda machine, arguing that the true intent of the bill is "to muzzle people of faith who dare to express their moral and biblical concerns about homosexuality." The way he reads it, "you may be guilty of committing a 'thought crime.'" Huh?! It is always so difficult for me to believe that idiots like this exist, and that thousands of other idiots nod their heads without ever questioning.

Texas Legislature to Block Cervical Cancer Treatment

Just when you think Texas will rise from the stigma of ignorant, religious-based legislating, it reaffirms itself as a dominant Bible belt state. Gov. Perry's measure to require all sixth grade girls to receive a cervical cancer vaccine was admirable, but maybe too forward thinking for a state where a large block of residents believe such measures promote promiscuity. Admittedly, I too was afraid administrators might pass out leaflets promoting the sexual advantages of getting the shot. I had visions of thousands of sixth grade girls roaming the streets savagely looking for sexual conquest upon sexual conquest.

What's more, I'm sure every opponent of the shot is also a card-carrying member of the pro-life movement. So basically they're willing to risk their daughters dying of cervical cancer in the futile effort to protect their virginity? This is just too damn stupid.

Caffeinated Soap

Scientists in London have created a caffeine-infused soap, with "the stimulant absorbed naturally through the skin". The soap delivers the equivalent of two cups of coffee each wash.

This is surely the work of the devil. There is nothing natural about forcing your skin to absorb two cups of coffee each day.

Fair and Balanced Moment of the Day

As the VA Tech shooting turns from mourning to questions of prevention, FOXNEWS.com had these tidbits of supreme journalism to share:

"Was Cho Seung-Hui Possessed by the Devil?"
"How to Spot a Psycho on College Campuses"

The answer to both of the above can be solved by forcing all students, regardless of creed, to carry a Bible, cross, and gun at all times. If the power and love of Jesus Christ is not enough to stop Satan, then surely tens of thousands of armed students with guns will do the trick.

The $400 Haircut

FEC filings reveal that Edwards has spent some of his campaign contributions on two $400 haircuts, thus strengthening the perception that Edwards' number one concern is a perfect head of hair. If I had donated to his campaign, I would be furious at the thought of my money paying for a service that has got to involve something extramarital. Beyond that, I would raise the question, "If this is how he spends my money now, how will he spend all of our money once in office"? I'd love to make a crack here about Democrats and fiscal spending but Bush has kinda ruined that.

Oregon Passes Bill of Gay Rights

The Oregon House passed a bill yesterday that would allow gays the same benefits as married couples and would protect them from discrimination. The Senate is expected to approve the bill and Gov. Kulongoski plans to sign. This would place Oregon among only 17 other states that protect gays from discrimination. Regardless of what anyone believes about gay marriage, it is impossible to argue that homosexuals are not discriminated against. The fact that this issue stirs such intense debate is itself evidence of strong anti-homosexual feelings in this country.

I am not an advocate of gay marriage, but I do believe that when we live in country that is so blatantly hypocritical on the issue of marriage we should grant a very devoted, loving gay couple the same benefits as a cheating straight couple in an acrimonious relationship. It's next to impossible to cry out for the sanctity of marriage when we have a 50% divorce rate and think it's cute when Brittany gets married and divorced within a 24 hour period. The bill is a step in the right direction.

The 2nd Amendment Debate

The tragic incident at VA Tech inevitably raises gun control questions. However, Bush, rather tastelessly in my opinion, was quick to follow his condolences with assurances that the 2nd amendment would remain safely enshrined. By including such remarks in his statement he brings gun control to the forefront of the tragedy. Although questions will arise, the initial statement should have been confined to the usual "thoughts and prayers".

The 2nd amendment is often reduced to five simple words, "the right to bear arms". But to fully understand the amendment and our forefathers intent, you have to read it in its entirety, "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed." This was written at a time of great uncertainty for our fledgling country. We had just declared ourselves independent of tyranny and were not sure when tyranny may present itself again. I may be wary of Bush, but I'm confident he won't impose a dictatorship.

So what is the case for keeping a gun today? Some would argue that if students had been able to carry one that maybe the degree of horror could have been lessened. I don't buy that. It sounds just as logical as arguing that with guns the number of incidents would have been greater and that the death toll from the sum of those incidents could have reached or exceeded this one event.

Other countries have had great success with tight gun restrictions. Britain, a country of 53 million and where guns are outlawed, had just 46 gun-related murders last year. New York City, a city of 8 million, had 579. These statistics also dent the argument that criminals will certainly have guns and that a well armed populace is both a good defence and a good deterrent. The NRA lobbies feverishly for their love of fire arms, but is a love of guns worth such prices as the VA Tech shootings and Columbine? I love guns as well, but I'm willing to give up that right if it means we achieve statistics closer to those of Britain and Australia.

Gov. Wastes Money to Find The Obvious

From the AP...

"Students who participated in sexual abstinence programs were just as likely to have sex a few years later as those who did not, according to a long-awaited study mandated by Congress"

Furthermore...

"those who attended one of the four abstinence classes reviewed reported having similar numbers of sexual partners as those who did not attend the classes, and they first had sex at about the same age as their control group counterparts — 14 years and nine months, according to Mathematica Policy Research Inc"

You mean abstinence programs cannot control teenagers hormons?! You mean we may need to teach them about safe sex and condoms in addition to abstinence?! I want to know how much money was wasted to find the obvious. The government already wastes $176 million each year on abstinence-only programs that are utterly worthless. Teenagers will have sex. I'd rather they know how to use a condom than simply learn the government's official stance against pre-marital sex.

S.C. Senate Committee Drops Ultrasound Measure

A S.C. senate subcommittee thankfully dropped a measure from an abortion bill that would have required women seeking an abortion to view an ultrasound of the fetus. Interestingly, the S.C. senate has only one female senator, meaning that once again conservative male groups are trying to decide what is best for women. But I'm sure those who drafted the measure will press on in their self-righteous quest to make the abortion process as painful as possible for women.

Sad State of Affairs

CBS has cancelled Imus' radio show, a day after Imus lost his TV show. His remarks were definitely stupid and reprehensible, and whatever else he described them as throughout his endless apologizing. But what about other radio personalities who most definitely cross the line not once in a while (as Imus did) but every day? Michael Savage immediately comes to mind. The man is delusional, hateful, a complete moron, and probably a closet homosexual (just to list a few apt adjectives), and it seems as though he makes offensive comments throughout his show nearly every day, with a great deal of vitriol directed towards gays. Furthermore, you could characterize his shows as inflammatory and him as an inciter. But where is the outrage and condemnation? In running Imus off we've passed over some more pressing individuals.

Nappy-Headed Hos

Are Don Imus' remarks by themselves enough to warrant serious action against the man? No. He's apologized to the point of his own detriment. Are Don Imus' remarks in conjunction with previous comments enough? Yes. If you look back at prior incidents, Imus, and his associate Sid Rosenberg, have made many racially-charged comments. Rosenberg was twice fired for offensive remarks, and each time he was rehired. It demonstrates a pattern of acceptance, that such behavior is not counter to Imus' true feelings as he contends but instead a Freudian slip.

His attempts to save his integrity and his show via endless apologies seem, at least to me, to be compounding the problem. From this little tidbit of wisdom..."Here's what I've learned: that you can't make fun of everybody, because some people don't deserve it" to a heated reference of "you people" (presumably the black community), Don Imus is tempting fate and yet another "slip of the tongue". Is a two week suspension enough punishment? Probably not. In the end though, those dashing good looks will probably get him off the hook, or the millions of listeners who tune in. I'm still waiting for him to announce that he'll be receiving counseling. Hell, if he gets Ted Haggard's counselors he could be cured in three weeks and we can put all of this behind us.

Teaching or Preaching

The Texas House is considering a bill that would make classes on the Bible available in public schools. Rep. Warren Chisum, sponsor of the bill, claims that "We're not going to preach the Bible, we're going to teach the Bible and how it affects all of our writings, documents and the formation of our government". If the classes were absolutely just going to teach the Bible, then I'm not sure I would have a problem with this bill. After all, the Bible has significantly impacted history and the classes would be optional.

But I don't think it's possible to bring the Bible into the classrooms without preaching. Some classes will inevitably evolve into sermons at some point. Critics are leveling that claim at some Georgia schools that have adopted similar programs. Teachers in any field have biases, and religious studies are no different. They major in the subject and write papers and a thesis that reflect their opinions.

Furthermore, you run the risk of a student signing up for a class who is genuinely interested in learning about the Bible and its impact, but not in being preached to. Teaching one particular brand of religion has no place in public schools. An interesting and more acceptable course could be one that explores all religions. I feel that too many students only know the Quran as the book of bin Laden.

If parents are so intent on providing their children with a religious education, then they can ingrain those teachings at home, in church, and/or at a private, religious school. Besides, we should be focusing our efforts on reversing frightening downward trends in math, science, and reading.

The Audacity

How dare Nancy Pelosi travel to Syria and try diplomacy, at which the administration has failed and seems to be completely inept. How dare she "embolden our enemies". I'm sick of all the Democrats' emboldening strategies to topple America. According to Bush, "Sending delegations doesn't work. It's simply been counterproductive". So what does work? His current policy, if he even has one, sure as hell does not. We have to be tough on Syria. We have to be firm with any country that backs a terrorist organization like Hezbollah. But where does turning our backs and thumbing our nose get us? It certainly does not stop Syria from supporting the group. If anything it "emboldens our enemies". Where has this administration succeeded diplomatically? I disagree with Pelosi on many things, if not most, but given this administration's growing impotence on the world stage, I have no problem with her seeking a peaceful compromise in the Middle East between Israel and Syria.

Bush's "Institute of Bush Is God"

SMU has won the "privilege" of hosting Bush's presidential library. What the university did not anticipate is the institute that Bush wants to attach to it, a place where loyal "Bushies" will promote the president's policies. Bush always claims he is unconcerned with his legacy, or that it is too premature to begin assessing. Funny, I would think that a president who is either confident in his performance or unconcerned with current public opinion (as he claims he is) would not feel the need to create such an institute.

More troubling is the administration's efforts to have access to his papers restricted. FDR was the first president to open his own library and to release his papers. Since 1978, with passage of the Presidential Records Act in the wake of Watergate, presidents have had no choice in the matter. Bush has sought to undue that. Fortunately, a bill passed by the House on March 14th nullified Bush's previous order in 2001 that allowed him to restrict access to his papers for years after he leaves office. Why is there so much to hide with this president?

Stand By Your Man

Despite the disclosure of emails contradicting Gonzales' earlier statements that he had no part in discussions on the firings of US attorneys, Bush has decided to stand by his man. In doing so, Bush carries on his tradition of stubbornness. Early on in Bush's career I found that stubbornness somewhat admirable. Today I view it as arrogance bordering on stupidity. It's present in the entire administration, and few personify it as well as WH spokesman Tony Snow, who seems to think that providing an ultimatum ("we'll allow you to question Rove and Miers in informal discussions only) is the same thing as a compromise. If Bush wants a legacy defined by more than complete ineptitude, he could start by bringing in a less activist and more truthful AG.

A New Form of Child Abuse

The S.C. Department of Social Services has threatened to remove 7 yr. old Justin Painter from his South Carolina home. Why? Justin weighs 254 lbs! The mother maintains that she is doing everything possible to help him lose weight, despite the fact that he has shown no progress. The department has given her two months to produce results.

There is absolutely no way the mother is trying hard enough. A child cannot possibly gain that much weight if he or she is playing outside/exercising and eating decent meals. She may love him, but this is still child abuse and should be treated as such.

Roughly 20% of children are overwieght today. This is one of the most serious issues facing our country. Diabetes is skyrocketing as children are fed the garbage that has become the norm in this fastfood nation. They spend less time exercising and more time watching TV and playing video games. Medical costs will rise for everyone as the overweight suffer the typical ailments associated with obesity and the "normal" suffer the costs of rising insurance premiums. This also poses a threat to education, which has already been affected by more external factors, such as poor funding and lack of proper attention at the both the state and federal levels. Children are not overweight because they sit too long while studying. Plus, more and more research is developing that demonstrates how a healthy, fit body translates into a fitter mind.

It seems as though society has begun to take action. The elimination of trans fats and the development of healthier alternatives at fastfood restaurants are good examples. But these are only recent trends. There is at least an entire generation that has suffered from a lapse in "nutritional judgement".

Second Verse Same As The First

In an effort to support the troop surge, Bush recently claimed that success would require not weeks but months. Why does this administration insist on repeatedly shooting itself in the foot? In April 2003 Rumsfeld made the erroneous claim that success in Iraq might require six weeks but "I doubt six months". Bush declared victory from the deck of the USS Lincoln in May 2003 despite the administration's total lack of planning and foresight for post-war Iraq. With such mistakes behind you why would you risk another?

Free to Lie

Karl Rove and Harriet Miers may testify about the DOJ firings. However, the White House has not given permission for that testimony to be under oath. If there is nothing improper related to the firings and you have nothing to hide, why wouldn't you allow testimony under oath? This screams "we have something to hide." You might as well just say "we really screwed up." Gonzales may not have been the source of the firings, but this whole situation exemplifies the problems with the AG and the administration in general. If Bush wants to save any part of this failure he calls a presidency, he can start right now by dumping Gonzales in favor of a less activist AG and revealing what is so "frivolous" that he has to keep top aides from testifying under oath.

Another One Bites The Dust

Taha Yassin Ramadan, Saddam's vice president, was hanged early Tuesday morning for the killings of 148 Shiites. The execution was handled far more delicately this time around. Thus far no videos of chanting Shiite executioners have emerged. This was the fourth hanging since the trials began, and the world is a better place with each one that passes. Saddam and his henchmen were guilty of terrible atrocities.

Legacy of a Cowboy

Thousands of Christian war protesters marched on Friday night, marking another major point in the erosion of Bush's already diminished support. Hardcore supporters (i.e. the blind, deaf, and dumb) maintain that history will vindicate Bush, much as it did Truman. In fact, the Bush administration likens itself to the Truman administration. However, although Truman battled scandals and setbacks during his presidency, much of his work proved lasting and significant. The Marshall Plan rebuilt post-war Europe, the military was reorganized with the CIA, DOD, Air Force, and NSC as byproducts, and an unprecedented push for civil rights took place.

Much can be made of Truman's shortcomings and failures. Perhaps most notably, Truman initiated American involvement in Vietnam, but there is much good to point to in Truman's presidency. There is little good I can find in Bush's. Granted, we have not been attacked again, but any president would make the 9/11 attacks and defense of this country a top priority. What else is there?

You Can't Handle The Truth

When you think the administration cannot screw up any more than it already has, another low is revealed. Allegations are surfacing that the firings of eight DOJ attorneys in 2006 were politically motivated and originated in the White House. What's more, the original plan was to fire all 93 DOJ attorneys. Harriet Miers, the same completely unqualified woman nominated for the Supreme Court, suggested that all chief district prosecutors (people with years of prosecuting experience) be asked to resign. Brilliant! Speculation is that the firings were intended to open up spots for up-and-coming young Republicans, allowing them a two-year stint to burnish their credentials. The reasons, or lack thereof, given for the firings are also under review.

There were apparently three unofficial grades assigned to the attorneys, based on an internal email between Harriet Miers and Kyle Sampson (Gonzales' chief of staff). Top performers demonstrated loyalty to the administration. Weak performers were "weak U.S. attorneys who have been ineffectual managers and prosecutors, chafed against Administration initiatives, etc." The third category was "no opinion". Two of the fired attorneys, Iglesias, whom the movie "A Few Good Men" was partially based on, and Ryan, had consistently been given strong evaluations during their careers. Another, McKay, was awarded the Navy's highest award for a program he spearheaded, a regional law enforcement information-sharing network, known as LINX.

This is utterly ridiculous. Gonzales is an activist AG who has already pushed the boundaries of the executive office too far.

Fair and Balanced Moment of the Day

With two police officers in riot gear about to club a half-naked man, the title to this picture reads "Brazilian Bush-Bashing".

Thou Doth Protest Too Much

It has come out that Newt Gingrich, while leading the Clinton impeachment proceedings, was himself having an affair. It's sad how desensitized I feel towards yet another story of conservative hyprocrisy. So much time and money was wasted impeaching a president who lied about having an affair, and yet there is no serious call to impeach Bush. I'm not advocating that there be one. However, I do imagine how great the call from Republicans for Clinton's head would have been had there been a failing war in Iraq, CIA leak, Katrina, Walter Reed scandal, Abramoff scandal, misuse of the Patriot Act, and so forth. Now, any liberal calling for impeachment is beaten down as crazy, far left, and anti-American. It's always crazy when the shoe is on the other foot.

Coulter Has Gay Friends

That's how she knows that "'Faggot' isn't offensive to gays; it has nothing to do with gays". With criticism mounting, the media pulling her from view, and companies yanking their advertisements from her website, Coulter shamelessly tried to write off her remarks as "schoolyard taunts" on "Hannity and Colmes". It's nice to see repercussions for her thoughtless, narrow-minded bigotry.

I'm Just Saying...

Turns out this past weekend was filled with ignorant comments. Bill Maher, host of HBO's "Real Time", had this to say on Friday about the failed assassination attempt on Dick Cheney's life...

"I'm just saying if he did die, other people, more people would live. That's a fact"

That is so far from fact and lacking in deductive reasoning I'm not sure where to begin. By that "cut off the head" logic, Cheney is making the decisions and without him the war would abruptly come to an end. Does he really think that Dick's assassination would end this war? That Bush would not be further emboldened but rather decide to throw in the towel? Dick's death would become a rallying cry, boosting Bush's determination. The war deaths would continue to mount, if not more so as calls for withdrawal get suppressed by renewed calls of support. The comment was just stupid, but, given the divided state America is in right now and the plummeting support for Bush and Cheney, Maher will probably receive less criticism than Coulter, even though both remarks lacked anything resembling thought.

Coulter Shock

Ann Coulter is ignorant, narrow-minded, and hateful. Why she referred to John Edwards, a married man with children, as a faggot is beyond reason. Such comments achieve two things; they rally the dwindling "I hate liberals no matter what" base and push undecided voters towards Democrats like Edwards. She's a liability to the party and should shut up, if for no other reason than to save what little dignity she doesn't have left. Anything to sell a book about widows loving the deaths of their husbands I guess.

$500 Million

That's the estimate of what each presidential candidate will spend. It's obscene. Politics is no longer about ideas. It hasn't been for a long time. It's about money and who can spend more of it. And from the city council up it's getting more expensive to run a campaign.

Money keeps potentially good candidates from running, and it keeps debates few and infrequent. Politicians, feeling no pressure to risk a debate, maneuver for just the right time and place to do those couple staged ones with the very polite moderator and traffic signals.

Campaigns, especially presidential ones, ought to be publicly financed. Cap candidates at say $25 million. It would force them to support and articulate their ideas through debate, to get out and meet the people. At the very least, America might end up with a team in the White House that knows how to effectively and efficiently spend money.

I imagine all the worthy causes $1 billion could be spent on, and it sickens me to think of it all going to politicians. Maybe Vilsack, who dropped out last week due to lack of funds, wasn't the best candidate, but we'll never know. I think the founders would be appalled to see the spectacle campaigns have become.

An Oscar for Global Warming

Much is being made of Al Gore's Oscar win for his movie An Inconvenient Truth. Conservatives, such as the always insensitive and narrow-minded Ann Coulter, claim that it's more liberal propaganda from a bloated hypocrite, that Hollywood just can't get enough of something that might kick Bush right in the testicles. Maybe. But it's striking to me how partisan some conservatives made that award, and how neutral those crazy Hollywood lefties kept it. There was no "Bush is a polluting devil" on Melissa Etheridge's slides.

I congratulate Gore. He's genuinely worried about an issue that may dramatically affect the world (granted, generations from now) and he's trying to do his part. When the vast majority of experts in the field of global warming are saying mankind is negatively impacting the environment, who the hell is Ann Coulter to refute that information? It's as if she, and those like her, seized on the few dissenting scientific opinions in order to justify another fight with liberal tree-huggers. Why should we immediately shun the information as liberal propaganda? At the very least, we ought to be acting like global warming is man-made until definitive proof comes out to the contrary. Why is that foolish and unreasonable? This is certainly an issue on which it's better to be safe than sorry.

Man With No Chin Drops From Presidential Race

That's about as much as anyone outside the state of Iowa knows about Tom Vilsack, who announced today that he's dropping out of the 2008 race. Shockingly, he cited lack of widespread recognition and lack of funds as the primary reasons. A man from Iowa who thinks he has a shot in hell campaigning against Clinton, Edwards, and Obama is far too naive to be president. Depsite lack of name recognition, he would have collapsed trying to run on a weak platform, focused mainly on alternative energy (admirable but trite). And his recent criticism of the Iraq War backed up by the oh-so-brilliant plan to cut funding would appeal to a minority of voters. The majority of Americans want to end the war and bring the troops home, but very few are willing to cut funding to our soldiers.

Fair and Balanced Moment of the Day

FOX News on Hillary and Obama...

"Presidential wannabees at war over Clinton's call for Obama to return contribution from David Geffen, former 'Friend of Bill'"

McCain's Flipping Will Flop

While campaigning for the GOP nom in 1999, Sen. McCain announced himself as a pro-life candidate, who told reporters "in the short term, or even the long term, I would not support repeal of Roe v. Wade.” Now, in an effort to curry the conservative vote, the Senator has decided against his earlier statement/feelings. At an event in South Carolina, he had this to say about the Supreme Court ruling, "I do not support Roe vs. Wade. It should be overturned".

If he truly had a change a heart, then that's his right. However, if he did it for political gain, then I disagree with his and his team's assessment of where most Americans stand on the issue. I think that after eight years of Bush, America is wary of anything resembling him, particularly a candidate who would keep moral debates at the forefront of politics. Bush's approval ratings are lagging for reasons beyond the Iraq war (although Iraq is certainly the largest component). Americans are tired of wasting time on moral issues the federal government should not be involved in. I think McCain is only hurting himself by announcing he would waste more time fighting something most Americans believe should be legal. I understand that evangelicals are key to the GOP primary, but to denounce Roe v Wade may be an unnecessary and ultimately fatal step.

New Jersey Accepts Gay Unions

I support New Jersey's efforts to show some respect to homosexuals. In a country where some cry out for the sanctity of marriage I have a hard time keeping a straight face. We are a country with a divorce rate of around 50%, where a person like Britney Spears is just a silly girl for getting married and divorced within a 24 hr period, and where hypocrites like Ted Haggard have a voice. I think it only fair that gay couples receive some of the entitlements married couples have.

I'm tired of listening to holier-than-thou Bible thumpers claiming it will be the end of this country to pass such laws. I'm tired of the utterly ridiculous hypotheticals that homosexual unions and marriages are compared to. Bestiality is my favorite. "Well if we allow this, then what's to stop a man from marrying a pig?". Everything, not to mention the fact that a pig cannot enter into a legal contract (i.e. marriage).

Marriage, in my opinion, is between a man and woman, but why should two gays who have been together for 15 years and who love each other deeply be prevented from receiving some of the same entitlements granted to two straight people who cheat on each other? Are we supposed to be afraid that by allowing unions we'll trigger a chain reaction of unstoppable homosexuality? That once it's allowed everyone will begin trying out for the other team? If so, it's an argument almost as ridiculous as the bestiality hypotheticals.

Those who cry out for the sanctity of marriage need to address the more pressing issue of accelerating divorce rates. The attitude among younger couples today who are weighing marriage is one of total ambivalence. If it works out, great. If it gets tough, we can always divorce. As a society we're taking the privilege of marriage for granted.

Worth a Thousand Words

This is a pic from the Rose Monday carnival parade in Mainz, Germany. This sort of irreverance towards Bush and the U.S. is unprecedented. We have never been held to a level of worldwide disregard such as we face today. This country has lost much of its standing atop the world.

I still believe this is the greatest nation, but no matter how great and powerful we are we still need other countries, whether it be China for cheap labor, the Middle East for oil, or Europe for political and military support against terrorist regimes like Iran. For example, the recent "evidence" of Iran's meddling in Iraq was immediately discredited as yet another fabrication by a war-mongering administration. Although Iran does have a hand in the current violence and is working towards a nuclear weapon, nothing short of a signed confession will sway world opinion. The leniency once granted the U.S. is fading quickly. The picture says quite a bit about where we stand and how far we have to go.

Tobacco Industry Finally Brought to Heel?

Bipartisan lawmakers are set to introduce a bill that would bring tobacco under the control of the FDA. This is a huge step from just a couple decades earlier when tobacco threw its weight around as it pleased, openly bribing legislators and targeting children. It's about time an industry that kills hundreds of thousands and costs the country billions in healthcare each year is held to standards and regulations.

I support a person's right to smoke. I take issue with the fact that the industry wielded so much power and clout over our government for so long that it was only recently that state and local governments have been successful at passing measures designed to limit second-hand smoke. For years, in spite of scientific research proving its health effects, non-smokers were forced to breath smoke in public places because essentially the smoker's rights were more important than the non-smoker's. I should be able to go into an enclosed public space anywhere in the country and not be subjected to someone imposing his or her deadly habit on me. It's hard to believe there was a time when one could smoke on planes or at work.

What's more, I often wonder how different our attitudes to marijuana might be if the histories of tobacco and marijuana were similar. In other words, if marijuana cultivation started out in colonial America and grew into a multi-billion dollar business with scores of lobbyists, would marijuana be legal and commonplace? I understand there are negative side effects to smoking weed, but none worse than the effects of smoking and drinking, yet those two are perfectly legal. I've never tried it, so this isn't meant to promote marijuana use. Just musing.

Hardaway to Gays: Stop Wanting Me So Much

Former NBA star Tim Hardaway recently voiced his hatred for homosexuals while a guest on a sports radio show...

"You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I'm homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States."

It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States (we're a separate world didn't you hear)! Maybe, but neither should stupidity and that hasn't stopped him from being accepted and having a successful career. He better be careful though, I hear that the more homophobic straight men act the more it turns the gays on. But surely he can handle it on a professional level, right?

"Something has to give. If you have 12 other ballplayers in your locker room that's upset and can't concentrate and always worried about him in the locker room or on the court or whatever, it's going to be hard for your teammates to win and accept him as a teammate."

They might rape their teammates the first chance they get. I'm sure when the clock is winding down and the game is on the line his gay teammate would ruin the whole thing by distracting his team with a giant hard-on. But would it not also distract the other team? I don't think he's carefully weighed this. Yes that's it! Teams should recruit gays. Afterall, gay people are so filled with sexual deviancy you just have to show them athletic, straight men and they can barely control themselves.

Fair, Balanced, and Sexy

Conservatives like Bill O'Reilly and Laura Ingraham seem to bask in the glory of identifying with FOX News and its standing as the bastion of conservative, moral values. However, the one thing I've noticed is the fact that nearly every time I visit the website there is either an article or video covering a racy, sex-related story. Take a look at some of the recent video headlines...

"Class Dismissed" (Florida teacher quits to pose for Playboy)
"Not Your Average Bookworm" (half-naked female engineering students pose for calendar)
"Hot Heroes!" (elite marine unit poses for calendar)
"Protecting Animals?" (naked state of the union speech from PETA woman)

I visit several news websites each day and FOX definitely has the lead on sexually charged stories. But I'm sure this has nothing to do with the pursuit of ratings (much like those dreadful, value-destroying media outlets like CNN and NBC do) and everything to do with exposing the vile present in society that the liberal media has created. "The internet and some media have hit traditional values hard". Yes they certainly have Bill.

When Animals Betray

Cheetahs at a Belgian zoo mauled a woman to death after she snuck into their enclosure. The Olmense Zoo spokeswoman had this to say...

"Karen loved animals. Unfortunately the cheetahs betrayed her trust"

I hate it when wild animals betray my trust. Just the other day I was feeding a great white in the Med and it nearly took my hand off! The audacity! Last time I try to give it extra chum.

Ahmadinejad: Not Evil, Just Misunderstood

And if you believe that, I have ocean front property in Arizona for you. According to the president of Iran...

"Our position regarding Iraq is very clear. We are asking for peace. We’re asking for security. And we will be sad to see people get killed, no matter who they are,”

This coming from a man who denies the holocaust occurred, openly calls for the destruction of Israel, and desires to spread the Shia faith by annihilating the Sunni. It's absurd. Unfortunately we have no choice but to endure the charade. Even if the evidence coming from the administration about Iran's invlovement is real, the administration lost so much credibility with the world and its own people during the Iraq WMD debacle that we'd have a hard time justifying the use of force against Iran.

Iran has a hand in the current violence in Iraq, and the greatest threat they pose, nuclear arms, is still a couple of years off according to experts. The best we can do is pursue economic sanctions and multilateral negotiations with the country and allow factors out of our control to take effect. Ahmedinejad has benefited greatly from high oil prices. As those continue to decline (hopefully), the populist agenda will be greatly weakened when the government no longer has petty cash to throw at problems. What cash they have used seems to have been badly allocated, as infrastructure is deteriorating and unemployment is extremely high. Furthermore, there is growing resistance within Iran to the president and his nuclear ambitions, as well as his fiscal policies. Interjection by America would only flip that resistance to support.

There's one thing I found amusing about the press conference regarding the recent evidence of Iran's involvement. White House spokesman Tony Snow had this to say...

"This is providing — presenting evidence to the effect that there’s been the shipment of weaponry, lethal weaponry into Iraq, some of it of Iranian providence,”..."And this is something that we think if the president of Iran wants to put a stop to it, we wish him luck and hope he’ll do it real soon.”

"Lethal weaponry"? Would they ship another kind?

"We wish him luck and hope he'll do it real soon"? Is the guy changing jobs? "Good luck in accounting Bob, stop by and say hello anytime."

Morbid but Fitting...

that a women like Anna Nicole Smith, who exploited people for financial gain for most of her life, was herself exploited in death, with final footage of her commanding $500,000. I'm tired of hearing about her. It's unfortunate, but their are far more pressing issues to deal with (Iran, Iraq, healthcare, education, talking urinal cakes). Her greatest impact will probably be on her infant daughter, who will eventually have to deal with the fact that her mother was a famous whore who screwed old guys for money and recognition, who named her after after a son who overdosed, and who overdosed as well.

Your Urinal Cake Said What?

"Hey, you! Yeah, you! Having a few drinks? Then, listen up! Think you've had one too many? Maybe it's time to call a cab or call a sober friend for a ride home. It's sure safer and a hell of a lot cheaper than a DWI! Make the smart choice tonight. Don't drink and drive!"

This is New York's pitch to drunken men via talking urinal cakes in an effort to prevent drunk driving, and it's quite possibly the greatest invention in quite a long time. Men seem to think with their johnson's, particularly when their drunk, right? So why not go right to the source?

Praise the Lord! Haggard is Cured!

After three weeks of intensive counseling, Ted Haggard is "completely heterosexual". The idea that a man who is clearly homosexual, or at least bisexual, could be cured of this like someone might cure a disease is laughable. He's gay, and no matter how hard they pray to the Lord to reverse his gayness those tendencies will always be there. It's amazing that some people can convince themselves that homosexuality is a choice, that a person might choose to suffer the kind of ridicule that many homosexuals suffer. It also seems ridiculous that a group that worships a merciful being like Jesus could only find Haggard acceptable upon his conversion.

Vote Grabbing or Change of Heart?

Two events have weighed most heavily on Mitt Romney's thoughts on abortion: the death of a relative to an illegal abortion (in the 60s prior to Roe v Wade) and an interview with a stem cell reseacher who said (as restated by Romney), "This really isn't a moral issue, because the embryos are terminated or destroyed at 14 days". After the first incident he decided he was pro-choice. After the second, and more recent incident, he decided that he is pro-life. I'm not certain how you can come out against Roe v Wade based on stem cell research, as they seem like two different issues to me, but I'll go with it.

I won't judge the man on whether he truly had a change of heart. Only he can answer that. However, I will fault his logic and the logic of so many pro-lifers. A loved one who died because she wanted an abortion and was forced to pursue it illegally means less than a scientist discarding 14 day-old embryos? Brilliant! Romney for President! That first incident is exactly why we need to keep abortion legal.

Pistols at Dawn

Whatever happened to pistols at dawn? Today it's counseling twice a week. Call your co-star a faggot? "I'm seeking counseling." Have an affair with your campaign manager's wife? "I'm seeking counseling." Spout anti-Semitic, sexist remarks to police? "I'm seeking counseling." Those seem to be the magic words these days. People make mistakes, but most mistakes don't require counseling. It only draws more attention to the mistake and causes the media to press for counseling updates. The best thing you can do is make amends with the injured party (or in Gibson's case parties) and move on. We've fallen so far since pistols at dawn. The only thing left is kumbaya.

Selling Band-Aids to Buy Battleships

It makes no sense to me how we can pay for a massively expensive war (Bush is seeking $245 billion for '07 and '08) while holding down taxes, the government's largest source of revenue. According to Bush it can be done by making a few cuts here and few cuts there, such as in healthcare and agricultural subsidies. I don't doubt that there is plenty of room in government spending to make cuts. I doubt how realistic the promise is. For instance, this country has a long history of farm subsidies, and agriculture lobbyists have gotten fat fighting that war for farmers. So when push comes to shove, is Bush, or more precisely Republicans who need the rural vote in 2008, really going to push for, and win, the necessary cuts?

Who'd a Thunk It?

If someone had told me that Texas would be the first state to require STD/cervical cancer vaccinations for girls, I would have told them they're crazy. But not to disappoint, conservative opponents are voicing their concern, citing increased promiscuity among girls. Of course! Get the shot, have sex. The thought process, or lack thereof, among religious conservatives never ceases to amaze me. This is not about sex. This is about prevention of a deadly disease. Besides, in the heat of the moment, when the passion is flowing between two sixteen year olds, the girl is not going to stop and think "wait, I didn't get the shot yet". This is up there with arguments against safe sex education.

Teenagers are going to have sex and little can influence them otherwise - not lack of shots and not lack of condoms. Religious conservatives just can't get their heads around this. Abstinence teaching alone is ridiculous, as is blocking passage of a bill requiring that all girls get a shot that not only prevents STDs, but also prevents cervical cancer. The best that parents can hope for is that they raised their children well enough to abstain, but in light of the fact that kids have sex, and at ever-decreasing ages, it is absurd not educate them on how to protect themselves.

Why We Won't Go To War With Iran

Iran is certainly a greater threat to regional stability and the U.S. than Iraq was. However, there are several reasons Bush will not engage that country militarily, unless legitimately provoked (e.g. an attack on a U.S. base).

The U.S. is not able to fight a two-front war with Iraq and Iran. Iraq is already more than we can handle. Unfortunately, Ahmadinejad realizes this and knows he has significant room to push back against our diplomacy and our threats. The only way we could engage them is to enlist a multinational force, but in the absence of widespread serious condemnation of Iran (and, for that matter, widespread support of U.S. policy) that force would be hard to come by.

There may be enough of a movement within Iran to rule out military force. In other words, change may be possible from within. Many Iranians reject extreme Islamist culture, such as Sharia, in favor of a more Western, liberal lifestyle. Furthermore, a large percentage of Iranians have no interest in the nuclear ambitions of the president and are uncomfortable with the ire that has been directed at their country.

Diplomacy is the best course ahead of us, but we should not be afraid to flex our muscles.

Step Aside Kansas

Not to be outdone, South Dakota has passed a bill banning all abortions except those involving rape, incest, or health of the mother. This is the second time the legislature has voted on such a ban. The first was defeated by a 12% margin. But before you start having warm, fuzy thoughts about South Dakota, take a look at the regulations governing the abortion process...

Rape victims can receive an abortion only if they report the rapes to police within 50 days. Doctors then have to confirm the victim's report with police, take blood from aborted fetuses, and give that information to police for DNA testing.

In the case of incest, a doctor has to get the woman’s (in most cases the girl's) consent to report the crime along with the identity of the alleged perpetrator (i.e. father, brother, uncle) before an abortion could be performed. Blood samples from fetuses are also required.

And to top it off, at the end of the year, the photos of all those who had an abortion are published in the newspaper so the women can be properly stoned in accordance with Bible teachings.

On the surface, some of this may seem reasonable. The legislators want to prevent those oh-so-common drive-through abortions, and so they created a legal procedure (hoop if you will) that women have to go (jump) through. However, the law seems to totally ignore the fact that rape is an extremely difficult thing to deal with, particularly in the case of incest. Despite being raped by their father, for instance, some girls cannot bring themselves to report their father to authorities. There exists an intense conflict between the injustice of what their loved one did and criminalizing that person, whether it be a father, brother, uncle.

BUT WAIT! It gets better. In the face of an overburdened penal system, the South Dakota legislators thought it would be great to make the sentence for doctors performing "illegal" abortions 10 years, up from the 5 years stated in the previous bill. Brilliant! Sometimes you just have to marvel at the idiocy of it all.