Tuesday, June 05, 2007

The Real Reason For The Iraq War

Many have speculated about the real reason for the Iraq War. Is there anyone who still believes that it was the weapons of mass destruction, liberation of the Iraqi people, part of the war on terror or any of the other seemingly endless excuses for this disaster? Today while listening to Randi Rhodes of Air America I heard an interview with Antonia Juhasz, an analyst with Oil Change International. What she had to say was startling.

On march 13, 2007 she wrote an op-ed in the NY Times stating what she believes is the real reason for the war. In the article titled "Whose Oil Is It, Anyway?" she lays out who gains from this war.
TODAY more than three-quarters of the world’s oil is owned and controlled by governments. It wasn’t always this way.

Until about 35 years ago, the world’s oil was largely in the hands of seven corporations based in the United States and Europe. Those seven have since merged into four: ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell and BP. They are among the world’s largest and most powerful financial empires. But ever since they lost their exclusive control of the oil to the governments, the companies have been trying to get it back.
Lets think about what she is saying in detail. She believes our sons and daughters are dying to protect the profits of oil companies.

There is a law before the Iraqi Parliament which would give over control of most of Iraq's oil wealth to foreign oil companies to the detriment of the Iraqi people.
A new oil law set to go before the Iraqi Parliament this month would, if passed, go a long way toward helping the oil companies achieve their goal. The Iraq hydrocarbon law would take the majority of Iraq’s oil out of the exclusive hands of the Iraqi government and open it to international oil companies for a generation or more.

In March 2001, the National Energy Policy Development Group (better known as Vice President Dick Cheney’s energy task force), which included executives of America’s largest energy companies, recommended that the United States government support initiatives by Middle Eastern countries “to open up areas of their energy sectors to foreign investment.” One invasion and a great deal of political engineering by the Bush administration later, this is exactly what the proposed Iraq oil law would achieve. It does so to the benefit of the companies, but to the great detriment of Iraq’s economy, democracy and sovereignty.
Now we know why Dick Cheney has kept whom he met with such a closed secret. This sounds more like an episode of the Sopranos then it does legitimate energy policy. This is theft pure and simple, but wait it gets even better.
The foreign companies would not have to invest their earnings in the Iraqi economy, partner with Iraqi companies, hire Iraqi workers or share new technologies. They could even ride out Iraq’s current “instability” by signing contracts now, while the Iraqi government is at its weakest, and then wait at least two years before even setting foot in the country. The vast majority of Iraq’s oil would then be left underground for at least two years rather than being used for the country’s economic development.
Passage of this law which allows oil companies to rape Iraq is part of the benchmarks included in the new war funding bill.
Since the invasion of Iraq, the Bush administration has been aggressive in shepherding the oil law toward passage. It is one of the president’s benchmarks for the government of Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, a fact that Mr. Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Gen. William Casey, Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and other administration officials are publicly emphasizing with increasing urgency.
As more and more of our soldiers are killed I want you to remember that they are dying for ever larger oil company profits. Our tax dollars are being used for the largest heist in world history. Think of that as you put the yellow ribbon on the car but do nothing else to stop this war. Iran may be next unless we learn from our mistakes.

I have tried to lay this out in a way that is easy to understand. Please send this post to everyone you know and ask that they do the same. Imagine if the people of the United States realized exactly what was happening. I would suggest that everyone clicks the link on the side of this page and purchases this book by Antonia Juhasz then calls their elected officials and demand impeachment.

Libby Sentenced To Prison

Former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison Tuesday for lying and obstructing the CIA leak investigation.

A decision has not been made as to whether he will be allowed to remain free pending his appeal. Hopefully he will be required to report to prison immediately. As it was recently reported again, Valerie Plame was indeed a covert agent at the time her cover was blown by this administration. A quick background on this story was that her husband was sent to Africa to examine reports that Saddam Hussein had tried to buy yellow cake uranium from Niger and discovered the allegations were false. He further reported these findings to the CIA yet President Bush in his State of the Union Address in 2003 went on to state this as fact. This was the first reason for the war in Iraq.

What should not be lost in this discussion is the fate of those who worked with Ms. Plame around the world. Her outing certainly damaged national security and put those that she worked with at great risk. How can an administration that claims to call homeland security its number one priority willfully disclose the identification of a covert CIA agent? It should also not be forgotten that her undercover work for the CIA was involved with stopping the spread of weapons of mass destruction. This is a criminal administration that will do anything, including putting a covert agents life on the line, to further its political agenda.

So how soon will the pardon come? If he is sentenced to start serving his time immediately the call for a pardon will be intense among Libby's supporters. He broke the law and damaged national security 2.5 years sounds like a light sentence to me.

Gay Tolerance at Record Levels

Gay Tolerance in US at near record levels.

Today, 57 percent of the American public believes homosexuality should be sanctioned as an acceptable alternative lifestyle – the highest the Gallup Poll has recorded since 1982. Also indicating higher tolerance, 59 percent of Americans believe homosexual relations should be legal.
This report should make many heads in the religious right explode. This report should also make many in the republican party nervous. They count on gay issues to bring out their base. If that base shrinks it can only hurt the party. Many middle class people vote against their own best economic interests based on strong opposition to gay rights and other social issues. Each social issue lost to the party is a loss in votes.

The worst news for the GOP in this report is the views of younger Americans who now solidly support gay relationships. It is good to see that Americans are showing the tolerance that has made America the great country that it is.

Congressional Democrats Slide in Poll

The Democrats in Congress have seen their approval ratings plummet as the result of new war funding that does not include a timetable for withdrawal.
The shift away from the Democrats in Congress has occurred on two levels. In terms of their overall approval rating, the damage is almost entirely among people who strongly oppose the war in Iraq. In this group 69 percent approved of the Democrats in April, but just 54 percent still approve now -- a likely effect of the Democrats' failure to push a withdrawal timetable through Congress.

Their decline in leadership ratings vs. Bush is more broadly based -- that's occurred among war opponents and supporters alike, apparently reflecting more an assessment of their performance than an expression of support or opposition.
I am one of those people that understands the reasons why the Democrats caved in on the Iraq funding. Without a veto proof 67 votes in the Senate it was known that the President would veto any bill that included timetables. They also correctly understood that the President would use the veto as an excuse to tell the American people that the Democrats do not support the troops. The sad reality is that many Americans would fall for this lie. The correct course of action would have been to send the same bill with the funding that was requested again and again. The Democrats need a good spokesman who could explain the complex nature of the funding bill in such a way that the American people would understand.

The Democrats were elected to end this war and put this President in check until the next election. Now many do not think they are up to this task. I predict in September when the surge has failed on all levels that more Republicans will jump ship and join the Democrats on Iraq. No matter how the Democrats are perceived this is and will always be George W. Bush's war. That is the political calculation the Democrats are making. In the end that is correct but lives are being lost as a result of this lack of spine.

Monday, June 04, 2007

Terror Plot on JFK Maybe more Talk Than Action

A few days ago I posed this about the supposed plot to blow up JFK International Airport in NYC.

Today many are questioning exactly how much of this plot was real and how much was hyped by the authorities.
US authorities said Saturday they had averted an attack that could have resulted in "unfathomable damage, deaths, and destruction," and charged four alleged Islamic radicals with conspiracy to cause an explosion at the airport.

John Goglia, a former member of National Transportation Safety Board, said that if the plot had ever been carried out, it would likely have sparked a fire but little else, and certainly not the mass carnage authorities described.

"You could definitely reach the tank, definitely start the fire, but to get the kind of explosion that they were thinking that they were going to get... this is virtually impossible to do," he told AFP.
Now the real question should be what news were they trying to hide by breaking this story? Could it be the resignation of Tim Griffin who is becoming embroiled in the US Attorney firings? Seems Mr. Griffin was involved in a practice called caging which is a way to disenfranchise voters. Now that is the type of person we need as a US Attorney. Wake up America you are being duped once again.

Sunday, June 03, 2007

Flying Home Today

I will be traveling the rest of the day and will post some interesting conversations I had with people in both Brazil and Argentina. I found their knowledge of the world excellent and their views thought provoking.

Civilian Death Toll in Iraq Surges

Wasn't the surge of troops supposed to quell the sectarian violence? According to this report the exact opposite is happening.
The number of civilians killed in Iraq jumped to nearly 2,000 in May, the highest monthly toll since the start of a U.S.-backed security crackdown in February, according to figures released on Saturday.

Militants blew up a strategic bridge that links Baghdad to the northern cities of Kirkuk and Arbil, and a mortar barrage on the Sunni enclave of Fadhil in mainly Shi'ite eastern Baghdad, killed 10 people and wounded 30, police said.

In Arbil, the capital of Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and Masoud Barzani, president of Kurdistan, urged Turkey not to send troops into the region to crush Kurdish separatist rebels believed to be hiding there.
OK so lets examine this a bit further. Not only is the sectarian violence growing in Iraq but now Turkey is threatening military action to stop the Kurdish rebels. The Kurdish region was the one glimmer of success in Iraq. That success was started years ago because of the nearly autonomous government of the Kurdish region. The northern no fly zone in place to keep Saddam Hussein in check (which by the way was working)enabled them to grow and prosper. Turkey has said repeatedly that they will not allow a Kurdish state in their backyard from which the Kurdish rebels can plan and execute terrorist attacks. Didn't anyone in the Bush administration give any thought at all to the consequences of this war? It certainly appears they did not. This region could soon spiral out of control and we will only need to look to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. for the cause.

Saturday, June 02, 2007

4 Charged in JFK Airport Terror Plot

Four Muslim men were foiled from carrying out a plot to destroy John F. Kennedy International Airport, kill thousands of people and trigger an economic catastrophe by blowing up a jet fuel artery that runs through populous residential neighborhoods, authorities said Saturday.
The plot, which the men code-named "Chicken Farm," never got past the planning stages, authorities said.

"The devastation that would be caused had this plot succeeded is just unthinkable," U.S. Attorney Roslynn R. Mauskopf said at a news conference, calling it "one of the most chilling plots imaginable."

Despite their "extraordinary efforts," the men never obtained any explosives, authorities said
Is it just me or does it seem that every time the news from Iraq worsens we are hit with some terror plot. This is the second one for the NY area in as many months. The last one targeted Fort Dix in New Jersey and that plot was also just in the planning stages. I hate to be cynical but at this point I am very skeptical of any terror plots. Remember how many times the terror level was raised as we approached the 2004 election?

British General Says There Is No Way To Win The War In Iraq

A former British army commander has said there was "no way" the war in Iraq could be won and that allied forces should withdraw.
General Sir Michael Rose, a former commander of the UN peace force in Bosnia during the 1990s, said the American and British forces in Iraq were in an impossible situation.

"There is no way we are going to win the war and (we should) withdraw and accept defeat because we are going to lose on a more important level if we don't," he said.
The Bush administration will never admit defeat. The problem with this war from the start was the that it should have never been fought. There were other ways to remove Saddam Hussein if that was indeed ever the true goal. You have to really wonder how all the supposed best military brains in the world could have got this so wrong or was the goal permanent occupation?

He said Iraq should have, in any case, been a low priority compared to the war in Afghanistan, various conflicts in Africa and the war against global terrorists.
General Pope correctly sees the War in Iraq as separate from the "war on terror". There are many brutal dictators throughout the world yet we either do nothing or support them politically. Why was Saddam different? I think the answer is that those other dictators are not sitting on the third largest oil reserves in the world. Is that a cynical view? Yes it is, but this administration has done nothing to dispel that feeling amongst many in the world. There is no winning this war and our options for the future are all bad. We must get out and let the people of Iraq sort out the mess that we have made of their country.

Friday, June 01, 2007

Friday Economic News

As usual Friday is the day that the government puts out all sorts of economic reports. The big headlines for the day:

Incomes see first drop In two years.
U.S. incomes fell surprisingly by 0.1 percent in April, the first drop in almost two years, but core consumer prices - a key measure of inflation - inched up a less-than-expected 0.1 percent, a Commerce Department report showed Friday.
May job growth stronger than expected but still not very good.
There was a net gain of 157,000 jobs in the month, up from the revised 80,000-job gain in April. Economists surveyed by Briefing.com had forecast that there would be a 135,000 gain in employment in May.

The unemployment rate stayed at 4.5 percent, the same as in April and in-line with economist forecasts.
The manufacturing sector lost an additional 19,000 jobs as our manufacturing base is further decimated. The one thing to remember is that the economy needs to add 150,000 jobs per month to keep up with new people entering the job market. The unemployment rate does not include those that have stopped looking for a job or are under-employed. Under the Clinton administration the economy added 22,000,000 jobs or 229,000 per month. Under the Bush administration the economy has added 5,360,000 jobs in 77 months for an average of 69,610.00 per month. This is one of the major reasons that the middle class is in decline and savings rates are at depression era levels. Our economy is strong for companies and the shareholders that control them. For the rest of us life is not quite as rosy.

US Death Toll At Least 122 in May

May was the third deadliest month for American troops since the start of the war.

At least 122 U.S. soldiers were killed in May throughout Iraq as the surge reached its peak. Violence continued unabated and the quagmire that is Iraq continued to drain the national treasury.

Thursday, May 31, 2007

822,000 Iraqi´s Displaced Within Iraq

According to a report released on Sunday by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), an estimated 822,810 Iraqis are now displaced within their country.
Muhammad Abdul-Yassin, 39, was forced to leave his home nine months ago after continuous fighting near his home and being targeting by militias. He said he had to change his place of residence more than four times.

“There are no safe places in Iraq. Militants or insurgents find you wherever you are,” Abdul-Yassin said.

“Each time we arrived in a new camp, dozens of other families arrived with us. Most of the places are full to bursting and some of the displaced families are forced to sleep rough on the ground without tents until aid agencies can give them some protection and food. In the camp where we are staying now, we were forced to sleep in the open air for three days and drink dirty water because the aid agencies couldn’t reach us,” he said.
Lets put this in perspective. Iraq´s population was roughly 25 million before the war while the US population is roughly 300 million. That means that 9.8 million Americans would need to be forced from their homes to equal the percentage of Iraqis forced from their homes. That would be the entire cities of Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston and Dallas.

Still think the war was a good idea? Now ask yourself how you would feel if China came to our shores and the fighting caused all those people to flee. What would you think of China? Now you know what the people of Iraq think of us. Also remember these are the people displaced WITHIN IRAQ. That does not iclude the 2 million that have fled the country all together.

Is Joe Lieberman Insane?

Senator Joe Lieberman made a visit to Iraq and reported great progress. Is he aware that the casualty count for May will be the third highest since the start of the war? If that is progress what constitutes failure?

See him shopping at a local Iraqi market. I guess a flack jacket and helmet are the new fashionable attire for a day of shopping in the hot Iraqi sun. It must be some new form of weight control craze that just hasn't made it to our shores.

Joe Lieberman lost his primary in Connecticut due to his delusions about Iraq. Unfortunately the Republicans of Connecticut along with some very uninformed Democrats chose to send him back to the Senate as an independent instead of out to pasture where he truly belongs. I hope after the 2008 elections he will become completely irrelevant until he can finally be replaced in 2012.

As Lieberman walked out, he said that congressionally mandated withdrawal would be a "victory for al Qaeda and a victory for Iran."
What he neglects to say is that al Qaeda was not in Iraq before the war and that Iran is emboldened as a result of this war.

Fred Thompson To Join Republican Field

Fred Thompson will run for President.

The former Senator from Tennessee and current actor will form an exploratory committee to test the waters for a Presidential run. He is already polling third amongst Republicans before he even announced his intention to run.

I anticipate this announcement will be the beginning of the end of the Giuliani Campaign who was seen as the best hope of defeating the Democrats in 2008. This announcement will change all that.

Will We Be in Iraq For 50 Years?

President Bush sees our involvement in Korea as the model for our future in Iraq.
President Bush envisions a long-term U.S. troop presence in Iraq similar to the one in South Korea where American forces have helped keep an uneasy peace for more than 50 years, the White House said Wednesday.
Can you imagine the cost in lives and dollars for such an insane proposal? We are not viewed as occupiers by the people of South Korea but would be viewed as such by both the Sunni and Shiite populations of Iraq. Instead of looking at South Korea as a model for long term involvement you need to instead look at the Palestinian Territories. In September, when new war funding comes before Congress, we must demand a timetable for withdrawal. It is obvious that this administration doesn't just plan to pass this disaster off to the next President. They are planning to pass this disaster off to the next generation.

Nigerian State Files Criminal Suit Against Pfizer

Pfizer being investigated for using children as guinea pigs
The state government alleges Pfizer selected children and infants from crowds at a makeshift epidemic camp and gave about half of the group Trovan, which it says was untested at the time.
If this is true it validates every suspicion that people have about big pharmaceutical companies. Profits come before safety or ethics.
The Washington Post newspaper in the United States said it obtained internal Pfizer records that showed five children died after being treated with Trovan. However, "there is no indication in the documents that the drug was responsible for the deaths. Six children died while taking the comparison drug," the paper said.
Clinical trials are necessary for all drugs and I support that process. Using an unapproved drug on children in a poor country is a disgrace. If this allegation is true those involved should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of Nigerian law.

GDP Slowest Since 2002

Are we heading for recession.
The economy grew at its slowest pace since 2002 in the first three months of the year, according to a government report Thursday that was weaker than Wall Street expectations.

The Commerce Department's gross domestic product report, the broadest measure of the nation's economic activity, showed an annual growth rate of 0.6 percent in the first quarter. That's down from its initial estimate of 1.3 percent growth.


The nation's economy grew at its slowest pace since the end of 2002 in the first quarter.
Economists surveyed by Briefing.com had forecast the growth rate would slow to 0.8 percent.
The National Bureau of Economic Research defines a recession as "a significant decline in economic activity spread across the economy, lasting more than a few months." According to this definition and the slowing growth rate are we already slipping into recession?

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Another Country Found Adding Melamine To Exports

Read this post on Daily Kos

The FDA is failing us miserably and its time for action. This agency has been decimated during the past six years and our health is at stake because of it.

U.S. Government Fights To Keep Meatpackers From Testing All Slaughtered Cattle For Mad Cow

How many people were aware that less than 1% of all cows are tested for mad cow disease, which is fatal.

One company wants to test its entire herd for the disease and is being fought by the Agriculture Department. Why would the federal government want to fight this advance in public safety?
The Agriculture Department regulates the test and argued that widespread testing could lead to a false positive that would harm the meat industry.

A federal judge ruled in March that such tests must be allowed. U.S. District Judge James Robertson noted that Creekstone sought to use the same test the government relies on and said the government didn't have the authority to restrict it. - A federal judge ruled in March that such tests must be allowed. The ruling was scheduled to take effect June 1, but the Agriculture Department said Tuesday it would appeal, effectively delaying the testing until the court challenge has played out.
What the federal government is saying is that big business is more important than guaranteeing your safety. Soon eating will become like playing Russian Roulette. I will stay on top of this story.

More Gay Linguists Fired

Arab linguists that are so desperately needed by the Pentagon are being fired for being gay under the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy.

Do you still believe that our security is their first priority? Our government is being run by a bunch of religious wackos. There are only 6 people in our Iraqi Embassy in Baghdad that speak fluent Arabic. On September 10, 2001 a message came in that would have alerted authorities to the plot of 911 but was not translated until after 911 due to the lack of Arab linguists.
Democratic Rep. Marty Meehan, who has pushed for repeal of the law, organized the letter sent to Skelton requesting a hearing into the Arab linguist issue.

"At a time when our military is stretched to the limit and our cultural knowledge of the Middle East is dangerously deficient, I just can't believe that kicking out able, competent Arabic linguists is making our country any safer," Meehan said.
It is time that our government is run by sensible people who have the interests of all Americans at heart.

Nasa: 10 Years To Climate Tipping Point

I am sure that this report from NASA will make Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe´s head explode.

Senator Inhofe is one of those that say Global Warming is a myth. Now that NASA has weighed in on this subject with this neanderthal finally take his head out of his ass and do something? I doubt it. Thankfully Barbara Boxer now heads the Environment and Public Works Committee.

Climate change is real and needs action immediately before there is no turning back from what would be the largest catastrophe in world history.

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Rules Hiding Trillions In Debt

The Federal Government is using Enron like accounting practicies to hide trillions in debt.
The federal government recorded a $1.3 trillion loss last year — far more than the official $248 billion deficit — when corporate-style accounting standards are used, a USA TODAY analysis shows.

The loss reflects a continued deterioration in the finances of Social Security and government retirement programs for civil servants and military personnel. The loss — equal to $11,434 per household — is more than Americans paid in income taxes in 2006.

"We're on an unsustainable path and doing a great disservice to future generations," says Chris Chocola, a former Republican member of Congress from Indiana and corporate chief executive who is pushing for more accurate federal accounting.
Do you still feel like the richest country on earth? Our national debt has the capability of destroying the middle class and turning the United States into Argentina. When will the American people demand that our financial house be put in order?

Thursday, May 24, 2007

In Defense of Rosie O´Donnell

I was one of the people that saw yesterday's "The View" when Rosie O´Donnell and Elisabeth Hasselbeck had a heated argument over the Iraq War. I decided to post this defense of Rosie because I have seen her words so twisted by the media that it makes me sick.

What she originally said was how we are perceived by the Iraqi people. Never once did she call our troops terrorists and Elisabeth Hasselbeck knew that. She also knew of Rosie's financial support of a new hospital for wounded veterans in San Antonio. What Rosie was asking her was very clear. Did she think that Rosie thought our troops were terrorists. It was a simple yes or no answer that Elisabeth refused to give. The original statement of how the US is perceived by the Iraqi people is a correct one. We are viewed as terrorists. What is the definition of terrorism? According to the US Dept. of Defense it is "the unlawful use of -- or threatened use of -- force or violence against individuals or property to coerce or intimidate governments or societies, often to achieve political, religious, or ideological objectives.". If the Iraq War does not fit that description then would someone please tell me what doews. Here are some facts about Iraq since the invasion:

655,000 more people have died in Iraq since coalition forces arrived in March 2003 than would have died if the invasion had not occurred.

Less electricity than before the war.

35% Increase in Poverty Since the Invasion

60% unemployment

70% Rate of Inflation from 2005 to 2006

Women in Iraq are more unsafe than ever

A refugee crisis that is spiraling out of control

Production Sharing Agreements that will take most of Iraq's Oil Wealth for a generation and give it to big oil.

Now you tell me how the average Iraqi sees America. Their country is in shambles and they can barely leave their homes. Death and destruction is everywhere. Yes I would say the Iraqi people see us as terrorists. That is what Rosie was saying and she is correct. Never did she suggest that the troops were terrorists but that those who sent them are. That is a fact that is hard to deny.

Please someone pass these facts onto Elisabeth Hasselbeck. She said she deals in facts. I hate to tell her but Fox News is not facts and those that listen to Fox are being lied to plain and simple. Also someone should suggest to her that her third string quarterback husband should enlist. If she believes in this war so much let her have some "skin in the game".

Rosie O'Donnell gave both her money and her time for wounded troops. What exactly has Elisabeth given? Put up or shut up!!!!

The fact is that the Iraqi people were better off under a brutal dictator then they are now and that should make every single American sick to their stomach. Osama Bin Laden is still on the loose and plotting and scheming as we speak. When Elisabeth says how we are safer now because there was no attack since 911 I would ask her to remember that we were not attacked from February 1993 to September 2001. Bush has two years to go before he matches that record.

One other thought for Mrs. Hasselbeck: Waiting seven minutes during a nuclear attack could have meant the lives of countless thousands. If you truly believe that sitting in a classroom for seven minutes while the country was under attack was the best use of his time, then the hair dye has damaged your brain.

If our media would spend as much time examining the war and Bush policies as they do on Rosie maybe the American people would truly understand what is happening and demand change.

Gas Hikes Cost Econmy 20 Billion

While oil companies enjoy record profits, the average driver has already forked over an additional $146.00 per car this year.
"Spending billions more on gasoline constrains consumers' budgets, leaving less money available for other purchases," GAO's Thomas McCool said in written testimony to a House Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing on the cause of record prices.

Like many other energy experts, McCool said the GAO has found that current high pump costs are the result of a large amount of oil refining capacity being offline, strong gasoline demand and lower fuel inventories.
With record profits, why isn't money being spent to modernize refineries and allow greater capacity. The reason is simple. They are screwing us plain and simple. With less capacity and greater demand comes higher prices and higher profits. It is time to enact a windfall profits tax that would be used to reimburse taxpayers for this horribly corrupt practice.

Keith Olbermann On The Democrats

Keith Olbermann of MSNBC gave this amazing "Special Commentary". We must all call our elected officials and demand that they do not cave in on the Iraq Funding Bill. The Democrats were elected to end this war. If they think the American people do not fundamentally understand the bill that the President vetoed then they need to explain it. When the people understand completely they will stand with you and against this President. Grow a set for a sake of the hundreds possibly thousands of people who will die if you do not.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Was Al-Qaeda Using Iraq As A Base?

That is the title of an article in Time Magazine. My question is not why this article was written but the timing of the release of this classified information.
President Bush declassified portions of a 2005 intelligence assessment Tuesday that alleges that Osama bin Laden authorized allies in Iraq to plan operations both in and outside of that country targeting the U.S. The President very quickly put it to political use against the Democrats. On Wednesday, speaking at a commencement address to the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn., he said: "The question for our elected leaders is: Do we comprehend the danger of an al-Qaeda victory in Iraq, and will we do what it takes to stop them? However difficult the fight in Iraq has become, we must win it. Al-Qaeda is public enemy number one for Iraq's young democracy, and al-Qaeda is public enemy number one for America, as well. And that is why we must support our troops, we must support the Iraqi government, and we must defeat al-Qaeda in Iraq."
The reasons for the declassification are very transparent, its to try to increase support for the Iraq War. The problem with this strategy is that Al-Qaeda had no presence in Iraq before our invasion. The hell that is Iraq is the result of our invasion and no amount of declassified information will change that. There are no good options left in Iraq. They are in a civil war that is escalating and our presence is only making matters worse. It is time for this war to end.

John Edwards Statement on the Iraq Funding Compromise

This statement was just released by Senator John Edwards:

"The so-called compromise under discussion in Congress that would give the president another blank check to continue his failed war is a serious mistake. Full funding is full funding, no matter what you call it. Every member of Congress who wants to support our troops and end the war should oppose this proposal. If you're in Congress, and you believe this war is wrong, I urge you to use every power you have to stop it if it's brought up for a vote. Block the blank check.

And I urge all Americans who want this war to end to tell your representatives in Congress that you will support them if they stand up to the president. Tell them you understand that when the president vetoes a bill that funds the troop and ends the war, he is the only person in America stopping support for the troops. It is time for this war to end. As I have said repeatedly, Congress should send the president the same bill he vetoed again and again until he realizes he has no choice but to start bringing our troops home. Anything less is everything he needs to prolong the war."

Bravo Senator Edwards. It is time that the Democrats grow a spine and stop this senseless war!!!!.

Monica Goodling To Testify Today

Monica Goodling, the former Justice Department Official, will testify today at 10:15. She was granted limited immunity from prosecution to testify in the fired United States attorneys scandal.

This could be the second Monica who opened her mouth at the wrong time and took down a President. The difference with this one is that the activities she will be discussing could very well be criminal. Alberto Gonzales has claimed the memory of an Alzheimer´s patient on this scandal. Lets see if Ms. Goodling´s testimony jogs his memory. What everyone needs to listen for is the real reasons for the firings. It is becoming more and more clear that the Justice Department was being used as an arm of the Republican Party. Prosecutors were expected to go after Democrats and not investigate Republicans. This should be very interesting television. You can watch this live on C-Span or stream it here.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Military Pay Increase Opposed By Bush Administration

The White house is trying to kill the Democratic plan to increase military pay 3.5% next year. The White House wants only 3%.
In a letter from the White House Office of Management and Budget to congressional committees overseeing the military, OMB director Rob Portman said Wednesday that the administration "strongly opposes" a Democratic plan to bump up military salaries by 3.5 percent instead of Bush's request for a 3 percent jump.

"The cost of increasing the FY 2008 military pay raise by an additional 0.5 percent is $265 million in FY 2008 and $7.3 billion" if similar raises are enacted over the next five years, Portman's office said in a six-page memo outlining concerns about the defense spending bill that was approved by the House early Friday and will be taken up by the Senate this week
Let me get this straight. The President professes to support the troops yet begrudges them a 2.5% additional pay raise over 5 years then what he proposed. This pay raise could be paid for with three weeks worth of expenditures from the Iraq War. I have an idea, how about we cancel the billions in oil company subsidies and use that to pay for this increase. The military is in Iraq fighting for their interests anyway. It only seems fair. Do you still believe that this President supports the troops? These people are disgusting with no redeeming qualities.

Are The Democrats Caving?

There are multiple reports that the Democratically controlled Congress will be sending a new war funding bill that will not include timetables for withdrawal from Iraq.
Party officials said Monday the next war spending bill most likely will fund military operations and not demand a time line to bring troops home, although it will contain other restrictions on Bush's Iraq policies.
I can understand the desire to make sure that the troops in the field are funded but the prior bill funded them completely. It was President Bush who vetoed that bill and put the safety of the troops at risk. Giving the President what he wants will do nothing to help end this disaster. The Democrats were put in control of both houses of Congress to get us out of this war. They need to stand firm and understand the American people are with them. If they roll over and play dead, to a President with the lowest approval ratings in a generation, they will cease to be relevant.

Monday, May 21, 2007

Gas Prices Continue To March Higher

Hold onto your wallets folks. The oil companies want more.
U.S. retail gasoline prices climbed to another record Monday, while crude oil futures were little changed amid concerns that domestic refiners are not producing enough gasoline to meet peak summer demand

A gallon of regular unleaded costs an average of $3.196 (84 cents a liter), up from $3.178 on Sunday, according to AAA and Oil Price Information Service. Prices are up 33.7 cents a gallon (9 cents a liter) from a month ago and 30.4 cents from a year ago, as demand remains strong, and a spate of planned and unexpected refinery shutdowns have constricted supply.
Why exactly are the refineries closing? Why don't they produce more when they are open? This is a deliberate attempt to further profit margins for the oil companies. When will Americans demand higher mileage standards? I am in Brazil and see thousands of small cars not sold in the United States made by American car companies. Why aren't these cars available. Its time to demand answers to these questions.

Jimmy Carter Is Right

Former President Jimmy Carter is today backing off his scathing criticism of the Bush Administration. In the Saturday article in the Arkansas-Democrat Gazette, he said that the Bush Administration was the worst in history for international relations. Today he said those remarks were careless.

I am in Brazil on vacation and I believe that what President Carter has said is the view of most of the worlds people. In my brief conversations with Brazilians, they have told me how much they hate President Bush. They have called him a killer, an idiot, a tyrant and the most dangerous man on earth. They have a real fear of him and are reluctant to have their government sign any trade agreements.

Brazilians have a long history of loving all things American. The movie theaters are filled with American movies, the malls filled with American products yet they distrust America and loathe President Bush. Anti-Americanism is high throughout South America and has contributed to the rise of leftist governments in Venezuela and Bolivia. Since President Bush started the Iraq War, I have seen firsthand the decline in the view of America.

Jimmy Carter is being diplomatic when he says his remarks were careless but a majority of the world shares that view. The image of America has been destroyed by the Bush Administration and made our nation less safe as a result.

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Tainted Chinese Imports Common

If you have been reading this site you know that I have posted about the problems with imports of food and medicine from China. It is time for real action before there are more needless deaths as a result of tainted food from China. Are we so concerned with corporate profit and the desire for cheap imports that we are willing to allow a certain amount of death from imported Chinese products?

American companies are constantly trying to break into the Chinese market but roadblocks are erected at every turn. The people of the United States need to stand up and demand labels on all food products telling us where all ingredients are from. We must also demand that any incidents of rancid food or banned ingredients are publicly available. This is a matter of homeland security and national health. We must put health and welfare before corporate profits.

Everyone needs to read this entire article. It really made me sick to my stomach.

Iraq is Big Money for Al-Qaida

Funds to further terrorist activities by al-Qaida are coming from Iraq. This is just the latest proof that the war in Iraq has emboldened al-Qaida and made us less safe all around the world.
In one of the most troubling trends, U.S. officials said al-Qaida's command base in Pakistan increasingly is being funded by cash from Iraq, where the terrorist network's operatives are raising substantial sums from donations to the insurgency as well as kidnappings of wealthy Iraqis and other criminal activity.

The influx of money has bolstered al-Qaida's leadership ranks at a time when the core command is regrouping. The trend also signals a reversal in the traditional flow of al-Qaida funds, with the leadership surviving to a large extent on money from its most profitable franchise, rather than distributing funds from headquarters to distant cells.

Al-Qaida's efforts were aided, intelligence officials said, by Pakistan's withdrawal in September of tens of thousands of troops from tribal areas along the Afghanistan border where bin Laden and his top deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, are believed to be hiding.
Pakistan, is our ally in name only and continues to be a safe haven for terrorists. If the Government of Pakistan falls it will quickly become the most dangerous nation on earth. The war in Iraq has misplaced our priorities and inflamed the next generation of Muslim men. Al-Qaida will have no trouble recruiting the next generation of terrorists. The Iraq War is a disaster on more levels than we can possibly imagine. We are left with no good options in Iraq. The daily bloodshed breeds the next generation of terrorists and pushes Iraq deeper into civil war. This is what happens when you choose war.

7 Soldiers Killed in Iraq

Seven American soldiers and a translator were killed in separate attacks in Baghdad and a city south of the capital, the U.S. military announced Sunday.

Six of the Americans — and the translator — died Saturday in a bombing in western Baghdad, the military said.

A soldier from the 13th Sustainment Command was killed and two were wounded when a blast struck their vehicle Saturday near Diwaniyah, a mostly Shiite city 130 kilometers (80 miles) south of Baghdad, the command said.

The names of the victims were mot announced until their families can be notified.
When will this madness end? The only surge I see is the surge in the number of our soldiers killed and maimed. When is President Bush going to accept the fact that peace is not coming to Iraq? His actions have plunged Iraq into a civil war and 140,000 U.S. troops are not enough to stop it.

Food Safety Oversight Changes Are Proposed

Lawmakers are pushing to put all food safety concerns under one federal agency
"I believe the food safety system is broken. It's collapsing," Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Connecticut, told CNN "We're unable to protect the public health. We're unable to protect public confidence in the food supply."

DeLauro has introduced the Food Safety Act of 2007, which would create a Food Safety Administration responsible for ensuring the security of the food supply from all forms of contamination.

Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, and Chuck Schumer, D-New York, introduced a companion bill in the Senate.
The call for this legislation is the result of a few high profile food poising incidents, the most recent which led to the death of thousand of dogs and cats when they ate tainted pet food. The FDA is currently operating with fewer inspectors and a budget shortfall at a time when more and more of our food is being imported without any oversight. A single agency to handle this sounds like a solid plan. In the age of homeland security, how can we be cutting inspections? Shouldnt the safety of our food supply have as high a priority as the safety of our airplanes? Will we wait for a major incident before we close the gaping loopholes in our system? Corporate lobbyists will be doing their best to stop any legislation that could interfere with their profits. It is up to the people of the U.S. to demand safe food at any costs.

Saturday, May 19, 2007

The Fight On Immigration

The fight on Immigration Reform is about to get very intense in Washington. With the Senate and the President agreeing on a framework for the bill that includes a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, expect the fireworks to erupt. This is about the only issue that the President and the Democratic controlled Senate can agree on. Is it the right framework to start the debate?

Many are opposed to what they see as amnesty for those already here. In some ways I agree that you do not reward unlawful behavior but as a practical issue you simply can not detain and deport 12 million people. Those that are so adamant against amnesty often come off looking like bigots and do not present any reasonable solution to the problem.

One thing is certain, if companies stopped hiring illegal immigrants they would leave. That needs to be a main priority of any pending legislation. How hard could it be to check a social security number against the statistics for that number? What about companies that pay the workers "off the books" and thereby avoid all payroll taxes? This issue is about so much more than just amnesty. It is about illegal workers driving down the wages of all people in similar types of employment, but whose fault is that? Is it really the illegal immigrant or the employer that is looking to increase profit?

Banks are lending to illegal immigrants using tax identification numbers which are easy to procure directly from the IRS. Am I the only one who is shocked when I meet an illegal immigrant driving a new car purchased with a loan that they received from the local bank? I think most Americans would be shocked how easy we have made it for people to live illegally within the United Sates. What we really need to ask is who makes money from these policies. In the end American businesses want cheap labor and until we can lessen the influence of corporate donations on our political system, this will never change. We need to turn our anger against these very companies who are destroying the middle class. They make some believe that the Mexican day laborer we see mowing the neighbors lawn is a greater threat to our standard of living then the company hiring high tech workers from India at 70% of the wage they would need to pay the average American in the same job.

We all need to take a step back and realize the problem is not only illegal immigration but the immigration statutes as a whole. We have so much more to fear from our jobs being outsourced then from the poor illegal immigrant picking up your dinner dishes at the local restaurant.

Comprehensive reform is needed, but we must do it with compassion. We must engage the other countries in the region who need basic economic reform. We must make the companies that hire illegal immigrants subject to criminal prosecution and huge civil penalties. Those that are so against a path to citizenship should not patronize businesses that hire illegal immigrants.

We should all use reason and compassion in this debate and try to remember that the vast majority of those here illegally want the same things out of life that you do. They want to give their children a better life than they had. Who can argue with that?

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Giuliani Is Wrong

Rudy Giuliani got into a heated argument with Ron Paul during the Republican debate for President when Mr. Paul suggested that it was United States policies that caused the attack of 911. Giuliani who has made a fortune off of 911 and who offers nothing else as a qualification for his candidacy, struck back with the usual talking points of them hating us for our freedom. This argument is so tired and easily dispelled that its a wonder anyone still invokes it. Why not Canada, Sweden, Italy or any number of other countries that enjoy the same freedoms as we do? This is the simplistic argument for those too dumb to research the real reasons or too ideologically predisposed to explore any other possibilities. I am in no way saying that the attack of 911 was warranted but to believe in such a simplistic view of the reason for the attack makes the likelihood of another even greater. How can we fight what we won't even try to understand. Understanding does not mean condone or accept but until we know the reasons why people are willing to die in order to hurt us, this will never stop. We will live in a perpetual state of war. Rudy Giuliani is worth millions as a result of his image after 911.

Mr. Giuliani should put his money where his mouth is and donate half of his net worth acquired since 911. There are 40,000 sick first responders from 911 who could use just a portion of the millions he has earned as a result of this horrible incident. Many of those sick fault Giuliani for allowing them to work in unsafe conditions. There are others that feel he knew the dangers and did nothing. He is considered a security expert when it was his decision to place the NYC emergency command center in the World Trade Center Complex which was bombed previously in 1993. It is time for the 911 halo to be removed from his head. It has no place there.

In this clip he blames Democrats for 911. He really is disgusting!!! Without 911, he would be just be the former unpopular mayor of NYC.

Gonzales Must Go

After watching this testimony from Former Deputy Attorney General James Comey, it is obvious that Alberto Gonzales lied in his Senate testimony. This should be required viewing for all Americans. We all need to wake up and realize that we are living through the most corrupt administration in our nations history.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

High Gas Prices Have Not Curtailed Driving

With gas prices over $3.00 per gallon, most experts expected to see a decline in the amount of driving being done by motorists. That decline has not materialized.
The rising price of gasoline has certainly increased the amount of complaining from drivers paying $3 a gallon or more to fill up their cars, but it so far has done little to curtail how much people are driving.

That's the message from government statistics showing that demand for gasoline is only just starting to level off even as refinery outages and tight supplies have sent pump prices soaring by 43 percent since the end of January.
It is hard to see where motorists can make changes to their habits that would allow them to limit their driving. Driving to work is a necessity for most as the public transportation systems do not have a large enough reach to make them a viable alternative. With more and more people living further away from the employment centers due to the high cost of housing, options become limited. Adjustments to spending are more likely to take place as a result of the high cost of gasoline. I believe we are reaching a perfect storm in our economy. With the housing market crumbling and energy inflation running rampant, the only place to go is down. It is time for a windfall profits tax to be placed on the oil companies who are raping the consumers and laughing all the way to the bank.

Housing: Still searching for a bottom

Applications for new building permits plummeted to the lowest level since 1996.
Housing starts rose to an annual rate of 1.53 million in April, according to the Census Bureau report, from the revised 1.49 million pace in March. Economists surveyed by Briefing.com had forecast a slip to a 1.48 million pace in April.

But building permits, which are often seen as a measure of builder's confidence in the market, sank to an annual rate of 1.43 million in April from a revised 1.57 million in March. It was the lowest reading since June 1997. Economists had forecast a dip to 1.52 million.
As housing goes, so goes the economy. There is a real danger that the housing slump will cause people to pull back on spending and lead the economy into recession. Much of the continued economic expansion was the result of higher home prices and the feeling of wealth that accompanied those high prices. With two thirds of the economy being consumer spending, if that spending slows considerably so will the economy.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Comments From Gay Rights Groups on The Death of Reverend Falwell

Statement by Joe Solmonese, President of the Human Rights Campaign:

“Reverend Falwell’s death today causes my thoughts to turn toward the members of our community who have at great personal sacrifice contended with the Reverend’s work and teachings. As I remember Reverend Falwell’s life, I also remember all of the families of people who have died of AIDS,” said Joe Solmonese, Human Rights Campaign. “Reverend Falwell’s legacy is not about the tenets of Jesus’ ministry such as healing the sick and standing with the disenfranchised but about shunning and ridiculing those who have suffered and died of AIDS and their families. Many faith leaders today are moving away from his divisive approach and toward the compassion and inclusiveness that Jesus modeled every day of his ministry.”

Statement by Matt Foreman, Executive Director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force:

“The death of a family member or friend is always a sad occasion and we express our condolences to all those who were close to the Rev. Jerry Falwell. Unfortunately, we will always remember him as a founder and leader of America’s anti-gay industry, someone who exacerbated the nation’s appalling response to the onslaught of the AIDS epidemic, someone who demonized and vilified us for political gain and someone who used religion to divide rather than unite our nation.”

From Wayne Besen of Truth Wins Out:

"It is with great regret that Rev. Jerry Falwell never moderated his position on homosexuality." said Truth Wins Out's Executive Director Wayne Besen. "While our hearts go out to his family. we can't help but to reflect on his life and think about all of the families he's torn apart and teenagers that committed suicide because he made them feel inferior. He never missed an opportunity to kick our better angels to the curb and capitalize on our lesser demons to advance his career."

Falwell began as a segregationist preacher that opposed interracial marriage. As with his opposition to homosexuality. he used the Bible to justify his prejudice and discrimination. In 1958. Falwell gave a sermon on segregation. stating that. "The true Negro does not want integration...He realizes his potential is far better among his own race... It will destroy our race eventually... In one northern city. a pastor friend of mine tells me that a couple of opposite race live next door to his church as man and wife...It boils down to whether we are going to take God's Word as final."

In the late 1970's. Falwell founded the Moral Majority. an organization that laid the groundwork for the modern Religious Right. When AIDS hit the gay community. Falwell remarked. "AIDS is the wrath of a just God against homosexuals."

In 1998. Falwell embraced the ex-gay ministries and touted a cure for homosexuals. He teamed up with Michael Johnston. an HIV+ ex-gay leader. In 2003. Johnston was treated in a sex addiction facility in Kentucky after he allegedly had unprotected sex with men he met online.

After the September 11. 2001 attacks. Falwell said on the 700 Club. "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."

"Unfortunately. the anti-gay infrastructure built by Falwell survives him." stated Besen. "With the founding of Liberty University and his legal arm. the Liberty Counsel. his legacy of intolerance will continue for quite some time."

Jerry Falwell Dead

Televangelist Jerry Falwell has been pronounced dead after being found unconscious in his office at Liberty University.
Ron Godwin, the executive vice president of Falwell's Liberty University, said Falwell was found unresponsive around 10:45 a.m. and taken to Lynchburg General Hospital. Godwin said he was not sure what caused the collapse, but "he has a history of heart challenges."

"I had breakfast with him, and he was fine at breakfast," Godwin said. "He went to his office, I went to mine and they found him unresponsive."
To get a good feeling for who this man was I would recommend you read this from AMERICAblog.

Home Prices Still Dropping

The housing market continued its slump in all areas of the country.

Many economists feel the housing market has not seen the bottom. Will the problems in the housing sector push the economy into recession?

Youth Crime Rising

Violent crime has risen for a second consecutive year due in large part to increased violence amongst teenagers.
FBI data from last fall show violent crimes, including murders and robberies, rose by 3.7 percent nationwide during the first six months of 2006. Those findings came on top of a 2.2 percent crime hike in 2005 — the first increase since 2001.
I know in my own city that gang violence is exploding and the police seem unsure of exactly how to combat it.
That a growing number of offenders appear to be younger, and their crimes more violent, and that laws in some states provide few, if any, tough penalties on juvenile offenders.

Many youths have little parental oversight and are too easily influenced by gang membership and glamorized violence in popular culture.

Loosely organized gangs present the biggest concern for law enforcement officials because they are hard to investigate and their members often commit random acts of crime out of self-protection.

Offenses committed by people using firearms pose a major threat not only to communities, but also to police. So-called “straw purchases,” where gun owners buy their firearms through a go-between is an area of concern.
With nearly half of inner city students not graduating and high rates of inner city unemployment, this is not unexpected. We must do everything necessary to reverse this dangerous trend.

Gingrich May Enter Presidential Race

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich may enter the Presidential race.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Monday there is a very good chance he'll get into the race for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, but he won't decide until after September.

"I think right now that it is a great possibility," Gingrich said. "I don't want to get into all this stuff. I want to focus on what we have to do to make America successful."
Gingrich is widely credited with engineering a Republican takeover of Congress in 1994 with his Contract For America. He is beloved by Conservatives even though his personal life has been anything but conservative. He recently admitted to an extra-marital affair during the time he was pushing for impeachment of President Clinton, for lying about an extra-marital affair.

He made this confession during an interview with Dr. James Dobson of the Christian Conservative Group, Focus On the Family. Mr. Gingrich has been married three times. His first marriage ended with him serving divorce papers on his wife while she was hospitalized with cancer. He now believes that his personal life should not play a part in any run for President. If Christian Conservatives flock to this man then nothing that they stand for is real. Newt Gingrich is everything that is wrong with politics today.

Monday, May 14, 2007

General Eaton: If Pres. Bush Won't Listen, Congress Must

Retired Major General Paul Eaton takes to the airwaves to say that the President doesn’t listen to his commanders on the ground. General Eaton should know whether the President really listens to his commanders on the ground, or not. General Eaton recently retired from the US Army after more than 33 years service. This is the second ad by a retired General against the Iraq War. Watch the first advertisement here.

Bill Talking About Hillary

I decided to post this because I want this site to be a clearing house for all the candidates and their campaigns. This is not an endorsement of Hillary Clinton. I will remain neutral through the primaries and will post as much information on each candidate as possible. I will also try to come up with a list of questions that I would like each candidate to answer so that we can come to a knowledgeable decision as to which one would be best to lead our country and restore the middle class.

Senator McConnell: If Iraqi Government Asks Up to Leave We will Leave

Senator McConnell, the Senate Minority Leader, said during a CNN interview that if the Iraqi Government asked the U.S. to leave that we would leave.
BLITZER: And if they're not going to do what they need to do, what happens then?

MCCONNELL: Well, the Iraqi government is a huge disappointment. Republicans overwhelmingly feel disappointed about the Iraqi government. I read just this week that a significant number of the Iraqi parliament want to vote to ask us to leave.

I want to assure you, Wolf, if they vote to ask us to leave, we'll be glad to comply with their request.
I hate to be the first to tell Senator McConnell but a majority of the Iraqi Parliament did vote for us to leave. The vote may have been non-binding but it did show that the Iraqi Government now believes that the U.S. presence in their country is helping to fuel the violence. If Mr. McConnell is being truthful then he needs to immediately call for the withdrawal of U.S. troops. It is time to get regional cooperation to end the violence which means negotiating with Syria and Iran who have a vested interest in seeing that the war does not become a regional conflict. There are no good options left in Iraq and its time to come home.

Sunday, May 13, 2007

George W. Bush's "Monica Problem"

Monica Goodling, a former Justice Department Official, could become the Bush Administrations biggest nightmare as her role in the United States Attorney firings is probed. She has been given limited immunity to testify which means she will not be prosecuted as long as she is truthful.

Once you read this story it becomes very obvious that the two things missing from the Justice Department were justice and impartiality. The department became a place where loyalty to President Bush took precedent over experience.
Two years ago, Robin C. Ashton, a seasoned criminal prosecutor at the Department of Justice, learned from her boss that a promised promotion was no longer hers.

“You have a Monica problem,” Ms. Ashton was told, according to several Justice Department officials. Referring to Monica M. Goodling, a 31-year-old, relatively inexperienced lawyer who had only recently arrived in the office, the boss added, “She believes you’re a Democrat and doesn’t feel you can be trusted.”
Exactly what does being a Democrat have to do with your ability to administer justice? How can anyone respect or trust this Justice Department when it is obvious that guilt or innocence meant less than political affiliation, competence worth less than loyalty to President Bush. How unqualified people became so important in this administration is as much the story as the firings of the prosecutors. The attorneys that were not fired could become as large a part of the investigation as those that were. What exactly did they need to do to keep their jobs? A complete investigation needs to be done and those responsible, such as Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, need to be removed from office. His lack of memory should be reason enough to be removed. In the weeks ahead the "Monica Problem" will grow. Will those that called for President Clinton to be impeached for his "Monica Problem" be as steadfast with the current administration? The corruption in this administration stinks worse than the NJ Turnpike at rush hour. Its time to end the stink and restore truth and justice to the Justice Department.

Saturday, May 12, 2007

An Iraqi Mothers Torment

With Mother's Day in the United States tomorrow, I thought it was important to post this blog from Iraq about an Iraqi Mothers Torment.
When life becomes a dreadful nightmare you have nothing to hope but to wake up. How can I wake up when a reminder pops up out of the news, personal life and even more; from any person I meet every day or perhaps every hour.

The taxi driver that I am going to tell you about is an example.

Few weeks ago I was leaving my home town city Fallujah heading to Baghdad. I was saying to my self:

“Better or worse at least I can see something different”

It was a disparate attempt to convince my self that it will be a better life when I go back to work after a day off (usually I do have these arguments with my self.. crazy..eh.. whatever”.

Back to the man, the short version of his story is:

He has three sons… the elder one is Akram and two other kids.

Akram was killed with other civilians in one of the car bombs in Fallujah.

The second son went to his secondary school and never came back.

The third son, he is 16 years old, lost one of his eyes as he was buying something to his family from a mini-market not far away from his house and a passing by military convoy were targeted by a road side bomb and shrapnel injured the kid in the eye.

The real tragedy is the mother… he says she keep thinking when ever the door knocks especially after sunset that her missing son is coming back… she heard from someone that kidnappers usually release the hostages at night. The driver had to inform all his neighbors not to knock the door after sunset, his wife health deteriorate after she run to the main door and she finds out it is not her beloved missing son.

He was asking for help to treat his son eye… bitterly I couldn’t find any humanitarian organization that can help him… or maybe I didn’t search enough as I don’t have that much time to spare…

These men are amazing… how brave and patient they are… yet they give me the example and the will to continue living…

Violence In Pakistan Threatens Musharraf Government

Violence in Pakistan claimed 28 lives after Pro-government gunmen and those opposed to military rule clashed in Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan.
A political crisis threatening President Gen. Pervez Musharraf exploded into violence Saturday when clashes between pro-government gunmen and the opposition killed at least 28 people and thwarted a major rally against military rule.

The violence in Pakistan's largest city, Karachi, was the worst in a two-month crisis shaking the government under Musharraf, a vital U.S. ally who provoked the turmoil by ousting the head of the Supreme Court on March 9.
We constantly talk about Iran and their desire to gain nuclear weapons but Pakistan already has them. It is a country whose citizens support Al-Qaeda in large numbers and supported the Taliban in Afghanistan. If the current Dictator in Pakistan is toppled it will immediately become the most dangerous country on earth.

Gas Prices At Record Highs

With gas prices close to $4.00 per gallon in some parts of the United States, the amount of disposable income for families is down and anxiety up.
Sixty percent of employees confirmed that the price of gas has significantly reduced the amount of money they have to spend on other things, while 45 percent reported the need to pay off debts more slowly or not at all. Finally, 26 percent indicated that the cost of gas has necessitated going without basics such as heat or air conditioning, or even cutting back on food purchases, over the past few months.
With oil companies reaping record profits while still enjoying tax subsidies, it is unconscionable that people are deciding between food and gasoline. Why exactly are prices rising so quickly? They say that refinery capacity is down causing the price spike but Hillary Clinton has called for an investigation.
"We need to investigate whether we need stronger inspections or other processes in place to ensure that refiners, number one, are leveling with us when they talk about refineries being down, and number two, that they invest adequately in maintaining and improving their facilities to avoid this in the first place," Senator Clinton said. "I think that the series of factors that go into this problem really deserve attention because ultimately the oil companies are making more money than they have ever made before. They are not reinvesting it the way they need to in refinery capacity, modernizing refineries and improving their processes. That means that they don't use those profits to keep our gas supply as affordable and regulated as possible and I'd like to know why."
The American public is being screwed by big oil. It's time the American people fight back. We must demand our tax dollars are used to create alternate sources of energy not wage war. Our dependence on foreign oil is the most pressing national security issue we face yet we seem to do nothing to end it. How much per gallon will it take for real citizen action?

Edwards New Campaign

John Edwards was the first to admit it was a mistake to vote for the Iraq War. He is also the only one who seems to be talking about the substantive issues facing America's Middle Class. He puts policy behind the rhetoric. I have not decided who I will support for the primaries but his actions are a welcome change from the normal political spin we see all too often. I applaud him for what I see is a real sincerity. I hope to grow the site enough so that the readers of this site can have a real influence on the 2008 election. With knowledge comes power.

Friday, May 11, 2007

General Batiste - Protect America, Not George Bush

Rudy Giuliani Tells The Truth

Today in an appearance before Houston Baptist University, Rudy Giuliani reaffirmed his pro-choice stance as well as his support for civil unions for gay couples and some forms of gun control.
At an appearance at Houston Baptist University, Mr. Giuliani said that he favors abortion rights, certain restrictions on gun ownership and gay rights — he is for civil unions, he said, although not for marriage between people of the same sex.

During last week’s debate among Republicans vying for their party’s 2008 presidential nomination, the former New York City mayor was criticized for his halting and apparently contradictory responses to questions about his views on abortion rights. Critics have said that he is trying to run from a record that is much more liberal than the views of the Republican Party’s core voters on the issue.
I give him credit for saying what he truly believes, unfortunately the base of the Republican Party will run from him in droves. The theocratic elements of the party, which is a large percentage of its primary voters, will not be able to see past these positions.
He said that while his views might put him at odds with many in his own party, he said he did not believe many of them would base their votes on a single issue.
Has he been to a Republican convention? Where exactly does he see this moderate element coming from? The Republican Party has been taken over by a bunch of theocrats who only support those that run in lock step with them. Rudy's days of being the front runner are numbered. I'm sorry Rudy you are simply not crazy enough for them but it was a good shot.

Inflation Is Moderating

Wholesale prices minus food and energy remained steady in April.

As long as you don't eat or drive you are fine. Nicole Richie must be excited about this report but the rest of us know that every time you go to the gas station the price is up. Reports like this make me laugh.

Chicken From China?

Thousand of pets are dead as a result of poor standards by China. They deliberaltely allowed melamine, which is a runoff from coal, into products used in pet food. Now China wants to send us chicken.
In China, some farmers try to maximize the output from their small plots by flooding produce with unapproved pesticides, pumping livestock with antibiotics banned in the United States, and using human feces as fertilizer to boost soil productivity. But the questionable practices don't end there: Chicken pens are frequently suspended over ponds where seafood is raised, recycling chicken waste as a food source for seafood, according to a leading food safety expert who served as a federal adviser to the Food and Drug Administration.

China's suspect agricultural practices could soon affect American consumers. Federal authorities are working on a proposal to allow chickens raised, slaughtered, and cooked in China to be sold here, and under current regulations, store labels do not have to indicate the meat's origin.
Why would this even be considered? What American companies stand to make a huge profit feeding us bad chicken? Eat up!!!

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Retail Sales Weak in April

Retailers, including Wal-Mart, posted weak sales in April. The results were worse than forecast and show the pressures on middle and lower class Americans. With gas prices rising daily and a housing market on the verge of collapse, consumers stopped spending.
Consumers are feeling pressured by higher gasoline prices and a sluggish housing market, particularly low and middle income consumers," said Ken Perkins, president of RetailMetrics LLC, a research company in Swampscott, Mass.

Analysts had already expected last month to be weak after an early Easter motivated many consumers to do their holiday shopping in March, siphoning away part of April's business. But sales were much softer than expected, raising concerns that retailers will also see disappointing results in the months ahead.
With a negative savings rate and consumer debt at an all time high, most families simply do not have the ability to keep spending at their present rate. Consumer spending accounts for two-thirds of the economy and if that spending keeps slowing there is a very real chance that the U.S. economy will slip into recession.

Giuliani to Admit His Pro Choice Stance

With revelations this week of his contributions to Planned Parenthood, Rudy Giuliani has decided to campaign as a pro-choice Republican.
After months of conflicting signals on abortion, Rudolph W. Giuliani is planning to offer a forthright affirmation of his support for abortion rights in public forums, television appearances and interviews in the coming days, despite the potential for bad consequences among some conservative voters already wary of his views, aides said yesterday.
He hopes to de-emphasize the results in early primary states, such as Iowa and South Carolina, where his pro choice stance will have a very negative impact and instead focus on the mega primaries of Feb 5, 2008. He is hoping that the large, more moderate states like NY, NJ, Florida and California can propel him to the nomination.
The shift in emphasis comes as the Giuliani campaign has struggled to deal with the fallout from the first Republican presidential candidate debate, in which he gave halting and apparently contradictory responses to questions about his support for abortion rights.

Mr. Giuliani’s aides were concerned both because the responses opened him up to a new round of criticism from abortion critics, who have never been happy with the prospect of a Republican presidential candidate who supports abortion rights, while threatening to undercut his image as a tough-talking iconoclast who does not equivocate on tough issues.

The campaign’s approach would be a sharp departure from the traditional route to the Republican nomination in the last 20 years, in which Republicans have highlighted their antiabortion views.
Will he also reverse his stance on gay rights? While he was Mayor he was a strong supporter of the Gay Community and actually lived with a Gay couple after his second marriage ended. Somehow I doubt he will go that far and instead will throw his gay friends under the bus.

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Women Under Attack: The Talibanization of Iraq

Iraq was once one of the most progressive countries in the Middle East for women. Since the invasion of Iraq, fundamentalism has grown and women are subjected to Taliban like restrictions and violence.
"The violence during Saddam's time was ... committed by the government, Saddam's family, people in power. Now the violence is ... being committed by everyone around you," says Salbi, who founded the group Women for Women International in 1993. That organization now operates in nine countries, including Iraq, to help women survivors of war and civil strife rebuild their lives.

But today, most of her friends have left the country. Women for Women International keeps its locations secret and takes all sorts of security precautions. Salbi herself stopped traveling back to her homeland two years ago. "At first I was able to say I knew 10, 20 women who had been assassinated," she says. "Now, I've lost count. ... They are pharmacists, professors, reporters, activists ..."
Our war of choice has left the women of Iraq vulnerable to violence, afraid to leave their homes and subject to harsh interpretation of Islamic law. Does this sound like liberation to you? This war has destroyed a country and its people, leaving them vulnerable to daily violence, high unemployment and a lack of basic services. Does that sound like freedom to you?

Majority of Iraqi Lawmakers Now Reject Occupation

Yesterday for the first time a majority of the Iraqi parliament voted to end the occupation of Iraq. That news was ignored by the U.S. media.
On Tuesday, without note in the U.S. media, more than half of the members of Iraq's parliament rejected the continuing occupation of their country. 144 lawmakers signed onto a legislative petition calling on the United States to set a timetable for withdrawal, according to Nassar Al-Rubaie, a spokesman for the Al Sadr movement, the nationalist Shia group that sponsored the petition.
During last weeks Republican Debate Tommy Thompson said:
Number one, I believe the al-Maliki government should be required to vote as to whether or not they want America in their country.

If they vote yes, it gives us a legitimacy for being there. If they vote no, we should get out.
This vote was yesterday but so far no Republican lawmakers have called for our exit as a result of this vote of the Iraqi Parliament. Most Iraqis feel the reason we are in Iraq is for the oil. If we refuse to leave when they have voted to end the occupation, everyone will believe this was a war for oil. The Iraqis have spoken, it is time to come home.

The Surge Will Last into 2008

The surge will last well into 2008 according to Commanders in Iraq who said it is unlikely they will know if the surge is working until later in 2007.
"The surge needs to go through the beginning of next year for sure," said Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, the day-to-day commander for U.S. military operations in Iraq. The new requirement of up to 15-month tours for active-duty soldiers will allow the troop increase to last until spring, said Odierno, who favors keeping experienced forces in place for now.
A surge that is not working is the Republicans worst nightmare. As the U.S. death toll mounts and no visible signs of progress are achieved, the people of the United States will grow even more weary of a war that most are now against. This is Bush's War and the American electorate will take out their frustrations with this failed policy on the party they hold responsible. The problem for Republican lawmakers will be when to throw in the towel and denounce the war. Since a majority of Republicans still support the war, they risk alienating members of their own party but since most Americans are strongly against the war walking the tight rope gets more and more politically dangerous. Members of the Senate who must run state wide have the most to lose and will most likely be the first to jump ship. This will be a very interesting summer, unfortunately these political games are costing lives. The war is lost, the American people know that and said that in the mid term elections of 2006. It is time that President Bush acknowledges this failure and brings our troops home.

Older Americans Filing Bankruptcy In Higher Numbers

The fastest growth in Chapter 7 Bankruptcy filing is among those 55 and older. Chapter 7 bankruptcy allows for the liquidation of assets to pay creditors as opposed to Chapter 13 filing which allows debtors to pay off debts over time.
Researchers John Golmant and Tom Urlich conclude that rising healthcare costs and mortgage debt are key factors.

Golmant and Urlich expect increased bankruptcy filing rates for older Americans to continue, based on the reduced income retirees face coupled with rising healthcare costs, according to the report.

Mark Weisbrot, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy, agrees with the report's conclusions but notes the study ends at 2002 and the figures since then "have gotten worse."
This study points out the economic problems facing those later in life when there are less options available to solve the problem. The new bankruptcy laws, which were written by the credit card companies, make it much harder to just dispose of your debts and start over. It is time for both national health care and revisions to the bankruptcy laws. Do we want a nation of bankrupt seniors? Is this what we want for our parents in their golden years? Is this the reward for a lifetime of hard work? With the housing bubble about to burst and a possible recession in our future, these numbers will only grow.

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Agriculture Secretary: Melamine in Human Food Is OK

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said that animals that ate melamine tainted feed are safe for human consumption.
Consumers face little risk from eating pork, chicken and eggs from farm animals that ate feed mixed with pet food scraps contaminated by an industrial chemical, government scientists said Monday.

Mixing in material contaminated at low levels diluted it such that humans who eat the animals won’t be harmed, the scientists said.

“We literally found that the dilution is so minute, in fact in some cases you can’t even test and find melamine any more in that product,” Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said in Chicago, speaking to the Organic Trade Association.
Can we believe what they are saying? Do they have enough scientific data on melamine in humans to make this declaration definitively? The situation with the pet food recall has put a spotlight on extreme deficiencies within the Food and Drug Administration. Will corporate lobbying keep reforms from being enacted? It will take an outcry from the American public to thwart efforts by corporate lobbyists to keep the status quo.

Understanding the Sub Prime Mortgage Crisis

Many people have heard of the subprime mortgage crisis but have no idea exactly what that entails or how it impacts the middle and lower classes. In summary subprime mortgages are made to those with weak credit who might not otherwise qualify for the mortgage they are seeking. The reason for the crisis and the unfolding explosion of foreclosures is that these loans were often given without verification of income or assets and usually at higher interest rates.

With the explosion of home prices in many areas of the country, many families wanted to experience the American dream of home ownership. As the prices skyrocketed but wages remained flat, more and more people simply did not qualify for traditional mortgage loans. They instead turned to these so called subprime mortgage programs. Many families were allowed to secure mortgages with 100% financing and without income verification. A family making $50,000.00 per year could now get 100% financing on a $400,000 loan. Most families felt they could swing the payments and if not they would sell at a huge profit since home values were rising so quickly. Then the bottom fell out. As more and more of these type of loans went into foreclosure, the housing market slowed and values dropped. This left many families with homes worth less than the loan.

How exactly did this all happen? Some of it was fraud on the part of the lender and some on naivete on the part of the borrower. Mortgage originators are normally paid based on the size of the loan but can increase their commissions with either more origination fees (points) or higher interest rates. Many borrowers were simply not savvy enough to understand the specifics of what they were signing. The fallout from the subprime mortgage collapse will be felt throughout the economy as more and more homes go into foreclosure and buyers become skittish to purchase homes during the current downturn.

Read the NY Times article from today on this subject.

Monday, May 07, 2007

Mother's Day For Peace

Middle-Class Life Under Bush: Less Affordable and Less Secure

Some sobering statistics from the Bush years:

Health care Costs up 80% since 2000
Gas Prices have doubled since 2000
College Education Costs are up 44% since 2000
Housing Affordability has hit a 15 year low
Median Household Income has Declined $1273.00 from 2000
Worst Job Creation record Since Herbert Hoover
3 Million Manufacturing Jobs Lost since 2000
Unemployment has increased 7.1 percent and long-term joblessness has nearly doubled.
The Gap Between Rich and Poor has Grown
The Poverty Rate has grown 12% since 2000
Budget Surplus of 236 Billion turned into huge deficits
National Debt Increased three trillion dollars since 2000
Trade deficit has doubled since 2000
Additional 1.1 trillion more debt to foreign nations since 2000

If this is what they call success I would hate to see what they call failure.
Read the rest of the statistics, and the research to back them up, from the Democratic Policy Committee here.

Tax Abatements for the Rich

There is a new building going up in the Chelsea Section of Manhattan. Chelsea is one of Manhattan's best neighborhoods and is home to a large Gay population. This is not an up and coming neighborhood. It is an extremely desirable neighborhood and has seen prices climb to exorbitant levels. A recently investigated a new building being built called the Chelsea Stratus.

A one bedroom apartment which is around 900 sq.ft. has an asking price of over 1 million dollars. The property tax on your condo is less than $100.00 per month tax abated for 10 years. The actual monthly taxes on this condominium without tax abatement would be $2000.00. The loss in tax revenue for one year is over $4.5 million dollars and $45 million over the life of the tax abatement. I pay double in taxes on my co-operative apartment in Yonkers, NY which is a suburb of NYC. My apartment, although very nice, is nothing compared to the elegance of the Chelsea Stratus. Is there anyone else that has a real problem with this? I can understand tax abatement in areas needing gentrification but to abate taxes in one of the finest neighborhoods in Manhattan seems insane.

The reason for this post is to highlight the inequalities of our current tax system. The Bush tax cuts went to the highest earning Americans at the expense of our national budget and social programs to help the poor. How can we as a society sit back and allow these inequities? It is time for Americans to vote based on the economic class they find themselves in, not the economic class they hope to become.

National Guard Equipment Not in Kansas But In Iraq

The Governors of many states have been voicing their concerns that states would not have the tools necessary to respond to natural disasters due to national Guard equipment being sent to Iraq. Those fears became reality over the weekend as a huge tornado devastated a Kansas town.
"We’re missing about half of our trucks from the National Guard units,” Sebelius said. “Clearly trucks to haul this debris away would be enormously helpful. We are missing flatbeds. We are missing Humvees, which are used to get people to safety and security and to haul equipment around. We are missing a number of our well-trained National Guard personnel. The equipment that we continue to harp on that has been sent overseas when our troops are deployed and not restored at the same level could be enormously helpful.”
With tornado and hurricane season upon us, can we really afford to be so badly prepared at home?

Read the rest of this article here.

Giuliani The Choice Of Gay Republicans

It appears that Rudy Giuliani is the choice of Gay Republicans in the crowded Republican field for President. The problem I have is that the Republican Party makes bashing Gays a major part of their platform and some gays still support them. How can you openly support a party that does everything it can to limit your rights?
David Keeton, a small-business owner in Dallas, and his partner, Rob Schlein, said they supported Giuliani because of his record as New York mayor and his response to the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

"I'm an American first, then a Republican second, and gay falls in third or fourth," said Keeton, who wore a Ronald Reagan pin on his lapel.
People like Mr. Keeton make me sick. How can you be so stupid as to say being gay is third. Will your being Gay ever change? Being Gay is an innate part of who you are. Is your relationship worth less than a heterosexuals? Why are willing to give up your self respect to be part of a party that at its core does not want you? I believe Gay Republicans are like the battered women who can't seem to break free from their abuser. What makes it worse is the financial support that they also provide.
Both said they recently met former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney at a fundraiser and had their picture taken with him. They were offended when Romney told the crowd that he opposed gay marriage and civil unions.

"We're part of the Republican Party, but he just alienated people who had paid $1,500 for a table," Keeton said.
Mr. Keeton, you stupid fool, they all oppose gay marriage and civil unions and you just gave them $1,500.00 to advance their prejudicial views. Nice going moron.

Sunday, May 06, 2007

Poisoned Medicine Courtesy of China

This is a very long article but worth the investment of time. I did not realize it was this easy to poison our medication. China was responsible for the poisoned pet food and now it seems that Chinese companies have been responsible for counterfeit medications that have killed people all over the globe. China has almost no regulations governing either pet food or pharmaceutical manufacturing. Congress needs to act to limit supplies from China until proper regulations are in effect. The problem is that China owns nearly 1 trillion dollars of our national debt. How can we force China to do anything when they finance our national debt?

20 Million Chickens Held Out Of The Food Chain

The FDA has required that 20 million chickens be held from the food chain pending additional investigations into melamine tainted feed that was possibly fed to the chickens. The FDA will try to determine whether or not the chickens pose a threat to human health. Hogs that may have eaten tainted pet food are also being held from the human food chain.
Investigators found last week that about 5 percent of feed used at some smaller chicken production operations came from pet food tainted with the chemical melamine, Williams said. Larger manufacturers, because they usually use special feed for the chickens they raise or contract for raising, are unlikely to have exposed their animals to large amounts of the tainted pet products, he said.
The FDA needs full funding to insure that our food products are healthy. In the age of terrorism it is unconscionable that less than 1% of all foreign food products are inspected. The rate for food manufacturing plants within the United States is not much better. Additional resources for the Food and Drug Administration are needed immediately to keep our food supply safe.