Fox Noise Channel

This post says it all.... lie cheat steal, it aint illegal!

Iraq Tax?

I like this idea to personalize the war for each of us. Maybe even a separate line on payroll stubs?

At Least He Didnt Invent the Internet

In comparison to Al Gore's supposed claim to have invented the internet (which he never claimed, see the link within the linked post), Guiliani's claim that he cut taxes twenty plus times as mayor of NYC is both verifiable (he's inundating NJ with it) and demonstrably false. Wonder if he likes earth tones?

And So It Begins....

For the first time (that I can discern), there is a call in the 'serious' world (read: MSM) for the impeachment of Abu Gonzales. The NYT has started the shouting.

Impeachmania

Kevin has a good post today about why impeachment is (overall) a bad idea, on the same day that Josh (sort of) comes out in favor of impeachment. I'm sort of on the fence but the evil part of me agrees with with Kevin's conclusion:

Can we all please get a grip here? Remember: revenge is a dish best served cold.

Update on Lying Liars

(That alone could be a fulltime job!)

Apparently, even John Negroponte (BOO!HISS!) thinks Gonzo is a liar.

More Lying Liars

Did Gonzo commit perjury? Did the sun come up in the east? Does the Pope shit in the woods? Is a a bear Catholic? Duh! and More Duh!! and Most Duh!!!

Contempt!

The House Judiciary committee voted to cite Josh Bolton and Harriet Miers for contempt this morning. The vote was 22-17, along party lines. If your Rep is a Repug on the Jud Cmte (and if so, poor you), then please express your displeasure with them.

Running Out the Clock

There's lots of talk about Bu$hCo can beat all the raps for the multitudinous sins they've committed in office by 'running out the clock'- suing, countersuing, stonewalling, whatever it takes to get to the 'finish line' of Jan 09, then fading off into the sunset. This seems to me to be a pretty iffy proposition.

If they've committed criminal acts, and that seems pretty certain on a pretty broad scale, the statute of limitations is more than likely not set as 'until you leave office'. So, it would seem to me that, if they're prosecutable, they would have a series of problems that are increased by running out the clock.

First, come Jan 09, the odds are much better than even that they will be completely out of power. As it stands now, it is highly unlikely that the Repugs will recapture either house of Congress; it is pretty unlikely, tho not beyond conception, that they will keep the White House. So the political 'atmosphere' will completely against them, or at least, out of their control, come Jan 09. Second, they will (most likely) not be able to claim 'privilege' as they are no longer working for an active President. Third, in the event that they are convicted of something, they will not be able to count on a Presidential pardon (and the more that are convicted, the longer it's likely to be before a 'friendly' Pres gets back into the WH to pardon them.

So, running out the clock doesn't seem, to me, anyway, to be a very smart option. Of course, these guys have demonstrated repeatedly an inability to choose the smart option.

(This is all, of course, assuming there IS an election in 08. It wouldn't surprise me at all if sometime next year, something happened that called on Dumbfuck to declare martial law and cancel the elections til it's safer to have them (say 2199?) My faith in these guys is limitless (at least, in the negative))

CoOpt the Pissed Off Workers

David Brin, one of my favorite sci-fi authors and a frequent contributor to DKos and his own websites (see the blogroll), has a great, sort of subversive post today. Read it.

Conservatism Smackdown

Via C&J at DKos, Paul Waldman takes conservatism to the mat and pummels it:

CHEERS to putting the opposition in their proper place. In today's must-read, Paul Waldman takes down conservatism hard. Here's a taste:

Conservatives supported slavery, conservatives opposed women's suffrage, conservatives supported Jim Crow, conservatives opposed the 40-hour work week and the abolishment of child labor, and conservatives supported McCarthyism. In short, all the major advancements of freedom and justice in our history were pushed by liberals and opposed by conservatives, no matter the party they inhabited at the time.

Conservatism is Bill Bennett lecturing you about self-denial, then rushing off to feed his slot habit at the casino. It's James Dobson telling you that children need regular beatings to stay in line. It's a superannuated nun rapping you on the knuckles so you won't think about your dirty parts. It's Jerry Falwell watching "Teletubbies" frame by frame to see if Tinky Winky is trying to turn him gay. Conservatism is everyone you never wanted to grow up to be.

[7/20/07 Update: We would add: It's Mark Foley chairing the Exploited Children Caucus while having online fantasy sex with congressional pages. It's former House Speaker Newt Gingrich railing against Bill Clinton's blow job while cheating on his own wife. It's Senator David Vitter lecturing you on fidelity and then slinking off to have diaper sex with prostitutes. Etc. Etc. Etc. Wholesome bunch.]

Imperator George

This is just freaking unbelievable ... not in the sense that's unbelievable, given these guys history of ignoring any rule, law or more that annoyed them, but in the THIS IS FREAKIN' UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!

Impeach their asses now!

More Lies and Lying Liars

Sigh! Thanks, Josh... it is gnawing at me.

Googling bush +9/11 +saddam shows nothing at all, Tony. Well, except 2+million hits..... so you're right, the President NEVER EVER tried to link Saddam to 9/11.

I Apologize

The other day, I went off (big time!) on Diane Sawyer for his misreporting of the filibuster issue. I was furious at the time, and her inane report was the last straw on my (admittedly, limited) patience.

She corrected herself, and apologized for the error, this morning. Apparently, in response to viewer communications. Since she has been honest and gracious with her correction, I would like to apologize to her for my outburst.

I've always kind of liked her anyway, so it was hard for me to go off on her like that. Phew I feel better!

Scooter Jr?

Cheney aid convicted. When's the commutation?

WTF is Wrong With the MSM?

The Repugs successfully blocked, via filibuster, the Dems attempt to force a vote on an Iraq pullout in last night's unusual all-nighter. Both of our 'papers of record', the Times and the Post noted it as a Dem failure, not a successful Repug filibuster, with the actual term filibuster noted only in passing. What has happened to these two great bastions of truth? What has happened to reporting? It just makes me want to vomit. Well, at least I can read, over and over, about Edwards' haircuts!

(use the links for the papers in the blogroll to the right... I'm too pissed to link to them directly right now)

UPDATE: dKos has a winner in the Best of the Worst Coverage category SHEEESH!

Call It What It Is

It's a fucking filibuster. And, no, Diane Sawyer, not by Harry Reid, you stupid fucking moronic wench!

NOTA

Two thousand candidates to choose from, and the Repugs can't even get one into the lead. In today's poll results, the leading Repug candidate is..... .... None of the Above!

Hellacommunications

Kevin spends some time in AT&T Hell. I used to work for an unnamed (but three lettered, work it out) telecom company, and his take is right.

You are a profit source and otherwise a complete and valueless annoyance. There is no impetus to treat you with anything other than contempt. There are options, but most are no better, and despite the whole concept of transportability, it's usually more effort than it's worth to switch carriers.

Judge Green is spinning in his grave.

Kiss the Truth Goodbye

The Wall Street Journal has been bad enough lately (well, in my adulthood anyway, which stretches back a good three plus decades) with its uber-libertarian, conservo-reactionary tilt (is one tilting if one is lying on one's right side?), but the news portion of the paper has been relatively straightforward. That may be about to change. Apparently, the Bancrofts are preparing to accept NewsCorp's offer. Murdoch will rule the WSJ (think the NY Post with social acceptability.....) We're all doomed!

Slip Slidin' Away

Voinovich speaks and it's not pretty.

Out Now!

Let's see.... the American public wants us out, the Iraqi 'resistance' wants us out, and now, the Iraqi government wants us out. So, it's down to the Boy Prince, Laura, and Barney who want us to stay?

Good God!

They've lost O'Reilly! Can the End Times be at hand? Fox Noise is abandoning the Boy Prince?

Exactly

Kevin is talking today about hedge funds, taxes, and loopholes. Good post. But I think he hits the milieu de la moment on the head here:

This is an absurd loophole, and Congress is now dithering about whether to close it. (The fact that they're dithering, instead of competing with each other to express outrage and then closing it immediately on a unanimous vote, is yet another demonstration of the immense stranglehold that the rich have on American politics right now, but that's another story.) However, David Cay Johnston tells us today that even if this loophole gets closed, there's another one waiting in the wings.

(Emphasis mine)

Out Now

The House passed its bill today (223-201) to require US troops out of Iraq by next April. On to the Senate.

Contempt, Anyone?

Harriet Miers not only did not testify this morning, she refused to respond to a Congressional subpoena. I'll leave the legal wrangling to others, but this immunity argument to me is yet another great argument for impeachment.

YAWWNN

Glenn Greenwald takes on the snoozin' MSM today.....

Edwards: Pro-Science

John Edwards sat down for an interview with ScienceBlogs recently and it's a good read. He promises a pro-science administration. That'll be a refreshing change. Maybe we can get the Grand Canyon back on the right birthday schedule.... it's just looks to old to claim 6000 years anyway.... maybe some plastic surgery to tighten things up if the Repugs stay in charge?

Is this the Lowest Ever?

Cheney hits 13% approval. Has any Veep been lower? No wonder a majority wants to impeach him!

Lies and Damned Liars....

We can only be talking about Bu$hCo, and in this particular case, Gonzo.

Kevin sums it up correctly:

If it mattered that the Attorney General was a perjurer, this would be a pretty big deal.

UPDATE: TPM has more

Brilliant!

Kevin on why immigration-nazis get it so wrong.... just stunningly perfect argument.

NYT Comes to Its Senses

Even on the editorial pages, they're now pro-withdrawal.

QOTD

From Lance Mannion:

What I don't understand, what I'd like to ask Ignatius is, What is the Republican Party today offering that makes them people anybody in their right minds would want to get along with?

Asking Democrats to compromise and work together with the Republicans and the Bush Leaguers is like asking the cops to compromise and work together with the Mob. It's like asking doctors to compromise and work together with a plague. It's like asking...people living in a democracy to compromise and work together with people who want to overthrow that democracy and replace it with an aristocracy that bows to a dictator.

You Only Live Twice

(or perhaps, Die Another Day?)

The Coalition of the Billing had retract the announcement that it had killed a 'key' Al Qaeda figure when it was pointed out that they had already trumpeted his death a year ago. Apparently, the military is taking notes from Halliburton and has adopted double billing?

ACLU Wiretap Case Tossed on Appeal

I'd say more about this, but apparently, I don't have the standing to comment.

Imoeach-o-mania

I know that, at this point (and probably never, given the current state of the Repug party), we can't get an impeachment 'conviction', but it's pleasant to think about. Apparently, I'm not alone. In a new poll, 45% of Americans (including an amazing 13% of Repugs) think the House should bring Articles of Impeachment against Dumbfuck. Against Cheney, the numbers are even higher: 54%(17% of Repugs are ready to dump Darth Dick!)

It's very unlikely we'll get lucky enough to get rid of them before January, 2009, barring a colossal fuckup on there (and given the general competence level at 1600 Pennsylvania, that's a distinct possibility!). But, if something does break, and the MSM does pick up on it (assuming they'd recognize a real story), and with this level of public support for it already, an impeachment could happen. Wouldn't that be lovely? A situation so dire for Bu$hCo that their pet Congressmen would HAVE to vote to blow them out of office to save their own necks come November 08? Yum.

At this point, if it happens, it'll probably be related to Plame/Libby. Everything else is convoluted, arcane, and legalistic. If something breaks to show there's been a coverup at the WH over Libby (let me rephrase... if something breaks to PROVE there's been a coverup.....), then it gets pretty simple, and the comparisons to Watergate make it slamdunk even for our currently mentally deficient newsies.

UPDATE: Atrios seems worked up over impeachment.... check out the third link, particularly. [OOPS... it's Avedon, in for Atrios, not the man himself!]

QOTD

From today's WH presser:

Q Scott, is Scooter Libby getting more than equal justice under the law? Is he getting special treatment?

MR. STANZEL: Well, I guess I don't know what you mean by "equal justice under the law."

Ya think?

Never Liked Thompson

Not as a Watergate lawyer, not as an actor, not as a Senator, not as a candidate. Now I know why.

J'Accuse!

Keith Olbermann had another GREAT Special Comment today, a good ten minutes long, and basically demanded Bush and Cheney resign. Check it out!

Froomkin Speaks

You knew it was coming, you were excited about it; well, it's here! Dan Froomkin disassembles Bush and his little commutation in this morning's post:

We don't know why Libby decided to lie to federal investigators about his role in the leak. But it's reasonable to conclude -- or at least strongly suspect -- that he was doing it to protect Cheney, and maybe even Bush.

Why, after all, was special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald so determined to get the truth from Libby and, barring that, to punish him for obstructing justice? Prosecutorial ethics preclude Fitzgerald, a Bush appointee, from answering such questions. But the most likely scenario is that he suspected that it was Cheney who committed the underlying crime -- that Cheney instructed Libby to out a CIA agent in his no-holds-barred crusade against a critic. (See my Feb. 21 column, The Cloud Over Cheney and my May 29 column, Fitzgerald Again Points to Cheney.)

All of this means that Bush's decision yesterday to commute Libby's prison sentence isn't just a matter of unequal justice. It is also a potentially self-serving and corrupt act.

Was there a quid pro quo at work? Was Libby being repaid for falling on his sword and protecting his bosses from further scrutiny? Alternately, was he being repaid for his defense team's abrupt decision in mid-trial not to drag Cheney into court, where he would have faced cross-examination by Fitzgerald? (See my March 8 column, Did Libby Make a Deal?)

Bush and Press Secretary Tony Snow this morning continued to stonewall when it comes to any of the important questions about this case, Cheney and Bush's involvement, and the commutation itself. Bush said he wouldn't rule out a future pardon for Libby -- but didn't have much else new to say. Snow was simply ducking questions while asserting repeatedly that the president is entitled to exercise his clemency power when he sees fit.

...

Among the questions that Bush, Cheney and others should be facing:

* Does the president approve of Libby's conduct?

* On whose behalf did Libby act?

* Did the White House make any sort of a deal with Libby or his defense team?

* What did Bush know and when did he know it?

* When did he find out that Karl Rove and Libby had both leaked Plame's identity? Before or after he vowed that any leakers would be fired? Did anyone lie to him about their role? Why didn't he fire them?

* How does the conduct of his aides comport with Bush's vow to restore ethics to the White House? How does the commutation?

* What factors did the president take into account in deciding to commute the sentence?

* What does the president consider an appropriate punishment for perjury and obstruction of justice?

* What was Cheney's role in the commutation?

That's just for starters. Send more questions to froomkin@washingtonpost.com. I'll publish more on Thursday.

Has Dershowitz Lost It?

Okay, admittedly, I am not a renowned constitutional scholar, and Alan Dershowitz is. Over the years, I've thought he was insightful, intelligent, and thoughtful. This posting today in HuffPo makes me question my sanity and judgment.

UPDATE: the estimable Hunter at DKos smacks AD around as well

Economics, Schmeconomics!

My educational background is in economics, and as I've aged, I've truly come to believe that beyond the supply/demand curve and 'buy low/sell high', most of what I was taught, and is still treated as gospel by legions of earnest econgeeks, is mostly bullshit and/or voodoo.

Jared Bernstein has a good post today at TPM Cafe on economists and why they are wrong so often. Most of it confirms my suspicions.

BUSH COMMITS POLITICAL SUICIDE!!

In a not unexpected move, Dumbfuck commuted Libby's sentence today, via a press release (too chicken to face questions, I quess) The reaction is, needless to say, a shitstorm. The commutation does NOT remove the conviction, the fine, or the probation, but does eliminate his going off to the pokey.

The Public is NOT amused.

Biden suggests electronic bombardment of the WH.

Fred 'the Hammer' Thompson is, of course, "very happy".

Per TPM, the commutation is in violation of the regs.

Atrios has a collection of responses/statements from players and candidates.

Orville Redenbacher's Gonna Get Rich

Leahy was on Press the Meat today, and, well, as Josh points out, 'This could get ugly.'

Electability

As in 'does Hillary have any?' I tend to think she is; I don't particularly 'like' her, but I'd vote for her if she's the candidate. My gut feeling is that if the Dems run a rabid Wolverine, it'll get the votes this time, regardless of the Repug candidate. Polls seem to run both ways.