Hurricane Katrina

Last night I donated money to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. It is time that Americans take care of our own during this massive tragedy. The 35th largest city has been destroyed, as well as many small towns and communities. DONATE NOW AT http://www.redcross.org/

New reason for Iraq War

TODAY'S QUIZ
According to President Bush, we went to war in Iraq for which of the following reasons
a) Iraq had weapons of mass destruction
b) to bring democracy to Iraq
c) to end the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein
d) because Iraq had ties to Osama bin Laden
e) to keep the oil from the terrorists.
f) for oil and get back at Sadam for trying to assassinate President George H.W. Bush.

Correct Answer: f (a through e are previous excuses)

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/08/31/bush_gives_new_reason_for_iraq_war/

How many more of our young people have to die for this lie?

My Honda Hybrid

After driving past several gas stations with unleaded gas at $3.09/gal., I returned home and hugged my 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid. It was cool this morning here in central Ohio and I was getting 44.6 mpg (without my AC) in city driving. With so many tragedies going on in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, and Iraq, I have something to celebrate ----- my little hybrid.

A Soldier's Blog Reveals the Truth

Raw Story has an excerpt from the military blog of Sgt. Thomas Strickland, which was written two days before he was killed in Iraq. Sgt. Strickland was very upset with the Iraq war plan. Before you click on the link, please be warned about the language:
http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Killed_soldier_questioned_fucktarded_wa_0830.html

Here is one small part of his statement:
"Back home (the USA kind) I have no home, no job, and my commander in chief is on vacation (he's about 20 days behind Ronald Reagan right now in the race to become the most vacationing president ever. Hey W! we all got our fingers crossed! Here's to you and two more years of presidency...er vacationing!)."

Our troops know that this administration has screwed up the war in Iraq. Our young people are being slaughtered because they were not provided with enough armor, equipment, or troops. Rumsfeld said you go to war with the army that you have. Iraq did not attack us. This was an unnecessary war based on a lie. How many more need to die?

The United States of Halliburton

From Raw Story we find a story about how a Halliburton whistleblower was demoted because of "poor performance." Here's a few excerpts: http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Senior_Democrat_says_decision_to_demote_Halliburton_worker_will_chill_whisteb_0829.html
"The top U.S. Army contracting official who first raised criticism over Halliburton's no-bid contract in Iraq was demoted Sunday for what the army called poor job performance -- the first time her performance was rated low in 20 years."

and...

The official, Bunnatine "Bunny" Greenhouse, had overseen contracts at the Army Corps of Engineers, which has managed Iraq reconstruction work. She was removed Saturday from her elite Senior Executive Service position and reassigned her to a lesser job in the civil works division.

Greenhouse's lawyer, Michael Kohn, told the New York Times he saw "obvious reprisal" for the objections she raised to a series of decisions involving the Halliburton subsidiary Kellogg, Brown Root, which has netted more than $10 billion for work in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"She is being demoted because of her strict adherence to procurement requirements and the army's preference to sidestep them when it suits their needs," he said Sunday.

"Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean also weighed in, saying, "Today's news regarding Bunnatine Greenhouse is another disturbing example of the Bush Administration's determination to abuse their power to hide the truth and silence, smear or demote their critics."

"A spokeswoman for the Army Corps of Engineers, told the Times that the action against Greenhouse was approved by the Army."

It doesn't matter if the taxpayers are getting screwed----just protect Halliburton!

Paul E. Gillmor

Paul E. Gillmor is the U.S. Congressman representing Ohio's 5th district. According to Gillmor's biography located at his website http://www.house.gov/gillmor/biography.htm "Ohio's Fifth District includes all of Crawford, Defiance, Fulton, Henry, Huron, Paulding, Putnam, Sandusky, Seneca, Van Wert, Williams and Wood counties, and parts of Ashland, Lucas, Mercer and Wyandot counties." However, Gillmor lives in the city of Dublin, which is in Franklin County, Ohio. Gillmor and his wife, Karen, have a home in Dublin which they bought in 1996 for $364,900. With the new updated 2005 values, the house is now worth an extimated $461,000+. http://www.co.franklin.oh.us/auditor/

Update: I also checked with the Franklin County Clerk of Courts http://www.fcmcclerk.com/Pa/pa.htm website and found that Paul E. Gillmor had a traffic ticket. When he got his ticket, he listed an address in Old Fort, Ohio (Seneca County). That same address is the address of Paul M. Gillmor, Paul E. Gillmor's adult son. Where do you think he spends most of his time--- in a small house, with his son in Old Fort, Ohio, or in a fancy 3500 square foot home in Dublin, Ohio? You can draw your own conclusions.

According to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services news release http://jfs.ohio.gov/releases/unemp/UnempPressRelease.htm
here is the unemployment rate for each of the counties he represents: all of Crawford 6.3%, Defiance 6.8%, Fulton 6.4%, Henry 6.6%, Huron 6.8%, Paulding 5.7%, Putnam 4.8%, Sandusky 5.9%, Seneca 6.4%, Van Wert 5.5%, Williams 7.1% and Wood 6.1% counties, and parts of Ashland 5.2%, Lucas 7.0%, Mercer 3.9% and Wyandot 7.3%. Amazing! Do you think if he spent more time near his constituents he'd be able to understand the problems associated with high unemployment? I'm just asking.

Deborah Pryce

Deborah Pryce (OH-15-R) is a good friend of Tom DeLay's. Rep. Pryce gets her instructions on how to vote from Tom DeLay. According to http://www.cq.com and http://www.houseofscandal.org/members/DeborahPryceOH-15.html Rep. Pryce has voted with DeLay 94% of the time. She has also contributed to his defense fund. Isn't that nice! Does she really care about Ohio and her constituents or just about following Tom DeLay's orders? http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/27/AR2005072701195.html?nav=E8

Moms and the War

I am a Mom. Like most people, I have a Mom. There are Moms in every part of this country. Moms love their kids, and will protect their children. Cindy Sheehan is a Mom and she lost her child. We don't know exactly how she feels, but as mothers, we can try to show her compassion. Cindy Sheehan isn't a politician, but she is a very brave mother.
Because there are so many mothers in this country, they are starting to evaluate the human costs of war. In the end, President Bush will need to answer the questions posed by mothers: What was the noble cause of the Iraq war? What is your exit plan? Why are so many of our young men and women dying? Why are these troops sent to war with unarmored humvees and poor/no body armor? Why are there American companies becoming war profiteers?

Mothers are concerned. The city editor of a newspaper has written about his mother and her change in attitude.
http://hollisterfreelance.com/opinion/contentview.asp?c=167045 Here's an excerpt from the article:

For the last year or more my mother has been gradually expressing ever greater exasperation with President Bush, the war, and the religious right. “Have you heard about this James Dobson guy?” she asked me on the phone, referring to the head of Focus on the Family. “If they overturn Roe vs. Wade, that’ll be it for me,” she said.

Then she mentioned Cindy Sheehan.

For all the efforts to discredit Ms. Sheehan, what she accomplished in drawing attention to the human cost of the war, if my mother’s opinion is any indication, crossed party lines. There’s a Mom Faction in American politics, and while it isn’t a monolithic Third Rail, it’s at least and second-and-a-half rail. When their children are dying on a battlefield of choice, you touch it at your peril.

My mother has her fingers on the pulse, and scalps, of many such women. She’s a hairdresser with a clientele that has been coming to her regularly for decades. Now grandmothers, these women were moms during Vietnam, in which over 50,000 American sons and daughters died. They worried then about their kids’ safety, now they’re worried about grandkids - theirs or someone else’s. Most are pretty mainstream, most Republican, and most, my mother tells me, pretty much fed up with George Bush.

GOP Nitwits

GOP Nitwits
1. Rep. John Hostettler (R-IN):
>A warrant was issued because he failed to pay court costs on time after he pleaded guilty to carrying a concealed deadly weapon in Louisville International Headline. http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:szDHbfUkvBIJ:vh80015.vh8.infi.net/localnews/2004/10/05in/B3-warrant10050-3811.html+wadesville+indiana+court+clerk&hl=en "The long war on Christianity in America continues today on the floor of the United States House of Representatives."
"Like a moth to a flame, Democrats can't help themselves when it comes to denigrating and demonizing Christians."
>-Rep. John Hostettler, R-Ind., June 20, 2005, while debating a defense spending bill amendment about Air Force proselytizing
(I GUESS THIS GUY NEVER HEARD OF SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE.)

>EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) - Indiana Congressman John Hostettler says divorce is as dangerous to society as gay marriage.
http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=3761349

2. Bob Taft, Ohio Governor http://www.coshoctontribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050818/NEWS01/508180306/1002 >COLUMBUS - Moments after being sworn into office in 1999 Gov. Bob Taft, owner of one of the most distinguished names in U.S. political history, spoke of ethics.
He returned to the message regularly, ordering annual ethics training for his staff, firing staffers for improperly accepting gifts and warning public employees that even free rounds of golf were forbidden.

>COLUMBUS - Minutes after publicly apologizing and pleading no contest to charges that he failed to report gifts, Gov. Bob Taft pledged Thursday to finish his term - and denied that his administration sells access or contracts to big donors.
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050819/NEWS01/508190400

Bush is not on vacation!

Just when you think you've heard everything, the truth changes! According to White House spokesman, David Almacy, http://www.sbsun.com/Stories/0,1413,208~12588~3023550,00.html "the reason that Bush is in Crawford, Texas, is due to the renovation of the West Wing of the White House."
"He's operating on a full schedule; he's just doing it from the ranch instead of from the White House,' Almacy said. "The only week he had officially off was this last week.'

Oh. What about this? http://archives.cnn.com/2001/ALLPOLITICS/08/06/bush.crawford/
http://www.detnews.com/2005/politics/0508/04/A03-269678.htm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/02/AR2005080201703_pf.html

Thank You!

1. Thank you, Cindy Sheehan, for your courage. Although you've lost your son, you've risked your life and your privacy to search for the truth about the Iraq War. http://www.gsfp.org/

2. Keith Olbermann deserves my appreciation for proving time and time again that some of the worst people in the world are Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6210240/

3. Jon Stewart and The Daily Show deserve my admiration for their unending attacks on the hypocricy of this administration and their supporters. http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/the_daily_show/index.jhtml

4. The pro-Bush supporters in Crawford, Texas, deserve a thank you. Without them, many of which have not lost a family member in Iraq or Afghanistan, the president would have no supporters. These supporters are willing to sacrifice your sons and daughters for G. W. Bush.
(http://lefti.blogspot.com/2005_08_01_lefti_archive.html#112490279536475924)

5. On a personal note, I'd like to thank everyone who has been willing to speak up in opposition to this war. Our sons and daughters are being killed and maimed. Billions and billions of dollars are being sent overseas and into the pockets of Halliburton and other war profiteers, while our children, seniors, and the poor are losing healthcare and other services. When money is diverted to war, services and programs in this country suffer the loss of funding. http://www.jsonline.com/news/metro/aug05/350783.asp
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/opinion/12363611.htm

6. And finally, I'd like to thank radio talk show host, Stephanie Miller. Without Stephanie, Chris, and Jim's humor, it would not have been possible to get through the results of the 2004's election. My special favorites are "I like toast," "Lying Sack of Crap," and "Right Wing World" (they listen so you don't have to).
http://www.stephaniemiller.com/
http://www.stephaniemiller.com/audiobits/08242005/08242005rrw.mp3

A Real American

Bill Moyer, 73, wears a "Bullshit Protector" flap over his ear while President George W. Bush addresses the Veterans of Foreign Wars. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac) http://www.canada.com/national/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=581719e6-4f85-48bb-a52c-615ef31355e7
http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/cp/world/20050823/w082326a.jpg

Party of Retreat and Surrender?

Some GOP "strategist" was just on The Situation Room on CNN and he said the "Democrat Party is a party of retreat and surrender, like Jimmy Carter." Where the hell do they find these GOP goofballs? First, why won't GOPers call it the Democratic Party? Is the fact that the word 'democratic' is the party name scare them? Secondly, where did this guy get the phrase "party of retreat and surrender"? Was this in the GOP talking points vocabulary list? The Democratic Party is NOT a party of retreat and surrender. We are a party of ideas, humanity, and intelligence. Many in our party are seeking an end to this war that was based on lies and greed. Many mothers who have lost children are working for a peaceful end of this war so that other mothers won't lose their sons and daughters. Enough blood, enough money, and enough time has been spent in Iraq. Bring our troops home now!

Vote with your $$$$$$

I am old enough to remember the demonstrations and boycotts of the 1960's and '70's. Today, with so much dirt being thrown at Cindy Sheehan from the right wingnutterie, I think it is time to take our money away from those who hurt her and our cause.

During the 2004 elections, we saw the horrible lies promoted by the "swiftboat veterans for truth" and other extremist groups. The people who promoted these campaigns were business people who used their money to support Bush and right wing causes. We need to stop supporting companies who participated in those smear campaigns. Where do we start? Hmmmm. Well, if you enjoy crafts, you might want to stop shopping at Michael's Crafts because the owners/founders were big contributors to the "swiftboat vets" and the Bush campaign. Here are some places to verify this information: http://www.tpj.org/pioneers/charles_wyly.html
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/09/11/MNGO68N64F1.DTL
http://www.forbes.com/finance/mktguideapps/personinfo/FromPersonIdPersonTearsheet.jhtml?passedPersonId=223269
http://www.democrats.org/a/2005/06/dean_time_for_b.php
For additional information about companies that contribute to Democratic candidates, visit Buy Blue. http://www.buyblue.org/

If you need further information about contributors, I suggest you visit http://www.opensecrets.org/

Falling Approval Rates

The president's approval rating is low because of women. Many women voted for him in 2004 simply because he played up the security issue. Now many of these same women, some of whom are mothers, are heartbroken about the huge losses we have sustained in Iraq and Afghanistan. Cindy Sheehan's tragedy tore at our hearts and reminded us that we don't want anymore mothers to suffer the loss of a child in this war.

This administration went to war based on a lie and without an exit strategy. Now we are stuck in a huge mess, with no end in sight. With an approval rating of 36% and a disapproval rate of 56%, http://americanresearchgroup.com/economy/ those approval ratings will only go lower as the war and fatalities continue. As of this minute, 69 of our service members have died in Iraq this month alone, and the month is not over yet. 1,868 Americans have died in Iraq. How many more will die? http://icasualties.org/oif/

Bush to take vacation from vacation

In the middle of his five week vacation, President Bush will take a vacation from his vacation. Bush will be spending two days in Donnelly, Idaho, which is a vacation destination for the wealthy (what a surprise!).
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050820/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_donnelly
Before going to Idaho, Bush will stop in Salt Lake City, Utah. However, not all the people greeting him will be supporters. There are some protests scheduled during his visit. http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_2960234
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=96648

Also, a TV station in Utah, KTVX has refused to air Cindy Sheehan's ad. KTVX is owned by Clear Channel. Here is what station management said: http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_2960205 According to an e-mail released Saturday, D'Antuono said that after Channel 4 viewed the spot, "the management of KTVX felt that the controversial content could very well be offensive to our community in Utah, which has contributed more than its fair share of fighting soldiers and suffered significant loss of life in this Iraq War." "This is a local market decision made by the local management of KTVX-TV." (According to http://icasualties.org/oif/Statecity.aspx
Utah has lost 9 service members in Iraq. Forty other states have each lost more than nine service members.)

"Like One Long Funeral that Doesn't End"

Those are the words of someone who attended some of the funerals of local marines killed in Iraq.
http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2005/08/20/20050820-C6-00.html&chck=t

WEST CHESTER, Ohio — For days now, this suburb and other Cincinnati-area communities have been dominated by grief and searing images of loss — flag-draped caskets, solemn Marine honor guards, anguished parents and loved ones.

Today, the funeral of Marine Cpl. David Kreuter here will conclude an eight-day series of vigils, memorial services and funerals in southwestern Ohio for the five area Marines killed in an Aug. 3 roadside bombing in Iraq, among 16 Ohio-based Marines killed within a week.

"It’s like one long funeral that doesn’t end," said Peggy Logue of Lebanon, whose son Michael is still in Iraq with the hard-hit Lima Company. "It’s very hard. It’s painful."

And...
"I think everybody supports the troops, but people are talking and wondering what’s going on," said Gale Halsey, who came to the vigil from nearby Cold Springs, Ky. "We just buried five Marines. Every day you watch it on the news. We’re all tired of it. We’ve paid the price."

The defense dept. plans to remain in Iraq for at least four more years. Why?

Santorum

Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) was promoting his book at a Barnes & Noble Bookstore when one of his constituents and others were threatened with going to prison. Santorum's book, It Takes A Family, may have to be changed to It Takes A State Trooper. Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! Shame on Santorum for being so wimpy that he must use strong arm tactics to remove people who want to have a discussion with him. http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050814/NEWS08/508140325/1013/NEWS
http://progressive.org/?q=mag_mc081905
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050819/OPINION10/508190330/1111/OPINION

GO BUCKEYES!!!!

You can almost feel the excitement starting to build as another Ohio State University football season approaches. The Buckeyes will play the texas longhorns on September 10th. However, I read in The Other Paper that some big shot GOPers are having a big shindig in Columbus the night before the game. Rumor has it that the Bush girls will be in town and at the game. GO BUCKS!

Democrats and Progressives

It is absolutely amazing how the focus of this country has changed under the guidance of George W. Bush. Under President Bill Clinton we had peace and prosperity. The unemployment rate was low and the national debt was down. Now under President Bush, we have 2 wars, Afghanistan and Iraq (and the possibility of war with Iran and North Korea). Afghanistan was a necessary war. However, Bush's Iraq war has been a waste of money, human life, and resources. There were no WMD's but there was plenty of oil and the opportunity of Halliburton and others to profit from a war. President Clinton's no-fly-zone diligence kept Sadam Hussain in check. In Iraq today, we have full blown anarchy. There is no peace, no electricity, no safe haven, and no protection for our troops in Iraq. Iraq has become a magnet for terrorists and extremists. What can we do to change things around?

1. We must demand an answer to Cindy Sheehan's question: What was the noble cause for going to war in Iraq?

2. We MUST work together to remove the corrupt GOP majority out of the House and the Senate. How? Research your local Democratic party's candidates and offer your support and help. Volunteer to stuff envelopes, work as a poll worker, make telephone calls on behalf of a candidate, and talk to friends and neighbors about how to organize and work toward a better, cleaner government.

3. Write a letter to your local newspaper or neighborhood weekly and express your opposition to this war and these corrupt politicians. Call your local rep or senator and demand they do things that represent you. Remind them that if they don't vote for things that are important to you and your city, you will vote against them. Visit open secrets to see who is contributing to your rep/senator. http://www.opensecrets.org/

4. Call or e-mail local and national TV and radio stations and voice your opinion about stories. Was a story too slanted? If a particular reporter/talk show host uses inaccurate information or derogatory statements, write letters and call their sponsors. http://www.fcc.gov/ http://mediamatters.org/

5. DON'T SIT AND DO NOTHING. I firmly believe that if every mother in this country just spoke out and said "Stop the war," people and politicians would take notice.

Limbaugh Lies Again!!!!!

Limbaugh said he never made accusations against Cindy Sheehan. Media Matters has the proof!
http://mediamatters.org/static/audio/limbaugh-200508160009.mp3

Lou Dobbs

When I see CNN's Lou Dobbs, I think of the term XENOPHOBIA (fear/hatred of foreigners). The guy just keeps talking about Mexicans coming across our borders. I think Mr. Dobbs should offer solutions that do not show his hatred. Also, Mr. Dobbs probably makes a lot of money and I believe he can afford some dental work. It is hard to believe that the CNN producers let him on the air with his teeth in such serious decay.

Rush is an Asshole (You already knew that!)

Rush Limbaugh is really an asshole. He is a drug addict, and a pompous windbag. According to the Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/thenewswire/#a005761 and Media Matters, Limbaugh said that Cindy Sheehan's story "is nothing more than forged documents." Limbaugh is a heartless fool.

From the August 15 broadcast of The Rush Limbaugh Show:

LIMBAUGH: I mean, Cindy Sheehan is just Bill Burkett. Her story is nothing more than forged documents. There's nothing about it that's real, including the mainstream media's glomming onto it. It's not real. It's nothing more than an attempt. It's the latest effort made by the coordinated left.http://mediamatters.org/items/200508160009

I just want to remind everyone that once an addict always an addict. Limbaugh is an arrogant bastard and we cannot forget his story about his hearing loss, which was caused by his drug abuse. Limbaugh has no right to criticize anyone. See this article: http://www.freep.com/news/health/oto17_20031017.htm
Here are some excerpts from this very informational article that was published in the Detroit Free Press on October 17, 2003:

'Rush Limbaugh's entry into a rehabilitation program for addiction to prescription painkillers underscores an important message to the millions of Americans who take the drugs: Chronic abuse may cause hearing loss.

The link between hearing loss and high doses of painkillers like Vicodin, Lorcet and OxyContin is not yet well-known in medicine.'

And...

'Limbaugh reportedly was taking as many as 60 OxyContin pills daily, as well as other drugs, including Vicodin and Lorcet. This latest foray into rehab is at least his third in recent years.

Limbaugh's initial diagnosis of hearing loss came in 2001. Doctors at the House Ear Clinic in Los Angeles said he had autoimmune ear disease, a type of hearing loss associated with fluctuating hearing, dizziness, ear fullness and sudden loss of hearing. The same facility is among the few to study the link between hearing loss and prescription painkiller abuse. The clinic has identified at least 29 people who developed hearing loss after Vicodin abuse.

Spokesmen for Rush Limbaugh Syndicators, which produces Limbaugh's daily radio show, and House Ear Clinic spokeswoman Christa Spieth Nuber did not return calls about whether Limbaugh previously had acknowledged his drug abuse to his doctors.

That leaves open the question of whether Limbaugh might have halted further loss of his hearing if he had told his doctors what he acknowledged publicly last week.

He also might not have needed a cochlear implant -- a surgically implanted device that restores some hearing, some doctors say.

"If he would have been honest, and that's a guess on our part, and if he had some hearing left and stopped abusing certain medications," his hearing loss "might have stopped right there and not required a cochlear implant," said Dr. Michael LaRouere, a hearing specialist with the Michigan Ear Institute, a Farmington Hills facility affiliated with Providence Hospital and Medical Centers of Southfield.'

This is the type of person who is trying to smear a Gold Star Mother, Cindy Sheehan.

Ohio GOP= $$$$$

Governor Bob Taft of Ohio is now willing to take the responsibility for all those golf outings that were paid for by others. Obviously, Taft will have to deal with ethics charges. The question remains----Will he be forced to resign? http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050815/NEWS24/508150396/0/NEWS28

Deborah Pryce likes to hold fundraisers with lobbyists in special settings like golf courses or resorts. Isn't that nice? http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/12373130.htm

"While Federal Election Commission reports don't show how much the politicians raise at individual events, such as the golf outings, the lawmakers must disclose how much they spend to host the fundraisers. Members of Congress spent $444,569 on golf events in the first half of 2005, up from $376,088 in the first six months of 2004, according to a Bloomberg review of records compiled by PoliticalMoneyLine, a Washington company that tracks spending.

"The golf fundraisers are the summer equivalent of ski trips to places like Vail and Aspen in Colorado that lawmakers such as Ohio Republican Representatives Michael Oxley and Deborah Pryce have held with lobbyists. Lawmakers spent more than $100,000 at the resorts in the first quarter of this year, FEC records show."

Here are some of Congresswoman Deborah Pryce's recent individual contributors :
http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/can_ind/2005_H2OH15046

I think it is interesting that the Burgetts of Fredericktown, Ohio are such great donors since their company, Kokosing "wins" most of the road contracts in Ohio.

The following address will take you to some of the companies/committees/pacs that have contributed to Pryce. If these companies like the GOP so much, maybe we should take our money somewhere else.
http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/can_give/2005_H2OH15046

Pryce also received $1000 from Tom Noe (Ohio's coingate scandal) 10/8/2004.
http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?NumOfThou=0&txtName=Noe&txtState=OH&txtZip=&txtEmploy=&txtCand=Pryce&txt2004=Y&txt2002=Y&Order=N

Body Armor

In recent days, there have been several stories about problems the Defense Department has been having getting better body armor to our troops in Iraq. Apparently, the body armor they have is not good enough considering the types of weapons the insurgents are using. I found the following story at http://icasualties.org/oif/ and then went to the actual article at http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_showa.html?article=59142
to get more information. Here is what I found:

The second in command in the Colebrook Police Department was shot and wounded by a sniper while serving in Iraq last month.

Sgt. Joseph Caron has returned to the United States and was headed to Georgia for medical treatment on his hand, Colebrook Police Chief Steve Cass said last night.

Caron, a rifleman in the Army National Guard, was wounded in Ramadi just after being deployed to the Middle East, Cass said.

The bullet went through Caron's hand and the butt of his rifle, also piercing his body armor and injuring his chest, Cass said.

"He was only there a month, if it was a month," said Cass, who exchanged e-mails with Caron before he was shot.

Caron has told girlfriend, Amy Parker of Colebrook, that he has feeling in his hand, Cass said. He has already undergone many surgeries after being treated in Iraq and later in Germany.

Caron joined the Colebrook Police Department in 2000. He was promoted to corporal in April 2004.

Having served for five years in the Marine Corps with armored personnel carriers, he joined the National Guard in December, Cass said.

Why didn't our troops have the correct equipment in the first place? Where is the money going that was designated for armor? How many more of our troops will be injured or killed while our Defense Department screws around with getting them the proper equipment?

How much longer will other sons die?

If you have a few minutes, you need to read two articles. The first article is from the San Francisco Chronicle and http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/08/14/SHEEHAN.TMP it talks about Cindy Sheehan. The article gives background information on Cindy Sheehan and her vigil outside President Bush's Crawford, Texas vacation spot. Here is the section I want to highlight:

But Bill Whalen, a research fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution, a former speechwriter for President George H.W. Bush's 1992 re-election campaign and a longtime GOP consultant, said she also must remain focused.
"Instead of asking, 'Why did my son die?' which Bush can answer, she should be asking, 'How much longer will other sons die?' "

HOW MUCH LONGER WILL OTHER SONS DIE?

Frank Rich has a great op-ed piece in the NY Times. The title of the piece is called SOMEONE TELL THE PRESIDENT THE WAR IS OVER. He really makes some great points about how the American people do not support the war.

"These are the tea leaves that all Republicans, not just Chuck Hagel, are reading now. Newt Gingrich called the Hackett near-victory "a wake-up call." The resolutely pro-war New York Post editorial page begged Mr. Bush (to no avail) to "show some leadership" by showing up in Ohio to salute the fallen and their families. A Bush loyalist, Senator George Allen of Virginia, instructed the president to meet with Cindy Sheehan, the mother camping out in Crawford, as "a matter of courtesy and decency." Or, to translate his Washingtonese, as a matter of politics. Only someone as adrift from reality as Mr. Bush would need to be told that a vacationing president can't win a standoff with a grief-stricken parent commandeering TV cameras and the blogosphere 24/7."
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/14/opinion/14rich.html

Ohio

In today's Columbus Dispatch, an article explains why we are seeing so many Ohio troops dying in Iraq.
http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2005/08/13/20050813-A1-03.html&chck=t

American wars used to be that way. In the Civil War, a town’s population of young men could be devastated in one battle. It was almost normal, because the military largely organized by city, county or state.

But it’s been a long time since a unit from a particular place was likely to lose lots of men at once. Columbus has found that it can happen again.

The Rickenbacker-based Lima Company of the 3 rd Battalion, 25 th Marines, had nine men killed in one bombing on Aug. 3. Sixteen members in all have been killed since May, or 10 percent of the troops it entered Iraq with in March.

"This happened to hit Columbus hard, but it’s not a unique experience," said Allan Millett, a military historian at Ohio State University.

The U.S. military is relying "to a greater degree than any war since the Civil War," on units with some geographic identity, said Mark Pitcavage, a Columbus military historian. So the kind of loss Lima Company experienced can happen again, in other places.

http://www.legacy.com/Dispatch/Soldiers.asp?Page=FSSearchResults&Sort=Recent&State=OH

Attacking Cindy Sheehan

When a mother loses a child, her hopes and dreams die with that son or daughter. Cindy Sheehan lost her son, Casey, and she mourns. Those people attacking Cindy Sheehan are rude, unfeeling, and sickening. If you are for this war, go with your son or daughter down to your local recruiting center and encourage your child to enlist. http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Video_Mother_of_fallen_soldier_asks_questions_of_Presiden_0812.html

Tears for Terrell Owens: Boo Hoo

Poor Eagles guy, Terrell Owens, is very upset with his $49 million contract. This jerk makes that amount of money and he is complaining??? Fire him! The Eagles could get someone else who would be a team playe, less of a cry baby, and have 1/10th the ego. No person is worth that amount of money. His agent said that TO will not be happy but he will be playing. Give me a break!

GOP Corruption Ruins Ohio

In today's Columbus Dispatch http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2005/08/11/20050811-A1-02.html&chck=t there is an article that explains the true cost of the GOP corruption and Coingate on the state of Ohio. According to the article, the cost of investigating Tom Noe's coin investment of state money is nearly $6.7 MILLION and the investigation is not over yet. The losses to the Bureau of Workers' Compensation have been incredible:

"Noe has acknowledged a shortfall of up to $13 million from the coin funds, and the bureau has lost millions on other investments — including $215 million from a high-risk investment by MDL Capital Management, of Pittsburgh, last year."

You are wondering how this happened? The GOP controls the state government and has been awarding contracts to contributors. Mr. Noe and others have gotten and continue to get contracts because they are contributors to the Ohio GOP. The corruption goes all the way to the governor. TSK! TSK! The Ohio GOP talks about moral values. Are cheating and stealing moral values?

Oil prices going up, up, up

Are you still driving that suv? Do you enjoy driving it to the gas station? Trade-in prices for suv's have dropped 3%. Right now, oil is trading for $65.70 per gallon. At this rate, $3/gallon could be just around the bend. Some market experts said that if oil continues to rise, we will experience a recession. I guess we'll just have to see what happens.

Points to Ponder

Cindy Sheehan is on a road that leads to the president's ranch. All she wants to know is why her son had to die in Iraq. Mr. Bush, who is busy clearing brush with a chainsaw, is unwilling to meet with Mrs. Sheehan. Is he afraid to talk with a mother of a young man who died for his war in Iraq? If we were in her shoes, wouldn't we want answers?

With school starting soon, I wonder if the military recruiters will be back at work in the high schools? The recruiters come in at lunch, sit with students, talk, gather information, and pass out pencils and other materials. Are parents aware that this recruiting is going on in schools? Are parents comfortable with these activities? I suggest you call your local high school and ask if recruiters are permitted on school grounds. Let the school administration know how you feel about this.

Roberts and Rush

Why won't this administration release information about Supreme Court nominee, John Roberts? What are they trying to hide? http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/09/politics/politicsspecial1/09confirm.html

Do you remember that book by Al Franken, Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot? There is some confirmation that the title accurately describes Limbaugh. I found this at MyDD.com:
http://www.mydd.com/story/2005/8/8/233333/1849

Paul Hackett shames Rush Limbaugh

by BobcatJH

Appearing on today's edition of "The Ed Schultz Show," Paul Hackett made several stand-out statements (mp3 file). http://audio.wegoted.com/dailyaudio/Paul%20Hackett.mp3 My favorite came in reference to his being attacked by Rush Limbaugh:

That's typical for that fatass drug addict to come up with something like that. There's a guy ... I didn't hear this, but actually when I was on drill this weekend, I've got to tell you, he lost a lot of Republican supporters with his comments. Because they were coming up to me, telling me, "I can't believe he said that! Besides that, he called you a soldier. He doesn't know the difference between a soldier and a marine!"

Play that audio link above to get the full interview.

Troops at Risk

The more I read, the more my heart breaks for the families of the soldiers who have been killed in this war. Rumsfeld said something like, "You go to war with the army you have." First, the war in Iraq was an unnecessary war and this administration started this war based on a lie. Second, this administration has done little to protect our young men and women with the proper equipment. Those troops from Ohio that were killed while riding in an amphibious vehicle were at grave risk. Would this president or Rumsfeld send their children or relatives to a war with inadequate materials that would reduce their chances for survival? I don't think they would. Here is something I found that supports this: http://www.defensetech.org/archives/cat_ground_vehicles.html

When Army Secretary Francis Harvey bragged last week that every American vehicle in Iraq was about to be armored up, Defense Tech readers smelled a rat. Maybe what Harvey was saying was technically true, readers figured. But a whole lot of those supposedly toughed-up vehicles would be protected with jury-rigged, "hillbilly armor" -- the kind that's cobbled together from scrap heaps and landfills. Now, the L.A. Times has confirmed vehicles venturing outside bases will have only the makeshift steel plates known to soldiers as 'Mad Max' or 'hillbilly' armor.

Ohio and the Country

In Ohio, our hearts are heavy because of the deaths of so many of our sons and daughters in Iraq and Afghanistan. The people in Ohio are also suffering from the corruption of the Ohio GOP. Besides corruption, citizens are also upset because of the GOP lies: No WMD's, no real homeland security at our ports, and no real protection for our soldiers in combat zones (unarmored vehicles in combat, soldiers having to pay for their own body armor, soldiers still having problems getting paychecks and medical care). People here in Ohio are also talking about the decision to send 14 men into a battle zone in an airtight amphibious vehicle. Who the hell made that decision? How is it that our soldiers, who are trained as snipers, are not protected/backed up by other soldiers? Who the hell is making these decisions that are killing our kids everyday? As of this minute 1829 http://icasualties.org/oif/ of our soldiers have died in Iraq, and that total does not include those troops who have died in hospitals or by suicide. What is our president doing while so many of our young people are dying? http://www.finktank3000.com/images/bush_ranch.jpg

Political Fallout

The deaths of so many troops from Ohio are starting to get people talking. Besides losing our sons and daughters in Bush's war in Iraq, Ohio is also suffering from the corruption of the Ohio GOP (coingate, ethics violations, etc.). Now the GOP is getting worried. Congresswoman Pryce (GOP-OH-15) has voiced major concerns http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2005/08/05/20050805-A1-01.html&chck=t :

"The political situation for Republicans both in Washington and especially Ohio is just dreadful," she said. "In my short political life I’ve never seen it so dire."
The Upper Arlington Republican said the unexpectedly close race in Ohio’s 2 nd Congressional District this week — a Democratic challenger came within 4 percentage points of winning the heavily GOP area — is a harbinger of the difficulty Republicans at all levels will face at the polls.
"It’s gonna get a lot worse," she said. "It’s not just about golf outings."

Thomas Ricks of the Washington Post was on the Washington Journal on C-SPAN this morning. A caller said that the amphibious vehicle that was carrying the 14 Ohio soldiers who died, was not the type of vehicle that is appropriate for this type of war. From what I've read, these amphibious vehicles are only lightly armored and are used only for special areas. http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/08/03/iraq.vehicle.ap/?section=cnn_latest

Mr. Ricks said that there are approximately 130,000 of our troops still in Iraq, and according to the timetable that this administration originally put out, troops were to be pulled out starting in December 2004. Last night I heard that we have 18,000 troops in Afghanistan. If we had not invaded Iraq, but had instead sent 130,000 troops to Afghanistan, we would have had Osama by now, and we would have saved lives, time, and money. However, this administration has made miscalculation after miscalculation in going to war and the aftermath. The mothers, fathers, wives, husbands, sisters, brothers, children, and friends of our troops are suffering with every loss and every injury. We cannot let our children be sent to be slaughtered because of the mistakes of this administration. Speak up and let the media and your elected officials know that enough is enough.

Stop the War

Our troops are dying in large numbers in Iraq. Meanwhile, President Bush is on his 50th vacation to his Texas ranch. What is he doing to bring this war to an end? http://www.boston.com/news/politics/gallery/bush_trail?pg=11

More Lives Changed Forever

Just two days ago, there was a story that 6 American troops were killed in Iraq. Today, the news is reporting that 14 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8797271/ Americans were killed in Iraq in one incident. With these new losses, that brings our service member war dead toll http://icasualties.org/oif/ to 1821. With every fatality, families, friends, and communities are changed forever because someone does not return home. The last 20 Americans were all from the state of Ohio. How many more will need to die before this administration admits to its mistakes in going to war in Iraq?

Limbaugh is a staff puke

Before you read the following post that I found over at Daily Kos, let me make myself perfectly clear. The other day one GOP bigshit said that the GOP will "bury" Paul Hackett (Democratic candidate for OH-2 and Iraq vet). Now we have Rush "I need my oxycontin" Limbaugh calling Paul Hackett a "staff puke." Limbaugh is a staff puke. Every minute that our troops are in Iraq, Afghanistan, or surrounding areas on their way to the war zone, their lives are in danger. I am SICK and tired of people who say they are for this war but then, by their words or deeds, they disrespect those who have served. The Iraq War was based on a LIE (there were no WMD). These men and women went to war willing to sacrifice their lives for this country because Bush, as commander-in-chief, sent them there. I think our troops should come home now, but I respect their service and their sacrifice. Limbaugh needs to shut his fat mouth! Thank you. I feel much better now.

I found this at DailyKos http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/8/2/15914/52380
OH:02, Limbaugh calls namesby devtob Tue Aug 2nd, 2005 at 12:09:14 PDT
Limbaugh went all out against Hackett today, including calling him a "staff puke" because he served as a civil affairs officer. Midway in the third hour, Limbaugh was talking to an active duty Navy officer from Houston and asked what "civilian" affairs officers do. The Navy guy said they are liaison with the local authorities."So he wasn't in combat," the anal-pimple chickenhawk asked.The Navy guy said yes, then Limbaugh said Hackett was just a "staff puke," several times.

Jean Schmidt - Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire

Jean Schmidt has attacked the service and integrity of Paul Hackett. Mr. Hackett served in Iraq and if elected, he would be the first Iraq veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom to serve in congress. However, the Schmidt campaign said that some other vet who is in congress was also in Iraq. The other vet served in 1999. Operation Iraqi Freedom started after 9/11/01 when the Bush administration tried to tie Saddam Hussein to the 9/11 attacks. Schmidt and her campaign have attacked the service of every military personnel member. Shame on her and her staff.

Jean Schmidt has no concern about traffic laws and has received 6 points for traffic violations. Check it out by going to http://www.clermontclerk.org/pa/munipa.urd/PAMW6500 and enter Schmidt Jean on the search page.
Need more information on Jean Schmidt's ethics problems? I GOOGLED Jean Schmidt ethics investigation and I found the following : http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Jean+Schmidt+ethics+investigation&btnG=Google+Search
Apparently, Schmidt tried to lobby Ohio Gov. Taft about an online lottery company and then she received a nice donation from the company. TSK! She has denied meeting Tom Noe but testified in front of him when Noe served on the Ohio Board of Regents. TSK! TSK!

Those of us in Ohio are SICK of the GOP corruption in this state. If Schmidt is elected, the corruption and payoffs will only continue and we will be the real losers.