Monday, October 31, 2005

Bush Supporters Rewarded-Are they in trouble now?

Money contributed to the winning candidate can payoff in many ways. Tom Noe knew that and so did many others. http://www.bgnews.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/10/29/43659fd16ed88
'Thirty Ohioans who raised a combined $4.1 million for President Bush’s re-election campaign have received more than $1.2 billion in public funds for their companies and clients, a newspaper reported.'

'Since Bush took office in 2001, the federal government has given those companies more than $447 million in subsidies, contracts and other payments, according to records analyzed by The Blade. Ohio has awarded them about $800 million in the last six years, the paper reported yesterday.'

'Business leaders and lobbyists who raised money for Bush were called “Pioneers” if they raised at least $100,000 and “Rangers” if they raised $200,000; some also were given political appointments.'

'One of the fundraisers, coin dealer Tom Noe, was charged Thursday with illegally funneling $45,400 in contributions to Bush’s re-election bid. Noe has denied wrongdoing in his fundraising and in his handling of a state investment fund, which prompted an investigation that led to Gov. Bob Taft’s conviction on ethics charges.'

>>>And from the Toledo Blade: http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051031/NEWS24/510310319
'But now scandal is threatening the GOP machine - and money is at its roots.'

'A Bush Pioneer, former Toledo-area coin dealer Tom Noe, was indicted last week on charges that included laundering money to Mr. Bush's re-election campaign.'

'The scandal surrounding Mr. Noe led to criminal ethics convictions for Mr. Taft, now the governor, and two of his top aides.'

'Some Republicans question the party's direction and the business dealings of its chairman, though others predict the GOP will weather next year's statewide elections with its hold on state government intact.'

The culture of corruption continues. When and where will it stop? What other Republican will be indicted?

Scooter Libby is expected to make his first court appearance this Thursday, November 3rd.

I want my country back!

Despite the fact that the republicans are trying to change the subject, Americans are still focused in on the scandals and corruption surrounding the republicans in Ohio and Washington, DC.

Ohio: A republican state representative is trying to push for the Ohio English Unity Act to have English as the official language of Ohio. (Personally, I don't think that we are in danger of having German, Hindi, Mandarin, or Croatian overtaking our everyday language.) http://www.dispatch.com Instead of discussing school funding, the rising cost of higher education, healthcare for the poor/elderly, real job creation in Ohio, the GOP is trying to push English as the official language in Ohio. State Rep. Courtney Combs needs to focus on real issues that matter to Ohioans and not some new non-issue to distract people from coingate and other corruption in this state. Once again the GOP is trying to re-play that part in the Wizard of Oz-----"Don't pay attention to the man behind the curtain." Except the GOP's phrase would be ------ "Don't pay attention to the corruption, job losses, problems with school funding, increased poverty, and other problems in Ohio. Look over here at the pretty new problem, English."

Do you know how to get the Ohio GOP mad at you? Just say two words: TOM NOE.

Mike Pirik's campaign commercial was on again today. It said that he has the honesty we deserve. Really? I think we deserve more honesty than he has provided in the Municipal Clerk of Court office. How were those employees paid incorrectly for overtime? No one has answered that question yet.

The Federal Government: Scooter Libby was indicted. How are Rove and Cheney involved? Is Addington involved too?

Bush picks Alito for his nominee for SCOTUS. Apparently, Alito believes that a woman must seek the approval of her spouse to get an abortion. She has to have her husband's approval???? Approval????? Isn't that draconian? Think progress has a great post on Altio.
http://thinkprogress.org/2005/10/31/samuel-alitos-america
Some highlights---Alito would overturn Roe v. Wade, allow race-based discrimination, allow disability-based discrimination, strike down family and medical leave act, supports unauthorized strip searches, and is hostile toward immigrants. I'm sure more will come out as time passes. Write your U.S. Senators and ask them to oppose this extreme right wing judge (Pat Robertson approves of him!). Get your senators' addresses at: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

From USA Today, there is a new poll about recent scandals in Washington, DC. The question I'd like to focus on is 3.c: http://www.usatoday.com/news/polls/2005-10-31-nov-poll.htm

3. Since the start of 2001 when George W. Bush became president, in general, would you say his presidency has been a success or failure?

Success Failure No opinion
2005 Oct 28-30 42 55 3

Also, six Americans soldiers were killed in Iraq. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-10-31-soldiers-killed_x.htm

Why is NBC reporter, Pete Williams, doing the reporting on Dick Cheney's ties to the CIA leak? "In 1986 he joined the Washington, DC staff of then Congressman Dick Cheney as press secretary and a legislative assistant. In 1989, when Cheney was named Assistant Secretary of Defense, Williams was appointed Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs." http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3689493/

According to http://www.dcbar.org/ I.L. "Scooter" Libby's membership in the DC Bar was suspended for non-payment of dues.
I L Libby Jr
Chief of Staff, Room 276
Eisenhower Exec Office Bldg.
Washington DC 20501
Email: Not available
Phone: 202-456-9000
Fax: 202-456-6212
Membership Status: Suspended
Reason for suspension: Non-payment of dues.
Disciplinary history: None
Date of admission: May 19, 1978


Don't let the scumbags win! Don't allow the crooks to continue to control Ohio and this nation. Stand up and say, "I want my country back!" If you live in Ohio, vote FOR ISSUES 2, 3, 4, & 5.

Sunday, October 30, 2005

Dealing With Reality

The White House is in turmoil. The Vice President's chief of staff, Scooter Libby, has been indicted on 5 counts by a grand jury. Our war dead in Iraq is at 2018 http://icasualties.org/oif/ and attacks are increasing in Iraq. The President's choice for the Supreme Court had to withdraw. FEMA and other federal agencies have been slow to react to hurricanes and natural disasters in this country. Senator Frist is being investigated. Rep. Tom DeLay has been indicted. GOP-friendly lobbyist, Jack Abramoff, is under investigation. David Safavian, a former White House staff member, was arrested. Tom Noe, Ohio coin dealer and GOP fundraiser, has been arrested. In short, this administration and the GOP have been accused of crimes and unethical behavior.However, don't you worry your little brain about all this corruption!

"Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and Rep. Deborah Pryce, chairman of the House Republican Conference, issued glowing statements on the nation's surprisingly robust economic growth during the past quarter." http://www.sptimes.com/2005/10/29/Worldandnation/Indictment__Libby_lie.shtml

The Republicans don't want you to think about the epidemic of unethical behavior that is running rampant within their party. Don't let their little sideshow distract you from what is really going on: They are ruining this country, endangering our military, putting our secret agents at risk, and abandoning the poor and elderly. They are not dealing with reality.

Saturday, October 29, 2005

Good News!

Today we have some good news! Ohio citizens are stepping up to the plate to do something to get this state back on the right path. Besides, Paul Hackett http://www.paulhackett.com running for the U.S. Senate, and Mark Losey (http://www.ilovelosey.com) seeking to represent the 15th U.S. Congressional District, we have a new candidate. Jean Herendeen-Ackerman is a Democratic candidate for State Representative for Ohio's 21st District. Visit her website and offer your assistance. It is time for the people of Ohio to take back the state from the corrupt politicians who've made this state the butt of jokes. We need to support our candidates and build a better Ohio. http://www.jeanforohio.com/index.php

Does anyone know if the problems in Pirik's office have been resolved? There are apparently some problems in the office with filing and storage. http://capitalwatch.typepad.com/photos/municipal_mess/index.html
http://capitalwatch.typepad.com/

I wonder if Tom Noe's Coingate scandal will lead to any other Ohio republicans charged with money laundering. Noe is the third Bush insider indicted this month on criminal charges. Whoa! http://usliberals.about.com/b/a/214347.htm
http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051029/NEWS02/510290385
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/10/29/gop_donor_surrenders_on_laundering_charges/

Friday, October 28, 2005

Hubris, Lies, and Investigations

Answers.com defines hubris as overbearing pride or presumption; arrogance. This is what we have seen with today's indictment of Scooter Libby. Besides the hubris, we are witnessing the GOP destroying itself with lies, perjury, obstruction of justice, money laundering, payoffs, greed, and misuse of the public trust. Let's examine the lies and hubris we've seen in recent months from the GOP:
>Irving Lewis "Scooter" Libby: indicted for a total of 5 counts- for perjury, making false statements, and obstruction of justice.
>Sen. Bill Frist is currently being investigated by the SEC for his manipulation of stocks in his "blind trust." Also, he diagnosed Teri Schiavo from a video.
>Rep. Tom DeLay has been indicted for money laundering. His power in congress has enabled him to push forward his right wing, pro-oil company agenda.
>Tom Noe, Ohio GOP supporter and coindealer, was indicted for trying to go around federal election campaign laws. Noe also was given money to invest from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation. He lost millions of dollars that belonged to the state. (Note: See the names of the people who testified in front of this grand jury: http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051028/APN/510281228)
>Ohio's Gov. Bob Taft, pleads guilty for not reporting gifts (golf outings).
>Vice President Cheney said in the spring that the insurgency in Iraq was in its last "throes." He continued to repeat that Iraq had WMD's.
>Jack Abramoff, lobbyist friend of Tom DeLay and Ohio's Bob Ney, is under investigation for his dealings with Indian gambling casinos.
http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_3158230
>David Safavian who worked in the White House, was arrested for making false statements and obstructing a federal investigation.
>Investigations are still being conducted on Karl Rove and Rep. Bob Ney of Ohio.

Shame on the Republican Party for allowing this behavior. Is it any wonder that Americans are fed up with this administration and the GOP? They've brought us into war on lies about WMD's and they've brought greed and dishonesty to a new level in government.

We need to clean up this government and restore honesty and integrity to Washington, DC and Ohio. In Ohio, we can start the clean up immediately by voting FOR ISSUES 2, 3, 4, & 5. These issues will stop the Ohio GOP from manipulating everything in this state for their own benefit.




Finally Some News

UPDATE: Scooter Libby has been indicted for 2 counts of perjury, 2 counts of false statements and 1 count of obstruction of justice. (This was just read on CNN.)

Will Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald make an announcement today? Who knows. According to the Washington Post, Rove and Libby are busy:
"Two sources said I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Vice President Cheney's chief of staff, was shopping for a white-collar criminal lawyer and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove began assembling a public relations team in the event they are indicted."

Assembling a public relations team? I think this is very strange. Will there be campaign ads on TV advocating their innocence? During the Watergate hearings, Erlichman, Haldeman, Mitchell, and Liddy did not have pr firms representing their interests. Why wouldn't someone accused of a crime spend their time and money (if they had money) on hiring the best lawyers available?

Tom Noe, big GOP fundraiser, has not been arrested as of this time. The stories about Ohio's corruption are really giving the state a black eye. Stories about Noe here and here

Wednesday, October 26, 2005

Oh, My Goodness!

Breaking News: Tom Noe, the coin dealer, has been indicted on 3 counts. There is an arrest warrant out for him. His surrender is being arranged with Noe's attorney. There are 24 conduits (other people) who are somehow involved with Noe's plan to skirt around campaign regulations. This investigation involved county, state, and federal personnel and is still ongoing. For addtional information: http://www.10tv.com For another story and a Tom Noe Halloween mask, see http://www.theotherpaper.com/

Rep. Bob Ney (OH-18-R), friend of Jack Abramoff, is under more scrutiny and his people are defending him. Even though he has paid out over $136.000 to lawyers, Ney's staff said he has done nothing wrong. The story is here.

The Chicago White Sox have won the World Series!
They only waited 88 years. The final score of the 4th game was 1-0.

Update: 9am-NBC News: Harriet Miers withdraws her name for nomination to the SCOTUS. The White House didn't want to release information to bolster their claims that she was an expert on the constitution and other areas.
This is not a surprise. Some people expected this to happen just before any announcements about the leak indictments. Also, according to Tim Russert, there were not 51 Senators who would vote for her nomination. Also, late word says that Rev. Dobson made it clear to the righties that he did not want to testify in front of the Senate committee and that pressure helped push her out. Who is running this administration?

Have you heard of Susan B. Ralston? She is an aid to Karl Rove and involved somehow in the leak scandal and the investigation of Jack Abramoff. Meanwhile, Washington DC is on pins and needles waiting for word from the Special Prosecutor, Patrick Fitzgerald. Most of the "nervous nellies" are probably in the White House. There have been no leaks from Fitzgerald and he has not had press conferences with the media. The Post has a great article about how people are coping while they wait for information.


Judge Wapner is voicing his opposition to California's Proposition 77. Governor Schwarzenegger can't be happy to have the judge from TV's "The People's Court" speaking against his issue. Here is another little anti-Schwarzenegger ad: http://www.schwarzeneggerstreet.com/

Republicans Make Cuts That Hurt

Leave it to the Republicans to make cuts in the budget that directly hurt people. Instead of cutting their pork, the GOP is cutting programs such as:
"student loan subsidies, child support enforcement, and aid to firms hurt by unfair trade practices." http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/13004975.htm
"More politically difficult votes - to cut Medicaid, food stamps and farm subsidies - are on tap Thursday as more panels weigh in on the bill. It was originally intended to cut $35 billion in spending over five years, but after pressure from conservatives, GOP leaders directed committees to cut another $15 billion to help pay the cost of hurricane recovery."

Thank you Republicans for doing your part to
1. make sure that children live in poverty because no one is out looking for the child support they should have.
2. students who need financial aid to go to college will either need to pick up a second part time job or drop out of school.
3. increase the number of starving children and adults in THIS COUNTRY.
4. destroy the family farm.

Here is a motto for the Republicans: TODAY'S GOP: SUPPORTING PORK but HURTING EVERYONE ELSE!
Shame. Shame. Shame.



Things are not going well for the GOP

There is an article in Stars and Stripes about U.S. Senate candidate for Ohio, Paul Hackett. He is one of eight recent war vets running for public office. Hackett's candidacy will bring a lot of attention to his campaign.

The cronyism has not stopped in this administration. Ellen R. Sauerbrey, a nominee for the State Department's refugee program, has been questioned about her lack of experience related to the area of refugees. Even though Democrats have questioned her ability and experience, she will most likely be confirmed by the GOP controlled Senate. Not only is this administration promoting cronyism, but the GOP's elected officials put their stamp of approval on it.

The Columbus Dispatch has yet another poll about approval ratings. The results will not be comforting for the GOP: http://www.dispatch.com/national-story.php?story=dispatch/2005/10/26/20051026-A14-01.html&chck=t
It found 44 percent approve of the way Bush is handling his job, while 54 percent disapprove. A key reason for his low standing: 58 percent of voters said the federal government did a poor job responding to highways that doesn’t go directly to road work, 68 percent said they would raise taxes on those making more than $200,000 a year, and 63 percent said they would start withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq and pull all out by the end of next year.

Last night on The Daily Show (see "Relief Ditcher" video) with Jon Stewart, there was a video of Alaska's Sen. Ted Stevens throwing a tantrum on the floor of the Senate. Sen. Coburn had proposed using the money from the Alaskan 'bridge to nowhere' for rebuilding the Gulf Coast. However, Sen. Stevens threw a hissy-fit and directed his ang
er directly to Coburn with a loud "NO!" Stevens really, really, likes his pork.

Yesterday, President Bush gave a short speech in tribute to Rosa Parks. Unfortunately, the president mispronounced her name by calling her Rosa Park.

Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Problems, Problems, Problems

The indictments are coming tomorrow (I know we've heard this before!) There is information here and here.

A new CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll asked the following question:
If the presidential election were held today, for whom would you vote?
Responses: 39% would vote for George W. Bush 55% would vote for the Democratic candidate

This is very interesting because it shows that it would not matter who the Democratic candidate was, people would vote for him/her based on their opposition to Bush. Other questions covered in the poll can be found here. Overall, the entire poll shows that the American public is very disappointed with this administration. When those history books are written, what will those paragraphs say about George W. Bush and his presidency? What words will be chosen-----success? war? poor leader? scandal? improper use of military? cronyism? We will just need to wait and see.

Paul Hackett was on Air America's Morning Sedition. Hackett announced his candidacy for U.S. Senate for Ohio. I know he'd make a dramatic difference in the Senate. Ohio needs Paul Hackett.

The stories and the dirt just keep flying concerning Gov. Taft and coin dealer Tom Noe. The current coingate scandal is a result of Gov. Bob Taft and the GOP leadership raising the limit on the amount of money that can be contributed to a campaign. The people of Ohio are very unhappy with this leadership and this is why the Reform Ohio Now group is gaining support.

The 2000 fatality of an American service member has happened as a result of our war in Iraq. http://icasualties.org/oif/


Monday, October 24, 2005

Rosa Parks

Rosa Parks died at her home in Detroit last night. When I taught school, I made sure that each of my students knew the story of Rosa Parks. Her life also help illustrate the power that one individual has in changing the world. With her act of courage on that bus fifty years ago, she helped launch a bus boycott, a civil rights movement, and the career of a young minister, Dr. Martin Luther King. The story is here and here and here. You may also wish to check this site for more tributes to Rosa Parks. http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2005/10/25/rosaparks/

Sunday, October 23, 2005

Movie: Good Night, and Good Luck

We saw the movie, Good Night, and Good Luck, last night. The movie was excellent and very well done. It certainly will get people talking about the parallels between McCarthyism and the climate in this country today. If you are interested in a beautifully photographed movie filled with superb actors, this is the film for you. And as frightening, as it seems, you might learn a thing or two.

Nota Bene

The Republicans have already started their spin for next week. First, they talked about the "criminalization of politics" on all the talk shows. Now the new buzz phrase "perjury technicality," was highlighted by Sen. Bailey Hutchison quote on Meet the Press, as reported by Digby's

"I certainly hope that if there is going to be an indictment that says something happened, that it is an indictment on a crime and not some perjury technicality where they couldn’t indict on the crime so they go to something just to show that their two years of investigation were not a waste of time and dollars."

Here is the definition of perjury: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&oi=defmore&defl=en&q=define:perjury

Always keep in mind that Joe Wilson's wife was outed because he spoke against a war in Iraq. The war in Iraq has caused the deaths of 2000 of our troops and the permanent injuring of 15,000 Americans.

Word has it that Jack Abramoff and Ralph Reed had some schemes going after September 11, 2001. Doesn't it make you sick when someone tries to benefit off of a tragedy? TIME Magzine has the story here. Ralph Reed is running for Lt. Governor of Georgia.

GOP's Failure in Ohio

When a political party is more interested in filling their re-election campaign war chests instead of working for the average citizen, that political party is a failure. The GOP has done NOTHING for Ohio except increase corruption, grant contracts to their political contributors, increase unemployment, and misuse the public funds. Here in Ohio, our unemployment is just horrible. According to the Ohio Department and Jobs and Family Services, the state unemployment was 5.8 in September (it was 5.9 in August). This is unacceptable. Also from the report:

'Seven counties had unemployment rates at or above 7.5 percent during September. The counties with the highest rates, other than Meigs, were: Pike, 8.8; Morgan, 8.6; Monroe, 8.3; Scioto, 8.1; Coshocton, 7.7, and Muskingum, 7.5 percent.'

Our governor, Bob Taft has an approval rating of 15%. Taft and his entourage just got back from a tour to Asia. Their announced intention was to try to bring businesses to Ohio. Taft does this every year and the state is still in the toilet. I think he just likes to get out of the state.
In conclusion, in Ohio:
The Republican Party is more interested in political contributions than creating new jobs.
The Republican Party is more interested in giving contracts to their political contributors than working on a fair school funding program.
The Republican Party's elected officials are more interested in spending time with their high-rolling big contributors than talking to their constituents.

Were you invited to any of these events for Deborah Pryce and other Republicans? If you live in Ohio, and you're unemployed or underemployed, you can't afford to go have lunch or dinner at these prices! But if you are a wealthy contributor, you can go rub elbows with these elected officials and tell them how they can vote to benefit your industry. Visit http://www.opensecret.org and http://www.fecinfo.com/ for information on who is giving and who is getting those contributions.



Saturday, October 22, 2005

Harriet Miers Supported Affirmative Action

If there is one thing that Republican conservatives are against, its affirmative action. Now there is evidence that shows Harriet Miers supported it. Does she support it now? The Washington Post has the story: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/21/AR2005102102139.html
'As president of the State Bar of Texas, Harriet Miers wrote that "our legal community must reflect our population as a whole," and under her leadership the organization embraced racial and gender set-asides and set numerical targets to achieve that goal.

'The Supreme Court nominee's words and actions from the early 1990s, when she held key leadership positions as president-elect and president of the state bar, provide the first window into her personal views on affirmative action, an area in which the Supreme Court is closely divided and where Miers could tip the court's balance...'

and....
'Miers, the first female president of the Texas bar, vowed in her first interview with the Texas Law Journal as president to "be inclusive of women and minorities."

'During her tenure, she championed the cause of increasing the number of female and minority lawyers in the bar's own leadership ranks and in law firms across the state, writing that "we are strongest capitalizing on the benefits of our diversity."

'Miers was a believer in mentoring programs, but during her tenure she and the board of directors went further, passing a resolution urging Texas law firms to set a goal of hiring one qualified minority lawyer for every 10 new associates. The directors also reiterated support for a policy of setting aside a specific number of seats on the board for women and minorities.'

No wonder the conservative have their panties in knots! Conservative HATE affirmative action because they like doing business the old fashioned way---cronyism.

What Ohio Needs

Here is a great ad in support of Issues 2, 3, 4, and 5. Here.
Check here for a cute goat. I really like this puppet because it correctly defines the Ohio government under the GOP.

Friday, October 21, 2005

Tom DeLay

Why is Tom DeLay afraid of going to trial? I thought he wanted a speedy trial! What is he afraid of?

Have you seen this new ad? Click here.

Paul Hackett for Senate

Here in Ohio, there is a lot of buzz about the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate. Some Democrats support Sherrod Brown, while others are backing Paul Hackett. Who would be a better candidate? In my humble opinion, I think Paul Hackett is the better candidate. Hackett is a straighttalking man with a real desire to get things done. He brought excitement and attention to his candidacy in OH-2, and I think he'd inspire a lot of voters from both parties to vote for him. I've lived in Ohio for over twenty years, but I could tell you very little about Sherrod Brown. Paul Hackett's service to this country and his commitment to "telling it like it is" will help bring the Ohio voter out of the house and into the polls to vote for him. Ohio has lost jobs, industries, small companies, leadership, ethics in government, and its focus. We need Hackett to fight for us in the U.S. Senate.

Thursday, October 20, 2005

They've Been Notified

According to the New York Times, Rove and Libby have been notified that they have legal problems:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/21/politics/21leak.html?ei=5094&en=e9e43780001cbcef&hp=&ex=1129953600&adxnnl=1&partner=homepage&adxnnlx=1129867482-IzcBG2xay4JWEOefe9uxjA

'Among the charges that Mr. Fitzgerald is considering are perjury, obstruction of justice and false statement - counts that suggest the prosecutor may believe the evidence presented in a 22-month grand jury inquiry shows that the two White House aides sought to cover up their actions, the lawyers said.

'Mr. Rove and Mr. Libby have been advised that they may be in serious legal jeopardy, the lawyers said, but only this week has Mr. Fitzgerald begun to narrow the possible charges. The prosecutor has said he will not make up his mind about any charges until next week, government officials say.'

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-libby21oct21,0,7741636.story?coll=la-home-nation

Wake Up, New Jersey!

I like New Jersey and I really enjoy the people of New Jersey. The people are friendly and they are no-nonsense about their politics. Right now in New Jersey, Doug Forrester is using a smear campaign because he has no plans on how to help the Garden State. Forrester made his money on no-bid contracts. He doesn't care about the people of New Jersey---he only cares about himself and his rich friends. Right now the GOP has brought their special dirty campaign specialists to Jersey. Their goal is to tell lies and ruin reputations. You remember the GOP. They are the political party that brought you Tom DeLay, Rick Santorum, Bob Ney, Jack Abramoff, Karl Rove, and a war in Iraq based on a lie. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Doug+Forrester+scandal&btnG=Google+Search

Jon Corzine is a trusted and respected leader. He cares about the people of New Jersey and his voting record in the Senate shows that he knows how to get things done. http://www.corzineforgovernor.com/

The House of Scandal

If you really need a better explanation of how Tom DeLay did all these unethical political activities, you must check out the Tom DeLay's House of Scandal. http://www.dccc.org/houseofscandal/main.html Of particular interest on the main page is the diagram that has Tom DeLay in the center. It is very well done.

Connected to the Tom DeLay page are other pages including one on Bob Ney http://www.dccc.org/houseofscandal/scandal-ney.html and http://www.dccc.org/houseofscandal/members/DeborahPryceOH-15.html Deborah Pryce.

Signing Bonus Canceled

From The News Tribune: http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/military/story/5258761p-4774126c.html
'The Pentagon has reneged on its offer to pay a $15,000 bonus to members of the National Guard and Army Reserve who agree to extend their enlistments by six years, according to Sen. Patty Murray (D-Seattle).'

Why does this administration hate the military? They shout, "Support the troops!" They use them as props in photo ops. When it comes time to do things that really help troops (providing-- body armor, safe armored vehicles, safe food, VA medical and psychological benefits, and promised bonuses), they just won't do it.

10 More Years in Iraq?

This administration has NO exit strategy for Iraq. Although they won't come out and say it directly, we can only get information from them in small pieces in press conferences and senate hearings. Yesterday, Sec. of State Rice told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee things that they did not want to hear.

According to the Associated Press, http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051020/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_iraq_19 she 'declined on Wednesday to rule out American forces still being needed in Iraq a decade from now. Senators warned that the Bush administration must play it straight or risk losing public support for the war.'


Wednesday, October 19, 2005

Contracts, Ney, and Leaks

If you know someone in the GOP leadership and you've contributed to their campaign, you can get a contract! Someone is starting to investigate some of the no-bid contracts. http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/trib/newssummary/s_385960.html
Some Democrats are calling for Ney to resign. http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/1020ney.html

Rep. Bob Ney, friend of Tom DeLay and Jack Abramoff, said he had to hire lawyers because of some false accusations. http://www.wcpo.com/news/2005/local/10/19/oh_ney.html

The leaks about the CIA leak case now have some additional stuff about Libby and Rove:
http://www.dailyinterlake.com/articles/2005/10/19/ap/headlines/d8dbghp80.txt
Here is an excerpt:
'Top White House aides Karl Rove and I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby discussed their contacts with reporters about an undercover CIA officer in the days before her identity was published, the first known intersection between two central figures in the criminal leak investigation...'

'Rove and Libby have emerged as central figures in Fitzgerald's investigation because both had contacts with reporters who ultimately disclosed Plame's work for the CIA. Federal law prohibits government officials from knowingly disclosing the identity of intelligence operatives...'

Hopefully, the CIA leak case will be resolved soon with indictments or reports. Someone broke the law, and someone will need to pay for that.

Sununu, Ney, Abramoff, Pombo

It seems that Sen. Sununu (NH-R) received some money from Jack Abramoff's Native American Casino owners and Tom DeLay's ARMPAC. http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051019/REPOSITORY/510200305/1224

Rep. Bob Ney (OH-18-R) used his campaign money to pay for his legal expenses ($135,881). http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2005/10/19/20051019-A1-04.html&chck=t

More details are coming out on Jack Abramoff's methods of dealing with elected officials. http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2005/10/19/editorial_main/doc4355884d152ae944535075.txt

Democrats are planning legal action against two GOP elected officials (Rep. Pombo (CA-11-R) and Rep. Ney). http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2005/10/19/democrats-planning-legal-_n_9147.html

Finally, Bill Shein has a The GOP Scandal Quiz that you must not miss!
http://www.reasongonemad.com/columns/2005/1019quiz.asp

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

Bush's Approval Rating in Ohio

This poll was referenced at MyDD http://www.mydd.com and can be found at http://www.surveyusa.com/50State2005/50StatePOTUS1005SortedbyNetApproval.htm
It is an interesting poll. The president has his highest approval rating in Utah and his highest disapproval rating in Rhode Island. My focus is on the state of Ohio. (If you have been living in a cave, you probably are the only person who doesn't know about the GOP scandals that have been the topic of discussion in the Buckeye State. With corruption being served by our fearless republican leaders, the electorate is very upset with the entire Ohio GOP.) In answering the question, for this SurveyUSA News Poll for Ohio:
http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=426ddb2e-de3e-4168-842f-fe230edc9d13
DO YOU APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE OF THE JOB GEORGE W. BUSH IS DOING AS PRESIDENT?
37% APPROVE
61% DISAPPROVE


There are probably various reasons to explain these statistics. In my humble opinion, there are 4:
(1) Ohio has had 92 Ohioans killed in Iraq. http://icasualties.org/oif/Statecity.aspx The war looks like it will never end.
(2) Ohio has received no benefits from this president.
>>>>a) Federal money has been cut.
>>>>b) Ohio has lost jobs.
>>>>c) More Ohioans have lost healthcare under this administration.
(3) The Ohio government is corrupt. Some of our elected GOP office holders have received money from Tom DeLay and Jack Abramoff.
(4) Ohio's future looks very bleak.

Iraq News

(KRT) - The chief Pentagon agency in charge of investigating and reporting fraud and waste in Defense Department spending in Iraq quietly pulled out of the war zone a year ago - leaving what experts say are gaps in the oversight of how more than $140 billion is being spent.

The Defense Department's inspector general sent auditors into Iraq when the war started more than two years ago to ensure that taxpayers were getting their money's worth for everything from bullets to meals-ready-to-eat.

The auditors were withdrawn in the fall of 2004 because other agencies were watching spending, too. But experts say those other agencies don't have the expertise, access and broad mandate that the inspector general has - and don't make their reports public.

That means that the bulk of money being spent in Iraq doesn't get public scrutiny, leaving the door open for possible waste, fraud and abuse, experts say..."

This only adds evidence to the belief that we are just throwing our money into the pockets of Halliburton and other war profiteers. As taxpaying Americans, we have the right to know how our money was spent on Bush's war.

Also.........
This administration is turning its back on our veterans. They are willing to send our troops to die or lose a limb, but when the troops come back, they face a multitude of problems. http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/1018/dailyUpdate.html
See this link for info on how cuts are being made to veterans' benefits....http://www.iht.com/getina/files/283270.html

The Veterans Affairs Department is currently reviewing approximately one-third of the cases of U.S. veterans who are receiving disability benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). After conducting an internal study, the VA believes that they were too lenient in deciding which soldiers were eligible for PTSD benefits.

Last year, the VA spent $4.3 billion on PTSD disability payments and the VA hopes to reduce these payments by revoking PTSD benefits for many veterans. This will be the final insult to soldiers who were asked to fight an unjust war in Iraq under false pretenses.

Owing to the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the number of veterans receiving compensation for PTSD has increased by almost 80 percent in the past five years. By comparison, the number of veterans receiving compensation for all other types of disabilities increased by only 12 percent. Under the guidelines of the current review, soldiers who cannot prove that a specific incident, known as a "stressor," was sufficient to cause PTSD will have their benefits revoked. Given the nature of warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan, it's not surprising that many returning soldiers are suffering from mental illness.

In the July 2004 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine Colonel Charles W. Hoge, M.D., chief of psychiatry at Walter Reed Army Institute, published a preliminary study of the effects of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan on military personnel. The study concluded that close to 20 percent of soldiers who served in Iraq, and approximately 12 percent of those who served in Afghanistan returned home suffering from PTSD. The study found that there is a clear correlation between combat experience and the prevalence of PTSD. It determined that "rates of PTSD were significantly higher after combat duty in Iraq."


Calvin Trillin's Poem

If you haven't read Calvin Trillin's recent poem in THE NATION, you've really missed a jewel. Here are the first four lines, but you'll need to visit http://www.thenation.com/doc/20051024/trillin to read the rest.

I think I heard a liberal say
To Ronnie Earle, "Hooray! Hooray!
Because you finally made my day
When you indicted Tom DeLay....

I'm Fed Up With Lies

The Today show had Lynne Cheney, wife of the Vice President, on this morning and I just had to change the channel. I can't stand the lies, the posturing, and the photo ops. I feel that I can no longer believe anything my government tells us anymore. The lies just keep coming: There were WMD's in Iraq. Our soldiers will be met as liberators. The economy is getting better. We are going to bring ethics back to politics. There were no CIA leaks in the White House. Etc. Etc. Etc. These have all been b.s. lies. We wouldn't put up with the lies from our children. Why are we allowing our government to continue to lie to us?

Monday, October 17, 2005

Deborah Pryce Raising Money to Defeat RON

The Ohio Republicans are very worried about losing the power they have in the state. The corruption that the GOP has created in the Ohio government is second to none. However, they don't see it as corruption or ethics violations. They see it as power. The GOP does not want to give up the power and money that they have gained from the people and businesses of Ohio.

Now comes word that powerful Republicans in Ohio are raising money to defeat the statewide issues called Reform Ohio Now (RON). They are very afraid that fair voting and equal districts will create an atmosphere that would force them to run a campaign and debate an opponent. Who are the GOP big shots who are trying to defeat RON? Rep. Paul Gillmor who represents Old Fort, Ohio but actually lives in Dublin, is working against RON. The other prominent Republican is Deborah Pryce of the 15th district. Pryce who has been very tight with Tom DeLay (DeLay is under indictment for money laundering), is the 4th ranking Republican in the House. She might have to give up those lucrative campaign field trips to Aspen if she loses her next election.
http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/news/state/12927187.htm
"Sean Spicer, spokesman for Rep. Deborah Pryce of suburban Columbus, said Monday that the Republican congresswoman was raising money against the ballot initiative on redistricting."
And additional supporting evidence:
http://www.wtol.com/Global/story.asp?S=3992503
http://www.wcpo.com/news/2005/local/10/17/oh_ballots.html
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2005/10/06/ohio/index_np.html

It is time for the citizens of Ohio to take back the state from the ethically-challenged GOP. Let me remind you of some of the scandals that the Ohio GOP has brought us: Tom Noe and Coingate, millions of dollars missing from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Comp., Diebold election problems, Bob Ney, Gov. Taft's ethics problems and golfgate, and our huge job losses created by incompetent leadership. Vote for Issues 2,3,4, & 5.

Retaliation?

Progressive talker, Ed Schultz, http://www.wegoted.com was scheduled to have his radio program broadcasted on the Armed Forces Radio Network starting today. However, early this morning, Ed's producer received a telephone call from Allison Barber (she was the Pentagon person who 'rehearsed' the troops for Bush's teleconference) who informed him that Ed's program would not be on the network. When asked if the program would start another day, Ms. Barber said she did not know. The only person who might have an answer is Mr. DeRita (spelling?) and he is out of the country. This may be retaliation for Ed's comments regarding that teleconference last week. Even if Ed's show is not on the network, our troops can continue to hear the lies of Rush Limbaugh, a longtime regular on the Armed Forces Network, a cheerleader for the Bush administration and the neo-cons, and a former drug addict. The Bush administration just can't handle the truth.

Rumors????

According to Wonkette, Wednesday is the day for the indictments:

WONKETTE EXCLUSIVE: Fitzgerald Indictments to Come Wednesday?

"Wednesday. We hear that a White House source says that Patrick Fitzgerald drops whatever bombs he has and the White House ducks for cover on Wednesday."

From the Financial Times: White House Prepares for Possible Indictments
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/2285dbae-3e7c-11da-a2cb-00000e2511c8.html

From Bloomberg: Cheney May Be Entangled in CIA Leak Investigation, People Say
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=aSuj1d8CcYAk&refer=top_world_news

Cheney Aide A Key Focus in CIA Leak Probe: Lawyers
http://today.reuters.com/News/newsArticle.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyID=2005-10-16T165810Z_01_EIC446318_RTRUKOC_0_US-BUSH-LEAK.xml

Sunday, October 16, 2005

Abramoff, DeLay, Reed, Oh My!

From http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/ --Jack Abramoff played a critical role in defeating a bill in the House of Representatives.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/15/AR2005101501539.html

"Abramoff quietly arranged for eLottery to pay conservative, anti-gambling activists to help in the firm's $2 million pro-gambling campaign, including Ralph Reed, former head of the Christian Coalition, and the Rev.Louis P. Sheldon of the Traditional Values Coalition. Both kept in close contact with Abramoff about the arrangement, e-mails show. Abramoff also turned to prominent anti-tax conservative Grover Norquist, arranging to route some of eLottery's money for Reed through Norquist's group, Americans for Tax Reform..."

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/auto/epaper/editions/sunday/news_3415bfa117e0b0100012.html


The GOP is very concerned because the scandals involving Republican elected officials and their supporters seem to be growing. Here is a list of names involved in GOP scandals: Gov. Taft, Karl Rove, Scooter Libby, Tom DeLay, David Safavian, Jack Abramoff, Ralph Reed, Tom Noe (Ohio coin dealer), Bob Ney
. It is getting late ---so sorry if I forgot any other GOP members who are in trouble.

Here is an update on this story: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/17/AR2005101701918_pf.html

Jerry Kilgore: Information

I just checked http://www.opensecrets.org and I found out a few things about Jerry Kilgore, empty-headed GOP candidate for governor in Virginia. Kilgore contributed $250 to the Oliver North campaign on 11/3/94. Kilgore must have believed that Oliver North agreed with him politically to contribute money to him.
http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?NumOfThou=0&txtName=kilgore%2C+jerry&txtState=%28all+states%29&txtZip=&txtEmploy=&txtCand=&txt1994=Y&txt1996=Y&Order=N

Karl Rove was scheduled to speak at a fundraiser for Kilgore, but Rove had to cancel. Rove, who has appeared four times in front of Special Prosecutor Fitzgerald investigating the CIA lead case, must have
had more pressing issues (scheduling conflict?). Instead the GOP fundraiser had Ken Mehlman, GOP spin doctor, fill in. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/15/AR2005101501286_pf.html
How is it that everywhere that the republicans go, there is always a problem with ethics. Mr. Kilgore apparently is involved in some scandal. http://www.washingtontimes.com/metro/20050811-110906-9834r.htm

Ohio's Issue 4

Here is a headline for you: Ohio’s Issue 4 aims to inject competition into legislative races That is pretty amazing. If an independent commission leveled the playing field in every Ohio district, (1) there would be fairness in the way candidates were chosen, (2) candidates would actually need to have a campaign and platform, and (2) elections might bring equal representation to government. http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2005/10/16/20051016-A1-03.html
What a concept!!!!! VOTE FOR ISSUES 2,3,4, & 5.

What is next?

This morning on Meet the Press, Sec. of State Rice said a few things that really made me question what is going on in this White House. She had some nonsensical answer to questions regarding the possible failure of the vote for the Iraqi constitution. She said something like, if the vote wins it is a success, if the vote fails it is a success. I think that this administration has lowered the bar for success in Iraq because it will not admit to mistakes or create a time frame for withdrawal of our troops. Meanwhile, while this administration tries to cover their asses, more of our young men and women are being killed in Iraq.

Rice also gave me a creepy feeling when she started putting the blame on the insurgency on Syria. I hope to God that there are no plans to invade any other countries.

When Russert asked Rice about the recent poll that shows only 2% of African-Americans support the president, her answer was ridiculous. She said this president has done more for African-Americans than any other previous president. Whoa! Really? Really???

Over at Raw Story http://www.rawstory.com/ there are several stories about Judith Miller of the New York Times. Basically, Miller went to jail for 85 days and now she can't remember who was the source of the CIA leak. She went to jail and she can't remember why. Who is she protecting?

Friday, October 14, 2005

Montgomery County Ohio

Apparently, MotoPhoto's President and CEO Harry Loyle is helping to bankroll the anti-Reform Ohio Now campaign. Are Mr. Loyle and his supporters afraid of clean elections? Ohio has become the laughing stock of the country because of the problems we've had with voting. As citizens we have the chance to change the way things get done in this state. If you don't like the corruption in our state governmet and one party rule, VOTE FOR ISSUES 2,3,4, AND 5.

Incompetence

Yesterday, President Bush had another photo op with American service members serving in Iraq. In addition, there was one Iraqi soldier added to the staged photo op. The entire teleconference was a mess. There was a delay in the audio transmission which confused the president and the troops. However, the worst part of it was that everyone got confused over the script. Script? http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=1212159 You see this entire photo op/teleconference was rehearsed. When stuff like this happens, Americans only get more evidence that this administration is inept, incompetent, and a miserable failure. The incompetence doesn't only show its self in domestic matters (hurricane relief), but in the way this administration has conducted the military action in Iraq. As of this moment, 1966 Americans have been killed in Iraq. http://icasualties.org/oif/

Thursday, October 13, 2005

Hypocrites

The Republican Party is doing a bang up job with ethics, possible treason, and possible insider trading. The GOP is like a runaway train---out of control and destroying everything in its path. The GOP is attacking Democrats! They have a site you should visit to see what these corrupt people are thinking about: http://www.noagenda.org/ It is a hilarious site because they accuse Democrats of corruption and cronyism!!! I know you are laughing yourself silly. Settle down now!

In order to distract our citizens from their problems, the GOP attacks Democrats. We document their corruption, and they say Democrats have no agenda. Democrats do have an agenda: Promote a fair wage for all. Equality, respect, and justice for all Americans. Promote education, the environment, and peace. Keep the promise of social security. Unfortunately, with the GOP in power, we have been unable to move our agenda forward. Hopefully, with the 2006 election, we Democrats can put our country on the right track.

Just the Facts

Ohio is awash with Republican mischief. We've had Coingate, Golfgate, Pay to Playgate. The problem in Ohio is that we have one party rule and the GOP controls the agenda. Here are the facts:
* The Ohio Senate is 72% Republican.
* The Ohio House of Representatives is 61% Republican.
* The Ohio Executive Branch is 100% Republican (Governor, Lt. Governor, Sec'y of State, Auditor, Attorney General).

The imbalance has been caused by Republican gerrymandering. Just in case you have forgotten the definition of gerrymandering, let me help you. Gerrymandering is the deliberate drawing of political boundaries by a political party to allow their party to remain in control. As you can tell, the Ohio Republicans have created districts that favor their own party.

What difference does it make? If one party is always in control, some issues might never get the attention they deserve. The GOP pushed the DOMA (the Defense of Marriage Act) even though they should have used their time and energy to work out an equitable school funding program. They would rather push their moral agenda, instead of helping school children. With one party rule, there are no checks and balances. Those in control can participate in unethical practices knowing that the other political party does not have the power to initiate an investigation.

The last two presidential elections have shown that even our voting methods are controlled by the Republican Party. The Ohio Republicans have done NOTHING to help the average Ohioan. We have had massive job losses and poverty has increased in our state. Republicans keep saying that they are creating jobs, but we know it is not true. If you've been job hunting, or you've had a son/daughter looking for a job, you know that the jobs are few in number and very low paying.

It is time for all Ohioans to say ENOUGH! Help Ohio have fair and open elections by voting FOR ISSUES 2, 3, 4, & 5 . Your support is needed to change the way Ohio does business.

by The Stubborn Liberal

Money, Money, Money

Remember that song from Cabaret--Money Makes the World Go 'Round? It must be the theme song for the GOP.

Another Day, Another Subpoena
Sen. Bill Frist has been subpoenaed by the SEC because of his possible insider trading with HCA. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/13/AR2005101300078.html

Bigtime Fundraising
The NRCC site below shows how the republicans are raising money for their PACs and candidates.
Deborah Pryce (OH-15:R) is having some big fundraisers. Unfortunately, her constituents have not been invited, nor could they afford to attend. The special events are for lobbyists and people with deep pockets filled with money. If you are a constituent, try calling to see if you can attend.
http://nrcc.org/nrcc_contents/events/events/
January 2, 2006
(Jan 2-5)
You are Invited to Join The Honorable Deborah Pryce at the 2006 PRYCE Project Winter Retreat
The Ritz-Carton Bachelor Gulch Avon, Colorado
Requested Contribution: $5,000 PAC (One room per company, please.)
RSVP to John DeStefano at (202) 544-4715 or email johnny@pryceproject.com

October 26, 2005
12:00pm 1:00pm
Please join us For a Luncheon Honoring Congressman Gresham Barrett With Special Guest The Honorable Deborah Pryce
Offices of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America 412 First Street, SE Suite 300 Washington, DC
Suggested Contribution: $1,000
RSVP to Rob Jennings @ (202) 842-1707 or rwjenning@aol.com

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

The President's Low Approval Ratings

NBC News and the Wall Street Journal have just released a new poll on President Bush's approval rating. Here are a few of the highlights:
39% of Americans approve of the job that the president is doing
2% of African Americans approve of the job the president is doing

The last bit of information: 48% favor the Democrats in the 2006 election

For the rest of poll's statistics, visit http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9672058/ because there are other questions that were asked. I believe that people are just very unhappy with the war, the hurricane response, the economy, the scandals, the worthless photo ops, and this administration's favoritism with business and unqualified cronies.

GOP wants to end mortgage interest deduction

The GOP, you know those people who are ruining this country, have a new proposal.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/12/politics/12tax.html?th&emc=th

President Bush's tax advisory commission indicated on Tuesday that it would not propose replacing the income tax with a national sales tax or a value-added tax, but would recommend limits in the popular tax deductions for mortgage interest and employer-provided health insurance.

The decision is due before Nov. 1st. This is good, because if you have an election in your state, you can vote against any republicans on your ballot.

Corruption Facts Just Keep Coming

Another day, another corrupt GOP revelation! Did Tom DeLay buy off these people to protect himself? I find it incredible that more information is found that supports the fact that the GOP is a very corrupt political party. This stuff is what researchers are finding, however, what is still hidden?

Here is the information:
http://www.ourfuture.org/press/releases/index.cfm?pressReleaseID=130

Twenty-six U.S. representatives received the maximum contribution allowed from former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay’s political action committee this election cycle, according to an analysis released today by the Campaign for America’s Future. The data, prepared by the Center for Responsive Politics, outlines $10,000 contributions since the beginning of 2005 from Rep. DeLay’s ARMPAC (Americans for a Republican Majority PAC).

The 26 members are Rep. Bob Beauprez, R-Colo., Rep. Henry Bonilla, R-Texas; Rep. Charles Boustany Jr, R-La.; Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.; Rep. Chris Chocola, R-Ind.; Rep. Geoff Davis, R-Ky.; Rep. Charles Wieder Dent, R-Pa.; Rep. Michael Fitzpatrick, R-Pa.; Rep. Jeffrey Fortenberry, R-Neb.; Rep. Jim Gerlach, R-Pa.; Rep. Robin Hayes, R-N.C.; Rep. John Kuhl Jr, R-N.Y.; Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, R-Colo.; Rep. Anne Northup, R-Ky.; Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Wash.; Rep. Rick Renzi, R-Ariz.; Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala.; Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-Ohio; Rep. Joe Schwarz, R-Mich.; Rep. Rob Simmons, R-Conn.; Rep. Michael Sodrel, R-Ind.; and Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M.

Campaign for America's Future deputy director Ellen Miller said the members who took the money illustrate a culture of corruption.

“Looks like Rep. DeLay was trying to buy some insurance in case trouble came down the pike. Trouble is here,” said Miller.

Rep. DeLay’s political action committee received most of its funding from big corporate donors, according to the analysis. The top 10 recipients of Rep. DeLay’s money since 1994 include Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., who received $48,500; Rep. Robin Hayes, R-N.C., $47,722; Rep. Mike Ferguson, R-N.J., $47,403; Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., $46,959; Rep. Anne Northup, R-Ky., $42,000; Rep. Chris Chocola, R-Ind., $40,000; Rep. Rob Simmons, R-Conn., $39,500; Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., $35,000; Rep. Jim Ryun, R-Kan., $31,777; Rep. Clay Shaw Jr., D-Fla., $30,020.

Impeachment?

Raw Story http://www.rawstory.com found a recent poll that shows that a majority of Americans favor impeaching Bush if he lied about Iraq. Whoa! I think that poll may encourage other organizations to conduct their own polls on the same subject. It has been a question that has been avoided up to this point. However, with the increasing death toll in Iraq, the government's response to hurricanes, and the public's perception of the economy, people are start to talk . Here is an excerpt from the findings of the http://www.opednews.com/articles/genera_david_sw_051011_poll__americans_want.htm poll:

The poll was conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs, the highly-regarded non-partisan polling company. The poll interviewed 1,001 U.S. adults on October 8-9. The poll found that 50% agreed with the statement:

"If President Bush did not tell the truth about his reasons for going to war with Iraq, Congress should consider holding him accountable by impeaching him."

44% disagreed, and 6% said they didn't know or declined to answer. The poll has a +/- 3.1% margin of error.

Those who agreed with the statement were also more passionate: 39% strongly agreed, while 30% strongly disagreed.

"The results of this poll are truly astonishing," said AfterDowningStreet.org co-founder Bob Fertik. "Bush's record-low approval ratings tell just half of the story, which is how much Americans oppose Bush's policies on Iraq and other issues. But this poll tells the other half of the story - that a solid plurality of Americans want Congress to consider removing Bush from the White House."

Tuesday, October 11, 2005

Keeping my fingers crossed!

Mr. Scooter Libby apparently did not tell the special prosecutor everything. oopps! How does a grown man have a nickname like Scooter? (Oh, I forgot----Karl Rove is fondly called Turdblossom by the president).

Here is my list of people who might be indicted by the special prosecutor investigating the CIA leak: Karl Rove, Scooter Libby. The following is a list of people that I'd like to see indicted, but probably won't: Dick Cheney, Robert Novak, Jeff Gannon/Guckert, Ken Mehlman, John Bolton, Dr. Dobson, Pat Robertson, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly. I'll keep my fingers crossed!

Warning: All of the accused are innocent until proven guilty. No animals were harmed in this post. Do not read while operating farm equipment.

Why the increasing suicides?

Why are so many of our Special Forces committing suicide? Are they getting the counseling they need? What is the Pentagon doing to help our service members deal with what they've witnessed? Are families prepared for possible post traumatic stress problems? http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SOLDIER_SUICIDES?SITE=NYNYD&SECTION=NATIONAL&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

An Interview from Hell

Did you ever wonder what it would be like to interview this president? Would you be willing to submit your question before the interview? Carole Coleman had waited a long time to interview George W. Bush, and she wasn't going to let anyone stop her from asking her questions.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,2766-1817008_1,00.html

“But, Mr President, you didn’t find any weapons,” I interjected.

“Let me finish, let me finish. May I finish?”

You've got to read the rest. It really gives you an inside look at how this White House is handling everyone, including the press.

Where would you like to be right now?

It is just another dreary day in Ohio. However, if I had a chance, I'd love to go to Capri, Italy. The tiny beautiful little island is picture perfect. The home of the Blue Grotto http://www.ondaverde.it/images/azzurra.jpg and breath-taking http://europeforvisitors.com/europe/images/capri_italy_corel.jpg views, would be a nice change from today's gray skies.
http://www.stat.ohio-state.edu/~xiaobai/image/travel/Europe/italy.jpg

http://impressive.net/people/gerald/2002/10/09/10-28-04-sm.jpg

Another Photo Op

On this morning's Today Show, the president appeared with Matt Lauer at a Habit for Humanity home construction in Louisiana. It was nothing more than a photo op and a lame attempt to improve the president's poll ratings. As I watched, I noticed that the volunteers were not smiling. Did they feel uncomfortable around the president or were they pissed that their work was being held up for this publicity stunt? I also noticed the workers were all white and no minorities were seen on the camera. I wonder if Matt had to submit his questions before the interview.

During this interview, Harriet Miers was referred to as "Judge Miers." Harriet Miers IS NOT a judge and has NEVER been a judge and should not be called "Judge Miers."

Do you like the corruption in Ohio?

If you are glad that the governor of the state of Ohio is a corrupt politician, do nothing. If you are pleased that millions of dollars disappeared out of the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation Fund and was mismanaged, do nothing. If you find nothing wrong with a GOP campaign contributor receiving state investment funds and investing them in coins and antiques, do nothing. If you don't mind that road contracts are awarded to a major GOP contributor, do nothing. If you like the fact that Ohio is seen as a politically corrupt state, do nothing. If you like one party rule, do nothing. If you like the fact that Ohio has lost jobs and more people are finding it difficult to find a decent job, do nothing.

HOWEVER, if you are sick and tired of the corrupt Ohio GOP running and ruining everything, you have something to do. You MUST vote YES ON ISSUES 2, 3, 4, & 5 because this might be our last chance to change how the Ohio government works. The GOP doesn't like the issues, because they don't want to lose power. You can give them a real kick in the pants-----Vote Yes on Issues 2, 3, 4, & 5.

Found this at http://www.mydd.com/story/2005/10/11/15936/843

``How many Ohioans does it take to change a light bulb?''
``None--they never change.''
Do you like that Ohioans are the butt of jokes?

Vote Yes on Issues 2, 3, 4, & 5.


Monday, October 10, 2005

Ohio Corruption Covered Up

Salon has a story that indicates that the Toledo Blade had a reporter who killed a story about Tom Noe and the Ohio GOP coingate scandal. http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2005/10/06/ohio/ The reporter,
Fritz Wenzel, previously had worked for the GOP. Here is part of the article:

In November 2004, Lucas County was among the most hotly contested areas in the most hotly contested state. Kerry won the county by 45,000 votes, but George W. Bush went on to win Ohio by less than 120,000 votes, which swung the election for him.

But Bush's reelection may have been made possible by a Blade reporter with close ties to the Republican Party who reportedly knew about Noe's potential campaign violations in early 2004 but suppressed the story.

According to several knowledgeable sources, the Blade's chief political columnist, Fritz Wenzel, was told of Noe's potential campaign violations as early as January 2004. But according to Blade editors, Wenzel never gave the paper the all-important tip in early 2004.

Wenzel says that he heard allegations of Noe's misdeeds only in spring 2004 and that he promptly informed his editors of them.

Wenzel, who worked for years as a GOP political operative in Oregon before the Blade hired him, quit the Blade in May 2005 to take a job as a paid political consultant to Jean Schmidt, the Republican congressional candidate who in August narrowly defeated Democratic challenger (and Iraq war vet) Paul Hackett.

Of course, no one can say for sure whether Ohio voters would have cast their ballots differently if they had known about allegations that Bush's campaign boss in Toledo was hijacking money from the state to keep the campaign humming. But native Ohioan John Robinson Block, publisher and editor in chief of the Blade, which endorsed Kerry, thinks it's a strong possibility. Had the "Coingate" scandal blown up before the election, Block says, "most Republicans I know agree that Kerry would have won Ohio and won the presidency." Rep. Marcy Kaptur, a Democrat whose district includes Toledo, feels the same. "I think it would have tipped the election," she says.

The story of how Wenzel learned about the alleged violations, and why he allegedly sat on the information, reveals a Toledo political scene right out of "Peyton Place," complete with a cast of backstabbers. It begins in January 2004, when Tom Noe's wife, Bernadette Noe -- who chaired the local Republican Party and sat on the Board of Elections -- approached Lucas County prosecutor Julia Bates, a Democrat. Bernadette Noe raised ethical questions about Joe Kidd, a well-connected Republican who was then director of the Board of Elections. She told the prosecutor's office she suspected Kidd was receiving money from Diebold, the now-notorious manufacturer of voting machines. Bates says that Bernadette Noe's source for the allegations was Joe Kidd's estranged wife, Tracy, with whom Bernadette practiced law. Bates says it's possible that Bernadette's allegations against Kidd were motivated by sympathy for her friend Tracy.

Paula Ross, a former Lucas County Democratic Party chair, who also sat on the Board of Elections, confirms that Bernadette Noe went to the prosecutor to tarnish Kidd. Ross says she talked with both Bernadette and Kidd. In January 2004, Ross says, "I was contacted by Bernadette, who made allegations about Joe. I then spoke with Joe, who assured me that the allegations were false. He believed he could persuade Bernadette to stop making these false allegations because he had information about [Noe and her husband] that could put them in jail." The information, says Ross, was that Tom Noe was laundering money to the Bush campaign...

Mark Losey's Announcement

Mark Losey has officially announced that he is a candidate for the U.S. House of Representative for Ohio's 15 District. Mark said he will concentrate on three important ideas: (1) accountability, (2) common sense, and (3) hope for the future. http://www.loseyforcongress.com/ http://www.ilovelosey.com/

Reading, Money, and Integrity

One of the most successful reading programs, Reading Recovery, has been gutted by this administration in favor of their own program, Reading First. Isn't it just like this administration to copy an effective program, change its name, contents, and requirements, throw in some cronyism, and ruin the chances for kids to learn to read. There is an excellent story in USA Today http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2005-10-09-reading-program_x.htm about the programs. It really is a shame that Reading Recovery was tampered with in order to promote Bush's Reading First. There are accusations that federal dollars would be withheld unless certain textbooks were used.

The hurricane evacuees are running into some interesting problems depending on the state where they are currently residing. According to USA Today, many of the evacuees are eligible for unemployment benefits. However, the amount of one's unemployment check is set by individual states: 'The average monthly benefit in Mississippi is $169; the national average, $270.' http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-10-09-evacuee-benefits_x.htm

Voters in Ohio are looking for the next governor to bring two things to the office - integrity and jobs. http://www.dispatch.com Both have been sadly lacking in this scandal plagued state government. Of course, we are not getting any help from Ohio's elected members of the U.S. House of Representatives. It seems that the only thing our elected officials are concerned with the size of their campaign war chest.

Sunday, October 09, 2005

Mark Losey Candidate (OH-15)

Mark Losey is running as a Democrat for Congress in Ohio's 15th district. His official announcement event will be Monday, October 10th at Goodale Park at 10am at the gazebo. Be there!

Say No to Jerry Kilgore

I hope that Virginians are smart enough NOT to vote for Jerry Kilgore. Kilgore doesn't seem to have have real solutions to problems. He has no way to pay for his unfunded mandates. http://www.jerrytheduck.com/ I hope the people of Virginia vote for Tim Kaine. http://www.therealjerrykilgore.com/
Karl Rove, who is involved in leaking the name of an undercover CIA agent, is a big supporter of Jerry Kilgore. That should send up a red flag! http://www.vagop.com/cgi-data/photo/files/17/index.shtml

Ralph Reed: Another Abramoff Friend

Do you remember Ralph Reed, former member of the Christian Coalition, and now candidate for governor in Georgia? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_E._Reed,_Jr. Mr. Reed is also a friend of Jack Abramoff!!!! Isn't it amazing how some people claim to be so good, so holy, and so willing to judge others? Read this article: http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/1005/10metreed.html

Here are some interesting paragraphs:
'The Atlanta Journal-Constitution recently disclosed Reed's work with Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff in helping to defeat a 2000 congressional effort to restrict Internet gambling.

'Reed, who has denounced gambling, already has been tied to Abramoff in several enterprises involving Indian tribes with casinos, now under investigation by two U.S. Senate committees.'

I like the beginning of the last sentence--'Reed, who has denounced gambling...' I think we could call Ralph Reed a HYPOCRITE.
Reed also has some very low approval ratings. The GOP in Georgia, Ohio, and DC, continue with their culture of corruption. Is it me or does it seem that the GOP is having problems with truth, honesty, and cronyism in many of our 50 states?

Ohio phone calls and Polls

Apparently, someone in the state of Ohio is making calls against Jean Schmidt (OH-2-R), Pat Tiberi (OH-12-R), and Bob Ney (OH-18-R). Schmidt is fighting mad and she is blaming Democrats. Schmidt, who accepted contributions from the indicted former House majority leader, said she will not return the money.http://www.wcpo.com/news/2005/local/10/05/schmidt_delay.html

In a poll conducted by The Columbus Dispatch, J. Kenneth Blackwell, current Ohio Secretary of State, has an early lead for governor (Heaven Help Us!). However, 40% of the registered Ohio voters polled are undecided. http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2005/10/09/20051009-A1-04.html&chck=t

Here are some excerpts from today's Dispatch:
Seven months before Ohio’s 2006 primary election, Blackwell has dashed to the head of the pack in the first Dispatch Poll for a campaign expected to draw national attention. He has opened a 14-point lead over Attorney General Jim Petro, who in turn tops Auditor Betty D. Montgomery by 2 points among Republican poll respondents.

U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland holds a 3-point margin over Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman among the Democrats polled. Former state Rep. Bryan Flannery is far behind.

The mail survey’s margin of error for both intraparty matchups is 4.5 percentage points.

Blackwell also holds a narrow lead when voters of all stripes are asked to choose among the six major candidates. However, the top five finishers all fall within 5 points of one another — and the total for each is dwarfed by the 40 percent of poll participants who say they are undecided.

The margin of error for the overall poll , conducted Sept. 22 through Wednesday, is 2.6 percentage points.

Blackwell does especially well among Republican men and voters 34 and younger. In the six-way matchup, Montgomery and Strickland hold a tiny lead among independent voters, who are often the key to victory.