Does Bush have a new British poodle?

> Does President George W. Bush have a new British poodle? I don't think so. UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown does not appear to have the same subservient demeanor as Tony Blair. Brown will most certainly work to remove the couple thousand British troops still remaining in Iraq. (Previously, there were over 40,000 British troops in Iraq, and now there are just 4,000.) The Prime Minister also has a different view of how to handle terrorism. The Times Online:
.... Mr Brown talked solemnly about “duties to discharge and responsibilities to keep” in Iraq, but also hinted that Britain could hand over military control of Basra in the autumn when Parliament returns....

> Ohio Republicans are already fighting over who will be the new Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives when Jon Husted is forced to retire because of term limits.
Dispatch:

...Rep. Mark Wagoner, a 35-year-old Toledo lawyer in his second term, is viewed as the top contender to replace Speaker Jon A. Husted in 2009 if the House remains in GOP hands. Husted, of Kettering, must leave because he will hit the eight-year maximum under Ohio term limits.

But before Wagoner got his first diaper change, Rep. William G. Batchelder's 30-year legislative career was under way, and he wants the job, too. When the Medina Republican, who served in the House from 1968 to '98, returned this year after eight years as a county judge, he brought unmatched experience and a strong desire to claim the speaker's chair that eluded him in the past.....

However, I believe that the Republicans should not count their chickens before they hatch. It is very possible that Ohioans want to turn away from the Republicans who brought us "Coingate" and "Golfgate" and other Republican scandals. I think Ohioans have had enough corruption and dirty deeds from the GOP and may vote for more Democrats. If the Ohio Dems win a majority in the state legislature, Ohio may actually make some progress on school funding and other important issues. Wouldn't that be a novel idea?

> While our men and women in uniform are dying and getting wounded in Iraq, the Iraqi parliament is working...... Oh, wait. Huh? The Iraqi parliament is on vacation until September 4th. Incredible.

The Face of the Republican Party

President George W. Bush and many members of his Republican party stand for a continuation of the war in Iraq for the next 9-10 years. Also, according to Insurance News Net, Bush and his Republican buddies do not want to pass legislation that would provide health care for children. Why do they like war and hate children?

(Bush pic from Drinkingliberally.org)

Every single time Americans think of the Republican Party they should be reminded of the lies of George W. Bush about the WMD's, his Iraq war, the mismanagement of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the corrupt GOP, the 'Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job' remark after Hurricane Katrina, the lack of leadership that we've had from this President, the lies and corruption in the office of the U.S. Attorney General, the releasing of the name of an undercover CIA agent, etc., etc. (Time and space do not permit me to remind you of all the failures of the Bush administration and the Republican Party, but you can get the point.)

Your Mother or Grandmother May Scare TSA

It is getting really weird in the airports. ABC News:
An unsuspecting senior citizen from Long Island, N.Y. is behind one of the incidents that prompted the TSA to issue a bulletin last week about cases in which they suspect terrorists may have been probing airport security by trying to bring peculiar items on board airplanes.

In her case, Sara Weiss tried to bring ice packs on her flight home.

"I'm not a terrorist. I'm just a 66-year-old woman who's coming back from visiting her son and I have a bad back, so I carry these things," Weiss told ABC News' Lisa Stark.

She may not seem the part -- but on July 5, after visiting her son in San Diego, she was questioned as she was about to board the plane home....

I've always wondered how many mothers and grandmothers have been stopped by airport security for their carry on luggage. When my mother visited us from Pennsylvania, she always brought us food. She once brought us a frozen roast, Italian meatballs, and Tasty Cakes in a large bag she carried on her flight. (I guess she thought that there weren't any good butchers in central Ohio!!!!!!) How many other grandmothers have triggered security scares because of the chicken soup or the ice packs in their tote bags? We may never know.

Yikes!

--> Would you vote for Dick Cheney for President? Some people think that Cheney is testing the waters for a possible run. (See Hines Sight.) That would be one way for Bush, Cheney and the Republicans to keep their war in Iraq going. However, I don't think most Americans would vote for Cheney for President.

--> It appears that two Republicans from Alaska are under investigation because of something they may have done. Raw Story:

Two senior Republican lawmakers are reportedly under criminal investigation for alleged corruption linked to an Alaska oil services company.

Federal authorities are looking into whether Representative Don Young or Senator Ted Stevens accepted bribes, illegal gratuities or unreported gifts from VECO Corp., an oil field engineering firm in Alaska, the Wall Street Journal wrote, citing unnamed "people close to the case."

.....Government authorities arrested three state lawmakers earlier this year as part of a sweeping corruption investigation in the state of Alaska. Former VECO chief executive officer Bill Allen agreed in May to plead guilty to charges of bribery, conspiracy and extortion....

Whoa! Apparently what happens in Alaska, doesn't always stay in Alaska!

My View From Central Ohio

Here are a few of my observations/opinions:

>Wolf Blitzer has no spine. I could ask better questions of candidates and I am not a journalist. As a matter of fact, I think my dogs could ask better questions.

>Chris Matthews needs to go to a refresher class on how to ask questions. He is sooooooooo rude! He interrupts his guests and shows his disdain for Sen. Hillary Clinton by continuing to call her "Hillary" instead of Senator Clinton.

>I don't know if you've noticed, but Joe Scarborough actually is quite good on his morning program on MSNBC. He even is starting to sound like a moderate!!!!!!!?????

>In case you are wondering, this website is supported by me and no other group or sponsor.

>On last night's Chris Matthews program, there was some little Republican schmuck in the audience who wanted to know if Michael Moore supported health care for illegal immigrants. It just amazes me that someone would even think to deny medical care to someone because they were in this country illegally. That same little right wing young man should go, and run to his local recruiting office and sign up to fight in Iraq because I'm sure he supports the war.

>The predictions are out there about the 2008 run for Ohio's 15th congressional district: It will be a tough one. Campaign & Elections Magazine:
Rematches between boxers usually have an air of the epic surrounding them, but that is not usually the case in politics. When a sitting congresswoman wins with just 50.2 to 49.7 percent of the vote, though, rematches can get a little interesting. Such is the case in Ohio's 15^th congressional district.

....Though the names may be the same, the political environment could be much different in 2008. Democrats both locally and nationally see Kilroy's strong showing in 2006 as proof that Pryce is a weakened candidate. The DCCC has already targeted the race--along with Bob Ney's former district--as a high priority in its efforts to claim congressional seats nationwide....

Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy can start off by attacking Pryce's lackluster attendance record. (see Ohio's 15th district blog)

Republican E-Mails

It looks like those Republicans were doing a lot of e-mailing to get jobs!
Dispatch:
When Greg White wanted the job of U.S. attorney in Cleveland five years ago, he delivered his pitch to just about any Republican who mattered in Ohio.

"I talked to the governor at the Lorain County Fair today," White e-mailed Brian K. Hicks, chief of staff to then-Gov. Bob Taft. "Do you think that the governor would be willing to call the president on this issue? ... Is there anything else we can do?"

...White's lobbying campaign apparently hit all the right connections; in March 2003, President Bush nominated him as U.S. attorney for the northern district of Ohio. His primary rival for the job, Craig Morford, was selected last week by Bush to be the acting No. 2 official at the Justice Department, making him White's boss....

Read the rest of the stuff at the Dispatch.

Excerpts of the e-mails can be found here.

> If you have the opportunity to see a movie this week, make sure that you see HAIRSPRAY. It is fabulous!

'A Surge in Violence'

Is President Bush's surge in Iraq working?

ICasualties found this at Reuters:
Attacks in Iraq last month reached their highest daily average since May 2003, showing a surge in violence as President George W. Bush completed a buildup of U.S. troops, Pentagon statistics show....
.... The June numbers showed 5,335 attacks against coalition troops, Iraqi security forces, civilians and infrastructure.

June's total was 2.5 percent below an October 2006 peak of 5,472 attacks and slightly lower than the 5,365 attacks in May.

But because June has only 30 days, the average daily number of attacks was 177.8, higher than the 176.5 last October and 173.1 in May.

The Pentagon statistics, which come as pressure mounts in the U.S. Congress for a troop withdrawal from Iraq, depicted the most intensive month for daily attacks since Bush declared major combat operations at an end in May 2003.....

This administration will push for more time in Iraq. No matter what happens by September, they will ask for more time to examine/study results of the surge. If November comes and they still don't have their results, they'll say they need to wait to spring. Here is a simpler explanation of Bush's Iraq strategy:

the surge + more time + more troops = stay the course

Bush's only plan with Iraq is to dump it into the lap of the next President. That is Bush's exit strategy.

We Already Know What Will Happen...

Raw Story reports that a board member has resigned from Dow Jones:

Dieter von Holtzbrinck, an heir to a German publishing empire, resigned from Dow Jones & Co.'s board of directors to protest the board's decision to endorse a $5 billion offer from News Corp.

"Although I'm convinced that News Corp. offer is very generous in financial terms," he wrote in a letter to directors Thursday, "I'm very worried that Dow Jones unique journalistic values will long-term strongly suffer after the proposed sale."

Mr. von Holtzbrinck abstained from a board vote endorsing News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch's offer Tuesday evening, a vote that put the future of Dow Jones in the hands of the Bancroft family, who control 64% of the company's shareholder voting power. The vote was otherwise unanimous except for two of the four board members representing the family, but the family is divided on the News Corp. offer.....

We already know what will happen when News Corp. takes over Dow Jones. Do you think that they'll add their political slant to whatever they own? You bet.

>>> The White House says that they will decide in September if the surge has worked. When September comes, they'll say they need a few more months. It will go on and on and on........ Bush will not quit Iraq. Period.

Bush Not So Popular in Conservative New Hampshire

When President Bush loses the love and support of the people of New Hampshire, you know he is in deep oatmeal.

Boston.com:
President Bush's job approval rating in New Hampshire hit a low for his presidency -- 24 percent -- in a poll released Wednesday.

Seventy-two percent of those polled disapproved of Bush's performance in the University of New Hampshire poll for CNN and WMUR-TV.....

Ouch!

Bush says that history will judge him and the Iraq war. It won't take much for historians to come to the conclusion that George W. Bush was a miserable failure. He may rank as low or lower than Buchanan.

Who Loves Ya, Baby?

If you are old enough, you remember the old police drama, Kojak, starring Telly Savalas. One of Kojak's signature lines in every episode was, "Who loves ya, baby?" We can use that same phrase in talking to our troops.

Which party is working hard to end the war and bring our troops home? The Democrats

Which party supported expanding healthcare for all vets and guardsmen? The Democrats

Which party exposed the terrible conditions at Walter Reed Hospital? The Democrats

Which party spent all night trying to pass a bill that would put a timeline on withdrawing troops? The Democrats

However, Senator John McCain, a Republican, called Democrats 'obstructionists.' Is he nuts? What has McCain and the rest of the Republicans done to bring the troops home? How many tours of duty do the Republicans want our soldiers and Marines to serve in Iraq? 3? 4? 5? 10? Here in Ohio, we have Senator Voinovich who said that the White House f***** up the war. What happened when it was time for Voinovich to vote to end the war? He voted against it. Voinovich, and McCain are disgusting because they'd rather serve their party instead of our country and our service members.

When it is all said and done, our Marines and soldiers know the answer to the question, 'Who loves ya baby?'
The Democrats do.

Told You So

Senator Voinovich (OH-R) voted against a timeline to get our troops home. I told you that Voinovich doesn't have the courage to go against Republican party leaders. Now it is time to call Voinovich and the rest of his ilk and let them know that we are not happy with their votes because we want our troops home now.

	Washington, DC Office: 524 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Main: (202) 224-3353
	Cleveland, OH Office: 1240 East 9th Street Room 3061 Cleveland, OH 44199 Main: (216) 522-7095 Fax: (216) 522-7097
	Southeast, OH Office: 78 West Washington Street P.O. Box 57 Nelsonville, OH 45764 Main: (740) 441-6410 Fax: (740) 753-3551
	Cincinnati, OH Office: 36 East 7th Street Room 2615 Cincinnati, OH 45202 Main: (513) 684-3265 Fax: (513) 684-3269
	Northeast, OH Office: 1240 East 9th Street Room 3061 Cleveland, OH 44199 Main: (216) 522-7095 Fax: (216) 522-7097
	Toledo, OH Office: 420 Madison Avenue Room 1210 Toledo, OH 43604 Main: (419) 259-3895 Fax: (419) 259-3899
	Dayton, OH Office: (Based out of Cincinnati) 36 East 7th Street, Room 2615 Cincinnati, OH 45202 Main: (513) 684-3265 Fax: (513) 684-3269
	Central, OH Office: 37 West Broad Street Room 310 Columbus, OH 43215 Main: (614) 469-6697 Fax: (614) 469-7733

Shame on Voinovich and the rest of the Republicans and Lieberman.

Voinovich

> Looks like Sen. George Voinovich (OH-R) had some harsh words for the Bush administration, according to CNN. However, those of us in Ohio know that Voinovich may talk tough but when it comes to vote for withdrawal, Voinovich can't or won't do it. Voinovich may appear to be talking tough, but he remains a Republican robot. He will fall in line when it comes to voting for the Republican agenda.

> Lady Byrd Johnson gave so much to this country. Every single time I see wildflowers I think of her.

> Last night on the Daily Show, correspondent John Oliver interviewed a proponent of the English-only cause. The man said that foreign languages should not be spoken even in hospitals. He went on to say that if someone was having a heart attack, the patient could point to his heart and grimace. John Oliver then asked the English-only proponent how would a person indicate that he was allergic to penicillin? Of course, the man was dumbfounded.

Our Men & Women Continue to Die in Bush's War

> While the Iraqi Parliament makes plans to go on vacation, our men and women in uniform continue to die in Iraq.

ICasualties:

U.S. Deaths Confirmed By The DoD:	3611
Reported U.S. Deaths Pending DoD Confirmation:	4
Total	3615

> While our George Bush says that he is working hard, he has left the President's Intelligence Oversight Board empty. Washington Post:

....The President's Intelligence Oversight Board -- the principal civilian watchdog of the intelligence community -- is obligated under a 26-year-old executive order to tell the attorney general and the president about any intelligence activities it believes "may be unlawful." The board was vacant for the first two years of the Bush administration.

The FBI sent copies of its violation reports directly to Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales. But the board's mandate is to provide independent oversight, so the absence of such communications has prompted critics to question whether the board was doing its job.

"It's now apparent that the IOB was not actively employed in the early part of the administration. And it was a crucial period when its counsel would seem to have been needed the most," said Anthony Harrington, who served as the board's chairman for most of the Clinton administration.....

> While Senator Jim Webb fights for our men and women in uniform, Senator Lindsey Graham and the rest of his bunch continue to support Bush's unending war in Iraq. If you watch the video below, you'll notice that Graham just looks desperate and weak in his defense of the war.

Video from Meet the Press from a post at Huffington Post.

Iraq, Iraq, Iraq

Yahoo News: Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Saturday that the Iraqi army and police are capable of keeping security in the country when American troops leave "any time they want," though he acknowledged the forces need further weapons and training.....

Well, thank you very much!!! Did the U.S. need his permission to leave? I think the Iraq army and police have had enough training, time, weapons, and money. It is time for them to determine the future of Iraq.

> President Bush has declared 'Executive Privilege' in the Pat Tillman case. Incredible! Soon Bush will declare 'Executive Privilege' in issues involving his exercise routine, the frequency of his naps, etc. The lies and coverups from this administration just make you want to puke.

Notes...

* Neocon Bill Kristol wants President Bush to attack Pakistan (Raw Story). Interesting. Who does Kristol think the U.S. would send to Pakistan? Is Kristol volunteering to go?

* Republican Rep. John Boehner has been working hard at ending the war. Just kidding!



The Germain Mercedes dealership had several Smart Cars on display yesterday. Don't know what a Smart Car is? The Smart Car will be available for purchase early 2008. I can't wait.

***** Update on Smart Car:

Friday, July 13 - Sunday, July 15
North Market Food & Wine Festival
59 Spruce Street, Columbus, OH

Static Display Only: Friday, 7pm-10pm
Test drives: Saturday, 10am-6:30pm and Sunday, 12pm-5:30pm

Smart Cars in Columbus

The Mercedes dealership on Morse Road (in Easton) has Smart Cars available for test drives today until 6pm. I drove a Smart Car ForTwo! It was great.

Boehner is a Wimp

Republicans want our service members to continue to remain in Iraq forever, and ever, and ever.
InRich.com:
Amid the intensifying battle over Iraq war policy, Republicans shot down Sen. Jim Webb's bid to require equal time at home for U.S. troops back from combat.....

Here is more from Raw Story:
U.S. Senate Republicans on Wednesday blocked a proposal to give American troops in Iraq more rest from battle, as Democrats renewed their attempts to change President George W. Bush's Iraq policy....

However, Republican Rep. John Boehner, sunk to a new low when he called those who oppose war "wimps." Boner (contact numbers (800) 582-1001, (202) 225-6205, (202) 225-0704 fax) is the real wimp. Over 150 Ohioans have died in Iraq while Boehner hides out on private golf courses and works on his suntan. Shame. Isn't it time Boehner and other Republicans started to listen to the American people and bring the troops home?

Surgeon General Was 'Muzzled'

It looks like the Bush administration has managed to politicize the office of the Surgeon General of the U.S. Reuters:
The first U.S. surgeon general appointed by President George W. Bush accused the administration on Tuesday of political interference and muzzling him on key issues like embryonic stem cell research.

"Anything that doesn't fit into the political appointees' ideological, theological or political agenda is ignored, marginalized or simply buried," Dr. Richard Carmona, who served as the nation's top doctor from 2002 until 2006, told a House of Representatives committee.

"The problem with this approach is that in public health, as in a democracy, there is nothing worse than ignoring science, or marginalizing the voice of science for reasons driven by changing political winds. The job of surgeon general is to be the doctor of the nation, not the doctor of a political party," Carmona added.

Carmona said Bush administration political appointees censored his speeches and kept him from talking out publicly about certain issues, including the science on embryonic stem cell research, contraceptives and his misgivings about the administration's embrace of "abstinence-only" sex education....

Amazing. However, we are not surprised. In the New York Times article, additional information about this Republican administration is provided, and it is not comforting:

....Dr. Carmona said he was ordered to mention President Bush three times on every page of his speeches. He also said he was asked to make speeches to support Republican political candidates and to attend political briefings.

And administration officials even discouraged him from attending the Special Olympics because, he said, of that charitable organization’s longtime ties to a “prominent family” that he refused to name.

“I was specifically told by a senior person, ‘Why would you want to help those people?’ ” Dr. Carmona said.....

Doesn't the directive to mention the President's name 3 times per page sound insane. Obviously, the administration was not interested in science. If they've done this stuff, what other things have they covered up and lied about to promote their political agenda? We may never know.

They've lied about the war and they've lied about science and public health. Incredible.

Empty Words from 3 GOPers

The media has reported how Republican Senators Snowe, Lugar, and Domenici have announced their dissatisfaction with Bush's Iraq policy. These Republicans stated that they don't think the surge is working. Okay. I agree that the surge is not working......

But, wait. Did any of them indicate that they'd vote for a timetable for withdrawal??? Did any of them say they want the troops home now?

If they are not for the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq, then their words are meaningless. These 3 senators have been under extraordinary pressure from constituents concerning Iraq. However, they did not indicate that they want the troops home. Is this just a strategy on their parts to win back their supporters?

If Americans are really interested in getting troops home, the only strategy that will work is to elect Democrats as President and to the House and Senate. The Republicans are responsible for the mess in Iraq because they gave Bush an unlimited supply of money and manpower and did not ask for oversight when they were in power. It is time that we demand an end to the fiasco in Iraq.

Consequences of Choices

Oops! A Republican Senator's telephone number appears on the DC Madam's list.
MSNBC:
Sen. David Vitter, R-La., apologized Monday night for “a very serious sin in my past” after his telephone number appeared among those associated with an escort service operated by the so-called “D.C. Madam.”

Vitter’s spokesman, Joel Digrado, confirmed the statement in an e-mail sent to The Associated Press.

“This was a very serious sin in my past for which I am, of course, completely responsible,” Vitter said in the statement.....

I found this quote about choices at Think Exist:
“Nobody ever did, or ever will, escape the consequences of his choices.” Alfred A. Montapert

Pay Attention

We should pay attention to what elected officials are doing. However, in some cases, we should also be aware of what they are NOT doing.

* While Ohio Republicans twiddle their thumbs, work on stripper legislation, and raise their campaign funds, students in Ohio's poorest schools cannot pass the graduation test. If students don't pass the graduation test, they do not graduate. Ohio's Republican elected officials have failed to help students in the state get a quality education. Here is an article from the Dispatch:
The likelihood that a Columbus senior passed the Ohio Graduation Test varied dramatically, depending on where that student went to school this year, district data show.....
.....The 2006-07 seniors are the first class that must pass the graduation test in order to receive a high-school diploma. They first could take the test, which includes exams in reading, writing, math, science and social studies, in 10th grade and have had several chances since then to take it.

District data show that seniors were more likely to fail portions of the test if they attended schools with high percentages of minorities and economically disadvantaged students, even if those schools have had high graduation rates in the past.....

* On a national level, Republicans seem to be abandoning Mr. Bush's failed Iraq policy. New York Times:

White House officials fear that the last pillars of political support among Senate Republicans for President Bush’s Iraq strategy are collapsing around them, according to several administration officials and outsiders they are consulting. They say that inside the administration, debate is intensifying over whether Mr. Bush should try to prevent more defections by announcing his intention to begin a gradual withdrawal of American troops from the high-casualty neighborhoods of Baghdad and other cities.....

How many Americans died while these same Republicans refused to budge on their support for Bush's Iraq War? How many American families will never see their loved ones again because Republicans did not speak up in opposition to Bush's Iraq invasion/war/surge?

Now that the 2008 election is on the horizon and their constituents are getting angry and impatient, Republicans have started to speak up about the ramifications of the war in Iraq. Is it too little too late?

What have you done to end the war in Iraq?

Every single one of us should ask our elected officials, "What have you done to end the war in Iraq?" If you haven't contacted your Representative or Senator, call or e-mail his/her office. Many elected officials are unavailable to telephone calls. However, you can let their staff members know that you are interested in what their bosses are doing to stop the war.

As individuals, each of us can move toward action to bring attention to the war in Iraq. Write a letter to the editor of you local paper. Call radio talk shows and share your opinion. Put a bumper sticker on your car. Start a blog (If I can do it, you can!). Do something today and everyday to help end the war in Iraq, even if you can only pray for peace.

We can no longer allow our elected officials to re-use the administration's lines of "fight them over there" or "because of September 11th." Iraq had nothing to do with September 11th no matter how many times Bush and Cheney repeat it.

Our government is spending $12 million per month in Iraq. This is truly a waste. We're losing American lives and American dollars for Bush's Iraq folly. What have you done to end this war? Do something.

Democrats Are Getting Work Done in DC

One of the Republican talking points is that the Democratic Party is not accomplishing anything since they've taken over the majority of the House and the Senate. However, the Republicans are WRONG! How about that!!! Wrong again!!!!

In my recent issue of Emily's List, a number of statistics were mentioned that definitely knock your socks off. (You should write this down so you can throw them at your right wing acquaintances.) Here are some of the numbers from Emily's List--

The Democratic-controlled House has spent 49 days in session vs 27 under Republicans.

Democrats passed 31 substantive measures under the Dems vs. 13 under the GOP.
Dems had 264 oversight hearings vs. 135 under the GOP.
Dems held 74 hearings about Iraq vs. only 33 under the GOP.
The Democratic controlled Congress has passed 16 bills that were signed into law vs. only 6 during the same period of 2005 when the GOP had control.

WOW!!!! It looks like the Democrats know how to get things done (unlike the do-nothing Republicans).

Ohio's Losses in Bush's War

ICasualties has all the updates on the U.S. fatalities and injuries in Iraq. In an effort to get more information, I did a search of the Ohio fatalities and found out that 121 of Ohio's 153 deaths in Iraq were service members who were under 30 years of age.

As our country's fatalities in Iraq approaches 3,600, isn't time that the American people demanded an end to the war?

Republicans Are Rejoicing

All over the nation, Republicans have started to celebrate the latest declaration from President George W. Bush: NY Times--
President Bush said today that he had used his power of clemency to commute the 30-month sentence for I. Lewis Libby Jr., the former top aide to Vice President Dick Cheney, who was convicted of perjury in March and was due to begin serving his time within weeks.

The action, announced just hours after a federal appeals court denied Mr. Libby’s request to allow him to remain free while his case is on appeal, spares Mr. Libby his prison term, but it does not excuse him from stiff fines or probation.....

Isn't that nice? Even though Libby exposed an undercover agent for political payback, and was convicted of perjury, he doesn't have to serve prison time! Well, golly gee! So apparently we are left with the notion that if one of us committed the same crime, we'd be in federal prison already. However, if you are a F.O.W. (friend of W's) or a F.O.D. (friend of Dick's) you can get off. You don't have to serve your time for the crime.

Don't worry about that huge fine that Libby will need to pay. I bet that right now Republicans are organizing fundraisers to help the Scooter. If Scooter loses his law license, because he'll still be a convicted felon, his GOP buddies will find Scooter a nice, cushy job with one of their lobbyist friends or within their party as a "consultant." Isn't that just fabulous?

All this just confirms my belief that this entire administration is immoral.

Update: Senator Hillary Clinton said it best (from Scoop):

"Today's decision is yet another example that this Administration simply considers itself above the law. This case arose from the Administration's politicization of national security intelligence and its efforts to punish those who spoke out against its policies. Four years into the Iraq war, Americans are still living with the consequences of this White House's efforts to quell dissent. This commutation sends the clear signal that in this Administration, cronyism and ideology trump competence and justice."

I totally agree with Senator Clinton!

More Than Meets The Eye

--Fred Thompson's sons are big time lobbyists!!!???? Guess their father's contacts have paid off. The New York Times has the complete story.

----Fred Thompson wants us to fear illegal Cuban immigrants. WTVJ:

Taking a swipe at a potential GOP presidential rival, Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton criticized Fred Thompson for suggesting illegal Cuban immigrants pose a terrorist threat."I was appalled when one of the people running for or about to run for the Republican nomination talked about Cuban refugees as potential terrorists," the senator said.Clinton was speaking to a group of Hispanic elected officials this weekend in Florida....
....Noting that the United States had apprehended a thousand people from Cuba in 2005, Thompson said "I don't imagine they're coming here to bring greetings from Castro. We're living in the era of the suitcase bomb."

Why do Republicans hate immigrants, Cubans, Mexicans, and other Hispanics?

--I guess I'm pretty happy I did not get the new iPhone. The web has a number of stories about unhappy new owners. I heard a report yesterday that said that AT&T said they weren't prepared for the overwhelming sales and requests for service. Hello!!!!! You'd think that AT&T should have hired more people to help out. I will only get an iPhone if and when Verizon offers it.

--The Swamp:
President Bush is fixated on Iraq yet remains serene and upbeat, according to friends, acquaintances and scholars who have met with him. Not generally known for intellectual curiosity, Bush is having philosophical discussions with thinkers as he tries to come to terms with how his administration will be viewed by history....

I can predict how history will view the administration of President George W. Bush: incompetent, ineffective, bungling, inappropriate, wasteful, worthless, embarrassing, etc., etc., etc.

My Movie Review: Sicko

I am not a professional movie reviewer. Anything I say about this movie, Sicko, or any other movie should be taken as the personal opinion of a regular human being. Period.

Last night, we went to see Michael Moore's latest movie, Sicko. Although I had seen previews, I still was not sure exactly what message/messages I would get from the movie. Here are a few words that I think describe the movie: thought-provoking, upsetting, revealing, shocking, and hopeful.

If you work for a profit-making, health insurance or are the CEO of a health insurance company (and make millions or billions of money in profits by denying payments to sick people), you'll hate this movie. However, if you are an ordinary American who has had a run-in with your health insurance or the insurance of a parent, you'll find a lot to like in Sicko. You may even take a little courage away from the movie to use the next time you get a letter from your health insurer when they deny you coverage.

You are probably wondering why I used the word "hopeful." I think that if Americans get together and demand that our government do something about providing health care for every American, I am hopeful that some good will come out of it.