STAY AND PAY IS THE REPUBLICAN WAY

The Republican Party's solution for Iraq is stay and pay. What does that mean?

If we stay in Iraq, our sons and daughters will pay with their lives.
If we stay in Iraq, our country will continue to pay out large sums of money (over $290,000,000,000 so far).

The Republicans want to Stay and Pay. Stay and Pay is the Republican Way.

Unfortunately, the chickenhawks of the Republican Party have no experience in war. They are willing to say you are guilty of treason if you question the reason for this war. Karl Rove, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Rick Santorum, and the rest, never went to war. They've never had to make snap decisions on the battlefield. They've never seen a friend killed in front of their eyes. They've never had to worry if they'd see their family again. They've never lost sleep because of what they've seen in war. No--they've never been to war, but they are willing to send you and your kids to war. And when you return from war, they'll cut your benefits and make you pay for your own food if you land in a military hospital.

The Republican plan of stay and pay is wrong. It is time to get to work on bringing our troops home. If the Republicans won't do it, then vote them out of office.

GOP to Minimum Wage Wagers: No Money For You!

The Republican Party has defined itself this week by their votes.

1. Republicans are against an increase in the minimum wage. If you are struggling to feed your kids and keep a roof over their heads, the GOP wants you to keep you struggling.

2. If you want an end to the war in Iraq, don't look to the Republicans to do anything about it. The Republicans voted to keep the war going and there is no plan as to when our kids can come home.

3. The Republicans voted to cut estate taxes. This will help those very wealthy types who can now give more money to the Republican Party. The GOP wants to keep their friends close. This allows people like Paris Hilton to inherit her money without paying too many taxes.

In summary, here is what the Republicans have shown us---
>Raise the minimum wage? Republicans are not going to do it.
>Bring the troops home? Republicans are not going to do it.
>Provide tax cuts to the wealthy and their estates. Republicans will do it.

I cannot understand how anyone can support the Republicans.

Decisions, Decisions

As long as the Republicans control the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, the following things will remain the same:

1. Bush's war in Iraq will continue and you'll continue to pay for it.
2. More of our young people will continue to be killed and wounded. At this point, over 2500 have been killed in Iraq.
3. The Republicans will not raise the minimum wage. Your kid will never move out of the house.
4. The No Child Left Behind Act will continue to go unfunded.
5. The military will continue to get more aggressive in recruiting. Now they've raised the maximum age for enlistment.
6. The Republicans will play politics with voting. Yesterday, the GOP voted to delay the renewal of the Voting Rights Act! INCREDIBLE!
7. The religious right will influence your daily life. (Pat Robertson and his friends will decide what your kids will learn in school.)
8. Bill Frist will continue to diagnose comatose patients via video tape.
9. The corruption will continue. The Republican fundraiser scandals will go unchecked and probably get bolder.
10. The Republicans, who still believe the world is flat, will do nothing to stop global warming.

The choice is yours.

Amnesty For Terrorists? Are You Kidding Me?

Americablog found this and posted it. Two U.S. soldiers were found brutally murdered in Iraq. Now 19 Republican senators want to give amnesty to terrorists who killed American troops. Americablog found the voting record at the U.S. Senate web page.

The 19 Republican Senators voting for amnesty were:

Allard (R-CO) Bond (R-MO) Bunning (R-KY) Burns (R-MT) Coburn (R-OK) Cochran (R-MS) Cornyn (R-TX)

DeMint (R-SC) Enzi (R-WY) Graham (R-SC) Hagel (R-NE) Inhofe (R-OK) Kyl (R-AZ) Lott (R-MS)

McCain (R-AZ) Sessions (R-AL) Stevens (R-AK) Thomas (R-WY) Warner (R-VA)

These Senators should be ashamed of themselves. If one of them is your senator, call them and give them a piece of your mind.

The Democratic Underground has a link to a video called "Just A Number" at Peace Takes Courage.

More Ohio Corruption

Here we go again: In today's Columbus Dispatch, readers are notified that more people associated the the Republican Taft administration have been charged by a federal grand jury investigating the problems in the Ohio's Bureau of Workers' Compensation. The Dispatch lists those people charged during the ongoing investigation of the BWC. For complete details see the Dispatch:

Thomas Noe (Coingate and Republican fundraiser: indicted on 53 felony charges, trial this fall)
Terrence Gasper (former CFO of the BWC: pleaded guilty to state and federal charges)
Ohio Gov. Bob Taft, Republican (ethics charges: pleaded no contest)
Brian Hicks (former chief of staff for Taft: ethics charge, pleaded no contest)
Cherie Carroll (Hick's former assistant: ethics charge: pleaded no contest)
J. Douglas Moorman (former Taft aide: ethics charges, pleaded no contest)
Michael Lewis and Daniel O'Neill (brokers who did business with the BWC: indicted yesterday)


Remember: a suspect is innocent until proven guilty.

Incompetence

This morning, there is news that North Korea plans to do a "test" of its missile system. While this administration got us into an unnecessary war, the enemy we should have watched has gotten stronger. If anything happens to the U.S. or one of our allies, the Bush administration is to blame for its incompetence.

McHenry (NC-R-10th): Chickenhawk

Republican Rep. Patrick McHenry, a brand new congress member from North Carolina, gave a speech the other day about "staying the course" in Iraq. When I looked at McHenry's bio on his congressional web page, I didn't notice anything about time served in the military. Obviously, McHenry must think it is okay for others to serve and sacrifice while he sits at home attacking Liberals. Mr. McHenry says that Liberals advocate "cut and run." No, Mr. McHenry, is wrong. Many Liberals and others advocate bringing our troops home or at least to redeploy. If Mr. McHenry is so pro-war, why isn't he enlisting in the military? He is still within the acceptable enlistment age. Someone should send him enlistment papers.

Murtha Smacks Down GOP Chickenhawk

Rep. John Murtha is a giant of a man. A decorated Marine, he speaks with authority when he speaks about our men and women in uniform. His military experience has given him the right and the moral authority to speak about the administration's policies in Iraq.

From Raw Story: (Visit Raw Story for the video)

Representative John Murtha (D-PA), in an encounter during House debate with Louis Gohmert (R-TX), challenged Gohmert with questions relating to his service, or lack of service, in the US Military.

Transcript:

Rep. Gohmert: Let me close by saying some have not had nice things to say about our colleague Mr. Murtha, and others wanting to pull out of Iraq quickly. I understand the faithful visitation that he does routinely. So i say thank god for his big heart. I say thank god for his compassion. Thank god for his visits to the wounded. Thank god for his ministering to grieving families. But thank god he was not here and prevailed after the bloodbaths at Normandy and in the Pacific or we would be here speaking Japanese or German. Thank you.

Rep. Murtha: Was the gentleman at any of those locations? Either at normandy or any of those locations?

Rep. Gohmert: You want to know which locations?

Rep. Murtha: Yeah. Normandy?

Rep. Murtha: I say were you there?

Rep. Gohmert: No, sir. I wasn't.

Rep. Murtha: Were you in Vietnam?

Rep. Gohmert: No, sir.

Rep. Murtha: Iraq?

Rep. Gohmert: No. I have been over there. I haven't been fighting.

Rep. Murtha: Boots on the ground?

Rep. Gohmert: I do admire the gentleman's compassion and all he has done for our wounded. He has done a great service that would be you, Mr. Murtha.

Incredible News

***After losing 2,500 of our men and women in Iraq and having over 18,000 wounded, Sen. Ted Stevens (AK-R) suggested that we grant amnesty to those in Iraq who have killed Americans. Here is his statement from the Miami Herald:

''I really believe we ought to try to find some way to encourage that country to demonstrate to those people who have been opposed to what we're trying to do, that it's worthwhile for them and their children to come forward and support this democracy,'' said Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska. ``And if that's amnesty, I'm for it. I'd be for it.''

Incredible! How could Stevens or anyone make a statement like that?

***Ohio Republican News: Looks like some Republicans are sick and tired of the Ohio Republican corruption: Cincy Post--

Democratic gubernatorial candidate U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland has collected nearly $1 million in campaign donations from former supporters of the Republican governor's administration that he has derided on the campaign trail, a newspaper reported.

The donors - all of whom supported Gov. Bob Taft in 1998 - include government contractors, vendors and attorneys seeking state legal work, according to a review by the (Toledo) Blade. Their contributions helped Strickland take a fundraising lead on Friday's filing deadline over his opponent in the race, Republican Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell.

Since Taft's no-contest plea and conviction last summer on ethics charges, Strickland and the Democrats have made him and several convicted aides the subject of their campaign attacks, drawing distinctions between their political style and strategies and what they call the Republicans' "culture of corruption."

What is the expression.....abandoning a sinking ship....?

It is clear that those donors and others realize that a Gov. Blackwell would be no different that a Gov. Taft. Blackwell has been in the Ohio government for years and he knows how the corruption works in the state because he has seen it. Didn't he fix the elections? Now these former GOP donors want to get on the winning side of the Democrats. They know that with a Democrat running the state, progress can actually be made and their businesses and organizations will prosper.

Bush Wants YOUR Sacrifice and Patience

Yesterday, the President said the following, as quoted in the New York Times, "The challenges that remain are serious," Mr. Bush said, "and they will require more sacrifice and patience."

According to the Iraq Coalition Casualty site, we've lost 2500 of our men and women in Iraq. How many more will have to die for Bush's blunder? Visit the Memory Hole for pictures of the flag draped coffins and the wounded that your government doesn't want you to see. Visit the HBO website and read the Last Letters Home: Voices of American Troops from the Battlefields of Iraq. Isn't it time to bring our sons and daughters home?

Republican Election Strategy

More and more evidence is coming out on how the Republicans will conduct their campaign to keep control of the U.S. House and the Senate:

1. They will say 9/11 9/11 9/11 9/11 9/11 9/11 9/11 9/11 9/11 9/11.
2. As a poster over at Americablog indicated, the Republican Party will threaten to sue TV/radio stations that broadcast MOVE ON.ORG ads.
3. The Republicans will buy every flag in the country and put them behind every Republican candidate.

However, the Republicans will NOT discuss an exit strategy from Iraq, their failure to plan for the insurgents, and why they still haven't captured Osama Bin Laden.

Guess what folks? We got confirmation on the Republican strategy: Found at Think Progress:

On Thursday, the House of Representatives will hold a debate on the Iraq war. Media reports say Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) “hopes to match the serious, dignified tone of deliberation that preceded the Gulf war, in 1991.”

ThinkProgress has obtained a “Confidential Messaging Memo” from Boehner instructing his caucus to conduct a very different kind of deliberation. Here’s a quick summary:

1. Exploit 9/11. The two page memo mentions 9/11 seven times. It describes debating Iraq in the context of 9/11 as “imperative.”

2. Attack opponents ad hominem. The memo describes those who opposes President Bush’s policies in Iraq as “sheepish,” “weak,” and “prone to waver endlessly.”

3. Create a false choice. The memo says the decision is between supporting President Bush’s policies and hoping terrorist threats will “fade away on their own.”

You can read the confidential memo for yourself HERE.

Rove Attacks Rep. Murtha and Sen. Kerry

Karl Rove, college drop out and receipient of 3 draft deferments, was trying to smear Rep. John Murtha (PA-D) and Senator John Kerry (MA-D). Capitol Hill Blue has Rove's quote from the Washington Post: Rove... accused Democratic critics of the war like Sen. John Kerry and Rep John Murtha of cowardice, "cutting and running." Said Rove, according to The Washington Post, "They may be with you for the first shots. But they're not going ... to be with you for the tough battles."

According the Murtha's website:
U.S. Rep. John P. Murtha has dedicated his life to serving his country both in the military and in the halls of Congress. He had a long and distinguished 37-year career in the U.S. Marine Corps, retiring from the Marine Corps Reserve as a colonel in 1990; and he has been serving the people of the 12th Congressional District since 1974, one of only 131 people in the nation's history to have served more than 30 years in the U.S. House of Representatives and one of only 224 Members of Congress who have served 30 or more years....

This is from Kerry's official website:
...John Kerry volunteered to serve in Vietnam, because, as he later said, "it was the right thing to do." He believed that “to whom much is given, much is required.” And he felt he had an obligation to give something back to his country. John Kerry served two tours of duty. On his second tour, he volunteered to serve on a Swift Boat in the river deltas, one of the most dangerous assignments of the war. For his leadership, courage, and sacrifice under fire, he was decorated with a Silver Star, a Bronze Star with Combat V, and three Purple Hearts...

Why does Rove feel the need to attack distinguished American military veterans? Does he feel inadequate?

Why do the Republicans claim to support the troops, but once they are not in Iraq or on the battlefield, they attack veterans and cut their benefits? We all support the troops, but the Republicans have failed to demonstrate their respect by protecting, respecting, providing veterans' benefits (The Republicans now have hospitalized vets pay for their own food!) and honoring the American military. When Rove attacks Murtha and Kerry, he dishonors all vets. The Republicans are willing to send our young men and women to war, but they refuse to help them and respect their views once they are off the battlefield.

I Miss Bill

I saw a bumper sticker the other day that read "I Miss Bill."

Do you remember when Bill Clinton was President? Those were the days. Crime was decreased because people had jobs. Education actually had federal funding. Social Security was secure. Unemployment was very low. We had peace and prosperity. People had health insurance because they had jobs. Veterans' benefits were actually provided to veterans. College graduates got jobs and didn't have overwhelming college loan debts. The corruption only came from the Republican side of the aisle (Wait! It still does!). We had an administration that protected the environment. Our President was intelligent and spoke in clear, concise sentences. It seems so long ago.

Ohio Newspaper Editors: Duh! What voter fraud?

Don't you just love it when an article confirms your opinion of someone? Editor and Publisher spoke to some Ohio newspaper editors about the Rolling Stone article about Ohio election fraud to get their opinion. I could have told you what they would say before they said it. First, the newspaper editors are conservatives because they never, ever would say anything that would cause them to lose advertising dollars or readership. Second, they do not have the courage to do real investigative reporting about the Ohio government (other than the Toledo Blade on Coingate) because it would have brought the Taft government to its knees.

According to the article, the editor of the Plain Dealer didn't even read the Rolling Stone article. What a surprise! We have another person in power who refuses to learn the truth.

News from Columbus Ohio

**Yesterday, Republican Sen. John McCain was the commencement speaker for the graduation ceremony at The Ohio State University. 7,643 degrees were awarded at the spring ceremony. Ohio State has graduations four times per school year, at the end of each quarter.

**Anyone who went to school in Columbus Ohio in the 60's, 70's, and 80's will mourn the passing of Flippo the Clown. Flippo, Marvin Fishman, hosted the "Early Show" on WBNS-TV and was a favorite of college students here in central Ohio.

Another Loss

Ohio has lost another young person in Iraq. Announcement from DOD:

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. 1st Class Daniel B. Crabtree, 31, of Canton, Ohio, died in Al Kut, Iraq, of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. Crabtree was assigned to the Army National Guard's 2nd Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group, Columbus, Ohio.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Crabtree had been a police officer before joining the military. LINK

The American military deaths in Iraq is rapidly approaching 2,500 and still there is no exit strategy.

If you will be in Columbus, Ohio, you may want to stop and view the EMPTY BOOTS:

Ohio Statehouse West Lawn
High St. Downtown Columbus
(from Broad to State Streets)
Opening Ceremony 11:00 am Monday, June 12th, 2006
Exhibition will run through Wednesday, June 14th, 2006

American Friends Service Committee’s widely-acclaimed exhibition on the human cost of the Iraq War, makes a 3-day stop in Columbus as part of a 70 city international tour.

Ann Coulter is the Face of the Republican Party

Ann Coulter is the face of the Republican Party. Remember that every single time you think of Republicans. Here in Ohio, Rod Parsley's World Harvest Church, invited Ann Coulter to speak at an information meeting several months ago. When you invite, schedule, and sponsor someone like Coulter, you are associating yourself with her beliefs. Therefore, it would be safe to assume that most members of the World Harvest Church agree with Ann Coulter. There is a picture of Ann Coulter with Alan Keyes and Rev. Rod Parsley.

With all that Coulter has said in attacking the widows of 9/11, we have not heard any Republican leaders objecting to her views. Do the Republicans agree with her? Do they support her views? Do they agree with the names she has called these widows? I think that Republicans agree with Coulter. By not condemning her views, the Republicans show us that they support Coulter. This is why the Republican Party is so out of touch with mainstream Americans.

Another Day, More Ohio GOP Corruption

There is an interesting article about how the Ohio GOP rigged the 2004 election and this time the names include both Tom and Bernadette Noe. Media Monitors has the story and here is an excerpt:

...The dirty tricks in Lucas Country started long before election day. For instance, the Democratic headquarters was broken into and key voter data was stolen.

In the months before the election, when voting rights activists tried to challenge the Republican Secretary of State, Ken Blackwell's partisan handling of provisional ballots in court, Tom Noe intervened on Blackwell's behalf. Blackwell also served as co-chair for the Ohio Bush-Cheney campaign,

While Tom handled the court business, Bernadette worked to reverse the Ohio tradition of allowing provisional ballots to be cast in precincts other than the one in which voters were registered and helped disenfranchise many inner-city Toledo Democratic voters.

On November 2, 2004, during the election, inner city voting machines broke down and polls opened late. The Toledo Blade reported that the sole machine at the Birmingham polling site in east Toledo broke down at about 7 am, and that per order of Secretary Blackwell, there were no paper ballots available for backup....

And...The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that GOP candidate for governor is trying to discourage voting. Won't these Republicans ever stop trying to interfere with the citizen's right to vote? Will Republicans continue to lie, cheat, and steal in order to keep control of Ohio and the country??? It looks like the GOP will go to any lengths, to stay in power. When will Ohioans throw the Republican bums out of office?

Olbermann and Letterman

Last night both Keith Olbermann and David Letterman had a few things to say about Ann Coulter's book and her recent remarks.

Crooks and Liars has the video from Keith Olbermann of MSNBC's Countdown.

David Letterman (sorry I don't have the video) said the following about Coulter (I'm paraphrasing): Al Gore's new movie "An Inconvenient Truth" is in the theaters. Gore is going to do a new movie about Ann Coulter and it will be called "An Inconvenient Bitch." I guess you can say Letterman has no love for Coulter.

Ohio Republicans Messing With Voting

Ohio's voting fiasco has come to the attention of the New York Times.

...The latest sign that Republicans have an election-year strategy to shut down voter registration drives comes from Ohio. As the state gears up for a very competitive election season this fall, its secretary of state, J. Kenneth Blackwell, has put in place "emergency" regulations that could hit voter registration workers with criminal penalties for perfectly legitimate registration practices. The rules are so draconian they could shut down registration drives in Ohio....

...But there is one clear way that Ohio's election system is corrupt. Decisions about who can vote are being made by a candidate for governor. Mr. Blackwell should hand over responsibility for elections to a decision maker whose only loyalty is to the voters and the law.

Ohio is a shining example of Republican corruption. Congratulations, Republicans, for corrupting everything you touch!

Raw Story: Ohio's two Republican Senators DeWine and Voinovich wanted to bring the ban on gay marriage to a vote. DeWine and Voinovich must feel like their being attacked by gays so much so that they would waste valuable time to vote on this Republican political ploy. Shame on DeWine and Voinovich! Don't they know there are more pressing issues in this country than banning gay marriage???? For heaven's sake, Ohio has lost 110 young men and women in Iraq. Why aren't they debating the reason for the war? What about doing something for the gulf coast? How about those Ohio jobs we don't have? Why aren't they talking about rising college tuition?

A.M. Horror Show

It was like watching a horror show---right wing skank, Ann Coulter, was on the Today Show. Coulter was her usual frightening self. She looked a little hung over and the dark roots of her hair needed a touch up. She seemed unable to comprehend some of the questions Matt Lauer asked. I did hear the Today Show crowd boo her a couple of times.

Is Coulter the only woman who still supports the Republican Party?

Operation: Wasting Time

You know things are tough for the Republicans when they start having debates on topics that only distract people from the tough issues of the day. All the Republicans are doing now is wasting time, money, and energy. As Senator Reid of Nevada said today, according to Raw Story: According to Reid, the Republicans will be debating...

A new energy policy? NO.

Will we debate the raging war in Iraq? NO.

Will we address our staggering national debt? NO.

Will we address the seriousness of global warming – NO

Will we address the aging of America? NO.

Will we address America’s education dilemma? NO.

Will we address rising crime statistics? NO.

Will we debate our county’s trade imbalance? NO.

Will we debate Stem Cell Research? NO.

But what we will spend most of the week on is a constitutional amendment that will fail by a large margin, a constitutional amendment on Same Sex Marriage—an effort that failed to pick up a simple majority, when we recently voted on it. Remember, an Amendment to our Constitution requires 67 votes.....

It is no wonder that the Republicans have lost the support and the respect of the American people. They are clearly out of touch.

My husband and I have been married for over thirty years. During those years we've never ever felt like our marriage was being attacked by gays. (Where the heck do these Republicans come up with these issues????) All the Republicans are trying to do is distract us from the real problems in our nation. These Republicans are trying to appease the far right religious extremists in this country. Shame on the Republicans.

Republicans: Incompetent

Today President George W. Bush and his Republican Party will start attacking gays. Will Vice President Cheney be in the Rose Garden when Bush gives his speech for an amendment to ban gay marriage? It is clear that the Republican Party and their leadership just don't understand the real problems facing Americans today. The Republicans would rather fly flags and attack gays instead of showing real leadership by working on problems this nation faces. Shame on this Republican administration and their elected officials. Yesterday, Democratic Senator Joe Biden of Delaware said it best as he spoke with Tim Russert about the Republicans. Here are some excerpts: (Transcript from Meet the Press, June 4, 2006)

MR. RUSSERT: The president used his radio address yesterday, and tomorrow in the Rose Garden, to talk about a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.

SEN. BIDEN: You know, think about this. The world’s going to Hades in a handbasket. We are desperately concerned about the circumstance relating to avian flu—we don’t have enough vaccines, we don’t have enough police officers—and we’re going to debate, the next three weeks, I’m told, gay marriage, a flag amendment, and God only knows what else....

and....

SEN. BIDEN: A fascinating thing Katrina did. Katrina not only blew away the Gulf, it blew away the illusion that these guys were competently able to deal with the real problems that Americans face. And I think this just highlights the fact they have no intention, they have no plan, to deal with health care. They have no plan to deal with our national security. They have no plan to deal with the energy crisis. They have no—I mean, gasoline’s going up an incredible amount. I’ve got a bill, along with others, saying, look, make every single automobile company—by the year 2008 or 9, depending on which one you pick—have flex-fuel automobiles. Make every gas station in America have to have a flex-fuel pump. That would fundamentally begin to alter importation....

Incompetent: The word accurately describes the Republicans. The control the entire federal government and the state of Ohio and they've achieved absolutely NOTHING.

Republican Hypocrisy

1. Republican Sen. Norm Coleman voted against port security 5 times. What a jerk! LINK

2. This week both the Republican controlled Senate and the House will debate protecting marriage and flag burning. These are the top two most important items on the Republican agenda. Are they nuts???? The country is going down the tubes with rising interest rates, loss of jobs, lack of funding for No Child Left Behind, a senior drug benefit program that rewards drug companies, rising college tuition, poor port security, a plan to cut air traffic controllers and hire people at minimum wage, rising gas prices, a heavy dependence on imported oil, an FDA that is controlled by right wing zealots, a failure to assist in the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast, etc, etc, etc. No wonder 70% of Americans believe this country in on the wrong track.

Need more info about GOP corruption? Try these sites:
http://www.slate.com/id/2110601/
http://www.benfrank.net/nuke/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=304
http://liberalslikechrist.org/about/gopcorruption.html
http://www.campustimes.org/media/storage/paper371/news/2005/11/17/Opinions/Gop-Corruption.Threatens.The.Nation-1107929.shtml?norewrite200606041431&sourcedomain=www.campustimes.org
http://www.politicalcortex.com/keyword/GOP%20corruption
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2006/06/04/MNGAKJ85GJ1.DTL&type=politics
http://www.rushlimbaughonline.com/articles/republican_corruption.htm
http://www.opednews.com/votergate2004.htm
http://corruptrepub.blogspot.com/2005/08/target-corrupt-republican-ohio.html
http://www.columbusdispatch.com/news-story.php?story=166155

Get a Daily Dose of Stephanie Miller and Keith Olbermann

I start my day by listening to the Stephanie Miller Show. Stephanie's radio program is part of the Jones Radio Network. If Stephanie's show is not available in your area, visit http://www.stephaniemiller.com for more information.

Keith Olbermann's Countdown on MSNBC is part of our regular viewing habits in our house. Last night, Keith, put the smackdown on Bill O'Reilly. Apparently, O'Reilly continues to blame WWII American troops for a massacre that took place in Malmedy, France. The massacre was done by the Nazis. O'Reilly, who professes to not spin, is just plain lying about Malmedy. Why does O'Reilly hate American troops? I think that every VFW branch in the USA should write and call O'Reilly and force him to correct his mistake. To view the Keith Olbermann tape from last night, visit Crooks and Liars: Olbermann exposes O'Reilly on Malmedy.

Did Ohio Republicans Fix Elections in 2004?

The article, Was the 2004 Election Stolen? has been posted at the Rolling Stone website. As a person living in Ohio, the center of Republican corruption, I believe that it is very possible. Here is an excerpt from the article:

....The reports were especially disturbing in Ohio, the critical battleground state that clinched Bush's victory in the electoral college. Officials there purged tens of thousands of eligible voters from the rolls, neglected to process registration cards generated by Democratic voter drives, shortchanged Democratic precincts when they allocated voting machines and illegally derailed a recount that could have given Kerry the presidency. A precinct in an evangelical church in Miami County recorded an impossibly high turnout of ninety-eight percent, while a polling place in inner-city Cleveland recorded an equally impossible turnout of only seven percent. In Warren County, GOP election officials even invented a nonexistent terrorist threat to bar the media from monitoring the official vote count....

...A review of the available data reveals that in Ohio alone, at least 357,000 voters, the overwhelming majority of them Democratic, were prevented from casting ballots or did not have their votes counted in 2004(12) -- more than enough to shift the results of an election decided by 118,601 votes.(13) (See Ohio's Missing Votes) In what may be the single most astounding fact from the election, one in every four Ohio citizens who registered to vote in 2004 showed up at the polls only to discover that they were not listed on the rolls, thanks to GOP efforts to stem the unprecedented flood of Democrats eager to cast ballots.(14) And that doesn?t even take into account the troubling evidence of outright fraud, which indicates that upwards of 80,000 votes for Kerry were counted instead for Bush. That alone is a swing of more than 160,000 votes -- enough to have put John Kerry in the White House (15).....

Do yourself a favor and read the article at Rolling Stone.

Is Santorum Tanking?

It appears that all the fuss about Republican Sen. Rick Santorum's residency might be contributing to his falling poll numbers. According to Angus Reid, Democratic candidate Bob Casey has widened his lead. Here is an excerpt: Democratic Party candidate Bob Casey has extended his advantage in Pennsylvania’s election to the United States Senate, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 56 per cent of respondents in the Keystone State would vote for Casey, while 33 per cent would support Republican incumbent Rick Santorum....

Bruce is Still the Boss

Last night I had privilege of seeing Bruce Springsteen in concert at the Germain Amphitheater. Bruce is currently on a world tour to promote his new album, We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions. One of his most moving songs was "Bring Them Home" and I don't think there was a dry eye in the audience. Although I've seen Springsteen in concert many times before, I can honestly say that this was definitely one of my favorites. Bruce was inspiring, fun, and absolutely phenomenal.

To get a real review of the concert, read Curtis Schieber's piece in the Dispatch. Pictures from the show can be found here. If you are interested, the Dispatch also has a story about the rise of protest songs as President Bush's failures increase.


****With the Bush administration cutting more funding for research, it is important that we as citizens do our part to help promote science and research. If you are interested in providing support for the American Cancer Society, I'd suggest you visit the website for the Columbus Cattle Baron's Ball and see how you can help this important event.

Santorum Story Won't Stop

Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) has his panties in a "frist." Apparently, Santorum and his family call a small home in Penn Hills, PA, as their Pennsylvania residence. However, the Penn Hills house is empty, with tall grass growing around the house. Santorum wants to know how someone found out that there was no furniture in the house. He is accusing Democrats of trespassing on his precious property. The Santorums even had the Capitol police dispatched to check on his empty house.

However, the point is, Santorum does not reside in Pennsylvania. His huge, huge, huge home in Leesburg, Virginia is the Santorum family's home. Santorum cannot and should not represent Pennsylvania.

Santorum's house stories: Post-Gazette
WTAE KDKA 2.KDKA Penn Hills Philadelphia Daily News San Luis Obispo Trib Philadelphia Inquirer

Kenny, Jeff, and Bill

We were doing some happy dancing here when the guilty verdicts were announced for Enron's Ken Lay and Jeffrey Skilling. Although I hope they serve long, long, prison sentences, I have a bad feeling that President Bush will pardon his old friend, 'Kenny boy.'

Bill O'Reilly is very ignorant. Of course you knew that. O'Reilly said that young people don't know what is happening in the world. Media Matters has documented O'Reilly:

Here is an excerpt:
...During the May 23 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor, Bill O'Reilly asserted that "[m]any Americans ages 18 to 24 have no idea what's going on," stating that they "get their news from [Comedy Central host] Jon Stewart and their point of view from bomb-throwing entertainers." In fact, studies have shown that viewers of Comedy Central's The Daily Show with John Stewart are consistently better informed about current events than consumers of other media, and Daily Show viewers are considerably better educated than viewers of The O'Reilly Factor. Further, consumers of Fox News in general have been found to be significantly more misinformed about current events than consumers of other mainstream media.

In 2004, the nonpartisan Annenberg Public Policy Center released its National Annenberg Election Survey, which found Daily Show viewers to be better informed on campaign issues than consumers of other late-night television programs, newspapers, network news, or cable news. In a press release, Annenberg senior analyst Dannagal Goldthwaite Young said: "Daily Show viewers have higher campaign knowledge than national news viewers and newspaper readers -- even when education, party identification, following politics, watching cable news, receiving campaign information online, age, and gender are taken into consideration."

So there, Bill.

Santorum's Pennsylvania Residence Status in Question

Wonkette has an interesting post about Republican Sen. Rick Santorum's so called residence in Penn Hills, PA. Really? How can Santorum claim that this clearly abandoned 2 bedroom house in Penn Hills is his official residence???? There is another link from Santorum Exposed that puts into question Santorum's claim of his residence. Pittsburgh television station KDKA even has a story about the so called residence.

Immigration Debate

Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator Chuck Schumer, and other Democratic Senators are supporting a practical solution to the immigration problem. Here is the plan as described by the New York Post in the following excerpt:

Sens. Chuck Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton yesterday joined other Democrats in a push to let all 12 million illegal aliens become citizens - but it was decisively defeated.

Only Democrats voted for the full-legalization measure, which lost 61-37 as the Senate struggled to hold a bipartisan coalition in favor of legalization for most - but not all - illegal aliens.

Schumer said he backed the full-legalization measure because it sets "a very tough path to citizenship" and requires "learning English, working for 10 years and only missing 45 days [of work], paying a fine and staying on the straight and narrow."

However.......

Rep. Mike Pence (R-Indiana) yesterday proposed a possible compromise that would allow illegal aliens to apply for temporary jobs without the possibility of citizenship - but only if they return to their home countries to apply.
House Homeland Security Committee chairman Pete King (R-L.I.), who opposes any legalization, yesterday said Pence's approach "is certainly worth considering."

In my humble opinion, Pence's suggestion does not seem workable. I think the plan is idiotic. How do illegal immigrants apply for a temporary job? Do they go to a special location? Who will handle the paperwork? Who finds the jobs? Will Pence find them temporary jobs? Pence believes that everyone who is here illegally would just go home????? Pence needs to come back to reality.

Which plan do you think is practical? Has anyone else noticed that everything the Republicans touch or try to fix just turns into a bigger mess?

Here is an interesting post at Daily Kos. Lies told by the Republicans and this administration (the list is quite long!):

Tom DeLay is like Jesus Christ.
No one could have anticipated that the levees would be breached.
We do not torture.
There is no global warming....

Lobbyists $$Love$$ Republicans

The Ohio Republicans in Washington certainly know how to rake in the big money from lobbyists. Although some Democrats have taken money from lobbyists, it is a pittance compared to the Republican money. The Cleveland Plain Dealer has the story. Here are some excerpts:

House Majority Leader John Boehner of West Chester, Ohio, got $734,868...

House Financial Services Committee Chairman Michael Oxley of Findlay ranked seventh in the House of Representatives with $711,494...

Mike DeWine of Ohio ranked 24th in lobbyists' donations, with $474,363. George Voinovich ranked 67th with $209,970....

The top political donor among lobbyists, H. Stewart Van Scoyoc, gave $339,132 to members of Congress. The wife of Rep. Steve LaTourette, a Concord Township Republican, works for Van Scoyoc's lobbying firm but wasn't listed as a big donor. LaTourette, whose $134,877 take from lobbyists ranked 111th in Congress, didn't get money from Van Scoyoc, Federal Election Commission records show...

Wow! Those Republicans certainly know how to bring in the dough. I wonder if it influences their votes. What do you think?

Can someone explain why Sen. Brownback (KS-R) would be so obsessed with shoes????? According to The Hill:

Late last week, Brownback introduced a total of 17 bills to suspend temporarily the duties on different types of footwear.

Among the offerings: S. 2847, to “reduce temporarily the duty on certain footwear with open toes or heels,” and the more catchall S. 2845, affecting “certain women’s footwear.” S. 2837, for the leather lover, would reduce the duty on “certain leather and textile footwear,” while S. 2838, affecting “certain rubber or plastic footwear,” keeps the pleather lover pleased.

Stay-at-home moms aren’t left out either: S. 2850 would “reduce temporarily the duty on certain house slippers.”

And on it goes, to cover certain footwear for men, certain other work footwear, certain athletic shoes and certain athletic footwear for men and boys...

Just asking...

Republican candidate for Ohio governor, Kenneth Blackwell, was interviewed this weekend on TV. I noticed that Blackwell had a cross in the lapel of his suit jacket. Why would any candidate wear a religious symbol in his/her lapel? Is he campaigning for the religious leader of Ohio?

Why would former coin dealer and Republican contributor Tom Noe want the location of his trial changed? Is this a measure to just try to delay his trial? Just because the Toledo Blade has documented his theft, corruption, and scandal, doesn't mean he can't get a fair trial in Toledo. I honestly believe that Noe can get a fair trial any place in Ohio. I sincerely hope he goes to jail for a long time. By the way, has anyone heard him apologize for his law-breaking? Has anyone heard his wife say she was sorry for fixing the voting machines in her county?
I'm just asking.

Raw Story indicates that Republican Rep. Marilyn Musgrave of Colorado is adored by the KKK!!!! Musgrave can't pay for this type of publicity.

Did you happen to see the HBO show Baghdad ER last night? It told the story of our brave men and women in Iraq and the wonderful medical care they get from American doctors, nurses, and EMTs who are stationed in Iraq. It was very heartbreaking. Our death toll in Iraq is now at 2,454 and we have had over 17,000 wounded American military. We need to bring our men and women home from Iraq now.

Religious Right Against Cervical Cancer Cure

The FDA Advisory Board approved a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer. Now it goes onto the FDA for, we hope, final approval. Here is the story and excerpts from the Courier-Journal:
A vaccine with the potential to greatly reduce worldwide deaths from cervical cancer, the No. 2 cancer killer in women, should be approved for sales in the United States, a federal panel said yesterday.

A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee voted 13-0 to endorse Merck and Co.'s Gardasil as safe and effective. It blocks viruses that cause cervical cancer...

...Worldwide, 400,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year and more than 200,000 die of it.

The virus, commonly called HPV, is the most common sexually transmitted disease in this country, with about 20 million people infected.

The FDA panel stressed that Gardasil does not eliminate the need for cervical-cancer screening, such as the Pap smear test, because the vaccine does not protect against all HPV strains....

HOWEVER....

...Some conservative religious groups have expressed concerns about the vaccine, arguing that it may send an implicit message to young girls that sex is OK for them....

One of those groups is the Family Research Council. I find it absolutely amazing that that anyone could be against a vaccine that could save hundreds of thousands of lives each year. The vaccine not only would save lives, but it would save women from the pain and suffering they could endure with a cancer diagnosis. As mothers, we need to make sure that our daughters and their daughters have this vaccine available. Speak up and support its use.

**On another note.... Did you see the President riding in a dune buggy at the U.S.-Mexico border? Apparently, this is part of Josh Bolton new strategy for photo ops. Unfortuntely, Bush looked rather silly, especially since he was sweating profusely under his armpits.

**Republican Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania has an empty house in Penn Hills, PA. There is no evidence that he lives there because the home is empty. Santorum spends most of his time in Virginia. KDKA has a story and video about the empty house. Perhaps people should start sending registered letters to his Penn Hills home to prove he doesn't live there.

Friday?

**The rumors are flying on the internet again. Some people are saying that Friday is the day for the Rove indictment announcement. We will see. We will keep our fingers crossed.

**The Senate committee questioning CIA nominee General Hayden has provided some tidbits about Bush's domestic spying program. Here is my summary:

(1)Republican Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas is carrying the water for the Bush administration. There is no way that any truth will be revealed with Roberts in charge.

(2)Hayden said the program is legal. I guess if you just declare it legal, then, according to the Bush administration, it must be legal.

(3)Hayden mentioned he had briefed Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH) and DeWine did not see any problems. You could tell DeWine anything and he'd agree with any line put out by the Bush administration.

(4)Hayden said he wants to do some risk-taking. I hope he isn't talking about taking risks with our civil rights!

Let me remind everyone that the terrorist attacks took place during the Bush administration even though they had been warned repeatedly and they were even warned by foreign governments. Because this administration was asleep at the wheel, we are paying for their mistakes.

**Al Gore's big movie, An Inconvenient Truth, is coming out starting May 24th, and there are some ads attacking the idea of global warming. The group in opposition to Al Gore's documentary is financially backed by big oil companies. Why do the Republicans and big oil hate the Earth?

Some People Need to Wake Up!

In the latest Rasmussen poll, 68% think this country is on the wrong track. However, I'd like to meet the 27% in the poll who believe we are on the right track. Where do they live? Do they read the news, watch reports, investigate on their own? Do they talk to other people about world events? Do they know someone who did not return from Iraq or came back with a life altering injury? Have they had to pay more for gasoline? How in the world could someone believe that this nation is headed in the right direction?

Here is an excerpt from that poll:
Thirty-three percent (33%) of men answered our survey by saying "right direction." Just 22% of women share that view.

I believe that women are definitely more in tune with what is going on and that is why only 22% think we are on the right track. If we could only get more women to vote in the next election and vote the Republicans out. Why do Republicans hate women?

Dowd: Americans Have Lost Faith in Republicans

With Bush's low approval ratings, it is clear to Dowd and many Americans that we've lost faith in this administration. Maureen Dowd's column can be found here:
A few excerpts follow:
...Many Americans have simply lost faith in the administrations ingenuity. Only a quarter of those polled had much confidence in W's ability to handle a crisis; a mere 9 percent are sure that he can successfully end the war in Iraq, and a paltry 4 percent think the administration has a clear plan for keeping gas prices down....

...If W. really cared about getting good intelligence for his war on terror, he would never have appointed Porter Goss. That wasted more than 18 months that could have been used fixing the dysfunctional agency, and drove out some good officials.

Goss, the Cheney toadie, was appointed because W. and Vice wanted him to go to Langley and do a hostile takeover to clear out suspected leakers (especially Kerry contributors), malcontents, critics of the war or anyone else who wasn't with the program.

Before the Iraq invasion, it was about fixing the intelligence around the policy. Now its about appointing yes men and enforcing loyalty. The Bush warriors didn't want good intelligence in the first place because it would have told them they were wrong about Saddams ties to al-Qaida and WMD. And now they're still more concerned with turf battles than with truth-tellers, and finding someone — anyone — who can tell us where Osama is. (Osama who?)...

Dowd does it again!

***********************
Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Don Sherwood, who considers himself as a family values candidate, won his primary. Sherwood, "acknowledged a five-year extramarital affair after his mistress accused him of choking her at his Capitol Hill apartment." Link

How is having a five-year extramarital affair a family value? His affair indicates Sherwood is a liar and a cheat. Pennsylvanians don't need Sherwood. If he has cheated on his wife and family, where else has he cheated and lied? You know that old saying, "Once a cheater, always a cheater."

***********
Is Republican Sen. Norm Coleman and his wife divorced? Apparently, she is really upset about his affairs, and late night partying. Rumor has it that they are divorced but live together to protect his career. The people of Minnesota should ask Coleman the truth.

Desperate Measures by Republicans????

Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce has hired a new campaign manager. Very interesting?

We have a flip-flop by Ohio Gov. Bob Taft. Taft now supports a treatment plan for some drug offenses even though he was against it in 2002. Flippity-floppity.

The Toledo Blade indicates that things are getting tough for Republican Rep. Bob Ney (OH-18), past friend of Jack Abramoff. Now that Ney's former chief of staff, Neil Volz, has pleaded guilty to corruption charges, how long will Ney need to wait for his own indictment????

Brian Ross, of ABC News has the following info:
The FBI acknowledged late Monday that it is increasingly seeking reporters' phone records in leak investigations.

"It used to be very hard and complicated to do this, but it no longer is in the Bush administration," said a senior federal official.

The acknowledgement followed our blotter item that ABC News reporters had been warned by a federal source that the government knew who we were calling....

How Bush Administration and GOP Raised Our Taxes

Ohio, and many states, have problems funding public schools. With the added burden of the No Child Left Behind Act, states are struggling to get the funding to follow the law. The President and the Republican-controlled Congress and Senate have not provided funding for the No Child Left Behind Act. Because of the lack of funding from the federal government, states and school districts are cutting programs and teachers to find money to put NCLB into force. Here in Ohio, school districts must raise money through school levies. When a levy gets defeated, as many do, programs and teachers are forced out. The next time the Republicans start saying they've cut your federal taxes, remind them that you are paying higher property, state, and local taxes because of No Child Left Behind.

New Developments

>The rumor mill on the internet has Karl Rove being indicted this week. However, Patrick Fitzgerald's grand jury work has gone on with few leaks. Is it possible that someone else has leaked the Rove info? If Rove gets indicted, would Bush's scheduled Monday evening speech appear as a diversion to the bad news?

>It was a horrible weekend for American troops in Iraq. A reporter needs to ask the President why he sent troops to Iraq.

>As the Democratic candidate for Ohio governor, Ted Strickland is meeting a lot of very receptive crowds. Why? Strickland makes sense and he knows that the time is ripe for change in Ohio. The Toledo Blade had a story about Strickland's campaign and here are some excerpts:
For Ted Strickland, Republican leaders have squandered Ohio's natural resources, its universities, and the talents of its 11 million residents, "just about everything a state would want to be successful."

"These people are absolutely shameful," the Democratic candidate for governor said yesterday at the Firefighters Local 92 union hall in Toledo. "Those of us who care about this state have been wandering in the wilderness for quite a while."

...Mr. Strickland said an increased minimum wage, more funding for education, and state assistance for developing alternative fuel sources would help reverse the outflow of jobs...

Are you kidding me?

Sometimes you read something and you are absolutely astounded. In the last few days, the stories coming out of Washington have been incredible. Let's review the highlights and lowlights of this week's news.

1. The Army Reserve has refused to allow officers to resign or leave the service. The IAVA has the full story.
>Isn't this involuntary servitude? How can they be forced to serve beyond their original agreed upon time?

2. NSA is spying on us. Telephone companies, according to USA Today, except for QWEST, turned over phone records of customers to the NSA. According to the article, the records were provided to the NSA without warrants. The records have now become part of a colossal super secret database maintained by the NSA.
>Hello NSA! If you're listening to my conversations about recipes, shopping, and if we need milk and butter, you must be very bored.

3. Dusty Foggo resigns. Now, Tice, the former #3 guy at the CIA is the subject of a search at his home.
>Are Dusty's hooker parties at the Watergate the reasons for the searches?

4. President Bush's approval rating, according to a new Harris Poll, is 29%.
>Could it go lower?

5. Patrick Fitzgerald met with the grand jury this week on the CIA leak case.
>Please, Fitz, can't you hurry up and indict the rest of the corrupt bunch?

Democrats Cautiously Optimistic

With the President's low approval ratings and Republicans losing support, prospects are looking good for Democrats. However, we know that Republicans like to tinker with voting machines, like Ohio's infamous Diebold voting machines.

CNN has a new poll and here is an excerpt: A CNN poll released Wednesday may continue the anxiety for the GOP, showing Democrats with a 14-point advantage over Republicans among registered voters asked their preferences in this year's midterm elections....

We can only hope that Republicans continue to drop in the polls as Americans realize that our country needs a change.

Late update: It appears that we have two American companies which are following the law----Google and Qwest. Both have refused to provide material to the government without search warrants.

Bush said that they are not trolling through our records. He lied us into war. Is he lying again?

Yo, Patrick Fitzgerald!

We're waiting. Patrick Fitzgerald's grand jury is meeting today, Wednesday, and Friday, in Washington, DC. We are all hoping for some news about the leak investigation and any new indictments. I guess we'll have to just settle for keeping an eye on the news and Fitzgerald's website.

Here is a big update: The brain of Rolling Stone Keith Richards is okay. Thank God!

Those Republicans are now dropping donations they got from Neil Volz, former staff member of Republican Rep. Bob Ney.

Here is something you don't want to hear: President George W. Bush would like to see his brother, Jeb Bush, governor of Florida, run for the White House. (I'll give you a few minutes to recover from puking.) I don't think this country could handle another miserable failure from the Bush family.

How are gas prices in your area? While the Bush family's friends get richer, the rest of us are stuck paying more for gas. Soon food prices will rise because transportation prices have increased. Here is GAS BUDDY so you can see gas prices across the nation.

Translators?

I think this government needs some translators.

Found this at Raw Story: Apparently, the letter from the president of Iran hasn't been fully translated, but Condoleeza Rice sent a reply back anyway. Really. Here is the LINK. Does this administration already have their mind made up about Iran? Just asking.

Plan B and the Republicans

The Republican controlled FDA has refused to make the emergency contraception pill known as Plan B available to women as an over the counter medicine. They've lied, blocked, and generally done everything to stop women from getting the medication.

From USA Today:
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists on Monday condemned the Food and Drug Administration for blocking over-the-counter sales of emergency contraception....
...We're not trying to promote the need for EC (emergency contraception)," said president Michael Mennuti, obstetrics and gynecology and human genetics and pediatrics professor at the University of Pennsylvania. "We're trying to promote access to it when it's needed."

In December 2003, two FDA advisory committees deemed Plan B emergency contraception safe and effective for over the counter use. FDA scientists agreed. But more than two years later FDA officials have not yet acted, and women still need a prescription for Plan B.

The FDA's inaction represents "despicable treatment of women," said Vivian Dickerson, immediate past president of the organization and a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California-Irvine. "Clearly, political interference is hampering scientific review within the agency today..."

Do the Republicans think that women are unable to take care of their own bodies? Obviously, the GOP has no respect for women.

Hayden and the 4th Amendment

The new nominee for the head of the CIA will likely face some opposition. According to the New York TimesMSNBC News, even some Republicans are a little worried about General Hayden being put in position of such responsibility. Republican Rep. Hoekstra said the following: “I do believe he’s the wrong person, the wrong place, at the wrong time,” House Intelligence Committee Chairman Peter Hoekstra, R-Mich., said on “Fox News Sunday.” “We should not have a military person leading a civilian agency at this time.”

There is also some concern that General Hayden does not fully understand the 4th Amendment to the Constitution. Editor and Publisher has information about a National Press Club appearance by Hayden that underlines his confusion. (And Bush wants this guy in charge of domestic spying??????)
The following is an excerpt from that National Press appearance as reported by Editor and Publisher:

QUESTION: Jonathan Landay with Knight Ridder. I'd like to stay on the same issue, and that had to do with the standard by which you use to target your wiretaps. I'm no lawyer, but my understanding is that the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution specifies that you must have probable cause to be able to do a search that does not violate an American's right against unlawful searches and seizures. Do you use --

GEN. HAYDEN: No, actually -- the Fourth Amendment actually protects all of us against unreasonable search and seizure.

QUESTION: But the --

GEN. HAYDEN: That's what it says.

QUESTION: But the measure is probable cause, I believe.

GEN. HAYDEN: The amendment says unreasonable search and seizure.

QUESTION: But does it not say probable --

GEN. HAYDEN: No. The amendment says --

QUESTION: The court standard, the legal standard --

GEN. HAYDEN: -- unreasonable search and seizure. .......

Here is the 4th Amendment:
'The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.'

Bush's Best Moment

Just when you think you've heard it all, something comes alongs that really surprises you. Here it is from Reuters:
U.S. President George W. Bush told a German newspaper his best moment in more than five years in office was catching a big perch in his own lake.

"You know, I've experienced many great moments and it's hard to name the best," Bush told weekly Bild am Sonntag when asked about his high point since becoming president in January 2001.

"I would say the best moment of all was when I caught a 7.5 pound (3.402 kilos) perch in my lake," he told the newspaper in an interview published on Sunday....

Notes for Friday

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

*Holy cow! It appears that the FBI is investigating a huge sex scandal involving Republicans, hookers, limousines, poker, and government contracts. The story is here.

*Did you know that 82 of our people were killed in Iraq last month?

*Republican Sen. Bill Frist really insulted the American people with his proposal to pass out $100 checks to all Americans to cover rising gas prices. Do you think Frist actually drives his own car and pumps his own gas? If he did, he'd know that $100 is nothing to the consumer. The New York Times has a story on how Frist's presidential campaign is faltering.

*Well, folks, we know how well the President and the Republicans handled the Katrina disaster. Now they have a plan on the government's response to a possible bird flu. Do you want to know what it is? Guess what? The people who told you to buy duct tape, plastic sheeting and water are now telling our nation that you are on your own if we are faced with the bird flu. On your own. According to the Bush administration, your city, county, and state should draw up their own plans because there will be no funding for a bird flu emergency. (This sounds like the No Child Left Behind Act: a federal mandate without funding.) Newsweek has an article about how some doctors and public health experts are appalled by the lack of planning that the government is doing to prepare for this possible pandemic.

Republicans Want to End Insurance Coverage for Mammograms

We have another stupid idea from the Republicans! They are proposing that insurance companies would not have to cover mammograms. Who was the Republican who came up with this stupid idea? Sen. Enzi is the culprit. The American Cancer Society is suggesting we all take action now before S.1955 passes. Contact your senators and tell them to vote NO on S.1955.

Just in case you wanted to know, Enzi, for cycle 2005-2006, received PAC money from Insurance concerns to the tune of $40,000 (from Open Secrets: list includes- AFLAC, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Mass. Mutual, Humana, Mutual of Omaha, etc. etc.). Enzi's just helping out his contributors.

Listen to What They Say

Yesterday President Bush invited some lawmakers to the White Houses to talk about rising gas prices. What did he say? Bush said, "The prices of gasoline should serve as a wake-up call to all of us involved in public office, that we have got an energy security problem and a national security problem, and now is the time to deal with it in a forceful way..."

Did you see a solution in what he said???? It is all just talk. The oil companies are in the business of making money and the Republicans are in the business of taking money from the oil companies for their campaigns.

Ponder this bit of information from Open Secrets: The 2004 Bush campaign got $2,596,725 from people/PACs associated with Oil and Gas Industries. Do you think he is going to do something to penalize his friends?

****This just in....From the New York Daily News (Republicans eating their own!):
Republican senate candidate John Spencer was accused of being a bigamist by a top adviser to his leading rival for the nomination.

Ed Rollins, a longtime GOP operative working on KT McFarland's campaign, said on New York 1's "Inside City Hall" Tuesday that Spencer had basically maintained two families at the same time while mayor of Yonkers.

Spencer "runs around saying, 'I'm a good Catholic. I'm this, I'm that,'" he said. "A lot of Catholics in this state, that's bigamy, where I come from."

Spencer's affair with his chief of staff while he was married has been well-reported. Before divorcing his first wife and marrying the chief of staff, he and the staffer had two children. They later had a third child.

Could Another Republican Majority Be Dangerous?

We know that our country is involved in horrible wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, if the Republicans retained a majority in the House and the Senate, could it be dangerous for our country?

Would the Republicans try to "reform" social security again?
Would the Republicans expand the powers of the President?
Would the Republicans give the President the power to go into a dangerous war in Iraq?
Would the Republican scandals threaten the security of our country?
Since there are no investigations of ethics scandals being conducted by the Republicans, would another Republican majority create more scandals and more influence pedaling?
Members of this Republican administration outted an undercover CIA agent. What other dangerous activities could they carry out if they were given the chance?

The operative word here is DANGEROUS. Would it be dangerous to let the Republicans maintain a majority?

Massa: A Tough Democrat

Democrat Eric Massa is getting increasing support for his run for New York's 29th congressional district. Massa and other "fighting Democrats" are gaining attention because they have served in our country's military.

From the Free Market News: ...Jim Webb, like fellow Fighting Dems Andrew Horne in Kentucky and Tammy Duckworth in Illinois and Eric Massa in New York are soldiers who bring a sobering sensibility to the Democratic Party. As Webb’s 2002 Washington Post essay and his many other writings bring out, his is a character-based sensibility, honed in duty, sacrifice and civic responsibility...

The Evening Tribune shows Massa supporting worker safety:

...Eric Massa of Corning, the Democratic challenger to U.S. Rep. John “Randy” Kuhl, R-29th, stressed the importance of remembering “the men and women who gave their lives on the job.”

Massa also discussed how the middle class is dwindling, saying “working people are under attack.”

“We have elected representatives who have lost touch with what it's like to pay a mortgage, buy a dinner or fill a tank of gas,” he said. “We'd like to leave a future at least as equally bright as the one our parents left to us.

“The sacrifices by the 30 generations who came before us will not be forgotten,” Massa added. “It's important we do not lose the value and significance of their sacrifices.”

Massa makes some good points. We must protect workers on the job site and pay people decent wages. When is the last time some of these Republicans paid for their own lunch or dinner? Remember when Trent Lott got upset at the prospect of limiting lobbyist lunches to a $20 value? Many working people would love to have $20 for lunch or dinner. However, with high gas prices and no wage increases in recent years, some workers are giving up lunch.

High Gas Prices

*People are absolutely angry (USA Today) about the price of gasoline. How can these Republicans work to control the oil companies when they get thousands and thousands of dollars in contributions from people associated with the oil companies? The oil companies have bought influence with the Republicans and they are getting it. The Republican controlled legislative branch will not do anything to hurt the gravy train provided by the oil companies. What part does Cheney play in the high cost of gasoline?

*Here is a question to ponder---Why did Jack Abramoff visit the White House almost 200 times in the first ten months of the Bush administration? The Mercury News has an article which states---

...Abramoff was a $100,000 fundraiser for Bush and lobbying records obtained by the AP show his lobbying team logged nearly 200 meetings with the administration during its first 10 months in office on behalf of one of his clients, the Northern Mariana Islands.

The contacts between Abramoff's team and the administration included meetings with Attorney General John Ashcroft and policy advisers to Vice President Dick Cheney, the AP reported last year.

Why was Abramoff granted this access???

Poor Poll Numbers--Again!

Don't you wonder what the Bushies are saying about their ever decreasing poll numbers? There are some new poll numbers and Raw Story found the USA Today/Gallup results: 34% job approval for Bush. A CBS News Poll puts Bush's approval at 33%. Ouch!

Are you surprised that Tom Cruise is not popular among women? Cruise's attack on Brooke Shields and his promotion of a "quiet birth" for his girlfriend, Katie Holmes, are not winning him female fans. We women should vote not to go to this latest Cruise movie. Media Bistro has information on Cruise's low Q scores.

And....From the Democratic Underground: The Republicans are hurting the troops again! Why do Republicans hate our troops? Bob Geiger has some insight---
...The latest smackdown came this week when Senate Republicans voted to take $1.9 billion from President Bush's funding request for the Iraq war and use that money to boost border security. S.Amdt. 3594, sponsored by Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) was intended to pay for new aircraft, patrol boats, and land vehicles and to bolster checkpoints and a fence along the U.S.-Mexico border crossing near San Diego.

The problem and the bald-faced hypocrisy comes in Gregg's amendment, which passed 59-39, funding border security by grabbing money that would have provided body armor, tools to defeat improvised explosive devices for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and money for training the Iraqi security forces....

These GOP people have no shame!

Did you hear that Republican Rep. Hastert met with the CEO of EXXON today? Did you also know that Hastert got $92,000 from people and PACs associated with the oil and gas industry? That $92,000 is just for the 2005-2006 campaign cycle, according to Open Secrets.
Coincidence? Don't you think they'd be a little too friendly to take the average consumer into consideration?