Mike Luckovich

By 8 To 5 Andy

May 26, 2006 08:03 AM | Link to this

I will not be posting in this blog at all today. When you see my name, and it will have all kinds of mindless liberal hate attached to it, remember that you are talking to Wanker N-GA or some other filthy little parasite. They will try to turn this into an open sewer using my name because it is where they are most comfortable, living and playing in excrement.

By seeker

May 26, 2006 08:04 AM | Link to this

The Respect MP George Galloway has said it would be morally justified for a suicide bomber to murder Tony Blair.

In an interview with GQ magazine, the reporter asked him: “Would the assassination of, say, Tony Blair by a suicide bomber - if there were no other casualties - be justified as revenge for the war on Iraq?”

Mr Galloway replied: “Yes, it would be morally justified. I am not calling for it - but if it happened it would be of a wholly different moral order to the events of 7/7. It would be entirely logical and explicable. And morally equivalent to ordering the deaths of thousands of innocent people in Iraq - as Blair did.”

So what’s wrong with that?

By seeker

May 26, 2006 08:05 AM | Link to this

Will the Congressional Black Caucus step front and center on those and other issues that affect the quality of life of black America? Don’t bet on it.

And don’t bet on the mainstream media, which slides into situational mode even when the Democrats haven’t submitted a press release as its request. For example, in February 2005, Howard Dean stood alongside black Democrats, including members of the black caucus, and delivered these racist remarks: “You think the Republican National Committee could get this many people of color in a single room? Only if they had the hotel staff in here.” That was last year.

Need a more current example of situational journalism and the black caucus? An elected official trying to gain entry into a federal office building is denied access because she is not wearing the one thing that would surely grant her a rite of passage. After initial news stories, the mainstream media tries to spin the tale off this particular donkey, Rep. Cynthia McKinney, by questioning the tactics of the law enforcers.

Here’s another. An elected official is videotaped in an FBI corruption probe that already has nabbed one of that official’s former aides. The elected official is Rep. William Jefferson and the former aide is Brett Pfeffer, who pleaded guilty in January to bribery charges. Earlier this month, a business associate also pleaded guilty in the political corruption case. Mr. Jefferson, meanwhile, was videotaped with the money in his hands, and during a raid of his D.C. home law enforcers found $90,000 in cold cash in the congressman’s freezer. Innocent until proven guilty.

You can’t touch us because we’ll play the race card and call you a bigot. And the our media harpies will pile on you’re a-ss. The truth does not matter to us!

By Liberal Texas Democrat

May 26, 2006 08:07 AM | Link to this

I guess it’s an excellent cartoon, but what’s American Idol? See, I’ve ner watched that. Please, ya’ll, excuse the carry over from yesterday

“BD: “Your heirs will have to sell everything to pay those taxes, and if their [sic] lucky they might end up with the chicken coop.” Oh, is that why Anderson Cooper had to take that job with CNN? Is Gloria’s estate planning that lacking? The question was, “When and where has this happened, and under what circumstance?”

/sarcasm off

By seeker

May 26, 2006 08:07 AM | Link to this

I see Hater has really only promised not to post under his own moniker. Instead, he’s decided to hijack my name!

I guess I should be flattered.

As so many other people here have asked… Hater, please grow up.

By seeker

May 26, 2006 08:09 AM | Link to this

I would never post the mumblings of a British politician. He doesn’t matter here in the good ol’ USA.

Grow up, hater.

By N-GA

May 26, 2006 08:10 AM | Link to this

A day without the bed wetter is a day full of sunshine….

By N-GA

May 26, 2006 08:10 AM | Link to this

What the defense will plead in the case of Rep. Jefferson we cannot know for certain. But to plead the procedural point — that the FBI had no business in his freezer — is cartoon constitutional reductionism. Perhaps the American Civil Liberties Union will descend on the case as an excessive use of executive power. An argument could be made that the executive should never concern itself if what is at stake is merely taxes unpaid. In Great Britain it is unheard of that people should be sent to prison for underpayment of taxes. But our tradition in the matter is Puritanical, and there is nothing in the Constitution that protects a tax cheat.

Yeah, the ACLU! I knew we could count on them! This is so exciting! I remember when they came and defended my local chapter of the North American Man Boy Love Association, they saved the day! Now it’s up to the little boys to protect themselves from us, just like it should be! The cops are afraid of getting sued.

Party time!

By seeker

May 26, 2006 08:11 AM | Link to this

Bush treats friends like Kleenex. When you’re used, your trash.

And here are some of the letters between Mr. Lay and Mr. Bush when Bush was governor, and President! Such a cozy duo!

Make sure you click on all 8 pages!

By seeker

May 26, 2006 08:12 AM | Link to this

Good morning, N-GA!

I seem to be Hater’s target of the day! He really is a wanker (his word!) isnt he?

By seeker

May 26, 2006 08:15 AM | Link to this

More on the undying friendship between President Bush and disgraced Enron chief Ken Lay:

He started as “Kenny Boy.” Then he was a “supporter,” an acquaintance who had not talked to President Bush in “quite some time.” Now he is a man convicted of conspiracy and fraud, and a symbol of corporate corruption.

This is former Enron chief Kenneth L. Lay’s transformation in the words of President Bush and his spokesmen — going from a personal and political ally to someone the White House sought to keep as distant as possible as his role in the multibillion-dollar collapse of the energy giant became clear.

When you lie down with dogs, you wake up with fleas.

By kimberly

May 26, 2006 08:17 AM | Link to this

Great toon, Mike! Nice depiction of the sad state of American priorities. Green Day also sums it up well:

Don’t want to be an American idiot. Don’t want a nation under the new media And can you hear the sound of hysteria? The subliminal mind [bleep] America.

Welcome to a new kind of tension. All across the alien nation. Where everything isn’t meant to be okay. Television dreams of tomorrow. We’re not the ones who’re meant to follow. For that’s enough to argue.

By Dennis Hastert

May 26, 2006 08:18 AM | Link to this

On Thursday, President Bush recognized that serious constitutional issues needed to be resolved. He wisely directed the Department of Justice to send the documents (taken from Jefferson’s office last weekend) to the Solicitor General’s office for safekeeping for 45 days. This was a meaningful step. The president also encouraged the Justice Department to meet with us.

Justice Department officials now insist that this specific case required them, for the first time, to conduct a search. I regret that when they reached this conclusion, they did not work with us to figure out a way to do it consistently with the Constitution. But that is behind us now. I am confident that in the next 45 days, the lawyers will figure out how to do it right.

I’m tired of being a Republican, we always have to do things right. If we don’t, the drive by media will go into full tilt mode and drag us through the streets day and night, like the militant arm of the democrat party. It’s so much easier being a lib, having the media look the other way and make excuses for us. Plus pinkos are just about the stupidest damn people in the freaking world and will believe anything you tell them.

So, go ahead, vote me out. I don’t care!

By seeker

May 26, 2006 08:19 AM | Link to this

Nuclear foes give PSC earful

Georgia Power Co. hasn’t decided yet on whether to expand the Plant Vogtle nuclear power complex near Augusta.

But one thing is certain. The utility will be dogged every step of the way —- even as it studies the matter —- by those opposed to the use of nuclear power to generate electricity.

You and I both no that the only harm resulting from any nuclear accidents in the United States is the really bad movies that hysterical panty waist harlots like me made to try and scare you into voting democrat. Nuclear power is cheap, safe and plentiful and would be good for America. That’s why we hate it so much. Screw America, we want to force some more stupid mindless regulations that don’t do anything but cost you more money.

Someday China will be better and stronger than us like we hope.

By kimberly

May 26, 2006 08:22 AM | Link to this

Does anything give the press corps more pleasure than catching a congressman with his paws in the community cookie jar? Perhaps capturing a priest in flagrante delicto with a choir boy, but not much else. It is no wonder that the media go after the crooked politician — be he a member of the GOP or the Timesizing Party of Massachusetts — with such glee. Generally speaking, there are two types of people that naturally gravitate toward politics: the messianic and the criminal. Both crave power, but seek it down different avenues. Sometimes the paths converge and you get a immortal fraud like Huey Long. Mostly they are small fries.

America, Mark Twain said, is a nation without a distinct criminal class “with the possible exception of Congress.” Apparently nothing changes. This week it was the Democratic Party’s turn to feel chagrined as one of its own was captured on tape taking bribes. William Jefferson (D-Louisiana) was allegedly involved in a Nigerian Internet scam.

What democrat congressman was caught taking bribes on tape?

By seeker

May 26, 2006 08:24 AM | Link to this

Who is Leigh Ann Hester?

Come on. The Kentucky National Guard vehicle commander was awarded a Silver Star last year for fighting off an insurgent attack on a convoy in Iraq. The first woman to receive a Silver Star since World War II, and the first woman ever to receive one for close combat.

If you don’t recognize Sergeant Hester’s name, that’s not surprising. While Private Lynch’s ordeal appears in some 12,992 newspaper and broadcast reports on the Factiva news service, Sergeant Hester and her decoration for extraordinary valor show up in only 162.

One difference: Sergeant Hester is a victor, while Private Lynch can be seen as a victim. And when it comes to media reports about the military these days, victimology is all the rage. For every story about someone who served out of conviction and resolutely went on with his civilian life, there are many more articles about a soldier’s failure or a veteran’s floundering.

It’s a sign of some progress that the men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are not spit upon and shunned as Vietnam vets were. Yet there may be something more pernicious about mouthing “Support Our Troops” while also asserting that many of them are poor, uneducated dupes who were cannon fodder overseas and have come home as basket cases, plagued by a range of mental, emotional and financial problems.

The vast majority of vets don’t fit that description. Many, like one returned Army guardsman we talked to, chalk up this portrayal to the media’s fascination with bad news in general. As for his combat in Iraq, both “going to war and coming home is very overwhelming,” he says. “But you make choices in life … and through inner strength and support, I am making a choice that I want to be healthy.”

In some cases, the depiction of military personnel as damaged goods serves the antiwar agenda. Yet retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel Tom Linn sees more basic impulses at work. “I honestly believe it is guilt” and even resentment, he says. The military type as misfit “is a stereotype that a lot of people from the Vietnam era have held on to.” Then, as now, “they saw men and women who did more than they did … and they’d compensate by casting those folks in an inferior status.”

We “support” the troops, really.

By seeker

May 26, 2006 08:31 AM | Link to this

God, I hate America:

If an American citizen forges a Social Security card in order to get a job, he can be arrested. Under a provision recently passed by the Senate, illegal aliens who forged Social Security cards not only get a pass, they get to collect Social Security benefits.

The great majority of Senators who voted for that provision were Democrats, and they prevailed because they were joined by a small minority of Republicans, led by — surprise! — Senator John McCain. After similar defections on judges and free speech, Senator McCain may give opportunism a bad name.

What the immigration bill in the Senate has become is just another attempt to pander to another special interest, in disregard of how that affects the country as a whole.

Screw America! Let’s flood it with illiterates like us and turn it into a third world country with nice looking landscaping.

By Charles

May 26, 2006 08:37 AM | Link to this

Hey Greg, if N-GA calls you tell him thanks alot for me. I dated that a-sshole for a week, he gave me the clap and some other disease, I have a huge growth on my inner thigh area that has me stuck in a wheelchair. If I we’re you, I’d look elsewhere.

And to think, all those little boys that he’s molesting, the horror.

By Joe Roman

May 26, 2006 08:46 AM | Link to this

Maybe, just maybe we can go bi-partisan on this one. American Idol is like an intellectual plague of locusts Living vicariously is pretty pathetic in an individual. In tens of millions of people, it is alarming-and pathetic. Worse of all, the one time I watched the show, all the aspiring ‘singers’ sang sharp. Singing flat means singing just below the actual note, and it sounds bad. Singing sharp is singing just above the note, and to listeners with a good ear, it sounds awful. To listeners with tin ears, it sounds dramatic. I didn’t think anything could be worse than reality shows, but American Idol is.

By seeker

May 26, 2006 08:49 AM | Link to this

John Lennon once wrote that “All you need is love.” If that’s the case, former presidential candidate Al Gore is a happy man. He is in the middle of a media lovefest celebrating his work, his career - even his efforts as actor, author, dancer and comedian.

The former vice president has both a movie and a book about global warming debuting under the title “An Inconvenient Truth.” He has gone from media darling to “the summer’s most unlikely movie star,” as NBC’s Katie Couric called him in a May 24 interview. Gore, who Couric also called “funny, vulnerable, disarming, self effacing,” isn’t just a movie star, he’s a media star. He has appeared or been mentioned on 23 news and news-related shows in just the last month on ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN.

Nothing floats our boat in the democrat party more than a professional liar. We view all you people living in the common states as idiots and we treat you as such. That’s why you will hear our leaders talk to you like you have your head up your a-ss. For instance, Al Gore created the internet, hahaha. When he says things like that with a straight face, all of our lib hearts go aflutter.

My favorite is how him and Tipper were the inspiration for the movie Love Story. How much more bald faced can you get? Imagine a frankenstein looking clod and classroom monitor being cast as lovers in a tear jerker.

With a liar like this, we can do great, long term damage to America!

Al is the Champ!

By finch

May 26, 2006 08:50 AM | Link to this

Here’s an example of the tolerance and understanding the US is bringing to Iraq:

Gunmen in Baghdad killed the coach of the Iraqi national tennis team and two players, reportedly for wearing Western-style tennis shorts, an Iraqi Olympic official said on Friday.

The coach, Hussein Ahmed Rashid, was murdered along with two of his players, Nasser Ali Hatem and Wissam Adel Auda, outside his home in the capital’s southern al-Saidiyah neighbourhood on Thursday, Olympic Committee chairperson Amr Jabar told Agence France-Presse.

But thanks to George Bush, there is no religious bickering in Baghdad!! Harhar.

By seeker

May 26, 2006 08:52 AM | Link to this

Plus he’s got gonads, I f you don’t believe me, just look at the Rolling Stone cover. You can’t see mine though, it’s got a crust on it now.

Gore is an ironic pitchman for science accuracy. Though he got an undergraduate degree in government and dropped out of two graduate programs (in law and divinity), Gore has become a “teacher” on the subject of climate change. The Washington Post reported in a March 19, 2000, article titled “Gore’s Grades Belie Image of Studiousness” that Gore earned a D and a C-plus in “natural sciences” at Harvard.

That didn’t stop Gore from complaining about respected scientists during his “Today” appearance. “There’s really not a debate. The debate is over. The scientific community has reached as strong a consensus as you will ever find in science. There are a few oil companies and coal companies that spend millions of dollars a year to put these pseudo-scientists out there pretending there is a debate,” complained Gore.

By finch

May 26, 2006 08:56 AM | Link to this

Today’s Wall Street Jornal gave Al Gore’s film a glowing review. Seriously!

Perhaps Suck, or one of his many aliases, can forge a link.

Even the WSJ is realizing that global warming is not a “commie-liberal plot”.

By getalife (really)

May 26, 2006 08:57 AM | Link to this

Yesterday it was funny.

I made big giggling jokes and gave all kinds of wormy advice.

Today, it’s not so funny anymore.

I wonder if I’ll take my own advice about “crying like a baby” and “you’ve done it before too?”

Nah, I’m too much of a stroke for that, I have a strong powerful grasp of my situation.

By Jesus

May 26, 2006 08:59 AM | Link to this

IMPEACH BUSH NOW!!!

By Jazz

May 26, 2006 09:00 AM | Link to this

Thank you 8 to 5 Andy. Your absence will insure that the blog isn’t a sewer today,minus your BS and excrement filled tirades. Thank you for being so kind.

By kimberly

May 26, 2006 09:05 AM | Link to this

Awww Poor Andy… He promises not to post today, but he can’t resist posting under everyone else’s name. Like we don’t know it’s YOU, numbnuts.

BTW, I’m for replacing EVERY Congressional incumbent this November. Every last one, and I hope Jefferson (D-crook) ends up in the same cell as Republican “war hero” Randall Duke Cunningham (R-8 to 10 in the pen).

By finch

May 26, 2006 09:05 AM | Link to this

Here’s an example of the tolerance and understanding the US is bringing to US:

Attorneys for co-defendants Terry Tyrone Davis II, 20, of Riverdale; Xavious Cordera Taylor, 18, of College Park; and Deontrez Soyo Williams, 23, of Fayetteville chose to not put up a defense after the prosecution rested Wednesday. The attorney for Christopher Allen Emmanuel, 20, already serving a 10-year sentence in an unrelated aggravated assault case from Rockdale County, called four witnesses. Clayton County police and state prosecutors allege the four were rival gang members engaged in a gunbattle inside a Riverdale park. Defense attorneys say the four were rap musicians who went to the park because two other guys were supposed to fistfight over a girl. State firearms expert Bernadette Davy examined shell cartridges recovered from the park and determined at least nine weapons were fired that day. Travon Wilson, 4, was hit once in the chest but because the bullet that killed him was never found, prosecutors can’t identify the gun that fired it and link it to a particular suspect.

But thanks to Shirley Franklin, there is no neighborly bickering in Atlanta!! Harhar.

By Heap Big Chief Two Face

May 26, 2006 09:09 AM | Link to this

Speaking for my fellow Indians, we have come to appreciate all that the democratic party has done for us over the years. It is much easier for us to get casino when we deal with pale face pinkos, then it is with those homo Republicans.

Whenever we get caught sneaking around with the pale face pinkos, the drive by media is like “what? There’s no crime here, let’s move on.” If they get caught red handed, then it’s like this, “Bush did it!” With this kind of support and backing, how can we go wrong? Harry Reid makum us millions and millions and he call Republicans crooks, we havem big laugh over that one.

But, whoa Nellie, get caught asking a Republican for a favor, and the circus never ends, it’s plenty trouble for Chief and Tribe. They makum big deal out of small potatoes, like they eat loco weed or something.

By finch

May 26, 2006 09:13 AM | Link to this

I can’t wait for more Americans to get killed in Iraq, it’s what I live for. You can see it in all of my posts, I really get my jollies this way. I hope America gets it’s as-s handed to it in Iraq and that Al Qaeda gets really busy setting up fanatical religious rule over those people. I would just bust my nut over something like that.

Go insurgents!

By Scooter

May 26, 2006 09:17 AM | Link to this

*The ozone hole over the Antarctic is likely to begin contracting in the future and may disappear by 2050 because of a reduction in the release of chlorofluorocarbons and other ozone-depleting gases, according to a team of Japanese scientists…

The team’s findings are in line with research by other scientists.

By N-GA

May 26, 2006 09:19 AM | Link to this

Good morning Seeker!

Yes, Andy (the bed wetter) is in good form today. His perversion knows no bounds, nor his hatred of everything free and democratic. He was born too late…he missed the golden age of fascism and seems to be trying to resurrect it all by himself (with a little help from this administration).

By N-GA

May 26, 2006 09:20 AM | Link to this

But don’t ask Jim Wooten of the AJC about Andy because he might accidentally give up the goods on me. He did an interview of me for the paper about hopeless wanker child molesters and why we can’t live by the school bus stop anymore. I cried and cried about it, but I don’t think he believed my sincerity, especially when I kept looking at his crotch.

By getalife

May 26, 2006 09:27 AM | Link to this

Well,8 to 5 Andy posted a lie on his first post but has decided to wank other names all day today.

Have fun Andy, wank away.

How about W admitting to mistakes last night. I bet the wingnuts hated that part.

By N-GA

May 26, 2006 09:29 AM | Link to this

Seeker,

NO! I LOVE ANDY MORE THAN YOU EVER COULD!! GET AWAY FROM MY MAN!!!

By Buy Danish

May 26, 2006 09:36 AM | Link to this

@@,

I wasted my comments on the old cartoon too. Oh well - there are always ample opportunities to deal with the psychic-psycho liberals.

BTW, How dare you let little children romp and play? I hope they aren’t permitted recess during the rest of the year, epecially since that time would be better spent teaching them what a bigoted, horrible country America is.

Hey - I have an idea! While finch has those “Where’s Osama” bumper stickers made up, I think I could come up with a set of really good flash-cards to help them indoctrinate the kiddies. I bet I could even get some seed money from Hollywood.

By AntiRadical

May 26, 2006 09:43 AM | Link to this

Good toon ML. I’m a little bored with the AI thing though. I’d rather mow the lawn than listen to show tunes.

Frankly, I believe the premise of the toon to be flawed. Young people today are not the beatnicks and hippies of generations past; ML is showing his age. They are engaged, motivated, and very much politically aware. Who do you think is putting their lives on the line in our defense? It sure isn’t middle aged pundits like all of us here.

By Eric

May 26, 2006 09:50 AM | Link to this

Misplaced priorities and ignorance of the issues. This is exactly why our country is currently enduring the 6th year of an 8 year sentence of GWB.

By @@

May 26, 2006 09:58 AM | Link to this

AntiR:

The only time I ever watched American Idol was when Constantine caught my eye. Once he was gone, so was I. Didn’t watch it before and haven’t watched it since.

I very much agree with your post, I have great hopes invested in our youth of today. They are looking at a big world, not just America in isolation.

Now if everyone will excuse me, I have to go supervise the kids who aren’t here today. Someone (Not Andy) decided, once again, that I have been negligent in my duties over on the previous cartoon.

By Buy Danish

May 26, 2006 10:03 AM | Link to this

American Idol is like an intellectual plague of locusts Living vicariously is pretty pathetic in an individual. In tens of millions of people, it is alarming-and pathetic

JoRo,

You really are a miserable s.o.b.! I bet you really hated The Ed Sullvian Show too! How dare people be entertained when they could be reading Das Capital.

It’s such a shame you can’t vote for George Galloway - I bet he is your ideal politician, and not afraid of public displays of affection either:

Mr Galloway yesterday made a surprise appearance on Cuban television with the Caribbean island’s Communist dictator, Fidel Castro - whom he defended as a “lion” in a political world populated by “monkeys”.

Mr Galloway shocked panellists on a live television discussion show in Havana by emerging on set mid-transmission to offer passionate support for Castro. Looking approvingly into each others’ eyes, the pair embraced.

I wonder if Mr. Galloway was given a brand new innertube to leave on.

By Scooter

May 26, 2006 10:08 AM | Link to this

I hope the youth of today, myself included, remember how the “intelligent” democrat party wouldn’t even think of affording us personal liberty and freedom over our Social Security accounts. They wouldn’t even come to the table so long as personal accounts were an option, what does that say about their intentions? After all, we shouldn’t expect to recieve benefits after paying into the system our whole lives.

By Ricky

May 26, 2006 10:09 AM | Link to this

AntiRadical, I would disagree with you on the state of our youngsters today. In the age group 18-24 less than 40% could find Iraq on a map. Less than 20% could find Afghanistan. More of them knew who won American Idol than who their VP is. The saddest part of all that is that it is their peers who are dying everyday in Iraq. I really hope this generation turns itself around and gets invovled. America is facing a lot of big issues right now(Iraq, Iran, Social Sec, the border, etc). We need to get rid of the current atmosphere in Washington where politics are more important than governing. Hopefully more young people will get involved and demand better from their elected officials.

By Buy Danish

May 26, 2006 10:13 AM | Link to this

@@,

You really are a miserable s.o.b.! I bet you really hated The Ed Sullvian Show too! How dare people be entertained when they could be reading the Bible.

By Abe

May 26, 2006 10:16 AM | Link to this

BD: Were you attempting to talk to me yesterday or just clearing your throat? Hog Man, you must remember not to speak to me directly. You must speak only when spoken to. Recall your lowly station in life. Remain in your proper place. I can do most anything - but cannot change that situation. Summer is nigh, BD. You’re going to need those window fans in your shortened 12 foot single-wide. Don’t cause us to repossess them again this year - we really hate that. You know about the word “hate,” don’t you? Republiscum could not live without it. How many hubcaps and softdrink bottles did you & the family collect this week? Got anything NASCARish planned for the weekend? The filth, grease, and beer in your huge pores might make you feel “mannish.” Go for it.
Then again, you might prefer a quiet weekend at “home,” watching Bush honor Memorial Day while you molest the kids.

By Midori

May 26, 2006 10:22 AM | Link to this

Is it me, or does Andy grow sillier and more psychotic by the day?

By Buy Danish

May 26, 2006 10:23 AM | Link to this

Tex,

Nope, I wasn’t referring to “family farms” at all. Just big old houses with big old barns (and the occasional chicken coop) that have been in families for generations. Many states like to take their cut too, so it’s not just the Feds.

Rushncap,

I know you Socialists, err, I mean libs, think you’re psychic, but can you predict the year these “death taxes” will kick in, and other details of their assets?

Still, with 401(k) accounts compounding and life insurance death benefits thrown into the pot, it’s easier than some think for a working couple to be subject to the estate tax, at least for the next few years. And this tax can be brutal. For every dollar more than $2 million that you leave behind, Uncle Sam will take 46 cents.

If the Dems were still in charge these questions would be easier to answer as they’d be screwed no matter what, which could happen if your dreams come true and they get back into power.

[I found this I.R.S. fact page to be a really helpful. It has all sorts of good advice on how to file your returns from the grave, and how much time you have to get those returns back to earth and directly into the beaks of the circling vultures]

By God

May 26, 2006 10:25 AM | Link to this

Jesus: “Impeach Bush Now!”? You are absolutely correct, Son. Thanks for dropping by.

I see where Andy has fled for the day and dutifully announced same. Must have dirtied his nest again.

By Buy Danish

May 26, 2006 10:35 AM | Link to this

Rushncap and other interested parties,

OOPS, let’s try that I.R.S. link again.

I’m trying to figure out how I’m going to remember all this once I’m dead. Maybe a tattoo would work, because I’m really bad with numbers, and by the time I’m dead it will only get worse (although at this point it is a moot point as my assets don’t qualify, but one must be prepared in the event of a Democrat victory in November.)

By getalife

May 26, 2006 10:42 AM | Link to this

God,

Please do not speak to W anymore.

Is Andy the wanker?

By Conservabral

May 26, 2006 10:48 AM | Link to this

From the link provided by BD:

“In its current form, the estate tax only affects the wealthiest 2% of all Americans.”

You prove your worth here every day my friend. Keep it up.

Putz.

By Cindy

May 26, 2006 10:52 AM | Link to this

Who’s complaining about taxes??? A Republican??? If we weren’t in Iraq we would be saving BILLIONS every month. Somehow, this debt has to be paid. I would much rather see money being spent on the security, education and health of the American people than on Iraqi war debt.

By Andy's Mom

May 26, 2006 10:54 AM | Link to this

Oh dear! My Andy has been gone all day. For the first time in 7 months he has left the house. Now I hear there have been shots fired at the Capitol building. Dear God please tell me its not my Andy doing the shooting.!

Where’s my Andy? ANYONE????? HELP ME!!!

By finch

May 26, 2006 10:58 AM | Link to this

Focusing on the ‘toon subject, I wish I shared your optimism, AntiRadical. Young voters don’t vote. Puff Daddy’s (or whatever his name is now) 2004 “Vote or Die” campaign would have left scads of GenXers dead if it were literal.

Here in SC’s Low Country last Saturday, we had a school bond referendum. Hotly contested if you believe the papers. A Saturday vote, too. Turnout was 20%.

Scooter,

Blame Golden Agers for the collapse of SS privatization. For whatever reason, they hated it, and they (unlike their kids) vote.

By Conservabral

May 26, 2006 10:59 AM | Link to this

Good book.

“And now it was the drawling son of 1992’s aristocrat who was drawing the adoring throngs in the dying steel towns and the coal-mining regions. It was the committed enemy of organized labor whose prayerful public performances persuaded so many that he “shares our values.” It was the man who had slashed taxes on dividends and inherited fortunes who was said to be, in the election’s most telling refrain, “one of us.”

…

“the backlash is something very different: a crusade in which one’s material interests are suspended in favor of vague cultural grievances that are all-important and yet incapable of ever being assuaged.”

Thomas Frank - “What’s the Matter with Kansas?”

By finch

May 26, 2006 11:02 AM | Link to this

Buy Danish…

Better sit down. I agree with you about estate taxes. I’ve seen modest “estates” with tons of family history sold off by necessity because of punitive taxes.

Double taxation is inherently immoral. There should be a total exemption for, say, the first $40 million maybe? If that.

To prove to you that this is really me, I’ll post over at RW’s….

By Scooter

May 26, 2006 11:03 AM | Link to this

BD, you are supposed to subscribe to class warfare and wealth envy. Those two percent do not deserve equal protection under the law, isn’t the tax code law?

I am no constitutional scholar, but I’ve never believed it to be fair to tax one group heavily while giving that money to others in exchange for votes. Just don’t think that is the role of the federal government, but I’m not an advocate of social engineering in exchange for political power.

By Huge

May 26, 2006 11:08 AM | Link to this

How about W admitting to mistakes last night. I bet the wingnuts hated that part.

You’re right getalife - they see weakness as strength, lies as truth, cowardice as valor. This administration has consistently shown almost inconceivable arrogance and ineptitude by pretending that they’ve made not a single error or misjudgement from the beginning of this fiasco. And the bushbots buy into it hook, line and sinker.

Way too little, WAY too late. So many needlessly dead and suffering, both at home and abroad, because of their stupidity and hubris. They’ve p** away the support and goodwill of almost ALL of our allies and friends (except of course, for Israel) The most disingenuous president I have ever seen; and after Nixon, that says a lot. And the cast of creeps he surrounds himself with is truly spectacular…

By Midori

May 26, 2006 11:12 AM | Link to this

Someone is shooting in the Capitol.

On CNN now.

Where’s Andy?

Hmmmmmmmmmm?

By Huge

May 26, 2006 11:15 AM | Link to this

Is it me, or does Andy grow sillier and more psychotic by the day?

It’s not you, Midori! I think our resident sociopath is about ready to go postal. He’s tried his damdest to turn this blog into a right wing insane asylum. And the people at the AJC must be laughing their heads off.

By Scooter

May 26, 2006 11:17 AM | Link to this

finch, no I blame politicians who preferred to liquidate the “trust fund” in order to buy votes. I also blame the democrats who stood their and said they wouldn’t even come to the table, with their big brains, as long as personal liberty/accounts were “on the table”. I also give Bush credit for trying to afford me some individual liberty over my supplemental retirement funds.

I also give credit to Bush for not fighting the war on terrorism by what poll numbers tell him, isn’t that why we got out of Mogadishu and let UBL believe us to be a paper tiger?

I also accept that Saddam was undermining sanctions through the corruption in the Oil For Food Program, so that he could reconstitute his WMD programs. You see I read the Kay and Duelfer reports because I don’t trust the media’s snippets and “objective” writing.

I also think it will be hard for the terrorist to blame all the Middle-Eastern problems on the west after we liberate a country and stand up a representative government. But, that’s long term stuff, something we gratify me now Americans are not good at practicing.

By N-GA

May 26, 2006 11:35 AM | Link to this

Scooter,

I support to some degree the SocSecAdm allowing a percentage of an individual’s funds to be personally directed (think self-directed IRA). However, I also have some concerns that the typical unsophisticated investor would fall prey to the many unscrupulous people willing and able to influence these novice investors by suggesting the possibilities of huge gains.

This occurs every day. Think about all the Nigerian email scams that people fell for. Even wealthy athletes have fallen victim to investment advisors who are really con artists. And what about the many people who invested in Enron or Worldcom or Delta? And as a result, many of the less affluent people see their retirement funds go up in smoke. Then they become reliant on the government for basic needs. For me to fully support personal accounts, there would need to be some form of protection to prevent this sort of thing from happening.

By Buy Danish

May 26, 2006 11:37 AM | Link to this

And the cast of creeps he surrounds himself with is truly spectacular

Huge - you are projecting again. Projection: (psychiatry) a defense mechanism by which your own traits and emotions are attributed to someone else.

Midori and Huge,

If it was anybody at the Rayburn Building, it was Candide. He has made similar threats in the past.

And how do you know which post is really Andy’s anyway? Unless of course you are among the jackers who post in his name.

By getalife

May 26, 2006 11:41 AM | Link to this

AJC must be laughing their heads off.

It is very funny.

Found this toon at the Post

By Midori

May 26, 2006 11:43 AM | Link to this

Buy Danish,

I seem to remember you making similar threats.

And how do you know which post is really Andy’s anyway? Unless of course you are among the jackers who post in his name.

This is just too easy. Seems you are, too.

By rushncap

May 26, 2006 11:44 AM | Link to this

So let me get this straight, Danish: you’re only able to leave, tax-free, $2 million?? Oh, man! I mean, you can only buy a few Porsches on that, and barely a single yacht! I mean, if the super-rich didn’t hire very good lawyers to help them get around this limit, they would barely be able to afford a nice mansion on the untaxed money!

Danish, it’s all very simple. The government, the country, takes money to run. This money comes from taxes. Some of that money comes from the estate tax. If (when) this is repealed, there will be a shortfall of many millions of dollars. These millions will have to be gotten elsewhere. Take a wild-a$s guess where the gov’t will get these extra millions. If you guessed “the Moon”, you’d be wrong. If you guessed “other taxes, most likely on the middle class”, you’d be right. But, of course, that does not pique your keep sense of injustice, even thought it’s you and your family who will have to pick up the slack.

By Buy Danish

May 26, 2006 11:46 AM | Link to this

Conservabrl,

The “Drawling son” at the coal mines sounds an awful lot like Sen. Robert Byrd (D) West Virginia, or Al Gore in the tabbacky fields of North Carolina. Granted they are all for Big Labor, but they do love to remind people how they are “one of them”.

And speaking of Democrat populists, I betcha “All the Kings Men” is a much better book than your choice.

By Buy Danish

May 26, 2006 11:53 AM | Link to this

Midori,

I have never succumbed to jacking the name(s)of anyone who blogs here. I like to be able to go to sleep at night with a clear-conscience.

I don’t know if you’re familiar with that concept.

By finch

May 26, 2006 12:00 PM | Link to this

rushncap,

I side with Danish on this one. $2 million might buy you a yacht. But nothing for upkeep.

$2 mil divided among 3 kids gives each of THEIR three kids a ticket to college without being saddled by humongous student loans, with a little pocket change left over to launch new lives and careers.

Plus, a lot of estates are very intangible, non-liquid assets. The house where y’all grew up for example. Heritage is not a commodity.

Estate taxes are punitive by definition. The money involved is chump change in government budgets. And they’re one of the most anti-family concept I can think of.

By Huge

May 26, 2006 12:04 PM | Link to this

I think that secretly BD has a crush on me. She absolutely cannot help but respond to my posts, which of course, aren’t directed at her and which require no childish input on her part. I have already told her to save her dorky, and sometimes bigoted little comments for someone else, but she is just fixated on me! I guess I should be flattered but she’s without question, not my type.

It’s quite strange that she gets her panties all in a wad over my political views though.

By rushncap

May 26, 2006 12:11 PM | Link to this

Finch, if double taxation is “immoral”, then you better sit down. Because you pay it every single day. Sales tax. Gas tax. Property tax. Cigarette tax. I could go on. All of these are a form of double taxation, since they tax money that has already been taxed. And, honestly, I don’t see what’s so immoral about it. Again, the country needs X amount of money to run. That X amount of money must be gotten from the people of the country. Would you prefer all forms of double taxation be repealed and the basic rate of income taxation be raised? That can be done of course. But, let’s be real here, it does not matter how you skin the cat. You still need to collect X amount of dollars. Whether it’s through high single taxation, or through quintuple taxation at lower rate, all the difference that makes is whether you make up a dollar with a bill, 4 quarters, 10 dimes, 20 nickels, 100 pennies, or some combination of the above. The dollar does not shrink if you pay it in change.

By Buy Danish

May 26, 2006 12:15 PM | Link to this

However, I also have some concerns that the typical unsophisticated investor would fall prey to the many unscrupulous people willing and able to influence these novice investors by suggesting the possibilities of huge gains.

N-GA,

Thanks for illustrating Liberalism 101:

The Libs have to look out for the welfare of everyone else because we’re too weak and dumb to survive without their help.

Rushncap,

Those last two paragraphs were unbearably simplistic, and my 6th grade son has a better understanding of economics and morality than you do.

It is useless to discuss the issue of taxation with you because it is apparent that you don’t live in the real world, where people work hard, get married, and have children and grandchildren.

Your egocentric view helps explain why you assume that the proceeds of an estate only go to one undeserving person, who will win life’s lottery and run out and buy a Porsche.

You also fail to realize that, even if your undeserving lone heir scenario rang true, the dealer who sold that Porsche will pay taxes on his income, as will the purchaser of the Porsche who will pay taxes on the purchase.

By rushncap

May 26, 2006 12:15 PM | Link to this

Finch — then let’s raise the rate. OK, not $2 million. Make it $20 million. Make it some number that makes sense. But why do you think should you and your family pay higher taxes to preserve Paris Hilton’s ability to continue her lifestyle? If your estate is worth well over $20 million, you are not going to starve. You’re not going on social security.

By Tom

May 26, 2006 12:17 PM | Link to this

Seems like suddenly everybody wants ANDY. Well I want him too! I simply must have my way with him. So many new things I need to teach him. Experiments. N-GA’s a good guy, but he wants Andy as well. Maybe several of us can agree to share him - instead of scratching each other in a cat fight. When Andy’s with ME, I shall rename him, “JAWS.” Cum back, Andy, cum back!! I need to reach out and touch your hatred, your bitterness, your failures - and make it all better!

By Conservabral

May 26, 2006 12:21 PM | Link to this

BD - The reference is to your beloved leader. I really thought you were bright enough to pick up on that - guess not.

Now that I know you lack the ability to read and comprehend, I’ll put you on the ignore and taunt list with your buddy with the asshat.

By Huge

May 26, 2006 12:23 PM | Link to this

Since 1995, the board had curtailed the teaching of evolution, leading some teachers to rip sections on evolution from science textbooks.

The flat earth society in Cobb county is apparently never going to give up their assinine efforts to keep people in the dark ages. My solution - just put the following in all Bibles sold or used in that county:

“This textbook contains material on god. God is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin of living things. This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically considered.”

By Spike

May 26, 2006 12:24 PM | Link to this

Aw, c’mon Abe. Don’t pick on poor Danish that way. Ain’t easy being a fat woman. Making decisions stresses the mind. Whether to get all sweaty and drunk and head out to Talladega, or stay all sweaty and drunk at home in the mammoth rocking chair w the kids on the lap. It is said that “the family that rests together molests together.” Plus, she/he/shim needs some rest. Them hiway hubcaps and soda bottles’ll still be there Tuesday. I’m sure Danish will wanta honor dead GI’s. After all, he put some of them there.

By Daniel

May 26, 2006 12:28 PM | Link to this

“Put money in thy purse” Iago. “Borrow and spend like crazy” GW Bush.

By N-GA

May 26, 2006 12:29 PM | Link to this

In Europe they have successfully operated for years using the VAT (Value Added Tax). It is more difficult to avoid and less expensive to administer.

Europe also has an inheritance tax that is quite punitive. Most of the great wine Chateaus have been gobbled up by large corporations because the heirs couldn’t come up with the liquidity to pay the taxes. Go look at the multinational company “Diageo”. They own dozens of name brands, many of which were once privately (family) held.

It would seem that if a U.S. company has, historically, been paying its taxes, workers, pension plan obligations, etc., then perhaps the heirs shouldn’t be “heavily” taxed again because of punitive inheritance taxes.

By finch

May 26, 2006 12:30 PM | Link to this

rushncap,

Under my “plan”, the estates inherited by the Paris Hiltons of the world would be taxed.. her family’s not worth millions. Try billions. I tossed out $40 million as the cutoff in an earlier post. I’ll stick with that.

Keep in mind that not all billionaires are hedonists. See Bill Gates. In his own, clumsy way, he’s trying to make the world better.

By N-GA

May 26, 2006 12:33 PM | Link to this

BD…I just bet that God can’t wait to meet you in person. Your bible must have all the compassionate parts edited out. You probably didn’t even nurse your spawn.

You simply sit at home sending out get-rich-quick emails…taking advantage of every sucker that comes along….

By finch

May 26, 2006 12:34 PM | Link to this

I’m going to echo getalife’s post of the missing ml ‘toon from Thursday, with a link!

It’s got everything! Polar bears, global warming, big oil! Go for it!

By Huge

May 26, 2006 12:37 PM | Link to this

BD, You and I have butted heads several times in the past, usually because you have chosen to screw with me about something I’ve posted. I’m not fan of your postions as you know, nor are you of mine. But I hold no malice towards you and don’t view you as a personal enemy. Quite the contrary.

But these belligerent retards who write their disgusting trash about you, and others here, for that matter, are simply scumbags. Liberal or conservative hate is still just mindless hate…

By finch

May 26, 2006 12:39 PM | Link to this

rushncap,

Finch, if double taxation is “immoral”, then you better sit down. Because you pay it every single day. Sales tax. Gas tax. Property tax. Cigarette tax. I could go on. All of these are a form of double taxation

No, they are NOT!! In the bitter end, when I’m on my deathbed, I have already paid all those taxes. And you want me to pay more?

Sorry. It does not compute. There has to be a cutoff to taxation. This is it.

By rushncap

May 26, 2006 12:40 PM | Link to this

N-GA, you are right. That is probably not good. But rather than repeal estate taxes altogether, I think we need a common-sense solution. Maybe exempt all businesses. Maybe something else. But, again, the revenue shortfall has to be made up somewhere.

Finch, I’m not saying millionaires or billionaires are bad people. Hell, it’s not even my business if they are hedonists. But taxation is not about figuring out who is naughty and who is nice. It’s about paying for the country that we want. And I think that without being excessively punitive the estate tax should remain. You said $40 mil? Fine, I can roll with that. But some form of it should remain. In my opinion, of course.

By Cindy

May 26, 2006 12:56 PM | Link to this

Kimberly,

You go Girl! A crook’s a crook regardless of political party.

Finch, I agree with you, too. Estate taxes need reform. Back in the 70’s when the price of acreage went through the roof, I saw a lot of farms sold outside the family after the death of the patriarch. Those of us in the middle don’t have a lot of cold hard cash, or investments, but we might end our lives with assets that have become valuable over time.

However, without these taxes how would we fund the Iraqi war at $4 BILLION a month? Not even Bush wants to cut the middle class taxes by more than a few bucks; he knows he can’t fund the war without them.

And Joe, You’re right. The fact that so many are more concerned with the status of two bit celebrities than the direction of this country is a very sad statement of the American people.

By Michelle

May 26, 2006 01:07 PM | Link to this

Look at these white trash liberals. Andy this, Andy that. It’s like they think the rest of the world is stupid like they are. Anybody watching this blog for any length of time know who the real name jackers are. These left wing extremists in here are the ones turning this place into a zoo and I’ll bet the AJC ain’t laughing about. Only a kindergartener would laugh at the immaturity on display by these liberals.

What’s up with this Abe and Spike bulls-hit? Everybody knows it’s one of you regulars. Is that how your parents taught you to treat a woman? You must be a real prize, I’ll bet woman are nothing but objects to you.

Anything that anyone else does to you left wing cry babies, you have coming to you.

By getalife

May 26, 2006 01:10 PM | Link to this

Here are the flowers they were talking about

By Daniel

May 26, 2006 01:18 PM | Link to this

gal: Who woudda thunk it!

By finch

May 26, 2006 01:35 PM | Link to this

rushncap,

We’ve gone from $2 million to $40 million on the ceiling/basement on estate taxes. Wiggle room. I can live with that. Heck, I might settle for $30 million. Maybe $20 million. I’m not an accountant! :)

Seriously, nice to have a dialogue. Peace.

By getalife

May 26, 2006 01:37 PM | Link to this

Daniel,

We did.

I watched W and Blair last night and they were pitiful trying to get some support for this failure.

8 billion a month and 2440 lives wasted.

By Daniel

May 26, 2006 01:46 PM | Link to this

gal: It is painful to watch Bush. He is an inept bungler.

By finch

May 26, 2006 01:49 PM | Link to this

By Michelle - May 26, 2006 01:07 PM

Look at these white trash liberals. Andy this, Andy that. It’s like they think the rest of the world is stupid like they are. Anybody watching this blog for any length of time know who the real name jackers are. These left wing extremists in here are the ones turning this place into a zoo…

Michelle, apparently you are on Mars. Or you’re a newbie. Suck’s the zookeeper/king name-jacker here.

Don’t you forget that.

By Michelle

May 26, 2006 01:56 PM | Link to this

No, finch, save the condescending hypocrisy for one of your zoo mates. Anyone can see that you are one of the main antagonists, always egging on the name jackers. You do it for your silly pompous enjoyment, it’s about time you got paid back.

You have no one to blame but yourself.

By finch

May 26, 2006 02:02 PM | Link to this

Michelle,

Apparently, your are still on Mars. Your loss.

By getalife

May 26, 2006 02:02 PM | Link to this

Michelle is Andy or Mandy.

Is Andy even a man?

Doubt it.

By Midori

May 26, 2006 02:05 PM | Link to this

Wow.

I can now log off in peace, having read the words of wisdom that Michelle has so graciously and viciously slung, er, bestowed upon us.

On another note: anyone else feel sorry for Bush whenever he stands beside Blair or any other eloquent and/or well spoken politician?

Like night and day. Black and white. North and South.

Maybe during one of those frequent month long vacations he might employ a voice and diction coach.

By Buy Danish

May 26, 2006 02:05 PM | Link to this

Everyone,

Wow! If this blog is any indication, It appears that the Pro-Death Tax lobby are really out of touch with their constituents …just like the Senate is clueless on immigration.

N-GA,

Were you jacked at 12:33, or was that you? It’s getting hard to keep up with the jackers. Is it you or a jacker who is obsessed with me and the Bible?

I agree with you on inheritance aka death taxes - for the most part. Personally I support the Fair Tax, but oppose VAT taxes unless every other tax is thrown out the window; the Europeans pay hideous taxes in addition to the VAT tax, so I surely would not recommend that as a solution.

I don’t agree at all with the concept that is is too dangerous to let people keep a paltry percentage of their own Social Security contributions. I think this sort of thinking is obnoxious at best.

None of my beliefs on taxes have a damned thing to do with the Bible.

Huge,

Thanks. I really have given up caring about the jackers because it just illustrates what clueless degenerates they are, but I do find it confusing sometimes, as my post^^ to N-GA indicates.

Rushcap,

There is an easy way to stop screwing both the middle class and the “rich” - and that is called the “Fair Tax”. I don’t like the government social-engineering who gets tax cuts and who doesn’t, and single middle-class taxpayers who don’t children and mortgages to write-off do get screwed disproportionately.

I hate applying arbitrary numbers to estates, just as I hate using income numbers, with arbitrary hurdles that one crosses to make it into punitive tax brackets. People should be able to leave their estates to whomever they damn well choose (including to the charities of their choice) no matter what their estate is worth at their death.

The top 50% contribute very generously during their lifetimes

And, I knew Paris Hilton would come up sooner or later. I guess you think it’s important that we base our entire system on her. I mentioned her bright and early this morning

Conservabrl,

Sigh. I knew that you were referring to Bush. I was just making a point that there are plenty of Liberal Dems who fit that description, except that the support Big Labor.

Sorry this simple point went over your simple head.

By Midori

May 26, 2006 02:06 PM | Link to this

No, finch, save the condescending hypocrisy for one of your zoo mates. Anyone can see that you are one of the main antagonists, always egging on the name jackers. You do it for your silly pompous enjoyment, it’s about time you got paid back.

You have no one to blame but yourself.

Ann Coulter posts on the AJC blogs!!!

Who knew????

Why does she sound so much like Buy Danish?

Separated at birth, perhaps?

By Buy Danish

May 26, 2006 02:28 PM | Link to this

Midori and finch,

Andy has been jacked too many times to count and he did not start this whole jacking thing, so Michelle is not completely off base on that.

I am not Michelle, and have resisted temptation and never jack any blogger’s name.

I don’t mind being compared to Ann Coulter, who is a lot closer in all respects than Spike and Abe’s completely offbase description of me.

By rushncap

May 26, 2006 02:36 PM | Link to this

“Fair Tax”, Danish?? You mean, the national sales tax? You have got to be kidding. That is, I think, the single most unfair tax proposal I have ever heard, which, thankfully, doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of passing. It would be, in effect, an inverse progressive tax (i.e. the less you make the higher tax rate you pay), and would decrease spending tremendously, virtually decimating our economy. Simply put, lower-income families spend a larger percentage of their incomes than higher-income families. That means they will pay a larger percentage of tax.

By Scooter

May 26, 2006 02:50 PM | Link to this

Rushncap, you should research the Fairtax before you criticize it. It only applies sales tax to purchases above the poverty level. The different levels of production do not pay taxes, thereby alowing the competitive pressures of the free maket to lower the retail price of the good.

If you want to discuss it I will be happy to aid Buy Danish, if she needs it, but reactionary criticism is the playground of fools.

By Buy Danish

May 26, 2006 02:50 PM | Link to this

Rushncap,

If your predictions about the Fair-Tax are as accurate as the “progressive” dreams of Karl Marx and Mao, then I can bet a zillion mangoes that you are wrong - again.

lower-income families would get a cash rebate. They might have more job opps too, as it would be a boon to our economy and would not “decimate” it as you imagine.

I can think of nothing more satisfying than getting rid of the I.R.S.. All of you who hate the NSA should like the it too, as there are few things more intrusive to our privacy than the I.R.S.

Really. Where’s the hysteria about the I.R.S? I guess it’s okay if it’s for the “greater good” and redistributes wealth, but catching terrorists is just wrong.

By finch

May 26, 2006 02:52 PM | Link to this

I support the Fair Tax, but oppose VAT taxes unless every other tax is thrown out the window.

How about a VAT minus every other tax? It taxes consumption, and not income or investment.

Just a thought.

By Scooter

May 26, 2006 03:07 PM | Link to this

finch, I appreciate your open-mindedness.

The problem with a Value Added Tax is it taxes every production process that adds value. By taxing the value added it would not allow the price of the retail good to reduce on the free market. As of now, a producer adds value for profit and that profit is then taxed as income, depending on the business structure.

The FairTax is the way to go, if we want to take some power away from politicians. A VAT tax would allow self important politicians to give favorable VAT tax rates to this or that and the lobbyist would thrive again.

By Scooter

May 26, 2006 03:13 PM | Link to this

Also, the 16th Amendment must be repealed. This is a provision of John Linder’s Fair Tax bill, which is in both houses of congress and is slowly adding co-sponsors.

By Michelle

May 26, 2006 03:17 PM | Link to this

If this wasn’t so pitiful it would be funny. It’s like Midori, getalife and finch are the Two Wank Crew making up their own rap songs coming out of some parallel universe. They live in their own little world and they seem so happy there. It’s like no one else can see the real deal, just like liberalism, they change it to fit what they want it to be. That’s the same thing a pschyzophrenic pre teen would do when caught in a lie. Are you guys really eleven year olds, masquerading as adults?.

It’s just like Danish said, Andy has been showing remarkable restraint the last month or so, just quietly noting that he was jacked. He has always been the first one to try to cool the situation down, look at the name he’s using now. It says it all.

It’s the Two Wank Crew that has been starting the problems.

So let’s hear your next song, y’all.

By Clyde

May 26, 2006 03:21 PM | Link to this

Now hear this! Back to basics for a moment. All you weak, cripple-minded wingnuts out there: Don’t bother displaying your false patriotism and religiosity this weekend. No one who ever sacrificed life, limb, blood, or even time for this country did so in order to perpetuate a nation of quasi-fascists of your repugnant ilk. Remember that. Wear it like a badge of dishonor.

By getalife

May 26, 2006 03:31 PM | Link to this

Yes, the wingnuts think this is ok

To get this

Another Iran, what a waste.

By Scooter

May 26, 2006 03:32 PM | Link to this

Fascism requires a certain level of individual dependence on the state, so I guess both major parties are quasi-fascist. Huh, Clyde.

By Bud

May 26, 2006 03:33 PM | Link to this

Michelle is not a woman. Andy is not a man. Both are hermaphroditic Neanderthals, living lives of quiet, anonymous desperation.

By Michelle

May 26, 2006 03:36 PM | Link to this

I am a good Republican women who would rather stay at home barefoot and pregnant and follow hubby’s every word than have to go to college and try for a job.

I don’t care about fresh air; because I stay at home and have an conditioner that filters it. If it gets bad for you, just wear a mask.

I hope they drill in Alaska, so hubby can affort to drive his V8. Let them cut down all the trees. Who cares about the owls or the antelope or whatever ugly dirty creature goes extinct? I don’t like them, so they must not be good for anything. The whole country can become a dry plain because I have my air conditioning and the city gives me my water. Then the mexicans will like it better. Besides, since I’m at home all the time I know nothing about beauty in the environment so it must not matter.

Oh, and who cares if they tap my phone because I don’t do anything wrong on the phone.

By getalife

May 26, 2006 03:42 PM | Link to this

Scooter,

Did you attend the Fair Tax convention in Atlanta?

By Jeff

May 26, 2006 03:43 PM | Link to this

I’m fixin to hit the road and get out of town but I’d just like to say I agree with Michelle. I don’t come here very often but I always see the same core group of angry people, Midori and N-GA being the worse. Can anyone tell me when the last time they said something respectful to another person? When ever you see a right winger getting nasty it’s because someone is impersonating them. Why would they call themselves homosexuals? We’re not talking about alot of intelligence here with these liberals.

I’m out.

By Scooter

May 26, 2006 03:45 PM | Link to this

getalife, if you continue to classify all of us as wingnuts I will be forced to classify you as a liberal who will one day be calling that same Iraqi governent a “puppet government”

Isn’t it funny how free nations can do and support what they want? It will be up to the people of Iraq to decide if they want a nuclear neighbor in their next free election, which Iran does not have.

By Buy Danish

May 26, 2006 03:49 PM | Link to this

Scooter,

By all means, take it away on the Fair Tax!

Thanks!

Clyde,

What wacko website are you reading that has you so uninformed and hysterical? Let me guess, you’re gay and you’re afraid you won’t be able to get married. That seems to be the driving issue here at ML’s place among the paranoids who like to throw the word fascist around.

By Liberal Texas Democrat

May 26, 2006 03:50 PM | Link to this

Here’s another viewpoint on estate tax. Why capitalists should like estate taxes
From Adam Smith to Thomas Jefferson, lovers of freedom have demanded that social privilege be earned — not inherited. Quoting from the article: “b. 15, 2001 | It is inspiring to see William Gates Sr. (Bill Gates’ father and leader of the family’s foundation), George Soros and other wealthy people defending the estate tax. They know that repealing it would seriously harm charities and important government projects. But even more important than that is the issue of equal opportunity. Warren Buffett puts best why we need an estate tax: Without it, we will have “an aristocracy of wealth.” That elegant phrase brings out exactly why those who believe in capitalism should fervently defend the estate tax. Estate taxes can easily look cruel or unfair if one calls them “death taxes.” In fact, however, they are the fairest of all taxes, and have a long and proud history.”

By Fred

May 26, 2006 03:50 PM | Link to this

BD. Let’s get started. Climb up out of your own very bowels and try to pay attention. Cease chewing on your own child cause you’re going to have to exhaust all your powers of concentration in the here and now. Straighten up. Get off your liver. Climb onto the listening stick of wisdom! And at least unwrap your unwashed, disgusting body from those used Pampers when you engage in the Holy Writ of your life!

Whew. I just scared my little self! Forgot what I was gonna say. Well, have a reasonably pleasant weekend.

By Buy Danish

May 26, 2006 03:54 PM | Link to this

Jeff,

You’ve probably got the pedal to the metal by now, but what is really great fun is when Midori and N-GA get sanctimonious about their name-calling.

By Dusty

May 26, 2006 03:55 PM | Link to this

Clyde and Bonnie Bud,

You couldn’t take it, could you? Michelle hit so close to your sorry skins that you had to go make up your usual wanker trash. You really need a new line. You are outdated, overused and pitiful. You are also a disgrace in every way.

Enjoy Memorial Day. Don’t burn your fingers while burning the flag, outcasts. Oh yeah, you are also despicable.

By Rex

May 26, 2006 03:59 PM | Link to this

Wow, the liberals prove Michelle’s point by jacking her name just like clockwork. And they make Jeff’s point too about them being pretty ignorant. These losers don’t have a whole lot going for themselves, do they?

By Buy Danish

May 26, 2006 04:03 PM | Link to this

Fred,

Do I know you? I hope not.

But you are correct to be scared by what you just posted. I’d call 911 immediately if I were you and request an ambulance.

P.S. I will have a fabulous weekend, thank you very much.

By Scooter

May 26, 2006 04:04 PM | Link to this

Well getalife, since I support the liberation of Iraq and think Saddam was a threat to the region and us, that would make me wingnut. I only take kindly to one kind of nut and it ain’t deez.

But, no I did not attend the rally, as I am trying to start a business between my other two jobs.

Liberal Texas Democrat, if the estate tax did not go to the inept federal government I would be fine with it. But it prevents wealthy people from leaving their wealth to private charities that perform much better than a social engineering government. You know, private charities expect results from their beneficiaries, not just votes.

I assume rushncap knows all he/she needs to know about the fair tax. he/she is so smart, just born that way I guess? Buy Danish, sorry if I stole your fair tax thunder.

By Midori

May 26, 2006 04:07 PM | Link to this

Getalife,

here’s another one for ya

:)

By Earl

May 26, 2006 04:07 PM | Link to this

…paranoids who like to throw the word fascist around.

Why don’t you tell us, enlightened one, what FASCSIM is, so we’ll know whether we’re being paranoid or not.

Or, should we just ask “The Decider” and let HIM tell us?

By Scooter

May 26, 2006 04:08 PM | Link to this

Shyite, I see I apologized to Buy Danish twice. Either I have too many things going on, or I am terribly guilt ridden. I go with the former.

By getalife

May 26, 2006 04:10 PM | Link to this

Scooter,

You are busy.

Well, they call me a vicious lib because I call them like a see them but do not support either party.

By Buy Danish

May 26, 2006 04:14 PM | Link to this

Dusty,

Your 3:55 was very funny.

As an aside, I was thinking of Bonnie & Clyde the other day, and it occured to me that it was one of the first Hollywood efforts to glamorize outlaws.

Get attractive actors and actresses like Warren and Faye, dress them up in really great clothes that make the cover of Glamour Magazine, and next thing you know, you’re rooting for a couple of respectable killers who pull at your heartstrings far more than they deserved in reality. Mind you, I haven’t seen the film in decades, but that is my recollection of it.

I’m waiting for Johnny Depp as Che’ Guevara - surely that must be in the works somewhere.

By Scooter

May 26, 2006 04:18 PM | Link to this

getalife that is appearing to be up in the air. It seems as though your rabid criticism along with the other libs, who do nothing but criticize, has formed a pack mentality.

Why do you think Saddam should have been left in charge of Iraq, under the watchful eye of the honorable UN and their Oil for Food Program, of course? If you can tell me that, perhaps you can tell me how the left new Saddam was not a threat? After all, they thought he was before he kicked the inspectors out in 1998. Or, are they just politically opportunistic and two faced poll readers?

I have to make some calls while business hours are still upon us, but I will check back in for those responses.

By Buy Danish

May 26, 2006 04:18 PM | Link to this

Earl,

Any moron can look up the definition. Bush is not it, any more than Ronald Reagan was. Give it a rest.

Scooter,

Not a thing to be sorry about! Steal all the thunder you’d like. I get exhausted trying to explain this stuff to the likes of rushncap. Jump in anytime and run with it. I need the rest!

By Cindy

May 26, 2006 04:21 PM | Link to this

getalife, I got the “liberal” tag about 20 years ago when someone was badmouthing Jimmy Carter. All I said was (kind of silly) “Jimmy Carter was the best president we had as far as being just a good human being.” Funny thing about it is that I never voted for Carter, but the way I got attacked for that simple statement really opened my eyes to a certain group.

By Buy Danish

May 26, 2006 04:27 PM | Link to this

Clyde,

I peeked at your hilarious link. Yep, opposition to abortion is a SURE sign of fascism.

And freeing 50 million people from the Taliban is inhumane I guess. What really matters is if someone had a paper bag over their head at Abu Ghraib.

BTW, Christianity and Christian symbols have been with us since our founding. No one complained about it under Presidents like Lincoln and FDR. Why the sudden hysteria?

Nothing has changed except that the ACLU and the cultural Marxists came in and decided to remake America into something it never was. How ludicrous that in San Diego a judge has ordered that a cross be removed from a veterans memorial. Don’t ignorant morons like you know that “San” means “Saint”?

But what can we expect from a state which has just outlawed the fascistic words “Mom” and “Dad” from our children’s textbooks? That is what I call fascism!

By getalife

May 26, 2006 04:31 PM | Link to this

Scooter, Why do you think Saddam should have been left in charge of Iraq, under the watchful eye of the honorable UN and their Oil for Food Program, of course?

Oh lets say it would not cost us 2463 American lives and 8 billion a month. When the taliban is making a comeback and OBL is still out there planning. Not to mention Iraqi innocent lives and hate from the rest of the world.

All for a nut in a spider hole and another Iran.

By Dusty

May 26, 2006 04:32 PM | Link to this

Buy Danish,

I think of you as the Iron Lady a la Margaret Thatcher. She also ran over her critics with delight. That is, if I can compare these nut cases to normal critics which is a far stretch.

Che’Guevara has already made it to T shirts or better. Maybe they could combine an old King Kong movie with one about Che. Johnny Depp was pretty cute as a pirate. I’d hate to see him messed up as a charming communist.

By Earl

May 26, 2006 04:37 PM | Link to this

Buy Danish, yes any moron can look it up, but you are unable to explain it when asked. Why? Because if you cannot do so without showing that you do indeed support the dreaded F-word. Many of us see clear correlations between what America is becoming and what other “fascist regimes” were… until the FREEDOM-loving American military disposed of them.

Remember folks, Memorial Day is to honor our fallen soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice for us, and for the principles of FREEDOM. They did not die so that the government of the people, by the people and for the people would someday become the government of “The Decider.”

By Buy Danish

May 26, 2006 04:44 PM | Link to this

I got attacked for that simple statement really opened my eyes to a certain group.

Cindy,

Boy that must have been rough.

You never got the fascist, homophobe, NAZI, Racist, chickenhawk, coward* stuff, huh?

By getalife

May 26, 2006 04:44 PM | Link to this

Cindy,

Yes, Jimmy and Bill are still doing great things for mankind.

It drives the Republicans crazy.

By Buy Danish

May 26, 2006 04:48 PM | Link to this

Dusty,

I love(d) Margaret Thatcher, but I don’t look like her! You’re right that Johnny Depp may be a bit unfair. Hmmmmm. Sean Penn?

Earl the Pearl is really flipping. What a joy it is to see these moonbats get hysterial. He doesn’t realize yet that I had a followup post to him. Can’t wait for the lecture on the necessity of abortion as a counterpoint to fascism. La dee da.

By Earl

May 26, 2006 04:51 PM | Link to this

KNOW YOUR FASCISTS! Um.. and these are YOUR fascists, not someone else’s fascists in a faraway land. The members include Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Scooter Libby, William J. Bennett, Jeb Bush, Paul Wolfowitz, John Bolton, and numerous high-ranking members of the State Department and the Pentagon. This is not a “left-wing blog.” These people have a plan to run the world, and run it THEIR way. What the rest of you think does not matter to them.

By ccheney

May 26, 2006 04:54 PM | Link to this

Scooter, Like many moderates, I never saw any proof of what was presented against Hussein as of such a great threat that it called for war. I was open to Bush’s leanings because of the threat, but there was just no “take into a court of law” evidence, so to speak. Also we had “boots on the ground” in there: the inspectors, who were only kicked out because of the 2003 invasion. We had done a great job in Afghanistan. My opinion was to work on the allies so we could have that same kind of support going into Iraq. Besides, I wasn’t quite sure at the time why he chose Iraq instead of a dozen other countries I could name who are led by cruel dictators and are a threat to the US. I had read that this all was preplaned before 9/11. And as for terrorism, it was common knowledge that Hussein did not get along with Bin Laden and none of the hijackers were from Iraq. Hussein’s cruel dictatorship thwarted the kind of fanaticism that led to 9/11. I saw better military objects if we were truly fighting a war on terrorism. The inspectors asked for more time and although they had covered a large part of the country, they had found nothing even hinting at WMD. So much of the “intelligence” for the war was dated long before the current inspectors’ reports. Knowing a little of the culture through biblical education, I had doubts that they would “hail us”. Bush’s arrogance and manipulation really turned me off and I truly believe that some of our military have died because of it. My husband, who is retired military, backed Shinseki in his estimate of the number of troops needed and look what Bush did to the General. I am not anti-Republican (my Mom and hubby belong to that group, although moderately not fanatically) and I do support some of their ideas, but I think Bush is a very terrible leader. I am truly ashamed of him and I think people have to be fanactical conservatives to continue to follow him so blindly. Actually, I admire the Republicans who admit to his failures in leadership.

By Respect the Soldiers

May 26, 2006 04:57 PM | Link to this

RESPECT, REMEMBER, AND HONOR OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM! Happy Memorial Day!!

By Scooter

May 26, 2006 04:58 PM | Link to this

OK getalife, you answered that one, but you will notice I asked you to answer another if you could answer that one. So how did you and the left know Saddam was not a threat, since they thought he was before he kicked the inspectors out in 1998. Or do they prefer to trust the “blue helmets”, aka the UN.

Well, getalife, if you read the Duelfer and Kay reports you would know that Saddam was gaming the Oil for Food Program and had every intention of reconstituting his WMD programs. So, if the dems had their way Saddam would still be gaming and one day would have reconstituted those WMD programs. Is that your liberal position to put things off until they come to a head, like North Korea?

How many fewer lives would it have cost if we entered WWII early rather than going the lend lease route. How many fewer if we simply applied consequences to Germany’s continued violation of the Treaty of Versailles, like we are currenly applyng to Iraq’s continued violation of UN Resolution 678, or 687. Whichever number it was, There were just so many he violated and they don’t concern you liberals, huh.

By Cindy

May 26, 2006 04:58 PM | Link to this

BD, LOL! I got the radical right version of it. (Kind of my indoctrinatiion into the political arena.)

By Auto.Responder

May 26, 2006 05:00 PM | Link to this

The following is an Automatic Responder System post.

Please be informed that Buy Danish is very smart. Her father went to Harvard.

This message will automatically post daily. To have your automatic response posted to your favorite blog go to www.auto.reponder.com

By Scooter

May 26, 2006 05:01 PM | Link to this

ccheney. the UN resolutions placed the burden of proof on Iraq not the “member states”. So did Iraq cooperate at some point that I am unaware of, or are you just willing to bet American lives on Saddams’s good intentions?

By Victor Hansen

May 26, 2006 05:02 PM | Link to this

Our soldiers fought for the chance of a democracy; that fact is uncontestable. Before they came to Iraq, there was a fascist dictatorship. Now, after three elections, there is an indigenous democratic government for the first time in the history of the Middle East. True, thousands of Iraqis have died publicly in the resulting sectarian mess; but thousands were dying silently each year under Saddam—with no hope that their sacrifice would ever result in the first steps that we have already long passed.

Our soldiers also removed a great threat to the United States. Again, the crisis brewing over Iran reminds us of what Iraq would have reemerged as. Like Iran, Saddam reaped petroprofits, sponsored terror, and sought weapons of mass destruction. But unlike Iran, he had already attacked four of his neighbors, gassed thousands of his own, and violated every agreement he had ever signed. There would have been no nascent new democracy in Iran that might some day have undermined Saddam, and, again unlike Iran, no internal dissident movement that might have come to power through a revolution or peaceful evolution.

By getalife

May 26, 2006 05:10 PM | Link to this

Scooter,

I agree with cheney’s take and agree W was rearing to invade Iraq no matter what Powell or anyone else said. Why? Do not know but am still looking for that answer.

No matter what we think, more will die and hope the Iraqis will get their act together for the troops and their families sake.

By Buy Danish

May 26, 2006 05:23 PM | Link to this

RTS,

Regarding your tacky post, By “Oil Barons”, I assume you refer to Saddam Hussein?

Earl,

Who are your fascists? The California “lawmakers” who decided that “Mommy” and “Daddy” are dirty words, and orders that they be expunged from textbooks so as not to offend anyone?

Cindy Sheehan who smooches with Dictator Hugo Chavez? Or how about George “weekend in Havana” Galloway? Or how about the people around the world who are putting people on trial for “hate crimes”, which is defined by saying something that offended some Muslim somewhere? How about the students who interrupt, and turn their backs on John McCain and Condi Rice? How about the pie-throwers who follow Ann Coulter and David Horwitz around? Shall I go on?

Does “freedom” have a different definition for you?

Freedom: (N). A Leftist concept of personal liberty that demands the ability to do whatever one wants, whenever one wants, and to hell with anyone who stands in their way.

By lol

May 26, 2006 05:25 PM | Link to this

Victor- LMFAO!

By Daniel

May 26, 2006 05:29 PM | Link to this

Bush sent us to war on an armada of lies. This thing can be summed up by the words of Lt. General Newbold: “The decisions for the Itraq War were made by people not accustomed to being held accountable for their mistakes nor having to bury the results.” America is not at war. What is your sacrifice? What is the sacrifice of the rich and powerful? America is a nation betrayed by leaders unworthy of the sacrifices of the troops.

By Scooter

May 26, 2006 05:29 PM | Link to this

also ccheney, you don’t know why he chose Iraq? The twelve years Saddam made a mockery of the inspections and violated some thirteen UN resolutions demanding he disclose the wherabouts of the WMDs the world knew he had, might have had something to do with it?

I feel Saddam’s cruel dicatorship created the hopelessness and despair, among the oppressed factions, that breeds terrorism.

The isnpectors asked for more time you say. I think thirteen years was plenty.

Returning soldiers I have spoken with said they did greet us as liberators but then their national pride took over and many wanted us out. Of course the once favored Sunni’s never wanted us to disrupt their gravy train.

As far as Shinseki and more troops. If our mere presence was bound to create animosity and breed terrorist, like many say, wouldn’t it be wise to make as small a “footprint” as possible? And I don’t know what Bush did to Shinseki and neither do you, we can only speculate.

Call me fanatical if you must but I support the liberation of Iraq as it will hopefully show the Middle-East that we are not the cause of all their problems. Their problem are created by the tyranical dictators and regimes that rule them and sell their oil. This is a long term endeavor and no human is perfect, I do not appreciate the dupilcitous and sissified methods the dems choose to defend the nation with.

I can criticize Bush on many things but the liberation of Iraq is not one of them, no war goes “as planned” and I will not opportunisticly criticize someone who is doing what no other leader would.

ccheney, I certainly do appreciate your civility and did not mean for any of this post to cause you offense.

By Scooter

May 26, 2006 05:37 PM | Link to this

I am well aware my grammer sucked in my last post, so you liberals can save it. Give it to me later and I will smoke it.

By getalife

May 26, 2006 05:39 PM | Link to this

Well, I thought something weird was going on in W’s rhetoric last night.

Some think it was a staged performance.

By @@

May 26, 2006 05:52 PM | Link to this

lol:

I’m somewhat curious about what caused you to laugh hysterically at Victor’s link. Was it this part?

Our soldiers fought for the chance of a democracy; that fact is uncontestable.

And by the way, when you post LMFAO, does the “F” stand for a “FAT” or “F-ukn” a*ss? Either way, it don’t sound pretty.

By Daniel

May 26, 2006 05:53 PM | Link to this

gal: Of course it was a put-up-job. That is vintage Bush. He feeds the suckers BS. Just read the “tooth fairy” post of 5:29 if you think I’m wrong.

By Scooter

May 26, 2006 05:55 PM | Link to this

Some think the moon landing was staged, so what.

Oh well, you all have a wonderfull Memorial day weekend. I’m going to have a scotch on the rocks.

Chickenhawk, out.

By Victor Hansen

May 26, 2006 05:58 PM | Link to this

Haha to you too.

Some believe that the odyssey of jihadists to Iraq means we created terrorists, but again, it is far more likely, as al Qaeda communiqués attest, that we drew those with such propensities into Iraq. Once there, they have finally shown the world that they hate democracy, but love to kill and behead—and that has brought a great deal of moral clarity to the struggle. After Iraq, the reputation of bin Laden and radical Islam has not been enhanced as alleged, but has plummeted. For all the propaganda on al Jazeera, the chattering classes in the Arab coffeehouses still watch Americans fighting to give Arabs the vote, and radical Islamists in turn beheading men and women to stop it.

By finch

May 26, 2006 06:00 PM | Link to this

By Scooter - May 26, 2006 05:01 PM

…the UN resolutions placed the burden of proof on Iraq not the “member states”. So did Iraq cooperate at some point that I am unaware of, (it did) or are you just willing to bet American lives on Saddams’s good intentions?

Darn it, you keep forgetting. The UN opposed an Iraq invasion.

Michelle,

It’s just like Danish said, Andy has been showing remarkable restraint (whoo hoo! right!!) the last month or so, just quietly noting that he was jacked.

You’re new here, aren’t you?

By finch

May 26, 2006 06:07 PM | Link to this

getalife… from your link:

And for me the big giveaway was at the end of that answer, I don’t know if you can see it on camera, but the President flashed a big grin to those of us sitting in the front rows. It didn’t seem that he was quite as contrite as his performance.

Mister “I can’t think of a mistake” makes another one.

By Scooter

May 26, 2006 06:09 PM | Link to this

Four countries have veto power over anything the UN security council says, so you choose to put our seciruty in the hands of those four countries. Keep selling that idea finch, its going to be difficult to sell.

By N-GA

May 26, 2006 06:12 PM | Link to this

Scooter, your grammar doesn’t bother me at all. But I take exception to your argument.

It is interesting that this administration condemns the United Nations on a daily basis, yet uses U.N. resolution 1441 as the reason for invading Iraq (even though no WMD’s were found!). Is that hypocrisy?

To continue, the real FACTS show that Israel has violated and/or ignored more than 100 U.N. resolutions since 1948. When will the U.S. invade Israel? Is this more hypocrisy?

This is how the Muslim world views the United States. I know because I lived there for 2 years, courtesy of the U.S. Government. They expect us to treat them the same way we treat Israel…but we do not… not this administration nor any Democratic administration, either.

Please stop and answer this question HONESTLY:

If a foreign power occupied a portion of the United States since 1967 and the world repeatedly ignored the pleas of Americans to force this foreign power to return these lands, don’t you think that REAL AMERICANS would do whatever it took to regain their land? Including “terrorist” acts? I do not support the Palestinians blowing up innocent Israeli’s, but I do understand WHY they do so. And I understand why they are ANGRY with America.

By Daniel

May 26, 2006 06:17 PM | Link to this

finch: Also the Nationl Council of Churches, and the American Conference of Bishops both opposed the war. The last 30% are going to be the hardest. Some of them are delusional. We’re shoving democracy down their throats.

By Clem

May 26, 2006 06:21 PM | Link to this

Hog Danish: (Re Fred.) Like all rightwing wackos, you lack a sense of humor. But then before one can possess a sense of humor, one must first have…sense. As always, you lose. That’s what losers “do.”

By getalife

May 26, 2006 06:22 PM | Link to this

I am amazed people still believe W and his cronies. It boggles the mind.

By Victor Hansen

May 26, 2006 06:23 PM | Link to this

This one should get a good deep belly laugh:

No, Saddam’s police state was wounded, but would have recovered, given high oil prices, Chinese and Russian perfidy, and Western exhaustion with enforcement of U.N. sanctions. Moreover, the American military took the war against radical Islam right to its heart in the ancient caliphate. It has not only killed thousands of jihadists, but dismantled the hierarchy of al Qaeda and its networks, both in Afghanistan and Iraq. Critics say that we “took our eye off the ball” by going to Iraq and purportedly leaving bin Laden alone in the Hindu Kush. But more likely, al Qaeda took its eye off the American homeland as the promised theater of operations once American ground troops began dealing with Islamic terrorists in Iraq. As we near five years after September 11, note how less common becomes the expression “not if, but when” concerning the next anticipated terror attack in the U.S.

By Christine Flowers

May 26, 2006 06:26 PM | Link to this

I hope I get a laugh:

Ms. Rohe took the opportunity to attack McCain because he supports the war in Iraq, making him a proxy for the president she and her ilk so obviously detest. Her words, dripping with the elite disdain perfected by liberals, is an example of how the pampered progeny of the boomers are always demanding rights without acknowledging prior debts.

The righteous Ms. Rohe was only able to give voice to her beliefs because of McCain and others like him who sacrificed their youth (and, in some cases, their lives) to secure the freedom of strangers. You wonder what sacrifices this young woman has ever made for her country, or if she even thinks it merits the effort.

By N-GA

May 26, 2006 06:26 PM | Link to this

My last post was addressed to Scooter, but @@, BD, RW or Dusty are free to respond. I urge you to respond because, as a veteran who served honorably from 1969-75, I honor what my brothers and sisters in the service are doing, but I defy the individuals who have put them there to fight and die for something we do not know…..

By Buy Danish

May 26, 2006 06:29 PM | Link to this

Scooter,

Great job. I didn’t notice any mistakes either.

I made a minor mistake in my 5:23 to Remember the Troops and it’s bugging me, so I’ll correct it, and expand upon it while I’m at it:

RTS,

Regarding your tacky post, by “Oil Barons”, I assume you refer to Saddam Hussein, and the bribed oil-for-food crooks who influenced the final Security Council vote?

By N-GA

May 26, 2006 06:30 PM | Link to this

The best way to defeat Saddam Hussein would have been to make OIL irrelevent. That is the only thing that propped up his administration (well, there was some fear involved, too). By making OIL irrelevent, we would reduce America’s dependence and helped the environment. Any administration could have taken steps to do this…but Jimmy Carter was the last U.S. President to seriously try to address this problem.

By finch

May 26, 2006 06:30 PM | Link to this

scooter,

Don’t you think it’s a bit disingenuous and hypocritical for the US to “enforce” resolutions from the UN (whose resolutions are selectively recognized by the US anyway) when the UN opposed such enforcement?

I know I do.

Iraq was never a direct threat to the US. Even before the invasion, the world knew they had no delivery systems for the WMDs they didn’t have.

Try again.

By Daniel

May 26, 2006 06:36 PM | Link to this

N-GA: I served from 1960-64. Would someone tell us what sacrifice they are making for the troops?

By N-GA

May 26, 2006 06:38 PM | Link to this

I’m watching NBC News and the military investigation of Marines in Iraq is reporting that 24 Iraqi civilians were killed in cold blood. Five were ordered out of a taxi cab, then shot while their hands were in the air.

I’m not convicting anyone, but simply repeating what is coming out of the military investigation.

Looks like it might be another My Lai…a tragedy….

By Buy Danish

May 26, 2006 06:38 PM | Link to this

Oh no! Its the original Clem!

Scum tub, your idea of humor is a pie in the face and moronic, sophomoric name-calling, so I consider it a great compliment if YOU don’t find ME funny.

By N-GA

May 26, 2006 06:39 PM | Link to this

The Wing-Nuts have suddenly gone quiet. I wonder why?

By Woo Hoo

May 26, 2006 06:44 PM | Link to this

Another My Lai Massacre, party at my place!

By Bill

May 26, 2006 06:45 PM | Link to this

Homophobic homosexuals Dusty and Danish. Clyde or anyone else here is a “disgrace”? Gutter scum like you who daily empty your bowels on this blog month after month? Never been anywhere, never seen anything, never experienced anything. You hide in your filthy rat holes, behind a screen, and dare to lash out at others? Gay Dusty, self-loathing closeteer, afraid to depart his dirtied nest. Tells us that he’s a “scientist.” Jesus! While posting all day and cheating his employer - if he has one. “Scientifically” mopping hospital restroom floors. Will use his chronic unemployment check of today, always supplied by “liberals,” to drink his share of courage over the weekend. His bitterness and envy and hatred and failures runneth over and soil all that he touches. Always outgunned, this pschopathic delight goes on and on. A great argument for Retro-abortion. His body needs to be as poisoned as is his mind. Danish?? He’s already been aborted. Just what inferior type of matter of which he consists has yet to be determined. Perhaps one day soon. Rejects & retards. Neither of these freaks could get laid in The House of Good Shepherd with a fist full of fifties!

By getalife

May 26, 2006 06:45 PM | Link to this

Daniel,

They think they are patriotic by supporting W on blogs. The freedoms you and N-GA fought for, they hand over to W and W says trust me. It boggles the mind.

By N-GA

May 26, 2006 06:48 PM | Link to this

Please Google “Edward Cox Hammerbeck”. Follow the link all the way to the description of how he died….he was my friend….died for what?

By finch

May 26, 2006 06:54 PM | Link to this

N-GA,

I hope this reported Marine shooting incident isn’t blown out of proportion. Considering how many Americans are in Iraq, I’m impressed and relieved that this rarely (if at all) happens.

Hate the war, love the soldiers…

By N-GA

May 26, 2006 06:55 PM | Link to this

John Thomas DePriest ~ April 18, 1969 ~ KIA Vietnam

He was my friend….

By N-GA

May 26, 2006 06:56 PM | Link to this

Gary Michael Archibald ~ April 17, 1968 ~ KIA Vietnam

He was my friend…..

By House of Good Shepherd

May 26, 2006 06:57 PM | Link to this

Neither of these freaks could get laid in The House of Good Shepherd with a fist full of fifties!

I’d rather have Danish’s and Dusty’s handful of fifties then I would your whackjob screed.

Lunatic.

By N-GA

May 26, 2006 06:58 PM | Link to this

Just reported that in 1972, Henry Kissinger told the People’s Republic of China that the United States would accept a communist takeover of South Vietnam by the North Vietnamese government, provided the takeover took place AFTER U.S. troops were withdrawn.

I wonder how that makes the relatives of the 58,000 Americans who died there feel. I know how it makes me feel….betrayed by both Democratic and Republican administrations.

By RW-(the original)

May 26, 2006 06:59 PM | Link to this

Sorry if this has been addressed, but after reading another ignorant rushncap post I wanted to jump in before curfew.

Rushncap,

Paris Hilton is making millions in real income and paying a tidy sum in income taxes. You can certainly make the case that she doesn’t possess commensurate talent, but you cannot say she is just living the sweet life of an heiress. Why don’t you try thinking something through on your own instead of just repeating whatever the socialist world daily tells you to?

By N-GA

May 26, 2006 07:03 PM | Link to this

My last visit to NYC I went to a starving artists event. I purchased a tee shirt. On the front it said, simply:

I Blame Paris Hilton

And on the back it said:

For EVERYTHING!

Nuff Said…..

By Buy Danish

May 26, 2006 07:05 PM | Link to this

H-GA,

Sorry, but I’m not going to re-argue this AGAIN. Not today, anyway.

Clem/Spike/Abe/Sybil/ and most of all BILL,

Did the asylum let you all out for the 3 day weekend?

In addition to staying on drugs to calm your schizophrenia, you may want to try an “anger management” class. It might make you feel better, and temporarily keep you out of the straight-jacket and the room with the padded walls.

By Daniel

May 26, 2006 07:13 PM | Link to this

Thanks finch. We will straighten this mess out. It’s going to take a long, long time. Capable leadership can make a world of a difference. I pray for our troops. I fear the fundamental flaws of entry cannot be repaired. Most republicans agree we’ve been deceived and we never should have invaded Iraq.

By Debunk Junk

May 26, 2006 08:10 PM | Link to this

getalife/finch/Mi-daniel, If you three bought into the Jason Leopold crap at DailyKos, and you clearly did, then your suspicion of Bush’s staged performance last night is understandable. You’re not only gullible, you’re stupid to boot.

getalife, You took us to Crooks & Liars for the story where this Richard Wolffe:

Richard Wolffe was named Senior White House Correspondent in January 2005, after covering the 2004 presidential campaign, crisscrossing the country with Democratic candidate John Kerry. Wolffe began reporting on Gov. Howard Dean’s campaign in 2003 before switching to Kerry in early 2004.

Was supported by Steve Soto at The Left Coast Blog site. And you three share in these moronic suspisions? Now the latest conspiracy at Left Coast reads like this:

The sad thing is that today, the idea of BushCorp abusing power and raiding the Rayburn Bldg under cover of bogus shootings seems absolutely normal. To even regard such a thing as mildly plausible now is a horrible sign of how cynical and distrustful we have all become.

Cynical and distrustful. Do you think maybe the three of you are losing all ability to reason because you’re spending too much time in LaLa Land. You’re beginning to look small and insignificant.

I would have linked, but all anyone has to do is go to getalife’s link at 5:39, hit Steve Soto and then the Left Coast picture on the left to see the latest rantings at a liberal blog.

Quit dragging this crap over here. You three may find it goes down real smooth, but the intelligent people here find it somewhat gritty.

By @@

May 26, 2006 10:15 PM | Link to this

N-GA:

I’ve been out tonight but I always leave a window open just in case I see anything I’d like to respond to so here’s my response to your post on U.N. sanctions against Israel.

Before I begin, I think you should know that I have engaged in debates on Israel with ministers, friends and at one time shared your doubts. They were arguing for and I was arguing against Israel’s right to exist. I think Ricky & RW encountered me posting here on the topic. Ricky gently reprimanded me and provoked me to do some research. I keep a file. Allow me to share with you this history of Israel and a history of U.N. Sanctions which you will probably see as biased considering the source. Let me suggest that you take time to do your own research into their claims.

On the “History of Israel” link, you can disregard the religious implications as I get the distinct impression that you discredit religion as a flawed principle which is your right. They were original to the land and have fought for it, been expelled from it, lost it and vowed to return. They are there now and they ain’t going nowhere. They have a highly advanced military and could blow Palestine off the map with a nuke, but they have exhibited great restraint.

I came to the self realization that my viewpoint was motivated by fear. Fear of nuclear reprisal. Hell, everybody’s got nukes or is getting them. I refuse to let fear of the unknown affect my existence.

Your opinion of war appears to be a little skewed by your Vietnam experience. I appreciate your service as well as the service of all veterans. I have two cousins who served in Vietnam around the same time you did. They were infantry and saw battle. They’re opinion is completely opposite of yours. That’s different strokes for different folks.

War is hell I’ve heard, but we will never be without it. It is the inherent nature of mankind. Whether you agree with the reasons we went to Iraq or not, it would be inhumane at this juncture to leave the Iraqi people to suffer the results.

Unless during your two-year stay, you spoke to every individual there, and we know you didn’t, I cannot believe that everybody wants us out. I’m reading different opinions from various unbiased resources which I won’t link to because I think I have just ^^^ spammed the site.

You could say that we do have an invasion here in the states with illegal immigration. We are handling it through legislation. We aren’t murdering, beheading or behaving in a radical way. We are a civilized society.

Sorry you lost friends!

By finch

May 26, 2006 10:25 PM | Link to this

Debunk Junk,

What does Jason Leopold and DailyKos have to do with President Bush’s song ‘n dance last night? Nothing. What’s your point?

I could cherry pick “wingnut” junk that would make a mainstream Republican wince, just like you cherry picked “moonbat” sites. I could even leave links! But why bother?

They prove nothing.

I find that getalife’s blog can be very entertaining. So he links to a few lefty blogs? Big deal. getalife’s an interesting guy, and I agree with him on many, but not all issues.

I like RW’s blog, too. He links to Michelle Malkin and that Coulter witch. So what? RW’s an interesting guy, too. I often disagree with him, but I also know that some of his opinions aren’t shared by other conservatives here.

Which is why I’m surprised you haven’t noticed that the people here who share ml’s disdain for Our Fearless Leader don’t all march to the same drummer.

Your effort to stereotype, mariginalize and trivialize our varied opinions smacks of a very small mind. I learn a few things from some “wingnut” posts, just as I learn from “moonbats” and the posters in between. You lump “moonbats” (or anyone who disagrees with you) in a corner and simply dismiss them outright. How shallow.

And I don’t know if you’re arrogant or just plain stupid for pasting in some rant about the Rayburn Building gunshot scare being a BushCo plot to raid Congressional offices. Nobody here has even mentioned that. But you play a daisy chain of links from getalife’s blog, paste it into your essay, and present it like a trophy. I mean, what’s your point? Really?

If you really want a more civil blog, you could persuade the many faces of Suck to rein in his tedious, offensive spamming. You’re still protecting him as if he’s your obnoxious little cousin. Aren’t you embarrassed even a little bit? How about if you get him to (in your words) “quit dragging this crap over here. You… may find it goes down real smooth, but the intelligent people here find it somewhat gritty.”

Do we ever.

By @@

May 26, 2006 10:27 PM | Link to this

O.K., my last window. Sorry, looks like I spammed under somebody else’s spam and now there’s a new cartoon. Well, that just sux. I guess that’s what happens when you come late to the game.

Hi Rushncap @@.

By N-GA

May 26, 2006 11:33 PM | Link to this

@@,

There were people in Palestine before the Israeli’s, just like there were people here in North America before us. At some point, treaties and international agreements have to mean something. My primary point is that this administration used a United Nations resolution as an excuse to invade Iraq, even though they think the United Nations is irrelevent. That is hypocrisy.

Israel has violated or ignored more than 100 United Nations resolutions, but we do not invade them.

You brought up another point for me. Israel has nuclear weapons (I suspect they had more than a little help from us), yet this administration tries to deny nuclear weapons from others (except India & Pakistan). I’m not crazy about N. Korea and Iran having them, but who are we to govern the world? We certainly have a long history of supporting evil governments (too many to list).

You don’t debate what is right or wrong, only opinions which tend to get in the way of facts. Open up your mind and let a few fresh truths take root for a change. You might be surprised how it makes you feel afterward.

Goodnight!

By Saturday AM Update

May 27, 2006 07:10 AM | Link to this

With sincere apologies to baby finch who apparently isn’t having as much fun as he once was. Isn’t it soooo sad, kleenex anyone?

Cindy Sheehan is not your ordinary idiot. She continues to inspire idiocy in others, which is why she remains such an icon. Zinn’s introduction to her book is just the latest example, but it’s still rivaled by Maureen Dowd’s remarkable statement about Sheehan, that “the moral authority of parents who bury children killed in Iraq is absolute.”

I still wonder how that particular Dowd doozy was ever taken seriously. The law in civilized societies recognizes that grieving families are not always in their right minds. This is why we don’t, for instance, allow them the moral authority to form lynch mobs, however justified this may seem at the time.

You still have to wonder about the absolute moral authority of someone who considers the mass slaughter of civilians justified if it means her own particular soldier son might still be alive.

Cut

Air Force Gen. Michael V. Hayden was confirmed as the next CIA director yesterday after the Senate overwhelmingly cleared his nomination.

The four-star general’s nomination had come under scrutiny for the warrantless surveillance program he helped to design after the September 11 attacks as the director of the National Security Agency (NSA).

Gen. Hayden — who has been the top deputy to National Intelligence Director John D. Negroponte for just more than year — replaces CIA Director Porter J. Goss, who resigned May 5.

Fourteen Democrats voted against Gen. Hayden’s nomination yesterday, as did one prominent Republican — Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania.

After all the noise and sound the democrats just quietly wimp out.

Cut

Or at least that’s the hope of a growing number of liberals and journalists who are starting to get pre-buyer’s remorse for Hillary Clinton. In a giant love letter to Gore in New York magazine titled “The Comeback Kid,” an unidentified Democratic strategist likens the perceived inevitability of the Hillary nomination to “some Japanese epic film where everyone sees the disaster coming in the third reel but no one can figure out what to do about it.” The answer seems to involve Gore on a white horse.

Vanity Fair editor Grayden Carter tells Huffington that “Democrats are looking everywhere to find their presidential candidate.” But, he says, “the solution may be right under their noses.”

The reasoning behind the Gore boomlet extends beyond anti-Hillary angst. Gore won more votes than President Bush in 2000, which makes him not only popular but a lovable “victim” too. As one batty contributor to Huffington’s blog puts it, “If Al Gore was the Democratic nominee, there’s no reason to think he would get any fewer votes than he did before.”

Cut

Thus, his movie (Al Gore, Convenient Lies) has about as much nuance as Basic Instinct II. It plays by the rules set by Michael Moore, which established that no left-wing political documentary can hope for success unless it is dishonest, or at the very least, extremely tendentious. Gore scores his most compelling points on behalf of his inconvenient truth by leaving out inconvenient facts.

For someone who is such a self-professed stickler for science, Gore leaves out all the complications in the glacier picture. The world’s two largest ice sheets cover Greenland and Antarctica. The Antarctic Peninsula has indeed been melting, but it constitutes only 2 percent of Antarctica’s total area. A 2002 study in Nature found that two-thirds of the continent actually got colder from 1966 to 2000. A 2005 study published in Science looked at about 70 percent of Antarctica’s surface area and reported that the East Antarctic ice sheet had gained—yes, gained—45 billion tons of ice annually between 1992 and 2003.

Cut

Before the Senate was finished with their “comprehensive reform bill,” Chris Dodd introduced S.Amdt.4089. It contains the following language:

CONSULTATION REQUIREMENT. Consultations between United States and Mexican authorities at the federal, state, and local levels concerning the construction of additional fencing and related border security structures along the United States-Mexico border shall be undertaken prior to commencing any new construction, in order to solicit the views of affected communities, lessen tensions and foster greater understanding and stronger cooperation on this and other important issues of mutual concern

Cut

The “temporary” guest-workers will be eligible for citizenship. If they overstay their welcome, there is no guarantee they will be deported—especially when Congress will have signaled, by passing this bill, its view that deportation is draconian. So these “temporary” workers will permanently change America. Robert Rector of the Heritage Foundation estimates that the bill would make for an inflow of 66 million immigrants over the next 20 years. Since much of this inflow would consist of poor and relatively uneducated people, one result would be, he says, the largest expansion of the welfare state in 35 years. (And he’s not accounting for the likely effects of these people’s votes.) Another very likely result would be the increased balkanization of America, as this massive inflow slows both economic and cultural assimilation.

So will Republicans, if they reject this bill as most Senate Republicans did. They are being told that they need to pass a bill, even if they dislike many of its provisions, to be seen as “doing something” about the border. But the voters who care the most about this issue know that the Senate bill does something they heartily detest. They know that the only way to get any enforcement of our immigration laws—at the border or the workplace—is to keep all of the interests that want increased immigration from getting what they want until enforcement is achieved. The Senate should stand down in favor of the House’s enforcement-first approach, not the other way around. But it would be much better to enact no bill than to enact the Senate bill.

Cut

On Thursday, by a vote of 62-36, the Senate passed a reckless immigration bill which, among other things, grants amnesty to the estimated 11 million illegal aliens already in the country; paves the way for a projected 66 million additional immigrants by 2026; creates a temporary-worker program which Sen. Jim DeMint rightly called “neither temporary nor work-based”; allows illegals to enjoy Social Security and tax-credit benefits for illegal labor; lacks the tougher border controls proposed by Sen. Johnny Isakson, Republican, Georgia; cuts by nearly half the 700-mile barrier the House proposed for the southern border; guts what little immigration-enforcement powers local police might wield; increases long-term federal spending by an estimated $30 billion or more; and might even require consultation with Mexico to construct barriers along the border. If this isn’t immigration abdication, we don’t know what is.

Cut

Since Katrina hammered America’s offshore production of oil and natural gas last summer and throttled the refinement of oil products and the distribution of natural gas, soaring prices for oil, gasoline and natural gas have been accompanied by counter-productive legislative policy and an oversupply of rhetoric from Capitol Hill. In the midst of an energy crisis that is both supply- and demand-related, talk is cheap.

The next time a Washington pol pats himself on the back for the 160 percent increase (since 1985) in the use of environmentally friendly natural gas to generate electricity, ask him how he voted in the House on Pennsylvania Republican Rep. John Peterson’s sensible idea to lift the 25-year-old congressionally imposed moratorium on drilling for natural gas along 85 percent of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

According to the journal World Oil, Russia and the Mideast nations of Iran and Qatar account for 62 percent of the world’s proven natural gas reserves. If Americans like what the 11-member OPEC cartel has done for the price of gasoline, they will love what the potential natural gas cartel will do for the price to heat their ever-expansive homes. When it comes to heating costs, Congress will deserve to be the scapegoat.

Cut

Liberal Chutzpah:

Rarely a day goes by without the ACLU defending one’s right to act like an idiot — er, one’s right to free speech. So it was mildly surprising to learn that, as the New York Times reported, the ACLU “is weighing new standards that would discourage its board members from publicly criticizing the organization’s policies and internal administration.”

Cut

Fallout from Jefferson case may hurt his party

Unsavory details of bribery allegations could undercut Dems

Not if we have anything to do with it, says Drive By Media.

NEW ORLEANS — International bribery schemes hatched in fancy hotels outside the nation’s capital. Wads of cash in foil-wrapped bundles in a congressman’s freezer. A Saturday night raid by federal agents on Capitol Hill.

At the center of Washington’s latest alleged political scandal: Mild-mannered, Harvard-educated U.S. Rep. William Jefferson, Louisiana’s only black congressman and a fixture in New Orleans politics since the 1970s. The eight-term House member is *suspected of taking money to help a Kentucky technology company called iGate Inc. win lucrative contracts in Africa.

*suspected- caught on tape in pinko speak.

By Spammin Like Andy

May 27, 2006 09:43 AM | Link to this

Adelphia Communications Corp.: Donated large sums of money to some of the most conservative members of Congress. They are also the first cable company to offer hard-core adult movies to subscribers.

Edison Misla Aldarondo, Republican legislator, was sentenced to 13 years in prison for molestation of his daughter and her friend for eight-year period starting when they were 9.

Randal David Ankeney, Republican activist, arrested on suspicion of sexual assault on a child with force. He faces 6 charges related to getting a 13-year-old girl stoned on pot and then having sex with her.

Merrill Robert Barter, Republican County Commissioner, pleaded guilty to unlawful sexual contact and assault on a teenage boy.

Robert Bauman, Republican congressman and anti-gay activist, was charged with having sex with a 16-year-old boy he picked up at a gay bar.

Dick Armey (R-Texas), former professor, has been accused by Susan Aileen White (who earned a master’s in economics from the institution), Anna Weniger (who subsequently acted as an economist for the New Mexico legislature) and Anne Marie Best (a future economics professor at Lamar University) of sexual harassment when they were students at North Texas State University. Not all the women at North Texas State were offended by the professor’s advances; Armey’s current (and second) wife had been one of his students.

Parker J. Bena, Republican activist and Bush Elector, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography (including children as young as 3 years old) on his home computer and was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and fined $18,000.

Louis Beres, chairman of the Christian Coalition of Oregon. 3 of his family members accuse him of molesting them when they were pre-teens.

Howard L. Brooks, Republican legislative aide and advisor to a California assemblyman, was charged with molesting a 12-year old boy and possession of child pornography.

John Bolton Bush’s appointee ambassador to United Nations, corroborated allegations that Mr. Bolton’s first wife, Christina Bolton, was forced to engage in group sex have not been refuted by the State Department.

Mike Bowers Former State Attorney General, prosecuted the famous Bowers vs. Hardwick case, based on Georgia anti-sodomy laws. Admitted to a 10-year adulterous affair

Andrew Buhr, Republican politician, Christian Coalition Official and former committeeman for Hadley Township Missouri, was charged with two counts of first degree sodomy with a 13-year old boy.

Ted Bundy campaigned for the Republican Party. Infamous serial rapist who murdered 16+ women.

Jim Bunn Republican Congressman of Oregon: With his success due in great part to support from the Christian Coalition, Bunn won his congressional seat, then immediately ditched his wife (and mother of his five children), married a staffer, and put his new wife on the state payroll for the unheard-of salary of $97,500.

John Allen Burt, Republican anti-abortion activist, convicted of sexually molesting a 15 year old girl at the home for troubled girls that he ran.

Dan Burton, Republican Congressman who, while married, fathered a child by another woman.

George W. Bush, Future Republican president, accused in a criminal complaint and lawsuit of raping Margie Schoedinger.

[George W. Bush, Future Republican President, accused of 18 month affair with Tammy Phillips, a 35-year old stripper.

John Butler, Republican activist, was charged with criminal sexual assault on a teenage female relative.

Ken Calvert, Congressman (R-Ca), champion of the Christian Coalition and its “family values.” Sued as an alimony deadbeat by his ex-wife. Said “We can’t forgive what occurred between the President and Lewinsky.” In 1993 he was caught by police receiving oral sex from a prostitute and attempted to flee the scene.

Charles Canady, Congressman (R-Florida), Judiciary Committee member. Lied to his constituents about his adulterous affair with Sharon Becker, which caused her divorce.

Helen Chenoweth, Congresswoman (R-Id.). Admitted to a six-year adulterous affair with a married associate. In 1995, Chenoweth had denied the affair when asked about it by The Spokane Spokesman-Review (impeachment?), but now she claims a pardon from a higher authority: “I’ve asked for God’s forgiveness, and I’ve received it,” she revealed.

Keola Childs, Republican County Councilman, pleaded guilty to sexual assault in the first degree for molesting a male child.

Kevin Coan, Republican St. Louis Election Board official, arrested and charged with trying to buy sex from a 14-year-old girl whom he met on the Internet.

Dan Crane, Republican Congressman, married, father of six. Received a 100% “Morality Rating” from Christian Voice. Had sex with a minor working as a congressional page. On July 20, the House voted for censure Crane, the first time that censure had been imposed for sexual misconduct.

Paul Crouch Republican supporter, Televangelist, Former President of Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). Paid $425,000 in hush money in an attempt to cover up a gay affair.

Richard A. Dasen Sr., Republican benefactor of conservative Christian groups, convicted of sexual abuse of children, promotion of prostitution and several counts of solicitation, enough to add up to a sentence of 126 years in prison. Investigators estimated that he spent up to $5,000,000 on prostitutes

Richard A. Delgaudio, Republican fundraiser and Bush pioneer, was found guilty of child porn charges.

Peter Dibble, Republican legislator pleaded no contest to having an inappropriate relationship with a 13-year-old girl.

Nicholas Elizondo, Director of the Young Republican Federation molested his 6-year old daughter and was sentenced to six years in prison.

Larry Dale Floyd, Republican Constable in Denton County, Texas Precinct Two. Arrested for allegedly crossing state lines to have sex with an 8-year old child and was charged with 7 related offenses. Age 62 at time of arrest.

John Fund, of the Wall Street Journal, a prominent anti-abortion columnist and GOP fund raiser. He lost his position after it was revealed that he impregnated the daughter of an old girlfriend and then encouraged her to abort his child.

Jeff Gannon Partisan reporter for Talon News well-known for asking loaded pro-Republican questions at White House press briefings had no journalism credentials and a fake name. Was fired and later found to be a pimp and a gay prostitute.

Jack W. Gardner, Republican Councilman, had been convicted of molesting a 13-year old girl. when the Republican Party, knowing of these crimes, put him on the ballot.

Richard Gardner, a Nevada State Representative (R), admitted to molesting his two daughters.

Newt Gingrich, Republican ex-Speaker, married three times. Gingrich campaign worker Anne Manning admitted that she gave Newt oral sex while he was still married to his first wife. Informed one wife he was filing for divorce while she was in the hospital recovering from cancer treatments. Resigned after Hustler magazine threatened to publish credit receipts showing he paid for hookers.

Philip Giordano, Republican mayor sentenced to 37 years for forcing two 8 and 10 year old girls to perform oral sex on him in his City Hall office.

Rudy Giuliani, had an adulterous affair. Pocketed $80,000 for speaking at a charity benefit for tsunami aid which raised only $60,000 for the victims themselves.

Bernard Kerik, 49, tapped by President Bush as his nominee for homeland security secretary, abruptly withdrew his name after revealing that he had not paid all required taxes for a family nanny-housekeeper and that the woman may have been in the country illegally.

Matthew Glavin, president and CEO of the Southeastern Legal Foundation, big player in the Clinton Impeachment, and many anti-gay jihads, has been arrested multiple times for public indecency in a Chattahoochee River park, one time fondling the crotch of the officer who was arresting him.

John Paulk, anti-gay Republican moralists and the leader of the bogus Ex-Gay movement was caught frolicking in a Washington, D.C. gay bar.

Marty Glickman, Republican activist, was taken into custody by Florida police on four counts of unlawful sexual activity with a juvenile and one count of delivering the drug LSD.

Mark A. Grethen, Republican activist, convicted on six counts of sex crimes involving children.

Jon Grunseth, Republican businessman and candidate for Minnesota governor, withdrew his candidacy after allegations surfaced that he went swimming in the nude with four underage girls, including his daughter, and tried to grope one. “I’ve made some mistakes” he said.

Dr. W. David Hager Bush appointee, member of Focus on the Family’s Physician Resource Council, player in movement to ban the morning-after-pill. Had an adulterous affair, before divorcing his wife he sexually abused her, including sodomizing her in her sleep.

John Hathaway, Republican Senate candidate, was accused of having sex with his 12-year old baby sitter and withdrew his candidacy after the allegations were reported in the media.

Howard Scott Heldreth, anti-abortion activist who gained fame during the Shiavo media-circus, was convicted of two charges of raping a child in 2002.

Mike Hintz, a First Assembly of God youth pastor, introduced by Bush on the campaign trail, and promoted his policies. Says he supports Bush’s values. Two months later, this married father of four turned himself into police, charged with the sexual exploitation of a child.

Neal Horsley has called for the arrest of all homosexuals. Admitted on the Fox News Radio’s The Alan Colmes Show, that he’s had sex with Georgia mules. Put photographs on his Web site of naked men engaging in homosexual acts and a nude woman engaging in bestiality amid shots of grotesquely maimed fetuses. Drug dealer convicted of possession of hashish with intent to sell. He calls for “the establishment of a new government, one that can obey God’s plan for government.”

Tim Hutchinson, Republican Senator and Baptist Minister divorced his wife of 29 years to marry a congressional aide he was having an affair with.

Henry Hyde, Judge who oversaw Clinton’s impeachment proceedings, prominent opponent of reproductive rights, who had an extramarital affair with a woman who was married and had three children, during the course of which she and her husband were divorced.

Don Haidl (R), Assistant Sheriff of Orange Country, in violation of California’s rape shield law, led a smear campaign against the child his son poisoned and then violently gang-raped on videotape, adding up to 24 felony counts. He said that his son “acted accordingly” because the child was a “slut”.

Paul Ingram, Republican Party leader of Thurston County, Washington, pleaded guilty to six counts of raping his daughters and served 14 years in federal prison.

Earl Kimmerling, sentenced to 40 years in prison after he confessed to molesting an 8-year old girl after he attempted to stop a gay couple from adopting her.

Lawrence E. King, Jr., Republican Activist, organized orgies with child prostitutes at the White House during the 1980s.

I. Lewis (Scooter) Libby, former Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to Vice President Dick Cheney. In 1996 published a novel containing bizaree sexual content, including beastiality and pedophillia.

Anybody want a copy of Scooters book?

The Apprentice: a Novel by I. Lewis, Scooter, Libby“>http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312284535/qid=1130945576/sr=8-2/ref=pdbbs2/002-2829261-8789639?n=507846&s=books&v=glance)

“The main female character, Yukiko, draws hair on the ‘mound’ of a little girl,” Collins reports. “The brothers of a dead samurai have sex with his daughter….certain passages can better be described as reminiscent of Penthouse Forum…Other sex scenes are less conventional.” A direct quote from the novel: “At age 10 the madam put the child in a cage with a bear trained to couple with young girls so the girls would be frigid and not fall in love with their patrons. They fed her through the bars and aroused the bear with a stick when it seemed to lose interest.” British Literary Review editor Nancy Sladek, who oversees a Bad Sex fiction writing contest, tells Collins: “That’s a bit depraved, isn’t it, this kind of thing about bears and young girls?” Never mind the passage concerning sex with a deer.”

Rush Limbaugh, triple-divorcee, 30-pill a day drug addict.

Bob Livingston, former Congressman (R-La.) resigned from the House in the wake of revelations about his past adultery despite continued GOP support.

Donald Lukens, Republican Congressman, was found guilty of having sex with a minor - a girl he was accused of sleeping with since she was 13.

Pat McPherson, Douglas County Election Commissioner. Arrested for fondling a 17-year-old girl.

Jon Matthews, Republican talk show host in Houston, plead guilty to indecency with a child, including exposing his genitals to a girl under the age of 17.

Jeff Miller, (R-Cleveland), Senate Republican Caucus Chairman in Tennessee and the sponsor of Tennessee’s Marriage Protection act, getting divorced (as of April 2005) because of an affair he was having with an office aid. Miller described the Tennessee Marriage Protection Act as a means of preserving the sanctity of marriage. He opposed an amendment, however, which stated that “Adultery is deemed to be a threat to the institution of marriage and contrary to public policy in Tennessee.”

Nicholas Morency, Republican anti-abortion activist, pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography on his computer and offering a bounty to anybody who murders an abortion doctor.

Sue Myrick, Congresswoman (R-NC), describes herself as a “devout Christian.” Committed adultery with a married man and won reelection after admitting it.

Bill O’Reilly Right-wing conservative talk show host on Fox News, sued for sexual harrassment by his producer.

Bob Packwood, Senator (R-Ore.), resigned in 1995 under a threat of public senate hearings related to 10 female ex-staffers accusing him of sexual harassment.

Jeffrey Patti, Republican Committee Chairman, was arrested for distributing what experts call “some of the most offensive material in the child pornography world” - a video clip of a 5-year-old girl being raped.

Brent Parker (R) Utah State Representative. Arrested for soliciting sex from an undercover officer posing as a male prostitute.

Harvey Pitt, SEC Chief under George W. Bush until he was forced to resign in 2002. Worked for New Frontier Media, a firm which distributed XXX teen sex videos.

Mark Pazuhanich, Republican judge, pleaded no contest to fondling a 10-year old girl and was sentenced to 10 years probation.

George Roche III, Republican supporter, carried on a 19 year affair with his son’s wife, while serving as president of Hillsdale College, which “emphasizes the importance of the common moral truths that bind all Americans, while recognizing the importance of religion for the maintenance of a free society.”

Beverly Russell (R), County Chairman of the Christian Coalition, sexually molested his step-daughter, Susan Smith, who later drowned her two children.

Jack Ryan, 2004 Republican nominee for US Senate from Illinois, pressured his wife, actress Jeri Ryan, to have sex with other men. Tricked her into visiting sex clubs, where he asked her to have sex with him while others watched.

Joe Scarborough, former Republican Congressman, currently a conservative talk show host. Resigned his congressional seat abruptly to spend more time with his family, amidst allegations of an affair. His intern, Lori Klausutis, was soon after found dead in his office. The medical examiner, who had his license revoked in Missouri for falsifying information in an autopsy report, and suspended in Florida for six years, ruled the case an accident, after giving conflicting information about her injuries. He said he lied about them because “The last thing we wanted was 40 questions about a head injury.”

Ed Schrock, two-term republican congressman, with a 92% approval rating from the Christian Coalition. Cosponsor of the Federal Marriage Amendment, consistently opposed gay rights. Married, with wife and kids. Withdrew his candidacy for a third term after tapes of him soliciting for gay sex were circulated.

Dr. Laura Schlessinger, right wing conservative radio host. Promotes family values, estranged from her mother, opposes birth control, has had her tubes tied, espouses saving oneself for marriage, admits to having had sex before she was married, opposes adultery, has committed adultery while she was married, and has slept with a married man, opposes divorce, is divorced and remarried, has posed for nude photos which are available online. Note- link shows Dr. Laura nude!

John Scmitz, right-wing republican congressman, who had had his committee chairship taken away from him in the California State Senate after issuing a press release attacking Jews, feminists and gays. Forced out of office in 1982 for having an adulterous affair and fathering two children out of wedlock with one of his students. He was caught because his baby was admitted to hospital for having hair tied so tightly around his p*** that it was almost severed. His daughter, Mary Kay LeTourneau, was convicted of having an adulterous affair with one of her students, and giving birth to two of his children.

Larry Jack Schwarz, Republican parole board officer and former Colorado state representative, fired after child pornography was found in his possession. With his political career over, he went to work in the hard-core pornography industry for Platinum X Pictures, owned by his daughter, porn starlet Jewel De’Nyle (Stephany Schwarz).

Jim Stelling, Seminole County Republican Party chairman who believes in “family values”, as he told a judge. Filed a defamation lawsuit againt Nancy Goettman, a former county GOP executive committee member, for falsely claiming he had been married six times. Stelling has been married 5 times.

Don Sherwood, Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Eventually admitted to an affar with a woman 30 years younger than him, after she accused him of physical abuse and attempting to choke her.

Tom Shortridge. Republican campaign consultant, was sentenced to three years probation for taking nude photographs of a 15-year old girl.

Fred C. Smeltzer, Jr., Republican City Councilman, pleaded no contest to raping a 15 year-old girl and served 6-months in prison.

Craig J. Spence, Republican lobbyist, organized orgies with child prostitutes in the White House during the 1980s.

David Swartz, Republican County Commissioner, pleaded guilty to molesting two girls under the age of 11 and was sentenced to 8 years in prison.

Randall Terry, Right to Life activist, founder of Operation Rescue, involved in the Terri Schiavo protests. Once imprisoned for sending former President Bill Clinton an aborted fetus. His son Jamiel is gay; his daughter Tila had sex outside of marriage, became pregnant, had a miscarriage - she is no longer welcome in his home; his daughter Ebony had 2 children outside of wedlock and became Muslim. He has campaigned against infidelity and birth control, gays and unwed mothers. Terry himself was censured by his church after committing adultery and is divorced.

Bill Thomas Republican congressman and Bush health care guru, had an affair with Deborah Steelman, a health care lobbyist who steered huge campaign gifts to Thomas’ war chest.

Strom Thurmond, republican senator and racist, raped and impregnated a 15-year old African American maid.

Robin Vanderwall, Republican strategist and Citadel Military College graduate, director of Faith & Family Alliance, (a Christian Coalition spin off), former student of Pat Robertson’s Regent Universtity, member of Ralph Reed’s inner circle who funneled money to from lobbiest Jack Abromoff to Reed, convicted in Virginia on five counts of soliciting sex from boys and girls over the internet.

J.C. Watts, Representative (R-Oklahoma), loud champion of “moral values.” Has admitted to two out-of-wedlock children. Also has trouble paying his taxes.

Jim West, Spokane Mayor. Supported a bill, which failed, would have barred gays and lesbians from working in schools, day-care centers and some state agencies. Voted to bar the state from distributing pamphlets telling people how to protect themselves from AIDS. Proposed that “any touching of the sexual or other intimate parts of a person” among teens be criminalized. Had a sexual affair with an 18 year old boy. Caught in internet sting.

Keith Westmoreland, a Tennessee state representative (R), was arrested on seven felony counts of lewd and lascivious exhibition to minors under 16 (i.e. exposing himself to children). Commits suicide.

Stephen White, Republican preacher. Was arrested after allegedly offering $20 to a 14-year-old boy for permission to perform oral sex on him.

By Let's Review

May 27, 2006 03:52 PM | Link to this

We seem to have some confusion between the parties concerning the definition of spam and “news.” Let us investigate this phenomena:

The pinko liberal version of “news” and/ or current events- Rush Limbaugh, triple-divorcee, 30-pill a day drug addict.

Decades old hate slogans constantly recycled when ever the lib gets angry with the world. Is the gathering of at least current hate slogans too much to ask for?

The pinko liberal definition of spam- At the center of Washington’s latest alleged political scandal: Mild-mannered, Harvard-educated U.S. Rep. William Jefferson, Louisiana’s only black congressman and a fixture in New Orleans politics since the 1970s. The eight-term House member is *suspected of taking money to help a Kentucky technology company called iGate Inc. win lucrative contracts in Africa.

Gosh, you’re more than welcome to correct me but I believe the libs are doing the Alice In Wonderland thing again.

There has also been some disagreement concerning the meaning of the words vicious and respectful.

For instance the liberals consider this to be respectful- By Fred May 26, 2006 03:50 PM BD. Let’s get started. Climb up out of your own very bowels and try to pay attention. Cease chewing on your own child cause you’re going to have to exhaust all your powers of concentration in the here and now.

In fact, if you look at just one days worth of posts, that being yesterday, see 9:00, 9:05, 9:13, 9:19, 10:16, 10:22, 10:25, 10:42, 10:54, 11:12, 11:15, 11:43, 12: 17, 12:24, 1:49, 2:02, 2:05, 2:06, 3:21, 3:33, 3:36, 3:50, 5:00, 6:00, 6:21, 6:45 that is apparently what a liberal considers a normal, proper way to communicate.

And all the while, they call the Conservatives “vicious.” I welcome anyone to show me a right wing post anywhere near as rancid as what came out of “Fred’s” filthy little mouth.

As see that cartoon boy is now posting the new cartoons so that several days go by with no one able to comment on them. I wonder if he wants to keep the general viewing audience away from the foulness that all of you liberals vomit forth on us everyday?

Aren’t you proud of yourselves?

I appreciate all of you coming to my site, and posting your thoughts on my cartoons or on current issues. I think this is one of the few blogs where people on both the right and the left get together and actually interact with each other. So thank you all for continuing to make your voices heard on this blog.

Unless, of course, you want to call your boy a liar?

By Our Soldiers Made Us Great

May 28, 2006 06:40 PM | Link to this

Don’t you ever forget it.

Spec. Daniel Calvin Dobson of Grand Rapids, Mich., joined the National Guard with the intention of going to Iraq. He served and he came home. Next week, he leaves for a second tour. He tells me the Army has a policy that anyone who has already served in Iraq is not required to go back if his unit is recalled. Daniel volunteered to go back.

In e-mail to his friends, he asks three things: “First, do not lose hope in the face of negative reporting. We are doing good work in Iraq and God is with us. Second, pray for those of us who have chosen to serve our nation and the liberties espoused by our Constitution. Third, I ask that you never take advantage of the liberties guaranteed by the shedding of free blood, never take for granted the freedoms granted by our Constitution. For those liberties would be merely ink on paper were it not for the sacrifice of generations of Americans who heard the call of duty and responded heart, mind and soul with ‘Yes, I will.’ “

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Just when you thought Queen Pinko couldn’t get anymore ridiculous:

Doing the right thing is difficult because it often means losing. And the typical politician is willing to lose anything — honor, integrity, dignity — but an election.

To what do you think Mother Lib invoked the Conservative creeds of honor, integrity and dignity? Do you think she hailed those who risk their lives defending the United States on Memorial Day? (excuse me I just choked there, I’ll be alright) Maybe she is praising someone who stood up to the pimp culture, rescuing women from a life in the liberal meat market?

Well, of course not. She’s talking about the “courage” it takes to vote for gay marriage.

dig•ni•ty- n. pl. The quality or state of being worthy of esteem or respect.

That’s right, the Atlanta Urinal editorial board grand pooh bah wants us to bestow esteem and respect based on sexual preference.

And then we get this little tidbit:

Though 76 percent of Georgia voters approved the ban two years ago, a Superior Court judge recently struck down the amendment on technical grounds.

We got some “technical issues” alright, and it’s not the ones you ultra pinkos are thinking of. It’s the fact that some unelected judge can “strike down” the will of the people and force their agenda on us.

That’s the real “technicality.”

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The Wall Street Journal weighs in on the William Jefferson, Democrat, Louisiana, kerfuffle:

How strong is the case against Louisiana’s Rep. William Jefferson?

According to numerous press accounts, after videotaping Mr. Jefferson receiving a $100,000 bribe from an FBI informant, the government executed a search warrant of his home and found $90,000 of that money hidden in his freezer. In another case, a Kentucky businessman pleaded guilty to paying Mr. Jefferson $400,000 in bribes (zikes!) for official favors; and one of the congressman’s key staff members has already entered a guilty plea to aiding and abetting the bribery of a public official.

The libs can only wish they had this much on Delay.

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I got a question for you liberals:

Already, gas prices are hovering near the $3 mark, and they’re about 80 cents higher than a year ago. Experts say a major storm through the Gulf of Mexico could damage the many rigs and refineries in its path, squeezing supplies and sending prices higher.Yet about 324,000 barrels a day of oil production is still offline, according to the U.S. Minerals Management Service.

If the lost production of 324,000 barrels of oil has caused the price of gasoline to go up 1 dollar, what would the additional production of 1,000,000 barrels from ANWR do to the price of gas?

P.S. You’ve been asking people to conserve for the last 25 years, just like everything else, they don’t listen to you pinkos. In fact, we keep using more energy.

The family tanksters, with fill-up costs as high as $100, are still rolling off the lot at a pace of about 40 per month, according to officials at Lou Sobh Hummer in Duluth. That figure includes the $60,000 H2 model and its $30,000 little brother, the H3.

Drill!

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WASHINGTON, May 26 — Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, the F.B.I. director, Robert S. Mueller III, and senior officials and career prosecutors at the Justice Department told associates this week that they were prepared to quit if the White House directed them to relinquish evidence seized in a bitterly disputed search of a House member’s office, government officials said Friday.

The potential showdown was averted Thursday when President Bush ordered the evidence to be sealed for 45 days to give Congress and the Justice Department a chance to work out a deal.

The evidence was seized by Federal Bureau of Investigation agents last Saturday night in a search of the office of Representative William J. Jefferson, Democrat of Louisiana. The search set off an uproar of protest by House leaders in both parties, who said the intrusion by an executive branch agency into a Congressional office violated the Constitution’s separation of powers doctrine. They demanded that the Justice Department return the evidence.

Look at this, a conservative threatening to quit at the very thought of having to do something wrong. We are the honorable ones, after all.

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Another memeber of the drive by media caught making things up:

NEW YORK (AP) — Six people accused of taking part in a scheme to boost the circulation figures at Newsday and the Spanish-language publication Hoy pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges.

Chicago-based Tribune Co., which owns both Newsday and Hoy, has set aside $90 million to reimburse advertisers who were overcharged on the basis of the inflated circulation figures.

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Law firms that specialize in class-action lawsuits have for many years exploited the same shameful business practices of the companies they sue, such as operating as a cartel-like syndicate and overcharging clients. In the process, these members of the bar have perverted what was established in the 1960s as a noble effort to give minority groups access to the civil courts.

The best outcome in the Milberg Weiss case would be for the public to get really angry about how judges and the defendant corporations have helped class-action lawyers manipulate the system at the expense of the rest of us. In the clubby atmosphere of the courtroom, there are no participants with clean hands. Lawyers for defendant companies and lawyers for the plaintiff class both win, enjoying the lion’s share of every payday. Judges are loath to rock the boat.

Milberg Weiss — considered the Darth Vader of plaintiff law firms — has earned well over a billion dollars in legal fees by taking American businesses to court over claims of stock fraud, defective products and unfair business practices. Attorneys such as San Diego-based William Lerach, a former principal of the firm, and Melvyn I. Weiss have made staggering personal fortunes using the law as a bludgeon to scare large businesses into paying them to go away.

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A Recuperating Duck- George Bush had a pretty good month of May.

Quack, Quack.

Congress extended, and the president signed, the wildly successful supply-side tax cuts on interest and dividend income originally passed in 2003. The new tax rates are now in force until 2010, providing helpful certainty for the economy and the markets, and forcing Democrats in this year’s congressional elections, and in the 2008 presidential election, either to accept a core element of Bush’s economic policy, or to be for raising taxes.

Speaking of the economy … last week the Commerce Department revised first quarter growth up to 5.3 percent. Not too lame. Then we learned that new home sales had risen in April, suggesting a reasonably soft landing for the housing market. And gas prices even began to drift down. How much longer can people talk themselves into thinking the economy’s in bad shape?

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So what does Hastert do? He and the House Republican leadership intervene in the case on behalf of the Democrat: They’re strenuously objecting to the FBI having the appalling lese majeste to go to court, obtain a warrant and search Jefferson’s office. In constitutional terms, they claim it violates the separation of powers. In political terms, they’re climbing right into the Frigidaire with Jefferson’s crisp chilled billfold. What does the Republican base’s despair with Congress boil down to? That the Gingrich revolutionaries have turned into the pampered potentates of pre-1994 Washington, a remote insulated arrogant elite interested only in protecting the privileges of the permanent governing class. But how best to confirm it? Hmm. What about if we send the Republican speaker out to argue that congressmen are beyond the jurisdiction of U.S. law-enforcement agencies?

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The many-eared ogre who has been listening in on every American’s personal phone calls (General Hayden) turned out to be a calm, reasonable, eminently qualified four-star general who lived up to his reputation for quiet competence. His more aggressive critics had many suspicions to air but little evidence to substantiate them.

The general didn’t so much confront as rise above his accusers. Easily. Maybe because he didn’t have a political agenda, or a load of preconceived judgments weighing him down. He just had a job to do and did it, quietly and competently, as so often before.

It’s a familiar pattern in our shout-first, think-later culture: first the storm, then the calm.

Remember those scare headlines about Domestic Spying? They turned out to refer to wiretaps on international calls to and from this country, not domestic calls. And the hullabaloo died down.

Remember the Big Story about possibly hundreds of thousands of phone calls having been “monitored” by the National Security Agency on Gen. Hayden’s watch? It turned out to be about phone company records run through a data-mining operation to detect any suspicious pattern of calls from terrorists to their accomplices.

By Wanker Free Memorial Day!

May 29, 2006 03:26 PM | Link to this

The rest of the world seems far away. People haven’t risked their lives to take part in this election. There are no mullahs or commissars or presidents-for-life around to jail the opposition and manipulate the returns. The sounds are those of passing traffic, not the boom of artillery or a car bomb. No wonder Americans are isolationists at heart and in soul. We want to live in our idealized Norman Rockwell world without bothering with all the dangers out there. Who wouldn’t?

But we know we can’t ignore the world, for it certainly will not ignore us. We know there’s a war on even if we forget. We know Americans, along with our dwindling band of allies, are fighting and dying this bright morning in a cruel war, and that somewhere in the bowels of the Pentagon, the National Security Agency and Central Intelligence Agency a secret war is being fought to keep chaos at bay. We know, but we forget. For all around us this very American morning is peace.

In the end, Memorial Day isn’t just about putting up flags in the cemetery, or delivering patriotic orations, or telling war stories. In the end, it is about peaceful scenes like this one at Fire Station No. 10 in Little Rock, Ark. It is about striped tents and country music and family picnics. It is about all those who through the years were lost in war’s horrors to preserve the simple, peaceful things.

It’s a complicated thing — it can be an awful thing — to build and defend a country where simple things are taken for granted. But we take this peace as our due, and complain when it is interrupted in the least, as if liberty and order were ours from the beginning, not the result of the struggles and sacrifices of each generation.

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On the day John F. Kennedy was assassinated, he intended to tell an audience in Dallas that “we in this country are the watchmen on the walls of freedom.” He might have been speaking to us today. In Ronald Reagan’s farewell address, he spoke of the resurgence of pride in America. “This national feeling is good, but it won’t count for much and it won’t last unless it’s grounded in thoughtfulness and knowledge.” We hear the longing for lost pride, for the knowledge of why we love our country, an appreciation for our language and for the melting pot that forged our nation, an understanding of what it means to be an American.

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Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner urged Rep. Jack Murtha on Sunday to stop prejudging allegations that U.S. Marines massacred 24 Iraqi civilians after their convoy was attacked by a IED last November.

Asked about Murtha’s claim that Marines executed residents of the village of Haditha “in cold blood,” Sen. Warner told ABC’s “This Week”:

“At this time, particularly on Memorial Day … I think we should be calm and reassuring to the American people that the men and women of our armed forces are admirably and professionally conducting their heavy responsibilities.”

The top Republican said: “I respect my friend, John Murtha. I also was privileged to wear the Marine uniform. But we’ve got to let the Uniform Code of Military Justice, the investigation system, proceed before we reach any conclusions on this matter.”

Why does filthy old man need to be told this?

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Tsk, tsk, tsk:

Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid accepted free ringside tickets from the Nevada Athletic Commission to three professional boxing matches while that state agency was trying to influence him on federal regulation of boxing.

Reid, D-Nev., took the free seats for Las Vegas fights between 2003 and 2005 as he was pressing legislation to increase government oversight of the sport, including the creation of a federal boxing commission that Nevada’s agency feared might usurp its authority.

*Senate ethics rules generally allow lawmakers to accept gifts from federal, state or local governments, but specifically warn against taking such gifts _ particularly on multiple occasions _ when they might be connected to efforts to influence official actions. *

Time for you corruption hating liberals to start the cover up.

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Illegal Immigration Up Since Senate Bill

Senate debate over an immigration bill that promises Social Security benefits and citizenship for illegal immigrants has already prompted an increase in the number of Mexicans trying to get into the U.S. illegally, Rep. James Sensenbrenner said Sunday.

Appearing on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Sensenbrenner said: “Mexican government officials have said that the talk of amnesty is actually increasing the flow of illegal immigrants across the border as we speak.”

I thought all we had to do was crackdown on employers?

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The plan is designed to curtail the financial freedom of every Iranian official, individual and entity the Bush administration considers connected not only to nuclear enrichment efforts but to terrorism, government corruption, suppression of religious or democratic freedom, and violence in Iraq, Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinian territories. It would restrict the Tehran government’s access to foreign currency and global markets, shut its overseas accounts and freeze assets held in Europe and Asia.

The United States, which has imposed unilateral sanctions on Iran for nearly three decades, would shoulder few of the costs of its ambitious new proposal. But internal U.S. assessments suggest that the sanctions could not hurt Tehran without causing significant economic pain for Washington’s friends. That calculation has made the plan a difficult sell, especially in capitals such as Rome and Tokyo, which import significant quantities of Iranian oil.

“I have been very open with people about the costs that could fall on them,” said Stuart Levey, Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, in a recent interview.

I know, let’s drill in ANWR, we’ll give some of the oil to Japan and Italy.

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Mr. Fox visited several states, including California, where he touted the importance of immigrants and said they deserved the immigration reform bill passed by the Senate, which would legalize millions of illegal aliens and authorize 200,000 temporary work visas for foreigners who take low-skill jobs in the United States.

Why in the hell don’t he keep them if they’re so good? Only a blooming idiot would fall for some nonsense like this, I won’t mention any names (Bush, Schwarzenegger, Reid, Kennedy,) this guy is trying to pawn off his hopeless, illiterate poor off on us.

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The third problem is special-interest corruption — the biggest obstacle. Politicians can raise a lot of money by trading tax loopholes for campaign cash. Lower taxes are a great thing, but carving out special tax shelters for interest groups with the richest lobbyists is not a recipe for a pro-growth tax system. Indeed, special tax breaks harm growth, since they lure people into making decisions for tax reasons rather than what makes sense from a business perspective. Moreover, every special tax break creates a risk politicians will raise tax rates on work, saving and investment to compensate for lost revenue.

The Internal Revenue Code is a giant mess, and it’s getting worse every year. A flat tax would solve many problems. But there’s little reason to expect politicians to move in this direction. After all, the current system works fine for them.

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The left continues to scream about the great economic divide between wealthy Americans and everybody else. Do you think this insane school situation is going to cure that? Many affluent parents will take one look at the California public school landscape and immediately put their kid into private school. There, he or she will be forced to learn the three R’s instead of the three T’s: Tolerance, Totalitarianism and Total Failure.

Thus, 10 years from now, we’ll have adults who know all about Liberace, but can’t count. Meantime, the private school graduates will be counting all their money.

I’m sorry if this column doesn’t sound tolerant. I want all good people to be respected in America. But the “progressive” forces running California are creating an army of young Americans that will not be able to compete in the worldwide marketplace. And that is absolutely the straight story.

By ccheney

May 31, 2006 09:33 AM | Link to this

Better late than never. In response to Scooter’s comments: In your statement about Saddam’s ravings, there is still no “go to court” evidence for going to war.

And yes, the inspectors were in and out of Iraq for 13 years; I think, yes, that would be proof against invasion. The team in there at the time had the most up to date information and they were saying it did not call for war.

Some Iraqis might have hailed the GI’s, but not the country as a whole did not hail us as liberators as the neo-cons envisioned or we would not be in this mess now nor would we have sacrificed so much of our young people.

Shinseki was silenced by the administration. “Footprints” should not dictate war; the point is to win with minimal damage. The leadership of this war was extremely poor.

After the tremendous sacrifice of our citizens and our military, not just in lives, but in livelihood due to exposure to war, I certainly hope Iraq turns out to be something good.

I would have given my support to a war on terrorism, but I think this administration really made poor leadership calls with Iraq.

I don’t know that you are fanatical, but I know you are very far right. Not even my husband could vote for Bush in 04.