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DEL.ICIO.USGovernment dealings move into the open
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gov. Sonny Perdue tells a story of going with his father to the country store where farmers gathered to moan, boast or bluff about the season’s crop. One in particular would wait until the others had declared, and then announce triumphantly that he expected his crop to be slightly better than all the rest.
Even in good years, Perdue says, his father declined to declare his crop bountiful. On one occasion, riding back home, the young Perdue asked his father why he’d not spoken up. These folks are farmers, his father replied. They can drive by your fields and know how well you’re doing.
In government, successes are often not so readily evident. And, in fact, efforts that I regard as legacy potential have virtually no campaign visibility at all. It is the work of the New Georgia commission, a Perdue effort to modernize management of the public’s business.
Decades ago, the government of a largely rural, desperately poor state in constant need of paved roads, better education and decent housing had as its first obligation eliminating barriers that kept motivated people and communities from prospering. That purpose is largely accomplished. Motivated Georgians, without regard to place, can achieve a standard of living equal to those anywhere in America.
As the state grew, in fulfilling its obligations, it grew much as the growing family with no option to move. It added rooms in this direction and that. Design didn’t matter, nor did the flow of daily traffic.
There comes a time, though, when the state has the time, resources and need to put the house in order. That is what the formally named Commission for a New Georgia is doing.
One example requires reflection on the Georgia that was — and probably still is. The traditional currency of politics is pork and favoritism.
Sam Caldwell served for 17 years as labor commissioner before going to prison for 21 months in 1984 for conspiring to defraud an insurance company by intentionally sinking a boat and for using state employees to perform personal jobs. While in office, he put together a powerful state political machine. Ironically, he had won the office in 1966 by running against the patronage system that the Labor Department had become. He died in 2001.
When Caldwell’s political machine fell apart, reporters began to take a look at the currency of his political power — and found it in leases for local offices. Relatives of four high-ranking staffers were given no-bid leases at above-market rates on often-inferior quarters that in one 12-month period amounted to $1.24 million. In Dublin, for example, Labor paid $7.07 a square foot for the kind of space that other agencies leased for $3.72 to $6.29. In Gainesville, it paid $7.96 for space; others agencies paid $4.35 to $8.55.
The General Assembly in 1976 had required state agencies to get three bids, but exempted the Labor Department because the bulk of its money comes from the feds.
One of the work efforts of the New Georgia commission has been to assemble leases and do something that represents the greatest and most meaningful reform — to make them transparent. Gena Abraham, the state property officer — a new job-designation that comes with responsibility to find out how much property taxpayers own and lease — has identified 1,600 leases and 19,040 owned buildings.
Many of those leases have been renegotiated at a savings to the state. In Douglasville, for example, consolidating leases by three agencies into one will save taxpayers $8.4 million over the next six years. That’s important, certainly.
But the real reform is transparency. Every one of those leases is available for examination on the Internet (www.realpropropertiesgeorgia.org) and searchable by county, agency, landlord and rental rate. By Wednesday, every one of the buildings is expected to be listed, too.
Why is that so important?
Walk into my family graveyard in South Georgia. I know, but you wouldn’t, that most of the 200 or so people buried there are related in some way. With a genealogical chart, those relationships could be known to all.
Lease and ownership transparency are the keys to the genealogical chart. Post them publicly and somebody will know the relationships. It’s the greatest possible protection against cronyism and sweetheart dealing. Transparency is the beginning of accountability.
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Comments
By GLC
October 14, 2006 06:06 PM | Link to this
“There’s a Sonny day dawning in Georgia. There will be restoration of the bonds of trust between the people and their elected representatives. The doors of state government will be open to the people.” The words of Sonny Perdue shortly after his astonishing victory in 2002.
What has Gov. Perdue’s tenure given us? (1) The precedent of a sitting Governor fined almost $20,000.00 for ethics violations; (2) The precedent of a sitting Governor granting himself a $100,000.00 tax break by signing a new law just before the tax filing deadline in 2005 that allowed him to defer paying state taxes on a $4 million property sale in Houston County he conducted almost a year earlier; (3) A newly created Office of Inspector General tasked with rooting out corruption and waste in state agencies disgraced for, among other things, failing to conduct thorough and impartial investigations; (4) A law that shields public organization from providing information about how they conduct the peoples’ business, i.e., a law that requires names of donors to UGA foundation be kept secret.
There is transparancy and effective transparancy. Effective transparancy sheds light on the entire decision process, not just the outcome of the process.
By The AJC Is A Filthy Anti American Rag
October 15, 2006 08:12 AM | Link to this
It doesn’t get any better than Steyn:
In the 1990s, Americans opted for the sex comedy — or so they thought. But in reality the searing historical drama carried on; it was always there, way off in the background, behind the yuk-it-up narcissist trouser-dropper staggering around downstage. The mood of the times was to kick the serious stuff down the road so we could get back to President Lounge Act offering to feel our pain. With North Korea, the people delegated to kick the can a few years ahead — Madeleine Albright, Jimmy Carter — are now back, writing self-congratulatory op-eds about their genius and foresight. Not at all. Albright’s much-touted “agreement” was a deal whereby Washington agreed to prop up a flailing basket-case state in order to enable it to buy enough time to become a serious destabilizing threat to its neighbors and beyond. Many of our present woes — not least Iran — derive explicitly from the years when Carter embodied the American “superpower” as a smiling eunuch.-ChicagoSunTimes
Cut
Let the Clinton Terror Legacy be predicated on the record. Let the record show Bill Clinton had Yasser Arafat to the White House eight times, more than any head of state. Let the record show that Bill Clinton gave Gerry Adams of the Irish Republican Army and Sinn Fein his first visa to enter the U.S. prior to any agreement to lay down arms for good. Let the record show how many times the U.S. had bin Laden dead to rights with Mr. Clinton refusing to pull the trigger. And let the record show Mr. Clinton initiated and granted clemency to 16 FALN terrorists.-WashingtonTimes
Cut
By 2004, the Democratic Party had bailed out of an intrinsic war coalition and began claiming Mr. Bush and his administration posed a greater threat to our national security than Islamic extremists. In 2006, Democrats are prepared to acquiesce in our defeat and surrender. As a matter of political expediency, they still claim they want victory, but their strategic and tactical nostrums are laughable — e.g., pulling back from Iraq to Kuwait and Okinawa to use as bases for possible reintervention, or even splitting up Iraq. For post-Vietnam Democrats, victory means defeating their domestic enemies, while coddling our foreign enemies in terms of how we interrogate them, track their money and monitor their communications. They appear not to care if we’re blind, deaf and dumb as we fight our enemies. Even the victorious North Vietnamese have said the U.S. antiwar movement was crucial to their victory (real nice legacy.)-WashingtonTimes
Cut
A lie was born:
Around 1996, I became aware of how corrupt and ideologically driven current climate research can be. A major researcher working on climate change confided in me that the factual record needed to be altered so people would become alarmed over global warming. He said, “We have to get rid of the Medieval Warm Period.”-WashingtonTimes
Cut
These past couple of weeks, current and former officials have been protesting that they were unfairly characterized in Mr. Woodward’s book — and have argued conditions in Iraq are not as bad as claimed by anonymous sources. And while there have been on-the-record critics of all three books, none of the unnamed accusers cited in them has come forward.-WashingtonTimes
Cut
Sandy Berger was fined $50,000 after pleading guilty to seizing and destroying classified documents from the National Archives in 2003. He may have been covering up Clinton failures on terrorism. Democrats’ Senate leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, reportedly pocketed more than a million dollars in a land deal with a longtime friend who has mob ties. And Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., who was found with $90,000 in cash hidden in his freezer and stands accused of a bribery scheme, remains in Congress.-INVESTOR’S BUSINESS DAILY
Cut
It’s easy to spot the vents submitted by AJC staff:
The British medical journal The Lancet says 655,000 Iraqis are dead. Dubya says that ain’t creditable. Hmmm. Who to believe?
Cut
Today’s cartoon that doesn’t suck!
By Barter Berliners
October 15, 2006 08:52 AM | Link to this
I think we should put transparency on our “Sonny Prayer List”.
By Purchase Pastry
October 15, 2006 09:00 AM | Link to this
Some pundits have suggested that the GOP has a credibility gap.
Condolisa Rice protested such a notion on Meet the Press recently. ” If there is a credibility gap, we’ll bridge that gap when and if we come to it. Where do liberals get these notions? They should look at themselves in the mirror, as the GOP has, and we dont see any gap that needs to be bridged.”
Then she gave Tim Russert, the host of Meet the Press, the stink eye.
By Trading Turnovers
October 15, 2006 09:13 AM | Link to this
W SAID: “Where is the Iraqi Thomas Jefferson? Where is the Iraqi George Washington?”
That’s actually quite astute. Our revolutionary army nearly mutinied and marched on the new government. Washington himself dissuaded them at the last moment.
The Iraqi Army has no such allegience to any patriotic icon. They will mutiny against the bubble government as soon as they are able.
We are arming a third party in the Shia/Sunni civil war. We are creating a chaos never before seen in the middle east.
The Iraqi Army is a wild card in the deadly game of Texas Hold’em that W is playing in the middle east.
By Trafficking Tarts
October 15, 2006 09:17 AM | Link to this
I just read the fine print on the Sonny Do List to serve Georgians…… It’s a cookbook! Run for your lives!!
By Purloin Puffs
October 15, 2006 09:19 AM | Link to this
The Sonny Do List is a recipe to cook books!! He’s got so many wish-list tax breaks coming his way that he makes Santa’s Wish List look like the Magna Carta.
By Cash-n-Carry Croissants
October 15, 2006 09:29 AM | Link to this
Thomas Friedman thinks that the Democratic Campaign focus should be “energy independence”.
I disagree.
The liberal platform should be “oil lobby independence”. We are in their grip in every possible way.
USA/Britain’s foreign policy has been dictated by the oil lobby since 1920.
By The AJC Is A Filthy Anti American Rag
October 15, 2006 09:39 AM | Link to this
By Cash-n-Carry Croissants October 15, 2006 09:29 AM USA/Britain’s foreign policy has been dictated by the oil lobby since 1920.
In 1920, before there were any pinkos, gas was a few pennies a gallon.
After 40 years of pointless regulations and caribou love ins by the whacko environmentalists, now gas is $2.00 a gallon.
So yes, kook, blame the oil companies and their “gigantic” 8% profit margins.
That’ll solve the problem.
Loser.
Freaking democrat.
By E-trade Eclairs
October 15, 2006 09:49 AM | Link to this
The Georgia Bulldogs lost. The Reason? Our team has offended the football gods by combining cheerleading and prayer.
For decades, “We’re Number One!”, was communicated by holding up the index finger. Now, it’s also a prayer to the Replay Official In the Sky: “It’s you, lord, you scored this touchdown, not me, it’s you, really, you.”.
ENOUGH!!
Until we learn that football is just a game, we will never gain a national championship.
If this were Iraq: See if the player’s finger is purple and find out if he voted 4 the Sunnis. Great, now they’re mixing politics with religion and cheerleading.
Meet the press is on in 15 minutes. Must blog tv.
By getalife
October 15, 2006 09:56 AM | Link to this
W keeps changing the reason for the Iraqi invasion and now this brilliant plan:
“Matthews: David, do you believe the President is looking for an out from his doctrinaire policy of staying the course?
Brooks: Not really, no I don’t. I think they’re looking at policy options. One of those options is trying to replace the current government which seems to be doing nothing. The second option is some sort of federation which–Joe Biden has suggested as separating Iraq. A third option and by far the least likely is going in with more troops, So there’s all different three options…We have much less control over Iraq than we did two or three years ago…
“I guess all those elections didn’t really matter after all.”
We should do the same with our government.
By getalife
October 15, 2006 10:07 AM | Link to this
Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) barely said hello to the New Hampshire Democrats who filled a banquet room here Friday night before unloading on President Bush.
“This war in Iraq is a disgrace,” he said in the second sentence of his speech at a party fundraising dinner.
Can I get an amen?
By The AJC Is A Filthy Anti American Rag
October 15, 2006 10:09 AM | Link to this
getalife: Either you are blogging to yourself or assuming that everyone watches the same kook fringe TV that you do, like “meet the depressed,” for instance.
What is a “Brooks?”
By RW-(the original)
October 15, 2006 10:16 AM | Link to this
Andy,
This is a “Brooke” there’s no telling what getalife is yammering about. What is a “Matthews?”
By @@
October 15, 2006 10:18 AM | Link to this
Jim: Any progress into transparency of government is something that should be celebrated.
The FOIA is one tool that can be utilized to gain access to public records, but I don’t know what percentage of citizens are inclined to put forth the effort. It’s usually implemented by partisan groups with an axe to grind, and is often skewed in its’ presentation of the facts. Now there’s what promotes skepticism in some and zealous pessimism in others.
There’s one component in politics that I’d love to cover up, and that’s the “dark hole of despair” that continually speaks for the Democrats. See examples above. Always looking back to what should’ve been. Never looking forward to what could be.
I’m out for now, but I’m gonna drop off a story later. A realistic picture of despair, not one manufactured in the mind of a Democrat.
Hey Jim…..What am I wearing here in the wonderful U.S.ofA.?
A fully-clothed smile. I’m a conservative.
By Jesus
October 15, 2006 11:02 AM | Link to this
Amen
IMPEACH BUSH NOW!!!
By neocon malaise
October 15, 2006 11:07 AM | Link to this
getalife, this one’s for you…
Bush administration Iraq policy: Version 1.0 - Version 10.0
Don’t like today’s policy? Wait a day.
By getalife
October 15, 2006 11:15 AM | Link to this
Version 10.0 - Trust us. We know what we’re doing
It is amazing the “nuts” still trust these lying liars.
Good post.
By dahreese
October 15, 2006 11:57 AM | Link to this
If the past six years have done anything worthwhile, it is to show just how easily bought and just how corrupt our government is, whatever the level. What is ludicrous is that the punishments for such corrupt “public servants” (including lobbiest) is a slap on the wrist (compared, say, to someone caught for stealing a sixpack of beer). It is unfortunate (and the political parties fear it, too) that the ballot never has a box where the voter can vote “None of the above”. You don’t have to be a blind conservative not to see it, just an ignorant one to deny it.
By RW-(the original)
October 15, 2006 12:28 PM | Link to this
I bet in dahreese world the last 6 years have shown us how the Bush administration causes serial murder since the Green River Killer and the BTK killer were both caught during the last six years.
Enron was caught during the last six years. Duke Cunningham was caught during the last six years. Worldcom was caught during the last six years.
See a pattern? In all five of those instances crimes took place before the last six years and beginning in some cases even decades before.
In dareese world catching criminals means you are responsible for their existence. Kind of reminds me of that silly liberal argument that fighting terrorists creates them.
By The AJC Is A Filthy Anti American Rag
October 15, 2006 12:34 PM | Link to this
Amid widespread panic in the Republican establishment about the coming midterm elections, there are two people whose confidence about GOP prospects strikes even their closest allies as almost inexplicably upbeat: President Bush and his top political adviser, Karl Rove
It’s a trick!
What does Rove know and when did he know it?
Could it be that we have Bin Laden and we’re just waiting until November 6th?
Maybe it’s the way his contrived “Foley Scandal” has all the pinko liberals preaching like Baptists?
Is he mocking you pinkos, again?
Or does he know that Americans aren’t stupid enough to elect any two faced democrats, so that leaves no other choices but Republicans?
Now I’m laughing too.
By getalife
October 15, 2006 12:38 PM | Link to this
“Former President Bill Clinton said Saturday that voters “know something is wrong” in Washington and urged Democrats to create change in the November elections.”
“I have never seen the American people so serious,” said Clinton. “I think I know why. People know things are out of whack. The rhythm of our public life and our common life in America has been disturbed.”
Amen Bill.
By getalife
October 15, 2006 12:47 PM | Link to this
“Republicans, who control the White House and Congress, Clinton charged “paint themselves as pure and the rest of us who don’t agree with them as stained” in order to divide the country and stay in power.”
Preach it Bill.
By getalife
October 15, 2006 12:50 PM | Link to this
“We’ve got a big responsibility. Forget about 2008. Forget about the politics. Just go out and find somebody and look them dead in the eye and say ‘You know, this is not right’…This is America,” Clinton said. “We can do better and this year, it’s a job that Democrats have to do alone.”
Bill Clinton is the man.
By RW-(the original)
October 15, 2006 12:54 PM | Link to this
Andy,
Look what else was right beside the story you linked on page 4 of the Washington Post Fishwrapper edition:
“I can’t find anything that was written, in the way of a report, that would establish that that did occur,” McGaffin said in a telephone interview. “Having said that, I don’t know, maybe it occurred and there wasn’t a report generated.”
Strange that neither of these were worthy of page 1.
By Buy Danish
October 15, 2006 12:55 PM | Link to this
Snot-nosed liberal,
If you’re out there, this is a response to your shocked incredulity at my assertion that the Bush policy in Iraq was essentially a continuation of Clinton policy.
Here is a floor speech from none other than Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton about the BJ administration’s policy of “Regime Change”.
In 1998, the United States also changed its underlying policy toward Iraq from containment to regime change and began to examine options to effect such a change, including support for Iraqi opposition leaders within the country and abroad.
And lookee here, what’s this about Saddam being a threat?
In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including Al Qaeda members, though there is apparently no evidence of his involvement in the terrible events of September 11, 2001.
It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons. Should he succeed in that endeavor, he could alter the political and security landscape of the Middle East, which as we know all too well affects American security.
Now this much is undisputed. The open questions are: what should we do about it? How, when, and with whom?
Is this “cherry picking”? It seems to me that the Dems sudden disavowal of everything the BJ Administration claimed in the past and outrageously repackaging of it as “LIES!” is the ultimate in “cherry picking”.
Indeed, I would take it a step further and state that this Orwellian rewrite of history is dangerous to our national security and willfully destructive of our efforts abroad.
Have a nice day.
By RW-(the original)
October 15, 2006 12:58 PM | Link to this
getalife,
When has Billy Jeff ever looked anyone in the eye and told the truth at the same time. Is it when he rapes someone and tells them they better put some ice on the lip he bit open?
By Buy Danish
October 15, 2006 01:09 PM | Link to this
RW,
I think the use of the word “stained” was a rather unfortunate choice for BJ to employ.
I have a new term for the amazingly coincidental parroting that end up as Sunday morning talking points:
“Democrat Squawking Points”
By getalife
October 15, 2006 01:11 PM | Link to this
RW,
The last time I saw him on Fox is the answer to your question:
“More than 20,000 people emailed Chris Wallace and demanded he ask Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice this question today:
Prior to 9/11, you had eight months to respond to the al-Qaeda attack on the U.S.S. Cole. Why didn’t the Bush administration take action and put al-Qaeda out of business?
Wallace didn’t ask the question or any question on the topic. It’s the twenty-fourth time Rice has been on Fox News Sunday since 9/11 without being asked about the U.S.S. Cole.”
Of course, Fox will not ask w’s admin about the Cole just like Bill said they would not.
By neocon malaise
October 15, 2006 01:14 PM | Link to this
This just in: Rush endorses John Murtha’s Iraq policy.
Here’s the proof
Brain cells damaged by chronic drug use can regenerate!
Rush is probably studying Murtha’s latest Iraq blueprint.
You can, too!
By getalife
October 15, 2006 01:15 PM | Link to this
Man, Rove should do his October surprise real quick because your party is getting their a-sses kicked.
By RW-(the original)
October 15, 2006 01:22 PM | Link to this
Buy Danish,
It’s kind of like Ted Kennedy always making water references.
getalife,
Maybe registered Democrat Chris Wallace realized how ignorant that question was, you reckon?
By Buy Danish
October 15, 2006 01:23 PM | Link to this
Getalife,
Isn’t it amazing that 20,000 parrots emailed Chris Wallace with Democrat Squawking Points!
The Cole was attacked in October 2000. What did BJ do? Did he hand over a plan to the new administration?
By Buy Danish
October 15, 2006 01:27 PM | Link to this
Getalife,
Is Okinawa in Iraq?
By getalife
October 15, 2006 01:30 PM | Link to this
They did their usual nothing then lied.
It is amazing you still support these lying liars.
By RW-(the original)
October 15, 2006 01:33 PM | Link to this
Buy Danish,
Like Mothra said, it’s just over the horizon
By Buy Danish
October 15, 2006 01:41 PM | Link to this
RW,
This is amazing to me. Getalife is accusing Bush of “doing their usual nothing”.
What does he consider “something” I wonder? I’m looking for precedent in the BJ administration.
By American Idol
October 15, 2006 01:46 PM | Link to this
RW @ 10:16a —
grrrrrrrrrrrrrr
By CJ
October 15, 2006 01:47 PM | Link to this
I agree with Mr. Wooten about the importance of transparency. In our system of government we, the voters, are obligated to hold our elected officials accountable. We can only meet this obligation when we have complete access to any and all data necessary to measure the effectiveness of these officials. So, of course, transparency at all levels of government is fundamental. Mr. Wooten was correct when he wrote that “transparency is the beginning of accountability”. I think, however, the key word here is “beginning”.
Woot went on to say that transparency is the “greatest possible protection against cronyism”. I’m not sure I agree with the “greatest possible protection” part. First, such transparency has to be real. In other words, such data must be reliable and up-to-date. Having a website with outdated data isn’t helpful. Also, if disclosure rules or laws are either not consistently enforced or enforced with weak penalties, then transparency is a word without meaning. Through the years, Republicans and Democrats alike have recently been criticized for not properly complying with disclosure requirements. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist comes to mind as a recent example. If the allegations against him are true, he’s been able to operate for years under the guise of transparency.
My second problem with Woot’s “greatest possible protection” argument is that transparency isn’t enough. We’ve all seen politicians from both sides of the aisle use public office to enrich themselves. Frequently, the preferred approach involves real estate. Much of the time, such activity is either legal or within ethics requirements. Other times, ethics guidelines are in place, but are subjective and leave the decision of when to comply up to the official. For example, in legislative committee hearings, committee members are expected to recuse themselves when business is before the committee that presents a conflict-of-interest. Of course, many do not and get rich in the process. No rules or laws have been broken, no penalties are assessed, transactions are disclosed and “transparent” and the official can honestly say “I didn’t break any laws”.
So yes, transparency is the beginning of accountability. However, transparency must be real with meaningful and current data. Transparency must also be supported by strengthening our ethics laws and implementing swift enforcement mechanisms and significant penalties for noncompliance.
By RW-(the original)
October 15, 2006 01:49 PM | Link to this
Buy Danish,
You’re being overly critical. Billy Jeff did manage to kill Al Qaeda’s #1 camel after he warned Bin Laden that the missile was headed in.
By The AJC Is A Filthy Anti American Rag
October 15, 2006 01:49 PM | Link to this
getalife: Okinawa and Kuwait are two totally different countries 7000 miles away from each other.
You really should look beyond your CNN bubble for some more answers.
By getalife October 15, 2006 01:11 PM Prior to 9/11, you had eight months to respond to the al-Qaeda attack on the U.S.S. Cole. Why didn’t the Bush administration take action and put al-Qaeda out of business?
Most presidents get almost 3 months after the election to prepare their cabinet choices and put key staff members in place but not Bush, the loser of the election, a true pinko liberal, threw a great big crying jag like a huge baby right up until the very last day.
Because of this Algore created anomisity, Bush compromised and left the Clinton State Department virtually intact.
I agree with you, that was a fat mistake, he should have fired all of those panty waist perverts on day one:
Janet Reno, then the attorney general, said an attack would break international law. Madeleine Albright, then secretary of state, is quoted as saying, “Bombing Muslims wouldn’t be helpful at this time.” Most controversially, the book quotes William Cohen, then the defence secretary, as saying the Cole attack “was not sufficiently provocative” and retaliation might cause trouble in Pakistan.
By RW-(the original)
October 15, 2006 01:52 PM | Link to this
Buy Danish,
I guess based on the 1:46 that Brooke link isn’t broken for everyone. Hi Hon….err American Idol!
By getalife
October 15, 2006 01:59 PM | Link to this
It is useless to argue with the “neonut” mindset.
I post the facts, you make excuses.
Spin away “neonuts”.
I yield the blog.
By Buy Danish
October 15, 2006 02:06 PM | Link to this
Getalife,
Here is what Louis Freeh has to say about Bush’s rapid response to his concerns:
On Jan. 26, 2001, at 8:45 a.m., I had my first meeting with President Bush and Vice President Cheney. They had been in office four days. We discussed terrorism, and in particular al Qaeda, the African embassy bombings, the Cole attack and the June 1996 Khobar bombing in Saudi Arabia. When I advised the president that Hezbollah and Iran were responsible for Khobar, he directed me to follow-up with Condoleezza Rice. I did so at 2:30 p.m. that day and she told me to pursue our investigation with the attorney general and to bring whatever charges possible. Within weeks, a new prosecutor was put in charge of the case and on June 21 an indictment was returned against 13 Hezbollah men who had been directed to bomb Khobar by senior officials of the Iranian government. I know that the families of the 19 murdered airmen were deeply grateful to President Bush and Ms. Rice for their prompt response and focus on terrorism.
more to come…
By @@
October 15, 2006 02:07 PM | Link to this
Just dropping off something for all of those who enjoy manufacturing their own brand of despair within the freedoms of the U.S.A..
“Let us safeguard socialism … I will fight to the death to protect socialism and the Great Leader Kim Il-sung!” Onset in 1994?
These people don’t know anything about what goes on inside or outside their country.
That ^^^^ is ABSOLUTE despair & isolation.
Liberals should count their blessings.
Oh, I forgot….liberals don’t believe in blessings. They, and they alone, are entitled to freedoms.
President Bush believes: “Freedom is the birthright and deep desire of every human soul, and spreading freedom’s blessings is the calling of our time.”
By Buy Danish
October 15, 2006 02:08 PM | Link to this
Hi Honu!!
Getalife,
The Khobar Towers bombing was in 1996. What did Clinton do? According to Louis Freeh, the answer is nothing.
It soon became clear that Mr. Clinton and his national security adviser, Sandy Berger, had no interest in confronting the fact that Iran had blown up the towers…
So for 30 months, I wrote and rewrote the same set of simple talking points for the president, Mr. Berger, and others to press the FBI’s request to go inside a Saudi prison and interview the Khobar bombers. And for 30 months nothing happened. The Saudis reported back to us that the president and Mr. Berger would either fail to raise the matter with the crown prince or raise it without making any request. On one such occasion, our commander in chief instead hit up Prince Abdullah for a contribution to his library. Mr. Berger never once, in the course of the five-year investigation which coincided with his tenure, even asked how the investigation was going.
Thanks for the inspiration! I think I’ll send Chris Wallace an email:
Please ask President Clinton why time and again* he was more interested in securing contributions to his library than in our nation’s security.
*Also see Marc Rich (who broke sanctions with Iran) presidential pardon.
By RW-(the original)
October 15, 2006 02:10 PM | Link to this
getalife,
The only “fact” you’ve posted is that 20,000 brain dead liberals want to have a serious news program interrupt a discussion about current events to extend a 6 year old whizzing contest.
You are always touting BJ’s success in locking up the first World Trade Center bombers. The same thing happened to the Cole bombers.
By dahreeese
October 15, 2006 02:10 PM | Link to this
For RW (the original)Yours is a typical neocon response - but, as is said, “A hit dog hollers”.
On my post above I did not single out the Bush administration nor the Republican party (although I could have). What I SAID WAS the past six years have exposed just how corrupt our corporate controlled govenment is.
Now if you want to hype conspiracy, I suppose you want to blame all of the exposures of the wrong doings of the Republican party and their lobby on some conspiracy that the Democrats set them up to do wrong.
The fact that Republican wrong doings are so exposed right now is the fault of the Republicans themselves. There would be no Republican wrong doings to expose if the Republican wrong doings had not occured.
You don’t have to be a blind conservative not to see it, just an ignorant one to deny it.
By Buy Danish
October 15, 2006 02:12 PM | Link to this
Getalife,
I’m sorry to have posted these^^ after you “yielded the blog”.
Perhaps the gentleman from Louisiana would like to reconsider. I move to open the floor up to debate.
By RW-(the original)
October 15, 2006 02:23 PM | Link to this
Is there some kind of moonbat comment generator that starts every post with, yours is a typical neocon response?
dahreese,
If you want to pretend you were just talking about events in general and just randomly picked a time frame of six years you go right ahead.
Now see if you can come up with something more substantive than “if corruption didn’t exist it wouldn’t be exposed” OK?
By getalife
October 15, 2006 02:27 PM | Link to this
I yield myself one last post to show the “neonut” hypocrisy:
From time to time we need a refresher course on what Bush and other “neonuts” said about foreign entanglements:
If we are going to commit American troops, we must be certain they have a clear mission, an achievable goal and an exit strategy.” -Karen Hughes, speaking on behalf of presidential candidate George W. Bush
Victory means exit strategy, and it’s important for the President to explain to us what the exit strategy is.” -Governor George W. Bush (R-TX)
“President Clinton is once again releasing American military might on a foreign country with an ill-defined objective and no exit strategy. He has yet to tell the Congress how much this operation will cost. And he has not informed our nation’s armed forces about how long they will be away from home. These strikes do not make for a sound foreign policy.” -Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA)
“No goal, no objective, not until we have those things and a compelling case is made, then I say, back out of it, because innocent people are going to die for nothing. That’s why I’m against it.” -Sean Hannity, Fox News, 4/5/99
Explain to the mothers and fathers of American servicemen that may come home in body bags why their son or daughter have to give up their life?” -Sean Hannity, Fox News, 4/6/99
“You can support the troops but not the president” -Representative Tom Delay (R-TX)
“It is a remarkable spectacle to see the Clinton Administration and NATO taking over from the Soviet Union the role of sponsoring “wars of national liberation.” -Representative Helen Chenoweth (R-ID)
“You think Vietnam was bad? Vietnam is nothing next to Kosovo.” -Tony Snow, Fox News 3/24/99
I yield the blog.
Peace out.
By Buy Danish
October 15, 2006 02:30 PM | Link to this
RW -(Typical Neocon),
You failed to uncover one of the “e”s in Dahreeese’s name. Karl Rove must have it.
@@,
There was an excellent special report on Fox News last night on North Korea that is being re-run today at 4:00. Did you see it?
My TIVO is set.
By Buy Danish
October 15, 2006 02:35 PM | Link to this
Getalife,
Thanks for the reminder. What is that exit strategy for Kosovo again?
By Poach Puffs
October 15, 2006 02:40 PM | Link to this
Bolton on Meet the Press today: He is not qualified to be our UN guy. He’s no diplomat.
Here’s why: He was asked by the host, George S, about China’s comment concerning enforcement of the sanctions against N. Korea, and George used quotes from the chinese statement. Bolton then attacked George and said, “I cant believe that you are being negative and questioning the resolve that the Chinese have about the sanctions”.
George S was quoting the chinese, and he didn’t venture any opinion, nor did he question anything. He simply wanted a reply concerning the Chinese statement.
The point is that Bolton is an obnoxious lout who will surely offend the entire rest of the world.
Fire Bolton. Impeach Bush. Imprison Cheney. Tar and Feather Rumsfeld.
By The AJC Is A Filthy Anti American Rag
October 15, 2006 02:42 PM | Link to this
By getalife October 15, 2006 02:27 PM If we are going to commit American troops, we must be certain they have a clear mission, an achievable goal and an exit strategy.” -Karen Hughes, speaking on behalf of presidential candidate George W. Bush blah, blah, (insert democratic underground taking points here) (fill in with Huff N Puff nonsense here)
Yep:
National Strategy for Victory in Iraq- The following document articulates the broad strategy the President set forth in 2003 and provides an update on our progress as well as the challenges remaining. “The United States has no intention of determining the precise form of Iraq’s new government. That choice belongs to the Iraqi people. Yet, we will ensure that one brutal dictator is not replaced by another. All Iraqis must have a voice in the new government, and all citizens must have their rights protected. Rebuilding Iraq will require a {{{{{{{{sustained commitment}}}}}}}} from many nations, including our own: we will remain in Iraq as long as necessary, and not a day more.”— President George W. Bush February 26, 2003
By RW-(Typical Neocon)
October 15, 2006 02:44 PM | Link to this
BD,
Thanks! After yesterday talking with the limited letter girl (R U talking 2 me) I wasn’t ready for the e hoarder.
By dahreese
October 15, 2006 02:47 PM | Link to this
For RW (the original) Is there some kind of moonbat comment generator that starts every post with, yours is a typical neocon response?
Look into your mirror RW, and see a typical neocon.
If you want to pretend you were just talking about events in general and just randomly picked a time frame of six years you go right ahead.
Apparently you’re the one wearing the typical neocon shoe. You’re the one who inserted political party into the agenda.
The corrupt Republican party machine is being exposed. If you support that exposure then say so. If you oppose that exposure, then say so.
You don’t have to be a blind conservative not to see it, just an ignorant one to deny it.
By neocon malaise
October 15, 2006 02:48 PM | Link to this
getalife, you surrender the floor too easily!
Let’s look at a favorite trick of neocon idiots. It’s relevant to the Murtha issue.
The straw man. Also known as “some”.
Last fall, this rhetorical tool became popular with Mr. Bush when the debate heated up over when troops would return from Iraq. “Some say perhaps we ought to just pull out of Iraq,” he told Republican supporters in October, echoing similar lines from other speeches. “That is foolhardy policy.”
Yet even the speediest plan, as advocated by only a few Democrats, suggested not an immediate drawdown, but one over six months. Most Democrats were not even arguing for a specific troop withdrawal timetable.
Murtha’s Okinawa proposal, which he quickly retracted, is just such a straw man.
I’m glad to know that Rush Limbaugh is now aware of this.
By Buy Danish
October 15, 2006 02:51 PM | Link to this
RW - (Typical neocon),
UR welcome! Maybe someone would like to buy a vowel from him as he clearly has at least one too many.
Scatch that. We need a government program to handle the redistribution of “e”s.
By Buy Danish
October 15, 2006 03:02 PM | Link to this
Useful Idiots,
I realize that, like history, geography is probably not one of your strong points, but when did Rush advocate pulling out of Iraq?
He very intelligently proposes putting our troops in Iraq on the borders of Syria, Jordan and Iran which…border Iraq.
By RW-(Typical Neocon)
October 15, 2006 03:05 PM | Link to this
Buy Danish,
Wasn’t e-distribution one of the things that bombed out when the dotcom bubble burst?
By neocon malaise
October 15, 2006 03:13 PM | Link to this
Danish, I would suggest that a proposal to set up “strategic” bases along Iraq’s borders, withdrawing all US forces from 99% of the country (including Baghdad) is a withdrawl.
That’s Limbaugh’s plan. It’s very similar to Murtha’s plan. Glad to see you support it.
By The AJC Is A Filthy Anti American Rag
October 15, 2006 03:37 PM | Link to this
As always, the pinkos twist the words of men that are hundreds of times better than they are:
Rush Limbaugh: I think there’s two things we can do in Iraq. Let me run them by you and see what you think. The first thing is that we pull back out of Baghdad, and we position along the Syrian, Jordan and Iranian borders, and we say to the Iraqis: “We’re going to stop anybody coming across these borders. No more help from Iran. No more from Syria. No more from Jordan. Nobody’s getting into this country. If we have to, we’ll go 20 miles inland in each of these countries to make sure nobody gets through, but this is on you. We will make sure nobody else gets in. Now, you go in there (the Iraqis) and you clear out Baghdad. You do it once and for all, and then we’re out.” The second strategy is, “You don’t want to go for that?” We say to the Iraqis, “All right, here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to take everybody we got and we’re going to bring ‘em into Baghdad and we’re going to do search-and-destroy and we’re going to take out anything that looks like an insurgent and we’re going to take out anything that looks like a sympathizer, a terrorist or whatever, we’re going to clean this place out.
By The AJC Is A Filthy Anti American Rag
October 15, 2006 03:51 PM | Link to this
Versus Filthy Mouth Murtha having us throw down the flag, jump into the Gulf and swim to Okinawa, with the drive by media cameras recording the whole thing, of course.
By RW-(Typical Neocon)
October 15, 2006 04:02 PM | Link to this
This Mothra is like a broken record:
After terrorists attacked U.S. troops in Mogadishu, Somalia 12 years ago, anti-Iraq war Democrat, Rep. John Murtha urged then-President Clinton to begin a complete pullout of U.S. troops from the region.
Clinton took the advice and ordered the withdrawal - a decision that Osama bin Laden would later credit with emboldening his terrorist fighters and encouraging him to mount further attacks against the U.S.
“Our welcome has been worn out,” Rep Murtha told NBC’s “Today” show in Sept. 1993, a month after 4 U.S. Military Police had been killed in Somalia by a remote-detonated land mine.
That one worked out real well didn’t it?
By The AJC Is A Filthy Anti American Rag
October 15, 2006 04:03 PM | Link to this
Danish: You’d better double check your TIVO, Fox is wall to wall earthquake.
By getalife
October 15, 2006 04:22 PM | Link to this
Not good for the Iraqi politicians
What a freaking mess.
On a lighter note, how bout them Saints?
By The AJC Is A Filthy Anti American Rag
October 15, 2006 04:23 PM | Link to this
Filthy Mouth Murtha, false accuser of US soldiers, admitting that he has no balls:
Most Democrats voted against the 2002 resolution authorizing the use of military force in Iraq. Regrettably, I was not one of them. Since entering Congress in 1974, I have always supported the president on issues of war. But in this case, I made a mistake — and unlike certain members of the administration, I’m willing to say so. If I had known in October 2002 what I know now, I would never have voted for the resolution.
If this jerk off was “wrong” about something as important as that, why the F would we trust him with another decision???
Go suck your thumb, loser.
By The AJC Is A Filthy Anti American Rag
October 15, 2006 04:26 PM | Link to this
“Maverick” McCain, finally making some sense:
That annoyed Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.: “I would remind Sen. Clinton … that the framework agreement her husband’s administration negotiated was a failure,” he said. “Every single time the Clinton administration warned the Koreans not to do something — not to kick out the IAEA inspectors, not to remove the fuel rods from their reactor — they did it. And they were rewarded every single time by the Clinton administration with further talks.” Media commentators spun Mr. McCain’s remarks as jockeying with Ms. Clinton for the presidency in 2008, but in fact Mr. McCain had been speaking out against her husband’s Agreed Framework deal with North Korea since May of 1994. Here is the history Democrats would like you to forget: The CIA began worrying in the late 1980s that North Korea was trying to build an atomic bomb. President Clinton attempted to head them off by offering a massive bribe. If the North Koreans would forgo their nuke plans, the United States would provide them with 500,000 tons of free fuel oil each year, massive food aid and build for them two $2 billion nuclear power plants. The deal made North Korea the largest recipient of U.S. foreign aid in Asia.
By getalife
October 15, 2006 04:28 PM | Link to this
Are they really listening to a drug addict who needs viagra for trips with the boys to plan an exit strategy for Iraq?
OMG, that is ridiculous.
Biden and Murtha plans are good and do not think we should listen to a drug addicted entertainer.
By neocon malaise
October 15, 2006 04:33 PM | Link to this
To Filthy Rag— Rush’s first idea (the Murtha plan) is a good one. Withdraw from Baghdad and all the provinces where the ongoing civil war is most intense, especially Al-Anbar (Fallujah), which the US has essentially ceded anyway. Hunker down at the borders.
All the factions have megatons of ammo, which they “liberated” when the US (in it’s cluelessness) dissolved the Iraqi Army. Let them fight it out.
As for Rush’s plan B?
Let’s just say that I’m glad he doesn’t formulate policy.
By RW-(Typical Neocon)
October 15, 2006 04:34 PM | Link to this
Andy,
You’ve got to love that “if I knew then what I know now” BS. That’s leadership for you. Kerry tried to pull that on Chris Wallace this morning and got his head handed to him.
getalife,
WTF is going on with the Saints? Did Balco open a branch down there?
By getalife
October 15, 2006 04:40 PM | Link to this
RW,
Hell of a game with the Eagles.
The new coach is good and they have a Bush people actually like.
It is rare to see a guy named Bush actually doing something great for the people and getting cheered.
By The AJC Is A Filthy Anti American Rag
October 15, 2006 04:40 PM | Link to this
By neocon malaise October 15, 2006 04:33 PM To Filthy Rag— Rush’s first idea (the Murtha plan) is a good one.
And:
From The Filthy Mouth Of John Murtha: “I support bringing our troops home at the earliest practicable date.”
I provided you with links, whackjob, not talking points.
Can’t you think on your own?
Rush’s ideas have nothing to do with Murtha’s surrender, even getagrip^^ agrees with me.
By The AJC Is A Filthy Anti American Rag
October 15, 2006 04:45 PM | Link to this
The home town paper pulls out the long knives:
To make matters worse for the senator (Harry Reid, democrat), the deal was apparently put together by a longtime friend and casino lawyer whose name has come up previously in organized crime investigations and a political bribery trial this summer.-LasVegasJournal
If Reid was a Republican he would have done the right thing by now and resigned.
This pinko is just going to thumb his nose at the law, like all liberals do.
By The AJC Is A Filthy Anti American Rag
October 15, 2006 04:51 PM | Link to this
The Times’ “mainstream scientists” line undermines the editorial’s credibility, as it ignores the likes of MIT climate scientist Richard S. Lindzen, who argues that clouds and water vapor will counteract greenhouse-gas emissions. Ditto the 60 Canadian scientists who wrote to Prime Minister Stephen Harper that there is no “‘consensus’ among climate scientists.” Let me add the Copenhagen Consensus, a group of Nobel Prize-winning scientists and economists that looks at the best way to spend a hypothetical $50 billion to benefit mankind, rated fighting global warming as a “bad” use of money. That’s amazing, when you consider the pressure that is put upon scientists to conform.
By neocon malaise
October 15, 2006 04:55 PM | Link to this
John Murtha: “I support bringing our troops home at the earliest practicable date.”
I think everyone agrees with this. Murtha, Rush, Bush, you, me. It depends on your definition of “practicable”.
So what’s your point?
And why are you so rude? Are you using your hostility to hide your stupidity?
By getalife
October 15, 2006 04:57 PM | Link to this
When we leave, the people who helped us in Iraq will be targets.
The Iraqis will try to distance themselves from any involvement with us to save their own a*-es.
This puts our troops in a very bad situation. It will get much worse, probably with attacks in the green zone before we leave.
By neocon malaise
October 15, 2006 04:58 PM | Link to this
Dear Filty Rag— For a guy who complains that I can’t think on my own, you sure do post a lot of spam… I mean other people’s thoughts.
I’m bringing this up because maybe you’re not aware of it.
By getalife
October 15, 2006 05:10 PM | Link to this
If Reid was a Republican he would have done the right thing by now and resigned.
Right Andy,
Ney pleaded guilty and is not man enough to resign.
The Journal is right wing and they hate Reid. Of course, representing Vegas, I am sure he is involved with some questionable land deals like Sonny.
By The AJC Is A Filthy Anti American Rag
October 15, 2006 05:20 PM | Link to this
By neocon malaise October 15, 2006 04:55 PM And why are you so rude? Are you using your hostility to hide your stupidity?
Believe me, Libbie, I’m being nice to you.
O.K. let’s all agree then, Murtha wants to stay until 2010 same as Bush.
Are you happy now, whackjob?
Is this the pointless point you were trying to make?
By neocon malaise
October 15, 2006 05:23 PM | Link to this
Filthy Rag - I see one of the “I think for myself so I post other people’s stuff” entries from you here had to do with the North Korean nuclear test. I don’t trust McCain all that much because he gets really political and partisan which makes him inconsistent.
So here’s how I see it:
1994-2002 — Era of Clinton ‘Agreed Framework’: No plutonium production. All existing plutonium under international inspection. No bomb. That’s good.
2002-2006 — Bush Policy Era: Active plutonium production. No international inspections of plutonium stocks. Nuclear warhead detonated. That’s not good.
As Joe Friday would say, “Just the facts, ma’am.”
By The AJC Is A Filthy Anti American Rag
October 15, 2006 05:24 PM | Link to this
By neocon malaise October 15, 2006 04:58 PM Dear Filty Rag— For a guy who complains that I can’t think on my own, you sure do post a lot of spam… I mean other people’s thoughts. I’m bringing this up because maybe you’re not aware of it.
Gosh, I wonder if I’ve given it some thought and agree with the commentary I post???
I challenge you, “deep thinking” whackjob, you show me a political website with ANY of the posts I’ve made so far this morning listed as talking points before I can show you all of the comments you’ve made so far listed out.
Want to bet?
By The AJC Is A Filthy Anti American Rag
October 15, 2006 05:28 PM | Link to this
By getalife October 15, 2006 05:10 PM Ney pleaded guilty and is not man enough to resign.
Getagrip: Instead of caving into their rogue members, like for instance Pelosi being knuckled under by Jefferson, the Republicans have a plan:
After learning that Ney would not step down immediately and would continue to draw his $165,200-a-year salary, Speaker Dennis Hastert and other Republican leaders said they would move to expel him as soon as Congress returns next month for a post-election session.
First chance we get.
By Markus
October 15, 2006 05:33 PM | Link to this
Getmolife says the Wall Street Journal is a right wing rag-
Well now, are we talking OpEd, or the entire rag in general? A UCLA about a year ago (hardly a right-wing institution) says only the OpEd page is right of center. Hmmm… getmolife has those liberal blinders on again.
By The AJC Is A Filthy Anti American Rag
October 15, 2006 05:33 PM | Link to this
By neocon malaise October 15, 2006 05:23 PM So here’s how I see it:
Huh, you with the State Department, whackjob?
Mr. McCain was against the deal from the get-go, because it was all carrots and no sticks, and there were no safeguards against North Korean cheating. North Korea took the bribes President Clinton offered, and kept working on its bomb. Two experts told a House committee in April of 2000 that North Korea was producing enough highly radioactive material then to build a dozen bombs a year, but it is unclear when the North actually built a bomb (if yet) because our intelligence on the reclusive regime there is so poor.
Sucker Liberals.
By getalife
October 15, 2006 05:38 PM | Link to this
Andy,
You mean Speaker Pelosi.
Has a nice ring to it.
Ney is the first, there will many more.
Bwhahahahahaha!
By The AJC Is A Filthy Anti American Rag
October 15, 2006 05:42 PM | Link to this
See what I’m saying about talking points, take the statements made in 5:23 post, enter them into google, and shazam, we got ourselves a plagiarizer:
1994-2002 — Era of Clinton ‘Agreed Framework’: No plutonium production. All existing plutonium under international inspection. No bomb. That’s good.
First item on someone else’s blog.
By Buy Danish
October 15, 2006 05:42 PM | Link to this
I don’t trust McCain all that much because he gets really political and partisan which makes him inconsistent.
Neocon Malaise,
If that incredible statement is an example of your own independent analysis, arrived all by your smart self without the benefit of Squawking Points, YOU may want to stick to posting links without commentary.
Name me ONE politician who doesn’t “get really political” or “partisan”.
By getalife
October 15, 2006 05:45 PM | Link to this
macaca,
The Las Vegas Journal.
Idiot, can you read?
By Markus
October 15, 2006 05:59 PM | Link to this
My apologies, gitmolife-
I thought you were responsing to this comment, which you didn’t of course. Mmm-huh.
By RW-(Typical Neocon)
October 15, 2006 06:01 PM | Link to this
Andy,
I guess you’re just being gentle with little “neocon malaise” because the web site you showed actually got that from another web site.
Interesting title considering the point you were making
By JCC
October 16, 2006 08:45 AM | Link to this
It seems Sonny has taken a play from Mitch McConnell’s political playbook with the “growing nose” commercial. Fact is Sonny didn’t address the issue with his ad nor was he genuine about what Mark Taylor was asking. First the dog, then the nose why don’t you address the issue at hand Sonny?