Thursday, September 30, 2004

Kerry Haters for Kerry

When you watch John Kerry campaign, what do you do?

a. Start praying
b. Say, "Thanks for nothing Iowa."
c. Conclude that he is part of a diabolical Karl Rove conspiracy to put Bush back in the White House.

Cheer up. I have found a site that crystalizes my thoughts about this election. Kerry Haters for Kerry sums up my feelings about the guy we are depending on to save us, but who makes me grind my teeth in the dead of night.

Whatever happens in the debate tonight, cable news talking heads will say that Bush won. So, check out KH4K after it is over. It beats watching Chris Matthews tell you that Bush sealed the deal.

Wednesday, September 29, 2004

Go Ahead, Wring Your Hands

Michael Moore and others have told the doomsayers among us to buck up and stop worrying about Kerry. As a doomsayer, I took great exception to Moore's advice. It assumes that in fact we have nothing to worry about, when in fact we have rung the alarm bells for very good reasons. Kerry isn't the best candidate we had to choose from, period. I wasn't imagining problems with his campaign. They are painfully obvious to anyone who was paying attention.

Having said that, I had started to feel better about Kerry's chances when I read about large increases in voter registration in swing states. I believe that most of those new registrants are anti-Bush. As I pointed out yesterday, I was also heartened when Gallup's bogus 12% give-away to Republicans was revealed.

Of course, our candidate had to ruin my new optimism by turning into the Kerry of old. In his September 29th post Doug Ireland gives the low down on a dismal Kerry interview with Diane Sawyer. According to Ireland, Kerry has compounded his $87 million Iraq aid gaffe "I voted for the $87 billion before I voted against it," by getting caught in a dopey lie. Read it here and yes, take out your hankies.

Tuesday, September 28, 2004

Polls Skewed in Favor of Bush

The Gallup organization assumes that republicans vote more than democrats, 12% more to be exact. It is not surprising that their polls give Bush a sizable lead.
"If you hate gay people one of your kids will be gay."
Chris Rock

Alan Keyes has a lesbian daughter. The same man who said that gays are inherently "hedonists", Mary Cheney included, is himself the father of one of the hedonists. Keyes was supposed to address the issue at an appearance last night, but he declined to do so.

Jenna Bush is a Drunk

Jenna Bush was seen at a "skanky" bar in Washington, drunk as a skunk.
Iraqi Civilian Deaths

According to the Iraqi Health Ministry, from April 5th through September 19th, 4,387 Iraqi civilians were killed, most of them by the U.S. military. A total of 432 American soldiers were killed in the same period of time. The Iraqi people continue to bear the brunt of the suffering caused by the occupation of their country.

Monday, September 27, 2004

God and Florida

Many have joked that Florida's severe hurricane season is a message from an angry deity. Florida, or rather Jeb Bush, stole the 2000 election and God is angry.

I trust that the information below is correct. I don't claim to speak for God, but this map is interesting and amusing. If the information is not correct I hope someone will let me know.


Sunday, September 26, 2004

Does Bush Have Presenile Dementia?

In a letter to Atlantic Monthly Joseph Price, M.D. made this observation about President Bush:

"Slowly developing cognitive deficits, as demonstrated so clearly by the President [sic], can represent only one diagnosis, and that is 'presenile dementia'! Presenile dementia is best described to nonmedical persons as a fairly typical Alzheimer's situation that develops significantly earlier in life, well before what is usually considered old age."

Friday, September 24, 2004

Fascism Watch

What to do with the outspoken mom of a dead soldier? The answer is simple. Discredit her. Sue Niederer had the nerve to speak out against the occupation of Iraq after her son, Seth Dvorin, was killed. Most recently she heckled Laura Bush in Hopewell Township, New Jersey.

Of course, her good deed didn't go unpunished. The Secret Service is now investigating her for threatening the president. In a Counterpunch interview Mrs. Niederer said that she wanted to "rip his head off." Gee, he did get her son killed. I have heard worse for less justification. Mrs. Niederer is learning that support for the troops and their families is just another lie. Anyone who endangers the Bush regime has to be done away with in some form or fashion, even the mothers of dead soldiers.
October Surprise

Karl Rove and the rest of the Bush gang are not resting on their diabolical laurels. They are planning an October surprise. Could it possibly be the trial of Saddam Hussein? The Guardian says it is a possibility.

The Guardian article also talks about the Iraqi scientists who have been incarcerated ever since the occupation began. Truth telling is their crime. They keep saying that there were no WMD and there hadn't been any for years. They may also talk about Reagan administration appeasement of Hussein when he had WMD and used it. Here is the photo of Donald Rumsfeld meeting Saddam on December 20, 1983.

Thursday, September 23, 2004

What a Coincidence

Is it coincidental that CBS was fined for Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction in the same week that Dan Rather had to admit that the Bush military documents weren't altogether kosher? No it isn't. The Bushites never let anything happen by chance. CBS was down, so the White House kicked them. Trust me.

Wednesday, September 22, 2004

Fascism Watch

Did you fly within the United States in June of this year? If so, big brother will soon have more information than just your name, rank and serial number.

The TSA is proposing a new system, yes, yet another system that will allegedly make us all more secure. In order to put said system in place, they are asking airlines to give them all of the information they have on anyone who traveled anywhere by air in June of 2004. They will have all of the information that an airline or travel agent has about travelers.

Recently Ted Kennedy and Congressman John Lewis discovered themselves to be on the no fly list. Like many other Americans they had no idea why they were on the list and despite being members of congress were not taken off immediately. Lewis was advised to add his middle initial to flight reservations. Voila! His name didn't come up again. If that is security I want no part of it.

Of course, this is all another step on the path to greater government control of our lives. It is also handy to keep voters frightened right before election day. Only frightened people will vote for George W. Bush.

Tuesday, September 21, 2004

Fascism Watch

The military is preventing soldiers from accessing web sites that give Iraq casualty figures.

Monday, September 20, 2004

Fascism Watch

The Bush family is like the mafia. There is hell to pay if you cross them. Just ask Dan Rather or Bill Burkett. Take a look at Just Cut Out Their Tongues, a great piece in Common Dreams.

The flap about the CBS documents obscures some very important points. One, George W. Bush bragged to more than one person that his father pulled strings to get him into the Texas Air National Guard. Two, he was missing from duty for at least one year. Salon sums it up well.

In any case, the Common Dreams piece brings back old memories, of BCCI, of CIA chief William Casey dying suddenly when he was about to testify about the deal to keep hostages in Iran until after election day in 1980.

Something dastardly always happens when the Bushes and their henchman, Karl Rove, are around. Rove bugged his own office to make it look like an opponent had done it. He was probably behind the mysterious mailing of the Bush debate preparation tapes to Al Gore.

How did the right wing manage to raise questions about the authenticity of the documents within hours of the broadcast? It all stinks to me. Of course, if our so-called journalists paid any attention to the first Bush draft dodging story from the Boston Globe in 2000, none of this would matter.


Friday, September 17, 2004

Kerry Comes Out Swinging?!

Do my eyes deceive? Am I hearing correctly? Did John Kerry actually hit the Bush administration where it hurts? Did he really talk about Dick Cheney getting $2 million from Halliburton since he became veep? Did he really make the following statement?

“As President, I will stop companies like Halliburton from profiting at the expense of our troops and taxpayers. I will stop companies from receiving no-bid contracts from the government when the president or vice president is still receiving compensation from that company. I will make sure that all government funds are properly accounted for. And as Commander in Chief, I will have two words for companies that cheat the U.S. military – ‘You’re fired.’”

For weeks I have been in a state of despair or rage because of Kerry's ineptness. I don't know what to believe about polls, but I am worried that none of them show Kerry ahead.
I hope that this speech is the beginning of a new theme against Bush, namely that he has been incompetent and corrupt, and not just in Iraq. Cheney's very obvious conflicts of interest are among the topics that should have been ongoing themes in Kerry's stump speech, but that is water under the bridge.

I have always felt that Kerry's pro-war vote was not necessarily a huge impediment. All he had to say was that he didn't vote for torture at Abu Ghraib or for Halliburton to steal tax payer money. Of course, in my dream Kerry says he was misled on Iraq and he is bringing the troops home. I know. Dream on. He could have said it but he blew it by saying that he would have voted yes even if he had known that no WMD would be found.

I kept reading that Kerry has made changes, that former Clinton staffers can put him over the top, but I didn't hear or see any improvements. The old proverb about the fish stinking from the head can be both positive and negative. It is all up to this candidate. If this is the beginning of a new Kerry, perhaps a sweet aroma can start from the head as well.

On the other hand, I hope that neither Kerry nor Edwards are being compensated by any corporations and that no one gets a no bid contract from the U.S. government. Hopefully, it was just a speech written in haste. I was hoping to have at least one post that was completely complementary of Kerry.
Fascism Watch

Re-enlist or die. Sounds like a bad Dick Cheney line, but according to soldiers at Fort Carson, Colorado, that is what they were told. Soldiers were told that they shouldn't get any big ideas about leaving the military. If they don't re-up they will be reassigned to units in Iraq.

Oops. I forgot myself for a moment. People like me don't support the troops. What do I know?Sorry I brought this up at all.
Fascism Watch
"President Bush You Killed My Son"

Sue Niederer isn't impressed with Laura Bush. She has good reason. Her son, army first lieutenant Seth Dvorin, was killed in Iraq. Ms. Niederer has not been silent in her grief. She interrupted Laura Bush who was speaking in Hamilton Township, New Jersey and was led away in handcuffs for her trouble.

The pro-war crowd drowned out her cries with shouts of "four more years." So much for supporting the troops.
Kobe and Colin

What do Kobe Bryant and Colin Powell have in common? Check out my column in Black Commentator and find out.

Thursday, September 16, 2004

More Evidence of a Neck and Neck Race

The Pew Research Center poll also shows that the race is even.

Don Wright, Palm Beach Post
Bush and Kerry Neck and Neck

To pay attention or not, that is the question. Should we look at polls at all? Well, if I see one that makes me more optimistic about Kerry I will take it. Harris Interactive shows Bush and Kerry neck and neck.
Bush is not as dumb as his detractors allege. "He was just badly brought up, with no discipline, and no compassion."
Yoshi Tsurumi

George W. Bush was one of Tsurumi's student at Harvard business school. When Bush became president Tsurumi was motivated to become an American citizen. He thought, and quite rightly, that as an immigrant he wouldn't have the right to speak freely. Here are some very scary quotes from a Salon interview.

"He showed pathological lying habits and was in denial when challenged on his prejudices and biases. He would even deny saying something he just said 30 seconds ago. He was famous for that. Students jumped on him; I challenged him."
When asked to explain a particular comment, said Tsurumi, Bush would respond, "Oh, I never said that."

'The government doesn't have to help poor people -- because they are lazy.' I said, 'Well, could you explain that assumption?' Not only could he not explain it, he started backtracking on it, saying, 'No, I didn't say that.'"

"We were in a discussion of the New Deal, and he called Franklin Roosevelt's policies 'socialism.' He denounced labor unions, the Securities and Exchange Commission, Medicare, Social Security, you name it. He denounced the civil rights movement as socialism. To him, socialism and communism were the same thing. And when challenged to explain his prejudice, he could not defend his argument, either ideologically, polemically or academically."

"In class, he couldn't challenge them. But after class, he sometimes came up to me in the hallway and started bad-mouthing those students who had challenged him. He would complain that someone was drinking too much. It was innuendo and lies. So that's how I knew, behind his smile and his smirk, that he was a very insecure, cunning and vengeful guy."

'Lucky you. I understand there is a long waiting list for it. How'd you get in?' When he told me, he didn't seem ashamed or embarrassed. He thought he was entitled to all kinds of privileges and special deals. He was not the only one trying to twist all their connections to avoid Vietnam. But then, he was fanatically for the war."

These anecdotes won't get him out of office. Many people either don't care about these things or they wish that they could be as loutish as Bush and get away with it. Only a good campaign with a coherent message will get rid of Bush. Oh well, I guess we're toast.

Wednesday, September 15, 2004

Bring Me the Head of Mary Beth Cahill

Unfreakin' believable! I know that is not really a sentence but it sums up the rage and helplessness I feel about the presidential election. My apoplexy came about when I read stunningly clueless and assinine statements that emanated from the mouth of Mary Beth Cahill, John Kerry's campaign manager.

In an interview with syndicated columnist Ellen Goodman, Cahill confirmed my worst fears about the Kerry campaign.

"Win or lose, and my deep belief is he's going to win, you run a campaign you live with for the rest of your life. George Bush Sr. is forever tarred by the craven way he went after Dukakis."

Earth to Cahill! Where does one begin? "Win or lose?" Did Kerry's campaign manager actually say those words. How in the name of Sweet Jesus is she running Kerry's campaign if she publicly states that it is a "deep belief" that her boss will win? By the way, George Bush will forever be known as a president of the United States! He doesn't give a hoot about being tarred, and if John Kerry has any sense he doesn't care either.

Fundamentally, voters think elections are about them, not about candidates.

That statement is the stupidest thing I have ever heard in my life. Voters always make decisions about candidates. They make the decisions based on a variety of factors, but yes asshole, I mean Mary Beth, voters make decisions based on candidates! (Sorry readers. I nearly lost my religion.)

I'm almost done. My apoplexy is relapsing. This quote is the piece de resistance

Their entire strategy is to enlarge their base.

Duh! No wonder Kerry is behind. Anybody with sense knows that a candidate must enlarge the party's base. That is how you win, dumbshit, I mean Mary Beth. (Sorry. Lost my religion again).

It is obvious that Cahill is an idiot. I suggest she read Black Commentator. This piece in last week's issue sums up perfectly what is wrong with Cahill and company. I knew it when I read it, but I had no idea that I would get confirmation from the mouth of the Kerry team.

I don't know what else to say, except that the fish stinks from the head. Cahill's thinking must be like that of her boss. Boys and girls, make your reservations for the Bush inaugural.

A Senator and the Hereafter

While walking down the street one day, a US Senator is tragically hit by a truck- and dies.His soul arrives in Heaven, and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.

"Welcome to Heaven, says St. Peter. "Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you.

"No problem, just let me in, says the man. "Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from Higher Up. What we'll do is have you spend one day in Hell and one in Heaven. Then you can choose where to spend Eternity."Really, there's no need to go to any fuss" says the Senator. "I've already made up my mind: I want to be in Heaven."

"I'm sorry, says St. Peter, "but we have our rules."And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to Hell. The doors open, and the Senator finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a club, and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him.

Everyone is very happy and in evening dress.Everyone runs to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people. They play a friendly game of golf, and then dine on lobster, caviar and champagne. Also present is the Devil, who really is a very friendly guy, and has a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are all having such a good time that, before he realizes it, it is time to go.The crowd of friends and fellow politicians give the Senator a hearty farewell and wave while the elevator rises.

The elevator goes up, up, up and the door opens on Heaven, where St. Peter is waiting for him."Now," says St. Peter, "It's time for you to visit Heaven." So, 24 hours pass with the head of state joining as group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time, and before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by, and old St. Peter returns.

"Well then," says St. Peter, "You've spent a day in Hell and another in Heaven. Now choose your Eternity."The Senator reflects on the past 48 hours for a minute, then answers: "Well, I would never have said it before, I mean Heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in Hell."

So, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and the senator goes down, down, down to Hell.Now the doors of the elevator open, and the Senator finds himself in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his friends dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags. As the Senator stands there in total amazement, the Devil comes over to him.

Putting his arm around the (now-shaking) Senator's shoulder, he grins."I don't understand," stammers the Senator. "Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now all there is a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. WHAT HAPPENED?'

"The Devil looks at him, smiles, and says, "Yesterday we were campaigning! Today, you voted!"

Tuesday, September 14, 2004

There is Justice, Sometimes

Lynne Gobell has a new job. As I reported earlier today, Gobell lost her job because her boss is a Bushite and a fasacist. She wouldn't back down when he demanded that she remove a Kerry/Edwards bumper sticker from her car. She was fired.

Luckily her story ended up in the news and today she has a new job working in the Kerry campaign. John Kerry personally made the offer.
Why Republicans Beat Democrats

"They tell their candidates, "Actually, boss, we can't really win on the issues, so we'd better come up with something else." Well, after the past six weeks, we all know what that something else is. It's character. That is, make the election about the other guy's character."
Michael Tomasky

What is wrong with us Democrats? A lot of things, but one is an inability to understand the most basic rules of campaigning. Michael Tomasky explains it in American Prospect online.

What Else is Wrong?

Robert Scheer gets to another vexing question. Why does Bush get credit for fighting the "war on terror" when 9/11 happened on his watch? He gets the credit because Kerry won't take him on, and if he doesn't we had better get used to looking at Dubya.
Fascism Watch

A woman in Alabama was fired for having a Kerry-Edwards sticker on her car.

Monday, September 13, 2004

Republican Ghouls

I knew it. The Republicans are flesh eating zombies who plan to put an undead Ronald Reagan on the ticket in November. Read it here at Bush-Zombie Reagan. The site has not been updated since June, but my thanks go to Alternet for making me aware of it.

Sunday, September 12, 2004


Mike Smith, Las Vegas Sun
King Features Syndicate

Mike Keefe, Denver Post

Saturday, September 11, 2004

Why I Don't Commemorate 9/11

Today I said a prayer for those who perished on 9/11. I prayed that they rest in peace. I prayed that their loved ones find healing. That's all I did today and it is all I will do on 9/11 in the future. I do not watch or take part in any official observances.

Newsday columnist Jimmy Breslin expresses my feelings pretty well in a Salon interview.

"I try not to pay attention to it," he says. "The anniversary is a day for exhibitionists, and for politicians trying to use it to their advantage. Who tried to use it more than Giuliani, the dog?" He uses another word, a gerund adjective, right before "dog."
"What would you want to be around it for? People I know don't care about it. I know the widow of a firefighter, and she doesn't want to hear anything about it. . . . In a recent column, Breslin observed that Osama bin Laden must need a new press agent, since no speaker at the Republican Convention was even willing to utter his name. "Well, one fellow mentioned it, he slipped up," he says. "It was [New York governor] George Pataki. And he had to make recompense with a scathing attack on Saddam Hussein, like he had anything to do with it."


Americans must also learn that many people around the world have suffered because of U.S. government foreign policy. The families of Afghans killed by American forces don't cry less than families of 9/11 victims. At least 11,000 Iraqis have been killed because of greedy people who want access to oil and an American military presence in a land that doesn't want it. The deaths of 2,700 people were used to cause suffering in Iraq. Someone needs to be brave and point that out to the American people. It won't be anyone running for office, so I volunteer for the assignment.

BTW, 9/11 Families for Peaceful Tomorrows have been vocal in opposing military action against Afghanistan, an action taken in their name. They have bravely said "No thanks." In return for their great public service, Rush Limbaugh and the Wall Street Journal have attacked them as a Democratic front group and told outright lies about their mission. It seems that 9/11 families are deified only if they get their lines right.

Dick Cheney

Vote for us or die. That is essentially what Dick Cheney said this week. If he and Bush aren't back in office we are all toast. Of course the Democrats messed up their response as John Nichols points out in Common Dreams, but Nichols gives us a clearer, more frightening picture of the mind of Dick Cheney

It is true, of course, that the vice president would say anything and do anything in order to maintain his grip on power. But it does not necessarily follow that Cheney is simply carrying out a political hit. Indeed, if the past is prologue, there is every reason to assume that the vice president believes what he is saying about the damage that will befall the land if he and his minions are not working the levers of authority.

Few figures in American politics maintain a world view that is so consistently apocalyptic as does Cheney. Fewer still have allowed petty fears and profound ignorance to so dramatically warp their actions and public pronouncements.

Cheney's Cold War obsessions have frequently placed him on the wrong side of history, causing him to misread the geopolitical realities of regions around the world -- and of the key players within them. This is the man who was so certain that the African National Congress was a dangerous group that he regularly voted, as a member of Congress in the 1980s, against House resolutions calling for the release of Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners in South Africa.


Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Fascism Watch

I thought the Secret Service was an independent government entity whose main role was to protect the president and other officials. Boy did I ever get it wrong. Their new job is to help President Bush get elected. Not only is a loyalty oath required to attend a Bush/Cheney campaign event, but protesters are intentionally diverted and the press are told that they cannot attend events if they try to speak with demonstrators. The Seattle Times has the story from a Pennsylvania event.

BTW, if you are going to demonstrate against Bush, make sure you don't wear a wig.


Friday, September 10, 2004

Vote Theft in 2004

It has already begun. In primary elections across the nation eligible voters have been turned away from the polls. It is about to happen here in New York state as well. Because of the absurdly named Help America Vote Act, all those newly registered by mail will have to show identification at the polls. In a March Black Commentator column I expressed fears that certain provisions of the Help America Vote Act would in fact prevent Americans from voting.

Identification requirements always lower voter turn out. Poor people are less likely to have valid ID. Poll workers may be incompetent or malicious and prevent voters from submitting even paper ballots. It is all a recipe for disaster. I have the feeling that voting problems on Election Day in 2004 will be just like 2000, only worse.

Thursday, September 09, 2004

What's Wrong with Kerry

I have a running debate with some readers about John Kerry. He was not my first choice but I still want him to beat Bush. I know that the media is biased against him and in favor of Bush. We should keep this in mind when reading that Bush has a bounce or that Kerry is toast. However, I still think there are legitimate reasons to be concerned about Kerry's campaign.

I am very troubled that both Kerry and the Democratic party acted as though the RNC protests never took place. I know there was concern that violent demonstrations might hurt his campaign. I always thought those fears were overblown and events proved me right.

The protesters are in fact the key to a Kerry victory. I state my case in the current issue of Black Commentator. There is also a great piece in Common Dreams about the role of corporate lobbyists in the Kerry campaign. It explains why all they can muster is W stands for wrong.

I keep hoping that Bush will make a mistake that hurts Kerry, but Bush has had 4 years of mistakes and he can still win this election. This morning I was apoplectic when Katie Couric asked James Carville how Kerry can attack the erroneous belief that Bush is stronger in the "war on terror."

Carville should have hit that one right out of the park. He mumbled something incomprehensible but all he had to say was this, "9/11 happened on Bush's watch and he didn't fire anyone on September 12th. He was also dragged kicking, screaming and hanging on to Dick Cheney when he finally spoke to the commission, and he wouldn't talk under oath. Who says he is better at fighting terror?"

As Al Franken would say, oy, oy, oy.

Wednesday, September 08, 2004

Fascism Watch

"After experiencing the goings-on at the convention center and all around the city, I am left with a sobering conclusion: I would rather live unprotected from terrorist attacks than in a society that resembled New York City during convention week."

Steven Greenhut, Orange County Register

Greenhut sums up the awful atmosphere created in New York City during the RNC. He gives readers a glimpse of the fear that pervaded this town when the Republicans took over.

Tuesday, September 07, 2004

Bush Bounce?

I have a question. Should we pay any attention to polls? One poll says that Bush is ahead and Kerry is toast. Another says they are dead even. I am not a pollster, and I don't know their methodologies, so I don't know whom to believe.

Having said that, I am still concerned that Kerry's message is not as sharp as it needs to be. It seems that everyone except Karl Rove is dissecting his campaign and giving advice, so why shouldn't I join in too?

I think it is true that Kerry relied too much on his Vietnam story. If someone asked about the price of tuna he would say that he saw tuna while on his swift boat. It was especially foolish because I don't think that military service is the campaign advantage that conventional wisdom says it is. Clinton was called a draft-dodger but he still defeated two WWII vets.

I may be contradicting what I just said about not believing polls, but I think that Kerry should be ahead of Bush in any poll. OK, maybe not a Fox poll, but you get what I am saying. Bush turned a surplus into a deficit, the mission was not accomplished in Iraq, and 1,000 Americans are dead because of it. Bush has a solid record of failure to run against. I don't think the race should be close at all.

In the last 2 days Kerry honed in on outsourcing and rising medicare premiums. He needs to keep saying those things over and over and he needs a shorter, more concise stump speech. If he just tells voters how Bush has screwed up their lives, he should be able to win.

As far as Iraq is concerned, I think that Kerry made a major mistake when he said that he still would have voted to authorize the use of force. The Bush administration lies have given him an out. All he had to say was that he believed the President when he said Iraq had WMDs. End of story. I don't know why he didn't say it, but it keeps him from making Iraq the issue it ought to be. It is hard to criticize the occupation when he went along with it and continues to insist that he would do it all over again.

Saturday, September 04, 2004

Fascism Watch

"The bad news for people who dislike him (Clinton) is that these types of operations are so successful." – John Gibson, Fox News (said on the air)

Fascism Watch

Andrew Card, White House Chief of Staff, uttered some extremely creepy words last week that sounded, well, like something Hitler would say.

''It struck me as I was speaking to people in Bangor, Maine, that this president sees America as we think about a 10-year-old child," Card said. ''I know as a parent I would sacrifice all for my children."

We have a very dangerous situation in America if a president and his top aides view the rest of us as children. What does that mean anyway? If we ask questions of Bush will he say, "Because I said so."? And what is up with this sacrifice thing? The president doesn't have to sacrifice anything for me. His job is to govern. Unfortunately, because we have one party rule he doesn't have to do much of that. The fascism watch will continue.

Friday, September 03, 2004

Republican _____ Head


Thanks to the Yellow Doggerel Democrat for this gem.

Thursday, September 02, 2004

Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid

I just caught the tail end of a Larry King interview with George H.W. Bush, his son Marvin Bush and a youngster named Pierce Bush. In case you didn't know, this family believes it has the divine right to rule over us all.

As the interview ended, Marvin, the current President's brother, had this interchange with Larry King. I am relying on memory, and I will correct if necessary after I see a transcript from CNN.

"Thank God. You are the first person not to ask us about that mental midget, Michael Moore."
"You're the one who brought it up."
"Well, you didn't ask."
"It never occurred to me."

The Republicans just can't stand to be questioned. So they hate Michael Moore. He actually did what the rest of the press wouldn't. He raised some questions about the Bush presidency, 9/11 and the occupation of Iraq. He didn't even do it as well as he should have. I took him to task in my Black Commentator column, mostly for not bringing up the Israeli/neocon link.

In any case, the little he did accomplish is too much for the Bushies. Well, too bad. I don't care who or what they don't like. The Bush family did business with Nazi Germany, helped keep the hostages in Iran in order to prevent Carter's re-election, and they stole the presidential election in 2000.

I wish I were more optimistic about Kerry's chances. I don't want anyone in this clan governing our country ever again.
Fascism Watch

Item 1
"I kind of feel trapped, like I'm not allowed to express my opinions. I felt like my freedom of speech was shot to hell right there."

Don't piss off your neighbors if you have an anti-Bush bumper sticker. A Salt Lake City teenager got a visit from the Secret Service when he had the nerve to criticize Bush, via bumper sticker.

Item 2
"Every time I asked who they were, they said, 'We don't have to tell you that.' "

Walter Brasch, a syndicated columnist and university professor, was denied admittance to a Dick Cheney campaign event. He had a valid press credential but Cheney goons, sorry, advance people, told him to get lost and refused to identify themselves.

Walt Handelsman, Newsday
"John Kerry unfortunately too much for me is a bit of a wimp. I wouldn't feel secure with a commander in chief who is like, I don't like war. "
Republican at RNC convention

That quote says it all. The Republican argument against Kerry, who voted to authorize the use of force, is that he doesn't love war enough. Only Democracy Now would interview both Republican delegates and Arundhati Roy and Ashwin Desai.
The GOP Lies, and the Press Help Them

Last night I joined the March on the Media. I am not good at estimating crowd size, but several hundred of us walked down Sixth Avenue chanting "Fox News lies," among other things. Like Dick Cheney, I felt better after I said it.

Once again we have to thank the Daily Howler for giving us the low down on Republican lies and the media's "go along to get along" routine. Today the Howler proves that the all but canonized Rudy Giuliani is just another no good lying Republican dog.

Now I feel much better.

Zell Miller

I had assumed that the Repugs bought off Zell Miller somehow, but now I am convinced that he is also stark raving mad. The Howler also gives us this eye opener from Miller's book A National Party No More: The Conscience of a Conservative Democrat.

"[M]y conscience travels with me everywhere I go, like some unwelcome inner companion. I cannot escape him and is he tough. He is on steroids, has a Black Belt and long fingernails, and stomps around inside of me, sometimes in hobnailed boots. He’s been there as long as I can remember. Although it’s getting tougher and tougher for me to blow out all the candles on my birthday cake, he just grows stronger—and louder."

Last night Miller scared away those moderate swing voters the GOP covets so badly. Even lap dogs like David Gergen and Joe Klein were taken aback. First Miller told us that the military is responsible for American freedom. Um, earth to Miller, but I don't think we have a Civil Rights Act because of the Marines. It is extremely dangerous, dare I say fascist, for Americans to believe that their liberties are the result of military might. We have freedoms because we, the civilian population, fight for and protect them.

Miller's over the top performance wasn't bad enough. The insanity continued when he went on the talking head circuit and ended up challenging Bush-lover Chris Matthews to a duel. Read about it in Salon.