The Liberal Coalition

Recent Updates

2010-02-14T08:36:00.001-05:00

Let's not stop with healthcare discrimination against GOPers

2009-08-27T15:59:00.001-04:00

From a recent GOP fundraising survey:"It has been suggested that the government could use voter registration to determine a person's political affiliation, prompting fears that GOP voters might be discriminated against for medical treatment in a Democrat-imposed health care rationing system. Does this possibility concern you?"Better yet, let's use voter registration to double Republicans' income

May She Walk In The Light

2009-06-19T10:51:00.001-04:00

Andante of Collective Sigh has passed away after a long fight against cancer.

more howl than argument

2009-06-19T08:59:00.000-04:00

jonathan chait asks a question, but i'm afraid that's too much to ask from the modern conservative movement. it's extremely hard to find a conservative argument that actually addresses the argument on the other side these days. that's why conservatives seem so detached from reality. i honestly don't know if most of them have even a passing familiarity with the other side's reasoning. they don't

Another Newspaper Dies

2009-02-26T17:17:00.001-05:00

The Rocky Mountain News publishes its last paper tomorrow.Rich Boehne, chief executive officer of Rocky-owner Scripps, broke the news to the staff at noon today, ending nearly three months of speculation over the paper's future."People are in grief," Editor John Temple said at a news conference later.Boehne told staffers that the Rocky was the victim of a terrible economy and an upheaval in the

Going Along With the Times

2009-02-25T17:17:00.001-05:00

There's not much posted here anymore. I guess everyone's busy. Oh well, just visit my new sites: Hairstyles and Nails, Health Talk and You and Work at Home News

Let The Whole Damn Thing Burn!

2009-01-24T12:13:00.001-05:00

When Yellowstone was allowed to burn, within a year people talked about the beauty that sprang up from the ashes. Quite frankly, it looks like that might be what we have to allow with Wall Street and the Super Banks.New York TimesInstead, losses mounted and Mr. Lewis is now fighting to prop up his banking empire and keep his job. Highlights mine.You know, I'm thinking of highlighting my hair too.

Riots Continue Across Greece After Teen Killed by Police

2008-12-07T14:26:00.001-05:00

CNN.comATHENS, Greece (CNN) -- Hundreds of young self-styled anarchists rioted in the streets Sunday and attacked police in several Greek cities in a fury over the shooting death of a teenager by a member of an elite police corps.I would like to know what is going on in Greece that young people are confronting the police in this manner?A police statement about the boy's death said the incident

Obama Takes Shinseki for Cabinet

2008-12-07T10:37:00.002-05:00

CNN.comWASHINGTON (CNN) -- President-elect Barack Obama will nominate retired Gen. Eric Shinseki to be secretary of Veterans Affairs, two Democratic sources said Saturday.Obama was expected to make the formal announcement Sunday -- Pearl Harbor Day -- at a news conference in Chicago. Veterans groups appeared to support the selection."I am excited. I don't know him personally but this is a huge

Take the Lead - Help Stop AIDS and HIV

2008-12-01T09:54:00.001-05:00

from All Facts & OpinionsFor 20 years, people around the globe have observed Dec. 1 as World AIDS Day. It's a time to remember those we have lost, to thank the people who give of their time to care for those infected and affected by the disease, and to rededicate ourselves to finding a cure. AIDS has not gone away -- not by a long shot. Therapies have improved, and many HIV-positive people are

Lieberman gets away with it

2008-11-18T16:25:00.000-05:00

I suppose we knew this was coming.The Senate Democrats have voted and Joe Lieberman gets to keep his chairmanship. After announcing the vote, Harry Reid said, "This was not a time for retribution," and "If you will look at the problems that we face as a nation, is this a time we walk out of here saying 'boy did we get even?'" Reid himself, John Kerry, and Dick Durbin spoke in favor of Lieberman

Federal Precedent Provides Logic to Nix Prop 8

2008-11-17T13:50:00.001-05:00

Brian E. Gray, writing for the LA Times, sees something cool: The long history of the battle for equality for all in this country includes many court fights -- some that pro-justice forces have won. A particular early-1990s fight in Colorado, Gray says, may offer another avenue for challenging California's unjust same-sex marriage ban.In 1992, by a 53%-47% split, Coloradans passed an amendment to

The Truth about Troopergate

2008-10-11T16:07:00.004-04:00

from All Facts and OpinionsWhile the McCain/Palin camp falls over itself trying to parse language to say that Troopergate investigator Stephen Branchflower was wrong to say that Sarah Palin violated the Alaska Ethics Act, Time magazine reports that however one interprets the report issued Friday, it is clear Palin and her husband showed a "disturbing" lack of judgment and a great deal of

Palin Guilty of Ethics Violation & Abuse of Power

2008-10-11T13:54:00.003-04:00

From All Facts and Opinions Brian Ross of ABC News reports that investigator Stephen Branchflower determined that while Sarah and Todd Palin's desire to have their former brother-in-law fired was not the only reason for Walt Monegan's sacking, it was part of the justification for it, and that made the move unethical and illegal.I have read the 263-page Branchflower report from start to finish.

Olbermann's Special Comment on Palin

2008-10-07T10:04:00.000-04:00

McCain Quits Michigan

2008-10-03T17:31:00.000-04:00

The news that John McCain's campaign is abandoning its efforts in Michigan -- first reported by Jonathan Martin at Politico -- is the latest in a series of negative developments for the Republican ticket over the last two weeks.Michigan was widely regarded by the campaigns of McCain and Barack Obama as a central battleground -- perhaps the central battleground -- in the race for 270 electoral

Fundies Blame Gays for Wall Street Troubles

2008-10-01T14:18:00.003-04:00

from All Facts and OpinionsJerry Falwell must be laughing in Hell. Some Christian fundamentalists say pro-GLBT philosophies are partly to blame for the nation's financial crisis.From PageOneQ:In a September 25th blog post titled "The Nation Will Right Itself If It Fixes Sex," Christian Civil League of Maine Executive Director Michael Heath writes that the financial crisis facing Wall Street is a

Palin: Muse of the Coming US Police State?

2008-09-28T16:44:00.003-04:00

from All Facts and OpinionsAuthor and HuffPo writer Naomi Wolf scared the bejeebus out of me with her latest piece, and this thought occurred: More people need to be frightened before this election takes place. Some will consider this scenario, wherein the writer casts John McCain's running mate as "the designated muse of the coming American police state" as nothing more than lunatic liberal fear

Mr. October: Joe Biden Major Asset to Obama, Dems

2008-09-24T10:03:00.001-04:00

We've said it from the beginning, but let this excerpt from The Fix say it for us:In response to a Fix inquiry about Biden's local coverage, David Wade, a spokesman for the vice president sent over scads of clips, a few of which are linked here."Joe Biden is getting the job done every day, and I guarantee Joe Biden will be Mr. October," added Wade. "He's a closer. He's the vice presidential

McCain "Driving" American Economy Off the Road in More Ways Than One...

2008-09-23T20:17:00.000-04:00

If Our Government Were Your Doctor, You'd Be On Life Support

2008-09-17T18:04:00.000-04:00

The Republicans have managed the economy and Wall Street like a doctor giving a diabetic a Coca-Cola I.V. We are in deep trouble. Do you really want this to continue? Let's put the grownups back in charge. One more thing: can you IMAGINE what it would be like if we had allowed Bush and the Republicans to put Social Security in the Stock Market, as McCain wants to do?--Editorexcerpt:Wall Street

Still

2008-09-12T13:55:00.001-04:00

Fisking a debunking

2008-09-10T18:06:00.001-04:00

Clever Wife regularly participates in a forum for craftspeople who make soap. Lately the forum has included some long digressions into politics. She is usually capable of responding to the misinformation she sees, but occasionally she asks for my help. The other day someone posted a list of "rumors" about Sarah Palin debunked by someone named Charlie Martin, a computer programmer in Colorado.

Palin's Big Night: Is It OK to Use "Repugnican" Today?

2008-09-03T23:22:00.002-04:00

from Natalie Davis' All Facts and Opinionshttp://gratefuldread.nethttp://gratefuldread.wordpress.comTonight's speeches at the Republican National Convention are over, and I am exhausted, lemme tell ya. All that force-fed red meat... I'm going to have to stick to wheat germ and water for a week to feel normal again.Seriously, were you surprised by the heartlessness of Mike Huckabee and the attacks

Rating the Party Platforms

2008-09-03T09:49:00.004-04:00

from Natalie Davis' All Facts and Opinionshttp://gratefuldread.nethttp://gratefuldread.wordpress.com/With the Republican National Convention under way in St. Paul, MN, the time has come to look at the various political parties' platforms side by side. A great organization, eQualityGiving.org, exists to funnel donations to worthy GLBT-supporting candidates. The group rates candidates as either

Friday Non-Stolen Code Blogging

2008-08-22T16:45:00.002-04:00

Since Mustang Bobby is slacking up in Canada, I guess I'll have to do an honest blogger's work for a change. So, without further ado;Friday Blog-A-Roundwith the Liberal Coalition.A Blog Around The Clock discusses his pet peeve about business not embracing telecommuting.Arcy notes that Andrew Sullivan notes that John McCain believes, by his own new stance on torture, that he was not tortured

Let Justice Prevail

2008-07-18T14:34:00.000-04:00

Friday Stolen Code Blogging

2008-07-18T11:26:00.002-04:00

Bark Bark Woof WoofFriday BlogaroundSummertime...and the blogging is easy... for the LC:- A Blog Around The Clock: blog is software.- archy: what's in a name?- Bark Bark Woof Woof: not funny.- Bloggg: here's hoping for Hillary.- Dohiyi Mir: as NTodd notes, "just pics" for now.- Echidne Of The Snakes: savage advice.- Florida Progressive Coalition Blog: Kenneth reports from Netroots Nation.-

Friday Stolen Code Blogging

2008-06-20T09:00:00.005-04:00

Bark Bark Woof WoofFriday BlogaroundSummer starts tomorrow. So what's the LC been up to this week as we get ready for the lazy hazy crazy days?- A Blog Around The Clock: home decor.- archy: backwards march!- Bark Bark Woof Woof: the Log Cabin Republicans.- Bloggg: still mad for Hillary.- Collective Sigh: wonderful news; happy dance time!- Dohiyi Mir: Juneteenth!- Echidne Of The Snakes: the

Something Terrible in the Golden State

2008-06-13T15:48:00.000-04:00

In just three days here in California, something terrible is going to happen. Homosexual people will be marrying each other. Yes, I know! It's probably the end of civilization as we know it.Now that gays and lesbians will be married, my marriage is seriously threatened. When I see a gay couple and I somehow find out that they possess a marriage license, I will no longer want to be married to my

Friday Stolen Code Blogging

2008-06-13T08:19:00.001-04:00

Friday Blogaround Have a touch of triskaidekaphobia? Relax and read up on the week's doings in the Liberal Coalition.- A Blog Around The Clock: the internet is stealing our brains.- archy: hey, we're still here.- Bark Bark Woof Woof: laugh them off.- Bloggg: More Republicans support gay marriage than they do President Bush.- Collective Sigh: temperature control.- Dohiyi Mir: it's the law.-

Another Visit to the V.A. Hospital

2008-05-21T15:45:00.002-04:00

(Cross-posted at Left is Right):I definitely feel a need to help disabled Veterans... I started yesterday.At the beginning of February I wrote about my visit to the V.A. clinic.The Waiting RoomToday, I was attending my regular, every 3 month psychiatric appointment. In the waiting room at the Veteran's Administration Clinic was a young man, age 25 - 30. He had an ashen, pale look on his face and

Circuit City the New Wal-Mart?

2008-05-05T10:51:00.002-04:00

This puts Circuit City in the same league as Wal-Mart:Circuit City Stores' (CC) decision to lay off 3,400 employees in order to hire lower-paid replacements is raising questions about the impact of severe cost-cutting on employee morale.Not to mention local economies all around the nation.I've sent them an e-mail letting them know that I will no longer give them any of my business and will try to

Why are we still in Iraq?

2008-05-02T12:41:00.000-04:00

Question for today:WHY ARE WE STILL IN IRAQ?Quick, without thinking, what's the first answer tht comes to mind? Right, there is no clear answer. You can sit back and start thinking of many fine ones:The Democratic Congress keeps succumbing to Bush's threat-filled spending requestsA quick exit will create even more chaos and deathIf we leave we'll lose access to all that sweet crude oilThe

Iraq costs U.S. $12B per month

2008-03-09T23:38:00.001-04:00

The News TribuneStudies: Iraq costs U.S. $12B per monthBy CHARLES J. HANLEY; AP Special CorrespondentPublished: March 9th, 2008 02:07 PM | Updated: March 9th, 2008 05:02 PMThe flow of blood may be ebbing, but the flood of money into the Iraq war is steadily rising, new analyses show. In 2008, its sixth year, the war will cost approximately $12 billion a month, triple the "burn" rate of its

Tucker Carlson Show Canceled.

2008-03-09T23:34:00.001-04:00

TVNewserInsiders tell TVNewser Tucker Carlson's 6pmET show Tuckeris getting the axe, but Carlson stays on as a political contributor toall MSNBC shows at least through the 2008 election. The officialannouncement, expected tomorrow, will include details about who willreplace Tucker at 6pmET as well as other political programmingadditions. Sources say the network is going to beef up its

Damn Liberals Are Like Sand!

2008-02-28T09:00:00.000-05:00

My God! They end up everywhere.Hat Tip Ellroon for this video of Neal Gladstone; Liberal.Technorati Tags: Neal Gladstone, Liberal

The Drudge Report And Clinton

2008-02-26T09:35:00.001-05:00

By way of Buzz Flash:International Harold TribuneWASHINGTON:As Senator Barack Obama prepared to give a major speech on Iraq onemorning a few weeks ago, a flashing-red siren alert went up on theDrudge Report Web site. It read, "Queen of the Quarter: Hillary CrushesObama in Surprise Fund-Raising Surge," and, "$27 Million, Sources TellDrudge Report."Within minutes, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's

Congratulations TPM!

2008-02-24T23:43:00.001-05:00

New York TimesOf the many landmarks along a journalist's career, two are amongthose that stand out: winning an award and making the government backdown. Last week, Joshua Micah Marshall achieved both.On Tuesday, it was announced that he had won a George Polk Award for legal reporting for coverage of the firing of eight United States attorneys,critics charged under political circumstances. The "

The King is Dead! Long Live The King!

2008-02-24T15:46:00.001-05:00

Raúl Castro Named Cuba’s New President - New York Times HAVANA —The Cuban National Assembly voted Raúl Castro as its new president on Sunday, the first time the country has had a new leader since his brother Fidel seized power in 1959.Old boss, same as the new boss.Technorati Tags: Cuba, Castro,

Ex-News Anchor Found Dead

2008-02-24T14:07:00.001-05:00

Suicide or murder? If it's suicide, it'll be old news soon. If it's murder, we've got ourselves another pretty white thing for national obsession.Ex-news anchor found dead - Crime & courts- msnbc.com ROYAL OAK, Mich. - A former TV news anchor in Michigan who was accused of embezzling from a man she dated and advised financially has been found dead in her home.Police tell The Detroit News that a

Egomaniac Runs For Presidency Again

2008-02-24T13:48:00.002-05:00

I see I am not the only one who thinks His running is a waste of time and effort:All Spin Zone » Ralph Nader Running AgainIt’s hard for me to believe that Nader can’t seem to stuff his ego in his back pocket, and make a quiet exit out the side door. He lost his positive legacy on November 7th, 2000. He lost my respect (and that of many others who supported his true life calling of consumer

Ralphy Considering Another Run.

2008-02-23T00:11:00.002-05:00

CNN Political Ticker: Nader considering another White House runWASHINGTON (AP) — Ralph Nader could be poised for another third party presidential campaign.The consumer advocate will appear on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday. Nader launched his 2004 presidential run on the show.A spokesman for Nader did not immediately return a call seeking comment.Kevin Zeese, who was Nader's spokesman during

Friday Stolen Code Blogging

2008-02-22T10:13:00.004-05:00

Bark Bark Woof WoofFriday BlogaroundA short work week -- for some -- but a lot of news. Here's the weekly take from the LC:- A Blog Around The Clock: how to raise children without religious indoctrination.- A Rational Animal: how long will Mark Penn be Hillary Clinton's adviser.- archy: what obsolete skills do you still have?- Bark Bark Woof Woof: it's only a theory.- Bloggg: one reason not to

That's Ten in a Row for the Senator of Hope

2008-02-20T08:41:00.001-05:00

Barack Obama cruised past a fading Hillary Rodham Clinton in the Wisconsin primary and Hawaii caucuses Tuesday night, gaining the upper hand in a Democratic presidential race for the ages.The twin triumphs made 10 straight for Obama, and left the former first lady in desperate need of a comeback in a race she long commanded as front-runner."The change we seek is still months and miles away,"

T. Rex Quits Personal Blogging

2008-02-19T09:28:00.002-05:00

Ancient Blog Shuts Down — Why Now? After a decade Kenneth Quinnell is shutting down T. Rex’s Guide to Life to concentrate on his group blog, the Florida Progressive Coalition.Damn, lost another member of The Liberal Coalition.

Musharraf Accepts Defeat

2008-02-19T09:11:00.002-05:00

Musharraf’s Party Accepts Defeat - New York Times LAHORE, Pakistan — Pakistan appeared to be heading for a transition to an elected civilian government Tuesday after President Pervez Musharraf told visiting United States senators that he accepted the resounding defeat of his party in elections, and would work with a new Parliament.You mean his efforts at rigging the election in Pakistan didn't

Castro Resigns

2008-02-19T08:50:00.002-05:00

Castro resigns as president, state-run paper reports - CNN.com HAVANA, Cuba (CNN) -- Fidel Castro announced his resignation as president of Cuba and commander-in-chief of Cuba's military Tuesday, according to a letter published in the state-run newspaper, Granma.Well, son of a bitch! I guess being a communist dictator can lead to a long life, ending in retirement. I wonder if technical colleges

Signs of decline continue

2007-11-10T11:41:00.000-05:00

by Bruce RodgersPublisher, eKcSpecial to SoonerThoughtUsed with PermissionHistorians in the future will debate at what point in time the United States started its descent from a world symbol of prosperity and freedom to a crumbling, divided military power intimidating other nations with its imperialistic prerogatives.Maybe they will point to the 1960s as America sought to “win the hearts and

Biden Moving Up in the Silver State

2007-10-11T21:28:00.000-04:00

excerpt:It may just be that Biden touting his plan to separate Iraq into three entities (like Bosnia-Hercegovina) is slowly paying off. And it may just be more popular among some Nevadans than Richardson's pledge to leave no residual troops in Iraq. It's also interesting to note that Richardson has held 42 events in Nevada compared to Biden's 9 events according to the Washington Post's race

Come Out, Come Out...

2007-10-11T12:18:00.000-04:00

It's National Coming Out Day, the 20-year-old annual event where LGBT people and their allies come out for the first, 10th or umpteenth time to proclaim who they are and their call for equality under law and in society for everyone. Personal note: The editor is proudly queer and proudly out -- but she is not proud of this unjust, mendacious nation, which, contrary to its founding documents that

Genius move, Democrats

2007-09-22T12:08:00.000-04:00

Via Dave at Seeing the Forest --

New Medicaid provision "discriminatory and unjust"

2007-09-13T15:42:00.000-04:00

from practicalbioethics.orgA little-noticed provision of the US Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act of 2007 is aimed at reducing prescription fraud. The requirement states: "Effective October 1, 2007, Medicaid outpatient drugs will be reimbursable only if non-electronic written prescriptions are executed on a tamper-resistant pad."That

Help make NIH-funded research findings freely available to everyone!

2007-09-13T08:41:00.001-04:00

Back in July, the House of Representatives passed a bill that requires all the NIH-funded research to be made freely available to the public within at most 12 months subsequent to publication.The equivalent bill has passed the Senate Appropriations Committee earlier this summer and will be up for vote in the Senate very soon! In advance of this important vote, The Alliance for Taxpayer Access

Rove The Damper

2007-08-14T07:25:00.001-04:00

Author: Rove exit signals 'end of Bush presidency' - CNN.com WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Karl Rove, perhaps the most powerful White House aide in recent history, called it quits Monday, provoking some to declare a symbolic end to the presidency of George W. Bush.I think this is about as simple a truth as you can write.Here's the question: who's going to rein in the spoiled brat prince once Rove is gone?

Rove Resigns

2007-08-13T22:00:00.001-04:00

TwinCities.com - Rove leaving Bush administration "I just think it's time," Rove said in an interview at this home on Saturday. He first floated the idea of leaving to Bush a year ago, the newspaper said, and friends confirmed he'd been talking about it even earlier. However, he said he didn't want to depart right after the Democrats regained control of Congress and then got drawn into policy

Bitchslapping Time

2007-08-08T23:13:00.001-04:00

The Washington Monthly OK, I can see that I was way too clever here for my own good. Sorry about that. Obviously one interpretation of this post is that I think Anne-Marie Slaughter is nuts. I don't. What I meant to point out is that the Bush administration is now so widely viewed as unhinged and malignant that even traditionally serious™ people like Anne-Marie Slaughter think nothing of

In The Kitchen With The Pipe

2007-08-07T21:41:00.001-04:00

Soldier to defend bin Laden's driver - 08/07/2007 - MiamiHerald.com With reputed 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed not yet charged with any crime, Hamdan is the most prominent alleged al Qaeda member facing prospective trial by the Bush administration. He gained prominence as the Guantánamo captive in a Supreme Court challenge that upended President Bush's first effort to try war-on-terror

10,000 Corners

2007-08-06T21:59:00.001-04:00

McClatchy Washington Bureau | 08/06/2007 | Iraqi government unraveling as more ministers announce boycott BAGHDAD — Iraq's government, already unable to reconcile rival Sunni and Shiite Muslim factions, seemed headed for complete paralysis Monday as five more Cabinet ministers announced that they'd boycott government meetings. If the ministers from the secular Iraqiya political list hold to

Q&A

2007-08-06T21:34:00.001-04:00

It's Question and Answer time at The American Street.Technorati Tags: Humor, Alberto GonzalesOh, and that's Q&A, not T&A. Seriously, get your mind out of the gutter.Unless that's an improvement.Which makes you a Republican, you know.

Promises, Promises.

2007-08-05T11:19:00.001-04:00

Victims Missing in Bridge Collapse Identified - New York Times“Our message to the Twin Cities is we want to get this bridge rebuilt as quick as possible,” the president said. “We understand this is a main artery of life here, that people count on this bridge, this highway system, to get to work.”This sounds familiar. When have I heard this before?Bush: New Orleans to 'rise again' - Katrina, The

Mn/DOT Opted Against Repairs

2007-08-03T08:17:00.001-04:00

MnDOT feared cracking in bridge but opted against making the repairsStructural deficiencies in the Interstate 35W bridge that collapsed Wednesday were so serious that the Minnesota Department of Transportation last winter considered bolting steel plates to its supports to prevent cracking in fatigued metal, according to documents and interviews with agency officials.So, it would seem the decision

This Is An Addition Of "What Bryan Said"

2007-08-02T23:14:00.001-04:00

I wanted to comment on the ignorance that was the uselessness in the White House, but Bryan said it first.Why Now? » Blog Archive » Clueless Twit First off, the search and rescue operation ended last night, and they moved into recovery this morning at first light. I have no idea what purpose is served by the Secretary of Transportation or the Federal Highway Administrator being on the scene,

Thanks, Skippy!

2007-08-02T22:58:00.001-04:00

Well, I'd like to quick thank skippy for linking to my earlier post over at Rook's Rant about the I35W bridge being structurally deficient in 2005. But I am really not the blog to turn to for more information about the collapsed bridge. As he suggest, check out The American Street (somehow, in light of recent events, that name is eerily ironic) for links to other Minnesota blogs.The best one of

ScribeFire Test Post

2007-08-02T22:43:00.001-04:00

Testing, testing. One, two, three, testing. This is a test post from the latest ScribeFire blogging tool. If this had been a real post, it would have been as useless as a Bush in the White House.Actually, that's not true. Nothing is as useless as a Bush in the White House.

Exclusive: Interview with Senator John Edwards on Science-Related Topics

2007-07-09T09:16:00.001-04:00

I have just posted the exclusive science interview with Sen. John Edwards on my blog. All the questions are related to science (and yes, it was not easy to cut down the number of questions and the length of each question - there is so much to ask) and they should be of interest to the readers of this blog: science education, global warming, energy, food production, space exploration and pandemic

Whiet House Budget Director Resigns

2007-06-19T20:50:00.001-04:00

White House Budget Director Portman Resigns - washingtonpost.com White House budget director Rob Portman is stepping down and will be replaced by former Iowa Republican congressman Jim Nussle, President Bush announced today, describing his nominee as a champion of tax cuts and fiscal discipline.Excuse me? A person of fiscal discipline in the Bush administration? Ya, right.And even so, after 6

Intentions and Consequences

2007-06-19T13:24:00.000-04:00

Technorati Tags: Iraq war, Diyala province, Baghdad, truck bombing, Al Qaeda, Sunni+insurgentsAs war supporters and milbloggers rhapsodize about today's start of a "major offensive ... to clear the Sunni extremist group al-Qaeda in Iraq from its new stronghold in Diyala province north of the capital," at least 78 Iraqis were killed and 218 wounded when a truck bomb exploded in central Baghdad,

Email Purgegate

2007-06-18T22:32:00.001-04:00

Crooks and Liars » Countdown: White House, RNC E-Mail Scandal Bigger Than Originally Thought On “Countdown”, David Shuster talks about a preliminary House Oversight Committee report on possible violations of the Presidential Records Act by the White House and White House officials. The report shows a coordinated, widespread pattern of using RNC e-mail servers to conduct government business, with

Former Bush Aides Subpoenaed.

2007-06-13T23:48:00.001-04:00

Invest in Popcorn Futures!2 Former Aides to Bush Get Subpoenas - washingtonpost.com The decision by two congressional panels to issue subpoenas to the White House yesterday escalates a constitutional showdown over the Justice Department's firing of nine U.S. attorneys that could end up being decided by the federal courts.Technorati Tags: Prosecutor Purge, Justice Department, Subpoenas,

Under Estimated Again

2007-06-13T10:24:00.001-04:00

Big Boost In Iraqi Forces Is Urged - washingtonpost.com A senior U.S. military commander said yesterday that Iraq's army must expand its rolls by at least 20,000 more soldiers than Washington had anticipated, to help free U.S. troops from conducting daily patrols, checkpoints and other critical yet dangerous missions.Even then, Iraq will remain incapable of taking full responsibility for its

Civil Wars

2007-06-13T07:52:00.001-04:00

Gee, how's that road map for peace going?Attacks Escalate as Palestinians Fight for Power - New York TimesIraqis Are Failing To Met U.S. Benchmarks - New York TimesTechnorati Tags: Iraq, Palestine, Civil War,

From Satire To Reality

2007-06-12T21:26:00.001-04:00

Like Mimus Pauly, I am hoping that Russell Roberts is joking:MOCKINGBIRD'S MEDLEYSurely some of us aren't pulling our economic weight. Surely some of us are a burden on the school system and the health care system and the law enforcement community. Surely some of us are not contributing to that elusive, uplifting goal of a competitive work force competing in the global economy.We need a point

Give Me Norm Over Joe Any Day

2007-06-11T21:58:00.001-04:00

TPMmuckraker notes that Joe Lieberman voted against the No-Confidence Vote. I take some mild pleasure of Norm Coleman's vote for the vote.My only problem with Norm has been his lock-step voting record in regards to Iraq. Otherwise, he's cast some votes I have been happy to see. Especially in regards to environmental issues. And his email replies, beyond the initial robot reply, have been

US resident Not To Be Held Indefinitely On Suspicion Alone

2007-06-11T21:36:00.001-04:00

Judges Rule Against U.S. On Detained 'Combatant' - washingtonpost.com A federal appeals court ruled yesterday that President Bush cannot indefinitely imprison a U.S. resident on suspicion alone, ordering the government either to charge Qatari national Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri with his alleged terrorist crimes in a civilian court or release him.The opinion is a blow to the Bush administration's

After Re-inventiong The Wheel, They'll Work On The Light Bulb.

2007-06-11T20:37:00.001-04:00

Ana Marie Cox notes that Fred Thompson's team is re-inventing the wheel. Good thing too. They'll need them for that damn red pick-up truck.Technorati Tags: Fred Thompson, Election 2008,

Powell Calls for Guantanamo's Closure

2007-06-10T22:40:00.001-04:00

Powell Calls for Closure of Military Prison at Guantanamo - washingtonpost.com Former secretary of state Colin L. Powell said yesterday that he would close down the U.S. military prison for enemy combatants at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, "this afternoon" because it has become a major problem in "the way the world perceives America.""Essentially, we have shaken the belief that the world had in America's

Blackwater Sues Slain Employees Families

2007-06-09T23:34:00.001-04:00

By way of The Agonist and KOS;AlterNet: War on Iraq: Blackwater Heavies Sue Families of Slain Employees for $10 Million in Brutal Attempt to Suppress Their Story After filing its suit against the dead men's estates, Blackwater demanded that its claim and the families' existing lawsuit be handled in a private arbitration. By suing the families in arbitration, Blackwater has attempted to move the

Mullet! Mullet! Mullet!

2007-06-09T18:41:00.001-04:00

Ladies and Gentlemen (if I have any that stop by) I give you MulletMadness | A tribute to great hairstyle.The world is coming to an end.Technorati Tags: Mullet, Humor, WTF,

Sign The Petition

2007-06-09T18:23:00.001-04:00

By way of C&L, People For The American Way has a petition to sign demanding Alberto Gonzales's resignation or removal from office.Technorati Tags: Alberto Gonzales

Habeas Restoration Bill Sent To Floor

2007-06-07T20:26:00.001-04:00

By way of Hullabaloo some good news:And this is actually “breaking news,” not CNN-style “breaking news,” where the story broke a week ago. The Senate Judiciary Committee just voted for the Specter/Leahy habeas restoration bill. The committee sent it to the floor with no amendments, no debate and on almost a party line vote (with the GOP sponsor, Senator Arlen Specter from Pennsylvania voting in

Paris Sent Home

2007-06-07T12:50:00.001-04:00

Gee, that didn't take long.Paris Hilton ‘reassigned’ to home detention - Celebrity News - MSNBC.com LOS ANGELES - Paris Hilton was released from a Los Angeles County jail early Thursday because of an unspecified medical problem and will fulfill the remainder of her sentence in home confinement, a sheriff’s spokesman said. The 26-year-old hotel heiress was sent home shortly after 2 a.m. fitted

Go Ahead, Pardon Him! I Dare You.

2007-06-07T08:23:00.001-04:00

When Pardons Turn Political - New York Times A pardon for Mr. Libby would attract more painful attention to a case from which Mr. Bush had managed to keep his distance for more than three years, a case inextricably linked to the flawed intelligence used to justify the Iraq war and an administration effort to discredit a critic that ultimately exposed a C.I.A. officer. The Democrats who control

End Secret Detentins

2007-06-07T08:16:00.001-04:00

Why the hell is this even possible?Rights Groups Call for End to Secret Detentions - New York Times WASHINGTON, June 6 — Six human rights groups on Wednesday released a list of 39 people they believe have been secretly imprisoned by the United States and whose whereabouts are unknown, calling on the Bush administration to abandon such detentions.There was a time when our country would be calling

Goodling Email Sent Outside The System.

2007-06-06T23:28:00.001-04:00

Oh, hell. One more post. This was found by way of that evil bastard Atrios....err Duncan Black... or whoever the hell he is. Seriously, the blogsphere has some schizophrenic bloggers. AnywayThink Progress » Goodling In Private Email: ‘Send Directly Up To Me, Outside The System’ New Justice Department communications released tonight include an email from Monica Goodling, former counsel to Alberto

Mendacity Idol!

2007-06-06T23:11:00.001-04:00

Okay, just one more quick post. Digby has a post up noting that Giuliani is apparently trying to beat Cheney in the mendacity competition.And during the debate the other night, the Democrats seemed to be back in the 1990s. They don't seem to have gotten beyond the Cold War. Iran is a threat, a nuclear threat, not just because they can deliver a nuclear warhead with missiles. They're a nuclear

Cheney Blocked Promotion

2007-06-06T21:35:00.001-04:00

Can you be anymore childish and petty?Cheney Blocked Justice Official's Promotion After Eavesdropping Furor - washingtonpost.com WASHINGTON (AP) -- Vice President Dick Cheney blocked the promotion of a Justice Department official involved in a bedside standoff over President Bush's eavesdropping program, a Senate committee learned Wednesday.In a written account, former Deputy Attorney General

Fascism At It's Worst

2007-06-06T21:22:00.001-04:00

By way of Shakesville:Reporter Arrested on Orders of Giuliani Press Secretary Manchester, NH - Freelance reporter Matt Lepacek, reporting for Infowars.com, was arrested for asking a question to one of Giuliani's staff members in a press conference. The press secretary identified the New York based reporter as having previously asked Giuliani about his prior knowledge of WTC building collapses and

NTodd Hates The Blogsphere It's Freedom

2007-06-06T21:08:00.001-04:00

NTodd has allowed them to win.Why does NTodd hate the Blogsphere it's freedom?Technorati Tags: Pets, Dogs, Cats,

Consolidating Soldier Memorials

2007-06-06T21:00:00.001-04:00

By way of Jo Fish over at Democratic Veteran:Ft. Lewis to consolidate soldier memorials | KOMO-TV - Seattle, Washington | News FORT LEWIS, Wash. - So many Fort Lewis soldiers are being killed in Iraq the Army base will no longer hold individual memorial services.Starting next month Fort Lewis says it will hold one memorial a month for all the dead soldiers.Nineteen Fort Lewis soldiers have been

Solar Powered Vatican? Very Shiny!

2007-06-06T16:05:00.001-04:00

Kind of like NTodd said, this is wicked shiny:Vatican plans to tap solar energy - Yahoo! News ROME - Some Holy See buildings will start using solar energy, reflecting Pope Benedict XVI's concern about conserving the Earth's resources, a Vatican engineer said Tuesday. The roof of the Paul VI auditorium will be redone next year, with its cement panels replaced with photovoltaic cells to convert

House Moves Against Jefferson

2007-06-06T13:43:00.001-04:00

House Moves Against Embattled Jefferson - washingtonpost.com For Republicans, Jefferson's indictment on 16 counts of corruption, racketeering and bribery marked an opportunity to shift attention from their own ethics issues, which have nearly half a dozen GOP lawmakers under federal investigation and forced three members to resign. But their moves also leave them exposed to countercharges of

Intelligent Taxi Driver Picks Up Progressive Blogger

2007-06-06T11:01:00.001-04:00

Jebus, I never knew taxi drivers could be so damn intelligent. And don't get me started on the shear luck of a progressive blogger getting into this man's taxi. Seriously, I want Jeff Fecke's luck.Technorati Tags: Politics, Humor, Political Humor,

Libby Gets 30 Months

2007-06-06T07:49:00.001-04:00

Libby Given 30 Months for Lying in C.I.A. Leak Case - New York Times WASHINGTON, June 5 — I. Lewis Libby Jr., the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney and one of the principal architects of President Bush’s foreign policy, was sentenced Tuesday to 30 months in prison for lying during a C.I.A. leak investigation that became part of a fierce debate over the war in Iraq.For just one

Iraq Votes Not To Extend UN Mandate

2007-06-06T07:39:00.001-04:00

AlterNet: War on Iraq: Exclusive: Iraqi Lawmakers Pass Resolution That May Force End to Occupation While most observers are focused on the U.S. Congress as it continues to issue new rubber stamps to legitimize Bush's permanent designs on Iraq, nationalists in the Iraqi parliament -- now representing a majority of the body -- continue to make progress toward bringing an end to their country's

Putin Threatens A Return To The Cold War

2007-06-03T11:25:00.001-04:00

By way of Prometheus 6:globeandmail.com: Exclusive: Putin threatens to target Europe with missiles In an interview with the Globe and Mail, Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened to target Europe with missiles, including potentially nuclear weapons, in a dramatic escalation of his Cold War-style showdown with the United States. Mr. Putin, in an interview at his country residence outside

Time For Another Ethics Panel?

2007-06-03T11:13:00.001-04:00

I smell a blogsphere cat fight developing.Glenn Greenwald - Salon Kevin Drum passive-aggressively mounted the same defense of Klein in response to my criticism (Drum did so without acknowledging that he was responding to my post, let alone linking to it, opting instead for the "some argue" formulation that "some" people use as a way of criticizing an argument without having their readers see the

Mark Twain Would Be Impressed.

2007-06-03T10:49:00.001-04:00

The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.Castro on TV for first time in months - Focus on Cuba - MSNBC.com HAVANA - Fidel Castro appeared more vigorous on Sunday in the first images of the Cuban leader to be broadcast on state television in four months, backing up reports that he has put his health crisis behind him. Castro appeared talking animatedly, standing in a track suit

I'm Shocked, Shocked I Tell You!

2007-06-03T08:37:00.001-04:00

Hehe, hehe, hehe. He said gestalt.Technorati Tags: Immigration,

Old Posts

2007-06-03T01:58:00.001-04:00

I mentioned a while back that I'd finally managed to get my old posts imported back onto my blog. I spent some time today going through those old posts and editing the corrupt text and formatting (damn Republicans get into everything, don't they) that occurred due to the conversion necessary to get them imported. It will take much time, as I've got close to 1000 posts to go through.Anyway, I