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MTAA-RR » news » twhid » politics:

Sep 25, 2008

I had sort of given up on politics…

posted at 13:56 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

… or at least given up on posting about them on this blog. But this has just got to be said…

McCain is such a fucking tool.

tool_mccain.jpg
photo © Jill Greenberg permanent link to this post

Feb 03, 2008

Obama FTW

posted at 16:29 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

obama.jpg

Note: I’m only speaking for myself here: T.Whid. This isn’t an official MTAA endorsement of a candidate. update - With M.River’s endorsement this is now the first ever official MTAA endorsement of a political candidate. We’re hoping that this brings Obama at least two votes.

+++

Not that anyone cares, but I’m voting Barack Obama this Tuesday.

I would vote for Kucinich or Edwards (even though they’ve dropped out of the race) if New York wasn’t Clinton country.

Sadly (or perhaps not), I’m being swayed more by emotional than intellectual reasons. Obama does inspire me. I think with him as President that perhaps the US can finally and completely leave our racial problems behind. Perhaps an Obama presidency would really create true equality and justice in the US. I know that that sounds all too optimistic, but he does give me hope — as cheesy as that might sound.

In addition, Clinton is just more corporate-rule-as-usual. And dynasties are as un-american as can be and we should resist them when we can. Other than that, their policies are very similar. Obama’s health insurance policy has issues, but I’m hoping that when he’s president pressure from the left will force him to make it better, i.e. closer to the Edwards plan.

M.River adds - For the first time, I have registered as a Democrat. The reason is to vote for Senator Obama. I have only one simple reason why. He did not support the war in Iraq and I hope that he will, as president, remove our military from this country. That’s it. It’s time to bring troops home.

Another update - Krugman on Obama’s health plan permanent link to this post

May 03, 2007

Goddamn motherfucking stormtroopers

posted at 17:38 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

We love LA.

Land of the free!

Olbermann permanent link to this post

Mar 03, 2007

Have you heard my funny faggot joke?

posted at 22:20 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

By now anyone interested in (what passes for) political discourse in the USA is aware of Ann Coulter’s bigoted ‘joke’ in which she called John Edwards a faggot. This is what she said:
I was going to have a few comments on the other Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, but it turns out you have to go into rehab if you use the word ‘faggot,’ so I — so kind of an impasse, can’t really talk about Edwards.


This cesspool of a person received huge applause and laughs for her ‘joke.’ And it wasn’t at some extremist gathering. It was at a mainstream conservative convention that Cheney and many of the Republican presidential candidates attended.

Bigotry is bigotry. Ann Coulter and the rest of her ilk on the right are bigots. Plain and simple. This should be a career-ender for her. She should be radioactive to both the media and mainstream political figures on the right. Would CNN, MSNBC et al have David Duke as a regular guest? No. Racist opinions aren’t condoned in this country. Yet anti-gay bigotry is regularly condoned by the mainstream right and the media. It’s disgusting. permanent link to this post

Jan 09, 2007

Spitzer slashes sick tax

posted at 15:09 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

It’s nice to see government working for the people once in a while. And Eliot Spitzer, brand new Governor of New York, is just the guy to do it.

Since 2003, NY state has had a sick, demented tax on people who’s friends and families happen to be in prison. Oh, and the government was sharing the spoils with for-profit phone company Verizon. This is how this disgusting shake-down worked:

In court papers, lawyers for Verizon/MCI said the state Public Service Commission directed them in 2003 to charge a tariff that includes the “jurisdictional” rate plus the “DOCS commission.” That included a flat rate of $3 per call and 16 cents a minute thereafter.

That meant collect calls have been charged at a rate of 630 percent more than consumer rates, of which 57.5 percent is “kicked back” to [the Dept. of Correctional Services] for operating expenses such as health care that should come out of general tax dollars, [Center for Constitutional Rights] officials said.

[via]


Yesterday, Spitzer announced that the rates would be cut. permanent link to this post

Jan 08, 2007

Dept of Homeland Security: NYC highest risk

posted at 15:19 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

Well, we all knew it to be true but now our trusted civil servants in the DHS have confirmed it:

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, seeking to avert a repeat of last year’s furor over counter-terrorism grants to U.S. cities, announced Friday that New York, Washington and four other “highest-risk” metro areas will receive $411 million to subsidize their efforts to guard against terrorist attacks.


Wonder what those four others are? LA, SF, Houston? Dallas? Seattle? Miami?

Watching Children of Men (HIGHLY recommended) over the weekend it warmed my heart to see a casual passing reference by the main characters to the nuking of NYC at some vague point in the past of the movie’s present of 2027.

It seems that everyone is just assuming that it will happen eventually. Hopefully lots of people will get scared and move away so I can purchase some real estate in this damn city.

Have a good day! permanent link to this post

Nov 08, 2006

Rumsfeld: force quit

posted at 20:42 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

Too funny not to republish! (via boingboing)  

Rumsfeldresignation.jpg permanent link to this post

FUCKING FINALLY!

posted at 04:45 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

Dems win House!!!

CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC and even FOX news call the house for the Dems.

The beginning of the end of the nightmare called the Bush Administration is at hand.

update
It’s the morning of the 8th now and it looks like a great win! As I’m writing this the Democrats have picked up at least 27 seats in the House (as reported by the NYT and the WaPo) and it’s looking good for the Senate too. Webb (D) is up by only .3% (7847 votes)! and the Democrat Tester in Montana is up by .4% (1735 votes)! If the dems can hold on there (and that’s a big ‘if’ because we all know how good the repubs are at cheating and lying) then the members of the reality-based community get a win (almost) beyond our wildest dreams :-)

I’m from Ohio and the map below (from NYT) illustrates just how far the Democrats have come in just two years. Look at all that blue :-)

ohio_map_2006_election.gif
For more maps like this go here, select ‘state by state’ then select a state on the left.

update 2
Holy shit! Rumsfeld is out! Almost better news than the Congressional revolution. permanent link to this post

Sep 06, 2006

Have you no sense of decency, sir?

posted at 14:10 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

Keith Olbermann on Bush’s disgusting speech of yesterday:
It is to our deep national shame—and ultimately it will be to the President’s deep personal regret—that he has followed his Secretary of Defense down the path of trying to tie those loyal Americans who disagree with his policies—or even question their effectiveness or execution—to the Nazis of the past, and the al Qaeda of the present.

Today, in the same subtle terms in which Mr. Bush and his colleagues muddied the clear line separating Iraq and 9/11 — without ever actually saying so—the President quoted a purported Osama Bin Laden letter that spoke of launching, “a media campaign to create a wedge between the American people and their government.”

Make no mistake here—the intent of that is to get us to confuse the psychotic scheming of an international terrorist, with that familiar bogeyman of the right, the “media.”

The President and the Vice President and others have often attacked freedom of speech, and freedom of dissent, and freedom of the press.

Now, Mr. Bush has signaled that his unparalleled and unprincipled attack on reporting has a new and venomous side angle:

The attempt to link, by the simple expediency of one word—“media”—the honest, patriotic, and indeed vital questions and questioning from American reporters, with the evil of Al-Qaeda propaganda.

That linkage is more than just indefensible. It is un-American.

full transcript on MSNBC

video on Crooks & Liars permanent link to this post

May 13, 2006

Americans = 41% sheep

posted at 22:22 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

This poll is really sad. Technically, a ‘majority’ do indeed disapprove, but I guess I have a higher standard for the American people. Of course, it doesn’t matter if 99% approve of this illegal program, it’s still a criminal infringement of people’s privacy — or so says the US Constitution.
Has the Bush administration gone too far in expanding the powers of the President to fight terrorism? Yes, say a majority of Americans, following this week’s revelation that the National Security Agency has been secretly collecting the phone records of U.S. citizens since the September 11 terrorist attacks. According to the latest NEWSWEEK poll, 53 percent of Americans think the NSA’s surveillance program “goes too far in invading people’s privacy,” while 41 percent see it as a necessary tool to combat terrorism.
permanent link to this post

Apr 06, 2006

This guy is my hero

posted at 21:32 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics


Check it out…


He told Bush to his face:
Okay, I don’t have a question. What I wanted to say to you is that in my lifetime, I have never felt more ashamed of, nor more frightened by my leadership in Washington, including the presidency, by the Senate…And I would hope — I feel like despite your rhetoric, that compassion and common sense have been left far behind during your administration, and I would hope from time to time that you have the humility and the grace to be ashamed of yourself inside yourself…


Of course the chimp acted like the arrogant frat boy he is. A real class act. permanent link to this post

Mar 29, 2006

Baghdad: peaceful, calm

posted at 17:38 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

I’m not sure many of my loyal readers know that I’ve just returned from an extended trip to Iraq. What I found was surprising. The right-wing is right, there is no civil war in Iraq and what violence there is, is being greatly exaggerated by the media. Below is proof!

downtown_baghdad_small.jpg
enlarge image

Look how calm, orderly and peaceful this downtown intersection in Baghdad is!

(If you don’t get the joke, see this, this, this and this.) permanent link to this post

Mar 19, 2006

The fucking USA is nuts

posted at 15:51 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

When a citizen can have more faith in their slot machine than their voting machine, you know you’ve got a problem. permanent link to this post

Feb 12, 2006

Worst case scenario…

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

…don’t think we’ll need it, but its always wise to have a contingency plan.
Canada offers protection to people in Canada who are afraid of returning to their home country. A claim for protection can be made at a port of entry or at a Canada Immigration Centre (CIC) office in Canada. Once a CIC officer decides that a refugee protection claimant is eligible to be referred, the claim is sent to the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) for a decision on the risk on return.
More info here: CIC Canada | Refugee Protection in Canada permanent link to this post

What the fuckity-fuck-fuck-fuck?

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

Am I overreacting? No, I don’t think I am. With this administration’s track record of lies, abuses of power, power grabs, belligerent war mongering and trashing of civil liberties I don’t think it’s overreacting to cry out, “WHAT THE FUCKITY-FUCK-FUCK-FUCK!?”

Officials discuss how to delay Election Day

Kerry needs to come out hard and NOW denouncing any talk of this whatsoever! (So should Bush but we all know the chimp won’t.) permanent link to this post

Wonkette

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

I’ve been following this thread on Wonkette. And I must say, it’s hilarious!

bush is evil

As the Wonkette explains in this post regarding Bush’s Sloganator:
The brilliant strategists at Bush-Cheney HQ allow you to customize a campaign poster with a slogan of your choosing. And, yes, we tried the obvious ones but someone thought to block those. You can’t make a poster that says “Penis,” or “Poo-Poo,” or “Prince of Darkness.”
Some choice slogans:

These Guys Be Fellatin’ Goats
Christians for purification of the Mid East
WORST. PRESIDENT. EVER.
Because SATAN is coming to eat your kid

update: Looks like all our fun with the Bush Slogan-maker has had an affect, the sloganator is dead. permanent link to this post

What do Goya and Zell Miller have in common?

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

It’s nice to see my two passions — art and politics — come together.

Atrios compares the now infamous still of Zell Miller from last night’s RNC to Goya’s ‘Saturn.’

Fun, fun, fun.

update:
From the comments: Abe Linkoln’s Zell vs. Goya:
click for larger image
Click to enlarge image permanent link to this post

Weapons Rules Eased At Dulles and National

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

People soon will be able to carry guns and other dangerous weapons onto the grounds and parking lots of Reagan National and Dulles International airports, after officials yesterday eased what they said were overly restrictive rules.

Without debate, the board of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority unanimously agreed to permit passengers and other airport visitors to carry guns, knives and other weapons as long as they keep them out of terminals and other buildings that access airfields. Passengers who are taking guns with them on flights still will be allowed to carry them into the terminal but are supposed to make arrangements with airlines in advance, officials said.

The action comes after pressure from an increasingly high-profile Virginia gun rights group whose members have taken to wearing firearms on their hips in public places to make their case.
[ link: Weapons Rules Eased At Dulles and National (washingtonpost.com) ]

It’s becoming harder and harder for me to believe that I haven’t been somehow transported into a satirical novel about America instead of living in the real thing. permanent link to this post

VOTE KERRY

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

Ahhhhhhhh, it felt so good.


It’s a shame (I mean that: a real shame) that every locality isn’t as easy to vote in as NYC. The poll workers were very cheerful and knowledgeable and I had no line to wait in at all (though there were long lines for other districts, I guess I got lucky).

(note: I’m going to use this post to add my thoughts throughout the day.)

It brings a tear to my eye knowing that even the drug dealers are voting in my homestate. From Clevelend, via Salon:
“Most people here from what I’m hearing have never voted before in their lives,” says Michael Bonner, a 34-year-old police officer who was waiting for a friend in the hallway of Harry David Jr. High School, a polling place in a predominantly black section of the city full of boarded-up buildings and vacant lots.

“Even the drug dealers came out and voted today!” says Dan Lawson, a hulking 27-year-old electrician. An older man standing nearby nodded in agreement, saying, “That’s right. Even the drug men.”

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Lawson says, “and I may never see anything like this again.”
permanent link to this post

UK politician rips US Senator a new hole

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

But why? Why does it take a UK politician to come here in order for the truth to be spoken in the US Senate? Why!?

Our press is weak and under attack and our politicians are cowards.

Download the MP3 (1.1MB) of UK Parliament member Galloway telling the truth.

update
While you’re at it, you may want to download this speech by Bill Moyers (MP3, 27MB) too.
In his first public address since leaving PBS six months ago, journalist Bill Moyers responds to charges by Kenneth Tomlinson - the chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting - of liberal bias and revelations that Tomlinson hired a consultant to monitor the political content of Moyers’ PBS show “Now.”
permanent link to this post

Joe Trippi’s new blog

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

The former campaign manager of Howard Dean, Joe Trippi, has started his own blog called Change For America.com.

For those of you under a rock, Trippi was the poster child for the ‘new’ political campaign defined as using the Internet for a campaign’s centerpiece in fund-raising and grassroots organizing.

And it seemed to work marvelously until the polls actually opened. It’s a shame that Dean is dropping but his and Trippi’s cutting-edge use of the web for political organizing will be remembered for being very influential IMO. permanent link to this post

I Hate George Bush

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

And this post on Talkingpointsmemo.com is hilarious.

You might want to read Reuter’s piece in the NYTimes for some context (it’s linked from the TPM article above too).

These people in the White House know no shame and it seems like the general public just doesn’t seem to care either.

If Dean wins the presidency I’ve decided that not only am I literally going to dance in the street but I’m going to dance in Dean St. in Brooklyn. See you there! permanent link to this post

The Well Armed Voter

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

Shaula Evans, over at Tsure Dzure Gusa has a horde of links and information to help make sure you get your vote out. Intimidation stands no chance against the well armed voter.
Know your rights. If you’re an eligible voter, you have the following rights:

If your name is not on the official voter list but you believe you are eligible to vote in that precinct, even if an election official challenges your vote, you have the right to cast a “provisional ballot.”

If you’re in line when the polls close, you should stay in line because you’re entitled to vote.

In many states, your employer must allow you time to vote at some point during the day. You can’t be fired for being late due to long polling lines.

You have the right to vote without being intimidated by anyone.
MoveOn.org (opens .pdf) has a cut out wallet card as well.
[ via: culturekitchen.com, The Well Armed Voter ]

You should also bring photo ID and proof of residence (utility bill, etc). These items are not necessary, but if you are challenged at the polls it will help to establish who you are and where you live. To repeat, it’s good to have these items, but not required; all you need is your signature. DON’T BE INTIMIDATED! permanent link to this post

Tanks at LA anti-war protest

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

Why did two tanks show up at an anti-war protest in LA?

Were they just passing by? Are tanks often on this strip in LA? They circled the block twice according to this article.

Very curious.

You can see video at LA.indymedia.org. permanent link to this post

Terror threat: real or partisan tool?

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

Goddamn-it, I’m ANGRY!

Why am I so angry? Because of our lying President. You can’t trust anything that comes from the government! And we need to trust the government now more than ever.

From the AP via the Yahoo! News:
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a U.S. official called the threat “serious” and “credible” and said it involves threats to financial institutions in New York and elsewhere.



New intelligence that the al-Qaida terrorist network plans to attack financial or international institutions in New York has led police to urge extra security precautions at various city buildings.
So, (1) is this threat for real? Or (2) is it just a way for Bush to suppress turn-out at RNC protests by scaring people and create an excuse for even higher security around the RNC which will further neutralize the protesters’ voices?

It’s sad and frightening that option 2 is even in the realm of possibility. But that’s what happens when you have a lying executive who has politicized the entire response to 9/11 and the threat of international terrorism. permanent link to this post

thegreatamericanshoutout.org

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

fuggedaboudit!
As George W. Bush moves to the podium in New York City, we will send him a message about his bid for reelection: we will yell, “fuggedaboudit!”
Go here for all the details. permanent link to this post

Scary shit

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

The radical right’s cynical pitch to the Jews: “My friends, there is no Palestinian-Israeli conflict. There is only the global war on terrorism.” Majority Leader Tom DeLay, Aug. 30, 2004, New York City.

[ via Talking Points Memo ] permanent link to this post

Rumsfeld: Iraq Just Like US

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

Rumsfeld yesterday:
We had something like 200 or 300 or 400 people killed in many of the major cities of America last year. Is it perfectly peaceful? No. What’s the difference? We just didn’t see each homicide in every major city in the United States on television every night. It happens here in this city, in every major city in the world. Across Europe, across the Middle East, people are being killed. People do bad things to each other.
What a fucking asshole. permanent link to this post

Partisan tool it is!

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

Looks like our skepticism was well-founded:

NYTimes: Reports That Led to Terror Alert Were Years Old, Officials Say:
Much of the information that led the authorities to raise the terror alert at several large financial institutions in the New York City and Washington areas was three or four years old, intelligence and law enforcement officials said on Monday. They reported that they had not yet found concrete evidence that a terror plot or preparatory surveillance operations were still under way.
permanent link to this post

Open Source Media™ isn’t

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

The right-wing bloggers behind Open Source Media™ (love how it’s trademarked — assholes) really don’t seem to understand open source. It really pisses me off that these dickweeds are abusing the term.

Read why I’m griping here.

Daily Kos has a post too. permanent link to this post

NYC: 80% for Kerry

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

I’m proud to say that NYC voted 80% for Kerry. Red America (especially one’s that voted Bush out of terrorism concerns) should think about why the city that suffered the most from 9/11 voted overwhelmingly for Kerry.

The NYTimes on how NYCers feel:
A Blue City (Disconsolate, Even) Bewildered by a Red America

M. River adds:

Although the really sad thing is that most people did not rate "terrorism" or "the economy" very high in why they voted for Bush. They voted on "family values".

So, in order to try to understand, I went to the American Family Association’s web site.

http://www.afa.net/

Yup, just as I suspected. It looks like "family values" is a euphemism for fundamentalist bigotry. Thanks Heartland.

Oh, sorry. Is "euphemism" an example of East cost liberal intellectual big words? Okay, how about I just use a Fox news favorite formula? "Some people might say that voting based on "Family Values" shows that you’re just another racist, homophomic, women hating, asshole.” permanent link to this post

mypollingplace.com

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

Don’t know where to vote?

MoveOn PAC is suggesting using a web site called mypollingplace.com to find out where your polling place is. All you need is your address and zip code to find your polling place.

Spread this URL around!

mypollingplace.com
mypollingplace.com
mypollingplace.com permanent link to this post

Mmmmm, poodle burgers

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

This has got to be the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard…
An animal rights group has called on one of the largest aquariums in the United States to stop serving fish to its visitors, likening the practice to grilling up “poodle burgers at a dog show.”

“It’s easy to think of fish as swimming vegetables but of all the places in the country where fish should get a fair shake it’s an aquarium,” said Karin Robertson, manager of the Fish Empathy Project for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

via: Activists Say Aquarium Sends Bad Message By Cooking Fish For Lunch…

I’ve always been a bit bewildered by the whole “off-limit meats” mores in societies. Fry me up some dog or cat, I’ll eat it :-) permanent link to this post

Juan Cole tells it

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

Guantanamo Prison should be closed because it was conceived as the beginning of the end of the American Republic.

via: Quran Splashed with Urine at Guantanamo
permanent link to this post

What has gone wrong with our country that allows this president to get away with such things?

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

That’s what Krugman asks as the end of his column today after detailing the disastourous lack of accountability in Bush’s administration.

Krugman list three examples of how grave mistakes are made by Bush administration officials but no one is held accountable. This is the most disgusting one in my opinion: …an important story that has largely evaded public attention: the effort to prevent oversight of Iraq spending. Government agencies normally have independent, strictly nonpartisan inspectors general, with broad powers to investigate questionable spending. But the new inspector general’s office in Iraq operates under unique rules that greatly limit both its powers and its independence. I agree with Krugman’s assessment: These people politicize everything, from military planning to scientific assessments. If you’re with them, you pay no penalty for being wrong. If you don’t tell them what they want to hear, you’re an enemy Is Kerry the one to save us from this monstrosous administration? permanent link to this post

It’s madness to put up with King George

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

It’s time. I was never on the impeach Bush bandwagon, but I’ve just climbed aboard.

It seemed like a very bad idea to impeach two presidents in a row, but this one deserves it more than any other; more than Nixon and certainly more than Clinton.

Admitting that he believes he’s above the law, Bush should have signed his own impeachment papers (impeachment papers… are there impeachment papers?), but the spineless republicans currently in control of congress will most likely just continue to vigorously lick his boot heels. Or maybe not.

+++

Some editorials (cribbed from HuffPost):

NY Times Editorial: Bush “Secretly And Recklessly Expanded The Govt.’s Powers In Dangerous And Unnecessary Ways”…

Wash. Post Editorial: “The Tools Of Foreign Intelligence Are Not Consistent With A Democratic Society”…

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette : “Unacceptable Actions Of A Police State”…

Kansas City Star: “The Struggle With Foreign Enemies Does Not Simply Give Him A Blank Check”…

Denver Post Editorial: “Adm. Has Lost Its Sense Of Balance Between Essential Anti-Terrorism Tools And Encroachment On Liberties”…

St. Petersburg Times Editorial: “So Dangerously Ill-Conceived And Contrary To This Nation’s Guiding Principles”…

LA Times Editorial: “Stunning,” “One Of The More Egregious Cases Of Governmental Overreach”…

+++

And, from Senator Russ Feingold’s response:
The President’s shocking admission that he authorized the National Security Agency to spy on American citizens, without going to a court and in violation of the Constitution and laws passed by Congress, further demonstrates the urgent need for these protections. The President believes that he has the power to override the laws that Congress has passed. This is not how our democratic system of government works. The President does not get to pick and choose which laws he wants to follow. He is a president, not a king.” (emphasis mine)
permanent link to this post

Jon Stewart on Crossfire

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics


John Stewart once again proves why he deserves to be my hero.
TUCKER CARLSON: OK, up next, Jon Stewart goes one on one with his fans…

[CROSSTALK]

STEWART: You know what’s interesting, though? You’re as big a dick on your show as you are on any show.

[LAUGHTER]

CARLSON: Now, you’re getting into it. I like that

via: Media Matters for America

Read the entire thing, it’s great. There are vids to download too :-)

After watching the video I was really struck by the fact that the so-called ‘debaters’ on Crossfire lost so miserably to Stewart. These so-called debaters just couldn’t answer his accusation that they aren’t fulfilling their obligations as journalists. permanent link to this post

If America were Iraq, What would it be Like?

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

Juan Cole does a serious slap-down of Bush’s BS “optimism.”
President Bush said Tuesday that the Iraqis are refuting the pessimists and implied that things are improving in that country.

What would America look like if it were in Iraq’s current situation? The population of the US is over 11 times that of Iraq, so a lot of statistics would have to be multiplied by that number.

[…]

What if the Air Force routinely (I mean daily or weekly) bombed Billings, Montana, Flint, Michigan, Watts in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Anacostia in Washington, DC, and other urban areas, attempting to target “safe houses” of “criminal gangs”, but inevitably killing a lot of children and little old ladies?

What if, from time to time, the US Army besieged Virginia Beach, killing hundreds of armed members of the Christian Soldiers? What if entire platoons of the Christian Soldiers militia holed up in Arlington National Cemetery, and were bombarded by US Air Force warplanes daily, destroying thousands of graves and pulverizing the Vietnam Memorial? What if the National Council of Churches had to call for a popular march of thousands of believers to converge on the National Cathedral to stop the US Army from demolishing it to get at a rogue band of the Timothy McVeigh Memorial Brigades?

[…]
Read the entire post at Informed Comment. permanent link to this post

It’s fun to shoot some people

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

According to an audio recording, [Lt. Gen. James Mattis] had said, “Actually, it’s a lot of fun to fight. You know, it’s a hell of a hoot. … It’s fun to shoot some people. I’ll be right upfront with you, I like brawling.”

He added, “You go into Afghanistan (news - web sites), you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn’t wear a veil. You know, guys like that ain’t got no manhood left anyway. So it’s a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them.”

via: Yahoo! News - Marine General Counseled Over Comments
Spreading freedom and democracy…

And while I’m at it… Perhaps with the Republicans celebrating the Iraqi elections they’ll realize that they should allow free elections here in the States too. permanent link to this post

I heart Krugman

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

But worst of all from the right’s point of view, Al Qaqaa has disrupted the campaign’s media strategy. Karl Rove clearly planned to turn the final days of the campaign into a series of “global test” moments - taking something Mr. Kerry said and distorting its meaning, then generating pseudo-controversies that dominate the airwaves. Instead, the news media have spent the last few days discussing substance. And that’s very bad news for Mr. Bush.
[ via: The New York Times > Opinion > Op-Ed Columnist: It’s Not Just Al Qaqaa ] permanent link to this post

I ♥ Dean

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

I know this is everywhere else, but ya gotta love Howard Dean for saying it:
My view is FOX News is a propaganda outlet for the Republican Party and I don’t comment on FOX News […]
In response to Cheney calling Howard Dean “over the top” on Fox News on Sunday. permanent link to this post

Go Kerry!

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

This is the response we need!
The Vice President called me unfit for office last night. Well, I’ll leave it up to the voters to decide whether five deferments makes someone more qualified to defend this nation than two tours of duty.

Let me tell you what I think makes someone unfit for duty. Misleading our nation into war in Iraq makes you unfit to lead this nation. Doing nothing while this nation loses millions of jobs makes you unfit to lead this nation. Letting 45 million Americans go without healthcare makes you unfit to lead this nation. Letting the Saudi Royal Family control our energy costs makes you unfit. Handing out billions of government contracts to Halliburton while you’re still on their payroll makes you unfit. That’s the record of George Bush and Dick Cheney.  And that only scratches the surface.
— John Kerry, Springfield, OH, 09/02/04

Full text permanent link to this post

Haven’t posted on politics in a while…

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

So yeah. I haven’t posted on politics in a while, but then this question came to mind:

If the pope and Terri Schiavo both die on Easter, is it the beginning of Armageddon?

I’m pretty sure it is. permanent link to this post

Fucking liars

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

Haven’t posted on politics in a while…

INTELLIGENCE AND FACTS WERE BEING FIXED AROUND THE POLICY

I saw this a few days ago, but the lack of press coverage here in the U.S. has made it my obligation to do my little part to spread the facts. I think I read it originally via Political Animal by Kevin Drum. Here’s the link to the Drum post (which he got via the Times of London printing of a secret British government memo); here’s the important part (emphasis added):
C reported on his recent talks in Washington. There was a perceptible shift in attitude. Military action was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy. The NSC had no patience with the UN route, and no enthusiasm for publishing material on the Iraqi regime’s record. There was little discussion in Washington of the aftermath after military action.
“C” is a spook working for British intelligence.

How does one “fix” facts? This is confirmation that Bush was, at the very least, lying by omission. That is, hiding facts that didn’t support his push for an Iraq invasion. Of course it’s my opinion that his administration was just outright lying in order to exploit public fear to gain popular acceptance for this bullshit Iraq war. permanent link to this post

Get ready to rumble

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

Karl Rove said today that the president views a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage as essential to a “decent” society.
via: NYTimes

Bush & Rove know ‘decency?’ What a fucking joke.

Let’s hope that ACT, MoveOn, Downtown for Democracy, Democracy for America, &c are ready to fight these bastards tooth & nail.

The Dems need to go on the offensive, but I’m not an expert… does this stand a chance in hell of going anywhere? permanent link to this post

FEMA isn’t free

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

Walking to lunch today, I noticed a truck with a window sticker featuring the American flag and the little platitude “Freedom Isn’t Free,” a lightly veiled code for Iraq war support.

It’s time for a new slogan for the left and others who see the Bush administration for the disaster that it is:

FEMA Isn’t Free

background reading:

FEMA predicts New Orleans disaster

FEMA gutted for Homeland Security

timeline that outlines the fate of both FEMA and flood control projects in New Orleans under the Bush administration

++++

If you use Amazon, you can 1-click give to the Red Cross, or visit their web site. permanent link to this post

Fucking hell

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

This sucks. (I know, I know, I guess it’s not officially over, but shit, it’s not looking good.) Kerry has conceded. Shit.

Americans have proven themselves to be nothing but a bunch of scared peasants voting for their idiot king.

You Bush voters, your american citizenship is officially revoked for not identifying and dismissing the creeping authoritarianism that is the GWB administration. If it’s not obvious enough now, over the next four years it will become abundantly clear how big a mistake you have made. We’ll hope our democratic institutions are still in place so that you may fix your horrible error.

If a president this corrupt (Halliburton) and incompetent (Iraq) can’t be beat what sort of country have we become?

Don’t despair folks, just start thinking about what we can do over the next 4 years to make the chimp wish he had lost. permanent link to this post

To be believed? I doubt it.

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

CNN today:
“Cues from chatter” gathered around the world are raising concerns that terrorists might try to attack the domestic food and drug supply, particularly illegally imported prescription drugs…
And of course it’s a coincidence that just yesterday (from NYT):
Hitting hard on an issue of deep concern to older voters, Senator John Kerry on Wednesday promised an overhaul of the Medicare prescription drug law, saying President Bush had personally “stood in the way” of importing drugs from Canada…
How fucking stupid do these fucking fuckers think we are? Evidently, mighty fucking stupid. permanent link to this post

Is it possible…

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

…for me to get any MORE enraged by the Bush Administration?

Yes, it seems like it is: Fahrenheit 9/11 Opens June 25.

trailer here permanent link to this post

TPM: perjury charge for Clarke?

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

JM Marshall writes in this post that the Republicans are considering bringing perjury charges against Dick Clarke (no that Dick Clark, this Dick Clarke).

The first step in this little adventure is to declassify testimony Clarke gave congress in 2002.

It really sounds like they want to totally destroy this guy. Not discredit him, not debate with him, not to object to him; they want to put him in jail. And why? For telling the truth.

It’s doubtful that he’ll ever be charged with perjury because most of his points are corroborated by other people, that is, they’re true. The only people who don’t understand this are Republicans who have been blinded by their partisanship to the deep, deep flaws and lies of Bush. permanent link to this post

Dancing in the Streets: Revolution with a Smile

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

John Perry Barlow suggests spontaneous explosions of dancing in the streets of NYC during the RNC as a form of happy protesting.

Liza Sabater heartily agrees.

And so do I :-) Don’t know if I’m up to organizing, but I could definitely do some participating. permanent link to this post

Carlson calls it for Kerry

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

…haven’t seen this elsewhere so I’d thought I’d mention it.

On The Chris Matthews Show this morning, conservative guest Tucker Carlson called the election for Kerry. He said something like,
We will know who the next president is on election day, and though I’m not happy about it — it’s reality — it will be Kerry by 2 points. It’s not good for the nation that Kerry wins, but it will be good that there is a clear winner.
Again, not verbatim, but something very similar.

There is no transcript available yet. When it’s available I’ll post the real quote.

UPDATE:
The transcript now available; it’s at the bottom:
Mr. CARLSON: […] I think there’s going to be a definitive win by two points. I have to say I think it’s going to be Kerry. I’m not for that, but I think that’s—I think that’s reality.
permanent link to this post

Calpundit: very good political blog">Calpundit: very good political blog

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

Yes, sometimes I post about politics here on our little art blog and this is one of those posts: Calpundit rocks.

This post in particular is very insanely good. It succinctly describes exactly why Bush and his Republican handlers are so damn evil: After 9/11 George Bush had a chance to build a bipartisan consensus about terrorism and how to respond to it. But he didn’t just fail to do that, he deliberately tried to prevent it, and by transparently treating terrorism as little more than a chance to boost the prospects of his own party he has convinced everyone who’s not a Republican that it’s not really a serious threat. After all, if he quite obviously treats it as simply a political opportunity, it’s hardly reasonable to expect anyone else to take it seriously either. The comments section of Calpundit is very good too, lots of lively debate by well-informed posters. permanent link to this post

Bush is insane

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

As simple as that.

According to the BBC via Huffpost:
President Bush said to all of us: ‘I’m driven with a mission from God. God would tell me, “George, go and fight those terrorists in Afghanistan.” And I did, and then God would tell me, “George, go and end the tyranny in Iraq …” And I did. And now, again, I feel God’s words coming to me, “Go get the Palestinians their state and get the Israelis their security, and get peace in the Middle East.” And by God I’m gonna do it.’
permanent link to this post

Bush to World

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics


Download the video
(1MB QuickTime .MOV)

via Eschaton

More at Daily KOS. permanent link to this post

Sorry, need to post about politics today

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

As always, Talking Points Memo is good:
From the White House’s advocates we hear logic puzzles about appeasement in which the fall-out from the president’s screw ups become the prime argument for continuing to support them.
[…]
[Bush] has no plan. And will without policy just equals death.
Josh Marshall also quotes this line from the Washington Post:
The only unequivocally good policy option before the American people is to dump the president who got us into this mess, who had no trouble sending our young people to Iraq but who cannot steel himself to face the Sept. 11 commission alone.
And that’s it. As Iraq seems to be falling apart before our eyes, what do we get from Bush? More vacant rhetoric and more stonewalling. He is undoubtably the worst President the USA has ever had. permanent link to this post

Bush: “Happy Holidays”

posted at 16:44 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

Another notorious liberal human-secularist trying to destroy Christmas: President George W. Bush.

Listening to Bush’s press conference today on WNYC (I know, I’m a sucker for punishment), Bush closed the conference by wishing the reporters “Happy Holidays.” Faux News carries the transcript here (at the bottom of page).

Why is this a big deal? It’s not, unless you listen and believe right-winger propaganda bullshit. See these posts (here, here, here and here) from the blogosphere for background (and this Tom Tomorrow cartoon).

UPDATE: I missed the beginning, but according to this, Bush also greeted everyone with the dreaded and disgustingly politically-correct phrase “Happy Holidays!”

Plus, Lou Dobbs is a fucking idiot.

From Media Matters for America:
ROMANS: Lou, Macy’s is adamant it’s not trying to offend anyone, just the opposite. It’s doing just what other businesses do, retail and otherwise. It’s trying very hard not to exclude anyone. That’s why “Season’s Greetings, Happy Holidays” is better.

DOBBS: Well, they’ve just excluded everyone who is celebrating Christmas, which is, after all, the foundation of the so-called season in which they make most of their profits.

ROMANS: Moving definitely toward not offending anyone.

DOBBS: You know, when you think about it, “Happy Holidays” — what other holidays are we celebrating right now? We’re celebrating Christmas, right?

ROMANS: And they say Hanukkah, Kwanzaa —

DOBBS: Kwanzaa?

ROMANS: — also the end of Ramadan and a host of other holidays between Thanksgiving and New Year’s.

DOBBS: But as we celebrate each one of those — and each of us in this very diverse society does celebrate — my Jewish friends say to me “Happy Hanukkah,” I say to them “Merry Christmas,” none of us is offended. I don’t understand the reluctance to use Christmas.

ROMANS: They say “Happy Holidays” covers it all.

DOBBS: They do? Well, they’re wrong. And merry Christmas. Thanks, Christine.
And, hmmm, let’s see, IS there any other holiday that almost everyone is celebrating soon… golly it’s a tough one. Oh yeah! That’s right.

What about NEW YEAR’S DAY you fucking idiots! permanent link to this post

Nov 17, 2003

GoogleRace

posted at 16:15 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

Found this over at Andrea Harner’s blog:

GoogleRace

It was created by the interesting folks over at Eyebeam’s R & D department. Parts of Eyebeam R&D have also given us the Nike Sweatshop Email and the ever popular BlackPeopleLoveUs.com. Their new idea is fairly brilliant and should get them lots of traffic.

But how does this effect MTAA you ask? Well, MTAA did a project at Eyebeam called Endnode (AKA Printer Tree) and Eyebeam continues to host the informational site, www.Endnode.net, on one of their servers. When Jonah and his crew release their enormously popular projects on this server they usually kill every other site hosted on it due to all the bandwidth being eaten. (At least that’s what happened with the release of BlackPeopleLoveUs.com).

I’m not complaining though. I wish I could get the kind of traffic Jonah seems to be able to draw. Let’s just be happy that he uses this gift for good instead of evil. permanent link to this post

Sep 15, 2003

Misleader.org">Misleader.org

posted at 14:20 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

A new site exposing the Bush Admin’s lies and distortions looks to have come online today:

http://www.misleader.org/

Misleader was created by moveon.org.

Also, more on the Bush Admin lies at TalkingPointsMemo.com.

I keep assuming that the assholes running the executive branch of our federal government will learn that the US public isn’t as stupid and complacent as they seem to think we are. But, they obviously haven’t caught on. Yet.

I hope I’m right. permanent link to this post

Aug 28, 2003

Talking Points Memo

posted at 14:25 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

I’m feeling very political this week. Perhaps its my rage at seeing the Chimp swagger around in his little cowboy outfit while he and his buddies FUCK UP the US more than any other administration in a long, long time.

So, I wanted to point out a great political and foreign policy analysis blog by Joshua Micah Marshall called Talking Points Memo.

If you oppose the current disaster of an administration in The White House this blog is definitely a daily must-read. He is especially adept at skewering the neo-con’s lies, distortions, untruths, and waffling. And he provides great logical anaylsis of the spin coming out of the chimp’s admin and certain segments of our ‘free’ press.

Check it out! permanent link to this post

Aug 26, 2003

Dean in NYC tonight!

posted at 16:28 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

Howard Dean, front-runner in the democratic presidential primary race, is coming to NYC tonight!

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP TO ATTEND

It’s in Bryant Park at 8:30PM. Bryant Park is behind the New York Public Library, one block west from Grand Central Station, and one block east of Times Square, on 42nd Street.

I’m really excited about Dean and my company (me) has been doing a lot of work for his campaign in the form of HowardDean.tv and I encourage you to check that site out as well. But, my real baby at HowardDean.tv is our little Darwin Streaming Server that I set up on an old G4 450. Here are direct links to some of the streams (they should open in your quicktime player, download quicktime here):

Dean in Falls Church, VA on August 23

Dean’s Join Us ad. (Dean bought lots of television time in Texas while Bush was vacationing at this ranch. har har) permanent link to this post

Jun 05, 2003

Wolfowitz Retraction by The Guardian

posted at 12:14 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

The article sited in my post yesterday regarding Wolfowitz has been retracted by The Guardian: A report which was posted on our website on June 4 under the heading “Wolfowitz: Iraq war was about oil” misconstrued remarks made by the US deputy defence secretary, Paul Wolfowitz, making it appear that he had said that oil was the main reason for going to war in Iraq. He did not say that. He said, “The most important difference between North Korea and Iraq is that economically we just had no choice in Iraq. The country swims on a sea of oil.” The sense was that the US had no economic options by means of which to achieve its objectives, not that the economic value of the oil motivated the war. The report appeared only on the website and has now been removed. I guess you CAN’T believe everything you read on the Web :-) permanent link to this post

Jun 04, 2003

It WAS all about oil afterall

posted at 17:37 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

The Guardian is reporting that loose-lipped Wolfowitz has done it again. He’s actually telling the truth! It’s hard to believe, but evidentally it’s true!

In a story posted today, Wolfowitz: Iraq war was about oil, the deputy defense secretary is quoted as telling an Asian security summit in Singapore, when asked why the US is treating North Korea differently than Iraq: Let’s look at it simply. The most important difference between North Korea and Iraq is that economically, we just had no choice in Iraq. The country swims on a sea of oil. Finally, someone is being honest in the Bush Administration.

I’m thinking that old Wolfowitz may have talked himself out of a job, but at least we’re finding out the actual agenda behind the Bush Admin’s war in Iraq before he goes. permanent link to this post

Jun 03, 2003

Lies, Lies, Lies

posted at 09:33 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

I’m just going to quote some Krugman today. The fact that the Bush Administration lied to sell the Iraq war to the American people shouldn’t really surprise anyone. What’s really surprising, and hopelessly depressing, is that the American media is once again bending over and letting the Bushies do them from the rear. Where is the outrage? Seems the British have a more truthful media, from Krugman today: In Britain, the news media have not been shy about drawing the obvious implications, and the outrage has not been limited to war opponents. The Times of London was ardently pro-war; nonetheless, it ran an analysis under the headline “Lie Another Day.” The paper drew parallels between the selling of the war and other misleading claims: “The government is seen as having `spun’ the threat from Saddam’s weapons just as it spins everything else.” And for those ‘loyal’ Americans who might say, “Hey, it’s OK, we took out a nasty Dictator.” I’ll post some more of Krugman’s opinion: But here’s the thought that should make those commentators really uncomfortable. Suppose that this administration did con us into war. And suppose that it is not held accountable for its deceptions, so Mr. Bush can fight what Mr. Hastings calls a “khaki election” next year. In that case, our political system has become utterly, and perhaps irrevocably, corrupted. Link to Krugman’s June 3rd column  permanent link to this post

May 31, 2003

Haven’t Had Any Ideas

posted at 11:15 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

Looks like we haven’t had many art ideas the past few days.

Things are looking mightly ridiculous here in the USA though. First, our BIG tax cut. If you have kids, you get a $400 credit per kid, unless of course you’re one of the poorest in our country, then you get jack. Seems that people earning under $23,000 dollars a year won’t get the credit. Those Republicans have some stong family values.

And now, the FCC is poised to make our already practically state-run media into officially state-run media. It’s scary as hell. Stay tuned for more jingoisism, militarism, and out-right lies to fill our news. You can read a bit about it HERE, HERE and HERE. This won’t affect me personally. I get most of my news from online sources that I trust. But it will affect my family. In Ohio earlier this year, I was appalled and depressed by what I saw as conservative, militaristic views of my family. They had been watching way to much CNN and MSNBC and were parroting the lies of the Bush administration. They looked at me as if I was traitor for being against the Iraq war.

The most depressing thing regarding the FCC vote is that there isn’t a damn thing any of us can do about it. All of the main media outlets will fall into the hands of huge cooperations who will push the line of the conservatives who gave them the power. Look for not just Fox, but NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN et al to be calling the race early for Bush in 2004. permanent link to this post

Apr 30, 2003

Damn

posted at 17:30 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

MTAA DOES suck.

They’ve been telling us that for years and years but we wouldn’t listen. Now I understand that they were right all along.

If two guys can’t keep this little web log going we must SUCK!

But then again, I could just post all the little meanderings of my online time. Here’s things that made me angry at the Bush Admin today:

Robert Scheer in Salon
Maureen Dowd in the NYTimes
And of course, Joe Conason always gets me riled up.

What is wrong with America? We can’t understand that no matter how many Iraqis (or anyone else for that matter) go free, it’s not permissable to build our foreign policy on lies?

Let the hair-pulling commence. permanent link to this post

Apr 04, 2003

Perle resigns

posted at 15:30 GMT by T.Whid in /news/twhid/politics

This is old news (from 3/28/03) but as I had a post regarding it in this space it makes sense that I update the info.

Richard Perle has resigned as the chairman of the Pentagon Defense Policy Board, but he will remain a member of the board.

Here’s an article that sums it up concisely.

Seems like a bit of shuffling in an attempt to take the heat off. Things will be more or less status quo in that little neighborhood of the high, mighty, and willing to peddle their public positions.

BTW, I’ve added a new ‘politics’ category to the twhid section of this space. Just trying to keep things neat. permanent link to this post

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