Christian Nutjobs Now Boycotting Ford Motor

Is this crap ever going to stop? I am so sick of these damn nitwits trying to control everyone's life I could just scream. It wasn't enough that they disgraced themselves over such stupid things as boycotting cartoon character Spongebob and claiming he was gay and should be banned, and forcing some TV stations into not showing the movie Saving Private Ryan because it realistically used the language real men and women use in war. Now they are trying to control the inner-workings of corporations. They forced Microsoft into not supporting a gay rights housing amendment in Olympia Washington and wouldn't have stopped until they got rid of their gay employees if it were not for the blogosphere and gay rights activists waking Gates up in time. Now they are starting a boycott of Ford Motor Company. The Detroit Free Press reports: A conservative Christian group launched a boycott against Ford Motor Co. Tuesday, saying the second-largest U.S. automaker has given thousands of dollars to gay rights groups, offers benefits to same-sex couples and actively recruits gay employees. "From redefining family to include homosexual marriage, to giving hundreds of thousands of dollars to support homosexual groups and their agenda, to forcing managers to attend diversity training on how to promote the acceptance of homosexuality... Ford leads the way," American Family Association chairman Donald Wildmon said in a statement. AFA said it e-mailed an announcement about the Ford boycott to 2.2 million supporters. AFA special projects director Randy Sharp said nearly 55,000 people had signed a pledge supporting the boycott by Tuesday afternoon. In response to the boycott, Ford vice president of human resources Joe Laymon said "Ford values all people, regardless of their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation and cultural or physical differences. It is one of the things that makes us proud to be part of the auto industry," Lookout General Motors, Chrysler and the United Auto Workers. I am sure these fruitcakes have their guns set on you also. This is the same group that was recently forced to end a nine-year boycott of The Walt Disney Co. over Disney's decision to extend benefits to same-sex couples and promote gay-related events at its theme parks, when the boycott appeared to have little effect. In fact, Disney reported higher earnings and increased theme park attendance during that time. Now do you see what is happening my friends? This is what comes of things when you have an administration that caters to the Christian Taliban groups like AFA whose ultimate goal is to turn your beloved country into a theocracy. The sad and scary thing is, they aren't trying to do this just in the United States. They also are sending flyers out and demonstrating here in Canada trying to stop our Government from passing a Federal same-sex marriage law. So far, it doesn't look like they will prevail but take note my friends. These people will not stop until they control every aspect of society and they must be stopped.

Leiberman A Hypocrite And A Disgrace!!!!!!

Remember back when everyone was so outraged that the then President (Clinton) got a BJ in the Oval Office? We heard the office referred to as the "Oral Office". We were subjected to the "pornography" of the Starr Report. Oh yes, the outrage was palpable and fuelled on by the mainstream media. That same media the right-wing crowd likes to label "liberal controlled". Then there was the biggest outrage of all a member of the President's own party. The jack-ass hypocrite that became a candidate for VP. Yup, I am referring to that tower of righteousness himself Joe Leiberman. Remember his words back then? If not let me remind you: "This is our town. We spend our lives involved in talking about, dealing with, working in government. It has reminded everybody what matters to them. You are embarrassed about what Bill Clinton's behavior says about the White House, the presidency, the government in general." and then there is this: "His behavior, is so over the edge. What is troubling is the deceit, the failure to own up to it. Before this is over the truth must be told." Sure Joe. You turn around and play Brutus and stick the knife in perhaps one of the greatest Presidents the U.S. has had in recent times. And now when you have a war-criminal in the Oval Office. A man who lied the country into an illegal war. A man who permits hugely degradable acts to be performed on prisoners in what Amnesty International calls a "gulag". A right-wing ideologue who wants to assist in turning your constitutional republic into a theocracy where you must believe in the God they want and publicly condemns your own beloved Jewism. And what do you do? You give him a kiss at his State of the Union address. You suck up to him and approve of his judicial plans that will turn the Supreme Court back to the attitudes of the 40's that will take away all the hard-fought liberties that have been gained. Shame on you Brutus Leiberman! Where is your outrage over the deceit of this selected President? How can you possibly tolerate the fact he can't own up to his criminal acts that are much more disgraceful than an oral sexual act? Nobody was maimed or killed by that! You're a disgrace!!!!

Bush Holds Press Conference - Lies As Usual

Well King George came off of his throne long enough to mix with that "liberal-controlled" media today. What did he have to say? NOT MUCH but his lips were moving so we know automatically that he was lying. Of course he dismissed the Amnesty International report that labeled Guantanamo as a modern day gulag while at the same time reminding us that he has a mandate. Sure George. As the Washington Post reports: Two days after winning reelection last fall, President Bush declared that he had earned plenty of "political capital, and now I intend to spend it." Six months later, according to Republicans and Democrats alike, his bank account has been significantly drained. In the past week alone, the Republican-led House defied his veto threat and passed legislation promoting stem cell research; Senate Democrats blocked confirmation, at least temporarily, of his choice for U.N. ambassador; and a rump group of GOP senators abandoned the president in his battle to win floor votes for all of his judicial nominees. With his approval ratings in public opinion polls at the lowest level of his presidency, Bush has been stymied so far in his campaign to restructure Social Security. On the international front, violence has surged again in Iraq in recent weeks, dispelling much of the optimism generated by the purple-stained-finger elections back in January, while allies such as Egypt and Uzbekistan have complicated his campaign to spread democracy. Wow that is some mandate George. Your suck-up promise to the right-wing wackos that you would immediatedly veto the stem cell bill looks like it's down the drain since there are more than enough votes to override your veto. The there is the blocking (even temporarily) of your nominee to the UN "mad dog" Bolton, who looks as though he may not get confirmed by your up/down vote you demanded. Now what else was there? Oh yes your Social Security reform --- down the drain with the public. In fact, it is in the same place as your approval rating. Yup THAT IS SOME MANDATE Georgie. And of course that "liberal controlled media" let you get away with your BS as usual, not once questioning your denials about Guantanamo Bay. Just as that bulwark of liberalism Larry King let your truth-challenged Vice President get away with the same denials in his interview. When are these damn reporters and talking heads going to start showing their profession the respect it used to have and start challenging this crap that comes out of this administration? Just look at today. Instead of researching and reporting on the now myriad reports of abuses that are coming out what does the MSM decide is the most important story of the day? The coming out of "Deep Throat". No not Linda Lovelace, W. Mark Felt the number two official at the FBI while the Nixon scandal was unfolding. Don't all of you find it just a bit telling that today's media crows about the fine job the media did back then rather than doing the same thing and uncovering all the apparent crimes and misdemeanors this current President and his cohorts have committed? Did any of these guys have the cajones to question him about the Downing Street memo? Of course not if you did George and the boys might be offended and you would lose your gravy train ride in the Whitehouse press corps. Wake up guys and start doing your jobs!

A Memorial Day Slap At Bush

A Minneapolis Star-Tribune editorial points to the lies from President Bush and those who permitted him to lie about the reasons for war in Iraq bear responsibility for the U.S. troops who died there being remembered today. In exchange for our uniformed young people's willingness to offer the gift of their lives, civilian Americans owe them something important: It is our duty to ensure that they never are called to make that sacrifice unless it is truly necessary for the security of the country. In the case of Iraq, the American public has failed them; we did not prevent the Bush administration from spending their blood in an unnecessary war based on contrived concerns about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. President Bush and those around him lied, and the rest of us let them. Harsh? Yes. True? Also yes. Perhaps it happened because Americans, understandably, don't expect untruths from those in power. But that works better as an explanation than as an excuse. MORE....

REMEMBER THE TROOPS

On this Memorial Day while your enjoying the long holiday weekend, please don't forget to think about the true meaning of the day, and remember that on this day, there are military men and women who are in harm's way. When Memorial day was created in 1868, it was known as Decoration Day and its' original purpose was to honor those who died in the Civil War. In 1971, the name was changed to Memorial Day and was extended to honor all American war dead. I invite you to visit The White House Commission on Remembrance Home Page, whose mission statement is: The White House Commission on Remembrance, established by Congress, honors America's fallen and recognizes our veterans and those who continue to serve our country. Its purpose is to promote the values of Memorial Day by acts of remembrance throughout the year and to encourage Americans to demonstrate their gratitude by giving back to our Nation. The Commission is dedicated to educating this and future generations of Americans to remember the sacrifices and costs in human life made to preserve our liberties. We want to instill in them an understanding of what it means to be an American. No matter what your political leanings, and in the spirit of unity and remembrance, please remember on Monday, to observe The National Moment of Remembrance at 3 PM your local time and voluntarily and informally observe in your own way a moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever you are doing for a moment of silence or listening to 'Taps." Flag icon designed and produced by 3dflags.com

McCain Urges Compromise Over Bolton

The New York Times says One of John R. Bolton's leading Republican backers, Senator John McCain of Arizona, signaled his support on Friday for a compromise in which the White House might allow Senate leaders access to highly classified documents in return for a final vote early next month on Mr. Bolton's nomination as United Nations ambassador. This is one of the few moves that McCain has made recently that I see as being honest and about true compromise and not what I usually see in his actions. I have to confess, I look upon him as a media-whore who loves to get headlines. But reading this article, I see this move as a way for the Democrats and the Senate as a whole to get what they wanted. However, it looks as though the White House has different ideas. "The Democrats who are clamoring for this have already voted against John Bolton," Scott McClellan, the White House spokesman, said in a telephone interview. "This is about partisan politics, not documents. They have the information they need." Maybe Scott McClellan should check the facts before he runs off at the mouth because seems that not only do the Dems want these documents, but Senator Frist the Senate Majority Leader of the Presidents' own party has also tried to get these documents. The aide, who would speak only without being identified when discussing conversations between the two leaders, also said Dr. Frist had intervened with the administration to try to get an intelligence briefing that would satisfy opponents of the nomination. So I guess what it boils down to is the one remaining fact that we all suspected all along. This Administration is doing what it has done sine it came to office five years ago. Lie and hide the truth from the American people. Frist, McCain and the Democrats think it is reasonable and right for the White House to turn over the requested documents. What is the White House hiding? That is the question EVERY journalist who has any sense of not only self-respect but respect for his/her profession should be asking right now. Hopefully they will decide to honor their profession and follow through on this question. But given their track record of late I doubt it. Come on ladies and gentlemen of the press all it takes are six little words "What is the White House hiding"?

Poll Says Majority Would Vote Hillary For Pres.

According to a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll taken Friday through Sunday, a majority of Americans say they are likely to vote for Hillary Rodham Clinton if she runs for president in 2008 . The poll which was published Friday by USA Today states: the New York senator and former first lady has broadened her support nationwide over the past two years, though she still provokes powerful feelings from those who oppose her. Andrew Kohut, director of the non-partisan Pew Research Center, says "Over time, Clinton fatigue has dissipated ... and people are looking back on the Clinton years more favorably..........This may also reflect that she has been recasting her image as a more moderate person." MORE.....

What Is Bush Really Saying?

In answer to this question most of us would probably say "if his lips are moving he's lying". But actually USA Today has published a guide to help viewers interpret Bush's words and is really quite accurate. For example, when he says "I appreciate that question." , it is usually immediately after a complex or tricky question and it means he needs a second to collect his thoughts. Unless of course he has a mysterious bulge on his back, then you better check for a hidden earpiece.......LOL. Another example, and this one is really on the mark, is when he states "Thank you for giving me a chance to come by and say hello" usually at the beginning or end of a news conference, what he is really saying, is that although this is part of his job, it isn't his favorite part. The article also points out that he often tries to connect with viewers, with folksy remarks like: "In this job, you've got a lot on your plate. ... You don't have much time to sit around and wander, lonely, in the Oval Office, kind of asking different portraits, 'How do you think my standing (in history) will be?' " What? You mean he didn't say "it's hard work"? You can read more of this analysis HERE

Bush Rewards Lying With Honors AGAIN

The Washington Post reports that: Two Army analysts whose work has been cited as part of a key intelligence failure on Iraq -- the claim that aluminum tubes sought by the Baghdad government were most likely meant for a nuclear weapons program rather than for rockets -- have received job performance awards in each of the past three years, officials said This doesn't surprise me in the least. This President has always rewarded those inept liars who blindly helped him maintain power and execute his orders, no matter how illegal those orders are, or how many innocent people are maimed, tortured or killed. We need look no further than the promotion of Condiliesalot Rice and the keeping of Donald "You go to war with the army you have. Not the armor your wish for." Rumsfeld. MORE....

White House Continues To Block Release Of Bolton Documents

When the Democrats successfully stopped the cloture of debate on the Bolton nomination to UN Ambassador, they did so because of the Administration's continued refusal to honor the Committee's request for information in its' Constitutional duty to Advise and Consent on Presidential nominations. The information they want concerns highly secret NSA "intercepts" of conversations specifically requested by Bolton because of suspicion that Bolton may have been using this information to spy on potential opponents in the administration and of equal concern is that he may have shared some of what he learned with others without proper authorization to do so (Bolton's response has been that any problems in that area weren't his fault but the fault of the intelligence agencies for not telling him he couldn't). Now the Boston Globe is reporting that: White House officials declined yesterday to give senators the extra documents they are seeking regarding John R. Bolton, President Bush's choice to become ambassador to the United Nations, setting up a major standoff with Senate Democrats over the long-troubled nomination. [snip] Democrats also want 10 National Security Agency intelligence intercepts that Bolton requested, to determine whether Bolton, undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, acted appropriately by asking for the names of Americans mentioned in the documents. The White House has allowed the chairman and the ranking Democrat on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence to review the intercepts, but only with the names of the 19 Americans mentioned in them blacked out. Well as you and I both know, when this Administration refuses to release documents or redacts portions of what they do release, it usually means they have something to hide. I hope the Democrats in the Senate continue to block cloture even in the face of being called obstructionists or accused of "filibustering". This Administration must be shown in no uncertain terms that King George cannot continue to ignore Congressional requests when it is imperative that they are needed to do their constitutional duty. Then again this President has shown time and time again that it has little regard for the Constitution. MORE....

Romney Vetoes Stem Cell Bill

In an attempt to play to the Religious Right, Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts has vetoed a stem cell research bill that would have made Massachusetts the second state along with California to provide funding for stem cell research. The Associated Press reports: Gov. Mitt Romney vetoed a bill Friday that would expand embryonic stem cell research in Massachusetts, but the measure has had more than enough support in the Legislature to override the governor's veto. Fulfilling his long-stated promise, Romney said at a news conference that he was unable to sign the bill because it includes a provision allowing therapeutic cloning, in which scientists create a cloned embryo to harvest stem cells in hopes of using them to treat and cure disease. Critics have said the practice amounts to creating human life only to destroy it. In a letter to lawmakers, the Republican governor said he could not "in good conscience allow this bill to become law." Lawmakers in both the House and Senate passed the bill with veto-proof margins. They are expected to override Romney's veto next week. To me this only confirms what many already suspect, that Romney is looking at a possible Presidential run in '08, and he is catering to the right-wing Christian supporters in the Republican Party. Especially since Sen. Bill Frist has fallen out of favor. Well go ahead guys keep relying on this group. You will find out in '08, that the American public has wizened up to their agenda to turn the country into a theocracy and they don't want any part of that. I suspect you will receive your first wake-up call in '06 when the Democrats take back the congress, and complete the sweep by capturing the Presidency in '08.

Microsoft Makes It Official - Reed Is Out

Microsoft has made an official announcement confirming what was posted here yesterday. Ralph Reed former head of the Christian Coaliton and all around right-wing Christian fundamentalist, is no longer on retainer as a political consultant. The Associated Press reports: "Ralph Reed is no longer on retainer with Microsoft," company spokeswoman Ginny Terzano told The Associated Press. Reed is now running for lieutenant-governor in Georgia. Of course Microsoft claimed he didn't influence them in any way on social issues but I would hardly expect them to admit to that considering all the bad publicity they received for not backing a homosexual rights initiative in Olympia Washington that would have made it illegal to discriminate against gays in housing, employment and insurance. This resulted in human rights activists accusing the company of caving to a boycott threat from an Evangelical minister. Even though Microsoft claims this was not the reason for cutting its' ties with Reed, I find it more than coincidental that the break came right on the heels of Equal Rights Washington, a Seattle-based group that had lobbied for the gay rights bill, calling on Microsoft to fire Reed. Congratulations Mr. Gates, now how about reversing your decision and putting your corporate weight behind the initiative you abandoned in Olympia.

GOP Hypocrite of the Week. - Dr. W. David Hager

As I do every Friday, I present to you BuzzFlash.com's GOP Hypocrite of the Week. This weeks pick is Dr. W. David Hager who is a fundamentalist Christian, and has painted himself as a victim of secular Americans who are conducting a war against the followers of Christ. Listen to the the entire program and read the transcript HERE.....

Please Sign John Conyers Letter

The following is a message I just received from Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-MI). I would urge you to please read it in its' entirety, and then click on the link at the bottm and sign his letter to President Bush: As many of you are aware, a classified memo was recently disclosed in Great Britain that I believe has serious ramifications for the integrity of the United States Government. Dubbed the "Downing Street Memo," but actually comprising the minutes of a meeting of Prime Minister Tony Blair and other top British government officials, the memo casts serious doubt on many of the contentions of the Bush Administration in the lead up to the Iraq war. With over 1,600 U.S. servicemen and servicewomen killed in Iraq, the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, and over $200 billion in taxpayer funds going to this war effort, we cannot afford to stand by any longer. Along with 88 of my colleagues, I wrote to the President requesting answers about this grave matter. Thus far, our search for the truth has been stonewalled and I need your help. I believe the American people deserve answers about this matter and should demand directly that the President tell the truth about the memo. To that end, I am asking you to sign on to a letter to the President requesting he answer the questions posed to him by 89 Members of Congress. I will personally insure that this letter is delivered to the White House. You can read the letter here and sign on to it below. You and I know the White House is just hoping that this matter will fade away, but in a few short weeks, with our steadfastness, the memo has found its way into leading newspapers and White House press briefings. With your help, we can hold this Administration accountable. Please pass on this important letter to your friends and colleagues, and ask them to sign as well. Thank you for your help and support. John Conyers, Jr. Letter to President Bush Concerning the Downing Street Memo

Soldier Son Killed, Mother Rejected - Welcome to America

Ligaya Lagman, the Filipino mother of Army Staff Sgt. Anthony Lagman who was killed last year in Afghanistan has been refused membership in the group American Gold Star Mothers Inc. Gold Star Mothers is an organization that honors the mothers of fallen service men and women who are killed in the line of duty. According to a story in The Washington Post she was rejected for membership because, though a permanent resident and a taxpayer, she is not a U.S. citizen. "There's nothing we can do because that's what our organization says: You have to be an American citizen," national President Ann Herd said Thursday. "We can't go changing the rules every time the wind blows Yes there's a wind blowing alright, and the disgusting smell it is spreading is the smell of discrimination to me. There is absolutely no reason that the rule could not be changed. I am sure the person that killed her son didn't stop and ask her son what his citizenship was or that of his mother before he blew him away. As a past president of the mothers' group, Dorothy Oxendine, of Farmingdale, said, "There's no discrimination in a national cemetery. There's no discrimination when they get killed side by side. So how can we discriminate against a mother?" MORE.....

Santorum Has Yet Another Ethics Problem

The Associated Press is reporting that our favorite example of "clean ethics" (ya right) Rick Sanatorum (R-PA) has once again gotten himself in the middle of another ethics controversy. This time it involves his recent sponsorship of legislation restricting the National Weather Service by allowing them to only offer particular types of services if the private sector does not offer them. This would of course stop them from offering free weather forecasts on the internet including much needed hurricane forecasts. According to AP: Two days before Sen. Rick Santorum introduced a bill that critics say would restrict the National Weather Service, his political action committee received a $2,000 donation from the chief executive of AccuWeather Inc., a leading provider of weather data. The disclosure has renewed criticism of the measure, which Santorum, R-Pa., maintains would allow the weather service to better focus on its core mission of getting threatening weather info out in a "timely and speedy basis." Opponents say the bill would endanger the public by preventing the dissemination of certain weather data, and force taxpayers to pay for the data twice. The bill would prevent the weather service from competing for certain services offered by the private sector. Thankfully, this has also come to the attention of (CREW) which stated "I think the timing of it is what makes it so suspect," said Melanie Sloan, executive director of the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Government, a Democratic-leaning watchdog group. "It's like here's the money and you're going to do what I want." Now I suppose we are expected to believe that it is only coincidence that he received a donation from AccuWeather just before he introduced this legislation.

Ralph Reed Canned By Microsoft

As you may remember, Microsoft Corp. recently decided not to lend its' support to a gay-rights bill in Olympia Washington. This of course sparked (justifiably) much outrage in the progressive community even going so far as to a call for a nationwide boycott of future MS products. The momentum of criticism grew even stronger when it was discovered that Ralph Reed was on a $20,000 monthly retainer as a political consultant to Microsoft. Well perhaps Gates and more importantly his shareholders saw the light and realized the mounting criticism and bad publicity was definitely affecting the reputation of Microsoft. The Seattle Weekly reports: "as for Reed, if he ever had anything to do with Microsoft's role, or lack thereof, in this state's gay-rights debate, he won't next time. He's being deleted from the Redmond software giant's payroll, two company sources say, and he likely gets his last $20,000 check this month". MORE....

Conyers Calls For Hearings on Gitmo and Other Abuses

Via Rep. John Conyers' diary at Kos We have of course all known for some time about the documented evidence of torture, mistreatment and worse in Abu Ghraib. Having read about the break down in the Army investigation of the death of two prisoners at Bagram, the International Committee of the Red Cross passing along "multiple" reports of mistreatment of the Koran, Amnesty International report on Guantanamo Bay as the "gulag of our times," and FBI documents released by the ACLU included a dozen reports of mistreatment of the Koran by the military at Guantanamo, I was forced to make an urgent plea to the Judiciary Committee for hearings. Will it make a difference? Obviously, Democrats are not in control, but we would not be doing our jobs in the Minority if we did not at least put the onus on the Majority to accept responsibility if they fail to act. As you can see Rep. Conyers is again showing the courage and integrity we should expect from leaders in Washington. What a wonderful choice he would be as a Presidential or Vice Presidential candidate. Excerpts..... I am calling on hearings now for a number of reasons. As you know, just yesterday, the international human rights group Amnesty International issued a devastating report decrying our human rights record. Among other things, the report labeled our prison at Guantanamo Bay the "gulag of our times," and described our nation as "a leading purveyor and practitioner" of torture and mistreatment of prisoners. Amnesty International warned that "when the most powerful country in the world thumbs its nose at the rule of law and human rights, it grants a license to others to commit abuse with impunity and audacity." ~~SNIP~~ I have previously sought the appointment of an independent commission to examine the myriad charges of human rights abuses by our government, but this request has been ignored by the Republican Leadership. Similarly, my repeated requests for the appointment of a special legal counsel to review these charges have also been rejected or ignored. Moreover, my requests to the Committee for investigations, for example into the rendition and subsequent of Maher Arar, have also been ignored. ~~SNIP~~ Under such circumstances, it becomes infinitely more difficult for our nation to credibly advocate for democracy and human rights abroad. I therefore believe it is incumbent upon us to conduct an investigation which can either rebut the growing cascade of allegations, or root out the wrongdoing and hold the ultimate parties responsible, no matter where the investigation takes us. You can read the entire letter that Conyers sent to James Sensenbrenner, Jr. the Chairman of the House judiciary Committee HERE

Seniors 'Cannibalize' the Young!

That was a statement made by the next nutbag that Bush sent up for nomination to the federal bench. The Working Families e-Activist Network, AFL-CIO lays out in detail the case against this hateful wingnut being put on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in the email below: Dear Working Families e-Activist, Janice Rogers Brown, whom President George W. Bush has nominated to a lifetime seat on the second most powerful court in the land, calls programs like Social Security “cannibalization” of the young by senior citizens who are looking for “free stuff” from the government. She also has argued that the First Amendment protects racial harassment in the workplace. Last week, a small group of senators working behind closed doors made a deal that saved the right to filibuster judicial nominees. The bad news is they agreed not to filibuster Brown’s nomination. She does not belong on the powerful U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit—and the only way to stop her is to convince a majority of senators to vote against her. Please click on the link below to urge your senators to oppose Janice Rogers Brown’s nomination: Stop Janice Rogers Brown If confirmed, Brown, now a California Supreme Court justice, will decide cases involving working families’ fundamental rights and protections, including the freedom to form unions and the right to safe workplaces. The District of Columbia Circuit hears more labor law cases than any other federal circuit court. It hears challenges to workplace safety rules and other important protections. The court’s decisions affect the lives of tens of millions of workers and their families. Janice Rogers Brown’s extremist legal views are completely at odds with working families’ interests and values. Even ultra-conservative columnist George Will calls her “out of the mainstream.” She compares enactment of New Deal legislation such as the minimum wage and the 40-hour workweek with a “socialist revolution.” She compares “big government” with “slavery” and an “opiate.” She says the First Amendment protects racial harassment in the form of slurs in the workplace. She says leased employees shouldn’t expect to participate in employers’ pension plans because they are part of a “new labor paradigm” that is “simply a matter of personal choice and private agreement” in which courts should not interfere. Wow. We need to keep her off the federal bench. Click on the link below to tell your senators to reject her nomination: Stop Janice Rogers Brown The senators who reached the deal to retain the right to filibuster agreed not to block President Bush’s judicial nominees except in “extraordinary cases.” It doesn’t get much more extraordinary than Janice Rogers Brown. Please urge your senators to keep her off the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit—the second-highest court we have. Click on the link below now: Stop Janice Rogers Brown Thank you for helping working families by opposing this extremist judge. In solidarity, Working Families e-Activist Network, AFL-CIO May 26, 2005

Senate Votes For Delay On Bolton Nomination

The final vote count of 62-56 on cloture of debate on the Bolton nomination fell short of the 60 votes the Republicans need to go to a final vote. This will put the vote off until after Congress' Memorial Day recess which lasts a week. This was another victory for the Democrats who were pressing for the delay which they say was becaue the Administration has yet to turn over more documents that they say are necessary to review claims that Bolton misused itelligence reports.Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) senior Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was quoted as saying: "We're ready to vote on the Bolton nomination if you give us requested information that we're entitled to in assessing whether or not Mr. Bolton should go to the U.N." Let's tell it like it is here. Bush and Frist lost big time this week in the Senate. First they were forced into a compromise on the nuclear option which no matter how the Republicans try to spin it this is a setback regarding future judicial appointments especially as it relates to the Supreme Court. And now today they couldn't garner the votes necessary to end debate and bring the Bolton nomination to the floor for a vote. Of course Frist was calling it a "filibuster" but no Bill it was NOT a filibuster it came down to the fact that you have lost a great deal of your influence with members of your own caucus or you would have easily gained the 60 votes you needed. As Mr. Rogers used to sing "IT'S A WONDERFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD"!!!

Cloture Fails On 56-42 Vote

Bolton Vote Delayed (6:49 P.M. EDT) Updates when available........... UPDATED 7:05 PM (EDT)........... On a vote of 56-42 the Republicans failed to get the 60 votes needed to end debate on John Bolton's confirmation as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, giving in to the demands of Democratic Senators that the Administration hand over more information. The confirmation vote will now be delayed until after the Memorial Day recess which lasts a week.

This Memorial Day Weekend, Please Remember Those Who Have Died Needlessly in Iraq Flag from 3dFlags.com

United States Slammed By Amnesty International

From Associated Press: Amnesty International Takes Aim at United States in Annual Human Rights Report Amnesty International branded the U.S. prison camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a human rights failure Wednesday, releasing a 308-page report that offers stinging criticism of the United States and its detention centers around the world. "Guantanamo has become the gulag of our time," Amnesty Secretary General Irene Khan said as the London-based group launched its annual report. Amnesty International called for the camp to be closed. The annual report accused the United States of shirking its responsibility to set the bar for human rights protections and said Washington has instead created a new lexicon for abuse and torture. "Attempts to dilute the absolute ban on torture through new policies and quasi-management speak, such as 'environmental manipulation, stress positions and sensory manipulation,' was one of the most damaging assaults on global values." Here is the flimsy US response mentioned in the same AP story to these damning criticisms: The U.S. government says it continues to be a leader in human rights, treating detainees humanely and investigating all claims of abuse, according to Navy Lt. Cmdr. Joe Carpenter, a spokesman for the Department of Defense. He had not seen the report and declined comment on it. This is the usual response to any criticism of this Administration's policy on anything they have to get away from in order to give themselves time to think up a more convincing lie.In its' introduction, amnesty International described this about the United States: The USA, as the unrivalled political, military and economic hyper-power, sets the tone for governmental behavior worldwide. When the most powerful country in the world thumbs its nose at the rule of law and human rights, it grants a license to others to commit abuse with impunity and audacity. From Israel to Uzbekistan, Egypt to Nepal, governments have openly defied human rights and international humanitarian law in the name of national security and "counter-terrorism". Unfortunately, this is definitely the case. Therefore, it only stands to reason that every tin-pot dictator in any country can now use this model of the United States' actions as justification for committing their own acts of abuse. Now, when King George uses his favorite line that "freedom and democracy is on the march" we now know he is really saying that the freedom to kill and torture is what is on the march, and other countries can now do so under the shadow of what the United States is doing with his authorization. You know? It is bad enough that this undermines the credibility of the United States throughout the world. The more horrifying fact is the untold numbers of people who are tortured, maimed and murdered using the justification that if the U.S. can do it so can we.

United States Slammed By Amnesty International

From Associated Press: Amnesty International Takes Aim at United States in Annual Human Rights Report Amnesty International branded the U.S. prison camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a human rights failure Wednesday, releasing a 308-page report that offers stinging criticism of the United States and its detention centers around the world. "Guantanamo has become the gulag of our time," Amnesty Secretary General Irene Khan said as the London-based group launched its annual report. Amnesty International called for the camp to be closed. The annual report accused the United States of shirking its responsibility to set the bar for human rights protections and said Washington has instead created a new lexicon for abuse and torture. "Attempts to dilute the absolute ban on torture through new policies and quasi-management speak, such as 'environmental manipulation, stress positions and sensory manipulation,' was one of the most damaging assaults on global values." Here is the flimsy US response mentioned in the same AP story to these damning criticisms: The U.S. government says it continues to be a leader in human rights, treating detainees humanely and investigating all claims of abuse, according to Navy Lt. Cmdr. Joe Carpenter, a spokesman for the Department of Defense. He had not seen the report and declined comment on it. This is the usual response to any criticism of this Administration's policy on anything they have to get away from in order to give themselves time to think up a more convincing lie. In its' introduction, Amnesty International described this about the United States: The USA, as the unrivalled political, military and economic hyper-power, sets the tone for governmental behavior worldwide. When the most powerful country in the world thumbs its nose at the rule of law and human rights, it grants a license to others to commit abuse with impunity and audacity. From Israel to Uzbekistan, Egypt to Nepal, governments have openly defied human rights and international humanitarian law in the name of national security and "counter-terrorism". Unfortunately, this is definitely the case. Therefore, it only stands to reason that every tin-pot dictator in any country can now use this model of the United States' actions as justification for committing their own acts of abuse. Now, when King George uses his favorite line that "freedom and democracy is on the march" we now know he is really saying that the freedom to kill and torture is what is on the march, and other countries can now do so under the shadow of what the United States is doing with his authorization. You know? It is bad enough that this undermines the credibility of the United States throughout the world. The more horrifying fact is the untold numbers of people who are tortured, maimed and murdered using the justification that if the U.S. can do it so can we.

Owens Confirmed By Senate

As agreed to in the compromise on judicial filibusters, the Senate as was expected, voted to confirm Priscilla Owen to the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals CBS News reported moments ago. Majority Leader Bill Frist,(R-TN.) of course is not satisfied with this at all as was expressed by his continued and now permanent whining combined with threats. He characterized the Texas Supreme Court justice as "a gentle woman, an accomplished lawyer, and a brilliant jurist" who in his jaded way of looking at things was "unconscionably denied an up-or-down vote" for four years. He then went on to also express regret that a deal brokered by a bipartisan group of 14 senators had sidetracked his attempt to permanently bar the minority from using the filibuster to block judicial nominations saying that the Democratic use of procedural delaying tactics to stop Owen and nine other Bush judicial nominees was "a new and dangerous course" and "a power grab of unprecedented proportions." Now that is really interesting seeing as how it was him and his fellow wingnuts of the far-right who was attempting to change the rules of the Senate in order to take control of another branch of the U.S. government. It is not enough for him that they already control both Houses of Congress, and the Presidency he also wants to control the Judicial branch so these dangerous fascists can turn the country into a theocracy run by the religious right. Democratic leader Harry Reid (D-Nev) on the other hand showed a refreshing voice of reason saying the Senate should put the filibuster dispute behind it and get back to work on other issues. "We should just move on," he said. "It's over with."

Self Described Neo-Con To Take Over Today Show

It's not bad enough that we have to put up with Fox News, the majority of AM radio and now PBS run by the radical wingnuts of the right now TVNewser tells us that they are taking over the Today Show as well. From the TVNewser piece: This morning I asked: "How are Today Show staffers responding to Noah Oppenheim's new producer position?" Some people are clearly unhappy. "How is the hell did Noah Oppenheim manage to fall into a producer position at the Today Show?," an e-mailer asks. "[At MSNBC] he was a joke...Even his own staff hated him. He didn't know the first thing about television." So how did he fall into the job? Perhaps here's an answer: "He used to work for [Executive in Charge of Today] Phil Griffin at MSNBC, so it makes sense, but it's an odd first move for Phil," an insider writes in. "Those liberals over at the Today Show will try and kill him." I wonder how Steve Capus feels? After all, Oppenheim left MSNBC in the wake of his infamous Weekly Standard piece, "when Nightly News executive producer Steve Capus and anchor Tom Brokaw complained openly that the article was unseemly coming from a NBC-affiliated news producer," the NY Observer reported in February. I hear that Capus has already been dissing Oppenheim. Another insider said he wonders what Brokaw would think... * Here is Oppenheim's Weekly Standard piece. Read it and come to your own conclusion. * Oppenheim is a "a self-identified neoconservative and onetime producer for Scarborough Country," the Observer adds. If they keep this up all we will have left is reality TV. Especially since the mainstream networks are all corporate owned, and they seem to even design their news programs to appeal to the baser side of life. After all it IS more important to report on "the runaway bride" and Michael Jackson rather than the illegal occupation of Iraq or the lies and manipulations of the Bush administration.

Dems Appear To Be Folding On Bolton Nomination

I don't know if this is an unpleasant aftermath of the lovey dovey agreement reached last night over the filibuster or what the story is, but Reuters is reporting: Democrats agreed on Tuesday to clear the way for the Senate to vote on the controversial nomination of John Bolton as the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, which was expected to pass mainly on party lines. This would allow the Senate to open debate as early as Wednesday on the nomination. Barbara Boxer, a California Democrat, lifted a procedural hold she had put on the nomination in an unsuccessful effort to wrest more documents on Bolton from the administration. "We're disappointed that we didn't get the information from the administration," said Boxer's spokeswoman Natalie Ravitz. But she said Boxer had agreed with Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware, the senior Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, to let the nomination come up for a Senate vote. This totally amazes me especially after the Democrats have been so highly critical of Bolton as a hard-line conservative ideologue and a bully who tried to pressure intelligence officials into making their findings support his political views. Either they know something we don't know, and the votes aren't there in the full Senate, or they have totally caved on their publicly declared stance on the Bolton nomination.

Is Frist Breaking Filibuster Deal Already?

Well if this is true, that sure didn't take long. I just had a feeling that no-good lying creep would fold and show himself for the lying hypocrite he is. Raw Story is reporting that Congress Daily states Frist intends to file for cloture on President Bush's nomination of William Myers to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals later this week, according to sources on and off Capitol Hill, wasting no time in testing the resolve of 14 Republican and Democratic senators who forced at least a temporary halt to the battle over Democratic filibusters of President Bush's judicial picks. This is being done even tho in the agreement reached last night it was stated that two judicial nominees - William G. Myers and Henry Saad - will be fillibustered or withdrawn.

House Passes Stem Cell Research Bill

AP reports that the House voted today 238-194 to lift limits on embryonic stem cell research, a measure supporters said could accelerate cures for diseases over the objections of President Bush and Tom DeLay. Bush has promised to veto the bill. In fact during his speech today, Bush said "We should not use public money to support the further destruction of human life." Ya right George, this is your policy right? If that's the case why the daily loss of human life in Iraq? What a damn hypocrite!!! And of course the other major hypocrite Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, said the embryonic research bill would force taxpayers to finance "the dismemberment of living, distinct human beings." Right Tom, why is it you people seem to voice your so-called concern for human life when referring to stem cells and embryos, but once a human being is involved you quickly forget all about your concern. Just take a look at the miriad of bills, too numerous to mention here, regarding everything from clean water and air to social security that show nothing but a callous disregard for human life. Supporters said many embryos that would be studied would otherwise be discarded rather than implanted and therefore the moral obligation rested on Congress to fund research that could lead to cures for diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Rep. James R. Langevin (D-RI) said "Being pro-life also means fighting for policies that will eliminate pain and suffering." Langevin was paralyzed at the age of 16 in a gun accident. MORE....

House Passes Stem Cell Research Bill

AP reports that the House voted today 238-194 to lift limits on embryonic stem cell research, a measure supporters said could accelerate cures for diseases over the objections of President Bush and Tom DeLay. In fact during his speech today, Bush said "We should not use public money to support the further destruction of human life." Ya right George, this is your policy right? If that's the case why the daily loss of human life in Iraq? What a damn hypocrite!!! And of course the other major hypocrite Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, said the embryonic research bill would force taxpayers to finance "the dismemberment of living, distinct human beings." Right Tom, why is it you people seem to voice your so-called concern for human life when referring to stem cells and embryos, but once a human being is involved you quickly forget all about your concern. Just take a look at the miriad of bills, too numerous to mention here, regarding everything from clean water and air to social security that show nothing but a callous disregard for human life. Supporters said many embryos that would be studied would otherwise be discarded rather than implanted and therefore the moral obligation rested on Congress to fund research that could lead to cures for diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Rep. James R. Langevin (D-RI) said "Being pro-life also means fighting for policies that will eliminate pain and suffering." Langevin was paralyzed at the age of 16 in a gun accident. MORE....

Five Star Link

Every once in a while I come across a link for a website I feel is excellent, and should be brought to the attention of others. So starting today I am implementing what I am calling Five Star Link. When a new link comes to my attention, I will be featuring it in a post. I am also going to open this up to readers of this blog. If you come across a link email it to me HERE and I will investigate it and possibly feature it in my Five Star Link post. So now that I have explained the purpose, here is my first pick: The Downing Street Memo Here is a DESCRIPTION directly from their opening page: The Downing Street "Memo" is actually a document containing meeting minutes transcribed during the British Prime Minister's meeting on July 23, 2002—a full eight months PRIOR to the invasion of Iraq on March 20, 2003. The Times Of London printed the text of this document on Sunday, May 1, 2005, but to date US media coverage has been limited. This site is intended to act as a resource for anyone who wants to understand the facts revealed in this document. The contents of the memo are shocking. The minutes detail how our government did not believe Iraq was a greater threat than other nations; how intelligence was "fixed" to sell the case for war to the American public; and how the Bush administration’s public assurances of "war was a last resort." were at odds with their privately stated intentions. When asked, British officials "did not dispute the document's authenticity." and a senior American official has described it as "absolutely accurate." Yet the Bush administration continues to simultaneously sidestep the issue while attempting to cast doubt on the memo’s authenticity. Nobody wants to go to war. We trust our leaders to shed blood in our name only when absolutely necessary. But the facts revealed by the Downing Street Memo force us to ask ourselves: Was I misled? Did President Bush tell me the truth when he said he would not take us to war unless absolutely necessary? More than two years after the start of the Iraq War, Americans are just learning that our government was dead set on invasion, even while it claimed to be pursuing diplomacy. Please join us in demanding that we get to the bottom of this issue. Sound interesting? It sure does to me, but you decide. Head on over to The Downing Steet Memo and check it out for yourself.

Frist Still Threatening Nuclear Option

Even though he claimed that he was not threatening, Bill Frist is quoted as saying "Let me very clear. The constitutional option remains on the table. It remains an option. I will not hesitate to use it, if necessary. It should be used as a last resort, he added, admitting that no one wants to go there. "But it is the only response if there is a change in behavior like we saw in the last Congress," First said. Well Bill that sure as hell sounds like a threat to me. I said it at the time the compromise was announced, and I say it again. I don't trust this bunch of Republican liars as far as I can throw them. I do however, believe that of the 7 Republican Senators there are probably at least 4 that would vote against Frist if he tries to pull this crap. My guess is that the only reason Frist is still threatening is because he has received word from the Dobson crackpots that there will be no support for him in his expected presidential bid if he lets this kind of compromise happen again. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid said he supports the memorandum of understanding reached last night. Frist made a point of saying he did not "sign on" in his floor speech today. In response to the "threat" made by Frist, Reid said he was disappointed about Frist's "threats" to bring it back. "Let's move on and do the Senate's business." MORE....

Where Is The Outrage Over The Tillman Lie

Via Editor And Publisher Where, in the week after the Great Newsweek Error, is the comparable outrage in the press, in the blogosphere, and at the White House over the military's outright lying in the coverup of the death of former NFL star Pat Tillman? Where are the calls for apologies to the public and the firing of those responsible? Who is demanding that the Pentagon's word should never be trusted unless backed up by numerous named and credible sources? Where is a Scott McClellan lecture on ethics and credibility? The Tillman scandal is back in the news thanks not to the military coming clean but because of a newspaper account. Ironically, the newspaper in question, The Washington Post,which has taken the lead on this story since last December, is big brother to Newsweek. The Post's Josh White reported this week that Tillman's parents are now ripping the Army, saying that the military's investigations into their son's 2004 friendly fire death in Afghanistan was a sham based on "lies" and that the Army cover-up made it harder for them to deal with their loss. They are speaking out now because they have finally had a chance to look at the full records of the military probe. "Tillman's mother and father said in interviews that they believe the military and the government created a heroic tale about how their son died to foster a patriotic response across the country," White reported. While military officials' lying to the parents have gained wide publicity in the past two days, hardly anyone has mentioned that they also lied to the public and to the press, which dutifully carried one report after another based on the Pentagon's spin. Should we be surprised that the Pentagon lied? Of course not since it went under the control of Bush/Rumsfeld that seems to be the only thing they now how to do effectively. Perhaps they should take a little more time being honest with the public, the families, and making sure these troops have the equipment they need and less time figuring out how to use their financial rescources to coverup their misdeeds.

One Last Comment

Via Kos : There are those who think any compromise is a sign of weakness, and there's little that can be said to change their mind. But here are the plain, unspun facts: * Democrats hold 44 seats in the 100 seat Senate. One independent sides with the Democrats, giving Dems a 10-seat deficit. * Reid had 49 votes. He needed 51 to defeat Frist's nuclear option. * Reid needed at least two of four undecided Republicans. * Had Reid come up short, the filibuster would be dead in judicial matters. * If the filibuster was dead, Bush would've been able to put anyone on the Supreme Court. Anyone. * Radical Christian Rightist James Dobson is demanding the right to choose the next Supreme Court nominee. * Dobson's biggest enemy is the filibuster. Hence, he forced Frist to engage in the nuclear option. * Because of the deal, Dobson can't choose the next Supreme Court justice. Bush's choice, if too extreme, faces the prospect of a filibuster. In order to save face, Republicans have gotten up or down votes on most of the handful of judges who are currently being filibustered. It's a price, but a relatively small one to pay to protect the filibuster during the next Supreme Court battle. Given that we have a 10-seat deficit in the Senate, that's no small feat. Well said. I would urge you to go to DailyKos and read the comments to his analysis of the deal. There you will get a look at the pro and con thoughts from our side of the compromise. If you take the time to do this, you will find most of the progressive "reality based community" posts intelligent and fact-based comments that distinguish themselves intellectually from the hate-filled and whiney comments you have read in my posts from the right-wing blogs.

Note To Bill Frist: You Suck

It looks like the handwringing and crying are still going on over in freepsville. This post from Shot In The Dark really takes Bill Frisk to task: To: Bill Frist, US Senate. From: Mitch Berg, Schmuck Citizen and pissed-off former GOP contributor Re: Your Infinite Cretinism Senator Frist, Mitch Berg here. You probably don't know who I am; I'm a typical schmuck. I write a blog, and I try to pitch in on GOP activities around Minnesota. And on behalf of the entire GOP, I'm having a hard time seeing an upside to this deal right now. At first - and second, and tenth - glance, it looks like you've sold out your party. No, not just the party; not just the assembly of suits and climbers and hangers-on that no doubt surrounds you at work every day. No, I'm talking about all of us who busted our asses overcoming a full-court media press (and continue to do so), and gave of our time and money until it hurt - hurt our wallets, our families, our relationships, our equilibrium. We gave them all with enthusiasm because we knew what was at stake; a whole generation of Supreme Court decisions. So we gave. And you took. And today, you looked us all in the face, and spat. Reading Michelle and John and Ed, I'm about as depressed as I can be. We won you a majority, pinhead. What the hell good is it? You think the Democrats are going to abide by your little gentleman's agreement? You got conned. You entered into an agreement with a Klansman, a drunk machine hack and a party bag man. You are the Neville Chamberlain of my generation. I don't believe in Karma, but I believe what goes around comes around. And I guess you demonstrate it, Frist. The Democrats elect a pinhead doctor to lead their party - I guess it's only fair we did, too. Thank God for Tom Delay. The least you could do is make it hard for the Dems to neutralize you, rather than walking off the cliff into the kool-aid vat on your own. Captain Ed is right. Not one more dime. You have made me ashamed to be a Republican. Oh, I'll bounce back. We all will - most of us, anyway. We'll have to. Because you showed us today - the grass roots have got to do it for themselves; we'll get no help from hamsters like you. Sincerely - go back to medicine. Mitch Berg Saint Paul. I only have one comment for this guy......WAAAAAAAAAAA BOO HOO

Fiengold Disappointed In Compromise

It is not only the Republican right that is disappointed with the compromise reached tonight over the filibuster debate. Russ Feingold (D-Wisc) has also voiced his displeasure however unlike the hate-filled responses from the Republican side Feingold's statement does have some validity to it. This is not a good deal for the U.S. Senate or for the American people. Democrats should have stood together firmly against the bullying tactics of the Republican leadership abusing their power as they control both houses of Congress and the White House. Confirming unacceptable judicial nominations is simply a green light for the Bush administration to send more nominees who lack the judicial temperament or record to serve in these lifetime positions. I value the many traditions of the Senate, including the tradition of bipartisanship to forge consensus. I do not, however, value threatening to disregard an important Senate tradition, like occasional unlimited debate, when necessary. I respect all my colleagues very much who thought to end this playground squabble over judges, but I am disappointed in this deal. As you can see Russ has a valid point regarding the bullying tactics used by the Republican leadership. His concerns are real, and that is why it is so very important to not stop here. Getting a vote on the Senate floor does not have to mean confirmation. As PFAW pointed out in the email I posted earlier it is important to contact and tell the Republicans who signed the compromise agreement that these nominees are far out of the mainstream and do not deserve a lifetime appointment to the judiciary.

Defeat These Radical Nominees Says PFAW

People For the American Way has sent the following email and I thought I would share the complete comments with you since I feel it concerns a matter of great importance: First thing’s first: we defused the “nuclear option!” Back when most of the public had no idea what Senate Majority Leader Frist was planning, and many progressives had written off any chance to save the filibuster, you fought with “People For” to raise the profile of this battle and turn it around. You were part of the checks and balances. This conclusion to our nuclear confrontation has flaws, but we have preserved the filibuster for future nomination battles – particularly the Supreme Court. We must now move together to defeat the radical nominees who will have a vote on the Senate floor. As a result of the agreement reached by seven Republicans and seven Democrats, Priscilla Owen, Janice Rogers Brown and William Pryor were, unfortunately, promised votes. These are out-of-the-mainstream jurists who threaten our rights and liberties. Justice Priscilla Owen has a consistent record of judicial activism in favor of corporations and against consumers and individual rights. Even her current and former colleagues have criticized her efforts to rewrite the law from the bench to impose her own beliefs. Justice Janice Rogers Brown has a record of hostility to workers’ rights and victims of discrimination. She said that 1937 (the year that the courts upheld New Deal legislation) "mark[ed] the triumph of our own socialist revolution." William Pryor is a leading architect of the recent "states’ rights" or "federalism" movement to limit the authority of Congress to enact laws protecting individual and other rights. He has advocated the view that the Constitution should not apply to some of the most critical issues pertaining to individual rights and freedoms — including reproductive choice, gay rights, and school prayer — and that these matters should be decided by the states, based on majority vote, regardless of whether constitutional rights are violated. More on the nominees HERE To prevent confirmation of these nominees, we will need every Senate Democrat, the one independent senator, and at least six Republican senators to oppose. So we must forcefully make our case to every Senator in the chamber who will listen to reason – especially those who were involved in the compromise. The negotiators are Senators Byrd, DeWine, Nelson, Lincoln, Landrieu, Lieberman, Salazar, Inouye, Warner, McCain, Snowe, Collins, Graham and Chafee. Many Republican senators had openly expressed their doubts about the wisdom of the nuclear option. Now that they have guaranteed votes to some of the filibustered nominees, we must convince them that those nominees do not deserve confirmation. It’s up to us to make sure that getting a vote does not mean getting confirmed. Democratic Senators who played a role in the deal should take the lead in opposing these awful nominees. They have an obligation to demand that those with whom they made the deal explain why confirming these divisive nominees is a good thing for America. Thank you again for your time, funds and commitment. Everyone in Washington knows what a formidable team we have become, and progressive leaders around the nation (including prominent elected officials) have showered praise and thanks upon our efforts. You should know how much credit your work has garnered. Ralph Neas President

Senate Agreement "A Complete Bailout And Betrayal" Says Dobson

Poor James Dobson. I guess he doesn't like the fact that the compromise reached in the Senate over the filibuster will set back his right-wing Christian Conservative plans to take over the United States via the Judicial system. In a press release this evening from Focus on the Family he makes his displeasure known in no uncertain terms. "This Senate agreement represents a complete bailout and betrayal by a cabal of Republicans and a great victory for united Democrats. Only three of President Bush’s nominees will be given the courtesy of an up-or-down vote, and it's business as usual for all the rest. The rules that blocked conservative nominees remain in effect, and nothing of significance has changed. Justice Clarence Thomas, Justice Antonin Scalia, and Chief Justice William Rehnquist would never have served on the U. S. Supreme Court if this agreement had been in place during their confirmations. The unconstitutional filibuster survives in the arsenal of Senate liberals. "We are grateful to Majority Leader Frist for courageously fighting to defend the vital principle of basic fairness. That principle has now gone down to defeat. We share the disappointment, outrage and sense of abandonment felt by millions of conservative Americans who helped put Republicans in power last November. I am certain that these voters will remember both Democrats and Republicans who betrayed their trust." Well I say too damn bad Mr. Dobson. Looks like your plans for a theocracy form of government just fell by the wayside. The Democratic leadership just wiped the floor with you and your Christian Taliban brethren. The crankiness from the Christian Right continues with this comment from right-wing mouthpiece and former Presidential candidate Gary Bauer: "Under this agreement it is now more likely that radical social change will continue to be forced on the American people by liberal courts committed to same sex marriage, abortion on demand and hostility to religious expression. The Republicans who lent their names to this travesty have undercut their President as well as millions of their most loyal voters. Shame on them all." It looks to me like some Republican Senators will need to look for a new source of money come the next election cycle. If I were them I wouldn't count on getting any from their so-called Christian Conservative base. The Christian Coalition is not alone in this defeat. It looks like George Bush also got slapped down on this one. During his press conference from the White House with Hamai Karzai today, Bush pushed hard -- again -- for the nuclear option: "My job is to pick people who will interpret the Constitution, not use the bench from which to write laws. And I expect them to get an up or down vote, that's what I expect. And I think the American people expect that as well -- people ought to have a fair hearing and they ought to get an up or down vote on the floor." Well sorry George it looks like you just got handed a mighty slapdown. Perhaps you will now get the message and when the time comes to send nominees to the Senate for the Supreme Court you will take heed and appoint more center of the political spectrum nominees. If not you can well expect to see the filibuster used and used to its' fullest extent.

Right-Wing Blogs Are Pissed!!!

Well it looks like the "Nuclear Option" went off with a big bang on the far-right conservative blogs, and they are NOT HAPPY. Crooks And Liars lays out the complete anger for all to see. John Assrocket err I mean Hindracker over at Powerline says: What a hideous deal! The Democrats have agreed to cloture on only three nominees, and they have made no commitment not to filibuster in the future, if there are "extraordinary circumstances." Of course, the Dems think any nominee who is a Republican is "extraordinary." The Dems have just wriggled off the hook on some of the nominees that, politically, some of them did not want to be seen voting against. Someone explain to me why the Republicans haven't been rolled once again. To me, it looks like a pathetic collapse on the part of the Republicans--not the leadership, but Senators like McCain who sold out their party. Looks good on ya Johnnyboy!! There's more. Take a look at this comment from Confirmthem.com This deal is a load of cr@! It is not compromise, but capitulation. And I say that as somebody who did agree that a certain form of compromise was acceptable. But this compromise treats a couple of nominees, Saad and Myers, as pawns. It makes them not people, but expendable objects. And that is unconscionable. And of course the sour diva of the right Michelle Malkin whined The GOP parade of pusillanimity marches on. With this pathetic cave-in, the Republicans have sealed their fate as a Majority in Name Only. Want some more? I gladly give it. From Free Republic here Jelly F-ing spined jacka**es!!!!!!!!!!! Any compromise on THIS issue is SURRENDER. Frist just lost the RNC nomination. He's the fool who dragged this out until the f***ing RINOs got their posies arranged all pretty... Can you just feel the love? Oh what the hell here's another 'cause I am enjoying this victory sooooo much. From Captain's Quarters Frist: Deal will require "careful monitoring". For what? You just gave away the store! Frist is continuing to spin this into a win for the nominees, but it's not going to fly. The Democrats blocked at least two of the nominees and made no substantive guarantees to stop their obstructionism. This, in short, has been a clear victory for the Democrats and a massive failure for the GOP and the White House. The GOP just endorsed the filibuster, and will have no intellectual capacity to argue against its use later on. They sold the Constitution just to get less than half of its blockaded nominees through, and the result will be much less flexibility on future Supreme Court nominations. And last but not least, Scared Monkeys sums up all the outrage with this headline: COMPROMISE REACHED! REPUBLICANS SCREWED! Yup you phony bunch of tag-alongs, that is your much ballyhooed Republicans with all their so-called "deep convictions" on the filibuster at work. I say, GET OVER IT!!! Every damn one of you hypocrites run around like you own this country, and everyone else who doesn't agree with your philosophy shouldn't even dain to breathe the same air as you let alone exist. How does it feel to have your own arrogance rammed right back down your collective throats? Well it looks good on the whole lot of you.

14 Senators Announce Filibuster Compromise

ABC News/AP is reporting: Averting a showdown, centrists from both parties reached agreement Monday night on a compromise that clears the way for confirmation votes on many of President Bush's stalled judicial nominees, leaves others in limbo and preserves venerable Senate filibuster rules. "In a Senate that is increasingly polarized, the bipartisan center held," said Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn. "The Senate is back in business," echoed Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., one of 14 senators who signed the two-page memorandum of agreement, which cited "mutual trust and confidence." According to their report, the compromise involves the Democtrats would oppose any attempt to filibuster and thereby blocking final votes on the confirmation of Priscilla Owen, Janice Rogers Brown and William Pryor. As for any future nominees, they would "only be filibustered under extraordinary circumstances," with each Democrat senator holding the discretion to decide when those conditions had been met. In return, the Senate Republicans said they would oppose any attempt to make changes in the application of filibuster rules. Personally I wouldn't trust the Republicans as far as I could throw them, but I do have a great deal of faith in Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, and if it passes his smell test, I guess it is ok. Having said that however, I wish they had not compromised at all with these jerks and forced a showdown. However I suspect they are seeing the same polls the Republicans see which show a very high unfavorable rating regarding the work of congress. People just don't care about their squabble over senate rules. They want action on the high price of gas, medicare and prescription drugs, and the economy. Unfortunately the American public does not realize that this only paves the way for Bush attempt to get extreme right-wing judges on the Supreme Court. I only hope the Democrats meant what they said about reserving the right to fillibuster future nominees "under extraordinary circumstances". In his comments regarding the compromise agreement, Senator Reid said: "We have sent President George Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and the radical right of the Republican party an undeniable message….the abuse of power will not be tolerated." He went on to point out that even though he welcomed the agreement, he remains opposed to some of the nominees who will now likely take seats on the appeals court. The 14 Senators who joined to reach this compromise were: McCain, Ben Nelson, Pryor, Warner, Byrd, Graham, Snowe, DeWine, Lieberman, Landrieu, Collins, Salazar, Inouye and Chafee.

A compromise has been reached to avoid a showdown on President Bush's stalled judicial nominees and the Senate's own filibuster rules. Updates when available.... UPDATE 8:08 P.M. EDT CBS News is reporting that anonymous sources are saying: Centrists from both parties reached a compromise Monday night to avoid a showdown on President Bush's stalled judicial nominees and the Senate's own filibuster rules, officials from both parties said.

SENATE BRIEFLY EVACUATED DUE TO CONCERNS ABOUT SMALL PLANE Updates when available.......... UPDATE 7:33 PM EDT From Associated Press The Senate recessed for a brief period Monday after an unidentified aircraft entered Washington's restricted airspace, two weeks after another plane caused emergency evacuations of the White House and Capitol. There was no evacuation this time. The private Cessna was intercepted by military jets and later landed in Gaithersburg, Md., north of the capital, the Homeland Security Department said. According to the AP report: Capitol Police sent out an e-mail reading: ``An unidentified aircraft violated the restricted airspace and was escorted out of the area.''

What Happened To Galloway's Testimony?

Does anyone else find it just a bit strange that everybody's testimony in front of Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs is out in the public in the U.S. but George Galloway's (a member of the U.K. Parliament) is glaring in its' omission? In fact the website for the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs has removed testimony from UK Member of Parliament George Galloway from its website. How very strange that all other witness testimonies for the hearings on the Oil for Food scandal are available on the Committee's website in PDF form. But Galloway's testimony is the only document not on the site. In fact if you go to their website, you get this: Title: Oil For Influence: How Saddam Used Oil to Reward Politicians Under the United Nations Oil-for-Food Program [snip...] Panel 2 George Galloway , Member of Parliament for Bethnal Green and Bow , Great Britain Mr Galloway did not submit a statement. In fact, vnunet.com reports on the missing testimony with this headline: Galloway Senate testimony PDF goes AWOL Now you may say to yourself "well obviously he didn't submit a statement". Well, quite to the contrary, you can see for yourself in this video, that Galloway even refers to the statement. From the transcript of that video the only difference is he uses the British term "dossier" as he waves a stack of papers at the committee: "I do hope you will avail yourself of this dossier that I have produced, particularly you, Senator Levin." Well thankfully, the Bush Administration cannot influence the British press the way they silence our MSM. For the entire transcript, you can go to the U.K.'s Times Online here, and read the entire transcript of his testimony. Here are a few excerpts: "Senator, I am not now, nor have I ever been, an oil trader. And neither has anyone on my behalf. I have never seen a barrel of oil, owned one, bought one, sold one - and neither has anyone on my behalf." "Now I know that standards have slipped in the last few years in Washington, but for a lawyer you are remarkably cavalier with any idea of justice. I am here today but last week you already found me guilty. You traduced my name around the world without ever having asked me a single question, without ever having contacted me, without ever written to me or telephoned me, without any attempt to contact me whatsoever. And you call that justice." Quite a scathing opening statement I would say. Galloway goes on to outright accuse the committee and its' Chairman Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN), of a cover-up , or at the very least not investigating and reporting that it was U.S. corporations (and also Bush oil interest buddies and supporters) that profited from the oil-for-food program and the scandal it has caused: "If the world had listened to Kofi Annan, whose dismissal you demanded, if the world had listened to President Chirac who you want to paint as some kind of corrupt traitor, if the world had listened to me and the anti-war movement in Britain, we would not be in the disaster that we are in today. Senator, this is the mother of all smokescreens. You are trying to divert attention from the crimes that you supported, from the theft of billions of dollars of Iraq's wealth." "Have a look at the real Oil-for-Food scandal. Have a look at the 14 months you were in charge of Baghdad, the first 14 months when $8.8 billion of Iraq's wealth went missing on your watch. Have a look at Haliburton and other American corporations that stole not only Iraq's money, but the money of the American taxpayer." "Have a look at the oil that you didn't even meter, that you were shipping out of the country and selling, the proceeds of which went who knows where? Have a look at the $800 million you gave to American military commanders to hand out around the country without even counting it or weighing it." "Have a look at the real scandal breaking in the newspapers today, revealed in the earlier testimony in this committee. That the biggest sanctions busters were not me or Russian politicians or French politicians. The real sanctions busters were your own companies with the connivance of your own Government." I apologize for the length of this post, but to me it was necessary in order to point out that this is just yet another example of the lying and misrepresentation foisted upon the American people by the Republican controlled Administration and its' enablers in the Republican controlled Senate and its' committees.

Democrats The Equivalent Of Hitler Says Santorum

Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) today on the floor of the Senate compared Democrats to Hitler over their attempts to keep the filibuster saying "What the Democrats are doing is "the equivalent of Adolph Hitler in 1942 saying, 'I'm in Paris. How dare you invade me. How dare you bomb my city? It's mine.' This is no more the rule of the senate than it was the rule of the senate before not to filibuster." Now will you please explain to me why it is ok for him to compare Democrats to Hitler and his Nazis but it was just oh so "outrageous and reprehensible" when Sen. Byrd compared the Republicans this way. Said Santorum over Byrd's remarks as reported by The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review back on March 3rd. "Senator Byrd's inappropriate remarks comparing his Republican colleagues with Nazis are inexcusable," Santorum said in a statement yesterday. "These comments lessen the credibility of the senator and the decorum of the Senate. He should retract his statement and ask for pardon." Can you say do as I say not as I do Ricky? Does anyone else find it just a bit more than a coincidence that Republicans and their mouthpieces seem to be relying on this Hitler comparison an awful lot lately? We had the ultimate Republican schill Robert Novak back on May 14th during the program Capital Gang saying this regarding any deal being struck over the filibuster "[It's] like going to a concentration camp and picking out which people go to the death chamber. You're not going to let the Democrats do that, say, We're going to -- we're going to confirm this person, we're not going to confirm the other person. They're going to -- they're going to say that this is not the way we're going to do it. They've had all kinds of different offers of that kind." Then of course we had Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform comparing the estate tax to the Holocaust as reported by The Carpetbagger Report . It looks to me like this is the latest talking points memo that must have been sent out to the Republican talking heads. Unfortunately they are also offending millions of families who suffered and lost loved ones at the hands of the real Nazis and by trivializing that horrible period of history over nothing more than a Republican power-grab is what is "outragious and reprehensible".

Hypocrisy Still Abounds In Republican Party

George, Mary and Karl OH MY!! Apparently there are no bounds to far-out for the hypocrisy of the Republicans these days. On one side they court the Religious Right and now on the other side they are courting the porn industry. It seems that porn star Mary Carey and her boss from Kick Ass Productions Mark Kulkis will be joining President Bush and Karl Rove for dinner in Washington on June 14th. Mary Carey you may remember launched a bid for Governor of California last election cycle so I guess this makes it legitimate to get an invite to the event which is organized by the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) where recommendations on important national issues are going to be discussed. Gee I wonder if they will be seated at the same table as Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, and while their at it, put Gary Bauer and Jeff Gannon/Guckert or whatever name he is using these days at the same table also. And just what does the well endowed errrr I mean informed Ms. Carey have to say about her reasoning for attending the event? "I'm hoping to run as Lieutenant Governor of California next year," Carey said. "Since Arnold {Schwarzenegger} is a Republican, I thought this dinner would be a great networking opportunity for me." This is just too good. A GOP gubinatorial ticket headed by the Gropinator with a porn star as his Lieutenant! Carey went on to say, "I'm especially looking forward to meeting Karl Rove. Smart men like him are so sexy. I know that he's against gay marriage, but I think I can convince him that a little girl-on-girl action now and then isn't so bad!" This is just too precious. Little Karl with some "girl on girl" action. What next film at eleven? Forgive me if I gag, but Karl Rove sexy? Now if this isn't hypocritical enough for you, how about this little tidbit from the article. Mark Kulkis serves as an Honorary Chairman on the NRCC’s Business Advisory Council, a group of business people who advocate a progressive, pro-business agenda. His company produces hardcore adult videos with a guarantee of “No Fake Boobs & No Condoms.” You can read the entire story HERE

Filibuster Must Be Protected - PFAW

People For The American Way is fighting for the right to protect the use of the filibuster option in the Senate, and condemning Senator Frist for threatening to use the Republican named "Nuclear Option". PFAW has released the following statement by email We told you Sen. Frist would begin his nuclear countdown this week, and as you read this he is using one extreme judicial nominee, with more to follow, to launch the rule-breaking plan. You may have also heard in media reports that some senators have been discussing ways to avoid a nuclear showdown. Our position remains simple: the filibuster must be protected to prevent our courts from being packed with right wing judges who would turn back the clock on decades of social justice progress. The filibuster is a critical part of our system of checks and balances, a tool for the minority to prevent out-of-the-mainstream judges from taking lifetime positions on the federal bench. The nominee being debated - Priscilla Owen - has a record of pushing a right-wing agenda hostile to individual rights and Senate Democrats are right to filibuster her nomination. Furthermore, People For the American Way Foundation continues to provide research that describes how the "Nuclear Option" could break at least six senate rules and precedents, concluding that the senate Republican leaders plan to break the Rules in an attempt to change them for momentary partisan advantage." Since Sen. Frist is steering the Senate into dangerous and uncharted territory, the timing is unclear. Debate on the Nuclear Option may continue into next week please watch for upcoming alerts as the vote may occur quickly. Meanwhile, the senate must hear from us! I would urge you to support PFAW by supporting the PFAW campaign or participate in their Massive Immediate Response. You can also sign their petition HERE. Signatures will be hand-delivered to key Republican Senators, and also the signatures from your state will be delivered to your own Senators.