Last evening, on the friday PBS newshour segment with Mark Shields and David Brooks, both commentators gave their prediction that (unless something serious arises to change the picture) both houses will change hands in three weeks. We'll see. But it isn't as if these two fellows are poorly informed.
One could argue that the last while has seen some very lucky circumstances for the democrats...the NIE, the statements by people like Baker, Powell, the Brit general, various American military people, the Foley matter, the drip of judgements/revelations re Abramoff, and now the recent book by DiIulio's second at Faith Based Initiatives.
But that isn't really a matter of luck at all. It would be more properly understood as America having reached a point where, rather like a Lada buyer having driven thirty thousand miles, the wheels come off. Each one of these "unlucky" events are the inevitable consequence of incompetence, corruption, dishonesty and a motivation to "govern" with the primary interest and strategy of gaining and holding power.
The Foley matter and the Faith Based book are double hits for the modern Republican machine because they will not only hurt broadly at the voting booths (moving more independent voters and reducing the number of those even coming out to vote who voted Republican previously) but also because they strike directly at portions of the religious right who have not merely been dependable voters for the Republicans but perhaps even moreso because they have been a dedicated and efficacious part of the Republican get out the vote ground game.
And crap like this - there has been so much of it - doesn't help...
Quote:Science Ignored, Again
Published: October 14, 2006
The Bush administration loves to talk about the virtues of "sound science," by which it usually means science that buttresses its own political agenda. But when some truly independent science comes along to threaten that agenda, the administration often ignores or minimizes it. The latest example involves the Environmental Protection Agency's decision to reject the recommendations of experts inside and outside the government who had urged a significant tightening of federal standards regulating the amount of soot in the air.
At issue were so-called fine particles, tiny specks of soot that are less than one-thirtieth the diameter of a human hair. They penetrate deep into the lungs and circulatory system and have been implicated in tens of thousands of deaths annually from both respiratory and coronary disease. The E.P.A., obliged under the Clean Air Act to set new exposure levels every five years, tightened the daily standard. But it left unchanged the annual standard, which affects chronic exposure and which the medical community regards as more important.
In so doing, the agency rejected the recommendation of its own staff scientists and even that of its Clean Air Scientific Advisory Council, a 22-member group of outside experts that had recommended a significant tightening of the standards. Stephen Johnson, the agency administrator, claimed there was "insufficient evidence" linking health problems to long-term exposure. He added that "wherever the science gave us a clear picture, we took clear action," noting also that "there was not complete agreement on the standard."
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/14/opinion/14sat1.html
And the crap of this variety...
Quote:As the US rejected fresh British government criticism of Guantanamo Bay, an American soldier has made new charges that military guards brutally treated inmates at the controversial top security prison for terrorist suspects in south-eastern Cuba.
In a sworn affidavit, Heather Cerveny, a 23-year-old Marine Corps sergeant, says she met several prison guards at a club on the base where they told her over drinks of harsh abuse of detainees, she said the guards claimed the abuse was both commonplace and justified. The allegations are now being investigated by US Southern Command, under whose jurisdiction Guantanamo Bay falls.
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article1870834.ece
There was a time when the US could sit in blissful peace and prosperity, isolated like a big island, while its corporate and military entities marched about the rest of the world, sometimes helpfully but far too often like selfish and stupid playground bullies.
Not any more.
Still amazed at the inability of Bush-bashers to read thread titles or demonstrate any propriety in what they post or any semblance of courtesy, let's get back on track.
I am beginning to see a lot more pieces like this one around the fringes. The GOP is not nearly as proficient as the Democrats at damage control, but at least they do seem to be starting to fight back. It may be too little too late, but its sure better than being the cowering wimps they've been for far too long:
GOP Firing Back?SOURCE
Foxfyre wrote:Still amazed at the inability of Bush-bashers to read thread titles or demonstrate any propriety in what they post or any semblance of courtesy, let's get back on track.
The GOP has no excuse letting itself be seen as a party of scandal.
I'm still amazed at the sandbox mentality of these delusional conservatives. They're like children, unable to think. All they can do is parrot talking points invented by one or the other of them.
How is it even possible for any sentient person to expect that they will not be given the facts in a public forum? Has anyone from the "opposite" side ever suggested such a bone-headed idea?
Their ship is scummy, stem to stern and still all we hear are pathetic excuses. The GOP will do what they've done from day 1, lie, distort, attack, do anything to deceive the American public but the facts speak for themselves. THE GOP IS THE PARTY OF SCANDAL, big time!
Quote:
Kerry says GOP lied about Foley, Iraq
By HOLLY RAMER, Associated Press Writer Fri Oct 13, 11:03 PM ET
MANCHESTER, N.H. - Sen.
John Kerry, a potential presidential candidate in 2008, likened the congressional page scandal to the war in
Iraq and the handling of
North Korea, saying that Republicans have lied repeatedly.
ADVERTISEMENT
"A lie, a lie, a lie, a lie. What we have in Washington is a house of lies, and in November, we need to clean house," Kerry, D-Mass., said Friday night during the New Hampshire Democratic Party's annual fall fundraising dinner.
...
Responding to the speech, Wayne Semprini, chairman of the New Hampshire Republican State Committee, said Americans didn't buy what Kerry and the Democrats said in 2004.
"The fact that they have failed to come up with any new ideas in the past four years assures that they are once again headed for defeat," Semprini said.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061014/ap_on_el_se/kerry;_ylt=Ajy9oMmhb9z_Epv53oRQJeCyFz4D;_ylu=X3oDMTA0cDJlYmhvBHNlYwM-
Listen to Mr Semprini. The same old ridiculous talking points. Every idea that the current administration and Congress has come up with over the last six years has been a dismal failure. And this idiot thinks that the American people ought to reward this degree of incompetence. Sounds like a ticoism.
Blotham is apparently suffering from a lack of blood to the brain.
Blotham, as a refugee from Canada, knows very little about American politics. He thinks he knows all about the USA living there in Manhattan but he soon may learn that there are many people that do not live in the drug infested streets of Manhattan. They are the real Americans. Blotham does not know this. But, he may be interested in the abortive attempt by Foley to change his fortunes and the fortunes of his party. It is rumored that before Foley resigned he considered changing his party label thinking that he would not be criticized as a Democrat. He may have been correct.
If Foley had been protected as Studds was, there would have been no problem.
Studds, 1st Openly Gay Congressman, Dies
By JAY LINDSAY, Associated Press Writer
2 hours ago
BOSTON - Former Rep. Gerry Studds, who became the first openly gay member of Congress when his homosexuality was exposed during a teenage page sex scandal, died early Saturday. He was 69.
Studds died at Boston Medical Center several days after he collapsed while walking his dog, his husband said. Doctors determined his loss of consciousness was due to a blood clot in his lung, Dean Hara said.
Studds regained consciousness and seemed to be improving, but his condition deteriorated Friday because of a second blood clot. The origin of the second clot was not immediately determined, said Hara, who married Studds shortly after same-sex marriage was legalized in Massachusetts in 2004.
Hara said Studds gave courage to gay people by winning re-election after publicly acknowledging his homosexuality.
"He gave people of his generation, of my generation, of future generations, the courage to do whatever they wanted to do," said Hara, 49.
Studds was first elected in 1972 and represented Cape Cod and the Islands, New Bedford, and the South Shore for 12 Congressional terms. He retired from Congress in 1997.
In his early career, Studds was known for opposing the Vietnam War and military intervention in Central America. Studds later became an advocate for a stronger federal response to the AIDS crisis and was among the first members of Congress to endorse lifting the ban on gays serving in the military.
In 1983, Studds acknowledged his homosexuality after a 27-year-old man disclosed that he and Studds had had a sexual relationship a decade earlier when the man was a teenage congressional page.
The House of Representatives censured Studds, who then went home to face his constituents in a series of public meetings.
At the time, Studds called the relationship with the teenage page, which included a trip to Europe, "a very serious error in judgment." But he did not apologize and defended the relationship as a consensual relationship with a young adult. The former page later appeared publicly with Studds in support of him.
The scandal recently resurfaced when Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., resigned after exchanging sexually explicit instant messages with a page. Republicans accused Democrats of hypocrisy for savaging Foley while saying little about Studds at that time.
Hara said Studds was never ashamed of the relationship with the page.
"This young man knew what he was doing," Hara said. "He was at (Studds') side."
Studds told his colleagues in a speech on the floor of the House that everyone faces a daily challenge of balancing public and private lives.
"These challenges are made substantially more complex when one is, as am I, both an elected public official and gay," Studds said at the time.
In Congress, Studds was an outspoken advocate for the fishing industry and was hailed by his constituents for his work establishing a limit for foreign fishing vessels 200 miles from the coast. After leaving Congress, he became a lobbyist for the fishing industry and environmental causes.
"His work on behalf of our fishing industry and the protection of our waters has guided the fishing industry into the future and ensured that generations to come will have the opportunity to love and learn from the sea," Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., said in a statement. "He was a steward of the oceans."
In 1996, Congress named the 842-square-mile Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary after him in recognition of his work protecting the marine environment.
In addition to Hara, Studds is survived by a brother, a sister and four nephews.
*************************************************************
But Studds was a Democrat not a Republican. That makes the whole difference.
I don't think Blotham knows that since there are no gays in Vancouver where Blotham is from. His background, Mennonite, would not have allowed him to know anything about the "love that has no name". His background as a Mennonite, also makes him a bigoted Canadian who thinks he knows the USA but does not. He was not born here. He never explored our country and is an ignoramus about anything outside of Manhattan and Vancouver.
Possum, is it true you are a member of mensa?
oh brother...
he said she said - who's gay, who isn't - who ran a prostitution ring, who didn't...blablabla
Can anyone tell me WHY Foley is a low life scum? Anyone?
Foley abuses children.
End of ******* discussion!
Quote:
More important to him (Olbermann) was when he was approached by a Republican media operative on Sept. 11, who complimented him on the commentaries despite utterly disagreeing with them.
"The purpose of this is to get people to think and supply the marketplace of ideas with something at every fruit stand, something of every variety," he said. "As an industry, only half the fruit stand has been open the last four years."
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/T/TV_KEITH_OLBERMANN?SITE=TXELP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Was there ever even the slightest doubt? Only in the minds of the raybans, the ticos, the foxys, the mcgs, oh and the finns, can't forget the finns of the world.
Marion, apparently your happy pill meds expired.
Did a Canadian run over your dog?
I'm so sorry. I stopped and got out of the car immediately. It looked like a dog. It was Marion.
ah, i knew there was a good explaination, and you did stop and all
and
apparently, Marion was wearing a collar
You're forgiven ~
Look, it was one of those ugly black raining cat-piss nights and I was in a part of town you don't want to go through without a few grenades and a tetanus booster. Maybe there was a streetlight somewhere that wasn't broken or burned out but I didn't pass it. Bad place. "Night Of The Rotting Republicans" sort of place. Most of the traffic signs had been defaced, like with "thinking" spray-painted beneath "stop", or even torn completely down so that you weren't sure where to slow for the sewer-rat crossings. Marionville. "Make a sharp right coming out of picturesque Lower Rodentia" as it says in the brochures. Personally, my advice...phuck the brochure and phuck the right turn. Just don't bother visiting. It's bat country. You'll get around to locking your doors, alright. But not before you try and fail to crank up the windows so tight that they won't let in that smell. Wet dog, creosote, smegma. You never forget a smell like that. And if you are a bleeding heart liberal, like me, you might even try to brush down the hairs on the back of your neck and imagine fixing the dump. But things don't work that way. You ain't gonna eat a plate of **** and then two days later poop out a roast beef dinner with yorkshire pudding and all the trimmings. Marionville.
The thing I really hate most about the Bushco is that I have become a democrat. I can no longer vote my true feelings (liberal/anarchist) but must vote democrat in effort to reduce the stink of Bushco hate of america.
Dys, please keep reducing your credibility. You wear the look well.
cjhsa wrote:Dys, please keep reducing your credibility. You wear the look well.
cjhsa, someone who has expressed concerns that the UN was coming to get his guns should never use the word "credibility".
Yeah, me and tens of millions of other decent Americans who think the U.N. is a terrorist organization, which it has become. Too bad the only thing you read is A2K snood. You might learn something if you only took a moment to try.
