Tuesday, January 06, 2004
It's gotta be a real pain to be a racist idiot or a gun toting freak and have to deal with someone using your own words against you. It's almost enough to make a person want to grow up and start treating people with some respect. It's a shame people have to be shamed into being human, but if that's what it take, here's the site to do it:NRA Leaders - What NRA Leaders Are Saying
How is democracy supposed to work without freedom of speech? Showing disrespect for people who care enough about an issue to physically express their feelings is a bad way to govern a nation.
Quarantining dissent / How the Secret Service protects Bush from free speech
[When Bush went to the Pittsburgh area on Labor Day 2002, 65-year-old retired steel worker Bill Neel was there to greet him with a sign proclaiming, "The Bush family must surely love the poor, they made so many of us."
The local police, at the Secret Service's behest, set up a "designated free-speech zone" on a baseball field surrounded by a chain-link fence a third of a mile from the location of Bush's speech.
The police cleared the path of the motorcade of all critical signs, but folks with pro-Bush signs were permitted to line the president's path. Neel refused to go to the designated area and was arrested for disorderly conduct; the police also confiscated his sign.
Neel later commented, "As far as I'm concerned, the whole country is a free-speech zone. If the Bush administration has its way, anyone who criticizes them will be out of sight and out of mind."]
Quarantining dissent / How the Secret Service protects Bush from free speech
[When Bush went to the Pittsburgh area on Labor Day 2002, 65-year-old retired steel worker Bill Neel was there to greet him with a sign proclaiming, "The Bush family must surely love the poor, they made so many of us."
The local police, at the Secret Service's behest, set up a "designated free-speech zone" on a baseball field surrounded by a chain-link fence a third of a mile from the location of Bush's speech.
The police cleared the path of the motorcade of all critical signs, but folks with pro-Bush signs were permitted to line the president's path. Neel refused to go to the designated area and was arrested for disorderly conduct; the police also confiscated his sign.
Neel later commented, "As far as I'm concerned, the whole country is a free-speech zone. If the Bush administration has its way, anyone who criticizes them will be out of sight and out of mind."]
It's great to hear that Zell Miller has finally come out of his Republican closet.
I find Zell's description of GWB's personality acceptable. He seems like a nice guy to have as a neighbor, but he's dangerous when the US economy or American soldier's lives are at stake.
"This is a president who understands the price of freedom. He understands that leaders throughout history often have had to choose between good and evil, tyranny and freedom. "
Yet he has made a priority of fighting a war to secure oil fields for his Vice President's former company rather than find the guy who attacked us on our own soil: Osama bin Laden. This president does not understand the price of freedom. He had a chance to learn about that in Vietnam but his dad managed to get him into the Texas Air National Guard, from which he then went AWOL. He lied about being willing to serve overseas duty at that time. In fact, George still owes the Texas Air National Guard a year of service. I wonder if he'd get shipped to Iraq if he was serving that year now? Probably not, since his flying skills were poor.
"And the choice they make can reverberate for generations to come."
It will take generations to reverse the diplomatic damage done by GWB. The environmental damages are possibly an even bigger issue. And we will certainly be paying for Bush's wasteful spending, tax cuts, and unnecessary wars for generations to come.
"This is a president who has some Churchill in him and who does not flinch when the going gets tough. This is a president who can make a decision and does not suffer from "paralysis analysis.""
I'd rather have a president who pauses, then makes the RIGHT decisions. Or takes the time to build "strong"coalitions"/strong". It's hard for a guy who doesn't like reading security briefings to suffer from "paralysis analysis."
"This is a president who can look America in the eye and say on Iraq, "We're not leaving." And you know he means it."
That's a lot easier to say when your children aren't being shot at.
"This is also a president who understands that tax cuts are not just something that all taxpayers deserve, but also the best way to curb government spending. It is the best kind of tax reform. If the money never reaches the table, Congress can't gobble it up."
Tax cuts without naming the programs that will have to be cut and by how much is cowardice. Running up the hugest deficit this country has ever seen is idiotic. Giving tax cuts to the riches 1% of Americans in a time of war is pure cronyism.
"Some want to raise our taxes a trillion, while the others want to raise our taxes by several hundred billion."
That's called, "making economic sense."
"They also, to varying degrees, want us to quit and get out of Iraq. They don't want us to stay the course in this fight between tyranny and freedom."
They don't want to see more American lives lost to Oil. Think about how much less oil dependent the US would be if we'd invested the over $100,000,000,000 we've spent in Iraq into clean fuel sources?
"This is our best chance to change the course of history in the Middle East."
Our best chance to change the course of history in the Middle East would have been for GWB to continue Clinton's peace work in Israel. George decided to ignore Israel for the first two years of his presidency, and now the area has receded back to violence.
"I find it hard to believe, but these naive nine have managed to combine the worst feature of the McGovern campaign -- the president is a liar and we must have peace at any cost -- with the worst feature of the Mondale campaign -- watch your wallet, we're going to raise your taxes. George McGovern carried one state in 1972. Walter Mondale carried one state in 1984. Not exactly role models when it comes to how to get elected or, for that matter, how to run a country."
It's sad to hear Zell describe being honest, "naive." He certainly doesn't rebut the fact that GWB has and continues to lie to the American people. And he has done nothing to describe how we can reduce our deficit while continuing to fight wars without sufficient revenues.
"For I believe the next five years will determine the kind of world my four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren will live in."
Zell apparently wants his four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren to live in a violent world where might is always right. Where the air and water is less clean that it is today. Where less people are working than today, leading to higher levels of crime. Where car fuel efficiently is even worse than it is today. Where corporations decide which countries we're going to attack without a preeminent threat.
Have fun in the Republican party, Zell. You won't be missed.
Tim, thanks fro sending over the article.
"From the Wall Street Journal
"
"November 3, 2003
"
"George Bush vs. the Naive Nine
"
"By ZELL MILLER
"
"If I live and breathe, and if -- as Hank Williams used to say -- the creek
"don't rise, in 2004 this Democrat will do something I didn't do in 2000, I
"will vote for George W. Bush for president.
"
"I have come to believe that George Bush is the right man in the right
"place at the right time. And that's a pretty big mouthful coming from a lifelong
"Democrat who first voted for Adlai Stevenson in 1952 and has voted for
"every Democratic presidential candidate the 12 cycles since then. My political
"history to the contrary, this was the easiest decision I think I've ever
"made in deciding who to support. For I believe the next five years will
"determine the kind of world my four grandchildren and four
"great-grandchildren will live in. I simply cannot entrust that crucial
"decision to any one of the current group of Democratic presidential
"candidates.
"
"Why George Bush? First, the personal; then, the political.
"
"I first got to know George Bush when we served as governors together, and
"
"just plain like the man, a man who feeds his dogs first thing every
"morning, has Larry Gatlin sing in the White House, and knows what is meant by the term "hitting behind the runner."
"
"I am moved by the reverence and tenderness he shows the first lady and the
"unabashed love he has for his parents and his daughters.
"
"I admire this man of faith who has lived that line in that old hymn,
"Amazing Grace," "Was blind, but now I see." I like the fact that he's the
"same on Saturday night as he is on Sunday morning. And I like a man who
"shows respect for others by starting meetings on time.
"
"That's the personal. Now, the political.
"
"This is a president who understands the price of freedom. He understands
"that leaders throughout history often have had to choose between good and
"evil, tyranny and freedom. And the choice they make can reverberate for
"generations to come. This is a president who has some Churchill in him and
"who does not flinch when the going gets tough. This is a president who can
"make a decision and does not suffer from "paralysis analysis." This is a
"president who can look America in the eye and say on Iraq, "We're not
"leaving." And you know he means it.
"
"This is also a president who understands that tax cuts are not just
"something that all taxpayers deserve, but also the best way to curb
"government spending. It is the best kind of tax reform. If the money never
"reaches the table, Congress can't gobble it up.
"
"I have just described George W. Bush.
"
"Believe me, I looked hard at the other choices. And what I saw was that
"the Democratic candidates who want to be president in the worst way are
"running for office in the worst way. Look closely, there's not much difference
"among them. I can't say there's "not a dime's worth of difference" because
"there's actually billions of dollars' worth of difference among them. Some want to
"raise our taxes a trillion, while the others want to raise our taxes by
"several hundred billion. But, make no mistake, they all want to raise our
"taxes. They also, to varying degrees, want us to quit and get out of Iraq.
"They don't want us to stay the course in this fight between tyranny and
"freedom. This is our best chance to change the course of history in the
"Middle East. So I cannot vote for a candidate who wants us to cut and run
"with our shirttails at half-mast.
"
"I find it hard to believe, but these naive nine have managed to combine
"the worst feature of the McGovern campaign -- the president is a liar and we
"must have peace at any cost -- with the worst feature of the Mondale
"campaign -- watch your wallet, we're going to raise your taxes. George
"McGovern carried one state in 1972. Walter Mondale carried one state in
"1984. Not exactly role models when it comes to how to get elected or, for
"that matter, how to run a country.
"
"So, as I have said, my choice for president was an easy decision. And my
"own party's candidates made it even easier.
"
"Mr. Miller is a Democratic senator from Georgia and the author of "A
"National Party No More: The Conscience of a Conservative Democrat,"
"published last month by Stroud & Hall.
I find Zell's description of GWB's personality acceptable. He seems like a nice guy to have as a neighbor, but he's dangerous when the US economy or American soldier's lives are at stake.
"This is a president who understands the price of freedom. He understands that leaders throughout history often have had to choose between good and evil, tyranny and freedom. "
Yet he has made a priority of fighting a war to secure oil fields for his Vice President's former company rather than find the guy who attacked us on our own soil: Osama bin Laden. This president does not understand the price of freedom. He had a chance to learn about that in Vietnam but his dad managed to get him into the Texas Air National Guard, from which he then went AWOL. He lied about being willing to serve overseas duty at that time. In fact, George still owes the Texas Air National Guard a year of service. I wonder if he'd get shipped to Iraq if he was serving that year now? Probably not, since his flying skills were poor.
"And the choice they make can reverberate for generations to come."
It will take generations to reverse the diplomatic damage done by GWB. The environmental damages are possibly an even bigger issue. And we will certainly be paying for Bush's wasteful spending, tax cuts, and unnecessary wars for generations to come.
"This is a president who has some Churchill in him and who does not flinch when the going gets tough. This is a president who can make a decision and does not suffer from "paralysis analysis.""
I'd rather have a president who pauses, then makes the RIGHT decisions. Or takes the time to build "strong"coalitions"/strong". It's hard for a guy who doesn't like reading security briefings to suffer from "paralysis analysis."
"This is a president who can look America in the eye and say on Iraq, "We're not leaving." And you know he means it."
That's a lot easier to say when your children aren't being shot at.
"This is also a president who understands that tax cuts are not just something that all taxpayers deserve, but also the best way to curb government spending. It is the best kind of tax reform. If the money never reaches the table, Congress can't gobble it up."
Tax cuts without naming the programs that will have to be cut and by how much is cowardice. Running up the hugest deficit this country has ever seen is idiotic. Giving tax cuts to the riches 1% of Americans in a time of war is pure cronyism.
"Some want to raise our taxes a trillion, while the others want to raise our taxes by several hundred billion."
That's called, "making economic sense."
"They also, to varying degrees, want us to quit and get out of Iraq. They don't want us to stay the course in this fight between tyranny and freedom."
They don't want to see more American lives lost to Oil. Think about how much less oil dependent the US would be if we'd invested the over $100,000,000,000 we've spent in Iraq into clean fuel sources?
"This is our best chance to change the course of history in the Middle East."
Our best chance to change the course of history in the Middle East would have been for GWB to continue Clinton's peace work in Israel. George decided to ignore Israel for the first two years of his presidency, and now the area has receded back to violence.
"I find it hard to believe, but these naive nine have managed to combine the worst feature of the McGovern campaign -- the president is a liar and we must have peace at any cost -- with the worst feature of the Mondale campaign -- watch your wallet, we're going to raise your taxes. George McGovern carried one state in 1972. Walter Mondale carried one state in 1984. Not exactly role models when it comes to how to get elected or, for that matter, how to run a country."
It's sad to hear Zell describe being honest, "naive." He certainly doesn't rebut the fact that GWB has and continues to lie to the American people. And he has done nothing to describe how we can reduce our deficit while continuing to fight wars without sufficient revenues.
"For I believe the next five years will determine the kind of world my four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren will live in."
Zell apparently wants his four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren to live in a violent world where might is always right. Where the air and water is less clean that it is today. Where less people are working than today, leading to higher levels of crime. Where car fuel efficiently is even worse than it is today. Where corporations decide which countries we're going to attack without a preeminent threat.
Have fun in the Republican party, Zell. You won't be missed.
Tim, thanks fro sending over the article.
"From the Wall Street Journal
"
"November 3, 2003
"
"George Bush vs. the Naive Nine
"
"By ZELL MILLER
"
"If I live and breathe, and if -- as Hank Williams used to say -- the creek
"don't rise, in 2004 this Democrat will do something I didn't do in 2000, I
"will vote for George W. Bush for president.
"
"I have come to believe that George Bush is the right man in the right
"place at the right time. And that's a pretty big mouthful coming from a lifelong
"Democrat who first voted for Adlai Stevenson in 1952 and has voted for
"every Democratic presidential candidate the 12 cycles since then. My political
"history to the contrary, this was the easiest decision I think I've ever
"made in deciding who to support. For I believe the next five years will
"determine the kind of world my four grandchildren and four
"great-grandchildren will live in. I simply cannot entrust that crucial
"decision to any one of the current group of Democratic presidential
"candidates.
"
"Why George Bush? First, the personal; then, the political.
"
"I first got to know George Bush when we served as governors together, and
"
"just plain like the man, a man who feeds his dogs first thing every
"morning, has Larry Gatlin sing in the White House, and knows what is meant by the term "hitting behind the runner."
"
"I am moved by the reverence and tenderness he shows the first lady and the
"unabashed love he has for his parents and his daughters.
"
"I admire this man of faith who has lived that line in that old hymn,
"Amazing Grace," "Was blind, but now I see." I like the fact that he's the
"same on Saturday night as he is on Sunday morning. And I like a man who
"shows respect for others by starting meetings on time.
"
"That's the personal. Now, the political.
"
"This is a president who understands the price of freedom. He understands
"that leaders throughout history often have had to choose between good and
"evil, tyranny and freedom. And the choice they make can reverberate for
"generations to come. This is a president who has some Churchill in him and
"who does not flinch when the going gets tough. This is a president who can
"make a decision and does not suffer from "paralysis analysis." This is a
"president who can look America in the eye and say on Iraq, "We're not
"leaving." And you know he means it.
"
"This is also a president who understands that tax cuts are not just
"something that all taxpayers deserve, but also the best way to curb
"government spending. It is the best kind of tax reform. If the money never
"reaches the table, Congress can't gobble it up.
"
"I have just described George W. Bush.
"
"Believe me, I looked hard at the other choices. And what I saw was that
"the Democratic candidates who want to be president in the worst way are
"running for office in the worst way. Look closely, there's not much difference
"among them. I can't say there's "not a dime's worth of difference" because
"there's actually billions of dollars' worth of difference among them. Some want to
"raise our taxes a trillion, while the others want to raise our taxes by
"several hundred billion. But, make no mistake, they all want to raise our
"taxes. They also, to varying degrees, want us to quit and get out of Iraq.
"They don't want us to stay the course in this fight between tyranny and
"freedom. This is our best chance to change the course of history in the
"Middle East. So I cannot vote for a candidate who wants us to cut and run
"with our shirttails at half-mast.
"
"I find it hard to believe, but these naive nine have managed to combine
"the worst feature of the McGovern campaign -- the president is a liar and we
"must have peace at any cost -- with the worst feature of the Mondale
"campaign -- watch your wallet, we're going to raise your taxes. George
"McGovern carried one state in 1972. Walter Mondale carried one state in
"1984. Not exactly role models when it comes to how to get elected or, for
"that matter, how to run a country.
"
"So, as I have said, my choice for president was an easy decision. And my
"own party's candidates made it even easier.
"
"Mr. Miller is a Democratic senator from Georgia and the author of "A
"National Party No More: The Conscience of a Conservative Democrat,"
"published last month by Stroud & Hall.
Monday, January 05, 2004
Has anyone else noticed that we're not hearing any linking by the media between the guys showing up hidden in wheel wells of airplanes and airline security? Excuse me, but if a person can smuggle their entire body onto a plane, wouldn't it be child's play for the same person to smuggler an explosive device onto a plane?Apparently, ignorace is bliss these days.
Thanks to my friend Mike for bringing this to my attention.
I was listening to KQ92 in Minneapolis this morning when Tom Barnard went on a rant about how stupid people are who hate George W Bush. To prove his point, he told a story about two women he met at a party who despise GWB. He claimed that they couldn't articulate why they hated GWB, but they just did.
Could it be that they possess a 'woman's intuition' and know better than to trust the current President? Considering that the guy is destroying the air we breath, using air strikes to kill one 'important target' along with handfuls of innocents with dark skin every day, and bankrupting the country by running two wars at the same time, that he rewards his cronies with tax cuts and deregulates their business' industries, they just may be on to something.
He then went on to say that Dean's in trouble and says, "has anyone taken a look at the stock market lately" to justify how great the economy is under Bush II. That, of course, is just a piece of ignorant misinformation Tom probably regurgitated from FOX News. In reality, the market is down 19% on GWB's watch. More importantly to Tom Barnard's average listener, the number of people unemployed is MUCH higher than it was when he entered office, and his policies are doing nothing to turn that around.
Mr. Barnard then started trying to rip on Governor Dean, but when asked by a sidekick what state Gov. Dean was from, he has to admit he didn't know. That's pretty sad considering basically every article mentioning Gov. Dean includes the term, "from Vermont."
Could it be that they possess a 'woman's intuition' and know better than to trust the current President? Considering that the guy is destroying the air we breath, using air strikes to kill one 'important target' along with handfuls of innocents with dark skin every day, and bankrupting the country by running two wars at the same time, that he rewards his cronies with tax cuts and deregulates their business' industries, they just may be on to something.
He then went on to say that Dean's in trouble and says, "has anyone taken a look at the stock market lately" to justify how great the economy is under Bush II. That, of course, is just a piece of ignorant misinformation Tom probably regurgitated from FOX News. In reality, the market is down 19% on GWB's watch. More importantly to Tom Barnard's average listener, the number of people unemployed is MUCH higher than it was when he entered office, and his policies are doing nothing to turn that around.
Mr. Barnard then started trying to rip on Governor Dean, but when asked by a sidekick what state Gov. Dean was from, he has to admit he didn't know. That's pretty sad considering basically every article mentioning Gov. Dean includes the term, "from Vermont."
