Define Conservatives vs. Liberals

ATTENTION: This Blog Moved to a New Location

2006-11-29T14:58:00.000-06:00

We're closing shop at this address. Posts from this blog have been imported, and future posts will be made to, www.thedeets.com.

GOP vs Dems Scorecard on Actual Support for Troops

2006-10-26T10:11:00.000-05:00

Check this link out:

BobGeiger.com: IAVA Support-The-Troops Rankings for Senate

"As I said in my piece today 'Vets Group Proves GOP Does Not Support Troops,' careful scrutiny by the Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) shows that by a ludicrous margin, it is Senate Democrats, not Republicans, who truly support active troops, Veterans and military families."

Habeas Corpus Destroyed by Senate

2006-09-29T22:56:00.000-05:00

MN Publius does a great job explaining the impact of today's desctruction of human's right to Habeas Corpus in American trials:

MN Publius

Today is truly a low point in the American Democracy and I'll have to answer my children's, children's questions as to why we were so foolish. Thomas Jefferson has a few words of wisdom which every single Republican Senator (save Lincoln Chafee, RI) and 12 Democrats (Carper-DE, Johnson-SD, Landrieu LA, Lautenberg NJ, Lieberman CT, Menendez NJ, Pryor AR, Rockefeller WV, Salazar CO, Stabenow MI, Nelson FL, Nelson NE) spat on today:

The Cost of Staying the Course in Iraq

2006-08-27T20:59:00.000-05:00

An interesting comparison of the opportunity costs associated with the wasteful spending on the needless war started by President Bush without justification:

Crooks and Liars » The Cost of “Staying the Course”

Taxpayers in California will pay $40.3 billion for the cost of war in Iraq. For the same amount of money, the following could have been provided:

* 16,733,296 People with Health Care or
* 627,551 Elementary School Teachers or
* 4,767,634 Head Start Places for Children or
* 25,168,314 Children with Health Care or
* 235,246 Affordable Housing Units or
* 4,390 New Elementary Schools or
* 7,685,109 Scholarships for University Students or
* 616,017 Music and Arts Teachers or
* 741,482 Public Safety Officers or
* 117,140,845 Homes with Renewable Electricity or
* 601,790 Port Container Inspectors

Go check out what the trade-offs are for your state.

Contraception Creep

2006-08-25T21:34:00.000-05:00

Crooks and Liars » Comment Of The Day

Yesterday, they said life begins with conception.

Today, they say life begins with intercourse.

Tomorrow, they will tell us life begins with dinner and a movie.

John Kline's Close Ties to the Bush Administration Hurt Him

2006-08-23T14:10:00.000-05:00

Go go go Coleen Rowley!

MN Publius

Have you had enough?

"chase a little white ball in the course of a very sissified game"

2006-08-23T11:10:00.000-05:00

Interesting history of the Town & Country Golf Club in St. Paul, Minnesota. The author has a great sense of humor.

Town And Country Club - Club History

1893: "Golf did not burst into its full glory for several years, not more than a dozen played that first summer nor more than two or three dozen the second and they did not brag about it for more robust sports like rowing on the river, tennis, horseback riding, fishing and shooting, which we could then do almost in the suburbs of St. Paul, were then the vogue and it took some mental courage for a real heman to chase a little white ball in the course of a very sissified game. But we the beginners teased one man after another to try it out and one lesson was all that was needed to make a convert even then, as now."

and:

"Frank Cutcheon who was no athlete and of poor physique but became a first rate golfer teaching us incidentally that trained muscles were not necessary for golf."

Questions from Catholic Parents Online: The Catholic Police

2006-08-21T17:14:00.000-05:00

Minnesota's Catholic police are looking for feedback on how they can scold people for having different religious beliefs than them. Here's an excerpt from a recent email:

We Need Your Input:

CPO TV begins it's new season next month! I will host the first show entitled: “Simple Answers to Tough Questions” with our guest Fr. Robert Altier.

We'd be very grateful if you could help with this show by sending us any questions that you or family members may struggling with or just don't know the answer? For example:

How does a Catholic respond when they receive a wedding invitation from a Catholic relative who is getting married in a non-Catholic Church?

What do you say if you have out of town relatives staying at your house, who are not practicing Catholics, and while on your way to attending Sunday Mass they inform you that they think it's okay to receive Holy Communion even if a person attends Mass occasionally?

Do you say anything or even attend the baby shower if the mom-to-be has undergone in-vetro fertilization?

We'd truly appreciate your input! Remember there is no such thing as a stupid question.

From the tone of the questions, it seems pretty clear that tolerance and understanding of people with different life views is not acceptible. Does Colleen Perfect feel that her faith is somehow threatened by the choices made by others regarding receiving Holy Communion?

Does Colleen Perfect really think she has something to gain from judging the wedding ceremony choices of relatives?

Does marrying in a non-Catholic church make Mrs. Perfect less perfectly Catholic?

Does Mrs. Perfect believe that people who can't conceive without use of in-vetro fertilization don't deserve to raise children of their own?

Would Mrs. Perfect be able to love a child conceived through in-vitro fertilization?

What if she didn't know the child was the product of petri dishes, stem cell research, and masturbation?

Who - in God's name - feels the need to give such a shit about the personal and private behavior of others?

Exxon Mobil Proves How Wrong They Are About Global Warming

2006-08-05T23:51:00.000-05:00

You're on the wrong side of history when you have to make anonymous videos attacking movies based on the best scientific evidence of the day. Exxon Mobil should have its tail between its legs over this crap.

Where did that video spoofing Gore's film come from?

In an email exchange with The Wall Street Journal, Toutsmith didn't answer when asked who he was or why he made the video, which has just over 59,000 views on YouTube. However, computer routing information contained in an email sent from Toutsmith's Yahoo account indicate it didn't come from an amateur working out of his basement.

Instead, the email originated from a computer registered to DCI Group, a Washington, D.C., public relations and lobbying firm whose clients include oil company Exxon Mobil Corp.

A DCI Group spokesman declines to say whether or not DCI made the anti-Gore penguin video, or to explain why Toutsmith appeared to be sending email from DCI's computers.

"DCI Group does not disclose the names of its clients, nor do we discuss the work that we do on our clients' behalf," says Matt Triaca, who heads DCI's media relations shop.

Sean Hannity Can't Stand a Free Press

2006-08-01T01:48:00.000-05:00

Amazing. Sean Hannity kicked people out of his event for being . . . Americans. At least, that seems to be the case since they didn't do anything to justify being removed as far as I can tell. Why is Sean Hannity afraid of debate? If he truly believes the crap he spews, wouldn't he welcome a debate?

Be sure to watch the video at the link below.

AlterNet: Blogs: PEEK: AlterNet Original: Kicked out of the Hannity 'Freedom Concert'

But don't read, watch what 'Freedom" means to Sean Hannity and his ilk...

Dan Savage Breaks Down the Irrational Arguments of Heterosexuals

2006-07-30T22:44:00.000-05:00

Live Savage, I can't understand why people are threatened by providing equality of other humans living in this country. Will hetrosexual couples refuse to marry and procreate if homosexuals can marry? Who could possibly say yes?

Same-Sex Marriage Wins by Losing - New York Times

When my widowed grandfather remarried in his 60’s, he wasn’t seeking to further the well-being of his children, who were grown and out of the house. He was seeking the security, companionship and legal rights that marriage provides. The survival of humankind was the furthest thing from his mind.

These defeats have demoralized supporters of gay marriage, but I see a silver lining. If heterosexual instability and the link between heterosexual sex and human reproduction are the best arguments opponents of same-sex marriage can muster, I can’t help but feel that our side must be winning. Insulting heterosexuals and discriminating against children with same-sex parents may score the other side a few runs, but these strategies won’t win the game.

John Stossel's Amazing Illogic

2006-07-24T12:45:00.000-05:00

It doesn't take much genetics experience to understand that recessive genes are more likely to be passed along and expressed by people falling from the same family tree. But that won't stop John Stossell from making the following remarks:

City Pages - The Blotter - 7/24 Morning Communiqué

"I'd always thought marrying a blood relative as close as a cousin was immoral, and certainly risky if you plan to have kids. Conventional wisdom says only primitive people who live in isolated places marry cousins. It leads to stupid children. But that's a myth. It's the sort of myth that leads to stupid laws. Half the states in America have banned cousin marriage, but there's no good reason for it. You can marry your cousin and have perfectly intelligent kids." -- Townhall.com contributor and ABC News commentator John Stossel, confronting one of the most divisive cultural issues of our time

So whether you want to make a scientific argument, or a values argument, Stossel is wrong on this one.

Why Bush's Stem Cell Position Makes no Sense

2006-07-20T10:58:00.000-05:00

Scott Rosenberg breaks down the fallacy of President Bush's position on stem cell research:

Scott Rosenberg's Links & Comment

If Bush and his administration truly believe that destroying an embryo is a kind of murder, they shouldn't be wasting their time arguing about research funding: They should immediately shut down every fertility clinic in the country, arrest the doctors and staff who operate them, and charge all the wannabe parents who have been wantonly slaughtering legions of the unborn.

Yep, that pretty much sums it up. Apparently it's okay to discard/destroy stem cells to create life via IVF, but using stem cells to prolong the lives/improve the health of humans is morally reprehensible? Amazing.

How Scientifically Backwards is Our President?

2006-07-18T12:51:00.000-05:00

This really puts things in perspective
Crooks and Liars » Stem-cell showdown

The Senate will vote today on a stem-cell research bill, which Bush has vowed to veto. The White House is prepared to block this legislation, which opens the door to potentially life-saving research, despite…

…overwhelming public support; bi-partisan backing in both chambers of Congress; the demands of medical researchers who are tired of watching the United States fall further and further behind; intense pressure from Nancy Reagan; the fact that congressional Democrats are going to use this as a wedge issue throughout the campaign cycle, and the fact that Bush will use the first veto of his presidency to kill a popular bill on medical research.

No Peanuts in Bush Country

2006-07-11T22:15:00.000-05:00

I've been traveling through "Bush Country" today and noticed none of the gas stations have Pearson's Nut Rolls. What's up with that? My working theory is this is an anti-Jimmy "Peanut Farmer President" Carter position.

Right-Wing Web Traffic Slumping

2006-07-06T11:15:00.000-05:00

U.S. Newswire : Releases : "Web Traffic to Washington Times, Drudge Report, Rush Limbaugh.com Is Down..."

Ann Coulter is coining money by attacking widows and orphans -- a new game for her since she's run out of Democrats, living and dead, to defame and verbally pillage. You would think with all of the attention the promotion of her new book has given her would raise visitor numbers at her Web site, http://anncoulter.com. Nope. Traffic there is down 10 percent.

Expert Finds Proof of Plagiarism in Ann Coulter's Books

2006-07-06T10:59:00.000-05:00

Bobby Eberle Wants America to Be More like China

2006-06-27T13:41:00.000-05:00

Bobby Eberle doesn't understand what a free press is. Does he really believe the government should regulate the press in America?

The Loft » Blog Archive » NY Times Should Face the Music

Yes, there is a freedom of the press, and that freedom comes with responsibilities. There are many classified programs which would be fascinating to know about. But that doesn’t mean I have a “right” to know them. When we are talking about fighting a war on terror, the “public interest” is also served by seeing to it that the government is able to fight the most effective war possible. The actions by the New York Times hurt this effort, and they should be held accountable for these actions.

Book Burning in Arkansas. Yes, it's 2006.

2006-06-13T12:20:00.000-05:00

You can't make this stuff up. Apparently, our children are under attack by the kind of people who live in college towns! Damn those higher learnin' types! Who dare they not give a damn about irrational fears like this?

Poison In Our Libraries -- GOPUSA

Once other parents learned what these books contained, many joined with Taylor in asking the school to take action. The public outcry was great. A parents' rights group was formed, "Parents Protecting the Minds of Children," with dozens of parents joining the cause. The local paper wrote that this issue generated more letters to the editor than any issue in recent history. The story of the battle of the books became the paper's story of the year for 2005.

But Fayetteville is a college town, and liberals turned out in droves to cry "censorship" and shout down Laurie Taylor's courageous efforts to protect the children.

It gets worse:

Some of the books to which the Fayetteville parents object have received awards, making it more difficult to demonstrate that they lack serious literary or artistic value.

You just know it was some lefty-wing nutcases with a New England Ivy League education that handed out the book awards.

Can you imagine what this world would look like if the kids in Arkansas grew up to be tolerant adults?

Voter Fraud by the GOP vs. Voter Registration Fraud on the Left

2006-06-12T10:09:00.000-05:00

While the GOP often points to examples of fraudulent voter registrations under names like Mickey Mouse and Daffy Duck to supposedly show how fradulent vote manipulation can be on the left, they fail to make a signficant point since nobody would possibly show up at the polls to cast a vote under the name of a cartoon character. Thus, the voter registration fraud issue leads to no actual voting fraud.

Compare this to efforts on the right to keep people from voting legally by making it hard to get registered, making decisions on how many voting machines per capita will appear in various precincts to effect the wait time, and scrubbing the names of registered voters from the polls. Each of those tactics has a huge impact on actually votes cast on election day. This is about as far from the values this country was founded on as one could get outside of a dictatorship.

As a reminder, here is an excellent breakdown of what went down in 2000 under the leadership of Katherine Harris.

GRAND THEFT AMERICA

A Great Perspective on Senator Norm Coleman's Hateful Gay Bashing Vote

2006-06-08T10:27:00.000-05:00

Debating gay marriage: ... Jeers for Coleman

Debating gay marriage: ... Jeers for Coleman

I was profoundly disappointed that Sen. Norm Coleman favored the gay marriage ban. His encouragement of this constitutional ban is wrong on so many levels.

It says he is in favor of installing discrimination into the Constitution. It says he does not understand human sexuality. It says he promotes others to stay equally ignorant and lacks the courage to foster understanding. It also says Coleman likes the idea of wasting the Senate's time when far more important issues need attention.

STEVE MARK, MINNETONKA

Can Ann Coulter Even Give Away Her New Book?

2006-06-06T12:50:00.000-05:00

I was shocked earlier today to see Ann Coulter's brand new book, "Godless: The Church of Liberalism," available on the day it came out for only $4.99 through GOPUSA. It's amazing how much they're discounting the thing to what may be one of her best audiences.

However, that has now been blown away by Human Events, who just sent out a personal email from Ann Coulter herself trying to give away the darn thing:

Coulter: "Tick off a liberal. . . subscribe today to HUMAN EVENTS and get my book Godless -- FREE."

So take your pick: 40% off at Amazon, 82% off through GOPUSA, or 100% off through Human Events. Is anyone paying people to 'buy' Ann's book yet?

Poor Ann Coulter: The Voter Fraud Femme Fatalle

2006-06-06T09:24:00.000-05:00

Poor Ann Coulter. Her new book came out today, and it's already been heavily discounted to her core audience. GOPUSA is offering the $28 book for $23 off the cover price! Just $4.99 for the book on the day it came out.

To top things off, Ann's keeping busy fighting a $5000 fine and 5 years in prison for voting fraudulently in a Florida election. Poor thing.

THE BRAD BLOG: "Ann Coulter 'Lawyers Up' to Face Felony Voter Fraud Charges"

Lambiet reports today that Coulter is now lawyering up to fight the charges that she knowingly registered to vote in Florida at the wrong residence (using her real estate agent's address). That, despite signing an "oath" on the registration form swearing to the truth of the information provided.

Donald Rumsfeld Likes to Torture People

2006-06-05T16:15:00.000-05:00

Seriously. Why else would his defense department first ignore the Geneva convention's policies, and now choose to omit the policies from the DD's policies?

PENTAGON TO DROP BASIC GENEVA RULE / But State Department objects to removal of protection from degrading treatment

The Pentagon has decided to omit from new detainee policies a key tenet of the Geneva Convention that bans "humiliating and degrading treatment," according to military officials, a step that would mark a potentially permanent shift away from strict adherence to international human rights standards.

Is torture a compassionate or conservative policy, Mr. President? The man you appointed doesn't seem to be living up to the standards you claimed to hold during your campaign. What are you going to do about it?

Rhythm Method Kills Embryos

2006-05-30T10:53:00.000-05:00

This scientist probably thinks he's making a sound argument for oral contraception, but he's sorely mistaken. He's underestimating the power people possess to ignore reason.

Controversial rhythm method study revealed
A British study suggests the Roman Catholic Church-approved "rhythm method" may kill more embryos than other methods of contraception.

Religious right using Mary Cheney's name for anti-gay fundraising

2006-05-26T11:03:00.000-05:00

Somehow I doubt we'll see Dick, Lynne, or Mary Cheney making any public statements rebuking the nasty fundraising tactics used by their party's base:

Religious right using Mary Cheney's name for anti-gay fundraising

Will Mary Cheney stand up to the religious right (just as she did to John Kerry and John Edwards) and defend her longtime partner Heather Poe? Will Vice President Dick Cheney, the president of the Senate, defend his daughter and tell the religious right to stop trying to make money by taking pot shots at his family? Or will Mary and Dick do what they usually do - sell out their family members for political gain?

Top Ten Signs of the Impending U.S. Police State

2006-05-26T10:27:00.000-05:00

Something to think about:
Top Ten Signs of the Impending U.S. Police State

The Hypocrisy of Heckling

2006-05-23T12:36:00.000-05:00

Glenn Greenwald does a great job pointing out the hypocrisy of the right-wing when it comes to political speech:
Unclaimed Territory - by Glenn Greenwald: What the WSJ and Instapundit really mean by "the Angry Left"

So, to re-cap the rules: (1) When a pro-war politician gives a pro-war speech as part of a graduation ceremony, and students in the audience heckle and boo him, that shows how Deranged the Angry Left is -- because they heckled a pro-war speech. (2) When an anti-war politician gives an anti-war speech as part of a graduation ceremony, and students in the audience heckle, walk out and even riot, that also shows how Angry the Left is -- because they "provoked a near riot" by pro-war students.

WWDJ

2006-05-22T14:55:00.000-05:00

WWJD?

Bush also was asked to tell a sixteen year old girl how to make America a better place.

Bush: To Jasmine, listen carefully to that universal admonition," Love a neighbor like you would like to be loved yourself..

His supporters should take his advice. Do you remember what happened to Ava Lowery, a fifteen year old girl that spoke out against the war?

Daily Kos: It seems that a young woman by the name of Ava Lowery, a 15-year-old from Alabama has been getting death threats for a powerful video she produced called "WWJD" (What Would Jesus Do), a powerful animation that features a soundtrack of a child singing "Jesus loves me, this I know" while one picture after another of a wounded, bloody, or screaming Iraqi child fills the screen...read on

Here's the video.

US Privatizing Spying

2006-05-17T10:47:00.000-05:00

Majikthise explains that the Bush regime has figured out a way to avoid spying on Americans in some cases. They simply outsource the spying to private companies. Nice loophole.
Majikthise : Outsourcing domestic spying with ChoicePoint

Of course, the FBI isn't allowed to collect information on individual citizens without due process, but apparently it can just buy it from private companies. The NSA pen-register phone number database tried to exploit a similar loophole--the government can't put an individual pen register device on your phone without a warrant, but at least according to its toadies, it can get the equivalent data from every customer at your phone company.

Powerline Blog Stupider Than Ever on Privacy Issues

2006-05-11T23:48:00.000-05:00

The Powerline Blog Bush apologists don't have the common sense needed to see the problems with Bush spying on Americans.

One more thing: since Qwest shares its customers' records with companies with which it has a "business relationship," but not with the NSA to prevent terrorist attacks, there is no way I'm doing business with Qwest.

Hey Powerdoofuses. Imagine someone in power having a grudge against you. Let's say they did up your phone calls and notice that you've made a few interesting phone calls while on the road for work. Imagine how someone in government could blackmail the crap out of you and basically make your life miserable based on a bad mistake you made at a particularily vulnerable time in your life.

Worse yet, imagine that you're national political party is run by gay bashing homosexuals. What if someone got ahold of phone records that could be released proving how hypocritical the leadership of your political party really is? Is that what you'd like to see happen?

Seriously, Stanley Renshon?

2006-05-02T01:26:00.000-05:00

Apparently, Stanley Renshon thinks it's more important to avoid controversy than confront the president about his - to repurpose Renshon's words - "egregiouly harsh, partisan, and tasteless" wars.

Political Psychology: Being Rude to the President and his Wife is no Joke Instead, the Bush material was egregiously harsh, partisan, and tasteless.

How dare someone take stabs at the disaster that is this president's leadership! How dare someone call the press out for being wimps, and beyond that, too cowardly to laugh at jokes about the president in front on him!

The only thing more pathetic than Stenley Renshon's analysis of this event is Powerline Blog's coverage of Renshon's analysis. How devoted to truthiness can these people be?

Bruce Springsteen on New Orleans

2006-04-30T22:57:00.000-05:00

Bruce on our President Bystander's reaction to New Orleans. Remember, it took a furious mayor's rants from a city without power to get President George W Bush to come off vacation during this crisis:

Newsvine - Springsteen Expresses New Orleans' Pain Perhaps the most pointed moment came as he prepared to sing an old song that he had rewritten lyrics to for New Orleans. Noting that he visited the city's ninth ward, perhaps the most devastated area in the city, Springsteen said: "I saw sights I never thought I'd see in an American city," and added: "The criminal ineptitude makes you furious."

With that, he launched into a song titled "How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live?" and dedicated the song to "President Bystander." Its lyrics included the lines: "There's bodies floatin' on Canal and the levees gone to hell ... them who's got out of town, and them who ain't got left to drown, tell me, how can a poor man stand such times and live?

How Many Lives Per Gallon, Mr Hinderaker?

2006-04-30T22:35:00.000-05:00

John Hinderaker criticizes a war protestor's sign reading, "HOW MANY LIVES PER GALLON?" with the following response:

Power Line: Rogues' Gallery
Can anyone explain what that sign is supposed to mean? It's an article of faith among these ignoramus lefties that the Iraq war must have something to do with oil. But what, exactly? Have these people failed to notice that we haven't exactly seized the Iraqi oilfields? And that, whatever the war's rationale was, it pretty obviously wasn't bringing down the price of gasoline?

Notice that Hinderaker doesn't explain what the war's rationale was? Wouldn't that make for a stronger argument than the one he made? Of course, as a Bush apologist, it would be risky to try to make a definitive statement about what the rationale for the war was at a time like this since it's evolved so many times.

Was it WMDs we never found?

Removing a dictator that we used to like?

Dealing with someone who gassed his own citizens before Donald Rumsfeld shook his hand?

Dealing with terrorism in Iraq before we caugh Osama bin Laden. With no ties to the terrorists who acutally attacked us?

Seriously, only a complete idiot or Bush apoligist would be able to believe that the war in Iraq wasn't tied to oil. Have you looked at who's running this country? It's ALL about oil.

John Hinderaker is No Comedy Analyst

2006-04-30T22:03:00.000-05:00

But he won't let that stop him. Heck, he's reviewed movies he hasn't seen, so what's going to stop him from reviewing comedy he didn't watch, right?

In typical Hinderaker fashion, he relies solely on the opinions of right-wing pundits to decide what he should regurgitate. This shows that he's too lazy to come up with an opinion of his own, or he doesn't trust his own judgement enough to go first? Hard to say. Regardless, the one thing you can surely count on is Hinderaker regurgitating talking points without bothering to a tad bit of research before posting:

Power Line: Comedy CriticismThe big news story was that the featured comedian, someone named Steve Colbert, apparently bombed. He did a virulently anti-Bush routine that got few laughs. Hot Air has good footage of both routines; you can judge for yourself who was funnier.

Why is Hinderaker reporting on the reporting when transcripts and video coverage of both performances are readily available online? What a putz. Especially considering that he likely watched the Hot Air coverage of the event before writing his post. Why, after watching at least some of the performances, would he report on the reporting rather than forming an opinion of his own? Lack of confidence in his own analytical skills?

My guess is Hinderaker, being a smart guy, was simply trying to avoid analyzing Colbert's humor based on brutal honesty, calling the administration out on lying about the war, outing a covert CIA operative, using race baiting tactics to defeat John McCain in the 2000 primary, etc. etc. etc. It's hard for a Bush apologist like John Hinderaker to laugh at the brutal honesty contained in Colbert's sharply worded humor.

Dennis Hastert and the GOP in a Nutshell

2006-04-28T00:24:00.000-05:00

Click through to see a photo of Dennis Hastert jumping out of a hydrogen-fueled car and back into his gas guzzling SUV after a photo shoot:
Gasoline Prices on Yahoo! News Photos

Does the GOP actually do anything other than image shaping press conferences?

Alberto Gonzales Likes the Podium. Stages Fugitive Round-Up Rather Than Just Doing Job Well

2006-04-27T15:08:00.000-05:00

I like seeing fugitives round up as much as the next guy, because . . . well . . . they're fugitives. However, the massive round-ups for the news camera seem to fall somewhere between political stunts, and just plain irresponsible for me. Why? Because clearly the government knew where these fugitives were in the lead-up to the round-up, so why not just grab them ASAP? For example, don't you think they could have caught this guy a couple minutes earlier:

Reginald Dozier, 39, was arrested in Belleville, Ill., at 12:01 a.m. on April 17, the first minute of the operation, for failing to register as a sex offender. Dozier had earlier been convicted of raping a girl younger than 13 and giving her gonorrhea.

I know it doesn't make for headline news stories, but I'm more interested in seeing a functioning government than Alberto Gonzales at a podium.

Just do you job, Gonzales.

More Than 9,000 Fugitives Caught in a Week - Yahoo! News
Ten years to the day after allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl, a California man was arrested in a roundup of fugitives that law enforcement officials say snared more than 1,100 sex offenders.

The concentrated search for people wanted for federal, state and local crimes "targeted the worst of the worst," Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said Thursday at a news conference announcing the results of "Operation Falcon II."

Authorities arrested 9,037 people April 17 to last Sunday in a 27-state dragnet led by the U.S. Marshals Service and timed to coincide with National Victims Rights Week. Among those apprehended were 1,102 people wanted for violent sex crimes or failure to register as sex offenders.

Hey Bobby Eberle, Could We See Some More Honest Analysis?

2006-04-27T11:32:00.000-05:00

Mr. Eberle, I was just wondering if they reason for a reduction in abortions could have something to do with factors OTHER than the pro-life movement's insistance on making decisions effecting other women's uteruses? Could the reason for less abortions have something to do with:

More use of contraception?

Imagine living in a world where people can have a fulfilling sexual life outside of procreation! Welcome to the world preferred by the majority of Americans.

The Loft » Blog Archive » Progress in the Pro-Life Movement

A look at abortion statistics is another reason to see hope. Although a tragic 1.3 million abortions are still occurring each year, the numbers have declined steadily from the early 1990s. As Rod D. Martin notes in America: Choosing Life?, “Vast numbers who were “pro-choice” before the partial-birth abortion debate have come to see the pro-life light, and — for the first time since Roe — a clear majority of America’s women reject the idea of a legal “right” to kill one’s own child.”

So it's quite possible that the results you reported had absolutely NOTHING to do with the pro-life movement's actions. So, be sure you understand what influenced the numbers before you draw irrational conclusions for your readers.

Show your readers some respect by giving them a fair and balanced analysis of the news.

Oh Please, Linda Chavez. Get Serious.

2006-04-27T11:25:00.000-05:00

Hey Linda Chavez. Quick question for ya: I wonder if the reason no one has been fired for "intelligence failings" is because the real failures in intelligence happened at the White House and in the Secretary of Defense's office where the CIA's intelligence was cherry picked in order to build a false case for war?

CIA Cleanup -- Linda Chavez -- GOPUSA

Although the CIA's intelligence failings have been well-documented in congressional reports and by the agency's own inspector general, there have been no consequences. Porter Goss, who left Congress to head the agency in 2005, has made some improvements going forward but has chosen not to make anyone pay for past mistakes or outright transgressions.

Hey, Christopher Adamo, Let's Try to Be More Honest with Readers

2006-04-27T11:22:00.000-05:00

Question: What's wrong with this sentence from Christopher Adamo:

Cancerous Remnants Of The Clinton Era -- Christopher G. Adamo -- GOPUSA
After presenting a vapid case before numerous grand juries who could find absolutely no fault with Delay, Democrat Prosecutor Ronnie Earl finally landed one that was willing to hand down an indictment for violation of laws that did not exist at the time that Delay was accused of violating them.

Answer: People aren't indicted for crimes that weren't crimes when they committed them.

Mr. Adamo, could you try to be a bit more honest in your reporting?

It's really amazing how crappy the content can be on GOPUSA.com. Who edits this stuff?

Global Warming Makes You Sneeze - Allergies from Pollen

2006-04-27T11:14:00.000-05:00

Do high pollen counts throw you into sneezing fits? If so, George Bush and Dick Cheney's energy policies may cause you more and more sneezing fits over the rest of your life, your children's lives, and many generations to come.:

Soaring Pollen Counts Spur Worst Allergy Season in Years - Yahoo! News
"I looked at the total pollen counts for this season compared to last, and, at this point, we have already reached 80-90 percent of what we saw for the entire season last year," said Albany, N.Y.-based allergy specialist Dr. David Shulan, a spokesman for the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI).

The culprit: a mild, wet winter and early spring, plus unusually warm days.

Will Tax Cuts for the Rich Fly in an America That Isn't the Land of Opportunity for All?

2006-04-26T22:24:00.000-05:00

Uh oh, this could be a problem for conservatives who depend on an overly optimistic American populace in order to push through tax cuts for the rich. If people assume they could one day be rich, they're more likely to find tax cuts for the richest Americans acceptible, right? But when if they don't identify with the vision of America as the land of opportunity for all?
America's rags-to-riches dream an illusion: study - Yahoo! News

America may still think of itself as the land of opportunity, but the chances of living a rags-to-riches life are a lot lower than elsewhere in the world, according to a new study published on Wednesday.

The likelihood that a child born into a poor family will make it into the top five percent is just one percent, according to "Understanding Mobility in America," a study by economist Tom Hertz from American University.

Christopher Palmeri Writes a Stupid Column on Fuel Economy

2006-04-26T17:07:00.000-05:00

This may be the stupidest piece of reporting I've read all week. Christopher Palmeri of BusinessWeek online wrote a column reporting on a study done by Edmunds on how you can improve your gas mileage / fuel economy. Which tips make a difference, and which do not?

How to Ease the Pain at the Pump - Yahoo! News
What can you do to ease the pinch? Start by forgetting almost everything you think you know about saving gasoline. Philip Reed, the senior consumer advice editor at car-shopping site Edmunds.com, and some of his colleagues went out to the California desert to put to the test ways consumers can save money at the pump. Their results are both surprising and helpful, as gas prices head to the stratosphere.

Sounds like an interesting read, right? Well, that is until you read Palmeri's take on things, which make it sound like the only thing you can do to improve your fuel economy is to avoid drag racing between stop lights. Apparently, he didn't bother reading the entire one page report that stated using cruise control or averaging slower speeds on the highway also significantly improve fuel economy.

Additionally, he fails to mention that Edmunds has other reports on their site that cite actual studies by the US Department of Energy showing signficant gas mileage improvements from:

1. Regular Maintenence: 10% improvement
2. Tires inflated: 3.3% improvement (or, should we trust two guys in the desert's report over the DOE?)
3. Removing excess weight: 1-2%
4. Don't Drive Agressively: 7% (the one mentioned)
5. Use highest geat possible.
6. Use Cruise Control: Mentioned in report Palmeri cites, but failed to mention.
7. Keep Car Clean: 7%
8. Avoid Idling: (the other one mentioned)
9. Avoid air conditioning at low speeds (Palmeri dismissed this one)
10. Combine Your Errands: Too obvious to mention?

Maybe the study Palmeri cited wasn't precise enough to measure a 1-2% difference? It clearly takes energy to move mass. Who doesn't understand this? Just think how much energy we could save if President Bush went on prime time television and said, "I ask all of you to go to your cars and take out all the crap you don't need." That's a LOT of crap, translating to a LOT of energy savings.

John Hinderaker on Drudge on Air America and Liberal Media

2006-04-26T14:02:00.000-05:00

If there's one thing you can count on at Power Line Blog, it's regurgitation of right-wing crap with no analysis. Take this for example:

Power Line: Liberals Tune Out
The Drudge Report notes that left-wing media aren't faring too well at the moment. Crashing the Gate, by Markos Moulitsos of the Daily Kos, has sold an astonishingly low 3,630 copies, according to Nielsen's Bookscan. And Air America's already dismal New York ratings have plummeted another 30%.

Can anything be learned from Drudge's data? Well, compare it to Amazon's top sellers list, where the top-25 include the following books that may be considered left or right leaning:

Left - How Would a Patriot Act? - #1
Left - American Theocracy - #13
Right - The Fair Tax Book - #18
Left - Cobra II - #23
Left - Crashing the Gate - #25

So, you'd think a post talking about how poorly left-wing media and books are doing would reflect how well right-wing media and books are doing, right? Yet the only book that I'd consider a right-wing book in the top-25 happens to be related to the tax code in the month of April. By the way, my definition of left-wing books in the above example is books critical of the current administration. As I understand the right-wing definition of liberals, anyone who isn't a Bush administration apologist like the guys at Powerline Blog is a liberal.

And it ignores the TV ratings of Sunday talk shows where FOX News Sunday once again came in last among networks:

Tim Russert hits ratings milestone

"Meet the Press" was seen by just over 4 million people this week, according to Nielsen Media Research. CBS' "Face the Nation" was second with 2.9 million, and ABC's "This Week" had 2.8 million. "Fox News Sunday" had 1.3 million, Nielsen said.

Here's an interesting tidbit from the same AP article:

Russert said he's been stymied lately in seeking appearances by some key officials, among them Vice President Cheney, who has been interviewed recently by Brit Hume on Fox News Channel and on ABC News' "Nightline." Also on Russert's current wish list is Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who has appeared recently on conservative talk radio, and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Cheney and Rumsfeld, unlike Hillary Clinton, are the people responsible for the disasterous war that's led to the deaths of thousands of US troops, tens of thousands or Iraqi civilians, and hundreds of billions of dollars in borrowed money. They're tough enough to send our soldiers to war, but not tough enough to answer questions on Meet the Press with Tim Russert.

I'd provide some analysis of the radio ratings except the Power Stooges, John Hinderaker, cited the Drudge Report for his story and neither Hinderaker or Drudge bothered linking to the study they reported on.

It really is amazing how little respect John Hinderaker and Drudge have for their readers.

UPDATE: John Hinderaker has added two updates to his post. Neither of them showing any more respect for his readers. For a look at how blindly the right-wing regurgitates illogical crap like this, check out this post by Glenn Greenwald.

Wall Street Wants Democratic Fiscal Responsibility Back

2006-04-25T15:45:00.000-05:00

Times, they are a changin':

Daily Kos: Midday Open Thread

Democrats outstripped Republicans in 2005 fundraising on Wall Street (!), according to Bloomberg. The money quote (a little pun there):

"Wall Street wants change" on issues such as the Iraq war and the budget deficit, said James Torrey, chairman of the Torrey Funds, which manages about $1 billion. "I'm finding people who are registered Republicans who are saying to me, 'what can I do to help?'"

Bush Kicks Off Driving Season by Suspending Environmental Standards on Gas

2006-04-25T11:20:00.000-05:00

What a great way to kick off the driving season:

AMERICAblog: Because a great nation deserves the truth
Bonanzas for the oil industry all around. They get outrageous profits and, thanks to their President, a big break on environmental controls:

President Bush on Tuesday ordered a temporary suspension of environmental rules for gasoline, making it easier for refiners to meet demand and possibly dampen prices at the pump.

What good are environmental regulations if you don't enforce them when they're most needed?

What's next? Suspending enforcement of votiing regulations on election day to make it easier to meet demand? WTF!

Joe Mariani Sounds like a GOP Basher to Me

2006-04-25T10:45:00.000-05:00

Joe Mariani has an interesting column today in GOPUSA where he comes across as a massive GOP pork barrel spending apologist. Remember when the GOP touted themselves as being fiscally responsible? LOL.

Liberal 'Budget Hawks' or Vultures? -- Joe Mariani -- GOPUSA
But back to the new Budget Hawk game. It's the best way Liberals have come up with to undermine support for the war in Iraq.

Yeah, how dare anyone question the costs of this unnecessary, pre-emptive war on a country with no weapons of mass destruction. You tell em, Joe.

Realizing that most Americans outside of Hollywood abhor wasteful spending, the anti-war crowd often pretends to be horrified by the amount of money spent by the Federal government on Iraq.

Yeah, those darn liberals and their sneaky pandering to "most Americans" who "abhor wasteful spending." How dare they play to American's emotional attachment to fiscal responsibility?

"Do you know how much Bush's war in Iraq is costing?" they demand to know. "Hundreds of millions a day!" It's always "Bush's war," though Congress voted to send troops to Iraq, and keeps nailing slabs of pork to every defense-related bill.

Yeah, how dare they call it Bush's war when it was also authorized by the GOP controlled congress who "keeps nailing slabs of pork to every defense-related bill." It's clearly the minority Democratic party's fault all of this is happening, right?

Still, it's all a pose, a calculated outrage designed to reduce support for the war among more fiscally conservative Americans.

Isn't it interesting that Joe Mariani thinks Bush is losing support for his war (uh, and the GOP's war) because Democrats are speaking out about the costs?

Hey Joe Mariani, do you honestly believe that fiscally conservative Americans of ANY political persuasion would be against a justifiable war?

Things don't get much better for Mariani's column after that. For example, he tries to justify a WARbased on the cost being not much higher than the military costs of NOT fighting one:

To complain that keeping the American military -- or, at least, about ten percent of it -- in Iraq costs X number of dollars per day is to ignore the fact that the military isn't cheap to keep home, either. Troops still have to be paid, fed, clothed, housed and trained; equipment still has to be upgraded, repaired and replaced.

Seriously, he really said that. Maybe we should just start randomly firing Nukes at other countries too, since the cost of launching nukes isn't that much higher than storing them?

It's amazing how poor the writing can be on GOPUSA. This particular article was FEATURED in their newsletter! Don't they have any respect for their readers?

Hey Michelle Malkin: Start Reading Doug Patton's Stuff

2006-04-25T10:31:00.000-05:00

Michelle Malkin published a video blog the other day ripping on everyone's cow-towing to China except our own president. Maybe Malkin should read up on what Doug Patton has to say about our dictator in chief's actions.

Things I Would Love To Hear My President Say -- Doug Patton -- GOPUSA

Instead, Bush apologized to this dictator, who presides over a government as evil and repressive as any that has ever existed on this planet. Meanwhile, the protestor was arrested for disturbing the peace. Granted, the president did issue an official statement that China should allow greater freedom of worship, but he also assured the Chinese Communists that he supports their despotic claim over the lives of the free people of Taiwan.

Bush Lays Out Winning Strategery for Iraq

2006-04-25T10:28:00.000-05:00

Um, My President, did terrorists use Iraq as a haven BEFORE we turned the country into a lawless region it's become under your watch?

Bush: No terror haven in Iraq -- GOPUSA
U.S. President George Bush told a California audience Monday that terrorists want to use Iraq as a haven, but he has strategy to win the war.

"We've got a strategy in place to achieve victory," Bush said.

We have a strategy to achieve victory? Awesome, let's hear about it!

The president did not give the specifics of the strategy, other than standing by the new government in Iraq.

Oh.

Next time, can we have a winning strategery BEFORE we invade a country? Or, find ways to avoid invading other countries? I like to call it diplomacracy.

Bush administration lied about reason for firing CIA agent last Friday, wasn't because she leaked about CIA prisons

2006-04-25T08:50:00.000-05:00

Team Bush: Incompetent or Evil? This one stores a 9 for imcompetence on getting their story straight, and an 10 for firing someone 10 days before retirement.

This smells VERY VERY rotten. AMERICAblog: Because a great nation deserves the truth

They fired this woman ten days before she was due to retire. Then they lied about why. Sounds to me like this was one more bit of retribution by George Bush against a woman whose expert analysis of the facts didn't toe the Bush pro-war line.

The CIA is not admitting that they didn't fire her for the reason they previously stated:

A lawyer representing fired CIA officer Mary O. McCarthy said yesterday that his client did not leak any classified information and did not disclose to Washington Post reporter Dana Priest the existence of secret CIA-run prisons in Eastern Europe for suspected terrorists.

The statement by Ty Cobb, a lawyer in the Washington office of Hogan & Hartson who said he was speaking for McCarthy, came on the same day that a senior intelligence official said the agency is not asserting that McCarthy was a key source of Priest's award-winning articles last year disclosing the agency's secret prisons.

10 Reasons Why Gay Marriage is Wrong

2006-04-24T14:25:00.000-05:00

best of craigslist : 10 reasons why gay marriage should be illegal

10 reasons why gay marriage should be illegal

Date: 2005-10-06, 12:53PM PDT

10 Reasons Why Gay Marriage is Wrong

01) Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.

02) Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.

03) Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.

04) Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can't marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.

05) Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Britany Spears' 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.

06) Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn't be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren't full yet, and the world needs more children.

07) Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.

08) Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's why we have only one religion in America.

09) Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That's why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.

10) Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven't adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans.

Michelle Malkin - Hotair - It's not just China Censoring People, Michelle

2006-04-24T12:12:00.000-05:00

Michelle Malkin kicked off her new video blog, Hotair.com with stories about censorship in China, including swipes at Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft, for their compromised positions they've taken with the Chinese government: Hot Air » Blog Archive » Kowtowing to China.

Malkin even mentions the now famous Wenyi Wang, who burst out in protest during Hu Jintao's speach at the White House last week. However, she didn't mention that the United States of America censored Ms. Wang right in front of President Bush, who apologized for Ms. Wang's expression of free speech on the White House lawn.

Protester Yells at Hu; Bush Apologizes
In a surprise outburst that cast a diplomatic shadow, a screaming protester confronted President Bush and Chinese President Hu Jintao and interrupted the welcoming ceremony on the White House lawn Thursday. Bush later apologized to the Chinese leader.

On the technology side of things, Malkin also failed to bring up the fact that AT&T is handing over ALL of the electronic communications going across their wires to the US Government. Yes, THAT AT&T, and yes THAT US Government.

Leaking the Truth vs. Manipulative Lies for War

2006-04-24T11:52:00.000-05:00

It seems to me that leaking the TRUTH is something close to whistleblower status, while leaking lies to justify destroying a country is just plain illegal.

Dems. call White House on their leak hypocrisy
Dems. call White House on their leak hypocrisy
by Joe in DC - 4/24/2006 09:47:00 AM

Even John Kerry can articulate the Bush team's hypocritical double standard:

Then drawing a parallel to the Plame case, Kerry said that with McCarthy, "you have somebody being fired from the CIA for allegedly telling the truth, and you have no one fired from the White House for revealing a CIA agent in order to support a lie. That underscores what's really wrong in Washington, D.C."

So this administration punishes people for blowing the cover on secret torture prisons, but has no problem lying about our intelligence concerning Iraq (and now Iran). That's messed up.

John Hinderaker Doesn't Understand Democrats

2006-04-23T22:26:00.000-05:00

John Hinderaker clearly doesn't understand that Democrats are the party that loves the troops, the party that honors them upon their return from service, the party that fights for body armor and properly armored vehicles, the party that doesn't put troops in harm's way unless there is an imminent threat to our nation, and the party that doesn't forget about veterans.

Power Line: Tennessee Welcomes Its Soldiers Home

Tennessee's Governor, Phil Bredesen, seems to have made entirely appropriate comments, notwithstanding the fact that he is a Democrat:

"What a great sight this is on the street today," said Gov. Phil Bredesen as he reviewed the 2,500 members of the 278th standing in parade formation wearing their camouflage uniforms.

Bredesen said the men and women of the 278th who were deployed to Iraq for a year represent "what is the very best of our state and the very best of our nation."

"I thank you for your courage and sacrifices," the governor told the soldiers. "You left as trained citizens and you came back as warriors."

"Warriors"--not usually a part of the Democrats' lexicon.

It's really sad to see Hinderaker insinuate that Democrats are something they clearly are not. Clearly Hinderaker fails to understand the difference between supporting America's troops and supporting the actions of this war-mongering failure of an administration.

Paul Mirengoff on Zbigniew Brzezinski

2006-04-23T20:52:00.000-05:00

Mirengoff take his lack of analytical skills to an entirely new level by pretending to have a better understanding of the threats posed by, and proposed military plans related to Iran than a former national security advisor:

Power Line: Still feckless after all these years
Brzezinski apparently is unable to distinguish between an invastion followed by an occupation and bombing strikes. Similarly, he can't detect the difference between a regime that indisputably had chemical weapons at one time but claimed to have destroyed them and a regime that does not yet have nuclear weapons but indisputably is working diligently to develop them, and making excellent progress.

Apparently, Mirengoff's ability to take this failed administration at its word knows no bounds.

Baseball Stadiums are Moneymakers?

2006-04-23T19:20:00.000-05:00

Bill Erickson, from Crookston claims baseball stadiums are moneymakers. If that was the case, why wouldn't someone worth billions build their own stadium? Don't you think a banker knows a good investment when he sees one?

Another reason why this can't be the case is the fact that you NEVER hear a pro-stadium backer, including Twins management, local sports writers, or fans make a financial case for building the stadium. If they could they clearly would, because it would have the most sway with the city, county and state.

Instead, they stick to making emotional pleas and pathetic threats about how poor the quality of life would be for Minnesotans if we didn't have a professional baseball team. And somehow, that justifies the public expenditure of hundreds of millions of dollars?

Mr Erickson, if it's a good investment, get together the money to build the stadium yourself along with other private investors. Build it, then rent it to the Twins. Do you think it would be a good investment with your OWN money?

It's a moneymaker

My family and I have gone 600 miles round trip to the Twins games. If this spineless state government, including the governor, cannot keep the Twins in this state, I will oppose any business or farm subsidy.

The stadium makes money, period! The "overpaid players" will pay state taxes. Even the opposing teams' players (think A-Rod). I would rather support the Twins than Northwest Airlines.

BILL ERICKSON, CROOKSTON, MINN.

Quote of the Day

2006-04-21T15:42:00.000-05:00

Quote of the Day
In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.
Thomas Jefferson

Paul Mirengoff Fails to Grasp Reality Again. This time with Iran

2006-04-21T10:53:00.000-05:00

Powerline Blog's Paul Mirengoff mails in a more maginal than usual post with the help of his cousin today that doesn't manage to get across even a basic understanding of the known threat Iran poses. Mirengoff's cousin quickly jumps from Friedman's analysis of the boondoggle that will be Iran assuming Bush gets his way, to Al Queda, as if they're one in the same. I haven't watched FOX News in a while, so I'm a little out of touch with the ties the right-wing is making in order to drum up support for another collossally unprovoked war.

Mirengoff either failed to correct his cousin, or simply chose to ignore the government's own estimates that show Iran is NO WHERE NEAR completion of a nuclear warhead since they don't even have all the raw materials needed to make one. Because of this, it's perfectly reasonable to wait until a more competent adminstration capable of both diplomatic and potentially military options can be effectively conducted. Until then, I'd prefer Bush focus on things that won't get so many people around the world killed.

And figure out a way to provide healthcare for children.

And raise the minimum wage for people over 18.

And do something about New Orleans like he promised to.

And find Bin Laden.

And invest in alternative energy sources. For real this time.

Progressive Businesses in Lexington Slap Down Bigoted Governor Fletcher

2006-04-21T10:52:00.000-05:00

The business journal for Lexington, KY wrote a great editorial ripping the KY governor, Gov. Ernie Fletcher, for his gay bashing policies. I wonder if our Minnesota's businesses will speak out against Michele Bachmann's hatred?

Why Not Everybody? -- Thomas Sowell -- GOPUSA

2006-04-19T13:20:00.000-05:00

Hey Thomas Sowell, why not stop beating up on people who are trying to make a better life for themselves, and take on the corporations who are illegally hiring the workers? Wouldn't it be easier to enforce our country's labor laws, thus drying up the demand for illegal labor?

Why Not Everybody? -- Thomas Sowell -- GOPUSA: "One of the ways of trying to justify illegal immigration from an economic standpoint is to point out that the work done by these immigrants is adding to the total output of the United States.

We have all heard about the 'undocumented workers' who grow our tomatoes, harvest our strawberries, clean our hotels, take care of our children, mow our lawns and do innumerable other things. All of this of course adds to the nation's total output."

Who's profiting from illegal immigration, Mr. Sowell?

Bobby Eberle's Christian Faith Threatened by Changing Calendar

2006-04-19T13:03:00.000-05:00

Hey Bobby Eberle, who's HURT by this?

So... Is it 2006 A.D. or 2006 C.E.?: "In yet another measure to remove Christian references from society, not even the calendar year designation is safe. Whether you view it as political correctness run amok or part of the ongoing purge of all things Christian, some organizations including the Kentucky Board of Education are beginning to replace A.D. (anno Domini) with C.E. (common era). Even though the beginning of the historical dating system is the birth of Christ, I guess some feel that using C.E. will help neutralize that fact. What will people think of next???"

Looks like Eberle's on the wrong side of history on this non-issue:

According to Wikipedia, the term Âcommon eraÂ is growing in usage. The fact that the Western calendar is being used more as a global standard is cited by Wikipedia as a reason that dates Âshould be religiously and culturally neutral out of consideration for those cultures compelled to use it out of necessity.Â

Eberle fails to realize that America is a country founded on religious freedom:

Once again, it seems to me that people are either overtly trying to purge Christian references from society or they are being driven by fear of offending some group even if the offense does not exist.

Eberle is forced to use an exception to the rule to support his case:

How many times have leaders of American Indian tribes stepped forward and said that usage of their names on sports teams does not offend them, and yet the ÂSensitivity PoliceÂ still file lawsuits demanding the names be changed.

Reality can be found here.

Followed by some whining about how the majority in this country is being persecuted by those who don't share the same religious beliefs:

In fact, the only group whose concerns seem to go unnoticed are the vast majority of people who are not offended by the historical dating system and only take offense when another attempt is made to remove a Christian reference.

Eberly takes the following parting shot:

Perhaps these groups should spend less time offending Christians and more time on issues that are important.

Perhaps Christians who have time to worry about such assinine issues should spend more time living the WWJD mantra. Do you think Jesus would get in a Eberle-like hissy fit over how years are named and counted?

Would your faith somehow become less strong if you lived under a different calendar? Or no calendar at all?

Hopefully, your faith isn't as easily shaken as Bobby Eberle's.

Mardi Gras Update on Hurricane Katrina

2006-04-14T11:21:00.000-05:00

Katrina Damage from Hurricane Katrina
Originally uploaded by lolowar.

Here's a photo takes by lolowar during Mardi Gras showing another example of the slow response by the Bush Administration and the GOP controlled House and Senate to deal with the aftermath.

Mission Creep at the Taxpayers League

2006-04-13T16:30:00.000-05:00

Some quick calculating by Britt Robson at the City Pages puts the cost of the Iraq debacle at $2 billion/year plus interest for just Minnesota.

City Pages - The Blotter - Mission Creep at the Taxpayers League: "The next time you hear the Taxpayers League bitching about the $200 million per year being collected in cigarette taxes, remember that it represents just one-tenth of the revenue that will be required to pay the piper for our part in the war effort the league apparently endorses."

I'd rather see that $2 billion go to something less wasteful, like new stadiums for the Twins, Vikings, Gophers, and whoever else wants one. Still wasteful, but less death and destruction.

Life in Pre-9/11 America

2006-04-11T15:54:00.000-05:00

Ever notice how often the GOP justifies things by saying, "we're not living in a pre-9/11 world" anymore? Well, let's take a quick look back at the party that was 1999 to see what it looked like in the Oval Office:
CLINTON DESCRIBES TERRORISM THREAT FOR 21ST CENTURY - New York Times

CLINTON DESCRIBES TERRORISM THREAT FOR 21ST CENTURY
By JUDITH MILLER AND WILLIAM J. BROAD
Published: January 22, 1999

President Clinton said today that it is ''highly likely'' that a terrorist group will launch or threaten a germ or chemical attack on American soil within the next few years.

In an interview in the Oval Office late in the day, Mr. Clinton said he had been persuaded by intelligence reports that the United States needs to bolster its defenses.

Interesting, the president was concerned about terrorist attacks BEFORE 9/11? Let's go on:

Elaborating on some of the initiatives he intends to unveil on Friday, Mr. Clinton said he is weighing a proposal from the Defense Department to establish a commander in chief for the defense of the continental United States, a step that civil liberties groups strongly resist.

Sounds a lot like the Department of Homeland Security to me. Interesting. Did you think Bush really came up with that concept? What was the GOP working on at this time:

The President gave the interview as his lawyers ended their defense presentation at his impeachment trial in the Senate.

Can you imagine the following sentence being written about our current creationist shallow thinking president:

Despite the political pressures, Mr. Clinton appeared relaxed and deeply engaged in the complex scientific and policy issues raised by what the White House has called 21st-century threats.

I wonder if he ever thought about an anthrax attack:

Among other new considerations, Mr. Clinton said he was weighing a proposal to give anthrax vaccinations to police, fire, public health and other emergency officials in cities throughout the country.

Has Bush gotten to the bottom of the Anthrax attacks yet? The letters were sent from within the United States something like four years ago, but no one has every been charged.

Is it possible to prevent terrorism without preemptive attacks? It was in 1999:

He also vowed to forge ahead despite Congressional criticism with cooperative programs with Russia aimed at providing jobs to 8,000 former weapons scientists who might otherwise be tempted to work with rogue states or terrorist groups.

I wonder if Clinton ever worried about Osama bin Laden:

He noted that Osama bin Laden, a Saudi fugitive who is accused of masterminding the United States Embassy bombings in Africa in August, has ''made an effort to get chemical weapons'' and ''may have'' tried to get germ weapons. ''We don't know that they have them,'' Mr. Clinton said.

Ah, 1999, when vigilance in the Oval Office was considered part of the job. Good times.

Time For Cynthia McKinney To Go Home -- Star Parker -- GOPUSA

2006-04-11T12:28:00.000-05:00

Hey Star Parker,

If you're going to use numbers in your columns, make sure they're accurate. Your case went to crap when you tried to paint the Democrats with the low approval brush brought on by the GOP:

Time For Cynthia McKinney To Go Home -- Star Parker -- GOPUSA: "The latest polling done by Fox News shows that a 36 percent approval rating for President Bush actually looks good compared to the 29 that both Democrat and Republican members of Congress get."

Here's something to think about before you try to mislead your readers again:

Poll: Bush Ratings Hit New Low - CBS News: "Republicans receive more criticism than Democrats when it comes to their ethics. Although a majority of Americans think members of both parties share the honesty and integrity of most people, 37 percent think the Republicans in Congress are less likely to have those qualities, compared to 28 percent who say that about the Democrats. "

Notice the difference? I wonder why that didn't make it into your article?

Powell: U.S. mistakes hurting Iraq now -- GOPUSA

2006-04-11T12:22:00.000-05:00

Hey Colin Powell. The mistakes were made before the invasion. It's called planning. How many times did you say to Rumsfeld or Bush when given a chance, "And then what?"

Powell: U.S. mistakes hurting Iraq now -- GOPUSA: "'We made some serious mistakes in the immediate aftermath of the fall of Baghdad,' Powell told the National School Board Association's annual conference in Chicago. 'We didn't have enough troops on the ground. We didn't impose our will. And as a result, an insurgency got started, and ... it got out of control.'"

It's a matter of leadership.

Encouraging Illegal Behavior for Corporate Benefit

2006-04-11T12:20:00.000-05:00

Hey Bobby Eberle, why not go after the corporations who are hiring the illegal immigrants. If the demand for illegal labor was quashed, what would be the incentive to immigrate illegally?

The Loft Â» Blog Archive Â» Encouraging Illegal Behavior for the Mighty Vote: "As rallies popped up across the country yesterday to protest efforts by Congress to secure the borders, enforce existing immigration laws, and deal with the illegal aliens already in the country, the Democrats revealed in unmistakable clarity their true motives. This debate isnÂt about fairness or compassion or any of the other buzz words they like to use. ItÂs about votes, and in their zeal to tap into the illegal alien voting bloc, they are not only condoning illegal activity, they are encouraging it."

Isn't your guy in the White House proposing an amnesty program? How does that not encourage illegal immigration?

Why is your party so addicted to illegal labor?

Is it because they don't have to offer insurance?

Don't have to worry about OSHA complaints from illegal workers?

Can pay them (or not) whatever they want?

It's not like they're going to complain, right?

Bush: Iran report is 'wild speculation' -- GOPUSA

2006-04-11T12:16:00.000-05:00

Hey, GOPUSA!

Who should we believe?

The reporting of a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist with connections within the Pentagon, or a president who lied us into a war?

Bush: Iran report is 'wild speculation' -- GOPUSA: "U.S. President George Bush says allegations that he planned to use force to halt Iran's nuclear program are 'wild speculation.'"

I know some "Terrorists" by This Standard

2006-04-05T23:46:00.001-05:00

Wow, I guess you'd better keep your iPod to yourself these days:

AMERICAblog: Because a great nation deserves the truth

British anti-terrorism detectives escorted a man from a plane after a taxi driver had earlier become suspicious when he started singing along to a track by punk band The Clash, police said Wednesday.

Detectives halted the London-bound flight at Durham Tees Valley Airport in northern England and Harraj Mann, 24, was taken off.

The taxi driver had become worried on the way to the airport because Mann had been singing along to The Clash's 1979 anthem "London Calling," which features the lyrics "Now war is declared -- and battle come down" while other lines warn of a "meltdown expected."

I know some "Terrorists" by This Standard

2006-04-05T23:46:00.000-05:00

Wow, I guess you'd better keep your iPod to yourself these days:

AMERICAblog: Because a great nation deserves the truth

British anti-terrorism detectives escorted a man from a plane after a taxi driver had earlier become suspicious when he started singing along to a track by punk band The Clash, police said Wednesday.

Detectives halted the London-bound flight at Durham Tees Valley Airport in northern England and Harraj Mann, 24, was taken off.

The taxi driver had become worried on the way to the airport because Mann had been singing along to The Clash's 1979 anthem "London Calling," which features the lyrics "Now war is declared -- and battle come down" while other lines warn of a "meltdown expected."

Why Paul Mirengoff is a Horrible Political Analyst

2006-04-03T12:21:00.000-05:00

Paul Mirengoff loves what Fred Hiatt has to say about the Democrat's national security plan, as the plan is described by Fred Hiatt:

Power Line: "Warriors" without credibilitly

Hiatt also notes that, while the Democrats promise to "buy more weaponry than the Bush administration [and] sign up more troops," they also implicity reject the notion that we are (or should be) engaged in a long-term global struggle against terrorism.

So Mirengoff thinks Hiatt thinks the Democrats think we (as a country) should NOT fight against terrorism? This goes to show how out of touch Paul Mirengoff is with reality. If Mirengoff or Hiatt really believe that that's what Democrats believe, I can understand why they demonize them.

In reality, Democrats simply see strategies beyond just air bombing and ground invasions as viable terrorism prevention strategies.

If Mirengoff can't understand his political opponent's position - or simply refuses to - he's going to continue to make assinine statements based on his distorted world view.

George W Bush Continues to Screw Working Women

2006-04-02T10:12:00.000-05:00

From the Washington Monthly:

FOX, MEET HENHOUSE....

Hey, guess who President Bush has nominated to head up the Labor Department's Wage and Hour Division? That's right: the guy who represented Wal-Mart in trying to prevent a class of 1.5 million women from suing the company for discrimination in pay and promotions! He also appears to oppose pretty much every regulation related to wages and hours ever passed.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Air America Radio

2006-03-31T09:12:00.000-06:00

I got an XM Radio specifically for Air America. Great stuff. My personal favorite personality on the show is Sam Seder because he takes a lot of right-wing callers who regurgitate FOX/GOP talking points only to get slapped down by Sam with a cold dose of reality.

From Daily Kos:Daily Kos: Cheers and Jeers: Rum and Coke FRIDAY!: "Today is the two-year anniversary of the liberal radio network that was supposed to go dark after 6 months. Today they're heard on 85 stations plus XM Satellite Radio (or you can stream `em online, which tons of people do). To think that two years and one day ago it was almost impossible to hear liberal voices on the radio. People like Tom Oliphant, Paul Krugman, David Brock, Melanie Sloan, E.J. Dionne, David Sirota, Howard Dean, Joe Conason, a gaggle of Democratic Reps and Senators and ex-presidents and policy wonks, and yes, even Kos. It's not just talk radio---it's crack for the reality-based soul."

Paul Mirengoff Gets Smacked Down by Reality

2006-03-21T01:08:00.000-06:00

Paul Mirengoff gets his ass handed to him from Christy Hardin Smith who uses FACTS to smack down Mirengoff's attempts to dismiss the serious charges against Scooter Libby. Mr. Mirengoff, why is Libby being charged with perjury? Who is he trying to protect?

Now I understand why Powerline Blog doesn't allow comments. Why would they want to deal with factual smackdowns like Freddhedd dealt them on a daily basis?

ReddHedd on the Washington Journal

Christy Hardin Smith (aka) Reddhedd from FireDogLake, was on the Washington Journal today with Paul Mirengoff from Powerline-discussing a variety of topics including Scooter Libby.

Don't Get Sick from 8pm 'till Dawn

2006-03-20T17:43:00.000-06:00

With a curfew in Iraq from 8pm until dawn, you're better off suffering with your sickness than risking traveling to a hospital for help. If you happen to have heart disease like VP Dick Cheney, don't set your alarm for before dawn. Standing up after waking up can be the most dangerous time of the day for heart attacks. You wouldn't want to suffer from a heart attack only to be gunned down along with your spouse on the way to the hospital.

Worse yet, don't plan on delivering your baby after 8pm. That could lead to the death of the woman and her soon to be born child.

Were there curfews under Saddam's regime? I'm not saying life under Saddam was all good, but seriously, did you have to worry about your car being shot up on the way to the hospital?

More blood on George W Bush's hands.

Great Job, St Cloud State

2006-03-20T17:10:00.000-06:00

Thank you to St Cloud State for protesting the war in Iraq today. I was in New York City for a conference on the night George W Bush started this disastrous war back in 2003 and protested the war in a demonstration in Times Square. People rallied around the world against this unprovoked military action that has since led to the death of tens of thousands of people and the waste of hundreds of millions of dollars.

Sadly, we're still almost three years away from moving beyond the disaster that is our current administration.

Conservative vs Liberal Personality Types

2006-03-20T11:49:00.000-06:00

This seems consistent with the arguments used by conservatives to criticize John Kerry. They bashed him for being so ambiguous on issues. But in reality, he simply doesn't see things in the black & white terms many conservatives apply to issues. Can the Iraq debacle be defined in black & white terms? Can changes to social security, medicare, taxes, or abortion be viewed in black & white terms? I don't think so, since every change has consequences that need to be considered. And I'm fine with that. The ambiguity of issues is what makes them interesting.

I don't gravitate toward authority that will make live simple for me. Instead, I prefer researching problems myself, reading the opinions of a variety of experts, and coming to my own conclusions about what's best for me and my country. This is a common liberal trait, and partly what makes it so hard for liberals to organize. How do you organize people who thrive on having their own opinions?

TheStar.com - How to spot a baby conservative

A few decades later, Block followed up with more surveys, looking again at personality, and this time at politics, too. The whiny kids tended to grow up conservative, and turned into rigid young adults who hewed closely to traditional gender roles and were uncomfortable with ambiguity.

The confident kids turned out liberal and were still hanging loose, turning into bright, non-conforming adults with wide interests. The girls were still outgoing, but the young men tended to turn a little introspective.

Information for Women in South-Wingukota

2006-03-13T19:56:00.000-06:00

Kottke offers guidance for those striving for independence in South-Wingukota:

Abortion manual for the women of South Dakota (kottke.org)

In reaction to the South Dakota Senate passing an abortion ban bill, a woman named Molly has posted an abortion manual for the women of South Dakota:

In the 1960s and early 1970s, when abortions were illegal in many places and expensive to get, an organization called Jane stepped up to the plate in the Chicago area. Jane initially hired an abortion doctor, but later they did the abortions themselves. They lost only one patient in 13,000 -- a lower death rate than that of giving live birth. The biggest obstacle they had, though, was the fact that until years into the operation, they thought of abortion as something only a doctor could do, something only the most trained specialist could perform without endangering the life of the woman.

Gale Norton's Future

2006-03-13T18:43:00.000-06:00

Where will the Secretary of the Interior land after resigning her post? On a 1-10 scale, what level of conflict of interest will her new job have with her job that supposedly represented the American people?

Hap Corbett Rewards the Rapist

2006-03-12T10:25:00.000-06:00

Apparently, Hap Corbertt doesn't see a need for women to have a say in what happens within their own body after being raped.

Should we reward rapists?

DAD'S CRIME, CHILD'S LIFE

No abortion exceptions

Several of your readers have objected to South Dakota's recently passed abortion law on the basis there is no exception for rape or incest. I have two questions for those readers:

• If a man were convicted of murder, would you approve of executing his child?

• If a man robbed a bank, would you approve of putting his child in prison?

The answer to both questions should be no -- and we should not kill unborn children because their fathers are guilty of rape or incest.

HAP CORBETT, STAPLES, MINN.

People who have abortions are losers. Just as a Seth Yantiss.

2006-03-09T14:00:00.000-06:00

Looks like I stirred the turd over at SayAnyThingBlog.com a bit. Seth Yantiss, who apparently is one of the site's resident dittoheads, is taking talking points from the Scarlet Letter in his stance against abortion. Wouldn't addressing the common reasons women have abortions (lack of health care, stable income, housing) be a better approach to preventing abortions than castigating women?

Do you get the impression that Yantiss would be the kind of guy who'd use any and all connections to try to get out of a speeding ticket, yet thinks other people need to take resonsibility for their actions . . . or else?

Say Anything: Parental Notification Law Causes Teen Abortion Rates To Drop In Texas - North Dakota's Most Popular Political Blog

Seth Yantiss: Though it may sound mean, we should prop these people up as the losers they are and show all of our children the reasons NOT TO DO WHAT THEY HAVE DONE. These people would only server as an example to others on how not to live. The majority would get it faster, seeing the real world example of where being stupid gets you, and within a generation, fewer people would mimic the poor behavior. By coddling and apologizing for f-ups we tell the next generation that "it's okay to screw up... someone will cover for you... don't worry about it."

Bush: Tough on Terrorism When the Price is Right

2006-02-24T07:17:00.000-06:00

How strange to see the Bush Administration try to dismiss valid security concerns considering that they're the ones who scared the crap out of in the first place.

Terror fears, stoked by Bush, now bite him - Yahoo! News

For almost five years
President George W. Bush has warned Americans to fear terrorism, but now those words may come back to bite him.

The president, who has cast himself as America's protector against terrorism and Islamic militancy, has been thrown on the defensive by a bipartisan revolt over his administration's approval of a state-owned company from the United Arab Emirates assuming operation of six major U.S. seaports.

Michelle Bachman's Inconsistent use of the Federal Government

2006-02-19T20:18:00.000-06:00

Bachman wants to turn abortion decisions over to the states, but thinks marriage needs to be defined at the federal level. Doesn't Bachman understand that a true conservative would stay the heck out of both issues? How can Bachman honestly believe that she knows what's best for every single American on these personal issues?

Apparently, she disagrees with the Bush Administration on education policy. Bush has increased the federal government's role in education through unfunded mandates. Bachman seems to prefer non-funded non-mandates, although I find it hard to believe that she wouldn't want some federally mandated anti-science in the classroom.

Sixth District candidate profiles

Bachmann supports constitutional amendments to balance the federal budget, to define marriage, and to leave abortion law up to the states. To save money, she would abolish the federal Education Department.

Open Letter to Vice President Dick Cheney

2006-02-19T17:19:00.000-06:00

Dear Vice Presidnet Cheney,

We think it's pretty funny that you can't tell the difference between farm raised defenseless birds and your longtime friend, Whittington.

We'll keep quiet about what really happened on your hunting trip if you promise to only hunt wild animals in the future.

Sincerely,

Farm Raised Quails of America

Bush's Unpopularity: Even Ohio Gets It Now

2006-02-18T16:00:00.000-06:00

It's a shame the people of Ohio weren't able to understand that Bush's 2nd term would be just that: Four more years of war, increasing defecits alongside additional tax cuts for the richest among us, and further decreases in support for the average American worker in the form of lower job security, more expensive health insurance, and less secure pensions.

Crooks and Liars: Bush is unpopular across the entire country

This 50-state polling chart compiled by USA Survey is quite telling. Bush's approval rating is above 50% in only 6 states in the entire country, and Texas is not one of them. In 40 out of 50 states -- 80% of the country -- more people disapprove of Bush than approve of him.

Most revealing is Bush's intense and pervasive unpopularity in Ohio, the state which swung the election in his favor. People in Ohio disapprove of Bush's performance by an amazingly lopsided margin of 37-60%. Apparently, they're not happy that they have no jobs, their kids have no health insurance, their neighbors have been stuck and are being killed in an increasingly unpopular, endless and senseless war in Iraq, and the President is surrounded by cronyism and corruption and thinks he has the power to break the law. But at least gay couples can't get married, so that's good.

Rove was Notified Within 90 Minutes of Shooting

2006-02-15T13:34:00.000-06:00

Can you say cover-up? Why did Rove instruct Katharine Armstrong to wait until the next day to leak the story to a small local newspaper? Why were they stalling?

If Rove was notified within 90 minutes, when was the president notified? Does Rove even check in with Bush on things involving Cheney?

Rove was Notified within 90 Minutes of Shooting

It just gets better and better. Karl Rove had a chat with Katharine Armstrong, the Bush pioneer and estate owner, who was on the hunt and is the only eyewitness who has been allowed to talk to the press. Apparently within 90 minutes of the shooting.

And it was her idea to go to the press, right?

Tucker Carlson Knows Nothing about Hunting

2006-02-14T22:26:00.000-06:00

I just watched Tucker Carlson discussing drinking and hunting with Al Franken on Carlson's show on MSNBC. Tucker claims that "No responsible hunter drinks" which is certainly true, but does nothing to dismiss the circumstances involved in Dick Cheney's shooting of a 78 year old man in the face after getting out of the car to shoot farm raised quail.

Franken pointed out that Tucker's an idiot if he doesn't think drinking plays a role in most hunting accidents.

In this case, Franken was much more in touch with reality than Carlson. Or, Carlson was trying to cover for Cheney's idiocy by dismissing the drinking and hunting theory.

Assuming we later learn that Cheney was indeed drinking, I hope Tucker sticks to his original thoughts: No responsible hunter drinks, Mr. Vice President.

Dick Cheney's Safety Position: Police Report

2006-02-13T22:44:00.000-06:00

I was just perusing the police report from Dick Cheney's irresponsible shooting accident and noticed the field for "Safety Position" was marked Unknown rather than Off. Doesn't the fact that he shot a guy make it pretty clear that the safety wasn't On?

It also lists his hunter certification as Unknown. What's up with that? Stranger still, they marked Whittington's certification as No, so they checked the victim's hunting certification, but the guy who fired the shot?

It also states that Whittington was retrieving a downed bird when he was shot by Cheney. I don't know about you, but when I've been bird hunting in the past, my hunting partners had the courtesy to not shoot while I was retrieving birds. And especially not in my direction.

Conservative = Blind Loyalty to an Incompetent Administration

2006-02-13T16:08:00.000-06:00

Glenn Greenwald nails it:

Unclaimed Territory - by Glenn Greenwald: Do Bush followers have a political ideology?

People who self-identify as "conservatives" and have always been considered to be conservatives become liberal heathens the moment they dissent, even on the most non-ideological grounds, from a Bush decree. That’s because "conservatism" is now a term used to describe personal loyalty to the leader (just as "liberal" is used to describe disloyalty to that leader), and no longer refers to a set of beliefs about government.

Scott Mirengoff's Crooked Pointer Finger

2006-02-13T12:27:00.000-06:00

Mirengoff raises some solid points in his rant against Al Gore, only it really should be a rant against George Bush. Four years have passed since 9/11. What has George W Bush done to address the Saudi role in the 9/11 attacks?

Answer: Attack a neighboring country that had no ties to the 9/11 attacks.

Keep in mind that James Baker - the same James Baker who fought to put George W Bush in office by stopping the Florida recount in 2000. The same James Baker who worked for Bush's dad. The same James Baker who worked with George Bush (41) at the Carlyle Group defended the Saudis against lawsuits from the victims of 9/11.

So who's really hurting America, Mr. Mirengoff?

Power Line: Al of Arabia

I want them to know that the American people support the enforcement of America's immigration laws, especially against those suspected of having a possible terrorist connection. I want them to know that when 15 of the 19 perpetrators of September 11 were found to have been Saudi citizens, the American people wanted the Saudi government to take responsibility for its role in the attack on the United States and take every action necessary to ensure that it never happens again.

Some Churches See the Evolutionary Light

2006-02-13T07:34:00.000-06:00

It's good to see some churches realizing they can provide enlightenment for their member's faith without forcing scientific ignorance.

Churches celebrate Darwin's birthday

Nearly 450 Christian churches in the United States are celebrating the 197th birthday of Charles Darwin Sunday.

The churches say Darwin`s theory of biological evolution is compatible with faith and that Christians have no need to choose between religion and science, the Chicago Tribune reported.

George W Bush's "Duty" is Apparently to be a Failed President

2006-02-12T12:07:00.000-06:00

A few Bush quotes courtesy of mtanga with commentary from me:

See, we have a duty. The job of the President is to confront problems, not to pass them on to future Presidents and future generations. –GWB (except the costs of war, tax cuts for the richest of the rich, and dealing with damage we're doing to the environment)

I have a duty to nominate well-qualified men and women to the federal judiciary. I have done just that, and I will continue to do so. –GWB (Harriet Miers?)

We have a duty for future generations. We have a duty to leave this world more peaceful. We have a duty to reform the institutions that are old and tired. That's our duty. –GWB (By deliverying peace one bomb at a time, by proposing to destroy institutions like Social Security.)

I have a duty as the president to define problems facing our nation and to call upon people to act. –GWB (How did he define the problem called Katrina? Who did he call upon to act? Can you name the person Bush has called upon to catch Osaba bin Laden?)

I have a duty to protect the Executive Branch from legislative encroachment. I mean, for example, when the GAO demands documents from us, we're not going to give them to them. –GWB (A duty to defy the checks and balances he's sworn to uphold?)

When a stupid man is doing something he is ashamed of, he always declares that it is his duty. –George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) (Correct.)

midwestheroes.com Militant Ads During Olympic Games

2006-02-11T20:37:00.000-06:00

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't the Olympics supposed to celebrate peaceful competition of the world's best athletes? Isn't the Olympics an event that prides itself on bringing people together from countries around the world in a peace?

Assuming that's the case, it sure seems ridiculous to watch ads promoting destroying people duringn such a peaceful event.

It's absolutely ridiculous to watch ads celebrating a failed president who led us into a war that didn't need to be fought.

It's absolutely ridiculous to watch ads suggesting that the only way to fight terrorism is to spend billions of dollars, sacrifice the lives of thousands of US troops, destroy a country, take away American's privacy, and make us live in fear.

So, thank you midwestheroes.com, mnfamiliesunited.com, familiesunitedmission.com, Chuck Larson, Merrilee Carlson, Robert Stephenson, Mark Weber, and Marcellus Wilks for making a mockery of the Olympic Games. Peace be with you.

As I understand it, your intentions are sound, but your tactics are tactless.

Alaska: A Typical Red-State Welfare State

2006-02-11T16:19:00.000-06:00

Why do Red States suck so heavily from the federal government teat? Have some pride. Pay your fair share, Alaska.

Alaska Seeks to Remake State's Image - Yahoo! News

Alaska is one of the top recipients of federal largesse. In 2003, the latest year for which figures are available, Alaska received $1.89 in federal spending for every $1 the state paid in taxes to Washington, according to the Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan research organization. The state ranked second, behind New Mexico. Alaska ranked highest in per-capita dollars received from the federal government that year, the group reported.

George C. Deutsch Playing the Blame Game

2006-02-10T16:41:00.000-06:00

And to think, all he did was lie on his resume for a job at NASA, then make scientific policy decisions he wasn't in any way qualified to make. Poor guy. Time to find a gig with a right-wing think tank.

Man Who Left NASA Says He's Under Attack - Yahoo! News

"What you do have is hearsay coming from a handful of people who have clear partisan ties and they are really coming after me as a Bush appointee," he told radio station WTAW. "I was an easy target. I was low-hanging fruit."

Whitman Lung: A Tribute to the Health Effects of Republican Non-Regulation

2006-02-04T15:10:00.000-06:00

Steven Hart, of The Opinion Mill, has come up with a fitting tribute to Christine Todd Whitman's post-9/11 legacy, by naming respiratory problems attributed to the air she assured our fellow American's was safe:

The Opinion Mill

So, I propose that those respiratory problems stemming from exposure to the air near Ground Zero be called "Whitman lung," in honor of the good moderate Republican soldier who helped let them happen. And every time a rescue worker coughs up bits of bloody gravel, we'll call that a Republican thank-you. After all, the Republicans love to pay tribute to America's heroes.

President Bush's Wars: Bad for American Families

2006-02-04T15:06:00.000-06:00

56,000 Divorces the Army during Bush's wars? I bet the marriage rate is down as well. What will the American Family Association have to say about this astounding statistic? I bet it's something like, "While war can cause a considerable strain on military families, at least 'the gays' haven't been able to destroy the sanctity of marriage."

Army Teaches Troops How to Pick a Spouse

Defense Department records show more than 56,000 in the Army — active, National Guard and Reserve — have divorced since the campaign in
Afghanistan started in 2001.

Officials partly blame long and repeated deployments which started after the invasion of
Iraq in 2003 and stretched the service thin.

Powerline Shreds the Constitution Again

2006-02-04T09:36:00.000-06:00

Apparently, John Hinderaker doesn't think changing a spying policy from FISA approved (aka Law of the Land) to a non-FISA compliant warrantless domestic spying program warrants approval from congress.

Can one imagine what Hinderaker's reaction to a Democratic President's similar abuse of power would be?

Hoekstra's letter does nothing to solve the problems created by Bush's abuse of power. In fact, shooting the messanger is just a desparate attempt to protect the president, the vice president, and the attorney general from criticism.

Power Line: Blowing the Whistle on the CRS

Blowing the Whistle on the CRS

We wrote about the partisan, low-quality work being done by the Congressional Research Service on intelligence issues here and here. Now the Republicans in Washington have finally begun calling the CRS to account. Today, Rep. Peter Hoekstra, Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, wrote to CRS Director Daniel Mulholland, critiquing the Service's report on the President's alleged failure to adequately brief the Congressional intelligence committees.

Juan Cole Comments on What Kind of Democracies are Being Born

2006-02-04T09:08:00.000-06:00

I think Bush may correlate the term Democracy with Christian Fundamentalist Democracy like we have in the US today. Of course, if our Christian fundamentalists had their way, we wouldn't live in a democracy either: it would be a theocracy like the ones winning electoral support in the Middle East.

Informed Comment

...the elections that Bush trumpets in all four countries, and in Palestine, which he did not mention in this regard, were rebukes to Bush, not affirmations of him. The Afghans elected warlords, the Iraqis put in the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq and Muqtada al-Sadr's people (the ones who killed Cindy Sheehan's son) along with the Iraqi Muslim Brotherhood and some Baathists. The Shiite parties of Hizbullah and Amal have new weight in Lebanon. The fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt got 88 seats, an unprecedentedly large number.

These elections were Middle Eastern referendums on Bush, and he lost every one hands down. Bush's main accomplishment in the Middle East since 9/11 has been to strengthen Muslim fundamentalist parties everywhere in the region.

The Onion Gets to the Heart of the State of the Union

2006-02-03T15:13:00.000-06:00

It's amazing that most major media outlets missed this important initiative coming out of the President's State of the Union speech this week:

President Creates Cabinet-Level Position To Coordinate Scandals

In his State of the Union address to the nation last night, President Bush announced a new cabinet-level position to coordinate all current and future scandals facing his party.
Enlarge ImagePresident Creates Cabinet-Level Position To Coordinate Scandals

President Bush announces his plan to manage the numerous scandals of his administration.

"Tonight, by executive order, I am creating a permanent department with a vital mission: to ensure that the political scandals, underhanded dealings, and outright criminal activities of this administration are handled in a professional and orderly fashion," Bush said.