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POLITICAL JUNKIES | Stealing, Whoring, and Fighting

God bless America:

• USA ALREADY INVADING IRAN - Retired Air Force Colonel Sam Gardiner says a military operation has already begun attacks inside Iran. What ever happened to needing congresses approval to go to war?!?! What the fuck! Gardiner says, "Evidence is beginning to accumulate that a decision has already been made to use military force in Iran. Now, let me do a historical thing, and then I'll tell you what the current evidence is. We now know that the decision and the actual actions to bomb Iraq occurred in July of 2002, before we ever had a U.N. resolution or before the Congress ever authorized it. It was an operation called Southern Focus, and the only guidance that the military -- or the guidance that the military had from Rumsfeld was keep it below the CNN line....the War Powers Act would require the President to notify the Congress 60 days after the use of military force or invasion or putting military forces in a new country under that legislation, and the President hasn't notified the Congress that American troops are operating inside Iran. So it's a very serious question about the constitutional framework under which we are now conducting military operations in Iran." Read all here......
• SPEAKING OF ILLEGAL, WHERE IS THAT $4 BILLION DOLLARS - What's a missing $4 billion dollars when the President has already spent $101.8 billion this fiscal year, up from $87.3 billion in 2005, $77.3 billion in 2004 and $51 billion in 2003.....
• HOOKERS USED TO LOBBY REPUBLICANS - It seems that Poway defense contractor Brent Wilkes found an easy way to get into the pants of right-wing lawmakers and CIA officials: Hire hookers. And the limo company that Wilkes hired to escort the congressmen and the ladies to private hotel suites won a $21 million contract from the Department of Homeland Security. Something smells fishy....
• FEELING GASEOUS? - How awesome is it to be a oil tycoon! Not only can you retire with a $400 million Golden parachute, but you can report absolutely unbelievable profits this quarter. You know when they talk about our economy doing better? It's only because companies like Exxon skew everything with their robbery of people who are dependent on cars.....

SNOWJOB | Fox News Pundit Named White House Press Secretary

"American journalists and politicians made a perfect spectacle of themselves in discussing the Abu Ghraib prison controversy." -- Tony Snow

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that Goerge W Bush has hired Fox News' Channel's Tony Snow to replace Scott McClellan as the White House Press Secretary. But isn't it a bit ridiculous of them to hire someone who is known for echoing the utter bullshit that has come out of the Scott's mouth?

Maybe I'm giving Snow to much credit? I mean, he's not really a journalist. He's barely a credible pundit. Snow, who is known for his fiercely optimistic championing of Bush's agenda, hosts such softball non-reporting shows as "Weekend Live With Tony Snow" and, formerly, "Fox News Sunday". He has also been the editorial page editor of the not-really-a-newspaper The Washington Times.

Interestingly, Tony Snow plays guitar in a DC cover band called Beats Workin'.

Here's Media Matters suggested questions for Tony Snow's first day on the job........

SAVE DARFUR | Rally To Stop Genocide

On Sunday, April 30th, The Rally to Stop Genocide will take place in Washington DC. This event is being organized by the Save Darfur Coalition, an alliance of more than 155 faith-based, humanitarian and human rights organizations. This is a completely bi-partisan rally.

The Darfur Conflict is taking place in the western Sudan, and puts the Janaweed, a militia group recruited from local Arab tribes, against the non-Arab peoples of the region. The Sudanese government, while publicly denying that it supports the Janaweed, is providing arms and assistance and has participated in joint attacks with the group.

The conflict began in February 2003. Since the conflict began in February 2003, almost 500,000 people have been murdered. More than 1.8 million people had been displaced from their homes. Ans over 200,000 have seeked refugee status in Chad.

In 2004, the U.S. congress passed legislation calling the Darfur conflict a genocide. Since that time both Republicans and Democrats have asked Bush to get involved in help efforts. Granted, they haven't been pushing that hard for this African region, but congress has made some small gestures in the past. In February, the U.S. led a resolution in the UN to send in 15,000 peace-keeping troops. Unfortunately, President Bush has said he will not send any American troops to the region.

The event on Sunday is about bringing awareness to a modern day genocide that is happening right before our eyes. How can this nation say we are fighting world-wide terrorism but idly stand on the sidelines of this atrocity. I urge you to make the trip to DC for this most worthy and humane cause.........

HALLIBURTON | They Hate Our Troops

The Inspector General of the United States Army is probing allegations that a subsidiary of the Halliburton Corporation knowingly supplied contaminated water to U.S. troops in Iraq.

A company whistleblower says that the water they gave to U.S. troops came from the highly contaminated Euphrates River. The water was never chlorinated and/or filtered, which has put thousands of soldiers at risk of waterborne diseases when they showered, shaved and brushed their teeth. And some troops have returned from Iraq with illnesses their doctors can't diagnose.

In response, Halliburton has simply refused to participate in any hearings and their comrads in the Republican controlled Congress continue to protect them........

WHITE HOUSE 2008 | Romney, Republicans Take On Universal Health Care Bill

One of my good friends has been arguing for the last couple years that universal health care will only happen when the issue stops being about the right for people to have health insurance and all about big business not wanting/affording to pay health care premiums.

Current Massachusetts Governor, known gay-basher, and future Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney has just signed a bill that provides near-universal health care coverage. This non-partisan bill, which was largely supported by Senator Kennedy, was four years in the making. Ironically, this bill is similar - in concept only - to the proposal that propelled Michael Dukakis to be the Democratic Presidential nominee in 1988.

Unfortunately, this "universal health care" bill, which was co-written by the Heritage Foundation, stresses personal responsibility in paying for coverage and provides funding for the underprivileged. The proposal would make health insurance mandatory for all state residents while providing assistance to those who are unable to afford it.

The plus side is that poor people will get health insurance, the bad is the middle class people who don't have insurance will be taxed up the wazoo! The other bad news is that this health-care plan takes steps towards letting big companies get away without paying for employees health-care. Nor does it really give federal money for health-care. The bill is, in effect, saying, that working people have to pay for it. That's not exactly the point of universal health-care, is it?

I'm down with any discussion of reforming America's negligent health-care system. It's a topic that has not be seriously addressed by the federal government since 1994. If this is the soon-to-be national model for health care though, this is troubling.....

In other news about the run-up to the 2008 Presidential election, Former United States Senator Mike Gravel (D-Alaska, 1969-1980) will announce his candidacy for the Democratic Nomination for President of the United States. Bit early, isn't it..........

PRESIDENT BUSH | Threatening Nuclear War, Fitzmas

It was just about a year ago that Bush swore to track down the person responsible for leaking the name of an undercover CIA agent. Any time some "liberal" journalist insinuated that the President was behind releasing the information on Valerie Plame as revenge for her husband's New York Time op-ed, the conservative wackpack would be sent into a tizzy.

The conservawacko's must be shocked - SHOCKED! - to learn that the person responsible for the extremely treasonous act of releasing an undercover agent is the lame-duck President himself! Now shouldn't Scooter Libby, VP DickCheney, Karl Rove, and all the other criminals, along with our President, be punished for this heinous act? Should this warrant an impeachment proceeding?

How these Republicans have tarnished the office of the Presidency is shameful. And what's truly scary, is how they've damaged our great nation's standing throughout the word.

Bush and his incompetent staff are now plotting a unilateral NUCLEAR attack on Iran. They have made it known, maybe more as an intimidation tactic, that they are war-gaming this most heinous act of war. The entire Middle East region should be terrified of this, especially Israel because if America nukes Iran, guess who they're nuking. The US NeoCrazies are talking hardcore smack without the support of China, Russia, Germany, France, the UN, or even England. This bullish attitude has already gotten us into a gigantic quagmire in Iraq and these dopes are getting set to drop a nuclear fucking bomb again. So if you're confused here, to stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, we're dropping nuclear weapons on them. Genius! What the fuck..........

Thanks to everyone who sent me the various news clippings! Keep 'em coming.....

ONE WEEK CAMPAIGN | Saul Williams To Perform

The One Week for Darfur campaign is slated for April 13th through 20th. The program, sponsored by NYU, hopes to promote awareness and raise funds for the victims of Darfur, Sudan.

On Thursday, April 13th, Paul Rusesabagina will be speaking at 1pm, after a screening of "Hotel Rwanda" the film which he inspired.......

On Thursday, April 20th, Saul Williams, Jean Grae and other special guests will perform at a benefit at the Puck Building. Tickets are $10/$20.............

THE CLASH | Punk Music Is Terrorism

This is the insane story of how a 24 year-old was taken into custody by anti-terrorism detectives because he was listening to The Clash:

LONDON, England (Reuters) -- 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 on 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".

Mann told British newspapers the taxi had been fitted with a music system which allowed him to plug in his MP3 player and he had been playing The Clash, Procol Harum, Led Zeppelin and the Beatles to the driver.

"He didn't like Led Zeppelin or The Clash but I don't think there was any need to tell the police," Mann told the Daily Mirror.

A Durham police spokeswoman said Mann had been released after questioning -- but had missed his flight.

According to Harraj Mann's MySpace account, here's how the whole thing went down:

No joke...I didn't make it To London because i was took off my flight due to the fact I was playing music on the way to the airport. here is my tale...

Got a taxi from Hartlepool to Teeside Airport. Had one of those tape deck things that plugs into your digital music player (mine is 'not' made by apple!) The songs I played were. Procol Harum, whiter shade of pale, which mr taxi man liked...Figured he liked the classics so put on a bit of Led Zeppelin, immigrant song which Mr taxi man didn't like...so changed to Ocean Colour Scene, Travellers Tune (since i was going away), To continue the theme I played the MIGHTY Lemon Jelly, ramblin man, Then since i was going to London Town... The Clash (think you know what i played) Then finished up on: nowhere man, The Beatles..(not a bad playlist to listen to on your way to an airport)

ANYWAY...get on the flight.. it gets stopped.. two guys in suits get on and ask me my full name... i give it to them... then they ask me to get off the plane... I stand up and say "ARE YOU TAKING THE PISS!"

"no sir we are not taking the piss..."

I get frog marched off the plane in front of everyone...Get my bags searched, asked every question you can think of , from what 'school i went to?' to the more obvious what am I going to London for.. I was being held for questioning under the terrorism act... repeat terrorism act ™
they asked me what music i was playing in the airport?

The Crimea, Tragedy Rocks...

"so nothing about blood and death?"

"Well not really, it about a guy whose girlfriend dies, but its kind of witty"

"Well we have had a complaint made against you... Due to your music"

" YOU HAVE TOOK ME OFF MY FLIGHT DUE TO MY TASTE IN MUSIC!!, NOW YOU 'ARE' TAKING THE PISS"

come to light, it was MR FOOKING TAXI MAN, who made the complaint...

god if you dont like Led Zep so much... no need to ring the Fuzz...

HOMELAND SECURITY | Bush Appoints Pedophiles

There have been numerous outrageous offenses committed by the Bush administration. I've been disgusted with many of their official appointments, from Gonzales to Alito, but nothing is as worse as the reports coming out that Bush has placed three different major sex offenders into major positions at Homeland Security.

How bad does it get? The head of Operation Predator, the division that hunts down pedophiles, was busted for, ill, just read:

The victim, a 16-year-old girl, said Figueroa pulled up a leg of his shorts, exposed himself and masturbated for about 10 minutes, according to the Tampa Tribune.

Then you have Homeland Security official Michael Burks propositioning a minor for sex. And you have DHS spokesman Brian Doyle being brought up on child sex charges! What the sick fuck is wrong with this administration? Do they vet a single person? Do they just hand out major jobs to their fucked up friends knowing that the Republican lead congress and executive branch will be okay with it? Jesus Fucking Christ on a crutch...........

REPUBLICANS | Attacking Women For Being Raped, Smart, Etc

Conservatives just don't know when to shut the fuck up! What is wrong with them? Are they simply retarded?

Let's start with that criminal Tom Delay. He went on Hardball with his best-friend Chris Matthews to whimper about his misfortunes. Before the interview went live to millions of homes, the audio feed could be heard on some satellite networks. Delay was caught saying "no one likes a woman know it all", in regards to Hillary.

Then you have Rush Limbaugh called the women who were supposedly raped by the Duke Lacrosse team a bunch of "Ho's". A partial transcript is after the jump........