truly sick and twisted repug

Jonathan Honeig thinks it’s a right to smash a dog’s head against a wall
(Crooks and Liars)
---
No, you do not have a right to murder a dog, you monster! I don't care if this dick was just trying to make a point - we have animal cruelty laws in this country and this disgusting piece of shit should have his dog taken from him immediately!

repug telling the terrorists where Prince Harry was fighting

British Army to evacuate Prince Harry after outing by Drudge
(Americablog)
---
The cons are never afraid of putting the troops in danger!

obstructionist repugs leaving us "open to attack"

Despite Claims That America Is ‘Open To Attack,’ GOP Rejects Yet Another PAA Extension
(Think Progress)

bush a hypocrite? What a surprise!

Bush Condemns Leaders Who ‘Sit Down At The Table’ And ‘Have Pictures Taken’ With ‘Tyrants’
(Think Progress)
---
Does he even realize what he says before he says it? I guess he's just hoping that no one else realizes how stupid he is being...

Friday Beagle Blogging!

Harley does not like to be disturbed by the camera while he's sleeping!

more of the repugs' version of "supporting out troops"

Pentagon gives new contract to company alleged to be producing substandard kevlar helmets for our troops
(Americablog)

utterly absurd

Kingston ironically attacks Obama for not wearing flag pin.

On MSNBC’s Live With Dan Abrams last night, Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA) said it was okay to “question” Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-IL) patriotism because he doesn’t regularly wear an American flag lapel pin. Kingston claimed that “everybody” in politics “wears them.” Asked by Abrams if he was wearing one, Kingston had to admit he wasn’t, saying, “I will wear one and I have worn one.” Kingston then feigned ignorance about the irony between his criticism of Obama and his own lack of a lapel pin.

(Think Progress)
---
Does the media report this just because it is so ridiculous and so obvious that these assholes are hypocrites or do they actually think that this is a story?
And how do these idiots appear on a show to talk about this non-issue and not wear a pin themselves? Do they think it's a joke, also? Are they all just laughing at the stupidity of any person who would think that this is an issue? This seems too absurd for anyone - even those talking about it - to take it seriously.

amazing that he even has to dignify this idiocy with an answer

Obama fights false links to Islam
---
The repugs continue to spread lies in the hopes of fanning the bigotry of their base. Incredible that anyone believes this idiocy. Although, really, most of it should not even matter and shouldn't require a response at all, except for this bigotry of far too many Americans.

but don't worry - bush is confident!

Economy slows to near crawl

WASHINGTON - The economy skidded to a near halt in the final quarter of last year, clobbered by dual slumps in housing and credit that caused people and businesses to spend and invest more sparingly.

---

not like he would know or care...

Bush: US is not headed into recession

WASHINGTON - President Bush said Thursday the country is not recession-bound and, despite expressing concern about slowing economic growth, rejected for now any additional stimulus efforts. "We acted robustly," he said.
---
Bush's view of the economy was decidedly rosier than that of many economists, who say the country is nearing recession territory or may already be there. "I'm concerned about the economy," he said. "I don't think we're headed to recession. But no question, we're in a slowdown."
---
On one issue particularly worrisome to American consumers, there are indications that paying $4 for a gallon of gasoline is not out of the question once the summer driving season arrives. Asked about that, Bush said "That's interesting. I hadn't heard that. ... I know it's high now."

Bush also telegraphed optimism about the U.S. dollar, which has been declining in
value.

"I believe that our economy has got the fundamentals in place for us to ... grow and continue growing, more robustly hopefully than we're growing now," he said. "So we're still for a strong dollar."

---
So, we should take this known liars' word on the economy rather than the experts, even though he admits to not hearing about the problems that the rest of us are having?

bush continuing to keep us less safe

9/11 Redux: 'Thousands of Aliens' in U.S. Flight Schools Illegally
(Americablog)

good energy news for a change!

House passes clean energy tax package.

In a 236-182 vote, the House approved an extension and expansion of tax breaks and incentives for wind, solar, and other alternative energy sources, as well as the closing of $18 billion in tax loopholes and subsidies for Big Oil.

(Think Progress)

wow...

McCain Rated As America’s Worst Senator For Children
(Think Progress)

how convenient

Did prosecutor get all White House mail?

WASHINGTON - When Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald wanted to find out what was going on inside Vice President Dick Cheney's office, the prosecutor in the CIA leak probe made a logical move. He dropped a grand jury subpoena on the White House for all the relevant e-mail.

One problem: Even though White House computer technicians hunted high and low, an entire week's worth of e-mail from Cheney's office was missing. The week was Sept. 30, 2003, to Oct. 6, 2003, the opening days of the Justice Department's probe into whether anyone at the White House leaked the identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame.

---
Interesting AP headline for a story on emails that are missing! The story states quite clearly that the prosecutor did not get the emails. What's with this misleading headline?

Ah yes, our wonderful "liberal media" at it again!

because the Dems care about women's issues

Both Obama and Hillary have a 100% rating from NARAL and Planned Parenthood
(Americablog)

bush continues to try to destroy the environment

Bush EPA at it again - corporate farms exempted from laws

The corporate world is going to look back at the Bush years as a dream period. Whatever they want, no matter how crazy or dangerous to others, gets the official Bush seal of approval. If only there was another branch of government that had some power to provide balance and call them out. If only...

Under pressure from agriculture industry lobbyists and lawmakers from agricultural states, the Environmental Protection Agency wants to drop requirements that factory farms report their emissions of toxic gases, despite findings by the agency's scientists that the gases pose a health threat.

(Americablog)

not crazy enough for the crazies, but too crazy for the rest of us

Hate Radio Upset That John McCain Doesn’t Hate As Much As They Do
(Think Progress)
---
McCain did the right thing here and, of course, the crazies hate him for it.
But, McCain has been so insanely right-wing lately that no sane person would vote for him, either.
So, who is backing him? I honestly don't know...

almost like they have something to hide (a never-ending repug saga)

“After promising last year to search its computers for tens of thousands of e-mails sent by White House officials,” the Republican National Committee said “it no longer plans to retrieve the communications by restoring computer backup tapes.” The decision makes it more likely those e-mails “will never be recovered,” said lawmakers and public records advocates.

(Think Progress)

another gas price hike?

With oil prices at record highs, the cost of gasoline could hit $4 a gallon by spring. “The effect of high oil prices today could be the difference between having a recession and not having a recession,” said Harvard economist Kenneth S. Rogoff.

(Think Progress)

probably the way bush wants it

White House e-mail preservation system ‘primitive.’

Today, House Oversight Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) held a hearing on the White House’s electronic data preservation. In light of the White House’s notorious e-mail destruction, Steven McDevitt, a computer expert who worked in the administration, called its system “primitive,” creating a “high”
risk that data would be lost. He noted:

– The White House had no complete inventory of e-mail files.

– There was no automatic system to ensure that e-mails were archived and preserved.

– Until mid-2005 the e-mail system had serious security flaws, in which “everyone” on the White House computer network had access to e-mail. McDevitt wrote that the “potential impact” of the security flaw was that there was no way to verify that retained data had not been modified.

In a report presented at the hearing, Waxman’s staff “said difficulties arose in recovering e-mails for Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald in the CIA leak probe,” the AP writes.

(Think Progress)

hahaha

Republican Senator Larry Craig Is Looking For Summer Interns
(Crooks and Liars)
---
Good luck with that! But i guess that female interns wouldn't have to worry!

when will the Dems fight back against this kind of insanity?

GOP Senator: Democrats want to put "a bullet right in the hearts of our troops"
(Americablog)
---
I can't believe that any thinking human being would even consider this for a second, but the repugs shouldn't be allowed to get away with this idiocy...

could this be out before November?

Taxi to the Dark Side director working on Abramoff film.

On Sunday, Alex Gibney won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature for his work directing “Taxi to the Dark Side,” which investigated the Bush administration’s interrogation practices. Gibney’s next project — due out later this year — is a documentary on the Abramoff scandal, including Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) role. “Interestingly enough, not many politicians went on the record,” Gibney sarcastically added.

(Think Progress)

utterly delusional

Bush: America will ‘thank God’ for Iraq in 50 years.
(Think Progress)
---
I hope that bush lives to see how much history reviles this maniac...

Perino gets insulting when she can't answer legitimate questions

Perino To Reporters: ‘From Where I Stand And The Questions I Get,’ You Are Clueless About FISA
(Think Progress)

WTF? (again)

Wash. Times baselessly claims ‘military’ fears Obama.
(Think Progress)
---
I can't imagine that the military could possibly fear having anyone as their "commander-in-chief" more than bush!

well that sounds objective!

Rove Becomes A ‘Critical Resource’ In Pushing ‘The Vision Of The President’ At Bush’s Library
(Think Progress)

heartless bigotry

Abominable

This just enrages me beyond description:

Janice Langbehn and Lisa Pond had planned to take their three children on a family cruise. The Olympia, Washington couple had been together 18 years and with their children were looking forward to the holiday.

But just as they were about to depart on the cruise from Miami, Florida. Pond, a healthy 39-year-old, suddenly collapsed. She was rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami with Langbehn and the children following close behind.

But once Langbehn and the children arrived at the hospital the hospital refused to accept information from her about Ponds’s medical history.

Langbehn says she was informed that she was in an antigay city and state, and she could expect to receive no information or acknowledgment as family. A doctor finally spoke with Janice telling her that there was no chance of recovery.

Other than one five minute visit, which was orchestrated by a Catholic priest at Langbehn’s request to perform last rites, and despite the doctor’s acknowledgement that no medical reason existed to prevent visitation, neither she nor her children were allowed to see Pond until nearly eight hours after their arrival.

Soon after Pond'’s death, Langbehn tried to get her death certificate in order to get life insurance and Social Security benefits for their children. She was denied both by the State of Florida and the Dade County Medical Examiner.

(No Capital)
---
Wow! What possible justification could the hospital have for being this heartless and cruel? What the hell is happening in our country?

more Huckabee craziness

Huckabee Endorses “Egg As Person” Concept
(Crooks and Liars)
---
This isn't surprisingly coming from Huckabee, but just the fact that anyone would try to promote such an insane, unworkable definition of a person shows how backwards this country is becoming.

I hope that i am right that anything this crazy doesn't have a chance in hell of passing anywhere, but the fact that someone who thinks like this even had a chance at becoming a presidential nominee scares the hell out of me.

This country used to be a leader, now it is on its way to becoming a 3rd world country - all thanks to the looney-tune conservatives. How did "progressive" ever become a negative term in the eyes of our people?

WTF?

Natl Review: "For a white woman to marry a black man in 1958, or 60, there was almost inevitably a connection to explicit Communist politics."
(Americablog)
---
When i first saw this at Americablog, i didn't even understand what possible reason the National Review would have for saying something as bizarre as this. When I saw that they were trying to insinuate that Obama has communist roots i was fairly flabbergasted.

When the repugs have to go to this extreme to find something negative about Barack (I mean, really - communist? What year do they think this is?), it shows just how worried they are...

election year means the "liberal media" comes out in force

TIME's MARK HALPERIN: McCain should consider racist attacks on Obama

Nothing is off-limits when the media wants to attack Democrats:

Things McCain can do when running against Obama that Clinton has been unable to do well or at all:

....Allow some supporters to risk being accused of using the race card when criticizing Obama

....Emphasize Barack Hussein Obama’s unusual name and exotic background through a Manchurian Candidate prism.

Who needs the Swift Boat Veterans when you have TIME's Mark Halperin and AP's Nedra Pickler to do their dirty work for them?

(Americablog)

interesting

Study: immigrants have lower rates of criminal activity.

One of the right wing’s favorite anti-immigrant claims is that immigrants are dangerous and commit high levels of crime. A new report by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California, however, finds that these claims are baseless:

“In California, as in the rest of the nation, immigrants … have extremely low rates of criminal activity,” said Kristin Butcher, a co-author of the report, “Crime, Corrections and California: What Does Immigration Have to Do With It?”

(Think Progress)

smart - and true - campaign

Anti-War Coalition Launches ‘Iraq/Recession’ Campaign, Tying Cost Of War To The Economy
(Think Progress)

McCain's campaign finance legal issues

DNC to file charges against McCain for possible violations of Campaign Finance Rules: Update
(Crooks and Liars)

and more from the Conservative News Network

CNN’s Idiot ‘is Obama really a Patriot’ Poll
(Crooks and Liars)
---
Also, Americablog weighs in.

This is pretty damn boggling even from our "liberal media". What the hell are they thinking with this propaganda? Will we ever have any media outlet that isn't overwhelmingly conservative, no matter what evil the repugs do?

more on our "liberal media"

Nedra Pickler's respected GOP source? Guy who created anti-Hillary group entitled C.U.N.T. (not kidding)
(Americablog)

but just in case it ever does happen, we need to be ready to water board!

Former FBI agent: ticking bomb scenario is a ‘red herring.’
(Think Progress)

flip-flopping McCain

McCain: ‘The War Will Be Over Soon’
(Think Progress)

this would be funny!

Romney may rejoin GOP presidential race.

The Los Angeles Times is reporting that “Josh Romney, one of former Gov. Mitt Romney’s five sons, says it’s ‘possible’ his father may rejoin the race for the White House.” Earlier this month, Romney “suspended” his campaign and endorsed Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) bid a week later. But Romney has yet to comment on the recent New York Times article on McCain’s close ties to lobbyists and “still retains control of the nearly 300 delegates he’s already won.”

(Think Progress)

more on the repugs fighting against supporting the troops

U.S. soldier in Afghanistan: ‘We scrounge for everything.’

In last week’s Democratic debate, Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) said he was told by an Army captain that his platoon’s resources in Afghanistan were shortchanged because of the Iraq war. Seeking to turn Obama’s remarks into a political attack, Sen. John Warner (R-VA) immediately questioned the authenticity of the statement. But ABC News contacted the Army captain, who backed up Obama’s story. And now the New York Times reports that soldiers in Afghanistan are still strapped for resources:

And they felt eclipsed by Iraq. As Sgt. Erick Gallardo put it: “We don’t get supplies, assets. We scrounge for everything and live a lot more rugged. But we know the war is here. We got unfinished business.”

(Think Progress)
---
As always, the Dems are fighting to actually support the troops and give them what they need and the repugs are simply fighting against those who don't believe their lies. The troops mean nothing to them - their rhetoric is the only important thing.

never-ending supply of troops for Iraq?

U.S. expects 140,000 troops in Iraq after surge

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States expects to have 140,000 troops in Iraq in July after withdrawing five combat brigades, leaving a force larger than before it began pouring in troops last year, the Pentagon said on Monday.

---

so he's not completely delusional after all

McCain says he could lose over war issue

ROCKY RIVER, Ohio - John McCain said Monday that to win the White House he must convince a war-weary country that U.S. policy in Iraq is succeeding. If he can't, "then I lose. I lose," the Republican said.

---

because they're not idiots

Middle East investing in alternative energies for the future
(Americablog)

bush's version of democracy

Bush asks Pakistan to keep Musharraf despite election rout
(Americablog)
---
Apparently, bush thinks democracy is great unless he doesn't agree with the results...

another corrupt repug - this one working with McCain

Rep. Rick Renzi Indicted For Extortion, Wire Fraud, Money Laundering And Other Crimes

---

UPDATE: Renzi is member of Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) National Leadership Team as well as a co-chair of his Arizona Leadership Team.

---
(Think Progress)

McCain lying about lobbyists

McCain: ‘I’m The Only Candidate That The Special Interests Don’t Give Money To’
(Think Progress)
---
Funnily enough, though this isn't true, I doubt that "money" is what people are thinking of when connecting McCain to lobbyists at the moment!

McCain on the environment

McCain’s environmental rating: 0.

The League of Conservation voters today rated Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)’s environmental record. McCain scored 0 percent in 2007 (24 percent lifetime) “due to missing all 15 votes scored, including the key vote on repealing tax giveaways to big oil — a measure that failed by only one vote.” The Sierra Club notes:

McCain was the only member of Congress to skip every single crucial environmental vote scored by the organization, posting a score lower than Members of Congress who were out for much of the year due to serious illnesses–and even lower than some who died during the term

---

I love that last line!

lots more on McCain from Americablog

McCain press conference
---
McCain denies knowing anything about meeting between his staffer, John Weaver, and Ms. Iseman, although Weaver did tell top McCain aides in December
---

Blog round-up on McCain scandal
---

repug comedian on McCain

UPDATED: Bay Buchanan on GOP: ‘We assume our candidates have been loyal to their family.’

Bay Buchanan said this after calling the NY Times/McCain love fest story a smear/hit job on CNN to Anderson Cooper:

Bay: This is not the Democratic Party, this is a party of values. We assume our candidates have been loyal to their family.

&^&*%#@!___Sorry, I—just fell off my chair from laughter. Let’s ask her about David Vitter and Larry Craig and Newt Gingrich and Rudy Giuliani and.

(Crooks and Liars)

---

Wow! That's some defense! The party of "values" that has more cheaters and closet, hypocritical gays than any group in the world is trying to say that one of "theirs" wouldn't cheat! Hahahahaha...Considering that McCain left his first wife for a younger woman that he had been cheating with, this isn't exactly out of character.

even more chaos to come in Iraq?

Al-Sadr threatens to end cease-fire in Iraq
(Crooks and Liars)
---
This cease fire is the cause of much of the "progress" that the administration is the "surge" is responsible for...This would be another disaster for Iraq...

Conservative News Network at it again

CNN: al Qaeda congratulates Obama on WI primary victory
(Crooks and LIars)
----
That's pretty freakin' amazing....can Obama sue for something as outrageous as this?

at least he's good at something!

Bush scores lowest presidential approval rating EVER!
(Crooks and LIars)

McCain bombshell (in more ways than one!)

NY Times: McCain staffers confronted Senator about inappropriately close relationship with young blonde female lobbyist
(Americablog)

who are these 19%?

Mr. 19%

Holy crap.

Overall, 19% of Americans say that they approve of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president, 77% disapprove, and 4% are undecided.

(Eschaton)

incredible bad taste

A Taste of Things To Come

Bill O'Reilly plans a party.

I don't want to go on a lynching party against Michelle Obama unless there's
evidence, hard facts, that say this is how the woman really feels. If that's how she really feels -- that America is a bad country or a flawed nation, whatever -- then that's legit. We'll track it down.

(Eschaton)
---
Wow - talking about lynching a black woman! What the hell goes on in this lunatic's mind?

another hypocritical repug busted

Bush appointed Judge, Robert Somma, arrested for DUI while wearing a dress

UPDATE: A reader wrote and says that the story is wrong, this guy was not appointed by Bush but rather by a state official. Anyone else have any input on this?

Not that there's anything wrong with the dress part, but he's a Bush judge, and they DO think there's something wrong with it.

When cops arrived, the paper reported, Somma was wearing a cocktail dress, fishnet stockings, women’s heels and fumbled through a purse for his driver’s license.

(Americablog)

McCain's bizarre criticism of Obama

McCain: tough on Obama, soft on terrorists

Senator McCain trotted out a truly weird attack against Senator Obama last night, accusing him of wanting to invade Pakistan and thereby undermine our good buddy President Musharraf. What Obama said, of course, if he had actionable intelligence on al Qaeda leaders, he would drop a bomb on them. Yay! Not only is McCain apparently criticizing Obama for believing we should go after terrorists, what he's objecting to isn't even particularly controversial. We've notified nations of military operations as they occurred for a while, perhaps most notably in strikes against terrorist targets under Clinton but also with increasing frequency and aggressiveness after 9/11.

Spencer Ackerman, who is truly a national treasure, in writing for the new -- and excellent -- Washington Independent, rightly shreds McCain on this issue:

Good to know that John McCain, who allegedly knows something about defending America in the course of advocating a war that has made America drastically less secure, would do absolutely nothing. Good to know that John McCain doesn’t care that those people murdered 3,000 Americans. Good to know that John McCain doesn’t think those souls demand justice. Good to know that John McCain would read an intelligence report about al-Qaeda in Pakistan planning to murder more Americans and say LOL HAI LOOK IRAN KTHXBAI.

Senator John McCain: Oh noes!!

(Americablog)

another Democratic first

First African-American LGBT state legislator.

Today, Connecticut State Rep. Jason Bartlett (D) publicly announced that he is gay, becoming the “first and only openly LGBT African American state legislator.”

(Think Progress)

repugs think torture is funny

McCain jokes about waterboarding his staff.

The New Yorker’s Ryan Lizza recounts a moment on the Straight Talk Express with Sen. John McCain (R-AZ):

At one moment, bursting into laughter, he exuberantly explains why, after “a short period of waterboarding to find out what they did in their absence,” he would take back some of the staffers who fled his campaign at its low point.

Recently, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee joked that “running for office is sort of like being waterboarded” and last year, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani said he was “getting tortured running for president of the United States.”

(Think Progress)

boggling

Bush: ‘Outside forces tend to divide people up.’

Yesterday, President Bush defended his decision not to send U.S. troops into the Darfur genocide, saying he learned lessons from the genocide in Rwanda. Ignorant of the comparison to Iraq, Bush said foreign troops would only be divisive and “unbelievably counterproductive”:

BUSH: A clear lesson I learned in the museum was that outside forces that tend to divide people up inside their country are unbelievably counterproductive. In other words, people came from other countries — I guess you’d call them colonialists — and they pitted one group of people against another.

(Think Progress)
---
So, invading Iraq for no reason whatsoever is ok, but trying to do something about genocide is wrong?
wow...

Go Obama!

Obama scores 10th straight victory
---
Obama has had some minor problems in my opinion, but i think he is a strong candidate and he is truly inspiring. And my gawd, wouldn't it be wonderful to have an eloquent president again after these last horrific 7+ years?!

wow...

Glenn Beck: ‘Nancy Pelosi Will End Up Killing Americans’
(Think Progress)
---
The repugs are getting into their frantic, panicy mode and are - more than ever - saying the most outrageous, absurd nonsense in the hopes of turning people against the Democrats.

because gawd forbid he actually help anyone

Bush decreases funds for AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria.
(Think Progress)
---
...and, of course, he lies about it, as well...

bush dismissing reality again

Bush Dismisses Iraq Recession: The War Has ‘Nothing To Do With The Economy’
(Think Progress)
---
He couldn't possibly actually believe this and i don't see how he could think that anyone else in the world would believe that his $10 billion a month (!) doesn't adversely affect this country!

Fidel resigns

Fidel Castro resigns as Cuba's president

HAVANA - An ailing, 81-year-old Fidel Castro resigned as Cuba's president Tuesday after nearly a half-century in power, saying he will not accept a new term when parliament meets Sunday.

---
I don't anticipate big changes, but we'll see what happens...

he is a petulant little child

Bush hates being irrelevant

Put aside his false statements (OK, lies) that the abstinence programs work and put aside his strange comment about not wanting to give money to people who steal from the people (cough, Iraq, cough Halliburton, cough) and you still have an amazing quote from Bush. He has to be the center of attention and it must be driving him mad that he's become a complete has-been and is irrelevant.

At the news conference, both leaders dodged a question about the presidential race in the United States and the candidacy of Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., whose father was Kenyan.

Bush, momentarily taken aback by a question about the excitement surrounding Obama's candidacy, said: "Seems like there was a lot of excitement for me."

(Americablog)
---
Doesn't he sound like a 6 year old stomping his feet and yelling "look at me, look at me"?!

i find Kristol unbelievable - i don't believe anything he says

Kristol: It’s ‘Unbelievable’ That Congress Won’t Give Bush ‘The Benefit Of The Doubt’ On Spying

(Think Progress)

bush lies, Pelosi & Reid respond

In Radio Address, Bush Hypes Consequences of Wiretapping Law Expiration

In his weekly radio address, President Bush not only blames Congress for tonight’s expiration of the Protect America Act, he says that his government will have a harder time keeping you safe.
---
UPDATE: Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid released this joint statement:

The Protect America Act will expire only because the President and congressional Republicans refused to approve an extension of that law. Their true concern here is not national security. Rather, they want to protect the financial interests of telecommunications companies and avoid judicial scrutiny of their warrantless wiretapping program.

(Think Progress)

heartless

Huckabee: ‘Running For Office Is Sort Of Like Being Waterboarded’
(Think Progress)

admin refusing to protect our military

Lack of armor vehicles cost Marine lives.

“Hundreds of U.S. Marines have been killed or injured by roadside bombs in Iraq because Marine Corps bureaucrats refused an urgent request in 2005 from battlefield commanders for blast-resistant vehicles,” an internal Marine Corps study found.

(Think Progress)

more Iraq & Afghanistan horror

Mortars near Baghdad airport kill 2

BAGHDAD - Mortar rounds slammed into a workers' housing complex near Baghdad's international airport on Monday, killing two people and wounding 10, a witness said.

---

Car bomb kills 37 Afghan civilians

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - A suicide car bomber targeting a Canadian military convoy killed 37 civilians at a busy market in southern Afghanistan on Monday, officials said.

It was the second major attack in as many days in Kandahar province, the former stronghold of the hardline Taliban. The death toll from a suicide bombing outside Kandahar city on Sunday rose to more than 100, making it Afghanistan's deadliest bombing since the fall of the Taliban in 2001.

---

no depths they won't sink to

FOX’s Tom Sullivan compares Obama to Hitler
(Crooks and Liars)
---
Just wow...

i guess a majority of Americans are "left wing bloggers"

White House: Congress Caving To ‘The Fantasies Of Left-Wing Bloggers’
(Think Progress)
---
Since a vast majority of Americans agree with Congress' actions and disagree with the WH, the WH seems to think that there are a helluva lot of "left-wing bloggers"!

Darwin award contestants

CDC: Death count 82 for 'choking game'
---
I don't mean to be hard-hearted, and I certainly did many stupid things especially in my youth, but c'mon - how dumb do you have to be to purposely choke yourself?
It's sad that kids are this damned bored though...

repugs trying to appeal to baby boomers by ripping off liberal rockers

Rocker tells Huckabee to lay off song

CONCORD, N.H. - The chief songwriter and founder of the band Boston has more than a feeling that he's being ripped off by Mike Huckabee.

In a letter to the Republican presidential hopeful, Tom Scholz complains that Huckabee is using his 1970s smash hit song "More Than a Feeling" without his permission. A former member of the band, Barry Goudreau, has appeared with Huckabee at campaign events, and they have played the song with Huckabee's band, Capitol Offense.

Scholz, who said Goudreau left the band more than 25 years ago after a three-year stint, objects to the implication that the band and one of its members has endorsed Huckabee's candidacy.

"Boston has never endorsed a political candidate, and will all due respect, would not start by endorsing a candidate who is the polar opposite of most everything Boston stands for," wrote Scholz, adding that he is supporting Democratic Sen. Barack Obama. "By using my song, and my band's name Boston, you have taken something of mine and used it to promote ideas to which I am opposed. In other words, I think I've been ripped off, dude!"
---
In his letter, Scholz referred to Huckabee as the "straight talk candidate," but that label more often is applied to Sen. John McCain, who has had his own troubles when it comes to his musical playlist. Last week, McCain's campaign agreed to stop playing John Mellencamp's songs "Our Country" and "Pink Houses" at his rallies after the liberal rocker complained.

Mellencamp had supported Democrat John Edwards, who recently dropped out of the race.

Other candidates have had better luck selecting songs. Celine Dion said she was "thrilled" that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton used her song, "You and I" as her official campaign anthem. Obama frequently blares U2's "City of Blinding Lights" at his events.

---
The repugs should stick to the dreadful country clowns who share their backwards, conservative views, instead of these feeble attempts to be "hip" by stealing liberal rocker tunes!

more cool dinosaur finds

Fossils of new meat-eating dinos found

CHICAGO - Fossil hunters say they have discovered bones of two massive meat-eating dinosaurs in Africa. In the journal Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, University of Chicago paleontologist Paul Sereno and co-author Stephen Brusatte named one Kryptops palaios, or "old hidden face," because of a horny covering over its face.

They named the other Eocarcharia dinops, or "fierce-eyed dawn shark," for its razor-sharp teeth and bony brow.

Both were about 25 feet long and stood 7 feet high at the hip. Kryptops had a short snout with teeth better for gnawing, leading the scientists to believe it was more of a scavenger.

Eocarcharia's brow was so pronounced that Sereno thinks it was used for head-butting rivals to win over potential mates.

"The only thing I can think of is they were smacking each other with it," Sereno said.

The creatures lived at a time when land bridges connected Africa to India and even Antarctica, which was then a temperate home to dinosaurs. But Africa later became isolated and its dinosaurs followed unique evolutionary paths scientists have just begun to uncover.

"This is an important slice in geological time, and we don't yet fully comprehend how dinosaurs on the southern continents were evolving then," said Peter Makovicky, curator of dinosaurs at the Field Museum, who was not part of the Chicago team.

Makovicky called the discoveries "an important data point toward a deeper understanding of what happened."

Sereno's group found the new species during a 2000 expedition to the Niger desert. They found bones from about a dozen new species, and stumbled across one of the richest archaeological sites that's been found in the region.

"We have not released even half of all that we found there," Sereno said.

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continued chaos in Iraq

Iraqi Shiite worshippers attacked, 3 die

BAGHDAD - Two suicide bombers, one apparently armed with a grenade as well as an explosive vest, killed at least three people and wounded 17 as worshippers left a Shiite mosque after Friday prayers in the northwestern city of Tal Afar.

The explosions came on a day when the U.S. military and Iraqis were at odds over who was killed in a raid earlier this week, also in this country's restive north. The Americans and their Iraqi allies are pushing to take control of the region, where insurgent fighters are making a stand with their influence diminished in Baghdad and other areas.

The suicide bombers struck the Sheik Juwad mosque in Tal Afar, about 260 miles northwest of Baghdad.

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isn't this kinda like saying that you favor breathing?

Obama favors steps to end gun violence
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I mean, this is pretty basic common sense, isn't it? Is there anyone would does not want to end gun violence?!
Well, i suppose some repugs might not want to...

of course he does!

Bush says Congress putting US in danger

WASHINGTON - President Bush said Friday that "our country is in more danger of an attack" because of Congress' failure to extend a law that makes it easier for the government to spy on foreign phone calls and e-mails that pass through the United States.
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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi maintains the congressional majority is simply trying to balance concerns about civil liberties against the government's spy powers, and needs time to do it.

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You'd think that they repugs would get tired of using fear-mongering to take away our civil liberties, but that's all they have - that's what they think is a positive for their side! Hard to believe that they're running on the fact that they'll take away our basic rights for our own good! The Founding Fathers would be appalled!

From Crooks and Liars - a terrific statement from John Conyers:

Conyers to Bush: I’m Staying Here To Work On FISA

The Gavel:

House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. released the following statement to President Bush’s commitment to work on foreign surveillance legislation through the recess:

“The President’s efforts to cast blame on FISA, echoed by his allies in Congress, show an appalling disregard for the facts. He threatened to veto any extension of the Protect America Act and, following his lead, every single Republican in the House voted against the 21 day extension I sponsored in the House. The President and House Republicans cannot have it both ways, simultaneously arguing that the PAA is essential to national security and also engineering the defeat of an extension of it. The consequences for inaction are their responsibility.

“Unfortunately, it is the same old tired rhetoric of fear that the country overwhelmingly rejected in the 2006 elections.

“From what I have seen from the Justice Department documents so far, there is no need to provide amnesty to telecommunication companies who are protected under current law, as long as they and the government are acting accordingly. I have not seen anything that leads me to believe, as the President seems to believe, that providing amnesty to these companies is a more compelling public interest than our Constitutionally protected right to privacy.

Chairman Silvestre Reyes of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence also issued a statement challenging Bush to “put partisanship aside” on the FISA debate:

The proper course is now to conference the House bill with the Senate bill that was passed on Tuesday. There are significant differences between these two bills and a conference, in regular order, is the appropriate mechanism to resolve the differences between these two bills. I urge you, Mr. President, to put partisanship aside and allow Republicans in Congress to arrive at a compromise that will protect America and protect our Constitution.

I, for one, do not intend to back down - not to the terrorists and not to anyone, including a President, who wants Americans to cower in fear.

We are a strong nation. We cannot allow ourselves to be scared into suspending the Constitution. If we do that, we might as well call the terrorists and tell them that they have won.

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Friday Beagle Blogging!

Chameleon Harley blends in with his background!

this is low even for the repugs

Republicans disrupt Lantos memorial service
(Americablog)

unspeakably vile

TN state senator: rape just isn’t what it used to be.

Last week, after a debate on amending the Tennessee constitution to say that it doesn’t guarantee the right to abortion, state Sen. Doug Henry (D) stood up and reflected on how rape has changed:

Rape, ladies and gentlemen, is not today what rape was. Rape, when I was learning these things, was the violation of a chaste woman, against her will, by some party not her spouse. Today it’s simply, “Let’s don’t go forward with this act.“

(Think Progress)

Wow - what McCain are they talking about?!

Washington Times: ‘McCain Refuses To Pander’
(Think Progress)

more on contemptuous Miers and Bolten

Conyers introduces Miers/Bolten contempt resolutions.

Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, introduced a criminal contempt resolution today against White House chief of staff Josh Bolten and former White House counsel Harriet Miers, who were subpoenaed in the U.S. attorney scandal, but refused to comply. Conyers also filed a resolution for Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to file a civil suit against the White House. Read the resolutions here.

(Think Progress)

Childish repugs walk out on vote!
House Republicans Stage Walkout, Refuse To Vote On Contempt Charges
(Think Progress)

McCain is now pro-waterboarding?

Maverick Fails The Test: McCain Votes Against Waterboarding Ban
(Think Progress)
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McCain, who himself was tortured, has always been an anti-torture advocate. But apparently he is now willing to discard his values to court the extremists in the repug party.

Just goes to show how far he has come....he is now just bush in disguise...
Sad and somewhat disgusting...

More from Crooks and Liars

standard for this admin - simply hide bad news (when not lying about it)

Bush Administration Hides More Data, Shuts Down Website Tracking U.S. Economic Indicators

The U.S. economy is faltering. Family debt is on the rise, benefits are disappearing, the deficit is skyrocketing, and the mortgage crisis has worsened. Conservatives have attempted to deflect attention from the crisis, by blaming the media’s negative coverage and insisting the United States is not headed toward a recession, despite what economists are predicting.

The Bush administration’s latest move is to simply hide the data.

(Think Progress)
(Click the link for more info)

more of bush's legacy

97% of ambassadors polled say Bolton undermined UN reform.

At Princeton yesterday, New York Times U.N. correspondent Warren Hoge revealed that “of the 33 ambassadors Hoge interviewed for a story” on former U.N. ambassador John Bolton’s performance, “all but one felt he had undermined U.N. reform efforts.” When Bush appointed Bolton in 2005, U.N. members viewed the move as a “stick in the eye.”

(Think Progress)

mind-bogglingly heartless

Savage: Lantos used Holocaust ‘as a weapon.’
(Think Progress)
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I can't even imagine how someone can be so twisted to even think of saying something like this!

why is this not a surprise?

“A Bush administration plan to crack down on contract fraud has a multibillion-dollar loophole: The proposal to force companies to report abuse of taxpayer money will not apply to work overseas, including projects to secure and rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan.”

(Think Progress)

funny that they need to vote on this - it's a fact that they were in contempt

House Democratic leaders “plan to force a vote as early as Thursday on holding Joshua B. Bolten, White House chief of staff, and Harriet E. Miers, former White House counsel, in contempt of Congress.” At the direction of the White House, Bolten and Miers last year refused to comply with subpoenas in U.S. attorneys probe.

(Think Progress)
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I obviously don't understand the legalities involved, but Bolten and Miers obviously were in contempt of Congress, why can't they prosecute them already?

recycling old cliches and lies

Ashcroft defends Iraq invasion.

In a speech to Missouri Republicans on Saturday, former attorney general John Ashcroft went after Bush administration critics who say that the President went to war in Iraq too early and without the necessary proof. Ashcroft responded:

“I would simply say this: It is never too early to fight to defend freedom, and it is much better to fight them there than it is to fight them here,” he said, stirring the sold-out banquet crowd to their feet in applause.

During that same speech, he declared that Bush is “among the most respectful of all leaders ever” when it comes to “respecting the civil liberties and rights of individuals.”

(Think Progress)
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What a tired old cliche! And bush "respected"?! C'mon! No one believes that anymore!

Go Beagles!

Hail, Snoopy! Beagle wins Westminster

NEW YORK - Start dancin', Snoopy. You're out of the Westminster doghouse. At long last, a beagle is America's top dog. Baying and barking to his heart's delight, Uno lived up every bit to his name Tuesday night, becoming the first of his breed to win best in show at the nation's biggest canine competition.

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Harley, as usual, is non-plussed, but figures it is about time!

hahahahahaha

Inside the mind of a conservative blogger.

The largest liberal blogs have generally produced more web traffic than the largest conservative blogs. “Erick Erickson, editor of the popular conservative megablog RedState, conceded that progressives currently enjoy an advantage over conservatives online — though he attributed it to an asymmetry in free time, since conservatives ‘have families because we don’t abort our kids, and we have jobs because we believe in capitalism.’” (Via Atrios.)

(Think Progress)
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That is the funniest parody of a repug i have ever heard!! I literally laughed out loud!

still a bushie

Rove: Media Are To Blame For Why The Economy ‘Stinks’
(Think Progress)

horrific

38:

Number of women who have contacted gang-rape victim Jamie Leigh Jones and said that they too had suffered sexual assault while working for Halliburton/KBR in Iraq. Jones, who testified to Congress today, says that many of the women “cannot speak publicly due to arbitration agreements in their employment contracts.”

(Think Progress)

Anit-McCain Obama parody

Anti-McCain Obama parody hits nearly 200k viewers in one day
(Americablog)

If you haven't seen the original Obama video, check it out - it's fantastic.

bush doesn't care if it's a good idea or not

Snow Reveals ‘80 Percent’ Of Bush’s Advisers Opposed Iraq Surge
(Think Progress)
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Why does he even have advisers? He just does whatever the hell he wants to, regardless of what anyone says. He's like a spoiled child...

more horror in Iraq as Defense Secretary praises security

11 killed during Gates’s visit to Iraq.

Eleven people were killed and 30 were wounded as two car bombs exploded in southern Baghdad today. Reuters notes that the attacks came as Defense Secretary Robert Gates “was concluding a trip to Baghdad during which he praised the improved security in the country and said al Qaeda had been routed.”

(Think Progress)

bush doesn't forget his friends - especially at the expense of the American public

Bush’s 2009 Budget Is ‘As Good As It Gets For Defense Contractors’
(Think Progress)

now believing in our constitutional rights is "anti-antiterror"

WSJ attacks the ‘anti-antiterror left.’

In an editorial on FISA today, the Wall Street Journal slams lawmakers’ attempts to deny telcos retroactive immunity:

Not long ago Democrats seemed ready to move a bipartisan bill passed by the Senate Intelligence Committee last autumn. But under pressure from the anti-antiterror left, they are now bending and will try to weaken the bill on the Senate floor. Given that the House is likely to pass something far worse, the Senate debate will determine how much the U.S. ties its own hands in the fight against terrorists.

By far the worst threat is an amendment from Senator Chris Dodd (D., Conn.) to deny legal immunity to telephone companies that cooperated with the government on these wiretaps after 9/11.

(Think Progress)
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Does any sane person believe this type of rambling? Do they actually think that "the left" wants "terrorists" to win? How idiotic would you have to be to believe that lunacy?
This divisiveness is just insulting...

how strong is America's self-destructive tendency?

Obama narrowly leads McCain in AP poll
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I mean, i'm damn glad that there is a least a lead for the Dems, but how can it be so narrow? How can anyone still - after nearly 8 years of total disaster by the repugs - even consider voting for one?! Especially one who has kissed bush's ass throughout his tenure?
What the hell is wrong with people? Do they really want the end of the world?!

frightening

Bush: McCain will best carry out my agenda.
(Think Progress)
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A damn good reason why no one in their right mind would vote for McCain!

when will they wise up?

Bush misleads military families.

The Washington Post reports:

President Bush drew great applause during his State of the Union address last month when he called on Congress to allow U.S. troops to transfer their unused education benefits to family members. “Our military families serve our nation, they inspire our nation, and tonight our nation honors them,” he said.

A week later, however, when Bush submitted his $3.1 trillion federal budget to Congress, he included no funding for such an initiative, which government analysts calculate could cost $1 billion to $2 billion annually.

Steve Benen and Nicole Belle have more.

UPDATE: More false promises from Bush’s State of the Union here and here.

(Think Progress)
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bush has done nothing but lie to the military and screw them over - why would anyone in the military ever think that he would help them in any way?

crazy religious fanatics protesting another religious fanatic

Westboro Baptist Church Pickets Mike Huckabee In Kansas
(Crooks and Liars)

Huckabee on Colbert

Colbert Battles Huckabee for Texas Delegates
(Crooks and Liars)
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I gotta admit, Huckabee is a complete looney tune and his quest for a theocracy is extremely anti-American, but damn if he doesn't have a sense of humor!

Jon Stewart puts it succinctly

Jon Stewart’s Farewell to Mitt Romney: “F*c# Y%u!”
(Crooks and Liars)
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Stewart plays more of Romney's farewell speech and he is a complete dick. Thank you, Jon, for responding for the rest of us!

stating the obvious

Poll: ‘to fix economy, get out of Iraq.’

The AP writes that Americans want to end the Iraq recession by ending the war:

The heck with Congress’ big stimulus bill. The way to get the country out of recession — and most people think we’re in one — is to get the country out of Iraq, according to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll.

[J]ust 19 percent of the people surveyed said they planned to go out and spend the money [from the rebate checks in the economic stimulus package]; 45 percent said they’d use it to pay bills. And nearly half said what the government really should do is get out of Iraq.

Forty-eight percent said a pullout would help fix the country’s economic problems “a great deal,” and an additional 20 percent said it would help at least somewhat. Some 43 percent said increasing government spending on health care, education and housing programs would help a great deal; 36 percent said cutting taxes.

(Think Progress)

discovery channel thinks reality is "controversial"

Discovery Channel Drops Plans To Air ‘Taxi To The Dark Side’ Because It Is Too ‘Controversial’
(Think Progress)
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In other words, they don't want to piss off this administration by showing the consequences of their torture policy...

of course he doesn't really want to help anyone...

Blogger responds to O’Reilly, videos homeless Americans.
(Think Progress)

hah-ha!

DeLay: I can’t run for President because I’m indicted.

After Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) CPAC speech yesterday, Huffington Post’s Sam Stein spoke to former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who complained that McCain “didn’t address his record.” Asked by Stein “if he himself would run” for president, DeLay replied: “I don’t think somebody who’s indicted ought to run for president.” DeLay, who resigned from Congress in 2006, is currently facing two charges of money laundering and conspiring to launder money.

(Think Progress)

Friday Beagle Blogging!

what is it with Fox?!

FOX News labels John McCain a Democrat
(Crooks and Liars)
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Every time they don't like a repug, they label that person a Democrat!
We don't accept your refuse - keep 'em to yourselves!

but she doesn't want to tell anyone what that progress is!

WashPost headline: "Rice Cites Significant Progress in Afghanistan"

Yes, I was quite curious as well what progress she was citing and the story fails to mention anything specific. Of course, this is because there is no progress to cite but don't tell that to whoever coughed up the headline. Afghanistan has drifted for years and now we have a resurgent Taliban, increased poppy production, dropping investments and a government who stands idle while a journalist is found guilty of downloading a report on women's rights. No wonder they can't cite a damned thing.

(Americablog)

is there anyone in the world who cares what this idiot says any more?

DeLay: ‘Man Is Not Causing Climate Change’
(Think Progress)
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He declares a "conservative" view on climate change. There's no "liberal" or "conservative" view on this issue - there is only a scientific view or an anti-science view. Facts are facts - though of course, as Stephen Colbert says, "facts have a liberal bias"!

a repug lying about torture (again)

Lamar Smith: ‘99% of Americans’ support waterboarding.
(Think Progress)

i literally laughed out loud at reading this!

Bush Declares That Cheney Is ‘The Best Vice President In History’
(Think Progress)
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Now he's just trying to be funny and/or obnoxious (or both) at this point. There is no way in hell anyone - even his supporters - could possibly believe this! Even bush can't be this delusional, can he? I mean really, can he? The leader of the USA can't possibly be this insane, can he? Cuz if he is, who knows what he's going to do before he leaves office...

well, this is kind of a given, isn't it?

AP: Evangelical leader endorses Huckabee
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Huckabee's an evangelical - who else would Dobson support? Huckabee is the only candidate who shares his bigoted views of anti-equality and anti-choice. Thankfully, most of America doesn't share those views - especially Huckabee's looney-tune vision of turning America into a theocracy (under his version of gawd, of course!)

More on this issue from Americablog

It really is somewhat fascinating - in a revolting kind of way - that the repugs count on evangelicals bigotry and sexism and backwards thinking to win the elections for them. Again, how can any woman or gay person be a republican? It's astounding! Their entire party is based on hatred of women and gays! For that matter, I can't understand how any sane person would want to affiliate themselves with the repugs - how embarassing to be known as part of a regressive, bigoted party.

But then, i grew up believing in the equality of all people (y'know - what this country is based on), so what do i know?

is his recommendation even a good thing anymore?

Bush rallies conservatives for campaign

WASHINGTON - Without naming John McCain, President Bush marshaled the conservative wing of the Republican Party on Friday to back the presumed GOP presidential nominee for the upcoming battle against the Democratic Party.

"The stakes in November are high. This is an important election. Prosperity and peace are in the balance," Bush told about 2,000 people attending the Conservative Political Action Conference. "So with confidence in our vision and faith in our values, let us go forward, fight for victory and keep the White House in 2008."

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He is right for a change, though - peace and prosperity is indeed at stake. If we don't get the repugs out of office, we will never be able to attain those!

Hopefully, we will finally get a candidate who will actually help to unite this country that bush has divided, and actually help the people who need help, get us out of the insane, personal war of bush's, help the economy and build some good will in this world.

Rebuilding this country after these last 2 terms will be a monumental job and certainly not one for a repug!

More on peace and prosperity from Crooks and Liars

who is voting for this guy?

McCain booed at CPAC.
(Think Progress)

cheney does what he wants and doesn't care about the consequences!

Cheney: ‘You’re damn right’ I’d attack Iraq again.

Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) today — where one presenter said the C should stand for his last name — Vice President Dick Cheney “offered an aggressive, unwavering defense of the Bush administration.” Saying President Bush “made the right decisions for the right reasons,” Cheney declared “Would I support those same decisions today? You’re damn right I would.”

(Think Progress)
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Since i don't believe that cheney is a complete and total moron (as bush seems to be), this can only mean that every reason that the administration used was an absolute lie because there is no way that anyone could continue to defend this war knowing that every rationale that they used has been proven wrong. They wanted this war and they got it - but it certainly wasn't because they thought that Saddam was a threat...

Mitt drops out!

Mittens Doesn't Disappoint

Awesome.

If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator Clinton or Obama would win. And in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign, be a part of aiding a surrender to terror.

(Eschaton)

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Of course, he has to be a partisian asshole even when he drops out! As if any sane human being would believe that terrorists would rather have a Democrat in the WH (who would most likely actually do something about terrorism) rather than a repug (a party that has done so much - hahaha - to fight terrorists)...Oh, wait, i mean, ther repugs have helped to create terrorists and foster a world-wide hatred of America!

more on the stupid loan business

Neutron Loans

Exploding Option ARMs.

Feb. 7 (Bloomberg) -- Joe Ripplinger took out a $184,000 mortgage in 2006 and makes his payments every month.

Now he owes $192,000.

The 66-year-old Minneapolis house painter has a payment- option adjustable-rate mortgage. It allows him to write a check for $565 a month even though he owes $1,300. The difference is added to the mortgage, and when his total debt reaches $212,000, or after five years have passed, he said his monthly minimum could jump to about $2,800, which he can't afford....

``We call them neutron loans because they're like a neutron bomb,'' said Brock Davis, a broker with U.S. Express Mortgage Corp. in Las Vegas. ``Three years later the house is still there and the people are gone.''

A million of these things out there...

(Eschaton)
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I don't mean to be uncaring, but who would be stupid enough to take on a loan like this? It is absolutely moronic! Just rent the house if you know you can't make payments! I honestly can't understand the thinking behind this.

hypocritical christian can't quit the gay!

Ted Haggard Premature Ejection From “Restoration Therapy”

Colorado Springs Gazette:

New Life Church said Tuesday that former pastor Ted Haggard has prematurely ended a “spiritual restoration” process begun when he was fired for sexual misconduct.

Haggard was fired from New Life Church and resigned as president of the National Association of Evangelicals in November 2006 after a former male prostitute alleged they had a cash-for-sex relationship. The man also said he saw Haggard use methamphetamine.

Haggard confessed to undisclosed “sexual immorality” and said he bought meth but didn’t use it.

New Life said in a written statement that “the process of restoring Ted Haggard is incomplete and (New Life) maintains its original stance that he should not return to vocational ministry.”

They don’t say so explicitly, but it sounds like Ted couldn’t quite give up “Teh Gay” and gave up being “restored,” whatever that means.

(Crooks and Liars)

Morgan Spurlock and Osama bin Laden!

Where In The World Is Osama Bin Laden

Morgan Spurlock, most famously known for SuperSize Me and the great series 30 Days, has a new documentary debuting this month at the Sundance Film Festival and opening wide in April. It looks like it should be a nice little tweak for the Republicans during this election year.

(Crooks and Liars)
Click the link to see previews - looks good!

benchmarks still not being met

Iraq benchmarks report card

Iraq's political situation continues to be a disaster. All our troops are there to keep things as stable as they can so Iraq's government can get itself together . . . but the government simply isn't doing so.A year after President Bush set out his benchmarks for Iraq, using them to justify a massive increase in troops and a prolonged U.S. presence, the Center for American Progress reports that just 3 of the 18 benchmarks have been met:

The purpose of the surge was to provide the “breathing space” for political reconciliation to occur. Yet over one year later, political progress has been scant, and what progress has been made is not durable. The Iraqis have not made the difficult political compromises necessary for national reconciliation, and an indefinite U.S. presence in the region will not inspire them to do so. Despite the best efforts of our military men and women in creating a temporary lull in violence, substantial advancement toward a sustainable and independent Iraq has not been made.

In order to motivate Iraq’s political leaders, the United States must set a date certain for withdrawal. Only then will the Iraqis make the difficult political compromises necessary for national reconciliation.

Indeed.

(Americablog)