Swine, Water heads, insane people

(this is from the other blog but I felt it should go here as well since it matches the tone of the other posts)

This last week Senator Lieberman managed to get worse that I thought he could - which took some doing. During the debate on the Senate’s non-binding resolution on Iraq which says, in essence, “W this is a shitty idea and you shouldn’t do it” Lieberman said the following:

“I fear that while this resolution is non-binding and, therefore, will not affect the implementation of the plan, it will do two things that can be harmful, which is that it will discourage our troops, who we’re asking to carry out this new plan, and it will encourage the enemy, because as General Petraeus said to our committee, war is a test of wills, and you don’t want your enemy to be given any hope.”

God in heaven what a bastard – not only just completely without scruples (willing to let better men than him die to support the miserably failed policy) he is also an totally evil un-American creep in his desire to squelch any critics of der dear leaders latest plans.

Let’s look at this in a bit of detail

1) “our troops” – as the people being asked to do this are going in for their third and in some cases 4th tour of duty in Iraq – I can’t imagine them being that gung-ho about the damn thing in the first place – even in World War II push men enough and the their morale dropped – especially in the winter of 44-45 in Italy where it became one more river one mountain. They’ll try and do the job because that’s who they are but sweet lord – haven’t we asked enough of them? Already? Do they all have to get killed or wounded? And even if everything works the way W and his cronies (a dwindling number) imagine – is that going to end the civil war or the attacks on US troops? Not very likely.

2) War may be a test of wills but as Gen Custer could tell you, there are other factors as well. But the important thing is that this isn’t a fucking war – not a bit, this is an occupation – the war ended years ago. It’s their damn country – they aren’t going anywhere – no matter how many pronouncements of a test of will you make, the fact that they have nowhere else to go kind of trumps whatever will we can muster (and in light of miserable execution of a miserable idea you have to wonder how much we really can).

There is a larger issue here – the right wing noise machine is cracking up the idea that any criticism W and his plan is somehow well treasonous since we are at war.

If we are fighting a war (and let’s just let that go for a second) aren’t we fighting a war to protect America values? And isn’t’ one of them free speech? The right of an elected assembly to debate policy is at the heart of democracy - to suggest this is encourages the enemy is poison. And really how much more encouragement do they need – they already see that the commander is chief is a codpiece without a brain, the vice president is hostile and delusional and the folks in charge of this clusterfuck probably have to have their shoes tied for them.
I hope all of those Democratic heavy hitters The Clintons, Chris Dodd, the Senator from Louisiana, and the rest who either supported Lieberman during the Primary and then sat on their hands during the general election or worse yet supported him over the democratic party candidate in the general election (Dodd and the Senator from Louisiana – who Lieberman wasted no time knifing right in the back) are happy with themselves. One can only hope something – a change in parties by a sitting senator, a need for an election or something happens that means they don’t have to deal with this little creep anymore.

Well enough of that.

Meantime – W, in a weird moment, has defended his boss, sorry , the Vice President’s odd and hostile interview with Wolf Blitzer as saying Cheney is an optimist who sees the glass as half full – which I supposed is a polite way of saying a raving lunatic without even a nodding relationship with reality.

Meanwhile meanwhile – file under You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows – both Sen Biden and Sen Clinton have either come out against the war and in the case of Sen Clinton – admitted she had a part in making the disaster in the first place. To the both I say welcome to the real world.

A shower and a bunch of rails

The GOP machine is spinning so fast now that parts are flying out of it, it’s like the last scene in some cheap sci-fi movie were something has gone wrong with the evil mastermind’s machine and it is now grinding itself to pieces while the master mind screams nooooooo! And is then killed by the collapse of said machine after his underlings are killed by parts flying off the machine.

Latest victim is Mr. Rice who the day after she said she could not recall the meeting that is a big moment in Woodard’s new book on Iraq “State of Denial” (I read he had considered calling it Chaos which is pretty damning in itself. ) get tossed under a bus by the state department that confirms that the meeting took place. It seems Tenet was asked to brief Ashcroft on this (in July). And shortly after that Ashcroft stopped taking civilian flights. Which is a story for another time. Suffice to say that Ms. Rice has been shown to be a complete liar. (By her state department people which has got to sting)

As a side note I find it fascinating to watch W’s apologists try to paint Woodward as some kind of wild eyed liberal loon when they just loved the two butt kissing portraits of W he had previously written. Meantime I wonder how many ghosts visited Woodward to remind him that as a reporter his primary service should be to the truth not power.

Meantime the whole Greg Foley thing is making me need more hot showers than is good for my skin. Very very bad rumors are floating around the net that Foley did not stop at asking via IM what kind of underwear these boys were wearing (ooooohhh ick) and actual contact was (sweet merciful Jesus what the hell is wrong with these people? 17 year olds 16 year olds? Ahhhhh.) involved.

Meantime some of the enablers of the GOP have been trying to blame the pages, that Foley was led on. Right, even if you are a gay 17 year old, is a 52 year old man is going to push your buttons? I think not.

God this is so wrong, I feel like a cradle robber when I talk to a woman less than 30 years old, let alone 25 but I am not a predator.

That’s bad enough but what is worse is that the GOP leadership thought keeping Foley’s name out of the papers was more important than the kids. Just like the Roman Catholic Church when confronted by a similar (but much wider scandal) decided that saving the corporation was more important.

That’s the crime – as bad as Foley was (W said it was “disgusting” one of the few times I find myself in agreement with him) the really disgusting part is they decided to look the other way. Bastards.

Meantime W in a speech in Nevada (one of the few states were people won’t toss eggs at him the moment said the Democrats weren’t competent to run congress – which translates into I am scared shitless of the Democratic party getting their hands on the Subpoena power of congress.

God the whole sick corrupt greed stupid lot of them needs to be run out of town on rails.

The pic? Just to remind myself what a special and rare thing these monkeys are trying to destroy with their fear and greed.

And the lights go out.

I don’t know how long it is going to take to undo this madness we just inflicted upon ourselves. Years, decades I suspect. I don’t even know if I’ll be around to see it. I have seen so much darkness come over our country since 1980 but this, allowing this thuggish man boy of a president the right to drop anyone, American Citizen or not into a black hole of imprisonment from which there is no appeal is not just a blow against the American Constitution but against rights that come down to us from the damned Magna Carta.

What the hell happened to us that this subject even came up? That we (as Americans) are scared enough? Some of the water board apologists are saying how all these concerns will seem quaint when the first nuke goes up. Several things come to mind – one like this gang of clowns would be able to uncover a plot to nuke an American city, two that even if they did find someone – the classic ticking bomb straw man, it’s very likely that their victim could keep his mouth shut until the bomb went off yes? Let’s not assume for a an instant they are not as dedicated to their cause as we are to ours , and if an American knew of a plot to kill Osama wouldn’t you think he could keep his mouth shut under torture until the time had passed? Okay? Shit we’ve seen that in enough movies.

Also our brave heroes have been doing very very little to prevent Nukes from falling into the hands of the terrorists. How can they? They are too busy with Iraq or stealing money from the government to worry about nukes.

I’ve seen where Jack Bauer in 24 is being used as a defense. Jesus it’s a Television show. That’s who stupid and evil we’ve become. We are defending torture because it works on TV.

God in heaven.

Every American who voted for this should be ashamed of themselves.

As for those who figured the Supreme Court will shoot this down, why are you so sure they will and what’s to prevent them from ignoring the ruling, they ignore everything else?

And for the folks who get all faint at calling this fascism, since they haven’t arrested anybody yet – given them time, W hasn’t signed the bill yet and they have been making noises about arresting Journalists.

This walks like a duck, talks like a duck, and quacks like a duck. It’s a dictatorship. We’ll see how much if the results turn against W in the 2006 elections.

It’s dark out.

And it’s not going to get lighter anytime soon.

Peace out.

THE TORTURE PREISDENT

I don’t have the words anymore, I used to but now I don’t. Our country is about to legalize the use of torture. From the shining city on the hill to the rack and waterboading. God in heaven I’m depressed beyond words. That we are even talking about this shows how depraved and fearful we have become. The beacon of light to the world has become just an empire that will attach electrodes to your private parts.

Because we are afraid.

We were never afraid before ever. Well the right was afraid of the Russians, more afraid than a sane person should be but now not just the wing nuts are scared. Official Washington is scared shitless. I remember when just for a moment it was thought a private plane was going to crash into the capitol building – they ran like panicked sheep – not one representative or Senator said “let them do their worst they will find me at my post.” Cowards the lot of them.

And torture doesn’t work – simply stated torture is good to get people to confess to things you want them to confess to, as far as supplying accurate information, women under torture during the witch trials confessed to flying on broomstick, casting spells and having sex with the devil.

We should be well and truly ashamed of ourselves.

Bin Ladden has scored his greatest victory. His attack has let this country to repudiate the very foundation it was built on – and a house without a foundation will fall. He must be laughing now.

Mark you calendars kids and note this in your diary – this is a red letter day in the fall of America. The men in suits in Washington led by the boy king are turning out the lights. The dark ages are here.

This is what insane people sound like.

I note in the nets that some one from the Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne wants to test their prototype non-lethal microwave weapons crowd control situations in the US, because:
“Nonlethal weapons such as high-power microwave devices should be used on American citizens in crowd-control situations before they are used on the battlefield, the Air Force secretary said Tuesday.
Domestic use would make it easier to avoid questions in the international community over any possible safety concerns, said Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne.”
…”(Because) if I hit somebody with a nonlethal weapon and they claim that it injured them in a way that was not intended, I think that I would be vilified in the world press”
This is just someone to quote the rude pundit who lives in “monkey fuck crazy land” Lord Jesus Christ can anybody think this is a rational thing to do? And really when was the last ‘riot’ in the United States? When the Steelers won the superbowl was when. Think about that for a moment – at the next sports induced riot – the Air Force uses it’s microwave weapons which per some experts can have the effect of melting people’s eyes in their heads.
That’s great.
Meantime Nancy Grace on her show ‘you are all f-king guilty’ browbeat a woman who’s young son has been missing for 10 days now. Nancy decided that the mother was hiding something and browbeat her mercilessly. Two days later the woman killer her self. Nancy is not sorry – her mouth breathing fans are not sorry and the kid is still missing. Nancy’s not a f-king cop, she holds no office, she’s a TV personality. The woman had not been arrested or put on trial or convicted. Even if the she had killed her son, Nancy’s little stunt makes it very unlikely we will ever know the truth about what happened and we will probably never find the body.
Still it’s probably good for the ratings.
Meantime W is going to Capitol Hill. He doesn’t go much. He doesn’t like to be reminded that he isn’t king and room full of elected representatives give him the jitters – even if they are all lining up to kiss his shoe.
So why is he going? To push for a bill that will allow us to legally torture prisoners. Put it into a bill rather than the weasel legal opinions of his bootlickers in the White House. Prove once and for all that we stand for nothing. That we are more afraid of brown skinned terrorists in caves than we were of Nazi Germany, The Japanese Empire and the Soviet Union combined. That we are a not a nation but a herd of panicked amoral mouth breathing bible thumbing hypocrites who are in the process of stampeding off a cliff like a herd of sheep
Torture. Jesus. He’s going to stump congress for the right to waterboard prisoners. The Wall Street Journal thinks it’s a good idea.
Bod Gess America I guess.
Good God have we really sunk this low?

For those who lost someone that day – our sympathy and compassion. To have someone taken from you like that is almost beyond understanding.

For those who served – our deepest respect and gratitude. You risked life and limb heroically simply because it was your job. Let others fear the fanatics – as long as we have people like you the republic is in no danger.

For those who did this and those who planned this – oblivion. I will not even waste my thoughts on you.

For those who have used this to further their own political agendas, to secure their own power to exploit this for partisan political gain – go to hell.

Stop telling lies about us and we’ll stop telling the truth about you.

As we careen into the weekend before the 9-11 wallow ABC has found itself in the middle of a media storm.

It seems that ABC is going broadcast a 2 night mini series called “The Path to 9/11”. That parts okay – WTC just came out, it’s 5 years time to look. The trouble is that the film was driven by some partisan right wing hacks – who seek to place the blame for 9/11 at Clinton’s feet and since they weren’t able to find enough real things went and made shit up.

Fair enough – the truth as a well know liberal bias so being right wing hacks they did that.

Then they went and managed to totally screw themselves.

In order to get the right kind of buzz about the film, someone sent 900 copies to right wing blogs, Rush Limbaugh and other folks sympatric to the cause of blaming Clinton. They began to crow about the piece and that’s when the left blogs picked the story up.

Again this should not be a surprise, there are dozens of sites out there dedicated to highlighting the right’s latest whopper (for example, the other day it turns out the much praised decline in civilian deaths in Baghdad actually didn’t happen – the reporting was wrong – I’ve seen several posts about it pointing this out) so this was to be expected.

Up till now, ABC had been dumb but not stupid. Passing out all those promo copies wasn’t the brightest idea but not fatal.

Then Madeline Albright asked to see a preview copy.

ABC said no.

Bill Clinton asked to see a preview copy.

ABC said no.

And that’s when it became a complete disaster for ABC.

Bill’s monster lawyer sends one hell of a nasty letter to ABC. And the shit well and truly hit the fan.

The press is now all over this and people are showing up saying “this is fake, that isn’t true, and we made that up on the set.” Etc etc.

ABC is slowly backing away – at first they said the people complaining haven’t seen the whole show – which got the question why not send it to us like you did with all those friendly geeks? They wouldn’t for obvious reasons (it stands to reason that people are going to find even more problems if they get to look it) that ABC don’t need. So at first they were talking about making cuts now the rumor is they are thinking of pulling it entirely.

And the blogsphere has dredged up the comments made by the right wing hacks about the Reagan miniseries that ended up getting pulled. If my not so good memory serves my response when I found out what the deal was, was, Christ there was enough bad shit about Reagan that was true? Why go and make shit up? They were just being stupid and lazy is why and they got smacked for it.

In this case not only are they stupid and lazy, they are trying to bolster the rapidly shrinking rep of one George W Bush who, when told that a second airplane had hit the World Trade center sat on his ass and did nothing for about 5-7 minutes and then spent the rest of the day in the air coming back to Washington only that evening. It was a preview of the out of touch non-response he would perfect when New Orleans flooded.

To try and create an action figure out of this lump of clay is pretty tough going. So in addition to not showing the My Pete Goat scene, they have decided to lie about Clinton.

Now Clinton wasn’t perfect about Osama. But at least he, unlike W and his circle jerk of advisors didn’t ignore his existence until the towers came down and then when they wanted to attack Iraq, they ignored his existence again, and now with Iraq a complete Clusterfuck (albeit a cluster fuck with nicely painted schools) they have hauled him out again. It makes you dizzy to think about it.

And I noticed that a lot of folks seem to think that W and his boys had something to do with 9/11 happening in the first place. I’m not that much of a tinfoil hat type – these clowns have shown the only thing they really know is how to screw things up so I have trouble buying into they made it happen. At worst I think they thought maybe if a plane or two was high jacked (“highjackings in the conventional sense” to us Ms. Rice’s unlovely phrase.) they could use that to their advantage. It’s how they think. It’s all power not governance – Katrina proved that.

However I can understand the feeling. W and his boys have milked 9/11 until it has mooed with pain and are still using it right now. It’s proven so useful to them, it’s human nature not to speculate that maybe they had something to do with it.

One last ABC note: some twit suggested that democrats upset with this miniseries should wait for the one about the buildup to the Iraq war – which will show W in a bad light.

Right – like ABC is going to make that. And since people won’t have to make stuff up to show W and crew in a bad light before the Iraq war just how does that make things balanced? Let us tell lies about Clinton we’ll let you tell the truth about W? Huh?

Meantime W is going to be here in NYC for 9/11. Jesus haven’t we suffered enough?
Very last thing. Lieberman’s little trolls have been trumpeting a poll that has Lieberman way ahead of Lamont. Trouble is the poll comes from a company whose president just pleaded guilty to making shit up to please their customers. Snark!

I keepy saying: what a putz.