HR24 Impeachment Rally

by: rambler american

Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 09:45:43 AM EDT

and electricity is magic

by: JonnyBBad

Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 12:18:47 PM EDT

Bush Concedes Rough Time in Economy
Filed at 11:38 a.m. ET

NEW YORK (AP) -- Trying to calm jitters about the economy, President Bush concedes that the country obviously is going through a tough time.

But, in a speech Friday to The Economic Club of New York, Bush says this is not the first time this has happened and say he's certain the economy will eventually ride out its troubles.

The president said he speaks from the position of optimism.

The president spoke as evidence of an ailing economy piled up. The dollar fell, oil and gold hit record highs, the economy is shedding jobs, retail sales saw a big drop and the effects of a severe credit squeeze linger. Economic worries have replaced the Iraq war as the No. 1 concern of voters in this presidential election year.

"Undecideds" Beocome "Decideds"

by: Amy Rubin

Sat Jan 05, 2008 at 18:43:57 PM EST

At a town hall in Concord, New Hampshire today John spoke with a mixed crowd of New Hampshire voters. Some were long-term Edwards supporters, looking for one last chance to hear the Senator speak before heading to the polls. Others had been leaning towards a candidate, but had yet to make a firm choice. Still others were seeking information, completely uncertain of who they would vote for on Tuesday.

The first voter I spoke with quickly identified himself as a Democrat whose ideals fit the progressive agenda. He said he didn't expect to leave with his mind made up - just more information. He said had seen Senator Clinton not too long ago and was impressed with her breadth of knowledge and understanding on the issues, but wasn't swayed. He was encouraged to see that she took questions from the crowd, something she has been known to avoid, but felt like she wasn't really listening to the questioners. She "knew the answers before the questions were even asked" he said.

As things got started, Elizabeth introduced John saying,

"This election is not just about the language of change - it's about results."

Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter's Position on Iran

by: mountainboy

Fri Dec 14, 2007 at 08:57:51 AM EST

I asked the Congresswoman if she would oppose military action against Iran in light of these recent revelations.

Here is the respose I received:

As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I support having a strong national defense. However, that does not mean rushing to war without clear provocation, as we did in Iraq. The Iraq war has destabilized the region, weakened our military, and inflamed terrorist organizations worldwide. Our nation is far less safe because of the President's reckless march to war in Iraq.

We should not be naive about the potential danger from Iran, particularly if that nation should acquire nuclear weapons. However, I believe that there is no compelling reason to go to war with Iran at this time.

It is our patriotic duty, as citizens of a great democracy, to hold our leaders to the highest standards, especially in matters of war and peace. Thank you for your vigilance.

Sincerely

Carol Shea-Porter
Member of Congress

Like the Congresswoman, I believe that Iran should be prevented from attaining nuclear weapons. But military action would not be in the best interests of the United States, or the Middle East, at this time. The administration's approach to Iran's nuclear program appears to be based largely on speculation, rather than on verifiable intelligence. America should never engage in military action on such a basis.

I hope to convince other members of Congress to go on the record on this issue as well. We need to know where our representatives stand on this issue. If you live in the 2nd Congressional District in New Hampshire and are interested in contacting Congressman Paul Hodes about this matter please contact me.

David Anderson
davewanderson@care2.com
http://reasonableforeignpolicy...

Sen.Whitehouse:"Flawed Shoddy Law" the "Protect America Act"

by: JonnyBBad

Mon Dec 10, 2007 at 06:46:26 AM EST

continued....Zero protections for Americans visiting abroad....no statutory restrictions outside the U.S. for surveillance on U.S. citizens, their cell phones etc.

Et tu, 21%? (New poll on impeachment)

by: Douglas E. Lindner

Wed Nov 14, 2007 at 12:24:08 PM EST

A new ARG Poll shows that 64% of American voters believe President Bush has abused his powers as President.  55% of American voters believe these abuses rise to the level of impeachable offenses under the Constitution, but only 34% believe he should actually be impeached.

21% of Americans believe the President deserves to be impeached, but oppose impeaching him.  What the hell?

Vote in the poll below and discuss.

Free Speech In The World of Bridge....

by: Kathy Sullivan 2

Wed Nov 14, 2007 at 09:27:09 AM EST

According to today's NY Times (I'm reading the print edition, don't know if this story is on line), the United States Bridge Association wants to suspend, for one year, a team of women who won the women's world championship title in Shanghai last month for holding up a sign (actually, written on the back of a menu) at an awards dinner, that said "We did not vote for Bush."

Bush Rachets with Unilateral Sanctions

by: Sleeping Giant Stirs

Thu Oct 25, 2007 at 17:10:03 PM EDT

By Robin Wright
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, October 25, 2007; 10:19 AM
The Bush administration announced an unprecedented package of unilateral sanctions against Iran today, including the long-awaited designations of its Revolutionary Guard Corps as a proliferator of weapons of mass destruction and of the elite Quds Force as a supporter of terrorism.
The package, announced jointly by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr., marks the first time that the United States has tried to isolate or punish another country's military. It is the broadest set of punitive measures imposed on Tehran since the 1979 takeover of the U.S. Embassy, and included a call for other countries and firms to stop doing business with three major Iranian banks.
-snip-
Rice said the United States is "committed to a diplomatic solution" to the tension between Washington and Tehran, but also wants to "increase the costs to Iran" unless it cooperates with the international community on terrorism and proliferation.
The announced measures will help protect the international financial system, she said, and provide "a powerful deterrent" to those who do or are considering doing business with Iran.
The move caps a year of growing U.S. pressure on Tehran, including billions of dollars in arms sales to Persian Gulf allies and Israel, interception of Iranian arms shipments in Iraq and Afghanistan, detention of Iranian agents in Iraq, and pressure on the United Nations and European allies to increase Iran's isolation. The dramatic U.S. steps underscore the escalating tensions between the United States and Iran.
"The policies of Iran constitute perhaps the single greatest challenge for American security interests in the Middle East, and possibly around the world, because the combination of Iranian terrorism, Iranian repression at home and the pursuit of nuclear weapons technology -- technologies that could lead to a nuclear weapon -- is a very dangerous mix," Rice said yesterday in testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
-snip-
The Quds Force, the foreign operations branch of the Revolutionary Guard Corps, will be designated separately as a supporter of terrorism under Executive Order 13224, which Bush signed two weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to obstruct terrorist funding, U.S. officials said. It authorizes the United States to identify individuals, businesses, charities and extremist groups engaged in terrorism.
The Quds Force -- "Quds" is Arabic for Jerusalem -- is estimated to number up to 15,000 and runs Tehran's covert activities throughout the Middle East, including arms, aid and training for groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad. U.S. officials say that it has provided the high-tech bombs capable of penetrating armored vehicles and the roadside explosives that are the No. 1 killer of U.S. forces in Iraq.
Although Iran's suspected weapons programs have been a longtime problem for the United States, the Quds Force's operations in Iraq have become a bigger immediate challenge. "The Quds Force controls the policy for Iraq," Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, said earlier this month. "There should be no confusion about that."
-snip-
In a speech Sunday, Vice President Cheney warned Tehran of "serious consequences" if it continues on its present course. "Our country and the entire international community cannot stand by as a terror-supporting state fulfills its most aggressive ambitions," he said.
The United States hopes that allies in Europe and Asia will impose similar sanctions, because efforts to get a tough U.N. resolution have stalled as a result of Russian and Chinese opposition. "The international community's got to get a lot tougher if it's going to be resolved diplomatically," Rice said about Iran's suspected nuclear program.

Senator Obama on Bush Announcement on Iran Sanctions
By Sam Graham-Felsen - Oct 25th, 2007 at 2:13 pm EDT
Senator Obama responds to the Bush administration's announcement on Iran sactions:

It is important to have tough sanctions on Iran, particularly on the Iranian Revolutionary Guard which supports terrorism. But these sanctions must not be linked to any attempt to keep our troops in Iraq, or to take military action against Iran. Unfortunately, the Kyl-Lieberman amendment made the case for President Bush that we need to use our military presence in Iraq to counter Iran - a case that has nothing to do with sanctioning the Revolutionary Guard.

Elizabeth Edwards Talks Iraq, Education and New Hampshire

by: Amy Rubin

Tue Oct 09, 2007 at 23:47:01 PM EDT

John Edwards on Countdown with Keith Olberman

by: Amy Rubin

Thu Oct 04, 2007 at 12:59:01 PM EDT

Fairness, Accountability, Justice

by: Amy Rubin

Wed Oct 03, 2007 at 14:50:28 PM EDT

The recent incidents of violence involving Blackwater contractors in Iraq, including the shooting of Iraqi civilians in Baghdad last month, have caused tremendous damage to America's battle for the hearts and minds of Iraqis. These incidents hurt America's moral standing, both in Iraq and around the world. And they serve as a tragic reminder of how the Bush Administration has outsourced our military responsibilities to corporate contractors and political cronies who operate outside of the rules of engagement and without any meaningful oversight.

• transfer most security missions currently performed by contractors back to military command
  
• narrowly limit the circumstances under which security contractors can be engaged
  
• bring all security contractors within the Pentagon's chain of command.

Expand Legal Oversight and Prosecutions

• amend the Military Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction Act (MEJA) to cover contractors employed by any U.S. agency
  
• ensure criminal allegations involving contractors are always investigated and, when appropriate, prosecuted
  
• establish clear rules of engagement for contractors

Get Cronyism out of Security Contracts

• ask Congress to pass legislation prohibiting campaign contributions by applicants for and recent recipients of security contracts, extending the ban on current contractors
  
• ask Congress to pass legislation to close the revolving door for government contractors by prohibiting former officials from working as contractors with business before their former offices for five years

Establish Strong Quality Control and Accountability Measures

• establish a regular system of Quality Assurance Evaluations of contractors and will make sure that agencies exercise oversight

Implement a Formal Evaluation of the Role of Contractors

• deliver a comprehensive accounting of all contractors performing security operations within the first six months of his administration
  
• creation of a new National Security Budget that will include all security activities by the Pentagon, the State Department and other agencies

Edwards Statement on Bush's SCHIP Veto

by: Amy Rubin

Wed Oct 03, 2007 at 12:52:42 PM EDT

"Today, we have witnessed a President that has turned his back on health care for children. Not surprisingly, in George Bush's administration, corporate cronies and insurance industry allies always come first, while children's healthcare comes last. In an America where nearly 9 million children don't have health coverage, Congress must do what is right and fight for these children and override Bush's cruel veto.


"Even more shocking is that Republican Presidential candidates, including Fred Thompson, Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney are all lining up with President Bush and against health care for our children. Instead of threatening the health care of children, it's time for Bush, and Republicans like McCain, Giuliani, and Romney to start picking on someone their own size."

Disclaimer: Amy Rubin is the Director of Online communications and Organizing for Edwards for President, NH

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

by: Jon Bresler

Tue Oct 02, 2007 at 22:51:25 PM EDT

Clear and present danger, ..

by: Sleeping Giant Stirs

Tue Sep 25, 2007 at 18:17:17 PM EDT

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

is a term used by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. in the majority opinion for the case Schenck v. United States, 249 U.S. 47 (1919), concerning speech against the draft during World War I:
The question in every case is whether the words used are used in such circumstances and are of such a nature as to create a clear and present danger that they will bring about the substantive evils that the United States Congress has a right to prevent. It is a question of proximity and degree. When a nation is at war, many things that might be said in time of peace are such a hindrance to its effort that their utterance will not be endured so long as men fight, and that no Court could regard them as protected by any constitutional right.

You may or may not agree with my elevation of the use of mercenaries as constituting a "clear and present danger." Although the words of Holmes relate to Free Speech, my position is that the activites of such firms that supplement our military, specifically those performing armed services and INTEL based services, may present a threat to America and our vital interests abroad.
"they will bring about the substantive evils that the United States Congress has a right to prevent".

Heavy shit, huh?

I am not a constitutional scholar, but I have sworn an oath:
"I, John Mitchell, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."  As my enlistment is over, my bond to that oath is simply a matter of honor.

Ne Desit Virtus

Following Hurricane Katrina, such armed security contractors were deployed to Louisiana to support law enforcement in the aftermath. Their deployment on America's soil is of grave concern and should be considered as a precursor. As many of these contractors hail from the US, for NOW anyways, we have grounds to consider them. "domestic enemies".

Therefore I am bound to take stand against such "substantive evils" and I hope that many of you will stand with me.

Senator Barack Obama does.

Obama's post on The Hill:
Congress to Address Oversight for Security Contractors

By Ill. Dem. Sen. Barack Obama
September 24th, 2007
I was disturbed by recent press accounts describing a firefight in which Blackwater USA security contractors killed at least 9 people and wounded many others.  According to the Iraqi government, last weekend's incident is one of seven incidents in which the company's employees have allegedly opened fire on Iraqi civilians.
This recent incident, which is under investigation by the Department of State, raises larger questions about the role of private security contractors.  An estimated 48,000 private security employees are operating in Iraq, and more than 1,000 contractors have died in Iraq since 2003.  Little is known about what functions these security contractors are performing, how much their services are costing, what military and safety equipment they are provided, and what rules of engagement they are following.  And according to press accounts, Blackwater has been exempt from military regulations governing other security companies, such as restrictions on the use of offensive weapons, requirements to report shooting incidents, or abiding by a central tracking system that allows commanders to monitor the movements of security companies on the battlefield.
In February, I introduced the Transparency and Accountability in Military and Security Contracting Act (S. 674).  This bill would require federal agencies to report to Congress on:  the total number of security contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan; the total cost of the contractors; the number of contractors killed or wounded; information about the military and safety equipment provided to contractors; and a description of disciplinary action taken against contractors.  The bill also would improve coordination between security contractors and U.S. armed forces by requiring the issuance of rules of engagement, clarify the legal status of contractors, and require investigation of criminal misconduct committed by contractors.
I have offered this legislation as an amendment to the FY 2008 Defense Authorization bill, which is currently before the Senate.  I also sent a letter earlier this week to U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, calling on him to answer questions about the Blackwater incident and the role of private security contractors and the impact of their operations in Iraq.
We need to make sure that security contractors in Iraq are subject to adequate and transparent oversight and that their actions do not have a negative impact on our efforts to bring the war in Iraq to a responsible end.

In the Comments, below Obama's post, you will find a thoughtful reference to this from the 2006 Amnesty International Annual Report:

"Incidents of torture involving civilian contractors at Abu Ghraib were documented in the US Army's Fay and Taguba reports investigating Abu Ghraib. These reports implicated employees of two companies, CACI International (based in Arlington, VA) and Titan Corp (based in San Diego and recently acquired by L3 Communications). Steve Stefanowicz of CACI reportedly directed the use of dogs at  Abu Ghraib, ordered that a prisoner not receive his prescription pain killers, made a male prisoner wear women's underwear, failed to report abuse, and lied to investigators. Daniel Johnson, also employed by CACI, allegedly directed and participated in prisoner abuse and interrogated a prisoner in an "unauthorized stress position," according to descriptions in the Fay report and alleged in a lawsuit brought by the Center for Constitutional Rights. Johnson is the contractor alleged to have directed military personnel Sgts. Ivan Frederick and Charles Graner to torture a detainee during an interrogation. Three Titan employees were accused of abuses in the Fay and Taguba reports including allegedly raping a male juvenile detainee, making false statements about interrogations and failing to report detainee abuse.
Media reports of misconduct involving private security companies are numerous, particularly reports of indiscriminate shootings at Iraqi civilians and U.S. military personnel. According to a Dec. 4, 2005, Los Angeles Times article, employees of Blackwater, the company that employed the four contractors killed and mutilated by insurgents in Fallujah, allegedly shot at a taxi, killing the passenger and injuring the driver. The employees were found to have not followed proper procedures according to a U.S. official with knowledge of the shooting and were reported to have been later fired by Blackwater. DynCorp personnel were implicated in the shooting of Ali Ismael in Irbil, Iraq. An embassy investigation cleared DynCorp, though witness accounts directly contradict the investigation's findings. Former employees of Custer Battles accused their counterparts of firing on innocent civilians and crushing a civilian with a truck. Zapata employees allegedly shot indiscriminately at U.S. f orces and civilians in efforts to clear roads."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  September 24, 2007 
CONTACT: Amy Brundage, 202 228 5511

Obama Calls On Bush to Release Information on Private Security Contractors in Iraq

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today sent President Bush the following letter, calling on him to immediately compile and release information on the total number of security contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan, the total cost of the contracts, and the number of contractors killed or wounded.  With an estimated 48,000 private security employees operating in Iraq, and more than 1,000 contractors killed since 2003, little is known about what functions these security contractors are performing, how much their services are costing, and what rules of engagement they are following. 

Last week, Obama filed an amendment to the FY 2008 Defense Authorization bill, which requires federal agencies to compile and report information on security contractors to Congress.  Obama originally offered the Transparency and Accountability in Military and Security Contracting Act (S. 674) in February.

The text of the letter is below:

Dear Mr. President:

I am writing to express my concern about the lack of transparency and accountability in the U.S. government's use of private security contractors in Iraq.  I was disturbed by recent press accounts describing a firefight in which Blackwater USA security contractors killed at least 9 people and wounded many others.  This recent incident, which is under investigation by the Department of State, raises larger questions about the role of private security contractors and the impact their use has on our military efforts in Iraq. 

Little is known about what functions these security contractors are performing, how much their services are costing, and what rules of engagement they are following.  Moreover, according to press accounts, Blackwater has been exempt from military regulations governing other security companies, such as restrictions on the use of offensive weapons, requirements to report shooting incidents, and compliance with a central tracking system that allows commanders to monitor the movements of security companies on the battlefield.
In February, I introduced the Transparency and Accountability in Military and Security Contracting Act (S. 674).  This legislation would require federal agencies to report to Congress on:  the total number of security contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan; the total cost of the contractors; the number of contractors killed or wounded; information about the military and safety equipment provided to contractors; and a description of disciplinary action taken against contractors.  The bill also would improve coordination between security contractors and U.S. armed forces by requiring the issuance of rules of engagement, clarify the legal status of contractors, and require investigation of criminal misconduct committed by contractors. 
I have offered an amendment that includes several provisions drawn from S. 674 to the FY 2008 Defense Authorization bill, which is currently before the Senate, and similar provisions have been included in the House version of the bill. 
With tens of thousands of private security employees operating in Iraq, and more than 1,000 contractors killed since 2003, the U.S. government should immediately compile and release this critical information required by my legislation.  The American people deserve to know how their taxpayer dollars are being spent abroad, whether American civilian contractors are adequately protected, and whether these contractors are abiding by American law.
Accordingly, I request that you direct the appropriate federal agencies to compile the following information about private security contracts and provide it to Congress in a timely fashion:
(1) The number of persons performing private security work in Iraq and Afghanistan under contracts entered into by federal departments and agencies, including the Department of Defense, the Department of State, the Department of the Interior, the United States Agency for International Development, and the elements of the intelligence community, respectively;
(2) The companies awarded such contracts and subcontracts;
(3) The total cost of such contracts;
(4) The total number of persons who have been killed or wounded performing work under such contracts;
(5) A description of the military equipment and safety equipment provided for the protection of contractors under such contracts, and an assessment of the adequacy of such equipment;
(6) The policies and procedures through which federal departments and agencies instruct and inform contractors of the applicability of the laws of the United States, Iraq, and Afghanistan to their activities;
(7) The policies and procedures through which federal departments and agencies monitor contractors on their adherence to the laws of the United States, Iraq, and Afghanistan;
(8) The laws, if any, determined to have been broken in the performance of such contracts, including laws of the United States, Iraq, and Afghanistan; and
(9) A description of the disciplinary actions that have been taken against persons performing work under such contracts by either the contractor concerned or the governments of the United States, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

It is our government's obligation to ensure that security contractors in Iraq are subject to adequate and transparent oversight and that their actions do not have a negative impact on our military's efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Please let me know by October 1, 2007, whether you will agree to provide this information.  Thank you. 

Sincerely,

Barack Obama
United States Senator

Maybe, the Senator hadn't seen the President's previous answer to the question.
Bush on Blackwater USA

-------------------------------------------------------

Obama Calls on Gates to Clarify Contractor Role in Iraq
Thursday, September 20, 2007
--------------------------------------------------------

On Daily Kos - A must read by cpdem81: Obama Leads on Blackwater
In this blog you will find:

The Nation's Jeremy Scahill describes the rise of Blackwater USA, the world's most powerful mercenary army.
Blackwater: Shadow Army

***

FYI:

Blackwater, America's Private Army

Riz Khan - Blackwater in Iraq - 24 Apr 07

After the pre-emptive strike against the American Navy stationed in Pearl Harbor, The Japanese High Command was confident that the United States would never rally its culturally fragmented society to the degree necessary to intervene with the imperial aspirations of the Rising Sun. Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, having spent time in the US while attending Harvard University, knew otherwise. He is believed to have told the High Command, "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve."

Bush/Cheney's Cardinal Sin

by: IrregardlessNH

Mon Sep 17, 2007 at 06:50:57 AM EDT

Yet now, and especially over the last six years, our political discourse has grown ever more shrill, especially on the Republican side, with name-calling, demonizing and attacking the messenger, personal insults - anything to draw attention from the truth.

What are the Bush/Cheney administration and their Republican apologists afraid of? What is the dirty and terrible secret they are apparently frantic to protect?

Book Review - A Tragic Legacy

by: bloomingpol

Sat Jul 28, 2007 at 13:37:35 PM EDT

While John E. Was Sleeping (and Judd, too)

by: Kathy Sullivan

Mon Jul 23, 2007 at 09:55:24 AM EDT

The other was about how the Department of Interior is reviewing and may overturn eight decisions made by a politcal employee with respect to wildlife and land use issues; the since resigned employee improperly favored industry and landowners over agency scientists.

The GOP "Grand Obstructionist Party"

by: Ray Buckley

Fri Jul 20, 2007 at 16:36:51 PM EDT

It is sad and shameful times as Republicans are dragging their feet, holding up the legislative process, and standing in the way of progress on the issues most important to the people of New Hampshire and across this great nation. Senators Judd Gregg and John E. Sununu continue to put their loyalty to the President and their political party ahead of the interests of the Granite State and our brave men and women in uniform.  It is not surprising that in the latest polls, 66 percent of independent voters say they will vote in the Democratic primary.  This dramatic shift is because Independents in New Hampshire strongly oppose the Iraq War and are pleased at how Representatives Carol Shea-Porter and Paul Hodes are fighting to bring our troops home.  The landslide re-election by Gov. John Lynch and historic victories by Democrats strongly indicates that Independents are realizing more and more which Party is fighting for them and which Party is more interested in standing in the way of progress.  The UNH poll is a striking reminder of how the largest bloc of New Hampshire voters -- Independents ? continue to sway toward the Democrats during this decade.  If Republicans stick to their obstructionist ways in Concord and Washington, we look forward to welcoming them into the Democratic Party, permanently. 

In their first six months in office , Representatives Shea-Porter and Hodes have been keeping their promise to New Hampshire?s voters by working to change course in Iraq. Every step of the way, Republicans like John E. Sununu, have shown that they lack the leadership and backbone to stand up to the President.  Just one day after a new National Intelligence Estimate provided additional evidence that Republicans have failed to make our homeland safe and allowed Al Qaeda to rebuild, Sununu chose to protect George W. Bush and his disastrous Iraq policy by voting against an amendment that would have begun a rollback of U.S. forces within four months and redefined the U.S. mission in Iraq.

(more)

"Eenee-meaney chilly beaney when Cheney is about to speak" *

by: Mark Hounsell

Thu Jun 28, 2007 at 14:12:37 PM EDT

Try not to think about the Halliburton connections, the endless stream of his disconcerting comments, behavior and decisions. Focus instead on the unparalleled ability of Dick Cheney to identify a goal and then maneuver through the rough and tumble political maze and achieve it.

Please take the time to follow the link and read Washington Post staff writers, Barton Gellman?s and Jo Becker?s June 24th article entitled ?A Different Understanding With the President?. When you have finished, I am certain that you will agree with me that the current Vice-President of the United Sates of America has used his unmatched political resume, with unbridled, chilling and calculated machinations. You may not agree, but it appears to me that Dick Cheney is seeking to fulfill a bizarre, personal doctrine of manifest destiny.

Regardless, if you agree with me or not, you may begin to understand why I constantly pray that George W. Bush remains safe and alive and that he remains President until the next election.

While even though I am convinced that George W. Bush has been a terrible President - the very worse President in American history, I shudder to think how absolutely terrible it would be for all of us, should his Vice-President take one more step up the ladder to the last remaining rung - a position I am certain he yearns for.

* With apologies to Bullwinkle J. Moose of Rocket J. Squirrel  and Bullwinkle the Moose fame.

George Bush Receives Purple Heart Award

by: Jon Bresler

Tue May 01, 2007 at 20:39:24 PM EDT

George Bush Receives Purple Heart Award

By Richard Blair

Posted on April 29, 2007, Printed on April 30, 2007 http://www.alternet....

Did you know that George W. Bush was a war hero? I know that this development comes as a shock and surprise to many progressives who are familiar with Bush's military career, but he received a Vietnam-era Purple Heart award a few weeks ago in the Oval Office. Seriously.

28%-er Bill Thomas of Copperas Cove, Texas, decided recently to give George Bush one of the three purple hearts that he had been awarded in Vietnam.

Bush was so blown over by this gesture that he invited Thomas and his wife, Georgia, to the Oval Office for the presentation...

The medal was presented to Bush, and Thomas said:

  ...he and his wife came up with the unprecedented idea to present the president with the Purple Heart over breakfast one morning a few months ago as they discussed the verbal attacks, both foreign and domestic, the commander in chief has withstood during his time in office.

  "We feel like emotional wounds and scars are as hard to carry as physical wounds."

Soak that all in for a moment.

http://www.alternet....

Larry Gross

Professor and Director

School of Communication

Annenberg School

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA 90089-0281