the numbers

(Angus Reid Global Scan) – The outcome of the 2004 United States presidential election would be different if a new ballot took place this year, according to a poll by Bloomberg and the Los Angeles Times. 47 per cent of respondents would vote for Democrat John Kerry, while 40 per cent would support Republican George W. Bush.

John Kerry (D) 47%
George W. Bush (R) 40%
Someone else 6%
Would not vote 4%
Don’t know 3%
-source

Letter(s) of the Day

You have to wonder why President Bush allowed millions of dollars to be spent investigating leaks that, he now admits, came from him. Every time Bush was asked about White House leaks, he said that he knew nothing about it, he would get to the bottom of it and would punish whomever did it.

Does it mean nothing to him to waste millions of taxpayer dollars on a needless investigation? Why didn't he come forward sooner and just say "Yes, I declassified it"?

What's even more galling is that the information Bush leaked in order to supposedly "spread the truth" was in fact information that had already been proven wrong months before he authorized it to be leaked. Bush didn't want people to see the truth so he intentionally leaked false information in order to trick Americans into supporting the war in Iraq.

Bush has repeatedly abused power, lied to Congress and the American people, lied to the military, started war on false pretenses, demonstrated the most egregious incompetence and placed the nation in a precarious economic and diplomatic condition.

At least he didn't lie about sex or we'd have to impeach him.
— Alan L. Light, Iowa City.

and

It is amazing how this administration rewrites the rules to the game as it goes along. President Bush stated that he would fire whomever was responsible for outing CIA agent Valerie Plame to the press.

Of course, those of us who were following this media story suspected it would be Vice President Dick Cheney and perhaps Bush himself who authorized Lewis Libby to squawk. Now that the jury will be hearing the details, we hear the defense, "We have the right to declassify information... ."

Talk about flip-flopping nonsense. To put our nation's national security at risk by outing an agent considered to be an expert on weapons of mass destruction and putting people under her at risk also — that should be an impeachable offense. What kind of government condones these tactics?

It appears the Bushies are more dangerous and closer to fascism than some of the regimes they condemn. Who is part of the axis of evil now?
— Lisa Honnold, Ankeny.

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incompetence defined

WASHINGTON - A Senate measure to fund the war in Iraq would chop money for troops' night vision equipment and new battle vehicles but add $230 million for a tilt-rotor aircraft that has already cost $18 billion and is still facing safety questions.
--story

support for the troops must be only lip service for these guys.

from the WELL DUH files

Sec. of State Condoleezza Rice says Americans should be prepared for more violence in Iraq -- even after a government forms there.

--source

this would have never happened under saddam

BAGHDAD, April 19 (Reuters) - Separate groups of gunmen entered two primary schools in Baghdad on Wednesday and beheaded two teachers in front of their students, the Ministry of State for National Security said.
--story

the numbers

NEW YORK — More Americans disapprove than approve of how George W. Bush, Donald Rumsfeld and Congress are doing their jobs, while a majority approves of Condoleezza Rice. President Bush’s approval hits a record low of 33 percent this week, clearly damaged by sinking support among Republicans.

--foxnews

imagine that

USAT notices one U.S. construction effort in Iraq that's right on schedule: the $600 million, 104 acre U.S. embassy. As for other projects, a recent Senate report concluded, "No large-scale, U.S.-funded construction program in Iraq has yet met its schedule or budget."

they STILL aren't doing the job

The WP goes inside with a government watchdog report concluding that federal agencies still aren't doing a good job of sharing counterterrorism info.

baghdad blogs

http://healingiraq.blogspot.com/

the numbers

The Journal's latest poll has the president's approval rating at 35 percent, five points down from February.

spoken like a true dictator

"I'm the decider, and I decide what is best. And what's best is for Don Rumsfeld to remain as the secretary of defense."

--you know who

Quote of the Day

"I don't think we should create a longer wait in line for the majority of people to provide a shorter line for a few people"
--Randy Walker, director of Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport,

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Letter of the Day

In a constitutional democracy with a civilian commander in chief, it would be considered borderline treason for generals to call for a president’s resignation.

Generals rebel against presidents in banana republics and military dictatorships. In the United States, the generals, outraged by the incompetence and arrogance of their commander-in-chief, with thousands of troops either killed or maimed due to bad planning under their watch, call for the resignation of the secretary of defense. It’s the American and courteous way of calling out the man in the White House without actually calling out the man in the White House.

But we should see through this smokescreen. The generals who have called for the removal of Donald H. Rumsfeld are really talking about his boss and their commander-in-chief, George W. Bush. The media side-step this obvious point. But it’s obvious to the White House, and its only rebuttal, which assumes we’re idiots, is to challenge these generals and question why they didn’t speak up before they “retired.” This comes from an administration that labels journalists, members of Congress and other public figures who challenge White House policy in Iraq as unpatriotic Americans who are aiding and abetting the enemy.

And so the White House defends Rumsfeld. It must. The growing Rumsfeld scandal is a thin veil that barely masks the truth. With Rumsfeld gone, who would be left to blame?
— William Stosine, Iowa City.

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what a story

homeless man returns wallet with $900.

from yahoo:

SANTA ANA, Calif. - A homeless man searching through garbage bins for recyclable cans found a missing wallet and had it returned to its owner.

Kim Bogue, who works as a janitor in the city's government buildings, realized that her wallet was missing last week and doubted she'd ever get back the $900 and credit cards inside, she said.

"I prayed that night and asked God to help me," said Bogue, who was saving the money for a trip to her native Thailand.

Days later, a homeless man found the wallet wrapped in a plastic bag in a trash bin, where Bogue had accidentally thrown it away with her lunch. He gave it to Sherry Wesley, who works in a nearby building.

"He came to me with the wad of money and said, 'This probably belongs to someone that you work with, can you return it,'" Wesley said.

Workers at a nearby relief kitchen said the man, who didn't want to be identified, insists on paying for his food.

"He has a very good heart," said Bogue, who gave the man a $100 reward. "If someone else found it, the money would be gone."

cbs: you've got a hit on your hands

and it's called THE UNIT.

this show rocks. from the directors's fabulously styled shooting, to the actors' incredibly smooth professionalism that captures reality in so many ways, it's hard to count.

this show hits a homerun, and home is where the heart is. out of the ballfield home.

one has GOT to ask: why can't we fight this "war" on terrorism with groups like 'the unit' and not with full squadrons of men in tanks. this whole business of what rummy is doing, is actually good, and you know me, i hate the man. but to fight this thing with smaller, more adept units. well, that's the way i would do it. of course, you're going to rattle feathers. i'd be surprised if none did get fluffed. but bush made his presidency upon 'steadfastness' and 'staying the course' and all that. iow, change and bush do not belong in the same sentence.

but that's just me.

the notion of diplomatic immunity

watching ncis, there was a mention of not being able to arrest someone due to diplomatic immunity. this is nonesense.
i can see DI being used in misdemeanor cases, but when it involves murder, no way. man should not be excused for killing another man.

no where. no time. no body.

i normally don't dig dogs

but this one's got my heart down.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/masoncitylife/131059144/

Quote of the Day

"Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved through understanding."
--Albert Einstein

for those of you interested in court proceedings

bookmark this

i can'd understand all these attacks on gays

to change laws TO ALLOW discrimination takes society back not forward. i hope every last one who voted for this contacts the worse STD possible.

Private Christian colleges would be excepted from local and state non-discrimination laws under a proposed amendment to the Higher Education Act - a move that would allow the schools to legally reject LGBT students.

The amendment, proposed by Rep. Chris Cannon (R-Utah), would prevent accrediting boards from making adherence to non-discrimination laws a requirement.

The measure passed the House last week and is currently before the Senate.
--source

can you believe this?

Yesterday's LAT noticed that a principal at an elementary school in Inglewood was so worried her students might attend pro-immigration rallies that she barred some from even going to the bathroom, forcing them to use buckets in class.

--today's papers

oh wait, there's this excuse:

Now the odd part: The school district defended the principal. They explained that the super-lockdown, bucket routine is indeed allowed, albeit only in a slightly more extreme scenario, namely nuclear Armageddon. "When there's a nuclear attack, that's when buckets are used," said a district official. "She made a decision to follow the handbook. She just misread it."

talk about wasteful spending

Mississippi's two U.S. senators included $700 million in an emergency war spending bill to relocate a Gulf Coast rail line that has already been rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina at a cost of at least $250 million.

--source

Letter of the Day

there was a toss-up, and this one won.

I used to think Sen. John McCain was a cut above the ordinary. However, on a recent trip to Iowa, he promoted Rep. Jim Nussle for governor and supported President Bush’s “We have got to keep the military option on the table” against Iran. It is extraordinary how ordinary the senator has become.
— The Rev. John M. Herzog, Ames.

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get ready for the propaganda, bigotry and lies

what other way could you possibly describe the GOP agenda?

(AP) Protection of marriage amendment? Check. Anti-flag burning legislation? Check. New abortion limits? Check.

Between now and the November elections, Republicans are penciling in plans to take action on social issues important to religious conservatives, the foundation of the GOP base, as they defend their congressional majority.

In a year where an unpopular war in Iraq has helped drive President Bush's approval ratings below 40 percent, core conservatives whose turnout in November is vital to the party want assurances that they are not being taken for granted.

"It seems like for only six months, every two years _ right around election time _ that we're even noticed," said Tom McClusky of the Family Research Council. "Some of these better pass," he added. "You notice when it's just lip service being paid."
--source

more on the dolittle dichotmy

from TPM:

You probably remember that Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA) and his wife have a special arrangement, of dubious legality, in which they get to personally pocket 15% of the campaign contributions to John's reelection campaign and leadership committee. So far this political cycle the Doolittles have bagged just over $82,000 as their personal cut. Since some of the fattest months of the fundraising cycle are still to come, I guess it's conceiveable that the Doolittles could stash away more from this de facto bribe system than John's congressional salary.

isn't anybody screaming about this yet? what a scam!

more scandal in california?

this one is SURE to make some people stand up and scream.

On Capitol Hill, there is widespread agreement that the annual congressional salary of $165,200 just does not go far enough on today's dollar. The clamor for ethics reform will likely make things tougher, forcing congressmen to pick up lunch and dinner tabs and pay their own way to Redskins games.

One enterprising member of the House, Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-Calif.), and his wife, Julie Doolittle, have found an innovative -- and apparently legal -- way to boost the family salary.

Julie Doolittle has set up a fundraising company, Sierra Dominion Financial Services. Two of her clients are John Doolittle's campaign committee and his leadership PAC, the Superior California Federal Leadership Fund. Julie Doolittle's company gets 15 cents of every dollar raised by her husband's political committees.

The United Parcel Service PAC, for example, has given $15,000 to the leadership PAC and $10,000 to the campaign committee, which, in turn, means a commission of $3,750 for Julie Doolittle's company.

--story

a scandal in california?

say it is so!

SACRAMENTO — A television ad campaign portrayed as an independent effort to help Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has been bankrolled partly by a group with deep ties to his political operation.

An official with the New Majority, a Southern California Republican group at the core of Schwarzenegger's fundraising apparatus, said its members have given about $1 million to the Washington, D.C., business group that is the public face of the ads: the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

--LATimes

ahhhh NOW i get the fuss about al-zarqawi

it was an effort by the bushististas to divide (in consequently conquer) al-qaeda. by making al-zarqawi the main boogie nam took the spotlight off ayman al-zawahiri, the current #2 in al-qaeda. by playing up the role of one, makes the other more apt to do something, like shaking a tree branch in the fall. hoping the leaves fall in some sort of fashion that will provide a path for the U.S. to finally conquer al-qaeda.

will it work? not a chance. the bushististas are experts at fucking things up. they're not about to about face and do something that was right for America this time.

oh and the reason for all that? from today's papers:

In a front-page story, the WP surmises that the videotaped rants and writings of Ayman al-Zawahiri, the deputy leader of al-Qaida, are an effort to maintain his grip over a radical Islamic movement that is increasingly out of his control. Many analysts believe that ideological and tactical disputes between al-Qaida's feuding factions have resurfaced since 9/11, allowing new leaders, such as Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, to emerge as potential rivals to Zawahiri.

Letter of the Day

The shenanigans of the Republican Party in Des Moines lately have been nothing short of amazing. Sometimes just one sentence from them can say volumes. In a story about the dumping of Stewart Iverson and the election of Mary Lundby as replacement Iowa Senate Republican leader, (GOP senators try out an urban, centrist view, Globe Gazette, 12 April) Sen. Dave Mulder, R-Sioux Center, was quoted as saying, “Everything you hear around here is we’re going in the tank.”

That one sentence explains why the desperate Republicans would take such a drastic action. They are so afraid of losing their control in the Senate that they are paying far too little attention to the business of the people that must be done at the near-end of this year’s legislative session.

If those Republicans in the Senate were paying as much attention to wrapping up the session as they are worrying about next fall’s elections, we’d all be better off.

On a second front, you just gotta love the opportunism of a guy like Jim Nussle. The gross overpaying of a couple of so-called executives of a job training group in Des Moines is being investigated by “a myriad of agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Iowa Department of Public Safety and the Polk County Attorney’s Office” (Globe Gazette, April 11).

Now Nussle says that isn’t enough; we need yet another state agency, the Office of the Inspector General. Apparently, five offices in three levels of government still need company. This from a guy who wants to be called a conservative and who wants to be governor? Give me a break.
--JOHN GRONINGA, Mason City

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