Bush is scheduled to meet with French President Chirac on the 22 September 2003, to ask "les enfants terribles" (the French?) for HELP in cleaning-up the horrific fiascos created by the lunatic neo-con Bush Regime. Iraq is a guerrilla quagmire spinning out-of-control, and the Israeli/Palestinian situation has deteriorated with Sharon using Bush's lawless aggression, as an excuse, an example, to avoid taking the difficult path towards establishing a fair and peaceful settlement beneficial to both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples.
The Bush Regime are obviously desperate for help, since in their arrogant hubris, they have created a Middle-East Nightmare that others (probably under the auspices of the U.N.) will have to bring to a reasonable & humane conclusion. Remember the Bushies' childish french-bashing ... no more "french fries", only "freedom fries" ... no more "french toast", only "freedom toast" ... Even conservative Pat Buchanan gibed at such foolishness asking whether or not the neo-con's temper tantrum was going to proscribe renaming "french poodles", "freedom poodles"!
What should "poodle" Blair be called now? These days, Blair whose trustworthiness ratings amongst the Brits has plummetted (Only 22% believe Blair was honest -- well, there's a sucker in every crowd. Refer to "British pubic's trust in Blair takes dive over Iraq row" on http://www.taipeitimes.com/Ne... ), ought to be called a "lonely poodle" as Bush will drop him like a "hot rock" as soon as he is unable to do the Bushies any favours! After all, the Bushies' Motto is "All for Me and Me for Me!" [Read William Pfaff's superb article entitled "A sad end to the era of Tony Blair's magic" on http://www.iht.com/articles/1... " ]
The Bush Regime treated the French, Germans and Belgians like sh*t, when the Bushies were full-of-themselves barking bombastic rhetoric and insulting our allies, denegrating them as "Old Europe" simply because they questioned the wisdom of waging war under false pretences. Having put their ghoulish plans into action, the corrupt Bush Regime have massacred thousands of people, Americans and Iraqis, and created more terrorism than was imaginable before their "wars"-- and are now "hand-in-cup" begging the French and others to bail them out.
One must reflect upon the esteemed intellectual George Monbiot's advice, as to whether or not the U.N. should be forced, coerced or bribed into cleaning-up the U.S.A.'s disastrous affairs. After all, the U.N. should stand for the rule-of-law, something the Bush Regime have treated with contempt. Read "Beware the Bluewash" on http://www.monbiot.com .
"PARIS, Aug 29: President George W. Bush has just informed the Elysee Palace that he will be meeting officially with President Jacques Chirac on Sept 22 in New York during the General Assembly session of the United Nations.
A meeting of "more than an hour" has already been scheduled, although it is possible that Mr Chirac might also be able to meet with Mr Bush during the same trip at the White House or at Camp David.
On top of the agenda for the mini-summit will be the future of Yasser Arafat, as Mr Bush is known to desire to find a way to make use of France's, and notably President Chirac's influence, on the Palestinian Authority president to encourage him to resign.
Mr Bush is understood to want to bring about Yasser Arafat's "abdication," the word currently being used, to make way for a new generation of Palestinian leaders, a change that would also result in the departure of Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and the arrival of such personalities acceptable to Mr Arafat as Djibril Rajoub, recently appointed by the Palestinian president as the new "chief of national security" of the PLO.
A second subject of discussion will concern the future of US troops in Iraq.
Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin who will accompany Mr Chirac to New York, is at the centre of a third issue that Mr Bush wants urgently to discuss with the French head of state, an important restructuring of the United Nations, making it more acceptable to Washington."
The Bush Regime Denies Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness to Millions of Americans!
The Bush Regime are dangerous hypocrites pretending to uphold life, liberty & the pursuit of happiness; but instead instigate a death cult, enslavement & misery for millions of American and Iraqi citizens. Indeed, the Bushies show utter contempt for the US Constitution, Bill of Rights & Rule of Law!
* Life versus Bush's Death Cult:
- The Bush Regime have massacred over 326 US & British soldiers and over 7000 innocent Iraqi citizens, in their illegal & immoral incursion into Iraq-- and give massive contracts to their paymasters like Halliburton, Bechtel, Carlyle Group, Big Oil, etc ... (bypassing contractual guidelines). [Refer to "Bush's 'Missions Accomplished'?: Enrich Corporations, Swindle Americans & Massacre Thousands!" on http://www.tblog.com/template... and "Daddy Bush 41 Hits the Jackpot$$$ from Baby Bush 43 War on Iraq" on http://www.tblog.com/template... ]
- The Bush Regime denies over 45 million US citizens health care, with hundreds of thousands dying each year from preventable diseases, although the majority of our people call for a Universal Health Care System. [Refer to "Majority of Americans Call for Universal Health Care" on http://www.tblog.com/template... ]
- The Bush Regime empowers their corporate cronies to rape the environment, polluting & dumping poison into our world, which causes unncessary deaths and illnesses of the vulnerable, and mountains of profits for Bush/Cheney corporate campaign contributors. [Refer to "Why My Little 4-year Old Son is Smarter Than Bush" on http://www.tblog.com/template... and "Ignore Global Warming & Environment at Peril of Innocent Life" on http://www.tblog.com/template... ]
* Liberty versus Bush's Enslavement:
- The Bush Regime undermines hard-fought for worker's rights to enable corporations to exploit employees, with unsafe work conditions, slave-labour wages, and no protections. [Refer to "The Fallacy of Bush's Corporate USA" on http://www.tblog.com/template... ]
- The Bush Regime harms educational programmes for young children needed to become responsible citizens and compete in the global economy. [Refer to "Bushy-boy's 'Leave No RICH Child Behind!'" on http://www.tblog.com/template... and "Why isn't there a 'Pre-emptive' War on Poverty?" on http://www.tblog.com/template... and "The Danger of Believing in Cartoon Characters" on http://www.tblog.com/template... ]
- The Bush Regime enacts immoral (& illegal?) Executive Orders and Patriot Acts, to intimidate the public and media, and create a neo-imperial Empire. [Refer to "The Reign of Terror: Executive Orders & Patriot Acts" on http://www.tblog.com/template... ]
* Pursuit of Happiness versus Bush's Misery:
- The Bush Regime destroys over 3 million American jobs while giving massive tax cuts & "welfare-to-the-rich" to the corporations & wealthiest, resulting in a back-breaking burden placed upon low-income, middle-class and fixed-income retirees. [Refer to "Nobel Laureate for Economics Reports Bush Regime is Worst in US History" on http://www.tblog.com/template... ]
- The Bush Regime pursues a corrupt "pre-emptive" doctrine (euphemism for "Corporate Global Empire") that creates even more terror throughtout the world, killing thousands, and recruiting more terrorists to attack innocents. [Refer to "Bush's March of Folly in Iraq" on http://www.tblog.com/template... ]
- The Bush Regime ignores problems affecting the vulnerable, poor, low-income, middle-class and fixed-income retirees here in the USA. Bush has recklessly spent us into the largest deficit & national debt in the nation's history. [Refer to "Bush's Lootocracy in the USA & Iraq" on http://www.tblog.com/template... ]
The Bush Gang are corrupt thugs, far, far more dangerous in this world, than any "foreign (sic)" regime. In fact, the Bushies have increased an already obscenely excessive & reckless spending on the Military Industrial Complex over-and-above the next 18 richest countries combined! [Refer to "Inside the 'Bowels' of the Pentagon" on http://www.tblog.com/template... ]
You won't see the British, French, Germans, Norwegians, Danes, Swedes, Spaniards, Italians, or any other 1st-tier country calling to replace their systems that cares for all of their citizens, with a replication of the callous and corrupt Bush Doctrine of "Corporate Robber-barons & Rich Thugs FIRST".
Europe has faced an unprecendented heat wave this summer, the hottest in recorded history, resulting in the tragic deaths of many of the vulnerable, mainly the elderly.
This aberration in the weather is a disaster, that the French were unprepared for, and are taking action to address. Alternatively, the tragic deaths of over 700,000 Americans per year from preventable diseases isn't being addressed by the corrupt Bush Regime, too busy partying & barbecuing this summer to be bothered.
Contrast the French government's actions to an unforeseen disaster, with that of the Bush Regime to a health care crisis that is predictable and has been foreseen by medical experts calling for Universal Health Care:-- French President Chirac calls for Action - Bushy-boy plays Golf & bombastic "Top Gun" games, and entertains campaign contributors on his lavish ranch (pretending that our boys & girls aren't dying daily in Iraq), and ignores America's Health Care Crisis.
The French allegedly lost over 11,000 citizens this summer, in this historical heat wave, whereas, America loses over 700,000 people per annum to preventable disease with over 45,000,000 citizens with no Health Insurance.
You'll notice the French are calling upon their people to make some sacrifice to improve their system, and they sure as hell don't want a replication of the American's shambolic & insanely callous "shell-game" called "health care" that enriches the corporate "top dogs" & "fat cats" and leaves millions out-in-the-cold, unable to get care if they fall ill.
Meanwhile Bushy-boy plays golf and ignores the 700,000 deaths of Americans per year, to keep his Health Care Insurance & HMO corporate robber-barons, in the lavish style to which they've become accustomed while they're raping Americans senseless. [Refer to "Majority of Americans Call for Universal Health Care" on http://www.tblog.com/template... ]
ABC News reports on http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Wo... , "Europe's deadly heat wave claimed more than 2,000 lives in countries outside of France, where an estimated 10,000 have died, according to official reports. Italy, which had refused to release figures, bowed to public outcry over increased deaths and agreed Friday to investigate the toll.
The Associated Press compiled reports from hospitals and local and national governments about the deaths from 18 countries. Outside France, the highest official estimates came from Portugal, with 1,300 deaths, and the Netherlands, with 500-1,000."
French President Chirac has called for actions-to-be-taken, to ensure that this tragic situation does not happen again in the future.
CBS News reports on http://www.cbsnews.com/storie... , "President Jacques Chirac has promised that “everything will be done” to correct failings in the health system that was overwhelmed by heat-stricken victims.
On Wednesday, the center-right government floated a proposal to scrap a national holiday and use the tax receipts to finance better health care for the elderly. The main question was which holiday to scrap."
In the United States, the preventable death toll is a scandal (USA deaths & illnesses are closer to 3rd World countries. In other 1st-tier countries, like France, Denmark, U.K., Sweden, Denmark, who have National Health Care, their life expectancies are greater & the health of their citizens is better than Americas'):
"A report from the Surgeon General's offices detailed that approximately 300,000 deaths per year can be associated with obesity. Obesity is now the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States.
Over 400,000 people will lose their lives from smoking related illnesses, the number one cause of preventable deaths." [Ref. http://www.marketwire.com/mw/... ]
Why don't Bushy-boy's corporate cronies & zillionare & multi-billionare bon amis, forego their lavish tax-cuts (welfare-for-the-rich) and "sacrifice" for a change-- to enable all Americans to obtain health care. (Ah, they might have to "sacrifice" their 100th palace or the 1000th 1st class vacation to "Old Europe" ... wouldn't that be a crying shame!)
Question: What is Bushy-boy doing to address the problems of 2 Million American deaths per annum, with nearly 50% of those preventable? What is Bushy-boy doing to address the problems of over 45 Million Americans with no Health Care Insurance? What is Bushy-boy doing to address the problems of tens of thousands of Americans who go bankrupt, lose their life savings, homes & assets-- to pay the obscene overhead costs of Health Care in the USA that enriches their greedy, corrupt corporate cronies?
Bushy-boy misspoke (as usual), hypocritically barking "Leave No Child Behind!" during his so-called "campaign", and yet cynically omitting the operative word "RICH" ... The Bush Regime's actions indeed shout "Leave No RICH Child Behind! And To Hell With the Rest of You!". Saddam Hussein did better by the Iraqi people whose education was paid for through college, than Bushy-boy has for American citizens for whom he denies educational assistance for the poor, while he forces through cuts in funding for our children's and grandchildren's futures!
The Bush Regime has cut funding for education. Wonder why? Ask the neo-con ghouls who are planning their retrograde New World Order ... ergo: Global Corporate Empire, creating a neo-feudal state comprised of willing and compliant slaves desperately grateful to work at slave labour wages in unsafe conditions; than, a smart and educated population who might see through their con-game. An educated population wouldn't put up with their lies, corruption and corporate robber-baron take-all shell-game to enrich the feudal masters, from the misery of the many.
"He was going to be the education president, and during the campaign in 2000 he hugged kids from coast to coast, crowing about the education miracle in Texas and promising to spread the Texas model nationwide.
He said he was a different kind of Republican, a man of honor and compassion who would look out for the kids.
It was all smoke, of course — photo-ops in a cynical campaign. You knew it was smoke when the "compassionate" George W. Bush put Dick Cheney on the ticket, a former congressman who had voted against funding for Head Start, against subsidizing school lunches and against federal aid for college students.
In other words, against kids.
Next week the Senate will take up the education budget proposed for next year by the White House and Senate Republicans. From the perspective of those who are pro-children, it's loaded with bad news. Not only does the bill fall far short of the photo-op promises Mr. Bush made to provide funding for programs to improve public education, but it would actually cut $200 million from the president's very own (and relentlessly touted) No Child Left Behind Act.
We're talking about a real cut — $200 million less than is being spent on this already underfunded initiative.
The proposed cuts, according to Congressional officials who have studied the budget proposal, would eliminate a high school dropout prevention program, would prevent more than 32,000 children with limited proficiency in English from participating in federally supported English instruction programs, would drastically cut high school equivalency and college assistance for migrant children, and would end the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship program.
The proposal would also cut more than 20,000 teachers from professional training programs, despite Mr. Bush's promise that teachers would "get the training they need to raise educational standards." And it would completely eliminate training for teachers in computer technology.
Among those who are steaming over the proposal is Senator Edward Kennedy, one of a number of Democrats who gave the president the kind of good-faith, high-profile, bipartisan support that was crucial to the passage of No Child Left Behind.
Here is what Senator Kennedy will say on the Senate floor next week:
"The bill before us contains harsh and unacceptable cuts to education that will hurt families, students, schools and teachers throughout the country. The president and Congress promised to reform and improve public education . . . but if we pass the legislation before us as is, the message again to parents and teachers and schools will be, `You're on your own.' "
Senator Kennedy also plans to stress that the president is prone to making promises that are never kept: "A pattern is emerging. Each year the president picks a large area to work in a bipartisan fashion and promise compassion and help. In the past that area has been education. This year, it is the global AIDS crisis, and we hope that the promised support will happen. But on education, the promises made consistently have been broken."
It's hard to believe the president ever intended to adequately fund the No Child Left Behind Act. Mr. Bush fights ferociously for the things he really cares about: enormous tax cuts for the wealthy, for example, or launching a war against Iraq. He has never showed a similar passion for improving the public schools. The administration tried to cut funding for the No Child Left Behind Act less than two weeks after the president signed it into law.
The tax cuts and the ever-increasing costs of the war are submerging the nation in a sea of red ink, and the hopes of millions of school-age youngsters are sinking right along with it.
As for the Texas education miracle — more smoke. The largest and most frequently praised district, Houston, is being monitored by the state after an audit showed that more than half of the 5,500 students who left school in the 2000-2001 year should have been counted as dropouts, but were not.
President Bush was apparently serious about bringing the Texas model to the nation. He made the superintendent of the Houston school district the nation's education secretary."
On the 1st May, 2003, Bush dressed-up in military garb (bizarre fetish?) and bombastically roared "Mission Accomplished!" in a despicable "Top Gun" photo-op, extravagantly staged aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, that only impressed the easily impressionable. [Aside: Actually our President is supposed to be a civilian leader ... Bush was AWOL from the reserves ... but even Eisenhower who DID serve in the military didn't wear a uniform when he became President of the USA, in order to retain the traditional separation of the civilian role of leader from the military ... something Bush seems oblivious to, or ignorant of, or both!]
Ever since Bush's embarrassing bravado about his own Regime's toppling the Saddam Hussein Regime (although the USA has spent over 400 times on a military industrial complex, year-in-and-year-out than has Iraq for the last ten years, and our expenditure is over that of the next 18 richest countries in the world combined!), those who care about the truth, have been asking "What Mission was Accomplished?". The answer ain't pretty, unless you're a corporate "fat cat" or "top dog"!
The corrupt Bush Regime's "Missions Accomplished" are as follows:
1. Enriching the Corporate Robber-barons:
As Katrina vanden Heuvel, of The Nation, asks: "Where is the leader with the courage to say, as Franklin Roosevelt did during World War II, '"I don't want to see a single war millionaire created in the United States as a result of this world disaster'"? Even Harry Truman, considered a model centrist by DLC types, referred to profiteering during World War II as "treason." " (Editor's Cut on 08/23/03)
The corporate robber-barons are making an obscene fortune from the deceit, warmongering and, blood-letting by the corrupt Bush Regime. Is it any wonder that we've seen so many summer scenes of Daddy Bush 41 & Baby Bush 43 parading around with big, dumb smiles on their slap-happy faces, playing golf, while our boys & girls, and innocent Iraqis are dying? Read "Daddy Bush 41 Hits Jackpot from Baby Bush's War in Iraq!" on http://www.tblog.com/template... , outlining Daddy Bush's Carlyle Group's war-profiteering from this illegal & immoral incursion into Iraq.
Read "The Price of Freedom in Iraq and Power in Washington", by Ceara Donnelley and William D. Hartung, on http://www.worldpolicy.org/pr... , which specifies the hundreds of billions raked in by Halliburton (Cheney gets $1 Million per year!), Lockheed Martin, Bechtel, Big Oil-- and other corporate thugs who contribute big bucks to the Bush Regime in order to get American taxpayer's "welfare-for-the-rich" mountains of dollars passed their way.
Bush Regime stages a "shock-and-awe" (nope, not on Iraqis, but by terrorizing American citizens), while they pull their "bait-and-switch" scam, giving massive tax cuts to the corporations and richest-of-the-rich ... resulting in the largest deficits in US history of over $480 billion in 2003 (not including the $70 billion squandered in Iraq with a price-tag of $4 billion per month and no end in sight), and contributing to the largest national debt in our nation's history, of over $6.9 trillion! [What about the rape of the environment in order the Bush & Cheney oil & energy cronies can live the "high life" while they shake-us-down & poison our world? Read "Ignore Global Warming & the Environment at Peril of Innocent Life" on http://www.tblog.com/template... , and, Editor's Cut dated 08/27/03, on http://www.thenation.com ]
The costs of oil, fuel, goods & services, as well as, local and state taxes are increasing every day to make-up for the massive tax cuts Bush gave to the rich. These increased costs are hitting hardest the low-income, middle-class and fixed-income retirees who are forced to pay for the Belle Epoque for the corporate "top dogs" & "fat cats" and the rich feudal lords and ladies.
3. Massacring of Thousands of Innocents to Prop-up the Corrupt Bushies:
Bush Regime are callous to the deaths and suffering of our US Military & innocent Iraqi civilians, as they refuse sound advice from Senators, Military, Middle-east & State Department officials to involve the U.N. (Could this be that they are fearful of too much oversight into the corrupt contracts given to Corporate Cronies? God forbid that the Iraqi people should have a real say-so over their own future!) Moverover, "Bring them on" taunts by Bush hardly displays any reflection, empathy or concern for handling a difficult situation with gravity and wisdom-- Bush obviously lacks the intellect & ability required for this challenge.
"Following is a table of military casualties suffered by U.S., British and multinational forces, as well as Iraqis, during the war.
The official data includes casualty figures among British and other forces since the U.S.-led assault on Iraq on March 20. Sources for Iraqi casualties are unofficial.
The figures in brackets refer to casualties after May 1, when U.S. President George W. Bush declared major combat over.
U.S., BRITISH AND OTHER TROOPS KILLED:
COMBAT/ATTACKS
United States 180 (64) Britain 18 (10) Others 0 (0)
NON-COMBAT
United States 99 (78) Britain 30 (5) Others 1 (1)
TOTAL
United States 279 (142) Britain 48 (15) Others 1 (1)
IRAQIS KILLED:
MILITARY 2,320# CIVILIANS Between 6,113 and 7,830+
# - U.S. military estimates relating only to fighting in or near Baghdad. No other figures available.
+ - Figure compiled on Web site www.iraqbodycount.net, run by academics and peace activists, based on incidents reported by at least two media sources.
NOTE: NON-COMBAT is defined as accidents, U.S. or British fire killing or wounding their own or allied troops, and other incidents unrelated to fighting.
The Bush Regime should be called to account for their disgusting blood-letting that has taken a greater death toll on our US Soldiers after Bush's imbecilic tirade on the 1st May, than during the so-called "war". Moreover, they should be called to account for the obvious conflicts-of-interest in their patronage towards their corporate paymasters at the expense in blood & treasure of the American People and innocent Iraqis.
Finally, the Bush Regime's Crimes Against Humanity were waged on the basis of lies, deception, and, corruption. Why? Congress should ask the Bush Regime & their cronies, the CEOs of the Carlyle Group, Halliburton, Lockheed Martin, Bechtel, and Big Oil, none of whose kids are used as Cannon Fodder, as are our troops and innocent Iraqi civilians.
"The good end happily and the bad unhappily; that is what fiction means." - Oscar Wilde
"Experience is the name we all give to our mistakes." - Oscar Wilde
"Nothing succeeds like excess." - Oscar Wilde
Gore Vidal recounts in his terrific memoir "Palimpsest", that President John F. Kennedy confessed his surprise that whenever a President makes a mistake he becomes more popular with the public than when he takes the right course of action. Of course, this is indeed, the lesson of history: as we stupidly reward the ambitious warmongers, and ignore those who took the wise, but difficult road to forge peace and prosperity for all.
Excess, corruption and, vulgarity, thy names are the Bushies ... who are now recklessly squandering our futures, and that of our children and grand-children, to enrich their Corporate Cronies to whom they've awarded obscene contracts in an illegal and immoral war, which has cost us over 324 US & British Soldiers & over 7000 innocent Iraqi civilians (now more have died in the 'post-war' guerrilla quagmire, than prior to Bush's bombastic victory dance on May 1st, when he foolishly roared "Mission Accomplished!"), and over $70 Billion in taxpayer treasure thus far, with a staggering $4 Billion per Month and no end in sight.
"War is a tragedy for some and a boon for others. As American soldiers continue to die in Iraq, and the length of the war and its costs escalate, Halliburton, the company headed by Vice-President Dick Cheney before the Bush Administration took office, announced that it had converted a half billion dollar quarterly loss of a year ago into a quarterly profit of $26 million for the same period in 2003. This profit comes largely from hundreds of millions of dollars in Iraqi rebuilding and oil contracts awarded by the Bush Administration. "
Yes, one man's loss is another man's (vulture's) gain! Of course, Daddy Bush is raking in the big-bucks too (Read "Daddy Bush 41 has Hit the Jackpot from Baby Bush 43 War on Iraq" on http://www.tblog.com/template... )
Today, the Congressional Budget confirms what economists have been predicting, that the Bush Regime has foolishly spent us into a $480 Billion Deficit in 2004, and the interest we will incur on the debt alone will take a heart-breaking toll on low-income, middle-class workers and fixed-income retirees. (Read "Estimate for '04 Deficit Is Increased to $480 Billion", by the Associated Press on http://www.nytimes.com/aponli... )
The Bushies have taken their walk on the "wilde" side, giving massive tax cuts to the corporations & richest Americans; massacring thousands to enrich their corporate paymasters & cronies; spending us into a lavish debt that won't hurt them (they've lined their own pockets with gold at the expense of the average American taxpayers & Iraqi citizens) but will become a back-breaking burden for the rest of us; and, they have lied, lied, lied:
* Bush Regime lied about the phony WMDs posing an "imminent threat" to give corporate pimps lavish gifts (Read "The Price of Freedom in Iraq and Power in Washington", by Ceara Donnelley and William D. Hartung on http://www.worldpolicy.org/pr... ).
* Bush Regime lied about environmental issues to let their corporate paymasters ruthlessly exploit the environment irrespective of the damage & destruction they cause (Read "White House Global Warming Cover-up" on http://www.stopextinction.org... , and "Dust and Deception" by Paul Krugman on http://www.nytimes.com/2003/0... ), as we discover the EPA censored a taxpayer report on Global Warming and was also intimidated by the White House into "massaging" evidence of toxins spewed into the air in the aftermath of 9/11.
* Bush Regime lied about the economy "improving (sic)" with the Bushies having destroyed 3,000,000 jobs and spending us into an exorbitant record-level debt, faster than at any time in our nation's history, while their corrupt, greedy feudal lords & ladies live the Belle Epoque at the expense of the misery and blood of most Americans. (Read "Nobel Laureate for Economics reports Bush Regime is Worst Government in US History" on http://www.tblog.com/template... and, "Bush's Lootocracy in the USA & Iraq" on http://www.tblog.com/template... )
Why should the Bush Gang not take us on a walk on the "wilde" side and lie through their teeth?-- It works. The American public loves to be snookered, bamboozled, swindled, scammed & conned ... we're a country drowning in con artists and adore those who succeed at taking-the-money-and-runn ing, like Bushy-boy & his gang of thugs, including their criminal buddies like Kenny-boy (Enron) Lay and Ahmed Chalabi.
Get ready folks, for tomorrow we're in for a bumby ride!
On the Lighter Side: Bush Diagnosed With Attention-To-Deficit Disorder
"WASHINGTON, DC—Pointing to massive war-time tax cuts, physicians from the Congressional Budget Office diagnosed President Bush with attention-to-deficit disorder Tuesday. "The president exhibits all the symptoms of ATDD: impulsiveness, restlessness, inability to focus on mounting U.S. debt likely to reach $400 billion by the year's end," Dr. Terrence Spellman said. "Failing to address his affliction could lead to serious long-term fiscal health problems for future generations of Americans." To treat the president's ATDD, Spellman prescribed Ritalin and an introductory course in high-school economics."
I suggest Bush also take a course in "Ethics in Government 101" as well as the "ABCs of Public Speaking"!!!
If it wasn't so tragic it might be funny!!! Check out more of Bush's (In)Famous Absurdities (Bush really said these things!!!) on http://www.newyorkslime.com/q... . They include such notables as:
· The vast majority of our imports come from outside the country.
· I have made good judgments in the past. I have made good judgments in the future.
· The future will be better tomorrow.
· We're going to have the best educated American people in the world.
· I stand by all the misstatements that I've made.
· We have a firm commitment to NATO, we are a part of NATO. We have a firm commitment to Europe. We are a part of Europe.
· A low voter turnout is an indication of fewer people going to the polls.
· Ariel Sharon of Israel is a Man of Peace.
· General Musharraf of Pakistan is a Democrat.
· For NASA, space is still a high priority.
· Quite frankly, teachers are the only profession that teach our children.
· It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it.
· It's time for the human race to enter the solar system.
Now, you tell me ... does this guy seems smart enough to rule the world ???
When Enough is Enough - Americans Begin to Sicken of the Carnage in Iraq
A new poll finds most Americans believe the United States will be bogged down in Iraq for years to come, and are beginning to sicken of the carnage, misery and death. Over 314 US & British Soldiers and over 7700 innocent Iraqi citizens have died thus far to enrich the Bush Regime's Corporate Global Empire : ( http://www.worldpolicy.org/pr... )
The Newsweek poll finds nearly 70 percent believe the United States will not achieve its goals in Iraq. Of course, its probably because Americans have been kept in the dark concerning the real motives. The USA's spending on so-called "defense" exceeds the next richest 18 countries combined each year! This includes the Nato Countries, France, China, Russia & the Arab World: for goodness sake, our spending on the military industrial complex is excessively gluttonous and more-does-not-translate into better defense! The USSR starved their people over-spending on their military for years, and eventually bankrupted their country (The USA is making the same mistakes spending on Defense Contractor's boondoggles that don't even work like the Anti-Ballistic Missile System & Osprey, etc. costing hundreds of billions & are jokes!). You will not be better protected if you buy 1000 guns instead of 2 or 3, to defend your home and starve your family in the process!
The Pentagon's Military Industrial Complex has run amok with excessively obscene spending exceeding $450 billion per annum (23% of our annual budget: just plain stupid) - We can protect our nation spending much, much less on enriching corrupt Defense Contractors & Pentagon Officials. Moreover, the Europeans spend a higher percentage of their national budgets on programmes to ensure that all of their citizens live a decent life including education, health care, infrastructure, social security, etc. The major security & defense risk that Europe, China & Russia are worried about is the United States of America's Rogue Regime whose wars on behalf of corporations destabilize countries and create more terrorism.
Nearly six in 10 Americans worry that the U.S. military will be stretched too thin should another security threat arise, while seven in 10 fear the costs of the war will increase the deficit and hurt the economy. Since we have no draft, only the poor and working class sacrifice their sons and daughters blood and lives. You won't see the off-spring of Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, neo-con "arm-chair" chicken-hawks, or the Corporate Robber-barons, making any sacrifices in blood or treasure.
The war costs the United States roughly $1 billion a week. The cost of the war in Iraq to-date exceeds $70 billion, with an on-going cost of over $4 billion per month:-- due to the Bush Cabal's arrogance and inept planning. Bush has run up a deficit in 2003 of over $455 billion to enrich his cronies with tax cuts & welfare-for-the-rich and corporations. Bush's big deficit spending will exceed $1.9 trillion by the end of 2004-- and he has contributed to the highest National Debt in our nation's history.
Americans have mixed feelings over how to proceed. About 48 percent say the United States should withdraw military personnel because of attacks on coalition troops, while 47 percent say the soldiers should stay. Perhaps the Bush Regime's kids and the kids of their Corporate Cronies should go fight and die. Aren't they patriotic?
Most polled -- 72 percent -- say they would support turning over some authority for rebuilding Iraq to the United Nations. The United Nations has expertise in building governmental institutions that would enable the Iraqi people to assume control of their own country. Of course, that's just what the Bush Regime's Corporate Paymasters don't want, since they're counting on enriching themselves off of American & Iraqi Cannon Fodder (i.e. US military & Iraqi people) to grab Iraqi assets (i.e. Oil).
The other day my little 4-year old son came up to me while we were fishing and said "Daddy, that man threw a bottle into the stream. Won't it hit a fish and hurt it?" It's too bad Bush doesn't have the brains to ask such questions of his Corporate Cronies who funnel big bucks his way, in order for Bush & Cheney to enable corporations to poison the planet like pigs!
It is interesting that my young son instinctively understands the principle that polluting the environment is bad, while the Bush Regime doesn't. Lack of respect for the natural world is destructive: whether it is an individual throwing garbage onto the roadside or into a stream or field; or on a massive scale, corporations dumping their waste & garbage into streams, rivers, lakes and the oceans, or spewing their poisonous emissions into the atmosphere.
The Bush Regime are good at exploiting the misery of the vulnerable to the glee of their Corporate Paymasters, as described in "Bush's pollution charter - Republican supporting energy firms set to escape controls on emissions", by Julian Borger in Washington, Saturday August 23, 2003, on http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa...,12271,1028090,00.html . An excerpt:
"The Bush administration plans to open a huge loophole in America's air pollution laws, allowing an estimated 17,000 outdated power stations and factories to increase their carbon emissions with impunity.
Critics of draft regulations due to be unveiled by the US environmental protection agency next week say they amount to a death knell for the Clean Air Act, the centrepiece of US regulation.
The US accounts for a quarter of the world's carbon emissions, 10% more than all of western Europe combined. Environmentalists fear that, by relaxing its controls even further, America could undermine attempts to persuade other countries to stick to the targets laid out by Kyoto.
"The companies could completely rebuild their plants by gaming a gimmick that is designed to be gamed," said John Walke, of the Natural Resources Defence Council, a pressure group which leaked the draft."This is a massive giveaway," Mr Walke said. "The Bush administration, using an arbitrary, Enron-like accounting gimmick, is authorising massive pollution increases to benefit Bush campaign contributors at the expense of public health.""
This wholesale and wanton rape of the environment by the Bush Regime is indicative of their contempt for America and the World, and their abandonment of all morality and enlightened values to the greed and corruption of their Global Corporate Empire.
It is mankind's responsibility to protect this planet and to enforce regulations upon corporations that will otherwise pollute our streams, rivers, lakes and oceans, and rape & ravage our forests and wildlife habitats, leaving devastation in their wake that destroys wildlife, as it will ultimately destroy ourselves. We are part of the natural world, not separate from it, and the planet cannot continue to sustain the devastation caused by our rampant over-consumption and lack of regulation on toxic waste, emissions & trash dumped wantonly into our environments.
Bush & Cheney insidiously censored a tax-payer funded report by the EPA pointing out that global warming represents a real and serious threat to the world, and that environmental protections and standards must be improved. The Bush Regime's Global Corporate Empire didn't like to be told that they must behave responsibly and not dump garbage & waste into the natural world that ends up killing wildlife and poisoning us all.
While explaining to my young son the bottle thrown by the man probably didn't hit a fish, but it makes the river ugly, and, humans, animals and fish alike are all harmed by garbage & trash dumped into their habitat, I also felt pride in his perceptive understanding of the wrong-headedness of the act he had witnessed. Most 4-year olds are smarter than Bush because they are able to reason and extrapolate that horrific consequences ensue from gluttony & ugly actions: something Bush is incapable of, due to his corruption, arrogance and stupidity.
Corruption, Arrogance & Stupidity: Thy Names are Bush, Cheney & Rumsfeld ... but let's not forget Rice or Wolfowitz either, as the entire Bush Gang have earned these appellations.
Honest conservatives and liberals, republicans and democrats, and independents alike acknowledge that despite advice, warnings, and assistance offered by Military, Middle-East and foreign experts prior to rushing into Iraq before their lies & deceptions were exposed by UN Inspectors, the corrupt Bush Regime arrogantly refused to listen, and stupidly bungled the war planning efforts resulting in a Guerrilla Quagmire in Iraq.
What "Mission" has been "Accomplished" in Iraq? Over (1) $70 Billion squandered thus far, and an ongoing tab of $4 Billion/Month with no end in sight, (2) 315 US & British Soldiers (who thought they were fighting to protect America & Britain-- but instead are dead to enrich Bush's Corporate Cronies: http://www.worldpolicy.org/pr... ), thousands maimed & injured, and 6600-7700 Innocent Iraqi civilians dead, and, (3) the Middle-East is more angry, unstable and dangerous than ever.
The Bush Gang have instigated terror and placed the USA and World at greater risk than before their illegal & immoral incursion into Iraq. Tragically, we lack leaders who have wisdom, courage and integrity to seek peaceful solutions that takes hard work to achieve-- and isn't as "sexy" for arm-chair "chicken-hawks" (far from the danger) who can watch misery, maiming, & blood-and-guts spilt on TV, and a bungling, bombastic buffoon like Bushy-boy (also far from the danger) bragging in his bizarre "Top Gun" photo-ops.
To wage war takes brawn & no brains! (Ooopppsss, sorry, to wage a successful war takes brains: sadly, Rummy & Wolfy screwed that up too!) To achieve peace takes brains & wisdom, that is nakedly lacking, if not completely absent in this foolhardly Bush Regime.
I urge you to read "The March of Folly" by the eminent historian Barbara W. Tuchman, in which she describes unnecessary wars causing carnage and misery, that were waged based upon false pretexts, and could have been avoided if wise leadership had prevalied. Unfortunately, she isn't here to add a chapter entitled "Neo-Con's Ghoulish 'Pre-Emptive' Doctrine Triggers Illegal & Immoral War in Iraq based upon Lies & Deceit from a Weak & Foolish Bush 43 on Behalf of his Global Corporate Empire: Americans & Iraqis used as Cannon-Fodder to Enrich Corporate Robber-barons".
"It's astonishing that Bush and his advisers never seemed to take seriously the obvious possibility: that many, perhaps most, Iraqis -- especially the Shiite Muslim majority so oppressed by Saddam Hussein -- could be perfectly happy to have the United States get rid of their dictator and then want U.S. troops to leave immediately.
And will anyone in the administration ever be held accountable for putting down Gen. Eric K. Shinseki, the Army's chief of staff before the war? Shinseki told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in early March that "something on the order of several hundred thousand soldiers" would be required to occupy a postwar Iraq.
Two days later, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz described Shinseki's estimate as "way off the mark." Cheney was also dismissive. In his "Meet the Press" appearance, he insisted that "to suggest that we need several hundred thousand troops there after military operations cease, after the conflict ends, I don't think is accurate. I think that's an overstatement."
It's now clear that the courageous 139,000 American troops in Iraq are insufficient to guarantee security -- including their own. Shinseki was right. Wolfowitz and Cheney were wrong. Will Wolfowitz and Cheney ever apologize to Shinseki?"
In the past few days, Colin Powell sheepishly asked the UN to offer-up "cannon fodder" to clean-up Bush's mess in Iraq, but tells "Old Europe": sorry, we want your people to be shot & killed, but by the way, only so long as Halliburton, Bechtel, Big Oil & Bush's corrupt Corporate Cronies rake in the big bucks. Don't you expect anything out of it. Naturally, such lunacy is rejected, and the Bush Cabal will have to figure out another approach to swindling our allies, since they're finding it ain't as easy as conning-and-scamming Americans! Furthermore, the neo-con Bush Goons' intimidation & scare tactics -- name-calling -- and, threats, don't work as well on the U.N., as they do here in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave (sic)!
Read TalkingPointsMemo by Joshua Micah Marshall:
Even George Will. (Ultra-right-winged Conservative par excellence!)
From today's column ...
Perhaps the administration should recognize that something other than its intelligence reports concerning weapons of mass destruction was wrong. Paul Wolfowitz, deputy secretary of defense, was wrong in congressional testimony before the war. Although he said "we have no idea what we will need until we get there on the ground," he insisted that Gen. Eric Shinseki, a veteran of peacekeeping in the Balkans, was "wildly off the mark" in estimating that several hundred thousand troops would be needed in occupied Iraq.
US Constitutional Scholars confirm that the Founding Fathers clearly intended a complete separation of Church and State:-- Having seen that bloody religious persecutions throughout Europe created an unjust and oppressive society, these Men of the Enlightenment knew the dangers inherent when over-zealot fanatics suppress freedom of discourse and force others to submit to their own religious dogma, and sought to avoid making the same mistakes in the USA. We are observing the horrific consequences of religious intolerance today in the Middle East, and cannot permit the Neo-Christian fanatics to destroy our governmental institutions by super-imposing upon it their faith-based doctrines. (Refer to US Constitutional Principle: Separation of Church and State on http://www.tblog.com/template... . )
The Founding Fathers could not have stated the principle of separation any more clearly than when they wrote: "No religious Test shall ever be required as a qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States" (U. S. Constitution, 1787, Art. 6, Sec. 3).
Moreover, the Supreme Court was established as the final arbiter to interpret law, and has traditionally affirmed that religious faith is to be separated from the US government. The Supreme Court first cited the separation of Church & State metaphor in an 1879 case, Reynolds v. U.S., calling Jefferson's words, "almost as an authoritative declaration of the scope and effect of the [First] Amendment.", as follows:-
"The 'establishment of religion' clause of the First Amendment means at least this: Neither a state nor the Federal Government can set up a church. Neither can pass laws which aid one religion, aid all religions, or prefer one religion over another. Neither can force nor influence a person to go to or remain away from a church against his will or force him to profess a belief or disbelief in any religion. No person can be punished for entertaining or professing religious beliefs or disbeliefs, for church attendance or non-attendance. No tax in any amount, large or small, can be levied to support any religious activities or institutions, whatever they may be called, or whatever form they may adopt to teach or practice religion. Neither a state nor the Federal Government can, openly or secretly, participate in the affairs of any religious organizations or groups and vice versa. In the words of Jefferson, the clause against establishment of religion by law was intended to erect 'a wall of separation between church and State.'"
Furthermore, the First Amendment was added to further guarantee the principle of separation and many historical references define its meaning, for example:
In no state was the struggle for separation between religion and government more thoroughly documented than in Virginia , where Thomas Jefferson's "Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom" became law in 1786. No book has more thoroughly documented that effort than Separation of Church and State in Virginia by H. J. Eckenrode, who nevertheless concluded: "Separation of church and state in Virginia, instead of weakening Christianity, as the conservatives of the Revolution had feared, really aided it in securing a power over men far greater than it had known in the past."
President Washington explained the reason for only one reference to religion in the Constitution: "I am persuaded, you will permit me to observe that the path of true piety is so plain as to require but little political direction. To this consideration we ought to ascribe [credit] the absence of any regulation [law], respecting religion, from the Magna-Charta [Constitution] of our country" (George Washington, 1789, Papers, Presidential Series, 4:274).
Even before the Bill of Rights became an official part of the Constitution, Congressman James Madison objected to the 1790 census identifying citizens as ministers because, he said, "the general government is proscribed [prohibited] from the interfering, in any manner whatsoever, in matters respecting religion; and it may be thought to do this, in ascertaining who, and who are not, ministers of the gospel" (February 2, 1790, Papers, 13:16).
Just six years after the First Amendment became an official part of the Constitution, the U.S. Senate read (in the English language) and ratified a treaty with Tripoli which included in Article 11 the following assertion: "The government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion" (John Adams, 1797, Hunter Miller, ed., Treaties and other International Acts, 2:365).
Just over ten years after ratification of the First Amendment, President Jefferson, in his letter of reply to the Baptists of Connecticut, who were still being forced to pay taxes for support of other churches in Connecticut, wrote, "I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus, building a wall of separation between Church and State" (January 1, 1802, Andrew A. Lipscomb, ed., Writings, 16:281).
In vetoing as unconstitutional a bill passed by Congress, Madison wrote, "Governments are limited by the essential distinction between civil and religious functions" (February 21, 1811, Gaillard Hunt, ed., Writings, 8:132).
In vetoing as unconstitutional another bill passed by Congress, Madison wrote: "The appropriation of funds of the United States for the use and support of religious societies, [is] contrary to the article of the Constitution which declares that 'Congress shall make no law respecting a religious establishment'" (February 27, 1811, Writings, 8:133).
"And may I not be allowed to . . . read in the character of the American people, in their devotion to true liberty and to the Constitution which is its palladium [protection], . . . a Government which watches over . . . the equal interdict [prohibition] against encroachments [trespasses] and compacts [agreements] between religion and the state" (Madison, December 3,1816, Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents, 1: 579-580).
"It was the Universal opinion of the Century [1600s] preceding the last [1700s], that Civil Govt could not stand without the prop of a Religious establishment, & that the Xn religion itself, would perish if not supported by a legal provision for its Clergy. The experience of Virginia conspicuously corroborates [supports with evidence] the disproof of both opinions. The Civil Govt . . . functions with complete success; Whilst the number, the industry, and the morality of the Priesthood, & the devotion of the people have been manifestly increased by the total separation of the Church from the State" (Madison, March 2, 1819, Writings, 8:431-432).
". . . I should suppose the Catholic portion of the people, as least, as a small & even unpopular sect in the U.S., would rally, as they did in Virg[ini]a when religious liberty was a Legislative topic, to its broadest principle. Notwithstanding [in spite of] the general progress made within the two last centuries in favour of this branch of liberty, & the full establishment of it, in some parts of our Country, there remains in others a strong bias towards the old error, that without some sort of alliance or coalition between Govt & Religion neither can be duly supported. Such indeed is the tendency to such a coalition, and such its corrupting influence on both the parties, that the danger cannot be too carefully guarded ag[ain]st. And in a Govt of opinion, like ours, the only effectual guard must be found in the soundness and stability of the general opinion on the subject. Every new & successful example therefore of a perfect separation between ecclesiastical and civil matters, is of importance. And I have no doubt that every new example, will succeed, as every past one has done, in shewing that religion & Govt will both exist in greater purity, the less they are mixed together. It was the belief of all sects at one time that the establishment of Religion by law [emphasis added], was right & necessary; that the true religion ought to be established in exclusion of every other; And that the only question to be decided was which was the true religion. The example of Holland proved that a toleration of sects, dissenting from the established sect, was safe & even useful. The example of the Colonies, now States, which rejected religious establishments altogether, proved that all Sects might be safely & advantageously put on a footing of equal & entire freedom; and a continuance of their example since the declaration of Independence, has shewn that its success in Colonies was not to be ascribed to their connection with the parent Country. If a further confirmation of the truth could be wanted, it is to be found in the examples furnished by the States, which have abolished their religious establishments. I cannot speak particularly of any of the cases excepting that of Virg[ini]a where it is impossible to deny that Religion prevails with more zeal, and a more exemplary priesthood than it ever did when established and patronised by Public authority. We are teaching the world the great truth that Govts do better without Kings & Nobles than with them. The merit will be doubled by the other lesson that Religion flourishes in greater purity, without than with the aid of Govt" (Madison, July 10, 1822, Writings, 9:101-103).
The following quotation includes several paragraphs:
"Waving the rights of Conscience, not included in the surrender implied by the social State, and more or less invaded by all religious Establishments, the simple question to be decided is whether a support of the best & purest religion, the Xn religion itself ought not so far at least as pecuniary [financial] means are involved, to be provided for by the Govt rather than be left to the voluntary provisions of those who profess it. And on this question experience will be an admitted Umpire, the more adequate as the connection between Govts & Religion have existed in such various degrees & forms, and now can be compared with examples where connection has been entirely dissolved.
"In the Papal System, Government and Religion are in a manner consolidated, & that is found to be the worst of Govts.
"In most of the Govts of the old world, the legal establishment of a particular religion and without or with very little toleration of others makes a part of the Political and Civil organization and there are few of the most enlightened judges who will maintain that the system has been favorable either to Religion or to Govt.
"Until Holland ventured on the experiment of combining a liberal toleration with the establishment of a particular creed, it was taken for granted, that an exclusive & intolerant establishment was essential, and notwithstanding the light thrown on the subject by that experiment, the prevailing opinion in Europe, England not excepted, has been that Religion could not be preserved without the support of Govt nor Govt be supported with[ou]t an established religion that there must be at least an alliance of some sort between them.
"It remained for North America to bring the great & interesting subject to a fair, and finally to a decisive test.
"In the Colonial State of the Country, there were four examples, R.I. N.J. Penna. and Delaware, & the greater part of N.Y. where there were no religious Establishments; the support of Religion being left to the voluntary associations & contributions of individuals; and certainly the religious condition of those Colonies, will well bear a comparison with that where establishments existed. . . .
"It is true that the New England States have not discontinued establishments of Religion formed under very peculiar circumstances; but they have by successive relaxations advanced towards the prevailing example; and without any evidence of disavantage either to Relgion or good Government.
"And if we turn to the Southern States where there was, previous to the Declaration of independence, a legal provision for the support of Religion; and since that event a surrender of it to a spontaneous support by the people, it may be said that the difference amounts nearly to a contrast in the greater purity & industry of the Pastors and in the greater devotion of their flocks, in the latter period than in the former. In Virginia the contrast is particularly striking, to those whose memories can make the comparison. It will not be denied that causes other than the abolition of the legal establishment of Religion are to be taken into view in account[in]g for the change in the Religious character of the community. But the existing character, distinguished as it is by its religious features, and the lapse of time now more than 50 years since the legal support of Religion was withdrawn[,] sufficiently prove that it does not need the support of Govt and it will scarcely be contended that Government has suffered by the exemption of Religion from its cognizance [knowledge and jurisdiction or responsibility], or its pecuniary [monetary] aid. . . .
"Under another aspect of the subject there may be less danger that Religion, if left to itself, will suffer from a failure of the pecuniary [financial] support applicable to it than that an omission of the public authorities to limit the duration of their Charters to Religious Corporations, and the amount of property acquirable by them, may lead to an injurious accumulation of wealth [emphasis added] from the lavish donations and bequests prompted by a pious zeal or by an atoning remorse. . . .
". . . I must admit moreover that it may not be easy, in every possible case, to trace the line of separation between the rights of religion and the Civil authority with such distinctness as to avoid collisions & doubts on unessential points. The tendency to a usurpation [exercising authority wrongfully] on one side or the other, or to a corrupting coalition or alliance between them, will be best guarded ag[ain]st by an entire abstinance of the Govt from interference in any way whatever, beyond the necessity of preserving public order, & protecting each sect ag[ain]st trespasses on its legal rights by others [emphasis added]" (Madison, to Rev. Jasper Adams, 1932, Writings, 9:485-487).
"Strongly guarded as is the separation between Religion and Government in the Constitution of the United States, the danger of encroachment by Ecclesiastical Bodies, may be illustrated by precedents already furnished in their short history" (Madison, undated, "Detached Memoranda," William and Mary Quarterly, 1946, 3:555).
"Religion . . . enjoys in this country . . . complete separation from the political concerns of the General Government" (Andrew Jackson, 1832, Correspondence, 4:447).
"They all attributed the peaceful dominion of religion in their country mainly to the separation of church and state. I do not hesitate to affirm that during my stay in America I did not meet a single individual, of the clergy or the laity, who was not of the same opinion on this point" (Alexis de Tocqueville, 1835, Democracy in America, 1:308).
"Perfect religious freedom [was] established in the United States, without any control exercised by the civil authority over spiritual concerns. In consequence of this, every denomination was . . . without . . . disadvantages arising from the connection of religion with secular policy" (Bird Wilson, 1839, Memior of the Life of the Right Reverend William White, 88).
"The divorce between Church and State ought to be absolute. It ought to be so absolute that no Church property anywhere, in any state, or in the nation, should be exempt from equal taxation; for if you exempt the property of any church organization, to that extent you impose a tax upon the whole community" (James A. Garfield, 1874, Congressional Record, 2: 5384).
"Leave the matter of religion to the family, the altar, the church, and the private school, supported entirely by private contributions. Keep the church and state forever separate" (Ulysses S. Grant, 1875, Leo Pfeffer, Church, State, and Freedom, 1967, p. 337).
US Constitutional Principle of the Separation of Church and State
Tragically, much of the American public is so ignorant regarding our own US history and documentation, that many fail to comprehend that:
1) One of the fundamental principles of the US Constitution is the separation of Church and State, that the Founding Fathers purposely intended because they recognised the tyrannical nature of those who want to shove their "faiths" down the throats of others (having observed the persecutions in Europe-- like those we are witnessing today in the Middle East). (refer to "The Constitutional Principle: Separation of Church and State" on http://members.tripod.com/~candst/ ) It is not "anti-religious" to state that government does not interfere with religious beliefs & doctrines, and that the church cannot interfere with civic institutions & enforce their beliefs & doctrines upon the citizenry.
2) The place for the 10 Commandments is in the Church or in the Home-- not in courts, government offices, or other civic buildings representing or serving all people of all faiths, or those who choose not to practice any faith at all. No one is restricted for worshipping (or not) in their Church or their Home-- but it's not the government's place to preach, display or publish religious or church doctrines.
Maybe the US Constitution & Bill of Rights should be displayed in government buildings-- the people might learn something!
Article 1 of the US Constitution "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the few exercise thereof ... etc.". In the Federalist Papers, it is clearly stated that the intent is that no man shall pay taxes to pay for a church, be required to go to church, or required to observe any doctrine by any church.
3) Those who refuse to uphold the separation of Church and State and ignore the law, are similar to the Islamic Extremists who would silence, torture, or kill those who don't practice their faith. Read Barbara Tuchman's "A Distant Mirror", about the religious persecutions in 14th Century Feudal Europe. Today's neo-Christian Crusaders would return us to the bad ole' days. Indeed, those who most fervently profess righteous religiosity tend to be the most ungodly, hypocritical and mean-spirited folks on the planet lusting to persecute others!
You ought to watch the great classic film "Inherit the Wind" with Spencer Tracy, based upon the 1925 "Scope's Monkey Trial" in which the right to teach evolution in public schools was at risk-- with Clarence Darrow defending the right of science, and specifically to teach "Darwin's On the Origin of Species", while Williams Jenning Bryan only wanted the Bible taught in schools. During the course of the trial, the Preacher condemns his own daughter for supporting her fiancee who wants to teach science, and even Bryan warns him : ""He that troubleth his own house Shall inherit the wind." Proverbs 11:29. ... "
A famous quotation in the film by Darrow is : I am fighting for the "right to think," and even the "right to be wrong." America wasn't created in order to become a superstitious backwater where people aren't allowed to think for themselves, but must instead become robotic dogmatists. (That sounds more like Saudi Arabia, Bush's Buddies.)
The US Supreme Court has traditionally affirmed that religious faith is to be separated from the US government. The Supreme Court first cited the separation of Church & State metaphor in an 1879 case, Reynolds v. U.S., calling Jefferson's words, "almost as an authoritative declaration of the scope and effect of the [First] Amendment.", as follows:-
"The 'establishment of religion' clause of the First Amendment means at least this: Neither a state nor the Federal Government can set up a church. Neither can pass laws which aid one religion, aid all religions, or prefer one religion over another. Neither can force nor influence a person to go to or remain away from a church against his will or force him to profess a belief or disbelief in any religion. No person can be punished for entertaining or professing religious beliefs or disbeliefs, for church attendance or non-attendance. No tax in any amount, large or small, can be levied to support any religious activities or institutions, whatever they may be called, or whatever form they may adopt to teach or practice religion. Neither a state nor the Federal Government can, openly or secretly, participate in the affairs of any religious organizations or groups and vice versa. In the words of Jefferson, the clause against establishment of religion by law was intended to erect 'a wall of separation between church and State.'"
In order to ascertain the basis upon which laws are established, to uphold moral principles or alternatively to abandon anachronistic customs or prejudices, the US Supreme Court has indeed, used interpretation of the US Constitution & Bill of Rights; prior precedents in law; social changes; and, the changes in public opinion (e.g. Roe vs Wade). It is clear that the desire by those of strong faith to enshrine their beliefs in law will be part of the social dialogue healthy in a democratic society. However, I finally conclude that there should be the minimum laws necessary which: a) protect people from being exploited, attacked or damaged by other people and/or associations, and, b) are enforceable. In a society like America’s, which has a higher crime rate than any other Western country; increasing unemployment; corporate crime which leaves poverty and misery in their wake; a new doctrine of preventive warfare; and, a historically unprecedented debt, exacerbated by reckless deficit spending on tax cuts for the wealthiest in a society where the poor are suffering from lack of health care, opportunity, and assistance.
Cardinal John Henry Newman was most probably very right (certainly was, to-date, and the physicist Richard Feynman writes very wittingly on this topic), when he stated: science cannot provide all the answer in life that our spiritual selves seek and need for salvation , and which ultimately reside in the heart as the core of faith.
Newman also said “To live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often.” Let not religion become a doctrine that blinds us to working with each other to improve society, lest we become fanatical like those we condemn.
JamesYerian, Adolf Hitler's Neo-Nazis & Bushies form an Axis of Death Cult Liars
You've renamed your stupid and hateful screed from the mind-numbingly idiotic "Letter to Sammy & Patrick J. Buchanan" to "Sam Adams, the Left & Pat Buchanan form an axis of hate". Ho Ho Ho -- Bush's "axis of evil" is a JOKE! You're a JOKE! Respected historians and experts laugh at such hiterlian buffoonery!
JamesYerian, Adolf Hitler & his Neo-Nazis, and the Bushies: All character assassinate those who don't lap up their lies, deceit and propaganda. Moreover, they form an Axis of Death Cult Liars whom are destroying the USA and Iraq, to enrich their Corporate Pimps. Hitler said "Tell the Big Lie, because the people won't dare disbelieve it". JamesYerian, a little-tiny lap dog for the Karl-Roves (Goebbles) of the world, has taken this to heart.
You are a liar, as it was Bush 41 who imposed sanctions on Iraq, and not Clinton as you initially posted in your first screed. I'm not bothering to read your vomit a second time-- too much good stuff out there and it ain't your crap buddy-boy! (I noticed you deleted it and are perhaps rewriting it, as the Bushies re-write their lies about the phony wmds to wage war on Iraq. Since I posted this log having proved you are a liar and a dunce you deleted & re-posted your lies & deceptions. Are you Karl Rove's lackey?)
George H. W. Bush (41) worked with the UN to impose sanctions on Iraq, and the corrupt Bushies have been screwing-over, raping and looting Iraq on behalf of their pimps, Halliburton, Bechtel, Defense Contractors & Big Oil, ever since! Clinton actually worked with the UN to establish the OIL FOR FOOD programme to relieve the Iraqi people of their suffering: You liar or ignorant dunce (or I suspect you're both).
It is hilarious that you malign and slander Patrick J. Buchanan, a conservative who doesn’t agree with Bush’s rapist and corrupt policies to loot the USA and Iraq. You call Buchanan "sophomoric", when he’s a paid professional—and you’re nothing but a brain-dead sheep who laps up Limbaugh’s vomit and re-vomits it: you’re what the British call “shit for brains” producing “shit for nothing” that is only lapped up by hate-filled ignorant buffoons.
President George H. W. Bush’s address to the Iraqi people, September 12, 1990: On August 2, 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait in an attempt to annex it as a "19th Province". On that same day, President George Bush (41) declared that this "naked aggression would not stand". Less than six weeks later, on September 12, President Bush addressed the Iraqi people from the White House in a speech that was televised on Iraqi State television.
Bush's corrupt Daddy (Bush 41) worked with the UN to impose sanctions on Iraq in 1990: (Refer to http://peace.mennolink.org/ar... ) The Bush Family has been screwing, looting and creating misery for the Iraqi people ever since!
"A BRIEF HISTORY OF UNITED NATIONS SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAQ" by John Rempel, Liaison, Mennonite Central Committee United Nations Office
I. The Early Years of Sanctions
On August 6, 1990, four days after Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, the Security Council passed Resolution 661, imposing comprehensive sanctions on Iraq and establishing a committee to monitor them. Both Iraq and the international community assumed that this embargo would be short lived - no more than six months - because that was in everyone's economic interest. Both sides took initiatives to resolve the conflict but on January 15, 1991 the Security Council endorsed a US-led coalition in a devastating air war which, contrary to just war theory, targeted much of Iraq's civilian infrastructure (e.g., water purification and hydro-electrical plants) for destruction.
Even before the fighting ended the UN dispatched a humanitarian impact mission. It described the catastrophic damage to civilians and their institutions, proposing that food supplies be immediately removed from the sanctions regime. At the same time, the ceasefire (R687) that followed Iraq's havoc-wreaking withdrawal from Kuwait extended sanctions by tying them to Iraq's disarmament of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). This resolution is a two-edged sword. On the one hand it conditions the lifting of sanctions on verifiable disarmament; on the other hand it mandates the lifting of sanctions once Iraq is declared free of WMDs. Iraq insists that the threat of an invasion by the US is the most fundamental violation possible of sanctions conditions. It has no incentive to comply with disarmament inspections because the US has no intention of keeping the other end of the bargain, the complete lifting of the embargo.
By August of 1991 the UN acknowledged the scale of the human disaster by calling for limited oil sales to pay for reparations, the UN emergency presence, and the humanitarian aid it brought. To ensure that oil revenue would be used exclusively for these purposes in the designated proportions, it set up an escrow account outside the reach of the Iraqi government (R706 and 712). For three reasons the Iraqi government rejected these resolutions. Firstly, Iraq still believed that the sanctions could not be made to last. Secondly, it insisted (and two UN sponsored humanitarian assessment missions concurred) that the $1.6 billion in permitted sales were woefully inadequate to the tragedy. Thirdly, it considered the whole exercise to be a fundamental violation of its sovereignty. For its part the Council then declared that Iraq bore full responsibility for its humanitarian problems. On the one hand, Iraq could have greatly lessened the suffering of its people by accepting the minimal help it was being offered. On the other hand, for Iraq to accept such draconian control over its own resources was to relinquish economic sovereignty in the long term.
II. Oil for Food and the Changes it Brought
As the consequences of war and sanctions devastated the civilian population, ad hoc Iraqi, UN, and NGO programs supplied the most urgently needed food and medicine. This woeful situation continued to worsen until April of 1995 when the Security Council and a desperate Iraq arrived at a compromise resolution, R986, the now famous 'Oil for Food' (OFF) program. Two billion in oil sales every six months was better than nothing. While the ceiling was higher than that proposed in 1991, the resolution allotted a disproportionate amount of aid to Iraq's three northern Kurdish governorates (provinces), which the UN controlled directly to shield them against attacks from Baghdad. Both parties still believed that OFF would be a short-term arrangement, Iraq because it was confident it could break the sanctions; the UN because it was sure that Iraq would comply in order to end its people's immediate misery.
It took a year and a half (until December of 1996) to make OFF operational. The Office of the Iraq Program (OIP), a whole new arm of UN bureaucracy, was instituted as the implementation body of the Iraq Sanctions Committee. All contracts for aid (emergency supplies as well as infrastructural equipment) requested by the government had to be approved by the Sanctions Committee. Each member country could place a 'hold' on any contract it considered to be 'dual use'. Iraq did, in fact, try to order military hardware or divert 'dual use' goods from civilian to military purposes. Resolution 1051 created a list of items that were banned because they had obvious military potential. The United States considered this list inadequate and soon began placing holds on contracts all other countries (including the United Kingdom) considered safely humanitarian. In the spring of this year the holds amounted to $5.2 billion!
Disputes accompanied even those goods that were approved. For its part, Iraq complained that it had become a dumping ground for medicines beyond their expiration date and that UN administrators disregarded valid concerns of Iraqi officials for equitable distribution of goods. Iraq insisted that in its state of infrastructural collapse it could not deliver supplies according to UN mandate. For its part, the UN complained that an unacceptable proportion of relief supplies never reached their intended destination and that massive civilian lives were endangered by Iraq's boycott of UN distribution plans. It is important to note that for the most part these problems were overcome. Reports by UN agencies consistently document that in most humanitarian delivery plans their Iraqi counterparts were fully co-operative.
Oil for Food is an emergency aid plan. It was designed by the Security Council not to be a reconstruction plan. Yet the recovery of the civilian sector required the restoration of water supplies, electricity generation, modernizing of the petroleum and telecommunications industries, rebuilding of hospitals and schools, irrigation of farmland. The Iraqi government insisted that this could happen only with the end of the escrow account and the return of economic control to its rightful owner, the Iraqi nation. The US and its allies insisted that this was impossible before 100% compliance by Iraq with weapons inspectors. But the devastation to people's lives continued to unfold. Most worrisome was the continuing calamitous child mortality and morbidity rate. To ease the immediate effects of the embargo but clearly not to alter its cause the Council increased the oil sales cap to $5.256 billion per six-month phase in February of 1998. Many fewer people died as a result. But the systemic problem remained. Other efforts, like the short-lived 'Anorim panels', were introduced into the Council to streamline aid delivery. In 2001 the oil sales cap was raised to $8.2 billion and this year the ceiling for oil revenues was removed. Again, fewer people died. But four factors minimized the gain. One, given the decrepit state of oil drilling equipment even the 2001 production ceiling could not be reached. Two, price controls set by the Sanctions Committee on oil sales deprived Iraq of normal profits. Three, the price of oil plummeted. Four, Iraq was allowed no legal recourse against companies that delivered shoddy goods or completely defaulted on contracts.
III. The Meaning of Recent Changes in UN Policy toward Iraq
By the end of 2001 the catastrophic inadequacy of the Oil for Food program to Iraq's recovery - by design - was evident even to many one-time supporters of sanctions. The singly most repugnant aspect of it was the billions of dollars worth of contracts put on hold by the US. Among them were a number of contracts on which Iraq was trying to cheat and import materials for military use. These abuses were covered by the dual use resolution already in place. The billions of dollar holds in civilian contracts by the US was purely punitive measure.
All winter the US and the UK were working on a Goods Review List, a new listing of imports prohibited because of their potential for military use. Any contract application made up of items not on the GRL would be passed without delay. To make this arrangement appealing to the other permanent five members of the SC (China, France, and Russia) the US promised to release all contracts it had placed on hold, most of which were submitted by firms from these three countries. This proposal was an indirect admission by the US that it was holding these contracts for political reasons rather than because they were dual use.
By means of Resolution 1409 the GRL became the core innovation of a new mechanism for operating OFF. It took the initial review of contracts away from the Sanctions Committee where any member for any reason could place any contract on hold and turned it over to less directly politicized UN bodies, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the UN Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC). When GRL items are detected, but only then, will a contract return to the Sanctions Committee. Most SC members argue that 1409 should be given one phase in which to prove its claim of approving all civilian aid, even large scale infrastructural components. Critics warn that, while it might streamline the approval of civilian aid, 1409 is entrenching sanctions, and with them, foreign control of the Iraqi economy.
This leads into matters discussed elsewhere in this packet, weapons inspections and a possible US invasion. Let me say only this. In keeping with R687, sanctions will not be lifted until Iraq is disarmed of weapons of mass destruction. In my view Iraq should comply immediately: none of its neighbors or enemies will agree to lift the embargo until Iraq's disarmament is verified. But even if it complies it has no assurance that sanctions will end because only a change of government is acceptable to the US. If Iraq complies, it seizes the moral - or at least legal - high ground because then it will be in compliance with international law and the US will be in violation of it. "
"Reflections in a blackout" by Patrick J. Buchanan
Americans are spoilt and greedy. We aren't grateful for what we have, and we think we deserve to rape the world by divine right. Hence, the miserable illegal & immoral incursion by the Bush Corporate Whores into Iraq to enrich Halliburton, Bechtel, Defense Industry & Big Oil. Read "Arrogance of Empire" by Paul Foot on http://www.guardian.co.uk/com...,3604,1021897,00.html
Paul Foot reports: "The Iraqi mess is the direct result of old fashioned US/British imperialism. The misery in New York and surrounding cities was caused not by terrorism - as many people there hastily assumed - but by capitalism, in particular its historic failure sufficiently to invest in unprofitable services that most people need. For a fleeting moment, likely to be repeated in the future, the citizens of Iraq and the US simultaneously became victims of the reckless greed of corporate America"
I don't agree with Patrick J. Buchanan on many issues, but the following is a beautifully written article. When caught-out in a potentially dangerous situation, a few wise men have some insightful reflections, as does Patrick J. Buchanan as follows:
"Reflections in a blackout"
"First, the lights flickered, then they went out. Then, they came on again. Then they went out, for good. August demand for air conditioning overloaded the circuits, I thought.
The hall was dark as I made my way down to "the nook," the guest studio at NBC's offices at 30 Rockefeller Center.
I called MSNBC to volunteer a live report from "30 Rock" on the blackout and what was going on below on 6th Avenue. They said they would get back to me. But when they called, the phone did not ring. No matter. The blackout was now an international story, from Detroit to Toronto to Connecticut. Fifty million had lost power.
My wife and I made our way down a darkened fire escape to emerge onto Sixth Avenue and walk the 10 blocks to Essex House. The restaurant was not serving, but we were handed bottles of water before taking the stairs to our room on the 7th floor. The electronic keys were still working. Then, it was a minibar dinner of cashews, pretzels, potato chips and a Snickers bar. Junk food was better than no food.
By morning, electricity was back, but cell phones were still not working and the planes not flying. There seemed no way out of the Big Apple. But when a car arrived to transport me to MSNBC, I told the driver to make it D.C. Five hours later, we were at 400 N. Capitol St. in time for the 6 p.m. show.
Yet during the night previous, as I looked out over the world's greatest city, suddenly gone dark, the vulnerability of our high-tech nation was transparent in the blackness that enveloped Central Park and the Upper East and West Side. Had this blackout lasted another 48 hours, the situation could have deteriorated with startling speed and gone ugly fast.
For the 8 million living there, food in refrigerators and freezers would have begun to spoil. With no electricity for stoves or ovens, nothing could have been cooked. Unless families had dry food on hand, scores of thousands would have had to go panic-buying at stores, where the shelves would have soon been empty.
With pumping stations shutting down for lack of power, the faucets would no longer work and the toilets no longer flush.
Looking down on Central Park South the night of that blackout, one saw, in the glare of the headlights, folks on rollerblades and bicycles. The next morning, a line of SUVs was at the hotel, picking up passengers and luggage, and headed for the bridges and tunnels out of Manhattan. If you owned a car and had a tank of gas, you could make it 300 miles south to where the electricity was on.
But the lines at the gas pumps were lengthening, and one heard of stations already charging $10 a gallon.
Hearing the sirens wail all night and wondering – were the cops racing to rescue trapped subway riders, or save citizens from muggers or looters? – I thought: If I lived here, Sullivan Law or no Sullivan Law, I would keep a gun and ammunition in the house.
Yet, unlike 1977, where the rioting and looting started as soon as the lights went out, this blackout was relatively crime-free. Had it lasted for days, though, I doubt it would have remained so.
This thought also came to mind: If millions of Americans are angry at having been deprived of the amenities of life for 24 hours, what must life be like in Baghdad. There, they have had no power, or power only a few hours a day, in a nation that has gone through 12 years of sanctions, from which estimates of the dead run to the hundreds of thousands, with the casualties highest among the elderly and children under 5. Do they blame us, hate us, for that?
Woodrow Wilson called sanctions the "silent deadly remedy." Their impact is invariably harshest on the most vulnerable of any society, rarely on the regime or dictator. And what benefit do we derive from our sanctions on Cuba, Burma, Iran, North Korea to justify the suffering we cause and to compensate for the hatred engendered?
The blackout was a wake-up call, the president said. We have to invest scores of billions of dollars in new power plants and power lines. But the U.S. government is $455 billion in deficit and over $6 trillion in debt.
Moreover, we are looking at huge new costs for prescription drug coverage for seniors and perhaps a $300 billion to $600 billion price tag for the reconstruction of Iraq.
Meanwhile, white-collar jobs, with high wages, are now following blue-collar jobs overseas, as the world's poor pour into the United States. Virtually every state is now a mini-California, slashing expenditure or raising taxes.
Now, we are told, we need to enlarge the armed forces to meet our expanding commitments overseas. Something's got to give."
Pentagon is lobbying to slash US Soldiers Pay, to make up for the bumbling, inept cock-up by the arrogant, corrupt Cheney, Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz. Meanwhile our US Men & Women are losing their lives or being maimed & injured-- while the despicable Bush Goons are living the high-life.
Perhaps Americans should ask that the Bush Goons and their Corporate Pimp's assets be confiscated to make-up for the massive deficits caused by their disgusting tax cuts for the rich, and their immoral (and possibly illegal) contracts awarded with no bidding to their pay-masters: Halliburton, Bechtel, Big Oil, etc.
Rumsfeld's & Wolfowitz's pay should be reduced to ZERO and their assets confiscated, while they spend time in prison contemplating the misery their Ignorance and Death Cult has brought upon innocent US Soldiers and Iraqi citizens.
"To all of our men and women in uniform, and to their parents and families: Help is on the way!" –- Dick Cheney campaigning in the 2000 presidential elections.
Never forget that arrogant pledge. Because first of all, the Clinton-Gore military, as it turns out, was in perfectly fine shape -- fine enough to handle the Taliban in Afghanistan and topple Saddam Hussein. (Though it's had predictable trouble with the peace-keeping side of the coin -- in part because Donald Rumsfeld has moved to close the US Army War College's Peacekeeping Institute and has generally short-shrifted training in that area, in part because even the bravest and most cunning of military outfits can't do much with a stupid mission.)
Now, incredibly, the Help-Is-On-the-Way Pentagon wants to cut the imminent-danger pay of troops in Iraq! Maybe they need to free up cash for bottled water.
When Congress returns after Labor Day, it will have to act fast to counter Pentagon plans to cut danger-pay by $75 a month and family-separation allowances of $150 a month. The Pentagon doesn't want to spend money on such trivia; it says these pay cuts will save $25 million a month. For perspective, that's about 0.6% of the war's monthly cost. Or, if you prefer another comparison: The Pentagon says its proposed pay cuts will save about $300 million this year; which is still less than the $324 million Halliburton listed as second-quarter revenues solely from work in Iraq.
No wonder Army Times is raging at the Administration's nickel-and-dime disdain for its own soldiers. (Team Bush only likes to dress up like soldiers, it doesn't like to pay them.) After news of the Pentagon's pay-cut was broken by the < i>San Francisco Chronicle, an unnamed White House official rushed to tell The New York Times that, while it was true, the president solemnly hopes Congress will overrule the Pentagon. As if the president can't overrule his own executive-branch agency.
What I'm curious about now is whatever happened to that other brilliant Republican idea: the call on patriotic New York police and fire fighters to sacrifice overtime pay so that there'd be enough free cash out there, in a very vague sort of way, for military danger-pay.
Note: This article was corrected Aug. 20 to say that Halliburton reported $324 million in second-quarter revenues from work in Iraq -- not profits. Thanks to alert readers who followed the link provided and caught that mistake."
Neo-con corporate-paid whores are the LIARS & DUNCES
Neo-con whores paid by corporations to vomit endless garbage are the LIARS & DUNCES purposely hired to deceive an ignorant population.
Better check out the following people on Google search engine (http://www.google.com ): Dr. George Akerlof, Warren Buffet, Bill Gates Sr., Dr. Paul Krugman, hundreds of respected economists, and all the Republican and Democratic Governors of the USA: ALL OF WHOM AGREE BUSH IS A DISASTER ON THE ECONOMY.
Many other experts, government officials, and victims of corporate rape, agree Bush is a disaster on both the domestic and foreign fronts. Frankly, Bush is a buffoon who is told what to do by thugs (Read "Rumsfeld Led Bush to War, Ex Diplomat" for an eye-opener on http://www.aljazeerah.info/Ne...%20archives/2003%20News%2 0archives/August/18%20n/R umsfeld%20Led%20Bush%20to %20War,%20%20Ex%20Diploma t.htm ) .
That brain-dead sheep are hired to punish those who seek the truth, and would re-create concentration camps, massacring anyone who doesn't agree with their neo-con screed, isn't a surprise and should be cause of worry! (Ooopppsss, Guantanamo Bay?)
Check out the hundreds of billions the Bush goons are funneling to their Corporate Pimps like Halliburton, Bechtel, Defense Contractors, Big Oil, etc. at "ARMS TRADE RESOURCE CENTER-New Numbers:The Price of Freedom in Iraq and Power in Washington by Ceara Donnelley and William D. Hartung, August 2003. INTRODUCTION: A PRIVATIZED OCCUPATION" on http://www.worldpolicy.org/pr...
"George Akerlof is becoming a household name. Well, sort of. The 2001 Nobel Prize Laureate for Economics, who teaches at Berkeley, was recently cited by Al Gore in his rousing speech to MoveOn at New York University.
Just a few days earlier, Akerlof had been quoted in the German magazine Der Spiegel condemning the Bush Administration as "the worst government the US has ever had in its more than 200 years of history." These words catapulted Akerlof to the top of Google for a few days but it's worth reading the full text of his illuminating interview with the German weekly for a look at how horrified another longtime member of the American establishment is at the extremism of the Bush Administration.
"This is not normal government policy," Akerlof says. "Now is the time for [American] people to engage in civil disobedience. I think it's time to protest as much as possible." When asked about the deficit, one of his many areas of professional expertise, Akerlof replied that with the current tax cuts, a realistic estimate would be in excess of six trillion, far more than the Administration is predicting.
So is the government just bad at doing the math? "The government is not really telling the truth to the American people...Past administrations from the time of Alexander Hamilton have, on the average, run responsible budgetary policies. What we have here is a form of looting." "
Republican & Democratic Governors Alike ALL Agree BUSH is Destroying US Economy!
Republican and Democratic Governors alike are united in their shock and disgust with the Bush Gang's mismanagement of the US Economy. Bush has created the biggest job loss in 30 years and the largest deficits and debts in the Nation's History. If Bush was a CEO (he failed at that too!), he'd be fired and prosecuted by the SEC for fiscal malfeasance.
There is no excuse for the excessive deficits and debt created by awarding massive tax cuts to the richest-of-the-rich (even Warren Buffet condemned such lunacy & corruption), spending like a drunken sailor (perhaps Bush has been sipping at the Gin again), and, spending over $70 Billion in Iraq (with no end in sight at $4 Billion per month) due to incompetent planning by the arrogant creeps like Cheney, Rumsfeld & Wolfowitz.
Bush is a corrupt buffoon surrounded by corrupt thugs with big bucks funneled in from corrupt campaign contributor goons. The Corporations are taking over the country. Bush is not a republican, Bush is a Corporate Whore and is destroying the USA!
Read today's Washington Post, "Bush's Neverland Economics", by David Ignatius on [link].
"All 50 state governors agree on something, that's a powerful message. Especially when it's a cry for help in dealing with what many governors say is a national fiscal crisis -- invisible at the federal level but ravaging state government. "
""This is a burning crisis," says Huckabee (Republican Governor of Arkansas) - . "There is no indication that it will get better," without federal help. Though the Arkansas governor is a conservative Republican, he could be mistaken for a New Dealer when he calls for the federal government to accept responsibility for health care of the elderly.
I can't help but contrast this sense of urgency and political realism with the happy talk coming from Washington. The federal budget deficit is nearing $500 billion, more than 50 percent bigger than the $304 billion deficit that was forecast early this year. That doesn't include the full costs of the war in Iraq, for which the administration still hasn't provided detailed numbers. Estimates range from Iraq administrator L. Paul Bremer's recent prediction of up to $100 billion over the next three years to a Brookings Institution forecast of $300 billion to $450 billion.
Does the Bush administration plan to raise taxes to pay for the war? Does it plan to cut spending? Or does it just plan to wing it and hope for the best? That would ignore the one clear lesson of Vietnam, which is that if you decide to go to war, you have to pay for it -- or risk the damage of severe inflation.
But the Bush administration apparently thinks it is exempt from the laws of economics. It can wage war, cut taxes, spend what it likes -- and worry later about the consequences. That choice is not open to the nation's governors. Their unanimous cry for help should be a wake-up call to the White House."
Bushies smirk "I Don't Do Quagmires" -- Ooopppsss, but the Iraqis Do!
The Bushies are liars: they lied about the phony pretexts of weapons of mass destructive posing an imminent threat to the USA; they lied about their motives which are really lust, power and greed; and they lied about post-"war" (funny term for the Guerrilla Quagmire we find ourselves in).
Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz all claimed the so-called liberated Iraqis would shower our troops with flowers and pop open champagne bottles upon our arrival and occupation of Bagdhad. These goons even compared it to the US liberating Paris in WW2, where the citizens were in the streets cheering our troops.
The Military Familes and Veterans for Peace said “From proud liberators in the great American tradition, our troops have become oppressors and occupiers in a hostile nation,” said Susan Shuman, whose son is in the Massachusetts National Guard serving in Iraq."
“Our troops are stuck in a quagmire of urban desert guerrilla warfare for which they are not prepared or equipped,” she said. “My question to Mr. Bush is, ‘How many more of our sons do you need to bring our children home?’" [link])
Arrogant, incompetent Rumsfeld smirks "I don't do quagmires". Well, the Iraqis do, you stupid idiot Rummy!
It is increasingly apparent to anyone with a brain, we're emeshed in a Guerrilla Quagmire because the Iraqis don't want us occupying their country. They don't want USA-style democracy where the rich Kenny-boy (Enron) Lays and Chalabis (embezzler) who are bed-fellows with the Bush and Cheney Gang rape the country of its assets, destroying their country's economy and leaving the people with low-paying jobs and no education and no safety-nets. In Iraq, the people were able to obtain Health Care under Saddam Hussein, something the Bushies don't want for Americans.
Now, the Pentagon has hired Hollywood to produce hiterlian propaganda crap to pretend the disastrous carnage stage-managed by the arrogant buffoons Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, was glorious! How stupid are we Americans to buy such garbage? (Read "Hollywood isn't holding its lines against the Pentagon" at [link] )
They say "With the reality of entrenched opposition in Iraq resulting in increasing U.S. fatalities there, the opposition at home to the occupation is hardening by the day. The military appears to have come up with a solution: Change reality.
In what has been described as a "Pentagon infomercial," the Defense Department has hired a former producer of the TV show "Cops" to film postwar Iraq from its perspective. Though producer Bertram van Munster has denied that he is shooting a propaganda piece, it is clear that the Pentagon is gearing up to frame its own account — and history — of the Iraq war.
The Pentagon has a long history of propaganda efforts. Indeed, the Pentagon is hard at work participating in a number of movies that will deliver its message on the legitimacy of the war and its own conduct in Iraq."
Dumb Bush Unites Iraqis Who Hated Each Other To Now Form Alliance Against US
Bush is a bungler, surrounded by a despicable cabal of goons. Recently former US Diplomat Kiesling described Bush as “a politician who badly wants to appear strong but in reality is very weak.” Not a surprise really: to betray the USA by selling it out to Corporations (Halliburton, Bechtel, Big Oil, Defense Contractors), doesn't take brains, only corruption & stupidity!
Now Bush has managed to unite Iraqis who have hated each other for centures. Competing tribes are united in their hatred of the USA.
"Shia-Sunni alliance against the U.S."
"As it turns out, George Bush is indeed a uniter -- he has managed to bring together long-warring Sunni and Shia clerics in Iraq. Washington Post reports, "A popular Sunni Muslim cleric has provided grass-roots and financial support to a leading anti-American Shiite cleric, a rare example of cooperation across Iraq's sectarian divide that has alarmed U.S. officials for its potential to bolster festering resistance to the American occupation, senior U.S. and Iraqi officials say." "
August 18, 2003 @ 10:46AM
US Soldier Dead in Iraq & More Wounded : "Mission Accomplished!"
Death toll in Iraq now at 314 American & British Soldiers, with another US Soldier killed today. Meanwhile, Bushy-boy is campaigning and enjoying his air-conditioned vacation, la-de-da, la-de-da.
Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz are enjoying three-course luncheons at the Washington Press Club, and bombastically bragging about their brilliance in planning the Iraqi War. Rumsfeld said "I don't do quagmires", and seems oblivious to the deaths and misery in Iraq. These thugs should be tried for treason and shot. Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rumsfeld, and Wolfowitz have brought misery upon the USA with over $70 Billion spent thus far in Iraq, and no end in sight.
Today, the following article was published:
"Death of US soldier in Iraq raises stakes in testy guerrilla war"
Khaleej Times, (AFP)
19 August 2003
BAGHDAD - The death of another soldier in Iraq had already jittery troops on edge on Tuesday following a weekend in which US troops mistakenly killed a journalist and anti-coalition sabotage intensified.
The military said on Tuesday a US soldier was killed a day earlier when a remote-controlled or trip-wire explosive was detonated as a convoy patrolled a Baghdad shopping area popular with US troops.
“A First Armored Division soldier was killed by an explosive device on August 18,” US Central Command said in a statement.
“The incident took place in the Karradah district (of the Iraqi capital) at 2:00 pm (1000 GMT). The soldier was medically evacuated to the 28th Combat Support Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 3:15 pm (1115 GMT),” it said.
The soldier was the 61st American serviceman to be killed in the post-war guerrilla conflict, according to the US military.
Regular clashes
Karradah, a comparatively wealthy shopping district in the centre of the Iraqi capital, is popular with US servicemen hunting for local bargains.
It is also the scene of regular clashes between troops and resistance fighters.
On August 7, the day of the Jordanian embassy bombing, three US soldiers were wounded when their Humvee armoured vehicle came under fire on the main Karradah Street and burst into flames. One Iraqi was killed in a bloody street gunfight.
The attack is likely to further unnerve US troops already jumpy after weeks of guerrilla attacks on the occupying forces and a weekend of sabotage on civilian targets.
On Friday a key oil pipeline was attacked in the north of Iraq. On Sunday apparent sabotage of a water mains in eastern Baghdad deprived hundreds of thousands in sweltering Baghdad of water for almost two days.
The testy conditions of what military officials are describing as a “low intensity conflict” in Iraq were illustrated Sunday when a US soldier killed a Reuters cameraman by mistake.
Palestinian Mazen Dana was shot while filming outside the notorious Abu Gharib prison on the outskirts of Baghdad. The US military confirmed US troops shot Dana, 43, suggesting they may have mistaken him for an attacker.
His body was was expected to be collected by his family in the Jordanian capital of Amman. From there, it was to be taken to Hebron, in the West Bank, where his family lives. US forces’ top spokesman Colonel Guy Shields said the troops were working under very trying conditions.
“The enemy is not in formation and the enemy is not clearly defined,” Shields said when asked how military personnel could have mistaken a journalist for an attacker. “The battlefield is still a very dangerous place.”
Colleagues said Dana had suffered for not being a Western journalist.
“The Americans just see an Arab face and think they are non-peaceful Iraqis,” said Al-Jazeera reporter Ahmed Sammavy. Shields denied suggestions the troops were trigger-happy.
“During war, there is no time to fire a warning shot,” he said.
Dana was the 17th journalist to have died since the war to depose former dictator Saddam Hussein began in March.
His death came just days after a controversial military investigation cleared US forces of improper conduct in the deaths of two journalists in Baghdad in April."
U.N. Won't Let Bush Rape Liberia: When Will Bush Bring Home US Troops in Iraq?
Let's pop open the champagne folks. Bush says our troops will only be in Liberia until 1st October! Whoopy!
If you're a US Soldier in Iraq, I guess a transfer to Liberia is the top prize!
The U.N. won't let Bush rape Liberia of their assets-- and of course, Bush only agreed to provide 200 "peace-keeping" forces as a concession to Kofi Annan, who otherwise, had plenty of ammunition to use against Bush's illegal & immoral incursion into Iraq.
When will our US Soldiers in Iraq be brought home? I say send in the clowns from Halliburton, Bechtel, Big Oil, and the Defense Industry along with the Pentagon goons to give our military men and women a rest. After all, the Bush Gang's lies, corruption and inept planning creating a quagmire that is killing our US Soldiers and innocent civilians daily in Iraq.
Bush, the Cowardly Bully Hides Behind Thugs: Methinks He Doth Protest Too Much!
Bush reminds me of the cowardly schoolyard bully who taunts others mercilessly, and when a brave kid stands-up to him, he runs and hides behind 3 or 4 big thugs who protect him: methinks he doth protest too much!
Others have confirmed what is obvious to me:-- Bush likes to play the "tough guy" but is really an insecure weakling, told what to do by Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, and Rove (known in Washington D.C. as Bush's Brain). Bush's daddy has always protected him and covered-up for his sins (AWOL from the reserves during Vietnam - failed business ventures saved by connections - drunken stupors : one wonders which frat boys took his exams at Yale since he knows no history).
The following article was published yesterday (but I suspect it was the team of Cheney and Rumsfeld who led little Bush to war, to grab both power & riches rewarded by corporate interests):
"Rumsfeld Led Bush to War, Ex Diplomat"
Agence France Presse, Arab News
ATHENS, 18 August 2003 — A former US diplomat who resigned over the Iraq war yesterday described US President George W. Bush as a “very weak” man led by the hand into battle by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
Brady Kiesling, who was political counselor at the US Embassy in Athens at the time of his resignation in February, said in an open letter published by Greek daily To Vima that Rumsfeld exploited the war to increase his own power.
Kiesling — whose warning that US aims in Iraq were “incompatible with American values” struck a chord with the predominantly anti-war Greeks — described Bush as “a politician who badly wants to appear strong but in reality is very weak.”
He said Rumsfeld led Bush by the hand into war, marginalized the secret services who had doubts about the war, and emerged as the top politician in Washington.
“Easy to convince, (Bush) blindly believed in Rumsfeld’s assurances that the occupation of Iraq would pay for itself,” Kiesling said.
“The longer we remain in Iraq, the more the resistance to the American presence is going to be a source of legitimacy for the extremists,” he said. He called for an expanded role for the United Nations and the European Union in the reconstruction of Iraq.
Kiesling said he regretted that US intelligence services had not spoken out about untruths concerning Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, which he added had humiliated the United States and damaged its closest ally, Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain.
Imagine You're a Brain-dead Sheep turned Fascist: Now Imagine You're JamesYerian
JamesYerian is brain-dead sheep turned fascist. His tyranical ideology would render the USA a Corporation run by goons and thugs taking-all-the-money-and- running, and leaving the rest of us to become their miserable slaves. Perhaps JamesYerian is angry that his ancestors lost their slaves and wants revenge!
Sorry, but a lot of folks are waking up to the fact that we've been hoodwinked by the Right-winged Corporate Neo-Fascists who are:
1. Destroying the economy with their greed and fiscal mis-management. Bushies created a $500 Billion deficit and the largest $6.9 Trillion national debt in US History. Bushies have destroyed 2.5 Million jobs, and only the brain-dead are investing in the stock market (so don't take any stock tips from JamesYerian unless you want to flush your hard-earned savings down the toilet);
2. Destroying our standing in the world by pissing on international treaties and accords, and waging hiterlian wars, invasions & aggressions on countries with assets Bush's corporate cronies lust for, like Iraqi Oil. The USA has outspent Iraq by over 400 times per annum on military. Over a decade, that meant we spent over $4 trillion dollars compared with less than $10 billion by Iraq-- yet Bushies act like we won some great victory. What a joke... ooopppsss-- we're still there over 100 days after the debacle, with another US Soldier killed today:-- Death Toll is 313 American & British soldiers dead and between 6000 & 7000 innocent Iraqi Civilians: Lucky Iraqis? Did Saddam kill as many?;
3. Destroying the environment by de-regulating the Energy Industry (no wonder we suffered the biggest power outage in US history) corporate raiders who engineered the scam of 2001 (phony, rigged energy crisis), raping Californians out of billions with Cheney's go-ahead. Now, Bushies want to relax emissions and pollutants allowing their corporate cronies destroy the environment, and let forests and wildlife habitats be raped to make a big bucks for the greedy, obese Corporate robber-barons.
The Bush Regime has a lot of 1sts & Records under-their-belt: sadly, they've all been a disaster for Americans!
Oscar Wilde said that "we are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars". Like the corrupt goons in the Bush administration, JamesYerian lives in the lap of luxury and is looking to flush this country down the toilet, unless we stop their Cult of Ignorance & Death.
The Disgrace of the Bush & Blair Government Lies & Fabrications
The disgrace of the Bush & Blair Government lies and fabrications are wide-spread. Anyone with a brain can find them in any main-stream journal (Washington Post, LA Times, Independent UK, Financial Times, etc.).
Today it's reported that "Tony Blair's most senior aide said the intelligence dossier on Iraq failed to demonstrate "an imminent threat", the Hutton inquiry hears." (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk... )
In fact, the British Government changed the name of their sexed-up dossier days in advance of releasing it, excluding the words a possible "program", to falsely imply that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction that could pose an imminent threat. Dr. Kelly died (sic) because he informed multiple sources that he didn't believe that Hussein could launch weapons within 45 minutes, as claimed by Bush and Blair.
The mistake made by the BBC, was that they used emotive language. I think they should have been tougher on the corrupt Bush Gang and Poodle-Blair.
Blair has lost all credibility as has Colin Powell, both Poodles for the corrupt Bush regime. Cheney and Rumsfeld led the "weak" Bush (who plays at being strong ... methinks he dost protest too much, pretending to be strong), into their war for power and riches, on false pretences.
Blair's Chief of Staff wrote that the dossier "does not demonstrate he (Saddam Hussein) has the motive to attack his neighbours, let alone the West" days before their "sexed-up" dossier was published. The CIA knew it was phony, and even Colin Powell described much of it as "shit". (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk... )
Now the neo-con buffoons are diverting you from the BIG LIE onto the BBC's use of the word "sexed-up". I think the BBC was too tame ... they should have used the word "f.cked-up" to describe both the Bush Regime & Poodle-Blairs lies and deceit.
Public Calling on Rumsfeld(?) to Investigate US Killing of Reuters Cameraman
The Public, Media and Reporters Without Borders, are calling upon Rumsfeld to investigate and publically report upon the incident this last weekend involving the US Soldiers shooting and killing of a Reuters Cameraman. They are demanding that this report be made public.
"The U.S.-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) in Paris urged Washington to investigate how, by the official U.S. account, a soldier mistook Mazen Dana's camera for a grenade launcher on Sunday.
Reuters also wants a probe into the second killing of one of its cameramen by a U.S. tank crew. On April 8, a shell killed Reuters' Taras Protsyuk at Baghdad's media hotel. Troops said they thought a spotter was directing enemy fire."
Good Luck! They want Rumsfeld to come clean? Get real!
Our US Soldiers are under enormous pressure, due to the bungled planning and lack of sufficient troop deployment during and after the illegal and immoral US invasion of Iraq. Military experts and Pentagon officials are concerned that our US Soldiers are stretched too thin. Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz were warned that their planning was inept, but these thugs are arrogant. They should now be asked to resign.
Rumsfeld has become dangerous. A former US diplomat who resigned over the Iraq war on Sunday described US President George W Bush as a “very weak” man led by the hand into battle by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Brady Kiesling, who was political counsellor at the US embassy in Athens at the time of his resignation in February, said in an open letter published by Greek daily To Vima that Rumsfeld exploited the war to increase his own power.................AFP ....... (http://www.riyadhdaily.com.sa... )
Rumsfeld is Dr. Strangelove, lusting for power and riches from war, while sitting on his fatt-behind, in an air-conditioned office far, far away from danger. He is disgusting!
Yah, right! US has Worst Record Amongst Modern Nations for Deaths Preventable by Health Care!
The fact is that the USA has the worst record amongst modern nations for deaths preventable by health care. Over 45 Million Americans lack insurance, and many don't obtain the health care they need, in order to avoid bankruptcy, losing their homes, and life savings. Hundreds of Thousands of Americans die every year due to lack of health care.
The United Nations, the Centers for Disease Control, the National Health Care web-sites; all substantiate my claims. Anyone doing a little leg-work can find the facts by using the "Google" search engine. If one wants to ignore the tragic reality, that's their problem.
Sorry, Jimmy-boy, ah, poor boy is crying that he's being insulted, when all he does is vomit insults. JamesYerian: Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw rocks! You vomit lies at whom-so-ever disagrees with your screed and diatribes, that obviously expose you as an ignorant puppet of the corrupt, neo-con corporate rapists.
You're the one without sources buddy. Rush Limbaugh!!! Ann Coulter!!! Ho! Ho! Ho! Respectable conservatives blush at these neo-con whores for any corporation funding propagandists.
Fact of the matter, is that you are a Bushie poodle who hates and punishes anyone who dares disagree, just as the mean-spirited Bush regime murder and punish those unwilling to do their ugly bidding. I'd hate the type of world where only rich corporate thugs have any rights and any voice. Even the Iraqis are disgusted with the Bush Gang's (Rumsfeld & Wolfowitz) Chalabi, an embezzler and thief, whom they won't let loot Iraq, in the manner in which Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz & their Corporate Cronies are looting Americans.
Tough luck, buddy, there is a growing community of Americans disgusted with the corrupt Bush regime. Those of us who hate war; massacring innocent people based upon lies; lack of services for Americans as a consequence of massive tax cuts to the richest-of-the-rich; and rights for corporations, but not the citizens; and we are preparing to fight for a just society. If you dont' like it ... too bad!
Over 12,000 Americans DIED from HEAT in USA in the last 30 YEARS!
Another example of the selective propaganda deceptively used to scare and mislead you, by the likes of the buffoon mad-dog Limbaugh and his mediocre imitations like JamesYerian, as follows:
These neo-con fascists are dishonestly blaming the French's excellent National Health Care System for the 5000 deaths this summer, that may or may not be related to the heat. To what do these liars attribute Hundreds of Thousands Deaths in the USA each year from infections & other treatable illnesses, that could be cured if people had health care, and the over 400 deaths due to heat per year in the USA?
These neo-con corporate gangsters avoid reporting that the USA has on average 400 heat related deaths per year, and more in those years with extreme heat like that endured this year by the French. That represents 12,000 Americans who died from heat over the last 30 years. (reference Dead Heat on Slate website)
In France, deaths due to weather make the news, and action is taken. In the USA, the public isn't warned, the deaths occur year-on-year, and the corporate rapists go unpunished!
If one is going to blame a Health Care System for deaths due to extreme weather, the USA fails miserably. If one is going to blame a Health Care System for deaths due to illness that are preventable, the USA fails miserably. Moreover, the trashing of our environment by the Corporate Robber-barons is contributing to Global Warming that affects the weather conditions causing deaths and famine throughout the world.
The Bushies and Cheneys are quite comfy in their air-conditioned palaces: so don't expect any help from them! They are enjoying the funds (bribes?) paid to keep them in the lifestyle of the rich & famous, by their hyper-rich corporate campaign contributors.
Ho Ho Ho! Neo-fascist JamesYerian Spreads a Cult of Ignorance & Death!
Neo-fascist buffoon-boy JamesYerian spreads a cult of ignorance and death to enrich the corrupt Bush regime and their corporate rapist buddies. JamesYerian uses the right-winged propaganda vomited by such blowhards as mad-dog Rush Limbaugh, discredited Ann Coulter and other neo-con clowns who prostitute for the Bushies and corporate robber-barons. (Even conservative Paul Greenberg says Coulter is an embarrassment and her books are crap!)
Notice that JamesYerian suddenly loves those 5000 French and Europeans who may or may not have died from heat related illnesses, but isn't interested in 45 Million Americans without health insurance and the Hundreds of Thousands Americans who die each year in the USA because they can't get health care.
Notice that JamesYerian suddenly loves so-called freedoms for the Iraqi people, but gleefully ignores that between 6600 and 7700 innocent Iraqi citizens were slaughtered in the bizarre, corrupt war waged by the Bush regime to enrich Halliburton, Bechtel, Big Oil, and Defense Contractors (Oh! Don't forget that the Bush Family got a big windfall from the Carlyle Group!)
Notice that JamesYerian screams "patriotism", but ignores the misery of over 312 US & British US Soldiers who died in Iraq (no relation to Bush, Cheney, Blair, Rice, Rumsfeld or Wolfowitz), and the thousands who are maimed, injured and destroyed for life.
Notice that JamesYerian condemns lies unless they are told by the Bush Regime about phony weapons of mass destructive, to wage war killing thousands. JamesYerian also doesn't seem to care about lies told by the Bush Regime and Corporations who profit from the blood spilt by others.
Notice that JamesYerian claims to be an American, but only wants "freedom of speech" that agrees with his own screed. JamesYerian doesn't have a clue about the US Constitution, Bill of Rights or the intent of the Founding Fathers of this great nation.
Funny that JamesYerian doesn't give a rat's ass about the hundreds of thousands of American deaths each year in the USA, that are avoidable with a Universal Health Care System. JamesYerian is typical of the worst type of greedy, exploitative, corporate-take-all raider, profiting off the blood and misery of others.
JamesYerian is a ghoul spreading death and ignorance, and doesn't report the inconvenient facts (at odds with his fascist ideology) that you can verify yourself if you do a little leg-work!
You Try Taking Away National Health Care from the Iraqi People (Ho Ho Ho)
Maybe JamesYerian should try taking away the National Health Care enjoyed by the Iraqi people for the last 20 years! I'd like to see him try.
Even the buffoons Wolfowitz and Bremer were bragging in their last propaganda tour in the USA, that the hospitals were re-opened and Iraqis were again able to obtain the free health care that they had enjoyed under Saddam's rule. I'd like to see the Bush regime try to deny the Iraqi people health care, given the chaotic situation that exists in Iraq today. The US would be ousted so fast is would make your head spin!
Recently the BBC showed a little Iraqi boy of about 10 years old, who had his arms and legs blown off by US Troops. Where did the Red Cross take him? To London, England, where he was undergoing operations and getting prosthetic arms and legs. It was much less costly to perform the same procedures in the UK, than in the USA. The British National Health Care administrators don't make hundreds of millions in salaries, and the Brits don't pay the fat-cat insurance costs and overheads for lobbyists to corrupt their politicos; We Americans are being scammed!
Universal Health Care is good enough for Iraqis. The Iraqi Health Care system may not be as superior as the National Health Care systems in Great Britain, France, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain, etc. etc. etc. but at least Iraqi citizens are able to get Health Care. In America, the Health Care System only works for the Rich or those with good insurance, and the number of those with health insurance is dwindling. Over 45 Million Americans lack health insurance, and out of over 2.4 Million Deaths in the USA per year, hundreds of thousands of American deaths each year are avoidable if they received health care!
I guess Universal Health Care is good enough for the rest of the world, but Americans don't deserve it, according to the neo-con thugs!
Universal Health Care for Americans should be Modelled after the Europeans
The Europeans including the French, Danes, Norwegians, Swedes, and Germans, all live longer on average, than Americans. They also have fewer deaths per capita as a result of disease, than Americans. Tell the Europeans you want to privatize Health Care, and they'll hang you from your short-and-curlies off the Bastille!
Nationalized Health Care is the most affordable system that provides high-quality care to all citizens. The rich can still obtain private health care, they might just have to pay a few more bucks (oh, ain't that a shame! where's my violin?). Universal Health Care is a vision that any enlightened mind would desire. The Greedy Corporate Thugs and Lobbyists employed by Private Health Care institutions and the insurance racket are looting hundreds of billions each year from Americans, and sure aren't enlightened or concerned about the hundreds of thousands who die in this country every year, because they can't afford health care.
Naturally, the insurance and private health care big-wigs don't want Universal Health Care, because they'll be out the $300,000,000 salaires they're currently looting from the public. I urge you to refer to articles published in journals like The Nation, Tom Paine, Mother Jones, and research directly, and you'll find that Universal Health Care will be a major step forward for our nation's citizens. Study the stats on the CDCs and UN web-sites, and you'll see that citizens are healthier in countries with National Health Care.
The neo-con corporate raiders want to eliminate any social system and safety net including social security, education, welfare, fire-fighters, police forces, and all aid to poor and working Americans. Why? In order that they can loot us, just as Chalabi looted the banks he embezzled from, and wants to loot Iraq.
Don't let the JamesYerian neo-fascists convince you that looting is a way of life. Don't ignore the fact that citizens in countries with National Health Care are healthier and live longer! All Americans deserve better, and not just the richest-of-the-rich!
Bush's attack-dogs: Cheney, Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, spent weeks with their whore Chalabi, who is a convicted embezzler (birds of a feather?), instructing him on how to do their bidding. He was most certainly promised enormous power and riches for his loyalty to these thugs, and Bremer appointed him to the Iraqi Council.
The problem is, that the other Iraqis see him for the thug he is, and they aren't happy with his attempted coup d'etat, as they want democracy. Read today's article "Troubles Temper Triumphs in Iraq - Problems Persist in Reconstruction Despite Gains" in the Washington Post.
Another interesting Middle-East developing regarding Cheney, Rumsfeld & Wolfowitz's goon, Chalabi, as follows:
"Chalabi Should Be in Prison"
Agence France Presse, Arab News
AMMAN, 18 August 2003 — A group of 21 Jordanian parliamentarians will call on Washington to extradite Ahmad Chalabi, a key US-ally on the Iraqi Governing Council, to serve out a 22-year prison sentence for fraud, Amman press reports said yesterday.
In a public motion, 21 MPs called for an extraordinary session of Parliament to discuss Chalabi’s involvement in financial irregularities and his extradition to Jordan via Interpol in order to serve his sentence.
Chalabi, leader of the Iraqi National Congress, a pro-Western anti-Saddam Hussein faction which provided troops for the US-led war, built and lost a banking empire in Jordan in the 1980s.
After he was forced to flee the country in 1989, he was convicted in absentia of fraud and embezzling $288 million from Petra Bank into Swiss bank accounts.
Jordanian MPs now want him to face a second trial, on additional charges of defrauding the central bank and Petra clients of $900 million. The Jordanian press said MPs were ready to send a letter to the US administration and Congress, calling for his extradition to Amman to serve his sentence and face the new trial.
“We are collecting more signatures in the coming days and we will ask the government to send a request to the US administration to extradite Chalabi to Jordan via Interpol,” MP Mahmud Kharabcheh was quoted as saying.
Kharabcheh said an extraordinary session of Parliament will debate “the real causes of (Petra’s) collapse and the role played by Mr. Chalabi.” Jordanian Foreign Minister Marwan Moasher has also accused Chalabi of financial irregularities in Switzerland and Lebanon
Ah, the Wonders of No Health Care in the USA: Hundreds of Thousands Die Each Year & NO Resignations!
Ah, again, the neo-screed lies of JamesYerian are back to mislead the ignorant. A typical hypocritical so-called conservative (Abraham Lincoln & Teddy Roosevelt would vomit), JamesYerian claims to "loves life (ho ho ho)", but only for the rich, and to hell with the rest of us. Does JamesYerian work for Karl Rove? Probably not, he isn't smart enough!
The situation in France and across Europe is a singular event affecting perhaps 5000 people who claim to suffer from heat prostration, but there are also extenuating circumstances, such as victims who tragically didn't ask for help! It is absurd to blame the Health Care System if a person didn't call for assistance! In any event, the French National Health Care System is considered one of the BEST in the entire world. In fact, the Marie Curie Centre is the top medical research institute where American Scientists and Doctors seek jobs and contacts, to find cures for everything from Cancer, to Aids, and other diseases. No one in France is denied Health Care.
The French population is well-cared for, and as usual, JamesYerian demonizes any system which helps the low-income and average workers. JamesYerian seems to be one of these neo-creeps who thinks only the rich deserve any care.
In the USA, hundreds of thousands die each year, due to a lack of Health Care. (Look on the US Government National Center for Health web-site www.cdc.gov).
The French have less diseases per capita than in the USA. Also, the French live longer than Americans. Also, out of over 2.4 Million Deaths in the USA last year, over 1,000,000 (e.g. influenza, infections), were avoidable if they had been treated. But since over 45 Million Americans don't have health insurance, they don't get the treatment needed to save their lives.
The difference is that the American Health Care political cronies and rich robber-barons responsible for denying health care to the poor, aren't asked to resign!
France has accountability in times of crisis. The USA does not, because Emperors Bush and Cheney protect their greedy Corporate Cronies.
Only the Neo-Con Criminals can get away with Murder
The left can't get away with sex scandals: they are crucified for lying about sex (I actually agree Clinton should not have lied to the Grand Jury. However Ken Starr also went too far in his prosecution.).
But the Neo-Con criminals seem to get away with lying about war. The Iraq war has resulted in the murders of hundreds of American soldiers and thousands of innocent Iraqi citizens. All these folks lost their lives based upon lies and fabrications. There were no weapons of mass destruction posing an imminent threat. The Bush regime lied.
Now, the Neo-Con Liars are re-writing history to find alternative justifications (ho ho ho), but you check-out other web-sites, and you will find many false statements made by the Bush administration.
Lying is wrong. But you decide: One President is impeached for lying about sex. Should another President get off for lying about war and massacring thousands?
Nobel Laureate for Economics reports Bush Regime is Worst Government in US History
George Akerlof is becoming a household name. Well, sort of. The 2001 Nobel Prize Laureate for Economics, who teaches at Berkeley, was recently cited by Al Gore in his rousing speech to MoveOn at New York University.
Just a few days earlier, Akerlof had been quoted in the German magazine Der Spiegel condemning the Bush Administration as "the worst government the US has ever had in its more than 200 years of history." Those twenty words catapulted Akerlof to the top of Google for a few days but it's worth reading the full text of his illuminating interview with the German weekly for a look at how horrified another longtime member of the American establishment is at the extremism of the Bush Administration.
"This is not normal government policy," Akerlof says. "Now is the time for [American] people to engage in civil disobedience. I think it's time to protest as much as possible." When asked about the deficit, one of his many areas of professional expertise, Akerlof replied that with the current tax cuts, a realistic estimate would be in excess of six trillion, far more than the Administration is predicting.
So is the government just bad at doing the math? "The government is not really telling the truth to the American people...Past administrations from the time of Alexander Hamilton have, on the average, run responsible budgetary policies. What we have here is a form of looting."
Former US Diplomat reports Rumsfeld led Bush into War
The following article was published today (but I suspect it was the team of Cheney and Rumsfeld who led little Bush to war, to grab both power & riches rewarded by corporate interests):
"Rumsfeld Led Bush to War, Ex Diplomat"
Agence France Presse, Arab News
ATHENS, 18 August 2003 — A former US diplomat who resigned over the Iraq war yesterday described US President George W. Bush as a “very weak” man led by the hand into battle by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
Brady Kiesling, who was political counselor at the US Embassy in Athens at the time of his resignation in February, said in an open letter published by Greek daily To Vima that Rumsfeld exploited the war to increase his own power.
Kiesling — whose warning that US aims in Iraq were “incompatible with American values” struck a chord with the predominantly anti-war Greeks — described Bush as “a politician who badly wants to appear strong but in reality is very weak.”
He said Rumsfeld led Bush by the hand into war, marginalized the secret services who had doubts about the war, and emerged as the top politician in Washington.
“Easy to convince, (Bush) blindly believed in Rumsfeld’s assurances that the occupation of Iraq would pay for itself,” Kiesling said.
“The longer we remain in Iraq, the more the resistance to the American presence is going to be a source of legitimacy for the extremists,” he said. He called for an expanded role for the United Nations and the European Union in the reconstruction of Iraq.
Kiesling said he regretted that US intelligence services had not spoken out about untruths concerning Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, which he added had humiliated the United States and damaged its closest ally, Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain.
Iraq Out of Control: US Military Mistakenly Kills Reuters Cameraman
The situation in Iraq is out of control as important oil and water pipelines are destroyed today, causing major damage to infrastructure that military experts say will take weeks or months to repair. Iraqis are angry and worried. So are the US Soldiers on the frontlines.
"Reuters cameraman Mazen Dana, 41, was filming outside the prison when he was shot by U.S. soldiers.
A Reuters staffer said on condition of anonymity that the videotape in Dana's camera showed two U.S. tanks coming toward him. Two shots, apparently from the tanks, rang out and Dana fell to the ground. He was taken away by a U.S. helicopter for treatment.
A U.S. military official said on condition of anonymity that American soldiers saw Dana from a distance and mistook him for an Iraqi guerrilla, so they opened fire. When the soldiers came closer, they realized Dana was a journalist, the official said.
Stephen Jukes, Reuters' global head of news, said, "Mazen was one of Reuters' finest cameramen and we are devastated by his loss.""
Our own soldiers are so understaffed that they are trigger-happy. Over 100 days after Bush declared the war over, the situation is chaotic. The Pentagon officials responsible for the failed planning, should be asked to resign.
HO! HO! HO! You Don't Have to Look to Britain for Health Care Problems: USA's are WORSE!
JamesYerian is a buffoon because he is ill-informed and doesn't even try to seek the truth. You don't have to bother looking at Britain's Health Care System if you want to find real problems! I lived in the United Kingdom and France for over 20 years and made use of their high quality health care services. Folks, the Health Care problems are a whole lot worse right here in the good old U.S.A.
Bill Moyers devoted an entire "NOW with Bill Moyers" (on PBS) episode to our American Health Care System's Scams & Scandals, including:
1. Heartbreaking stories of average workers losing their homes and savings to pay for their kid's cancer operations. Another man's wife was pregnant and became ill, and he had to sell their house to pay for her care. This scandal is occuring around the country and is happening to thousands of families who don't have health insurance or are denied health insurance because a member of the family was once sick. If someone has been ill, the Health Care Insurers can refuse to sell them insurance.
Our system is sick and filled with corruption destroying the lives of thousands of Americans in the process.
2. Americans are losing jobs because the companies they worked for won't hire anyone who had health care 'issues' in their family. These companies don't want to pay the higher rates although their CEOs pay-packages and salaries double, triple and sometimes quadruple in value year-in-and-year-out.
3. Currently, there are many lobbyists assigned to each Senator and Representative to wine-and-dine them into voting against reforms of the system that enriches a few on the backs of the people. The Chiefs & Executives of the private Health (HMOs) institutions and Big Insurance are making hundreds of millions of dollars per year (hundreds of times more in a year than their own employees make! it's crazy) and bribing politicians not to pass legislation to help children, elderly, and the sick in need of care.
Both Britain and France have great health care systems. I was rushed to an emergency room in London, and had to undergo an operation. My bill at the end of a 3-day stay was $2,000, whereas in the U.S.A., the same operation costs over $35,000. Why? Because the Health Insurance & Privatized Health Industry are stealing from Americans, the same way that the Pharmaceutical Industry is charging hundreds of times more for the same medicine for the sick, elderly and crippled people, than those in Europe pay-out. These are massive and gross profits that make a few rich, and leave the rest in misery.
The big advertisers, lobbyists, bought-off politicos and others will dig-up stories from countries with National Health Care Systems, to scare you. Look around, our Health Care Industry has hundreds of horror stories happening every day. The difference in Europe is that everyone in need gets help if sick, and won't be denied care, nor bankrupted for their care. Moreover, if there is a problem (we have MORE mistakes and problems than in Europe), it must be made public, whereas, in the USA private industries try to cover it up, and some insurers try to avoid paying the bills!
You've been scammed by the big-monied interests: Universal Health Care is great. If you don't believe me, just go on a trip to the U.K. France, or anywhere in old Europe-- and you'll find out I'm right!
JamesYerian Lies: Bush & Pentagon planned Cutting Pay of US Soldiers until Revolt!
JamesYerian selectively chooses the propaganda he spits out. The White House and Pentagon DID plan to cut the pay of US Solider in Iraq, until the Army, Veteran's Group, and both Republican & Democractic Senators told Rove he had better advise Bush on how to behave properly, because practically everyone revolted in outrage!
Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld are so out-of-touch with reality, they didn't comprehend (stupidly) the negative reaction to their gross behavior, until the entire Armed Services revolted! The fact that they even contemplated inflicting such damage upon soldiers who are serving in Iraq under false pretences, is an abomination. It demonstrates their contempt for our US soldiers in harm's way, and they simply view them as pawns in their dirty games.
In order to balance the Pentagon over-spending caused by their own arrogant short-sightedness, ineptitude, and corruptions, I suggest the following:
1. Cut Cheney, Rumsfeld & Wolfowitz's pay salaires. These corrupt politicos should serve for nothing for the duration of their term, which will hopefully be short!
2. Cut the profits spent on Defense Corporations who are profitting big-time, while our boys are dying. It is immoral that Halliburton is making massive war-profittering bucks while paying the corrupt Cheney over $1 Million a year (BRIBES). Profits from all involved in the war on Iraq, should be confiscated to pay-off the nation's deficits created by the Bushies.
3. Roll-back the obscene tax-cuts for the rich. Surely, the rich can make a few sacrifices at times of war, since their kids aren't going to Iraq!
Pay our US Soldiers MORE, who have the courage to do what Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz never did!
JamesYerian is a neo-con Liar - Wesley Clark Says "Iraq war based on 'misjudgment'"
CNN reports an interview in which Wesley Clark says "Iraq war based on 'misjudment'".
JamesYerian is not credible. He lies and misquotes sources. He fails to point out that Clark was willing to do the White House's bidding initially, out of loyalty to the U.S. Government, during a crisis-- but now considers that he was betrayed, and more importantly, the USA was betrayed by the Bush administration who lied about phony so-called "weapons of mass destruction". Clark also has publicly said the Bush administration has mismanaged the Pentagon and placed our military at risk unnecessarily.
Read Maureen Dowd in the NY Times, yesterday, who describes the phenomena that the right-wingers fund mercernaries (whores) who shout-down democratic debate on the internet. JamesYerian is a "web-pig" who shouts down others and outright lies in defense of the indefensible.
Find your own sources: to be informed one learns nothing from JamesYerian. He's a neo-con, hate-filled, "arm-chair" propagandist. He just doesn't seem smart enough to work for the neo-cons, but then they've got the blowhard Rush Limbaugh, right?
JamesYerian is a right-winged sheep who vomits neo-con doctrine
JamesYerian is a right-winged sheep who vomits the same tired old diatribes over and over and over and over and over again.
At Oxbridge (Cambridge & Oxford are the top UK universities), they call mercenaries like JamesYerian "shit-for-brains". I only mention it, because the phrase comes to mind, every time JamesYerian posts one of his mind-numbing, idiotic screeds. One only hopes he is paid to do so, because otherwise, it's "shit-for-nothing".
His tactic is to shout everyone else down. He's just another whore for the neo-con pimps.
