"Power really does turn people into unpleasant morons."
* emptywheel :
"You see, Griles ties right into this great boondoggle BushCo dreamt up, whereby favored oil companies basically get to sell us our own gas at inflated rates and then, later, they get to sell our own gas to the market at deflated rates (with kickbacks thrown in for those, like Wooldridge, arranging this gig). And it was all dreamt up by Sue Ellen Wooldridge.'
* wolcott:
"DeLay is not only stupid but mean as dirt, mean-and-stupid being the signature trait of the modern sunbelt conservative.
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DeLay is enjoying the full-bodied ego massage that Newt Gingrich has been undergoing since his disgrace. Gingrich would not have been able to make even a minor comeback if it weren't for the complicity of the cable-news channels, which allow him to present himself as some grand strategic futuristic thinker without ever questioning him on the particulars or bringing up the petty spiteful comments strewn throughout his past--as if it would be poor taste to mention such blemishes in the presence of such a vital vortex of bold ideas. They've lent him an undeserved cloak of respectability, which he wears like a Roman cape. To paraphrase Norman Mailer, Gingrich's ego is his chariot and he entered the CPAC auditorium like a conquering hero, only to spout piffle about "one nation under God" and to blame victims of Katrina for their own predicament. It's difficult to think of two more ugly-spirited men in public life than Newt Gingrich and Tom DeLay, yet here they are on TV, befouling the waters again and again and again."
* Rep Obey slams WaPo Ed on the floor (2mins)
* james moore:
"Whether Rove chats or testifies, Congress will surely be frustrated. Asking Rove questions is simply not an effective method of ascertaining facts. Reporters who, like me, have dogged the presidential advisor from Texas to Washington quickly learn how skilled he is at dancing around the periphery of issues. Any answers he does deliver can survive a thousand interpretations. Few intellects are as adept at framing, positioning and spinning ideas. That's a great talent for politics. But it's dangerous when dealing with the law.
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If Rove winds up under oath before Congress, members will get a command performance by a man with masterful communications skills. They can expect to hear artful impressions, bits of information and a few stipulated facts.
But they should not expect the truth."
* raimondo:
"The Pelosi bill, in short, is the most partisan, most dishonest piece of legislation possible, under the circumstances. With one hand it proffers a veritable cornucopia of goodies – benchmarks on "troop readiness," an end to extended deployment, "rest periods" between deployments, and, most delectable of all, a deadline of October 1, 2007, for the Iraqis to get their act together, or else we're out of there.
With the other hand, however, the Pelosi-crats hand the ball back to the Bush administration, ensuring that nothing will come of it but a campaign issue for the Democrats. It's all smoke-and-mirrors. News accounts insist the Pelosi bill requires a complete U.S. withdrawal, except it just isn't true: as currently written, the legislation provides for the stationing of considerable forces in Iraq provided they are (supposedly) going after al Qaeda, or other terrorist organizations with "global reach." We're just going to have to take this administration's word for it if – or, rather, when – the President makes short shrift of Pelosi's feeble benchmarks.
Listen to the language of the "antiwar" Pelosi-crats: they never say we ought to withdraw from Iraq – instead, they insist, we should "redeploy." Which means we'll bide our time, and wait for the opportunity to pounce once again on whatever practically defenseless Middle Eastern nation is targeted next.
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The idea that the Democrats are any kind of "peace party" is belied by the latest action of the Speaker in regard to this bill, who excised a provision that would have required the President to come to Congress for permission to attack Iran. And, gee, what a coincidence, but that this was done right after the recent conference of the American-Israel Political Affairs Committee"
1 comment:
I was pleased to vote in Moveon.org's opinion poll and discovered I fall in that magic six percent category of most radical, left-wing extremist who believes in ending the war now, and not sending thousands more lives and hundreds of billions of dollars down the drain.
I was more than happy to write a few words in the comments box. It was something about "tell Congress to QUIT JERKING IT," and some other stuff about it having always been a mistake. I noticed over at Americablog the staff was squarely of the opinion that supporting the Pelosi bill is the right thing, if you know how things are done in Washington.
I'm not from Washington but am more than totally unaware of how things happen in Washington. The Pelosi legislation assumes that sometimes the Bush administration tells the truth, when it does not, and further that they won't do the opposite of what they say they'll do, and right before your eyes, no less, which they always do.
Life has taught me you don't give an inch to a bully, and that bullies are cowards when confronted. These bullies in particular need confrontation, and to hear the word "no" everytime they want something. Americans sent democrats to Washington to end the war and oust Bush and Cheney. They had 30 days to do it. Call me a naive, babe-in-the-woods simpleton; but, if you recall, a republican Congressional majority and executive steadily shoved their partisan, fascist nonsense down the throats of democrats, and Americans, nonstop, and as roughly as possible.
Taking the position we must now be amicable and conciliatory in forging a compromise doesn't cut it with me. The new democratic majority is an abject failure, and I reject it. Anyone in Washington today who isn't as far in place as antiwar is expendible and may be discarded. I never supported this carnival, don't support more funding of it now and can't lockstep with a war policy that is irresponsible, ignorant and mean. Doing less than total disengagement is the same thing as doing nothing.
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