"Faith-based" Guru Dilulio Jumps Ship

(8/17/01)  The Czar of Dubya's "faith based initiative" is quitting as soon as a transition team can be organizied. 

The plan, hatched by Dubya to pay his debt to the religious right wing of the GOP, is a clear violation of the First Amendment to the US Constitution.  The Founding Fathers (I hate that term) knew that if the official government tried to get mixed up in something as subjective as religion, trouble was soon to follow.  Just look at the foreign countries that have governments that are tied to a particular faith.  Chances are pretty good that they are regressive, tied to dogmatic beliefs that defy common sense and current scientific knowledge, and end up with a big power play to some self-appointed clergy that control decisions best made by you and me.

Is this what we want for America?  A state-sponsored religion with a powerful clergy?   I don't think so.  

Write to your senator, and SOON!  We have to stop this unconsitutional crap in its tracks. 

Dubya Tries Accountancy to Fix Budget Deficit

(8/17/01)  In a move that is drawing criticism from the Left, the Right, and the Middle, Dubya has ordered that $4.3 billion be transferred from the Social Security Trust Fund to the general budget.  This is a clear attempt to try to bouy up the floundering "surplus" which is projected to become a $17 billion deficit this year and a $42 billion deficit for 2002.

The whole manuever is nothing short of an arcane exercise in spin control.  Dubya is going to take an ass-whuppin' for running the US budget into deficit spending with his tax relief for the top 1% program.  Did you get your check yet?  Are you going to run out and "stimulate" the economy?

Probably not, because if you are reading this you have some common sense and you know that our economy is in some deep shit.  You will likely take your tax loan and apply it toward existing debt or stash it away.  In either case it has no effect on the economy.  Maybe we could get some consumer confidence back when we run these GOPER assholes out of office in 2002.

News Briefs

(8/15/01)

* Dubya to tap Elizabeth Dole to spearhead Senate takeback attempt in mid-terms

* Freedom of speech repressed by Dubya in Colorado visit - no demonstrators allowed

* European poll: 2/3 of Europeans give Dubya low marks for Star Wars and rejection of Global Warming

* Dubya stem cell policy angers conservative wing of GOPERS, but follows the focus groups and polls

House Passes DingleFritz-Norwood Bill

Norwood sells out his allies, makes secret deal with Dubya, and the victims are HMO patients who will be tied up with red tape.

(8/3/01)  Dubya is claiming victory after the House narrowly passed a compromise Patient's Bill of Rights.  The House version has major differences with the version the Senate passed earlier, meaning the conference committee will have a bitter fight.  The "victory" is temporary, but gives Dubya a leg up in the PR battle over this bill.  It remains to be seen how the bill will be understood by the average American.

Rep. Norwood met with Dubya in a secret meeting while moderate GOPERS and Democrat allies were having their own meeting to discuss the bill.  We probably will never know what Norwood gets out of the deal, but Dubya can now say he's passed a Patient's Bill of Rights.  But what does that exactly mean?

Key provisions in the Bush-Norwood bill are not favorable to patients.  First, lawsuits have been capped at $1.5 million.  Dubya had been holding out for a $500,000 cap, a mere pittance and no deterrent for HMOs to withold treatment from their customers.  $1.5 million is far short of the $5 million cap in the Senate bill. 

The biggest blow to patients is the process required by the bill.  First, the patient must present their case to an "independent" review board.  (I don't think any of us have any delusions about what that means.)  Then, after fulfilling the bill's requirement to exhaust all available resources, the patient may file a lawsuit in Federal court.  This process is much more complicated, expensive, and will result in long delays because the Federal court dockets are greatly more booked than state courts.

The obvious goal of the Bush plan is to throw up as many obstacles as possible between a wronged patient and justice and limiting the amount a person can win.  This is designed to protect Dubya's Big Business contributers who have fought tooth and nail against any meaningful changes in the health insurance system since the early days of the Clinton presidency.

There's A Fine Line Between Spin And Lies

And the Dubya Administration has found a way to erase it.

(8/2/01)  The Administration is feeding lies to the media and they are going with it like it's gospel.  However, there is a major disconnect between what is being reported and what is happening.

There are a couple of recent cases in point.  Colin Powell just returned from a highly touted trip to China, and the Administration Lie Machine was cranking out stories about what wonderful progress was made.  This was done to try to improve the public's perception of US foreign policy after a pair of disastrous visits to Europe by the First Dope.  The first rumbling that something might have gone wrong with Powell's trip came when the Chinese government censored an interview he gave to a TV station. They cut out remarks about human rights and Taiwan.  Then, last night (8/1/01) the story broke that the PRC was set to launch its biggest war games EVER, after issuing statements threatening a full military invasion of Taiwan if they declare independence.  Excuse me, but do you see any PROGRESS in this? 

The second case in point is the lie that Dubya put out after his last meeting with Putin.  According to Dubya's version of that meeting, there was a breakthrough on arms control linked to Son of Star Wars.  Condoleeza Rice would be going over to begin negotiaions on disarmament and Star Wars would proceed while the Russians roll over.  Then, there was silence.  A few days later, it was announced that the Russians had tested a SCRAM missile capable of defeating any missile defense system by sheer speed and low altitude.  Does this add up?  Of course not! 

The problem I see is that it appears that Dubya is believing his own spin, because he appears to be acting like it's true.  Heaven help us; our president can't  tell the difference between reality and fantasy.

House Approves ANWR Drilling

In separate vote, higher milage standards for cars & SUVS were rejected

(8/1/01)  The House last night approved the First Fossil's Energy Fallacy by a vote of 223-206.  Amendments that would have protected ANWR from exploration and raised milage standards were defeated.  Senate Democrats have vowed to block ANWR drilling.

The MSNBC article I read said that there could be up to16 billion barrels of oil in ANWR and that the US uses about 20 million barrels per day.  If you do the math on this...

       16,000,000,000/20,000,000 = 800.

That's right, 800 days supply of oil, or just over 2 years.  Other estimates I've read put the amount as low as 6 months.  Is this worth the tradeoff, especially in light of the fact that the House seems unwilling to take steps to conserve energy?  I don't think so.  What do you think?  Do you agree that a letter to your congressional representative is in order?

What Goes Around, Comes Around

Katherine Harris under investigation for travel expenses by her own party

(7/31/01)  Kate Harris, whose qualifications for Florida Secretary of State include getting on night club stages and exhorting drunks to get up and do the "chicken dance", is drawing fire from her own party over her extravagent travel style and her concept of her job description.  She reportedly spent $106,000 on travel in her first 22 months in office, more than any cabinent member or even Jebbie himself.  She spent much of that money on luxury hotels and the taxpayers of Florida picked up the tab.

Her new budget asks for $3.4 million for international travel.  Her explanation is that she wants the Florida State Department to develop into an international office like the U.S. State Department.  What in the HELL is she thinking?  A little bit of "title envy" got her goat?

In the heady days after the appointment of Dubya as President, Harris thought her 30 pieces of silver would be an appointment as ambassador to some unspecified country.  In fact, someone, it's not clear who, was floating balloons suggesting the possibility.  Chances are, it turns out, these balloons were coming from Harris herself.  Apparently she's so dirty that even Dubya can't use her and now Jebbie is appointing a special review committee of her finances and activities. 

At least for now America is safe from the chicken dance while Harris scrambles to CYA. (St. Petersburg Times)

The New Arms Race Begins

(7/30/01) Many observers, including me, have been predicting that Son of Star Wars would destabilize the world balance of power and start a new arms race.  The race is on.  US intelligence officials today reported that Russia conducted a missile test of a technology specifically designed to defeat ABM systems. 

This should not be a surprise to anyone.  Putin vowed back in June to develop and deploy countermeasures including multiple warheads to defeat any missile defense "shield" the US could devise.  He was very straightforward in saying that Russia does NOT consider the 1972 ABM treaty "dead" or "irrelevant" and that US violations of the treaty would result in scrapping the entire treaty system.

We are now a rogue nation in the eyes of the world.

Read the story at  http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20010730-13752166.htm

Bush Administration Nixes Biological Warfare Treaty

(7/25/01) This is becoming a familiar litany.  Dubya is defying the world view and turning the US into a rogue nation.  This time it was the international treaty banning the use of biological weapons.  The treaty has been in negotiations for 7 years and includes all major world powers.

The US seems to think it has some God-given right to use whatever weapons or ignore whatever treaties it chooses.  This treaty rejection is not without precedent; the US also refused to support the Small Arms Limitation Treaty, the banning of anti-personnel land mines, international war crimes laws, and now is ready to unilaterally scrap the ABM treaty.

Makes us look like chumps in my opinion.  How embarassing.

Dubya Sickens Pope With His Dumb-ass Views

(7/23/01)  Dubya stopped by the Pope's summer home to pay his respects.  I wonder if Dubya remembered giving that speech at Bob Jones University, who calls the Pope the "Great Satan"?

John Paul looked truly dismayed by the presence of the First Twerp, and gave him a tongue-lashing on the subject of capital punishment and stem cell research.  It's probably a good thing that the Pope avoided condemning membership in secret societies with unnatural sexual practices