MoDo MustGo

Now.

Hillary's like soooo loser.

Please stop hurting our discourse.

Please, Oh Please

Don't let the Fed cut rates again:

U.S. stocks coasted higher Wednesday, with investors cheered by thoughts the day could bring another interest-rate reduction by the Federal Reserve.

With a decision due at 2:15 p.m. Eastern, consensus estimates say the central bank will cap a two-day Federal Open Market Committee gathering by trimming rates a quarter-point to 4.5%, following up on a 50-point cut in September.

"Today all eyes are on the FOMC. We expect [a] 25 basis point cut with further action likely as the economy slips through quarter two of 2008," said Tom Di Galoma, head of U.S. Treasury trading at Jefferies & Co. Inc.

Others agreed. "I think the market will get the treat" of the rate cut, said John Derrick of U.S. Global Investors.

This is one of the most colossally stupid things I've ever heard. They've been good, little financial worker bees, so they deserve a big ole rate cut just in time to get their big fat bonuses!!!! Yeah!!!

No. The market is insane if it thinks the Fed will cut rates, and the Fed may very well be insane if it lets itself be held captive to the market's - and all its participants - desire for a fatter paycheck.

Considering what actual inflation - food and energy, not this inflation ex-inflation bullshit analysts have been trying to push off on us - has been doing, the Fed should do its job and try to rein in inflation, not let it run wild.

Furthermore, there is another very tangible downside to cutting rates - further accelerating the dollar's decline. That means lots of pain for everyone. Keep reading the Big Picture post for more or see this Reuters article:

OPEC is likely to discuss creating a basket of currencies for oil pricing at its next summit due to the steady decline in the dollar, Venezuela's Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez said on Friday.

"The need to establish a basket of currencies ... will probably be a point of discussion in the next OPEC summit," Ramirez told reporters during an evening event in the presidential palace.

"The dollar as a benchmark currency has been weakening quite a lot and it creates distortions in oil markets."

Lower rates means lower interest earned. If that's the case, then foreign government don't have the incentive to hold U.S. securities or U.S. dollars. People sell dollars, which causes the price of the dollar to decline, which means Americans have less purchasing power.

A weaker dollar also doesn't help oil exporting countries, who have thus far exported in dollars, or the petrodollar. Why does this matter to us? Because they're sure to switch to more reliable currencies, like the Euro, since keeping their exports denominated in dollars will cause their profits to decline. When that happens, the U.S. will need to spend more money on exchanging dollars to purchase oil, which means the price of gas will go up even further.

So, what's the Fed gonna do? Give the kids Halloween candy that will later give them cavities, or show a little responsibility?

Update: Stupid, irresponsible Fed:

The Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate by a quarter point to 4.5 percent to cushion the U.S. economy from the housing recession that officials predict will extend into next year.

...

"The committee judges that, after this action, the upside risks to inflation roughly balance the downside risks to growth.''

Paul Volcker needs to Schoolhouse Rock Bernanke on the 1980s. Now.

Fun with Blackwater

Standing down so they can stand up:

Iraqi politicians are moving quickly to rescind a three-year-old decree that gives foreign security companies immunity from local law. The push comes less than two months after Blackwater USA employees killed 17 Iraqis in Baghdad, igniting a diplomatic firestorm.

While the Iraqi cabinet approved a draft law yesterday that would make contractors subject to Iraqi law, politicians in the U.S. questioned why the State Department may have granted limited immunity to several Blackwater guards involved in the Sept. 16 shooting. The Iraqi government has called the shooting unprovoked.

I wonder what Boy Bush will have to say about this. But about that immunity,

So I just learned on CNN that the State Department offered immunity to the Blackwater guards. That they don't have the power to do it. That they did it anyway. That senior State people didn't sign off on this thing they didn't have the power to do. This thing they didn't have the power to do will inhibit any efforts to prosecute them.

Is every part of this administration FUBAR?

Yes, I already know the answer to that question.

Worst Legislation Ever

The Telecom Act of 1996. Made it possible for a company to own more than one of each TV/radio station in an area. It gave us crap like this:

Republican radio network Clear Channel, a monopoly in many cities and a dominant player in most of the rest, isn't interested. Is it because Springsteen has been an outspoken campaigner for Democrats and progressives? Clear Channel has taken a political stand with its programming in the past. Just think back to their boycott of the Dixie Chicks. Oh, no... not way back, just back to when they released their most recent album. Despite being one of the top 10 best-selling American albums of the year-- across all genres and demographics-- radio studiously ignored it. There were maybe half a dozen country stations that even played it at all. What Clear Channel did to the Dixie Chicks is a watertight case for the need to break the media companies up into a thousand pieces.

Thanks assholes!

We're Doomed

So says Krugman.

It's telling to the degree which the Beltway media is focused on the navel-gazing aspects and the aspects that only matter to people as cynical and focused on the superficial minutiae as much as they are.

And yet I wonder why CNN makes my head hurt.

WAAAAAHHH!!!!!

Everybody's being mean and not doing what I want them to do!!!!

President Bush blasted the Democratic-controlled Congress on Tuesday for having "the worst record in 20 years."

"Congress is not getting it's work done," President Bush said on Tuesday.

"Congress is not getting it's work done," Bush said, flanked by members of the Republican House leadership. "The House of Representatives has wasted valuable time on a constant stream of investigations, and the Senate has wasted valuable time on an endless series of failed votes to pull our troops out of Iraq."

Does this article once bother to mention the constant threat of Bush's veto or the most obstructionist Senate minority ever? No.

Bush is a joke and if he makes statements like that he should only be able to air them in a platform where he is subject to only ridicule, instead of elevated like an actual statesman.

Obama's Campaign Loses It

Atrios:

Part of the reason that we have had a faith outreach in our campaigns is precisely because I don't think the LGBT community or the Democratic Party is served by being hermetically sealed from the faith community and not in dialogue with a substantial portion of the electorate, even though we may disagree with them.

Aside from the adoption of right wing frames, this kind of statement is incredibly insulting to both the LGBT community who are apparently "hermetically sealed from the faith community" and to the "faith community" which is apparently defined as nothing more than a bunch of anti-gay bigots. Not to mention the Democratic Party, which apparently includes no actual religious people.

It's really just insulting to everyone, with a touch of "shut the hell up I know best."

John Aravosis:

So, in the end, Obama let his "best" and "favorite" artist slam gays to thousands of African-Americans, in his name, and neither he nor his hand-chosen white gay preacher said anything in response. Class act, that Obama campaign. For them, creating a "dialogue" means the gay-basher gets to spread his bigotry to thousands while the candidate and the token gay STFU.

This campaign needs to be restarted or retired.

Real, Clear Leadership

Dodd:

"Mr. Mukasey's position that the President does not have to heed the law disqualifies him from being the chief attorney for the United States. We have seen for too long, and at great expense to our national security, an Administration that has systematically attacked the rule of law and turned our Justice Department into a political wing of the White House. I'm afraid that Mr. Mukasey as Attorney General would be more of the same."

Before I become a complete hack, let me point out I think that any of the top-tier Democrats would make fine presidents and I will vote for whoever wins the nomination. However, Dodd would be better. His statements demonstrate that he understands how to communicate crisply and effectively - one of the most important things a person can do.

Holy Joe Is Down and Dirty

Surprised?

Contributions from associates and friends of now-indicted garbage executive James Galante to the 2004 presidential campaign of U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman have sparked the interest of federal investigators.

Lieberman's bid for the White House took in at least $14,000 from Galante, his associates and their relatives in the fall of 2003, according to a Courant review of campaign records.

The contributions to Lieberman, a longtime Democrat who became an independent in 2006, are similar to allegedly bundled contributions to three Republican officeholders that earlier this month led to state charges against Galante, who is also facing a 2006 federal racketeering indictment.

Go home, Joe. You're stupid and ugly and nobody likes you.

Waaahhh!!!!

Deciderer in Command:

President George W. Bush said Congress has failed to complete work on a host of important spending measures while wasting time resending him legislation he has already vetoed.

``This is not what congressional leaders promised when they took control of Congress earlier this year,'' Bush said at the White House. ``With only a few weeks left on the legislative calendar, Congress needs to keep their promise to stop wasting time and get essential work done on behalf of the American people.''

He said he still objects to revised legislation that the House passed yesterday to expand a U.S. children's health insurance program.

``It costs more over the next five years than the one I vetoed,'' he said.

He's such a whiny ass titty baby. The country doesn't like you, Mr. 28%, so get over it.

Still Hating the Children

Bush:

President Bush will veto the House's latest attempt to extend the State Children's Health Insurance Program if it reaches his desk, the White House said Thursday.

The Office of Management and Budget said the bill, expected to face a House vote Thursday, doesn't address Mr. Bush's objections to the previous SCHIP bill, which he vetoed earlier this month. In a statement of administration policy, OMB complained that the bill would expand SCHIP coverage without assuring that poor children are already enrolled in the program, provide coverage for adults through 2012, move children away from private health insurance and cost more than the first SCHIP bill.

This is all about Bush and his war on everyone who disagrees with him on anything. Maybe he thinks this war is one he can win.

My Favorite Congressperson

Henry Waxman.

I want mah contempt charges filed!

Democracy

Just the way Bush likes it:

Rep. Henry Waxman, chairman of the House oversight committee, said Thursday that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has issued an order requiring his approval of any corruption investigations of himself or senior ministry officials.

Waxman, D-Calif., said the order essentially grants immunity to al-Maliki and his ministry at a time when fraud and abuse is rampant and hurting reconstruction efforts.

h/t Atrios.

Leadership

Dodd:

Contrast Dodd's leadership and conviction on this matter with the complete passivity and invisibility of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Both candidates finally issued statements last night purporting to set forth their views on telecom amnesty and the FISA bill -- but did so only because they were forced to, after they learned that several blogs, in conjunction with MoveOn, intended to launch efforts today to pressure their campaigns finally to say where they stood on the Dodd filibuster.

Whatever that is, it's the opposite of "leadership." And it is this passivity and amorphous, shapeless, inspiration-free invisibility that has come increasingly to characterize both of their campaigns, along with the leadership of their party. That is why Dodd's relatively mild actions have generated such intense enthusaism and support -- a drop of water to someone stranded in the desert will seem like a royal feast.

I've pointed out his leadership before, but I think my mind is settled now: I'm voting for Chris Dodd in the primary.

Kerrey Not In

Hmm.

Ending months of speculation, former Sen. Bob Kerrey (D-Neb.) announced this morning that he will not be a candidate for Senate in 2008.

He's a mixed bag. Be interesting to see who emerges as the Democratic nominee.

No One Could Have Anticipated...

This week's edition:

Turkish warplanes and helicopter gunships attacked positions of Kurdish rebels along its rugged border with Iraq Wednesday, as Turkey's military stepped up its antirebel operations.

The warplanes and helicopter gunships bombed mountain paths in Turkey used by rebels to infiltrate from neighboring Iraq, Turkey's state-run Anatolia news agency reported.

It's just a comma.

Differences between Progressives and Conservatives

Progressives form their opinions and values based on reality. Conservatives form their reality based on their opinions and values.

The White House severely edited congressional testimony given Tuesday by the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the impact of climate change on health, removing specific scientific references to potential health risks, according to two sources familiar with the documents.

Sunshine in America! Because we want it to be that way!

Cowards

What Digby said.

Funny

When he says things like this:

“Congress should not go home for the holidays while our troops are still waiting for the funds they need,”

As someone points out:

AP noted that the President has spent 409 days of his Presidency on vacation at the Crawford "ranch." Maybe some folks think that's a little excessive out of about 2300 days, I'm not so sure. I wonder if the nation wouldn't be in better shape if the numbers were reversed since 18% isn't a real big percentage although it does average out to 3 months per year - most of us might get 2 weeks or .4%. I know, he has a tough job - too bad he's so bad at it.

Clap louder.

Still Funnier

The left. By far.

Senile

John McCain:

Republican presidential candidate John McCain outlined a proposal on Thursday to revamp the U.S. health care system by providing Americans with a refundable $2,500 tax credit as an incentive to buy insurance.

What world is he living in where $2,500 a year is enough to provide you with health coverage? Is he out of his mind? If you're lucky that can cover you for a few months at most. All these "voluntary" programs do is ensure that people opt out, which leads to 1. premiums rising because of the greater risk inherent in a smaller coverage universe, and 2. more expensive emergency care because of less reliance on cheaper preventative care.

If he's trying to play to the frothing-at-the-mouth free market fundamentalists who run the party, he's got it all wrong. If that was the case his plan should be: cut taxes, give you more money to pay for health insurance.

Things That Will Never Happen

Reuters:

The United Nations called on the United States government on Thursday to ensure that any U.S. private contractors committing offences in Iraq are prosecuted.

The killing of 17 Iraqis in a shooting involving U.S. security firm Blackwater last month has created tensions between Baghdad and Washington and sparked calls for tighter controls on private contractors, who are immune from prosecution in Iraq.

In a new human rights report, the U.N. mission in Iraq urged "U.S. authorities to investigate reports of deaths caused by privately hired contractors and establish effective mechanisms for holding them accountable for where the circumstances surrounding the killings show no justifiable cause".

I wonder why...

Enough is Enough

Even Time realizes Republicans have jumped the shark:

In short, just as the radio spot claimed, the Frosts are precisely the kind of people that the SCHIP program was intended to help.

...

Politics has never been a gentle game. As far back as 1895, satirist Finley Peter Dunne's fictional saloonkeeper Martin Dooley observed that women, children and prohibitionists would do well to stay out of it, because "politics ain't beanbag." But surely, even Mr. Dooley could never have imagined a day would come when a mere seventh grader could be swift-boated.

As has been pointed out before, this is about their tribalism, and anyone who attacks their leader will feel the full brunt of their wrath. They revel in their orgy-like bonding and collective venting of rage. We're past the point where society should recognize these brutish and nasty tendencies for what they are and work to exclude people who act in such a manner.

The longer this goes on the larger the pit of ice in my stomach grows.

Get Over It

Somehow this is still news:

Federal authorities seized a collection of fine wines and a saxophone autographed by President Clinton from the New York apartment of Democratic fundraiser Norman Hsu, according to newspaper reports published Thursday.

The wine collection included dozens of bottles of Chateau Lafite Rothschild, vintage Cristal champagne, and a variety of California wines. Experts said the collection could be worth up to $100,000.

"I wish I had this collection," wine-industry consultant and University of California professor Robert Yetman told the Los Angeles Times. "It's a little showy, but nice."

Anything to give a Democrat the taint of sleaziness, even when it obviously isn't there. Stop sniffing Hillary's panties.

Jumping the Shark

I'm sure I'll say this again sooner than I expect to, and I might have already said this, but this week will be memorialized as the moment the Republican party jumped the shark.

So when Democrats enlisted 12-year-old Graeme Frost, who along with a younger sister relied on the program for treatment of severe brain injuries suffered in a car crash, to give the response to Mr. Bush’s weekly radio address on Sept. 29, Republican opponents quickly accused them of exploiting the boy to score political points.

Then, they wasted little time in going after him to score their own.

In recent days, Graeme and his family have been attacked by conservative bloggers and other critics of the Democrats’ plan to expand the insurance program, known as S-chip. They scrutinized the family’s income and assets — even alleged the counters in their kitchen to be granite — and declared that the Frosts did not seem needy enough for government benefits.

I don't have anything original to say about this (I'll link to Digby! as an example), but Republicans and their cohorts have hit a new all-time low and they're continuing to dig. They're now a parody of themselves.

Hi Mr. Kettle!

Why, hello, Mr. Pot!

A Myanmar opposition leader who was arrested during last month's mass protests against the junta died due to torture during interrogation, an activist group said on Wednesday.

In Washington, the United States threatened new sanctions against Myanmar after media reports of the death of Win Shwe.

"The junta must stop the brutal treatment of its people and peacefully transition to democracy or face new sanctions from the United States," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said in a statement.

We're now the laughing stock of Myanmar. Way-to-go Bush.

Can Thomas Friedman remind me why we're not bashing these guys' doors down and telling them to "suck on this" again? Because, we can, you know, do that.

The More They Hate It

They more they're projecting their own self-loathing onto others.

Makes you wonder if this is Bill O'Reilly's snuggle-buddy.

Assholosphere

Indeed.

Heh

That's about the level of our discourse.

Not Good Enough

Legislate harder. Granting immunity to the telcos means Bush wins and America loses.

Can't Help Thinking About Me

Beltway.

President Pissypants

I can't believe this (wait, yes I can, it's just Monday morning and I'm not yet completely awake):

"Everybody wants children to have health insurance," Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt said. "The president has already said, 'I want a compromise.'"

Mr. Leavitt added, "If it takes more money, we'll put it up." He did not cite a figure.

Mr. Bush vetoed legislation last week that would increase spending for the State Children's Health Insurance Program by $35 billion over five years. Mr. Bush has called for a $5 billion increase.

Compromise? Congress has already compromised this bill and whittled it down to 1/3 of the originally proposed spending. It has enough support in the Senate to override a veto. What this is about is Bush's ego. He wants to do what his idea is because it's his and so no one will be able take the limelight away from him. He's willing to let children and their families suffer because he's the Decider Guy. It's not that Bush hates children - although he does - it's that he loves himself.

Update: Conservatives continue to stand with Bush and continue to be awful human beings.

General Hack

This calls for more MoveOn ads:

The U.S. military commander in Iraq stepped up accusations over the weekend that Iran was inciting violence there and said Tehran's ambassador to Baghdad was a member of the Revolutionary Guards Qods force.

...

General David Petraeus, speaking at a U.S. military base about 30 km (20 miles) from the Iranian border on Saturday, said Iran was giving militia groups advanced weaponry and guidance.

"They are responsible for providing the weapons, the training, the funding and in some cases the direction for operations that have indeed killed U.S. soldiers," Petraeus told a group of reporters when asked if the Iranian government was responsible for killing U.S. troops.

Since allowing himself to become a mouthpiece for the Bush administration, Petraeus has lost all credibility. Prior scaremongering tactics about Iranian intervention has already been debunked; similarly, a skeptical eye should be turned towards this. If Petraeus is worried about where militia groups got a hold of advanced weaponry, he might want to spend some time pondering about the huge U.S. weapons stores that magically disappeared, like magical September.

Hating the Govt, Loving the Disease

Conservatives:

Topps Meat Co. on Friday said it was closing its business, six days after it was forced to issue the second-largest beef recall in U.S. history and 67 years after it first opened its doors.

On Sept. 25 Topps began recalling frozen hamburger patties that may have been contaminated with the E. coli bacteria strain O157:H7. The recall eventually ballooned to 21.7 million pounds of ground beef.

Government is the means by which we come together to accomplish that which we cannot achieve by ourselves. It is an acknowledgment that we are all in this together. Only those who cannot see these important ties and lack this empathy would choose to sever them. These people are conservatives and they are psychotic.

He Hates Children and Hearts Torture

It wouldn't surprise me if he ate babies too:

"This government does not torture people. We stick to U.S. law and our international obligations," Bush told reporters.

"There are highly trained professionals questioning these extremists and terrorists," he added.

I'm going to miss being the laughingstock of the world when he leaves office - NOT!

To All My Liberal Hawk Friends

Read what Ezra says.

Just Say No to Military Contractors

What we've suspected all along:

U.S. military reports from the scene of a shooting incident in Baghdad involving security contractor Blackwater indicates its guards opened fire without provocation and used excessive force, The Washington Post reported on Friday.

At least 11 Iraqis were killed in the September 16 incident, which has outraged Iraqis who see the firm as a private army which acts with impunity.

Citing a senior U.S. military official, the Post said the military reports appear to corroborate the Iraqi government's contention that Blackwater was at fault.

"It was obviously excessive. It was obviously wrong," a U.S. military official speaking on condition of anonymity told the newspaper.

"The civilians that were fired upon, they didn't have any weapons to fire back at them. And none of the IP (Iraqi police) or any of the local security forces fired back at them," the official was quoted as saying.

The Blackwater guards appeared to have fired grenade launchers in addition to machine guns, the official told the Post. He said U.S. soldiers had reviewed statements from eyewitnesses and video footage recorded at the scene.

I've made this point before, but paramiltary contractors should be forbidden from operating in the same theater of operations as the U.S. military, no ifs ands or buts. Anyone who likes to extol their virtues should be ridiculed.

Moose Blogging

Because I can:

When Beverly and Ernie Fischer gathered up their cattle this fall in Morton County, they rounded up a little more than they expected. We were moving some cattle, and we got a moose," Ernie Fischer said. "He thinks he is a cow," said his wife.

Ernie Fischer said it was difficult to get the young bull moose away from the cattle, and workers put it in a separate corral until it could be released. The moose also broke fences on the ranch 20 miles south of Mandan.

It's not the only such incident in south central North Dakota this year. Emmons County rancher Sam Gross recently reported a lone bull moose in his cattle herd, and a moose also was spotted in a cattle herd in McIntosh County.

Moose moose!

Will He Resign?

Widestance's motion to revoke his plea has been denied.

A Minnesota judge on Thursday rejected Idaho Sen. Larry Craig's bid to withdraw his guilty plea in an airport sex sting, a major setback in Craig's effort to clear his name and hang on to his Senate seat.

"Because the defendant's plea was accurate, voluntary and intelligent, and because the conviction is supported by the evidence ... the defendant's motion to withdraw his guilty plea is denied," Hennepin County Judge Charles Porter wrote.

I doubt he will. This is only going to get more embarrassing the longer it goes on.

Update: correct again. He's staying.

Same Old

Just another day for Republicans:

In late July, Sen. Jeff Sessions began promoting legislation that would aid some of the nation's biggest banks -- among them, two institutions in which he and his wife hold shares.

Working closely with allies in the industry, the Alabama Republican championed an amendment that would allow banks to avoid paying what an industry executive says could amount to billions of dollars a year in royalties. The royalties, on a technology that converts paper checks into electronic images, are being claimed by DataTreasury Corp. of Plano, Texas, which holds a handful of patents related to the process.

At Mr. Sessions's urging, the measure was folded into broader legislation aimed at overhauling the U.S. patent system, which is being prepared for debate this fall on the Senate floor.

Mr. Sessions says the amendment reflected his longstanding desire to limit what he considers excessive civil litigation, as well as his concerns about predatory patent suits.

He also has close ties to the banking industry, which has been among his top campaign contributors over the years.

If he's really concerned about patent reform - something that desperately needs to happen - he can focus on it separately, not fudge in some kickbacks. Because he's really concerned about patent reform.

Another One Bites the Dust

Wow.

Veteran Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) is expected to announce tomorrow that he will retire from the Senate in 2008, according to several informed sources, a decision that further complicates an already difficult playing field for Republicans next November.

Domenici has struggled with health problems over the last several years and has been dogged by questions about the role he may have played in the firing of U.S. Attorney David C. Iglesias in Albuquerque. As a result, he had been long been rumored as a potential retirement. Domenici's Senate office did not return a call this afternoon, but sources close to the senator say he will fly home to New Mexico tomorrow to make the announcement that he is retiring.

This race just moved up in the rankings. They keep dropping like flies.

Thank You, Jon Stewart

This tells us everything we need to know about how both politicians and the media operate in the beltway.

Stewart/Colbert '08!!!!!!!!!!!

Bush Hates Children

The Onion couldn't have done a better job than reality:

President Bush escalated his battle with Congress over children's health insurance, vetoing a bipartisan bill that would have dramatically expanded the program.

It's only the fourth veto of Mr. Bush's presidency, and one that some Republicans fear could carry steep risks for their party in next year's elections.

He has now given the Democrats another bludgeon with which to beat Republicans down until he leaves office.

So, your face or your kneecaps?

Oh No!

The Great High Kos is down! What ever will I think?!!

Phew, no worries, the blogosphere is still running.

Can't You Wait?

Learn some patience. For the greater good.

Annette L. Nazareth, a member of the Securities and Exchange Commission, said Tuesday that she was leaving the agency for the private sector. She will be the second Democrat on the five-member panel to do so in a month.

Ms. Nazareth’s term expired June 5, but she could have remained as many as 18 months beyond that. She has notified President Bush that she does not wish to be renominated, the S.E.C. said.

Are you trying to give him as many advantages as possible?

Not Good Enough

Now you're playing politics with the troops' lives so you - and a Democratic president - can claim victory.

President George W. Bush's request for nearly $200 billion more to fund the Iraq war will not be approved unless it is linked to a plan to bring home U.S. combat troops by January 2009, the head of the House appropriations committee said on Tuesday.

Rep. David Obey, a Wisconsin Democrat, told a news conference his panel would not even consider the war funding request until early 2008, by which time he estimates funding for military operations will have run out. Defense Secretary Robert Gates recently outlined the request to Congress.

Obey said he and other Democrats also would introduce a surtax to pay for the war in Iraq, although he acknowledged he did not expect the House Democratic leaders to support a war surtax plan.

Indeed, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, said she is "opposed to a war surtax," adding, "The choice is between a Democratic plan for responsible redeployment of our troops and the president's plan for a 10-year war in Iraq. We must end this war."

Stop being weak and ineffectual. Out now.

Stupid Democrats

Still don't understand PR:

Nancy Pelosi admits no legislation passed in the House will end the occupation because the Republican minority in the Senate will block it. Bi-partisanship won't work.

Nancy Pelosi admits re-deployment is the only answer, but has stopped trying to achieve it. She has stopped trying to send bills to the Presidents desk.

Nancy Pelosi admits she can defund the occupation. But she won't.

Nancy Pelosi has given up on ending the Iraq War.

Can Republicans filibuster? Yes. SO MAKE THEM DO IT! Do everything you can to put them on the spot, in the spotlight, and show the country who is holding this up. Don't drop the ball and let the Republicans fill the vacuum - it makes you look weak and ineffectual, which, to date, you have been. The Republicans filibustered civil rights and look what that got them. Seriously, how stupid are our leaders?

Assclown

Michael Chertoff:

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on Monday defended the construction of a fence along the southwest border, saying it's actually better for the environment than what happens when people illegally cross the U.S.-Mexico line.

"Illegal migrants really degrade the environment. I've seen pictures of human waste, garbage, discarded bottles and other human artifact in pristine areas," Chertoff said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "And believe me, that is the worst thing you can do to the environment."

Why is this man still employed?

Constructing a fence? That has to be the stupidest idea since the Iraq War. First, it will be completely ineffectual, and second, what's the point? Conservatives have yet to come to grips with the fact that they've run out of scarey bogeymen with which they can bludgeon the country into submission. Hitler died long ago and the USSR is gone. Most people realize - and having integrated communities helps - that brown people are not evil monsters who rape and pillage. Even Bill O'Reilly gets it, though to be fair that was in reference to black people and I'm sure he's got some vitriol in store. The hispanic threat is indeed an entirely very different and very real issue.

As for the ludicrous idea that illegal immigrants will somehow destroy the environment? I live far away from the southwest border and there's filthy trash everywhere. It's got nothing to do with a particular ethnic group. Furthermore, if he's really worried about the environment he could at least take a shot at big corporations, which are responsible for both primary pollution as well as secondary pollution by producing wasteful end-user goods.

Wasn't That...

Anyone remember how the right wing was calling for death by execution squad for both Saddam and the UN for the "corrupt" food-for-oil program where Saddam was skimming proceeds to build WMD sexbots or something? Well,

Texas oilman Oscar Wyatt pleaded guilty on Monday to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one of five charges against him for his role in the U.N. oil-for-food scandal.

Wyatt was accused of paying millions of dollars in kickbacks to Saddam Hussein's government to win oil contracts from Iraq. Pending his sentencing on November 27, he remains free on bail, but is not allowed to leave the country. Under the terms of the plea agreement, he could face 18 to 24 months in prison.

Being a Republican means never having to say you're sorry and government only gets in the way of you making money, so it's best to get rid of it. These people need to be kept as far away from the public interest as possible. They don't believe in it.

Because I Need Some Catharsis

Just Shoot Me

WSJ editorials.