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December 29, 2005
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
Wednesday's Links
Activism
Much of the time in this space, we'll ask you to contact your Senators or Congresspeople about an issue. Now, we're asking you to take the fight directly to the Batman and Robin of the Democratic Party - Senator Harry Reid and Representative Nancy Pelosi. Go here to send a letter to the two. We do encourage you to read the letter first, in case there are any changes you need to make. If you live in a "red state," we're betting calls to your lawmakers aren't exactly making headlines. Here's the next best way to get involved.
News
More Cuts Loom. Not for this year, but the way government approaches discretionary spending could strip billions over years from various programs. In fact, the Brookings Institute suggests that there are only three ways to balance the budget by 2010: increase individual and corporate income tax revenue by 22 percent, reduce all discretionary spending -- including defense spending -- by 72 percent, or eliminate 72 percent of all discretionary spending that isn't spent on homeland security or defense. That's a lot of cows and bunsen burners.
Here's Your Hood, Ms. Townsend. From the "Always read the invitation fully" department, earlier this month Bush sent Assistant to the President Frances Fargo Townsend to Saudi Arabia for an "anti-terrorism" conference. What actually transpired was a venom-filled anti-semitic diatribe by Arabs. "Saudi Cleric Aed Al-Qarni noted at the conference that 'The first to kill and use terrorism in the world were the Jews,' according to a translation by the Middle East Media Research Institute." Bush was warned by Senatory Frank Lautenburg (D-NJ) not to have a U.S. presence at this conference, but Bush sent Townsend anyway, who was regaled with a poem read before Saudi Defense Minister Prince Sultan that noted that Osama bin Laden "was sent by the Jews." Our president just doesn't get it. This is not the kind of thing where you call Saudi leaders and say, "Hey, guys, great conference," as he did. This is the kind of thing where you call Saudi leaders in outrage. But, that might offend our oil suppliers. Besides, what's a little anti-semitism among business partners, eh?
Clinton Livin' Large. We've said it before, and we'll say it again: we're not particularly keep on Senator Hillary Rhodam Clinton (D-NY) running for president in 2008 (unless it's against Condi Rice - heh heh heh). Although this article shows Clinton's approval ratings in New York are up from October 2002, we harbor no such delusions that she would be elected President, and neither should you. Think we're wrong? Tell us why in the comments!
Editorials
Paul Krugman's latest column, and it's not about Social Security! Instead, Krugman describes the "Wag the Dog" complex our administration lives under. Smoke and mirrors, misdirection - these are all a part of the White House's penchant for making you look where the problems aren't. Think of 2002, with big corporate fraud problems (like Enron and Halliburton), and then, all of a sudden, it was "all Iraq, all the time." Krugman, as always, gives us a fantastic article that is a must-read. Also, it should give us a good idea of what to prepare for as the 2006 elections approach, and the Administration begins grasping at straws.
Checks and Balances and the "F-Word". We try to be hopeful in these pages, and there's certainly good reason to be optimistic, but that doesn't mean we can't be realists, either. Because if we cling to the type of optimism that always tends to rise to the top in the Democratic party, we run the risk of bordering on delusion, believing that the conservative rise to power is just a blip on the radar, and that truth will always prevail. Well, it will - but we have to work for it, as if we're fighting for our lives. From over at "Seeing The Forest", a great liberal blog, here's a post that puts it all in perspective. You should read it, and realize what we're up against. To quote Oliver Willis: "The goal of the modern conservative movement, as embodied by George W. Bush, is not just a simple majority of conservative thought – rather, it is the elimination of everything but conservative thought."
Why triple-talented Dean spells trouble for Republicans. We hope you don't spend too much time reading right-wing blogs and commentary, but many of them are reveling in smug satisfaction at the election of Dean as DNC Chair. Well, aside from the fact that most of them would revel at just about anything due to their arrogance, there are some good reasons for them to be worried. And if they don't realize that, then all the better for us! But here's one Republican who seems to understand Dean's strengths. Let's hope most of them ignore him.
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December 29, 2005
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
Wednesday's Links
Activism
Much of the time in this space, we'll ask you to contact your Senators or Congresspeople about an issue. Now, we're asking you to take the fight directly to the Batman and Robin of the Democratic Party - Senator Harry Reid and Representative Nancy Pelosi. Go here to send a letter to the two. We do encourage you to read the letter first, in case there are any changes you need to make. If you live in a "red state," we're betting calls to your lawmakers aren't exactly making headlines. Here's the next best way to get involved.
News
More Cuts Loom. Not for this year, but the way government approaches discretionary spending could strip billions over years from various programs. In fact, the Brookings Institute suggests that there are only three ways to balance the budget by 2010: increase individual and corporate income tax revenue by 22 percent, reduce all discretionary spending -- including defense spending -- by 72 percent, or eliminate 72 percent of all discretionary spending that isn't spent on homeland security or defense. That's a lot of cows and bunsen burners.
Here's Your Hood, Ms. Townsend. From the "Always read the invitation fully" department, earlier this month Bush sent Assistant to the President Frances Fargo Townsend to Saudi Arabia for an "anti-terrorism" conference. What actually transpired was a venom-filled anti-semitic diatribe by Arabs. "Saudi Cleric Aed Al-Qarni noted at the conference that 'The first to kill and use terrorism in the world were the Jews,' according to a translation by the Middle East Media Research Institute." Bush was warned by Senatory Frank Lautenburg (D-NJ) not to have a U.S. presence at this conference, but Bush sent Townsend anyway, who was regaled with a poem read before Saudi Defense Minister Prince Sultan that noted that Osama bin Laden "was sent by the Jews." Our president just doesn't get it. This is not the kind of thing where you call Saudi leaders and say, "Hey, guys, great conference," as he did. This is the kind of thing where you call Saudi leaders in outrage. But, that might offend our oil suppliers. Besides, what's a little anti-semitism among business partners, eh?
Clinton Livin' Large. We've said it before, and we'll say it again: we're not particularly keep on Senator Hillary Rhodam Clinton (D-NY) running for president in 2008 (unless it's against Condi Rice - heh heh heh). Although this article shows Clinton's approval ratings in New York are up from October 2002, we harbor no such delusions that she would be elected President, and neither should you. Think we're wrong? Tell us why in the comments!
Editorials
Paul Krugman's latest column, and it's not about Social Security! Instead, Krugman describes the "Wag the Dog" complex our administration lives under. Smoke and mirrors, misdirection - these are all a part of the White House's penchant for making you look where the problems aren't. Think of 2002, with big corporate fraud problems (like Enron and Halliburton), and then, all of a sudden, it was "all Iraq, all the time." Krugman, as always, gives us a fantastic article that is a must-read. Also, it should give us a good idea of what to prepare for as the 2006 elections approach, and the Administration begins grasping at straws.
Checks and Balances and the "F-Word". We try to be hopeful in these pages, and there's certainly good reason to be optimistic, but that doesn't mean we can't be realists, either. Because if we cling to the type of optimism that always tends to rise to the top in the Democratic party, we run the risk of bordering on delusion, believing that the conservative rise to power is just a blip on the radar, and that truth will always prevail. Well, it will - but we have to work for it, as if we're fighting for our lives. From over at "Seeing The Forest", a great liberal blog, here's a post that puts it all in perspective. You should read it, and realize what we're up against. To quote Oliver Willis: "The goal of the modern conservative movement, as embodied by George W. Bush, is not just a simple majority of conservative thought – rather, it is the elimination of everything but conservative thought."
Why triple-talented Dean spells trouble for Republicans. We hope you don't spend too much time reading right-wing blogs and commentary, but many of them are reveling in smug satisfaction at the election of Dean as DNC Chair. Well, aside from the fact that most of them would revel at just about anything due to their arrogance, there are some good reasons for them to be worried. And if they don't realize that, then all the better for us! But here's one Republican who seems to understand Dean's strengths. Let's hope most of them ignore him.
|
December 29, 2005
Much of the time in this space, we'll ask you to contact your Senators or Congresspeople about an issue. Now, we're asking you to take the fight directly to the Batman and Robin of the Democratic Party - Senator Harry Reid and Representative Nancy Pelosi. Go here to send a letter to the two. We do encourage you to read the letter first, in case there are any changes you need to make. If you live in a "red state," we're betting calls to your lawmakers aren't exactly making headlines. Here's the next best way to get involved.
News
More Cuts Loom. Not for this year, but the way government approaches discretionary spending could strip billions over years from various programs. In fact, the Brookings Institute suggests that there are only three ways to balance the budget by 2010: increase individual and corporate income tax revenue by 22 percent, reduce all discretionary spending -- including defense spending -- by 72 percent, or eliminate 72 percent of all discretionary spending that isn't spent on homeland security or defense. That's a lot of cows and bunsen burners.
Here's Your Hood, Ms. Townsend. From the "Always read the invitation fully" department, earlier this month Bush sent Assistant to the President Frances Fargo Townsend to Saudi Arabia for an "anti-terrorism" conference. What actually transpired was a venom-filled anti-semitic diatribe by Arabs. "Saudi Cleric Aed Al-Qarni noted at the conference that 'The first to kill and use terrorism in the world were the Jews,' according to a translation by the Middle East Media Research Institute." Bush was warned by Senatory Frank Lautenburg (D-NJ) not to have a U.S. presence at this conference, but Bush sent Townsend anyway, who was regaled with a poem read before Saudi Defense Minister Prince Sultan that noted that Osama bin Laden "was sent by the Jews." Our president just doesn't get it. This is not the kind of thing where you call Saudi leaders and say, "Hey, guys, great conference," as he did. This is the kind of thing where you call Saudi leaders in outrage. But, that might offend our oil suppliers. Besides, what's a little anti-semitism among business partners, eh?
Clinton Livin' Large. We've said it before, and we'll say it again: we're not particularly keep on Senator Hillary Rhodam Clinton (D-NY) running for president in 2008 (unless it's against Condi Rice - heh heh heh). Although this article shows Clinton's approval ratings in New York are up from October 2002, we harbor no such delusions that she would be elected President, and neither should you. Think we're wrong? Tell us why in the comments!
Editorials
Paul Krugman's latest column, and it's not about Social Security! Instead, Krugman describes the "Wag the Dog" complex our administration lives under. Smoke and mirrors, misdirection - these are all a part of the White House's penchant for making you look where the problems aren't. Think of 2002, with big corporate fraud problems (like Enron and Halliburton), and then, all of a sudden, it was "all Iraq, all the time." Krugman, as always, gives us a fantastic article that is a must-read. Also, it should give us a good idea of what to prepare for as the 2006 elections approach, and the Administration begins grasping at straws.
Checks and Balances and the "F-Word". We try to be hopeful in these pages, and there's certainly good reason to be optimistic, but that doesn't mean we can't be realists, either. Because if we cling to the type of optimism that always tends to rise to the top in the Democratic party, we run the risk of bordering on delusion, believing that the conservative rise to power is just a blip on the radar, and that truth will always prevail. Well, it will - but we have to work for it, as if we're fighting for our lives. From over at "Seeing The Forest", a great liberal blog, here's a post that puts it all in perspective. You should read it, and realize what we're up against. To quote Oliver Willis: "The goal of the modern conservative movement, as embodied by George W. Bush, is not just a simple majority of conservative thought – rather, it is the elimination of everything but conservative thought."
Why triple-talented Dean spells trouble for Republicans. We hope you don't spend too much time reading right-wing blogs and commentary, but many of them are reveling in smug satisfaction at the election of Dean as DNC Chair. Well, aside from the fact that most of them would revel at just about anything due to their arrogance, there are some good reasons for them to be worried. And if they don't realize that, then all the better for us! But here's one Republican who seems to understand Dean's strengths. Let's hope most of them ignore him.
