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December 29, 2005
Sunday, October 16, 2005
Sunday's Links
Activism
Act Now. Sometimes, we ask you to donate money to a campaign. Sometimes, we ask you to call your Representative and/or Senator. Sometimes we ask you to write a letter to the editor. And sometimes, we ask you to get off your butts and join a march or protest. Today, we're also asking you to join a march, but this time it's a march for lazy people: An online march! Act Now is hosting an online march to tell Congress to get their priorities straight, and start putting American families first. Sign your name and join the march. Oh yeah, when they remind you on October 18th to call your representative, you probably should do that too - this is no time to be lazy!
News
For Iraq’s Sunnis, a day of raw emotion. As you probably know by now, Iraq's constitution is likely to pass. Unfortunately, while the Constitution might be a token step forward, it also might cripple the country permanently. The Sunni minority feels disaffected and unempowered, which is a significant reason that the violence there will continue. In fact, without a real effort to unify the factions, there's no reason to believe that things will get better, and they may, in fact, get worse. Read the article and listen to the voices of the people quoted. They're angry at America, frustrated and disenfranchised, and sometimes even longing for Saddam to return. This is progress?
Contingency Plan. So, Karl Rove and Scooter Libby will likely resign if indicted. And it seems they even realize it can't be like Tom DeLay's "stepping down", in which he's still calling the shots as Majority Leader. No, we're sure that Rove and Libby will step back so they can play hardball - certainly attacking Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's character as part of that. It's also telling that it seems Bush hasn't asked for this to happen, but rather that Rove and Libby have decided this on their own. We have to wonder if he'll let them resign - if he didn't accept Rumsfeld's resignation (twice), then do Rove and Libby's treasonous acts really compare? Fortunately, Fitzgerald seems to be keeping quiet, giving them no way to prepare for the possible outcome. Hopefully, he's surface soon and blow them out of the water.
Magazine ad "unleashes hell" for Boeing and Bell. The government these days is usually so good at staying on message, but apparently that doesn't extend to its contractors. Last month, Boeing and Bell Helicopter released an ad that depicted U.S. Forces rappelling onto the roof of a mosque. The text reads, in part, "It descends from the heavens. Ironically it unleashes hell." Boeing and Bell have tried to explain away the ad, stating that it was a computer-generated image, and was never intended to be published. But it was published, and only serves to once again reinforce our Muslim-hating-image abroad.
Editorials
My Four Hours Testifying in the Federal Grand Jury Room. Judy Miller writes a personal account for the New York Times, outlining what happened during her Grand Jury Testimony. If you're not familiar with "Leakgate", then you definitely should read this, although it's most certainly not the entire story. All evidence points to Judy Miller being an Administration shill, and there are still many questions circulations around her involvement in this case. It's pretty sad that Miller's still not being forthright with the country, especially given that she's supposed to be a reputable journalist. She and the New York Times should be ashamed.
That Was a Short War on Poverty. E.J. Dionne talks about the Administration's shallow efforts to fight poverty. Sure, Katrina raised the public consciousness regarding the number of Americans living in poverty, and the effect it has on their lives. But, we are a nation with a frighteningly short attention span. Now that the images are off the television, the Administration can drop its pretense of caring. The agenda quickly changed from trying to help people in need to trying to exploit this tragedy to further line the pockets of large corporations and push a conservative agenda. We're tired of hearing increases in the GDP quoted as proof that Bush is helping the economy. Here are the numbers that really matter: Clinton "cut the number of poor people by 7.7 million between 1993 and 2000. Between 2001 and 2004, on the other hand, the number of those in poverty rose by 4.1 million." While conservatives may be to blame for exacerbating the situation, it's time that liberals stepped up and kept this problem in the public's focus. As Dionne says: "You can lay a lot of the blame for this indifference on conservatives. But it will be a default on the part of liberals if the poor disappear again from public view without a fight."
Blogger Commentary
Rice: After 9-11 “We Could Decide the Proximate Cause Was Al Qaeda”. Boy, having Karl Rove on the ropes must really be screwing up the Bush messaging machine. Rice slipped (although she probably thinks that she was just speaking the truth) on Sunday morning, claiming that after 9-11, we could either go after al Qaeda, or "take a bolder approach". Well, let alone the "bolder approach" for now, but guess what, Condi? You don't get to decide what caused 9-11. Al Qaeda did cause 9-11. That's it. End of story. This must be that whole "reality-based community" thing we keep hearing about.
Liar: The Judy Miller Story. Frankly, there are so many facets of the Judy Miller tale that we can't do it justice. But fortunately, we've found a trio of bloggers who can. Steve Gilliard dissects her article (from Editorial #1), as well as the actions of the New York Times in response to Miller. Then, James Wolcott excoriates Bill Keller and Pinch Sulzberger, Executive Editor and Owner of the New York Times, respectively. Finally, Digby chimes in, discussing the real issue with this whole leak, namely the effort made by the Administration to distort the intelligence regarding WMDs in Iraq. It's a sordid, complicated tale, but it's worth your effort to understand the depth of the corruption, and the lengths to which these criminals went in order to manipulate this country.
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December 29, 2005
Sunday, October 16, 2005
Sunday's Links
Activism
Act Now. Sometimes, we ask you to donate money to a campaign. Sometimes, we ask you to call your Representative and/or Senator. Sometimes we ask you to write a letter to the editor. And sometimes, we ask you to get off your butts and join a march or protest. Today, we're also asking you to join a march, but this time it's a march for lazy people: An online march! Act Now is hosting an online march to tell Congress to get their priorities straight, and start putting American families first. Sign your name and join the march. Oh yeah, when they remind you on October 18th to call your representative, you probably should do that too - this is no time to be lazy!
News
For Iraq’s Sunnis, a day of raw emotion. As you probably know by now, Iraq's constitution is likely to pass. Unfortunately, while the Constitution might be a token step forward, it also might cripple the country permanently. The Sunni minority feels disaffected and unempowered, which is a significant reason that the violence there will continue. In fact, without a real effort to unify the factions, there's no reason to believe that things will get better, and they may, in fact, get worse. Read the article and listen to the voices of the people quoted. They're angry at America, frustrated and disenfranchised, and sometimes even longing for Saddam to return. This is progress?
Contingency Plan. So, Karl Rove and Scooter Libby will likely resign if indicted. And it seems they even realize it can't be like Tom DeLay's "stepping down", in which he's still calling the shots as Majority Leader. No, we're sure that Rove and Libby will step back so they can play hardball - certainly attacking Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's character as part of that. It's also telling that it seems Bush hasn't asked for this to happen, but rather that Rove and Libby have decided this on their own. We have to wonder if he'll let them resign - if he didn't accept Rumsfeld's resignation (twice), then do Rove and Libby's treasonous acts really compare? Fortunately, Fitzgerald seems to be keeping quiet, giving them no way to prepare for the possible outcome. Hopefully, he's surface soon and blow them out of the water.
Magazine ad "unleashes hell" for Boeing and Bell. The government these days is usually so good at staying on message, but apparently that doesn't extend to its contractors. Last month, Boeing and Bell Helicopter released an ad that depicted U.S. Forces rappelling onto the roof of a mosque. The text reads, in part, "It descends from the heavens. Ironically it unleashes hell." Boeing and Bell have tried to explain away the ad, stating that it was a computer-generated image, and was never intended to be published. But it was published, and only serves to once again reinforce our Muslim-hating-image abroad.
Editorials
My Four Hours Testifying in the Federal Grand Jury Room. Judy Miller writes a personal account for the New York Times, outlining what happened during her Grand Jury Testimony. If you're not familiar with "Leakgate", then you definitely should read this, although it's most certainly not the entire story. All evidence points to Judy Miller being an Administration shill, and there are still many questions circulations around her involvement in this case. It's pretty sad that Miller's still not being forthright with the country, especially given that she's supposed to be a reputable journalist. She and the New York Times should be ashamed.
That Was a Short War on Poverty. E.J. Dionne talks about the Administration's shallow efforts to fight poverty. Sure, Katrina raised the public consciousness regarding the number of Americans living in poverty, and the effect it has on their lives. But, we are a nation with a frighteningly short attention span. Now that the images are off the television, the Administration can drop its pretense of caring. The agenda quickly changed from trying to help people in need to trying to exploit this tragedy to further line the pockets of large corporations and push a conservative agenda. We're tired of hearing increases in the GDP quoted as proof that Bush is helping the economy. Here are the numbers that really matter: Clinton "cut the number of poor people by 7.7 million between 1993 and 2000. Between 2001 and 2004, on the other hand, the number of those in poverty rose by 4.1 million." While conservatives may be to blame for exacerbating the situation, it's time that liberals stepped up and kept this problem in the public's focus. As Dionne says: "You can lay a lot of the blame for this indifference on conservatives. But it will be a default on the part of liberals if the poor disappear again from public view without a fight."
Blogger Commentary
Rice: After 9-11 “We Could Decide the Proximate Cause Was Al Qaeda”. Boy, having Karl Rove on the ropes must really be screwing up the Bush messaging machine. Rice slipped (although she probably thinks that she was just speaking the truth) on Sunday morning, claiming that after 9-11, we could either go after al Qaeda, or "take a bolder approach". Well, let alone the "bolder approach" for now, but guess what, Condi? You don't get to decide what caused 9-11. Al Qaeda did cause 9-11. That's it. End of story. This must be that whole "reality-based community" thing we keep hearing about.
Liar: The Judy Miller Story. Frankly, there are so many facets of the Judy Miller tale that we can't do it justice. But fortunately, we've found a trio of bloggers who can. Steve Gilliard dissects her article (from Editorial #1), as well as the actions of the New York Times in response to Miller. Then, James Wolcott excoriates Bill Keller and Pinch Sulzberger, Executive Editor and Owner of the New York Times, respectively. Finally, Digby chimes in, discussing the real issue with this whole leak, namely the effort made by the Administration to distort the intelligence regarding WMDs in Iraq. It's a sordid, complicated tale, but it's worth your effort to understand the depth of the corruption, and the lengths to which these criminals went in order to manipulate this country.
|
December 29, 2005
Act Now. Sometimes, we ask you to donate money to a campaign. Sometimes, we ask you to call your Representative and/or Senator. Sometimes we ask you to write a letter to the editor. And sometimes, we ask you to get off your butts and join a march or protest. Today, we're also asking you to join a march, but this time it's a march for lazy people: An online march! Act Now is hosting an online march to tell Congress to get their priorities straight, and start putting American families first. Sign your name and join the march. Oh yeah, when they remind you on October 18th to call your representative, you probably should do that too - this is no time to be lazy!
News
For Iraq’s Sunnis, a day of raw emotion. As you probably know by now, Iraq's constitution is likely to pass. Unfortunately, while the Constitution might be a token step forward, it also might cripple the country permanently. The Sunni minority feels disaffected and unempowered, which is a significant reason that the violence there will continue. In fact, without a real effort to unify the factions, there's no reason to believe that things will get better, and they may, in fact, get worse. Read the article and listen to the voices of the people quoted. They're angry at America, frustrated and disenfranchised, and sometimes even longing for Saddam to return. This is progress?
Contingency Plan. So, Karl Rove and Scooter Libby will likely resign if indicted. And it seems they even realize it can't be like Tom DeLay's "stepping down", in which he's still calling the shots as Majority Leader. No, we're sure that Rove and Libby will step back so they can play hardball - certainly attacking Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's character as part of that. It's also telling that it seems Bush hasn't asked for this to happen, but rather that Rove and Libby have decided this on their own. We have to wonder if he'll let them resign - if he didn't accept Rumsfeld's resignation (twice), then do Rove and Libby's treasonous acts really compare? Fortunately, Fitzgerald seems to be keeping quiet, giving them no way to prepare for the possible outcome. Hopefully, he's surface soon and blow them out of the water.
Magazine ad "unleashes hell" for Boeing and Bell. The government these days is usually so good at staying on message, but apparently that doesn't extend to its contractors. Last month, Boeing and Bell Helicopter released an ad that depicted U.S. Forces rappelling onto the roof of a mosque. The text reads, in part, "It descends from the heavens. Ironically it unleashes hell." Boeing and Bell have tried to explain away the ad, stating that it was a computer-generated image, and was never intended to be published. But it was published, and only serves to once again reinforce our Muslim-hating-image abroad.
Editorials
My Four Hours Testifying in the Federal Grand Jury Room. Judy Miller writes a personal account for the New York Times, outlining what happened during her Grand Jury Testimony. If you're not familiar with "Leakgate", then you definitely should read this, although it's most certainly not the entire story. All evidence points to Judy Miller being an Administration shill, and there are still many questions circulations around her involvement in this case. It's pretty sad that Miller's still not being forthright with the country, especially given that she's supposed to be a reputable journalist. She and the New York Times should be ashamed.
That Was a Short War on Poverty. E.J. Dionne talks about the Administration's shallow efforts to fight poverty. Sure, Katrina raised the public consciousness regarding the number of Americans living in poverty, and the effect it has on their lives. But, we are a nation with a frighteningly short attention span. Now that the images are off the television, the Administration can drop its pretense of caring. The agenda quickly changed from trying to help people in need to trying to exploit this tragedy to further line the pockets of large corporations and push a conservative agenda. We're tired of hearing increases in the GDP quoted as proof that Bush is helping the economy. Here are the numbers that really matter: Clinton "cut the number of poor people by 7.7 million between 1993 and 2000. Between 2001 and 2004, on the other hand, the number of those in poverty rose by 4.1 million." While conservatives may be to blame for exacerbating the situation, it's time that liberals stepped up and kept this problem in the public's focus. As Dionne says: "You can lay a lot of the blame for this indifference on conservatives. But it will be a default on the part of liberals if the poor disappear again from public view without a fight."
Blogger Commentary
Rice: After 9-11 “We Could Decide the Proximate Cause Was Al Qaeda”. Boy, having Karl Rove on the ropes must really be screwing up the Bush messaging machine. Rice slipped (although she probably thinks that she was just speaking the truth) on Sunday morning, claiming that after 9-11, we could either go after al Qaeda, or "take a bolder approach". Well, let alone the "bolder approach" for now, but guess what, Condi? You don't get to decide what caused 9-11. Al Qaeda did cause 9-11. That's it. End of story. This must be that whole "reality-based community" thing we keep hearing about.
Liar: The Judy Miller Story. Frankly, there are so many facets of the Judy Miller tale that we can't do it justice. But fortunately, we've found a trio of bloggers who can. Steve Gilliard dissects her article (from Editorial #1), as well as the actions of the New York Times in response to Miller. Then, James Wolcott excoriates Bill Keller and Pinch Sulzberger, Executive Editor and Owner of the New York Times, respectively. Finally, Digby chimes in, discussing the real issue with this whole leak, namely the effort made by the Administration to distort the intelligence regarding WMDs in Iraq. It's a sordid, complicated tale, but it's worth your effort to understand the depth of the corruption, and the lengths to which these criminals went in order to manipulate this country.
