Still Fighting

Activism

Tell Senator Frist to Stop the Abuse of Power! Ok, well, we know he's unlikely to listen, but maybe he'll realize the political costs of his power grab. Especially if he's planning on running for President in '08 as many say he is. Actually, we've got to admit that we're somewhat interested in seeing exactly what will happen if the "nuclear option" does go through, because we've got to think that the backlash against the Republicans will be stunning. But common sense as got to prevail, as the risk of having these extremist judges, and possibly an extremist Supreme Court Justice (or three) appointed is just too great. So sign the petition, and let Frist know that his divisiveness is simply unacceptable.

News

Senate Republicans to DC: Get Bent. DC Mayor Anthony Williams recently told reporters that he would make a decision soon about whether Washington DC would recognize civil unions. He was forced to make a statement because a gay couple that was married in Massachusetts filed taxes this year in DC, and questions were posed about how to handle them. Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) then told Williams that, if the district "mishandles" this issue, their budget could be affected next year. Remember, DC's annual budget requires the approval of Congress. So, we have a Republican Senator threatening the welfare of a district within the United States simply because he doesn't agree with a potential decision of that district. You're kidding us, right? What's next? Senators threatening to hold back the National Guard during the next round of California wildfires, because of the court's decision there? There are politics, there are partisan politics, and then there's disrupting the welfare of 572,059 American citizens simply because you don't agree with a policy. Are we going to just let this happen? Why not write to Senator Brownback and tell him how you feel? By the way, you have to write to Brownback because, as you know, DC residents don't have voting representation in Washington.

Erosion of Estate Tax Is a Lesson in Politics. So they voted to eliminate the estate tax this past week. Through masterful marketing, the GOP nicknamed it the "Death Tax", and made most people believe that it was somehow an unfair tax that was placing a large burden on many families that were still mourning the loss of a loved one. In fact, the estate tax really only affected the richest Americans, and its repeal is yet another giveaway to the upper class. A Democrat-proposed amendment that would make it only apply to estates valued at over 3.5 MILLION was defeated! How did the GOP manage to snowball the public yet again? The article provides some insight. We can't continue to lose the marketing battle, or eventually Republicans are going to convince the American public to cut off their own limbs in order to conserve space for the rich.

America's Most Wanted Terrorist Plus Protection Equals Anger. It's a simple equation, really. If you take Osama bin Laden (America's Most Wanted Terrorist), and "protect" him, by having the FBI seal his "personnel and medical files and similar files," you come up with mass anger by the American population. We're not sure why the FBI took these steps, particularly since the Freedom of Information Act all but guarantees that we'd find out about this. Is the administration trying to hide something? Why wouldn't this information be made available publicly? Certainly, you would think this administration would be doing everything in its power to capture the man ultimately responsible for the most deadly terrorist attack on American soil, but it appears not. Are these the kind of people you want making decisions for this country?

Editorials

U.S. Taxpayers' Quarterly Report. How are we doing, America? Do you feel good? Are you generally happy? What? You're not? We can't imagine why! When we read the Center for American Progress's "Taxpayers' Quarterly Report" linked above, it seems that everything is great! If you look at the "From Where We Started" column (2001) and compare it to the "Where We Are Now" column, things look peachy! Our president sure must be doing a swell job. Just look at the facts: the poverty rate is up 11%! The federal government deficit is up 1891%! Incidents of international terrorism are up 200%! All this, and more. And it's all thanks to the amazing leadership of our Commander-In-Chief!

Doing Better By Darfur. Look, the genocide (See, it's not so hard to say, it is? Because that's what it is.) in Sudan is not going away. And until we take forceful action, innocent people will continue to get slaughtered by the thousands. In the meantime, the best we can do as human beings is to demand that those in power take decisive action. We're not going to let up until then. And we're not going to settle for the hollow gestures we've been taking recently. We thought America was "spreading democracy", and was a world leader? Every day that goes by in the Sudan exposes our hypocrisy to the rest of the world. It's time we took the lead, even if there's nothing in it for us other than simply doing the right thing.

Bushes in the Hood. Now here's a topic you haven't heard a lot about recently: Gang violence. Didn't we beat that problem in the 1980's? Well, even though it wasn't listed in the taxpayer's quarterly report (above), gang violence is on the rise. This isn't surprising - when you have more poor people and less opportunity for them, they often turn to gangs. And, as usual, our President is here to save us all. Not with action, though, just with rhetoric. Ok, fine, he has magnanimously requested $150 million to deal with gangs, and proffered his wife as the new Anti-Gang Violence Czar. Not too shabby, eh? Well, it might actually be a good start if he hadn't also requested cuts worth nearly three times that much in after-school programs, family support programs, law enforcement, and other effective anti-gang programs.

Activism

Say No to William Myers. The "nuclear option" debate does not exist in a vacuum. The need for a filibuster has occurred because Bush has nominated 10 people who do not have a history of being impartial judges of the law, but rather conservative activists. It's important for the American people to understand the need for the filibuster, as Republicans really are trying to stack the judiciary with extremeists. William Myers is one such activist, and we urge you to sign Ted Kennedy's petition expressing our outrage at this right-wing power grab.

News

Constitutional Concerns. We can all agree that the most important written document in this country is the Constitution. Presidents swear to uphold it. Judges interpret it. Most of us know the first few lines by heart. Tom DeLay certainly tries to appear concerned about it, as his most recent comments on Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy point directly to the Constitution. DeLay asserts that "Justice Kennedy [is] writing decisions based upon international law, not the Constitution of the United States? That's just outrageous. And not only that, but he said in session that he does his own research on the Internet? That is just incredibly outrageous." First, we're not entirely sure what decisions DeLay is referring to. We can only assume he means the Court's recent decision not to allow minors to be tried for the death penalty, but since DeLay isn't very forthcoming in proof or evidence, this is only a guess, at best. Second, what's wrong with the Internet? Surely DeLay doesn't think Justice Kennedy is going to www.freelegaladvice.com for his information, does he? Finally, DeLay wants the judiciary to be held "accountable" for their "activist and isolated" decisions. If DeLay is thinking about Kennedy, or any other Justice, in this regard (and we know he is, because last week he said "We set up the courts. We can unset the courts."), doesn't he realize that Supreme Court appointments are for life, as set down in the Constitution? Protecting the sanctity of the Constitution by violating the Constitution...that's an interesting approach, to say the least.

Disconnect. Let's be realistic - do you think that most people care in anything but an abstract and idealistic way that Terri Schiavo's feeding tube was removed or that Senate Republicans are threatening to remove the filibuster? Don't they have bigger concerns, like, say, the cost of gas? The average cost of a gallon of unleaded gasoline is 22 cents more than it was last November. Thanks to this "disconnect" between Congress and the real world, Bush's approval rating has plummeted. In reality, both parties are guilty of this, but the GOP, being the majority party, holds more of the blame, as they set the agenda. Yet we've heard precious little from Bush or Republican Congressmen about the economy, most likely because this isn't a problem they're going to solve. We don't mean it's unsolvable - merely that this administration's track record with the economy isn't good, and we're doubtful they have any interest in doing better. Look at the bankruptcy bill or the measure against class-action lawsuits to see exactly how Republican leadership feels about Joe Citizen.

Voter Reform. The Commission on Federal Election Reform has started hearing testimony on the way various states conduct their elections, and has already made it clear that there were problems in 2004. No kidding. Among the problems explained by the invited experts: "They told of absentee ballots that were never delivered. Of voters who were arbitrarily struck from the rolls. Of confusing and poorly designed ballots. Of long lines at the polls. Of inadequate funds to train poll workers. Some complained that polls are frequently inaccessible to wheelchairs. That bilingual assistance is lacking. That there are too few voting machines, especially in minority communities." There's more, but you get the general idea. You would think, in the 21st Century, that we'd be advanced enough to ensure that designated polling facilities have a wheelchair ramp, for example. You'd be wrong. Recommendations from the panel are not expected until September, but don't delude yourself into thinking we'll see much in the way of reform before the 2008 elections. Remember, every citizen is guaranteed a vote. Unless they can't get into the polling facility, or they've run out of ballots, or they were erroneously purged from the rolls...

Editorials

Letter from David Brock to Rupert Murdoch. We talked yesterday about the "Fox News Channel Sandstorm," and how the term "fair and balanced" hardly describes the station. Now, David Brock, president of Still Fighting favorite Media Matters, has written a letter to Rupert Murdoch, Chairman of Fox, contesting his recent comments that Fox News has no conservative bias. Brock cites several examples, and throws down the gauntlet to have an independent panel evaluate the cable news channel. Of course, it's highly unlikely that Murdoch will agree to this, and that just reaffirms Brock's point. Look, we obviously don't enjoy watching the FNC, but we don't deny that they have a right to broadcast. What we're arguing is the term "fair and balanced," (or even "news", for that matter) which would only be accurate if the scale was tilted approximately 84 degrees to the right. It's not even a question of a "conservative bias," but as Brock points out, there have been numerous examples of broadcasting misinformation. FNC has a responsibility to the American people to be up front about what they're broadcasting, particularily in light of being the highest rated cable news channel on television.

Energy Bill is Handout to Polluters and Oil Industry. Your Republican lawmakers are hard at work to ensure that energy fatcats are receiving a larger share of the pie, and not concerning themselves with a cleaner environment, according to the American Progress Action Fund. You can read why at the above link (and read more about the tax breaks here), but the bottom line is the same old song. Under Republican leadership, the rich keep getting richer, and the poor keep getting poorer. When are Americans going to stand up and demand better? In this particular case, whenever he's asked about rising gas prices, Bush claims that the solution is to pass his energy bill. As usual, he's just flat-out wrong.

Remember the Raise? We talked above about how the economy has gone downhill, and there's not much our administration has done about it. From globalization to deunionization, we've seen a steep rise in prices and a sharp drop in wages. Harold Myerson explains why in this editorial. It's important for us to understand why the economy's "recovery" is still now in its 11th month, with no real sign of improvement.

Activism

Do you have immunity from prosecution? Unless your father is the Sultan of Brunei, we doubt it. If you break the law, you should be held accountable. So why should it be any different for others? Texas wants to pass a bill that would grant the state's ethics committee "veto power over prosecutors seeking to enforce the state's election law." Essentially, since the committee has been overwhelmingly staffed by Republicans over the last several years, and this bill was produced as a direct result of the 2002 elections, GOP lawmakers are looking to save their skins from prosecution over shady election practices. Don't stand for this! Go here and sign the petition. And before you try and raise the argument about, "Hey, I don't live in Texas," ask yourself how long it would be before this bill would be introduced into YOUR state's legislature.

News

Bolton Allegations Too Much. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee was to vote on Tuesday as to whether or not to confirm John Bolton. Senator Richard Luger (R-IN), head of the panel, delayed the vote until next month after Senator George V. Voinovich (R-OH) stunned his party by saying that more time was needed to examine Bolton's record. Perhaps he was concerned about Senator Chuck Hagel's (R-NE) position on Bolton. Perhaps he wanted more time to examine the assertion that Bolton attempted to intimidate American intelligence officials whom he felt were alarmist. Or perhaps he simply grew a spine and realized that Bolton is not the man for the job. Whatever the reason, we are encouraged that Democrats will be able to press on and have Bolton's nomination blocked. It's also encouraging to see that some Republicans are exercising their integrity - we knew it was there somewhere!

Working Poor to Bush: No Thanks. We know you'll be shocked by this, but America's working poor are very much against Bush's plan for Social Security. Jonathan Wiseman has the details, but the bottom line is that Americans see money in the market as an investment that has no guarantee. So, when they see dips like this in the market, they are understandably uneasy. These aren't people with trust funds, or people where a 401(k) is an option. Instead, these are people who live paycheck to paycheck, many barely so, and absolutely need to depend on this retirement money. Good news for the Democrats, who are supposed to be the party of the working poor anyway, aren't they?

O'Connor Worried About Retaliation. Given the increased rhetoric regarding judges, can you blame Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor for being concerned? She receives threats from Americans, and although nominated by Reagan, is considered the most influential justice, and her vote could be called moderate. She is quoted as saying, "I don't think the harsh rhetoric helps. I think it energizes people who are a little off base to take actions that maybe they wouldn't otherwise take." Sound like anyone you've heard in the news lately?

Editorials

Behind Bush's Slump. David Ignatius on how, in the three months since Bush's 2nd term inauguration, his bold promises have fallen by the wayside. Bush's poll numbers have trended down, and the two biggest factors have clearly got to be Social Security and his involvement with Terri Schiavo. Bush's "second term slump" couldn't have come at a better time, with critical elections in 2005 and 2006 fast approaching. The best part about this? All of Bush's woes have been self-inflicted. Bush and the GOP chose to become involved in Terri Schiavo's life. Bush and the GOP chose to present an extremely ineffective and unpopular Social Security plan (well, not really a plan, but you get the idea). In fact, according to Ronald Brownstein, Bush's low poll numbers and lack of leadership are going to make it even harder for him to push his judicial re-nominees through the Senate. Bush has not shown that he can be an effective leader of the entire country, and he's finally paying for it now.

Frist's Intolerance. The Boston Globe has a fantastic editorial that sums up our distaste for Senator Bill Frist (R-TN). Frist has singlehandedly turned the fight over judicial re-nominees from a question of "interpreting the law impartially" to "Democrats are against these nominees because of their faith." It's an absurd argument, especially from a party that seems to speak for only one faith. But the Globe raises a good question - "Whose definition of 'faith' is in use here?" As long as Republicans continue to trumpet themselves as the party of "moral values," the line between church and state will continue to blur. We hope Americans realize where this path will eventually lead us, because we're certainly worried.

Fox's Sandstorm. Fox News Channel (FNC) is the most watched cable news channel in the country, easily beating out its competition. Why is that a bad thing? Spur the obvious impulse to say "Because it's a conservative network," and instead take a look at William Raspberry's newest column. Raspberry discusses why the notion of FNC calling themselves "fair and balanced" will ultimately lead people to lose all confidence in the news. Say what you want to about the left, but at least their pundits are open and up front about their biases.

Activism

Ten Day Sprint to Save Our Courts. The "nuclear option" is imminent. What can you do? Well, MoveOnPAC is pushing its ten-day sprint, in which it's trying to get 15,000 letters written to 1,500 newspapers. It doesn't take much time, but can make a big impact. If you feel passionately about defending our courts from the real "judicial activists" - unobjective conservative judges - that the GOP would like to rubber stamp, then here's the perfect opportunity to do something about it. MoveOnPAC has point to mention, writing tips, and a list of papers waiting for you, so get started!

News

John Bolton: A Perfect Fit for the Bush Administration. Why? Bolton has a history of blocking information. Information that needed to get to people like Powell and Rice, who sometimes had to go through back-channels just to see it! Most of the information centers around Iran, and a slight turf war is starting between Rice and Bolton over it. Do you really want this kind of a man as our Ambassador to the U.N.? With the Senate Foreign Relations Committee expected to approve the nomination today, why haven't you contacted your Senators to ensure they don't approve Bolton's full-Senate vote?

Hughes Mistake. After Bush favorite Karen Hughes was appointed to spearhead the U.S.'s approach to public diplomacy, many people (including us) wrote that this was going to be a big mistake, as much of Hughes's job will be working with the Muslim world. Well, turns out that Hughes won't take the post until the fall (assuming she is confirmed by the Senate), and although the current team has several Arabs, there are no Muslims to be found. Given the heavy Muslim presence in the State Department, this is a little shocking. Couple that with the fact that Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the U.S., and we're at a loss as to why Muslims have been excluded from this. Our patience with the lack of tolerance from this administration is wearing very thin, and, unfortunately, our standing in the world will suffer greatly because of it.

White House to Washington Residents: Up Yours. Republicans are taking an extremely big interest in the state of Washington. First, Republican Dino Rossi lost a close race for the governorship to Christine Gregoire (amid some controversy). Now, the White House, spearheaded by Karl Rove, is pulling together Republicans who wish to vie for the Senate seat currently held by Democrat Maria Cantwell, and demanding that there be no "nasty" primary. Republicans want a single unifying candidate to place in front of Washington voters, and don't want their attentions split between three candidates. Of course, that's the purpose of a primary - to let the voters choose who they want to represent them, and not the party. It's a little maddening that the White House is taking such an active role in this race. We'd think, between Iraq, Iran, North Korea, Social Security, the Estate Tax and Medicaid that they'd be a little too busy to think about a Senate race. At any rate, you should be aware that in 2006, Cantwell's going to need your help.

Editorials

Clark in '08? Look, it's a mite early to start handicapping '08, but the fact remains that we really like Wesley Clark. Over at DailyKos they were live blogging his recent speech, and it's definitely worth a read. It seems like he's learned a lot from '04, and we like that he's well-spoken, has a military background, and truly seems to believe in freedom and prosperity for all Americans. Go read the live blog, and take a poke around his website. If you like what you see, maybe you should consider working on his campaign...

Washington: Where You Can Win for Losing. Terry Neal discusses the hypocrisy of the GOP's claims that the allegations against Tom DeLay are a fabrication of the media's liberal bias. As Neal writes, "In Republican-dominated Washington, if a reporter has the gall to question you about possible abuse of power, call him a liberal. If a government watchdog accuses you of violating the public's trust, call her a liberal." We are really fed up with Republicans pointing fingers and claiming that anything said against the party means the speaker is automatically a "liberal," or against "moral values," or against a "culture of life," or any other buzzwords Republicans want to use. Did Democrats stand up and cry foul on the GOP during Clinton's troubles, or when Al Gore was branded a liar for "claiming to have invented the Internet?" Oh, right. "One should never let facts get in the way of a good conspiracy theory." The ironic thing is that Hillary was completely right about the "vast right-wing conspiracy" to bring her husband down.

TIME To Hire a Researcher. Sure, we lost a lot of respect for Time Magazine when they made Bush their Man of the Year again in 2004. This week, Time featured a cover story on Ann Coulter, who is referred to as "Ms. Right." Inside, John Cloud writes about the perception that Ann Coulter lies quite a lot. "Coulter has a reputation for carelessness with facts, and if you Google the words 'Ann Coulter lies,' you will drown in results. But I didn’t find many outright Coulter errors." Oh no? Check out Think Progress's link above to find 12 specific examples of Coulter's lies. Pandering will get you nowhere, Mr. Cloud, but some legitimate journalism might.