How much of what the liberal political bloggers write is about how manipulative is was to launch the Iraq war debate just before the election? How much of what we write is about how the press is totally slanted? How much of what we write is about how the timidity of the National Democrats drives people away from supporting them? How much of what we write is about how the information that the public receives is one-sided? How much of what we write is about the influence of money? How much of what we write is about the way that illogical emotional propaganda wins people over against their own interests? How much of what we write is about how the Republicans appeal to people through trickery and bribes? How much of what we write is about Republican voter suppression and intimidation in minority areas - not to mention purging voter roles?
How much of what we wrote about the election was hopeful denial of the very realities we write about? Considering what we write, what did we fucking expect?
11/05/2002
Poll Watching
I'm taking a short break from election activities. This morning I was calling voters, using lists prepared by the Democrats. This afternoon I've been working at "poll watching."
THIS is how you win elections. I am assigned to a polling place. I have a list of registered Democrats from the precincts that vote at this polling place. Every few hours the polling place posts a list of people who have voted. (Actually they post the whole list of voters, and the people who have voted are crossed out.) I take that list, and cross out anyone that has voted who is also on my list of Democrats. Then I start trying to reach the ones who have not voted. Later in the day this will likely turn into a frenzy, and if there is time I'll be calling, maybe looking for people, and offering rides to the polls. My job is to get the rest of the people to vote.
I hope the Democrats are doing this everywhere, precinct by precinct. Here they are organized enough to be doing this, and we are looking for a Democratic "sweep" of every statewide office.
They way it used to work is every precinct had a "captain." That person lived in the precinct, walked from door to door through the year, got to know everyone and how they would vote, talked to anyone who could be persuaded and most important rounded them all up and got them to vote on election day. We need to bring that system back.
THIS is how you win elections. I am assigned to a polling place. I have a list of registered Democrats from the precincts that vote at this polling place. Every few hours the polling place posts a list of people who have voted. (Actually they post the whole list of voters, and the people who have voted are crossed out.) I take that list, and cross out anyone that has voted who is also on my list of Democrats. Then I start trying to reach the ones who have not voted. Later in the day this will likely turn into a frenzy, and if there is time I'll be calling, maybe looking for people, and offering rides to the polls. My job is to get the rest of the people to vote.
I hope the Democrats are doing this everywhere, precinct by precinct. Here they are organized enough to be doing this, and we are looking for a Democratic "sweep" of every statewide office.
They way it used to work is every precinct had a "captain." That person lived in the precinct, walked from door to door through the year, got to know everyone and how they would vote, talked to anyone who could be persuaded and most important rounded them all up and got them to vote on election day. We need to bring that system back.
Going Out to Help
I'm leaving now, to go help with Get Out The Vote efforts.
I hope I'll be at a victory party late into the night. See you tomorrow.
You shouldn't be reading this because you should also be out helping.
I hope I'll be at a victory party late into the night. See you tomorrow.
You shouldn't be reading this because you should also be out helping.
The Oil
Carve-up of oil riches begins,
The leader of the London-based Iraqi National Congress, Ahmed Chalabi, has met executives of three US oil multinationals to negotiate the carve-up of Iraq's massive oil reserves post-Saddam.
Disclosure of the meetings in October in Washington - confirmed by an INC spokesman - comes as Lord Browne, the head of BP, has warned that British oil companies have been squeezed out of post-war Iraq even before the first shot has been fired in any US-led land invasion.
Left Dumbs Down
Nicholas Kristoff has a column in today's NY Times, The Left Dumbs Down, in which he complains about "The Left" (it's actually a few people on the left) resorting to name-calling and conspiracy theories.
And what about people who AREN'T engaging in this stuff? They're singled out for extra criticism,
He says it sounds like Rush Limbaugh, that the White House team that executed Vince Foster must have struck again, and that this is a good day to reflect on this incivility.
OK, I will.
It worked. They won. And where were people like Kristoff in the Clinton years, when the Republicans were going nuts with conspiracies and accusations and insults and ridicule and incivility (all planned by polls, and focus group tested)? Criticizing Clinton.
And what about people who AREN'T engaging in this stuff? They're singled out for extra criticism,
It's true that Democratic politicians like Tom Daschle haven't joined the conspiratorial hysteria, but that's because they're ducking controversial issues and are frightened of offending centrists. Al Gore's speech last month on the economy blasted the administration without offering a single specific suggestion of what should be done.So the people who AREN'T engaging in incivility are only not doing so because they are cowards!
He says it sounds like Rush Limbaugh, that the White House team that executed Vince Foster must have struck again, and that this is a good day to reflect on this incivility.
OK, I will.
It worked. They won. And where were people like Kristoff in the Clinton years, when the Republicans were going nuts with conspiracies and accusations and insults and ridicule and incivility (all planned by polls, and focus group tested)? Criticizing Clinton.
11/04/2002
Nasty in Espanol
I've been getting this really nasty campaign e-mail, in Spanish. Anyone else getting it? I'll bet it is being masively spammed.
White people can translate this at Bablefish. Just paste this URL where it says Translate a Web Page: http://seetheforest.blogspot.com/ (And remember to choose Spanish to English.)
Muy queridos familiares y amigos:... and ...
Tengo urgentes noticias sobre las posiciones del partido demócrata sobre el aborto y la homosexualidad. Debido a que nuestra fe, nuestra familia y nuestros hijos son tan importantes, creo que es de vital importancia que ustedes estén en conocimiento de esto antes de que vayan a votar. el próximo Martes 5.de Noviembre.
CON RESPECTO AL ABORTO
Sabia usted que los demócratas en el Senado de Estados Unidos han votado vez tras vez a favor de mantener legal el aborto aun hasta el tercer trimestre de embarazo! Este cruel procedimiento implica que un bebé que esta por nacer, lo voltean para que salgan primero los pies y luego, antes de sacarle la cabecita, el medico le corta el cuello con un cuchillo punzante, le abre un hoyo al cerebro y le succiona los sesos al bebé. Todo esto lo hacen estos médicos sin anestesia. Debido a los Demócratas, esta practica de aborto, o mejor dicho, infanticidio, es legal hoy día hasta los 9 meses de embarazo! Si señores, este criminal proceso es 100% legal y el partido demócrata quiere que permanezca legal. Los Republicanos han tratado de prohibir el “aborto de nacimiento parcial”, (como se llama oficialmente), por casi 10 años y los Demócratas han parado los esfuerzos de los Republicanos.
ADOPCIONES DE NINOS POR HOMOSEXUALESIt goes on...
Como si el matrimonio entre homosexuales no fuese lo suficientemente depravado, casi todos los Demócratas apoyan la adopción de niños por
homosexuales aun cuando padres de familia normales, hombre y mujer, esten listos y dispuestos para adoptar al mismo niño. Si los Demócratas
continúan bloqueando las nominaciones de los nombramientos judiciales del Presidente Bush, incluyendo el caso de Miguel Estrada a la segunda Corte mas alta del país, y continúan ganando mas puestos estatales, las adopciones entre homosexuales y cuidado de niños por los sodomitas, se volverá algo generalizado y los niños sufrirán eternamente la implementación de estas medidas degeneradas.
White people can translate this at Bablefish. Just paste this URL where it says Translate a Web Page: http://seetheforest.blogspot.com/ (And remember to choose Spanish to English.)
Economic News
Factory Orders Continue to Decline, "Orders to U.S. factories fell for a second straight month in September. It was another setback for manufacturing, which has seen almost 2 million jobs evaporate over the last two years and is struggling not to sink even deeper into the quicksand of economic uncertainties. "
Layoffs soar 151 percent in October, "U.S. companies more than doubled their planned job cuts in October, a job placement firm said Monday."
Bets are on for an interest-rate cut, "The economic recovery is idling and financial markets think the Federal Reserve is ready to goose the accelerator."
October sales hint at problems ahead, "On a year-over-year basis, sales fell more than 30 percent for the Big Three. Even highly profitable Toyota (TM: news, chart, profile) saw sales fall more than 20 percent while more double-digit declines jarred the rest of the industry. Most important, the reports drive home the tenet that discounts can be very effective but do lose their impact over time."
My personal favorite from last week: Consumer Gloom May Cause Recession-Report, "Nearly six in 10 Americans rated the economy as poor in October, more than during last year's recession, a separate CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll said, despite optimism for better days next year. That gloom could soon drag on a recovery being driven almost entirely by consumer spending. "
TAKE TOMORROW OFF AND HELP GET OUT THE VOTE!
Update - Applied Materials to cut 11% of staff, "Applied Materials will cut 11 percent of its workforce due to an ongoing slowdown in the semiconductor industry, the world's largest maker of chip equipment announced on Monday."
Layoffs soar 151 percent in October, "U.S. companies more than doubled their planned job cuts in October, a job placement firm said Monday."
Bets are on for an interest-rate cut, "The economic recovery is idling and financial markets think the Federal Reserve is ready to goose the accelerator."
October sales hint at problems ahead, "On a year-over-year basis, sales fell more than 30 percent for the Big Three. Even highly profitable Toyota (TM: news, chart, profile) saw sales fall more than 20 percent while more double-digit declines jarred the rest of the industry. Most important, the reports drive home the tenet that discounts can be very effective but do lose their impact over time."
My personal favorite from last week: Consumer Gloom May Cause Recession-Report, "Nearly six in 10 Americans rated the economy as poor in October, more than during last year's recession, a separate CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll said, despite optimism for better days next year. That gloom could soon drag on a recovery being driven almost entirely by consumer spending. "
TAKE TOMORROW OFF AND HELP GET OUT THE VOTE!
Update - Applied Materials to cut 11% of staff, "Applied Materials will cut 11 percent of its workforce due to an ongoing slowdown in the semiconductor industry, the world's largest maker of chip equipment announced on Monday."
Economy Not Helping Democrats
New story, Polls: Voters Eye Domestic Issues.
If the Democrats wanted to run on economic issues, they could have made a lot more noise about the minimum wage, extending unemployment benefits, JOBS PROGRAMS, and other legislation to help working families. (Remember working families? They're the ones you represent, not the ones you get our money from.) To be fair, they've tried to talk about these things outside of the Congress, and the networks and papers won't cover them. But they could have done a LOT in the Congress to bring these issues front and center, and they didn't. They should have help everything up - expecially the war vote - pending action on programs for working people. Think about where they would be now, in this election, had they chosen to represent their constituents instead of rolling over for the Republicans.
Some political analysts have suggested that Democrats don't have an advantage on the economy because they haven't offered a clear alternative.It isn't when the slowdown started, it's what are they DOING ABOUT IT?!! And whether their policies, like tax cuts for the extremely rich, are helping or not.
Republican National Chairman Marc Racicot, also on NBC, said he isn't surprised Democrats haven't gained a clear advantage on the economy.
He cited international problems like terrorism that have affected the economy, and added: "This recession started before (President Bush (news - web sites)) took office. The American people know precisely what's going on."
If the Democrats wanted to run on economic issues, they could have made a lot more noise about the minimum wage, extending unemployment benefits, JOBS PROGRAMS, and other legislation to help working families. (Remember working families? They're the ones you represent, not the ones you get our money from.) To be fair, they've tried to talk about these things outside of the Congress, and the networks and papers won't cover them. But they could have done a LOT in the Congress to bring these issues front and center, and they didn't. They should have help everything up - expecially the war vote - pending action on programs for working people. Think about where they would be now, in this election, had they chosen to represent their constituents instead of rolling over for the Republicans.
More Microsoft
Going back in time, I took a look at Common Cause's 2000 report The Microsoft Playbook.
My personal favorite, "Just before the 1998 election, Microsoft gave $25,000 to the South Carolina Republican Party. Three weeks later, South Carolina Republican Attorney General Charles Condon pulled the state out of the anti-trust lawsuit filed against Microsoft."
My personal favorite, "Just before the 1998 election, Microsoft gave $25,000 to the South Carolina Republican Party. Three weeks later, South Carolina Republican Attorney General Charles Condon pulled the state out of the anti-trust lawsuit filed against Microsoft."
11/03/2002
Go See at Blah3
There's a great new spot over at Blah3, and it's about voting Tuesday so it's important. Go see it! Then send an e-mail to your friends about going to see it, too. AND about voting!
Hackers Take Down Black Commentator
From Black Commentator: "During the night of October 25, 2002 hackers destroyed approximately 6-8 servers owned by the company that provides hosting services for our Website."
They also say: "We do not believe the hacker attack was directed specifically at www.BlackCommentator.com."
However, "The hacker attack has delayed publication of issue 15 until Monday, November 4, 2002." The day before the election.
They also say: "We do not believe the hacker attack was directed specifically at www.BlackCommentator.com."
However, "The hacker attack has delayed publication of issue 15 until Monday, November 4, 2002." The day before the election.
Absolute and Total Bushit
Blame Game on Economy Seen as Pointless
Obviously Clinton made a difference. A huge difference. They don't want people to think about that as they head down to vote. Obviously FDR made a huge, huge difference that raised the country to a level of prosperity unimagined before he came along.
And obviously Bush has made a difference - largely by inaction with a touch of take from the poor and give to the rich. Long-term unemployment. Falling from huge surpluses to massive deficits in a single year. Hell, I don't need to go on with the list, do I?
In fact, the blame game is a pointless one to some degree because economists say there's little the occupant of the White House Oval Office can do to directly affect the $10 trillion U.S. economy.How many times have you heard this repeated? The President can't do anything about the economy. It makes no difference. Don't vote. Don't blame Republicans when the stock market goes down, unemployment and deficits soar, wages drop, benefits go away, and the money concentrates at the top.
Obviously Clinton made a difference. A huge difference. They don't want people to think about that as they head down to vote. Obviously FDR made a huge, huge difference that raised the country to a level of prosperity unimagined before he came along.
And obviously Bush has made a difference - largely by inaction with a touch of take from the poor and give to the rich. Long-term unemployment. Falling from huge surpluses to massive deficits in a single year. Hell, I don't need to go on with the list, do I?
11/02/2002
Get on Board?
OK I'm thinking of throwing in the towel and buying 100 shares of Microsoft on Monday.
What do you think? There isn't anything that's going to stop them. They've got $40 BILLION in cash so they're either going to buy up a bunch of tech companies and/or start giving a dividend.
This is special - if you knew my history with Microsoft (it goes back to 1978 and none of it is good) you would be amazed that I'm writing this, but hey, if you can't beat 'em... Maybe I'll get on board and vote Republican, too. Maybe start smoking again?
I'm serious. What do you think? Should I buy the stock?
What do you think? There isn't anything that's going to stop them. They've got $40 BILLION in cash so they're either going to buy up a bunch of tech companies and/or start giving a dividend.
This is special - if you knew my history with Microsoft (it goes back to 1978 and none of it is good) you would be amazed that I'm writing this, but hey, if you can't beat 'em... Maybe I'll get on board and vote Republican, too. Maybe start smoking again?
I'm serious. What do you think? Should I buy the stock?
Imminent National Emergency
Bush is out campaigning every day now. What happened to the imminent national emergency that required the Congress to vote before the election?
Today's Paper
Two articles from this morning's paper, U.S. retreating on mahogany limit - (Subhead: POSITION ON DWINDLING FORESTS CALLED BETRAYAL)
The Bush administration is backing off a key global environmental initiative launched by the president's father, who proposed restricting trade in the wood from world's dwindling mahogany forests.and, U.S. ending support of world health plan - (Subhead: WHITE HOUSE, IN MOVE AGAINST ABORTION RIGHTS, REJECTS GLOBAL ACCORD)
The Bush administration has intensified its battle against abortion rights worldwide by stating that it can no longer support a landmark international agreement that established reproductive health care as a means to curb population growth.Take a moment to reflect on just how stunning and horrible these two stories are, and then a moment to reflect on all the reasons these two stories are not headlines in every paper in the country, with horrified citizens running out into the streets in protest.
11/01/2002
The Check Arrived
Looks like Microsoft made sure their check to the RNC arrived on time.
You can not purchase a computer that has Windows and another OS installed. You can not purchase a computer with a non-Microsoft word processor or spreadsheet or database program installed.
The proof is in the pudding. Does the Microsoft settlement open up competition? Answer - not a single competitor has received funding since the settlement. In the time since the "settlement" almost all Microsoft's competitors in these areas have been wiped out. There will be no incentive to invest in a competing company. Companies in areas that Microsoft is thinking of entering will not receive funding.
Everyone will pay more for computers and software. Windows is the most expensive single component in a computer. Microsoft Office costs more than $400 and you can't really use a computer without it.
But the worst part of this is that it demonstrates that the best way to deal with America's justice system is to pay cash to the Republican Party, not to follow the law.
You can not purchase a computer that has Windows and another OS installed. You can not purchase a computer with a non-Microsoft word processor or spreadsheet or database program installed.
The proof is in the pudding. Does the Microsoft settlement open up competition? Answer - not a single competitor has received funding since the settlement. In the time since the "settlement" almost all Microsoft's competitors in these areas have been wiped out. There will be no incentive to invest in a competing company. Companies in areas that Microsoft is thinking of entering will not receive funding.
Everyone will pay more for computers and software. Windows is the most expensive single component in a computer. Microsoft Office costs more than $400 and you can't really use a computer without it.
But the worst part of this is that it demonstrates that the best way to deal with America's justice system is to pay cash to the Republican Party, not to follow the law.
Bubbling
Stocks are bubbling along. Earlier this week stocks rose because the economic data was so bad that investors decided that the Fed will cut interest rates 1/2 point next week. Today's report, stocks are rising because the really bad economic data, though worse than expected, wasn't as bad as it could have been. "Stocks ticked higher in late morning trade on Friday as October's momentum swept into a fresh month with investors reckoning that weak jobs and manufacturing data could have been worse."
The new Standard & Poors "core earnings" - earnings without lots of gimmicks and tricks - showed the S&P 500 at a P/E ratio of 57 last week. Stocks are up since then. The current non-core PE of the S&P 500 is 23.6. For perspective, the PE of the S&P in October 1929 was 21, and of the DOW was 17 - BEFORE THE CRASH. Stocks are currently priced higher than where stocks crashed from in 1929. Using "core earnings" we are higher by a factor of about 2.3 times.
The new Standard & Poors "core earnings" - earnings without lots of gimmicks and tricks - showed the S&P 500 at a P/E ratio of 57 last week. Stocks are up since then. The current non-core PE of the S&P 500 is 23.6. For perspective, the PE of the S&P in October 1929 was 21, and of the DOW was 17 - BEFORE THE CRASH. Stocks are currently priced higher than where stocks crashed from in 1929. Using "core earnings" we are higher by a factor of about 2.3 times.
10/31/2002
Well, DUH!
Bush, and the whole right wing crowd, like to say that taxes "take money out of the economy." The New York Times has an article, Do Lower Taxes Mean Faster Economic Growth?
There's more - the whole article is worth reading.
But the degree of misleading information emanating from both Washington and the media about how taxes affect the economy is disturbing. As I listen to the radio, watch TV news and read a variety of newspapers, it seems that quite a few Americans, including economics writers and media hosts, think that low-tax countries unquestionably grow faster than high-tax economies. Right and left, they seem to attribute more rapid growth in America to lower taxes.I thought that this was a settled question decades ago. Redistribution of income from the top to the broad consuming public stimulates our CONSUMER ECONOMY. Clinton raised taxes at the top and cut taxes at the bottom and look what happened. Bush cut taxes at the top and cut services for the middle and bottom and look what happened. Well, DUH!
What may surprise them is that there is no evidence for that. "You can make a theoretical case that high taxes impede economic growth, but it is just not supported by the evidence in the U.S. or across countries," said William Easterly, a former World Bank economist soon to join the faculty of New York University.
There's more - the whole article is worth reading.
MyDD
Are they going to have Reagan die? Seeing the Wellstone effect, the Republicans might have Reagan die this weekend. Check out this at MyDD.
Didn't Take Long
The Bush people appointed William Webster to head the accounting oversight board, when was it, Friday? This was after corporate types got Bush to kill the appointment of a serious investigator who would clean up the corporate mess.
So take a look at this story, SEC to Investigate Watchdog Pick. It seems that SEC Chair Harvey Pitt concealed from the SEC that his choice to head the accounting oversight board had headed an auditing committee of a company facing fraud charges.
These clowns think they can get away with anything. Can they?
So take a look at this story, SEC to Investigate Watchdog Pick. It seems that SEC Chair Harvey Pitt concealed from the SEC that his choice to head the accounting oversight board had headed an auditing committee of a company facing fraud charges.
These clowns think they can get away with anything. Can they?
10/30/2002
FAIR
Tom Tomorrow points to Fair's page, "Why U.N. inspectors left Iraq--then and now." It has examples of what various news organizations said back when the inspectors were pulled out, and say now to better fit Bush's lie that they were kicked out. Well worth a look. Here's one example:
The U.N. orders its weapons inspectors to leave Iraq after the chief inspector reports Baghdad is not fully cooperating with them.Soon Winston Smith will be changing old videotapes to reflect today's line.
-- Sheila MacVicar, ABC World News This Morning, 12/16/98
To bolster its claim, Iraq let reporters see one laboratory U.N. inspectors once visited before they were kicked out four years ago.
--John McWethy, ABC World News Tonight, 8/12/02
Sideshow, About Iraq
First I was pretty upset about Paul Wellstone's death. Then I was too busy to write much. Still am. So go read what Sideshow writes about Iraq. My comment, and my entry on the subject, is, "Yeah, what she said."
Well, more, actually. Sideshow writes, "Having already proceeded on a course to create a diplomatic nightmare prior to 9/11..." I've been meaning to say a few words about this. I think US policy leading up to 9/11 deserves more attention. I remember how Bush was swinging US Middle Eastern policy entirely away from the previous (and necessary) role of semi-neutral mediator. After Bush made statements entirely blaming Arafat and the Palestinians for the conflict, I remember saying to my wife that it seemed as though Bush was intentionally trying to start a war. This should be part of any investigation of events leading up to 9/11. Fat chance.
Well, more, actually. Sideshow writes, "Having already proceeded on a course to create a diplomatic nightmare prior to 9/11..." I've been meaning to say a few words about this. I think US policy leading up to 9/11 deserves more attention. I remember how Bush was swinging US Middle Eastern policy entirely away from the previous (and necessary) role of semi-neutral mediator. After Bush made statements entirely blaming Arafat and the Palestinians for the conflict, I remember saying to my wife that it seemed as though Bush was intentionally trying to start a war. This should be part of any investigation of events leading up to 9/11. Fat chance.
Got a Letter Today
I got a letter today:
This new Bush/Harken insider trading revelation has really got me steamed:So I asked him if I can post the message, and he writes:
Board was told of risks before Bush stock sale
Harken memo went to SEC after probe
By Michael Kranish and Beth Healy, Globe Staff, 10/30/2002
WASHINGTON - One week before George W. Bush's now-famous sale of stock in Harken Energy Corp. in 1990, Harken was warned by its lawyers that Bush and other members of the troubled oil company's board faced possible insider trading risks if they unloaded their shares.
These fucking pukes. Bush had the audacity to lie to the American people and suggest that matter had been looked into and he had been cleared. But now we learn that not only was he warned by Harken's legal team, they hid the warning form the SEC when it investigated HIM for insider trading. Seems to me that means they or Bush are guilty of Obstruction of Justice, in addition to insider trading.
I gotta go for a walk and calm down. The hypocrisy is of these people is so damn maddening.
You can print it and use my name. I want the whole damn country to know what liars, swindlers and cheats these people are.But I didn't post his name.
The GOP Thugs spent $70,000,000 destroying Clinton over lying about sex under oath and alleged crimes as involving the Whitewater affair. Bush's Harken dealings are text book insider trading dealings, and Harken Energy's off the balance sheet manipulations and phony profit reporting behavior/dealings pre-dated ENRON yet could have been used by ENRON as a how to guide.
Wellstone
I'm late getting this posted. The Hamster has suggested that a fitting tribute to Senator Wellstone would be to read Wellstone's 2001 book, "Conscience of a Liberal." I agree.
Radio Day
Relating directly to the previous entry, President Bush is planning an election-related "Radio Day" today, with radio talk show hosts setting up on the White House lawn.
Just how blatant can the election manipulation get, before the public reacts?
No, wait a minute, if you listen to AM radio, or watch TV, or read local newspapers, you aren't going to get a chance to hear anyone suggest that there's anything improper about this -- or about the timing of the Iraq war vote. You're only going to hear about why you should vote Republican, and about how stupid "liberals" are, and about how markets are the best way to decide policy, and about how raising wages costs jobs, and about how estate taxes are "death taxes" rather than taxes on inherited income, etc.
The tent will be open from 6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. for about 50 radio hosts and reporters to broadcast live to millions of listeners. Syndicated conservative hosts Oliver North and Sean Hannity will be there.All on paid government time, by the way. And what's this with allowing Ollie North back at the White House?
...
Guests for eight- to 10-minute interviews will include Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Attorney General John Ashcroft, Secretary of State Colin Powell, Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill and Commerce Secretary Don Evans. Even White House staffers who rarely do interviews will make the rounds, including chief of staff Andy Card, national security adviser Condoleezza Rice and senior adviser Karl Rove.
Just how blatant can the election manipulation get, before the public reacts?
No, wait a minute, if you listen to AM radio, or watch TV, or read local newspapers, you aren't going to get a chance to hear anyone suggest that there's anything improper about this -- or about the timing of the Iraq war vote. You're only going to hear about why you should vote Republican, and about how stupid "liberals" are, and about how markets are the best way to decide policy, and about how raising wages costs jobs, and about how estate taxes are "death taxes" rather than taxes on inherited income, etc.
Free Airtime
Republicans are complaining that Sen. Paul Wellstone's memorial service was broadcast on TV in Minnesota. They say it was giving "free airtime" to Democrats.
I guess we'll be hearing that complaint all day, nonstop, from now until the election on AM radio, and on the Fox News Network, and the Sunday talk shows, with no opposing voices whatsoever. We will if that's what the focus groups say works best for The Party.
I guess we'll be hearing that complaint all day, nonstop, from now until the election on AM radio, and on the Fox News Network, and the Sunday talk shows, with no opposing voices whatsoever. We will if that's what the focus groups say works best for The Party.
10/29/2002
War and Election
I think the Republicans are planning to try to force the UN to vote just before the election, bringing it back into the spotlight. This will be a test to see how blatantly they can try to manipulate the public and get away with it.
10/28/2002
Didn't get it.
A few people didn't get what I was saying. It was like they were saying, "The only good Democrat is a dead Democrat." OK? I guess I was being obscure.
The Only Good Indian
Over the weekend and continuing today I heard a lot of right-wing pundits talk about how Senator Paul Wellstone was such a great liberal, a man who stood on his principles, who stood for something, who was honest, how much they respected him, etc., not like those other Democrats who run with the polls, only do what they need to do to get elected, etc. Listening to them, it would seem that Paul Wellstone was the only Good Democrat.
10/26/2002
10/25/2002
Yeah, I'll Just Bet
Bush, "I would like to express my deep condolences for the loss of the Senate," Bush said shortly after hearing of Wellstone's death Friday. "And also, I would like to express my condolences to the bereaved family."
Yeah, right. If grief for Wellstone is what's on your mind here, how come you said "loss of the Senate?"
Update:Bush might not have said it.
Yeah, right. If grief for Wellstone is what's on your mind here, how come you said "loss of the Senate?"
Update:Bush might not have said it.
1968
This year is starting to remind me of 1968. A lot has happened. I feel like I felt after Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy were killed.
10/24/2002
Blog Recommendation
I want to recommend a blog called Thinking It Through. Seems to agree with me on many issues: must be brilliant. He does some good in-depth writing.
Read his column, Does the NRA Mistrust Democracy?
And today's entry, THE TALENT-CARNAHAN RACE AND POLITICS IN MISSOURI
Read his column, Does the NRA Mistrust Democracy?
And today's entry, THE TALENT-CARNAHAN RACE AND POLITICS IN MISSOURI
More No Law
Thanks to Tapped, here's a press release from the Dept. of Education, announcing a $600,000 government grant for a PR campaign to help The Party gain votes from black people.
A previous entry about Bush's education legislation.
A previous entry about Bush's education legislation.
No Law Anymore
Today's Washington Post, Bush Enlists Government in GOP Campaign.
Most of it, of course, illegal. Blatantly illegal. Not only that, but much of it is being paid for by the government, not The Party.
The 24/7 use of AM radio as a full-time Republicans Party advertisement is, of course, illegal as well.
But who is going to enforce these laws, the Bush Justice Department? HA!
Update - Imagine the uproar if Clinton were doing any of this.
Most of it, of course, illegal. Blatantly illegal. Not only that, but much of it is being paid for by the government, not The Party.
The 24/7 use of AM radio as a full-time Republicans Party advertisement is, of course, illegal as well.
But who is going to enforce these laws, the Bush Justice Department? HA!
Update - Imagine the uproar if Clinton were doing any of this.
10/23/2002
Voter Fraud
I've said a few times that I see the Republicans often using a sophisticated trick, where they accuse their opponents of doing something that they are actually doing themselves. It's called "inoculation." It masks their own activities, and makes the opponent look silly if they come back with an accusation of the Republicans doing the same thing they're accusing the opponent of. Like Bush accusing Gore of being willing to say or do anything to win, or Bush accusing Gore of being a liar.
They've become such smokescreen specialists, because they're usually trying to do things that they know the voters don't want. So sometimes to understand what the Republicans are up to you need to listen to what they're accusing the Democrats of being up to. (I said it's sophisticated, but maybe I meant it takes a lot of words to explain it.)
The Republicans have been making lots of accusations of voter fraud, and it's building up. Right now Drudge has no fewer than 5 voter fraud stories posted. Meanwhile, in Dallas the voting machines are acting funny. (Eschaton again.) Remember, these are machines that do not generate paper which can be checked against the totals! These are voting machines from one of the companies in the story I wrote about a ways back, about how right-wingers are quietly buying up all the voting machine companies.
They've become such smokescreen specialists, because they're usually trying to do things that they know the voters don't want. So sometimes to understand what the Republicans are up to you need to listen to what they're accusing the Democrats of being up to. (I said it's sophisticated, but maybe I meant it takes a lot of words to explain it.)
The Republicans have been making lots of accusations of voter fraud, and it's building up. Right now Drudge has no fewer than 5 voter fraud stories posted. Meanwhile, in Dallas the voting machines are acting funny. (Eschaton again.) Remember, these are machines that do not generate paper which can be checked against the totals! These are voting machines from one of the companies in the story I wrote about a ways back, about how right-wingers are quietly buying up all the voting machine companies.
More on Here It Comes
TBOGG has a story about Americans for Job Security, which I wrote about earlier.
Blogger Not Publishing
I don't know when you-all are reading this. Blogger is not publishing posts today. (Maybe it's the same thing that happened to Eschaton.) I suppose at some point it will publish all the posts I've written and can see here - and then you'll read this and understand what's going on.
But until then, you're not even seeing this.
But until then, you're not even seeing this.
Long List of Bush Lies
PLA published a long list and discussion of Bush lies here. (Thanks Eschaton.)
The Mighty Wurlitzer
Have I pointed to this article, The Mighty Wurlitzer, before? Robert Borosage describes how the right-wingers are able to accomplish so much.
Here It Comes
Most of the public doesn't realize that this is a crucial election. The Republicans do. So far they've taken advantage of the terrorist attack to push their agenda (examples - phony Dept. of Fatherland Security to get rid of public employee unions and employee protections, phony Terrorism Insurance bill to get rid of corporate liability laws...), terrified the public with phony terrorist alerts just as the President or Vice President are implicated in corporate scandals, and most recently blatantly timed a war scare to manipulate the campaign.
What's next? Here's a sign that things are starting: Mysterious group spends $1 million on anti-Wellstone campaign
What's next? Here's a sign that things are starting: Mysterious group spends $1 million on anti-Wellstone campaign
FBI Whistle Blower Being Fired
Not THAT whistle-blower - yet. MN Star Tribune: Minneapolis whistle-blower may face dismissal from FBI
10/22/2002
Suckers
Bush Declares U.S. Is Using Diplomacy to Disarm Hussein, "if the Iraqi leader complied with every United Nations mandate it would "signal the regime has changed."
The Iraq scare is over. It has served its purpose: the election.
I look at the opinion columns in the NY Times, and see, "The Price of Stability By MICHAEL O'HANLON Until we face up to the possibility that a multiyear occupation will be needed, we have not yet accepted what war to overthrow Saddam Hussein could entail." I think, "What's this guy writing about IRAQ for? Occupation? Doesn't he GET it? That's OVER. That's so last week.
Suckers.
The Iraq scare is over. It has served its purpose: the election.
I look at the opinion columns in the NY Times, and see, "The Price of Stability By MICHAEL O'HANLON Until we face up to the possibility that a multiyear occupation will be needed, we have not yet accepted what war to overthrow Saddam Hussein could entail." I think, "What's this guy writing about IRAQ for? Occupation? Doesn't he GET it? That's OVER. That's so last week.
Suckers.
10/21/2002
Pensions, Again
I've been writing about the corporate pension fund problem.
Today: Alcoa pension liability to jump $700 mln-$1 bln. Wow! And check this, "Pittsburgh-based Alcoa is also lowering its expected rate of return on its pension assets from 9.5 percent, but did not provide a new figure. Uncertainty over future stock market returns is leading many companies to reduce their fund expectations from recent high levels." That means that they've been reporting an expectation of a 9.5% return. Yeah, right.
Today: Alcoa pension liability to jump $700 mln-$1 bln. Wow! And check this, "Pittsburgh-based Alcoa is also lowering its expected rate of return on its pension assets from 9.5 percent, but did not provide a new figure. Uncertainty over future stock market returns is leading many companies to reduce their fund expectations from recent high levels." That means that they've been reporting an expectation of a 9.5% return. Yeah, right.
"Alcoa's comments are the latest in a string of corporate warnings over the health of their pension plans, as company after company discloses huge funding shortfalls.This is a big one, folks. Pay attention.
To make up for this funding gap, executives are being forced to divert billions of dollars to pension plans in moves that will lower earnings, limit spending and choke expansion plans.
Pension fund troubles also raise the specter of debt downgrades, which will put additional pressure on profits by raising borrowing costs.
3M Co. (NYSE:MMM - News), the diversified manufacturer whose products range from Post-It notes and Scotch tape to industrial adhesives, said on Monday it would take a $1 billion charge in the fourth quarter against shareholder equity -- essentially a measure of its net worth -- because of a funding shortfall in its pension plan.
Also on Monday, United States Steel Corp. (NYSE:X - News), the largest domestic steelmaker, said it may have to take a $750 million charge against equity later this year to account for possible shortfalls in its union employee pension plan.
A recent study by Credit Suisse First Boston estimates that of the 360 companies in the Standard & Poor's 500 index that have pension plans, 325 will have shortfalls by year end. Only 33 will be overfunded. The airline and automobile industries are the hardest hit. "
Estate Tax
Just want to get this out there. The Republicans came up with the cute name, "Death Tax," for the Estate Tax. This probably took a few focus groups and polls to come up with.
The Estate Tax is paid on the transfer of assets when a zillionaire dies. It is AN INCOME TAX on the income received by heirs of someone who is really, really rich. The Republicans cast it as a tax that causes farms and small businesses to be sold to pay the tax, but this is yet another lie. From NYTimes, Focus on Farms Masks Estate Tax Confusion,
The Estate Tax is paid on the transfer of assets when a zillionaire dies. It is AN INCOME TAX on the income received by heirs of someone who is really, really rich. The Republicans cast it as a tax that causes farms and small businesses to be sold to pay the tax, but this is yet another lie. From NYTimes, Focus on Farms Masks Estate Tax Confusion,
While 17 percent of Americans in a recent Gallup survey think they will owe estate taxes, in fact only the richest 2 percent of Americans do. That amounted to 49,870 Americans in 1999. And nearly half the estate tax is paid by the 3,000 or so people who each year leave taxable estates of more than $5 million.Let's be clear on this. You and I pay income taxes on OUR income, but Bush and the Republicans repealed the Estate Tax and now rich kids won't have to pay taxes on THEIR (inherited) incomes. People are not as upset about this as they should be, probably because of the cute name the Republicans were able to apply to the debate.
Correction
Earlier I wrote that Enron was paying for the anti-Davis ads. Articles I found point to Reliant Energy more than Enron. The problem is that the group placing the ads, American Taxpayer Alliance, has been allowed to conceal their donors.
From Organized Labor: (scroll down to "Hard Hat Rally")
From Organized Labor: (scroll down to "Hard Hat Rally")
The American Taxpayer Alliance is paying for the ads with money from energy companies like Reliant, and money raised by Enron lobbyists. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Reliant Energy of Houston, the largest independent generator of electricity, reported earnings in the first quarter of 2001 that were double those for the first quarter of the previous year, (4/17/01). Two of the directors of Reliant Energy, James Baker and Steve Letbetter have strong ties to the Bush White House. Looking at the Enron Corporation of Houston, we find that revenue increased by 500% over the three-year period from 1997 to 2000, from $20.3 billion to $100.8 billion. Even more interesting, Enron CEO, Kenneth Lay, energy advisor to the Bush administration, made $27.2 million through insider trading of Enron stock in the 12-month period ending April 2001. Not bad for a years work, and this is only his bonus money.From the Davis Campaign:
DAVIS WINS INJUNCTION AGAINST AMERICAN TAXPAYERS ALLIANCEDemocratic Underground:
California Superior Court Judge David Garcia granted an injunction requested by the Governor Gray Davis Committee requiring the American Taxpayers Alliance, which had been airing anti-Davis television commercials, to abide by the State’s Political Reform Act by registering as a political committee with the Secretary of State and filing a list of its contributors. “California law – and basic fairness – demand that organizations making campaign attacks identify themselves so the voters can evaluate the message against those who are funding it,” said Joseph Remcho, the attorney representing the Governor’s political committee. “It is gratifying that Judge Garcia agreed such groups must tell California voters who their donors are. They can say whatever they want, but they have to play by California’s rules.”
Based in Washington, D.C., the American Taxpayers Alliance is a tax-exempt entity headed by former Republican National Committee executive director Scott Reed. The group adamantly has refused to reveal who paid for the media campaign, although Time magazine reported in June that Reliant Energy Inc., one of the Houston-based energy suppliers Davis has accused of gouging consumers, is one of its major contributors. A July analysis by the D.C.-based Center for Responsive Politics also said the group’s prime donors were from the oil and gas industry.
American Taxpayers Alliance - NEW! Weeks on chart: 1 - The American Taxpayers Alliance started running a TV ad in California last week attacking Governor Gray Davis for failing to protect the public from rising energy costs. The campaign-style ad doesn't promote a rival candidate, but features fuzzy, unflattering close-ups of Davis while assailing his record. So who are the American Taxpayers Alliance? Surely they're a group of concerned citizens who are worried about spiraling energy prices in California, right? Um, wrong. The "American Taxpayers Alliance" is actually a front group for hundreds of corporations, including Texas-based Reliant Energy. Reliant Energy are proud to list James "rent-a-hatchet" Baker and Bush fundraiser Steve Ledbetter on their board of directors. So, Californians - energy companies are selling electricity to you at vastly over-inflated prices, then spending the profits on TV ads attacking your governor for failing to stop them. How do you feel?And the whole story at CorpWatch.
Best I've Ever Seen
Last year the "energy crisis" hit California. Big coincidence, the country had just "elected" two corrupt oil-industry men to "lead" the country and suddenly energy prices shot through the roof. (Remember the gas crisis in the Chicago area that ended immediately as soon as the Senate announced they would investigate?)
In California we had "rolling blackouts" and a huge surge in electricity, natural gas and gasoline prices. The Bush FERC, of course, refused to intervene. The Governor had to start purchasing energy on the spot market to try to stop the blackouts.
Then nasty TV ads started appearing, blaming Governor Davis. Davis had been a sort-of invisible Governor until then. No one really knew what to think of him. He was "undefined."
Those ads stuck, like nothing I've ever seen before. They completely defined Davis, his poll numbers fell through the floor, even good Democrats I knew were blaming Davis for "bungling the energy crisis." He has not recovered from those ads. Those ads were the best I've ever seen. They took that guy and defined him and the public STILL blames him for the energy crisis. When you ask people why they don't like Davis, they'll tell you it is because he bungled the energy crisis, they're not sure about the details. It was later that other ads tagged him with accepting too many campaign contributions. (Imagine, a Democrat being tagged with that, in the Bush era! Shows the power of propaganda, doesn't it?)
Turns out that Enron was paying for those ads, while Enron and a few other energy companies were manipulating the energy supply and raking in a huge bundle. (How much of that cash was funneled to The Party?) And now that is part of the public record. Doesn't matter, though. The public blames Davis.
In California we had "rolling blackouts" and a huge surge in electricity, natural gas and gasoline prices. The Bush FERC, of course, refused to intervene. The Governor had to start purchasing energy on the spot market to try to stop the blackouts.
Then nasty TV ads started appearing, blaming Governor Davis. Davis had been a sort-of invisible Governor until then. No one really knew what to think of him. He was "undefined."
Those ads stuck, like nothing I've ever seen before. They completely defined Davis, his poll numbers fell through the floor, even good Democrats I knew were blaming Davis for "bungling the energy crisis." He has not recovered from those ads. Those ads were the best I've ever seen. They took that guy and defined him and the public STILL blames him for the energy crisis. When you ask people why they don't like Davis, they'll tell you it is because he bungled the energy crisis, they're not sure about the details. It was later that other ads tagged him with accepting too many campaign contributions. (Imagine, a Democrat being tagged with that, in the Bush era! Shows the power of propaganda, doesn't it?)
Turns out that Enron was paying for those ads, while Enron and a few other energy companies were manipulating the energy supply and raking in a huge bundle. (How much of that cash was funneled to The Party?) And now that is part of the public record. Doesn't matter, though. The public blames Davis.
Read Everything
I've been meaning to say that everything over at The Sideshow lately has been a great read.
10/20/2002
What He Wrote
I was asked to post the message I received from a reader that led to this entry. Here it is:
Recently I've discovered the world of Blogs and yours is one of my daily reads. I've been running around the idea of a journal on our website (I used to always keep a journal when I traveled after high school) but obviously the blog is the way to go.Oh yeah, and the Subject line of his message was, "If I had a blog."
Anyway, I got an email link from a friend in NY (worked across the street from the WTC, all his buddies worked at Cantor-Fitzgerald) that was obviously written by what you call a chickenwarblogger. I whipped out a response (I had a tee time approaching) and sent it without much thought. I think it really got to him. He wants me to be running for office now [laughable]. When I reread today what I had written yesterday morning I couldn't believe I had written it. Reading blogs like yours has definitly sharpened my knife.
I'm still a ways off from starting my own blog (gotta blow a lot of glass for the coming holiday season) but I wanted to pass on what you helped inspire. (Feel free to use any of it)
[my friend] > I liked what this guy had to say [link any typical chickenwarblogger rant], just wanted your take on it.
[my response]
I feel like a mosquito at a nudist camp, I don't even know where to begin. I'll try and avoid going into it point by excruciating point and instead give my general reaction.
First, the fact that the writer continues to frame this as a "Lefty" issue ignores the reality that a lot of conservatives have serious misgivings about staging this war and instead it comes across as little more than a heavy handed diatribe against the left. I refer you to a recent speech by General Zinni http://www.mideasti.org/html/zinnispeech.htm . I don't think anyone, including the writer, could mistake this person for a Lefty. For my own part, though I come across as left-center to most, if not all, of my right-center friends, I have in reality voted for more GOP candidates than DFL in my lifetime and still morn the loss McCain suffered in SC. If you could remove all the republicans with a gun in one hand and a bible in the other I would be comfortable back in the 'Big Tent".
If it helps, I was just making the case for going to war with Iraq to someone yesterday (I really can play both sides of the isle). My rational was that because the US in essence created Saddam in the first place we owed it to the world to go in and clean up after ourselves, followed by a big apology and a promise to stop installing brutal regimes just because they suit some short term geopolitical purpose. They always seem to end up embarrassing us or somehow coming back to bit us on the butt. I believe in democracy but too often it seems that our government is more concerned with spreading capitalism than democracy, confusing the two and pissing off a lot of people who get left out.
I've never heard a lefty advocate assassinating Saddam, but I did hear Ari go there (is Ari a closet lefty?).
For more reasons than I care to delve into, comparing Saddam to Hitler is a gross disservice to history. For one thing, Hitler never asked our position on attacking Poland whereas Saddam checked with our envoy as to the position of the US regarding Kuwait. The day after we responded that we had no official position on middle east boarders Saddam attacked. I have a whole group of in-laws that survived Nazi Germany (concentration camps and all) and I see firsthand how that effects the next two, three generations. Nobody who has any idea what really happened during WWII would seriously put forth such an insulting comparison. That the world joined forces and repelled Saddam out of Kuwait shortly after his invasion shows that we have indeed learned the lesson that ignoring the takeover of Poland taught us.
Likewise, the example of postwar Japan to Iraq is another put forward by people ignorant of history. Again, for more reasons than I care to delve into, Tommy Franks is no MacArthur, and the Iraqis of today are nothing like the Japanese of the 1930s - 1950s.
We're talking about a battle between Judeo/Christian-fascism (Jerry Falwell, Ann Coulter anyone?) and Islamo-fascism that's been going on for over 1500 years. To think that by simply going in and installing a pro-western government we can make everything better (as in Panama, Grenada? Please) displays ignorance of recent history. We tried that in Iran in the 50's when their newly elected - democratically elected I might add - government wanted to nationalize their oil industry. The US helped stage an overthrow and installed the Shaw of Iran. This radicalized their religious leaders which lead directly to their takeover in the 70's, which in turn lead to our creation of Saddam (and now we've gone full circle). Now anti-Americanism is again fueling insurgencies in simi-stable regimes otherwise friendly to the US (see Pakistan, see Brazil).
If dropping bombs doesn't create terrorists, why is it that the US (and immediate allies) are the only countries to suffer terrorists? There are a lot of flourishing democracies around the world who don't worry about terrorists.
Near the beginning of this I said that I was making a case for war with Iraq yesterday. My other reason for going to war was that too many people have obviously forgotten what war is really like. In some religions it's said that you have to be 'reborn' to be saved. Well, if we're really going to ever have true world peace we'll have to have that final big battle. Hawks are quick to point out that if the pacifists are wrong the worst case outcome is a nuke in NY or Washington. I’d like to point out that if we go to war and the Hawks are wrong, the worst case outcome is Armageddon.
How many US lives are you willing to forfeit? How many foreign lives? How many is too many? If this really was a viable route to peace we wouldn’t still be trying this same approach for the last 2-3,000 years. But what the hell, let’s give it another try. It’s not like it’s you or me or our children that will have to give their lives in this battle.
10/19/2002
What the Republicans Think They Can Get Away With
Zizka posted a comment to my Iraq Again posting earlier, "God, those people in Georgia must be dumshits if the Republicans think they can get away with this."
Well, I had JUST finished looking at Eschaton when I saw his comment. Eschaton has posted two different entries about Republicans lying, and just lying, and no one calling them on it. One was pointing to today's Daily Howler. It's about the long history of the Republican National Committee sending lies around, and no one calling them on it. Flat out lies, that everyone knows are lies at this point. The second referenced a Crossfire transcript about Republicans lying - JUST LYING - about where the term "privatization" originated.
So to respond to Zizka, the Republicans don't THINK they can get away with this stuff, they KNOW they can get away with this stuff! They just lie, they send out "talking points" full of lies, they post lies on their website, they publicly change their story sometimes in the middle of sentences, and THEY JUST GET AWAY WITH IT. It's all there for anyone to see. Anyone with half a brain knows they just lie. Listen to Rush Limbaugh for ten minutes and you will hear a ten-minute-long series of lies.
AND IT WORKS! That's why they do it! They lie ENOUGH and some of it sticks, and people start to believe it. People still believe that Clinton got a $200 haircut while his plane held up traffic on the LAX runway. How many of you remember when Clinton was acused of selling an Arlington National Cemetery plot to a campaign contributor? It was just a lie and within a few days the press stopped reporting it, so the Republicans just moved on with the next lie. Go to Google and see if that lie is still in circulation. (And read some of the slime-pages this search brings up.) When one lie fades from the headlines, they start up another lie. It works.
Oh, man, this is getting to me. I'm using ALL CAPS in the middle of what I'm saying. The last post I used BOLD ALL CAPS. I think I'll go take a pill.
Well, I had JUST finished looking at Eschaton when I saw his comment. Eschaton has posted two different entries about Republicans lying, and just lying, and no one calling them on it. One was pointing to today's Daily Howler. It's about the long history of the Republican National Committee sending lies around, and no one calling them on it. Flat out lies, that everyone knows are lies at this point. The second referenced a Crossfire transcript about Republicans lying - JUST LYING - about where the term "privatization" originated.
So to respond to Zizka, the Republicans don't THINK they can get away with this stuff, they KNOW they can get away with this stuff! They just lie, they send out "talking points" full of lies, they post lies on their website, they publicly change their story sometimes in the middle of sentences, and THEY JUST GET AWAY WITH IT. It's all there for anyone to see. Anyone with half a brain knows they just lie. Listen to Rush Limbaugh for ten minutes and you will hear a ten-minute-long series of lies.
AND IT WORKS! That's why they do it! They lie ENOUGH and some of it sticks, and people start to believe it. People still believe that Clinton got a $200 haircut while his plane held up traffic on the LAX runway. How many of you remember when Clinton was acused of selling an Arlington National Cemetery plot to a campaign contributor? It was just a lie and within a few days the press stopped reporting it, so the Republicans just moved on with the next lie. Go to Google and see if that lie is still in circulation. (And read some of the slime-pages this search brings up.) When one lie fades from the headlines, they start up another lie. It works.
Oh, man, this is getting to me. I'm using ALL CAPS in the middle of what I'm saying. The last post I used BOLD ALL CAPS. I think I'll go take a pill.
Bush the Uniter
Republican House Speaker Hastert, reflecting the improved "tone" in Washington after two years of Bush the Uniter, who promised to change the tone in Washington, "When partisanship becomes so rigid it makes deal making impossible, the result is a breakdown in the system, and that breakdown is widely seen as simple incompetence" said the statement by Hastert's office.
More changed tone from the Uniting Republicans, same article, "House Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas, asked as the House adjourned this week why al-Qaida can organize itself after a U.S.-led assault "and the Senate cannot organize itself." His answer: "Al-Qaida doesn't have a Senator Daschle who has another focus."
Ads with bin Laden's face morphing into Democratic candidates. Timing the Iraq campaign for the election. Ready-to-go with ads with Democratic walking with Saddam Hussein. Gotta hand it to those Republicans, they know how to win elections, saying they'll "change the tone" and saying they are "uniters not dividers." WATCH WHAT THEY DO, NOT WHAT THEY SAY.
More changed tone from the Uniting Republicans, same article, "House Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas, asked as the House adjourned this week why al-Qaida can organize itself after a U.S.-led assault "and the Senate cannot organize itself." His answer: "Al-Qaida doesn't have a Senator Daschle who has another focus."
Ads with bin Laden's face morphing into Democratic candidates. Timing the Iraq campaign for the election. Ready-to-go with ads with Democratic walking with Saddam Hussein. Gotta hand it to those Republicans, they know how to win elections, saying they'll "change the tone" and saying they are "uniters not dividers." WATCH WHAT THEY DO, NOT WHAT THEY SAY.
Iraq Again
I wrote this in a reply to an e-mail from a reader today:
Man, if you get me started about Iraq... point-by-point it just doesn't add up, and then we get this Korea nuke situation, where so many of the Bush people's points DO apply, and you find out that they sat on the news for 12 days because it would interfere with their Iraq-war-vote strategy...
So for Korea we will have diplomacy but for Iraq we will have war.
I think that the plan from the beginning was to frame this as "liberals" and Democrats against patriotic Republicans. I think this was the plan even before they came up with specifics of which country would get the war beat! It was about the election, not about Iraq. I'll bet that they took polls and found out that x% more people would hate Iraq than would hate Korea, so they decided to use Iraq for the election.
It's a "wedge issue" they can use to divide people into camps, with the plan being that their camp gets the most people. Republicans have one issue right now - military - so they needed to create an election around the only issue that works for them.
Here's my case - Max Cleland. You can't get much more of war hero material than Max Cleland. (Maybe John McCain.) So here we are with Cleland voting with the President on every single vote. But the Republicans are running ads against him with a picture of bin Laden morphing onto Cleland anyway. (And they're running a draft dodger against him.)
So it wasn't about Iraq or supporting the President at all. It was about getting the public stirred up so they could run ads like that against Democrats. Here's a war hero supporter of the President and he gets ads comparing him to bin Laden.
Man, if you get me started about Iraq... point-by-point it just doesn't add up, and then we get this Korea nuke situation, where so many of the Bush people's points DO apply, and you find out that they sat on the news for 12 days because it would interfere with their Iraq-war-vote strategy...
So for Korea we will have diplomacy but for Iraq we will have war.
I think that the plan from the beginning was to frame this as "liberals" and Democrats against patriotic Republicans. I think this was the plan even before they came up with specifics of which country would get the war beat! It was about the election, not about Iraq. I'll bet that they took polls and found out that x% more people would hate Iraq than would hate Korea, so they decided to use Iraq for the election.
It's a "wedge issue" they can use to divide people into camps, with the plan being that their camp gets the most people. Republicans have one issue right now - military - so they needed to create an election around the only issue that works for them.
Here's my case - Max Cleland. You can't get much more of war hero material than Max Cleland. (Maybe John McCain.) So here we are with Cleland voting with the President on every single vote. But the Republicans are running ads against him with a picture of bin Laden morphing onto Cleland anyway. (And they're running a draft dodger against him.)
So it wasn't about Iraq or supporting the President at all. It was about getting the public stirred up so they could run ads like that against Democrats. Here's a war hero supporter of the President and he gets ads comparing him to bin Laden.
Suckers
Washington Post: N. Korea Issue Irks Congress - Key Democrats Kept in Dark On Admission Before Iraq Vote
The White House withheld North Korea's admission about a nuclear weapons program from key Democrats until after Congress had passed its resolution authorizing war with Iraq, prompting complaints on Capitol Hill that the administration has let politics influence its conduct of foreign affairs.Suckered again. Never gonna learn.
10/18/2002
Send West Wing to BartCop
Someone needs to send this week's West Wing to BartCop. Scroll down below where Dorothy's shoes are clicking heels (until I can figure out how to link to a particular item.)
Blah, Blah, Blah, Yada, Yada
A good piece over at Blah3, scroll to "The MBA who wasn't" (until I can figure out how to link to a particular item.)
Remember when the wingnuts were telling us that the corporate scandals were all Clinton's fault because of the moral tone he set during the 90's? (Never mind the tone set by Bush regarding corporate responsibility, when he took office.)
I know, I know, I'm always saying don't pay attention to the specific nonsense the wingnuts spew, those are trees, see the forest, etc., yada, yada. BUT ANYWAY go see this one.
Remember when the wingnuts were telling us that the corporate scandals were all Clinton's fault because of the moral tone he set during the 90's? (Never mind the tone set by Bush regarding corporate responsibility, when he took office.)
I know, I know, I'm always saying don't pay attention to the specific nonsense the wingnuts spew, those are trees, see the forest, etc., yada, yada. BUT ANYWAY go see this one.
It's the Radio, Stupid!
Reading this story in USA Today, about how the economy isn't getting traction as an issue, and listening to the radio in the car while I ate a sandwich today, I'm thinking about how the public's political information process has changed.
The Republicans have greatly increased their control over the information that the public receives. I drove across the country in 2001, and once you get away from the coasts, news is ENTIRELY a Republican media operation. Every town is right-wing radio, right-wing newspapers, FOX in the motel rooms, etc. There are very few other sources of information.
Coming back from my lunch I'm thinking about how AM radio has been completely taken over by the Republican Party and is being used used as a 24/7 running Republican Party political advertisement. Today's Hannity show, while I was listening, was a blatant full-scale Republican Party ad, asking people to donate, to volunteer to work on Republican campaigns, etc. AS WELL as spewing out the right-wing lies, like that Democrats are blocking the Fatherland Security Bill so you have to vote for Republicans if you want the country protected. (Facts - The Democrats PROPOSED the agency, and the Republicans are filibustering it.)
This use of the AM band is illegal, and it shows where The Party wants to take the country. The Democrats should grow spines and demand that the these stations be fined for making in-kind donations to The Party, and that they put some opposing voices on the airwave.
The Republicans have greatly increased their control over the information that the public receives. I drove across the country in 2001, and once you get away from the coasts, news is ENTIRELY a Republican media operation. Every town is right-wing radio, right-wing newspapers, FOX in the motel rooms, etc. There are very few other sources of information.
Coming back from my lunch I'm thinking about how AM radio has been completely taken over by the Republican Party and is being used used as a 24/7 running Republican Party political advertisement. Today's Hannity show, while I was listening, was a blatant full-scale Republican Party ad, asking people to donate, to volunteer to work on Republican campaigns, etc. AS WELL as spewing out the right-wing lies, like that Democrats are blocking the Fatherland Security Bill so you have to vote for Republicans if you want the country protected. (Facts - The Democrats PROPOSED the agency, and the Republicans are filibustering it.)
This use of the AM band is illegal, and it shows where The Party wants to take the country. The Democrats should grow spines and demand that the these stations be fined for making in-kind donations to The Party, and that they put some opposing voices on the airwave.
Career Change
I have recently changed careers. I have taken a position at a public policy institute, and will be writing more about this soon.
Until June I was VP Marketing at a tech company competing with Microsoft in an age when big companies can purchase their way out of legal verdicts. I wrote one of my personal favorites, The Retirement Plan of the Unemployed Man in the period of unemployment following the demise of my employer.
2.5 years ago Microsoft was convicted of violating antitrust laws but bought a deal with the Bush administration that effectively set aside the verdict. Yesterday Microsoft reported profits more than doubling, based on a new licensing scheme forcing business users to pay even more for their software.
After fighting Microsoft, battling right wingers won't be so bad. At least there are alternatives.
Until June I was VP Marketing at a tech company competing with Microsoft in an age when big companies can purchase their way out of legal verdicts. I wrote one of my personal favorites, The Retirement Plan of the Unemployed Man in the period of unemployment following the demise of my employer.
2.5 years ago Microsoft was convicted of violating antitrust laws but bought a deal with the Bush administration that effectively set aside the verdict. Yesterday Microsoft reported profits more than doubling, based on a new licensing scheme forcing business users to pay even more for their software.
"Results for the first quarter were exceptionally strong, exceeding our expectations," John Connors, Microsoft's chief financial officer, said in a statement. "During the quarter, we saw broader customer adoption of our licensing programs than we anticipated, as customers recognized the value of entering into long-term licensing agreements for our products."The "value" is that there isn't any alternative.
After fighting Microsoft, battling right wingers won't be so bad. At least there are alternatives.
Talk, Talk, Talk
Bush says, "Now, listen, the foundation for growth is strong, interest rates are low, inflation is low ... productivity is high in America," he said. "But so long as somebody's looking for work can't find work, I think we have a problem."
How come no one is asking him what is he DOING about it??!! Look at what they DO, not what they SAY!
And, by the way, interest rates are low BECAUSE the economy sucks. It is NOT a sign that the economy is doing well. DUH! And someone should tell him that economists are worried about deflation. Inflation being this low is an ominous sign, not something to brag about right now.
How come no one is asking him what is he DOING about it??!! Look at what they DO, not what they SAY!
And, by the way, interest rates are low BECAUSE the economy sucks. It is NOT a sign that the economy is doing well. DUH! And someone should tell him that economists are worried about deflation. Inflation being this low is an ominous sign, not something to brag about right now.
10/17/2002
Agrees With Me, Must Be Brilliant!
Mary McGory in today's Washington Post, on the subject I wrote about earlier today.
Are Democrats making a major effort to reduce voter turnout in the coming election? Or are they just trying to fight free of the trap they diligently fashioned for themselves on the subject of war with Iraq? By their conduct on the issue in the recent congressional debate, they seemed eager to show there was no difference between them and the Republicans -- a strategy that guarantees voters will ask themselves, when it comes to digging out on a cold November morning, "Why bother?"
Reward the Heroes, Still Not in the News
MoveOn.org is up to $1,250,000 in three days. This is just phenomenal! It's worth putting their whole letter up:
Dear MoveOn member,
Amazing. You blew away all our goals with an incredible $1,250,000 raised in three days, from more than 30,000 individual donations. You've really made a difference for these candidates, and you've sent an important message to politicians and pundits.
We raised more than $560,000 for Senator Wellstone, and the campaign's ecstatic. But believe it or not, it's not all about money. The Wellstone campaign believes that in the end the decisive factor will be people on the ground.
Today's recommended action is to get out and help.
Here's a note from the Wellstone campaign:
"When you ask people to help at the end of the campaign, you should mention that our goal is to have 10,000 volunteers who spend all day on Election Day in a get out the vote effort. These people will be making phone calls, knocking on doors, driving people to the polls, and dropping iterature, all over the state. This race has been a dead heat in the polls from the very beginning, and will remain so until the end. Our grass roots army will be the decisive factor in Paul's victory." (if you can help in Minnesota, see the campaign contact info below)
Volunteer for a campaign. Now.
Why?
Reason #19 -- We can't let money in politics win.
We need each of you to be part of the political process and wrest it back from big money and professional politicians. Many folks have given up, and that's exactly why big money has taken over. Believe me, there's a real vacuum of power in the political parties, because they now turn around and find that the meeting halls are empty, that real people have deserted them. With campaign finance reform, they'll have to find another way. Now is the time to take the parties back for real people.
Ideally you will help with a local swing race, where the impact of your efforts will be magnified a thousand times. We've included a list of tight congressional races and other volunteering resources below.
But even if you can't find a local swing race, get out and work. Work for a great candidate running for dog catcher, if that's the best race in town. Call or email their campaign today. Take back your party.
Let us know how you intend to volunteer this election. We'd really like to know how people are making a difference.
Go to: (Oops, had my personal info in it...) Try here: http://www.moveonpac.org/moveonpac/index.phtml
Thanks for everything. The countdown continues,
-Wes, Eli, Joan, Peter, Doug and Carrie
for MoveOn.org PAC
October 16, 2002
Punishing Who?
I'm starting to hear people saying that they are so mad at the Democrats for voting for war with Iraq that they'll sit out this election. This is sort of a Naderist view, and I can almost sympathize with it. There really wasn't a difference between the Republicans and many Democrats when it came down to the vote on whether to go to war. And what could be more important than that?
The problem is that sitting out the election might punish the Democrats, but it is cutting off your nose to spite your face. If the Democrats lose the Senate it's US who are really punished. Look at the terrible things Bush has done so far and imagine what will happen if there is nothing in place to hold him back.
But why do the Democrats have to make it so difficult to support them?
The problem is that sitting out the election might punish the Democrats, but it is cutting off your nose to spite your face. If the Democrats lose the Senate it's US who are really punished. Look at the terrible things Bush has done so far and imagine what will happen if there is nothing in place to hold him back.
But why do the Democrats have to make it so difficult to support them?
10/16/2002
Reward the Heroes, Day 2
Yesterday I wrote about MoveOn.org's 'Reward the Heroes' campaign. This update just came in and it speaks for itself:
Our fundraising effort for heroes in Congress has been wildly successful, with almost $900,000 raised in under 48 hours from more than 25,000 individual donations. You folks are amazing. Let's make it a cool million. Just go to http://www.moveonpac.org/moveonpac/viewcandidates.phtmlI did. I hope you will, too.
10/15/2002
Reward the Heroes
If you don't know about MoveOn.org, I recommend you go take a look and sign up for their action updates.
They sent a message out yesterday, "Reward the Heroes," asking us to donate some campaign cash to the candidates in tight races who went ahead and voted against Bush because it was the right thing to do. Here's a bit of yesterday's letter:
They sent a message out yesterday, "Reward the Heroes," asking us to donate some campaign cash to the candidates in tight races who went ahead and voted against Bush because it was the right thing to do. Here's a bit of yesterday's letter:
"As strategists look back at this election over the years to come, either they'll say, "President Bush manufactured a war and won at the polls" or they'll say, "President Bush manufactured a war and lost at the polls." Your gift today can make the difference."Well, today they sent another message out. Here's a piece of it:
Good news: in just 24 hours, ten thousand of us have given more than $400,000 for our four heroes in Congress. That's $180,000 to Senator Wellstone's campaign alone. The campaigns are ecstatic. One campaign manager said, "You have no idea what this means to us."These candidates did the right thing, MoveOn.org did the right thing, now you do the right thing. Get your credit card out and click here.
What the Right is Saying about Carter
I subscribe to the far-right Heritage Foundation's TownHall, and they send me a list of right-wing articles every day. Today brings, The Nobel Prize Should Go To Those Who Really Support Peace.
Here's some quotes: Jimmy Carter has "continuously betrayed the principles on which peace depend." He espouses "collectivist ideals", "supported the dictator Castro", "understands nothing of rights and peace."
"In choosing Carter the Nobel Committee has shown yet again that it does not understand the cause of war and so of peace."
"Shamefully, the Nobel Committee has repeatedly awarded its Peace Prize to the bringers of war."
Such pleasant people, those right-wingers. Always ready to speak well of others.
Here's some quotes: Jimmy Carter has "continuously betrayed the principles on which peace depend." He espouses "collectivist ideals", "supported the dictator Castro", "understands nothing of rights and peace."
"In choosing Carter the Nobel Committee has shown yet again that it does not understand the cause of war and so of peace."
"Shamefully, the Nobel Committee has repeatedly awarded its Peace Prize to the bringers of war."
Such pleasant people, those right-wingers. Always ready to speak well of others.
Using War
Here's a story about the Republicans using "the war" against them in this election?
Maybe I'm old, maybe I'm not ready for the new millennium where it's OK to politicize these things, and to send kids off to die so you can win an election and vote to get rid of programs for regular people to open the way for ever lower taxes for the rich. And maybe it isn't OK.
The Democrats aren't doing this sort of thing. They aren't running ads that say, "While Bush was on another vacation, and Republicans were busy helping CEOs steal your 401K, the Democrats were trying to warn them to pay attention to the terrorist threat."
In television ads and campaign speeches, Republican candidates have become increasingly bold about using war with Iraq and the threat of terrorism as issues against their Democratic opponents -- even when there is little or no difference between the candidates on issues such as the recent congressional vote to give President Bush the authority to invade Iraq.Were these Democrats thinking that voting with the President would make a difference in the Republicans using "the war" for politics? "The war" IS politics. (I put quotes around "the war" because I'm not sure that jet planes chasing a bunch of guys on horseback around the desert - and not catching them - merits calling Bush the great "wartime President" they make him out to be.)
Maybe I'm old, maybe I'm not ready for the new millennium where it's OK to politicize these things, and to send kids off to die so you can win an election and vote to get rid of programs for regular people to open the way for ever lower taxes for the rich. And maybe it isn't OK.
The Democrats aren't doing this sort of thing. They aren't running ads that say, "While Bush was on another vacation, and Republicans were busy helping CEOs steal your 401K, the Democrats were trying to warn them to pay attention to the terrorist threat."
10/14/2002
Really Good News
From Yahoo News,
An MSNBC-Zogby poll last week, after Wellstone announced he would vote against the resolution, suggests the decision not only didn't hurt his re-election chances but also might have helped them. In a major reversal, the poll showed voters choosing him over Coleman 46% to 37%. A similar poll in September had the Republican leading 47% to 41%. Other polls show Wellstone, who won his last two races with 50% of the vote, a smidgen ahead of Coleman.Voting against the President, Wellstone moves from behind 41%-41% to AHEAD 46%-37%!
Skippy, This is How They Do It
Skippy is fuming about a NY Post column.
So I go look the column's author up on Google, which, 5th entry down, leads me to this page at the Foreign Policy Research Institute.
Now, look up FPI at Media Transparency then click on Foreign Policy Institute, and you find ... millions and millions of dollars form ... guess who ... Scaife, Olin, Bradley and Smith Richardson Foundations. The "four sisters."
Why waste your time fuming, once you know that it comes from Scaife?
Start here, for more details on How It's Done, and see the bottom of this piece for a bunch of links to articles about these foundations, where it says, "here, here, here" etc...
So I go look the column's author up on Google, which, 5th entry down, leads me to this page at the Foreign Policy Research Institute.
Now, look up FPI at Media Transparency then click on Foreign Policy Institute, and you find ... millions and millions of dollars form ... guess who ... Scaife, Olin, Bradley and Smith Richardson Foundations. The "four sisters."
Why waste your time fuming, once you know that it comes from Scaife?
Start here, for more details on How It's Done, and see the bottom of this piece for a bunch of links to articles about these foundations, where it says, "here, here, here" etc...
Why No Draft?
Immediately undoing my "light blogging" pledge, I want to ask why there is no talk of reimposing the draft? We're about to enter into a major ground war against a country BECAUSE they have weapons of mass destruction. Isn't there any concern that they'll USE them? If we're not concerned that they'll use them then why are we entering into the war? And if there IS concern that they'll use them, why aren't we starting up the draft?
If Iraq USES weapons of mass destruction we will need to replace the troops killed. That's why they're called weapons of MASS DESTRUCTION. So why no draft? What kind of contingency planning is that? What is going on?
If Iraq USES weapons of mass destruction we will need to replace the troops killed. That's why they're called weapons of MASS DESTRUCTION. So why no draft? What kind of contingency planning is that? What is going on?
Light Blogging
I've been very busy so I won't be putting much up. It seems to be the convention among "bloggers" to post a message that they're doing "light blogging," even though it seems this would be obvious -- you go to the blog, there's very little there that's new, hence there is "light blogging" going on. Maybe people don't want to upset the readers, worried that they'll think the blogger died unless the blogger posts a message saying "light blogging."
Anyway, light blogging today. I'm not dead.
P.S. why doesn't Blogger Pro's spelling checker know the words "blog," "blogger," blogging," or "bloggers?" I used to own a spelling checker company and got so many letters like that... It feels good to complain about someone else's.
Anyway, light blogging today. I'm not dead.
P.S. why doesn't Blogger Pro's spelling checker know the words "blog," "blogger," blogging," or "bloggers?" I used to own a spelling checker company and got so many letters like that... It feels good to complain about someone else's.
10/11/2002
How to Catch the Sniper
Philidelphia Daily News - WASHINGTON SNIPER HAS A FRIEND IN NRA
Thanks to MWO for pointing to this.
Ballistics have long allowed police to link a bullet to a particular gun. So if they ever find this killer and his weapon, they can clearly connect rifle and crime.If I lived in the conservative suburbs around Washington, D.C. I'd be re-thinking my position on supporting these clowns.
But what if you could reverse the process and link a gun to a particular bullet? The technology now exists for every gun's ballistic "fingerprint" to be kept on file. In this way, police could instantly know which specific gun was used in the commission of a crime and track down the owner.
But who has opposed this sensible idea? The NRA. The organization has bullied Congress into refusing to set up a national registry of guns.
Thanks to MWO for pointing to this.
VFW Endorses Chickenhawk Over War Hero!
Counterspin Central pointed me to this article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The national VFW has endorsed a Republican chickenhawk over war-hero Max Cleland for the Georgie Senate.
When the Republican Machine wants you out of the way, it won't matter who you are or what you've done. War hero? Record of brilliant public service? Record of honesty in your business dealings? Forget it. And it doesn't even matter how long you've on their side - when you're in the way, you're in the way and you're in the way.
For some reason this takes me back to what happened to well-respected, honest, conservative, war-hero John McCain in the South Carolina primary against Bush. He wasn't willing to play the crony game so the Republican Machine needed him out of the way. The crony candidate - Bush - a chickenhawk, foul-mouthed, alcoholic, drug-using, not-too-bright, spoiled rich boy with a history of failure in business and accepting bribes for his dad, and otherwise no particular resume. Military patriotism is a big deal in South Carolina, so the challenge was great. Remember what the Bush people did? Remember the rumors about McCain as being mentally deranged, being a "Manchurian Candidate", being too angry to be the leader of a country, "the fag candidate", and all that?
When you're in the way, you're in the way. War hero vs. chickenhawk? VFW chooses chickenhawk. South Carolina chooses chickenhawk.
One side touts Cleland's immense sacrifice in war: he lost three limbs in a grenade explosion, and was decorated for helping wounded comrades during a 1968 rocket attack.That's right, it isn't about veterans or war heroes or who fought for the country and who didn't. The VFW has joined the Republican Crony Club and that's all that matters.
Other veterans point to Chambliss' conservative politics and unwavering support of the military as outweighing Cleland's service. That side won.
...
"This is about whether the liberal Democrats or the Republicans will be in control of the Senate," said retired Vice Adm. John Scott Redd of Marietta, who is backing Chambliss as vice chairman of the Veterans for Saxby organization.
When the Republican Machine wants you out of the way, it won't matter who you are or what you've done. War hero? Record of brilliant public service? Record of honesty in your business dealings? Forget it. And it doesn't even matter how long you've on their side - when you're in the way, you're in the way and you're in the way.
For some reason this takes me back to what happened to well-respected, honest, conservative, war-hero John McCain in the South Carolina primary against Bush. He wasn't willing to play the crony game so the Republican Machine needed him out of the way. The crony candidate - Bush - a chickenhawk, foul-mouthed, alcoholic, drug-using, not-too-bright, spoiled rich boy with a history of failure in business and accepting bribes for his dad, and otherwise no particular resume. Military patriotism is a big deal in South Carolina, so the challenge was great. Remember what the Bush people did? Remember the rumors about McCain as being mentally deranged, being a "Manchurian Candidate", being too angry to be the leader of a country, "the fag candidate", and all that?
When you're in the way, you're in the way. War hero vs. chickenhawk? VFW chooses chickenhawk. South Carolina chooses chickenhawk.
Easiest Way to Steal the Election
The other day I wrote about the nightmare of Republicans controlling the companies that make the vote-counting machines. Today BuzzFlash links to Who makes the vote-counting machines?, another story on this topic.
I used to worry that the Republicans would eventually just cancel elections. After reading these stories I worry that they won't need to.
By the way, about 1/4 way down this article mentions Koch Industries. As you read this article, remember this is the same Koch that I wrote about recently - Bush just handed them the contract to supply all the oil to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (billions of dollars). This is the same Koch who funds a chunk of the Republican Machine.
I used to worry that the Republicans would eventually just cancel elections. After reading these stories I worry that they won't need to.
By the way, about 1/4 way down this article mentions Koch Industries. As you read this article, remember this is the same Koch that I wrote about recently - Bush just handed them the contract to supply all the oil to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (billions of dollars). This is the same Koch who funds a chunk of the Republican Machine.
10/10/2002
Stimulation
Republicans are holding fast to the idea that getting money into the hands of businesses and the rich "creates jobs."
I ran a company for 13 years. I know a little bit about how it works. I employed exactly as many people as we needed. I did not employ extra people because I perhaps had more money in the bank account than usual. If times were slow and someone handed me a sackful of money I'd say, "THANKS!" and pocket the money. The only thing that would get me hiring more people was customers with money coming in the door. Period. And if I didn't have extra money around I would find it.
Let me repeat that. Customers with money coming in the door. That is what gets companies to hire. They hire just enough employees to handle the extra customers. Period. And when there are customers with money coming in the door companies will find the money to hire them, don't you worry about that.
Raise the minimum wage. Extend unemployment benefits. Launch some jobs programs. Cut the payroll tax. How to pay for that? Raise the sh*t out of taxes on the rich. Raise them till they squeal and then raise them some more.
I ran a company for 13 years. I know a little bit about how it works. I employed exactly as many people as we needed. I did not employ extra people because I perhaps had more money in the bank account than usual. If times were slow and someone handed me a sackful of money I'd say, "THANKS!" and pocket the money. The only thing that would get me hiring more people was customers with money coming in the door. Period. And if I didn't have extra money around I would find it.
Let me repeat that. Customers with money coming in the door. That is what gets companies to hire. They hire just enough employees to handle the extra customers. Period. And when there are customers with money coming in the door companies will find the money to hire them, don't you worry about that.
Raise the minimum wage. Extend unemployment benefits. Launch some jobs programs. Cut the payroll tax. How to pay for that? Raise the sh*t out of taxes on the rich. Raise them till they squeal and then raise them some more.
Scaring People
As I often say, if you want to learn what Republicans are doing, take a look at whatever they are currently accusing Democrats of doing. Their tactic is accuse the other side of doing whatever THEY'RE doing in order to "inoculate" themselves. It heads off being exposed themselves. It's a little bit complicated, but it works.
According to today's NY Times, In campaigns across the country the Republicans are accusing Democrats of scaring people.
Imagine, scaring people as an election strategy. "According to President George W. Bush, as well as Senators John Warner, Joseph Lieberman and many others who have spoken lately in the Capitol, there is no limit to the threat posed by Saddam Hussein. According to them, it is 1939, and we are again facing the twilight of Western civilization."
According to today's NY Times, In campaigns across the country the Republicans are accusing Democrats of scaring people.
Imagine, scaring people as an election strategy. "According to President George W. Bush, as well as Senators John Warner, Joseph Lieberman and many others who have spoken lately in the Capitol, there is no limit to the threat posed by Saddam Hussein. According to them, it is 1939, and we are again facing the twilight of Western civilization."
Why Isn't This a Major Story?
White House Sides With Automakers Against California's Zero Emissions Requirement for Cars
That's right, the STATES RIGHTS White House has joined in a lawsuit against California setting tough pollution and fuel economy standards.
That's right, the STATES RIGHTS White House has joined in a lawsuit against California setting tough pollution and fuel economy standards.
New Unemployment Claims
New claims for jobless benefits fell by 40,000 last week. BUT WAIT, from the story,
So don't get your hopes up too high yet.
"While the decline offers a promising sign, Labor Department analyst Thomas Stengle cautioned against reading too much into the drop, saying it may partly reflect difficulties adjusting for seasonal factors. The unadjusted claims figures, for instance, showed an equally sharp rise."Got that? UNadjusted claims figures INCREASED by the same amount. (And the economy LAST 43,000 jobs last month.)
So don't get your hopes up too high yet.
10/09/2002
Betty
Check out America's Best Christian's page, "President Bush To Use What's Left of Social Security for Multi-Billion Dollar National Demon Defense Shield"
And PLEASE surf around the rest of the site!
And PLEASE surf around the rest of the site!
Election Issue
At this point there is no question that the Republicans planned this Iraq war campaign to coincide with the election. I hope that the Democrats are just waiting until the right time to make a really big noise about this. They shouldn't be subtle and let the public come to their own conclusions - they should be making it clear that without an IMMINENT threat the Republicans had no business bringing this up during the election campaign.
With some help the public will come to understand this.
With some help the public will come to understand this.
Appearance of Impropriety
Imagine a world where Republicans control all the vote counting.
I have worked in elections. If you use paper ballots, you have the actual ballots that can be watched and counted by enough witnesses to control chances of fraud. If we switch to paperless voting, it's all over - you're at the mercy of what the machine tells you, and machines can be rigged.
I have worked in elections. If you use paper ballots, you have the actual ballots that can be watched and counted by enough witnesses to control chances of fraud. If we switch to paperless voting, it's all over - you're at the mercy of what the machine tells you, and machines can be rigged.
10/08/2002
Join a Union
A line in this morning's The Note, about the dock workers situation here on the West Coast, got me thinking,
I think about it a different way. I would say to the complainer, "LEARN from it, bonehead! Stop complaining about unions and JOIN a union, bonehead. You'd get PAID MORE and you'd have better BENEFITS and JOB SECURITY, bonehead."
I mean, you'd think people would figure it out. It's right in front of their faces. I remember hearing talk at HP of forming a union before the Compaq purchase. But noooo, not THAT. So what happened? The purchase went through and so far at least 16,800 have been laid off. Better that then, God forbid, form a union.
The lockout explodes this morning as a political issue, leading the Wall Street Journal : "The move toward intervention cast President Bush solidly with his Republican base: business groups that are often at odds with the country's big unions. And in this case, the president is taking on a union that is widely regarded as one of the best organized and best paid in the country. West Coast longshoremen can earn more than $100,000, with overtime, plus generous retirement and health plans to go along with it.Some people would read this and think, "Those guys get paid too much - way more than me - I think unions are too powerful."
I think about it a different way. I would say to the complainer, "LEARN from it, bonehead! Stop complaining about unions and JOIN a union, bonehead. You'd get PAID MORE and you'd have better BENEFITS and JOB SECURITY, bonehead."
I mean, you'd think people would figure it out. It's right in front of their faces. I remember hearing talk at HP of forming a union before the Compaq purchase. But noooo, not THAT. So what happened? The purchase went through and so far at least 16,800 have been laid off. Better that then, God forbid, form a union.
Well, Maybe One
Well, maybe ONE post now... :-)
I'd like to see it pointed out more often and much louder that most of the people pushing for this war are people who found something better to do when VietNam was going on (click here and here), while so many of the people against it were in combat or very close to it, or at least in the military.
I've been thinking about comments I have heard about those Representatives who went to Iraq to try to prevent a war - Rep. Jim McDermott, Rep. Mike Thompson and Rep. David Bonior. The right-wing drumbeat I've heard repeated all over the place was that these three were "still stuck on protesting against the VietNam war." I heard this repeated from several sources, so I figure it must have been the official focus-group-tested Republican talking points handed out by the Heritage Foundation (or someone similar).
But those guys WENT TO VietNam! And the people mocking them as "protesters" DIDN'T! How do they get away with it, without being called on it, dragged into the street and tarred & feathered by the veterans? And how do military veterans justify their continued support for these Republican clowns? At what point do they say, "Wait a minute, I went to VietNam, these guys didn't, these guys are all rich and acting like they are war heros, why am I voting for them"?
It's an interesting problem of persuasion. How do you neutralize the politics of you being a chickenhawk, and your opponents being war heros - Bush vs McCain - or at least being VietNam veterans - Bush vs Gore? One way appears to be with enough loud bluster. Another way appears to be to make sure that no one involved in the debate has a child who would have to actually fight the war you're starting.
I'd like to see it pointed out more often and much louder that most of the people pushing for this war are people who found something better to do when VietNam was going on (click here and here), while so many of the people against it were in combat or very close to it, or at least in the military.
I've been thinking about comments I have heard about those Representatives who went to Iraq to try to prevent a war - Rep. Jim McDermott, Rep. Mike Thompson and Rep. David Bonior. The right-wing drumbeat I've heard repeated all over the place was that these three were "still stuck on protesting against the VietNam war." I heard this repeated from several sources, so I figure it must have been the official focus-group-tested Republican talking points handed out by the Heritage Foundation (or someone similar).
But those guys WENT TO VietNam! And the people mocking them as "protesters" DIDN'T! How do they get away with it, without being called on it, dragged into the street and tarred & feathered by the veterans? And how do military veterans justify their continued support for these Republican clowns? At what point do they say, "Wait a minute, I went to VietNam, these guys didn't, these guys are all rich and acting like they are war heros, why am I voting for them"?
It's an interesting problem of persuasion. How do you neutralize the politics of you being a chickenhawk, and your opponents being war heros - Bush vs McCain - or at least being VietNam veterans - Bush vs Gore? One way appears to be with enough loud bluster. Another way appears to be to make sure that no one involved in the debate has a child who would have to actually fight the war you're starting.
10/07/2002
Active Duty Marine
Drudge is pointing to a story, "Views of an Active Duty Marine"
This Marine asks, "Where was Sun Tzu's press corps? My best guest was in the grave. I'm sure he considered them to be enemy spies."
Some of us might think this shows that the press should be restricted. Others of us would think this shows why the military needs to be kept firmly under civilian control.
This Marine asks, "Where was Sun Tzu's press corps? My best guest was in the grave. I'm sure he considered them to be enemy spies."
Some of us might think this shows that the press should be restricted. Others of us would think this shows why the military needs to be kept firmly under civilian control.
10/06/2002
Go Protest
I won't be posting until later because I'm heading up to San Francisco to join in anti-war protests. I feel that I should add myself to the numbers. Info is here.
10/05/2002
Ecoterrorists
Zizka's Vanitysite.net has a story about the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force arresting some environmental activists for sabotaging logging trucks.
You gotta go read this one. Zizka writes, "Anyone who believed that the FBI and the Bush Administration would not abuse the blank check they were given by the Patriot Act and the War on Terrorism should now realize that these new powers will be used entirely freely, whether or not the case in question has anything to do with real terrorism. Nobody should really be surprised."
You gotta go read this one. Zizka writes, "Anyone who believed that the FBI and the Bush Administration would not abuse the blank check they were given by the Patriot Act and the War on Terrorism should now realize that these new powers will be used entirely freely, whether or not the case in question has anything to do with real terrorism. Nobody should really be surprised."
TBOGG Again
OK, TBOGG earned a place in the Essential Links. They pointed me at what they said was the coolest website they have ever seen.
Funny at TBOGG
Funny poem over at TBOGG. A sample,
A is for Ashcroft, the Crisco-anointedGo take a read.
B is for Bush, not elected. Appointed
C is for Condi, she missed all the clues
D is for daughters who sure like their booze
Go See
Go on over to Maru's WTF and scroll down to Thursday's picture (the links aren't working right.) Then scroll down to the "With All Due Respect, Mr. President" poster.
Planet Swank
Have I mentioned Planet Swank? I've been meaning to. Read his discussion of Christopher Hitchens and Iraq here.
Overwhelm as a Tactic
A while back I wrote a piece called Overwhelm, in which I wrote, Some days the bad news flys at you so fast ... it seems like the Bush strategy is to overwhelm people by doing so many bad things that you lose track and give up... I've been trying to pin down what it is about this, it seems like an effective tactic.
Today I saw a piece by Ted Rall, titled Permanent Revolution, that explains it.
Today I saw a piece by Ted Rall, titled Permanent Revolution, that explains it.
... Bush's biggest cribbing from the Hitler playbook is "permanent revolution." Developed by socialist theorist Leon Trotsky in 1915 and applied by such totalitarian masters of control as Hitler, Stalin and Mao Tse-Tung, permanent revolution is the pinnacle of the art of mass distraction--one continually changes the subject of debate by striving for new goals that are always just beyond reach. The idea is diabolically simple: by the time people start grumbling about the problems created by your Great Leap Forward, you're causing new difficulties with your Cultural Revolution. Opposition takes time to materialize; taking the nation from one crisis to the next neutralizes your enemies by focusing them against initiatives you've already abandoned.Please go read this piece.
On the domestic front, Bush has launched so many political offensives that it's impossible for what's left of the left to launch a coordinated resistance. Fast-track signing authority for free trade, expanded tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations while running up the deficit, drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, rounding up detainees and depriving them of due process, unraveling environmental regulations, union-busting, curtailing privacy rights--any one of these full-scale assaults would require a full-court press by liberals to block or overturn.
In a blizzard of legislative and regulatory activity, virtually everything on the right-wing wish list is now being proposed. Previous presidents spaced out their initiatives in order to build popular support; Bush prefers to leave elected representatives out of the equation. The more legislation he throws at the wall, the more he'll get passed--and the more people will forget that his is an illegal regime.
My Faith in Economists...
PART of the confusion in yesterday's employment numbers is explained at the end of this NYTimes story.
What REALLY happened was that at the BEGINNING of summer 350,000 fewer teenagers than usual were able to find jobs, so they couldn't be leaving them at the end of summer. I mean, DUH! What were these people thinking? They said the numbers looked this way because 350,000 teenagers took jobs at the end of summer.
What do teenagers do at the end of summer? They go back to school. But the economists didn't think of that. Not a good day for the reputation of economists. Perhaps they are more than a little out of touch with "regular people."
Still, economists agreed that September's household survey, which showed a gain of 711,000 jobs, was far too optimistic. About half of the increase came from the survey's overestimation of the number of teenagers who would quit their jobs at the end of summer. When fewer teenagers than usual left the labor force in September — perhaps because the economy made summer jobs hard to find — the Labor Department's seasonal adjustment counted a large increase in jobs.OK, it's complicated. They measured about 350,000 fewer teenagers leaving jobs at the end of summer than usually leave jobs at the end of summer, so they chalked it up as teenagers taking 350,000 NEW jobs that opened up.
What REALLY happened was that at the BEGINNING of summer 350,000 fewer teenagers than usual were able to find jobs, so they couldn't be leaving them at the end of summer. I mean, DUH! What were these people thinking? They said the numbers looked this way because 350,000 teenagers took jobs at the end of summer.
What do teenagers do at the end of summer? They go back to school. But the economists didn't think of that. Not a good day for the reputation of economists. Perhaps they are more than a little out of touch with "regular people."
Irresponsible
Here's a good one to test out the new COMMENTS capability!
Today's San Jose Mercury News contains the following letter,
I think this shows what could happen to the world if Bush gets his way. A "pre-emptive strike" against Iraq tells India to go ahead and invade Pakistan, China to invade India or Taiwan, etc.
Today's San Jose Mercury News contains the following letter,
[A previous letter writer] could not be more disingenuous. His analogy is flawed. A more accurate and truthful analogy would be:Never mind that this wild analogy falls apart in several ways. I think it is irresponsible for this newspaper to publish such a letter. You get a letter from a guy fantasizing that a guy across town means him harm, claiming this justifies his buying a weapon and shooting the man dead. You don't PUBLISH a letter like that, you take it to the POLICE! Publishing it puts the paper's credibility behind the notion that such action is justified. Nuts reading this might believe the information is correct and act on it.
I have a dispute with a man in another city. Over the years, we have not only traded threats, but we physically fought over his having broken in and plundered my neighbor's home.
Over the years, the police have been called out but there was nothing they could do. This man is known to have killed members of his own family and has experimented with weapons on his neighbors. This man has a reputation throughout the city of being insane, unpredictable and dangerous. He surrounds himself with armed gangsters. He supports the local gangs and pays them to commit murder and mayhem. This man is known to be experimenting with dangerous chemicals and at the same time, continues to threaten me and my neighbors. I am convinced this man at some point in the future will kill me and my family.
Am I justified in buying a weapon and traveling to this man's house to shoot him dead before he comes after me? You bet. In fact, the law would probably find me justified in killing him. That is what the Bush Doctrine is about.
I think this shows what could happen to the world if Bush gets his way. A "pre-emptive strike" against Iraq tells India to go ahead and invade Pakistan, China to invade India or Taiwan, etc.
10/04/2002
Over at Eschaton
Over at Eschaton they've got a good discussion going in the comments attached to the posting, talking about how the Republicans are going after Democrats as unpatriotic, and "hating America" and the rest of the stuff they're spewing. (Should I start having comments here?)
Here's my contribution, posted both there and here (but spellchecked here ;-) :
It's worth noting that the very core of the Republican Party now encourages & even pays good money to get this stuff out to the public. TownHall.com is part of the Heritage Foundation - go see their links to Coulter, etc. Listen to Limbaugh's vicious hate attacks on people - yet the Vice President was on his show recently. Bush put several of the nastiest anti-Clinton people into policymaking positions, and he has rewarded the people who physically attacked the vote counting in Florida.
This is clearly part of their strategy. There's no way around that at this point. It must serve their purposes so they do it. It is not a lot different from the brownshirts attacking rallies of your opponents, and serves much the same purpose. But this kind of stuff encourages a violent, hateful segment of society, and encourages others in that direction. This stuff is what got McVeigh fired up - and now their star Anne Coulter says she only wishes McVeigh had bombed the New York Times building instead!
The times have become rather scary. When you see your opponents using these tactics - this is way beyond Nixon - you start thinking about what might be coming if they aren't stopped. If you REALLY mean it when you say they are fascists, you need to start thinking about how to protect your family.
Here's my contribution, posted both there and here (but spellchecked here ;-) :
It's worth noting that the very core of the Republican Party now encourages & even pays good money to get this stuff out to the public. TownHall.com is part of the Heritage Foundation - go see their links to Coulter, etc. Listen to Limbaugh's vicious hate attacks on people - yet the Vice President was on his show recently. Bush put several of the nastiest anti-Clinton people into policymaking positions, and he has rewarded the people who physically attacked the vote counting in Florida.
This is clearly part of their strategy. There's no way around that at this point. It must serve their purposes so they do it. It is not a lot different from the brownshirts attacking rallies of your opponents, and serves much the same purpose. But this kind of stuff encourages a violent, hateful segment of society, and encourages others in that direction. This stuff is what got McVeigh fired up - and now their star Anne Coulter says she only wishes McVeigh had bombed the New York Times building instead!
The times have become rather scary. When you see your opponents using these tactics - this is way beyond Nixon - you start thinking about what might be coming if they aren't stopped. If you REALLY mean it when you say they are fascists, you need to start thinking about how to protect your family.
Today's Google Experiment
Back in the Reagan days I used to spend time arguing online with right-wingers (on CompuServe! - I even had a back-and-forth with Limbaugh once.) I used to research budget numbers and other statistics to refute the right-wing arguments, like "tax cuts cause revenue to increase," "welfare causes women to have more babies," and of course the old Republican standard, "blacks are less intelligent than whites." (I was working on a never completed book.) Eventually I came across a website of a guy doing very similar work - Steve Kangas and his Liberalism Resurgent pages. He was even in the same town as me, although I never met him.
So for today's Google experiment, let's look up Steve Kangas, author of the Liberalism Resurgent website. Scroll down and look at some of the references.
Don't miss this great page.
And ESPECIALLY don't miss this one and this one.
So for today's Google experiment, let's look up Steve Kangas, author of the Liberalism Resurgent website. Scroll down and look at some of the references.
Don't miss this great page.
And ESPECIALLY don't miss this one and this one.
Huh?
I need an economist to write to me and explain today's jobs report. The press is reporting good news - unemployment went DOWN to 5.6% from 5.7%, while the economy LOST JOBS.
But then there's this. Offsetting some of the gloomy news in the September figure, however, was a sharp upward revision in August payrolls to a 107,000 gain from a previously reported 39,000 increase. Did YOU see any of those jobs where YOU are? Certainly not here.
And one more thing. He said that recently, the household survey has been boosted by the number of teenage workers who have held on to their summer jobs, rather than leaving the workforce as many do in the fall. What ever happened to SCHOOL?
The U.S. economy shed jobs in September for the first time in five months, the government said on Friday in a report that highlighted the uneven pace of the U.S. economic recovery. Payrolls outside the farm sector fell by 43,000, in contrast to the 5,000 gain private economists had predicted, the Labor Department said. But in another unexpected development, the unemployment rate fell to 5.6 percent in September from 5.7 percent in August.I had understood that if the economy lost jobs in this report, this was the worst possible news, that we're heading for a dubya-dip recession or worse. September marked the first payroll decline since a 21,000 job loss in April.
But then there's this. Offsetting some of the gloomy news in the September figure, however, was a sharp upward revision in August payrolls to a 107,000 gain from a previously reported 39,000 increase. Did YOU see any of those jobs where YOU are? Certainly not here.
And one more thing. He said that recently, the household survey has been boosted by the number of teenage workers who have held on to their summer jobs, rather than leaving the workforce as many do in the fall. What ever happened to SCHOOL?
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