Easter Lemming Liberal News

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Senate GOP Leader's Office involved in Kid Smear Campaign

I had written that the GOP politicians were too smart to want this to be a mass media issue. It turns out that they just didn't want their hands too dirty. They encouraged the media to look into how it was all the Democrat's fault they picked a family and injured kids who could be smeared by the right.

That so-called-liberal CNN took their bait and blamed the Democrats as the GOP suggested.

A disgusted Time magazine reports on the Swift Boating of an American family.

If you listen closely to the two-minute radio address that 12-year-old Graeme Frost delivered last week for the Democrats, you can hear the lingering effects of the 2004 car crash that put him into a coma for a week and left one of his vocal cords paralyzed. "Most kids my age probably haven't heard of CHIP, the Children's Health Insurance Program," he says in a voice that sounds weak and stressed. "But I know all about it, because if it weren't for CHIP, I might not be here today."

Graeme, whose sister suffered worse brain injuries when their family SUV hit a patch of black ice, was making an appeal for President Bush to reconsider his veto of legislation that would have expanded the program designed to provide health coverage to children of the working poor — those who are too rich to qualify for Medicaid, but unable to afford private insurance.

Since then, Frost and his family have been introduced first-hand to something else that most kids his age haven't: the reality of how brutal partisan politics can be in the Internet age.

Shame on the conservative bloggers. Shame on the GOP. And shame on CNN.

Kevin: are they just trying to prevent other family's from giving support to Democrats?

Malkin is back swinging the hatchet and leading the rabid fray but refusing to debate.

My DD: Hillary to Republicans - Lay off Graeme Frost.

There was a young boy who was 12 years old named Graeme Frost. He was in a bad car accident and he didn't have health insurance but thankfully he had a program that I helped start in 1997 with Ted Kennedy and others called SCHIP. So Graeme was able to get health care, good health care, that made a tremendous difference in the outcome of his injuries. So when the President vetoed the extension of SCHIP, Graeme and his family stepped forward to illustrate why it was so important....

And boy the whole Republican and right wing attack machine went into overdrive. And they said 'well, they have a house' - yeah, I guess they could sell their house to give their child insurance.

I don't mind if they pick on me. They've done it for years. I think I've proven I can take care of myself. But George Bush and the Republicans should lay off Graeme Frost and all the other millions of American children getting their insurance from SCHIP."

I suspect the strategy is for the Republican Noise Machine media to generate lots of lies and confusion and smears while the GOP politicians stay back. I think this is a bad strategy, it will engage the base who will agree with it but turn off Moms and most of America by the attacks on the poor kids. Of course, right-wing radio and blogs aren't read by the great sensible mass of America and particularly by the real compassionate Americans.

GOP smear machine attacking injured kids - making Hillary more popular.

American Progress has an Excellent summary Right Wing attacks 12-year-old. The latest GOP talking point is that making $45,000 with 4 kids in New Jersey is rich.

Democrats in Congress actually lashing back. I like how Politico characterizes developing a spine as lashing back.

Local Baltimore story on the Frost family. Editorial: Maryland needs the Democratic SCHIP.

The president also wants to limit new spending on SCHIP to $5 billion over five years - compared with Congress' $35 billion. That would leave Maryland with only half the $162 million a year it needs to continue the program as it is.

Daily Kos - This Can Not Stand.

Let's just keep in mind what is at stake here - Health Care for 4 Million Children and what Mitch McConnel is really trying to do is undermine Republican Chuck Grassley's efforts to implement a Veto Override.

Goldwater Girl's 'Centrist Coalition'

Ari Berman at The Nation:

Her rhetoric has changed since she entered the nomination, as she aggressively courts the Democratic base. But in many ways, her positions have not. "Clinton's pledge to 'get out of Iraq' is far from iron-clad," the Washington Post reports today. "There are numerous conditions attached." She offers a laundry list of reasons why the US might stay in Iraq for a very long time.

Moreover, in a separate interview with the Post today, she began to outline her general election strategy. "I intend to win in November 2008, and then I intend to build a centrist coalition in this country that is like what I remember when I was growing up," she said.

In case you don't remember, Hillary grew up a Goldwater girl.

Hillary is the most conservative Democratic presidential candidate running. That should be OK with me, Howard Dean was the most conservative Democratic candidate when he ran. But Hillary remains my last choice among the Democrats. I think it has to do with her insider and corporate connections. My strong support of Dean was partly because he was an outsider, socially progressive but balanced-budget conservative not connected to the mass media and the large corporations. Hillary's centristism is because she is the candidate of middle-America and Wall Street. You won't see new directions from her. Howard Dean was also just too sensible to support the Iraq war. Hillary current position on Iraq reflects lessons learned from the Iraq War, not that it was hubris and short-sightedness and lies that got us into that mega-disaster in the first place.

Hillary would be OK as president, mainstream and tough, but she is not my preferred candidate.

GOP ground organizations falter compare to Democrats

Across the country the Republican party is being hammered by scandals, low polling numbers, money woes, and a lack of enthusiasm for candidates. Add to those problems a shortage of volunteers and local organization weaknesses. Where are the GOP volunteers? Iowa and New Hampshire illustrate the problems with the many organizers for the different Democratic candidates dwarfing the small Republican organizations.

Here in Texas I am going to a meeting tonight for Democratic precinct chairs. Among other things will be petition signings to get all Harris county judicial candidates on the ballot for free and then they will donate their normal filing fees to the Harris County Democratic Party for a party-wide county-wide coordinated campaign.

My talking with GOP precinct judges has mainly been getting comments from them that they should throw all the office holders out and start fresh. Democrats also think we need a clean slate, get all the Republicans out. Instead of the universal disdain for their own politicians the GOP now has, Democrats have only scattered objections to a few Democratic office holders.

Just another sign that 2008 is not a good year for the GOP, even in Texas.

Headline link is to the right-leaning Politico.

Here is the link to the Harris County Democratic Party.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Ed Schultz leaves KTRH in the dust

Houston News/Sports/Talk radio KTRH recently dropped liberal talker Ed Schultz for former comedian Dennis Miller. It seems Ed Schultz rapidly growing ratings didn't notice. He now ties Bill O'Reilly in national audience size at 7th place. Number One Rush Limbaugh's audience held off further shrinkage after losing a million listeners last year.

The Ed Schultz Show was the first to "out" Idaho senator Larry Craig (R-ID), ten months before he was caught in an airport bathroom soliciting an undercover cop.

Liberal talkers Thom Hartman, Randi Rhodes, Stephanie Miller and light weight Alan Colmes also make the million plus listener list.

Interesting Trivia - Stephanie Miller happens to be the daughter of Goldwater's vice presidential running mate.

You can listen live or archived for most liberal talk shows on the Internet, which is still the only place to get them in Houston except for satellite radio. Seems a market opportunity there, many don't like the more radical weird variety of KPFT 90.1 with its very few liberal talk shows.

Other choices for information in Houston include THE JOHN TRUITT SHOW on AM 650 on ~~Sunday mornings~~ Monday's at 1 PM (recently changed time.) Alternatively there is Nice Polite Republican radio news on Public 88.7.

Very few radio airwaves in Houston, part of the great right-wing echo machine, haven't been defending Rush over his "phony soldiers" comment. Surely there is a market for a progressive talk show that airs more than once a week in Houston.

Maureen Dowd: Bomb, Bomb Iran

Maureen Dowd takes after Hillary for her incredibly stupid Iran vote. Go Maureen!

It looks like Hillary has also done another stupid thing, proposed yet another tax deferred retirement plan. We have 401Ks and IRAs, there is no need for another one unless her real plan is to kill Social Security. A better use for that money would be to apply a permanent fix for Social Security. It takes the same amount.

Despite being classified as a liberal columnist, Maureen has few fans on the left. I am one of them. I like most of her columns. I don't mind snarky and I find her cute.

The one thing Hillary has going for her is she is tough and has learned to not take crap from Republicans. The way her supporters derailed the California GOP initiative to mess up the Electoral College vote was masterful, although I still want the national popular vote fix as well as the IRV Fair Vote.

Malkin Can't Resist Taking the Bait

The New York Times decided to cover the nasty conservative blogger attacks on Graeme Frost and his family. Michelle, who had quit posting attacks on the family, couldn't resist responding.

Her narrative now - it's all the Democrat's fault. They are the ones who used these kids. She is ignoring all the many, many times the GOP has used children and personal examples to illustrate policy points, without anyone smearing them. Presidents like Bush are known for this. Here are a few ad campaigns doing this.

After stalking the Frosts, and seeing their house and talking to neighbors and employees without getting anything, she had expected something juicy and a half-million dollar mansion, she is now reduced to calling for asset tests of SCHIP recipients. It appears the only thing she hasn't been able to find out is if the Frosts have a large amount of equity in their house. I suspect they don't, it has already been tapped.

The Republican politicians are too smart to fight this battle this way, "these kids were in a terrible accident and they don't deserve government to pay for their healthcare," so she has to start attacking them as well. "Some Republicans are too weak in the knees to engage." Make that politicians who have any sense are leaving this fight to the loons. This attack on a lower middle-class family with badly injured kids is wrong and Michelle blames the Democrats for making her do these things.

The NYT:

In a telephone interview, the Frosts said they had recently been rejected by three private insurance companies because of pre-existing medical conditions. “We stood up in the first place because S-chip really helped our family and we wanted to help other families,” Mrs. Frost said.

“We work hard, we’re honest, we pay our taxes,” Mr. Frost said, adding, “There are hard-working families that really need affordable health insurance.”

Democrats, including the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, have risen to the Frosts’ defense, saying they earn about $45,000 a year and are precisely the type of working-poor Americans that the program was intended to help.

Ms. Pelosi on Tuesday said, “I think it’s really a sad statement about how bankrupt some of these people are in their arguments against S-chip that they would attack a 12-year-old boy.”

Ezra Klein: Something has gone wrong on the Right. Become sick and twisted and tumorous and ugly.

Republican John Cole: I simply can not believe this is what the Republican party has become. I just can’t. It just makes me sick to think all those years of supporting this party, and this is what it has become.

But the Republican Right is still at it: I see a simpleton and a loser who had more kids than he could afford and doesn't appear to have given up very much in life to deal with that situation. Who knows, maybe Dad figured it out, too and cut him off. What the hell, there's always welfare, right?

Sadly No: I say a lot of nasty things about right-wing crazies such as Dan Riehl. But it would never occur to me to invade his privacy by posting live dispatches about his living conditions from the shrub outside his driveway. What Malkin and her fellow travelers are doing is creepy and immoral, and they don’t seem to give a damn about it one way or another. The idea that these people make up any significant part of our population- even if it’s only 30%- is terrifying to me. Where does this sort of viciousness come from?

The Moderate Voice: Get That School Kid.

Hunter at Daily Kos:

Right now, the Frost's home address is posted on Free Republic. And it's been there for gawd knows how long -- nobody's taking it down. Why would they? The kid is the latest enemy of the entire conservative movement: they want to make him pay.

No, we've been through all this before, and we'll no doubt go through it again; if someone at any point so much as sends Malkin a nasty email, she writes an entire outraged self-ego-humping book about it. Someone calls out O'Reilly for a statement of appalling and unapologetic bigotry, he goes into seizures of anti-entire-planet rage....

It's long past time for people to stop treating Fox-style, Malkin-style, Limbaugh-style conservatism as merely a "political" phenomenon. It may once have been, but it isn't now. As of this millennium, it's nothing but a hate movement with neckties. Protofascism with bright, patriotic logos. Stop treating it with anything but revulsion and disdain. Stop pretending for even a bare moment that they are anything more than thugs.

This is an update to Unhinged Malkin and Next Time Your Kids Are In The Hospital Maybe Right-Wing Idiots Will Attack Your Family.

Still spreading - ABCNews.

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Easter Lemming Liberal News is the best blog in Texas

Because it is red, white and blue and eats a lot of fiber.

I keep wanting to add Texas Liberal to my blogroll, but even I am only half-crazy. (Note, he has added a number of paragraphs to make his claim less crazy sounding.)

I had an opportunity to meet with Jim Dean and Neil Aquino but I am calendar challenged and thought it was Friday, not Thursday. I would definitely have rolled my eyes and let Dean know we are not all that crazy.

The History of Iraq

NYRB: It's a quagmire. 1920:

...There's no getting out of the conclusion that we have made an immense failure here. The system must have been far more at fault than anything that I or anyone else suspected. It will have to be fundamentally changed and what that may mean exactly I don't know.
No one knows exactly what they do want, least of all themselves, except that they don't want us.
[The politician] Saiyid Talib...is the ablest man in the country. He is also, it must be remembered, entirely unscrupulous, but his interests and ours are the same....
...We are largely suffering from circumstances over which we couldn't have had any control. The wild drive of discontented nationalism...and of discontented Islam...might have proved too much for us however far-seeing we had been; but that doesn't excuse us for having been blind.
[In talking to an Arab nationalist leader] I said complete independence was what we ultimately wished to give. "My lady" he answered—we were speaking Arabic —"complete independence is never given; it is always taken."

Get out now. Jail the perpetrators.

I'm still not surprised

White House Burns secret al-Qaeda source for political purposes. Where have I heard that before, besides Valerie Plame and other cases....

The White House obtained a video from Osama bin Laden before al-Qaeda officially released it from an intelligence source and was instructed not to release it to not blow the source. Within 30 minutes it was being passed all around Washington and leaked to Fox News.

Who here is surprised at all?

The founder of the company, the SITE Intelligence Group, says this premature disclosure tipped al-Qaeda to a security breach and destroyed a years-long surveillance operation that the company has used to intercept and pass along secret messages, videos and advance warnings of suicide bombings from the terrorist group's communications network.

"Techniques that took years to develop are now ineffective and worthless," said Rita Katz, the firm's 44-year-old founder, who has garnered wide attention by publicizing statements and videos from extremist chat rooms and Web sites, while attracting controversy over the secrecy of SITE's methodology. Her firm provides intelligence about terrorist groups to a wide range of paying clients, including private firms and military and intelligence agencies from the United States and several other countries.

Quick Pasadena Mayor's Race and other local Texas news

Mayor Douglas and city council will set it for December 8. Not much time for a couple people to decide if they are in. Should be low turnout and little publicity when people aren't paying attention to politics, not good for educating voters.

I finally have my new mapping software. This is the 2006 election results by precinct for TX-144 demonstrating the Democrat Bob Sonnier will have to increase turnout in the north, west and south to balance the GOP central base.

You did catch the Lucky 7 Republicans gunning for Lampson in 22 didn't you? Lampson sure has been emphasising and working for tax relief bills.

Monday, October 08, 2007

In the future

I can easily visualize a time when I am not partisan. There are a number of people in the Democratic Party I don't particularly like.

I have not been partisan my whole life. In college I voted for some position for every single party running and Michigan had a large number of parties. I will admit some were for college board of regents to get some diversity of opinion. And for our opposing rivals I voted the more extremist parties.

Recently I even supported and worked for a Republican over a Democrat for a non-partisan local election and would do it again because of the circumstances in that case.

But right now I agree with Krugman:

For now, in other words, being an active liberal means being a progressive. And being a progressive means being partisan. But the end goal isn't one-party rule. It's the re-establishment of a truly vital, competitive democracy. For in the end, democracy is what being liberal is all about.

That is not what the current GOP leadership is all about. Of course, it isn't what the national Democratic leadership is about either.

If I didn't agree with the Democratic party a Hell of a lot more than other parties I might be helping to energize protests at the Harris County Democratic fundraising dinner against their guest speaker.

Polls - National Long term trends

Being a GOP politician is going to suck. They are even starting to lose the under 30 religious vote who were huge Bush supporters and 55% GOP in 2005 compared to 40% now.

Stalker Michelle Malkin Unhinged

Michelle is snarling at those who question her assault on the lower middle-class Frost family. She has no shame. She also manages to blame Democrats for her rabid attacks: "Democrat(sp) Poster Child Abuse" indeed.

Think Progress:

Here are the facts that the right-wing distorted in order to attack young Graeme:
1) Graeme has a scholarship to a private school. The school costs $15K a year, but the family only pays $500 a year.

2) His sister Gemma attends another private school to help her with the brain injuries that occurred due to her accident. The school costs $23,000 a year, but the state pays the entire cost.

3) They bought their “lavish house” sixteen years ago for $55,000 at a time when the neighborhood was less than safe.

4) Last year, the Frost’s made $45,000 combined. Over the past few years they have made no more than $50,000 combined.

5) The state of Maryland has found them eligible to participate in the CHIP program.
Desperate to defend Bush’s decision to cut off millions of children from health care, the right wing has stooped to launching baseless and uninformed attacks against a 12 year old child and his family.

Right wing bloggers have been harassing the Frosts, calling their home numerous times to get information about their private lives. Compassionate conservatism indeed.

I am going to start asking some of our local conservative bloggers why they associate with these people and some even consider Michelle Malkin a hero. Note, she has not updated her post in many hours and is turning to other topics as some on the right have started denouncing her and this whole story. This is not the first time she has revealed her tendencies to hold up to ridicule and attacks private citizens.

Like I wrote before this hit the big time - Next Time Your Kids Are In The Hospital Maybe Right-Wing Idiots Will Attack Your Family.

No shame, carried away by partisanship, the right attacks two badly hurt kids and their lower middle-class family. I am just glad I am not in that fake religious party.

Whiskeyfire updates.

Whiner Wanker Mark Steyn - it is all the Democrat's fault! They started it! Of course, no where on the Corner do they post the true picture of the Frost finances.

Captain Kirk Lite won't back down. In comments he is assuming they have hundreds of thousands in equity in their home, which Malkin indirectly admits is in bad shape. In launching these Google smears the right makes a huge amount of assumptions.

So far, Drudge is much smarter than the usual gang of idiots and won't touch the story. Defending a smear campaign on two badly injured kids and their working class parents would sway a lot of voters. The GOP doesn't want this story on TV.

Update from Digby: Scum.

Iraq Regrets - Update

This article irritates me. A main advocate for Iraqi invasion acknowledges the Hell Iraq is today but defends the moral rightness in removing Saddam.

No one said Saddam was a saint. But to ignore the obvious consequences of illegal invasion was criminal. Like many pro-war advocates he doesn't think the consequences were obvious. Is it the fault of those of us who were right all along that the pro-war people who defamed us (and still defame occupation opponents) are short sighted and ignorant?

UPDATE - A more informed take that says what I said.

Texas Round-Up 13

It's Monday, and that means it is time again for the Texas Progressive Alliance Weekly Blog Round Up. This week's round-up is compiled by Vince from Capitol Annex.

TXsharon says, "YOU SUCK AT&T" and she can only say that because she doesn't use AT&T. Over at Bluedaze she tells why, if you use AT&T for your Internets, you can't say they suck.

Stace at Dos Centavos reports on racism and bigotry committed by a corporation and a UT fraternity.

What's really going on in Irving? Xanthippas at Three Wise Men notes there's more going on in the immigration crackdown than possible profiling and arrests.

CouldBeTrue at South Texas Chisme notes that NOW wants to know why U.S. District Judge Judge Samuel Kent was 'punished' with a 4 month vacation after the investigation into sexual harassment charges concluded.

Criticism of Hillary Clinton's laugh is no laughing matter, so says PDiddie at Brains and Eggs in HRC:LOL.

Might be time for a bit of horsetrading on the floor of the Senate, and one of Texas Kaos' regular diarists, Fake Consultant, has a bit of advice on the subject for Majority Leader Harry Reid in On Larry Craig, And Filibusters or Wanna Make a Trade?

Truth, it has been said, is the first casualty of war. The Republican-Media coalition must have declared war on Social Security, and Blue 19th exposes their lies.

Human rights advocates cheered the Williamson County Commission's vote to sever ties with the operator of the T. Don Hutto holding facility for undocumented immigrants, but Eye On Williamson's wcnews wonders if a battle within the Republican party over the county's share of the profits may have driven their decision.

McBlogger at McBlogger speculates as to the reasons Sharon Keller (Chief Justice of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals) needed to get out of work at 5 on Sept. 25th.

Vince at Capitol Annex tells us about the Texas Conservative Coalition's new Election Integrity Task Force, its new Chairwoman and its likely recommendations.

Peter at B and B writes about the quixotic attempts by a group of environmentally-conscious Republicans to get their chosen political party to care about conservation and stewardship: Republicans for Environmental Protection, all 70 of them, meet in San Antonio.

Off the Kuff looks at the ongoing dispute between the Harris County Appraisal District and the State Comptroller over how commercial properties are taxed.

In Texas Kaos dairy, Dallas and Denton drinking water at risk by TxDOT's route selection choice for FM299, Faith Chatham's shares a letter from Highland Village Parents Group activist/homeowner Susie Venable to Mayor Tom Leppert of Dallas regarding the City Water Department's failure to monitor possible MTBE contamination issues. Despite cries of running out of money, TxDOT selected the only route (of 8) which would double project costs by requiring bridges to be built across three tributaries to Lake Lewisville (drinking water source for Denton and Dallas Counties) in the area of the lake already contaminated by MTBE.

Gary at Easter Lemming updates the Pasadena Mayor Manlove resignation and his running for Lampson's seat. There are a lot of happy faces at city hall. Easter Lemming broke the story back on the 22nd.

Trinity Trickey strikes again at The Texas Cloverleaf. This time pro toll road literature features the war on trees and the fight against Angela Hunt by the powers that be. Only in Dallas.

This week's installment of GLBTube at the Houston GLBT Political Caucus Blog is a double feature: first, a sampling of clips related to ENDA; then gay republicans are running ads in order to sabotage hypocritical presidential candidates!

WhosPlayin hammers away on GOP Congressman Michael Burgess for dissing Muslims and being one of 30 boneheads to vote for giving mercenary firms like Blackwater a license to kill.

The Texas Blue looks at how the evangelical social movement isn't playing nice-nice with the Republican Party any longer, and why that is good for America.

Earl Ofari Hutchinson, author, syndicated columnist, political analyst and commentator, who is on a virtual book tour will stop by Para Justicia y Libertad on Oct 11 to discuss his new book The Latino Challenge to Black America: Towards a Conversation Between African-Americans and Hispanics.

Hal at Half Empty counted a Lucky Seven congressional candidates that want to run against Nick Lampson in Texas CD 22. He ROFLs and LMAOs.

Sunday, October 07, 2007

Next Time Your Kids Are In The Hospital Maybe Right-Wing Idiots Will Attack Your Family

What is the latest made up smear of the day in cuckooland? That the kid who needed State Children's Health Insurance the Democrats used for the radio rebuttal of Bush's talk on why he was going to veto the expansion of the program didn't deserve the insurance. A lot of ignorance, hardheartedness and chutzpah goes a long way on that side of the fence.

Looking at the facts the Free Republic goons and sympathizers dug up it appears the 6-person family owns a small business that clears about $45,000 a year. Worse than that the children go to a private school on scholarships and fundraisers. The bastards!

Obviously, this means they should have shopped around and bought family insurance cheaper than the $1200 a month they couldn't afford. Of course, we don't know their medical history to see if that was even possible.

As Whiskeyfire writes:

The upshot is that this is a guy with a family of 6: is it a mystery why he wants to own a 3,000-ft house? is it wrong of him to drive, gasp, an SUV (for 4 kids and a mom and dad)? And to do all this on $45K -- sounds like he' and his wife are pretty hard working, actually, paying their own way -- until their kids get into a horrible car accident and need incredibly expensive medical care.

And what does the freeper say about him?
One has to wonder that if time and money can be found to remodel a home, send kids to exclusive private schools, purchase commercial property and run your own business... maybe money can be found for other things...maybe Dad should drop his woodworking hobby and get a real job that offers health insurance rather than making people like me (also with 4 kids in a 600sf smaller house and tuition $16,000 less per kid and no commercial property ownership) pay for it in my taxes.
That's the spirit! People who own their own small businesses are freeloaders.

The 30% deadend Bushites are increasingly mean, vicious and whacky.

I am not surprised

That Medicare has a big problem, it is the private insurers handling the new drug plan. They seem inefficient and can't do the job. This is in spite of Medicare's very generous payments to the insurers.

That So-Called-Liberal-Media pundits David Broder and David Ignatious blast Democrats in Congress and praise the GOP and the Bush White House today. The basis of their attacks are conversations with the Bush White House officials and the official GOP congressional conservative cheerleader. Note that both columnists are frequently called "liberal" by right wing writers and media figures. Ignatius says the Bush White House is doing everything possible to avoid war with Iran, according to the nameless sources delegated to spin him from the Bush White House. Broder similarly uncritically repeats charges by Rep. Cole, recently criticized by his own party leaders for too rosy of an assessment of 2008 prospects, to claim that the Democrats are harming themselves by being too partisan. In what fantasy world are these respected "liberal" pundits? See Glenn Greenberg for links and more, see Steve for more on Cole spinning doddering Broder.

That Negative perceptions are dogging Hillary among Democratic caucus goers. Not surprised about that, surprised the article made it into the WP, however. Looks like this series of interviews was set up before knowing what the women would say.

That Clinton is getting heat over Iran vote in Iowa. Why would you vote to declare part of the Iranian Army a terrorist organization unless you will vote to attack it in the future?

That the GOP knew about Sen. Craig's perverse behavior for years. Or is that another Novak lie?

That I see more columns like What ever happened to Democrats? by one pissed off liberal.

That Rush spins, and spins and spins.

That Christopher Hidgens dry humps a corpse for more of his drunken morose warmongering as Acerbic Truthteller comments.

That constructing the super-embassy in Baghdad had no oversight and is a financial disaster.

Not any surprises.

Update, I am not surprised that there are actually people in Iran. I wonder if the people screaming for us to bomb them remember that?

Even Ralph Peters calls Blackwater Vampires

We occasionally agree.

Thou Shalt Not Kill, Except in a Game at Church

Our increasingly morally compromised churches. Despite the sole purpose of the game being to kill people churches are using Halo as a recruiting tool for teens.

The Attack on Liberty

A small demonstration of the power of the Israeli Lobby in Washington is how for forty years their attack on a U.S. spy ship has been white-washed. A new article by a prize-winning journalist updates the story. Here is former CIA analyst Ray McGovern:

Israel deliberately attacked the intelligence collection ship USS Liberty, in full awareness it was a U.S. Navy ship, and did its best to sink it and leave no survivors;

The Israelis would have succeeded had they not broken off the attack upon learning, from an intercepted message, that the commander of the U.S. 6th Fleet had launched carrier fighters to the scene; and

By that time 34 of the Liberty's crew had been killed and over 170 wounded.

Scores of intelligence analysts and senior officials have known this for years. That virtually all of them have kept a forty-year frightened silence is testament to the widespread fear of touching this live wire. Even more telling is the fact that the National Security Agency apparently has destroyed voice tapes and transcripts heard and seen by many intelligence analysts, material that shows beyond doubt that the Israelis knew exactly what they were doing.

Saturday, October 06, 2007

Is it just me?

Or is the GOP 2008 "Wide Stance" Convention Logo exceedingly revealing?

To me it looks like the GOP elephant is wearing prison stripes, is screwing 2008 and sticking its tail up its butt.

Does anyone else find this too honest about the Republican Party?

More on the logo from the BuzzFeed.

Why does this remind me of Senator Craig's favorite wiener recipe?

Friday, October 05, 2007

Progressives stop Rahm's and Hoyer's Sellout on FISA

Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), the House Majority Leader, postponed a press conference announcing new reforms of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act after progressive lawmakers banded together and said they would fight any legislation that did not include a set of eight principles on wiretapping that preserve the "rule of law."

"What's most significant is that the Progressive Caucus came together and said to the leadership that all 72 of us require that these provisions be included," said Caroline Fredercikson, Legislative Director for the American Civil Liberties Union. "This changes the dynamic significantly."

Democratic Presidential Campaigns heating up

Some sharp observations from Roger Simon about how Obama may yet win the Iowa caucuses, he and his staff are familar with what is needed to get people out and vote and caucus.

Obama also has an interesting road side sign campaign going on in Iowa.

The official Edwards Iowa campaign site is very busy and shows they are very busy. A local Edwards's Iowa web site seems inactive with a drop off in notices and events since June but from here I cannot tell the significance of that.

Overall, the Democratic presidential campaigns are heating up with Edwards strongly attacking some of Hillary's organizational backers. Not mentioned is that one of her military advisors helped create the Bush surge campaign and another is one of those who claimed we are winning in Iraq, after falsely claiming he was a Bush critic - Hillary wonks.

If you want more of the same vote Hillary, not that she is not one tough lady and better than the Republicans.

I am an Edwards supporter with Obama as my second choice. Last time Kerry was my fourth choice, I didn't see how a Massachusetts Democratic candidate could get elected nationally.

Star Trek Conservatives

Now that Trekkies are getting older some are turning up in the oddest places. In praise of a universe that banned money for its first two entire series by that liberal humanist Gene Roddenberry it seems kinda heretical that National Review Online is having a Star Trek Weekend fundraiser. ReeC has more links to NRO.

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Time - Selective GOP Selected Justice in Alabama

Time magazine finally turns its attention to the Attorney General partisan prosecutions scandal. For some reason they put a question mark in their headline after detailing how the Justice Department sent the Democratic governor to jail while the same evidence from the same briber was ignored for the person who became the new Republican Senator as well as a new conservative judge.

Forty-four former state attorneys general — Republicans and Democrats — have cited "irregularities" in the investigation and prosecution, saying they "call into question the basic fairness that is the linchpin of our system of justice."

Conservative Andrew Sullivan now calling Bush Administration War Criminals

Andrew at Atlantic Monthly:

A couple of things need to be stressed, because I've learned the hard way that intelligent people simply refuse to absorb what is staring them in the face, when what is staring them in the face is so staggering:
Never in history had the United States authorized such tactics.
There is no doubt - no doubt at all - that these tactics are torture and subject to prosecution as war crimes. We know this because the law is very clear when you don't have war criminals like AEI's John Yoo rewriting it to give one man unchecked power. We know this because the very same techniques - hypothermia, long-time standing, beating - and even the very same term "enhanced interrogation techniques" - "verschaerfte Vernehmung" in the original German - were once prosecuted by American forces as war crimes. The perpetrators were the Gestapo. The penalty was death. You can verify the history here.

We have war criminals in the White House. What are we going to do about it?

When a reader tries to explain the American people will do nothing, we are all war criminals now, Andrew Sullivan continues:

When conservatives subvert the rule of law ... to enable torture, and when only one man gets to decide who gets detained and tortured, they are no longer conservatives. They are fascists. And they need not just to be defeated; they need to be repudiated.

"Ah, what does he know" say his critics. He quit being a Bush supporting Republican conservative when he slowly realized they would never accept his gay. Andrew feels betrayed over the torture which he at first believed and claimed was left-wing lies and exaggerations.

Sadly, Andrew is learning that never have so many permitted such few fanatics wrapping themselves in the flag and God talk to shred the Constitution and dishonor America so much.

Fifty Years Ago

A Russian scientific and engineering achievement jolted America out of a rut and started the world on a new course to explore the heavens.

Today we learn that our Attorney General who just resigned approved of secret legal memos condoning torture. I link to Digby instead of the NYT because she has the proper outrage. Join Democrats who are joining the American Freedom Campaign:

"We are Americans, and in our America we do not torture, we do not imprison people without charge or legal remedy, we do not tap people's phones and emails without a court order, and above all we do not give any President unchecked power.

"I pledge to fight to protect and defend the Constitution from attack by any President."

Fifty years ago we worried that Russia would conquer us and whoever was ruling us would set up torture camps and disregard the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Silly us, Fascism always comes wrapped in the flag and carrying a Bible. You might want to see also these articles about the dark Blackwater mercenaries and their Christo-Republican ties.

Someone asked me the other day what to do about the coming foolish unnecessary war with Iran. My only answer was to buy stockpiles of food and gasoline, gold and bicycles.

Those who pay attention to this administration are coming to the same conclusion, and here - an attack on Iran is inevitable and a disaster. We are being eased into a limited strike for national security reasons and then we will have dead American soldiers and then we will get a successful appeal to unite and strike again at the enemy.

BTW, just for my critics, I know Iran is bad but us attacking Iran is what every enemy of the United States wants us to do. Attacking Iran makes as much sense as us nuking China in the Korean War, or invading Cuba, or nuking North Vietnam, all actions urged by the militant far right at the time. Actions that would have been disasters. We won the Cold War by being smart and successful and inspiring the world to be more like us. We are losing Iraq because no one wants to be like what we have become and Iran will be Iraq multiplied ten-fold.

More history blogging soon. A whole lot of smiles and cheers at city hall when Jack Douglas was sworn in as the new Mayor in Pasadena. I told you there was a reason Manlove did not announce his resignation there.

PS, Wolcott reminds me I am on the wrong side of this issue financially. Writers who advocate war, even when spectacularly wrong like Jeffrey Goldberg and many others, are always richly rewarded.

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Houston has a new Presidential Candidate

No, it is not me, although a reader just encouraged me to quit bashing Manlove and run for office.

Lee L. Mercer Jr. for President 2008.

He has a unique platform, sound as many Republican crazies we have running.

On August 22, 1992, The State of Texas installed an intelligence hotwire in me at the United States Army Military Intelligence Academy Camp Bullis San Antonio, Texas.

I have a doctor degree Phd. as a doctor of laws, medicine ( not practitioner of medicine, i.e. physicians, surgeons), theology, management, engineering and other subjects that are guaranteed by the United States Army in ROTC to be presented to me in a court of Law only.

I will receive my doctor degrees in a court of law only. My final graduation will be in a United States of America’s Court which was ordered by my second ROTC Board and Staff Janet Reno former U.S. Attorney General, former Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army and Secretary Of State of The United States General Colin Powell, Sr. and former Secretary of The United States Army Togo West. They will be joining me circumstantially later.

I won scholar of the world in World Management at Rice University from the President Of Rice University development in engineering with him and the German Government. I won road scholar from the United States Navy/United States Marine Corp. at West Point. All of my records of authencation will be brought forward into court by former board and staff that I have named above according to law for my day in court.

The United States Federal Congress has encouraged me to want to become President of the United States so that I can do what the President of the United States of America is supposed to do and complete the federal and military government biography and autobiography.

THE WAR IN IRAQ: There is some concern about the war in Iraq. I know of U.S. government evidence that the war in Iraq is illegal and it can be solved through me representing the United States Government with a peace treaty. I know there are notations in my ROTC Biography of a guarantee from Iraq through me for peace to the war in Iraq and that Mr. Hussein is innocent of his charges.

REASONS FOR CANDIDACY
....
63. To Prove It took millions of doctor’s degrees for me to be President of The United States in The United States Army Military Intelligence Academy Camp Bullis San Antonio, Texas to be certified with an all task completion. There is an auto-biography of my leanings, doings and examples of my governments task academics made hot-wire hookup recording Intelligence Electronic Satellite and a biography of every other person, place and or thing in the world all governments in the world and how I did this I became a teacher and invented computerized education and the applications to make computerized education learn, do and example. This is a GOVERNMENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM meaning a program that develops a government 100%. Therefore, I can prove there is no candidate and will be no candidate qualified to be elected president of the United States of America before Candidate Mercer For President, The United States of America’s Government, The United Nations and the American Public Citizenship that is on a communications hot-wire hookup can be Vindicated disclose as America is America through Eye Spy Community-Military Intelligence the new tool of America Electronic Surveillance Government.

64. To Prove My only Guardian Former Governor of Texas Ann Richards has just joined me MERCER FOR PRESIDENT CAMPAIGN and Lt. Col. Charles Wallace of The United States Army Military Intelligence Academy.

65. To Prove this is a Religion Program of Intelligence doing Intelligence, Intelligence doing Law, Intelligence doing Law Enforcement, Intelligence doing Criminal Investigations, Intelligence doing Interrogations, Intelligence doing Medicine, Intelligence doing Public Health, Intelligence doing all the Disciplines in the World and Intelligence doing Education.

66. To Prove America is America.

To prove America is America, can't argue with that platform.

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Things I read and see

Half Empty has this long story of Rick and Melissa and Nick at the fair. Why I like Democrats.

Amanda saw Eastern Promises and has a feminist perspective. She gets lots of comments and reviews of other movies. Janette and I also saw the movie about the Russian Mafia in London. Janette noticed that in this huge naked knife fight scene Viggo Mortensen was spending as much time making sure the camera didn't get a good look at his package as avoiding getting killed. I guess I wasn't spending time trying to see his package and didn't notice this. I would like to give this movie four stars but it is only three.

A Wired blog on the useless Blackwater hearings. Another Wired blog - Will Facebook die? My facebook page.

The Wall Street Journal frontpages a story that many business leaders cannot support the Republicans because of their economic policies.

The Day After We Bomb Iran.

The Newsweek poll showing Hillary winning the first match -the Iowa caucus was laughable so say the experts. A coin flip would do as well.

News you can use: how to pick handcuffs with paper clips and other common items. Will that get me Mr. Anonymous claiming I am disrespecting the police again?

The Big Brother State - animated short film.

Three final connections: MoveOn who? Is it all up to Iowa? And Milbank on the White House Slimed the Messenger.

Added - Another blogger gets slimed on right wing clown radio.

More on Manlove Resignation

Mayor Manlove called a meeting at his PR and advertising company to announce his resignation. He wanted it invitation only which he could not do at the Pasadena Texas city hall. Word is he was afraid of some of the possible reactions at city hall.

Notice that the embarrassing short interlude of Sekula-Gibbs has been edited out of the history of TX-22 in the local media. The last Houston Chronicle article by Ruth Rendon includes Manlove's standard appeal for the church vote:

"After much prayer and consultation with my family and trusted friends, I believe in my heart that as difficult as it may be for me to leave the office of mayor, and to consider asking the voters of the 22nd Congressional District to represent them, it is time for me to do so," Manlove said in making his announcement.

Surprisingly one of his trusted friends is Robert Talton who is also running for the congressional seat.

Manlove is leaving on a low note for his administration. Voters overwhelmingly rejected his city charter amendments earlier this year. In a shock at city hall, the city council which had never before voted against Manlove did a surprise defunding of the mayor's executive assistant position in a personal rejection of the mayor and the city's direction.

Manlove had to hand over the acting mayor's position to Councilman Jack Douglas, a long and persistent critic of the mayor primarily on fiscal responsibility matters.

Candidates for mayor will have to quickly gear up for the election which will be held within either two or four months depending on which regulations you look at. The election primaries for the TX-22 Congressional seat will be in March.

UPDATE - Manlove is already being attacked from the far right.

The joys of blogging. Someone else wrote me to "Really get an eduacatiom before you doubt someone elses's."

Monday, October 01, 2007

Conservatives are terrible at history

The Nation has a new article with new examples of this common observation. Rick Perlstein:

Computers have cut-and-paste functions. So does right-wing historical memory. Eventually, the articles, op-eds, press briefings and speeches now rehearsing these fantasies about Iraq will be complemented by books, and the holes in their reasoning will be big enough to march a combat division through. The contradictions, between them and among them, will be embarrassing to any but the conservatives desperate to embrace them. But embrace them they will, just as they have embraced a recent batch of right-wing revisionist Vietnam books--titles like Unheralded Victory, The Myth of Inevitable U.S. Defeat in Vietnam, Stolen Valor and Lost Victory. Their arguments used to be limited to a rarefied coterie of disillusioned veterans and right-wing propagandists. Now they've gone mainstream, in the Republicans' desperate attempts to justify Iraq.

Giuliani recently wrote in Foreign Affairs, "Then, as now, we fought a war with the wrong strategy for several years. And then, as now, we corrected course and began to show real progress.... But America then withdrew its support." Whereupon, said President Bush, veritably completing the thought in his August speech before the Veterans of Foreign Wars, "the price of merica's withdrawal was paid by millions of innocent citizens whose agonies would add to our vocabulary new terms like 'boat people,' 're-education camps' and 'killing fields.'"

The revisionists' books on Iraq will achieve the same thing these specious arguments do for Vietnam: therapy and propaganda. Their readers will say, Someone has finally told the truth. And yes, those quislings on the left really did foul everything up. That's what they're saying about the two books I have before me, two of the most respectable examples of the Vietnam para-literature, both published by mainstream presses and written by historians of considerable industry. Let us read them. It will better prepare us for what we can soon expect on Iraq. It will better prepare us for when bad arguments are used to justify the next generation's wars. more....

Greenspan and Reagan great for the rich

but pretty much set in motion the destruction of the American middle-class. Link is from another retired market research analyst who has started writing and I've added to the blogroll.

I am a bit surprised at this


	Bill Richardson Score: 39	Agree Immigration Taxes Stem-Cell Research Health Care Abortion Social Security Line-Item Veto Marriage Death Penalty	Disagree Iraq Energy
	John Edwards Score: 39	Agree Immigration Taxes Stem-Cell Research Health Care Abortion Social Security Energy Marriage Death Penalty	Disagree Iraq Line-Item Veto
-- Take the Quiz! --

Here is another test where I have somewhat different results.

UPDATE - There appears to be a flaw in this test which greatly benefits Kucinich among Democrats. Candidates who are not support or oppose on some of the issues but have a more nuanced position are also penalized. This does not appear intentional. I will post more later.

The results will show which candidate's positions have been most closely aligned with your values and the overall score and where you disagree.

Kucinich 68
Death Penalty, No Child Left Behind, ANWR Drilling, Iran Sanctions

Gravel 57
Death Penalty, Iran Sanctions

Clinton 48
No Child Left Behind, ANWR Drilling, Patriot Act, Border Fence, Iran - Military Action, Same-Sex Marriage

Edwards 47
No Child Left Behind, ANWR Drilling, Patriot Act, Iran - Military Action, Same-Sex Marriage

Obama 46
Death Penalty, ANWR Drilling, Patriot Act, Border Fence, Same-Sex Marriage

Richardson 44
Assault Weapons Ban, Patriot Act, Iran - Military Action, Same-Sex Marriage

Biden 41
No Child Left Behind, ANWR Drilling, Patriot Act, Border Fence, Same-Sex Marriage

Dodd 39
No Child Left Behind, ANWR Drilling, Patriot Act, Border Fence, Iran - Military Action

Paul 11
Abortion Rights, Death Penalty, Embryonic Stem Cells, Kyoto, Assault Weapons Ban, Guns - Background Checks, Citizenship Path for Illegals, Border Fence, Net Neutrality, Iran Sanctions, Minimum Wage Increase, Same-Sex Marriage, Universal Healthcare

McCain -23
Thompson -26
Giuliani -29
Cox -33
Huckabee -35
Brownback -43
Romney -56
Hunter -60
Tancredo -60

So many kinds of abuse here

The WP has some story. The Air Force wants to hire an analyst, GOP of course, but has to wait a bit for authorization to come through. He doesn't want to have an unpaid gap in employment. The Air Force arranges to have one of their large contractors pay him $26,788 while he did no work for the contractor but worked for the Air Force. The contractor doesn't mind, it apparently just adds it to the government (i.e. taxpayer) bill for services. I wonder if it has the common cost-plus contract. It really doesn't mind because that part of the company is classified non-profit although it competes with for-profit companies and pays its executives for-profit level salaries while paying no taxes.

This is wrong. This is non-partisan abuse in this case, although the GOP is generally more proficient at taking advantage of tax loopholes and what many people consider fake charities. Democratic Representative Murtha has steered a lot of government business, including earmarks, to this for-profit firm with some questionable non-profit "charity" subsidiaries.

I have written before, (other posts) - non-profit abuse connected to politicians is getting out of hand in this country. Nearly every organization that is classified as non-profit means more taxes for the rest of us. These politically and government connected non-profits are just friends of those in high places being rewarded and are expected to repay the favors.

Steve Schooner, co-director of the Government Procurement Law Program at George Washington University, said the Air Force's use of Commonwealth Research to pay Riechers "seems to make a mockery of any number of fundamental public procurement laws and policies."

See my previous Mayor Manlove articles.

"It's not transparent, it's not competitive," he said, "and no one seems accountable for the process or the outcome."

Happy 13th Birthday!

One of the first and most influential political news sites on the internet. An example of what is both right and wrong about the new net journalism. Congratulations Doug.

Chronicle Reports Manlove Resigns Effective Today

I broke this story over a week ago.

Easter Lemming - keeping you informed.

Rahm Emanuel Refuses To Defund Gitmo and the Iraq War

And the Harris County Democratic Party invites him down to speak because they want to give us the chance to boo him in person?

I still refuse to give HCDP any money just to do that. If Democrats don't defund the war I can at least defund them.

See my related posts.

PS - expect news out of Pasadena today.

Bush Advisor: "I hate all Iranians"

Reports from London today that the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Coalition Affairs to Defence Secretary Robert Gates told visiting UK politicians that she hates all Iranians. Not the most diplomatic of the creepy people who surround Bush. Tip to BuzzFlash.

The six MPs were taken aback by the hardline approach of the Pentagon and in particular Ms Cagan, one of Mr Bush's foreign policy advisers.
She made it clear that although the US had no plans to attack Iran, it did not rule out doing so if the Iranians ignored warnings not to develop a nuclear bomb.

It was her tone when they met her on September 11 that shocked them most.

The MPs say that at one point she said: "In any case, I hate all Iranians."

Although it was an aside, it was not out of keeping with her general demeanour.

"She seemed more keen on saying she didn't like Iranians than that the US had no plans to attack Iran," said one MP. "She did say there were no plans for an attack but the tone did not fit the words."

Another MP said: "I formed the impression that some in America are looking for an excuse to attack Iran. It was very alarming."

Ms Cagan, whose job involves keeping the coalition in Iraq together, also criticised Britain for pulling out troops.

"She said if we leave the south of Iraq, the Iranians will take it over," said one MP.

Another said: "She is very forceful and some of my colleagues were intimidated by her muscular style."

Another UK report: American diplomats have been ordered to compile reports detailing any possible Iranian actions or violations of international law that some fear could be used to justify military strikes.

ADDED - War with Iran - we can't afford it.

Arrogant Cops disrespecting the authority

My brother Jim noticed

that cops can't believe it when a fellow cop gives them a ticket and there is now a website where they complain about tickets they have been given.

I also get more warnings than tickets because of my white face, bald head, and habit of saying "you are absolutely right, sir, I was in the wrong."

I save my real comments for when they are not around.

John Edwards is Sincere and a Winner

So why does the Washington elite dislike him?

Walter Shapiro covers the Edwards who is winning the Iowa voters.

But during a period when the Democrats are desperately searching for the magic elixir (or narrative or frame) for winning back the White House, it is odd that Edwards is belittled for his powers of in-person persuasion. While Edwards has put together a string of strong debate performances (most recently last Wednesday night in New Hampshire), he remains a more compelling candidate in person than he is on TV.

Elizabeth Edwards, who was campaigning in California this weekend, suggested in a phone interview that the accusations of insincerity against her husband were politically motivated. "Trying to make it [look] hypocritical and political is obviously a tactic to undermine his connection with the voters at that gut-honesty-trust level," she said. "So they make the case that if a wealthy man is talking about poverty, it has to be a political position. I don't think they made the same arguments about Bobby Kennedy ... or Franklin Roosevelt." In truth, the patrician FDR was reviled not as a hypocrite, but as a "traitor to his class."

....But if Edwards boasts a tactical advantage in this race, even over Hillary Clinton, it is that he has run for president before. As the 2004 vice-presidential nominee put it, "I went through the 2003-2004 campaign -- particularly the general election -- surrounded by more consultants and experts than you could shake a stick at. And the person whose judgment I trust is mine. And I trust Elizabeth's too."

With three months to go before the early contests in Iowa and New Hampshire, John Edwards remains the most politically plausible alternative to Clinton and Obama. And his fate depends on voters like Jill Brewer believing what they see before them in places like a community center in New Hampshire -- a candidate who is going by his gut and who insists that ultimately what is inside his heart is what matters.

Meanwhile Edwards consistently outpaces both Hillary and Obama in national polling against the Republican opponents. Edwards leads the top four Republican candidates by an average of nearly nine points. Hillary leads by an average of six points while Barack Obama has an average lead of five points according to Rasmussen national polling.

Texas Round-Up 12

It's Monday and that means it's time for another installment of the Texas Progressive Alliance's Blog Round-Up. This week's round-up was complied by Vince from Capitol Annex.

Blue 19th wonders: Can someone ask Randy Neugebauer why he hates college students?

Evan at the Houston GLBT Political Caucus Blog asks where's Human Rights Campaign as leaders in congress are considering leaving transgender works out of ENDA because, unlike other GLBT political organizations, H.R.C. has been silent so far, and that's unacceptable.

In How are these alike? Fort Worth and Wise County TXsharon of Bluedaze warns Fort Worth residents about the dangers of Barnett Shale drilling, conflicts of interest and good old boy politics.

McBlogger goes all medieval on the Texas Transportation Commission's derriere... Like toll roads? Not McBlogger!

Texas Kaos community member Carol Gee gives a primer on terms we're all going to need to become much more familiar with in 50 Ways to Understand the Protect America Act.

Managing diabetes is a real pain, according to PDiddie at Brains and Eggs.

WCNews at Eye on Williamson analyzes the latest actions regarding HD-52 in Krusee's Influence And Credibility Are Gone, Time For HD-52 To Start Over.

BossKitty at Blue Bloggin notes that Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin), representing the 25th District of Texas, hits Bush in the nose again, and this time its on SCHIP. She also tells about some of the antics of Pete Sessions (R-Dallas) on the vote--and how that's all about earmarks.

In a pair of posts, Nat-Wu at Three Wise Men asks if the city of Irving is practicing racist law enforcement.

Off the Kuff takes a look at State Proposition 2, which an education bond issue that should not be confused with the Houston ISD's more controversial referendum.

Over at Stop Cornyn, Matt tells us how John Cornyn has once again voted against Texas Children. Another post at Stop Cornyn notes just how out of touch Cornyn's vote was.

Texas Toad at North Texas Liberal talks about the Project Farm Team meeting, with guest speaker Vince Leibowitz, and how that organization can turn Denton County blue.

The Texas Blue, one of the recent additions to the Texas Progressive Alliance has an audio interview with State Representative Kirk England, who discusses his background and what motivated his recent decision to switch from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party.

Vince at Capitol Annex tells us how Rick Perry's decision to order the state's two largest retirement systems to divest in Iranian-related investments could cause a special session.

Refinish69 at Doing My Part For The Left gives his views about people saying elect any Democrat and why he thinks that is total BS in Rick Noriega, Dan Grant and John Edwards 3 Great Democrats To Get Elected

Half Empty's coverage of a presentation by Hank Gilbert makes note of what a huge issue the Trans Texas Corridor is. Hal attended Hank Gilbert's informative discussion on Saturday and reports.

Waiting for the spark for the next war

Seymour Hersh updates us on the desires of Bush and Cheney to attack Iran and their growing recognition of how difficult that is. More military and intelligence resources are going toward planning an attack on Iran which seems to only be waiting for a spark to justify setting it off.

The revised bombing plan for a possible attack, with its tightened focus on counterterrorism, is gathering support among generals and admirals in the Pentagon. The strategy calls for the use of sea-launched cruise missiles and more precisely targeted ground attacks and bombing strikes, including plans to destroy the most important Revolutionary Guard training camps, supply depots, and command and control facilities.

“Cheney’s option is now for a fast in and out—for surgical strikes,” the former senior American intelligence official told me. The Joint Chiefs have turned to the Navy, he said, which had been chafing over its role in the Air Force-dominated air war in Iraq. “The Navy’s planes, ships, and cruise missiles are in place in the Gulf and operating daily. They’ve got everything they need—even AWACS are in place and the targets in Iran have been programmed. The Navy is flying FA-18 missions every day in the Gulf.” There are also plans to hit Iran’s anti-aircraft surface-to-air missile sites. “We’ve got to get a path in and a path out,” the former official said.

A Pentagon consultant on counterterrorism told me that, if the bombing campaign took place, it would be accompanied by a series of what he called “short, sharp incursions” by American Special Forces units into suspected Iranian training sites. He said, “Cheney is devoted to this, no question.”

A limited bombing attack of this sort “only makes sense if the intelligence is good,” the consultant said. If the targets are not clearly defined, the bombing “will start as limited, but then there will be an ‘escalation special.’ Planners will say that we have to deal with Hezbollah here and Syria there. The goal will be to hit the cue ball one time and have all the balls go in the pocket. But add-ons are always there in strike planning.”

....The shift in targeting reflects three developments. First, the President and his senior advisers have concluded that their campaign to convince the American public that Iran poses an imminent nuclear threat has failed (unlike a similar campaign before the Iraq war), and that as a result there is not enough popular support for a major bombing campaign. The second development is that the White House has come to terms, in private, with the general consensus of the American intelligence community that Iran is at least five years away from obtaining a bomb. And, finally, there has been a growing recognition in Washington and throughout the Middle East that Iran is emerging as the geopolitical winner of the war in Iraq.

Update: What Digby says. This looks like a done deal. Stock up on gas, gold, food and Bibles.

A fake grass roots movement with top GOP operatives has also been created to generate favorable PR for the coming war with Iran. SF writer and futurist David Brin also discusses Bush's purge of the military and religious indoctrination. TPM says add it up - its war.