President Bush: Take action to protect consumers against price gouging
Apr 18, 03:00 PM | Harry Reid
With Americans across the country struggling with an unexplained spike in gas prices and with experts predicting a 25% increase in prices over last summer, 15 Senate Democrats today sent aletter to President Bush, urging him to take action to support federal anti-price gouging legislation.
The text of the letter is below.
April 18, 2006
The Honorable George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. President,
We are writing to enlist your support in enacting strong consumer protection measures that will protect American consumers from price gouging at the gas pump this summer. You are undoubtedly aware of projections from the federal Energy Information Administration (EIA) that gas prices will rise 25 cents per gallon across this nation compared to last summer. In light of these projections, we believe a federal anti-price gouging law should be enacted before the summer driving season begins in earnest, this Memorial Day.
Already, price gouging legislation (S. 1735) exists that has been cosponsored by nearly a third of the United States Senate, and endorsed by a number of state Attorneys General. This legislation would give federal and state regulators new authority to prosecute price gouging in the wake of national energy emergencies, as well as put in place measures to ban manipulation and enhance the transparency of our nation’s fuel markets. One of the hallmarks of this legislation is that it would also apply to the wholesale fuel markets—an important distinction, given that it is often the large vertically integrated oil companies that dictate the prices that gasoline retailers can charge. While the oil companies rake in record profits, it is often these retailers that bear the brunt of consumer anger.
A strong federal price gouging law is only one element of the equation when it comes to putting our nation on the path toward greater energy independence. A comprehensive and smart approach to this vital issue of national security will help curb the tremendous volatility in energy prices that is impacting consumers, businesses and the American economy as a whole. We have thus far been disappointed by your Administrations’ lack of response to our invitation to co-host an emergency bipartisan national energy summit. This offer still stands. However, in the absence of leadership or cooperation from your Administration, we will soon be moving ahead with our own set of real solutions, which will spur the kind of innovation and investment America needs to secure its energy future for the 21st Century.
Our oil dependency is one of the greatest economic and national security challenges faced by our generation. The status quo—in which the security of the United States and our domestic economy is left to the whims OF foreign regimes and companies that do not have the best interests of our nation at heart—is simply not an option. How quickly and aggressively we rise to meet this challenge will be one of the most important tests on which future generations of Americans will measure our leadership and resolve. As such, we hope you will join with us in acting quickly to protect American consumers from price gouging this summer and to vastly accelerate market penetration of biofuels, alternative fuels, and energy efficiency vehicles and technologies. We stand ready to work with you to develop a serious national strategy to curb America’s dangerous dependence on oil.
Sincerely,
Senator Maria Cantwell
Senator Harry Reid
Senator Richard Durbin
Senator John Kerry
Senator Joe Lieberman
Senator Russ Feingold
Senator Evan Bayh
Senator Ron Wyden
Senator Debbie Stabenow
Senator Hillary Clinton
Senator Jack Reed
Senator Barbara Mikulski
Senator Dianne Feinstein
Senator Byron Dorgan
Senator Joe Biden
Comment
- I think the best way to fight back is for candidates running against incumbents to point out that the office holder takes cil company contributions and, therefore, has done nothing for the consumer and everything for their price-gouging piggish friends.
This should be a major campaign issue, but the candidate must not take oil money, or it won’t work.
— Susan Alexander Llauget Apr 18, 03:08 PM # - There are many problems to address on this issue. Our Corporate Government, of course, wants to stay ahead of the game as crude oil prices rise, and Iran threatens to establish their own oil exchange. One which honers the Euro, and will not be healthy for the US dollar. At the same time nothing is being done about the gas guzzling oversize vehichles that are in vogue in this country.
I think that in this equasion we should include the return of free enterprise, which enables anyone who wishes to compete in energy efficient transportation to develope and manufacture automobiles, Without any interference from the existing industrial war complex, and encouragement from a responsible government, instead of controls from the Corporate Government.
The answers are here, in the imaginations of the American people. All we need to carry it out is the freedom to do so, and a democracy to enable it…Dream On?...Yeh!...Without imagination, nothing can happen.
— linus Apr 18, 04:00 PM # - Last I heard prices in this country were set by consumer demand. Do the LWW’s want to change that, do they want socialism?
— Kee Apr 18, 05:32 PM # - Gas prices aren’t simply tied to supply and demand.
They are tied to global issues and political whims.
As long as the GOP has the oil companies in their back pocket, expect high gas prices.
Plus aren’t republican’s hard at work saving the US from the scourge of gay marriage and abortions, while the rest of the country goes to hell?
The GOP should stick to issues they know best: Gay marriage & Abortion.
Economics, Foreign policy, Fiscal budgeting, Iraq, Iran, and the like have already been made a clusterf**k by the GOP.
— Mark Apr 18, 06:03 PM # - Gas prices are also tied to inside deals done behind closed doors with our elected officials. It is a travesty that “We the People” do not know what energy executives met with Dick Cheney as they helped him craft the so-called energy bill.
Pay Attention
ask questions
Speak Up!
QuestionItNow
— REB 84 Apr 18, 06:16 PM # - Saturday, April 01, 2006
Energy Independence – Brazil is kicking our Ass!
Jimmy Carter’Â’s hopes to secure a second term in office were sunk by multiple factors including the Iranian Revolution and the seizure of the US embassy and prolonged kidnapping of US hostages in Iran. At the same time, the US economy was also strained by the devastating effects of “stagflation”(inflation coupled with a stagnant economy).
A major source of this economic crisis was the OPEC oil embargoes that lead to almost instantaneous shortages of foreign oil. In response to this threat to the economic health of America, Jimmy Carter implemented a far-reaching, long-term energy policy designed to help make the USA energy independent.
Unfortunately, Carter’s long-term plan for energy independence was discarded by first the Reagan, then Bush1, next Clinton, & now Bush2. The short term thinking of four successive presidential administrations has failed to prepare and execute long-term plans to make America energy independent. We should be leading the world in this area by now if we hadn’t taken our eyes off the ball. Maybe Jimmy Carter should be given more credit?
Here in the present day, Brazil is now kicking our global ass in the area of energy independence! “A three-decade-long alternative energy campaign has outfitted Brazilian filling stations with fuel pumps that offer pure ethanol, a blend of gasoline and 20% ethanol called gasohol, or even natural gas. This year, Brazil will achieve energy independence a goal the United States has been chasing without success since the energy crises of the 1970s.” USA Today
Well, for “We the People” the choice seems rather clear to me. We can adapt and respond by electing & supporting people who have positive visions for the future or our country; or stay stuck in the mud with the bums who have rolled up record deficits with their short-sighted visions. The choice is ours. Will America Lead?
Defend America
ask question
— REB 84 Apr 18, 06:19 PM # - All of the listed Senators voted against domestic oil exploration. They also voted against additional use of coal and new Nuclear power stations. Last I heard the Kennedy’s, including the swimmer, nixed wind generated power off Nantucket because of the NIMBY factor. Liberals are full of shit.
— Kee Apr 18, 06:27 PM # - Oh Harry, Bush don’t give a hoot. The more we pay for gas, the richer he becomes, Cheney too. What the heck, Cheney got tax Katrina tax breaks because of for non-Katrina contributions.
Kee – I don’t feel sad that it takes all your income to buy gas for your SUV/Hummer.
— cats are fly fishn Apr 18, 07:44 PM # - linus – comment 2
I agree. The problem that keeps many creative thinking people from making their ideas become real is the cost of health care. Many Americans need to work for Corporations just for additional health care benefits (especially if they have children).
— cats are fly fishn Apr 18, 07:48 PM # - Oh Harry, Bush don’t give a hoot. The more we pay for gas, the richer he becomes, Cheney too. What the heck, Cheney got tax Katrina tax breaks because of for non-Katrina contributions.
Kee – I don’t feel sad that it takes all your income to buy gas for your SUV/Hummer.
— cats are fly fishn
Cats, based on your post, it appears that you majored in applied ignorance. Have a nice day.
— Kee Apr 18, 07:52 PM # - Hey Kee – Transference… applies to you.
— cats are fly fishn Apr 18, 07:54 PM # - IMPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAACH BUSH AND CHENEY! Most all of the current problems devastating our country and our enviroment are amplified by this mis-administration’s policies. Get someone in the presidency who has a little bit of brains and things should begin to improve.
AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT OUR REDICULOUSLY CORRUPTED ELECTIONS! WE WANT PAPER CONFIRMATION OF VOTING!
— bill_o_carolina Apr 18, 08:10 PM # - Eleven days before President Bush’s January 28, 2003, State of the Union address in which he said that the US learned from British intelligence that Iraq had attempted to acquire uranium from Africa – an explosive claim that helped pave the way to war – the State Department told the CIA that the intelligence the uranium claims were based upon were forgeries, according to a newly declassified State Department memo.
The revelation of the warning from the closely guarded State Department memo is the first piece of hard evidence and the strongest to date that the Bush administration manipulated and ignored intelligence information in their zeal to win public support for invading Iraq.
— bill_o_carolina Apr 18, 08:14 PM # - #13 Bill o cut, paste & run and to the rest of you whining, panty-waisted, pathetic Democrats, it’s time for a little refresher course on exactly why we Americans occasionally have to fight wars. See if you can tear yourself away from your “reality” TV and Starbucks for a minute, pull your head out of your flabby ass—
BEHEADING IS AN ATROCITY!
9/11 IS AN ATROCITY!
WHICH PART DON’T YOU GET?
Abu Ghraib is not “torture” or an “atrocity”.
This is the kind of thing frat boys, sorority girls, and academy cadets do to newcomers. A little fun at someone else’s expense. Certainly no reason to wring your hands or get your panties in a wad.
Islam a peaceful religion??? Millions of these sons-of-bitches are plotting as we speak to destroy our country and our way of life any way they can. Some of them are here among us now. They don’t want to convert you and don’t want to rule you. You are a vile infestation of Allah’s paradise. They don’t give a shit how “progressive” you are, how peace-loving you are, or how much you sympathize with their cause.! !
They want you dead , and think it is God’s will for them to do it. And you think Bush and Cheney are your worst enemies?
Some think if we give them a hug or listen to them, then they’ll like us… and if you agree? Then you are a dumb ass!
If they manage to get their hands on a nuke, chemical agents, or even some anthrax—you will wish to God we had hunted them down and killed THEM while we had the chance.
How many more Americans must be killed & beheaded before you stop blaming Bush for all your troubles—what a bunch of maroons!
— lvdrummer Apr 18, 08:39 PM # - #13 bill
“Eleven days before President Bush’s January 28, 2003, State of the Union address in which he said that the US learned from British intelligence that Iraq had attempted to acquire uranium from Africa – an explosive claim that helped pave the way to war – the State Department told the CIA that the intelligence the uranium claims were based upon were forgeries, according to a newly declassified State Department memo.
The revelation of the warning from the closely guarded State Department memo is the first piece of hard evidence and the strongest to date that the Bush administration manipulated and ignored intelligence information in their zeal to win public support for invading Iraq.”
Stop lying, bill!!! That stupid forgery you keep blowing your hole about said that Iraq bought uranium. That was a lie. Everybody whose followed this bullshit case knows it!!! But the intelligence community, in Britain, in France, in the US, to this day, still knows that members of Hussein’s government went to Niger to try to buy the only thing they would want from Niger, uranium. But they never got any from them, we already know that. Stop lying about this!!!
— Steve Apr 18, 09:35 PM # - Bush Defector To Demolish
911 Lies On May 6
4-18-6
The former top economist in Bush’s Department of Labor, Morgan Reynolds, will speak out on the 9/11 inside job at the State Historical Society, University of Wisconsin-Madison on Saturday, May 6th. The film Loose Change will be shown, and refreshments served, starting at 1 p.m, and Reynolds will speak at 3:00 p.m.
Dr. Reynolds, who holds three U.W.-Madison degrees, and who is currently Professor of Economics at Texas A&M University, will present evidence that top Bush Administration officials orchestrated the controlled demolition of the World Trade Center, and the murder of almost 2,500 Americans, as a pretext for initiating their pre-planned “long war” in the Middle East.
“While more Americans doubt the 9/11 story every week, evidence abounds that many have a mental block against rational examination of the evidence about 9/11” writes Dr. Reynolds in a recent article. This mental block, he thinks, amounts to willful ignorance-not just about 9/11, but about history.
“Governments throughout history have provoked or staged attacks on their own people to serve the powers behind the throne (‘the money power’), glorify themselves, engage in vast government spending, reward friends, exert domestic control, stimulate the juices of war, annex neighbors and pursue vast geostrategic rearrangements (the ‘global domination project)” Reynolds asserts. He notes that every member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff signed off on the “Operation Northwoods” plan to murder Americans in fake “Cuban terrorist” attacks in 1962. The planned Operation Northwoods murders of ordinary Americans in fake terrorist bombings and a fake “airliner shoot-down” would have involved hundreds of military and intelligence personnel. Yet the existence of Operation Northwoods was successfully kept secret from the American people for forty years until James Bamford revealed it in his book Body of Secrets, published in January 2002.
more,,,,,
http://milwaukee.indymedia.org/en/2006/03/205195.shtml
— bill_o_carolina Apr 18, 10:19 PM # - “In light of these projections, we believe a federal anti-price gouging law should be enacted before the summer driving season begins in earnest, this Memorial Day.”
Harry, you idiot, Congress legislates. Why are you writing to the President to do your work?
“We stand ready to work with you to develop a serious national strategy to curb America?s dangerous dependence on oil.”
So Harry, are you prepared to stop obstructing and filibustering the Bush/Republican Energy Policy? Clearly, you and the Democrats are 100% responsible for the energy mess America is in and the coming high gasoline prices. Say goodbye to your already sinking 27% approval rating.
— joro Apr 19, 12:18 AM # - 17 “We stand ready to work with you to develop a serious national strategy to curb America?s dangerous dependence on oil.”
***************************************
Exactly…Who are you speaking for when you drivvle out the word “WE”.
April 3, 2006 Bush Energy Policy
Reliance On and Costs of Imported Energy Have Increased
U.S. oil and petroleum product imports are increasing. In 2000, the year before President Bush took office, America imported 3.8 billion barrels of oil and petroleum products or 52.9 percent of its total net consumption. In 2005, the U.S. imported about 4.7 billion barrels or 60 percent of its total net consumption. If current policies continue, the Department of Energy projects that Americans will import 5.25 billion barrels in 2020. (Energy Information Administration, U.S. Imports by Country of Origin and Annual Energy Outlook 2006)
Americans are spending more on imported oil. In 2000, when oil prices were high relative to the 1990’s, Americans sent $109 billion to other countries to purchase crude oil and petroleum products. In 2005, Americans spent nearly 115 percent more money, $232 billion, to purchase these products from foreign countries. (Energy Information Administration, Annual Energy Review 2004 and Annual Energy Outlook 2006)
The United States is heavily dependent on oil from unstable regions. In 2005, the United States imported almost 840 million barrels of oil from the Persian Gulf countries of Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates—17 percent of U.S. oil imports. We depend upon the unstable Persian Gulf region to provide 11 percent of all crude oil and petroleum products used in the U.S. In 2005, 41 percent of our oil imports came from the OPEC cartel countries of Algeria, Indonesia, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. (Energy Information Administration, US Imports by Country of Origin, February 2006 Petroleum Supply Monthly with data for December 2005)
Insecurity for Families Has Grown, As Oil Profits Have Skyrocketed
Heating costs have skyrocketed. The average U.S. household will spend about $107 more for heating this winter compared to last year. Households heating with natural gas paid $402, or 86 percent more, to heat their homes this winter than they paid in 2001-2002. Consumers of heating oil paid $759, or 121 percent more, this winter than they paid in 2001-2002. (Energy Information Administration, Short Term Energy Outlook, 3/2006)
Transportation costs for families have increased by $1,440. Prices at the gas pump have jumped 62.5 percent from $1.44 per gallon in January 2001 to $2.34 in March 2006, while the price for a barrel of oil has more than doubled from $29.26 in January 2001 to $62.16 in February 2006. The average household with children will spend about $3,343 on transportation fuel costs this year, an increase of 75 percent over 2001 costs. (Energy Information Administration, Retail Gasoline Prices, This Week in Petroleum, and Household Vehicle Energy Use: Latest Data and Trends, 11/2005)
Oil companies are raking in extraordinary profits. In 2005, as Americans struggled to pay their gasoline and heating bills, the top six oil companies made an astonishing $113 billion in profits. ExxonMobil reported the highest annual corporate profits in U.S. history; the oil giant’s 2005 profits soared to $36.13 billion, an increase of 43 percent over 2004. The oil companies attempt to downplay their profits to the public. However, ExxonMobil’s 2004 annual report emphasizes “return on average capital employed” as the best measure for financial performance and reveals a rate of return of 37 percent for domestic drilling and 28.6 percent for domestic refining. (ExxonMobil press release for January 30, 2006; “High Oil Prices Help Boost Exxon Profits,” AP, January 30, 2006; Public Citizen Testimony, Senate Judiciary Committee, February 1, 2006)
Farmers spending more on energy. In 2002, farmers spent $18.36 billion on energy for crop production. Increasing prices of natural gas, diesel, and gasoline raised those costs to approximately $46.4 billion in 2004. Even during a good year, farmers operate on profit margins of only about five percent. Price increases of 20 percent or more on essential items like fertilizer, fuel, and pesticides have made it very difficult for farmers to get by. (Congressional Research Service, 11/19/2004)
Insecurity for the American Economy Has Grown
High energy prices are hurting our economy. Energy-intensive industries like manufacturing are struggling with increasing energy costs. High oil and natural gas prices contributed to a record trade deficit at the end of 2005. Economists have estimated that on average, every time oil prices go up 10 percent, 150,000 Americans lose their jobs. (Alan Carruth, Mark Hooker, and Andrew Oswald, “Unemployment Equilibria and Input Prices: Theory and Evidence from the United States,” The Review of Economics and Statistics, 1998)
The Bush FY 2007 budget makes matters worse. The Bush budget proposes to eliminate research and development funding for geothermal and hydropower energy, building codes assistance, and several new programs the President had originally touted from the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT). The budget also contains funding proposals well below authorized levels for clean coal technology, electricity reliability, energy efficiency, energy management within the federal government, weatherization assistance, and energy cost assistance for low-income Americans.
• Bush budget does not match the rhetoric of the State of the Union. The Bush Administration has cut funding for renewable energy for years, and the latest budget fails to turn this around. His proposed budget increase for clean energy research barely brings these programs back up to 2001 levels, while Americans paid 50 percent more for energy than in 2001 and energy expenditures are higher as a share of GDP than at any time in the last 18 years. The President’s budget also provides 46 percent less than the level promised in the new energy law for renewable energy research. (Senate Energy and Natural Resources, 2/6/06)
• Bush budget cuts renewable energy programs, which create jobs and reduce our dependency on foreign oil. The President’s budget eliminates all funding for bioenergy incentives that help expand the production of ethanol and biodiesel. Further, the budget cuts renewable energy loans (from $177 million to $35 million) and grants, as well as biomass research and development. His budget proposals have been called “pitiful. The $150 million the White House said it would commit to making biofuels more competitive…turns out to be $50 million less than the amount authorized by last year’s energy bill.” (New York Times, 2/6/06)
• Bush budget slashes energy efficiency and conservation. The President’s budget cuts energy efficiency by 13 percent from last year, even though DOE research on core efficiency programs has been cut by 32 percent in real terms since Fiscal Year 2002. (Union of Concerned Scientists; American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, 2/7/05) Reducing our nation’s energy consumption is effective in reducing our reliance on foreign energy, but the President’s budget cuts conservation programs by $113 million. (House Appropriations Committee, Democratic Staff, 2/6/06)
No Energy Security Solutions from Republicans
Smokescreen solutions to energy problems. Rather than enact policies that would aggressively confront our security challenges and provide safe, sustainable and affordable energy, Republicans have pushed for drilling in the Alaska wilderness and rolling back environmental protections regulating oil and gas leases and refineries. Drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge would provide only the equivalent of six months of American oil demand and would not provide any oil for a decade, lower prices, or create a significant number of new long-term jobs. Refiners have not shown interest in building new refineries regardless of environmental regulations.
Republicans rejected key measures to increase energy security. During consideration of the energy bill, Republicans rejected Democratic proposals to implement a national renewable portfolio standard, eliminate 40 percent of oil imports by 2020, extend the production tax credit beyond 2008, and confront climate change. Republicans also opposed Democrats’ efforts to make room in the Fiscal Year 2007 budget to fully fund the energy efficiency, vehicle technology, and biomass/biofuels programs.
— linus Apr 19, 01:29 PM # - From a prior thread #109 Leo
You said:
“A quick point before I have to go to work. You are confusing what is legal with what is good governance and forgetting the intentions of the founding fathers. Some of the founding fathers feared that political parties could subvert democracy. One party rule can cheapen votes, too. If one man and one rubber-stamping party control all the intelligence then it becomes easier and easier to subvert elections by misleading the people. This criticism is potentially valid for either party. As it turns out, the people no longer trust our president, so best near term hope for this country is to end the one party rule in Congress this fall.”
You are correct in stating that the Founding Fathers (I believe Hamilton) said in one of the Federalist Papers (I don’t remember which one) warning of having political parties; they were actually advocating a no-party government. That went by the way side over 200 years ago, so it is a moot point.
The idea that our votes our cheapened because a majority chose to vote for a majority of candidates from one political party over candidates from another political party is not correct in the fact that we will vote again every two years. Even members of one political party have differing points of view and often do not take the party line; Republicans have this with Lincoln Chafee, the most liberal Republican in the Senate. But to try to think that one-party rule here is anything like what you may be implying has no basis in fact. In several periods of the nation’s history, one party has had majority control of both the Executive and Legislative branches without leading America down the road to tyranny. And despite what others say, we are not going down that path now.
The point is that the people decide how they want to be governed through those they elect. This makes some things that need to be done take longer, but that isn’t bad governance, especially since it gives the people a choice. That is the essence of a representative democracy. If they don’t like the guy they elect, in two years they get another shot at it, and every four years for the President. As of the 2004 election, Democrats did not offer the country, as a whole, any kind of plan or platform to warrant being voted into office, which is why they are in the minority. Maybe it will be the case in 2006. Considering the Democratic platform consists exclusively of trying to nail Bush (and Republicans) and maintaining and expanding failed entitlement programs that have been a burden on the American people for over forty years, its no wonder Republicans are in the majority as they have championed entrepreneurship and a strong national defense and foreign policy.
One last point. The idea of a one-party state is, in my opinion, a misnomer as it implies elections. The most notorious examples of “one-party states” are in actualitiy absolute dictatorships, where fair elections don’t exist and dissidence is crushed. This is not comparable to a nation that carries out periodic and fair (for the most part) elections and votes for candidates for one party at the expense of candidates from another party, as I stated earlier. Ours is a choice of all the people.
— Steve Apr 19, 01:36 PM # - 19 “A quick point before I have to go to work.
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Gee Steve?..I thought this was where you worked.
Excellent defence of the Neocons (for the most part) . However, one of the prime concerns with the Democratic party, is that we have fair elections, with a paper trail. Personally… I would like to see it like Switzerland…where every body takes a day off, and votes in the city square, by a show of hands.
— linus Apr 19, 01:56 PM # - #20 linus
“19 “A quick point before I have to go to work.
*************************************
Gee Steve?..I thought this was where you worked.”
Um, that was from Leo’s comment earlier this morning.
“Excellent defence of the Neocons (for the most part) . However, one of the prime concerns with the Democratic party, is that we have fair elections, with a paper trail. Personally… I would like to see it like Switzerland…where every body takes a day off, and votes in the city square, by a show of hands.”
The Democrats in Chicago still believe in the “vote early, vote often” method. Yep. They believe in fair elections…for themselves.
Switzerland? Puh-lease!!! Switzerland is about 50% bigger than Maryland, and their largest city has half the people of Baltimore. You don’t have a clue as to what you’re talking about.
— Steve Apr 19, 06:31 PM # - #20….
Hi Linus…......
Your Switzerland suggestion was just a little too “nuanced” for steve. 10 year olds and neo cons need to take everything literally. Tongue in cheek just goes right over their heads.
Since we brought democracy to Iraq, why can’t we just dip our finger in ink? Ya know, show a little solidarity with our Iraqi bros and sis’s. If paper ballots are good enough for Iraqis, with their gift of democracy from the US of A, they’re good enough for me. Screw diebold and their cheating little electronic screens!
— Poor Daddy Apr 19, 08:25 PM # - TWO FACED REID
Reid, who is fighting the Yucca Mountain depository so that his lawyer friends can take billions of our tax dollars in the courts, now endorsed a UNLV grant application worth tens of millions of dollars to reprocess nuclear waste. Harry just continues to prove how corrupt he really is.
— joro Apr 19, 09:36 PM # - REID ADMITS DEMS DECEIT
Reid was in Reno on Monday and admitted in a whiney speech that the retired Generals attack on Rumsfeld was aimed at hurting President George W. Bush as much as Rumsfeld. These coordinated, arranged attacks by the Democrats always seem to backfire and they end up with egg on their faces. President George W. Bush is much too smart for that bunch of idiots headed by IOC (Idiot In Chief) Reid. Some 4,700 Generals support Rumsfeld so the half dozen of disgruntled generals who were mostly fired become just another laughing stock.
— joro Apr 19, 09:45 PM # - #22 Poor Daddy
In another thread, you said:
“Hope this pisses you off:
Jugo chavez has the right idea. A national health plan for EVERYBODY in his country, including dental, paid for by oil revenues….and he still helps out poor American senior citizens with their winter fuel bills. His people love him because he takes care of People first. Mexico could do that, but then again, so could the US for it’s own citizens, but you guys don’t like chavez cuz he doesn’t kiss george’s ass! He sees through bush bullshit and cares more for people than for corporations.”
Your buddy and Fidel’s playmate, Hugo Chavez, has done wonders with Venezuela since taking power in 1999. Take a look at this PowerPoint presentation of Caracas in 1998 and 2006. During this timeframe, the price of oil has gone up 500%. Somebody has benefited from that huge jump in the price of oil, but I don’t think it was the Venezuelans (methinks it was ol’ Hugo himself).
— Steve Apr 19, 11:01 PM # - Boycott Exxon/Mobil stations. Do not buy gasoline at Exxon/Mobil stations. Do not get your car repaired at an Exxon/Mobil station. Do not buy food or other items at Exxon/Mobil convenience stores.
Force the Exxon/Mobil gasoline station operators to go to the parent company to lower the price of gasoline or you will not do business with Exxon/Mobil stations until they get Exxon/Mobnil coporation to lower the price of gas so station operators can sell gas for $1.50 a gallon.
Join the campaign for progressive legislation http://www.boycott-republicans.com
Please do not buy products from these Republican contributors.
The Republican Party appears weak and vulnerable at the cash registers of the companies that give money to the Republican Party.
I have seen that people do not want to call companies and tell them why they boycott companies and ask for a progressive agenda, so then just avoid buying from these companies and spread the word. I will tell the Speaker of the House and the Senate majority leader and the CEOs of these companies listed below that their profits will silently lessen until an agenda listed below gets acceded to by the Republican Party in a press conference and then passed by congress and signed by the pResident. So just do this and I will do the rest of the work for you. You have no petitions to sign, no phone calls to make, just stop buying products from these Republican contributors and to tell others as well to stop. Thank you.
Dell Computers, Walmart, Wendy’s, Outback Steak House, Dominos Pizza, Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Eckerd, CVS and Walgreens, Curves for women health clubs, General Electric and Exxon/Mobil.
A progressive agenda for America.
I demand that the Republican Party hold a press conference and accede to these demands. Until such a press conference happens and the legislation and/or actions gets passed I will boycott products from Republican contributors Walmart, Wendy’s, Outback Steak House, Dominos Pizza, Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Eckerd, CVS and Walgreens, Curves for women health clubs, General Electric and Exxon/Mobil.
I demand that congress pass legislation ending the war in Iraq and withdraw the troops and arrange with the United Nations to replace US troops with UN troops to defend Iraq until The Iraqi army can defend Iraq.
I demand that the Republican party end their aggressive and hateful action to end a woman’s right to choose abortion or not.
I demand that the Republican party end their aggressive and hateful action to harrass immigrants to this country.
I demand that the Congress of the United states and the president of the United States enact a law to increase the minimum wage to TEN dollars an hour and also to extend unemployment benefits to a year or more for all people whose unemployment benefits expired after 6 months even though they still seek work.
I demand that the Congress of the United States to not privatize social security benefits in any form including taking a percentage of the social security tax and placing it in private accounts. People can already create their own pensions with money after taxes in the private sector.
I demand that the congress make all of a person’s earned income taxable for social security FICA tax purposes and remove the 88,000 dollar taxable income limit. This will make social security solvent for many years to come.
I demand the congress increase the payroll tax in order to make social security solvent as well.
I demand congress and the president enact a prescription drug benefit under Medicare Part B which covers 80 percent of medication cost, with no extra premium, no extra deductibles, no means test and no coverage gaps, and no penalties for signing up in a succeeding year.
I demand congress repeal the faulty Medicare law HR 1 / S 1 passed by congress in Nov 2003.
I demand congress enact single payer universal health insurance for every citizen as minimum coverage.
I demand that congress and the president enact universal vote by mail throughout the 50 states of the United States of America with paper ballots easy to fill out and difficult to change or invalidate by Republican Party officials. This will prevent Republicans from vote suppression by skin color and political party which happened electronically and in person in the 2000 and 2004 elections.
I demand that congress and the president enact that civil servants on every state payroll keep track of voter registrations and vote counting of mail in votes in each precinct and not companies such as Choicepoint. We need to take the Republican Party out of the business of keeping track of voter registration and counting votes.
I demand that congress and the president ban the secretary of state in each of the 50 states from engaging in politics especially acting as a campaign official for a presidential campaign.
I demand congress enact legislation protecting private pensions from corporations deliberately declaring bankruptcy or ending pensions outright.
The George W Bush 2000 Stolen Election commemorative silver coin magnet.
Show Republicans your opposition to the illegitimate Bush regime.
Get them here by clicking on the coin below.
— mighty maximus Apr 20, 08:03 AM # - #26
Psst…I hate to break the news to you, but Marxism was proven to be a complete failure. Take your comedy routine to Cuba.
— Steve Apr 20, 08:25 AM # - Perhaps #26 thinks we should buy our petro from CITGO, a company owned by the socialist Venezuelan Government.
— Kee Apr 20, 09:47 AM # - Steve,
I regret to say that again I have to go off to work to keep my personal economy going.
John Adams also worried about the affects of political parties. I am not against parties per se. I am a member of the Democratic Party, but I was previously a member of the Republican Party. I lean against the abuses of power by those in power. I am against the hard right or hard left partisanship that both covers and enables governmental abuses. I am for elections and respect the rule of law. I don’t believe, however, that once elected a President is king for four years or that elected Congressmen should turn a blind eye towards abuses of governmental power.
I lived in Switzerland for two years and have a feel for their deep democracy, which in some ways predates ours.
If no one sees that extreme partisanship is a potential danger to good governance
If no one sees that one man arbitrarily controlling classification and declassification is a system ripe for abuse
If no one fears the growth of an imperial presidency at home and abroad
If no one decries a closed and secretive government
If no one pushes for openness and transparency in government, including public hearings
Then we have lost the wisdom of the founders and countless wars and sorrows will surely follow. This is more than politics as baseball (your team vs. my team). It goes to the heart of what we want our country to be like.
— Leo Brown Apr 20, 10:47 AM # - All I have to do is come to this web sight to be reminded why I stopped voting Republican and stopped listening to word they had to say on anything! The Right Wing Nut job’s in their party are hard to take! They are spoon fed a steady diet of lies daily and don’t seem to be bright enough to realize they are being brain washed! They spew the same tired old Rhetoric the Republican’s have spewed since Ronnie sold your party to the Religious Right for a few lousy votes! There isn’t one in the lot that has an original thought of his own! They don’t open their mouths but what half truthes and lies come pouring forth to pollute the world! What is even sadder they honestly believe that slop! So, I want to take the opportunity to thank, Steve, Joro, Kee and all the other trolls that infest this web sight for reaffirming my decision to vote Democratic! Everytime you open your mouths I become certain all over again that I made the right decision!
— Radical Femme Apr 20, 10:49 AM # - Three bucks a gallon would be a fairly good price for gas if two dollars went to the oil company and one dollar to a federal government run universal health care program.
— jorge Apr 20, 11:34 AM # - #29 Leo
How about smaller government? How about a fair and simple tax system, to be used to defend the nation and enforce the laws? How about just enough regulation to keep employers from screwing their workers and allow benefits to be reasonably purchased in the private sector? How about just enough regulation to keep lawyers from getting wealthy off of everyone else in frivolous lawsuits, unnecessarily driving up the cost of everything? How about just enough regulation to keep US businesses from believing they need to outsource overseas?
As far as Switzerland is concerned, and I’m not knocking the place, but they don’t have to defend themselves from external threats. They have enough stronger allied neighbors to protect them, and then of course there is the US military.
Forgive me if I’m wrong, but you sound very much like an isolationist. And if you aren’t, then it sounds like your thinking that all the US has to do to be treated fairly by other governments is to only exhibit good intentions. The reality is much darker as many of them will take our good intentions and see them as a sign of weakness. That happened under Carter, and under Clinton. It happened to Britain under Neville Chamberlain.
— Steve Apr 20, 01:34 PM # - #30
“They spew the same tired old Rhetoric the Republican’s have spewed since Ronnie sold your party to the Religious Right for a few lousy votes!”
And Democrats have been spewing their crap since LBJ tried to institute socialism through his failed “War on Poverty”. “Hillary-care” is the same thing. Trillions and trillions have been spent on the “War on Poverty”, yet the Democrats only want to increase the amount of money into it without fixing the problem. And all it ends up doing is giving more power to the government where it doesn’t need it. And, unfortunately, too many Republican politicians have gone right along with it. At least there are enough Republicans who believe otherwise.
When are the Reids and the Kennedys going to admit that the US is in a “quagmire” on this and turn over the bureaucracy to the private American firms, to be run more efficiently and more fairly? They won’t do it if we keep electing politicians who continue to want more of our money to throw into their failed programs.
And Radical Femme, if you don’t mind living as an atheist slave, Communist China, North Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela sound perfect for you.
— Steve Apr 20, 01:47 PM # - ATTENTION Neocon’s…joro…Steve…Kee…lvdrummer
HOT NEW POLITICAL COLLECTIBLE
You’ll be the envy of your friends, as they bow in awe at your genuine bronze idol of Dubya. It will only increase in value, even if joro saturates it with drool, in his uncontrolled worship of this magnifgant work of art. Be sure to never in any way harm the patina of this lovely historical artifact, as it is all part of the provenance of a work of art that is unparalleled, and sure to be a part of world history.
It’s true that gold has risen to over $600 per ounce, but imagine what this historical bronze will be worth. Your friends will be in awe, as this astounding work of art reminds them of our patriotism for the most important leader of the free world. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
http://www.foxbronzeart.com/Bush.htm
— linus Apr 20, 03:02 PM # - MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
— linus Apr 20, 03:13 PM # - Cool!!! I’d get one right away, but I guess the nuance has been lost on me.
— Steve Apr 20, 03:13 PM # - 33
When are the Reids and the Kennedys going to admit that the US is in a “quagmire” on this and turn over the bureaucracy to the private American firms, to be run more efficiently and more fairly? They won’t do it if we keep electing politicians who continue to want more of our money to throw into their failed programs
———————————————————————————
Yeh sure…The US is in a quagmire allright, but it isn’t about the Democratic agenda. This Neoconservative bunch of thieves, masquerading as Republicans, have intentionally turned our government into a corporation. Why would we turn over the bureaucracy to someone who would be controlled by our corporate government? Yes…we will continue to elect politicians, and they won’t be Republications.
Who ever heard of a good piece of elephant?
— linus Apr 20, 03:41 PM # - Steve,
Lunch hour break. Re: #32.
Re: your first paragraph: I am not necessarily opposed to those things. I think we could find considerable common ground on them. I have strong libertarian leanings. President Bush is not a libertarian. See http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/140396727X/002-6411939-9280831?v=glance&n=283155
Re Switzerland: Man for man, the Swiss army is as good as any in the world. They have universal military service. They have more hospital beds underground than above ground. Every major building has a bomb shelter. They lack nuclear weapons, but have enough technology to build them quickly if they felt it necessary. They live in the crossroads of Europe, historically a dangerous place. They are not naïve about the need for military strength. Ask the Swiss Army about “not having to defend themselves” during WW I, WW II, and the Cold War. Their officer corps was prepared to revolt and die to the last man if the Swiss government let the German Army in.
I am a U.S. Army veteran from the Vietnam era, though I didn’t get overseas. (My brother did serve in Vietnam.) I eventually reached the rank of major. I am not an isolationist or a pacifist. President Bush seems to have isolated us from many of our traditional allies. He is the new type of isolationist.
I think we would agree on many things. I didn’t support LBJ. I didn’t support Clinton. I didn’t even support Carter.
Many conservative thinkers have come to the conclusion that we do not have a conservative president in the usual sense of the word. Don’t you sense the danger in the assertion of essentially unrestricted powers by the attorney general? Doesn’t that bother you? Don’t you sense the danger if pre-emptive war becomes standard operating procedure? Isn’t that more like Imperial Japan? We are not there yet, but if no one raises a warning, if no one senses the danger inherent in that doctrine, we could get there. Did not the founding fathers warn against the effects of war on democracy? Have we so glorified war that we have forgotten that?
Sorry that the continuation of this discussion is not directly related to energy policy, but the earlier thread is closed.
— Leo Brown Apr 20, 04:03 PM # - #34, linus….......
What a hoot!
$2995.00 for a bronze bust of george! Do you think they’ve ever sold one?
I’d go as high as $3.75 if I found one at a yard sale. What a great target for pies and eggs! Not to mention a great canvas for felt pen graffiti.
FOXbronzeart…...FOXnews.
The country is getting all FOXed up!
— Poor Daddy Apr 20, 04:31 PM # - #37
“Yeh sure…The US is in a quagmire allright, but it isn’t about the Democratic agenda. This Neoconservative bunch of thieves, masquerading as Republicans, have intentionally turned our government into a corporation. Why would we turn over the bureaucracy to someone who would be controlled by our corporate government? Yes…we will continue to elect politicians, and they won’t be Republications.
Who ever heard of a good piece of elephant?”
You didn’t make one bit of sense. And I don’t mean the elephant comment.
— Steve Apr 20, 08:03 PM # - #34 ATTENTION Neocon’s…joro…Steve…Kee…lvdrummer
— linus Apr 20, 03:02 PM
Lyle, Lingus, Linus… whoever you post as (what a maroon)...How much do they charge you when you go to the Clinton libary/ massage palor?
— lvdrummer Apr 20, 08:33 PM # - $39….Poor Daddy
We haven’t heard from joro…Do you supose he bought one?
— linus Apr 20, 09:03 PM # - #38
First, thank you for serving.
Do not confuse my point about the Swiss as me believing they are not proud of their nation or that the members of the Swiss Army aren’t brave. But the simple fact is they’ve chosen not to spend on defense because they feel they don’t need to. Even France has higher percentage of their budget going to defense spending. That was my point.
I do know that Bush is not a conservative, and that’s what drives conservatives crazy, me included. But, I’m wondering how you are comparing the US government to the unelected military dictatorship of the Japanese Empire of 1941? As far as I’m concerned, a military option regarding Iran is just that, an option. It hasn’t been decided, it hasn’t been carried out. Diplomacy, even through heated rhetoric, is still being used. If we do attack, there had better be a damned good reason. As far as I’m concerned, there was a good reason for Iraq, as there was for Afghanistan.
I believe we’ve come full circle. We have a choice, through electing our officials, in determining which laws and how much power we need to give the government.
— Steve Apr 20, 09:11 PM # - Hey Harry!
“There are no military options in Iran”?
Why are you even considering military options in Iran? The U.S. used deterrence against the USSR and China for decades, and it worked!
Do you really believe that Iran’s president is doing anything more than posturing? Just like Kim Yung IL of North Korea? Obviously, it has worked for North Korea, so why do you expect the Iranians to act differently?
Or is it that you secretly agree with the Bush criminal idiots and that you want to get your greedy hands on oil reserves too?
If Iran is to be treated differently from North Korea, it is only for one reason: control of oil reserves.
Now, if you and your depraved little friends in Congress allow Bush to go to war with Iran, you better reinstate the draft, with no deferments. Because this time, you won’t get volunteers. Let’s see how well that plays with
you chickenhawks when you have to put your children on the line.
To heck with you, Mr. Reid. The GOP is a cesspool of corruption and criminality. The Democratic party is enabling the goons in the White House to spy on us, torture prisoners,
deprive inmates of due process, allow secret prisons, etc… In other words, you have allowed this government to behave exactly like the Communist regimes you so decry.
Do not be surprised if people start clamoring for a third-party or for a Parliamentary system. The damage that this Administration has done in the past five years—and the damage that it will continue to do for the next two years and eight months if unchecked—will be blamed on the Democrats. And it will be for good reasons.
If you cannot stop this Administration from harming the country further, then nothing short of a popular uprising will.
— Evil Progressive Apr 20, 09:39 PM # - #42…....linus
Probly traded his ‘74 Pinto AND his trailer for it.
Poor old joro doesn’t have a place to live anymore…...just wanders around aimlessly, whispering sweet nothings in george’s bronze ear.
Bet it’s all sticky and gooey by now.
YUK! Down to about $1.35, yard sale blue-book…....after a good steam cleaning!
— Poor Daddy Apr 20, 10:11 PM # - Sir:
Two you’ll definitely want to read:
Lies, Damned Lies and More Damned Lies
http://aliberaldose.blogspot.com/2006/04/lies-damned-lies-more-damned-lies.html
GOP: RIP
http://aliberaldose.blogspot.com/2005/12/gop-rip.html
All original graphics and stories.
— Eric A. Smith Apr 20, 10:55 PM # - “As far as I’m concerned, there was a good reason for Iraq, as there was for Afghanistan.”
In other words, if the lies we were fed were good enough to attack Iraq, than they are good enough to attack Iran.
— Pissed Off American Apr 20, 11:42 PM # - #44
“The Democratic party is enabling the goons in the White House to spy on us, torture prisoners,
deprive inmates of due process, allow secret prisons, etc…”
News flash; No Proof of Secret C.I.A. Prisons, European Antiterror Chief Says
— Steve Apr 20, 11:49 PM # - #47
Here is my whole quote from #43:
“Diplomacy, even through heated rhetoric, is still being used. If we do attack, there had better be a damned good reason. As far as I’m concerned, there was a good reason for Iraq, as there was for Afghanistan.”
You’ve been hanging around linus too long.
— Steve Apr 20, 11:56 PM # - #43…Geeze Steve, looks like you’re on the hot seat.
#47
Here is my whole quote from #43:
“Diplomacy, even through heated rhetoric, is still being used. If we do attack, there had better be a damned good reason. As far as I’m concerned, there was a good reason for Iraq, as there was for Afghanistan.”
You’ve been hanging around linus too long.
I have to say that I agree with poa on this one.
If Dubya does his job, and repeats his mantra long enough, there will be a damned good reason…. After all you said there was a good reason for Iraq, as there was a good reason for afghanistan.
Here’s an excellent artical on this subject from #46…Eric A Smith
A damned good reason
— linus Apr 21, 12:42 AM # - #50
I read it. It’s made out of the same substance as the Democrats’ “Real Security” plan: used toilet paper.
The first quarter or so whines how Cheney and Rumsfeld (and Wolfowitz) were involved in getting Iran setup with nuclear energy during the Ford administration. Except that it fails to mention the government in Iran during the Ford administration wasn’t led by a corrupt theocracy; it was led by a corrupt monarch (Shah Reza Pahlavi) who the US courted in order to counter the Soviet Union. The piece also fails to mention that when Carter ceased to support the Shah and the mullahs took over, the Soviet Union was able to invade Afghanistan, Iran’s northeast neighbor. These are critical omissions.
Then it quotes Scott Ritter, whose credibility was already questionable. Ritter works for al Jazeera, the mouthpiece of Islamist terrorism, and will quote the company line in order to keep his paycheck coming in.
Lastly, what would a demonization of Bush be without the obligatory anti-Semitic (disguised under the guise of the politically correct phrase anti-Zionism) reference to Israel. Because of course Israel, a true democracy where all citizens are allowed to vote and run for political offices, is exactly the same as Iran, a brutal oligarchic theocracy whose leading clerics decide which of their stooges should be in power. In the insane world of moral relativism, Israel having nuclear weapons obliges the US to allow Iran to get them.
I love the part at the end where Richard Clarke believes what’s going on is the same as what happened with the run-up to the Iraq war. Why is there no mention of Ahmadinejad wanting to “wipe Israel off the map”? If Clarke is so smart, why doesn’t he mention that Ahmadinejad’s call to have a new Jewish homeland created in Europe smacks of a similar land claim made in 1938? Adolf Hitler wasn’t appeased by Neville Chamberlain’s “peace in our time”. Britain and France had the military muscle to stop Hitler in 1938, but no will. When they finally decided enough was enough, 80,000,000 people were killed before Hitler was stopped. Iran doesn’t have the industrial capacity to create a military like Hitler’s, but it doesn’t need it. A few missiles with nuclear warheads are all that’s needed, along with the will to use them. The theocracy has shown itself to be as irrational as Hitler and the Nazis. Just look at Ahmadinejad.
Before I start getting accused of being a warmonger, remember what I said:
“Diplomacy, even through heated rhetoric, is still being used.”
Also remember that a vast majority of the Iranian people hate living under the mullahs and their stooges in the Iranian government. There is every reason to believe that a revolution could occur and should be encouraged, especially since the mullahs don’t have as tight a control over local government as say Saddam Hussein did. But, I don’t believe we should wait until the Iranian government attempts its own form of lebensraum.
This piece is used toilet paper. Like the Democrats’ “Real Security” plan.
— Steve Apr 21, 07:52 AM # - If all of what I said still isn’t registering, how about this as a peaceful solution, one both Democrats and Republicans should insist upon. Why not encourage all of the rest of the oil-producing nations to recognize Israel’s right to exist. That would include Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq (I don’t know if the new government does or not), all the North African nations, and Iran. This is something that every American President has wanted since Jimmy Carter successfully brokered the peace between Israel and Egypt (and yes, he deserves a great deal of credit for this, along with Menahem Begin and Anwar al-Sadat) and Bill Clinton helped Israel and Jordan sign another peace agreement. Israel has shown good faith in its attempts to deal with the Palestinians, yet both sides were double-crossed by the thieving terrorist Arafat, and now Hamas terrorists are now in charge. Yet, Israel has defended itself for nearly sixty years and isn’t going anywhere. All of its citizens, where they be Arab or Jew, or are Jewish, Muslim or Christian, have a right to vote and hold office in free elections.
Israel has earned its place as an independent nation. They don’t want any more territory, and have tried to return land that was supposed to be for the Palestinians, provided they don’t try to destroy Israel first. Those of its nearby neighbors who still don’t believe in Israel’s right to exist should be encouraged to sign on to the notion that it does. It’s one that should be embraced by Republicans and Democrats. And it would be peaceful.
— Steve Apr 21, 08:37 AM # - My computer has been down for six weeks and I see the same gutless chickenshit chickenhawks are still smelling up this blogsite.
Bet you neonutcons aren’t willing to go to prison with your Republican felons and traitors.
— jorge Apr 21, 03:48 PM # - Owners of Plane Seized with 5.5 Tons of Cocaine
Include Tom DeLay Appointee, Florida Firm Royal Sons LLC
http://www.madcowprod.com/archive.html
— bill_o_carolina Apr 21, 05:46 PM # - #51
Then it quotes Scott Ritter, whose credibility was already questionable. Ritter works for al Jazeera, the mouthpiece of Islamist terrorism, and will quote the company line in order to keep his paycheck coming in.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It seems that quite a few people work for Aljazeera, which is actually a comprehensive news site, which shows a lot less bias than most American news sites.
In September 2005, Josh Rushing joined Al Jazeera International. He was the press officer for the United States Central Command during the 2003 Invasion of Iraq, and in that role was featured in the documentary Control Room. Rushing will be working from the Washington DC Bureau. He commented that “In a time when American media has become so nationalised, I’m excited about joining an organisation that truly wants to be a source of global information…” Former CNN and BBC news anchorwoman and award winning journalist Veronica Pedrosa and veteran UK broadcaster David Frost have also joined the team, along with Riz Khan, a former BBC reporter who most recently was host of the CNN talk show Q&A, CNN producer James Wright, and Kieran Baker, a former editor and producer for CNN who most recently was Acting General Manager, Communications and Public Participation for ICANN. On 2 December 2005, Stephen Cole, a senior anchor on BBC World and Click Online presenter, announced he was joining Al-Jazeera International. The network announced on 12 January 2006 that former Nightline correspondent Dave Marash would be the co-anchor from their Washington studio. He described his new position as “the most interesting job on Earth.” On 6 February 2006 it was announced that the former BBC reporter Rageh Omaar would host a daily weeknights documentary series, Witness . With Al-Jazeera’s growing global outreach and influence, some who thought of them as an “alternative media” source have changed their minds. .
source
There are actually two Aljazeera web sites. The Arabic site is this one. The other site is an American one with left leanings , and opinions.
— linus Apr 21, 06:34 PM # - #54….Bill
Wow…That is some heavy news. Dubya’s going to really be pissed at Jeb.
— linus Apr 21, 06:52 PM # - #26
Force the Exxon/Mobil gasoline station operators to go to the parent company to lower the price of gasoline or you will not do business with Exxon/Mobil stations until they get Exxon/Mobnil coporation to lower the price of gas so station operators can sell gas for $1.50 a gallon.
— mighty maximus Apr 20, 08:03 AM #
In Harry Reid’s home state, Nevada, (He spells it NAVADA) the total gasoline taxes paid are 51.9 cents per gallon. That does not include the hidden taxes such as income taxes, FICA taxes, Unemployment taxes, etc., etc., etc., buried in the total cost. Neo-libs want to blame us owners of Exxon/Mobile for the gas prices. Neo-libs want to bankrupt oil companies and in the process cause all mutual fund holders, IRA owners, 401(k) owners and pension plans to go bankrupt too. Neo-libs want the government to take over the oil industry as called for in the Communist Manifesto and indirectly, in the Democrat Party platform.
— joro Apr 21, 06:54 PM # - #29
If no one decries a closed and secretive government
— Leo Brown Apr 20, 10:47 AM #
Who hired Craig Livingstone?
Who obtained the 900 raw FBI files on Republicans for Hillary?
— joro Apr 21, 06:58 PM # - #30
So, I want to take the opportunity to thank, Steve, Joro, Kee and all the other trolls that infest this web sight for reaffirming my decision to vote Democratic! Everytime you open your mouths I become certain all over again that I made the right decision!
— Radical Femme Apr 20, 10:49 AM #
We won the White House, the Senate, the House, a majority of Governorships and a majority of state legislatures without you so maybe you were the problem in our party. Thank you for leaving.
— joro Apr 21, 07:02 PM # - #34/35
Linus
Thanks. If you use your Discover Card, you might qualify for a 2% discount.
— joro Apr 21, 07:09 PM # - 60….joro
No Thanks…Everybody that I know would make fun of me for having such bad taste. I am a collector, but I have to say that this would be the last on my list…It did give me a good laugh though.
— linus Apr 21, 07:38 PM # - MORE CORRUPTION BY DEMOCRATS
Republicans, progressive watchdog ask Democrat to step down from House Ethics Committee
RAW STORY
Published: Friday April 7, 2006
“House Speaker Hastert today said he believes Minority Leader Pelosi should ask Ethics ranking member Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va., to step aside—if only temporarily—in light of a report this morning that federal prosecutors are investigating Mollohan’s finances and whether they were properly disclosed,” Congress Daily reported Friday afternoon. Just hours later, the progressive ethics watchdog Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington joined the fracas—asking Mollohan to step aside from the Committee.
Reid too should be removed for all of his lies and incompetence.
— joro Apr 21, 07:39 PM # - #54
Just in case any of you Democrats missed it. Bill o carolina posted a NEWS FLASH a while ago.
Owners of Plane Seized with 5.5 Tons of Cocaine
Include Tom DeLay Appointee, Florida Firm Royal Sons LLC
— linus Apr 21, 07:47 PM # - #54
Owners of Plane Seized with 5.5 Tons of Cocaine
— bill_o_carolina Apr 21, 05:46 PM #
That is a lot of drugs. The Clinton’s used a small Cesna to deliver their drugs to the Mena Airport.
— joro Apr 21, 08:09 PM # - #55
Then it quotes Scott Ritter, whose credibility was already questionable. Ritter works for al Jazeera, the mouthpiece of Islamist terrorism, and will quote the company line in order to keep his paycheck coming in.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It seems that quite a few people work for Aljazeera, which is actually a comprehensive news site, which shows a lot less bias than most American news sites.
— linus Apr 21, 06:34 PM #
So you support and endorse al Jazeera, the mouthpiece for the terrorists. Every day, the proof grows that Democrats are the biggest terrorist danger to America.
— joro Apr 21, 08:18 PM # - #65
So you support and endorse al Jazeera, the mouthpiece for the terrorists. Every day, the proof grows that Democrats are the biggest terrorist danger to America.
Did I mention support? I do endorse Aljereeza, they are the mouthpiece for no one. The truth is where you find it. You won’t find much on Fox News, or The Washington Times, but opinionated and biased reports.
Please elaborate on the Democrats that are a terrorist danger….?
— linus Apr 21, 08:58 PM # - #66
“Did I mention support? I do endorse Aljereeza, they are the mouthpiece for no one. The truth is where you find it.?”
No it isn’t. 1 + 1 = 2, no matter how it makes you feeeeel. (Go ahead with the “ooh, you can add jokes.)
By the way, did EVERYBODY see this one? CIA officer fired after admitting leak.
“In a rare occurrence, the CIA fired an officer who acknowledged giving classified information to a reporter, NBC News learned Friday.
The officer flunked a polygraph exam before being fired on Thursday and is now under investigation by the Justice Department, NBC has learned.
Intelligence sources tell NBC News the accused officer, Mary McCarthy, worked in the CIA’s inspector general’s office and had worked for the National Security Council under the Clinton and and George W. Bush administrations.”
Probably a Clinton stooge or plant. What do you think she sold the country out for? Men? Women? Drugs? Money?
It continues:
“The leak pertained to stories on the CIA’s rumored secret prisons in Eastern Europe, sources told NBC. The information was allegedly provided to Dana Priest of the Washington Post, who wrote about CIA prisons in November and was awarded a Pulitzer Prize on Monday for her reporting.”
And Priest sells her country out for an award.
“Sources said the CIA believes McCarthy had more than a dozen unauthorized contacts with Priest. Information about subjects other than the prisons may have been leaked as well.”
I say subpoena Priest and throw her in prison until she talks. They did it to Judy Miller for nothing; they can do it to Dana Priest for being seditious. And this McCarthy should be held without bail until she talks. No “whistleblower” safety net for this one. Get her to tell who the other sellouts are, and I don’t care if half the CIA goes down with her.
— Steve Apr 21, 09:24 PM # - Another gem.
Senior Democrat Exits House Ethics Panel
“The top Democrat on the House ethics committee agreed Friday to leave the panel to defend his financial conduct and ease the political burden on a party that has made Republican corruption a major campaign theme.
Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va., decided on his own to step down at least temporarily, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said. His presence on the committee, while under an ethics cloud, would have undermined Democratic accusations that majority Republicans allow a “culture of corruption” in Congress.
Republicans immediately went on the attack despite the decision by Mollohan, who has denied any wrongdoing.”
Of course there’s no wrongdoing. And donkeys fly!
Then you have Rep. Jim McDermott who owes more $700,000 for illegally wiretapping and recording a private telephone conversation, and releasing it to the media. He hasn’t resigned yet, despite being guilty.
Let’s add a few more to the Democrat culture of corruption.
‘Reparations’ – or a shakedown?
New Details of Ludlow Investigation Revealed
Cynthia McKinney
Plus our distinguished host, Sen. Reid, still hasn’t donated the money he received from Abramoff lobbying firms.
— Steve Apr 21, 09:44 PM # - #66….1+1=2
Now you’re beginning to get it. That is indeed the truth. Something that is unchanging, and doesn’t need repeating. This is the kind of thing that you will know wherever you find it. The truth is… a lie is often repeated.
Here’s another truth:
You are smarter than George W Bush
George Bush cannot even think on his feet.
George Bush cannot even debate with Helen Thomas
And you’re here debating on Harry’s blog
Have you ever wondered why he’s the president?
— linus Apr 21, 11:50 PM # - #68
Then you have Rep. Jim McDermott who owes more $700,000 for illegally wiretapping and recording a private telephone conversation, and releasing it to the media. He hasn’t resigned yet, despite being guilty
———————————————-
The truth Steve…Stick with the truth. Even Fox News didn’t mention illegal wiretapping in the McDermott case.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
WASHINGTON — A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that Rep. Jim McDermott violated federal law by turning over an illegally taped telephone call to reporters nearly a decade ago
———————————————-
A decade ago?...I hope that it doesn’t take that long to prosecute Bush…
— linus Apr 22, 12:09 AM # - URGENT MESSAGE FOR SENATOR REID…...
Ever since this site first started, I thought joro was just an ignorant, brainwashed, rant-wing nutjob human. The more “joro-posts” I’ve read, the more I’ve become convinced that joro is a computer virus/worm/software program written by a demented, brainwashed, rant-wing, nutjob, “techie” human.
It’s insane ramblings are triggered by keywords or combinations of words like peace, quagmire in Iraq, free speech, crooked bush administration, corporatism, civil rights, progressive, etc. Off-color or “vulgar” language also seems to trigger the same senseless babble.
When it detects these key words, it randomly posts copious volumes of robertson/limbaugh/ hannity/falwellian neoconisms.
I wouldn’t be surprised, senator reid, if Norton or MacAfee has an anti-virus update that might be effective in controlling the inane and dreaded “joro” virus. It is threatening to poison any thoughtful, intelligent or even entertaining dialogue on Giveemhellharry.
— Poor Daddy Apr 22, 02:59 AM # - #70
It’s an AP story that was picked by a variety of news sources, including Fox (they do get AP wire stories).
He illegally taped a phone conversation between two cellphones. Which means he had “tapped” into what was supposed to be a private call between two parties. Since they used cellphones, there were no wires, so technically, it could have been “wirelesstapping”. No matter what you call it, it was illegal. Maybe I could call it McDermott’s domestic spying program; Reid uses that phrase interchangeably.
I hope McDermott stays in all the way to the election. He can be used as an object lesson in the true Democratic culture of corruption.
— Steve Apr 22, 08:00 AM # - #72
The truth is that corruption has always existed, and isn’t unique to either party. I believe the Bush administration holds the record for deciet though.
In the same way…It is probably a good thing that Bush is not impeached. His ludicrous performance in office will insure that Democrats fill the seats of the senate and the house.
— linus Apr 22, 10:46 AM # - Interesting reading concerning the REPUBLICAN CULTURE OF CORRUPTION…
snip/
One of the two owners of the DC9 (tail number N900SA) busted at an airport in Ciudad del Carmen in the state of Campeche, Mexico last week freighted 5.5 tons of cocaine had been appointed in 2003 to the Business Advisory Council of the National Republican Congressional Committee by then-Congressional Majority Leader Tom Delay, The MadCowMorningNews can exclusively report.
The plane’s registered owner, “Royal Sons LLC,” a Florida air charter company, was at one time housed in a hanger at the Venice Fl. Airport owned by infamous flight school Huffman Aviation.
Also of major significance is the fact that photos of the DC9, seized last Monday in Ciudad del Carmen, reveal that the plane is painted with the distinctive blue and white color color scheme of official U.S. Government planes.
see www.madcowprod.com for more.
— bill_o_carolina Apr 22, 02:12 PM # - TOP 10 THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW ABOUT JACK ABRAMOFF
*World Exclusive*
http://www.madcowprod.com/10272005.html
— bill_o_carolina Apr 22, 02:35 PM # - much more here…
http://www.madcowprod.com/archive.html
educate yourself!
Catch ya next thread you 33 percenters!
— bill_o_carolina Apr 22, 02:39 PM # - #76….
Write on Bill…Thanks for the link to the “”World Exclusive artical.
— linus Apr 22, 03:25 PM # - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice leaked national defense information to a pro-Israel lobbyist in the same manner that landed a lower-level Pentagon official a 12-year prison sentence, the lobbyist’s lawyer said Friday.
Prosecutors disputed the claim.
The allegations against Rice came as a federal judge granted a defense request to issue subpoenas sought by the defense for Rice and three other government officials in the trial of Steven Rosen and Keith Weissman. The two are former lobbyists with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee who are charged with receiving and disclosing national defense information.
— bill_o_carolina Apr 22, 04:59 PM # - ANOTHER CORRUPT DEMOCRAT
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/07/AR2006040701800.html?nav=rss_politics
Excerpt:
“Mollohan’s 2000 Financial Disclosure Report listed his income-producing assets as being worth from $179,012 to $562,000 with liabilities of $170,000 to $465,000. . . . Just four years later, Mollohan’s 2004 Financial Disclosure Report showed him with assets worth $6,313,025 to $24,947,000 offset by liabilities in the $3,665,011 to $13,500,000 range. It also showed him owning an oceanfront beach house on Bald Head Island, NC which was valued at $1,000,000 to $5,000,000.”
Mollohan’s assets went from a self reported possible low of $179,012 to a possible high of $29,947,000 in just 4 years. Reid also became a millionaire many times over while feeding at the public trough all of his life. Reid should provide details of how he did it. Meanwhile, Reid’s protege, Dario Herrerra, is still on trial for accepting hundreds of thousands in bribes while he was Clark County Commissioner and Chairman, a post now held by Reid’s son, Rory. The Democrats culture of corruption seems to have permeated every level of government. It is clearly time to clean house and throw all the Democrat crooks out and replace them with honest Republicans who do not keep such crooks in our party.
— joro Apr 22, 05:44 PM # - Photos
http://prorev.com/hillary.htm
The photos with Johnny Chung of Bill and Hillary standing next to illegal fundraiser Johnny Chung signed by HRC, “To Johnny Chung with best wishes and appreciation.” are so nice and then there’s Jorge Cabrera – the drug dealer who gave enough to the Democrats to have his picture taken with both Hillary Clinton and Al Gore.
Why hasn’t the DNC controlled media released the pictures of Reid with Abramoff? When is Harry going to turn the $70,000 of Ambamoff connected money over to charity?
GIVE HARRY HELL
— joro Apr 22, 06:06 PM # - The person sending the threatening emails should cease and desist, for their own well being. I know who you are. Got it, dipstick?
— Kee Apr 22, 06:13 PM # - Dear Harry,
You have been running around the state during Easter break (ok, ok, spring break) participating in a lot of lie filled photo ops making a lot of empty promises again. Gee, a few mil here a few mil there and all of a sudden it adds up to a huge budget deficit by you tax and spend liberals. Isn’t gang control really a local problem to be paid for by my real estate and sales taxes and not the federal government? I see you sucked up to the union teachers and the public school administrators. How much cash did you raise there? Oh, by the way, in October of 2004 just before you were elected, you promised a bunch of money to improve Lake Mead Blvd. When will that job be bid, contracts let and the job done or was that just another of your empty promises to pander for votes? Maybe the money just vanished and will be forgotten. Harry, your incompetence and lies are just making all of us Nevadans ashamed of you. Please do us a favor and resign.
— joro Apr 22, 06:20 PM # - It is easy to see when the LWW’s start to realize they are losing the battle. All of a sudden they start threatening and calling names. What a bunch of losers!
— Kee Apr 22, 08:36 PM # - Bush = Stalin.
— Evil Progressive Apr 23, 12:00 PM # - http://livingwithwar.blogspot.com/
Just stopping by to share Neil Young’s new bloggerspot.
— marie Apr 23, 05:10 PM # - This mornings local paper, a liberal rag, has a story about Harry and Mrs. Bill Clinton agreeing on the abortion issue. HUH??? Harry, you claim to be a Mormon. Apparently telling lies is OK with Mormons as that is all you do but now you, a historic pro-lifer, has flip-flopped and are supporting the radical left wing liberal, Mrs. Bill Clinton, who wanted abortion on demand paid for by us taxpayers. Your new joint rhetoric to spend hundreds of billions on pre-kindergarten sex education in our union run public schools, birth control, abortion research to make the murders more “humane” and other Hillary positions, all paid by taxpayers, to soften her stance ain’t goin’ to fly, Senator. The Clinton’s are proven criminals so you better line up a Republican to run as a Democrat if you want to win the White House.
— joro Apr 23, 05:52 PM # - #84
Bush = Stalin.
— Evil Progressive Apr 23, 12:00 PM #
Ah, gee whiz, you are just upset that President George W. Bush whups your radical left wing liberal butt every time you idiot Democrats pull another stupid stunt. The US Constitution should be changed so that President George W. Bush, with this great brilliant mind, would be allowed to serve as President until he decides to retire. America’s best President ever should not be forced to retire just because of a piece of paper.
— joro Apr 23, 05:57 PM # - Marie,
Thanks for the link.
This is good stuff.
— REB 84 Apr 24, 07:05 AM # - Here it is, a beautiful Monday morning, I wonder….what will Reid come up with today to blame others for his lack of action and his ineptitude?
— Kee Apr 24, 07:13 AM # - #89
Here it is, a beautiful Monday morning, I wonder….what will Reid come up with today to blame others for his lack of action and his ineptitude?
— Kee Apr 24, 07:13 AM #
Did you catch the LIC (Liar In Chief) Reid on C-SPAN this morning? He made about a 10 minute speech and I bet he told 6 lies a minute. We Nevadans are so ashamed of him.
— joro Apr 24, 07:20 PM # - Reid is a pathetic individual. I wonder how long he will be allowed the enter the Mormon Tabernacle in SLC….............
— Kee Apr 24, 09:35 PM # - #91.
He has a fall back plan. He courted some Baptist ministers in North Las Vegas and got them a ton of federal tax money in special grants. They spent none of it as intended so they have been indicted. Oh, by the way, they did make generous contributions to Harry Reid’s campaign. Reid claimed he regularily attended their church.
— joro Apr 25, 12:10 AM #
commenting closed for this article
