tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51394412011-07-14T20:53:06.530-04:00Daily Weasel BlogArchive Daily Weasel BlogMilthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04660721092269216511noreply@blogger.comBlogger3551100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-12503081777206131412011-01-21T22:03:00.002-05:002011-01-21T22:04:07.224-05:00Hey, world! It's been a while. About six years, in fact.Interesting to look back on the posts I wrote back then; I was pretty regular in my postings.Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-1078965259678852672004-03-10T19:34:00.000-05:002004-03-10T19:36:35.840-05:00"Between now and the end of the year."
Am I the only one who finds this just a tad revealing?
When asked if he thought bin Laden would be captured this year, [Gen. John Abizaid] said he had no way of knowing.
But he said, "I think that we will make it very painful for al Qaeda between now and the end of the year."(Abizaid is the Commander of the U.S. Central Command.)
So, why is our time Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-1078540530167514422004-03-05T21:35:00.000-05:002004-03-05T21:37:41.403-05:00One year
Well, we've been here (on again, off again) for a year! Woo hoo!
We'll be making some substantial changes shortly, and bringing more of the Weasels into the mix!
As always, check out our main site, the Daily Weasel!Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-1076997874008094632004-02-17T01:04:00.000-05:002004-02-17T01:06:27.826-05:00Didn't take long, did it?
Ed Gillespie recently accused Democrats of plotting a campaign of "dirty tricks".
It's ironic (but not unexpected) how quickly the GOP decided to prove who has dirty tricks in mind. In less than one week, the GOP's shills have attempted to smear Senator John Kerry with a doctored photo and a bogus infidelity charge. Both have now been exposed, and the GOP looks prettyJonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-1067573720336250692003-10-30T23:15:00.000-05:002003-10-30T23:17:07.120-05:00Well, now, THAT was predictable
Surprise, surprise. Bush is claiming his tax cuts are responsible for the tremendous 7.2% GDP growth in the third quarter of 2003.
And he may be right -- to a degree: the decrease in tax payments correlates with increased consumer spending in the third quarter. Of course, Bush has actually cut taxes twice, and only once (third quarter 2003) has the cut Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-1067481072565603542003-10-29T21:31:00.000-05:002003-10-29T21:31:09.086-05:00THE HIATUS IS OVER
Hey, folks! Yep, we're back after a couple of months off. A lot has been happening: I finally finished my Master's degree (well, technically, I finished all of my requirements -- an absolutely arduous ordeal in and of itself -- the degree will officially arrive in December), got a wonderful job doing things I truly enjoy and my wife and I moved to the Washington D.C. area. Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-106149535494806572003-08-21T15:49:00.000-04:002003-08-21T15:57:30.223-04:00Continuing to sink
Looks like the latest Zogby poll (which, admittedly, typically finds lower approval ratings for Bush than several other polls) is putting Dubya's approval/disapproval ratio at 52%/48%. That's his lowest Zogby scores since July of 2001.
Even worse, Zogby has the percentage of people saying "someone new" needs to be elected President vs. re-electing the Shrubster at the Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-1058889152493133162003-07-22T11:52:00.000-04:002003-07-22T11:53:21.080-04:00The pro-military Republicans
(via utterlyboring.com)Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-1058424808846992942003-07-17T02:53:00.000-04:002003-07-17T02:53:28.863-04:00As if the Yellowcake Scandal weren't enough...
Looks like the GOP has yet another brewing public-relations fiasco on its hands. The Washington Post is reporting that a number of Republican state attorneys general solicited funds from corporations in legal trouble:
The attorneys general were all members of the Washington-based Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA). The companies they Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-1058279791546015522003-07-15T10:36:00.000-04:002003-07-15T10:40:08.266-04:00Oath-of-Office Alert: Sen. Arlen Specter puts politics ahead of duty to country
Reprehensible.
Mr. Bush's political advisers pushed back against Democratic presidential contenders who have in recent days accused him of losing credibility on what had been seen as his strong suit, foreign affairs. The Republican National Committee issued a statement tonight asserting that "Democrats politicize Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-1058247674504500532003-07-15T01:41:00.000-04:002003-07-15T01:41:14.386-04:00A competent press
Well, the press refuses to go away and play nice regarding the administration's lies, and all I can say is, "damn! so this is what a healthy, skeptical press looks like"!
Maybe the media in general has finally woken up to the fact that they've allowed themselves to be cowed into uselessness by GOP'ers and their extremist bretheren?
We can only hope.Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-1058223130111789402003-07-14T18:52:00.000-04:002003-07-14T18:52:10.150-04:00Insight into the mind of a delusional man
Despite admissions by his top officials that the best evidence they have for an Iraqi nuclear "program" is no evidence refuting the idea, and despite an intensive three-month search that has turned up nothing, George Bush said today that he's convinced that Saddam was developing nuclear weapons:
"When it's all said and done," Bush insisted, "the people Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-1058150821977492292003-07-13T22:47:00.000-04:002003-07-13T22:47:29.093-04:00Administration believes American People are fundamentally stupid, arrogantly dares them to care about its lies
Bush Aides Now Say Claim on Uranium Was Accurate
Ms. Rice, in an appearance on "Fox News Sunday," said that "the statement that he made was indeed accurate. The British government did say that."
And Mr. Rumsfeld said on the NBC News program "Meet the Press" that "it turns out that Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-1058047236241386462003-07-12T18:00:00.000-04:002003-07-12T21:03:44.596-04:00Should Tenet resign?
Perhaps. But it's evident that Bush should, too -- or be impeached.
While it was CIA Director George Tenet's job to keep Bush from deliberately misleading the nation (if such a thing were possible), it was even more Bush's job to not deliberately mislead the nation. And from all the information we have available, the administration itself concocted a scheme to deliberate Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-1058045163906055982003-07-12T17:26:00.000-04:002003-07-12T17:26:29.780-04:00False through and through
Looks like the adminstration is playing its part admirably, asserting that Bush has "complete confidence" in George Tenet and the CIA.
Of course he does. They gave him a free pass to deliberately mislead the nation. What more could you ask for in an intelligence agency?
How very generous of Dubya...Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-1058044920723777192003-07-12T17:22:00.000-04:002003-07-12T17:22:00.756-04:00Right back where we started
What a whirlwind 48 hours it's been. First, we learn that Bush knew that claims regarding Iraq seeking to purchase nuclear weapons material from Africa were unsupported, and evidence for it was likely bogus. We learn that the CIA informed the White House that the evidence was bad, and that it doubted British evidence on the subject, too.
Then, Bush avoids the issueJonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-1057947339786536722003-07-11T14:15:00.000-04:002003-07-11T14:15:39.830-04:00A distinction without a difference
Looks like the new tack for defense is offense: the Bush administration is now attempting to deflect criticism directly onto CIA Director George Tenet:
"The CIA cleared the speech. The CIA cleared the speech in its entirety," [National Security Advisor Condoleeza] Rice said, en route to Uganda.
"If the CIA -- the director of central intelligence -- had said,Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-1057903642518248142003-07-11T02:07:00.000-04:002003-07-11T02:12:01.313-04:00Well, OK. We were just a bit premature.
Word is screaming through the blogosphere and the real world that the media has finally called Bush on his "Yellowcake" lie. This, per CBS news:
Bush Knew Iraq Info Was False
WASHINGTON, July 10, 2003
Senior administration officials tell CBS News the President’s mistaken claim that Iraq tried to buy uranium from Africa was included in his State of the Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-1057883310653913572003-07-10T20:28:00.000-04:002003-07-10T20:39:52.063-04:00Talk about cahones
From a story on CNN currently:
On Capitol Hill and on the campaign trail, Democrats are stepping up their criticism of President Bush on Iraq, sensing what they believe to be a vulnerability in the administration's rationale for the war that ousted Saddam Hussein from power.
. . .
Republicans say the criticism springs from a Democratic desire to make some headway in the Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-1057795259901023902003-07-09T20:00:00.000-04:002003-07-09T20:24:39.506-04:00Apologies and a retraction...
The previous story was evidently based upon bad information. It seems that Capital Hill Blue's source was a con artist (Doug Thompson, the site's proprietor, has posted a retraction). Although I think the current credible evidence (as reported in the mainstream media) is plenty damning for the President, I retract my prior post, and apologize to any and all who Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-1057686973049500442003-07-08T13:56:00.000-04:002003-07-09T13:27:27.880-04:00Top-Priority Breaking News: confirmation that Bush lied to Congress and the American People
This story on Today's Capital Hill Blue leaves no remaining doubt that Bush knowingly misled the country into war. He knew the evidence was bogus, but included it anyway in his case for war (delivered explicitly in his State of the Union address):
An intelligence consultant who was present at two White Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-1057202094842362552003-07-02T23:14:00.000-04:002003-07-02T23:25:05.990-04:00Breaking News: Bush requests more attacks on U.S. troops
An ever-lengthening number of articles recently have noted the great inadequacy of our efforts in post-war Iraq. Many of them have focused on the guerilla-style attacks on our troops, the impossibility of the mission they've been given and the growing number of coalition soldiers who have been killed since Bush declared the war "over" MayJonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-1057076333171502342003-07-01T12:18:00.000-04:002003-07-01T12:18:53.190-04:00The ever-expanding Bush Credibility Gap
Via Atrios, we see this excellent Washington Post article regarding the Bush Administration's deliberate doctoring of an EPA report regarding Bush's so-called "Clear Skies Initiative". It seems the findings that a more effective proposal that would cost about the same are being suppressed.
And people are still skeptical that this administration would Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-1056750970911891862003-06-27T17:56:00.000-04:002003-06-27T17:56:10.763-04:00Oh, my
Talk about a dilemma. In yet another attention-grabbing post, Dr. Josh Marshall (a.k.a. "Mr. Talking Points") is responding to Dick Cheney's mass email (which evidently went to just about everyone in cyberspace) begging for cash. Only "Mr. Points" has added a stipulation that's sure to put Cheney in a bind: he's offering $1000 in exchange for an interview regarding the forged Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-1056648106760148992003-06-26T13:21:00.000-04:002003-06-26T13:27:41.223-04:00Excellent point
Although the "nuclear program parts" will likely be trumpeted as proof Saddam was pursuing nuclear weapons, Josh Marshall points out in an excellent analysis, Saddam had the opportunity in 1998-2002 to start up his nuclear program again, once UN inspectors left and the world was essentially ignoring him. Yet he did not recover the components of his centrifuge(s), which stronglyJonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-1056591418932663102003-06-25T21:36:00.000-04:002003-06-25T21:38:42.056-04:00Further thoughts
I think it's important for us to remember the big picture regarding the Iraq War. The argument for war wasn't "we think Saddam is obfuscating about WMD". It wasn't "we think they have an ongoing program to develop WMD". It wasn't even "we think they have WMD". The argument, explicitly, painfully available for all to see in the quotes gathered several places on the web, was thatJonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-1056581752974175502003-06-25T18:55:00.000-04:002003-06-25T19:00:46.130-04:00Here we go again...
Looks like CNN is reporting that the CIA is claiming an Iraqi informant has handed over "critical parts" for a centrifuge necessary for enriching Uranium. Needless to say, this sounds quite scary on its face.
I think a little perspective might lead to different conclusions, though.
First of all, we've heard such announcements before. Remember the bio-weapons trailers thatJonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-1055739888114692382003-06-16T01:04:00.000-04:002003-06-16T01:05:21.720-04:00We knew it already, but this adds fuel to the fire
As we prominently display here, Bush is putting America in danger. And it would appear that we're not the only ones who think so: a former 35-year veteran of White House intelligence and terrorism threat assessment, who quietly left his job in mid-March of this year, has now joined John Kerry's campaign. Here's the reason why Rand Beers is nowJonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-1055523948128281072003-06-13T13:05:00.000-04:002003-06-13T14:04:34.700-04:00Typical right-wing red herring...
How cute. GOP propaganda tools, desperate to change the subject from the lack of Iraqi WMD, are trying to distract the public through classic right-wing tactics.
One of the latest goes something like: "well, we haven't found Saddam Hussein, either! I bet he never existed!".
Although it should be noted that some actually have posited that Saddam has been deadJonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-956177332003-06-13T00:54:00.000-04:002003-06-13T00:54:22.526-04:00Wanted: substitute hosts for Limbaugh's show. No brain required.
Rodger Hedgecock, sitting in for Rush Limbaugh yesterday, quoted a poll indicating more people "trust Bush" on Iraq than trust the Democrats, and concluded with the flash of brilliance, "where are the Weapons of Mass Destruction? Who cares?"
Of course, he failed to mention that nearly half of people polled also think we've Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-956175842003-06-13T00:48:00.000-04:002003-06-13T00:50:06.000-04:00Bush is in the 50's again...
Looks like not even wars can keep Bush popular now...Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-955768372003-06-12T00:17:00.000-04:002003-06-12T03:27:04.000-04:00GOP tries cover-up on WMD issue!
Looks like the Congressional GOP, desperate to make the WMD issue go away, is putting party politics ahead of their responsibility to the nation and is refusing to hold the open, wide-ranging hearings that would be appropriate:
Congressional Republicans yesterday spurned Democrats' demands for a full-blown probe into whether the Bush administration manipulated Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-955175972003-06-10T15:12:00.000-04:002003-06-10T15:12:24.550-04:00Warnings of upcoming al Qaeda attacks
A U.S. report submitted to the U.N. warns that there is a "high probability" al Qaeda will attempt a WMD attack in the next couple of years:
A "high probability" exists that al Qaeda will attempt an attack using a biological, chemical, radiological or nuclear weapon within the next two years, according to a U.S. report presented to a U.N. committee.
Let's Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-955174592003-06-10T15:08:00.000-04:002003-06-10T15:08:15.010-04:00The liberation of Iraq
Today, from the AP:
When the explosion came, Mohammed Abed fought his way against a hot wind into a marketplace in ruins. Storefronts were twisted, bodies were strewn across the street and the injured wailed for help.
Abed ignored them. He was looking for a single black chador, and he spotted it quickly, lying on the sidewalk only five doors down from the tailor's shop Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-955110182003-06-10T12:13:00.000-04:002003-06-10T12:25:07.000-04:00Germ Warfare Trailers?
As Milt points out on our headline site today, the London Observer is reporting that the "germ warfare trailers" being touted as evidence for an "Iraqi germ weapons program" (our newly-discovered rationale for invading; the imminent threat of actual weapons seems to have gone by the wayside) were likely nothing of the sort:
The intelligence agency MI6, British defence Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-954203102003-06-07T21:30:00.000-04:002003-06-07T21:36:59.000-04:00Asking the ultimate question
Brad DeLong thinks some pretty dark thoughts regarding the administration's failure to secure suspected WMD sites in Iraq:
The thing that makes no sense at all is the feckless insouciance of the search for NBC weapons in Iraq. Securing possible NBC sites and preventing such weapons from getting in the hands of terrorists does not seem to have been an important army Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-954056852003-06-07T11:40:00.000-04:002003-06-07T11:58:45.000-04:00Coming thick and fast
Looks like the major media are finally nailing this story.
New York Times: Some Analysts of Iraq Trailers Reject Germ Use
Washington Post: Bush Certainty On Iraq Arms Went Beyond Analysts' Views
Los Angeles Times: Pentagon Agency Lacked Proof of Banned Iraqi Arms
CBS News: Questions Swirl Around WMD Charges
ABC News: Ex-Official: Evidence Distorted for War (actually, Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-953743162003-06-06T11:49:00.000-04:002003-06-06T11:49:05.356-04:00Hamas is refusing to talk
The terrorist group has cut off talks with the Palenstinian Authority regarding stopping their terrorist attacks against Israel.
Let's hope this latest attempt at peace (a newly-claimed reason for the war on Iraq, BTW) isn't DOA already.Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-953741592003-06-06T11:45:00.000-04:002003-06-06T11:45:51.000-04:00Today's headlines
The unemployment rate in May crept up to 6.1%, and now stands at its highest point in 9 years (not counting those who have given up looking for work). The inability to find WMD in Iraq is becoming more embarrassing by the day. And John Ashcroft's "Justice Department" has told its gay employees they can't hold their annual gay pride celebration after Christian Right activistsJonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-953294522003-06-05T11:05:00.000-04:002003-06-05T13:07:37.000-04:00The denials are somewhat less than convincing
Douglas Feith, the Pentagon's top policy advisor, conducted a press conference yesterday to deny the "Pentagon's Special Working Group" (you know, the group set up to "review" the intelligence on Iraq to find the stuff our intelligence agencies "missed", like links to al Qaeda and evidence for all the Weapons of Mass Destruction...) cooked the Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-953280522003-06-05T10:31:00.000-04:002003-06-05T10:31:28.940-04:00Unemployment getting worse...
Weekly new unemployment claims jumped 18,000 from last week's initial numbers, up to 442,000. Additionally, last week's claims were revised upwards, from 424,000 to 426,000. That means fewer people will be earning the money necessary to keep the economy rolling...Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-952888412003-06-04T12:08:00.000-04:002003-06-04T12:08:08.716-04:00Comments switch
We'll be going to Haloscan commentary shortly, since I think that system is more responsive and affords more options (like maximizing the comment window...)Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-952881262003-06-04T11:51:00.000-04:002003-06-04T11:52:13.000-04:00Compassionate Conservatism du jour
By now, most of us are aware of the fact that the Congressional GOP, under pressure to stick it to poor people, left out more than 8 million low-and middle-income taxpayers--including military men and women--with their recent tax-cut legislation, preferring instead to maximally reduce taxes on the wealthiest Americans.
Now comes word that Tom DeLay, Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-952872252003-06-04T11:30:00.000-04:002003-06-04T11:30:45.000-04:00Why we went to war
Right-wingers are nothing if not short-sighted. That short-sightedness, in pushing for war with Iraq, appears to be coming home to roost, exactly as war opponents feared.
As has been mentioned around the blogosphere (thanks to Josh Marshall), a new survey indicates foreign public opinion regarding the U.S. and its leadership is at new lows:
A new survey says residents of Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-952868442003-06-04T11:20:00.000-04:002003-06-04T11:20:25.640-04:00Tony the angry Blair -- going down?
From the Associated Press comes this report regarding a Parlimentary inquiry into Blair's decision to go to war.
"The truth is nobody believes a word now that the prime minister is saying," Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith shouted above the jeering of Blair's supporters.
Questions have been raised both in Britain and the United States about why Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-952692062003-06-04T00:24:00.000-04:002003-06-04T00:24:26.046-04:00More administration incompetence
What the hell is it with the Bushies, anyway?
First, they badly inflate estimates regarding Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. Then, after the war is finished, they act as though the whole deal's over. No guarding of suspected weapons sites, no protection of sources of radioactive/hazardous waste, etc. Now comes word that Iraq's main state-owned missile Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-950966482003-05-30T17:12:00.000-04:002003-05-30T17:18:10.000-04:00Administration lies, war and Iraqi WMD
Quite a bit is being heard now about the failure to find WMD in Iraq thus far. Many are chalking it up to administration lies. While I'm sympathetic to this charge (the Dub has so little trouble lying to the public), I'm of the opinion that incompetence is perhaps an even more devastating charge than lying, as regards Iraqi WMD.
It is an established factJonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-949395572003-05-27T09:52:00.000-04:002003-05-27T09:59:38.000-04:00A suggestion for jump-starting the economy
A lot of very good stuff has been posted around the blogs lately on several topics. One of the most interesting topics has been about the GOP's irresponsible tax cut, the fact that it won't jump-start the economy and what would be good ideas for doing so.
Several ideas have been put forth, and a number of them have been ranked by CBPP (described here Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-947913182003-05-23T12:08:00.000-04:002003-05-23T12:27:30.000-04:00Lest we assume Republicans have suddenly become fiscally responsible...
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has a couple of excellent reports available now. First, they address the boondoggle tax cut bill, which for solely political reasons includes "sunset" provisions in the cuts from 2004 to 2008 to make it appear the cuts will cost less than they actually will (GOP'ers have made it Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-945071442003-05-17T14:45:00.000-04:002003-05-17T14:55:18.000-04:00A different approach
It would appear that most Americans (perhaps predictably) are holding on to the idea that the war to overthrow Saddam was justified, regardless of whether we find any WMD at all. I think it's time we on the left acknowledge the fact that Americans felt that overthrowing Saddam and making the lives of Iraqis better was a worthwhile goal in and of itself. Combined with the Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-943702812003-05-15T00:29:00.000-04:002003-05-15T00:29:49.383-04:00Where does the time go?
Well, folks, in case you haven't noticed, posting has become much less frequent as of late. The cause is scarce time in the day:I'm attempting to finish my master's degree and find a job. One must have priorities.
Not to worry. The biting, timely commentary you've come to expect isn't gone, just on a rather light schedule for now, and it will be for the next month or Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-942924812003-05-13T18:45:00.000-04:002003-05-13T18:45:18.413-04:00Intelligence Failure
This morning's multiple bombing brings a number of things home, doesn't it?
It's obvious that our intelligence apparatus is broken -- the latest example, of course, is Hussein's MIA WMDs, which either were never there or are now (likely as not) on the black market thanks to failure to plan to secure them once the war was over. Considering the reluctance of the Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-942733302003-05-13T12:32:00.000-04:002003-05-13T18:41:37.000-04:00Is Iraq better off than it was four months ago?
I suppose that depends upon what you mean by "better off". Evidently, Baghdad is in pretty bad shape:
Baghdad residents and U.S. officials said today that U.S. occupation forces are insufficient to maintain order in the Iraqi capital and called for reinforcements to calm a wave of violence that has unfurled over the city, undermining relief and Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-942729502003-05-13T12:24:00.000-04:002003-05-13T12:25:05.000-04:00The practice of "Class Warfare"
According to this Washington Post story, Bush has made remarkable gains in promoting his tax cut:
Bush took another preemptive strike yesterday during a speech in Albuquerque when he told a small-business audience, "Oh, you'll hear the talk about how this plan only helps the rich people. That's just typical Washington, D.C., political rhetoric, is what that is. Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-942338712003-05-12T20:05:00.000-04:002003-05-12T20:06:44.000-04:00Administration sets another record
Along with "most incompetent", "most ideologically driven" and "most brazenly, shamelessly political", it appears the Bush administration can now, proudly, add "largest deficit ever" to its tally of accomplishments:
This year's federal deficit should exceed $300 billion — the largest ever — as the government's fiscal outlook grew grimmer thanks to surging Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-941731212003-05-11T20:43:00.000-04:002003-05-11T20:43:24.886-04:00Throwing pretense to the winds
Evidently, GOP'ers have decided to throw all pretense that they have any interest in the economy or the good of the nation at heart, and are shooting for tax cuts every year now:
White House officials have told allies they will attempt a new tax cut every year Bush remains in office, and there is already talk of another round. The ultimate target -- overhauling Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-941721002003-05-11T20:19:00.000-04:002003-05-11T20:19:06.470-04:00Media consolidation
A new section on consolidation in the media has been added to the site here. Currently, this section includes maps and information on the Clear Channel media empire. More will be added as time goes on.Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-941720332003-05-11T20:17:00.000-04:002003-05-11T20:17:15.156-04:00A sinking ship
You know, I think it's a mistake to give too much credence to polling results as the war wound down that said most people didn't care whether WMDs were found. I attribute such results to the same "rally around the flag" effect that resulted in the boost in war approval during the war.
As Calpundit has said,
After the war, the problems have grown further. No WMD has been found. Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-941664602003-05-11T17:56:00.000-04:002003-05-11T17:56:41.823-04:00So much for the "smoking gun"?
Looks like the military group leading the effort to find Saddam's alleged Weapons of Mass Destruction (TM) is leaving Iraq after "scores of fruitless missions" has left the search completely frustrated:
Army Col. Richard McPhee, who will close down the task force next month, said he took seriously U.S. intelligence warnings on the eve of war that Hussein had givenJonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-941123112003-05-10T13:50:00.000-04:002003-05-10T14:32:08.000-04:00Something you will never see at Fox News...
or the Washington Times, or any number of other so-called "fair and balanced" right-wing propaganda mills. We're talking journalistic integrity here, folks. No matter what you may think about the Times' slant (or lack of slant) in its reporting, at least they care about getting it right:
A staff reporter for The New York Times committed frequent Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-940879372003-05-09T23:28:00.000-04:002003-05-10T12:31:08.000-04:00Whoa! Bad idea!
Looks like proponents of the idea that low-yield nukes can be used for bunker-busters are paving the way for the realization of their dreams. Repubs on the Senate Armed Services Committee have voted (over the objections of Democrats) to repeal the 10-year-old ban on low-yield nuke research:
"This is a major shift in American policy," said Sen. Carl Levin (news, bio, voting Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-939980452003-05-08T12:26:00.000-04:002003-05-08T12:26:00.980-04:00What goes up...
Must come back down, at least if you're Dubya. Bush's approval ratings have dropped from 5-8 points in the last two weeks, and disapproval has increased by an equal margin. That's faster than I had predicted, and rather ominous news for the Prez.
Real life has a nasty way of intruding on right-wing fantasies, I guess. I just didn't think it would happen this quickly...Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-939976102003-05-08T12:18:00.000-04:002003-05-08T12:19:09.000-04:00"He's the President! He can do what he wants!"
I actually heard this gem as a justification for Bush's exploitation of the sailors of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier for a campaign photo-op.
You know, I have yet to hear anyone claim that Bush didn't have the power to fly out to the aircraft carrier. Hell, Bill Clinton was the President when he got a blow job in the Oval Office. HeJonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-939741212003-05-08T01:37:00.000-04:002003-05-08T01:40:51.000-04:00Salem Pax is back
One of the most interesting sites on the net up to and into the beginning of the Iraqi war was the blog of Salem Pax, which is now live again (posts stopped after March 24, and there was much speculation that something very bad had happened) -- Pax is supposedly a resident in Baghdad. Given his account, I'd say he looks legit, and rather fortunate.
Anyway, I recommend Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-939638042003-05-07T22:10:00.000-04:002003-05-08T00:12:46.000-04:00Ted Nugent: idiot
Looks like the GOP is making no effort to hide its prejudices, these days. First came Santorum with his GOP-approved rants against homosexuality. Then came the right wing rants about John Kerry hiding his (gasp!) jewish heritage (how's an anti-semite to know not to vote for him?). Now, arch-gunloon Ted "he's-a-celebrity-but-he's-right-wing-so-he's-OK" Nugent is in hot water Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-939292732003-05-07T10:43:00.000-04:002003-05-07T11:07:59.000-04:00Mercenaries
In yet another sterling illustration of the quality of leadership to be found in and around the Bush administration, the LA Times is reporting that prior to the Iraq war, Richard Perle, advisor to the Pentagon and chief neo-con war hawk, gave a presentation at an investment seminar on ways investors could benefit from the Iraq war, after receiving a top-secret briefing on the Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-939088982003-05-07T00:51:00.000-04:002003-05-07T23:18:21.000-04:00They found a truck in Iraq.
No WMD's. Just a truck that Rumsfeld is expected to soon cite as a "former mobile bioweapons lab". One wonders, though, whether this is yet another report that will later be retracted or "modified".
Sad that, thanks to many reports so far that have turned out to be false, such things come to mind. Sad too that darker notions of faked evidence will undoubtedly Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-938422472003-05-06T00:19:00.000-04:002003-05-06T00:39:35.000-04:00Daymn...
Paul Krugman sums it all up in 750 words in his latest column. The whole thing is great, so I won't try to excerpt anything here. He pretty much lays it all out and puts a bow on it all, too.
It's all in the spin, folks. For the record, the stuff Krugman details explains exactly why Democrats have absolutely no reason to cede national security and foreign policy to this fraud of a Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-938090722003-05-05T12:55:00.000-04:002003-05-05T12:56:52.000-04:00Brief hiatus
I will be taking a short break from posting at the DWMB due to other pressing matters. Posting will be a good deal more sporadic for about a week's time.Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-937347612003-05-04T00:50:00.000-04:002003-05-04T00:50:18.920-04:00The overwhelming force of the right wing
Looks like the latest Dixie Chicks concert was sold out -- and was picketed by a single protester.
The times, they are a-changin'.Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-937096702003-05-03T13:04:00.000-04:002003-05-03T13:16:28.000-04:00SARS
One of the most interesting characteristics of the SARS coronavirus is the fact that it is based upon ribonucleic acid (RNA), rather than deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) (it shares that characteristic with HIV). When RNA is copied, errors in the copying process occur with greater frequency than when DNA is replicated. This is due both to worse chemical stability of RNA and to a lack of Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-936955642003-05-03T03:37:00.000-04:002003-05-03T11:36:30.000-04:00The hunt for WMDs goes on -- as do the questions
CNN has a good story right now regarding the ongoing hunt for WMDs in Iraq, as well as increasing doubt about the "intelligence" the Bush administration allegedly possessed which justified going to war and getting over 100 British/American soldiers killed. In particular, David Albright, former UN weapons inspector, makes a rather telling point, Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-936747992003-05-02T17:55:00.000-04:002003-05-02T17:55:10.206-04:00One dollar, one vote
A federal appeals court today struck down substantial portions of a soft-money campaign financing ban:
Appeals Court Judge Karen LeCraft Henderson, part of a special three-judge panel that issued the ruling, called the law ``unconstitutional in virtually all of its particulars.''
``It breaks faith with the fundamental principle -- understood by our nation's Founding Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-936564012003-05-02T11:50:00.000-04:002003-05-02T11:50:24.046-04:00Congrats to Josh Marshall
Who is just inches away from earning his Ph.D.
Josh's always-high-quality Talking Points Memo is a regular stop for me in my jaunts through cyberspace.
Way to go!Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-936536092003-05-02T11:02:00.000-04:002003-05-02T11:02:05.590-04:00Desperation grips the GOP
Increasingly stymied in their attempts to pack the federal judiciary with right wing ideologues, the GOP may turn to the courts to attempt to force Senate rule change or bar filibusters:
"It certainly could be taken to court," Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said after Democrats on Thursday successfully blocked Texas Judge Priscilla Owen from getting a Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-936517552003-05-02T10:30:00.000-04:002003-05-02T10:30:59.033-04:00Are the powers of darkness fading?
OK, dramatic title. Still, according to the BBC, something interesting happened at the kickoff for the latest Dixie Chicks tour:
Before their set, lead singer Natalie Maines invited people to boo for 15 seconds before they started the show, but instead the country trio was greeted with cheers and applause.
As we said last night, the war's over, folks. All Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-936345222003-05-01T23:56:00.000-04:002003-05-02T00:22:03.000-04:00The war's over!
Mr. Bush won't say it explicitly; he's trying to avoid responsibilities under international law by playing word games that would make anything Clinton did look minor by comparison. He says "the military phase of the war" is over. Well, Mr. Bush, a rose by any other name is still a rose, so we'll say it for you: the war's over.
So now that the war's over, perhaps we can get Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-936111712003-05-01T15:25:00.000-04:002003-05-01T15:25:38.200-04:00More bad economic news
Looks like a new report on US manufacturing is pretty pessimistic.
I guess it goes without saying that one thing we don't need right now is more tax cuts for the wealthy.Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-936048322003-05-01T13:19:00.000-04:002003-05-01T15:17:15.000-04:00Capitalizing on a war
Looks like Bush wants to associate himself as completely as possible with America's military by making his speech tonight from an aircraft carrier. The speech, no doubt, will play up the "victory for American security" (despite no WMDs having been found) and the "liberation of the Iraqi People" (but most likely won't mention the "liberation" of their cultural relics and Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-936025722003-05-01T12:36:00.000-04:002003-05-01T12:43:35.000-04:00Well, that's not good
As Atrios notes, last week's new unemployment filings remained high, and the previous week's stats were revised upwards.
Last week: 448,000 (initial claims)
Previous week: 461,000 (revised)
And while we're on the topic, this interesting tidbit recently came across the Weasel desk:
From Portside
The International Association of Machinists has
compiled the job creation Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-936011072003-05-01T12:08:00.000-04:002003-05-01T12:08:39.136-04:00From the front lines
Ever have one of those days when you just don't want to read anything about politics and current events?
Well, today is no longer one of those days -- at least, not after I read this story:
This week, Hawai`i became the first state to pass a resolution supporting our Bill of Rights and our civil liberties. In part it reads, "Whereas the residents of Hawaii during World WarJonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-935496532003-04-30T15:48:00.000-04:002003-04-30T15:48:37.346-04:00Osama's crusade
Eugene Oregon at Demagogue asks, "have the terrorists already won?" He wonders whether our decision to get out of Saudi Arabia means Osama bin Laden has met one of his objectives: the removal of American troops from the "Land of the Holy Places". I would have to say that, pretty clearly, one of his objectives has been met -- though perhaps not the way he wanted.
I think it's aJonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-935442292003-04-30T14:02:00.000-04:002003-04-30T14:04:28.000-04:00An important read
I urge everyone to read this article in The American Prospect's online version by Michael Tomasky. The basic gist: Democrats should be owning the issue of foreign policy and national defense (the Dems' military service puts that of the GOP to shame, the GOP just pushed for a reduction in Veteran's Benefits, and they used Clinton's military to overthrow Iraq, to take but threeJonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-935327992003-04-30T10:38:00.000-04:002003-04-30T10:38:05.773-04:00Nothing to see here...
At least, according to the GOP. To the rest of us, though, it would appear a good sign that Bush's approval ratings are already starting to slip (as we predicted), and once again, those polled indicate that the number would would definitely vote for a Democrat or who say "it depends" equals the number of people who would definitely vote for Bush in 2004. Not good for a Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-935321862003-04-30T10:26:00.000-04:002003-04-30T11:51:38.000-04:00GOP'ers against equal rights
Demonstrating ongoing hatred of those who are different (and, I think, a blind eye towards public perceptions), the GOP is continuing to back Senator Rick Santorum after his comments equating homosexuality with incest, bestiality, etc. The most hilarious thing, though, is the application of the wingnuts' hated notions of moral relativism in order to do it:
"I thinkJonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-935315202003-04-30T10:14:00.000-04:002003-04-30T10:14:26.490-04:00Dubious support?
I'm sure British Prime Minister Tony Blair is just thrilled by this note of support from die-hard fruitloop Margaret Thatcher, who is using the Iraq War as an excuse to oppose the European Union and push for tax cuts in Britian (it should be noted that Thatcher's far-right "economic fad" policies in 1980's caused significant hardship in Britain -- sound familiar?).
Ouch, Tony.Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-935309592003-04-30T10:04:00.000-04:002003-04-30T11:54:17.000-04:00Dems continue fighting rearguard action
Contact your Senators (even an email of support would be helpful!) and tell them you support the Democrats' intentions to filibuster the nomination of extremist judicial nominee Priscilla Owen, the latest in a string of far-right activist judges to come down the pipe.
As noted below, we're starting to see a more vicious and unified attack on the DemocratsJonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-935305022003-04-30T09:55:00.000-04:002003-04-30T11:56:15.000-04:00Doing their damndest
Congressional GOP'ers are still trying to screw the country as best they can, and are now "fighting for the largest tax cut they can get" (Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist).
"My goal is to grow that number as high as I possibly can," said Dr. Frist, who this month angered House Republicans by not telling them of a private Senate agreement to hold tax cuts to $350 billion Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-934660332003-04-29T10:14:00.000-04:002003-04-29T10:14:30.760-04:00Spinning a story
It would appear that the "Liberal Media" is spinning the Katrina Leung story to shine the least light on the Republican Party as possible.
Ms. Leung, a donor and fund-raiser for political candidates in California, also played an important role in the investigation of Chinese donations to the Clinton-Gore campaign. A former senior official in the Justice Department said that if Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-934650672003-04-29T09:56:00.000-04:002003-04-29T09:58:21.000-04:00When even secret bidding isn't enough...
Even though USAID said it conducted secret bidding for Iraq rebuilding contracts in order to get the appropriate companies to the area as quickly as possible, it actually selected at least one company that doesn't meet normal requirements. The solution? Eliminate the requirement. Except this particular requirement seems rather important:
The agency Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-934110252003-04-28T13:44:00.000-04:002003-04-28T13:44:47.000-04:00Pre-spin spin
Howard Kurtz doesn't always get it right, in our opinion, but his take on the GOP's attempt to spin Dubya's inevitable wilting approval ratings gets high marks. In particular, he nails it here:
We don't care what they say – if an incumbent president who benefited from two wars and is raising about a zillion dollars more than his opponents falls behind in any poll, that will be a Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-933470442003-04-27T12:25:00.000-04:002003-04-27T14:15:12.000-04:00And speaking of the states...
The New York Times has a good article regarding the state fiscal crisis and right-wing notions about such. It starts out quoting the Heritage Foundation (never a good sign for an author who wants his article to be taken seriously). Grover Norquist, a White House advisor, was quoted demonstrating "compassionate conservatism" by claiming he hopes a state goes Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-933463662003-04-27T12:09:00.000-04:002003-04-27T14:15:59.000-04:00He said, she said over taxes
It would appear that the New York Times Business section is now in the "he said, she said" business, too. In an article this morning, it describes both sides of the tax cut debate as painting unrealistic pictures:
Would that lead to an economic boom, as the Republicans have held, or cripple the economy, as the Democrats have argued?
The answer, which could never Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-933060332003-04-26T14:32:00.000-04:002003-04-26T14:33:06.000-04:00Nothing wrong here...
Just some travelling, which is making timely update a little difficult. We're also working on a project regarding the media, corporate monopolies, Clear Channel Communications Inc. and more!
For more commentary, be sure to check out the Daily Weasel! In particular, Milt Shook's Rush Detector series is very much worth a look-see.Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-932494762003-04-25T13:05:00.000-04:002003-04-25T13:05:41.293-04:00Worth repeating word-for-word
This from Atrios:
White House Admits Exaggerating Threat
You know, lying. War was just about proving to the world we had the biggest dick, as if they didn't know that already.
Reason for War?
White House Officials Say Privately the Sept. 11 Attacks Changed Everything
By John Cochran
W A S H I N G T O N, April 25
— To build its case for war with Iraq, the Bush Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-932488952003-04-25T12:55:00.000-04:002003-04-25T13:19:54.000-04:00Some explaining
(via Demagogue)
Mr. Bush yesterday demanded an explanation regarding why his tax cuts are a bad idea. Here's what he said in a stump speech in Ohio:
Some in Congress say the plan is too big. Well, it seems like to me they might have some explaining to do. If they agree that tax relief creates jobs, then why are they for a little bitty tax relief package? If they believe tax Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-932031652003-04-24T18:14:00.000-04:002003-04-24T18:19:08.000-04:00Bush insists on screwing America
Like an incompetent CEO who won't listen to the voices of reason, never learns from his mistakes and insists on repeating them regardless of whether his company tanks, Bush today continued to demonstrate his complete disregard for the welfare of Americans. He simply can't let his irresponsible and universally-condemned tax cut die:
"The debate over whether we Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-931900352003-04-24T14:02:00.000-04:002003-04-24T14:19:20.000-04:00Right-wing idiots again advocate criminal behavior
Administration apologists are still trying to spin their negligence in failing to secure cultural treasures in post-war Iraq, and they're stooping to ridiculous lows to do it (it would be hillarious if these guys didn't have the ear of the President). Talk about sick. From today's Wall Street Journal (with a few responses):
The world weeps Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-931883232003-04-24T13:29:00.000-04:002003-04-24T14:26:21.000-04:00North Korea isn't playing ball...
First came the news (via CNN) this morning that North Korea had explicitly stated it had nuclear weapons. Not really a surprise to those of us who follow such things, but still interesting that it was explicitly stated.
Now we hear that the talks between the US and NK, scheduled for three days in Beijing, have broken up a day early with Colin Powell issuing Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5139441.post-931849792003-04-24T12:27:00.000-04:002003-04-24T12:27:11.863-04:00Yow!
Looks like the end of the war hasn't done much for the economy. According to the latest seasonally-adjusted weekly unemployment figures, there were 455,000 new filings in the week ending April 19th, up from 447,000 the week before. If this continues, any uptick in consumer sentiment thanks to the end of the war is likely to be short-lived. Note to voters: Hussein wasn't the problem when Jonathannoreply@blogger.com