Republicans' comments may hurt at polls - Yahoo! News

Republicans' comments may hurt at polls - Yahoo! News:

"One Republican senator described his house painter as a 'little Guatemalan man.' Another called an Indian man a 'macaca,' a type of monkey.

Just as the GOP is pushing for minority voters, the two recent gaffes have fed the perception among some blacks, Hispanics and Asian-Americans that Republicans are out of touch with the changing face of the nation.

'There is disconnect at some level,' said Michael K. Fauntroy, a professor of public policy at George Mason University. 'The country is becoming browner and new voters, particularly new immigrant voters, don't respond favorably to (offensive) comments.

'They may have already missed the boat on this.'"

Can we say, "ready, fire, aim?" The sad thing is that many of these politicos don't even realize that what they are saying demeans whole segments of our country. I just hope our country gets that...and is offended by these types of remarks.

Rumsfeld warns against appeasement - Yahoo! News

Rumsfeld warns against appeasement - Yahoo! News:

"SALT LAKE CITY - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Tuesday the world faces 'a new type of fascism' and warned against repeating the pre-World War II mistake of appeasement.
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Rumsfeld alluded to critics of the Bush administration's war policies in terms associated with the failure to stop Nazism in the 1930s, 'a time when a certain amount of cynicism and moral confusion set in among the Western democracies.'

Without explicitly citing Bush critics at home or abroad, he said 'it is apparent that many have still not learned history's lessons.' Aides to Rumsfeld said later he was not accusing the administration's critics of trying to appease the terrorists but was cautioning against a repeat of errors made in earlier eras.

Speaking to several thousand veterans at the American Legion's national convention, Rumsfeld said that as fascism and Nazism took hold in Europe, those who warned of a coming crisis were ridiculed or ignored. He quoted Winston Churchill as observing that trying to accommodate Hitler was 'a bit like feeding a crocodile, hoping it would eat you last.'

'I recount this history because once again we face similar challenges in efforts to confront the rising threat of a new type of fascism,' he said."

Video is also available from this article that quite clearly shows the complete lack of reality that Donald Rumsfield has at his disposal.

cbs13.com - Court Sides With Student In Bush T-Shirt Flap

cbs13.com - Court Sides With Student In Bush T-Shirt Flap:

"Vermont schoolboy was within his rights to wear a T-shirt depicting George W. Bush as a chicken and accusing him of being a former alcohol and cocaine abuser, an appeals court ruled.

Zachary Guiles' school violated the First Amendment when it ordered him to cover parts of the shirt, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said Wednesday.

Guiles was a 13-year-old seventh-grader at Williamstown Middle High School in Williamstown, Vt., in May 2004 when he wore the shirt, which he had bought at an anti-war rally, to classes once a week for two months. Complaints from a fellow student and her mother who had different political views caused school officials to take a closer look.

Although teachers had told the complaining student that the shirt was political speech and protected by the Constitution, the mother complained to a student support specialist, who decided images of drugs and alcohol violated the school's dress code, the appeals court said.

The front of the shirt had Bush's name and the words 'Chicken-Hawk-In-Chief' beneath it. Below the words was a large picture of the president's head, wearing a helmet, superimposed on the body of a chicken.

To one side of the president on the T-shirt, three lines of cocaine, a razor blade and a straw appear. Elsewhere on the shirt, the president"

Good for Zachery! He not only made a political statement, but took a lesson of political activism to heart!

No formal DL Monday September 4th due to Labor Day, however.....

There will be no formal Drinking Liberally on September 4th. Bruce and/or Barry may or may not show up. However, if you feel like you would like to participate in an informal DL, post a comment that indicates you are interested....come back monday night before you leave to find out if others are interested as well...and Drink Liberally!!!

DL will resume as normal September 18th!

Crooks and Liars » Keith Olbermann Delivers One Hell Of a Commentary on Rumsfeld

Crooks and Liars » Keith Olbermann Delivers One Hell Of a Commentary on Rumsfeld:

"Keith had some very choice words about Rumsfeld’s 'fascism' comments tonight. Watch it, save it and share it.

Video - WMV Video - QT (available at linked site)

Olbermann delivered this commentary with fire and passion while highlighting how Rumsfeld’s comments echoes other times in our world’s history when anyone who questioned the administration was coined as a traitor, unpatriotic, communist or any other colorful term. Luckily we pulled out of those times and we will pull out of these times.

Remember - Rumsfeld did not just call the Democrats out yesterday, he called out a majority of this country. This wasn’t only a partisan attack, but more so an attack against the majority of Americans."

Bush: Iraq straining U.S. psyche - Politics - MSNBC.com

Bush: Iraq straining U.S. psyche - Politics - MSNBC.com:

"WASHINGTON - President Bush said Monday the Iraq war is 'straining the psyche of our country' but leaving now would be a disaster.

Bush served notice at a news conference that he would not change course or flinch from debate about the unpopular war as he campaigns for Republicans in the fall congressional elections. In fact, he suggested that national security and the economy should be the top political issues, and criticized the Democrats' approach on both."

The never ending saga....

Nevada Appeal - Opinion

Nevada Appeal - Opinion:

"Did you hear about the 24 Iraqis who plotted to blow up a bunch of airplanes flying across the Atlantic Ocean?

Oh, that's right. They weren't Iraqis. They were Pakistanis.

Did you hear that Osama bin Laden is hiding in Iraq?

Whoa, check that. That would be Pakistan.

And did you know that Iraq has nuclear bombs and sold that technology to Iran and North Korea?

Oops, I meant Pakistan, not Iraq.

And how about Iraq supporting Islamic terrorism against its democratic neighbors?

Oh, that would be Pakistan, again.

And now there is a new warning that al Qaeda may attack Americans in India. And where would these attackers be coming from?

Again, Pakistan.

And so the central front on the war on terror is Pakistan, right?

No, that would be Iraq.

Why do I get the feeling that Abbott and Costello are running this war?"

Abbott and Costello....Great punch line!

Crooks and Liars » Scarborough: “Is Bush An ‘Idiot’?”

Crooks and Liars » Scarborough: “Is Bush An ‘Idiot’?”:

"Joe Scarborough started his program tonight asking the question 'is Bush an idiot?' (Is that really debatable?). Not only did he do a great run down of clips involving some of the most famous 'Bushisms', but he did have an interesting conversation about this question with Lawrence O’Donnell and John Fun"

Is there really a debate?

The Seattle Times: Editorials & Opinion: No retreat on war crimes

The Seattle Times: Editorials & Opinion: No retreat on war crimes:

"Bush administration officials are counting on Congress' preoccupation with fall elections and the latest terrorism scare to slip through shameful revisions to the War Crimes Act. They want retroactive protection from any prosecution for harsh treatment or interrogation techniques they might have authorized."

From this morning's seattle times. No one person or institution should be above the law, and the current administration must now be concerned that they actually could be tried and convicted of both national and international laws.....

NPR : A 'Pant-Out' with the '100-Degree Club'

NPR : A 'Pant-Out' with the '100-Degree Club':

"President Bush spent his afternoon not buried in Middle East diplomacy, but daring his staff at the ranch to join what he calls the '100-degree club.' The phrase literally sends shudders down staffers' spines. The president challenged White House employees to run three miles in the central Texas heat across the scrubby terrain on his property. Press Secretary Tony Snow, who sounded as nervous as everyone else, said he would offer a 'pant-out' after the run... as opposed to a read-out."

The key word is dare....but did he join in the run? I bet you can answer that question with one guess (click on the link to find out.

Retroactive war crime protection drafted - Yahoo! News

Retroactive war crime protection drafted - Yahoo! News:

"WASHINGTON - The Bush administration drafted amendments to the War Crimes Act that would retroactively protect policymakers from possible criminal charges for authorizing any humiliating and degrading treatment of detainees, according to lawyers who have seen the proposal."

Now if this isn't a CYA for authorizing torture.....but our government would never allow that to happen (just imagine the sarcasm in my voice)

Crooks and Liars » The Daily Show’s New Correspondent

Crooks and Liars » The Daily Show’s New Correspondent:

"You asked for it and here it is - The Daily Show’s new Middle Eastern correspondent, Aasif Mandvi"

This particular video from Jon Stewart's the Daily Show is a great satire--hilarious, and sad but true at the same time. Best for broadband users.

Print Story : Yahoo! News

Print Story : Yahoo! News: "U. S. Congresswoman Katherine Harris, R-Florida, holds up a possum she purchased at the Wausau Possum Festival, Saturday, Aug. 5, 2006, in Wausau, Fla. Harris is a candidate for the U. S. Senate.(AP Photo/Phil Coale)"

Enough said. The photo says it all....

Drinking Liberally Humor

President George W. Bush was scheduled to visit the Episcopal Church outside Washington as part of his campaign to restore his poll standings.

Bush's campaign manager made a visit to the Bishop, and said to him "We've been getting a lot of bad publicity because of the President's position on stem cell research, the Iraq war, Katrina, and the like. We'd gladly make a contribution to the church of $100,000 if during your sermon you'd say the President is a saint."

The Bishop thought it over for a few moments and finally said, "The Church is in desperate need of funds and I will agree to do it."

Bush showed up for the sermon and the Bishop began: "I'd like to speak to you all this morning about our President.

George Bush is a liar, a cheat, and a low-intelligence weasel. He took the tragedy of September 11 and used it to frighten and manipulate the American people. He lied about WMDs and invaded Iraq for oil and money, causing the deaths of tens of thousands and making the United States the most hated country on earth. He appointed cronies to positions of power and influence, leading to widespread death and destruction during Hurricane Katrina.

"He awarded contracts and tax cuts to his rich friends so that we now have more poverty and a greater gap between rich and poor than we've had in this country since the Depression. He instituted illegal wiretaps when getting a warrant from a secret court would have been a mere administrative detail. Then he had his henchmen lie to Congress about it, and then he claimed he is above the law. He has headed the most corrupt, bribe-inducing political party since the Teapot Dome scandal.

"The national surplus has turned into a staggering national debt, gas prices are up 55%, and vital research into global warming and stem cells is stopped cold because he's afraid to lose votes from some religious kooks. He is the worst example of a true Christian I've ever known, but compared to Dick Cheney and Karl Rove, George Bush is a saint."

Drinking Liberally Olympia

Drinking Liberally Olympia: "Next Meeting at the Fishbowl Pub in Downtown Olympia"--that's tonight, Monday, August 7th, 7:00. Click on the link for more infor.

Tonight, we are going to try to begin puttng together a national issues platform that will build consensus within liberals--and actually get viable progressive candidates elected!!

Half of U.S. still believes Iraq had WMD - Yahoo! News

Half of U.S. still believes Iraq had WMD - Yahoo! News:

"Half of U.S. still believes Iraq had WMD" This article reports on a recent survey--it also describes why people still believe this.

This from the article:

Half of America apparently still thinks so, a new poll finds, and experts see a raft of reasons why: a drumbeat of voices from talk radio to die-hard bloggers to the Oval Office, a surprise headline here or there, a rallying around a partisan flag, and a growing need for people, in their own minds, to justify the war in Iraq.

YouTube - Al Gore's Penguin Army

YouTube - Al Gore's Penguin Army
This you tube piece spoofing Al Gore and "an inconvenient truth" was not put together by off kilter right-leaning amateurs. In fact, it was put together by a marketing firm that frequently contracts with the National Republican Party. It's crap, but if you are in the mood for crap, give it a click.

for more information, ABC news has more.

Political Wire: The Gathering Storm

Political Wire: The Gathering Storm: "From Charlie Cook's forthcoming National Journal column:

'Time is running out for Republicans. Unless something dramatic happens before Election Day, Democrats will take control of the House. And the chances that they’ll seize the Senate are rising toward 50-50.

'The electoral hurricane bearing down on the GOP looks likely to be a Category 4 or 5, strong enough to destroy at least one of the party’s majorities. The political climate feels much as it did before previous elections that produced sizable upheavals, such as in 1994, when Democrats lost 52 House seats, eight Senate seats, and control of both chambers.'"

Let's hope this is one prediction that comes true!

Washington Traffic Jam? Senators-Only Elevator - New York Times

Washington Traffic Jam? Senators-Only Elevator - New York Times: "In addition to lofty issues of war and peace, the Senate is grappling with another urgent matter: the senators-only elevators at the Capitol are being overrun by the unelected."

If you visit our nation's capital, be careful to ride on the right (no pun intended) elevator, or there could be trouble!!

Drinking Liberally Olympia

Drinking Liberally Olympia: "Next Meeting at the Fishbowl Pub in Downtown Olympia" This is a site location change for this meeting only. Click on the link for details!

The Register-Guard, Eugene, Oregon, USA

The Register-Guard, Eugene, Oregon, USA: "Twenty-two of the world's largest cities announced Tuesday they will work together to limit their contributions to global warming in an effort led by former President Bill Clinton."

Caught in the act | OlyBlog

Caught in the act | OlyBlog: "Olyblogger JanetB attempted to purchase Plan B at Ralph's Thriftway today and was refused despite the fact that she had a doctor's prescription. Witness:"

This you tube video shows JanetB as she tried to purchase the Day after contraceptive. The owner of Ralph's Thriftway, Ralph Storman, won't allow Plan B to be carried at the pharmacy. It's my neighborhood and favorite grocery store in town, but I won't be frequenting Ralph's for a while....

Let's hope the State Pharmacy Board reconsiders it's earlier decision. In fact, it will, at it's August 31st meeting. At the site, you can review the draft of the proposed rule language.

An "unfortunate stumble"

Print Story : Yahoo! News
Bush stumbles? Is it possible?

TPMmuckraker August 2, 2006 04:00 PM

TPMmuckraker August 2, 2006 04:00 PM: "GOP Donors Funded Entire PA Green Party Drive" Talking Points Memo Muckraker has an interesting piece that reports that contributions to a Pennsylvania Green Party Candidate--in fact every single contribution--comes from conservatives.

Maybe democrats should start giving to socially conservative libertarians.

AlterNet: Dead Dem Walking

AlterNet: Dead Dem Walking: "It's not just Joe Lieberman's support for the war on Iraq, or his steady backing of the Bush agenda. There are many reasons why Joe must go -- and now."

Interesting article on Joe Lieberman, former VP candidate, and fighting for his political life in Connecticut. Lieberman may lose in the primary to little known Ned Lamont.

A Primeval Tide of Toxins - Los Angeles Times

A Primeval Tide of Toxins - Los Angeles Times: "MORETON BAY, AUSTRALIA — The fireweed began each spring as tufts of hairy growth and spread across the seafloor fast enough to cover a football field in an hour.

When fishermen touched it, their skin broke out in searing welts. Their lips blistered and peeled. Their eyes burned and swelled shut. Water that splashed from their nets spread the inflammation to their legs and torsos."

Part one of a series on "Altered Oceans." The air is warming, and the oceans are being polluted....