NOT AS BOLD AS WE DESERVE

Here is something the Republican controlled congress never would have considered passing, an ethics bill. The bill, which passed the House 411 to 8, will do the following.....
The House-passed ethics reform bill would:
— Prohibit lobbyists and their clients from giving gifts, including meals and tickets, to senators and their staffs. The House adopted a gift ban in January.
— Require senators and candidates for the Senate or White House to pay charter rates for trips on private planes. House candidates would be barred from accepting trips on private planes.
— Require lobbyists to disclose payments they make to presidential libraries, inaugural committees or organizations controlled by or named for members of Congress.
— Bar lawmakers from attending large parties given in their honor by lobbyists at national political conventions.
— Bar lawmakers and their aides from trying to influence hiring decisions by lobbying firms and others in exchange for political access.
— Deny retirement benefits to members of Congress convicted of bribery, perjury or similar crimes.

The bill, unfortunately meek in nature, is a good first step in true ethics reform. The bill also puts a band aid on the increasingly popular trend for lawmakers going from representatives to lobbyists for large financial supporters and benefactors of measures the lawmakers have pushed through Congress prior to leaving. The Lawmakers now need to wait two years in order to get the high paying cushy positions their hard work has earned them. This "quid pro quo, get my bill passed and I will hire you" system has greatly paid off for many members of the framers of the prescription drug bill, a bill which prohibits Medicaid from negotiating with the drug companies themselves, such as in the same manner the VA does, which has dramatically reduced the high cost of prescription drugs for the veterans.

The bill still needs to be passed in the Senate, and get signed by the President, whose veto power is nil due to the strong favorable votes this bill has garnered in the house. This bill, watered down as it is, is still better than nothing, and will serve to encourage certain future ethics reform legislation. One has only to open any newspaper for the past ten years to see that this legislation has been long overdue.

5 THINGS KING GEORGE II MUST DO NOW

1. Stop paying restoration money, and rebuilding anything in Iraq. Enough is enough. They are playing you for a fool. Even you can see they have become no less than babies sucking on this countries financial tit.

2. Fire Alberto Gonzalez. He is a liar, he knew he was lying, and he knew he was under oath. He isn't even particularly intelligent. Where was he when we were kicking Libby's ass? It's time for your Texas crony appointment to go away.

3. Apologize. Yes, apologize. To the many countries with the intelligence not to join you in this foolish war (start with "Old Europe"), to your own constituents who have to repay the astronomical war debts you have created, and to the parents and widows of those who have given so much to achieve so little.

4. Send Colin Powell to the Saudi Arabia and Iraqi leaders and have him lay down the law. Condi is a joke to the Middle East leaders. Al Malaqui is thumbing his nose at you. Let them know it is very close to check out time. It is time they got into the game.

5. Let Karl Rove testify. It's all going to come out anyway. You are doing what you think it is right, but it is just a very bad Nixon impression. Put the cards on the table. It is only a matter of time before we have a Bush administration wing at the parole board anyway. Here is a thought, maybe the party who claims to be so damn religious could place just a modicum of import on swearing an oath and saying "so help me God."

DO NOTHING?

MEANWHILE........

Progress made by the Democratically controlled

"DO NOTHING" Congress

• Democrats Passed First Minimum Wage Increase in a Decade.
  Democrats Passed War Spending Bill that Included $6 Billion for Hurricane Relief.
• Democrats Passed Wounded Warriors Bill to Upgrade Military Health Care and Provide a 3.5% Pay Raise for Our Troops.
• Democrats Passed Legislation Out of Committee Providing the Largest Increase for Veterans Affairs Funding in History. HR2642
• Iraq Supplemental Appropriations Bill Included Additional $1.8 Billion for Veterans’ Health Care.
• Democrats Passed Bill to Implement 9/11 Commission Recommendations.
• Democrats Passed Ethics and Lobbying Reform Bill.
• Democrats Passed Bill to Cut Subsidies to Student Lenders and Provide $17 Billion in Grants and Other Student Aid.
• Democrats Passed a Fiscally Responsible Budget.
• Democrats Passed Energy Bill That Increased Fuel-Efficiency Standards for First Time Since 1975.

And, less we forget....They are utilizing subpeonas and oversight committees to get the truth (and the liars) out in the open in regards to the past deeds of the Bush / Cheney administration.

COMMANDING YOUR PRESENCE

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Congress of the United States

To Karl Rove, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President:

Pursuant to lawful authority, YOU ARE HEREBY COMMANDED to appear before the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate of the United States, on August 2, 2007, at 10:00 o’clock a.m., at their committee room 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building, then and there to testify what you know relative to the Committee’s inquiry into the preservation of prosecutorial independence and the Department of Justice’s politicization of the hiring and firing of United States Attorneys, and to bring with you the documents described in Attachment A under the terms and conditions stated therein.
Hereof fail not, as you will answer your default under the pains and penalties in such cases made and provided.
To any Committee staff member or U.S. Senate Sergeant at Arms to serve and return.

Given under my hand, by authority vested
in me by the Committee, on this 26 day
of July , 2007____.

Senator Patrick Leahy, Chairman,

Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate

Documents Subpoenaed
1. Complete and unredacted versions, including complete paper and electronic versions, of any and all documents in your possession, custody or control related to the Committee’s investigation into the preservation of prosecutorial independence and the Department of Justice’s politicization of the hiring and firing of United States Attorneys, including possible misrepresentations to Congress and other violations of federal law. The documents produced shall include, but not be limited to:
A. Any and all documents related to the: 1) evaluation of or decision to dismiss former U.S. Attorneys David Iglesias, H.E. “Bud” Cummins, John McKay, Carol Lam, Daniel Bogden, Paul Charlton, Kevin Ryan, Margaret Chiara, Todd Graves, or any other U.S. Attorney(s) dismissed since President Bush’s re-election (hereinafter “dismissed U.S. Attorneys”); 2) evaluation of any U.S. Attorney(s) considered for dismissal since President Bush’s re-election (hereinafter “U.S. Attorneys considered for dismissal”); 3) the implementation of the dismissal and replacement of the dismissed U.S. Attorneys; and 4) the selection, discussion and evaluation of any possible replacement or interim or acting appointment to fill any vacancy with respect to dismissed U.S. Attorneys and U.S. Attorneys considered for dismissal.
B. Any and all documents related to the testimony of any official at the Department of Justice to the United States Congress regarding any of the matters set forth in paragraph A, above.

CHENEY TO UNDERGO SURGERY TODAY, BUSH TO BECOME PRESIDENT FOR A DAY

Vice President Dick Cheney went to the hospital on Saturday to undergo minor surgery to replace the battery that powers a device monitoring his heart rhythms. During Cheney’s annual physical last month, doctors tested his implanted cardioverter-defibrillator and learned that the battery powering the device had reached a level where replacement is recommended, Megan McGinn, deputy press secretary for Cheney, said Friday. The surgery will be performed at George Washington University Hospital.

In related news, doctors have checked and given a clean bill of health to the puppet strings currently attached to President Bush's head, arms, legs and mouth. However doctors will closely monitor the President's brain wave patterns today, which may attempt to take advantage of the Vice-President's anesthesia during his surgery today and form an original thought all his own, scary as that is. The attempt by the Vice President to transfer the power of the Presidency during his surgery to William Kristol and the Project for a New American Century were rejected by the courts as an "ironic waste of time." Today will mark the first time in U.S. history that an inanimate object assumes the power of the government, if only for a very, very short time.

Not Another Souced Astronaut

MIAMI : NASA allowed at least two astronauts to fly into space even though they were so drunk that flight surgeons considered them a safety risk, according to a report published Thursday by a trade journal. Aviation Week and Space Technology reported that an independent health panel commissioned by NASA also found a pattern of "heavy use of alcohol" by astronauts before launch.

In the aftermath of a damaging report on drinking by NASA astronauts, the space agency is implementing a 12-hour no-drinking policy before launch.

In another astonishing development, NASA disclosed Thursday that someone sabotaged a computer awaiting delivery in two weeks by shuttle Endeavour to the International Space Station, cutting wires and inflicting other damage on the component.

ROVE-ING WHERE THE INFORMATION LIE(S)

Congress calls for a special prosecutor in the Alberto Gonzales perjury case.

Will subpoena Karl Rove next.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!!!

"The special counsel should be an independent person of unimpeachable integrity, ability, and experience, who can approach this investigation without any hint of conflict of interest or question of character, and who can read into classified programs sufficiently to perform these duties. The scope of the special counsel's jurisdiction should include the veracity of the Attorney Generals testimony before Congress related to issues including the replacement and removal of U.S. Attorneys, the implementation of the PATRIOT Act's provisions relating to U.S. Attorneys, and the authorization for the NSA wiretapping program. It should examine whether misleading statements have been made to Congress and the public, and whether potential charges should be filed involving obstruction of justice, perjury, and giving false statements (under oath)."

ANOTHER BROKEN RECORD (OF MIS-INFORMATION)

HERE IS THE TRUTH:

" Budget discipline was totally abandoned by the previous Republican Congress and President Bush. Under Republican control,

Congress turned a projected $5.6 trillion 10-year surplus at the end of the Clinton years into a $3 trillion deficit -

including the four worst deficits in the history of America."

ALBERTO NO NO

“There’s a discrepancy here in sworn testimony,” Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said after listening to Gonzales, raising the possibility of a perjury inquiry. “We’re going to have to ask who’s telling the truth, who’s not.” Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, top Republican on the panel, also disregarded Gonzales’ description. “I do not find your testimony credible, candidly,” he told the attorney general. Three Democrats — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller and former Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle — dispute Gonzales’ testimony. Rockefeller called it “untruthful".

Who are they talking about? Why our Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales, of course. The man responsible for upholding the laws of the land, no less. Testifying in front of the Senate oversight hearing on many miscues and dirty deeds of the Bush administration, Alberto testified that the issue at hand during a White House briefing was not about the terrorist surveillance program, which allowed the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on suspects in the United States without receiving court approval, and was actually about intelligence issues he would not, or could not divulge.

“Not the TSP?” responded Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y. “Come on. If you say it’s about other, that implies not. Now say it or not.” “It was not,” Gonzales answered. “It was about other intelligence activities.”

Documents, however, indicate eight congressional leaders were briefed about the Bush administration’s terrorist surveillance program on the eve of its expiration in 2004, contradicting sworn Senate testimony this week by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

A four-page memo from the national intelligence director’s office says the White House briefing with the eight lawmakers on March 10, was about the terror surveillance program, which was about to expire. The memo, dated May 17, 2006, and addressed to then-House Speaker Dennis Hastert, details “the classification of the dates, locations, and names of members of Congress who attended briefings on the Terrorist Surveillance Program,” wrote then-Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte.

The disagreement over whether to renew the program led to a dramatic, and highly controversial, confrontation between Gonzales and then-Attorney General John Ashcroft on the night of March 10, 2004.
After briefing the congressional leaders, Gonzales testified that he and then-White House chief of staff Andy Card headed to a Washington hospital room, where a sedated Ashcroft was recovering from surgery. Ashcroft had already turned over his powers as attorney general to Comey. Comey was in the hospital room as well, and recounted to senators in his own sworn testimony in May that he “thought I just witnessed an effort to take advantage of a very sick man, who did not have the powers of the attorney general because they had been transferred to me.”

Gonzales’ veracity during previous testimony has been called into question by senators, particularly his assertion that there was no internal dissent within the Justice Department over reauthorizing the terrorist surveillance program. Comey testified some top-ranking officials were prepared to resign over the dispute.

The documents underscore questions about Gonzales’ credibility as senators consider whether a perjury investigation should be opened into conflicting accounts about the program and a dramatic March 2004 confrontation leading up to its potentially illegal reauthorization. A Gonzales spokesman maintained Wednesday that the attorney general stands by his testimony.

Here’s some bold advice for Bush administration officials caught in an obvious misstatement, intentional or not. Admit the mistake, clarify the facts, apologize and move on. With any luck, everyone else will, too.

JOHN EDWARDS: HIDING BEHIND ELIZABETH'S APRON STRINGS

Quotes from Mrs. John Edwards on a variety of issues as she becomes a far more visible entity than even her nominee husband on the campaign trail (from Salon magazine). By not responding himself to these issues, and by letting his wife "pick up the slack," isn't the Edwards campaign proving the allegations that he is indeed gutless?

On Hillary: "She's just not as vocal a women's advocate as I want to see. John is."
On her comeback call to Ann Coulter (after she labeled John with a slang term for a homosexual): "In some ways I'd like to continue what I started, just hammer home the unacceptability of Ann Coulter and what she's doing to the dialogue. I'd like to follow her around and harass her. Maybe Michael Savage and Rush Limbaugh too."

On Hillary again: "Sometimes you feel you have to behave as a man and not talk about women's issues. I'm sympathetic -- she wants to be commander in chief. But she's just not as vocal a women's advocate as I want to see. John is. And then she says, or maybe her supporters say, "Support me because I'm a woman," and I want to say to her, "Well, then support me because I'm a woman."

You're famous for that, actually -- people always said you were a Daily Kos diarist under another name. I wasn't. But I have blogged using other screen names before. Before the Whole Foods guy got in trouble [the Wall Street Journal revealed last week that CEO John Mackey used pseudonyms to deride competitors online] I decided that that wasn't such a good idea.

On John conspiring with Clinton to limit the number of debaters: "But what I said was, what John said was, there is a need to get the debates more serious. You have these formats with 60-second answers, and in 60 seconds, John's position on health care sounds just like Hillary's answer, when it couldn't be farther apart. So we need to find a way to have serious debates, that's all John is saying. Maybe it's two candidates at a time.

LEAVING U.S. NO HOPE FOR WITHDRAWAL

She asked a question. A damn good one. A question the military should have been pondering for some time now. If, and when we withdraw our troops in Iraq, do you have a viable plan for the withdrawal that will diminish, and reduce the risk to our troops? Simple, well thought out, and intelligent question, right? The kind of question you would expect from a Senator serving on the Armed Forces Subcommittee. Well, here was her answer.....

"Premature and public discussion of the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq reinforces enemy propaganda that the United States will abandon out allies in Iraq, much as we were perceived to have done in Vietnam, Lebanon and Somalia. Such talk understandably unnerves the very same Iraqi allies we are asking to assume enormous personal risks in order to achieve compromises on national reconciliation, amending the Iraqi constitution (written extensively by the U. S.), and other contentious issues. I assure you, however, that as with all other plans (short of the actual execution of the Iraqi war itself), we are always evaluating and planning for possible contingencies."

Eric Edelman, acting on behalf of Secretary Gates, Under Secretary of the Defense

Do they actually have a plan? Here is a brief snippet of what Mr. Edelman had to say in the first section of his letter in response to Sen. Clinton's letter......."it is premature to say with certainty whether and how a future phased withdrawal would be conducted." Let me translate the politically restrained response by the Under Secretary of Defense........"NO, we have no plan for withdrawal and we have no plans to withdraw anytime in your lifetime, bitch!!!" So much for planning. Of course, withdrawal plans are premature. Let's wait for the senate to get the 6 votes they need to stop the war. Obviously, Edelman thinks we should have stayed in Vietnam to this day. Keep up the good work, Hillary!! Ask the questions no one else will, or are capable of.

Today, Clinton wrote a second letter to Gates, informing him that this underling Edelman—"writing on your behalf"—seems to believe "that congressional oversight emboldens our enemies." Calling his letter "outrageous and dangerous," Clinton wondered whether it "accurately characterizes your views as secretary of defense." She then renewed her request for the briefing, "classified if necessary," and added, as a kicker, "I would appreciate the courtesy of a prompt response directly from you."

BENCHMARK THIS

King George II (aka The Duke of Oil), is at it again, and he has his cronyist of hands in the Iraqi oil fields. You remember the oil fields, the second reason Americans are dying in a civil war / police action in Iraq, second only to the avenging of the wrongs Hussein committed on his father, King George I? The U.S. (bush administration) is strongly urging the newly American formed Iraqi government, under the American written constitution to approve a new Iraqi Oil Act.

Here is some background...In a 1999 speech, Dick Cheney, then CEO of the oil services company Halliburton, told a London audience that the Middle East was where the West would find the additional 50 million barrels of oil per day that he predicted it would need by 2010, but, he lamented, "while even though companies are anxious for greater access there, progress continues to be slow." With the election of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney in 2000 -- the first time in U.S. history that two veterans of the oil industry had ever occupied the nation's top two jobs -- they would finally get the "greater access" to the region's oil wealth, which they had long lusted after.
If the U.S. invasion of Iraq had occurred during the colonial era a hundred years earlier, the oil giants, backed by U.S. forces, would have simply seized Iraq's oil fields. Much has changed since then in terms of international custom and law (when then-Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz did in fact suggest seizing Iraq's Southern oil fields in 2002, Colin Powell dismissed the idea as "lunacy").

Iraq has 115 billion barrels of known oil reserves - 10 per cent of the world total. There are 80 discovered oilfields, of which only 17 have been developed. Oil accounts for more than 70 per cent of Iraq’s GDP and 95 per cent of government revenue.
The proposed Iraq hydrocarbon law would take the majority of Iraq’s oil out of the exclusive hands of the Iraqi government and open it to international oil companies for a generation or more. The law is a dramatic break from the past. Foreign oil companies will have a stake in Iraq’s vast oil wealth for the first time since 1972, when Iraq nationalized the oil industry.
Bearing Point, a Virginia based contractor is being paid $240m for its work in Iraq, winning an initial contract from the US Agency for International Development (US Aid) within weeks of the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003. A Bearing Point employee, based in the US embassy in Baghdad, was hired to advise the Iraqi Ministry of Oil on drawing up a new hydrocarbon law.
Bearing Point employees gave $117,000 to the 2000 and 2004 Bush election campaigns, more than any other Iraq contractor.

The international oil companies could also be offered some of the most corporate-friendly contracts in the world, including what are called production sharing agreements. These agreements are the oil industry’s preferred model, but are roundly rejected by all the top oil producing countries in the Middle East because they grant long-term contracts (20 to 30 years in the case of Iraq’s draft law) and greater control, ownership and profits to the companies than other models. In fact, they are used for only approximately 12 percent of the world’s oil.

Was the Iraq War for Oil?
According to the Bush Administration, the notion that the occupation of Iraq was a means to gain control over that country’s vast oil reserves is “nonsense” and “a myth.” However, in February, 2007, the proposed draft of a new law to structure Iraq’s oil industry was leaked, and it is now being considered by the Iraqi parliament. Several key features of the law would secure the agenda of ExxonMobil, Chevon, and the other majors, robbing the Iraqi people of their most basic source of wealth. Much is at stake. With 115 billion barrels of proven reserves ($7 trillion worth at $64 per barrel) and another 215 billion possible or likely ($14 trillion), there’s nearly a million dollars of oil for every Iraqi citizen. It’s a vast and precious national resource—but only if Iraqis are allowed to control it themselves.

Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich (D-Ohio), said, "This war has been about oil. This occupation is about oil. These benchmarks are about oil," he said, adding that the privatization pressure "confirms the original purpose of the war. … Democrats must take great care so as not to be a party to this gross immorality."

Wednesday May 23, 2007 -- Summary and Notes from Congressman Kucinich's One Hour Speech Before the United States House of Representatives On Administration's Efforts to Privatize Iraq Oil

The Iraqi "Hydrocarbon Law" is an issue of critical importance, but has been seriously mischaracterized and I want to provide the House of Representatives the facts and evidence to support the concerns I have expressed. As you know, the Administration set several benchmarks for the Iraqi government, including passage of the "Hydrocarbon Law" by the Iraqi Parliament. The Administration has emphasized only a small part of this law, the "fair" distribution of oil revenues. Consider the fact that the Iraqi "Hydrocarbon Law" contains a mere three sentences that generally discusses the "fair" distribution of oil. Except for three scant lines, the entire 33 page "Hydrocarbon Law," is about creating a complex legal structure to facilitate the privatization of Iraqi oil. As such, it in imperative that all of us carefully read the Iraqi Parliament's bill because the Congress is on the record in promoting oil privatization.

This war is about oil.

We must not be party to the Administration's blatant attempt to set the stage for multinational oil companies to take over Iraq's oil resources.

The Administration set several benchmarks for the Iraqi government, including passage of the "Hydrocarbon Law" by the Iraqi Parliament.

And many inside the beltway are contemplating linking funding for the war in Iraq to the completion of these benchmarks, including passage of the "Hydrocarbon Law" by the Iraqi Parliament. The Administration has once again misled Congress by mislabeling the draft law as an oil revenues distribution law, just as the Administration misled Congress about the Iraq war.
The war in Iraq is a stain on American history. Let us not further besmirch our nation by participating in the outrageous exploitation of a nation which is in shambles due to U.S. intervention. The fact is that except for three scant lines, the entire 33 page "Hydrocarbon Law," is about creating a complex legal structure to facilitate the privatization of Iraqi oil.

BUSH ADMINISTRATION FINALLY FINDS A GROUP WANTING THE U.S. TO STAY IN IRAQ....GUESS WHAT....IT'S IRAQ

A report about to be released tomorrow will conclude that Iraq has achieved exactly zero of the benchmarks the U.S. government has set down for them. The gang who couldn't shoot straight (the Iraqi version), has achieved no political reforms, no economic reforms, they have achieved no reforms at all. Tony Snow commented that it is unrealistic to believe that any progress would have been made at all, as the surge troops are only now into place.

The report, required by law, is expected to be delivered to Capitol Hill by Thursday or Friday, as the Senate takes up a $649 billion defense policy bill and votes on a Democratic amendment ordering troop withdrawals to begin in 120 days. Also being drafted are several Republican-backed proposals that would force a new course in Iraq, including one by Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Ben Nelson, D-Neb., that would require U.S. troops to abandon combat missions.

Want a plan for our troops and this bloody awful, travesty of an unplanned, poorly executed war that is ripping our country apart?

If they want us to stay, they give us 25% of their oil revenues monthly for as long as we stay, period.

It is the only possible way that the government, and the people of Iraq will get off their asses and actually attempt to make progress. Give us one-forth of your oil revenue or we are out of here. And good luck with that civil war after we are gone. But that is not all. Message to the Saudis, OK you won't lift a finger to help out a neighbor, we want you to kick in some oil revenues as well. You can either give it to us, or spend it waging a war against Iran over who gets the decaying carcass that is the country of Iraq.

We will give you until the end of business Friday.

A recent projection of future costs for occupying Iraq is somewhere between $472billion (if we stay until 2010), and $919billion if we stay until 2013. So pony up. We have spent over $600 billion and we have gotten no where. NOWHERE. So everybody in the region can throw a few hundred billion into the hat, or we are going to let this whole region go to hell in a hand basket. And, oh by the way, anybody who messes with Israel should Google Naga-fucking-saki.

HOLDING THEIR FEET TO THE PLAME

Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL) has drafted and will file a Congressional resolution censuring President George W. Bush for his egregious and politically motivated commutation of Scooter Libby's prison sentence.

The censure resolution, which is below, will be formally introduced in the House of Representatives on Tuesday July 10, 2007 when Congress reconvenes from the 4th of July recess. Congressman Wexler, a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, said today that "this presidential intervention is an unconscionable abuse of authority by George W. Bush, and Congress must step forward and express the disgust that Americans rightfully feel toward this contemptible decision. Scooter Libby was found guilty of perjury and obstruction of justice by a jury and was appropriately sentenced by a judge President Bush himself appointed. This deceitful chain of events began with the Administration’s falsifying of intelligence on Iraqi nuclear capabilities. It is clear that the perjury of Mr. Libby in this case effectively protected President Bush, Vice President Cheney, and other Administration officials from further scrutiny regarding the clear political retaliation against former Ambassador Joseph Wilson and his wife, Valerie Plame Wilson, a covert CIA agent. This commutation is nothing short of political quid pro quo, and Congress must go on record in strong opposition."

Resolution relating to the censure of George W. Bush

Whereas President George W. Bush has failed to comply with his obligations under Executive Order 12958 concerning the protection of classified national security information in that the covert identity of Valerie Plame Wilson as a Central Intelligence Agency operative was revealed to members of the media, and in June 2003 Bush Administration officials discussed with various reporters the identity of Ms. Wilson as a covert Central Intelligence Agency operative;

Whereas on July 14, 2003, the name of Ms. Wilson and her status as a CIA operative was revealed publicly in a newspaper column by Robert Novak, and on September 16, 2003 the Central Intelligence Agency advised the Department of Justice that Ms. Wilson’s status as a covert operative was classified information and requested a federal investigation;

Whereas knowingly leaking the identity of a covert agent is a criminal violation of the Intelligence Identities Protection Act (P.L. 97-200);

Whereas Arthur Brown, former Asian Division chief of the CIA, stated that, “cover and tradecraft are the only forms of protection one has and to have that stripped away because of political scheming is the moral equivalent to exposing forward deployed military units”;

Whereas Vice President Cheney’s former chief of staff, I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, effectively stopped the investigation into this potentially grave national security crime by lying to FBI investigators, and Mr. Libby’s perjury shielded the Vice President Dick Cheney and President George W. Bush from further inquiry;

Whereas on March 6, 2007, in U.S. District Court a jury found Mr. Libby guilty on four counts of perjury, obstruction of justice and making false statements to FBI investigators regarding an investigation into the actions of the White House regarding leaking the identity of Ms. Wilson in retaliation for her husband’s contention that the Bush administration twisted intelligence facts to justify the 2003 invasion of Iraq;

Whereas on June 5, 2007, Mr. Libby was sentenced to 30 months in prison and fined $250,000;

Whereas President George W. Bush had appointed both the Special Prosecutor, Patrick Fitzgerald, and the US District Court Judge, Reggie Walton, who were involved in the trial of Mr. Libby;

Whereas in February 2004, President George W. Bush stated that if anyone in his Administration “has violated [the] law, that person will be taken care of”;

Whereas on July 2, 2007, President Bush commuted the portion of Mr. Libby’s sentence that required him to spend thirty months in prison;

Whereas in commuting Mr. Libby’s sentence, President Bush has finally and unalterably breached any remaining shred of trust that he had left with the American people and rewarded political loyalty while flouting the rule of law:

Now, therefore let be it — Resolved, That the United States Congress does hereby censure George W. Bush, President of the United States, and does condemn his decision to commute the portion of Mr. Libby’s sentence that required him to spend thirty months in prison, his unconscionable abuse of his authority with regard to the deceitful chain of events concerning the falsifying intelligence on Iraqi nuclear capabilities and the exaggeration of the threat posed by Iraq, his involvement in the clear political retaliation against former Ambassador and Ms. Wilson, and his decision to reward the perjury of Mr. Libby, which effectively protected President Bush, Vice President Cheney, and other Administration officials from further scrutiny.

WORRIED ABOUT MONOGAMY????????? THEN ROMNEYS YOUR MAN

Maybe the Republicans need some marital advice from the Clinton's.

They'll never divorce!!

LIVE EARTH: DOCUMENTING THE RECYCLING OF THE PRODUCT CALLED AL GORE

What says ecology more than a hundred rich superstars jumping in their private planes and flying all over the world to give free concerts?

That's right, it's "Live Earth 2007", an Al Gore production. With feeds from cities such as New York, London, Johannesburg, Rio De Janero, Tokyo, Sidney, Hamburg and Shanghai, it will be the largest single benefit for any cause to date.

The mission of the SOS campaign is to empower individuals to change their consumer behaviors and motivate corporations and political leaders to enact decisive measures to combat the climate crisis.

Hmmm....change our consumer behaviors. Take for example, the belt pictured above right. It is actually made from reclaimed London Fire Department brigade hose. Cool. They even have a tee shirt made from...well...let them explain it.

The eco-friendly tees are made in Los Angeles, certified 100% Organic Bamboo and printed with organic, water-based inks. Live Earth, in partnership with Aude, has distributed the limited edition tees to the following artists and celebrities involved in making music history: Madonna, Sheryl Crow, John Mayer, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Garner, Jessica Biel, Pharrell Williams, Lenny Kravitz, KT Tunstall, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, John Legend, Kelly Clarkson, The Police, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dave Matthews Band, Beastie Boys, Black Eyed Peas, Duran Duran, Foo Fighters, James Blunt, Linkin Park, Alicia Keys, Bon Jovi, Ludacris, Melissa Etheridge and many more.

One of the neatest surprises will be seeing Al Gore on a Japanese stage as a hologram. A hologram being an image with absolutely no physical substance. I am especially looking forward to this, as Gore hasn't appeared anywhere as a hologram since the last two Presidential elections.

But, Gore is reveling in his new found success, and celebrity. His book sold millions, he won the Oscar, he has appeared all over the world on television broadcasts, and his speaking tour, and he has achieved the respect and dignity he so desperately needed after losing two consecutive presidential elections.

Yes, I'll be watching, if only to figure out who on earth some of these so called "celebrities" are. I am going to watch, and when I come out the other side of the television tunnel, I will be instantly well versed in the hottest music acts of the day. I will be ultra hip and cool in a matter of four or five hours. Well OK, probably not.

I am thinking this is basically the MDA telethon and Al is the new Jerry Lewis. Should be fun. I love getting eco-friendly advise from rich celebrities who jot the world in their personal, private planes. Now if I would recycle a little and buy a Prius, the world will be safe.

WHAT I BELIEVE >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

To your right, you will find a new Google inspired stack of TV screens featuring Keith Olbermann, someone who I either watch or Tivo daily. Click on the top box. It represents what the Democrats should be saying on the house and senate floors, it is what should be said on the campaign trail, it encompasses 85% of how I feel, and what I believe to be true.

This is ten minutes of journalism folks. Maybe you had heard of it long ago. YES, it leans to the.........no, it represents the views of the liberals. It doesn't lean, it stands for something. It is how a majority of the country feels, and believes. Call us conspiracy nuts, whack jobs, commies, cowards, or whatever name you will (and have), this is what we believe, it is what we hate, it is what we cannot wait to rid this fine country of, it represents 6 dark, dark years. Go ahead...click on it. And in ten minutes you will hear every thing I have been trying to write and a lot of what I believe in one magnificent reporters viewpoint.

Welcome to "The World According To Kimba"

A VERY INCONVENIENT TRUTH

Al Gore III, the only son of former VP Al Gore II, has been arrested again, this time in Southern California for driving over 100mph on the San Diego freeway. During the traffic stop of Mr. Gore's Pruis, police officers detected the strong odor of marijuana, which Mr. Gore admitted smoking recently.

A subsequent search of his vehicle found other drugs as well, Valium, Vicadin, Xanax and Adderall, all of which he had no legal prescription to possess.

This is not Mr. Gore's first run in with the law. In 1997, as a minor he was clocked driving 97mph. In 2000, he was observed driving 94 mph, and cited in North Carolina. In 2002, he was stopped in Virginia driving 97mph and was arrested for driving under the influence. In 2003, he was pulled over for failure to turn on the headlights on his mothers Cadillac, and was arrested for possession of marijuana (he claimed he had not smoked pot for at least four hours and was just pulling out of a parking structure, and had not yet turned on his lights). He now faces possession of illegal drugs and driving under the influence.

Gore lives in Southern California where he is an associate publisher for GOOD magazine, a self described magazine as "media for those who give a damn." No comment from the former Vice President, who is currently traveling back to the U.S. from Europe.

WILSON NOT PLAYING PATTY CAKE OVER THE YELLOW CAKE

Joe Wilson, husband of Valerie Plame on an episode of "Hardball with Chris Matthews," just aired, threw down the gloves on the Bush administration. Mr. Wilson, the former ambassador to Iraq under King George I, and a long standing member of the Washington intelligence community had the following to say....

"The communtation is a quid pro quo to protect the Vice President, and perhaps the President's office as well"...."I think it stinks to high heaven"

"I look for congress to exhaust its power in order to send a message to future administrations in regards to serving political vendettas and considering any abuses of power"

"I think the future does not bode well for the Republican presidential contenders who have "sold their souls to a relatively small group of neo-conservatives"

Chris Matthews (question): Why do you think they did this to you...was it because of your report on Niger as a source of yellow cake to the Middle East, specifically Iraq?

Joe Wilson (answer): "I think they did this (the exposure of his wife as a covert CIA operative) for three reasons....

One, to punish me.

Two, to send a message to the intelligence community that if you do us like Joe Wilson just did us, we will do to your families what we just did to his"

And three, as a Democrat, It was OK to treat me like a cockroach"

PAY THE FINE AND SCOOT

President Bush commuted Monday the prison term of former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, facing 30 months in prison after a federal court convicted him of perjury, obstruction of justice and lying to investigators. Libby was convicted in March of lying to authorities and obstructing the investigation into the 2003 leak of CIA operative’s identity. He was the highest-ranking White House official ordered to prison since the Iran-Contra affair.

Bush commuted the prison term, but left the fine of $250k, and two year probationary period intact. In addition, Mr. Libby will forever forfeit the ability to practice the law, not that he wasn't already rusty as a senior member of the Bush administration, he was most likely spending the majority of his time figuring out how to get around the law.

"The consequences of his felony conviction on his former life as a lawyer, public servant, and private citizen will be long-lasting," Bush said. He said Libby was given "a harsh sentence based in part on allegations never presented to the jury." Bush had considered harsher penalties for Mr. Libby, but at the very last minute, decided not to ground him and to allow him his customary milk and cookies before bedtime.

A commutation is a reduction of the penalties, while leaving the crime and conviction on the books, as opposed to a full blown pardon, which permanently strikes the crime and conviction from the record.

Libby was convicted as part of the disclosure of Valerie Plame, a CIA operative in retribution for her husband Joe Wilson's failure to participate in an attempt to wrongfully convince the American people that Saddam Hussein was attempting to purchase yellow cake nuclear materials from the African country of Niger.

Wilson was quoted as saying "This demonstrates that this administration is corrupt from top to bottom."

Other quotes include....

Melanie Sloan, legal counsel to Joe and Valerie Wilson... “First, President Bush said any person who leaked would no longer work in his administration. Nonetheless, Scooter Libby didn’t leave office until he was indicted and Karl Rove works in the White House even today. More recently, the vice president ignored an executive order protecting classified information, claiming he isn’t really part of the executive branch. Clearly, this is an administration that believes leaking classified information for political ends is justified and that the law is what applies to other people"

John Edwards, presidential candidate..."In George Bush’s America, it is apparently okay to misuse intelligence for political gain, mislead prosecutors and lie to the FBI. George Bush and his cronies think they are above the law and the rest of us live with the consequences. "

One thing is for certain, Libby lied under oath about a despicable deed. For him to receive no sentence and Paris Hilton to do 28 days is undeniably wrong. And what kind of message does this send out to the nation? Cronyism? A reward for protecting the ultimate puppeteer, his boss the Vice President? What message does this send to all those dirty members of the administration, waiting to see if King George II can fight off the subpoena onslaught so they can avoid lying under oath (or incriminating themselves)? Just how many pardons and orders of commutation will the King hand down? What the hell, George, its not like you have more than 10 friends in the beltway anyway, and even less throughout the nation. Crash and burn, baby...crash and burn. Your legacy is sealed any ways.

AMERICA FOR SALE...NO BID REQUIRED

According to some research materials I have been checking (look here), the government has been going crazy in an effort to privatize every service, every requirement they possibly can. As a matter of fact, the figure I have found most often, is that government outsourcing has increased 86% under the Bush administration, with somewhere around 50% being outsourced through "no bid" contracts, which has led to various outcries of his use of "cronyism," which allegedly is showing undue favoritism or influence in selecting the contractors involved. In fact, a 2010 report of the Heritage foundations seems to suggest making appointment decisions based on loyalty first, and expertise and experience second (here).

Although the President has claimed success in "cutting the federal bureaucracy," I really don't think this is what the American public had in mind. Although many corporations are involved, the one key common denominator is a propensity to support Republican candidates with finance money, and are generally very kind with aiding the GOP (although to be absolutely fair, most have hedged their bets with donations to the Democrats as well, leaving no stone unturned).

One obvious corporation in terms of government outsourcing is Halliburton, whose profits totalled $2,348,000,000.00 in 2006, an increase in profits of over 368% since President Bush came into power.

Although many corporations are assisting in many projects for the federal government, the real money trains have been in the Iraqi war, and the rebuilding of Katrina hit areas (and aren't both of these doing just peachy). You may be surprised to learn private corporations have contracted with the government to not only provide the food, water, and medical supplies our troops need in Iraq, they also help to interrogate subjects, train the Iraqi army and guard the Baghdad airport and green zones, as well.

But the outsourcing train doesn't stop there. Efforts are currently in place by FEDEX and UPS to garner at least a portion of the USPS business, IAP Worldwide has been contracted to oversee the operations at Walter Reed hospital, FEMA has been reduced in favor of private corporations, and the thought of privatizing the massive social security funds have corporations clamoring to get at the incredible fees this would result in.

A SUPREME (IF MODEST FOR NOW) MOVE TO THE RIGHT

Thursday marked the end of the latest term for the Supreme Court, its second under Chief Justice Roberts. And, although Justice Roberts appointment was a huge win for the conservatives, it was minor compared to the difference made when Sandra Day O'Connor inexplicably stepped down during the term of a Republican President, which led to the appointment of Samuel Alito, marking the present courts 5 to 4 status, in the favor of the right. The only hope for a liberal viewpoint to make it through the court is Justice Kennedy, who has shown his lack of political bias, although even this proclivity was sharply curtailed this term. In fact, the present court sided with the President over 80% of the time in the session which just ended. It certainly bares mentioning that 7 of the present 9 justices were appointed by Republican Presidents.

Yes, restraint was shown by the court, however, modest gains garnered by the conservatives have set the stage for major wins to follow. The best example of this was the ruling upholding the Federal Partial Birth Abortion Act, despite its refusal to address the health of the birth mother. Can the court eventually throw out Roe v. Wade? With Thomas, Roberts and Stevens, it is certainly a possibility down the road.

It has ruled to immunize the White House from law suits resulting from its faith based programs, which effectively utilize funding for the promotion of religion. The court also sided with the administration when it curtailed anti-trust claims brought about from manufacturers setting minimum retail pricing, and additionally set new limits on corporate shareholders ability to sue. Another victory for the administration was to chip away at the Mc Cain / Feingold act, ruling that campaign advertising by corporations and unions were "core political expressions."

While the court upheld the corporations right to political expression, the court also cut back students right to free speech, and the extent to which they might display their views. This, along with their willingness to not only strike down the school districts attempt to integrate schools, but to make any school decisions solely determined by race, has sent liberal educators reeling.

Although minor victories were won by the conservatives (38 wins), it should be noted in closing that the liberals did garner at least some modicum of representation, as the court has ruled that the EPA had the authority to regulate carbon dioxide (greenhouse gases --throwing the Bush administrations views on global warming into the trash heap), and if not deciding, at least agreeing to hear appeals in the next session from Gitmo prisoners on their "enemy combatant designation", which has effectively denied their any hope of attaining even the slightest morsel of habeus corpus.

All in all, a very interesting year from the Supreme court, which (thankfully from my view) rendered one of the fewest yearly totals of decisions in modern history. Will this court keep on its right wing path? Experts say yes, as do I. Are they willing to, if not overturn, at least chisel away at major landmark decisions? ABSOLUTELY. Nothing is sacred. Brown v. Board of Education and Roe v. Wade each took hits in this last session, and you do not have to be an expert to see that more is yet to come. Fasten your seat belts, folks. Next year with Roberts at the helm, Thomas foaming at the mouth, and their seeming ability to rein in Kennedy when absolutely necessary could mark a very interesting year next term.