Politiblogs

Malkin: Wrong Again # 4,567

2006-08-14T20:36:00.000-05:00

I have two words for the Wal-Mart clerk who notified cops in Michigan after three young Arab men purchased 80 cell phones at 1:00am on August 11 in cash:

Thank you.
....
This was not solely about the suspects' ethnicity. It was about their behavior. Now, law enforcement officials say a plot to bomb the Mackinac Bridge may have been in the works. Lots of troubling details

Oh, but if you wish really really reeeeealllly hard, could magically make it true. Oh whoops- my magical fairy dust isn't working.

Daniel Roberts, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Detroit office, issued a statement that said "there is no information to indicate that the individuals arrested have any direct nexus to terrorism."

Poll: 4% of Americans support Mel's Drunk Driving, Slurs, and Abusive Actions Toward Police

2006-08-14T15:37:00.000-05:00

Much interest is being paid to this new poll that shows 58% of Americans want the troops home within a year. Great news, I know...

But then there's this, question 50:

Which do you think is worse about the Mel Gibson incident?
1. That he was driving while drunk
2. That he was argumentative with the police who stopped him
3. That he made negative comments about Jewish people
4. (All equally bad)
5. (None)
6. (DonÂt know)

4% answered 'None'... that's 1 out of 25 people who think Driving Drunk and claiming the cop is involved in a Jewish Conspiracy against you and calling a female officer 'Sugar Tits' and going on a racist tirade are not 'bad' things. Who are these people?

Sidenote: In the previous question, 1% said his comments would make them 'more likely' to go see his movies in the future.

Funny coincidental advertising

2006-08-13T13:29:00.000-05:00

So, watching CNN cover the latest head-on-fire story, that annoying sierra mist came on... only this time it had new meaning:

Can we finally send Kathy Griffin to Gitmo, pleeeease?

File Under 'Not From The Onion

2006-08-07T16:48:00.000-05:00

I thought the Librul Media and Democrats were going to be the reason the terrorists would win- not due to a lack of power to keep up this illegal domestic data-mining spy program...

The demand for electricity to operate its expanding intelligence systems has left the high-tech eavesdropping agency [NSA] on the verge of exceeding its power supply, the lifeblood of its sprawling 350-acre Fort Meade headquarters, according to current and former intelligence officials.

...

The NSA is already unable to install some costly and sophisticated new equipment, including two new supercomputers, for fear of blowing out the electrical infrastructure, they said.

What a tradgedy:

NSA officials "claim they will not be able to operate more than a month or two longer unless something is done," said a former senior NSA official familiar with the problem, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Bush's Historical Knowledge

2006-08-05T14:02:00.000-05:00

Speaking on immigration, Bush says:

"By passing comprehensive immigration reform, we will uphold our laws, meet the needs of our economy and keep America what she has always been - an open door to the future, a blessed and promised land, one nation under God,"

Yes, Mr. Bush- as we have 'always been' since 1954... moron.

Abortion and Iraq

2006-08-03T11:27:00.000-05:00

Well, not quite... Rumsfeld says:

"If we left Iraq prematurely as the terrorists demand, the enemy would tell us to leave Afghanistan and then withdraw from the Middle East,"

Prematurely? We are now on day 1,232. Longest gestation period? 630-660 days.

Too bad I can't trust wikipedia's Elephants article anymore...

If this is true...

2006-08-03T11:22:00.000-05:00

If this is true... wow.

Of course, false accusations of listerv postings has bitten people before, so we may want to withhold judgement for a while.

Of course, the next logical question is... who would be on the YR Princeton list that sent this to Kos?

Failure

2006-07-30T17:56:00.000-05:00

Utter Failure.

Any power the U.S. had to mitigate disaster has been wasted by this president. We are irrelevant due to misguided leadership of George Bush and his failed war and failed diplomacy.

Give it to 'em...

2006-07-29T15:50:00.000-05:00

So, the House Republicans want to pull some slight of hand shit? Fine.

They want to exempt $5 million of an individual's estate and $10 million of a couples in exchange for a minimum wage hike? Fine.

Unfortunately, I had to read this:

Democrats were left in the uncomfortable position of going on record voting against the minimum wage increase and the estate tax cut.

Give it to them. Think about how many more people will be helped by the minimum wage increase and how few people will be helped by cutting this outrageously high estate tax.

Will the government lose some money without the estate tax? Yes... but we will all benefit in the end if people earn a living wage... even if it will take until 2009 to get there.

And once it is out there, the dems can just go out and point out that they compromised because of how important the minimum wage was and if you look at the past 4 years, this is the first thing done in congress to better the lives of Americans- and it was all because they forced the Repubs to debate it, vote on it, and compromised with them. Seems simple enough...

Raise Minimum Wage? Where?

2006-07-28T11:35:00.000-05:00

So, the wonderful meme that the Dems don't have any plans or ideas or positions or balls or blah blah blah.... Oh wait, what's this: Minimum Wage Incraese by $2?

But how is this played in the librul meedia?

NY Times: G.O.P. Nears Vote to Increase U.S. Wage

Google News has this wonderful array of articles:

So, apparently, raising the minimum wage is the GOP's issue. And giving people a living wage hurts people... unlike the $10,712 Gross pay for 52 40-hour weeks of work at the current level.

Oh, and for those who want to say '...but it will raise our prices!' I say: 431.

Why Couldn't we do this to Bush?

2006-07-19T11:41:00.000-05:00

Why couldn't we do this to President Potty-mouth?

Neo-Nazis in the Military?

2006-07-07T10:59:00.000-05:00

Building of Atrios' post regarding the Army's recruiting White Supremacists to serve in Iraq, I'd like to draw attention to this quote from a DoD spokesman:

Mr. Barfield said Army recruiters struggled last year to meet goals. "They don't want to make a big deal again about neo-Nazis in the military," he said, "because then parents who are already worried about their kids signing up and dying in Iraq are going to be even more reluctant about their kids enlisting if they feel they'll be exposed to gangs and white supremacists."

If you, as a parent of a soldier in Iraq, are worried about gangs and white supremacists in Iraq, you need to consider some other options such as, but not limited to: IEDs, Sunni Militias, Shi'ite Militias, Snipers, beheadings, Iraqi soldiers turning on U.S. soldiers, and Suicide Bombers.

This is the justification for not kicking out known Neo-Nazis? That it might hurt recruiting goals? I know that it is probably pretty difficult to convince kids to risk their life for a war based on lies where the leaders have no plans on how to get out, but are Neo-Nazis and White Supremacists really how low the bar has to go?

We've already got:

Autistic Boys being tricked into enlisting.

The enlistment age raised to 42.

Lowered standards for mental aptitude tests.

As I said before, 'I thought we were trying to win this...'

Now, everyone in the coffee shop thinks I'm crazy...

2006-07-06T20:38:00.000-05:00

I walked in the coffee shop, and opened to Google News to see this:

A country who has:
1) An ongoing nuclear program
2) Threatened the United States with nuclear weapons

So, we invaded Iraq based on faulty intelligence which Bush knew was false, but these missile launches are 'hard to read'?

I know he has trouble reading, so how about this picture? Clear enough?

ACTIVIST JUDGES KILL AGAIN

2006-07-05T11:13:00.000-05:00

Yet again, activist judges have taken another life, this time it was the great American Capitalist Hero, Ken Lay.

R.I.P. you wonderful money-grubbing bastard.

Next time it may be you! Stop Activists Judges before they strike again!

*****UPDATE*****

(Insert Drudge Siren)

Alternate title: BREAKING: Ken Lay Has A Heart! Who knew?

The extinction of a DINO...

2006-07-03T15:53:00.000-05:00

Today, yet another DINO has become extinct.

So long, Joe!... I'm sure the Republicans will take you, you vote like one...

This is what the Democrat Party needs- you don't vote with the party, you are out of the party- that's how it's supposed to be done.

Official Lamont Blog hits it on the head:

What is a "petitioning democrat?"

Wikipedia has no idea either

Losing a primary doesn't mean you get to leave your party- that's like when you try and breakup with someone after they already told you to leave. We left you, Joe. You don't get to run as some sham title.. hopefully the DSCC will have the courage to tell him that.

One more reason to hate the oil Industry

2006-07-02T15:02:00.000-05:00

One more reason to hate the oil industry: they are hedging bets on a large earthquake so they can get oil easier...

Scientists found that earthquakes make underground soil more permeable, which could in turn make oil extraction easier...Over two decades they noticed that earthquakes may cause destruction above ground but below they could be a blessing for the oil industry.

Wouldn't a mass extinction of the human race create large carbon deposits which turn to oil in a few thousand years?

A headline I'd like to see:

"Research: Wide-spread Bird Flu Deaths Could Improve Oil Extraction"

Would someone please explain...

2006-06-30T23:43:00.000-05:00

Would someone please explain how and why this quote 1) makes sense and 2) made it into a mainstream news article...

Nancy Pelosi: ...the court decision "affirms the American ideal that all are entitled to the basic guarantees of our justice system."

Well, that seems rather reasonable, and yet, the Washington Post allows this horse-shit:

House Majority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio)[criticized]... That statement, Boehner said, amounted to Pelosi's advocating "special privileges for terrorists."

Ummm.. except for that 'all' part...

The Wa Po continues:

Similar views ricocheted around conservative talk radio -- Rush Limbaugh called Pelosi's comments "deranged" on his show Thursday..."It would be good politics to have a debate about this if Democrats are going to argue for additional rights for terrorists," said Terry Nelson, a prominent GOP political strategist who was political director for Bush's reelection campaign in 2004.

Yes, I'm sure that would be 'good politics' buddy... except that no one, including Pelosi's quote, are advocating for 'special' or 'additional' rights for terrorists.. just that we use a transparent and fair system to justify holding the 450+ people held in Guantanamo, still without charge...

Special, indeed.

Spying on Terror Financing? SURPRISE!!!

2006-06-26T17:19:00.000-05:00

Why is it that the Right Wing is so bat shit crazy frenzied over the NY Times publishing information about financial spying?

For those who don't know, they are accusing the NY Times of 'espionage' (their word- click any of the 4 above) and 'aiding and abetting the enemy' by publishing information that I, and a majority of people, are well aware of.

Remember when Sami Al-Arian was convicted this year?
How did we catch Moussaoui, who was part of the Hamburg cell?
Remember Cat Stevens being deported for donating to Hamas?

How about this State Department release from 2003 which states:

Another very important actor in international efforts to combat terrorist financing has been the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a multilateral organization of 33 members individually and collectively devoted to combating money laundering that has adopted 40 recommendations on the elimination of money laundering and an additional, complementary eight special recommendations on combating terrorist finance. FATF is monitoring compliance with its recommendations in coordination with regional bodies, the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee, and the G-8-initiated Counter-terrorism Action Group. FATF is planning assessments of country needs for technical assistance to improve local ability to combat terrorist financing.

With a strategy for Saudi Arabia including:

"...presenting packages of usable information to the Saudis to help them take action against individuals and organizations involved in the funding and support of terrorism..."

What could that 'usable information' be other than international financial records?

How about Ari Fleishcer discussing the plan shortly after 9/11?

What is the big deal? Did these people really think that Al Qaeda didn't know that we were monitoring financial transactions and now, the NY Times has 'blown the cover'? C'mon...

Even Press Secretary Tony Snow has erupted in bonkerdom.

This reminds me of this great exchange regarding the warrantless spying testimony:

BIDEN: Thank you very much.

General, how has this revelation damaged the program?

I'm almost confused by it but, I mean, it seems to presuppose that these very sophisticated Al Qaida folks didn't think we were intercepting their phone calls.

I mean, I'm a little confused. How did it damage this?

GONZALES: Well, Senator, I would first refer to the experts in the Intel Committee who are making that statement, first of all. I'm just the lawyer.

And so, when the director of the CIA says this should really damage our intel capabilities, I would defer to that statement. I think, based on my experience, it is true -- you would assume that the enemy is presuming that we are engaged in some kind of surveillance.

But if they're not reminded about it all the time in the newspapers and in stories, they sometimes forget.

(LAUGHTER)

O'Reilly: "Right Wing Kooks aren't visible...are they on the cover of Time Magazine?"

2006-05-24T22:57:00.000-05:00

Why, yes Bill. They are on the cover of Time Magazine:

The same person who stated:

We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity. We weren't punctilious about locating and punishing only Hitler and his top officers. We carpet-bombed German cities; we killed civilians. That's war. And this is war.

And:

"God gave us the earth. We have dominion over the plants, the animals, the trees. God said, 'Earth is yours. Take it. Rape it. It's yours.'"

And:

"My only regret with Timothy McVeigh is he did not go to the New York Times Building."

Oh, and Bill- exactly what have the Dixie Chicks done that has affected the public? That's what a Republican-led Congress is for...

Hastert: Jefferson FBI Raid 'unconstitutional' ... Under Investigation?

2006-05-24T22:41:00.000-05:00

Speaker Hastert surprised everyone by coming down on the side of Congressman Jefferson, a Democrat, today. He stated:

"The Justice Department must immediately return the papers it unconstitutionally seized,"

And then, a few hours later, ABC News ran this:

Federal officials say the Congressional bribery investigation now includes Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, based on information from convicted lobbyists who are now cooperating with the government.

Sur-fucking-prise. It's Washington- rarely does a politician stand up for something (especially across the aisle) unless they have something to gain. Meanwhile, Hastert's office is denying it and calling for a redaction, but:

ABC is standing by its story, saying Hastert is very much in the mix of the corruption investigation.

How much 'in the mix,' you ask? Hastert: No. 1 Recipient of Abramoff Money.

For the record: Congressman Jefferson has not been charged with a crime. He has not been indicted (unlike DeLay, Abramoff, Libby, Cunningham). If he is indicted and pleads/is found guilty, he should resign. Just like the rest of them, D or R. This is the general consensus of both liberal bloggers and Democrat Party Leaders.

Bush's Speech: Numbers Don't Add Up....

2006-05-15T23:23:00.000-05:00

While the wire-tapping of journalists and citizens is important and shameful (which is exactly why Bush spoke on immigration tonight)...

Let's look at this quote from tonight's speech (all quotes from official transcript- emphasis mine):

"The men and women of our Border Patrol are doing a fine job in difficult circumstances, and over the past five years, they have apprehended and sent home about six million people entering America illegally."

Really, six million? Over five years?

Let's do some math:

5 (years) X 365 (days) = 1,825 (days)

Six million in 1,825 days? Some more math:

6,000,000 (sent home) / 1,825 (days) = 3,287.67 (apprehended and sent home' EACH DAY) = 136 (sent home each hour)

Really? These numbers sound unrealistically high.

But not when you compare them to Bush's claim that:

Since I became President, we've increased funding for border security by 66 percent, and expanded the Border Patrol from about 9,000 to 12,000 agents.

Let's now assume that each of these Border Patrol people work an average of 40 hours per week. Some more math:

12,000 (total number of border patrol) X 40 (hours worked) = 480,000 ((wo)man-power hours each week)

Divide that by total hours per week (168) and you get: 2,857.14 Border Patrol working at any given hour.

That means that it takes a staff of 2,857 to catch 136 people an hour? That's saying it takes 21 trained Border Patrol people to catch a single individual crossing the border.

Originally, when I started writing this post, I thought Bush's numbers of captures sounded over-inflated. I finished with inefficiency.

Let's now assume that all supposed 12 million illegal immigrants currently living in the U.S. came in over the past five years. Obviously, not true or realistic, but that's what blogs are for.

With 18,000,000 over five years, that would be an average of 410.96 an hour- a seemingly high number, again. But with 2,857 Border Patrol people remaining stable, that now works out to 6.95 agents to catch a single person each hour- and that's counting EVERY SINGLE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT- caught in the past five years OR not caught over the average human lifespan.

Other than 'border security theatre,' how exactly does sending an additional 6,000 National Guard to the border help in any way?

Why Goss Matters

2006-05-07T17:53:00.000-05:00

For the sake of argument, I'm going to assume that Porter Goss and Mr. Foggo are guilty of the poker-prostitute parties, which wonkette predicted a week early.

The issue here isn't the hookers. It isn't that the right wing likes to pretend they are devout, religious people. It isn't that the right hates sex (in fact, it fits right in with their strong desire to subjugate women).

This is about Bush giving the big 'fuck you' to everyone in this country and the world. It's about his brazen 'bring em on' or declaring the U.N. 'irrelevant' or breaking international law by invading Iraq, torturing the prisoners, barring human rights workers from meeting with detainees, and secret prisons in Russia. It's about illegal spying. It's about nominating an unqualified sycophant to the Supreme Court, irresponsibly cutting taxes when we are in a huge deficit, and openly calling the war on terror 'World War III.' It's about Tom Delay's staff working with Abramoff to fix the books to avoid bribery laws.

It's about claiming the authority to break over 750 laws in just over 5 years (that's almost THREE A WEEK!)

It's about Porter Goss and Duke Cunningham and whoever else might have been at those parties saying 'fuck you' to the American people. They are saying 'we can do whatever the fuck we want.'

These people have controlled Washington for a very, very long time and they think they are exempt from the laws they are charged with maintaining. These people are immoral and they will go down. If not now, in November 2006.

A Progressive Solution to the Undocumented Worker Problem

2006-05-06T12:00:00.000-05:00

Regular commentator, Matt of Strikes & Gutters, has asked for my plan for resolving the issue of illegal immigration/undocumented workers in response to my previous post about republican hypocrisy in the language debate.

People illegally immigrate to this country in order to get jobs. Employers hire them because they will work for lower wages than citizens and legal immigrants.

The claims that 'Americans won't do those jobs' are insincere and nonsensical- we get people to go to war, work in mines, and pick up trash because those jobs pay more than $5.00 an hour. So, a more accurate statement would be 'Americans won't do those jobs for that salary.'

Here are four simple steps:

Increase the pressure on businesses to hire only documented workers
Less job opportunities unincentivizes illegal immigration
Businesses will be forced to pay a living wage for 'those jobs Americans won't do for that salary'
More jobs for citizens means lower unemployment, better economy

So, how do we do it? Rather than having Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spend their time arresting individuals trying to get jobs on the streets, we re-direct the focus of ICE to investigative work with a focus on employers- not employees.

If a business is found to knowingly hire an undocumented worker, we fine them a reasonable amount (say, the equivalent of a year's salary per undocumented worker). ICE also increases scrutiny and implements random checks of employee roles for 5 years (or a reasonable time period, as defined in the law). An additional fine equivalent to the cost of such an extended investigation would also be levied, so as to not burden the tax system/ICE budget.

If that business is found to violate the law after the initial fine (and within those 5 years or other time TBD), the cost of the fine will increase dramatically (say, 15% of the company's previous years profits, or other amount TBD) and required firing of those who knowingly committed the offense. A fine that large will send a clear message to the entire company, especially the leadership.

A third offense (relatively unlikely after those harsh penalties) results in all hiring-related employees and CEOs, board members, etc. being indicted for violation of federal law with possibilities of jail time. Federal Law already provides punishments for knowingly employing an undocumented worker; however the maximum fine for repeat offenders is $3,000 (U.S.C. 1324a (e) ). I propose making this a felony offense, with possible mandatory minimums.

Since businesses are required by law to send identifying information of new employees, such as Social Secuirty Numbers to child support databases, this could be extended to fake or incorrect information, which are sometimes used by employers to hide their illegal hiring practices.

To appease the minuteman crowd, ICE could set up a tip-line for citizens to report businesses that they believe are employing illegal immigrants. In Maryland, minutemen are already recording the activities at known day labor sites and publishing the names of companies who hire the workers there. (They want to volunteer, and this is an opportunity to be more productive instead of setting off motion sensors and distracting the Border Patrol.)

So, if we increase the pressure on businesses, there will be less job opportunities. This means there is less reason for people to immigrate illegally. This will decrease illegal border crossings and reduce the total number of undocumented immigrants.

By reducing the number of undocumented workers, you are reducing the pool of cheap labor. Using simple supply/demand, this means that the average salary would increase. (Note: A guest worker program would undermine this goal.)

With a higher pay, more citizens and legal immigrants would be more willing to do these jobs. This would reduce unemployment rates and help the economy. Often, illegal immigrants send a portion of their salary back to their native land as remittances for their families, so this would mean more money staying in the U.S. economy while simultaneously increasing jobs and Living Standards for low-educated/low-skill workers.

All numbers are approximate and this is by no means a comprehensive plan, just a thought exercise in difficult public policy on a lazy Saturday afternoon.

I am open to any suggestions or criticisms about this plan (or job offers in the San Francisco area).

Principal Bans Anti-Bush Song in Talent Show

2006-05-05T12:00:00.000-05:00

South Florida Sun-Sentinel:

A 10 year old student wants to sing Pink's "Mr. President" which criticizes the Bush Administration's policies in a touching and emotional way.

If you would like to see the artist, Pink, sing it click here. It is a well-written song with a powerful message.

Unfortunately, principal Camille Pontillo of Park Springs Elementary is banning the performance in the school's talent show.

While first amendment rights do not apply in public schools, discrimination based on non-vulgar/offensive content is inappropriate.

The student's mother says it best: "If this was a student singing a pro-administration song, no one would quibble with it..."

The School Board's code of conduct lays out what guidelines principals should follow when censoring student speech: only if the material is obscene, slanderous, likely to disrupt, profane or sells a commercial product. (See page 23 of this document)

The principal, Camille Pontillo, was not available for comment in the Sun-Sentinel story, but may be reached at the school's main number: 754-322-7750 or by email: Camille Pontillo or her assistant, Liebe Rice. I called and received a polite 'we will let the principal know.'

'Business Leaders' Killed $100 Gas Refund?

2006-05-02T21:21:00.000-05:00

While I thought the $100 refund for gas was a stupid idea, you have to wonder about this graf in the NYTimes:

The retreat came after a torrent of objections from business leaders and their advocates, who typically view Republicans in Congress as allies. They said they had been blindsided by the inclusion of the proposal as a central element of the Republican leadership's energy package late last week.

What 'business leaders' would oppose this?