I just learned that Lipson, among other things, is a ward (an electoral district represented by one or more councillors) in the city of Plymouth, England. I would love to be Councillor Lipson of Lipson at some point in the future. I probably would have to become a UK citizen though so I’ll really have to think about this one.
I have for a long time subscribed to the “you break it, you buy it” foreign policy in regards to Iraq. We broke it, we bought it, period. However, as it seems that no strides have been taken towards creating any sort of a plan almost 2.5 years after we first went there, I’m starting to think getting the hell out of there as soon as possible is not such a bad idea.
Yesterday, Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania called for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, rejecting the Bush administration attacks on war critics and raising bipartisan pressure for a new policy. Rep. Murtha, the senior Democrat on the House of Representatives subcommittee that oversees defense spending and one of his party’s top voices on military issues said, “The U.S. cannot accomplish anything further in Iraq militarily. It is time to bring them home.”
When one of the biggest Democratic defense hawks, who happens to be a decorated Vietnam War veteran and retired Marine colonel, says something like that, I listen. He said, “The war in Iraq is not going as advertised. It’s a flawed policy wrapped in illusion” and I agree wholeheartedly.
This 73-year-old man is a decorated Marine veteran who served as an intelligence officer in Vietnam and is widely respected by his colleagues on military matters. His stance has the potential to influence others in Congress who are nervous about falling public support for the war (I have my fingers crossed). Emotionally, he spoke of his regular visits to wounded soldiers at nearby Walter Reed Hospital and Bethesda Naval Medical Hospital. “Our military is suffering,” he said. “The future of our country is at risk. We cannot continue on the present course.”
I also loved how he rebuked recent Cheney’s scare tactics by making a reference to the draft deferments that kept Cheney out of Vietnam. He said, “I like guys who got five deferments and (have) never been there and send people to war, and then don’t like to hear suggestions about what needs to be done.”
Well said. Well said. I for one have decided that I’m going to be more vocal in supporting the elected officials who I believe are part of the solution. If they are going to stick their necks out for the Republican Scare & Hate Machine to try and chop off, I’m going to get their back. I just called Congressman Murtha’s DC office (202-225-2065) to say that I support him and that I thank him for speaking out. I have a feeling I’m going to dialing Washington alot more in the next few months so that my voice is logged and noted. As I’ve previously stated, these calls and emails DO matter. I suggest that if you agree, you do the same. Enough is enough.
… our president of course. He is always winning great awards such as these. I first saw the photo below on Chris’s site and it has been much blogged about. I thought and still think it is hysterical. See for yourself below:
I didn’t want to post it because I wasn’t sure if it was real or not and if I was in a meeting with 180 other world leaders and needed to pee, I’m not sure what I would have done either. Then, Neu swooped in, unknowing, and sent me an article from Photo District News titled “Reuters Explains Photo Of Bush Bathroom Note” verifying it and voila! I love the statement that Reuters gave:
“The photographer and editors on this story were looking for other angles in their coverage of this event, something that went beyond the stock pictures of talking heads that these kind of forums usually offer. This picture certainly does that.”
Indeed. I don’t really has anything else to add on this one.
Via Chris and Neu
My cousin said that this disaster mirrored Iraq in every way except one: that lucrative rebuilding contracts had not yet gone to administration cronies. Oh wait, that just happened. Nevermind.
Via Quirine
Via Monty
From “The Nation” comes a report on Barbara Bush’s Labor Day visit to the Astrodome:
Commenting on the facilities that have been set up for the evacuees — cots crammed side-by-side in a huge stadium where the lights never go out and the sound of sobbing children never completely ceases — former First Lady Barbara Bush concluded that the poor people of New Orleans had lucked out.
“Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality. And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this, this is working very well for them,” Mrs. Bush told American Public Media’s “Marketplace” program, before returning to her multi-million dollar Houston home.
On the tape of the interview, Mrs. Bush chuckles audibly as she observes just how great things are going for families that are separated from loved ones, people who have been forced to abandon their homes and the only community where they have ever lived, and parents who are explaining to children that their pets, their toys and in some cases their friends may be lost forever. Perhaps the former first lady was amusing herself with the notion that evacuees without bread could eat cake.
Thanks Phyl for making sure that my anger doesn’t dissipate.
Remember, if you are in need of info on the Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort happening in NYC, go to www.nolareliefnyc.com for all the latest news.
Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick from Detroit, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus just said in a speech aired on CNN,
“We come to you this morning as a sense of urgency. First of all, these people are not refugess, they are American citizens. They pay taxes, they raise their families, they help America grow and I wish the media would called them American citizens and not refugess which relegates them to another whole status.“
Well, well said. I will be noting which channels and media outlets refer to these people as refugees from now on. See also said that Detroit is offering to airlift out 500 families immediately and to house and feed them. That is probably around 2000 people. While that isn’t a whole lot, if a few more cities did the same we would have one issue resolved immediately.
A new comic titled “Liberality For All” is launching in October. Its premise is slightly more original than the usual “I was bitten by a radioactive spider” deal:
It is 2021, tomorrow is the 20th anniversary of 9/11. America is under oppression by ultra-liberal extremists which have yielded governing authority to the United Nations. It is up to an underground conservative group (known as F.O.I.L.) led by Sean Hannity, G. Gordon Liddy and Oliver North to thwart Ambassador Usama Bin Laden’s plans to nuke New York City.
The big idea behind the series is what if today’s anti-war liberals were in charge of the American government and had been since 9/11? What would be the results of fighting “a more sensitive war on terror” and looking to the corrupt United Nations to solve all of America ‘s problems? I can think of only two words – “Oy vey.” My favorite part is how “Sean Hannity, G. Gordon Liddy and Oliver North are each uniquely endowed with special abilities devised by a bio mechanical engineer affectionately nicknamed ‘Oscar’.” Gotta love that First Amendment thang.
Thanks go to Mr. Neu for making my day. I’m going to have to get this book and just laugh my liberal ass off…
One year ago today, Congress unanimously declared that the horrors unfolding in the Darfur region of Sudan — the mass slaughters, forced displacement, and coordinated rape campaigns — amounted to genocide. It seems as if almost everyone has either forgotten about it or thinks that the problem has been solved. For instance:
The Center for American Progress has launched a campaign called Be A Witness to try and pressure various news outlets to stop ignoring this story. Starving children are not pleasing to the eye during dinner. Increased television coverage of the genocide in Darfur does have the power to spur the action required to stop a devastating crime against humanity. I for one am being a witness.
…like a record baby right round right round” by Dead or Alive should be the Bush White House’s anthem. Here’s a bit of history (courtesy of the NY Times) which says why:
I would believe this administration as far as I could throw a piano left handed.