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Open thread
- By Phillip Brownlee
- Posted May 28, 2007 at 1:05 a.m.
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From Al Gore’s new book, “The Assault on Reason”–
Should we amend all of the textbooks in America to explain to schoolchildren that what has been taught for more than two centuries about checks and balances is no longer valid? Should we teach them instead that the United States Congress and the courts are merely advisory groups that make suggestions to the president on what the law should be, but that the president is all-powerful and now has the final say on everything? Should we teach them that we are a government of men, not of laws? Should we teach them that we used to be a democracy but now we only pretend to be?
Is it possible that Bush and Cheney truly believed the false assertions they foisted on the American people and our allies? Leonardo da Vinci once wrote, “The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions.” And investigative journalist I. F. Stone wrote in A Time of Torment: “All governments lie, but disaster lies in wait for countries whose officials smoke the same hashish they give out.” If Bush and Cheney actually believe in the linkage that they assert in spite of all the evidence to the contrary presented to them contemporaneously – that would by itself make them genuinely unfit to lead our nation. On the other hand, if they knew the truth and lied, massively and repeatedly, isn’t that worse? Are they too gullible or too dishonest?
Is the world more dangerous than when we faced an ideological enemy with thousands of missiles poised to annihilate our country at a moment’s notice? Fifty years ago, when the nuclear arms race with the Soviet Union was raising tensions in the world and McCarthyism was threatening our liberties at home, President Dwight Eisenhower belatedly said, “Any who act as if freedom’s defense are to be found in suppression and suspicion and fear confess a doctrine that is alien to America.” Edward R. Murrow, whose courageous journalism was assaulted by Senator Joseph McCarthy, declared, “We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason.”
The president has also claimed that he has the authority to deliver captives under our control for imprisonment and interrogation on our behalf by autocratic regimes in nations that are infamous for the cruelty of their techniques for torture.
Can it be true that any president really has such powers under our Constitution? If the answer is yes, then under the theory by which these acts are committed, are there any acts that can on their face be prohibited? If the president has the inherent authority to eavesdrop, imprison citizens on his own declaration, kidnap, and torture, then what can’t he do?
After analyzing the executive branch’s claims of these previously unrecognized powers, Harold Koh, dean of Yale Law school, said: “If the president has commander-in-chief power to commit torture, he has the power to commit genocide, to sanction slavery, to promote apartheid, to license summary execution.
General Joseph Hoar, of the U. S. Marine Corps, told Congress, “I believe we are absolutely on the brink of failure. We are looking into the abyss.” When a senior military leader like Joe Hoar uses the word abyss, then the rest of us had better sit up and listen. Here’s what he means: more American servicemen and women dying, Iraq slipping into more chaos and violence, no end in sight, with America’s influence and moral authority seriously damaged. Retired Marine Corps general Anthony Zinni, the former four-star-general in charge of Central Command, said recently that our nation’s current course in Iraq is “headed over Niagara Falls.”
Zinni, named by President Bush as his personal emissary to the Middle East in 2001, offered this view of the situation in a recent book: “In the lead-up to the Iraq war and its later conduct, I saw at a minimum true dereliction, negligence and irresponsibility; at worse, lying incompetence and corruption; false rationales presented as a justification, a flawed strategy, lack of planning, the unnecessary alienation of our allies, the underestimation of the task, the unnecessary distraction from real threats, and the unbearable strain dumped on our outstretched military. All of these caused me to speak out, and I as called a traitor and a turncoat by civilian Pentagon officials.”
President Bush has repeatedly violated the law for six years. In spite of the fact that the only judicial decision to have reached the question of legality has ruled comprehensively against the president’s massive and warrantless surveillance program, both the Justice Department and the Congress have failed to take any action to enforce the law. There has been no request for a special prosecutor, and there has been no investigation by the FBI. There has been deafening silence. But the consequences to our democracy of silently ignoring serious and repeated violations of the law by the president of the United States are extremely serious.
Once violated, the rule of law is in danger. Unless stopped, lawlessness grows. The greater the power of the executive grows, the more difficult it becomes for the other branches to perform their constitutional roles. As the executive acts outside its constitutionally prescribed role and is able to control access to information that would expose its actions, it becomes increasingly difficult for the other branches to police it. One that ability is lost, democracy itself is threatened and we have become a government of men and not laws.
Any executive who arrogates to himself the power to ignore the legitimate legislative directives of the Congress or to act free of the check of the judiciary become the central threat that the Founders sought to nullify in the Constitution. In the words of James Madison, “The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.”
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/5/27/601/45594
Speaking of Torture:
Troops free 42 Iraqis held by al-QaidaBy RAVI NESSMANAssociated Press Writerhttp://kansas.com/wireupdates/story/81193.html
“BAGHDAD – U.S. and Iraqi forces freed 42 kidnapped Iraqis – some of whom had been hung from ceilings and tortured for months – in a raid Sunday on an al-Qaida hideout north of Baghdad, the U.S. military said.”
Speaking of false assertions and the revisionist historians that deny their own past:
“If Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force, our purpose is clear. We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction program.”President Clinton, Feb. 17, 1998.
Speaking of Rule of Law:
Senators who voted for the Patriot Act.
Alphabetical by Senator NameAkaka (D-HI), YeaAllard (R-CO), YeaAllen (R-VA), YeaBaucus (D-MT), YeaBayh (D-IN), YeaBennett (R-UT), YeaBiden (D-DE), YeaBingaman (D-NM), YeaBond (R-MO), YeaBoxer (D-CA), YeaBreaux (D-LA), YeaBrownback (R-KS), YeaBunning (R-KY), YeaBurns (R-MT), YeaByrd (D-WV), YeaCampbell (R-CO), YeaCantwell (D-WA), YeaCarnahan (D-MO), YeaCarper (D-DE), YeaChafee (R-RI), YeaCleland (D-GA), YeaClinton (D-NY), YeaCochran (R-MS), YeaCollins (R-ME), YeaConrad (D-ND), YeaCorzine (D-NJ), YeaCraig (R-ID), YeaCrapo (R-ID), YeaDaschle (D-SD), YeaDayton (D-MN), YeaDeWine (R-OH), YeaDodd (D-CT), YeaDomenici (R-NM), YeaDorgan (D-ND), YeaDurbin (D-IL), YeaEdwards (D-NC), YeaEnsign (R-NV), YeaEnzi (R-WY), YeaFeingold (D-WI), NayFeinstein (D-CA), YeaFitzgerald (R-IL), YeaFrist (R-TN), YeaGraham (D-FL), YeaGramm (R-TX), YeaGrassley (R-IA), YeaGregg (R-NH), YeaHagel (R-NE), YeaHarkin (D-IA), YeaHatch (R-UT), YeaHelms (R-NC), YeaHollings (D-SC), YeaHutchinson (R-AR), YeaHutchison (R-TX), YeaInhofe (R-OK), YeaInouye (D-HI), YeaJeffords (I-VT), YeaJohnson (D-SD), YeaKennedy (D-MA), YeaKerry (D-MA), YeaKohl (D-WI), YeaKyl (R-AZ), YeaLandrieu (D-LA), Not VotingLeahy (D-VT), YeaLevin (D-MI), YeaLieberman (D-CT), YeaLincoln (D-AR), YeaLott (R-MS), YeaLugar (R-IN), YeaMcCain (R-AZ), YeaMcConnell (R-KY), YeaMikulski (D-MD), YeaMiller (D-GA), YeaMurkowski (R-AK), YeaMurray (D-WA), YeaNelson (D-FL), YeaNelson (D-NE), YeaNickles (R-OK), YeaReed (D-RI), YeaReid (D-NV), YeaRoberts (R-KS), YeaRockefeller (D-WV), YeaSantorum (R-PA), YeaSarbanes (D-MD), YeaSchumer (D-NY), YeaSessions (R-AL), YeaShelby (R-AL), YeaSmith (R-NH), YeaSmith (R-OR), YeaSnowe (R-ME), YeaSpecter (R-PA), YeaStabenow (D-MI), YeaStevens (R-AK), YeaThomas (R-WY), YeaThompson (R-TN), YeaThurmond (R-SC), YeaTorricelli (D-NJ), YeaVoinovich (R-OH), YeaWarner (R-VA), YeaWellstone (D-MN), YeaWyden (D-OR), Yea
Speaking of James Madison quotes:
“Do not separate text from historical background. If you do, you will have perverted and subverted the Constitution, which can only end in a distorted, bastardized form of illegitimate government.” James Madisonhttp://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/j/james_madison.html
Speaking of false assertions and the revisionist historians that deny their own past:”If Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force, our purpose is clear. We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction program.”President Clinton, Feb. 17, 1998.Posted by: Republican |
———————————Clinton’s reaction to his statement.
On Dec. 16, 1998 Clinton along with the British started four day a bombing campaign which targeted weapons research and development installations, air defense systems, weapon and supply depots, and barracks and command headquarters of Saddam’s elite Republican Guard.
Talk about people who don’t want us to occupy their country.
Doubts Grow as G.I.’s in Iraq Find Allies in Enemy Ranks
By MICHAEL KAMBERPublished: May 27, 2007BAGHDAD — Staff Sgt. David Safstrom does not regret his previous tours in Iraq, not even a difficult second stint when two comrades were killed while trying to capture insurgents.
“In Mosul, in 2003, it felt like we were making the city a better place,” he said. “There was no sectarian violence, Saddam was gone, we were tracking down the bad guys. It felt awesome.”
But now on his third deployment in Iraq, he is no longer a believer in the mission. The pivotal moment came, he says, this past February when soldiers killed a man setting a roadside bomb. When they searched the bomber’s body, they found identification showing him to be a sergeant in the Iraqi Army.
“I thought, ‘What are we doing here? Why are we still here?’ ” said Sergeant Safstrom, a member of Delta Company of the First Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division. “We’re helping guys that are trying to kill us. We help them in the day. They turn around at night and try to kill us.”
“We want to _seriously_ _diminish_ the threat posed by Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction program.”
What?!? And not destroying it altogether? Is this the so_called “shaking the tree” strategy? How about Saddam himself, let him run free?
The courts of the United States have never been an “equal” partner in the balance of power between the Legislative, Executive and Judicial. It was designed and desired by the Framers that the courts have a minor role in comparison to the other 2 branches. The reason for that is simple- the courts are unelected and serve for life. The courts can issue rulings but they depend upon the other 2 branches of government to enforce the decisions they make and there have been times thoughout history when the other branches have refused to do so- such as when the court ruled the Indian Removal Act unconstitutional because it took the Cherokee’s property without due process or payment. The President ignored it and ordered the Injuns removed to Oklahoma anyway. The same happened during WW2 with the Japs when they moved to internment camps and their property siezed. While the Court has not been shy about putting reins on the other branches during peacetime, during times of war, they almost always defer to the President.
During times of war, the President pretty much has the power to do as he wants including the suspension of Hebas Corpus as Lincoln did during the Civil War. If people don’t like it, they can vote him out or they can vote in a Congress that, using the power of appropriation, can cut off funding for any activity the President wishes to carry out.
“Can it be true that any president really has such powers under our Constitution? If the answer is yes, then under the theory by which these acts are committed, are there any acts that can on their face be prohibited? If the president has the inherent authority to eavesdrop, imprison citizens on his own declaration, kidnap, and torture, then what can’t he do? “
Hmmmm…. Seems like the proposed coal fired new plant in Holcomb is causing governor leadership some problems.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/K/KS_FOCUS_COAL_FIRED_DISPUTE_KSOL-?SITE=KSSAL&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Allow the President to invade a neighboring nation, whenever he shall deem it necessary to repel an invasion, and you allow him to do so, whenever he may choose to say he deems it necessary for such a purpose — and you allow him to make war at pleasure. If today, he should choose to say he thinks it necessary to invade Canada, to prevent the British from invading us, how could you stop him? You may say to him, ‘I see no probability of the British invading us’ but he will say to you, ‘Be silent; I see it, if you don’t.’” – Abraham Lincoln
“There is none so blind, as him who will not see.”
– From a song lyric –
Well, I guess it is better than producing CORN based ethanol, but this stilll disturbs me that the feds will encourage farmers to grow ethanol crops with special subsidies.
Doesnt address at ALL the problem of building ethanol plants where there is not a sufficient supply of water to support them.
Russell anyone?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070528/ap_on_bi_ge/farm_scene_1
That a bunch of gutless Democrats were railroaded into voting for Bush’s illegal, immoral and anti-American policies does not make those policies any better.
Worst. President. Ever.
****
FrmGrrl–They’re going to pump the water until there isn’t any more water.
They’ve already sucked the Arkansas River dry.
It’s just a matter of time.
“We should not march into Baghdad. To occupy Iraq would instantly shatter our coalition, turning the whole Arab world against us and make a broken tyrant into a latter-day Arab hero. Assigning young soldiers to a fruitless hunt for a securely entrenched dictator and condemning them to fight in what would be an unwinable urban guerilla war, it could only plunge that part of the world into ever greater instability.
“I think it is vitally important for a President to know when to use military force. I think it is also very important for him to know when not to commit U.S. military force. And it’s my view that the President got it right both times, that it would have been a mistake for us to get bogged down in the quagmire inside Iraq.”
–Dick Cheney, Speech at the Washington Institute for Near East PolicyApril 29, 1991
Oh, wow! An Elephant Whopper of the Day, LTP-FTL! :)
Anyway, time to see dear beloved ones of mine. I’m outta here…
I wonder if this Memorial Day is the day when Bush apologizes for DESERTING from the National Guard during wartime?
Nah . . . I’m guessing the answer is “no.”
During times of war, the President pretty much has the power to do as he wants including the suspension of Hebas CorpusPosted by: Kev | May 28, 2007 at 08:29 AM
Kev,
Here is what Article 1, Section 9 of the Constitution says about habeus corpus:
“The privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.”
We haven’t been invaded, and we’re not facing a rebellion. Furthermore, Article 1 defines the powers of the Legislative Branch, not the Executive. Section 9 is titled “Limits on Congress.” The President does *not* have the authority to suspend habeus corpus.
Ethanol is the worst program to ever deceive the American Public.
We are only being sold on the Ethanol bit, because subsidy farmers turn out for elections. Ethanol is not the way to go for going green.
1. It pollutes and it has CO2 emissions comparable to gasoline.
2. It degrades very quickly and it cannot be pipelined, therefore adding to cost of transportation.
3. Without subsidies, ethanol would cost $6 a gallon, so we are paying that much for it now with all the billions of tax payers money funneled to welfare farmers.
4. It’s a food base crop, which causes that food base crop to skyrocket in price, hitting the poor in their pocketbook. It also trickles into the cost of meats as well.
5. If we used every acre of farm able land in the USA into corn for ethanol production, it would only meet 13% of our current consumption of fuel.
6. It has and extreme environmental cost and damage, from extreme water usage, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, soil erosion and etc. One square mile of irrigated corn crop does more damage to the environment then what an oil rig would do in ANWR.
7. It’s a net loss of energy. It takes more deisal and petroleum to farm corn for ethanol then what you get out of it.
8. Converting cars into Flexfuel or to run E85 takes very expensive metal alloys for the fuel tank and lines. And to top it all off, E85 in comparable to regular gasoline will cause your care to drop 15% in fuel mileage efficiency.
9. It’s being pushed by Bush and Cheney Energy Task Force. Would you believe them?
10. For all you Gorites out there, it doesn’t do anything to help stop Global Warming.
Don’t be fooled! Ethanol is a scam!
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/03/20020313-8.html
Q But don’t you believe that the threat that bin Laden posed won’t truly be eliminated until he is found either dead or alive?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, as I say, we haven’t heard much from him. And I wouldn’t necessarily say he’s at the center of any command structure. And, again, I don’t know where he is. I — I’ll repeat what I said. I truly am not that concerned about him.
http://www.projectcensored.org/censored_2007/index.htm
HALIBURTON SOLD NUCLEAR MATERIAL TO IRAN IN VIOLATION OF US LAW
During a trip to the Middle East in March 1996, Vice President Dick Cheney told a group of mostly U.S. businessmen that Congress should ease sanctions in Iran and Libya to foster better relationships, a statement that, in hindsight, is completely hypocritical considering the Bush administration’s foreign policy.
“Let me make a generalized statement about a trend I see in the U.S. Congress that I find disturbing, that applies not only with respect to the Iranian situation but a number of others as well,” Cheney said. “I think we Americans sometimes make mistakes . . . There seems to be an assumption that somehow we know what’s best for everybody else and that we are going to use our economic clout to get everybody else to live the way we would like.”
Cheney was the chief executive of Halliburton Corporation at the time he uttered those words. It was Cheney who directed Halliburton toward aggressive business dealings with Iran—in violation of U.S. law—in the mid-1990s, which continued through 2005 and is the reason Iran has the capability to enrich weapons-grade uranium.
It was Halliburton’s secret sale of centrifuges to Iran that helped get the uranium enrichment program off the ground, according to a three-year investigation that includes interviews conducted with more than a dozen current and former Halliburton employees.
Halliburton first started doing business in Iran as early as 1995, while Vice President Cheney was chief executive of the company and in possible violation of U.S. sanctions.
Capn — You know anybody at MSNBC?? Olberman would LOVE that story!!
Capn: There is a reason that the stuff you get on lib web sites isn’t picked up on. Even by the left leaning MSM. And it isn’t because they like Cheney.
It’s chock full of innuendo and weasel words.
http://www.cjrdaily.org/politics/jason_leopold_caught_sourceles.php
Here is a link regarding the main source of Capn’s llinked article. sounds like quite a “journalist”.
Ethanol may also increase the cost of oil/gasoline per this report:
http://newsbusters.org/node/12975
Joe, I did not know that Gore was on record supporting Ethanol. However, we agree it is a loser as an alternative energy source.
Never said that Gore was on record about supporting ethanol, Steven. I said that Ethanol does nothing to stop Global Warming.
I believe that Albert Gore Jr has been on record about stopping Global Warming. Would you agree?
That was my point. Not that Gore or his Gorite followers have taken up the Ethanol scam. The man made global warming dooms day in 10 years scam, maybe, but not ethanol.
Jason Leopold does have a tarnished record with the Rove indictment story that he stuck to for so long. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Leopold’s word at this time, for me at least, does not meet that standard.
“I believe that Albert Gore Jr has been on record about stopping Global Warming. Would you agree?”
Of course I agree with this statement. I do not agree that Global Warming is a scam. I am no expert on the subject, but people who know more about it than me (Ben, for example) seem to think the majority of peer reviewed science supports it.
And even as hard-heads like Republican concede there is nothing wrong with conserving oil in general, regardless of the accuracy of global warming predictions.
I know Global Warming exist. But saying the earth is doomed in the next decade because of it, and that it’s all contributed to man, is not true.
Joe Williams,
“But saying the earth is doomed in the next decade because of it, and that it’s all contributed to man, is not true.”
Correct, that’s not true!
Climate scientists do NOT say Earth is “doomed in the next decade”.They say if we continue “business as usual” emissions for the next decade, we go past the “tipping point” — then natural positive feedbacks continue the warning, no matter what humans do.
Climate scientists do NOT say that it’s “all contributed to man”.An increase in solar forcing has caused a small amount of the warming.
You should read what the scientists say, instead of bogus talking points.http://ipcc-wg1.ucar.edu/wg1/wg1-report.html
Plus what what was edited out of it.’Political Corruption of the IPCC Report?Changes in the Final Text of the “Summary for Policy Makers”‘http://www.meridian.org.uk/Resources/Global%20Dynamics/IPCC/index.htm
To respond to Mr. Williams request for an explanation of what a Leftist thinks – I can only address what this Leftist thinks……
WHAT THIS LEFTIST THINKS
I believe in the rights of all Americans to be free from discrimination based on race, color, creed, sex, national origin, religion and sexual orientation.
I believe that the treasure and resources of the United States should be used for the benefit of all Americans; therefore I support a progressive tax code.
I believe that it is the responsibility of the people of the United States to provide a social safety net for our citizens that face personal hardships.
I believe in fiscal responsibility and a balanced Federal budget.
I believe that the Armed Forces of the United States should only be used to address an imminent and clear danger to the citizen of the United States.
I believe that the United States should be an active and positive force in the UN, treating the sovereignty of all nations with dignity and respect.
I believe that the Federal government should not use our resources to promote or otherwise support any religion or religious function.
I believe that the primary purpose of the Federal government is to ensure that all of the citizens of this country are treated without discrimination, to provide for the basic infrastructure of our highway, waterways and public works and to provide for the national defense and general welfare of the American people.
I believe that the government should not interfere in the relationship between an individual and their doctor and the resulting treatment, whatever that may be.
I believe that the laws of the United States should reflect a consensus of the scientific and medical communities, and that there should be no laws enacted that counter that requirement.
Performance:-Auto manufacturers approve, and even recommend, fuel enriched with up to 10% ethanol for all cars.-Flexible fuel vehicles are designed to run on E85 (85% ethanol and 15% gasoline) — the cleanest-burning, renewable fuel available today.-Fuel enriched with 10% ethanol is manufacturer-approved for use in small engines, including power equipment, motorcycles, snowmobiles, and outboard motors.-Ethanol is the highest-performance fuel on the market, with an octane rating of 113 in its pure form. Indy racecars run on ethanol.-Ethanol-enriched fuel contains more oxygen — so it burns cleanerFuel enriched with 10% ethanol burns cleaner, helping to remove leave gummy deposits in the fuel system, so engines can run with optimal performance.-Enriching fuel with 10% ethanol helps it to burn cleaner and at a cooler temperature, which can add to engine longevity.Environment:-Ethanol is a clean-burning, renewable fuel.-E85 is the cleanest burning fuel available on the market today.10% ethanol-enriched fuel reduces carbon monoxide better than any other gasoline — by as much as 30%.-The use of 10% ethanol-enriched fuel reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 12 – 19% compared with conventional gasoline, according to Argonne National Laboratory.-Ethanol reduces tailpipe fine particulate matter emissions by 50%. These emissions pose a threat to those with respiratory ailments.-Ethanol is biodegradable, meaning it won’t harm groundwater in the event of a spill.American made:-Ethanol is blended into almost 50% of the U.S. fuel supply, mostly as E10 and E85.-Ethanol is made from crops grown in America, primarily corn and milo.-Today there are more than 110 ethanol plants across the country.-Ethanol replaces gasoline that would require the use of 600,000 barrels of oil a day.-Last year, the United States produced over 4.8 billion gallons of ethanol.-The U.S. ethanol industry supported the creation of over 160,000 jobs in all sectors of the economy in 2005, boosting household income by $6.7 billion.
And – contrary to Joe’s earlier claim “. It’s a food base crop, which causes that food base crop to skyrocket in price..” Ethanol is made from field corn, not sweet corn (which is most commonly consumed by humans). At current prices, the cost of a can of corn is impacted by about 3 cents.
WSC–
Wow, great post.
outlander–
Ah, yes, I remember about Jason Leopold’s Fitzgerald predictions now.
Still, one wonders why someone couldn’t follow up on the accusation of Cheney’s company to see if they have any merit.
It’s like when reporters literally ran after Gore to ask (when he ran for president the first time) if he had ever smoked pot.
Despite longstanding assertions (HW Bush himself hinted at it) that W snorted cocaine, not a single journalist could ever bring themselves to even ask the question. Ditto on the Larry Flynt story that Bush’s pregnant girl-friend got an abortion arranged by Bush family friends when it was still illegal.
The MSM can’t even ask those kind of questions . . . OF BUSH CO.
Look at the Edward’s hair-cut flap–how much do Bush’s hand tailored suits cost? How much does Laura Bush’s latest cut, color and perm from a stylist to the stars cost?
No so-called reporters will ask; no so-called reporters will report it.
BTW, W’s suits cost 3,000 dollars. Laura’s hair-do’s cost 700.
If Laura’s hair styling costs so much, why does she still look like the Joker from Batman?
Ethanol – its future really comes with further development of biomass feedstock instead of corn or other grain. Even feed corn comes from irrigated and fertilyzed land. Switchgrass; ‘crud’; etc does not.
As ksgolfnut notes, ethanol is biodegradable so it does nohave the prblem that MTBE does.
We’re now burning the stuff we feed the cattle that yummy steaks come from. A tasty Porterhouse isn’t supposed to give me sticker-shock merely because people can’t give up their SUV’s.
Man, if I have to give up steaks because some old guy in a midlife crisis has to drive a Hummer, well, I am going to be mighty pissed off.
Speaking of steaks, it’s time for me to get the flark outta this office and go grill up a couple.
Have a nice night, bloggers.
Could NOT have said it better myself!!
“WHAT THIS LEFTIST THINKS
I believe in the rights of all Americans to be free from discrimination based on race, color, creed, sex, national origin, religion and sexual orientation.
I believe that the treasure and resources of the United States should be used for the benefit of all Americans; therefore I support a progressive tax code.
I believe that it is the responsibility of the people of the United States to provide a social safety net for our citizens that face personal hardships.
I believe in fiscal responsibility and a balanced Federal budget.
I believe that the Armed Forces of the United States should only be used to address an imminent and clear danger to the citizen of the United States.
I believe that the United States should be an active and positive force in the UN, treating the sovereignty of all nations with dignity and respect.
I believe that the Federal government should not use our resources to promote or otherwise support any religion or religious function.
I believe that the primary purpose of the Federal government is to ensure that all of the citizens of this country are treated without discrimination, to provide for the basic infrastructure of our highway, waterways and public works and to provide for the national defense and general welfare of the American people.
I believe that the government should not interfere in the relationship between an individual and their doctor and the resulting treatment, whatever that may be.
I believe that the laws of the United States should reflect a consensus of the scientific and medical communities, and that there should be no laws enacted that counter that requirement.”
Here is a question for the American people: Oil supplies are getting tighter and we must reduce our imports on Arab oil. You have to make a choice. Choice is:A. Plan to pay, on a permanent basis, a price between $3.25 and $4.75 a gallon for regular.B. Agree to gasoline rationing allowing only a purchase of 20 gallons a week per registered vehicle.C. Require that all vehicles manufactured get at least 26 miles per gallon which would effectively ban large SUVs, trucks and most V8 engines.
Now you pick which of these is most appealing to you. My choice is C.
I wonder what the Military would be like if it only addressed “clear and imminent” danger to a citizen?
A big police force or perhaps a border guard?
Maybe some guys in tan shorts and tops with some beanie snappers.
But give them really cool sunglasses.
So, I’m guess that non-interference between a Doctor and his patient would include suicide. Or perhaps anabolic steroids or maybe medical marijuana prescribed QID or PRN.
Maybe some untested drugs…
I wish I were at the lake. I wish I were at the lake. I wish I were at the lake….
I wonder how much oil we’d save if we weren’t trotting hummers and jets across foreign countries.
Remember to keep king-troll Republican on “ignore.”
How do you do that “ignore” thing?
I wonder how much extra oil has the U.S. consumed because of the Iraq war?
A 1990 op-ed, with some interesting stats,’S90-26, Make Fuel Efficiency Our Gulf Strategy (PDF-68k)http://www.rmi.org/images/other/Security/S90-26_MakeFuelEffGulf.pdf“In 1989, the Pentagon used about 38 percent as much oil as the U.S. imported from Saudi Arabia, and estimated that its consumption could readily double or triple in a war.An M-1 tank gets 0.56 miles per gallon. An oil-fired aircraft carrier gets 17 feet per gallon.And no good outcome — in dollars, oil, or blood — is in sight.”
Facts:
* Politicians are catering to corn-growing states for votes in upcoming elections.* If ethanol were really better, it wouldn’t need government subsidies.* It takes as much energy to produce ethanol than you get when it is burned.* It takes a lot of fossil fuels to make fertilizers that help grow corn, run farms, transport fuel, process corn, etc.* Ethanol cannot be transported through pipelines because of degradation.* It takes a lot of land to grow the corn needed for ethanol production.* Ethanol does not reduce America’s foreign dependence on oil.* Ethanol production only benefits corn growers, farm equipment suppliers and politicians.
Another Global Warming Scientist leaps from the sinking ship of Antropogenic GW Alarmists.I Was On the Global Warming Gravy Train
By David Evans
“I devoted six years to carbon accounting, building models for the Australian government to estimate carbon emissions from land use change and forestry. When I started that job in 1999 the evidence that carbon emissions caused global warming seemed pretty conclusive, but since then new evidence has weakened that case. I am now skeptical.”
The rest of the story can be read here:http://www.mises.org/story/2571
For Clintons it’s all about Politics, errr… I mean money!
Largess to Clintons lands CEO in lawsuit. Case is a window on couple’s tiesMore on washingtonpost.com
Most viewed on MSNBC.comBy Matthew Mosk and John SolomonUpdated: 5:14 a.m. CT May 26, 2007
WASHINGTON – “For the past four years, the Clintons have jetted around on Vinod Gupta’s corporate plane, to Switzerland, Hawaii, Jamaica, Mexico — $900,000 worth of travel. The former president secured a $3.3 million consulting deal with Gupta’s technology firm. His presidential library got a six-figure gift, too.
Gupta, whose big donations to the Democratic Party earned him a Lincoln Bedroom overnight when Bill Clinton was president, has emerged as a key benefactor of Clinton’s post-presidency — and Hillary Rodham Clinton’s presidential candidacy.”
rest of article here:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18874222/
and………your point repuke?
Is there someone posting on the blog by the name of Republank?
aha! rofl!
Acknowledging by faux acknowledgment. Or “‘The denial of existence’ by Win Dow Pane”
Was that an 800 pound truth-telling Gorilla in the house!
“No, I don’t think so, but all of our bananas have seemed to have disappeared!”
We do have other problems to deal with right now.Excerpt:”President Bush, without so much as issuing a press statement, on May 9 signed a directive that grantednear dictatorial powers to the president in the event of a national emergency declared by the president.Directive NSPD-51 and HSPD-20 establishes under a new National Continuity Coordinator.
Undert this directive, if Bush determines a catastrophic emergency has occurred, he can take over allgovernment functions and direct all private sector activities to ensure we will emerge from the emergencywith an “enduring constitutional government.”
Iin layman’s terms, if Bush determines a national emergency has occurred, he becomes our dictatorsso he can direct any and all government and business activities until he declares the emergency is over.
NSPD-51/ HSPD-20 makes no reference whatsoever to Congress, sufggesting that the powersof the executive order can be implemented without any congressional approval or oversight.
So, a few days before the ‘08 election, if a bomb goes off, say, in New York,Bush will legally become Dictator Bush until he decides he no longer wants tobe Dictator Bush, which would be never. It’s a damn dangerous possibility.”
And not a peep in the MSM.
People, doesn’t this worry you more than your petty dislike of Hilary Clinton?
Bush wants absolute power for life – that’s why he’s not worried about his 28% approval rating.
Yes, let’s all panic now about the Continuity of Operations Plan (or Continuity of Government Plan)
…which has been a part of government operations since at least the Cold War, when President Dwight D. Eisenhower provided by executive order various measures which were supposed to ensure that the government of the United States would be able to continue in case of nuclear war.
This contingency plan was well known in military briefings that I attended and is a plan that is older than I am.
The new plan just revises and updates the “Presidential Decision Directive 67 of October 21, 1998″ that was (hold your breath now) during the Clinton Administration.
I mean come on folks, everyone has had a glimpse of this type of plan in all those Hollywood movies about what if a giant meteor falls, nuclear war, the invasions of aliens, blah blah…
(shakes head)
The final proof one will need to conclude that JM is Republican, or vice versa. Look on his website (one can stand it for a little while) – R does the same cornball conservative photoshop type cartoons that JM did.
Is admitting the truth just too difficult for some people? Apparently.
I don’t use Photo Shop. :)
So, what is your point Steven Davis?
So, what if you knew my real identity Steven Davis, then what?
Gonna spam my email, publish photos about my private life or general spread your mantra of Liberal hate throughout the hinter land?
Yes, people use graphics programs.
Amazing…I wonder if anyone else uses graphics programs on this Blog?
I do hope you aren’t an attorney Steven Davis, because the items you present as evidence would get you laughed out of court.
Republank, don’t you realize that you are just comic relief on this blog? You are just a joke, no one takes you seriously. Yesterday, the depths of your failings as a human being were made quite apparent with your trolling and nic-switching, but even before that you were nothing, no one and, worse yet, just a fool that was barely tolerated.
For whatever reason, you seem to think that you add something to the discourse.
I am sorry to say, after your uncalled for attack on Raptor, you have sunk to a level even lower than Fleetwood.
You can deny all you want, but you will still be a joke.
In the next few days, you will come back under another nic and start the process all over again.
But you will still be a fool.
Poor old Republank can’t even read. Or maybe he can’t think?
He thinks(sic) that “David Evans, a mathematician, and a computer and electrical engineer” (and a former carbon accountant) is a “Global Warming Scientist”.
Not to mention that Evans has been conned by old myths, like the CO2 time lag.
WSClark,
Republank’s lies, and dishonest tactics, should also be noted. Such as,
Republikhan aka Republican aka ‘blank’ posted under J M Walker’s nic at http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/2007/05/open_thread_25.html#comment-70812508
Most of it is copy/pasted, without quotes, from links at bottom of the post.
But he added the completely FALSE last paragraph claiming the Corps “lost the funding” — because he is too IMMATURE to admit he is wrong.
Note the errors and wording: 1997 should be 1996, Army Corp[s] of Engineer[s], and the odd “meaningful manner”.
He’s using his own LIES, humanevents.com, and a blog, after first claiming Congress and the Justice Dept as sources.http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/2007/05/dont_count_on_f.html#comment-70787370
As I said, the post on Raptor wasn’t mine. No one on the blog has the cajones to take me up on bet about that either.
I would never write that about Raptor who I consider a modern day noble Knight who rides his steed (motorcycle) to defend those against injustice and freaks like the Phelps. He honors our fallen military and is generally heads and shoulders above people who are all talk and no action.
Raptor gets it done bro.
Cosmos,
Nice try – but not even you can deny that David Evans was hired to write Climate Models for Australia. This is the bread and butter of the IPCC, climate models.
David Evans has seen the light about IPCC. That is, they are motivated by the grab of money and grants to further their own careers and political ambitions.
The IPCC is motivated by greed, not by science.
In the next few days, you will come back under another nic and start the process all over again.Posted by: WSClark | May 28, 2007 at 09:32 PM
Any bets on that Clarkie?
Perhaps you are feeling a little guilty about that post you made on Raptor as a blank name.
Perhaps Phillip Brownlee will confirm by email that I did not write that post Clarkie?
Then what?
I’ve notice that you Clarkie are the one who keeps bringing that post about Raptor up the most. Trying to weasel out what you done Clarkie? :)
So, Republank, how about your posting under XXX’s or J M Walker’s nic or the other trolling you did?
Is that a responsible way to frequent the blog?
And, by the way, no one believes you that someone trolled YOU post that crap about Raptor.
We all know better – can’t prove it without an IP addy, but it was obviously you. You never disclaimed the post until you got busted.
Loser.
“Perhaps you are feeling a little guilty about that post you made on Raptor as a blank name.”
Nice try, Republank. Raptor is a rider, so am I. Despite our political difference, I would never even consider trashing a member of the Patriot Guard in the manner that you did.
If you think I stole your nic to post that, report me and have me banned. If not, shut up.
Everyone knows you did it, but you don’t have the stones to admit it.
Loser.
“So, what if you knew my real identity Steven Davis, then what?
“Gonna spam my email, publish photos about my private life or general spread your mantra of Liberal hate throughout the hinter land?
“Yes, people use graphics programs.”
My point was not that you use graphic programs, but the content of the cartoons — some things are convincing in terms of identifying the author/creator.
I don’t really care who you are. My point was that the toons are just one more piece of converging evidence that you are a lying POS.
Thank you for your helpful response in demonstrating my point.
I was out of town over the weekend. I did want to ask you why you were wearing a bag over your head and posting as “blank”? Were you ashamed of something you had done?
“Perhaps Phillip Brownlee will confirm by email that I did not write that post Clarkie?”
To whom, Republank? You? Do you expect us to believe YOU? We already know that you trolled XXX and J M Walker, so you have ZIP credibility.
Loser.
Quite frankly Clarkie, I didn’t even notice that post until it was brought up by, (hold your breath) WSClark!!
There was no nic stealing, all one had to do is click on the link and it would have brought them to the identity of the poster which was me.
It was payback for J M Walker constantly referring to me as Repuke.
I treat his name and most of his comments with respect and that’s how he repays mutual respect, with name calling.
He deserved the shot in the mouth.
I don’t know where XXX thing comes from, I think he is losing it.
So Clarkie, you can stop squirming now, I’ll find out the truth for you.
I’ll simply email Phillip Brownlee and ask one thing,
If the IP of the poster who made the comments about Raptor is the same IP as mine, I will come back to the blog and let you read Brownlee’s email.
Raptor should know by know, that 99 percent of the trolls are the Democrat Libs.
Proof?
When the Fisters went away, there were no more trolls.
When the Firsters returned, the trolls came back.
Nuff said, case closed.
“When the Fisters went away, there were no more trolls.
“When the Firsters returned, the trolls came back.
“Nuff said, case closed.”
GOOD THING you’re not a lawyer, con, you would be definitely be laughed out of court. Coincidence does not equal causation.
And are you saying it is okay to troll people if they piss you off? Real good set of values there.
Like anyone would trust you to post the truth, Republank.
What you are saying is YOU will contact WE Blog and they will tell YOU who the attack artist that slandered Raptor was and YOU will report that back to US.
Yeah, that will work.
EVERYONE will believe you.
You have already admitted to trolling and posting under nics other than your own, and you want us to trust you to give us the truth.
Yeah, right.
I suppose that you have an inside line on millions of dollars in a Swiss bank that belong to a guy from Nigeria, and all he needs…..
I think Cap’n’s right, RepubliCON is one of those pathetic people who feels important if he is arguing with people and they are taking the trouble to acknowledge him. Let us all sweep him into the dustbin of persona-non-gratas and ignore this very ignorable person [sic].
Republank,
Thank you for proving that you don’t know the difference between “carbon accounting” and “Climate Models”.
Get ready world!The undeniable proof that three DECADES of peer-reviewed climate science is wrong can be found at the Ludwig von Mises Institute.http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Ludwig_von_Mises_Institute
What a blue-flaming joke…
Gee, you know, the one person who always stirred the pot and taunted us when we were gone was Repube. During that time, the trolling stopped. If it were one of us doing it- it’s likely we would have continued. But someone wanting to make us look bad would have stopped. And he’s also the first one who began giving us crap when we came back.
Pube, you act more and more psycho every day.
Agreed SD, let’s just agree to igore Republank and let him wallow in his own pigsty.
Republank is now relegated to non-person status.
End of story!
Ignore him cosmos. He deserves zero attention from non-brain dead individuals. He has established what he is all about. No further comment is necessary. Please don’t feed the trolls.
Looks like someone taking the high moral ground, which bush has conceded: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070529/ts_nm/guantanamo_usa_kidnapping_dc_3;_ylt=AngJpj1sdOtYZIx7B2G1zOllM3wV
ReplagiarBlank is only happy when he’s diverted the entire thread to himself.
Perfectly consistent with antisocial personality disorder.
Don’t give it to him.
It’s okay Clarkie, Steven Davis, CapnAmerica…I emailed Phillip Brownlee to find out who was behind the “Raptor” post. Either he will tell me something about the post or he won’t.
But the real poster of the “Raptor” Post, should be nervous, very nervous. :)
It is highly unlikely that Brownlee is going to say who is behind any of it. If you had been at the meetup, you’d know this.
I suppose Repub didn’t really call Walker and XXX baby killer’s either?
Funny how all these people that who say they are ignoring me, aren’t ignoring me. :D
The 800 POUND TRUTH GORILLA IS IN DA HOUSE!
:D:D:D:D:D:D
No, just Walker Tom Paine, in retaliation of J M Walker calling me “Repuke” every day since I’ve been on this blog.
But I suppose that is okay with you, right Tom Paine?
I know I know, do not feed the juvenile troll. However, someone has to point out the obvious here:
“Raptor should know by know, that 99 percent of the trolls are the Democrat Libs.
Proof?
When the Fisters went away, there were no more trolls.
When the Firsters returned, the trolls came back.
Nuff said, case closed.”
Uh huh. Of course, there is another obvious reason why such “trolling” (btw, impersonation is too narrow a definition of “trolling”) stopped when the “fisters” left.
Because the most popular targets for such “trolling impersonations” had departed.
One hypothesis for causation (the “fisters” were the trollers)is not more obvious than the other (the “fisters” were the favorite targets of the trollers).
But then, this IS the same individual who plagerized someone else’s work to support his claim that he, personally, had read Dante’s Inferno.
I’m done now. No (more) soup for you!
800 pounds? Seems accurate.
Gorilla? Hmmm….I’m thinking something a little more barnyard, a little more porcine. But definitely not a gorilla or any other kind of primate.
Could golf nut be a bigger idiot?
Uh, feed corn is only one step removed from human consumption. And not even one step in lots of cases.
Where the hell does he think corn syrup, corn meal, corn flakes, hell, every corn product BUT Delmonte on the can and Birdseye in the freese comes from FIELD CORN.
But of course, ethanol and the related subsidies COULDNT be harmful if the corn growers are only driving up the food prices, fertilizer prices, land shortages, water shortages….
Jesus wept.