Monthly Archives: April 2005

Have the Democrats finally given up?

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My mother forwarded me an email from the Children’s Defense Fund, decrying the Budget Resolution passed the night before… the following paragraphy caught my attention:

The vote in the House was 214-211, and the vote in the Senate was 52-47.
In the House, 195 Democrats, 1 Independent, and 15 Republicans voted
against the conference report on the resolution. All those in favor were
Republicans. In the Senate, 43 Democrats, 1 Independent, and 3
Republicans voted against the conference report, while 52 Republicans
voted in favor.^[1]

What’s the first thing that strikes you about the numbers above?
I’ll tell you what stood out for me: the Democrats were UNANIMOUS in their opposition. Not a single defector. The Republicans were NOT. Think about it: George W. Bush has accomplished the impossible – the Democratic Party is now MORE UNIFIED than the Republican Party.
You’re probably wondering why the subject of this posting is “Have the Democrats finally given up?”

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Cut Wut?

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I like to start arguments by asking right-wingers just WHAT government spending they think should be cut. (And what the hell does “big government” even MEAN?)
Any right-wingers reading this, please leave a comment — what would you cut and how much money would that really save?
And remember, if you think it saves money to cut from repairing highways, for example, please include in your comment why you think this won’t be offset by other costs. Like state taxes going up to cover necessary repairs, or the cost of lawsuits for damaged vehicles and accidents. Also, the cost in unemployment and welfare, etc. for laid-off workers. (Not to mention the ripple effect because those workers aren’t spending at corner stores, etc.)
Another thought on this subject. Bush’s $400 billion yearly deficits require NEW SPENDING of $20 billion for every year after or so to pay the interest…

Retaliation and Intimidation

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Lawyer Who Told of U.S. Abuses at Afghan Bases Loses U.N. Post,

A United Nations human rights monitor who accused American military forces and civilian contractors last week of abusing and torturing prisoners in Afghanistan has been told his job is over.
[. . .] The day before, he had released a 21-page report saying that Americans running prisons in Afghanistan had acted above the law “by engaging in arbitrary arrests and detentions and committing abusive practices, including torture.”

Corrupt Is As Corrupt Does II

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Lawmaker Should Step Aside in DeLay Inquiry, Groups Say,

Campaign watchdog groups said on Friday that it would be inappropriate for Representative Melissa A. Hart to oversee any potential inquiry of the House majority leader, Tom DeLay, because she had received $15,000 from his political action committee and held a fund-raiser at a restaurant owned by a Republican lobbyist at the center of a growing corruption scandal.
Ms. Hart, a Pennsylvania Republican, has been named by the House ethics committee chairman to look into accusations about Mr. DeLay, who is under scrutiny for overseas trips organized by Jack Abramoff, the lobbyist. Mr. Abramoff’s far-reaching political work is now the subject of a federal grand jury investigation. Campaign records filed with the Federal Election Commission show that Ms. Hart held a fund-raising event at his restaurant, Signatures, in Washington.

If you live in Rep. Hart’s Pennsylvania district, please call her office and ask her to step aside from this inquiry. If fact, ask her to resign for not stepping aside after taking $15,000 from Delay.

Dark Humor

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[Got this in my email from my Mom. I needed a laugh. -Thomas]
Bush Wins Papal Vote
Reuters – 18 April 2005 0953 GMT
VATICAN CITY – In a turn of events that stunned Vatican officials, U.S. President George W. Bush has been named to succeed John Paul II as the next leader of the Catholic Church.
For the first time in history, the College of Cardinals employed electronic voting machines to select the next Supreme Pontiff. Bush won by a margin of 2,528 votes, despite the fact that only 115 Cardinals took part in the process.

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