These are my mundane daily ramblings. For something
less spontaneous, I maintain The
Samuel Johnson Sound Bite Page (over 1,700 Johnson quotes),
with a weekly essay springing from
one of Johnson's quotations.
Restrictions at Lion Country Safari because some people are just
too dumb for words; a bad poll question, and reminders of some
which have been worse; a good air strike.
Bush has cited briefs to Congress as a sign that extending
wiretaps was OK, but hasn't proven that Congress approved them;
Bush cherry picked poll results about "upbeat" moods in
Iraq.
Bush's speech has a number of valid points, but he blows it in
terms of talking to people; like me, Colin Powell is put out
about the melodramatic surprise European countries are showing
over secret CIA jails.
If Clinton had admitted what he did with Monica and said it
didn't matter, would you have been angrier? And how does it make
you feel when Bush says he knew what he was doing when he signed
orders to broaden wire tapping without court approval? Plus,
something you might not know about Morgan Fairchild.
Bush's executive order allowing spying by the NSA on domestic
phone calls is a bald abuse of power; why unions are still
valuable, even for those who are better off.
Stupid blogging from Cliff May; Bush tries to provide candor in
the face of sinking poll ratings, but fails to take
responsibility for all that he's wrought.
Poland can't believe it's done what it knows it did with CIA
prisons; how the White House uses the Red Cross as a shield when
it wants, and then obstructs it other times.
Larry Kudlow's mistaken measures of prosperity; the former head
of the Senate Intelligence committee speaks out: the Senate did
not have the same intelligence as the White House; writing
useless articles about things you'll never own; Iraq and El
Salvador.
Aaron Brown fired from CNN, replaced by the "passionate" Anderson
Cooper; David Brooks' divisive post on diligence from
the Democrats; American Muslims taken aside at a Giants game
because they were seen praying together.
Bad morale at the Department of Homeland Security; the New York
Times' Judith Miller claims she was given security clearance by
the Pentagon — was this a reward for her stoking the fires
of war?
The White House accuses the press of being distracted by "side
issues like religion" after having brought it up themselves. And
why is Harriet Miers' religion more relevant than John
Roberts'?
Al Qaeda and game theory; Harriet Miers needs a nanny problem, of
course, but why is the White House asking senators to go to bat
over such a questionable nominee? Plus, Harriet Miers and
religion; complacency from the Atlanta Braves; changes in the tax
deductability of mortgage interest may be on the horizon.
Bush would be in a stronger position had he listened to people
like Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohammed el Baradei; the Republican
party membership needs to insist on reform among its
leadership.
Bush's Cincinnati speech on the mushroom clouds; Senate passage
of a restriction on maltreatment of detainees, contrary to White
House desires to torture at will; Stephen Rittenberg wants a gun
in his hand.
Kathryn Jean Lopez's assumptions that Democrats will always be
obstructive; John Roberts as "Top Judge" sounds like the "1066
and All That" reference to Britain as "Top Nation."
Choosing between National Guard troops in Louisiana and in Iraq;
Tom Delay won't accept indictments from Democrats; anyone
belittling Tom Delay's prosecutor as merely a local prosecutor
undermines law enforcement; truth and the calamities of war.
The New York Times provides cover for the House committee which
refused to consider victims of natural catastrophes when it
drafted legislation on bankruptcy. Yes, that lib'rul New York
Times.
If Laura Bush has trimmed her husband's sails, maybe that's for
the good; Bush cancels his trip to the storm, but for the wrong
reasons; will Tivo be degraded?
Giuseppe Petrosino, smasher of gangs; not even the Pentagon knows
what the war in Iraq is costing; attention to victims of Katrina
may distract from the constantly-rising poverty levels under
Bush.
Workarounds for the New York Times' new premium service;
President Bush's bustle in reaction to hurricanes; post-hurricane
contractors want lawsuit protections; the truth is politically
motivated.
The government's response to Katrina was so bad, Clinton broke
with tradition to criticize his successor; Lindsey Graham's
under-the-radar smear of Associate Justice Ruth Bader
Ginsburg.
Reminder that the CIA told us Iraq is recruiting and training
ground for urban terrorists; why I subscribed to the New York
Times' new premium service; Bush pleaded ignorance on WMDs when
he himself created the ignorance; failures at Tora Bora don't
bode well for ambitious projects for New Orleans.
Bush's failure to read the newspapers led to a three or four day
ignorance over Katrina's impact; efforts to compare Katrina's
death count to those from Europe's heat wave need to use an
appropriate denominator.
Mike Brown will haunt Joe Lieberman; would Bush have reacted more
quickly to Katrina had it been 2004? Plus, a William Klein photo
of a diverse group of musicians.
Yes, give the hurricane survivors debit cards, but how about
giving them access to goods at government prices, too? Plus, the
overreaching judiciary and Sandy Berger; the back and forth on
government reactions to Katrina points to the need for a
genuinely independent inquiry.
Judging Bush's Katrina performance through an appropriate lens
for an incumbent president; Bush's post-9/11 actions were ample
preparation for his hideous performance in Katrina's wake; a
Thomas Pynchon passage which is relevant to hurricane Katrina;
the Pentagon finds more who think Mohammed Atta was identified
in 2000, but can't confirm key details.
White House August fumbles suggest that Karl Rove is otherwise
engaged; Hurricane Katrina may not change Bush's vacation habits;
may need to reinstate the draft; my failure to recognize I was
walking in Johnson and Boswell's footsteps.
Dig deep for hurricane Katrina victims; Bush's new rationale for
staying in Iraq; using WordPerfect for html coding; the ongoing
increase in poverty statistics under Bush.
Pray for New Orleans; wishful thinking over strategies for Iraq;
a blogger recruits comments on another site, when the site where
the recruitment appears doesn't accept comments; a member of
the House of Representatives confronts dead silence when trying
to talk about Social Security; British warnings on Iraq.
Arguments against the vaunted "flypaper strategy" from a
conservative blogger; Chuck Hagel's prescience about Iraq in 2003
may put him in a good position for the elections; still no
progress plan from the President.
New laws limiting states' ability to require specific emission
standards might be skirted through additional taxes on though
who drive the really bad vehicles; Bush's new argument for war
in Iraq (honoring those who have already fallen) creates a
perpetual cycle.
Pentagon sloganeering on tombstones; military recruitment ads
aimed at parents; James Wolcott whittles down Michael Ledeen;
anti-Semitism vs. the Project for a New American Century.
Iraqi constitution doesn't bode well for a democracy built on
American ideals; back-pedaling on the project that supposedly
identified Mohammed Atta in 2000; Clinton's efforts to get Osama
bin Laden kicked out of Afghanistan; conservative columnist wants
a tight lid on U.S. embarrassments; announcement of a coming CNN
program.
Too soon to talk about claims that a Pentagon group identified
Mohammed Atta in 2000; interesting suggestion from Kevin Drum;
John Roberts' conflict of interest while interviewing for the
Supreme Court slot.
It looks like the White House will bypass an opportunity to
require greater fuel efficiency for SUVs, minivans, and light
trucks — a bone-throw to Detroit.
Although the Bush Administration wanted Iraqi scientists to
testify freely, it sent "monitors" whenever someone from its own
administration testified before the 9/11 Commission.
The Pentagon touts the results of a survey from a biased sample;
use a right-wing web site to email your Senators on Judge
Roberts; pub hours in the UK.
Ignored lesson of 9/11: we are a nation of suckers (at least,
those who voted for Bush, anyway...); in an effort to avoid the
lessons of 9/11, the White House cold-shoulders the 9/11
Commission as it tries to do follow-ups.
What were the motivations behind leaking SCOTUS nominee John
Roberts' pro bono work on a gay rights case? Plus, more
intense bombs in Iraq remind of al Qa Qaa; Bush reverts the
operative phrase to "War on Terror."
A former CIA officer is suing the government over an early
dismissal which he claims was due to their not believing him
about Iraq abandoning its nuclear program; a study observes
that African-Americans are few and far between on the Sunday
morning talk shows.
Treating religious questions equally; Josh Marshall using
fewer words in his posts? Plus, John Roberts' prior opinions on
affirmative action might not sit well with Clarence Thomas; Bob
Novak's failure to comprehend the full weight of his actions is
stupid.
Press bias alert: the press presumes Democrats will oppose any
Supreme Court nominee from Bush, and if they don't it's
attributed to White House brilliance; Alberto Gonzales' admission
that he gave Andrew Card advance warning of the Justice
Department's investigation into the leak of the identity of a CIA
agent is another example of the brazenness of the lawless group
of thugs now in power.
You need a break, see you Monday; the New York City Police
Department will begin inspecting backpacks on their way into the
subway system, and if the music on you iPod sucks it's all over;
Orrin Hatch uses the same rhetorical tools which Dick Durbin
used, but will anyone criticize him for it?
What do they suggest when they write that John Roberts attended a
"nominally Catholic" high school? Plus, Costco pursues a
different strategy to retain employees and customers; Supreme
Court nominees and age discrimination.
The way character assassination was levied on Scott Ritter is
informative when thinking about Joseph Wilson; a new web site to
ignore; when judging Joseph Wilson, how much credence should be
paid to how Democratic senators agreed to the Senate Intelligence
Committee's assessment of Iraq intelligence?
An open thread; newscasters who read whatever they're handed;
deriving standards for Bush and Rove that will provide standards
for the future; Rove and Novak.
The White House's Karl Rove problem is real, the question is how
to evacuate; laughable headline over Bolton; clarifying the Roman
Catholic Church's position on evolution; Tom Toles.
Jon Stewart's take down of Scott McClellan, the Washington Press,
and all the stupidity of Rove-gate; stupid forced choices; how
Bush supporters behave, and how they're not criticizing Rove;
London now safe for our troops.
How to judge the President's disinterestedness over Karl Rove; on
"double super secret background" Karl Rove checks off his last
minute tasks before vacation; the British stiff upper lip after
the tube bombings.
How Iraq is not like the American Revolution; conservative
talk show hosts going to Iraq to find their kind of news;
intolerance and inconsistencies with American ideals.
Osama Bin Laden wanted Bush to win, according to kidnappers; are
reminders of the Ten Commandments an insult to their staying
power? Plus, segregation on store shelves.
WMDs nowhere to be found in Bush's speech; the Orwellian aspects
of Bush's speech, and his earlier remarks that the credibility of
the UN was at stake (his polls say something else).
Iraq as tar baby, and what to do about it; the New York Times
actually gives ink to experts who think it's unlikely that 13 CIA
operatives charged in an Italian operation will go to
trial.
How to further the progressive cause; the reason why there are so
few Democrats in Congress; diversity in Tampa tamped down, and
needs a supermajority to recover.
Weather too fine to stay in; Daily Howler on fixing the
intelligence around Iraq; brave Karl Rove; timelines for Iraq are
wrong, criteria for success aren't.
Karl Rove is not some witless blogger, and since we won't be able
to get him to resign or apologize, maybe we can continue to use
him as a wedge; Tom Toles.
The CIA has concluded that Iraq is a training ground for urban
guerilla terrorists; repeated mendacity from Scott McClellan; the
Downing Street Memo smells far truer than false.
Innumeracy in reading statistics about gay marriage in the
Netherlands; noting the passing of Gene Miller, a journalist who
fought against the unfair convictions of inmates on Florida's
death row; another suicide bombing in Iraq; time management
principles; Happy Father's Day!
Conservative visitors missing in action; so called liberal bias
in the media; the House member who instigated "Freedom Fries"
reverses course on Iraq; will Larry King talk about the Downing
Street Memo, or Michael Jackson?
Far fewer terror convictions than the government says, but that
doesn't stop the trumpeting; a respected British judge comes out
against the US and UK ginning up fear in order to violate
international laws.
Kerry released all his records, and now it's time for the
anti-Kerry bloggers to admit how wrong they were; Senate hearing
closed because the GOP didn't like what it was
hearing.
Gore supported a lock box, and now so does the White House;
Greenspan's lack of concern for the local effects of real estate
bubble popping is more evidence of "screw the Blue State
voters."
Kerry's records (sarcasm); Hindrocket's problems with those
who rely on newspapers instead of Fox; are anti-abortion
laws being crafted so as to make judges look too
liberal? Plus, White House retreating from its efforts
to replace El Baradei at IAEA.
Bush support plummeting, but too late for the election; Bush and
Blair's denials on the Downing Street Memo suggest some follow up
questions; continued evidence of White House corruption of truth
makes you really doubt the intelligence of those who voted to
re-elect Bush.
The September 11 Commission is rejoining the effort to see its
recommendations get followed; the GOP can't stand independent
opinions in its ranks; Hezbollah showing in Lebanese elections
should make one wonder what Bush gets credit for; the world is
twisted and bent.
GOP twists its own opinions into the mouths of the Christian
Science Monitor; Digby; David Brooks thinks liberal policies have
been Europe's downfall, but doesn't examine what conservative
policies have done here; huge Iraqi insurgent bunker discovered;
White House approach to the truth is not that the truth is foul,
but the problem lies in those who report the truth.
The Downing Street memo is important, but for those who are awake
it's only confirmation (links to prior examples of the Bush
Administrations tampering with evidence).
Americans who voted for Bush, and 1930's Germans; if the EPA
can't monitor itself, anyone thinking businesses can be
self-regulating is naive; Bush and veto threats; the Downing
Street Memo, the New York Times, and somnolence of the American
public; Afghan prisoner abuse.
Scott McClellan's sudden inability to talk about what happens in
foreign lands; New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman
disregards the conclusions of American military
brass.
A Democrat proposes a payroll tax increase to help Social
Security, but it might not be necessary; a Democrat puts forward
an idea on Social Security, and all of a sudden someone who's
been calling for a plan shrinks back; using the Social Security
trust fund to finance government spending is actually a good
thing; Scott McClellan tries to act as if the White House wasn't
involved in a decision, when the strings on the puppets are
easily seen; Bill Frist's lack of perspective, back and
forward.
Why I won't miss Dan Okrent as the New York Times' public editor;
Bolton's difficulties are his own fault; would Blair and Bush be
where they are if a memo's contents were better
known?
Still not impressed with iPods; United Airlines kisses off its
pension obligations; Bush's twisting of the intel on Iraq; George
Mitchell rightly warns about the end to checks and balances if
the GOP pursues the nuclear option; what action to report when
John Tierney says carnage isn't newsworthy?
State Department stonewalling over John Bolton; Paul Krugman on
how the rich have fared under Bush; US outlets just starting to
pay attention to the process of Blair's early decision to join
Bush in warring with Iraq; Dutch students ask Bush genuine
questions.
Tom Faranda's views on Social Security; al Qaeda biggie captured
in Pakistan; marketing the death of Pat Tillman: the brass knew
it was friendly fire much earlier than they let on.
Social Security and privatized accounts; moving on to the
humanities; the Washington Post questions Bush's mandate six
months after everyone else; more car bombs in Iraq.
Moving on to the humanities; John Bolton's views on international
justice might be construed as an argument against capital
punishment; John Bolton profile and resume.
Bush talks about Social Security benefits growing when he wants
to cut them back from their scheduled growth; how to take credit
for cutting the trade deficit in half; Bush still didn't offer a
plan on Social Security; surviving spouse benefits; Bush returns
to his loser phrase of "hard work;" why Social Security surpluses
don't sit; Ivory Billed Woodpeckers found; Duelfer knows we're
not safer with Saddam gone because it was only bluster; Tom
Toles' view of the picture of the week.
Changes in opinion over 20 years are like dog bites man; Duelfer
report (the Iraq Survey Group) finds no evidence that Saddam
Hussein hid WMDs in Syria.
Colin Powell's back-channel commentary against John Bolton;
Hindrocket thinks Hillary Clinton is somehow a relevant
comparison for John Bolton; "Social Security: The Phony Crisis"
is required reading.
Time magazine's cushy article on Ann Coulter; Donald Luskin
losing big in a stock market simulation; the risk of terrorism
has grown, in spite of Saddam Hussein's downfall and capture;
what will make Richard Lugar relent on John Bolton?
The House of Representatives has decided that getting rid of the
Estate Tax is more important than fixing Social Security;
Giuliani can't make it as a GOP candidate for President; partisan
politics suggests it's best to keep Tom Delay around.
Calendar quiz; bloggers who complain about having to rely
on press reports; American Catholics get slapped by Cardinal
Law's prominence in the Pope's funeral services; a blogger's
failure to retract his big goof.
Bush's innumeracy is worse than Jethro Bodine's; deliveryman
stuck in elevator for three days; Senate Majority Leader Bill
Frist distances himself from Tom Delay.
Senator John Cornyn of Texas rationalizes violence against
judges; Tom Delay and Brit Hume ignore the separation of powers;
World Net Daily taken in by an April Fools gag; Charles Rangel on
Bush.
Radio silence; General Sanchez told Congress a lie about torture;
inconsistencies in assumptions about Social Security; judge
chastises President, Congress for stepping on the judiciary over
Terri Schiavo; web "endorsements" that have silly points aren't
strong endorsements.
Cats; death sentence thrown out over use of the Bible in
deliberations; pandering at a Cheney event; twisting the
sentiments of attendees at Social Security events.
Saudis allowed to fly after 9/11, during air shutdown; media
over-coverage of Terri Schiavo; another Vatican response to The
Da Vinci Code; Pentagon ignores recommendations to prosecute
soldiers implicated in detainee deaths; Jeb Bush's agencies
almost had a confrontation with local police at Terri Schiavo's
hospice.
Where to spread caring about life, beyond Terri Schiavo; even the
UK points to US abuses of detainees; support for private Social
Security accounts down among core support group; Tom Toles
cartoon.
Is Social Security's long term health better in this year's
projections? Plus, key dates accelerated in this year's Social
Security Trustees' report; light posting; rapid responses in the
Terri Schiavo case.
Terri Schiavo vote (only three Senators) further evidence of a
coup; have more died due to the failure of American Catholic
Bishops in talking about the death penalty? Plus, Bush cuts his
vacation short to sign rush legislation on Terri Schiavo, but
hasn't on other occasions; happy birthday Tom
Tomorrow!
Computer simulations question the performance of the stock market
as a replacement for Social Security; fewer insurgent attacks on
US soldiers in Iraq; documentaries mentioning evolution aren't
getting shown so often, over protest fears; our depleted military
forces; Connecticut's ex-governor gets a lighter sentence than he
bargained for; Senate thuggery over Terry Schiavo.
The supposed costs of delaying action on Social Security;
arguments that Social Security is "old" need more substance;
C-SPAN's misguided attempt at balance over a Holocaust
lecture.
Musing on the Irish as a people; even after four years,
Bush has no plan on how to fix Social Security;
Republican-controlled Senate avoids budgetary restraint
move.
Mano a mano against Yeats; Bush, without a plan, sounds like the
carping opposition; how does privatization help Social Security's
solvency issues? Plus, MTA delaying any ban on subway
photography; low support for Bush's handling of Social Security;
George Will's errors.
Sharing the video game "Burger Time" with my daughter; Senator
Rick Santorum's failure to grasp the national nature of the
childcare issue; more skeletons in Tom Delay's closet;
privatization and stock market pragmatism.
National assent to participate in Social Security; increase
in new jobless applications; impatience over mid-East progress;
Nightmare at Paddington Station; blog calm.
The profits of privatization for companies wanting a boost in
their stocks; another winter blast; Bush's failure to secure an
extension of the assault weapons ban allowed terrorist suspects
to procure the dangerous weaponry; must you feel Social Security
faces a crisis if you recognize the funding gaps?
Bush continues his trail of divisiveness with his nomination to
the UN ambassador post; Luskin's poor thinking over Social
Security; privateers arguing that transition costs will be easily
borne; Tom Toles cartoon.
Clinton's views on Social Security misrepresented by a key Senate
Republican; errors by NBC reporter David Gregory; privateers have
a shortage of facts; credit card rate hikes based on all your
relationships; Mary-Kate Olsen sets fashion trends by not
dressing as expensively as she can.
Why merely having something up on your web site may not be
enough; Cato misses an opportunity to explain; Alan Greenspan's
demonstration of political hackery.
The government is overclaiming the true presence of marshals
on air flights; China takes the opportunity to point a human
rights accusation back at the U.S.
Who wrote Boswell's "Life of Johnson"? Plus, less insistence on
privatized carve out accounts from the White House; AP article
fails to report the true costs of a transition to privatized
accounts; the Department of Homeland Security is doing too little
to help assimilate Mariel prisoners back into South Florida
communities.
A blogger who allows no comments praises the dialog in another
blog's comments; Blair may have agreed to join the US in a war
against Iraq as early as April, 2002; members of the House of
Representatives aren't holding enough town halls during their
recess.
Frank Luntz's 160 page playbook; insufficient explanation of a
Social Security chart at the White House web site; drawing
conclusions on the productivity of the prosecution of the Valerie
Plame case; monitoring the press at Bush events; White House
suppresses good news out of Iraq.
Campaigning for Brit Hume's resignation; South Korea diversifying
its portfolio of foreign currencies so as to have fewer US
dollars, and dollar value drops; an attack on the
AARP.
Hunter Thompson; a Supreme Court case on the Ten Commandments,
brought by a homeless man; media's willingness to cover Dick
Morris but not Jeff Gannon; tax increases implied by the
alternative minimum tax; blogger demonizes the Democrats while
arguing against restoration of voting rights for
felons.
Live blogging Nancy Grace on "Larry King Live" (just kidding);
fiery response to civil emails; low balling the Social Security
transition costs by starting the counting before the transition
even starts.
Rejections of Social Security privatization will be more
convincing if they come after listening; link to Swiss snow
photo; Jeff Gannon may have known about Iraq war initiation in
advance; Social Security calculator and a cartoon.
False alarm over a possible connection between Jeff Gannon and
the White House; Fox News is bad for democracy; effects of tax
increases give no guidance on what to do about Social
Security.
Brit Hume should resign, since Dan Rather and Eason Jordan are
also atoning for their sins; arguing for privatization, Cato
Institute guarantees what it can't; Bush misrepresentations of
Social Security in South Carolina and Pennsylvania.
Bush violates oath of office when questioning the Social Security
Trust Fund; Brit Hume twists FDR's words and should be
investigated; what if Social Security sold its bonds before Bush
can default on them? Plus, conservative web site continues its
obsession over John Kerry's military records; Happy Chinese New
Year wishes.
Columnist reinvokes the "crisis" word; Rice wants a new
relationship with Europe, glossing over how she hurt the old one;
Juan Cole beats Jonah Goldberg senseless.
How other countries do our torture for us; Bush's abysmal
explanation of the costs underpinning Social Security; David
Frum's disregard for the bonds in the Social Security Trust Fund;
Iraqi theocracy; Bush raising taxes, because expenses have to be
paid for.
Sparkle; baseball is in the Bible, not football; conservative
pundit tells the truth about the Thrift Savings Plan; weather
report; Cheney seeks to allay fears over an Iraqi
theocracy.
Writer's alert: how Nicholas Kristof should have revised his
column in the face of an admitted counter-argument; Juan Cole
smacks down Jonah Goldberg; Bush has delayed taxes, not cut them;
New York Times killed an article on "Bush's Bulge" for fear of
influencing the election; political cartoons at Social Security
Choice are plain wrong.
Under the separation of powers, how can the President declare
anything is off the table? Plus, judge allows gay marriages in
NYC; a key concept regarding the Social Security Trust Fund is
missed by a pundit at NRO; job growth disappoints Wall Street for
the third month in a row; Social Security changes are offered not
because of need but because of perceptions in political leverage;
deceptive ad on Social Security privatization; two South Florida
papers have no Social Security coverage on their web site front
page; Enron provoked rolling blackouts by deliberately shutting
down plants; political cartoon compares Democrats to Iraqi
insurgents.
Social Security as is provides more than Bush's plan;
privatization won't fix Social Security shortfalls; how the White
House invents news; anti-privatization doesn't mean anti-reform;
State of the Union speech suffered from obvious credibility
problems.
Marines miss recruitment quotas in January; State of the Union
speech reactions (several); stock market growth over the last 75
years; a privatizer admits the political impact of taking Social
Security away from Democrats; using African-Americans as a
bargaining chip on Social Security parallel to how al Zarqawi was
used in UN discussions to invade Iraq; Republican Senator only
sees torture memos as "perceived sin" at the White House;
blogging about everything as quickly as possible makes no
sense.
Reasons you can't claim vindication over Iraqi elections; Social
Security reform isn't how you help African-Americans; thanks the
Scots for low bloodshed in Iraq; the race card and Social
Security; gratitude over the Iraqi elections; crisis and problem,
as terms in the Social Security debate.
Social Security privatization's profit implications for current
rich stockholders; unfair charges of hypocrisy from those who
campaign for privatization; endorsing democracy in Iraq;
mischaracterizations of the bulk of the left from the moderate
Bull Moose.
Unanswered questions on privatization of Social Security; Bush's
low standards for "success" in Iraqi elections; Bush's need to
spend jillions on PR to promote his programs; what pundits don't
think about in the President's mood.
The Club for Growth's site on Social Security doesn't want your
comments, so there goes the dialog; Social Security is not an
asteroid which will destroy the planet; Bush's continued doom and
gloom over Social Security's future; Bush's numbness over being
called a liar; profiteering on the price of pharmaceuticals;
voting against Rice may be ineffective to the outcome, but it
still matters; reject Alberto Gonzalez.
Burns' night; al Zarqawi: they never mention that the US chose
not to take him out before the war; Slate incompatibility with
non Microsoft browsers? new federal budget, already showing a
huge deficit, omits large line items like Iraq; Clinton looks for
common ground over unwanted pregnancies.
Linked by Powerline; Bush's use of Moynihan in the debate over
Social Security goes back at least as far as last October;
Democrats accused of using scare tactics over Social Security
reform; how Alberto Gonzalez helped keep Bush's DUI arrest
quiet in later years.
Atrios = Pat Buchanan; using Social Security to break up the
unity in the Republican Party; Bush approval ratings tank
further; very cold from the blizzard, links to snow
photos.
Mortor; coverage of Bush's inaugural was so biased, his funeral
couldn't be worse; the failure of "New Media" to remember
Condoleezza Rice won't be the first African American Secretary of
State (you have to go all the way back to her immediate
predecessor); Iraq rape story unraveling; White House labels all
dissent as petty politics; Bork weighs in on the judiciary's
efforts to assert its constitutional role.
Outgoing Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage's regrets
over Iraq; future opportunities from an anti-gay judicial
decision in Florida; Bush & co. are needlessly roiling the public
over Social Security; what did Rice mean when she accused Saddam
Hussein of cavorting with terrorists? He pranced?
War mongers don't think Boxer's criticisms of Rice landed;
Rice's balderdash; world in greater fear now, from Bush; Rice's
failure to recognize the ongoing need for diplomacy; WD40
on bar toilet seats in the UK; Supreme Court doesn't fall
down a much feared slippery slope over gay sex.
The shifting arguments for Social Security privatization are
parallel to the shifting arguments for invading Iraq; benefits in
the solvency of Social Security are more likely to come from
benefits reduction or increased revenues than from
privatization.
Understanding the percentage of payroll which goes to
Social Security; the end of Kerry's candidacy leaves a vacuum for
a singular Democratic voice; Presidential rhetoric over Social
Security; Bush sees his re-election as his moment of
accountability over Iraq.
Bush talks about Social Security and "generational betrayals,"
but he betrayed generations with his tax cuts; bloggers getting
additional moneys, but it's no scandal.
Social Security rhetoric ratchets up; candor from conservatives
regarding WMDs in Iraq; columnist complains about Rather's words
in accepting responsibility; administration back-pedaling over
the Iraqi elections; resource for learning about additional
liberal blogs; neighborhood blogs.
Tom Ridge too close to lobbyists as Homeland Security was
starting up; a call to renew the hunt for Bin Ladin, at NRO;
calls for better natal care; Australia will not apologize to a
citizen just released from Gunatanamo; with the hunt for WMDs in
Iraq over, let's not forget to thank our war blogger
friends.
The imminence of the Social Security shortfall is overstated by
the White House; desperation by the insurgents in Iraq; Osama;
the White House leaves the door open for funding journalists who
see things their way; partisan aspects of the Social Security
debate; Washington DC must pay for inaugural security out of
Homeland Security funds.
Bush must have forgotten Ukraine, because they're leaving Iraq;
Tucker Carlson's name quickly taken off CNN web site; Armstrong
Williams lies in session with the Washington Post; constitutional
amendment proposal: no term limits for our President, but we also
get recall votes.
Recognizing unsupported rhetoric in the debate on social
security; Armstrong Williams and Samuel Johnson; Armstrong
Williams' hypocrisy over Richard Clarke; link to a funny
picture.
No, I won't
really be live-blogging the detrimming of our Christmas tree; J S
Bach and "Master and Commander;" New York Times is considering
charging for access to online content; Bush and large government;
site's host problems apparently resolved.
Changes at CNN
foretell lessening the liberal voice; Bush only wants good news;
country stars supporting tsunami relief; understanding
privatization schemes demands clarity in terms.
Changes in House Ethics rules; make Republicans more aware
of the extremism of their leadership; blogger inaccuracies
in CBS "Memogate;" going soft on Tom Delay.
Bush even lies to the Pope; Republican leaders in the House of
Representatives considering setting key ethics provisions aside;
Google news search warning; vacationers still going to tsunami-
hit regions; happy new year wishes.
