Not only did they help cause this disastrous economy with their tax cuts for the rich, allowing of massive corporate fraud, ignorance of the coming mortgage crisis and laws encouraging shipping jobs overseas, the Bush administration is now working to shut up those who have fallen victim to their terrible policies, redefining the term "unemployment".
In the wake of a sixth straight month of job losses, official unemployment numbers reaching 5.5% and a recent estimate that nearly 10% of workers in the United States were jobless, the White House on Thursday redefined the term unemployment, classifying "bitching and moaning" as a full-time occupation and thus lowering the percent of out of work people to zero.
Over at AfterDowningStreet.org, they've posted a video showing their protesting during Bush's speech today at Montecello. It's called, "Why we interrupted Bush at Montecello."
I was strongly opposed to the decision to invade Iraq in the first place, but since the war began I've been conflicted about what should be done next and need guidance. On the one hand the cost of the war will only increase the longer it continues so America should pull out, but on the other hand if America pulls out now, all the expense of the war (both in money and lives) would have been for nothing, so perhaps America should stay until it leaves Iraq better off than it was before the invasion. One can be opposed to making a mess without being opposed to cleaning it up. Starting the war was a huge mistake, but some would argue America should turn lemons into lemonade, or as Dr. Phil might say "if you can't make the right decision, at least make the decision right."
Today, at Monticello, the home of the man who wrote our list of grievances against King George and justified our declaration of independence from the British Empire, the man who famously declared that "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants," the current tyrant King George the Imbecile presided over a new citizen swearing-in ceremony.
No spinning was heard from Mr. Jefferson's grave. There was, however, a small disturbance of which Mr. J would have approved, I feel sure.
On this July 4, I don't really have much to add to all that has been said over the past few weeks. What I would like to contribute instead are a few songs. Well...it's actually the same song sung in two variations: once by the person who wrote the original, but felt moved by politics to sing it in a different way; another by a different person who also felt moved by politics to sing it in his own way--with the hope that nobody would ever have to sing it again.
I love this song. It is, in my mind, the greatest folk song ever sung. Hard to say exactly why I feel that way. For some reason, every year on July 4 I find myself looking for it, listening to it, and trying to understand why it means so much to me.
I am a person of faith. That repels some, it warms the hearts of others. So your natural response would be, this is going to be a diary praising Obama's expansion of Bush's Faith based office. This diary will not do that. I am a Christian, but I also profoundly believe in the separation of church and state. I believe it's important to respect the rights of Jews, Muslims Hindus, Buddhists, atheists and agnostics. The right to believe or not believe in a particular religion is an impotrant freedom, and I think Barack Obama by expanding on Bush's Faith Based initiative, further blurs the line between the separation of church and state.
First off, a happy Independence Day to all. Hopefully it'll be a joyful day of beach, barbeques, baseball or some such other fun activity spent with friends and family alike.
I just want to note how great this day has started since I woke up (slightly groggy) this morning. The first thing I watched on the "boob-tube" was W being very entusiastically and very loudly heckled in Charlottesville during a "new citizenship" ceremony. It was almost surreal...words like "fascist" and "war-monger" were audible for all to hear. What a great country (and what a great lesson for our new fellow citizens) that even our President too can be heckled in such a fashion.
Summary: Kossack "Fishoutofwater" has a diary up on the World Bank's report about the real reason food prices have been going up across this planet, leading to food riots and increased poverty.
I would like to expand on this diary by pointing out one thing which screamed out to me, the explanation for why it was "necessary" to hide this report, the silver lining in this cloud of starvation.
Many are declaring that they are independents this year, most as a protest because (gasp) a black man defeated their candidate who happened to be the first woman presidential candidate, at least one for a major party. (If anyone else had been their candidate there would be cries of racism but hey these so called Democrats are not bigots, they would never stoop to racist remarks, but supporting a Black man for President is going a bit to far).
How do these so called declarations of independence compare to that one 221 years ago?
Down in the bowels of Fox News lurks Ambush Central, the sacred room where the real decisions are made. Here the Fox News brain-trusts gather for their regular 5:30 am meeting. Seated at a large oval table are Steve Doocy, Gretchen Carlson, Brian Kilmeade, Fred Barnes, Brit Hume, Mort Kondracke, Mara Liasson, Bill O’Reilly, Alisyn Camerota, Sean Hannity, Alan Colmes, Juan Williams, James P. Pinkerton, Neil Cavuto, Liz Trotta. Hovering over the table are the Ghosts of Joseph McCarthy, Ronald Reagan, George W Bush (brainless), Karl Rove (heartless), Dick Cheney (soulless), Donald Rumsfeld (gutless), and Christmas Past (joyless). At the head of the table sits Roger Ailes.
In a disturbing report on Wednesday, CBS News offered Americans a glimpse of their health care future under President Bush, John McCain and their Republican allies. Detailing two cases of patients dying untreated and unnoticed in New York and Los Angeles emergency rooms, the story shows the exceptions that may increasingly become the rule. Call it the Republicans' "Emergency Room" health care plan.
I've been thinking about this topic for several days now, and it seems a perfect essay for Independence Day week, the day we published our declaration of what democracy means:
Goverments ... deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, [and] whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it....
Rather than require a revolution to effect a change of government (though Jefferson thought it might be a good idea every 20 years or so), We the People crafted a Constitution which provided a mechanism for the peaceful determination of who shall hold power in our name. And the "consent of the governed" ensures that all power is temporary and held on good behavior, for the people will, at some point, give that power to someone else. Power passes.
Obama's recent call to expand and renew George W. Bush's government outreach to faith-based charities has been widely denounced as one of several expedient quick-steps to the center.
In fact this initiative is consistent with longstanding tenets of Obama's thinking -- or, if you want to be cynical about it, of his positioning. His July 1 speech in Zanesville Ohio introducing this plan touched several interlocking core Obama themes.
Patriotism over these past 8 years seemed so inappropriate. Well, first there was the loss of a balanced budget - I mean like that! He no sooner had picked up the hammer and the little glass piggy was in shards all over the place.
