You mean like this, Carlos?

Taking the day off, going to the Bulls game tonight.

Back to torture

So, now it appears that BushCo. Inc. was torturing to get confessions they knew were phony, i.e., the ridiculous to assume even from the beginning "link" between lifelong and hate-spitting mortal enemies, bin Laden and Hussein. That is disgusting to the nth power, shades of the Inquisition and Stalin.

And something tells me Cheney ordered torture in no small part just because he liked it.

Meanwhile, back in Frostbite Falls...

Anyone notice this little tidbit from Madame Secretary?

I think we cannot underscore [enough] the seriousness of the existential threat posed to the state of Pakistan by the continuing advances, said Clinton, adding that the nuclear-armed nation could also pose a `mortal threat' to the United States and other countries.

Great. While BushCo. Inc. was off screwing the pooch in Iraq, they nonchalantly looked away and set the stage for nuclear weapons to fall into the hands of radical groups. Nice work there, guys.

The Torture Memos: A Question of Justice

Regarding the release of the torture memos: The CRIMINAL Bush regime is putting forward a full-court press -- Dick Cheney (former acting president who has a hard time LETTING GO), Michael Hayden (former NSA chief), and Michael Mukasey (last GWB AG) -- to spread lies, propaganda, and misinformation pounding the false premise that the knowledge imparted of their "enhanced interrogation techniques," a.k.a. TORTURE, makes the U.S. less safe. That is patently FALSE.

First, these TORTURE techniques had already been out there in the public domain and President Obama had already ordered that they are not to be used, therefore the information could be declassified.

Second, the revelation that the 9/11 mastermind was waterboarded 183 times, for an average of 6 times a days every day for 31 days, and another Al Queda suspect 83 times, for a total of 266 waterboarding sessions, raises questions not only about the purported effectiveness of such torture, but debunks any argument that torture is an effective interrogation "technique" in the first place.

Third, there's been some misunderstanding about who can authorize and/or prosecute or investigate these torture incidents. Michael Izikoff of Newsweek noted that his sources close to the President informed him that this authority rests squarely in the Justice Department, and that Attorney General Eric Holder is seriously considering whether or not to open a criminal investigation into the Bush regime's use of torture.

Fourth, Congress has a parallel responsibility, under the separation of powers, as the legislative branch of government to conduct its own investigation and hold hearings on the matter. One issue that is clearly a prerogative of Congress is the impeachment of federal judge Jay Bybee for authoring one of the torture memos when he was Assistant AG in the Bush regime. Among other things, Bybee wrote "waterboarding could not be said to inflict severe suffering." The New York Times has called for Congress to impeach Bybee in a 4/19 editorial:

The investigation should start with the lawyers who wrote these sickening memos, including John Yoo, who now teaches law in California; Steven Bradbury, who was job-hunting when we last heard; and Mr. Bybee, who holds the lifetime seat on the federal appeals court that Mr. Bush rewarded him with.

These memos make it clear that Mr. Bybee is unfit for a job that requires legal judgment and a respect for the Constitution. Congress should impeach him. And if the administration will not conduct a thorough investigation of these issues, then Congress has a constitutional duty to hold the executive branch accountable. If that means putting Donald Rumsfeld and Alberto Gonzales on the stand, even Dick Cheney, we are sure Americans can handle it.

See, it worked, right? It worked! It's in the paper!

Don't ask me why (my own personal penance, perhaps?) but I do occasionally listen to right-wing gasbag radio. Today was so SO rich. The king gasbag was going on about the torture thing and Cheney opening his foul yap (WHY isn't he in prison??). He then nearly wet himself over an editorial in the Washington Post about how great the enhanced techniques torture worked.

The piece? Why it's by Marc A. Thiessen. I'm sure he is either an expert or at least a disinterested observer. And his evidence? A memo from THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT saying how great torture worked. Wow! Right??

Well, surprisingly, no (we could discuss the 183 episodes of waterboarding if it worked so well, but that is another post for another time. Today's topic is "consider the source." )

First of all, Mr. Thiessen was last gainfully employed as the scribner who put words into THIS mouth:

Alex, may I have "CYA" for $1000?

And of course, the Justice Department in 2005? Who ran that?? The guy on the left who previously wrote the torture memo that the guy on the right wanted.

That's right-wing radio, and the right-wing mindset for you. Thanks for torturing in MY name.

Well, I learned something today

While taking the boys to the high school, one could not help but be stunned by the sight of every police car in town at the school entrance. I thought perhaps it was a preventative measure on the Columbine anniversary. Honorable Son #1 looked at me like I had an axe in my head. "Dad, it's 4-20," he says. Still dumbfounded, I asked again. "4-20, dad. Google it."

I did, and I had no idea. Learn something new every day!

For those as naive as me, try here.

Quote of the Day: President Obama's Remarks to CIA Employees

"I understand that it’s hard when you are asked to protect the American people against people who have no scruples, and would willingly and gladly kill innocents. Al-Qaida’s not constrained by a constitution. Many of our adversaries are not constrained by a belief in freedom of speech or representation in court or rule of law. But I’m sure that sometimes it seems as if that means we’re operating with one hand tied behind our back, or that those who would argue for a higher standard are naive. I understand that. You know, I watch the cable shows once in a while. What makes the United States special and what makes you special is precisely the fact that we are willing to uphold our values and our ideals even when it’s hard, not just when it’s easy; even when we are afraid and under threat, not just when it’s expedient to do so. That’s what makes us different. So yes, you’ve got a harder job and so do I. And that’s OK, because that’s why we can take such extraordinary pride in being Americans. And over the long term, that is why I believe we will defeat our enemies because we’re on the better side of history."

President Obama in remarks to CIA employees -- 4/20/2009

Hugo Chavez Sells a Book!

The book that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez gave President Obama at the OAS summit as the cameras rolled, Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent, by Uruguayan author Eduardo Galeano (referenced in my post below), IS NOW, get this:


NO. 2 ON AMAZON'S BESTSELLER LIST! FRIDAY, IT WAS NO. 60,180!!
(
source: CNN news story based on running sales rankings on Amazon)

The 1971 book details centuries of exploitation of Latin America by Europeans and the United States, and has been through multiple reprints, the latest update being in 1978. WOW ... I'd better order my copy now while supplies last and prices are good.



PS - I just placed my order. Better hurry and get yours! :)

Let's Hear it for New Beginnings

BOLIVARIAN HANDSHAKE

President Obama is spreading a little North American good will and cordiality among former sworn enemies of the criminal Bush regime in South America. It's all part of the President's exceedingly successful effort to mend frayed relations between the United States and the rest of the world. This weekend it's his "good neighbor policy" with our friends to the South and the Caribbean, one that could actually be worth more than the irony and suspicion such slogans have been met with in the past by Latin Americans. The first glimmers of a thaw in relations with Cuba are in the offing, a recognition that nearly 50 years of a U.S. embargo against that tiny island nation has done nothing to improve the lives of Americans or Cubans over the decades, much less our relationship with the rest of the hemisphere's nations, all of whom have normal relations with Cuba.

And so, the President made the first gracious gesture by approaching Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela, and shaking his hand. President Chavez returned the gesture by making a beeline for Mr. Obama, who was seated at the other end of the room, and presenting him the book, Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent, by Uruguayan author Eduardo Galeano. The 1971 book details centuries of exploitation of Latin America by Europeans and the United States. Unlike the moron who preceded him, President Obama is a student of history and well aware of the centuries of U.S. exploitation of Latin America, which began in earnest with the Monroe Doctrine. Significantly, Chavez's gesture was indicative of just how much this craven history is ingrained in the psyche of Latin Americans. To say Latin Americans have ambivalent feelings and a love-hate relationship with the United States is to put it mildly, in many cases. In fact, one reason Fidel Castro remains popular in the democratic republics of Latin America is that he's been thumbing his nose at the mighty U.S. imperialist behemoth to his north from his tiny island-state of Cuba for the past 50 years. Such anti-American chutzpah trumps ideology every time with Latin Americans.

Besides, let's face it, Hugo Chavez articulated what plenty of politicians around the world and in this country were feeling but dared not say, when he told the UN General Assembly in 2006 that "the devil came here yesterday," referring to George W. Bush. "It still smells of sulphur today," he added, waving his hand as if to dissipate the odor.

If he called George W. Bush the devil, perhaps he has cause, ya think?

Here's a leader who was elected president of Venezuela in 1998, twice reelected in 2000 and 2006, and in 2002 foiled a CIA coup attempt authorized by Bush and Cheney against him. Hugo Chavez has replaced Fidel Castro as the American right's Latin American boogieman, now that Fidel is languishing in a Cuban hospital wearing a Nike track suit and blogging entertaining anti-American screeds (not so much now since Obama became president). Despite the right wing's hysterical anti-socialist/communist phobias aimed at President Chavez, the fact is the leader of the "Bolivarian Revolution" has never committed a single hostile act against the United States. That is, unless the wingnuts consider -- which they did -- giving poor people in the U.S. home heating oil at affordable, subsidized rates, a sinister Chavez plot to undermine this country from within. As we witnessed in those bizarre Teabagging protests a few days ago, it seems the spirit of McCarthyism and unbridled xenophobic paranoia is never far below the surface in this country.

Finally, President Obama respectfully greeted the president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, who had the audacity to harshly condemn the imperialism of foreign capital, mostly American, that had been plundering his country -- the poorest in South America -- for centuries until he was swept into office by a populist democratic uprising and put an end to the gringos' chokehold over Bolivia's rich natural resources. For one thing, Bolivia sits atop the world's largest reserves of Lithium, the essential mineral for the batteries that will fuel the cars of the future, holding forth the promise of a bright future for the long-suffering Bolivian people.

And so let's hear it for new beginnings, and a rekindling of friendships among peoples that should never be enemies. Today, Lucifer resides in Dallas and that stink of sulphur is indeed finally dissipating, to be replaced by the competing aromas of a delicious Latin American churrasco and, dare I say it, a good ole Texas barbecue?

A LITTLE LIGHT READING

OBA CHAVEZ

OBA EVO

You do the math

From a great post by Matt Taibbi about the teabaggers:

Oh, and there’s one other thing. I heard today from Steve Wamhoff of Citizens for Tax Justice. He had an interesting tidbit to offer on the teabagging movement. According to his research, 39% of respondents with incomes below $30,000 told the Gallup agency that they felt that federal income tax levels were “too high.” Which is interesting, because only 32% of respondents in that income category will pay any federal income taxes at all on their 2008 income.

Burr-ainless

Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) is in a little bit of hot water as of late, after it came out (through amazing detective work, as Burr himself admitted to it) that when the financial crisis first hit last year, he encouraged his wife to take as much cash out of the bank as she could. Well, via the ATM. He wasn't crazy enough to suggest that she, y'know, go to a teller and withdraw money (that's so 1980's anyway). Now, he clearly did this because he saw the risk of financial collapse, had a brain cramp (or was just an idiot) and forgot about the FDIC, but didn't want to represent his constituents any and maybe help them too. Fine. He's an idiotic, selfish, greedy bastard, but we knew that already (hint: he's a Republican). It gets better.

From CNN: But a NRSC spokesman defended the remark, "It's little wonder Americans want to keep their hard earned money away from the grips of Washington."

Because that was the real financial risk, right? It's not that credit was frozen, but that the black man who stole the presidency was also going to go to banks in the middle of the night and take your money away from you. Yegads, these people are stupid.

It's not just Texas

Welcome Georgia to the crazy party.

But on April 1, your Georgia Senate did threaten by a vote of 43-1 to secede from and even disband the United States.

It was not an April Fool’s joke.

Read the text of the bill. It's an exercise in bureaucratic insanity.

From The Land of Lincoln: A Shout-Out to Texas Gov. Rick Perry

This is dedicated to our favorite secessionist, Governor Rick Perry of Texas: Congratulations, Ricky … you beat out Sarah Palin’s “First Dude”!

The Band



PS – Oh Governor Perry … I think President Obama of Illinois just did a flyover Texas on his way to Mexico.

Sniff, sniff … Buh - Bye.

A Teabagger With COJONES (Not Tea Bags ...)

Here's a gentleman speaking truth to ignorance, stupidity, racism, hatred, bigotry, you know, the MAINSTREAM Faux News demographic of brain-addled rednecks:



Hey, hey, right wingers, as KO said, "ya just got PUNKED!"

To the guy in the video, I salute you, sir.

An aside to Cavuto, Sean "Baby Jesus" Hannity, and the rest of you ignorant guttersnipes: STOP LYING. Don't you know you can't get away with your wingnut bullshit any more?

Stay classy, teabaggers

h/t DailyKos

Good point

The local paper has a little write-up on the teabagging going on today in good-old Champaign-Urbana. This group seems (at least from the organizers) to be more of the libertarian (government is just bad) variety, rather than springing from the Fox/Hannity/Beck (all liberals are evil) brand of insanity. Anyway, at the end of the article, in which the protesters call for an end to all income taxes and a reduction in government, someone leaves this priceless comment:

"I dig the irony of tax protesters using a public park."

Says it all really, doesn't it?

"Andy Martin"

I have posted on this cretin before, but he's back bloviating on Faux News.

The right-wing blogger and frequent Hannity guest known as "Andy Martin" is really Anthony Martin-Trigona. That name is familiar to anyone in Illinois, and particularly those of us who went to the University of Illinois. He was a Champaign-Urbana slumlord, and like me, received a law degree from the University of Illinois. However, Mr. Martin-Trigona was denied a license to practice on character and fitness grounds. State psychiatrists described him as having a "moderately severe character defect manifested by well-documented ideation with a paranoid flavor and a grandiose character."

He is also a perennial political candidate, running for every office around. He really imploded in Florida when he named his campaign committee for a state legislative run "Anthony R. Martin-Trigona Congressional Campaign to Exterminate Jew Power in America."

THAT'S your Faux News "journalist."

Two things for which there are no rational explanations

I have never seen a cogent argument on either of the following points. If you have one, please let me know:

1) The U.S. policy toward Cuba and

2) LEGAL opposition to same-sex marriage.

And remember, as every teacher throughout history has stated--ANSWER THE QUESTION ASKED. I'm not asking if we should give a wet sloppy kiss to the Castros. I am only asking if you can justify treating Cuba differently from countries ruled by unpleasant self-important despots? AND if government is sanctioning relationships between TWO CONSENTING ADULTS, please justify limiting THAT sanction to heterosexual relationships.

Follow-up to the Thomas post below

I always felt that the judiciary (culminating with the Supreme Court) was to protect the minority and the individual. The majority gets its voice through the election of Congress and the President, but the Constitution was created with explicit protections for the minority, and it's up to SCOTUS to do that. When the judges disregard that role, the rights of the individual become endangered.

Um, "Teabagging" Wingnuts: This Is a Family Show, right? RIGHT?

Apart from the weird psycho-craziness of the participants in so-called "teabagging" protests, presumably, irrationally, against President Obama's rollback of tax rates to those of the 90s Clinton years; apart from the usual regurgitation of ethnocentric paranoia and conspiracy gone wild -- President Obama wasn't born in the U.S., he's a socialist, he's a Muslim, he's a terrorist, etc. etc. -- the most perversely hilarious thing about these book-burning fanatics ("let's burn all the books about evolution," screams a madwoman), these so-called "TEA-BAGGERS" whose idiotic protests are based on the ignorant misinterpretation of their own history regarding the Boston Tea Party ... IS

THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT "TEABAGGING" ACTUALLY MEANS! Hahahaha!!!


A Little background from Paul Krugman:

"One way to get a good sense of the current state of the G.O.P., and also to see how little has really changed, is to look at the “tea parties” that have been held in a number of places already, and will be held across the country on Wednesday. These parties — antitaxation demonstrations that are supposed to evoke the memory of the Boston Tea Party and the American Revolution — have been the subject of considerable mockery, and rightly so. But everything that critics mock about these parties has long been standard practice within the Republican Party.

it turns out that the tea parties don’t represent a spontaneous outpouring of public sentiment. They’re AstroTurf (fake grass roots) events, manufactured by the usual suspects. In particular, a key role is being played by FreedomWorks, an organization run by Richard Armey, the former House majority leader, and supported by the usual group of right-wing billionaires. And the parties are, of course, being promoted heavily by Fox News."