Powerful images

I'm watching CNN's broadcast of Howard Dean's endorsement speech of John Kerry. Dean's a hell of a stump speaker, full of energy and hope and passion. Damn, I hope that power can Kerry over to the November election. :-)

Yesterday, I watched the 9/11 Commission hearings, in particular Richard Clarke's apology to the survivors of the victims of 9/11 and the most telling moment: when Clarke testified that "...the reason I am strident in my criticism of the president of the United States is because by invading Iraq . . . the president of the United States has greatly undermined the war on terrorism."

This was a stunning statement and it rocked the hearing room. The Republican member of the Commission had no further questions, no retort. And even the Bushies are silent on this subject, instead trying to besmirch Clarke's character. But they'e getting tongue-tied. Cheney says Clarke was "out of the loop," while Condi Rice says he was "deeply involved" in the pre- and post-9/11 activities.

The fact is, many others who were in the loop support Clarke's view of the Bushies' fixation on Iraq immediately after 9/11. Recall that Wesley Clark asserted this some months ago, and Bush's former Treasury Secretary said the same thing. Finally, the Commission has heard similar testimony from another intelligence officer:

"Patrick Lang, a former head of the Middle East section of the Defense Intelligence Agency, said that Clarke was perhaps too 'shrill' in his complaints about Bush. But Clarke's analysis about the Bush administration, Lang observed, is correct.

"'What he's talking about is these guys were not interested in al-Qaida. They wanted Iraq.'"

Richard Clarke for Christ

If you need to turn to an image, a visage, of someone who's unwilling to put with the sacrimonious crap that these days passes for truth, try Richard Clarke. He speaks in short sentences, he speaks truth.

And he'll become a martyr to a cause--of truth.

What B.S.

The Nine-Eleven Commission's hearing, being telecast publicly today and yesterday, are singularly uninformative on the subject it's supposed to be investigating. Mealy-mouthed bureaucrats talking in circles, dodging direct questions, not asking direct questions, just plain trash, full of catch-phrases and fluff.
Don't bother to watch it. Watergate it's not. Maybe when Clarke testifies this afternoon, but so far nada.

A day of superlatives

Gasoline at historically high prices, stock market indexes at yearlong lows, and credit card debt is at an all-time high. And that's just the good news.

Student George W. Bush

A professor who taught Bush at Harvard speaks. Not just illuminating, frightening.

Fun, fun, fun

One of the joys of blogging is making up a catchy title for the post. My practice is to write the post first, spending that time deliberating on the title and hopefully (but hardly always) coming up with a clever headline.

But none of my titles is as clever as this one from this Blah3 post, which calls attention to Croatia's newly-announced equivocation about sending troops to Iraq. The headline: "Coalition of the dwindling."

Bush is delighted by the Israelis' attack on the Hamas cleric

because it has ignited Hamas against the US and has therefore given us a new enemy. This is implicit in Bush's latest pronouncement on the subject.

Believe me, as much as I would like to think that Bush is sincere about bringing terrorism to an end, and that his failure to succeed plays into the hands of those of us who want to address the causes of terrorism rather than making "war on terr'r," I now appreciate that the opposite is true. Bush has no interest in having terror cease. It feeds his presidency, it justifies his calls for common defense and cements his role as a "war president" and so to keep a handle on his re-election.

Alarming numbers

This data is freaky. Only because the Far East governments (Japan and China), not individual investors, who know better, are buying US debt instruments. The governments, of course, are doing so to keep the dollar from plummeting and so to avoid harm to their exports to the US. But at some point these governments may decide that enough's enough, that cutting their losses is better than continuing to ride a losing horse. When that happens...

What does it take

To get Bush out of office? His former Treasury Secretary, and now his former terrorism czar, state on the record that Bush made war against Iraq because of his obsession with Saddam Hussein, not as part of a war against terror. This, by the way, dovetails precisely with the emerging proof that Bush tailored the WMD evidence to give a justification for the invasion.

Going to war because of a personal vendetta, spending the peoples' money, sending their children to death to further a personal agenda--these are what ancient, corrupt kings and emperors did, always, as we know, leading to the downfall of their reigns.

Let's hope history repeats.

The Hydra

So, today Israeli forces killed a Hamas leader, the idea being if they murder a prominent leader of Hamas they will damage the movement and will thereby be able to reach peace with the Palestinians.
We believe that if we kill Osama bin Laden (or Saddam Hussein) we'll cause their movements to quit.

Just think about it. If these people believe they're right, and righteously so, killing their leaders will simply inflame them. Imagine, if our leader was killed by them. Would the US be crippled? No. Even if (especially if) it was our present leader, the US would be more empowered, more resolute. A thousand heads would replace the severed one.

As in the Middle East, so here, so anywhere.

Better late than never

European leaders beginning to re-think the strategy of a "war" on terror?

Whaddya know.

Good company

We in the US, and elsewhere in the capitals of the world, weren't alone in our protest of the US occupation of Iraq. The citizens of Baghdad were out in force too.

Toldja so

During the peace march in SB today, one of our most popular chants was, "We told you so!" The fact is, everything evil that would result from invasion of Iraq--according to those who objected to it--is coming to pass. A nightmare in Iraq itself, the spread of terror elsewhere, the anger of the Muslim world, the alienation of our traditional allies, a huge expense in American and Iraqi lives, and American dollars.
Now, my own chant, to the same effect: The rising price of oil, due in part to the weak dollar, causing inflationary prices, rising in an economy that's dormant. Deflation.

Something Bovine This Way Comes

Today on Buzzstuff I learned this:

The Sanskrit word for "war" means "desire for more cows."

Another day another trauma

Riverbend reports from Baghdad about brain-drain from Iraq. Arrests, murders, kidnappings of learned professors and doctors, leaving the place filled with contractors, mercenaries, thieves.

Just like the United States.

BTW--I've noticed that during the television shows about the the NCAA playoffs the Marines and the Army are displaying ads for recruitment, bigtime. More evidence of the military state we're in in the US.

Live news coverage of Bush's campaign speech

I'm watching MSNBC, also CNN, giving uninterrupted coverage, as "breaking news," of a campaign rally of Bush in Florida. Jeb Bush's speech, wife Laura's, then Bush's. With the millions of dollars in Bush's war chest for re-election, plus this gratis coverage, he's all over the tube. I've not seen a moment of coverage of any opposition, except a brief mention of the thousands of anti-war rallies around the world.
Twenty-five minutes of TV showing Bush preaching to the choir, two minutes showing those who are shouting outside the church.

meanwhile, back at the front ...

While the media struggle to outdo each other on their insipid anniversary coverage, the kids in uniform are dying at an even faster pace. Happy Anniversary, Mr. President!

The asteroid missed...

damn it. If only it would have landed on a certain Pennsylvania Avenue address.

"Turning over sovereignty"

We keep hearing that phrase. It's supposed to happen at the end of June. What does it mean? To whom is sovereignty handed? What is sovereignty, anyway? Will whoever/whatever takes over sovereignty know what to do, how to do it? Will anybody obey whoever it is that takes over?

What a mess.

Outsourcing to "emerging markets."

This report that 25 percent of US tech jobs will be sent abroad by 2010, merely posits what it calls a "harsh reality." Fact is, the low wages and round-the-clock use of such labor is irresistible to American capitalists.
Interesting sidenote: As the foreigners gain income from the practice, they also gain buying power. What will they buy? Products made abroad, of course, just like Americans do.
Do you sense the end of an empire here?

Demand for oil

Oil prices have hit 11-year highs, highest since just before the Gulf War. And guess what? Among the factors causing this spike is "demand from China."
Recall, the Third World has barely entered the industrial age, has yet to expand its transport and factory output to anywhere near its potential, much less to afford autos for its growing billions of people. But in the next few years, look out! We're going to be paying high prices for oil/gasoline not as much because of our own gluttony, but because of others' hunger.

The first anniversary

of Bush's invasion of Iraq has brought a flood of TV "specials" that are nothing but celebrations of our military might. Even with plenty of opportunity to process photos from Iraqis and others' journalists, the news channels show us no images of the war from the other side, no images of the terror we wrought. This is nothing but a re-hash of the embedded reporters' one-sided reports from a year ago.

Cheaper and easier, I guess.

Islamic Extremists

Imagine my surprise upon reading that Islamic Extremists are thought to be responsible for attacks in Iraq. No! Seriously? We all thought it was Snow White and the Seven Osamas. Especially Grumpy; keep that little bastard away from the C-4!

Yahoo! News

Struggling for a word here

But I finally came up with one: Ordinary. I watched as much as I could tolerate of the Trump thingee, The Apprentice. Is that who we've become? If so--and I fear so--it looks like we're headed for four more years of leadership by the king of ordinary, Bush.
How do we change this in the next eight months, when it took 200 years to arrive at this cultural sump?

Ya gotta love it

Bush touts small businessmen ("the entrepreneurial class"), to whom he's given the bulk of the tax cuts, as the source of jobs to come. But they can't hire! Why? Because Bush's other buddy, health insurance companies, are making it too expensive for them to hire new employees.

Rogue Nation

Bush isuses a thinly-veiled warning to Spain for pulling its troops out of Iraq and, on the same day that Poland's leadership says it was "misled" into signing on with the "coalition of the willing," talks of an eternal war against terror.

Ya know what? The true terrorist in this world is George W. Bush.

A Career Change Idea

I've spotted a very interesting career change suggestion for Mr. Bush, in this post on The Messopotamian, an Iraqi blog. He seems to think the Kurds would be pleased to elect our soon-to-be-replaced president to high office. He has the polling stats to back it up. Works for me.

The "new Iraq"

Now that the US military has withdrawn from the cities of Iraq in order to safeguard its troops (although not to much effect in terms of stopping the killing of US troops), the insurgents are free to attack in Baghdad and other population centers, without interdiction by our troops and without leaving any trace for our intelligence to stop further attacks.

So--the US military is going to be proven unable to give security to the cities and it's not a big step to the argument that they shouldn't be allowed to remain. Let's hope that the Iraqis, shortly after power is turned over to them, take this step and kick us out. At least that way the bleeding will stop.

Ominous, indeed

From Forex News: "An ominous prospect would unravel if the Fed finds itself between having to temper inflationary pressures and reviving the bland recovery."

If the Fed raises interest rates to ward off the dreaded inflation, it would likely dampen the tepid recovery. If it leaves the interest rate alone, while inflation charges on, it could fuel rampant inflation.

Greenspan, this may be your doing. You're so hell-bent on fueling the recovery with money borrowed at low rates that you're going to drive us into deflation, that is, inflation without growth, the worst possible economic scenario.

Congratulations.

Don't believe the polls

My new mantra. Especially when I don't like what they say.

Journey In Iraq Ends

US Marine Corps reservist and blogger Bob Zangas has given the last full measure of devotion in Iraq. He was killed last week. Bob Zangas' Journey In Iraq. Go to that page and look at his picture. Let it burn into your dreams. And when you see the War President on the television, remember the face you saw a moment on your computer.

Condolences can be posted here.

I am sad.

Open Letter to GIs in Iraq

This letter to GIs, called Hold On to Your Humanity, is written by a Vietnam veteran. It's very powerful.

Two economic reports

The first a personal one. I just filled up my Volvo at a cost of $34.00--$2.36 per gallon for the lowest octane gasoline. The tank holds 16 gallons.

The second report is from CNBC this morning. Sales of SUV's are slumping badly. I wonder why, given that their gas tanks hold up to 30 gallons.

"A hundred bin Ladens"

Remember this prediction by an Egyptian leader? This would be the result, he said, of the war in Iraq. Well, check out this story about the terrorist network, which suggests that precisely this has occurred, and that the war on terror could last for decades. A truly frightening--and depressing--prognosis for our world.

Rumsfeld's Words

Donald Rumsfeld denied saying Saddam was an immediate threat to the US. But he did.

He's the Commander!

“I’m the commander - see, I don’t need to explain - I don’t need to explain why I say things. That’s the interesting thing about being the President. Maybe somebody needs to explain to me why they say something, but I don’t feel like I owe anybody an explanation.”

- George W. Bush, Washington Post, 11-19-02

And now for the good news...

About the continuing growth of the job gap.

I knew there was something rotten...

about the turnover of sovereignty. According to this analysis, of the recently touted Iraqi interim law, the regulations enacted by the US Tribune Bremer must remain in effect until a later constitutional entity (only created after country-wide elections, expected in 2005) repeals them. So, whatever Bremer has wrought, including privatization of Iraq, will remain in force until long after the US has departed. So much for democracy.

Taxes and jobs

This WaPo article, not the product of a mad economist, simply correlates the historical impact of income taxation and employment. Conclusion: No relationship, notwithstanding Bush's bullshit that repealing the tax increase on the rich will cause a loss of jobs.

The Bush/Cheney War

The Democrats have got to characterize the invasion of Iraq as a personal, crazed adventure promoted by these two mad executives and their ideological cronies. We've lost more than 550 soldiers, wounded 3,000 more, and now we're losing civilians, well-meaning Americans who want only peace but are met by violent reaction to our policies. We've wasted billions of dollars, wasted our standing in the world and our domestic economy.
This is intolerable and must be highlighted by Kerry's publicists. He can't win unless he is able to paint Bush/Cheney (always connecting the two, so that Bush is dragged down by Cheney) as out-of-the-loop madmen.

Kerry's good, damned good

I just watched John Kerry's speech to the International Association of Firefighters on CSpan. Man, I gotta tell, this guy delivers a hell of a speech. Strong, well-spoken, delivered with force and urgency. He's gonna win this election, not just because we work for him, but because he's working really hard too.

A ticking time bomb...metaphorically...

Is the stifling effect on ocean transport when, on July 1, a UN rule goes into effect. The mandate, sponsored by the US, requires international ports and cargo ships to be certified as safe from terrorism or else be forbidden to handle cargo. So far, only a fraction have been certified--none in many countries--which can cause a monstrous bottleneck in international trade. A product surely to be affected? Oil.

The best laid plans

The Bush administration's policies (increased deficits, increased imbalance of trade) have caused the dollar to weaken against foreign currencies, especially the euro. They not only caused this, they are allowing it to abide, reasoning that if dollars are cheaper, foreigners will import more American products, thereby boosting our economy and increasing the number of jobs in the US.

Of course this hasn't happened, and the trouble is, the cheaper dollar--the currency in which oil is purchased--has now become a justification for OPEC's increase in target price for oil, which will cause higher gas prices and hence inflation in the US.

Upshot, Miserable Failure? We get higher prices, plus a lack of jobs. Wonderful.

I am speechless (almost)

I've just watched two separate hour-long accounts of the US invasion of Iraq, presented on TV on the first "anniversary." One by CNN, the other by The History Channel. Presumably "trusted" sources.
What a crock! Both consisted entirely of "embedded reporters'" stories and recollections, and/or US analysts' observations. Not a frame was derived from news services that were on the ground (but not on our side), and not a single reference was made to the impact of the war on the other side, except for some exculpatory shots of our troops helping a family that had been wrongly targeted.

Listen up, mutherfuckers: We initiated this war. We declared war on a foreign nation, invaded it, just like Hitler invaded Poland. But even worse. Our supposed justification was that the leadership (Saddam) was an oppressive dictator whose defeat would liberate the Iraqis. The Iraqis weren't our enemies, just their leader.

And so all this footage about how effective we were at blazing through the desert and the cities, and how little collateral damage we caused, is repulsive. We shouldn't have been there, killing Iraqis. And even if we were there, illegally, our entire concept and justification was that the people weren't our enemies, just their dictator. So why, I ask, are we judging this invasion as if it were the conquest of Germany or Japan, whose nations were aligned against us?

I'm running out of vitriol. Except to say this: On yesterday's march, someone drove by in an SUV the size of Rhode Island and shouted at us, "Four more years!"

I couldn't reply. I gagged.

Bombs Away! ...or not

Australian pilots refused to drop their bombs on Iraq. God bless 'em.
Aussie Pilots Defied US

Where are the jobs?

This Business Week article attributes the loss of jobs in the US to increased productivity in the workplace--the result of technological advances--much more than to outsourcing abroad. The author, like Alan Greenspan, tells of the historical pattern in the US economy, in which we've always been resourceful enough to create new opportunities for ourselves, and new jobs to take advantage of them. And, like Greenspan, he gives no clue to how or where these jobs will appear.
I saw a TV piece yesterday on bullet trains, some diesel, some electric, some run on magnetized rails. All were sponsored and/or funded in large part by the governments of the countries (Italy, France, Japan, Germany) where they thrived, creating fine new technology, social benefit and environmental benefits--and jobs by the thousands.
In the US, some rails are considering such improvements--using the foreign companies to build the systems and cars. The US has no viable company or program. None.
With this President, with his tax structure, his concept of "fair trade" and his unrestrained capitalism, will the US do anything similar? Not likely, says Thom Hartmann. He points out here that the most telling parallel to today's economy was in the early 1900's, when the trusts had so exploited their position that the government had to intervene; that if left alone, companies will do what they do best--profit at the expense of their workers.
Hartmann concludes that it is representative democracy--truly effected--that leads to economic prosperity in America by allowing the voice and pocketbook of the middle class American to govern, not the capitalists.
Kerry may be no populist, but he sure beats the hell out of Bush in terms of letting the working class be heard.

Five news stories

In a row in the Seattle Times, beginning with the story that Iraqi police are thought to have participated in the killing of two US civilians, show how far amok Bush's war is going. How can he possibly stay in office?

Spring in Baghdad

River has a new post on her Baghdad Burning blog tonight, which tells troubling a story of kidnapping and extortion by "troops." I assume she means US troops. Not sure I'm buying that one. But I did find the last paragraph compelling:

"These last few days have brought back memories of the same dates, last year. What were we doing in early March? We were preparing for the war… digging wells, taping up windows, stocking up on candles, matches, kerosene, rice, flour, bandages, and medicine… and what are we doing now? Using them."

Isn't this outrageous?

Why don't we learn about this from the mainstream media? Even if it's becoming par for the course for the Bush administration to lie to the American public, isn't it different for it to lie to Congress, including members of its own party? Maybe it's not important because it only involved a hundred billion dollars or so.

This administration is trying to wreck the planet

Including on the issue of worldwide population control. At the Cairo Conference ten years ago the world (including the Clinton administration) reached agreement that by education and enhancement of women's rights, including reproductive rights, over time the women would evolve to control their futures sufficiently to bring down the third-world population explosion. Now, we're alone in backing away, based of course on the Bush administration's objection to the inclusion of a broad concept of birth control.
What is this ideologically-mad bunch doing to us? To the world?

Why don't peaceniks just shut up

This article from the Spectator tells us why.

To which I would add this. With the election eight months away, I don't want any Bush supporter to forget we're out here, still screeching, stirring up the opposition; and I don't want Bush opponents to feel they're alone, or to forget why they oppose him.

Twists and turns

I wouldn't want to be a Bush campaign aide, trying to figure out this conundrum. Does he stump about the economy, thereby calling attention to its deficiencies; or does he ignore it and risk being thought callous? If he talks about it, when does his "stay the course" message become maddeningly unrealistic, even to his faithful.
I'm going to enjoy this.

This explains almost everything

A journalist's evaluation of Bush's speech and other impediments. Trouble is, it doesn't tell us why he's evil.

Reconstruction or destruction?

This report of ongoing violence in Iraq doesn't make it onto any widely-disseminated media in the US. Now that I have a TV, with access to major network and cable news, I'm learning how limited the news is that's reported, even by the so-called "news channels." No wonder the majority of us support this war--we don't know anything about it.

Who writes headlines?

Two headlines reporting the same recent survey.
The Atlanta Journal Constitutionreads "Consumer View of Economy Steady in March," while Reuters reads, "Consumer Sentiment Slips Unexpectedly." From the content, it's clear the headline writer chose one set of figures over another. Is that called spin, caprice or what?

4 GIs Killed in Iraq Today

4 GIs Killed in Iraq Attacks ... 559, right?

The New Pentagon Papers

Hot off the presses, "A high-ranking military officer reveals how Defense Department extremists suppressed information and twisted the truth to drive the country to war."

Salon.com | The new Pentagon papers

Spc. Michael R. Woodliff, 22, of Port Charlotte, Fla

Sgt. 1st Class Richard S. Gottfried, 42, of Lake Ozark, Mo

Pfc. Matthew G. Milczark, 18, of Kettle River, Minn

Capt. Gussie M. Jones, 41, of Louisiana

Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael J. Gray, 32, of Richmond, Va.

More than October surprises

There could be many surprises, not just the dropping of Cheney, which I predicted a year ago. The capture of bin Laden, the trial of Saddam Hussein, a rebound of jobs, a series of Congressional hearings into 9/11, into Valerie Plame, into prewar intelligence. So much to resolve, swinging one way and another. It's hard to keep abreast of it all, but I enjoy the effort.

If it weren't so sad...

It would be hilarious, watching Bush address the faithful in Ohio, where thousands of manufacturing jobs have been lost. His suggestion: that they fill the vacancies in the professions of nursing and pharmacy.

Let's see--that might take a bit of training, right? Three or four years of full-time school? And so of course he says how stoked he is on education, in support of which he offers the "No-Child-Left-Behind" Act. Even Bush couldn't keep a straight face.

What recovery?

Both the Dow and Nasdaq are down for the year 2004, the foreign trade deficit is at a record high level, the dollar is weakening against the euro, the federal deficit is larger than ever in US history, the price of gasoline is at a record high level and both jobs and household income are dwindling. All this is taking place when the cost of borrowing is at its lowest in history.

With the price of oil soon to reach $40 per barrel, inflation will rear its head. The fed will have to increase the prime rate to stave it off (or else lose the ability to borrow), which will increase the cost of debt service by both corporations and individuals, both of which have been borrowing at record levels because of the low rates.
It is said that the Fed won't dare raise interest rates before the November election fearing that doing so would trigger a dip in the "recovery" of businesses by lowering their profits. I think, however, that Greenspan is so wedded to his numbers that he'd hike the Fed rate regardless of the impact on Bush's re-election. He's served under both Democrat and Republican administrations and will act to keep inflation (his biggest enemy) under control, at all events.
My prognosis, for what it's worth, is that this summer's going to be a wild ride.

P.S. Just to show how "fair and balanced" this blog is, check out this sanguine report about the US economy.

P.P.S. And as to the question whether the decline in manufacturing in the US is due to decreased American consumer demand or increased imports of foreign manufactured goods, check out this article, which clearly shows that the latter is the case, meaning that the loss of US manufacturing isn't just a blip but a systemic phenomenon. Looks like we'll be the money-changers, the insurers, the lawyers, the burger-flippers to the world in the upcoming century.

blowin' in the wind

I've added an item to our gutter on the left of this page, "blowin' in the wind." It's the updated cost of the Iraq war, in human casualties. The current number of US dead is 555. I don't think we'll ever be able to imagine the magnitude of human loss. The subject line, as you probably know, is from a song by Bob Dylan that we used to sing as kids.

...Yes, 'n' how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, 'n' how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

The trouble with blogging

Is that it's likely no one is reading all this wisdom, especially when the wisdom might be useful. For example, I love the images of Kerry dressed in a work shirt, punching the air, while Bush is clad in suits, addressing stuff-suited donors. Somehow, even though Kerry's a patrician (Bush, whatever his credentials, isn't), he looks appropriate in informal gear, while Bush always appears strained and stilted in his cowboy garb.
Another observation: Kerry should address, in his ads and speeches, Bush/Cheney, not just Bush alone. Cheney's a drag on Bush, a wild-card weirdo, and the more Kerry can drag him into the fray the better.
I have other insights, hoping against hope that someone will hearken to them. Like my chant: "Hey, hey, USA, How many soldiers died today?" Or Kyle's: "On November 2, Dis--Appoint Bush/Cheney".
Good stuff, eh?

Fun reading

This National Review article, while conceding that Kerry has pulled ahead of Bush in the polls, cites a Gallup poll showing that people believe Kerry's ads are more unfair than Bush's.

So? Apparently it's working.

Boy Genius

The Guardian Unlimited answers the question: Who is Karl Rove? ... A look at the gunslinger's #1 sidekick.

Support for Bush Falls

I'm tired. It's been a long day and I feel like I might be coming down with a cold. So I'm going to take a small consolation that I'm not such a warmongering boob that my numbers are falling in an WaPo-ABC poll. I go to bed hopeful that this trend means we may someday get our country back.
Yahoo! News - Support for Bush Falls On Economy and Iraq

Ugly jobs picture

A contraction of the labor force--a phenomenon not seen for seventy years. How can we make the voters understand this?

So what do we do now

That Iran wants to join the nuclear club. We've ignored Israel's nukes, we've got allies (UK, France) and buddies (Russia) and unknowns (Pakistan, India) with nukes. And enemies, too (China). So why shouldn't Iran demand entry? Especially since we've never demanded that Israel disclose its arsenal.

Another reason to oust Bush

It's the judges, stupid.

If ever there was an authority on our economy...

Warren Buffet is that person. And what he says isn't comforting.

The birds

Recall the role of the canary in the coal mine? Well, now we learn that one sixth of the world's species of birds are critically near extinction. Time to stop mining.

Bush, Blair Blixed

Boy, this Blix guy is really a loose canon on the deck of The USS Bring'emon. I can't believe nobody's convinced him to shut up in the interest of national security, but I'm glad he's still talking. You tell 'em Blixy!

Yahoo! News - Bush, Blair Knew They Were Hyping Case for War-Blix

Jobless and hopeless

The number of long-term unemployed is at a twenty-year high, which explains why the unemployment figure of 5.6% remains constant even though workers are entering the labor force at the rate of 150,000 per month while only 21,000 new jobs were created last month. The longer-term unemployed are simply giving up on finding jobs and hence are lost to the number-crunchers. Meanwhile, the Republican Congress has denied to these masses of workers an extension of their unemployment benefits.
Remember those Republicans? Those compassionate conservatives?

Guantanamo east

The US (that's us, guys) is holding 10,000 Iraqis in detention. No trials, no lawyers, just holding them under its occupation authority. What happens when that authority ends?

Another Bad Day for Tony Blair

This Guardian Unlimited article details doubts in Britains high command about the legality of the Iraq war, up to less than a week before the start of Shock and Awe.

"[Admiral Sir Michael] Boyce demanded an unambiguous, one-line note from the Attorney-General saying the war was legal to ensure military chiefs and their soldiers would not be 'put through the mill' at the International Criminal Court.

His comments will fuel pressure on Blair to release full details of how Goldsmith came to his decision. The fact that it still took several days during this critical period to give Boyce his assurance provides further evidence of uncertainty in Government about the legality of the war."

The game's afoot!

Kennedy Decries Bush's Baghdad Bloviations

Iraq Threat Deliberately Inflated, Kennedy Says:

"Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts today delivered a blistering indictment of President Bush's decision to go to war in Iraq, accusing Mr. Bush of deliberately exaggerating the threat posed by Saddam Hussein's regime. "

The market and the masses

From Yahoo Finance:

"Today's session ended relatively unchanged, which was probably appropriate considering the mixed implications the February employment report had for the economy - and interest rates... On the most obvious level, the paltry rate of job growth - 21K (consensus of 125K) - was disappointing and indicated that the labor market is still the weak link in the economy... At the same time, the wide miss in nonfarm payrolls lent support to the idea that the Fed will maintain its accommodative policy with hiring slack..."

Bottom line: What's bad for workers is good for the stock market. You see, so long as there remains slack in hiring, there'll be no upward push on wages and no need for the Fed to increase interest rates to stave off inflation. These two indices signal a constant low interest rate and thus an increased desire to buy stocks because only they might return some decent money on investment. Thus, the stock market benefits from lack of new jobs because the increased productivity of workers (read, same pay for more work) means more profit, and hence higher earnings and hence a better picture to attract investors, that is, stock buyers.

The perfect Republican model, the very model that Karl Marx predicted would cause a workers' rebellion.

Not likely anymore, because the media have become our culture and they are wedded to the benefits of big business. So--like Orwell, we'll come to love Big Brother, but the brother won't be government. It'll be an even bigger brother: Government and business merged into a monolithic force. Twenty years after 1984, and two decades bigger.

Ya gotta love this

Haitians demand an end to US occupation, demand return of Aristide. The trouble with empire is that you get in trouble with empire.

Ashcroft is ill

And let's not have any quips about how fitting his disease is.

Wen Jiabao for president

The premier of China has announced a plan to assist the poor in the countryside to equalize the disparity between those who are benefiting from the country's surging economy and those who are still living in poverty.

Read Bush's lips: No new jobs

"Abysmal," "awful," "pitiful," "meager" are the adjectives applied to this morning's Labor Department's report about jobs. Not only was the job-increase figure for February, 21,000, more than 125,000 lower than projected, the report also revised downward the two previous months' numbers, reducing the disappointing figure of January, 112,000, to 97,000; and of December, 16,000 to 8,000. Astoundingly, none of the 21,000 new jobs were in the private sector. They were government jobs.

These figures show that the economy is generating jobs at an astounding low rate, far lower than the monthly number (about 150,000) needed just to meet new entrants, and far slower than in any recovery in history.

The unemployment rate remained constant--because of huge drop-off in the number of persons seeking work.

Any other suggestions for adjectives?

Not just another scandal

In my wildest dreams I would love to see the Iraqi Governing Council demand an investigation of the failure of US/UK intelligence to capture the Al Qaeda operative who they now claim is responsible for the latest rash of deadly bombings in Baghdad and Karbala. They apparently had multiple chances to apprehend him, but determined to use him to attack Saddam, proving once again that this administration is more interested in pursuing its political agenda than eliminating true terrorists.

for today we have naming of blogs

Iraqi Blogs

Harry Blackmun recalled

I remember when Justice Blackmun was appointed by Nixon to the Supreme Court. At the time, it didn't feel like a victory for liberals. He was a judge on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, as Chief Justice Burger (an avowed conservative) had been, and they were originally thought of as twins.

This NYT essay about Blackmun, based on a review of his recently-released papers, is to me a fascinating glimpse of the man and well as of the times in which the Court ruled on many controversial cases, from Roe v. Wade to death-penalty cases. I got a lump in my throat as I read about Blackmun's evolution on these issues, especially about his determination, at the end of his career, to voice his personal opposition to the death penalty and to place it in a dissenting opinion. And then to get a letter of thanks from the appellant--who was later executed.

There are fine men and women in government after all.

It's okay, it's all right, have a piece of fruit

From WaPo, commenting on the US efforts to reconstruct Iraq in the aftermath of yesterday's horrible bombings:

"Bush aides say there is no cause for panic. A senior administration official involved in Iraq policy said yesterday that the bombings were meant 'to destroy the extraordinary agreement' on a new Iraqi constitution, but that there has been no rise in sectarian violence 'despite the best efforts by the terrorists.'

"Even as the world digested news of yesterday's bombings, the administration continued with its efforts to demonstrate progress in Iraq. The Pentagon released an 'Iraq Fact of the Day' announcing: 'Thousands of children throughout Iraq will soon be able to participate in an Iraqi Boy Scout and Girl Scout program.'"

The Damage Done

"The reasons for going to war were bogus but we were right to go in there. Saddam was a bad guy. But The Purple Heart was one thing I never wanted. The Secretary of the Army gave it to me."

Yes, you'll want to click on that link to see whose quote that is. And here for the whole photo essay. My little brothers, every one of them.

Jobs. Enough said.

A few days ago I posted a bit about the significance of the upcoming (on Friday, 3/5) Labor Department report on employment. The number of "new jobs" and the percentage unemployment rate. Now, the pundits are pointing to that date in assessing the sideways slippage of the stock market lately, saying that the rate of job creation will dictate whether this recovery is for real or just based on borrowing at low interest rates, plus tax rebate money.
The various reports are looking for about 130,000 new jobs. If the number is 200,000, it will be a Bush triumph, they say; while 100,000 will mean a continued jobless recovery, because 150,000 new jobs per month are needed just to keep up with new entrants into the job market.
Big stakes here. Hold your breath.

Par for the course

In addition to concluding that Iraq destroyed its WMD in 1994, the UN weapons inspectors have complained in their recent report that the US has failed to cooperate with them in the hunt for weapons. Is this Administration incompetent or evil? Take your pick.

Not for 10 Years

According to the latest report to the UN, Iraq had no WMD after 1994. These things President Bush sent our troops to find and neutralize haven't been there for a decade. There are kids out there learning to use computers -- maybe better than me -- and playing baseball and riding bikes, who weren't born yet when the WMD were already gone. Thousands are dead, and it was all a lie.

I can't believe I'm about to write this, because it hurts as an American who loves his country. But here goes: Would someone out there like to explain to me the fundamental MORAL difference between US attacks on Iraq, leading to collateral death in 2003, and the attacks on the US on 9/11/01?

Aristide cries 'coup d'etat'

I'll bet Colin Powell and Scott McClellan both went to bed tonight feeling like it just couldn't have been any more monday. It appears, according to widespread reports, that Aristide did not go quietly when he packed his kit and got outta dodge. It would be funny, if not for all those dead bodies in Haiti.

A rant

I refuse to believe we can invade a country (for whatever reason) and impose our view and institutions of democracy on its leaders regardless of its history and culture. I refuse to believe we can improve our citizens' economic life by lessening the taxes on the rich in the hopes they'll allow their largesse to trickle down to the masses. I refuse to believe we can dictate the terms under which the rest of the world operates. I refuse to believe we can ignore science, ignore diplomacy, ignore history and launch an arrogant, ignorant domination of the world, its resources, its peoples, simply because we have the military and economic power to do so.
Maybe George Bush can pull this off, all of this. But here's the deal. If he does, I want out.

Aristide kidnapped?

Did The White House kidnap Aristide? This post on Salon.com raises the question.

One thing you can say for President Bush and his administration of flying monkeys, it's never a dull day. I don't think there's ever been such a scandal - ridden presidency in this country. So every day we can wake up wondering what's up down at the ranch.

Head 'em up and bring 'em on!

Bush Bios on Web

Six years as a F-102 pilot? Only in government biographies. Maybe in his dreams.
Boston.com / Bush bio on Web inflates Guard service

Crazy Al

For an extended discussion, by Billmon of Whiskey Bar and the resultant comments, of Greenspan's latest gyrations, go here. Much to think about, all frightening.

a flood of claims

Now here's something I never thought about. This Guardian Unlimited article points out that if the war was without basis, and therefore illegal, then UK government is not immune from claims arises from death and injury to soliders in Iraq. Think that might fly over here as well? I think not; it seems our government is better insulated that this. What do you think, Erik?

Business as usual

Two of Kerry's recent statements do indeed make the upcoming election feel damnably familiar, between a Republican whose views I can't tolerate and a Democrat who agrees with some of those views, but is still preferable for many other reasons. Nixon/Humphrey, BushI/Mondale--and, actually, BushII/Gore. In other words, although the present race is critical because this version of BushII is absolutely evil and Kerrey's more than tolerable, he's quite liberal--but he has significant slippage on some of his views.