Open Thread
By John Amato Tuesday Oct 23, 2007 10:35pmCongratulations to Gov. Bill Richardson. He's taking a strong stance against immunity for the multi-million dollar Telecoms that willingly broke the law.
"There can be no compromise on personal rights and privacy. I urge my Democratic primary opponents, and every Senator, to stand up and state loudly and clearly -- without any equivocation -- that he or she will not pass any bill that grants retroactive immunity to companies that willingly aided the Bush administration in violating the law and spying on our own people. As President, I will follow the Constitution. "
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you mean gov bill richardson? :)
HE obviously sees the severity of the situation. There is no more constitution, no more declaration of independence. To Bush and his Republicons these are antiquated documents which have outlived their usefulness and must therefore be replaced with a new agenda, a new system.
Bill Richardson would make a great President...or a great Vice President to President Kucinich.
ben @ 1:
Good catch, reading it that went right by me...
Paul/Kucinich 08.
He said its possible!
They are going to have to let all the non violent drug offenders out of prison to make room for all the criminals who tried to take down this country when this riegn of tyranny comes to an end.
Hmmm. What an excellent idea!
xoites defends Constitution @ 6:
i agree, and i would seize assets like they do in drug busts.
I'm glad he came to the party, even though he was late. This is following, not leading as Chris Dodd has done. Now we're watching the race to out-Dodd the leader.
When Bush stole the first election, he was smirking. Then when he stole the second election, he was still smirking. But now the smirk has turned into a squirm. His dilemma is that he is now being forced to reign in the PKK bringing chaos and war to northern Iraq, otherwise he will be correctly seen as protecting a terrorist organisation. If he does nothing, which is more likely, he will be antagonising Turkey which already hates his guts, increasing the likelihood of Turkey forming an alliance with Iran and Syria. Will the squirm then turn into something else, like a shriek or something? Israel of course dictates his every move, and it too is squirming now. Good.
Ya he is a Governator! Not un Senador!
tr @ 7:
That made me laugh :)
Sure looks like the elected are growing a set of balls and maybe a spine. I hope it's not too late ;)
The FBI spied on Eugene McCarthy, because he wanted to fire Hoover. The White House tries to shift the blame on redacting
global warming data.
Too bad Richardson cant get his campaign act together. Actually it would be nice if he dropped out and kicked Heather Wilsons ass for the senate race.
We congratulate him, but the fact that we do shows where this country is. We shouldn't have to congratulate someone for doing the right thing. We should expect people that have taken oaths to uphold the law to live up to their oath, unfortunately many do not.
I'm declaring a war on Xmas right here right now !
A commercial for Garden Ridge just aired and the coked up voice over just wished me a very Merry Christmas.
It is October the 25th.
Webbster @ 15:
I'm telling falafel boy on you!
Good for Bill...about time Someone took a stand on this....finally
moondancer @ 16:
Then, we're going to send one of his minions to accost you while you are out doing your "holiday" shopping.
Dahgrostab'ph-r-i @ 4:
It's okay, I dont think Richardson himself caught it either, considering as a governor, none of this stuff has anything at all to do with him.
But at least we know he's on the right page here.
Kay @ 18:
LOL
Nothing is so unworthy of a civilized nation as allowing itself to be governed without opposition by an irresponsible clique that has yielded to base instinct. . . Sophie Scholl 1942
He'll make a great Secretary of State in the next administration.
Nice to see Bill R. isimproving himself. When I lived under him in New Mexico, he sucked balls as governor. Took the term "Limousine Liberal" and amped it up a few hundred times.
The FCC gives little time to discuss their next round of media consolidation.
What is C&L singling out Richardson for this position... If I am correct it was Dodd who first express his intention and Obama and Clinton have both indicated they would block the renewal of FISA if it included amnesty for the telecom for furnishing private info to the government without a court order...
"Congratulations to Sen Bill Richardson. He’s taking a strong stance against immunity for the multi-million dollar Telecoms that willingly broke the law."
Yes, and you might note that IN SPITE OF THE RUSH TO BLAME PELOSI AND CONYERS FOR SUPPOSEDLY SELLING OUT, there has been in fact NO immunity offer in the House FISA RESTORE bill EVER, and the leadership has consistently said that there can be no immunity in the absence of a full briefing on the actual actions.
That is, unless you can't sleep without a scapegoat, in which case Pelosi can continue to be treated like the bottom of your shoes.
moondancer @ 16:
I'm against Solstice . . . . bring back the sun . . . . if I have to get drunk and attend a two week orgy . . . . anything.
L.A. Confidential @ 2:
In which case, perhaps you don't exist either.
Bushco's actions with the telecoms were ILLEGAL, which, ahem, is because it violated FISA, which is to say, the 4th Amendment. The new version of the bill in the House demands full briefing on the entire program, without any profer of immunity.
Now that some Senators are climbing on board, according to you they are wasting their time.
Vexed @ 25:
Richardson is a tool.
Kucinich, Ravel or Paul
Stop the War!
And . . . Richardson is not a senator . . . at least not the last time I checked the scantron machines.
Way to go Bill!
if you
don't talk to
terrorists on the
telephone you shouldn't
have any problem
heh...
"I’m declaring a war on Xmas right here right now !"
Me, Too! I am going to display my true traitor commie colors by NOT racking up thousands of dollars of credit card debt this Christmas!
Yes, we need a speaker of the house and some Clintons to start talking sensibly like Bill R. So far all we have seen from the diversity party are diverse versions of mushmouth. They are going to withdraw the troops - but not really, end the war, but not really, protect our civil rights and liberties, but not really, and stop funding the war, but not really.
Alright already, we get the message Dems - you are NOT REALLY going to do much of anything, are you?
That hurts even more than watching Chimpie dismantle America.
Because we know you are NOT REALLY going to help us restore the country after he's finally gone.
so
one day
the phone rings
and I think it's another
telemarketer
wrong!
it's a terrorist and I don't
really know it
and then he sells me a vacation
and I am now in this jihad terrorist training camp
with cardboard cutouts of bush cheney and al gore and everything
I was freaked so I figure
I'm getting out of here as fast as I can man
and now here I am waiting
for the secret police
to come knocking
on the door
heh...
Strong stance? Stand up to President Bush?
What???
He's a democrat!!
He can't do that!!
When will he apologize and sniffle for daring to stand up to The Leader?
WTF is wrong with all the fucking gop. it’s time to waterboard all the reichwingnuts.
this is supposed to be a country built on honor and truth, but the fucking
religious reich has taken everything and twisted it into some sort of evil.
there is so much hate coming from the very people who claim to be peaceful.
In spite of marrying Ahnold, Shriver still has some self-respect by flipping off NBC over the Anna Nicole coverage.
it really bothers me that it says "sen. richardson"
can you please change it to govenor? its hard to take you guys seriously when you make ridiculous mistakes like that.
Dodd, Feingold, Richardson all rock!
Obviously, the big Christmas gift (they're already putting up Christmas decorations here in Houston) we've been given by Fox News(LOL!) is their claim that Al Queda started the San Diego fires.
So obviously, what we're doing in Iraq isn't keeping us from having to fight them over here.
Georgia has to ration water.
BREAKING!!!
URGENT!!!
** MUST CREDIT AIR AMERICA'S RACHEL MADDOW **
Jimmy Cliff's THE HARDER THEY COME movie soundtrack has been named by Vanity Fair as being the NUMBER THREE best film soundtrack of all time.
Damn.
That's so awesome.
Especially since it beat out the Pulp Fiction soundtrack.
Now for those of you out there in the Howdy Doodyland Peanut Gallery that are scratching your heads in disbelief and wondering what in high holy hell this album is doing so high on this list, please consider that without this soundtrack, and its influence, (and you can forget about it popularizing reggae in the USA), Punk Rock, (to name just one genre), as we know it, in all likelihood, would probably not exist.
That's because in the early 1970s you could not turn on the BBC radio in England without hearing at least one song a day from it, if not more, since it was on the kind of heavy musical rotation that would make an MTV marketing VP, from the late 1980s, blush bright beet red and wet their pants.
That Clash song that you hear in that car ad these days? It's a cover of the Toots & Maytals's Pressure Drop, which is track 9 on The Harder They Come soundtrack.
Now for all you LA Surf Thrash Punks out there who believe that Sublime's Bradley Nowell was a bigger talent than Kurt Cobain because he had greater musical range? Well, we could debate that one for a month of Sundays, all day long, until the cows come home, but one thing is true of both Nirvana and Sublime, besides them being Power Pop Trio bands, and that is they kicked ass when it came to covers, this unplugged, live, Nirvana album being Prima Facie evidence of that. In Sublime's case, from their seminal 40 Oz's To Freedom, there's Rivers of Babylon, which is, that's right a cover from the original Melodians version of it that's the third song on The Harder They Come soundtrack.
If you're lucky enough to have this bad boy on vinyl, like I do, I suggest busting it out and giving it another listen to and feel the warm glow of it finally getting the recognition of the place in musical history that it so richly deserves.
Many rivers to cross, indeed, but it does go to show that you can get it if you really want.
Even if it requires the patience of Job, and stuff.
If not there's alway the YouTubes, and the opening, title song itself isn't a bad place to start, but for myself, this has always been my favorite tune. Those that know me know why.
Now, all that being said, I haven't seen this complete Vanity Fair list of 50 film soundtracks past their Top Ten Picks, but I do know this, if I don't see The Repo Man Soundtrack on there, as it should rightfully be, I'm gonna scream bloody murder at the top of my motherfaluckling lungs.
But for now, I'll be more than happy to settle for this.
:P
~nwa
Speaking of San Diego, I love the Stacy Taylor show. It will be a *BIG* loss when KLSD turns into the 4th Sports Talk station in San Diego.
Another school shooting.
tr @ 7:
Throw all the books at 'em. The RICO Act, the Patriot Act and the Military Commissions Act.
The Bush Administration + all the people at the American Enterprise Institute should be force fed cookies of their own dough. Lock 'em up at Guantanamo and throw away the key. If not, the world owes all the people tried at Nürnberg, an apology.
dadams @ 36:
Who claim to be peacefull, and Christian.
OK, I don't understand something, maybe some of you can help me out here.
This governer is saying that Bush BROKE THE FUCKING LAW.
Why is he giving this off topic speech about not giving retroactive immunity to the telecoms? Why isn't he doing his damn job and giving a speech about PROSECUTING someone who broke the law?
Why does he even mention that Bush broke the law? What good is a law if the violators of that law are not punished? Doesn't it make the law not a law after all?
It's like making a law that states nobody shall henceforth smoke cigarettes, and then when people smoke anyway, they are ignored.
Please, this country looks to be completely off its rocker. Here we have a President who BROKE THE LAW, which 20 years ago would have landed him an impeachment, AND we have senators who say he broke the law. Now if the senators and governors and all the rest of the useless idiots in Washington admit that the President broke the law, but they don't do anything about it, doesn't this mean that we are all OFFICIALLY living under a fascist regime? That our country is no longer democratic? That it is about time we label something for what it is? That we should stop crying and wishing it weren't true and grow up and face the facts like reasonable adults?
I mean, for crying out loud, our standards are so shot that John Amato is saying "good job" to this governor because he "supports" preventing the telecoms being given immunity. The fact that Bush broke the law and this governor isn't making a speech calling for impeachment is NOT REASON to admire him. NOT AT ALL. We should chastise him for being a wimp and a coward for not making a speech about impeachment. Of course, his silly little publically paid job is more important than the future of this country, and he doesn't want to be fired for going against Herr Bush.
This country sucks. We should all move away to Europe and leave the 24% of the population to wallow in their own intellectual swamp.
Check out C. Hitchens OUTING Bushco while feebly attempting to defend the idiotic term 'Islamofascist':
Josh Marshall rejects the term, while failing to observe the PRIMARY reason why they are trying to establish it:
to close off the term fascist for what they CLEARLY are.
They typically attack their victim with the accusation they would be charged with. "Immigrants are intolerant!"
What a sad day this is when a presidential candidate must explicitly state they will adhere to the constitution...
I wonder how much have the republicans put into fire safety measures etc. in the last 7 years? Or like, ever?
Welcome aboard.
Tequila @ 41:
Georgia should give Colorado a phone call. They might know a thing or two about that.
And Georgians might get interested in rock gardens instead of grass lawns. It's all the rage in the Southwest.
The way for Congress to send a strong message that immunity for the Telecoms who violated our rights is a 'No Deal', would be to pass a bill charging them with 'Domestic Terrorism' for violating the Constitution at the behest of the Bush mal-administration.
That ought to send a few signals to to proper folks, 'Don't f*ck with our liberties'.
The Telecoms might get the message; the Bushites won't get it until they are impeached and hung.
Georgia is big stinking pile of corporatist, right wingnut, fair tax tooth fairy BS...
I'm out of here as soon as my wife is ready 4 yrs...
Instead of zoning laws, and conservation, they're 'praying for rain'....
Daily Reading pt 1...
Report: 'WORLD AT PEAK OIL OUTPUT' or Why We fight - http://edition.cnn.com/2007/BUSINESS/10/24/oil.decline/index.html
The report warns that coal, uranium, and other key fossil fuels are also in declining supply. It predicts the fall in fossil fuel production will bring with it the threat of war, humanitarian disaster, and general social unrest.
THE AGE OF OLD ENERGY must be put to an end, ITS TIME FOR NEW ENERGY planet/life sustaining energy comes to the forefront
Actually CNN missed it by 2 years....but that's nothing new in the MSM - http://www.princeton.edu/hubbert/current-events.html
http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net/
http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net/IndividualItemPages/RenewableEnergyH...
Warming could wipe out half of all species - http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/oct/24/climatechange.scienceo...
Deniers....they are wastes of existence and should be treated, as such... Right wingnuts...go back to your unparalled moronic Fox Noise coverage of Al Qaeda setting the fires in southern California (from a now discounted 4yr memo with absolutely no substantive facts)
War costs may total $2.4 trillion - http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/2007-10-23-wacosts_N.htm?POE=click...
Nearly $8,000 per man, woman and child in the country, according to a Congressional Budget Office estimate scheduled for release today.
What $1.2 Trillion Can Buy (from NY Times, so essentially double all of what he says could be paid for) - http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/17/business/17leonhardt.html?em&ex=116926...
States Set to Sue the U.S. Over Greenhouse Gases - http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/24/nyregion/24emissions.html?_r=1&oref=sl...
New York is one of more than a dozen states, led by California, preparing to sue the Bush administration for holding up efforts to regulate emissions from cars and trucks, several people involved in the lawsuit said on Tuesday.
“The real issue is, will he block the states or let the states go forward?”
The 'states rights' hypocrisy of the right wingnuts/corporatists/GOP apologists on full display
Dramatic video of melting Arctic Ocean ice; Look at the difference just 2 years makes - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2007/10/19/VI20071019...
The 2007 Artic Summer sea ice has reached the lowest extent of perennial ice cover on record - nearly 25 percent less than the previous low set in 2005 and 38 percent lower than the climatological average.
YOU KNOW HOW YOU HAVE TO VOTE in 08', its simple, one party doesn't acknowledge it, the other wants to do something about it, so do it
Record Breaking Temps In NYC For 5th Time In Oct. - http://wcbstv.com/seenon/record.weather.october.2.411674.html
City On Brink Of Warmest October Ever
Daily Reading pt 2...
Glenn Beck is the BuzzFlash Media Putz of the Week: "Glenn Beck sort of look likes the stereotype of the guy mowing his lawn next door, but he's really, like Michael Savage and Ann Coulter, a descendant of the racist, xenophobic, and hateful demagogues that have littered themselves throughout the underside of America's history."
- http://mediaputz.com/07/10/putz1025.html
THE BuzzFlash Interview with Valerie Plame Wilson, Conducted on Tuesday, October 23 -- Valerie Plame Wilson Was Considered "Fair Game" By the Busheviks. As a Result, Cheney and Bush Weakened Our National Security.
- http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/interviews/082
11 Things We Can Learn from the Rest of the World - http://alternet.org/story/65847/?page=1
Plamegate Finale: We Were Right; They Were Wrong - http://www.thenation.com/blogs/capitalgames?pid=245279
Robert Scheer: War Costs Spiral Out of Control; Hey, it's our money, after all. - http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20071023_r_scheer_oct_24_emptying_am...
Lifestyles of the Rich Evangelists; All we need is Robin Leach - http://www.urbantulsa.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=18228
God-for-profit, jesus pimps....all in it for the $$ and nothing else...a 'psychological gun to the head'
Its not a church if it has an accounting dept/rep...its a business, plain & simple
California and Orange County Fires: Lies, Stupidity and Unnecessary Destruction - http://thedemocraticdaily.com/2007/10/24/california-and-orange-county-fi...
Rudy Awakening: 'As president, Giuliani would grab even more executive power than Bush and Cheney. His mayoralty tells the story.' - http://www2.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2007/0711.morris.html
ANYONE CONSIDERING VOTING FOR GIULIANI NEEDS TO JUST MOVE TO SAUDI ARABIA AND BE DONE WITH IT....YOU WANT A KING & ARISTOCRATIC OLIGARCHY...GO LIVE THERE
"Terror watch list" swells to more than 755,000; Starting to look like Nixon's enemies list rather than protection from terrorists. - http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-10-23-Watchlist_N.htm
I'll tell you man...those Quakers boy...whew....they despise perpetual war for perpetual profit....they're dangerous, so are the ragin grannies...whew...watch out for them...this is SS/Stasi/KGB GOP sponsored BS nothing more
Rev. Andrew Greeley: Why those who love America are feeling brokenhearted. (Excellent commentary.) - http://www.suntimes.com/news/greeley/616721,CST-EDT-greel24.article
Oct 27 United for Peace march throughout the USA. Power in Numbers. Please march on Saturday!
I understand that Bush's scheduled visit to the burned-out SoCal areas calls for him to be dressed as a Phoenix, and the photo-ops are to pose him as if arising from the ashes.
I sure hope the Santana winds flare, and set his feathers aflame, and that the pampered California fire victims take the opportunity to set aside their foie gras appetizers and Crystal cocktails and giant-screen viewing of their burning homes screwing-up their insurance companies bottom lines, and have the compassion to form giant choruses to chant 'Katrina, Katrina, Katrina' wherever The Dummy appears, to drown out his bullshit "Well, done, Mikey"
speech.
I understand that many more gay republican Senators are tripping over their dicks, as they are forced to practice standing, sitting, and walking with their legs held close together, in order to become known as 'Narrow-Stance Republicans'.
Like that unfortunate love-struck female astronaut, many traveling republican politicians are now donning pampers as a regular part of their pre-travel routines. Unlike her, their purpose is to avoid the necessity of being seen anywhere in the vicinity of public restrooms, especially in air terminals.
Check out their excessive crotch-bulges, the next time you see one traveling.
(Hint to frustrated horny Senators, the new meet, greet and grasp fad is to stand at the candy counters and stroke a Milky Way)
E Ryno @ 27:
And a very blessed Bodhi Day to you all.
RockmanEnough @ 46:
This brand of right wing Christianity is not peaceful and the most rabid among them don't even pretend to be so.
They only believe life has value when it is in its prenatal form.
They revel in the belief that others are punished by their spiteful-jealous god.
They love death and destruction when the victims are outsiders to their cult.
In short, they represent everything that Christ abhorred. If Christ were alive today they'd be among the first to be calling for his head.
Another Way To Get Rid Of Bush And Cheney
kudos to Richardson for taking a stand against the telecom parasites
Carnegie-Mellon study ranks most informative blogs.
curtilingus @ 5:
Great ticket. *NOT*
I'd like to see the United Nations sanction THIS country!
Did anyone hear rep. Shay telling Lezza in the hearing going on now, that Democrats in congress have done nothing but tried to let america loose from the beginning of the war... :p
Also, that nothing should be done about corruption in Iraq, when the people that are corrupt help the US. This is the same ethincal standard the republicans show in the question of torture.
"As President, I will follow the Constitution. “
Damn, I like the sound of that..............................
Kay @ 14:
Bingo. When you haven't seen the right thing done for so long, sometimes you forget what it's supposed to look and feel like. It's wonderful to see it back on the screen.
xoites defends Constitution @ 6:
They still need a lot more prison cells. Are there enough cells in America?
Something else you might have noticed about Gov. Richardson. In response to the wildfires in California he ordered two fire strike teams, each consisting of 5 engines and 21 men, to assist their neighbors to the west and contributed some $10,000 from his campaign to the American Red Cross. Afterword he issued a statement asking, "Where is the National Guard?" It read in part,
"…I look at the natural disaster in California and feel compelled to also ask President Bush and every candidate who thinks it is okay for our troops to remain in Iraq until 2013 or longer - where is our National Guard?
It is a sad irony that yesterday, the very day I sent fire crews to California, 300 more New Mexico National Guard members were sent to Iraq. Just when we need them most at home, more of our brave men and women, true public servants, are sent away to a war we cannot win."
It's good to know that in a Richardson administration we would not only benefit from his valuable experience in both the domestic and international arenas but that we would have a leader who respects the Constitution.
Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue
bill w @ 70:
There are too many already.
An ad campaign to counter discrimination against gays has stirred up passions in Italy, using a poster that shows a newborn with the word "homosexual" written on his wristband. We should do that too in homophobic bigoted USA.
http://www.rense.com/general78/newborn.htm
"But in DeGeneres' case, along with the strong support from fans and many dog lovers, she also endured some criticism and mockery, especially from fellow comic Bill Maher. (To recap: DeGeneres had adopted Iggy from a rescue organization, then given it to her hairdresser's family when the dog didn't get along with her cats. That was against the rules, and the rescue group took the dog back, prompting her emotional appeal.)
Maher decided to respond on behalf of an entire gender: The opposite one.
"At this moment when the entire nation is saying 'Hmm, can we have a woman president? Maybe they're too emotional,' I don't think this is helping," Maher said on his talk show.
"If I was a woman," he added, "I would be embarrassed right now. I would be embarrassed for all womankind.""
Bill Mahar, you are a sexist jackass and I, for one, will not be watching your show again.
Good for Richardson, but I am concerned that this is the second story on this topic in as many days that C&L has run and has yet to do a piece on Sen. Rockefeller who is pushing teleco immunity. Isn't that what this site is about? Crooks & Liars.
Sen. Rockefeller flush with teleco cash:
http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2007/10/dem-pushing-spy.html
Tell me there isn't a quid pro quo.
I've always thought that Rockefeller was the weakest, most feeble-minded Democrat there is. To watch him over the years systematically cave in to Republican's assaults on democracy, the Constitution and the rule of law has always been excruciating. Rockefeller always offers up the most feeble arguments and then caves. Now I see that he's just playing dumb, in reality he's a wolf in sheep's clothing.
We need to get frauds like Rockefeller out of the Democratic party and send them packing like CT Dems did to Lieberman. Let them run as independents. To do that, we need an informed electorate and good candidates to run against DLC corporatists. Let's take back the party.
donkey @ 32:
I heart HAIKU....
I love Dem's with balls!
THANK YOU FOR RESTORING THE ARCHIVES TO THE LEFT MARGIN!!!!
tr @ 7:
You want to start seizing assets? Good idea; let's start with the house on Pennsylvania Avenue!
Don't forget to go vote for our best, most experienced, most exciting, most electable candidate, Gov. Bill Richardson, in the Democracy for America endorsement poll: http://DemocracyforAmerica.com/VoteRichardson
Also check out this awesome new Richardson video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAEDCLedBss
Blah blah blah... Someone call me when they actually strip that telcom immunity shit out of the FISA bill...I won't hold my breath waiting though. Until then? Richardson or whomever??? It's all just babykissing bullshit politicing....Heard it all before....Too many damned times about too many damned things... Only to watch all that tough talk fade away like the morning haze in a noonday sun... Given the track record to date? What I actually expect sadly, is that the dems will cave and have some kind of bullshit excuse for it. And Nancy will trot out with that deer in the headlights look she's had lately and break the news.....JD
new larry craig shit
http://wonkette.com/politics/larry-craig-scandal/exclusive-i-had-sex-wit...
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