House Judiciary Votes to Cite Karl Rove for Contempt
Jul 30 at 12:12pm by Jagwire X
Contemptible Rove?
Karl Rove the smug and arrogant puppet master behind much of the Bush Administration’s policies and power has failed to respond to the authorized subpoenas in the matter of the US Attorney firings and the allegations of his interference in the prosecution of former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman.
The House Judiciary Committee, voting along party lines, had elected to push the motion for contempt to the full House of Representatives, where a straight majority vote will be necessary to formalize the contempt citation.
The House Judiciary Committee, decision is only a recommendation, and it is up to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to allow a final vote. It is unclear whether she would be so inclined. Rove has denied any involvement with Justice decisions, and the White House has said Congress has no authority to compel testimony from current and former advisers. If so he should have nothing to fear in answering the subpoenas.
Following the actions in the previous contempt citation the House Judiciary Committee filed suit in federal court, seeking an order compelling the US Attorney to proceed with the prosecution. However the case was assigned to federal judge John D. Bates, a staunch Bush ally who dismissed the Plame lawsuit, the Cheney Energy Task Force lawsuit, and the DNC’s lawsuit seeking a ruling by Federal Election Commission on John McCain’s attempt to withdraw from his campaign’s public financing commitments. He also upheld the validity of Bush’s signature on an a bill not properly passed in the same form by both houses of Congress.
The House’s earlier contempt citations were referred under the statutory contempt procedure to the US Attorney who declined to prosecute the cases, upon the instruction of both the White House and the Department of Justice. Given that the previous contempt citations were brought up in the framework of investigation into whether or not the White House or the Department of Justice improperly directing prosecution decisions of the US Attorneys, this would seem to be a flagrant ethics violation as well as conflict of interest.
The Judiciary vote is that point where the decision needs to be made as to which type of contempt violation occurred. Statutory contempt which gets referred for prosecution to the US Attorney, and may be subject to the same conflict of interest, or inherent contempt which can then be prosecuted by the House itself in a trial before the body.
I don’t really have much faith in the House pursuing statutory contempt. It seems to me the inhertent contempt is a more accurate charge in any event.
It’s a step in the right direction but I’d really like to see the House of Representatives step up to the plate and actually get something done for the people.
John McCain, the new Ronald Reagan?
Jul 29 at 12:12pm by Jagwire X
Pretty Good Timetable
I don’t mean in a good way either. I feel bad for anyone with Alzheimer’s but John McCain has worse memory issues than Ronald Reagan. That’s really not fair, even to Ronald Reagan, his memory problems didn’t start until late in his presidency. More likely McCain is a pathological liar. Maybe he’s just a bit deranged.
So you were probably thinking the other day, after all the chastising McCain has directed toward Obama for pushing a timetable for withdrawing from Iraq he wouldn’t go on CNN and supported a timetable himself. He did, clever fellow. One day McCain said he thought sixteen months was a “pretty good timetable”, the next say he claimed never to have said the word “timetable.” Funny.
But wait there’s more. McCain is too weak to keep his policy straight what with the chronic changes and denials in his statement. His shoot from the hip demeanor that the media seems to love so much must certainly lead to some interesting backtracking in the McCain camp. Why isn’t the media calling him out on this? Who knows. The media has always liked McCain for some reason and seem willing to give him a pass for just about any foible.
The Real McCain 2
Make no mistake McCain will be worst than the currently assumed worst president. How anyone could believe this guy is beyond me. If he’s such an obvious liar then even the staunchest Republican’s should question him. If he suffering from memory impairment do we really need someone sitting in the Oval office who is going to forget what the big red button is for? No thanks.
This is a guy whose memory is so sharp that he has missed more than half of the roll-call votes since January 2007. At this point it is more than any other senator including Senator Tim Johnson who spent most of 2007 recuperating from a brain hemorrhage. He even forgot to vote on money for Iraq and Afghanistan and the new GI Bill which he opposes. If he can’t be bothered to do his current job how can he be expected to act as president should he manage to win somehow?
FOX News Outed as Mouthpiece for Bush Administration
Jul 28 at 11:11am by Jagwire X
FOX News Busted
It should probably read: FOX News Outed as Mouth of Sauron. Not particularly surprising.
On July 25th 2008 on Hardball with Chis Matthews, Scott McClellan, former White House Press Secretary, admitted that the White House uses FOX News as a propaganda machine. McClellan says, “Certainly there were commentators and other, pundits at FOX News, that were useful to the White House,” adding that they were given “talking points.”
McClellan also told MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann that “it was done frequently, especially on high-profile issues” and that FOX News often gave the White House “its desired results.” Current Press Secretary Dana Perino would only tell Olbermann, “I’m not aware of that.”
As I said not surprising - FOX News’ claim of “Fair and Balanced” is utterly laughable at this point.
If FOX News is complicit in this as it seems to be the it is nothing less than propaganda though a state organ. As Rachel Maddow says in the video, “it’s not Pravda.”
Americans Have Become a Bunch of Lazy, Worthless Citizens
Jul 21 at 11:11pm by Jagwire X
Al Gore: Green Energy by 2018
On Thursday July 17th, 2008 Former U.S. presidential candidate Al Gore delivered a speech on America’s future energy needs in Washington, D.C. The gist of the speech is that promises of 40 years to make changes to how we power everything is meaningless and 10 years is something people can focus on.
“Our dangerous over-reliance on carbon-based fuels is at the core of all three of these challenges — the economic, environmental and national security crises,” the former Democratic vice president and presidential candidate in 2000 told a meeting in Washington.
“We’re borrowing money from China to buy oil from the Persian Gulf to burn it in ways that destroy the planet,” Mr. Gore said. “Every bit of that’s got to change.”
“So today I challenge our nation to commit to producing 100 percent of our electricity from renewable energy and truly clean carbon-free sources within 10 years,”
“A political promise to do something 40 years from now is universally ignored because everyone knows it’s totally meaningless. Ten years is about the maximum time that we as a nation can hold a steady aim and hit our target.”
Needless to say Gore was immediately attacked by big oil and coal businesses. For example the ACCCE (American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity) issued a statement saying the following: “former Vice President Al Gore associated himself with the mainstream by claiming there is scientific certainty that climate change is an issue that must be addressed in a timely fashion.” There is scientific certainty that climate change is an issue the ACCCE is deliberately denying the fact. The ACCCE state also said “we seriously question the feasibility of such a proposal and shudder to consider its costs to the American people, world leaders and key policymakers here in the U.S. do not share Mr. Gore’s notion that such a goal is necessary or achievable.” Going on to say the coal is, of course the solution. Coal is not clean or renewable under any circumstance.
Politicians, never afraid to make asses of themselves made sure to criticize Gore as well. Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio) had an initial one-word response — “ridiculous.” He went on to say “We could put windmills from the Atlantic to the Pacific and, yes, it will increase the amount of carbon-free energy production, but the fact of the matter is, it’s not going to get the job done. What we need to do is to look at all of the various sources of energy… We’d be much more realistic to realize that it’s going to take all of these things in order for us to meet our energy demands.” Meaning the oil and/or coal businesses that lobby me want you to buy their product and not get your power on the cheap.
So why do I say Americans are lazy, worthless citizens. It’s because we have become so. Can we convert all electricity production to cheap, clean and renewable sources in 10 years. We can if we want to, if we have the courage to do so. We put man on the moon in less than 10 years, we entered World War II and fighting on two fronts, along with out allies, won it in less than 5 years. The proliferation of the World Wide Web as a major form of communication took 10 years, mass adoption of the automobile took roughly ten years during the 1920’s and 1930’s. So don’t tell me we can’t do it. Big business doesn’t want us to do it, it would hurt their profits. Our lazy selves will just go along with whatever is marketed to us, and worthless as citizens because we won’t attend to our duty to make this country better.
What would the advantages of such a program be? For one thing, jobs, many jobs. It would fire up the economy in much the way it was fired up after World War II and during the space race and to a lesser extent the early days of the web. During those time periods the United States underwent a tremendous transformation in terms of individual prosperity as well as prosperity on a regional and national level. Another advantage that would result would be the creation of new technologies, again as with the previously mentioned periods much of the technology we have come to rely on today was developed especially in the areas of aerospace, electronic communications (i.e. computers, the internet, etc.), industrial applications and medicine. These efforts had far reaching implications both technologically and socially and helped define our present society. For the most part all of these advances have improved the standard of living in the United States.
What Gore proposes is ultimately going to have to happen at some point. Non-renewable sources of energy are, well, non-renewable. They are going to run out. But while we still have them we should use that advantage and build our foundation for the future, or if not out future, our children’s. It’s estimated that enough solar energy falls on the surface of the earth in 40 minutes to meet the world’s energy needs for a year, and that the winds that blow across the Midwest every day could meet the country’s daily electricity needs. Why wouldn’t we tap into that kind of energy resource? If we wait until the oil is running out and the coal is difficult to transport, we will suffer in ways that make the Great Depression seem trivial. We will be thrown back to the early 19th century in a very brutal manner.
Al Gore is not perfect but at least he’s willing to make a stand. What are you willing to do?
Houses votes 238 to 180, including 9 Republicans voting yea, to move forward an impeachment resolution
Jul 17 at 7:07am by Jagwire X
House of Representatives
Yesterday the House voted 238 yea to 180 nay to move forward with impeachment hearings against President Bush. 9 Republicans broke ranks the party to put country first, voting to send Rep. Dennis Kucinich’s article of impeachment HR 1345 to the Judiciary, where Chairman John Conyers will hold a hearings on abuses of power by the Bush administration. Ten Republicans abstained in this crucial juncture, while only 5 Democrats did.
Those Republicans are:
Congressman Kevin Brady (TX)
Congressman Wayne Gilchrest (MD)
Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC)
Representative Don Manzullo (IL)
U.S. Congressman Tim Murphy(PA)
Congressman Ron Paul (TX)
Congressman Dave Reichert (WA)
Congressman Christopher Shays (CT)
Representative Mike Turner (OH)
Of those Republican, Walter Jones, represents Camp LeJeune in North Carolina, which is one of the largest Marine bases in the country. It also happens to be one that has made great sacrifices in the Iraq War.
Chairman John Conyers Jr. said he will hold a broad hearing on the general topic of abuses of power by the Bush administration.
“There’s never been one [hearing] that accumulated all the things that constitute an imperial presidency,” Conyers said, explaining that the anticipated hearing would review over a year of committee inquiry into such matters as the firing of U.S. attorneys, the leak of the identity of former CIA operative Valerie Plame and the information provided to Congress in the run-up to the Iraq War.
There was little or no mention of this in mainstream media so here is a way to easily send a letter to the editor of you local paper.
ACLU and EFF suits challenge FISA Amendments
Jul 16 at 3:03pm by Jagwire X
ACLU
The American Civil Liberities Union filed a Motion For Leave To Participate In FISC Proceedings Required By The FISA Amendments Act Of 2008 in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court, requesting that all proceedings regarding the constitutionality of the FISA law be open to the public and transparent. This is contrary to how the secretive FISA court normally operates. As part of the action the ACLU requests that the proceedings be adversarial (i.e., that the ACLU or others as opposed to just the Government can participate in the FISA court).
Electronic Frontier Foundation
Additionally the ACLU filed another action in federal court in the Southern District of New York, alleging that the terms of which grants massive new warrantless eavesdropping powers in the President violate the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
The ACLU’s lawsuits do not challenge the constitutionality of the telecom immunity provisions of the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 because those sections will be challenged by Electronic Frontier Foundation and local/affiliate ACLU groups in separate actions regarding NSA Spying.
ACLU Challenges Unconstitutional Spying Law
Jul 10 at 6:06pm by Jagwire X
ACLU
Yes! That’s exactly what the American Civil Liberties Union is for.
Both Congress and the House of Representative succumbed to the manipulation and scare tactics of the Bush administration. Both warrantless wiretapping and the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 are abuses of federal power and must be challenged. The next step is to take it to court. I don’t see how it can not be overturned, but with the way things are being run now anything is possible.
In July 2008, Congress capitulated to the White House’s demands and scare tactics by passing the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, giving the NSA even more power to spy on Americans without warrants than it exercised under its illegal surveillance program. The ACLU is asking the court to protect the privacy rights of all Americans and declare the FAA unconstitutional.
Read more about the ACLU Challenging the unconstitutional spying law at the ACLU’s website and sign up via Firedoglake to have you name included in the in the full-page ad in a major national newspaper protesting the the FISA Amendments Act.
General Clark’s Comments on John McCain
Jul 10 at 3:03pm by Jagwire X
Face the Nation
There’s been a bunch of hub-bub about what Wes Clark said about John McCain. It took no time for the what he actually said to get completely distorted.
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Because in the matters of national security policy making, it’s a matter of understanding risk. It’s a matter of gauging your opponents, and it’s a matter of being held accountable. John McCain’s never done any of that in his official positions. I certainly honor his service as a prisoner of war. He was a hero to me and to hundreds of thousands and millions of others in Armed Forces as a prisoner of war. He has been a voice on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and he has traveled all over the world. But he hasn’t held executive responsibility. That large squadron in Air- in the Navy that he commanded, it wasn’t a wartime squadron. He hasn’t been there and ordered the bombs to fall. He hasn’t seen what it’s like when diplomats come in and say, ‘I don’t know whether we’re going to be able to get this point through or not. Do you want to take the risk? What about your reputation? How do we handle it-’
Bob Schieffer: Well-
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: ‘ -it publicly.’ He hasn’t made those calls, Bob.
Bob Schieffer: Well, well, General, maybe-
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: So-
Bob Schieffer: Could I just interrupt you. If-
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Sure.
Bob Schieffer: I have to say, Barack Obama has not had any of those experiences either, nor has he ridden in a fighter plane and gotten shot down. I mean-
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well, I don’t think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be President.
Bob Schieffer: Really?!
Note that Bob Schieffer is the one that says “ridden in a figher plane and gotten shot down.” Clark does not in anyway question John McCain’s military service. Clark does state the fact that McCain’s command was not a wartime command but even then doesn’t do anything but state known facts. What he’s saying is that McCain military experience doesn’t make him any more qualified to be president than Barack Obama.
When it comes to experience Obama is more qualified than our current president, who, if you will recall, was a state governor and had absolutely no experience on the national level when he took office.
The plain truth of the matter is that getting riding (was McCain really riding and not piloting?) in a fighter plane and getting shot down and having military service don’t really count as qualifications for president.
See, the thing is, it isn’t.
Loading ...Liberty and FISA Amendments Act of 2008
Jul 10 at 1:01pm by Jagwire X
Bill of Rights
The FISA Amendments Act of 2008 is a particularly pernicious piece of legislation. It denigrates our liberty and removes our guaranteed rights.
I’d like to share with a few pertinent quotes:
They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.
—Benjamin Franklin
Suspicion is a virtue as long as its object is the public good, and as long as it stays within proper bounds. … Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect every one who approaches that precious jewel.
—Patrick Henry
I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty, than those attending too small a degree of it.
—Thomas Jefferson
Government is not reason, it is not eloquence — it is force! Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.
—George Washington
If God is truly just, I tremble for the fate of my country
—Gibson Haynes
Take a moment and contemplate those quotes.
Now consider this:
The FISA Amendments Act of 2008 has the following effects:
- The provisions of the bill granting immunity to the complicit telecoms create a roadblock for a number of lawsuits intended to expose and thwart the alleged abuses of power and illegal activities of the federal government since and before the September 11th attacks.
- The bill expands the power of the federal government in conducting warrantless surveillance and strips the requirements for judicial oversight, effectively enabling unlimited government surveillance of any citizen of the United States for any reason.
- Allows the government to conduct unapproved warrantless surveillance of any person for up to one week (168 hours) without any judicial oversight.
The Bill of Rights guarantees in the Fourth Amendment Protection from unreasonable search and seizure.
The FISA Amendments Act of 2008 effectively negates the Fourth Amendment. That being:
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Our liberty is being taken away from us one amendment at a time. Why are you being so complacent? Why are you not up in arms over this? The founders of this great country would shake their heads in shame at our government’s behavior and ours.
Call your congressmen and senators and urge them to repeal the FISA Amendments Act of 2008. It’s unconstitutional and illegal. One more quote from one of the founding fathers, in case you still don’t get it.
The people cannot be all, and always, well informed. The part which is wrong will be discontented, in proportion to the importance of the facts they misconceive. If they remain quiet under such misconceptions, it is lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty.
—Thomas Jefferson
Further reading:
- Senate Accepts Retroactive Immunity for Telecoms
- FISA Amendments Act of 2008 - WikiPedia Article
- H.R. 3773: FISA Amendments Act of 2008 - Full Text
- The new FISA compromise: it’s worse than you think - Ars Technica
Petition Against Fox’s Racist & Hate-Filled Smears
Jul 9 at 3:03pm by Jagwire X
FOX Smear Michelle Obama
PETITION AGAINST FOX’S RACIST & HATE-FILLED SMEARS:
“FOX must stop injecting racism, prejudice, and fear into our political dialogue. We intend to hold FOX, its advertisers, and its personalities accountable for FOX’s attempts to smear the Obamas.”
Sorry FOX, we won’t let you trash Michelle Obama.
My favorite part is where the various pundits of Fox say “Why does she think America is a downright mean country?” I think the answer is right in the video. I’m not proud of my country when it most visible citizens (those in the media) act like a bunch of cliquish junior high school students.
There are things to be proud of about America but not everything, this isn’t paradise people.
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