Brooklyn Loses One Of It's Own

As the casualty figures rise faster and faster for our troops in Iraq, it is easy for many of us to only see the figures. Yet, behind each number there is a name, a family and a community that knew each and every soldier that went to fight for this godforsaken war. One of those soldiers was Sgt. Kimel Watt. This twenty-one year old joined the Army for a better life, yet he was blown up by a roadside bomb instead.

His family is devastated, their son is taken from them with so much more life to live. One of the hardest things to do in life is to lose a child and now the Watt family has to take on that task as do hundreds of parents every month that hear the grim news from Iraq.

From The Daily News:

His heartbroken dad, Clifton Watt, 63, said Kimel was "a wonderful son" who joined the Army right out of Automotive High School in Brooklyn, hoping to get computer training for a civilian career.

"He was really good with computers," the father said, but added sadly his son never got the training he sought.

"He just wanted to get a good job and help the family," the father said, sitting in the living room of the family home on Hemlock St. in East New York, his eyes welling.

"Now, he's gone, and I don't know if we can live without him."

Kimel leaves behind his mother, father and five siblings. Mr. President, how much more of this do we have to take?

Camp Casey Has A New Owner

When Cindy Sheehan announced she would no longer be the figurehead of the anti-war movement, she put Camp Casey up for sale as well. The five acre patch outside of Crawford, Texas served as a base camp to protest the President and his awful war. Cindy was initially going to put the land up for auction on EBay, but threats from certain GoOPers made her hesitate. Instead, former newscaster and current progressive talk show host Bree Walker has decided to buy the plot.

From the Brad Blog:

A former Los Angles newscaster turned progressive talk radio host, Bree Walker, will be purchasing Cindy Sheehan's 5-acre property near the Bush ranch in Crawford, Texas, The BRAD BLOG has learned.

Walker, currently a resident of San Diego, was previously a television news anchor in Los Angles and New York. She confirmed the news to us moments ago, in an exclusive interview, that she intends to keep the property "as a ground for freedom and peace" and is considering erecting a memorial there for troops killed in Iraq. She hopes to create a meditation garden on the grounds and to keep it open to the public.

"I'm cashing out my capitalist corporate stocks and buying into a legacy of peace," she told The BRAD BLOG moments ago. Sheehan will be selling the property for the same price she purchased it for so as not to be seen as profiting from the sale, Walker explained.

I remember Bree when I lived in L.A., she was a local news anchor for CBS at the time, but I had no idea she was a devoted liberal. It is great to see someone who cares for the anti-war movement, exemplified by this purchase as well as contributing to the progressive talk community. Kudos!

You can catch Bree on KTLK 1150 AM in Los Angeles from 2-4 Pacific time on Saturdays and on the web at www.ktlk.com

Darfur: It's Enough!

The Enough Project made this little PSA to remind us what is going on over in the turbulent region of Africa known as Darfur. Take a moment to see their website and help out.

George Washington Comes Back To Scold Bush On The War

Things are getting so bad in Iraq that our first President, George Washington had to come back and go on Meet The Press to chastise Bush on his handling on the war. Bush said he trusted his Generals, but many of them have opined only to have their ideas fall on the deaf ears of the White House. Well one of our very first Generals that helped win the Revolutionary War had to make an appearance to get the message through to President #43.

From The Onion:

WASHINGTON, DC—Breaking a 211-year media silence, retired Army Gen. George Washington appeared on NBC's Meet the Press Sunday to speak out against many aspects of the way the Iraq war has been waged.

Washington, whose appearance marked the first time the military leader and statesman had spoken publicly since his 1796 farewell address in Philadelphia, is the latest in a string of retired generals stepping forward to criticize the Iraq war.

"This entire military venture has been foolhardy and of ill design," said Washington, dressed in his customary breeches and frilly cravat. "The manifold mistakes committed by this president in Iraq carry grave consequences, and he who holds the position of commander in chief has the responsibility to right those wrongs."

I couldn't have said it better myself. Mr. Washington may want to make his next appearance in attire that is more befitting the 21st century, but showing up is good enough. If Bush won't listen to the American people of today, perhaps he's more willing to listen to one of the founding fathers.

Another Lesson In Conservative Hypocrisy

In case you haven't gotten it that conservative tend to be massive hypocrites when it comes to preaching one thing and doing another, we the example of Robert Bork today. If you remember, he was a Supreme Court Justice nominee that didn't make it to the bench during the Reagan years. He is also a big proponent of tort reform to rid the nation of so-called frivolous lawsuits.

From The American Constitution Society:

Judge Robert Bork, one of the fathers of the modern judicial conservative movement whose nomination to the Supreme Court was rejected by the Senate, is seeking $1,000,000 in compensatory damages, plus punitive damages, after he slipped and fell at the Yale Club of New York City. Judge Bork was scheduled to give a speech at the club, but he fell when mounting the dais, and injured his head and left leg. He alleges that the Yale Club is liable for the $1m plus punitive damages because they "wantonly, willfully, and recklessly" failed to provide staging which he could climb safely.

I hope he recovers from his injuries but a repudiation of his entire ethos might be in order here. Suing for a million dollars because there wasn't a rail to hold going up a small set of stairs? Come on, that is frivolity at its best. His friends in the tort reform community didn't take too kindly to the lawsuit either.

From Overlawyered:

Before someone accuses us of playing this down, let me be out front and say that I find Judge Bork's slip and fall suit against the Yale Club embarrassingly silly. The Wall Street Journal has the complaint. Judge Bork, speaking at the Yale Club, attempted to climb a raised dais that had no stairs or handrail; the 79-year-old failed to do so, and fell back, and hurt himself severely. I sympathize with Judge Bork's serious injuries, but it's beyond me what his lawyers are thinking in asking for punitive damages. And if any danger is open and obvious such that there is an assumption of the risk, surely the absence of stairs to reach a lectern on a dais is—especially if the dais is of the "unreasonable" height that the complaint alleges it to be.

He's right, this is embarrassingly silly. A million dollar suit for having no handrails is a little nuts. If he needed some assistance to get up the stairs in his old age, he could have just asked. That would be taking personal responsibility. But no, he has to go and file a frivolous lawsuit.

Taking a step back from the incident, Bork fought against all lawsuits that went after large corporations that were not complying with the law or treating their employees fairly. It wasn't just about slipping on some stairs and wanting a million dollars. What he fought against was the average American making claims against people that did them wrong.

PoliticsTV Top Ten Of The Week

Just like clockwork, PoliticsTV puts together another set of web videos that made their top ten of the week:

Norman Siegel, Public Advocate Running For The Job He Already Does

In this 24/7, 365 days a year world of campaigning, the candidates are already shaping up for the city's next election in 2009. One of those offices that will be looked at besides the Mayor's race is for Public Advocate. For far too long, no one in that office has really looked out for the citizens of New York City. Norman Siegel has done a fantastic job of it, despite not having the official title. So in addition to mole333 at Daily Gotham, I would like to advocate for Norm's bid to take the seat two years from now. Here's what mole333 had to say.

From The Daily Gotham:

Many people are speculating who is going to be running. Names I have heard kicked around include Chris Owens (now eyeing Brooklyn BP), David Yassky (who really should run for Marty Connor's senate seat, many believe), and Marty Markowitz (who some people say should just give up the facade and go on Bruce Ratner's payroll).

But the name that most who really care about civil liberties are waiting to hear is Norm Siegel. Norm has run twice in the past. I have met him both times and found him to be the ideal man for the job. In fact, he has been our real public advocate for decades. He was Executive Director of the NY Civil Liberties union for 15 years. Since then, according to Democracy for NYC, he has done the following for New Yorkers:

Norman has advocated for and represented myriad groups including:

* the newly created Association of New York City Education Councils
* the Williamsburg community's right to keep its local firehouse open
* Prospect Heights, Brooklyn and Harlem communities working to stop the government from using eminent domain to take their homes for the enrichment of private developers
* firefighters and non-profits seeking the implementation of a skyscraper safety program and provisions for our firefighters to guarantee they have proper working communication equipment
* families who lost a loved one on September 11th, 2001, as they seek the public release of materials from that day, including 911 emergency tapes and transcripts (Norman argued this case in the New York Court of Appeals on February 9th).

Siegel already has a great record protecting citizens from big business, so there is no reason for him not to take the job for real. There are other great candidates that are positioning themselves to run, but Norman takes the cake.

I was able to see him live and in person at Democracy for New York City's Spring Bash last week and I was extremely impressed with his short speech. The crowd there obviously adored him, making for a nice little base to build support on. He placed second to that Betsy Who? character in 2005 and should easily beat should she run again.

Bush's "Stomach Virus"

George Bush skipped out on part of the G8 conference this week due to what was announced as a stomach virus. However a certain photograph seen here might raise some suspicions about what made George so sick. As an admitted alcoholic (who found God so he doesn't drink says the President) George has/had a fondness for the drink. Seeing him drink what officials insist is a non-alcoholic beer can certainly raise a few red flags.

Even non-alcoholic beer has minute amounts of alcohol in it. It is never a wise decision for one of George's kind to partake in it. Tasting it might make George want the real thing (if it isn't a real one already). I wonder what people say in his AA meetings...oh wait, he doesn't go to them.

Rudy The Megalomaniac, Ferrets Prove It

David Goodhearts was attacked by Giuliani back when he was mayor because he was in favor of keeping ferrets as pets in NYC. Giuliani banned the furry creatures in spite of the New York state laws that allowed them. He even screamed at the City Council for approving the animals for the city before vetoing the measure. Now Goodhearts is on Tucker Carlson's show for a little payback.

Glenn Beck Is Getting Another Job???

The deal isn't official yet, but Washington Post Radio is considering adding Glenn Beck to their list of shows. Why on Earth they would do this, you got me. The Post would take another step backward in their journalistic endeavors with his addition. Beck is infamously known for attacking Muslims, women and other minorities in order to get laughs from his conservative brethren.

From Media Matters:

In a June 7 Washington Post article, staff writer Paul Farhi wrote: "Faced with continuing financial losses and stubbornly low ratings for Washington Post Radio," WTWP owner Bonneville International Corp. is "considering" picking up "a show hosted by conservative Glenn Beck." Farhi added: "However, both Bonneville and The Post must agree on all programming decisions." As Media Matters for America has repeatedly noted, Beck -- who hosts a nationally syndicated radio show and a nightly program on CNN Headline News, and joined ABC's Good Morning America as a regular contributor in January 2007 -- has repeatedly spouted inflammatory comments about Muslims, Arabs, Mexicans, and female guests on his radio and television programs, a tendency that went unmentioned by Farhi.

The Post cites that the decision hedges on their low ratings and financial difficulties. Yet Glenn Beck has proven that he is a loser when it comes to ratings. CNN desperately tries to prop his show with promos and gets nothing out of them. The media in general adores Beck despite his incendiary comments. What's worse, Beck tries to spin himself off as a nice, average guy that just happens to interject right-wing talking points into everything he does. This would be a bad move for Washington Post radio and another demerit for the media in general. Beck needs to lose jobs, not gain more.

Comedy Central's Lil' Bush

A writer from The Simpson created a cartoon series on Comedy Central to mock the President. George and his pals are featured in miniature form, looking idiotic as many people see them. But as RawStory states, don't look for a big overall message here. Donick Cary wasn't going for that message either, just to get a 'laugh'.

So if you want to laugh and be informed at the same time, stick to The Colbert Report and The Daily Show. If you want to see an animated Dick Cheney tear off the heads of three birds and drink their blood, then this is the show for you. It starts Wed. June 13th at 10:30 Eastern.

Gretchen Carlson Needs To Grow Up

For a woman that can report on the deaths of our soldiers and the rest of the violence in Iraq, this scene is beyond pathetic. I guess an amputation of a logger troubles her more than the thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of injuries that our soldiers have endured. That doesn't even count all of the Iraqis that have suffered under our occupation.

Again, truly pathetic.

Republican Fist Flies In Alabama Statehouse

Politics got physical yesterday down in Alabama when Sen. Charles Bishop (R) punched Sen. Lowell Barron (D) in the head. The two men had to be pulled apart on the Statehouse Senate floor. As with any fight, there were two versions of the story. Bishop claims Barron called him a name first then decided to attack, he apparently threw a punch because that was how he was raised.

Lowell's story was much different (and backed up by witnesses). He claims he was sitting in his seat when Bishop came up to him and threatened Lowell. When Lowell got up out of his seat, he was smacked on the side of the head by Bishop's fist. So why the ridiculous behavior gentlemen?

From CBSNews:

The fight came on the final day of the 2007 regular session of the Legislature as Republican senators were using delaying tactics to force Democratic leadership to bring up an election reform bill to ban PAC to PAC transfers. Barron is chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, which sets the chamber's work agenda, and Republicans were angry that he had not put the election reform bill in a position to come up for debate.

The Senate had just recessed Thursday afternoon when Bishop approached the chair where Barron was sitting. Moments later security officers rushed to separate the two senators.

Alabama Public Television tapes showed Bishop taking a swing at Barron.

When the Senate came back into session, Sen. Bobby Denton, D-Muscle Shoals, moved that Bishop be barred from the Senate chamber and the 7th floor of the Statehouse for the remainder of the day. Action on that motion was delayed after Bishop walked out of the Senate.

Damn, there's got to be a better way to resolve their differences. Election reform is important, but not so that it comes to physical blows. The CBS story did not delve into the details of the bill, so there is no telling which side is fighting against election reform. Nevertheless, assaulting another Senator is no way to get things accomplished.

Moving To PA To Escape The Fallout

Out of the many reasons to move to Pennsylvania, the last one would be because of a nuclear fallout. It is just something I do not think of (including moving to Pennsylvania, period). Sure, its a beautiful state and all, but as a New Yorker it isn't something that I would seriously consider. There is a group out there however that is planning for a nuclear attack on New York City, so that they can attract businesses to their area. I wish I was making this up, but let me introduce you to "Wall Street West."

From The Empire Zone:

Gov. Edward G. Rendell’s administration maintains that since the region is about 100 miles west of Manhattan, it is outside New York City’s theoretical nuclear blast zone. It is ideally situated, they say, to be a safe retreat from the metropolis, but close enough to be linked directly to the computers that run the banking and trading systems.

“We think we’re uniquely positioned,” said Catherine A. Bolton, project director of the Wall Street West consortium, whose goal is to lure financial companies based in New York to put backup facilities in a nine-county region in northeast Pennsylvania. “There are places in New Jersey, but they’re not outside the blast zone.”

Just because there is nothing going on in Northeast Pennsylvania does not give them the excuse to play on the absurd fear of there being a nuclear attack on New York. This is a case of greed that tries to capitalize on extremely remote scenarios.

The idea might have gained some traction back in the cold war, when many people did believe that Russia and the United States were going to blow each other up. Bomb shelter companies did very well back then, but business has dropped off considerably since the fall of the U.S.S.R. People like Rendell need to stop playing on people's fears and look for other ways to improve regional economies.

More Delusion And Lies From Lieberman

Things are getting better? 50 percent drop in sectarian violence? What planet is this guy on?

Rev. James Forbes Retiring From Riverside, But Not The Mission

As a Jew I don't get to church much, but the last time I did it was at Riverside Church up in Harlem for Martin Luther King Day this past January. I was there to see John Edwards, but Rev. Forbes really caught my eye, my heart and my soul. He isn't a stereotypical preacher by any means. He helped lead the civil rights movement in the 60s, earned his ministerial degrees and later on began inspiring churchgoers up in that magnificent cathedral in Harlem. Not only did he touch the lives of the congregants, but many more around the world.

From 1010 WINS:

NEW YORK -- The Rev. James A. Forbes Jr. plans to mark his retirement from leading one of the nation's most prominent liberal Protestant churches by moving on to a broader ministry, traveling the country exhorting Americans to become political "healers."

"If people hear the call to be healers, then the healing that God will provide will make America the kind of nation we want to pass on to our children," Forbes said Wednesday at a ceremony honoring his 18 years as senior minister of the Riverside Church.

"When a critical mass of citizens in the United States are committed to being healing influences ... we will discover that the policies of the nation can turn from war to peace," said Forbes, who has gained national attention for his efforts to provide a progressive alternative to the religious right. He has hosted a weekly show on the liberal radio network Air America since last year.

Wednesday's tribute was attended (and virtually attended) by such national and worldly figures as Bill Clinton, Cornel West and Desmond Tutu. Forbes was certainly wished well on his new quest to bring peace and harmony around the globe. Teaching people to be political healers is simpler than it seems. In this turbulent political climate, there must be a new way to have reasoned debates without hatred and bigotry. Hopefully Reverent Forbes can be the guiding light.

Doolittle Votes For His Own Interests

Generally when you send someone to Congress the idea is for them to represent their constituents. Not so in John Doolittle's case. When the House voted overwhelmingly for indicted members to be thoroughly investigated by the Ethics Committee, he marked an emphatic 'Nay.' Why would someone that claims to represent his district not vote for this piece of common sense legislation? Probably because he is about to face indictments against him for...you guessed it, corruption.

From The Sacramento Bee:

A Democratic resolution called for the House ethics committee to determine within 30 days of criminal charges being issued whether an investigation of the affected member should be launched. It was approved by a 387-10 margin.

Minutes later, a Republican resolution ordering an investigation of Rep. William Jefferson, D-La. -- indicted Monday on federal bribery charges -- was approved on a 373-26 vote.

Doolittle opposed both measures, drawing a harsh rebuke from the political arm of the House Democratic caucus, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. It charged that the embattled Republican "refuses to uphold a high ethical standard and take responsibility for his actions.""We want to make sure that that process works the way it was intended," said Ohio Rep. John Boehner, the House Republican leader.

Obviously John sticks with his own, meaning the criminal element in the House of Representatives. Doolittle is currently being investigated for his dealings with convicted felon Jack Abramoff. He recently had federal agents search his home for pertinent information relating to his crimes.

Many corrupt officials are already out of work and in jail, including Bob Ney, fellow Californian Duke Cunningham and William Jefferson will be joining them shortly. It is time for these crooks to be booted out of office. His district can do their part next year by voting for Charlie Brown, who ran against him last year and narrowly lost. I can hardly wait to see Congressman Brown take this filth's place.

Olbermann's Three Worst

Olbermann lists Ailes as the worst person in the world yesterday, but I have to go with the "worser" candidate. The Army National Guard's treatment of Lisa Hayes is just despicable.

Judge Garaufis Sides With Atlantic Yards Developers

Rich developers got a huge boost in their quest to build the Atlantic Yards from Judge Nicholas Garaufis today. He ruled against a small community of tenants, businesses and homeowners who would have to watch their little pieces of Brooklyn be demolished. The Judge claims that the area is "blighted" and therefore justifies the takeover of the area to make way for the new Nets basketball arena and high priced office and rental space.

From WNBC:

"Because plaintiffs concede that the project will create large quantities of housing and office space, as well as a sports arena, in an area that is mostly blighted," he wrote, no reasonable juror could conclude "that the 'sole purpose' of the project is to confer a private benefit."

Ratner released a statement calling the ruling "an important victory" for Brooklyn.

An attorney for the residents, Matthew Brinckerhoff, said he will appeal.

"We are confident that the appellate court will allow this case to proceed to trial, at which the citizens of New York will finally learn the real reason plaintiffs' properties were selected to be forcibly taken, and why Ratner was chosen to reap an unprecedented financial windfall," he said in a written statement.

The only victory here is for people like Ratner and his developer buddies. There is no joy here for Brooklyn.

It is a shame that Judge Garaufis decided that razing neighborhoods was a way to cure "blight." You know Judge, there are better ways of making a neighborhood better than just bulldozing it and giving it over to people like Bruce Ratner. NBA owners have enough money and this one doesn't need anymore, especially at the expensive of longtime Brooklyn residents. Thankfully this will go to the appellate court where some common sense can hopefully be found.

Big Brother Coming Closer To NYC

What once was the science fiction of George Orwell is quickly becoming the reality of today. There are so many high-tech gadgets that are meant to provide surveillance that it is scary and wondrous at the same time. Some of these tools look good, others seem to be right out of "1984."

From WCBS-TV:

(CBS/AP) NEW YORK An array of high-tech gadgets -- including a helicopter equipped with infrared cameras and a backpack designed to detect dirty bombs -- will help secure the city against terrorism, the police commissioner said Wednesday.

In the future, the New York Police Department even hopes to deploy "a system of stationary airborne devices" to help officers conduct surveillance and respond to emergencies in a bustling, target-rich setting, Commissioner Ray Kelly said.

"There is no environment across the nation that compares to New York City," Kelly said at a Manhattan forum hosted by the firm CIT Aerospace. "We have the highest number of critical assets in the smallest amount of physical space."

That is true, there are plenty of spots in the City that are targets and they need to be protected. Another thing we need to protect are our liberties, and those are the people's responsibility to stay vigilant for. Although WCBS reports on these specific devices, there are far more intrusive instruments across the pond that are in use today. The Brits are even closer to living under Big Brother than we are. Try and imagine surveillance cameras that talk back to you if it thinks you are misbehaving. Now that is frightening.

Colbert Has Some Advice For Scooter

Now that he is going to jail, Scooter has to learn to live on the inside:

City Universities Plan To One-Up The Mayor

Mayor Bloomberg's PlaNYC will be quite an undertaking, reducing carbon output by 30 percent by 2030. However the Universities of New York are planning to reach the Mayor's goals in only ten years. They are confident that institutions like CUNY, Columbia and NYU can work to reduce their carbon footprints on the city by 2017.

From WNYC:

NEW YORK, NY June 06, 2007 —Nine universities around the city, including NYU, Columbia and CUNY, have accepted the city's challenge of reducing carbon emissions by 30 percent in ten years, instead of the 23 years outlined in the Mayor's 2030 sustainability plans.

REPORTER: The mayor has already committed the city to meeting the accelerated timeline, and has urged other institutions to join in. Fordham University president, Reverend Joseph McShane, says schools can become more energy efficient even as they educate their students about climate change.

MCSHANE: In philosophy classes, in policy classes, in political science classes, we can engage them in conversations about the responsibility that we have as citizens and as sharers of the Earth, to make sure that the Earth is cherished and nurtured and passed on.

The centers of higher learning get that the problem of climate change is not only important, but needs to be dealt with urgently. There is no time like the present, so we need to get going and help do whatever we can to save the planet. One person cannot solve the problem alone, but if we all make a difference where we live, there might just be some hope.

Another Award For Gore

The man on an environmental mission has been recognized for his work yet again, this time by Spain with the Prince of Asturias award for International Cooperation. The world clearly sees Al Gore as an agent of positive change for the environment with his highly acclaimed "An Inconvenient Truth" documentary, his new book "An Assault On Reason" and the upcoming concert extravaganza "Live Earth." He is nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize later this year, but there's nothing wrong with receiving this honor in Spain.

From RawStory:

In a statement, the Prince of Asturias prize organizers said Gore is "one of the most influential leaders in the world in the fight against climate change."

"He has focused his public activity on promoting an awareness of humanity's responsibility for global warming and the urgent need to adopt measures that will mitigate its consequences," the statement added.

The Prince of Asturias Foundation gives out eight awards annually for outstanding contributions to areas ranging from the arts and science to sports and international cooperation.

The award also comes with a prize of 50,000 Euros ($67,500) for each recipient as well as a sculpture by artist Joan Miro. The cash sounds like a nice contribution to helping combat carbon by adding wind or solar power to our nation's power grid. As for the statue, perhaps Al can keep that for himself.

Hey Congress, Where's Your Backbone?

Cenk Uyugr of the Young Turks takes a look at the poll numbers for Congress and how they are rapidly losing support due to caving to George Bush. Memo to Dems on the Hill, find some spine and work together to stop this damn war!

Hey Kristol, Your Friend Is A Convicted Felon

A lot of people are crying in Washington after Scooter Libby was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison yesterday. They claim that Scooter and his family are the victims here, not and that President Bush should do something about it now that Judge Walton has thrown as much of the book at Libby as he can.

Awww, poor Scooter and pooh-pooh to all his friends. They shouldn't expect Bush to help anyone who can't help him in the here and now. Gonzales is a big help, he could care less about Scooter Libby. Now because the President won't help William Kristol's imprisoned friend, he is jumping off the bow of U.S.S. George W. Bush.

From The Weekly Standard:

I FEEL TERRIBLE for Scooter Libby's family. Millions of Americans feel terrible for Scooter Libby's family. But we can't do anything about the injustice that has been done. Nor can we do anything to avert a further injustice looming on the horizon--Judge Reggie Walton seems inclined not to let Libby remain free pending appeal.

Unlike the rest of us, however, George W. Bush is president. Article II, Section Two of the Constitution gives him the pardon power. George W. Bush can do something to begin to make up for the injustice a prosecutor appointed by his own administration brought down on Scooter Libby. And he can do something to avert the further injustice of a prison term.

Will Bush pardon Libby? Apparently not--even if it means a man who worked closely with him and sought tirelessly to do what was right for the country goes to prison. Bush spokeswoman Dana Perino, noting that the appeals process was underway, said, "Given that and in keeping with what we have said in the past, the president has not intervened so far in any other criminal matter and he is going to decline to do so now."

So much for loyalty, or decency, or courage. For President Bush, loyalty is apparently a one-way street; decency is something he's for as long as he doesn't have to take any risks in its behalf; and courage--well, that's nowhere to be seen. Many of us used to respect President Bush. Can one respect him still?

Well I have never had respect for the President and refusing to pardon this felon will not even come close to changing my mind. It's nice to see Bill Kristol dissing Bush, but for all the wrong reasons. Kristol has an amazingly thick head when it comes to matters relating to reality (the war, the economy, Libby, etc) and nothing seems to penetrate the skull here.

Afghani Marijuana Patrolled By U.S. Troops

I have constantly asked why the hell we are in Iraq, but most people have an understanding about Afghanistan. Al Qaeda troops trained there with the Taliban's good graces. So we went in a couple months after 9/11 and routed the Taliban. Five years later the Taliban is regaining strength, the U.S. backed Karzai government controls the city of Kabul and not much else and the area is still a mess with a few thousand of our troops stuck in country. So what are we doing over there?

Apparently to guard marijuana crops. Not just one or two plants, entire fields of them. You think I'm kidding? Check out this video, Boozhy added a relevant song to the tape of the troops out there. According to the military, it is very easy for the opposition to hide in the pot forests.

Net Neutrality

Net neutrality is under siege again by the telecommunication industry. See what they might be up to in this mock AT and T boardroom. The flash animation below may not be as far from reality as you think.

"Get A Life"

Are you a Republican that constantly worries about terrorism? When a truck hurtles down the street and rocks a manhole cover, do you scurry for a spot to keep you safe? Well the Mayor has some advice for you, "Get A Life." Paralyzing fear over events out of your control are ridiculous to worry over. Finding yourself watching Fox News for hours on end may be attributable to such conditions, as well as listening to George Bush for too long.

From WCBS-TV:

"There are lots of threats to you in the world. There's the threat of a heart attack for genetic reasons. You can't sit there and worry about everything. Get a life," he said.

That "What, me worry?" attitude pretty much sums up Bloomberg's advice to New Yorkers on the terror plot. As far as he was concerned, the professionals were on it, so New Yorkers shouldn't let it tax their brains.

"You have a much greater danger of being hit by lightning than being struck by a terrorist," he added.

Kudos to Mayor Bloomberg for the sound advice. Some people really need to chill when news stories such as the JFK "terror" plot make the news. In addition to relaxing and not worrying about imminent death caused by all the people that hate America, why not look deeper into the story and get yourself some good old-fashioned knowledge. George Bush may not approve of this, since he wants you to get all of your information from him and Fox News, but that is just too bad.

For instance, consider the hypothesis that the President and his buddies utilize fear of terrorism in order to gain popularity and continue the status quo of shredding the constitution and bleeding our treasury dry while our troops are senselessly killed. Does this sound outrageous? Not if you exercise a little common sense and become aware to what is going on with military contractors such as Halliburton, the NSA wiretapping scandal, and many other realities that our country sadly faces. So get on Google or your favorite search engine and start gathering information that you might not know about.

Same-Sex Marriage...It's Good For The Economy

If you aren't convinced that same-sex marriage should be legalized for the obvious reasons (equality, liberty for all, compassion for people no matter what their differences, etc) the City Comptroller has another one for you. It's the money. NYC Comptroller William Thompson argued today in support of legalizing same-sex marriages because it is good for the economy. Just how good is it Mr Thompson?

From WNYC:

NEW YORK, NY June 05, 2007 —Weddings are a multi billion dollar industry - millions of which are spent here in New York. City Comptroller William Thompson used that argument today to say same-sex marriage would be good for the state economy and to urge state legislators to act on a languishing bill.

REPORTER: Thompson estimates that in the first three years of allowing gay marriage the city would attract an additional $142 million in wedding spending.

THOMPSON: The economic benefits would be derived primarily from wedding related spending by residents and visitors along with spending by their out of town visitors and guests.

So forget about the moral imperative to achieve equality for all Americans. If you don't care about people's moral right to try and be happy with someone they love then focus on the money. Crain's New York Business has more statistics about the matter. New York's economy is already booming largely due to soaring real estate prices, so why not tack on a few million that helps expand the marriage business?

Larry Flynt Is At It Again

The "smut peddler who cares" has once again offered a million dollars to anyone that can provide evidence of legislators who are engaged in sexual improprieties. In 1999 he supposedly helped bring down interim House Speaker Bob Livingston during the impeachment of Bill Clinton. Along with Penthouse magazine, he is helping to expose the hypocrites in Congress one more time.

Romney And The White Horse Prophecy

According to Mormon lore, there is an old tale that predicted the U.S. Constitution would be battered until it hung on only by a thread and a metaphorical white horse will come and save it. Romney repudiates any notion that he is that white horse and states that the Church of Latter-Day Saints has officially denied the legend. Nevertheless, it is an interesting topic since our constitution is being torn apart at the moment by the Bush Administration.

From The Salt Lake Tribune:

The disputed prophecy was recorded in a diary entry of a Mormon who had heard the tale from two men who were with Joseph Smith in Nauvoo, Ill. when he supposedly declared the prophecy.

"You will see the Constitution of the United States almost destroyed," the diary entry quotes Smith as saying. "It will hang like a thread as fine as a silk fiber."

Not only will the Mormons save the Constitution, under the prediction, but the prophecy goes further, insinuating that Mormons will control the government.

It is probably a good thing for Romney to stay as far away from this as possible. The last candidate that proclaimed the theory and ran for President was Joseph Smith in 1844. He was subsequently murdered by a mob.

Romney won't have to worry about a mob either way, but part of the prophecy might tell us something about how his Presidential aspirations will go. It is a fact that our Constitution is being ripped to shreds since Bush took office. Due to that, the war and the way Republicans have set our country back to the Stone Age, Romney and the rest of the Republicans shouldn't stand a chance against the Democratic nominee next fall. As long as the Democrat in question retains sufficient backbone and stands up for what the people want, the prophecy will ultimately be proved false.

Rudy Confirms He Lives On A Different Planet

I always suspected something was amiss when it came to Rudy talking about relevant issues concerning us. Well Giuliani confirmed my some of my thoughts on him when he let out an advertising blitz in early primary states such as Iowa and New Hampshire. He claims that Democrats like Hillary don't get it when it comes to terrorism and the current realities that we face. However, the 'realities' that he sees are obviously in some parallel dimension.

From The NY Post:

June 5, 2007 -- Rudy Giuliani yesterday charged that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and the other Democratic presidential candidates are living in a "different world" when it comes to understanding the threat of terrorism.

"They're in denial about the Islamic [terrorist] threat," the GOP front-runner said. "It's an issue of war and peace. It's an issue that involves whether or not America is going to be safe."

(snip)

"In the debate . . . there was this great nostalgia about returning to the diplomacy of the 1990s," Giuliani said. "It was in the 1990s that we didn't retaliate for the attack on the USS Cole . . . the 1993 World Trade Center, Khobar Towers, Kenya, Tanzania, significant numbers of attacks by Islamic terrorists against us."

Wait a sec, didn't the attack on the U.S.S. Cole happen in 2000? Well its close enough to the 1990s I assume. Still, Rudy does not get it nor even attempt to understand geopolitics. Like many New Yorkers (myself included) he believes that the world revolves around the Isle of Manhattan but many (typically on the left) know better.

Instead of debating the issues on Planet Earth, Rudy lives in the world of black and white, where one is either a coward or a bully instead of approaching situations with a tool that I like to call logic. Of course Rudy and others like him (Bush included) like to play on the politics of fear in order to manipulate anyone willing to buy his crap.

Condi's A Tool Of The White Man

Kathy Griffin was on The View today and one of the topics that came up was Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice. The specific debate shown below focused on if Condi is a tool of the white man. The Republican on the show was as clueless as she always is while the rest of the women seemed to agree on the fact that while Condi may be a woman, she in no way supports women's rights.

James Carville Supports Scooter Libby???

We all know that Carville leans to the right, being a big player for the Democratic Leadership Council. Yet to support leniency for convicted felon Scooter Libby is just too much. He has a history of attacking left leaning Democrats like Howard Dean and now he is pleading for a reduced sentence (which didn't happen by the way) for Cheney's old right-hand man.

From The Smoking Gun:

Though my husband James Carville, a Democratic Strategist and Clinton supporter, shares neither political nor philosophical views with Scooter, he has deep respect for his intellect, his integrity, and joins me in the sentiments expressed here.

I have seen what this trial has done to my own kids, just reading about it.

The letter written by Mary Matalin goes on and on about how great Scooter Libby has been for our country and his poor kids that won't have their father for the next couple years. Although Mary did write the letter to the Judge, Carville co-signed it as you can see from the link above. Scooter should have thought about his kids before committing all the crimes he was and wasn't convicted before risking the fate of his fatherhood. These letters show Libby has plenty of friends in Washington, but thank god the Judge knew to see beyond that.

Ron Paul: Still A Republican

Not many Republicans like him due to his anti-war stance, but that got some notice from liberals and progressives on the left. I applaud his position on this issue, but the appreciation stops there. As a Republican Congressman from Texas, you gotta think there is going to be some ugliness in the package.

From Orcinus:

Through the 90s, Paul was also a regular on the far-right talk circuit. He spoke to Texas secessionists in 1995 on the "once and future Republic of Texas"; has appeared on a radio program affiliated with the Council of Conservative Citizens; and is a frequent speaker at John Birch Society functions -- the group has given him a perfect 100 in its legislative rankings. These days, those who monitor CCC, David Duke, and Stormfront say they can't get enough of him. They know he's one of their own.

Those of us who are interested in getting to a sane and functional immigration policy should also reflect on the fact that he stands right next to Tom Tancredo on that issue.

Which brings us to the Big Question: How can someone who's been such a darling of the extremist right for over 20 years now become the Next Big Thing on the left as well?

Straight talk is powerful. Americans are addicted to it -- and, too often, addled by it. We've seen this before with Ross Perot and John McCain, two other right-wing candidates who charmed us with their apparent penchant for telling us uncomfortable but necessary truths. (And to give the man his due: pointing out that 9/11 was the inevitable outcome of decades of monstrous US foreign policy was a very necessary truth.)

So before everyone runs out from the moderate left to vote for another McCain (Like many AZ Dems did in McCain's re-election to the Senate in 2004) take a deep breath and look at all of issues that are important to your politics and our country. There is too much racism in our society already and we do not need more of it from a Presidential candidate (not that he would win the nomination anyways of course).

Olbermann Slams Bush's Paranoia Campaign

Keith lays out a timeline in 2004, 2006 and this year on how Democrats got media attention...and how the Republicans stole it away with fear.

Arkansas GOP Leader: Bring On Next 9/11

Dennis Milligan may not have uttered George Bush's words verbatim, but what he did say came through clear enough. Republicans like him are under the demented delusion that another terrorist attack on the United States would be a good thing for his beleaguered party both in and out of Arkansas.

From The Arkansas Democrat Gazette:

He said he’s “150 percent” behind Bush on the war in Iraq.

“At the end of the day, I believe fully the president is doing the right thing, and I think all we need is some attacks on American soil like we had on [Sept. 11, 2001 ], and the naysayers will come around very quickly to appreciate not only the commitment for President Bush, but the sacrifice that has been made by men and women to protect this country,” Milligan said.

Mr. Milligan that day never came because George Bush has never done the right thing. Losing men and money in Iraq (not to mention the goodwill of the global community) has not done anything in the war against terror. The only thing you could argue is that it has created more terror around the world.

The Arkansas GOP has been going down the toilet now for a while. The Democratic Governor Mike Beebe is immensely popular as is his state legislature and Sen. Mike Pryor(D-AR) is doing well.Even Sen. Jeff Sessions(R-AR) might face a tough challenge in his re-election bid next year. With comments like these from the man charged with leading the GOP's resurgence in the "Natural State", things are looking great for the state's Democrats.

Bush's Face On Sale

At one time a picture with you and George Bush would have cost $25,000. When it came time to decide whether to buy that new car or to hang something obscene above your fireplace, a serious family meeting had to take place. Well things are looking good for Republican families these days, because the White House is having a sale. That very same picture is now 80 percent off!

From Newsweek:

Gas prices may be up, but there's something that's apparently a little cheaper these days: A photo with President Bush. Yesterday, Bush headlined a fundraiser for the New Jersey state GOP, where donors could pay $5,000 to pose for a photo with the Commander in Chief. Expensive photo op, right? Well, that's actually cheaper that what donors paid just a year ago for a grip and grin with Bush. Last summer, GOP officials around the country charged at least $10,000 a pop for presidential photo op, a bargain compared to the $25,000-a-flash Bush commanded during some Republican National Committee fund-raisers back in 2000 and 2004. Maybe it's just a Jersey thing. Although Bush's poll numbers are low nationally, the president is particularly unpopular in New Jersey, where his approval rating is just 25 percent according to one recent poll. In fact, Bush hadn't campaigned in the state since 2005. Last summer, the GOP relied instead on other administration emissaries like Karl Rove, Vice President Dick Cheney and former President George H.W. Bush. They all campaigned for Tom Kean Jr., who ran for (and ultimately lost) New Jersey's U.S. Senate seat. For the record, a photo with Rove cost donors $1,000, while pictures with Cheney and Bush's dad were priced at $5,000. But that's peanuts. In June 2006, donors at a Kean fundraiser paid $10,000 a piece for a photo op with First Lady Laura Bush. At least President Bush can feel good about one thing: Wednesday's event took in about $675,000 for New Jersey Republicans, not a bad haul in a state where most people would rather get a souvenir pic of the president walking out the door.

I don't think that is a New Jersey thing, its an economic thing. Supply and demand comes into play here because as the amount of people that can stand taking a picture with The Decider dwindles, the product ultimately becomes cheaper. I thought Republicans were supposed to understand these things. Oh wait, they completely screwed up the nation's economy in the last six years or so....nevermind.

Conservative Pundits Make A Good Point About The Supreme Court

Although I completely disagree politically with the people talking below, I do believe they make a good point about the Court and who our next President is. The 44th President has a chance to replace a few Justices and it is crucial that the right person is selected for the job.

Al Franken Knows We Need Publicly Financed Elections

People who are sick of how much money is involved in politics know we need a drastic change to the way campaigns operate. Except for field operations and dealing with the media, the great majority of "time" resources is dedicated to calling for money, meeting people for money and doing whatever it takes to finance the campaign. Al Franken lamented on this process today at the Huffington Post. Who would know more about it than a candidate running for office?

From The Huffington Post:

As a candidate for the U.S. Senate here in Minnesota, I've become painfully aware of the role money plays in politics.

For instance, according to my staff, I'm not supposed to write anything without mentioning that our grassroots campaign needs the support of great progressives like YOU and asking you to click here and chip in a few bucks so I can take on the Republican attack machine.

See? That kind of thing totally distracts the reader from my point, which is this: If you ever wonder whether we really need public financing of elections in this country, try running for office. You might think I spend most of my time kissing babies or shaking hands or having serious policy debates in which my sparkling wit and superior knowledge of the issues combine to sweep audiences off their feet.

Read the rest of the diary to get more of Al's wit and wisdom, including another link to send him a few bucks in his race against Coleman. Who knows, if we get enough people like Franken elected to the Senate we might have a chance to enact real change when it comes to money and politics.

The Case Against Joe Bruno

A Federal Grand Jury has been reviewing the evidence against Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno for quite some time now. This weekend information was leaked out that prosecutors have determined that they could charge Bruno with depriving the public of the "honest services" of its government. Or to put it succinctly, for being a corrupt bastard.

The Times Union has the goods:

The investigation appears to focus on horse racing, an industry Bruno has staunchly supported and in which he has a deep personal interest. It comes at a time when New York's storied racing industry has been mired in allegations of mismanagement by its longtime operator, the New York Racing Association.

NYRA's contract to run the state's three thoroughbred tracks expires at the end of the year and is imperiled by a heated takeover bid from several competing racing consortiums, including some whose investors have strong ties to Bruno and other elected officials.

In addition, the federal subpoenas have targeted records from the senator's private consulting business; a series of state grants awarded to a Troy nanotechnology company that is financially backed by Bruno's close friend; and people involved with the senator's private horse breeding efforts.

Corruption is a rampant disease in New York's state government. Cleaning up this particular mess depends on Glenn Suddaby, the U.S. Attorney for the northern district of New York. As a Bush appointee that hasn't been fired yet, I'm wary that he will make the ultimate decision of charging Bruno, especially since the grand jury has had the information for so long and Bruno's confidence seems to be more than putting up a facade.

See Any Similarities?

Plenty of people have seen the comparisons of Gollum and James Carville, but check out this cat down below. Which one has the closest similarity?



Gollum....or the cat?

What's A Spear-Chucker Mr. Hume?

Republicans try to craft their words as carefully as they can when it comes to getting their message across. Though sometimes they stumble and let their true feelings out. Remember Tony Snow's little gaffe? Well current Fox News anchor Brit Hume had a slip of his own today when talking about Fred Thompson and another former Senator and astronaut John Glenn.

From Crooks and Liars:

Hume: …he had a mixed record in the Senate and he's a man who always seems somewhat frustrated and bored by the Senate…I particularly remember an investigation that occurred after the Clinton/Dole campaign. We were new here at FOX news and we carried a lot of the hearings live. It was in the campaign finance alleged irregularities with monies supposedly seeping into the American political campaign of Bill Clinton from Chinese sources and so on—it was pretty juicy stuff it looked like a very big deal.

Fred Thompson was the chairman of the Investigating committee and it went absolutely nowhere. he was effectively buffaloed in that investigation by none other than John Glenn—who was a wonderful man, but not somebody normally you would think capable of being a real partisan..ahh…ahh.. spearchucker, who could, who could undo an investigation. So it didn't go very well and I think Fred Thompson has acknowledged since then that it wasn't his finest hour…

Well Brit that investigation didn't go anywhere because there was nothing to it. The matter was one of the many childish attempts at trying to bring down Bill Clinton. But wait just a moment. What is a spearchucker? If I was an innocent four year old I would conclude the definition to be a person that chucks or throws spears. But Brit isn't four years old and neither am I.

Urban Dictionary calls it "A derogatory phrase for a black male used in reference to his primitive abilities to hunt animals with a long sharpened object." Now why would you associate that garbage with John Glenn, let any person regardless of party affiliation. That type of racist garbage has no place in our society and definitely not on television by someone who attempts to look like a civilized human being.

Down And Dirty Debate #2

In the first Democratic debate in South Carolina, all of the candidates were mostly friendly to each other except for Mike Gravel. Gravel's incendiary comments got him the press he wanted and was generally considered to be a good move. But now that we have moved beyond the introductions of the first go around, tensions rose even up in front-runner land.

From RawStory:

"You're about 4 1/2 years late in leadership on this issue," Senator Barack Obama of Illinois said to John Edwards, the former North Carolina Senator who is running third in the polls among Democratic candidates for the party's nomination.

Obama was responding to a remark that Edwards had made about the decision by Senators Obama and Hillary Clinton of New York, the front-runner in the race, to vote against the recent funding bill for the Iraq War.

"There is a difference between leadership and legislating," Edwards said, accusing Obama and Clinton of quietly voting their opposition to funding the war.

Although Obama had a nice soundbite response to John Edwards' charge, what matters is the here and now. The facts are that Hillary and Barack were mostly quiet about their opposition to the Iraq supplemental bill that essentially caved to Bush's demands. We need real leadership in the White House, not voting for or against a bill depending on the health of one's campaign.

To Obama's credit he has been against the war throughout the last five years. Yet that makes it even more infuriating that he didn't speak out as loudly as Edwards and Christopher Dodd. We already know Hillary's motives (win, win, win) so her actions surrounding the legislation was to be expected.

The debate heavily focused on the war, but other issues surfaced as well. Health care, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the energy crisis and education were also discussed. All of these are pressing matters of course, but Iraq dominated the debate just as it does throughout the country these days.

South Korea Versus Vietnam

President Bush may want to compare Iraq to South Korea now instead of Vietnam but neither look good for him. If Bush gets his way, Iraq will look like a combination of the two. Staying in Iraq for decades is just as bad as being there now from a day-to-day perspective. Meaning that on any given day, we are going to see the deaths of our soldiers. Over the long term Iraq will become bloodier for all of us.

Term Limits Create Permanent Campaigning In NYC

The campaign business is booming here in the city with a plethora of candidates gearing up for a shot at the Mayoral, Comptroller, Public Advocate and many other races to represent New Yorkers in some fashion. Term limits are forcing dozens of officials out of their jobs in 2009 and their potential replacements are working hard for the chance to take their place.

Many of them are already serving New York City in some fashion. Council members are running for city wide positions and a whole new crop will aspire to be in the 51 member City Council. Familiar names in your own neighborhood are raising money at record levels in order to be known city-wide. Thirty months before the election, candidates have raised almost $7 million dollars combined. That is an increase of $5 million in just two election cycles.

No matter what you think of the money, advocates of the term limits may not have achieved the equality of candidates they had dreamt of. State and Federal legislators have a definite advantage over their local NYC counterparts. They have no limit on their current office, allowing them substantial flexibility. It'll be interesting to see how this develops over the next two and half years. This might make New Yorkers crazy with a long race while we still have a national election to look forward to next year, but you won't hear any campaign staff complaining.

Forget Iran, Let's Shock And Awe Guyana And Trinidad

There's a lot of talk and singing about bombing Iran but President Bush should be gearing up to blow up other countries. Now that our law enforcement agencies have foiled a plot to attack JFK International Airport, we know who the attackers are and they aren't Iranian. The evil masterminds (that didn't get past the planning stages) hail from such Caribbean-area nations as Guyana and Trinidad-Tobago. Clearly, these countries are enemies of peace loving people all over the world, freedom and America. So let's go ahead and bomb them.

Despite the fact that the war on terrorism is killing dozens of our troops every month and draining our treasury, it is definitely time to invade two more countries. We need to shock and awe these two nations because if we don't, the terrorists win. Isn't that right George?

Now for all the treasonous America-haters out there, you might be thinking about how the hell we would pay for these endeavors, how would the world see our actions and the most important question...what the f**k are you thinking Josh Ing? This ridiculous idea sounds like it comes from the brilliant mind of George Bush and the neo-cons who think for him.

Well people, I would have to say you are right. Going after Guyana and Trindad is completely insane. Now how does that differ from going into Iran, Iraq and nearly every other country out there. We need to focus on ourselves, let law enforcement take care of the terrorists so our military can stop terrorizing everybody else.

Al Gore On C-SPAN

Harry Smith interviewed Al Gore the other day about his new book and the current situation with the environment. Al slams George Bush's policies relating to fixing our planet, saying that coal is one of the worst ways to go green. Fossil fuels are the wrong way to go, renewable is the only way to truly clean up our environment.

Right-Wing Terrorists

Generally the wingers in our country terrorize us with their ideas and politicians they get elected, but there are even scarier types then them. There are actual terrorists in our midst. They tend to call themselves militias that try to enforce their radical ideas through violence. One of the most infamous moments was when Timothy McVeigh blew up the Oklahoma City Federal building over ten years ago. These groups have been laying low now for a while, particularly after George Bush got elected.

A logical hypothesis is that if the Democrats take back the Presidency and fight against their goals of breaking down gun control and the government itself. This isn't a conspiracy theory by any means. In fact there have been six underreported incidents in the last year alone attributed to these whackos.

From Rick Perlstein:

Stop it, stop it right now. Stop pretending Islamicists - or environmentalists or animal rights activists (which are, ridiculously, federal law enforcement and non-governmental terrorism-watchers' next most obsessive concern) - are the only imminent terrorist threats to our nation. We now know that students at Liberty University were ready to napalm protesters at Jerry Falwell's funeral. One of the suspects is a soldier at Fort Benning. [UPDATE: Falwell gave the kid a scholarship.]

If the media does not start connecting some dots, they will have abdicated their citizenship duties. How many times has the nation potentially come within a hair's breadth of suffering a right-wing terrorist attack this spring? As of today, three, or possibly six times - at least that we know about.

• Late in April, 150 federal, state, and local law enforcement officers carried out simultaneous raids in four Alabama counties in a sweep that yielded 130 grenades, a rocket launcher, and 2,500 rounds of ammunition.. In the town of Trussville, it took a U-haul truck to cart away all the materiel. At the Collinsville camper belonging to militia "major" Taymond Dillard, agents first had to defuse trip-wires rigged to explode hand grenades to kill intruders.

• Right-wing vigilantes arrested in a scuffle at one of the May 1 immigration marches, in Washington D.C., was found to have a stash of automatic weapons and explosives in his home.

• Now this, the violence allegedly thwarted at Falwell's funeral. One of the suspects is a soldier at Fort Benning - yes, he traveled all the way from Georgia with his munitions. Another was a high school student.

Sure the media has made note of the examples above, but as Perlstein said, no one is connecting the dots at CNN, the New York Times or any other major media outlet. Our fourth estate is not doing their job here and with many other societal movements going on in this country. For the most part, cable news and print journalism simply spits out press releases without any analysis or original thought.

These homegrown terrorists are a real problem and can potentially do serious damage when their radicalism mixes with heavy munitions. Honestly, do we really have to wait for another Timothy McVeigh, with dozens or hundreds killed and wounded? President Bush may want to bring the fight to the enemy in Iraq so we don't have to fight them here....but what about the enemy in our own backyard?