Go General....

Like Atrios, I'm starting to get a mancrush on Wes Clark, too.

Rock and a hard place...

As pointed out at Daily Kos, Obama is all set to support the Terrible FISA bill, even if it offers retroactive immunity. Cowardly, but he knows it's a safe move.

The commenters there are up in arms, and rightly so, but still swear to vote for Obama. They're upset, won't give him any money or go out campaigning, but they'll still vote for him. I will too. And Obama knows this. He knows were aren't voting for McCain no matter how angry we are, and he knows we aren't going to stay home or vote for someone else, as that's as good as supporting McCain. He gets to look tough on terror and national security with the uninformed masses, even though it pisses off the left, because he knows the left is behind him regardless.

He doesn't need our respect, he doesn't really even need our money. He needs our vote, and he knows he has that.

Sad day

I'd just like to thank Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer, and the 103 other Democrats who voted for the abyssmal FISA bill today, for taking a big steaming dump on the 4th Amendment. You should all be ashamed of yourselves. Seriously, are you ever going to learn that "compromise" means giving Bush and the Republicans exactly what they want?

And where were you, Barack Obama, during this whole business? Way to relase a statement after the vote. You're the leader of our party now, and had you shown some actual leadership, the Democrats in the House might never have gone along with this abomination.

Hopefully the Senate strips the immunity out of the bill when they get it. But if not, I'm sure the Democrats, Obama included, will just roll over and play dead the way their House colleagues did.

The sky is still there...

Gay people have been marrying in California for over a day now and Veronica and I are still married and the world hasn't come to an end.

Yeah, they're not even trying anymore...

Out of gas

So, John McCain wants to save us money on gas by getting rid of the federal gas tax for the summer. Which of course means millions of dollars that won't be going for road maintenance, as that's what the tax is for. And he has no plan to make up the difference, unlike Hillary Clinton who at least taxed the oil company profits.

Speaking of oil companies, Mr. Save Americans Money on gas wants to continue, and even increase, billions in taxpayer subsidies to the oil companies...companies which have been posting the highest profits in the history of the world. So basically, he wants to seem like he's saving gullible people money on the front-end, i.e. at the pump, while taking it back from them on the back-end and giving it straight to Exxon-Mobil, Shell, etc. Now, that's change you can believe in.

Good for the goose?

So, if Michelle Obama is Barack's "baby mama," can we start calling Cindy McCain John's "sugar mama?" I'm just sayin...

Scooter...

Anyone else think that motherfucker had a get out of jail free card all along?

I Hope You Can See This Boston, Because I'm Doing It As Hard As I Can

The wisdom of Dick Cheney...

Apparently I support al Qaeda because I voted for Ned Lamont. I didn't know that exercising my constitutional right to vote for the representative of my choice was supporting the terrorists. After all, isn't that one of the freedoms they supposedly hate us for?

It's Official!

Fox News Joe (FNJ) has officially shown his true colors and declared that he will begin collecting signatures to run as an independent if he loses the Democratic Primary to Ned Lamont. More here, from the excellent Daily Kos

This is one hell of a bombshell to drop only a few days before Thrusday's debate between the two candidates. Do you really need any more proof that Lieberman cares nothing about the Democratic Party? This move has been expected for a long time, and I'm glad it finally came. This should show Connecticut voters, and Dems especially, that Lieberman cares nothing about their wishes or will. He cares only about keeping his cushy Senate seat.

FNJ is playing a dangerous game here. He must be thinking that those Republicans he's so cozy with will he helping him in the general election, assuming he loses the primary, come November. However, with the Democrats split over Lieberman and Lamont in such a scenario, does he really think Republicans won't take advantage of the situation and do everything to get an actual Republic elected? You know, the kind with an (R) after their name on TV?

Let's not support this turncoat anymore. Don't sign his petition and don't help him in any way. That goes for you Chuck Schumer, Chris Dodd, and others. FNJ obviously cares nothing about the Democratic Party. Pledge your support to a REAL DEMOCRAT

What the Fuck!?!?!?!?!?

I just learned something amazing. According to Representative Pete King (R-NY), who I just watched on Fox News, the First Amendment is not absolute. See, the right wingers are all up in arms over the fact that the New York Times had the audacity to report on the Administration's monitoring of American's international banking records. It's all part of the Time's liberal, communist, left wing agenda to hurt America and help al-Qaeda. Now these Republican pillars of virtue are calling on the Justice Department to file charges against the newspaper because they're being treasonous and hurting national security. Freedom of the Press, anyone? Well, according to Representative King, apparently not.

Is this really the kind of slippery slope the Republicans want to go down? If the First Amendment is not absolute, then what about the other 26? That right to bear arms thingie you gun nuts love so much? Well guess what? If the First Amendment isn't absolute, then neither is the Second. No quartering of troops? Scratch that one, it costs too much to house them on dedicated bases anyway. The Fourth Amendment? Bush and Company took a shit on that one a long time ago. And so on and so on.

I love how Republicans think they get to pick and choose which parts of the Constitution should be followed at different times. News Flash! James Madison wrote the Bill of Rights to specifically protect American citizens from governmental abuse. I guess he didn't know what he was talking about. Or Hamilton, Jefferson, or any other of the Founding Fathers.

Now, granted, after all the ranting and raving, Rep. King is partially correct. The First Amendment doesn't protect you if you yell fire in a theatre or and freedom of the press does not necessarily apply to baseless libel or slander. However, just because the government doesn't like a story, doesn't mean that it is illegal. So sorry, Rep. King, but the Times was completely justified in informing Americans that your beloved Administration was once again spying on them. In this case, the First Amendment is indeed absolute.

Hey Representative King? I got a question for you. If the First Amendment isn't absolute anymore, what about the Thirteenth? Having a couple of slaves sure would make my life easier.

Down to the city we go...

I visited my new school today. Columbia has a very beautiful campus and I still can't believe I get to study with some of the best and brightest at one of the country's top schools. Kick ass!

Scratch that previous one...

Well, I got into grad school after all. Last week I got an offer of admissions from Columbia University. Ivy league, bitches. I'm really excited. I'll be in their master's program for American Studies. It's not strictly history, but it is still a golden opportunity that I can't pass up. Of course, now I gotta find someway to pay for it...

Grad Schools

I think colleges should be brought up on racketeering charges. Seriously. They charge anywhere from $50-$120 just to submit a graduate application. Out of the untold thousands who apply, only a few actually get accepted. That equals out to schools making a shitload of money for doing almost absolutely nothing.

Yeah, so I'm bitter. I applied to seven schools and six have turned me down. I'm not being too optimistic about the the seventh. It would be nice if they actually told you WHY you weren't accepted when they send you the rejection notice. That way, you know what aspects of you application need work and you can address the deficiencies and not make the same mistakes again. No, they just all generically tell you that you weren't recommended for admission. But there were lots of qualified aplicants, they tell me, and not everyone could be admitted. Small comfort that is.

Why?...

In great deeds something abides. On great fields something stays. Forms change and pass; bodies disappear, but spirits linger, to consecrate ground for the vision-place of souls. And reverent men and women from afar, and generations that know us not and that we know not of, heart-drawn to see where and by whom great things were suffered and done for them, shall come to this deathless field to ponder and dream; And lo! the shadow of a mighty presence shall wrap them in its bosom, and the power of the vision pass into their souls.--Joshua L. Chamberlain




Sometime during the night of February 15 some enterprising individuals took it upon themselves to go on on a demolition spree at Gettysburg National Military Park. Three monuments, dedicated to the 11th Massachusetts, 114th Pennsylvania, and the 4th New York Independent Battery were vandalized. The damage to these irreplaceable atrifacts is estimated to be at least $100,000. Each monument celebrates the actions of a different unit in Sickle's III Corps, and were placed by the veterans themselves in the 1880's so that we all might might remember their sacrifice.

Try as I might, I can't understand what goes through the heads of the type of people who would do something like this. Are you protesting something, or just getting wasted and deciding it would be fun to dishonor the men who gave their lives for your freedom? Let us hope these scumbags are caught and given the full sentence ($250,000 fine and 10 years in a pound me in the ass prison) for their crimes. More pictures, information, and donation info can be found at Civil War Interactive

Sorry, Joe...

But it's time to go. By Joe I mean the Darling Democrat of Fox News, Connecticut's own Joe Lieberman. He's just a bit too cozy with the Administration these days and all too willing to beg for scraps at George Bush's table. We have a real alternative in Ned Lamont. It's going to be an uphill fight, after all Lieberman is well entrenched and has more money than God, but we've got a good chance to get a REAL Democrat into office. Go check Ned out and volunteer/contribute. Let's let the Joementum know it's run out of time.

I think this might be a good way to start...

It probably gets fairly cold in the White House and all.