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You never saw the link alan? I'll spell out out for you. I'LL DO THE RESEARCH FOR YOU SINCE YOU CAN'T OR REFUSE TO. For whatever reason.

"Donald Rumsfeld meeting Saddam Hussein on 19 December - 20 December 1983. Rumsfeld visited again on 24 March 1984; the same day the UN released a report that Iraq had used mustard gas and tabun nerve agent against Iranian troops. The NY Times reported from Baghdad on 29 March 1984, that "American diplomats pronounce themselves satisfied with Iraq and the U.S., and suggest that normal diplomatic ties have been established in all but name."[11]"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._support_for_Iraq_during_the_Iran-Iraq_war

I don't see Hillary's change on the war to be mere political opportunism. The war resolution had broad support from Democrats at the time. The Bush administration was releasing bad intelligence. But one of the persons that most convinced me that Saddam harbored weapons of mass destruction was Saddam himself. I was not alone in thinking that, with all the obstruction he was doing with the UN inspectors, he HAD to be hiding something. I never considered the other option, that he was dumber than a post.

There was a large majority of Americans at the time that supported the initial invasion.

There is now a large majority who don't support the war. I think most members of congress who have changed their position can be equated to the average American. They were mislead by the administration, Saddam did much to shot himself in the foot. But after four years, the goals seem as out of sight as in 2003. Now most of congress is against it as are the people. In fact there are probably more members of congress against the war, but many Republicans, are toeing the party line, because a Republican is president. Watch how fast they switch their support to oppose the war when a Democrat is sworn in on January 20, 2009.

Murdoch and his china ties, from ny times. For those who care about the destruction of the media:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/26/world/asia/26murdoch.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

proudtobe GOP: You are 100% correct. These "Wing-Nuts" are just trying to get us old timers riled a little, and failing badly. As for me, I put up with their junk in hopes that will see the light, and actually really and truely feel sorry for them."

You sound like me lylepink. YOu sound like the anti-rufus:).

I would ask you though. When/where am I wrong. Anybody can agree witht hose like them. That is subconscious. If I am wrong tell me why. If I am lying tell me how. If you want to be the anti-rufus. The problem is you have to used truth to combat lies. YOu have to use love to combat hate. You have to use understanding to combat intolerance. AM I any of the above. If so attack with that. If you CANNOT, you need to look at the side you are on and what it's really about

""Many big companies have sought to break into the China market over the past two decades, but few of them have been as ardent and unrelenting as Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. Murdoch has flattered Communist Party leaders and done business with their children," reports the NYT's Joseph Kahn.

Newsroom sources tell DRUDGE, the paper will detail: "His FOX NEWS network helped China's leading state broadcaster develop a news web site. He joined hands with the Communist Youth League, a power base in the ruling party, in a risky television venture, his China managers and advisers say. Murdoch's third wife, Wendi, is a mainland Chinese native who once worked for his Hong Kong-based satellite broadcaster Star TV. Her role managing investments and honing elite connections in China has underscored uncertainties about how family-controlled NEWS CORP. will be run after Murdoch, 76, retires or dies."

"Rufas, time to put down the crack pipe and go outside and play."

That's right GOP. If you can't win either cheat or take your ball and go home. The right is filled with people with the mentallity elementary school. Selfish greedy. Only care about themselves. Try and change that greedy "self" and you are the problem. But what if that greed conflicts with the good of a nation? What if that GREED turns on us. What is that greed? Money, power? That greed is nothing. NOTHING GOP. You are selling out your brothers and sisters for little pieces of paper with old dead people on it. I don't call that free market. I call that treason.

Don't engage me on the topics. You can't win. Better to leave for challege speling errors of attack me blindless. Trying to talk about the facts or truth's of the GOP will just make you look foolish. Good-bye

"You are 100% correct"

About what. Now you are trolls are congradulating each other for nothing. You have plenty to feel good about GOP. There are plenty of things Bush and his cronies have done right. The republicans have been politcal whizzs overseas and here at home. Everything is my fault, and us liberals.I'm sorry

Good luck getting another republican elected again in YOUR LIFETIME. Really. Good luck with that.

Your cool with me GOP. I like ya. Your on the right track. Ramp up your efforts. John wayne and elvis are alive. There here, with me. WE love George Bush. He is our AMerican son. Long live the King

proudtobe GOP: You are 100% correct. These "Wing-Nuts" are just trying to get us old timers riled a little, and failing badly. As for me, I put up with their junk in hopes that will see the light, and actually really and truely feel sorry for them.

Rufas, time to put down the crack pipe and go outside and play.

Gop and otherslike him NOW are saying free speech is ok for schools but not the corporate world, despite Imus.

I guess there are no longer laws. Just lawyers who INTERPRET SAID LAWS.

" It is not a crime if you don't get caught." This should be the new republican manta. That and "I don't recall."

In GOP's world there are no laws, if your lawyer is good enough. Any law can be circumvented as long as YOU ARE ON THE SIDE OF RIGTH LIKE THE GREAT GEAROGE BUSH.

A nation of laws? Not if youu got the money. Right GOP? That is the America YOU PEOPLE ahve created. I hope it is to your liking. You have destroyed what this country really is. A NATION OF LAWS, BY AND FOR THE PEOPLE.

Are we that now? Who would say yes, and why? No. We are no longer a nation of laws. There is still hope. They havn't won yet. We still have a choice of what kind of country we ARE. We still have a choice GOP.

Ok. So in a school setting you can silence somebody? Ok. Does that same rule apply to business? Ie IMUS and Rosie? Any other rules you want to make up while your at it. Where else?

If so, your boy Rush/O'Reilly/Hannity should all have to fear the same fate, no? Imus hurt a lot of people's feelings. This hurt the advertiseres. The above ARE held to teh same account as those they are trying to silence. Whether the right's hypocritical mind and comprehend it or not.

Don't blame me I'm not the bad guy. I blame those responsilbe for make you the man you are today. False prophets leading you down the path YOU KNOW NOT TO FOLLOW. It's ok. They are done. Regardless of what you say. I know you are scared, and rightfully so. Without the avatars this fascist movement is over. It's over. No amount of haircut pieces or propoganda will stop that now. Blame me if you want GOP. I'll blame those who are ruining the country, as your boy Trent Lott has said.

Rufus, you seem confused about what the First Amendment covers.

Let's review...
A principal may, consistent with the First Amendment, restrict student speech at a school event, when that speech is reasonably viewed as promoting illegal drug use. In Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School Dist., 393 U. S. 503

Therefore, because schools may take steps to safeguard those entrusted to their care from speech that can reasonably be regarded as encouraging illegal drug use, the school officials in this case did not violate the First Amendment by confiscating the pro-drug banner and suspending Frederick.

I'm here for you GOP/Razor/Zouk. I'm here to give you the news you DON'T hear at you propoganda stations you listen to. It's not your fault GOP. YOur getting lied to everyday. You don't have the political/historical knowledge to know what is real and what is fake. That is why I'm here. For you. ALso to get Rush/O'Reilly/Hannity/Fox News" OFF the air. For good. That way they can't ruin your world prespective anymore. I'm doin git for you GOP. And the elderly they are lying to everyday

HEllo GOP. Crickets Crickets.

Only works when it's for your argument as opposeed to agaisnt?

Your right GOP. They also LIMITED FREE SPEECH, with the supreame court ruling agaisnt high school kids. YOu may have heard of the "bong hit's for Jesus"

http://www.cnn.com/2007/LAW/06/25/free.speech/index.html

Why not re-instate the fairness doctrine? Did we have this problem, with talk-radio, BEFORE Regan got rid of teh FAirness doctrine? Again, that was BEFORE REGAN REMOVED THE FAIRNESS DOCTRINE. He did that in 1984. The enxt year your hero came on the air, to balance a famous left-winger in sacramento. The next year said liberal was shot to death by neo-nazi's. Rush has reigned supreame ever since. I say get him and others like him off the air. We cna start to re-build this GREAT country. Propoganda/lies/misdirection are not free speech. Their time is almost up. What will you do without your avatars, GOP? Their time is almost up. Whether it be the fairness doctrine or whether it be the IMUS/ Rosie route. Their time is up. ALL REAL patriots should rejoice.

bloomberg? who's bloomberg?

The dems are the ones trying to reinstitute the 'fairness doctrine' which would do just that -limit free speech. In fact, rufus, the Supreme Court just today ruled in favor of free speech by upholding an appeals court ruling that an anti-abortion group should have been allowed to air ads during the final two months before the 2004 elections. The law unreasonably limits speech and violates the group's First Amendment rights, the court said.

""Is uniformity of opinion desirable? No more than of face and stature." -- Thomas Jefferson: Notes on Va., 1782. "

Should be FOx's new campaigh slogen. That's what the right does GOP, right? Preach one thing while doing the exact opposite. Prech about their free speech while trying to silence Rosie/Mike Moore/others.
Isnt that the republican way. Being a hypocrite is a must.

JimD is "severely disappointed with the current crop of candidates in both parties."; a sentiment shared by many it seems. My point is that the process itself is alive and well; this campaign season is one of the most vibrant and interesting we've had in a long, long time.

In addition to being an interesting spectator sport, the open field of '08 is drawing in many more informed and motivated voters into the process in many different forums.

"Is uniformity of opinion desirable? No more than of face and stature." -- Thomas Jefferson: Notes on Va., 1782.

Truth Hunter: I had already checked the LA Times about what Biden is trying to do. This has been going on for some time now and it amounts to nothing, since it is "Non-Binding". Another thing to be very wary of, is his attempt to work with GW on the Iraq war, that alone is a no-brainer. Anyone can cover themselves either way they vote on an resolve issue.

Bushies and their buddies brought it to us. First they brought the drugs TO fight. Now they bring THE TERROR to fight it

First the "war on drugs" then the "war on terror". Unfortunatly both were WARS AGAINST AMERICA by AMERICA

Word is born Posted by: so what is the point? where ever dick is pointing, don't look... | June 24, 2007 03:10 PM .

To much truth for this site though. They don't care about this. You could detail all of the Bush's Nazi ties, these people wouldn't even bat an eyelash. Those $400 haircut stories and Paris Hilto got their attention. Those trying to save this country need to go elsewhere. This site is a republican fish bowl. CC is with the right.

The right has sold this country out to line their pockets. All REAL Patriots please stand up

Ed Rollins had an insightful article in yesterday's WaPo on Bloomberg's chances.

There is a link to the article on my blog, well worth reading.

http://whathappenedtomycountry.blogspot.com

Lylelpink... You may be correct that any plan for Iraq may be torn apart, but Biden's plan is now receiving serious administration consideration.

Not only does Biden have a plan, he is bringing together bipartisan support. Sounds presidential to me.

Don't expect to read about recent developments along this line in the WaPo which is shutting out Biden.... the LA Times carried the story. I have the article link on my blog.

http://whathappenedtomycountry.blogspot.com

Lylelpink... You may be correct that any plan for Iraq may be torn apart, but Biden's plan is now receiving serious administration consideration.

Not only does Biden have a plan, he is bringing together bipartisan support. Sounds presidential to me.

Don't expect to read about recent developments along this line in the WaPo which is shutting out Biden.... the LA Times carried the story. I have the link on my blog.

http://whathappenedtomycountry.blogspot.com

Truth Hunter: I thought the primary voting requirement was about the same. Thanks for the information. I have looked at Biden and all the rest on specific issues, and you are correct about Biden. My 08:03 AM post points out the danger of a more detailed plan and why.

Lylepink, I must change from an Independent to a party to vote in the Iowa caucuses.

One candidate whose position is more fully explained on Iraq is Biden. Take a look at him.

http://whathappenedtomycountry.blogspot.com

Romney #1? Come on, CC. His current success is just a media-fueled fluke. He still lacks the widespread support and efficient organization to make it out of the top-second tier.
http://political-buzz.com/

Dog Wama J: The ambitious part is shared by all. The war issue will and should be a top priority now and in the future. My prior posts states my position pretty clear, and none of the pols I know of want to remove our troops without the protection they must have for a quick and safe withdrawal plan. This is a very tricky situation and any plan put forward will, in my honest opinion, be torn apart piece by piece. That is why I very seriously doubt any detailed plan, with specifics, will be offered by any of the top tier candidates. Sad, but reality will rule the day.

Lylepink, it seems to me that Hillary is against the war now in the same way and for the same reason that Mitt Romney is pro-life and pro-NRA now. Or maybe that's why she was pro-war in 2003? Either way, it's hard to tell when and if she is being sincere. She's sincerely ambitious, that's for sure.
Obama has been against the war consistently since it started, unlike both Hillary and Edwards. Both of them supported the war for political reasons, and both are now opposing it for the same reasons.

Truth Hunter: I am registered D, for here in WV it is required for a party vote in the primary. How about Iowa? I am all over the political spectrum, being against the death penalty and in favor of a womans right to choose in most cases including third term where the health of the mother is at risk and the fetus is badly deformed or not expected to live on its own. Hillary is against the war, and I don't disagree/agree with her position on how to get out, it is not fully explained, as are most others, for I want them out "yesterday". The Immigration bill has so many twists and turns, I cannot make any sense out of it except that it resembles the amnesty one in the 80s, which was such a failure. We must secure the borders and impose a heavy fine on those that hire them.

proudtobegop said "Indies and moderates are still casting about for their favorite. The two-party partisan wrangling is what we all love about politics; the electoral system is alive and well, imperfect as it may be. God Bless America!"

I hope that was intended sarcastically. The two party partisan wrangling has descended into red herrings, straw men, half truths, slogans and an avoidance of serious discussion of serious issues. It is what I and many other thoughtful moderates detest about our system. Just look at some of the asinine postings here from both sides of the political divide that pass for debate - I am severely disappointed with the current crop of candidates in both parties.

Lylepink, True, I talk with a lot of Iowa people, especially women, who like Hillary.... but that is a very small sampling in the overall scheme of things.

It's also true that I know just as many who are rabidly anti-Hillary, or undecided, or are more interested in the issues than the labels/parties.

For these people Hillary is on the wrong side of the issues.... the Iraq war and illegal immigration.

I think there are more Independents like myself than ever before.... people without a party who are disgusted, angry and alarmed about what The Decider and President Cheney have done to this country.

If you read my blog I think you would see I'm not liberal at all nor in any category. I am very unhappy with the state of our country, and not looking for another coronation.... Queen Hillary after King George. We can do better.

http://whathappenedtomycountry.blogspot.com

An addition to my 04:01 PM Post--An article in "Media Matters" by Jamion Foser shows beyond any doubt how Fox manipulates their stories. Not only did the show mentioned in the article, but each and every one of the others I watched did the same thing. Out of 116,000 working journalists, they found 144 had contributed to a campaigh from 2004 thru the first quarter of 2007, and they included a sports editor and statistican. I strongly recommend this cite for it includes articles from a wide variety, including Peggy Noonan.

Truth Hunter: A few days ago I mentioned a friend that had passed thru Iowa this past weeken and told me not to be suprised that Hillary would win there in Iowa, and the latest poll you cited appears to confirm what I had hoped would happen. Now you should have a feeling about the terrain there since by your blog, you are more on the liberal/progressive faction, and would be able to give Alan in Missoula, myself, and others a sense of what the "Far Left" may do in the General. I will post again shortly about the distortation being continued by Fox News.

"his ability to finance a strong campaign makes him a player."

Bloomberg's a player but not a winner, imo. If he decides to run, and that's a big if, he needs a message and enough moderates and indies to vote for him. I see him as more of a spoiler for '08, especially with Nader's appeal growing weaker with each campaign.

At least he stopped the ridiculous chirade of being in the R party -at last. Talk about politcal expediency. Look up rino in the dictionary and there's a picture of Mike.

Indies and moderates are still casting about for their favorite. The two-party partisan wrangling is what we all love about politics; the electoral system is alive and well, imperfect as it may be. God Bless America!

This protection of the Iran-contra secrets almost worked. The few reporters (including myself) who uncovered parts of the story were subjected to assaults on our reputations and careers.

Despite the growing evidence, most of the major news media dismissed the stories of secret operations and related drug trafficking as conspiracy nonsense.

The scandal only unraveled because of outside events. On Oct. 5, 1986, one of North's supply planes was shot down over Nicaragua.

The sole surviving crewman, Eugene Hasenfus, pointed the finger at George Bush's vice presidential office and the CIA. Bush and other administration officials denied Hasenfus's statement.

The second Iran-contra shoe dropped in early November 1986 with a story in a Beirut newspaper about the Iran arms sales. When the secret about North's diverting Iranian arms profits to the contras was disclosed a few weeks later, the Iran-contra scandal was born.

But the Reagan-Bush administration was not ready to tell all. Immediately, the administration and Republicans on Capitol Hill moved to counter and to contain the scandal. For his part, Bush insisted that he was "not in the loop" on the Iran-contra business.

Cheney to the Rescue

One of the key congressional Republicans fighting this rear-guard action was Rep. Dick Cheney of Wyoming, who became the ranking House Republican on the Iran-contra investigation. Cheney already enjoyed a favorable reputation in Washington as a steady conservative hand.

Cheney smartly exploited his relationship with Rep. Lee Hamilton, D-Ind., who was chairman of the Iran-contra panel. Hamilton cared deeply about his reputation for bipartisanship and the Republicans quickly exploited this fact.

A senior committee source said one of Cheney's top priorities was to block Democrats from deposing Vice President Bush about his Iran-contra knowledge. Cheney "kept trying to intimidate Hamilton," the source said. "He kept saying if we go down that road, we won't have bipartisanship."

So, Hamilton gave Bush a pass. The limited investigation also gave little attention to other sensitive areas, such as contra-drug trafficking and the public diplomacy operation. They were pared down or tossed out altogether.

Despite surrendering to Cheney's demands time and again, Hamilton failed, in the end, to get a single House Republican to sign the final report.

Only three moderate Republicans on the Senate side - Warren Rudman, William Cohen and Paul Trible - agreed to sign the report, after extracting more concessions. Cheney and the other Republicans submitted a minority report that denied that any significant wrongdoing had occurred.

The watered-down Iran-contra majority report essentially let Vice President Bush off the hook. Bush's political career was saved.

With the Iran-contra scandal contained, Bush mounted a 1988 presidential campaign that set the modern standard for negativity, race-baiting and a win-at-all-cost ethic. In 1989, Cheney became Bush's defense secretary.

what are the MEN AND WOMEN IN IRAQ DYING AND LOSING BODY PARTS FOR??????

OIL and drug trafficking...

are the United States Soldiers getting a cut, of _t_h_a_t_ M O N E Y?

no they are getting their legs blown off, getting medals of honor and waiting two years to be declared disabled as they lose homes that they can't make mortgage payments on.

Just as the Iran-Contra scandal evolved to include drug smuggling, the Iraq War also is closely related to drug smuggling. While the Bush regime has so far managed to keep the drug smuggling aspects of the war from reaching the media, evidence is beginning to emerge. The evidence comes largely from a former FBI translator turned whistle-blower, Sibel Edmonds. Hired to translate intercepted messages soon after 9/11 this Turkish lady first blew the whistle on the FBI for dragging its feet. She has state emphatically that she has seen documents that prove the Bush administration was fully aware of the terrorist attack before 9/11. While Attorney General John Aschroft has imposed a gag order on her, this courageous lady has only been able to speak in generalized terms. However, she has repeatedly stated that when viewed as an international drug smuggling operation the picture becomes clear.

Sibel Edmonds has provided a huge clue in her generalized statements, a clue that points directly at the Bush family and DICK CHENEY. Haliburton the oil services company formerly headed by CHENEY has a long history of involvement in drug smuggling and gunrunning especially through its Brown and Root subsidiary. Brown and Root also has a long history of providing cover for CIA agents. In the late 1970s Brown and Root was implicated in drug smuggling and gunrunning from oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico built by Brown and Root and using ships owned by Brown and Root. In the 1990s Brown and Root was implicated in smuggling heroin to Europe through Russia. The heroin originated in Laos.

The Russian incident surfaced in 1995 after thieves stole sacks of heroin concealed as sugar from a rail container leased by Alfa Echo. Authorities were alerted to the problem after residents of Khabarovsk, a Siberian city became intoxicated from consuming the heroin. Alfa Echo is part of the Russian Alfa group of companies controlled by Mikhail Fridman and Pyotr Aven. The FSB, the Russian equivalent of the FBI firmly proved a solid link between Alfa Tyumen and drug smuggling. The drug smuggling route was further exposed after the Ministry of Internal Affairs raided Alfa Eko buildings and found drugs and other compromising documentation. Under Cheney's leadership of Haliburton, Brown and Root received a taxpayer insured loan through the Export-Import Bank of $292 million dollars for Brown and Root to refurbish a Siberian oil field owned by Alfa Tyumen. The Alfa Bank is also implicated in money laundering for the Colombian cocaine cartels.

THERE IS $80 BILLION IN UNRECORDED PROFITS IN THE FIRST STEP OF AFGHANI OPIUM COLLECTION, refinement...three steps later it could be worth $400 BILLION, in unrecorded profits...

Pollster Zogby said in an opinion piece in the NY Daily News that he thinks Bloomberg could win.

His telelphone surveys show him that people are tired of the two-party partisan wrangling, and that together with his ability to finance a strong campaign makes him a player.

http://whathappenedtomycountry.blogspot.com

Thanks for the nice comment Mark in Austin.

Lylepink, What have you to say about the fact that Hillary is leading everyone in the latest Iowa poll except Undecideds.

Doesn't this still leave the door wide open for a Bloomberg, or a Fred Thompson type?

Maybe people just don't want a parsing "Slick Hillary" on the heels of Bush, Clinton, Bush....

http://whathappenedtomycountry.blogspot.com/

Practical problems for Hillary:

The father of Patty Solis Doyle, her campaign manager, was an illegal immigrant. That complicates things for the candidate on the Immigration issue; while the Solis story could have been portrayed as the American Dream otherwise.

Doyle's family categorizes her as a "control freak." That is one of the things the candidate is trying to get away from herself.

A senior advisor, Ann Lewis, is the sister of Barney Frank. Ann Lewis could be another Mother Theresa, but the Republican hardball players will definitely use the Frank connection to try to smear the candidate.

Just more tap dancing for Hillary to have to do.

For people interested in the Clinton campaign:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/20/AR2007062002567.html

Lyle.

Yes, another bad case of typing with my thumbs and then not proofing before posting. My thoughts outrun my fingers. I wish I had done something rather than chew gum in my high school typing class, lo of 40 years past.

Yes, I agree the left wing can't move Hillary. And being that extremists of any stripe stay ideologically rigid, they may at least avoid voting for her, whether by "protest" to Bloomberg (see a reflection of Anderson in 1980 here?). Then again, another run by Nadar may pull the leftists who are too ideologically pure to waste a "protest" vote on Bloomberg.

Will that offset swing votes, that might otherwise break GOP, from going to Bloomberg? Who knows? It would be suprising if Bloomerg can win a plurality anywhere. But then again, strong third party races, Bull Moose, Perot, Wallace, etc have tended to be spoiler races at best for one of the two major party candidates.

Personally I will have no qualms about voting for Hillary in the general. She is not my first choice in the primary. But I am a pragmatist who is not ideologically rigid. Anyway, by time Montana's "near-last-in-the-nation" presidential primary is held, it will all be over. Montana usually only gets a personal campaign visits from also-rans who are hoping, by their personal campaigning, to score a larger-than-one-percent-showing in at least one place. Kucinich was the only one to campaign here back in 2004.

Following up on Election Central's piece, it looks like Rudy Giuliani has a real problem here. Time's David Von Drehle asked a highly relevant question in his latest piece: "How many alleged criminals can a law-and-order candidate be associated with before it starts to hurt?" Von Drehle posed the question after Thomas Ravenel, the chairman of Giuliani's presidential campaign in South Carolina, was indicted on cocaine distribution charges, which, of course, comes on the heels of revelations about Giuliani's connections with Bernard Kerik.

But if Von Drehle's deadline was just one day later, he would have been able to include an even more damaging example of Giuliani's questionable associations.

Giuliani employs his childhood friend Monsignor Alan Placa as a consultant at Giuliani Partners despite a 2003 Suffolk County, N.Y., grand jury report that accuses Placa of sexually abusing children, as well as helping cover up the sexual abuse of children by other priests. Placa, who was part of a three-person team that handled allegations of abuse by clergy for the Diocese of Rockville Centre, is referred to as Priest F in the grand jury report. The report summarizes the testimony of multiple victims of Priest F, and then notes, "Ironically, Priest F would later become instrumental in the development of Diocesan policy in response to allegations of sexual abuse of children by priests."

Placa has worked for Giuliani Partners since 2002. As of June 2007, he remains on the payroll.

Washington, D.C. House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel issued the following statement regarding his amendment to cut funding for the Office of the Vice President from the bill that funds the executive branch. The legislation -- the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill -- will be considered on the floor of the House of Representatives next week.

"The Vice President has a choice to make. If he believes his legal case, his office has no business being funded as part of the executive branch. However, if he demands executive branch funding he cannot ignore executive branch rules. At the very least, the Vice President should be consistent. This amendment will ensure that the Vice President's funding is consistent with his legal arguments. I have worked closely with my colleagues on this amendment and will continue to pursue this measure in the coming days."

Bush's Education Department found that charter schools nationwide under-perform, with test scores showing "charter school students usually doing worse than comparable students in regular public schools." (The Bush administration responded to the report by announcing it would sharply cut back on the information it collects about charter schools.)

You can almost smell the stink of desperation from the pro-war crowd. The next couple of years is going to be a nonstop frenzy of books, articles, TV shows, op-eds, radio segments, blog posts, and white papers about how everyone except George Bush and his enablers were responsible for our catastrophe in the Middle East. Anyone will do, as long as it's not them.

JKrish: I am in no way "Advocating turning OUR back on the left.". The left, right, middle, up, down, sideways, all should and do have their say, What I am trying to point out is not to let one wing of our party hi-jack it all. We must work together to prevent what happened in 2000 and 2004, and by working together we must field the strongest, best possible team at the top of the ticket. I firmly believe Hillary is the one to head the ticket with Warner as the VP. Should Warner not be available, I think Evan Byah would be a strong choice, but I am open on the VP slot depending on what comes about in Va.

And this is for fans of Mitt Romney... you know, that candidate whose morals a few of you think are unimpeachable?

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2007/06/22/romney_aide_is_the_focus_of_probe/

This is for fans of Giuliani, especially rulers of imaginary kingdoms:

Apparently, an associate of his - a monsignor - was accused years ago of child molestation and Rudy has hushed it up until now.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/014783.php

Lylepink, why would you advocate turning OUR back on the left. The eft in this country has been this countries JIMMENY CRICKET, the left has been the heart and soul of thsi country the last 7 years. I would agrue the left has been right on most things as opposed to the right, we are the brian also. WE have kept this country from going into oblvion. Without the left where would we be? Why then would you sacrafice the heart brain and soul of this country? That is my fear with a third party.

THE RIGHT WOULD DO WHAT THEY DO. The moderates would sell out for money, and the left would be there with no real power, but their ideals.

If you lose your heart brain and soul what are you left with? Patriotism? Money? Oil? Fake freind nations that only ask"How much money/things are you gonna give me."

Who has been right and who has been wrong over the last 7 years? Why would you want hildog to side with the right and ignore the left. Isn't that is what's happening now in regards to governmnet. How did we get to this point?

were trying to pull her from the air

The her being Rosie O'Donnell. I don't like her. I agree wiht some things she says. She was ONE of two real liberals on tv. She was silenced. How is Imus yanked for feelings and Rush/O'REilly/hannity after murduring thousands of people for money still on?

BAcked by oil. We have courts in this country for a reason. The above are not the law. They are fascists. "Do as I do or get out of my country". Sounds like you are with us or aginst us

"First off, I'd like to say that I'm glad this blog has no censorship. I'm also glad that talk radio is still allowed to say (with little exception) what they want. I listen to it and I'm very conservative"

You say that now. What will you do without Rush/Hannity/O'REilly/Fox NEws? Will the conservgative movement still exists? If not why?

Free speech does not include what they do for a living. Slnder here-say. lies propoganda. That is not free speech. Again, I did not hear anybody crying free speech when Hannity/O'REilly were trying to pull her from the air EVERYDAY. And others like her. I am a liberal. I'll admit it. I beleive, like Justin above, that your freeddom ends where MINE begins. Why then does O'REilly /Rush/Hannity try and censor all liberal dissent. You have Fox, who do I have? One guy Olberman. What if he is a liar, what if he is a rpeublican in disguise. Then liberal tv has NO ONE. Does this stop O'REilly. It's not that we need an anti-O"REilly. We NEED all these lying propogandists off the air.

You know it's coming. I know the above are very scared. That's why they talk about this everyday. They should be scared. Their trime is up. They have done untold and un measurable damage to the mnedia in this country. As WE are a self-government we needa all the real news we can get, and none of the fake. Good luck righties. What will you do without yoru avatars?

Could somebody at the White House please send Zouk an Air Force One hat.

Tzoi: Don't try and make it as simple as "nuclear". The "imbecilies" you refer to is the american voters that were stupid enough to elect/select the top two. The dems were dumb enough to select Gore in 2000 who turned his back on Bubba and to make matters worse Gore then choose Liebermann as his VP. I happened to be watching with about 15 others coming and going and flatly stated then that the dems would lose the election, btw, I was not alone in my prediction. For the support Gore has on this forum is hard for me to understand when the POTUS was handed to him on a silver platter and he blew it by his actions toward Bubba, who even now is the most popular man in the political world. Remember I have predicted each winner since 1948 and have done so even before they had been nominated. Make your own choice as to who you want to support, but remember I have been involved in the game for a lot longer than most and am trying to give my honest opinion about who and why I think will win in 2008. I have no doubt that Hillary will win and you can go back and check each and every post I have made on "The Fix" and find the many reasons as to why I think the way I do.

First off, I'd like to say that I'm glad this blog has no censorship. I'm also glad that talk radio is still allowed to say (with little exception) what they want. I listen to it and I'm very conservative. However, I'm happy that conservative, liberal, libertarians, green environmentalists and everyone else who has views is allowed to share them freely and be heard. I believe this is a very important part of freedom that we are granted here in America. I'm thankful for these freedoms and hope freedom of speech endures forever.

Now, to the political rankings. It's really tough to tell who has the upper hand with such a long way to go until the election. What means more: organization, money or what else? Romney, Obama and Clinton have the most money. McCain and Clinton seems to have the best organization. I just can't count McCain out because of all the high profiled endorsements he has racked up. Can anyone answer me who has the endorsement's of Grassley and Harkin in Iowa? These are 2 major endorsements that party affiliates will take notice of from both parties. I am guessing that neither will endorse a candidate publically, but they may. I know that Jim Nussle has endorsed Guiliani, which could be a big advantage for him in Iowa. Romney seems to have the most grass roots support. But Grassley's endorsement would be huge! How about Harkin? I know he endorsed Vilsack at one time, and I think Vilsack has now endorsed Clinton. That's a feather in her cap. Edwars seems to have a strong organization, too. Romney and McCain are the strongest in New Hampshire on the Republican side. Clinton has it won in New Hampshire on the Democratic side, the fat lady is tuning up in that one.

think of the one thing you love more than anything else in the world, and then imagine me sitting on it and farting.

HAW HAW!

It is my goal to become as offensive as possible to as many people as possible before I die young due to a lifetime of fast food, American beer, sweat-stained polyester with my name embroidered on the breast pocket in garish plastic, sloth, watching professional bowling, heavily chlorinated tap water, meaningless and frustrating late night conversations on singles' lines with ungainly fat girls who live three states away, streaks in my undies, and the Fox network. (belch) How'm I doin'?

btw "pardonlibby.net" is not a real site. I am suspicious and advise that no one go there.

Lylepink, you always say that, and it's vague enough to mean any number of things. Sometimes, especially with the current crop of imbeciles, they will say blatantly to your face what they are doing because they take a childish pleasure - or did until the November elections - in knowing you can't do $h1t about it. Besides, in order to be subtle, one first must be intelligent enough to spell and pronounce the word "nuclear" correctly.

Lylepink, but Hillary likes Celine Dion. Ewwwwwww.
Justin, good for you. I think anyone who thinks you have to be a certain age to be interested in political affairs is wrong... they affect all of us, and thus we should all be paying attention. I will say, though, that I have friends who live in NYC and they all say that Bloomberg has been a hell of a mayor. The issue of the congestion fee might seem overly "nanny state" to you, but the fact is that in a city that size, the air quality can get very bad very quickly. and I honestly believe that in the next ten or twenty years, we are going to have to make some drastic changes in order to preserve some kind of equilibrium in the environment. Scientists - except for the 2 or 3 guys Zouk drinks with who work for Dow - pretty much all agree that we have to make some serious lifestyle adjustments in order to even keep the rate of climate change to one we can live with. and in re: the tolls, London has done the same thing, and business has not ground to a halt, the environment is better, and the city is in better shape financially. Of course, I read today that there's a little sh*t between the mayor of London and - you guessed it - the US Embassy, which has racked up over $1 million in fines but refuses to pay. I can't wait until I as an American no longer have to feel embarrassed and apologetic when I go overseas. Bush makes us all look bad.

hey, check out http://www.pardonlibby.net

Justin Perez: Bloomberg is the media, and they have a language of their own. I think they are saying that Mike is neither a Lib or Cons, but is in the political talk world "A Moderate". This means many things to folks in the spin business, and is hard to describe. A short simple answer would be that he is not easily pinned down on any issue. A quote I often use may explain a little better..."Listen for what they don't say.".

Somebody explain to me how Bloomberg is a "pragmatic centrist". I'm so damn sick of hearing it---it is pissin me off. I think it's just media stupidity/media lies.

Bob from NY: That is not what I meant. The far left has a voice like all the rest of us, as they should. What I am saying is that Hillary will not be hi-jacked by them. The problem is they want it all their way, and Hillary is 100% correct in listening to all factions and making her own decisions as to what she thinks is best for our country. There is no one I know of that I agree with all the time. I have taken the time to find out, as best I can, about Hillary from childhood and found a truly remarkable person throughout her life. I don't agree with her on everything, what I find is she agrees with me on what is most important to me and has the political skill to get them passed in the Congress. That is why I have supported her from the start and honestly believe she will be our next POTUS.

"with this being the perception" i meant "with this (today) being the exception"

Not trying to be confrontational--I'm just sayin'. I've known many who've lived too hard too fast. They regret it. Oh, and by the way, I've been cynical all my life (it's natural) so I doubt one day of blabbing on this thing will be harmful. Thanks, but yeah I normally make one comment every couple of posts maximum and that's it. Trust me that wont change---I wouldn't want it to.

I work all day. I'm not a bum. I still come on this site. I have to.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegory_of_the_cave

"Once enlightened, so to speak, the freed prisoner would not want to return to the cave to free "his fellow bondsmen," but would be compelled to do so. Another problem lies in the other prisoners not wanting to be freed: descending back into the cave would require that the freed prisoner's eyes adjust again, and for a time, he would be one of the ones identifying shapes on the wall. His eyes would be swamped by the darkness, and would take time to become acclimated. Therefore, he would not be able to identify shapes on the wall as well as the other prisoners, making it seem as if his being taken to the surface completely ruined his eyesight. (The Republic bk. VII, 516b-c; trans. Paul Shorey).["

Be your own man Justin. Don't listen to them. Like I said before. The more prepared you are the better. Based on you posts I KNOW you got your head on right. More info equals better decisions.

Hence, Bush got elected twice. The right-wing media pushed for us all to be less informed with politicas more informed with Paris Hilton or Anna Nicole. Look waht happened. Bush preceded to destroy the country for 8 years. Don't listen to anyone. If you don't agree with someone regardless of Race/age/religon/politics/what ever don't listen. Listen to your heart. God will guide you. Whether you know him or not. Just follow your heart buddy.

Good luck with that. Stay involved. Don't hide or WE will repeat the same mistakes as your father and mine.

Anonymous poster from 724PM: Buddy, i appreciate your advice. But how often do you see me posting? Today I havent had sh** to do after I put in some job applications. I've been through a good deal of bulls**t for an 18 year old, and I am proud that after I straightened up that my mind could still comprehend something like politics. If you live too fast, you live to regret it because you make bad mistakes, and thank god I learned that before things got too bad and too permanent. I write one comment per post normally with this being the perception. Thanks for your concern, and I may not be a partier but I'm no shut in. But hey, if I don't learn about politics at a young age, my college will be harder, and I would have had less of a chance to choose a suitable career field. Thanks for the advice, but I know what I'm doin.

Anonymous poster from 724PM: Buddy, i appreciate your advice. But how often do you see me posting? Today I havent had sh** to do after I put in some job applications. I've been through a good deal of bulls**t for an 18 year old, and I am proud that after I straightened up that my mind could still comprehend something like politics. If you live too fast, you live to regret it because you make bad mistakes, and thank god I learned that before things got too bad and too permanent. I write one comment per post normally with this being the perception. Thanks for your concern, and I may not be a partier but I'm no shut in. But hey, if I don't learn about politics at a young age, my college will be harder, and I would have had less of a chance to choose a suitable career field. Thanks for the advice, but I know what I'm doin.

Who cares if we are speaking truth or not, right BOb. That doesn't matter. The facts and the dead don't matter anymore I guess. Just making sure America doesn't LOOK bad.

What a waste. What a waste of time. What a waste of ALL of our lives. Live to make money. What a great life. Slaves. There is little or no hope for us.

I'll make it easy for Razor and the rest of you. I told eveyone I knew if the republicans won , the last election I was moving to austrailia. New promise. If the republicans (or Hillary CLinton) win the presidency, I'm moving to Europe. Good deal razor. That's what you want right? Without the left in this country you would be free right Zouk? If this country elects another republican, you can have it.

That's right lylepink. Let's ignore the left. We can run the country without them. If the moderates and the right unite, the left will be without a voice.

Alan in Missoula: Hillary does not "resents the centrest...". I think you made a typo boo boo like all of us do and wanted to bring it to your attention. The thing about Hillary is the far left wing cannot tell her what to do, and she is 100% correct in not listening to them. I am not sure if you were the one that asked me about my Electoral Votes for Hillary, but just in case I added Penn.s 21 for my new total of 309. Hope this helps.

Every Generation is more informed than the last, mostly due to technology. Old people hate that but it's true. See how long it takes grandpa to learn how to play your favorite video game. It's not an insult, it's truth. My kids are going to be way more adapt at computers than me. It is progress. It is normal. Stop the charade GOP. 1962 is over. John Wayne is dead. Stop holding up progress. The future is now.

ONE WORLD ONE PEOPLE

The internet ruined their propoganda gripe on reality. This is why 9/11 happened. To bring the new internet under wraps. The patriot act. That is why 9/11 happened. Good trade or fascism? Free market or murder?

This is a new a