CenzosMom.com

NO END IN SIGHT

noreply@blogger.com (cenzosmom) — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 16:17:00 +0000

Is Bill Kristol on Crack?! Just wondering.

noreply@blogger.com (cenzosmom) — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 19:32:00 +0000

Nothing prompts a stay-at-home mom to start blogging again than some idiotic article by William Kristol seen in today's Washington Post. Below is my response, sent to the Washington Post.

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Monday, July 16 at noon ET
Outlook: Bush Will Win
He's Succeeding Domestically and Abroad, and Is on the Path to Victory in Iraq

William Kristol
Editor, Weekly Standard
Monday, July 16, 2007; 12:00 PM

"Let's step back from the unnecessary mistakes and the self-inflicted wounds that have characterized the Bush administration. Let's look at the broad forest rather than the often unlovely trees. What do we see? First, no second terrorist attack on U.S. soil � not something we could have taken for granted. Second, a strong economy -- also something that wasn't inevitable. And third, and most important, a war in Iraq that has been very difficult, but where -- despite some confusion engendered by an almost meaningless 'benchmark' report last week -- we now seem to be on course to a successful outcome."

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William Kristol, you are completely out of touch with reality.

Regarding your first point, let's remember the almost nine year span between the 1993 World Trade Center bombings and 9/11? Who are we supposed to thank for that, Bill Clinton? Ha ha. No. Felling the American giant takes time, a.k.a. planning. And if it takes a decade to plan an attack with devasting results, Al Qaeda will take a decade. In their eyes, We are in a religious war (which is ironic because all forms of religious fundamentalism are really political). As learned in history class, the crusades spanned between the 11th and 13th centuries. That's 200 years! I know this doesn't fit into your tidy timeline of Bush's reign, eight years, but this will be a fight for decades to come. And Al Qaeda's cause has only been bolstered by the survival of Al Qaeda's mascot, Osama bin Laden, and the United State's naive decision to enter Iraq. (I think the evidence is clearly out that we didn't enter for the non-existent WMDs. In regards to Saddam and his violation of human rights and record of human atrocities, I have some one word answers for that -- SAUDI ARABIA! DARFUR!!)

Regarding your second point, the economy might be strong in your affluent neck of the woods, but I live in a blue collar/former navy town where close to 1,000 homes are on the market because of foreclosure, which has brought our real estate market to a halt. As an endangered middle class American with little debt, other than my mortgage, I am surrounded by friends, family and neighbors crippled by credit card debt and ever-increasing adjustable rate mortage payments. I have friends with credit card debt in excess of $100,000, an insurmountable debt when one's household income is $80,000/year. What the "rich folk" don't understand is that for many Americans -- living paycheck-to-paycheck -- having as little as $200 of liquid cash available after we feed our families and pay our bills (including the minimum payment on our credit cards) is a rarity.

As for the third point, it's nice to sit back and talk about how well the war is going when it's not your child facing death. As the mother of a son, every day I grieve for those mothers who have lost their sons and/or daughters. As of today 3,613 sons, daughters, wives, husbands, mothers, fathers and good friends have died, Because of a decision made by a handful of men who NEVER experienced war first hand. And these aren't numbers. These are human beings, loved ones! And the sad thing is, if Bush and his advisors would have ever read one ioda of historical text regarding Iraq and/or the Middle East, they would have foreseen the quagmire Iraq has become. We destabilized a country with fake borders and prompted a civil war, not only between tribes but religious factions, that has been simmering under the surface for centuries.

Most Americans don't think in political time frames or make decisions daily as Democrats or Republicans. Most Americans are too busy providing the basic necessities of life -- food and shelter -- for their families. After that, our concerns include quality of education, healthcare and safety. And if you've been to my town of Vallejo with our failing school system which has been taken over by the state and our over-crowded emergency rooms (filled with uninsured patients using the ER doctors as primary care physician), our citizenry is not exactly basking in the glow of Bush's domestic success. And safety? Well with approximately 1.5 million violent crimes and 17,000 murders committed in the United States every year, are we more in danger of being the victim of a terrorist or domestic crime?

Great Ed-Op piece from NY Times

noreply@blogger.com (cenzosmom) — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 21:21:00 +0000

Wednesday, January 31, 2007
THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN: Not-So-Strange Bedfellow

Here’s a little foreign policy test. I am going to describe two countries — “Country A” and “Country B” — and you tell me which one is America’s ally and which one is not.

Let’s start: Country A actively helped the U.S. defeat the Taliban in Afghanistan and replace it with a pro-U.S. elected alliance of moderate Muslims. Country A regularly holds sort-of-free elections. Country A’s women vote, hold office, are the majority of its university students and are fully integrated into the work force.

On 9/11, residents of Country A were among the very few in the Muslim world to hold spontaneous pro-U.S. demonstrations. Country A’s radical president recently held a conference about why the Holocaust never happened — to try to gain popularity. A month later, Country A held nationwide elections for local councils, and that same president saw his candidates get wiped out by voters who preferred more moderate conservatives. Country A has a strategic interest in the success of the pro-U.S., Shiite-led, elected Iraqi government. Although it’s a Muslim country right next to Iraq, Country A has never sent any suicide bombers to Iraq, and has long protected its Christians and Jews. Country A has more bloggers per capita than any country in the Muslim Middle East.

The brand of Islam practiced by Country A respects women, is open to reinterpretation in light of modernity and rejects Al Qaeda’s nihilism.

Now Country B: Country B gave us 15 of the 19 hijackers on 9/11. Country B does not allow its women to drive, vote or run for office. It is illegal in Country B to build a church, synagogue or Hindu temple. Country B helped finance the Taliban.

Country B’s private charities help sustain Al Qaeda. Young men from Country B’s mosques have been regularly recruited to carry out suicide bombings in Iraq. Mosques and charities in Country B raise funds to support the insurgency in Iraq. Country B does not want the elected, Shiite-led government in Iraq to succeed. While Country B’s leaders are pro-U.S., polls show many of its people are hostile to America — some of them celebrated on 9/11. The brand of Islam supported by Country B and exported by it to mosques around the world is the most hostile to modernity and other faiths.

Question: Which country is America’s natural ally: A or B?

Country A is, of course. Country A is Iran. Country B is Saudi Arabia.

Don’t worry. I know that Iran has also engaged in terrorism against the U.S. and that the Saudis have supported America at key times in some areas. The point I’m trying to make, though, is that the hostility between Iran and the U.S. since the overthrow of the shah in 1979 is not organic. By dint of culture, history and geography, we actually have a lot of interests in common with Iran’s people. And I am not the only one to notice that.

Because the U.S. has destroyed Iran’s two biggest enemies — the Taliban and Saddam — “there is now a debate in Iran as to whether we should continue to act so harshly against the Americans,” Mohammad Hossein Adeli, Iran’s former ambassador to London, told me at Davos. “There is now more readiness for dialogue with the United States.”

More important, when people say, “The most important thing America could do today to stabilize the Middle East is solve the Israel-Palestine conflict,” they are wrong. It’s second. The most important thing would be to resolve the Iran-U.S. conflict.

That would change the whole Middle East and open up the way to solving the Israel-Palestine conflict, because Iran is the key backer of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah and Syria. Iran’s active help could also be critical for stabilizing Iraq.

This is why I oppose war with Iran. I favor negotiations. Isolating Iran like Castro’s Cuba has produced only the same result as in Cuba: strengthening Iran’s Castros. But for talks with Iran to bear fruit, we have to negotiate with Iran with leverage.

How do we get leverage? Make it clear that Iran can’t push us out of the gulf militarily; bring down the price of oil, which is key to the cockiness of Iran’s hard-line leadership; squeeze the hard-liners financially. But all this has to be accompanied with a clear declaration that the U.S. is not seeking regime change in Iran, but a change of behavior, that the U.S. wants to immediately restore its embassy in Tehran and that the first thing it will do is grant 50,000 student visas for young Iranians to study at U.S. universities.

Just do that — and then sit back and watch the most amazing debate explode inside Iran. You can bet the farm on it.

Saving Embryos while Taking Lives

noreply@blogger.com (cenzosmom) — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 18:11:00 +0000

The picture on the left is a magnified picture of a five day embryo sitting in the eye of a needle. These are the embryos used to extract stem cells; The embryos that are destroyed by fertility clinics if not used.

The picture on the right is Army Spc. Casey Sheehan. Once a living breathing human being, full of life and laughter. Casey was 24 years old when he was killed in Iraq.

George Bush is fighting tooth and nail, using his first veto, to save the embryo on the left, which has the potential to save the lives of people with Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Diabetes, and other life threatening diseases, and again which is destined to be literally trashed.

George Bush, not wanting to admit any deception or errors in judgment, is fighting tooth and nail to send more young men like Casey Sheehan off to die in Iraq.

Under the guise of his "moral Christian values," Bush continues to forge ahead making decisions based on self-admitted ignorance, selfishness and stubborness. In this blogger's opinion, his decisions are often anything but Christ-like.

Read Bush to stem cell community: Drop dead.

The Devil came out on 6-6-6

noreply@blogger.com (cenzosmom) — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 02:39:00 +0000

Well 6-6-6 went by without much hoo-hah. What's so funny, is I woke up worrying not about the appearance of Satan but what the crazy Christian right might do (i.e. bomb the Temple Mount to jumpstart Armageddon). But although uneventful, the devil herself did make an appearance. Yes, Ann Coulter, the hate-filled, venom-spewing, rhetoric-spieling beast, was splashed all over the TV yesterday promoting her latest hate filled book, which will remain unnamed on this website. So amazingly appropriate that her latest diatribe would come out on June 6th. Too funny.

With her reference to the 9/11 widows as the "McWidows" and her openly racists and fascists statements in regards to Muslims, North Koreans and Democrats, she's truly the anti-christ poster girl. (I don't know how this "hater" considers herself a Christian.)

Yes folks, she's the devil, and her ugly head rose for Satan's Rapture. Now hopefully, she'll descend back into hell where she belongs.

Project for the New American Century

noreply@blogger.com (cenzosmom) — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 18:53:00 +0000

So what happens when all the rich scary white guys graduate from Harvard and Yale and can't go to their secret society (i.e. Skull and Bones) meetings anymore? They form the Project for the New American Century -- a group with an ominous membership -- Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz... These are the architects of the war in Iraq or as they like to call it the "re-designing of the Middle East." Statements from their website include:

"American leadership is good both for America and for the world; and that such leadership requires military strength, diplomatic energy and commitment to moral principle."

"We need to increase defense spending significantly."

"We need to strengthen our ties to democratic allies and to challenge regimes hostile to our interests and values."

"We need to accept responsibility for America's unique role in preserving and extending an international order friendly to our security, our prosperity, and our principles."

So, exactly whose interests and whose values are they talking about? And what does the rest of the world think about THEIR country needing OUR [American] leadership??

It's not just about money and oil, my friends. It's about world domination. It's about controlling the middle of the Middle East -- and therefore controlling the oil output to the world.

Vietnam War in the News

noreply@blogger.com (cenzosmom) — Wed, 31 May 2006 06:33:00 +0000

It was recently released that in 1972 behind closed doors, Henry Kissinger, Secretary of State to Nixon, was making deals with communist China in regards to Vietnam. It was June 22, 1972, and Kissinger was meeting with then Chinese Premier, Zhou Enlai. It was during this meeting that he stated, "If we can live with a communist government in China, we ought to be able to accept it in Indochina."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/26/AR2006052601926.html

Although troop levels were starting to decrease by that time, 600 American lives were lost from June of 1972 to end of the war. 600 lives!

Well, as we know, history repeats itself. The parallels between the Vietnam War and the war in Iraq are

1. We were lied to! Americans were led to believe that Russia was behind the invasion of North Korea. It has now been revealed in the Pentagon Papers that there was no proof of Russian involvement preceding the war. Sounds familiar right? Americans were told the same story about al Qaeda's supposed involvement in Iraq. But instead, we've only opened Iraq to al Qaeda, which had no presence in Iraq pre-war.

2.

Memorial Day

noreply@blogger.com (cenzosmom) — Mon, 29 May 2006 17:05:00 +0000

When most people think of Memorial Day, they think of three day weekends and barbecuing. Do you know why we observe Memorial Day? What is Memorial Day?

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday that is observed on the last Monday of May (most recently observed today, May 29, 2006). It was formerly known as Decoration Day. This holiday commemorates U.S. men and women who died in military service for their country. It began first to honor Union soldiers who died during the American Civil War. After World War I, it expanded to include those who died in any war or military action. (Wikipedia.com)

So take a moment today to remember those who have given their lives to fight in wars, both just and unjust. And remember them not as a number, but as individuals -- sons, brothers, fathers, uncles, neighbors, co-workers...

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U.S. Military KIA

Civil War - 360,222 (Union), 258,000 (Confederate)
Spanish American War - 3,549
World War I - 126,000
World War II - 295,000
Korean War - 54,229
Vietnam War - 58,191
Gulf War - 293
Iraq War - 2,464 (as of today)

Jean Rohe - A True American!

noreply@blogger.com (cenzosmom) — Mon, 22 May 2006 18:38:00 +0000

Just when I thought all was lost, with my generation (X), and those that followed, along comes Jean Rohe -- brave, smart and well spoken. A true leader for a new generation of American activist. She stuck it to the man; The man being, "centrist" war mongering, politically pandering John McCain.

Read about Jean's historic commencement speech in her own words.

I Want to Live in this Universe!

noreply@blogger.com (cenzosmom) — Wed, 17 May 2006 15:52:00 +0000

Al Gore, I believe, could have been one of the greatest presidents in modern history. He's brilliant, compassionate, and a good man.

2006 -- we wouldn't be in Iraq... we would have a president that has a grasp of foreign policy (had Bush ever educated himself on the politics of the Middle East, we would not be there!)...we would be in the process of weaning ourselves off foreign oil (the fuel of all terrorism)... we would be investing in the technology of alternative energy sources (not only recognizing the science of global warming, but actively participating in it's deceleration) ... we'd be in a better world.

Al Gore, you're my hero... Al Gore 2008!

I have nothing to add...

noreply@blogger.com (cenzosmom) — Mon, 15 May 2006 19:43:00 +0000

How Convenient

noreply@blogger.com (cenzosmom) — Wed, 03 May 2006 16:45:00 +0000

Illegal immigration has been going on for decades and all of a sudden it's an issue? How convenient. No more talk on Iraq. No more talk on wire tapping. No more talk on the Plame leak. And of course, no more talk on Iran.

Well, for those who don't want to know what's going on, our government, along with our emasculated press, has been more than accommodating.

Read US war with Iran has already begun by Scott Ritter... published in June 2005! (Remember Scott Ritter? The UN Weapons Inspector outcasted by the Bush administration because of his adamance that Iraq had no WMDs!)

Our government is committing acts of war against another sovereign nation, Iran, right now! This should scare you more than the illegal journey of your neighbor's cleaning lady.

Rush Limbaugh just can't get off the Junk!

noreply@blogger.com (cenzosmom) — Sat, 29 Apr 2006 01:10:00 +0000

He's a liar, a drug addict, and America's #1 talk show host.

Read Limbaugh arrested on drug charges.

Do these so-called "conservatives" (i.e. Limbaugh, Delay, Abramoff, Cunningham, etc.) have any dignity?

The Green Issue

noreply@blogger.com (cenzosmom) — Tue, 25 Apr 2006 18:17:00 +0000

This month's Vanity Fair is called the "Green Issue." It's filled with articles on mountaintop mining and global warming, including an article written by 2000 Presidential election winner, Al Gore. Reading it from front to back only to education oneself on the potential

IMPEACH BUSH!

noreply@blogger.com (cenzosmom) — Thu, 06 Apr 2006 16:51:00 +0000

Under the Intelligence Identities Protection Act of 1982, disclosure of the identity of a covert agent is illegal! ILLEGAL!!

It's time for this president to pay the piper. He's a lawbreaker. And his lawbreaking and lies have sent hundreds of thousands of kids to fight an unjust war.

Write your congressperson today! http://www.house.gov It's time to impeach Bush!

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Libby: Bush himself authorized leak on Iraq
Former top aide to Cheney says word came down through vice president

Associated Press
Updated: 12:18 p.m. ET April 6, 2006

WASHINGTON - Vice President Dick Cheney’s former top aide told prosecutors President Bush authorized the leak of sensitive intelligence information about Iraq, according to court papers filed by prosecutors in the CIA leak case. [Read More]

A Shout Out!

noreply@blogger.com (cenzosmom) — Thu, 23 Mar 2006 19:06:00 +0000

As the three year anniversary of the invasion of Iraq has passed, I want to give a "shout out" to those senators and house representatives that voted "nay" in giving Bush the authority to go to war with Iraq. I also want to give John Murtha a special shout out for having the courage to say he was wrong, something Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, supposed Democratic leaders, just can't seem to muster.

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United States Senators and House Representatives that voted "NAY," not giving their support to President Bush and his war resolution.

UNITED STATES SENATE

Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) Jeff Bingaman (D-New Mexico) Barbara Boxer (D-California) Robert Byrd (D-West Virginia) Lincoln Chaffee (R-Rhode Island) Kent Conrad (D-North Dakota) Jon Corzine (D-New Jersey) Mark Dayton (D-Minnesota) Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) Russ Feingold (D-Wisconsin) Bob Graham (D-Florida) Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) Jim Jeffords (I-Vermont) Ted Kennedy (D-Massachusetts) Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) Carl Levin (D-Michigan) Barbara Mikulski (D-Maryland) Patty Murray (D-Washington) Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island) Paul Sarbanes (D-Maryland) Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) The late Paul Wellstone (D-Minnesota) Ron Wyden (D-Oregon)

UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii) Tom Allen (D-Maine) Joe Baca (D-California) Brian Baird (D-Washington DC) John Baldacci (D-Maine, now governor of Maine) Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) Gresham Barrett (R-South Carolina) Xavier Becerra (D-California) Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) David Bonior (D-Michigan, retired from office) Robert Brady (D-Pennsylvania) Corinne Brown (D-Florida) Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio)

Lois Capps (D-California) Michael Capuano (D-Massachusetts) Benjamin Cardin (D-Maryland) Julia Carson (D-Indiana) William Clay, Jr. (D-Missouri) Eva Clayton (D-North Carolina, retired from office) James Clyburn (D-South Carolina) Gary Condit (D-California, retired from office) John Conyers, Jr. (D-Michigan) Jerry Costello (D-Illinois) William Coyne (D-Pennsylvania, retired from office) Elijah Cummings (D-Maryland)

Susan Davis (D-California) Danny Davis (D-Illinois) Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon) Diana DeGette (D-Colorado) Bill Delahunt (D-Massachusetts) Rosa DeLauro (D-Connecticut) John Dingell (D-Michigan) Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) Mike Doyle (D-Pennsylvania) John Duncan, Jr. (R-Tennessee)

Anna Eshoo (D-California) Lane Evans (D-Illinois) Sam Farr (D-California) Chaka Fattah (D-Pennsylvania) Bob Filner (D-California) Barney Frank (D-Massachusetts) Charles Gonzalez (D-Texas) Luis Gutierrez (D-Illinois)

Alice Hastings (D-Florida) Earl Hilliard (D-Alabama, retired from office) Maurice Hinchey (D-New York) Ruben Hinojosa (D-Texas) Rush Holt (D-New Jersey) Mike Honda (D-California) Darlene Hooley (D-Oregon) John Hostettler (R-Indiana) Amo Houghton (R-New York, retired from office) Jay Inslee (D-Washington)

Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-Illinois) Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-Texas) Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas) Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-Ohio) Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) Dale Kildee (D-Michigan) Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-Michigan) Jerry Kleczka (D-Wisconsin, retired from office) Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio)

John LaFalce (D-New York) James Langevin (D-Rhode Island) Rick Larsen (D-Washington) John Larson (D-Connecticut) Jim Leach (R-Iowa) Barbara Lee (D-California) Sandy Levin (D-Michigan) John Lewis (D-Georgia) Bill Lipinski (D-Illinois,retired from office) Zoe Lofgren (D-California)

James Maloney (D-Connecticut, retired from office) The late Robert Matsui (D-California) Karen McCarthy (D-Missouri, retired from office) Betty McCollum (D-Minnesota) Jim McDermott-D-Washington) Jim McGovern (D-Massachusetts) Cynthia McKinney (D-Georgia) Carrie Meek (D-Florida, retired from office) Gregory Meeks (D-New York) Robert Menendez (D-New Jersey) Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-California) George Miller (D-California) Alan Mollohan (D-West Virginia) Jim Moran (D-Virginia) Connie Morella (D-Maryland)

Jerrold Nadler (D-New York) Grace Napolitano (D-California) Richard Neal (D-Massachusetts) Jim Oberstar (D-Minnesota) David Obey (D-Wisconsin) John Olver (D-Massachusetts) Major Owens (D-New York)

(D-New Jersey) Ed Pastor (D-Arizona) Ron Paul (R-Texas) Donald Payne (D-New Jersey) Nancy Pelosi (D-California) David Price (D-North Carolina) Nick Rahall (D-West Virginia) Charles Rangel (D-New York) Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas) Lynn Rivers (D-Michigan, retired from office) Ciro Rodriguez (D-Texas, retired from office) Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-California) Bobby Rush (D-Illinois)

Martin Olav Sabo (D-Minnesota) Loretta Sanchez (D-California) Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) Thomas Sawyer (D-Ohio) Jan Schakowsky (D-Illinois) Bobby Scott (D-Virginia) Jose Serrano (D-New York) Louise Slaughter (D-New York) Vic Snyder (D-Arkansas) Hilda Solis (D-California) Pete Stark (D-California) Ted Strickland (D-Ohio) Burt Stupak (Michigan)

Mike Thompson (D-California) Bennie Thompson (D-Mississippi) John Tierney (D-Massachusetts) Edolphus Towns (D-New York) Mark Udall (D-Colorado) Tom Udall (D-New Mexico)

Nydia Velaquez (D-New York) Pete Visclosky (D-Indiana) Maxine Waters (D-California) Diane Watson (D-California) Melvin Watt (D-North Carolina) Lynn Woolsey (D-California) David Wu (D-Oregon)

An Evolution Story

noreply@blogger.com (cenzosmom) — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 16:55:00 +0000

Anti-Malaria Gene Found in Africa, Study Says

Bijal P. Trivedi
National Geographic Today
November 14, 2001

One in five people in the African country of Burkina Faso carries a gene that protects them against malaria, according to a new study. Understanding how the gene prevents severe malaria could lead to the development of protective drugs.

Researchers led by David Modiano of the University of Rome, Italy, have quantified the benefits of carrying one or two copies of the hemoglobin C gene (HbC). The gene produces a slightly mutant version of hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen in red blood cells. [Read More]

Right Wing Dilemma

noreply@blogger.com (cenzosmom) — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 02:32:00 +0000

Hannity, O'Reilly and Limbaugh, the real 'Axis of Evil' must be in a real quandary these days. With certain members of the GOP now trying to save their political careers coming out against Bush, who does the Axis side with? When one doesn't use common sense, but just walks along party lines, what happens when the party line comes to a "T" in the road?

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GOP is in 'deep funk' over Bush spending

Carolyn Lochhead, Chronicle Washington Bureau
Sunday, March 12, 2006

Washington -- The Republican rebellion that President Bush smacked into with the Dubai ports deal was the tip of an iceberg of Republican discontent that is much deeper and more dangerous to the White House than a talk radio tempest over Arabs running U.S. ports. [Read More]

It All Comes Down to Abortion

noreply@blogger.com (cenzosmom) — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 17:24:00 +0000

With President Bush's poll numbers at an all time low and a general mistrust of the Republican Party by the public after the Delay and Abramoff scandals, it looks like the Democrats could actually pull out a win in the upcoming elections. Right? But somewhere deep down, I know it won't happen. Why? Because while the Democrats remain disorganized and unfocused, the Republicans are polarized on one issue -- abortion.

Abortion is a tough issue. I'm feel so blessed and lucky to be in a place where I can say that I would never get an abortion. I have a solid marriage and a beautiful son. We're not rich, but we have a savings account and own our home. Although we don't have any plans to have another baby, another "surprise" would be a blessing.

But there are other women whose lives are not as comfortable as mine. And in America I don't believe it's my right or my government's right to tell them how to live their lives or what to do with their bodies.

One might call me a liberal, but I actually disagree and call myself a conservative on this issue, a political conservative that is. I believe that abortion isn't the business of the government but the business of the individual. It wouldn't be my choice, but based on the laws of this country, it's an individual choice.

This is where my opinion differs from about 51% of the country -- a group that's willing to forgo the security of the country with the illegal invasion of Iraq and the selling of our ports to the UAE; a group willing to overlook the increased taxation through loss of benefits of the poor and middle class in order for the wealthy to keep more of their money; a group willing to bankrupt our children's social security; a group willing to continue their support for a bunch of crooks and thieves, taking millions of dollars worth of gifts and trips from lobbyist; and a group that will look the other way as our senior citizens' health is ignored for the benefit of the pharmaceutical companies in the Medicare debacle.

How could the Christian base support this very un-Christian behavior? They've made abortion their top priority -- taking politics out of the vote and supplanting it with radical religiosity -- bending the bible to fit their own political agenda of moving America one step closer to becoming a theocratic republic.

So while abortion may not be a choice for me, I'm not willing to abandon what it means to be American -- to quote the Constitution, "Securing the blessings of Liberty."

The Talking Head

noreply@blogger.com (cenzosmom) — Wed, 22 Feb 2006 20:42:00 +0000

Latest news is that Bush was unaware of the port deal until after the approval by his administration. Excuse my "french," but what the hell? How does the president of the United States not get let in on a big secret like this? This directly affects American's Security. Here's the rundown.

– The UAE was one of three countries in the world to recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.

– The UAE has been a key transfer point for illegal shipments of nuclear components to Iran, North Korea and Lybia.

– According to the FBI, money was transferred to the 9/11 hijackers through the UAE banking system.

– After 9/11, the Treasury Department reported that the UAE was not cooperating in efforts to track down Osama Bin Laden’s bank accounts.

Isn't it Ironic?

noreply@blogger.com (cenzosmom) — Fri, 17 Feb 2006 16:21:00 +0000

I know it was an accident, and a horrible one at that, but if anyone deserves a good old fashion ribbing, it's the emporer himself, the man behind the curtain, Dick Cheney. But isn't it ironic that he's so concerned and upset over the accidental shooting of his friend and fellow hunter, Harry Whittington, a 78-year-old lawyer, when Cheney himself is one of the key architects of the Iraq War?

Dick Cheney is responsible for American kids being blown up and shot at every day. To date 2,273 Americans will never come home to their loved ones. Over 15,000 Americans have been disfigured in this war, only to come home to find out their veterans' benefits have been cut. And none of the numbers account for the thousands of veterans that will come back emotionally damaged and scarred. Read War Pornography and wonder in disbelief how these could be our kids gloating over the dead.

This is exactly why Chickenhawks shouldn't start wars. Had they experienced Vietnam from the ground, the death and destruction of war, maybe they would have thought twice before invading Iraq.

The Privileged Nancy Boy

noreply@blogger.com (cenzosmom) — Sun, 05 Feb 2006 20:23:00 +0000

As a morally and ethically conservative stay-at-home mom, I might not agree with Joe Scarborough, but I understand where he's coming from... well... most of the time. He's giving air time to Natalie Holloway's family. Him and his wife, with their church, are trucking in water and diapers to Missippi after the hurricane. He's a good guy.

So when he goes on the air and starts babbling about how it all comes down at election time who you'd rather leave your kids with -- George Bush or John Kerry -- he emphatically exclaims, "George Bush! He'd shoot first and ask questions later!"

Not that I was a huge Kerry fan, but I have a real bone to pick with Joe on this one.

First of all, for those who voted for George because they thought he was the guy they could invite over to watch football and drink a beer with, you've been duped. Manly cowboy, he's not. George Bush is the poster boy for the privileged nancy boys. Here's the low down.

* He was born in New Haven, Connecticut. Going to school in Texas, he also spent much time in Kennebunkport, Maine and Jupiter Island, Florida, at the family COMPOUNDS. Per Jim Brown, a geologist who did business with Mr Bush in the 80s, "He [George W.] was viewed as an outsider. Midland has embraced him as a native son now because he was governor of Texas and now he's president. But back then, to the few people who knew who he was, he was just a rich Yankee kid."

* He went to high school at the elite New England boarding school, Phillips Academy in Andover, where he was the HEAD CHEERLEADER!

* Thanks to his father and grandfather, Bush was admitted to Yale through a legacy admission.

Misstatement of the Union

noreply@blogger.com (cenzosmom) — Sun, 05 Feb 2006 20:19:00 +0000

The President burnishes the State of the Union through selective facts and strategic omissions.

February 1, 2006

The President left out a few things when surveying the State of the Union:

* He proudly spoke of "writing a new chapter in the story of self-government" in Iraq and Afghanistan and said the number of democracies in the world is growing. He failed to mention that neither Iraq nor Afghanistan yet qualify as democracies according to the very group whose statistics he cited.

* Bush called for Congress to pass a line-item veto, failing to mention that the Supreme Court struck down a line-item veto as unconstitutional in 1998. Bills now in Congress would propose a Constitutional amendment, but none have shown signs of life.

* The President said the economy gained 4.6 million jobs in the past two-and-a-half years, failing to note that it had lost 2.6 million jobs in his first two-and-a-half years in office. The net gain since Bush took office is just a little more than 2 million.

* He talked of cutting spending, but only "non-security discretionary spending." Actually, total federal spending has increased 42 percent since Bush took office.

* He spoke of being "on track" to cut the federal deficit in half by 2009. But the deficit is increasing this year, and according to the Congressional Budget Office it will decline by considerably less than half even if Bush's tax cuts are allowed to lapse.

* Bush spoke of a "goal" of cutting dependence on Middle Eastern oil, failing to mention that US dependence on imported oil and petroleum products increased substantially during his first five years in office, reaching 60 per cent of consumption last year.

[Read the detailed analysis at the non-partisan FactCheck.org]

Palace Revolt

noreply@blogger.com (cenzosmom) — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 17:27:00 +0000

They were loyal conservatives, and Bush appointees. They fought a quiet battle to rein in the president's power in the war on terror. And they paid a price for it. A NEWSWEEK investigation.

By Daniel Klaidman, Stuart Taylor Jr. and Evan Thomas
Newsweek

Feb. 6, 2006 issue - James Comey, a lanky, 6-foot-8 former prosecutor who looks a little like Jimmy Stewart, resigned as deputy attorney general in the summer of 2005. The press and public hardly noticed. Comey's farewell speech, delivered in the Great Hall of the Justice Department, contained all the predictable, if heartfelt, appreciations. But mixed in among the platitudes was an unusual passage. Comey thanked "people who came to my office, or my home, or called my cell phone late at night, to quietly tell me when I was about to make a mistake; they were the people committed to getting it right—and to doing the right thing—whatever the price. These people," said Comey, "know who they are. Some of them did pay a price for their commitment to right, but they wouldn't have it any other way." [Read more.]

The Poster Child for the Stupid Smart People

noreply@blogger.com (cenzosmom) — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 16:54:00 +0000

I know an equine veterinarian that went to an extremely competitive, world-renowned veterinary school. Most vets I know are quite brilliant. But this one vet was just a dim bulb. Often I would question his diagnoses, as they lacked just good common sense. So how could someone graduate from such a prestigious instution and still be, well, stupid? He's stupid smart. And folks, the Stupid Smarts now have their poster child. Meet Condi Rice.

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RICE'S BLIND SPOT

By Sebastian Mallaby
The Washington Post

Monday, January 23, 2006; Page A15

Nobody doubts her star power. She speaks Russian and talks football, wears dominatrix boots and plays Dvorak, weaves her segregated Alabama childhood into speeches about geopolitics. But the strange thing about Condoleezza Rice is that, when it comes to the stuff that a professor-politician should be really good at, she can be oddly flat-footed. This was true when she emerged as George W. Bush's fitness buddy and foreign policy tutor seven years ago. It is still true now. [Read more.]