was expecting an objection, but not from ... [updated] [and corrected a link that was removed]

http://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionInformation/CandDetail.aspx?id=13127

*******

updated:

in the 2006 election, bill scheurer filed a lawsuit to block being challenged to get on the ballot

in the 2008 election, randi scheurer challenges my petitions, stating, among other things, that i never intended to run a "real campaign"

in my first post on this blog, and in my one and only meeting with mrs scheurer, i never said i would not run a real campaign, only that i would not run a normal campaign, since i am a working stiff that can't take off six months to campaign in the normal sense

i never had any intention of challenging anyone's ballots, democrat, republican, or other, feeling that anyone who wants to run, should be able to, some evidently think otherwise

and finally, to quote a candidate from another time, "Today we shift from petitioning to organizing a campaign," that he would "focus his energies on campaigning against [an] incumbent ... and ... challenger"

my intentions were the same, once i was finished petitioning and on the ballot, i would get my campaign organized, i should think my opponent would appreciate the thought

add the democratically controlled congress as a recipient of this invective: last years veterans day post
















neither has done anything to rectify the situation by implementing either the dole/shalala or the veterans' disability benefits commission's recommendations, a combination of the two, or something else that helps rectify an abhorrent situation too many face today

and will continue to face tomorrow

V



if you don't like the direction this country is headed, do something about it

i submitted my nominating petition today @ 1:06pm

(above clip from http://www.americablog.com/2007/11/penny-for-guy.html)

and

Countdown Special Comment: Torture Part 1



Countdown Special Comment: Torture Part 2



got a backup boat ??

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18675.htm

Naomi Wolf



take note of the laws that she talks about and check out how your representative voted

as a reminder, the primary (in illinois) is february 5th, last day to register to vote is january 8th

it's 09:00 am, do you know where your priorities are ??

As the number of prisoners in California prisons explodes, the state may soon spend more locking up its citizens than on public university education...

http://www.alternet.org/rights/65868/

***********

and one is just like the other

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2007/10/25/giuliani_torture/index.html

the latest in the never ending war on a transitive adverb

case number one

case number two

are we winning yet ??

*****

and as an aside, this is islamo-fascim awareness week

http://media0.terrorismawareness.org/files/Islamo-Fascmism-Awareness-Week-Guide.html

we should worry about about the marriage of fundamentalists and corporatism and make sure nothing like that happens here

will we be having dictatorship prevention week some time soon ??

another book:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0393060691/ref=nosim/eschaton-20

a review of said book:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/21/books/review/Kennedy-t.html?ref=review

a review of said review:
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/20/continuing-the-tradition/

all from:
http://economistsview.typepad.com/economistsview/2007/10/review-of-the-c.html

"our elite discourse is so f^%&!^g stupid":
http://atrios.blogspot.com/2007_10_14_archive.html#8062748900743152180

*****

and if the meadea is so liberal, why is this

http://www.guardian.co.uk/pakistan/Story/0%2C%2C2188777%2C00.html

nowhere to be found in the american press ?? just wonderin'

(an example of the news being cancelled: http://www.bobharris.com/content/view/1294/1/)

a question to nancy pelosi and melissa bean

why are george bush and dick cheney still walking around as free men ??

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/14/opinion/14rich2.html?_r=2&ex=1350100800&en=db0293fa6c32022f&ei=5089&partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

and then there's this little thingy

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode47/usc_sec_47_00000222----000-.html

and what it means to obey the law

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2007/10/14/rule_of_law/index.html

can someone tell me again what happens to people who break the law ??

oh yeah, they get immunity from prosecution and their sentence commuted, sorry

nothing to see here, just keep shopping and buying slogans:

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/06/01/intel_contractors/

petition drive against bean (il-08)

collecting signatures to get on the february 5th primary ballot to run against melissa bean

when:
sunday, october 14th

where:
from 11:00a to 1:00p, @ the starbucks in woodstock, just south of the square
from 2:00p to 4:00p, @ caribou coffee in palatine, on dundee, just east of hicks
from 5:00p to 7:00p, @ something's brewing in grayslake, on washington, just north of the college of lake county

i almost have enough, just want to make sure that i have more than enough

any comments or questions, please call or email, 312-656-9907 or tofubo_@_comcast_._net

no contributions solicited or accepted
not paid for by jonathan farnick for congress

a recap of why i'm running:
http://tofubo.blogspot.com/2006/10/republic-is-dead-long-live-republic.html

signatures

i've received more than half necessary for inclusion on the ballot, but still have a bit to go

to reiterate why i'm running: we cannot decry the loss of habeas corpus; warrantless wiretapping; illegal, unnecessary, and treasury-draining wars, then support a democrat who has voted for these and other bills while in office

as before, any questions or comments, call 312-656-9907, or email tofubo_@_comcast_._net

no contributions will be solicited or accepted

thank you
jonathan farnick

(as an aside, anyone know of an updated view by ms bean on impeachment ?? as of early '06, she didn't know of anything that rose to that necessity)

rule of law (or lack thereof)
http://www.warandpiece.com/blogdirs/006666.html

supporting of the troops (or lack thereof)
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/055258.php

and the reason why i can't vote for a republican to replace her
http://www.balloon-juice.com/?p=8799

...Seriously- what does the current Republican party stand for? Permanent war, fear, the nanny state, big spending, torture, execution on demand, complete paranoia regarding the media, control over your body, denial of evolution and outright rejection of science, AND ZOMG THEY ARE GONNA MAKE US WEAR BURKHAS, all the while demanding that in order to be a good American I have to spend most of every damned day condemning half my fellow Americans as terrorist appeasers.

And that isn’t even getting into the COMPLETE and TOTAL corruption of our political processes at every level...

87 house members sign a pledge to end the war in iraq
http://tpmelectioncentral.com/2007/10/exclusive_nearly_90_house_dems_sign_letter_pledging_to_no_longer_fund_war.php
(bean conspicuously absent, as she was on the war profiteering bill)

and this is insane

[chief of the Civil Rights Divisions' voting rights section John] Tanner explained that "primarily elderly persons" are the ones affected by such laws, but "minorities don't become elderly the way white people do: They die first."

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/004414.php

hypocrisy, thy name is bushco

Shattered Glass Houses

by digby

MS. PERINO: Well, unfortunately, intimidation and force can chill peaceful demonstrations. And reports about very innocent people being thrown into detention, where they could be held for years without any representation or charges, is distressing.

Another compelling moral argument brought to you by the people who run Guantánamo.

H/T to PS

.
digby 10/01/2007 12:35:00 PM Comments (32) | Trackback (0)

i'm seeing a pattern here

Without Irony

Rice:

MOSCOW -

The Russian government under Vladimir Putin has amassed so much central authority that the power-grab may undermine Moscow's commitment to democracy, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Saturday.

"In any country, if you don't have countervailing institutions, the power of any one president is problematic for democratic development," Rice told reporters after meeting with human-rights activists.

"I think there is too much concentration of power in the Kremlin. I have told the Russians that. Everybody has doubts about the full independence of the judiciary. There are clearly questions about the independence of the electronic media and there are, I think, questions about the strength of the Duma," said Rice, referring to the Russian parliament.

-Atrios 12:42

Comments (391) Trackback (0)

Another compelling moral argument brought to you by the people who think the unitary executive is good for democracy.

and another

Rice: Russia's Military Moves 'a Problem'

In an interview with ABC News, Secretary of State of Condoleezza Rice expressed concern about Russia’s increasing military assertiveness.

“I think the rapid growth in Russian military spending definitely bears watching,” Rice said. “And frankly, some of the efforts - for instance, Bear flights in areas that we haven’t seen for a while - are really not helpful to security.”[..]

Russia’s military spending has increased dramatically under President Putin. U.S. intelligence estimates that Russia now spends as much on its military as China, which has also raised alarms with its build-up.

“Russia is once again indisputably the number two military power in the world, second only to the United States,” a senior U.S. official said.

Russia arms sales have also increased dramatically under Putin. And when it comes to arms, the list of Russian customers reads like a who’s who of U.S. adversaries, including Iran, Syria, Venezuela and Burma.

Rice said she raised this issue directly in talks over the weekend with Russian leaders in Moscow.

“The Russians, of course, say that there’s nothing illegal about these arms sales,” Rice said. “I [told them] not everything that is legal in the narrowest sense is good for the international system.

Another compelling moral argument brought to you by those who run a $623 billion/year defense department.

and by the way, america is the biggest sellers of arms to other countries in the world

more of this

http://pogoblog.typepad.com/pogo/2007/09/sen-webb-dema-1.html

more here

http://www.correntewire.com/webb_tries_to_win_me_back_by_holding_drug_war_prison_industrial_complex_hearings

we have met the enemy... and he is us

http://pogoblog.typepad.com/pogo/2007/09/what-a-tangled-.html

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hx3jn-1MgXROlML7o_ifsoa8E60g

http://www.harpers.org/archive/2006/09/sb-revolving-door-blackwater-1158094722

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20051010/scahill/2

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/004232.php

all links from (or inspired by) http://www.warandpiece.com/blogdirs/006624.html

(i don't blame america first, i blame specific americans now; the rule of law and accountability used to be a value, we, as americans, held dear)

speaking of rule of law

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20914169/

no law for thee

Countdown Special Comment: The President Of Hypocrisy



http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/09/20/countdown-special-comment-the-president-of-hypocrisy/

transcript and video at link

a two minute prepared speech, cut down to 90 seconds

good evening, thanks to operation/push for hosting and the FCC commissioners for holding these hearings

many people today have talked of the media consolidation and the real and perceived problems from the lack of diversity of ownership and local operation

i'm here to talk of the problem of coverage, specifically if something is covered in the first place, and if so, how it is framed

there is a debate in congress, as we speak, about the telecommunications companies and legislation being requested by the administration asking for immunity in the NSA wiretapping scandal

article 2, section 3, of the constitution states that the president must see that all laws are faithfully executed. by demanding immunity from prosecution, it begs the question: have these companies broken the law ??

you were tasked to look into this. you declined. citing, not jurisdiction, but clearance

did you ask for clearance ?? did your inspector general refer the complaint to the department of justice ?? does mr. mcconnel's long-standing ties to the telecommunications industry bring concern to you about this ??

is that debate being covered in the mainstream press ?? is the restoration of habeas corpus the talk of talk radio ?? are the troops being asked about their views of the webb amendment ?? are the people downwind asked what their thoughts are if we drop nukes on iran ??

the latest poll of congress gives them an 11% approval rating. is the coverage about republican obstruction and the unprecedented number of filibusters or is the frame of democratic weakness and capitulation ??

(the 90 seconds were up, ended here)

there are people on the right, who think that the media is liberal
there are people on the left, who know that it is not
and there are people all over the country, who unfortunately think that what they hear, see, and read is actually accurate and complete

thank you

some down-loadable mp3s of the hearing

http://www.stopbigmedia.com/=chicago

Archived Recordings of Public Forums

http://www.fcc.gov/realaudio/publicforums.html

audio of the chicago hearing

http://www.fcc.gov/realaudio/mt092007.ram

(my ramblings @ 6:43:15)

Glenn Greenwald
Wednesday September 19, 2007 07:26 EST
Are Democrats planning still worse FISA capitulations?

First, retroactive immunity turns the "rule of law" into an even greater mockery than it has been for the last six years. The central premise in granting immunity is that telecom companies did nothing wrong -- even if they violated the law -- because they cooperated with warrantless spying at the behest of the President.

But we don't actually live in a country where private actors are permitted to commit crimes and violate laws provided that the President tells them that they should. The President has no greater power to authorize others to break the law than he does to break the law himself. Quite the contrary, Article II of the Constitution imposes the opposite obligation: "he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed." Lawbreaking is still illegal even if George Bush says it should be done. Does that principle really need to be explained?

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2007/09/19/democrats_fisa/index.html

do read the whole thing, then call your member of congress

(is it any wonder that the congress's approval is @ 11% ??)

((throw. the. bums. out))

2003's priorities

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/07/20030730-1.html

President Bush Discusses Top Priorities for the U.S.
Press Conference of the President

10:33 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Good morning. I was hoping it would be a little hotter here to prepare the traveling team for the Crawford experience this August. But thank you for coming.

I'm looking forward to going down to Texas, and I know the members will be going back to their districts. As I travel around the country from Crawford I'm going to be focused on two vital concerns for our country -- first, the safety of the American people, and the economic security of the American people...

the first thing he talks about is his vacation. priorities.

one day, she'll write a post that isn't relevant, insightful, or funny

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2007/09/presidential-by-digby-very-savvy-friend.html

as of today, not yet

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2007/09/justice-stuff-by-digby-i-heard-senator.html

maybe tomorrow

will they just stop about iran and nukes already ??

corrected statement and link

Press Conference of the President
The East Room

8:01 P.M. EDT
April 28, 2005

...And what the Iranians have said was, don't we deserve to have a nuclear power industry just like you do? I've kind of wondered why they need one since they've got all the oil (1), but nevertheless, others in the world say (2), well, maybe that's their right to have their own civilian nuclear power industry...

http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2005/04/20050428-9.html


(1) in 1975, president ford henry kissinger signed a national security decision memorandum

NSDM 292 - http://www.ford.utexas.edu/LIBRARY/DOCUMENT/NSDMNSSM/nsdm292a.htm

the reasoning in part was, the more domestic energy needs that iran can provide by other methods, means more oil for export

----

(2) in 1975, bush's vice president was ford's chief of staff, bush's defense secretary was ford's chief of staff then defense secretary, please, do no say that they don't know why, or imply that you are not aware of their views *

----

we gave them the nuclear technology to being with

correction:
corrected white house link as all 43 era pages moved to http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov

also, * cheney was deputy assistant to the president @ the time, not chief of staff, rumsfeld was chief of staff @ the time, not defense secretary, which means that both were in the white house @ the time

a book:
http://www.salon.com/books/feature/2007/09/11/dean/

a review of said book:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jane-smiley/the-shock-doctrine_b_64306.html

(and a request for the senate:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20070905/COMMENTARY02/109050022/1012)

also

sign language for the constituitionally impaired:
http://tableforone.tpmcafe.com/blog/tableforone/2007/sep/10/the_cheney_project

to the memory of thebus, an eight-year-old rescue from the chicago anti-cruelty society



you were the reason we moved to a house with a yard in woodstock, instead of a two bedroom condo with on street parking in the city, we'll miss you

free speech zone

Stop Big Media

http://www.chicagomediaaction.org/

The Federal Communications Commission will host its next media ownership hearing in Chicago. You are encouraged to attend, and sign up to testify.

Date: Thursday, September 20, 2007.
Time: 4pm to 11pm.
Place: The Operation Push National Headquarters, Dr. King’s Workshop, 930 East 50th Street (corner of South Drexel Blvd.), in Chicago.


Text announcements: Initial announcement | Hearing locale announcement
Audio: Download 30-second radio announcement (MP3)
Video: Video PSA on YouTube
Flyers: Download flyer 1 | Download flyer 2 | Download flyer 1 (Spanish) | Download flyer 2 (Spanish) | Download placard (English)
Downloadable graphics: Banner 1 | Banner 2

as stated before, i'm running again - [updated] [again]

my name is jonathan farnick and am tired of our so-called democratic representative as she continues to vote with the republicans in congress or against the best interests of this country on important issue after important issue

i'm in the process of collecting signatures to be on the democratic primary ballot in february against rep melissa bean for congress in the 8th congressional district of illinois

if you have any comments or questions, please call me at 312-656-9907 (no messages, voice mail is not and will not be set up) or email me at tofubo_at_comcast_._net

as stated in my origional post of this blog, i will not solicit or accept any money from anyone. period.

i want your vote, not your money, if you want to contribute, donate to the march of dimes, the american cancer society, to a local woman and children's shelter or a food bank, or any charity of your choice in your name only, they need the money, i'd just blow it on meadea advertising and consultants

thank you

(i will be keeping this post on top and won't be posting for the near future, but this is too much):

can anyone reconcile this with this and not come up with what a farce this whole warron terrah is

[update on the fisa bill]: just talking about this, means americans will die

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/003976.php

so, in other words, public debate about the evisceration of our 4th amendment protections is verboten, that we should all just be good americans, and blindly submit for our protection

thank you, no

[updated again on the whats, whys, and wherefores]:

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2007/08/23/mcconell/index.html

That government officials like McConnell feel so comfortable openly admitting that the government broke the law, obtaining amendments to legalize that behavior after the fact, and then demanding immunity for the lawbreakers, demonstrates how severely the rule of law has been eroded over the last six years. It is not hyperbole to say that government lawbreaking has become formally legitimized.

...

The real open issue is not whether the Democratic Congress will un-do the damage they have done. The issue, as McConnell makes clear, is whether the Congress will submit to still further administration demands by granting retroactive immunity to all lawbreakers (governmental and private lawbreakers alike). That is plainly what the administration is after, and it is hard to have much hope that they will be denied what they seek.

the legislation was signed into law on august 6th, 2007, six months later would be february 5th, 2008 (also known as illinois primary voting day), will we know before that what ms beans views are on whether to undo the damage she, and others, have done or will she add insult to injury by retroactively providing immunity to all parties involved in the law-breaking that has been done ??


a poll on how the various branches have done on the never ending war on a transitive adverb:

http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/the_50_lawyer_poll

reference

from http://www.shalomctr.org/node/675 (with fixed and added links)

1 Senate and House Armed Services Committee. Transcripts of Open Hearings. May 7, 11, 19, 2004. http://wid.ap.org/transcripts/iraqfront.html (accessed July 6, 2004).

2 Taguba Testimony US Senate. Transcribed by eMediaMillWorks Inc. http://wid.ap.org/transcripts/040511iraq_senate.html (accessed July 8, 2004).

3 Department of Defense. Working Group Report on Detainee Interrogations in the Global War on Terrorism: Assessment of Legal, Historical, Policy and Operational Considerations. March 6, 2003. http://www.ccr-ny.org/v2/reports/report.asp?ObjID=0Shrzgi8q7&Content=385 http://www.ccr-ny.org/v2/reports/docs/PentagonReportMarch.pdf(accessed June 17, 2004)

4 Deputy Assistant Attorney General. Memorandum for General Counsel Secretary of Defense. Application of Treaties and Laws to al-Qaeda and Taliban Detainees. January 9, 2002. http://www.msnbc.com/modules/newsweek/pdf/020109_yoomemo_1-10.pdf (accessed June 15, 2004).

5 Bush G. Memorandum for the Vice President. [in]Humane Treatment of al Qaeda and Taliban Detainees. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nation/documents/020702bush.pdf (accessed June 24, 2004).

6 A set of Department of Defense Department correspondence with attachments. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nation/documents/dodmemos.pdf (accessed July 8, 2004).

7 Office of the Assistant Attorney General. Memorandum for Robert R Gonzales Counsel to the President. Re: Standards of Conduct for Interrogation under 18 U.S.C. 2340-2340A. Aug 1, 2002. US Department of Justice, Office of Legal Counsel. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nation/documents/dojinterrogationmemo20020801.pdf (accessed June 17, 2004).

8 Military Police Internment/Resettlement Operations FM 3-19.40 http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/3-19-40/index.html (accessed July 4, 2004).

9 US Army Field Manual 1987 34-52. Chapter 1. Interrogation and the Interrogator. http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/library/policy/army/fm/fm34-52/chapter1.htm (accessed July 6, 2004).

10 Army Regulations. Enemy Prisoners of War, Retained Personnel, Civilian Internees and Other Detainees. http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/law/ar190-8.pdf

11 Joint Interrogation & Debriefing Center slides. http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/040709/205th_fob_slides_2.pdf (accessed July 19, 2004).

12 Proper treatment of the Iraqi people during combat operations. Brigadier General Karpinski (Abu Ghraïb, January 19, 2004. http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/040709/bg_karpinski_memos.pdf (accessed July 19, 2004).

13 Article 15-6 Investigation of the 800th Military Police Brigade (The Taguba Report). http://news.findlaw.com/hdocs/docs/iraq/tagubarpt.html (accessed July 21, 2004).

14 Captain Donald J. Reese's sworn statement and interview. (Appendix to Taguba investigation) http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/040709/CPT_Reese.pdf (Accessed July 19, 2004).

15 Colonel Thomas M. Pappas' sworn statement and interview. (Appendix to Taguba investigation) http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/040709/Pappas.pdf (accessed July 19, 2004).

16 Maj. David W. DiNenna's sworn statement and interview. (Appendix to Taguba investigation) http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/040709/ss-dinenna.pdf (accessed July 19, 2004).

17 US Army Inspector General. Detainee Operations Investigation July 21, 2004 http://www.npr.org/documents/2004/armyinspector.detainee.report.pdf (accessed July 29, 2004).

18 Preferred charges against Specialist Jeremy Sivits, Corporal Charles Graner, Sergeant Javal Davis. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/prison-probe.htm (accessed July 6, 2004).

19 Sworn statements of Abu Ghraïb detainees. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/iraq/abughraib/swornstatements042104.html (accessed June 29, 2004).

20 Sworn statement of Abu Ghraïb Detainee #...1430/21 Jan 04. http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/iraq/abughraib/10.pdf (accessed July 8, 2004).

21 Sworn statement of Abu Ghraïb detainee Ameen Sa'eed Al-Sheikh given on January 16, 2004. http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/iraq/abughraib/151362.pdf (accessed July 8, 2004).

22 Sworn statement of Abu Ghraïb detainee Shalan Said Alsharoni, Detainee #150422, 1630/17 Jan 04. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/iraq/abughraib/150422.pdf (accessed July 21, 2004).

23 Sworn statement of Abu Ghraïb detainee Mustafa Jassim Mustafa, Detainee #150542, 1610/17 Jan 04. http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/iraq/abughraib/150542-1.pdf (accessed July 21, 2004).

24 Human Rights Watch. The Road to Abu Ghraïb. June 2004. http://hrw.org/reports/2004/usa0604/ (accessed June 15, 2004).

25 British Medical Association. Medicine Betrayed. Zed Books, London, 1992.

26 Stover E, Nightingale EO (eds). The Breaking of Bodies and Minds. American Association for the Advancement of Science. WH Freeman, New York, 1985.

27 Eisenman DP, Gelberg L, Liu H, Shapiro MF. Mental health and health-related quality of life among adult Latino primary care patients living in the United States with previous exposure to political violence. JAMA 2003; 290: 627-34. [PubMed]

28 Silove D, Steel Z, McGorry P, et al. The impact of torture on post-traumatic stress symptoms in war-affected Tamil refugees and immigrants. Comp Psychiat 2002; 43: 49-55. [PubMed]

29 Moisander PA, Edston E. Torture and its sequel—a comparison between victims from six countries. Forensic Sci Intl 2003; 137: 133-40. [PubMed]

30 Shrestha NM, Sharma B, Van Ommeren M, et al. Impact of torture on refugees displaced within the developing world: symptomatology among Bhutanese refugees in Nepal. JAMA 1998; 280: 443-8. [PubMed]

31 World Medical Association Declaration of Tokyo. Guidelines for Medical Doctors Concerning Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in Relation to Detention and Imprisonment Adopted by the 29th World Medical Assembly Tokyo, Japan, October 1975 http://www.wma.net/e/policy/c18.htm (accessed June 15, 2004).

32 United Nations General Assembly. Principles of medical ethics relevant to the protection of prisoners against torture (1983)
http://www.cioms.ch/frame_1983_texts_of_guidelines.htm (accessed June 15, 2004).

33 Amnesty International. Iraq: Memorandum on Concerns relating to law and order. (undated) http://www.amnestyusa.org/countries/iraq/document.do?id=BDCA0DAE195EFCA280256DF000689594 (accessed June 15, 2004).

34 International Committee of the Red Cross. Report of the International Committee of the Red Cross on the Treatment by the Coalition Forces of Prisoners of War and Other Protected Persons by the Geneva Convention in Iraq during Arrest, Internment, and Interrogation. February 2004
http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/Sections/News/International News/Mideast and N. Africa/Iraq conflict/Red Cross report.pdf (accessed June 15, 2004).

35 Harding L. Focus shifts to jail abuse of women. The Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1214698,00.html May 12, 2004 (accessed July 6, 2004).

36 First United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners 1955. http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/h_comp34.htm (accessed June 18, 2004).

37 Springer J. MP Captain Tells of Efforts to Hide Details of Detainee's Death. Washington Post June 25, 2004; Page A18 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2755-2004Jun24.html

38 Fisher I. Searing uncertainty for Iraqis' missing loved ones. New York Times. June 1, 2004 A1,8. http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0406&L=justwatch-l&D=1&O=D&P=4582

39 Myers SL, Jehl D, Schimitt E, Zernike K. Military completed death certificates for 20 prisoners only after months passed. New York Times May 31, 2004. A8. http://nucnews.net/nucnews/2004nn/0405nn/040531nn.htm#400

40 Harding L. How Abu Ghraïb torture victim faces final indignity: an unmarked grave. June 1, 2004. The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1228666,00.html (accessed July 21, 2004).

41 Lifton RJ. Doctors and torture. New Engl J Med 2004; 351: 415-16. [PubMed]

42 Moffeit M. Brutal interrogation in Iraq. Denver Post. May 19, 2004 A1. http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_0002157003

43 Rumsfeld D. Secretary of Defense Memorandum for Secretaries of the Military Departments...Procedures for the Investigations of Deaths of Detainees in the Custody of Armed Forces of the United States. June 9, 2004.
http://www.npr.org/documents/2004/doddetaineedeath040609.pdf (accessed June 25, 2004).

44 John Simerman. Soldier: Leadership did little to reduce Iraqi inmate abuse. Knight Ridder Newspapers. May 10, 2004.
http://www.news-leader.com/_monday/0510-FormerMPde-83639.html (accessed June 8, 2004).

45 United Nations. Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html

46 Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment 1988.
http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/h_comp36.htm (accessed Aug 12, 2004).

47 Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984). http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/h_cat39.htm (accessed July 1, 2004).

48 Geneva Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War 1949. http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/91.htm (accessed July 1, 2004).

49 Annex to the Hague Convention IV, Respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land.
http://www.lib.byu.edu/~rdh/wwi/hague/hague5.html (accessed Aug 12, 2004)

50 War Crimes Act of 1996 (18 U.S.C Section 2441).
http://www2.uakron.edu/low/War Crimes Act of 1996.doc (accessed July 29, 2004).

51 Danner M. The logic of torture. New York Review of Books 2004 51:11 (June 24) 70-75. http://www.nybooks.com/articles/article-preview?article_id=17190

52 Reis C, Ahmed AT, Amowitz LL, et al. Physician participation in human rights abuses in southern Iraq. JAMA 2004; 291: 1480-1486. [PubMed]

53 The Manual on Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and other Cruel, Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (The Istanbul Protocol) 1999. http://www.unhcr.ch./pdf/8istprot.pdf (accessed July 22, 2004).

54 American College of Physicians. The role of the physician and the medical profession in the prevention of international torture and in the treatment of its survivors. Ann Int Med 1995; 122: 607-13. [PubMed]

55 Ahmad K. Human-rights groups express alarm at prosecution of Turkish doctors. Lancet. 2000; 355: 1167.

56 Sagan LA, Jonsen A. Medical ethics and torture. New Engl J Med 1976; 294: 1427-30. [PubMed]

57 International Dual Loyalty Working Group. Dual Loyalty & Human Rights In Health Professional Practice; Proposed Guidelines & Institutional Mechanisms http://www.phrusa.org/healthrights/dual_loyalty.html (accessed July 29, 2004).

58 Slevin P, Stephens J. Detainees' medical files shared: Guantanamo interrogators' access criticized. Washington Post June 10, 2004; Page A01. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29649-2004Jun9.html

59 Military Investigations into Treatment of Detainees in U.S. Custody. http://www.hrw.org/campaigns/torture/investigations.htm (accessed July 29, 2004).
http://www.thelancet.com/journal/vol364/iss9435/full/llan.364.9435.review_and_opinion.30574
http://www.thelancet.com/journal/vol364/iss9435/full/llan.364.9435.review_and_opinion.30530
http://www.thelancet.com/journal/vol364/iss9435/full/llan.364.9435.review_and_opinion.30512

if you can read these, or at least be familiar with them, and still give this administration the benefit of the doubt on any matter, you don't deserve to be in congress, my opinion

Rejoice in Gonzo's new Grim Reaper powers
by Pam Spaulding · 8/15/2007 12:16:00 PM ET

You can thank the reauthorized Patriot Act for this bit of news:

Gonzales set to get new power to oversee death penalty.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales could see his influence over death penalty decisions increase under new regulations expected to be approved soon by the Justice Department, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Implementing a "little-noticed provision in last year's reauthorization of the Patriot Act," the Justice Department rules give Gonzales authority that had previously been held by federal judges to decide whether states are providing adequate council for defendants in death penalty cases, according to the Times.

"The move to shorten the appeals process and effectively speed up executions comes at a time of growing national concern about the fairness of the death penalty, underscored by the use of DNA testing to establish the innocence of more than a dozen death row inmates in recent years," reports Richard B. Schmitt in the Times Tuesday.

the above from http://www.americablog.com

just an aside, the house passed the reauthorization by a two vote margin, rep. bean, voted in the affirmative

things you will never see on the teevee [updated]

http://www.tinyrevolution.com/mt/archives/001669.html

http://www.chris-floyd.com/content/view/1256/

[update] and unfortunatly things you do:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjVb_x7GZw4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vjcPavKZBM

that was now, this is then, and the person who isn't in charge of government fiscal forecasting

that was then


this is now


someone nobody listed to in 2003


http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/28891.html

Blocking Western Petroleum Companies From Seizing Control of Their Oil

[updated]

BAGHDAD, July 20 (UPI) -- Iraq's unions say the draft oil law is a threat and threaten "mutiny" if Parliament approves the bill.

"This law cancels the great achievements of the Iraq people," Subhi al-Badri, head of the Iraqi Federation of Union Councils, told the al-Sharqiyah TV station. He referred specifically to laws that nationalized Iraq's oil sector.

Iraq holds 115 billion barrels of proven reserves, the third largest in the world, and likely much more when the country is fully explored.

It could produce more than the 2 million barrels per day, and many are pushing the oil law as a means of solidifying investment in the sector. The law, as drafted, allows for foreign access to the oil, a line that must not be crossed, the oil unions say.

They have threatened to strike in the past -- and made good on the threat as recently as last month -- and claim workers of all sectors support them.

That was verified by Badri's interview, as reported by the Middle East Economic Survey.

"If the Iraqi Parliament approves this law, we will resort to mutiny," he said. "This law is a bomb that may kill everyone. Iraqi oil does not belong to any certain side. It belongs to all future generations."

The law is stuck in negotiations with various parties demanding either a strong regional/local control over the oil sector vs. a strong federal government control.

on a completly unrelated note, the occupation in iraq will continue until certain "political" benchmarks are met

[update]

http://www.motherjones.com/mojoblog/archives/2007/08/5193_iraqi_governmen.html

i'm running again

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/roll836.xml

more to follow, for now, just read this again

http://tofubo.blogspot.com/2006/10/republic-is-dead-long-live-republic.html

if'n you ever get a chance to ride on one of these

http://www.aerospace-technology.com/projects/dassault2000/

do so, it's a nice ride

more like this

http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/2007/07/combating_war_profiteering.html

FEINSTEIN: What kind of misconduct?

GONZALES: Well, for -- and I'm not suggesting any of this conduct happened, but, for example, an inappropriate relationship, taking action where you have a direct conflict of interest, to help out a buddy, making a -- you know, those kinds of -- something like that, I would say, would constitute misconduct. And there...

1st rule when dealing w/bushco, whenever they level a charge against someone else, they are more likey guilty of the same issue by a factor of 100



transcript

every single senator that didn't filibuster his nomination knew exactly what would happen if he got the job, yet they let him get confirmed anyway, and are equally as guilty [update]

the "who could have imagined that he wouldn't stop protecting the president at all costs" line will not work in this situation, this dirty fucking hippy was yelling and screaming @ drinking liberally meetups in early '05 saying this is exactly what would happen and that he should not, under any circumstance, get the job

http://obsidianwings.blogs.com/obsidian_wings/2007/07/gonzales.html

http://balkin.blogspot.com/2007/07/how-many-terrorist-surveillance.html

http://www.anonymousliberal.com/2007/07/case-against-gonzales.html

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/003765.php

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/003773.php

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2007/07/25/gonzales/index.html

[update] what andrew cohen said:

http://www.balloon-juice.com/?p=8620

supporting honorably discharged soldiers as only our dear leader can do

http://wcbstv.com/seenat11/local_story_204222600.html

sans culotte

man, the year-long, one-man, stage play has been breath-taking. your extraordinary rendition of the stage adaptation of franz kafka's amerika: the man who disappeared has your fans clamoring for more, although we were more than happy with your classic take-offs and riffs from the halo'd grounds of americablog or crooks.

it's now been a year since your last home-town performance. much has happened since you've been on the road. but, we're still in iraq, new orleans is still not rebuilt, the deficit is still nine trillion and counting, rumsfled got fired, but still has an office with a shredder in the pentagon, and bushco et al, are still unimpeached, so really, nothing much is new (though watching the clenis-crazed tucker say that a republican who frequented a hooker is a non-issue was pretty novel).

on the international front, blair went from co-initiating an illegal invasion and occupation of a sovereign middle-eastern nation to being the front man on middle-east peace talks (talk about boltonizing your chances at successfully implementing stability and good-will); wolfowitz went full circle from following the talking points of the folks at the a.e.i., walking in mcnamera's footsteps to the world bank, getting lost on the way, and ending up back at the a.e.i. to continue the surgyness of the surgical surgiosity of the surge; the evil propagandist from that james bond movie bought the wall street journal (don't worry about the intellectual honesty on the opinion page, i don't think he will change a thing !!); you don't need to worry about a foreign government running our ports, a bermuda based insurance company with questionable past business dealings has taken them over instead; and one of our greatest war-profiteering corporations in recent history are going to be moving their offices, assets, and most importantly, their documents and management to a far-away place, far from congressional oversight, far from the s.e.c., far from the i.r.s., far from any accountability, but not far enough from no-bid contracts, go figure.

anyway, come home, we miss you

itmfa

http://ezraklein.typepad.com/blog/2007/07/impeachment-m-1.html

http://litbrit.blogspot.com/2007/07/impeachment-matters.html

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Oldline_Republican_warns_somethings_in_works_0719.html

http://www.counterpunch.org/roberts07162007.html

http://www.shakesville.com/2007/07/hi-im-george-bush-and-im-here-to-take-all-your-shit/

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/impeachfaq

http://www.itmfa.com/

oh, and conyers needs three more people to co-sponser h.r.333, when that happens, even the speakers 'off the table' attitude is rendered moot, he can start cooking

Resolved, That Richard B. Cheney, Vice President of the United States, is impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors, and that the following articles of impeachment be exhibited to... (Introduced in House)

HRES 333 IH

110th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. RES. 333
Impeaching Richard B. Cheney, Vice President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 24, 2007
Mr. KUCINICH submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RESOLUTION
Impeaching Richard B. Cheney, Vice President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors.

Resolved, That Richard B. Cheney, Vice President of the United States, is impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors, and that the following articles of impeachment be exhibited to the United States Senate:

Articles of impeachment exhibited by the House of Representatives of the United States of America in the name of itself and of the people of the United States of America, against Richard B. Cheney, Vice President of the United States of America, in maintenance and support of its impeachment against him for high crimes and misdemeanors.

Article I

In his conduct while Vice President of the United States, Richard B. Cheney, in violation of his constitutional oath to faithfully execute the office of Vice President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, has purposely manipulated the intelligence process to deceive the citizens and Congress of the United States by fabricating a threat of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction to justify the use of the United States Armed Forces against the nation of Iraq in a manner damaging to our national security interests, to wit:

(1) Despite all evidence to the contrary, the Vice President actively and systematically sought to deceive the citizens and Congress of the United States about an alleged threat of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction:

(A) `We know they have biological and chemical weapons.' March 17, 2002, Press Conference by Vice President Dick Cheney and His Highness Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince of Bahrain at Shaikh Hamad Palace.

(B) `. . . and we know they are pursuing nuclear weapons.' March 19, 2002, Press Briefing by Vice President Dick Cheney and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in Jerusalem.

(C) `And he is actively pursuing nuclear weapons at this time . . .' March 24, 2002, CNN Late Edition interview with Vice President Cheney.

(D) `We know he's got chemicals and biological and we know he's working on nuclear.' May 19, 2002, NBC Meet the Press interview with Vice President Cheney.

(E) `But we now know that Saddam has resumed his efforts to acquire nuclear weapons . . . Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction. There is no doubt that he is amassing them to use against our friends, against our allies, and against us.' August 26, 2002, Speech of Vice President Cheney at VFW 103rd National Convention.

(F) `Based on intelligence that's becoming available, some of it has been made public, more of it hopefully will be, that he has indeed stepped up his capacity to produce and deliver biological weapons, that he has reconstituted his nuclear program to develop a nuclear weapon, that there are efforts under way inside Iraq to significantly expand his capability.' September 8, 2002, NBC Meet the Press interview with Vice President Cheney.

(G) `He is, in fact, actively and aggressively seeking to acquire nuclear weapons.' September 8, 2002, NBC Meet the Press interview with Vice President Cheney.

(H) `And we believe he has, in fact, reconstituted nuclear weapons.' March 16, 2003, NBC Meet the Press interview with Vice President Cheney.

(2) Preceding the March 2003 invasion of Iraq the Vice President was fully informed that no legitimate evidence existed of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. The Vice President pressured the intelligence community to change their findings to enable the deception of the citizens and Congress of the United States.

(A) Vice President Cheney and his Chief of Staff, Lewis Libby, made multiple trips to the CIA in 2002 to question analysts studying Iraq's weapons programs and alleged links to al Qaeda, creating an environment in which analysts felt they were being pressured to make their assessments fit with the Bush administration's policy objectives accounts.

(B) Vice President Cheney sought out unverified and ultimately inaccurate raw intelligence to prove his preconceived beliefs. This strategy of cherry picking was employed to influence the interpretation of the intelligence.

(3) The Vice President's actions corrupted or attempted to corrupt the 2002 National Intelligence Estimate, an intelligence document issued on October 1, 2002, and carefully considered by Congress prior to the October 10, 2002, vote to authorize the use of force. The Vice President's actions prevented the necessary reconciliation of facts for the National Intelligence Estimate which resulted in a high number of dissenting opinions from technical experts in two Federal agencies.

(A) The State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research dissenting view in the October 2002 National Intelligence Estimate stated `Lacking persuasive evidence that Baghdad has launched a coherent effort to reconstitute it's nuclear weapons program INR is unwilling to speculate that such an effort began soon after the departure of UN inspectors or to project a timeline for the completion of activities it does not now see happening. As a result INR is unable to predict that Iraq could acquire a nuclear device or weapon.'.

(B) The State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research dissenting view in the October 2002 National Intelligence Estimate also stated that `Finally, the claims of Iraqi pursuit of natural uranium in Africa are, in INR's assessment, highly dubious.'.

(C) The State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research dissenting view in the October 2002 National Intelligence Estimate references a Department of Energy opinion by stating that `INR accepts the judgment of technical experts at the US Department of Energy (DOE) who have concluded that the tubes Iraq seeks to acquire are poorly suited for use in gas centrifuges to be used for uranium enrichment and finds unpersuasive the arguments advanced by others to make the case that they are intended for that purpose.'.

The Vice President subverted the national security interests of the United States by setting the stage for the loss of more than 3300 United States service members; the loss of 650,000 Iraqi citizens since the United States invasion; the loss of approximately $500 billion in war costs which has increased our Federal debt; the loss of military readiness within the United States Armed Services due to overextension, lack of training and lack of equipment; the loss of United States credibility in world affairs; and the decades of likely blowback created by the invasion of Iraq.

In all of this, Vice President Richard B. Cheney has acted in a manner contrary to his trust as Vice President, and subversive of constitutional government, to the prejudice of the cause of law and justice and the manifest injury of the people of the United States. Wherefore, Vice President Richard B. Cheney, by such conduct, is guilty of an impeachable offense warranting removal from office.

Article II

In his conduct while Vice President of the United States, Richard B. Cheney, in violation of his constitutional oath to faithfully execute the office of Vice President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, purposely manipulated the intelligence process to deceive the citizens and Congress of the United States about an alleged relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda in order to justify the use of the United States Armed Forces against the nation of Iraq in a manner damaging to our national security interests, to wit:

(1) Despite all evidence to the contrary, the Vice President actively and systematically sought to deceive the citizens and the Congress of the United States about an alleged relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda:

(A) `His regime has had high-level contacts with Al Qaeda going back a decade and has provided training to Al Qaeda terrorists.' December 2, 2002, Speech of Vice President Cheney at the Air National Guard Senior Leadership Conference.

(B) `His regime aids and protects terrorists, including members of Al Qaeda. He could decide secretly to provide weapons of mass destruction to terrorists for use against us.' January 30, 2003, Speech of Vice President Cheney to 30th Political Action Conference in Arlington, Virginia.

(C) `We know he's out trying once again to produce nuclear weapons and we know that he has a long-standing relationship with various terrorist groups, including the Al Qaeda organization.' March 16, 2003, NBC Meet the Press interview with Vice President Cheney.

(D) `We learned more and more that there was a relationship between Iraq and Al Qaeda that stretched back through most of the decade of the '90s, that it involved training, for example, on biological weapons and chemical weapons . . .' September 14, 2003, NBC Meet the Press interview with Vice President Cheney.

(E) `Al Qaeda had a base of operation there up in Northeastern Iraq where they ran a large poisons factory for attacks against Europeans and U.S. forces.' October 3, 2003, Speech of Vice President Cheney at Bush-Cheney '04 Fundraiser in Iowa.

(F) `He also had an established relationship with Al Qaeda providing training to Al Qaeda members in areas of poisons, gases, and conventional bombs.' October 10, 2003, Speech of Vice President Cheney to the Heritage Foundation.

(G) `Al Qaeda and the Iraqi intelligence services have worked together on a number of occasions.' January 9, 2004, Rocky Mountain News interview with Vice President Cheney.

(H) `I think there's overwhelming evidence that there was a connection between Al Qaeda and the Iraqi government.' January 22, 2004, NPR: Morning Edition interview with Vice President Cheney.

(I) `First of all, on the question of--of whether or not there was any kind of relationship, there clearly was a relationship. It's been testified to; the evidence is overwhelming.' June 17, 2004, CNBC: Capital Report interview with Vice President Cheney.

(2) Preceding the March 2003 invasion of Iraq the Vice President was fully informed that no credible evidence existed of a working relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda, a fact articulated in several official documents, including:

(A) A classified Presidential Daily Briefing ten days after the September 11, 2001, attacks indicating that the United States intelligence community had no evidence linking Saddam Hussein to the September 11th attacks and that there was `scant credible evidence that Iraq had any significant collaborative ties with Al Qaeda'.

(B) Defense Intelligence Terrorism Summary No. 044-02, issued in February 2002 by the United States Defense Intelligence Agency, which challenged the credibility of information gleaned from captured al Qaeda leader al-Libi. The DIA report also cast significant doubt on the possibility of a Saddam Hussein-al-Qaeda conspiracy: `Saddam's regime is intensely secular and is wary of Islamic revolutionary movements. Moreover, Baghdad is unlikely to provide assistance to a group it cannot control.'.

(C) A January 2003 British intelligence classified report on Iraq that concluded that `there are no current links between the Iraqi regime and the al-Qaeda network'.

The Vice President subverted the national security interests of the United States by setting the stage for the loss of more than 3,300 United States service members; the loss of 650,000 Iraqi citizens since the United States invasion; the loss of approximately $500 billion in war costs which has increased our Federal debt; the loss of military readiness within the United States Armed Services due to overextension, lack of training and lack of equipment; the loss of United States credibility in world affairs; and the decades of likely blowback created by the invasion of Iraq.

In all of this, Vice President Richard B. Cheney has acted in a manner contrary to his trust as Vice President, and subversive of constitutional government, to the prejudice of the cause of law and justice and the manifest injury of the people of the United States.

Wherefore, Vice President Richard B. Cheney, by such conduct, is guilty of an impeachable offense warranting removal from office.

Article III

In his conduct while Vice President of the United States, Richard B. Cheney, in violation of his constitutional oath to faithfully execute the office of Vice President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, has openly threatened aggression against the Republic of Iran absent any real threat to the United States, and done so with the United States proven capability to carry out such threats, thus undermining the national security of the United States, to wit:

(1) Despite no evidence that Iran has the intention or the capability of attacking the United States and despite the turmoil created by United States invasion of Iraq, the Vice President has openly threatened aggression against Iran as evidenced by the following:

(A) `For our part, the United States is keeping all options on the table in addressing the irresponsible conduct of the regime. And we join other nations in sending that regime a clear message: We will not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon.' March 7, 2006, Speech of Vice President Cheney to American Israel Public Affairs Committee 2006 Policy Conference.

(B) `But we've also made it clear that all options are on the table.' January 24, 2007, CNN Situation Room interview with Vice President Cheney.

(C) `When we--as the President did, for example, recently--deploy another aircraft carrier task force to the Gulf, that sends a very strong signal to everybody in the region that the United States is here to stay, that we clearly have significant capabilities, and that we are working with friends and allies as well as the international organizations to deal with the Iranian threat.' January 29, 2007, Newsweek interview with Vice President Cheney.

(D) `But I've also made the point and the President has made the point that all options are still on the table.' February 24, 2007, Vice President Cheney at Press Briefing with Australian Prime Minister in Sydney, Australia.

(2) The Vice President, who repeatedly and falsely claimed to have had specific, detailed knowledge of Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction capabilities, is no doubt fully aware of evidence that demonstrates Iran poses no real threat to the United States as evidenced by the following:

(A) `I know that what we see in Iran right now is not the industrial capacity you can [use to develop a] bomb.' Mohamed ElBaradei, Director General of International Atomic Energy Agency, February 19, 2007.

(B) Iran indicated its `full readiness and willingness to negotiate on the modality for the resolution of the outstanding issues with the IAEA, subject to the assurances for dealing with the issues in the framework of the Agency, without the interference of the United Nations Security Council'. IAEA Board Report, February 22, 2007.

(C) `. . . so whatever they have, what we have seen today, is not the kind of capacity that would enable them to make bombs.' Mohamed El Baradei, Director General of International Atomic Energy Agency, February 19, 2007.

(3) The Vice President is fully aware of the actions taken by the United States towards Iran that are further destabilizing the world as evidenced by the following:

(A) The United States has refused to engage in meaningful diplomatic relations with Iran since 2002, rebuffing both bilateral and multilateral offers to dialogue.

(B) The United States is currently engaged in a military buildup in the Middle East that includes the increased presence of the United States Navy in the waters near Iran, significant United States Armed Forces in two nations neighboring to Iran, and the installation of anti-missile technology in the region.

(C) News accounts have indicated that military planners have considered the B61-11, a tactical nuclear weapon, as one of the options to strike underground bunkers in Iran.

(D) The United States has been linked to anti-Iranian organizations that are attempting to destabilize the Iranian government, in particular the Mujahideen-e Khalq (MEK), even though the state department has branded it a terrorist organization.

(E) News accounts indicate that United States troops have been ordered into Iran to collect data and establish contact with anti-government groups.

(4) In the last three years the Vice President has repeatedly threatened Iran. However, the Vice President is legally bound by the U.S. Constitution's adherence to international law that prohibits threats of use of force.

(A) Article VI of the United States Constitution states, `This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land.' Any provision of an international treaty ratified by the United States becomes the law of the United States.

(B) The United States is a signatory to the United Nations Charter, a treaty among the nations of the world. Article II, Section 4 of the United Nations Charter states, `All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.' The threat of force is illegal.

(C) Article 51 lays out the only exception, `Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defense if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security.' Iran has not attacked the United States; therefore any threat against Iran by the United States is illegal.

The Vice President's deception upon the citizens and Congress of the United States that enabled the failed United States invasion of Iraq forcibly altered the rules of diplomacy such that the Vice President's recent belligerent actions towards Iran are destabilizing and counterproductive to the national security of the United States.

In all of this, Vice President Richard B. Cheney has acted in a manner contrary to his trust as Vice President, and subversive of constitutional government, to the prejudice of the cause of law and justice and the manifest injury of the people of the United States.

Wherefore Richard B. Cheney, by such conduct, warrants impeachment and trial, and removal from office.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.RES.333:

rep bean, il-08, conspicuously absent

Damn, that’ll leave a mark. Actually it probably won’t, which is the sad part.*

Dear Hugh- I don’t hate Bush. I voted for him twice (votes I now deeply, deeply regret), and I hate what he has done to this country, I hate his incompetence, I hate that he has let propagandists such as yourself take the lead in designing and pushing policy, I hate that he has lost or is losing not one, but two wars, I hate that he has politicized (more accurately, allowed his lackeys to politicize) everything from NASA to the FDA to the Pentagon to a level that would have made Hugh scream out in rage were the President’s last name Clinton. I hate all of those things.

But for all that, I still don’t hate Bush. I think he is a small, shallow, feeble-minded man, whose “resolve” you cherish is merely the result of a man incapable of thinking on the spot and changing course. While he is ultimately responsible for anything that has been done during his tenure, I am of the opinion that he is little more than a puppet.

So, Hugh, I don’t hate him. In fact, I almost feel sorry for him. This will go down as the most incompetent and morally compromised administration in history, and when those history books look back, they will not refer to this sorry period as the “Cole administration,” nor will they refer to it as the “Hewitt administration,” despite the fact that so very many of your bad ideas have, in fact, been instituted (and usually not because they reflect or represent your ‘deep’ principles, but because you felt there was some sort of immediate political/electoral gain to be seized). History will dub this sorry era as the Bush Administration.

Regardless, even if I DID in fact hate Bush, none of that deflects from what happened and what people are upset about regarding Petraeus’s appearance on your show. It is simply, incontrovertibly, inappropriate for Gen. Petraeus to appear on higly partisan talk shows during a period in time in which he is supposed to be providing the military his apolitical leadership and judgement. The fact that he would, in fact, choose to appear on what amounts to a poor man’s Rush Limbaugh calls his ability to be impartial, apolitical, and honest with the American people into question.

That, Mr. Hewitt, is why many of us are thoroughly and appropriately outraged. Our kids are dying, we are making what appears to be little or no progress in Iraq, and the architect of our wartime strategy (in which the goalposts are bing moved yet again) is playing footsie and passing on vague talking points on the radio with a party hack who honestly believes that the three worst things in the world are the liberal media, Democrats, and Osama bin Laden, and in that order.

BTW- Still think Harriet Meiers would be an AWESOME Supreme Court justice?

http://www.balloon-juice.com/?p=8428

*post title from a comment by jon (not me)

Welcome to Baghdad

By Michael J. Totten

BAGHDAD -- Never again will I complain about the inconvenience and discomfort of...

http://www.michaeltotten.com/archives/001496.html

lieberman's counterpart in the house

H.R.3043: Making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes.
Back to Bill Details

Date: July 19, 2007
Chamber: House
Number: 686
Type: On Passage
Question: On Passage: H R 3043 Making appropriations for the Department of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes
Required percentage of 'Aye' votes: 1/2 (50%)
Ayes: 276 (Democrat: 223; Republican: 53)
Nays: 140 (Democrat: 1; Republican: 139)
Abstained: 15 (Democrat: 6; Republican: 9)
Percentage of 'aye' votes: 64%
Result: Passed

...

Rep. Melissa Bean [D, IL-8] Nay

...

http://www.opencongress.org/roll_call/show/1604

she was the only democrat (yet again, she joins with the republicans in the house) to vote against a bill that (after adjusting for inflation and population growth) was less than comparable bills in 2002-06

http://www.cbpp.org/7-18-07bud.htm

being the lone democrat to side with the president, lieberman would be proud

Dear Mr. President:

We are writing to inform you that we will only support appropriating additional funds for U.S. military operations in Iraq during Fiscal Year 2008 and beyond for the protection and safe redeployment of all our troops out of Iraq before you leave office.

More than 3,600 of our brave soldiers have died in Iraq. More than 26,000 have been seriously wounded. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have been killed or injured in the hostilities and more than 4 million have been displaced from their homes. Furthermore, this conflict has degenerated into a sectarian civil war and U.S. taxpayers have paid more than $500 billion, despite assurances that you and your key advisors gave our nation at the time you ordered the invasion in March, 2003 that this military intervention would cost far less and be paid from Iraqi oil revenues.

We agree with a clear and growing majority of the American people who are opposed to continued, open-ended U.S. military operations in Iraq, and believe it is unwise and unacceptable for you to continue to unilaterally impose these staggering costs and the soaring debt on Americans currently and for generations to come.

Sincerely,

Rep. Lynn Woolsey (CA); Rep. Barbara Lee (CA); Rep. Maxine Waters (CA); Rep. Ellen Tauscher (CA); Rep. Rush Holt (NJ); Rep. Maurice Hinchey (NY); Rep. Diane Watson (CA); Rep. Ed Pastor (AZ); Rep. Barney Frank (MA); Rep. Danny Davis (IL); Rep. John Conyers (MI); Rep. John Hall (NY); Rep. Bob Filner (CA); Rep. Nydia Velazquez (NY); Rep. Bobby Rush (IL); Rep. Charles Rangel (NY); Rep. Ed Towns (NY); Rep. Paul Hodes (NH); Rep. William Lacy Clay (MO); Rep. Earl Blumenauer (OR); Rep. Albert Wynn (MD); Rep. Bill Delahunt (MA); Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC); Rep. G. K. Butterfield (NC); Rep. Hilda Solis (CA); Rep. Carolyn Maloney (NY); Rep. Jerrold Nadler (NY); Rep. Michael Honda (CA); Rep. Steve Cohen (TN); Rep. Phil Hare (IL); Rep. Grace Flores Napolitano (CA); Rep. Alcee Hastings (FL); Rep. James McGovern (MA); Rep. Marcy Kaptur (OH); Rep. Jan Schakowsky (IL); Rep. Julia Carson (IN); Rep. Linda Sanchez (CA); Rep. Raul Grijalva (AZ); Rep. John Olver (MA); Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (TX); Rep. Jim McDermott (WA); Rep. Ed Markey (MA); Rep. Chaka Fattah (PA); Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (NJ); Rep. Rubin Hinojosa (TX); Rep. Pete Stark (CA); Rep. Bobby Scott (VA); Rep. Jim Moran (VA); Rep. Betty McCollum (MN); Rep. Jim Oberstar (MN); Rep. Diana DeGette (CO); Rep. Stephen Lynch (MA); Rep. Artur Davis (AL); Rep. Hank Johnson (GA); Rep. Donald Payne (NJ); Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (MO); Rep. John Lewis (GA); Rep. Yvette Clarke (NY); Rep. Neil Abercrombie (HI); Rep. Gwen Moore (WI); Rep. Keith Ellison (MN); Rep. Tammy Baldwin (WI); Rep. Donna Christensen (USVI); Rep. David Scott (GA); Rep. Luis Gutierrez (IL); Lois Capps (CA); Steve Rothman (NJ); Elijah Cummings (MD); and Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX).

http://www.politico.com/blogs/thecrypt/0707/Liberals_Vow_to_Block_Continued_Iraq_Funding.html

rep bean, il-08, conspicuously absent



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DEh0eSpNvY