Thursday, June 29, 2006

Pansyass Democrat suckasses

Yeah, it's an inarticulate headline, but it represents the unformed rage about all the Ds who voted for the flag-burning amendment.

from a friend:

Max Baucus, Evan Bayh, Mark Dayton, Dianne Feinstein, Tim Johnson, Mary Landrieu, Blanche Lincoln, Robert Menéndez, Ben Nelson, Bill Nelson, Harry Reid, Jay Rockefeller, Kenneth Salazar, Debbie Stabenow

Assholes.

Who's worse? Harry Reid, who couldn't even stand strong, whereas vulnerable Daschle spoke out eloquently against the amendment (did I really just praise Daschle?).

Or maybe Hillary Clinton, who tried a compromise bill to ban flag burning, but not through a constitutional amendment. That really tells you everything you need to know about her doesn't it? She's awful. No way will that political panderer ever be elected president.

Before the final tally, the Senate voted 64 to 36 to reject an alternative measure designed to provide political cover for those who opposed Hatch's legislation. The measure -- a proposed statute, rather than constitutional amendment -- was offered by Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.)
and was strongly endorsed by
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), a possible presidential candidate who has sought a middle ground in the flag-burning debate.


ugh!

Hell, Mitch McConnell voted against this nonsense. What's wrong with the Ds!?!

Anyway, for more on this burning issue, check out this guy's primer on:

Cracking the Flag-Burning Amendment


I've gone on before about why any Constitutional Amendment to ban burning or otherwise desecrating the flag of the United States of America would be cracked the very second it was passed, but apparently asking the members of the House of Representatives to read is too much to hope for. So for the members of Senate, who vote on the proposed Amendment soon, and the members of the 50 state legislatures here in the US, allow me to offer this visual primer on How to Crack the Flag Burning Amendment.













And finally for a ton of interesting history and perspective on the issue, check out the Flag Burning Page. As its author describes it:

Allright. Now you know how I feel. I have put this site together as a resource for people who are doing research for school about Texas v Johnson, flag desecration, or the Supreme Court. It contains a lot of history, a bibliography, some essays and editorial cartoons, and a bunch of
other stuff. It's for people who are interested in flag burning laws, the actions of the Senate, and whether they can legally throw away those little flags they bought for their car windows.*


If you're OK with that, and you want to know more, and you promise not to send me death threats, you may enter the site now.

* No, you can't throw those little flags away. The only "respectable" way to dispose of a worn or soiled flag is to give it a ceremonial and dignified retirement, preferably by burning it. Ironically, the American Legion and Boy Scouts burn thousands of flags every year in respectful retirement ceremonies. The only difference between their actions, and the actions of a long-haired hippie protestor are the thoughts in the minds of the two. Do you want to live in a country that arrests people for "anti-American thoughts?" I sure don't.

Actually, there is no justice

DeLay may have to stay on ballot, but did you know it is still legal for the state of Texas to execute an innocent person (which they have, you know).

Court May Revise Rule On Death Row Appeals
Washington Post

The issue before the Supreme Court, however, is not whether House is guilty, but how strong his case for innocence must be to win a new hearing in federal court.

The court has never quite said it is unconstitutional to execute an innocent person.


Yes, you read that right.

For more detail about how truly fucked up criminal law is in the US, check this article:

It's Legal to Execute a Person Who May Be Innocent

Barnabei is asking for DNA tests on the scrapings from Wisnowsky's fingernails that might prove that she scratched the real murderer in her struggle to live.

But under Virginia and U.S. law, Barnabei has no further right to argue his innocence. Virginia insists that any new evidence that might cast doubt on a guilty verdict must be submitted within 21 days of the trial. After that, the condemned person is out of luck.

Furthermore, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a 1992 Texas case that proof of actual innocence is not grounds for a federal appeal against a guilty verdict - so long as the original trial was free of error.

In that case, Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy asked Texas Assistant Attorney General Margaret Griffey: "Suppose you have a videotape which conclusively shows the person is innocent and you have a state which as a matter of policy or law, or both, simply does not hear new evidence claims in its clemency proceeding. Is there a federal constitutional violation in your view?"

Griffey: "No, you honor, there is not."

Kennedy then asked if it would be unconstitutional to execute the innocent person.

Griffey: "No, it would not be violative of the Constitution under those circumstances." This wacko Texas logic is now the law of the land.

Perhaps there is justice

June 29, 2006, 7:05AM

Judge says DeLay 'withdrew'
Statement may spell trouble for GOP, but 22nd District issue still awaits ruling
By JANET ELLIOTTCopyright 2006 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau

AUSTIN - A federal judge hearing a ballot dispute Monday involving former U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay said he thinks that DeLay withdrew from the November election, indicating potential trouble for Republicans who want to name a replacement candidate.

"He is not going to participate in the election and he withdrew," said U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks, who did not issue an official ruling after a daylong trial regarding DeLay's status as the GOP nominee for the 22nd Congressional District.

[...]

Under cross-examination by attorney Cris Feldman, representing the Democratic Party, DeLay said he doesn't know where he will be in November.

Not much to say other than 1) awesome, 2) how badass would it be to get to crossexamine DeLay? Of all the people to get to do it, nice that it's Feldman, a properly outraged damn good lawyer.

Monday, June 26, 2006

all you need to know about what's wrong with Congress

the Senate schedule for the week:

Senate
MONDAY
Reconvenes 2 p.m.
No roll call votes expected
S J Res 12 — Flag burning
REMAINDER OF THE WEEK
HR 5638 — Estate tax overhaul
HR 2830 — Pension overhaul

And while we're on the subject, screw the American Legion.

Instead of focusing on shitty health care for vets, real attacks on American liberty, or the fact that soldiers get paid so little they have to go on welfare, the American Legion's top priority is -- and always has been -- flag burning.

These guys represent veterans about as much as PETA does. Somebody needs to get them a large-print version of the Bill of Rights, and a fucking newspaper.

Friday, June 23, 2006

final thought for the weekend

"It takes only one drink to get me drunk. The trouble is, I can't remember if it's the thirteenth or the fourteenth." - George Burns

Friday!




























How appropriate is it that Friday is named after Freya, the Norse goddess of beauty?

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Who do I sue for being poor?

John Edwards to end poverty in 30 years.

While I am dubious it is infinitely more inspiring than anything that ever emerged from the first lady of pandering, Hillary Clinton.

GYWO is back

guess it never went anywhere, but he's had some good ones lately I missed.











I

Remember District Bar & Grill?

6th and Lavaca with a few pool tables in back and a great comfortable bar bar feel. Now it's some Swedish shithole.

Seton, the bartender at District, who you just have to know, has re-surfaced, as the editor of Seton Motley's NewsoftheDay.org A Publication of the Less Government Foundation. Seton's a nut, but a good guy, and great bartender. We at CruzBustamante may even have to link to him.

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

meow

Monday, June 19, 2006

Laugh, then cry

A must see: Colbert interviews Stephen Colbert vs. Congressman Lynn Westmoreland (GA) about posting the 10 Commandments in public buildings.

Check it out.

It's hilarious, but I kinda wonder, Westmoreland sounds like he might have a mild mental retardation. Don't know whether that's inspiring that he managed to get to Congress, or sad that's the best Georgia has to send to DC.

ok, now for the tears, from Frank Rich's column this week.

What's most impressive about Mr. Rove, however, is not his ruthlessness, it's his unshakable faith in the power of a story. The story he's stuck with, Iraq, is a loser, but he knows it won't lose at the polls if there's no story to counter it. And so he tells it over and over, confident that the Democrats won't tell their own. And they don't — whether about Iraq or much else. The question for the Democrats is less whether they tilt left, right or center, than whether they can find a stirring narrative that defines their views, not just the Republicans'.

What's needed, wrote Michael Tomasky in an influential American Prospect essay last fall, is a "big-picture case based on core principles." As he argued, Washington's continued and inhumane failure to ameliorate the devastation of Katrina could not be a more pregnant opportunity for the Democrats to set forth a comprehensive alternative to the party in power. Another opportunity, of course, is the oil dependence that holds America hostage to the worst governments in the Middle East.

Instead the Democrats float Band-Aid nostrums and bumper-sticker marketing strategies like "Together, America Can Do Better." As the linguist Geoffrey Nunberg pointed out, "The very ungrammaticality of the Democrats' slogan reminds you that this is a party with a chronic problem of telling a coherent story about itself, right down to an inability to get its adverbs and subjects to agree." On Wednesday Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid were to announce their party's "New Direction" agenda — actually, an inoffensive checklist of old directions (raise the minimum wage, cut student loan costs, etc.) — that didn't even mention Iraq. Symbolically enough, they had to abruptly reschedule the public unveiling to attend Mr. Bush's briefing on his triumphant trip to Baghdad.

Those who are most enraged about the administration's reckless misadventures are incredulous that it repeatedly gets away with the same stunts. Last week the president was still invoking 9/11 to justify the war in Iraq, which he again conflated with the war on Islamic jihadism — the war we are now losing, by the way, in Afghanistan and Somalia. But as long as the Democrats keep repeating their own mistakes, they will lose to the party whose mistakes are, if nothing else, packaged as one heckuva show. It's better to have the courage of bad convictions than no courage or convictions at all.


I couldn't agree more. And here's a case in point: Tony Snow's comment about "it's a number," referring to 2,500 US deaths in Iraq. And the Democrats respond? Sort of.

Harry Reid gave a speech.

We should have fucking pounced. From Reid to Pelosi to Kerry to Murtha to Dean to every member to every blogger to every state party chair to the DNC veterans caucus to Cleland, there shoud have been a unanimous call for a formal apology from the White House or for Snow's resignation. You know that's what the other side would have done had McCurry said a dumbass comment like that.

Callie Houston at CHB blog has the right take:

Just when you think the assholes who control our government can't possibly get any more callous about the escalating loss of human lives as a result of their failed policies, along comes Presidential mouthpiece Tony Snow to tell us that 2500 American military deaths in Iraq is just "a number."

Just a number?

[...]

Yes, I'm mad. Damn mad. Goddamned mad. I've lost two relatives in George W. Bush's illegal Iraq invasion and far too many other Americans grieve lost loved ones because a mass murdering President sent them off to die in a useless war that had nothing to do with his so-called "war on terrorism."


Of, course, why should we expect unanimous strategic messaging from Dems about a Tony Snow comment when we can't even do it on a war resolution?

At first I was tempted to say "screw you" to the 42 Dems who voted to say Iraq is part of war on terrorism and they support Bush's position

But the bigger screw you is to the Dem leadership that led themselves get stuck in this position. How about the Ds 1) it's ridiculous to have a resolution in which you cannot be in favor of the troops of but against the absurdity that this is part of war on terror and Bush's idiotic war plan, 2) refuse to vote on this. yes, seriously, walk out, don't show up for the vote -- it's a resolution!, 3) hold press conference blasting Rs for a) wasting time on politicking while "numbers" mount, and b) trying to force a false choice. 4) At this press conference, issue (near) unanimous resolution from Ds on Iraq. Say what you want to say the D plan is.

This would force press to cover contrasting resolutions, and moreover, I think, highlight the waste of time the resolution is. Why do we agree to play their games?

Instead, we play their games by their rules and get headlines like this:

House supports Bush on war policy

By Jill ZuckmanWashington Bureau
Published June 17, 2006

WASHINGTON -- Following a day and a half of emotional debate, the House voted overwhelmingly Friday to affirm President Bush's policies in the Iraq war and to reject a specific timetable for withdrawing American troops.The vote was 256-153, with 42 Democrats joining 214 Republicans to support a non-binding resolution that declared the war in Iraq is a central front in the war on terrorism.

Even some in the GOP better managed to article how dumb this was:

Not everyone thought it was worthwhile to hold a debate about an issue that is causing GOP lawmakers great difficulty with voters.Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.), for example, repeatedly called the debate a "dumb idea" and did not participate. "I don't think it served any purpose except to pontificate about the war," he said.

Three Republicans, Reps. John Duncan of Tennessee, Jim Leach of Iowa and Ron Paul of Texas, voted against the resolution, while Reps. Walter Jones of North Carolina and Thaddeus McCotter of Michigan voted present.

McCotter called the resolution "strategically nebulous, morally obtuse and woefully inadequate."


Somebody buy McCotter a drink.

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Murder now legal in Virginia*

*if you are a cop:

ALEXANDRIA
Officer Who Shot Teen at IHOP Not Charged


This is the cop who fired wildly into a moving car trying to stop teenagers from fleeing a $26 tab, and killed an Eagle Scout.

And in Fairfax County:

In Virginia, the Death Penalty for Gambling

According to press accounts, police affidavits, and the resulting investigation by the Fairfax prosecutor's office, Baucom called Culosi that evening, and told him he'd be by to collect his winnings. With the SWAT team at the ready just behind him, Baucom waited outside Culosi's home in an SUV. As Culosi emerged from the doorway, clad only in a t-shirt and jeans, SWAT officer Deval Bullock's finger apparently slipped to the trigger of his Heckler & Koch MP5 semiautomatic weapon, already aimed at the unarmed Culosi.

The gun fired, releasing a bullet that entered Culosi's side, then ripped through his chest and struck his heart, killing him instantly.

[...]

The incident didn't deter the Fairfax police department's anti-gambling crusade, either. As the NCAA tournament was about to tip-off, the police department issued a poorly-timed, insensitively-worded press release declaring, "Illegal Gambling Not Worth the Risk."

Given that the Culosi case was over the media at the time, the release carried the troubling, if unintended, implication that said "risk" could well mean a fatal visit from the Fairfax SWAT team. Meanwhile, the state of Virginia continued to spend the $20 million it allocates each year toward marketing and promoting the state's lottery.

Last month, Fairfax County prosecutor Robert Horan announced that he would not press charges against the officer who shot and killed Culosi. That's no surprise. In his 39 years as a prosecutor, Horan hasn't brought a single charge against a police officer. Not only that, but both Horan and the Fairfax County police department have yet to mention the officer's name in public. We only know Officer Bullock's identity due to the perseverance of a Washington Post reporter.

I'm not a fan of criminal negligence laws, but if we're going to have them, certainly our law enforcement officials should be among the first we require to follow them. In this case, Officer Bullock improperly had his finger on the trigger of his weapon, and improperly had his weapon pointed at Culosi. Somehow, he improperly fired, and improperly registered a direct hit. Tests show there was nothing wrong with the gun.

Were any citizen to accidentally and fatally discharge a weapon in the same manner, it's difficult to believe that Mr. Horan wouldn't be quick to file charges, and release the name of the suspect to the public. One wonders why he doesn't hold police officers to a higher standard than average citizen, much less why he holds them to a lower one.

Alright, off to listen to a little NWA.

QOTW

"If we're going to have a state zoo, let's not have a sucky one" -- MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R)(Eden Prairie News)

SCOTUS gossip

from a friend:

"Heard from a Supreme Court reporter that there may be big news Thursday from the court about Texas."

No word as to what that news might be. Maybe Roberts and Alito will move the court in the direction of protecting minority voting rights and overturn the DeLay redistricting! And the Dems will get a coherent, strong message, and then maybe and then...

Sorry, started to get off into a fantasy there. Anyway, for info on the case, check out the Lone Star Project.

Monday, June 12, 2006

Help me!















So glad to see the kitty killer story is finally getting legs ... tiny little kitten legs.

Monday, 06/12/06
Kitty-killer label litters Frist resume for president

There's a potential pothole in U.S. Sen. Bill Frist's road to the White House: He's a confessed kitty killer.

[...]

It came up in Tennessee's 1994 Republican primary, when Frist faced five opponents for the nomination. It was Chattanooga's Bob Corker (he's in a similar cat fight for Frist's seat now) who tried to inflame the feline furor. Corker sent beef-and-bacon-flavored 9 Lives Cat Treats to reporters and put out a press release saying Frist had lost the Garfield vote.

[...]

It's the part where he kept them as pets first that is bothersome.

"Desperate, obsessed with my work, I visited the various animal shelters in the Boston suburbs, collecting cats, taking them home, treating them as pets for a few days, then carting them off to the lab to die in the interests of science. And medicine. And health care. And treatment of disease. And my project."

[...]

Frist recently commented about the power he felt when holding the last beats of a dog's heart in his hand. Good thing little Scratchy had a decent hiding place while Frist was in med school.

This will be media catnip. Think of the potential for protests and endorsements. A "Saturday Night Live" skit would be a no-brainer: "Toonces, look out! It's the kitty-killing gentlemen from the state of Tennessee!"

Monday, June 05, 2006

A lesson from Texas

Donkey For Sale

A city boy, Kenny, moved to the country and bought a donkey from an old farmer for $100.00. The farmer agreed to deliver the donkey the next day.

The next day, the farmer drove up and said, "Sorry son, but I have some bad
news. The donkey died."

Kenny replied, "Well then, just give me my money back."

The farmer said, "Can't do that. I went and spent it already."

Kenny said, "Okay then, just unload the donkey."

The farmer asked, "What ya gonna do with him"?

Kenny said, "I'm going to raffle him off."

"You can't raffle off a dead donkey!" the farmer says.

"Sure I can. Watch me. I just won't tell anybody he is dead." Kenny said.

A month later the farmer met up with Kenny and asked, "What happened with that dead donkey"?

"I raffled him off. I sold 500 tickets at two dollars a piece and made a profit of $898.00."

"Didn't anyone complain"? The farmer asked.

"Just the guy who won. So, I gave him his two dollars back."

Kenny grew up and eventually became the chairman of Enron.

Thursday, June 01, 2006

This was my freshman year college roommate... shudder