Tag Archives: George Bush

Bush White House Using Taxpayer Dollars to Support Republican Candidates.

Posted on November 6th, 2006 | Comments Off on Bush White House Using Taxpayer Dollars to Support Republican Candidates.

Why is the Bush White House using taxpayer supported public facilities and resources to support partisan Republican campaigns? The White House seems to be campaign headquarters for the Republican Party. The US Senate has an official policy which prohibits this type of blatant use of public taxpayer dollars to promote partisan campaigns.

Yet the official White House website is posting partisan campaign speeches as part of its news releases from the White House. These include campaign speeches by President Bush, Mrs Laura Bush and Vice President Cheney The only person who does not seem to be spending all their time giving partisan speeches is Cheney’s Wife.

Were these speeches written by the White House Press Corps? It certainly has the appearance of this. Are taxpayer dollars paying for this? The postings say “For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary” Is the press secretary working for the Republican Party?

Its no wonder our country is in such a mess and Bush can’t clean up the Iraq mess. The White House has become Grand Central Station for the Republican Party’s desperate effort to hold onto control of the House and the Senate. It appears the President is not working to solve the problems our courtry faces but is working for the Republican Party on out tax dollars.

In stark contrast the US Senate thinks it is unethical to use taxpayer funded resources and staff to promote partisan campaigns like the White House is doing. A Senate policy link from Washington State”s Senator Maria Cantwell”s official US Senate Website details Senate restrictions on use of public resources for campaigning.

U.S. SENATE INTERNET SERVICES USAGE RULES AND POLICIES first adopted in 1996 states:

“POSTING OR LINKING TO THE FOLLOWING MATTER IS PROHIBITED
Political Matter
a.Matter which specifically solicits political support for the sender or any other person or political party, or a vote or financial assistance for any candidate for any political office is prohibited.
b. Matter which mentions a Senator or an employee of a Senator as a candidate for political office, or which constitutes electioneering, or which advocates the election or defeat of any individuals, or a political party is prohibited.

Personal Matter
a. Matter which by its nature is purely personal and is unrelated to the official business activities and duties of the sender is prohibited.
b. Matter which constitutes or includes any article, account, sketch, narration, or other text laudatory and complimentary of any Senator on a purely personal or political basis rather than on the basis of performance of official duties as a Senator is prohibited.
c. Reports of how or when a Senator, the Senator’s spouse, or any other member of the Senator’s family spends time other than in the performance of, or in connection with, the legislative, representative, and other official functions of such Senator is prohibited.
d. Any transmission expressing holiday greetings from a Senator is prohibited. This prohibition does not preclude an expression of holiday greetings at the commencement or conclusion of an otherwise proper transmission.
Promotional Matter
a. The solicitation of funds for any purpose is prohibited.
b. The placement of logos or links used for personal, promotional, commercial, or partisan political campaign purposes is prohibited. “

Washington State law likewise has a similar restriction on the use of public resources to promote partisan campaigns. RCW 42.17.130 says

“No elective official nor any employee of his [or her] office nor any person appointed to or employed by any public office or agency may use or authorize the use of any of the facilities of a public office or agency, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of assisting a campaign for election of any person to any office or for the promotion of or opposition to any ballot proposition. Facilities of a public office or agency include, but are not limited to, use of stationery, postage, machines, and equipment, use of employees of the office or agency during working hours, vehicles, office space, publications of the office or agency, and clientele lists of persons served by the office or agency….”

See also Guideline for local government agencies in election campaigns

While it is nice to be able to check up on what Bush and others are saying on the campaign trail this should be on the Republican Party’s website not the taxpayer funded White House website. The Bush White House is posting campaign speeches given at partisan political fundraisers using publicly financed resources. This is wrong.

See below selected quotes from August partisan political “press releases” posted on the official White House website. The “campaign press releases” continue right through the present.

Remarks by the President at Lynn Swann for Governor Reception Lancaster Host Resort and Conference CenterLancaster, Pennsylvania August 16, 2006
“I want to thank those of you who have given of your hard-earned money to help these folks. You can’t run unless the people are willing to contribute. That’s just the way it is. And the fact that Lynn and Jim have raised so much money tonight is a good sign. I want to thank you for those of you who have helped organize this event, and thank you for giving of your money. It really means a lot to them. I know. I speak with firsthand experience how much it means to have people willing to contribute.”

Vice President’s Remarks at a Luncheon for Arizona Victory 2006 Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa Phoenix, Arizona August 15, 2006
“I want to thank all of you for the strong support you’re giving to the Republican Party, and to the victory effort that we’re mounting here in Arizona. We’re headed into the fall campaign, with a lot of important offices on the ballot. We have a good roster of candidates, and we need to make sure they have the resources they’re going to need in order to guarantee victory in November. A strong turnout on Election Day will be good for our party, good for Arizona, and good for the country. And in the weeks ahead, we need to make sure that our fellow citizens know about our agenda for extending the prosperity of the country, and for protecting America against those who wish to harm us.”

Remarks by the President at Orrin Hatch for Senate Reception Grand America Hotel Salt Lake City, Utah August 31, 2006
“We’re proud to be here with Elaine and the Hatch family. Laura said to me, she said, you get over to Utah and you help our friends come back to Washington, D.C. ….
And most of all, thanks for helping Orrin. It takes a lot of work to get this many people in the room. And for those of you who organized this event, thank you. I know how hard you worked and so does he. This is an incredibly successful fundraiser, and he deserves it.
And for those of you involved in grassroots politics, thanks a lot for your hard work. Thanks for making sure that Utah was solid in 2004, and thank you for making sure that Utah remains solid in 2006. I appreciate you putting up the signs. I appreciate you making the phone calls. I appreciate you knocking on the doors. “

Remarks by the President at Bob Corker for Senate and Tennessee Republican Party Dinner Loews Vanderbilt HotelNashville, Tennessee August 30, 2006
“It makes sense to send a man of integrity and decency to Washington, D.C. And that man is Bob Corker. (Applause.)
I’m proud to call him friend, and you’ll be proud to call him United States Senator. (Applause.) And I want to thank you for your help. I thank you for giving of your money and I urge you to give of your time. I know there’s a lot of grassroots activists who are here. And Bob and Elizabeth are going to be counting on your help, coming down the stretch. He’s got the message, he’s got the courage, but he’s going to need you to put up the signs and make the phone calls and go to community centers, and remind the good people of this state, Republican, Democrat, and independent, that when you have somebody of his caliber, they need to go to the polls and put him in office. “

Remarks by the President at Lynn Swann for Governor Reception Lancaster Host Resort and Conference CenterLancaster, Pennsylvania August 16, 2006
“I want to thank those of you who have given of your hard-earned money to help these folks. I want to thank those of you who have given of your hard-earned money to help these folks. You can’t run unless the people are willing to contribute. That’s just the way it is. And the fact that Lynn and Jim have raised so much money tonight is a good sign. I want to thank you for those of you who have helped organize this event, and thank you for giving of your money. It really means a lot to them. I know. I speak with firsthand experience how much it means to have people willing to contribute.”

Vice President’s Remarks at a Luncheon for Arizona Victory 2006 Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa Phoenix, Arizona August 15, 2006
“I want to thank all of you for the strong support you’re giving to the Republican Party, and to the victory effort that we’re mounting here in Arizona. We’re headed into the fall campaign, with a lot of important offices on the ballot. We have a good roster of candidates, and we need to make sure they have the resources they’re going to need in order to guarantee victory in November. A strong turnout on Election Day will be good for our party, good for Arizona, and good for the country. And in the weeks ahead, we need to make sure that our fellow citizens know about our agenda for extending the prosperity.”

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Rovian Timing of Saddam Death Penalty Just Chance?

Posted on November 5th, 2006 | Comments Off on Rovian Timing of Saddam Death Penalty Just Chance?

Don’t tell me Karl Rove and Bush didn’t somehow have a hand in the timing of today’s announcement of the death penalty for Saddam Hussein. The verdict had previously been scheduled to be released earlier. But two days before a crucial election that will determine the fate of who controls Congress? Give me a break.

What better way to try to deflect Bush’s failures in Iraq than by having Saddam declared guilty today. It is brilliant election eve strategy to focus people’s attention on the one thing both Democrats and Republicans can agree on – that Saddam was a murderous dictator that deserved to be punished.

You have to hand it to Rove and company for strategic timing. But American voters need to keep focused on the larger picture and keep the conviction of Saddam in perspective. His conviction was a forgone conclusion and not unexpected.

Tuesday’s vote is not about Saddam Hussein. The vote is about whether Republicans deserve to control Congress. The vote is about American’s future actions in Iraq. It is about many things that need to change in America.

Voters need to remember that Republicans retaining control of Congress would be a vote for staying the course in Iraq.
It would be a vote in favor of ignoring action to reduce global warming.
It would be a vote in favor of not working for real energy independence and for supporting the oil companies stealing from consumer’s pockets by their record profits.
It would be a vote in favor of opposing stem cell research and opposing decisions based on science rather than politics and religion.
It would be a vote decreasing citizen protections guaranteed in the constitution and for giving the President more power.
It would be a vote for opposing an increase in the minimum wage and a vote for opposing health care for all Americans.
It would be a vote to ignore helping students get a college education at a reasonable cost.
It would be a vote for drug company profits over senior citizens’ financial independence.
It would be a vote for eliminating audits of Iraq contracts

A lot is at stake. Do we want one party rule and secrecy and special interests and corporations dictating the future of our country or do we want to restore checks and balances against unbridled Presidential power and a Republican Congress that can’t police itself and which doesn’t address critical priorities?

Avoid the smoke and mirrors of Republican domination. A Democratic vote on Tuesday is a vote to put our country’s future first rather than special interests. A Democraic vote on Tuesday would be to put Democrats in power in Congress and end one party rule. A Democratic vote on Tuesday would be restore the system of checks and balances on power in Washington. A Democratic vote on Tuesday will be a vote to resolve the Ieaq conflict now, not pass it on to some future President.

Democrats need to keep in mind that even if they win one or both houses of Congress, the White House would still be run by Bush. He would be able to veto any legislation he doesn’t want and would probably now exercise this power. He would still control all the Agencies and Departments that he does now. But at least there would be a check and a balance on the Executive Branch that hasn’t been present under the unchecked and unbalanced one party rule of the Republicans now controlling both Congress and the White House.

It’s time for a change. Vote to put the Democrats in charge of the US House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.

Vote for Democrat Maria Cantwell for US Senate.

Vote for Democrats Darcy Burner, Peter Goldmark, and Richard Wright for Congress.

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More Republican Campaign Legislation

Posted on September 28th, 2006 | Comments Off on More Republican Campaign Legislation

Republicans continue their cynical game playing the terrorism card in an attempt to get voter support for their candidates in the upcoming election. They continue to manufacture legislation to generate votes that they can use in attack ads challenging their opponents.

The terrorism game for Republicans emerges as an attempt to draw public attention away from the failures of the Bush Administration and Republican controlled Congress in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The House in a 253 to 168 vote approved Bush’s bill for interrogating and trying terrorist suspects. Immediately the Republican Majority Leader Boehner said “It’s outrageous that House Democrats, at the urging of their leaders, continue to oppose giving President Bush the tools he needs to protect our country.” So the bill passes and he attacks the Democrats?

But what was at stake? The bill passed by the House, H.R.6166 , is actually entitled ‘The Military Commissions Act of 2006. It deals with setting up new military commissions to try so called “illegal enemy combatants”. Here’s part of what the New York says in their editorial Rushing off a Cliff”:

These are some of the bill’s biggest flaws:
Enemy Combatants: A dangerously broad definition of  “illegal enemy combatant” in the bill could subject legal residents of the United States, as well as foreign citizens living in their own countries, to summary arrest and indefinite detention with no hope of appeal. The President could give the power to apply this label to anyone he wanted.
The Geneva Conventions: The bill would repudiate a half-century of international precedent by allowing Mr. Bush to decide on his own what abusive interrogation methods he considered permissible. And his decision could stay secret – there’s no requirement that this list be published.
Habeas Corpus: Detainees in U.S. military prisons would lose the basic right to challenge their imprisonment. These cases do not clog the courts, nor coddle terrorists. They simply give wrongly imprisoned people a chance to prove their innocence.
Judicial Review: The courts would have no power to review any aspect of this new system, except verdicts by military tribunals. The bill would limit appeals and bar legal actions based in the Geneva Conventions, directly or indirectly. All Mr. Bush would have to do to lock anyone up forever is to declare him an illegal combatant and not have a trial.
Coerced Evidence: Coerced evidence would be permissible if a judge considered it reliable – already a contradiction in terms – and relevant. Coercion is defined in a way that exempts anything done before the passage of the 2005 Detainee Treatment Act, and anything else Mr. Bush chooses.
Secret Evidence: American standards of justice prohibit evidence and testimony that is kept secret from the defendant, whether the accused is a corporate executive or a mass murderer. But the bill as redrafted by Mr. Cheney seems to weaken protections against such evidence.
Offenses: The definition of torture is unacceptably narrow, a virtual reprise of the deeply cynical memos the administration produced after 9/11. Rape and sexual assault are defined in a retrograde way that covers only forced or coerced activity, and not other forms of nonconsensual sex. The bill would effectively eliminate the idea of rape as torture.

It is politically motivated legislation that tells the world we really don’t care about the safeguards our founders wrote into the Constitution. I urge you to read the bill yourself.

Here are some quotes (highlighting is mine) and issues I saw.

I could find no mention of how quickly one needed to be charged with a crime, yet a specific time period, 20 days, is all that’s allotted for an appeal.

The definition of who can be tried by these commissions is very broad. The bill is also retroactive to cover any event in the past.

The term `unlawful enemy combatant’ means–
`(i) a person who has engaged in hostilities or who has purposefully and materially supported hostilities against the United States or its co-belligerents who is not a lawful enemy combatant (including a person who is part of the Taliban, al Qaeda, or associated forces); or
`(ii) a person who, before, on, or after the date of the enactment of the Military Commissions Act of 2006, has been determined to be an unlawful enemy combatant by a Combatant Status Review Tribunal or another competent tribunal established under the authority of the President or the Secretary of Defense.

And while the judge presiding has to have a judicial background, the people who sit on the commission and vote need not be. “Any commissioned officer of the armed forces on active duty is eligible to serve on a military commission under this chapter.”

“Evidence shall not be excluded from trial by military commission on the grounds that the evidence was not seized pursuant to a search warrant or other authorization”

” …hearsay evidence not otherwise admissible under the rules of evidence applicable in trial by general courts-martial may be admitted in a trial by military commission…”

“The military judge may close to the public all or a portion of the proceedings under paragraph (1) only upon making a specific finding that such closure is necessary to–
`(A) protect information the disclosure of which could reasonably be expected to cause damage to the national security, including intelligence or law enforcement sources, methods, or activities;…”

This bill is being pushed now to meet the political agenda and needs of the Republican Party and because this is the time Bush is most likely to get the least objection. I agree with the New York Times that it is full of bad policy and law for our country.

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Kennebunkport, Maine – 700 Peace Activists March

Posted on August 27th, 2006 | Comments Off on Kennebunkport, Maine – 700 Peace Activists March

President Bush was in Kennebunkport, Maine on Saturday to attend a wedding. He was staying at his family’s retreat.

The AP reported in the Boston Globe yesterday that that a peace march also took place in Kennebunkport on Saturday. Police Chief Joseph Bruno said some 700 people were involved, chanting and marching.

“The demonstrators sang, chanted, waved signs and even engaged in some fiddle playing to protest the war in Iraq.”

One Navy veteran at the event was quoted as saying “Silence is complicity. I don’t want to be complicit.”

Same here.

“Shock and Awe” Remember the words. “We had to destroy the village to save it.” Remember the words. The Israelis seemed to do the same thing in Lebanon.

When will we learn that total destruction that provides employment for companies like Halliburton does not win hearts and minds and is not the answer to finding peace. Military tactics using both discriminate and indiscriminate bombing that kills and maims the civilian population does not work to provide a stable base upon which to build trust and democracy.

As our experience in Iraq shows, and Lebanon shows, mass destruction and death can actually be counterproductive by increasing hatred and anger and increasing support for terrorists. There is no surer way to create a new terrorist, than by killing someone’s family.

There are no easy answers to finding peace in the Middle East. But America’s experience in Iraq points to a failed policy by Bush. New tactics are needed, not a rehash of failed Viet Nam era tactics. Just using more powerful or precise weapons of mass destruction ignores the social and political realities necessary to create a stable government and country.

It’s time for a change. Bush has failed.

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Oil Companies Taking America for a Ride!

Posted on August 14th, 2006 | 2 comments

We in Washington State like to think we are pretty smart. So do most Americans. Then why is it that most Americans can’t see that the oil companies consider us suckers?

Maybe it’s because most people can’t see the simple relationship between cause and effect. Record gas prices. Record oil company profits. In a free market economy, oil companies are free to charge whatever they want. And that is what they are doing.

What the oil companies are doing is reminiscent of what ENRON did in raising the price of electricity, causing millions of homeowners and businesses to pay more for the same amount of electricity. Was there an energy crisis? Yes and no. The market was manipulated and artificial shortages were created. An illusion of energy shortages was created.

The average consumer had little recourse but to pay higher electricity bills because they were locked into an electrical grid to meet their basic needs. Electricity is basically a monopoly because you can’t go out in most cases and shop for an electric company like you now can for a cell phone company. And any semblance of consumer protection is more a mirage than reality.

As Consortiumnews.org notes

“Bush personally joined the fight against imposing caps on the soaring price of electricity in California at a time when Enron was artificially driving up the price of electricity by manipulating supply. Bush”s resistance to price caps bought Enron extra time to gouge hundreds of millions of dollars from California”s consumers.”

The same thing is happening now regarding gas prices with the Republicans in Congress and Bush. They are supporting the oil industry that has a virtual monopoly on energy. Our economy is run on oil and we are addicted to oil. A transportation system dependent on individual cars and trucks, rather than adequate public transit, dictates a continued use of a commodity controlled by a few companies.

Under Bush and the Republicans, there is no regulation of the oil industry because it is contrary to their free market economy beliefs and against their patrons who put them into office. They say there is no price gouging for gasoline because the oil companies are free to charge as much as they want, as long as consumers are willing to pay. So far consumers have continued to pay. Unfortunately there are no alternatives for most people..

Oil companies have found that Americans are pretty gullible. Bush’s never ending war on “terrorism” is right out of George Orwell’s 1984. Iraq and terrorism get blamed for contributing to higher gas prices.

But many Americans now see that our invasion of Iraq was a mistake. Bush has no plan to end or win the war. He hopes that the continuing war will make those who started it seem legitimate, as terrorist actions continue. Unfortunately the Iraq War has fostered increased recruitment and training for new terrorists. It has not made us any more energy independent or secure.

Would we be in Iraq if not for oil? Would we be in the Middle East if not for oil? Is the tradeoff worth it, oil for increasing terrorist motivation and training.

The bottom line is really about oil and profits, while Bush and Rove insist otherwise. America’s problem is that oilmen in the White House and Congress, who are running our country, have no incentive to find real alternatives to oil, especially when they can rack up record profits. The Iraq War has become an unfortunate consequence of oilmen seeking to keep reaping outrageous profit from an economy dependent on oil.

Bush and his oilmen have no incentive to increase the mileage requirements for cars and trucks. They have no incentives to start a serious switch to energy independence and end our addiction to oil. They have made us the hostages in the process. Why should they care as long as we pay the higher prices?

Unfortunately these same oil companies , in racking up record profits, are taking the nickels and dimes and quarters of America’s low income and minimum wage workers to fuel their profits and growth. They are producing hardship for middle income families in paying bills and providing for heath care and education for their children. And the Iraq War is draining our society of money for basic human needs. The price we are actually paying for a free market economy dependent on oil is horrendous.

And what are the oil companies now doing? They are buying up alternative energy companies and building their own subsidiaries so they can continue their monopoly of America’s energy resources – to continue to reap as many profits as they can from selling energy to America’s citizens.

What American consumer’s need to think about is why they would think that the oil companies who seem to have no problem taking obscene profits now, and not worrying about hurting the lives of average citizens, are going to be any different with any other energy sources they might own in the future.

Americans really need to wake up and rally around ending our addiction to oil and working not just for energy independence from foreign sources , but also energy independence from price gouging energy conglomerates. Americans need to demand much more fuel efficient cars, more decentralized small sources of energy from wind and solar, and increased energy efficiency. These actions will increase America’s security and independence.

This isn’t going to happen as long as oilmen run the White House and Republicans control the House and the Senate. Our only hope is to boot the oil loving Republicans out of office and put Democrats in control. And then we will have to make sure they do the right thing for America.

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Posted in Congress, Economy, Energy, Republicans

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Gore Invites Himself to the White House. Will Bush Accept?

Posted on May 23rd, 2006 | Comments Off on Gore Invites Himself to the White House. Will Bush Accept?

I doubt it because the guy has already made up his mind on global warming. The AP yesterday said Bush “doubts” he will watch Gore’s movie. That’s what he said on Monday and he probably won’t change his mind. Bush is really pretty busy still trying to figure out how he should respond to Hurricane Katrina. And after that there’s what to eat for lunch.

Today Gore said Bush should watch the documentary he has produced. The documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, opens Wednesday at selected theaters across the country. It opens in Seattle, Washington on June 2nd at the Guild and Pacific Palace Theaters. (Click here for other locations and times.)

Gore offered to personally come to the White House and view the movie with Bush. Maybe even shake hands and ask how the brush clearing is going on Bush’s ranch. Maybe talk a little baseball.

But unfortunately Gore has already blown any chance of that by saying

“The entire global scientific community has a consensus on the question that human beings are responsible for global warming and he has today again expressed personal doubt that is true”

Oops Al, you don’t question the President or say things that are not nice.

No, I don’t think Bush will accept Gore’s invitation. Besides it’s against protocol. The President runs this old country and he invites you to the White House. How gauche of Gore. You don’t invite yourself to some else’s house. Bush might have to worry about the guy not leaving because Al is certain to start talking about global warming at some point. And he might want to keep on talking. Too much talking – that would cause a ruckus, of course.

No, Bush has it all figured out.

“New technologies will change how we live and how we drive our cars, which all will have the beneficial effect of improving the environment,” Bush said. “And in my judgment we need to set aside whether or not greenhouse gases have been caused by mankind or because of natural effects and focus on the technologies that will enable us to live better lives and at the same time protect the environment.”

Yes Pollyanna George has it all figured out. He saves time for important things by not reading or watching movies coming from dubious characters like Gore.

Gore said the causes of global warming should not be ignored.

“Why should we set aside the global scientific consensus,” Gore said, his voice rising with emotion. “Is it because Exxon Mobil wants us to set it aside? Why should we set aside the conclusion of scientists in the United States, including the National Academy of Sciences, and around the world including the 11 most important national academies of science on the globe and substitute for their view the view of Exxon Mobil. Why?”

Good question.

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"I am the Law," says George W Bush. "I am the Judge, Jury and Executioner..!"

Posted on May 1st, 2006 | Comments Off on "I am the Law," says George W Bush. "I am the Judge, Jury and Executioner..!"

UpperLeft yesterday caught one of those mind numbing articles that even shakes us hard core live in the rain Seattle types. He picked up on a Boston Globe story by Charlie Savage.

Everyone knows that Bush ignores a law here or there but over 750 is what the Boston Globe found when it looked more closely!

President Bush has quietly claimed the authority to disobey more than 750 laws enacted since he took office, asserting that he has the power to set aside any statute passed by Congress when it conflicts with his interpretation of the Constitution.
Among the laws Bush said he can ignore are military rules and regulations, affirmative-action provisions, requirements that Congress be told about immigration services problems, ”whistle-blower” protections for nuclear regulatory officials, and safeguards against political interference in federally funded research.
Legal scholars say the scope and aggression of Bush’s assertions that he can bypass laws represent a concerted effort to expand his power at the expense of Congress, upsetting the balance between the branches of government. The Constitution is clear in assigning to Congress the power to write the laws and to the president a duty ”to take care that the laws be faithfully executed.” Bush, however, has repeatedly declared that he does not need to ”execute” a law he believes is unconstitutional.


Bush will sign bills in public but it is what is happening quietly afterwards that is disturbing. When queried Bush’s represerntatives have told the Boston Globe that “the President wil execute the law in a manner that is consistent with the Constitution.” What the Boston Globe says happens next is that

Bush quietly files ”signing statements” — official documents in which a president lays out his legal interpretation of a bill for the federal bureaucracy to follow when implementing the new law. The statements are recorded in the federal register.
In his signing statements, Bush has repeatedly asserted that the Constitution gives him the right to ignore numerous sections of the bills — sometimes including provisions that were the subject of negotiations with Congress in order to get lawmakers to pass the bill. He has appended such statements to more than one of every 10 bills he has signed

The Boston Globe article continues at length and is well worth reading. As the Globe notes at the end:

Bruce Fein, a deputy attorney general in the Reagan administration, said the American system of government relies upon the leaders of each branch ”to exercise some self-restraint.” But Bush has declared himself the sole judge of his own powers, he said, and then ruled for himself every time.

”This is an attempt by the president to have the final word on his own constitutional powers, which eliminates the checks and balances that keep the country a democracy,” Fein said. ”There is no way for an independent judiciary to check his assertions of power, and Congress isn’t doing it, either. So this is moving us toward an unlimited executive power.”

Additional commentary on this article can also be found at TheBradBlog

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President Bush Leads the Charge for Modern Day Robber Barons!

Posted on April 28th, 2006 | Comments Off on President Bush Leads the Charge for Modern Day Robber Barons!

George Bush is no Teddy Roosevelt. Instead he continues to lead the charge for the big oil companies as they pick the pockets of America’s middle class.

The Washington Post yesterday reported that “Bush Rejects Calls for Tax on Oil Profits”

President Bush said Friday that taxing enormous oil industry profits is not the way to calm Americans’ anxieties about pain at the gas pump, and that his “inclination and instincts” are that major oil companies are not intentionally overcharging drivers.”

OK I know I shouldn’t say it but this sounds a little bit familiar. In 2001 the Seattle PI wrote a story entitled “Bush-backing Enron makes big money off crisis “

The new president’s rejection of price controls to hold down soaring electricity costs in the Golden State reflects the views of Enron, the largest wholesaler of electricity and largest owner of natural gas pipelines in North America.
The company and its employees have given more than anyone else to Bush’s two campaigns for governor, his unsuccessful House campaign in 1978 and last year’s race for the White House, according to the watchdog Center for Public Integrity.
Enron and its employees gave $113,800 to Bush’s presidential campaign, his 10th most generous contributor; $250,000 to the Republican National Convention host committee; and $300,000 to the Presidential Inauguration Committee.

So what have the oil companies given to Bush. Actually quite a bit. Opensecrets.org notes that in 2004 Bush got $2,627,825 from oil and gas companies. Kerry got only $305,010. In 2000 Bush got $1,930,710. Gore got $142.012.

So want to guess which oil company gave the most contributions to Congressional candidates in 2004? It was the company with the most profits last year, Exxon Mobil, with $935,016. 89% of that went to Republican candidates. The next two oil companies with record profits also gave hugely. . Chevron gave 83% of its $444,509 to Republicans. Conoco Phillips gave 84 % of its $366,628 to Republicans.

So far this year the oil and gas industry has contributed some $3,863,622 to Republicans and some $786,913 to Democrats. Exxon Mobil , with some of the money you gave them at three gas pump in inflated prices, has contributed $303,212 to people running for Congress.

So why is it no surprise that on Wed. the Washington Post said that “GOP Blocks Measures Boosting Taxes on Oil Companies’ Profits”

“While Republican leaders sharply criticize soaring gasoline prices and energy industry profits, GOP negotiators have decided to knock out provisions in a major tax bill that would force the oil companies to pay billions of dollars in taxes on their profits. House and Senate tax writers have been struggling to reach an accord on separate tax bills approved last year to extend some expiring tax cuts enacted during President Bush’s first term. But House Republicans have raised strong objections to Senate-passed provisions that would raise nearly $5 billion in taxes over five years — primarily by changing arcane accounting rules that have allowed oil companies to substantially lower their tax bills, according to House and Senate tax aides familiar with the talks.”

I call Bush and the oil and gas industry Modern Day Robber Barons! Just like Enron.

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Bush and Republicans Panic, Ask if They Can Buy Your Love (Vote) for $100

Posted on April 28th, 2006 | Comments Off on Bush and Republicans Panic, Ask if They Can Buy Your Love (Vote) for $100

The lowest grade of gas in Seattle has now moved above $3.00 a gallon. Meanwhile oil companies profits move into the stratosphere. And the Republicans propose the answer is to further cut funding from already depleted government programs by giving you a $100 so you can buy more gas.

A Seattle PI editorial today calls it “Buying Votes“. Their weblink calls it “gasgimmicked”. And here I thought I was going to be the first to claim on my blog that it was a pretty blatant attempt by the Republicans to buy some love for themselves, at least until the November election is over. Well you know brilliant minds sometimes do think alike.

Anyway, just a couple of days ago Bush was not so subtly trying to blame rising gas prices on the environmentalists by saying it was those damn clean air laws doing it and maybe we should suspend them. After all, Bush is thinking to himself, all we need to do is call our effort something like the “new and revised healthy air initiative” and people would surely just take our word for it. You know, like a healthy forest is one where we cut trees down. They believed that.

Bush also tried to blame it on environmentalists by shedding tears that he couldn’t play oil magnate and drill for more oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. But think about it, where would the $100 come from?

One proposal circulating is to give you back some of your Federal gas taxes, for several months.
As the PI editorial notes, that does nothing to reduce demand for oil.It will merely cut money for other things our Federal Government does, like pay for education and health care. So in essence this proposal is true Republicanthink. Cut taxes and cut government. It does nothing to solve America’s addiction to oil.

Bush and his Republican cronies represent Corporate America and Corporate America is all about profits. And the oil industry is doing gangbusters there.

A Seattle PI business headline today says “Chevron earnings soar 49 percent to $4 Billion”

“…the performance marked the fourth consecutive quarter that Chevron has earned at least $3.6 billion as the company continued to capitalize on oil prices that have climbed above $70 per barrel since the first quarter ended.”

So do you think Bush will go after Chevron profits. Bob Herbert in another article in todays PI entitled “Bush drives nation even closer to cliff” notes that Condoleezza Rice was “a former Chevron director, even had an oil tanker named after her.”
Meanwhile as posted in the Washington Post yesterday,

 “Exxon Mobil Corp.reported $8.4 billion in first-quarter profit.”

The earnings outstripped the oil giant’s profit in the first quarter of last year. Given current oil market conditions, analysts said, that puts Exxon Mobil on track to break the $36 billion record profit it made last year.

The Washington Post on Wed. noted that for ConocoPhillips, the U.S.’s third largest oil company, that:

 

“The Houston-based oil and gas giant said first-quarter net income rose 13% to $3.29 billion, or $2.34 a share, up from a year-ago profit of $2.91 billion, or $2.05 a share. Total revenue grew 23% in the latest three months to $47.9 billion from $38.9 billion in the same period a year earlier. ”

Altogether, Exxon Mobil, Chevron and Conoco Philips 1st quarter 2006 profits topped $15 billion. O.K. One guess. Whose pockets do you think that $15 billion dollars came from.

So in this land of Republican free enterprise isn’t this what you would expect You are allowed to take as much as you want, charge as much as you want and do as you want with what you get. It’s part of the Corporate Republican agenda.

You are allowed to soak the public for as much as you can because we don’t need regulation of any sort. Did you ever hear Bush speak out against his buddies at Enron as they soaked the public, you and me, with preposterous electricity bills.

Why would you expect Bush and the Republicans to go against their own businesses, that helped put them into office? Don’t complain about high gas prices, those of you that voted for Bush.

Did you really think he had compassion? What he has is passion for corporations making money. Don’t you remember after 9/11. His speeches to the American public weren’t about energy independence, no they were about urging you to continue to buy and consume, to keep the corporations in business. Think about it.

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Media Dancing on a String while Bush Smiles Quietly to Himself

Posted on March 28th, 2006 | Comments Off on Media Dancing on a String while Bush Smiles Quietly to Himself

Did you know that some members of the major news media have been meeting in secret “off-the-record” sessions with President George W. Bush? To accept the Presidential invitation where “iced tea, water, and soda” were served, the media had to agree to not publicly discuss the meeting. Something like a solemn pledge of silence or death.

As Katherine Q Seelye writes in today’s New York Times, starting last Thursday, Bush has been inviting groups of 6 or so at a time to come to the White House. They have included newspaper reporters, television reporters, news agencies and magazines.

The problem is – you won’t read about what was said at any of these sessions. That is despite the fact that they “discussed a variety of issues including the war in Iraq” at these sessions.

Philip Taubman, the Washington bureau chief for The Times, said in a statement last night: “The Times has declined this opportunity after weighing the potential benefits to our readers against the prospect of withholding information from them about the discussion with Mr. Bush. As a matter of policy annd practice, we would prefer when possible to conduct on-the-record interviews with public officials.”

At least the New York understood what was happening, unlike many others in the media.

This isn’t the first time Bush and the media have done this. And Bush isn’t the first President to do it. But Bush has probably worked harder than any other President to control what the media has access to or not, including the President.

The Washington Post wrote about “Bush’s Secret Dinner — With the Press” last August:

“About 50 members of the White House press corps accepted President Bush’s invitation last night to come over to his house in Crawford, eat his food, drink his booze, hang around the pool and schmooze with him — while promising not to tell anyone what he said afterward”

Later in the article in the Washington Post they note that Karl Rove has also held several “off-the-record” dinner gatherings with the news media.

Maybe all this fraternity brothers like cozying up with secret barbecues and dinners with Bush and Rove explains some of why why the media has been so ginger with them. Bye, Bye invitation to the next one if you say something not approved as the official Bush line.

In an article published in the New Yorker in 2004 Ken Auletta referred to it as “Fortress Bush“. It is a tightly controlled process by the Bush people to stage set the Bush Presidency  just like a movie set.

One reason why is that the Bush media control machine doesn’t trust the press and doesn’t even seem to believe it. Auletta starts his article out with the following incident.

” Bush has let it be known that he’s not much of a television-news watcher or a newspaper reader, apart from the sports section; and during a conversation with reporters he explained, perhaps without intending to, why his White House often seems indifferent to the press. “How do you then know what the public thinks?” a reporter asked, according to Bush aides and reporters who overheard the exchange. And Bush replied, “You’re making a huge assumption – that you represent what the public thinks.”

Andrew Card, who is just departing the White House, is then quoted saying essentially the same thing of the press:

“They don’t represent the public any more than other people do. In our democracy, the people who represent the public stood for election. I don’t believe you have a check-and-balance function.”

With this attitude of the Bush people it behooves even more that the media be independent and report to the public what they see and hear. This hasn’t been the case for the last five years.

Members of the media now cozying up to Bush for “iced tea, water and soda” and promising not to report on their conversations with el Presidento make a mockery of themselves.

So far few of them have done the hard work of reporting to the people, instead they are content with parroting back the official Bush Media Machine line without critical analysis. They are not independent. Instead they become like puppets dancing on the strings that Bush manipulates.

And Bush is laughing as he thinks to himself how easily they agreed to meet and schmooze with him, for a little” iced tea, water and soda.” How easy.

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