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December 17, 2005

This is the crossroads moment for America. Clearly the Bush Regime and their Congressional allies have disregarded the Constitution in so many ways -- and around half of America (on average) has gone along with it like the cult followers they are.

But this MUST STOP. The wiretapping and Bush's defiance in his radio address is the absolute last straw. He must be impeached along with all his cronies. Their laws have to be repealed and the work of correcting the wrongs of the last five years must begin in earnest. NOW!

SusanG from Daily Kos:

This appears to me to be a true "line in the sand" moment for America, with a president openly and defiantly declaring himself ready to continue a program that legal scholars, members of Congress and - according to the Friday New York Times article that started this all - several NSA analysts themselves believe to be unconstitutional.

There appears to be no acknowledgement whatsoever of concerns voiced by critics of the program. There is the feeling in the air about all this - and perhaps it's just me - that we are being forced to a constitutional crisis by a president who no longer believes he needs to wear a mask to court public opinion. This reeks of raw will and power.

12:25 PM | Comments (1) | Posted By Bob Cesca

"This authorization is a vital tool in our war against the terrorists. It is critical to saving American lives. The American people expect me to do everything in my power, under our laws and Constitution, to protect them and their civil liberties and that is exactly what I will continue to do as long as I am president of the United States," Bush said.

If it feels good, do it.

Full story.

11:11 AM | Comments (0) | Posted By Bob Cesca

December 16, 2005

Los Angeles (December 16, 2005) John Spencer, the Emmy-winning actor best-known for starring roles in such popular television series as "The West Wing," and "L.A. Law" has passed away at 58 after suffering a heart attack in the morning of December 16. Service and funeral arrangements have not been determined at this time.

09:11 PM | Comments (0) | Posted By Bob Cesca

December 14, 2005

With the "Merry Christmas" insurgency clearly in its last throes, isn't
it time we liberals in Operation Happy Holidays moved on to fight
another battle? I mean, really, we've worked so hard, for so many
years, in relative secret, to destroy the words "Merry" and
"Christmas." Especially when used together. In that order.

But before moving on, I want to give a special shout-out to the sleeper
cell members of the coalition who have worked for decades at the big ad
agencies and greeting card companies -- you know who you are. These
are the people who have gradually poisoned the "Merry Christmas" well
and made "Happy Holidays" the coin of the realm. An extra-special
thanks to the undercover operative on Laura Bush's staff who managed to
sneak the "Happy Holidays from the Bushes" message past the First
Lady's Republican Guard. Seeing the smiling faces of the Bushes and
their pets under the "Happy Holidays" message is even better than
seeing a big banner on an aircraft carrier or an absurdly over-stuffed
crotch. And that's saying a lot, because those are pretty good things.

But moving the battle down the field (of war, because, remember: this
is a war, ladies and gentlemen. A WAR. A WAR ON CHRISTMAS)...the next
phase of Operation Happy Holidays: Kwanzaa.

This ought to be a slam dunk. First of all, Kwanzaa's a pretty new
holiday to these shores. Second, it sounds good: War on Kwanzaa. It
rolls off the tongue, doesn't it? It sounds like a hit single from
some hip hop artist like K. Fed. We should be able to take down
Kwanzaa in a week, and expect to be greeted with flowers and
chocolates.

And then, finally, we can complete the Operation Happy Holidays hat
trick: taking out Hanukkah. Really, the War on Hanukkah should make
the Six Day War look like it was five days too long. Because pretty
much the entire American Jewish population -- and I'm not telling Bill
O'Reilly anything he doesn't already know -- are the backbone of
Operation Happy Holidays (and, yes, that includes Paul Wolfowitz). I
hear what you're asking: "will the Jews take out Hanukkah?" I will
answer that question with another question: "how do you spell
'Hanukkah'? Is it 'Hanukkah' or 'Chanukah'?" Anyone who thinks they
have an answer to that question, I have one thing to
say to you: "bring 'em on." Or it. Bring it on. It or 'em...doesn't
matter, the point is, I'm tough. Tough enough to take out Hanukkah, no
matter how you spell it. Tough enough to wage a War on All December
Based Holidays. And if not exactly "win" that war, at least occupy
December for a very long time.

08:19 AM | Comments (0) | Posted By John Christian Plummer

Twelve minutes. The LA Times:

SAN QUENTIN — At 12:01 Tuesday morning, having exhausted all appeals, Stanley Tookie Williams walked slowly into San Quentin's death chamber, shackled at the wrists and waist and escorted by four burly guards.

After he climbed onto a padded gurney, officers buckled Williams down with wide black straps across his shins, thighs, belly and chest. His arms, stretched out to the side, were secured with leather restraints.

At 12:03 a.m., two guards pulled on surgical gloves as another entered the mint-green chamber with a plastic tub of supplies. Three minutes later, a needle was thrust successfully home into Williams' right arm and connected to an intravenous tube.

The rules, however, require a backup in case one tube is jostled loose or fails. And it was here that the carefully choreographed execution turned messy.

For 12 long minutes, a prison nurse — her brow glistening with sweat — poked the convict's muscular left arm again and again, searching for a vein that would deliver a dose of poison. As his loved ones watched in distress, the inmate visibly winced in pain.

Ultimately, the needle found its mark, a stream of lethal chemicals flowed, and Williams — convicted of murdering four people with a shotgun in 1979 — drew his final breath.

We are mere barbarians. With cell phones and prescription drugs.

01:15 AM | Comments (0) | Posted By Bob Cesca

December 13, 2005

Media Matters continues to rip O'Reilly's "facts" to pieces. And, yep, we all know he's a lying liar. A splotchy lying liar. But it seems like his war on the "War on Christmas" has elevated his lies to new levels of ridiculousness. Check this summary.

08:27 PM | Comments (0) | Posted By Bob Cesca

December 12, 2005

David Cross writes. We all laugh.

Check it.

10:37 AM | Comments (1) | Posted By Bob Cesca