The Political Chase

McCain Gets Flashy

I have not perused John McCain’s web site yet, but the front page is pretty slick.

House Trumps Bush in New Orleans

Looks like the House plans to walk the walk, while W. is still stuck on talk.

How can Bush possibly veto this? Or will McConnell just take care of it for him by initiating another filibuster? 

As President Bush heads to New Orleans Thursday to tour a school and talk about education, House Democrats are preparing to unveil a legislation that would pour $250 million into the city’s hurricane-ravaged school system over the next five years.

The Democrats’ plan, details of which were provided to The Times-Picayune late Wednesday, would grant financial incentives to teachers and principals to stay in or move to New Orleans. It also would pay $500 per month housing subsidies and authorize up to $500 million in grants to universities and colleges closed by the 2005 flooding during Hurricane Katrina.

“For a year and a half, schools in New Orleans have waited in vain for much of the help they need to get back to the business of educating the thousands of students returning to the area with their families,” said Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., chairman of the House Education Committee in a written statement. “We should not only get schools these resources, but also help them to become models for other schools around the country. This legislation would help schools attract highly qualified teachers and principals, laying the groundwork for improving student achievement.” (Emphasis added.)

Reid undecided on next steps in Iraq

From Roll Call (sub. req.):

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) acknowledged Thursday that his party has not yet coalesced around a single approach to addressing the Iraq War, but said he remains committed to resuming the weeks long fight over the issue following completion of the 9/11 bill next week.

Bush makes promises in Gulf Coast region - again

12th trip to the Gulf Coast and 12 times the same message.

President Bush traveled today to the Gulf Coast, still trying to recover from the winds and floods of 2005, and vowed to do everything he could to speed up federal assistance.

“Of the things I’ve heard loud and clear is that there’s a continued frustration with the slowness of federal response at times,” Mr. Bush said at Biloxi City Hall after meeting with public officials and community leaders. “And therefore it’s important for me to hear that, and my friend Don Powell to hear that, so that we can come and do what the people expect us to do, which is to respond to the needs of people in Mississippi.”

Bush could save energy, help reduce the deficit, and maybe, just maybe, do something productive, if he simply purchased a digital recorder. W. could then record the same message he has delivered 12 times and drop the recorder in the mail. Cost - maybe $50.00

Don’t take this as accurate information, but I seem to remember it cost approximately $10-15,000 to send Air Force One one-way DC to New Orleans and that would be the least of the remaining costs.

I would like to see a poll from the Gulf Coasts residents responding to the question, “Which would be more beneficial to the Gulf Coast Region? Donate the equivalent cost of each proposed presidential trip to the Episcopal Relief and Development Fund for distribution of funds to and for Gulf Coast residents, or a GWB pep talk every other month.”

BREAKING: Walter Reed Top General Command Relieved

Major General George Weightman, the top commander at Walter Reed Medical Center, has been relieved of command by Secretary of the Army Francis Harver.

It’s about time somebody at the top was toppled instead of trampling over low-ranking soldiers.

Crazy at Firedoglake

Jane Hamsher at Firedoglake has a post that I recommend reading. The post is primarily an analysis of the cause and effect relationships between global terrorism and the war in Iraq with analogies related to the Scooter Libby trial. The analysis was done by subject matter experts from NYU and is brief (detail available). Furthermore, it is a value-added post - included with the professional findings is a not-necessarily professional, but quite amusing clinical analysis of Dick Cheney.

An excerpt: 

As we wait for the jury to deliberate, I think it is time we all admit that our Vice President — who is at the heart of this trial — is seriously insane.  On the heels of the off-his-meds Blitzer bit, he is making himself an international menace of Dr. Strangelovian proportions.  Honorary blogger (and FDL Libby trial companion) Sidney Blumenthal:

At Cheney’s direction, intelligence was skewed to suggest links between Saddam Hussein and al-Qaida. Over the past year, as that intelligence was exposed as false and, worse, as disinformation, Cheney has defended the conflation of threats through a contrivance of illogic, also routinely repeated by Bush: “We were not in Iraq on September 11th, 2001, and the terrorists hit us anyway.”

Cheney’s implication that the U.S. presence in Iraq cannot possibly be an inspiration for terrorism is simply not shared at the highest levels of the senior military, including commanders on the ground in Iraq.

Read the entire post. 

Libby jury continues deliberations

No word from the jury yet. I’m sure Fitzgerald and Wells are pacing the halls.

Bob Ney doing the jailhouse rock in low places

Beginning tomorrow today, former Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH) will definitely have friends in low places and plenty of time to sing about it (30 months).

Former Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, expresses remorse and quotes singer/songwriter Garth Brooks in an e-mail sent to friends Wednesday, a day before he is to enter federal prison after pleading guilty to corruption charges.

In the all-lowercase e-mail note to friends, Ney thanks them “for all you have done for me and my family. your kind words, thoughts, and prayers throughout the last six months have helped us quite a lot.”

Ney also quoted the lyrics from Brooks’ song “The Dance”:

and now i’m glad i didn’t know
the way it all would end, the way it all would go
our lives are better left to chance,
i could have missed the pain,
but i’d have had to miss, the dance

Ney was convicted for accepting lavish gifts, dinners, and extravagant gifts from disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Lincoln Chafee New York Times Op-Ed

Former Senator Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) has a  good op-ed in today’s New York Times on what is turning out to be the top issue between 2008 presidential hopefuls - their vote or position on the 2002 Iraq war authorization.

I should qualify my prior statement. Although Republican candidates are being scrutinized and questioned on their positions, the Democratic candidates are shooting rockets at each other and the public is providing the fuel necessary for each candidate’s arsenal.

The top candidates - Obama, Edwards, and Clinton - are simply in overdrive on this issue, and it is getting to the point of being barely above muckraking. Clinton gets criticized for not admitting her vote was a mistake (and vice-versa to a lesser degree), Obama might as well put a tattoo on his forehead “No on Iraq in 2002,” and Edwards adheres to a daily liturgy of Penitential Order (at least it is the appropriate time for that specific liturgy).

Chafee submits, and I agree, if this issue is paramount and thereby the ultimate decision maker for the Democratic Primary, then the debate should be focused on why any candidate did or did not support Senator Carl Levin’s (D-MI) amendment, which unfortunately at the time was barely more popular than Dick Cheney is today. The Senate dismissed Levin’s amendment with a 75 to 24 vote; hardly along party lines.

Chafee’s summary of the Levin proposal:

Carl Levin, Democrat of Michigan, offered a substitute to the war resolution, the Multilateral Use of Force Authorization Act of 2002.

Senator Levin’s amendment called for United Nations approval before force could be authorized. It was unambiguous and compatible with international law. Acutely cognizant of the dangers of the time, and the reality that diplomatic options could at some point be exhausted, Senator Levin wrote an amendment that was nimble: it affirmed that Congress would stand at the ready to reconsider the use of force if, in the judgment of the president, a United Nations resolution was not “promptly adopted” or enforced. Ceding no rights or sovereignty to an international body, the amendment explicitly avowed America’s right to defend itself if threatened.

While Senator Chafee presents a sensible, substantial argument for the candidates to gnarl over the topic for awhile, he also points out the reality of American sentiment in October 2002 (I believe that’s the correct month), which from my perspective was indicative of American culture for as long as I can remember. And, I’m reasonably confident history illustrates that same element of fundamental American culture spanning far longer than the capacity of my memory.

Our democratic republic facilitates great debate - an extremely healthy and essential element of our government. Politic debate has always been robust; however, notwithstanding debate, Americans are fiercely cohesive and commonly united when attacked - one size fits all. It’s like siblings that may literally fight each other senseless, but if siblings are threatened by the neighborhood bully, the bully is reduced to a wimp in nanoseconds.

Think back to the resolve displayed by this country, literally and figuratively, on September 12, 2001, October 22, 1962, December 8, 1941, and other dates in history. As the Japanese general said about their bombing of Pearl Harbor, we just woke the sleeping giant.

Our long-standing culture of rallying behind our President with incredible support and strength when faced with extraordinary adversity instinctively kicked in on 9/11. George W. Bush did not have a Churchill moment on September 15, 2001 when he barked through the megaphone. His words were not prescient or prophetic. He just happened to get lucky and not fumble those few words shouted from atop the rumble. Not to slight my daughter’s intellect which is quite high, but she could have achieved the same results as King George W. Bush.

At the time, the majority of Americans knew W. was a loose canon, and he wasted no time reinforcing that opinion with his infamous “bring it on” challenge to Osama bin Laden. That has worked well hasn’t it? Still the man was our president, and we instinctively stood behind him.

The native allegiance and support Bush relished in began to wane as his Iraq rhetoric grew; however, somehow W. managed to ride his magic carpet right through Congress at a most vulnerable time. I dare say most members of Congress knew Bush wasn’t a highly intellectual, natural leader, but I firmly believe a negligible minority perceived Bush to be the real wingnut he has proven to be over six years.

I know many may vehemently disagree with me, but I disagree that a Yea vote for the war in Iraq is justification for crucifixion and eternal damnation. Yes, Senators and Representatives in retrospect should have done a far better job of due diligence at the time, but those that did were largely viewed as mavericks - not the President. Vindication must be sweet for the true visionaries and the lucky mavericks alike.

I haven’t a clue what went through the minds of each member of Congress at the time, but I do know what my view was. I had very strong reservations and instinctively felt we were postured for a collision course, but based on history and culture, I begrudgingly acquiesced to the institution of the Presidency. My naivete won - I did not think any president could be as stupid and reckless as George Bush has proven to be.

Nobody in either House of Congress was privileged to the same information W. had. For example, the Presidential Daily Briefings, if not manipulated as has been alleged in the Iraq case, contain vital decision making information and was not available to Congress. Furthermore, the majority of Congress did not know  Cheney Fabrication, LLC was running full-tilt-boogie in the West Wing. Dick Cheney had not overtly gone through metamorphosis and become Darth Vader at that stage either.

So, after my considerable long-windedness, if it is paramount to our national interest to continue the Iraq vote discourse in excruciating detail and cunning hostility, are the right questions being asked or are the respective campaigns just relieving themselves in the other campaigns’ tents?

Bush Must Fix More than Facilities - Pentagon and Military Leaders Cover Up Walter Reed Expose

EVERY DAY THERE IS at least one major news revelation of incompetence, neglect, or fraud that George W. Bush and his most senior staff and advisors are ultimately and directly responsible and accountable for. There are multiple revelations today, but I will start with the Washington Post’s disclosure that the deplorable, inexcusable conditions at Walter Reed Medical Center are by no means a shock and a surprise as portrayed by senior military officials over the past 10 days. Their shock and awe are about as genuine as the shock and awe Scooter Libby professed in his 2003 grand jury testimony.

I should forewarn you - this post contains language that is not indicative of Sunday School.

While the Post’s introductory paragraphs are profoundly disturbing, they become increasingly innocuous as the details of this latest revelation unfold throughout the article.

Top officials at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, including the Army’s surgeon general, have heard complaints about outpatient neglect from family members, veterans groups and members of Congress for more than three years.

A procession of Pentagon and Walter Reed officials expressed surprise last week about the living conditions and bureaucratic nightmares faced by wounded soldiers staying at the D.C. medical facility. But as far back as 2003, the commander of Walter Reed, Lt. Gen. Kevin C. Kiley, who is now the Army’s top medical officer, was told that soldiers who were wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan were languishing and lost on the grounds, according to interviews.

There are four primary issues here: the mere existence of the problem; the outright lies made to cover up the situation and accountability; Republicans in Congress are complicit in the Walter Reed matter; and the never-ending cycle of fraud, deceit, neglect, malpractice, and malfeasance associated with the Bush Administration 

If there is only one major revelation in a 24-hour period, that is a good day. Regardless of the severity and the blatantly obvious burden of responsibility and accountability, George Bush, his senior staff and top military advisors summarily dismiss each and every egregious act. Moreover, if anybody is held accountable, the accountability seldom if ever rises above the level of Sergeant Major.

Last week, the Army relieved of duty several low-ranking soldiers who managed outpatients. This week, in a move that some soldiers viewed as reprisal for speaking to the media, the wounded troops were told that early-morning room inspections would be held and that further contact with reporters is prohibited.

So, what are the lies associated with this cover up and who has made them? According to the Post:

• Lt. Gen Kevin C. Riley Kiley, former commander at Walter Reed and currently the Army’s surgeon general, was told as far back as 2003 “soldiers who were wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan were languishing and lost on the grounds” of Walter Reed.
• Kiley and his commanders have been told in various and sundry forms of communications, spanning several years, about the deplorable conditions at Walter Reed.
• Rep. C. W. Bill Young (R-FL) and his wife were aware of the conditions in 2004. Young alleges he expressed concerns to “the authorities of Walter Reed,” but to no avail. Young’s wife, Bev, complained to Kiley that a soldier was “lying in urine on his mattress pad in the hospital.” According to Mrs. Young, ”[Kiley Riley] has skirted this stuff for five years and blamed everyone else.” 
• While Congressman Young and his wife notified military personnel, the Washington Post reports no escalation or intervention by Young through Congress.
• Chief Warrant Officer Jayson Kendrick, an outpatient, notified his chain of command and an inspector general in a meeting about the conditions at Walter Reed. The inspector general replied with a chuckle, “What do you want, pool tables and Ping-Pong tables in there?”
• Sgt 1st Class John Allen testified in a Congressional hearing about the “dysfunctional system” at Walter Reed. Sgt. Allen describing the dysfunctional system testified, “soldiers go months without pay, nowhere to live, [and] their medical appointments canceled. Lt. Gen. Kiley was present at the hearing, but took no action.

The tale of woe deepens:

Last October, Joyce Rumsfeld, the wife of then-Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, was taken to Walter Reed by a friend concerned about outpatient treatment. She attended a weekly meeting, called Girls Time Out, at which wives, girlfriends and mothers of soldiers exchange stories and offer support.

According to three people who attended the gathering, Rumsfeld listened quietly. Some of the women did not know who she was. At the end of the meeting, Rumsfeld asked one of the staff members whether she thought that the soldiers her husband was meeting on his visits had been handpicked to paint a rosy picture of their time there. The answer was yes.

When Walter Reed officials found out that Rumsfeld had visited, they told the friend who brought her — a woman who had volunteered there many times — that she was no longer welcome on the grounds.

Virtually no president in the history of the United States has ever invoked or employed the term Commander in Chief and violated the associated Constitutional authority of the position to the extent George W. Bush has. The narcissistic bastard invokes the high Constitutional position for self-serving, political, illegal purposes ad nauseam; for once the arrogant patrician could order amelioration of this problem and terminate those responsible; starting at the very top and working downward - not vice-versa.

Bush sends hundreds of thousands of troops to an ill-conceived war - to die for nothing - and these honorable people are rewarded with this mountain of fecal matter? Cease and desist!

If a single Bush Administration official or member of the Republican Party ever implies, insinuates, or alleges ever again that the Democratic Party does not support the troops or seeks to abandon the troops, they should be charged with nothing short of treason, detained under the provisions of the Patriot Act indefinitely, declared enemies of the State and renditioned to Egypt. Guantanamo would be too accommodating. My mother would refer to it as a “dose of their own medicine.” I am sick and tired of hearing their bullshit, “Democrats don’t support the troops and assist al-Qaeda’s efforts.”

If Pelosi and Reid cannot manage Congress adequately to investigate this albatross and produce remedial and punitive action - clearing out the White House if necessary - they should lose their seats in the next election.

Bush makes another PR trip to New Orleans

W. will make his 12th trip to New Orleans today, and for what reason other than public relations? Does this number include his first “heart-warming” fly by on or about Thursday following the hurricane’s landfall?

The president ignored the Katrina topic in his State of the Union Address last month just as he ignored the catastrophic event for five days after landfall. W.’s commitment to the Gulf Coast region is more than analogous to his well choreographed do-nothing speech highlighted at Jackson Square on September 15, 2005, which was followed by pulling the plug on all the electricity in the area immediately after he departed the cameras at the Square.

President Bush is planning a swing through the Gulf Coast hurricane disaster zone Thursday, his 12th visit since the 2005 hurricanes devastated the region.

Bush is expected to make stops in Mississippi and then Louisiana before returning to Washington, the White House announced. A Capitol Hill aide said the president’s itinerary will include a brief stop at a New Orleans public school, which is certain to draw attention to the beleaguered state of the education system a year and a half after Hurricane Katrina flooded the city’s schools and forced students and families to flee.