The Truth Handler: December 2007

Sunday, December 30, 2007

The McLaughlin Group 2007 Awards

Saturday, December 29, 2007

U.S. Spending More on Military Than Rest of World Combined

World Wide Military Expenditures

Sure, you're a fiscal conservative. History shows that empires fall when imperial desires cause erosion of the currency and a collapse of the economy.

America faces a diplomatic penalty as the dollar dwindles

At the end of a year in which the dollar has endured a marked decline against other currencies, an unsettling question is beginning to be voiced: can the troubles of the US currency be confined to the financial world or are they set to undermine Washington’s place on the international stage?“This is the neglected dimension of the dollar’s decline,” says Flynt Leverett, a former senior National Security Council official under President George W. Bush. “What has been said about the fall of the dollar is almost all couched in economic terms. But currency politics is very, very powerful and is part of what has made the US a hegemon for so long, like Britain before it.”

FT.com / Comment & analysis / Analysis - America faces a diplomatic penalty as the dollar dwindles

If you still support Bush for his "security" measures, at least admit that his fiscal policies are horrible and are destroying our international wealth and stature.

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Bush Trying to Cover His Ass

The Bush administration has told a federal judge that terrorism suspects held in secret CIA prisons should not be allowed to reveal details of the "alternative interrogation methods" that their captors used to get them to talk.

U.S. Seeks Silence on CIA Prisons - washingtonpost.com

Bush doesn't even want them to talk to their lawyers about it. Gee, I wonder why?

Saturday, December 22, 2007

The Cost Of Bush: $32 Trillion

"The federal government's fiscal exposures totaled approximately $53 trillion as of September 30, 2007, up more than $2 trillion from September 30, 2006, and an increase of more than $32 trillion from about $20 trillion as of September 30, 2000," Walker said. "This translates into a current burden of about $175,000 per American or approximately $455,000 per American household."

The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan

Keeping Pot Illegal Costs Taxpayers $40 Billion Per Year

Pot Prohibition Costs Taxpayers More Than $40 Billion Per Year, Study Says - NORML

What a waste of money.

Farm Program Pays $1.3 Billion to People Who Don't Farm

Even though Donald R. Matthews put his sprawling new residence in the heart of rice country, he is no farmer. He is a 67-year-old asphalt contractor who wanted to build a dream house for his wife of 40 years.Yet under a federal agriculture program approved by Congress, his 18-acre suburban lot receives about $1,300 in annual "direct payments," because years ago the land was used to grow rice.

Farm Program Pays $1.3 Billion to People Who Don't Farm - washingtonpost.com

Friday, December 21, 2007

$2 Billion Oil Deal Between Iran and China

US hits at Chinese oil deal with Iran - Financial Times- msnbc.com

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Predictions for 2008

As the end of the year approaches, it's time for another column of government overreach predictions for the New Year. What outrageous, beyond-parody grabs at power and erosions of civil liberties will transpire in 2008? My predictions:

FOXNews.com - Government Power Grabs: 'Predicting' 2008 - Opinion

Bill of Rights Under Bush: A Timeline

Bill of Rights Under Bush: A Timeline - MondoGlobo

Saturday, December 15, 2007

MUST SEE: Ron Paul on Jim Cramer's Mad Money

Friday, December 14, 2007

Guantanamo Bay Feds Caught Propagandizing Internet

The US detention facility at Guantanamo Bay has been caught conducting covert propaganda attacks on the internet. The attacks, exposed this week in a report by the government transparency group Wikileaks, include deleting detainee ID numbers from Wikipedia last month, the systematic posting of unattributed "self praise" comments on news organization web sites in response to negative press, boosting pro-Guantanamo stories on the internet news site Digg and even modifying Fidel Castro's encyclopedia article to describe the Cuban president as "an admitted transexual" [sic].

Wikileaks busts Gitmo propaganda team - Wikileaks

U.S. sends 15 prisoners home from Guantanamo

Reuters AlertNet - REFILE-U.S. sends 15 prisoners home from Guantanamo

Does this mean we're admitting they aren't "evildoers," like Bush told us they were? He told us that all the guys down there were serious criminals and not to worry about us violating their rights. So, in fact, they SHOULD have had a trial so we could have figured this out years ago?

Saudi King Invites Ahmadinejad For Haj

Saudi King Invites Ahmadinejad For Haj - Media - New York Times

Bush's attempts to isolate Iran don't appear to be working. He is being successful in isolating us, though.

Bush Wrong on Every Decision He's Made Since Entering White House, but He's SURE Iran Hasn't Stopped Nuke Program, Despite Report from 16 U.S. Intelligence Agencies

TorontoSun.com - World - Bush: Iran has a 'secret' nuke program

White House Pressures EPA to Weaken Toxic Emission DISCLOSURES

The White House pressured the Environmental Protection Agency to weaken requirements that companies annually disclose releases of toxic chemicals, congressional auditors say.

EPA was pressured to weaken toxic report rules | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

This isn't about Bush pressuring the EPA to ease up on regulations. It's about simple disclosure. Bush wants the government to be more secret.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Iraq rejects permanent U.S. bases: adviser

Iraq will never allow the United States to have permanent military bases on its soil, the government's national security adviser said, calling the issue a "red line" that cannot be crossed.

Iraq rejects permanent U.S. bases: adviser - Yahoo! News

So, the billions we've already spent on permanent bases there are just more wasted money.

US gives blessing to France-Libya nuclear deal

US gives blessing to France-Libya nuclear deal

So, Iran can't have nukes, but Libya can?

Bush Demands Iran Explain Nuke Program

President Bush on Tuesday called on Iran to explain why it had a secretive nuclear weapons program, and warned that any such efforts must not be allowed to flourish "for the sake of world peace."

Bush Demands Iran Explain Nuke Program

Is he delusional now? He's saying this just a few days after 16 intelligence agencies came out and said Iran does NOT have a nuke program.

Monday, December 10, 2007

The U.S.'s "Fiscal Cancer"

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Ron Paul, No Money from Corporate PACs

Only one House member received no contributions from the state's largest corporate PACs: maverick Republican Rep. Ron Paul, a libertarian and frequent critic of big business who currently is running for president."They're very aware that they cannot influence his votes one way or the other, so they generally do not bother to give him money," said Mark Elam, campaign manager of Paul's congressional re-election race.

Texas' top corporations stay loyal to GOP | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

Isn't this issue THE most important issue facing politics right now? Everyone hates politicians. Why? Because their votes are "influenced" by various lobbyists. So, here comes a politician who has a 20 year track record of NOT being influenced by them. Doesn't this make it an obvious choice on who to vote for?

US leads world in jailing children for life

THE United States has far more juveniles serving life terms than
any other country — 2387.

US leads world in jailing children for life - World - theage.com.au

They hate us for our freedoms.

Military demanding bonus pay back from wounded vets

Military is demanding that thousands of wounded service personnel give back signing bonuses because they are unable to serve out their commitments.” Jordan Fox of Pittsburgh was injured by a roadside bomb in Iraq, cutting his service short by three months. “A few days ago, he received a letter from the military demanding nearly $3,000 of his signing bonus back.

Think Progress » Military demanding bonus pay back from wounded vets.

Scott McClellan says White House Lied about Plame Leak

In an excerpt from his book, Scott McClellan says George
W Bush helped mislead the public over the role in the affair of two
White House aides.

BBC NEWS | Americas | Bush 'involved' in CIA leak case

Australia & Poland Pull Out of Coalition of the Willing

Bush's disappearing alliance - Boston.com

The Republicans who would've impeached Bush?

The Republicans who would've impeached Bush? | Salon.com

Friday, December 7, 2007

All Candidates' Contributions from Lobbyists

2008 Presidential Election: "

$90,000"

George W's Words in 2000

Why the groundswell for Ron Paul?

"That force is less about Paul than about the movement that has erupted around him -- and the much larger subset of Americans who are increasingly disillusioned with the two major political parties' soft consensus on making government ever more intrusive at all levels, whether it's listening to phone calls without a warrant, imposing fines of half a million dollars for broadcast "obscenities" or jailing grandmothers for buying prescribed marijuana from legal dispensaries."

Why the groundswell for Ron Paul? - The Detroit News

Great article.