The Truth Handler

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Polish Prime Minister-designate Donald Tusk said his future government would seek to end the nation's military mission in Iraq next year, according to an interview published Wednesday.

The Associated Press: Report: Poland May Pull Out of Iraq

International Coalition of the Not-So-Willing...

U.S. World's Biggest Debtor Nation (25 year ago, biggest creditor)

The mystery of the missing $2.9 trillion | csmonitor.com

To Implement Policy, Bush to Turn to Administrative Orders

The White House plans to try implementing as much new policy as it can by administrative order while stepping up its confrontational rhetoric with Congress after concluding that President Bush cannot do much business with the Democratic leadership, administration officials said.According to those officials, Bush and his advisers blame Democrats for the holdup of Judge Michael B. Mukasey's nomination to be attorney general, the failure to pass any of the 12 annual spending bills, and what they see as their refusal to involve the White House in any meaningful negotiations over the stalemated children's health-care legislation.

To Implement Policy, Bush to Turn to Administrative Orders - washingtonpost.com

Using more administrative orders to implement new "policy." I'm pretty sure that's not how Schoolhouse Rock told me the U.S. government works in its epic, "I'm only a bill."

China Rebuffs Israel on Iran Sanctions

China Tuesday rejected Israel's call for tougher sanctions against Iran.Israeli Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tzipi Livni met with Premier Wen Jiabao to ask China to support new sanctions against Iran. But Wen rejected the idea.

China rebuffs Israel on Iran sanctions_Politics—China Economic Net

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Hugh Hewitt and a Ron Paul Supporter

During WWII, U.S. Gives Japanese Officer 15 Years Hard Labor for Waterboarding "War Crime"

[In] 1947, the United States charged a Japanese officer, Yukio Asano, with war crimes for carrying out another form of waterboarding on a U.S. civilian. The subject was strapped on a stretcher that was tilted so that his feet were in the air and head near the floor, and small amounts of water were poured over his face, leaving him gasping for air until he agreed to talk.

Pensito Review » Mukasey Won’t Say Waterboarding Is Torture But in 1947 the U.S. Called It a War Crime, Sentenced Enemy Officer to 15 Years Hard Labor

Monday, October 29, 2007

Katrina Aid Goes Toward Luxury Condos

Katrina aid goes toward luxury condos - USATODAY.com

This is how tax money works. Liberals assume it helps the poor, but the reality is that the rich figure out a way to make it work for them most of the time.

Blackwater Bodyguards Given Immunity!?

The State Department promised Blackwater USA
bodyguards immunity from prosecution in its investigation of last
month's deadly shooting of 17 Iraqi civilians, The Associated Press has
learned.

Immunity deal hampers Blackwater inquiry - Yahoo! News

Overloaded VA System Forced to Turn Away Veterans

"Two Tampa Bay veterans hospitals turn away critically ill patients for huge chunks of the year because of an overloaded veterans’ health care system."

Two VA hospitals forced to turn away patients - Army News, opinions, editorials, news from Iraq, photos, reports - Army Times

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Turkey Launches Air Strikes on N. Iraq with Plane We Sold Them

Crooks and Liars » Turkish Air Force Strikes Targets Inside Iraq

Friday, October 26, 2007

Iraqi Government Budgeting Computer Down for a Month...No One Notices

The U.S. spent at least $38 million to give Iraq's government a computerized accounting system -- and no one noticed when it was not working for a month, a report said Wednesday.It was the latest in a series of reports from the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, Stuart W. Bowen Jr., that detailed slow progress on some projects and waste and chaos in the management of another.

azdailysun.com - National News

FEMA Holds Staged Press Conference Where Questions Asked by FEMA Employees

But something didn't seem right. The reporters were lobbing too many softballs. No one asked about trailers with formaldehyde for those made homeless by the fires. And the media seemed to be giving Johnson all day to wax on and on about FEMA's greatness...Of course, that could be because the questions were asked by FEMA staffers playing reporters. We're told the questions were asked by Cindy Taylor, FEMA's deputy director of external affairs, and by "Mike" Widomski, the deputy director of public affairs. Director of External Affairs John "Pat" Philbin asked a question, and another came, we understand, from someone who sounds like press aide Ali Kirin.

Al Kamen - FEMA Meets the Press, Which Happens to Be . . . FEMA - washingtonpost.com

Remember in elementary school when they told us that the U.S. had a government of, by, and for the people? I don't think that's true anymore, if it ever was.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

The "Frightening Erosion" of Constitutional Protections

"This notion that presidents in our system of government don't have to carry out laws authorized by Congress is absolutely preposterous," the speaker said. "If that were the case - if Congress's laws are merely advisory - why would you need a veto?" A president who disapproves of a bill should say so in a veto message - that's why the Constitution gives him veto power. Bush's hundreds of signing statements are an "open power grab" that Americans should find intolerable. "We ought to be adamantly opposed to any claim that the president doesn't have to abide by laws that Congress has passed and he has signed."

Debating the scope of presidential power - The Boston Globe

Please read up and understand "signing statements" and their increased use.

Add a Portion of California Wildfires Damage to Cost of Bush's War

In California, half of the equipment the National Guard needs is not in the state, either because it is deployed in Iraq or other parts of the world or because it hasn’t been funded, according to Lt. Col. John Siepmann. While the Guard is in good shape to handle small-scale incidents, “our concern is a catastrophic event,” he said. “You would see a less effective response (to a major incident),” he said.

Think Progress » CA Guard Warned Of ‘Less Effective Response’ To Fires Due To Equipment Shortages Caused By Iraq

Bush (2003): War Will Cost $50 Billion

In the runup to the Iraq war in 2003, Bush administration officials said that forcibly changing regimes in Iraq should cost somewhere around $50 billion, and would be financed mostly through selling Iraqi oil...

"It's amazing to me that the President expects to be taken seriously when he says we cannot afford $20 billion in investments in education, health, law enforcement and science, but he doesn't blink an eye at asking to borrow $200 billion for a policy in Iraq that leaves us six months from now exactly where we were six months ago," House Appropriations Committee Chairman Dave Obey (D-WI), said in a statement Monday.

Iraq, Afghanistan could cost $2.4 trillion - Oct. 24, 2007 - CNN.com

Bush is the biggest spender since LBJ

McClatchy Washington Bureau | 10/24/2007 | Bush is the biggest spender since LBJ

House Budget Committee's Hearing on CBO's $2.4 Trillion Estimate of War Costs Attended by ONE Person in "Fiscal Conservative" Party

The House Budget Committee held a hearing today to receive testimony regarding the CBO’s estimate that the Iraq and Afghanistan wars may total $2.4 trillion. Only one Republican member of the committee attended. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) noted their absence:

Doggett: “I assume, by Mr. [Paul] Ryan (R-WI) being here, that every member of this panel, including every Republican member on that side of the aisle where all the seats are vacant, received notice about this hearing about the cost of war in Iraq?”

Spratt: “I’m sure they did.”

Doggett: “And when was this notice of the hearing sent out?” Spratt: “Seven days ago, as required by the rules.”

Think Progress » Conservatives too busy for hearing on Iraq war’s cost.

How Important are the Polls Showing Ron Paul with Low Numbers?

The Pew Research Center has released a new poll showing that 41% of Americans responding are unable to come up with the names of any Republican presidential candidates without prompting. In contrast, only 19% are unable to name even one Democratic candidate.

The Raw Story | Poll: 41% of Americans unable to name any GOP candidates

Group Sues KBR on Behalf of Taxpayers for Defrauding U.S. Whose Side Does DoJ Take? KBR's!

The People vs. the Profiteers: Politics & Power: vanityfair.com

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Global Poll: Country with Worst Influence? 1st: Iran 2nd: U.S.

Poll shows global opposition to Iran - and U.S. - Yahoo! News

CBO Estimates War to Cost $2.4 Trillion

The U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan could cost taxpayers a total of $2.4 trillion by 2017 when counting the huge interest costs because combat is being financed with borrowed money, according to a study released on Wednesday.

U.S. CBO estimates $2.4 trillion long-term war costs | Politics | Reuters

...divide by 300 million, and that works out to $8000 per man, woman, and child. What's that, roughly $30,000 per household? Yeah right, Republicans are for fiscal responsibility. Bush actually had the gall to veto an infrastructure bill (to build U.S. bridges, not Iraqi ones we blew up) because it was $5 billion instead of $4 billion, then tout his diligence against the frivolous spending of congress.

Torture Directive Came Right from Rumsfeld

A recently disclosed FBI memo indicates that "marching orders" to abandon traditional interrogation methods came from Defense Secretary Rumsfeld himself.

Torture begins at the top - Salon.com

Monday, October 22, 2007

Muslim Terrorist Group Armed, Funded, Trained with American Tax Dollars

"It's scandalous," writes Klein. "In the midst of America's war on terror, the U.S. is perpetuating terrorism to the point where the most active Palestinian jihad group is carrying out regular attacks, including shootings and bombings, using American-provided weapons, funding and training."

WorldNetDaily: Accusation: U.S. trained terrorists

Benjamin Franklin Says Revolutionary War was Over Central Banking

“The Colonies would gladly have borne the little tax on tea and other matters had it not been the poverty caused by the bad influence of the English bankers on the Parliament, which has caused in the Colonies hatred of England and the Revolutionary War.”

How Benjamin Franklin Made New England Prosperous « Friends of the American Revolution

Bill Richardson (D) Suggests Linking Congressional and Presidental Pay to Deficit Reduction

Democratic presidential hopeful Bill Richardson wants to link congressional and presidential pay raises to deficit reduction, though he acknowledged Sunday that the idea would never see the light of day.

FOXNews.com - Bill Richardson Links Congress' Raises to Deficit Reduction - Politics | Republican Party | Democratic Party | Political Spectrum

Wait a minute, Republicans are telling me that Democrats are frivolous spenders of our tax money?

Bush Has Been Planning to Go to War with Iran for Years

Two former high-ranking policy experts from the Bush Administration say the U.S. has been gearing up for a war with Iran for years, despite claiming otherwise. It'll be Iraq all over again.

Print The Secret History of the Impending War with Iran That the White House Doesn't Want You to Know

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Garry Kasparov on How Oil Keeps Putin in Power

Plame's Job Was to Keep Nukes from Iran

CBS News has confirmed, in advance of a 60 Minutes interview with outed CIA agent Valerie Plame to be run this Sunday, that Plame "was involved in operations to prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons."

The Raw Story | CBS confirms 2006 Raw Story scoop: Plame's job was to keep nukes from Iran

Friday, October 19, 2007

U.S. Government Spending as % of GDP (1929-2003)

Carried Away: U.S. Government Spending As a Percentage of GDP [Superseded]

The orange line goes from 3% to 20%. Are you trying to tell me the least-squares line for those lines isn't up?

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Military Donations to Ron Paul Higher than ANY Candidate from EITHER Party

Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, the congressman from the Houston area who opposes the Iraq war, has gotten more contributions than any other White House contender from donors identified as affiliated with the military.

Paul, Obama draw support from military voters | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

Support the troops...support Ron Paul.

Iraqi Contracts With Iran and China Concern U.S.

Iraq has agreed to award $1.1 billion in contracts to Iranian and Chinese companies to build a pair of enormous power plants, the Iraqi electricity minister said Tuesday. Word of the project prompted serious concerns among American military officials, who fear that Iranian commercial investments can mask military activities at a time of heightened tension with Iran.

Iraqi Contracts With Iran and China Concern U.S. - New York Times

Yep, this wonderful foreign policy is really endearing the Iraqi government to the U.S. and U.S. companies.

Finnish Lawmaker Reveals U.S. Secrectly Building 14 Permanent Bases in Iraq

Jaakko Laakso told a group of Arab journalists-- who visited the Finnish Parliament in Helsinki recently-- that "the bases are not the bases the US government plans to build on the Iraq borders with Syria, but they are permanent bases located in the heartland of the country. "

Press TV

Ron Paul, Again, Raises More in Q3 from Soldiers than Other Republican Candidates

Ron Paul: $40,000
McCain: $21,000
Thompson: $20,000
Huckabee: $6,610
Romney: $5,710
Guiliani: $4,500

Ron Paul receives the most military donations among Republicans AGAIN in Q3 » The Truth @ The Spin Factor

I thought the Neocons were trying to tell me that if you wanted to end the war, you didn't "support the troops." But, the troops seem to support the guy who wants to end the war. How strange!

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

DOD Sought Citizens' Bank Records

The American Civil Liberties Union said Sunday that newly uncovered documents show that the Pentagon secretly sent hundreds of letters seeking the financial records of private citizens without court approval.The ACLU said an analysis of 455 so-called national security letters issued after Sept. 11, 2001 shows that the Pentagon collaborated with the FBI to circumvent the law and may have overstepped its legal authority to obtain financial and credit records. The ACLU has been reviewing the letters and the accompanying documentation over the past few days.

ACLU: DoD sought citizens’ bank records - Army News

Monday, October 15, 2007

The Growth of the Federal Government

Today's economy is 8 TIMES more federal government spending dependent, compared to prior generations.

FSO Editorials: "Federal Government Spending Report - Update 2007" by Michael W. Hodges 10/09/2007

Bush Loves Bald Black Guys' Heads

Appointees Running Many Fed Agencies Just So Bush Can Avoid Congressional Confirmations

More than a quarter of the department’s 93 United States attorneys around the country are “acting.”At the top of the Department of Homeland Security, there is an acting general counsel, acting under secretary for national protection and acting assistant secretary for strategic plans. At the Department of Health and Human Services, the $600 billion-a-year Medicare and Medicaid programs have had an acting administrator since last fall.

White House Is Leaning on Interim Appointments - New York Times

Sunday, October 14, 2007

U.S. Ranks 41st in Maternal Mortality

The U.S. ranks 41st in a new analysis of maternal mortality rates in 171 countries released by a group of U.N. public health experts on Friday. The survey shows that even a developing country like South Korea is ahead of the United States.

HEALTH: Maternal Mortality Shames Superpower U.S.

Chart: U.S. R&D on Alternative Energy vs. Iraq

A sick graph @ Solar Power Rocks!

This is the chart that keeps Putin and Chavez in power, and hinders democratic reforms around the world. Oil at $90/barrel does not help the U.S. economy, nor its efforts to spread democracy and freedom around the world. Solar and wind power are democratic energy sources because they can be used virtually everywhere. They take political power out of dictators hands because who owns the land over oil is no longer important.