U.S. finally supports jobs program.....in Iraq, of course

Well, at least the oblivious little buggers are consistent.  We can tolerate massive government spending in Iraq, but not here, we can countenance public health care in Iraq, but not here, and now........we need a jobs program to stem unemployment in Iraq, but not here.

Quote of the day

It doesn't help that (Tony) Snow, though admired for his quick wit, has been lobbing names at his inquisitors. After labeling as "partisan" a question from NBC's David Gregory last week, Snow accused CBS's Jim Axelrod yesterday of asking a "loaded" question; the two men exchanged unpleasant looks. Snow further branded a question by Fox's Bret Baier as "cynical" and one from (CNN's Elaine) Quijano as "facile."
Dana Milbank, describing White House Press Secretary Tony Snow's recent relations with the press.

It's Worse When The Pros Say It's Bad, Right?

The Squid sends me links and stuff a lot, being he's retired from our US military. Of course, he keeps up with many blogs put together and maintained by old soldiers, retired officers, and well, these guys know the art of war the way many of us wish we did....

Only the religious right would see fairness as the root of evil

I write about Paul Weyrich a lot, because I find him to exemplify the warped and inverted mindset of the religious right.  Now Mr. Weyrich virtually compares attempts to restore a semblance of the fairness doctrine to talk radio as...evil? Bad for the religious right?  Is there a difference?

Bush--Still "The Decider," After All These Tears

Here is a truly troubling account by Dick Durbin of the President's actions at a Friday meeting between the President and top Congressional Democrats, according to the McClatchy Newspapers:

Hey everybody, let's do the Iraq Study Group Twist

Six has already remarked on the vitriolic response of the extreme right to the Iraq Study Group report.  But check this out for twisted logic on why the report is "lying" about the ISG not wanting to "stay the course."

Quote of the day:

If the Religious Righteous want to demonstrate their commitment to the Christmas spirit, let them start by boycotting the big-box retailers who refuse to pay their workers a living wage and family-sustainable benefits. The Religious Right, in its zeal to make every American conform to a specified form of speech during Christmas, is not much different than the Roman Empire requiring its citizens to say "Hail Caesar!" or the Third Reich requiring Germans to greet one another by uttering "Heil Hitler!"
Wayne Madsen, in a Houston Chronicle column dated Saturday.

Want Bush admin to look good? Compare it to itself

Ever notice how often some set of statistics put out by the White House touts things being better "than at any time since 2000," or something similar?  It's because it's tough even for propagandists to spin something in this admin being positive if they have to compare themselves to other administrations.

America in numbers: confidence & happiness quantified

There's a site called Nation Master, which purports to compare facts and characteristics of different countries.  I have no idea how reliable the data is, or how you could ever get reliable data on these issues, but here are some stats I found interesting.

Another election benefit: Iraq inspector general office reprieved

The Republicans' insulting and underhanded effort to put the Iraq inspector general out of business, so that office can't publicize any more of the billions and millions that have been pissed away in Iraq, has ended.