Whoa! Whoa! Hold up a minute...

Bush Opposes Palestinian Gov't With Hamas
- Associated Press

"The Hamas party has made it clear that they do not support the right of Israel," Bush said after meeting with his Cabinet. "And I have made it clear that so long as that's their policy, that we will not support a Palestinian government made up of Hamas."

Correct me if I'm wrong but, this is the same tyrannical monarch who was recently encouraging democracy in the Middle East, isn't it? And the Palestinian people did choose this government in a democratic election, did they not?

I find it necessary to point out that I am highly displeased with the infantile behavior of our current king. I want a new one. Maybe one who can, at the very least, pronounce the word nuclear. That's not asking too much, is it?

Book Review

War Powers: How the Imperial Presidency Hijacked the Constitution
By Peter Irons





Worried about the dangers of unchecked executive power, the Founding Fathers deliberately assigned Congress the sole authority to make war. But the last time Congress declared war was on December 8, 1941, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Since then, every president from Harry Truman to George W. Bush has used military force in pursuit of imperial objectives, while Congress and the Supreme Court have virtually abdicated their responsibilities to check presidential power. In vivid detail, Peter Irons recounts this story of subversion from above, tracing presidents' increasing willingness to ignore congressional authority and even suspend civil liberties.

While wandering around my local public library a couple of weeks ago, this book caught my eye in the new book section. I'm glad I decided to check it out. There's a great deal about the history and intent of the Constitution of the United States that I wasn't aware of until I read this book.

Irons also covers, in great detail, how our Constitution has been stretched to its limits and beyond by presidents, both former and current. Additionally, he reveals how our two other branches of government have failed us miserably by allowing "inherent" presidential powers to go unchecked.

In addition to being highly informative, "War Powers" was written as an easy-to-digest book for any reader. The writing was smooth and flowing, from the framing of the Constitution up until our present day executive branch nightmare.

PTCruiser gives "War Powers" two thumbs up. Go ahead and check it out.

Support Our Troops, Chapter 3

Military Hides Cause of Women Soldiers' Deaths
By Marjorie Cohn

In a startling revelation, the former commander of Abu Ghraib prison testified that Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, former senior US military commander in Iraq, gave orders to cover up the cause of death for some female American soldiers serving in Iraq.

Last week, Col. Janis Karpinski told a panel of judges at the Commission of Inquiry for Crimes against Humanity Committed by the Bush Administration in New York that several women had died of dehydration because they refused to drink liquids late in the day. They were afraid of being assaulted or even raped by male soldiers if they had to use the women's latrine after dark.

Sanchez's attitude was: "The women asked to be here, so now let them take what comes with the territory," Karpinski quoted him as saying. Karpinski told me that Sanchez, who was her boss, was very sensitive to the political ramifications of everything he did. She thinks it likely that when the information about the cause of these women's deaths was passed to the Pentagon, Donald Rumsfeld ordered that the details not be released. "That's how Rumsfeld works," she said.

But most shameful is Sanchez's cover-up of the dehydration deaths of women that occurred in Iraq. Sanchez is no stranger to outrageous military orders. He was heavily involved in the torture scandal that surfaced at Abu Ghraib. Sanchez approved the use of unmuzzled dogs and the insertion of prisoners head-first into sleeping bags after which they are tied with an electrical cord and their are mouths covered. At least one person died as the result of the sleeping bag technique. Karpinski charges that Sanchez attempted to hide the torture after the hideous photographs became public.

The fact that not only did we allow women to be raped by their comrades in arms, but then tried to cover up their deaths to cover certain peoples' asses is a clear indication that we support our troops.

Quote of the Week

"Free nations are peaceful nations. Free nations don't attack each other. Free nations don't develop weapons of mass destruction."

- George W. Bush

Arrogance of Power

I read this editorial in the San Francisco Chronicle today and found it to be so spot-on, that I had to share it with PTCruiser fans. Enjoy. (Thanks for the tip, Dad)

PRESIDENT BUSH'S public-relations offensive on behalf of his warrantless surveillance program is an insult to the intelligence of the American people.

The White House is obviously counting on Americans to absorb the sound bites -- without bothering to look at the specifics -- in trying to turn an abuse of power into a political plus for Bush.

The administration's strategy was telegraphed by its political wizard Karl Rove in a recent speech that laid out a road map for the fall congressional elections. Rove signaled that Republicans would try to portray critics of almost anything Bush does on national security -- including the warrantless wiretaps -- as soft on terrorism.

Bush amplified the theme at his news conference Thursday, as his surrogates have done all week, suggesting that Americans should defer to the White House's judgment that its eavesdropping program should not be subject to oversight by a secret federal court that was set up to deal with such delicate matters.

"It's important for people to understand that this program is so sensitive and so important that if information gets out to how we run it or how we operate it, it'll help the enemy," Bush said. "Why tell the enemy what we're doing?"

The suggestion that obtaining a warrant from the 11-judge secret court is tantamount to broadcasting our targets or methods to "the enemy" -- or somehow impairing the ability to pursue terrorists in any way -- is just absurd. The court, established by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, was designed to address the need for speed and confidentiality in investigations of terrorism or possibly lawbreaking by foreign powers. It even allows for retroactive approval (within 72 hours) when authorities are in hot pursuit of a tip.

At the same time, it serves as a critical check against any attempt by this or any other administration to abuse its vast surveillance capabilities. The FISA judges have rejected just six of the more than 5,500 wiretap requests they have received from the Bush administration since 2001.

The talking point often parroted by Vice President Dick Cheney and Bush allies on Capitol Hill -- "If al Qaeda is calling you, we want to know why" -- is a classic red herring. There is no doubt that such an eavesdropping request would fall within the 99-plus percent the FISA court is approving.

The question is: Will Congress have the fortitude to rein in a presidency that is acting as if it is above the law?

Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D-Walnut Creek, said Bush and his lawyers have stretched the bounds of credulity in arguing that the post-Sept. 11 authorization to use force against terrorists offered implicit approval for the warrantless eavesdropping. She has proposed a nonbinding resolution (HConRes330) expressing congressional concern that the warrantless wiretapping of U.S. residents "violates existing law." It calls on Bush to rescind the order that led to the secret spying on Americans and to report to Congress on the rationale for bypassing the FISA court.

Tauscher says the warrantless wiretapping is symptomatic of an administration that thinks it "has powers superior" to what are supposed to be the co-equal legislative and judicial branches of government.

"What you have now is a tremendous distrust," Tauscher said in a telephone interview Thursday. "Something is going to blow. This is the type of absolutism that created the Boston Tea Party, where people felt they had no way to petition their government, that government would not listen."

Americans must not be cowed by the Bush administration's "with us or against us" rhetorical campaign. As Tauscher noted, if the 1978 law somehow impedes the government's ability to track terrorists -- a premise she sharply questions -- then Congress "would want to fix it." In this democracy, a president does not have the prerogative to ignore a law he finds to be unduly cumbersome, even if in pursuit of a noble purpose.

"We have the same goals in mind -- to protect the American people, to stop the bad guys before they can attack us," Tauscher said.

Those goals can and should be pursued without shredding the individual liberties that define our proud republic, or upending the balance of powers that buttress our democracy.

You can check out Representative Ellen Tauscher's website here.

What the F#&*!?????

Bush: Bin Laden Should Be Taken Seriously

-Associated Press

President Bush, defending the government's secret surveillance program, said Wednesday that Americans should take Osama bin Laden seriously when he says he's going to attack again.

"When he says he's going to hurt the American people again, or try to, he means it," Bush told reporters after visiting the top-secret National Security Agency where the surveillance program is based. "I take it seriously, and the people of NSA take it seriously."

OK, now I'm totally confused. Don't you think you should have taken it a little more seriously when he DIRECTED HIS PEOPLE TO FLY COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT INTO AMERICAN BUILDINGS???? Don't you think that would have been the time to take him seriously? Just what was it that made you think that waiting nearly five years to take him seriously was a good plan?

You've killed over 2,000 of our soldiers and tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians to oust a dictator who was no direct threat to our nation and had no link to the organization that attacked our country.

During the course of this war based on lies, you have continued to detain people, including American citizens without due process or legal representation, and have even gone so far as to condone torture of said prisoners in known prison camps and in secret prison camps where who knows what the hell might be going on.

Then, when that wasn't enough, you decided to do a little spying on your own people without a court warrant and continue to do so as if none of it is illegal or even morally bankrupt, which I assure you it is on both counts.

You have overstepped your Constitutional boundaries as a president and you will be held accountable for it either here on Earth, or when you meet your maker.

The blood of many has stained your hands, Mr. President.

Hillary Clinton Gets It

Sen. Clinton Blasts Bush on Eavesdropping
-Associated Press

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton called President Bush's explanations for eavesdropping on domestic conversations without warrants "strange" and "far-fetched" Wednesday in blistering criticism ahead of the president's State of the Union address.

"Obviously, I support tracking down terrorists. I think that's our obligation. But I think it can be done in a lawful way," the New York Democrat said. Full story here.

You Go, Girl !!!!

Support Our Troops, Chapter 2

Perhaps this is the best way that we can show support for our troops:

Halliburton gave troops foul water, workers say
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A Halliburton Co. subsidiary provided water to U.S. troops at a camp in Iraq that was twice as contaminated as water from the Euphrates River, former employees of the company said on Monday. Full story here.

There is perhaps no greater morale booster for troops in combat than the old tried and true excrement in the water supply system. Nice job, Dick!

Quote of the Week

"If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy."

- James Madison

Click on picture for biography.

Support Our Troops - Chapter One

No jail time for US soldier over Iraqi prisoner death

DENVER, United States (AFP) - A US military interrogator convicted of killing an Iraqi general by stuffing his head into a sleeping bag was sentenced to a reprimand and fine, but no jail time, a military official confirmed.

Clearly the best way we can "support" our troops is to let them get away with premeditated murder. Am I angry over this? Yeah, you better believe I am. Here's more of the story that I think you should know about:

Chief Warrant Officer Lewis Welshofer was accused of torturing Iraqi Major General Abed Hamed Mowhoush, covering his head with a sleeping bag, binding him with electric cord and sitting on his chest until he died.

During a five-day trial last week, prosecutors displayed gruesome pictures of Mowhoush's body, arguing that Welshofer knowingly ignored US military interrogation protocol that did not sanction the sleeping bag technique.

They claimed that Welshofer ignored warnings and rebukes over his methods, which they called "torture", and did not fully inform his superiors of his techniques.

However, Welshofer's lawyers cited evidence in emails and other communications that interrogators had been urged to "take the gloves off" in their handling of prisoners, authorizing his techniques.

So you know who should be on trial for this murder? Not only this guy, but all his superiors, and Rumsfeld and Bush as well! They're the ones who are authorizing all of this torture. And now we all see what it leads to.

You want to know what penalty Chief Warrant Officer Welshofer faces for murder? A $6,000.00 fine and 60 days restricted to the base. I'm not making it up. Click the link above and read the whole thing for yourself.

Impeachment Gaining Popularity

WASHINGTON, D.C. — By a margin of 52 to 43 percent, citizens want Congress to impeach President Bush if he wiretapped American citizens without a judge's approval, according to a new poll commissioned by AfterDowningStreet.org, a grassroots coalition that supports a Congressional investigation of Pres. Bush's decision to invade Iraq in 2003.

Full details of the poll conducted by Zogby International can be found here.

Bush-Abramoff Photos

Reports: Bush, Abramoff Together in Photos
Associated Press

Although President Bush says he doesn't recall meeting convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff, the two have reportedly turned up in photos together.
Both Washingtonian and Time magazines have reported the existence of about a half-dozen photos showing the two together. Full story here.

The plot thickens....

In a PTCruiser exclusive, we have obtained one of the nefarious photos (shown below) for fans of this blog. Remember, you saw it here first.

Bush Preparing for Invasion of Syria

Syrians oppose US but love KFC

DAMASCUS (Reuters) - The U.S. flag serves as a doormat to an office and nearby merchants announce "we boycott American goods," but some Syrians can't seem to keep away from American fast food at the new KFC fried chicken restaurant.

With Operation Quagmire in Iraq grinding to a slow crawl, George Bush is looking for a fresh nation to destroy so that he can build it up "much more better than before" and, at the same time, boost his lagging popularity with the American public.

In a statement to the White House press corps earlier today, Bush had this to say: "Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you...Operation Bucket o' Chicken; a foolproof plan for the invasion and utter destruction of Syria and the Syrian people".

He went on to say, "You see, the problem with Iraq was that I misunderestimated the resolve of the Iraqi people. They really didn't want democracy shoved down their throats the way Rummy said they would and that's why we face the difficulties that we have there today, what with all those evil-doers messin' up my plans. Heh-heh-heh."

In a one-page memo scratched out in crayon on the back of a Denny's placemat it is revealed that this new military operation, led by Colonel Harland Sanders, seeks to eliminate the will to resist the American way of life by sending massive amounts of endorphins to the Syrians' brains via the Colonel's own "secret recipe".

When asked how this endorphin rush would affect the Syrian people, Bush said, "You see, it's like this. They buy the chicken. Then they eat the chicken. Then when they've eaten enough of the chicken, they'll be so fat, dumb and happy, they'll find even me irresistable. We discovered this secret weapon when we looked back at the last two presidential elections and found out why the American people were so stup.....er, um willing to vote me into office twice".

White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan finished the briefing by stating, "If this works out the way we hope it will, we'll be looking very closely at North Korea next".

Harry Belafonte, American Patriot

NEW YORK (AP) -- Entertainer Harry Belafonte, one of the Bush administration's harshest critics, compared the Homeland Security Department to the Nazi Gestapo on Saturday and attacked the president as a liar. Full story here.

This isn't the first time Mr. Belafonte has exercised his right to free speech. Most of you will remember his speech last week in Venezuela in which he referred to George Bush as "the greatest terrorist in the world" while speaking to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

But wait, there's more. You may recall that back in October of 2002, Harry Belafonte compared then Secretary of State Colin Powell to a "house slave" for adhering to the Bush Administration's party line. He also stated that then National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice had turned her back on black people.

Clearly, Mr. Belafonte is not afraid to speak his mind and is no stranger to controversy. Let's take a brief look at Harry Belafonte's life:

Born in Harlem, New York in 1927, Harry Belafonte lived with his mother in her native Jamaica from 1935 to 1939. After returning to New York, he attended George Washington High School which he dropped out of to enlist in the U.S. Navy and serve in World War II. (That's right folks, he's a military veteran who despises war. Are we seeing a trend here? )

After serving in World War II he returned to New York and began a successful acting and singing career. Belafonte is perhaps best known for singing the "Banana Boat Song" with its signature lyric "Day-O." His breakthrough album Calypso (1956) was the first full-length album to sell over 1 million copies.

Along with his rise to worldwide stardom, he became deeply involved in the Civil Rights Movement. In 1956, he met the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and the two quickly became friends.

Belafonte sent money to bail Dr. King out of the Birmingham City Jail and raised thousands of dollars to release other imprisoned protesters. He financed the Freedom Rides, and supported voter-registration drives and helped to organize the March on Washington in 1963.

In the 1980's he helped initiate the star-studded "We Are the World" single, which raised tens of millions of dollars for famine relief in Ethiopia, calling global attention humanitarian crises in Africa.

A longtime anti-apartheid activist, Belafonte hosted former South African President Nelson Mandela on his triumphant visit to the United States. In 1987 he was appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

Belafonte has been a longtime critic of U.S. foreign policy, calling for an end to the embargo against Cuba, and opposing policies of war and global oppression.

It's heroes like Harry Belafonte who make me proud to be an American.

Biographical facts from several sources, but primarily from Democracy Now.

The George W. Bush Guide to Secret Government

An outstanding article presented on Adam Mindwolf's blog, Ranting and Venting. Highly recommended reading for PTCruiser fans.

Here's a teaser:

Bush believes that, since we are at war, the Constitution essentially grants him unlimited power to protect America. But we're not at war -- Congress hasn't declared war -- and what we're supposedly at war with is a noun. Terrorism.

Al-Zawahiri bin Audiotapin'

'Zawahiri tape' praises fighters
From BBC News:

An audio tape purportedly by al-Qaeda deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahiri has been posted on a website - a week after an alleged US air strike targeting him.
In the 18-minute tape, the speaker praises Islamic fighters in Afghanistan - but does not mention the strike on a Pakistani village on the Afghan border.
It was posted a day after Arabic TV station al-Jazeera broadcast a message thought to be from Osama Bin Laden.


This is the guy we were aiming for last Friday when we bombed innocent women and children in Pakistan. What do you think of that, George?

Bush Wants to Google Google

From Associated Press:

SAN FRANCISCO - Google Inc. is rebuffing the Bush administration's demand for a peek at what millions of people have been looking up on the Internet's leading search engine — a request that underscores the potential for online databases to become tools for government surveillance. Full story here.

Not satisfied with wiretapping and reading the e-mail of the American public, the Bush monarchy has now decided that what you are searching for on the internet is yet another aspect of your privacy that they seem to have overlooked.

Osama bin Audiotapin'

Arab news agency Al-Jazeera has released a tape today of Osama bin Laden, who hasn't been heard from in more than a year. In the tape, bin Laden makes reference to President Bush's idiotic comment back in November '05 about bombing Al-Jazeera's headquarters in Qatar. I guess George didn't want to hear about any more tapes from Osama bin Laden.

Bin Laden also referred to the July, 2005 London bombings and the drop in popularity Bush has faced in recent polls (I can see the B-1 bombers flying over Al-Jazeera right now).

He went on to say that this message is being directed at the American people, after having seen polls that show "an overwhelming majority of you want the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq but (Bush) opposed that desire." He also stated that the insurgents are winning the war in Iraq and warned that our security measures here in the United States would not prevent future attacks from Al-Qaeda.

"The proof of that is the explosions you have seen in the capitals of European nations," he said. "The delay in similar operations happening in America has not been because of failure to break through your security measures. The operations are under preparation and you will see them in your homes the minute they are through (with preparations), with God's permission."

Hmm, I seem to remember a certain pesident who wasn't very concerned about this man. Let's see...how did that press conference go in March, 2002? Ah yes, now I remember...

Reporter : "But don't you believe that the threat that bin Laden posed won't truly be eliminated until he is found either dead or alive?"

Bush: "Well, as I say, we haven't heard much from him. And I wouldn't necessarily say he's at the center of any command structure. And, again, I don't know where he is. I -- I'll repeat what I said. I truly am not that concerned about him. I know he is on the run. I was concerned about him, when he had taken over a country. I was concerned about the fact that he was basically running Afghanistan and calling the shots for the Taliban."

Seems to me that the man is still calling a lot of shots, George. I think it's time you got off your high horse and faced reality. Osama bin Laden is still a huge threat to this country, and you haven't done a damn thing about it. All the money wasted on Homeland Security , the lives lost in a war based on lies, and the racist Minuteman Project are simply not enough to stop an organization like Al-Qaeda from bringing death and destruction into this country.

In this most recent tape, bin Laden went on to mention a truce."We do not mind offering you a long-term truce with fair conditions that we adhere to," he said. "We are a nation that God has forbidden to lie and cheat. So both sides can enjoy security and stability under this truce so we can build Iraq and Afghanistan, which have been destroyed in this war."

"There is no shame in this solution, which prevents the wasting of billions of dollars that have gone to those with influence and merchants of war in America," he said.

Bin Laden tells Americans that "if you are sincere in your desire for peace and security, and if Bush refuses to do anything but continue lies and oppression," then he recommends Americans read a book entitled "The Rogue State," apparently a reference to a book of that title by political analyst William Blum. The book has been published in Arabic.
"In its introduction, it states: 'If I were president, I would stop the attacks on the United States: First I would give an apology to all the widows and orphans and those who were tortured. Then I would announce that American interference in the nations of the world has ended,'" he said.

I think if the man is discussing a truce, we should listen. Don't go on believing that we need to continue being the police of the entire planet. We've got plenty of problems to fix right here within our own borders. It's time we started looking at what led to the September 11, 2001 attacks in the first place. I recently read an interesting book on this man entitled, "Holy War, Inc. , Inside the Secret World of Osama Bin Laden" by Peter L. Bergen, former CNN reporter. I highly recommend it.

Fun With Stickers

Special Delivery

Read All About It

Yes, I'd like to withdraw my confidence in the current administration.

Reach Out And Impeach Someone

Park Your Car And Get On Board

Yo Quiero Impeachment

Caution, Rough Road Ahead

Political Hawkery

Anybody see any hypocrisy here?

Democrats:

• Richard Gephardt: Air National Guard, 1965-71.
• David Bonior: Staff Sgt., Air Force 1968-72.
• Tom Daschle: 1st Lt., Air Force SAC 1969-72.
• Al Gore: enlisted Aug. 1969; sent to Vietnam Jan.1971 as an army journalist in 20th Engineer Brigade.
• Bob Kerrey: Lt. j.g. Navy 1966-69; Medal of Honor,Vietnam.
• Daniel Inouye: Army 1943-47; Medal of Honor, WWII.
• John Kerry: Lt., Navy 1966-70; Silver Star, Bronze Star with Combat V, 3 Purple Hearts, Vietnam.
• Charles Rangel: Staff Sgt., Army 1948-52; BronzeStar, Korea.
• Max Cleland: Captain, Army 1965-68; Silver Star & Bronze Star, Vietnam.
• Ted Kennedy: Army, 1951-53.
• Tom Harkin: Lt., Navy, 1962-67; Naval Reserve,1968-74.
• Jack Reed: Army Ranger, 1971-1979; Captain, Army Reserve 1979-91.
• Fritz Hollings: Army officer in WWII; Bronze Star and seven campaign ribbons.
• Leonard Boswell: Lt. Col., Army 1956-76; Vietnam, DFCs, Bronze Stars, and Soldier's Medal.
• Pete Peterson: Air Force Captain, POW. Purple Heart, Silver Star and Legion of Merit.
• Mike Thompson: Staff sergeant, 173rd Airborne, Purple Heart.
• Bill McBride: Candidate for Fla. Governor. Marine inVietnam; Bronze Star with Combat V.
• Gray Davis: Army Captain in Vietnam, Bronze Star.
• Pete Stark: Air Force 1955-57
• Chuck Robb: Vietnam
• Howell Heflin: Silver Star
• George McGovern: Silver Star & DFC during WWII.
• Bill Clinton: Did not serve. Student deferments. Entered draft but received #311.
• Jimmy Carter: Seven years in the Navy.
• Walter Mondale: Army 1951-1953
• John Glenn: WWII and Korea; six DFCs and Air Medal with 18 Clusters.
• Tom Lantos: Served in Hungarian underground in WWII. Saved by Raoul Wallenberg.
• John Murtha: U.S. Marine Corps 1952-1990; Korea and Vietnam; American Spirit Honor Medal, Bronze Star with Combat V, 2 Purple Hearts, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, Navy Distinguished Service Medal.

Republicans -- (These are the brave guys sending people to war):

• Dick Cheney: did not serve. Several deferments, the last by marriage.
• Dennis Hastert: did not serve.
• Tom Delay: did not serve.
• Roy Blunt: did not serve.
• Bill Frist: did not serve.
• Mitch McConnell: did not serve.
• Rick Santorum: did not serve.
• Trent Lott: did not serve.
• John Ashcroft: did not serve. Seven deferments to teach business.
• Jeb Bush: did not serve.
• Karl Rove: did not serve.
• Saxby Chambliss: did not serve. "Bad knee." The man who attacked Max Cleland's patriotism.
• Paul Wolfowitz: did not serve.
• Vin Weber: did not serve.
• Richard Perle: did not serve.
• Douglas Feith: did not serve.
• Eliot Abrams: did not serve.
• Richard Shelby: did not serve.
• Jon Kyl: did not serve.
• Tim Hutchison: did not serve.
• Christopher Cox: did not serve.
• Newt Gingrich: did not serve.
• Don Rumsfeld: served in Navy (1954-57) as flight instructor.
• George W. Bush: failed to complete his six-year National Guard duty; got assigned to Alabama so he could campaign for family friend running for U.S. Senate; failed to show up for required medical exam, disappeared from duty.
• B-1 Bob Dornan: Consciously enlisted after fighting was over in Korea.
• Phil Gramm: did not serve.
• John McCain: Silver Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross.
• Dana Rohrabacher: did not serve.
• John M. McHugh: did not serve.
• JC Watts: did not serve.
• Jack Kemp: did not serve. "Knee problem," although continued in NFL for 8 years.
• Dan Quayle: Journalism unit of the Indiana National Guard.
• Rudy Giuliani: did not serve.
• George Pataki: did not serve.
• Spencer Abraham: did not serve.
• John Engler: did not serve.
• Lindsey Graham: National Guard lawyer.
• Arnold Schwarzenegger: AWOL from Austrian army base.
• Ronald Reagan: due to poor eyesight, served in a non-combat role making movies.

Pundits & Preachers:

• Sean Hannity: did not serve.
• Rush Limbaugh: did not serve (4-F with a 'pilonidalcyst.')
• Bill O'Reilly: did not serve.
• Michael Savage: did not serve.
• George Will: did not serve.
• Chris Matthews: did not serve.
• Paul Gigot: did not serve.
• Bill Bennett: did not serve.
• Pat Buchanan: did not serve.
• Bill Kristol: did not serve.
• Kenneth Starr: did not serve.
• Antonin Scalia: did not serve.
• Clarence Thomas: did not serve.
• Ralph Reed: did not serve.
• Brian Sussman: did not serve.
• Michael Medved: did not serve.
• Charlie Daniels: did not serve.
• Ted Nugent: did not serve. (He only shoots at things that don't shoot back.)
• John Wayne: did not serve.

Many thanks to my Uncle D in San Bruno for sending me this list.

Note: click on Chickenhawk poster for brief movie.

Quote of the Week

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Please click on Dr. King's picture for a brief biography of this incredibly important and courageous man.

Deja Vu

Iran Is The New Iraq
Courtesy of Think Progress

President Bush, 1/13/06:

"Iran, armed with a nuclear weapon, poses a grave threat to the security of the world."

President Bush, 10/7/02:

"Tonight I want to take a few minutes to discuss a grave threat to peace…The threat comes from Iraq…It is seeking nuclear weapons."

Hang on tight, history is about to repeat itself.

Terrorist Plot Thwarted

Thanks to the joint efforts of U.S. Customs and the NSA, we can all sleep a little more soundly tonight knowing that international terrorist Grant Goodman's plot to destroy the United States has been foiled.

Goodman, an 81 year old retired professor from the University of Kansas was caught red-handed when the letter, sent to him by a longtime friend of his from the Philippines, was intercepted and cavity-searched by federal agents.

The letter of mass destruction reportedly contained several innocuous news clippings and a personal note. But, it could have been something really scary or dangerous, you know.

When he's not busy playing Bingo or taking naps at the retirement community in Lawrence, Kansas where he lives, Goodman spends his free hours plotting total global domination along with the help of his trusty sidekick in the Philippines.

Speaking of personal notes, why not take the time to send your own personal note to George W. Bush and let him know how thankful you are that he's not going to let any legal mumbo-jumbo get in the way of spying on Americans like us.

Oh, and if you click on the evil-doer's picture in the upper corner there, you can watch the CNN footage of their interview with him.(If you have pop-up blocker, you'll have to turn it off to view the video). Take a good look at his beady eyes while you're watching it and just imagine what horrors might have taken place if this letter had not been detected.

The Nation

I just read an excellent article in The Nation, written by Elizabeth Holtzman. Here is an excerpt:

The Impeachment of George W. Bush
- Elizabeth Holtzman

Finally, it has started. People have begun to speak of impeaching President George W. Bush--not in hushed whispers but openly, in newspapers, on the Internet, in ordinary conversations and even in Congress. As a former member of Congress who sat on the House Judiciary Committee during the impeachment proceedings against President Richard Nixon, I believe they are right to do so.

It's a lengthy article, but well worth the read. PTCruiser gives it two thumbs up. Good job, Elizabeth. Please click here to read the rest of the article.

David Letterman Gets It

David Letterman knocked one out of the park when he started his own no-spin zone last Friday night on the Late Show with David Letterman. For those of you who missed it, including me, we can click on the image to the right and watch the hilarity unfold over and over again. Just click on it and then click on Dave and Bill O'Reilly (1/3/06).

Dave basically let old Bill know that he was full of crap, in no uncertain terms. I have never known David Letterman to be political one way or the other for all the years I've watched him, and I guess that's part of the reason I have enjoyed him for this long. He just tells it like it is. OK, the real reason I like him is because he verbally slapped O'Reilly in the face in front of millions of viewers. He basically brought O'Reilly to shame for the way he has treated Cindy Sheehan and it's about time somebody put that imbecile in his place.

But quite possibly the best part of the clip is when, after Dave tells O'Reilly that approximately 60% of what he says is crap, Paul Shaffer, the band director, asks coyly, "60% Dave? "

I'm extremely proud of David Letterman for telling it like it is and not letting this blowhard take over his show with all the "they took away my Christmas" rhetoric. Good man yerself, Dave!

What do you think, Jesus?

"You know, PT, I've always enjoyed Dave's work, but he really outdid himself the other night. In fact, he just secured himself lower level box seats to the Annual Heaven vs. Hell Football Game. And you know those tickets are guaranteed eternal."

Somehow I think that Bill O'Reilly will be watching that game from the other side of the field.

Donate Blood

I went and donated a pint today at a Blood Centers of the Pacific mobile blood bank. The reason I bring this up is because when I got home, I started looking up statistics on blood donation and I was disappointed to find that only 5% of eligible people donate blood. That's a very small amount of the population. So I figured if I wrote about it, maybe somebody reading this would go and donate blood.



I'd like to think that all of my readers have donated blood at least once in their lives and that maybe one of you donates on a regular basis the way I do. If all this post does is get one person to donate, then I'll feel pretty good about it. And I know all of you want desperately for me to feel good about myself.

I found through my exhaustive search of the internet, an excellent list of the top ten reasons to donate blood and the top ten excuses for not donating blood. Please take a moment to look at them and then please consider donating blood. You really do get free cookies and juice, ya know. I also got a 2-for-1 coupon for a Hornblower Yacht cruise on San Francisco Bay. Pretty cool, huh? The last time I donated, I got a coupon for a free pint of Baskin Robbins ice cream. But don't do it for the awesome prizes that are handed out. You'll feel better if you just do it for me. Thank you.

Quote of the Week

"Each time a man stands for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”

- Robert Kennedy

SF Starbucks Scare

San Francisco police are investigating an incident in which a pipe bomb was placed in a Starbucks bathroom in downtown San Francisco yesterday.

This obviously brings up questions about whether this was an act of terrorism or just some nut who either hates society as a whole or just Starbucks coffee. Perhaps this person should be drinking less coffee.

The bomb scare also reminded me of a certain television commentator by the name of Bill O'Reilly. Wasn't it good old Bill who actually encouraged terrorists to attack San Francisco? You bet it was. He said, "...If al-Qaeda comes in here and blows you up, we're not going to do anything about it. We're going to say, look, every other place in America is off limits to you, except San Francisco. You want to blow up the Coit Tower? Go ahead."



I think it might be a good idea for the FBI to bring O'Reilly in for questioning regarding the bomb scare yesterday. Maybe he knows something about it. In fact, from here on out, anything that could remotely be tied to terrorism in San Francisco should be linked to this nutcase. If he wants to encourage this type of behavior, he should be held accountable for it when it happens.

Mission Accomplished

Operation Guerilla Impeachment Day was a huge success here in the San Francisco area. The goal was to pepper the area with one word and to get that word out to as many people as possible. What better opportunity than the Bay Area morning commute?

I set out to place banners with the word IMPEACH written in large letters across them on as many overpasses as I could get them on. And I think I was very successful as the photographs here will reveal. I hit a pedestrian overpass at hospital curve on Highway 101 in San Francisco, then worked my way down through Highway 280 in Daly City. I then proceeded east to Highway 101 again at the SF Airport and tagged overpasses on Highway 101 from San Bruno to as far south as San Mateo.

I can't take all the credit, though. This task would have been damn near impossible if it weren't for my support staff. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my wife and kids for many hours of scrounging cardboard from the local Costco and trips to the hardware store for more spray paint and zip ties (thanks, honey), and many more hours helping me with the stencil layout and painting of these banners. They certainly worked hard to help me get the word out.

I'd also like to thank my brother, the getaway driver. Not only did he expertly pilot the getaway vehicle, he also assisted me in the hanging of most of these banners and at 4 O'clock in the morning, no less. I phoned him at 2:30 am, after which he promptly went back to sleep. But, to his credit, he did get up an hour later when I called him again, wondering where he was at. We drove up and down the peninsula freeway system on fumes until he finally revealed that he had not fueled up the getaway vehicle. Not a problem, though. We refueled in San Mateo and completed our mission with time to spare.

And last, but certainly not least, I'd like to thank my father for providing the spark of interest I now have for all things political. My father has a unique penchant for political discourse and it seems quite a bit of that has rubbed off on me.

When I went back to take pictures of what we had accomplished, it occurred to me just how much of an impact was made by these small signs with one word on them. Talk about your captive audiences.

• Paint - $11.97
• Cardboard - $0
• Zip Ties - $6.70
• True patriotism in the form of dissent - Priceless

Pat Robertson Pleased With God's Wrath

On Thursday, Right-Wing Christian Extremist Pat Robertson stated that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's massive stroke was God's way of punishing him for surrendering parts of the Gaza Strip to the Palestinians.

"Crazy Pat" as all 700 of his Club members affectionately call him, had another divine message from God, as you may remember, back in August of 2005 when he recommended assasination for Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez by saying, "We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability. We don't need another $200 billion war to get rid of one, you know, strong-arm dictator. It's a whole lot easier to have some of the covert operatives do the job and then get it over with."

It makes me feel a whole lot better knowing that this nation has embraced Christianity and fully stands behind the smiting of evil leaders like Sharon and Chavez.

In a recent poll, 9 out of 10 Venezuelans agreed that Pat Robertson should be sent to Iraq to show Iraqis what type of religious leadership they can expect after 230 years of "democracy".

Tinkle Me Elmo

Toddler's Talking Elmo Book Asks 'Who Wants To Die?'
Company Receives Several Complaints
POSTED: 10:37 pm EST January 1, 2006
UPDATED: 1:05 pm EST January 3, 2006
From: Local 6 WKMG TV Central Florida

A mother in Dallas is one of several parents complaining about a new interactive book for toddlers in which Sesame Street character Elmo asks, "Who wants to die?", according to a Local 6 News report.
Family members said 16-month-old Miranda Boll's new book, "Potty Time With Elmo," was supposed to teach an interactive lesson using voice commands.
However, when the book's buttons are pressed, it reportedly says something it is not supposed to -- "who wants to die?"
"It's a sick joke," mother Angela Bolls said. "If it's a joke then it's a bad one, you know? And it's not necessary. It's inappropriate."
Bolls said she checked another copy of the same book and found that it says something completely different; "Who wants to try to go potty?"
The company that makes the book said it has had several complaints concerning the book, according to the report.

Watch the video here.

Wow, as if potty training wasn't intimidating enough for young kids, now Elmo wants them to ponder whether or not they're ready to meet their maker.







Here's a preview of the company's next Elmo toy...