The Hollywood Liberal

“Childrens do learn,” Bush tells school kids

ABC
Excerpt
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Offering a grammar lesson guaranteed to make any English teacher cringe, President George W. Bush told a group of New York school kids on Wednesday: “Childrens do learn.”
Bush made his latest grammatical slip-up at a made-for-TV event where he urged Congress to reauthorize the No Child Left Behind Act, the centrepiece of his education policy, as he touted a new national report card on improved test scores.
The event drew New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Education Secretary Margaret Spellings plus teachers and about 20 fourth and fifth graders from P.S. 76.
During his first presidential campaign, Bush — who promised to be the “education president” — once asked: “Is our children learning?”
On Wednesday, Bush seemed to answer his own question with the same kind of grammatical twist.
“As yesterday’s positive report card shows, childrens do learn when standards are high and results are measured,” he said.

HL’s Take
This begs for a comic, but I’ve done it all before. In fact There are two I already did that would suit this occasion, the first is called “We Gotta Educate ‘Em”

You know that when it comes to predicting the future under Bush, the only trick is to imagine the worst possible scenario, predict it, and then wait for it to come true. Simple. Well here is a scenario that no one could possibly believe now, but wait, President Jenna Bush. You have to be 35 to run for President, Jenna will be 27 next month. That means that after Hillary gets done with her 2 terms, the Bush/Clinton/Bush/Clinton/Bush trend will continue with President Jenna. (why not Barbara you ask? because you have to imagine the WORST possible scenario.) By then the Republicans will have fully perfected vote stealing so there will be nothing anyone can do about it.

20/20 Exclusive: The First Daughter’s First TV Interview

ABC
Excerpt
Jenna Bush has taken on many roles in her nearly 26 years.

To America, she is the granddaughter of a former president, the daughter of President Bush and first lady Laura, a sister to her fraternal twin, Barbara, and a teacher to elementary school students in Washington, D.C. But recently, Bush has taken on several new roles and she sat down with Diane Sawyer to discuss her work with UNICEF, her engagement to Henry Hager that made headlines around the world and her first book, “Ana’s Story.”

When asked whether she agrees with her father about the Iraq War, Bush said, “You know I’m not here to talk about that, but I’m also not a policymaker. It’s a really complicated, obviously a very complicated subject. Everybody can agree on that.” Bush told Sawyer she doesn’t worry about her father’s poll numbers, “because nobody knows him as a person. I mean, he’s my father. I separate it, you know? He’s a different person to me than what they portray him as. He’s a totally different person. I think that’s normal, I mean, he’s my dad.”

Bill Clinton spoke with Anderson Cooper on CNN and was asked about the whole Republican outrage over the NY Times “General Betrayus” ad. Bill was a little perturbed at how Republicans can smear certain people and its’ ok but not the other way around. Bill had some other interesting things to say as well. Check it out.

As someone stated on one of the websites I read this morning. Why did this issue even come up for vote. Harry Reid decided what votes come to the Senate floor, but since he voted for it as well then Reid wants up to go to war with Iran. The Democrats in the congress are laughing at the people that voted for them, while they drag this country right down the toilet. Harry, Harry, Harry.

Lieberman-Kyl’s Iran amendment passes in the Senate

Daily Kos
Excerpt
By a vote 76-22, the Senate passed the Lieberman-Kyl amendment, which threatens to “combat, contain and [stop]” Iran via “military instruments.” Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) called the amendment “Cheney’s fondest pipe dream” and said it could “read as a backdoor method of gaining Congressional validation for military action.” ….
there is still plenty to be worried about, including the placement of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard on the list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists. That designation makes them targets in the war on terror and may justify U.S. military attacks on them within Iran.
What I want to know is, what the f**k has happened to our Democratic leaders?
Why do we even bother to have elections?
What good is the Democratic Party if they consistently ignore their constituents (and morality)?
What do the 70% of Americans who are repulsed by this administration, and bills like this one, supposed to do?
Who represents us?
No one! We have no representation. Perhaps we should have no taxation. Perhaps we should listen to Thomas Jefferson:
“That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it

HL’s Take Also on the list of Senators who voted yes, Hillary Clinton, and California Senator Dianne Feinstein. If you vote for Hillary, you are voting for more war. Hillary has her bosses in Israel to think about afterall. Here are the rest of the Dem. Senators who Bush lovers.

Akaka (D-HI), Baucus (D-MT) Bayh (D-IN) Cardin (D-MD) Carper (D-DE) Casey (D-PA) Clinton (D-NY) Conrad (D-ND) Dorgan (D-ND) Durbin (D-IL) Feinstein (D-CA) Johnson (D-SD) Kohl (D-WI) Landrieu (D-LA) Lautenberg (D-NJ) Levin (D-MI) Lieberman (ID-CT) Menendez (D-NJ) Mikulski (D-MD) Murray (D-WA) Nelson (D-FL) Nelson (D-NE) Pryor (D-AR) Reed (D-RI) Reid (D-NV) Rockefeller (D-WV) Salazar (D-CO) Schumer (D-NY) Stabenow (D-MI) Whitehouse (D-RI)

Have you seen this new game show “The Power of 10″? Drew Carey hosts the show where the object is to guess what percentage of American’s answered a poll question a certain way. They ask a random sampling of people a question, and the player who comes closest to guessing how the people responded wins that round. Carey claims to be a former Marine, (I don’t see how with that body) and the show often asks questions that make them look like a bunch of Bush loving Yahoos (like the rest of the MSM.) To get a feel for who they are asking these question to, Here is one of the questions from the episode I watched: What percentage of American men said that they would still eat Hamburgers if they had to kill the cow and prepare the meat themselves. Now I’m figuring that the answer is going to be really low, like maybe 10%, but when they reveal the answer, a whopping 79% of men said they would kill cows to eat burgers. So I say to myself “where are they asking these questions, in a redneck bar with sawdust on the floor in the middle of W. Virginia?.”
A few minutes later the new question is “What percentage of Americans feel that we should stay in Iraq, and finish the job?” Oh great I think, this should be interesting. Now we know that at least 70 percent of Americans are against the war, but what did the voters at Power of 10 say to that question. Watch this and see.

Bush Plays Politics With Our Kids

Tom Paine.com
Excerpt

The battle over the State Children’s Health Insurance Program is heating up. This week, Congress is set to pass legislation to cover millions more kids. President Bush plans to veto the bill.

There is bipartisan support for expansion in both houses, but at the moment, we can only be sure of a veto-proof margin in the Senate.

President Bush led his Thursday press conference and Saturday radio address with misinformation about the bill, in an attempt to give political cover to House members who may risk their seats to sustain a veto. Regular reades know this misinformation has been peddled by the White House and others in the conservative movement all summer, but the effort has failed to turn the public against the bill. And last week, key Republican senators debunked Bush as well.

The dishonesty of Bush was evident in his radio address, when he said, “The American people expect their elected leaders in Washington to work together by passing responsible bills in a timely manner.”

HL’s Take
Billions for killing and war, nothing for our owns childrens health care. Bush says he is being a conservative and saving money. So it’s ok to save money while our children get sick, but lets blow the bank account on killing and war, he is a disgusting human being.

You would think that a Senator who is running for re-election would take as much free TV face time as he could to get his message out to the voters. However, that is not the case with Pro-war Republicans who are running. They are refusing to go on MSNBC for interviews because they do not want to discuss the war that the overwhelming majority of Americans are against (see the post 2 up from this one to find out how high the actual number is. All Republicans care about is getting rich off war. It’s the only explanation.

Will Progressives Cave on Iraq Again?

After Downing St.org
Excerpt

All but 14 members of the House today voted billions more for occupying Iraq. The vote was on a Continuing Resolution that will extend fiscal year 2007 spending at the same levels for 7 weeks into fiscal year 2008. The bill also condemned MoveOn.org for accusing General Petraeus of betraying us. The No votes were: Blumenauer, Clay, Ellison, Filner, Frank (MA), Hinchey, Kucinich, Lee, McDermott, Paul, Payne, Waters, Watson, Woolsey.

Also today, the Congressional Progressive Caucus released a press release and a statement that differs from the letter that so many citizens are working so hard to help the Progressive Caucus add congress members’ signatures to (it’s now at 83). The letter, addressed to Bush, says this:

“We are writing to inform you that we will only support appropriating additional funds for U.S. military operations in Iraq during Fiscal Year 2008 and beyond for the protection and safe redeployment of all our troops out of Iraq before you leave office…”

Apparently this letter carries no force, and most of the congress members who signed it were lying.

HL’s Take
I notice that one name not on that very short list of Democrats who are not giving Bush everything he wants is my Representative Henry Waxman. Man has my opinion of him really gone downhill ever since that Interview I did with him a couple of months ago. Of course a name that is on the list is that of the person who should be the next President, Dennis Kucinich. While I am on the subject I read a story a couple of days ago from someone who had been called up at home by a Presidential poll. They asked him who he will vote for in the primaries, Hillary, Obama, Richardson, or Edwards. The guy said Kucinich, and they acted like they never heard of him. The poller was heard being coached to say that Kucinich was not one of the choices, so the guy didn’t vote. No wonder Kucinich and Gravel have no poll numbers, THEY ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE POLLS. Yet 17,000 people can cheer Kucinich at Soldier Field in Chicago during a debate while the rest of the candidates get no love at all. Kucinich will surprise them come Primary time. Don’t be afraid to vote for Dennis because you think he can’t win. He can win.

The Bush administration lied about a fake terror threat they conjured up to get congress (who once again fell for Bush’s lies without question) to temporarliy expand Bush’s powers under FISA. Now Bush wants those powers expanded permanently. Of course Congress can’t wait to bend over for the madman one more time.

US soldiers charged with murder over baiting of Iraqis

ABC.net.au
Excerpt
Three US soldiers have been charged with premeditated murder for engaging in a baiting practice allegedly ordered by the US military in Iraq.

Snipers were allegedly ordered to kill Iraqis who fell for the trap, in which ammunition and explosives were planted on the street.

The three soldiers facing court are also accused of planting weapons on the Iraqis they killed.

Defence lawyers and the soldiers’ families say the men were simply following orders.

The court martial, being held at a US army base in Baghdad, is unlikely to help the Pentagon’s efforts to win and the hearts and minds of war weary Iraqis.

HL’s Take
Win the hearts and minds of iraqi’s, yeah I’m sure that is what we are doing over there. The soldiers said they were just following orders. Hadn’t they heard of Abu Gharib? They were just following orders over there too. What about Nuremberg, had any of those soldiers heard of Hitler and WW2? Just one more reason not to join the military, they give you an order like that, then either you refuse and are charged with disobeying orders, (and possibly thrown in the brig) or you follow orders, and end up being charged with murder. Quite a choice.

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This is what happens when you have a bunch of yahoo mercenaries who are accountable to no one.

Too bad we don’t have more MSM reporters like Jack Cafferty, he actually tells it like it is. Bush is trying to bury in a bill an automatic pardon for any and all crimes committed. What crap. Check out the video

Hillary made a speech in New York yesterday. Here is a link to it and some comments. I’d be interested to hear yours.

“We Stand With Israel Now and Forever”

Excerpt
Remarks of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton at the “We Stand With Israel Now and Forever” Rally at the 92nd Street Y in New York City

As Delivered

Thank you very much, Mort. I would like to thank all of you here today for convening this important show of solidarity and support on behalf of Israel, the people of Israel, and freedom-loving people and democracies everywhere.

I would like to thank the Conference of Presidents, UJC—Israel Now and Forever, UJA, JCRC, the 92nd Street Y and those of you who are here with us at the Y and others who are with us throughout our country and, indeed, throughout the world.

You know, just one month ago I traveled to Israel in order to convey the support and solidarity that New Yorkers and Americans feel toward Israel—not just at this moment, but support we felt long before, and support that we will continue to feel in the future. I traveled to Israel to demonstrate that we stand with Israel now and forever.

Rudy Guiliani, Mitt Romney, Newt (I left my wife while she was dying of cancer so I could marry a younger woman) Gingrich, and Ron Paul, go on a pleasure cruise in Michigan

Here is an interesting article from Salon, that once again show how the Democrats are just a bunch of corporate puppets, just like Bush.

Former Clinton officials lobby for amnesty for FISA lawbreaking

Excerpt

Following up on Jim Risen’s NYT article this week reporting that Congressional Democrats appeared likely to agree to some form of retroactive immunity for telecom companies which illegally enabled the Bush administration’s warrantless eavesdropping on Americans (thus compelling dismissal most of the remaining lawsuits challenging the illegality of the eavesdropping), Newsweek’s Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball reported the same thing:

Congressional staffers said this week that some version of the proposal is likely to pass — in part because of a high-pressure lobbying campaign warning of dire consequences if the lawsuits proceed.

The Newsweek article sheds further light onto the reasons for its likely passage:
The nation’s biggest telecommunications companies, working closely with the White House, have mounted a secretive lobbying campaign to get Congress to quickly approve a measure wiping out all private lawsuits against them for assisting the U.S. intelligence community’s warrantless surveillance programs.

The campaign — which involves some of Washington’s most prominent lobbying and law firms — has taken on new urgency in recent weeks because of fears that a U.S. appellate court in San Francisco is poised to rule that the lawsuits should be allowed to proceed.

Bush has just assured the Democrats will win next November. How? By Predicting that Republicans will retain the Whitehouse. As we all know Bush is the disaster monkey. Everything he says and does ends up in stunning failure. So if he predicts a win, it’s an automatic loss. If You remember Bush was quite confident that the Republicans would win big in the 2006 midterm elections. Now without a hint of Irony he is doing it again.

President predicts GOP will keep control of White House after ‘tough race’ in 2008

SF Examiner
Excerpt
But Bush is convinced the junior senator from New York will then be defeated in the general election by the Republican nominee.

“I think our candidate can beat her, but it’s going to be a tough race,” the president predicted in an Oval Office interview. “I will work to see to it that a Republican wins and therefore don’t accept the premise that a Democrat will win. I truly think the Republicans will hold the White House.”

Current and former Bush advisers sounded less certain.

HL’s Take
Ahh it must be nice to have no conscience, or memory. Bush was so certain last time,

So he was really surprised at what happened next. We did a comic about it called Yes Madame Speaker Here is the flashback

Weller won’t seek new term

Chicago Tribune
ExcerptSpokesman denies link to ethics issues

Amid a growing list of questions about his Nicaraguan land dealings, his wife’s investments and his relationship to an indicted defense contractor, U.S. Rep. Jerry Weller (R-Ill.) announced Friday he will not seek another term.

The seven-term congressman whose district includes Joliet said he was calling it quits after 25 years in politics to spend more time with his wife, Guatemalan legislator Zury Rios de Weller, and their 1-year-old daughter. He made the announcement at a luncheon of the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce, which gave Weller its Spirit of Enterprise Award.

Weller also is among 13 House members subpoenaed to testify in the criminal case of a defense contractor accused of bribing then-Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-Calif.). They are fighting the subpoenas.

This guy had a camera mounted in the back seat of his car, maybe we should all do that. This video catches the cop going off on the driver and the aftermath, of Sgt. James Kuehnlein acting very unprofessionally.