Stop This War

MoveOn.org sent me notice about this video today. If you're tired of hearing the same lies over and over again, contact your congressmen and women and let them now that U.S. participation in the war in Iraq needs to come to an end. War cannot solve the problems in Iraq; it is merely putting off the inevitable and taking thousands of lives in the process. It's time to change course and bring U.S. troops back home to their families and friends.

Oh Happy Day!

I read this little ditty this morning and I must say it was a great way to start off my week :)

Haven't We Heard This Somewhere Before?

Well, he's at it again.

As reported yesterday by the New York Times, Dubyah is once again chanting an oldy, but a goody. Tuesday, Dubyah spoke at an air force base in Charleston, S.C. and was quoted as saying,

"The facts are that Al Qaeda terrorists killed Americans on 9/11, they’re fighting us in Iraq and across the world and they are plotting to kill Americans here at home again. Those who justify withdrawing our troops from Iraq by denying the threat of Al Qaeda in Iraq and its ties to Osama bin Laden ignore the clear consequences of such a retreat."

Do you notice how carefully this statement is worded? The way he mentions the fact that Al Qaeda was responsible for 9/11, then uses the pronoun "they" to group Al Qaeda and Iraqi insurgents together and then brings it all back together to say that it isn't just about fighting in Iraq, but about potential for disaster in the U.S. itself. (Also known as one of Dubyah's favorite tactics, politics of fear.)

Them there are some darn good speechwriters, but I ain't buyin' it.

Once again, Dubyah refers to mysterious, classified intelligence information that, of course, he can't share the specifics of with the rest of us, but BELIEVE HIM there's a connection. After all, he's the President of the United States - he wouldn't lie to us, would he?

According to the NYT, "Kevin Sullivan, the White House communications director, said the speech was devised as a “surge of facts” meant to rebut critics who say Mr. Bush is trying to rebuild support for the war by linking the Iraq group and the one led by Mr. bin Laden." Interesting language used here as well - "surge of facts," and "devised," - oh, how I love the English language!!

Basically, it sounds like the same old crap. Dubyah thinks he's right about staying the course in Iraq and no one is going to convince him otherwise. He's just going to keep coming up with reasons (lies) why he's right. Regardless of what the rest of us think, although, before he took office I was under the impression we were living in a democracy.

The point is, staying the course - no matter how many troops you add to the mix - is NOT working in Iraq. Whatever the reasons for preemptivingly striking Iraq, it was wrong, it's still wrong and while you may have taken out a dictator, Dubyah, you've now created a civil war.

I believe that no matter what we do there will continue to be bloodshed for years to come. However, keeping U.S. soldiers there is only putting off the inevitable. At some point, we will have to admit defeat; we will have to admit that we can do no more good; we will have to admit that our presence in Iraq is an exercise in futility.

At this point I don't really care what the reasons for entering into this catastrophe were or are or will be. I believe that the Bush Administration lies and they will continue to lie as long as they are in office. (January 2009 can't come soon enough!)

What I do care about is that another 50+ people were killed yesterday during what was a celebration of victory for the Iraq National soccer team and that another 130 were injured. I care that these suicide bombings are perceived as everyday occurrences that are basically unpreventable. What I care about is beginning a process that will eventually allow the people of Iraq to begin to heal and rebuild their lives. You can't do that while under military rule.

So I guess what I'm saying is, Dubyah can make all the speeches he wants - I don't think many of us are listening anymore.

Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha

I couldn't resist sharing this little news item. I heard it on the radio this afternoon on Weekend America. It's a short clip about how Dubyah's childhood home in Midland, Texas has been turned into a museum. It's been open for about a year now, and well, I won't spoil it for you. Just read it if you want a little laugh ;)

A National Call for Impeachment

Anyone who reads this blog with any frequency knows how I feel about the current administration occupying the White House. It's never been a secret.

So it should be of no surprise to you that I am joining my fellow Americans across this great nation today in calling for the impeachment of President George W. Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney.

And it's not just me. Congressman Dennis Kucinich already introduced Articles of Impeachment against Cheney on Tuesday, (Yes, he's from Ohio - Go Bucks!!), while state senators in Vermont passed a resolution for impeachment of both Cheney and Bush on April 20th.

While I realize that impeachment is a LONG process and even if they are impeached, but aren't convicted, it won't necessarily change the situation in Iraq or even curb this administration's blatant illegal activity at least it will leave a black mark on the two offenders in the history books.

We can't just let these two get away with breaking the law in the name of national security. We must take a stand to let future administrations know that we will not tolerate a perpetual state of war against an unidentified enemy. We must take back the civil liberties that are being taken away from us and send the message that even the President of the United States is not above the law.

My Political Voice is Back

In my desire to celebrate all things Christmas - ie count my blessings, be grateful for the little things, yadda yadda yadda - I feel as though I may have lost my edge; Become a bit saccharine if you will.

Well, have no fear. While I may not have been blogging about it, I haven't been blind, deaf and dumb to the monotonous propaganda coming out of the Bush Administration. No, even when Dubyah's on vacation, which he is an awful lot, the sludge just keeps flowing.

No, I've been watching. I've been swearing at the TV. (Just ask my four year old) I almost threw up when I saw Cheney over and over again at former President Gerald Ford's funeral looking sullen, as if he actually had a heart and cared about another human being. And it didn't help that PBS ran a previously-aired Frontline about how Cheney and Rumsfeld maneuvered and schemed and conspired to send us into Iraq by cooking intelligence or just plain repeating, over and over and over again, intelligence reports they already knew to be false. If my two year old hadn't been sleeping on me at the time I probably would have exploded in a rage and possibly thrown something at the TV!

But there has been some good news, too. Yes, I did a Happy Dance when Bob Woodward came out with some unkind words from former President Ford regarding the mishandling of Iraq by none other than two of his former colleagues - Don (Rumsfeld) & Dick (Cheney). Yes, I enjoyed reading that Ford believed that the Bush Administration made a "big mistake" in invading Iraq.

About Cheney, who was Ford's White House chief-of-staff, Ford said, "I think Cheney has become much more pugnacious," as VP and told Woodward that he agreed with Colin Powell when he previously stated that Cheney had developed a "fever" about Iraq and the War on Terror.

So I guess it's not just me. I mean, a former Republican President, a majority of the American people, not to mention the international community at large, and me - We can't all be wrong!!! Which brings me to the other good news of the day . . .

Today, U.S. Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) took hold of the gavel as the first woman to be elected as Speaker of the House. Yes, that's right. I know it sounds crazy, but it's 2007 and finally we have a female Speaker of the House. What's most notable here though is that there is now a female standing third in line to the Presidency of the United States of America. Of course, it is a rare circumstance that the line of succession is necessary, but, hey, it was good enough for Gerald Ford, right?

So like the Ying and the Yang, we must take the good with the bad. Since 2001 there's been a lot of bad (at least coming out of Washington, D.C.), but it looks like a new day is dawning. Let's just hope that Pelosi and her comrades can follow through on their promises of raising the federal minimum wage, fixing the Medicare prescription drug plan by negotiating directly with drug companies for lower prices for Medicare patients, loosening the grip of lobbyists and their influence on legislation, cut student loan interest rates in half, put all recommendations by the 911 Commission into practice, broaden stem cell research allowed using federal funds - and that's just the agenda for Pelosi's first 100 hours.

Now, if only she would put impeachment back on the table . . .



P.S. We have a daily calendar of "Bushisms" which is pretty hilarious (even though it's only been four days!) And I must share this doozy from yesterday uttered by Dubyah in September of 2002: "We need an energy bill that encourages consumption."
It's OK to laugh . . . I encourage it. It helps release the rage.

Day Nineteen: Happy Birthday to Me!!!

Courtesy of NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day

Amazing isn't it?

NASA has this great thing on their website, the "Astronomy Picture of the Day," and this is today's photo. The image portrays a cluster of the brightest stars found in space - quite appropriate for my birthday, don't you think? - with new stars forming in the orangish-red gas to the left. Burning bright while witnessing the birth of something new; Quite poetic, I think.

It's been a wonderful day. It started off with kisses and hugs this morning before I was even out of bed from my three boys. I had e-cards waiting for me in my mailbox and an email from Cheryl titled "Bush Bumper Stickers." Totally made me laugh and I must share a few of my favorites here:

That's OK I Wasn't Using My Civil Liberties Anyway

Bush. Like a Rock. Only Dumber.

America: One Nation, Under Surveillance

Cheney/Satan '08

Jail to the Chief

Bush: God's Way of Proving Intelligent Design is Full of Crap

Bush Doesn't Care About White People Either

What Part of "Bush Lied" Don't You Understand?

2004: Embarrassed; 2005: Horrified; 2006: Terrified

At Least Nixon Resigned

Today I am also grateful for:

• My husband who regularly uses words like "megalomaniac"
• My four year old's preschool holiday show. It was adorable. Lots of music, some crying (not from my son thank goodness) and so much cuteness I thought my heart might burst right there in the school cafeteria/auditorium
• Hebert's Candy Mansion which I visited today and bought some sinfully delicious white chocolate
• My sister Julie who sent me a link to the song "Happy Birthday" by New Kids on the Block (before they tried to go street and became NKOTB). My older son decided it was the perfect song to slow dance with his mother to and, again, my heart was near bursting. Then at the end of the song he cupped my face in his hands and said with one of the most endearing smiles I've ever seen, "I love you, Mommy."
• My family who came over tonight to share in a plate of spaghetti and meat sauce and some good old birthday cake.
• My husband - again - for making such a delicious meal and for doing the dishes afterward and for making this such a wonderful birthday day.

Yes, I am one of the lucky ones and it's days like these that make me wonder how I got so lucky :)

Day Seven: Pretending to Be a Porsche

It was a rather quiet day today. Nothing special to report, but of course I must fulfill my daily recognition of gratitude - so here goes.

First of all, I'm thankful that I wasn't the woman driving the grey Nissan something or other (my husband would be so disappointed that I didn't get the make and model) when the woman in the grey minivan backed out of her parking space either, a.) without looking or b.) just not noticing said Nissan in the Toys R Us parking lot. Instead, I had a front row seat as I came out of the store and the minivan backed right into the Nissan - the plastic bumper on metal door (taking with it some nice paint) made me and the other half dozen or so people in the parking lot cringe. I'm glad I wasn't that woman in the Nissan or the one driving for that matter.

I'm also grateful that three days ago I had hardly done any Christmas shopping and now all I have left is to shop for a few adults and I'm done!! That's right. A couple of power shopping trips and I am nearly finished. And what I do have left to buy I already know what I want to get - so easy peasey.

I got a chance to talk to my sister today - the one who lives far away in Florida. She sounded lonely and said she was missing home. Oops, I wasn't supposed to tell anyone that :) But who wouldn't miss home at this time of year? After all, she was telling me it was like 80 degrees there today - not exactly Christmas-like weather. I wish she could come visit. Christmas is great around these parts and with every passing day I get more and more excited. Maybe that will be my Christmas wish for 2007.

I also got to talk to Ms. Kookabura tonight. It had been a while and it was so great just to hear her voice (even though she is getting a bit of a cross between a Midwest/New England/Canadian accent going. She'll kill me for even insinuating such a thing, but it's true, Cherlito!!) Her dad is doing much better after his heart attack and has begun his recovery with a bang - no more smoking and he's giving up the junk food; It was vegetable something for dinner last night. I was paying attention mind you, but I have no idea what the dish entailed seeing as how my favorite foods are Mac 'n Cheese (from the box) and french fries. He said it was all right though, so maybe I should change my own poor menu choices . . . Nah! Who am I kidding? But it's good news for her dad :)

I'm also grateful for the time my four year old and I got to play together while my little one was taking his afternoon nap. We played "Cars" - yes that's pretend play based on the Disney movie "Cars." I was assigned the role of Sally, the electric blue Porsche who is also the female lead and I probably got the part simply because I'm a girl, too.

Anyway, we're playing and pretending when the subject changes to villains. My four year old picks up another action figure (something I believe he got in a McDonald's Happy Meal) and tells me that this villain is the most evil villain ever. He tells me that this guy is the worst villain in the universe and that he's even meaner than, gulp, GEORGE BUSH!!!

No!! Anything but that!!!

So not only am I grateful for playtime, but for yet another confirmation that my kids actually listen to me and they are quite possibly the smartest kids on the planet :)

One More Reason Why I Hate Walmart & Other Random Topics

It's Thursday . . . so here we go!

• I've never hidden my distaste for all things Walmart. And while surfing the blogosphere yesterday with Blogmad I stumbled upon this interesting fact. (I was so intrigued by the fact that I went straight to Wikipedia and forgot to take note of the blogger who tipped me off and I apologize. Thank you whoever you are!)
  Today's reason for hating Walmart is:
  "In the 2004 US Presidential election 76% of voters who shopped at Wal-Mart once a week voted for George W. Bush while only 23% voted for John Kerry. By contrast 80% of voters who never shopped there voted for Kerry with 18% voting for Bush." -- Wikipedia


• Ms. Kookaburra, aka Cheryl/Cherlito, posted this link on her blog and it's sweet. Check it out. It's a great victory song for the recent political happenings in the U.S.


• Which brings me to this little diddy - I watched Dubyah's press conference yesterday and I must say I was surprised by many aspects of it. First of all, I thought that King George looked a little tired, a little worn out, a bit pale even? What I mean to say is he wasn't standing up there behind his podium with his chest all puffed out and his arrogance was almost non-existence for a change. And I found it refreshing. (No worries. I'm not going soft on the guy. I still think he's a criminal. It was just a nice change and I found myself yelling less than usual at the tv and I wasn't even nauseous while listening to his voice.)
  
  Second, I was ecstatic to hear of Don Rumsfeld's resignation. Rummy, as I so fondly refer to him, is a disgrace and at times I've wondered if he is even human. Having sanctioned the torture of thousands of military detainees, then thrown his soldiers and their superiors to the wolves in order to cover his own ass; having started this illegal, heinous war in Iraq probably because he didn't get the job done the first time with King George's father - The only tears I shed upon hearing about his leaving the Pentagon were tears of joy. (Of course, his replacement, former CIA Director Robert Gates, isn't going to be much better considering he is a close personal friend of Dubyah's daddy and let's not forget about his involvement with the Iran Contra scandal.) But a change is a change and maybe with some new leadership both at the Pentagon and in Congress things will begin to change in Iraq - by that I mean maybe the military can begin to devise a plan for drawing down the troops and bringing them home.



Third, and probably my most favorite, just when I thought my day couldn't get any better. Around 9:30 p.m. a crawler came across the bottom of my tv screen to announce that this particular station was ready to declare Democrat Jim Webb the winner of Virginia's Senate race, giving the Dems a clean sweep in their fight to control both the House and the Senate. I checked several other stations upon reading this wonderful news and yes, it was true! I think I'm still beaming!!!

Have a great Thursday everybody!

Today's the BIG Day!!!

At approximately 7:13 a.m. this morning I voted. And it was empowering. It felt good. It made me feel like I was fulfilling a responsibility - a BIG responsibility. And when I walked out of the polling station, on the way to my car I could be heard saying, "Take that bitches!" (Yes, you can infer I was speaking of Republicans. I voted Democrat all the way and I'm proud to say it.)

This is a chance for change my fellow registered voters. There are no good excuses for not voting today. This is too important. And I call upon Democrats, Independents and those who are undecided especially. Republicans are notorious for their ability to motivate their constituents to hit the polls, so if you don't want to see this election decided by Republicans simply because they managed to get more bodies to vote - GET OFF YOUR ASS AND GO VOTE!!!

And if you're still not convinced that it matters who is sitting in those seats in Congress. If you don't think it's a big deal that a Republican controlled Congress and a Republican President are a formula for disaster, check out this interesting list put together by Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) - and you know I wouldn't praise anyone from Michigan (being a Ohio State fan and all) if it wasn't good - I got this in my email box yesterday:

"A President Hand-picked by Katherine Harris and the Supreme Court

Misleading a Nation into War. Outing an undercover CIA operative.

Smearing a Vietnam Veteran Senator who lost his limbs in combat.

No bid contracts.

Swiftboating.

Another Presidential Election Decided by Unanswered irregularities.

Terri Schiavo.

New Orleans.

Jack Abramoff.

Cronyism.

Releasing nuclear secrets on the web.
Abuse of Power.

Nancy, what is the Bush Administration going to do next? The only way to restore checks and balances is by electing a Democratic Congress. Here is what you can do to help:

First, Vote.

Second, make sure everyone in your family and your friends vote. Call them now."


I can't stress it enough. This is important. In fact, the stakes went up today when I was alerted to this little proposal put forth by the Dept. of Homeland Security. (Thank you to MySpace's Impeach Dubya for posting it.)

Here is an excerpt:

"We're All Prisoners, Now: US Citizens to be Required ''Clearance'' to Leave USA

October 26, 2006 Forget no-fly lists. If Uncle Sam gets its way, beginning on Jan. 14,2007, we'll all be on no-fly lists, unless the government gives us permission to leave-or re-enter-the United States.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (HSA) has proposed that all airlines, cruise lines-even fishing boats-be required to obtain clearance for each passenger they propose taking into or out of the United States.

It doesn't matter if you have a U.S. Passport - a "travel document"that now, absent a court order to the contrary, gives you a virtually unqualified right to enter or leave the United States, any time you want. When the DHS system comes into effect next January, if the agency says "no" to a clearance request, or doesn't answer the request at all, you won't be permitted to enter-or leave-the United States.

Consider what might happen if you're a U.S. passport holder on assignment in a country like Saudi Arabia. Your visa is about to expire, so you board your flight back to the United States. But wait!You can't get on, because you don't have permission from the HSA. Saudi immigration officials are on hand to escort you to a squalid detention center, where you and others who are now effectively"stateless persons" are detained, potentially indefinitely, until their immigration status is sorted out."

The Full Story Here

So I'll say it one more time and then I'll shut up. Today is the day - GO VOTE!!!

More Randomness

Since I have nothing in particular to go on and on about today, I thought I would post a couple of GREAT links for you to check out.

This one is a trailer from a documentary entitled "Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers." The film is a commentary on the private contractors and corporations (like Haliburton KBR and Blackwater) who were hired by the U.S. military to "aid" them in their reconstruction efforts in Iraq. The film, according to its website, "uncovers the connections between private corporations making a killing in Iraq and the decision makers who allow them to do so."

This is a topic that needs exploring. While many of us are focused, and rightly so, on ending the occupation in Iraq that has now spurned a civil war and bringing U.S. soldiers back home - this topic demands our attention as well. When the military does come home, when the suicide bombs and roadside attacks have stopped the people of the United States need to start asking questions regarding where their tax money went and why. Haliburton, a company of which V.P. Cheney is a former CEO, has already been under investigation for fraud in the overcharging and double-billing of the U.S. government for its services. And yet, still Haliburton gets the government contracts and still collects checks from our federal government.

Essentially, the U.S. military has "outsourced" much of what it does in times of war, ie assist in the building of roads, reorganizing and providing new routes for electricity and water for the citizens of Iraq, security for convoys moving about the country, so now they are paying a private contractor to do that work and in so doing profit from this war. Not only do I find it repulsive that war is being seen as a moneymaker, but the fact is that many of these private citizens have not been properly trained or given military quality equipment to defend themselves while working on the front lines of this armed conflict is sickening.

Just another example of American politics and government being driven by the almighty dollar instead of the health and welfare of the citizens of this country.
This film isn't backed by any corporate funding or advertising, so the only way people find out about it is through word of mouth. Check out the trailer and let me know what you think:





The other thing I want everyone to check out is over at Wallpaper of My Mind. Misha put together a very comprehensive (and humorous) list of the top 10 reasons why she thinks Bush should be re-elected if he were running again in 2008. Don't be nervous. I have not by any means changed sides - this list speaks volumes for me. It's not to be missed :)