In a book to be published October 10th,titled “Soldier: The Life of Colin Powell,” by Karen DeYoung, it is revealed that former Secretary of State Colin Powell was axed by the Bush administration.

On Wednesday, November 10, 2004, eight days after the president he served was elected to a second term, Secretary of State Colin Powell received a telephone call from the White House at his State Department office. The caller was not President Bush but Chief of Staff Andrew Card, and he got right to the point.

“The president would like to make a change,” Card said, using a time-honored formulation that avoided the words “resign” or “fire.” He noted briskly that there had been some discussion of having Powell remain until after Iraqi elections scheduled for the end of January, but that the president had decided to take care of all Cabinet changes sooner rather than later. Bush wanted Powell’s resignation letter dated two days hence, on Friday, November 12, Card said, although the White House expected him to stay at the State Department until his successor was confirmed by the Senate.

Read more at Editor & Publisher

NO WORK. NO SCHOOL. PROTEST IN THE STREETS.

FROM WORLD CAN’T WAIT:

On October 5th people everywhere will walk out of school, take off work, and come to the downtowns & townsquares and set out from there, going through the streets and calling on many more to join us — making a powerful statement:

NO! THIS REGIME DOES NOT REPRESENT US!
AND WE WILL DRIVE IT OUT!

ENDORSERS OF THIS CALL:

James Abourezk, Aris Anagnos, Anti-Flag, Edward Asner, Russell Banks, Ed Begley Jr., Harry Belafonte, St. Clair Bourne, Gabriel Byrne, Margaret Cho, Ward Churchill, Kate Clinton, US Rep. John Conyers Jr., John Densmore, Jesse Diaz Jr., Ariel Dorfman, Tom Duane, Michael Eric Dyson, Steve Earle, Niles Eldredge, Daniel Ellsberg, Eve Ensler, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Jane Fonda, Michael Franti, reg e. gaines, Martin Garbus, Wavy Gravy, André Gregory, Paul Haggis, Sam Hamill, Suheir Hammad, Kathleen Hanna, Stephen Hays, Merle Hoffman, Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Mumia Abu-Jamal, Bill T. Jones, Rickie Lee Jones, Sarah Jones, Brig. Gen. (ret) Janis Karpinski, Casey Kasem, Ron Kovic, Jonathan Kozol, Jessica Lange, Lewis Lapham, Mark Leno, Rabbi Michael Lerner, George Lois, US Rep. Cynthia McKinney, Mark Crispin Miller, Tom Morello, Viggo Mortensen, US Rep. Major Owens, Ozomatli, Grace Paley, Harvey Pekar, Sean Penn, Jeremy Pikser, Harold Pinter, Frances Fox Piven, Michael Ratner, Boots Riley, Mark Ruffalo, US Rep. Bobby Rush, Susan Sarandon, James Schamus, Richard Serra, Rev. Al Sharpton, Cindy Sheehan, Martin Sheen, Gary Soto, Nancy Spero, Gloria Steinem, Lynne Stewart, Serj Tankian, Jonathan Tasini, Sunsara Taylor, Studs Terkel, Gore Vidal, Kurt Vonnegut, Alice Walker, Naomi Wallace, Lt. Ehren Watada, US Rep. Maxine Waters, Cornel West, Saul Williams, Krzysztof Wodiczko, Ann Wright, Howard Zinn, and thousands more.

WORLD CAN’T WAIT
LOCAL INFO & CONTACTS

This is the day we have all asked about.
WHY AREN’T PEOPLE IN THE STREETS?!
This is the day we take to the streets.

Satire? You decide… (but it is funny!)

MediaBloodHound
Sept. 29th, 2006

The Wounded-Courier:
Bush Pushes Bill to Abolish Democratic Party

Washington, DC - Fresh off his legislative triumph on detainee treatment, President Bush proposed a new bill today to make the Republican Party the sole political party in the country. Going forward, Bush said, the GOP would simply be known as the “American Party.” Addressing the press in the Rose Garden, the president urged Congress to pass the legislation as swiftly as possible, arguing “the war on terror is best fought with a united front” and that “terrorists are not hamstrung by an opposition party telling them they can-t do this or that, slowing -em down, so neither should we.”

In an effort to assuage critics who might see the bill as too dramatic and ill timed in an election year, Mr. Bush attempted to lessen concerns by making clear that, if passed, the law would be phased in gradually, not taking full effect until January 1, 2007. In the interim, Democrats, both those currently in Congress and any who manage to pick up new seats in November, will act in a clearly “advisory-only capacity” to members of the Republican Party until their roles as representatives of their constituents are completely null and voided come the new year. At such time, the Republican Party will then officially change its title to the American Party.

“It’s a new dawn in America,” Bush said. “One heart. One mind. Bound together in pursuit to triumph over evil and maintain our way of life.” The president added, “If the Democrats attempt to stand in the way of this legislation, it will only prove their refusal to face this deadly terrorist threat head-on. Americans cannot afford such cowardice. The constant second-guessing must end if we are to win this war. The two-party system, like the Geneva Conventions, are no longer applicable to deal with these blood-thirsty barbarians at the gate.”

The president then fielded a couple of questions from the press. David Gregory of NBC asked, “Sir, if this law were to go into effect, if we are to have only the American Party, as you say, how could we continue to refer to our country as a democracy?” The president, somewhat irritated by Gregory’s question, replied, “You know, I refer to our country as America. Uh, all these tags - Republican, Democrat, democracy, fascism…uh, all those isms, you know, I don-t worry about that. I-m only concerned about protecting the American people, David.” Gregory followed up by saying, “I-m not really sure if you-ve answered the question, Mr. President. So, for the record, you-re saying we no longer live in a democracy.” Bush shot back, “You know, you can ask that question all you want, David, but I gave you my answer.” Gregory muttered something inaudible, though it prompted Bush to go on the offensive, wagging his finger at Gregory and promising, “I will take you out.”

Appearing somewhat wary of following this exchange, Terry Moran of ABC inquired if the White House had uncovered any new information on missing veteran White House correspondent Helen Thomas (rumored to have last been seen conversing with Vice President Dick Cheney). “Ms. Thomas,” Bush said, and then sighed, “she is, uh, as far as I know, she has retired.” Moran replied, “Sir, it just seems a little odd that her own newspaper had not been notified by Helen about her retirement. Also, Dana Priest of the Washington Post had reported seeing Mr. Cheney pulling Ms. Thomas somewhat forcibly into the White House this past Tuesday.” Bush shook his head, saying, “As I said, Terry, Helen has retired. And, uh, I think how she decides to spend that retirement should be up to Helen. She has earned it.”

It’s unclear whether Democrats will risk a filibuster during the heated election season, even though such a law would mean a permanent end to their party and their life in public service. When pressed on this question, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) revealed only, “Of course, much is at stake here,” adding, “I can only say that we do stand united both against the terrorists and against the president’s preposterous new proposed legislation.” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-California) promised, “The Democratic Party will not be swayed by the president’s dime store reverse psychology. We will do what we can to stop this bill, just short of accomplishing anything. And I think it will be quite clear to the American people that we, as Democrats, are willing to risk our very extinction so that we may defeat the terrorists.”

John McCain (R-Arizona), the maverick senator who first opposed Bush’s interrogation bill before coming back into the fold to support the president, expressed some reservations about the new one-party idea. “I haven-t seen the legislation yet, so I-m going to reserve my judgment until then. But I do think our president deserves the benefit of the doubt during wartime. I look forward to addressing any concerns I may have about his new bill, before giving in to his demands.”

Later in the afternoon, President Bush addressed NEWB (Nazis Enthralled With Bush), a splinter group of REWN (Republicans Enthralled With Nazis), at a low-profile White House fundraiser. Opening the event, NEWB members presented Mr. Bush with a stress ball in the shape of a swastika, to which the appreciative president replied, “Thank you, and I welcome you all with a heartfelt, ‘Sieg heil!’”

Link

Pay MediaBloodHound a visit sometime. Great site with excellent writing!

Shirley offers fix for bad parenting

Sterilize irresponsible moms, dads, he says

BY BRIAN HICKS
POST AND COURIER, Charlston, SC
Saturday, September 30, 2006

Charleston City Councilman Larry Shirley says the robbery of a downtown video store - allegedly by a band of kids, including one too young to be charged - is a sure sign society has gone awry, and it’s time to start a “dialogue.”

And one of the things he says needs to be talked about is whether bad parents should be sterilized.

“What we’ve got is a failure in society, whether it’s in Mount Pleasant with yuppie parents or whether it’s on the East Side with poor crackhead parents,” Shirley said Friday. “We pick up stray animals and spay them. These mothers need to be spayed if they can’t take care of theirs. … Once they have a child and it’s running the streets, to let them continue to have children is totally unacceptable.” Deadbeat dads might ought to be sterilized as well, he said.

Wednesday night, police arrested a 14-year-old girl and 12-year-old boy in connection with a stickup at the Hollywood Video at East Bay and Calhoun streets.

A 9-year-old who was apparently involved was taken home to his mother by police, saying he was too young to charge.

Shirley, like many in the community, was aghast that someone could be turned loose for being too young to be charged with a crime, and that the parents of these kids had no idea what they were up to at 9 p.m. on a school night.

“It is a tragedy to bring a child into this world and subject them to the world in that video,” Shirley said, referring to a DVD found by police earlier this year that featured local residents flashing guns and drugs to the beat of gangsta rap.

If a child is too young to do time for a crime, his folks ought to do it, Shirley said.

This, Shirley says, is not about race. He said that the only difference between the East Side holdup and the Wando High School students who were charged with a string of robberies is that “Mount Pleasant parents have the money to get lawyers for their thugs.”

State Sen. Robert Ford, D-Charleston, says Shirley is correct, that this is a societal problem, but that the notion of sterilizing people is just “crazy.”

“What Larry Shirley needs to talk about is getting City Council to provide some recreational facilities and activities for these kids and creating an atmosphere conducive to a normal society,” said Ford, a former councilman.

“We’ve got all sorts of things for kids to do in my neighborhood in West Ashley. They need that downtown. But he’s upset that kids aren’t listening to their parents. So what’s new?”

Charleston police have made no new arrests in the video store robbery, and the kids detained for the holdup face a hearing Monday morning.

Police said Friday that it’s up to the Solicitor’s Office whether to call in social workers to investigate the home life of the 9-year-old sent home after the robbery.

Shirley said sometimes social services is part of the problem, making parents afraid to whip their kids when they need it. Ford says that’s the way it is supposed to work.

“Hasn’t he heard, ‘It takes a village’?”

Article link

Republicans on reproductive rights: No one has the right to choose… EXCEPT US!

David Wood, SUN reporter (BaltimoreSun.com), has written an article dealing with expert opinion that more troops being sent to Iraq is not the answer, and references Bob Woodward’s new book, ‘State of Denial‘. From this article:

More troops not solution to Iraq crisis, experts say

Woodward’s new book stirs debate on Bush administration’s handling of war

By David Wood
Sun Reporter
Originally published October 1, 2006

WASHINGTON // Renewed allegations that the White House and Pentagon blundered by not deploying sufficient troops in Iraq to deal with the aftermath of the 2003 invasion swarmed around the administration this weekend, stirred by publication of Bob Woodward’s new book, State of Denial.

More than four years of combat in Iraq have left 2,711 Americans dead and 20,568 wounded. Today, with the 147,000 American troops deployed there apparently unable to stem a widening and increasingly bloody sectarian war, the issues raised in Woodward’s book are adding fuel to a bitter election-year debate about the Bush administration’s conduct of the war.

But while the debate swirls, some hard-eyed military officers and analysts assessing the situation in Iraq conclude that it would be difficult and costly to scrape up enough troops to raise levels in Iraq significantly and that even raising troop levels now might not work.

“We keep confusing troop levels with the fact that there was no plan for stability operations, no commitment in terms of aid, no understanding of the political challenges,” said Anthony H. Cordesman, who is senior strategist at the nonpartisan Center for Strategic and International Studies and generally regarded as Washington’s senior independent analyst. “The critical mistake wasn’t one of troop levels, although I think if there had been a plan it would have called for significantly more troops and a longer troop presence.”

Full article here

Florida GOP scrambles to replace congressman

Sunday, October 01, 2006
Brendan Farrington
Associated Press

West Palm Beach, Fla. — Rep. Mark Foley’s resignation after the revelation that he exchanged raunchy electronic messages with a teenage boy, a former congressional page, is shaking the political landscape in Washington and Florida.

The 52-year-old Foley, a prominent Republican representing an area around Palm Beach County, apologized Friday for letting down his family and constituents. His resignation letter was read to the House late Friday afternoon, and hours later, Foley’s former colleagues engineered a vote to let the House ethics committee decide whether an investigation is needed.

In Florida, the news sent Republicans scrambling for a replacement candidate six weeks before the election, while the Democratic candidate, Tim Mahoney, found himself suddenly competitive in a district where Foley had been considered a shoo-in.

Florida Republicans planned to meet as soon as Monday to name a replacement in Foley’s district. Though Florida ballots have already been printed with Foley’s name and cannot be changed, any votes for Foley will count toward the party’s choice.

Though Florida ballots have already been printed with Foley’s name and cannot be changed, any votes for Foley will count toward the party’s choice. This doesn’t sound right. Is this SOP?

At the Capitol, Republicans spent the night trying to explain how this could have happened on their watch.

Among the explanations during the night:

The congressional sponsor of the page, Louisiana GOP Rep. Rodney Alexander, said he was asked by the youth’s parents not to pursue the matter, so he dropped it.

Alexander said that before deciding to end his involvement, he passed on what he knew to the chairman of the House Republican campaign organization, Rep. Thomas Reynolds, Republican of New York. Reynolds’ spokesman, Carl Forti, said the campaign chairman also took no action in deference to the parents’ wishes.

Rep. John Shimkus, Republican of Illinois and chairman of the Page Board that oversees the congressional work’study program for high schoolers, said that he did investigate but that Foley falsely assured him he was only mentoring the boy. Pages are high school students who attend classes under congressional supervision and work as messengers.

How could this have happened on their watch…? Come on! We’re talking Republicans here! A simple Google search will reveal the true Republican ethic.

Over the objection of House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California, majority Republicans engineered a vote to allow the House ethics panel to decide whether there should be an investigation.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert said Friday that he had asked Shimkus to investigate the page system. “We want to make sure that all our pages are safe and the page system is safe,” Hastert said.

So, to put themselves back on an ethical track, Republicans engineered a vote to sweep this matter under the rug. Well, they may not be ethical but at least they’re consistent!

ABC News reported Friday that Foley, who is single, also engaged in a series of sexually explicit instant messages with current and former pages, all male. In one message, ABC said, Foley wrote to one page, “Do I make you a little horny?”

In another message, Foley wrote, “You in your boxers, too? . . . Well, strip down and get relaxed.”

Foley, as chairman of the Missing and Exploited Children’s Caucus, had introduced legislation in July to protect children from exploitation by adults over the Internet. He also sponsored other legislation designed to protect minors from abuse and neglect.

“We track library books better than we do sexual predators,” Foley has said.

Full article here

Ah… there’s that Republican hypocrisy we’ve all come to know and love…

From CNN’s Man of War. Rumsfeld ….man without a plan!!

John Murtha on the Situation Roomwith Wolf Blitzer
The only thing that’s gonna change this Presidents stature is when he starts telling the truth.