The Wingnut Faux Outrage Machine is in full spin-cycle over Pete Starks remarks on the floor of the house about Preznit Dickhead. Congressman Stark:

"I'm just amazed that the Republicans are worried that we can't pay for insuring an additional 10 million children," he said. "They sure don’t care about finding $200 billion to fight the illegal war in Iraq. Where are you going to get that money? You are going to tell us lies like you're telling us today? Is that how you're going to fund the war? You don't have money to fund the war or children, but you're going to spend it to blow up innocent people if we can get enough kids to grow old enough for you to send to Iraq to get their heads blown off for the President's amusement."

Yuck it up, assholes. We remember what we voted for last November, don't expect to keep those jobs if things are still looking like this a year from now.

It just would not be such a bitter pill to swallow if the DLC-driven Leadership of both chambers were more willing to challenge the 1600 Crew on other matters.

I think the number is something between 70 to 80% or Americans favored passage of this bill, and the overriding of like the fourth veto excercised by the Wrecks-All Wrangler.

The spineless leadership of Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer and Harry Reid has to end in January, 2009. Or no matter who wins the White House, the Republic might be finished. Because damn the consequences, they'll get to keep their healthcare, perks and little niceities of being "public servants" and fat lobbying jobs once they're gone.

Dodd has put a "hold" on the telecom immunity bill. Geez, I have to wonder whether or not he's on Jay Rockefellers Christmas Card list now? I have to figure that Dodd's move is part political calculation, what with that on-going run for Preznit and I hope perhaps part a love for the Constitution. Most of all, he did what he said he'd do, and with politicians in this day and age, perhaps that ought to count for something (especially Democratic Pols). From his campaign website.

The Military Commissions Act. Warrantless wiretapping. Shredding of Habeas Corpus. Torture. Extraordinary Rendition. Secret Prisons.

No more.

I have decided to place a "hold" on the latest FISA bill that would have included amnesty for telecommunications companies that enabled the President's assault on the Constitution by illegally providing personal information on their customers without judicial authorization.

I said that I would do everything I could to stop this bill from passing, and I have.

It's about delivering results -- and as I've said before, the FIRST thing I will do after being sworn into office is restore the Constitution. But we shouldn't have to wait until then to prevent the further erosion of our country's most treasured document. That's why I am stopping this bill today.

It will be interesting to see in the next Democratic debate installment Obama and Hillary explain whay they could not have done what Dodd has done, after all they had an equal opportunity to show that the rule of law is more important than the telecom lobbyist dollars. I guess that their empty rhetoric met the road when it came to showtime, didn't it?

Chris Dodd, today you're my hero.

After this there is no Senator or House Member who voted for this that I will support. Ever again. I urge everyone with a blog, a voice, a vote everywhere to KICK THE MISERABLE LOW-DOWN UNAMERICAN PONDSCUM OUT!

Our "Elected Representatives" just caved AGAIN to Preznit 24% and gave him the immunity for his partners in crime and CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTORS by agreeing to grant them IMMUNITY for their clear violations of the FOURTH AMENDMENT TO THE US CONSTITUTION fucking RETROACTIVELY. WHAT AMENDMENT?

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

I'm gonna be sick.

Senate Democrats and Republicans reached agreement with the Bush administration yesterday on the terms of new legislation to control the federal government's domestic surveillance program, which includes a highly controversial grant of legal immunity to telecommunications companies that have assisted the program, according to congressional sources.
...
...It will include full immunity for those companies that can demonstrate to a court that they acted pursuant to a legal directive in helping the government with surveillance in the United States.

Such a demonstration, which the bill says could be made in secret, would wipe out a series of pending lawsuits alleging violations of privacy rights by telecommunications companies that provided telephone records, summaries of e-mail traffic and other information to the government after Sept. 11, 2001, without receiving court warrants. Bush had repeatedly threatened to veto any legislation that lacked this provision.

The sun that beamed through the windows of the US Capitol after Watergate has seemingly gone down, and there seems to be no set time for it to rise again.

Remind me again about that Oath to "Support and Defend the Constitution from All Enemies, Foreign and Domestic".

And I don't apologize for shouting either.

Ah, the republican christo-fascist sex and money machine is slowly running off its' tracks... Ted Haggard, Mark Foley, Senator Wide-Stance, Bob Ney ... the list just gets longer every day. Okay, lets add another one...

Richard Roberts said he will step aside temporarily as president of Oral Roberts University as the school fights a wrongful termination lawsuit by three former professors who accuse Roberts and his wife of misconduct.
...
The lawsuit, filed earlier this month, contends the professors lost their jobs at the Tulsa, Oklahoma, university after reporting information indicating that Roberts and his family lavishly spent school money for personal expenses.

During an interview last week on CNN's "Larry King Live," Richard Roberts had said he would not seek a leave of absence.

"I've not done anything for which I should have to step aside," he said.

What kind of money-changer-in-the-Temple kinds of activities are they being accused of?

Other allegations listed in the lawsuit include:

• Lindsay Roberts spent more than $51,000 on clothes and told university employees to cover up the costs.

• Lindsay Roberts' Lexus SUV and Mercedes-Benz convertible were provided for the university's use by donors, who also pay the insurance costs.

• Cell phone bills for Lindsay Roberts and her three daughters run more than $800 each month.

• Richard Roberts books speaking engagements in cities his daughters wish to visit, and then charges all travel expenses to the university.

The lawsuit was amended recently to accuse the school of giving a "convicted sexual deviant unrestricted access to students" and of shredding evidence three days after the suit was first filed.

It also alleges that Lindsay Roberts has repeatedly spent time alone with an "underage male" in various situations, including in her car at night after a citywide curfew, and in the ORU guest house at night "on nine separate occasions." The suit does not cite sexual behavior.

Ah, the modern republican party, the party of ideas about well, sex and how to make it into a party.

Watched the Matt L. and Larry C. interview on teevee tonight, and thought it was going to be a yawn fest, and I was right until it got past Matt Lauer's big build up. There's a little inconsistency in the Larry Craig Story, I think and it's not the one that showed up on Countdown (although that one's pretty good too...).

Check it out, follow the bolding, first from the MSNBC interview:

Larry Craig: I wasn't sure. And I got outside. And I said, "What's going on?" He says, "You're under arrest for solicitation." I said, "What?" He said, "You come with me." And I said, "I've got an airplane to catch. I've done nothing wrong." About that time, he grabbed my arm … another officer came up and grabbed my arm. And they said, "if you don't behave, you're going to be handcuffed and taken to jail."
Matt Lauer: Because according to this undercover officer you followed, whether on purpose or coincidentally, a very well established sequence--
Larry Craig: Yeah.
Matt Lauer: --of motions, well established by members of the gay community to solicit sex in public places.
Larry Craig: So I've found in the last month.

Investigative Sgt. Dave Karsnia #4211 and Detective Noel Nelson of the Minneapolis Police Department intert 1162

(NN) INTERVIEW WITH Larry Craig (LC) Case 07002008

Larry Craig: Am I gonna have to fight you in court?

Dave Karsnia: No. No. I'm not gonna go to court unless you want me there.

LC: Cause I don't want to be in court either.

DK: Ok. I don't either.

(inaudible) DK: Urn, here's the way it works, urn, you'll you'll be released today, okay.

LC: Okay.

DK: All right. I, I know I can bring you to jail, but that's not my goal here, okay? (inaudible)

LC: Don't do that. You You

DK: I'm not going to bring you to jail

LC: You solicited me.

DK: Okay. We're going to get, We're going to get into that. (inaudible)

LC: Okay.

DK: But there's the, there there's two ways, yes. You can, you can, ah, you can go to court.

You can plead guilty.

LC: Yep.

DK: There'll be a fine. You won't have to explain anything. (inaudible) I know.

LC: Right.

Lauer almost got to the question about knowing what solicitation was, but missed it to lob a few other softballs over the plate in Rehab Larry 101.

Olbermann's point about Ol' Wide Stance claiming not to know much about the intertubes and such also bear (no pun intended) little weight when he sits on congressional committees dealing with the Net and writes editorials where he tries to gain credibility by mentioning he knows how to do Google Searches for stuff. He's so dumb there's probably a Google record linked somewhere to his IP address (yes, I believe they can find searches by IP address at Google World HQ) looking for "Hot times in Airport Hot Spots", and not the kind that offer free, anonymous internet access either.

Either way, it's going to be interesting to see what becomes of Larry after he finally is pulled kicking and screaming away from the Senate next year (or sooner). I have to wonder what will become of his 25 year marriage, if that lady next to him will continue to support his fabrications and just live her life in the same way or if there will be another outcome.

The saddest part is the way that Larry Craig has chosen to demonize other human beings, his Karma is catching up with him. His stances on prisoner rights is abominable (he supported speeding up the appeals process for Death Row prisoners), his votes to place confessions and the words of lying police and prosecutors above those of citizens falsely accused and his votes on Gay Rights are coming back to him now. How do you like what you see in the mirror now, Senator?

Oh, and is the cop a liar? I would have say that perhaps Larry Craig

...is probably even a nasty, bad, naughty boy.

You have to love this country sometimes, especially the crooks running the show...no, really. When a retired Air Force Officer, who needs a paycheck while waiting to be confirmed as an assistant secretary for acquisition gets one from a defense contractor for doing absolutely nothing, you gotta wonder.

While waiting to be confirmed by the White House for a top civilian post at the Air Force last year, Charles D. Riechers was out of work and wanted a paycheck. So the Air Force helped arrange a job through an intelligence contractor that required him to do no work for the company, according to documents and interviews.

For two months, Riechers held the title of senior technical adviser and received about $13,400 a month at Commonwealth Research Institute, or CRI, a nonprofit firm in Johnstown, Pa., according to his resume. But during that time he actually worked for Sue C. Payton, assistant Air Force secretary for acquisition, on projects that had nothing to do with CRI, he said.

Riechers said in an interview that his interactions with Commonwealth Research were limited largely to a Christmas party, where he said he met company officials for the first time.

"I really didn't do anything for CRI," said Riechers, now principal deputy assistant secretary for acquisition. "I got a paycheck from them." my emphasis

Does anyone else see the problem here, or is it just me? And does anyone want to bet that Mr. Riechers probably truly believes in the Reagan Welfare Queen and her Cadillac?

1. Pete Stark was right
   
2. S-CHIP Failure
   
3. Doddmania!
   
4. KICK! the M*****Effers out!
   
5. Because when it rains, it pours...
   
6. Our Boy Larry or "O What tangled webs we weave..."
   
7. Wingnut Welfare, Great work when you can get it