Tops for Thompson

Fred Thompson announced today that Vice Presidential daughter Liz Cheney -- no, not the gay one, silly! -- and former Senator George Allen (R-VA) would take the roles of co-chairs of his campaign. I don't know much about Cheney other than she's (presumably) not gay and has worked for the Bush Administration. Allen, of course, is the racist of 2006 election "macaca" fame.

Cheney and Allen immediately took the reins of power by announcing that they'd be fielding press questions after tomorrow night's Republican debate... then later announcing that no, in fact, they would not. Really, though, would you want Allen speaking for you?

Nice work, Fred!

8 October 2007

Appendix: We Love You, Baby!

After decades of believing that the appendix is a useless organ, a study has revealed that it may not be so useless after all. From the AP:

Some scientists think they have figured out the real job of the troublesome and seemingly useless appendix: It produces and protects good germs for your gut.

That's the theory from surgeons and immunologists at Duke University Medical School, published online in a scientific journal this week.

...

The function of the appendix seems related to the massive amount of bacteria populating the human digestive system, according to the study in the Journal of Theoretical Biology. There are more bacteria than human cells in the typical body. Most of it is good and helps digest food.

But sometimes the flora of bacteria in the intestines die or are purged. Diseases such as cholera or amoebic dysentery would clear the gut of useful bacteria. The appendix's job is to reboot the digestive system in that case.

The appendix “acts as a good safe house for bacteria,” said Duke surgery professor Bill Parker, a study co-author. Its location - just below the normal one-way flow of food and germs in the large intestine in a sort of gut cul-de-sac - helps support the theory, he said.

I absolutely love that we are still learning stuff like this!

8 October 2007

Surge.... Ding!

Stick a fork in the surge, it's officially done. The Washington Post is reporting that the Iraqi government has officially declared that their government can't get past the sectarian differences within the body itself. As the Post puts it: Iraqi leaders argue that sectarian animosity is entrenched in the structure of their government.

Summing up the state of the surge is TPM:

In other words, the strategic goal of the Surge -- creating the breathing room for political reconcilation -- is one the Iraqi government no longer appears to believe is either credible or realistic. So what we've signed on for is being the permanent armed mediator in the Iraqi domestic quarrel, or perhaps protracted divorce.

8 October 2007

Gutless Democrats

Congressional Democrats are such a disappointment. They are a bunch of spineless, politics-only wusses. Yes, they may be better for the country than their Republican counterparts, but that is like saying that it is better to drown than to burn to death. Either way, you are six feet under and screwed.

First, from Paul Kiel at TPM:

"The scandal at the Department of Justice has gone on long enough," said Rep. Rahm Emmanuel (D-IL) back in March. "Careers have been destroyed and legitimate public corruption cases have been derailed. It is time for accountability -- it is time for the truth."

Six months and several Department senior resignations later, it's a different time. The urgency is gone.

More than two months after the House Judiciary Committee passed contempt resolutions against White House chief of staff Josh Bolten and former counsel Harriet Miers for ignoring committee subpoenas, it's still unclear when, or if, Democrats will hold a vote on the full floor.

The leadership has indefinitely delayed taking up the issue. House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) told The Politico last month, “I don’t think anything is going to happen on that for a while,” and couldn't offer a range. Three weeks later, that hasn't changed.

And apparently scheduling concerns are not all that's at issue. A source familiar with the ongoing discussions told TPMmuckraker that getting the leadership to bring the contempt resolutions to the floor at all is an "uphill struggle."

An aide to the Democratic leadership, however, said that Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is "committed" to bringing the votes to the floor. When? That's unclear. "We are working with the judiciary committee, consulting with the leadership and will bring it to the floor when we are ready," the aide said.

As we outlined last month, the contempt resolutions against Miers and Bolten constitute just one piece of the stalled push by Democrats to get information from the White House about the U.S. attorney firings. But no other piece is so near a court clash with the White House, which has so far successfully stonewalled the committee's inquiries. The court battle itself is likely to last many months.

The issue, Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) has argued, goes right to the heart of Congress' oversight prerogatives. After Miers didn't even show up to claim executive privilege, Conyers asked, "Are Congressional subpoenas to be honored or are they optional?... If we do not enforce this subpoena, no one will ever have to come before the House Judiciary Committee again."

Second, again from Mr. Kiel at TPM:

Last month, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) had a simple message: the President's nominee for attorney general, Michael Mukasey, wasn't going anywhere until the administration finally handed over documents he'd long been seeking.

But now it appears that things are moving along, though it seems that the administration hasn't handed over anything.

Were I President Bush, I'd be laughing myself silly. Were I Vice President Cheney, I'd be pissing myself, doubled over with laughter.

3 October 2007

ENDA Redux

From the HRC:

Late last week, House leaders announced their decision to change the language of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) so that it only includes sexual orientation and not gender identity. These House leaders have said that they do not have enough votes to move forward with the original fully-inclusive bill.

We are profoundly disappointed by this move, and I want to explain our position and ask you to write your congress member today.

Since 2004, the Human Rights Campaign's policy has been to only support civil rights legislation that is inclusive of gender identity - a policy that was reaffirmed by our Board of Directors in a vote on Monday night.

That's why we fought tirelessly for - and won - Congressional approval for a hate crimes bill that includes gender identity, and have been working for years to pass an inclusive employment discrimination bill.

This year we ramped up our lobby presence on the Hill, helped coordinate broad coalition efforts, and deployed our field team to more than 40 key congressional districts to mobilize unprecedented support for an inclusive ENDA. We secured the active support of corporate America, with more than 50 major companies joining our Business Coalition for Workplace Fairness. Our Religion and Faith Program was instrumental as well, giving voice to thousands of faith leaders across the country. We secured supportive editorials from a record number of newspapers, and with your help we generated hundreds of thousands of constituent contacts to members of Congress, through emails, phone calls, postcards, and thousands of hand-written letters.

However, we're facing a stark reality. The House leadership and bill sponsors are moving forward with a non-inclusive ENDA - even without the full support of our community. They view this as the best opportunity this year to get a successful vote on legislation extending protections to the largest number of people.

I want you to know we made every possible effort to avoid having a non-inclusive bill introduced and we did succeed in helping convince Congressional leaders to delay action on the new bill until later this month.

We now have a window of opportunity to try and line up the votes we need to pass a fully-inclusive ENDA.

We've delivered HRC's message to Congress, but I'm asking you today to send your own message. Your Representative must understand that supporters of equality will not rest until rights are extended to everyone in the GLBT community.

This has been a long battle. HRC first started the quest for ENDA in 1994. We've been pushing for an inclusive bill since 2004. This month, ENDA could pass the U.S. House of Representatives for the first time in history.

I implore you to take action today and to forward this message to your family and friends. Working together, I am confident we can pass historic civil rights legislation.

HRC has established an easy-to-use form to allow citizens to vocalize their support to their Congressperson for the full ENDA bill. You can find it here.

3 October 2007

The Nation's Airwaves

In the recent past, there have been several incidents of large telecommunications companies blocking content either send user-to-user or from a third-party provider to an end user. For example, Verizon blocked text messages to its clients sent from the pro-choice group NARAL. The company later claimed it was a glitch and that all future messages would be passed through to the end users that had dealings with NARAL. Similarly, AT&T blocked out parts of a Pearl Jam concert sent to its video phones in which lead singer Eddie Vedder criticized President Bush. Again, a technical glitch was claimed.

Furthermore, as SavetheInternet.com notes:

Both Verizon and AT&T illegally handed over private customer phone records to the National Security Agency. The phone companies first denied it and then started a secret campaign with the White House to gain immunity from any lawsuits.

This pattern of abuse shows that powerful phone companies cannot be trusted to safeguard our basic freedoms. The democratic principles of free speech and open communication are too important to be entrusted to corporate gatekeepers. Whether it's liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican, pro-choice or pro-gun, the phone companies can't pick and choose what messages get through.

Censorship by AT&T and Verizon shows us what we can expect in a future where these network gatekeepers gain control over the free flow of information. Congress must reaffirm its commitment to free speech on the Internet, on cell phones, on our airwaves -- everywhere!

Now, in the main, private companies can censor materials at will, absent some contract that prohibits them form doing so. However, these telecommunications comanies operate using our air waves. The communications spectrum in this country belongs to the people of the United States. We have the right to set the rules under which these companies will operate and demand that free speech in the marketplace being upheld. SavetheInternet.com has an easy-to-use form that will enable you to let your Congressional delegation know that you want these companies held accountable in the arena of free speech.

2 October 2007

October Impeachment Reminder

In August, I called for the impeachment of both President Bush and Vice President Cheney. At that time, I asked you to join me in writing letters to several members of the House of Representatives. I noted that I would continue to send such letters until such time as my call was heeded or these men left office. I have made good on my claim by again sending my letters. This is simply a reminder in the hope that you will do the same. For information on the entire matter, as well as sample letters and recipient contact information, see my original blog post here.

2 October 2007