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Please spread the word on this.
'[Obama] has treated us like adults throughout this primary, and it is time to act like adults.' - John Cole
by RichM on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 07:28:05 AM PDT
... that, thanks to everyone's favorite bipartisan,there won't be any investigations.
You call it Bush Derangement Syndrome; I call it sanity.
by RickMassimo on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 07:52:57 AM PDT
[ Parent ]
Or for that matter, another committee.
I am an Edwards Democrat.
by ThirstyGator on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 08:00:55 AM PDT
We need to bypass Lieberman, marginalize him, and stomp him into utter irrelevance.
What is the process for removing a committee chair? Can Harry Reid do this on his own? Does there need to be a vote?
And we need to get the word out about what Brown said. He could be this year's Alexander Butterfield.
JUST SAY NO TO HILLIEBERMAN!!! "The truth is there is something terribly wrong with this country, isn't there?" ---"V"---
by asskicking annie on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 08:47:51 AM PDT
Dems will not hold impeachment hearings while Bill is campaigning with Hillary.
by annefrank on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 09:08:49 AM PDT
I'm really sick of our Senate leadership acting as if the Senate were a fucking country club. The Senate is a forum for taking care of the People's business, and as far as I'm concerned if there is a "cub member" obstructing the People's business from getting done, priority should be on flattening that club member, not on protecting their precious fucking comity.
by asskicking annie on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 09:15:36 AM PDT
being pregnant has apparently affected my already dismal typing skills...
by asskicking annie on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 09:39:54 AM PDT
Also, I think there is something in the air. I'm not pregnant, but I've had a heck of a time with spelling errors recently.
Some days I don't know if I suffer from depression or if everything just sucks.
by The Gryffin on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 11:02:03 AM PDT
This is my second pregnancy in a thirteen month span, and I just turned 43, so I figure my hormone surges are screwing my brain up something fierece.
by asskicking annie on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 08:40:36 PM PDT
Kick em out of the cloak room. No Martinis for YOU!
by northcountry on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 10:49:41 AM PDT
... this comment from nolalily shows that Blanco is indeed going to look into this, links to an article in the Times-Picayune which says in part:
WASHINGTON -- Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco called on Congress Monday to create a bipartisan commission to investigate whether White House politics played a role in slowing the federal response to Hurricane Katrina. Blanco's request was prompted by comments from former FEMA Director Michael Brown, who told a university class last week that in the days after the 2005 hurricane, the Republican Bush administration plotted to upstage Blanco, a Democrat, by pressuring her to relinquish control of the Louisiana National Guard as troops were mounting rescue efforts and trying to restore order in the area.
WASHINGTON -- Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco called on Congress Monday to create a bipartisan commission to investigate whether White House politics played a role in slowing the federal response to Hurricane Katrina.
Blanco's request was prompted by comments from former FEMA Director Michael Brown, who told a university class last week that in the days after the 2005 hurricane, the Republican Bush administration plotted to upstage Blanco, a Democrat, by pressuring her to relinquish control of the Louisiana National Guard as troops were mounting rescue efforts and trying to restore order in the area.
None of this is surprising. It was clear from the start that Bush and Co. had no interest in saving New Orleans, and every interest in profiting from its destruction. They should be hung. And I'm against the death penalty. Bastards.
And Lieberman is despicable. He has no excuse whatsoever for his actions.
by Nightprowlkitty on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 11:19:46 AM PDT
... noticed you already linked to this via Crashing Vor's diary.
by Nightprowlkitty on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 11:26:47 AM PDT
that Mary Landrieu, Louisiana's senior senator, supported Lieberman's independent run in spite of Lieberman's soft-shoe act during Michael Brown's confirmation hearing. She needs a strong primary opponent to end her career in the Senate, or the Repugs will crush her in the general.
Landrieu is a fool and an unrepentent Bushbot, and no Democrat more richly deserves a humiliating primary defeat as much as she does.
by asskicking annie on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 12:53:32 PM PDT
by annefrank on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 12:58:04 PM PDT
Just give 'em all a job at Mickey D's, no car (take a bus), & house in the ninth ward. Their sentence will be up when they restore the house with their own money & labor.
Republicanus non carborundum
by azureblue on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 03:04:18 PM PDT
a "biparisan commission?" You would think she would insist on a congressional investigation by the relevant committee, with subpoena power - which would be bi-partisan.
"In this world of sin and sorrow there is always something to be thankful for; as for me, I rejoice that I am not a Republican." - H. L. Mencken
by SueDe on Wed Jan 24, 2007 at 04:20:30 AM PDT
True they are giving him a red carpet but without him as a dem or independent they go back to minority party. Seems to me he does kind of have them by the short hairs. I thought since we are the reality based community I would mention this unfortunate reality.
by Marshe on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 08:36:33 PM PDT
I'm sure the Dems will pay back JoeL. Bush is rapidly strengthening the Dems '08 position, and as soon as JoeL becomes "unnecessary" , the score will be settled.
by Stormwatcher on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 10:07:40 PM PDT
He's got the Dems by the balls only if they let him. the Dems stand to gain big in 2008 and if that punk motherfucker wants to go Repuke, he'll be utterly irrelevant in two short years.
In the meantime, every patriotic American should do all he or she can to humiliate and discredit this piece of human excrement. Maybe if we make his life miserable enough he'll resign and find a rock to crawl under.
by asskicking annie on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 11:01:30 PM PDT
Dig up some sound evidence of corruption or a moral scandal on Lieberman, I'd bet Reid would remove his chairman's seat quickly then. Given the way he's been playing with the GOP since the Clinton administration, I'd bet there's some corruption there waiting to be found.
by figleef on Wed Jan 24, 2007 at 06:47:19 AM PDT
justice. He did it with the 9/11 investigation too, and now he's doing it with Katrina. I'll say it again, Joe Lieberman is a traitor to the people of the United States. He needs to be arrested, tried, and given the most severe sentence.
..better that money be spent in the U.S. building windmills than squandered in the ME for Bush-McCain to tilt at them. -andydoubtless
by Hornito on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 11:45:23 AM PDT
And put all those documents into the sunlight that thousands died because of political gamesmanship AND Lieberman knew this, then we get a twofer.
I think we should put a heap of pressure on the house to do it's duty since it's apparent that the Senator's loyalty to each other and the fear of Lieberman flipping is greater than showing the White house was/is causing mass death and destruction abroad and doing nothing to relieve it at home all for political gain.
I wonder what the people of Connecticut would do if they knew a senator they had sent back to the senate because of promises he's now breaking was breaking those promises to cover up for MURDER.
Some people might not like the word MURDER or accessory to MURDER. But The R's are no stranger to drama and in my mind if the end result of inaction or action is the causation of the deaths of thousands and a duly appointed Senator that is head of a committee charged with uncovering this helps cover it up, he is an accessory. If Murder in the 2nd degree is too strong than go for Manslaughter.
Whatever the words used, make it strong enough and prove it so that the citizens of CT demand a recall Can a State Recall a senator?). There is nothing I would like better than to see him escorted out of those chambers. ( Can a senator be impeached? In short how do we get the fucker fired.)
As John Dean said, go after the enablers. This guy defines enabler.
Support Col Hackworth's because tomorrow is just a promise, not a guarantee
by Dburn on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 11:40:50 AM PDT
Henry Waxman to investigate the situation. Far more confident in his ability than I am in lieberman's zeal to investigate the people who put him back in office. lieberman not only won't look into it, he'd do a lousy job of it if he did look into it. He owes way too much to the publicans who financed his way back into the senate and to the WH in general. Waxman can do the job very nicely.
A learning experience is one of those things that says, 'You know that thing you just did? Don't do that.' Douglas Adams
by dougymi on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 01:14:06 PM PDT
even if Lieberman did make a sincere attempt to investigate this, he'd just fuck it up.
He's an empty suit, and his being returned to office over and over by CT voters (Lamont supporters not included in this, of course) is a grim comment on the people he represents.
Looking for intelligent energy policy alternatives? Try here.
by alizard on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 04:08:12 PM PDT
As I referenced above, Bush let the lower 9th ward drown with maliceaforethought. Greg Palast reveals on his website that the Army Corp of Engineers informed Bush of the the breeches in the levees, in fact showed the President PICTURES of the breeches, two days before the levees broke and the President did not inform FEMA, or the sate or anyone to exercise mandatory EVACUATIONS of the citizens of the Lower 9th Ward.
Here's some definition of "illegal killing":
UNLAWFUL or ILLEGAL KILLING (criminal homicide) of another * MURDER: with express [actual intent to kill the intended victim or any other person in the lethal action] or implied [death results from intent to cause serious, but not fatal, injury; or by an act creating great risk for others] MALICE or intent to kill or do harm 1. murder in the 1st degree o intent to kill: with deliberation and premeditation; or, o felony-murder, during dangerous felonies (such as armed robbery); or, o murder by poison, lying in wait, or torture 2. murder in the 2nd degree o killing with malice aforethought but without deliberation and premeditation o felony-murder during felonies which are not inherently dangerous 3. murder in the 3rd degree o killing in the heat of passion (and all other kinds of murder...such as depraved heart or depraved mind [action reflecting a wanton or willful disregard of the likelihood that the natural tendency of the defendant's act is to cause death or great bodily harm] shall be in the 3rd degree) * MANSLAUGHTER: without express or implied malice or intent to kill or do harm 1. Voluntary (intentional) o intentional killing, without malice, and under mitigating circumstances o requires adequate provocation of the accused o may include killing in the heat of passion, before defendant cooled off 2. Involuntary...may be modified with terms like "aggravated" o unintentional killing; during o commission of a dangerous, unlawful act; or o while doing a lawful act but with criminal negligence; or o as a result of failing to perform legal duty (which shows criminal negligence) * Negligent homicide or vehicular homicide * killing while mentally ill (and can be any homicide category) and modified with such as "guilty but mentally ill" or "not guilty by reason of mental illness" * killing while insane (and can be any homicide category): "guilty but insane" or "not guilty by reason of insanity"
* MURDER: with express [actual intent to kill the intended victim or any other person in the lethal action] or implied [death results from intent to cause serious, but not fatal, injury; or by an act creating great risk for others] MALICE or intent to kill or do harm 1. murder in the 1st degree o intent to kill: with deliberation and premeditation; or, o felony-murder, during dangerous felonies (such as armed robbery); or, o murder by poison, lying in wait, or torture 2. murder in the 2nd degree o killing with malice aforethought but without deliberation and premeditation o felony-murder during felonies which are not inherently dangerous 3. murder in the 3rd degree o killing in the heat of passion (and all other kinds of murder...such as depraved heart or depraved mind [action reflecting a wanton or willful disregard of the likelihood that the natural tendency of the defendant's act is to cause death or great bodily harm] shall be in the 3rd degree) * MANSLAUGHTER: without express or implied malice or intent to kill or do harm 1. Voluntary (intentional) o intentional killing, without malice, and under mitigating circumstances o requires adequate provocation of the accused o may include killing in the heat of passion, before defendant cooled off 2. Involuntary...may be modified with terms like "aggravated" o unintentional killing; during o commission of a dangerous, unlawful act; or o while doing a lawful act but with criminal negligence; or o as a result of failing to perform legal duty (which shows criminal negligence) * Negligent homicide or vehicular homicide * killing while mentally ill (and can be any homicide category) and modified with such as "guilty but mentally ill" or "not guilty by reason of mental illness" * killing while insane (and can be any homicide category): "guilty but insane" or "not guilty by reason of insanity"
Since Bush knew the levees would break and water would flood and people would drown and because he failed to act, when he had the authority to do so, then, it seems to me that this is murder in the 1st degree. That seems to be deliberate.
Also, I'm not sure what crime is violated in LOSING an entire region of the country and then doing nothing to rebuild it, but it seems to me that there should be SOMETHING.
Citizen Journalist
by Hummingbird on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 01:39:53 PM PDT
Bush, Rove, Lieberman...
The whole stinking lot of them.
How can the press back off of this now?? This is now confirmed by the head of FEMA at the time. This is not tinfoil anymore. This is confirmed by a Republican, who was working in the government at the time.
By the by, someone should really ask Bobby Jindal how he responds to the leader of his own party trying to play politics with the lives of thousands of his constituents. Since he no doubt is going to spend the next nine months trying to tie Katrina around Kathleen Blanco's neck, he ought to really account for the Republican Party...HIS party...and their actions in this tragedy.
"You share your young with the wolves of the nation...Theres nothing left til you pray for salvation"Black Rebel Motorcycle Club "American X"
by Steve Singiser on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 08:46:56 AM PDT
Landrieu might. Her office wouldn't comment, but she is expected to be named this week to head up a new subcommittee to oversee disaster response. As chairwoman, she would likewise have the power to issue subpoenas for White House records.
From Bill Walsh, Times-Picayune. Diary here.
Brownie's performance will not be limited to little bits dropped for reporters.
PS--Go, Rich, go!
I honor John McCain's military service.
by Crashing Vor on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 08:59:55 AM PDT
be willing to blow the lid off the entire thing. HE has nothing to lose. Hell, he might come off looking GOOD, if he tried to do all the right things and those above told him NOT to. Or did the OPPOSITE, just for spite.
by mmacdDE on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 09:59:57 AM PDT
will sell a lot of books.
by chigh on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 10:30:38 AM PDT
This sounds like a great way to do an end run around Lieberman's obstruction. Great move by the leadership.
With Blue skies ahead, yes I'm on my way... And there's nowhere else I'd rather be
by DarthParadox on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 01:44:31 PM PDT
Primarying Lieberman is that we're not primarying enough fuckers.
"Victory means exit strategy, and it's important for the president to explain to us what the exit strategy is." - George W Bush
by jfern on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 12:20:03 PM PDT
chairing Homeland Security?? Spying on us? He needs to go.
Will the elite be happy living behind gated communities in the potential meltdown? Peace now. -7.00, -2.92
by mattes on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 11:21:33 AM PDT
...and the mental "turning away" by my right-wing bosses at the company I don't work for anymore(Thank God!!!) I knew in my heart back then that something was up. Thanks for more confirmation. There are some sick people in this world...unfortunately some of them are in positions of power right now. Investigate, inform, impeach Peace ;)>
"We're right in the middle of a fucking reptile zoo! And somebody's giving booze to these goddamn things!"-Hunter S. Thompson ;-)>
by rogerdaddy on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 12:48:42 PM PDT
Bush KNEW the levies were going to break, he was informed by the Army Corps of Engineers (actually shown photographs), and that the 9th Ward was going to be flooded, 2 days before it happened. Yet he didn't order an evacuation of those citizens.
1500 Americans died. Bush is a murderer of our own people. This isn't tin foil hat stuff, either.
by Hummingbird on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 01:24:30 PM PDT
Bush was informed at least 2 months in advance if I remember my sources correctly.
White woman over 50 for OBAMA!! (Endorsed 6/07)
by nolalily on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 01:36:41 PM PDT
2 months before, but the Army Corps of engineers actually showed him pictures of the breaching levees 2 , or maybe it was 3 days before. And he did absolutely nothing, he didn't warn the state, or Fema or anyobody. That's murder. Hanging is too good for him.
by Hummingbird on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 01:49:45 PM PDT
I watched the tape.
by nolalily on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 01:51:36 PM PDT
I hope we get some justice for your city. I'll do what I can to help. New Orleans is just a wonderful place, and it makes me completely sickened about what happened to this flower of the south.
These people must be held to account. Just thinking about it makes me cry.
by Hummingbird on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 02:07:23 PM PDT
*the blogger formerly known as shirlstars
by Shirl In Idaho on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 01:44:20 PM PDT
February 2, 2004 White House on February 2 released a budget with another massive cut to infrastructure and public works projects—this time to the tune of $460 million. As the Denver Post later reported, "the Southeast Louisiana Flood Control project sought $100 million in U.S. aid to strengthen the levees holding back the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain, but the Bush administration offered a paltry $16.5 million." The Chicago Tribune noted that the Army Corps of Engineers had also requested $27 million to pay for hurricane protection upgrades around Lake Pontchartrain—but the White House pared that back to $3.9 million. Gaps in levees around Lake Pontchartrain, which were supposed to be filled by 2004, would not be filled because of budget shortfalls. Corps officials told the Times-Picayune in April "that the lack of money will leave gaps in the structure, weakening its effectiveness and pushing back its completion date." Worse, because budget cuts had been compounding for three years straight, "even after all the gaps are closed, the levee must settle for several more years until it reaches its final height." By June, the newspaper reported that "for the first time in 37 years, federal budget cuts have all but stopped major work on the New Orleans area’s east bank hurricane levees." "We are doing everything we can to make the case that this is a security issue for us," Jefferson Parish emergency manager Walter Maestri said at the time, desperately begging the Bush administration to reevaluate its budget decisions. As he noted, the budget cuts meant that levee gaps would accumulate and "we’ll end up so far behind that we can’t catch up. ... And the further behind we get, the more critical the safety of the city becomes." But almost no one in Washington was listening. Ten days after the Times-Picayune story, the U.S. House passed a $155 billion White House-backed bill to cut corporate taxes. The Senate had passed a similar bill the month before. Republican lawmakers from the Gulf Coast—who purported to be concerned about infrastructure budget cuts—all supported the new tax cut.
by azureblue on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 03:08:07 PM PDT
Everything I've read, from Bush's Brain to everything by Molly Ivins, to countless magazine articles, has said that for George W. Bush, everything is about politics and power.
This fits a pattern. I'd actually be surprised if Bush took a moment and let the actual lives of actual human beings factor into his decisions in any way.
by CleverNickName on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 06:40:12 PM PDT
And Saddam was hung for killing how many?
by Hear Our Voices on Wed Jan 24, 2007 at 07:45:01 AM PDT
Rock on!
Just when they think they've got the answer, I change the question. -Roddy Piper
by McGirk on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 02:40:36 PM PDT
It is surprising to me that the new Congress still has not helped New Orleans- I mean real help, not examining no bid contracts, etc. New Orleans needed help a long time ago, and the city is dying. Insurance companies are ripping people & businesses off left & right, & nary a peep from Congress. Crime is amok, and no help from Congress. Precious little money is reaching the people & businesses. What are they waiting for, anyway?
So I wonder if they ever will investigate anything. Is the 110th just like the 109th when it comes to New Orleans- ignore it?
by azureblue on Tue Jan 23, 2007 at 03:02:07 PM PDT
wide narrow
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