NPR and Jose Padilla

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Wednesday January 03, 2007 · 5:52 AM PST

2007/01/03 · 05:52

This morning NPR is running a lengthy story about Jose Padilla, the American citizen who has been subject to a shifting set of accusations of terrorism since 2002. Originally accused of meeting with Osama and planning to detonate a dirty bomb, NPR notes that "Many of those claims turned out to be untrue, or at least unsubstantiated."

Padilla's rights as an American citizen have basically been set aside, and he's been subject to amazing treatment by our government.

Padilla's lawyers contend that as a result of his isolation and interrogation, their client is so mentally damaged that he is unable to assist in his own defense. He is so passive and fearful now, they maintain, that he is "like a piece of furniture."

While NPR provided some useful background on this case, they left out at least one important point. What really shouldn't go forgotten is the timing of John Ashcroft's announcement of Padilla's arrest back in 2002. The Bush Administration's hallmark achievement has been it ability to control the message in the national press. The Padilla case may very well be an example of this. Check out below the fold for details.

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Friday October 06, 2006 · 1:47 PM PDT

2006/10/06 · 13:47

Mike Sodrel talks a good game. Here he is on the nation's dependence on foreign oil:

Poor planning and myopic perspectives have contributed to the current dilemma regarding America's energy consumption. I have supported efforts to create a comprehensive plan to reduce America's dependence on foreign sources of oil.

Well, that sounds pretty good. We need a comprehensive plan to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. And with his ethanol-producing district bound to benefit when the U.S. decides to take the foreign oil issue seriously, you'd think he'd be a champion on the issue. According to his press release, the energy bill Sodrel supported will "decrease foreign energy imports and promote domestic sources."

But follow me below the fold to see how Sodrel has actually voted against a bipartisan approach to the nation's addiction to oil -- an approach supported by both of Indiana's Senators -- that would have benefitted the nation and his very own Indiana district. Read More

NPR misses opportunity with T. Boone Pickens

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Tuesday January 17, 2006 · 9:20 AM PST

2006/01/17 · 09:20

As Calipygian wrote about yesterday, NPR's Steve Inskeep recently interviewed Texas energy investor T. Boone Pickens. This lengthy interview ran yesterday on NPR during Morning Edition.

Inskeep's reverential interview failed to acknowledge the political controversy Pickens is responsible for, nor his controversial statements on Iraqi oil. Details below. Read More

A Question Hackett Needs to Answer

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Saturday December 17, 2005 · 2:02 PM PST

2005/12/17 · 14:02

Will Paul Hackett support making cars and trucks more fuel efficient if he is elected to the U.S. Senate? That's the question, and if you read on, you'll see why it needs to be asked and answered right now.

Yesterday, the UAW endorsed Paul Hackett for U.S. Senate. I'm not sure how important this is for the primary, but it surprised me because of Sherrod Brown's long and strong relationship with labor.

This endorsement raises a serious question. And since I just spent four hours researching this, I hope you'll read on. Read More

Hastert: Someone Really Ought to do Something about Energy Prices!

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Thursday October 27, 2005 · 3:37 PM PDT

2005/10/27 · 15:37

Republicans own our federal government. And they have for years. But now that the American people are beginning to see the fruit of their awful policies, they invite us to step through the looking glass, and believe that the Republicans are really just powerless observers.

Take Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert. He is two heartbeats away from the Presidency, and the most powerful member of the House of Representatives (if you exclude Tom DeLay). He launched his own blog yesterday. And boy is he mad at the oil companies.
Read More

Stem Cell Research and Activist Judges

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Wednesday August 03, 2005 · 3:55 PM PDT

2005/08/03 · 15:55

What do those who oppose stem cell research and "activist" judges have in common? Go below the fold to find out. Read More

Pentagon approved movie scripts

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Friday June 03, 2005 · 8:49 AM PDT

2005/06/03 · 08:49

"It's not simple like Iraq"

For a laugh and a cry, I'd recommend you check out the first 15 minutes of the 2001 movie "Blackhawk Down."

The DVD extras helpfully point out that in order to get access to blackhawk helicopters, the movie makers had to get their script approved by the Pentagon.

Early on in the film, Major General William Garrison (played by Sam Shepard) lays out the context so that viewers do not draw the wrong conclusion, saying something like, "this isn't simple like Iraq, its a lot more complicated than that."

Yes, indeed. Iraq is no where near as complicated as Somalia. Millions of moviegoers saw this film in 2001, and the Pentagon-approved script gets the message out. Somalia may not have been pretty, but don't worry. It was more complicated than Iraq would be. Iraq is simple. Simple as 1, 2, 3.

There are many questions one could ask about this. Maybe someone will.

Thanks for stopping by. That is all.

Blue State Money to Red State Funders

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Sunday February 13, 2005 · 3:56 PM PST

2005/02/13 · 15:56

Ok, here is my first dip into a longer diary format. This is important, so I hope you'll give it a read.

I think we need a better discussion about how the progressive community can better use its consumer spending to effect political change. At present, there is an amazing disconnect between the consumer choices of progressives/Blue Staters and the businesses that fund the extreme right. I don't have empirical data about this, but it cannot help but be true.

Here are three examples from my own life to get a discussion going. Read More

GOP SS consultant: Repubs not committed to retirement security

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Monday January 31, 2005 · 1:45 PM PST

2005/01/31 · 13:45

Kos has already posted the GOP social security playbook here: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/1/31/131537/763, but this story seems worthy of a separate diary.

As some Kossacks noted in the link above, the speeches in the GOP playbook were developed by Presentation Testing. The contact at Presentation Testing is a fellow named Rich Thau.

Josh Marshall got the scoop on Mr. Thau who says, "I've testified on Capitol Hill. I have worked with many members of Congress. They are not committed to passing laws to give your employees retirement security." http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2005_01_30.php#004604

If the GOP's own social security consultant says they aren't committed to retirement security, maybe we should just believe him?

Gasoline costs 42 cents a gallon more than last year

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Tuesday October 12, 2004 · 3:13 PM PDT

2004/10/12 · 15:13

Oil prices go wild; raid everyone's savings.

Every Monday at 5pm, the Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration (EIA) posts a "gasoline and diesel fuel update" at http://www.eia.doe.gov (right hand bar). This update provides the public with information about gasoline prices around the country.

Over the last few weeks EIA has reported gasoline and diesel prices rising consistently. But over the last ten days or so, oil prices have gone absolutely nuts. Oil set a new record today at $54 dollars a barrel. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26047-2004Oct12.html. This is 70% higher than just a year ago.

So, anyone who knows the oil industry knows that gasoline and diesel prices will follow oil prices right up. Sure enough, EIA has just posted information and it provides a lot of bad news for Bush.

On a national basis:

Gasoline (on a national average basis) has gone up 6 cents per gallon since just last week
Gasoline has climbed over 43 cents per gallon from prices this week last year.
Diesel has shot up over 60 cents per gallon since last year!

From a swing state perspective:

In Oregon and Washington, gasoline went up NINE AND A HALF CENTS in ONE WEEK! Gasoline costs 47.7 cents more than just one year ago.
In the Midwest, gasoline has climbed 5.4 cents in one week -- 42.1 cents since last year.
States in the Rocky Mountain region, such as Colorado have been hit hardest by diesel prices, which SHOT UP 6.7 CENTS PER GALLON in just one week. People who own tractors and tractor-trailers must be taking it in the shorts!

Bush should be pressed as to what his plan is to address these runaway prices. People already (rightly) believe that Bush is too close to the oil companies. This issue hits every consumer and small business, and they are all worse off than they were even just one year ago, let alone four.

Please recommend this diary to highlight this dramatic price increase on the eve of the debate.

Experts: Bush grossly misrepresented his environmental record

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Tuesday October 12, 2004 · 2:03 PM PDT

2004/10/12 · 14:03

For a damning analysis of Bush's environmental claims during the second debate, check out this: http://www.environment2004.org/

From the release:

In the second presidential debate, President Bush's response to a question
about his environmental record contained numerous inaccuracies and
distortions of the President's real record. Hear it from the experts:
read Environment2004's point-by-point comparison of Bush's debate
response with the reality of his administration's environmental
"accomplishments."

For the lighter side, check out this: http://www.offroaddieselengineemissions.com

Bush lies about energy plan

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Friday October 08, 2004 · 9:09 PM PDT

2004/10/08 · 21:09

Bush stated in his conclusion that he proposed "an energy plan that will help us become less dependent on foreign sources of energy."

Fraid not. Here's the scoop on his energy plan:

"In public statements, President Bush has repeatedly emphasized the need to reduce U.S.
dependence on foreign oil. The policies pursued by the Administration have had the
opposite effect, however. Estimates from the Department of Energy show that U.S.
dependence on foreign oil is projected to increase by nearly 85% under the policies
proposed by President Bush."

http://www.democrats.reform.house.gov/Documents/20041001181836-74536.pdf

For those of you who want the dry numbers, here's the link: http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/servicerpt/pceb/pdf/sroiaf(2004)02.pdf (Table B11, page 42)

This is an important issue and Bush is not being straight. And, so far, the press has completely ignored this issue.

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