Bush was wired for his press conference

Check out the video at Crooks and Liars

William W. Baker, has ties to Neo- Nazi's but

is still able to work with Reverend Robert H. Schuller .

William W. Baker appeared three times as a guest lecturer at a Crystal Cathedral pastors’ conference on Jan. 29 and 30. Now head of Christians and Muslims for Peace (CAMP), Baker was chairman of the neo-Nazi Populist Party in 1984 and organized its national convention that year. The Populist Party was established and directed by Willis Carto, head of the now-defunct Liberty Lobby. The dean of American neo-Nazi politics, Carto also founded the Costa Mesa-based Institute for Historical Review, a group whose central purpose is Holocaust denial.

evidence supplied by the Anti-Defamation League shows that Baker delivered a 1983 speech to the racist Christian Patriot Defense League in Licking, Missouri, in which he made several references to Carto’s neo-Nazi newspaper, Spotlight. A 23-page transcript of that rambling speech reveals a number of anti-Semitic remarks, including Baker’s reference to Reverend Jerry Falwell as "Jerry Jewry." (Falwell is known to be friendly to Jews.) In the same speech, Baker described his disgust at traveling to New York City: "God help me. Why? ’Cause the first people I meet when I get off the plane are pushy, belligerent American Jews."

The more you find out, the more disgusted you become.

Friday's places to visit, just a click away

Our first stop is the Columbia Journalism Review and their story Stations Of The Cross, on How evangelical Christians are creating an alternative universe of faith-based news.

From DAILY DELAY a quick note about a his $784.00 a day meal bill on vacation.

Christian Democrats, in an older post I just found, asks Did the Nazi's Separate Church and State?.. hint, the answer is no.

A Cartoon helps us understand faith, at least from the Republican political side of things.

Dominionists are the focus of Local Tint (and a past effort on my part), check tint out.

A quick look at Bush's Proposed Social Security Cuts is presented by Eschaton. I told you there would be cuts, and these look nasty.

And from the office of Sen. B. Boxer (D-Ca) a look at the "Galveston Option' and how it compares to the current Social Security program.

Just darn funny

Military Drill doesn't work out as planned.

A video

So long Shakespeare, Bye Bye Tennessee Williams

"Out, damn'd gays! out, I say!"

Allen said that if his bill passes, novels with gay protagonists and college textbooks that suggest homosexuality is natural would have to be removed from library shelves and destroyed.

"I guess we dig a big hole and dump them in and bury them," he said.

So, a return to the Dark ages is the goal. Well, at least the goal is now clear.

No doubt there is some bight eyed South Carolina politician who has already called over to Montgomery to get the details of this bill, so we can start our devolution. You have to wonder if the works of Da Vinci and Michelangelo are to be included in this ban, or the next one?


I, swear, some of this stuff feels like it comes straight from 'The Handmaind's Tale'.

A good question about the filibuster vote.

I overheard this yesterday, and it interested me.

Why are the Senate Republicans only trying to change the filibuster rule for Judicial appointments?

What was most interesting was part two of the question

It seems that the Republicans are trying to remove the power of the filibuster from what may be the most important job they do.

The Senate handles a number of items, Bills, Appoints as ambassadors, Department positions, almost countless items. Any member of the body can currently filibuster any item brought to the floor. This is an important tool that is used when a member representing a minority opinion feels he needs to slow down or stop the action of the majority. The Republican leadership has tried to reassure us that they don't want to change much. We still have the Filibuster, just not on Judicial appointments.


Why just for judicial appointments?


Everything else the Senate does is either an appointment for a few years at most, or can be changed by a writing new law. Appointments to the bench are for life, and you could argue the most important thing the Senate does.

This is an effort to get extremist in place for decades. A law can be changed as soon as a few new Senators are voted in, Administration officials come and go, a Judge is forever.

That is why the Republicans are willing to let the filibuster remain for everything else, but not Judges.

Judges are forever, and they want to stack the bench with as many radical right wing jurists as they can in the next 3 1/2 years.


For more reading on this, please visit:

Bats Left, Throws Right

Words of love from the Religious Right, Part 1

In what will be a continuing but only occasional look at the words of various leaders in the movement to re-make America into Christ's image.

Out first guest, Randall Terry, Church Leader, Family Man, and Spokesperson for the Schindlers.


Just a couple of examples of his love and charity.

I want you to just let a wave of intolerance wash over. I want you to let a wave of hatred wash over you. Yes, hate is good . . . Our goal is a Christian nation. We have a biblical duty, we are called by God to conquer this country. We don't want equal time. We don't want pluralism. Our goal must be simple. We must have a Christian nation built on God's law, on the ten Commandments. No apologies.

and this

When I, or people like me, are running the country, you'd better flee, because we will find you, we will try you, and we'll execute you. I mean every word of it. I will make it part of my mission to see to it that they are tried and executed . . . There is going to be war, [and Christians may be called to] take up the sword to overthrow the tyrannical regime that oppresses them.

Social Security, a few ideas.

There are a couple of points about the current Social Security issue that should be beyond debate.

1. Something has to be done. The Social Security Board of Trustees project a shortfall in funding for the program starting in 2041. Their numbers should be respected, and it is reasonable to assume that within thirty to forty years this will happen if we do nothing. The projected 75 year shortfall is about 4 trillion dollars.

This does not mean social security is 'bankrupt' as out President keeps claiming, it means that IF we do nothing we will start to see a short fall. To meet the target, we would need to set aside an additional 54 Billion dollars a year, starting right now. For perspective, that is much less than we are spending on the war in Iraq this year.

2. Presidents Bush's only proposal to date is to carve out private accounts. This plan would do nothing to address the current shortfall, NOTHING. In addition is would cost an extra 1 to 2 trillion dollars. He refuses to mention any other plans, but VP Dick Cheney has admitted 'other things' would have to be done.

I have no doubt that this is where the benefit cuts come in.


We have to find a viable compromise for the system, and I have a starting point that I would love to see calculated.

1. Remove the wage cap on tax collection for social security, this alone could add 40 billion a year to the program.

2. Raise the retirement age by 1 year.

3. Change the way that benefit increases are calculated. The bottom 50% will still be indexed on Wages, the top 25% indexed on prices. The 51-75% group will get the increased at the average of the 2 other sets of numbers.

4. Allow add on private accounts.

Run the numbers and see where we stand. We may have a fix in place, without having to kill the system to 'save it'. However, I suspect that killing the system is the true goal of many who are pushing for change.

Syria finishes pull out of troops from Lebanon

This is a very positive step in the re-emergence of Lebanon as an independent state. Syria first moved troops into Lebanon in 1976 as peace keepers in the Civil War that started in 1975. This action was supported by the US, and was part of the plan to stabilize the nation, but that was 29 years ago.

The removal of the current force, and intelligence infrastructure, was seen as a vital step for Lebanon to become truly independent. Syria was not shy about inserting itself into Lebanon's domestic and international politics. Maj. Gen. Ghazi Kanaan, a one time head of Syrian intelligence, was able to order a meeting with any official of the government of Lebanon, and that official was sure to be there on time, and ready to listen. This should have been expected, it is generally felt that with an army of up to 40,000 men from another nation parked inside it's borders, Lebanon couldn't be truly free.

It is wonderful that this is happening at last and sad that it has taken 30 years for it to happen. Syria's efforts did aid in the stabilization of the country during the Civil war, and blunted Israel's occupation of the south of the nation. Syrians died in the effort to secure the nation, and this should not be forgotten, but it was time to go home.


This also raises a few questions about Iraq. Can they be truly free with 200,000 foreign troops in their nation? Was Rumsfeld's advice during his last visit just advice, or instructions? And maybe most importantly, will we still be in Iraq 25 years from now?

Shocking news from Iraq

No WMD were found

The CIA's top weapons inspector in Iraq, Charles Duelfer, said Monday that the hunt for weapons of mass destruction has gone "as far as feasible" and has found nothing

well, maybe not that shocking.

It is interesting to note that in a new poll about half of those interviewed now think the administration lied about this to gain approval for the war. Still, I don't see any rush to hold anyone accountable for this gross misstatement of fact that has led to the death of over a hundred thousand people.

Choices and courage

A look at Joseph Ratzinger from Body and Soul.

Some locals in Traunstein, like Elizabeth Lohner, 84, whose brother-in-law was sent to Dachau as a conscientious objector, dismiss such suggestions. It was possible to resist, and those people set an example for others, she said. The Ratzingers were young and had made a different choice.

Some are obsessed with what others are doing

Normally this is of little harm. The desire to gossip, to get the dirt on friends and neighbors, isn't new. Reading the latest People magazine to catch up on the lives of the beautiful people in the world, while not very useful, isn't uncommon. The difference is when that desire to know, is coupled with the desire to stop that actions that offend you.

The fear of the moral decline of society is the argument. In truth, it is better summed up this way;

It really amounts to slander: You don't share my agenda; therefore you have no principles.

and for a laugh, a letter by Bill Romansky is reviewed for flaws

DeLay's water is getting hotter

Reports indicate that Newsweek will break a new story indicating more trouble for Tom.

From Newsweek Monday: PROSECUTORS, FBI ARE SEEKING TO DETERMINE IF ABRAMOFF AND SOME ASSOCIATES MAY HAVE PROVIDED UNREPORTED CONTRIBUTIONS OR GRATUITIES TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, STAFFERS IN EXCHANGE FOR LEGISLATIVE FAVORS

My heart breaks

First they come after the Homosexuals

and Shakespeares Sister ask who is next, and explains why it is important to not be quiet.

Local Tint has more on this,and the Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act of 2005 .

This battle of Theology, could be fun to watch

In this corner we have R. Albert Mohler Jr, a Focus on the Family leader involved with this Sundays judge burning, who produced this gem of brotherhood and love.

"I believe that the Roman church is a false church and it teaches a false gospel And indeed, I believe that the pope himself holds a false and unbiblical office."

and in the Latin corner we have Pope B-16 and Dominus Iesus

"people outside of Christianity 'are in a gravely deficient situation in comparison with those who, in the Church, have the fullness of the means of salvation",

A statement out of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, that many understand to claim that the path to God was ONLY through the Catholic church.

The Friday collection of news and post of interest

Remember the Affirmation Project, hop over and read some of the contributions.

From the LA Times, more about the religious rights efforts to take over the nation.

An audio recording obtained by the Los Angeles Times features two of the nation's most influential evangelical leaders, at a private conference with supporters, laying out strategies to rein in judges, such as stripping funding from their courts in an effort to hinder their work.

and from the Magic City morning news, another view of the goals of the right.

To answer her question, it's necessary to understand the fundamental goal of the fundamentalist Christians: To deny basic human rights to segments of society they deem unworthy in their god's eyes. They believe that Americans should reject the Constitutional concept of equality in favor of their religious caste system. They seek to legally stigmatize all non-fundamentalist Christians.

T-Blog has noticed that some of the Koolaid drinkers are starting to attack their own for a lack of enthusiasm.

David Corn has a collection of the more interesting (weird, dumb or twisted) things Republicans have said this week.

I will be adding to this post all day, check back

For the one I love

Moms Hold Breast-Feeding Protest in Fla.


A city commission candidate was criticized for breast-feeding her daughter during a public meeting, so 16 other mothers turned up and nursed their children at another gathering as a show of support.

Gabrielle Redfern apologized for offending anyone, but says she won't stop breast-feeding her child when necessary. She had been criticized by some for breast-feeding her 1-year-old daughter, Elsie, during Mayor David Dermer's recent State of the City address.

"Elsie's been coming to public meetings since she was 2 weeks old," said Redfern, who is in her first bid for public office. "I shouldn't have to choose between being a publicly involved citizen and being a good mother."

On Wednesday, 16 women held a "nurse-in" in support of Redfern, breast-feeding their babies at a Miami Beach Commission meeting.

I know you are proud of them standing up for what is right.

American theocracy, is it coming?

Some excellent work is being done on this topic

Orcinus has a wonderful, and very well documented, look at the threat to the judiciary from the religious right in Black Robes

Seeing the Forest points out They Mean It
.

and Liberal Oasis reminds us of the The Institute for Religion and Democracy. Their use of false front groups to attack mainstream faiths in an effort to sway them to the Republican party is especially disgusting.

They are so good, better than my little effort, but all note the same push by the religious right. Their drive to impose their faith upon all the persons of this land.

A unique reminder of the priorities of South Carolina

Our legislators have been busy lately.

(Columbia) April 20, 2005 - The State House took up two pieces of legislation this week aimed at protecting two different groups. Up for debate was cracking down on gamecock fighting and protecting victims of domestic violence.

A bill protecting cocks passed through the House Judiciary Committee. Rep. John Graham Altman (R-Dist. 119-Charleston) was in favor of the gamecock bill, "I was all for that. Cockfighting reminds me of the Roman circus, coliseum."

A bill advocates say would protect victims against batterers was tabled, killing it for the year.

Lets rush to protect gamecocks (a good thing), but let table the domestic violence bill. We don't want to be too hasty here.

DeLay's attacks on the judiciary continue

and they are becoming even more absurd.

DeLay told Fox News Radio on Tuesday. "And not only that, but he said in session that he does his own research on the Internet? That is just incredibly outrageous."

How dare a judge research anything. If he needs information or background he shouldn't do research. The White House, or even Tom delay will be glad to answer any questions he may have, and joyfully tell him how to craft his final ruling. Past president, the fine points of law, compelling judicial thought, they don't matter. Just call Karl Rove, he can do it all.

It is clear that the pressure of the ethics scandal is taking it toll of Tom. He is resorting to large scale efforts at distraction and misdirection. His actions are becoming even more comical and pathetic.




and remember the Affirmation Project, hop over and read some of the contributions.

A new Pope has been presented.

The over one billion Catholics have a new Father, and one of the worlds smallest states has a new leader.

Cardinal Ratzinger is a hard line conservative, who was the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. He has been very aggressive using this office to stifle dialog that he considered too liberal. He has defined homosexuality as a moral disorder, so we already know he has defined himself as a bit wack on that point alone. He has even dabbled in American Politics, encouraging the denying of communion to pro choice politicians.

His policies and his habit of the aggressive suppression of liberal thought is blamed by some for contributing to the decline in the active Catholic population in Germany. The church has been seeing it's rolls drop by 150,000 members a year for a while now.

Despite this, don't expect much reform from this Pope. He has made statements in the past that seem to almost look forward to being in an 'unpopular' church.

The next few years will maybe be even more dictatorial that those of the rule of John Paul II, but there may be a small chance of seeing change. This election is too complex to see as just an endorsement of the continued ultra conservative past of the Church. His age might also indicates that the College of Cardinals were looking for a short term from the next Pope. This could be a hopeful sign, that at least some of the leadership want to make some small changes the direction of the church.


and please remember the Affirmation Project, hop over and read some of the contributions.

Chaffee will cast the swing vote on Bolton,

A man who may be uniquely ill-suited to serve in the position at the UN. Many on the left have been working to sway him into voting against this comical nomination. He has been on the fence, but keeps hinting that he favors voting for approval.

Prior to this morning, I didn't understand how he could still be on the fence. After his NPR interview and story this morning, I have a new view. He makes a very valid point, that Bolton will be working for and with Bush. He argues that Bush should be able to hire those who he wants working with him. He views the roll in these confirmations as making sure that Bolton is neither corrupt, or lacking in the needed education and background to do this job. On those points, I think Bolton does qualify.

The fact that Bolton is also a boorish, abusive, anti intellectual ideologue are not, by and of themselves, disqualifying.

I have to agree, and hate to say it. Bolton's selection was a bad practical joke in many ways, but within the purview of the President. Appointments at this level don't need to meet the same standard of quality and fairness that you want to see in judicial selections. When talking about positions within the administration, the President should be allowed more leeway to have the people he wants in the slots he wants.

Senator Chaffee, when you vote, vote your conscience, I do understand.

Chaffee is a true centrist moderate. A man who votes for what he thinks is right, not what his party wants. We need far more of these men and women in DC. I will not think much less of you for this vote. After all, at most Bolton will serve three years, and he is not much worse than Rice, Gonzalez, Negroponte and Rumsfeld.



and please remember the Affirmation Project, and read some of the contributions.

The affirmation Project, a great idea.

Rev. Daniel Schultz has had enough, and is standing up to be counted.

I don't know about you, but I've had enough. It's time Dr. Frist, Tom DeLay, James Dobson, the Family Research Council, and anyone else who would make adherence to political goals a literal article of faith heard from another side of the country. To that end, and for the time being, I am suspending the regular business of this blog and giving it over to a single project.

It is time for us to state, simply and directly, that we can affirm faith while disagreeing with the Republican legislative agenda. By "we," I mean anyone who can get under that statement. You don't have to be religious yourself. You don't even have to be a Democrat. You just have to be willing to say that you are willing to affirm faith, but you don't believe that it should be used as a weapon in a partisan campaign to increase the political power of a single party in the American commonwealth.

The kidnapping of the Christian faith by the right has been an effective political tool. Those in the Middle and on the Left need to step forward and start to proclaim our own right to faith, and our constitutionally protected right to express it as we wish. Most importantly, the right to not have the faiths of others thrust upon us.

Go visit, Rev. Schultz's Blog, and if the spirit moves you, contribute your declaration to the cause.

It's a work in progress. Here's some general guidelines, and my own statement.


Give as much of the following information as you feel comfortable sharing: your name, your hometown, and whatever religious affiliation you may have. Include a picture of yourself if you're brave enough.

State, in the simplest possible terms, that you affirm faith, but you disagree with the Republican agenda to impose the nuclear option and appoint radical right judges. Tell them why.

Conclude with a positive statement of your vision of what this nation could become, minus the fear, selfishness, arrogance, and general recklessness we have experienced in the past four years.

In your statements above, try to avoid profanity if at all possible. This is for public consumption.
Isn't that easy?

You can do it.

Harris poll shows Bush numbers fall again

ROCHESTER, N.Y., April 14 /PRNewswire/ -- The last month has not been a good one for President Bush and the Republicans. Most people have opposed the President's proposals for reforming Social Security and most were unhappy with the positions taken by Republicans in the Terri Schiavo case. The result is that the president's job ratings have fallen to 44 percent positive, 56 percent negative, the worst numbers of his presidency, and a drop from 48 percent positive, 51 percent negative in February (and 50% positive, 49% negative last November).

This is one of the results of a new Harris Poll of 1,010 U.S. adults surveyed by telephone by Harris Interactive® between April 5 and 10, 2005.

The negatives extend to most of the other members of the administration, and the House and Senate.

Bill S-520, the Constitution Restoration Act

Just another scary reminder of what George Bush, Tom DeLay, Bill Frist and the rest of the radical religious right want.

From Fr. Jake stops the World.

When will the noise of those who see and oppose this movement be heard?

With luck, the last words on the Schiavo case

A wonderful summation from No more Mr. Nice Blog, including detail from the press, like this.

In the four years after Michael Schiavo won the right to remove his wife's feeding tube, the state's social-welfare agency methodically investigated 89 complaints of abuse, but never found that he or anybody else harmed Terri Schiavo, records released late Friday show.

Senator Frist is heading up to the alter

to join with the Family Research Council in unholy governmental church wedlock.

In a clear indication that he is willing to go nuclear, Mr. Frist will appear on a April 24th telecast demanding judicial overthrow.

"The filibuster against people of faith", as it is called, will further beat the drum of religious radicalism.

As a person of faith, I suspect I should be angered by the title of this meeting, but I have learned to expect lies and insults from this extreme sector of our society.

A few of this weeks stories of note

From Cannonfire a continued focus on vote fraud, at last people may be noticing, a very good collection of work.

I am a Christian too looks at theThe Constitution Restoration Act, a fantastic and highly misleading title for this little act.

Minutemen and the mainstream
is the focus of a long piece on Orcinus.

Think Progress has a very disturbing clip, where Edwin Vieira, while speaking at the 'Confronting the Judicial War on Faith' conference recommends following Stalin's advice.

Pandagon introduces us to Yusuke Joshua Banno , stuck in New York due to misidentification

This links to the corruption of Tom DeLay

and, a late addition, but fantastic, from Shakespeare's Sister, longing for the rapture.

Another sad note on the death of Pat Tillman

The Martini Republic has an excellent summation.

The military has completed an investigation into former NFL star Pat Tillman's death in Afghanistan that aimed to address concerns raised about whether the Army held back information

"We are not going to release it," said Lt. Col. Pamela Hart, an Army spokeswoman at the Pentagon.

We got the bubble-headed-bleach-blonde who

appears unable to find the real interesting news in poll results.


An A.P. - Ipsos poll was released earlier in the week. A quick sampling of opinion about taxes.

There were some interesting points made. One very interesting one was most people felt paying taxes was to complicated, but didn't want to give up deductions to make it simpler.

Another one was that the majority of respondents wanted a PROGRESSIVE tax basis, and opposed a flat tax. Only in the group making over $75,000.00 did a majority want a flat tax.

But, what did the media focus on, From CNN to the local news?

The fact that most people don't like to pay taxes, and that the nation was split on what was more unpleasant, doing your taxes or going to the dentist.

There was real news in that poll, and we get a punch line from all of the talking heads.