R Blog

Riverbend Leaving Bagdad

One of Iraq’s  most articulate bloggers has decided to leave.

Money quote: “There are moments when the injustice of having to leave your country, simply because an imbecile got it into his head to invade it, is overwhelming. It is unfair that in order to survive and live normally, we have to leave our home and what remains of family and friends… And to what?”

Riverbend, a young woman, has provided amazing insights into the feelings of a citizen of Iraq over the past four years.

Moveon.org’s VideoVets Project

Moveon.org, labeled a far left organization by certain elements in the media, has come up with another interesting program to put pressure on the Bush Administration and hold Democratic feet to the fire on the issue of bringing troops home from Bagdad. The videos made by veterans, active duty personnel and family members are compelling and articulate and can be seen here:

“They can no longer be trusted with the lives of our service members,” says Sgt. Peter Granato

“War on Terror is like The War on Drugs. It’s perpetual; it’s ongoing,” says Chief Warrant Officer Jordan Long.

"If there are traitors they’re the ones who continue to put our kids in harm’s way,” says Milt Longbottom, grandfather of a Marine in Iraq.

“I just don’t want to see any more American kids going over there losing life and limb for what ultimately seems like a fruitless pursuit,” says Lance Corporal Brian Van Riper.

The Bush administration is, above all things, shameless. As recently as today the President’s Press Secretary Dana Perino suggested that American’s who criticize the president’s policies lack character.

Any yet the fight for “freedom” is the fight for the right to criticize the government. Americans are apparently getting smarter as Bush’s approval ratings are now at 33%. As Atrios is fond of saying, “Americans hate President Bush and they hate this war.” Only the beltway media takes Mr. Bush seriously. He should have been laughed out of town by now. The Bush administration is not to be taken seriously. The headlines should be about “An Unpopular President.” Instead organizations like Moveon have to keep chipping away, building a consensus, stiffening the spine of Democrats. So take a look at the videos. They are worth watching.

Full disclosure:  George Soros provides no support for this blog.

Soundbite Poetry from George Carlin

Download Modern_Man.wmv

Is the Rude Pundit Appropriately Rude?

I’m sure many people trying to read The Rude Pundit gag on his pornographic descriptions and metaphors. But the thing about the Rude One is that he most often captures the visceral frustrations of long time Bush watchers. Yesterday's column was a good one: “America, If We’re Not Careful, Democracy Might Break Out.” We’ve been gamed for so many years with sound bites and red herrings and acted like there wasn’t anything anyone could do about it. Like he says, “It’s been so long since we behaved like a real, active democracy here in the United States that it’s like learning to ride a bike after you’ve lost a leg and have a prosthetic one in its place.” The particular column talks about Harry Reid getting in Bush’s face. Money quote:
“For years, Bush has been the pampered only child, given the easy questions, the soft pitches, the free run to the endzone. He got all the presents, all the love and attention. And then, all of a sudden, like every overprotected manchild, he's gotta face the real world, and the real world doesn't give a fuck what he thinks he's entitled to. Democracy, even though it's so often a dance among well-connected rich people, is a goddamned fight to the finish. Reid and Nancy Pelosi are schooling Bush, and, indeed, the rest of America, on what it means to live in a democracy.”
I think rudeness can be appropriate. It’s certainly worked for the current gang in charge.

Real Republicans Fight Back

Vic Gold a former aid to Goldwater, Agnew and Bush 41, and colleague and (former) friend of the Cheneys has written a book with this title: Invasion of the Party Snatchers: How the Holy-Rollers and the Neo-Cons Destroyed the GOP  in which he arues that ”...the GOP has moved away from principles of small government, prudent foreign policy and leaving people alone to live their private lives — all views Gold associates with his hero, Goldwater.” Small government, prudent foreign policy and leaving people alone sounds like a nice platform. The book has not yet been released. Bush 41 is reported to have said, "I have not read the book, but if it is as critical of the president as I have heard, I am sure I wouldn't like it." R Blog is reported to have said, “I have not read the book but love the title.

Cingular (AT &T) Rebate Program Is Sneaky

They are always working the angles on these rebate deals. Bought two new phones. Rebates totaled $100 on one and $30 on the other. The Cingular sales rep set up the paperwork for me very nicely and I mailed it in after scanning the submission. (I’ve had companies come back and tell me that I’d sent the wrong paperwork. So I keep copies). I was expecting to get a check six weeks down the road. What do I get instead? Two “Cingular Reward Visa Cards.” One has $100 on it and the other $30. This is kind of awkward. I wanted checks so I could apply the money to my Visa account which I used to pay the exorbitant pre-rebate prices for the phones. Now, I have to buy something and will no doubt end up with a bit of a balance on one or the other or both of the cards that will, if I can’t find an accountant to keep track of the balance and a cooperative merchant, accrue to the benefit of AT &T. Plus, I have to stick two more credit cards in my wallet.
I smell a conspiracy here. I wonder if AT &T has learned that a certain percentage of folks won’t use the card, forget them, or leave outstanding balances on them. There’s a three month time limit to use the cards. Tried to find a corporate e-mail for AT &T so I could complain directly. Blogging about it more efficient. It’s like sending a check.

Political Extremism

Glenn Greenwald, a first amendment lawyer turned blogger, turned daily columnist and commentator for Salon.com reports today on the authoritarian strain in the Republican Party. At a recent Club for Growth meeting candidate Mitt Romney was asked if he “...believed the president should have the authority to arrest U.S. citizens with no review. Romney said he would want to hear the pros and cons from smart lawyers before he made up his mind.” The same questioner had reported he asked Giuliani the same question a few weeks ago and “...the mayor said that he would want to use this authority infrequently.”
Here are two of the leading contenders for the Republican nomination for president who are willing, as Greenwald points out, to “...either embrace or are open to embracing the idea that the President can imprison Americans without any review, based solely on the unchecked decree of the President.”
This seems to me to be an excellent campaign issue and question for reporters to ask candidates: “Do you believe an American President has the authority to imprison American citizens without judicial review?”