the Sugar Conspiracy 

Blog - Info - Archive - Contact - Links

Friday, August 20, 2004 When all else fails, speculate Since they couldn't find WMD in Iraq, the CIA is now just going to make shit up: Having failed to find banned weapons in Iraq, the CIA is preparing a final report on its search that will speculate on what the deposed regime's capabilities might have looked like years from now if left unchecked, according to congressional and intelligence officials. The CIA plans for the report, due next month, to project as far as 2008 what Iraq might have achieved in its illegal weapons programs if the United States had not invaded the country last year, the officials said. -clip- David Kay, who led the [Iraq Survey] group before resigning in January, said that speculating on Iraq's future capabilities was never part of the team's mission. "Absolutely not," Kay said in a telephone interview Thursday. "We were to search for Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. No one ever suggested to me in any of the discussions before I took the job, afterward, or even when I left, that [assessing Iraq's future capabilities] was a thing that should have been done." Kay and others also questioned how such an assessment would be possible given the disarray that characterized President Saddam Hussein's government in recent years and external events that had altered the flow of illicit weapons technologies around the world. Keep in mind also that this speculative assessment is being done after the US already invaded Iraq. So this can't be used as justification for their invasion, because the report is being written after the fact. But don't think that'll stop them from trying. posted by chris at 2:15 PM   Voter intimidation in Florida UPDATE Turns out that "investigation" officials were conducting among elderly black voters in Florida was dismissed back in May: The smell of voter suppression coming out of Florida is getting stronger. It turns out that a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation, in which state troopers have gone into the homes of elderly black voters in Orlando in a bizarre hunt for evidence of election fraud, is being conducted despite a finding by the department last May "that there was no basis to support the allegations of election fraud." State officials have said that the investigation, which has already frightened many voters and intimidated elderly volunteers, is in response to allegations of voter fraud involving absentee ballots that came up during the Orlando mayoral election in March. But the department considered that matter closed last spring, according to a letter from the office of Guy Tunnell, the department's commissioner, to Lawson Lamar, the state attorney in Orlando, who would be responsible for any criminal prosecutions. posted by chris at 2:05 PM   ------------------ Thursday, August 19, 2004 Afraid of the people? President Bush's team exerts close control over admission to his campaign events. Dissenters and would-be hecklers are turned away, campaign officials say. On several occasions in recent weeks, Democrats who have gotten in have been ejected because they wore pro-Kerry T-shirts. The Bush campaign billed his visit to Beaverton as a chance for ordinary citizens to pose questions to the president. But first, his audience at "Ask President Bush" heard a 21-minute speech from Bush. Then there were 22 minutes of testimonials on his domestic policies from four supporters. After that, Bush moved into a second speech lasting 24 minutes on terrorism and Iraq, along with a few comments about his meetings with world leaders. His audience did not mind waiting more than an hour for the question-and-answer session. This was no town hall appearance before a cross-section of citizens. Bush-Cheney re-election headquarters had instructed Oregon campaign officials to distribute tickets, so the school gymnasium was filled last Friday with 2,000 passionate Bush backers. By contrast, most of Kerry's events are open to the public, though there have been some town hall events that are invitation-only. For certain appearances, the Kerry campaign has distributed tickets to the local party, unions and other supporters. Go here to read some of the "questions" asked at Bush's pep rallies. posted by chris at 11:50 AM   ------------------ Wednesday, August 18, 2004 Here we go again God, these people love missile defense programs! What is it, some kind of phallic obsession or something? Or maybe the fact that the defense industry has some sort of influence on the Republicans? Bush also spoke of his administration's proposal for an anti-missile defense system, noting that Boeing was a major contractor on the project. "I think those who oppose this ballistic missile system don't understand the threats of the 21st century," the president told applauding workers. The president noted that last month Boeing engineers loaded the first missile interceptor into a silo in Alaska. He characterized that as the beginning of a national shield "that was envisioned by Ronald Reagan." Bush said opponents of the system are "living in the past. We're living in the future. We're going to do what's necessary to protect this country." "Living in the past"....this from the people that are still slobbering over Reagan's Star Wars program. It's like some Holy Grail for these people, or maybe for the defense contractors. posted by chris at 1:39 PM   ------------------ Tuesday, August 17, 2004 Bush's America, part XXII Over two decades, the income gap has increased steadily between the richest Americans, who own homes and stocks, and those at the middle or bottom of the pay scale, whose paychecks buy less. The growing disparity is even more pronounced in this recovering economy. Wages are stagnant, and the middle class is shouldering a larger tax burden. Prices for health care, housing, tuition, gas and food have soared. And that gap is only going to get wider with Bush's tax breaks, Medicare programs, overtime pay cuts, etc. posted by chris at 5:30 PM   Fahrenheit 9/11 out on DVD October 5 President Bush will face a home-video barrage four weeks before the election: "Fahrenheit 9/11," Michael Moore's assault on Bush's handling of the Sept. 11 attacks, debuts on DVD and videotape Oct. 5. You can still see it here. Or you can order it here. posted by chris at 1:21 PM   Shoring up the military vote President Bush announced plans Monday to recall as many as 70,000 troops from Cold War-era bases in Europe and Asia as part of a global rearrangement of forces that is aimed at making the military more agile in an age of unpredictable enemies. The plan could significantly change the face of the U.S. military at home and abroad, in what administration officials called the largest restructuring overseas since the end of the Korean War. The typical three-year tours abroad would be sharply curtailed, and administration officials hope to ease the pressures placed on military families by the need for frequent moves. Am I getting too cynical? UPDATE: Maybe not. The Congressional Budget Office examined the issue and didn't seem so overwhelmingly optimistic about it as the Bush administration. posted by chris at 1:18 PM   The official fast food of the Olympics For a four-year investment estimated at $65 million, McDonald's has been designated the Official Restaurant of the 2004 Olympic Games. As such, it is the only brand-name restaurant in the Olympic athletes' village, main sports complex and press center, ensuring that virtually no Olympic athlete, fan or journalist starts the day without passing by a McDonald's. There's just something terribly wrong about a fat- and sodium-laden food chain sponsoring the premiere event of the world's greatest athletes. posted by chris at 1:11 PM   ------------------ Monday, August 16, 2004 The Pentagon Channel: all war, all the time Time Warner Cable announced today it will begin rolling out the Pentagon Channel, the Defense Department's news and information network for the military, this month. The Pentagon Channel, which previously existed as an information channel within the Pentagon and on military bases, will now be distributed 24 hours a day, seven days a week to all of Time Warner Cable's digital television customers. -clip- The Pentagon Channel will provide Time Warner Cable digital customers with Department of Defense news with top-of-the-hour updates, broadcasts of the flagship television news magazine programs from each of the services and Department of Defense news briefings from the Pentagon and around the world. Additionally, the network will include appointment viewing with "Around the Services," a look at what's going on at each branch of the military, "Studio Five," showcasing conversations with Department of Defense leaders, and "Focus on the Force," which highlights military missions such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan. Which begs the question, what will Fox and CNN do now to make their war coverage more exciting than the Pentagon's? The mind reels at the possibilities. (Thanks to the brand-new Madwomen.org, the blog and homepage of the Madison Women for Peace.) posted by chris at 12:58 PM   Voter intimidation in Florida State police officers have gone into the homes of elderly black voters in Orlando and interrogated them as part of an odd "investigation" that has frightened many voters, intimidated elderly volunteers and thrown a chill over efforts to get out the black vote in November. The officers, from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which reports to Gov. Jeb Bush, say they are investigating allegations of voter fraud that came up during the Orlando mayoral election in March. Officials refused to discuss details of the investigation, other than to say that absentee ballots are involved. They said they had no idea when the investigation might end, and acknowledged that it may continue right through the presidential election. -clip- Not surprisingly, many of the elderly black voters who found themselves face to face with state police officers in Orlando are members of the Orlando League of Voters, which has been very successful in mobilizing the city's black vote. And remember, elderly black vote tends to equal Democrat vote. You know, if this is indeed a legit investigation and has nothing to do with intimidating little old men and ladies, then Florida really needs to handle this more carefully. They've got enough voter problems as it is, this just makes it look worse. On the other hand, if this is indeed intimidation disguised as an investigation, then it's one more infuriating reason why we need to remove the Bush cabal. As always, thanks to the watchful eye of Bob Harris. posted by chris at 12:44 PM   ------------------

    

Blog - Info - Archive - Contact - Links   2005 © Designed by Chris. Take what you want.