Barry Crimmins Alert: Strap Nancy Pelosi To A Table and Ship Her Out! ... Vote Cindy Sheehan!

It's been one of our most fervent wishes the past two-years, that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is plagued by nightmares.

A Tim-Burton-on-acid-meets-Disney-type nightmare, of being trapped in a store.

A table store.

Big, thick butcher block's man the exits, forcing the Bush Grindhouse enabler to travel the maze-like aisles, small end-tables nipping at her ankles, all the other tables stamping their legs, chanting "No Nancy, put it on the table ... No, Nancy, put it on the table ... No Nancy, put it on the table ..."

Well, the good folks of "Baghdad by the Bay" (a favorite moniker often used by the late, San Francisco Chronicle columnist, Herb Caen, long before the invasion and occupation), San Francisco, has that opportunity next month, to bring that closer to a reality.

And Barry Crimmins, today, gives it a push, with a resounding, call-to-arms endorsement of her challenger - Cindy Sheehan.

A snip for you;

Icing the Republican Casket

Wouldn't it be fantastic if the Dem who gets handed walking papers was the one who, speaking from a position of high authority, promised that any chance of impeaching the criminally barbarous Bush was "off the table" immediately after 2006 Congressional elections that were all about public disdain for Bush? From there that person went on stand down as our liberties were being assailed at home and as our addiction to foreign wars continued apace abroad. Then this millionaire helped spearhead a gargantuan bailout of people already awash in more cash than any of us could ever imagine. No question about it, it would be tremendous if she found herself out on a street full of Republicans on the morning of Nov 5.

Not only should Cindy Sheehan win but she really could if an influx of progressive support infuses her campaign right now. So get off your diverse buts San Francisco and get to work for Cindy Sheehan. And lefties around the country, it's time to cough up whatever you can for Cindy Sheehan. Imagine if on election night (voter suppression and ballot-rigging permitting) the Republicans get trounced from coast to coast and then the last big story of the evening is Cindy Sheehan's upset win over Nancy Pelosi.

Imagine how great November 4 will be (voter suppression and ballot-rigging permitting) if we seriously repudiate the R's and then knock off the Vichy Dem who so compromised the electoral gains of 2006 by replacing her with the legendary woman who wiped the smirk off W's face?

Strongly recommend you jump over to Barry's site and read "Icing the Republican Casket"

Then, jump of over to Cindy Sheehan's site, and do whatever you can to help her dump Pelosi


Bonus "Vichy Dem" Pelosi Riffs

Garlictorial - We’ll Need That Table

Hey, Hoyer (and Pelosi) ... Politico ... Suck On This!

Damn You, Nancy OffTheTable and Stagnant Hoyer!

Garlictorial: The Blank Check Club

The Night of the Jackal ... And A New Garlic Song - The Congress Sleeps Tonight

Hey, Hoyer (and Pelosi) ... Politico ... Suck On This!

How is it, exactly, "speaking volumes", being a "master of cloakroom politics who can use his friendships across the aisle to strike deals" to simply cave-in and give the Bush Grindhouse what it wants, like the FISA Bill they gift wrapped last week?

If you read the Politico (I assumed, as I begin reading, that the artice was written by the one who always drops to his kness, Mike Allen, but, alas, it is not), and the hummer they give to Stench Hoyer today, you'll think the slime ball just saved the world, or something

And Stench Hoyer is thinking pretty high of himself;

In an interview with Politico on Monday, Hoyer called the FISA legislation a “significant victory” for the Democratic Party — one that neutralized an issue Republicans might have been able to use against Democrats in November while still, in his view, protecting the civil liberties of American citizens.

Hoyer said that House Democrats succeeded in dialing back some of the provisions contained in the earlier, Senate-passed version of the FISA legislation. While the Senate bill provided retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies that participated in President Bush’s warrantless surveillance program, Hoyer noted that the House version mandates judicial review of the companies’ actions. Legal experts and congressional opponents argue that such review will ultimately be meaningless.

[Make a note - send dictionary to Stench Hoyer, with Post-It tag on page defining "significant"]

The legendary football coach Paul Brown used to tell his players that, when they got to the end zone, "act like you've been there before".

What would he ever make of Stench Hoyer (and the table-less Nancy Pelosi), taking victory laps - after giving away the store!

Just astounding, that they would go out and brag about their caving in.

I'll repeat here something I wrote the other day;

Considering they beat back the bill the last time they had it, with the recent Supreme Court decision to restore Habaes Corpus to detainees, and, let's throw in the overwhelming majority of American citizens against Illegal Wiretapping, and Immunity for the crony Telecom companies that conducted it, why on earth did they not stand tall, and emphatically reemphasize the LAME in Lame Duck President?

And, if you think I'm being to harsh ...

Digby;

Do read the whole Politico article, which doesn't bother to spend even one paragraph describing why people were opposed to the bill. For that matter it doesn't bother to tell us why the other side was so adamant that it get passed either. The fact that it wasn't some typical congressional agenda item which might naturally be "horse traded" but rather a matter of fundamental constitutional principle, isn't worth mentioning. Even the fact that the whole thing stinks to high heaven of financial corruption gets no mention.

This one is sweeter than most because he managed to capitulate to the congressional minority and the most unpopular president in history on an issue of fundamental constitutional principle which contained little political risk to uphold. A truly bravura performance. In fact, it's worthy of a lifetime achievement award.

Glenn Greenwald;

In other words, Democrats achieved a "significant victory" because -- by giving Republicans everything they demanded -- Republicans are no longer able to criticize Democrats on this issue. What a shrewd strategy: "if we comply with all their demands, then they can't criticize us for anything." That's the Democratic Party's plan for winning, according to Hoyer.

Regarding Pelosi's claim that the Democrats won "significant concessions" -- a claim repeated by Hoyer in the Politico article -- Ponnuru says: "If that's what they want to tell themselves, fine. It sure looks like they got rolled." It looks that way because that's what happened. Who exactly do Pelosi and Hoyer think they're fooling with these self-glorifying claims that they stood down the Republicans and extracted concessions?

The Congressional Leadership of Stench Hoyer, and the table-challenged Nancy Pelosi, is bankrupt, and devoid of principles.

Like so many - and most in, or attached to, the Bush Grindhouse - that has turned their backs on the Constitution, so has this dynamic duo, and they compound their sins by urging their membership to follow their lead.

They continue to be The Blank Check Club.

But wait, while she lives in a world, sans tables, Pelosi found something to rest her gumption on;

Pelosi Welcomes Filibuster of the House FISA Surrender Bill

Did they not send out the PR?

Was last week, the one time, once-per-year, the House is not allowed to debate a bill?

Did some mysterious vapor overcome Hoyer and Pelosi, causing them to forget all the arcane rules that they could have delayed, tabled, or otherwise, killed this bill off?

Since they've been throwing confetti on themselves, what happens if the Senate does manage to beat this bill back?

How can they celebrate the Senate saving our Civil Liberties, when they, themselves, advocated, lobbied and voted against them?

This strategy, of caving into the Bush Grindhouse, and minority Republicans, as some sort of election strategy should fast-track them, zoom them, up to the top of the Darwin Awards (presumably, Pelosi will find a table to place the award on).

And, if the Senate doesn't beat the FISA Bill back this week, they can sit in the same clown bus as Hoyer and Pelosi, who, undoubtedly, will be patting each other on the back, for the great job, for their "significant victories" - as the bus drives over the cliff.


Bonus Links

Comments from Left Field - Hoyer and Pelosi To Their Base: You Should Thank Us for Screwing You

John Amato: Hoyer’s Conservative Capitulation Lifetime Award

Jane Hamsher: FISA: Call Your Wobbly FISA Senator


Bonus, Late-Breaking Update

Dodd And Feingold Will Filibuster Telecom Immunity

Amy Goodman: “One of the Greatest Intrusions, Potentially, on the Rights of Americans Protected Under the 4th Amendment”–Sen. Feingold Blasts Telecom Spy Bill

Think Progress: Reid to co-sponsor effort to strip retroactive immunity from FISA bill. (Updated)

Mike Lillis - Washington Independent: Telecom Donations Tied to FISA Vote; Supporters of the Spying Bill Received Twice the Contributions as Those Against It

"This Is The Capitulation We Have Been Waiting For!"

Or; "A Cave-In You Can Believe In"

Yes, the Junior Senator from Illinois plans on voting for the wretched "bipartisan", "compromise" of a FISA Bill, whenever it hits the Senate next week.

This follows the Stench Hoyer, and table-challenged Nancy Pelosi led Congress's approval of the measure on Friday.

I guess, we'll need historians, some 30-years from now, to come up with the answer and explain why the Democratic-majority House would cave-in to the wants of the worst, and lowest-rated, President in U.S. History.





















Considering they beat back the bill the last time they had it, with the recent Supreme Court decision to restore Habeas Corpus to detainees, and, let's throw in the overwhelming majority of American citizens against Illegal Wiretapping, and Immunity for the crony Telecom companies that conducted it, why on earth did they not stand tall, and emphatically reemphasize the LAME in Lame Duck President?

Aside from the destruction of practical things, like civil liberties, the Constitution, the 4th Amendment, etc, they're handing Stumblin' Bumblin' John McCain a gift, for his trumped up National Security credentials, as well as ammunition to the GOP for the Fall Election.

Couldn't you just hear Obama, at one of the upcoming debates, hammering Stumblin' Bumblin' John McCain, asking him pointedly, yet calmly, why he wants to illegally spy on American citizens, and give the telecom companies that do it a free pass?

Let's face it, SB John would only be able to stutter back some unreality-based, jingoistic, rehashed Commander Guy-speak

This helps the Republican establish the talking point of how "they" are the ones leading the fight on terror. That, it is because of "them" that we are "safe" and, only "they" can keep us safe, and only "they" can fight this war on terror.

Oh, if they blocked or voted down the bill, the Republicans would call them sissies, appeasers, and soft on terror.

Really?

You mean the Swiss-cheese brains of the Democratic Leadership can't figure that out? That they have to sit there, cowering over such school-yard taunting?

Maybe they could remind their counterparts across the aisle, of the tsunami of material that has been released recently, between Scott McClellan's book, the Senate Intelligence Committee's report (and not to mention the classified material they are privileged to see) on how much (if not all) of what the Bush Grindhouse put out there was over-hyped lies.

Remind those across the aisle that the existing FISA law adequately protects us, that it is unnecessary to trample the Constitution and conduct illegal activities to do so.

Yes, this is a change year, a change election, and what the American people are hungering for is representatives that work for the people, that stand up to injustice, that protect our civil liberties and the Constitution.

Hoyer and Pelosi just led the Democrat-controlled Congress in parroting a Dick-Cheney-like "SO!", ignoring the will and wishes of a majority of the country.

While it could play out that Chris Dodd will rally the Senate troops to squash this injustice, or, perhaps Leahy and Feingold.

That would be fine, but the one person, the one Senator, that should be leading the charge, whose voice should be bone-hoarse come Monday, is Barack Obama.

He is now the flag carrier for the Democrats and it is egregious that he is buying into this capitulation.

If Only ... Obama's Frank Capra Moment (That we won't likely see)

Think of the soaring speech he could give, say, from the floor of the Senate, one in which he challenges his colleagues -no, make that shames his colleagues, to stand up for America, to protect our rights, to end the treacherous evil that has suppressed us for the past seven-years, to rise up and reclaim our country, our ideals, our principles.

Christ, the way he can fire it up, even the networks would likely break into the daily soaps to beam this out.

The country comes to a slow stop.

Mass gridlock, as vehicles stop, their occupants leaning over to listen ....

People huddled in front of television store windows ... The Times Square Jumbotron ... Cellphones ... iPods ...Any device that can pick up the speech.

Word reaches the Senate floor that the Senates computer system has crashed, from the millions of emails sent, telling the Senate to follow Obama and kill the bill ...

Fired up, hoarse and haggard, exhausted and in pain, from the injustice that this bill represents, Obama, down to a whisper, extorting his colleagues, perhaps to the point of passing out, ala Jimmy Stewart in 'Mr. Smith Goes To Washington'.

The money shot coming with Stumblin' Bumblin' John McCain, sunken and sullen, embarrassed, places his vote against the measure, unleashing enough of the other rubberstamp Republicans to follow suit and kill this off.

If Obama isn't going to give the speech, and kill the bill, someone needs to ...

"This Is A Very Frightening Bill"

It's likely that a significant portion of the country doesn't have any idea what going on with this FISA Bill, or the implications awaiting upon its' passage.

This is a video of Professor Jonathan Turley, from 'Countdown with Keith Olbermann' Thursday evening, discussing the FISA Bill.

Turley doesn't mince words or sugar-coat anything, and you can sum it up with his "This is a very frightening bill"

From the transcript;

TURLEY: Yes. This is a very frightening bill. What people have to understand is that FISA itself is controversial. This court issued tens of thousands of warrants granted applications for surveillance without turning down any. Only recently did they turn down two.

So, the standard is already so low that they have virtually never refused a request. That standard, however, was too high for the Bush administration.

And, so, people need to be very, very much aware of this bill. What you‘re seeing in this bill is an evisceration of the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution. It is something that allows the president and the government to go in to law-abiding homes on their word alone, their suspicion alone, and to engage in warrantless surveillance. That‘s what the framers that drafted the Fourth Amendment wanted to prevent.

Congress Prepares to GUT the Fourth Amendment!




Read the full transcript Here

You are now warned and armed ...

Do let happen to you, what happened to Dr. Miles Bennell, in 'The Invasion of the Body Snatchers';

"Listen to me! Please listen! If you don't, if you won't, if you fail to understand, then the same incredible terror that's menacing me WILL STRIKE AT YOU!"


Bonus Bend Over Riffs

Christy Hardin Smith: A Necessary Word Of Thanks…

Glenn Greenwald: Time Magazine uncritically prints Nancy Pelosi's "justification" for the FISA "compromise"

Cernig: Obama Backs FISA Cave

digby: Sistah Soljah'd ?

Glenn Greenwald: Obama's support for the FISA "compromise"

emptywheel: A Letter to the Next President of the United States

Greg Sargent: Why Obama's Support For FISA Cave-In Is Such A Downer

Jack Balkin: Why Obama Kinda Likes the FISA Bill (But He Won't Come Out and Say It)

Damn You, Nancy OffTheTable and Stagnant Hoyer!

Now let me get this straight ...

Dennis Kucinich introduced a resolution to impeach Vice President Dick Cheney, and the Democratic Leadership buried it?

Even after, in their smug, arrogant manner, the Republican Minority said "Sure, let's debate it"?

My God, what the hell is this? Another meeting of The Blank Check Club?

Does Nancy OffTheTable and Stagnant Hoyer have any concept of what the hell is at stake?

Especially and doubly odious, being it's the year-anniversary of the Dems taking the elections, and the majority, back in Congress.

This is like Ernie Banks saying "It's a beautiful day ... But I don't feel like playing any baseball", or John Cameron Swayze giving up and not testing to see if the Timex would still be ticking after taking a licking... Veteran and legendary anchorman Walter Cronkite admitting "I have no idea the way it is"

What cowards.

Yes, there are a boatload of important matters the Congress needs to deal with.

The invasion and occupation of Iraq ... Healthcare ... Immigration ... The economy ... Etc, Etc, Etc ...

And while The Garlic is usually hip, and cheering on Jeralyn Merrit, over on TalkLeft, but her "...The time to impeach, if there was one, was after we learned Bush and Cheney lied about getting us into war in Iraq. It's too late now and counterproductive." is off-the-mark.

Bush, Cheney and their henchman are still lying, piling lie-after-lie, on Iraq, while going into "Lie Reruns" with trying to get us into another quagmire, in Iran.

And another big lie - that bastion of democracy, Pakistan - is turning back on them to bite them in the ass ...

While we're at it, let's mention, to put on the menu, sort-of-speak, the treasonous exposure of Valerie Plame , or the firing of the U.S. Attorneys (and the complete corruption of the Department of Justice) ... The Torture Policy ... The Signing Statements...

It is far from counterproductive to hold the elected officials of this country - and yes, these two criminals weren't exactly elected -accountable for their crimes and misdemeanors.

Letting Bush and Cheney off-the-hook now, leaves every future administration off-the-hook, after they've black-jacked the Constitution, replacing it with their own whims.

No, it should be, exactly, the business of this Congress to begin the Articles of Impeachment of this dynamic duo. It's not too late and it's not counterproductive.

In fact, it is, quite likely, exactly what is needed to go towards restoring the image, and the integrity, of the United States.

To show our allies, the world, that our Congress hasn't turned its' back on The Constitution the way the Executive Branch has, and that they will do their constitutional duty to protect this country, from enemies abroad - and enemies within.

Hey, Nancy OffTheTable and Stagnant Hoyer, take a cue from Mr. Cub, Ernie Banks;

"It's a beautiful day ... Let's impeach two!"


Bonus Impeachment Links

Dennis Kucinich: Kucinich Will Introduce Privileged Resolution To Force Up Or Down Vote On Cheney Impeachment

David Swanson/AfterDowningStreet: Kucinich's Resolution Survives Tabling Attempt, Is Referred to Committee

Larisa Alexandrovna/AtLargely - Bruce Fein: Impeach Cheney

Wil S. Hylton: THE PEOPLE V. RICHARD CHENEY - Resolved, that Richard B. Cheney, vice president of the United States, should be impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors and that these articles of impeachment be submitted to the American people

Garlictorial: Happy 4th of July ... Okay, It May Be Down To This .... Citizen's Arrest!














How's about hugging your constitutional responsibilities?

For The Congress Today, A New Song - Bush's Place (Or C-Jam Blues)

We tried to help them, when they took over back in January, pumping them up with an anthem.

However, it appears that our Congress, and in particular, the Democratic Leadership, is tone-deaf.

We had to strongly urge Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to go table shopping... He had to attempt to wake them up from their nap... We came out and called like it was - Hypocrites, The Bunch of Them!

And yet, astoundingly, with a sitting president sitting down at Nixonian levels of popularity, the Congress, and, again as we pointed out, the Democrats, still are holding their regular meetings of The Blank Check Club.

Rather then make him sit there, in all his resplendent relevancy, they cave... They cower and shrink and cave.

The New York Times had an editorial about it today ...

We have to call on the First Lady of Jazz, Ms. Ella Fitzgerald, to take us out of the week

Snap your fingers and tap your toes (Well, musically, not that other way) to "Bush's Place (also known as C-Jam Blues - you decide what the "C" should be for).

Bush's Place

Baby! take me down to Bush’s Place,
Softest Congress in town is Bush’s Place
Love that crying sound in Bush’s Place.
Republican Minorities do their tricks in Bush’s Place,
Idaho Senators swing their dicks in Bush’s Place
Come on! Get your bills passed in Bush’s Place!

You find yourself a threat, and when you want to met,
you look around and yell, “Terrorist!”
They fill your bill chock full of amnesty and shrink up
You’re jetting along with your Condi
It’s late second term, but baby, it’s still early!
If you’ve never been to Bush’s Place,
Take your bills into Bush’s Place
You'll get what you want in Bush’s Place

Bonus Links

Listen To A Clip of Ella Fitzgerald, with Duke Ellington, Sing "Duke's Place"

Senator Chris Dodd: The Military Commissions Act. Warrantless wiretapping. Shredding of Habeas Corpus. Torture. Extraordinary Rendition. Secret Prisons. No more.

Glenn Greenwald: AT&T, other telecoms, buy victory in lawsuits

Digby: Five Card Dud

Garlic Exclusive! Congressional Strategy On Dealing With Bush Exposed By Salon Comic!

Oh My God!

It's out there, on-line, for all the world to see ...

Ruben Bolling, via his Tom the Dancing Bug comic strip, has exposed the Congressional strategy for how they plan on dealing with The Commander Guy and his Bush Grindhouse the remainder of their term.

The Garlic, making quick calls, reached Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to alert her to the leak, and Pelosi was not fazed, indicating that "Not kissing President Bush's ass is off the table".

Check out immediately "Do not tell President Bush about this!"

Bonus Links

Ruben Bolling

Tom the Dancing Bug On Salon

Garlictorial: The Blank Check Club

"Come visit me sometime, my boy; Even you will take off your hat when you see how respected I am there. Only the day before yesterday, they wanted to make me their legislature - the whole legislature. I don't know what they mean by that, but it must be the greatest honor the can bestow ..."

Howard (The Old Man) from ''Treasure of the Sierra Madre'

I don't think that B. Traven, when he wrote this passage, or John Huston, when he filmed this scene, had our 43rd President in mind, but they could have been visionary ... Bush & Co. might as well be "the whole legislature" (though, to be fair, Dick Cheney will have his own "whole other legislature" and not be part of the Bush & Co's. "whole legislature").

It certainly appeared that the Bush Grindhouse barked "Badges? What Badges? ... We don't have to show you no stinkin' badges" and the Democrats in Congress cowered and ran for cover.

The problem stems well beyond, and isn't solely pinned to, just the Democrats

What is, perhaps, the most astounding, and deeply troubling aspect of having both the Senate and the House voting approval of The Commander Guy's dream FISA Law, is that this Congress hasn't had the courage, the sense of purpose, to hold this administration to scrutiny and accountability - criminally so, possibly - to the repeated abuses and felony violations of the original FISA rules, and, not to mention, the Constitution.

This may be akin to a bank robber having the police take his car to the car wash, before letting him hightail it on his getaway.

The Republicans, between their fear mongering, the sky-is-exploding, and their blind loyalty to their failure of a party leader, are like the frog sitting in that pot of water, croaking happily away, before it's too late, the 2008 elections representing the boiling death slowing engulfing them.

We gave them a song last evening and now, it appears, we missed the bigger picture.

They don't have a Democrat Caucus ... What they do have is "The Blank Check Club".

And there were two, at least, of the 16 Democrats, who are writing those blank checks and who voted for the bill, that have some "splaining" to do.

Senator Jim Web (D-VA), the hard core Navy man, who dusted off the Macaca Guy and just a short few weeks ago, stuck Senator Lindsay Graham's head on a pole during an exchange on 'Meet The Press', over Graham's fantasy-based assessments of Iraq, and using "our troops" as political pawns (a subject today by Frank Rich, in his column "Patriots Who Love the Troops to Death").

And there's the pragmatic, 'Can-Do" Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO), who said she “I’m not thrilled,” to etch her vote in the Hall of Shame.

“There are some changes we need to make to make sure that American citizens are protected. But it’s a lot better than a lot of things that have been forced down this Congress’ throat right before recesses that trampled on American’s liberties.”

You're from the "Show Me" state, McCaskill, not the "It's A Lot Better Than" state.

Things that have been forced down our throats.

How's about the Democrats, such as Webb and McCaskill, elected in the 2006 wave of "things are going to be different" and promising to stand up to the Bush Grindhouse.

And what about the Democratic Leadership?

Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi. She must be out measuring the length of hoses, before she starts "draining the GOP Swamp", with her co-hort, Harry Reid, seemingly, more occupied with auditioning for the role of the Captain of the Titanic.

Reid must sure like the taste of shit, because that's what Bush & Co. keep feeding him and he's only been too happy to gobble it up.

There are some that are saying today that we shouldn't worry about this FISA vote, that it's only temporary, it's only for six-months.

Yeah, right.

They have the blinders on again.

For an administration that has so thoroughly trampled the Constitution, broken so many laws and lied us into an invasion and occupation of a sovereign nation - and then double-downed to lie some more, and "surge" more troops into the conflict, that they are worried about things being "temporary" or Sunset Clauses?

Likely, as soon as Congress returns from their capitulation-soaked vacation, the Bush Grindhouse will be amping up the rhetoric to make this new FISA law permanent.

They'll be booming of "al Qaeda everywhere" and pointedly warning, "your child" and "your family" may be the next terrorist target, trotting out new plots and new twists that puts a jihadists on your doorstep, and the Democrats will, if recent history tells us anything, fall into line and slurp it up like Happy Soup.

Or, just as likely, The Decider Guy will continue to govern as he has, virtually the entire time of his stolen presidency - via Signing Statement.

And he does this because Congress hasn't stood up and exercised it's Constitutional authority.

They fume and posture over it, but they haven't called him on it.

They haven't censured him on it.

And they haven't impeached him on it.

You seem confused about Impeachment, Madam Speaker.

Otherwise, you wouldn't have said “If I were not the speaker and I were not in Congress, I would probably be advocating for impeachment.”

Gee, what a major drag for us ... Too bad we don't have a private citizen who is in Congress and is Speaker of the House ..

Why bother coming back from vacation?

Perhaps, while you're back in district on your vacation, you'll sigh and moan, handing out some commemorative pens that you used signing those Blank Checks, falsely promising again how you're going to stop the war, how you're going to keep the Bush Grindhouse in-check.

But we know now.

The Bush Grindhouse has the Patriot Act, the new, harsh Executive Order, the Crony General running the Injustice Department, Cheney and his branch of government, and of course, the new and improved, bullet-proof FISA Law.

With his adroit use of the Signing Statement, No. 43 has got "the whole legislature" and that is the embarrassing and dubious honor you, the 110th Congress, have bestowed on the American people.

Bonus Links

Larisa Alexandrovna: An Open Letter: No more power to the Executive Ms. Pelosi. No More!

Larisa Alexandrovna: It's official, we are police state...

Meteor Blades/Daily Kos: Enough Already with the Pathetic Excuses

Video - Keith Olbermann and Jonathan Turley: Just how broad are the spying powers of the administration in the proposed terror bill and what should we be concerned about?

The Country's Brain Trust? ... Or, The Three Amigos? ... You Decide!

The Night of the Jackal ... And A New Garlic Song - The Congress Sleeps Tonight

"The President wants a blank check. The Congress is not going to give it to him."

There's a scene in the taut, classic thriller 'Day of the Jackal' (and please, don't even think of bringing up the piece of crap with Bruce Willis and Richard Gere), where Inspector Lebel (played superbly by Michael Lonsdale) addresses the secret task force in charge of stopping the Jackal (Edward Fox) from assassinating Charles De Gaulle, and roots out a leaker.

After the astonished members settle down a minister asks "How did you know whose telephone to tap?" and Lebel responds, dryly and succinctly "I didn't, so I tapped them all."

So we now have the Bush Grindhouse, free to do as they please - once again, browbeating the Democrats into another losing vote - and, let's not forget, they have the extra billy club of that nifty Executive Order The Commander Guy gave himself last week.

So aside from some free passes to Wally World, as they jump in their station wagons for a month's vacation (and with the Iraqi Parliament cooling their heels in August, did Congress, or the President give our soldiers the time off over in Iraq?), what more can we do for our shrinking, emasculated Congress?

Why, a Garlic Song certainly would be welcomed, to serenade those that chose not to fight, not to serve, not assist the American people against this egregious attack from this person that occupies the great office of the President of the United States.

You know the tune, so sing along.

The Congress Sleeps Tonight

A-We-Some-Wimps, A-We-Some-Wimps, A-We-Some-Wimps, A-We-Some-Wimps,
A-We-Some-Wimps, A-We-Some-Wimps, A-We-Some-Wimps, A-We-Some-Wimps,

In the Capitol, the mighty Capitol
The Congress sleeps tonight
In the Senate the quivering Senate
Bush Gets His Way, Alright

Near the White House, the Unitarian White House
The Congress sleeps tonight
Near the White House, the law-breaking White House
They gave away our rights

Blush my darling and fear my darling
The Congress sleeps tonight
Don't rush my darling your acquiescing my darling
The Congress sleeps, with no oversight, tonight

A-We-Some-Wimps, A-We-Some-Wimps, A-We-Some-Wimps, A-We-Some-Wimps,
A-We-Some-Wimps, A-We-Some-Wimps, A-We-Some-Wimps, A-We-Some-Wimps

Bonus Links

Glenn Greenwald: Democrats' responsibility for Bush radicalism

Edward Copeland: Even the rulings against it are done in secret

Robert Parry: Bush's Secret Spying on Americans

Daily Kos: Senate Gives in on Wiretapping. 16 Dems Go Along

Sleep well, my darlings ...

Breaking News! Bush Grindhouse Backs Up Letter With Wiretap Poll Showing Overwhelming Support For Gonzales

Massive Overnight Data Mining Rings In Big Number For Embattled Crony General; "They Want Him To Lie More"

The Bush Grindhouse, followed up the letter sent yesterday by Intelligence Czar Mike McConnell, with another set of documents, culled from their Terror Surveillance Program, and "other intelligence activities", showing overwhelming support for the embattled Crony General Alberto Gonzales.

"They love him," beamed Grindhouse Press Secretary Tony Snow. "They want him to lie more."

According to Snow, the Grindhouse conducted -legally - a series or wiretaps, as well as a massive Data Mining program, keying in on Gonzales, and his testimony given last week.

The Bush Grindhouse cites well over 78% approval for Gonzales via the Wiretapping, and slightly less support, only 68%, coming from the Data Mining exercise.

"The people emailing pulled the numbers down a bit," confessed Snow, "but overall, we extremely pleased that, along with the President, an overwhelming and significant number of Americans also have confidence in the Crony General."

The documents supplied today to the Senate Judiciary Committee were only an overview of the results of the Wiretapping and Data Mining Poll.

"Since most of this is classified, we can't release the raw results," said Snow.

Gonzales, who had his testimony contradicted by FBI Director Robert Mueller, has until Friday to correct his answers, or face a possible perjury charge, and, potentially, impeachment.

"We looked for those things as well," added Snow, "and it was strong, very strong, against taking any action on the Crony General ... They want him to stay right where he is, and doing the things he does best ..."

Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) said he was enraged with the report given him today, and indicated that he may, if his anger stays with him, fire off another letter to the Bush Grindhouse.

"This is unacceptable, " fumed Specter. "A blind poll, that we can't see who was polled, and what the results were ... I'm beside myself ... This administration is very close ... Very close to getting another letter from me!"

Specter's colleague, Judiciary Committee Chairman, Senator Pat Leahy (D-VT), was also displeased, indicating he may give the Bush Grindhouse the month of August to redo the Wiretapping and Data Mining Poll and resubmit it to the committee.

"This is ridiculous," barked Leahy. "We'd like to submit our own questions to this Wiretapping and Data Mining audience, to get our own results. I agree with my colleague, Mr. Specter, that another stern protest letter is probably warranted here."

When apprised of this latest development, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi expressed her disagreement with Specter and Leahy.

"We have to stop the war and have the business of the country to attend to," huffed Pelosi. "I have no interest in letter writing ... It's off the table."

Bonus Links

Anonymous Liberal: The Gang of Eight Smokescreen

TalkLeft - NewSpeak: Bush's FISA Proposal

The Crony General: "Not necessarily. I could be arguing in my spare time ..."

Hold The Phone! ... He Can't Be President, He's Not Part of The Executive Branch ...

I can't believe that the stock market didn't crash, the Emergency Broadcast System, didn't, with blaring beeps, take over our televisions and Washington DC become paralyzed in Constitutional gridlock.

With the news today that The Decider/The Commander Guy/The Shakespeare Guy will undergo a Colonoscopy (is this the yearly clean-out of the bile he spews, in place of reasoned thought and sound policy?), which, for a number of hours, places Darth Vader, aka, Vice President Richard B. Cheney with the Presidential Powers.

Couldn't Bush just have done another Signing Statement to say he had his Colonoscopy?

Perhaps we should add the Iranian citizens bolting down the hatches and running for cover tomorrow.

Better hold off on filling up that memoir Nancy Pelosi... And Harry Reid can run out to Bed, Bath and Beyond for some new sheets to go on the cots they should be rolling back in tonight.

If no one believed we have been in a Constitutional Crises, this scenario certainly creates one.

Cheney to become president…briefly?

Wasn't it just a mere few weeks ago that Cheney indicated, in order to avoid some benign oversight, that he wasn't part of the Executive Branch?

If that is the case, as the Bush Grindhouse agreed, than the Speaker of the House, the aforementioned Ms. Pelosi, should get the to hold the parchment and wear the secret decoder ring this weekend.

Maybe this is why the Bush Grindhouse came out today with that bizare legel mumble-jumble about they - The Grindhouse - can't be prosecuted by the DOJ for Contempt of Congress.

How about Contempt of the Constitution? Contempt of the Country?

Granted, it may be for only a few hours, but, jeez, the way Cheney operates with that stealth secrecy, he could kick start that Armageddon he's been practicing for before you finish mowing the lawn.

If you do straighten this out Nancy, and you get to sit in the big chair, how's about putting all this on that table you don't want to put anything on?

Bonus Links

John Fabian Witt: A Declaration The President Ignores

Glenn Greenwald: Bush's magical shield from criminal prosecution

Eugene Robinson: Bush's Cognitive Dissonance












"He could kick start that Armageddon he's been practicing for before you finish mowing the lawn."

Happy Mothers Day ... And Let's Hear For Queen Noor!

Happy Mother's Day!

Hopefully, basking in the glow of the day will not involve under-cooked pancakes and spilling grape juice on your white comforter, with that traditional breakfast-in-bed.

However, the crayon-drawn, hand-made card just makes it all the better.

Quite a few good things out there, to celebrate Mother's Day, and bring attention to its' original roots, as well as a wonderful call-to-action.

On Friday (11 May), the ever-enchanting, Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan was a guest on CNN's Situation Room.

In talking about the original roots of Mother's Day being for peace, Queen Noor spoke most eloquently on what's happening over in Iraq, Israel, the Middle East region overall and offered;

"... because they're -- well, they should, because the Prophet Mohammed -- peace be upon him -- once was asked by one of his followers, "Who is it that I should look up to the most? Who is it that I should give the greatest attention to?" And the prophet replied, "Your mother."

"And then whom?" "Your mother." "And then whom?" "Your mother." "And then whom?" "Your father."

"The prophet and his followers in early Islam placed enormous value on the role of women. Economically, socially and politically, they were given rights to contribute in a society that people were still struggling for in the West. That's been obscured by politics in recent times. But those are the facts of our faith."

"I firmly believe that peace will only come to the region when mothers find their voice and say of the violence, "Enough is enough!".

Queen Noor also has a Special Commentary posted on CNN.Com

Noor: Let's reclaim Mother's Day for peace

A number of steps down on the royalty ladder, our own historically-elected Speaker-of-the-House, Nancy Pelosi, picks up on the call for mothers leading the charge to peace.

Nancy Pelosi: As A Mother

Not bad ideas in the least ... Something that, well, would make a mother proud to see happen.

Other Reading/Links

Transcript - The Situation Room 11 May 2007 - Interview With Queen Noor of Jordan

Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan

The Motherhood Manifesto

Mother's Day Proclamation - 1870 by Julia Ward Howe

Rediscover Mother's Day

"I firmly believe that peace will only come to the region when mothers find their voice and say of the violence, "Enough is enough!".

Garlic Special: A George Bush Dream - The Victory II

In a new series, The Garlic has, occasionally, taken a look (and liberty) with the somnolent state of our Court-Appointed President.

A George Bush Dream - The Victory II

Location: Cross Hall

Sunlight is beginning to fade, and the Jefferson Memorial stands deep in the background, framed nicely by the window.

President Bush is standing at a microphone, position dead center of the hallway, flanked on either side by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

President Bush: "... And that's why I took this action, to win the broad, bipartisan support of Congress, so we can support our troops, save our civilization and win this war ... Senator Reid? ...."

The President takes a step back, smiling at both Reid and Pelosi. Reid, as he steps to the microphone, gives the President a collegial, affectionate tap on the arm.

Reid: "Thank You Mr. President ... This is a great day for America ... For our soldiers ... For the Iraqi people... It was an extraordinary gesture ... Check that - vision ... For the President to come up to the Hill today, say that he wants to avoid a veto fight, roll up his sleeves and say "Let's get this done, so the soldiers and the people are secure" ... The President was very persuasive ... He talked about what would happen if we didn't provided him the tools and resources to fight this war ... To support our troops ... He hit it home, talking about images of soldiers, on the battlefield, having to boil their shoes in order to have something to eat - all because some politicians here in Congress had their heads filled with crazy ideas ... (turning and nodding to the President) Thank you Mr. President ... Thank you for showing us the light ... "

The President nods back at Reid, and with a sweeping hand motion, ushering Speaker Pelosi to the microphone.

Pelosi (nodding to both the President and Reid): "Mr. President ... Senator Reid ... I echo the Senate Leader's comments that this is, indeed, a great day, not just for America, or Iraq, but the entire world ... Mr. President, the Congress proudly gives you a blank check ... We want to win this war ... We want to fight them over there, and not here ... It has been the President's vision since the beginning, which at times we doubted, but now, have been shown how correct that vision was all along.

(Pelosi turns and smiles at the President)

Pelosi: Another generation had a terrible war they had to win ... And their leader pulled himself up out of a wheelchair to lead them to victory ... It took this President marching up the Hill today to pull us all together ... This was our generation's moment today ... We have a similarly great leader - President Bush - who is stepping up to lead us to victory ..."


"Mr. President ... Mr. President ..."

A White House aid gently shakes the President's shoulder, and the President snaps his eyes open.

"Mr. President, you've been napping ... I have Mr. Wolfowitz on the telephone for you and he says it is urgent ... And, you should start getting ready to go downstairs, to sign the veto ..."

The First Lady walks in.

"C'mon George, up-and-at'em ... Time to go to work ..."

The President slowly raises himself from the chair, rubbing his eyes, yawning.

"And George, don't forget to bring the new DVD's upstairs with you when you finish ... Since I can't sit and watch the television, I need something new to look at ..."

Bonus Links

Transcript - Bush Discusses Veto of Iraq Bill

Who's the Enemy?

Senator Reid And Speaker Pelosi: If You Believe In What You Passed, Send It Back

Fresh Lies From Our Government

Garlic Special: A George Bush Dream - The Victory