Cheney, Baby Cheney ...

While half of the World Wide Web is having fun, riffing on the war cries of the PartyofNoicans, of "Drill, Baby Drill", there are more darker reasons the United States (and, likely, the entire planet) will soon see the most largest, horrific oil spill in history.

Things are terribly bleak down in the Gulf of Mexico, with Louisiana, and virtually the entire Panhandle, stretching to Florida, is in the beginnings of smelling foul with oil, washed over and completely covered, the ramifications to last for decades.



The spill is much larger than British Petroleum, or the government, is stating publically.

The Cheeseburger That Sweats ((h/t Barry Crimmins)), and the Flying Monkeys of the Right Wing Freak Show have already begun pinning this on Obama.

They're already calling it "Obama's Katrina"

Sorry, but he hasn't done a fly over, while wildlife and animals line up at the Convention Center, for days-upon-days, with no food or water.

Nor, has Obama patted Janet Napolitano on the back with a "Heck of a job Nappy".



But, by way of Katrina, in one of those "six degrees of separation" things, we can start building the blame for this back to The Commander Guy, and the Shadow President himself, Dick Cheney.

For one, the company that must have the record for most No-Bid Contracts in a single administration, Halliburton, is front-and-center, their fingerprints all over the Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig disaster.

Oil Blowout: What Did BP and Halliburton Know, and What/When Did They Tell Us?

We still don’t know what caused the blowout and explosion, but the Wall Street Journal is running a story suggesting the cause may have been related to the process Halliburton used for sealing the holes and gaps created during the drilling process.

Scarecrow goes on to detail a bit more about Halliburton;

8. Enter Halliburton. It’s job, worldwide, is to plug the gap between drill hole and pipe to stop the leakage, and to partially close the hole to allow more control over the pressure from oil/gas trying to escape up the pipe. If it doesn’t do this well, the pressure can cause a dangerous surge, and because the gas is highly flammable, there is a danger of a blowout and explosion when the escaping gas/oil reaches the platform.

9. This happened recently in Australia, where a rig also being sealed by Halliburton blew up and was destroyed, while millions of gallons of oil gushed into the ocean. This may not be a rare occurrence; blowouts do occur; we just don’t hear about them except when the explosions are large and easily detected.

Ah, but let's go back just a bit further.

Do we all remember the Cheney Energy Task Force?

That was at the beginning of the regime, when The Bush Grindhouse became an Energy Jamboree, so evil were the wheeling-and-dealing, so many hands were stained with the payola, that they went to court to suppress having any of the information of the meetings see the light of day.

A few years later, we got a glimpse'

Papers Detail Industry's Role in Cheney's Energy Report

In all, about 300 groups and individuals met with staff members of the energy task force, including a handful who saw Cheney himself, according to the list, which was compiled in the summer of 2001. For six years, those names have been a closely guarded secret, thanks to a fierce legal battle waged by the White House. Some names have leaked out over the years, but most have remained hidden because of a 2004 Supreme Court ruling that agreed that the administration's internal deliberations ought to be shielded from outside scrutiny.

[snip]

British Petroleum representatives dropped by on March 22, one of about 20 oil and drilling companies to get meetings. The National Mining Association, the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America and the American Petroleum Institute were among three dozen trade associations that met with Cheney's staff, the document shows.

[snip]

The development of a new energy policy was Bush's first major initiative after he took office. He turned over responsibility of it to Cheney, a former chairman of Halliburton Co., a Dallas-based energy services firm

[snip]

Some key proposals, such as opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling, have never won congressional approval, but some measures to encourage oil and gas production, coal output, and the development of biofuels and nuclear power have been included in Bush's budgets and in the 2005 energy bill.

"Cheney had his finger on a critical issue," said David G. Hawkins, a climate expert at the Natural Resources Defense Council. "He just pushed it in the wrong direction."

Under The Shadow President, regulations were gutted that can be tied into BP not going as far as they could, in protecting their rig and, hopefully, avoiding a catastrophic oil spill.

Today, on The Ed Show, Shultz had a segment with Environmental lawyer Mike Papantonio, who has already filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Fishing Industries, laid out, astoundingly, how BP failed to have an "Acoustic Switch" on the Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig, a fail-safe that would have shut off the oil at the source, equipment that costs only $500,000, and is required by every other country where they drill (in an era where BP had $40-Billion in profits).

You can go HERE to watch the interview.

Well before this is over, the Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig spill is going to make the Exxon Valdez look like a half-glass of milk that was knocked over.



Louisiana, the entire mouth of the Mississippi, and, of course, New Orleans, has still been in recovery mode, from Hurricane Katrina.

With this oil spill, it, almost, appears that The Bush Grindhouse, and "Cheney, Baby Cheney", are reaching back, trying to finish off the job.

Amazing, not out of office a full two-years, and they are still reaking despicable havoc.

What needs to come out of all this, additionally, is that this is THE LAST OIL SPILL.

Yeah, Obama has put on the brakes as to any new drilling contracts, but he needs to go further and announce, it's dead.

No More Drilling, Baby, No More Drilling!

Henceforth, all monies are going into developing safe, renewal energies, all our energy goes in this project, a Rooseveltian-like rallying of the country to this purpose.

Let's go there, Mr. President, step up to the plate, make the call.

The destruction being wrought on the Gulf Coast, the jobs lost, the wildlife and habitats destroyed, should be the only item needed to launch this effort.


Bonus Links

EnviroKnow: Rep. Waxman Requests Information from Halliburton Regarding the Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig

Brad Johnson: Oil Rig Disaster Could Soon Be Worse Than Exxon Valdez

David Neiwert: Gee, whatever happened to 'Drill Baby Drill'? Its proponents are awfully quiet these days UPDATED

Joe Conason: Will Palin, and Obama, rethink offshore drilling now?

New Barry Crimmins Essay - We Are Here

Another great, "must read" essay from Barry Crimmins, offering that there's a great deal of work to be done before we elect the next president.

"Gandhi said, “Fill the jails,” which was a brilliant strategy, meant to ball up the works of oppressive regimes. Now an oppressive regime has adopted the ‘ball up the works’ tactic with scandal overload, while perversely filling the jails with people other than themselves. Some of the jails are hidden beyond our borders and many of the prisoners are unidentified. But that’s getting too scandal-specific and I’m after the big picture here. Or big mug shot, anyway. "

"The ‘fill the jails strategy’ was tipped early with his choice of Dick Cheney as his vice-president. Right away watchdogs had two slimy trails to follow. In short order they led through a labyrinth of smoke and mirrors meant to obfuscate the most massive criminal enterprise ever to lay its hands on the government of these United States. "

Read We Are Here by Barry Crimmins








Barry Crimmins was the founder, and tirelessly producer, of The Ding Ho, legendary comedy club in Inman Square, Cambridge, MA, which launched Barry nationally, along with Steven Wright, Paula Poundstone, Bobcat Goldthwait, and many, many others. Barry also launched Boston's other fabled comedy club, Stitches, across the Charles River near Boston University.

Barry also been a featured commentator on CNN, NBC, MSNBC and The Phil Donohue Show and also appears in Fran Solimita's 'When Stand Up Stood Out', the critically acclaimed documentary about the Boston Comedy scene.

Barry received the Peace Leadership Award from Boston Mobilization for Survival. He has also been honored, along with Ms. Maya Angelou, with The Courage of Conscience Award from Wellesley College and The Life Experience School at The Peace Abbey in Sherborn, Massachusetts. Community Works gave the Artist for Social Change Award to Barry for his years of activism.

Barry is also a former writer for Air America Radio, writing and making commentary for the Randi Rhodes Show, including live reporting from Camp Casey.

In 2004, Seven Stores Press published Barry's first book, "Never Shake Hands With A War Criminal" and Barry's writing appears frequently in 'The Boston Phoenix' and the 'Cleveland Plain-Dealer'

Visit the Barry Crimmins website

Barry Crimmins news on The Garlic

The Laura Bush Bummer Bombing-of-the Day

Warning - Bypass this post if you don't want to be discouraged.

Man, this has to be a double-bummer for the First Lady.

Probably was looking forward to curling up on the sofa, box of Godiva Chocolate within arms' length and flicking on the tube to catch perhaps Burl Ives' Great Easter Bunny, or that Fred Astaire-Judy Garland pic with all the nice songs.

But no, those darn terrorists - that bunch from Al Qaeda that George and Dick say where in Iraq even before we invaded and occupied the country - have to go and spoil the entire weekend.

It's all Nancy Pelosi's fault... Running around over there in Syria, stirring up all kinds of trouble, ruining the First Lady's Easter.

Todays Laura Bush Bummer Bombing-of-the-Day

Chlorine truck bomber kills 27 in Ramadi

Links

Laura Bush: Much Of Iraq Is ‘Stable,’ There’s Just ‘One Bombing A Day That Discourages Everybody’

Brookings Institute Iraq Index

CNN Larry King - Interview With Laura Bush/"The Lost Tomb of Jesus"

Laura Bush: My husband never misled about Iraq

New Feature - The Laura Bush Bummer Bombing-of-the-Day

Tuesday, March 06, 2007 The Laura Bush Bummer Bombing-of-the Day

Friday, March 09, 2007 The Laura Bush Bummer Bombing-of-the Day

Friday, March 16, 2007 The Laura Bush Bummer Bombing-of-the Day

Tuesday, March 20, 2007 The Laura Bush Bummer Bombing-of-the Day

Wednesday, March 28, 2007 The Laura Bush Bummer Bombing-of-the Day

No Easter Parade for this First Lady, as long as those bombings keep cropping up on her television

Top Ten Cloves: How It Would Be Different If Alberto Gonzales Was The Head of March Madness

News Item: Mad About the Madness, and the Travesties, the Snubs and All the So-Called Experts

10. Issue memo okaying torture of mascots

9. At least one team would get bumped, in favor of another team that Karl Rove liked

8. If his favorite team loses, he would invoke the Patriot Act to reverse the score and give them the win

7. Cheney defends Gonzales, saying any criticism of him "will validate the strategy of al-Qaeda"

6. At halftime of championship game, Scooter Libby gets half-court shot - If he sinks it, he gets his pardon

5. Senator John McCain would be indicted for illegal gambling, for for his campaign website contest

4. Andrea Mitchell would back whatever Gonzales does, probably because she was drunk again

3. Laura Bush would back Gonzales and opine that "Many parts of tournament are stable ahh..now. But, of course, what we see on television is the one loss a day that discourages everybody."

2. Defend his actions of bumping teams from the tournamnet because "they play at the pleasure of the President"

1. It would come out Gonzales, and the White House, has a plan to replace all 64 teams with colleges that are more aligned with Bush Administration policies

Bonus Links

Special Report: Rough Justice - The Case Against Alberto Gonzales

Part I: Alberto Gonzales: A Willing Accessory at Justice

Part II: Alberto Gonzales, Presidential Enabler

Part III: Alberto Gonzales: The "Empty Suit" AG

If Alberto Gonzales was in charge of March Madness, At least one team would get bumped, in favor of another team that Karl Rove liked

This Just In! White House Applying Katrina Strategy To Med Center Neglect

To Gauge Neglect, Problems, President Set To Fly Over Walter Reed, Bldg. 18 Today

Bush Promising Action, "To Press Face Against Window"; Recommends DOD Follow Katrina Strategy

Facing yet more criticism over the treatment of wounded U.S. soldiers, the White House announced today that President Bush will fly over Walter Reed Medical Center, and its' Building 18 that is at the center of the controversy, in Air Force One to gauge for himself the neglect and problems.

With fresh headlines today today that top officials at Walter Reed, as well as the Army's surgeon general, members of the Congress and officials at the Pentagon knew of the problems for nearly three-years, President Bush is swinging back into his "Decider" role and taking action.

"The President," offered White House Spokesperson Tony Snow, "is jumping into his Hurricane Katrina strategy and will tackle this issue head-on. He's taking action and said he plans on "keeping his face firmly pressed against the window" as he flies over the grounds."

Snow also indicated that Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, in a meeting with the President this morning, "was strongly advised" to adopt the President's Hurricane Katrina plans in fixing the Walter Reed problem.

"The President," Snow continued, "wants to promise the soldiers, and the others at Walter Reed everything he promised New Orleans, for that city to get back on its' feet. He doesn't want to hold back on anything. He's ready to pledge, and pledge, action all day long."

Snow revealed, as evidence of the President's commitment to promise action, that "As soon as we heard about it, the President turned to me and said "Find out what the problem is and fix it."

Army Does "My Sister, My Daughter" Over Neglect Charges

Building 18 is a former hotel, across the street from the main Walter Reed grounds, that Dana Priest of the Washington Post exposed over two-weeks ago, as being in a decaying state, with mold, rotting walls and ceilings and mice, rat and insect infestations.

Initially, the Army was critical of the Washington Post for exposing the problems.

Lt. Gen. Kevin C. Kiley, chief of the Army Medical Command said that "I'm not sure it was an accurate representation ... It was a one-sided representation."

Within a few days of the article, and after a quick paint job, Kiley led a group of reporters around Building 18, boasting "I do not consider Building 18 to be substandard."

"We needed to do a better job on some of those rooms, and those of you that got in today saw that we frankly have fixed all of those problems. They weren't serious, and there weren't a lot of them."

That was quickly rebutted by Gen. Richard A. Cody, the Army vice chief of staff, who said "We own that building, and we're going to take charge of it. The senior Army leadership takes full responsibility for the lack of quality of life at Building 18, and we're going to fix it."

A new controversy has been added to the problem, as Army Times is reporting, that soldiers who talked to the Washington Post and other media about the conditions at Building 18 have been the subject of punishment, in the form of 6:00 AM wake-up calls, 7:00AM inspections and new orders not to talk to the media.

Cheney Advocates Stiff Push Back Against Critics

Some speculate that such orders may have been issued by Vice President Dick Cheney, who was able to arrive back in Washington, from his trip to Pakistan and Afghanistan, without being followed home by terrorists.

Cheney, and/or a "senior government official" is said to be "extremely displeased" with the attention given to the problems at Walter Reed.

Cheney was overheard speaking on the telephone, to an unknown party, complaining about the issue.

"If we give aid and comfort to these critics of Walter Reed, and Building 18, it would validate the al Qaeda strategy."

Snow would neither confirm or deny reports the Cheney is battling with White House staff, advocating that that President Bush order in the flood lights and give a night time speech in front of Building 18, to bolster the Hurricane Katrina strategy as the right solution for the problems and push back at the critics.

"This isn't," offered Snow, "a bang-my-head-on-the-podium issue - yet."











The White House is banking on a photo opportunity like this, when President Bush flew over Hurricane Katrina-ravaged New Orleans, to stem the criticism over Building 18 of the Walter Reed Medical Center. The President will be boarding Air Force One this afternoon, to cruise over site in a display of his leadership in solving the problem

Top Ten Cloves: Things Overheard At Vice President Dick Cheney’s Holiday Party

News Item: Cheney Holiday Party Sponsored By Kazakh "Snow Queen" Vodka...

10. I asked for a Gin-and-Tonic and what I got was a Gin-and-Caffeine-Free Diet Sprite

9. Nice touch, sending out the party invitations in the margins of newspapers

8. I’m surprised Cheney didn’t come out and announce that Rumsfeld was in his final throes

7. I heard that right after Christmas, Cheney’s going to begin rehearsing his testimony for the Libby Trial

6. Don’t worry about Cheney having a cocktail, or two ... The guns are locked up in a different location

5. Bush wants to put his Presidential Library at SMU, where’s Cheney going to put his Vice Presidential Secret Bunker?

4. Too bad Judith Regan got fired, I heard Cheney was up for writing “If I Lied, Here’s How I Would Have Fabricated The Case For WMD’s”

3. If only the President had a “Bush’s Bush”, just like “Cheney’s Cheney”, we’d be a lot better off

2. You’ll find out who was in his Energy Meetings before you’ll discover who the father is of his daughter’s baby

1. You want to see fireworks? Get a few drinks into the wife and say the words “Wolf Blitzer”

Nice touch, sending out the party invitations in the margins of newspapers

Developing Story: New White House Policy Causing Feet-In-Mouth

Bush Stumping Causes Panic, Chaos: Cheney Claims Said “Duncan”, Not “Dunking”

President’s Use of “Just Say No” Confusing; FBI, and DEA Staff Stretched Thin, Chasing Down Rally Attendees

If, with announcing last week, the abandonment of “Stay The Course”, in favor of the new policy of “Hello, I Must Be Going” was meant by the White House to be a rallying charge for the final week of campaigning, it has been anything but.

Both President Bush, and now Vice President Dick Cheney have “put their feet in their mouths”, sources close to the White House have told The Garlic.

President Bush’s stumping for Congressional candidates, according to one, senior official, has caused widespread confusion, panic and chaos, as his use of “Just Say No” has left rally attendees the target of, seemingly, overzealous law enforcement officials, both local and by members of the President’s own Security Detail.

In Washington, offices for the candidates have been overwhelmed, with constituents calling and emailing, asking, either about their positions on “drug policy”, or vociferously complaining about the clamp-down and behavior of law enforcement back in their home districts.

Cheney Piles On To President’s Gaffe

And just as White House staff began turning their attention to the President’s gaffes, the Vice President Office released a new, second statement, regarding Cheney’s comments in a radio interview last week, where the Vice President stunningly, and openly, came across as endorsing torture.

In the statement, the claim now is that the Vice President was saying “Duncan”, as in Congressman Duncan Hunter, and not “Dunking” as in the practice of torture by use of “Waterboarding”

One barometer of just how bad it is in the White House came at the morning briefing, when, the normally jovial White House Press Secretary Tony Snow, shouted down a cacophonous chorus of questions about the President’s use of “Just Say No” with a crisp, no-nonsense “just back off” to the press corp. It also appeared that Snow restrained himself from banging his head on the podium, a new strategy, or tactic, he employed last week.

“It seems,” offered Hildy Johnson, editor of the monthly newsletter “What Did He Say Now?” that tracks and reviews President Bush’s speeches and interviews, “to quote a former colleague of mine, these guys don’t seem to know whether to piss, or wind their watches ... Just Say No? ... What’s next, ‘Our Friend, The Atom’?”

“Just Say No” Taken As Threat By President’s Detail For Drug Bust

The slogan, “Just Say No” has it’s roots in a campaign of former First Lady Nancy Reagan, back in 1986 and has always been associated with drugs and the War Against Drugs.

Beginning last week, when the President stumped in Sellersburg, Indiana, and first broke out with the “Just Say No” speech, to slam Democrats.

Defending his, and his administration’s fight against terrorism, the President said;

"In all these vital measures for fighting the war on terror, the Democrats in Washington follow a simple philosophy: Just say no ... When it comes to listening in on the terrorists, what's the Democratic answer?... Just say no... When it comes to detaining terrorists, what's the Democrat answer?", with the crowd responding back “Just Say No!”

Things began to go awry as Secret Service agents first, and then later backed up by officers from the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), fanned out over Sellersburg, searching private homes, and questioning or interrogating dozens of citizens.

Witness say the agents were “rough” and “very threatening”, stopping both the young and the old.

In one instance, according to a witness, three elderly gentlemen had their smoking pipes confiscated by FBI agents. When men began to protest, the agent barked “Patriot Act” and, allegedly had to be restrained by another agent, after ordering the elderly men held as “enemy combatants”.

The FBI would neither confirm nor deny the story, stating that it was an “on-going investigation” and that evidence “was obtained” and sent back to Washington for testing

Over the weekend, apparently, the White House, while aware of the police crackdown in Indiana, did not make the connection of it, to the President’s speech, instead blaming “paid Democratic operatives” for “attempting to disrupt the president.”

Yesterday, while stumping at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia and in Sugarland, Texas, the Tom Delay stronghold, the President, again, used his “Just Say No” approach to his speech, and again, law enforcement sprung into action, working their way through the crowds.

“I heard rumors,” said Johnson, “that some genius on Bush’s staff, after seeing all of this suggested the President switch from “Just Say No” to “Just Don’t Vote”, something the President was said to have liked, but was quickly shot down by a representative from the RNC, fearing that it would keep some Republicans from voting next Tuesday.”

Another source has told The Garlic that the Secret Service also “added their two-cents”, pointing out that the “Just Say No” speech was “stretching their resources”, as well as those of the FBI and DEA.

“You Say Duncan, I Say Dunking ... Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off”

Another member of the White House has also been stretching resources thin, those of the Communications Department.

Without consulting Snow, or Dan Bartlett, the White House Communications Director, the Vice President’s office got busy, still trying to undo the mess caused last week, during a radio interview by Vice President Cheney.

Last Friday, conservative talkshow hot Scott Hennen of WDAY in Fargo, N.D. asked the Vice President, "Would you agree a dunk in water is a no-brainer if it can save lives?"

Said Cheney; “It's a no-brainer for me, but for a while there, I was criticized as being the Vice President "for torture." We don't torture. That's not what we're involved in. We live up to our obligations in international treaties that we're party to and so forth. But the fact is, you can have a fairly robust interrogation program without torture, and we need to be able to do that.”

While riding in Air Force Two, Cheney told reporters "I didn't say anything about waterboarding. . . . He didn't even use that phrase," and was defended by Snow, without banging his head on the podium, with "A dunk in the water is a dunk in the water.”

Today, the Vice President’s office reignited the controversy, in what looked to many as an endorsement of torture, by issuing a statement, explaining that Vice President Cheney was really saying “Duncan” and not “Dunking”

“During a commercial break,” the statement reads, “Vice President Cheney and Host Scott Hennen had been discussing the upcoming elections, and looking ahead to 2008. The Vice President simply brought up the name of Congressman Duncan Hunter, who, yesterday, announced intentions to run for the Presidency in 2008. Vice President Cheney is a friend to Congressman Hunter, and was, in a manner of speaking, giving him an “Attaboy” and encouragement. When they went back on-air, the Vice President was indicating that it is a “no-brainer” that “Duncan” run for President. The Vice President was simply attempting to help a colleague.”

“Yeah, right,” Johnson offered, sardonically. “One wants to build a wall, the other one, typically, hides behind one.”

“If this is the new “Hello, I Must Be Going” policy, they better go - make that run - back to ‘Stay The Course’.

The transition from ‘Stay The Course’ to “Hello, I Must Be Going” has turned out not to be smooth one for President Bush and Vice President Cheney, with the pair suffering from gaffes and “feet-in-mouth” with their recent stumping and statements