Sullivan on the gas tax...

What I've been saying for years, but better written. Glad he's back.

Ayatollah tries out new threats...

"The Americans should know that if they assault Iran their interests will be harmed anywhere in the world that is possible."

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Listen Aya, we may not know much about you, but we do know something about us, and threatening us is like Tim Robbins digging his way out of Shawshank Prison--we'll get it in about 20 years, after both our countries are being controlled by those dudes from the Mad Max movies. If we decide to invade your country, you could get the whole Wu-Tang Clan, and the Mad Rapper to threaten all day long and it wouldn't mean a thing to us and Israel as well. I'm not saying you're not going to hold up your side of the bargain, but let's look at you; Iran, working on its first nuke, and America, with our nuclear arsenal. We're like a bodybuilder at a bar working on his fifth pitcher of Blue Ribbon--we have our beer muscles, we're yearning for a fight, and if push comes to shove we will bite off an ear just to preserve our perfect record.

And don't forget about your entire region's record on following through with their threats. Remember Saddam, "The rivers will run red with the blood of the infidel!" Yeah...you meant "the rivers will run red with the blood of our people didn't you?" And trust us, it wasn't because we weren't killing you guys off at a record pace, but your dimwit population decided to help us out with your "Sectarian violence." Yeah, that was a nice one there. Good lookin.

The only one of you guys to really come close was Bin Laden, and look at all he had to do just to accomplish 9/11. And if we look on the leader board we see, Bin Laden: Two towers, a dented Pentagon, and 3,000 people, and US: Iraq and Afghanistan (the entire countries) and over 150,000 dead. A very far cry away from us begging for our lives like mongrels like what Bin Laden threatened.

Listen I'm not saying this to be a jingoist, or to throw it in your face. I leave stuff like that to Dennis Miller and FOX News. But like a famous rapper once said, "Don't talk about it, be about it." As you can see, we just laugh at empty threats. If you really wanna be menacing then here's what you do: Don't say nuttin. That's right, don't say a word. Just sit at the UN, and whisper and pass notes to China and Russia. Go out drinking with Pakistan and then when the US enters the room, stop talking and look at your beer. Eventually, the US will think that you're up to something REALLY terrifying, and like that girl you liked in high school (you know, the one who let you see her ankle, and could recite every verse in the Koran) she'll wonder why you're not sweating her, and take the first step.

Otherwise you're eventually going to have to follow through with all that yang you're spouting and you don't really want to do that--I mean look at Tupac and Biggie--do you want to end up like them? Cause ultimately you're not going to win this one, but everyone will lose.

Except for me, I'll be in a hot spring in Iceland with my girlfriend and my three mistresses. Boo-ya!

The right man for the right job...

Snow announced today that he won't have far to move to put his head up Bush's ass.

You know, I think like the majority of we so-called "liberals," I was up in arms about Bush appointing Tony Snow as White House Press Secretary. "Oh Lord, why not make FOX News the White House Television Station! (which it is), and "Now we'll never get the truth out of the administration!"

Or something like that...

And then I realized something...when the hell have White House Press Secretaries been anything other than mouth pieces for their respective President's agendas? Dee Dee Myers, and George Stephanopoulos for example did nothing but extrapolate and elongate Bill Clinton's lies, and while I don't think that those compare with Bush's, they did their jobs, which was to try to make their Boss look good. Now we're all up in arms because Bush planted Snow in the Press chair? Honestly, this may be the best appointment that Bush has ever made. Snow's got more experience kissing Bush's ass then just about anyone out there (just narrowly beating out Tony Blankley, my sweet, sweet Michelle Malkin, and Lord of Evil Sean Hannity). I mean seriously--did we think he was going to appoint Helen Thomas? Sure Snow has no journalistic integrity, but that's not a necessary skill for this job. I say kudos to the President for picking the right man for the right job. Too bad it's only 6 years too late.

Fair is foul, and foul is fair...

...or maybe we've come back to reality.

Today in Houston, Ken Lay took the stand in his defense in the much touted Enron fraud case. Lay, former CEO of Enron has been charged with six counts of fraud and conspiracy, while the last CEO, Jeffrey Skilling faces 28 counts of the same plus insider trading, and perjury. Together they face a maximum of over 300 years in prison, though most insiders expect that each will do about two dime stretches.

The title of this post, taken from Macbeth, was meant to express my cynicism at these proceedings. Frankly, I am surprised at the amount of time that each defendant in this case faces. I figured that the penalty for white collar crimes don't add up to those of the more violent, so-called blue collar crimes like murder, or theft. Of course I think I can be forgiven in this regard considering that, for ages in America, fair is foul, and foul is fair when it comes to our court system, and, even beyond the law itself, the inequity between wealth also creates an unfair practice of the laws that some how do make sense. If these men do get two decades in jail, it will only be because of the popularity of the case, and the fact that federal prosecutors feel pressured to make an example of these two crooks. They want to make us believe that these are a few of the bad apples on the tree, rather than the whole tree being rotten. Much of this is because of the sheer wealth of the system itself. Those who are charged with the enforcement of policies are far too close to the money, and enjoy being close to that money, to be efficient in their employ, and those who should call for further enforcement are too far away, and kept too far away, to even think about the importance of that enforcement. It seems that ordinary people are obsessed with building more jails, and placing more cops on the street rather than adding more auditors and agents to the SEC. Every other person seems to want higher and stricter penalties for minor drug offenses, but fraud, graft, and embezzlement are completely left off the radar, even though these are the crimes that affect the poor, on average, more than some hoodrat who sells a dime bag of pot to an undercover cop. Literally, because of the actions of these two men and another handful of their cohorts, Americans will be paying millions to clean up their mess, not to mention their former employees who are still searching for work, while tattooed with the stigma of Enron on their resumes. And we are only talking about Enron by the way, we haven't even started on Worldcom, Tyco, etc, etc...and those are only the ones we know about.

Personally, I hope Skilling and Lay get every second of the maximum penalty. If only for the way that maybe, hopefully, it will deter other fat cats from become as obscenely greedy as these men. Proponents of harsher sentences for crimes like robbery and drug peddling are constantly making that argument, and while I don't quite believe it, it does seem to be the overwhelming trend of thought in our country, and, if one believes that, then one should also believe that a harsher sentence should fit the harsher crime. If one values money and hard work then one should also believe that for every year you give a dope peddler you add two to the embezzler. If not, then fair and foul will become one and the same.

Maybe next time they'll fire the dog...

Early today, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan resigned from his post, claiming that, like his predecessor, he was, "fed up with the President's $_it!"

No, no just kidding. Actually McClellan is doing his part for the GWB distraction jig, which included switching Chief of Staff, Andy Card for spendaholic Joshua Bolten, and changing Karl Rove's title from Darth Lord of the Sith, to Lord He-who-shall-not-be-named.

Bush said McClellan has "a challenging assignment," which must translate to writing his memoirs, or finding the Temple of Doom--which ever comes first.

Unfortunately, changing Press Secretary is like changing your beer from Miller Lite to Bud light. They both taste like piss. There should have been one major resignation in the past week, and that of course should have been the President of the United States, George Bush--but since we could never have that (that would have meant Checkmate! Duh!) it should have been Secretary of War...sorry I mean Defense, Donald Rumsfeld. Last week six--count them--six retired generals called for Rummy's resignation for many, many various reasons including, "alienating his allies in our own military," (Paul Eaton) to "committing forces with a casualness and swagger," (Gregory Newbold). Rumsfeld so far has been arrogant to the point of hubris, and has said that their grievances are, "a natural fallout from his push for dramatic changes in the military." (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12372744/).

Well if "dramatic changes in the military," means running it into the ground, then I suppose he has a point. It is sort of natural for generals not to like that sort of thing.

Yet to put us back on the right track here, let us not forget that this is still another form of the Bush cabal's plan of distraction. Let's see, last week it was illegal immigration, and this week, calls for Rumsfeld to quit, yet the Bush agenda keeps rolling on. According to USA Today, the administration continues to plan their suicidal gambit of attacking Iran (http://www.usatoday.com/news/Washington/2006-04-18-war-games_x.htm) which includes exploding 700 tons of explosives in the Utah desert to gather data on how to hit buried bunkers. This story made it to the Iran's paper, The Tehran Times (http://www.tehrantimes.com/Description.asp?Da=4/17/2006&Cat=4&Num=018) who see this as a new beginning of an American nuclear weapons build up.

And you wonder why Iran might continue to press on with their program? I think I saw this movie before, and it was called War Games. Didn't anyone listen to the WOPR?

But how do you start a new war when you haven't finished your old war? Ten more people killed today in Iraq, including...oh man this is grotesque...including two teachers who were decapitated in front of their classes by gunmen. (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12342623/) And we're supposed to be winning this war? But what's winning even mean when no one has a goal? But it's going to be OK though, we can all relax, because GWB pinpointed the problem in all this. He found the flaw in the diamond, the crack in the glass, and he's all over it like white on rice. Scott McClellan is gone.

Whew...I am sooooo relieved.

Sigh...

It's Friday, so let's Jedi fight!

I came across this on You Tube, and I couldn't help but post it. What's sad is that, besides the Yoda fight in Episode II, this might be the best lightsaber fight since Return of the Jedi. Enjoy.

How NOT to get off...

Yesterday Moussaoui took the stand in his own defense...except he forgot that he's supposed to try not to die. He mocked a Navy sailor who lost two of her mates on 9/11, admitted that he enjoyed hearing about the suffering of 9/11 families, and wished that attacks could occur every day.

Now isn't this just the guy you'd like to hang out with?

"Hey Joe wanna you want to do today?"
"I don't know, hang out by the beach? Hit the arcade? What about you Moussaoui?"
"I'd like to see some more of that 9/11 action!"
"...What the f...!!!"

Anyway, let's face it, you don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to realize that this guy isn't too keen on living. In fact he's got a nice hard on for martyrdom. Now isn't it nice when America can make a person's dreams come true?

Pop Quiz part II

Ok, here's where you get to test you mind. In the picture on the left, the teenager is getting wrestled to the ground by the police because:

a) He's protesting the Iraq war?

b) Protesting against the new legislation against Immigration?

c) Protesting for the new legislation against Immigration?

d) Protesting the corruption in Congress?

e) Protesting the Bush wiretaps?

f) Supporting Sen. Feingold's censure resolution?

g) He's black?

Well if you said any of the above, you're wrong (although if you guessed G I'd be force to give you at least a couple of points). No it turns out that this kid, and four other students were arrested--and another 150 took to the streets of Brooklyn to protest their high schools ban on...sigh...cell phones. Yes, they took to the streets, and pumped their fists in the air, because they can't bring their cell phones to school.

Now I don't mean to sound like Bill Cosby, but this is one of those things that just make me shake my head in profound sadness. In this day and age, with so much turmoil, with so much danger, and suffering...this is what our children are upset about?

Then again who wouldn't want to listen to a ring tone of "Trapped in the Closet" in the middle of their history class? I'm moving to F__king Iceland.

How do you think the Nazis came into power stupid!

Maybe it was because of people like this:

"Every day now, it seems, hundreds of thousands of ungrateful human parasites rally in American cities condemning their host country's lack of hospitality ... They have taken advantage of loopholes in our laws by dropping babies in this country who automatically become U.S. citizens, despite the illegal entry and presence of the parents ... They are darn lucky I am not running the country. I would order mass arrests at these events, forcing every single participant to prove their legal right to be in this country or face deportation. I keep hearing about how expensive it would be to find all of the illegals and deport them. They are making it very easy for us with these rallies. The fact that no one is even suggesting roundups shows just how far gone our country is," - Joseph Farah, WorldNet Daily.

Now how large is the step from this to "get in the gas chambers?" And people wonder why they wave Mexican flags at their rallies.

Bush claims we are not planning to invade Iran...

Can anyone give me a good reason that we should trust this man about anything? Bush telling me that he's not planning a military strike is like Tom Cruise telling me that he only has a passing interest in Scientology.

He also mentioned:

[Declassifing] part of a prewar intelligence report on Iraq in 2003 to show Americans the basis for his statements about the threat posed by Saddam Hussein. "I wanted people to see the truth," he told a questioner who said there was evidence of a concerted effort by the White House to punish war-critic Joseph Wilson. Bush said he could not comment on the CIA leak case because it is a matter under investigation.

Didn't he say that he would fire anyone who leaked info out of his administration? Time to take one for the team champ.

Biden and Affleck in '08?

Did any one check out Real Time last Friday? I must admit that I was extremely surprised by Joe Biden. After years of being talked down to by politicians, especially during the Bush years, it was refreshing to hear someone in Washington speak like an adult. He says he's running for Pres in 2008, and while I still have to stick with Feingold because of his proactiveness against Bush, I'm willing to give Biden a good listen. Not only that, but his plan in Iraq seems logical, and more ethical then a straight out withdrawal.

And while we're on the topic of Real Time...not for nothing but Ben Affleck keeps impressing me when he speaks about politics. He seems to be a moderate who knows, again, how to speak persuasively to regular people. Then again maybe it's because he doesn't take himself too seriously. He's been more than willing to poke fun at his lackluster acting skills, and his modesty is quite ingratiating. Howard Dean, are you watching this kid? Not only could he get you a win as a candidate, but you can stop him from making Daredevil 2. Just think it over.

Delay resigns...

From Msnbc.com:

Succumbing to scandal, former Majority Leader Tom Delay said Tuesday he is resigning from Congress, a move that closes out a career that blended unflinching conservatism with a bare-knuckled political style.

They forgot to add "a unashamed loyalty to graft, and greed." Delay's resignation is a let-down of sorts. Of course it's great to have him out of office, but in the overall picture the status quo remains the same. It would have been wonderful to have the voters drum him out of office, but somehow I doubt that they would have. Now he becomes a martyr for the conservative party, and like Newt Gringrich, I'm sure he will be on the side lines stirring up the pot for years to come.

And while I'm on You Tube...

I figured I'd re-post the WOTP production of our "Back in Crawford" parody. It gets better the third, fourth and seven hundred time you watch it.

Where's the good news??

CBS's Lara Logan discussing the good news out of Iraq, or lack there of. It's worth a good listen to.

Asking the wrong questions or what we still haven't learned...

"Reality speaks and it says that, absent Hispanic workers, we could not process chicken," said Tom Hensley, chief financial officer for Gainesville's largest chicken plant, Fieldale Farms. "There aren't enough native American people who want to work in a chicken plant at any wage. We'd be put out of business."

They do the jobs that no one else wants--that's the argument that has framed the debate since I can remember, and it's an argument that just about every impoverished person I know considers pure bunk. To many poor, a job is a job, is a job, as long as it consists of a fare wage. And thus we come to the cusp of the problem.

For far too long in this country, because of our ignorance of history, and our leaders insulation of this history, we have been asking the wrong questions and committing many fallacies in our policies towards "illegal" immigration. Some of this has been innocent, while others are guilty of malicious racism. Either one gets us no closer to the truth, or a possible solution for what will soon be (if it is not already) one of the greatest problems facing America.

In the last week or so, on both a state and Federal level, immigration legislation has been the hot topic of debate. On one hand, one can say that this is yet another GOP distraction topic, pushing the war out of the public eye and replacing it with an issue that has historically been innocuous no matter how heated the discussion becomes. One this Sunday's MacLaughlin Group, Pat Buchanan nearly had a stroke discussing "illegal" immigration, speaking of the corruption and invasion of our Western Culture. As if: a) it would fall, and b) that would matter. What he and his elk don't seem to understand is that they can't have it both ways. You can't have free trade and globalization and remain culturally homogeneous. True enough he is an isolationist, but he's also a Republican, and if there is anything Republicans like more than their guns, it's free trade. But I digress.

When I think of "illegal" immigration, my thoughts drift to Post Civil-war slavery in the United States. One moment African-Americans were the backbone of the American economy and the next they were a bane on humanity. I suppose that would make them better off than the Native American who were a bane on the white race by existence alone. And in this cycle it seems as if "illegal" immigrants have reached the end of their usefulness. They are now annoyances. "Burdens on our Economic and social systems!" We hear. "They won't learn our language." We hear, and it seems that when things become annoyances, this country sheds their humanity and seeks to eliminate (take that term however cynically as you would like) the annoyance. Charity, sympathy, and compassion go right out the window, and the crippled are criticized and ostracized. "Illegal" immigrants must be driven out like St. Patrick's snakes.

We here at Word of the People believe that this mind set shows that this country has learned nothing. "Illegal" immigrants are guilty of nothing except of seeking the same opportunities we all desire. Furthermore, these opportunities, and the lifestyle that we enjoy are made on the backs of these very same people both here in sweatshops, and in their homeland. So many of us believe that we live in a vacuum and this is not so. Look at the labels of your clothes. Look on the backs of your appliances. Look at the farms where your fruits and vegetables are grown, and the work rooms of your local Wal-Mart. Look there and you'll find a brown face staring back at you. You'll find the faces of people who have run to America, in the dark, frightened, and terrified, hoping to find a job that would pay two dollars an hour--a fortune compared to the cents they would make at home. Cents that would be paid to them by American businesses who take advantage of fewer worker rights, and lower wages, as they make billions in profits. But it's alright because they pass the savings onto you.

But remember, it's all the "illegal" immigrants fault.

We here at Word of the People are sickened by this demonization of the weak, and the admiration of the corrupt and greedy. We believe in the spirit of the United States, and by the openness that we are capable of showing to the world as a beacon of hope. We believe that if any one is to be prosecuted in our Media, and in our streets it should be the fat cats who exploit foreign workers. We have remarkable laws meant to insure workers' dignity and enable them to financially and intellectually evolve, which results in the betterment of all of America. Yet these greedy pigs have taken it upon their selves to bypass these laws and and force these helpless folk to work for whatever they offer, even when, at times, the offer is nothing. Don't get it twisted folks, what we have here is a system of de facto slavery, and once again we are assigning blame to the victim.

I can't believe I am about to say this, but Word of the People agrees with President Bush's notion of a guest worker program. (although we believe it should be hammered out to be as fair and equitable as possible) We believe that our borders should be open and controlled and documented. If foreign workers, from all over the world, choose to come into this country to apply for a job they should be able to compete for that job at the same level as Americans, with the same rights, pay, and benefits that we all enjoy. Not only will this preserve the spirit of our union, it will allow for Americans who are willing to take these jobs the ability of compete. No more will fat cat bosses turn away people simply because they can snatch up foreigners at a substantially cheaper price. Now the country that praises freedom, can practice our creed.

Yes, prices would go up. This is a fact we must accept. But by how much is open to debate. Our 99 cent stores may have to become a 1.99 cents store. And Wal-Mart's smiley face logo make look a bit grimmer, but what price can you put on liberty? We must also accept the fact that as prices go up so will our economy because as more people are hired at a greater wage, so shall they have more money to spend. With the right people in place there is no reason why we should have to suffer, and any sacrifices we are forced to make will be balanced out by the fact that this issue will be settled. We had to have a Civil War before we ended slavery, and in our bleakest perspectives we wonder what might have to be done to before our immigration problem descends into violence. Now is the time to act and correct the issues of the past before innocent blood is shed.

I'm not holding my breath, but some I look to the past and hope I'm asking the right questions.

Jill Carroll follow up...

Click on the above link. I suppose she was terrorified. Do you think that will appease the right wingers? I highly doubt it.