January 2008: Waiting Game

Going...












Going...












Gone.
Photos: REUTERS/Larry Downing
Captions: watertiger



It's the dismal start of the year's jockeying for party nominations, which will take over most of what passes for "news." After years of being courted by him, the press is in love with "maverick" McCain. Whose maverickness is debunked again and again by independent journalists and bloggers—whose reporting will be ignored by the official media.

But, at least we can take heart in knowing the dog owners' vote should pretty much be lost to Romney...

Glenn Greenwald continues to focus on the depressing role of Congress and the media in covering up the regime's criminal activities. As in, "Lawbreaking telecoms still conniving to obtain immunity from Congress."

And on the 28th: "What's at stake today in the Senate's FISA filibuster vote"

If the Democrats had even the slightest strategic sense and/or courage -- just the slightest amount -- this is a political confrontation they would be uncontrollably eager to have. Just imagine if they sustain the filibuster today and instead pass a 30-day extension of the PAA, and then Bush vetoes it, knowingly choosing to leave the intelligence community without the ability to Listen In When Osama Is Calling. It would be the height of political stupidity for Democrats to be afraid of that outcome.

...The veto threat from the President is so unbelievably corrupt and manipulative that if our national press had even the smallest amount of critical faculties and understanding of the issues, that veto threat would be a major story. After all, how can the President possibly threaten the country that he will veto a law that he himself has claimed for months is indispensable for Protecting Us All?

And so on.

But, then as Glenn also notes, the White House is free to regard Congress as a joke, because—

Consequences for ignoring congressional subpoenas: None

This, regarding subpoenas issued to administration officials, past (Harriet Meiers) and present (Josh Bolten).

Bush's blank check/endless war will continue.

On the 15th driftglass, who always has the apt word—usually, many apt words—posts a video of Martin Luther King's sermon, "Why I Am Opposed to the War in Vietnam". (A transcript is also here).

And driftglass' MLK birthday message simply—but only too aptly—reflects on that 1967 sermon:

Could not be more timely.

I'm so, so sorry we could not stand to listen to the simple truths you had to tell.

That we could not bring ourselves to live up to our own, pretty words.

That, finally, we could not bear to let you live.

January 2007: Hello, And A Goodbye

The 110th Congress is sworn in, Democrats becoming the majority party. Which would be helpful, if the Party only had a majority of Democrats.

Bush issues "Warm Congratulations Note Welcoming New Democratic Congressional Leadership..."

The regime rolls out marketing of "The Surge." It's been promoted in the right wing media by American Enterprise Instute operative Frederick Kagan. To connect with the masses, the term appears to already have been vetted in consumer culture. It's been a Coca Cola product. And one recent morning, a student gets on my bus wearing a brand-name backpack, with the prominently placed model name, "Surge."

At the office, Ghengis subscribes to a number of magazines that I have to place in the waiting area. The "Surge" cover story in the January 15 Time includes a photo of Bush, Cheney, Rice, and others, captioned, "NO HOLIDAY: Bush huddled in Texas with top aides after Christmas to plot Iraq policy." Oh, the pain of gazing on their sacrifice...

On the reverse of that page is a column by William Kristol: things are great in Iraq now, but will be perfection if we only we take a lesson from "the just verdict for Saddam" and "commit to victory." The layout is two text columns split by a large vertical graphic: a noose, positioned as if hanging from beyond the top of the page.

Besides regularly documenting their influence, Glenn Greenwald writes about the nepotism that has gained Kagan and Kristol their visibility: "Our country's tough guys and their moms and dads."

In other Ghengis reading matter, he commands that a book be ordered: The Nature of Leadership: Reptiles, Mammals, And the Challenge of Becoming a Great Leader. I'm very surprised he feels in need of this, as I expect he could teach reptiles a trick or two...

Alberto Gonzales appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee on January 18. He "comes prepared with a menu of empty, platitudinous buzzphrases that he repeats over and over no matter the question," complains the earnest Mr. Greenwald, but that's SOP for a Bush flunky. Further, why would it be a surprise for a Bush Attorney General to claim the Constitution does not ensure the right of habeus?

The Libby trial opens on January 22. As Jesus' Best Administrative Assistant has sniffed to Informed Non-Citizen IT Guy: "There was no crime!" I know her kind has the marching orders, so only takes in the upsidedown-world stories of Faux TV.

But it's always breathtaking to see who the J's BAAs of the country accept as being on their "family values" team. Especially with Scooter being among the illustrious ranks of right wingers whose Family Values include being published authors of porno novels, with Scooter's little example including child sex slavery and bestiality. And on literary merit, some of Amazon's reviewers make good points, as in, "If there were a prison for bad writing, Libby would be doing a life term."

One morning at work, a burst pipe has cut off heat to the executive suite and a suite across the hall. I find the place over-heated normally, so I'm not too uncomfortable. But beyond my glass fish-bowl space I can the opposite room, and a shivering secretary. Jesus' Best Administrative Assistant scurries around looking for a space heater—for the Chairman. There are people around here who run heaters in summer, so I wouldn't expect anyone to let go of those babies easily. It takes J's BAA a while, but some suck-up finally makes the sacrifice. The Chairman's comfort is attended to, and Jesus' Best looks ready to be Raptured away at any moment, in reward for such devotion.

Speaking of our earthly master, he has reacted to the news of a major corporation's capital flight that will have a devastating effect locally: "it will be horrible for real estate values."

Priorities, priorities.

Another day this month, I'm in the hallway, walking toward a bulletin board where seminar announcements are posted. From a distance, I see a poster with this mug:

It's bad enough that Jesus' BAA and assorted department fundies are always putting church fund-raising crap in the lunch room; now I'm fuming at the brazenness of posting this in a public space.

Until I get a little closer, and realize: this is a scientist (and Certified Genius)What can I say, but that my brain is being nibbled away by the years spent in this environment...


At the end of the month, Molly Ivins loses her fight with cancer. The loss of her voice is incalculable, especially when we still have to endure another year of a fake Texan in the White House. But Molly's work and memory live on.

January 2006: As Real And Fake Tears Fall

January 2: An explosion in the Sago coal mine traps 13 miners over a mile underground, with a lone survivor rescued later. It's a predictable consequence of Bush regime's sabotage of oversight, and it won't be the last mining disaster to happen during the regime.

A heartfelt essay about West Virginia and its mining families, "A Question Of Doing What's Right, is way down on this archived page. (It's by Christy Hardin Smith, who posted in those days as Redd Head.)

In January 4 email—

From: Clever Sister
To: Pink
Subject: Too bad this won't happen to pretznit

"CAMP LEJEUNE, North Carolina (AP) ‑‑ A Marine was being held at Camp Lejeune on a charge of desertion for not going to war in Vietnam 40 years ago, a military spokeswoman said Wednesday.
Pvt. Jerry Texiero, 65, was arrested in August in Tarpon Springs, Florida,
and brought to Camp Lejeune on December 14, authorities said...If he's court‑martialed and found guilty of desertion, he could be sentenced to up to three years in the brig at Camp Lejeune..."

His mistakes: (1) Being a "Private;" (2) Not being a "Bush."

The next week, confirmation hearings begin for "Strip Search Sammy" Alito. Following in the path of Mrs. Clarence Thomas, Martha-Ann Alito is reduced to tears over her husband's questioning by mean, bwutal Democwats. Though it's actually Sammy's hearings coach, Lindsey Graham, who spplies the questions that cue Martha-Ann to make with the waterworks. The media fall for it (also on cue, just as always).

In passing news this month, Texas journalist James Moore, who's covered Bush and Rove for years, finds himself on the "no fly" list.

At the office, Cruella—who takes nearly as much vacation as Bush—goes on a cruise next month. I have to pay for the pleasure of her future absence by listening to her now, as she broadcasts her plans to everyone who walks into the room.

One day a visitor listens to the cruise itinerary, then turns to Jesus' Best Administrative Assistant to joke, "And where are you going?"

At first, Jesus' BAA is taken aback by the idea of a vacation—"idle hands," and all that. Then she answers, " I'm going to X-ville tonight, to the adoption agency, for orientation."

It's the first I've heard of this project, but she's soon to become an empty nester, so in need of fresh replacements to mold—"we're not looking for a baby, more like elementary school age'"

When the visitor inquires in a few weeks, Jesus' BAA replies sadly, "The foster parents decided to adopt the twins we wanted." This leaves me room to hope these kids got lucky, though I can see where getting her hands on twins would have doubly amped up some heavenly credits for Jesus' BAA.

And on to the most nagging question about fundies—

From: Clever Sister
To: Pink
Subject: Why don't they all go now!

http://heaventour.org/
"Let us take you on a sneak preview of the sites and events you don't want to miss at the luxurious Kingdom of God"

my favorite ‑ http://heaventour.org/mansion.html

‑Why does it look like the old south? Do I get a slave in heaven?‑cs

January 2005: A Different Year, A Sadder Start

Last November, Ohio public interest attorneys filed election challenges in response to the rigging/tampering that had thrown the state to Bush. This month, Ohio's Republican Attorney General initiated revenge. Already being forced to withdraw the suits, the attorneys are now threatened with sanctions for having filed in the first place.

If Ohio goes after their ability to practice law, maybe they can find fulfillment in second careers. Like the journalist who tried to break the story of Bush's 1976 DWI arrest in Kennebunkport: though he lost his newspaper job, he is now enjoying life as a truck driver.

All of us need to move on, get over it, etc., given the enormity of Bush's "mandate." His "accountability moment" has come and gone, and it included the public's thumbs up to his venture in Iraq.

As we await the re-coronation, there's this—

Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2005
From: Clever Sister
To: Pink
Subject: "Will you turn into a pillar of salt?

—Other instructions given performers include a warning not to look directly at Bush while passing the presidential reviewing stand, not to look toeither side and not to make any sudden movements.

— ow my eyes, it burns!— cs

When the festive day arrives, Norwegians are appalled by the Bushes' salute to Satan. They would be seem to be on to something, the Norwegians. Even if the gesture was not made in Cheney's direction.

Fortified by his mandate, Bush immediately sets out on a "mission" (so to speak) — he begins pitching his plan to "save" Social Security. Of course, it's the same mission he's always had, and the platform of his first run for office in 1978. Thom Hartmann often makes the connection between Bush's 1999 plan to become a "war president," and undoing Social Security as a centerpiece of his ideology.

The death and disability toll of U.S. military; the unknown (though astronomical) numbers of Iraqui civilian deaths, devastated survivors, millions of refugees—when it comes to the post-1930s Republican project of overturning the New Deal, no price is too high to be paid by someone else.

The White House "charm offensive" includes such highlights as the "town hall" of January 12. The hand-picked audience is let in on Bush's deep concern for African-Americans: "Another interesting idea...is a personal savings account...which can't be used to bet on the lottery, or a dice game, or the track...African American males die sooner than other males do, which means the system is inherently unfair to a certain group of people."

In my workplace, Cruella will talk at length about the illness that caused her husband's disability, and how much of a fight it took for him to finally receive benefits. But "family values" for these Republicans is only about me and mine—anyone else in need of a safety net is a deadbeat who is forcing them to pay taxes.

And as George is busy with his snake oil tour, there's the usual display of appropriateness from this quarter:

As I read about the Auschwitz visit, I'm reminded that a key difference between our regime and the Nazis is that their "socialism" was of some benefit to ordinary Aryans—they got jobs and sometimes received a tiny cut of their masters' stealing. Whereas Bushler robs exclusively from the bottom, to enrich the top. Yes, some money is funneled back to their churches, but: how likely is it that most of that cash goes into the pockets of mega-church CEO/pastors?

This leads to some email conversation with my sister, who concludes, "Germans got jobs, booming war economy up to a point, a certain culture & style, sense of belonging…Today the pro-Bush bottom get job cuts, etc. The real thing they get is just like Nazis: emotional backing & superiority of being anti-science & anti‑intellectual. Being part of hate-filled christian culture, they can hate gays, moslems, abortion, liberals, democrats, unions, etc."

In one more test of how much irony overload we can take, New York reports that "Postelection, citizenship applications from Jewish refugees—and their descendants—are up at the Manhattan consulate." This because the post-war German constitution created a "right of return" for Jews who fled between 1933 and 1945, descendants included. Author Mark Fass cites the consulate's press attaché on the "unusual number of calls" the day after the election. To the official's surprise, since "Germany is usually a place you want to get away from."

The January 31 Jesus' Best Administrative Assistant Quote Of The Day: "Is February 2 Groundhog Day? My kids always like to do something special, but I can never remember what day it is."

Excuse me, but: wouldn't that be a pagan holiday? Sure sounds like she's in need of an intervention by one of her fellow funda-mental-ists: shouldn't they all be busy crusading against a day more ungodly than Halloween?

What A Difference A Day Makes

Neither cold nor super-homelandified security kept the crowds away.

Photo: AP

There was media attention to the stories of some attendees, like wheel-chair bound, 105-year old Ella Mae Johnson. She recalled her college days in 1924, when W.E.B. Du Bois' visit to Fisk University led to her joining a student walkout. Most of the time, it's notable to find anything resembling real history in the mass media. This day marked not only a new milestone, but also held the deepest resonances of the past.

Obama has received a dual inheritance from the Republicans: an eight-year disaster to deal with, and a Noise Machine primed to block every effort. And the Noise Machine will do everything possible to fuel racism, even as they now point to Obama himself as proof that racism doesn't exist.

After decades of Republican control, another New Deal is needed so desperately that it's becoming possible to promote such an agenda. Knowing that, the Noise Machine is busy rewriting the history of the original New Deal, and will do everything to prevent a new one from happening.

Much of Obama 's inauguration speech seemed to take this background into account, and to aim at preempting some of the opposition he'll face. The fact that the camera loves the entire family is an enormous plus, and something the Reich Wing media may have a tough time getting around.

If the economy ultimately can improve for enough of us—"angry white male" included—"divide and conquer" will begin to lose much of its power. "We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now"—the truth of MLK's thought is certainly in front of our faces.

Though right wing propagandists will add Obama's presidency to their phony arguments that racism has ended, this is also a juncture where there are new opportunities for true progress. I think that is where some of the most important impacts for this society's future can be.

About the regime that just slunk out of town, I'll leave today's last word to Hugh, creator of a vast list of Bush outrages.

I share the worries about how centrist Obama will be, when we face the result of eight years of unparalleled right wing radicalism. But for the moment, I'm rejoicing to know we've exchanged a psychopathic frat boy for a human with a functioning brain and heart—both formed by growing up among real people, instead of a cosseted elite.

It's been impressive seeing how Obama relates to his daughters in public. The family is on display for a public purpose, yet he's simultaneously "there" for the girls.

Way back during the primaries, there was a picture of the candidate and daughter Sasha at the Iowa State Fair. An expression like this on the candidate's face is not something a campaign operative would (or could) order on cue. But a parent joining in a child's excitement is a different story.

(Scott Olson/Getty Images)

And this can only have been good practice, for the so very bumpy road ahead.

Ready To Exhale (Briefly)

We've finally reached the day this country, and—forget American Exceptionalism—the world breathes in relief, as we anticipate seeing the back of Bush, Cheney, and crew. After tomorrow, the lot of them should be seen only in a criminal dock—unlikely as that is, given how hard they've worked at destroying our political and legal system.

Sentient citizens have lived through eight years of daily outrages, what with the regime's relentless program of lies, lawlessness, and war. Some of us reacted by ranting and some by increased activism, but both reactions got pretty much the same results.

It was only through the Internet that one could get some grasp of reality. After the 2000 election, I began printing articles and commentary, soon accumulating masses of paper—all out of a compulsion to record the history racing down the memory hole, unreported by the mass media (and so, unknown to most of the masses).

Then by the 2004 election and last chance to eject the BushCo coup, I was working in an office full of right-wingers. Hearing the the jaw-droppingly insane stuff that came from their mouths, I found myself recording conversations, in between looking for chances to check out reality online. Whenever prying eyes were out of the room, I printed material to add to what was accumulating in files drawers and overflowing cartons at home.

The daily contrast between office mentality and reality was something I wanted to blog about, but a number of things prevented my following through. And, I felt my sheer lack of eloquence for dealing with the multiple daily outrages—for that, there was Molly Ivins (sadly, until 1-31-07), Digby, and lots of other outstanding writers. Journalists like Robert Parry and Robert Scheer, who had taken journalism too seriously for their previous employers, were self-publishing online. Constitutional lawyer Glen Greenwald emerged as a uniquely powerful voice. It was impressive to see how he used his expertise to begin examining and writing about the lawlessness, and ended up as a tireless critic of everything that had enabled it: our mindless media; careerist Democrats; the pathetic "wisdom" of Establishment pundits; and the separate standards of justice for the elite and the ordinary schmoe.

Now, as we finally rid ourselves of the direct BushCo presence, it's natural to start purging my living space of the clutter. But I can't rid myself of wanting the history of the last eight years to be visible.

From 9-11 to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Katrina:  we'll never know how many lives have been lost or damaged. But for those of us on the planet who have survived the Bush years, there is at least the opportunity to look back at what happened.

Of course, many of us know that we will not forget. The Emperor never had clothes, but he did have the biggest PR operation ever. It's up to us to pass along our understanding of this:  we know for damn sure that, if the country survives for future generations, our great-great-grandchildren will be subjected to a propaganda machine endowed for in perpetuity, and busily whitewashing Bush and the interests he fronted.

My response to the end of the current regime is to start this blog, where I will put together a little of the material saved all these years. I'll touch on a few of the most egregious events, but will include some of the small, related stories that went by with little notice. And to place everything in the context of life in my own little corner of Workplace Hell:  just as we had to laugh over Bushisms to keep from crying, my own local wingnuts were not entirely without entertainment value.

This may be opposite the usual blogging goal of recording things as they happen. But because are our politicians and pundits have been so busy pushing a theme of "we need to look forward, not back," I prefer to continue looking at how we got to where we are. We certainly will continue to live with the consequences for generations. The Bush Regime may be history, but if we don't understand it, we let ourselves in for a repeat.