I voted. Didn’t even remember until my way home. Lots of NOs on my ballot. Of course, that’s assuming that it gets counted. With no possible way to audit an electronic Harris County ballot, we have no way of knowing that the buttons we clicked had anything to do with the outcome.
As I computer scientist, I suggest you be wary of your democratic freedoms!
“The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” -Thomas Jefferson
The US Military can’t patrol their own camps, they pay others to do it.
Oh, they can patrol the camps, but they don’t have enough people to do all the jobs that need doing in Iraq, so they hire “private contractors”. Basically, mercenaries. But the State Department hires as many as 8 times more (from Blackwater – the leading “security” firm doing business in Iraq) than the Pentagon does1. And some of those guys went on a shoot-em-up spree. The military is much too familiar with this.
“The problems with the absence of oversight, management, doctrine, and even law and order when it comes to private military contractors have been known for a while.”2Â Â And our government has failed to act on any of this.
Just as their was failure to adequately plan before the 2003 invasion of Iraq, just as there has been an absence of true diplomatic efforts before and after the invasion, there has been utter lack of action on huge problems with the mercenary “civilian contractors”.
Such inaction by government is absolutely impeachment worthy. The only reason I don’t think it is treasonous is because I think they believe they have a valid intent. I believe they are merely incompetent. If it were proven true that their behavior was one for personal or corporate profit in blatant disregard of morality, decency, and law, that would be another case.
I was a bit surprised when I read in this morning’s paper that “the bikeway plans [through the Heights] … could begin and be completed in 2008”. Could being the operative word. Next year is what they’ve said every year since 2000 or so.
This bike trail rail line was cleared a decade ago and has been owned by TxDOT since then. The City’s been talking big about it being a bike trail that entire time. Now METRO is interested in the right-of-way. Was anyone really surprised that they weren’t aware of the City’s purported plans?
If the City had built out this route “next year” one of the previous times, perhaps METRO wouldn’t have been so out of the loop.
From the chron, David Corn:
But leaving is too good for Rove. He was Bush’s partner in the Iraq war, yet he [is] abandoning ship before the fight is done. Rove has argued that the Iraq war is essential for the survival of the United States. So how can he walk away with the war not won?
It is a mixed emotion to see Rove leave the White House. I certainly would have preferred it to happen years ago, and perhaps hanging from the gallows (or perhaps his own office ceiling, like a Chinese business man).
Just because he’s gone, doesn’t mean we can’t indict him for something.
No, you got your Fluff in my Politics…
I was cracking open my morning paper to get to the crossword. Usually Monday and Tuesday is crossword day, and Wednesday-Friday are sudoku days. The crossword is in the Houston Chronicle’s “Star” section – it doesn’t have a title on the front, just a star. It’s the “fluff” section, where you go for comics, television and movie listings, and today, the lead article on doggie day care.
So, I’m making my way to the back and I find as the token article on page five (smashed in with movie times and box office returns) an article by Leonard Pitts Jr. I couldn’t find it on the chron web site, so rechecked the print version. It doesn’t list his affiliation but does have his email at herald.com. So, I did find the article on the Miami Herald’s site.
It’s a scathing indictment of the Bush administration (which admittedly is an easy thing to write these days). But I think the fact that it’s oozed into the entertainment section of the newspaper is telling of how despicable this administration has been.
Two great tastes that taste great together: Fluff and Politics.
(cached here for completeness)
The Bush presidency: Is nothing real?
By LEONARD PITTS JR.
Richard Nixon was a crook. He was also a liar and anti-Semite who sought to subvert the Constitution.
I wish he were president again. Continue reading
Last Thursday the Chron PolitBlog called Texas Voter Fraud “a lie”. Friday the national media was writing an article on the stealthy disappearance of the American Center for Voting Rights. (An organization who was trying to sell us on rampant voter fraud.) Meanwhile the still Republican-controlled Texas Legislature was swinging their scepter to “protect us” from. . . something.
Galveston Judge Susan Criss chimed in with her support of Senator Gallegos, who against the will of his doctor was transported to Austin to keep the voting margin viable. The Houstonist informs that he can now return home to recover from his recent surgery.
The outrageous voter suppression bill did not pass the House by Wednesday midnight and the Lt. Governor has declared it procedurally dead. May it Rest in Peace! (and pieces)