Newspaper Trade Group Joins Those Appealing Media Ownership Rules

WASHINGTON (AP) - A newspaper trade group on Monday joined Tribune Co. and the parent companies of CBS, Fox and NBC in asking the Supreme Court to restore the government's media ownership rules, which have been thrown out by a lower court.
The groups contend the Federal Communications Commission rules easing ownership restrictions are necessary because the old regulations hamper companies' ability to grow and compete in a market that now includes cable television, satellite broadcasting and the Internet.
Last June the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia struck down the rules change.

Link.

Media Matters action alert for 01/31/05

Email address’s are on the bottom of the articles

Letter from David Brock to Scott McClellan

Colmes confronted Williams with inconsistent statements on No Child Left Behind

Wash. Post conflicted on Krauthammer conflict

Traditional Values Coalition's Lafferty used gay marriage bans to claim "majority of Americans" object to PBS cartoon

Media Matters

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Bloggers in Iraq

Who will if possible be blogging on the election.

: A Family in Baghdad
: Friends of Democracy
: Live from Baghad
: Riverbend
: Neurotic Iraqi Wife
: Rose,
: Baghdad Dweller
: Citizen of Mosul
: Iraqi Letter to America
: Kurdo
: Hammorabi

Another example how the Republicans support the Troops:

After being forced to attend "The Bush" gala, not even a sandwich is served.

My son is an army reservist and he returned from Iraq last March. He was ordered to attend one of the inauguration parties.
I am prior service myself, so I felt very proud that he was chosen from all the people in his group. This particular gathering was to honor many of the soldiers and their families who have been to Iraq.
A group of five drove down from Long Island to Washington last Monday morning, and they were to return Tuesday evening.
Around midnight on Tuesday, my son returned home, looking tired from the drive. The next morning, he told me he didn’t have a good time because they basically stood around and watched the president say a few words. He said there was no food provided for them, so they ate after the event at some fast-food restaurant. They spend all this money for this celebration and can't feed my son? He stayed at a local military base with the rest of the group, but they made him pay for the room.
Apparently, there was a mix-up, or they were short a room.
I don't care what the problem was, he was told to go, this was not an option, orders were cut for this excursion! I am disgusted and horrified that he had to even show his wallet for this event.
In addition to serving as a medic in the 310 MP Batallion, my son is a full-time student and works part-time to fill in the gaps the military doesn't. He takes his responsibility as a soldier very seriously.
I am angered at the way he has been treated. People need to know how some heroes are being treated by their own government. —Rebecca Lawson, West Babylon, N.Y.

US: Titan to Pay Fine And Plead Guilty In Bribery Probe

Defense contractor Titan Corp. tentatively agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges and pay less than $30 million to resolve a yearlong overseas-bribery investigation, people familiar with the situation say.That probe scuttled Lockheed Martin Corp.'s proposed $1.6 billion acquisition of Titan in June and rocked investor confidence in the San Diego company. Under the current deal to end investigations by the Justice Department and Securities and Exchange Commission, Titan will admit that payments by its overseas consultants violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, these people say.
A defense contractor or one of its units that pleads guilty to making illegal foreign payments and certain other felonies is subject to being barred from competing for new government contracts.
Even amid the bribery investigation and prisoner-abuse scandal at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison, where Titan employees worked as interpreters, the Pentagon didn't shy away from giving the company business. Since the Lockheed acquisition collapsed in June, Titan has won contracts valued at as much as $2.8 billion.

Link

Senators to Introduce 'Stop Government Propaganda Act'

In response to continued revelations of government-funded "journalism" -- ranging from the purported video news releases put out by the drug czar's office and the Department of Health and Human Services to the recently uncovered payments to columnists Armstrong Williams and Maggie Gallagher,who flacked administration programs -- Sens. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Frank R. Lautenberg (D-N.J.) will introduce a bill, The Stop Government Propaganda Act, in the Senate next week."It's just not enough to say, 'Please don't do it anymore,'" Alex Formuzis, Lautenberg's spokesman, told E&P. "Legislation sometimes is required and we believe it is in this case."The Stop Government Propaganda Act states, "Funds appropriated to an Executive branch agency may not be used for publicity or propaganda purposes within the United States unless authorized by law."

Link

Journalists or just flacks?

Here's what U.S. President George W. Bush told his cabinet secretaries this week: Don't hire columnists to promote your agendas. Huh?
That such a reminder is even necessary makes one wonder about the state of relations between the U.S. government and the media. Cont.

Conservative Talk Show Host For Sale

Current bid: US $1,125.00
Since the Bush Administration hasn’t called (yet), I’m dropping a not-so-subtle hint that I, too, have bills to pay. I’m making my services as a talk host, writer and pundit available quickly and easily right here on eBay. And, because I’m a true conservative capitalist, my services are available to the highest bidder!
This is a great deal for the winning bidder, too. In addition to hosting a three hour daily talk show on 630 WMAL—the number one talk station in Washington, DC—I also write a weekly syndicated column, I’ve written three books and I’ve appeared as a pundit on NBC’s The Today Show, CNN’s Crossfire, HBO’s Real Time, MSNBC’s Hardball and Fox News Channel’s Dayside with Linda Vester and numerous other national TV and radio programs.

Ebay Link

Bye Bye Base

As the White House pushes its right-wing economic agenda into overdrive, opposition is coming from the most unlikely of places: conservatives. In Congress, in state capitals, and among socially conservative activist groups, President Bush is finding that his plans to privatize Social Security and enact more tax cuts while gutting funding for priorities like veterans' health care are running up against voices of conscience on the right. The result is that just a week after being inaugurated, the president's legislative agenda is in jeopardy.

SENATE CONSERVATIVES BUCK WHITE HOUSE ON SOCIAL SECURITY:

Under the headline "Republicans Skeptical of Bush Social Security Plan," the Los Angeles Times reports that various conservative senators are raising questions about the White House plan to privatize Social Security. For instance, Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) now says she is "certainly not going to support diverting $ 2 trillion from Social Security into creating personal savings accounts." Bloomberg reports that Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) "says Bush should consider raising the $90,000 cap on yearly income subject to Social Security taxes." The administration is so concerned with the disarray among its conservative ranks that, according to the Washington Post, the president held a special meeting at the White House to "plead for patience" from conservative lawmakers as they make the case for dismantling Social Security.

SOCIAL CONSERVATIVES NOT PLAYING BALL:

The White House is also having trouble with its traditional base of social conservatives. The New York Times reports that various conservative Christian groups wrote a letter to the White House indicating that they "lack [e]nthusiasm for changing the retirement system or other tax issues." The groups are "threatening to withhold support" for the privatization scheme "unless Mr. Bush vigorously champions a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage." This follows an earlier NY Times story about how social conservatives are at odds with the Big Business cronies of conservative lawmakers who only want to cut taxes for the wealthy. "People are not going to give the kind of support necessary for tax reform that leaves the investor class untaxed," said one top religious conservative leader.

CONSERVATIVE CRITICIZES BUSH TREATMENT OF VETERANS:

Earlier this month, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) was stripped of his chairmanship of the Veterans Affairs Committee after he voiced concern that the White House was shortchanging health care for America's veterans. As Smith said, his dismissal from the chairmanship "all came down to the fact I wanted to spend too much on veterans." Smith said, "I am not a yes man. I am a loyal Republican who believes in fighting for good public policy and that is the best way to show loyalty."

HOUSE CONSERVATIVES REJECT BUSH'S UNFUNDED MANDATES:

AP reports that other House conservatives are expressing their displeasure at the administration's implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act. Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), who leads the Republican Study Committee, told the National Press Club that "I have no problem with Washington, D.C. finding ways to get resources to the schools, but not red tape, not mandates."

Halliburton says will exit Iran when work complete

Why aren't these crooks in jail?


HOUSTON – U.S. oilfield services company Halliburton Co. will pull out of Iran after its current contracts there are wound down, its chief executive said Friday, citing a poor business climate in the Islamic Republic.
"The business environment currently in Iran is not conducive to our overall strategy and objectives. As a result, we have decided to exit Iran and wind down our operations there while fulfilling our existing contracts and commitments," CEO Dave Lesar said on a conference call with investors.
The Houston-based company, formerly headed by Vice President Dick Cheney, has also been criticized for its work for the Pentagon in Iraq, where it is the largest private contractor with revenues totaling more than $10 billion.
The company is under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department for possible overcharges for fuel and food services connected to its Iraq contracts.
Halliburton said in July it had received a subpoena seeking information about operations in Iran of its Cayman Islands-based Halliburton Products & Services Ltd. unit.
Hallibuton has argued that using a Cayman Islands subsidiary exempts it from a trade embargo against Iran imposed by Washington, which accuses Tehran of seeking nuclear arms and funding terror networks.
Halliburton generated about $80 million in revenues in Iran in 2003.
An offshore subsidiary of Halliburton earlier this month won a contract to develop Iran's huge South Pars gas field, which sits on the world's biggest reservoir of gas.
That report stoked criticism of the company in the United States, as well as among Iran's conservative newspapers.
Lesar said the pullback from Iran was temporary, and if U.S. laws or the business climate changed, Halliburton would return to the Islamic Republic.

Cont.

Wash Post reporter will reveal extensive use of minders at inaugural balls

By Paul Farhi(c) 2005,The Washington Post

... But now the art of press handling has evolved into actual manhandling. The Bush administration has expanded the use of "minders," government employees or volunteers who escort journalists from interview to interview within a venue or at a newsworthy event.

... Several reporters covering the balls were surprised to find themselves being monitored Soviet-style by young "escorts" who followed them from hors d’oeuvres table to dance floor and even to the bathroom.

... As I was dictating from my notes, something flashed across my face and neatly snatched my cell phone from of my hand. I looked up to confront a middle-aged woman, her faced afire with rage. "You ignored the rules, and I’m throwing you out!" she barked, snapping my phone shut. "You told that girl you didn’t need an escort. That’s a lie! You’re out of here!".

... No, the minders weren’t there to monitor me. They were there to let the guests, my sources on inaugural night, know that any complaint, any unguarded statement, any off-the-reservation political observation, would be noted.

Corporate honchos take care of their own first

Executives increasingly insist that pensions are a luxury corporations can no longer afford--except for themselves, that is. Many executives whose companies have reneged on pension promises to workers have been careful to ensure their own big monthly retirement checks.

Link

Another Trait of Neo-Con Journalism besides Pay for Sway: Plagiarism

Talon News Washington bureau chief and White House correspondent Jeff Gannon, who accused his colleagues in the press corps of "work[ing] off of the talking points" provided by Democrats, has used Bush administration and Republican National Committee (RNC) documents and releases in his Talon "news reports" verbatim and without attribution. In at least two of his articles, Gannon lifted more than half of the text directly from GOP "fact sheets." Moreover, as Media Matters for America has pointed out, conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh proclaimed that Gannon repeated a fabricated assertion of Limbaugh's in asking a question at President Bush's January 26 press conference.

Link

It’s only getting worse for Maggie

HRC News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2005
Contact: Steven Fisher
Contact: Mark Shields

WASHINGTON - The Human Rights Campaign reiterated its call for an investigation into possible legal violations following reports that columnist Maggie Gallagher, having received more than $40,000 in federal grants to promote President Bush's marriage initiatives, failed to disclose her federal funding to Congress.
"The public deserves to know if there are other 'pay-to-sway' columnists and opinion leaders on the Bush Administration payroll," said HRC Communications Director Steven Fisher.

Cont.

Former WSJ, National Review editor debunks "liberal media" myth

"I remember when friends would excitedly telephone to report that Rush Limbaugh or G. Gordon Liddy had just read one of my syndicated columns over the air. That was before I became a critic of the US invasion of Iraq, the Bush administration, and the neoconservative ideologues who have seized control of the US government". Link

Dr. Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy during 1981-82. He was also Associate Editor of the Wall Street Journal editorial page and Contributing Editor of National Review.

Media Matters Action Alerts 01/27/05:

O'Reilly misrepresented poll on terrorism to disparage Democrats

FOX's Cameron got warm welcome from Bush at press conference, then returned the favor

Limbaugh downplayed the deficit ... again

Limbaugh bragged that his show inspired Talon News "reporter's" erroneous question to Bush

Hyman falsely claimed Hong Kong imposes flat tax on income

Taranto on Media Matters: "Maybe they're right..."
Talon News "reporter" lobs Bush another softball; is Talon a news organization or an arm of the Republican Party?

On Special Report, no balance to misleading commentary from Hoover Institution's Victor Davis Hanson

“The Bush” is using the Pinochet Social Security Model

Nearly 25 years ago, Chile embarked on a sweeping experiment that has since been emulated, in one way or another, in a score of other countries. Rather than finance pensions through a system to which workers, employers and the government all contributed, millions of people began to pay 10 percent of their salaries to private investment accounts that they controlled.
Under the Chilean program - which President Bush has cited as a model for his plans to overhaul Social Security - the promise was that such investments, by helping to spur economic growth and generating higher returns, would deliver monthly pension benefits larger than what the traditional system could offer.
But now that the first generation of workers to depend on the new system is beginning to retire, Chileans are finding that it is falling far short of what was originally advertised under the authoritarian government of Gen. Augusto Pinochet.

Link

Rebuilding Iraq

Maps, charts, facts and figures about life in post-Saddam Iraq

Love for Sale

By MAUREEN DOWD

I'm herewith resigning as a member of the liberal media elite.
I'm joining up with the conservative media elite.
They get paid better.
First comes news that Armstrong Williams got nearly a quarter of a million from the Education Department to plug No Child Left Behind.
The families of soldiers killed in Iraq get a paltry $12,000. But good publicity? Priceless.
Mr. Williams helped out the first President Bush and Clarence Thomas during the Anita Hill scandal. Mr. Williams, who served as Mr. Thomas's personal assistant at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission when the future Supreme Court justice was gutting policies that would help blacks, gleefully attacked Professor Hill, saying, "Sister has emotional problems," and telling The Wall Street Journal "there is a thin line between her sanity and insanity."
Now we learn from media reporter Howard Kurtz that syndicated columnist Maggie Gallagher had a $21,500 contract from the Health and Human Services Department to work on material promoting the agency's $300 million initiative to encourage marriage. Ms. Gallagher earned her money, even praising Mr. Bush in print as a "genius" at playing "daddy" to the nation. "Mommies feel your pain," she wrote in 2002. "Daddies give you confidence that you can ignore the pain and get on with life."

Cont.

From Baghdad Burning

From a Iraqi Woman’s blog
People in many areas are being told that if they don’t vote- Sunnis and Shia alike- the food and supply rations we are supposed to get monthly will be cut off. We’ve been getting these rations since the beginning of the nineties and for many families, it’s their main source of sustenance. What sort of democracy is it when you FORCE people to go vote for someone or another they don’t want?
http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/

Today’s Action Alert on Media Matters

"The Point" falsely equated Dean bloggers with Armstrong Williams

O'Reilly denied calling Sen. Boxer a "nut"; he was lying

Taranto accused Kerry, Edwards of "calling Dick Cheney's daughter names"

Major error: FOX's Garrett forwarded pro-life agenda in misreporting abortion poll

Letter from David Brock to Universal Press Syndicate RE: Maggie Gallagher, Whore

Christian Coalition: Pray for a Yes Vote On TORTURE

Christian Coalition of America is calling on Christian Coalition activists to contact their United States Senators to urge them to vote to confirm Judge Alberto Gonzales as the new Attorney General.

Click here for the Action Alert from the Christian Coalition

THIS IS NAZI BRUTALITY

By Ben Shahn, 1942
Printed by the Government Printing Office for the Office of War InformationNARA Still Picture Branch(NWDNS-44-PA-245)

More Right-Wing Payola Prince’s

Weekly Standard editor William Kristol lauded President George W. Bush's inauguration speech as "powerful," "impressive," and "historic," both in an article for the January 31 print edition of The Weekly Standard and as a FOX News political contributor during FOX's live coverage of Inauguration Day. Washington Post columnist and FOX News contributor Charles Krauthammer, also during FOX News' live Inauguration Day coverage, called Bush's speech "revolutionary" and compared it to fomer President John F. Kennedy's 1961 inaugural address. But Kristol and Krauthammer were consultants for Bush's speech -- a fact that neither disclosed.

Full story

“Oh, we loved Abu Ghraib”

Some interesting contrasts from the president's Inaugural address and actual incidents of torture by U.S. troops in Iraq, made possible by White House memos. A journalist friend of mine who has good sources in the Chinese government recently asked them what their response was to Abu Ghraib. He told me they smiled broadly. "Oh, we loved Abu Ghraib," they replied. "We just hope your president doesn't start preaching to us about human rights any time soon."

From Andrew Sullivan

This Time We Have A Payola Princess

Loser Maggie Gallagher and writer of garbage is the newest pay for opine uncovered.

Howard Kurtz breaks the story that the Department of Health and Human Services paid about $22k to conservative columnist Maggie Gallagher to push Bush's $300 million initiative encouraging marriage as a way of strengthening families.
In the piece, Gallagher asks Kurtz "did I violate journalistic ethics by not disclosing it? I don't know. You tell me."

Yes you did you Whore, now I want my money back!

More Weapons Grade Manure from “The Bush”

President Bush will not ask Congress for enough money to add 2,000 agents to patrol the nation's borders in his 2006 budget, even though he signed a bill last month authorizing the increase.

“The Bush” has never financed a bill that is for the benefit of the country, if it doesn’t give Corporate Welfare benefits it’s not worth doing.


Link

Head Donut Maker Wanted = $760.00hr

Never mind the job has already been filled.


WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc.'s new chief executive — the turnaround specialist who led Enron Corp. for almost three years — will be paid $760 an hour, plus expenses, the company said Monday.

Link

U.S. Drops Afghan Opium Spraying Plans

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Facing opposition from Afghan President Hamid Karzai, the United States has set aside plans to use spray planes to fumigate opium crops in Afghanistan, the world's largest drug producing country.
Karzai's opposition to spraying has frustrated some U.S. officials who doubt that the vast amount of opium produced in Afghanistan can be significantly reduced without spraying. Opium is the raw material for heroin.
The United Nations says Afghanistan's drug trade has funded terrorists. Some U.S. officials fear it could ultimately lead to the kind of lawlessness that allowed al-Qaida to use Afghanistan as a haven before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
Karzai, a close ally of the United States, has called for a ``holy war'' against Afghanistan's drug business, but believes aerial spraying could harm innocent villagers. U.S. officials say drug spraying is safe.

Budget Office Predicts $368 Billion Deficit This Year

The Congressional Budget Office predicted today that the federal government would run a deficit of $368 billion this year, a figure that does not include a request that administration officials plan to unveil later today for $80 billion more in funds for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The figure also does not include the cost or savings from any of the proposals President Bush is expected to make in the budget he will submit to Congress shortly.
The deficit for the 2004 budget year was $412 billion, representing 3.6 percent of the nation's economy. The deficit projection for this year, excluding growth in military spending and other budget changes, would represent 3 percent of the American gross domestic product, the budget office said..
Last year's deficit was the largest ever in dollar terms.

Link

Democrats Vow to Resist G.O.P. Majority in New Congress

By DAVID STOUT

WASHINGTON, Jan. 24 - Outnumbered Senate Democrats accused President Bush and his Republican allies today of mismanaging the war in Iraq and ignoring the needs of their countrymen at home, and they vowed to be heard in the new Congress on issues of importance to millions of Americans.
"Why is the promise of America not still alive and well for all of us?" Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the minority leader, asked rhetorically at a Capitol Hill news conference. "In part, it's because we have a government that simply doesn't live up to the values upon which this promise was made."
Mr. Reid and several party colleagues said President Bush had bungled the peace-keeping operation in Iraq, falsely asserted that there was a crisis in Social Security, ignored the needs of the 45 million Americans without health insurance, allowed budget deficits to mushroom and promoted tax policies that had made the rich richer and encouraged United States companies to relocate overseas.
The Democrats offered their agenda a few hours before their Republican counterparts were to offer theirs, and they did so with a sense of political reality. As set forth by the Democratic whip, Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois: "The first responsibility of anyone in the legislative scene is to know how to count, and we can count. It's 55-45."
The new Senate has 55 Republicans, 44 Democrats and an independent, James Jeffords of Vermont, whom the Democrats can count in their fold.
Despite their disadvantage, the Democrats tried to show that they would not be intimidated as the Senate prepared to vote this week on President Bush's most hotly contested cabinet nominations, Condoleezza Rice for secretary of state and Alberto R. Gonzales for attorney general.
The Democrats portrayed themselves as every bit as loyal to concepts of personal freedom and opportunity as their Republican rivals.
"We have a government that's forgotten who it's responsible to," Mr. Reid said. "Billions and billions of dollars to people who don't need help. But we're failing in our commitment, for example, to millions of senior citizens."
Mr. Durbin spoke disdainfully of President Bush's vision of "an ownership society."
"What is the 'ownership society'?" Mr. Durbin asked. "I think you can boil it down to just one basic statement: Just remember, we're all in this alone. That's wrong. There are many problems facing America that we need to face together, and not alone."
Mr. Reid and Mr. Durbin said Mr. Bush and some Senate Republicans had manufactured a crisis on Social Security, when in fact the retirement system was basically sound.
The Democrats said they would promote tax credits for small businesses to make it easier for them to provide health insurance for their workers, and that they would push for authorization to import prescription drugs from Canada, which Republicans have resisted but which Americans who live close to the border have been doing anyhow.
Senator Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, addressing an issue that many political analysts believe worked to President Bush's favor in the 2004 campaign, said the overriding goal of the Democrats was "putting America's security first." In part, he said, that means cutting budget deficits and America's huge trade deficit.
Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan said the Democrats would push for legislation to give everyone, not just the already wealthy, a chance to build their security and would end tax breaks for companies that export jobs.
Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York played down his party's minority role, asserting that the Democrats' positions "are far closer to what the American people want" on "meat-and-potato issues that people care about - security, jobs, education, health care - " than those that Republicans are embracing.
"And even though we have only 45 votes, when you're on the side of the people, when you're not letting some far-over ideology take over your agenda, you're going to prevail, if you stick with it," Mr. Schumer said.
Mr. Reid was asked whether he was worried about holding his minority ranks together, especially since five Democratic senators are up for re-election next year in states carried by President Bush last November.
"Senator Frist wishes every day he had a caucus like mine," Mr. Reid replied, referring to Bill Frist of Tennessee, the leader of the Republican majority. "We are a family, a Senate family."

Link

How Too Scare a Wingnut

Click Link and Say BOO

Social Security a problem, not crisis-Lawmaker

WASHINGTON, Jan 23 (Reuters) - A top Republican lawmaker on Social Security issues on Sunday called the retirement system's finances a "problem" rather than a crisis, distancing himself from the crisis terminology used by the White House in seeking public support for private accounts.
"I think 'problem' really is what we're dealing with," House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas told NBC's "Meet the Press," when asked if he agreed with the assessment of President George W. Bush and other top administration officials that the system was in "crisis."
In a sign of trouble for Bush in the Senate, moderate Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine questioned his proposals and strategy.
While she said she does not object to personal savings accounts "per se," Snowe told CNN: "I'm certainly not going to support diverting $2 trillion from Social Security into creating personal savings accounts."
A member of the Finance Committee, which will craft any Social Security legislation in the Senate, Snowe complained that the "public discussion thus far, without a specific proposal, has created and enhanced a lot of confusion and fear among seniors."

MAYBE TORTURE IS A BAD THING? DUH!

Biden Says He Is Leaning Against Gonzales Confirmation

WASHINGTON - Sen. Joseph Biden, a senior Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, said Sunday he was leaning against confirmation of Alberto Gonzales, President Bush's choice to be the next attorney general.

Link

Republicans use forethought and Agree with Democrats, Register Web Name Bushcheated.com

BUSHCHEATED.COM
Administrative Contact :Republican National Committee (VAVFGNVHZO)
gopdomains@rnchq.org
310 First Street SEWashington, DC 20003
USPhone: 202-863-8670
Technical Contact :Network Solutions, LLC. (HOST-ORG)customerservice@networksolutions.com
13200 Woodland Park DriveHerndon, VA 20171-3025
USPhone: 1-888-642-9675 Fax: 571-434-4620
Record expires on 08-Apr-2005
Record created on 08-Apr-2003
Database last updated on 09-Jul-2004
Domain servers in listed order: Manage DNS
NS29.WORLDNIC.COM 216.168.228.17
NS30.WORLDNIC.COM 216.168.225.160

Mega-Rich Afghan’s and Pakistani’s “Poo-Poo” $25 million reward for Bin Laden, U.S. raises to $50 million.

With the trail of Osama bin Laden gone cold, the U.S. State Department is revving up a new publicity blitz to remind Afghans and Pakistanis of the $25 million bounty for al-Qaeda's chief. Bin Laden is still thought to be hiding somewhere along the 1,640-mile, mountainous Afghanistan-Pakistan border, but intelligence officials in Kabul and Islamabad say there has been no trace of him for the past 20 months. By the end of February, the White House is expected to double the sum on bin Laden's head, to $50 million, acting on legislation passed in November by Congress.
State Department ads began appearing this month in Jang, a widely circulated Pakistani newspaper, offering rewards for bin Laden, his lieutenant Ayman al-Zawahiri, Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar and 11 other suspected terrorists. The ads have elicited an average of 12 responses a day, and will be followed by an advertising barrage on regional radio and TV stations in the borderlands and cities where al-Qaeda's chief might be hiding, according to the State Department.

Link

Spring Break Fallujah: The Video Game

Courtesy of Enjoy The Draft.com

SpongeBush SquarePants!

I Love Maureen Dowd !

Is “The Bush” a Satanist? Looks Like It

The article headlined “Norwegians Confused by Bush Salute” makes it sound like the people of Norway believe that "The Bush" is a disciple of the Devil. After the article came out and the questions started about his giving the "Devil Horn Salute", his supporters said it was "The Bush" merely flashing the "Hook-em Horns" symbol for the University of Texas Band as it went bye during the parade. Well, that’s sounds like it could be true, but what about all the other times "The Bush" has been caught on film "Hailing Satan" without UT Band parading bye?

How do they explain the photos of "The Bush’s" wife Laura and daughter Jenna? The "Hook-em Horns" defense also doesn’t hold up with the General Tommy Franks and Head of Homeland Security Tom Ridge photos.

Satanists love horns, using them constantly to refer to Satan. Since the Antichrist is literally to be Satan's man on earth, just as the Bible says he will be, this symbolism of Satan's horns to Antichrist transfers easily and seamlessly. All depictions of the horn to represent Satan are transferred to symbolism of Antichrist.

Photos of the following shown "Hailing Satan"

Prime Minister of Italy Burlusconi King Abdullah of Jordan

Bill Clinton VP candidate John Edwards VP Dan Quayle

Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger wedding photo

Elizabeth Taylor Prince William

Amy Grant "Queen of Christian Pop"

Benny Hinn: Fake Prophetic Faith Healer scammer of many dollars.

TV Evangelist Kenneth Copeland Anton LeVay, writer of the Satanic Bible

Stop the Negative News from Iraq

I for one am getting tired of the Media only reporting the negative news in Iraq. It is time the Media get off the defeatist propaganda and start telling the U.S. citizens the truth about all the good things going on in Iraq.

That’s why it is time too pressure The Fox News Service and demand they stop lying about how bad things are in Iraq, they need to start covering the good things in Iraq. I call on all my fellow citizens to write The Fox News service, and demand they send Bill O’Reilly and Brit Hume too Iraq. Tell FOX they need O’Reilly and Hume to broadcast their shows out of Iraq, thus forcing FOX into broadcasting the good news on a daily basis.

Contact FOX News and Bill O’Reilly and tell them either your with America or move to France.

FOX NEWS: Comments@foxnews.com
Bill O’Reilly: oreilly@foxnews.com

I heard it on Air America Radio’s “Unfiltered Show”

Jazz Funeral Rolls To Protest 'Death Of Democracy' Under Bush


NEW ORLEANS -- A jazz funeral rolled through the streets of the French Quarter Thursday with hundreds of protesters mourning what they call the passing of democracy: a second term for President George W. Bush. The protest, organized by a group called The Jan. 20 Coalition, was timed to kick off as Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist administered the oath of office to Bush in Washington.
Images are on link

WingNutDaily News Founder Joseph Farah Declares “Stop Alberto Gonzales”

The Head Honcho of WorldNetDaily has gone against torture and decided he is on the side against confirmation of Alberto Gonzales. Read and save it now before the Loonies beat him and make him change his mind.

Link

Cover Ears, Close Eyes, And Yell LA LA LA LA LA LA LA ...

Yesterday “The Bush” gave his Inaugural speech and NEVER mentioned Iraq, he completely ignored the debacle of his making and went on to make a veiled threat to the world by declaring the U.S. as being a “Fire for creating Democracy”. As is written in Revelations, "a rain of fire will destroy the world". This was great news for the Rapture crowd, which means “The Bush” is sticking with the Armageddon foreign policy. Earlier in the day, VP Cheney (whose daughter is Gay) was asked what he thought was the big item we should be dealing with, Cheney ignored the obvious answer of fixing the Iraq debacle and went right for building up a case for invading Iran. Will the Media and the Sheeple assume the pre-Iraq position of Cover Ears, Close Eyes, And Yell LA LA LA LA LA LA LA?

Cheney Says Iran Tops U.S. List of Trouble Spots

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Vice President Dick Cheney said on Thursday that Iran was at the top of the administration's list of world trouble spots and expressed concern that Israel ``might well decide to act first'' to eliminate any nuclear threat from Tehran.
``You look around the world at potential trouble spots, Iran is right at the top of the list,'' Cheney said in an interview aired on MSNBC on the day that George W. Bush was sworn in for a second four-year term as president.

Ball Gowns and Hospital Gowns

The "moment of accountability" is blithely past for George W. Bush by his own estimation. For thousands of young Americans, it will instead be a long struggling lifetime, launched with shattered bodies, broken minds and dreams crushed.
Like a modern Marie Antoinette, the Bush administration in 2005 gaily throws a glittering party and says "Let them dance"


Karen Kwiatkowski Lt. Col. USAF

Move-On Announces Grassroots Campaign For 2006

In 1994, just two years after a big Presidential defeat, Republicans with a pro-corporate, right-wing agenda swept to power in the House. From there, they gained control of all three branches of government. 2006 should be our 1994: if we can convert the passion and energy of the progressive movement into power on the ground, we can take back Congress and create a watershed moment for America in 2006. Today, we’re launching our big plan to do just that. Together, MoveOn members will build an organized grassroots campaign on the ground in every Congressional district to stop the Bush agenda and win back the House. Changing the political direction of the country will not be cheap. In order to begin hiring staff, developing materials and advertisements, and choosing districts for extra effort, we need to raise $500,000 this week.

Can You Help?

Bush Vows to Fight World Tyranny

George W Bush has been sworn in for a second term as US president, and has vowed to support those who work to overthrow tyranny around the world.

Then throws a Nazi salute

"The Bush" Kaboom-Speech

From Bartcop

High Court Asked to Overturn Roe V. Wade

The woman once known as "Jane Roe" has asked the Supreme Court to overturn its landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion 32 years ago.

Link

David Brooks Says Women Will Now Be Addressed As Bobo’s. What An Idiot.

Readers of the New York Times were treated to David Brooks' column sweetly titled "Empty Nests, and Hearts." Brooks argues that women should forego any career ambitions until after they have settled down, in their 20s, still wet behind the ears, to produce at least two or three kids. As he has pointed out in previous columns, this is how it's often done out in the Red heartland.

The Women Respond

What the…? Hey, Somebody Wrote on my Money

I just checked my wallet and 16 bill's of various denominations have been marked with different sayings.

What Mandate

Impeach Bush

Bush Blood Money

Check and see if the same thing has happened too you. Make sure and pass them around so everyone sees the message.

Liberal Leader Will be Sworn in on Sunday

Liberal opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko will be sworn in as Ukrainian president on Sunday after weeks of political turmoil.

The court dismissed a final appeal by his defeated rival, former Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych.
Supporters who remained in the city awaiting the court's decision were jubilant at the judgement.

Full Story

Northern Lights

Don't Know Much About Algebra

Lawrence Summers, the president of Harvard, has been pilloried for suggesting that women may be biologically unsuited to succeed at mathematics.
He may have a point.
Just look at Condoleezza Rice.
She can't do simple equations. She doesn't even know that X times zero equals zero. If you multiply 1,370 dead soldiers times zero weapons of mass destruction, that equals zero achievement for Ms. Rice, who helped the president and vice president bamboozle the country into war.
It's lucky for Ms. Rice that she's serving with men who are just as lame at numbers as she is. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz couldn't be bothered to tally correctly the number of dead soldiers when he testified before Congress. And his boss, Donald Rumsfeld, didn't realize that using an autopen signature on more than 1,000 letters to the relatives of fallen troops added up to zero solace.

Maureen Dowd
E-mail: liberties@nytimes.com

Christo-Fascist Set Sites on Cartoon Sponge

Right-Wing Loony Dr. James C. Dobson, the founder of Focus on the Family, claims "SpongeBob SquarePants" is gay. No wonder "The Bush" won the election with morons like Dobson leading the Sheeple, how could "The Bush" lose.

Full Article

SNOW! WIND! COLD! FOR “THE BUSH” SWEAR IN

The official weather report is "A Cold Day IN Hell".

When “The Bush” and Rice are together this is what I see

"The Bush" is the taller one.

Thank You Senator Boxer!!

Thank Senator Boxer for representing real Americans.

Email Senator Boxer

“The Bush” Iraq debacle

Suicide car bombers hit Baghdad

A string of blasts hit Baghdad killing at least 26 people, as violence continues ahead of Iraq's election.
The situation remains confused, but at least five blasts happened within 90 minutes of each other around the Iraqi capital during the morning rush.

Rice, lying liar caught lying

Senator Boxer used Rice’s own words to prove what a liar Rice is.

Transcript:

Just being Cheney

WASHINGTON - Kid Rock was nowhere to be found at the inaugural youth concert tonight, but another foul-mouthed singer dropped the F-bomb on the crowd including hundreds of pre-teen Hilary Duff fans.
The F-bombing was followed by a good round of "Constitution Bashing" ending with a skateboarding Billy Baldwin bible study.

Bible vs. Science War Rages On In Classrooms

School boards in Kansas, Georgia, Wisconsin, Missouri, Ohio, Texas and Montana are fighting against evolution being taught in the classrooms. All of them are red Republican states, except Wisconsin, which narrowly backed Democrat John Kerry in November.

SECRETARY OF STATE RICE

Rice spends all her time with "The Bush", she spends her off work hours playing the piano, singing Gospel songs and reading to "The Bush". Her new job will leave her lonely and depressed not being in the constant presence of "The Bush". Her impending suicide is noted.

WHY IS “THE BUSH” HIDING THE PUNISHING OF CHINA?

U.S. Is Punishing 8 Chinese Firms for Aiding Iran

The Bush administration imposed penalties this month against some of China's largest companies for aiding Iran's efforts to improve its ballistic missiles. The move is part of an effort by the White House and American intelligence agencies to identify and slow important elements of Iran's weapons programs.
The White House made no public announcement of the penalties, and the State Department placed a one-page notice on page 133 of The Federal Register early this month listing eight Chinese companies affected. The notice kept classified the nature of the technology they had exported.
Since the Federal Register announcement, the penalties have been noted on some Web sites that concentrate on China and proliferation issues.

Full article on this mystery.

Yikes!!! The Right-Wing Christo-Fascist’s are not going to like this.

Log Cabin Republican's ask: How Gay Was Lincoln?

INAUGURATION BY THE NUMBERS

Facts and figures on President George W. Bush, the nation's 43rd president who will take the oath of office for a second term on Jan. 20:
---
58, president's age

2, number of children, twin daughters Jenna and Barbara

41, number president of his dad, George Herbert Walker Bush

45, number of visits to his ranch in Crawford, Texas, since taking office in January 2001

44, number of trips to Pennsylvania, the state he has visited the most outside the Washington, D.C., area and places where he or his family have a home

17, number of solo news conferences

745,066, number of miles on Air Force One since taking office (as of Dec. 31, 2004)

226,544, number of miles on Air Force One in 2004

2, number of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

$1.75 trillion, total amount of major tax cuts during Bush's presidency

$413 billion, record deficit reached on Bush's watch

122,000, number of net jobs lost since Bush took office

1,355, number of U.S. military killed in Iraq since March 2003 (as of Jan. 11)

10,372, number of U.S. military wounded in Iraq since March 2003 (as of Jan. 11)

6, number of trips by Bush to Walter Reed Army Medical Center to visit soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan

1,583, number of acres on Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas

41, number of countries visited plus Kosovo, a province of Serbia and Montenegro

3, number of states Bush hasn't visited - Vermont, Idaho and Rhode Island

4, number of state dinners

Source

HOLD CONDOLEEZZA RICE ACCOUNTABLE!

I urge you to sign my petition below, so I can take your voice with me to the committee room and the floor of the Senate in the pursuit of the truth from Condoleezza Rice.


Sincerely,
Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

Sign Petition

A VOTE FOR TORTURE

The Senators who vote for Gonzales will be Ratifying the Torture of American Citizens.

Washington Post Link

THE FORCE THAT DEFENDS AMERICA IS GOING DOWN THE DRAIN

Social Security needs to take a back seat to national security.


The most important element in war is the soldier. Everything and everyone else must play second fiddle to the guy on the ground who digs the enemy out with the point of his bayonet. This remained the case in the Cold War missile age, and - like it or not - it’s even more so in the nasty hit-and-run fights of today and those down the terrorist track.

Col. David Hackworth

THE BUSH IS FINALLY CREATING SOME JOBS

The Selective Service System is looking for men and women to serve as members of local boards that are currently in a standby mode.


If a military draft becomes necessary, approximately 2,000 local and appeal boards throughout the nation would decide which young men in each community receive deferments, postponements or exemptions from military service, based on federal guidelines and community standards.
Anyone interested should contact Sonny Magnuson at (605) 484-2554 or Wayne Asscherick at (605) 484-9355 or visit www.sss.gov and click on "Board Member Application."

Full news release.

US SPECIAL FORCES 'INSIDE IRAN'

US commandos are operating inside Iran selecting sites for future air strikes, says the American investigative reporter Seymour Hersh.

In the New Yorker magazine, Hersh says intelligence officials have revealed that Iran is the Bush administration's "next strategic target".

The BBC's Justin Webb in Washington says that while Hersh could be wrong he has a series of scoops to his name, including the details of the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal last year.

His track record suggests that he should be taken seriously, our correspondent says.

THE BUSH

This just in from Harper's Index...

Average number of suicides per 100,000 residents in states carried by President Bush in November 2004: 13.5


Average number of suicides per 100,000 residents in states carried by John Kerry in November 2004: 9.9

Link

ABU GHRAIB ABUSE FIRMS ARE REWARDED

As prison ringleader awaits sentence, defence contractors win multi-million Pentagon contracts


Two US defence contractors being sued over allegations of abuse at Abu Ghraib prison have been awarded valuable new contracts by the Pentagon, despite demands that they should be barred from any new government work.
Three employees of CACI International and Titan - working at Abu Ghraib as civilian contractors - were separately accused of abusive behaviour.
The report on the Abu Ghraib scandal implicated three civilian contractors in the abuses: Steven Stefanowicz from CACI International and John Israel and Adel Nakhla from Titan.
Stefanowicz was charged with giving orders that 'equated to physical abuse', Israel of lying under oath and Naklha of raping an Iraqi boy.

CACI International has been awarded a $16 million renewal of its contract. Titan, meanwhile, has been awarded a new contract worth $164m.

Full StoryLink

Are Americans Stupid? Well DUH!!

The Bush says No One in his Administration can be held accountable for the Iraq Debacle, because Americans Voted for his Iraq Debacle.

The list of The Bush (Red States) Voters IQ rank 17th on down.

Whereas Kerry Voters (Blue States) ranked 1-thru-16 with the exceptions of (18) Wisconsin, (21) Michigan, and (24) Oregon.

The Bush Voter averages IQ: 91

Senator Kerry Voter averages IQ: 128

* Retarded is considered 75-85.
The State of Mississippi IQ average is 85, the lowest in the country, which means they are legally retarded.




For a Complete breakdown of IQ information, go here.

GOP Porn 500

Fortune 500 companies are swooping down from their financial kingdoms to compete in the pornography industry for a market flush with profits, growth potential and increasing public tolerance. The GOP and Red State Morals don't mean squat, they distribute and consume more porn than anyone. And they all love the Bush (G.W. Bush)

Click here to see the GOP hypocrites.

THE STEELERS BIG BEN

THE STEELERS BEAT THE NY JETS 20-TO-17 IN OVERTIME.



GAME STATS

Let's All Thank The Bush!

The verdict against Specialist Charles Graner is unlikely to silence the argument of critics that more senior individuals still need to be held accountable for what happened.
Quite apart from anything else, the prisoner abuse scandal is now much wider than just Abu Ghraib, with investigations into detention operations across Iraq, in Afghanistan, and at Guantanamo Bay.
The Pentagon argues that there have already been eight investigations, and three more are still pending.
None of those that have addressed the issue of policy have found any evidence of a policy of abuse, officials say.
Some have found failures of oversight, planning, and leadership reaching up the chain of command, and even into the Pentagon itself.




More Fallout!

Bush making SSI employees LIE!!!!

Money Quote:
Robert M. Ball, who worked at the Social Security Administration for three decades and was commissioner under Democratic and Republican presidents from 1962 to 1973, said: "It's fine for the agency to answer factual questions, but it's unusual to use the Civil Service organization to push a political agenda, especially because what they're saying is not true. The program is not going bankrupt."

Read the whole Article.

What the Hell is he Talking About?

Heard the Bush giving his SSI speech on the radio, now it has become a moral quest. Once again he is going with his feelings and not using facts. Also he is starting to politicize the SS Trustee’s. Can’t wait too see what he really is trying to do seeing how he has yet come up with a plan.

More on the radio address

BUSH RELIED ON HIS FEELINGS INSTEAD OF FACTS.

On the television show 20/20, Bush declared his conviction on the Iraq WMD was based on a feeling, not a fact.
"I felt like we'd find weapons of mass destruction," Bush said. Well, I have a feeling Bush is an idiot and I have the facts that back it up.

Story on Mr. Feelings.

Lying Right-Wing Morons

Right-Wing Morons try and compare Payola Prince Armstrong Williams with honest Liberal Pundit’s.

Read about how stupid their charges are: Link

And Here: Link


Like all Right-Wing Moron stories they forget to include the facts and substitute with lies. These are the same Scum that brought us the Iraq WMD and the crises on SSI.

Read it for Yourself

Don't take the word of the Politicians, Pundits, or the Media. Check out what the Congressional Budget Office and the Social Security Trustees say about the state of Social Security Insurance.


The Social Security trustees estimate that under current law the trust fund has enough money to pay promised benefits until the year 2042.


The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that the so-called "year of exhaustion" will be 2052.

These estimates come from Republican controlled government office's. G.W. Bush is lying about SSI just like he lied about WMD.

Centrists steer clear of Social Security plans

A group of Senate Democratic and Republican centrists is maintaining a comfortable distance from controversial White House efforts to reform Social Security — even as the chamber emerges as the place where President Bush’s Social Security proposals will be forged."There is a sense that no one really wants to stick their head out at this point in time for fear they’re going to have their head cut off," one Senate Republican aide said.

Link to Article

Bush is lying about SSI just like he lied about WMD
Contact your Senator's and demand they protect Social Security Insurance.

Contact for your Representative in the House

Contact for your State Senators

If you feel Bush would listen, which I doubt, here is the White House

How credible are President Bush's dire predictions?

Money Quote: " In the early 1980’s a bipartisan group of lawmakers and business leaders, under the direction of Alan Greenspan, came up with a solution that put the system on a path that is projected to keep it solvent until 2042 or 2052, according to the most widely accepted estimates.
Nancy Altman, who was an aide to Greenspan on the Social Security commission, remembers "exactly the same kind of hype" as we are seeing today. "It was exactly the same — the sky is falling," said Altman.
The difference is that the problems facing the system in the 1980s were truly urgent. "It really was a crisis," said Mary Falvey, a member of the Greenspan commission. She remembers being told that Congress had to act by April 1983 to keep the Social Security checks from grinding to a halt two months later.
This time around, Social Security is years away from anything that honestly could be described as a financial crisis. But that has not stopped President Bush from trying to whip up enthusiasm for his proposed personal retirement accounts by warning of an imminent disaster."

Read the full article

Social Security Insurance office saying Bush is lying.

Social Security: A Financial Appraisal for the Median Voterby Vincenzo GalassoCalculations of the median voter's return from "investing" in Social Security suggest that for a majority of voters the U.S. Social Security system provides higher ex-post, or actual, returns than alternative assets.

Link to SSI Office Document

US ignored warning on Iraqi oil smuggling

For months, the US Congress has been investigating activities that violated the United Nations oil-for-food programme and helped Saddam Hussein build secret funds to acquire arms and buy influence.
President George W. Bush has linked future US funding of the international body to a clear account of what went on under the multi-billion dollar programme.
But a joint investigation by the Financial Times and Il Sole 24 Ore, an Italian business daily, shows that a tanker seen at Iraq's Khor al-Amaya terminal by a UN inspector was involved in the single largest and boldest smuggling operation in the oil-for-food programme - and that the operation was conducted with the knowledge of the US government.
"Although the financial beneficiaries were Iraqis and Jordanians, the fact remains that the US government participated in a major conspiracy that violated sanctions and enriched Saddam's cronies," a former UN official said. "That is exactly what many in the US are now accusing other countries of having done. I think it's pretty ironic."

Link