Red Idaho Potatoes

I wonder what measures a devoted Idaho Bushie will use to ensure a twitch-free conscience when the truth is no longer avoidable? Is it possible that by ignoring it for so long, they have lost the ability of discernment?

Maybe they’ll adopt one of George’s methods; a combination of outright lies with constant reminders that he is “the decider.” Let’s call that man-stipulation.

Who else but George would use a pass-off reverse flip-flop to take credit for the discovery that skin cells can be used in stem cell research? And all because of his refusal to allow embryonic stem cell research...who’d a thunk it?

White House responses to accusations of torture and the Abu-Ghraib situation are known as falseHOODS.

Ever worry about the unprecedented secrecy of this administration and rewriting of history? The new rule is if truth has been successfully hidden before some nosy traitor reveals it (e.g., executive privilege for all, including the plumber), who’s to say Bush’s pants are on fire? Certainly not the plumber; he’d have to do his work all over again.

Oh, and about those 20,000 U.S. troops found with combat brain injuries not included in the Pentagon tally of 30,327 total wounded–I think they’ve been concealed in the same place as the 6,256 active and retired vets who committed suicide in 2005. CBS collected data from 45 states to get this number after the Department of Defense response was “only” 2,200 suicides by active duty vets between 1995 and 2007. See http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/13/cbsnews_investigates/main3496471.shtml

In 7 years, this administration has gone from “compassionate conservatism” to “pervasive perversion.”

Bush to Idaho: "Let Them Eat Potatoes"

Whew. For a while there I was getting worried after reading about the sinking dollar, but Bush has reiterated his dedication to a strong dollar policy.

Steve Pizzo writes, “Oil is not reaching for $100 a barrel because oil is worth anything close to that. It's because the US dollar is falling in value and oil producers, while slippery, are not stupid. They aren't about to let the US buy their oil with cheaper and cheaper dollars. So they are demanding more bucks for a barrel. Eventually they will do as China is about to do, detach the value of their products and currencies from the value of the US dollar. When that process is complete the US dollar will find itself trading along with third-world currencies.”

Concerning another aspect of our “strong economy,” Mike Whitney recently wrote: “Is it possible that anyone with a pulse and a minimal ability to reason couldn’t see the inherent problems of building a humongous financial edifice on the prospect that millions of first-time homeowners with a bad credit history and no collateral would pay off their mortgages in a timely and responsible manner?”

This is where I raise my hand and invite him to Idaho. Many people here even believe the Labor Department’s August inflation report of food prices rising at 4.1 percent for the year ending in June, without realizing the report neglected to mention that milk, eggs and other essentials are inflating in double digits. This administration plays so many cute jokes!

You don’t suppose that a “strong dollar policy” means Americans will need to be very strong in order to carry enough dollars to the grocery store?

Move on Idaho!

Move-On must have too many members for Bushco’s usual shut-up tactic--arrest. And while Congress is unwilling to stop the Iraq fiasco, they are able to express outrage at the Betray-Us ad. I suspect some Dems joined in because Move-On actually expects them to remember why they were elected.

But Congress must have missed the editorial cartoons which were equally as revealing of the “Petraeus Show” underwritten by none other than Little George.

While Bush supporters are found everywhere in Idaho, elsewhere citizens are sick and tired of recycled lies and destruction for the sake of oil and money. Many have expressed support for Move-On’s right to free speech as quoted on their site:

“I'm currently in Iraq. I do not agree with this war...You have the RIGHT to speak the truth. We KNOW that you support us. Thank you for speaking out for being our voice. We do not have a voice. We are overshooted by those who say that we soldiers do not support organizations like MoveOn. WE DO. YOU ARE OUR voice.”

“...Wearing a uniform does not mean someone isn't a shill, spewing propaganda, and downright lies. MoveOn has every right to buy an ad and say what they want about a public figure. This administration has lied to us, deceived us, misled us and when posed with a challenge this is how they respond? –Keith G., Va.

As for me, I am sick and tired of obnoxious loudmouths who are so bereft of independent thought that they repeat GOP talking points over and over. Hey, some of us knew they were lies the first time we heard them; they don’t impress us any more coming out of different mouths.

There is even uncanny evidence of the spread of Bushspeak: “I'm tired of hearing liberals accusing conservatives of questioning their loyalty, which we have not done, ...and yes, I do question the loyalty of some of the Democrat leaders and even some Republican leaders in Congress of disloyalty.” John Thiebert.

While I may be accused of being politically incorrect, I feel that those who continue to support this administration despite the lies, misuse of power, death-dealing and unprecedented future burden are as guilty as the originators. That includes General Petraeus.

Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other...Benjamin Franklin

Idahoans don't don rose-colored glasses, they GLUE THEM ON!

It seems that Cameron is very offended at the suggestion that Petraeus might be, well, a "plant," as was Mr. Thiebert in the link following my comments.
Founding Daughter

From Cameron in Story Commenting Forum:
" What is a joke is how a 4 star general was treated by Congress- a Congress that unanimously approved him for his position. What is a joke is the moveon.org ad that came out slandering the general before he ever spoke. An ad of which Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said, "I don't buy into that. This is an honorable guy. He's telling the truth." What is a joke is Ms. Metcalf's characterization of the general's report as a "rosy picture", when his reports over the last 9 months have been anything but. He has laid out the positives and negatives of the situation in Iraq, and given his assessment of what needs to be done. The fact that a 4 star general's assessment of Iraq differs with Sharon Metcalf's does not make him a liar. The fact that anti-Iraq groups started their character defamation before General Petraeus even had a chance to give his report shows their irrational fear of any positive outlook for Iraq."

My response:
Cameron. A postscript to the “joke” of how Congress treated Petraeus is that they failed to inject a little reality into Petraeus’ background in Iraq when they had the opportunity. They should have pinned him to the board, much like an insect, for a close examination. The Independent of London reports that he is held at least partly responsible for the failure to train an effective Iraqi army, the capture of Mosul by insurgents, and the theft of the entire Iraqi arms budget in 2004-05.

Use your head. If we have a White House full of liars and crooks whose main objective is to keep this occupation going, any general who is touted as knowing what’s going on in Iraq supports their hallucinations or leaves. This is a general who was in on the biological warfare trailer lie, subsequently wrote an op-ed before elections in 2004 boasting of Iraq progress, and created the Special Police Commandos who have played such a role in fueling the civil war. Four retired generals have reported that the SPC needs to be disbanded because of their corruption and sectarionism.

Guess who held meetings in Mitch McConnell’s office last February to make a case for the surge? It starts with “P” and it’s not pissant...well, then again. Another perspective on what he’s done in Iraq is found in Petraeus & the Central Front Myth by Robert Parry. Defense Secretary Gates’ claim that there has to be political reconciliation in Iraq for a successful outcome would make one think that this administration and their toadies aren’t doing everything they can to keep what’s left of the country in turmoil. Dream on.

...and in today's (15 Sept.) Times-News...

http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2007/09/15/opinion/letters/120604_5.txt

Tired of hearing liberal accusations

It is Sept. 11, 2007, as I write this. And I am fuming as I hear our congressional leaders and Moveon.org treating our Gen. Petreaus accused of lying and treason or giving an honest and encouraging report on Iraq.

I'm tired of hearing liberals accusing conservatives of questioning their loyalty, which we have not done, but I'm afraid we have been too generous with some, and yes, I do question the loyalty of some of the Democrat leaders and even some Republican leaders in Congress of disloyalty.

They claim to support our troops out of one side of the mouth, and from the other accuse them of raiding "women and children in the dark of night," of lying to Congress, of other crimes, but do not take notice of the good things they do for the people of Iraq and elsewhere they are stationed.

These people fail to recognize that we lost the war in Vietnam because we were unwilling to support our servicemen and treated them like dirt when they returned home. We have not been willing to win a war since 1945.

And until we are willing to do so and win decisively, we will have to face greater and greater challenges until our freedom is gone forever.

If it is not bin Laden, it will be someone else, because we have shown weakness. If we are not willing to fight for our freedom, we deserve what we get. Remember: Freedom is not free, and thank your lucky stars for the men and women who are risking their lives and limbs to protect us.

JOHN THIEBERT

Twin Falls

Another Idaho "Your Politician is More Corrupt Than my Politician!"

Politicians who should have resigned but didn't.

You have to love our political parties. It gets more laughable every day. It seems their goals are to destroy each other rather than run the country.

Now the Democrats are accusing the GOP of double standards regarding Larry Craig and his toe tapping. The poor guy may have just been asking for another square of toilet paper.

But let me get back to double standards and my response to them saying he should resign. Examples:

Ted Kennedy, while cheating on his wife, drove off a small bridge, ran off leaving Mary Joe to drown, came back 12 hours later. Was he asked to resign by the Democrats? No.

Harry Reid got caught in several very shady land deals. Was he asked to resign by the Democrats? No.

Charlie Rangle had a whorehouse running out of his basement. Was he asked to resign by the Democrats? No.

Bill Clinton, convicted of perjury, lied to a grand jury, lied to the world, his wife and his party on TV regarding sex in the White House, etc. Was he asked to resign by the Democrats? No.

Another democrat wrecks his car early one morning, enters drug rehab the next. Was he asked to resign by the democrats? No.

Sandy Burger steals papers that were damaging to his boss by stuffing them in his Fruit of the Looms; should have done jail time. Was he asked to step down? No.

Nancy Pelosi got the minimum wage raised; however, the people of American Samoa are not included. Who is the largest employer on American Samoa? Del Monte - 7,000 people. Guess whose district Del Monte's corporate offices are in? Fancy Nancy's. Was she asked to resign by the Democrats? No.

And the Democrats are crying double standards, go figure.

MIKE SIMMONS
Buhl

NOTE TO MIKE: Rangel, not Rangle. Berger, not Burger.

Chappaquiddick: Reprehensible, but still almost 40 years old.

Harry Reid's "shady" land deal consisted of transferring ownership of property he owned to an LLC in which he then took partial ownership equal to the land’s value. When the LLC sold the land, he made $700,000. In October 2006, Reid announced that he was filing a correction to his ethics form that would better represent the actualities of the arrangements surrounding the land deal and included 2 other small holdings previously unreported. In 6 days, CNN aired 17 REPORTS of allegations that Reid improperly reported a land deal in which he made $700,000. In June 2006, CNN aired 65 WORDS about a land deal in which House Speaker Hastert made nearly $2 million. The value rose after he earmarked taxpayer funding for a highway near the property, something CNN failed to report. Unlike Hastert, Reid was not alleged to have taken government action leading to his profit.

Mike, Mike, Mike. You really need to read those Googles carefully. This was not Charlie Rangel. Pat Buchanan recently asserted that Rep. Barney Frank "had a fellow running a -- basically a full-service whorehouse in his basement." Investigation by the House ethics committee discovered that a man's initial public assertions that he had run a prostitution ring out of Frank's residence were contradicted by evidence and the sworn testimony of third parties. I think this happened around 25 years ago.

Clinton was impeached for his lies about having sex with a consenting "adult." As deceptions and machinations perpetrated by this White House (responsible for massive death and destruction) continue to grow to unprecedented levels, I recall someone stating, "Will somebody please given George Bush a ---- job?

Patrick Kennedy accident. Since I don't have access to his medicine cabinet, I will not make conjecture as did Faux News when they broadcast "it has been reported that he is bipolar and has been in drug rehab before." Excuse me? Reported by whom? Then, licking their chops, they were able to once again talk about Chappaquiddick.

Sandy Berger theft. If only they'd been in e-mail form, he could have "disappeared" them like the 5,000,000 White House e-mails that vaporized.

Nancy Pelosi having Del Monte offices in her district? Somebody should have told her that she has the power to make them do what she wants--oops, I forgot, it’s only Bush who can do anything he wants. But thanks for thinking that up! A new White House excuse for corporate greed; blame the district representative!

Get real. We need ethics reform in government no matter what party, NOT to include rules about sex between consenting adults! We need to return the 4th estate to its intended purpose. We need to call a lie a lie, educate Americans about their true history, and start the long climb to actually being as principled as we have always claimed to be.

How Idaho's Craig could have avoided that egg (on his face)

Craig's problem is that he veered off the party line. First, he should have done a study on how many men have been charged with indiscretions in that restroom. If that didn't fit his needs, he then could have found out how many men were charged in that very stall. Add in every man who ever picked up a piece of paper and wasn't charged, add in everyone who has finished their business in a stall and found there was no toilet paper, add in every blue eye that peered into a stall, then go to the nearest hospital and add in men leaving after prostate surgery who have wide-based gaits. Then he could take the number of men who were not charged (with the original charge, but pled down), manipulated these numbers and presented a picture to prove his innocence...sort of like the Petraeus report. He should have never answered questions or admitted that the situation even existed. For someone who has been consistently in step with this administration, he missed the Bushco Boat.

How Many Idahoans Donned Their Rose-Colored Glasses Today?

Just as expected. Petraeus’ Iraq surge report was a crock! Such a rosy picture, but it’s the administration wearing the glasses, while the soldiers and Iraqis wear blood.

An ABC News/BBC/NHK Poll - Iraq: Where Things Stand reveals the opinions of those who actually have to live in this mess–Iraqis, 65-70 percent of whom judge the 6-month surge as resulting in worse security, more political instability, and less redevelopment.

Just 39 percent of Iraqis say their lives are going well, down from 71 percent in November 2005.

Every Iraqi polled in Anbar as well as Baghdad said their lives have been made worse by the surge.

Bush’s recent photo op in Anbar missed the 62 percent there who rate a number of items, such as clean water, availability of household items as “very bad.” In the Anbar area, 100 percent of those polled view attacks on American forces as acceptable.

Nearly 2/3 of Iraqis say the American-led invasion was wrong; 79 percent oppose the presence of coalition forces, and 47 percent of Iraqis say the U.S. and the coalition forces should leave Iraq immediately.

Meanwhile 53 percent of Americans polled didn’t expect Petraeus, the general in charge of the 190,000 lost weapons before being put in charge in Iraq, to report anything other than more White House smoke.

Karen De Young in The Washington Post writes, “"Many experts within and outside the government... contend that some of the underlying statistics are questionable and selectively ignore negative trends."

Michael Winship writes that...”the Bush administration has misinterpreted or cooked or hidden the numbers that tell the real story: the number of attacks, the number of suicide bombings, the numbers of civilian dead and wounded...on Inauguration Day 2009, those troops -- and Iraqis, of course -- will still be dying. Are we nuts?”

Note to Idahoans: Check Spuds For Bugs.

A special thanks to those 57 Democrats in Congress who joined their Republican comrades in voting for the PAA, Protect America Act (I prefer the Propagandized Ass [donkey] Act), which in essence allows Bushco to say to American citizens, “Your donkey is ours.”

Warrantless eavesdropping is only one of many covert programs aimed at Americans since 2001, in spite of the supposedly prevailing Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act.

Attorney Glenn Greenwald said, “...James Comey testified before the Senate that he and Ashcroft and others had discovered that whatever it was that they were doing from 2001 to 2004 was so illegal, so unconscionable, that they had all decided to resign en masse from the government unless that behavior ceased immediately.”

Congress still doesn’t know what triggered their alarm.

Greenwald said that what we do know, “... is not because we have an establishment press that has investigated and uncovered it, and it’s certainly not because we have a congress that has exercised oversight, it’s because there are... honorable and noble whistleblowers inside the government, who have ... disclosed the fact that the government is breaking the law.”

As for the PAA, on August 10 John Dean wrote, “Congress was not even certain about the full extent of what it has authorized because President Bush and Vice-President Cheney refused to reveal it.”

The act places the power into the hands of Al-for-Alzheimer’s Gonzales and the director of intelligence, who can order communication service companies to create spying posts for the government and grant immunity for any illegal activity by those who participate.

Although there is a 6-month sunset for the act, the programs it authorizes can operate for up to 1 year.

Come Thanksgiving, somehow a traditional turkey dinner will seem inappropriate. We’re having cooked goose.

Stan Metcalf
Gooding

Bon Voyage, Civil Rights

"House approves changes in terror spy program"...San Francisco Chronicle.

What now?

I think we can abandon any expectation that our rights will be protected; they're essentially already gone.

And while those precious civil rights were almost an "accident" from a group of privileged men who wanted this constitution in place and agreed to them in order to do so, they have still been the basis of freedom in America.

So, say goodbye to your accidental freedoms, because the Democrats in Congress aren't going to protect the average American. With their approval, the government now has expanded spying powers, claiming needed coverage of technological advances originally not included (despite 8 updates since 9-11), and "heightened risk" (yeah, sure).

Silvestre Reyes, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said the bill allows wiretapping without warrants as long as it was “concerning a person abroad," therefore, the law could be construed to allow any search inside the United States as long as the government claimed it “concerned” Al Qaeda. Conclusion: Do not ever again write, speak, or refer to "AQ."

Here is what your government was already doing BEFORE the expanded bill, paraphrased excerpts of "You Have No Rights," by Mathew Rothschild.

Monitoring phone calls, e-mails, and opening your snail mail. (I have visions of Homeland Security awash in the holiday "confetti" so popular a few years ago.)

Monitoring large financial transactions, e.g., buying a house. (As a protester of this administration for a number of years, I'm safe! I have NO large financial transactions. However, since they are prone to "interpret" as they wish, they could include my large-financial-transaction-in-relation-to-income cable bill.)

Your home can be entered when you're not there, a recording device put on your computer, and you won't be notified for at least 30 days. (Of course, this could be another of those "I can't remember" issues.)

You are never to protest at a major public event or in a place where you can be seen by the president or vice president. (Interesting; but I have no plans to ever appear on FOX and as incomes shrink [mine just did thanks to outsourcing] major public events are off the budget.)

Political organizations can be infiltrated, and they aren't exactly known for their ability to discern true danger, e.g. Sears-7, Manhattan upriver flooding, etc.

They can track the material you've been reading and force the librarian/store owner to keep it mum, other than to seek legal advice, for a year or more.

You can be held in preventive detention for months on end as a material witness. (I wonder if they will let you know what it was you witnessed?)

If you're not a citizen, you can be deported on a technicality or for mere political association; you can be labeled an enemy combatant and be sent to secret prisons around the world. Even if you are a citizen, the government can label you an enemy combatant and hold you in solitary confinement here in the United States.

Under George W. Bush's interpretation of the president's powers during the so-called war on terror he can do just about whatever he wants. He cites the Authorization for Use of Military Force bill, which Congress passed on September 18, 2001, as the justification for this enormous leeway.

"Congress gave me the authority to use necessary force to protect the American people, but it didn't prescribe the tactics," Bush said on January 23, 2006. He presumes those tactics are totally up to him.

Yes, the U.S. government has a primary obligation to protect us all from another attack. But who will protect us from our government?

Unbushed Idahoans--Prepare to be Ambushed Idahoans! Give me your homes, your cars, oh heck, just make it everything!

Republicans in Congress remind me of a lot of Idahoans; no matter what truth makes it through the blitzkrieg of propaganda, they march righteously down the path. These obstructionists aren't the least inclined to challenge King George, despite the desires of their constituents.

Meanwhile, Bush's latest Executive Order released on July 17 allows the White House to seize the assets of anyone who interferes with its Iraq policies and also gives the government expanded police powers to exercise control in the country. If the heat’s getting to you–read it. You’ll get a nice chill down your spine.

Bush’s state of emergency, declared in 2003, gives the president power to do whatever he wants–it could even be used 18 months down the road to keep him in office.

An executive order only becomes law if Congress doesn’t overturn it within 30 days after it is published in the Federal Register.

On a recent radio program Paul Craig Roberts, former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, said "When Bush exercises this authority, there's no check to it. So it really is a form of total, absolute, one-man rule...the American people don't really understand the danger that they face."

In a recent column, Roberts wrote that this administration and its propagandists are "preparing us for another 9/11 event or series of events...you have to count on the fact that if al Qaeda is not going to do it, it is going to be orchestrated."

Is it only a coincidence that Bush’s little speeches consist of ever-increasing mentions of “al-Qaeda?”

U.S. House Homeland Security Committee member, Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., is able to enter a secure room in the Capitol and examine classified material. He requested to see the White House plan for operating the government after a terrorist attack. Request denied.

Legal scholar Norm Ornstein of the conservative American Enterprise Institute, said, "I find it inexplicable and probably reflective of the usual knee-jerk over-extension of executive power that we see from this White House.”

If a light finally goes on in another formerly resistant Idaho brain, with all due respect, it’s not the second coming–it’s the flickering ember of former freedom.

Sharon Metcalf
Gooding

Submitted 07/28/07 to Times News

A Broken Vow in Idahow!

I cannot let this forwarded e-mail go unanswered. My 12-step stay out of politics program isn't working anyway. I just couldn't allow them to break my fingers. I do medical transcription for a living. I provided the RESPONSES.

Founding daughter.

NEW PREAMBLE TO THE CONSTITUTION

This is probably the best e-mail I've seen in a long, long time. The following has been attributed to State Representative Mitchell Kaye from GA. This guy should run for President one day...

RESPONSE: This is as close as I get to praying: God help us all!

"We the sensible people of the United States, in an attempt to help everyone get
along, restore some semblance of justice, avoid more riots, keep our nation safe,
promote positive behavior, and secure the blessings of debt-free liberty to ourselves and our great-great-great-grandchildren, hereby try one more time to ordain and establish some common sense guidelines for the terminally whiny, guilt ridden, delusional, and other liberal bed-wetters.

RESPONSE: Fascinating! One would think liberals had saddled this country with the massive, unprecedented debt incurred by this Republican administration! Remember? The debt that your children and grandchildren will pay.

We hold these truths to be self evident: that a whole lot of people are confused by the Bill of Rights and are so dim they require a Bill of NON-Rights."

RESPONSE: I have never been known to be transfixed by My Pet Goat.

ARTICLE I: You do not have the right to a new car, big screen TV, or any other form of wealth. More power to you if you can legally acquire them, but no one is guaranteeing anything.

RESPONSE: I have yet to see anyone marching in the streets because they don't have these items, or claim that they are an inalienable right.

ARTICLE II: You do not have the right to never be offended. This country is based
on freedom, and that means freedom for everyone -- not just you! You may leave the room, turn the channel, express a different opinion, etc.; but the world is full of idiots, and probably always will be.

RESPONSE: Too bad your Republican administration doesn't take this to heart, Mr. Kaye. But I guess you didn't actually specify wearing a T-shirt that might offend or that because one wrote a book critical of Bush that person would end up on the No-Fly List. As a matter of fact, I turn the TV off every day. The non-reporting that passes for information in this country anymore isn't worth the time.

ARTICLE III: You do not have the right to be free from harm. If you stick a
screwdriver in your eye, learn to be more careful; do not expect the tool
manufacturer to make you and all your relatives independently wealthy.

RESPONSE: What a small slice of the American misdeed pie this is; almost so miniscule as to be unnoticeable--not even any calories. People who try this usually end up regretting it, as they should. Whereas, such organizations as large tobacco companies who lie to the public about the safety of their products have friends in the "Just-Us" Department. "Senior Justice Department officials overrode the objections of career lawyers running the government's tobacco racketeering trial and ordered them to reduce the penalties sought at the close of the nine-month trial by $120 billion, internal documents and interviews show."

ARTICLE IV: You do not have the right to free food and housing. Americans are the
most charitable people to be found, and will gladly help anyone in need, but we are quickly growing weary of subsidizing generation after generation of professional couch potatoes who achieve nothing more than the creation of another generation of professional couch potatoes. (This one is my pet peeve...get an education and go to work....don't expect everyone else to take care of you!)

RESPONSE: Try it, you'll like it, as I'm sure most of them do. And for the sake of equal opportunity (I, too, can turn the screws), try addressing some of the massive corporate welfare that passes unnoticed.

ARTICLE V: You do not have the right to free health care. That would be nice, but
from the looks of public housing, we're just not interested in public health care.

RESPONSE: "Healthcare accounts for 16% of US GDP and 19% of total public spending; it is the largest sector of the US economy. By contrast the Canadian medicare system covers the whole population and accounts for 9% of GDP and 15% of government spending. The WHO ranks the US 15th in global health standards and Canada second." Second? Then why can't we buy their medications at their cheaper prices? They're made by the very same companies. Oh, yeah, that old one, our government is protecting us. "There might be poison pills!" Couldn't be the drug company lobbyists, could it?

I stopped going to Canada just for that reason; all those dead Canadians littering the roadway after taking poison medications.

ARTICLE VI: You do not have the right to physically harm other people. If you kidnap, rape, intentionally maim, or kill someone, don't be surprised if the rest of us want to see you fry in the electric chair.

RESPONSE: But we do insist on arming ourselves to the hilt which results in a
whole lot of accidental death, guns to the left of us, guns to the right of us
and no shortage of angry people.

ARTICLE VII: You do not have the right to the possessions of others. If you rob,
cheat, or coerce away the goods or services of other citizens, don't be surprised
if the rest of us get together and lock you away in a place where you still won't
have the right to a big screen color TV or a life of leisure.

RESPONSE: Oh come on, fry these people in the electric chair too. It'll give you less to complain about. And if you think crime is a problem today, just wait until this country suffers the inevitable results of the last 6 years of mismanagement and enabled corporate greed.

ARTICLE VIII: You do not have the right to a job. All of us sure want you to have
a job, and will gladly help you along in hard times, but we expect you to take
advantage of the opportunities of education and vocational training laid before you to make yourself useful.

RESPONSE: After all, with an excellent education, you too can be president! You won't even have to study! And don't complain about Bush failing to take advantage of better interest rates for student loans. After all, he probably thinks you'll appreciate your education more if you suffer for it.

ARTICLE IX: You do not have the right to happiness. Being an American means that you have the right to PURSUE happiness, which by the way, is a lot easier if you are unencumbered by an over abundance of idiotic laws created by those of you who were confused by the Bill of Rights.

RESPONSE: John F. Kennedy said, "...if by a "Liberal" they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people; their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties -- someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a
"Liberal," then I'm proud to say I'm a "Liberal."

ARTICLE X: This is an English speaking country. We don't care where you are from,
English is our language. Learn it or go back to wherever you came from! (Lastly....)

RESPONSE: Omigosh, where have I heard that before? Ummm. Was it after the 2004 elections when those who couldn't figure out how Bush had stolen the election again were trying to spit the taste out of their mouths? Oh yeah, that's when. And in our case, we didn't even have a place wherever we came from to go back to.

ARTICLE XI: You do not have the right to change our country's history or heritage. This country was founded on the belief in one true God. And yet, you are given the freedom to believe in any religion, any faith, or no faith at all; with no fear of persecution. The phrase IN GOD WE TRUST is part of our heritage and history, and if you are uncomfortable with it, TOUGH!

RESPONSE: Wait a minute here. Are you still talking about the Bill of Rights? The Constitution maybe? Nope! He's quoting from MONEY, although from the tone of this NON-bill, he wants to change that quote to "In This God we trust." In the last 6 years, large groups of "Christians" have supported this administration in untold corruption, untold death, untold lies and unprecedented failures. They have gutted every federal agency by naming heads from the very industries they are designed to regulate. Good-bye protection from harm! I suspect were Jesus on earth today, he'd throw the bums out of the White House, then visit the "Just-Us" Department, with a follow-up in Congress. Besides, if you were as educated as you claim, you'd be fully aware that America's true history and heritage often are changed before they reach the average man.

If you agree, share this with a friend. No, you don't have to, and nothing tragic
will befall you if you don't. I just think it's about time common sense is
allowed to flourish. Sensible people of the United States speak out because if
you do not, who will?

RESPONSE: This is common sense? Sounds more like the typical hate engendered in the last 6 years with a specific goal in mind. By the way, Mr. Kaye, may I suggest you actually read the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Sounds like you need a refresher course.

Around the Bend in Idaho

Time to take up knitting or gardening or crosswords...maybe even (gasp) exercise! Anyone with the fortitude to read this back-and-forth would realize it's come to the point where I can't even take my own advice!

Founding daughter

Story published at magicvalley.com on Thursday, May 03, 2007
Last modified on Thursday, May 3, 2007 12:20 AM MDT

A tiring litany of behavior from the left

I'm tired of spineless politicians, both Democrat and Republican, who lack the courage, fortitude and character to see our security interests through.

I'm tired of the hypocrisy of politicians who want to rewrite history when the going gets tough.

I'm tired of the disingenuous clamor from those who claim they "support the troops" by wanting them to "cut and run" before victory is achieved.

I'm tired of a mainstream media that can only focus on car bombs and casualty reports because they are too afraid to leave the safety of their hotels to report on the courage and success our brave men and women are having on the battlefield.

I'm tired that so many Americans think you can rebuild a dictatorship into a democracy over night.

I'm tired that so many ignore the bravery of the Iraqi people to go to the voting booth and freely elect a constitution and soon a permanent parliament.

I'm tired of the so-called "elite left" that prolongs this war by giving aid and comfort to our enemy, just as they did during the Vietnam War.

I'm tired of anti-war protesters showing up at the funerals of our fallen soldiers. A family whose loved ones gave their life in a just and noble cause, only to be cruelly tormented on the funeral day by cowardly protesters is beyond shameful.

I'm tired that my generation, the Baby Boomers-Vietnam generation, who have such a weak backbone that they can't stomach seeing the difficult tasks through to victory.

TONY MAYER
Twin Falls

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Community Speaks
Story Commenting Forum

Tom Young (id:bluedarter) wrote on May 3, 2007 8:13 AM:

" Tony - well written. The problem revolves around the "me" generation who want freedom to pursue their daily lives, without the sacrifices necessary to maintain their lifestyles. Pretending that Radical Islam doesn't exist in Iraq, or wasn't there until we "provoked" them is patantly ridiculous. Our grandparents sacrificed so we wouldn't have to fall victim to the Nazis. They didn't have anywhere near the lifestyle enjoyed by most Americans today. I think the Greatest Generation would be appauled by all the people sitting in front of their 42" big screeens, sipping $4 cappucinos, eating French cheeses, saying, "America is the problem, we are just Imperialists going after the poor people's oil. We should get out of there." Tony, it is an equal amount of greediness, slovenliness, arrogance, and cowardice that drives the socialist Frenchified left, and the weak kneed Republicans. Like my grandparents, and their grandparents, I don't want my children living under tyranny of any kind. "
______________________________________

Sharon Metcalf (id:sleight47) wrote on May 3, 2007 10:05 PM:

" Ah, but not as tired as I am of people like yourself who refuse to spend time learning what exactly has gone on and is now going on in this fiasco. Are you tired of the studies that show terrorism has increased since GWB's ill-fated invasion and occupation? Are you tired of his rewriting of history already including naming heads of agencies that regulate from the very agencies they are supposed to regulate? I respect the troops enough not to see them die for the enrichment of Bushco and their friends. If you're so pround of the Iraqis who voted in order to receive their food rations (if you had bothered to even delve into it a little), how proud you must be of those who have lost their lives and homes because of this disastrous situation. If you're tired of MSM showing bombings (you probably think there's one bombing a day just as the president's lovely but ignorant wife does), try McClatchy Newspapers, try Dahr Jamail, try Seymour Hersh. I'm tired of people who spout off yet refuse to gain the knowledge they need to make a clear judgment of this occupation. As for the time it takes to change a dictatorship into a democracy, buckle up, Bud, because we're close to being just that -- a dictatorship. "
________________________________________________

Tom Young (id:bluedarter) wrote on May 4, 2007 12:09 PM:

" Seymour Hersch is a proven left-wing hack who accused American soldiers of raping young boys in Iraq. Dahr Jamail writes articles for much of the Anti-American press, including Islam Online. McClatchy Newspapers simply re-print AP and Reuters stories like every other news conglomerate, including their worst rag, The Idaho Statesman. Calling people "uneducated" when your sources are highly dubious is ludicrous. This is exactly why far-left liberals can't seem to make any traction. If Seymour Hersch is your beacon light of "clear judgement"...you and Rosie can have some excellent conversations together in the looney bin your are both headed to. Finally, how can we be headed for a dictatorship when both houses of congress are controlled by a different party than the presidency? That statement alone reveals a true lack of education. "
______________________________________________

Sharon Metcalf (id:sleight47) wrote on May 4, 2007 7:01 PM:

" Oh come off it, Tom. Seymour Hersh is a Pulitzer prize winning journalist who has broken some of the biggest stories ever reported. Dahr Jamail is an independent journalist who aligns with no news organization in order to report what he sees without interference. As for McClatchy, they are one of the (very) few organizations that still actually investigate -- in case you don't recognize the term, it's called look into the matter and don't accept the talking points handed out by the RNC and this White House. And let's call a spade a spade. Your posts put me in mind of the typical blowhard redneck who refuses to accept that the US is not the shining gem of liberty you continue to hype. In fact, if you really want your children and grandchildren to avoid living under a tyrant, start counting the basic rights formerly enjoyed by US citizens that are now gone. "

Magic Valley and Magic Thinking

Note from Founding Daughter: No more writing letters to the Editor! A 400 word limit does nothing but cramp my creativity. My new avocation is to respond on the Times-News Magic Valley Community Speaks page. No word limits; you just take ‘em on one at a time. As for the following letter, Mr Vanderpol neglected to mentioned the King of Creationism: George!

Only creationism can teach children morality

Addressing the concern for our youth:

Why is teenage suicide up? Why is teenage meth use up? Why are teenage pregnancies up?

I think we are teaching this stuff in our schools:

(1) By teaching the religion of evolution, we are telling our children that you are an accident and have little or no value.

(2) There is no purpose to life except to have fun and pass on your genes.

(3) There is no absolute right or wrong; in fact, there are no absolutes.

(4) Your presence here is a burden on the planet since you are one of the polluters and it would be better for the world if you died.

When we teach the religion of evolution in our schools, this is what we are telling our children because there is no real future. Since there is no way to tell right from wrong, survival of the fittest becomes a way of life. It is unthinkable that we would dare teach intelligent design and give eternal value to our children.

Maybe they (educators) will come up with a new program for morality like they did for fatherless children in the '50s, drugs in the '60s, HIV in the '80s, all of which was a miserable failure. Only creationism teaches morality.

Good luck, Mr. and Mrs. America.

BILL VANDERPOL
Castleford

Community Speaks Story Commenting Forum

Kristen Keck (id:ckkeck) wrote on April 16, 2007 6:19 AM:
"Bill, You hit the nail on head with your letter. People who believe evolution is the truth are like ostriches burying their heads in the sand. They don't want to believe in creationism, or a creator; otherwise they would have to answer to someone other than themselves. I pity them come judgement day. "

Jared Asay (id:axisofjared) wrote on April 16, 2007 11:48 AM:
"I've always had a sort of built in irony meter, but I think Bill dealt it a powerful blow with this letter. He blames teen suicide, drug use, and pregnancy on the teaching of a particular field of science! I suppose Physics is to blame for violent crimes, and let's not forget the detrimental effect Chemistry 101 has on our divorce rate. Here's what caused my irony meter to sail dangerously off the charts. If you take a look at the statistics of social ills, they all occur most frequently in Red states – the very states that usually try to avoid teaching evolution and attempt to teach creationism instead. 7 of the 10 states with the highest teen pregnancy rates are red. 6 out of the 10 with the lowest rates are blue. The top 5 highest murder rates in America? Why that would be Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, and South Carolina, all Red. What about divorce rates? Well, get your irony meters ready, the state with the lowest divorce rate is that beacon of gay marriage called Massachusetts. Actually 9 out of the 10 lowest divorce rates are blue states. 8 of the 10 highest divorce rates are all Red states, with averages nearly 3 times higher than the 10 lowest! Now, I'll bet you're wondering which states have attempted to teach creationism in one form or another over the century: Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio…hmmm, what color were those states?"

Sharon Metcalf (id:sleight47) wrote on April 16, 2007 1:37 PM:
Mr. VanderPol: I am interested–to what do you attribute the countless depredations committed by man prior to the advent of the Theory of Evolution? In the same manner that man once thought all planets rotated around the earth, many men still think the universe rotates around man. Evolution does not claim to have all of the answers; most organized religions do. As Galileo Galilei once said, "I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason and intellect has intended us to forego their use." We are still killing each other, destroying the earth, and depending on outside sources for our beliefs or lack thereof. Until we can learn to take back the inherent responsibility for our own behavior and recognize what is wrong with "group think," our problems will continue. In the meantime, rather than subject the theory of evolution to bizarre accusations, may I suggest you simply use the term "devilution."

Are you sure Idaho is in the United States?

http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2007/04/08/opinion/letters/109731_17.txt
Story published at magicvalley.com on Sunday, April 08, 2007
Last modified on Sunday, April 8, 2007 12:15 AM MDT

We know neither ourselves, nor our enemies

In the 2,500-year-old book, "The Art of War," Sun Tzu says that "excellence in warfare" is to keep the sword in its scabbard, to not use one's military might. If the opposite was true, then surely the United States, with its superior military might, would not be entering the fifth year of war in Iraq. Certainly, excellence in warfare does not mean more than 3,200 of our own warriors and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis dead. Our current leaders seem to put the use of military might first and reason in a distant second place.

Sun Tzu also says that "If one knows themselves and knows their enemy, they will always prevail." If they know themselves and not their enemy, or if they know their enemy and not themselves, they will win some and lose some. But if they know not themselves nor their enemy, they will always suffer defeat.

At this time we, through our commander and chief, certainly fall into this last category. We are too arrogant to know those we call our enemy, and we are too caught up in the hubbub of our wasteful consumptive lifestyles to have the time to contemplate and to know ourselves. Perhaps if we were to take the time to look more at ourselves, we would find the wisdom that would lead us away from war, not toward it.

BILL CHISHOLM
Buhl

Community Speaks - Story Commenting Forum

Tom Young (id:bluedarter) wrote on April 08, 2007 10:53 AM:
"Bill - try to remember....17 UN Resolutions and 12 years went by before we took action against Saddam Hussein. We allowed plenty of time for the "peace process" to take place. I agree with your points that we didn't know our enemy very well; we fought the war in much too politically correct a fashion. And we didn't know ourselves very well; we should have anhillated much more of the enemy in the first stages of the battle, when 90% of Americans were in agreement."

Sharon Metcalf (id:sleight47) wrote on April 09, 2007 1:40 PM:
"Tom: Peace process? Sanctions and bombing? After the innumerable atrocities committed by this administration, this is the first time some yahoo has stated that this battle has been fought in too politically correct a fashion. Congratulate yourself for reaching a new low. As for annihilating more of the enemy in the first stages, to whom do you refer? Osama, or isn't a total of 650,000+ innocent dead Iraqi civilians to date (per the Johns Hopkins survey) enough for you? And you can forget using the Saddam-was-a-tyrant excuse unless you can explain simultaneous US support of Islam Karimov, evil leader of Uzbekistan. Could it have been the oil, Enron influence, use of their airbase or the fact that they torture and murder Muslims? Oh heck, any of them will do. You really should take the time to visit Washington and apply for a job in this administration. I hear there are new openings weekly."


http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2007/04/08/opinion/letters/109731_20.txt
Story published at magicvalley.com on Sunday, April 08, 2007
Last modified on Sunday, April 8, 2007 12:15 AM MDT

High morale for troops costs too much for protesters

Boise had an anti-war rally recently. The parents of a medic in Iraq spoke at the rally and were quoted as saying, "It's hard to maintain morale with a lack of a mission." Perhaps the bigger threat to troop morale is having the parents of your unit's medic speaking at anti-war rallies. Or maybe it's having members of Congress essentially buying, and even more perverse, selling, votes in order to pass legislation hastening withdrawal.

Maybe morale is hard to muster when news outlets pander to war protesters in Washington while ignoring or downplaying thousands of respectful, U.S. flag-waving, veteran supporters of a worthy mission. I'm sure happy thoughts abounded when Jane Fonda, that great lover of America's military, was a noted speaker at last January's war protest.

How are we to expect our soldiers' morale to be high when we bombard them with political rhetoric that they have failed, that they're "stuck in Iraq" because they're stupid, and that their lives and the lives of their fallen have been "wasted" on a country and its citizens - citizens who, until recently, were ruled by a genocidal dictator allowed to maintain power by a world community more interested in his bribes than in stopping his atrocities; a world community apparently convinced that since he "contained" his murders to his own people, it didn't warrant intervention.

If troop morale is low, it would be because instead of giving hope and resolve to our soldiers and the people of Iraq, America tells them sorry, it's much too hard, the price is too high, it's time to quit and come home.

CAMERON ROBINSON
Jerome

Community Speaks - Story Commenting Forum

Tom Young (id:bluedarter) wrote on April 08, 2007 10:46 AM:
"Cameron-I remember a time when, as Americans, hard work in the pursuit of noble goals was the normal way we did things. The current members of the liberal left are weak sponges who want freedom to pursue their lives without any interference of morality or decencey or a sense of duty. The real men who do the heavy lifting are seen by them as the problem, rather than the solution. There is nothing more grotesque than to see members of our society try to appease our enemies. Just because the left wishes we could all get along does not make it so. The Islamic extremists will kill an appeaser infidel just as fast as any other infidel. How come Nancy Pelosi or Cindy Sheehan will not go into Afghanistan or Sadr-City and try to spread their message? All you have to do is sit down and talk to these guys, right?"

Sharon Metcalf (id:sleight47) wrote on April 09, 2007 1:37 PM:
"What? You mean to tell me that after filtering news into and e-mails out of, creating their own media reports in the US as well as Iraq, somehow this mighty Bushco machine has allowed news of protest to reach those serving in Iraq? Troop morale couldn't possibly be low because of the situation, could it? And you really must e-mail Washington and let Bush know the rest of the "hard work" phrase; he keeps forgetting it. The "real men who do the heavy lifting" aren't seen as the problem by those fed up with this protracted occupation. On the contrary, their protests center on "chicken hawks" who denigrate real heroes and ignore the troops' well being as a means to an end. As for myself, add the 30% or so of Americans who are so inflamed with hubris and/or the possibility of making more money off the "heavy lifters" that they are willing to abandon any moral or ethical standards they may or may not have ever had, in support of Bushco. (Which reminds me, BRAVO to the Cheney protesters at BYU.)"



http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2007/04/08/opinion/letters/109731_19.txt
Story published at magicvalley.com on Sunday, April 08, 2007
Last modified on Sunday, April 8, 2007 12:15 AM MDT

Honor and duty led 1016th Army Reserve to accept task

It is interesting to note in this day and age, where a person will say one thing and do another. They will tell you they will be some place and never show, sign a promise to pay and never follow through, take a marriage vow and later break it and never be concerned about the consequences or what lives they affect. They live as if there is no tomorrow or repercussions. To give one's word and follow through is a very special gift.

This gift was evident for a select group of citizen soldiers of the Magic Valley. They enlisted in our military system, obeyed their officers' orders and promised to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. They said they would put their lives in harm's way for a principle. They are the 1016th Army Reserve in Pocatello, with a detachment in Twin Falls.

Last February, they deployed to Iraq as they said they would do. They did not have to fly to Kuwait and drive loaded trucks into hostile areas of Iraq. They said they would do this and have performed with valor.

These Magic Valley warriors are now getting ready to return to their homes, loved ones and jobs left behind. They may have wished they had not given their word, but they did what they said they would do.

We need to take a lesson from these brave soldiers and welcome them home. We need to thank them for doing what they said they would do and keep the Islamofanatics over there rather than over here.

If we were all to do what we said we would do, then someday we can expect the Lord to do what he said he would do.

COL. JOSEPH E. EYRE
Jerome
(Editor's note: Joseph Eyre is a retired Army colonel and an Army Reserve ambassador for Idaho.)

Community Speaks - Story Commenting Forum

Sharon Metcalf (id:sleight47) wrote on April 08, 2007 3:14 PM:
"No, what's really interesting, Colonel Eyre, is your failure to note that what put the 1016th Army Reserve in this impossible and deadly situation is the total failure of this president to tell the truth to the American people. Is there anything at all about which he and his cohorts have not lied?

And please, for the benefit of those who actually care enough to look further than their noses, give up the old "fight them there so we won't have to fight them here" line.

William Douglas of the McClatchy Newspapers Washington Bureau in "Is there any truth to ‘the enemy would follow us here'?" wrote regarding that question: "U.S. military, intelligence and diplomatic experts in Bush's own government say the violence in Iraq is primarily a struggle for power between Shiite and Sunni Muslim Iraqis seeking to dominate their society, not a crusade by radical Sunni jihadists bent on carrying the battle to the United States. Foreign-born jihadists are present in Iraq, but they're believed to number only between 4 percent and 10 percent of the estimated 30,000 insurgent fighters - 1,200 to 3,000 terrorists - according to the Defense Intelligence Agency and a recent study by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a center-right research center. ‘Attacks by terrorist groups account for only a fraction of insurgent violence,' said a February DIA report.

While acknowledging that terrorists could commit a catastrophic act on U.S. soil at any time - whether U.S. forces are in Iraq or not - the likelihood that enemy combatants from Iraq might follow departing U.S. forces back to the United States is remote at best, experts say. ‘The war in Iraq isn't preventing terrorist attacks on America,' said one U.S. intelligence official, who spoke only on the condition of anonymity because he's contradicting the president and other top officials. ‘If anything, that - along with the way we've been treating terrorist suspects - may be inspiring more Muslims to think of us as the enemy.' "

It never fails to amaze me how people who continue to support this occupation appeal to idealism to justify the deceit that propelled reserve participation. This administration has a trail of failures to prepare and/or equip those on the ground, let alone provide what they need upon return. Wrong is wrong even when dressed in pretty words...or have you forgotten that?"

How many Idahoans are aliens?

On the March 18 Face the Nation, Bob Schieffer issued a travel advisory for visitors from outer space. Referring to the Libby trial and the Justice Department regarding the latest Bushco scandal, he would excuse aliens for thinking that government service is "harder on memory than Alzheimer's."

This administration is remarkably deficient in recall but are always able to swear they didn't do whatever was done. Is that selective memory?

Research shows that December's Bush purge consisted of almost as many U.S. attorneys as were let go in the past 25 years, with e-mails confirming that dismissals were based on perceived disloyalty to Bush's agenda.

Watergate reporter Carl Bernstein recently said that in the Bush administration, "disinformation, misinformation and unwillingness to tell the truth – a willingness to lie both in the Oval Office, in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, in the office of the vice president, the vice president himself – is something that I have never witnessed before on this scale."

Gee, do you think that's why Bush offered to have Rove and Miers testify behind closed doors, without being put under oath and with no written record of the session?

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said, "After telling a bunch of different stories about why they fired the U.S. Attorneys, the Bush Administration is not entitled to the benefit of the doubt. Congress and the American people deserve a straight answer. If Karl Rove plans to tell the truth, he has nothing to fear from being under oath like any other witness."

Oddly enough, these same Republicans have perfect recall of every talking point created by the Republican National Committee in the last 5 years. And Schieffer didn't really have to target aliens for his travel advisory; he could just as well given it to most Idahoans.

Sharon Metcalf
Gooding

In Response to Ann Coulter's Yellow Cake and Yellow Journalism

Yellow hair and yellow eyes,
Backed-up bile and redneck lies.

Aimee New
Gooding

Three hints that we should have known...

Georgie Porgie, puddin' and pie,
didn't kiss, preferred to lie,
When the troops came out to play,
Georgie Porgie ran away!

D'Souza is a Looza, Idaho!

In the Times-News, Mariana Mink recently applauded a Dinesh d'Souza op-ed, "To Say Bush Lied on Iraq is Itself a Lie." She mustn't miss d'Souza's, "How The Left Led Us Into 9/11," and his book, "The Enemy at Home."

But she'd do well to ignore Alan Wolfe's book review and opinion of d'Souza as a writer.

"Like his hero Joe McCarthy, he has no sense of shame. He is a childish thinker and writer tackling subjects about which he knows little to make arguments that reek of political extremism. His book is a national disgrace..."

It does take an ability to ignore mid-East experts in order to see the overwhelming clarity of d'Souza's charge that, "What disgusts [Muslims] is not free elections but the sights of hundreds of homosexuals kissing one another and taking marriage vows."

An unsurprising conclusion from a man who also ignores most history of western involvement in the mid-East to decide it was Clinton and Carter weakness that made us a target for 9-11 in the first place.

Walter Uhler writes that, "D'Souza writes history as if he studied under the tutelage of that historian-imbecile, Ann Coulter."

Ms. Mink mustn't allow the existence of recorded speeches (lies) by Bush, which dismiss all fact as contrary to the message, or allow fallout like the Libby trial to diminish her hero worship.

After all, d'Souza's logic is an eerie match for George's meanderings. In a December 2003 interview with Diane Sawyer, Bush excused statements that Saddam had WMDs as hard fact by responding, "What's the difference?"

Tell me, does that mean whether you actually have WMD, don't have WMD, dream about WMD, or want WMD, then you do, even if you don't?

Sharon Metcalf

Idaho Supports a dicTATER and a DICKtator

On Sunday’s 60 Minutes, President Bush admitted that he had watched Saddam Hussein’s execution--but only until right before the trap door opened. But then, Bush has "readers," much like kings used to have "tasters." If the "reader" finds something critical (distasteful), he makes sure the president is kept in his normal state of blissful ignorance. So I doubt Bush knows about the former Nuremberg prosecutor who some time back stated that he (Bush) should be tried along with Saddam for war crimes.

Meanwhile, there’s an urban legend concerning Cheney’s youth. Seems he dropped a glass milk bottle which broke, milk everywhere. Dick stood there glaring at the milk as it spread. His mother raced to the kitchen, took the situation in and said, "Richard, jutting your chin out will not clean up this mess." Cheney turned to his brother, Robert, and said, "Well, then what’s your plan for cleaning up my mess?"

With great portions of Iraq destroyed and some estimates of over 600,000 Iraqi civilians dead, Bush was asked whether this war had been botched. "Not at all. I think the Iraqi people owe the American people a huge debt of gratitude."

Rejecting assertions that Bushco repeatedly lied to instigate this war, Bush said his spirits were strong. Well, duh, I’d have to stay pretty drunk too if I had set such a disaster in motion let alone insisted on keeping it going.

Bush stated Saddam’s execution could have been handled better, but luckily didn’t add "at Abu-Ghraib." He also wants us to know he is not a "revengeful" person. But that might be because he is actually a preemptively vengeful person. Ask some of the people who ran against him in elections. Ask those who have been sacked for not toeing the line.

Aimee New
Gooding

Submitted to Times-News 1/11/07

Redneck Idahoans who support Bush -- Stand on your heads before reading

Idaho and Utah typically grab first and second places in presidential approval polls. I don’t know if this is because, as one letter suggested, red necks signify no blood reaching the brain, or if people have burned an admonition to “follow the rule of the land” into their brains. The latter does not mean to stand idly by while the rule of the land is arbitrarily changed.

In an article titled ‘How Do You Spell “DICTATOR”?’, Elliot Cohen notes predictors ignored by mainstream media (paraphrased), such as a president who made facts fit the policy, deceived the nation into going to war; got Congress to transfer war-declaring power to him under false pretenses; systematically engaged in warrantless wiretapping while denying same; invaded personal banking records; canceled the right of habeas corpus for anyone he deems to be an unlawful enemy combatant; infiltrated and spied upon peaceful anti-war groups; paid journalists to tout administration policies; hired PR companies for phony war success stories; exempted himself from following many of the laws he signed; permitted abuse of detainees; and was never truly elected to office in 2004 (when suddenly exit polls were no longer reliable indicators). http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/contributors/715

The major news agencies are still owned by those who have benefited the most from this administration’s policies, and they have a big stake in keeping control of what we know. But there are alternatives; a few cited below.

Bush Tells a Tale, Dan Froomkin http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2007/01/12/BL2007011201281.html?nav=rss_world/mideast/iraq

Interview with Scott Ritter and Seymour Hersh on White House Plans for Regime Change http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/12/21/143259

Peace is Possible in Iraq, Lisa Farino and Medea Benjamin
http://www.commondreams.org/views07/0112-23.htm

New U.S. Embassy in Iraq cloaked in mystery, AP file http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12319798/

Bush: Iraq Troop Boost Going Forward
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070115/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_iraq

Sharon Metcalf
Gooding
Submitted to Times-News 1/14/07

Omigosh! Idaho will be virtual emptiness (sigh)

Words have failed me tonight. So, welcome to those of one of my heroes who says it better than I could anyway.

**********************************************************************************
1/10/07

Dear Mr. President,

Thanks for your address to the nation. It's good to know you still want to talk to us after how we behaved in November.

Listen, can I be frank? Sending in 20,000 more troops just ain't gonna do the job. That will only bring the troop level back up to what it was last year. And we were losing the war last year! We've already had over a million troops serve some time in Iraq since 2003. Another few thousand is simply not enough to find those weapons of mass destruction! Er, I mean... bringing those responsible for 9/11 to justice! Um, scratch that. Try this -- BRING DEMOCRACY TO THE MIDDLE EAST! YES!!!

You've got to show some courage, dude! You've got to win this one! C'mon, you got Saddam! You hung 'im high! I loved watching the video of that -- just like the old wild west! The bad guy wore black! The hangmen were as crazy as the hangee! Lynch mobs rule!!!

Look, I have to admit I feel very sorry for the predicament you're in. As Ricky Bobby said, "If you're not first, you're last." And you being humiliated in front of the whole world does NONE of us Americans any good.

Sir, listen to me. You have to send in MILLIONS of troops to Iraq, not thousands! The only way to lick this thing now is to flood Iraq with millions of us! I know that you're out of combat-ready soldiers -- so you have to look elsewhere! The only way you are going to beat a nation of 27 million -- Iraq -- is to send in at least 28 million! Here's how it would work:

The first 27 million Americans go in and kill one Iraqi each. That will quickly take care of any insurgency. The other one million of us will stay and rebuild the country. Simple.

Now, I know you're saying, where will I find 28 million Americans to go to Iraq? Here are some suggestions:

1. More than 62,000,000 Americans voted for you in the last election (the one that took place a year and half into a war we already knew we were losing). I am confident that at least a third of them would want to put their body where their vote was and sign up to volunteer. I know many of these people and, while we may disagree politically, I know that they don't believe someone else should have to go and fight their fight for them -- while they hide here in America.

2. Start a "Kill an Iraqi" Meet-Up group in cities across the country. I know this idea is so early-21st century, but I once went to a Lou Dobbs Meet-Up and, I swear, some of the best ideas happen after the third mojito. I'm sure you'll get another five million or so enlistees from this effort.

3. Send over all members of the mainstream media. After all, they were your collaborators in bringing us this war -- and many of them are already trained from having been "embedded!" If that doesn't bring the total to 28 million, then draft all viewers of the FOX News channel.

Mr. Bush, do not give up! Now is not the time to pull your punch! Don't be a weenie by sending in a few over-tired troops. Get your people behind you and YOU lead them in like a true commander in chief! Leave no conservative behind! Full speed ahead!

We promise to write. Go get 'em W!

Yours,

Michael Moore