Finally, a site that sums all of our comments up

Everyone Outside the United States, We're Sorry

Bush Tries on the Cardigan

John Nichols in the Nation on Bush's recent channeling of Carter.
Bush Tries on the Cardigan

WSJ.com - China Tightens Grip on Internet With New Content, Media Rules

WSJ.com - China Tightens Grip on Internet With New Content, Media Rules: "Can China really control the Internet?"

United for Peace�:�Saturday, September 24 Massive March, Rally & Festival

Who's going?

United for Peace�:�Saturday, September 24 Massive March, Rally & Festival: "Our mobilization will coincide with the meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, whose economic policies place corporate profits ahead of basic human needs worldwide. We will speak out against the corporate theft of Iraq's resources and the decimation of the Iraqi economy through privatization and 'free trade.'

Join our weekend of action to stop this war, and help prevent any new wars!"

WSJ.com - Katrina Erodes Support In U.S. for Iraq War (free)

WSJ.com - Katrina Erodes Support In U.S. for Iraq War: "A new Wall Street Journal/NBC News Poll shows that cutting spending on Iraq is Americans' top choice for financing the recovery from Katrina. Shaken by high gas prices and bracing for further jolts, Americans have turned negative about Mr. Bush across the board -- on handling the economy, foreign policy, and even the war on terrorism."

The proportion of Republicans disapproving of Mr. Bush's job performance has doubled to 15% from 7% in January, with pronounced defections among moderates within Mr. Bush's party.

WSJ.com - After Katrina, Republicans Back a Sea of Conservative Ideas (free)

WSJ.com - After Katrina, Republicans Back a Sea of Conservative Ideas: "Congressional Republicans, backed by the White House, say they are using relief measures for the hurricane-ravaged Gulf coast to achieve a broad range of conservative economic and social policies, both in the storm zone and beyond.

Some new measures are already taking shape. In the past week, the Bush administration has suspended some union-friendly rules that require federal contractors pay prevailing wages, moved to ease tariffs on Canadian lumber, and allowed more foreign sugar imports to calm rising sugar prices. Just yesterday, it waived some affirmative-action rules for employers with federal contracts in the Gulf region."

And the debate goes on

I read this, and thought about you malcontents who wonder if the way for the Dems to win is to cater to the "swing vote." Of course, I think this approach is back asswards. The author's concept that support from the "base" is a given is predicated upon the idea that the "base" can't be expanded to include the millions of disaffected citizens who haven't voted in the past. I'm still waiting for someone to show me a logical argument that supports that premise. One can say that past performance is the proof here - people who haven't voted in the past won't vote in the future. But I think that approach is too limited - it is founded on a fundametal lack of imagination. I also think that the argument could be made that past performance tells us that the Dems will lose if they keep trying to cater to the middle.

By the way, considering how little traffic this blog has gotten recently, I thought I should tell those of you who didn't realize it - if you go more than two weeks without making a comment, Victor has the right to begin randomly distributing your e-mail address to some of those maniacs who occassionally post those wacko comments.

Credit where credit is (well maybe) due?

Interesting report tonight on NPR's "Marketplace" - describing some of WallMart's efforts to help Katrina victims. (not sure if the link is up yet). As one of the interviewees asks: Does support for relief efforts make up for long-standing exploitative policies (my words - his answer was "no")? Should publicity campaign-oriented (apparently millions of dollars worth) charity not be applauded because it is directed at improving fat cats' bottom line? Well, admittedly, it would be hard to convince charity recipients of the logic of such an argument.

Obviously WallMart calculated that they are going to increase their return on equity more by channeling that money towards Katrina-relief related publicity than they would from channeling it towards any kind of pro-labor-related publicity. It's all about what is more likely to increase sales.

But I'm not sure that answers the question. Since, in the end they're just going to stick it to some of those same recipients through more labor exploitation, I'd say "no" also. But I want to ask those among us who think that it is possible to be pro-capitalism and progressive at the same time (yes, I know you're out there), what you think.

The MSM Bites Back!

TCS: Tech Central Station - The MSM Bites Back!: "'Katrina Rips Bush a New One,'"

Lakoff On Framing Katrina

According to Lakoff the heart of liberal values is empathy. Do we agree? How long do we want to write off the male vote?

The Blog | George Lakoff: The Post-Katrina Era | The Huffington Post: "he heart of progressive-liberal values is simple: empathy (caring about and for people) and responsibility (acting responsibly on that empathy). "

AFL-CIO News: This Labor Day, America’s Workers Worry About Their Future

AFL-CIO News: This Labor Day, America’s Workers Worry About Their Future: "The State of Working America survey, by Peter D. Hart Research Associates, found nearly three of every five respondents (59 percent) “somewhat dissatisfied” or “very dissatisfied” with the economic situation in the country today, up from 53 percent just six months ago."

Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster Adds Converts

This story keeps getting better.

Latest Polls

CBS News | Poll: Katrina Response Inadequate | September 8, 2005�21:30:09: 58% believe Bush's handling of Katrina was inaqdequate

Pew Research Center - Bush overall approval down to 40%. Breaks survey down by race: 71% of blacks say the disaster shows racial divide still a problem in this country, 56% of whites say this is not an important lesson of the disaster. 66% of blacks say response would have been faster if victims were white, 77% of whites feel this would not have made a difference in the govt response.

Zogby - Bush approval 41%, lowest among all presidents.

Suvey USA - 10 Days After Katrina, 3 Key Indicators Slip: The number of Americans who 1) disapprove of President Bush's response to Hurricane Katrina, 2) say the Federal Government is not doing enough to help the victims, and 3) say the government's response has been "surprisingly disorganized," all went up in the past 24 hours, according to the latest daily SurveyUSA tracking poll, conducted of 1,200 nationwide adults 9/7/05. 55% of Americans today disapprove of the President's response, as high as the number has been in 8 consecutive days of daily tracking. 56% today say the federal government is not doing enough, up from 54% yesterday. 52% today say the government's response to the hurricane has been surprisingly disorganized, up from 48% yesterday, and as high as the number has been. There continues to be no consensus on what should be done with the city of New Orleans. A third of Americans say New Orleans should be rebuilt with taxpayer dollars. A third say New Orleans should be rebuilt with private money. And a third say New Orleans should not be rebuilt.

too little, too late?

Well, it looks like the Dems have finally found an issue they think is safe enough to get aggressive on - Katrina. Edwards has actually resurfaced -- I thought maybe he had died.

Not sure how I feel about this one. First of all, I think it may be too late. Rush and the wack jobs have already built up their defenses. Take a look at this insane Hitchens article - this guy will say anything to cover being a supporter of the war. Polls suggest that they won't get much traction on this issue (see first article).

Secondly, I don't trust what the Dems a're going to do with this issue anyway. Are they going to begin requesting higher taxes so that FEMA can be properly funded? I doubt it. Are they going to take the political risk of criticizing the Department of Homeland Security? Doubt it. Are they going to suggest that the war effort undermines our ability to deal with domestic problems? Yeah, right! If they don't have any strategic orientation in addition to simply trying to demonize Bush, it won't work. Criticizing Bush is unAmerican and anti-religion.

Anderson Cooper and others Blasts government

Here is a great article with a video link where Cooper blasts the senator, and it really shows how hard it is to remain neutral and unbiased in the face of incompetence in your own back yard. It also includes several other accounts of reporters breaking with decorum.

http://slate.msn.com/id/2125581/

Kanye Hip to Meta's Rap

It appears that Kanye West has been listening to Meta's rap on Bush and the inept response of the government to the Disaster. Here is a link that shows just how upset Kanye was and the ridiculous response by NBC that this is simply one person's opinion.

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20050903/D8CCNBNO0.html

WSJ.com - Science Journal

Can't blame this one on the liberal media.

WSJ.com - Science Journal: "No single freak storm can be attributed to global climate trends. But for hurricanes to form, the surface temperature in the tropical Atlantic must exceed about 80� Fahrenheit. That is more likely in a warmer world."

A Militarized Mentality

Some looters seem to be just after basic supplies, but I don't condone all the criminal looting going on and respect a need to return to order. But is this severe military rhetoric what New Orleans needs right now? How about helping and caring for people? Another low point for us as Americans.

National Guardsmen Pour Into New Orleans - Yahoo! News: "Gov. Kathleen Blanco called the looters 'hoodlums' and issued a warning to lawbreakers: Hundreds of National Guardsmen hardened on the battlefield in Iraq have landed in New Orleans.

'They have M-16s and they're locked and loaded,' she said. 'These troops know how to shoot and kill, and they are more than willing to do so, and I expect they will.'"

Cafferty on CNN

From Crooks and Liars:
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2005/09/01.html#a4734