Rove and Bush Say Goodbye

Rove's last day. Is anyone sad to see this moron leave?

I found this on the Daily Kos and find it kind of funny. Appropriate for the coming holiday weekend.

Rove and Bush Say Goodbye

So this is it.

Guess so.

I just wanted to say, y'know...

I know. It's okay, you don't have to say it.

This is hard.

Yeah.

Write me?

Sure. Every day, boss.

Cool.

I... I should prob'ly get goin'.

Yeah. Long drive.

Long drive. Texas.

Yeah. Texas. You, uh... You got everything?

Yeah.

Need gas money?

I'm good.

Okay then. Pinky shake?

Okay...pinky shake.

Attaboy. Say, Karl...

Yes, Mr. President?

You think we'll ever get the chance to fuck over this many people again?

I doubt it. But it was fun while it lasted.

Goddam right.

Savor these last sixteen months, sir. Tempus fugit.

Yeah. Tempered widget indeed.

Colbert Hires Rove

What is Propaganda?

Noam Chomsky says that the propaganda in the states is much more covert and therefore effective than it could ever be in a totalitarian regime. Its greatest triumph is that we don't know we are being subjected to propaganda.

We watch the democratic process taking place - heated debates in which we feel we could have a voice — and think that, because we have “free” media, it would be hard for the Government to get away with anything very devious without someone calling them on it.

The smart way to keep people passive and obedient is to strictly limit the spectrum of acceptable opinion, but allow very lively debate within that spectrum - even encourage the more critical and dissident views.

That gives people the sense that there's free thinking going on, while all the time the presuppositions of the system are being reinforced by the limits put on the range of the debate.

This is what Karl Rove did masterfully, it is true we in America have a voice, but our voice is controlled, only allowed to go so far to the left, although it seems it has gone as far to the right as is conceivably possible in a democracy.

Chomsky says: You have to make sure that both sides in the debate accept certain assumptions — and that those assumptions are the basis of the propaganda system. As long as everyone accepts the propaganda system, the debate is permissible.

He says the vast difference between propaganda in a democracy and a totalitarian regime is in a totalitarian regime the government outlines a statement or a policy and the masses must comply. In a democracy the masses actually participate in the propaganda and to a certain extent are brainwashed into thinking a certain way. And it is the journalists and the elitists who participate the most.

If one suggests there is censorship in the Western media, Chomsky says journalists immediately reply: “No one has been exerting any pressure on me. I write what I want.” And it’s true. But if they defended positions contrary to the dominant norm, someone else would soon be writing editorials in their place. Read the full article here.

We at the Subversive Garden are fighting this idea and trying to present different ideas and ideologies that might be viewed by the masses as socialist, leftist or whatever. They are not, or if they are who cares? If you want to see a different view turn on your television, it exists all over the "idiot box" as a family member used to call it.

I find in myself I am also subjected to this, forced to choose between Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama or John Edwards. I do not fully support their ideas whatsoever, but feel I need to make a decision as to these candidates quickly. Time is running out. But, none of the candidates advocate fully for real health care reform, i.e. a universal single payer system for all, publicly financed campaigns, real criminal justice reform, a true end to poverty, a initiative to save our planet, an end to the war in Iraq and an idea for real and lasting peace.

Watch what you think, because it might not be yours.

Rove Will Resign

I guess the Wall Street Journal reported it first, so give Rupert props, that John Birch loving crazy.... oh excuse me...Rove is resigning. President Bush made the announcement Monday morning. "Karl Rove is moving on down the road,'' Mr. Bush said, appearing grim-faced on the White House's South Lawn with Mr. Rove at his side. "We've been friends for a long time and we're still going to be friends ... I'll be on the road behind you here in a bit,'' he said.

Rove over the course of the next few days will be painted as the Republican mastermind, the boy genius and is actually making predictions as he departs, saying "Bush will regain his popularity." He is also saying Iraq will get better. As much as these political propaganda statements are amusing, the press will run with them. Think Progress has some of Rove's more than amusing predictions.

In 2006, roughly a week before the midterm election, Rove predicted “a Republican Senate and Republican House” by claiming sole access to “THE math.” (NPR 10/24/06)

In November of 2000, Rove claimed the “election will not be close.” Rove predicted Bush will “win enough states to get about 50 more Electoral College votes than he needs to win. Rove also predicted Bush will get about 50 percent of the popular vote, with Gore at about 45 percent.” [Houston Chronicle, 11/6/00]

During the 2000 primary campaign, Rove declared: “We’re going to win New Hampshire,” referring to the Republican primary. [USA Today 1/25/00]

As Media Matters has documented, the political press has consistently “accorded significance” to Rove’s prognostications even though they were nothing more than bluster and deluded self-assurance.

Go here for the Rove video Hall of Shame by politics TV.

Patrick Leahy also issued a strong statement on the impending investigations of the attorney firings and the Rove resignation:

Earlier this month, Karl Rove failed to comply with the Judiciary Committee’s subpoena to testify about the mass firings of United States Attorneys. Despite evidence that he played a central role in these firings, just as he did in the Libby case involving the outing of an undercover CIA agent and improper political briefings at over 20 government agencies, Mr. Rove acted as if he was above the law. That is wrong. Now that he is leaving the White House while under subpoena, I continue to ask what Mr. Rove and others at the White House are so desperate to hide. Mr. Rove’s apparent attempts to manipulate elections and push out prosecutors citing bogus claims of voter fraud shows corruption of federal law enforcement for partisan political purposes, and the Senate Judiciary Committee will continue its investigation into this serious issue.

The list of senior White House and Justice Department officials who have resigned during the course of these congressional investigations continues to grow, and today, Mr. Rove added his name to that list. There is a cloud over this White House, and a gathering storm. A similar cloud envelopes Mr. Rove, even as he leaves the White House.

There seems to be something much larger to the resignation than is being said. Why now? Why today? What are they hiding?

Rove Blocked From Testifying. Leahy asks, is Bush Responsible?

Executive Privilege - yet again. President Bush on Wednesday ordered White House adviser Karl Rove and a senior political aide to refuse on grounds of executive privilege to testify before the Senate on the firings of nine U.S. attorneys. In a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee leaders, White House counsel Fred Fielding declared that Rove, "as an immediate presidential advisor, is immune from compelled congressional testimony" about matters involving his service to the president.

Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called it "a shame that this White House continues to act as if it is above the law." The Senators are asking and I think rightly, what is Rove hiding that he cannot testify? "We are quickly reaching the point where, given the claim of executive privilege, the logical question is what did the President know and when did he know it?" asked Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) in his opening remarks. "By his claim of executive privilege, is President Bush now taking responsibility for the firing of such well-regarded and well-performing U.S. attorneys?"

"How can communications with the Justice Department, the RNC and others outside the White House be subject to any claim of 'executive privilege?'" he asked, further pointing out that Rove had spoken in public about the US Attorneys firings on several occasions.

The Senators at the hearing next criticized Alberto Gonzalez for his confusing testimony. Arlen Specter went on the offensive: He is playing a cat and mouse game with Congressional oversight," the Ranking Republican on the committee said.

Here is an excerpt from the beginning of the hearing today regarding the Senior aide Scott Jennings who appeared, but refused to answer certain questions. This shows the ridiculousness of executive privilege and it is as Specter says "a cat and mouse" game.

Senator Leahy started his questioning on Jennings' use of a 'gwb43.com' e-mail account supplied by the Republican National Committee. Jennings at first noted that he had stopped using that particular e-mail address because it had been filled with spam and 'hate mail' after it first emerged in documents turned over to Congressional investigators.

Ironically, the Vermont Democrat had just asked the White House aide if he was still using an RNC e-mail account. Jennings confirmed he was, and then said the new address out loud.
Leahy then asked Jennings when he chose to use the RNC e-mail account in place of his White House account.

"I must respectfully decline to answer your question at this time," he responded.

"It sounds like the American taxpayers are paying you to stonewall," Leahy said at the end of his time. That says it all.

The Constitution is in Grave Danger

We are back from vacation and what has happened? The stock Market is about to crash dropping 500 points with more to come some speculate. The Pat Tillman story is in the news again and with vitriol indicating that Pat Tillman may have been killed by his own men for his political views. On Thursday's Countdown Olberman noted that “Corporal Tillman held a number of personal views that were unpopular within the context of the Bush administration, perhaps also within the Army.” Tillman reportedly favored John Kerry in the presidential election, opposed the invasion of Iraq, and had plans to meet with Noam Chomsky. And now Army medical examiners were suspicious of the wounds and wanted the Army medical examiners to investigate whether his death amounted to a crime.

Michael Moore has been subpoenaed by the Bush Administration. By the way I saw the movie on Monday in Portland, Maine. Any of the criticism I read about the film is unwarranted. I believe there are flaws in the film, specifically his inclusion of Guantanamo Bay inmates as getting good health care, which seems to be silly including that in the argument and other arguments about France versus the Americans I felt was simplified and not worth the effort. He makes a strong case, however for single payer health care and we should be thankful to him for his courage.

This press release by the ACLU that the Constitution is in grave danger is perfectly worded and perfectly timed. The ACLU in a statement urged the U.S. Congress to "vote to hold White House officials in contempt for refusing to cooperate with legitimate congressional subpoenas." The ACLU statement said the issue had become "a constitutional crisis that threatens to destroy the separation of powers." "Presidents have tried in the past to overreach in claiming executive privilege," said Caroline Fredrickson, director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office. "However, Congress has long served as a check to such abuses of power, slapping the president's hand when needed and pursuing contempt or enforcement actions that eventually resulted in the release of crucial information. Today's Congress must do the same if it wishes to remain a meaningful and independent branch of government."

In the wake of the ACLU's press release Patrick Leahy issued a subpoena for the draconian Karl Rove. Leahy issued the subpoenas, one to Rove and one to White House aide Scott Jennings, after consulting with Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), the committee's ranking member. "The Bush-Cheney White House continues to place great strains on our constitutional system of checks and balances," Leahy added. "Not since the darkest days of the Nixon administration have we seen efforts to corrupt federal law enforcement for partisan political gain and such efforts to avoid accountability."

So, what is it going to be Congress? Are you going to go after these bastards? If Karl Rove does not have to comply then why should Michael Moore. Moore went to Cuba to help 9/11 workers get health care, Rove sought to politicize the justice system. And Robert Mueller's testimony before Congress left no doubt that Gonzalez is a serial perjure. Congress must act and soon if the 110th wants to maintain any credibility with the American people. Waiting on Iraq until September is one thing, but our Constitution hangs in the balance.

A bit of good news for the big box stores though, which I avoid with impunity. Lowe's has dropped its advertising dollars on the O'Reilly Factor. If I had to go somewhere then...Lowe's it is...