rachel maddow show on MSNBC

rachel maddow's new show started 9/8/08 at 9pm, following keith olbermann's countdown.

yes, the news gets a shot in the arm.

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...

At Least Someone is Paying Attention

Gonzales v. Carhart certainly pissed me off, as it did anyone who was paying attention and has a heart. Therefore, I am delighted to see a mainstream women’s publication inviting thoughtful writers to discuss the decision in the Elle feature, The Incredible Shrinking Woman.

One writer compares the language used in this opinion with the language in Roe v. Wade. The author notes, “We hear about "the life of the unborn" and "the life within the woman," but not once about the life of the woman. Indeed, the most important—the only important—thing about her life is its potential for motherhood.” She goes on to compare Justice Kennedy’s patronizing tone with other arguments used to keep women down such as “You are too mentally challenged to master the rigors of a higher education, so we'll keep you out of universities for your own good.”

With a publication like Elle speaking out against the anti-choice agenda, maybe there is hope for this country. Or maybe they are just going to get a lot of angry letters to the editor. I hope for the former.

Shocking News of the Day: Bush’s Surgeon General Forced to Play Politics

Former Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona testified before a House Committee yesterday about how the Bush administration pressured him to put politics over science. Issues such as stem cell research, second hand smoke, the prison health system and sex education were to be downplayed. This doesn’t really come as a surprise to me but perhaps it does to the rest of the country. I am very happy to see him speaking out about it, although doing so while he was Surgeon General may have proven more fruitful.

While the New York Times’ picture byline makes you think all three of the former Surgeon Generals who testified felt equal political pressure while in office, in actuality, Carmona’s was more intense. The article notes, Carmona “eventually consulted six previous surgeons general, Republican and Democratic, and all agreed, he said, that he faced more political interference than they had.” Of course, he did! This administration is a machine. Tow the line or you are out. Screw the public who is getting faulty medical information from the “nation’s doctor.”

I think what just may piss me off the most is finding out that Carmona knew abstinence only education was bad science, our prison health system was in disrepair and second hand smoke kills people, yet he still spread the gospel. Conversely, Dr. C. Everett Koop was told by the Reagan administration not to discuss the AIDS crisis, but he still did it. It seems to me that if you are a physician, it is imperative to protect people's health. Perhaps I am wrong.

Well, there goes my last piece of respect for the system. Thank you, “nation’s doctor!”

Read more about the administration’s continuing disregard for science (registration required).

Avoiding Blame

How is this for stupidity? See at Think Progress the video of Bush trying to squirm his way out of a question by Kelly O'Donnell regarding the damaging testimony by James Comey at the beginning of the week. O'Donnell asks him if he ordered Gonzalez and Card to Ashcroft's hospital room. Pretty ballsy question for O'Donnell.

He completely avoids the question reusing talking points about the NSA program. Everything this administration does wrong, thereafter it hides behind secrecy and says: "we just can't talk about that." Does this sound like democracy to you? Is this how you envision America? Whether the journalists are spineless or are in bed with Washington, they are not doing their job by not challenging the administration.

Have These Ten Middle Aged White Men Lost Their Minds?

The Candidates endorsed Bush's War and mentioned Reagan 16 times.

Some highlights of the scary Republican party debate. It was like an ode to Reagan, the draconian President who started us down endless war, tax breaks for the rich and a new fascism of corporatocracy and a strengthened "Military Industrial Complex."
Three candidates don't believe in Evolution? McCain and Romney are going after Bin Laden? Where have you been for five and half years? Brownback says: "Banning Roe v Wade would be a glorious day." And Romney thinks Fitzgerald was outrageous for going after Scooter Libby for what Mitt, Treason? For more go to the Huffington Post. FUCKING SCARY.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

Four Bombings Kill 198 People in Baghdad

When is 33 more than 198? While the nation mourns for the Va. Tech victims, Baghdad burns. A tragedy struck Virginia Tech University, indeed, but the Iraq toll today is already quadruple that of Virginia. When will we learn that death is death no matter the color of someone's skin or the origin of their birth?