Clipmarks | AtlLiberal's Bush Administration collection

Bush's Legacy? Torture

Sat, 08 Mar 2008 17:40:41 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: I have nothing but contempt for this man. In fact, I actually have serious doubts concerning his sanity. His reign can't be over soon enough.

Clip Source: www.washingtonpost.com

Bush Announces Veto of Waterboarding Ban

President Bush said Saturday that he has vetoed legislation meant to ban the CIA from using waterboarding and other harsh interrogation tactics because it "would take away one of the most valuable tools on the war on terror."

In his weekly radio address, Bush said, "This is no time for Congress to abandon practices that have a proven track record of keeping America safe."

Congress approved an intelligence authorization bill that contains the waterboarding provision on slim majorities, far short of the two-thirds needed to override a presidential veto.

Bush's long-expected veto reignites the Washington debate over the proper limits of the U.S. interrogation policies and whether the CIA has engaged in torture by subjecting prisoners to severe tactics, including waterboarding, a type of simulated drowning.

Tags: politics, bush, news, terror, torture

The Rack? Some Think It's For Fun

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 15:08:30 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: In a clear and unambiguous attempt to protect the administration from the possibility of being charged with war crimes, Mukasey proclaims that he "can't decide" if waterboarding is torture. What a farce. How utterly transparent. Why is there not more outrage concerning this transparent attempt to abet a criminal administration?

Clip Source: www.latimes.com

Is waterboarding torture? Mukasey's still not ready to say

The attorney general says whether the technique is legal is 'not an easy question.' He will face a Senate committee today.

But he declined to provide a definitive opinion, saying that the technique -- which evokes the sensation of drowning -- was not authorized for use by the CIA.

Whether waterboarding is legal, he said, "is not an easy question."

His decision to not answer the question -- because the technique is no longer being used -- will probably be viewed by critics as a dodge.

"As I explained to the committee during my confirmation process, as a general matter, I do not believe that it is advisable to address difficult legal questions, about which reasonable minds can and do differ, in the absence of concrete facts and circumstances."

Tags: torture, impeachment, bush, cheney

Hmm, Astrology or Astronomy?

Sat, 29 Dec 2007 19:08:24 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: I seem to recall a certain president mouthing these same sentiments. I suspect history may show him to be at least one of the most ignorant people to hold such important office.

Clip Source: atheism.about.com

Conservative Christians haven't had any luck getting public schools to teach creationism under any of its many guises, including the most recent incarnation known as "Intelligent Design." Perhaps realizing that teaching creationism directly is a lost cause, at least for the time being, many have turned to a different tactic: "Teach the Controversy." According to this principle, students in public schools should not be taught evolution as "dogma." Instead, they should learn all of the scientific controversies and problems surrounding evolutionary theory.

Perhaps the most basic problem with the whole "Teach the Controversy" movement is how dishonestly hypocritical it is. Even if we ignore all the rest, we can't ignore the fact that these same people don't advocate teaching similar trumped-up controversies in other subjects.

Tags: politics, bush, creationism

Long Term Planning

Fri, 30 Mar 2007 16:48:58 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: We really must begin to plan into the future. Hopefully rationality will trump oil.

Clip Source: www.politicalcortex.com

Global Warming: We Choose but our Children Face the Consequences

I have had several interesting discussions recently about global warming. Of course sometimes I run into denial lobby drones who yammer "it's a myth" despite the overwhelming scientific evidence, and I merely deal with them with a slap down, fools that they are. But there also are legitimate discussion of what can we do---as a society, as individuals. We have a 10 year window according to top scientific and economic experts coming at the question from different angles. We have a 10 year window.

It has recently struck me that those who will be most affected by our choices regarding global warming will be too young during that critical 10 years to have any say whatsoever in our choices. We decide but our children will feel the brunt of the consequences.

Tags: news, environment, global warming, children

Let's Trim the Bushes

Fri, 30 Mar 2007 16:45:09 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: What a great lead in to the story...

Clip Source: www.politicalcortex.com

Surviving at the Pleasure of the President

My friend Bernie says ever since the Bush gang stormed the White House in 2000, then stormed the World Trade Center in 2001, we've done nothing but run in circles like a bunch of terrified chickens with our heads chopped off. "We have no sense of direction," Bernie said, "we're staggering around in a jungle of lies, deceit, and scandal with no way out -- and that's the way they planned it."

"You're kidding!" I exclaimed, astonished. "You mean they planned this mess? It's nothing but bloody chaos out there --"

Bernie nodded. "You got that right. Bloody chaos is the best -- the only -- way to get what they're after.

"The people in this nation, the hungry and homeless, the ill, the elderly, displaced Katrina victims, and especially those returning from war's inferno either in body bags or maimed physically, psychologically, and spiritually aren't even blips on their New World Order radar screen. They suffer at the pleasure of the president."

Tags: politics, bush administration, news

Neocons on the March

Fri, 30 Mar 2007 16:33:17 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: As Faux News says, you decide...

Clip Source: www.politicalcortex.com

The Will of the People Doesn't Matter

The neocon plan for world domination goes on. Even without Rumsfeld and all the other key players, the violent plan to remake the Middle East in our image is now shifting into a higher gear. If you listen closely, you can hear the sound of a clock counting down. Bush is running out of time.

The majority of the American people think that the war in Iraq has been a series of "mistakes," which have destabilized the region and have given Iran a big boost. People like Dick Cheney insist that all is going swimmingly. They deny that anyone can stop them from doing whatever they please; the will of the American people does not matter. The war will expand into Iran, regardless of the will of the people.

Tags: iraq, news, bush administration

An Admittantly Biased Clip

Fri, 30 Mar 2007 16:26:53 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: Always an incendiary topic...

Clip Source: www.politicalcortex.com

Should we "Cut and Run"?

"Cut and run, sir? Why yes, I most definitely do want to cut and run. From a war of choice, not necessity, that seems to have been strategized by drunken chimps? Yes, cut and run. From a group of over-educated, under-experienced, college lecture hall war theorists, employed by Vice President Dick Cheney to back us into a box in Iraq? Yes, I'll cut and run from them too."

That is what Joshua Russert of Seattle said in his Sunday, Mary 25 letter to the editors of the Seattle Times.

A series of clichés is all this empty-headed Administration can offer now. You know them all. "We can't cut and run." "We must finish the job." "We must win the war."

The latest poll of March 28 reveals that 59 percent of U.S. citizens say get out of Iraq now, while only 37 percent want to (using another worn out cliché) "stay the course."

Tags: iraq, news, politics

Cesca on Bush and the Budget

Thu, 29 Mar 2007 16:22:22 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: Bob Cesca's comment about Bush's political machine had me laughing out loud. Read the whole piece for a fine bit of political humor.

Clip Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

He's Mr. Short-Term Memory (5 comments )

The president made it clear today that he's going to veto either one of the military spending bills passed by Congress this week, even though he later said that Congress hasn't passed a spending bill -- and if they don't, "the American people will know who to hold responsible." Yes. Damn that Congress for not passing military spending bills which they passed already. Two versions. Wait? Did Congress pass a bill? Whoa. Hang on. I just realized something. We're all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively*. Most excellent.

But hey alright, I see what the president is doing here. When he finally does veto the bill, his awesome political machine -- a machine which has been whittled down to two guys: Karl Rove and Sean Hannity

Tags: bush, bush administration, news

American's Short Memory

Thu, 29 Mar 2007 16:14:20 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: The image of Bush and Abdullah, strolling hand and hand is firmly etched into my memory. Does anyone else recall that? Or the natiionality of most of the 9/11 hijackers? Wow!

Truly shows the power the "free market" has over this administration. Profit over people should be their mantra.

Clip Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Abdullah: U.S. Occupation 'Illegitimate'

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — King Abdullah denounced the American military presence in Iraq on Wednesday as an "illegitimate foreign occupation" and called on the West to end its financial embargo against the Palestinians.

The Saudi monarch's speech was a strongly worded lecture to Arab leaders that their divisions had helped fuel turmoil across the Middle East, and he urged them to show unity. But in opening the Arab summit, Abdullah also nodded to hardliners by criticizing the U.S. presence in Iraq.

"In beloved Iraq, blood is flowing between brothers, in the shadow of an illegitimate foreign occupation, and abhorrent sectarianism threatens a civil war," said the king, whose country is a U.S. ally that quietly aided the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

Tags: politics, saudi arabia, abdullah, bush, news