How to Fight Back Against Anti-Clinton BS from the Net

Awhile back I received a forward from some ultra right wing source. It was an amazingly dishonest compendium of every conceivable lie and false accusation ever made against the Clintons as people and the Clinton presidency itself, including the absurd falsehood that Clinton "cut the military in half" during his administration. The particulars of this typical Republican fraud are unimportant. But I liked the answer I sent back, most of which I'd like to reproduce here. In my humble opinion, THIS is how you nail the anti-Clinton bullshit that circulates around the Internet:

Not sure why conservatives keep circulating this drivel. But I'd just like to point out--

1. That it wasn't Clinton's family that made money by collaborating with the Nazis before and during World War II--it was Bush's.

2. It wasn't Clinton that arranged to sell the Iranians weapons in return for not releasing the embassy hostages, and it wasn't Clinton that armed Saddam to the teeth--it was Reagan and Bush

3. It wasn't Clinton who utterly failed at every business venture he ever tried and got bailed out by his family--it was Bush.

4. It wasn't Clinton who was a drunk for most of his adult life and was stuffing cocaine up his nose while John McCain was being tortured in Vietnam--it was Bush.

5. It wasn't Clinton that insisted on exposing all of his sexual sins in detail in public--it was right wing fanatics that insisted on that. Embarrassing TV? Blame it on the Republican sex perverts who aired it.

6. It wasn't Clinton that cut funding for anti-terrorist operations prior to 9/11, ignored warnings about Bin Laden, and had a report labeled "Bin Laden Determined to Strike in the U.S." dumped in his lap and ignored it, going on vacation for 5 weeks--it was Bush. (Bush to person giving the Bin Laden report: "OK, you've covered your ass.")

7. Every time Clinton tried to strike at terrorists in the 90s, right wing idiots would scream "Wag the Dog", saying he was just trying to deflect criticism from himself.

8. But you know, the Republicans are right--the record economic growth (which happened AFTER Clinton raised taxes in '93, despite right wing predictions that it would cause recession), the eight years of peace and prosperity, the huge reduction in the national debt, the balanced budgets, the big surplus, the secure Social Security system, the high international prestige enjoyed by the United States--wow, those were terrible days. It's so much better now that we're embroiled in a useless war that's slaughtered 2700 of our best young people and wounded 15,000 others, that the U.S. is despised worldwide, that we've added $3 TRILLION in debt in five years, and the country is now more torn apart than it's been since Vietnam. Thank God the long Clinton nightmare is over!

9. By the way, which administration had more indictments, Clinton or Reagan? If you guessed Clinton, you're wrong. Which president left office with a higher approval rating, Clinton or Reagan? If you said Reagan, you're wrong.

10. And lest we forget, 80% of the Marine casualties in Iraq could have been avoided by adequate body armor. Oh well. I guess Bush and Rumsfeld were too busy to see to it. (That accusation, by the way, was made by the late David Hackworth's site--where the posters are ALL military men. It was supported by abundant evidence.)

Conservatives and libertarians, it's not us Democrats that are trying to turn this country into a theocracy, it's the Republicans. We're not the ones trying to outlaw birth control, imprison homosexuals, ban "non procreative sex", and censor books, it's the Republicans.We're not the ones who screamed about the rights of a braindead woman, Terri Schiavo, the Republicans did. We're not the ones who've utterly fucked up Iraq. We're not the ones pressing for a catastrophic new war in Iran. We're not the ones bankrupting the United States. We didn't fuck up the Katrina relief effort. We're not the ones giving no-bid contracts to Republican fatcats (Halliburton stock is up 235% since 2001 by the way). We're not the ones who are trying to CUT the Veterans Administration. We're not the ones that have this country in a deathspin--it's the Republicans. And the worst ones--Santorum, Brownback, DeLay, Dobson, Falwell, Robertson and company--are the most conservative ones.

If I sound angry to you, I am. This kind of anti-Clinton dogshit has been fouling the internet for years. And why is it that 30% of the actual citizens wanted Clinton impeached and it was done, to the detriment of America, while close to 50% want Bush impeached if it can be shown that he lied about Iraq--which he did--and nothing happens? Strange, isn't it. Read the survey results--when asked who was or is the better president, Bush or Clinton, ordinary Americans say Clinton by a margin of better than 2-1.

The Republican politicians and media propagandists are killing America. They're killing my country. They lie relentlessly, 24/7, through their network of hate radio, Fox "News", the Washington Times, the Wall Street Journal, and all of the other media outlets they control in the "liberal" (ha!) media. They are pushing this country into a possible world war and stealing with an impunity that defies belief. They are ignoring the greatest environmental crisis in human history as well for the sake of the Republican oil executives who pour money into right wing campaigns. I'm going to fight back because I love this country and I hate seeing what's happening to it. I'm not going to let the lunatic right destroy America without one hell of a fight.

Yes, Bush may have the blood of thousands of our soldiers on his hands, but Clinton was far worse.

After all, he lied about getting a blowjob.

Joe Miller

The Cornered Animal Heading Into Nixon Territory

The "Decider" can't be happy about this. A new Newsweek poll has him at 30% approval. (CBS has him at a wretched 28%.) And this must be particularly galling:

The president’s approval ratings are at their lowest point in the poll’s history—30 percent—and more than half the country (58 percent) say they wish the Bush presidency were simply over, a sentiment that is almost unanimous among Democrats (86 percent), and is shared by a clear majority (59 percent) of independents and even one in five (21 percent) Republicans. Half (49 percent) of all registered voters would rather see a Democrat elected president in 2008, compared to just 28 percent who’d prefer the GOP to remain in the White House.

Oooh, that's GOTTA hurt when nearly 3 out of every 5 of your fellow citizens want you out NOW. And that generic Democratic advantage in 2008 can't be good news for the party of war, hate, bigotry, corruption, and lies. (Splitting the undecideds would give the Democrats a 61-39 advantage in the generic presidential race--Johnson over Goldwater territory.)

The barking right wing fanatics from National Review, FrontPage, and all the other wingnut idiot publications can't deny it--Bush is rapidly heading into Nixon approval ratings. Of course, Bush will react like any other cornered animal. He is more dangerous than ever in such a situation, and will therefore lash out in desperation. Watch out Iran--Bush is willing to kill hundreds of thousands of your citizens to save his miserable pride. And more death and dismemberment await our brave soldiers because of Bush's need to feel like a real by-God hero.

Stop the son of a bitch. Stop him now. The cornered animal has to be neutralized before he takes any more victims with him. The American people want him out. Let's at least stop him before he kills more.

Watch and Learn

It really is simple.

(Hat tip: Sully)

No, We Won't Be Quiet--We're Going to Shout EVEN LOUDER

If there is a more despicable neocon fanatic than Bill Kristol, I have yet to come across him. He was one of the principal advocates of our Iraq catastrophe. He has recently come out in support of attacking Syria. He is fervently demanding massive air attacks on Iran. He is, in short, a borderline lunatic who seems determined to drag this country into a third world war. Now he is demanding that the opponents of Bush's obscene "surge" (aka, escalation of the war) sit down and shut up:

[Kristol]: It’s so irresponsible that they [war opponents] can’t be quiet for six or nine months and say the president has made a decision, we’re not going to change that decision, we’re not going to cut off funds and insist on the troops coming back, so let’s give it a chance to work. You really wonder, do they want it to work or not? I really wonder that. I hate to say this about the Democrats. They’re people I know personally and I respect some of them. Do they want it to succeed or not?

Yes, the "Decider" has made his decision, so let's all just be quiet and let him piss away the lives of a few thousand more of our best and bravest young people. Well, to hell with that. Kristol has been proven wrong or just plain dishonest on every single point related to the war. He has gotten everything wrong. He has lied through his teeth about everything. Now we, the ones who have come to realize that the war was a tragic, unnecessary blunder are supposed to keep silent while madmen oversee the butchering of our soldiers and marines? NO. We will turn the volume up higher. We will be more adamant in our insistence that our forces be withdrawn from Iraq as early as is practicable and in a way consistent with the safety of our men and women. We will unconditionally oppose a widening of the war to include attacks on Syria and Iran. We will, in short, stand for sanity and the best interests of America. We will stop the Bill Kristols of the world from plunging our nation into further tragedy.

Isn't it something how generous chickenhawks like Kristol are when it comes to the lives of other people's children?

Six Years of National Tragedy: A Wiki

In the spirit of Wikipedia, I thought it would be fun and useful for us to do a Wiki-like diary. It's six years today since Bush and his mafia took over our country. What better occasion than this for us to list the ways in which these people have damaged our country? I'll start the ball rolling! (And remember to add links!)

Today, 20 January 2007, marks the sixth anniversary of George W. Bush's inauguration as president. Following the stolen 2000 election, the first true coup d'etat in American history, the Republicans completed the seizure of all three branches of the federal government, the first time since 1929 that all of them were under the control of conservatives. (The mind reels.) What followed was an unmitigated disaster, a nightmare of incompetence, lies, malice, criminality, corruption, and hypocrisy. There has not been one good thing about Bush's presidency, and I mean nothing. Anything positive has been purely accidental, minor, and peripheral to the main goals of the Bush administration. The list of Bush lies, foul-ups, diasters, and criminality is as follows:

--Anti-terrorism was downgraded in importance in the early months of the Bush Administration, as John Ashcroft was more interested in fighting drugs than fighting Al Qaeda.

--The Hart-Rudman commission's recommendations were ignored or downplayed.

--A direct warning of Bin Laden's intentions was tossed into Bush's lap on 6 August 2001. Bush promptly went on vacation for five weeks.

--On the terrible day of 11 September 2001, Bush sat stunned and useless when he heard the news of the strike about which he had been clearly warned.

--After 9/11, Bush squandered the good will of the entire world and decided to use the attacks for partisan political advantage.

Now, it's your turn. Go for it!

Not If People Like Me Can Help It

There is a growing consensus among historians that George W. Bush will someday be seen as one of the worst presidents in U.S. history, if not the very worst. I personally think he's neck and neck with James Buchanan, who let the U.S. slide toward civil war between 1857 and 1861. Bush has been so horrible a national "leader" that it would seem as if nothing could save his legacy. But the various right wing deep pockets that are financing the "Bush library" (a contradiction in terms if ever I've heard one) are apparently intending to use it a means of spreading pro-Bush propaganda to try to salvage W's wretchedly bad reputation:

Shortly after Thanksgiving, the New York Daily News reported: "Eager to begin refurbishing his tattered legacy, the President hopes to raise $500 million to build his library and a think tank at Southern Methodist University in Dallas."

The half-billion target is double what Bush raised for his 2004 reelection and dwarfs the funding of other presidential libraries. But Bush partisans are determined to have a massive pile of endowment cash to spread the gospel of a presidency that for now gets poor marks from many scholars and a majority of Americans.

The legacy-polishing centerpiece is an institute, which several Bush insiders called the Institute for Democracy. Patterned after Stanford University's Hoover Institution, Bush's institute will hire conservative scholars and "give them money to write papers and books favorable to the President's policies," one Bush insider said. [Emphasis added.]

This does not apparently jibe with academic notions of what academia should be about among some academicians at Southern Methodist University. "[C]reating an academic center with a specific goal of boosting the Bush image and agenda strikes many professors as antithetical to a university's academic values," reported Inside Higher Ed last month. SMU's theology department has drafted a letter -- supported by dozens of faculty members -- expressing concern about "two distinct, irreconcilable visions" for the Bush presidential center: a "neutral space" library and a "partisan place" conservative think tank.

Yes, Bush's toads are going to try to spread outright damned lies in support of the worst American president in more than 140 years. We can presume they'll ignore Bush's disgraceful personal history and rotten private conduct. They'll ignore Bush's dropping the ball on the pre-9/11 intelligence and his scared rabbit behavior on that terrible day itself. They'll ignore the lies and cherry-picked intelligence that got us into the Iraq disaster. They'll ignore the monstrous deficits, the swollen debt, the condemnation of the rest of the world, the environmental irresponsibility, the right-wing corruption that saturated Congress and the presidency both, and all the other hallmarks of Bush's incredible malice and incompetence. They will try to substitute mythology for fact and hero worship for cold, hard truth.

But you know something? There are lots of people who hate Bush and his administration as fiercely as I do (and some even more, if you can believe it). We are people who love this country and despise Bush and his minions for doing such terrible harm to it. We read history and we know American politics well. And we will wage the academic war against the right wing lies that will try to make Bush seem like the Second Coming. We will fight these lies relentlessly, tirelessly, and incessantly. We will be heard, and we will prevail. Why?

Because we stand on the side of reality. And one way or another, reality has a nasty habit of always winning in the end.

Sliding Toward Insanity

I am more convinced than ever that the Bush Administration is trying to provoke a war with Iran (and perhaps Syria). Such a war, coming as it would in the midst of the Iraq catastrophe, would be a disaster of historic magnitude. Bush is not being advised by rational voices of any kind. All such people have been purged. He is, instead, surrounded by neocon fanatics baying for blood. Glenn Greenwald has taken note of a particularly perverse one, neocon Arthur Herman, who is demanding a massive series of military operations to destroy Iran's bridges, ports, and other facilities and seize its energy resources. Glenn's opinion of this is worth reporting:

The very idea that we are going to launch a unilateral bombing campaign against Iran, shatter its infrastructure, and then seize its oil assets is pure insanity of the highest order. There is no other way to describe that. And that would be true at any time, let alone when we are bogged down in the greatest strategic disaster in our nation's history, where our already horrendous position could be worsened immeasurably by Iran.

One feels absurd even dignifying Herman's "analysis" with a substantive response. It really is the stuff of the babbling prophet standing on a cardboard box in the 1980s version of Times Square.

But with the fate of our Iraq occupation sealed through the end of the Bush presidency, the most pressing question is whether the Leader will use the last two years of his presidency to provoke some sort of military confrontation with Iran, and people like Herman are not standing on boxes in Times Square where they belong, but instead are writing in Commentary, which continues to exert real influence among the radicals who have driven our country into the state it is currently in...

Read the whole post. And then resolve to take action.

Is Bush the New Lincoln?

Only in the sense that both are technically brain dead.

See this clip for more info.

Bush's Response to the Wishes of the American People

They're Comin' Up Democratic!

Good news indeed from the new Pew Research Study: (pdf)

Gen Next: More Democratic, More Liberal

Trends in party identification suggest that this generation of young people is more Democratic than the generation that came before it. In the 2004 presidential election, where they turned out in near record numbers, young voters chose John Kerry over George Bush by a decisive margin. Majorities of the older age groups backed Bush. And in the 2006 mid-term elections for Congress, young people voted overwhelmingly for Democrats over Republicans, by 58%-37% among all 18-24 year-olds, according to national exit polls. These voting patterns reflect a broader Democratic leaning among Gen Nexters. In 2006, 48% of young people identified themselves as Democrats or leaned toward the Democratic Party, while only 35% identified themselves as Republicans – the lowest number recorded by Pew in its nearly 20-year trend. This makes them the least Republican generation. [Emphasis added]

Outstanding! People tend to stay close to their original voting orientation (although obviously not always). I differ with the whole concept of "generation" but it's good to see so many younger voters choosing to side with the one major party that is actually trying to save this country. This bodes very well for a Democratic future. I guess after seeing a total screwup Republican in charge, it's only natural for young people to reject him--and his miserable, lying, corrupt friends and allies.

(Hat tip: Sully)

Eric Alterman Rips the "Surge"

Check him out here. I like this statement:

Bush is like a man who is dealt two kings in blackjack (after 9-11) when the dealer is showing a three, doubles down instead of playing his winner hand, gets two twos, and continues to double down over and over and over until he loses his family's life savings and insurance policy. Kristol, Krauthammer, and Kaplan, et al, are like the Vegas floozies with fake boobs telling him what a big man he is the whole time, stroking his thighs while picking his pockets ... (Oh, and John "Maverick" McCain is the long-suffering wife ...)

Heh heh heh.

Sigh. A Man Can Dream, Can't He?

WE'RE SAYING NO

We, as in the vast majority of the American people, 89% of whom oppose the so-called "surge" (i.e., escalation) in Iraq. We've had enough. We've had all the Bush-Cheney-McCain-Neocon lies and distortions we can take.

Former General Wesley Clark has come out foursquare against the whole disastrous notion:

Wesley Clark, the former Nato commander who led the 1999 war in Kosovo, is urging President George Bush not to send more troops to Iraq, saying the "surge" in forces being considered by the White House would be too little, too late and could only deepen the hole that the United States and its allies have dug themselves.

Writing exclusively in The Independent on Sunday, General Clark said the time for a military solution was long past, that US troops lack the skills and the political legitimacy to pacify the conflict-ridden regions, and that the only way forward was a political initiative encompassing the entire region.

"We've never had enough troops in Iraq," writes General Clark, who was the Supreme Allied Commander of Nato forces from 1997-2000. "In Kosovo, we had 40,000 troops for a population of two million. For Iraq, that ratio would call for at least 500,000 troops so adding 20,000 now is too little, too late."

"What the surge would do is put more American troops in harm's way, further undercut US forces' morale, and risk further alienation of elements of the Iraqi populace," he added.

General Clark's words come just days before a speech by Mr Bush, scheduled for Wednesday, in which he is expected to outline a new strategy. The word "surge" suggests a short, sharp injection of overwhelming military force, but even proponents of an increased troop presence say the forces would need to stay at least into 2008.

Virtually everyone is deserting Bush on this issue. Virtually everyone is rejecting his pathetic, borderline insane "leadership". Even Utah--yes, Utah, the most Republican state in the nation--no longer has a majority in favor of Bush's handling of the war. The American people have REJECTED the right wing Republicans and their catastrophic foreign policy. They--WE--are saying no. And by God, we better be listened to. There will be consequences if we're not.

And the Monkey King won't like them.

Haw! Bush's Approval Rating Sinks to 30 in CBS Poll

And that's big compared to his approval rating on Iraq.

Miserable failure indeed.

By the way, check out the figure for those optimistic about the new Democratic Congress: 68%.

He Has All the Instincts of a Dictator

Bush is now claiming the right to open your mail in "emergency" circumstances. This claim is in a signing statement the flatly contradicts the bill Bush just signed. He has done similar things 750 times.

The Feds already reserve the right to read your e-mails.

Habeas corpus rights have been effectively suspended.

Bush already supports warrantless wiretaps.

The government already spies on antiwar groups.

How the hell long are we going to put up with the right wing Republicans who run the Executive Branch using our Bill of Rights as a door mat?

"Bipartisanship"? Hell No! The People Are in Favor of the DEMOCRATIC Agenda

Read 'em and weep, right wing toads.

Where I Stand

For anyone new to this blog, or just for my old friends who would be interested in seeing my views summarized, I offer the following list, without too many details:

SOCIAL ISSUES

ABORTION. I am negative on this option. It is only remotely justifiable in the first trimester. Unborn humans become legal persons, in my view, with the onset of brainwave activity. I favor wide open access to birth control for all people and generous adoption policies.

BIRTH CONTROL: A fundamental human right, and that includes for unmarried people as well. Any pharmacist who doesn't want to dispense birth control needs to find a new profession.

GUN CONTROL: I'm against it, generally. No, people shouldn't be allowed to own surface to air missiles or things like that, but within very wide limits I think people should be able to own whatever weapons they choose, with background checks prohibiting ownership to the mentally ill and known felons.

GAY MARRIAGE: I am for it. Period.

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION: A well meaning policy that has not done what its supporters had hoped. It should be used to give the talented poor a leg up, not just members of certain categories.

DRUGS: Marijuana should be legalized and taxed. The prohibition on other drugs is one I am more leery of removing, but I'm willing to listen to arguments either way.

SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE. I am strongly for it. No using the public schools as religious forums during class time. No officially sponsored prayer. (Before or after school religious study groups, prayer sessions, etc., are fine with me.) No teaching creationism in any form. No officially sponsored Ten Commandments postings. America is a republic, not a theocracy, and it must be kept that way.

SEXUAL CONDUCT: As long as everybody involved is an adult and everybody involved says yes, the state has no interest in private sexual conduct. (This includes prostitution, which should be state regulated as a health issue, and adult pornography.) Child pornography and sex crimes against children should be punished relentlessly.

DEATH PENALTY: Under very carefully delineated conditions, I think it should be permitted.

ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL ISSUES

FREE ENTERPRISE: I'm all for it. This means no more corporate welfare, no more subsidies for Big Oil, no more using the tax code and earmarks to dispense favors to business. Everyone stands or falls on their own.

TRADE: Fair trade, not unlimited free trade.

UNIONS: They need to be strengthened and the limits the radical Right has imposed on them need to be removed.

NATIONAL HEALTH CARE: I am for it.

WELFARE AND POVERTY: Everyone should have to do something--work, school, community service, job training, etc.--to receive benefits. The Earned Income Credit needs to be expanded. A real push to abolish poverty by 2020.

ENERGY: A major, Manhattan Project style push for energy independence, with an emphasis on hybrid cars and renewable energy.

GLOBAL WARMING: Vigorous action to reduce greenhouse gases is needed NOW.

SPENDING AND TAXES: Restore tax levels on the richest Americans to what they were in 2000. Keep the Estate Tax. Eliminate tax loopholes and tax havens for the wealthy. Cut government spending generally. Work to reduce the national debt. Cut the deficit.

CIVIL LIBERTIES: No violations of the Bill of Rights in the name of fighting terror. No warrantless wiretaps. No dictatorial authority to the president.

EDUCATION: Strong emphasis on improving PUBLIC SCHOOLS. No to vouchers. No to rampant standardized test mania. No to the so-called "No Child Left Behind" law.

ENVIRONMENT: Preservation and conservation in the great tradition of Theodore Roosevelt. Enforcement of all environmental laws.

FOREIGN POLICY AND DEFENSE

IRAQ: Remove all American forces by January 2008. No more escalation of the war.

TERRORISM: All out push to restore order in Afghanistan. All out push to destroy Al Qaeda and other extremist outfits threatening us. Emphasize police and intelligence work in combating terrorism. No use of torture in combating terrorism.

AREAS OF CONCERN: Pakistan, North Korea, Russia, Iran, the Israeli-Palestinian problem. Diplomacy must be emphasized. Talk to our enemies. No attack on Iran or North Korea unless in retaliation for Iranian or North Korean attack on U.S. or U.S. forces. Restore America's image throughout the world.

So there, in a nutshell, is what I think. Generally pro-life, pro gun, negative on affirmative action, pro death penalty. Am I a conservative? Generally for having the government butt out of private conduct. Am I libertarian? Pro economic justice, pro union, pro national health care. Am I a liberal? I like to think I don't fall conveniently into any category. I just calls 'em as I sees 'em.

Just in Case You Missed It

Keith Olbermann was once again on fire last night, swinging the big hammer against the insanity of Bush's proposed new escalation of the war. Crooks and Liars has it here.

Say NO to the So-Called "Surge"

"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."--attributed to Albert Einstein

So the Chickenhawk in Chief seems to be determined to escalate the war in Iraq. Yes, that's right, escalate. The term "surge" is an obnoxious euphemism adopted by our PR obsessed right wing government to conceal the painfully obvious: Bush has no intention of drawing down U.S. involvement in Iraq, despite overwhelming opposition to his new plans. (Steve Benen in today's Washington Monthly has an excellent summary of the breadth of this opposition.) Bush and the Neocon fanatics that run U.S. foreign policy have learned nothing. They have rejected the findings of the Iraq Study Group. They are indifferent to the horrible suffering their incompetence has caused. They are convinced that the answer to failure is...more of the same. They will continue to oversee the disaster in Iraq. Some on the Neocon Right are also urging a massive new expansion--attacks on Iran and if "necessary", Syria. They will resist political pressures from the public, the military, and the Democratic Congress. They are, in short, determined to lead us into catastrophe.

Bush is an arrogant, emotionally crippled sociopath who is utterly incapable of admitting error. It is up to us to take the reins of government out of his hands. The Democrats, with the help of sane and moderate Republicans, must block Bush in both the House and Senate. He must NOT get his way this time. The so-called "surge" is simply a reflection of Bush's brain dead lack of imagination and courage. Bush has failed. He must now be stopped--or, if necessary, removed from office altogether. He will not change--and to think he will is, indeed, insanity.

Yes! The Onion Focuses on My Favorite Subject!

Can ya guess what it is? Well can ya?