Scott McClellan Lays out a Damning Case Against Bush's White House (Video)

Davin Hutchins, American News Project

Media and Technology: Former presidential spokesperson Scott McClellan gives tough testimony about the Plame affair and Iraq before the House Judiciary Committee.

The 'Surgical Re-Virgin': Setting the Odometer Back to Zero

Ellen Goodman, Washington Post Writers Group

Reproductive Justice and Gender: Retrofitting women to make them sexually attractive and "marriageable" is more than a Hollywood fad. It's life or death for many.


Scott McClellan Lays out a Damning Case Against Bush's White House (Video)

Davin Hutchins, American News Project

Media and Technology: Former presidential spokesperson Scott McClellan gives tough testimony about the Plame affair and Iraq before the House Judiciary Committee.


Bomb Iran? What's to Stop Bush?

Ray McGovern, Consortium News

It's crazy, but it's coming soon. The armed forces are working out details. Impeachment may be the only way to stop it.


Is the Tyranny of Right-Wing Radio Coming to an End?

Rory O'Connor, AlterNet

Media and Technology: The notion that the days of right-wing dominance of the airwaves may well be numbered is rapidly becoming a reality.

How the Pentagon Turned an Interrogation Resistance Program into a Blueprint for Torture

Spencer Ackerman, Washington Independent

Rights and Liberties: At a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing this week, answers about the Bush administration's "enhanced interrogations" finally came to light.


What Happens When a School Board of Religious Zealots Will 'Lie for Jesus'?

Onnesha Roychoudhuri, AlterNet

Media and Technology: Lauri Lebo, author of Devil in Dover, gives an insider's account of a historic court battle about dogma and Darwin in small-town America.


Tim Russert Blew It on Iraq. So Why Are We Canonizing Him?

Alexander Cockburn, The Nation

Media and Technology: The delirium in the press at Tim Russert's passing has been strange.


It's Time for a Radically Different View of Patriotism

Ira Chernus, AlterNet

Election 2008: Republicans do not own the rights to this word. Obama has an opportunity to change how we think about patriotism. Will he take it?

Criminal Penalties for Abortion Rejected Across the Globe

Jill Filipovic, AlterNet

Reproductive Justice and Gender: All around the world, abortion rights are increasingly seen as an individual choice, not an area for government intervention.


Is Congress the Problem with Health Care?

Ezra Klein, The American Prospect

Health and Wellness: Tom Daschle thinks so. The former Senate minority leader and author of the new book, Critical, explains why.

Jeremy Scahill: Blackwater is Still in Charge, Deadly, Above the Law and Out of Control

Antonia Juhasz, AlterNet

War on Iraq: Think Blackwater's days are numbered? Think again. Jeremy Scahill explains why its slaughter of Iraqis has not stopped the notorious mercenary firm.


The Startling Truth About Doctors and Diagnostic Errors

Maggie Mahar, Niko Karvounis, Health Beat

Health and Wellness: Diagnostic errors happen at alarming rates but remain underdiscussed. Doctors' overconfidence is just one reason why.


Naomi Klein: What Does Obama's 'Love of Markets' Mean for Our Economic Future?

Naomi Klein, The Nation

Election 2008: The head of Obama's economic policy team is one of Wal-Mart's most prominent defenders.


Obama Opts Out of Public Funding for His Campaign

Linda Feldmann, Christian Science Monitor

Election 2008: The decision makes the senator the first major-party candidate to depart the system for the general election since its inception in 1976.

Did You Know AAA Is Bad for the Environment? But You Can Get Green Roadside Assistance

Isaac Fitzgerald, AlterNet

Environment: Better World Club offers an eco-friendly alternative to AAA.


NY Times Hypes McCain Credentials

Jeffrey Klein, AlterNet

Election 2008: Looks like McCain's national security adviser is inventing history.


Shaky Economic Times Are Shakier for Women

Heidi Hartmann, The Women's Media Center

Reproductive Justice and Gender: In general, women need to stretch their resources to accommodate more mouths to feed and more years to live than men.


Does the E.U. Hate You?

Paul Hockenos, In These Times

There's no need for Americans to take offense or cancel their vacations -- most Europeans are angry at our government, not us.

It's VP Vetting Time! - Marc Ambinder, National Journal
Facts Better for GOP in '08 than '06 - Michael Barone, US News & WR
Obama's Class A Flip-Flop Won't Hurt Him - Jonathan Freedland, Guardian
Breaking a Promise is Obama's Problem - John Dickerson, Slate
How to Hit Obama - Robert Novak, Chicago Sun-Times
McCain Closes the Cash Gap - Jeanne Cummings, Politico
Can McCain Save the GOP Brand? - Eleanor Clift, Newsweek
Obama's Childish Foreign Policy - William Kristol, Weekly Standard
Obama Should Keep Gates at Defense - Joe Klein, Time
VP Choice Isn't Always About Balance - David Shribman, Pitt Post-Gazette
Why Did Obama Rattle the Jerusalem Issue? - Frida Ghitis, Miami Herald
Where are Michelle's Feminist Defenders? - Mary Curtis, Wash Post
Bush and the Justices Behaved Badly - Stuart Taylor, National Journal
How to Complicate Habeas Corpus - Richard Epstein, New York Times
We'll Rue Having Judges on the Battlefield - Andrew McBride, WSJ
The Trade Debate We Need - Robert Kuttner, American Prospect
Awaiting Japan's Global Vision - Richard Samuels, Boston Globe

Editorials
Public Funding on the Ropes - New York Times
Obama Flips, Blames It on McCain - Wall Street Journal
Yes, Drill - but Research, Too - Dallas Morning News
A Better Surveillance Law - Washington Post

Political News & Analysis
Obama, Clinton to Campaign Next Week - Reuters
Obama Meets Governors, Talks Unity - Chicago Tribune
McCain Defends NAFTA - Washington Post
Union: Respect, Don't Vote For McCain - Chicago Tribune

Transcripts & Speeches


McCain's Remarks on the U.S. - Canada Relationship - John McCain
Bloomberg on the Candidates and Israel - Michael Bloomberg
Roundtable on Obama's Financing Decision - Special Report w/Brit Hume
Interview with Cindy McCain - Election Center
Interview with House Minority Leader Boehner - The NewsHour

Best of the Blogs
Bob Gates? Really? - Talking Points Memo
Meet the Unimpressive? - Hot Air
AP Says "Cased Closed" - I Don't Think So - Newshoggers
Webb Splits with Obama Over Drilling - Donklephant
And Now I Play Ditto-Head to John Cole - JustOneMinute

Midwest Flooding to Force Up Food Prices By wiping out corn and soybean crops across Iowa, Illinois and other states, the flood is driving up prices that were already at historic highs and increasing the cost of feed for cattle, hogs and poultry. Economists say that will force livestock farms to cut back on production even more than they were, and that will lead to higher prices for beef, pork, chicken, milk and eggs.

Paul Kruger: Should oil companies be permitted to drill off shore US? America needs to become LESS dependent on oil. All drilling for more does is continue that dependence. Should we drill for more?

Paul Kruger: Should States be Allowed to Profit from Prisoners' Families? The question, should states be permitted to reap millions in profits at the expense of innocent poor families in order that they may stay in touch with their loved ones despite the risk of higher recidivism ?

Brett Paatsch: Have you read Kucinich's 35 articles of impeachment? A poll to find out what portion of Opednews readers have read Dennis Kucinich's 35 articles of impeachment for President George W Bush.

US N-weapons parts missing, Pentagon says The US military cannot locate hundreds of sensitive nuclear missile components, according to several government officials familiar with a Pentagon report on nuclear safeguards. One official said the number of missing components was more than 1,000.

Renewing Hezb'allah's Jihad Genocide Against Jews Everywhere
Andrew G. Bostom
Hezb'allah, supported by its patron Iran, is poised, once again, to launch a lethal attack against "Jewish targets" far removed from the battlegrounds of the Middle East. More

The Second Amendment: Much Ado about Firearms
Larrey Anderson
The Second Amendment is not that hard to understand -- not if the person reading it has a lick of sense. I'll prove it. More

Has Affirmative Action run its course?
Bob Weir
Now that an African-American has achieved the nomination for president by a major political party, are we ready to come to the conclusion that Affirmative Action (AA) has worked? More

West Answers Obama:Run as a Man and Leader
June 22, 2008
In response to Obama's claim that Republicans will use race to stoke fear, Lt. Col Allen West, candidate for Congress in Florida's 22 District issued this release: More

Obama's Funding Gambit
June 21, 2008
The day after Sen. Obama announced that he would not take public financing for the general election, part of his overall plan for the general election came into focus. More

A United Message On Tax Cuts And Economic Policy
June 21, 2008
Republicans should take heed and fashion economic policy highlighting the disaster that would be Obamanomics More

No Future For Obama
June 21, 2008
Barack Obama is against lifting the ban on drilling for oil offshore because it would not reduce gas prices "this year, next year, five years from now," according to CNN . More

Obama's Meta-Message Surfaces in Jacksonville
June 21, 2008
A long campaign gives time for the candidate's meta-message to emerge. Not always intentionally, nor to their advantage. More

Robert Wexler (D, Nuthouse)
June 21, 2008
I nominate Congressman Robert Wexler as the craziest man in a not very sane Congress: More

Govt Loses Its Appeals In AIPAC Case
June 21, 2008
In what has to be a good development for the defendants in the case against two former AIPAC staffers, the government has substantially lost its appeals in the U.S Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. of the pre-trial rulings of the trial judge,Judge Ellis. More

Forecast for Hell: Cooling with a chance of snow
June 21, 2008
The New York Times - that's right; this is not a misprint - headlines a piece on Iraq today, "Big Gains for Iraq Security, but Questions Linger." More

Obama to Clinton Women: 'Get over it'
June 21, 2008
Obama told members of the Black Caucus that they should "get over" the fact that Hillary lost: More

United to Require Minimum Stays after October 1
June 21, 2008
In a move that will almost certainly anger business travellers, United Airlines will require a 1-3 night stay on domestic flights beginning in October: More

The Fake Moderate
June 21, 2008
Barack Obama has tried to hide his far left political inclinations by boasting of his "post partisan" approach to governing. More

A respectable liberal blog
The voucher system part 3: the case against.[/color]
Posted at 3:46 p.m.


Dean Baker's economic commentary
Does McCain think that the September 11 attacks created 5 million jobs?
Posted at 5:19 p.m.

Joseph Galloway:
Gen. Taguba Knew Scandal Went to the Top


Aziz Huq:
Surveillance Bill: The Worst of All Worlds


Kurt Cobb:
Clever and Deceptive: The Oil Lobby’s New Ads


Kate Davies:
Truth or Consequences — The Real Life Version


Dave Lindorff:
Keeping America Safe: Prosecuting Children as Terrorists

Joseph Galloway:
Gen. Taguba Knew Scandal Went to the Top


Aziz Huq:
Surveillance Bill: The Worst of All Worlds


Kurt Cobb:
Clever and Deceptive: The Oil Lobby’s New Ads


Kate Davies:
Truth or Consequences — The Real Life Version


Dave Lindorff:
Keeping America Safe: Prosecuting Children as Terrorists


Alon Ben-Meir:
Israel’s Peace Offensive


Robert Parry:
Democrats Legalize Bush’s Crimes


Christopher Brauchli:
Private Sector Perks


Friday, June 20
Ray McGovern:
Bomb Iran? What’s to Stop Us?


Medea Benjamin:
Iraqi Refugees, America’s Shame


Tom Hayden:
Meet the New Dr. Strangelove


David Michael Green:
The Poverty of Reaganism-Bushism


Gareth Porter:
The Imperialist Right Threatens Obama on Iraq


Nomi Prins:
Who Benefits From High Food Prices?


Jane Anne Morris:
Meat, ‘Free Trade’ and Democracy


Michael Klare:
Anatomy of a Price Surge

Hell No, Baby Alex Won't Go by Bill O'ReillyHave you seen the Baby Alex political ad that the radical-left, George Soros-funded …

The Facts in Iraq Are Changing by Michael BaroneAs we enter the second half of the campaign year, facts are undermining the Democratic …

How to Hit Obama by Robert NovakLeaders of Sen. John McCain's campaign are looking toward "527s" as their principal …

Tim Russert: World Class "Mensch"
Amb. Marc Ginsberg, 06.15.2008


McCain to Obama: "You Can't Handle the Truth!"
Trey Ellis, 06.17.2008


Calling on Bush to Take American Farewell Tour
Rahm Emanuel, 06.18.2008


As Long As We're Talking About Michelle Obama, Did You Know Cindy McCain Was A Drug Addict?
Stephen Elliott, 06.19.2008


How Obama Can Win Over Seniors and Turn the November Election Into a Democratic Landslide
Robert Creamer, 06.17.2008


Hey, There, Pay Attention -- The Supreme Court May Be Up For Grabs
Martin Garbus, 06.17.2008


Michelle Obama's War Against the W(B)itchhunters
Bonnie Fuller, 06.16.2008


Cutting Through The Fog
Jared Bernstein, 06.15.2008


Bush and McCain: Drilling us into a Deeper Hole
Sen. Robert Menendez, 06.18.2008


Is America Ready for Another White Male President?
Lincoln Mitchell, 06.15.2008


Making Michelle Who She Isn't -- Risky Obama Campaign Move
Kathleen Reardon, 06.18.2008


Republicans' Bizarre Rediscovery of Osama bin Laden
Steve Benen, 06.20.2008


My Interview with Matt Taibbi on His Book, the Media, the Election and His Spat with Erica Jong
Ben Cohen, 06.19.2008

Noam Chomsky, Tom Hayden, Brian Wilson - at work for John Negroponte?
by Toni Solo / June 21st, 2008

On June 16th the Nicaraguan centre-right newspaper El Nuevo Diario published a letter [1] from various well known people calling for the Nicaraguan coalition government, led by the Sandinista FSLN, not to shut down political freedom and to hold a national dialogue to address the food crisis and the high cost of living in Nicaragua. This appeal was made in solidarity with Dora Maria Tellez, the former president of the neo-liberal social democrat Movimiento Renovador Sandinista. The letter’s signatories end their appeal by saying that Tellez represents a broad section of Nicaraguan political opinion and should be listened to.

The signatories’ …

(Full article …)

SuperCorridor Defeat? Don’t Bet On It
by Stephen Lendman / June 20th, 2008

The title refers to the I-69/Trans-Texas Corridor (TTC) portion of the North American SuperCorridor Coalition (NASCO) project. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) announced that, for now at least, it nixed this part of the $184 billion scheme calling for:

a 4000 mile toll road network of transportation corridors;

10 lanes or 1200 feet wide;

two or more trans-Texas corridors being considered; one paralleling I-35 from Laredo through San Antonio, Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth to Gainesville; the other an extension following US 59 from Texarkana through Houston to Laredo or the Rio Grande Valley;

others would parallel …

(Full article …)

Reverse Henry-Fordism
by Ernest Partridge / June 20th, 2008

There are no sellers without buyers.

That’s the first law of practical economics. Everyone knows this to be true, whether or not one has ever taken a course in Economics. Everyone except, apparently, a few Ph.D economists who seem to forget this rule when they are hired by the Heritage Foundation, the American Enterprise Institute, etc., from which they migrate, back and forth, between offices in Republican administrations and these right-wing think tanks.

For these worthies, the “first law” is replaced by the dogmas of deregulation, “trickle-down” and market fundamentalism: impoverish the masses, throw money at the rich who will …

(Full article …)

Is the Antiwar Movement Scaring People Away?
by Eric Ruder / June 19th, 2008

If you’ve been involved in building the antiwar movement during the last couple years, chances are that you’ve asked yourself what it will take to involve more people in organizing to bring the troops home from Iraq.

It’s been 18 months since the antiwar movement last held a high-profile national demonstration–on January 27, 2007, in Washington, D.C.–and across the country, local activists and coalitions report a lower level of activity as compared to late 2005 and 2006.

One common explanation for this is that most Americans simply don’t care about the war or aren’t affected by it.

Likewise, most activists assume that organizing …

(Full article …)

What Obama Should Say on Iraq - Fareed Zakaria, Newsweek
Obama's Childish Foreign Policy - William Kristol, Weekly Standard
Obama Misses Chances To Change Our Elections - David Broder, Wash Post
2008 Will Turn On The Float Vote - Frank Luntz, Los Angeles Times
An Idealist Who Wants to Win - Dick Polman, Philadelphia Inquirer
Obama, McCain Up to Old Tricks - Michael Goodwin, New York Daily News
A Chance for A New Liberal Agenda - Michael Kazin and Julian Zelizer, WP
Picking a Vice President - Mark Liebovich, New York Times
Is Webb Obama's Answer to McCain? - James Oliphant, Chicago Tribune
Dodd Must Clear Air Over Countrywide - Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant
History's Verdict on President Bush - Andrew Roberts, Sunday Telegraph
Gay Marriage is Good For America - Jonathan Rauch, Wall Street Journal
More Prisoners, Less Crime - George Will, Houston Chronicle
Now That We've 'Won,' Let's Come Home - Frank Rich, New York Times
Stop Killing the Taliban - Simon Jenkins, Sunday Times
Force Feeding Food Facts - Steve Chapman, Chicago Tribune
Fighting Google's Influence - Drake Bennett, Boston Globe
VP Watch: Buzz for Pawlenty, Rendell, Crist | When Will They Pick?

Editorials
Let's Have a Drilling Debate - Washington Post
An Intel Deal, Finally - Chicago Tribune
Bring On the Popularity Contest - Boston Globe
With Friends Like Angelo . . . - New York Times

Political News & Analysis
3 in 10 Americans Admit Race Bias - Washington Post
Obama Plans National Ad Push - New York Times
Split Electorate Puts Obama Narrowly Ahead - USA Today
Obama, McCain Quarrel Over Flood Prevention - The Hill

Transcripts & Speeches


A Metropolitan Strategy for America's Future - Barack Obama
McCain's Remarks on the U.S. - Canada Relationship - John McCain
Bloomberg on the Candidates and Israel - Michael Bloomberg
Panel on McClellan's Testimony to Congress - Special Report w/Brit Hume
Shields & Brooks Discuss the Week in Politics - The NewsHour

Best of the Blogs
"And Did I Mention He's Black?" - Hugh Hewitt
Reluctance to Drilling Fades - Crooks and Liars
The Smart vs. Stupid Election - The Right Angle
Obama's Support for the FISA "Compromise" - Glenn Greenwald
Torture In Iraq - Andrew Sullivan

The Return of the Neocons

by: James Risen, The Washington Independent

OPINION



Democrats Legalize Bush's Crimes

by: Robert Parry, Consortium News

OPINION



Let Me Call You Sweetheart ... Loans

by: Michael Winship, t r u t h o u t | Perspective

OPINION



Controlling Iraqi Oil

by: Nick Mottern, United Press International

OPINION



Yes to Offshore Oil - but Just Not Now

Pressuring Obama on "Free Trade"

by: Jonathan Tasini, glabour writers

OPINION



Democrats Gain in Voter Roll Wars

by: Thomas Mills, The News and Observer

OPINION



Bush Army in Brzezinski's Afghan Trap

by: J. Sri Raman, t r u t h o u t | Perspective

OPINION



Health Care and Ghosts of War

by: Norman Soloman, t r u t h o u t | Perspective

OPINION



Radioactive Deja Vu in the American West

by: Chip Ward, TomDispatch.com

Well Oiled Fear Tactics
Brian Sussman
I am thoroughly disgusted by the Democrat's use of fear in trying to dissuade our government from allowing oil exploration and drilling off our coasts More

Carbon: the New Chemical Villain
Geoffrey P. Hunt
According to the popular press, carbon has now joined toxic heavy metals such as arsenic, mercury, lead and cadmium on Peck's Bad Boy list. More

Your 2007 Carbon Footprint
Steve Boler
We often hear of how we must reduce our carbon footprint. Let's get a little perspective on the matter. More

George Carlin, R.I.P.
June 23, 2008
His politics were abhorrent. But if we were to judge people solely by their political views, the world would be a very boring place. More

How Close is Israel to Attacking Iran?
June 23, 2008
The Wall Street Journal thinks they are very close: More

Poll: Israeli Arabs Want to live Where?
June 23, 2008
How do Israeli Arabs feel about Israel? More

Paltry Iraq Coverage Not Just Your Imagination
June 23, 2008
Rather than crying "conspiracy!" let's chalk it up to bottom line journalism. More

Saudis May Increase Production Again
June 22, 2008
Saudi Arabia has indicated that it will be willing to to start pumping additional oil beyond the 200,000 bbl's a day they have already promised in July More

The Washington Post Creates an 'Explosion'
June 22, 2008
The paper reports there's been an 'explosion' of visits to an online racist hate site. No there hasn't. More

Tom Brokaw to Anchor 'Meet the Press'
June 22, 2008
Veteran NBC newsman Tom Brokaw has been chosen to moderate the network's Sunday morning icon "Meet the Press" through the 2008 presidential election: More

Zimbabwe on the Brink of Political Meltdown
June 22, 2008
Robert Mugabe, in his lust to hang on to power at all costs, has been targeting low level opposition workers for death in a bid to intimidate all who oppose him. More

Obama the Sell-Out
June 22, 2008
Reaction continues to pour in to Barack Obama's announcement that he would not take federal financing for the presidential election. More

Past June Polls Do not Predict Winner
June 22, 2008
Only once in the last 20 years has the candidate who has been ahead in June polls ended up winning the election according to the TimesOnline: More

Race Bias in America
June 22, 2008
Very interesting survey in the Washington Post this morning about racial bias More

You're Never too Young
June 22, 2008
This story in the UK Telegraph caught my eye because it combines two subjects we here at AT take great pride in exposing; leftist stupidity and why that makes them dangerous. More

Anti-Americanism Is Mostly Hype - Fouad Ajami, Wall Street Journal
Obama Plans a Reintroduction - Dan Balz & Anne Kornblut, Washington Post
Lieberman's Costly Support for McCain - Jay Newton-Small, Time
The Problem with MoveOn's New Ad - William Kristol, New York Times
The Change Obama Advocates - Dorothy Wickenden, The New Yorker
Is the Democrats' Message Flawed? - Peter Brown, Wall Street Journal
Why Clinton Voters Will Come Back to the Fold - Walter Shapiro, Salon
Who is Cindy McCain? - Holly Bailey, Newsweek
Reform Plan is Chance for McCain - Robert Novak, Chicago Sun-Times
Globalization Becomes a Scapegoat - Rosemary Righter, Times of London
Obama, McCain Take the Low Road on Taxes, Trade - Al Hunt, Bloomberg
Hot Air Clouds the Energy Debate - Clive Crook, Financial Times
Democratic Energy Policies Ignore Reality - Fred Barnes, Weekly Standard
Resetting Earth's Thermostat - Samuel Thernstrom, Los Angeles Times
'Mugabe's Campaigning Goes on After Dark' - Ben Freeth, Times of London
How Many People Should Own Homes? - Paul Krugman, New York Times
The Case for Libertarian Paternalism - George Will, Newsweek
RCP Blog: AM Report / Politics Nation: Strat Memo: Everybody Flip-Flop
VP Watch: Conventional Wisdom | Daily Buzz

Editorials
Mugabe Must Go - USA Today
A Good Deal on FISA - Washington Times
John McCain, Drill Seeker - Boston Globe
The Future of Energy - The Economist

Political News & Analysis
Obama Campaign Closely Linked to Ethanol - New York Times
Hometown's Image a Risk for Obama - Chicago Tribune
McCain Proposes $300 Million Prize for New Auto Battery - AP
Brokaw To Host "Meet the Press" - New York Times

Transcripts & Speeches


Tom Daschle & Tom Ridge on "Fox News Sunday - Fox News Sunday
Sens. Biden & Graham on "Meet the Press - Meet the Press
Govs. Richardson & Pawlenty on "Late Edition" - Late Edition
Interview with Carly Fiorina & Gov. Richardson (PDF) - Face the Nation
A Metropolitan Strategy for America's Future - Barack Obama

Best of the Blogs
The Ultimate Obama Endorsement! - Michelle Malkin
Obama Might Just Blow It - Redstate
Flip-Flops: A Hot Summer Trend? - The Caucus
Michelle Obama's Plan to Woo Clinton Supporters - Lynn Sweet
Bill Kristol: Someone Else - Shakesville

Tough Times Scapegoat Free Trade - Rosemary Righter, Times of London
Bill Gates, and Life Outside Microsoft - Brent Schlender, Fortune
Life at Microsoft After Bill Gates - Steven Levy, Newsweek
Why Drilling Deeper Won't Solve Oil Crisis - Editors, New Republic
When Will the Markets Face Reality? - Bill Fleckenstein, MSNMoney

The group blog of The American Prospect
The future.[/color]
Posted at 11:18 a.m.


A respectable liberal blog
What can the US government do today to put you in a new home tomorrow?
Posted at 10:21 a.m.


Dean Baker's economic commentary
[color="#800000"]The Post repeats McCain propaganda.
Posted at 9:35 a.m.

Beyond Hillary: Strength in Numbers
Ann Friedman
June 23, 2008
From our July/August issue: Hillary Clinton's campaign was historic, but we need to change our political culture, not just have one woman triumph over it. Here's how.

Related: Ezra Klein explains why women are far less likely than men to be asked to run for office, and Harold Meyerson argues that women do well where political machines are weak.

Dodd and the Democrats' Countrywide Problem
Terence Samuel
June 23, 2008 | web only
The news that Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd received a preferential mortgage deal comes right as the Senate gears up to debate a new bill that would bring relief to borrowers.

The White Stuff
Samhita Mukhopadhyay
What does an extremely popular new blog about white culture tell us about race in America?

A Professor's Story
Elyn Saks
Going public about mental illness is not like revealing any other kind of disease.

When Love Meets Racism
Harold Meyerson | web only
Lincoln Center's rapturous new production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "South Pacific" is a reminder of liberal moral pluck on issues of race and the simplicity of a bygone era's emotions.

Conservative Government Destroys Atlanta Like Gen. Sherman Never Could

Rick Perlstein, Blog for Our Future

Water: The colossal mismanagement of water in Georgia has produced an urban crisis with no clear solution other than a return to smart government.


How a Shady Citigroup Subsidiary Secretly Makes Billions in the Oil Market

Pam Martens, CounterPunch

Corporate Accountability and WorkPlace: Crude oil has risen 700 percent in seven years; the lack of oversight has allowed companies like Phibro to pull in huge and questionable profits.


When Riding the Bus Turns into a Ticket to Jail

Caroline Kim, Jenna Loyd, ColorLines

Immigration: Border Patrol agents are checking the citizenship status of travelers passing through by bus and train every day in New York, deporting immigrants.

Chris Hedges:
The Hedonists of Power


James Carroll:
If Poison Gas Can Go, Why Not Nukes?


Tom Engelhardt:
No Blood for… Er… Um…


Gary Younge:
Occupations Abroad Always Lead to the Erosion of Liberties at Home


Sara Terry:
The Aftermath Project: War Is Only Half the Story


John Nichols:
Democrats Write a Blank Check for Bush’s War


Danny Schechter:
Catching Predators Is Good; Economic Justice Is Better

Michael Hudson
How Should the Middle East Invest Its Oil Profits?

John Ross
Killing Farmers with Killer Seeds

Peter Montague
Environmental Enron: the Clean Coal Con

Ramzy Baroud
Gaza's Dying Children

Robert Fantina
McCain, Racism and the Supreme Court

Robert Weitzel
A MAD Foreign Policy: America's Irrational Defense of Israel

David Macaray
The Supreme Court's Hostility to Organized Labor

Howard Lisnoff
Where's the Anger?

Richard Rhames
Grieving Mr. Gotcha: Russert, GE and Neutron Jack

Gail Dines
Penn, Porn and Me

Tim Matson
Bright Ideas for Storms and Blackouts


June 21 / 22, 2

VIDEO: The Israel LobbyHigh-quality documentary produced in The Netherlands- by Marije Meerman - 2008-06-22 Political Humor: "Compared to Dick Cheney... George W. Bush is a Saint." - 2008-06-22 VIDEO: Challenging the Models on Climate Change: Greenhouse Conspiracy

ARMY VS WHITE HOUSE


ARMY VS WHITE HOUSE
<h4 Army's Plans To Overhaul Contracting System Blocked... White House Doesn't Want Additional Generals For Oversight Quick Read

Falling Short In Spying Safeguards
On Friday, the House passed "the most significant revision of surveillance law in 30 years," and the Senate is expected to soon follow suit. House leaders insisted the bill was a "compromise" with conservatives, but as the New York Times noted, it was actually "a major victory for the White House after months of dispute." While progressives succeeded in forcing the White House to accept some important concessions, the deal fails to give the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court the authority to protect law-abiding Americans from being spied on by their government. It also essentially shields telecoms from civil lawsuits for their participation in the Bush administration's warrantless wiretapping program after 9/11 and almost certainly ensures that the approximately 40 lawsuits that have been filed against telecoms for complying with the administration's illegal spying will be dismissed.

RESTRICTIONS ON 'CIRCUMVENTING THE LAW': The bill is not without its positive features, including prior court review in most cases of the government's procedures for selecting surveillance targets, "a prohibition on 'reverse targeting' of Americans, and a new requirement of probable cause for surveillance of Americans abroad." It also contains an important affirmation stating that the intelligence restrictions are the "exclusive" means by which the president can conduct surveillance, which House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said would prevent Bush and future presidents "from circumventing the law." Despite these provisions, the bill -- set to expire in 2012 unless Congress renews it -- is, overall, a "major disappointment" according to Center for American Progress Senior Fellow Mark Agrast. It significantly expands the government's powers to spy on terrorism suspects and "would strengthen the ability of intelligence officials to eavesdrop on foreign targets. It would also allow them to conduct emergency wiretaps without court orders on American targets for a week if it is determined that important national security information would otherwise be lost."

IMMUNITY FOR LAWBREAKING: The most controversial aspect of the new bill is the immunity it provides for telecomms. Under this bill, a federal district court would be responsible for reviewing "certifications from the attorney general saying the telecommunications companies received presidential orders telling them wiretaps were needed to detect or prevent a terrorist attack. If the paperwork is in order, the judge would dismiss the lawsuit." This process appears to be nothing more than a formality; House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO) predicted that all the lawsuits "will be dismissed." Sen. Christopher Bond (R-MO) speculated that "the White House got a better deal than even they had hoped to get." Agrast also noted that the legislation still fails to restore the role of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act court. "Now, instead of determining whether probable cause exists for the issuance of a surveillance order, [it] will be reduced to reviewing the adequacy of the surveillance procedures established by the Bush administration."

SEPARATE SENATE IMMUNITY VOTE?: The Senate will likely pass the House's legislation since it already approved immunity for telecoms last February. At the time, House leaders "offered to extend temporarily the other provisions of the eavesdropping law, the Protect America Act, while the immunity issues were debated." The deal, however, was rejected by conservatives and led to the current "compromise" bill. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) last week told Bloomberg TV that he will "try to have a separate vote on immunity" when the legislation comes before his chamber. "Probably we can't take that out of the bill, but I'm going to try," he said. This debate will also focus the spotlight on the two presidential contenders. Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) has indicated that he plans to vote for the bill, but added that he opposes telecom immunity and "will work in the Senate to remove this provision so that we can seek full accountability for past offenses." Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) also plans to vote for the bill, but has made no apologies about providing immunity. The McCain campaign has explained that "companies who assist the government in good faith should not be punished." He voted for the Senate's immunity bill in February. McCain has also attempted to give the Bush administration a pass on its warrantless National Security Agency surveillance program, exposed in December 2005. "It's ambiguous as to whether the president acted within his authority of not," he claimed, directly contradicting the August 2006 ruling of U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor, which declared the program unconstitutional.

INTENSIVE LOBBYING CAMPAIGN: The White House was clearly pleased with the House's bill, since officials had worked for months to obtain telecom immunity. On Friday, President Bush called it a "good bill." Director of National Intelligence Michael McConnell even allowed the Bush administration to put him in the "unusual role of intelligence community lobbyist" in order to pass this legislation; traditionally, intelligence chiefs have been expected to "remain insulated from policy issues." Throughout this process, there has been little compromise or cooperation by White House officials, who worked closely with the telecom industry. Not surprisingly, the Bush administration refused to publicly release "internal e-mails, letters and notes showing contacts with major telecommunications companies over how to persuade Congress to back a controversial surveillance bill." According to CQ, telecoms and their business allies spent more than "$14 million lobbying in just the first three months of this year."

ETHICS -- WHITE HOUSE TO ARGUE IT IS IMMUNE TO SUBPOENAS: Today, the refusal Bush administration's to honor House Judiciary Committee subpoenas compelling White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers to testify, will be considered today in federal court. The committee is seeking information into the 2006 dismissal of nine U.S. attorneys, but the White House claims that executive privilege allows the White House to ignore subpoenas, asserting that the executive branch has "absolute immunity" to congressional subpoenas. The House will argue that the Bush administration "is seeking to expand presidential power in a dramatic fashion, one that cannot go unchallenged by Congress." An array of "former U.S. attorneys, watchdog groups, congressional experts, and current and former lawmakers" have filed briefs supporting the House's position. The lawsuit came after Attorney General Michael Mukasey ordered the Department of Justice to ignore the House's contempt citations. Oral arguments today come just two days after Bush again asserted executive privilege, this time in refusing to hand over documents related to an investigation into whether the administration has "pressured the Environmental Protection Agency to weaken decisions on smog and greenhouse."

IRAN -- MULLEN: I WANT 'A HEALTHY DIALOGUE WITH IRAN': Last month, President Bush launched a political attack against Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) and other Democrats while speaking before the Israeli parliament, saying that they favor a policy of appeasement toward terrorists. "Some seem to believe that we should negotiate with the terrorists and radicals," said Bush. "We have an obligation to call this what it is -- the false comfort of appeasement." After Bush made the comments, CNN's Ed Henry reported that "White House aides" said that Bush was referring to those who have said that "it would be okay for the U.S. President to meet with leaders like the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad." But now, Bush's chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Michael Mullen, appears to be siding with those who favor direct engagement with Iran. In an interview with National Journal published this weekend, Mullen spoke favorably of directly engaging with Iran. "I would like to have a healthy dialogue with Iran," said Mullen. "I do think engagement would offer an opportunity, certainly, to understand each other better." Mullen isn't the only administration official who has eschewed Bush's absolutist rhetoric in favor of a more diplomatic approach. The day before Bush made his "appeasement" remarks, Defense Secretary Robert Gates told a group of retired diplomats that we need to "figure out a way to develop some leverage" with Iran "and then sit down and talk with them." Gates later refused to defend Bush's attack.

AFGHANISTAN -- VIOLENCE ESCALATES AS TURMOIL CONTINUES TO ENGULF NATION: After several days of fierce fighting in eastern Afghanistan and along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, Gen. Egon Ramms, a German NATO general, is advocating the deployment of 6,000 additional soldiers as both U.S. and NATO commanders are acknowledging that the Taliban is "resurgent in the region." Gen. Dan McNeill, who commanded NATO's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan for 16 months, said during a Defense Department briefing recently that attacks in eastern Afghanistan increased by 50 percent in April from the same time last year. Further, comprehensive data released by the NATO-led command show a steady escalation in violence since NATO took charge of the Afghanistan mission in 2006. In May, for the first time, American and NATO combat deaths in Afghanistan outnumbered the toll in Iraq. After fire-fights in Farah Province, which left two American soldiers dead last Thursday, the Defense Department is reporting that there have been 451 U.S. deaths in the Afghanistan region since 2001. While coverage of the war in Afghanistan has increased slightly this year, CBS News chief foreign correspondent Lara Logan noted that no American television network has a full-time correspondent in Afghanistan. "If I were to watch the news that you hear here in the United States, I would just blow my brains out because it would drive me nuts," Logan said.

AP photo / Charles Dharapak, file
<h4 class="home_dig_blog_hed">The Hedonists of Power</h4> By Chris Hedges — Washington has become Versailles. We are ruled, entertained and informed by courtiers.