Category Archives: Politics: US

One of the few things I've read on the Imus situation this week that wasn't totally predictable: Making Carefully Nuanced Distinctions Regarding the Totally Unacceptable.

US Treaty with Tripoli, 1796-1797:
Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the United States and the Bey and Subjects of Tripoli and Barbary.

Authored by American diplomat Joel Barlow in 1796, the following treaty was sent to the floor of the Senate, June 7, 1797, where it was read aloud in its entirety and unanimously approved. John Adams, having seen the treaty, signed it and proudly proclaimed it to the Nation.

…

Art. 11. As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.

The implications for modern politics are left as an exercise for the reader.

Even some of Bush's own senior campaign staff now have buyer's remorse: Ex-Aide Details a Loss of Faith in the President.

So who are those three out of ten people who tell pollsters they support him?

Bush's support still exceeds that of perennial French presidential candidate Jean-Marie Le Pen of the National Front (FN) who currently has 17% support.

The current administration has managed to achieve an impressive number of record-breaking worsts.

Early Winners

• George W. Bush – our worst President ever. Yes, even worse than James Buchanan
• Richard Cheney – worst
  Vice President ever
• Donald Rumsfeld – worst SecDef ever
• Alberto Gonzales – worst AG ever (despite tough competition)
• John Bolton – worst UN Ambassador ever
• Alphonso Jackson – worst HUD Secretary ever
• Michael D. Brown – worst FEMA Director ever

Additional Nominees

• Dr. Condoleezza Rice – arguably worst National Security Advisor ever
  (gunning for SecState nomination too)
• John Snow – worst Secretary of the Treasury since the Depression
  (and maybe before?)
• Tommy Thomspon Tom Ridge vs. Michael Chertoff. One of them has to be the worst
  HDHS Secretary ever, as they are the only two in the department’s history.
   My money is on ThompsonRidge.
• Margret Spellings
  – worst Secretary of Education?
• Harriet Miers – worst White House Counsel?
• [update] Tommy Thompson – HHS (for presiding over this)?

Care to add to the list?

The president of the United States does not have the sense God gave a duck — so it's up to us. You and me, Bubba.

This war is being prosecuted in our names, with our money, with our blood, against our will. Polls consistently show that less than 30 percent of the people want to maintain current troop levels. It is obscene and wrong for the president to go against the people in this fashion. And it's doubly wrong for him to send 20,0000 more soldiers into this hellhole, as he reportedly will announce next week.

I don't know why Bush is just standing there like a frozen rabbit, but it's time we found out. The fact is WE have to do something about it. This country is being torn apart by an evil and unnecessary war, and it has to be stopped NOW.

What happened to the nation that never tortured? The nation that wasn't supposed to start wars of choice? The nation that respected human rights and life? A nation that from the beginning was against tyranny? Where have we gone? How did we let these people take us there? How did we let them fool us?

—Molly Invins (1944-2007) quoted at Nieman Watchdog Commentary | An appreciation: Mintz on Molly Ivins.

Now that's a speech.

Full text below.

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