Anyone paying attention to this bullsh%t? Check this out:

A group of far-right Bush allies released an ugly and outrageous ad which claims that John Kerry faked his injuries, betrayed his troops, and "dishonored his country" in Vietnam. The ad features people who say "I served with John Kerry" (although they didn't) and who make numerous provably false accusations about Kerry's war record. It's one of the most vile tactics seen yet in Bush's ferociously negative campaign.

The "Swift Boat" ad is so far beyond the pale that even Senator John McCain, a Bush supporter, spoke out about it, calling it "dishonest and dishonorable." Yet despite Senator McCain's request that President Bush "specifically condemn" the ad, Bush refuses to say anything about it.

It's clear that the ad continues the tradition of Bush campaign dirty tricks. In a recent interview, Senator McCain noted that the ad "was the same kind of deal that was pulled on me" in 2000. McCain was referring to a vicious smear campaign -- which included race-baiting allegations that he had a black child our of wedlock -- run by close Bush allies in 2000. In fact, the same firm that ran some of the anti-McCain ads in 2000 produced the "Swift Boat" ad. And although the group claims to be independent of the Republican party, the group's funding mostly comes from a longtime Bush supporter who gave over $20,000 to his campaigns for Texas governor. Further, today it was announced that one of the subjects in the ad is a member of the Bush-Cheney campaign's veterans steering committee.

The "Swift Boat" campaign is a classical political hit job. But even before the ad went on the air, the Washington Post ran a piece discussing how President Bush is running the most negative presidential campaign in U.S. History. In an article titled "From Bush, Unprecedented Negativity," the Post quotes an expert who says that "there is more attack now on the Bush side against Kerry than you've historically had in the general-election period against either candidate."

Discussing the "Swift Boat" ad, Senator John McCain said, "I deplore this kind of politics." Nebraska Governor Mike Johanns (R) called the ad "trash" and even Pat Buchanan said "not a single charge is substantiated... I think the ad is wrong." But George Bush won't condemn it.

Jim Rassman, a Republican veteran who served under Kerry, recently wrote an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal. He told the story of how Kerry saved his life. And he concluded with these words on the "Swift Boat" veterans: "[W]hen the noise and fog of their distortions and lies have cleared, a man who volunteered to serve his country, a man who showed up for duty when his country called, a man to whom the United States Navy awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts, will stand tall and proud. Ultimately, the American people will judge these Swift Boat Veterans for Bush and their accusations. Americans are tired of smear campaigns against those who volunteered to wear the uniform.

Swift Boat Veterans for Bush should hang their heads in shame.

Chief- you're funny. I think George's list was more 'tongue in cheek' than serious, but whatever.
Also, I hope you were joking about the 'hummer in every garage' comment.

Anyone see the latest spin on Iraq? Lookie here I wonder how much they payed the Iraqi PM to say all those things. Hmm, perhaps part of that missing $8.8 Billion has been found?

In part, I hope he's right about his optimistic views, but somehow I doubt it.

@ OM

Thanks! I am actually just trying to blow some of the cobwebs off the walls in here. I was attempting to be tongue in cheek as well, but subtlety has never been my forte.

Ans, yes, I was joking about the Hummer in every garage comment. I only buy German.

XD XD XD

Last edited: Thursday, September 23, 2004 at 3:31:33 PM

All right. I ignored the first one, because God knows how many Michael Moore fans there are on here.

BUT - now apparently someone has gone and subscribed my "Chief" email address multiple times to Fat Boy's newsletter.

Funny funny. Yet once again, Mr. Moore's domain get's reported to the various spam and abuse lists - which are automated and lock it down for at least 24 hours.

If the other subscribers are wondering why they aren't getting their daily indoctrination..........

Guess some of my points are hitting home, eh?

@Chief- Are you serious? Someone actually did that? That's not funny at all. I guess someone didn't like your stance on politics, but I could never condone something like that. Morons.

Well, I just got done spending the week with my father-in-law, fresh from Baghdad...

According to him, most Iraqis ARE glad Saddam is gone, and appreciate what America has done. They may not think it's a paradise over there now, but they're still happier than they were. He works with Iraqis on a daily basis, training them in modern prison methods - aka: feeding the prisoners; giving them access to latrines; not torturing them for fun; etc.

Oh, and before anyone brings Abu Ghraib into the equation - 1) That was a military compound, not civilian; and 2) the guards had no more than a couple of week's training. The people he works with are all professional law enforcement people.

One thing to think about: the car-bombers keep targeting Iraqis lined up outside police stations who are trying to become police officers because they are "selling out". Why do you think those Iraqis keep coming back to the police stations?

TMO: how does he stay safe? Isn't he in danger there? I'd be worried sick.

@ TMO

Is he a civilian DOD contractor? I hope he stays safe.

@ OM

Yes, I am serious, though I am much calmer now. Imagine Stinky's reaction of 13 or 14 Zell Miller emails whoing up unannounced.....that would be kind of like mine.

On afterhthought - I know that a lot of people aren't able to maintian the level of intelligent dialogue that we have here...I think that's why, as Stinky pointed out, there are only a half dozen or so of us left. So, I'm really not pissed anymore. I do feel I owe you all an apology for showing my ass though.

Well, first of all, he's been there over a year now, and they just had their first (yes, FIRST) injury on the entire team (which is not a small one). One person got a concussion from a mortar. Before that the worst they had was a truck get wounded by a shell overnight.

When they travel, it is always in at least two vehicles. The passenger is armed and watching. In Baghdad itself they are convoyed by allied forces to and from their hotel.

Obviously it is not all that safe. If I were to get a job over there it would be for the Embassy, so I'd be living on embassy grounds and wouldn't have to move around near as much. The hotel and the trip to the embassy is the most dangerous part of the whole thing, I think. They have to make trips out to the countryside to other prisons once every week or so to rotate personnel.

But my wife doesn't watch the news anymore. ;) He's due to come home soon though.

Edit: @Chief: DOJ (dept of justice), I think is where his employment tracks back to...

Last edited: Thursday, September 23, 2004 at 9:57:20 PM

TMO, your father in law is lucky nothing's happened to him, but it also sounds like a case of being very cautious. I get the feeling these terrorist kidnappers are like muggers. Muggers don't pick on difficult targets, people who are in large groups, or are very aware of their surroundings and always alert, etc. They pick on easier targets.
From the recent kidnappings, it sounds like they really case their next victims. For example, some of these guys that got kidnapped had the same routine each night. They came out from their homes and turned on/off a generator or something like that. Same time each night. They nabbed them just as they did this.
So, doing something the same way, traveling the same road, etc sounds like a bad idea over there. There are bad guys watching you.

Bingo. These people are not targeting people who can fight back or who are prepared. They go after truck drivers and non-combatants.

Although to give him credit, my father-in-law has a lot of experience - 23/24 years in the military. He's been in hostile zones before. He makes sure his people are as prepared as possible.

TCTS: I find this reprehensible

Come on now.

Last edited: Friday, September 24, 2004 at 2:11:11 AM

I agree. I do note the spin they put on the fact that many states (IIRC Florida is NOT one of them) that says convicted felons may not vote though. Obviously it's a grand conspiracy. XD

I'm not currently posting here for one reason.

I'm trying to finish a project.

_{Well, maybe two.}

All this reading makes my head hurt. ;)

When I get a real break, I'll try to answer the question put to JJ, "Why Bush?"

Why is it that people find it necessary to play the race card in every election?

Because unfortunately there are still racists out there, AND (more importantly) it's one of those items that automatically divides the viewer/reader into one of two camps - racists and non-racists. Few people want to be considered a racist, so that means they have to support the view presented, or at least look at it in a more favorable light.

Good point.

http://www.steveclemons.com/GOPMailer.htm

http://www.nixlog.com/archives/2004/09/21_election_year_infographics.php

Oh brother! 8o Talk about extreme exaggeration. *sigh* Anything to get votes I guess.

@ OM

Yeah - it's starting to get out of hand.

Why race card? Hmm, because some of us still hold to the notion that racism still exists in a systemic form. I.E. Simple things like obtaining a photo ID may seem passe' to some, but for others, it can be a very thing difficult to do. Spend some time on the rez and you might begin to understand. The disappointing thing is that this only comes up at election time. W got some good face time in front of the new Smithsonian exhibit. How about we change the Washington DC football team to something non-racist? No? I didn't think so.

Last edited: Friday, September 24, 2004 at 7:12:12 PM

@ Memphis

Good point. Too many times people forget that African Americans aren't the only minority in this country.

Are their parallels from the left? I mean, do you guys see the democrats using racist tactics and religious fear mongering?

@ stinky

In short - yes on the first and the polar opposite on the second.

Unfortunately I have to head home as I see a good one brewing.

How about the straight white male demographic?

If we look at a woman it's sexual harrassment
We get passed over for jobs we're qualified for because we're the wrong color and won't help them reach quota
If we state an opinion that someone on the liberal left disagrees with, it's a hate crime
We can't say the Pledge of Allegiance if we want to because it might offend someone

We are the only demographic it is legal to discriminate against.

And yet "we" control most of the wealth and most of the power....go figure!

Anybody catch Bush's quote this week in the Press Conference with Prime Minister Alawi?

He references a very common polling question -- Do you believe the country is on the right track, or the wrong track? -- and compares the results seen when you ask Iraqi citizens that question, versus asking U.S. Citizens.

I'm not making this up...Bush said:

Well, at least he's being honest.

What's the toughest job in the world? Director of White House Communications with Dubya in office. Can you imagine holding that job and having to sit still while your boss is in front of a microphone?

In all seriousness, how can anyone respect a president who doesn't have the decision making ability to conclude that it might not be a good idea to reference those poll results publicly?

Last edited: Saturday, September 25, 2004 at 8:17:17 AM

I see. So that makes it okay to discriminate against me? Because I happen to be born into better social circumstances than someone else it's okay to stifle my free speech? (I'm going to drop the other lines I made above - they're vague and/or not as common)

Free speech is a right given to everyone. The Hate Crime legislation is necessary, I agree. But I think it's being taken too far if a person can't even express an opinion. While I don't have any documentary backup handy, I recall reading (src: US News & World Report) that it is not uncommon on universities and colleges that they completely muzzle the right due to 'hate crimes', but the left can stage demonstrations and protests all they want. The left is currently trying to legislate what a preacher can and cannot say from the pulpit (no, I'm not religious). Voluntary silent prayer in schools is being disallowed (again, I'm not religious). Why??? What is so harmful that a child, or group of children, cannot choose to make a quick, silent prayer before lunch?

I

N

T

O

L

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R

A

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Their freedom of religion, one of the founding principles of this country, is being denied to them. Why? Because the church and religious people are often conservative. Free speech appears to be a rare thing on some campuses unless it's liberally-oriented.

You want to know what pisses me off? This does. I don't agree with the ban on gay marriage, but nowhere in that legislation does it stifle their right to hold hands in public, or to talk about things, or even to hold public discussions. Yet the left seems determined to label anything anyone says or does that doesn't fit their agenda a "hate crime". I got pissed off at the number of frivolous lawsuits in the 90s, and I'm getting pissed off at being told what I can and cannot say. I do not go around agitating that we kill anyone; or drive anyone out of town; or beat their children - THOSE are hate crimes. Expressing an opinion contrary to the liberal thought is NOT a hate crime.

Heh. I don't think I'm cut out for political discussions. I don't enjoy getting angry about things. :S

This is me as a political protester: link

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

*wheeze*

This is off-topic for this thread, I apologize, but to end my posting on a stupid note rather than an angry one...

I just flipped through yesterday's mail..
We got a letter from the "Official Mortgage Company of Major League Baseball".

%)

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

@ TMO

Hey bro - great posts. The cartoon kinda threw me though - I never saw you as a chick wearing a belly shirt.

Great. Now I've said "chick". I suspect now I'll wind up with NOW on my ass.

How does one go about becoming the "Official Mortgage Company of Major League Baseball"??

@ fo fo

I agree with your point - public speaking ain't one of W's strongest points. He's hell with a bullhorn though.

Last edited: Saturday, September 25, 2004 at 4:26:05 PM

Well, I couldn't very well ask the cartoonist to redraw the cartoon with me in it, could I? XD

When you post comics, you have to take what you can get.

Edit: Oh, and don't worry, 'Nique is a 'chick'. ;)

Last edited: Saturday, September 25, 2004 at 4:49:02 PM

Kinda sucks doesn't it? Welcome to 1500 years of race related discrimiation. When you've dealt with it for 1500 years then we can talk.
_{EDIT: and I realize that I misquoted you...but the frustration of most minorities out there hasn't changed, neither has the system, you are just scratching the surface of how deep this crap goes. Doesn't mean that I am promoting subjugating anybody or denying your right to free speech, but realize that white males have had life pretty good for a loooooong freakin time.}

Last edited: Saturday, September 25, 2004 at 5:50:29 PM

So that justifies turning the tables and doing the same thing to us? That doesn't fix anything. All it does is reverse it. The problem is still there. Black slavery and white slavery are both just as wrong. Discrimination of any kind is wrong. As far as I'm concerned, when you hire someone for a job, hire by skill and cost (get the most skill for the least amount of money, just like buying a computer), not by color or sex or looks. Now, I do admit that there is an education gap that needs to be fixed. But what is the freaking point of hiring someone for a job they're not qualified to do? All you're doing is hurting the company by forcing them to waste money.

IMHO, the solution is to fix the education system. Right now they're in the process of dumbing the whole system down - they've been doing it for years. After all, it's 'unhealthy' to give any child anything less than an A grade. It might hurt their self-esteem. Once all children have access to the same quality education, any discrimination will be much easier to spot and fix. The education system seems to be trying to give an equally bad education to everybody. *sigh*

But if your solution to 1500 years of subjugation is to just turn around and enslave me and my descendants for 1500 years, then all you're saying is that slavery is not a bad thing - it's only bad if you're the slave.

If you want an apology on behalf of white males everywhere, well then "I'm sorry." I'm descended from poor German farmers who moved to the midwest back in the 1800s sometime. To the best of my knowledge they never owned slaves, but I will still apologize for everyone else. "I'm sorry."

But if all you want to do is turn the tables, then I'm going to have to fight you on that one.

Last edited: Saturday, September 25, 2004 at 6:33:22 PM

I could care less about tables and your own understanding of what slavery means. No one has asked for an apology, no one has asked for anything. But when you start bringing out this wah wah crap about how you are discriminated against, I want to puke. You have no idea and you will never have any idea, and I will have no idea what it was like to have to live in fear that you were going to be killed for being of a certain color. You will never have to put up with discrimination on the basis of your skin, you will never be placed lower than anyone because you have a different name. If you think that it's unfair for one person to be favored over another even thought they are equally qualified, you are right. It is unfair. The people that need to fix it are white males, but instead of trying to do something about it, they continue to whine and provide handouts, and your education theory is nice, but look at all of the other factors that go into what we learn, how it's taught, what's being taught, when will it ever be "equal". I don't have an answer to fixing the system, but I cannot and will not tolerate and white person telling me how bad it is now, because it aint all that bad buddy. You still have certain privileges, known and unknown that are yours. My point was, that now you have an inkling of what it means to be oppressed. So what are you going to do about it? Complain? Well then job well done.

Apologies to fo fizzle for highjacking this thread. Vote Kerry.

When did I ever say my life was worse than yours? All I'm saying is that discriminating against anyone should not be done. Period. End of statement. End of argument. You want to debate that, go right ahead. I'm done. I don't like being angry, and I don't like arguing.

What's so funny is y'all appear to be saying basically the same thing.

I, personally, am not about to apologize for anything that I am not directly responsible for. That list would include slavery, discrimination, and poverty.

You two make a great point though - at what point are the various races "even" for previous transgressions? For that matter, this could include the various religions as well.

Apparently "never forgetting" means "hold a grudge". A potential example - the treatment of anyone with the appearance of Middle Eastern decent in the post 9/11 era. Is "paranoia" becoming "payback"?

Yet once again I'm opening cans of dialogue I have no way of sharing in - headed home for the day.

Will be working some tomorrow - save some leftovers for me.

TMO: where are you seeing the left labeling everything a "hate crime?" I'm not seeing that. It seems you are pulling the left into extremes in your diatribes...something you usually attribute to me! You make good points regarding affirmative action and reverse discrimination. Until the playing field is equal...i can tolerate a little hand up to minorities.

44: just one more dumb thing he's said. Sad really.

@stink; food for thought...reverse discrimination still places whites at the center. It's still about them. I realize your point, I'm just drawing attention to the language that we use.

@stink - not the entire left, but there does seem to be a branch of it that does so, especially on universities. As I said, I didn't have any web articles handy - it was all in print. I looked up a few, but my internet connection died in the middle of the whole thing, so I'm going to hold off on re-looking them up for a later time. That was about 30-45 minutes of now wasted time that I don't feel like spending again. ;)

Besides, maybe by then I'll be in a better mood and able to maintain a calm demeanor. For whatever reason, my fuse was *really* short today. Actually, there is no reason that I know of for it to be short, it just is. *sigh* Maybe I'd better just go put on my Hannibal mask and retire to my padded cell for the night. XD

Good point memphis

Slacker Power comic continues...
link

TMO, are you going to sign my Kerry support pledge before you join the next league game?

I don't "support" politicians. XD

IMO, we pay lawyers to lie for us, and politicians and prostitutes to lie to us. %)

BTW, if there are any lawyers, politicians or prostitutes reading this, I'm only joking - honest. XD Please don't sue me.

TMO...i know the lefties you are talking about...the ones that went ape-sh%t during the late 60s and 70s giving money away for everything. They took the idea of caring about each other and twisted it into the state treating everyone like its dependents....too bad. They give liberalism a bad name. The bad name that the left still has. If you look at clinton, he was nothing like that (eliminated 350,000 federal jobs, grew the stock market, promoted NAFTA) the politics of the left have changed, yet lefties continue to carry the stigma of the cultural and welfare excesses of 70s liberals.

Moral: all you hippies need to shut the hell up! You're giving the left a bad name.

Damn bro - you nailed it.

LOL. I thought all the hippies bought Mercedes-Benz and had their stockbrokers on speed dial now. ;)

I grew up just after the Hippy and Disco eras, so I naturally detest both of them. I can't wait for the current fads to disappear again...

Nice flea :).

A timely read on african americans and equality by henry louis gates... Originally from the nytimes http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/092704J.shtml