Owner: Nick's Notes URL:http://www.nicksnotesblog.blogspot.com Join Date: Mon, 26 Feb 2007 18:20:11 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: The Political World, commentary, and other news, seen through the eyes of a Liberal New York Twentysomething Site statistics:Click here
Lunch With The Democrats 2007-03-14 21:10:00 From the bizzarro world of e-bay comes;Donkey Mac & Cheese, fresh from the 2004 Democratic National Convention in BostonTwo years ago, it was the favorite lunch of 49% of the country, today, it's favorite of 53%. Read more:Lunch
, Democrats
Rove's Last Stand? 2007-03-16 03:42:00 Newly revealed White House e-mails show President Bush's top political adviser, Karl Rove, and then-White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales were involved in discussions of a shakeup of U.S. attorneys before Gonzales became attorney general.Well this certainly doesn't paint a pretty picture for Gonzales, but it's interesting to see Karl Rove's name implicated in this. Although, he's probably implicated in every White House scandal we'll see from this administration.What's also interesting is WHEN all this occurred...January 9, 2005, when President Bush was riding high after his reelection, the Republicans had what they thought was a tight hold on both houses of Congress, and Karl Rove was the Reigning Emperor of American Politics. Rove discussed the firing of all 93 federal prosecutors at the time, which after Bush's reelection would've only created a whimper of protest. (See that's the time to do it, not the week after your party looses Congress.)More on Rove;The Justice Departm Read more:Stand
, Last Stand
Third Senator Wants Gonzales Gone 2007-03-16 00:41:00 Senator Mark Pryor (D-Arkansas) called for Gonzales
' resignation or firing today;"When an attorney general lies to a United States senator, I think it is time for that attorney general to go. He did not only lie to me as a person, but when he lied to me, he lied to the Senate and to the people I represent."Pryor joins Senators Chuck Schumer (D-New York) and John Sununu (R-New Hampshire) in calling for Gonzales to leave his post.In other Pryor news today; he sided with the Republicans on the Iraq bill, along with Ben Nelson (D-Nebraska) and Joe Lieberman (I don't even know anymore-Connecticut) Read more:Senator
Then What Would YOU Call It? 2007-03-15 23:10:00 If it's not a civil war, then what is it? What synonomous phrase invented to make the people feel better are we calling it now? Secretarian Strife? Insurgency? Gang War? A Bump In The Road? What?What does dictionary.com say?civil war–nouna war between political factions or regions within the same country.The war in Iraq has been characterized by fighting between the majority ShiiteMuslim sect and the minority Sunni MuslimsYep, pretty much sounds like a civil war...or is it just those damn liberal defeatests over at dictionary.com
Another Idiot President? 2007-03-15 19:08:00 Most likely...cause now this race will be over in February all thanks to California.And how does a candidate bring his or her message to California? Not by sounding great or giving great speeches, no, with money...money, money, money, cause that's what rules California.And who has the money? The future idiot President
s do.Thanks California, for taking away our choices.
Is He Really Guilty Of Everything? 2007-03-15 18:55:00 Or is he the fall guy.That's not to say I don't think he's guilty of being involved in all of Al-Qaeda's dastardly deeds, but is he really the #1 head honcho on everything, is he, after four years behind bars, just confessing to everything because there's nothing else for him anyway. I would believe he was the mastermind behind 9/11, I would even believe he killed Daniel Pearl, but I'm skeptical of his confession of being the mastermind behind everything the terrorists have done for the past 20 years.Just saying is all. Read more:Guilty
, Everything
Unlikely Opposition 2007-03-17 15:21:00 There's an anti-war protest commencing in Washington today, but it's not by who you'd think. No Birkenstock hippies, no alternative artists, no "pussy liberals," just Christians...pious, loyal Christians...the core of the modern Republican Party.Hardcore Christians have always been strong supporters of the war, and of most of President Bush's policies, but like the rest of the country, even this demographic is turning against his war.Good Christian people can see the immorality of this war. This is not a war of defense, nor is it a war to save people. It is no longer a war in anyone's interest. It is an aggravation to peace. It is pointless, there is no true victory here.Perhaps these pious Christians, speaking the word of God (or what they think is the word of God anyway,) will finally get to the President.Unfortunately he's not in Washington to listen to their voice...he ran to Camp David. Read more:Opposition
Valerie Plame Wilson: A Victim 2007-03-17 06:00:00 She felt like she was hit in the gutShe claims her name was carelessly and recklessly abused by the administrationShe was in fact a victim.ValeriePlameWilson
was a loyal American who risked her life in service as part of the CIA. She was an American spy. Today, she appeared for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to warn Congress on exactly how dangerous and two-faced this administration is. So dangerous they would throw any American to the wolves who disagrees with them...or is close to anyone to disagrees with them.Today's testimony from Plame Wilson was heartwrenching. Here's a woman who had one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, and she wasn't doing it for the fame, for the glory, but for her country. She was a loving wife, mother of two young children and because her husband dared speak to power, she, a wife and mother, was thrown to the wolves.This case will always to be me the textbook reason this administration has been a disgrace. If this is how t Read more:Valerie Plame
They Should Call It "Too Overrated" 2007-03-17 04:56:00 An Anna Nicole Smith movie? Oh, fabulous, just what they need to make. How interesting is that going to be. Blonde chick from Texas takes off her top, marries a senile old man, sues his family, dies at 39. I feel like there are pornos that have the same storyline.What does interest me is who is going to play Anna Nicole, they make hire two actresses to play her at two different ages (or weights)I wonder what desperate women would want that?
Colleges Screwing Students On Loans 2007-03-16 21:13:00 In his first major investigation as Attorney General of New York, Andrew Cuomo says he's discovered something shocking; Colleges are getting kickbacks and benefits from six loan providers his office is investigating.“There is an unholy alliance between banks and institutions of higher education that may often not be in the students’ best interest,” Cuomo said. “The financial arrangements between lenders and these schools are filled with the potential for conflicts of interest. In some cases they may break the law.”Cuomo has sent out warnings to hundreds of colleges, including every school in New York State (which would include my old school,) to end the practices. He says some of the schools he is investigating are Ivy League.What did Cuomo find?They discovered that many colleges have created questionable “preferred lender” lists and entered into financial arrangements with those lenders; because of this, students have been denied their choice of lender, or faced difficu Read more:Loans
Detached From Reality 2007-03-16 20:40:00 Good News for Democrats: George W. Bush is going to be the one to rebuilt the Republican Party. Yep, the hero of about 25% of the country is going to rebuilt the Republican majority. With people this oblivious running the GOP, Democrats should have little to worry about.Republicans can live on the idea that our find President is optimistic;"I'm optimistic about this country. You've got to know something about your president: I am some kind of optimistic about where we're headed,"Yep, because his optimisim has REALLY helped them already. "Ours is an optimistic agenda and ours is a realistic agenda. And by pushing good ideas and standing strong for what's right, I believe that we can retake the Senate and the House and hold the White House in 2008,"You keep telling yourself that...and when all else fails, do what Republicans have been doing for the past decade...appeal to ignorance. Don't forget to remind them how terrorists and gays will kill them...then you'll get your majority b
If Not Marriage, Then... 2007-03-19 01:28:00 The defense that the opposition to gay marriage brings to the table is tradition; that calling same-sex marriage by the name marriage would deter from thousands of years of tradition and cause an earthshaking effect on culture and society.So what if we, for now, don't call it marriage, what if we ease same-sex partnership rights into the public eye little by little until it become obvious that denying them the term marriage is stupidity.Society can't change overnight, it takes time, it has to progress. Democracy didn't come over the course of one afternoon. It stems from the Ancient Greeks and was only perfected by the Americans thousands of years later. Capital Punishment was first banned for a short time in China in the 8th century, but it took until the 19th century to see large jurisdictions end executions.Gay marriage is a relatively new issue, gaining prominence within the last ten years. (At least since the Defense of Marriage Act.) Supporters of gay marriage claim its oppone
Music Memory Jar: March 18, 2000 2007-03-18 16:01:00 After a controversial defeat in the South Carolina primary, the bloodied Arizona Senator John McCain drops out of the Race for the GOP nomination for President, effectively handing the nomination to Texas Governor George W. Bush (*sigh*)The NASDAQ reaches an all-time high of 5,048, before plummenting over the course of the next two years. A 16 year-old from New York, trying to find his place in the chaotic social world of high school, finally finds it on the dancefloors of NYC nightclubs; bustin' moves to song like "It Feels So Good" by Sonique. Read more:Music
, Memory
, March
, Music Memory
, Music Memory Jar
The Snows Of JFK 2007-03-18 15:03:00 I live a mere three miles from the runways of Kennedy Airport in New York. From my bedroom window, looking south, I can see planes landing. When fog and rain come in off the ocean, these landing planes are rerouted about 750 feet over my house.Twice this winter I have live through snow/sleet storms that have only caused minor disruptions in my life, but only 20,000 feet away, have caused mass chaos.I've never had the opportunity of flying out of New York in the winter, more or less in a snowstorm. I have only traveled by air between April and October. Even so, I am shocked that at an airport we thought had perfected a snow emergency, (I have lived through more snowstorms that I'd like to remember while being so close to JFK) people could be stuck on planes on the runway for 9 hours TWICE in one winter.It seems the problems have to do with lack of open gates at the terminals. Has anyone thought of figuring out a way to deplane passengers in another part of the airport when this occurs
Happy Saint Patrick's Day 2007-03-18 02:13:00 I hate St. Patrick
's Day...I find the day offensive.It is a religious feastday, celebrating the patron saint of Ireland. In the United States and around the world, it has become a day to celebrate Irish culture, but how is it celebrated? What is it known for? Drinking.I'm not a big drinker to begin with, but I find it offensive Irish culture is celebrated with a bad Irish stereotype...getting drunk. It's like celebrating African-American culture by mugging people in the streets or celebrating the Lunar New Year by holding a math league.Nevertheless, to those who celebrate an authentic St. Patrick's Day, with Irish food and Irish blessings (I'm also not a big fan of corn beef and cabbage,) I wish all of you a Happy
St. Patrick's Day. Read more:Saint
, Happy Saint Patrick
Trump: Bush Worst Ever 2007-03-18 01:39:00 I decided not to say what CNN's been using as a headline, you know; you're fired...but anywayThe Donald met with Wolf Blitzer this week and declared his contempt for the Bush administration on CNN."I don't know if they're bad people. I don't know what's going on. I just know they got us into a mess, the likes of which this country has probably never seen, It's one of the great catastrophes of all time."Trump
also took shots at John Kerry;"I'm so upset that he blew it. I think that Bush is probably the worst president in the history of the United States, and I just don't understand how they couldhave lost that election."Trump told Blitzer the situation in Iraq is hopeless. It is a civil war that will get worse no matter when we pull out, so we're better off doing it now, declaring victory and dealing with the consequences the best we can.Trump made no endorsement for President in 2008 (He also said he wasn't a candidate.) He did say he had positive feelings for both frontrunn
For Long Years: Loose The Battle, But Not The War 2007-03-20 03:03:00 I keep hearing that the war in Iraq is only a small sliver of the so called larger War on Terrorism (which, because of the lack of time, I will refer to whatever it is we are doing to eradicate Al-Qaeda), yet a loss in Iraq would mean victory for the terrorists. Well, if Iraq is only a small subsection of the War on Terrorism, then isn't the war in Iraq just a battle in the War on Terrorism?In wars, there are battles...and, to my knowledge, the United States has never gone undefeated in battle in wars. We've always lost a battle or two in a war we later won. The case is also true elsewhere.Take Dunkirk...when the British retreated from the European mainland at Dunkirk, did that end the Second World War? Were the Nazis victorious then? No. They had a small moment of victory, but later lost the war. It is theorized that had the British stayed in Dunkirk and fought the full force of the Germans, they would've been decimated, leaving the home island vulnerable to the inevitable German a Read more:Years
, Loose
, Battle
Four Long Years: The Cost 2007-03-20 02:42:00 CNN posted on their website some figures from the Iraq war;For the United States:3,220 Killed (2,611 in combat, 609 in non-hostile)24,042 wounded in actionAs of February 7;by branch of military;2,113 killed, 15,129 wounded from the US Army68 killed, 522 wounded from the US Navy879 killed, 7,205 wounded from the US Marines31 killed, 264 wounded from the US Air Froce1 killed from the Coast GuardFatalities by race;2,298 Whites332 Hispanics299 African-American56 Asianby age;932 of those killed were under the age of 22 (that's a pluarity)732 killed between the ages of 22-24745 killed between the ages of 25-30316 killed between the ages of 31-35366 killed were over te age of 35by gender;3.024 males67 females Read more:Years
Four Long Years: The Public's Realization Of A Mistake 2007-03-20 00:21:00 It shouldn't be surprising the Iraq war was so popular four years ago when bombs started falling on Baghdad. It shouldn't be surprising that we were easily duped by a White House hell bent on building a castle in the sky. It shouldn't be surprising that we overlooked a rush into war that was disorganized and cockeyed. We were angry.I had always said the only reason we got into Iraq was because we were still angry. All of us, me included. Anger boils the blood as it closes the mind. It makes us vulnerable to coercion. We were attacked, we were angry. All we wanted to see was somebody be punished and since we couldn't drag Osama Bin Laden through the streets of Manhattan in a perp walk, blowing up Baghdad will have to do. Since bombs go off among the minarets of mosques will do us fine, so President Bush didn't have to work hard to convince us Saddam Hussein was a real threat...and so he didn't.Now our anger is back...this time pointed toward the man who took advantage of his own p Read more:Years
, Public
, Mistake
Four Long Years: A Dose Of Truth 2007-03-19 18:59:00 Remember this guy? That's Tariq Aziz, Iraq's former foreign minister and a right hand man of Saddam Hussein up until the fall of the regime in 2003. Typical Muslim terrorist! Right? ACTUALLY, Tariq Aziz isn't a Muslim fundamentalist terrorist, he's not even Muslim. Aziz is a Chaldean Catholic, an Arab offshort of the Roman Catholic Church. Yes, Aziz, one of the Saddam Hussein most trusted friends and one of America's worst enemies prays in a church, believes Jesus is the son of God, celebrates Christmas and Easter, and probably had a statue of the Virgin Mary in his palace. More proof that our war against Islamic fundamentalism was misplaced. Had Saddam been an Islamic fundamentalist, Christians like Aziz would not be allowed to even live freely to say nothing about becoming one of the most senior members of the Iraqi government. Just a dose of the truth. Read more:Years
, Truth
Bush To Congress; I Don't Have To Listen To You 2007-03-21 04:47:00 You can't blame George Bush...he's not used to having Congress
checking his power. He used to be treated like a dictator...whatever he wants, he gets. This is all new to him.You know he's hit rock bottom when his only defense against the Democrats in Congress calling his staff to testify at the hill is that they are trying to gain political points, that it is a partisan hit job. Essentially he's stating; "The Democrats are using the fact that I am immensely unpopular for their own gain."Still, Congress has the authority to investigate what they may believe to be illegal or unethical events in the Executive Branch. They use that authority to their discretion with the knowledge that if it is abused, it will cause a change to who controls the Legislative Branch. The Republicans did not use that power at all, which in part is the reason they're the minority party right now. If the Democrats abuse the power, they may go the way of the Republicans.This is not, however, an abuse of power Read more:Listen
From The Good People of Connecticut... 2007-03-21 03:53:00 I know it's probably fake, but it's something you wouldn't be surprised to see in the state of Connecticut
, especially if you're crossing out of Massachusetts.Still, it's quite a burden for the people of Connecticut to bear...not to mention being the home state of Laura Ingraham, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, and Ann Coulter. (Well Coulter was born in New York, so we'll take the blame for that.)I mean geez...We should be apologizing to Connecticut. You know what? You're forgiven. Besides, Connecticut is home to the closest Dairy Queen to my house...it's amazing what one Brownie Earthquake will forgive. Read more:Good People
Smart 2007-03-20 20:46:00 I think the Apple/Clinton Ad is smart, whoever put it out. The point it makes to me is "There is more to the Democratic Party than Hillary Clinton."There is much more. Read more:Smart
Not Everyone In Utah... 2007-03-20 16:37:00 President Bush won 71% of the vote in Utah on 2004...one vote he didn't get was that of Rocky Anderson, the Mayor of Salt Lake City.A Democrat, Anderson is calling for the impeachment of the President.Despite his utter unpopularity nationwide, Utah is one of the few states (Idaho and Wyoming being the other,) where Bush's approval rating has never been lower than his disapproval. In Salt Lake City, however, Bush is not necessarily all that popular. His popularity exists mainly only in the Salt Lake City suburbs and in rural Utah, (which make up the vast majority of the state's population.)Still, Dubya can't be too please when a prominent Utah politician calls for his impeachment.
CO-Sen: McInnis Out, Dems Sittin' Pretty 2007-03-22 05:41:00 Former Congressman Scott McInnis is dropping out of the Colorado Senate Race next year. McInnis' exit from the race is a huge blow to the GOP's chances of holding the seat being vacated by Wayne Allard.Colorado Republicans are looking toward former Congressman Bob Schaeffer, who took Allard's House seat when he was elected to the Senate in 1996, or Attorney General John Suthers, who replaced former Democratic AG Ken Salazar, currently Colorado's other Senator.McInnis, a moderate who represented the state's largest Congressional District, the 3rd district (currently held by Democrat John Salazar, Ken's brother) was considered the most electable Republican statewide. Democrats have been on an uptick in the state since 2004, when Democrat Ken Salazar won the US Senate seat, and John won McInnis' House seat, the party captured the state legislature and John Kerry received a rather surprising 47% of the vote in the state. Last year, Democrat Bill Ritter handily defeated Republican Bo Read more:Pretty
Long Island Village Elections 2007-03-22 04:16:00 Patti Ann McDonald was elected Mayor of the village of Malverne on Long Island
yesterday. She is wife of Steven McDonald, the former New York City Police Officer who was shot and paralyzed in 1986 in Central Park and subsequently became a non-violence activist. She defeated incumbent mayor Anthony Panzarella by a wide margin in Tuesday's local elections.It's the third Tuesday in March in an odd year...so that means it's village election time on Long Island
. This year's headline is McDonald's victory. Not much happened elsewhere, but nevertheless, for those who are interested, here are some of the results;-David Nyce was elected Mayor of Greenport on the east end-Bellerose mayor Donna Sherrer was reelected-In Stewart Manor, voters approved funding to renovate the town's community pool, the oldest on Long Island-Attorney Brian Curran will be the new Mayor of Lynbrook-Edward Cahill will continue to be Mayor of Valley Stream-Mineola Mayor Jack Martins was reelected, despite public op Read more:Village
, Elections
Happy Spring! 2007-03-22 02:19:00 It has just occured to me that today was the first full day of Spring
. You really couldn't tell as it was 35 degrees and there's snow on the ground here in Queens, New York.Nevertheless, tomorrow's highs are expected to reach into the low 60's and there's only 10 days left until April, so perhaps it is time to catch Spring Fever. It's only a matter of time before the cherry tree across the street in the neighbor's yard looks like this one.HAPPY SPRING! Read more:Happy
, Happy Spring
If They Have Nothing To Hide…Call Congress’ Bluff 2007-03-22 01:42:00 The White House is obviously up against a wall, and they have two options; fight back mercilessly or slide down the wall and make passionate love with the Democrats. For the sake of their hawkish, fascist base, they're going to do the former. They are defending themselves by saying that despite the fact THEY are being investigated for unethical practices, the investigation should be on their terms. Is that how we do things? When police suspect a person has broken the law, do the cops investigate on their suspects' terms? No. So why shouldn't Congress
reject investigating on the President terms?Congress is an equal branch of government for this very reason, so that the other branches do not abuse their power. What was done here by the Executive Branch, in firing federal prosecutors for political reasons, is a blatant abuse of power.It is obvious the White House has something to hide here, because if they didn't, they wouldn't be fighting the Democrats so hard to have them do this t Read more:Nothing
Democrats Call Bush's Bluff 2007-03-21 22:01:00 Democrats in the House of Representatives called the President's Bluff, using their Constitutional Power to show the dictator-wannabe that they are in fact an EQUAL branch of government.The Judiciary Subcommitte approved the issuing of subpoenas. Now it is up the full Judiciary Committee to issue the subpoenas that will force Karl Rove and Harriet Miers, among others, to appear before the committe and testify UNDER OATH.Meanwhile, the Senate has repealed the subsection of the PATRIOT Act they seemed the have missed; the part that allowed the Executive Branch to circumvent them and replace US Attorneys without Senate confirmation. It is pretty clear that if that stipulation did not exist, this whole firing scandal never would've happened.The vote was 94-2 with two Republican dissenting; Senator Kit Bond (R-Missouri) and Senator Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska). I'd like to know what Hagel was thinking. Read more:Democrats
Et Tu. New York? 2007-03-21 21:40:00 The New York
State Senate overwhelmingly approved moving the New York Presidential Primary to February 5th. New York follows California in moving its primary up. Florida and New Jersey are also expected to move their primaries up. The vote in the Republican-controlled State Senate was nearly unanimous, with only one Senator voting no; Ruth Hassell-Thompson (D-Bronx) who explained her reasoning as "the winter months are just more difficult to get voters out."The rationale for moving the primary up is to provide New Yorkers with an early choice in race, as the nominee may already be pretty much decided by the time New York votes, but I don't think New Yorkers really have a choice at all. The frontrunners on both sides are New Yorkers and pretty much have a lock on their home state, so what difference does it make if New York moves the primary up or not. Essentially what New York is doing is handing Hillary and Rudy the nominations as an early win in their home state will help them great
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