Not that polls are all that meaningful a year out from the election, but the latest Rasmussen poll shows Sen. Maria Cantwell leading insurance industry flak Mike McGavick, 52% to 37%… for the second month in a row. While the head to head numbers haven’t changed, Cantwell’s favorable rating has climbed to a respectable 60%.
Cantwell has long been considered one of the most vulnerable Democratic senate incumbents in 2006, but these numbers suggest she’s nowhere near as weak as Republicans had hoped. It’s interesting to note that Sen. Patty Murray had also been considered vulnerable heading into the 2004 campaign season, but led George Nethercutt by a similar 52% to 37% margin as early as June of 2003. Murray went on to win by over 12 points.
The GOP had counted on an unpopular Cantwell being an easy target, but now it seems clear that McGavick is not only going to have to sell himself to WA voters, he’s going to have to make a strong case for tossing out Cantwell as well. And with Bush’s approval ratings in the toilet, and the GOP leadership not far behind, it’s gonna be pretty tough making the argument that we need to give the president one more Republican vote in the Senate.
Perhaps this partially explains why his fellow Republicans aren’t lining up to challenge McGavick for the nomination?
Check out tech central station. They have a very nice story about how lame Maria is. She will win because the voters of this state will vote for anything with a D following it.
Her latest rantings at the oil companies is just a publicity stunt. If she really objected to obscene profits, she would have donated her windfall profits from the tech bubble to charity, rather than using to buy herself a Senate seat.
But, the newspapers in this town don’t care, and couldn’t do a decent investigative journalism piece for their life.
Given the current state of the GOP, voting for anything with a D following it is the only sensible option.
“Her latest rantings at the oil companies is just a publicity stunt.”
No, sweetcheeks. THIS is a publicity stunt: http://www.clifburns.us/photos.....t_suit.jpg
“Cantwell has opposed such supply-boosting policies in the United States, lately blocking measures that would have benefited her own state while increasing tanker traffic in Puget Sound.”
Well its obvious the author of that article doesn’t know shit about Puget Sound, or oil tankers, or about how important Puget Sound is environmentally speaking. Sorta like Prince William Sound benefitted form supply-boosting policies, right? I’d like the salmon with Quaker-State please…
“If she really objected to obscene profits, she would have donated her windfall profits from the tech bubble to charity, rather than using to buy herself a Senate seat.”
Roger Rabbit is gonna donate the obscene profits from his oil stocks to bunny food! :D :D :D
Reading Yahoo news concerning Seattle being the most literate city in the US the odds of the rightwingwackos candidate threatening Cantwell is slim and none, and none left town already.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20.....eustourism;
_ylt=AgwqGqc3Upy3VLNmcaL4rrWs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3ODdxdHBhBHNlYwM5NjQ-
Cantvotewell has a 60% favorable rating????
And no one can explain WHY!!
Do these Repubs. think that an insurance x-ec. is going to be popular with the voters? What idiots!
Cougear–
Literate has nothing to do with common sense…
Have you ever heard the term “Educated Idiot”???
Seattle is loaded with these New Age Progressive Pinheads…..stuck in traffic up to their asses every day!
DAY 27—Vigil awaiting Traffic Congestion Relief due to Massive GasTax Increase
Traffic still sucks!
Did anyone hear Hitlery shout down the war protesters during her speech. Why are you liberal so against freedom of speech?
Oh, my, Janet. The force of your intellectual acuity is eerie! I quake in abject awe and submit to your rhetorical thunderbolts! Let’s review, shall we?
She will win because the voters of this state will vote for anything with a D following it.
Janet! Janet! Janet! The all powerful truth of this is blindingly clear. Now tell me why the voters in the 4th Cong. District have yet to catch on to this? And of course your unwavering support for the democratic ideal shines through with a laser like beam of ice-cicle clear clarity! The power and grasp of your mind is well neigh limitless!
If she really objected to obscene profits, she would have donated her windfall profits from the tech bubble to charity, rather than using to buy herself a Senate seat.
Yes, yes, it is so obvious! Libruls are such hypocrites! Why I am one myself–I shoulda’ known! So perhaps you can explain to me why the rich really do not believe the meek shall inherit the earth and insist that you really can take it with you? Turn your razor sharp intelligence on this paradox and cut the gordian knot! Janet, I know you can do! You go!
Justify the concept of “wealthy Christian”. Quotations from scripture are mandatory, but the time limit is generous.
The shimmering reflection of your penetrating Randian (oops, she was an atheist, but no matter) analysis cannot help but sweep the field of intellectual debris! You will be triumphant, Janet! My idol!
Take it from here, Janet!
Quiz: What’s the difference between a Maria Cantwell publicity stunt and a George W. Bush publicity stunt?
Answer: Estimates vary, but at least $1 million in direct costs to taxpayers, not counting paid time for the ship’s crew.
Hillary purposely shut out protester to her health care program rally back in 93. And you donks complain about Bush screening people who attend his rallies. Of course what do expect from a bunch of hypocrites.
@7
“Cantvotewell has a 60% favorable rating????
And no one can explain WHY!!”
Gee, Cynical, let me take a run at it.
War
Deficits
Cronyism
Corruption
Indictments
Investigations
Inflation
Katrina
Job Losses
Health Care
Social Security
Immigration
Environment
et al.
To summarize, what HASN’T the GOP fucked up yet?
Roger Rabbit has posted 31.25% of the comments on this thread. If you don’t like it, fuck you!
13
It is 1 million well spent. It was done for our fighting men and women. A little recognition from their commander and chief whom they respect for a change I might add.
Any state that would elect and re-elect No Rocket Scientist Murray is certifably loony. Cantwell is in no danger.
Why is she so popular? Look at gas prices. The highest I ever paid was $3.03/gal. Today I paid $2.19. In between 3.03 and 2.19 Senator Cantwell called those greedy assholes who run oil companies to the hill and apparently scared the shit out of them. By gawd, once they saw what she could do to them, gas prices plummeted and continue to do so. The fact that she has no understanding of commodity markets be damned. Just her raw political power was enough to change the laws of economics.
Think this is bullshit? Watch the moonbats agree with me…
Hey, Proud, I wasn’t talking about the “rich”. I was talking about Maria. If she really thinks that business can’t make a profit, then she should be consistent and not make a profit herself. Ranting on TV about oil companies is just a ploy to get in the news. It is pointless, and won’t accomplish anything. Except for the media exposure.
But no one cares. Tell me again, what exactly has Maria accomplished during her term? What legislation has her name on it? What leadership has she shown?
At least Patty can brag that she saved the sculpture park!
17 – Rufus — how do you feel about spending $1 million of tax money on health care for poor children? Is that money well spent, too?
Hey Kiddies! It’s time for Roger Rabbit’s Weekly Poll.*
Mark the Redneck lives in a liberal state where he’s desperately unhappy because
A. of the money
B. he’s loony
* RR’s Weekly Poll is not necessarily conducted weekly. It’s conducted at intermittent intervals as circumstances necessitate.
18
“Senator Cantwell called those greedy assholes who run oil companies to the hill and apparently scared the shit out of them. By gawd, once they saw what she could do to them, gas prices plummeted and continue to do so.”
Hey MTR, I need your professional advice — does this mean it’s time to sell my oil stocks and take profits?
19
“Tell me again, what exactly has Maria accomplished during her term? … What leadership has she shown?”
She didn’t steal $2.8 million from the taxpayers.
I only mentioned that because of how difficult it’s getting to find a Republican who ISN’T stealing from the taxpayers.
Hmmmm … she didn’t pay herself a salary of $10 million a year while losing money for her shareholders.
Like Mike McGavick did.
Roger Rabbit has posted 51.8% of the comments on this thread. If you don’t like it, write your complaint here [ ] and send it here ___.
17 – Rufus – how do you feel about spending $1 million of tax money on health care for poor children? Is that money well spent, too?
Comment by Roger Rabbit— 12/5/05 @ 9:48 pm
It depends on who is handling the money. Somehow a lot of the money earmarked for the “kiddies” always seems to end up in the coffers of Air America to keep them afloat.
Rabbit – I’m sure you understand the difference between investing and gambling. Which are you?
We were talking about “term limits” in a previous thread. One of the arguments against legislating term limits is that voters can impose “term limits” by voting unsatisfactory pols out of office. This is the “accountability” that Republicans talk about so much, and practice so little of. Doc Hastings is a prime example of a congressman who should be “term limited” by his constituents. The 4th District voters need to have an “accountability moment” with their see-no-evil, hear-no-evil congressman, who fiddled while D.C. burned. Re-electing this ethically challenged armadillo turd would bolster the argument in favor of a term limits amendment on the grounds that voter accountability doesn’t work.
28
Oh my God, Rufus really IS as stupid as he looks!
McGavick? Isn’t he the guy who can escape from anything with a loose screw and a used condom?
By the way, Doofus, that was a real cowardly way of saying you’re against spending taxes on health care for poor kids.
29
Gambling.
29 (continued)
Hey Mark, when you buy and sell commodities, which are you? Gambling or investing? (Hint: Investing produces something, and you don’t produce anything.)
The only time you “invest” by buying stocks is when you buy an IPO. Trading existing shares on stock exchanges doesn’t put any capital in the company’s hands.
The democrats pick pocket little kids and when Joe taxpayer finally gets fed up he is called greedy. Leave it a donk. Hehehehe. Ah it is comical though the hear them rant.
I suppose you could make an argument that you’re “investing” if the stock pays a dividend, but who pays dividends anymore?
It depends on who is handling the money.
Like the Guam Republican Evan Cohen.
Sorry.
Rufus and I are having an interesting conversation tonight. It goes like this:
Rabbit: “Rufus – how do you feel about spending $1 million of tax money on health care for poor children?”
Rufus: “It depends on who is handling the money. Somehow a lot of the money earmarked for the ‘kiddies’ always seems to end up in the coffers of Air America to keep them afloat.”
Rabbit: “Doofus, that was a real cowardly way of saying you’re against spending taxes on health care for poor kids.”
Rufus: “The democrats pick pocket little kids and when Joe taxpayer finally gets fed up he is called greedy. Leave it a donk. Hehehehe. Ah it is comical though the hear them rant.”
It’s amazing how fast he got from Point A to Point Z, with nothing in between.
“Rufus – how do you feel about spending $1 million of tax money on health care for poor children? Is that money well spent, too?”
Great – no one has given a positive reason to vote for Maria. Just as I thought.
Hey, Roger, how is it in ego-ville? I really detest having to weed through the nonsense to get to the real posts. But, it gets the traffic numbers up, so no harm, no foul.
Well donks it has been fun. I have to go to sleep now. But remember I will be watching and will return… you know why
Because Santa Rufus is coming to town!
42
If
you
don’t
like
it
go
to
another
blog
.
@19
Oh! Janet! I fear some of the luster is rubbing off the glow from your scintillating intellect. The evasion “I was talking about Maria”, oh so disappointing. And you were writing, not talking, but who needs to get technical when basking in the glow of your indelible glibness.
Did Maria say oil companies were not entitled to make a profit? Show me the exact quote. Yes or no? Alas, I am now winging it like a rightwing loon, forgive me my slip to the rhetorical level of Sean Hannity.
I will make amends. I am searching the archives now for the towering legislative achievements of U.S. Senators such as Dan Evans, Slade Gordon, and Miles Poindexter, republicans all. Lord help me.
Doofus @ 43
Your mother lets you stay up til 10:30? No wonder you’re so groggy all the time!
I forgive the oil companies for gouging drivers! After all, I don’t need gas to get around (my two powerful hind feet with traction studs work fine), and because I’m a shareholder, they’re throwing some of their ill-gotten lucre my way! :D :D :D
Somehow I get the feeling that contributing to Roger Rabbit’s prosperity wasn’t part of Dick Cheney’s plan when he got together with his oil industry buddies in that secret Energy Task Force meeting. Well, you know what they say about the plans of men and mice …
Roger Rabbit has posted 59.67% of the comments in this thread — roughly equal to the percentage of the vote Maria Cantwell will get against Mike McGavick. You wonder what’s wrong with the other 40%. After all, this guy paid himself $10 million a year for losing money for his shareholders.
If it bothers you that Roger Rabbit has posted 64.4% of the comments on this thread, you should find something more constructive to do with your time and energy, like asking Stefan why he’s going to screw the generous contributors to his “legal action fund” out of their fair share of the proceeds of his lawsuit against Dean Logan and King County. After all, they paid for the lawsuit, so why should he keep all the money for himself?
Thats all the rabbit can get up is the numbers.like i told you rabbit you need to head to the bunny ranch.
I feel confident that Stefan will get something from his Public Disclosure Act lawsuit against Logan and KCE. I’m pretty sure that out of the 600,000-plus documents Logan gave Stefan access to, at least 1 took more than 5 days.
60
I’m still waiting for you to put the ticket to the bunny ranch in the mail.
By the way, speaking of ranches, how was your trip to Enumclaw?
Did you get kicked in the head by a horse while you were there?
Stefan is pissed off because Logan gave him a county room and a full-time county employee for only 4 weeks.
Or maybe it was 6 weeks. Yeah, I think it was 6 weeks.
Proud, to state the obvious, none of those guys are running for election. Not sure why you are hung up about guys who haven’t run for office in years.
Maria is all upset that the oil guys weren’t sworn in. It is all just an excuse to get her face on TV, and it is working. Tell me, does she actually have a point? She has talked about windfall profit taxes. I hate to be glib, but that means she doesn’t think they deserve their profits, because they are nasty little schemers who are taking advantage of the rest of world!
I have respect for Dems who stand behind their beliefs. Lieberman took a courageous stand vs. Adam S who now claims he was either duped, or didn’t bother to read the reports, or he just voted the way he was told. Heck, I even give Patty credit for saving the sculpture park. Quite a coup!
RABBIT
I HEARD THAT MRS RABBIT WAS LEAVING YOU BECAUSE SHE HAS FIGURED OUT WHAT MICRO SOFT IS.AND SHE KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT STOCKS
19
“Tell me again, what exactly has Maria accomplished during her term? What legislation has her name on it?”
Given that only Republicans are passing legislation in this Congress, it’s to Maria’s credit that none of the passed legislation has her name on it,* and she has consistently voted against the shit coming out of this Congress.
* Actually, this isn’t exactly accurate. Cantwell voted for the Iraq war resolution, but like 3 of the passes thrown by Philadelphia’s quarterback against the Seahawks tonight, she wishes she could run that play over again.
But, as we all know, only Republicans are entitled to do-overs.
67
Mrs. Rabbit will never leave me, because then she wouldn’t have anyone to hit with her frying pan.
By the way, in case any of you missed Monday Night Football, the Seahawks humiliated the Eagles, 42-0. All of the points were scored in the first half. The Hawks quit playing after half-time to spare the Phil fans further agony — just because our government tortures people doesn’t mean they have to do it, too. Seattle got 3 touchdowns on intercepted passes and 1 touchdown on a recovered fumble. Basically the way you play NFL football in Philadelphia is you stand around waiting for the other team to throw the ball to your receiver or drop it on the ground, then you walk into the end zone with it while they stand around watching you.
Maybe the Eagles thought this was a checkers game.
PHILADELPHIA
The city of brothley love and the other half are.
Rabbit your posts are torture.
Rog sez
“By the way, in case any of you missed Monday Night Football, the Seahawks humiliated the Eagles, 42-0. All of the points were scored in the first half.”
Actually Rog it was 35-0 at halftime. They scored in the 1st 15 seconds or so of the 2nd half and I shut it down.
They showed Paul Allen in his fur hat and fur collared coat proweling the sideline.
It appeared he was thinking about ways to further fuck the taxpayers of Washington (which disgusts me), KingCo (which is ok) and Seattle (which delights me to NO end!!).
He will make a few billion and be ALL POWERFUL once the Seattle Waterfront Beautification Project gets fully funded (aka Alaska Way Viaduct). Greg Nickels, Ron Sims & Gregoire will bring home the PORK to Paul!!!
You can tell how much this eats at the trolls here. All we heard for MONTHS was how this travesty of an election would be the downfall of Gregoire in November 2005, then Cantwell in 2006. The people of WA would rise! they all said.
Rossi meaningless except to the WAGOP, Gregoire moving up and exerting influence, Cantwell at cruise altitude.
Now is the winter of Chris Vance’s discontent!
Getting back to Janet’s original point, “Tell me again, what exactly has Maria accomplished during her term? What legislation has her name on it? What leadership has she shown?,” my point is that Janet misses the point.
Which is, what reason(s) do voters have to replace Cantwell with a Republican?
The vast majority of Americans are not wealthy or self-employed. Most Americans are employees or retirees. And they have a great deal to worry about. Economic statistics show that while America’s economy and total income have grown since 1970, virtually all of the gains have gone to the richest 2%, and American workers are either worse off or no better off than they were 35 years ago, even though many are working harder.
The outlook for younger workers is especially bleak — they can’t afford housing, they can’t afford health care, they can’t afford to save for retirement. The truth is, for many Americans, the American Dream is dying.
The Republicans have controlled Congress for over 10 years now, and have controlled the entire government for 4 years. In that time, what have they done to address the concerns of ordinary Americans? On such things as jobs, income, health care, retirement security? Virtually nothing.
Why should voters elect someone from the Party That Doesn’t Care? What REASON has the GOP given voters to replace Cantwell with someone who will vote for doing nothing about jobs, nothing about incomes, nothing about health care, nothing abut the collapse of America’s private retirement system?
Why should voters choose a candidate from a party that is embroiled in corruption and personifies waste, fraud, and abuse? Whose reckless deficits spending is dragging the country back into the inflation nightmare of the 1970s?
What does a twentysomething trying to get married, buy a house, and start a family on a $30,000 annual salary (with no benefits) think of all this?
What does a fiftysomething with no health insurance slapped with a $20,000 bill for an overnight stay in a hospital think of all this?
Voters capable of rational thought think it sucks. So, why would they vote for the party in power, whose leadership has made things worse?
Janet, you must think over 50% of Washington’s voters are as crazy as you are. They’re not.
Right-wing PIN-HEADs sayin’ “Maria’s a wimp! Maria’s a wimp!”
Well if Maria’s such a wimp, you PIN-HEADs, why isn’t macho-man Dino Rossi jumpin’ at the chance to beat her?
Did Chrissy kick his ass so brutally that he’s afraid to show his face now?
CynnicalIdiot @ 9 ‘educated idiot’ must be the given name your communal mother gave you. Actual, CynnicalIdiot fits you much better…….
75
I thought you guys support torture?
76
“Actually Rog it was 35-0 at halftime. They scored in the 1st 15 seconds or so of the 2nd half and I shut it down.”
A mere technicality, Cynical, but thanks anyway for the correction.
78
“Did Chrissy kick his ass so brutally that he’s afraid to show his face now?”
Yes.
RR @ 82
Thinking back, maybe it was 40% Chrissy kicking his ass, and 60% Dino kicking his own ass. While his foot was in his mouth!
Gotta admit, he’s a talented guy !!!
Small things we can be thankful for: Maria Cantwell is very unlikely to give up her Senate seat to be Bush’s Secretary of Defense.
@82
If that’s an example of a Democrat brutal ass kicking, ya’ll need to go get some more training at ass kicking. It was more like a fan jumped in from the sidelines and snuck the football into the end zone!
@82
While all the officials coughed loudly and looked the other way!
Dino has ZERO interest in becoming a Senator becaue he wants to stay in Washington State with his wife and FOUR kids.
Is that the four ‘legitimate’ kids? Everyone knows that neocons have out of wedlock children because they do not believe in ‘choice’.
Just think, this is a Rasmussen (Republican) poll. So in reality, Maria is probably further ahead than the poll shows. It’s great to watch the inbred republicans go down in flames. It’s going to be a great election overall. In fact, it’s going to be a great year! That cowardly traitor DeLay will go to jail where he can practice bending over for his new cellmate, The House and the Senate will gain Democratic members, MonkeyFace will be further humiliated as his lies about Iraq come home to bite the GOP on the ass!
A man who allowed his home to be used to store crack cocaine that was shipped by mail was sentenced to 14 years in prison, federal officials said. Michael Washington, 32, pleaded guilty last January to making his home available for the storage of crack cocaine /break/ Washington, who weighs 574 pounds, argued during sentencing that he was too obese and in too poor of health to be adequately cared for in prison, and requested home confinement. [Anoter Democrat “victim” for Cantwell!!!]
Why on earth would anyone in Washington State want to help *increase* the republican leadership in DC?
McGavick…taker of PAC money….claiming to be anti-special interest…is running for the wrong party at the wrong time.
thomas…
At least McGAvick is honest about where he gets his money, no lying about not taking outside money (remember at first she said she’d use her own money, then as that dried up, Emily’s list raised a boatload for her.
Vote for Maria for her work on ENRON’s stealing, her leadership on energy generally, for taking on Ted Stevens and for her voice on civil rights and the environment. Or just vote for her to win back the Senate from the GOP and take your pick on the issues that matter to Bill Frist and Senate President Dick Cheney.
McGavick is already toast. The smart money is on Cantwell. Washington is a blue state ad McGavick if burdened as a terribly weak and unpopular President’s hand-picked choice, the corruption of the GOP led Congress is shameful, and the perception that the GOP has put far too much Church into the government (church + scandal = hypocrisy). Congress is about to be changed on a morals charge.
Roger
needs
some
psychological
help.
“Actually Rog it was 35-0 at halftime. They scored in the 1st 15 seconds or so of the 2nd half and I shut it down.”
A mere technicality, Cynical, but thanks anyway for the correction.
Comment by Roger Rabbit— 12/6/05 @ 1:03 am
Rog—
What is it with you Democrats and getting the score right!!!
Roger Rabbit, since you are so against the gouging by oil companies, how do you feel about the company that is the ultimate in anti-gouging, Walmart?
Here’s a “new” idea I ran across on a Conservative blog. It’s really new, not worn and hackneyed, like “taking care of our own.” It’s great! Here’s the plan:
We give rich people even more money and they’ll invest it and some will Trickle down to us! Cutting edge, huh? Wait til you hear how bogus wars goose the economy!
I just love the shit the wretched filth that is running this “war” are doing in the name of the United States of America…
(from the Washington Post via Prof. Eric Alterman’s “Altercation”)
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10281222/#051205
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
In case you missed the details of where Iraq has taken us as a nation, this is from Sunday’s Washington Post, here:
Members of the Rendition Group follow a simple but standard procedure: Dressed head to toe in black, including masks, they blindfold and cut the clothes off their new captives, then administer an enema and sleeping drugs. They outfit detainees in a diaper and jumpsuit for what can be a day-long trip. Their destinations: either a detention facility operated by cooperative countries in the Middle East and Central Asia, including Afghanistan, or one of the CIA’s own covert prisons — referred to in classified documents as “black sites,” which at various times have been operated in eight countries, including several in Eastern Europe…”
Quote of the Day:
Masri [a German citizen wrongfully imprisoned and tortured by the CIA], can find few words to explain his ordeal. “I have very bad feelings” about the United States, he said. “I think it’s just like in the Arab countries: arresting people, treating them inhumanly and less than that, and with no rights and no laws.”
Are you libs starting to cringe every time Howie Dean starts feeling neglected and goes out looking for a little attention?
Janet S @ 67
“Maria is all upset that the oil guys weren’t sworn in.”
Yes, because since we know they’re going to lie, lying under oath is worse that merely l;ying to COngress. It seems that lying to Congress is not longer a bad thing. Just ask Scalito.
“It is all just an excuse to get her face on TV”
While I realize that the Democrats are giving her some high-profile tasks to help her re-election, this issue is not about that. No matter who is pursuing the issue, the FACT is that those execs lied about their contacts with the Cheney task force.
“She has talked about windfall profit taxes.”
I think it is pretty clear that energy markets were purposely manipulated in 2001 with the administration standing by with their thumbs up their respective asses watching their constituents get raped.
the polls also said that kerry would win…funny that didn’t seem to happen.
Personally, I don’t see any difference between Cantwell and McGavick. I will not vote for Cantwell because she does not represent my values. She is pro-war and anti-working class. She voted for Iraq, and has been evasive about her position since. (her web site does not give her position now.) She voted for the so-called “Patriot Act”, infringing upon the rights and freedoms of every American. She voted for NAFTA and CAFTA. She voted to confirm both Rice and Negraponte. She voted for the Bush Energy Bill, negating her previous credibility on environmental issues. She voted for Credit Card Company Protection Act. I can think of no one more ill suited to be my Senator. Mark wilson will get my write in vote.
@101
Assuming that the article is true, do you really believe that the CIA just discovered these tactics and techniques? I don’t think so. They weren’t little innocent angels during the cold war or under any Democrat President either. They have been doing this stuff for years……. The NSA don’t sit in their offices and play video games, they are covert. And the FBI does spy on American citizens all the time, they always have, it isn’t just Bush/Cheney doctrine gone crazy.
Mrs Rabbit – Just a thought… do you suppose it might be a good idea to have his meds checked? Something not right…
So this high profile, very public…seemingly random and indiscriminate abduction and torture of sometimes innocent civilians (or even enemy combatants) is:
a) OK(?!) with you?
b) Not a big deal because Bush/Cheney didn’t start it?
c) Necessary because a population inured to brutality will only respond to brutality?
d) OK because even though torture as an information gathering tool is considered ineffective…the psychological effect on the subject population is desired to “keep them in line”
e) Not only immoral and against any sort of international convention, but highly ineffective as a means of controlling a population used to centuries of intermittent brutalization…and in fact leads to creation of more and more fanatical opposition due to the seemingly random and irrational capture, confinement, torture and death of individuals known in the community as neutrals or even coalition sympathizers?
f) Dangerous only because the door opens for similar treatment of western captives?
g) They’re fuckin’ ragheads. Who cares.
Jax
I actually don’t approve of torture, but my definition of torture is probably different than yours. I didn’t like Iran/Contra or any number of other crazy things that our government has done in the past. My point is simply this stuff has been going on forever, and as far as uncovering it, the press hasn’t barely touched the tip of the iceberg. It has happened in all administrations. When you are above the law, who checks you?
Absolute power corrupts.
Absolutely.
The point to me is that this bunch has becoome a law unto themselves. Answering to no one. No longer accountable to the folks who “hired” them.
I was in the first Gulf war and I had contact with Iraqi prisoners of war. They were evacuated to the rear and they were in Log Base Echo where I was, then they were moved and I saw hundreds of them in a holding area on the side of a road. They were tired, scared and hungry. When my LT and I drove by them, they smiled and waved, while they passed around food and water among themselves.
Why would anyone on this blog vote for Cantwell? She is more Republican than Democrat. She is a pro-war hawk. She voted for the “Patriot Act”. She voted for NAFTA and CAFTA. She voted to confirm both Rice and Negroponte. She voted for the Bush Energy Bill and the Credit Card Company Protection Act. While the war raged in Iraq, she introduced legislation for more “accurate” Mpg ratings on new cars. She shouldn’t have a chance of winning re-election. Dump Cantwell in ’06. Vote for Mark Wilson instead.
Tell me more about the bonus program for Mc Gavick at Safco??
I presume the low end help there earn 12-14 per hour?
Horrible spread. Very goood underground slogan, thanks Rab. But you do post a lot, too much caffine perhaps.
President of Costco – now a giant, number 4 retailer is USA, based in Kirkland, pays himself 300,00.00 per year. Very Northwest.
To compare the Murray/Nethercutt number in ’03 to Cantwell/McGavick in ’05 is stupid. Relatively unknown candidates are largely proxies for the leading well-known figures in their party. What’s surprising and should be of concern is that McGavick is already polling better than Bush in this state.