Standing Tower Guard on a 6′ scaffold at the Federal Building in downtown Bellingham, Iraq Veteran Evan Knappenberger, 1st BDE, 4th Infantry Division, started a week-long vigil on June 1st to draw attention to the US military’s STOP-LOSS and INACTIVE RESERVE policies, which he submits are being used as a substitute for conscription in a political war.
All I’m Asking For Is A Flat Rate Tax …
“Rich kids take private jets to summer camp
“Posted Jun 4th 2007 2:15PM by Peter Cohan
“Can you afford to send your kids to summer camp? According to the New York Post, New York’s tony set can — and more. Instead of forcing their kids to spend 3.5 hours on a crowded bus into the wilds of Vermont, they pay $8,000 for their kids to fly to camp in a private jet.
“Keewaydin camp director Peter Hare said that for the first time in the Vermont camp’s history, one of its kids, a 12-year-old, will be arriving by private jet, choosing a one-hour flight over a five-hour bus trip from New York. …
“But wait, there’s more. Charlotte Morello, of Connecticut, has organized a birthday party for her 9-year-old daughter, Meredith, on a private jet next month. ‘All her cousins will come onto the plane,’ Morello said. ‘We’ll have a manicurist and a model on the runway theme.’
“Had enough? It would help if you asked Congress to make private equity partners pay the 35% tax on their earnings that everyone else has to pay.”
http://www.bloggingstocks.com/.....mmer-camp/
Roger Rabbit Commentary: Why should the rest of us pay more income taxes so these people can pay less?
“No child left behind”, huh?
Getting (ahem!) back to the subject, the real “stop loss” going on since the outset of Emperor Bush’s Military Adventure has been “stopping the loss” of even a single last of profit his corporate buddies can suck out of our wallets, and “stopping the loss” of his power by scaring the American people into thinking that without him, we’re all gonna die.
ArtFart: Pelletbreath doesn’t care about the thread so why should I:
http://tinyurl.com/2ftkxx
Eric Moonbat! Alterman arrested
Some soldiers remain loyal to the military no matter how much they’re used, abused, and lied to; and I respect their perseverance and loyalty — they truly are a class act.
But telling recruits they’ll be released from service on such-and-so a date … then breaking that promise and sending them back to war … at some point will do lasting harm to the public’s trust — and the military’s ability to attract recruits. The U.S. Army is beginning to look way too much like the Russian Army.
In fact, Bush behaves more like Czar Nicholas every day.
The really pernicious thing about stop-loss is that it’s not only conscription, but it drafts people who have already served. Can you imagine what the outcry would have been if they had drafted Vietnam veterans back in ’70? This is the same thing.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.c.....733926.jpg
Why dont you liberals dress up anymore in your goofy protests.
Now let’s see … which military occupational specialty (MOS) is most likely to have critical shortages … and therefore most likely to be subject to stop-loss?
Um … infantry?
@7 Is that the WSRP staff on their way to the recruiter’s office to enlist?
7
You really don’t understand what punctuation is all about, do you? Did you know that the inability to write clearly often reflects the inability to think clearly? In your case, your home school education shines through all too brightly. I’m sure it was difficult for your single mother to pursue her career as an escort while raising a little smart-assed shit like you, but at least she could have sent you to school.
Did any of you go see the inventor of the internet today?
Did any of you ask him why he thinks the current temps are perfect?
Did you ask him if he bought carbon credits to offset the mess he made with his private jet.
Did you ask him if the FUCKING SUN might possibly have a role in temps on mommy erf?
Simple questions… why not ask?
Yeah, what happened to all the global warming? Last Wednesday you would have thought the world was coming to an end, now it’s a little on the cool side. Are the glaciers repairing themselves? Huhhhhh.
Was it a massive carbon credit purchase?
11
Hey, Mark,
How are you today? I am so pleased to see you expressing yourself after the little catatonic stage that you recently underwent. The drugs they are giving you (at federal expense) must be helping you. I hear there is some good news for you. Even though you do not have anyone who would ever come to visit you in the state facility we are all paying for, you can still have conjugal visits once per month. That’s right, you get to go out to the trailer inside the walls to have sex with the only person you ever loved–yourself (okay, I know you love Rush Limbaugh, but your inability to provide him with drugs if he were to visit precludes his being your conjugal friend). A little Viagra, a mirror, and, man, you’ll be living.
Support our troops – take their place.
re 11: “Did any of you go see the inventor of the internet today?”
You’re just saying that to hurt me. Yes, though, I did see him. I drove over on the freeway that Dwight Eisenhower invented.
http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/summer96/p96su10.htm
Of course, the freeway system, as all positive ideas in this country do, originated with the Democrats.
‘On April 27, 1939, Roosevelt transmitted the report (“A Master Plan for Free Highway Development,”) to Congress. He recommended that Congress consider action on:
[A] special system of direct interregional highways, with all necessary connections through and around cities, designed to meet the requirements of the national defense and the needs of a growing peacetime traffic of longer range.
The president’s political opponents considered the “master plan” to be “another ascent into the stratosphere of New Deal jitterbug economics,” as one critic put it. ‘
‘Stop-Loss’ is simply cover for the fact that our military is stretched thin, and our craven and cowardly political leadership does not have the _alls to institute a draft and raise taxes to pay for their fantasy ‘Global WOT’.
I guess wingnuts will figure this out when we have no troops left to die there. But, then again, most likely they will not.
Wingnuts: Proudly ignorant.Irretrievably stupid.Lemminglike fuckers.
MTR, welsher, asks: “Did any of you go see the inventor of the internet today?”
Answer this first: How many people would pay money, any money, to listen to your lunatic ravings? None. QED
Fucking maroooon.
As much as I enjoy the “Gore invented the ,” where X is almost anything, it is still a misnomer to say that Gore invented the Internet.
The issue behind Gore’s statement, “During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet,” is what he meant by “creating”. Clearly, Gore did not provide the technical expertise or inventiveness that led to the creation of TCP/IP or HTML, or any of the other technological innovations which led to what we now call the Internet.
However, if we take the “created” in a more legalistic/political sense, then there is an arguement to be made. If by “created” Gore means that he pushed to change laws and provide funding to turn the networks of the day over to civilian use: something that would need to be done by politicians, not scientists, then he could say he helped create it.
Still, I think it was a poor choice of words on Gore’s part, but I doubt he considered how skewed some people would get interpreting his comments.
Ultimately, this is a stupid issue from which to attack Gore. I’m sure there are more pertainent issues available.
Tuor: “Ultimately, this is a stupid issue from which to attack Gore. I’m sure there are more pertainent issues available.”
Sure, it’s stupid, but endless. See Bob Somersby’s blog “Daily Howler” for the real story on the press’s war against Gore. Then get back to me and tell me all about those ‘pertainent'(sic) issues. I can’t wait.
Jayzus fuck. Has everybody signed up to regurgitate GOP talking points about Al G.? The price must be pretty goddamnned low by now. It just shows you can be bought for next to nothing.
Try growing a brain stem.
The Publicans have nothing but talking points. What else can they do? Most of their leaders are indicted or in jail – most of their Presidential candidates are cowards with torid affairs and illegal financial dealings in their past – Katrine ad Iraq have proven that the Publican party is inept, incompetent and full of shit – Our country is NOT safer and our debt is higher than ever. What else can these baby raping Publicans do?
@21,
You really are an ass, as I was actually defending Gore, not attacking him. And if you don’t think that Gore has any issues upon which he can be assailed, then you’re just as narrowminded as any Bush-bot: *everyone* has issues upon which they can be attacked.
And, wow, you caught me mis-spelling “pertinent”. Congrats. I guess that proves I’m an idiot, right?
“….as I was actually defending Gore,”
Well, no. You were not. If you want to attack Gore, by all means do so, but innuendo doesn’t strike me as a fair way to do so.
I only ask for intellectual honesty, correct spelling notwithstanding.
“I guess that proves I’m an idiot, right?”
If the shoe fits, don’t be ashamed to wear it. But really, damnning Al Gore with faint praise is hardly ‘defending’ him.
Tour, misspelling “pertinent” doesn’t make you an idiot. Feeding the trolls, however, does.
Hey, I took the initiative in creating the hair net, does that count?
Should Wyoming’s Democrat Governor Appoint A Democrat Senator?
My sympathies go out tonight to the family of Sen. Craig Thomas (R-WY), who has lost his courageous battle against leukemia.
In my opinion, Gov. Dave Freudenthal (D-WY) should appoint a DEMOCRAT to replace Thomas. Why the hell would he appoint a Republican? Do you think the Pukes would show that kind of consideration to our side if a Democratic senator died? Not in a moon full of blue cheese! I believe in Roger Rabbit’s Golden Rule of Politics: Fuck those who’d fuck you!
As of this moment, the Democrats have an absolute majority in the U.S. Senate … 49 to 48, with 2 independents. For a few days, at least, we don’t need Joe Leiberman.
It shouldn’t be long until Evan receives his 18 page packet where the military (illegally) tries to dishonorably discharge him from the IRR for this action. At least thats what they do in the Marines.
Pete M
@26 I can understand why a wingnut imposter would pose as a Democratic presidential candidate. Would YOU want anyone to think you were a REPUBLICAN presidential candidate?!! I sure wouldn’t.
@11 Al Gore doesn’t have a private jet, but you have an unpaid gambling debt! Pay up, deadbeat welsher!!!
99.7% of all people spewing carbon dioxide from their private jets are REPUBLICANS. Democrats don’t own private jets.
12, 13 “How can I deal with ignorance on this level without blowing up the whole fucking planet and starting over?” — Ma Nature
WINGNUTS (LIKE DOOFUS AND PUDDYBUD):
The thing that most worries me about this is that the Moonbats may have been right all along.
Bush is a tard and everything they said about him being 1) a moron, 2) a Big Business shill, 3) an autocrat “holding court” in the White House, and 4) having only a nodding acquaintence with reality…
What if it’s all true? Posted by: DoDoGuRu at May 31, 2007 01:08 PM
THAT’S A LITTLE SOMETHING FROM YOUR FELLOW MORON ACE’S COMMENTS THREADS.
WINGNUT MORONS: WELCOME TO YOUR NIGHTMARE.
IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE.
@14 I’m surprised you didn’t suggest that he get togther with Xmasghost. They seem made for each other.
HEY REDNECK!!! Yeah, you … !!! I made $1000 in the stock market today — that’s TEN TIMES what you owe Goldy!!! C’mon, you welshing jerk, a hunnerd bucks is fucking peanuts!!! This debt is more than a year past due!!! PAY UP WELSHER!!!
Redneck, I hate to make threats, but if you don’t pay Goldy within 24 hours I’ll have no choice but to conclude you are bereft of capital.
@21 What it shows is they have to fling ludicrous personal-attacks-based-on-lies against Democrats because they don’t dare campaign on issues that actually affect people.
No thinking person would ever vote for any Republican, ever! That’s why they have to invent ways of getting people to not think.
Hey all my liberal friends! Did anyone notice my comments @27-28? A Republican Senator passed away tonight. My condolences certainly go out to his family, but let’s not overlook the fact that something important has happened to the balance of power in the U.S. Senate.
Mr. Knappenberger probably will have his G.I. benefits revoked for wear a “uniform” from an Army Surplus store (or movie prop shop) that faintly resembles an actual Army uniform.
Yep, Mr. Knappenberger is in big hot water! Why? Because he’s a right-to-lifer! He thinks Iraqis have a right to live! (And — get this — in THEIR OWN COUNTRY too!) He thinks our soldiers have a right to live, and their lives shouldn’t be uselessly squandered on someone else’s civil war! This right-to-life crap is serious and MUST BE NIPPED IN THE BUD!!! If our government doesn’t put a stop to it, next thing you know, consumers will still thinking Big Bidness doesn’t have a right to kill them with, you know, defective transplant organs, tainted food, fake medicines, etc.! The right-to-life movement is a dangerous cult and must be stopped!!! Our citizens must be acculturated to the Republican Culture of Death or things may get out of control.
“U.S. Waited to Alert Europe in TB Case
“Delay in Notifying Foreign Officials Traveler Was Infected
“By MIKE STOBBE
“AP
“ATLANTA (June 4) – It took a week and a half for U.S. health officials to notify their counterparts in Europe that an American honeymooner was traveling there with a dangerous strain of tuberculosis , agencies involved in the case told The Associated Press.”
Quoted under fair use; for complete article and/or copyright info see http://tinyurl.com/36b2j9
Roger Rabbit Commentary: Kinda looks like nobody except the media thought this guy’s infection was a public health problem.
@25,
You’re right, and usually my troll sensor is much more sensitive. Ah, well.
@24,
No more troll biscuits for you! Bad Troll! Bad!
Zogby Poll Says Poverty Is Top Issue For Voters
“Poverty is on the minds of a majority of Americans as the 2008 presidential contest moves … toward a compressed primary calendar, new polling conducted by Zogby International … shows. The poll … found … (58%) calling poverty … a top priority for Congress and the President.
“Poverty appears poised to be a major issue heading into the 2008 elections, with 55% saying they are very concerned about it, and 58% of likely voters saying they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who set a national goal of cutting poverty in half within a decade. …
“Among those who said they would be more likely to vote for a such a candidate, … (69%) said they would … back such a candidate even if achieving the goal of halving poverty would require significantly higher federal spending.
“More than four in five voters … showed a willingness to embrace solutions oriented at combating problems experienced by many impoverished families, including a lack of financial knowledge and the predatory lending institutions that … target low-income families.
“Three-quarters of voters … backed guaranteed health care coverage for Americans and increasing the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour.
“Notably, … (76%) … believe that steps to help the poor could also be helpful for middle class families — with providing guaranteed health coverage for every American seen as the step most beneficial to the middle class.”
Quoted under fair use; for complete news release and/or copyright info see http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=1320
Roger Rabbit Commentary: Why are so many people worried about poverty? Simple … because GOP policies ARE PUTTING MORE PEOPLE IN POVERTY and virtually everyone in the working class and middle class is afraid s/he may be next.
The Smartest Woman In The World said today that her “faith” gets her through Bubba fucking every bimbo he could get.
If a Conservative said that, you guys would go fucking crazy and start blathering about a “theocracy”. Not a fucking peep out of you fucking hypocrites in this case though.
I guess it’s OK though… we all know she doesnt’ mean it… She’s a fucking liar just like all democrats.
In all of human history, there has never been a regime run by CHEAP LABOR CONSERVATIVES that didn’t eventually get overthrown by a popular revolt.
Here is MTRs prescription for ending poverty:
1) Get an education in something that is marketable.
2) Get a good job with a good outfit.
3) Show up every day and work your ass off for a few decades.
4) Spend less than you make.
5) Invest the savings wisely.
Along the way…
6) don’t do crime
7) don’t do drugs and booze
8) If ya can’t feed ’em; don’t breed ’em.
That’s it. Follow these 8 steps and the poverty problem is fixed.
You’re welcome
@45 It’s impossible to make reference to “fucking liars” without thinking of your unpaid gambling debt, welsher! Pay up, you shameful deadbeat! You’re a lousy example to your kid.
@47 Of course, items (1) through (6) are completely foreign to your experience, as shown by the fact you aren’t good for a measly $100 debt.
@47 How are (7) and (8) working for ya, Mark?
P.S., how’s your dead crack-whore wife doing? Is her health getting any better?
@47(8) Mark, I got a question for ya, good buddy! Do you have a case number at the state child support office?
Be honest now.
Mark’s case number at HorsesAss is 2006-#1-BET-WELSHER-PAID-0
jch is a nazi
POOR MTR. I MEAN HE MUST REALLY BE POOR.
HE CAN’T SETTLE A LOUSY $100 BET.
LOSER.
19 out of 44 comments, Roger you better get off that damn computer and spend some time with Ms Bunny, otherwise you gonna loose your Hop!
I’d hate to see you limpin!
PS: So how’s your Guvment pension looking lately considering your brethern King County Leeches want to suck another $18,333 per person out of each of us this November?
Ha Ha Gotta love these leeches…….
BTW, the article about the Marine who wore his uniform to an anti-occupation rally said that the Marines want to give him a General Discharge, and that it wouldn’t cause him to lose any veteran’s benefits. That is FALSE, anything less than an Honorable discharge causes you to lose some benefits. For example, you lose your GI Bill if you have anything other than an Honorable Discharge.
The Marines are trying to ass-rape him, but at the same time try to give the public impression that they were going easy on him.
Typical.
@43 Umm, Tuor, unless I’m mistaken the guy @24 is one of ours. Both of you guys need to polish up your aim … the bad guys are over there …
(blinking sign) GOP (blinking sign)
@55 “PS: So how’s your Guvment pension looking lately …”
That’s what the stock market is for … besides, why are you picking on me? I already said I’m gonna vote against the Regional Transportation Plan.
P.S.#2: Reading Roger Rabbit comments is an optional activity. This is a liberal blog; if you don’t like the comnpany here, you can always crawl back into the wingnut cave you slithered out of.
21 What it shows is they have to fling ludicrous personal-attacks-based-on-lies against Democrats because they don’t dare campaign on issues that actually affect people.
Nah, those aren’t lies. They fling personal attacks at us because we can’t answer tough questions. Let’s face it, democrats are pussies. We need to stay away from debating the issues. The enemy of us democrats is always free speech.
Not pickin on ya, just want ya to pay some attention to your Numero Uno Bunny…
I agree with ya on this mega Transportation package! It’s enough to set my tail a whompin….
Tuor,
The Rabbit’s right. I was referring to your comment @20. The only reasonable retort to whatever Mark the Reaking Welcher says is to point out the fact that he still hasn’t made good on a $100 bet.
Tuor:
You are correct about the requirement for an Honorable (as opposed to General Under Honorable Conditions) discharge as a requirement to receive education benefits under the current version of the GI Bill, although it appears that he has already used those benefits.
Furthermore, the entire situation appears to be both retribution and an attempt to intimidate other Veterans from speaking out. There was apparently a threat that he would receive a category of discharge that would potentially have required him to repay all of the benefits he had already received, although I have never heard of that happening.
Of course, I’ve never heard of an inactive Marine reservist being prosecuted for this kind of incident either. When we join the military, we are told that the Uniform Code of Military Justice applies even when we are off duty, and even when we are in a reserve status, but this sort of after-the-fact change to an already issued discharge is normally reserved for situations where some evidence of wrongdoing committed while on active duty is found after the discharge.
I really doubt that the Marine Corps really cares that much whether a Corporal marches in a parade or stages a protest. Someone is apparently willing to turn the entire military justice system on its head, just to send a message to all of us that still have some connection to the military.
Keep quiet, stay silent, or else.
While I will continue to voice my opposition to the current administration and to the war in polite, respectful terms, I must also respectfully refuse to remain silent.
John Paul Barelli, NCC(AW), USN-FR
Here’s a bit more interesting information. The Veterans of Foriegn Wars (VFW) has never been known as a left-wing organization.
They have been consistent supporters of the Bush administration and are still some of the most vocal supporters of the war in Iraq.
They’re a very right-wing bunch. While I’m certainly eligible to join based on my own service, I haven’t, and their politics is one of the main reasons.
Even they think that the military is going overboard on this one. In the statement from Gary Kurpius, who leads the 2.4 million-member Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. and its Auxiliaries:
They have, of course, since gone on to reiterate their support for the administration, the war and all things Republican, but that really isn’t the point.
The point is that even a hardened bunch of far-right, pro-war, Bush supporters can see that this is getting out of hand.
Unfortunately, I have a news flash for the VFW. It has already turned into a circus.
The old Roman variety.
You have to get a chuckle looking at the cowardly MTR’s suggestions for curing poverty…
1) Get an education in something that is marketable. (Well Bush paid for an education – I am not sure it’s the same as getting one.)
2) Get a good job with a good outfit. (His daddy gave him three different companies – I guess that qualifies.)
3) Show up every day and work your ass off for a few decades. (Now this one Baby Bush never got close to. He didn’t show up for NG duty, he didn’t show up for work at the three oil businesses he bankrupted and he hasn’t shown up much for work in the White House.)
4) Spend less than you make. (Bush fails again having created the largest budget deficit in US history.)
5) Invest the savings wisely. (No savings – Bush did throw away the biggest budget surplus in history and then spent more on the costly Iraq war which will keep America in debt for decades.)
Along the way…
6) don’t do crime (Bush failed early at this – getting his first DUI and then becoming someone who’s committed high crimes and misdemeanors.)
7) don’t do drugs and booze (Like Bush EVER had a chance with this one, whether it was coke or booze – he did em all and then taught his twins to follow suit.)
8) If ya can’t feed ‘em; don’t breed ‘em. (Bush let’s US feed his kids so he doesn’t have to.)
HE HE!
@57, @61, @62,
There are some things that need to be said, because I don’t want to operate under false assumptions.
Mr. Rabbit, and possibly others, seems to think I’m a Liberal. I am not. If I have given that impression, I apologize. I almost never vote for Democrats. Neither am I a Conservative, whether it be of the neo- or paleo- version, and I rarely vote for Republicans, either.
No, the closest political ideology I follow is the one most hated by the current administration: libertarianism, with a strong dose of Strict Constructionalist, and even that really isn’t entirely accurate, but pretty close.
Having said the above, I’d like to add that I respect other people’s opinions and views, so long as they’re well thought out and honestly spoken. I detest hypocrisy. I spoke against people attacking Gore about his “created the Internet” comment not because I like Gore (though I don’t dislike him), but because it was a stupid argument and only encourages a sort of infantile thinking about political issues that has come to dominate so much of society these days.
Anyway, I’m sorry for making such a self-centered post, but I don’t want to give people the wrong idea about what I’m about.
John @62,
I completely agree with what you said. The guy has already been discharged from Active Duty: he already had his DD-214. He only has a couple of weeks until he’s done with his IR time. Why are they even wasting the manpower (and cost) of doing this? The only reason that makes any sense is they’re trying to make an example out of him. As you said, they’re probably trying to use him as a warning to others who are out, but still on IR.
It’s BS. Bush and his ilk are not above using our guys in uniform to score political points, but when those guys try to speak for themselves, even when they’re on IR, the anti-“war” guys get the dogs sicced on them.
As long as people keep capitulating to Bush and his cronies, this sort of thing is going to continue. The Dems had a chance to knock him back on his heels a bit, but they caved instead. It sometimes takes courage to hold a political position, but when you have 70% and more of the electorate backing you, it doesn’t take MUCH courage.
This brings us to the VFW, whom you mentioned. There is a chapter very close to where I work. I see high school kids out marching around there from time to time: JROTC, I think. And every time I do, I get angry: where the fuck is the VFW? Where the fuck are the other organizations that are supposed to represent veterans? I haven’t heard anything from them regarding this “war”. They’ve kept their mouths shut (so far as I’m aware) while our guys are getting blown away for nothing (good). But now, with this case, the VFW has finally made a comment. I guess that’s something, but they need to do more.
Ed Robillard (MM3 USN, 88-94)
Roger @57. See post no. 66 above. I rest my case.
Tuor:
The VFW is very much in the Bush administration’s corner. That is why it was so surprising to hear them come to the defense of CPL Kokesh.
They’ve been rather right-wing over the years, which is why many Veterans (like myself, and probably you too, considering your dates of service) don’t join. It’s a “good ‘ol boys” club which is becoming more and more irrelevant as it becomes more and more right wing. It’s a circle. The right wing guys make it uncomfortable for anyone to the left of Ann Coulter, and since it’s a voluntary organization, we either leave or just don’t join in the first place, which pushes the organization further right.
The American Legion has probably gone even further in that direction.
I know a few of these guys. The organization as a whole is getting rather elderly, as younger Veterans have, as a whole, tended to shun them in favor of other groups. Considering the I’m over 50 and considered to be one of those “younger Veterans”, you can guess what their average age is.
VoteVets.org appears to be growing, and unlike the Seal wannabe page that our resident wingnuts keep referring to, the directors of VoteVets are actual Veterans. They are making a lot of noise.
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America is an organization of Veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. (Desert Shield and Desert Storm apparently don’t count.) Still, they’re making quite a bit of noise as well.
(Another post caught in the filter.)
Alert. Typo @ 67. I meant to refer to 65 not “66”.
Tuor may be spot on regarding the VFW, but libertarians make obscure Trotskyite theorists (like David Horiwitz used to be) appear, uh, “grounded”, if you get my drift.