Executive Privilege

Protecting candid advice or unethical and possibly illegal discussion?

President Bush Must Fire Gonzalez

If the Justice Department cannot maintain the highest standards of ethics in addition to engaging in a mission of cutting off partisanship before it enters the work of the department, then may God help the United States of America.

The President’s refusal to allow his staff to testify under subpoena has exacerbated this issue. There is that nothing that should be occurring in the White House that should not be public knowledge with the exception of matters of national security, intelligence or that violates individual rights to privacy. White House staffers are not obliged to tell the truth if they are not under oath. The public has the right to know the truth of this matter, which I question if it is constitutionally protected under executive privileged. This Administration is coming to a point where the President will be forced to pardon himself.

We Will Remember

The truth of the GOP.

Featured News!!!: Halliburton Moves Abroad

Commentary: How can we as American citizens tolerate this private company, Halliburton, that besides the military has received the largest bulk of taxpayer dollars in this War on Terror to move its corporate head quarters and its jobs to the Middle East? I do not support such a move and encourage Congress to draft legislation restricting this move and all future companies whom are the recipients of millions of American dollars from setting up shop outside the United States. My analysis is that Halliburton is moving in order to avoid investigation of its billing, cost, fees, salaries and accounting practices here in the U.S.

By SONYA CRAWFORD

March 11, 2007 — The much-maligned defense contractor Halliburton is moving its corporate headquarters from Houston to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

"The Eastern hemisphere is a market that is more heavily weighted toward oil exploration and production opportunities," said CEO Dave Lesar at an energy conference in nearby Bahrain. "And growing our business here will bring more balance to Halliburton's overall portfolio."
The draw is obvious. Dubai's friendly tax laws will add to Halliburton's bottom line. Last year, it earned $2.3 billion in profits.

Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-N.H., called the company's move "corporate greed at its worst." He added, "This is an insult to the U.S. soldiers and taxpayers who paid the tab for their no-bid contracts and endured their overcharges for all these years. At the same time they'll be avoiding U.S. taxes, I'm sure they won't stop insisting on taking their profits in cold hard U.S. cash."

Fellow Democratic Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., who chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which has investigated contractor fraud, is planning to hold a hearing.
"This is a surprising development," he said. "I want to understand the ramifications for U.S. taxpayers and national security."

Waxman's committee estimates that Halliburton, once headed by Vice President Cheney, has received contracts valued at an estimated $25.7 billion for its work in Iraq.

Among the company's low points are said to be serving troops spoiled food, exposing troops to contaminated water from the Euphrates River and failing to adequately protect its contractors.
Last month, the government's special inspector general for Iraq found Halliburton overcharged the U.S. government $2.7 billion, a finding the company is still contesting.

"This is part and parcel of the way they do business," said Robert Greenwald, the man behind the film, "Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers," which documented Halliburton's excesses. "I hope it increases the number of investigations and subpoenas that they will be subjected to."

Halliburton will maintain a corporate office in Houston.Among the company's low points are said to be serving troops spoiled food, exposing troops to contaminated water from the Euphrates River and failing to adequately protect its contractors.

Last month, the government's special inspector general for Iraq found Halliburton overcharged the U.S. government $2.7 billion, a finding the company is still contesting.

"This is part and parcel of the way they do business," said Robert Greenwald, the man behind the film, "Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers," which documented Halliburton's excesses. "I hope it increases the number of investigations and subpoenas that they will be subjected to."
Halliburton will maintain a corporate office in Houston.

Comments welcome

Senate debates withdrawing US troops

Political

Senate debates withdrawing US troops from Iraq within one year

Source: Agence France Presse 03/14/2007
WASHINGTON, March 14, 2007 (AFP) -

Congress on Wednesday began its latest showdown over Iraq, this time over setting a deadline of a little more than a year for full withdrawal of US troops from the war-ravaged country.

Republicans and Democrats in the US Senate found themselves on opposite sides of a heated debate over whether or not to set the date of March 31, 2008 for the complete withdrawal of US combat troops from Iraq.

Under the legislation drafted by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, US troop redeployments would have to commence within 120 days of the bill's passage.

Reid said Wednesday that after nearly five years of failed Bush policies in Iraq, the time had come for a new direction.

"This war has taken a tremendous toll on our country, our troops, and their families, and our standing in the world," he said on the Senate floor.

Another top Democrat, US Senator Ted Kennedy, called the Iraq debate -- which has consumed many hours of floor time in the weeks since Democrats took control of Congress last January -- "the overarching issue of our time."
"This is a defining moment. The American people are watching. The world is watching," Kennedy said.

"The issue is clear: Will we stand with our soldiers by changing their mission and beginning to bring them home? Or will we stand with the President and keep our soldiers in Iraq's civil war?"
Kennedy continued: "History will judge us. We can either continue down the President's perilous path, or embrace a new direction."

Democrats believe they have a mandate from US voters to begin a US troop withdrawal, after winning big in November elections and a stream of opinion polls showing strong public support for leaving Iraq.

But Republicans are zealous in their defense of keeping US troops in Iraq, and even adding thousands more as part of the "surge" strategy put in place by US President George W. Bush.

US Senator John McCain -- a US presidential contender and perhaps the most outspoken advocate in the Senate for keeping US troops in Iraq -- said repercussions of withdrawing US troops would make the debacle of Vietnam seem minor by comparison.

"If we walk away from Iraq now, we risk a failed state in the heart of the Middle East, a haven for international terrorists, an invitation to regional war in this economically vital area, and a humanitarian disaster that could involve millions of people," said McCain.

"If we walk away from Iraq, we will be back -- possibly in the context of a wider war in the world's most volatile region."

His words reprised an argument made earlier in the week by US Vice President Dick Cheney, in a speech to the powerful American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) lobby group.

"A sudden withdrawal of our coalition would dissipate much of the effort that's gone into fighting the global war on terror and result in chaos and mounting danger," the US vice president said.
"For the sake of our own security, we will not stand by and let it happen."

But Reid insisted Wednesday that America simply could no longer sustain the high price of its military mission there, noting: "3,200 American soldiers, sailors and marines have been killed in Iraq."

"We've seen tens of thousands wounded men and women who have come home to a health care system unprepared and ill-equipped to care for them, our army has been stretched dangerously thin, and our Treasury has been spending week after bloody week two billion dollars each week.

He stressed that he believed US military operations in Iraq have faltered because of lack of leadership by the commander-in-chief.

"President Bush didn't have a plan to win the peace, much less the war," said Reid.

Congress, the Constitution and War Powers

I try to refrain from using such strong words on my blog but I must coin a phrase for the purpose of accurately describing discussions by politicians that Congress does not possess the authority to end the War in Iraq.

The President yes has veto power but G.W. Bush is not a king in addition the President is not granted the final word in regards to War according to the Constitution, Congress can overturn such a veto. The Law clearly gives Congress power in that Congress shall declare war, Congress shall control the purse and Congress shall make law.

These rich big wigs dressed as representatives on Capital Hill all need to resign allowing regular folk to take their seats.

A vote by Congress even under threat of veto would be a grand political statement that the President must then respond too. A member of Congress should never allow for the shadow of a presidential veto to sway their solemn duty to represent their constituents.

Such an assertion that Congress lacks the authority to end this War in Iraq, and I say this with all reasonable respect, is out right bull shit.



Comments Welcome.

Tell your Rep what you think about Iraq:

http://www.house.gov/

Tell your Senator what you think about Iraq:

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Clinton: Vast right wing conspiracy is real

Political

"Clinton: Vast right wing conspiracy is real
Source: Associated Press Newswires 03/13/2007

WASHINGTON (AP) - The "vast, right-wing conspiracy" is back, presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton is warning, using a phrase she once coined to describe partisan plotting.

Once derided for her use of the phrase, Clinton is now trying to turn the imagery to her advantage.
Speaking Tuesday to Democratic municipal officials, the New York senator used the term to hammer Republicans on election irregularities.

She also used the phrase similarly during a campaign appearance over the weekend in New Hampshire.

Clinton was first lady when she famously charged allegations of an affair between her then-president husband Bill Clinton and White House intern Monica Lewinsky were the result of a conservative conspiracy.

As evidence of the affair eventually came to light, the comment was ridiculed.But many Democrats have since insisted that Clinton was correct, pointing to the well-documented efforts by conservative financier Richard Mellon Scaife to fund a network of anti-Clinton investigations.

On Tuesday, she asserted the conspiracy is alive and well, and cited as proof the Election Day 2002 case of phone jamming in New Hampshire, a case in which two Republican operatives pleaded guilty to criminal charges, and a third was convicted.

"To the New Hampshire Democratic party's credit, they sued and the trail led all the way to the Republican National Committee," Clinton said.

"So if anybody tells you there is no vast right-wing conspiracy, tell them that New Hampshire has proven it in court," she said.

Former RNC operative James Tobin was convicted of telephone harassment and appealed his conviction. The investigation arose after Democratic organizers' phones were overwhelmed by annoying hang-up calls hindering their get-out-the-vote efforts.
Clinton accused the GOP of a number of other anti-voter actions, including intimidating phone calls during the contentious 2006 congressional elections.

New Hampshire Democratic Party chairwoman Kathy Sullivan said she absolutely agreed with the senator's description of the case.

"People think we're paranoid when we talk about the vast right-wing conspiracy, but there is a real connection of these groups -- the same names keep popping up," said Sullivan. "They are the most disgusting group of political thugs that I have ever seen."

RNC spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt responded that Democrats "might be disappointed to learn that almost a decade later, the senator's playbook consists of little more than a resurrection of Clinton-era talking points."

Clinton made her charge of conspiracy in response to a question about her proposed bill that would make Election Day a federal holiday, and make it a crime to send misleading or fraudulent information to voters.

She also said the government should do more to end unusually long lines at certain polling places.
"It just so happens that many of those places where people are waiting for hours are places where people of color are voting or young people are voting. That is un-American, and we're going to end it," Clinton said. "

300: Prepare for Glory

Checks & Balances Movie Rating: C+

Yahoo Users: B+

AOL Movies: 4 Stars

This movie was good but much more could have been done to make it a great movie. Basically its a bunch of fighting and legs being chopped off. If a little more time would have been devoted to the Queen and her political adventures while her husband was away defending Sparta the movie would have had more substance. The ending also seemed to be rushed. You'll have to watch the movie to see for yourself. C+ from C&B.

Best role goes to the Queen (Lena Headey)

Should Attorney General Gonzales Resign?

Political

"THE NATION; Gonzales urged to quit `for the nation'; The No. 3 Democrat in the Senate says the attorney general has politicized the Justice Department.

Source: Los Angeles Times 03/12/2007
WASHINGTON

U.S. Atty. Gen. Alberto R. Gonzales has so politicized the Justice Department that he should step down for the sake of the nation, the Senate's third-ranking Democrat said Sunday.

Sen. Charles E. Schumer of New York -- citing recent disclosures about the FBI's improper use of administrative subpoenas to obtain private records and the controversy over the dismissal of eight U.S. attorneys in December -- told CBS' "Face the Nation" that Gonzales, who previously served as White House counsel, was "no longer just the president's lawyer, but has a higher obligation to the rule of law and the Constitution."

Schumer, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, charged that under Gonzales the Justice Department had become even more politicized than it was under President Bush's first attorney general, John Ashcroft.

"And so," Schumer said, "I think for the sake of the nation, Atty. Gen. Gonzales should step down."
Appearing on the same program, Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, did not go so far as to suggest that Gonzales step down.

But he said that a report released Friday by the Justice Department's inspector general raised questions about the investigatory powers given to federal agents under the Patriot Act, which Congress reauthorized last year.

Resignation, Specter said, is "a question for the president and the attorney general, but I do think there have been a lot of problems. Before we come to conclusions, I think we need to know more facts."

Specter said the inspector general's report showed widespread violations of Patriot Act requirements designed to protect privacy rights of U.S. citizens.

Stating that the act has been "very badly abused," Specter said Judiciary Committee hearings planned for this month -- including one with FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III -- not only should look at the failures but should include "very active consideration about withdrawing some of those powers."

As for the alleged firing of U.S. attorneys for political reasons, Specter said he was concerned about the removal of the U.S. attorney in New Mexico, David C. Iglesias, who has said he received calls last year from two GOP members of Congress from New Mexico, Sen. Pete V. Domenici and Rep.

Heather A. Wilson. The legislators, he told Congress last week, were asking about the progress of a corruption investigation against Democrats in the state, and he said he interpreted the calls as pressure to bring indictments before the 2006 midterm elections.

Specter said he was less concerned whether politics had been involved in the removal in 2005 of a U.S. attorney in Maryland, Thomas DiBiagio. Specter said DiBiagio had claimed similar political pressure from legislators but had failed to immediately report any calls he had received. There were "really good reasons" for DiBiagio's dismissal, Specter added.

Though Justice Department officials say that the U.S. attorneys ousted in December were removed for performance-related reasons, critics have charged that the dismissals were politically motivated and, in some cases, followed complaints that the prosecutors had failed to aggressively investigate Democrats.

Appearing on CNN's "Late Edition," Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.), another Judiciary Committee member, said that "Gonzales has lost the confidence of the vast majority of Americans."
Responding to the senators' comments, a Justice Department spokesman, Brian Roehrkasse, said in a written statement that Gonzales had demonstrated "decisive leadership by demanding a new level of accountability."

On Saturday, during a question-and-answer session with reporters in Montevideo, Uruguay, Bush expressed continued confidence in both Gonzales and Mueller. "

6 months left in Iraq

Republican leaders are claiming that liberals do not support the troops. It seems that Democratic leaders are afraid of taking a clear stance on the Iraq War, so let me entertain you with what I believe.

The work of U.S. troops in Iraq in done. It is time to bring all American troops back home.

The House is discussing legislation to task the Bush Administration with providing results in Iraq by July 2007. My opinion is based on what I have heard military generals and a former soldier say; that American troops could be withdrawn from Iraq in 6 months.

I urge and propose for the United States House and the Senate to vote to end the Iraq War and begin bringing our soldiers home starting September 2007. To make this date LAW for the final End of War against Iraq.

No matter what any corrupted political pundit will tell you, it was in fact the War in Iraq that gave the Democrats control of Congress. It is their mandate to end this debacle. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid must lead the nation in this transition and allow for the House Bills on Iraq to be voting on. The message sent by the American people is not a desire for more of the same or even tolerance for a change in strategy. The American people spoke; WE want an end to this war.