Author: Matthew G. Saroff

A Perfect Metaphor for Iraq

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At the US embassy in Baghdad, nothing works, not even the fire sprinkler system.

Let’s see, constructed by forced labor by bush cronies, and they did not follow the drawings?

To quote Claude Rains

Rick: How can you close me up? On what grounds?
Captain Renault: I’m shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!
[a croupier hands Renault a pile of money]
Croupier: Your winnings, sir.
Captain Renault: [sotto voce] Oh, thank you very much.
[aloud]
Captain Renault: Everybody out at once!

OK, Maybe I Was Wrong About the Nature of the Israeli Airstrike on Syria

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According to this ABC News report, the US requested, and got, a delay in the attack because they were concerned about the accuracy of the Israeli intelligence showing an ambitious nuclear facility, and possible repercussions.

I may have been wrong in my previous assessment that it was not a nuclear facility, but as the sources could for the ABC story could be political appointees, I still lean against it being a nuclear facility.

Simply put, Syria does not have the infrastructure to even begin any sort of nuclear weapons development.

As to the sourcing, it could be some mid-level intelligence professionals, or some politically appointed yahoo like John Bolton.

Senate My Approve no FEC Nominations Over Voter Suppression Criminal

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Hans von Spakovsky, the Bush administration’s point man on illegal voter suppression at the DoJ, has been nominated as a member of the Federal Elections Commission.

Democratic senators, with Feingold and Obama taking the lead, have said that he is not acceptable, and the Republicans are blocking any vote on any other nominees unless they are all voted on at once.

Bush could theoretically make recess appointments, but he’s already cut a deal with Harry Reid not to make recess appointments after Reid announced plans to keep the Senate in session with local members to prevent this.

The problem is that quorum for the FEC is 4, and without these approvals, they would have only two members.

Fred Wertheimer, states it thusly:

Either one of those scenarios is “fraught with potential danger,” Fred Wertheimer, the executive director of the nonpartisan watchdog Democracy 21, told me.

If the FEC were crippled, that would be bad, he said, creating a situation where outside groups funded by millionaires (like the Swift Boat Vets) could run amok in a campaign year. “That would be a license to steal and to completely ignore campaign finance laws.”

But if the commission were stocked with the president’s appointees, that would be much worse. “You could have an agency that leaves one party free to do whatever it wants, while raising concerns that the other party is breaking the law.

“The whole fight at the Justice Department over the firing of the U.S. attorneys has arisen over misusing the criminal justice system in order to influence political results…. Now, if you don’t get some legitimate form of a commission ready to go for the 2008 election, you face the same danger, except with far greater stakes involved, mainly the presidency, the Senate and House — who wins and who loses.”

I tend to agree that no FEC would be worse than an FEC run by Bush and His Evil Minions&trade.

At least both sides would have an equal opportunity to break laws with no FEC.

One note, look at his picture: , he really does look like those photographs of those 30 something SS camp guards one sees in history books.

Topps Meat Closes its Doors Because of Recall

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The massive recall of ground beef has forced Topps Meat to shut down.

To quote my 2nd favorite movie of all time, John Carpenter’s remake of The Thing,

Garry: The generator’s gone.
MacReady: Any way we can we fix it?
Garry: It’s “gone”, MacReady.

They aren’t shutting their doors to reopen later after a cleanup, they have just shut down completely. They will be liquidating.

In some ways, the regulations that the Bush administration has been systematically dismantrling protect both the companies and the consumers out there. Had a more aggressive FDA or Agriculture Department caught this sooner, Topps would probably still be around.

Holiday Shopping Season Looks Grim

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Retailers are expecting a 2-5% increas in retail sales over the holiday season, with most looking at the lower end.

Between the subprime meltdown, and dropping house pri9ces, people will keep their money closer to themselves.

Honestly, I expect it to be below 2½%, and when one considers that inflation is significantly understated, we’re probably seeing more than 6% right now, this actually means a drop in real consumer spending.

This is where more than half the profit in retail sales is made, so this will ripple through the economy.

What Jack Cafferty Said

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I believe that I’ve said before that I am a hard liner on immigration, though I don’t side with the nativists who favor going after the illegal aliens in a draconian manner.

As such, I whole heartedly agree with Jack Cafferty’s take on the judge that issued a stay on “no match” letters, which put employers on notice when there are irregularities in the social security data for employees.

It puts the onus of compliance with the law with the employers, where it should stand, and it gives 90 days, which is sufficient time to resolve the issue, and the idea that it “potentially enormous burden on the employer” (like OSHA, as Jack says, or the EPA as I say) is ludicrous.

No one living in another country has a right to work here. Immigration should be legal, and should be governed by the interests and values of us as a society.

Alcohol Makes You Smarter

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At least that’s what a scientists at the University of Auckland, New Zealand have determined that, with rats at least, moderate alcohol consumption improves cognitive performance.

Given my behavior at Chabad-Lubovich* Simchat Torah† services a few days back, this would imply that I have a significant IQ bump for the next few days…or maybe not…the light boozers beat the tea-totaling rats, but they both beat the heavy boozers.

*An Orthodox Jewish outreach group.
†It celebrates the fact that we have finished Torah readings for the year, and we start back at the beginning. It’s traditional to consume mass quantities at this event.

Edwards Launches What Should Be Effective Attack Against Hillary

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He’s going after he on a number of levels, but his attacks against Mark Penn are likely to be effective.

I’ve previously mentioned his financial ties to union buster, but now Edwards is pounding on Penn’s ties to Blackwater

Mark Penn is the worldwide president and CEO of Burson-Marsteller. The firm’s lobbying subsidiary BKSH helped Blackwater’s top executive, Erik Prince, prepare for his congressional testimony this week.

I believe that both Obama and Edwards have held off attacking because they feel that the other will be the primary recipient of the benefits, and that Edwards has concluded that it’s time to take the gloves off.

Good.

Penn is pond scum, and making him an albatross around Hillary’s neck will either hurt Hillary, or get Penn out of the campaign, both of which are positive actions.

Bible University Steeped in Scandal

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It appears that we haveyet another example of Elmer Gantry type behavior at a major power center for the Christofascist right.

It appears that there has been embezzlement at least, and possibly inappropriate contact minors with the wife of the president.

Another pass the popcorn moment.

  • A longtime maintenance employee was fired so that an underage male friend of Mrs. Roberts could have his position.
  • Mrs. Roberts _ who is a member of the board of regents and is referred to as ORU’s “first lady” on the university’s Web site _ frequently had cell-phone bills of more than $800 per month, with hundreds of text messages sent between 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. to “underage males who had been provided phones at university expense.”
  • The university jet was used to take one daughter and several friends on a senior trip to Orlando, Fla., and the Bahamas. The $29,411 trip was billed to the ministry as an “evangelistic function of the president.”
  • Mrs. Roberts spent more than $39,000 at one Chico’s clothing store alone in less than a year, and had other accounts in Texas and California. She also repeatedly said, “As long as I wear it once on TV, we can charge it off.” The document cites inconsistencies in clothing purchases and actual usage on TV.
  • Mrs. Roberts was given a white Lexus SUV and a red Mercedes convertible by ministry donors.
  • University and ministry employees are regularly summoned to the Roberts’ home to do the daughters’ homework.
  • The university and ministry maintain a stable of horses for exclusive use by the Roberts’ children.
  • The Roberts’ home has been remodeled 11 times in the past 14 years.

DoJ Politics Hobbled NH Phone Jamming Investigation

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In reading this account of the congressional investigation of illegal phone jamming in 2002 by Republican operatives, there is a very interesting quote:

The case moved slowly — the pleas not occurring until June of 2004. And it wasn’t until after the 2004 election that James Tobin, who’d been the Republian National Committee’s New England Regional Political Director, was indicted for his role in the conspiracy. He was ultimately convicted, but then the verdict was reversed on appeal. Tobin will go to trial again this December.

Democrats say it’s no accident that the case took so long.

As part of a civil suit over the jamming, the FBI turned over more than 5000 pages of investigative materials to Democratic lawyers. The documents revealed, they say, that only one FBI agent was assigned to the case on a part-time basis, and that “the agent was continually given other assignments which interfered with her ability to conduct a coherent intensive investigation.” The lawyers will be transferring those documents to the Conyers’ committee sometime next week.

Progressive Caucus Stops Hoyer From Gutting Bill of Rights

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Steny Hoyer had a press conference scheduled today, where he was to roll out the Democratic reforms to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

It’s been postponed because the 70 member progressive caucus pushed back.

Of note, the Hoyer was saying that his piece of crap legislation had to go forward to protect the Congressional freshman, but these same freshmen were saying that the voters sent them to DC specifically to oppose stuff like this.

Here is the progressive caucus statement of principles:

Progressive Caucus Official Position and Fundamental Principles Governing FISA Reform, as adopted

October 3, 2007

We, Members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, fully recognizing we live in a dangerous world but proud of, and deeply committed to, the values that have made the United States an exemplar for the world, affirm the following principles to guide consideration over the debate regarding surveillance of foreign intelligence. We hold that these principles represent the pillars by which America gives no quarter to terrorists who would do our country harm, while at the same time ensuring fidelity to the distinctively American commitment to the rule of law, the dignity of the individual, and separation of powers.

1. It should be the policy of the United States that the objective of any authorized program of foreign intelligence surveillance must be to ensure that American citizens and persons in America are secure in their persons, papers, and effects, but makes terrorists throughout the world feel insecure.

2. The best way to achieve these twin goals is to follow the rule of law. And the exclusive law to follow with respect to authorizing foreign surveillance gathering on U.S. soil is the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). As initially enacted by Congress, the exclusivity of FISA was unambiguous. Legislation must reiterate current law that FISA is the exclusive means to authorize foreign surveillance gathering on U.S. soil.

3. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) should be modernized to accommodate new technologies and to make clear that foreign to foreign communications are not subject to the FISA, even though modern technology enables that communication to be routed through the United States.

4. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) is indispensable and must play a meaningful role in ensuring compliance with the law. This oversight should include, where possible, regular judicial approval and review of surveillance, of whose communications will be collected, of how it will be gathered, and of how content and other data in communications to and from the United States will be handled.

5. Congress must have regular access to information about how many U.S. communications are being collected and the authority to require court orders when it becomes clear that a certain program or surveillance of a target is scooping up communications of U.S. persons.

6. Once the government has reason to believe that a specific account, person or facility will have contact with someone in the United States, the government should be required to return to the FISC to obtain a court order for continued surveillance. Reliance on the FISC will help ensure the privacy of U.S. persons’ communications.

7. Congress should not grant amnesty to any telecommunications company or to any other entity or individual for helping the NSA spy illegally on innocent Americans. The availability of amnesty will have the unintended consequence of encouraging telecommunications companies to comply with, rather than contest, illegal requests to spy on Americans.

8. Authorization to conduct foreign surveillance gathering on U.S. soil must never be made permanent. The threats to America’s security and the liberties of its people will change over time and require constant vigilance by the people’s representatives in Congress.

Domenici To Cite Brain Disorder As Cause Of Retirement, Wilson to Run for His Seat

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Remember when I said that Domenici had health and behavior issues? He will be citing a form of dementia called frontotemporal lobar degeneration as the reason for his retirement.

In related news, Republican Heather Wilson will run for his seat. This should be interesting, as she nearly lost her house seat in 2006, and she is as hip deep in the US Attorney scandal as Domenici is.