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The Donnybrook
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
 
Uncle Dick Says Insurgency Is In "Last Throes"...Will End By 2009...

I can't believe they propped up Cheney to come up with this brilliant piece of logical gymnastics.

It seems to me, if the insurgency is its final stages, it would end in about a year at the most...

But, alas, Uncle Dick says uneqivocally: "4 More years!!!"

(at war, that is...)

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Friday, May 27, 2005
 
Hillary Cohort Acquitted, DeLay Cohort Busted...

It looks like the GOP's silver bullet for Hillary came out a dud...

Meanwhile, the treasurer of Tom DeLay's personal PAC gets busted, and all the Bugman can do is bitch and moan that "Law & Order" made fun of him...

Boo hoo, Bugman.

See you next year, pussy...

P.S. Kos has a definitive rundown of DeLay's role in the TRMPAC scandal, in spite of his claim that "I'm not part of it."

I'd like to call "bullshits" there, Tommy...

(I told you GOP dummies this wasn't just about lobbyist-paid trips!)

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American Family Association Attacks Arlen Specter's Cancer...

What good people they are...

Very Christ-like...
Senator Specter apparently wants a place on your wall. Here's why he shouldn't get the chance.

Pick your poster child: Arlen Specter, bald from chemotherapy treatments for Hodgkin's disease, saying that he is Exhibit A for embryonic stem-cell research ... or those cute little kids in the AP photo with this caption: "President Bush appeared at the White House with babies and toddlers born of test-tube embryos, some wearing shirts that read 'former embryo.'"


"I look in the mirror every day," says Specter, "barely recognize myself. And not to have the availability of the best of medical care is simply atrocious."

Meanwhile, President Bush was busy praising a Christian agency that helps couples adopt frozen embryos. Amidst 21 babies and toddlers who began their lives as frozen embryos left over after fertility treatments, the president said, "there is no such thing as a spare embryo."

So, again, pick your poster child. The man with a disease who thinks there is vast medical potential in destroying babies described as embryos, or the children who developed from their embryonic state to roll around on White House carpet.

Thanks to Crooks and Liars for finding this...

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Thursday, May 26, 2005
 
Sen. Voinovich Pleads Against Nomination Of John Bolton...

It's a very heartfelt appeal to the Senate. You have to wonder how many of his Republican colleagues are listening...
"At a strategic time, when we need friends all over the world, we need somebody up there that's gonna be able get the job done. And I know some of my friends say, 'let it go george it's gonna work out.' I don't wanna take the risk. I ran for a second term, because I'm worried about my kids, and my grandchildren."
Take a look...

(Thanks to DemBloggers)

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I Know It's Early, But Who Do You Want For Prez In '08?

I know I'm jumping the gun here, but it's pretty harmless to see where people's heads are at 3 years out.

Here's my top 3:

1. Sen. Evan Bayh (Indiana)
2. Gen. Wesley Clark (Arkansas)
3. Gov. Mark Warner (Virginia)

I don't have anything against Hillary at this point, she just doesn't crack my top 3. John Kerry is in the triple digits right now.

On the Republican side, John McCain and Rudy Giuliani are about all I can stomach at this point, although they both would have a tough time winning in the evolutionary time warp that is the GOP primary season.

I may be able to deal with Mitt Romney, if for no other reason than he's from the Northeast. But, he seems to be trying to twist out of being pro-choice just in time for the GOP primaries. Come to think of it, Romney is also trying to weasel out of his previous support for stem cell research, too. Fuck him, after all...

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Harry Reid Lays Out The Democratic Agenda...

So anyone who says that the Democrats "have no ideas" or "can't say anything positive" need look no further...
Today at the National Press Club, Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid introduced a common sense agenda for the common good.

After moderation triumphed over polarization in the Senate, Democrats are moving forward with a positive agenda for the American people. "We Democrats have something better to offer. A reform agenda that will cleanse Washington…give power to the people -- not special interests…and make sure that everyday Americans and their concerns get back on the Congressional calendar," said Senator Reid in his speech today.

America's agenda is: strengthening our national defense, rebuilding our economy, providing families with affordable health care, making America energy independent, and securing our retirement. While the Republican Congress has put all this and more on hold, Democrats are ready to do the people's business and address the priorities of this country's common sense center. "

But perhaps the greatest abuse of power is to have the ability to help but choose to do nothing," said Senator Reid.

Read the rest here...

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Conservative Activist Judge Decides What Religion A Child Can And Can't Be Taught...

Could there be a clearer case of judicial activism than this?

An Indianapolis father is appealing a Marion County judge's unusual order that prohibits him and his ex-wife from exposing their child to "non-mainstream religious beliefs and rituals."

The parents practice Wicca, a contemporary pagan religion that emphasizes a balance in nature and reverence for the earth.

Cale J. Bradford, chief judge of the Marion Superior Court, kept the unusual provision in the couple's divorce decree last year over their fierce objections, court records show. The order does not define a mainstream religion.
I don't give a shit if your religion tells you to worship carrots, no judge in this country has the right to tell you you're wrong...

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Wednesday, May 25, 2005
 
This Is The Stuff That Really Drives Me Crazy...

How many times have we heard the slogans?

"Support the military"..."Support our troops"..."Honor our veterans"...

I call them slogans because in today's GOP-controlled America, that's all they are...

The words lose more meaning everyday, and not just because every yellow-ribbon bumper sticker I've ever seen was made in China.

Case in point: More than 1,000 veterans are suing Donald Rumsfeld's Defense Department because budget cuts are resulting in sub-par care for many of America's veterans.

The suit alleges that the more than 1,000 veterans living at the Northwest Washington facility can no longer get prescriptions and regular doctor checkups at the home because of service cuts in the two years since the Defense Department installed new management.

The plaintiffs said the austerity measures have put their health in danger and left them with no choice but to sue Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and the home's chief operating officer, Timothy Cox.


They said the cuts violate a federal law requiring the home to provide a minimum standard of health care on the campus off North Capitol Street that has been a veterans' sanctuary since 1851. It was formerly known as the U.S. Soldiers' and Airmen's Home.

According to the suit, an on-site pharmacy and a medical treatment room have been closed; annual health exams have been drastically curtailed; and residents with emergency health problems are told to call 911, causing some of them to resort to taking a taxi to Walter Reed Army Medical Center to avoid paying for an ambulance or medical care at a civilian hospital.

Because of the cuts, the number of deaths at the home has increased from 59 in 2000 to 131 in 2003, the suit contends.

I get fired up when I see this because my uncle spent much of the last 10 years of his life moving in and out of VA hospitals. He did his service to his country and got the appropriate medical care he deserved when he needed it the most.

Why are the GOP powers-that-be lowering that standard?

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Tuesday, May 24, 2005
 
Calvin & Hobbes Returning To Newpapers?

Not really, but it's something to look forward to...

My buddy PSoTD brought this piece of news to my attention:

"Calvin and Hobbes" will return to newspapers later this year, and its reclusive creator, Bill Watterson, will answer questions.

Before fans of the renowned comic and cartoonist get too excited, it should be quickly noted that it will be reruns of "Calvin and Hobbes" that newspapers can publish from Sept. 4 to Dec. 31. And Watterson will reply to queries in a controlled way via Andrews McMeel Publishing.


What a great comic strip...

It still burns me up every time I see a car hauling around with a decal of Calvin peeing on a Ford logo, kneeling in front of a cross, etc. Bill Watterson never authorized any merchandise from the series, but some bloodsucking leeches just can't resist.

For a more immediate fix, UComics is re-running the entire series. Currently, they are in the middle of one of the best, most poignant plot lines of the series: when Calvin's house is burglarized while he's on vacation...

Start here, and click through to today's comic...

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Kudos To The Dealmakers...

While I'm not too happy to see three lousy judges get lifetime appointments, it's a good thing that a party with only 45 seats can still prevent the party in power from drastically over-reaching.

I'm sure a lot of people on my side will be disappointed in the deal, but I for one am happy to see it. I'm learning to not let the perfect get in the way of the very good.

Harry Reid was able to keep his caucus together while Bill Frist could not, and Dr. Dobson is already looking for his pound of flesh.

Also, Bush will now have to think long and hard before nominating another shoddy judge for the Supreme Court.

Here's to the dealmakers!

Democrats
Robert Byrd (West Virginia)
Daniel Inouye (Hawaii)
Mary Landrieu (Louisiana)
Joseph Lieberman (Connecticut)
Ben Nelson (Nebraska)
Mark Pryor (Arkansas)
Ken Salazar (Colorado)

Republicans
Lincoln Chafee (Rhode Island)
Susan Collins (Maine)
Mike DeWine (Ohio)
Lindsey Graham (South Carolina)
John McCain (Arizona)
John Warner (Virginia)
Olympia Snowe (Maine)

P.S. Extra props to Lindsey Graham for being the first to admit that many of his constituents will be pissed at his position. He seems like an honest and classy guy...

P.P.S. Crooks And Liars has a great round-up of reactions to the deal. Let's just say that conservatives ain't happy this morning...

P.P.P.S. My favorite centrist, the Bull Moose, has great insights as well...

P.P.P.P.S. Any situation that prompts Rush Limbaugh to refer to Republicans as "The 7 Nitwits" is defininately a good thing in my book...

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Monday, May 23, 2005
 
A Few Random Thoughts On A Fantastic Trip To Miami...

Cuban food is just flat out unbelievable. If you haven't had ropa vieja or maduros, you're just not getting the most out of your life...

If you only go to tourist-y areas when you travel, you're really missing out. Little Havana is an amazing place that I'm guessing a lot of people don't go to. Great people, great food, just great...

In four and a half days in the Miami area, I saw no fewer than seven bonafide "10's". North Carolina has good-looking women, but I'm guessing in my 9+ years here, I've seen about five absolute 10's. It was like a huge-boob bomb went off on South Beach...

We saw Shaquille O'Neal having lunch one day in South Beach. He gave us a big wave and the ol' peace sign. Seems like a good guy...

Miami TV stations have the best looking female anchors and weathergirls on the planet...

George W. Bush is a pandering idiot who speaks God-awful Spanish...

Howard Johnson's is a horrible hotel chain. Don't stay there...

It's too goddamned hot in Miami, but if the raised temperatures are responsible for the female fashions in the area, I can deal...

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Tuesday, May 17, 2005
 
I'm Off To Miami...

See you chumps later!!!

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Spin For Me, Loyal Conservatives...

I know, I know. Biased polling by the evil MSM...Play it again, Sam...

Bush approval ratings
Approve 43 (49)

Disapprove 50 (46)

Congressional Republicans
Approve 35 (39)

Disapprove 50 (44)

Congressional Democrats
Approve 39 (37)

Disapprove 41 (44)

(Poll from Pew Research via DailyKos...)

UPDATE: Donkey Rising has more specifics on our floundering Preznit...

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Keith Olbermann Gets To The Heart Of The Newsweek Fiasco...

...and it's so good, I'll just let it sink in...

Last Thursday, General Richard Myers, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Donald Rumsfeld’s go-to guy whenever the situation calls for the kind of gravitas the Secretary himself can’t supply, told reporters at the Pentagon that rioting in Afghanistan was related more to the on-going political reconciliation process there, than it was to a controversial note buried in the pages of Newsweek claiming that the government was investigating whether or not some nitwit interrogator at Gitmo really had desecrated a Muslim holy book.

But Monday afternoon, while offering himself up to the networks for a series of rare, almost unprecedented sit-down interviews on the White House lawn, Press Secretary McClellan said, in effect, that General Myers, and the head of the after-action report following the disturbances in Jalalabad, Lieutenant General Karl Eikenberry, were dead wrong. The Newsweek story, McClellan said, “has done damage to our image abroad and it has done damage to the credibility of the media and Newsweek in particular. People have lost lives. This report has had serious consequences.”

Whenever I hear Scott McClellan talking about ‘media credibility,’ I strain to remember who it was who admitted Jeff Gannon to the White House press room and called on him all those times.

Whenever I hear this White House talking about ‘doing to damage to our image abroad’ and how ‘people have lost lives,’ I strain to remember who it was who went traipsing into Iraq looking for WMD that will apparently turn up just after the Holy Grail will - and at what human cost.


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Monday, May 16, 2005
 
Priest Denies Communion To Supporters Of Gays...

No, I'm not saying that gay people were denied communion. That's too easy.

I'm saying people that straight people that dare to view homosexuals as people were denied communion.

Think I'm bullshitting? Read on...
A Roman Catholic priest denied communion to more than 100 people Sunday, saying they could not receive the sacrament because they wore rainbow-colored sashes to church to show support for gay Catholics.

Before offering communion, the Rev. Michael Sklucazek told the congregation at the Cathedral of St. Paul that anyone wearing a sash could come forward for a blessing but would not receive wine and bread.

A group called the Rainbow Sash Alliance has encouraged supporters to wear the multicolored fabric bands since 2001 on each Pentecost Sunday, the day Catholics believe the Holy Spirit came to give power to Christians soon after Jesus ascended to heaven. But Sunday's service was the first time they had been denied communion at the altar.

Archbishop Harry Flynn told the group earlier this month that they would not receive communion because the sashes had become a protest against church teaching.
Strangely, the very last line of the article is the one that gave me the worst feeling and that won't stop ringing in my head:
Last year, some conservative groups in St. Paul kneeled in church aisles to block sash-wearers from receiving communion.
Sad...

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Ol' Owl Eyes Was Just Searching For Some Vitamin D...

This story is indeed the gift that keeps on giving.

Apparently, Lil' Jenny was seeking out an old boyfriend that used to throw her the bone. I guess she wasn't too psyched about not getting laid for a long time before her wedding...

Jennifer Wilbanks wasn't just running away from her wedding, she was running toward something — an old paramour with whom she had a steamy sexual relationship.

The bolting bride set her sights on New Mexico sometime during her three-day cross-country sprint from the altar because it's the home of a short-lived fling, several sources told The Post.


"She's a crazy girl," said Kendrick, who said he had a brief — and sexually charged — relationship with Wilbanks.

"It was a couple dates a couple of years ago," said Kendrick, who spoke to a reporter as he exited a local supermarket — with purchases that included a copy of a recent People magazine with Wilbanks' bug-eyed mug on the cover.


"It wasn't serious. It was what it was."


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Friday, May 13, 2005
 
Right Wing Radio Knob Michael Medved Loses His Shit...

You don't want to miss this one...

Medved is talking to a representative from Rock the Vote and is attempting to upbraid him for claiming that Bush wants to privatize Social Security. (Which he does, by the way...)

Mr. Medved goes so far off the tracks, he actually claims that this guy is NOT a member of Congress...

Take a listen and feel the hack-tacular goodness...

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Thursday, May 12, 2005
 
Sirota Likes Ike...Ike Likes Social Security...

David Sirota uncovers my new favorite quote...

"Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things. Among them are [a] few other Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or business man from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid."

-President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 11/8/54
For those of you keeping track at home, here's the Bush scorecard:

Texas oil millionaire? Check!

Stupid? Check!

Trying to abolish Social Security? Check!

Eliminating unemployment insurance? Check!

Eliminating labor laws? Check!

Gutting farm programs? Check!

UPDATE: Speaking of Ike, this piece brought to mind a great quote from the inimitable Lewis Black...

"In my lifetime, we've gone from Eisenhower to George W. Bush. We've gone from John F. Kennedy to John F. Kerry. If this is evolution, I believe that in 12 years, we'll be voting for plants."
Well said...

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Wednesday, May 11, 2005
 
Approval Ratings For All 50 Governors...

A very neat breakdown by SurveyUSA.

NC's own Governor Mike Easley weighs in with a 52%/34% Approval/Disapproval number.

If anyone can find him, they should let him know.

What surprised me the most is how well Democratic governors do in some veeeeeeeery red states.
Freudenthal (WY) 67/20
Napolitano (AZ) 59/32
Henry (OK) 59/30
Schweitzer (MT) 58/27
Sebelius (KS) 54/34
Fascinating...

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Real Wages Fall At Fastest Rate In 14 Years...

A corner is being turned...
Real wages in the US are falling at their fastest rate in 14 years, according to data surveyed by the Financial Times by the Economic Policy Institute.

Inflation rose 3.1 per cent in the year to March but salaries climbed just 2.4 per cent, according to the Employment Cost Index. In the final three months of 2004, real wages fell by 0.9 per cent.


The last time salaries fell this steeply was at the start of 1991, when real wages declined by 1.1 per cent.

Stingy pay rises mean many Americans will have to work longer hours to keep up with the cost of living, and they could ultimately undermine consumer spending and economic growth.
That last sentence should be the absolute backbone of any and every Democratic politician's campaign in the coming years.

The Bush years have brought riches to the rich and strife to the rest of us...

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Tuesday, May 10, 2005
 
Is Your Congressperson In Tom DeLay's Pocket?

(via Political Wire)

Public Campaign has an easy to navigate database of how much money DeLay has given to every member of the House of Representatives, as well as statistics showing how often each member voted with the Bugman.

While you're there, have a look-see at North Carolina's Congressional delegation...

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North Carolina Still Has An Anti-Cohabitation Law???

What the hell did I get myself into down here?

More importantly, can I be prosecuted for "cohabitating" in 2001 and 2002?

I know it sounds crazy, but this lady lost her job thanks to this antiquated statute:

Deborah Hobbs, 40, says her boss, Sheriff Carson Smith of Pender County, near Wilmington, told her to get married, move out or find another job after he found out she and her boyfriend had been living together for three years. The couple did not want to get married, so Hobbs quit.

Her lawsuit, filed in March in state court, seeks to have the
cohabitation law declared unconstitutional.


True to form, an organization that claims to represent "family values" is looking to uphold the cohabitation ban:

“We think that it’s good to have a law against cohabitation because the studies show that couples that cohabitate before they’re married, that their marriages are more prone to break up, there’s less stability in the marriage,” said Bill Brooks, executive director of the conservative North Carolina Family Policy Council.


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Bull Moose Talks About The Need For A Renewed Labor Movement...

Great insights from a voice of sanity in a crazy blogosphere...

The greatest piece of wisdom I took away?

America needs a strong labor movement as never before. With the rise of the Bush plutocracy, there is no counter-balance to the power of money.

Amen...

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Monday, May 9, 2005
 
My "WAW" Test Finds A Larger Audience...

Thanks to (of all people!) Bob Dole's former press secretary, my theory that the media only cares about missing persons if they pass the "WAW" test (White, Attractive, Wealthy) is getting a little more play with a minor variation for age.

Interesting reading...

Note to the news media--with an emphasis on the cable networks: Enough is enough.

Your continual focus on, and reporting of, missing, young, attractive white women not only demeans your profession but is a televised slap in the face to minority mothers and parents the nation over who search for their own missing children with little or no assistance or notice from anyone.

The latest missing woman to dominate the airtime of the cable networks was Jennifer Wilbanks, from Duluth, Ga. Like Dru Sjodin, Chandra Levy and Elizabeth Smart all before her, Wilbanks is young, white and attractive. Wilbanks, as it turned out, ran away of her own volition from her impending marriage. As a Maryland police official told me after Wilbanks turned up in New Mexico, "the media's non-stop focus on the possible abduction of Wilbanks forced the local officials and police departments to spend thousands of dollars they would not otherwise have spent."

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Check Out The New And Improved Wake County Democratic Party Site...

They've done a terrific job getting a comprehensive site together that incorporates the many Democratic groups in the area.

Also, check out the updated calendar for upcoming party events.

P.S. The Wake Democratic Men's Club is meeting tonight at 6:30pm at Griffin's Restaurant in North Raleigh. Our speaker tonight is Mac McCorkle, an experienced political consultant.

Some good info from Mac's bio:

As a campaign issues consultant, McCorkle worked with the 1992 and 1996 campaigns of Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan, the 1994 campaign of Alabama Lieutenant Governor Don Siegelman, and the 1994 campaign of Illinois Democratic gubernatorial nominee Dawn Clark Netsch.

In 1998 McCorkle served as an issues consultant to the winning gubernatorial campaigns of Don Siegelman in Alabama, and Jim Hodges in South Carolina.

In 2000 McCorkle worked on the winning gubernatorial campaigns of North Carolina Attorney General Mike Easley and Missouri Treasurer Bob Holden as well as the U.S. Senate campaign of Missouri's late Governor Mel Carnahan.

In 2002 McCorkle's state-level clients included the winning gubernatorial campaigns of Phil Bredesen in Tennessee, Janet Napolitano in Arizona, and Rod Blagojevich in Illinois. He also worked on the senatorial campaigns of Erskine Bowles in North Carolina and Senator Jean Carnahan in Missouri.

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NC Democratic Party Chair Smacks Back At Minister Looking To Expel Democrats...

Well done, Jerry. This is why you got the job.

North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Jerry Meek made the following statement about reports that the minister of East Waynesville Baptist Church asked nine church members to resign "saying if they didn't support George Bush, they should resign or repent." [WLOS-TV]:
"One of the Bible's most repeated commands is to 'Love your neighbor.' If these reports are true, this minister is not only acting extremely inappropriately by injecting partisan politics into a house of worship, but he is also potentially breaking the law and threatening the church's 501 (c) (3) non-profit status."

For more on the situation Chairman Meek is addressing look here...

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Friday, May 6, 2005
 
Who Hasn't Heard The Pat O'Brien Sex Tapes?

If you haven't, here's a little something for you to get your weekend started the right way.

This is Pat O'Brien (yup, that Pat O'Brien) all coked up and trying to get a mysterious female to jump on his mule. He's so worked up, he had to go to rehab after this...

Once you get the gist of the tapes, you can have some fun with them using this handy-dandy soundboard.

WARNING: You probably shouldn't listen to this at work, so beware...

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Is A "Blue Scare" Beginning Right Here In North Carolina?

I wouldn't have believed such a thing was possible a few years ago...

Apparently, a minister in Waynesville, NC is looking to rid his congregation of anyone who voted for John Kerry in 2004 and/or supports the Democratic party.

The story appeared on WLOS-TV and has been independently verified by several members of the church who say they were targeted for expulsion from the church.

I'd like to say I'm making this up, but you can watch the video and draw your own conclusions.

If this is all true, "Blue Scare" may not be too strong a description...

UPDATE: WLOS-TV has added the story to their website, although with very few details...
East Waynesville Baptist asked nine members to leave. Now 40 more have left the church in protest. Former members say Pastor Chan Chandler gave them the ultimatum, saying if they didn't support George Bush, they should resign or repent. The minister declined an interview with News 13. But he did say "the actions were not politically motivated." There are questions about whether the bi-laws were followed when the members were thrown out.

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Thursday, May 5, 2005
 
Free Burritos At Moe's Today!

In observance of Cinco de Mayo, the first 100 people through the door of every Moe's get a free burrito. They open at 11am.

For my birthday (today), I'll be getting a free burrito and free ice cream at Ben & Jerry's on Hillsborough.

Good times, indeed...

P.S. My wife answered my wish and got me "The Office: Complete Collection" on DVD...

UPDATE: It looks like I wasn't the only one that knew about the Moe's deal since I got there at 10:55 and was greeted with a line around block. Happy F*cking Birthday!!!

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Wednesday, May 4, 2005
 
More Polls For People Who Hate Polls...

57% of Americans think the Iraq war "wasn't worth it"...

56% of Americans think the Iraq was is "going badly"...

In other news:

Eliot Spitzer leads Mr. Personality George Pataki by a whopping 20 points in the race for governor of New York.

Tom DeLay now has 77% name recognition around the country. That's not good for the GOP...

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Kudos To A GOP'er For An Idea That's Long Overdue...

Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA) deserves credit for reintroducing a bill to give the District of Columbia some level of Congressional representation of which it currently has none.

The bill balances the proposed DC congressional seat (almost certainly a Democratic stronghold) with a new 4th district in Utah (almost certainly a GOP stronghold).

Davis raises some very valid points on his website regarding DC representation:

This bill will correct the long-standing injustice that citizens of the
District of Columbia, who pay federal taxes and who serve and die in the Armed
Forces, have been denied full voting representation in the U.S. Congress.
The next logical step should be giving DC representation in the Senate as well, but that might be a tougher sell, since that would most definitely add 2 solidly Democratic seats to the Senate (and we can't have that, can we?).

For more on DC's inexplicable lack of Congressional represention, check out DCVote.org.

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Tuesday, May 3, 2005
 
Support For DeLay Evaporating Rapidly In His Home District...

DeLay's support is eroding pretty rapidly in Texas' mostly Republican 22nd district.

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy...

In general, do you approve or disapprove of the job Tom DeLay is doing as Congressman?

51 percent disapproved
42 percent approved
7 percent were not sure

What letter grade would you give Tom DeLay for his job as congressman? An A, B, C, D, or an F?

A: 23 percent
B: 19 percent
C: 18 percent
D: 16 percent
F: 22 percent
Not Sure: 1 percent

Based on what you know right now, do you think Tom DeLay should remain in his position as House Majority Leader, he should resign as House Majority Leader but remain a member of Congress, or do you think he should completely resign from Congress?

39 percent: Remain House Majority Leader
21 percent: Resign Leadership
36 percent: Resign From Congress
4 percent: Not Sure

Sadly, DeLay's 2004 opponent, Richard Morrison has dropped out of the 2006 race due to family issues.

Nick Lampson, a former Houston Congressman who lost his seat in 2004 thanks to DeLay's illegal redistricting efforts will take up the task of ousting the Bugman, whose seat ironically became tougher to defend thanks to redistricting.

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American Media Ignores Report Of Secret US/UK Deal On Iraq...

This report in the London Times was a bombshell in the UK, but it didn't even garner a mention here in the US:

"The Times reports, based on a newly discovered document, that in 2002 British Prime Minister Tony Blair chaired a meeting in which he expressed his support for "regime change" through the use of force in Iraq and was warned by the nation's top lawyer that such an action would be illegal," he adds. "Blair also discussed the need for America to "create" conditions to justify the war."

Apparently, our valiant media was too busy talking about Michael Jackson and a runaway zombie bride to notice that yet another sign of the Bush administration's thirst for war had been exposed.

Luckily, Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) was paying attention and is calling on Dubya to explain.

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Monday, May 2, 2005
 
Throw This Moron In Jail...But Don't Stop There...

I'm speaking, of course, about the googly-eyed nutjob that ran away from her wedding in Atlanta. She got caught, but not before getting in a good stoking of America's racist fires by claiming a "Spanish-speaking" man had abducted her. (Susan Smith, anyone?)

If she isn't thrown in jail, she should at least have to pay for all the man-hours (like the Wisconsin college student last year) that authorities committed to finding her dumb ass...

But the story doesn't stop there.

Wilbanks' fiancee is now saying that the wedding is "not called off, just postponed".

If he marries this psycho, he deserves every bit of misery that this human thousand-yard-stare will inflict upon him.

You think she freaked out before the wedding? What happens if they have kids???

There's more to hate about this story, most of it having to with our ever-vigilent media machine that was oh-so-eager to turn Wilbanks' fiancee into the next Scott Peterson.

You had to know this story would get major media coverage because the "victim" fit all 3 of the 3 demographics necessary for the media to care. Call it the "WAW" test:

1.) Wealthy
2.) Attractive
3.) White

Sure, "attractive" is debatable given the aforementioned gaze, but given the fact that Wilbanks is wealthy (14 bridesmaids and 600 guests???) and white, the writing was on the wall as soon as this story hit the wire.

To summarize: She's a moron, he's a bigger moron, and the media is shit...

UPDATE: The always entertaining Keith Olbermann has some good info on Ol' Zombie Eyes...

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Does Rick Santorum See The Writing On The Wall?

David Sirota lays out the simplest and most effective breakdown of Lil' Ricky's wingnuttery that I've ever seen.

Sirota also exposes Santorum's tacit admissions that a defeat at the hands of Bobby Casey may be inevitable...

P.S. Bobby Casey just hired Gov. Mike Easley's campaign manager, Jay Reiff, to head up his 2006 Senate campaign against Santorum.

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