A collection of insightful ruminations, reflections, and rants on the events of the day (with the exception of the weekend). We'll collect a week's worth here and then archive them. Come visit each weekday to see what's pushing Barbara's buttons.

September 24, 2004

To all those mothers who, we're being told, are backing Bush because they are worried about their children's safety---if your child is playing with matches, do you STOP him, or do you allow him to continue until he sets the house afire? I believe concerned mothers will say NO to even the most determined child. It's time to say no to George Bush before he sets America on fire!

* * *

The families of the civilian workers, the 2 men who were recently beheaded in Iraq, have had to endure not only the horrific deaths of men they loved, they've also had to endure the recent revelations that the United States had been considering releasing the 2 women detainees, but due to not wanting the terrorists to think the U. S. was giving in to the demands of the terrorists the women were not released! How's that for a slap in the face? Frankly at this point who gives a shit what the terrorists THINK? This is an outrage, this just goes to show how really stupid the current leadership is! How do you tell a little girl her Daddy is dead because George Bush didn't want the terrorists to THINK we're weak?

* * *

George Bush has just committed the ultimate in FLIP-FLOPS! In a feeble attempt to portray strength, we were told the United States had been considering the release of two Iraqi female detainees, but for political reasons, because he didn't want the United States to appear as though we were "giving in" to the demands of the terrorists to release the women, he decided NOT to release them!!! Two American civilians have died, horrifically beheaded, two families are left without a husband, a father, a brother, a son, a friend, they loved, all because George Bush is worried about what terrorists THINK! This is outrageous.

* * *

Oh that this White House was as interested in who committed the crime of "outing" a covert CIA agent as they are in the CBS story. Perhaps if they'd put as much of their collective efforts into solving the problems in Iraq, maybe Iraq would not be a problem! Seems they're all more worried about saving George Bush than they are about the safety of America.

* * *

Has anyone considered how much better off we'd all be if the Repuglicans put all that energy into doing things for the greater good of America? If they'd just channel all that effort into solving the problems of the day our future would be so much brighter. The greatest waste of collective intelligence has been covering up the mistakes of George Bush and finding new and more inventive ways to trash and smear men and women who really do care about America. We can do better than this, truth and justice is not too much to expect from the leadership, it truly is time for change!! Vote Kerry/Edwards if you really do care about our country.

* * *

I have really enjoyed the music of Cat Stevens and was really disappointed when he decided to leave the world of music. I cannot understand how a man who has always been a pacifist, a man who gave us "Moonshadow" and "Peace Train" for God's sake, how could he be considered for a terrorist no fly list??? Oh I forget, the Repuglicans are in charge, these are the same guys who put Ted Kennedy on a no-fly list!

* * *

What we all tend to forget in these times of trial and tribulation is that George Bush has never had to answer for any of his screw-ups, he's never had to accept responsibility for anything he's done because Poppy's always been there to wrap him in a protective blanket and save him from even the slightest bit of accountability. He doesn't know what it means to admit mistakes, because as far as he's concerned he's never made one. America is at the mercy of a self-indulgent, over protected, child of privilege whose ignorance is surpassed only by his arrogance! If ever this country was in need of prayer, it's now.

* * *

September 23, 2004

First it was Tommy Chong, and now it's Cat Stevens. It seems George Bush and John Ashcroft have a bone to pick with old folk singers from the '60's. While some may think it's Homeland Security at work, it certainly doesn't make me feel any safer knowing they've been busy arresting and/or deporting bong dealers and peace activists.

* * *

Having read and listened to all the flack over the CBS documents and believing it, in my opinion, to be a Karl Rove instigated dirty trick, I have come to the conclusion that there is more at stake here than at first glance. If the documents are indeed a reflection of the truth, then Mr. Burkett's account of George Bush's National Guard records having been purged, becomes believable and could be the impetus for an investigation into possible criminal behavior which could result in the arrest and conviction of those involved in destroying federal property. The numerous people caught up in this illicit endeavor will do everything they can to keep us from seeing them hand-cuffed and frog marched out of the White House.

* * *

That "six degrees of separation" thing . . .

Harry W. MacDougald -- Georgia, Fulton County Republican Party Officials, Fulton County Registration and Election Board and the Freeper who analyzed CBS documents.

Ralph Reed -- current strategist for Bush/Cheney campaign, former chair of the Georgia Republican Party and has also "been surreptitiously working for an Indian tribe with a large casino it sought to protect--and that Reed was paid with funds laundered through two firms to try to keep his lucrative involvement secret." The documents obtained by The Nation show that Reed sent bills to Abramoff and Scanlon and that one of his consulting companies, Century Strategies of Duluth, Georgia, received $250,000 from one of Scanlon's companies, Capitol Campaign Strategies. An invoice to Abramoff from another Reed company, Capitol Media, for $100,000, states only that the payment is for "Louisiana Project Mgmt. Fee."

Jack Abramoff -- Bush Pioneer, long time Republican lobbyist and fundraiser known for grassroots organization. The Washington Post would later do stories about the awesome influence of Jack Abramoff and Mike Scanlon, who combined to drain $45 million in reported lobbying fees from four tribes in the first three Bush years, prompting an ongoing investigation by Senator John McCain. Abramoff's top political allies were House Majority Leader Tom DeLay and former Christian Coalition head Ralph Reed."

Roger Stone -- alleged to be involved in the CBS documents scandal. Republican strategist and "the dark force of Indian gaming, retained as a hidden consultant by tribes and developers across the country, was Roger Stone, a veteran of eight Republican presidential campaigns and star of the Miami/Dade recount shutdown."

Karl Rove -- currently U.S. President George W. Bush's Senior Advisor and chief political strategist.

* * *

September 22, 2004

The 6 Degrees of separation association coincidence has become evident in the most recent debacle over the CBS documents! "Buckhead" the freeper who posted his "detailed" analysis of those documents is an Atlanta-based lawyer with strong ties to the GOP in Georgia. He serves on the Fulton County Board of Elections. It is reported he is a GOP activist. Now do you think he might know former chair of Georgia GOP and now strategist for Bush/Cheney, Ralph Reed personally, and by some degree of separation Karl Rove? Admitted freeper a.k.a. "Buckhead," Harry MacDougald's associates tell us, "When he's not absorbed with work, I think he spends the rest of his life in the wee hours of the morning on freerepublic."

* * *

Why skewed polls?? Other than the obvious reason, to discourage potential voters, perhaps a more serious implication is that if "black-box" voting is indeed rigged to guarantee a pre-programmed outcome, then polls showing a preference for Bush leads to a "no questions asked" at the end of a stolen election! Remember mainstream media has eliminated "exit polling" and now without paper trails who could possibly challenge an outcome where the "polls" show Bush ahead? It seems to me skewed polls002806 are just another way for mainstream media to aid and abet the Bushies stealing another election!

* * *

Is Henry E. Brown Jr. R-SC just another Repuglican seeking preferential treatment from government officials? Those Repugs are really good at telling everyone else to obey the law, while they themselves will use intimidation and coercion whenever they can to avoid responsibility. But then what can we expect with George Bush as their role model??

* * *

Whenever Bush or anyone in his administration stands before you and says "there will be no draft," just remember these are the same people who told us that they had no forewarning of a terrorist attack, that there were WMDs in Iraq, that our troops would be welcomed with flowers and song, that Iraq could pay for their own reconstruction, and that George Bush served honorably in the National Guard.

* * *

Only a moron would attempt to put a positive spin on the war in Iraq by calling it a "catastrophic success" and only a moron would believe it! A failed pre-emptive war based on lies where over 1000 American soldiers as well as countless innocent Iraqis continue to die can never be equated with success and only an arrogant dumb shit would try to portray it as such.

* * *

George Bush has managed to bring some people together--the far right wing of radical religious extremists in the United States, and the radical religious extremists who believe that terrorism is the only way to fight US occupation in the Middle-East. And I thought the Crusades were fought long ago, foolish me!

* * *

Bush has a problem with pronunciation, and he has a problem with who did what when! Saddam is Osama, Osama is Saddam, Abu Nidal is Abu Abbas, Abu Abbas is Abu Nidal. Now this may be offered up as a slip of the tongue, but just in case you haven't noticed, George Bush slipped and sent the troops out of Afghanistan into Iraq to fight the war on terror. Iraq, people, Iraq that had nothing to do with September 11! Actually the key slip up here is Bush, the man who knows nothing about everything!

* * *

Unfortunately most people are unaware of the horrific consequences of the Bush administration's policies unless and until they become personally involved. Then and only then do people realize how miserably George Bush has failed the United States. Jack Hensley has been taken hostage in Iraq along with fellow American, Eugene Armstrong, and Brit, Kenneth Bigley. Mrs. Hensley is left to plead for her husband's life. This anguish should never have had to happen for any family and I would have to ask are we really safer today than we were 4 years ago?

* * *

Try asking Sue Niederer of New Jersey what she thinks about George Bush making America safer and protecting your children. Mrs. Niederer's son was killed in Iraq and when she attempted to express her grief and question the reason why, she was handcuffed and arrested. If anyone has the right to question this administration regarding their Iraq policy, Mrs. Niederer would be that person, her son gave his life to defend this country and insure that every American has the right to freely ask questions and express their opinion. She above all people should be able to say we are not safer whenever and where ever she chooses to say it.

* * *

We can add "hard of hearing" to the long list of George Bush's problems? He can't speak the language, he can't read the language, and now he demonstrates an inability to hear the language. In response to Senator Kerry's speech in New York where Kerry said, "Saddam Hussein was a brutal dictator who deserves his own special place in hell. But that was not, in itself, a reason to go to war. The satisfaction we take in his downfall does not hide this fact: we have traded a dictator for a chaos that has left America less secure," Bush said, "Incredibly, he now believes our national security would be stronger with Saddam Hussein in power, not in prison." I would ask Bush how do the over 1000 dead American soldiers and their families, and the countless dead innocent Iraqi citizens feel about it, what's your take on what they believe, dip shit?

* * *