Bush Investigations To Rival Watergate

While the Democrats have been playing down talk of radical shifts in governance should they gain control of the legislature, at least one report indicates they are privately planning a range of actions including: investigations of the Bush administration on a scale larger than Watergate; using the budget as a lever to dictate actual war strategy and leave Iraq; imposing a range of economic measures negatively impacting the Oil and Pharmaceutical industries; and the launching of a "boatload" of expensive social welfare programs while raising the minimum wage.

It appears some Democrats are more willing than others to talk about their plans, assuming they gain control of the House and or the Senate in the mid-term elections. Evidently, among other senior Dems, Rep.Henry Waxman has been talking to the Contra Costa Times.

Democrats will press to get out of Iraq. They'll mount investigations into the Bush administration's record that could rival those of Presidents Nixon in Watergate and Clinton in the Monica Lewinsky affair.

They'll push a boatload of social-welfare legislation, such as raising the minimum wage, that reflects their pent-up priorities, while blocking the Republican agenda on social issues such as gay marriage, abortion and religion.

Those are some of the top plans that Democrats would pursue if they won power, according to interviews with Democratic lawmakers, strategists, staff aides and lobbyists.

The tone and temper of the Democrats were reflected well by Rep. Henry Waxman of Los Angeles, the ranking Democrat on the House Government Reform Committee, in a conference call in late August. He'll become the panel's chairman if Democrats take the House.

They also appear ready to cut and run from Iraq as soon as possible.

Issue one would be the war.

"If the Democrats take the House back, pressure to find a way to withdraw from Iraq will greatly increase," said Rep. Barney Frank, an outspoken liberal Democrat from Massachusetts.

Democrats also could challenge the administration's war strategy at oversight hearings and by threatening to clamp conditions on war appropriations, although they would take care to do it responsibly, said Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the House's third-ranking Democrat.

Here's a partial list of other priorities they would like to pursue:

• Tax cuts for top earners and multimillion-dollar inheritances could be scrapped.

• Oil company tax breaks could end.

• Pharmaceutical companies would be pressed to lower domestic prices.

• The Medicare prescription drug benefit could be retooled to help seniors more and benefit the drug industry less.

• Another bill promoting embryonic stem-cell research, such as the one the president vetoed this year, could pass.

• Global warming could drive environmental and energy policy.

• Spending on welfare and affordable housing programs would expand.

Comments

[Tom Blumer]

There are a lot of reasons to be displeased with the GOP and Bush, but the alternative is unconscionably dangerous.

If we weren't at war, I'd be tempted to vote anti-incumbent to send a message about the bi-partisan disgraces of McCain-Feingold, pork, deficits, etc. With the war, no way.

[rwilymz]

The problem is: not all of what the democrats want to do is bad, wrong, dumb, or stupid. I'd guess that much of their motivation is: it's Not-Republican, which makes them about as mature as any kindergartener, but immaturity does not necessarily preclude being beneficial.

For one, I'd be eternally grateful to cease having the idiotic debate on a gay-marriage amendment. If gay marriage is allowed then it's allowed; if it's allowed in certain states and not in others then great. Not all states have the lottery or gambling either, despite each American having the right to throw his money away to the guys who fix the odds.

Roughly two-thirds of Americans want legal abortion, with not all abortions being legal. It's only one-third, about evenly split on both ends, who want the all-or-nothing. Late-term abortions... most Americans are fine with prohibiting that. Early term abortions... most Americans want to keep that. Minor abortions... most Americans understand that when a 16 year-old girl has to get mommy's permission to have her ears pierced, to get invasive surgery needs to have the same.

Stem-cell research is icky and it grates on many people's conscience. That's kinda too bad. It's basic research, and in this high-tech age, basic research is the key path to maintaining national relevance. If we are willing to throw away entire fields of basic research because it makes us squeamish, then we are committing economic suicide. Probably *slow* economic suicide, but economic suicide nonetheless. Ditto cloning and genetic modification of food crops, for the equal-n-opposite neo-luddites out there.

Iraq has been taking the escalator down into civil war for over a year now, and it's high time we let them do it. Without our involvement. Or our presence. The Iraqi civil war is being proxied by Iran and Syria, who are backing the opposing factions. The same two who cooperated to bring us the combined Hamas-Hezbollah war with Israel earlier this summer are squaring off against each other in Iraq. We'd be dumbdumbdumb to let this opportunity to promote dissention in the pan-islamist ranks pass. The Syrians are trying to impose a resurgent Assyrian Empire, the Iranians are trying to resuscitate a Persian Empire. Great. Let them duke it out. Last man standing wins. If they still want to take on The West afterwards ... their funeral.

[JohnT]

Latest poll from CNN shows that 57% of Americans think that Democrats investigating the Bush Administration would be a good thing for the country AND 30% think Bush should be impeached. Only 17% thought Clinton should be. Pretty bad numbers for us, huh?

[Terrye]

John:

The 30% are just partisan Democrats and by the way I did not think Clinton should be impeached, in fact I think that has been part of Bush's problem, the desire for revenge on the part of Democrats.

But as for the investigation I don't know what that means. It goes without saying that any administration should be questioned, but I am not sure that the responders to that question mean what some Democrats mean. Most people prefer bipartisan cooperation on the part of their representatives and find the constant bickering annoying.

[ClearwaterConservative]

Which one of the "priorities" that you list are you objecting to? As a strict neocon I would encourage any politician to do what you have listed.

What can be wrong with pressing pharmaceutical companies to lower domestic prices? Seniors need it. What can be wrong with expanding welfare and affordable housing programs? Didn't Jesus tell us repeatedly to help the poor?

I have never voted for a Dem, but I would vote for any politician that promised the list of priorities you mentioned.

[SinCerely]

John T...........not bad numbers if your into the ass thing.

[Joan]

I'm one of those so called southern security moms who always votes Republican. Until this year. I'm a physician and the lack of knowledge of science with the religious right is appalling. Myself and colleagues (74)all voted Republican last time but only 2 of us are this November. Most of my ED patients are also changing to Dems, not because of science, because of the negative religious influence of the right. Ralph Reed's gone, but there's alot more work to do. Hopefully Rick "man on dog" Santorum will bite the dust as well. It's like a Terri Schiavo payback, you know? The more educated you are, the less likely you'll vote Republican (according to the Baltimore papers)

[SinCerely]

because of the negative religious influence of the right

Posted by: Joan | Sunday, September 10, 2006 at 08:16 PM

Joan, can you, or would you like to state the negative influence? I am curious as well as religious. And to be honest, I am not getting all this negative influence stuff. Would love to hear your views. You can email me if you like.

Cindi

[James Arness]

CHENEY HOSPITALIZED...AGAIN
Date: May 16, 2005

Halliburton,TX API Vice President Richard Cheney was hospitalized again today for what was described as a “mild feart attack”. According to Dr. Noelle Bush, a specialist in farmacutical psychology, “The Vice President began noticing highly audible outbreaks of flatulence during several recent speeches.”

Doctors at Haliburton/Hussein Regional Hospital in Halliburton, TX were unable to explain why the feart attacks occurred only during Cheney’s speeches on shutting down open debate in congress and Haliburton’s partnership with Saddam Hussein in the 1990’s. Other speeches where Cheney experienced the debilitating feart attacks:

“The Threat of Terrorism in the U.S.”

“Why it’s Important That YOU give up YOUR Constitutional Rights in the Name of Freedom”

“ONE PARTY - ONE COUNTRY: The Upside of Downsizing The Constitution”

and "The Third Reicht - A Corporate Formula For Global Success"

“Right after he started his talk on ' We Are the Only One’s Telling you The Truth - Everybody Else is Lying’, we started hearing what sounded like a chainsaw,” stated Elmer Ruckus, Supreme Commander of Homeland Special Security. (Mr. Ruckus will be organizing the Citizen Indoct Urination Centers around the U.S.).

“I thought they was cuttin’ down trees right outside the winduh," spewed Ruckus. “I'm tellin ya it was loud!”

Doris Klum, homemaker and President of the conservative "New York Ina Minute Women”, expelled, “We knew something was wrong when the Vice President was overcome by his own fumes. He got all fogged up - he looked desperate.”

“He was talking about how the United States Constitution is a huge obstacle in the Fight Against Radical Terrorism (F.A.R.T.), when he broke out into a cold sweat. People sittin' close to him started throwin’ up. Some even passed out”, according to Emmit Coldcock, preacher for the Coldcock Baptist Church. “He foamed up at the mouth and starting screamin’, ‘I’m the big Dick and I will absolutely kick your pasty, liberal butts!’

At that point, according to several Ku Klux Klan officials attending the gathering, the Vice President began sexually abusing himself in front of 87-year old Thelma Weedmaster, the Vice President’s Nanny as a youth. Ms Weedmaster sat transfixed while a team of Hazardous Chemical technicians bagged Cheney.

According to Weedmaster, “Dick was always very gaseous. Many times I would put the smelly little butthead in a small box, tape it shut and let him have his feart attacks in private. One time I left him in there for 3 days...he started lyin’ a lot after that. He can’t hep it... We’d play ‘slap the monkey’ sometimes... he liked to...” At that point, Ms Weedmaster was whisked away by Bush staffers.

"The situation could have turned extremely deadly," said Karl "Greaseball" Von Himmler, a flatulence expert for the Ministry of Homeland Security.

“In a few more seconds, Mr. Cheneys feart attack could have touched off a massive blast. It’s incredible the Vice President could contain such a vast quantity of foul air!”

“We’ve seen it before,” said Bob Stickler, Chief of Rectal Research at Haliburton/Hussein. “They come in here mostly from D.C...always right-wing republicans. They exhibit all kinds of behaviors but the common manifestation seems to be psychological. They all have a little known defect resulting in something we call Genetic Stupidity. They look "normal", even behave "normal", but when they open their mouths and start talking...well, the symptoms are obvious."

"We can also spot victims in the audience at republican rallys and speeches," Stickler elaborated. "They smile a lot and their heads start nodding up and down like those little bobble-head toys. They are often mistaken for Elvis fans, UFO abductees, and right-wing Christian fundamentalists. Understandable of course, but those folks are victims of Cerebral Vortex Syndrome, a whole 'nuther bag of nuts. But it's only since Bush came in that we’ve seen the rise in feart attacks.”

Researchers have discovered that nearly 59 million Americans are afflicted with some combination of Genetic Stupidity and Cerebral Vortex Syndrome, an alarming fact most recently illustrated in the last presidential election. Currently, the Arizona State Legislature leads the nation in Chronic GS and CVS with both Texas and Missouri legislatures running a close second.

Sources close to the Vice President (but not too close) said police SWAT teams around the country have been experimenting with Cheney's flatulence for several months in an effort to thwart anti-war thinking, global terrorism, and anyone in general who opposes Bush's right-wing judicial nominations.

No further details are available.

[Terry Gain]

Joan,

Voting Democrat because some in the religious right are anti-science? So tell me Joan what does the Koran say about evolution?

Of course you will think my statement hysterical but think of this. It took Bush almost 5 years after 9/11 to refer to the enemy by name rather than the tactic they use. Such is the political climate. America has been fighting the enmy with one arm tied behind it's back. It ise about to turn your security over to people who don't even acknowledge the extent of the threat.

On Stephanofolus today Lehman pointed to the challenge confronting America by reason of the Madrassas in the middle east teaching children jihadism. This is a serious problem but the biggesr problem is within America itself.

Do you recall who was sitting in the Presidential box at the 2004 Democratic convention? Carter and Moore. A pacifist and his guest, a vile propagandist. The Democratic party of John Kennedy is dead. Howard Dean suggested Bush was behind 9/11. These are the people behind the party you now support.

They seem unaware that their hateful lies have been heard not just at home but around the world and believe me they have taken a toll. They have delivered more anti-American propaganda to the jihadists than they can ever use. How could anybody listening to the liberal media possibly have anything but a negative opinion of America.

America has given blood and treasure to bring freedom and democracy to Iraq but for political purposes the Democrats and their media friends have portrayed this noble enterprise as a foolish enterprise (at best) or (at worst) a deliberate betrayal of America. What a waste of resources. Spend all that effort and money and the nation's reputation is besmirched rather than enhanced- because the Democrat controlled media wants it that way.

IMHO the central front on the war on terror is not Iraq. It is America. And it is being lost if your post is any indication of what awaits us in Novembeer. The Islamofascists are rubbing their hands in glee. They need only hold out for a few more months and America will be attacking Bush the enemy. So was bin Laden right? Does America lack staying power.

[SinCerely]

So was bin Laden right? Does America lack staying power.

Posted by: Terry Gain | Sunday, September 10, 2006 at 11:56 PM
God I hope not, staying power is what has always made America great. What is beyond me is the desire to relate to the Islamofascists as if that was a good thing.

[SinCerely]

OK, I GOT IT, Islamofaciist are Democrats? The new under dog?

[rwilymz]

The US does not have "staying power" in any historical context. We're 200-plus years old for god sake; human civilization is 10,000 years old. China has "staying power". They've been going for a few thousand years.

What the US has going for it is built-in resilience. We're a democracy, whereas every other attempt at civilization has been one form or other of dictatorship. Monarchical, military, etc. Dictatorships are rigid, pretty much by definition. Break anything rigid -- like a sheet of glass -- you get a whole bunch of pieces.

Of course, the downside to democracy is instant self-interest. The dictator can prepare his city-state/nation-state/empire for the future by being smart and anticipating likely events from reading the tea-leaves of current events. A democracy depends on the direction of its masses. A vote from a cretin counts just as much as a vote from a genius.

If there are enough votes from the cretins to demand the government pay them for being lazy, undereducated dopes, then guess what the priorities are? Doesn't matter if there are forward-thinking individuals leading the nation when the masses are more interested in what they can get *now*.