The Rise of Iran

The United States is building up (read that "vaporizing more money") their defenses in the Middle East because Iran is an increasing threat to stability. Let me think now, how did Iran rise as a regional power? Oh, that's right, their old enemy and counterbalance, Iraq, was destroyed. Too bad that happened. Who pulled off that stunt? Oh, that's right, us. Nice going Bush/Cheney.

Bush (43) Speaks Out

With all due respect to the former President, and while having no love for the current one, it's pretty clear that what Mr. Bush wanted to do while he was President, he simply declared "within the law." He has certainly paved the way for Mr. Obama to do the same thing.

And can anyone make sense of this quote:

"I told you I'm not going to criticize my successor," he said. "I'll just tell you that there are people at Gitmo that will kill American people at a drop of a hat and I don't believe that persuasion isn't going to work. Therapy isn't going to cause terrorists to change their mind."

Let's see, two negatives make a positive, so Mr. Bush does believe that persuasion is going to work? Did an English major vet this speech, or was he misquoted?

Has Bush Been Talking to Ben Stein?

He must be, otherwise he would never make stupid statements like this:

"I've abandoned free-market principles to save the free-market system," Bush told CNN television, saying he had made the decision "to make sure the economy doesn't collapse."

I'm not sure where to begin on this other than simply say that what Bush is doing is taking the country rapidly down the Road to Serfdom. His actions will destroy the free-market system in this country.

A Summary of President Bush's Interview

Fox News has a summary of what President Bush said. One wonders what, if anything, he is intellectually interested in...

President Bush on the Nature of the Bible

CNN discusses President Bush's views on the nature of the Bible. To my way of thinking it displays his shoddy approach to pretty much everything. What he truly believes, or even understands about inspiration, who can say?

Financial Roundup (Attention: Not for the Faint of Heart

Let's see what happy news we have today. This guy gives 30 reasons why we will be in Great Depression 2 by 2011 (Look at his picture. Why is he smiling?). Foreign autos are piling up at the dock in Long Beach (now that's a happy picture). George Bush sells us down the socialist river. The Washington Post must have received something from King Paulson to publish this piece of crapola article fawning about his exploits (many of them extra-legal), while President Bush cowered in the background. A more realistic look at King Paulson can be found here where we find proof that he is more concerned about how history sees him then anything else and so must rapidly revise the truth.

More (Possible) Nitwittery from the Administration and Congress

So...nothing is working thus far in repairing the damage that our overconsumption has caused. What is Congress and the Administration to do? I know, how about Stimulus Package II, since the first one worked so well (not). From the article:

"We have to prop up consumption," Representative Barney Frank, a Newton Democrat and chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, said in an interview in which he revealed some of the details the party leadership was discussing.

Earth to Barney. Earth to Barney. Over-consumption and over-spending are what got us here in the first place. Nice to see you learned something from the meltdown.

The rationale for another stimulus package, particularly one that helps the states and cities, is compelling for many economists. The nearly $1 trillion that Congress and the Federal Reserve are making available to the financial system is intended to make credit more available. That props up the supply side.

Is this writer serious? Does he understand history and/or economics. If you have to "prop up" something, you are propping it up only so that down the road it will collapse further. What you must do is return to balance, i.e. teach Americans to spend no more than they earn.

I expect that when this gets passed, Bush will go along as he always has because he is totally a fiscal conservative...except when he isn't.

The New New Bush Doctrine

The newest version of the Bush Doctrine appears to be that democracy is just fine, unless we think that it won't get us what we want, then it's not fine. Thus they administration does not want to put the secret deal by which we stay in Iraq for 100 years to an Iraqi vote, fearing the people will vote it down. Hmm...I thought Congress made treaties. Oops, my bad.

The Dangers of Being a Talking Head Without a Knowledge of History

This is a pretty funny interview. The goofball (Conservative) who is on Hardball needs to read a book on history before he weighs in. Chris Matthews traps him quite well.

Bush and Going to War

This story rings true even though it takes one's breath away. I hope it isn't true. From the article:

The former Palestinian foreign minister Nabil Shaath says Mr Bush told him and Mahmoud Abbas, former prime minister and now Palestinian President: "I'm driven with a mission from God. God would tell me, 'George, go and fight those terrorists in Afghanistan.' And I did, and then God would tell me, 'George go and end the tyranny in Iraq,' and I did."

And "now again", Mr Bush is quoted as telling the two, "I feel God's words coming to me: 'Go get the Palestinians their state and get the Israelis their security, and get peace in the Middle East.' And by God, I'm gonna do it."