The darkness of the Neocon

The darkness grew
I had to know
And so I went where I dared not go
To the heartless land of Neocon
To the heartless land of Neocon

The things I saw
Have shocked my mind
And now I'm lost and cannot find
The door out of the Neocon
The door out of the Neocon

I long for light
For peace and sense
The mending of torn innocence
At the cruel hand of Neocon
At the cruel hand of Neocon

Bring back the joy!
Bring back the light!
The earth is wilting, sick with blight
The languishing land of Neocon
The languishing land of Neocon

Oh help me Sidhe
To Tir na nOg
I'm dazed and drifting in their fog
In the blackness of the Neocon
In the blackness of the Neocon

Thompson: 18-year lobbyist and Nixon mole...

THIS is the best presidential candidate the GOP has to offer? Must be some real slim pickins. Then again, the neocons do love their Nixon throwbacks. Apparently anything or anyone that was in any way tied to the Nixon administration is to be vaulted into the highest level of power available. All corruption, all the time. And who better than a Nixon insider?

Thompson is a real piece of work. First off, Thompson (along with being a television actor) was a 18 year career lobbyist; protecting clients from asbestos suits from workers who were attempting to collect damages that were owed to them.

Well that's certainly a commendable way to make a living... if you are a neocon, that is.

Now, a new item to add to his illustrious political resume: Nixon administration mole:

"Thompson was a mole for the White House," Armstrong said in an interview. "Fred was working hammer and tong to defeat the investigation of finding out what happened to authorize Watergate and find out what the role of the president was."

It appears that Mr. Thompson, while serving as Senate Watergate Committee minority counsel, actually leaked information to the Nixon administration, concerning the committee's knowledge of the tapes Nixon had in his possession. One has to wonder if this advanced warning led to that accidental erasure of 18 minutes... oh never mind.

No wonder the neocons live this guy: loyal to party, and disdain for law. That fits their presidential criteria to a T.

It explains why Freddy has been campaigning to 'free poor Scooter' and allow him to walk away from his felony charge without doing any time. Fred is all about the double standard. Mr. 'Law and Order' actor, in reality, isn't terribly concerned about the finer points of real law. Republicans have a different standard. Their job is to win, period. They don't worry about details like law, justice, morality... even reason.

Ah, it seems the more we learn about this guy, seedier he becomes. This is the GOP's 'great white hope' for winning in 2008? If so, they are scraping the bottom of the barrel. If they really 'got it', and realized how angry people are across the length and breadth of this nation, they would find - and support - a moral and upstanding member of their party, like Senator Lugar. Instead, they continue down the neocon road, and appear willing to follow it straight off the cliff.

The view of Thompson as a Nixon mole is strikingly at odds with the former Tennessee senator's longtime image as an independent-minded prosecutor who helped bring down the president he admired. Indeed, the website of Thompson's presidential exploratory committee boasts that he "gained national attention for leading the line of inquiry that revealed the audio-taping system in the White House Oval Office." It is an image that has been solidified by Thompson's portrayal of a tough-talking prosecutor in the television series "Law and Order."

So first we hear that Fred is 'lazy.' We've learned he is a lobbyist. Now a mole. Gotcha. First rate candidate material.

More from the The Boston Globe:

John Dean , Nixon's former White House counsel, who was a central witness at the hearings, said he believed that Baker and Thompson were anything but impartial players. "I knew that Thompson would be Baker's man, trying to protect Nixon," Dean said in an interview.

-- snip --

On July 13, 1973, Armstrong, the Democratic staffer, asked Butterfield a series of questions during a private session that led up to the revelation. He then turned the questioning over to a Republican staffer, Don Sanders, who asked Butterfield the question that led to the mention of the taping system.

To the astonishment of everyone in the room, Butterfield admitted the taping system existed.

When Thompson learned of Butterfield's admission, he leaked the revelation to Nixon's counsel, J. Fred Buzhardt .

"Even though I had no authority to act for the committee, I decided to call Fred Buzhardt at home" to tell him that the committee had learned about the taping system, Thompson wrote. "I wanted to be sure that the White House was fully aware of what was to be disclosed so that it could take appropriate action."

Armstrong said he and other Democratic staffers had long been convinced that Thompson was leaking information about the investigation to the White House. The committee, for example, had obtained a memo written by Buzhardt that Democratic staffers believed was based on information leaked by Thompson.

Armstrong said he thought the leaks would lead to Thompson's firing. "Any prosecutor would be upset if another member of the prosecution team was orchestrating a defense for Nixon," said Armstrong, who later became a Washington Post reporter and currently is executive director of Information Trust, a nonprofit organization specializing in open government issues.

I still contend the Democrats are completely missing the boat when they don't find - and nominate - an actor to 'play the president' in 2008.

I'm only half kidding here: because the media goes ga-ga over actors, completely losing their minds in their starstruck awe of anyone who makes a living pretending to be someone else.

Apparently in our current political system, it is the media that crowns the champions. If neither party is willing to actually 'play' to the people, they should certainly consider 'playing' to the media as a winning campaign strategy.

And how better than by running an actor for high office?

With an actor out front wooing the media and kissing babies, the Democratic Party can slip and honest-to-God real leader into the VP 'power seat' (this has proven quite effective for the neocons, wouldn't you say?) and let the front man do the talking, and the spinning. And believe me, anyone can spin - anyone can talk - better than George Bush.

And who better to spin an image... than an actor? The GOP knows this... when will the Democrats wise up and learn to play the game?

Because it's either play the game, or for God's sake use their majority to CHANGE THE GAME. It' well past time they got the hell off the wishy-washy fence and made their move, one way or another. Clean up this broken process, or play to win. Personally I'd prefer they fix it, but since when do any of them - in either party - listen to us mere American citizens?

The Joey problem

Joe Lieberman, asked by Fox's Sean Hannity whether he could see himself supporting a Republican presidential candidate in 2008: "I definitely could, Sean. I mean, I've got to tell you, just to be a -- talk straight to you and those who are listening, so far in all of the debates and public statements, it is certainly the Republican -- the leading Republican candidates for the presidential nomination that I am much more in -- consistent with on the defining issue of our time."

Isn't it odd that the Democrats still let Joey hang out in their club house?

WASHINGTON -- Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut said yesterday that he will caucus with Senate Democrats in the new Congress, but he would not rule out switching to the Republican caucus if he starts to feel uncomfortable among Democrats.

Benedict Lieberman has the Democrats on the ropes. He's that whiny kid with the bully brothers, who kicks your dog and spits on your ice cream cone. You can't get rid of him, or his brothers will beat you up and take your club house. But you can't live with him either; he ruins every ball game by deliberately striking out or hitting into a double play, then laughing like a hyena in your face.

I sometimes think Joe's entire job in life is to make the Democrats' life a living hell.

I've often wondered what would have happened had Gore had been elected allowed to take office, with this neocon as his Vice. Rove and Cheney, hedging their bets? Win-win, either way?

Tim Grieve from the Salon:

Lieberman singled out John McCain and Rudy Giuliani for praise, and he went out of way of his way to knock John Edwards for saying that the "war on terror" was just a "bumper-sticker slogan." "The Arabs and the Israelis [know] that the war on terror is not a bumper sticker slogan for politics," Lieberman said. "It is a reality that they live with every day. And of course, we should, too."

And when Lieberman says that we should "live with it," he seems to mean that we should "live with it" even more than we already have: In an appearance on "Face the Nation" Sunday, Lieberman said that the United States should take military action against Iran if that country does not end its nuclear program.

Do they really have to put up with this crap?

Well, not if they are willing to risk having Cheney as a tie-breaking vote:

With Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) publicly stating he'd consider becoming a Republican if Democrats block new funding for the Iraq War, many Democrats worry that control of the Senate hangs in the balance. However, their fears are unfounded. Many think back to 2001 when former Sen. Jim Jeffords (I-VT) began caucusing with Democrats instead of Republicans, taking control of the Senate out of GOP hands. However, the two situations - though outwardly similar - contain one important difference.

If Lieberman were to caucus with the Republicans, they would still not take full control of the Senate, despite Vice President Dick Cheney's ability to break 50-50 ties. This is because of a little-known Senate organizing resolution, passed in January, which gives Democrats control of the Senate and committee chairmanships until the beginning of the 111th Congress.

What's the difference between now and 2001? A small but important distinction. When the 107th Congress was convened on January 3, 2001, Al Gore was still the Vice President and would be for another two-and-a-half weeks. Therefore, because of the Senate's 50-50 tie, Democrats had nominal control of the chamber when the organizing resolution came to a vote. With Dick Cheney soon to come in, however, Democrats allowed Republicans to control the Senate in return for a provision on the organizing resolution that allowed for a reorganization of the chamber if any member should switch parties, which Jeffords did five months later. There was no such clause in the current Senate's organizing resolution.

Considering how Joey has been voting these days, honestly, what's the difference? Toss Joey from the playhouse and let the chips fall where they may.

That Card is played out

Andy Card was roundly booed by both students and faculty when he took the stage to receive an honorary degree at UMass.

And get this: Card was awarded an honorary doctorate in public service!

Good God - no wonder they nearly rioted. The day 'public service' includes bullying a sick man in a hospital room in an attempt to subvert the Constitution... oh never mind. UMass students and faculty took care of business.

Apparently democracy and open discourse are alive and well on the UMass campus (and it's obvious they have all been watching Jon Stewart!)

The protesters - actually, that included nearly everyone in the room, save the bozo who decided that honoring Card would be a good idea in the first place - waved signs, hoisted banners and shouted their disgust for nearly two minutes straight. What a catharsis. Its fun just watching it. Graduates even wore anti-Card signs pinned to their gowns and caps.

Neocons now on the run... perchance the sleeping giant has awakened at long last?

Banish the "Mayberry Machiavellis"

To all of you reasonable, decent, law-abiding, Constitution-adhering Republicans out there: have you had enough yet?

This can't be pleasant for you. Its horrifying for all of us, but I can only imagine how difficult this must be for those of you who actually voted for it.

You were deceived.

This 'compassionate conservative' lied to you. It happens.

Those of us who voted for Clinton also discovered a few dirty little secrets after he left office - Monica was the least of it. Clinton was simply a lot more clever at hiding issues that wouldn't be particularly popular with the masses - like selling out our media to monopolization by corporate overlords. Wonder why you always have to turn to cable TV to find anything authentic: ie, not white-washed, sanitized and 'dumbed down'? Thank Clinton.

This is much worse of course, because these Bushies don't make even a pretense of abiding by the rule of law. Its 'partisan-way or the highway' if you want to work in the Bushland: and they don't even bother to find qualified stooges for some of the most critical departments in our nation's government (*cough* FEMA.)

If you're a loyal Bushie, you too can be Ambassador to the UN! You too can be head of the FDA! Want your mining company to expand at an unprecedented rate and have rights to drill literally anywhere in the country, including National Parks and public lands from sea to shining sea? If you are a loyal Bushie - you too can be head of the EPA or Fish and Wildlife, or Forest Service, or Department of the Interior! Hate wolves? If you are a loyal Bushie, you can wipe them off the face of the planet! Want your business to make triple its previous annual earnings in a few months? If you are a loyal Bushie, you too can be an Iraq contractor! Are you totally unqualified to run a rural McDonalds, but you've always wanted a hot-shot position high up in the Federal government? No problem! If... you are a loyal Bushie.

But what if - heaven forbid - you are a Republican with a conscience?

After listening to former deputy attorney general, James Comey's testimony yesterday via YouTube, it occurred to me how absolutely horrific this must be for those within the administration that actually have souls, ethical centers and who believe in the rule of law. Comey is a real patriot: he was prepared to tender his resignation rather than allow illegal warrantless wiretapping to take place without the authority of the Department of Justice. From the sound of it, the entire department, as well as the head of the FBI -- all were willing to give up their jobs, because they believed in something greater than themselves. They believed in America. They believed in law and the Constitution.

Our government is going to hell in a handbag under the Bush Administration and its racketeers. Frank Rich, of the New York Times, summed it up pretty well, when he wrote:

By my rough, conservative calculation — feel free to add — there have been corruption, incompetence, and contracting or cronyism scandals in these cabinet departments: Defense, Education, Justice, Interior, Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs, Health and Human Services, and Housing and Urban Development. I am not counting State, whose deputy secretary, a champion of abstinence-based international AIDS funding, resigned last month in a prostitution scandal, or the General Services Administration, now being investigated for possibly steering federal favors to Republican Congressional candidates in 2006. Or the Office of Management and Budget, whose chief procurement officer was sentenced to prison in the Abramoff fallout. I will, however, toss in a figure that reveals the sheer depth of the overall malfeasance: no fewer than four inspectors general, the official watchdogs charged with investigating improprieties in each department, are themselves under investigation simultaneously — an all-time record.

Wrongdoing of this magnitude does not happen by accident, but it is not necessarily instigated by a Watergate-style criminal conspiracy. When corruption is this pervasive, it can also be a byproduct of a governing philosophy. That’s the case here. That Bush-Rove style of governance, the common denominator of all the administration scandals, is the Frankenstein creature that stalks the G.O.P. as it faces 2008. It has become the Republican brand and will remain so, even after this president goes, until courageous Republicans disown it and eradicate it.

Until courageous Republicans disown and eradicate it. Bingo.

My own Senator, Richard Lugar, is probably the best representative I've ever had in my life - hands down. No matter what the subject, concern or issue - every time I write to his office, I receive a personal response. Recently I wrote to him and begged him to do something about the pet food disaster (the tainted food ingredients imported from China.) I happened to mention that I was a Celiac and that its hard enough to find food that I myself can eat, let along trying to keep my pets from dying of ingredients I can't even verify. I received - as always - a response from his office, on his letterhead. It was an absolutely amazing letter, in that he responded to every bit of my content - right down to expressing his regret that I suffered from Celiac, and that he was working to get better labeling for food additives! Talk about representation... the man actually reads his letters. He also cares.

I don't agree with many of his votes, but I realize that in this now partisan time, his choices are limited. He can vote with his party, now ruled by these 'Mayberry Machiavellis;' or he can vote against his conservative values and with the Democrats - something that will be loudly attacked and trumpeted through the press as a betrayal to his party.

After a lifetime serving as a Republican Senator in a predominantly Republican state, I can see why he isn't willing to line up against his party. But I keep waiting for him to speak out against the unconscionable behavior of his associates.

Lugar is a good man. What is a good man doing in the middle of this new 'sewer' politics?

I am watching him closely, occasionally begging him to line up with Hagel or at least consider speaking out, where he can. Lugar has a soul, a conscience. Lugar is one of the chief reasons I can't throw the conservative baby out with the dirty, stinking neocon bathwater. And there are many other Lugars out there; the term 'conflicted' probably doesn't even come close to describing their current predicament.

Gentlemen and ladies: save your party. You don't have to put up with this... criminal behavior. Seriously, you don't. None of us should be tolerating this blatant abuse of power.

As an independent, its easy for me to rail against it, because I don't 'own it.' But I also believe that because you were so gravely deceived by these people who now run roughshod over our government - you don't have to own it either. You can, in the words of Nancy Reagan, 'just say no.'

Say no to the corruption. Say no to corporate pandering, lies, illegal behavior, torture, bigotry and just bad governance. Say no to partisanship and choose instead to be 'American' rather than just 'Republican.' Defend your Constitution against those within your party who blatantly attack and undercut it, and through these attacks - our democracy.

It is time to defend America here at home. This is stuff you can sink your teeth into... real patriotism, not just empty words.

Let's get it done. The only way we're going to clean up this stinking mess that sociopathic neocons have made out of our once working Federal government, is to pull together as a nation of citizens... and just say no.