Scientific Integrity Cartoon Contest

Justin Bilicki of Brooklyn NY is the winner of the Scientific Integrity Editorial Cartoon Contest sponsored by the Union of Concerned Scientists. See all 12 finalists.

Congress votes for petro dollars.

What if there was a vote to decide if $13.5 billion in tax breaks for oil companies should go into oil alternatives, like solar and wind? What would you want your Senator to do?

Well, as you probably guessed, there was such a vote. We needed 60 votes to prevail, and 59 of them were in. But JOHN MCCAIN ducked the vote — the only one to do so! And wouldn’t you know it… all but one of the Nay votes were Republican. Instead of powering millions of homes with clean energy and building next-generation solar technology, we’re giving ExxonMobil and other companies billions in tax breaks at a time when they’re already making record profits.

Voting to keep our country dependant on oil, domestic and foreign, is not being conservative — it’s reckless, irresponsible, shameful, and downright criminal. It perpetuates the U.S. sucking at the teat of the Middle East. What do you “conservatives” have to say about that?

Olbermann chastises McCain: Grow up!

Keith Olbermann rebukes John McCain and his campaign handlers for abandoning honesty in favor of politically manipulative distortions, from rewriting the history of the Iraq war to blaming the media for the failings of the campaign and the candidate himself. Full story.

Andrew Bacevich tells it like it is.

If you do nothing else today, be sure to watch this episode (or read the transcript) of Bill Moyers Journal. From the introduction:

America’s in a pickle. Our friends, the Russians, with whom we were about to conduct joint military exercises, decided instead to attack some of our other friends, the Georgians, who not only aspire to democracy but control access to lots of oil and pipelines in which American energy companies have huge investments. But when President Bush demands Russia go home and leave Georgia alone, his pal Vladimir Putin — the modern Russian czar — gets that sardonic smile on his face.

He knows that American troops are spread so thin in Iraq and Afghanistan that Uncle Sam more resembles Gulliver, tied down by too many commitments, too much hubris, and too many mistakes, than he does to Superman. It’s a pickle and a predicament, and it’s serious.

The limits of American power have never been more vividly on display. That’s the subject of my conversation this week with Andrew J. Bacevich. Here is a public thinker who has been able to find an audience across the political spectrum, from THE NATION or THE AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE magazines, lecturing to college classes or testifying before Congress.

Bacevich speaks truth to power, no matter who’s in power, which may be why those of both the left and right listen to him. Perhaps it’s also because when he challenges American myths and illusions, he does so from a patriotism forged in the fire of experience as a soldier in Vietnam. CONTINUE.

More lies

Fox News is continuing to perpetuate lies about Obama. They are running an unmitigated smear campaign based entirely on lies. While I’m not a die-hard Obama fan, I don’t trust Republicans one iota, especially after the last eight years of deception and fraud. I have not been able to find one single Right-winger who can honestly defend the Republican record without resorting to calling me a Commie-pinko-faggot-hippie-liberal — as if that is a convincing argument. It seems as though THEY feel they have to rely on lies and deception (probably cheated in college) to get ahead. Grow up, people!

Billions for War, Peanuts for Disaster

Unfortunately, the U.S. government has not yet learned the lessons of Katrina. “The richest country in the world should do something to help people,” a woman resident of New Orleans [said] in mid June. “Bush and them spend more money in one week in Iraq than it would take to fix up all our homes.” Two plus years after Katrina, only 133,966 out of almost 200,000 households in Orleans Parish could receive mail and only 40 percent of pubic schools had reopened. She shook her head. “Just look at this place.”

Everyone remembers the August 2005 TV images of the 9th Ward, showing people floating in rising waters, others waiting helplessly in the streets. No response from government agencies. Dead bodies festered in the summer sun.

After Bush’s late arrival and notorious compliment to the now disgraced FEMA Chief Michael Brown — “You’re doing a heckuva job, Brownie” — he finally admitted: “The results are not acceptable.” Duh! Continue reading….

Book Karl Rove

Common Cause asks: How can you get Karl Rove to show up and answer questions about his role in the politicization of the Justice Department?

1) Issue a congressional subpoena compelling him to testify.
2) Hire him as an analyst for your “fair and balanced” cable news network.
3) Book an appearance through his website, rove.com.

We already know that #1 doesn’t work. Rove refused to appear before the House Judiciary Committee, despite a subpoena. #2 could work — he recently appeared on Fox News to answer questions from Sean Hannity. But unfortunately, we don’t own a cable network.

So let’s try #3! Karl Rove’s website says you can book him for an event to talk about “public issues and controversies.” We have some questions that fit that bill.

Rove is marketing himself as a public speaker to college audiences, trade associations, corporate conferences and more — all while ignoring a subpoena to appear before Congress. A House committee has already voted to hold him in contempt — a charge he called “ludicrous.” And a judge has rejected the administration’s claims of “absolute immunity” for Rove.

Common Cause will be turning up the heat on Congress when they come back to DC in September to make sure the full House votes on a contempt citation for Rove. But in the meantime, let’s show Rove that the American people demand answers. Book him!

George W. Bush Presidential Library

The George W. Bush Presidential Library is now in the planning stages. It will include:
The Hurricane Katrina Room, which is still under construction.
The Alberto Gonzales Room, where you won’t be able to remember anything.
The Texas Air National Guard Room, where you don’t even have to show up.
The Walter Reed Hospital Room, where they don’t let you in.
The Guantanamo Bay Room, where they don’t let you out.
The Weapons of Mass Destruction Room, which no one has been able to find.
The National Debt room, which is huge and has no ceiling.
The Tax Cut Room, with entry only to the wealthy.
The Economy Room, which is in the toilet.
The Iraq War Room. After you complete your first tour, they make you to go back for a second, third, fourth, and sometimes fifth tour.
The Dick Cheney Room, in the famous undisclosed location, complete with shotgun gallery.
The Environmental Conservation Room, still empty.
The Supreme Court’s Gift Shop, where you can buy an election.
The Airport Men’s Room, where you can meet some of your favorite Republican Senators.
The Decider Room, complete with dart board, magic 8-ball, Ouija board, dice, coins, and straws.
The museum will also have an electron microscope to help you locate Bush’s accomplishments.

Bush Leaving $490 BILLION Deficit

The new president will get a very special gift from the George W. Bush administration next year: an all-time record deficit of $490 billion American dollars, or “nine Euros.” Before Bush took office in 2001 — and we do mean “took,” har har! — the federal budget deficit didn’t exist, but there was a surplus of $230 billion in the budget.

From the Wonkette Weekette.

Today is Hiroshima Day, so ponder this: