As With Exceptions for Powerful Lobbyists, Obama Retains the Infamous Power of Bush to Issue Signing Statements

Much like his Orwellian about-face on appointing influential lobbyists to carry on biz as usual in the White House and at the Pentagon, among other places, President Obama has opted to retain the hated Bush power of "signing statements" ... And what are those? Bush would often issue written direction to his appointees in federal agencies to ignore provisions in law passed by Congress, while citing the Constitution as a basis for doing so.

Though Obama signed a memorandum negating the old Bush signing statements by telling the agencies not to follow them without consulting DOJ in advance, he nevertheless failed to end the policy. Rather he reserved his "right" to issue signing statements should the need arise. As Andrew Cohen at CBS put it:

... the Obama White House sacrificed a measure of principle to achieve a form of pragmatism. In both cases, it reversed the practical import of Bush policy but kept for itself the option of reversing back yet again should circumstances require it.

But "pragmatism" that benefits who? I cannot use that as a basis for excusing Obama (like Cohen does), not when it comes as an excuse to potentially abuse power ... But will he? Time will answer.

For a comprehensive look at how and why signing statements become an abuse of presidential authority, please read the American Bar Association study that opposes Bush-like signing statements (very interesting and full of history!)

What's Wrong with Chris Matthews? "Bad form," he says. Why Does He Deny Americans the Right to Demonstrate Their Loathing of Bush?

"Bad form!" Chris Matthews says in the background as you watch the video below, as you watch Bush come before his fellow Americans at the Obama inauguration. And again, "Bad form." Matthews is getting angrier by the moment, or at least, more sanctimonious. Another announcer can be heard expressing his surprise.

What planet do these talking heads live on? Is this yet another example of our darling media being divorced from reality, and more importantly, from the mainstream feelings of most of America?

So it's the inauguration? What of it? George Bush so devastated this country in so many ways that he's lucky to leave alive. In other countries they would have stormed the White House and executed him. How can we not respond to the vision and presence of the sociopath Bush with contempt and loathing?

Unlike the sanctimonious Chris Matthews who cries Bad Form, I think it a sign of incredible restraint that the open hatred of Bush did not take on a more violent and enduring tone. It should have!

Congrats to the Americans who had the nerve to boo at Bush. Thank you all!

And BAD FORM, Chris!

Limbaugh Seen Assholing Around at the White House

Recently, Limbaugh was invited by Bush to the White House for the purpose of celebrating the asshole's birthday. But which asshole are we talking about? Why, Limbaugh, of course? Though Limbaugh cannot sign legislation that screws the average American or send people to die in other countries for no good reason, he does have the power to lie to millions of other assholes who swallow his every smelly word, much like dogs eating vomit.

I am in such a rare mood! But when you put Bush and Limbaugh together for any reason, the shit just piles and piles till you can't hold back.
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The Historic Rape of The American Treasury, and America's Future, Continues in The Final Days of the Bush Administration

And I thought the deficit was ONLY two trillion? OMG. WE ARE UP TO $7.4 trillion AND COUNTING!

The organized Bush mob are looting and pirating sums that even the wildest fantasy could not conceive. According to a few media patriots at CNBC who are keeping close tabs on the money, we've just spent in the past year, twice the amount of money we spent for all of World War II! And yes, that is inflation adjusted!!!

This is insanity, absolute criminal insanity. We need a revolution. If Obama doesn't clamp down on this and get our money back, he is no one to be trusted.

My poor country!

I have no words to express my rage. America, awake! Please.
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Bush Pushes $700 Billion Bail-out Plan -- Just When We Thought He Could Not Get More Ruinous or Foolish - Shine Perishing Democracy!

The last biggest lie of George Bush Jr with regards to the $700 billion corporate welfare package for fellow Republican golfers in the predatory financial industry:

"And that over time, we're going to get a lot of the money back."

Kinda like NAFTA, eh? Another crock of outrageous poop from the Republican party and George Bush Jr. Another instance of the corporate Democrats knuckling under. And Obama? Are you kidding? Do you really think he will stand up to this historical rape of the American wallet? ... No, really, we're talking mega-criminal activity here on a scale never before seen. This is the result of the insurance the financials bought with all their political contributions over the years ... or should I say, bribes? Don't fool yourself.

Also, this is an historic opportunity outside of the Iraq War to so strain the budget as to force deep and permanent cuts in social programs, social security, and everything else mainstream Republicans hate.

Also, it is an opportunity to keep press focused on a Republican plan to HELP AMERICA just before a pivotal presidential election. (Will McCain whore himself out to this also?)

And, oh, um, what happened to supply side economics? This "bailout" is going to terribly burden all Americans with large-scale, ruinous taxes. And for what??? To give free money to a pack of Wall Street speculators and scoundrels who should be learning a big lesson? It's not a matter of IF, only a matter of WHEN. The politicians are avoiding the consequences, and hiding, depending on the usual media schizophrenia to confuse the issue, as well as the American penchant for ADD, and the formidable skills of their Big Lie marketing teams to rescue them from the consequences of reality.

The Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America (NACA) put it best in call to protest the bailout:

It is clear that the Federal Reserve and the Administration continue to blame homeowners facing hard financial difficulties in making payments on mortgages that were structured to fail, while using billions of taxpayer dollars to bailout the same predators who created this mortgage crisis and have hugely profited from it. The Federal Reserve’s orchestration of JPMorgan/Chase’s takeover of Bear Stearns with taxpayer dollars is an outrage.

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U.S. District Judge John Bates Denies Immunity To Rove and Other Cretins

At last! A judge who defends democracy, unlike the one who let Bush get away with losing emails.

Judge John Bates rejected Bush's contention that his White House employees don't have to obey subpoenas, thus siding with Congress and handing a victory to Democrats probing the dismissal of nine federal prosecutors.

The ruling undercut three presidential confidants who have defied congressional subpoenas for information that Bush says is protected by executive privilege.

Judge John Bates, who was appointed to the bench by Bush, issued a 93-page opinion that strongly rejected the administration's legal arguments. He said the executive branch could not point to a single case in which courts held that White House aides were immune from congressional subpoenas.

"That simple yet critical fact bears repeating: The asserted absolute immunity claim here is entirely unsupported by existing case law," Bates wrote.

Clinton-appointed Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly Rejects FOIA, Sides With The White House, and Thereby Gives Democracy A Strong Slap in The Face

Anxious to avoid future criminal trials brought by a Justice Department not puppet-mastered by George Bush Jr., White House staff have been burning, losing, and generally destroying records of its wrong-doing. Stepping forth to assist them in this horrendous and thankless task is Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly (a favorite of former Chief Justice Rehnquist). Prior to her involvement, the White House office in question, the Office of Administration, had routinely responded to FOIA requests, that is until a request from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) wanted paperwork that might prove incriminating. And why? Because they were hot on the trail of millions of "lost" White House emails.

CREW argued that the Bush White House may have been covering up links to a lobbying scandal, alleged political influence at the U.S. General Services Administration and other problems by deleting the e-mail. White House staffers sometimes used outside e-mail accounts to conduct official business, CREW said in an April 2007 report. Rather than producing the requested materials, the Office of Administration quite suddenly reversed its decades-long policy of complying with FOIA requests.

Surprise!

According to Melanie Sloan, CREW's executive director: "The Bush administration is using the legal system to prevent the American people from discovering the truth about the millions of missing White House e-mails," she said in a statement. "The fact is, until CREW asked for documents pertaining to this problem, the Office of Administration routinely processed FOIA requests. Only because the administration has so much to hide here, has the White House taken the unprecedented position that OA is not subject to the FOIA."

By splitting hairs with FOIA, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly was able to effectively dismiss the CREW lawsuit and thus deliver yet another blow to democracy in America.

How can we thank her enough?

Sociopath Bush Ignores Dying Man

The Associated Press reports that a police officer in President Bush's motorcade crashed his motorcycle and died Monday, less than a year after a crash in Hawaii killed another motorcycle officer accompanying the president. Rio Rancho Officer Germaine Casey, 40, crashed at the Albuquerque airport at a point where a road enters an underground parking garage, said Trish Hoffman, a spokeswoman for the Albuquerque Police Department. He was pronounced dead at an Albuquerque hospital. Bush had been headed to the airport after attending a fundraiser for Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M.


So what did Bush do while the man died only yards away? He waited in his plush, overpriced White House limo. That's right. The second man to die in his presence, as part of his private motorcade, and Imperial Bush can't be moved to show a normal act of human compassion. It was reported that Bush called the man's wife to say sorry, but is that enough?

Course, what can you expect from a sociopath?