Collusion - The Repulsive Force in Politics

Collusion - behaviors which make my skin crawl. Regardless of the motivations of the participants, it is a vile, unforgivable act. The bromide declares that the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and it's looking to be a well traveled street.

Every time some contemptible politico drops over dead, his enablers line up to wax poetically of their alleged virtues. In reality however, the objects of their affection seldom measure up to the praise - save for the favors they have passed along to their sycophants.

And one thing you can always count on is the old standby line, "But he cared so much for the children." Resembling nothing more than a quivering lipped Sally Struthers in a bad informercial begging for contributions to a corrupt charity, they know that no one is inclined to complain about what may have been done "for the children" - although in reality it was likely nothing at all.

As well, the lip service given to principles such as freedom, justice, honor and moral integrity I find to be nothing but vacuous window dressing intended to conceal the true motivation behind their mortal impetus - Greed.

In this vein, we have the favorite of carpetbagger developers and opportunistic landowners nationwide, the Tax Allocation District. TAD's (or TIF's in the 46 other states that have fallen victim to this Ponzi scheme) are predefined areas where tax monies gathered above a certain threshold for a set period of time (10-30 years) can be used directly for eligible improvements; read - profiteering by monied interests. All dressed up in kleptocracy doublespeak, we have Georgia Code 36-44, or the "Redevelopment Powers Law."

In a TAD (or TIF) district, local government fixes the amount of property tax revenue it retains for use in building and maintaining schools, roads, sewers, and other civic infrastructure at pre-development levels for 20, 23, or 25 years. The property taxes collected within a TAD/TIF district in excess of pre-development tax levels go into a special fund which can only be spent on improvements within the TAD/TIF district. Cronies are then appointed to represent property owners within the TAD/TIF district to control spending of the set-aside taxes. In order to get immediate access to the two decades of "excess" property tax revenues, the spending authority uses bond issues to borrow the money, often at ruinous interest rates that obligate the bonding authority (and ultimately the taxpayers) to repay at nearly a two to one ratio.

Thus taxpayers are forced into paying for services, maintenance, and improvements that benefit only these "anointed ones" - generally those who contribute most exuberantly to the election coffers of their enablers and their crony bankers.

Similarly, the redevelopment (or character assassination) of downtown Atlanta elicits this pointed response by Bruce Dixon, "Failure Of The Black Misleadership Class."

And finally, Bill Moyers ponders the arrogance and lack of accountability demonstrated by our feeders - I mean leaders - and the mechanisms empowering them in "Restoring The Public Trust".

As for me, if things don't start shaping up soon, I'm outta here.

Holiday Humor

Here are a couple of my favorite old op-ed panels:

Unveiling the GOP Machine of Corruption

As reported earlier, Tom Noe, who was recently convicted on 29 felony counts including racketeering, theft, forgery and stealing millions from a fund for Ohio's injured workers in Ohio's Coingate scandal, was just sentenced to 18 years for what the Judge cites as an 'elaborate scheme' to defraud the state. This is in addition to his conviction by U.S. District Judge David Katz who sentenced Noe to 27 months in federal prison on September 12 for violating federal campaign finance law. Noe illegally poured more than $45,000 into the re-election campaign of President Bush in 2003.

It is long overdue that malfeasance within the state of Georgia, primarily centered in the Fulton County DA's office, Emory University, Grady Hospital, and Cobb County generally, is exposed for what it is. Rank, blatant Corruption of public officials that runs the gamut from county school boards to top levels of state government - including the State Supreme Court.

Denial and gullibility are southern trademarks when it comes to the callow populace and their love of crooked politicians. But I've known this for 18 years...

Let's Bomb Iran

The Discovery Channel is airing a Ted Kopel presentation on Iran tonight at 9:00. Whether this turns out to be divisive propaganda or actual journalism remains to be seen, but I believe all Americans should be knowledgeable about the country and its people that some NeoCon Crazies would love to shower with nukes in a preemptive strike. As the drumbeat of alien culture demonization throbs in the distance, public familiarization with the "enemy" is the nightmare scenario for these profiteering chicken-hawks. Doom and fear are all these corrupt traitors to humanity have to sell - I'm not buying and neither should you.

Having lived the 60's under the threat of nuclear disaster, I'll be damned if I'm living out my end days under the same dark umbrella of Eschatology. Every day that passes I am more convinced that the current crop of NeoCon loons are bat shit insane, and that their lofty, insular approach to world affairs is akin to some demented game of Risk. There is much profit to be garnered by the MIC if half the world devolves into a World Wide War scenario, and rest assured, if Iran is attacked preemptively, the hornets are going to fly. Aside from the congealed opposition from the Muslim World and the Middle East, we will lose face with entire European countries who were, until recently, sympathetic to our causes. Even Israel will eventually knee-jerk, as they will not only be at the forefront of the mix, but as the threat of destruction, pollution, and possibility of nuclear contamination finally registers, there likely won't be much left to salvage. Last plane from Ground Zero to Arkansas leaves shortly...

You can call them Free Masons, Illuminati, Plutocrats or whatever pleases you, but the unpleasant evidence supports the existence of a web of moneyed individuals who think like malicious 8 year olds playing out the world's future as a petty board game. They do not advertize their services, as Uncle Sam is their only customer. They do not compete in a free market, as their contracts are fixed by cronies and lobbyists. And if there does happen to be a competitor, no matter, price fixing is nooo problemo, meet me out on the 8th and well hammer out the details. And don't worry about profit, boys, 'cause there's plenty to go around.
Rounds, Drinks and Dinner on the Taxpayer.

Before I am labeled a dove, however, rest assured that I firmly believe those who are so unruly as to provide a genuine threat to humanity should have their asses kicked. But...

A party free of vested interests has nothing to lose by negotiation, while those who would hold ulterior motives are want to plot, plan, and deceive to protect their hidden agenda from public exposure. The "wisdom" expounded by the NeoCon enablers is that of babbling, profiteering fools.

Yes, Iran is a problem and Saddam was a tyrant. But as I attempt to decode whatever twisted logic was relied upon while planning the unwarranted, preemptive invasion of a sock-puppet country like Iraq, the only truths that withstand examination are: profiteering, a vain attempt to procure oil resources that are running thin world-wide, and burning off excess poor, unwanted population - otherwise known as the young servicemen of the military. Katrina was just the icing on their morning pastry of avarice. Now think about that one for a bit.

An interesting read:Rebooting the Dictator Software

"Information is the currency of democracy." - Thomas Jefferson

Newt is Mad as a Hatter

Gingrich is not only a lying, honorless, bloated bile pump, but he truly is "Mad As Hell". CBS News.com's Dick Meyer pens this long overdue gem...
Good Riddance To The Gingrichites

Really, it's just a simple thesis: The men who ran the Republican Party in the House of Representatives for the past 12 years were a group of weirdos. Together, they comprised one of the oddest legislative power cliques in our history. And for 12 years, the media didn't call a duck a duck, because that's not something we're supposed to do.

But I knew this all along. Why it has taken these bastions of journalistic integrity 12 years to report this fact remains a mystery - or perhaps not. Cha-Ching. This reader's comment says it as well as anything:

Nice try. You're trying to declare a kind of bankruptcy, wiping out your (immense) liability for debts of the past. You're hoping you're free, now, to channel young Woodward and Bernstein and I.F. Stone and direct your steely media gaze on malfeasance in high office.

The Winds Of Change - Or - What's That Smell?

As the Klownhammer of Incompetence is passed from the Right to the Left, I find it interesting to watch as the rats leap from the sinking U.S.S. Bu$hCo. The Bob Woodwards, Rush Limbaughs and Sean Hannitys of the mainstream media fervently downshift into damage control mode as the shrinking pool of crap these spineless sycophants have been wallowing in for the past 6 years hardens in the sweltering heat of reality.

Ever since the Administration's shift in priority from Bin Laden to Iraq, I've been screaming at the top of my lungs that their grand vision wouldn't work, and was the wrong methodology at the wrong time. I've been inundated by ignorant, rude Bushite neighbors, been given Bob Woodward books, watched moronic talking heads on the tube, received social snubs and been overwhelmed by a feeling of having slipped uncontrollably into the twilight zone - yet again. But I refused to compromise my convictions, and just as in 1987 when attempting to warn another local group of sleazy NeoCon GOP scumbags of impending chaos - whereby I was swiftboated, falsely imprisoned without warrant, held on hearsay evidence and unable to present any defense - was ultimately proven correct; although no one noticed or cared by that point. This is the exact mechanism at work in the US torture prisons - heck, if they got away with it on an American citizen, it should be no problem against a bunch of dirty brown skinned people in a foreign land. After all, there are profits to be made - as long as it looks like they're actually doing something useful...

In another vein, the vast "left wing media conspiracy" is pelting Nancy Pelosi with rocks even before she has completed one day on the job. The Glass Ceiling is officially pronounced with this screenshot from CNN. Damaged goods? What is she, chattel? A bride-to-be who cannot honestly wear a white wedding dress for her soon to be macho masters? Isn't that the traditional implication of this idiotic headline? Is "the little slut" not capable of mixing it up with a bunch of inbred, chicken hawk, cigar chomping, whiskey soaked, good-old-boy cronies? From my experience, with a few notable exceptions, women are generally far more adept at honest evaluation and critical thinking than most of their conceited male counterparts. And don't even get me started on the morality thing...

On her behalf, I say, "Kiss My Ass, Ignorant NeoCon Male Scum."

Solid Class Divisions

As I've mentioned repeatedly for the last 10 years, this country is headed towards a class warfare scenario. Finally, someone else is vocalizing these concerns, albeit a bit late...

Class Struggle - American workers have a chance to be heard.
By Senator Elect Jim Webb

The Enduring Legacy of Katrina - Part Deux

As the avarice in the Big Easy continues unabated...

Robin Hood in Reverse - Corporate & Government Looting of the Gulf Coast

The Real Bipartisan Effort - Screwing the People

Having spent 1987 to 2001 in constant motion to avoid the irritating and malicious tendrils of a political machine run amok, only to end up in the belly of the beast, I am now going to complain of the public's total ignorance of exactly what goes on behind the doors of your capital buildings, bar associations, judicial circuits, and even school boards. And it's not a pretty sight - reminiscent of the worse that third-world banana republics have to offer. Politicians pander and prose, vacillating in rhythm with the election cycle while the pay-to-play legal system affords real Americans little in the way of relief or protection against victimization. Their agenda is not to perform public service, but to profit. And profit they do. In secret. Behind the doors of old warhorse lawyer clubs, golf resorts, and representative's offices around the country. And most definitely, cooperatively, across party lines.

Whatever forces come to bear on this country's seemingly wholesale acceptance of crooks and liars in public service are an anathema to this country. Corruption and shady dealings are commonplace. Associates of those who are eventually found guilty of violating some legal or ethics loophole they have managed to miss legislating out of existence are readily absolved, leaving these sideline players in place and ready to continue business as usual - and it's definitely not the business of public service.

For example, I am going to pick a not so random individual and follow the trail of buddy-buddy goings on within the state of Georgia. It is 1987, and we are selecting the local school board attorney of a redneck county in Georgia. He has three children, most of which are apparently asocial deviants. Multiple counts of arson, assault and spitting on police officers, DUIs, Felony assaults, and perjury are included in the long list of behaviours demonstrated by his offspring. But no worries, he has friends in high places including his ex-employer, the Chief Superior Court Judge of the county, state senators, and his buds from Emory. Not one of his children are ever called for their well documented misdeeds, although you or I would have been labeled a threat to society and buried - after they had bled the family pocketbook dry through legal chicanery.

Such an arrogant prick is this that due to his connections within the local judicial circuit, he feels he does not even have to bother showing up in court in response to civil suits filed against him. Tandy Corporation is little more than an annoyance to him, and the attorney who pursues claims against this individual for a computer that this pillar of the community "doesn't know anything about, or how to operate" complains of his rude and condescending attitude. As well, in protecting his serial arsonist son from prosecution, he finds a convenient scapegoat and turns up the heat against an ordinary citizen. Fabricated claims of arson, terrorism, bomb threats, and stalking are put forth in his zealous attempts to smash the bug who has been unwittingly dragged into this mess by his meddling wife and her dreams of... whatever.

This man's ties run the gamut, from crooked judges, wanna be neo-con presidential nominees, crony EMS providers, black-balled doctors, and GA state senators who are now serving decade long sentences for defrauding nearly .5 million dollars in charity contributions meant to assist the underprivileged attend college - and more. The hell, you say? Let's follow the paper trail...

It's 1972, and we'll begin with an EMS provider and his connections with a local attorney who had previously made an unsuccessful run for the D.A.'s office, settling in as the school board attorney - whose own tortured, narcissistic daughter failed to graduate high school. Persecuting the sons of a wealthy supporter of the Democratic opponent, fights over election signs and libel/slander suits become an issue in the local newspaper for these miscreants.

Skip to 1987, when the attorney's serial arsonist son strikes, this time charged with the burning of a Kroger grocery store and 8-10 other fires. Felony fugitive status, never arrested, charges dismissed, and sent to join the Navy instead. Great, I'm sure that makes thousands of shipbound Navy personnel feel quite comfortable. Who signed the fugitive bond? The buddy State Senator who subsequently died from heart failure and now has a school and park named after him. The Parks and Recreation crony and his low-life scum - I mean son - who participated in a blatant conspiracy to divert, conceal facts, and implicate an innocent party. Then there are the law firms who violated client/attorney privilege by leaking vital information about witnesses to the guilty parties who then pay said witnesses to leave the state - additionally facilitating the theft of tools the victim needs for his survival. Other government agents and law firms who threaten to "burn you a new asshole", and, lest we forget, the rifle brandishing county fire investigator and the attorney buddy who hires spies to pry into the personal affairs of a private citizen. The names involved read like a who's who (or should that be a who was) of the county. Then there is the Big Fire Sale - the black-balled doctor in bankruptcy and the redneck city eminent domain takeover of property owned by the ex-partner of a prominent law firm resulting in yet another arson, coinciding with the dismissal of a civil suit against the attorney and his arsonist son, presumably intended to make the innocent party look guilty through a pattern of behaviour/acts of rage ploy.

Shooting the messenger seems to be a popular sport in certain circles these days.

When public outrage eventually forces an ousting of most of the players involved, the attorney, his wife, his bevy of asocial offspring, an insurance agent who subsequently loses his license, and around 10 other attorneys flee to neighboring states and counties, resulting in the crony EMS provider following suit in order to keep his power base intact. This results in the political manipulation of the EMS services of another georgia city (the land of "whom do you know"), and the subsequent downfall of another state senator who is caught with his hand in the till to the tune of $500,000 in charity moneys meant to assist the underprivileged attend college. That must have been one kick-ass trip to Atlantic City, Dude. And who says these guys aren't bipartisan?

Even fleeing the state doesn't stop the intimidation and manipulation which afflicts the true victim of this ordeal, as multi-state conspiracies intended to silence the sole dissenting voice to these phenomenally outrageous acts then unfolds.

As mothers try in vain to protect their children from abusive, pedophile fathers, the crony DA and the courts shut them down and defy experts in psychology as well as testimony of the children themselves in order to protect the well-connected from prosecution. Only those who defy the powers that be, and ordinary citizens, are persecuted in an ethics nightmare of epic proportions.

As for me, another year tolls in seclusion, a government created misanthrope. And as usual, no one notices the foul stench of malfeasance - or even cares. Multiply this one story by the thousands of counties in this country and you begin to see what kind of government you reap when the unbridled acquisition of money and power are the primary impetus for public service. Hubris is the trademark of modern political service.

As well, leaders in and around the Defense Department don't understand the science or technology involved in modern sophisticated weaponry, or possess the wisdom to use it effectively - they are just passing favors and throwing your money at the promises of world governance depicted in shiny MIC brochures and sales pitches on the golf course - the 19th hole being that of Haitian child prostitutes.

There are those who might be foolish enough to believe that removal of the Neo-Con morass will result in a new direction for this country, but they will likely be disheartened to learn that these problems are ubiquitous to the system that we have created, and little will change but the lip service which is bestowed upon the masses. And as Democrats subsequently lose sight of reality, it will be interesting to see which shrill voices wane into purely partisan rags - caught up in the fool's game of polls, analysis, and statistics which results from a lack of real candidates, real solutions, and real campaign/election reform.

The Reasons Why

While reflecting on the GOP backlash over the recent Democratic Juggernaut, I contemplate what fairy dust attracted such rabid support for a party that, in recent history, has offered little to your average citizen. It wasn't Truth, Justice, and the American Way, nor was it heartfelt appreciation of the wisdom of the Founding Fathers, and it most certainly wasn't fiscal responsibility or even basic decorum.

Furthermore, what twisted psyche postulated the game plan that has resulted in the current state of the world? I attribute some blame to the rantings of such aggressive voices as Bill Kristol, The Enemy of Normal Americans Newt Gingrich, and the PNAC; as well as a legion of simpleton sycophants who haven't the ability to discern reality from the smoke and mirrors of spin and misinformation.

Or perhaps they can and did, but righteous, realistic solutions were simply discarded in lieu of pure avarice. Welcome to the United States of Amnesia, where we have seemingly forgotten the warnings of one decent Republican:
Dwight D. Eisenhower's exit speech on Jan.17,1961.
Warning of the dangers of the military industrial complex.

But there had to be a core factor affecting the average citizen that was somehow overlooked. To resolve this quandary, I held an impromptu Q&A session with my ex/housemate and concluded that apathy was the primary factor - people simply don't pay attention. Even though the quality of their lives depend on decisions made by the menagerie of elected officials we are afflicted by, few seem to notice or care exactly what politicos are up to, or whether their actions are based on truth, justice, or even morality - as long as they have things to consume; whether it be sports, merchandise, food, television, or even alcohol. Anything more than a 10 second sound bite or behaviours not mimicking Jerry Springer on steroids is relegated to the "Who Cares" category of their lives. And yet...

False religion and the demonization of an alien culture are the two remaining "talking points" that appear to rally zealous support. Coining hateful, yet nebulous new jargon such as Islamofascists, coupled with vivid portrayals of mushroom clouds, displaces realistic solutions in favor of what is tantamount to taxpayer funded attempts at genocide and war profiteering.

With this in mind, I offer this Islamic perspective from the Arab News: Bigotry in the Name of God and Religion

Additionally, here is an interesting Islamic view of American Democracy that more Americans should engage:

Over in Washington, meanwhile, the powers are now as separated as could be. For the first time in years, we can look enviously across the Atlantic at a political system with an inbuilt defense mechanism capable of punishing a rogue leader by shackling him to a hostile legislature.

As the next two years will illustrate, American democracy, for all its failings, remains a vibrant force for self-examination. There, a Democrat-dominated Congress will investigate the Iraqi casus belli to death, making his [Bush's] remaining time in the White House an abject misery for a president powerless to trot out the intelligence-insulting gibberish emanating from Blair last week that any inquiry would undermine troop morale.

Blair After Bush’s Collision With Democracy

I'm scared to death of these hidiously dangerous demagogues - NOT! There are crazies on both sides of this particular fence.

Liberty and the Right to Choose is a fundamental tenet of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. The government and its agents are bestowed no privilege allowing interference with your right to self-determination - not in the USA, and not in Iraq. Even if your choices align with those of your self-proclaimed overseers, it remains a fundamental right to choose one's own destiny, and not be subjected to unwanted manipulation of personal affairs.

And therein lies the rub...

Newt Gingrich Discusses Theocracy. Or is that Hypocrisy?

Hubris Comes Home to Roost

It seems as thought the American Public has finally gotten wise to the name calling, smear campaigns, fear mongering, and corruption of the Neo-Con Cabal, and has chosen to re-assess the direction this country is heading. Although I am appalled at the amount of time it has taken for these seamy truths to become self evident, I am nevertheless glad that a new day dawns - lending credence to the adage Give 'em Enough Rope...

Lest anyone believe that I will afford the Democrats any more gratuitous leniency than I have the GOP, rest assured that I will be scrutinizing their behaviour as intensely as I have all others for the last 30 years. As the exceptional Republican Abraham Lincoln's bromide declares, "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time." Apparently not, but it's a close call.

And in an ironic spate of recompense for the wholesale vacation of all programs empathetic, it now appears that many of the enablers of this fading administration will be facing fates similar to what much of the populace has endured for the last decade. K-Street isn't looking very friendly towards these fresh outcasts, and the social programs they so vehemently demeaned are likely beginning to look attractive to these self-same detractors. I guess it's a good thing (for them) that mercy has not entirely been relegated to their dust bin of vile, unworkable social programs.

"Information is the currency of democracy." - Thomas Jefferson

A New Day

Well, my earlier prediction concerning the Philistine Bush came to pass as this country was handed not one, but two gifts on Wednesday. Need I tell you that not only has the GOP lost both houses, but Donald Rumsfeld is History.

It is only a matter of time before Rove and that disgusting Chicken Hawk Newt Gingrich are slam dunked. My animosity towards this group of individuals is not based upon their profession as Republicans, but is predicated upon their skewed belief system, utter arrogance, and total hypocrisy.

I will have to relent somewhat and admit that Bush's address actually came off as somewhat statesmanlike - a first in his agonizingly long career. The arrogant swagger was diminished and although a time or two he tried the good old boy humor thing I find so revolting, for a guy who seems to believe he was an elected leader of Providence, that is at least movement in the proper direction.

Blocking the Wheels of the GOP Machine

Well, it looks as though Democrats have finally thrown a chock under the wheels of the runaway GOP machine. As of this writing, the House is assured, but the Senate is still up for grabs. It's gonna be tight, but some balance has been restored.

Even if Democrats have no viable solutions to offer, at least they have impacted the inertia of the power mad PNAC/GOP kleptocracy known as the Bush administration.

Ohio, a Republican stronghold for 16 years, swung wildly to the left. Santorum (R-PA) is history, and Allen (R-VA) is most likely gone as well. Lieberman (CFL-CN) received a pointed wake-up call during the primaries, but voters exhibited a strange loyalty to their boy, and he remains incumbent.

I anxiously await Bush's address later today. The cocky strutting and condescending manner should be absent, and as transparent as he is, I'm sure he will seem more like a child who just witnessed his pet dog flattened by a garbage truck, and less like a man with a "mandate for change." Providence my ass...

And Cheney? He's probably in his bomb shelter polishing up the shotgun for another round of "shoot the messenger."

Georgia-The Reddest State in the Nation

Well folks, unofficial results are in, and much to my dismay it appears Sonny Perdue is Georgia's Governor for 4 more years. Bucking a national trend of dissatisfaction with counterfeit GOP "values", GA voters retained more GOP candidates than any other.

Indicating just how weak Mark Taylor performed as a candidate, Hayes won a surprising 5.31% of the vote. Perhaps I shouldn't be so surprised, as he impressed me as being the most professional, passionate, well spoken, yet horrifically inexperienced of the three. Even I found it hard to be really enthused over the prospect of a Taylor victory, and I consider Perdue to be a shady, opportunistic Republican plutocrat. While his land dealings and crony appointments might not be patently illegal, just because a thing can be done doesn't mean it should be done. Perdue should be working for the interests of GA citizens, not worrying about profiting from shady land deals and crony appointments to oversee state land development. But the nature of rural Georgia won it for Perdue and many other GOP candidates who would have elsewhere been booted out on their collective asses.

In a cruel blow to all Georgia residents, Big Insurance's poster boy John Oxendine retains his post as State Insurance Commissioner.

Tommy Irvin, the farmers' favorite, retained his long held seat as Commissioner of Agriculture.

Democrat David Scott handily took the 13th.

In a big money battle to gain more conservative influence in the Georgia Supreme Court, outsider funded Mike Wiggins, a former Bush administration lawyer, had his ass handed to him by Justice Carol Hunstein - a very good thing.

In a blow to what little judicial integrity exists in cobb county, the "unofficial" GOP candidate and ill-tempered King of ex parte evidentiary consideration and coverups, James Bodiford won 82.4% of the vote against perceived Atlanta outsider Normarene Culver Merritt.

As well, cronyism is alive and well in cobb with Robert Flournoy running unopposed. I wonder if he takes along his mock court actor buddy while stumping? It's gotta pay better than donning a purple Barney suit and standing on the side of Clay street.

The ballot initiative to limit eminent domain passed by an overwhelming margin, with about 85% of voters supporting the measure. This is a real boon for the citizens of this state. Unfortunately, it will not benefit those who in the past have lost their life's work at the hands of an avaricious government with misguided plans of grandeur, nor the people who were destroyed financially by the trickle down effect of their avarice. The "little redneck city of Smyrna" and it's 20 year annexing war with Marietta, coupled with overt theft of private properties along Atlanta Road which were used for the Bacon Mausoleum with the remaining portions doled out to private developers, promptly comes to mind.

RoboCalls from Hell

Flames are lapping at the eaves in one of the most despicable, nauseating elections of this decade. GOP handlers are shaking in their boots, and are desperately attempting damage control. Will it be successful? Let us hope not.

And if that damned Sonny Perdue(R-Opportunistic Plutocrat) fella calls here one more time, I'm reporting him to the cops for making harassment phone calls and stalking.

The most vile candidates in modern history are resorting to the most disgusting, deceitful methods imaginable; including race baiting, fear mongering, slander, and even threats to potential Democratic voters that they will be "criminally charged" if they show their ugly faces at the polls.

This message is for xxxxxx xxxx. This is the Virginia Elections Commission. We've determined you are registered in New York to vote. Therefore, you will not be allowed to cast your vote on Tuesday. If you do show up, you will be charged criminally.

Desperate Ploy On Behalf of George Allen(R-Scum) of Virginia Audio

I become more and more disgusted at the lot of these worthless bastards with each and every passing day, and am about ready to write in the local hardware store owner, the mechanic down the street, Bart Simpson, and Scooby-Doo as my candidates of choice.

We have received no less than 20 calls from automated message machines in the past two days, notwithstanding the fact that we are on the national "No Call" list. Little to no useful information has yet been presented; only baseless allegations, slander, and mongering of one sort or another.

Hang up, they call back - believing that if they initially mislead you into believing that the call is from their opponent, you will be so peeved that you vote against them. Only if you endure the entire diatribe do you learn that the call is in actuality from the OTHER candidate, you know, the GOP one.

With any luck, the use of this bastardized technology will backfire on its perpetrators, as have the personal appearances by GW Bush which have apparently done more to erode support for candidates than their own insipid behaviours.

As I opined in July, a nationally orchestrated party is not what the framers intended, and usurps the whole point of having local candidates, yet we have this:

National GOP Anti-Democrat Message
HT to Peach Pundit, with whom I generally dissagree

Only an idiot could interpret Kerry's statement as a slam against US troops rather than the pointed criticism of the dullard Bush that it is.

And Gee, Wally, after the superb job you sycophants have done for the past 6 years, I'm ready for another 4 - assuming we last that long before imploding...

And lastly, we have this from the infamous GOP:


But I am somewhat confused - help me out here guys.
My question is this: Is this hate mongering and race baiting, and is that the hand of an African American, Hispanic, or Muslim?

Or is that the face of a child, and the hand of Mark Foley?
Jon Stewart's Take

What pathetic, avaricious, spineless, honorless, desperate thugs.

Separate Standards

There exists a faction of the population who believe that the Constitution is a quaint, bothersome document primarily intended to dupe teaming masses of minions into a sense of complacency and blind acceptance. The aforesaid document implies the right to a fair trial, equal protection under the law, honesty in government, protection of property rights, and a reasonable foreign policy to every citizen. But in reality, these Constitutional "suggestions" don't actually apply to the common man - the voters, taxpayers, and ultimately, the employers of these schmucks, and aww, shoot, they don't matter a whit when there is power and profit to be garnered. These people are commonly known as modern day politicos.

And if an unpleasant truth rears its ugly head, better to chop it off than deal with it in an honorable fashion. If that ugly truth happens to be an ordinary citizen, so be it. This is the modern Neo-Con Republican way. Open dissent is not tolerated. Secret, closed door meetings, ex parte negotiations, and pandering to moneyed interests rather than the public interest are their claim to fame.

With this scenario in mind, I remind you that a vote for James Bodiford as Cobb Superior Court Judge is a vote for cronyism, corruption, and kleptocracy. Similarly, this warning abundantly applies to (hopefully soon to be ex-) governor Sonny Perdue, and to the bulk of the currently installed national Neo-Con Republican party. The remaining 2% of decent Republicans who might privately dissent with a given party position are chastised into towing the party line for fear of loosing financial and/or party backing. Most of these pinheads, on both sides of the fence, refuse to stand up and do the right thing.

November 7th is upon us, and it is way past time to elect people who will do the right thing, for the right reasons, and for the right people - and not act solely to protect their own self-interests.

VOTE for honest, enlightened, and open government, not sycophants and cronies.

Free the Press

Reporters Without Borders reports in their yearly assessment that the United States has fallen nine places to 56th since last year, after being in 17th position in the first year of the Index in 2002.

That's Gingrich/PNAC/Neo-Con Cabal progress for you.
Worldwide Press Freedom Index 2006

So Shoot the Messenger

What happens when a public servant in Iraq uncovers bribery and conspiracy, exposes disastrously poor construction done by BU$HCO cronies, and discovers the military failed to keep track of thousands of weapons shipped to Iraqi security forces?

He gets fired!

Congress Tells Auditor in Iraq to Close Office
Common Dreams

Budget Woes

Seems as though the state of Georgia is having difficulty balancing its budget. It seems as well that many of its residents are experiencing the same difficulty.

Here's a thought...

Aside from the generally embarrassing GA school systems and HOPE funded by lotteries primarily fed by the lowest rung of the economic ladder, we continue to publicly subsidize carpetbagger developers who invade existing neighborhoods, road systems, and other infrastructures - and then expect taxpayers to fund the infrastructure repairs and upgrades required due to their development - under the guise that increased government revenue will result. Perhaps explains why developers and their lobbyists contribute so freely to favored candidates.

Or bribing corporate entities to relocate, offering millions in sweetheart deals which are then used by said businesses to play competing states against one another - again at taxpayer expense. Industry generally makes the determination of whether to locate to a particular location based availability of other resources - such as skilled workers, environment, proximity to transportation methods, and other desirable entities - not on how much the local citizenry is willing to pony up. The NASCAR museum brouhaha comes to mind. The majority of employment in Georgia is provided by small business, not megalo-corporations, a figure which exceeds 80%.

Corporations, like Ideas, should stand on their own merits and not need propping up with tax dollars which should be used to serve the public interest - not special interests.