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Politry Plus » 2005 » March

Archive for March, 2005

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31.03.05 | 

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Cloning Works

Iraq’s National Assembly
convened two months ago,
has yet to agree on anything.
They meet in secret, hold
vigorous discussions, say
decisions are “close.”
Nothing happens. Who
would believe we could create
another Congress so quickly?

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30.03.05 | 

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Reflection

Objecting to John Bolton as United Nations
representative will not secure a new job,
appointment to a commission, or an invitation
to a cocktail party. The 59 former diplomats,
representing both parties, who did, certainly
acted on principle. Unfortunately, it won’t work.
Republicans will believe those signing the letter
have a political motive. Doesn’t everyone?

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29.03.05 | 

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Loyalty

While the Supreme Court weighed
whether Texas should comply with an
International Court of Justice ruling,
Bush told his former friends to do it –
grant new hearings to Mexicans on
death row denied access to diplomats.
He then withdrew from the treaty that
gave the IJC jurisdiction. State officials
didn’t think that court ever had authority,
and expected the Supremes to […]

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28.03.05 | 

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Another Round of Rove

With Bush re-elected, his brain
can give Social Security the
Kerry treatment: quirky quotes
and twisted truth backed up with
outright lies by outside groups.
It is hard to believe that slightly
sleazy scam could work again, but
instead of gloating over “Bush’s first
defeat,� Democrats should concentrate
on causing crafty Karl to crash.

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26.03.05 | 

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The Art of Delicate Distraction

Confusion about Bush promises
concerning West Bank settlements
led to leaks of memoranda and verbal
sparks from Condoleezza Rice.
That disagreement is fading in the fog
of selling planes to Pakistan and India –
a move designed to solidify peace in
the area. Balancing the news is a bonus.

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25.03.05 | 

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North American Cooperation

Bush, Fox and Martin met to discuss
topics of mutual interest, not Iraq, beef,
lumber, vigilantes, amnesty, or missile
defense — just security and prosperity.
The President promised to continue to
push Congress to come up with “a rational,
common sense immigration policy.� Maybe
we could help Mexicans move on to Canada.

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24.03.05 | 

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Flexibility

The Social Security Crisis,
WMD of 2005, conjures
similar images of disaster in
the same kind of fuzzy focus.
Financial projections change
every month, but we are expected
to panic over what they say
will happen in thirty-five years.
If Bush wanted to fix something,
instead of reward somebody, he’d
talk about gradually removing
the cap on taxable earnings.
That could make the program
financially sound, but not […]

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23.03.05 | 

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New Views from the Right

Now that polls show majorities of
Republicans, and people who go to
church regularly, seem to oppose
the congressional interference in the
Terri Schiavo case, some conservatives
are speaking out against the action.
Representatives of the Hoover Institute,
Free Enterprise Fund, Cato Institute, now
question the action. One called it “a clash
between social and process conservatives.�
Warner, the only Republican senator to
vote no, said […]

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22.03.05 | 

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The Right Man for the Job

Acceptance of the Republican plan
to dismantle Social Security seems
to hinge on the choice of words.
They started recommending “private�
accounts, but pollsters discovered
“personal� got less negative response.
If selling this proposal depends on
Bush consistently using the correct
word, Social Security may be secure.

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21.03.05 | 

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Oppositional Hazard

A dozen non-profit organizations,
who don’t support President Bush,
contend government agencies and
Congressional offices attempt
to discourage them from activities
that challenge government policies
with reviews, audits, investigations,
threats of the loss of federal money.
That seems like a natural Republican
response. The only surprise: no one
has been tortured – yet.

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20.03.05 | 

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Government Safeguards

Congress approved a storage site
in Nevada for spent nuclear fuel.
The state wasn’t happy then, but
now they know the decision was
based on fraudulent information.
Site suitability was tested with
equipment certified as being
calibrated before it was received.
Fortunately the Energy Department
is late applying for a license to open
the repository. That’s ok because
the application must be judged against
EPA standards […]

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19.03.05 | 

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Disingenuousness

Terri Schiavo’s tragedy brought out the
worst in Congress. Thousands of people
shared sincere concerns about her fate for
years, but Tom DeLay, seeking distraction,
and colleagues, scrambling for the “right�
position on the issue, were not among them.
Her family disagreed and several judges,
after careful consideration, rendered a decision.
Lawmakers, pausing in their effort to reduce
federal spending on the medical needs […]

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18.03.05 | 

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Productivity

The Senate worked hard yesterday.
They voted all day long, scrambling
to finish work on the budget so their
two week Easter vacation could begin.
Among their achievements were rejecting
a $14 billion cut in Medicaid and reducing
taxes on the wealthy by an additional
$34 billion — that’s fair and balanced.
The pace was so frantic some senators
admitted voting for amendments […]

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17.03.05 | 

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Wolf at the Door

Outgoing World Bank president Wolfensohn
made his reputation fighting corruption.
Bush’s nominee to replace him, Wolfowitz,
made his watching it flourish in Iraq.
“Wolfie’s� grasp of money also falls short
of expectations – the war cost more than
he predicted, and oil revenues have not
paid for reconstruction like he promised.
Whatever its weaknesses, this selection does
reinforce the President’s attitude toward
the world. […]

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15.03.05 | 

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Fiscal Fraud

The deficit hangs over
our economic horizon
like a thunder storm
ready to spawn tornados.
The Senate debates taking
umbrellas to the picnic. No
one suggests canceling it.

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14.03.05 | 

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God of Commerce

Undeterred by a lack of action on the
“Clear Skies� bill, EPA forged ahead,
ax in hand, clearing a path for industry
through environmental regulations.
Companies removing more mercury
than the law demands can sell the extra to
those who don’t meet their requirement –
no pollution reductions will go to waste.
The Bush team set another record in
regulation: a mercury policy specialist
called […]

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13.03.05 | 

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Rumor

Some of us have accused the Bush
administration of being secretive,
uncommunicative, antagonistic
toward news organizations.
Wrong. Government agencies
devote millions of dollars
to helping television stations
distribute news, good news.
Their video news releases fill local
TV with pictures and interviews
about success in Iraq, lower cost drugs,
creating clear skies and healthy forests.
We thought the Bush people
wouldn’t tell us what they were doing.
In fact, […]

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12.03.05 | 

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Presidential Roadshow

No one tells panel members
at the President’s town hall
meetings on Social Security
what they should say.
After screening for their views,
and a lesson on the facts,
they are told to use their own
words at rehearsals of the event
A Bush aide asks questions and
they practice their answers,
as many as five times, to ensure
accuracy and spontaneity.
The meetings have played […]

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11.03.05 | 

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Congress at Work

The House Government Reform
committee wouldn’t investigate
who triggered torture tactics
in Iraq. They were satisfied with
Pentagon reports suggesting
policies might be to blame,
but never mentioned any name.
On the other hand they seek
to prevent any whitewash
of another problem so bad they
compare it to the TV quiz show
scandals in the fifties. They issue
subpoenas to search for batters
using steroids. Now that […]

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10.03.05 | 

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Misplaced Talent

It appears the Senate has seen through
the “Clear Skies� bill and killed it – an amazing
flash of light in a dark and dismal chamber.
The act would have rolled back pollution
controls, made it more difficult for the public
to demand enforcement of the rules.
If Bush put the creativity into solving problems
he devotes to naming his […]

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