Bush spends a lot of time fretting about what Social Security will cost thirty years from now – why? His people can’t estimate what VA health care will cost this year. They’re twice as far off next year. Congressional representatives who voted against Democratic proposals to increase spending are embarrassed. I hope they remember their [...]

The man who couldn’t wait for inspectors to do their job now wants us to be patient while he paints a pretty picture of Iraq. Instead of making speeches about his wishes for the war he should replace the team that botched the job. He missed words that would buy time: Rumsfeld resigns, the date [...]

I would hate to see reporters go to jail, especially since it would be at our expense, but I wonder if the right to protect sources makes much difference to the quality of news. It seems to me most stories from Anonymous are about what might be done or said tomorrow. Is it really so [...]

The Choctaw Indians called their relationship with a lobbyist “a story of betrayal,â€? but they still work with the same guy. Seems strange ‘til you realize, that’s what they expect from white men.

Rumsfeld, Cheney and Bush follow the yellow brick road seeking courage, heart and brains. When they reach the wizard’s lair and look behind the curtain they see Carl Rove with talking points: Iraq is fine. Afghanistan is great. All will be well if everyone focuses on what we say and forgets about what we do.

The difference between the parties is easily understood. Durbin apologized when he didn’t need to, Rove won’t when he should. One respects truth and realizes words might be faulty The other has no concern for facts, what he says is his reality.

Lobbying has become a growth industry. Business, causes, organizations need to stop government from messing with their plans or profits. They pay a monthly retainer and the lobbyist keeps bad things from happening. It’s called influence peddling now, we used to call it the protection racket.

Congressman Tom DeLay used to declare he didn’t know a lobbyist paid the fare for trips his friends and family took. Everything he did was by the book. Now e-mail reveals a verbal opinion that lobbyists could finance transportation, so the Majority Leader sings a new song – “proves what we have been saying all [...]

Bush has decided to do something about Republican and public unrest over Iraq. He will defend his policy by repeating what he has been saying for a year. He will not say he’s wrong. He won’t suggest a new direction, or even a shift in tactics. He simply reasserts that his strategy “is going to [...]

Last Saturday Bush addressed his problem with the polls. People may not like it, but he will slog on and win this war. He’s proud of the new Iraqi government’s progress, but didn’t mention that they traded voting for consensus. If he studied history he would know consensus would have done this nation in if [...]

The Washington Post says Bush’s UN appointment already bears fruit. Progress with Iran, India, Russia and North Korea proceeds on paths newly cleared of Bolton blocks. A delighted senator Domenici claims credit for raising hell with Rice. No one defines Bolton’s departure as cause or effect, and most don’t care which. If he makes trouble [...]

North Korea says it’s willing to resume six-party negotiations if the U.S. “will treat us with respect.� With its typical diplomatic dexterity the administration demanded that they return “without pre-conditions.� We could have made a counter-offer: “come back and we promise to treat you with all the respect you deserve.�

According to some Republican senators, Social Security taxes now invested in Treasury bonds to fund the anticipated future shortfall are a “surplus� that could pay for Bush’s private accounts. They seem to forget that Congress already uses that money to hide part of the deficit. Reminded that their proposal would require more taxes or more [...]

The administration thinks evolution disappears if they rewrite textbooks, and global warming vanishes if technical reports are edited. No problem, no solution needed. Of course the U.S. representatives trying to gut the G-8 proposal on curbing climate change aren’t trying to give Bush “cover,� they just want “economy of expression.� If the Group of Eight [...]

Bush believes FBI access to reading habits is vital so he threatens to veto a bill requiring a regular seach warrant, instead of a secret court order, for library records. House leadership, angry at a rare loss, says a coalition of “crazies” from the left and right passed this amendment, but they think they can [...]

Not long ago we learned professors from esteemed universities published in a peer-reviewed study that virginity pledgers were no more chaste or safe than ordinary young people. Lest we be misled, the right-wing Heritage Foundation had their guys examine the same data and arrive at the opposite conclusion. No peer agrees, but they call it [...]

$2,500-a-Plate

Postage stamps have been outsourced to save lots of money, of course, but it’s not clear where the work will go. Probably not to India yet, because first we trade engraving for lithography and look good until we need more savings. Then low cost labor will come into play making stamps much easier to counterfeit, [...]

The Downing Street memo, that Air America dwells on, reveals that some British politicians believed the same things about Bush and his war plans that U.S. newspapers, magazines and television were saying at the same time. As Michael Kinsley suggests, the letter only proves we have finally developed a vast left-wing conspiracy to match the [...]

The time has come to speak of Dean, the best party chairman I’ve ever seen. Whatever his problem with rhetoric, he exposed the party’s weakness quick. Liberals prefer being liked to understood. We disapprove of Bush, but most of us would rather be quiet than appear unreasonable. When Republicans lie, we don’t label. We pause [...]