Posts with the tag Fred Thompson

Stephen Views the News 11/22/08

Stephen from Elkins Park, PA — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 12:29:31 EST

http://stephenviewsthenews.blogspot.com/

* The Stench of Torture ~ will not dissipate with Bush’s exit – Barack Obama has stated emphatically that he will end any use of torture by the USA. Human rights groups, constitutional scholars and citizens have called for the next administration to prosecute those who authorized or used harsh interrogation techniques. “But two Obama advisers said there's little — if any — chance that the incoming president's Justice Department will go after anyone involved in authorizing or carrying out interrogations that provoked worldwide outrage.” Having closely followed the actions by the Bush administration and the use of torture, actions contrary to national and international law, I would like to see those who authorized and then lied about it come under scrutiny. Many believe that the US should not look back as Obama changes policy. What about after Obama? If Bush could authorize the use of torture so could a future president. It is obvious that safeguards are not in place to prevent the use of torture. It should not be an option for ANY administration. At the least, America should enact laws that unequivocally prevent any president or U.S. agency from utilizing a policy of torture. That being said, regardless of how the Obama administration decides to deal with abuses by George W. Bush or, should Bush grant broad immunity to perpetrators of abuse before he leaves office, the international community still could address the subject.

It remains to be seen whether there will be an effort to bring war crimes charges against Americans responsible for and involved in torture in Iraq, Guantanamo and secret prisons the U.S. government sanctioned around the world. There is a just-released report by the Human Rights Center/Center for Constitutional Rights report titled “Guantanamo and Its Aftermath.” Former DC Appellate Judge Patricia Wald, a judge at the international trial for Serbians accused of committing war crimes against Bosnian Muslims, compared the treatment of detainees in U.S. custody to the treatment Bosnians received at the hands of their Serbian captors. And from the web site ThinkProgress.org: “Last June, Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba (ret.), the Army general who led the investigation into prisoner abuse at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison, also accused the Bush administration of committing “war crimes” and called for those responsible to be held to account.”

The report noted above is 136 pages in length. Even if one only reads the Forward and Executive Summary one will find a chilling condemnation of the policies invoked by the Bush administration to deal with the aftermath of 9/11 attacks. It is a vision that no sentient American in my lifetime could have envisioned. I was especially struck with the innocent lives destroyed. I would hope that Americans are struck with a sense of the loss of innocence. The Forward concludes, “We, as a nation, must not only remember our past but strive not to repeat it. This report makes an invaluable start in that direction.”

* In Case of Emergency 1 ~ a simple yet very intelligent idea – A reader sent me notice of an idea conceived by a paramedic that is growing in popularity. Most of us have cell phones. If we were to be injured in an accident or unexpectedly taken ill, emergency personnel would want to alert someone to our situation. To avoid the need to search through a large number of entries in the phone’s address book there is an alternative. Add to the address file “ICE” (In Case of Emergency) and the telephone number of the person you want to be contacted. If there is more than one person or phone number, enter ICE 1, ICE 2, and so on. This is an idea you may want to share with friends and family.

* In Case of Emergency 2 – If you just accidentally swallowed poison and need to regurgitate, watch this video of the members of the U.S. Senate giving a standing ovation to Alaskan Republican Senator Ted Stevens. Stevens is not returning to the Senate because he lost his re-election bid. Even if Stevens had won the election he very probably would have been expelled from the Senate because he recently was convicted in a federal court on 7 felony counts. This is the man who porked huge amounts of federal money for Alaska and he was the legislative architect for the Bridge to Nowhere, while using his legislative power for financial gain for himself, members of his family and friends and associates. And our illustrious Senators gave him a standing ovation, which happens to be against their own Senate rules. Applauding a low-life power abuser and convicted felon is not the message that I want to hear from legislators. It does not bode well for ethics reform or the responsible leadership that the American people crave. Republican losses over the last two election cycles have made this very clear. The Good Ol’ Boy Club has gotten very old. More need to be replaced, including a covey of Democrats.

* Derriere Orifice of the Week ~ say hello to Newt Gingrich – Appearing on FOX News (of course) Gingrich was criticizing those individuals protesting the loss of the right of gay couples in California to marry. Gingrich said, "I think there is a gay and secular fascism in this country that wants to impose its will on the rest of us, is prepared to use violence, to use harassment. I think it is prepared to use the government if it can get control of it. I think that it is a very dangerous threat to anybody who believes in traditional religion." I find Gingrich’s comments disingenuous, hypocritical and misleading.

Recall that it was Gingrich and his Republican Party that consummated a marriage with religious-right fundamentalists attempting to tell Americans how to conduct their lives. I see no evidence of people with a gay lifestyle either attempting to or, by example, influencing anyone to be gay. The gay community does not proselytize. It is seeking its own civil rights, in opposition to the likes of Mike Huckabee who pronounce that gay rights and civil rights are totally different. What is Fascist are Gingrich and his tight-assed brown shirts spewing untruthful propaganda and misinformation. Has anyone seen evidence of gay violence or harassment? More than half of the American people are aware of Gingrich and company’s dangerous band of blowhards. Once a few million more Americans wake up to the uncivil attacks on and the denial of civil rights to the gay community, people like Gingrich will find limited access to mainstream media and be relegated to the increasingly irrelevant Pat Robertson’s Holier than Thou TV infomercials.

* Knowing your limitations – “Congratulations” to Fred Thompson. Following the failure of his somnambulant presidential bid he has decided to again leave politics and return to acting. I suggest that his best chance to earn an Oscar or Emmy would be playing the role of Rip Van Winkle.

* Goodbye and good riddance – Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott is retiring in February. Under his management the largest retailer in this country honed the business model for low wages and low benefits, resulting in many Wal-Mart employees requiring public assistance. Wal-Mart is one of the models for sourcing goods and services overseas that has contributed to the weakness of our economy. Recall that Wal-Mart opposed more diligent inspection of containers as they enter our borders. A container destined for Wal-Mart enters the U.S. every 45 seconds. U.S. national security does not stand in the way of the Wal Mart bottom line. The bottom line is that under Mr. Scott, Wal Mart was a winner on Wall Street but quite damaging to Main Street.

* Is the Bush administration getting in touch with the needs of Americans? ~ Nah! – In an exceptional move the administration has agreed to support the extension of unemployment benefits as unemployment claims reach a 16-year high and unemployment reaches a 25-year high. Otherwise, it is nasty business as usual. The Bush presidency continues to undermine environmental safety, broaden the destruction of public lands and national parks, and further endanger endangered species as it pimps for business interests that are not in the interest of the American people. President George W. and co-conspirators in his administration are making every effort to reduce regulation and constrictions on oil, gas, mining, fishing, timber and financial industries while promoting the development of shale oil, the dirtiest fuel on the planet. America does not need enemies from afar. Our hands are full with the enemies from within.

The situation was best summed up by Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV), chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee when he told the Wall Street Journal, “This administration will stop at nothing to jam through as many reckless proposals as they can before the clock runs out.” A glimmer of hope for the health of planet Earth is Barack Obama’s promise to make a decisive break with George Bush on the environment … promising a "new chapter in America's leadership on climate change.” These developments bring to mind a question I have often asked over the last seven years. “Why does George W. Bush hate America? I do not accept the conventional wisdom alibi that he is well-intentioned but ill-advised. The damage he has rendered is too widespread, too deep and well beyond the pale of mere incompetence.

* What have we learned in two millennia? A reader asked this question, accompanied by the following quote:

"The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance."

Cicero, 55 BC

The Republicans' bleak future

Daniel Baker — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 11:57:17 EDT

Nominating McCain was an extremely high-risk, high-reward gamble for the Republican party. The reward side was that McCain was by far the best chance the Republicans had of salvaging the 2008 election; Rudolph Giuliani was the only GOP rival even close to Arizona's senior senator in popularity. Romney or Huckabee would be down 15 to 20 points by this time in the campaign, and Thompson would in all likelihood have dropped out from sheer ennui by now. The press loved McCain, and he had substantial support among Democratic voters. With Obama and Clinton tearing each other up and expending their resources in the primaries, it looked like McCain had a real chance. If the economy had managed to keep running on fumes for another six months, McCain might have pulled the Republicans back from the brink of disaster.

But it looks now like the gamble has not paid off. Nate Silver, whom I trust, judges Obama to have about a 95% chance to win in November. And then McCain's high risk side comes into play. McCain was the Republicans' best chance to win, but if he loses anyway, the consequences of his defeat will be far worse for the GOP than any other candidate's loss would have been.

Fred Thompson - The Perfect Spokesman

Mel — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 13:23:46 EDT

Listened to Fred Thompson try to defend and advocate for the McCain ticket. Fred didn't know anything about anything when he was running for President. Didn't Dennis the Menace out poll him in three states? Anyway, it seems that nothing has changes in terms of Fred's knowledgeability. I would say that makes him the perfect spokesman for McCain and the Republicans.

RNC Day 2: 4 More Beers! 4 More Beers! 4 More Beers!

PJ — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 03:13:19 EDT

Day 2 of the Republican National Convention. Or is it Day 3? I think I fell asleep there for a while. I had a strange dream too. People in cowboy hats and not-so-old ladies wearing old style beehive hairdos. People seemed to be wearing clown smiles and oversized ties. It was weird. Maybe that wasn’t a dream. No, I think that really was the crowd at the RNC. It might have been a dream though. I can’t be sure, I mean I was dozing. I learned a few things though regardless if it was real or some strange dreamscape. First, I learned that Laura Bush is a great actress. How she could praise her husband's last 8 years in the presidency. She talked about all the changes he’s made. She started off with a real doozy! How he’s revamped education! Thanks to our president more minorities than ever before are in school. How many is that Mrs. Bush? Is that good enough? She listed a couple of other great changes he’s made. Strange that she didn’t mention the changes that he’s brought to over 3000 military families, or the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis whom have experienced Mr. Bush’s brand of change. Next I learned that Mr. Bush is a terrible actor. He looked tired and haggard. He could hardly muster up a smile for dear old Mom and Dad. They appeared to have difficulty too. But he should be tired and haggard after ushering in so much great change.

I also learned that we should have overwhelmingly supported Fred Thomson more. His grandfatherly tales provide safe-havens from reality. His soft but stern Granpappy voice with its long slow drawl helps us to forget that the world is changing. Why after listening to him long enough, I wanted nothing more than a tall, cool, glass of lemonade and to sit on the porch and hear more stories about the good old days. Too bad we won’t be enjoying four more years of the perfect summer back in Mayberry. I also learned from Grandpa Fred that we for some reason are lucky to have a prospective V.P. who can field dress a moose. My, that was a good one. Fred just has a way of telling you a hilarious story that doesn’t really make any sense, is completely irrelevant, yet undoubtedly teaches a valuable lesson. Like the one he whipped off about a bucket of water. It was so funny, you could actually see the moment, after he read it, when he actually got it himself. Now that is what we like to call a real humdinger! Another thing I learned, again from Grandpa Fred, was that John McCain for some reason betrayed the Green Bay Packers to the North Vietnamese. As a Chicago Bears fan, I appreciate learning this very much.

Something else I learned that really surprised me, was that Howdy Doody grew up, turned gray and changed his name to Joe Lieberman. He’s not nearly as funny as he used to be though. Or at least his sense of humor has really changed, anyway. I think I might have also learned why Angelina Jolie doesn’t speak to he father Jon Voight. However, in the great tradition of Ronald Reagan, Charleton Heston, and Grandpappy Fred, we mustn’t judge manly actors too harshly. They might, believing that they are actually super heroes or cowboys, come down from the silver screen to save us all and ride off into the sunset.

I learned that Republicans are a funny bunch, and I don’t mean their beehives and cowboy hats (those weren’t as funny as they were disturbing). I mean their mirth. They were just so darned happy. They were laughing and dancing and swinging each other round and round, dosie-doh style, all the while a-hoopin’ and a-hollerin’, waving their cowboy hats or holdin’ down their beehives. I appreciate their mirth, it is refreshing from the somber mood that has prevailed the RNC. But I wondered why are they so darned happy. I mean they just saw George W. Bush on the plasmatron jumboscreen. Didn’t that remind them even slightly of the past eight years? They were dancing around and singing and laughing as if not one of them was in any way directly responsible for the criminal failures of the Bush presidency. That is weird. It must have been a dream.

-PJ Burns

FactCheck.org: GOP Convention Spin

Curtis — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:23:07 EDT

Lieberman and Thompson make misleading claims about Obama on Day Two of the party in St. Paul.

Summary

Joe Lieberman and his former Senate colleague Fred Thompson both made misleading claims about Obama in their prime time GOP convention speeches on Tuesday. We've heard two of them before – many times.

Lieberman said Obama hadn't "reached across party lines" to accomplish "anything significant," though Obama has teamed with GOP Sens. Tom Coburn and Richard Lugar to pass laws enhancing government transparency and curtailing the proliferation of nuclear and conventional weapons.
Thompson repeated misleading claims about Obama's tax program, saying it would bring "one of the largest tax increases in American history." But as increases go, Obama's package is hardly a history-maker. It would raise taxes for families with incomes above $250,000. Most people would see a cut.
Lieberman also accused Obama of "voting to cut off funding for our American troops on the battlefield." But Obama's only vote against a war-funding bill came after Bush vetoed a version of the bill Obama had supported – and McCain urged the veto.

AnalysisWe found a few factual issues in Tuesday night's big-name speeches at the convention in Minnesota's Twin Cities.

Obama on Your Side
Sen. Joe Lieberman, the former Democrat (now Independent) who supports McCain, accused Obama of not reaching out to the other side:

Lieberman: In the Senate, during the three-and-a-half years that Senator Obama has been a member, he has not reached across party lines to get accomplish anything significant. ...

We don't know what Lieberman considers "significant." But Obama has co-sponsored bills with members of the other party, some of which have been noteworthy. Obama and Republican Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, for instance, teamed up on an initiative to lock down and secure both nuclear and conventional weapons worldwide, such as the shoulder-fired, anti-aircraft missiles that have been proliferating in recent years. According to a report on the bill by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the legislation "enhances: (1) U.S. cooperation with foreign governments to destroy conventional weapons stockpiles around the world; and (2) the United States' ability to provide assistance to foreign governments aimed at helping them detect and interdict weapons and materials of mass destruction." Lugar hasn't objected to Obama's characterization of their partnership or the bill, which became law in 2007, in his ads.

Another example: Obama worked with Sen. Tom Coburn, an Oklahoma Republican, to write the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006, which created a searchable database the public can use to look up details on federal grants and contracts. (McCain was also among the original co-sponsors of that bill, so Lieberman may have been tarring his own candidate when he disparaged Obama's legislative accomplishments). Obama and Coburn also got together on a bill to prohibit the Department of Homeland Security from issuing open-ended, no-bid contracts for emergency response activities after abuses were found in post-Katrina contracting.

The Truth on Taxes (Again)

Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, who was in the race himself earlier this year, banged the now-familiar tax drum in his denunciation of Obama when he said, "You don't lift an economic downturn by imposing one of the largest tax increases in American history."

We've been here before (repeatedly), but we're happy to reiterate: What Obama is proposing is indeed a substantial tax increase for some, but not for most. Overall, Obama says he would raise income, capital gains and dividend taxes only for taxpayers with family income above $250,000 or singles making more than $200,000. He would also raise corporate taxes through selective “loophole closings.”

For most taxpayers rates would go down. The nonpartisan Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center has described his plan this way:

Tax Policy Center: The Obama plan would reduce taxes for low- and moderate-income families, but raise them significantly for high-bracket taxpayers. ... By 2012, middle-income taxpayers would see their after-tax income rise by about 5 percent, or nearly $2,200 annually. Those in the top 1 percent would face a $19,000 average tax increase — a 1.5 percent reduction in after-tax income.

It’s true that Obama’s tax proposals overall would raise federal revenues by $627 billion over 10 years. Is that “one of the largest tax increases in American history” as Thompson claimed? And would it be a drag on the economy as he says?

When it comes to assessing the effect that a tax change will have on the economy, the single most relevant figure is the size of the increase or cut in relation to the size of the overall economy. And by that yardstick, Obama’s increase is hardly a history-maker. The largest was the 1942 increase enacted as the U.S. plunged into World War II, and it amounted to 5.2 percent of the entire economy in its first year.

President Bill Clinton's 1993 tax increase, which Republicans regularly and misleadingly call the largest in history, was actually about one-tenth as large, amounting to 0.5 percent of the economy over its first two years. The TPC calculates that Obama’s overall tax increase, as described by his aides and on his Web site, would be roughly 0.1 percent in its first year, and 0.3 percent on average over 10 years, compared with what people are paying now.

And how would that affect the economy? Not much. The TPC says, “Neither candidate’s plan would significantly increase economic growth unless offset by spending cuts or tax increases that the campaigns have not specified.” The tax plans of both Obama and McCain would leave the federal government wallowing in huge deficits for years to come, and compared with the economic drag created by deficit spending, the effects of either man’s tax plan is negligible.

Troop Funding Foul Play

Lieberman also said that "colleagues like Barack Obama were voting to cut off funding for our American troops on the battlefield." That's a highly misleading claim that McCain also touted in an ad this summer. Obama has voted in favor of war-funding bills at least 10 times since becoming a senator. The McCain camp and Republicans cite one vote Obama cast against a funding bill as justification for their claim – but that vote came after President Bush had vetoed a version of the bill that included a date for withdrawal from Iraq.

In fact, most Republicans voted against that 2007 war-funding bill Obama and the Democrats supported. McCain was absent for the vote, but he urged the president to veto the bill. As we said about this subject previously, "Based on those facts, it would be literally true to say that ‘McCain urged a veto of funding for our troops.’ But that would be oversimplified to the point of being seriously misleading." And the same goes for Lieberman’s claim at the convention.

— by Viveca Novak, Brooks Jackson and Lori Robertson
SourcesVictor, Kirk. "The Lugar Connection." National Journal, 2 Aug. 2008.

Tempalski, Jerry. “Revenue Effects of Major Tax Bills.” Office of Tax Analysis, U.S. Department of the Treasury, Sept. 2006.

Williams, Roberton and Gleckman, Howard. “An Updated Analysis of the 2008 Presidential Candidates’ Tax Plans.” Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, 15 Aug 2008.

Office of U.S. Sen. John McCain. "McCain urges president to veto legislation requiring withdrawal deadline for U.S. troops." news release, 26 April 2007.

Office of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama. “Obama Votes to Demand Changed Course in Iraq.” news release, 24 May 2007.

Office of U.S. Sen. John McCain. “Senator McCain Statement on Presidential Veto of Iraq Spending Legislation.” news release, 1 May 2007.
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FactCheck.org's staff, not the Annenberg Center, is responsible for this material.

Fred Thompson's Speech

Jay Suthers — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:03:17 EDT

Just to give everyone a fair shake, I've been peeking in on the Republican Convention this week.

I listened to Fred Thompson's speech last night. It really got my blood to boiling. First because of his snide comments directed at every Democrat he could think of. Second because of his vulgar reference to "field dressing a moose". I hope every card-carrying member of PETA was there to hear that one.

Fred was crass, rude, and downright insidious...

RNC Opens—Notes on Sacrifice, Soldiers & Pride

Sonya Rose — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:44:57 EDT

Country First

John McCain, George Bush and related Republicans get their propers for truncating their National Convention rituals as Hurricane Gustav threatened the gulf coast, particularly New Orleans, so hard hit during Katrina.

Their support of the coalesced efforts of LA governor Gov. Bobby Jindal, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and FEMA may have saved thousands of lives. Together with MS, Al and TX officials, nearly 2 million folks were safely evacuated over the weekend. (To date, seven hurricane-related deaths have been reported in LA, in comparison to the bloodbath of ‘05.)

And with official RNC business beginning just yesterday at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, the vibe of the Convention...

http://blogs.uptownlife.net/sonyarose/

"Pay No Attention to that Man Behind the Curtain"

Ron Williams — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 23:23:29 EDT

Republican Convention--At the Republican Convention tonight, Fred Thompson and Joe Lieberman informed us that things need to change in a Washington that has become overly partisan and that John McCain is the one to take on the establishment.

Thompson said that McCain "led battle after battle to change the acrimonious, pork barreling, self serving ways of Washington."

Lieberman said, "John McCain is the best choice to bring our country together and lead America forward."

What both Thompson and Lieberman failed to mention was that the Republican Party has controlled Washington (and deliberately increased this level of acrimony) for 6 of the last 8 years, and of course, they have held the presidency for that entire period.

It seems the Republicans are running against themselves!

Winnowing of the GOP race...

Virginia S. — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 15:10:06 EST

I want to have a moment of silence for former Senator Fred Thompson, who is now also former Presidential Candidate Fred Thompson. Fred, you were my favorite actor turned Hollywood politician, mainly because of my unhealthy obsession with crime shows. As you pass from the national stage, I want you to know that you will never fade from my heart, as your Presidential bid opened the way for Jack McCoy to become DA.I hope that the Democratic Presidential contenders follow his example and concede defeat in the face of the radiant and shining Sen. Barack Obama. Fred knew he couldn't win against Barack, and deep in your hearts, you know you can't beat him either. Acceptance is the final stage of grief, and it's better for you to leave now while you still have a modicum of dignity.

Obama '08

Yes to 4 More Years in Iraq?

Lisa Beyer — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 23:23:18 EDT

Yes to 4 More Years in Iraq?

Fred Thompson Enters the Race for the Republican Nomination

Vicki "Hussein" in New Mexico — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 14:07:00 EDT

Fred finally made it official. No one on the Republican side represents white, older, conservative males better than Good Ol' Boy Fred. And let me tell you, that IS who will be voting on the Republican side. They'll run to him as the one steady rock among a sea of dull Republican candidates. They want him as the Symbol of the USA, the Great Eagle that will have no one trample the American Flag. And he is exactly the wrong person for President of the United States of America at this time. Fred represents the past. Fred represents "Cracker Barrel restaurant" nostalgia for an idealistic America that no longer exists. Fred represents a simpler place and time that is completely out of touch with a world with new and often dangerous challenges. He appeals to a reactionary spirit of American Power and Glory. I was raised in the 50's and Fred is iconoclastic of that era. We have a smart, globally astute younger generation that wants nothing to do with the kind of old politics Fred represents. Our country is composed of a very diverse population with a huge percentage of first and second generation immigrants. They came to America for economic, social and educational opportunities and freedom. Not much different from Fred's ancestors or my ancestors. The world pretty much still sees America as a beacon of liberty and opportunity. But George W. Bush has hurt not only our image but our power to influence the world. He has damaged so much of the Good Will we have accumulated in the past century. The USA needs a leader who respects other nations' needs and cultures, will use diplomacy and leadership to do what's necessary to solve global problems, and will not rely on fear and "Shock and Awe" military solutions to promote political agendas. Fred is the one candidate that Coporate America wants most as President, especially after the catastrophic failure of their previous candidate (GW Bush). What is his vision? Who knows? Keep the voters in the dark, don't debate issues, keep it to "images" and soundbites - that's his strength. His well-know image is that of the feisty, tell-it-like-it-is D.A. on "Law and Order" and Corporate America has always favored the Medium over the Message. And so it will be. Talk about "dumbing down the issues" - that'll be the strategy of a Fred Thompson Campaign. We don't need this kind of politics in America. It's what has driven away popular participation. We like Barack because he dares to put his vision out there for all to see and debate. He represents the future, youth, a global approach to the solution of new problems. We don't need a dinosaur like Fred Thompson.