How Money Starts, Runs, and Stops a War.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/30/war.powers.ap/index.html

"The Constitution makes Congress a coequal branch of government. It's time we start acting like it," said Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wisconsin, who is chairing a hearing Tuesday on Congress' war powers and forwarding legislation to eventually prohibit spending for the deployment of troops to Iraq.

Senator Feingold, this is your chance. Send a real message that over 70% of Americans support. End this unneccessary war of choice now.

Senate Panel to Bush: We Don't Accept Your Plan

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070124/ap_on_go_co/us_iraq

'"We better be damn sure we know what we're doing, all of us, before we put 22,000 more Americans into that grinder," said Sen. Chuck Hagel (news, bio, voting record) of Nebraska, the sole Republican to join 11 Democrats in support of the measure.'

Here's to you Senatory Hagel. A Republican who is putting his brain in front of his bravado (a rare thing).

Its over President Bush. Time to get the troops out not put more in.

Bush Speaks, America Shrugs

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/23/bush.sotu/index.html

'When he gives his sixth State of the Union address Tuesday evening, President Bush will be facing an angry citizenry dissatisfied with his leadership by a 2-to-1 ratio.

The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll, released on the eve of the speech, found only 34 percent of respondents approved of Bush's job performance while 63 percent disapproved.

Two-thirds of respondents say that Bush has done something to make them angry -- a figure that has grown six points since last year and 16 points since Bush's State of the Union in 2004.

Fifty-five percent of respondents said Bush's presidency is a failure, and 51 percent said they trust Bush less than they trusted his predecessor in the Oval Office, Bill Clinton.

The point is, 'W' can speak all he wants. Nothing will change. We dont care what he says.

On another note, is it 2008 yet?

A 'No Confidence' Vote for America?

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/22/stateofunion.appoll.ap/index.html

'Americans seem sour on the state of the union in advance of President Bush's address on the subject. A poll finds most believe the country is on the wrong track -- a complete flip from five years ago.'

What? Americans don't have confidence in the economy, the 'war', healthcare, and national security? I thought they actually believed everything that The White House spits out. How refreshing that Americans are opening their eyes to the lies.

Too bad its 7 years too late.

The End of the World As We Know It

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/01/17/doomsday.clock.ap/index.html

The Doomsday clock has been moved two minutes closer to the apolyptic 'midnight hour'.

It was the fourth time since the end of the Cold War that the clock has ticked forward, this time from 11:53 to 11:55, amid fears over what the scientists are describing as "a second nuclear age" prompted largely by atomic standoffs with Iran and North Korea.

It came closest to midnight -- just two minutes away -- in 1953, following the successful test of a hydrogen bomb by the United States. It has been as far away as 17 minutes, set there in 1991 following the demise of the Soviet Union.

Another George W Bush legacy: Hey George, think we can strike midnight? You still have a year to do it!

Lawmakers to Work a 5 Day Work Week! Oh the injustice!

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/shared-gen/ap/US_Congress/Congress_Workweek.html

'...Under GOP leadership, the House fell into a pattern where no votes were scheduled until 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday and the last votes were on Thursday afternoon. That way, lawmakers could leave the Capitol on Thursday evening and not return until the following Tuesday.

...According to the office of House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md, the House was in session 102 days last year, fewer than the 110 days of the "do-nothing" Congress when Harry S. Truman was president in 1948.'

How about you? Will you work 5 days per week in 2007? Many are working 7 days per week in this 'booming' economy thanks to the Republicans. Many are not working at all thanks to corporate outsourcing and continual layoffs.

I think I will adopt a similar plan in my business. This will improve profits and ensure stock holder satisfaction. That's the ticket!

Mr. Cheney Can You Boost My Credit Line?

US Vice President Dick Cheney thinks is acceptable to check and monitor American citizens credit.

Appearing on “Fox News Sunday,” Mr. Cheney said “national security letters” issued to banks and credit agencies were an essential tool for investigating terrorism cases in the United States.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/15/washington/15spy.html?ei=5094&en=c8bf9a18c6c6e5c4&hp=&ex=1168923600&adxnnl=1&partner=homepage&adxnnlx=1168869819-QMEYtbD4vy0NaKBRvogpgA

Apparently there is no limit to what Cheney and company consider searchable and accessible to them, all in the name of 'national security'. Having ventured beyond plastic sheeting and duct tape, your email, snail mail, internet postings, phone calls, video monitoring, movement and face-to-face conversation monitoring are all being conducted, without court order and without your knowledge. The Department of Homeland Security has some fantastic privacy-violating programs going (how many of you remember the 'Highway Watch' program that encouraged truck drivers and school bus drivers to spy on you?)

http://www.highwaywatch.com/about_us/prog_overview.html

Think turning off your cell phone will keep you safe? Consider this site on how a cell phone can be monitored.

http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/ospp/securityguide/V2comint/Cellular.htm

I suspect that our sewer system contents are also being checked, you know, to 'assure no terror threat exists' as it is expulsed from our bowels.

Signing off from the monitored, privacy-denied unfree United States of America.

By the way, thanks for reading, Dick.

Democrats Slam Bush on Troop 'Surge'

http://1010wins.com/pages/181005.php?contentType=4&contentId=286983

Rep. Frank Pallone, D-Long Branch, NJ, said in addition to ignoring the wishes of the American public, Bush is not listening to the suggestions of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group or the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Both groups saw no reason to send more troops to Iraq."Instead, President Bush has chosen to stick his head in the sand, not listen to anyone and continue on a course that is not going to make Iraq any safer for either our brave troops or for the Iraqis themselves,'' Pallone said.

Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-Paterson, NJ, said Bush "hasn't had a good idea regarding Iraq in four years and the content of this speech will be no different.''"The time is up, Mr. President,'' Pascrell said. "You brought us into this region on a faulty premise and mismanaged the conflict every step of the way.''

Rep. Steven Rothman, D-Fair Lawn, said a troop increase "will result in the death and wounding of thousands more American soldiers, costing taxpayers tens of billions of dollars more and do nothing to help the Iraqi people.''"President Bush's escalation of the Iraq war will weaken America's national security and I will do everything in my power to stop it,'' Rothman said.

Good to see some Democratic backbone. Keep it up lawmakers.

The MAJORITY of Americans want this fiasco ended. NOW.

Bush to Address Nation Tonight. Any Hope for Iraq? Any Hope for Complete Sentences?

Here's hoping we hear an actual plan for getting out of Iraq. I'm not holding my breath (many Republicans wish I would...for a long time).

According to sources GW Bush did not consult with the Democratic leadership in the House and Senate prior to formulating his new 'plan'. How non-partisian of him.

The only thing I hope for tonight is some good grammar and complete sentences. One can always wish, can't they?

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/10/iraq.bush/index.html

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/174420/george_w_bush_slipups/

Democrats Represent REAL National Security

The Democratic Congress does what the Republican-controlled Congress could not since 9/11/01: provide a plan for REAL US national security including searching all inbound US container ships.

Why couldn't the Republicans accomplish this? Is is because they were ready to sell major port operations to a Middle Eastern company for large profits at the expense of our citizens security?

That's right: I forgot: repeat after me...'Republicans tough on Homeland Security...Democrats soft and love terrorists....'

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/09/house.ap/index.html

Nancy Pelosi Becomes Madam Speaker. Our Long National Nightmare is Now Over.

Democrats take control of the United States Congress today as Nancy Pelosi (D-California) is elected Speaker of the House.

Today she will make history as the first woman Speaker. Just wait until 2008 when history may repeat itself with the first woman President. Or will history be made with the first black US President?

Heady, invigorating times indeed! (not for George W Bush however)

Go Nancy! Give em hell Harry!

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/04/congress.rdp/index.html

A Democratic 2007: Welcome Govenor Spitzer!

New York Govenor Eliot Spitzer took the Oath of Office at Midnight December 31, 2006 replacing the adversarial and unpopular Republican George Pataki.

"Day One is now," Gov. Spitzer declared yesterday as he used his inaugural address to put the state's hidebound political establishment on notice that he is serious about bringing sweeping reforms to New York's scandal-scarred government.

Here at the Freedom Forum Blog, we hope this is a sign of things to come in 2007 as Democrats take control of the United States Congress.

No more will George W Bush be allowed to 'lead' this country into ruin by his cronies of corrupted Republicans. Let's hope he stays in Crawford for most of this year.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/01022007/news/regionalnews/spitz_in_face_of_corruption_regionalnews_fredric_u__dicker_______and_kenneth_lovett________post_correspondents.htm