Last night Senator Joe Lieberman was defeated in a live debate (over 82% believe so) http://msnbc.msn.com/id/13725231/
He spoke hard and serious like Dick Cheney facing John Edwards in 2004. In fact, Lieberman was quite reminiscient of Cheney, in the decietful tactics and lies he tried to use against Ned Lamont, though unsucessful. How could it be then that the man we so respect, Al Gore, chose this hard man who reminds us of Dick Cheney?
In 2005, Joe Lieberman was voted the Republican's favorite Democrat. Why? Because he voted with them on all of their key votes like the war and the wasteful highway bill. Everyone saw how warmly close Lieberman was with Bush at the State of the Union when Bush leaned in, whispered something in his ear, and then kissed him on the cheek. There's no getting around that. And then what about when Gore choose him as his running mate. Lieberman played no part in the recount battle; in fact he hindered it as much as possible and pestered Gore to throw the towel in. Then when members of the House wanted to protest the electoral certification of the fraudelent "selection" and needed the mere signature of one senator, Joe was absent again. And then Lieberman had the nerve to critisize Gore after the selection starting the rumour how Gore campaigned poorly and didn't use enough of Clinton and therfore lost. Remember that Republican rumour? I still hear it. Joe started it.
This is a Republican in disguise who has consistently betrayed his party and its constituents. We simply can not have Democrats who are not going to do their jobs and serve the American people who put them in office and pay their salaries. We need more Ned Lamonts who are willing to for the work they're hired for. That's why Moveon.org, National Education Organization, National Organization for Women, and Democracy for America are all endorsing Ned Lamont.
Lieberman has belittled his vote on the war in Iraq by claiming that Lamont is a one issue candidate. But it's not just one little issue. Everyone who voted for the war should be held accountable. If most of us here on the ground knew that going into Iraq was a bogus war to begin with, in addition to many members of Congress like Barbara Boxer and Ted Kennedy, then why couldn't these other high paid politicians figure it out.
Getting rid of Lieberman will send a strong message to Democrats: start doing your jobs, stand up to Republicans, and get out there and win, or you'll be canned like Joe. Likewise, it will send a message to Republicans: that we aren't loyal for the sake of being loyal to our party. Look what their blind loyalty got them! Instead, we are loyal to principles and morals. It will pay off in the long run. Many Democrats are listening. John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, and others have backed away from Lieberman. Al Gore has not endorsed Lieberman.
Not getting Joe is probably the only good thing that's come out of Gore being robbed of the presidency in 2000.
So here's my big question: Why did Al Gore even choose him?
Thursday, July 06, 2006
OIL REVOLUTION excerpts from Chapter 3
While the House just last week voted to lift the ban on off-shore drilling and as gas prices mysteriously rose again just in time for the 4th of July holiday weekend, and with the passing of Ken Lay, I couldn't think of a better time than now to begin the next installment of excerpts from my book.
In May 2002 the construction of an Afghan oil pipeline was finally announced.
In the following year, 2003, the plan was executed:
Executive Order 13303 of May 22, 2003
Protecting the Development Fund for Iraq and Certain Other Property in Which Iraq Has an Interest By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, as amended (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), section 5 of the United Nations Participation Act, as amended (22 U.S.C. 287c) (UNPA), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code,
I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, find that the threat of attachment or other judicial process against the Development Fund for Iraq, Iraqi petroleum and petroleum products, and interests therein, and proceeds, obligations, or any financial instruments of any nature whatsoever arising from or related to the sale or marketing thereof, and interests therein, obstructs the orderly reconstruction of Iraq, the restoration and maintenance of peace and security in the country, and the development of political, administrative, and economic institutions in Iraq. This situation constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States and I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat. I hereby order:
Section 1. Unless licensed or otherwise authorized pursuant to this order, any attachment, judgment, decree, lien, execution, garnishment, or other judicial process is prohibited, and shall be deemed null and void, with respect to the following:
(a) the Development Fund for Iraq, and
(b) all Iraqi petroleum and petroleum products, and interests therein, and proceeds, obligations, or any financial instruments of any nature whatsoever arising from or related to the sale or marketing thereof, and interests therein, in which any foreign country or a national thereof has any interest, that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or control of United States persons.
Sec. 2. (a) As of the effective date of this order, Executive Order 12722 of August 2, 1990, Executive Order 12724 of August 9, 1990, and Executive Order 13290 of March 20, 2003, shall not apply to the property and interests in property described in section 1 of this order.
(b) Nothing in this order is intended to affect the continued effectiveness of any rules, regulations, orders, licenses or other forms of administrative action issued, taken, or continued in effect heretofore or hereafter under Executive Orders 12722, 12724, or 13290, or under the authority of IEEPA or the UNPA, except as hereafter terminated, modified, or suspended by the issuing Federal agency and except as provided in section
2(a) of this order.
Sec. 3. For the purposes of this order:
(d) The term ‘‘Iraqi petroleum and petroleum products’’ means any petroleum, petroleum products, or natural gas originating in Iraq, including any Iraqi-origin oil inventories, wherever located; and
(e) The term ‘‘Development Fund for Iraq’’ means the fund established on or about May 22, 2003, on the books of the Central Bank of Iraq, by the Administrator of the Coalition Provisional Authority responsible for the temporary governance of Iraq and all accounts held for the fund or for the Central Bank of Iraq in the name of the fund.
Sec. 4. (a) The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense, is hereby authorized to take such actions, including the promulgation of rules and regulations, and to employ all powers granted to the President by IEEPA and the UNPA as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this order. The Secretary of the Treasury may redelegate any of these functions to other officers and agencies of the United States Government. All agencies of the United States Government are hereby directed to take all appropriate measures within their statutory authority to carry out the provisions of this order.
(b) Nothing contained in this order shall relieve a person from any requirement to obtain a license or other authorization in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
Sec. 5. This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right, benefit, or privilege, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by a party against the United States, its departments, agencies, entities, officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
Sec. 6. This order shall be transmitted to the Congress and published in the Federal Register.
THE WHITE HOUSE,
May 22, 2003
PROFITS
Oil revenues from Iraq in the excess of $25 billion, which Bush claimed belongs to the Iraqi people, haven’t in fact made it to any people of Iraq. Instead the profits went right to the U.S. and British corporations. So how come oil is still so expensive? I guess they’re making their maximum profits while they still can.
In the 2000 election cycle, the oil and gas industry contributed over $26.5 million to Republicans, and over $1.8 million to George W. Bush’s election campaign. 2000 Pioneer and longtime Bush associate Don Evans, former chairman of the oil company Tom Brown Inc., was appointed Secretary of the Commerce Department. At least a dozen other industry officials were named to the transition teams at the Energy and Interior departments as well as the Environmental Protection Agency.
It’s not surprising with the Bush Administration in control that the energy industry has grown and prospered. After all, that’s what they paid the administration to do when they contributed to the Bush/Cheney ticket in 2000. Petroleum is now the biggest industry in the United States raking in a total of $723,846 million in 2004.[i] Gas and Electric utilities came in eighth place taking in an excess of $290,000 million a year. (26) Mining and crude oil production has also shot right to the top of all U.S. industries. Petroleum refining and pipelines have also made their way up the list for most profitable and fastest growing industries and are both at the top of the list for growth in revenues. Exxon-Mobile, based in Irving, Texas, is about to become the largest U.S. corporation thanks to the BAD’s pro-oil & gas and anti-environmental policies. The Texas company posted a record profit of $10.71 billion for one quarter and $36.13 billion for 2005, which is the highest profit of any American company in history. Chevron-Texaco and Conoco-Philips are also now rising in the top ten largest U.S. corporations with their profits increasing in the excess of nearly 60%. The American consumer has been paying record amounts for gasoline and home heating, while Bush’s biggest contributors have been making their biggest profits. How any American can not see how we’ve been hi-jacked by big corporations is beyond me. This is what Mussolini called Corporatism and it is now eating away at the fabric of our American civilization.
Costs of crude oil per barrel have steadily risen since 2001, only dropping slightly just before the Iraq War began before resuming its monstrous climb to the top of the list for highest oil and gas prices in American history. Yet, over $8 billion worth of Iraqi oil sales was still unaccounted for by the CPA according to a 2005 audit conducted by the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction. Let us be reminded of Bush’s 2003 “Operation Iraqi Liberation” or better known as OIL. So far the only ones who have been liberated are the executives in “Big Oil.”
In May 2002 the construction of an Afghan oil pipeline was finally announced.
In the following year, 2003, the plan was executed:
Executive Order 13303 of May 22, 2003
Protecting the Development Fund for Iraq and Certain Other Property in Which Iraq Has an Interest By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, as amended (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), section 5 of the United Nations Participation Act, as amended (22 U.S.C. 287c) (UNPA), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code,
I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, find that the threat of attachment or other judicial process against the Development Fund for Iraq, Iraqi petroleum and petroleum products, and interests therein, and proceeds, obligations, or any financial instruments of any nature whatsoever arising from or related to the sale or marketing thereof, and interests therein, obstructs the orderly reconstruction of Iraq, the restoration and maintenance of peace and security in the country, and the development of political, administrative, and economic institutions in Iraq. This situation constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States and I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat. I hereby order:
Section 1. Unless licensed or otherwise authorized pursuant to this order, any attachment, judgment, decree, lien, execution, garnishment, or other judicial process is prohibited, and shall be deemed null and void, with respect to the following:
(a) the Development Fund for Iraq, and
(b) all Iraqi petroleum and petroleum products, and interests therein, and proceeds, obligations, or any financial instruments of any nature whatsoever arising from or related to the sale or marketing thereof, and interests therein, in which any foreign country or a national thereof has any interest, that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or control of United States persons.
Sec. 2. (a) As of the effective date of this order, Executive Order 12722 of August 2, 1990, Executive Order 12724 of August 9, 1990, and Executive Order 13290 of March 20, 2003, shall not apply to the property and interests in property described in section 1 of this order.
(b) Nothing in this order is intended to affect the continued effectiveness of any rules, regulations, orders, licenses or other forms of administrative action issued, taken, or continued in effect heretofore or hereafter under Executive Orders 12722, 12724, or 13290, or under the authority of IEEPA or the UNPA, except as hereafter terminated, modified, or suspended by the issuing Federal agency and except as provided in section
2(a) of this order.
Sec. 3. For the purposes of this order:
(d) The term ‘‘Iraqi petroleum and petroleum products’’ means any petroleum, petroleum products, or natural gas originating in Iraq, including any Iraqi-origin oil inventories, wherever located; and
(e) The term ‘‘Development Fund for Iraq’’ means the fund established on or about May 22, 2003, on the books of the Central Bank of Iraq, by the Administrator of the Coalition Provisional Authority responsible for the temporary governance of Iraq and all accounts held for the fund or for the Central Bank of Iraq in the name of the fund.
Sec. 4. (a) The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense, is hereby authorized to take such actions, including the promulgation of rules and regulations, and to employ all powers granted to the President by IEEPA and the UNPA as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this order. The Secretary of the Treasury may redelegate any of these functions to other officers and agencies of the United States Government. All agencies of the United States Government are hereby directed to take all appropriate measures within their statutory authority to carry out the provisions of this order.
(b) Nothing contained in this order shall relieve a person from any requirement to obtain a license or other authorization in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
Sec. 5. This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right, benefit, or privilege, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by a party against the United States, its departments, agencies, entities, officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
Sec. 6. This order shall be transmitted to the Congress and published in the Federal Register.
THE WHITE HOUSE,
May 22, 2003
PROFITS
Oil revenues from Iraq in the excess of $25 billion, which Bush claimed belongs to the Iraqi people, haven’t in fact made it to any people of Iraq. Instead the profits went right to the U.S. and British corporations. So how come oil is still so expensive? I guess they’re making their maximum profits while they still can.
In the 2000 election cycle, the oil and gas industry contributed over $26.5 million to Republicans, and over $1.8 million to George W. Bush’s election campaign. 2000 Pioneer and longtime Bush associate Don Evans, former chairman of the oil company Tom Brown Inc., was appointed Secretary of the Commerce Department. At least a dozen other industry officials were named to the transition teams at the Energy and Interior departments as well as the Environmental Protection Agency.
It’s not surprising with the Bush Administration in control that the energy industry has grown and prospered. After all, that’s what they paid the administration to do when they contributed to the Bush/Cheney ticket in 2000. Petroleum is now the biggest industry in the United States raking in a total of $723,846 million in 2004.[i] Gas and Electric utilities came in eighth place taking in an excess of $290,000 million a year. (26) Mining and crude oil production has also shot right to the top of all U.S. industries. Petroleum refining and pipelines have also made their way up the list for most profitable and fastest growing industries and are both at the top of the list for growth in revenues. Exxon-Mobile, based in Irving, Texas, is about to become the largest U.S. corporation thanks to the BAD’s pro-oil & gas and anti-environmental policies. The Texas company posted a record profit of $10.71 billion for one quarter and $36.13 billion for 2005, which is the highest profit of any American company in history. Chevron-Texaco and Conoco-Philips are also now rising in the top ten largest U.S. corporations with their profits increasing in the excess of nearly 60%. The American consumer has been paying record amounts for gasoline and home heating, while Bush’s biggest contributors have been making their biggest profits. How any American can not see how we’ve been hi-jacked by big corporations is beyond me. This is what Mussolini called Corporatism and it is now eating away at the fabric of our American civilization.
Costs of crude oil per barrel have steadily risen since 2001, only dropping slightly just before the Iraq War began before resuming its monstrous climb to the top of the list for highest oil and gas prices in American history. Yet, over $8 billion worth of Iraqi oil sales was still unaccounted for by the CPA according to a 2005 audit conducted by the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction. Let us be reminded of Bush’s 2003 “Operation Iraqi Liberation” or better known as OIL. So far the only ones who have been liberated are the executives in “Big Oil.”
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Big Oil & Gas lose one of their best
He worked at Exxon Mobil Corp. predecessor Humble Oil & Refining, became an executive at Florida Gas, then Transco Energy in Houston, and later became CEO of Houston Natural Gas. In 1985, HNG merged with InterNorth in Omaha, Neb. to form Enron, and he became chairman and CEO of the combined company the next year.
One of George W. Bush's biggest supporters and best of friends died today. Kenneth Lay was facing heavy jail time in October for his recent conviction for fraud.
One of George W. Bush's biggest supporters and best of friends died today. Kenneth Lay was facing heavy jail time in October for his recent conviction for fraud.
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Big Oil May Win Again
House votes to end offshore drilling ban
Measure passes by wide margin; bill’s chances in Senate are uncertain
The Associated Press
June 30, 2006
WASHINGTON - Congress on Thursday took a major step toward allowing oil and gas drilling in coastal waters that have been off limits for a quarter-century, but a battle looms in the Senate over the issue.
And the Bush administration’s support for the legislation, which was approved by a 232-187 vote in the House, is lukewarm.
The House bill would end an Outer Continental Shelf drilling moratorium that Congress has renewed every year since 1981. It covers 85 percent of the country’s coastal waters — everywhere except the central and western Gulf of Mexico and some areas off Alaska.
Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif., a leading proponent for lifting the ban, said he believes a majority of the Senate wants to open the protected waters to energy companies.
Asked about White House opposition to some parts of the bill, especially a provision that would give tens of billions of dollars to states that have drilling rigs off their coasts, Pombo said, “I dare them to veto this bill.”
“They don’t like us giving money back to the states. I think it’s right,” Pombo told reporters after the vote. Forty Democrats joined most Republicans in favor of ending the drilling moratorium.
Florida filibuster possibleIn the Senate, the measure is likely to face a filibuster from Florida senators and possibly others from coastal states that fear offshore energy development could threaten multibillion-dollar tourist and recreation businesses if there were a spill.
The Senate is considering a limited measure that would open an area in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, known as Lease Area 181, that goes within 100 miles of Florida. It is not under the moratorium. Even that is unlikely to pass unless its sponsors get 60 votes to overcome a filibuster from the Floridians.
Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said he would pursue efforts to open the Lease 181 Area. The committee’s ranking Democrat, Sen. Jeff Bingaman, also of New Mexico, criticized the House-passed bill, saying it would eventually create “a huge hole in our federal budget and undermine environmental protections on our lands and off our coasts.”
Environmentalists, for their part, turned their focus to the Senate.
“Instead of catering to Big Oil and Gas, the Senate will have a chance to focus on the many faster, cheaper and cleaner ways to meet our energy needs -- renewable sources of energy like home-grown biofuels, greater fuel efficiency in our vehicles, smart-growth policies, and wind and solar energy,’’ said Karen Wayland, legislative director of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
The group said the bill would exempt seismic testing and individual oil and gas lease sales from environmental impact statements; reduce the amount of royalties that oil and gas companies must pay for tar sands and oil shale development; and no longer require companies to remove offshore drilling rigs when they are done drilling.
The Interior Department estimates there are about 19 billion barrels of recoverable oil and 86 trillion cubic feet of natural gas beneath waters under drilling bans from New England to southern Alaska.
Supporters of the drilling moratorium argue there’s four times that amount of oil and gas available in offshore waters open to energy companies, mainly in the central and western Gulf of Mexico and off parts of Alaska. And they say energy companies are only developing a fraction of the government leases they have available to them.
The country uses about 21 million barrels of oil a day.
While critics of the offshore drilling restrictions argue the additional oil and gas is needed if the country is to move toward greater energy independence, supporters or the bill fear energy development could despoil coastal beaches and threatens their recreation and tourism based economies.
“Our beaches and our coastline is what is critical to Floridians,” declared Rep. Jim Davis, D-Fla.
“We should not be sacrificing our economy, our environment for a little oil and gas.”
© 2006 The Associated Press.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13573049/
Hopefully, the Senate will send this one to the garbage bin, but we'll have to see. After last week's war vote, it's not likely they'll be looking out for the American public.
In related news, gas prices have begun to mysteriously rise again, just in tiem for the holiday weekend!
Measure passes by wide margin; bill’s chances in Senate are uncertain
The Associated Press
June 30, 2006
WASHINGTON - Congress on Thursday took a major step toward allowing oil and gas drilling in coastal waters that have been off limits for a quarter-century, but a battle looms in the Senate over the issue.
And the Bush administration’s support for the legislation, which was approved by a 232-187 vote in the House, is lukewarm.
The House bill would end an Outer Continental Shelf drilling moratorium that Congress has renewed every year since 1981. It covers 85 percent of the country’s coastal waters — everywhere except the central and western Gulf of Mexico and some areas off Alaska.
Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif., a leading proponent for lifting the ban, said he believes a majority of the Senate wants to open the protected waters to energy companies.
Asked about White House opposition to some parts of the bill, especially a provision that would give tens of billions of dollars to states that have drilling rigs off their coasts, Pombo said, “I dare them to veto this bill.”
“They don’t like us giving money back to the states. I think it’s right,” Pombo told reporters after the vote. Forty Democrats joined most Republicans in favor of ending the drilling moratorium.
Florida filibuster possibleIn the Senate, the measure is likely to face a filibuster from Florida senators and possibly others from coastal states that fear offshore energy development could threaten multibillion-dollar tourist and recreation businesses if there were a spill.
The Senate is considering a limited measure that would open an area in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, known as Lease Area 181, that goes within 100 miles of Florida. It is not under the moratorium. Even that is unlikely to pass unless its sponsors get 60 votes to overcome a filibuster from the Floridians.
Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said he would pursue efforts to open the Lease 181 Area. The committee’s ranking Democrat, Sen. Jeff Bingaman, also of New Mexico, criticized the House-passed bill, saying it would eventually create “a huge hole in our federal budget and undermine environmental protections on our lands and off our coasts.”
Environmentalists, for their part, turned their focus to the Senate.
“Instead of catering to Big Oil and Gas, the Senate will have a chance to focus on the many faster, cheaper and cleaner ways to meet our energy needs -- renewable sources of energy like home-grown biofuels, greater fuel efficiency in our vehicles, smart-growth policies, and wind and solar energy,’’ said Karen Wayland, legislative director of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
The group said the bill would exempt seismic testing and individual oil and gas lease sales from environmental impact statements; reduce the amount of royalties that oil and gas companies must pay for tar sands and oil shale development; and no longer require companies to remove offshore drilling rigs when they are done drilling.
The Interior Department estimates there are about 19 billion barrels of recoverable oil and 86 trillion cubic feet of natural gas beneath waters under drilling bans from New England to southern Alaska.
Supporters of the drilling moratorium argue there’s four times that amount of oil and gas available in offshore waters open to energy companies, mainly in the central and western Gulf of Mexico and off parts of Alaska. And they say energy companies are only developing a fraction of the government leases they have available to them.
The country uses about 21 million barrels of oil a day.
While critics of the offshore drilling restrictions argue the additional oil and gas is needed if the country is to move toward greater energy independence, supporters or the bill fear energy development could despoil coastal beaches and threatens their recreation and tourism based economies.
“Our beaches and our coastline is what is critical to Floridians,” declared Rep. Jim Davis, D-Fla.
“We should not be sacrificing our economy, our environment for a little oil and gas.”
© 2006 The Associated Press.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13573049/
Hopefully, the Senate will send this one to the garbage bin, but we'll have to see. After last week's war vote, it's not likely they'll be looking out for the American public.
In related news, gas prices have begun to mysteriously rise again, just in tiem for the holiday weekend!
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Coincidence?
Now they release a new Bin Laden tape where he says "we will not give up until you leave defeated"??? It looks like Bin laden is right in step with the Republicans.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13600778/
Looks like they're getting good at this:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13601242/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13643024/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13600778/
Looks like they're getting good at this:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13601242/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13643024/
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