:plain:

Man I am so very tired of these idiots that we have in our leadership, little Lindsey sounded like (s)he should have been sitting next to Rush or Hannity. I hate how our country has evolved.

You mean "devolved"! It's been so long since I've heard a Republican speak in good faith, countless spurious arguments, all of it pointing to ONE thing, that I will now refer to them ONLY as MONARCHISTS. Lawlessness characterizes their every move, and monarchy/dictatorship is their only goal.

I think Graham wants to say that this current situtation is so different from Watergate that any & all comparisons between the 2 are irrelevant. He's wrong on both accounts.

mmmmmmm, Huckleberry Graham.

LMFAO.. So, the arguement and litmus test is now "do you believe your position".. so when they start killing off Americans because they are possesd by Lucifer, and THEY BELIEVE IT, it's ok?

What a bunch of fuckin' ass monkies in the Republican party.. hoooooolyyyyyyyy... shit..

Chimpy KNOWS it's illegal, otherwise he not have, TIME AND AGAIN, assured the American public that his taps had warrents. What about the now seeming PROOF that Shrubby was TOLD about the FAKE uranium contract, but he LIED to us anyway? Because he decided to ignore the info, does he get to say "he believed the intel that it was fake was not accurate, and he believed Saddam was looking to build Nukes"?

I got an idea.. next time I go out drinking, I'll get slobby drunk. When I get pulled over, I'll use the defence in court of "I believed I was under the legal limit of alcohol, that's all that should matter, your Honor".. we'll see how far that gets me. Though, if I was a Bush, I could get pulled over while drunk and have an 8-ball fall out of my pocket and not go to jail.. must be nice.

As I sit here listenting to String Cheese Incident I think, why are all the geniuses musicians? and why are most politicians morons? Lindsey Graham is the ass of the YEAR, never mind the day. He says he has major reservations about the program yet attacks John Dean without knowing what the fuck he's talking about! I thought he was on our side but now I see it as a ruse. He'll, no doubt, vote with going forward with the wiretapping as is with no more oversight than there is now, which is NONE!

Anyone else suspect that Graham might be drunk or otherwise intoxicated? I realize he's not the sharpest knife in the drawer even on his best days, but I'm serious...something about him seems a bit off.

that was one of the most despicable "performances" I've seen in years. I wrote that piece of shit a letter. I didn't ask what he was on.

Lindsey Graham is Gomer Pile with a ugly & CHEAP ! Toupee !!

There must be some intelligent ppl in S.C who vote this Pathetic ! Bushbot apologist Fool out of office !

OMG ! This guy is another Rick Santorum !

sheesh !

Lindsey Graham is having a hard time understanding that just because you believe something doesn't make it so. He is getting distraught and lashing out because soon he is going to have to face the facts that this president is a criminal. And poor Lindsey believed in him. Oh the shame of it all.

Everyone at that hearing understood the significance of having John Dean testify. Everyone except that IDIOT Graham that is.

Randi Rhodes & Ed Schultz did some good old fashion Ass Whooping on The Larry King show tonight!

What is he, fucking retard?!

# 9 Gop's love to wear road kill on their head. . . . . It,s RepubliKKKan Sheik.

Lindsey Graham is King Douche.

Youse never heard of spin before ?
Every one of them meathead Republican politicians on that panel are using it, it's just Graham isn't any good at it, and it shows
The funny thing is, he thinks he's good at it
Makes him look like the "Hillbilly" that he is

:angry:

Spewing bullshit. He needs to go. This government is just screwd.

Yes, he is the Biggest Ass of the Day.
Lawdy Mercy, the man has no clue about his country's and his party's history in the Watergate scandal. And telling Dean that Dean and Nixon broke in, and telling Dean that Nixon went to jail... John Dean! Did the man not even understand with whom he was talking?
It's hard to put into words my amazement that this guy sits in the US Senate...

Lawd hep us all...
shw

Savantster,
Let me know what city you live in so that I can check the police reports. Better yet, 2 of my friends are police officers in major cities. Perhaps you are in their city? I can only hope.....

I'll agree that Senator Graham wasn't too prepared, but I think the clip ended too early. I would like to have seen the rest of it. I wonder why the rest is not there? I'll have to look elsewhere for it. Maybe he has more silly comments, maybe not.

David, it is probably a toss up between Cornyn and Graham.

What I am puzzling over is the belief of the republicans, as evidenced by Specter's allowing the hearing, that this issue is owned by them.

I don't think that is an accurate notion. They could have said flat "NO", no hearing on this issue.

But they thought they could get the best of it. So, now we have it, the republican dictatorship of this country matches the weakness of the policy.

We see their hand in it all now. They have all that campaign bravado, but no governing skills. All hat and no cattle.

The "terrists" would want to "stay the course", because, even world famous conservatives are now admitting that the Iraq war and therefore this regime is a failure (link here). Not a failure because of "shock and awe", but because in the final analysis it is "awe shit".

Wow, I have liked Sen.Graham before, but today (and today only) I have no choice but to agree that this was not a good appearance by him. No doubt it will be used by those who hate him (like those here) and those who plot against him politically.

I could have not posted here, but I choose to in order to let you guys know that there are reasoned conservatives. I think that Sen.Graham let his passion get the best of him and he didn't research fully the history of Dean. All good lawyers do that, but this time he didn't. I doubt that he will make that mistake again.

But see, I'm being nice in my disagreement with his action, as opposed to most people here who lower themselves to gutter language.

Have a nice day!

Mike J.
Thanks for the support. If you open your eyes a little wider you might see that this kind of stuff happens all the time. Misinformation and disinformation to discredit otherwise reasonable people looking critically at the issues. Perhaps the rhetoric could be toned down but that's what happens when you get stepped on constantly. Many of the people that say they are republicans are really just 'liberal' haters with no real arguments to make or at least don't understand the issue enough to make a credible argument. It's pretty clear that this administration has taken advantage of the situation to make secret what they are doing in the name of national security. Secrecy promotes distrust in government and this administration has given everyone reason to distrust them. (To put it mildly.)

Mike J.
Thanks for the support. If you open your eyes a little wider you might see that this kind of stuff happens all the time. Misinformation and disinformation to discredit otherwise reasonable people looking critically at the issues. Perhaps the rhetoric could be toned down but that's what happens when you get stepped on constantly. Many of the people that say they are republicans are really just 'liberal' haters with no real arguments to make or at least don't understand the issue enough to make a credible argument. It's pretty clear that this administration has taken advantage of the situation to make secret what they are doing in the name of national security. Secrecy promotes distrust in government and this administration has given everyone reason to distrust them. (To put it mildly.)

Speaking of low gutter language:

Antonin Scalia's Obscene Gesture
“The judge paused for a second, then looked directly into my lens and said, ‘To my critics, I say, ‘Vaffanculo,’ ” punctuating the comment by flicking his right hand out from under his chin, Smith said.

The Italian phrase means “(expletive) you.”

-or-

June 25, 2004
Cheney to Leahy: 'Go F**k Yourself'_Vice President Dick Cheney blurted out an obscenity at Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy during a testy exchange on the Senate floor.

-or-

Or the president flipping the middle finger
http://homepage.mac.com/...sh/iMovieTheater251.html

Jo/Joy - I heard that the photographer the caught antonin scalia giving the "Fuck You" got Fired!

I heard Sen Graham try to establish that the President acted in good faith on the knowledge he had. Presumably he meant knowledge about the President's authority in matters of National Security. I suspect he then wanted to explore whether the war on Iraq was also justified as a matter of sincere belief in the threat Iraq might pose to America (somehow). And then I suspect he wanted to dress-down anybody who thinks a cover-up on fixing intelligence or rigging legal interpretations to fit the desired outcome is a bad thing to do. If sincere belief were a sufficient justification to excuse behavior, Lindsey could probably do just about anything and then say "My Momma told me it was okay. Don't you believe your Momma when she talks to you? Are you calling my Momma dishonest? Are you calling her a liar? Do you think my Momma is threat?"

Conflation Inflation.

JOJ-It figures.

I'm sorry for changing the subject in post 24. I didn't intend to pull the conversation away from Graham's rude behavior. Normally I just read comments and don't say anything. Hypocrisy is just a sore spot with me. (This isn't a reflection on you Mike- you may or may not be a hypocrite-I have no way of knowing. It is more a rant toward the moral smugness of the "right"). I am tired of being lectured about family values by people who cant keep their own families intact or sanctity of marriage by people who make more trips to the alter than I have vacations. Drug addicts and adulterers telling the rest of us WE are immoral. Or the likes of Tom Delay and Pat Robertson acting like they define Christianity. Personally I don't use language like Cheney and Scalia but I can just skip the posts here where people do.

The day that "ideology" and opinion and preference substitutes for law is the day we descend into totalitarian dictatorship. And I think that we have seen that day dawn here, folks.

Elementary logic and respect for facts and history are casualties of a certain "mind"-set that values the gut ahead of the intellect.

You guys should have seen the whole hearing. Graham looks like Albert Einstein next to Jeff Sessions. Actually, Graham is a pretty good lawyer. He was drilling on the good faith question, giving the defense that * was relying on legal opinion when authorizing the wiretaps. That's the best defense they've come up with yet.

EVIL MONARCHIST UNAMERICAN FIENDS.

Unable to get the video to work. Tried two pc's. but no luck. I must be jinxed.

But then, do I really need to see another idiotic politician trying to discredit his opposition and construct some phony excuse for this administration? Probably not.

I still snicker everytime I think of "Zell Miller" as their "democrat". What a joke. Please?...explain to me how that guy ever got elected? Are people in the Southeast really that stupid?

Scalia's 'Fuck You'; Church Fires Photographer by BOSTON HERALD

A freelance photographer has been fired by the Archdiocese of Boston’s newspaper for releasing a picture of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia making a controversial gesture in the Cathedral of the Holy Cross on Sunday.

Peter Smith, who had freelanced for The Pilot newspaper for a decade, lost the job yesterday after the Herald ran his photo on its front page. Smith said he has no regrets about releasing it.

"I did the right thing. I did the ethical thing," said Smith, 51, an assistant photojournalism professor at Boston University.

Smith snapped the photo of Scalia flicking his hand under his chin after a Herald reporter asked the conservative jurist his response to people who question his impartiality on matters of church and state.

Smith wouldn’t give up the photo earlier this week but chose to release it when he learned Scalia said his gesture had been incorrectly characterized by the Herald. Smith, who was standing in front of the judge, said the Herald “got the story right.

Scalia's 'Fuck You'; Copied from CONSPIRACY PLANET

Hulk, no, but their elections are hacked pretty good though

Roger #22 said

"Many of the people that say they are republicans are really just 'liberal' haters with no real arguments"

I would have to say MOST!

Ok, the three examples by Jo/Joy, only one is apparently true.

Judge Scalia's gesture is not what you described. It is Italian, but it really means something like "I have no regard for you" or "I don't care what you say". It's not what you and others hope it to be just because you don't like him and you assume the worst.

The third example in the video at that link looks like it was filmed 20 years ago. If that video is even true and accurate, I'm not convinced that it is. It may be contrived/created to look like it does. People can do a lot with computer animation and graphics these days.

Cheers!

You can see the entire Bush video at:
http://www.devilducky.com/media/21502/

Or you can google "bush one finger victory salute" and get about ten sites. I just used the cutest one.

The Scalia article is from the Boston Herald. What is your source?

Three out of three. Try again.

#21,35 - Slick as u r .. .. .. u don't fool me.

"vaffanculo"
I don't speak Italian, however I refer you to the following site, how to curse in Italian. Looks like a pretty nasty word to me. I don't dislike Scalia. I just think he is a hypocrite, this is a very common problem in the Republican party. I can show lots of examples of republican hypocrisy if anyone wants me to post the sites, quotes and names. It seems like a waste of time though. Anyone who can google can get a lot of hits.

http://www.gambino.com/curse.htm

I do not believe that any college educated career politician could possibly be so ignorant about the people and events of Watergate - soon to be the 2nd biggest scandal America has ever seen.

Therefore it is obvious that Graham (and Congress) KNOWS that there is NO legitimate way to justify Shrub & crew's actions (not to mention his own and damn near every other Congressman's complicity in those actions); the only possible defense is flawed reasoning, straw men, obfuscation & smear tactics. Of course, doing so means stretching, distorting and flat-out disregarding the truth; that is to say, LYING.

Ever known a pathological liar? When caught in their lies they just keep on lying, creating bigger, more detailed and blatant lies, repeating them over & over, swearing it's true louder & louder? As if the louder they lie, the truer the lies become?

If the future of this country (the world, really) wasn't at stake here, I would almost feel sorry for these people. I believe that each and every one of them must still have SOME shred of a conscience, even after their years in politics have valiantly tried to kill it. But it never completely dies. I'm sure what's left of that inner voice reminds them of how utterly bereft of honor, decency & 'human'-ness they have become.

It's truly sad. But not excusable. Impeach and incarcerate Bush Now. Impeach and incarcerate Chaney Now. Remove by any effective method these soul-less cretins in Congress and the Cabinet; maybe they could even continue licking their master's boots behind bars. For a suitable prison, I respectfully suggest the Iraqi-operated Abu Ghraib.

When Lindsey Graham said he had concerns also about the subject, but proceeded from there to try and make a fool out of Dean was a display of discourteous behaviour and insolence.

In Graham's attempts to make Dean look foolish he made himself look foolish instead. For those in agreement with the GOP, the sad thing is they will not perceive it as such. They hear only what is in agreement with their beliefs and views.

At least Specter brought a sense of dignity to the proceedings when he asked, at least twice, for Graham to allow John Dean to answer. Graham came off as petty and shallow. He was extremely disrespectful. Most of the republican members and some of the democratic members seem to behave this way more so than not.

Regardless if in disagreement, one expects their senators to show a sense of decorum and regard for each other. These men and women make decisions concerning our lives everyday. Thus needless to say, it does not instill a sense of confidence when observing our law makers acting like children! Today that seems to be more the norm than the exception!

#35

The third example in the video at that link looks like it was filmed 20 years ago. If that video is even true and accurate, I'm not convinced that it is. It may be contrived/created to look like it does. People can do a lot with computer animation and graphics these days.

LOL. Conspiracy theories!!!

I thought "Scalia" was Italian for "Fuck you." Same as O'Connor is Irish for Fuck you, and Rehnquist is Swedish for "Fuck You".

Also, I don't dislike Scalia either. I fucking hate him.

Speaking of google. Try "Bush family mug shots". Holy cow!!
They look like good recruits for Iraq.

Roger,
I would have replied last night, but when I clicked Preview, my data didn't make it to the next page, clicking Back the form was empty. I had no time to try again because I needed to give my 2-year-old his bath and get him to bed.

All,
I don't teach my child hatred. Each of us learn the meaning of hatred from those around us as we grow up. We learn it from other kids at school, we learn it from people in the neighboorhood, we learn it from TV shows, and unfortunately some learn it from their parents.

Giving reasoned arguments after witnessing hatred is difficult. Some of you talk about morality yet you display or go along with disrespect and hatred right here. Some of you point to a lack of morality on the other side, of which there are examples, yet you ingore the examples on your side, of which there are plenty.

Perhaps a new blog post should be created to explore that so that we can point fingers toward each other's side and say, "SEE, your guys do it too!". At that point, perhaps we will be acting just like the ones in the Senate that this blog is subject.

Is that what you want? You know who "you" are.

Your hatred drives you too far from reason.

Have a "nice" day!

Mike J.
Why don't we all stop this and get to the point. Corruption is destroying our system and if that is not addressed on both sides of the aisle we will never get anywhere. Truth is constantly twisted for political gain and unfortunately for you, Mike, the republicans ARE the ones in power and displaying an enormous amount of spin, corruption, outright lying and total disregard for the people of this republic. There are many republicans jumping the fence because of the actions of this administration and Congress and don't blame the media. All you have to do is watch the speeches given to know the rhetoric doesn't match the actions or the reality. Anthony Zinni was on Meet The Press this morning and said it perfectly. Truth telling is not at all a republican virtue. And when the democrats regain the house we'll see if things change and if they don't, people that write comments on this blog will be some of the first to call them on it. More than anything, we want honesty back in our government. I don't know if it's possible. I can only hope but I know that with THIS administration it's not.

The difference is this:
Yes, everyone has problems and has done things they are not proud of. It is true of all of us. Most of us have the humility and good character to acknowledge our mistakes and keep our noses out of other peoples lives. My kids have never been arrested, I am a veteran and I am still married to my one and only husband (a disabled war veteran), I have never used drugs illegally, I go to church and work and try to do my best for my community.
I don't get up on my high horse in front of God and creation and claim I have the moral high ground. I don't make obscene gestures to others. I don't make assumptions that I have a moral authority to stick my nose into the private lives of other Americans and make health decisions or judge the meaning and value of their relationships with each other. I don't get up on the TV and call for violence in the name of God and country.
People who cry out for the sanctity of marriage while divorcing regularly are hypocrites. People who cry out for war and violence yet did not serve in war when they had the chance are hypocrites. People who can't raise their own kids to be decent law abiding citizens yet scream out "family values" are hypocrites. People who commit adultery, theft, corruption, porn, crimes or any other act then run around calling other people immoral are hypocrites. Frankly the Republicans are masters at the act of hypocrisy and are way better at it than any other political party.

Roger #46 and Jo/Joy #47

Well said!

Graham was arrogant, ignorant, and a badgering moron when questioning those who disagreed with his point of view during the censure "hearing". Does anybody really think this"hearing" will result in any kind of oversight for the dictators in washington? The whole thing was demoralizing to me, just an average, and soon to be, victim of the war on the middle class. Congress has abdicated one of their chief roles, that of oversight, in the name of political and financial gain. Scarier to me than the constant lies, deceits and hypocracies spewed by the republican party it the almost total lack of support from democrats. Why is it that only one senator joined Feingold in this hearing? Why can't the democrats stop playing politics long enough to see how important this issue is to the American people? I am sickened and have lost faith in the government of this country.

Jo/Joy said:
"My kids have never been arrested, I am a veteran and I am still married to my one and only husband (a disabled war veteran), I have never used drugs illegally, I go to church and work and try to do my best for my community."

I know your point was that you're a "good" person, and I don't take issue with that. However, all of these things that you have listed do not make one a "good" person.

I have been arrested for civil disobedience. I have also been arrested for illegal drugs. I won't say what when where or why, but I will say that drug laws are bullshit and are written to create and maintain economic and social division. They are also enforced that way. Many women divorce out of necessity from abusive marriages. And I know I'll lambasted for this, but I'm not one of those people who says to veterans "I thank you for your service" (although I believe our govt owes them a great deal more than they get, and by and large treats them like shit.) Our founding fathers never intended for the US to have a standing army, in fact they wrote extensively against it. Able citizen militias were their vision. I came from a military family and it fucked my father up after 25 years. There hasn't been a war since WW2 that we should have been involved and as you know there is much evidence that that war was contrived on a number of fronts. The last "good" war, if there is such a thing, was fought in 1776.

A narrow view of what is "good" is always hypocritical.

Soul Rebel, Heeeeee ! The other day I saw a snake with 4 gold bands aroud it ! . . . . . Rehnquist ? ? ?

#50
My point is that I don't personally care if people divorce or don't go to war or whatever. It is the hypocricy that is offensive to me. I am offended by people who claim to speak for God and morality while doing things as bad or worse than the actions they decry. They also can't keep their noses out of other peoples lives. I see this consisently from the republican party.
I am very anti war which is how I happened upon this site. You are correct in your analysis that it solves nothing and brings more sorrow and destruction than the people who have been untouched by it can possibly imagine.
PS- I am not a "good" person just an ordinary person-like everyone else-right and left.

Watching this completely insane excuse for a member of our species during the hearings, a chill ran down my spine as I realised that this "person" is actually a very clever mimic. I am quite sure that late at night he removes his human skin and presents his true self to his dark lord.

It's embarrassing to have idiots like Lyndsay Graham representing citizens of the United States. What the F*** are they thinking, down in South Carolina? It gives me the "shiggles"...

He is proof elections are hacked down there. What were the exit polls for his last election? I am sure there are lots of good choices to elect down there in SC, and he isn't one of them. One of the ramifications of e-vote fraud, is making the people of a state look like idiots, because it looks like they actually voted for this goof! I do not believe he was voted in...he's too stupid...

E-vote fraud is making a mockery out of our country! With "slow/challenged" people like this, representing U.S. citizens! This is not even close to the best, that South Carolina can do...for Christ's sake, he looks like he's high...or drunk...or SOMETHING!!!

Was his campaign, "I look like Goober from Mayberry RFD...vote for me???" How can this man even debate???

When I emailed my senator, Olympia Snowe, about fisa violations, she wrote back...ultimately checks and balances are necessary for good govt. Guess that could be taken two ways. I took it as we need checks and balances for democrats but not republicans. She and Collins can't make a public appearance without someone asking about the Iraq war. They won't even answer questions...which puts them in a difficult position, trying to get reelected and all.

Joy and Roger,

Thanks for your comments. Joy, I agree with your post #47 until you get to the last sentence, of course. How many times do I have to type that I don't agree with every Republican point and disagree with every Democrat point. Republicans and Democrats in Congress have got themselves in trouble many times, both legally, morally, and financially. (BTW, I have a co-worker named Joy whose desk is in the same room as me. She's Republican.)

Just a day or two ago I heard reported that Rep.Jim McDermott (D-WA) finally received the verdict that he lost his legal case against Rep.John Boehner(R-OH) that goes back eleven years. This means that Rep.McDermott has been re-elected 5 times since the case was revealed that he took an illegally recorded cell phone conversation and gave it to the NY Times, who published it.

Anybody remember Rep.Dan Rostenkowski's House Bank scandal? Or tax violations by former Clinon HUD Sec. Henry Cisneros ? Or former Democat Gov. Donald Siegelman of Alabama charged in a "widespread racketeering conspiracy" that includes accusations he took a bribe? Or the Chicago-area Rep. who left Congress after his adultery affair with an aide was discovered, then he went to work for Rev. Jesse Jackson at the R.C. who himself had an affair that produced a child. Want more examples? Or Five Democratic activists in Wisconsin accused of slashing the tires of vans rented by Republicans on Election Day 2004. Do we do the finger-pointing yet? Then you'll tell me about Rep.Cunningham and DeLay and some stupid charges against Sen.Frist which make no sense.

We would not want to talk about a famous Democrat being conviced of lying to a federal grand jury and getting one's law licence revoked in his home state because of it. Know who that was?

Joy, I understand and share your opinion about hypocritical behavior. That's why all should try to stay away from that.

Now, you wanted a source? Here is the transcript of a discussion among liberal and conservative reporters about SC Justice Scalia's gesture to the reporter:
link

Senators Kennedy, Durbin, Feinstein, and Schumer were not present during Sen.Feingold's hearing. What does that say? Perhaps they don't think that it can have success in convincing Republicans in the Senate to vote for it. Sen.Fiengold said that it was because the hearing was scheduled on a Friday. Senators Kennedy and Schumer live nearby. Republican Senators present live further away.

Two scholars testified that the President did not break the law, and one testified that he did (in the report that I saw).

Roger,
Retired Gen.Zinni actually called for the SECDEF to resign, being the 2nd retired general to do so. I'm suprised you didn't mention that. You have told me before that you want the USA to win in Iraq. You asked me what winning looks like and I told you: when the terrorists are dead or captured and the Iraqi people can let their children play in the streets again. In towns like Al-Tafir (sp? I don't have time now to go find it) that is happing now. The mayor there gave the US commander of that area a certificate of thanks from the people of his town.

Corruption exists today and has existed for a long time from times of old to today. I want it stopped as much as you. That's why the state of Florida has a "Sunshine Law" which makes it illegal for public officials to discuss public matters in a private setting. Some have been convicted on that law.

I don't know that more corruption exists on the Democrat side, but more immorality definately does. Joy and the liberal MSM point out Republican corruption but ignore Democrat corruption. I say it exists on both sides. So I don't see where you and I disagree on that issue. I don't say that the truth lies only with Republicans, but I will point out Democrats screwing up when none are mentioned here with the list of Republicans screwing up. Ok? Then someone will say that I'm saying it's ok if both do it. No, I'm not saying that either. Two wrongs don't make a right. We were taught that as children, remember?

Now, I'll get back to the post subject and put your post in here too: Do you think that Sen.Graham is corrupt? Is he in collusion with the Bush Administration? He has disagreed with them before on other issues, as I have and still do. Did you agree with every issue from Pres.Clinton? Yes or No, please.

Have a nice day!

Mike J

I think that Graham is disingenuious at best. I don't know that he is corrupt but since corruption is quite obvious and I haven't heard anything from him on the point....
I don't agree with everything Clinton did. I think that being the most powerful person in the world with an insatiable sexual appetite got him in trouble.
I think that since Kennedy's assassination, the government has been slowly moving towards what we are seeing today. But it HAS accelerated in the past decade or so. The abuses of power, the cover-ups, the misuse and squandering of the people's money, the ill considered(?) trade policies, the secret military agendas; all this has contributed to MY distrust of the people in power. I have never been affiliated with a political party and I never will. Neither inspires me to make that association. I lean left, for sure, but I am much more moderate than most dems. I beleive that government can be a force for good in the world and not just a vehicle for wealthy people to get wealthier. I believe that certain individuals in the government want what I want, honesty and integrity to reign, that the general welfare be promoted, that the military should be used ONLY when necessary. The casual and callous way that Bush and his administration have approached this quite serious world situation makes me want to tear my hair out. They should NEVER have a smile on, they should NEVER take a 'vacation', they should NEVER go out and campaign for anything or anyone. And they should stop lying to us. Period. It's gotten very old.

Roger,
Well I appreciate your opinion. I don't agree with all of it, but I appreciate your respectful way of speaking your opinions.

If you think that corruption has accelerated in the past decade or so, then that includes the Clinton Administration. Lying to a federal grand jury, convicted of such, rebuked by a federal judge, law license revoked in his home state, dishonoring the office of the Presidency by taking his pants off in the Oval Office (the very room where so much US history has taken place), inappropiate touching of a White House volunteer aide when she asked him for a paid job position because she and her husband were having financial difficulty (then when she got home she found her husband had killed himself), accusations of rape by Junita Brodderick (remember liberals go by the seriousness of the charge, not if the charge was proven or not), Waco, Ruby Ridge, Mena AR airport, Rose Law Firm billing records that were requested and missing for years suddenly turned up in the White House residence, etc, etc.

Oh, well, I guess that's old news.....

I hope that Sen.Graham learns from his experience.

Cheers!

Mike J.
You can keep bringing up Clinton and his failures, intrigues and beneral BS but Bush is in power now with a republican Congress. Stay in the present and tell me what you think about these guys without trying to compare them to anyone else. I already stated that since Kennedy we have been gradually going downhill in the integrity department. Even Chris Shays said, "It took the democrats 40 years to become corrupt. It tooks us 10." (paraphrased.)