William K. Wolfrum

Mark Foley’s resignation from the House of Representatives for being a huge perv and sending nasty-ass instant messages to 16-year-old male interns has taken the political world by storm.

More importantly, the question now becomes whether prominent Republicans hid their knowledge about Foley.

“The story of the apparent non-reaction of the GOP leadership upon learning of Mark Foley’s predatory interactions with Congressional pages is obviously going to grow rapidly and will dominate the news for the next several days at least,” wrote Glenn Greenwald.

Bloggers all over are on this situation, with it being labeled, probably not incorrectly as “The Perfect Blogstorm” by Pajamas Media.

What does it all mean to you, the average American, however? Well, what it more than likely means is that very soon the nation’s media will deluge you with information about a potential terrorist strike averted, or the threat of a terrorist strike being made. Or Osama bin Laden will die. Or be found alive. Or send out a tape promising to kill every baby in Montana.

Right now, I’d say there’s an 85 percent shot of this happening by Tuesday. And then civilian Mark Foley can disappear back into his demented little world of lusting after teenage boys, and the mighty Republicans can get back to the business of keeping this great nation safe from the evil Islamofascists that are hiding behind every tree.

Update: Well, that didn’t take long.

-WKW

Here in Brazil, the most popular colors for clothing are green and yellow. You see people wearing shirts emblazoned with “Brasil” all day long. Everyone owns their own replica of the national soccer team’s jersey.

People here adore Brazil.

The average Brazilian, however, believes that their government is a bunch of crooks, to be treated with suspicion, and with the knowledge that they will eventually screw the general population.

People here hate their government.

They are not considered “anti-Brazilian” for hating their government, however. I get the impression things are that way in most nations, actually, with at very least citizens remaining constantly wary of those that serve them.

Strange how that’s not at all the way things are in the United States, where if you don’t love the “State” then you must hate the country and all it stands for.

Strange.

-WKW

This is how Washington big shots “support the troops”

From CNN:

WASHINGTON (CNN) — President Bush barely mentioned the war in Iraq when he met with Republican senators behind closed doors in the Capitol Thursday morning and was not asked about the course of the war, Sen. Trent Lott, R-Mississippi, said.

“No, none of that,” Lott told reporters after the session when asked if the Iraq war was discussed. “You’re the only ones who obsess on that. We don’t and the real people out in the real world don’t for the most part.”

Don’t ever forget: Politicians don’t care. They don’t have to.

-WKW

In keeping with the theory of “The only way to beat terrorists is to act completely terrified” the United States and the World paid little attention to U.S. Congressional hearings today that passed a new law that banishes habeas corpus, pisses on the Geneva Coventions, makes secret and coerced evidence permissable and destroys judicial review. But, only for “Enemy Combatants” of the U.S., which could be anyone from Osama bin Laden, to your neighbor Bob, all at the sole descretion of the President of the U.S.

What’s taken the World news by storm however is this important, breaking news:

Al Qaeda calls for kidnappings, attacks in Iraq!

Parrttyy!!!!!!

Yes, the leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, called for fighters to come to Iraq and join the jihad, during the current Muslim month of Ramadan. He also announced plans to release his new single “Come Join the Jihad” from the album “Jihad up in Here” available on Death Row Records.

The announcement came as a shock to U.S. Intelligence forces, who had predicted al-Muhajir would call for “Hugs, tickle fights, and perhaps a wet willy or two” for the religous festival.

“Wow, we totally missed the mark on this one,” said one unidentified official, who said the new plan for U.S. citizens throughout the world is now “Hide, pee yourself, avoid non-Hollywood or sporting current events, and buy duct tape. And for God’s sakes, don’t dissent.”

-WKW

The NIE says that leftist internet users are a major threat to national security

From the National Intelligence Estimate, called “bleak” by CNN, among others:

Anti-US and anti-globalization sentiment is on the rise and fueling other radical ideologies. This could prompt some leftist, nationalist, or separatist groups to adopt terrorist methods to attack US interests. The radicalization process is occurring more quickly, more widely, and more anonymously in the Internet age, raising the likelihood of surprise attacks by unknown groups whose members and supporters may be difficult to pinpoint.

As the commentator Syspog put so well on Glenn Greenwold’s blog:

That paragraph of the NIE is an amalgam equating leftists, nationalists, anti-globalization activists, etc., with fundamentalist Islamic terrorism.

“If the suspension of habeas corpus, the spread of state terror through the use of torture, and the labelling of U.S. citizens as “combatants” isn’t enough, this quote should remind us of how the government is thinking of handling those who criticize the Decider’s dictates.”

And as Greenwold wrote at Salon.com:

Prior to 9/11, the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil was in Oklahoma City, where Timothy McVeigh blew up a federal building in pursuit of his right-wing, anti-federal-government agenda. But there is nothing in the NIE findings about right-wing or anti-government groups. Instead, there is a rather stark warning about the danger of “leftist” groups using the Internet to engage in terrorist attacks against the United States. Is there any basis at all for that warning?

There have been scattered reports over the last several years that the Bush administration’s anti-terrorism programs have targeted domestic political groups solely because such groups espouse views contrary to the administration’s. That this claim about “leftist” terrorist groups made it into the NIE summary is particularly significant in light of the torture and detention bill that is likely soon to be enacted into law. That bill defines “enemy combatant” very broadly (and the definition may be even broader by the time it is enacted) and could easily encompass domestic groups perceived by the administration to be supporting a “terrorist agenda.”

Remember, they hate us for our freedom.

-WKW

Sisyphus Shrugged has an intelligent play on the “shorter” technique, with a “Shorter John McCain” showing how far he was willing to bend his moral principles (Hint: REALLY far).

In lieu of that, however, I think it’s time for the “shorter” device to slowly make it’s way out. It was clever enough, but now it’s time to move on. Maybe we could start working on a new “longer” device. I’ll get you started.

Longer Dick Cheney

Rarrrr! Rarrrrrr! Rarrrrrr!

-WKW

One of the great things I’ve learned being in a South American country is this - the liberal, or more socialist political party always has the advantage. The more poor the country, the more true this seems to be.

In Brazil, Lula will run away with his second term as president by pandering to the poor. The same is true in regards to Hugo Chavez, Evo Morales and the other leftist leaders down these parts.

Now, in these countries, the general populace is extremely poor. So really, whenever a politician does something for them, they will gladly give them their vote. In the U.S., people aren’t as poor, but I truly believe democrats have a natural advantage as people always want something for nothing. The margin of error is closer, however, therefore, if the more conservative party can come up with a solid schtick, they can even the odds.

In the U.S., that schtick is obviously fear. That it works so well is truly amazing. How many of us know people that are educated and erudite, yet seem to have a deep belief that we are in a great “War of Civilizations” and that if we do not go on a constant attack, give up civil rights and our national soul, then everyone in the U.S. will be forced to bow to Mecca and speak Arabic?

That it makes no sense whatsoever is of no concern to them. They truly believe that some nation-less groups, without armies, and for the most part with divergent goals, are going to come to the U.S., defeat the country and take over.

And for those that think that way, the fact that many of us know that this is a ludicrous thought does not mean we want to lay down all arms and warmly allow crazed religous types to come take over. Not everything is black and white, you see. But the fact is, Israel, surrounded by nations that despise it and would love to see them removed from the Earth, still stands. They are vigilant, but they are not insane.

Yet, an ocean removed, many in the U.S. have gone insane. Because a political party has made them that way.

In the end, that’s all it is. We have given our basic common sense over to politicians, and they have run with it. And here’s the thing:

Politicians don’t care about you. Not even a little bit. They just want to remain in, or achieve power. If that means giving you some meal vouchers, fine. If it means terrifying you with boogie men and sending your sons to their deaths in meaningless wars, fine. Whatever it takes. Left and right meet in the middle when it comes to achieving and/or maintaing power.

A country is made up of its people. A nation is not its government and the people that run it. And until people start demanding their government work for them, then they will continue to be abused by politicans and others whose only concerns is their own power.

There are no politicans out there to save us. That is our job.

-WKW

Hello everyone, and welcome to “Great Moments in Bringing Democracy to the World” the blog that asks the question: “Hey, why do you morons hate us, anyway?”

In today’s episode, we look back on “Turkey’s war on the Kurds.” Here, we look back to the year 1999. Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca” had everyone wishing they were Latin, while the U.S. helped bring Democracy to Turkey, one dead and/or homeless Kurd at a time.

From Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists:

Since 1980 the United States has sold or given Turkey-a NATO ally-$15 billion worth of weapons. In the last decade the Turkish army has leveled, burned, or forcibly evacuated more than 3,000 Kurdish villages. That is roughly three-quarters the number of Kurdish settlements destroyed in Iraq in the 1980s during Saddam Hussein’s infamous “Anfal” campaign, when the West was arming Iraq and turning a blind eye to widespread human rights violations.

The administration conceded that the Turkish policy had forced more than two million Kurds from their homes. Some of the villages were evacuated and burned, bombed, or shelled by government forces to deprive the PKK of a “logistical base of operations,” according to the State Department report, while others were targeted because their inhabitants refused to join the “village guards,” a brutal military tactic-patterned on the Vietnam-era “model villages” program-that requires civilian Kurds to fight Kurdish guerrillas.

Human Rights Watch, the New York-based watchdog group, said the State Department had issued only “half conclusions” in its report, so as to avoid offending the Turkish government. Human Rights Watch, which has also criticized the PKK rebels for serious rights violations, said the U.S.-supplied Turkish army was “responsible for the majority of forced evacuation and destruction of villages.”

In a 1998 interview, John Shattuck, the assistant secretary of state for human rights, defended U.S. arms deliveries to Turkey. Shattuck, a one-time professor at Harvard and a former member of the advisory board at Amnesty International, said that although abuses against Kurds were “a matter of grave concern” to the United States, Turkey’s human rights record was improving. And in any case, he added, “I don’t think the United States is responsible for Turkey’s internal policies.”

Join us next week on “Great Moments in Bringing Democracy to the World” as we head to Nicaragua to enjoy some Oxtail stew, served from the skulls of dead, Democratically-enhanced Nicaraguans.

-WKW

After Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham and John W. Warner opened up the door to the Democratic party to go headlong into the battle against any interrogation bill, the entire Democrat party chose to sit back and let the Republicans sort it out, and a “compromised agreement” is ready to roll through Congress.

From CNN:

President Bush hailed the agreement, saying it will preserve the “most potent tool we have” in the war against terror — the ability of the CIA to interrogate detainees and “get their secrets.”

It breaks down like this:

1) The U.S. will now be pro-torture.
2) Republicans get to look good making the U.S. pro-torture.
3) Democrats are impotent lap dogs.

Democrat leader Harry Reid scoffed at Republicans and it’s “Do-nothing Senate,” all the while showing his plan was to do nothing. After six years now of doing nothing, it is apparent that democrats are either in cahoots with the Republican party, or at very least are equally soul-less and without morals or dignity. Sadly, these are your only options as voters.

Digby’s Hullabaaloo has a good take on it, as does Marty Lederman. “U.S. to be First Nation to Authorize Violations of Geneva,” he writes.

Remember when we were a two-party system? Those were the days, eh? So now, what is worse, the party that acts immorally at all times, or the other party that quietly and sweetly allows them to do so?

Just remember, in the end, all citizens get to share in it. Because when this passes - and it will, as there’s no chance Democrats will do anything but meekly whine before it sails through along party lines - it will be official: All Americans will be pro-torture.

-WKW

Eager to further distance themselves from President George W. Bush, Republican lawmakers quickly worked to oppose the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the President visited the team’s practice facilities.

The Bucs are 0-2 thus far in the season, having been outscored 41-3, overall. Bush told reporters he told the team to “never give up” in a closed-door meeting.

“Some people say Tampa Bay is playing bad football,” said Bush. “I say, they are exploring alternative football practices. They would be foolish to change starting quarterback Chris Simms, or any other player for that matter. Defeat after defeat after defeat after defeat after defeat after defeat builds character.”

Many prominent Republicans were quick to voice their anger over the Tampa Bay visit, trying to show they are not in step with everything the President wants.

“I say go Steelers,” said Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum. “Sure, I’ve voted for everything this President has ever presented. Sure, I’ve walked his dogs. Yeah, I’ve rubbed his tummy when he didn’t feel good. And, of course, I’ve sworn a blood oath to Dick Cheney. But let’s remember the important things. Go Steelers. NFL champions.”

For his part, Bucs coach Jon Gruden told reporters he’d sell his left leg if he had the 28 percent or so support that Bush currently enjoys.