McSame's New Best Friend - JTP

h/t Crooks and Liars dot com


Okay, while I am loathe to post anything that originated on Fox Noise I can't pass this up and I hope you pass it on.

It seems that John McSame's new BFF, "Joe the (tax dodgin, I'm not really buyin that business, not voter registered) Plumber" is making the most of his 15 minutes of fame. From economics expert to political theorist, Joe is apparently a foreign poplicy wonk as well. - Except he's NOT! And you know he must have really put his foot in it when he gets called out on Fox:

Un-freakin believable!

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

President Obama, Please End the Backdoor Draft

Dear President Obama,

For the past 6 years, George W Bush, John McSame and the Republican Party have been hammering on a theme of tying support for the troops to support for the mission when it comes to the ongoing occupation of Iraq. They have based this in large part on the illusion of an “all volunteer” military. Please read the following article I ran across on Military dot com.

Stop Loss Extensions Likely to Continue

October 27, 2008

United Press International

WASHINGTON -- A U.S. military spokesman says the U.S. Army's use of involuntary combat duty extensions, known as stop loss, will probably continue through 2009.

Army Lt. Col. Mike Moose told USA Today that the number of soldiers affected by stop loss will remain at about 12,000 next year, the same number as last month.

Stop loss peaked in 2005 at more than 15,000 troops and fell to 8,500 in May 2007 after U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates ordered that involuntary extensions be minimized.

Both Gates and U.S. Navy Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, say the policy is needed to maintain the cohesion of units heading to battle in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"The secretary understands the stress on the Army," Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said Sunday. "They need to make better progress on this."

U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak, D-Pa., a member of the House Armed Services Committee, told USA Today he blames the Pentagon's reliance on stop loss on "the failures to properly plan and execute."

Even though I understand that you believe this country “needs to” send more troops into Afghanistan to continue this so-called War on Terror, I would hope that you will review this policy of “stop loss” and order whomever you appoint the next Secretary of Defense to end this involuntary back door draft.

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

IWR News

Iraq Body Count: 10/27/08
Americans Killed: 4188
Americans Wounded: 47,000
http://icasualties.org/
Iraqis Killed: 1,000,000+
http://www.thelancet.com
“…a small price…” Rep. John Boehner
----------------------------

Latest Confirmed Casualties:

*Col. Michael R. Stahlman, 45, of Chevy Chase, MD died Oct. 5 in Anbar province, Iraq.

*Cpl. Reuben M. Fernandez III, 22, of Abilene, TX died on Oct. 11 in Majar Al Kabir, Iraq.

*Spc. Geoffrey G. Johnson, 28, of Lubbock, TC died on Oct. 12 in Baghdad, Iraq.

*Sgt. Michael K. Clark, 24, of Sacramento, CA died Oct. 7 in Mosul, Iraq.

*Pfc. Christopher A. McCraw, 23, of Columbia, MS died Oct. 14 in Baghdad, Iraq.

*Spc. Justin A. Saint, 22, of Albertville, AL died Oct. 15 in Baghdad, Iraq.

*Pfc. Heath K. Pickard, 21, of Palestine, TX died Oct. 16 in Balad, Iraq.

*Lance Cpl. Stacy A. Dryden, 22, of North Canton, OH died Oct. 19 in Anbar province, Iraq.

*Staff Sgt. Brian P. Hause, 29, of Stoystown, PA died Oct. 23 at Balad Air Base, Iraq.

*Pfc. Cody J. Eggleston, 21, of Eugene, OR died Oct. 24 at the National in Bethesda, MD of wounds suffered on October 16 in Baqubah, Iraq.


Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Onward Christian Soldiers - Muslims Need Not Apply

I was moved by the photo that you see above. It was posted on Washblog yesterday by Lietta Ruger in reference to Colin Powell's endorsement of Barack Obama. It seems that the story of the soldier whose headstone is pictured struck a chord with Powell who saw the sacrifice of this Muslim-American as counterpoint to the rhetoric being spewed by the McCain campaign and the Republican party as a whole in this election. Here is what Powell had to say:

I feel strongly about this particular point because of a picture I saw in a magazine. It was a photo essay about troops who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. And one picture at the tail end of this photo essay was of a mother in Arlington Cemetery, and she had her head on the headstone of her son's grave. And as the picture focused in, you could see the writing on the headstone. And it gave his awards--Purple Heart, Bronze Star--showed that he died in Iraq, gave his date of birth, date of death. He was 20 years old. And then, at the very top of the headstone, it didn't have a Christian cross, it didn't have the Star of David, it had crescent and a star of the Islamic faith. And his name was Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan, and he was an American. He was born in New Jersey. He was 14 years old at the time of 9/11, and he waited until he can go serve his country, and he gave his life. Now, we have got to stop polarizing ourself in this way. And John McCain is as nondiscriminatory as anyone I know. But I'm troubled about the fact that, within the party, we have these kinds of expressions.

Now, if anyone had any question about why McCain and the Republicans would be playing to anti-Muslim sentiments and why they think it would have much impact in 2008 America, watch this clip from PBS's "Now"

Makes you proud to live in a "Christian America" doesn't it...

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

McSame - Job Trader

There were just so many things that disturbed me in the final presidential forum on Wednesday night. However, one issue that has gotten almost zero attention during the general election campaign has been so called Free Trade. While the exchange between senators Obama and McSame was limited to the "Colombian Free Trade Agreement" I think McSame pretty much summed up the issue with his opening sentiment"

“…I am a free trader and we need to have education and training programs for displaced workers that work going to our community colleges…”

You read that right. McSame embraces the premise that Free Trade DOES and WILL displace American workers. Now that's some straight talk. Here is the complete exchange:

While I am concerned that a President Obama will also need constant checking to restrain his urge to move too quickly on future agreements, I certainly appreciate his stand on human and workers rights expressed here.

[UPDATE - 09:25am] By the way, McSame is flat wrong (as usual) in his assertion that Colombia is the largest Ag importer. According to the Department of Agriculture, Canada imported about $13.2 billion worth of agricultural products from the U.S. in 2007. Colombia imported slightly more than $1.1 billion. That actually puts Colombia at roughly number 12.

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Sirota and Maddow; Together

Two of my political heroes, David Sirota and Rachel Maddow discuss John McSame's fantasy economics.

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

McSame to Women: 'Your Health Concerns are Exagerated'

In last night's presidential forum, John McSame performed with the lack of class and with the generational disconnect I have come to expect from him over the last year when it comes to his lack of respect for women. From a man who divorced his first wife because she no longer met his standard for physical beauty and votes against equal pay for women at every opportunity, comes this gem...

To be clear, what McSame is suggesting here is that a woman's health concerns are to be trivialized when they conflict with his pandering to the far right's stringent anti-choice platform.

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

The Secret's Out on Obama

From The Atlantic

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Sarah Palin - Astronaut...

Thanks to soulrebel

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

McSame/Palin Greatest Hits.....So Far

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Reaping and Sowing

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

The Gauntlet Has Been Tossed

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Are You Afraid Yet?

Chilling report froom David Swanson at After Downing Street

Note that the events in the report cover multiple US administrations. Now ask yourself, with this type of stuff in the works, who do you want issuing orders - John McSame/Sarah Palin or Barack Obama/Joe Biden?

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

McSame Suffers "Nam Flashback"?

h/t Talking Points Memo

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Darcy Burner for Congress, Progressive Democrat

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

It's Official!

[UPDATE 9:55am] In case there is any confusion:

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

John Ladenburg for Attorney General

Contribute

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Peter Goldmark - Commissioner of Public Lands

Contribute

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Jason Osgood for Secretary of State

Contribute

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Bailout Bill

h/t to my lovely wife

The New "Bailout Bill"

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

IWR News

Iraq Body Count: 10/07/08
Americans Killed: 4179
Americans Wounded: 45,000
http://icasualties.org/
Iraqis Killed: 1,000,000+
http://www.thelancet.com
“…a small price…” Rep. John Boehner
----------------------------

Latest Confirmed Casualties:

*Staff Sgt. Matthew J. Taylor, 25, of Charleston, SC died Sept. 21 in Baghdad, Iraq.

*Chaplain (Col.) Sidney J. Marceaux Jr., 69, of Beaumont, TX died Sept 14 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C. following evacuation from Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.

*1st Lt. Thomas J. Brown, 26, of Burke, VA died Sept. 23 in Salman Park, Iraq.

*Pfc. Jamel A. Bryant, 22, of Belleville, IL died Sept. 27 in Baghdad, Iraq.

*Capt. Michael J. Medders, 25, of Avon Lake, OH died Sept. 24 in Jisr Naft, Iraq.

*Staff Sgt. Ronald Phillips Jr., 33, of Conway, SC died Sept. 25 in Bahbahani, Iraq.

*Spc. Christopher T. Fox, 21, of Memphis, TN died Sept. 29 in Adhamiyah, Iraq.

*Pfc. Christopher A. Bartkiewicz, 25, of Dunfermline, IL died Sept. 30 in Baghdad, Iraq.

*Pfc. Tavarus D. Setzler, 23, of Jacksonville, FL died Oct. 2 in Majar al Kabir, Iraq.

*Sgt. William P. Rudd, 27, of Madisonville, KY died Oct. 5 in Mosul, Iraq.


Peace,
Chad (the Left) Shue

McSame on Tax Payer Funded Healthcare

h/t Silent Patriot at Crooks and Liars dot com (again)

Somebody please tell me when McSame answers the question here...

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue