Plunderbund

George W. Bush will never get an award from Toastmasters International for his public speaking skills.  But that’s part of his appeal, I suppose, to the American public.   It’s the kind of thing that makes him seem like one of us.
I always thought his speech writers deserved an award though for their ability to compose easy […]

Seriously. How else can you explain this?
Former Rep. Bob Ney kept his wife on his congressional campaign payroll through the end of last year, even though he dropped out of the race in early August, a report filed yesterday shows.
Elizabeth Ney was one of several campaign staff members who received paychecks in August, according […]

“Well, it’s just like - they’re people I work with, and our job is being popular and shit.” - Winona Ryder in Heathers.
 
Polls measure popularity.  Period.
 
They don’t predict presidential primaries any more than they predict elections.  That’s because they involve people.   Real people.  People who watch TV.  People who read the paper.  People with horrible […]

That is all.

While researching the 2000 presidential election, I came across this great article from the Washington Post…
Silent George W.
by Richard Cohen
Washington Post - June 1, 1999  
Stop the presses!
George W. Bush has taken a position. This most extraordinary and rare turn of events followed the release of a House committee report alleging long-term Chinese espionage and the filching of just […]

In the New York Times…
President Bush has signed a directive that gives the White House much greater control over the rules and policy statements that the government develops to protect public health, safety, the environment, civil rights and privacy.
In an executive order published last week in the Federal Register, Mr. Bush said that each agency […]

I’ll come right out and say it. We are one of the highest per-capita energy consumers on the planet, and we are completely oblivious to what is going on in the world.
In North America which is the world’s largest producer of carbon dioxide emissions, 84% say they are aware of global warming, but less […]

Ouch.

Personally, my opinion of McCain went into the crapper in 2004. You can see more at TheRealMcCain.com.

A nice comparison of Bush’s SOTU speeches in word-cloud form. You can pick up some interesting trends…

Not just here in the States, but in Iraq too!
The Shiite Muslim leadership has informally recommended to ministerial and parliamentary delegations heading to Washington that they cultivate closer relationships with Democrats as well as Republicans.
Many pointed out advantages to the Democrats’ increased sway over Iraq policy. Government officials said they had generally found the Democratic […]

Brian Rothenberg has an update on The Legend of Joy Padgett: Bankruptcy Court.
Remember the curious case of Joy Padgett’s Bankruptcy Abuse from last Fall. Or for those of you in eastern and central Ohio, the memorable Joy Padgett for Congress commercial where she is standing like Julie Andrews — sound-of-music like — on the family […]

Right-wing authoritarianism is scary.
If the United States Senate passes a resolution, non-binding or otherwise, that criticizes the commitment of additional troops to Iraq that General Petraeus has asked for and that the president has pledged, and if the Senate does so after the testimony of General Petraeus on January 23 that such a resolution will […]

Here is a great story from the dispatch about Scott Pullins trying to sue Miriam St. Jean for being a ‘cyberstalker’.
It’s like trying to sue one of the bulls after being trampled in the annual ‘running of the bulls’ festival in Pamplona, Spain.
Scott Pullins Is No Hemingway.
You put yourself out there, Scott, now suck it up […]

The latest round of Anti-abortion legislation passed by Ohio’s General Assembly will end up costing Ohio’s taxpayers billions of dollars.

I find it truly amazing that so many Republicans continue to push the party’s anti-abortion agenda even when it conflicts with the rest of their message.

What happened to fiscal responsibility, lowering the tax burden, and preserving […]

The US House finally, and unanimously (who is gonna vote against THIS one?), voted to stop paying pensions to its members who are convicted of certain relevant felonies (e.g. bribery).

Unfortunately, this doesn’t cover those already convicted representatives like Bob Ney and, I assume, Youngstown’s own flamboyant (i.e. crazy) James Traficant.

Also- the bill passed by the […]