Politics: J'accuse!

[Not Me]

Originally posted by Not Flinty
I'm not saying this is a good reason to fire Rummy, but when you marginalize Congress for a long time, don't look for any favors from Congressmen when you're having a hard time.

Has Congress been routinely briefed on these types of issues in the past?

[Not Flinty]

Originally posted by Not Me
No I am not. The deal was May 1st to the 7th. That is one week (7 days) of no posting. If I didn't post today, that would be 8 days of no posting. If the deal was 8 days of no posting, he should have said May 1st through May 7th.

I don't really care, and respond to this post only to point out that he is me (Ty). This socking business is getting to be a lot of work.

[Not Flinty]

These guys say everyone is getting too worked up about battleground states.

[Not Me]

Originally posted by Not Flinty
I don't really care, and respond to this post only to point out that he is me (Ty). This socking business is getting to be a lot of work.

I realized this was you, but for some reason, I thought I had made that bet with Sidd. That is what I get for drinking at work.

[Not Flinty]

Originally posted by Not Me
I realized this was you, but for some reason, I thought I had made that bet with Sidd. That is what I get for drinking at work.

If I'd known that, I could have won both ways (hi Sidd!).

[Say_hello_for_me]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
The Administration doesn't seem to think it's a laugh. I can't recall an actual apology from this President about anything else, and he's been called to apologize for a lot. He seems to survive politically fairly well without caving to such demands. I think he's genuinely outraged.

I think it goes back to what SAM said about American Exceptionalism and the myth that We Don't Do That.

From a political viewpoint, I thought it was very interesting to take the poll on chicagotribune dot com regarding whether Rumsfeld should resign.

I have other, additional, reasons to despise the guy, most of which have been posted here, so ya'll can imagine which way I voted. But 70% of those who answered also said yes. And that is the Republican paper in Chicago.

If anyone sees a Republican newspaper's poll ever asking whether Ashcroft should resign, please let me know.

Hello

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by Say_hello_for_me
From a political viewpoint, I thought it was very interesting to take the poll on chicagotribune dot com regarding whether Rumsfeld should resign.

I have other, additional, reasons to despise the guy, most of which have been posted here, so ya'll can imagine which way I voted. But 70% of those who answered also said yes. And that is the Republican paper in Chicago.

If anyone sees a Republican newspaper's poll ever asking whether Ashcroft should resign, please let me know.

Hello

Houston stopped fooling itself a long time ago and got rid of the other newspaper. We only have the Republican one now.

I actually kinda like Don Rumsfeld, though I understand the criticisms about him. If we were fighting a different type of war, I think I wouldn't have a problem with him in there. I'm not quite sure who is to blame for the lack of a coherent plan on getting out. It seems to me that many actors were involved, and I think all but the most super-loyal will agree that some contingency planning would have done a world of good.

[Not Flinty]

Can anyone figure out why we were using private contractors to interrogate prisoners? I understand out-sourcing things like logistical functions, or mowing the grass, etc., but interrogating prisoners would seem like one of the core functions that you'd want the military to do.

[Not Me]

Originally posted by bilmore
TALLAHASSEE - Six months before a presidential election that is again expected to be decided by a narrow margin in Florida, state officials ordered local election supervisors Wednesday to begin purging voter rolls of felons -- a move that may take as many as 40,000 people off the rolls, many of them likely to be black Democrats.

I have actually heard people say that it is racist to deny voting rights to felons because of the disparate impact on blacks.

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by Not Flinty
Can anyone figure out why we were using private contractors to interrogate prisoners? I understand out-sourcing things like logistical functions, or mowing the grass, etc., but interrogating prisoners would seem like one of the core functions that you'd want the military to do.

Just guesses. 1.) The best in the business realized there's a lot more cash on the private side than on the government dole. 2) Private contractors can do stuff that government can't do. 2a) The government doesn't want to get blood on its hands.

[Sexual Harassment Panda]

Originally posted by Not Me
No I am not. The deal was May 1st to the 7th. That is one week (7 days) of no posting. If I didn't post today, that would be 8 days of no posting. If the deal was 8 days of no posting, he should have said May 1st through May 7th.

I should resist this, but I can't. Must be channeling my inner second grader.

If you don't post on the 1st, i.e. your last post is midnight on the 30th, that is one day of not posting. The 2nd is two days of not posting, etc. By extension, not posting on the 6th means six days of not posting. To achieve seven days of not posting, you have to refrain from posting on the 7th.

I suspect it turns on the definition of "to" the 7th, but then I really really don't care. Post all you want.

[Not Flinty]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
Just guesses. 1.) The best in the business realized there's a lot more cash on the private side than on the government dole. 2) Private contractors can do stuff that government can't do. 2a) The government doesn't want to get blood on its hands.

1) Who else do you work for, besides the government? If there's cash on the private side, it's only because someone on the government side is putting it there.

2) Not so, apparently. At least that thought doesn't seem to have been restraining people.

3) Not seeing it.

Not trying to be argumentative -- I just don't get it.

[Did you just call me Coltrane?]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
Houston stopped fooling itself a long time ago and got rid of the other newspaper. We only have the Republican one now.

The only reason the Republican newspaper thrives in this town is b/c the the Sun Times is a sensationalist rag. All it has to offer are Roger Ebert and a decent sport's section. Considering how much of a democratic stronghold this city is, it is somewhat surprising that the Trib is so successful.

I read the Trib every day, and its slant is pretty obvious. Still, it doesn't seem to promote an agenda with its bias (if that's possible). Pretty good paper, FWIW.

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by Not Flinty
1) Who else do you work for, besides the government? If there's cash on the private side, it's only because someone on the government side is putting it there.

2) Not so, apparently. At least that thought doesn't seem to have been restraining people.

3) Not seeing it.

Not trying to be argumentative -- I just don't get it.

re: 2) and 2a), maybe they thought they wouldn't get in trouble for it because their private contractor status would protect them. but in the court of public opinion . . .

Re: 1), what are you talking about. Obviously, the market will do a better job of providing it. Skilled military interrogators have lots of options, they don't have to work for the government. That's why the government should pay more for them as private contractors, rather than employing them directly.

[Shape Shifter]

Originally posted by Not Flinty
Can anyone figure out why we were using private contractors to interrogate prisoners? I understand out-sourcing things like logistical functions, or mowing the grass, etc., but interrogating prisoners would seem like one of the core functions that you'd want the military to do.

I think it's a language issue.