Cheney says administration will not tap oil reserves to counter rising prices
10.26.07, 5:07 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Thomson Financial) - US Vice President Richard Cheney today said the Bush administration would not tap the strategic petroleum reserve in order to offset rising oil prices, and said the reserve would only be used if there were a supply crisis.
'In fact, back in the Clinton administration, it was used to try to manage prices -- that's not what it's for,' he said in a television interview taped for CNBC today.
Cheney did say that the reserve could be used if political unrest in the Middle East led to supply problems. 'The best short-term response we have for that is the strategic petroleum reserve,' he said.
Cheney declined to say whether US sanctions announced against Iran yesterday would prevent Iran from selling oil on the world market. Those sanctions are aimed at breaking ties between Iran's military and state-owned companies and the international banking system.

http://www.forbes.com/markets/feeds/afx/2007/10/26/afx4268350.html



Cheney Attacks Democratic Plan to Revamp Tax Code
By STEVEN LEE MYERS
Published: October 27, 2007
WASHINGTON, Oct. 26 — Vice President Dick Cheney on Friday joined a chorus of Republican opposition to a sweeping overhaul of the tax code proposed by the House’s leading Democratic tax writer.
The Republican response to the proposal by Representative Charles B. Rangel of New York, the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, underscored the hardening positions of the two parties on taxes as they head into the 2008 elections.
In a television interview, Mr. Cheney said Mr. Rangel’s proposal would reverse the Bush administration’s tax cuts from 2001 and 2003, one of the president’s signature accomplishments and one the vice president credited with “driving this economy.”
“There is a fundamental difference between the parties in terms of how we look at the world with respect to tax policy,” Mr. Cheney said in an interview on CNBC.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/27/washington/27cheney.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&ref=us&adxnnlx=1193508440-aRZ2zK/RlJQ9sS1PrHe6rA



Vice president Cheney on "Cousin Barack" ...
About a week ago, Lynne Cheney informed the world that Vice President Dick Cheney and Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama are eighth cousins.
While doing research for her new book, Mrs. Cheney discovered that Obama and the veep share a common ancestor, Maureen Duvall, a 17th century immigrant from France.
As shocking revelations go, it was right up there with the news earlier this year that black civil rights activist Al Sharpton was descended from a slave owned by the family of the late senator and segregationist Strom Thurmond.
A spokesman for Obama quipped of Cheney: "Every family has a black sheep."
Now Cheney himself has weighed in with his own take on the news. During an interview with Larry Kudlow on CNBC, Cheney was asked if he had spoken to Obama about there shared heritage.
"Cousin Barack?" replied Cheney. "No, we haven't, haven't had the opportunity to talk about that."
Kudlow: "You haven't once called him up, and say, well, heck, the family tree ..."
Cheney: "No. Well, I didn't know whether that would help him or hurt him, so I thought I'd probably stay away from him, so."

So thoughtful of Cheney. And to think they call him Darth Vader ...

http://communities.canada.com/shareit/blogs/theelephant/archive/2007/10/26/vice-president-cheney-on-cousin-barack.aspx



National briefs: NASA to search for 1965 UFO files
WASHINGTON NASA has agreed to search its archives once again for documents on a 1965 UFO incident in Pennsylvania, a step the space agency fought in federal court.
The government has refused to open its files about what, if anything, moved across the sky and crashed in the woods near Kecksburg, Pa., 40 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. The Air Force’s explanation: a meteor or meteors. Eyewitnesses said that a flatbed truck drove away a large object shaped like an acorn and about the size of a Volkswagen bus.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/nation/story/335205.html



White House Leak: Cheney's Plan for Iran Attack Starts With Israeli Missile Strike
US Vice President Dick Cheney -- the power behind the throne, the eminence grise, the man with the (very) occasional grandfatherly smile -- is notorious for his propensity for secretiveness and behind-the-scenes manipulation. He's capable of anything, say friends as well as enemies. Given this reputation, it's no big surprise that Cheney has already asked for a backroom analysis of how a war with Iran might begin.
In the scenario concocted by Cheney's strategists, Washington's first step would be to convince Israel to fire missiles at Iran's uranium enrichment plant in Natanz. Tehran would retaliate with its own strike, providing the US with an excuse to attack military targets and nuclear facilities in Iran.

http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/66157/



Libertarian echoes call for Cheney impeachment
October 26th, 2007
posted by sgreenhut
From Steven Greenhut:
Don’t forget Bush! Libertarian presidential candidate George Phillies issued this statement:
Phillies Praises Kucinich on Impeachment for Cheney
In a surprising statement aired September 27, 2007 on the Ed Schultz radio show, U.S. Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) said, “I’m seriously thinking about calling a privileged resolution on impeachment of the vice president, and forcing a vote on the floor of the house…”
On April 24, 2007, Dennis Kucinich introduced three Articles of Impeachment of the Vice President to the floor of the House, alleging that the Vice President pressured the intelligence community to change its findings to support the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and to suggest a connection between al Qaeda and Iraq. The articles also accuse Cheney of openly threatening Iran, which posed no real threat to the United States, and undermining national security interests.
Kucinich believes the time has come to force the vote. “We have a government in place right now that we need to challenge,” said Congressman Kucinich. “People have to stand up and say whether they believe in the Constitution anymore, or whether we’re going along with an administration that defies the principles that founded this country…”
“I absolutely support Mr. Kucinich in his efforts to bring those who deceived the American people and our Congress to justice,” said George Phillies, leading Libertarian candidate for President. “There is an old story from ancient Greece. An injured veteran from the Battle of Marathon trying to find a seat at the Olympic games. His fellow Athenians urged each other to give up their seats for the old man, but no one did. Unable to find a seat, the old man limped toward the exit. On his way, he passed the Spartans. To a man, every one of them stood to offer his seat to the veteran.

http://orangepunch.freedomblogging.com/2007/10/26/libertarian-echoes-call-for-cheney-impeachment/



Kucinich to Force Vote on Cheney Impeachment Resolution
by ralphlopez, Fri Oct 26, 2007 at 03:02:15 PM EST
This is a report from the Northeast Impeachment Coalition, which was present on the nationwide conference call in which Rep. Dennis Kucinich announced action on HR 333, before Thanksgiving. Also in this report are some answers from the membership of NEIC in response to a call for clear talking points to answer citizens hesitant on impeachment.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FROM: NORTHEAST IMPEACHMENT COALITION
At 9 pm EDT, Tuesday, October 23rd, in a nationwide conference call organized by Progressive Democrats of America (PDA,) Rep. Dennis Kucinich announced he will go before the U.S. House of Representatives on a point of personal privilege to move the impeachment of Dick Cheney before Thanksgiving. This legislative maneuver will force the House of Representatives to a vote on further action regarding HR 333, which are the articles of impeachment filed by Kucinich against Vice President Cheney last April.

http://www.mydd.com/story/2007/10/26/15215/312



McCain concerned about Giuliani and torture (but not Mukasey)
Posted October 26th, 2007 at 4:30 pm
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This week, Rudy Giuliani played the crazy-person card in response to a question at an event in Iowa about torture. Asked if he thought waterboarding constituted torture, Giuliani said, “It depends on how it’s done,” adding that he was skeptical about the practice based on descriptions from the “liberal media.” Giuliani went on to say, “It depends on the circumstances. It depends on who does it.”
John McCain followed up on Giuliani’s comments with some incredulity yesterday.
“Anyone who knows what waterboarding is could not be unsure. It is a horrible torture technique used by Pol Pot and being used on Buddhist monks as we speak,” said McCain after a campaign stop at Dordt College here.
“People who have worn the uniform and had the experience know that this is a terrible and odious practice and should never be condoned in the U.S. We are a better nation than that.”
McCain added, “All I can say is that it was used in the Spanish Inquisition, it was used in Pol Pot’s genocide in Cambodia, and there are reports that it is being used against Buddhist monks today.” As for his GOP rivals, McCain said, “They should know what it is. It is not a complicated procedure. It is torture.”
In light of McCain’s response, Faiz raised a good point. By taking a firm stand against waterboarding, McCain is not only one up on Giuliani, he’s also one up on Attorney General nominee Michael Mukasey, who refused to say whether he thought the barbaric tactic qualified as torture.

http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/13377.html



McCain, Huckabee talk tough on Social Security
Updated 1d 6h ago Comments106 Recommend10
CAMPAIGN ISSUES: 2008
Click on the titles to learn more about where the presidential candidates stand on the issues:
• Iraq war
The war in Iraq is the dominant issue in the 2008 race for the White House. The early primary votes will be cast as the conflict completes its fifth year. The next president will be the first to take the oath of office during an ongoing war since Richard Nixon in 1969.
• Immigration
Immigration is a highly divisive issue, as concerns about terrorism amplify the debate about border security. Congress has failed to enact immigration legislation because of differences between supporters of tougher enforcement to limit illegal entry into the country and advocates of amnesty for illegal immigrants.
• Health care
Polls indicate that health care is one of the most important issues to voters heading into the 2008 presidential elections. The rising cost of health insurance and the growing number of uninsured give the issue added urgency. Several candidates have called for universal health care; others have said these plans amount to socialized medicine.
• Education
White House hopefuls are divided on the federal government's role in education as Congress considers changes to President Bush's signature schools law, the No Child Left Behind Act, and how to make college affordable.
By Jared Strong, The Des Moines Register
SIOUX CITY, Iowa — Two Republican presidential candidates had some tough talk Thursday about Social Security's future at a forum sponsored by the nation's largest group for seniors.
John McCain, a U.S. senator from Arizona, called for another debate on President Bush's plan to create private savings accounts as part of Social Security. He also urged citizens to become less reliant on Social Security as a retirement income.
"The dirty secret in America today is that Medicare and Social Security are going broke. They're going broke and they're not going to be there for future generations of young Americans, and we owe them the responsibility to make hard choices now," McCain said.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2007-10-26-mccain-huckabee_N.htm



DC insiders could deal with McCain, Richardson
by Frank James
The National Journal's latest poll of Washington insiders asked the question: "Which presidential candidate of the other party could your party most easily work with if he or she were elected?"
In a response that will further hurt him among Republican activists, most Democrats, 34 percent, said Sen. John McCain is the kind of man they can work with.
Said one insider:
“He is the most consistent and honest of the major Republican candidates. You are never certain of the other major candidates.”
Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney tied at 22 percent.
For their part, Republican Washington insiders said New Mexico Bill Richardson would be the Democrat they could most readily work with while 22 percent chose Sen. Hillary Clinton.

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/politics/blog/2007/10/dc_insiders_easiest_to_deal_wi.html



Romney: 'Bombardment' on the table for Iran
Republican Mitt Romney says he'd be willing to use a military blockade or "bombardment of some kind" to prevent Iran from gaining a nuclear weapon, the AP reports. Those options would be on the table "if severe economic and diplomatic sanctions" aren't enough, he said.
The former Massachusetts governor made the remarks to a group of doctors and nurses in Manchester, N.H.
This morning the Bush administration upped the pressure on Iran by imposing sweeping economic sanctions on three state-owned banks and the Revolutionary Guard Corps, part of the Iranian military.
Iran has become a flashpoint in the presidential campaign. Read our earlier post about friction between Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama here.

http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpolitics/2007/10/romney-bombardm.html



Romney Says Giuliani's Support Will Fade
By MIKE GLOVER – 22 hours ago
JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) — Mitt Romney says the campaign for the Republican presidential nomination will come down to Rudy Giuliani and a more conservative challenger. Like Mitt Romney.
It's no surprise that Giuliani is doing well in national polls of Republicans, Romney said Friday, because candidates with more conservative views on social issues such as abortion and gay rights are splitting the support of like-minded voters.
At some point, the former Massachusetts governor said, the party's conservative base will coalesce around a single candidate, making it tougher for Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City.
"Those of us who represent that base will find that we can get that support and ultimately face up one-to-one with Mayor Giuliani," Romney said. "At that point he'll have a more challenging time because I do not believe the Republican Party is going to keep Hillary Clinton out of the White House by acting like Hillary Clinton."

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gyStaQl_Y24WE5sELR_lL2b3P5FwD8SH4E700



Top Conservative Romney Supporter: I'd Support Rudy In General Election
By Greg Sargent - October 26, 2007, 1:30PM
A lot of people are holding out hope that if Rudy wins the GOP nomination social conservatives will organize a third party challenge from the right that will split the Republican Party. Prominent social conservative leaders have been suggesting as much lately in various forums.
Well, this isn't going to give people holding out for this very much hope.
As I noted below, a top conservative backer of Mitt Romney, the prominent conservative attorney James Bopp, told me in an interview that he was outraged that conservative Senator Sam Brownback is dallying with pro-choice Rudy.
But that isn't all Bopp said. He also told me that he thinks that if Rudy wins the nomination, a third-party challenge just isn't a serious possiblitiy -- and even said he himself would back Rudy.
"I think there are people who would consider voting for a minor party candidate rather than Giuliani if he got the nomination," Bopp told me. "Frankly I'm not one of those. I don't think the idea of a third party is being seriously considered by anyone."

http://tpmelectioncentral.com/2007/10/_top_conservative_romney_supporter_id_support_rudy_in_general_election.php



Report on Second Hill Hearing on Arbitration Fairness Act
On Thursday, October 25, 2007, the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law held its second hearing on H.R. 3010, Rep. Hank Johnson’s Arbitration Fairness Act. (This Subcommittee has jurisdiction over the bill.) H.R. 3010 would ban the use of pre-dispute binding mandatory arbitration in consumer, employment, franchise and medical contracts. (The first hearing was held on June 12th. I testified at it, and my testimony and a transcript of the hearing can be found on the Public Justice website, www.publicjustice.net.)
Three members of the Subcommittee attended the hearing. The first is Subcommittee Chairwoman Linda T. Sanchez. Rep. Sanchez has not yet co-sponsored the bill, but she spoke very sympathetically towards the situation of consumers and employees who have been treated poorly in mandatory arbitration systems. It also can’t be understated that Rep. Sanchez showed that she has put a lot of time into understanding the details of the issue, and she (along with her staff) have obviously put a great deal of work into interviewing and locating witnesses and giving both sides an opportunity to develop an extensive record. The second is Rep. Johnson, the sponsor of the bill, who is a courtly freshman representative from Georgia and a powerful orator. The third member was Ranking Subcommittee member Chris Cannon, who is a huge and uncritical fan of mandatory arbitration. In the course of carrying the water of the Chamber of Commerce on the issue, Rep. Cannon’s duties apparently include trying to craft personal attacks on anyone who comes forward with an individual story of having been abused by mandatory arbitration.

http://www.tortdeform.com/archives/2007/10/report_on_second_hill_hearing.html



GHS
Fri Oct 26, 2007, 12:29 AM EDT
Hiking tolls to pay off Bechtel
I am mad as hell and I am not going to take it any more.
I am not going to pay for Bechtel and the Pike's misuse of funds resulting in death and debt, and neither should you. I do not use the Big Dig. I get off at the Allston/Cambridge Tolls from Framingham.
Yet I will be hit twice paying for the Turnpike's misuse of funds while we sit by and get fleeced again. The last hike of the tolls resulted in the back roads filling up to the point it was taking me two hours to go 20 miles into Boston. Taking the pike takes me now an hour. Yeah, can I spend more money to take me longer to get to work? Please can I?
Now with the "new" toll hike that they keep speaking about as if it is a done deal, it will take me even longer, both ways. What happened to no taxation without representation? Yes, they are having little meetings in the towns that they will completely disregard. Their rhetoric has already been put into the past tense. Today it came out that the forecast of windfall from this hike is actually more than they thought.
But instead of lowering the fees they are going to apply it to their debt. First, that rhetoric states they are hiking the tolls regardless of any town meetings. Second, maybe I can legally change my name to Bechtel Parson and murder someone through negligence and then have the Mass Turnpike Authority pay off my debts.
Seriously with these hikes and having to go to work every day in Cambridge I am going to go into debt. I suggest that before they hit the people creating industry and commerce in Boston (an economy), they should actually go after the people that stole the money in the first place, Bechtel.
We must stand up and say no! We don't get to create phony taxes to pay off our debts, why should they? Who are they, anyway? We are the citizens of this state and country, they work for us. We need to remember it and they need to remember it. Let's get a backbone and fight this, it is not right that we are being put in the position of the victim to be bled once again. Go after the real criminals, Bechtel, and make the Turnpike Authority accountable for its misuse and mere existence.
TIFFANY CAMPBELL, Framingham

http://www.milforddailynews.com/opinion/x901888647



Circling the Wagons
It’s been reported that FCC Chairman Kevin Martin is aggressively attempting to push through changes to media ownership laws which could result in further consolidation of not just radio, but also television and print media. Although the FCC claims to recognize the importance of localism, competition and diversity, Martin’s own actions indicate otherwise.
In 2003, FCC Chairman Michael Powell also tried to ram through rule changes, but was strongly rebuked by the general public, not to mention the House, Senate and Third Circuit Court of Appeals. The congressional and court reprimand included a stern admonishment to hold public hearings on localism, competition and diversity before voting on any rule changes.
The FCC took Congress' advice and the commissioners have, indeed, attended formal and informal hearings over the past 18 months in Chicago, Tampa, Portland, Harrisburg, Nashville, and Los Angeles, where thousands of concerned citizens overwhelmingly expressed their opposition to any rule changes that would let Big Media companies swallow up more local outlets.
But these hearings aren’t worth much if the public isn’t a): given adequate time to prepare arguments, or b): provided date and location info until the absolute last minute, as is the case with the next event. Hmm, could this be a strategy?

http://futureofmusiccoalition.blogspot.com/2007/10/circling-wagons.html



House Gets Subpoena For Doolittle Probe E-mails
By Patrick O'Connor
Oct 25, 2007
(The Politico) The top administrative officer in the House has been subpoenaed for e-mails related to the ongoing criminal investigation of Rep. John Doolittle (R-Calif.), according to a notification read on the House floor Thursday.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued the subpoena to Daniel P. Beard, the chief administrative officer of the House, whose office oversees electronic communications for members of Congress and their staff.
"The subpoena was issued in connection with the Justice Department investigation of Congressman Doolittle and seeks material from e-mail backup tapes maintained by the CAO," according to a notification of the subpoena.
This is the latest development in an ongoing Justice Department investigation of the California Republican. Doolittle and six members of his staff were subpoenaed by the same grand jury last month.
The Justice Department has been investigating the lawmaker and his wife in its ongoing public corruption investigation stemming from a probe of jailed former GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/25/politics/politico/thecrypt/main3413264.shtml




No one is Dissing anybody. The Blue Dogs are being challenged to attempt to undermine democracy AGAIN by putting back a majority leadership in the House and Senate to rake the American people over the coals with more wars. They are simply being smart and using their resources to fight for the USA Constitution.

Blue Dogs Diss the DCCC
by not paying their actual dues.
From The Politico:
A large group of “Blue Dog” Democrats has refused to give money to the party’s campaign committee so far this cycle, underscoring simmering tension inside the Caucus and concerns about the caustic language of at least one anti-war Democrat.
According to a review of Federal Election Commission records, 15 Blue Dogs have given no money to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee as of Sept. 30, despite heavy pressure from party leaders.
Rep. Sanford D. Bishop Jr. (D-Ga.), one of the 15, said he had donated on Oct. 1, but his staff would not say how much the congressman gave to the DCCC.
An additional 16 Blue Dogs have not given any cash but were exempt from party-mandated contributions because they are top GOP targets for defeat in 2008, party officials said.
...Members of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of 47 moderate-to-conservative House Democrats, point out that they often represent tough, hard-to-hold swing districts that could easily go Republican, meaning they must build sizable campaign war chests in order to ensure their reelections, even if they look safe right now.
But there is also lingering concern among the Blue Dogs — and resentment, in some cases — over comments made by Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.) to leaders of the anti-war movement.
In a late-August conference call, Woolsey encouraged the anti-war groups to field primary challengers to any Democrat who does not vote to end the war. While she later moved to repudiate the remarks, saying they were misunderstood, Woolsey’s statement angered many Blue Dogs and led some to withhold their DCCC dues.
“What [Woolsey] said was reprehensible,” said one Blue Dog who has so far declined to hand over any money to the campaign committee.
A Democratic strategist with strong ties to the Blue Dogs said the Woolsey incident is being seized upon by some conservative Democrats, even those who don’t yet have an opponent, as an excuse not to give to the party committee.
“Some of these Blue Dogs are saying, ‘If I have to defend myself in a primary, the DCCC is just going to have to wait,’” said the strategist.
Further proof there are some Dems who would Stollerize (ie. purge those that think differently)
the party. What they either don't realize or care about is that they only have the majority in the house because of the Blue Dogs. In their quest for idealogical purity or party unity they would embrace the tactics of Tom Delay and browbeat/arm twist/and outright threaten those that vote the views of their constituents and ultimately doom the party to a minority in the process.

http://crapomatic.blogspot.com/2007/10/blue-dogs-diss-dccc.html



So, bottomline here is, 'Having Faith makes one rich.' I see. So much for the vow of poverty.

Poverty is Faith-Based
by Former Rep. Tom Delay (R-TX)
Poor people lack faith, and they
don't work hard like I do.
Two years ago , Hurricane Katrina put a spotlight on the issue of poverty. Unfortunately, too many Americans remain in the dark. The media does a good job covering the effects of poverty, but they completely ignore the root cause. Poverty is largely a faith-based problem. It is caused when people foolishly have faith in government instead of in God.
Good examples of this fact were provided every time a poor New Orleans resident complained about FEMA. It exposed a faith in government, and that faith was gloriously crushed by God. Sadly, it’s the only way the poor seem to learn, and it’s why God had to do what He did. It makes me feel sorry for God, and it’s why I hate the poor. Poor people, like homosexuals, force God to do mean things.
God tried to help everyone evacuate. He ordered New Orleans residents to leave the city, for instance, but only the faithful got His message. They didn’t actually hear God speak, of course. God worked his magic through their unconscious minds to coax them out of the city. Only President Bush and Pat Robertson actually get to hear His words and His voice.
After the hurricane, networks ran story after story about poor people struggling to find food, water, clothing, shelter, etc. But all they really needed to find was faith in God. If these poor people had had faith in God before the hurricane hit, they would have responded to His call and left New Orleans. They also wouldn’t have been so poor to begin with.

http://www.thegayblackjew.com/articles/Faithinpoverty.html

continued...