RE the SCOTUS decision handed down yesterday re "issue ads":  

It is not the fact that this decision was made it is the fact that, when put in context with more recent decisions, this Court has gone to the dark side.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/26/opinion/26tue1.html?th&emc=th

While saying that the "speaker" wins over "censorship" on this case, they also said that the boy with the "bong for Jesus" sign had no right to display that sign? Where is the logic that allows both of these decisions to be made by the same court?

As the NYT says in today's editorial section: "the professed devotion to the First Amendment did not extend to allowing taxpayers to challenge White House aid to faith-based organizations as a violation of church-state separation." Allowing a citizen to seek relief from the government is in the Bill of Rights.

Each of these decisions has a plus and minus side.

The point is that the Roberts Court is deliberately moving toward a specific political view of the government's role in our lives.

That is not the job of the Supreme Court. (You'd be surprised at my view of some of the past courts' behavior in this regard.) The role of the Supreme court is to ensure that the constitution is being upheld. Since Roberts is a Bush appointee and we know how much regard the Bush/Cheney cabal has for the constitution, this shouldn't be a surprise.

Just like Bush's signing statements, this Supreme Court is ignoring precedent and deciding what laws should be upheld without declaring those laws void. In essence, they are saying a law can be enforced when they want to be rather than all the time. This is a signal for chaos in the judicial system regardless of your opinion on specific cases.

The known vacancies in the judicial system that were up for Presidential appointments was the primary reason I never supported Bush. I didn't want him to have that power. I was right.

I hope you all caught The Daily Show last night and Jon Stewart's take on the whole Cheney-in-Charge comments.  It was priceless, as always.  

In my opinion: Cheney is the one running the show in the White House? Why I'm surprised; shocked even!  C'mon!  We have a President who says things like "strategery" and "decider" (Commander in Chief just had too many big words to remember), bungled completely the  "Fool me once.." phrase and was more concerned about "the pig" when he was meeting with Chancellor Merkal of Germany than he was discussing foreign policy.  If anyone doesn't think GWB rode the short bus to Yale, they are just as clueless as he is.  Like in the movies, Cheney is the real President and GW just his stand-in.  

Todd: I agree with you regarding Chris Matthews. I did at one time watch his show but the more I watched the more I seemed to learn what this guy truly represented. I have seen Matthews change positions on a dime depending on who was making news at the time. I have seen him crawl on his knees to get guests on his show. Not to give him the opportunity to challenge them but to boost his ratings. I have seen him make obvious comments of suppport for Presidential candidiates only to change his tune when some other candidate appeared to be taking the lead. I recall he was a staunch and very vocal supporter of John McCain when McCain was running against Bush in the primaries, and then when Bush took the SC primary Matthews changed his tune about McCain and backed down from how the Bush campaign was unfairly crucifying McCain. I have seen him give way so easily to republicans supporting this administration with no hard questions or challenges on their positions. Matthews has been a waffler on the Iraq issue as well, appearing to be against the conflict one day and then softening his opinion about the conflict and this administration the next day. When covering the recent debates (along with Keith) all Matthews could do was plug his college tour specials and spend the entire evening begging candidates to call him for a spot on this college tour. He promotes himself, his books and his appearances on TV outside of Hardball and it has become so obviously self-serving. I used to think he knew quite a bit about politics but even on that score I have changed my mind. He calls his show Hardball and advertises the same by stating this is where the hard questions are asked. But if you watch the show there is nothing Hardball about it. MSNBC needs to change the name of Matthew's show to I'll Kiss Your Ass If You Come On My Show So I Can Get Ratings and Sell My Books and Promote My College Tour Specials". Or better yet, fire Matthews and stick in his place Bill Mahr or expand Countdown to take up Matthews slot as well. You know, nothing has been directly stated on television during the debates or the like, but when Matthews is talking to Keith and/or sharing a stage with him, it is so obvious from Matthew's comments and mannerisms he does not like Keith and sees Keith as a threat in getting the  attention that Matthews obviously and so desparetly wants and needs.  

Don't be shocked at Richard (another Dick) Lugar.  The closer the next election comes, the more Repugnikants are going to jump off the sinking ship.  It's not that they're waking up, it's just politics as usual.  

It's like all those Repugnikants rushing to donate Abramoff money to charity after he was indicted.  It wasn't that they developed a sudden interest in doing good or a distate for money, it was politics again and the need to get a hasty divorce from anything Abramoff.

Countdown:  Please, please limit your Paris coverage to a mention only.  We've had enough today on MSNBC including plenty of Musto.  Yuck.

Instead, how about a mention of "239"?  That's the number of bills passed by the House only to be blocked by the NeoConJobs in the Senate.  Read about that and more here"

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/06/26/thinkfast-june-25-2007-2/

Kudos given there to those Presidential Scholars.  Those young people certainly didn't have any problems telling truth to power.   People could learn a lot FROM THEM.  

Hmmmmmm all that stuff coming out...about us.  About Cheney.  About our new boy Fred Thompson.  Demanding information during a time of war.  And the nerve of those High School kids to even question a President in a time of war.  And that Rahm Emmanuel - the nerve of him even suggesting to cut off the money to a Vice President in a time of war.  And those DemocRAT Senators and Congressmen with their stem cell research bills in a time of war.  And even our puppets - er - people - in Congress won't help us to get that Immigration Bill passed so we get a bump in the polls for getting something done while helping our corporate donors.

And even Rudy is in trouble.  Our go-to guy to remind them about 9/11 and terror and stuff.  Our buddy McCain already on the way out too.  In a time of war, too!

We gotta stop this.  This news must not get coverage.

Good thing Paris is getting out of jail - they'll all cover that.  Hours and hours of it.  Also the investigation of the death of that pretty pregnant white lady - yeah, they'll cover that too.  Lots of nice juicy details.  Less time for those bad stories about us.  Our boys on Fox will help us out, but those "other guys" gotta fall in line.  It's a time of war!

We need something more to distract them.  Another missing pretty young white woman.  Some scandal like the astronaut in diapers.  Something to stop the stories about us from coming out.  

Maybe it's time for us to reach into that folder we keep on those terror cells - you know the ones - those terrorist wanna-be's that can't tie their own shoes - and make a big round up.  Great big arrest.  A big TV show that they can play over and over again on how we're keeping America safe.  Remind them over and over again that there hasn't been a terrorist attack while we've been keeping them safe.

Note to self:  Gotta develop more talking points about the space between 1993 and 2001 where there weren't any attacks either.  We don't have propaganda - er - a good argument for that yet.

Karl Rove
on an undisclosed email server
from an undisclosed location
delete when read
scheduled for self-destruction after being read unless deleted

Hi folks, today is June 26,2007. What the hell happened to the America that I was born in?? The government has dropped the ball on all of us, corporate America runs everything, by paying off every politician they can reach. We focus on rich little bitchy brats, instead of what is really important. No body does there job anymore, they would rather pass the buck to the next guy in line. This includes every one from government to the private sector. I am ashamed to say that I am an American, and you all should be too. We let this happen. We would rather sue someone to get something we dont deserve, rather than go get it the good old fashion way, work for it. What a great example we set for our children and grandchildren. Lets all lie, cheat, and steal to get what we want. Let's all just start car jacking everyone, because its easier to do that, than going out and get an honest job. What a sad place the USA has become!!

Todd & Pat - How correct you both are about Chris Mathews; as I stopped watching him after his Tom Delay "nice nice" interview.

I tuned in a couple of times when NOTHING else was on and that lasted no longer than two minutes at the most.  

Hardball is indeed disgracing MSNBC and I surely wish Chris Mathews would join the FOX team so he would not be affiliated with MSNBC at all!!

I'm so upset about the Ann Coulter interview; I will boycott anything he is on, including debates sponsored by MSNBC.  I'll just get the "cliff notes" elsewhere - like from all of you knowledgeable people!!

Linda - I love your posts and have learned a great deal from you.  I just wanted to thank you.  I concur with you on the "No Child Left Behind"; in addition, thank you for your expanded explanation.

CA -  

As you said in your excellent post:

"MSNBC needs to change the name of Matthew's show to I'll Kiss Your Ass If You Come On My Show So I Can Get Ratings and Sell My Books and Promote My College Tour Specials". Or better yet, fire Matthews and stick in his place Bill Mahr or expand Countdown to take up Matthews slot as well."

I agreeeeeeeee soooooooo much.  Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm 2 hours of Countdown. Or an hour of Bill Mahr and an hour of Countdown.  Now that's what I call "must watch TV."

Remember folks - Part 3 of the Cheney revelations are out today.  You can also access the previous 2 parts from here too.  You've got that extra hour to read it that you're not going to use watching Screech-a-lot Anorexic Ann CoulterGeist on Softball tonight.

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/cheney/chapters/a_strong_push_from_back_stage/index.html

Independent- It just occured to me; now that the supreme court justices ruled on something totally opposite the way I think they should have ruled, I can now pepper everything I say with comments about the current crop of ACTIVIST judges, right?  

Well Buzz (2:38) I've always ranted about an activist judicial system, so yeah. I guess.

Sue - I've been emailing MSNBC regarding getting Bill Maher on board for MONTHS!!!! Wouldn't that be great!!

Independent 11:43 said

"I was (and still am) trying to prove to myself that I am not just blindly anti-Bush since no one is ever or has ever said anything good about the administration, I get worried about true balance."

Stop trying to stretch for good Bush.  There ain't any.  I'm sure that you and the rest of us are perfectly fine and of sound mind with politics not entering into the equation.  BushCo is simply existing in an opposite universe.

He's against everything we're for:

He's FOR exploiting anything and everything for political gain;  we prefer truth and honesty.  

He's FOR benefiting the wealthy and corporate;  we would like to see families afford food, housing, medical and dental care, education, etc. without incurring massive debt.  

He's for war - lying if needed - to get it;  we're for peace and harmony with others with war as an absolutely, positively last resort for our self defense.  

He's for enriching military contractors;  we're for giving the military a much needed pay raise so they don't need to rely on federal welfare or local food stamps and housing programs.  

He's for enriching insurance companies by allowing them to deny worthwhile claims;  we believe that insurance is a guarentee that when something bad happens - you're covered.  

He's for dictatorship;  we're for a republic (sounds like the 3rd episode of the Star Wars saga).  

He's for federal involvement in private behavior (birth control, abortion, marriage, etc.);  we're for personal rights and freedom.  

He's for sending other people's kids to die and bleed in war, but avoiding service himself;  we believe that when this country is in war that we all should sacrifice to bring a swift and speedy end to conflict.

It's not that we hate Bush - it's that we hate everything he has done and is continuing to do to our country.

Don't worry - you're fine.  

Sue and Pam,

It sounds like a good idea to get Bill Maher on MSNBC but I think he would lose his edge if he swtiched over from the no-censor HBO format.  He would have to bow to the network's "can't say this, can't show that" censorship and it just wouldn't be the same.  Now on the other hand, I would LOVE to see Keith on Real Time or even have his own show on HBO or Showtime so he could REALLY tell it like it is, no holds barred.  

Sue, West Allis, Wisconsin (Sent Tuesday, June 26, 2007 3:42 PM)

Thanks Sue, I needed that. (smile)

I am worried however, that I still can't trust the press. They waited until public opinion swung against Bush before they started printing anything negative. How do I know that they are simply swinging the other way now?

Thank god for the internet and non-MSM sources

and for you bloggers, of course.

Great piece on the 50 scholarship winners yesterday! It took guts to tell the emperor he's buck naked to his face!
Countdown people. please please please no more pieces about Paris Hilton, Harry Potter, Anna Nicole, Lindsay et. al. It is all so much fluff to keep our eyes off of the ball. If I or tanyone of the vast majority of yuor viewers and bloggers wanted stories of that kind we'd read the damned tabloids.

LA and Independent:  Maher would be fine - he got fired by Comedy Central because he said anti-Bush things while the medial was choking on all the Kool Aid they were drinking.  The media doesn't really care about what people say.  They care about bucks.  Making lots and lots of bucks.  When they made bucks supporting BushCo, they supported BushCo.  Now that the tide is starting to turn, maybe they'll make more bucks covering the other side.  We have a corporate media...the bottom line is the bottom line.  Money money money makes their world go round (not the laws of physics).  

They tend to support the Repugnikants because their corporate masters make loads of bucks from them.

Independent:  I was only meaning 'your' post about a General and Gitmo, as opposed to 'my' post.  I won't put that general on you brother.:)

My thoughts and feelings about No Child Left Behind have absolutely nothing to do with this administration, but everything to do with being a Mom of four young boys who is concerned, as most parents are, about their childrens education.  So, no worries about Bush.

Chris Matthews:  I can't watch him-period.  It's not his guest, it's his spitting when he speaks, and the fact that he interrupts his guests even more than Oprah does hers-very annoying.

PEACE!

There is nothing wrong with inviting Coulter on a talk show. I would watch. But only if the hosts will graciously make a few points to shove her one-sided money making ludicrist comments right down her throat. And if that didn't work perhaps a pie or two in her face like happened before. Listen to me discussing such acts when I stress diplomtic approaches all the time. Oh well, this is one person I really, really can't take and wished I had sat behind in grade school. I would have been pulling her hair all the time to get her into trouble. The trouble is, Matthews is not the person to challenge her garbage mouth. Hell, he is probbaly pissed she most likely sells more books then he does. Now let's get her on Keith's show. That I believe most would watch.  

Better yet. How giving Coulter about 30 minutes or more on the Bill Mahr show. Now that I would really watch! Trouble is she would not accept the invite. She wouldn't have the balls.

Hey Krista.  I love it when Richard Wolffe is on too!  First, the man is very intelligent and very well spoken, all without being condescending. And.....

....I have a bit of a crush on him.:)

PEACE!

CA - The point is NOT that CoulterGeist is on Softball, but the kid glove treatment he gives her - he's drooling all over her - but the fact that he would not give equal access to a full hour of his show to, lets say, Michael Moore.

Fair is fair, but to Matthews unfair is also fair.  Shame.

LA - I hear you, but I think Bill Maher would make an excellent news anchor.  He would tell it as it is and never let up. He despises Bush and is brilliant.

Maybe he could go back to HBO after the Administration from Hell is out of office!!

PEACE!!

Hey CA:  The first time I ever heard of or saw the Coulter, she was on Politically Incorrect.  HAH!  The way she dressed, her hair, everything, I seriously thought she was an a pole dancer coming on defend her profession and talk about how incorrect it was to label her-I'm serious.

When she started speaking-I wish I could remember who else was on there-she was seething and shaking and could barely get her words out.  Mahr was decent to her, but she wasn't the same hateful speaker she is now.  Don't get me wrong, she was hateful, but she obviously has finessed the interview part and being able to speak without sputtering.

I want to say one of the other guests was Jeanane (sp?) Garafolo, but I could be wrong.

PEACE!

C A - For some "odd" reason, Ann Coulter loves Bill Maher.  She's been on his HBO show, not recently, but about a year ago.  

She really likes him, she acts differently so Bill wouldn't get the chance to attack her crap.  She admitted she likes Bill Maher AND has a great deal of respect for him. - GO FIGURE!!

Keith's Harry Potter theory isn't original or anything new.  Someone else already thought of this idea and it's been on different Potter websites for awhile.

Here are some quaint little anecdotes for those that love to love the Coulter:

Yep, her ability to predict is as about as good as her ability to speak politely-clearly not evident!

"I think [Whitewater]'s going to prevent the First Lady from running for Senate."---Rivera Live 3/12/99

"My track record is pretty good on predictions."---Rivera Live 12/8/98

THIS, my fellow Americans, is what a true patriot says:

To a disabled Vietnam vet: "People like you caused us to lose that war."---MSNBC

Um, if this is her 'thought' process, it wouldn't bode well for King George!

"I think there should be a literacy test and a poll tax for people to vote."---Hannity & Colmes, 8/17/99

Okay, these two go without saying.  At least we know Bill was gettin' some:

"We're now at the point that it's beyond whether or not this guy is a horny hick. I really think it's a question of his mental stability. He really could be a lunatic. I think it is a rational question for Americans to ask whether their president is insane."---Equal Time

"It's enough [to be impeached] for the president to be a pervert."---The Case Against Bill Clinton, Coulter's 1998 book.

Obviously stating the obvious about her good 'Christian' values.  A one night stand is okay, as long as you're not married.  Mmm, k!

"Let's say I go out every night, I meet a guy and have sex with him. Good for me. I'm not married."---Rivera Live 6/7/00

Too late:

"You want to be careful not to become just a blowhard."---Washington Post 10/16/98

Yes, the uber Christian, patriotic love filled representative of the far right.  You all must be soooo proud!

Fellow bloggers. Ms. Coulter would be so proud to know that she is causing this much trouble. It would please her no end to know that we discuss her so much. Remember - there is no such thing as bad press. All the stuff you guys are saying about her is why she is making money.

Ignore her and maybe she'll go away.

Simple sentences to the media that cover her will do it: If you cover her, we will not buy your product. Period.

Otherwise, all the ranting just puts money in her accounts which is why she does it anyway.

I'm as tired of hearing about her as I am of hearing/seeing she-who-must-not-be-named.

I hear Ann Coulter loves giving Dubya's VP Dicks,Head ..Information of HQ,Head of Heading the Head Department of Head Intelligence,to Head up the Committee of Head of the Departments that Head those Departments that Head.

It's run by James Carville with no hair on his head.He is our secret plant Dick.The Ragin Cagin has had enough.
Ann you make Monica Lewinsky look like Mother Teresa.

You are the porn star of the Republican party you show your ass so much when you open your mouth Britney is getting pissed your walking on her turf.The Head RNC Cheerleader X Rated Ann Loose Lips No its fill in the T Coulter.
What a man she is.
Go see scott he'll fix you a Neutron Burger in NV desert or maybe Larry can take you for a ride on his Condi Raft down in the Charleston swamps with the other snakes.

Sue - Michael Moore would be a great guest for Chris!! How brilliant!! I would cut the boycott for one night in order to see that interview!! I think you've found the answer my friend!! Start emailing - PEACE!!

Sorry Bill from Rochester, the 50 kids, presidential scholors are not scholorship winners. These kids were invited to go to Washington to participate in workshops. They pay they own way, about $5000 each. You need to know who these kids are before you embarass yourself again. Of course no research on this site or countdown. I also heard that 50 of the boys were looking for Bill Clinton hoping to experience the ultimate BJ, you know , the real gov't by liberals.

Hey yall, the 19 % that approve of Cheney is still 6% higher than the Congress , so who should go ?  The democrat party is in shambles, can't pass a thing, can't figure out why a lying cheating torturing murdering misleading illiterate cowboy is still more popular than they are. It's very simple - liberalism is dead. Never has worked and never will. Same old ideas bring the same old results. GOp in 08 looking better every day !  

Jamie - Great work on the collective hate-filled speech from Ann Coulter!! Oh, but I'm sure she at her "House of Worship" every Sunday in that stupid black mini dress she ALWAYS wears!! You’d think with all the money she makes off her repellent books, she could afford a new outfit.

Every time I’ve seen her, she’s in that same “repeat” dress, spewing the same vile!! Maybe she just tape records her “answers”, or screeching interruptions, as she never listens to what anyone says anyway. Whoever is bigoted and stupid enough to have her on his/her program perhaps just edits her in!!

I will never watch Hardball again and hope Chris Mathews' pays for this with bad ratings until he's off the air!!

CHRIS - YOU ARE A DISGRACE!!

Thanks Jamie - that must have taken you some time to research and compile.  

I deliberately didn't watch the slime ball tonight.  I'm so not ever watching Softball anymore either until he devotes a full hour interviewing a real liberal.

Sue - The circus has come to town again AND brought a friend!!

John in Philly: Grow up.  You come out with something to argue with, then you bring it all down with the bj crap.  ZAP!  There goes your credibility.

James in Richmond:  'can't figure out why a lying cheating torturing murdering misleading illiterate cowboy'  Well, at least you can admit your boy is exactly what we all know he is.  Thanks.  BTW, we're called progressives, and they won in '06.  To be true they're acting like a bunch of bungholes right now, but to sure, there won't be the GOP in '08.  Why?  Because your boy George is in the red when it comes to  'political capital,' and he's taking the GOP down with him.

Sue:  Not too much research.  Being the media whore that Coulter is, it didn't take much to find a few websites devoted to her, uh, take on America.  Funny, I only found one that was actually positive-her own.:)

I don't watch Chris Matthews anyway for reasons stated earlier:  Too much spit and too many inerruptions of his guests.

PEACE!

Hey Jamie - Don't you love it when statistics about "popularity" of the congress are low that it is assumed to indicate a problem with the Democrats? Hmmm - how're 270+ bills sitting in the Senate republican chamber doin'?

Connie from South Bend, who cares if Keith's idea for how Harry Potter ends is original or not? Point is, it's his, and I assume he arrived at it himself, even if it has been voiced by others. Actually I'd be kind of surprised if it hadn't, now that I've heard it. I'm curious to see how things go. I'm sure there are some other ending theories that have been arrived at by more than one person theorizing on his or her own.

As for Ann Coulter, I'd like to see her given no air time by anyone again...ever. Bill Maher? Frankly, don't like him and don't know why anyone else does, Keith included. I know that probably makes me a traitor, but I don't.

As for the high school kids who presented Bush with the request to end torture, bully for them and thanks to Keith for telling us about these "heroes."

Coulter she must been kidding me last night. I only could take her a few minutes at one time because either she doesn't know how stupid she sounded or she is just that stupid period. Now recording to her Afganistan was a not involved in 9/11 but iraq was? are you kidding? also Saddan and Ban Ladden where allies are you kidding? al qaiida wasn't in Iraq under Saddams control can somebody explain that to her? How can anybody be lising to her or take here serious? poor Hunter , if she indorces him he will loose for sure.

LOL Pam - yeah the circus is in town again with some additional fleas.  Ignore them and they'll find another dog to pester.

Say it's not so, New York - If God were to come down personally to "explain" reality and the truth to Ann Coulter, she'd most likely would begin advocating for His/Her assassination too!!

I indeed hope for Senator Edwards and his wife have some legal avenue they can pursue against her.  There is no word, in any language, to describe this vile piece of crap!!

I agree with Keith's theory about how the series will end. I think additionally the spell or curse to remove someone's magical powers will be some dual-spell that only works if two people perform it on each other. And that will be where Draco comes back.

Snape will have kept Draco somewhere safe and away from the Deatheaters, and then will bring him back and explain to him how it was Dumbledore who forced Snape to kill him in the event that Draco was going to. Dumbledore wanted to save Draco from the dark side(tm). Draco's redemption will be giving up his magical powers along with Harry to finally end the reign of Lord Voldermort.

John in Philly atb least I got ht number right. It was 50 kids total girls included. Since the R's have been in power for most of the past 27 years how can those kids find government by liberals that doesn't exist? You Righties take the cake! You've been in charge all that time and still try to pin your own mistakes on liberals. remember the Dems have only been in the majority (a small one at that) for slightly over 5 months

John in Philly Why the hang up over Clinton and the bjs? Could it be that he's had one more recently than you? His future prospects for another greater than yours perhaps? Jealous maybe?
One more thing you sound an awful lot like Larry from Charleston an alias perhaps?

Say its not so said
"are you kidding? also Saddan and Ban Ladden where allies are you kidding? al qaiida wasn't in Iraq under Saddams control can somebody explain that to her?"
Ansar al-Islam was banrolled by Bin Laden, its command structure was staffed by al-Qu'ida and al-Qu'ida connected Taliban.
Bin Laden and Saddam had different agendas just as WW2 Japan and Germany had different agendas yet they did cooperate.
Bin Laden made it clear in his public messages that he supported Saddam's Regime against the US.
Al-Zarqawi Leader of "al-Qu'ida in Iraq" also made his intentions plain enough.
Believe it or not, Northern Iraq was still in Iraq, it hadn't moved nor had its borders somehow changed to suit common misperceptions.

Message (please, no HTML tags. Web addresses will be hyperlinked):