A new flash animation from Take Back the Media.

The topic is so serious, that it is very deep. But yet Rumsfield is such an idiot, and looks so funny in this animation that while want to feel anger, you also want to laugh.

Just go watch it. And maybe donate to help take back the media.

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Notes About Washington 1/14

Republicans getting ready to start slashing programs including homeland security.

Under a draft version of [Republican Incoming Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Ted] Stevens's 2003 budget plan for departments and agencies, funds for the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the FBI, "first responders" and port security would be reduced below levels set last year when Democrats controlled the Senate. Installation of a high-tech border security system would be delayed, and funding for new border facilities would be reduced.

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Education initiatives launched by several senior Democrats would be eliminated, but funds for the low-income program that is a centerpiece of President Bush's education plan would also be trimmed. There would also be reductions in aid to dislocated workers -- a top priority of senior House Republicans, such as Rep. Ralph Regula (Ohio), representing industrial states hit hard by the economic downturn.

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Money for maintaining national parks, Amtrak subsidies and restoration of the Florida Everglades would be trimmed from levels proposed by the Senate Appropriations Committee before Congress adjourned last year.

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The proposal would cut $132 million from the administration's $3.5 billion request for "first responders" -- state and local agencies that mobilize after terrorist acts. The cuts are in accounts funding improved communication between local fire and police jurisdictions, sources said.

To fund the tax cuts Bush gave away, they are going to cut not only funds for education, national parks and aid for dislocated workers, but they are also going to cut funding for homeland security, border security, port security, first responders, and communications for local fire and police. So before they give away even more tax cuts to the wealthy, they are going to cut many things important to all Americans including our national security. Isn't that nice?

 

President getting ready to enter affirmative-action case.

There is a landmark afirmative action case before the Supreme Court. The Washington Times, media with a strong conservative slant, believes Bush is getting ready to side against affirmative action.

President Bush is planning to side with white students against the University of Michigan in a landmark affirmative-action case before the Supreme Court this week, said a source close to White House deliberations.

He does not appear to be siding against legacy admissions, however. A funny way to show minorities that they are welcome into the Republican Party.

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Perdue said he will seek a referendum.

Moon Pie proved me wrong! I guess he has decided not to back away from it. I don't think the GOP and local business leaders are going to be happy about this. It will, however, be a non-binding referendum, with the final decision left to the legislature. Now way the legislature ever changes the flag again.

Best case scenario is for him and the GOP to have the referendum worded so that it fails. A yes/no question "Should we change the flag back to the one that features the confederate battle flag?" would certainly fail. Giving an option of many flags may split the vote, and allow the flaggers to win. I believe we will see a yes/no question, and the referendum failing. The flaggers will still be all pissed off, Georgians will all look like a bunch of rubes, convention business in Atlanta will take a hit, but Perdue can say that he delivered. Oh well.

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Utah State Senator Chris Buttars proposes bill requiring Utah students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

"This is America. They ought to know what their government is about. And the pledge tells you what that means definitively, plainly and simply."

Evidently reciting the pledge hasn't taught this guy what America is all about. One of the greatest things about America is that you do not have to recite the pledge, worship in a state selected religion, and refrain from criticizing the government. Maybe a good civics class would be in order for him? As if you could not guess, he is a Republican.

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War is not the answer.

Just because Sheryl Crow wore the shirt at the American Music Awards, go buy all her CDs

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This is the third dog shot by Cookeville police officer.

The Cookeville police officer that shot the Smoak's dog in a traffic stop, has shot dogs on two previous occasions. The circumstances were different, but Eric Hall seems to enjoy shooting dogs.

In one incident, the owner asked for the dog to be put down. In the other, Hall shot the dog and later the owner said the dog was mean and he was thinking of getting rid of it anyway.

South Knox Bubba asks:

I wonder what the statistics are regarding how many law enforcement officers have killed a dog in the line of duty? I wonder how many have killed three?

I am starting to think that Eric Hall has watched "To Kill a Mockingbird" a few too many times on Superstation 17, and thinks he is Atticus Finch. I would suggest he read the book too many times, but he doesn't really seem like the book reading type.

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Bush approval rating falls.

That is not the news. The news is that mainstream media, like the AJC, is finally starting to carry stories that are not flattering to Bush and company. Maybe reporters will actually become reporters again, instead of trying to be buddies with the news makers they are covering. Who knows, one day somebody may actually ask Bush a tough question.

By the way, Bush's rating according to the CNN-USA Today-Gallup poll is 58%, about where Clinton's was during the Monica Lewinsky story.

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