The Hamster

News
AP. Daschle: Bush aims to defame Clarke
NYT. Ex-Aide's Book Corners Market in Capital Buzz
AZ Rep. Bush visiting Phoenix today
AZ Rep. Ariz. lawmakers likely to push for federal gay marriage ban
AZ Rep. Math teacher takes up Dem challenge to McCain
AP. AG: SF officials violated separation of powers in gay marriages
Delaware State News. Minimum pay hike pitched: Wage would rise to $6.65
Clarion-Ledger. Pickering gives '60 Minutes' interview
SaltLakeTrib. GOP rivals put Walker in hot seat
DetFP. Soldiers get more help to cope with stresses of war
The Hill. Dean backs Kerry, urges younger voters to do same
The Hill. Dem complaints pay off with nine probes
AP. Conservatives Win Big With Fetus Bill
AP. FCC Adopts New Rules for Satellite TV
Houston Chron. Indictment threat on DeLay's mind
Guardian. Bush jokes about search for WMD, but it's no laughing matter for critics
BGlobe. Democratic VIPs boost Kerry, raise record $11m
BGlobe. Bush adds to coffers in Kerry's backyard
BGlobe. GOP greets Bush; so do 2 Democrats
SFC. Newsom wows 'em at bash in Washington
AP. Bush's joke about weapons of mass destruction draw criticism
NYT. Rice Is Agreeable to Return for More of 9/11 Panel's Queries
NYT. Kerry to Propose Eliminating a Tax Break on U.S. Companies' Overseas Profits
WP. Neither Silent Nor a Public Witness: Presidential Adviser Rice Becomes a 9/11 Focal Point as Contradictions Appear
WP. House Approves $2.4 Trillion Budget Plan: Resolution That Would Curb Spending Still Provides for Tax Reductions

Commentary
Jimmy Breslin. Only One Guy with Guts in the Bunch
Salon. Republicans for Kerry? After enduring a sustained offensive from conservatives, Republican moderates are quietly mounting a counterattack against Bush, DeLay & Co
Eric Boehlert. A former FBI translator told the 9/11 commission that the bureau had detailed information well before Sept. 11, 2001, that terrorists were likely to attack the U.S. with airplanes
Dennis Jett. Searching for Colin Powell: The real Powell Doctrine is self-interest as national interest
Thomas Geoghegan. John Kerry, international man of mystery? By wrecking the Western alliance, President Bush has paved the way for a President Kerry to rebuild it
David Corn. The 9/11 Bog
John Gartner. The Army's Chemical Weapons Conundrum
Bill Berkowitz. Will the Bush-endorsed anti-same-sex marriage amendment drive gays from the GOP?
Trudy Rubin. Clarke is angry -- with plenty of reason
SFC. Save Haiti from its ills
James O. Goldsborough. Nader A party of one
Steve Chapman. President Bush's big mistakes in the war on terrorism
Paul Krugman. The Medicare Muddle
Bob Herbert. The Wrong War
NYT. The Wrong Target
E. J. Dionne Jr. Democracy's Revenge
Derrick Z. Jackson. A fatal distraction
BGlobe. A law left behind
AJC. Rice should testify before panel

Posted by Eric at 11:59 PM | Comments (6)

Kerry Promises 10 Million Jobs

From a speech in Detroit, Michigan:

Last August, I proposed a new jobs credit that would give manufacturers a break on the payroll taxes for every new worker they hire. I believe we should expand it to industries outside manufacturing where jobs are endangered by outsourcing – so that we help create more jobs, whether it comes to cars or computer software or call centers.

Second, the savings from ending the tax incentives for outsourcing can also expand jobs tax credit to cover all small businesses and their employees. For most small business owners, that means that if they create jobs, they will pay lower taxes in a Kerry Administration than they do under President Bush.

Third, savings can finance a 25% tax credit for small businesses when they provide health care for their workers. The rise in health care costs under this Administration has hit everyone hard, but no one harder than small business owners and their employees. As the Chair of the Small Business committee in the Senate, I saw again and again how small businesses can be the engine of job creation – and those jobs are the ones most likely to be created here and to stay here.

Fourth, if we are willing to close loopholes and abuses in our tax system, then we can afford to lower taxes in the right way to spur growth and jobs. With the savings I proposed today, we can and should reduce the corporate tax rates by 5% – to improve competitiveness and to narrow the difference between corporate tax rates here and overseas. Some may be surprised to hear a Democrat calling for lower corporate tax rates. The fact is, I don’t care about the old debates. I care about getting the job done and about creating jobs in America.

Finally, I won’t let America wage the fight for our economic future with one hand tied behind our back. No one should misunderstand me: I am not protectionist – but I am a competitor. American workers are the most competitive in the world – and they deserve a government that’s as competitive as they are. We will demand our trading partners play by the rules they’ve agreed to and show them that America means business when it comes to enforcing our trade agreements. The Bush Administration has refused to enforce our trade agreements. That not only costs jobs; over time, it threatens to erode support for open markets and a growing global economy. And it deprives us of one of the most important tools we have to safeguard our own workers and our environment – and to raise standards internationally.

More on John Kerry's jobs proposal.

Posted by Eric at 03:17 PM | Comments (47)

Kerry Promises 10 Million Jobs

From a speech in Detroit, Michigan:

Last August, I proposed a new jobs credit that would give manufacturers a break on the payroll taxes for every new worker they hire. I believe we should expand it to industries outside manufacturing where jobs are endangered by outsourcing – so that we help create more jobs, whether it comes to cars or computer software or call centers.

Second, the savings from ending the tax incentives for outsourcing can also expand jobs tax credit to cover all small businesses and their employees. For most small business owners, that means that if they create jobs, they will pay lower taxes in a Kerry Administration than they do under President Bush.

Third, savings can finance a 25% tax credit for small businesses when they provide health care for their workers. The rise in health care costs under this Administration has hit everyone hard, but no one harder than small business owners and their employees. As the Chair of the Small Business committee in the Senate, I saw again and again how small businesses can be the engine of job creation – and those jobs are the ones most likely to be created here and to stay here.

Fourth, if we are willing to close loopholes and abuses in our tax system, then we can afford to lower taxes in the right way to spur growth and jobs. With the savings I proposed today, we can and should reduce the corporate tax rates by 5% – to improve competitiveness and to narrow the difference between corporate tax rates here and overseas. Some may be surprised to hear a Democrat calling for lower corporate tax rates. The fact is, I don’t care about the old debates. I care about getting the job done and about creating jobs in America.

Finally, I won’t let America wage the fight for our economic future with one hand tied behind our back. No one should misunderstand me: I am not protectionist – but I am a competitor. American workers are the most competitive in the world – and they deserve a government that’s as competitive as they are. We will demand our trading partners play by the rules they’ve agreed to and show them that America means business when it comes to enforcing our trade agreements. The Bush Administration has refused to enforce our trade agreements. That not only costs jobs; over time, it threatens to erode support for open markets and a growing global economy. And it deprives us of one of the most important tools we have to safeguard our own workers and our environment – and to raise standards internationally.

More on John Kerry's jobs proposal.

Posted by Eric at 03:17 PM | Comments (13)

Other Funny Bush Joke

Remember this one?

Bush, in the weeks before September 11, pledged to honor the sanctity of the Social Security lockbox except in the event of recession, war, or a national emergency. But after "everything changed" on 9/11, he reportedly gloated to his budget director, Mitch Daniels, "Lucky me--I hit the trifecta!" At the time, this comment (a variation of which is being recycled for laughs at current GOP fundraisers) seemed merely offensive. But in light of revelations that Bush's August 6 briefing memo was titled "Bin Laden Determined to Strike U.S.," Bush's "luck" and weird prescience are worth more than passing scrutiny.

Posted by Eric at 03:12 PM | Comments (19)

Other Funny Bush Joke

Remember this one?

Bush, in the weeks before September 11, pledged to honor the sanctity of the Social Security lockbox except in the event of recession, war, or a national emergency. But after "everything changed" on 9/11, he reportedly gloated to his budget director, Mitch Daniels, "Lucky me--I hit the trifecta!" At the time, this comment (a variation of which is being recycled for laughs at current GOP fundraisers) seemed merely offensive. But in light of revelations that Bush's August 6 briefing memo was titled "Bin Laden Determined to Strike U.S.," Bush's "luck" and weird prescience are worth more than passing scrutiny.

Posted by Eric at 03:12 PM | Comments (8)

GOP Criticizes Herseth for Associating with Sites Like Hamster

As first noted by Daily Kos, GOPers are criticizing Stephanie Herseth for receiving donations from liberal blogs like this site. AP:

Republicans have accused Democratic U.S. House candidate Stephanie Herseth of maintaining a secret Web page to receive campaign donations raised from ads on liberal groups' Internet sites.

But a Herseth campaign official scoffed at the charge, saying the Web page is not secret and can be found easily with a standard search of the Internet.

Herseth faces Republican Larry Diedrich in a June 1 special election to fill the vacancy left when Bill Janklow resigned as South Dakota's lone member of the U.S. House.

Jason Glodt, executive director of the South Dakota Republican Party, said the Herseth campaign arranged the special Internet donation site to prevent most South Dakotans from knowing about Herseth's relationship with such liberal groups.

The Herseth Web page takes campaign donations from people directed there from Internet sites called "blogs," which are online bulletin boards that feature journals, opinionated articles and messages.

"There's a reason she's got that secret site. She doesn't want to advertise the fact she's doing this," Glodt said Thursday.

"I think the real point is you judge a person by the friends they keep, and look where she's focusing her fund-raising efforts," Glodt said. "Anybody can look at these blogs and the content, and realize the values they are promoting are completely contradictory to the South Dakota values she purports to represent."

Crap, I suck. =(

However, Herseth campaign spokesman Russ Levsen said that particular Internet page merely takes donations from people who find out about the campaign when they visit political blogs that feature Herseth ads.

"I would dispute the premise that it's secret because it's an open site on the Internet that anybody can get to," Levsen said.

The supposedly secret Web site is one of the first results when an Internet user does a standard search for the terms "blog" and "Herseth" on the Google search engine, Levsen said.

Most of the donations that result from ads on the blogs are for amounts of less than $50, Levsen said. "This is grass-roots politics."

The "secret page", with about a dozen blogs listed. Crazy liberal Instapundit is listed too. Hm ..

Make a donation today, big or small, remember the .04 addition!

Posted by Eric at 10:55 AM | Comments (46)

GOP Criticizes Herseth for Associating with Sites Like Hamster

As first noted by Daily Kos, GOPers are criticizing Stephanie Herseth for receiving donations from liberal blogs like this site. AP:

Republicans have accused Democratic U.S. House candidate Stephanie Herseth of maintaining a secret Web page to receive campaign donations raised from ads on liberal groups' Internet sites.

But a Herseth campaign official scoffed at the charge, saying the Web page is not secret and can be found easily with a standard search of the Internet.

Herseth faces Republican Larry Diedrich in a June 1 special election to fill the vacancy left when Bill Janklow resigned as South Dakota's lone member of the U.S. House.

Jason Glodt, executive director of the South Dakota Republican Party, said the Herseth campaign arranged the special Internet donation site to prevent most South Dakotans from knowing about Herseth's relationship with such liberal groups.

The Herseth Web page takes campaign donations from people directed there from Internet sites called "blogs," which are online bulletin boards that feature journals, opinionated articles and messages.

"There's a reason she's got that secret site. She doesn't want to advertise the fact she's doing this," Glodt said Thursday.

"I think the real point is you judge a person by the friends they keep, and look where she's focusing her fund-raising efforts," Glodt said. "Anybody can look at these blogs and the content, and realize the values they are promoting are completely contradictory to the South Dakota values she purports to represent."

Crap, I suck. =(

However, Herseth campaign spokesman Russ Levsen said that particular Internet page merely takes donations from people who find out about the campaign when they visit political blogs that feature Herseth ads.

"I would dispute the premise that it's secret because it's an open site on the Internet that anybody can get to," Levsen said.

The supposedly secret Web site is one of the first results when an Internet user does a standard search for the terms "blog" and "Herseth" on the Google search engine, Levsen said.

Most of the donations that result from ads on the blogs are for amounts of less than $50, Levsen said. "This is grass-roots politics."

The "secret page", with about a dozen blogs listed. Crazy liberal Instapundit is listed too. Hm ..

Make a donation today, big or small, remember the .04 addition!

Posted by Eric at 10:55 AM | Comments (16)

Military Families Not Amused

Good comedians know there's some material they shouldn't touch. Is Bush a good comedian? A funny guy? Well, some in the Washington press corps may think he is, but military families don't seem to think so. NY Daily News:

George Medina, 43, of Orange County, who lost a son in Iraq, heard about Bush's remarks when his outraged daughter, an Army sergeant, called him yesterday. "She was very upset," Medina said.

"This is disgraceful," Medina continued. "He doesn't think of all the families that are suffering. It's unbelievable, how this guy tries to run the country."

His 22-year-old son, Spec. Irving Medina, died Nov. 14 in Baghdad when an explosive device struck his convoy.

Charles Celestin, 28, of Coral Springs, Fla., and Irving Medina's brother-in-law, blasted the commander-in-chief's remarks.

"To be poking fun; it's just a travesty to the soldiers who lost their lives. I think it's disrespectful," he said ... The President's dinner act also bombed with Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-Manhattan). "It's disgusting that during his little performance on stage, the President seemed to forget that people are dying in Iraq because of weapons of mass destruction he lied about," Nadler said.

Posted by Eric at 10:48 AM | Comments (24)

Military Families Not Amused

Good comedians know there's some material they shouldn't touch. Is Bush a good comedian? A funny guy? Well, some in the Washington press corps may think he is, but military families don't seem to think so. NY Daily News:

George Medina, 43, of Orange County, who lost a son in Iraq, heard about Bush's remarks when his outraged daughter, an Army sergeant, called him yesterday. "She was very upset," Medina said.

"This is disgraceful," Medina continued. "He doesn't think of all the families that are suffering. It's unbelievable, how this guy tries to run the country."

His 22-year-old son, Spec. Irving Medina, died Nov. 14 in Baghdad when an explosive device struck his convoy.

Charles Celestin, 28, of Coral Springs, Fla., and Irving Medina's brother-in-law, blasted the commander-in-chief's remarks.

"To be poking fun; it's just a travesty to the soldiers who lost their lives. I think it's disrespectful," he said ... The President's dinner act also bombed with Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-Manhattan). "It's disgusting that during his little performance on stage, the President seemed to forget that people are dying in Iraq because of weapons of mass destruction he lied about," Nadler said.

Posted by Eric at 10:48 AM | Comments (16)

Hamster Number: Wages

From Center for American Progress and Moving Ideas.org:

The average wage of new jobs created this coming year is forecasted to be $35,855, significantly lower than the $43,629 average wage of those jobs lost between 2001-03.

The Bush Administration has helped keep wages down, opposing an increase in minimum wage and advocating cutting overtime for approximately 8 million workers.

Posted by Eric at 10:42 AM | Comments (10)

Hamster Number: Wages

From Center for American Progress and Moving Ideas.org:

The average wage of new jobs created this coming year is forecasted to be $35,855, significantly lower than the $43,629 average wage of those jobs lost between 2001-03.

The Bush Administration has helped keep wages down, opposing an increase in minimum wage and advocating cutting overtime for approximately 8 million workers.

Posted by Eric at 10:42 AM | Comments (11)

March 25, 2004

Thursday Stories