Perhaps it is time to finally buy that new Hybrid and invest in those energy saving lightbulbs.

District Attorney Juan Guerra unveils evidence that he claims proves that Dick Cheney is a criminal. Is it December 25th? No really is it Christmas?

The charges against the Vice President stem from the Willacy State Jail in Raymondville and from the inmate, Gregorio De La Rosa, Jr., who was killed there by a fellow inmate in 2001. Guerra says that the elected officials let the jail get away with murder so that they can keep making money.

"Greed will get you discovered and arrested every time, and that's what happened to Cheney," Guerra said.

Guerra says he went through Cheney's financial records and the prison companies' financial records and found the connection. The three top prison companies Guerra researched were Corrections Corporation of America, GEO Group and Cornell. Those three have the Vanguard Group in common, which is an investment company that puts money into all three prison companies.

"We knew Vanguard was the key," said Guerra.

I have waited for this day for eight long years.

Now that we have a new, honest administration about to take power it is time to investigate ALL of the abuses and criminal activities of the Bush administration and start throwing their asses in prison by the truckload.

I wonder how much it would cost me to pay an inmate to do to Dick Cheney what he has been doing to America for these last eight years? Maybe if I start saving now.

After destroying John McCain's Presidential bid Sarah Palin is now in Georgia sinking Saxby Chambliss's hopes as well. You go girl!

Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss enlisted Gov. Sarah Palin to rally conservatives while Democratic challenger Jim Martin pushed to activate black voters, as they grappled for advantage in a Tuesday runoff that will shape Democrats' hold on power in Washington.

Palin, who was John McCain's vice presidential running mate, was to arrive in Georgia for a private fundraiser tonight, followed by rallies across the state Monday. McCain carried the state with 52 percent of the vote on Nov. 4.

It will be Palin's first return to the campaign trail since her failed vice presidential bid. She is widely rumored to be interested in a run for president in 2012.

The cognitive dissonance that seems to be permeating the GOP concerning Sarah Palin is absolutely unbelievable. It is as if they see her giving interview after disastrous interview and simply do not notice that her elevator does not go to the top. She is a few bricks shy of a full load. She is not the sharpest tool in the tool shed. She is rowing with only one oar.

She ain't bright.

And yet they keep trotting her out as if she is the very embodiment of the future of the Republican party. And all I can say as a registered Democrat is "God I hope so"!

Of course what else can Senator Chambliss do? He knows he is facing a new Democratic Senate and an incredibly popular Democratic President. I mean if he was just facing one lone Vietnam war hero he could run this ad again:



But since he no longer has that option Chambliss has no choice but to bring in the big guns like Palin, Mike Huckabee, Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney. Wow how can anybody hope to fight against that kind of star power?

The president-elect recorded a radio ad and automated phone calls for Martin but never made it to Georgia. Some 100 Obama field operatives flocked to the state to work on grassroots efforts to get voters back to the polls.

Oh he is screwed! None of those losers were even able to stand up against John McCain in the primary, when their own party hated him, how can they possible hope to stand up against Barack Obama who the country clearly loves?

Here is the kind of ad created by "Big Daddy" Saxby Chambliss for this election. I post it without comment, take from it what you will.



And as for Sarah Palin? Well as a progressive Alaskan I think that the more often she is associated with campaign's for creepy Republican losers the better for the Alaskan people right now, and for the American people in 2012.

Honor killings in Iraq and what, if anything, America can do to stop them.

Authorities in the southern Iraqi city of Basra have admitted they are powerless to prevent 'honour killings' in the city following a 70 per cent increase in religious murders during the past year.

There has been no improvement in conviction rates for these killings. So far this year, 81 women in the city have been murdered for allegedly bringing shame on their families. Only five people have been convicted.

During 2007 the Basra security committee recorded 47 'honour killings' and three convictions. One lawyer in the city described how police were actively protecting perpetrators and said that a woman in Basra could now be murdered by hired hitmen for as little as $100 (£65).

The figures come despite international outrage which followed The Observer's coverage of the death of 17-year-old Rand Abdel-Qader, who was murdered by her father last April in an 'honour killing' after falling in love with a British soldier in Basra. The 4,000 British troops stationed in the city since the invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003 withdrew to the airport last September.

Rand Abdel-Qader was killed after her family discovered that she had formed a friendship with a 22-year-old infantryman whom she knew as Paul. She was suffocated by her father then hacked at with a knife. Abdel-Qader Ali was subsequently arrested and released without charge.

Rand's mother, Leila Hussein, who divorced her husband after the killing, went into hiding but was tracked down weeks later and assassinated by an unknown gunman. Her husband had told The Observer that police had congratulated him for killing his daughter.

Now I can almost feel the indignation rising as you, gentle reader, absorb the above information. And indeed that is exactly what you should feel. It is a horrific idea that ANYBODY would kill a member of their own family due to a primitive idea of dishonor.

However before picking up your stone and cocking your arm, take a moment to make sure that your own house is made of a stronger material then glass.

For if we attack this idea of honor killing based simply on the idea that the Islamic faith is a religion which both promotes and permits such things then we miss the point entirely. If we take a moment to read the Christian bible we learn that it is filled with at least 13 incidents of honor killings while perhaps surprisingly the Koran has none.

It is also important to remember that the religion on which this country is founded is rife with incidents of violence toward women (Yes I know that not ALL witches were female, but if you read the list of victims names the males were almost incidental), and the non-believers. Wars have been waged in the name of Jesus Christ and Christianity while whole cultures have been devoured in its wake.

Crushing the beliefs and cultures of other people beneath a Christian heel is as alien of a concept to the teachings of Jesus Christ as the choking of your own daughter is to the teachings contained in the Koran.

My point in all of this is that attacking this problem by attacking Islam itself is both hypocritical and will ultimately prove ineffective.

The solution?

Instead of condemning the Islamic religion Americans should condemn the actions themselves, point out that they are not supported by the teachings of Islam, and then demonstrating the alternative through the treatment of our own women. And though it pains me to say so, it looks like much has been accomplished in that regard by our past Presidents, by George W. Bush, and by the appointment of Hillary Clinton as the Secretary of State. Not to mention the success of Hillary's Presidential bid.

These actions are guaranteed to make many of the traditional males in the Islamic world uncomfortable. But it will also serve as an inspiration to the Islamic women who will now get the opportunity to see their men having to interact with a woman as their equal rather then a mere piece of property. This will ultimately be far more impactful then simply condemning their entire religion as misanthropic and primitive.

And by the way, having a President named Barack Hussein Obama, standing hand in hand with his intelligent outspoken wife, is certainly not a bad thing either.

I predict that in the next four to eight years we will see some impressive changes coming to the Islamic community, and they will not have to be delivered at the point of a spear either.

Beloved family pet dies in agony. Is it time to revisit the idea of fur trapping in Alaska?

One minute a family dog named Grizzly was playing in front of the house, the next he was shrieking and thrashing wildly, a trap locked in a death grip around his head, his face distorted by the pressure and pain.

The 4-year-old Rottweiler, pet of Tony and Natalie Lazenby and loved by others in the neighborhood, died a couple of hours later, his throat crushed, the Lazenbys said.

It took four people to get the trap off the dead dog's head.

The Conibear 220 spring-loaded trap that killed the dog Wednesday is now in the hands of authorities. It's designed to kill foxes, beavers and coyotes. Dogs occasionally die in them, too, but typically while on hikes with their owners in wild places, and typically in areas open to trapping.

Now it is important to note that this animal did not die due to a simple accident.  This dog died because somebody set a trap specifically to kill it, or another dog just like him.  Traps set within city limits are strictly forbidden.

Reading the description of how this beautiful animal suffered before it died will tear at the heart of anybody with even an ounce of humanity.  Nothing should have to suffer like this in its final minutes of life.

Which brings me to yet another example of something Alaskan that I find personally repugnant.

I am not a Vegan or PETA member but I am a human. And as a intellectual, compassionate being I feel a certain connection to the creatures that I share this planet with.  I simply do not like to see anything suffer, and my own personal code of ethics dictate that I not injure or kill anything that does not pose a significant danger to myself or my loved ones.

Trapping in Alaska has a long and honored history.  We even have a parade and a week long celebration in its honor called the Fur Rondy. (Short for Fur Rendezvous) In the early days of Alaska's history trapping was much respected way of life, and for many settlers and natives the only way they could support themselves and their families during the harsh Alaskan winters.

However as technologies improved and other employment opportunities emerged, trapping was relegated to mere pastime for most Caucasians though it is still considered a necessary subsistence activity for Alaska natives.

My point is that in 2008 fur trapping is not something that the vast majority of Alaskans need to participate in to survive, and if it is done simply as a "sport" then it needs to come to an end. Hunters can brag about following a moose for many miles through swampy underbrush and finally getting that clean shot which ends its life abruptly and relatively painlessly.  But trappers certainly can make no such claims.  They know that the creatures who fall prey to their snares or traps suffer mightily in their final moments, and simply do not care. 

And if it is not something that is needed for survival then it is simply killing for the sake of killing. And it is done in the most brutal fashion imaginable.

I recognize that in nature predators devour prey, and that death in the wild is always brutal and filled with pain and fear.  I accept that reality.  I also understand that human beings are nothing more then self aware animals.  However if we are to really live up to our fullest potential it seems to me that we should endeavor to cause as little harm as possible to other living things and to find the most humane methods imaginable to harvest our food.  Trapping is in no way humane.  The animal caught in the snare or trap suffers horribly before it breathes its last.  To my mind, in an enlightened world,  that is indefensible. 

Four years, and one day ago, this blogger started this blog of blue.

I knew it was coming but it sort of slipped past me, but waaaay back on November 28, 2004 I made my first post right here on the Immoral Minority.

I remember having essentially no idea as to what this site would really focus on, but I knew I would not bore people with silly stories about my cats, or my kids, or my personal life.  I also knew I would probably have a lot to say about politics, religion, and current events.  Though I was not at all sure that anybody would want to read what I had to say about ANYTHING. And at first nobody did.  But eventually I found my audience.

Now four years later I have to say I am very pleased with the direction that this blog has taken, the impact it has had, and the types of readers that it attracts.  I have always said that I have some of the most intelligent visitors on the entire blogosphere.

So thank you for visiting and I hope that your visits have been informative, or humorous, or enlightening in some way.

Namaste

Terrorists who staged the Mumbai attack were told they would return safely by their bosses.

The gang of terrorists who wreaked mayhem in Mumbai for three days were made to believe by their Lashkar bosses that they were not being sent on a suicide mission and that they would be coming back alive.

In a sensational disclosure made by Ajmal, the jihadi nabbed alive by Mumbai cops, the group had planned to sail out on Thursday. Their recruiters had even charted out the return route for them and stored it on the GPS device which they had used to navigate their way to the Mumbai shoreline. 

This suggests that the terrorists were willing to undertake a mission which they knew would be very risky, but not necessarily suicidal. 

Sources said that the bait of safe return must have been used by the recruiters to convince the wavering among the group to join the audacious plot against Mumbai. 

Damn if you can't trust terrorists to tell the truth then who can you trust?

All joking aside this information is bad on a number of levels.  

One they were clearly well trained and outfitted for this attack.

Two they were Pakistanis which is going to make the tension between India and Pakistan just that much worse.  With the amount of violence that is all around these two countries this is a powder keg just waiting to blow.

And third this was yet another attack from Muslims directed primarily at Christians.  They seemed to be targeting westerners who are usually Christians and this just keeps feeding into the idea of a religious war the flames of which our country has been very instrumental in stoking.

I have my tinfoil hat on again so I will also mention that something about this attack seems a little contrived to me.  I cannot quite figure out why my antennae are up, but they are definitely up.

UPDATE: Commenter Jane reminded me that the terrorists also targeted Jews.  She was very right point that out.  And as we know the relationship between the Muslim and Jewish community is in even worse shape then the Islamic/Christian one. My tinfoil hat stays on for now.  

Doonesbury and Sarah Palin. Still a winning combination..

Joe Lieberman donated campaign funds to Republicans battling Democrats for Senate seats.

When Democrats gathered last week to decide the fate of Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), a pair of senators-elect, Tom Udall of New Mexico and Jeff Merkley of Oregon, stepped up to offer symbolically important speeches.

Lieberman's support of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) for the presidency was well known, punctuated by his nationally televised speech at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul criticizing Obama as not prepared to be president. His endorsement of Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who has served as the top Republican beside him at the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, also was well known in Democratic circles.

But not even Merkley knew of Lieberman's backing of Smith in their critical Senate race, until Capitol Briefing alerted his staff today.

"We were surprised to hear this news, but it's time to put the election behind us. Jeff Merkley is looking forward to working with all his new colleagues on an agenda that will put our nation back on track," said Julie Edwards, spokeswoman for Merkley.

Lieberman's support of Smith came the same weekend he wrote an op-ed in the St. Paul Pioneer Press defending Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) for his work as chairman of an investigative subcommittee on Lieberman's homeland security committee. The same day he wrote a check to Smith, Lieberman's ROC PAC gave $5,000 to Rep. Peter King, the Long Island Republican. In radio and TV appearances the final days of the campaign, Lieberman also frequently said that a Democratic majority of 60 votes, a filibuster-proof level, would be a bad thing.

Jesus Christ!  How much longer are Democrats going to keep turning the other cheek?

Don't we only have the two cheeks?  After that it is time to sack up and knock our assailant on his ass!

Joe Lieberman has done everything but take a piss on a donkey to symbolize his disdain for the Democrats.  Why haven't the Dems boxed his big floppy ears for him?

You know I remained an Independent for most of my life, BECAUSE the Democrats seemed like pussies to me.  I supported almost all of their policies, but I just could not make myself join a team that did not know how to throw a punch.

In 2004 I changed my political identity to Democrat because they seemed like our only hope of stopping George Bush.  And of course they failed.

But I stuck with them, starting this blog and trying to help fill the empty scrotum of the Democrats with my anger and outrage.  And after a while it seemed that we were really starting to "man up".   And this year we actually won!

But now when we have every reason to kick some ass and take some names, the Democrats are starting to "pansy up" again.  Knock it the fuck off!

Look I understand that Barack Obama wants to stay above the fray, and trust me that I do not consider the "O" man a pansy at all, but that leaves it to the other Democratic politicians and supporters to "get a pair" and "unleash hell". (And by the way perhaps watching "Gladiator" would not be a bad choice for you pencil necks.)

Joe Lieberman is a whiny little putz who can only continue kicking sand in the faces of Democrats as long as he enjoys the protection of bigger and stronger politicians.  Right now he is looking for Obama's protection, but Barack needs to leave this jerk to his own devices.  Then some other Democrat (Rahm Emmanuel do you hear me?), should kick his lilly white  ass ALL over the Senate floor! (Hell if you don't want Emmanuel to get his hands dirty then let Barney Frank have him!  That would be awesome!)

No matter who does it, there is no doubt that it needs to be done. And Democrats overall need to start sticking their damn chests out and act like winners for a change and stop playing defense.  

I am not suggesting that we all need to act like assholes I am simply saying that we need to give off confidence and make America believe that we can keep them safe from terrorists both in and outside this country. (And yeah I am talking to you, Bush administration.)

So come on Dems!  Grab a hold of your cocks and lets start to rock!  America is counting on us.

(And by the way if any ladies found my constant reference to the male anatomy offensive then I apologize.  But remember I am from a place where the only person tougher then an Alaskan male, is an Alaskan female.  And these are REAL Alaskan women!  Not "Sarah Palin" Alaskan women. NO REAL Alaskan woman would ever wear high heels and a skirt to a turkey farm!) 

The full Barack Obama interview with Barbara Walters. It is actually quite good.

Part One (Talk of the economy.



Part Two (In this portion Obama discusses racism and his personal safety.)



Part Three (Barack and Michele together, Damn those kids are cute!)



Part Four (Sasha and Malia's future is discussed.)



Part Five (Barack gives a Thanksgiving message.)



Part Six (Barack does not want a "girly" dog. I don't blame him a bit.)



I am not a huge fan of Barbara Walters, but this was a very nice and informative interview.

Rachel Maddow reminds all of us how thankful we should be today to see the end of the Bush administration.

Wow! When you hear all of this criminal activity trotted out like this it is almost breathtaking!

Good bye, and good riddance!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I know many of you hoped that you could enjoy the day without having to think about politics, but what is Thanksgiving without a turkey? So I gave you two of the biggest turkeys America has ever produced.

Hey, at least I demonstrated SOME restraint by not posting yet another Sarah Palin turkey holocaust video. You're welcome!

This financial bailout is much, much worse then any of us have been led to believe.

(The above image comes courtesy of the folks at Voltage Blog.)

The government's financial bailout will be the most expensive single expenditure in American history, potentially costing around $7.5 trillion -- or half the value of all the goods and services produced in the United States last year.

In comparison, the total U.S. cost of World War II adjusted for inflation was $3.6 trillion. The bailout will cost more than the total combined costs in today's dollars of the Marshall Plan, the Louisiana Purchase, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the entire historical budget of NASA, including the moon landing, according to data compiled by Bianco Research.

It remains to be seen whether the government's multipronged approach to bail out banks, stimulate spending and buy up mortgages will revive the economy, but as the tab continues to grow so does concern over where the government will find the money.

Monday the government guaranteed an additional $306 billion to bail out Citigroup, and today Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson pledged $800 billion to make credit more available to consumers and small businesses, and to buy up mortgages from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Look I am not an economist, but you don't have to be a genius to realize that none of this makes any damn sense!

The money is not going to the places it needs to go to solve the problem.  Handing fistfuls of money to the financial institutions that caused this problem in the first place means excusing the stupid behavior of those who should have known better and leaving the Americans who trusted them holding the bag.

That is absolutely criminal.

I am not completely sure we should do anything at all, but if we absolutely believe that something must be done, then the people who should be rescued are the people who really need the loan.  Us.

Help those who have mortgages they can no longer afford renegotiate those mortgages.  Make the banks eat some of the cost and provide a better payment plan for the homeowner so that they don't just leave the key under the mat and walk away.

Here are some ideas that just might work:

Every primary homeowner should be automatically refinanced to a floating 30-year mortgage, with the interest rate set at 1/4 percent point above the fed funds borrowing rate. Similarly, all consumer credit card debt should be refinanced to prime plus 1/4. The same goes for student loans. Secondary and vacation homes don't qualify. Unemployed homeowners can apply for hardship deferrals, allowing them to skip mortgage payments until they find a job.

 Banks that fail should be nationalized. As should investment banks and any other institution that needs federal taxpayer money to avoid failure. If we the people fund 'em, we the people own 'em. If and when the economy recovers, the Treasury collects the spoils and cuts our taxes. 

Withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan, and slash defense spending. Christopher Whalen, managing director of Institutional Risk Analytics, tells USA Today the government may have to cover $1.4 trillion in bad mortgage debt. That's a lot of money, but I have good news: we can get it. In 2007, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq would cost at least $2.4 trillion through the next decade--even more if Obama or McCain keep their pledges to send more troops to Afghanistan next year. Cutting our losses and cutting the $515 billion a year Defense Department appropriations budget would help finance the clean-up of the mortgage meltdown. (These suggestions are care of  Ted Rall, who is much more informed on economic issues then am I.)

Now I know this could be interpreted as simply donning my tinfoil hat again, but does anybody else feel that George Bush is trying to sabotage the economy and the war effort in an attempt to render the Obama Presidency impotent? 

Slate has a new take on the Sarah Palin turkey holocaust video. I don't believe I will ever get tired of this.

ANYTHING that has a clip from "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" is A-Okay in my book.

Obama names a non-governmental board of economic advisors to help him solve our financial crisis.

President-elect Barack Obama named a board of economic experts from outside the government to advise him, in his latest bid to reassure nervous consumers and financial markets that he will bring swift economic relief as president.

Obama made the announcement Wednesday in Chicago at a morning news conference in which he tried to reassure Americans that "help is on the way" for the economy.

"I was elected with the charge of getting this economy back in shape," Obama said Wednesday. "We are going to implement starting Day One when I come into office."

You know I am beginning to think that this guy is actually going to do the job that the American people hired him to do.

"Help is on the way".  Have you ever heard five more beautiful words?

Garry Trudeau simply cannot stop playing with the Sarah Palin action figure.

Yeah I know exactly what Mr. Trudeau is going through. As much as I want to stop talking about Sarah Palin, I simply find that I cannot.

Maybe there is some 12 step program we could attend or something.

80 people killed and about 200 injured as a result of terrorist attacks in India!

Gunmen have opened fire at a number of sites in the Indian city of Mumbai (Bombay), killing at least 80 people and injuring about 200 more.

Police said shooting was continuing and that the incidents were co-ordinated terrorist attacks. Gunmen have taken hostages at two hotels and a hospital.

At least seven sites have been targeted across India's financial capital.

A fire is sweeping through the Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai's most famous hotel which is now ringed by troops.

The BBC's Andrew Whitehead says a claim of responsibility by a little-known group, Deccan Mujahideen, may harden suspicions that Islamic radicals are involved.

What can anybody say about such a horrific event, except I hope the bastards that did this are brought to justice and the conditions which inspire this type of violence soon becomes a thing of the past.

My heart goes out to the people of Mumbai, and to the victims of these cowardly attacks and to the families they leave behind.

My only hope for the future is that Barack Obama will somehow find a way to inspire the rest of the world to start putting differences aside and start working toward common goals together.

I know that is an awful lot to expect from any mere mortal, but Obama is the first person in many generations who may have a real shot that this.  And in circumstance like these, hope is really all we have.

Below is a news video taken during the initial attack.

Joe Lieberman tears his lips off of John McCain's ass, swims frantically around, until finally getting a firm liplock on Obama's butt.

"Everything that President-elect Obama has done since election night has been just about perfect, both in terms of a tone and also in terms of the strength of the names that have either been announced or are being discussed to fill his administration," Lieberman said during a visit to Hartford.

Holy crap this guy is unbelievably pathetic!

Joe Lieberman is the human manifestation of the the Remora, a fish that simply cannot survive without being attached to a much larger and powerful creature.  

Once it was Al Gore, then it changed to George Bush, evolved into John McCain, and now he is frantically trying to attach to the sleek ebony underbelly of Barack Obama.

However this is exactly the kind of bottom feeder that Obama needs to kick loose.  He can use him for what little he can provide and then just throw his ass over the ramparts when he is finished with him.

Nobody would blame Barack one little bit for doing that very thing.  The guy is a naked opportunist who does not have one loyal bone in his body. For that reason he is dangerous and should be treated as if he were a poisonous reptile who could turn and sink his fangs in at any moment.

David Letterman gives the Top Ten Sarah Palin excuses for Turkey-Gate.

I kid you not, these are hysterical!

Doonesbury and the return of the Sarah Palin talking action figure.

As much I love Doonesbury, and I do, this kind of thing is just a constant reminder that as long as Sarah Palin is our Governor she will continue to be viewed as a joke by the rest of the country.

And that continues to reflect poorly on Alaska and the citizens who voted her into office.

It could not have happened to a more deserving gal.

Although we didn't think it would be possible to silence Ann Coulter, the leggy reaction- ary broke her jaw and the mouth that roared has been wired shut .

I never condone violence against women, but there is an evil little part of me that hopes this is the result of a well placed upper cut.

She is, simply put, a horrible, horrible woman.

Why I support Alaskans for Truth.

Since Alaskans for Truth has become an actual Political Action Committee there has been a desire by the MSM to define us. And their attempt to do so has been flawed at best.

So let me simply tell you what I know about this courageous little group, and why I support them.

The first thing to understand is that Alaskans for Truth is made up of REAL Alaskans. Unlike that other PAC which is currently buying up commercial time all over the country and is made up of conservative politicians and other out-of-staters, WE are made up of people who have faced harsh Alaskan winters, chased moose out of our gardens in the spring, and cleaned coolers full of fish in the beautiful Alaskan summers.

We are Alaskans through and through. And we dearly love our state.

We love it enough to stand up for cleaning up its politics, repairing its recently damaged reputation, and earning back the opportunity to see the faces of outsiders turn to envy when they learn of the place that we call home.

And despite what you may read in the Anchorage Daily News or other media outlets we are NOT ant-Sarah Palin! We do not wish her any ill will, we simply want her to keep her promise for transparency in government, to honor our state constitution and abide by its ethics rules, and to put the needs of our state ahead of her own selfish desire to constantly be in the spotlight.

We have sat back and watched one Alaskan politician after another indicted and sent to jail. We have even watched the only Senator that many of us have ever known convicted of seven felonies! Do you realize how that makes us feel? How can any real Alaskan not speak out?

We simply want what every American should want. We want honest elections, ethical representatives, and the opportunity to ensure a better future for our children.

And yes we are bi-partisan. Though my personal politics are clearly liberal, the Alaskans for Truth contains liberals, moderates, and yes even one or two Republicans. But rather then focus on what divides us we have found a common desire in cleaning up how our politics are conducted and how our state is represented.

We have received support from ALL over the country. However the only people who set our agenda are those of us right here in Alaska. We cannot be swayed by contributions nor bullied into compliance, we will do what we believe is in the best interests of our fellow Alaskans. For us it is Alaska first, and politics second. Or in some cases even third or fourth.

The Alaskans for Truth have a website that you can visit to learn what we have on our agenda. But to understand what motivates us, you only have to listen to your own conscience. And if you want to join us then please do, we welcome ALL Alaskans, and any others, who truly want to make Alaska the "Great Land".

Courtesy of the Daily Show, the Best Sarah Palin Moments.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

The Daily Show's Best Sarah Palin Moments

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

It is just too bad it was compiled before the great Thanksgiving Turkey Holocaust video.

KTUU talks to Alaskans for Truth.

The group Alaskans for Truth wants the Legislature to do something about the "troopergate" investigation that found that Gov. Sarah Palin abused her power.

The group put out a call to action to pressure the Legislature to look into censuring the governor based on the findings in the report conducted by Special Counsel Stephen Branchflower.

Alaskans for Truth also wants the Legislature look into whether contempt charges apply for the governor's husband and other state officials who did not show up to testify under subpoena.

"The call to action is simply assisting the Legislature to do what's next with regards to this Legislative Council's investigation," Camille Conte with Alaskans for Truth said.

But some lawmakers don't see it that way.

Legislative leaders say Alaskans are weary of "troopergate."

Weary? Weary?

How do we know that Alaskans are "weary" of Troopergate? I read the comments that get posted on the Anchorage Daily News site. They don't seem "weary". As a matter of fact a great number of them seemed truly pissed off that nobody is holding Palin accountable for her ethics violations.

And even if there are a large number of Alaskans who are "weary" of Troopergate, how does that factor into the Legislature doing their job?

Many Alaskans were weary of corruption in our politics. Did that keep us from convicting Tom Anderson on 7 felonies: 3 counts money laundering, 2 counts extortion, and 1 count each of bribery and conspiracy? Did that keep us from convicting Vic Kohring of 3 felony counts, bribery, conspiracy, and attempted extortion? Did it keep us from convicting Pete Kott of 3 felony counts of bribery, conspiracy, extortion, and of giving false testimony during his trial?

No it did not!

And did the "weariness" of Alaskans keep Ted Stevens from being found guilty of seven felonies? No, because our "weariness" has NOTHING to do with justice!

And if Alaskans are truly getting weary of ANYTHING it is seeing Sarah Palin giving interview after interview making all of us look like brain damaged morons.

I will tell you what I know. The day that Sarah Palin gets held accountable for her many ethical violations you will not see Alaskans wandering the streets in weariness. You will see them dancing in the streets because their long nightmare will finally be coming to an end. And they can finally look forward to a day when an intelligent, ethical person gets elected as Governor of this great state.

Alaskans for Truth call to action!

‘Alaskans for Truth’ Issues a “Call to Action” to the Alaska State Legislature
Alaskans for Truth, a non-partisan group organized to hold Alaska’s leaders accountable, has issued a Call to Action to all concerned citizens to join them in insisting that the Alaska State Legislature respond to the findings of its own Legislative Council’s Investigation, known as “Troopergate”, as conducted by Special Counsel Stephen E. Branchflower and take the following actions:

- Censure Governor Sarah Palin, who the Branchflower Report found to have "abused her power by violating Alaska Statute 39.52.110(a) of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act" which provides “The legislature reaffirms that each public officer holds office as a public trust, and any effort to benefit a personal or financial interest through official action is a violation of that trust.

- Seek contempt charges against the Governor’s husband, Todd Palin, and the state officials who willingly ignored the Legislative Council's subpoenas during the investigation.

- Hold hearings on whether Gov. Palin and her husband, Todd Palin, committed perjury in their sworn statements to Timothy Petumenos, in his function as independent counsel to the Alaska State Personnel Board.

- Call for an independent investigation to determine if Alaska Attorney General Talis Colberg or others, engaged in criminal witness tampering in advance of the Branchflower investigation.

The Legislative Council’s investigation cannot be illegitimized. Though the Personnel Board tried to do so with their own report, the findings in the Legislative Council’s investigation stand. Now it’s up to the Legislature as a whole to follow up on the ethics violation and the other serious matters, let alone potential crimes that may exist.

Gov. Palin campaigned on the promise of an open, honest and transparent administration. It’s our responsibility as citizens of this state to stand together and uphold the ethics in which Governor Palin believes.

(‘Alaskans for Truth’ is Political Action Committee (PAC) organized under Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC) rules and regulations. It is not affiliated with any political party. Any appearance of affiliation is purely unintentional and was neither initiated nor supported by Alaskans for Truth)

Alaska Legislator emails:

Senator_Johnny_Ellis@legis.state.ak.us, Senator_Gene_Therriault@legis.state.ak.us, Senator_Con_Bunde@legis.state.ak.us, Senator_Bettye_Davis@legis.state.ak.us, Senator_Fred_Dyson@legis.state.ak.us, Senator_Kim_Elton@legis.state.ak.us, Senator_Hollis_French@legis.state.ak.us, Senator_Lyman_Hoffman@legis.state.ak.us, Senator_Charlie_Huggins@legis.state.ak.us, Senator_Albert_Kookesh@legis.state.ak.us, Senator_Lesil_McGuire@legis.state.ak.us, Senator_Donny_Olson@legis.state.ak.us, Senator_Bert_Stedman@legis.state.ak.us, Senator_Gary_Stevens@legis.state.ak.us, Senator_Joe_Thomas@legis.state.ak.us, Senator_Thomas_Wagoner@legis.state.ak.us, Senator_Bill_Wielechowski@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Bob_Buch@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Mike_Chenault@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Sharon_Cissna@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_John_Coghill@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Harry_Crawford@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Nancy_Dahlstrom@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Mike_Doogan@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Bryce_Edgmon@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Anna_Fairclough@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Richard_Foster@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Les_Gara@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Berta_Gardner@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Carl_Gatto@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Max_Gruenberg@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_David_Guttenberg@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_John_Harris@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Mike_Hawker@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Lindsey_Holmes@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Kyle_Johansen@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Craig_Johnson@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Reggie_Joule@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Scott_Kawasaki@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Wes_Keller@legis.state.ak.us, Representative_Mike_Kelly@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Beth_Kerttula@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Bob_Lynn@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Kevin_Meyer@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Mark_Neuman@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Kurt_Olson@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Jay_Ramras@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Woodie_Salmon@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Bill_Stoltze@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Bill_Thomas@legis.state.ak.us, Rep_Peggy_Wilson@legis.state.ak.us

New Legislators:
joe@joepaskvan.com

Charisse@votemillett.com

info@petepetersen.net

cathym@riemunoz.com

chris@tuckforalaska.com

austermanforhouse@hotmail.com

bobherron@gmail.com

Keith Olbermann gives me an excuse to show the Sarah Palin turkey holocaust video yet again. Now with live Olbermann reactions!

This gives me a great idea!

I will now have to spend Thanksgiving weekend showing this video to people who have not yet seen it, and then watching their horrified reactions.

I wonder how many I can get on the actual Thanksgiving day?

Barack Obama discusses his plans for solving the economic crisis and names the team that will help him achieve that goal.

Obama is once again using those full sentences and big words that after eight years of George Bush seem very un-Presidential. I mean where are the idiotic jokes, the tortured syntax, and the mispronounced words that we have all come to expect from our leader?

If this keeps up he will never be accepted fully by those REAL Americans that Sarah Palin was so proud to represent.

However I must say that personally it is really starting to grow on me. Just listen to how intelligently he defines the problem and then explains the solution. It is like hearing the New York Symphony for the first time after listening to the same scratched record spinning on the same toy record player for eight long years.

How did we ever survive it?

Fixing Alaska politics one corrupt bastard at a time.

As the whole country is now aware there has been a very dramatic change in Alaskan politics.

What the casual observer may not be aware of is what has been happening behind the scenes. Though if you are a dedicated reader of Alaska blogs you probably have some idea as to what is happening just beneath the spongy Alaska political tundra. And good for you for staying informed.

When Sarah Palin was gallivanting across the US of A giving the world a Bizarro version of the typical Alaskan, we spoke up and held the biggest rally in Alaska history, to stand up for Walt Monegan who was the first of many that our Governor threw under the bus.

When the Alaska Legislature was meeting behind closed doors and trying to decide if they should release the Branchflower Report concerning "Troopergate" we encouraged our readers to call them and e-mail them until they simply had no choice but to let Alaskans see a report that their tax dollars had paid for. As one legislator commented "Maybe I'll be able to get through my inbox again."

When Mark Begich was trailing convicted felon Ted Stevens by over 2000 votes, a number of us blogged our brains out to make sure our election received the scrutiny of the world. Miraculously Mark Begich emerged victorious with almost 4000 more votes then the much revered Ted Stevens. Coincidence? Okay let's call it a coincidence.

There is still much work to do. Our legislature will reconvene in January and they are going to need some "inspiration" as to which issues are the most important for truth seekers in Alaska, we also have an Attorney General who violated our ethics laws by encouraging state employees to ignore subpoenas, and of course the consistently entertaining (but still dangerous) Governor Sarah.

That is just what is on the table right now. In the future we are hoping to tackle election reform, investigations into corruption, bold alternative energy policies, and anything else that we believe Alaskans feel passionately about.

What can you do to help? Well thank you for asking. We cannot do this without the assistance from supporters of truth all over the country.

Take a minute to visit our Alaskans for Truth website. There you find our "call to action", various e-mail addresses of Alaskan legislators you can contact, and a big yellow donate button.

We appreciate all of the support that we received from all of you in the past and hope that you will continue to support our efforts in the future. If you have been angered and disappointed that your voice has not been heard, or if you have felt you could not make a difference, well now you can. Even donating a small amount will have a large impact up here where media is cheap and every voice has an opportunity to be heard. Together we can make dramatic changes, and the proof of that can be seen by what has been accomplished thus far.

This blogger is not just committing his time and energy, I have also made a sizable donation just to get the ball rolling. I believe in this cause and will give nothing but 100% to make sure that we are victorious. And with your help I am sure we will be.

Thank you very much for your support.

George Bush is "very pleased" with the Iraq war. It looks like Bush may be drinking again.

US President George W. Bush believes the Iraq war was a success and is "very pleased" with what is happening there, he said in a pre-recorded interview broadcast on a Japanese television network Sunday.

"I think the decision to remove Saddam Hussein was right," Bush told the Sunday Project programme of the private Asahi network.

Saddam was an enemy of the United States and a lot of people thought he had weapons of mass destruction, Bush said, adding "remarkable" progress had been made in Iraq since the late dictator was toppled in 2003.

"People have been able to take their troops out of Iraq because Iraq is becoming successful. I'm very pleased with what is taking place there now," he said, adding there still is "a lot of work" to be done.

"We are bringing troops home because of the success in Iraq. But Iraq is not yet completely safe.

"So there will be a US presence for a while there at the request of the Iraqi government," he said.

"A lot of people thought he had weapons of mass destruction"?

The only reason "a lot of people thought he had weapons of mas destruction" is because George Bush and his criminal administration told everybody that was true! The rest of the world was simply responding to the information provided by the Bush administration. If you have any doubts about that then I direct you to read about the Downing Street Memos.

The facts are that we were lied to by our government and that over a million Iraqis and thousands of Americans died for nothing. Nothing.

Those are the facts. And no matter how George Bush and his neo-con butt buddies try to twist the facts they will never really change them.

It is my fervent desire that the Democratic Congress and President Obama launch a REAL investigation into what REALLY happened in the run up to the war, in the conduct of that war, and what deals they profited from since the war.

Americans deserve the truth and it is up to those of us who witnessed this debacle to make sure that the truth is preserved and not simply swept under the carpet by future text book writers funded by neo-con revisionists who want to create a fairy tale out of an ugly reality.

Joe Lieberman, leaving a trail of slime in his wake, makes an appearance on Meet the Press.

Part one



Part two



Joe Lieberman did not publicly decry Sarah Palin's remarks. Not once. He said nothing to defend the man who is now his President, and he should feel nothing but shame for it.

He is lying to save his own skin and it is stomach churning to witness. Simply put the man has no honor.

It is almost impossible for me to listen to Lieberman anymore.

When he speaks all I hear is this passage from Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar", spoken by Brutus in defense of his decision to assist in the slaying of his friend:

Romans, countrymen, and lovers! hear me for my
cause, and be silent, that you may hear: believe me
for mine honour, and have respect to mine honour, that
you may believe: censure me in your wisdom, and
awake your senses, that you may the better judge.
If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of
Caesar's, to him I say, that Brutus' love to Caesar
was no less than his. If then that friend demand
why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer:
--Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved
Rome more.

In the end of course the citizens rose up and burned the house of Brutus. I would not wish such an end for Senator Lieberman, but that he needs to be stripped of his Chairmanship there should be no doubt.

He is a danger to the Democrats so long as they depend on him, and therefore in my opinion he should be carried aloft over to the side of the Republicans and unceremoniously deposited at their door. After all it is crystal clear that is where he belongs. And the Democrats can certainly make do without him.

The new Obama/Clinton partnership. Smart move? Or disaster in the making?

In the Obama-Clinton relationship, advisers say, the relatively smooth nature of their talks about the secretary of state job indicate that both, for now, have a working chemistry. The advisers say that Obama was clearly interested in bringing a rival under his wing, and that he also recognized that Clinton had far more discipline and focus than her husband.

At the same time, Obama's advisers said, he had the self-confidence to name a global brand as his emissary to the world. He recognizes, they said, that after Jan. 20, he will have to build the kind of relationship that ensures that foreign leaders know that when Clinton speaks, she is speaking directly for him.

"It helps to have a relationship that Bush had with Baker, that's no doubt true," said Martin Indyk, the former American ambassador to Israel, who was a supporter of Clinton in the primary battles. "But if they are seen as working together effectively, I think that can be easily overcome. I don't think he would have decided to appoint her if he didn't want her to be effective."

One close adviser to Obama said the president-elect also saw that Clinton's political skills would serve her well in the job, as happened with Baker and Kissinger. They understood that statecraft is politics by another name, the adviser said.

NOTHING that Barack Obama has done thus far readying himself to become the 44th President of he Untied States has garnered anywhere near as much negative attention as choosing Hillary Clinton as his Secretary of State. It seems risky to bring such a strong personality into a cabinet with so many challenges in their immediate future. Let's face it Barack cannot waste precious time smoothing ruffled feathers and refereeing internal strife with a plate simply overflowing with problems.

But I am one who believes that Obama had to do something like this. He could not simply leave Hillary in the Senate to sit quietly in the wings awaiting his call for support as he attempts to implement new policy decisions. Hillary Clinton simply does not wait quietly for anyone.

Putting her in the cabinet was sort of a no brainer. Then the only question remaining was what position in the cabinet?

The most obvious position would seem to be the Secretary of Health and Human Services so that she could help Obama push his Health care reform package through Congress and the Senate, which is of course a passion of hers. But everybody has to know that the minute Hillary's name is mentioned in the same breath as Health care that the Republican base will rise as one to try and quash it. They beat her before and I know they are confident they could beat her again.

The rest of the choices probably have too narrow of a focus for somebody with both Hillary's experience and ego to feel as if she is being utilized fully.

Secretary of State gives Hillary the chance to be a REAL part of the policy decisions coming out of the Oval Office, while allowing Obama to keep her close enough to have access to her experience (and her husband's), while making sure she is constantly reminded that she is part of a team in whose success she has a vested interest.

I have already decided that I am not going to second guess Obama's decisions, at least until they have been implemented and results can be examined, but in this one case I actually find myself having no worries. This cabinet choice may prove to be one of his most prescient decisions thus far.

God it feels good to have faith in my President again!

Last Night's SNL.

I actually would not mind if Rahm Emmanuel was this aggressive. We need a pitbull in the White House watching Obama's back.

Here is the Sarah Palin turkey farm video in all its unblurred glory for those who did not find the MSNBC one disturbing enough. Eeew!

The local news station that originally provided this footage, KTUU, has now removed it from their site. Pussies!

Wow! That really is MUCH more stomach churning to watch!

Watch for when Palin is asked what she is thankful for this year and she starts to list the things for which she is thankful right as the poor turkey in the background goes through its final death throes. And the happy turkey executioner over her shoulder keeps nodding in agreement with everything she says as he struggles to hold the bird in place. Oh yeah this version is the one that everybody needs to see.

I am going to have a hard time facing next Thursday's turkey meal without suffering some fairly stomach turning flashbacks here.

Chris Cillizza lists the Top Ten Republicans to watch. Guess who did not make the list.

Who are the faces that will emerge to rebuild the Republican party following its decimation at the ballot box in 2006 and 2008?

10. Steve Poizner
9. Haley Barbour
8. Jon Huntsman Jr
7. Eric Cantor
6. Mark Sanford
5. Bob McDonnell
4. Mitch Daniels
3. Mitt Romney
2. John Thune
1. Bobby Jindal

What? But where, oh where, is the ubiquitous Sarah Palin? Does Chris Cillizza not understand that EVERYBODY just assumes that she will be the "it girl" of the Republican party?

I was also very surprised that Mike Huckabee did not make the cut. I mean the guy has his own show on FOX, the support of Chuck Norris, and of course God is his co-pilot. Definitely a force to be reckoned with.

As for the Cillizza list, I only agree with a handful of his picks. I agree that Bobby Jindal is the main threat for the Democrats to deal with in the months ahead. Like Obama he represents a new face for the GOP and he has the actual brainpower to make that dangerous. And though his fundamentalist beliefs repel liberals it makes his supporters absolutely froth at the mouth.

Mark Sanford and Eric Cantor are also a real threat as they have the good looks and conservative credentials that the GOP is guaranteed to go all fan-boy over.

But one I certainly don't believe is a threat is Mitt Romney. I mean the guy is simply a cardboard cutout of a Republican politician with so little charisma that even with multiple millions at his disposal could not buy the Republican nomination.

So who are these people who still support Sarah Palin? I am so glad you asked.

I know what you are thinking, "Gryphen you simpleton, clearly that is a joke!"

Au contraire, mon ami. It most certainly is not.

Those are the actual Sarah Palin supporters just doing their gosh darnedest to let her know how much they appreciate her.

I know that you expect me to just rip into this video, and pick it apart, leaving the bits and pieces scattered all over this page. But that just shows how little you know about me.

You see I have been inspired to take the time to add my "thank yous" for Sarah Palin as well.

Sarah Palin thank you.

Thank you for being so completely inept at your job that even mentioning the word "recall" or "impeachment" draws immediate interest and support from all around the world.

Thank you for being such a habitual liar that even the casual observer cannot help but notice the inconsistencies.

Thank you for breaking Alaskan ethics laws like saltine crackers with never a thought as to who has to clean up the mess or that the trail of crumbs leads right back to you.

Thank you for demonstrating on the campaign trail that there is literally NOTHING you won't do to smear and damage anybody that you perceive as a potential threat, whether it be a highly respected law enforcement professional, an inspirational leader who is working to repair the deep divides in this country, or even your own teenage daughter.

And finally a big thank you for standing in front of that turkey holocaust so that the world could see how terminally clueless you really are, and for making the job of Alaskan Progressive Bloggers just that much easier.

For all of that, and more, I would like to say THANK YOU SARAH PALIN! We simply could not do this without you!

Barack Obama Outlines Job Creation Plan

There are some progressives who are already panicking about every new cabinet position made, or the idea that Obama will not get us out of Iraq as quickly as they want, or that he is picking his staff from left over Clinton staffers. But to those people I want to say, the man has not even been sworn in as President yet! Chill the f**k out!

I mean do you start booing the new pitcher before he even has a chance to walk to the pitching mound? Let's give this man a chance.

Barack Obama has probably done more in this TWO AND A HALF WEEKS since election night then any other President-elect in history! He is doing as much as he can while preparing to take on possibly the most difficult Presidential term since Harry Truman took the job in the middle of a world war.

I see no signs that Obama is going to disappoint the majority of the people who voted for him. Some of his cabinet picks have already had a pretty substantial positive impact. And as for the others, let's at least watch them to pitch their first game before we start throwing garbage on the field.

Are you still worried that Sarah Palin will be a Presidential candidate in 2012? Then just watch this Countdown video and have your fears put to rest

Updated and moved up from yesterdays post!



So Governor Sarah pardons one turkey and then totally kills the image by standing in front of a veritable turkey slaughter while giving yet another incomprehensible interview.

This? This is the future of the GOP? If this is the best you have you people may as well just pack it in right now. This woman is a train wreck.

My favorite Sarah Palin quote from this interview? It has to be this one:

"Certainly we will probably invite criticism for even doing this too. But at least this was fun!"

You can almost hear every PETA member, animal rights activist, and Vegan across the country screaming at their televisions. That poor creature in the background is not the only one who met his end during this video.

UPDATE!!!!

Now that the Palin administration has finally had the fog lifted and realized just how badly this turkey fiasco is going to appear to people around the world, they are doing damage control.

And what is "damage control" according to Governor Sarah and her minions? Why its lie, lie, lie, and lie some more of course. Here is what they told Entertainment Tonight (Entertainment Tonight? WTF?):

"The [Alaska] governor did not know it was going on behind her," Palin's spokesperson tells ET of the reportedly grisly scene at Triple D Farm & Hatchery outside Wasilla. Cameras captured Palin extending the annual Thanksgiving pardon to one turkey while a farm hand slaughtered the bird's feathered friends in the background.

Palin's spokesperson tells ET the bird butchering wasn't going on when the shot was set up, and a cameraman "ignored" the governor's staff's request to remove the graphic sight once cameras were rolling.

"We're unhappy about it and the station is not happy either," Palin's rep tells ET, adding, "this was an attempt to lighten up and do something non-controversial."

Can you smell that? That is 100% grade A Turkey shit my friends!

You see Governor Sarah was ASKED IF SHE WANTED TO MOVE, and she said NO WORRIES!

I know that many of you are completely shocked, but I have to inform you that Governor Palin is a habitual liar who simply cannot admit wrongdoing and will lie right to your face without thinking twice about it.

The facts are that Sarah Palin simply is not intelligent enough to know how this episode would be received by the bulk of Americans, and now that she knows it may hurt her political aspirations she is trying to lie her way out of it. And this my friends is how Sarah Palin handles EVERYTHING!

Simply put, she is a joke.

David Letterman/Katie Couric part two. This time with no creepy commentary from me.

You know I think that whole suspension of the McCain campaign was an attempt to hide Sarah Palin from scrutiny as well. And you see how well THAT turned out. (Scroll down two posts to see the "Sarah Palin turkey murderer" video.)

(Okay so I added a little commentary. Sue me.)

Jon Stewart celebrates our withdrawal from Iraq in 2011.

To be serious for a moment it is important to realize that this debacle had to come to a close at the end of this year regardless of what John McCain, the Bush administration, or the rest of the neo-con assholes said.

The UN Security Council's mandate comes to an end in December 2007, so the only way we can keep US forces, and civilian personnel, in that country is if Iraq gives us PERMISSION.

In other words the people whose country we invaded, whose economy we destroyed, whose friends and relatives we slaughtered, had to say "okay you can stay a couple of years more." Unsurprisingly they were not exactly on board with that idea.

But since America had the good sense to elect Barack Obama, Iraq decided that perhaps now they could have a reasonable expectation that any agreement they make with the US will be honored.

For a "died in the wool" Liberal like myself, staying in Iraq for even an hour longer then necessary makes my skin crawl, but like the Iraqi government I am willing to trust President Obama.

So Mr. Obama, I am sorry Mr. President, you better get this right. You have a lot of damage to our reputation to repair in that part of the world. And buddy, it aint going to be easy!

World leaders refuse to shake George Bush's hand.

Now this is somebody I certainly DON'T feel sorry for.

George Bush is a war criminal and he needs to be tried and convicted for his crimes against America and the rest of the free world.

And George Bush knows his days are numbered too. That is why he has purchased a 98,842-acre farm in northern Paraguay. However he cannot escape justice for long.

I certainly hope that President Obama will not spare any expense in bringing this traitor to justice.

Uncle Ted Stevens says his last good-byes on the floor of the Senate.

Even if you are, like myself, no great fan of Senator Ted Stevens, I cannot imagine that you are not a little moved at seeing him saying his goodbyes to a place that he has called home for almost forty years.

Though I am a Progressive to my core, I truly wish that Uncle Ted could have ridden off into the sunset with his honor and his legacy intact. Seeing him so humbled is not a pleasant experience for me, nor for many Alaskans who call this great land their home.

There are many well deserved criticisms of Ted Stevens, but none can question his love of Alaska.