White House Mafia Blog

Bushworld - Ignore Science and Reason, Silence Critics

From the July 11th Washington Post:

Ex-Surgeon General Says White House Hushed Him

By Christopher Lee
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, July 11, 2007; A01

Former surgeon general Richard H. Carmona yesterday accused the Bush administration of muzzling him on sensitive public health issues, becoming the most prominent voice among several current and former federal science officials who have complained of political interference.

Article: For Libby, Bush Seemed to Alter His Texas Policy

From the July 8, 2007, New York Times:

For Libby, Bush Seemed to Alter His Texas Policy
By ADAM LIPTAK

Until he commuted the 30-month prison sentence of I. Lewis Libby Jr. on Monday, President Bush had said almost nothing about his philosophy in granting clemency while at the White House.

As governor of Texas, though, Mr. Bush discussed and applied a consistent and narrow standard when deciding whether to issue pardons and commutations. And that standard appears to be at odds with his decision in the Libby case.

Flash Update: Bushworld: Still Above the Law

Bush Denies Congress Access to Aides
By LAURIE KELLMAN, Associated Press Writer
11:35 PM PDT, July 9, 2007, LA Times

WASHINGTON -- President Bush directed former aides to defy congressional subpoenas on Monday, claiming executive privilege and prodding lawmakers closer to their first contempt citations against administration officials since Ronald Reagan was president.

Article: A Profile in Cowardice

From the July 8, 2007, New York Times:

Op-Ed Columnist
A Profile in Cowardice
By FRANK RICH

THERE was never any question that President Bush would grant amnesty to Scooter Libby, the man who knows too much about the lies told to sell the war in Iraq. The only questions were when, and how, Mr. Bush would buy Mr. Libby’s silence. Now we have the answers, and they’re at least as incriminating as the act itself. They reveal the continued ferocity of a White House cover-up and expose the true character of a commander in chief whose tough-guy shtick can no longer camouflage his fundamental cowardice.

Sicko, The Movie: American Healthcare vs. Rest of Developed World's)

Everybody should see this movie. American, non-American, living in America, not living in America, whatever. This will really open your eyes and make you want to get involved. See Michael Moore's website for more info, from movie trailers and fact checks to news, commentary and copies of documents, letters, etc. See this page for links and to find out what you can do, from promototing the movie to writing your representatives, making YouTube movies, etc. Please share this post or write a better one and share that. Just get it moving. Let's see what we can do. Cheers!

Who Are We? / Article: Health Care Terror

"The only things standing in the way of universal health care are the fear-mongering and influence-buying of interest groups. If we can’t overcome those forces here, there’s not much hope for America’s future. "

Article: Sacrifice Is for Suckers

July 6, 2007, New York Times:

Op-Ed Columnist
Sacrifice Is for Suckers
By PAUL KRUGMAN

On this Fourth of July, President Bush compared the Iraq war to the Revolutionary War, and called for “more patience, more courage and more sacrifice.” Unfortunately, it seems that nobody asked the obvious question: “What sacrifices have you and your friends made, Mr. President?”

On second thought, there would be no point in asking that question. In Mr. Bush’s world, only the little people make sacrifices.

Article: Bush Rationale on Libby Stirs Legal Debate (worth a read)

July 4, 2007, NY Times:

Bush Rationale on Libby Stirs Legal Debate
By ADAM LIPTAK

In commuting I. Lewis Libby Jr.’s 30-month prison sentence on Monday, President Bush drew on the same array of arguments about the federal sentencing system often made by defense lawyers — and routinely and strenuously opposed by his own Justice Department.

Article: Libby "Pre-Pardon" Shows Bush's Double Standards (once again)

Libby's sentence not unusually long
Though Bush calls the 30-month prison term 'excessive,' records show defendants convicted of similar crimes served jail time.
By Richard B. Schmitt and David G. Savage
Times Staff Writers

July 4, 2007

WASHINGTON — In commuting the sentence of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, President Bush said that the former vice presidential aide had suffered enough and that the 30-month prison term ordered up by a federal judge was "excessive."

But records show that the Justice Department under the Bush administration frequently has sought sentences that are as long, or longer, in cases similar to Libby's. Three-fourths of the 198 defendants sentenced in federal court last year for obstruction of justice — one of four crimes Libby was found guilty of in March — got some prison time. According to federal data, the average sentence defendants received for that charge alone was 70 months.

Article: Bush's Iraq War: The Coalition of the Billing

Private contractors outnumber U.S. troops in Iraq
New U.S. data show how heavily the Bush administration has relied on corporations to carry out the occupation of the war-torn nation.
By T. Christian Miller
Times Staff Writer

July 4, 2007

The number of U.S.-paid private contractors in Iraq now exceeds that of American combat troops, newly released figures show, raising fresh questions about the privatization of the war effort and the government's capacity to carry out military and rebuilding campaigns.