What? Am I supposed to be feeling something about Dick Cheney’s troubled week? Do I care if this old fucking man who has caused countless deaths had a horrible moment when he accidentally shot a hunting buddy with a shotgun?
I’m a very compassionate person but I’ll be damned if I’m going to listen to the press fawn all over this bastard who had more important things to do when Vietnam was available for him to demonstrate his supposed patriotism.
Like all the chicken hawks from George W Bush on down, patriotism is when you can talk tough and send someone else to kill for you.
Fuck these bastards! For days now we’ve had newspapers and television reports about the horror poor old Dick suffered when he recklessly fired his shotgun. All those days, young men and women Cheney is responsible for putting in harm’s way suffered true horror of war.
All those days, innocent kids and civilians died because of the illegal war perpetrated by Cheney and his stooges. Don’t expect me to have pity on a mass murderer because for once in his pampered fucking life he realizes the horror of pulling a trigger and seeing a victim.
That horror happens daily and we hardly hear about it. Fuck Cheney’s crybaby act of this being the worst day of his life. How’s it feel Dick? How’s it finally feel to know that moment of pulling a trigger and finding out that it tears flesh and there’s blood?
Yeah, sure, a peace activist is supposed to be sympathetic to all living creatures. Just say I’m not there yet when it comes to assholes that have no conscience about killing hundreds of thousands but would try to have us believe he feels so awful about almost killing his millionaire friend.
Why do I feel Dick is like the hit and run driver who would leave the body on the street if he could have gotten away with doing so? If only there was someone else he could blame for his actions.
Fuck Dick Cheney’s moment of angst. Tell him to go back down to New Orleans and tell the folks there about his bad day. Tell him to go to Basrah or Ramadi and tell the mom with dead kids about his bad day. Fuck him!
If you all don’t understand the rage coming from me because this asshole has had five days of press consoling him for his stupid blunder, then you don’t understand the misplaced values of a murderous society that forgets dead babies and dead soldiers while it gives the assistant murderer compassion he’d never give.
I feel nothing but disgust for the handling of this lame bastard’s trauma. I know damn well he sleeps well at night while others wake up in terror. Fuck him!
Saturday, February 18
Tuesday, February 14
Happy Valentines Day
Happy Valentine’s Day, America.
As a special valentine to all America, George Bush has given each of us a little love.
For his rich friends of course he gave tax breaks, union pensions, non-union pensions, Medicare drug dollars, lowered payrolls through outsourcing and destruction of unions, no bid contracts in Iraq, Afghanistan and New Orleans (another third world area now under occupation).
Wait, I’m not done. George gave his rich friends a Supreme Court that will favor the rich in every decision.
He’ll soon have gotten rid of all those money wasting social programs so there will be more available money for the rich. The continued wars will certainly benefit his rich friends. If he can finish with the destruction of the public education system before he leaves office, the faith-based capitalist churches of Jesus Christ, Inc. will be given the voucher system it’s been waiting for.
The stock market has been given many valentines including Alan Greenspan and his new successor. The bad news of the misery index of joblessness, homelessness, bankruptcy, mortgage defaults and hunger have been hidden to avoid stock investors from knowing the true state of the economy.
And very soon, maybe Social Security can be swindled away to be given the Dow and Jones and other markets.
For the rest of America, the valentines are relief of our freedoms in exchange for protection from “terrorism”, jobs for our young in the “all volunteer military”, retirement benefits of door greeter at Wal-Mart and plenty of mind numbing entertainment called realism.
He'll protect us all from gay marriages, abortions and stem cell research. He'll make sure to execute as many people of color as possible. And poor white trash. He'll give us election machines that will do away with all the unnecessary paper.He'll protect the environment by providing big business the leadership of running environmental programs. He'll make sure our SUV's have the oil necessary even if he has to drill Alaska, Iraq, Iran and Venezuela.
The most important valentine of course is the cake. George wants to make sure we all eat cake.
As a special valentine to all America, George Bush has given each of us a little love.
For his rich friends of course he gave tax breaks, union pensions, non-union pensions, Medicare drug dollars, lowered payrolls through outsourcing and destruction of unions, no bid contracts in Iraq, Afghanistan and New Orleans (another third world area now under occupation).
Wait, I’m not done. George gave his rich friends a Supreme Court that will favor the rich in every decision.
He’ll soon have gotten rid of all those money wasting social programs so there will be more available money for the rich. The continued wars will certainly benefit his rich friends. If he can finish with the destruction of the public education system before he leaves office, the faith-based capitalist churches of Jesus Christ, Inc. will be given the voucher system it’s been waiting for.
The stock market has been given many valentines including Alan Greenspan and his new successor. The bad news of the misery index of joblessness, homelessness, bankruptcy, mortgage defaults and hunger have been hidden to avoid stock investors from knowing the true state of the economy.
And very soon, maybe Social Security can be swindled away to be given the Dow and Jones and other markets.
For the rest of America, the valentines are relief of our freedoms in exchange for protection from “terrorism”, jobs for our young in the “all volunteer military”, retirement benefits of door greeter at Wal-Mart and plenty of mind numbing entertainment called realism.
He'll protect us all from gay marriages, abortions and stem cell research. He'll make sure to execute as many people of color as possible. And poor white trash. He'll give us election machines that will do away with all the unnecessary paper.He'll protect the environment by providing big business the leadership of running environmental programs. He'll make sure our SUV's have the oil necessary even if he has to drill Alaska, Iraq, Iran and Venezuela.
The most important valentine of course is the cake. George wants to make sure we all eat cake.
Saturday, February 11
Church, Inc.
Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput never fails to amaze me with his disingenuous tripe about Catholic persecution by others. His latest use of this ruse comes at a time when the Colorado legislature is considering a bill to extend the statute of limitations for sexual offenders.
Of course this legislation would strike at the very heart of Catholic priests sexually abusing Catholic children for decades while the Church kept the lid on the disgusting scandal.
Men and women now in their middle-aged years have struggled since childhood with the scar of “a man of God” sexually abusing them. Their lives were forever changed by trauma and the effects of PTSD because of the offending priests.
In city after city the Church hid the evidence of the crimes. Instead of reporting the offender the Church moved him to another diocese. Instead of firing or disrobing the priest, the Church kept silent, kept the offenders moving and kept the victims feeling guilt and shame.
Now, incredibly, Archbishop Chaput has sent a letter to be read to all parishioners at mass describing the legislation as anti-Catholic. He implores the laity to call their legislators.
Chaput gives numbers about school teachers that have offended and cites the law disallowing a school district to be sued for the conduct of the teacher. He doesn’t cite too many cases of school districts hiding teachers by sending them to other schools in their district if they abuse children at one school.
Chaput infers the other denominations have more cases of abuse than the Catholics. This is apparently supposed to make us think we’re not being fair to Catholics and let the Church ignore its responsibility to the victims of the pedophile priests.
Comparing teachers who offend and priests who offend may be valid in some respects but teachers never tell children they are men of God or it’s God’s will. Teachers who offend face civil and criminal consequences.
For far too long the only consequence the pedophile priest faced was a change of address. Unfortunately for thousands of children they never received the mercy allowed the priests.
Unfortunately for the good men of the priesthood their credibility has suffered because of a small number of offenders and a cover up by the hierarchy of the Church.
Not too long ago Archbishop Chaput told the laity in the Denver diocese he had rules in place preventing what had occurred in other dioceses.
Later Chaput chastised a lay woman on a committee to audit every Church in America. She apparently dared suggest another audit should occur.
Archbishop Chaput suggested such decisions should be left to the leaders of the Church. This interaction took place during the time the Conference of Bishops came to Denver. The message seemed to be the laity should trust the same leaders who had failed to do the right thing with offending priests for decades.
Suddenly in the past year, Denver Catholics found out what the rest of the country had already experienced. Priests in Colorado had abused children for many decades. When discovered the Denver diocese did what all the other dioceses had done. They covered up and allowed the offending priest to change addresses.
Now victims are coming forth to tell the truth the Church failed to tell. Now victims are exposing the cover up.
When I hear and read about the letter of the Archbishop and his public statements of “anti-Catholicism”, I think of money. The Roman Catholic Church, Inc. comes to mind. Church, Inc. doesn’t want to take responsibility for the sins of its men of God that abused Catholic children.
Church, Inc. doesn’t want to accept responsibility for allowing the abuse to be covered up and the abused to live life in pain and anonymity.
Archbishop Chaput is supposed to be the Shepard of the flock. His behaviors and statements seem to indicate he’s more the CFO of the flock.
Of course this legislation would strike at the very heart of Catholic priests sexually abusing Catholic children for decades while the Church kept the lid on the disgusting scandal.
Men and women now in their middle-aged years have struggled since childhood with the scar of “a man of God” sexually abusing them. Their lives were forever changed by trauma and the effects of PTSD because of the offending priests.
In city after city the Church hid the evidence of the crimes. Instead of reporting the offender the Church moved him to another diocese. Instead of firing or disrobing the priest, the Church kept silent, kept the offenders moving and kept the victims feeling guilt and shame.
Now, incredibly, Archbishop Chaput has sent a letter to be read to all parishioners at mass describing the legislation as anti-Catholic. He implores the laity to call their legislators.
Chaput gives numbers about school teachers that have offended and cites the law disallowing a school district to be sued for the conduct of the teacher. He doesn’t cite too many cases of school districts hiding teachers by sending them to other schools in their district if they abuse children at one school.
Chaput infers the other denominations have more cases of abuse than the Catholics. This is apparently supposed to make us think we’re not being fair to Catholics and let the Church ignore its responsibility to the victims of the pedophile priests.
Comparing teachers who offend and priests who offend may be valid in some respects but teachers never tell children they are men of God or it’s God’s will. Teachers who offend face civil and criminal consequences.
For far too long the only consequence the pedophile priest faced was a change of address. Unfortunately for thousands of children they never received the mercy allowed the priests.
Unfortunately for the good men of the priesthood their credibility has suffered because of a small number of offenders and a cover up by the hierarchy of the Church.
Not too long ago Archbishop Chaput told the laity in the Denver diocese he had rules in place preventing what had occurred in other dioceses.
Later Chaput chastised a lay woman on a committee to audit every Church in America. She apparently dared suggest another audit should occur.
Archbishop Chaput suggested such decisions should be left to the leaders of the Church. This interaction took place during the time the Conference of Bishops came to Denver. The message seemed to be the laity should trust the same leaders who had failed to do the right thing with offending priests for decades.
Suddenly in the past year, Denver Catholics found out what the rest of the country had already experienced. Priests in Colorado had abused children for many decades. When discovered the Denver diocese did what all the other dioceses had done. They covered up and allowed the offending priest to change addresses.
Now victims are coming forth to tell the truth the Church failed to tell. Now victims are exposing the cover up.
When I hear and read about the letter of the Archbishop and his public statements of “anti-Catholicism”, I think of money. The Roman Catholic Church, Inc. comes to mind. Church, Inc. doesn’t want to take responsibility for the sins of its men of God that abused Catholic children.
Church, Inc. doesn’t want to accept responsibility for allowing the abuse to be covered up and the abused to live life in pain and anonymity.
Archbishop Chaput is supposed to be the Shepard of the flock. His behaviors and statements seem to indicate he’s more the CFO of the flock.
Freedom of Speech or Free of the Truth
The Rocky Mountain News and Editor John Temple would have us believe the publishing of an offensive cartoon of the prophet Muhammad is only an exercise in old fashioned “freedom of speech”.
The cartoon in question was one of a dozen run in Europe to prove the point of tolerance and free speech. Muslims world wide were offended by the cartoons for violating a basic tenet of their faith. Islamic belief is any depiction of the Prophet is idolatry.
Such belief isn’t new to religion. Jewish faith and Christian faith have a commandment against graven images of God.
Unfortunately some fanatics calling themselves Muslim fanned the flames of hatred that led to violent rampages against European embassies and in European cities. These fanatics and the foolish sheep that followed them don’t represent true Islamic faith anymore than the hypocrites spewing hate in the name of Christians represent Christ.
The editorial accompanying the cartoon by the News blusters on about freedom of speech and tolerance while it paints all Muslims with the same brush of intolerance. The editorial perpetuates the portrayal of Muslims as a violent people.
If Temple and the News asked around the world about Americans they’d surely get the portrayal of all Americans as violent. Given the American history of war and violence that portrayal would be closer to the truth.
The freedom of speech issues sound high minded on the part of Temple and the News. Too bad the same criteria aren’t applied to the press coverage for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Journalism is flawed when it is “embedded” with politics.
The same criteria haven’t been used in the viewing of bodies in caskets returning to Dover AFB in Delaware.
I’ve not read editorials about the new American free speech zones that prevent any dissenting voice from getting into public gatherings of the President of the United States of America. The same free speech zones keep Americans citizens from being in view of the President in most cases if they disagree with his policies.
I find it no accident the News also ran a negative cartoon about Hamas on the same page as the editorial and offensive cartoon of the Prophet. Tying Islam with Palestinian radicals is one more way of the News demonizing Muslims.
The real truth is an old adage about journalism, if it bleeds it leads. Offending Muslims doesn’t matter to the News. The news has consistently used Muslims, Islamic radicals, terrorists or Arab terrorists as interchangeable words.
Defining Islamic views is of little value to newspapers used as willing dupes for the tyranny of George Bush. Investigating the truth about WMD’s or getting to the truth of cronyism by the regime doesn’t interfere with the propaganda role of the mainstream press.
The cartoon in question was one of a dozen run in Europe to prove the point of tolerance and free speech. Muslims world wide were offended by the cartoons for violating a basic tenet of their faith. Islamic belief is any depiction of the Prophet is idolatry.
Such belief isn’t new to religion. Jewish faith and Christian faith have a commandment against graven images of God.
Unfortunately some fanatics calling themselves Muslim fanned the flames of hatred that led to violent rampages against European embassies and in European cities. These fanatics and the foolish sheep that followed them don’t represent true Islamic faith anymore than the hypocrites spewing hate in the name of Christians represent Christ.
The editorial accompanying the cartoon by the News blusters on about freedom of speech and tolerance while it paints all Muslims with the same brush of intolerance. The editorial perpetuates the portrayal of Muslims as a violent people.
If Temple and the News asked around the world about Americans they’d surely get the portrayal of all Americans as violent. Given the American history of war and violence that portrayal would be closer to the truth.
The freedom of speech issues sound high minded on the part of Temple and the News. Too bad the same criteria aren’t applied to the press coverage for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Journalism is flawed when it is “embedded” with politics.
The same criteria haven’t been used in the viewing of bodies in caskets returning to Dover AFB in Delaware.
I’ve not read editorials about the new American free speech zones that prevent any dissenting voice from getting into public gatherings of the President of the United States of America. The same free speech zones keep Americans citizens from being in view of the President in most cases if they disagree with his policies.
I find it no accident the News also ran a negative cartoon about Hamas on the same page as the editorial and offensive cartoon of the Prophet. Tying Islam with Palestinian radicals is one more way of the News demonizing Muslims.
The real truth is an old adage about journalism, if it bleeds it leads. Offending Muslims doesn’t matter to the News. The news has consistently used Muslims, Islamic radicals, terrorists or Arab terrorists as interchangeable words.
Defining Islamic views is of little value to newspapers used as willing dupes for the tyranny of George Bush. Investigating the truth about WMD’s or getting to the truth of cronyism by the regime doesn’t interfere with the propaganda role of the mainstream press.
The Plan for a New American Century - revised
Here's a glance at how Bush will protect the American Homeland. Keep in mind these figures don't include the VA and the shortfall of money that will be needed to care for the returning vets.
Programs Bush Wants to Cut or Kill
By The Associated PressThu Feb 9, 6:21 PM ET
02/10/06 "AP" -- -- The 141 programs that President Bush proposed to eliminate or cut in his 2007 budget, with potential savings in millions:
TERMINATIONS:
AGRICULTURE
Microbiological data program, $6 million.
Community Connect broadband grants, $9 million.
Commodity supplemental food program, $107 million.
Research and extension grant earmarks, $196 million.
Ocean freight differential grants, $77 million.
Forest service economic action program, $10 million.
High cost energy grants, $26 million.
Public broadcast grants, $5 million.
Watershed protection and flood prevention operations, $75 million.
Total $511 million
___
COMMERCE
Advanced technology program, $79 million.
Emergency steel guarantee loan program $49 million
Telecommunications construction grants $22 million
Total $150 million
___
EDUCATION
Educational technology state grants, $272 million
Even Start, $99 million
High school programs terminations:
Vocational education state grants, $1,182 million
Vocational education national programs, $9 million
Upward Bound, $311 million
GEAR UP, $303 million
Talent search, $145 million
Tech prep state grants, $105 million
Smaller learning communities, $94 million
Safe and Drug-Free Schools state grants, $347 million
Elementary and secondary education program terminations:
Parental information and resource centers, $40 million
Arts in education, $35 million
Elementary and secondary school counseling, $35 million
Alcohol abuse reduction, $32 million
Civic education, $29 million
National Writing Project, $22 million
Star Schools, $15 million
School leadership,$15 million
Ready to Teach, $11 million
Javits gifted and talented education, $10 million
Exchanges with Historic Whaling and Trading Partners, $9 million
Comprehensive school reform, $8 million
Dropout prevention program, $5 million
Mental Health integration in schools, $5 million
Women's Educational Equity, $3 million
Academies for American History and Civics, $2 million
Close-Up fellowships, $1 million
Foundations for Learning, $1 million
Excellence in Economic Education, $1 million
Higher Education Programs:
Education demos for students with disabilities, $7 million
Underground Railroad Program, $2 million
State grants for incarcerated youth offenders, $23 million
Postsecondary Student Financial Assistance Programs:
Perkins Loan cancellations, $65 million
Leveraging educational assistance programs, $65 million
Byrd Scholarships, $41 million
Thurgood Marshall Legal Educational opportunity, $3 million
B.J. Stupak Olympic scholarships, $1 million
_Vocational rehabilitation programs:
Supported employment, $30 million
Projects with industry, $20 million
Recreational programs, $3 million
Migrant and seasonal farmworkers,$2 million
Teacher Quality Enhancement, $60 million
Total $3,468 million
___
ENERGY
University nuclear energy program, $27 million
Oil and gas research and development, $64 million
Geothermal technology program, $23 million
Total $114 million
___
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control preventive block grant, $99 million
Real Choice System Change grants, $25 million
Community services block grant, $630 million
Community economic development, $27 million
Rural community facilities, $7 million
Job opportunities for low-income individuals, $6 million
Maternal and child health small categorical grants, $39 million
Urban Indian Health Program, $33 million
Total $866 million
___
HOMELAND SECURITY
Office of grants and training, $229 million
___
HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
HOPE VI, $198 million
___
INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs Johnson-O'Malley assistance grants, $16 million
Land and water conservation fund state recreation grants, $28 million
National Park Service statutory aid, $7 million
Rural fire assistance, $10 million
Total $61 million
__
JUSTICE
Byrne discretionary grants, $189 million
Byrne justice assistance grants, $327 million
Community Oriented Policing Services technology grants, $128 million
Juvenile accountability block grants, $49 million
National Drug Intelligence Center, $23 million
State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, $400 million
Total $1,116 million
___
LABOR
America's Job Bank, $15 million
Denali Commission job training earmark, $7 million
Migrant and seasonal farmworkers training program, $79 million
Reintegration of youthful offenders, $49 million
Susan Harwood training grants, $10 million
Work incentive grants, $20 million
Total $180 million
___
TRANSPORTATION
National defense tank vessel construction program, $74 million
Railroad rehabilitation financing loan program, $0 million (no funds were enacted in 2006)
Total $74 million
___
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Unrequested projects, $277 million
___
OTHER AGENCIES
National Civilian Community Corps, $22 million
President's Freedom scholarships, $4 million
National Veterans Business Development Corporation, $1 million
Small Business Administration microloan program, $14 million
Postal Service forgone revenue appropriation, $29 million
Total $70 million
_____
MAJOR REDUCTIONS:
__
AGRICULTURE
Conservation operations, $77 million
Resource conservation and development program, $25 million
State and private forestry, $100 million
In-house research, $123 million
Environmental quality incentives program, $270 million
Market access program, $100 million
Rural Economic development grants, $89 million
Watershed rehabilitation program, $ 65 million
Farmland protection program, $47 million
Value-added marketing grants, $40 million
Wildlife habitat incentives program, $30 million
Agricultural management assistance, $14 million
Broadband, $10 million
Ground and surface water conservation, $9 million
Renewable energy program, $3 million
Biomass research and development, $2 million
Total $1004 million
___
COMMERCE
Manufacturing extension partnership, $59 million
Technology administration, $5 million
Total $64 million
___
EDUCATION
Perkins Loans Institutional Fund recall, $664 million
Teaching American history, $71 million
Physical education, $47 million
Mentoring program, $30 million
Total 811 million
___
ENERGY
Environmental management, $762 million
Weatherization assistance program, $79 million
Clean Coal Power initiative, $45 million
Total $886 million
___
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Health Resources and Service Administration- Children's Graduate Medical Education, $198
HRSA Health professions, $136 million
HRSA Poison control centers, $10 million
HRSA Rural health, $133 million
Social Services block grant, $500 million
Substance abuse and mental health programs, $71 million
Total $1,048 million
___
HOMELAND SECURITY
Office of grants and training, $694 million
__
HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Public housing capital fund, $261 million
___
INTERIOR
BIA school construction, $50 million
Bureau of Reclamation reductions, $127 million
USGS Mineral Resources program, $22 million
Total $199 million
___
LABOR
State job training grants consolidation, $514 million
International Labor Affairs Bureau, $61 million
Office of Disability Employment Policy, $8 million
Total $583 million
___
TRANSPORTATION
Amtrak, $394 million
Federal Aviation Administration, Airport improvement program, $765 million
Total $1,159 million
TREASURY
Internal Revenue Service business systems modernization, $30 million
___
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Alaska Native villages, $19 million
Clean water state revolving fund, $199 million
Total $218 million
___
INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
Assistance for Eastern European democracy, $83 million
Assistance for the state of the former Soviet Union, $68 million
Total $160 million
___
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
Aeronautics Mission Research Directorate, $160 million
___
OTHER AGENCIES
Corporation for Public Broadcasting, $114 million
Denali Commission, $47 million
National Archives and Records Administration, $8 million
Total $169 million
Copyright © 2006 The Associated Press
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COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Programs Bush Wants to Cut or Kill
By The Associated PressThu Feb 9, 6:21 PM ET
02/10/06 "AP" -- -- The 141 programs that President Bush proposed to eliminate or cut in his 2007 budget, with potential savings in millions:
TERMINATIONS:
AGRICULTURE
Microbiological data program, $6 million.
Community Connect broadband grants, $9 million.
Commodity supplemental food program, $107 million.
Research and extension grant earmarks, $196 million.
Ocean freight differential grants, $77 million.
Forest service economic action program, $10 million.
High cost energy grants, $26 million.
Public broadcast grants, $5 million.
Watershed protection and flood prevention operations, $75 million.
Total $511 million
___
COMMERCE
Advanced technology program, $79 million.
Emergency steel guarantee loan program $49 million
Telecommunications construction grants $22 million
Total $150 million
___
EDUCATION
Educational technology state grants, $272 million
Even Start, $99 million
High school programs terminations:
Vocational education state grants, $1,182 million
Vocational education national programs, $9 million
Upward Bound, $311 million
GEAR UP, $303 million
Talent search, $145 million
Tech prep state grants, $105 million
Smaller learning communities, $94 million
Safe and Drug-Free Schools state grants, $347 million
Elementary and secondary education program terminations:
Parental information and resource centers, $40 million
Arts in education, $35 million
Elementary and secondary school counseling, $35 million
Alcohol abuse reduction, $32 million
Civic education, $29 million
National Writing Project, $22 million
Star Schools, $15 million
School leadership,$15 million
Ready to Teach, $11 million
Javits gifted and talented education, $10 million
Exchanges with Historic Whaling and Trading Partners, $9 million
Comprehensive school reform, $8 million
Dropout prevention program, $5 million
Mental Health integration in schools, $5 million
Women's Educational Equity, $3 million
Academies for American History and Civics, $2 million
Close-Up fellowships, $1 million
Foundations for Learning, $1 million
Excellence in Economic Education, $1 million
Higher Education Programs:
Education demos for students with disabilities, $7 million
Underground Railroad Program, $2 million
State grants for incarcerated youth offenders, $23 million
Postsecondary Student Financial Assistance Programs:
Perkins Loan cancellations, $65 million
Leveraging educational assistance programs, $65 million
Byrd Scholarships, $41 million
Thurgood Marshall Legal Educational opportunity, $3 million
B.J. Stupak Olympic scholarships, $1 million
_Vocational rehabilitation programs:
Supported employment, $30 million
Projects with industry, $20 million
Recreational programs, $3 million
Migrant and seasonal farmworkers,$2 million
Teacher Quality Enhancement, $60 million
Total $3,468 million
___
ENERGY
University nuclear energy program, $27 million
Oil and gas research and development, $64 million
Geothermal technology program, $23 million
Total $114 million
___
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control preventive block grant, $99 million
Real Choice System Change grants, $25 million
Community services block grant, $630 million
Community economic development, $27 million
Rural community facilities, $7 million
Job opportunities for low-income individuals, $6 million
Maternal and child health small categorical grants, $39 million
Urban Indian Health Program, $33 million
Total $866 million
___
HOMELAND SECURITY
Office of grants and training, $229 million
___
HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
HOPE VI, $198 million
___
INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs Johnson-O'Malley assistance grants, $16 million
Land and water conservation fund state recreation grants, $28 million
National Park Service statutory aid, $7 million
Rural fire assistance, $10 million
Total $61 million
__
JUSTICE
Byrne discretionary grants, $189 million
Byrne justice assistance grants, $327 million
Community Oriented Policing Services technology grants, $128 million
Juvenile accountability block grants, $49 million
National Drug Intelligence Center, $23 million
State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, $400 million
Total $1,116 million
___
LABOR
America's Job Bank, $15 million
Denali Commission job training earmark, $7 million
Migrant and seasonal farmworkers training program, $79 million
Reintegration of youthful offenders, $49 million
Susan Harwood training grants, $10 million
Work incentive grants, $20 million
Total $180 million
___
TRANSPORTATION
National defense tank vessel construction program, $74 million
Railroad rehabilitation financing loan program, $0 million (no funds were enacted in 2006)
Total $74 million
___
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Unrequested projects, $277 million
___
OTHER AGENCIES
National Civilian Community Corps, $22 million
President's Freedom scholarships, $4 million
National Veterans Business Development Corporation, $1 million
Small Business Administration microloan program, $14 million
Postal Service forgone revenue appropriation, $29 million
Total $70 million
_____
MAJOR REDUCTIONS:
__
AGRICULTURE
Conservation operations, $77 million
Resource conservation and development program, $25 million
State and private forestry, $100 million
In-house research, $123 million
Environmental quality incentives program, $270 million
Market access program, $100 million
Rural Economic development grants, $89 million
Watershed rehabilitation program, $ 65 million
Farmland protection program, $47 million
Value-added marketing grants, $40 million
Wildlife habitat incentives program, $30 million
Agricultural management assistance, $14 million
Broadband, $10 million
Ground and surface water conservation, $9 million
Renewable energy program, $3 million
Biomass research and development, $2 million
Total $1004 million
___
COMMERCE
Manufacturing extension partnership, $59 million
Technology administration, $5 million
Total $64 million
___
EDUCATION
Perkins Loans Institutional Fund recall, $664 million
Teaching American history, $71 million
Physical education, $47 million
Mentoring program, $30 million
Total 811 million
___
ENERGY
Environmental management, $762 million
Weatherization assistance program, $79 million
Clean Coal Power initiative, $45 million
Total $886 million
___
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Health Resources and Service Administration- Children's Graduate Medical Education, $198
HRSA Health professions, $136 million
HRSA Poison control centers, $10 million
HRSA Rural health, $133 million
Social Services block grant, $500 million
Substance abuse and mental health programs, $71 million
Total $1,048 million
___
HOMELAND SECURITY
Office of grants and training, $694 million
__
HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Public housing capital fund, $261 million
___
INTERIOR
BIA school construction, $50 million
Bureau of Reclamation reductions, $127 million
USGS Mineral Resources program, $22 million
Total $199 million
___
LABOR
State job training grants consolidation, $514 million
International Labor Affairs Bureau, $61 million
Office of Disability Employment Policy, $8 million
Total $583 million
___
TRANSPORTATION
Amtrak, $394 million
Federal Aviation Administration, Airport improvement program, $765 million
Total $1,159 million
TREASURY
Internal Revenue Service business systems modernization, $30 million
___
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Alaska Native villages, $19 million
Clean water state revolving fund, $199 million
Total $218 million
___
INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
Assistance for Eastern European democracy, $83 million
Assistance for the state of the former Soviet Union, $68 million
Total $160 million
___
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
Aeronautics Mission Research Directorate, $160 million
___
OTHER AGENCIES
Corporation for Public Broadcasting, $114 million
Denali Commission, $47 million
National Archives and Records Administration, $8 million
Total $169 million
Copyright © 2006 The Associated Press
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Friday, February 10
A Weak Solidarity
Last evening I went to a peace coalition’s monthly meeting. I’ve been a member of this particular coalition since it began two plus years ago. Like most peace groups here in Colorado and across America, this coalition is predominately white.
For all the time the coalition has been in existence, members have bemoaned the lack of diversity in their ranks. They’ve wondered where the black community was. They’ve wondered why the Latino, Hispanic and Chicano communities haven’t been part of the peace movement. There’s lack of young people, Native Americans, Asian and most all non-European communities in the coalition.
Several times the group has had opportunity to show up in numbers to support non-white communities in times of police brutality or racism issues.
The turn out of whites to support calls for community action in the non-white communities has been very small in numbers. A small group of same white activists do come out in support but the white peace movement generally fails to bring a large number to show solidarity.
The coalition has continued to scratch their collective heads wondering why their invitations to the non-whites are seldom accepted.
As the third anniversary of the Iraq invasion approaches a new coalition has started. An activist in the black community acquired the permit for March 19th to rally at the Colorado State Capitol. He took a preemptive action to get the permit before the usual groups of white activists acquired it.
The permit was taken out four months ago. The announcements of planning the march and rally began about six weeks ago. At first the turnout for the planning was small but has grown exponentially each week.
Now the group is one of the largest in recent memory to gather for planning an activist event. And it is a majority non-white group.
Unlike previous peace rallies, this rally is being designed to portray the human costs of war at home. Instead of the usual antiwar speakers with the usual antiwar rhetoric, this group wants to show the devastation caused by diversion of funds to war in the Middle East on communities of color and poverty in America.
The group wants to connect the dots from the wars and the cost of cuts in schools, healthcare, childcare, living wages, adequate housing, hunger programs, mental health and substance abuse and all the other many social programs that are a lifeline to the poorest and the weakest of our country.
It’s a new approach where the war itself is acknowledged for what its done to the troops and innocent civilians in the countries invaded. The focus, however, will be the often forgotten costs of the war at home. The purpose is to demonstrate Americans in disaffected communities can’t really distance themselves from the costs of war.
The rally will also highlight the long struggle of non-white communities for justice. While everyday there is more and more infringement upon civil liberties by the current regime, this is nothing new to non-white communities. Police brutality has become an epidemic against these communities. Rousting and imprisonment for petty offenses is common.
Justice in courtrooms has become a sham. The affluent and middle class able to afford a private attorney have justice slanted heavily on their side. The poor and non-whites with or without attorney end up incarcerated in alarming rates. Rates of black and brown males imprisoned have created whole generations of poverty and fatherless children.
The connections between crimes of violence and crimes of property to poverty are clear. The solution always seems to be prison instead of opportunities.
The connections between drug use and distribution and poverty are clear. The solution always seems to be prison instead of equality and justice in the social condition.
This is the “hidden war” made worse by billions of dollars funneled to the military industrial complex in countries invaded for their natural resources or strategic importance to maintain power.
Last week as the new coalition called Troops Out Now continued to grow, the white peace movement announced a three day winter convergence in Denver to overlap the march and rally. The convergence is planned to work on the peace coalition’s legislative lobbying and several work committees created in a summer retreat.
The schedule of the convergence does allow three hours for the march and rally before reconvening. The announcement describes many details of the convergence in two pages.
The rally part of the announcement is difficult to find at first glance because the placement is very much in the middle of all the other activities on the second page.
There is no activity scheduled that includes members of the new and diverse Troops Out Now. None of the organizers for the new coalition have been asked to take part in leading the convergence.
Even as a white male in America, I wondered about the timing of the announcement and the schedule which surrounded and engulfed the march and rally. An event planned well before this convergence.
With this thought in mind, I decided I’d go to the white peace movement’s monthly meeting as a member of that white coalition.
I wanted to ask what thinking went into having the convergence on the same weekend as the rally.
I wanted to ask if the white coalition gave thought to including this new group that had diversity in the schedule. I thought this an opportunity to promote diversity in the white peace movement.
I was given a slot in the agenda to ask my questions. I failed to realize the volatility of the questions. I foolishly felt an activist organization which had expressed desire for more diversity would be open to such questions.
The response was shocking. Most of the group became immediately defensive. They began to list all they had done to bring non-white activists into the white peace movement. They personalized the questions as questions of their integrity and views on race.
There was a general tone of targeting the main organizer who had secured the permit. After I asked they reframe the discussion to how our white coalition could work with groups of diverse backgrounds, some in the group argued the issue was divisive and “all about turf” and control.
The anger was palpable. The group insisted many of the white peace movement had supported the causes of the communities of color and poverty. They insisted they had invited many of those communities to their coalition’s meetings but no one had accepted.
The group insisted all were welcome to join their coalition’s actions and meetings but few if any ever came. In a telling moment when I asked again why Troops Out Now organizers hadn’t been asked to be part of the convergence, one of the leaders of the group told me “this is a CCJP event to work on CCJP action committee projects.”
One member left the room twice after angry responses. Finally the member left the meeting entirely. This same member had earlier told the group “I can’t help if I was born with white skin”.
Another member stated they had signed up on email lists several times but never received any request to help out.
Two young activists gave their impressions of the group’s attempts for diversity. One quietly and simply stated he felt there was racism throughout the culture and the group has been traditionally all white. The other young activist echoed that sentiment. She also pointed out only the youth had participated in a formal diversity committee of the white coalition. That group was now defunct she said.
In frustration, I told the group they were ignoring the elephant in the room; that racism seemed to be a taboo subject. Again there was a heated exchange. I was told this issue (racism) has always been a problem in the peace movement and would continue to be.
In response to all the emotional remarks and defensive statements, I told the group I’d brought the issue to them to help promote changes and inclusion of the communities of color, youth and other diverse backgrounds. The group never addressed the issue in that way.
I’m left numbed and ashamed following last evening’s meeting. I knew there was a problem because in the three years I’ve been in the group we’ve never sparked much interest except from the white progressive community.
I also feel I might have imperiled the upcoming march and rally by bringing up an issue that became as volatile as this one became.
But in truth, I felt I needed to bring up such an important issue at this opportune time when black and brown and white and Native and young were about to join in a march and rally. I want solidarity to be routine not occasional.
What a foolish white man I am.
Terry – Mental Health RN
VVAW – combat vet
For all the time the coalition has been in existence, members have bemoaned the lack of diversity in their ranks. They’ve wondered where the black community was. They’ve wondered why the Latino, Hispanic and Chicano communities haven’t been part of the peace movement. There’s lack of young people, Native Americans, Asian and most all non-European communities in the coalition.
Several times the group has had opportunity to show up in numbers to support non-white communities in times of police brutality or racism issues.
The turn out of whites to support calls for community action in the non-white communities has been very small in numbers. A small group of same white activists do come out in support but the white peace movement generally fails to bring a large number to show solidarity.
The coalition has continued to scratch their collective heads wondering why their invitations to the non-whites are seldom accepted.
As the third anniversary of the Iraq invasion approaches a new coalition has started. An activist in the black community acquired the permit for March 19th to rally at the Colorado State Capitol. He took a preemptive action to get the permit before the usual groups of white activists acquired it.
The permit was taken out four months ago. The announcements of planning the march and rally began about six weeks ago. At first the turnout for the planning was small but has grown exponentially each week.
Now the group is one of the largest in recent memory to gather for planning an activist event. And it is a majority non-white group.
Unlike previous peace rallies, this rally is being designed to portray the human costs of war at home. Instead of the usual antiwar speakers with the usual antiwar rhetoric, this group wants to show the devastation caused by diversion of funds to war in the Middle East on communities of color and poverty in America.
The group wants to connect the dots from the wars and the cost of cuts in schools, healthcare, childcare, living wages, adequate housing, hunger programs, mental health and substance abuse and all the other many social programs that are a lifeline to the poorest and the weakest of our country.
It’s a new approach where the war itself is acknowledged for what its done to the troops and innocent civilians in the countries invaded. The focus, however, will be the often forgotten costs of the war at home. The purpose is to demonstrate Americans in disaffected communities can’t really distance themselves from the costs of war.
The rally will also highlight the long struggle of non-white communities for justice. While everyday there is more and more infringement upon civil liberties by the current regime, this is nothing new to non-white communities. Police brutality has become an epidemic against these communities. Rousting and imprisonment for petty offenses is common.
Justice in courtrooms has become a sham. The affluent and middle class able to afford a private attorney have justice slanted heavily on their side. The poor and non-whites with or without attorney end up incarcerated in alarming rates. Rates of black and brown males imprisoned have created whole generations of poverty and fatherless children.
The connections between crimes of violence and crimes of property to poverty are clear. The solution always seems to be prison instead of opportunities.
The connections between drug use and distribution and poverty are clear. The solution always seems to be prison instead of equality and justice in the social condition.
This is the “hidden war” made worse by billions of dollars funneled to the military industrial complex in countries invaded for their natural resources or strategic importance to maintain power.
Last week as the new coalition called Troops Out Now continued to grow, the white peace movement announced a three day winter convergence in Denver to overlap the march and rally. The convergence is planned to work on the peace coalition’s legislative lobbying and several work committees created in a summer retreat.
The schedule of the convergence does allow three hours for the march and rally before reconvening. The announcement describes many details of the convergence in two pages.
The rally part of the announcement is difficult to find at first glance because the placement is very much in the middle of all the other activities on the second page.
There is no activity scheduled that includes members of the new and diverse Troops Out Now. None of the organizers for the new coalition have been asked to take part in leading the convergence.
Even as a white male in America, I wondered about the timing of the announcement and the schedule which surrounded and engulfed the march and rally. An event planned well before this convergence.
With this thought in mind, I decided I’d go to the white peace movement’s monthly meeting as a member of that white coalition.
I wanted to ask what thinking went into having the convergence on the same weekend as the rally.
I wanted to ask if the white coalition gave thought to including this new group that had diversity in the schedule. I thought this an opportunity to promote diversity in the white peace movement.
I was given a slot in the agenda to ask my questions. I failed to realize the volatility of the questions. I foolishly felt an activist organization which had expressed desire for more diversity would be open to such questions.
The response was shocking. Most of the group became immediately defensive. They began to list all they had done to bring non-white activists into the white peace movement. They personalized the questions as questions of their integrity and views on race.
There was a general tone of targeting the main organizer who had secured the permit. After I asked they reframe the discussion to how our white coalition could work with groups of diverse backgrounds, some in the group argued the issue was divisive and “all about turf” and control.
The anger was palpable. The group insisted many of the white peace movement had supported the causes of the communities of color and poverty. They insisted they had invited many of those communities to their coalition’s meetings but no one had accepted.
The group insisted all were welcome to join their coalition’s actions and meetings but few if any ever came. In a telling moment when I asked again why Troops Out Now organizers hadn’t been asked to be part of the convergence, one of the leaders of the group told me “this is a CCJP event to work on CCJP action committee projects.”
One member left the room twice after angry responses. Finally the member left the meeting entirely. This same member had earlier told the group “I can’t help if I was born with white skin”.
Another member stated they had signed up on email lists several times but never received any request to help out.
Two young activists gave their impressions of the group’s attempts for diversity. One quietly and simply stated he felt there was racism throughout the culture and the group has been traditionally all white. The other young activist echoed that sentiment. She also pointed out only the youth had participated in a formal diversity committee of the white coalition. That group was now defunct she said.
In frustration, I told the group they were ignoring the elephant in the room; that racism seemed to be a taboo subject. Again there was a heated exchange. I was told this issue (racism) has always been a problem in the peace movement and would continue to be.
In response to all the emotional remarks and defensive statements, I told the group I’d brought the issue to them to help promote changes and inclusion of the communities of color, youth and other diverse backgrounds. The group never addressed the issue in that way.
I’m left numbed and ashamed following last evening’s meeting. I knew there was a problem because in the three years I’ve been in the group we’ve never sparked much interest except from the white progressive community.
I also feel I might have imperiled the upcoming march and rally by bringing up an issue that became as volatile as this one became.
But in truth, I felt I needed to bring up such an important issue at this opportune time when black and brown and white and Native and young were about to join in a march and rally. I want solidarity to be routine not occasional.
What a foolish white man I am.
Terry – Mental Health RN
VVAW – combat vet
Tuesday, February 7
What Protection, George?
If we look at the projected 2007 budget from the Bush Administration the immediate question becomes; who are we protecting?
The despot, Bush, says his administration has "focused the nation's resources on our highest priority:protecting our citizens and our homeland."
Homeland is a mockery coming from Bush. It reminds of the Third Reich homeland coming from his lips.
His mean spirtited budget invests billions in warfare and cronyism and takes away more and more of the little protection citizens of poverty, age and disability have to just survive.
Republicans, and apparently a number of Democrats, think making copays and deductibles will make the healthcare consumer more invested in their care..so they say.
What really occurs is the poorer healthcare consumer already puts off care until they're in an emergency stage. The new cuts will gut programs already strapped and dissuade the most vulnerable citizen from seeking healthcare when they have to choose to eat or pay a copay that's been raised beyond their means.
Maybe ten or twenty dollars means nothing to most of us but it means the difference between eating or seeing a doctor or dentist for the poor and weakest.
Some of the disabled have only sixty dollars or less each month they can spend after their rent is paid.
Mental health centers dependent on federal dollars to serve the severe and persistently mentally ill have already cut to the bone. They under pay their staffs. Now they'll see more cuts.
The end result won't save money but will kill more citizens.
The emergency rooms will see more visits by consumers who couldn't afford to do preventative care.
The prisons and jails will see even more of the mentally ill incarcerated because they were unmedicated.
And there will be deaths for lack of care and concern.
How does this protect our citizens, Mr. Bush?
And we haven't even discussed education, homelessness, lack of healthcare insurance, the outsourcing of jobs and the destruction of unions to reduce wages.
Have we allowed the words of terror, 9/11 and other fear-mongering phrases uttered by this administration to make us lose common sense?
Have we allowed our fear to prevent acting against tyranny and the constant erosion of the very rights we claim we hold dear? The rights we proudly hail to justify illegal wars, deaths of American sons and daughters and countless deaths of innocent civilians.
We're deluding ourselves if we think for one minute the Bush regime is protecting anybody but the rich and powerful.
We've been in a national coma of fear and denial far too long and risk losing any semblance of freedom.
Protection has an Orwellian twist when it comes from George Bush and his rogue government.
Thursday, February 2
To My Grandson Riley
Welcome, my grandson. You’ve arrived at just the time our world needs the hope of the newly born. I saw you just hours ago and already you bring tears of joy to my old and weary eyes.
I know the road ahead will be filled with times of great joy, times of great sadness. I apologize for the condition of things as you enter into this journey.
I promise you and your brother and sister, I will try to make changes before I leave. I look forward to you joining the struggle before I leave.
The world is dangerous right now, little one. I guess it always has been. But don’t let fear rule your life. Let your heart lead you to what is right, just and peaceful.
Don’t let the old men and sometimes, women, send you off with murder and hatred in your heart. Challenge the thinking of those who talk of violence to solve the problems we face in our world.
Let your eyes look at the great diverse world of people we have here in this world. Be joyful in seeing others as different and unique. Learn from them as much as you can. Take part of them into your heart and leave part of you in their heart.
Take time to look at the world. Smell the flowers. Climb the mountains. Sail the seas. Taste the snowflake on your tongue. Revel in the glory of all the nature we’re blessed with .
Don’t believe there’s joy in consuming without purpose. Find the indigenous people of our world and listen to their ways of communing with all we see, hear, touch and taste. Find the path of your heart. Don’t allow material things to be your wealth.
Look at your body, young one. See the miracle of it. Don’t be ashamed of it but marvel at all you can do. Honor it and honor all who may cross your path. Honor the beauty of woman and man.
Look at women and honor their beauty but also their minds and courage. Learn from them. They have great wisdom. They bring joy of life to reality. They understand the need for peace. They grieve loss of children once held in their womb.
Learn from mistakes. Don’t fear making them. Be able to apologize. Be able to commend. Be able to accept kindness sent your way. Be able to forgive.
Don’t allow borders to separate you from brothers and sisters in your world. Connection with people is real. Borders are fantasies of cruel minds.
Don’t believe yours is the only way. Learn the many ways. Yours is not the only song or the only language. Listen to the chorus and hear the words.
Family extends beyond your blood. Family is all of us. Don’t miss out on the joy of it. Play and laugh and take joy, my little one. You’re loved.
Allow yourself to hope, to dream and have idealism. Don’t let others take them away from you. Dream of peace, dream of love, and dream of all the things you could be. Keep your dreams alive.
There are so many lessons, little one. Your life is new and we have great hope for you. You make our lives better in coming to us. You reaffirm life is precious and love is real. Welcome, my grandson.
Your Grandfather
Wednesday, February 1
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