Thieves in the Temple.

"I want the letter 'e' stricken from the English language."

We have a few holiday-related alerts today, but first, this important interruption: Senate Intelligence and Judiciary Committees have each passed a FISA bill, the former of which lets big telecoms off the hook for their participation in Mr. Bush's warrantless wiretapping scheme, and the latter of which does not. Now Harry Reid gets to decide which version the full Senate will vote upon, and he's shown a disquieting willingness to cave to Mr. Bush on "security" matters. I've even heard speculation that warrantless wiretapping has been conducted on Harry Reid, which I've always said could happen. Of course I don't know if it's true, but just in case it is, lend him some spine here.

Consumers Union sends me an email alert about hospital infections, and what do you know? The Straight Dope takes up the very same issue in today's column. Senator Durbin (D-IL) and Reps. Cummings (D-MD) and Murphy (R-PA) sponsor legislation which would collect and report information about infections in hospitals and communities. Close to my heart, of course, since I work in a hospital and I feel a little bit sick much of the time. (Also, thanks to Consumers Union, you can get helpful tips on buying safe toys this holiday season and support Senate efforts to stop the FCC from permitting more media consolidation, if you haven't done so already.)

American Rights at Work suggests that you take a pledge not to use Federal Express to deliver any of your holiday gifts -- at least, not as long as Federal Express management refuses to treat its Ground drivers with the dignity and respect they deserve. Some folks say that "we're really hurting those workers" by boycotting their company. When I hear such cowardice I am, of course, reminded of my own: to my fear that divestment efforts would hurt poor South African blacks suffering under apartheid, South African anti-apartheid activists simply said: how much worse do you think it can get for us? FedEx Ground drivers aren't as bad off as that, but they're not doing well, either, so we should feel no less compelled to treat them as hostages to our efforts.

readings for the day of November 27, 2007.

"(Former Arkansas Governor Mike) Huckabee is campaigning as a conservative," writes Bob Novak in yesterday's Washington Post, "but serious Republicans know that he is a high-tax, protectionist advocate of big government and a strong hand in the Oval Office directing the lives of Americans." When Bob Novak talks, I listen, but that doesn't mean I agree, especially when his case here is so sparse. Here's all of it, from paragraph 4: his fellow Republicans all regarded him as a tax-and-spender, he raised the Arkansas tax burden by "47 percent," and he "press(ed)" his "new lifestyle" on people when he lost all that weight. Mr. Novak spends more time talking about how mean Mr. Huckabee putatively is in real life versus how he comes off on TV -- an interesting subject, surely, but not proof that he's a "false conservative." In any case, "serious Republicans" know that state politics differ dramatically from national politics, and a few of those (like Fred Thompson) suggest that's how it's supposed to be. Serious Republicans also remember that Mr. Bush ran as one of these "compassionate conservatives" too, and once in office was anything but. Indeed, serious Republicans may even be counting on that. Still, Mr. Novak's fear of the "new Republican acolytes" is well-founded -- especially since they don't act quite so Republican all the time.

Were you thinking that the economy is kind of like a big shell game? Wall Street analyst Fadel Gheith suggests you may be right. He discusses the factors causing a $30 spike in oil barrel prices over the last three months, and these factors essentially boil down to fear, fear, and fear -- as in the finance industry playing up current events to drive up the price of oil. And not "growing demand from India and China," not really, which, he concludes, would drive up the price of oil but not this much. Don't expect the "liberal" media to tell you anything about this, of course.

UPDATE. Er, the calendar says it's 2007. Post title changed to correct that. I'm in no hurry to get to 2008, either.

manic Monday.

Larry Flynt tells the Fox Business (sic) Channel's Neil Cavuto that he's "hoping" to expose a sex scandal involving yet another Republican Senator within a week or two. But I'm not looking forward to it. I've heard that Trent Lott's sudden retirement might be a related matter, but I doubt it -- Mr. Lott's retirement makes sense in too many other ways. I've also heard two other potential candidates for the "sex scandal of huge proportions" -- current Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham. I suppose I hold one tiny soft spot in my heart for Mr. McConnell, who was one of the 34 deciding votes against that flag-burning monstrosity last year, but I'd also vastly prefer Mr. Graham, once an actual hero for condemning the antics at Abu Ghraib, to whichever right-wing panderer succeeds him. I mean, they always find someone worse.

cry, cry, cry.

I knew there was a reason to curb my enthusiasm about Congressioinal energy legislation: H.R. 6, recently passed by the Senate, has loopholes you could drive a light truck through. It's bad enough that the bill permits the 35 mpg standard to be an average standard for a corporation's entire car and truck fleet. But the bill also includes a sliding scale of fuel economy standards for bigger gas guzzlers -- which, in light of the "car and truck fleet" standard I describe above, seems redundant at best. And it also gives the administration (sic) power to reduce that standard using cost-benefit analysis, which power would never, ever be abused by an administration (sic) which has shown an undying loyalty to its corporate cronies. This bill looks like a rotten-egg stink-bomb. Hand out the beatdown here.

American Rights at Work helps you demand a fair deal for striking Hollywood writers. Big telecoms have been feeding us the "these are rich writers" line, thinking you'll forget the "these are even richer big telecom CEOs line" I suppose, but also thinking you won't check their statement and find that, well, "average" writer incomes are just as misleading as "average" tax cut figures. But even worse, big telecoms hope you won't notice how they tout the billions in sales that internet-based exposure will bring -- and then how they cry poor when it's time to give TV writers even a sliver of those billions. It's why I don't do business with Verizon, and it's why I'm telling those CEOs (especially that Les Moonves, who would be forced to live off government cheese in my ideal America) what-for.

Finally, the Servicemembers' Legal Defense Network (SLDN) helps you express your support for H.R. 1246, the Military Readiness Enhancement Act. H.R. 1246 would repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" standard and would allow gays to serve openly in the military. The bill has 136 co-sponsors at this moment; if it had 220, the Democratic leadership would have to have a vote on it. Come on, Congress, there's a war on. You can't beat terrorists and be bigots at the same time.

I may not post again before the holiday. If I don't, please remember, this Thanksgiving, that so many Native Americans died so we could have this holiday.

penny rants for the day of November 17, 2007.

John McCain wants to have it both ways when an elderly woman in South Carolina asks, "how do we beat the (rhymes with witch)?" But he's not as bad as at least one member of the "liberal media" -- Mike Allen of The Politico, who says it's no big deal, because, after all, who hasn't dropped the B-bomb, or wanted to, on Hillary Clinton? Er, well, I haven't. And, the world being a pretty big place, much bigger than Horatio Allen understands, I'll bet I'm not the only one. If someone asked, in re Barack Obama, "how do we beat the (rhymes with trigger)," I bet Mike Allen wouldn't be as cool about it. Hell, I bet if someone asked, in re John Edwards, "how do we beat the (rhymes with tracker)," he'd be positively apoplectic. Hopefully we'll never know.

The Washington Times wrote a terrible editorial expressing disbelief at the National Right-to-Life Committee's endorsement of Fred Thompson for President. Certainly the case for disbelief can be made, but the Times doesn't make it -- and seems to admit as much, at the end, by opening the final paragraph with "(h)ere are some of the facts." Surely they had space for more "facts" about Mr. Thompson's stance on abortion, instead of two paragraphs on the lobbying charge (which he answered with one sentence and which the Times editorial doesn't bother addressing), or a huge paragraph on a peripheral issue like McCain-Feingold, or a cheap shot about his support for a balanced-budget amendment. The worst comes first, though: the Times says Mr. Thompson rejects an anti-abortion constitutional amendment for "convoluted reasons." Why would the putatively conservative Times find "leaving more things up to the states" "convoluted"? Well, if it makes them feel any better, I don't believe Fred Thompson is a real Federalist anyway, though I wish he were.

Paul Krugman suggests that Mr. Obama's sudden description of Social Security as a program in "crisis" shows he's being "played." I was tempted to agree, especially after reading Mr. Krugman's last two paragraphs, but now I think Mr. Obama is the one playing -- he's playing up the "Social Security crisis" so that he can justify lifting the ceiling on payroll taxes (the ceiling is currently at $90,000). I think we ought to raise the ceiling on payroll taxes, too, but we ought to persuade folks to do that because it's the right thing to do, not because of some "crisis" that doesn't exist. Fearmongering, even to achieve righteous ends, is always wrong. Do Democrats really want to end up like Tha Bush Mobb?

the title of Kool and the Gang's 1984 album, you know, the one with "Misled" on it.

The "liberal" media remains fixated on telecom immunity in the upcoming FISA bill, but citizens remain fixated on "basket" warrants as well as telecom immunity. What is so difficult about getting an individual warrant for an individual suspect that you'll have at least a 1 in 2 chance of convicting? Especially in this climate, I mean. And especially with a FISA Court that rejected almost no warrants in over two decades until Tha Bush Mobb blundered along. And especially with a FISA law that permits the President (sic) to get the warrant up to three full calendar days after starting tapping. Do I sound like a broken record? When some thirty-odd percent of Americans remember how to listen and remember how to think, then I'll consider how many colors are in my garden. Until then, it's hammertime. And follow up with a phone call.

Mr. Bush vetoed the Labor-Health and Human Services-Education Appropriations bill yesterday, because, like most so-called "conservatives" (and, of course, unlike real conservatives) budgets are only bloated when they do a little more than give the people the back of their hand. At least John McCain talks about military waste and fraud, and he'll probably go along with Mr. Bush on this. Your Rep may be able to help override this veto today, as the number of Reps not voting on the original bill exceeded the number of Reps the side of good still needs to override the veto. The Quakers, God bless 'em, provide the digits: 1.800.965.4298.

onward and forward.

According to Common Cause, it's Fair Elections Action Week! I would have said something earlier, obviously, but I've been feeling ill. Still, it's only Wednesday, so there's still plenty of time to call your Reps (at 202.224.3121) to instruct them that we want public financing of elections. Which would not break the bank, which would not raise taxes, which would not mean Big Bad Government is back. Which would we rather have? Big Bad Government, full of people who would like to do good and/or are afraid of the people's shadow and who can be periodically un-elected, or Big Bad Corporate Money, a bottomless well of chaos accountable to no one but CEOs? These are, at this time in our history, our choices.

Also, as promised, Senators Dorgan (D-ND) and Lott (R-MS) have introduced S. 2332, the Media Ownership Act of 2007. The act would require the FCC to give 90 days' public notice before holding a vote on media consolidation rules, and would also require the FCC to address the rather dismal state of woman- and minority-owned TV and radio stations before permitting more media consolidation. Personally, I'd prefer legislation that outlaws any media outlet from owning any other media outlet, anywhere, ever. But I'll sign on to this as well, and you can too.

As we know, the wheels of the Senate grind slow, so the Toxic Right-to-Know Protection Act (which would reverse the EPA's weakening of the Toxics Release Inventory) only got out of Senate committee on July 31, and is only now on the verge of getting a full Senate vote. At least that's better than it's doing in the putative People's House, where its companion bill languishes in subcommittee limbo. If we can get a full Senate vote, or at least expose Republicans who'd want to filibuster a bill enabling the people to know what Frankencrap is in their soil and water, we might get some movement in the House as well. OMB watch helps you write your letter to your Rep and/or Senator. It's not a contact tool per se, but it'll help you write your own letter, and, as usual, you can get your Rep's and/or Senator's contact info using the toolbox in the upper left-hand corner of this page.

penny rants for the day of November 10, 2007.

Headline: Rev. Pat endorses Goofus; Gallant wearing black. The Rev. Pat might sound bat-guano at times, but he's not stupid -- he knows a winner when he sees one, and of course Rudy will appoint pro-life judges to the Supreme Court, because he understands that he'll be President of the entire Republican Party. But, as Bob Novak might say, the Rev. Pat might not be speaking for his constituency -- in fact, as Dick Polman suggests, his endorsement might not even have sway over other Religious Right leaders. Now how could that have happened?

Voters apparently understand school vouchers better than legislators in Utah. Like, that it's problematic to funnel taxpayer funds right to religious schools. Like, that a voucher doesn't guarantee you acceptance to a private school. Like, that a voucher doesn't even guarantee that you'll be able to afford a private school, unless it's, like, Dr. Nick's Private School. But note, again, where the voters rejected the school voucher program -- in Utah. Again, using the italics hammer: Utah. So where do they think this kind of program is going to work, New Jersey?

I'm sorry the state of Georgia is having a drought, but I'm also sorry that Gov. Sonny Perdue has decided to pray in public for rain. Oddly, I've heard very little about the ways Georgia might have angered God, and indeed Mr. Perdue has not, to my knowledge, speculated on specific sins that might have provoked the drought. Of course, Mr. Perdue's own call for prayer is not merely sin but blasphemy -- it's a sin to pray in public, obviously (cf. Matthew 6:5), but it's blasphemy to pray for a specific boon, rather than praying for the wisdom to handle what's been allotted you.

Meanwhile, the Eagles put out a new album, apparently without major label help, and move some 700,000 units the first week, which is even more impressive, considering it's a 2-CD set that you can only get from the Eagles' own site or from Wal-Mart (which is, if nothing else, shrewd marketing). Talk of the record companies' irrelevance is, of course, premature -- the Eagles (whose first best-of is the best-selling album of all time) wouldn't be where they are without record companies. When some unknown manages to thrive just by offering downloads, I'll be more convinced. (Radiohead doesn't count as an unknown, either.)

(Hat tip to Atrios for the above item.)

pfffta!

The House votes on the Peru Free Trade Agreement today, and Mr. Bush has given the House extra incentive to vote its way by threatening to withhold funding for retraining of workers displaced by free trade agreements. Right-wingers, this is what you support: the displacement of reasonable arguments with threats. Feel ashamed yet? I thought not. Speaking of reasonable arguments: the Peru FTA would weaken food import controls, prevent the government of Peru from getting out of its failed social security privatization policy, and harm the Peruvian Amazon basin. Email your Reps and let them know how you want them to vote, and then follow up with a phone call.

Sometimes I sound like a broken record. And why do I sound like a broken record? Because at least one-quarter of Americans have forgotten how to damn listen, and they're the proverbial emptiest wagon of American discourse. So, one more once, tell the Senate not to confirm Mr. Mukasey as Attorney General as long as he waffles on waterboarding and supports extra-legal authority for the President (sic). One more once, tell your Senator to filibuster FISA reauthorization bills that immunize big telecom companies that broke the damn law. And, finally, tell your Senators that Mr. Bush has to come to Congress before he makes war with Iran, though he shouldn't need the reminder. My oh my it sure is a lot easier to get things done with Democrats in control of the House and Senate. Yeah sure.

shop as usual, and avoid panic buying.

Today is Election Day. The "liberal" media calls this an "off-year," but New Jersey and Virginia will elect entire legislatures, and Philadelphia will elect a mayor. Here's last year's set of instructions if anyone tries to stop you from voting. And, as always, try to vote for as few Democrats and Republicans as you can, and also, if you're in Philadelphia, try to vote for as as few folks named Teresa Carr Deni as possible.

Also, don't let your Senators let that Michael Mukasey fellow become the next Attorney General. His refusal to say that waterboarding is torture is offensive, but his support for the President's (sic) "right" not to follow the law is even worse. Be like Hall and Oates and De La Soul and say no go!

readings for the day of November 3, 2007.

Gary Kamiya writes two interesting pieces in Salon: "How Bush Wrecked Conservatism," which, among other things, lists conservative values Tha Bush Mobb has laid to waste, and its one-week-later companion piece, "Is a New Conservatism Possible?", which, among other things, challenges conservatism to "grow up, or stay an angry teenager forever."

Rapprochement with conservatives is, of course, an obsession of mine, and I try to define the word "conservative" so that it has meaning, utility, and history. I don't want to succumb to the temptation of defining a "conservative" as a "rage-addled militaristic fascistic sex-hater." I wonder, however, how many of Mr. Bush's most ardent supporters actually define themselves as "conservative." I wonder because I've noticed so many folks who used to be apolitical who are now Bush supporters, and I've also witnessed so many Bush supporters constantly foregrounding their differences with Mr. Bush and/or with conservative ideology. Essentially, I don't think that conservatives need to "grow up," per se, but just stand up and reject those who act in their name.

radio nowhere.

I have one more pro-net neutrality contact tool from Freepress. Perhaps some benighted souls wonder why we insist on all net documents being delivered at the same speed when we've been waiting to see what's on TV, on their schedule, all these years. The answer? This technology, the internet, is different -- you can see a web page the instant it's on the net, versus at 8 pm on Thursdays after reruns of Seinfeld. And the technologies that TV has relied upon (the camera, for example) have advanced to the point where you and I can afford them, and can train ourselves to use them adequately. The net neutrality model addresses these realities much better than the gatekeeper models do. I mean, we've made all the moral arguments already. The only reason not to support net neutrality is that the old model makes more money for corporations. And they have enough money.

Meanwhile, the Senate Commerce Committee has voted to advance S. 1675, the Local Community Radio Act of 2007, which would expand opportunities for community groups, schools, and churches to build their own low-power FM stations. LPFM stations broadcast at 100 watts or less, and generally reach only a few miles. Remember when big telecoms tried to tell us that LPFM signals would interfere with their signals? In a sense they were right: folks might actually tune in to a radio station that gives them more local news than the big conglomerate does. FreePress, again, has the contact tool.

running up that hill.

Citizens for Tax Justice helps you urge your reps not to repeal the Alternative Minimum Tax without paying for the lost revenue. Rep. Ryan's tiered flat-tax plan, which I excoriated here, would do just that, plus it would only cut taxes for the rich. Rep. Rangel's plan is better, but it would not "roll back" the Bush tax cuts for the rich per se -- the rich were paying 39% before the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, and now they're paying 33%, so a 4.6-point rollback wouldn't get us back to 39%. Anyway, I think the government needs to be raising more revenue, given the Republicans' propensity to borrow and spend over the last six-plus years, and generally I find that the Democrats give away too much of the game too early, against an opponent that never stops fighting. Still, when nine cents of every dollar you pay in taxes goes toward paying interest on the national debt, repealing the AMT without raising lost revenue is certainly madness.

Consumers' Union sent me a whole hornet's nest of action alerts at once. With their help, you can oppose abusive credit card practices, oppose the FCC's efforts to loosen media consolidation rules, support Medicare drug reform, and fight abusive overdraft fees. That ought to be enough for one day, right? Well, don't expect a vacation tomorrow.