Friday, July 9 Issue #29

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Email Bush about your desire to have U.S. support for the United Nation's Population Fund.

Urge lawmakers and Bush to renew necessary assault weapons ban.

FEATURED ARTICLES
Bush administration is pushing Pakistan hard to deliver boost to his campaign by capturing bin Ladin and others, which is ironic considering Pakistani support of Taliban prior to 9-11.

Fiscal responsibility? Bush administration has overseen largest federal spending increase since Nixon and Johnson era.

Well-respected journalist icon Helen Thomas blasts Bush administration as liars.

Joe Scarborough??? Joe Scarborough criticized Bush campaign??? Hell is freezing over.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
House Republicans abuse power to defeat PATRIOT Act reform legislation.

Arianna Huffington praises Kerry's selection of Edwards as VP nominee.

Pfizer steps up to reduce drug prices, but is this more than a smokescreen?

The Iraq insurgents number greater than previously indicated.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and torturous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness, with which more than half the bible is filled, it would seem more consistent that we called it the word of a demon than the Word of God. It is a history of wickedness that has served to corrupt and brutalize mankind."
-Thomas Paine

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"I glance at the headlines just to kind of get a flavor for what's moving. I rarely read the stories, and get briefed by people who are ... probably read the news themselves. "
-September 21, 2003

BLOG OF THE DAY
The Drug Policy Alliance, a leading drug reform advocacy group, maintains an official blog for drug war information and daily events called D'Alliance.

NEWSWORTHY
Army General seriously concerned of condition of U.S. military.

Department of Homeland Security again awards contract to company that is hamstringing labor and union participation.

An anti-Bush shirt gets two thrown out of rally.

House fails to back Bush agenda in Cuba policy.

"Tort Reform" nonsense effectively killed by Senate Democrats.


DRUG WAR UPDATE
Federal government will continue to spend money arresting medical marijuana patients.

Three different reform initiatives on ballots in November.

LINK OF THE DAY
Want proof of Bush's love for Ken Lay? Check out all of the documents.

SITE OF THE DAY
Judicial Watch is a non-partisan watchdog which keeps an eye on the legal system and relevant legislation.

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
The Living Room Candidate is an election advertising vault which houses a collection of the last 52 years of political TV ads.

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
Louis Black of the Daily Show on the Reagan fad.

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER

Claps to the Florida Division of Elections for making an amazing about-face to protect voting rights for over 2,500 former felons. In a surprising reversal of official position, Katherine Harris wannabe Glenda "The Wicked Witch" Hood decided to give up attempts to block the ex-felons from voting in the next election. For once, civil voting rights are protected in one of the most corrupt and ethically-challenged states in the union.

Slaps off the cheek of Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton for providing a smoke-and-mirrors claim of increased funding for park services. While the amount of budgeted funds have indeed increased dramatically over the last four years, the net result is that park budgets have been severely underfunded. A great deal of the budgeted money has yet to be distributed, and has left park services grasping for badly needed cash.

My Middle Finger smirks at George W. Bush for walking out of a press conference when reporters asked him legitimate questions about his good buddy Ken Lay. While the Bush administration has long fought to distance its people from Lay and Enron, the long-standing ties raise serious questions about Bush's integrity and ethical decisions. Lay, whose company policies bilked employees out of billions in retirement accounts, was a diehard Bush backer in 2000, and Enron was the biggest contributor to the Bush-Cheney campaign. Bush, who has never been good at fielding media questions, has appeared more agitated and confused during recent appearances, leading many to speculate on conditions inside the administration. Could my prediction of a Neo-Watergate be coming true?

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
Columbus considering stronger animal rights laws.

Italy is getting tough on people who abandon animals.

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
Jon Jennings is a former assistant coach of the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers, and is seeking a seat in Congress from the 8th district of Indiana. His race, once considered a GOP hold, is now hotly contested, with Jennings running close to his Republican opponent. Jennings spent time in the Justice Department during the Clinton administration, and favors strong support for education initiatives.

DAILY PHOTO

Bush gets huffy over Lay questions.


TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON



HISTORY LESSON
Wonder where Dubya ranks in terms of the all-time worst Presidents? How about views from history experts.