Oh great. NOW they start paying political appointees huge bonuses, despite both the recent raise freeze and impending job cuts for career government workers. Where was the love when I was at the FCC? Oh, that’s right – the Clinton administration didn’t indulge in this type of ridiculous cronyism. But nest-feathering patronage remains alive and well under Andy Card, just as it did ten years ago.
Category: Politics (2002-2004)
Things that make you go Hmmm.
“I can’t remember – when Kissinger signs a government paycheck, does he use a ballpoint pen, or the bloody severed limb of an East Timorese child?” This Kissinger redux edition of Get Your War On is grisly, profane, and hilarious. (Via Looka and Follow Me Here.)
Kerry steps out.
Democratic hopeful John Kerry bashes Dubya’s tax plan, and makes the case for payroll tax cuts instead. Nice move…payroll tax reduction isn’t only smart policy, it puts the GOP in an unhappy position – explaining why they’re suddenly against tax cuts that help average Americans at the expense of corporations.
Legal Wrangling Cash Cows.
The legal battle over McCain-Feingold began today, with some strange bedfellows fighting for and against the soft money ban. I bet you can guess which side Ken Starr is on, though.
Don’t call it a comeback.
Andrew Jackson or William Jennings Bryan? Slate columnist and Columbia PhD David Greenberg reviews Gore‘s comeback chances in light of past history.
Fox in the Henhouse?
Dubya puts Kissinger in charge of the forthcoming 9/11 probe. Guess the whole Kissinger war crimes bit won’t be officially looked into any time soon.
Ready for his Close-Up?
Evoking John McCain, John Kerry begins his own pre-campaign interview cycle with Primary Colors author Joe Klein. I ran into an old Dem friend from the DC days at a birthday party last week, and she told me that Kerry might have some serious baggage yet to come to light heading into this election. For the sake of the Dems, let’s hope that’s not the case.
Shoot the Messenger.
A day after receiving dismal approval ratings in the NYT, Al Gore lashes out against the GOP media-industrial complex. He had an excellent point…until he started railing about his own coverage.
WE have the body.
Oh, these suspects have very important information…they’re just not allowed to tell it. As the Ashcroft Justice Department leaps at the chance to try out their newly validated surveillance powers, the Post examines their contortion of a 1984 material witness statute to keep terrorist suspects locked up indefinitely. Very sneaky…but how far can you bend a law before it breaks?
Only a Pawn in their Game.
The NYT surveys politicans’ constant appropriation of Dylan lyrics, including several ridiculous uses of “The Times-They-Are-A-Changin'” and Gore‘s campaign-threatening use of “My Back Pages” last week. (Kindly sent along by All About George.) Well, Al, I got one for you: “You got a lotta nerve to say you got a helping hand to lend, You just want to be on the side that’s winning…Yes, I wish that for just one time, you could stand inside my shoes. You’d know what a drag it is to see you.”