Because the neocon’s think tanking had developed the plan to capture the msm for its use only and squeezed out the ‘liberal’ voice and because tv appeared on the scene and people became hypmotized by the brainchilds of tv show creators and producers the public has gone into a twilight zone of a type of disney never never land where ‘they lived happily ever after’ and the strong and handsome man got the beautiful forlorn heroine and we have been pumped to stay in the fog of empty bullshit; allowing a few others to pull our emotional strings that last just as far as a couple of hours after the show is over. This is a critical point that people don’t recognize as where reality or your actual cognitive real time space takes over from the ‘show’ you just ingested. That is called conditioning the ‘attention span’. And it is addictive, emotional addictiveness.

I would suspect that when economics and personal hardships come to a eye opening vortex then we start to claim the loss of faith in old institutions that don’t perform as well as before or they are gone for good. By this time it is all but too far gone and the blame starts going everywhere except where it should. US the people who have been duped into living a lie of fantasy such that is seems it doesn’t matter if one should vote, really keep up with the news of the day and then certainly don’t recognize the slow disapperance of real news that they need to make everyday decisions and play their part in a democracy which is very important and just as important for those who don’t want you to keep up with the real news and prevent you from knowing what is reality. And this is the point at which the people are most vulnerable to manipulation and accepting lies.

And all this is caused by that vacuum that is created when people drop out of the political spectrum and the people like the neocons that race in and fill that vacuum with their idealogies. We here in america are experts at maintaining that vacuum that allows neocons to run amouk with their ideas, plans and schemes and we will loose it all IF we don’t start attacking the problem by becoming politically involved. Demand change of direction from our government by contacting the elected persons and telling them what THEY are supposed to do because THEY work for US and not the neocons, the corporations or the renegade president and v.p. And tell them to not to expect your vote in the next or any election. In fact, just ask them why they are really following the course they are on and are not beholding to the people and don’t take any kind of corporatese claptrap. And tell them that the corporate interests are not the same of the people’s interests, in fact they are quite the opposite.

Our whole system is failing us because we have let it. So it is our responsibility to build it back up and should do so now. Get or drop in a book store and read the last 2 or 3 chapters of Scott Ritter’s book ‘Target Iran’, basically his summations.

When a people lose faith in their social institutions, society crumbles. Eventually, the people will take up the enforcement of the law and go after the people who blew up everything.

That’s the best outcome. No one wants to think about the worst.

Fadel:

Zionist, psychopath, rotten mind? My goodness, your interlocutors here in the marketplace of ideas are sure Great Satan types.

But you don’t deny you’re espousing theocratic rule as an alternative to this wicked mongrel democracy. Shouldn’t your contributions contain a disclaimer that you think all Europeans and European Americans carry a “facist” gene--as you written elsewhere on this site?  You seek acceptance of your comments while tossing them in from a direction that appalls most of their readers.

How soon do you think we can share the glories of Sharia here in America? What do you teach those little kids in Toledo: To hate America? That liberal values are a sin? Are you building homegrown jhadist to bring this land under Allah’s governance here on Earth?

My God, what are their parents thinking--entrusting their children’s education to a man who rejects the values that are the premise of democracy and freedom.

Write a book explaining why the people in Israel deserve to die. Write another explaining why democracy is an apostasy in light of Islams prescription for the form of government we should live under. Write another about the genetics of Arabic superiority.

Name calling is not engaging.

I thought there is something about ‘for personal, political or financial gain’ that is against federal law. I guess I will have to read the constitution to sort that out, but this mukasey is just another traitorous boot licker. More sand in the people’s eyes. Goddamn you pelosi!!!! You are a republican, period!!!

Dihey,

Did you run out of toes or something?

1.  It is clear that the nomination would have failed if all Democrats had voted nay but would have passed if only the absent Democrats had voted nay.

Based on your reporting here, how is this clear, (by the accepted mathematics)?

If the 5 dems who vote Aye, had voted Nay, and if the 4 absent dems had been there to vote Nay as well, there would have been 9 Nay votes.

The confirmation was a 13 vote margin.

53-40=13

Where are you gonna find the other 4 Nay votes to make this ‘clear’?

Jeeze...this is so disgusting. Americans can’t even flippin’ count.

Feinstein + Schumer + Mukasey = 3 children of Jacob.

You draw your own conclusions.

To Issy-the-Very-Unwise:

Unfortunately for him, the Imams in Islam and the Pat Robertsons of Christianity are no more attuned to God’s will than others here on Earth. Religious scholars who claim they can answer every political, social and legal question by scouring ancient “authoritative” texts are vain, self-promoters who wish to impose their personal preferences as mandatory orthodoxy on all through the power of the state.
=======================
Just another cheap shot, coming from a rotten mind and a psychopath, who has already been exposed!

reason, by your reasoning, you might want to consider Nader.

Pelosi won’t hold Shrub/Cheney accountable because she fears it’ll damage diminishing chances that dems will win the WH in Nov.  Conyers must be in her pocket.  And now we have Makasey who has trouble identifying a duck when he sees one.

I’m gradually coming to peace with a McCain victory because things like this help me toward an increased understanding that, when it comes to our government, no matter who’s in power, it’s them against us, no matter how much they spend to convince us otherwise.

At least Nader knows a duck when he sees one.

Mukasey is a crook, a crook, a crook, a crook!! I can’t emphasise this enough. The congress is also as crooked as a dog’s hind leg. No one can afford to vote for McCain, however. That’s the road to perdition if there ever was one.

The Senate vote was 53-40 for Mukasey. All Republicans voted aye but Republicans McCain, Alexander and Cornyn were absent.
Democratic Senators voting aye were: Schumer, Feinstein, Carper, Landrieu, and Nelson.
Of the “Independents” Liebermann voted aye; Sanders voted nay.
Absent Democrats: Biden, Clinton, Dodd, and Obama who thought that it was more important to campaign for the nomination than to do the job they are paid for.
Absences are tolerable when the Senate votes on some “Praise XYZ day” but to stay away from the appointment of the Attorney General? Weird to say the least.
1. It is clear that the nomination would have failed if all Democrats had voted nay but would have passed if only the absent Democrats had voted nay.
2. Big B: the next Congress will only be Democratic if the Democrats get 60 Senate seats and even then it remains doubtful that this Senate will be any better than before.
3. Purple Girl: why do you restrict your “kick out of the D-party” to Schumer and Feinstein? There were four more D-aye voters. How about the absentees? They SAID they would vote nay which is darn cheap when you do not really have to vote publicly. You are discriminating.

regardless of who wins the election, the next congress will most likely be a Dimmocrate congress. They must realize that the only way to save America (don’t kid yourselves, it needs saved) is to spend 100% of their time in bringing the Bush era criminals to justice. ALL OF THEM! From the oily politico’s to the war profiteers. Don’t overlook any of them! They have to be brought to justice for the future of our nation. We cannot afford to let any would-be sleazebag think that they can take advantage of the people or the constitution EVER AGAIN. I make this case simply because knowing Barry, and his cabal, they will attempt to “look forward” only, let bygones be bygones. But that cannot be allowed to happen. We must fix our past transgressions before we have any chance at a future.
If Barry and his boys can’t promise the American people at least this much, they are undeserving of our vote, and un-American as well.
Imagine Thomas Jefferson standing in Independence Hall in the middle of the revolution and saying “King George has made some mistakes, but we need to put all that behind us and give him another chance”.

Everybody here should notice and realize that Fadel Abdallah’s question “Is the relativity of justice part and parcel of the cultural art of our much bragged-about American democracy?!” is part and parcel of his advocacy for theocratic governance.  He has poured out is contempt for democracy elsewhere on this website.  He believes a theocratic form of government is less “relativistic.”

Unfortunately for him, the Imams in Islam and the Pat Robertsons of Christianity are no more attuned to God’s will than others here on Earth. Religious scholars who claim they can answer every political, social and legal question by scouring ancient “authoritative” texts are vain, self-promoters who wish to impose their personal preferences as mandatory orthodoxy on all through the power of the state.

It’s good that there are places where one can come to see open criticism of one’s government.  It is disappointing to find people who advocate hateful alternatives without being called-up short for their vanity and destructiveness.

It is truly unfortunate that the persoons involved will not be brought to justice.  However, the primary sword that could be used against the perpetrators is the Hatch Act, which results in a penalty of removal from the employee’s position or a suspension of at least thirty days without pay.  I understand those people involved are out of government and are thus not subject to administrative action.  If someone else has an idea of what criminal statutes might have been violated, please share that information.

Before Truthdig published this thread, I posted the following under the “Arts and Culture” section. Now,I think this piece belongs squarely here, with minor modification:

Today, all by accident, since I don’t regularly watch TV, I watched Keith Olbermann’s Count Down program, on a piece under the heading “Justice Swerved.”

Remember Alberto Gonzalez, the ex-Attorney General under the neocons’ democracy?! Remember how bad he was and how he was forced out, but never persecuted, for violating the laws of our so-called great democracy and justice system, over which he was like the proverbial fox put in charge of the chickens’ shed?!

His successor in this great “democratic” post, Mr. Mukasey, has come up with another great gift to democracy and justice by declaring that “not every violation of the law is a crime.”

I leave this statement to speak alone for itself, without any further personal comment! However, I pose the following question: Is the relativity of justice part and parcel of the cultural art of our much bragged-about American democracy?!

And what ever happened to that upstanding, I will uphold the Constitution and the laws of this land including making the President accountable and not above the law Mr. Honesty Muckman? HE NEVER EXISTED!

When the idiots who were questioning this traitor’s ethics and other B.S. for A.G.-another Bush kiss-up,they seemed to have doubts. They should have gone with their feelings of doubt and not Bush’s desperate claim that if we don’t allow Mukasey we would have no A.G. at all for the rest of his stolen term at the W.H. No harm there, only harm was by allowing this appointment after all. Well, those doubts are being answered loud and clear. He will do everything to stand in the way of law and run interference for all the cronies of this underhanded government, even thought he stated he would not.

This type of behaviour and attitude would not be allowed in the everyday job market, real people would have been fired for refusing to do their jobs. Government cronies, including the president are no exception. They were hired to do a job and if they refuse, or continually fail, they are unfit for that job and must be terminated, just like John Q. Public would be. It is past time to hold these unfit criminals to be held accountable and made to pay for the destruction they have done and continue to do.

No unemployment, perks, or anything for wages/benefits are to be carried over after termination from these ill gotten positions either.

No rewards for a job not well done!

Fenstein & Schummer should be run out of the Dem party for their part in this Criminals appointment!
I have had enough of those who have been hiding in the Dem party, who have proven themselves covert operatives of the Corps.
Those of the Clinton formed DLC’ers have been working hand & hand with the Neo Cons who invaded the republican party in the ‘80’s Too.
Who did Not see the ‘Red slip’ Hillary wears under her Blue pantsuit during the Primary campaign??
Who did not see her undying loyality to McCain? Who did not hear her paraphrase HIS (and Cheney’s) “Bomb Bomb bomb Iran” in “Obliterate Iran”
Who did not see her send her surrogates to work the Neo Con tactic of ‘Divide & Conquer’ Pitting Women against Minorities (Gender vs Race)? FYI, Women Are a Minority!!!Who did not notice she pulled out every stereotype used against women as ‘needing the bar loweered’ to win the nomination- at any and all costs to the Womens movement.
There are two doctrines at work in both parties- and the corp’ists have allies on both sides of the aisle that need to be exorcised from OUR Gov’t!
It is time we stop fulfilling the Corps dreams by continuing this Divide & Conquer tactic....

OBAMA/HAGEL ‘08!!!
Fuck the Clinton’s ‘Reagan Democrats ‘ BS excuse for Treason!No Real Dem EVER supported Reagan and Real Republicans KNOW Ronny was a Puppet for the ‘Shadow’ Corp Gov’t (Cheney Corp)

We must ask ourselves this question, if this congress would have been in charge in 1972, would any of us have ever heard of Watergate?
Gutless!

How sad, that these two little twisted men, can undo all the actions of all the millions of men and women who have fought for the rule of law in this country.

Statements like this prove one thing, that they are without conscience, or shame and more of an threat to our freedoms than any outside military power.

Is this what we want our government to be? Does partisan politics trump the ideals our country was built on? I didn’t think the career politicians could sink any lower, but again I have proven myself naive. To think voters of either major political party find this acceptable shakes my faith in the basic decency of my fellow citzens.
I will vote for Obama in this coming election not because I am sure that he can live up to all that he has talked about doing but, because I am sure the republicans and most of the democrats have no intention of changing anything. Voting is always an act of faith but voting for more of the same reflects a lack of faith in our countrys desire to live up to the standards we have set for ourselves and promoted as democracy to other countries. Bush and Cheney, has done all they can do to dismantle the Constitution while career politicans and beaurocrats have looked the other way. It is time for Change and it is time for the American Voter to put aside their biases and do what is right for the country.

If the bank robbers decide that robbers should not be prosecuted, it shouldn’t prevent law enforcement from taking a second look.

The statutes of limitations will not have run by the third week of next January.

A new Justice Department should look again with fresh eyes at the facts.

Congress, our weak patsy branch of the government, should conduct hearing into legal excesses during Bush’s lawless term. It can ignore its own complicity and perhaps still do something worthwhile.