Bush ‘Welcomes’ Kerry into Race for Office By JENNIFER LOVEN, Associated Press Writer

On Thursday, the Bush campaign was launching a $10 million television advertising blitz even as the president headed to Silicon Valley to gather more cash for a re-election operation that has already raised more than $153 million.

Bush, facing re-election in November, is trailing Kerry in opinion polls. …

”[W]e will win on the second of November,” Bush told the crowd of 600 at the Shrine Auditorium that added $800,000 to his campaign coffers.

The president’s comments came on the first day of a two-day swing through California scooping up millions for his campaign and those of fellow Republicans.

”He seems to be against every idea that gives Americans more authority, more choices, and more control over our own lives,” Bush said. ”It’s the same old Washington mind-set: They’ll give the orders, and you will pay the bills.” …

Bush later attended a private event at the fine art-bedecked home of A. Jerrold Perenchio, the chairman and chief executive of the Spanish-language media giant Univision.

Note Bush’s astonishing accusation that Kerry opposes choice and freedom. Are you more FREE under Bush? Free from debt? Free from oppression? Free from fear? Free to choose anything? mjh

Kerry lags far behind Bush in fund raising

Sen. John Kerry is a whopping $100 million behind President Bush in ready cash as he embarks on the next phase of his White House campaign, and dependent on outside groups he can’t legally control to help close the gap. …

Bush’s campaign committee reported cash on hand of $104 million as of Feb. 1, with no debt. The president continues to raise money, scheduling three fund-raisers in a little more than 24 hours in California on Wednesday. …

The two candidates are limited to spending $74.4 million apiece after receiving the nominations, meaning that Kerry must make his money last longer than Bush does.

Bush’s fundraising figures are interesting. He has raised $154 million but only has $104 million. Hmmm, it has cost him $50 million to raise $104 million — yet another failed business venture for Bush.

If the candiates are limited to $74.4 million after their conventions, Bush needs to spend no less than $30 million (possibly $80 million) before August.

You’d think the incumbent president wouldn’t need to buy the election.

Howard Dean taught us one very important message: the candidate with the most money can lose. As Bush will learn in Novemeber. mjh

Op-Ed Columnist: Maestro of Chutzpah by Paul Krugman, NYTimes

[T]he reason Social Security is in fairly good shape is that during the 1980’s the Greenspan commission persuaded Congress to increase the payroll tax, which supports the program.

The payroll tax is regressive: it falls much more heavily on middle- and lower-income families than it does on the rich. In fact, according to Congressional Budget Office estimates, families near the middle of the income distribution pay almost twice as much in payroll taxes as in income taxes. Yet people were willing to accept a regressive tax increase to sustain Social Security.

Now the joke’s on them. Mr. Greenspan pushed through an increase in taxes on working Americans, generating a Social Security surplus. Then he used that surplus to argue for tax cuts that deliver very little relief to most people, but are worth a lot to those making more than $300,000 a year. And now that those tax cuts have contributed to a soaring deficit, he wants to cut Social Security benefits.

The point, of course, is that if anyone had tried to sell this package honestly — “Let’s raise taxes and cut benefits for working families so we can give big tax cuts to the rich!” — voters would have been outraged. So the class warriors of the right engaged in bait-and-switch.

James writes:

I just wanted to be sure you caught the Krugman article today. This clear explanation of why Greenspan is the ultra-rich’s class warfare foot-soldier should be REQUIRED READING for all Americans. Krugman is THE man! (even though he once was an economist in the Reagan administration)

How many millions of dollars do you think someone like Bill Gates has saved since Duhbya assumed office? Now your retirement will be delayed AND your benefits — the money you contributed — will be cut. Because of the Radical Right’s insane mission to destroy the Federal government. mjh

Fearing ‘Unprecedented Land Grab’ During Election Year, Group Urges 60,000 Interior Department Employees to Use Tipline

Concerns Grow About Accelerated Industry Rush for Favors if Bush Re-election Appears Uncertain

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 /PRNewswire/ — The nonprofit Campaign to Protect America’s Lands (CPAL) announced that it is sending an email today to 59,684 Department of Interior employees urging them to use a confidential tipline (1- 866-LANDTIP or http://www.landtip.org) to report any new anti-environment rules or other steps related to America’s public lands, parks or wilderness areas that may crop up in the coming months. CPAL’s goal is to thwart a whole new round of special-interest proposals that are expected to clog Interior if panicked industry executives come to believe that President Bush is unlikely to serve a second term.

”Our concern is that industry demands for special treatment at Interior will go beyond the fever pitch they’ve been at already if companies start to worry that President Bush is fighting a losing re-election battle,” CPAL Director Peter Altman explained. ”These companies literally will start grabbing for anything that they can get their hands on, and the Bush Administration likely will go even further to subvert the democratic process in order to accommodate its powerful friends.”

From the first day, Bush has tried to change everything as fast as he can. He has always looked like someone who doubts he’ll get a second term. Keep an eye on the store while he is out showing his leadership. mjh

Sigh. This is what it has come to: reporters asking ”where in the Bible…?” We have a Constitution with a Bill of Rights. We do not have a national bible; we do not have a national 10 Commandments. How is our nation strengthened by circumstances that lead to a press briefing that sounds like it should be in Arabic? Ayatollah Bush and his neo-con mullahs. Fundamentalism will destroy this nation, from within. mjh

Gay marriage a complex political, legal issue..

”After more than two centuries of American jurisprudence and millennia of human experience, a few judges and local authorities are presuming to change the most fundamental institution of civilization,” Bush said. ”Their action has created confusion on an issue that requires clarity.”

Excerpt: White House Press Briefing

QUESTION: What specifically would happen to society if same-sex couples were allowed to marry?

[Scott] MCCLELLAN, [Bush’s Press Secretary]: Well, that’s why I talked about the values that we should stand up and defend. The president made it very clear in his remarks that this is an enduring institution of our civilization. It goes to the very fabric of our society when he talks about this issue.

QUESTION: So the fabric of society would break down if men were allowed to marry other men and women other women?

MCCLELLAN: That’s why the president believes that this is an important value and an enduring institution to defend. …

QUESTION: Scott, following up on that, on the faith issue, the president has talked about this is intertwined with faith, but the Bible has been hotly contested on this issue. Some are saying that it’s not in the Bible; some are saying it is.

Where in the Bible has the president found…

MCCLELLAN: I think the president described it from his views about where his beliefs are and the principle of this decision.

QUESTION: He talks about faith a great deal, and he talks about how his foundation, his new foundation after 40 is based on faith.

Where in the Bible…

New York college town joins fray with 25 same-sex weddings

”I swore an oath to uphold the Constitution,” [Mayor Jason] West [of the New York state village of New Paltz] said, his voice booming through the outdoor public address system. ”What we’re witnessing in the village today is the flowering of the largest civil rights movement in a generation.”

Another nail in the coffin of personal rights by Regina Purcell, Staff Writer

The political ploy by President George W. Bush this week to gain a foothold in the religious zealots rank of voters is unnecessary. His support of a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriages was softened by his next statement.

Bush said the proposed amendment would let states allow civil unions for same-sex couples. What’s the point?

The point is big business, such as insurance companies that don’t want the responsibility of covering a family that has two mothers or two fathers. …

As the election year is on us, it is the only opportunity to stop this administration before it’s too late. Can Americans, a huge majority living in poverty levels, afford to allow a president who misleads the public, has compensated big business to the expense of middle America, has slashed domestic programs to pieces, and continues to whittle away our personal freedoms?

It’s not just the “War on Terror.” It’s not just the personal freedoms being completely eroded through the Patriot Act. It’s our future, too.

Scalia, Lawyers Went Hunting While Cases Were Pending Los Angeles Times

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia was the guest of a Kansas law school two years ago and went pheasant hunting on a trip arranged by the school’s dean, all within weeks of hearing two cases in which the dean was a lead attorney.

Scalia later sided with [his huntin’ buddies] in both cases. [mjh: good news for Dick Cheney!]

Earlier this year, the Los Angeles Times reported that Scalia had been a guest of Vice President Dick Cheney on Air Force Two when they went duck hunting in southern Louisiana. That trip came shortly after the Supreme Court had agreed to hear Cheney’s appeal seeking to keep secret his national energy policy task force.

Federal law says that ”any justice or judge shall disqualify himself in any proceeding in which his impartiality might be questioned.” By tradition and court policy, justices are free to determine for themselves what constitutes a conflict. …

Scalia said that if Supreme Court justices were prohibited from taking such a trip, then they “would be permanently barred from social contact with all governors, since at any given point in time virtually all states have matters pending before us.” … [mjh: gosh, no one would ever want to be a supreme court justice!]

“The controlled shooting part of the trip was good,” Graves said. “They plant birds, and that gives you a better attempt to get some birds.”

Added Bond of Scalia, “We stayed the night and had a delightful time. He was just charming to be around.” [mjh: awww, let’s not hang him afterall.]

Impeach Supreme Court Justice Scalia Petition

Whereas, by his actions, Justice Scalia has tarnished the integrity of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Be it resolved, the legislative branch of our government shall forthwith seek diligently to determine if there is cause for the impeachment of Justice Scalia.

I never sign online petions — until now. The petition’s list of Scalia’s unethical acts doesn’t include appointing Bush as President while Scalia’s wife worked on the transition team and his son sought a job in the administration. mjh

”The Constitution just sets minimums. Most of the rights that you enjoy go way beyond what the Constitution requires.”
— Antonin Scalia, Supreme Court Justice, 03/18/03

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