I personally feel Bush is a terrible president and typical of the 'privileged frat boy' that he is. This is based primarily on my opinion of the 'pre-emptive strike' in that it's not particularly different than what the Japanese were thinking on Pearl Harbor. Pretty much every war ever fought has been justified with the same excuse. But the point I want to make that I haven't seen much discussion of is this: I am so freaking proud of this country that we HAVEN'T found those weapons. With the amount of equipment brought into Iraq to fight the war it would have been SO easy to paint a few biologicals weapons with the Iraqi national colors and flag and hide them somewhere. The fact that we haven't found any weapons, even with the enormous political fall-out their lack has caused our current powers that be, proves to me that at least some (probably the military) are keeping check on the hooligans in the big house.

Dang. I thought this was gonna be about Screaching Weasel.

I thought it was gonna be about that 3
Stooges episode where Curly goes totally
ballistic everytime they play "Pop Goes
The Weasel"............

I thought I was going to see some sensible comments.

Silly me.

Dude, You're harshing my buzz.

I thought Bush WAS a statistician.

I like Ben Weasel, especially when he sings on-key.

Close, Red, but what it is is that come November, he is a statistic.

Hal, this kind of love him or hate him post tends to not draw a lot of comment because either you love him or you hate him. I'm in the middle, so I'll say, "yes, they sure do seem to be backpedaling regarding the jobs projection."

I don't think the change in the job projection has anything to do with "exporting jobs" one way or the other, however.

This is just more evidence of his lack of credibility, and reckless disregard of truth, facts and other things we mere mortals consider important.

It especially bothers me about how he refuses to take responsibility.

The "Mission Accomplished" was the sailors' fault.

Bad data? It was Tenet's fault (and Libby's and I forget whose else).

No WMD most recently was that we didn't really go to war for that reason.

Medicare is going to cost $140 million more than I said a month or two ago? Son-of-a-gun.

Did I say 2.6 million jobs, nah, it was some statistician, and besides I don't want to talk about it.

It's a consistent pattern that's almost pathological.

And it's catching up to him.

In the spirit of things:


HATE HIM.


Worst administration in history. More criminal, more greedy, more lies, more behind-closed-doors decisions, more cronyism than any administration in history.

And I believe the history books (and unfortunately, our children and grandchildren) will get the message loud and clear.

I also think the Bushies are doomed come November. Jobs, Iraq; health care: there aren't many bright lights on their horizon.

I think their only hope lies in some last minute shocker(s) like Bin Laden's capture or (god forbid) another major terrorist attack on US soil.

And I don't think we've seen the tip of the iceberg on the Cheney -Halliburton scandals. (can't wait!)

I think--- as with most of what goes on in Washington's revolving doors these days--- we'll be hearing a lot of "But it wasn't *illegal."

Unethical, immoral, unamerican... but not illegal.


*Hey, it wasn't illegal because THEY CHANGED THE LAWS.

"Hate" doesn't apply to my post, Eric, and not to Shark's in spite of his tongue-in-cheek use of the word.

In my case, I'd say "mild contempt" comes close, but definitely not "hate." (Occasionally some "disappointment and disgust," too, I suppose.)

My basic view of him was formed during the run-up to the election, when it became clear that he simply didn't have enough stuff and that I'd never have hired him for any job. He was simply an empty suit, a former-smirking-frat boy with no depth and no knowledge, no intellect and no intellectual curiosity.

That still holds, but his actions have filled in the picture a bit more. It has become clear that he lies (misdirection and omission count). He also takes advice without evaluating it, then is unwilling to accept responsibility for the consequences. He would make a poor leader.

And he still hasn't learned anything.

An article by the Associated Press' Tom Raum that ran in papers all over the country today makes the connection between job exports and job creation clear in a down-to-earth way I think. Yes, ideally, the country could create jobs here while sending less attractive jobs overseas. But, that isn't what is happening. N. Gregory Mankiw's claim that job exports are a boon because they reduce the costs of goods basically ignores the segment of the population that will not be able to afford those goods because of unemployment or underemployment. That segment is large enough and has enough interconnection with the economically better off that it can't be ignored without repercussions. I believe Mankiw will follow previous Bush economic advisors out the door for making the mistake of having been too obvious about considering so many people dismissable.

I really don't see that 'hating' Shrub is an issue. I believe most of us who oppose his policies would be quite happy to have him voted out of office and spend the rest of his days playing golf and tossing back martinis. (He could drink openly, again.) That is not what you wish for someone you hate.

Uh, can we get back to the topic at hand here please? My favourite Screeching Weasel record is "My Brain Hurts". Songs #7 and #8, "The Science of Myth" and "What we Hate" are for my moolah, 2 of the greatest, nay, perhaps the greatest back to back combo of pop punk nuggets produced in the early nineties. I love when an album has 2 or even 3 songs that flow so well together somewhere on album. It just rules. I would also like to point out to Mr. Pawluk that lyrically these two songs remain very politially and religiously relevant to the current events of today, and that as sensible music fans, we should appreciate them for their "special goodness". By the way, is that Mel Gibson's father a crackpot, or what? Oh, and I checked this morning-Still no WMD in Iraq! This treachery will not continue when my man Kucinich gets the nomination! I should point out though, that I also voted for Bill Bradley and Jesse Jackson.

Elmo and black metal. Iced tea and Ice T. Bukowski and Dr. Seuss. Facial scrubs and body bags. Kucinich posters on the lawn and Astroglide in the drawer. Last night another meth lab blew up. On with the body count! That's how we rock it in the lower middle class suburbs, dog.

Bricky, and yet you still refuse to blog - talk asbout playing hard to get.

Hal and Mac, I used "hate" in a non-personal, political sense, although the animus certainly seems stronger than "mild contempt." I would not say that description matches the heat of your rhetoric, Hal.

But no, I did not mean to imply that you hate him personally, but I don't think it's too far off from what you feel politically.

Bricky, By the way, I have a killer SW collection on Lookout called Kill the Musicians that has about a thousand songs on it (okay, 31), including the two you mention. I also have their Ramones tribute and Anthem for a New Tomorrow on vinyl because I rule and stuff.

Mr. O,
I also have the Ramones tribute on vinyl, but "Anthem" on CD only. This is because you are the man, and I am just a squirrel, trying to get a nut. I LOVE the song "A New Tomorrow" with Blake from Jawbreaker on there. Hey, that one's still relevant today too! One time I'll have to tell you how I once played "I wanna be a homosexual" back to back with "Cop Killer" on my radio show, and no one even complained. Wait...dang, I told you about that before. Well, what about the one time I...wait, I told you about that too. Crap, I got nothin' today.

How do you like Ben Weasel solo?

HAL: "...My basic view of him was formed during the run-up to the election...it became clear that he simply didn't have enough stuff and that I'd never have hired him for any job. He was simply an empty suit..."

"mild contempt", eh.

I'd characterize mine as "mild loathing", which I acquired during his 1st run for Governor of my state. (ie. I have a few years advantage, Hal. Give it some time.)

Bush was an empty suit before the election; once elected, he was an 'empty chair.'

Mr. O,
At first I was nonplussed, but I have come around on it. I'll pretty much pick up anything he's involved in, 'cause I know it'll be cool. Have you ever read any of his old Panic Button zine or MRR stuff? He's a pretty enjoyable writer. Cranky and acerbic, but likeable too.