The Washington Post has an unflattering piece on Joe Wilson by Pincus and Milbank. I can't tell at a glance but I think they are reporting the findings of the "additional views" of the Senate Whitewash report as the bipartisan report itself. Here are the juicy bits:
"Wilson has also armed his critics by misstating some aspects of the Niger affair. For example, Wilson told The Washington Post anonymouslyin June 2003 that he had concluded that the intelligence about the Niger uranium was based on forged documents because "the dates were wrong and the names were wrong." The Senate intelligence committee, which examined pre-Iraq war intelligence, reported that Wilson "had never seen the CIA reports and had no knowledge of what names and dates were in the reports." Wilson had to admit he had misspoken.
* * *
But the Senate committee found that "interviews and documents provided to the committee indicate that his wife . . . suggested his name for the trip." The committee also noted a memorandum from Plame saying Wilson "has good relations" with Niger officials who "could possibly shed light on this sort of activity." In addition, notes on a State Department document surmised that Plame "had the idea to dispatch him" to Niger."
It would be nice to see Jay Rockefeller on TV making the distinction between the "addtition views" and the actual report. Pat Roberts, Kit Bond and Orrin Hatch aren't the entire committe and should not be mistaken to speak for the entire committee.
Posted by joejoejoe at October 24, 2005 11:42 PMI predict that in the next several weeks we are going to see the biggest campaign ever to destroy all those, including Fitzgerald, who are trying to get the truth of Plamegate out. While Rove is preoccupied, there are plenty of others (including the MSM) who will pick-up the torch.
Posted by Judith at October 25, 2005 02:51 AMRest In Peace, Rosa Parks.
In these sad and sorry times...we need to be reminded of what real heros were like.
Posted by bbtb at October 25, 2005 03:31 AMHere is a very distrubing article:
The United States has struck a deal with selected colour laser printer manufacturers that allows for the tracking of printed material and their users, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) says.
The EFF said on Tuesday that its researchers recently broke the code behind the tiny tracking dots, and said the US Secret Service confirmed that the tracking was part of a deal struck with selected colour laser printer manufacturers to identify counterfeiters.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/15C4971E-17C7-48E6-978A-54E01063472E.htm
Posted by Judith at October 25, 2005 03:45 AMbbtb, thanks for reminding us that once there were true heros that believed in justice and rights for all. Her courage should be a reminder to us all that one person can make a difference.
Posted by Judith at October 25, 2005 03:50 AMThere's a hilarious scene from the movie Barber Shop about Rosa Parks.
Cedric the Entertainer plays the part of a crotchety old barber. Real old school Harlem. He gets into it with some of the regulars after someone mentions Rosa Parks.
Cedric:
There three things black folk ain't never gonna be 'onest 'bout!
OJ did it!
Rodney King deserve to get his ass beat fo' drivin' 'round drunk!
And Rosa Parks ditn't...do...nothin' but sit her tirrrred ass down!
Rest in Peace Ms. Parks.
"Rosa Parks's arrest was the precipitating factor rather than the cause of the protest. The cause lay deep in the record of similar injustices." - Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Posted by snark at October 25, 2005 06:00 AMRosa Parks, with a simple act of defiance, unmasked the ugly truth of America. I hope that she and Mahatma Gandhi are sharing tea and laugh at the moment. I grew up with JFK, RFK, Dr. King and Rosa Parks. I hope the young ones have learned something from their message.
Posted by tempus at October 25, 2005 06:09 AM"I am leaving this legacy to all of you...to bring peace, justice, equality, love and a fullfillment of what our lives should be. Without vision, the people will perish, and without courage and inspiration, dreams will die-the dream of freedom and peace." - Rosa Parks
At least Clinton knew who deserved the Presidential Medal of Freedom!
Posted by bbtb at October 25, 2005 06:23 AMWell done, bbtb.
Posted by tempus at October 25, 2005 06:41 AMbbtb, "ouch" is the sound you just heard from the trolls.
Posted by Judith at October 25, 2005 06:58 AMThere are now 1999 confirmed US military deaths in Iraq.
October 2005 has seen more deaths of American service personnel than either October 2003 or October 2004.
But hey! The new Iraqi constitution passed! So that should settle things down finally.
Posted by snark at October 25, 2005 07:13 AMHey, Wal-Mart is urging Congress to raise the minimum wage! Link.
In energy-saving moves that will save Wal-Mart money, Mr. Scott said the company plans to increase the fuel efficiency of its truck fleet -- among the largest in the country -- by 25% in the next three years. It also will invest a total of $500 million annually exploring technological advances to reduce greenhouse gases 20% during the next seven years and sharing its findings with others, including competitors.
Posted by muckdog at October 25, 2005 07:30 AMsnark, I just heard the death toll went over 2000. Hang your head in shame bu$h, the most sorry excuse for a human being ever!
muck, Wal-Mart wants to open something like 275 huge supercenters, that combine supercenters, sams club and neighborhood markets. What wage do they want the increase to...$8.50 an hour?
Posted by bbtb at October 25, 2005 08:13 AMI hope I live to see the day that all commerce in this country is conducted by one massive syndicate. Wonder if the profits will be passed on the consumers?
BTW, I plan on buying Al Franken's new book today. I'd like to say I plan on buying it from a local book shop but I can't find one anywhere in my area. Oh well! Progress.
Posted by Tim at October 25, 2005 08:17 AMAnd people like muckdog think the American left is wonky. Seems the Romans have us beat. Not gonna be good for the round glass bowl industry I bet.
Posted by snark at October 25, 2005 08:59 AMWalmart can raise their own minimum wage, they don't need Congress to mandate it for them. Besides, an effort to raise the minimum wage was just scuttled in Congress, so Walmart can safely sound like they care, but they don't. And Walmart could pay its workers more, but they won't.
Walmart is on a massive PR campaign now because there's been so much pressure put on them by advocacy groups. And then there's Robert Greenwald's documentary: Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price. Look for Walmart to be coming up with all kinds of BS efforts over the next few months to try to make themselves look good.
Posted by ann at October 25, 2005 09:03 AMAgain, I've heard GW solicit support to provide current illegal immigrants with legal residence as long as they are working in the US. The reason he gives is that "they" are doing the jobs Americans do not want. He feigns concern for the illegal workers and that they are unfairly considered criminals in our country. In fact, the real intent is to decriminalize the behavior of those that employ the illegal workers at sub standard wages.
Repeal of fair wage laws will only perpetuate and encourage this despicable practice. Taxpayers are told that the repeal will save them tax dollars. Do they not realize that they will lose much more when their own wages are cut?
Rosa Park's death has intensified my sense of foreboding that stems from the racist initiatives of this administration. It appears to me that these acts are an attempt to create a class of workers that can be easily exploited or even enslaved.
Posted by OffTheFence at October 25, 2005 09:41 AMTim, Costco has Franken's book for $14.95.
Posted by Judith at October 25, 2005 10:18 AMMy corner store raised its minimum wage to $27 an hour, planted fourteen trees in the back, and bought a new fleet of micro cars. The meth trade truly cares.
Posted by tempus at October 25, 2005 10:33 AMHang your head in shame bu$h, the most sorry excuse for a human being ever!
Actually, Bush seems to be somewhere between Alex (A Clockwork Orange), and Renton (Trainspotting). Totally fu*ked up, but lovable.
Posted by tempus at October 25, 2005 10:37 AMWhat does it mean when Nick Kristof is opposed to indictments because of the chilling effect on the press?
Contrition grows in the soil of guilt.
Posted by Toby Petzold at October 25, 2005 10:38 AMWal-mart pays around $10 an hour, according to the article. (About the same as what Delphi is proposing to pay Delphi workers.)
Wal-Mart is also proposing a new health-care package with lower premiums.
Regarding Delphi, currently they pay around $65 an hour when you total up salary and benefits (aka, "total compensation"). The new proposal would have total compensation around $27 an hour. (The worker would take home $10 an hour, the rest is benefits).
I think we're going to see more of this "total compensation" detail by employers. Total compensation would be what you take home, plus the company contributions to pensions, health care, vacation and sick leave, social security, and then various things like disability/workers comp/etc. Right now, other than what employees take home, the rest is sort of a "black box." Nobody really knows what the company is spending towards their benefits.
I think it's a good idea. Employees need to know what they're really making, in an itemized list of expenditures by the company.
Posted by muckdog at October 25, 2005 10:39 AMMuck,
When I worked for an insurance company 10 years ago they were doing this. It's not anything new. They took my insurance and benefit costs and put them with my wages to get a pay figure. IIRC, it seemed to make a lot of people mad. Not sure why, though.
Ga6, I think a lot of folks think they haven't received much of a raise the past few years. But if companies listed total compensation out, most folks would see that the company is paying a lot more for health care. In addition companies may be contributing more to pensions, after the 2000-2 bear market left most of them underfunded.
These kinds of things are a raise, even if your take-home pay remains the same. It means companies can't increase your paycheck, because costs are being shelled out on these other things.
As a matter of fact, the tax reform commission has recommended making some of that money paid for health care benefits on behalf of the worker, taxable as income to the worker.
This is why I've remarked that companies should make workers pay for the benefits, but compensate the employees for them. So you'd net-out the same, but you'd see where the money goes. And maybe you'd make some different choices. (For one example, not everyone needs comprehensive health care, when catastrophic coverage would do.)
I think your former employer did it right. You deserve to know.
Posted by muckdog at October 25, 2005 11:06 AMWal-Mart is also proposing a new health-care package with lower premiums.
It's an optional program and the deductible is $2500! People who work at WalMart aren't going to be able to afford their internal co-pay, let alone the deductible. It's probably only for those who work full time, and I'm sure WalMart is going to continue their practice of not letting regular employees work full time.
Posted by ann at October 25, 2005 11:23 AMHere in AZ all medical expenses, (including optical and dental), are tax deductible at the end of the year. My receipt drawer is overflowing!
The Teamsters have always told my wife about the insurance package being part of her actual earnings. A few years ago, our 100% medical coverage got rolled back to 85%. So she actually took a cut in pay.
But since we relocated here to AZ its worked out great. I just write it off at the end.
Contrition grows in the soil of guilt.
And statements like these grow in the manure pile between your ears.
Posted by dj moonbat at October 25, 2005 12:47 PMAlmost forgot. Each state and certain locales set thier own minimum wage. I think it's about six states that follow the federal minimum wage.
Posted by bbtb at October 25, 2005 12:47 PM