Wake Up America Blog

Oil Goes UP UP UP!

2008-04-21T17:30:00.006-04:00

According to the NY Times on 4/21/08, "Oil jumped to a record on Monday...gasoline prices rose above $3.50 a gallon for the first time across the nation...(up) 22 percent in the last year...some analysts expect prices close to $4 a gallon this summer."

Diesel was $2.93 a gallon at this time last year. Today it reached $4.20.

Get this...recently I heard some big wig news analyst declare that $3.50 was some kind of psychological threshold. I immediately thought, who says and what are the criteria? Where do you suppose they plucked that number from? And even if $3.50 is some magic threshold, so what? What difference will it make? It is not as if we have a lot of options. Oh yeah, I almost forgot about all of the public transportation easily accessible to most of us in the US. It will be a cinch to change our driving habits by switching over to the bus or train.

And how does OPEC feel about the skyrocketing price of oil? According to the Times article, OPEC is perfectly happy just the way things are. I don't assume Bush and his buddies are complaining much either, although the Times doesn't report on their reaction. I did however hear that the GOP is happily taking political advantage of the high gas prices. They are rolling out a campaign blaming Pelosi for the higher gas prices and pointing out the price at the pump is higher today than when Pelosi became speaker. As if it is her fault! Think it sounds crazy? Look who we're dealing with. The low of the low can go even lower! The scary part is knowing there are many voters out there who buy into that kind of bullshit. Cheers! Meg

Forget Impeachment Lock Him Up NOW!

2008-03-19T21:37:00.003-04:00

According to Reuters, U.S.-led coalition troops killed three men, two children and a woman, in a raid in southeastern Afghanistan on Wednesday. The children, both boys no older than 10, had bullet wounds to the head and chest. The deaths occurred when foreign troops raided two adjacent houses belonging to two brothers. A large angry crowd of men gathered as villagers helped the local imam wash the bodies before burial. Women could be heard screaming and wailing from inside the houses.

Meanwhile back at the ranch of make believe…last week Bush told U.S. troops in Afghanistan via videoconference, "I must say, I'm a little envious. If I were slightly younger and not employed here, I think it would be a fantastic experience to be on the front lines of helping this young democracy succeed. It must be exciting for you ... in some ways romantic, in some ways, you know, confronting danger. You're really making history, and thanks."

Romantic?!!! No doubt, Bush is certifiably insane. Immediate action needs to be taken to protect the human race from enduring more of the demented antics dreamed up by the occupant of the White House. Forget impeachment. Lock the madman up, NOW!
Meg

Ultimate Humiliation for Ohio Woman

2008-02-06T09:24:00.000-05:00

After being assaulted, a woman in Stark County, Ohio, called for help but instead of helping her, local police arrested her. She was then taken to the local jail, stripped naked by both male and female officers and left in a cell for 6 hours without a stitch of clothing or even a blanket. Toilet paper was the only thing she had to cover her naked body. The arrest occurred after the distraught woman had mistakenly given police her deceased sister’s drivers license, which she had kept as a memento, instead of her own. Even though this may not be the entire story, what kind of behavior or crime would warrant a woman to be stripped bare by both male and female officers and left naked in a cell for hours?

The disturbing video can be viewed at Bass Check TV. According to the Bass Check website, this is common treatment for women in US jails. Below is the commentary found on their website.

“There is absolutely nothing unusual about women being stripped naked and left without covering of any kind in cold jail cells for hours at a time. It's a popular humiliation technique used in corrupt police departments throughout the country. If it weren't for this video, a TV local station's news report, and the Internet, no one would know that this particular event ever happened. Keep in mind that this woman called the police for help after she was assaulted. The piece of self-propelled human garbage running this Sheriff's Department is Timothy A. Swanson. He says - and I quote - that the thugs who work for him ‘did everything by the book.’"

Very scary stuff. Posted by Meg

Bear Hunting Raffle as School Fundraiser

2008-01-29T12:44:00.000-05:00

With skyrocketing costs of just about everything these days, selling cookies to raise money for a school trip just doesn’t cut it anymore. So when the Boosters club of Noble High School in North Berwick, ME, needed to raise $100,000 to send 200 students to New York City on a cultural trip, the school resource officer and Master Maine Guide, Rick Varney, came up with the idea of selling raffle tickets for a bear hunt. The $10.00 raffle ticket offers a chance to win a one week bear hunting trip for two at a camp in Northern Maine.

Having raised $11,000 so far, they have a long way to go to meet the fast approaching deadline of Feb. 15. Noble choral teacher Erin Lowell volunteered to accompany the students to the music festival and spoke for many when she recently said, “Failure is not an option. It’s been a difficult winter up here in Maine with heating costs and I don’t want any kid left home because of money.”

What if you are not a hunter but want to help out? No problem. Winners who don't hunt have the option of taking a cash prize of $1000 or spending a week at the hunting camp taking pictures of the wildlife instead of killing it.

And there is no need to be concerned about leaving the comforts of home behind. The hunting camp accommodations are equipped with hot and cold running water, a “flush toilet,” and beds with linens. All meals are included and as a bonus the hosts will also put on a real Maine lobster bake during the week.

Tickets will be sold until April 30^th and the drawing will take place on May 1^st.

For tickets and any other inquiries contact Varney at: noblesro@sad60.k12.me.us.

To read the full article in the local paper click HERE.

Don't forget to listen to the Wake Up American Podcast. We post a new podcast every week keeping our listeners up to date with the latest antics of the Bush administration (if we can stand it) and other important events regularly overlooked by the corporate press.

Meg

Screwed AGAIN!

2007-12-10T16:40:00.001-05:00

Everyone has heard the joke begging somebody to please give Bush a blowjob so we can impeach him. Along that same line of thinking, why couldn’t we impeach the entire administration along with many members of congress for being whores? (No offense meant to sex workers) After all, we keep giving them our money and they repeatedly give it to us!

(If you want to correct me by telling me that Clinton was actually impeached for lying, not a blow job, buzz off. I already know that but now that lying to the American people or a grand jury is no longer an impeachable offense, I am trying desperately to find out what is an impeachable offense.)

Once again, it looks like the Democrats are going cave in to Bush on funding the war. In a deal that could be completed as soon as today, Bush gets funds to continue his misadventures in Iraq without any timetable for withdrawal and the Democrats get $11 billion, half the money they wanted for domestic spending programs.

Before rushing to judgment, keep in mind the details regarding the war funding compromise come from Stenie Hoyer via the Washington Post and I would not be surprised to find out he stretched the numbers on congressional support to further the blue dog agenda. It wouldn’t be the first time Hoyer leaked details that later turned out to be bogus. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of hope that this will turn out any differently than past Iraq funding votes. If all goes according to past performance, many democrats are already chomping at the bit to vote in favor of the compromise and then rush home for the holidays. But just to be fair, I will wait to hear what others have to say before totally giving up AGAIN. Meg

Impeach Gonzales! No no-confidence bullony!

2007-06-11T21:38:00.001-04:00

Today the Senate failed to pass a No-Confidence vote on Gonzales that would have been non-binding. The New York Times reported

congress cannot remove a Cabinet member except by impeachment…

So, what is the problem? There is more than enough evidence to impeach the tyrant. The no-confidence vote is a joke as are all non-binding motions. A no-courage wimp motion is about all this Senate is capable of accomplishing. Posted by Meg

Dick's Bullshit in Baghdad

2007-05-09T16:12:00.000-04:00

Dick goes to Baghdad. Hear Dick’s bullshit through his crooked smirk and vicious snear.
''There's a lot going on. This is a very important time. There's a lot to talk about,'' Dick sneared to Gen. David Petraeus and the new U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker.
David said recently that conditions in Iraq may get harder before they get easier and will require ''an enormous commitment'' over time by the United States.
Hear David say the same thing again and again and again and again…month after month after month…
Aides said the faux vice president hoped to encourage reconciliation among rival factions.
Dick only knows how to stir things up. How is he going to encourage reconciliation in Iraq? He has done such a great job at bringing everyone together his own country.
Dick emphasized that ending the conflict in Iraq cannot be done by military means alone.
Really Dick? What conflict are you talking about? There is no civil war in Iraq, remember? Dick is trying to save his skin and is repeating what everyone else has been saying for months. Dick is an asshole!
Original story from The New York Times with a bit of editorial commentary. Meg

Raise Taxes to Stop War

2007-04-02T20:46:00.000-04:00

Below is part of an article from The Nation, Tax the Rich, End the War by Nicholas Van Hoffman. Excellent Idea! If Bush does follow through on his threat and refuses to sign the supplemental, then the Democrats should tie tax increases for the very wealthy into the next supplemental they put on his desk. Want your money, Mr. Bush? Then raise taxes! Fat chance but Van Hoffman makes a great point here:

"The Democrats can tax our way out of the war. This would be a Victory Over Terror tax to be levied on incomes of $5 million a year or more. It should be a surcharge of 20 percent over and above what people in that rarified income bracket are already paying. It should be levied on all income, regardless of what form it takes, so it would include stock options, jet plane rides, company-paid-for health and life insurance, retirement programs, golden parachutes, the use of apartments in Paris, cars and drivers.
The people in this stratospheric income category have enjoyed the big tax cuts that have gone into effect while the nation has been attacked and been at war. Individuals making $1.25 million a year have gotten tax cuts of almost 20 percent, but many of these would be spared paying the Victory Over Terror tax, which only cuts in at the $5 million level.
Needless to say, those paying this tax do not represent the Democrats' voter base. As these things go, this is politically pain-free. The tax is aimed at war profiteers, overpaid CEOs and grossly fat cats in general, most of whom carry a lot of weight at the White House. If there is any group of people in the world whom George Bush listens to, it is this bunch of billionaires. Call this a backdoor use of the power of the purse. And since the surcharge expires when the war on terror is won or declared over, those taxed will have a powerful incentive to tell the President it is time to get a move on."
Posted by Meg

Signing Statement to Supplemental?

2007-03-23T09:35:00.000-04:00

Let’s suppose the supplemental appropriations bill with troop withdrawal dates gets the green light from congress, will Bush sign it? He has vowed a veto if the bill is not “clean”. But, what will prevent him from adding one of his signature signing statements essentially making parts of the bill null and void? Would he be asinine enough to add one of his famous addendums to the bill simply saying his duty as commander in chief gives him sole discretion to withdraw the troops when and if he deems it appropriate? After all, he could pull the 911 card and claim for reasons of national security it is inappropriate to withdraw troops from Iraq at the time specified by congress.

Even though the supplemental does tie the money to the withdrawal, who says he will abide by the stipulations? These unscrupulous ideologues will go to any lengths to further their agenda. However, might this be the final straw if Bush were to ignore the troop withdrawal dates stipulated in the bill because of an attached signing statement pleading his case?