More flotsam and jetsam

Isn't it interesting that four years after the Cheney energy meetings, after the American public has more or less forgotten about it (actually they probably forgot about it in a week or two, such is the attention span of the American public), a Republican court decided that the American public has no right to know how their energy plans are made, or by whom (in this case that paragon of disinterested consultants, Enron). And isn't it also interesting that the House and Senate have just passed an energy bill that gives eight and one half billion dollars in incentives to the energy industry and does virtually nothing at all to solve the energy crisis? And it's not as if the energy companies are not already swamped with money they don't know what to do with, given that their profits have increased recently by somewhere in the vicinity of forty percent. And isn't it even more interesting that Dick the Slimy (arguably the most evil person on earth) was the head of Halliburton before he declared himself Vice President? And even more interesting he claims he had nothing to do with it and has no connection with the company even though he continues to get money from them. Ah, politics. Halliburton was just given 72 million dollars in bonuses! I guess they get a bonus for already getting somewhere in the vicinity of eight and a half billion dollars for work in Iraq.

Did no one ever tell Lincoln Chafee about the facts of life? He is supposed to be a Senator. A Senator is supposed to advise and consent to Presidential nominations. That's ADVISE and consent, not just consent. Chafee, spineless wonder that he is, says he will vote for Bolton because "the President should get what he wants." If that is the case why does the Senate have anything to do with it? Why doesn't the President just appoint whoever he wants without bothering about the Senate? Because that would be dictatorial and would violate the notion of checks and balances. Of course after Chafee votes for Bolton because that's who the President wants (no matter how outrageous a choice it is) it will mean that the President can in fact appoint whoever he wants and the Senate can go bay at the moon. The vote is tomorrow and we will know how much control Cheney has over our country. If all 10 Republicans vote for Bolton in spite of all the opposition and public opinion against him, it will be clear that Republicans are looking out for their kneecaps and careers and not for the American public. But I guess that isn't too surprising. Can you even imagine that Chafee or Voinavich or Hagel might actually act honorably instead of according to party loyalty? Stay tuned.

By the way, things are going really well in Iraq. And also in Afghanistan, Korea, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Haiti and elsewhere. In fact, things are going just swimmingly all over the globe, thanks to the fantastic diplomacy of the Bush/Cheney Administration. Be of good cheer.