Republicans

I mean, that would just be science fiction stuff. Never happen. But hey, it could happen. And it would be irreponsible not to speculate (Hi, Nooners!):

Concerned about the growing dependence of the nation’s spy agencies on private contractors, top intelligence officials have spent months determining just how many contractors work at the C.I.A., D.I.A., F.B.I., N.S.A. and the rest of the spook alphabet soup.

Now they have an answer. But they cannot reveal it, they say, because America’s enemies might be listening.

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The way kids used to take turn standing on each other's shoulders so the one on top could peek through the knothole in the outfield wall and watch the ballgame, we present today's host who frees Krugman from the paywall: the admirably named Free Democracy, bringing us "Sweet Little Lies." Or more accuratly, an honest discussion of the lies, named accurately as lies, and broken down into Little and Big Lies. Read below the fold...

Or, as our goateed Rove-emulators from Chattanooga call him, "the leader of the free world".

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USA John McKay was up for a Federal judgeship until he didn't play ball with the state Republican Partei apparatus.

Then he was fired. WaPo: Read below the fold...

Bush to American people: "Whatsa matter? Don't you trust me?" Froomkin today:

The most telling restriction built into the White House offer to make senior aides available for private interviews about the firings of eight U.S. attorneys is that no record of those aides' words would be allowed. ...

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I kid you not:

Some of the more striking problems were found at a VA clinic in White City, Ore. There, officials reported roof leaks throughout the facility, requiring them to "continuously repair the leaks upon occurrence, clean up any mold presence if any exists, spray or remove ceiling tiles."

In addition, large colonies of bats resided outside the facility and sometimes flew into the attics and interior parts of the building.

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It's always a pleasure to see the Amazing Froomkin stop emulating Broderella--Ouch! It was a joke!--and become a little less the nice-guy, mild-mannered, Clark Kent figure that we know and love.

But enough is enough:

Indications of Obfuscation

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[Updates below on blogosphere, media coverage.]

The only problem with firing all the attorney's who weren't "loyal Bushies" and who were investigating Republicans--Lam--or wouldn't smear Democrats--Iglesias?

The Explainer didn't do his job. But then, does he ever? From Bush's speech today at 5:45: Read below the fold...

Yep, Rudy's a liberal [snicker]. Well, aside from being an authoritarian narcissist, which makes him a perfect Leader for the base, that is. But yes, Rudy's taken some liberal positions over the years, as this new site shows: Read below the fold...

(Let's not repeat that virulent meme, "voter fraud," eh? Since, let's face it, that's a felony, and not many people want to risk a felony to vote. No matter how much the Republicans would like to make that dream come true. And if somebody comes up with something catchier than "voter disenfranchisement" I'd like to hear it.)

As always, Bradblog has the goods: Read below the fold...

Un-fuckin-believable. No, cancel that. Standard operating procedure*. Read it and scream: Read below the fold...

and Three. More. Inches.

One is a datapoint.

I'd say two is a trendline. Read below the fold...

[I'm saying "cities" instead of "the country," because the cities are the part of the country that's in danger. All the ports are in danger from loose nukes and dirty bombs, and nobody's going to lob a nuclear weapon into some Republican stronghold like the middle of Wyoming.]

McClatchy: Read below the fold...

The rich winger who bought the Inky thinks that when we repudiate Rick "Down Boy" Santorum (R-Let's Have the Kids Handle the Dead Fetus) at the polls, we're really saying that we want to read him in the editorial pages of the sadly diminished Inky.

They never let up, do they? Even though they're fucking losers, they never let up. Read below the fold...

They just can't help themselves, can they? It's like some bizarre exhibitionist syndrome: When a Republican appointee gets access to money--what, in more innocent days, they themselves used to refer to as "your tax dollars"--it's Gentlemen, start your looting! Read below the fold...