Chris Matthews, the Miss America Pagent, and Dick Cheney-

What does this photo have to do with anything? Nothing- I just like to take photos and think this one turned out well.



Is it possible that we might see the smirk wiped off Dick Cheney's face? Read "Ex-Aide Says Cheney Led Rebuttal Effort" . This is getting very interesting.




I was flabbergasted when I found out Chris Matthews is judging the Miss America pageant. With all that is going on with our country today, why in the world would a political commentator want to do something as trivial as judging a beauty pageant? At this moment in time, women are making history! We now have the first woman to be Speaker of the House, and a woman as a serious contender for the office of President. But Chris Matthews decided to spend his time judging a beauty pageant? Chris- I am embarrassed for you. I will have a hard time watching Hardball and taking anything you say seriously now. You are now in the same league as Donnie Trump.

And how sad that in the year 2007 we still have women willing to be in these stupid demeaning pageants? Yes, as women we have made progress in the past 50 years, but damn- not near enough!



Have you seen the video taken recently in Baghdad that CBS is showing on their website? Why it wasn't shown on their 6 o'clock news, I have no idea. It should have been their lead story. Watch it on their website.

Peace-
American Woman

State of the Union Address....

Yawn..... more of the same o' same o'. Everyone was smiling, shaking hands, applauding, and oh so civilized. I wanted to smack every Democrat that stood up and applauded during Bush's speech. We all know he is an idiot that has lied to us, wasted over 3,000 American lives and billions of dollars destroying Iraq. What in the hell was there to applaud about? I want passion from our House members, like the Korean politicians demonstrated recently!

I would have loved to have seen Nancy take her shoe off and wallop George on his empty addled head! But no, she sat there ladylike, smiled and applauded.

By Peter Baker and Michael AbramowitzWashington Post Staff WritersWednesday, January 24, 2007; Page A01

With new House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) sitting behind him in a vivid sign of the power shift on Capitol Hill, Bush congratulated Democrats on their victory in the November elections and paid tribute to the first woman to serve in the nation's third-highest office. "Tonight, I have a high privilege and distinct honor of my own as the first president to begin the State of the Union message with these words: 'Madam Speaker,' " Bush said, then turned to shake Pelosi's hand as she beamed and lawmakers cheered.

Okay, I know it was an exciting moment for Pelosi, making history as the first woman Speaker. But once the applause for her was over, and as he rambled on, trying unsuccessfully to put a good spin on his failings and plans for more failings, she had many opportunities to bop him over the head with her shoe. He was sitting right in front of her! And she could have given Cheney a few smacks while she was at it.

Yes, we need some of that Korean political enthusiasm and passion...

Peace-

American Woman

What's Your Label?

Liberal? Conservative? Radical Left Wing Liberal? Radical Right Wing Ultra Conservative? Moderate? FemiNazi? Do you fit snugly under one label? There was a time I would have accepted the label "liberal", but I have gotten older, I have difficulty fitting under one label. I am pro-choice, pro gun-control, pro-equal rights for women, pro- gay marriage, pro- decriminalization of possession and use of marijuana, and pro- affirmitive action. Sounds pretty liberal, doesn't it? But I am also for the death penalty, lower taxes and less spending by the government, against amnesty for illegal aliens, and for limits on welfare assistance. Sounds pretty conservative, doesn't it? This just covers a few of the issues that divide and label people. I think someone who says they fit completely and snugly under one label, may have stopped thinking for themselves.

And speaking of not thinking for oneself... the damn forwarded e-mails with false information that get passed around as fact are a perfect example of not thinking for oneself. Rather than research the topic and then decide it the information is indeed true, too many people just assume it is the truth, especially if it agrees with their personal opinion. And so they forward it on to everyone in their address book.

I received an e-mail today that is being forwarded and passed around- about
Barack Obama. The gist of the e-mail is that Obama is some how tied to radical Muslims. After researching the information on the internet, I found nothing to support that claim. But that doesn't matter- the e-mail will continue to be passed around as fact by people who are too lazy or too closed minded to look for the truth.
Peace-
American Woman

My Senator is an idiot....

It's bad enough to have George Bush as President, but I am also saddled with an idiot Senator- Al Martinez. I recently received his newsletter in my e-mail box telling me that he agreed with Bush's new strategy for Iraq. I e-mailed him back telling him what my thoughts were on him agreeing with Bush's new strategy. I have posted my reply and Mr. Martinez newsletter below:

Mr. Martinez,
If you agree with Mr. Bush's new strategy for the Iraq war, you are as insane and stupid as he is.
Sincerely,
XXXXXXXXX

************************************************************************
From: "Sen. Martinez Newsletter" newsletter@martinez.senate.gov
News from Senator Martinez
Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2007 21:58:20 -0500

News from Senator Martinez
January 12, 2007

Office Locations
Jacksonville1650 Prudential Drive, Suite 220Jacksonville, FL 32207(904) 398-8586
Miami800 Douglas RoadSuite 148Coral Gables, FL 33134(305) 444-8332
Naples3301 East Tamiami TrailBuilding F, Suite 223Naples, FL 34112(239) 774-3367
Orlando315 East Robinson StreetLandmark Center 1, Suite 475Orlando, FL 32801(407) 254-2573
Pensacola1 N. Palafox St. Suite 159 Pensacola, FL 32502(850) 433-2603
Tampa 5100 W. Kennedy Blvd., Suite 190Tampa, FL 33609(813) 207-0509
WashingtonUnited States SenateHart 317 Senate Office BuildingWashington, DC 20510(202) 224-3041

Letter from Senator Martinez
Dear Floridians,
The current situation in Iraq is one that weighs heavily upon all Americans. With the announcement by the President this week of a new strategy in Iraq, I wanted to take a moment and give you my thoughts on what is one of the most pressing issues of our time. Last October, I traveled to Iraq and met with many of our troops serving there, including many from our great state of Florida. Witnessing the high sense of morale and purpose throughout the ranks, my admiration and respect for those dedicated to serving our country has only increased. In visiting those who had suffered injury, I was awed by their commitment in spite of the risks.


During that trip, I met with the Iraqi political leadership and expressed my concern at the lack of political cohesion between different religious and ethnic groups. It was clear ! that a political resolution of the differences between the Sunnis and Shiites needed to be settled. There also needed to be a definite resolution to the issue regarding the distribution of the oil revenues. Another serious problem I witnessed was the lack of progress in improving the daily lives of the Iraqi people. It was clear that the Iraqi government needed to make considerable progress in supplying more consistent sources of electricity, water and other basic services.


Some of these problems have been promoted by supporters of Muqtada al Sadr, who were clearly more interested in disruptions than solutions. All of this was to be resolved against a backdrop of unrelenting violence; Violence fueled by sectarian militias, a robust insurgency, al Qaeda, and foreign fighters. What I believed then, and what I believe now, is that we need a new and comprehensive strategy that will help Iraqis overcome these challenges and lead them to ! take charge of their own country.

This past week, the President announ ced a new strategy for Iraq that I believe contains the military, political, and economic elements so vital to Iraq’s recovery. I am encouraged that the President recognized the need of the Iraqi Government to step up and do their part to eliminate the complex sectarian violence, the internal insurgency, and the threat of al Qaeda elements in Iraq. And in turn, by taking the lead role in the stability and defense of their own country, and by putting a serious financial commitment into reconstruction and job creation in Iraq, I am hopeful the Iraqi Government is ready to take the type of actions that must occur if this plan is to succeed. There is no doubt that the road ahead will continue to be difficult; Americans continue to make great sacrifices in the service of our country. But the price of failure in Iraq is what we have to weigh everything against. It would be a terrible mistake for our country, and for the greater security in the Mid! dle East, to leave a vacuum for terrorism to fester in Iraq. Success is our only option. Those who wish to criticize the President's comprehensive plan owe the country an alternative for how we reach that success. As Congress continues to examine the President’s plan in the context of the broader war on terror, I am hopeful that we can work together—Republicans and Democrats—to solve the most intractable and serious problem we face today. !

This Week in Washington
After President Bush’s speech on Wednesday, Senator Martinez commented on the Administration’s new comprehensive Iraq strategy. The Senator said, “I support the comprehensive approach laid out by President Bush. It has a reasonable chance to achieve the success we very much need in Iraq. And there is no alternative but success.” Click here to watch the Senator's full statement.

And almost four years later.....

March 19, 2003, Mr. Bush addressed the nation to annouce the start of America's invasion of Iraq. I had spent the preceding months marching in protests, signing petitions, writing letters to the White House, politicians, and even the United Nations. I, an ordinary 55 year old American woman, predicted that this was a war that could not be won, that with the topple of Saddam Iraq would erupt in civil war, that we would run up an astronomical debt, and we would lose many of our people fighting this war. If I, an ordinary woman, could forsee all this, why in the world couldn't Mr. Bush and his advisors? Did they not know anything about Iraqi history including the tribal tensions and conflict? How could they not know where this war would lead us? Have they never read and studied other countries, did they have no understanding of the Iraqi culture? How terrifying that we have people leading our nation who are so uninformed and stupid. Their stupidity has resulted in the death of over 3,000 of our American men and women, and between 53,101 to 58,704 deaths Iraqi civilians.




Those of us who protested the beginning of this war were labeled unpatriotic, unAmerican, and left wing radicals. When, in fact, we were just individuals who could foresee where this war would take us. We were people who read and listened to the news, so we knew the 911 terrorists were not Iraqi citizens, and that it was very unlikely that Iraq had WMD. We realized either Mr. Bush had a hidden agenda for this war he was determined to launch, or he was just plain stupid. And we were in the minority.




Now after 3,000 of our military people have lost their lifes, we who protested, find ourselves in the majority. Finally the majority of American people, even those who voted and elected Mr. Bush to a second term, now understand that this war was a horrible mistake. Does it feel good to now be in the majority and be proven right? Absolutely not! This is one time I wish I had been wrong. I also wish all those 3,000 military people who gave up their lives were home safe and sound with their families. I wish that the thousands and thousands of Iraqi civilians who have died during this war were alive.



Tonight I watched Mr. Bush's speech outlining his new strategy for Iraq. I believe this new strategy will fail as miserably as his first. I had so hoped that the results of the last election and the fact that even members of his own party were speaking out against the war, would convince Mr. Bush to begin withdrawing our troops. I hoped he would see it is time to let the Iraqi people decide the future of their country, whether through civil war or elections- their choice. But none of that proved to be true. I came away from Mr. Bush's speech with the same sick feeling in my stomach that I had after his speech on March 19, 2003. Mr.Bush believes we Amercians haven't sacrificed enough to establish freedom and democracy for the Iraqi people. He plans on sending an additional 20,000 troops...our sons, our daughters, our mothers, our fathers, our brothers and our sisters.



U.S. troops freed the Iraqi people from their dictator. Now it is time for us, the American people, to free ourselves from our own dictator- it is time to impeach Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney.

Peace-

American Woman