No Tears For The Working Class

The Senate has finally passed their version of the minimum wage increase. At least I trust that a bill to increase the minimum wage is buried somewhere among the 111 amendments that had to be added before the GOP would condescend to voting.

One of those amendments was tacked on by a "compassionate" member of the GOP who believes that labor and business must be "tied" and that it would be a miscarriage of justice to increase the minimum wage without giving business yet another tax cut.

Pardon me, but was he around when all those tax cuts were being given to Big Business in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006. I don't remember any tears for labor at that time.

CW reports that the Repubs had tried using the process of amending the bill to unofficially filibuster the bill in an effort to keep the Senate from voting on a resolution to voice their opposition to an escalation--ooops--make that "surge" of troops in Iraq.

Funny. I recall the Dems being called obstructionists for such tactics.

Now the big question--will the minority obstructionists--oh, pardon my negativity. Will those illustrious, public serving Repubs consent to a debate on the war in Iraq? Or have they not yet gotten the message sent to them on November 7 from the majority of the American people.

Nightmare in the State Department

It seems that no one in the Bush Administration has advanced beyond the concrete stage of cognitive thinking. This doesn't surprise me about George W. After all he is noted for a lack of curiosity.

But to learn that our Secretary of State--a woman who negotiates with foreign leaders in languages she does not speak--cannot comprehend the English language unless communicated to her in the most elementary forms is rather scary.

However, what other explanation can there be for her misinterpretation of Senator Barbera Boxer's comment regarding families of soldiers serving in Iraq. Senator Boxer merely pointed out that Ms. Rice has no immediate family who would be serving in Iraq. She did not accuse her nor condemn her for being childless. So why is Condi in such a peevish snit?

One can only wonder how much impact Ms. Rice's failure to understand simple communications has had on the ongoing debacle in Iraq.

Perhaps the Dems need to start speaking to the GOP in monosyllables to avoid future misunderstandings.

Welcome to My Neocon Nightmare

What is a neocon nightmare?

• Two more years of George W. Bush
• The prospect of losing the Senate back to the GOP
• Condi Rice appointed Vice President
• Rupert Murdock taking over MSNBC--no more Olberman
• Joe Lieberman "caucasing" with the Dems?
• McCain and Lieberman in 2008
• Alberto Gonzalez appointed to the Supreme Court
• Paul Bremer returning to Iraq
• A world full of Ann Coulters and Rush Limbaughs
• Bill O'Reilly, period.
• Karen Hughes on another PR mission to the Middle East
• Wolfowitz and Perle returning to the Bush Administration--as if it isn't already a nightmare