Fiddling while the earth heats up.

Recently, I saw Al Gore's movie, "An Inconvenient Truth." He has done a great job of explaining the science behind global warming in a way that the intelligent nonscientist will understand. I highly recommend that you see it, especially if you don't enjoy reading about science. Gore is passionate and engaging. Check out the trailer. He has convinced me that the earth's climate is changing rapidly. The mess humans have made of this planet becomes more dangerous day by day.

As with energy independence, the US has been in denial and avoided taking necessary action. Learn a bit more about the Bush administration's policy by watching this news story that played on the BBC but not here.


Thank you to Shakespeare's Sister for the heads up.

This is too funny

If you ever thought that GW Bush was a tool of big business, here is your "proof". I just wish they had told us who hired the pilot.

Now will Congress do something about those signing statements?

Maybe you heard recently about the Inspector General appointed to investigate fraud, waste and the complete disappearance of $9 billion appropriated for Iraq reconstruction. That Man in the White House has emasculated the Inspector General with another signing statement. Get this:

Section 2215(b)(4) of the Act calls for a report on "the progress being made toward indicting and trying leaders of the former Iraqi regime for" specified crimes. The executive branch shall construe the provision as calling for a report on the activities of the relevant systems of justice, and not on whether any given individual has committed any of the enumerated crimes, which is a matter to be determined by an appropriate tribunal according to applicable law.

Title III of the Act creates an Inspector General (IG) of the CPA. Title III shall be construed in a manner consistent with the President's constitutional authorities to conduct the Nation's foreign affairs, to supervise the unitary executive branch, and as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. The CPA IG shall refrain from initiating, carrying out, or completing an audit or investigation, or from issuing a subpoena, which requires access to sensitive operation plans, intelligence matters, counterintelligence matters, ongoing criminal investigations by other administrative units of the Department of Defense related to national security, or other matters the disclosure of which would constitute a serious threat to national security. The Secretary of Defense may make exceptions to the foregoing direction in the public interest.

Provisions of the Act that require disclosure of information, including section 3001(h)(4)(B) of the Act, shall be construed in a manner consistent with the President's constitutional authority to withhold information that could impair foreign relations, national security, the deliberative processes of the Executive, or the performance of the Executive's constitutional duties.

In other words, Congress passed a law creating the IG with the intention that it investigate seriously, have subpoena power, and perhaps result in criminal prosecution. The president's statement removes the subpoena power, essentially prohibits any criminal prosecution and exempts from disclosure anything that might affect the president's thinking process.

Though we are hearing about it now, the law was passed and the statement signed in 2003. No one has challenged Bush's authority to amend the laws Congress has passed. Will Congress please do somethiing? The courts can't step in, but Congress can act. I can't imagine that any court would uphold such a drastic revision of the bill presented for signature, nor would any respectable constitutional scholar.