Online gambling (illegal in the US already) was denied the transfer of money in a slimy insert of a measure into a needed Ports bill approved weeks ago and signed today (Friday)(the thirteenth) by President Bush.
Whether or not you believe online gambling should be banned, and indeed contacts with American gambling sources like bookies and horse racing I heard is not illegal, there is a big disconnect in logic in what we ban.
If Las Vegas wants online gambling banned, it gets banned as does the means to interact with offshore sites.
Ban 24 hour on air and online shopping? I doubt that'll ever happen. (No matter what some in the linked report say about not being able to separate shopping addiction from the victims' environment.) That is a good topic for another day as our nation is committed to spreading the shopaholic empire around the world while we see it destroying the espoused values of many of the GOP's firmest supporters. If they haven't figured out that the promotion of casual sex has nearly everything to do with the promotion of shopping, I feel bad for them, but I still hate the war they promote or at least condone.
BTW. banning could be used for many other 'addictions'. Too many blogaholics? Ban it. See what I mean?
When they came for the gambler, I was silent...
The Port Bill was approved nearly unanimously because the main parts of the port bill were needed, but to throw in banning money for online gambling at the last minute was pure politics by the Republicans who control Congress.
BTW, on the border fence bill, we are told that the president doesn't have to sign it yet because the Congress has not sent it over to him. He has 10 days after it is sent to him. This shows further complicity from the Republicans who control Congress in helping Bush to veto the bill that demands he build a 700 mile fence. Meanwhile we are being bombarded in the news media with propaganda that a fence would be bad.
They could keep this up until after the election and then collect all that money from Big Business who want the Guest Worker program installed and no fence built.
This is another race I have no horse in, but the hypocrisy is stunning.
Showing posts with label House of Representatives. Show all posts
Showing posts with label House of Representatives. Show all posts
10.12.2006
Hey, Shays! Young people face predation all the time. Would you sweep it under the rug?
Apparently you and your fellow Republicans would!
Just like the Catholic church you would condone repeated sexual predation, harassment at the least, and even online sex with underage (J. E. 17 in CA where age of consent is 18) males who are in a subordinate position.
As a survivor of attempted sexual predation at the age of 17, I can tell you it isn't a small thing.
Afterwards, I was afraid to meet people and had a delayed adult development. I married late and have been afraid to be with males alone. Horribly afraid. Yeah, in fact I don't do interviews, and, therefore, work at a low level job that keeps me outdoors, away from enclosed areas where I could be trapped. My family suffers from my inability to try for better jobs.
And I was lucky in that I wasn't raped, just harassed. Made to feel guilty because I wouldn't give in to an older guy's advances. My SO is patient and kind and helped me recover somewhat, but I'm not the person I was at 16 (who loved to meet people and go places) even so many years later.
But at least I didn't kill myself as some victims have done.
And your House leaders told everyone to keep the news of what Foley was doing away from them, and indeed the complaints were funneled back to Foley's office. Just don't tell anyone like the Speaker or other House leader because if they are told then they'd have to do something that might cost them one seat in Congress.
So page after page was the recipient of Foley's perversions. (I am straight, but I'm not saying that gayness or gay advances are perverted, just the way Foley did them, like he was assuming that the other wanted this contact and sexual "teaching". I've read the IMs sent to J.E. in CA. which are posted in entirety at Slate.com)
J. E. knew the score. Any GOP Representative is above you when you are trying to make in the Republican party, so you play along like you're interested in his aging body and ridiculous antics.
Other pages couldn't even handle the first contacts in which Foley pretended to just be interested in them as people (instead of the sexual targets he really wanted). That is why the pages with the more damning emails came out with them to stop Foley from doing this again.
And why did pages have to do this? Because the Republican House leadership made sure they didn't hear a whisper of Foley's predation so they didn't have to do anything and couldn't be pinned down to knowing anything.
Dennis Hastert should join the Catholic church. He'd make a fine Bishop to cover over the sins of some pedophile priest.
What Edward Kennedy did was to come to his extremity and fail big time one night. Driving a young woman home very late one night he went off a bridge. Kennedy did not go hide his head at that time, but made repeated attempts at diving down to save her.
Remember this was at a time before even wealthy people had cellular phones, and it was in the country away from houses and public phones that were the only life lines in such situations in those days. When the already tired young Congressional reached the absolute end of his strength he made a mistake from extreme exhaustion and most likely Miss Kopechne was already dead. But still he did, when too exhausted to think, make a terrible mistake.
But that was on one night, when he was too sick to think anymore. The next day he contacted authorities and subjected himself to hate and character assasination from the right wing politicos ever since.
Hastert and the other Republican House leaders and who knows how many other Republicans made a conscious decision for over ten years to subject young men to the disgusting advances of Mark Foley. And yes, sexual predation has killed in the past and will kill again in the future.
Some young men have taken their lives because of the actions of priests or other predators. Others have been killed by their attackers. No, Foley didn't kill anyone, but by saying this is no big deal Shays and other House GOP members are giving the green light to sexual predators. And who knows where that will end? Just like their public display of hatred for gays ended one night on a cold and lonely road for Matthew Shepard.
To keep your power, you will give a green light to predators everywhere?
As Riverbend said about US troops after the Abu Ghraib scandal emerged. "Just Go".
I hope the rump group of Republicans that is left in the House of Representatives when the rest of you are voted out, can learn how to honestly and sincerely present logical arguments and practical solutions that are good for the entire country. Instead what we see your party doing now is degrading the political discussion to play to hate groups, trying to favor (or at least fool) a bare majority of special interest groups, and hiding major ethics problems.
Just like the Catholic church you would condone repeated sexual predation, harassment at the least, and even online sex with underage (J. E. 17 in CA where age of consent is 18) males who are in a subordinate position.
As a survivor of attempted sexual predation at the age of 17, I can tell you it isn't a small thing.
Afterwards, I was afraid to meet people and had a delayed adult development. I married late and have been afraid to be with males alone. Horribly afraid. Yeah, in fact I don't do interviews, and, therefore, work at a low level job that keeps me outdoors, away from enclosed areas where I could be trapped. My family suffers from my inability to try for better jobs.
And I was lucky in that I wasn't raped, just harassed. Made to feel guilty because I wouldn't give in to an older guy's advances. My SO is patient and kind and helped me recover somewhat, but I'm not the person I was at 16 (who loved to meet people and go places) even so many years later.
But at least I didn't kill myself as some victims have done.
And your House leaders told everyone to keep the news of what Foley was doing away from them, and indeed the complaints were funneled back to Foley's office. Just don't tell anyone like the Speaker or other House leader because if they are told then they'd have to do something that might cost them one seat in Congress.
So page after page was the recipient of Foley's perversions. (I am straight, but I'm not saying that gayness or gay advances are perverted, just the way Foley did them, like he was assuming that the other wanted this contact and sexual "teaching". I've read the IMs sent to J.E. in CA. which are posted in entirety at Slate.com)
J. E. knew the score. Any GOP Representative is above you when you are trying to make in the Republican party, so you play along like you're interested in his aging body and ridiculous antics.
Other pages couldn't even handle the first contacts in which Foley pretended to just be interested in them as people (instead of the sexual targets he really wanted). That is why the pages with the more damning emails came out with them to stop Foley from doing this again.
And why did pages have to do this? Because the Republican House leadership made sure they didn't hear a whisper of Foley's predation so they didn't have to do anything and couldn't be pinned down to knowing anything.
Dennis Hastert should join the Catholic church. He'd make a fine Bishop to cover over the sins of some pedophile priest.
What Edward Kennedy did was to come to his extremity and fail big time one night. Driving a young woman home very late one night he went off a bridge. Kennedy did not go hide his head at that time, but made repeated attempts at diving down to save her.
Remember this was at a time before even wealthy people had cellular phones, and it was in the country away from houses and public phones that were the only life lines in such situations in those days. When the already tired young Congressional reached the absolute end of his strength he made a mistake from extreme exhaustion and most likely Miss Kopechne was already dead. But still he did, when too exhausted to think, make a terrible mistake.
But that was on one night, when he was too sick to think anymore. The next day he contacted authorities and subjected himself to hate and character assasination from the right wing politicos ever since.
Hastert and the other Republican House leaders and who knows how many other Republicans made a conscious decision for over ten years to subject young men to the disgusting advances of Mark Foley. And yes, sexual predation has killed in the past and will kill again in the future.
Some young men have taken their lives because of the actions of priests or other predators. Others have been killed by their attackers. No, Foley didn't kill anyone, but by saying this is no big deal Shays and other House GOP members are giving the green light to sexual predators. And who knows where that will end? Just like their public display of hatred for gays ended one night on a cold and lonely road for Matthew Shepard.
To keep your power, you will give a green light to predators everywhere?
As Riverbend said about US troops after the Abu Ghraib scandal emerged. "Just Go".
I hope the rump group of Republicans that is left in the House of Representatives when the rest of you are voted out, can learn how to honestly and sincerely present logical arguments and practical solutions that are good for the entire country. Instead what we see your party doing now is degrading the political discussion to play to hate groups, trying to favor (or at least fool) a bare majority of special interest groups, and hiding major ethics problems.
10.11.2006
RE: History of Foley Messages' Release Clarified by Players
This article jibes with a Mr. V's (of Atlanta) account of why he came out to the AP about his dealings with Foley.
The Pages knew that Foley was contacting ex-pages, but they didn't know how far the man would go to attempt to force a relationship on ex-pages that didn't want or weren't ready to play along with that kind of 'companionship'.
It might have been that the most mature of the former pages could handle such exchanges and may have used them to political advantage. A friend on the in with the Republican party is a friend on the in with the Republican party. Mr. Foley's position as a gay Republican gave him a certain vulnerability too. He needed people he could trust.
Unfortunately, Mr. Foley was was a predator not just gay. And when the former pages with the most condemning emails learned that he was pushing this behavior on other young people, and, obviously, the representative was showing signs that he was tone deaf to the fact that some young men found this attraction very offensive and humiliating, then they came out with their IM copies to show America that the Louisiana was not playing a political game. They must know what happens to people who hurt the Republican party by exposing the truth. I think it was darn brave of them to do so.
The hate and spittle thrown at the former pages who did come out is, as usual, overwhelming, obtuse and hate filled. Another time this type of right wing outcry happened at least one major news source hinted that the outcry was started and led by a friend of Karl Rove. I wouldn't put it past Ms Underestimated, the 'friend' who helped Oklahoman William Kerr 'out' one of the former pages (by teaching the guy how to pick up a Google cache apparently, to not have White House ties as well. Reading 'her' blog gives clear signs of paid operative. The hate filled attacks are just Coulter's style, too.
BTW MsUnderestimated is so in love with Ann Coulter, it made me wonder if.... I mean people should only be so adoring of themselves right? In this world self promotion is needed, and MsUnderestimated seems to be pretty in love with herself in all other ways.
And, guess who's picture MsUnderestimated has put up at her YouTube profile (from a video capture). Though the age doesn't match Ms. Coulter's real age it does jibe with the fact that, apparently, Ms Ann has been known to lie about that number (to lower it).
But back to Washington Post, the article shows that most of the pages that came forward were Republicans, as we can assume the ones that contacted the AP and the Los Angeles Times were as well (Click on the Foleygate "label" under "Make Your Own Pendragn Blog" for more on the subject here). Obviously, Foley is not a complete idiot. He thought by keeping his contacts within the GOP he would be protected. And he was until the extent of his predation was realized by some of his friends.
The Washington Post also shows why the timing of the exposure was forced more by circumstance than to get an "October Surprise".
Also a Chicago Tribune article shows that the House investigation seems to be focusing on the former House Clerk Jeff Trandahl who left his office after the latest emails from Foley to a former page surfaced last November.
The ChiTri also notes that John McCain is digging himself out of the Bushco urinal to call for a truly independent investigation of Foleygate and House leaders' actions. (But, of course said inquiry won't be completed until sometime after the election is over -- Oh wait. I can still smell the caca. Does that mean what I think it does? Yep, I stepped in it --fell for a Republican BS campaign -- again.) Let's vote the Republicans back in and the "independent inquiry" might be done sometime after Arnold Schwarzenegger's self investigation of his groping behaviors.
The Pages knew that Foley was contacting ex-pages, but they didn't know how far the man would go to attempt to force a relationship on ex-pages that didn't want or weren't ready to play along with that kind of 'companionship'.
It might have been that the most mature of the former pages could handle such exchanges and may have used them to political advantage. A friend on the in with the Republican party is a friend on the in with the Republican party. Mr. Foley's position as a gay Republican gave him a certain vulnerability too. He needed people he could trust.
Unfortunately, Mr. Foley was was a predator not just gay. And when the former pages with the most condemning emails learned that he was pushing this behavior on other young people, and, obviously, the representative was showing signs that he was tone deaf to the fact that some young men found this attraction very offensive and humiliating, then they came out with their IM copies to show America that the Louisiana was not playing a political game. They must know what happens to people who hurt the Republican party by exposing the truth. I think it was darn brave of them to do so.
The hate and spittle thrown at the former pages who did come out is, as usual, overwhelming, obtuse and hate filled. Another time this type of right wing outcry happened at least one major news source hinted that the outcry was started and led by a friend of Karl Rove. I wouldn't put it past Ms Underestimated, the 'friend' who helped Oklahoman William Kerr 'out' one of the former pages (by teaching the guy how to pick up a Google cache apparently, to not have White House ties as well. Reading 'her' blog gives clear signs of paid operative. The hate filled attacks are just Coulter's style, too.
BTW MsUnderestimated is so in love with Ann Coulter, it made me wonder if.... I mean people should only be so adoring of themselves right? In this world self promotion is needed, and MsUnderestimated seems to be pretty in love with herself in all other ways.
And, guess who's picture MsUnderestimated has put up at her YouTube profile (from a video capture). Though the age doesn't match Ms. Coulter's real age it does jibe with the fact that, apparently, Ms Ann has been known to lie about that number (to lower it).
But back to Washington Post, the article shows that most of the pages that came forward were Republicans, as we can assume the ones that contacted the AP and the Los Angeles Times were as well (Click on the Foleygate "label" under "Make Your Own Pendragn Blog" for more on the subject here). Obviously, Foley is not a complete idiot. He thought by keeping his contacts within the GOP he would be protected. And he was until the extent of his predation was realized by some of his friends.
The Washington Post also shows why the timing of the exposure was forced more by circumstance than to get an "October Surprise".
Also a Chicago Tribune article shows that the House investigation seems to be focusing on the former House Clerk Jeff Trandahl who left his office after the latest emails from Foley to a former page surfaced last November.
The ChiTri also notes that John McCain is digging himself out of the Bushco urinal to call for a truly independent investigation of Foleygate and House leaders' actions. (But, of course said inquiry won't be completed until sometime after the election is over -- Oh wait. I can still smell the caca. Does that mean what I think it does? Yep, I stepped in it --fell for a Republican BS campaign -- again.) Let's vote the Republicans back in and the "independent inquiry" might be done sometime after Arnold Schwarzenegger's self investigation of his groping behaviors.
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