and now for nothing completely different

US Main Stream Media is still pretty much disregarding the severity of the implications of the Downing Street Memo possibly, as Shakespeare's Sister indicates, because they were persuaded to ignore the story.

Despite George & Tony's Peacenick impression the other day, more evidence pointing to the fix has been unearthed in the form of Rummy's proactive approach to attacking Iraq in the wake of 9/11. According to notes taken by Rummy's aides

. . .barely five hours after American Airlines Flight 77 plowed into the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld was telling his aides to come up with plans for striking Iraq — even though there was no evidence linking Saddam Hussein to the attacks.

[snip]

Now, nearly one year later, there is still very little evidence Iraq was involved in the Sept. 11 attacks. But if these notes are accurate, that didn't matter to Rumsfeld.

"Go massive," the notes quote him as saying. "Sweep it all up. Things related and not."

In allegations similar to those published by former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill, Bush's ghost writer has taped interviews in which Bush was actually considering opportunities to increase his political capital by invading Iraq well before becoming President:

"He was thinking about invading Iraq in 1999," said author and journalist Mickey Herskowitz. "It was on his mind. He said to me: 'One of the keys to being seen as a great leader is to be seen as a commander-in-chief.' And he said, 'My father had all this political capital built up when he drove the Iraqis out of Kuwait and he wasted it.' He said, 'If I have a chance to invade·.if I had that much capital, I'm not going to waste it. I'm going to get everything passed that I want to get passed and I'm going to have a successful presidency." Herskowitz said that Bush expressed frustration at a lifetime as an underachiever in the shadow of an accomplished father. In aggressive military action, he saw the opportunity to emerge from his father's shadow. The moment, Herskowitz said, came in the wake of the September 11 attacks. "Suddenly, he's at 91 percent in the polls, and he'd barely crawled out of the bunker."

It shouldn't be a suprise to know that British court documents reveal that the US gave the British advance notice of when the war would start (or that documentation published outside the US last year would summarily be ignored by US media). According to right-wing pundits, all this talk about human rights violations, abuse of power (mis)leading the country to war is all an Amnesty International & left-wing extremist plot to re-create the glory days of Watergate by taking down a Republican President by the treacherous act of *gasp* catching him in the act of impeachable offenses.


OK, maybe something a little different: Conyers' letter to President Bush has over 240,000 signatures (getting thousands more by the minute).

Tags: Iraq War; Bush Administration; Foreign Policy; BBA; Downing Street Memorandum; Blair

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Democracy enslaves: a mainstream appeal

Janice Rogers Brown, that nice, non-activist judge, has decided to assuage our fears by showing how far from the extremes of conservatism she is. In speeches referenced in the NYT, Brown has declared, as Lindsay notes, that Democracy leads to Slavery:

"In the heyday of liberal democracy, all roads lead to slavery," she has warned in speeches. Society and the courts have turned away from the founders' emphasis on personal responsibility, she has argued, toward a culture of government regulation and dependency that threatens fundamental freedoms."

"We no longer find slavery abhorrent," she told the conservative Federalist Society a few years ago. "We embrace it." She explained in another speech, "If we can invoke no ultimate limits on the power of government, a democracy is inevitably transformed into a kleptocracy - a license to steal, a warrant for oppression."

Had this statement come from a Democrat (replace the words "Liberal Democracy" with "Bush Administration" or "Republican Platform") assailing the homogenized "we need more government legislation to make the people more moral" views of Republican Leadership like Rick Santorum, Tom DeLay & Bill Frist, the statements make some sense. Mind you, we would have been entertained by Ken Mehlman "respectfully" disagreeing, Republican Leadership assailing the reference to slavery and all sorts of freeper hystrionics and wingnuttery claiming how limits on government power would lead directly to satanic beastial orgies involving children dining on fecal matter and gay redneck porn.

In truth, what Rogers Brown is describing as a bad path to slavery/loss of freedom is not Liberal Democracy at all, but what occurs when the tyranny of the majority and unchecked power allows for uncontrolled government regulation of any or all affairs (i.e., the current trend toward religious oligarchy). It seems a case of someone protesting too much as she decries the conservative actions she is a party to by ascribing the threat and bad outcome to her opponents. Regardless of what it was meant to be, anyone who likens Democracy to slavery is at least 2 standard deviations from the norm and that, my friends, is an extremist.

Tags:courts; Politics; extremist; conservative

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Minorities, Gays & Jews whipped into a white frothy mixture of Christian goodness

Democratic Party Chairman is getting his rectal a little early this year for making the mistake of forgetting that a Democrat can not get away with making blanket statements about Republicans (even if it's essentially true) the way the Reps can with the Dems (even when it's patently false). In case you missed it, Dean said that the Republican Party is "a pretty monolithic party" and that it's pretty much a white Christian party as well. The Reps have trotted out their party-line toting minorities in high poistions to show how diverse they are and Ken Mehlman respectfully disagreed by pointing out he made Bar Mitzvah, but the truth is, the Republican Party is overwhelmingly white and supports an overtly conservative "Christian"- based agenda. Republican leadership claim to be supporting people of faith (screw anyone who doesn't believe in G-d), pushing to legislate based on "Judeo-Christian" values (the "Judeo" is in there to accommodate the things strictly adherent Jews and Christians are in agreement about and to make people think they're inclusive) but it's a "people of faith are all of the same [fundagelical] point of view" attitude. If they think they're not, essentially, a party that directly makes an appeal as or viewed by their own as "Christian" they might want to check out this, this, or this (among a kijillion other links). The Christian Coalition, FoF and David Barton are among the many that are pretty damned sure the Republican Party is about keeping the US a Christian nation. Dean has a point that the Republicans are not very friendly to different kinds of people, despite their contention they really are welcoming of all sorts of people.

All one needs to do is take a look at the stances of the leadership in each party,

While prominent Democrats run the wide gamut from the near Euro-style democratic-socialist left (Barbara Lee, Dennis Kucinich and the Congressional Progressive Caucus) and traditional liberals (Russ Feingold, Nancy Pelosi, Dick Durbin and John Kerry) to the Dem center-right (Joe Lieberman, Evan Bayh, Harry Reid and the New Democrat Network) to the GOP-style conservative right (Ben Nelson, Gene Taylor, and Allen Boyd) ... most fall somewhere into the pragmatic Democratic Leadership Council's "centrist" moderate-to-liberal style (Howard Dean, Mark Warner, Joe Biden).

Leading Republicans fall into several different ideological factions: traditional conservatives (President George W. Bush, Denny Hastert, Bill Frist, Rick Santorum and the Club for Growth), the Religious Right (Trent Lott, Sam Brownback, the National Federation of Republican Assemblies and the Christian Coalition), the old Nixon/Rockefeller "centrist" or "moderate" wing (Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lincoln Chafee, It's My Party Too PAC and the Republican Main Street Partnership), and libertarians (Ron Paul and the Republican Liberty Caucus).

the overall diversity of each party, how the leadership addesses the needs of those registered in their party and how the actions of party leadership impact those who disagree with them to know Dean's statements are not too far off the mark.

Of course it's the the Republicans advantage to make Dean's statements a huge issue as it helps them continue to divert main stream media attention (which, granted, is not hard to do) from W's impeachable offense.

Tags:howard dean; Politics;republicans

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All we are saying is [that we tried to] give peace a chance

George & Tony doing their best John Lennon at today's press conference:

Q: Thank you, sir. On Iraq, the so-called "Downing Street Memo" from July 2002, says, "Intelligence and facts remain fixed around the policy of removing Saddam through military actions." Is this an accurate reflection of what happened? Could both of you respond?

BLAIR: Well, I can respond to that very easily. No, the facts were not being fixed in any shape or form at all. And let me remind you that that memorandum was written before we then went to the United Nations.

Now, no one knows more intimately the discussions that we were conducting as two countries at the time than me.

And the fact is, we decided to go to the United Nations and went through that process, which resulted in the November 2002 United Nations resolution to give a final change to Saddam Hussein to comply with international law.

He didn't do so. And that was the reason why we had to take military action.

But, all the way through that period of time, we were trying to look for a way of managing to resolve this without conflict.

As it happened, we weren't able to do that because, as I think was very clear, there was no way that Saddam Hussein was ever going to change the way that he worked or the way that he acted.

BUSH: Well, you know, I read, kind of, the characterizations of the memo, particularly when they dropped it out in the middle of his race. I'm not sure who they dropped it out is, but I'm not suggesting that you all dropped it out there.

And somebody said, Well, you know, we had made up our mind to go to use military force to deal with Saddam. There's nothing farther from the truth.

My conversations with the prime minister was how could we do this peacefully, what could we do.

And this meeting, evidently it took place in London, happened before we even went to the United Nations — or I went to the United Nations.

And so it's — look, both of us didn't want to use our military. Nobody wants to commit military into combat. That's the last option.

The consequences of committing the military are very difficult. You know, one of the hardest things I do as the president is to try to comfort families who've lost a loved one in combat.

It's the last option that the president must have, and it's the last option I know my friend had as well.

And so we worked hard to see if we could figure how to do this peacefully, to put a united front up to Saddam Hussein, so the world speaks. And he ignored the world. Remember, 1441 passed the Security Council unanimously. He made the decision. And the world is better off without Saddam Hussein in power.

The folks at FAIR point out the twisted Nixonesque type of Peacenick W is by quoting Prussian general Karl von Clausewitz “A conqueror is always a lover of peace.”

DKos does some homework for MSM, and the rest of us sing a different Lennon tune.

Tags: Iraq War; Bush Administration; Foreign Policy; BBA; Downing Street Memorandum; Blair

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Here's to you

Anne Bancroft, Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate & Mrs. Mel Brooks in real life, died of uterine cancer yesterday at the age of 73. While she is best remembered for her classic role seducing Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate, she's also appeared in key roles in countless other movies including a phenomenal performance as Annie Sullivan against Patti Duke's Helen Keller in the Miracle Worker. Among my favorite of her performances in dramas are two lesser known but exceptional films 'Night Mother & 84 Charing Cross Road.

Rest in Peace.

Tags:celebrity; Entertainment; Movies

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Plumbing & Prose: Flushing Scripture

Lindsay points out the Rude Pundit says it's a

"Goddamn shame you put so much belief into a replaceable inanimate object."

He's right, while it is rude, inappropriate, & unnecessarily incendiary to go out of your way to trash a religious or patriotic symbol, it's a bit much to go all ape-shit because someone else doesn't treat symbols of your personal beliefs with the degree of respect you think necessarily. The real issue at Gitmo is the (mis)treatment of detainees.

Maybe, the Republigelicals can remember this

the next time they get all bunched up because someone burns the flag, mucks with the pledge of allegiance or submerges a crucifix in urine (what is it with piss and religious symbolism?).

Tags: religion; symbolism; urine; politics

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Testicular fortitude on display

In recent months, NY Senate Democrat Hillary Clinton has kept her moderate side on display, but, at Ezra points out, Clinton went balls out today castigating the Bush administration & the Republican party at her first re-election fundraiser.

"There has never been an administration, I don't believe in our history, more intent upon consolidating and abusing power to further their own agenda," Mrs. Clinton told the audience at a "Women for Hillary" gathering in Midtown Manhattan this morning.

"I know it's frustrating for many of you; it's frustrating for me: Why can't the Democrats do more to stop them?" she continued to growing applause and cheers. "I can tell you this: It's very hard to stop people who have no shame about what they're doing. It is very hard to tell people that they are making decisions that will undermine our checks and balances and constitutional system of government who don't care. It is very hard to stop people who have never been acquainted with the truth."

Clinton went on to lambast the Washington Press corps as being a "pale imitation of the Wathergate era reporters" and voiced the same concern about the media's hesitance to ask the "hard questions" and cover the stories that need to be addressed.

Tags: politics; Media; hillary clinton

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Planned Parenthood Perversity?

This is something the Cotillionistas would do, take their references to PP fighting against the fishing expeditions of Steve Carter and Phil Kline, implicate sex-ed classes and PP as conduits to facilitate inapropriate sexual relationships between little girls and adult men, and ignore a pretty significant (and completely skeevesome) bit of information. According to the conservatives, PP exploits (maybe even encourages) these relationships without reporting them to ensure they can continue to turn a profit from performing abortions on these girls. In their minds, if clinics that perform abortions would just call the authorities and stop "pushing" abortions and/or contraceptives on these girls, the problem would decrease substantially.

"The loopiest free-sex advocates might imagine that after sex-ed courses on how to put a condom on a banana, 13-year-old girls blissfully explore their bodies with 13-year-old boys. Put aside that this vision will make most parents gag, it's not how it works. Teen sex often involves adult men exploiting teen girls. Estimates are that in 60 percent or more of teen births, the father is an adult. A California study found that the fathers in births to junior-high-school mothers were on average nearly 7 years older."

I'm not sure you can reasonably draw the conclusion from the above referenced study that the majority of (barely pubescent) girls engaging in sexual activity are getting it on with significantly older guys; in fact, it's actually possible that the study implies girls in these inappropriate relationships are more likely to get pregnant and have a baby than girls who are sexually active with boys closer to their own age (relationships that do not necessarily constitute statutory rape).

It sounds like my suggestion that the states start investigating the OBs and hospitals delivering babies to these little girls to determine if they're reporting this very obvious statutory rape may be more on target than I thought. The authorities certainly would have better luck at finding the men who are committing these acts with young girls (and some easily obtainable forensic evidence to substantiate the charges).


Tags: abortion; sex offender; privacy; medical records; planned parenthood; statutory rape

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Melhman's tepid Bartelby impression

I missed Meet the Press today but Crooks & Liars has some video of his new dud single "I would respectfully disagree." Yes Mr. Melhman, you respectfully disagreed and you avoided acknowledging the truth:

MEHLMAN: Tim, that report has been discredited by everyone else who's looked at it since then. Whether it's the 9/11 Commission, whether it's the Senate, whoever's looked at this has said there was no effort to change the intelligence at all.

The fact is that the intelligence of this country, the intelligence of Britain, the intelligence of the United Nations, the intelligence all over the world said that there were weapons of mass destruction present in Iraq.

[snip]

So I believe that individual report not only has been discredited, but that the overall reasons for removing Saddam Hussein were broadest than that, they were correct. We're now safer and certainly the people of Iraq are safer now that Saddam Hussein has been removed from power.

RUSSERT: I don't believe that the authenticity of this report has been discredited.

MEHLMAN: I believe that the findings of the report, the fact that the intelligence was somehow fixed, have been totally discredited by everyone who's looked at it.

Not exactly discredited, certainly not by everyone, not even by all Republicans.

RUSSERT: The primary rationale given for the war, however, was the elimination of weapons of mass destruction. And again I refer you to the memo of the prime minister's meeting: "It seemed clear that Bush had made up his mind to take military action, even if the timing was not yet decided. But the case was thin. Saddam was not threatening his neighbors, and his WMD capability was less than half that of Libya, North Korea and Iran."

MEHLMAN: Well, the president, I think, was responsible in saying we need to simultaneously prepare for war and also try to avoid that war. There were simultaneous efforts at the diplomatic stages that were made, and yet at the same time it would have been irresponsible for us to say we're going to wait, and then plan for war later, because we wouldn't have had as effective an effort as we did to remove Saddam Hussein from power. So we needed to do both at the same time.

I don't seem to recall any steps or statements by the Bush Administration in which there was actual discussion of trying to avoid the war, quite the contrary actually. ..it always seemed to me that the administration was pushing for a showdown and an excuse to attack.

Meeting minutes, Prime Minister's meeting on Iraq, 23 July 2002

C reported on his recent talks in Washington. There was a perceptible shift in attitude. Military action was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy. The NSC had no patience with the UN route, and no enthusiasm for publishing material on the Iraqi regime's record. There was little discussion in Washington of the aftermath after military action.

CDS said that military planners would brief CENTCOM on 1-2 August, Rumsfeld on 3 August and Bush on 4 August.

[snip]

The Defence Secretary said that the US had already begun "spikes of activity" to put pressure on the regime. No decisions had been taken, but he thought the most likely timing in US minds for military action to begin was January, with the timeline beginning 30 days before the US Congressional elections.

The Foreign Secretary said he would discuss this with Colin Powell this week. It seemed clear that Bush had made up his mind to take military action, even if the timing was not yet decided. But the case was thin. Saddam was not threatening his neighbours, and his WMD capability was less than that of Libya, North Korea or Iran. We should work up a plan for an ultimatum to Saddam to allow back in the UN weapons inspectors. This would also help with the legal justification for the use of force.

The Attorney-General said that the desire for regime change was not a legal base for military action. There were three possible legal bases: self-defence, humanitarian intervention, or UNSC authorisation. The first and second could not be the base in this case. Relying on UNSCR 1205 of three years ago would be difficult.

I wonder what Melman's next refrain will be; Bartelby's didn't quite work out for him.

Tags: Iraq War; Bush Administration; Foreign Policy; BBA; Downing Street Memorandum

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Bad Meme sinking: crap you probably don't want to know about me

From Lauren who brilliantly gave me the same idea she had (do this, avoid housework - who wants to start cleaning when they've just returned from a babyshower anyway. . .right?).

Copy this whole list into your blog. Bold the things that are true about you. Add something that is true about you.

01. I miss somebody right now.
02. I don’t watch much TV these days.
03. I love olives
04. I own lots of books.
06. I wear glasses or contact lenses.
07. I love to play video games.
08. I’ve tried marijuana.
09. I’ve watched porn movies. (the ones I've seen are pretty damn funny too)
10. I have been in a threesome.
11. I have been the psycho-ex in a past relationship.
12. I believe honesty is usually the best policy.
15. I curse sometimes.
16. I have changed a lot mentally over the last year.
17. I have a hobby.
19. I carry my knife/razor everywhere with me.
20. I’m TOTALLY smart.
21. I’ve never broken someone’s bones.
22. I have a secret that I am ashamed to reveal.
23. I hate the rain.
24. I’m paranoid at times. (neuroses & paranoia - that's me in a nutshell)
25. I would get plastic surgery if it were 100% safe, free of cost, and scar-free. - I have had plastic surgery for medical reasons (twice, it's a joke among my friends). I wouldn't advise it unless necessary; however, under the referenced situation and my current losing battle with hashimoto's, lipo would definitely be an option.
26. I need money right now.
27. I love sushi.
28. I talk really, really fast. (I'm pretty loud too)
29. I have fresh breath in the morning.
30. I have long hair.
31. I have lost money in Las Vegas.
32. I have at least one brother and/or one sister.
33. I was born in a country outside of the U.S.
34. I shave my legs (females) or face (males) on a regular basis. (pits yes; legs don't need to be shave routinely - how's that for TMI?)
35. I have a twin (or a triplet, or somesuch).
36. I have worn fake hair/fingernails/eyelashes in the past.
37. I couldn’t survive without Caller I.D.
38. I like the way that I look.
39. I have lied to a good friend in the last 6 months.
40. I know how to cornrow.
41. I am usually pessimistic.
42. I have a lot of mood swings.
43. I think prostitution should be legalized.
44. I think Britney Spears is pretty.
45. Slept with a Suitemate.
46. I have a hidden talent.
47. I’m always hyper no matter how much sugar I have.
48. I have a lot of friends.
49. I am currently single.
50. I have pecked someone of the same sex. (given that pecked means kissed…)
51. I enjoy talking on the phone.
52. I practically live in sweatpants or PJ pants.
53. I love to shop.
54. I would rather shop than eat.
55. I would classify myself as ghetto.
56. I’m bourgie and have worn a sweater tied around my shoulders.
57. I’m obsessed with my Xanga or Livejournal.
58. I don’t hate anyone. I dislike them.
59. I’m a pretty good dancer
60. I don’t think Mike Tyson raped Desiree Washington.
61. I’m completely embarrassed to be seen with my mother.
62. I have a cell phone.
63. I believe in G-d.
64. I watch MTV on a daily basis.
65. I have passed out drunk in the past 6 months.
66. I love drama. (Somebody else’s, not my own) - the kind you make fun of celebrities about (when I don't feel like thinking I watch too much E!)
67. I have never been in a real relationship before.
68. I’ve rejected someone before.
69. I currently have a crush/like someone.
70. I have no idea what I want to do for the rest of my life.
71. I want to have children in the future.
72. I have changed a diaper before.
73. I’ve called the cops on a friend before.
74. I bite my nails. (and cuticles & chew on my hair)
75. I am a member of the Tom Green fan club.
76. I’m not allergic to anything.
77. I have a lot to learn.
78. I have been with someone at least 10 years older or younger.
79. I plan on seeing Ice Cube’s newest “Friday” movie.
80. I am shy around the opposite sex. (I am uncomfortable around people in general, does that count?)
81. I’m online 24/7, even as an away message.
82. I have at least 5 away messages saved.
83. I have tried alcohol or drugs before.
84. I have made a move on a friend’s significant other or crush in the past.
85. I own the “South Park” movie.
86. I have avoided assignments at work school to be on Xanga or Livejournal.
87. When I was a kid I played “the birds and the bees” with a neighbor or chum.
88. I enjoy some country music. (only if the Lyle Lovett Church song counts)
89. I would die for my best friends. (probably, but I'm not sure it really means much)
90. I think that Pizza Hut has the best pizza.
91. I watch soap operas whenever I can
92. I’m obsessive, anal retentive, and often a perfectionist.
93. I have used my sexuality to advance my career.
94. I love Michael Jackson, scandals and all.
95. I know all the words to Slick Rick’s “Children’s Story”. (I don't know who Slick Rick is)
96. Halloween is awesome because you get free candy.
97. I watch Spongebob Squarepants and I like it.
98. I have dated a close friend’s ex.
99. I like surveys/memes.
100. I am happy at this moment.
101. I’m obsessed with guys.
102. I am bisexual.
103. Democrat.
104. Conservative Republican.
105. I am punk rockish. (I noticed in HS that anyone who described themselves as "punk" was pretty damn far from it)
106. I am preppy.
107. I go for older guys/girls, not younger (guys only, I'm a big fat 0 on the Kinsey scale)
108. I study for tests most of the time. (I don't think you can study for a PAP)
109. I tie my shoelaces differently from anyone I’ve ever met.
110. I can work on a car.
111. I love my job.
112. I am comfortable with who I am right now.
113. I have more than just my ears pierced.
114. I walk barefoot wherever I can.
115. I have jumped off a bridge.
116. I love sea turtles.
117. I spend ridiculous amounts of money on makeup.
118. I believe in prophetic dreams.
119. I plan on achieving a major goal/dream.
120. I am proficient on a musical instrument.
121. I worked at McDonald’s restaurant.
122. I hate office jobs.
123. I love sci-fi movies.
124. I’ve never been in love.
125. I think water rules.
126. I am going to college out of state.
127. I am adopted.
128. I like sausage. (is it me, or is this a loaded question??)
129. I am a pyro. (fire! *heheh*)
130. I love the Red Sox.
131. I have thrown up from crying too much.
132. I have been intentionally hurt by people that I loved.
133. I love kisses.
134. I fall for the worst people and have been hurt every time.
135. I adore bright colors.
136. I love Dear Abby.
137. I can’t live without black eyeliner.
138. I think school is awesome.
139. I think pigtails serve a purpose.
140. I don’t know why the hell I just did this stupid thing.
141. I usually like covers better than originals.
142. I don’t like multi-textured ice cream (what the Hell is multi-textured ice cream?)
143. I think John Cusack is adorable.
144. I f**king hate chain theme restaurants like Applebees and TGIFridays. (TGI is Thank *Goodness* it's Fridays in Russia. ..Dima dragged me there kicking and screaming last week)
145. I watch Food Network way too much.
146. I love coaching youth sports.
147. I can pick up things with my toes
148. I can’t whistle.
149. I can move my tounge in waves, much like a snakes’ slither.
150. I have ridden/owned a horse.
151. I still have every journal I’ve ever written in. (I tried to journal when I was little, couldn't do as I nothing interesting to say and really didn't think "Dear diary, today they served pizzabuns in the caf" was something I'd care about in the future. I have, however, saved some notes others shoudl have been embarassed to have written, my first gram stain, my first karyogram, polaroids of some blots and my late Aussie's last rabies tag. My mother has saved every hate letter I wrote as a snot nosed child, I remind her that those documents are the reason I am an underachiever and if I was not quite so blackmailable, I'd be famous for doing something wonderful).
152. I can't stick to a diet. (I can, but need total control if I'm to do so).
153. My step-dad is a psycho-bastard sonofabitch. (I don't have a step-dad)
154. I have been known to buy "herbal supplements" I know can not have the effect they promise and try to will myself into having a placebo effect (sad but true).

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Just saying so doesn't make it so: Intellectual honesty

Christina doesn't quite get it. I'll be nice, help her out and suggest (again) she taking a reading comprehension course and learn to delineate her arguments more clearly and accurately.

I broke down and commented on "The Real Choice" that after leaving the "fine. Ol' Cranky, it was other "services" rather than abortion that they performed." comment on my blog , she wasn't exactly being intellectually honest in not updating her own post that continued to perpetuate less than accurate statements:

"Because they have clear and convincing evidence crimes were committed against these children, in that they billed for abortions for them, and then they failed to report the crimes. "

It's also inaccurate to say I don't "grasp" why Kansas AG Steve Carter is investigating PP, but she and I are of differing opinions as to motive to I'll let that slide. I admit, I posted the comment to see if she is capable of directly addressing and supporting her statements. I had previously asked her to support her allegations as well. She appears capable of parroting and spouting the conclusions of others with which she agrees, but not much else.

"PP does abortions on underage girls without reporting possible sexual abuse. That's well documented."

First and foremost, my series of posts and comments were specific to the investigations in Indiana (the one cited by American Princess) and Kansas. Dunigan, a big fan of the Princess, directed her readers to both Amanda Marcotte (and the commenters at Pandagon who are too "oblivious" for Dunigan to waste her time correcting) and me.

The best I can do is cite the case (a rephrehensible one) in which the healthcare providers at PP facility in Phoenix, AZ failed to report the statutory rape of a 13-year old girl by her 23-year old foster brother. The girl had an ongoing sexual relationship with the adult foster brother which resulted in 2 pregnancies, 6 months aparft, that were terminated. Nobody at this PP facility notified Child Protective Services which makes them complicit in the continued molestation of this girl (even if the girl was a willing participant, there is no state in this country in which this case would not be considered statutory rape).

Life Dynamics, a "pro-life" organization, called 800 PP & NAF facilities in the US posing as a 13 year old girl impregnated during and ongoing sexual relationship with a 22 year old male. According to the organization, the girl reported wanting to terminate the pregnancy so her parents woudln't know about the relationship. Again, while the legal age of consent and reporting requirements differ across the country, this is a case that would be considered statutory rape in all states unless the couple were married (there have been some reports of pregnant teens marrying their older boyfriends, with their parents permission, to avoid statutory rape charges). According to the organization, employees at virtually every facility were willing not only to refrain from reporting what they knew was a reportable crime, but to assist in the concealment of the relationship. As for not reporting, I'm not sure if the employees with whom the girl spoke were providers themselves of admin staff (the legal requirements are for providers) and the girl did not, to my knowledge, present for examination which would be the trigger for the reporting mechanism (otherwise, anyone could call a provider making slanderous claims that could leave another person a target of an investigation without any legitimate reason for an investigation). The assertion that the clinic workers on the other end of the phone were willing to provide information to assist a girl in concealing a legally (and morally, in my opinion) inappropriate relationship is disturbing to say the least. If the allegations are true, it's a sign that health-care providers and facilities (probably all of them) need to conduct extensive training on signs to evaluate for inappropriate sexual relationships as well as reporting requirements. The states should also conduct statutory awareness campaigns (California did one some years ago) so people know what the age of consent is in their state. If you do a search of the laws, you'll see that age of consent is not the only factor in determination of whether the sexual activity is considered criminal and reportable. In most states, the ages of both participants as well as the age difference is a factor of consideration in voluntary sexual activity; in some states, when there is a disparity of the maturational age of the participants (even though they are the same chronological age) there is a requirement to report as well. [here is a link to CA reporting guidelines]

As reprehensible an example as the Arizona case is, one cannot accurately state/imply that PP (or any provider who performs abortions) systematically fails to comply with reporting laws. The tapes of the LD sting operation are disturbing but, again, not evidence that these facilities routinely perform abortions and then fail to report known or suspected sexual molestation (I actually be quite curious to know what results would have been for a similar operation in which a broad range of healthcare providers were presented with a similar case; I don't think the results would be exactky the same, but wonder if we have a societal problem in which adults give up on trying to "talk sense" into sexually active teens and/or report statutory rape). Additionally, the investigations in Kansas and Indiana do not support Christina's allegations of failure to comply with reporting because even if there are cases in which 11-13 year old girls sought contraception for sexual activity, it's not clear that the relationships they may be having fall under the reporting requirements (and yes, I cringe at the thought of this activity between these kids; I know what it was like when I was that age and can't imagine how much worse it may be now, especially with the increase in precocious puberty).

Unfortunately, there is a potentially chilling effect to the reporting requirements if/when the law mandates reporting of any/all sexual activity (for an adolescent) as sexual abuse and that is the likelihood that these kids won't seek healthcare (or own up to risky behavior when seeing a healthcare provider) which will put those in most need at significantly higher risk. The primary goal to these laws is, and should remain, to protect kids from actual sexual abuse (the inherent coercion at the heart of an intimate relationship between a child and a adult or even a significantly older child makes that an abusive relationship even when the child engages in the relationship voluntarily). The goal of healthcare providers treating sexually active minors should be to act in accordance to what is in the best interest of the patient from a clinical perspective, to educate and encourage safe behavior, to encourage (wherever possible) open lines of communication with parents/guardians and to report known or reasonably suspected cases of inappropriate sexual activities as appropriate.

Tags: abortion; sex offender; privacy; medical records; planned parenthood; cotillion;Women Bloggers

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PP, Judicial bypass and a response to the Princess too long for comments

Last night I indicated that I thought the American Princess's arguments against Planned Parenthood and in support of Indiana AG Steve Carter were flimsy at best. She replied this afternoon (while I was out, ironically, buying one more gift for a baby shower). Her comment this afternoon, while thoughtful (and a repeat of most of a couple of her comments on her own thread), missed the point of my initial post (her own post, the one I chastised last night, started with a reference to parental notification and then had nothing to do with parental notification).

"We can't overcome injustice to women by subjecting children to the same injustice. We don't elimitate poverty by eliminating unplanned pregnancies, nor do we serve young girls by allowing them to have abortions without notifying their parents. Children have the right to be protected. One doctor, who used to perform abortions and still believes that they should be legal told me that teens need their parents. He explained that pregnant teens seeking an abortion often wait too long and seek riskier and more dangerous second-trimester abortions, don't get proper follow-up care, may not take antibiotics, and may wait too long to seek medical attention if a complication occurs.

Judicial bypass--going before a judge to get an abortion without parental consent is just as much a disservice to teens. If the girl is in an abusive situation, she needs to have social services intervene, not give her an abortion and send her back home for continued abuse! . . ."

The issues regarding teens in abusive family situations who seek judicial bypass are not limited to PP. I agree that if they are in a bona fide abusive situation, social services needs to intervene (one would expect a judge in family court to get them involved as appropriate - unfortunately, except in cases of imminent danger, even when contacted it takes them forever to act due to case loads, etc.) I agree wholeheartedly that, in general, teens need their parents. I also think that young adults need them as well (frankly, we can all benefit from support from our families).

I, too, am concerned by some risks teens take with pregnancy and termination (and know there are some who have died senselessly because neither they nor their bfs told their parents they'd aborted which left families unanaware to watch for signs & symptoms of septic abortion which can occur either after an elective abortion OR spontaneous abortion aka miscarriage). I don't claim to know how a judge makes the determination of which cases are ones in which a child legitimately cannot go to her parents because they are abusive or because she is sure they will force her into a decision to go to term when she feels she should be the final arbiter of the decision and can present a cogent case to make that decision vs a case in which the teen is having the standard "OMG, my folks would kill me, I can't tell them" reaction. I would certainly hope that in the case of the latter, the judge would refer the girl back to her parents to open the lines of communication so she could make a decision with their support (even though they may prefer she make a different decision).

If I had a teenaged daughter, I would be mortified to know she was pregnant or terminated without even telling me she was pregnant. If/when I have children they'll hear the same thing my nephew (soon to be nephews) and my friends kids hear: expect me to absolutely flip my wig if I found out my teenager is pregnant or got someone pregnant, the first words out of my mouth will most likely be something like "how could you be so f-ing stupid?!?" (this from a woman who experienced pregancy after birth control failure when she was 19, so I hope whatever irrational hystrionics that pour from my mouth aren't quite that bad but I prefer to prepare for the worst). I will be angry, frustrated, afraid and upset. I will want to throttle my child. I will also be absolutely heartbroken that my child has to experience that same mass of emotions I, myself, went through. I will also calm down (eventually) and insist on discussing the situation and options with my child, and require clear thoughtful reasoning to support my child's decision.

When I made my decision to terminate at 19, I did not have to tell my parents. My parents had no idea I was pregnant (I was in college far from home) and I was not about to ask them for money since they were strapped (they work for small companies that do not provide health insurance, our coverage was limited to major medical so there was no impact on their insurance by my pregnancy). I could have easily just never said a word about it, but I chose otherwise. My friends & room-mate were mortified that I planned on telling my parents when I went home for break and begged me to reconsider because they knew that were they in the same position, their families would not support them (many of them would actively lie to their parents claiming to still be virgins, because their families disapproved of pre-marital sex - I've found there's a lot of irony about familial views of sex/abortion that seems inconsistent with actual behavior).

I spent a few days with the fears and nightmares that most minors probably have: they'll kick me out of the house, I'll be disowned (which was funny, since there was never any money - we lived from hand to mouth), I'll lose my family, they'll get violent, etc. I dropped slight hints on the phone before I drove home so I couldn't chicken out and not tell them as they were aware I had some significant health problems that concerned them and I felt I owed them a full explanation about that. Now understand, I had a volatile relationship with my parents but I still felt compelled to act like an adult and discuss the situation with them like an adult (especially since I knew I'd be a blubbering mass of emotional outbursts while I was home). I don't regret that decision to tell them, I think it was the mature and responsible thing to do under those circumstances. I would encourage most kids to do the same even though their parents may well flip a bit initially; parents usually do calm to a point of being rational and they can be very helpful even when they don't particularly like the decision you make. For many kids, it will be the first (and probably most extreme) in a long line of decisions about their lives in which they will face some dissent from their parents, but showing the capability to act and discuss like an adult can go a long way in engendering a better intra-family dynamic and proving yourself so your parents realize that you are growing up and can/should not only make certain decisions for yourself, but face the consequences of those decisions. My experiences, however, are quite different than Lauren's when she was pregnant with her son Ethan; the experiences of girls who are in and out of foster-homes; and/or the experiences of girls from those strict religious families that would "kick a girl out" for just getting pregnant. These are women who may legitimately feel it's safer for them to live with the lie of their family not knowing what they've been through in order to still have a family. The latter cases, in addition to those in which there is abuse, are the ones for whom judicial bypass is a necessary option.


Tags: abortion; privacy; medical records; planned parenthood; cotillion

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Conservaqueen arguments against PP: fashionably flimsy

Amanda has some interesting commentary about the Pumps-n-Pearls set's disdain for affordable & accessible Gynecologic care, and how the Cotillionistas are swooning over Indiana AG Steve Carter's Phil Kline impression. Of course, Carter's not fishing for information on the sexual activities of their trust-fund compadres:

Since March, Attorney General Steve Carter has been seeking the records of more than 80 patients younger than 14, saying his Medicaid fraud unit is trying to determine whether children have been neglected because molesting incidents were not reported to the authorities as required.

The sale circulars must have distracted The American Princess from other stories on the subject in which both Carter and Kline claim these investigations aren't about abortion, they are supposedly about uncovering unreported sexual abuse/molestation.

"These are 11, 12, and 13 year old children, allowed to go through the horrific procedure that is abortion, with the support and blessing of the most perverted of organizations, Planned Parenthood. . ."

Under both Indiana and Kansas state law, sexual activity with a minor under the age of 14 is considered sexual abuse/molestation. All states have laws on the books requiring health care providers to report known or suspected sexual abuse/molestation of a child to state authorities. Both AGs have gone fishing in the PP pond by demanding the facilities turn over records for all girls under the age of 14 who used thier services in order to determine if PP reported all of these girls as victims of sexual abuse.

In Kansas, they imply they will actually go after the alleged child molester (if one is discovered) as well as the health-care provider for failure to report the crime. Indiana's AG doesn't even pretend he will investigate, let alone punish, the alleged perpetrator.

Ms. Cockrum also questioned the nature of the investigation by the Medicaid fraud unit, saying most of the cases dated from several years ago and hardly seemed to be the emergency that Mr. Carter has portrayed. She said no case involved abortions.

"If we're really concerned about sexual predators, I'm pretty sure this is not the most efficient and effective way to deal with that," she said. "The most recent case was from 18 months ago. Show me the sense of urgency on this."

Staci Schneider, a spokeswoman for Mr. Carter, a Republican, said the Medicaid fraud office was simply pursuing an issue it was required to pursue, the possibility of wrongdoing by a Medicaid provider - Planned Parenthood, in this case - for failing to report child abuse.

Interestingly, the investigations the AGs and the pretty little conservative girls claim is necessary to protect children from sexual abuse have a very limited focus unlikely to direct legal authorities to offenders. If these investigations really were about protecting children from sexual abuse/molestation, wouldn't it be more logical for both states to investigate a wider array of providers who know their underage patients had sex or situations more likely to provide evidence against those who sexually abused these kids? After all, as the Princess pointed out, Mother Theresa once said "A nation that sacrifices its children is a nation without hope" and they seem to be disregarding victims who utilized other services to focus on investigating PP instead of trying to identify and prosecute child molesters.

Tags: abortion; sex offender; privacy; medical records; planned parenthood; cotillion;Women Bloggers

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Eye Opening Independence Day Weekend

From the American Friends Service Committee:

"Eyes Wide Open: the Human Cost of War in Iraq," a traveling exhibit by the American Friends Service Committee on the lives lost in the Iraq war and occupation, is coming back to Philadelphia after a national tour of more than 60 cities. The exhibit will be on display July 1, 2, 3 and 4 at the Independence Visitor Center on Market Street, between 5th & 6th streets. It features:

• A wall of names and a labyrinth of civilian shoes memorializing a fraction of the Iraqis killed in the war.
• A field of empty combat boots symbolizing the over 1668 US military personnel who have died in Iraq.
• Film screenings, workshops, discussions and other events exploring the human cost of war.

The exhibit puts a human face on the casualties in the Iraq war, spotlights the deaths of U.S. military personnel and Iraqi civilians, and urges U.S. government accountability. Since the Eyes Wide Open exhibit was first in Philadelphia last July 4th, the number of boots has almost doubled, from 864 pairs to over 1668 – and the number continues to grow.

Philly Eyes Wide Open Schedule of Events - Independence Day Weekend

Tags: Iraq War; Bush Administration; Foreign Policy

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Malkin tries her hand at humor

Jesse directs us to Michelle Malkin's attempt at political satire. Somehow, I can't help but thinking she got the idea after not quite getting this.

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Gladys Kravitz will be in Hog-heaven!

According to a recent ACLU report, you may get more than grounded when your baby sister blabs what she found out after picking the lock on your diary. House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), has introduced H.R. 1528, the "Safe Access to Drug Treatment and Child Protection Act," that basically requires people to spy on their family members and neighbors or face mandatory jail time.

FAILURE TO PROTECT CHILDREN FROM DRUG TRAFFICKING ACTIVITIES

SEC. 425. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person who witnesses or learns of a violation of sections 416(b)(2), 417, 418, 419, 420, 424, or 426 to fail to report the offense to law enforcement officials within 24 hours of witnessing or learning of the violation and thereafter provide full assistance in the investigation, apprehension, and prosecution of the person violating paragraph (a).

(b) Any person who violates subsection (a) of this section shall be sentenced to not less than two years or more than 10 years. If the person who witnesses or learns of the violation is the parent or guardian, or otherwise responsible for the care or supervision of the person under the age of 18 or the incompetent person, such person shall be sentenced to not less than three years or more than 20 years.'

[snip]

SEC. 5. CONFORMING GUIDELINE SENTENCING TO CONSPIRACY LAW.

Not more than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sentencing Commission shall amend the sentencing guidelines, policy statements, and official commentary issued under section 994 of title 28, United States Code, so as to ensure that the relevant conduct under section 1B1.2 of any person who has been convicted of a felony violation of title II of the Controlled Substances Act, or a felony violation of the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act, includes the conduct of members of the conspiracy in furtherance of the conspiracy before the defendant joined the conspiracy that was known to the defendant before joining the conspiracy, and includes the conduct of members of the conspiracy in furtherance of the conspiracy during the defendant's participation in the conspiracy that was known to the defendant or was reasonably foreseeable (whether or not a conspiracy was charged).

Under this law, people will have to assume the worst about anything they see or hear because, as well all know, what the certain Conservatives think is obvious and logical/reasonably foreseeable is not necessarily what other people think is obvious.

Tags: war on drugs; legislation; Sensenbrenner

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Bombs Away

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Not what I call "minimal risk" or remotely ethical

In an update to this story in which NYC's Administration for Children's Services (ACS) is alleged to have implemented procedures that are in direct contrast with all applicable Federal Regulations related to enrollment of subjects from vulnerable populations in clinical trials, The Alliance for Human Research Protection (AHRP) has posted it's May 18th testimony in front of the House Ways & Means Committee. According to this month's Guide to Good Clinical Practices, ACS has hired the Vera Institute of Justice to conduct an independent review of the agency's policies and practices related to enrollment of HIV positive foster children into Phase I & II clinical trials between the 1980s through 2001. According to the blurb, Vera will review the case & medical records of the study subjects and conduct follow-up to determine their current clinical status; a public report will be issued detailing the institute's findings.

There is, unfortunately, no reference to independent investigation into the alleged ACS mandated violations of CFR protections or punitive action to be taken against those involved (which should include any industry professional/IRB member who was aware subjects were being enrolled under these circumstances), but an independent committee will provide oversight of ACS' current policies and make recommendation for new policies.

Clinical Trials have become big business for Physicians/Research Centers and, unfortunately, some folks put their bottom line before their ethical obligations to patients and/or clinical judgment. There is an inherent potential conflict of interest for physicians conducting clinical trials for any study that is enrolling subjects for the purposes of evaluating effectiveness for the treatment or prevention of a condition; for this reason, I generally require the following statement (or a similar one) in the introduction of the Informed Consent Form (ICF) of these studies:

Your healthcare provider may be an investigator for this study, and as an investigator, is interested both in your clinical welfare and in the conduct of this study. Before you enter this study or at any time during the study, you may ask for a second opinion about your care from another doctor who is in no way associated with this study. You are not under any obligation to participate in any research study offered by your doctor. Please read this carefully and do not hesitate to ask your doctor any questions about this form and/or the information about the study provided below.

Participation in any clinical trial is voluntary. You may refuse to participate or may stop participation at any timeduring the study without penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. If you decide to discontinue participation in a clinical trial, the study center may ask you to complete certain follow up safety procedures (e.g. physical exam, ECG, lab tests) as described in the ICF you signed (the research center is required to supply you with a copy of the form), you can refuse these procedures but it's generally a good idea to complete end of study safety procedures. If you have any questions about your rights as a research participant, the ICF will include the contact information so you can direct your questions to the IRB (the ethics committee that approved the clinical trial being conducted at the research center).

The basics of what you need to know about participating in clinical trials can be found at the following:

CenterWatch clinical trial background info for patients
FDA- clinical trials


Tags:clinical trials; medical ethics

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The Downing Street Memo: should we wait for the fire?

Shakespeare's Sister who's gone through the rather arduous task of setting up the Big Brass Alliance (bloggers supporting After Downing Street) posed the question last night asking why bloggers feel the Downing Street Memo is (or isn't) important and worthy of focus. For me, it's simple even though smoke isn't always indicative of fire, smoke can still do a whole lot of damage.

I remember being swept up in an Saddam Hussein Protest march in London in August 1990 (not intentionally, I was just meandering on the street one Sunday and the next thing I knew I was surrounded by ex-pat Iraqis and placards). I'd heard bits on the news but to be honest, I was focused on things in the lab and didn't pay too much attention to foreign affairs. Walking in the midst of the protest, I asked what was going on and the kind folks gave me an overall history as well as their own specific experiences - needless to say, I started paying more attention. Make no bones about it, I think Saddam Hussein was among the most evil of tyrants and his loss of power is no bad thing for the world. This being said, the circumstances that lead to the invasion of Iraq and his loss of power have been questioned from the getgo (more accurately, before the getgo). It is not only American Liberals who hate having Bush as President who suggest this war was a dubious endeavor based on WMD that were not discovered or believed to be a near-term threat, faulty intel that other countries refrained from acting on and now the Downing Street debacle.

In certain instances it is not enough to avoid impropriety, one must also avoid the appearance of impropriety. Disquieting bits of information about what was always a hotly contested action keep coming to light. Summarily disregarding the information without investigation leaves a cloud of unwarranted suspicion at best or, at worst, rewards subterfuge (and invites more).


Tags: Iraq War; Bush Administration; Foreign Policy; BBA; Downing Street Memorandum

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