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Tag Archives: George W. Bush
More frightening abuses of executive power from the Bush Administration
A recent article in Newsweek describes a memo released by the Justice Department’s legal council on Monday. The memo detailed several scary provisions allowed by the Justice Department under the Bush Administration. While it’s common knowledge the Bush Administration had little to no respect for civil liberties, the memo divulged that the provisions allowed Bush to suspend first amendment rights if it was necessary to fight the “War on Terror.” The memo directly states that:
“First Amendment speech and press rights may also be subordinated to the overriding need to wage war successfully.”
Additional provisions of the memo also allowed the U.S. military to attack office buildings and apartment complexes within the United States and allowed for the deployment of high tech surveillance against U.S. citizens. While action was never actually taken during the 7 years the memo was valid (it was revoked last in October of last year), it still scares the shit out of me that the Bush administration even contemplated taking away our first amendment rights. WORST PRESIDENT EVER.
"Shoeing"-the new rotten tomato
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A couple days ago, a human rights activist threw a shoe at China’s Premier Wen Jiabao while he was giving a speech at Cambridge University. The upset which caused the thrower “shoe” the Prime Minister is said to be because of China’s control over Tibet.Â
Of course the situation immediately makes me think back to when shoes were thrown at George Bush in similar fashion just 7 weeks ago during a press conference. I suppose if someone felt compelled to show their dismay for a political leader you already have shoes with you, the shoes are heavy and relatively easy to throw. They also won’t be as messy as rotten tomatoes. Of course, the whole ordeal with George Bush had only reminded me of Austin Powers who famously said, “Who throws a shoe? Honestly?” back in 1997.Â
This is when I stumbled across Wikipedia’s article on “Shoeing“. The action towards Dubya led to it’s own term with it’s new place in Wiki. It also contains a table of contents with multiple examples of this specific situation. It’s interesting that this has so quickly found it’s way into our culture. It will only be a matter of time when Merriam-Webster updates it’s dictionary to include this use for the term. As it currently stands, “Shoeing: To furnish with a shoe or to cover for protection”. Depending on how you look at the situation that definition probably doesn’t relate to a common place phrase such as “Did you hear about Wen Jiabao’s shoeing?”.
Only time will tell if this form of protest is just a fad or if it’s here to stay.
Posted in Blog, Scandals, The Media
Tagged Austin Powers, Cambridge, George W. Bush, Merriam Webster, Prime Minister of China, Rotten Tomatoes, Shoe throw, Shoeing, tibet, Wen Jiabao, Wikipedia
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Great Moments
I don’t want to be kicking a lame duck, especially a duck as lame as this one, but this was one of my favorite segments on David Letterman’s show – Great Moments in Presidential Speeches. The format: historical speech, historical speech, historical speech, George W. Bush mangling the english language. Well, last night Letterman aired his last moment followed by a montage. These are not just regular Bushisms- they are just really bad speeches. Here is the montage:
Outsourced: Bollywood and Bush
Welcome back to Outsourced, your every-so-often dose of South Asian current events.
While many of us are looking eagerly ahead and counting down the days to the Inauguration of our President-Elect, India’s massive cinema industry is giving a last farewell to dear Dubya. (After all, post- Bush’s visit to India in 2006, we now import Indian mangoes. Really, Indian-Americans across the nation rejoiced at that one. And oh! There might be something about a nuclear deal… and massive rioting across the subcontinent at his visit.)
Mr. Sippy [producer of the film] says the film is not a dig at Mr Bush but does contain some of “his foibles”. (BBC News)
The President is Coming, adapted from the play by the same and directed by debut directer Kunaal Roy Kapoor, follows six young adults competing to be that young person under 30 whose hand Bush will shake. Flimsy sounding premise, maybe, but many a film have been made from a lot less. “And though political satire is not new to Indian theatre, it is only now that films like these are being made” (BBC South Asia). The film even includes footage from Dubya’s actual visit in 2006. Just released, this comedy has thus far been receiving fairly good reviews.
Shernaz Patel, one of the movie’s actresses, put it quite well: “I think we are going to miss [George W. Bush] because he provided so much fodder.”
Posted in Blog, George W. Bush, India, Outsourced
Tagged bollywood, dubya, George W. Bush, India, konkona sen sharma, Outsourced, the president is coming
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Caption This!
What is Bill Clinton thinking during a Jan. 7 photo-op in the Oval Office?
Posted in Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Blog, George W. Bush, Politicians, Stuff Democrats Like
Tagged Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, bush junior, bush sr, George W. Bush, gw bush, Jimmy Carter
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Jeb Bush
Apparently, Jeb Bush has decided not to run for the Florida Senate seat that will be opening up in 2010.
I feel like I speak for all of us when I say that I don’t want to see another Bush elected to public office again and I want to never hear from them again as well. We all know what happened over the last eight years and suffice to say, any trace remnant of that is unacceptable.
With that having been said, there is a precedent for a comeback. Richard Nixon resigned in 1974. In 2008, Attorney General Jay Nixon of Missouri, a Democrat, was elected Governor. Thus, a politician with the last name Bush can be elected if and only if, they are 1. A Democrat and 2. A period of at least 34 years has passed. Precedent is highly important here and is very worth following.
Shoe-Throwing: Yay or Nay?
Yesterday, the response of this blog to the shoe-throwing incident was laughter. Today, it is time to evaluate how serious this incident truly is, and whether or not the journalist who threw the shoes, Muntader al-Zaidi, was right to throw them.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki called Mr. al-Zaidi’s action “a shameful savage act” and has demanded a public apology. The incident has embarassed him, so this response of outrage should be expected.
On the other hand, his brother, Maythem al-Zaidi, said that he was “proud of his brother- as all Iraqis would be.”
About 100 American and Iraqi lawyers have already offered their services free of charge, including Khalil al-Dulaymi, the guy who defended Saddam Hussein. When asked whether or not he would accept the services of Mr. al-Dulaymi, Maythem said, “Why not, we are all Iraqis.”
Throughout Iraq, many people are forming strong opinions about the incident. The New York Times documents these reactions quite well. Here are a few samples:
Posted in Blog, Foreign Affairs, International
Tagged George W. Bush, Iraq, Joe Biden is Da Bomb, khalil al-dulaymi
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Why Is Bush a Terrible President? Let me count the ways…
After eight years of President Bush, it’s hard to know where President-Elect Obama should begin. While the two wars, an economy in a year long recession, and a deteriorating world image are certainly at the top of Obama’s list, another, albeit less glamorous, issue should be there too: the census. (more…)
Posted in Barack Obama, Blog, Call to Arms, George W. Bush
Tagged Barack Obama, Census, George W. Bush
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Mark Chou's Take: Gates Stays
Robert Gates is going to keep his position as Defense Secretary under Barack Obama. I know that many people wanted him to stay because he is smart and well-informed (even though he was appointed by George W. Bush). Anyway, I want this post to be more of a conversation; what do you all think about Barack Obama’s decision to retain Gates as Secretary of Defense?
Posted in Blog, Cabinet Appointments, Mark Chou's Take
Tagged Barack Obama, bush, defense, defense secretary, gates, George W. Bush, Mark Chou, Mark Chou's Take, obama, robert gates, secretary, secretary of defense
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