Neo-Cons

While researching my previous post on Murdoch I stumbled upon this scathing assessment of Murdoch by that champion of independent media, Bill Moyers. You have to listen to every single word Moyers says because the way he connected the dots last year still resonate today.

Do not underestimate the corruptive power of Rupert Murdoch: He has made it a sport to steal elections for the Republican Party. The current upheaval over Obama's aunt is not a coincidence :

When Bill Krystol, Bush's #1 water-carrier says no to the bailout, you know the United States are in for a world of pain. This from his Op/Ed A Fine Mess:

It’s not that I don’t believe the situation is dire. It’s not that I want to insist on some sort of ideological purity or free-market fastidiousness. I will stipulate that this is an emergency, and is a time for pragmatic problem-solving, perhaps even for violating some cherished economic or political principles. (What are cherished principles for but to be violated in emergencies?) And I acknowledge that there are serious people who think the situation too urgent and the day too late to allow for a real public and Congressional debate on what should be done. But — based on conversations with economists, Wall Street types, businessmen and public officials — I’m doubtful that the only thing standing between us and a financial panic is for Congress to sign this week, on behalf of the American taxpayer, a $700 billion check over to the Treasury.

http://tinyurl.com/2vglxe (Think Progress)
http://tinyurl.com/39zcxa (Democratic Underground)
http://tinyurl.com/3dw8df (Daily Kos)

Despite having withdrawn his nomination just weeks ago to avoid political embarrassment in the Senate, the White House has just recess-appointed SBVT funder and major RNC meal ticket Sam Fox to his previously-rejected post as Ambassador to Belgium.

This is so totally wrong, in so many different ways.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democrats will be assessing every option -- both legal and within the SFRC itself -- for taking on this recess appointment.

Never before has a withdrawn nominee been recess appointed in this fashion. The White House withdrew Fox's nomination on March 27th, less than an hour before the hearing was to start, admitting later that he did not have the votes to survive.

It’s sad (but not surprising) that this White House would abuse the power of the presidency to send a big-money Rethug Party donor to a post in Belgium over the objections of the Senate.

When it comes to getting body armor for our soldiers or relief for New Orleans, they’re AWOL, but they'll move heaven and earth to reward a smear.

This administration has governed on fear and smear for far too long. Today's move shows it is so wedded to the politics of personal character assassination that they are willing to take unprecedented steps to reward Sam Fox with an ambassadorship that he clearly does not deserve.

In refreshing my memory about Gerald Ford's legacy, I reckoned what he in common with James Brown : They're both godfathers of two American cultural movements.

James Brown, the godfather of soul, funk and the African American pop culture revolution.

Gerald Ford, the godfather of soulless compassionate conservatism.

It's so clear to me now. Ford, called healer of the nation was the poster child for compassionate conservatism.

Yet, as Timothy Noah explains in Why Pardoning Nixon Was Wrong, Ford's blanket pardon of Nixon opened the doors for not only a "teflon president" with Ronald Reagan; but it created the unaccountable monster that is George W. Bush.

Gerald Ford should go down in history as the godfather of the GOP's soulless compassionate conservatism and neo-con corruption.