Las Politicas

David Dreier, a Republican Congressman from California sparked some outrage in Colombia’s senate. While addressing lawmakers in Colombia’s lower house of congress, Drier sat  casually on top of a lectern. An informal gesture that was met with shock by lawmakers. Latin America nations differentiate between formality and informality on a daily basis. The Spanish language even has a informal and formal manner of addressing friends and strangers. Respect is huge there. Colombian lawmakers said that Dreier’s informal gesture would be the equivalent of one of their Representatives addressing Bush in the oval office by sitting on his desk. Big mistake, Dreier. 

Some of you may remember, Dreier from 2005 with his quest for Senate majority leader..replacing everyone’s favorite Republican, Tom DeLay. There is one more tidbit of information about Dreier’s life..I’ll just say this..Dreier was awarded the Roy Cohn award in 2004 and never claimed it. 

Caroline

 Hillary Clinton’s campaign is currently giving 23, 000 dollars to charity because that amount…along with several other thousand dollars are considered tainted contributions. The contributions came from, Norman Hsu a business man in New York that has contributed handsomely to Democratic presidential campaigns in the past. The controversy surrounding Mr. Hsu is simple…the man has had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. Hsu failed to show up at hearing concerning fraud allegations from 15 years ago. The Clinton camp is scrambling to clear up this matter because the name Clinton and scandal/ fraud are not uncommon in the same sentence  Clinton opponents are saying that this latest news is strangely reminiscent of the 1996 Democratic fundraising scandal of Asian money with President Clinton. The question of the money scandal was brought to light by Bob Woodward.  

I’m sure Hillary had no prior knowledge of Mr. Hsu’s past or any fraud allegations for that matter. I really don’t think that the travails of Hsu will impact her image among voters. It’s not like she’s a homosexual Republican that voted against gay related legislation.  

Caroline

Heeeeyyyyyy!!!

It’s rainin’ men… fabulous gay Republican men, that is!!  The latest Gay Republican scandal (and yes, I am using a capital “G” and a capital “R”.  Its warranted  now.)  has opened that closet door another inch, boys, and my advice is BRING IT!!!!  Stop allowing the pressure of those boring hetero co-workers influence your votes on the issues that are important to YOU!!  You totally know that deep down, you deserve the recognition of your marriages, if not only for the tax break.  You need that extra cash for Pottery Barn procurements and faux finishes on your walls.  

BAND TOGETHER!!!  You all know who you are.  Puh-lease don’t try to fool eachother.  I know that Larry came up to one of you guys at least once and told you just how fabulous that your Hermes tie was, and you brushed it off like an average compliment.  You knew it, fellow Gay Republican.  You knew.  You knew and you could have totally hooked him up with your friend Mark that owns a hot little boutique in Miami, and he wouldn’t have had to resort to the Solicitation Shoe Shuffle in the damn airport bathroom.   

Get it together boys, and don’t force me to out you by sneaking “YMCA” onto the speakers of the Senate.  None of you can resist that pull.   It would bring you fools out, shakin it like Kevin Bacon in “Footloose”… (stop fantasizing about that RIGHT NOW, Foley!!)

Reserving Some Space at JR’s,

Teri Ann

ps- This is in NO WAY meant to offend.  I love me some gays.  I am actually in the market for a good gay friend, as my shopping skills are awful…  I have really fallen into dressing like a mom.  Email me, Larry. 

Some pranksters at the White House saran wrapped Karl Rove’s car when it was parked on the White House grounds. The pranksters put two stuffed toy eagles on the trunk and a sticker that says “I love Barack Obama”. In addition…there was also a stuffed toy elephant on the hood of the car.

Rove is currently here in Texas with Bush. Rove will be back this evening. 

Above is a picture of Rove’s Jaguar.

 Caroline

Last night the state of Texas executed its 400^th inmate since the Supreme Court reinstated capital punishment in 1976. Johnny Corner was the 400^th inmate executed. I  would rather not go into the specifics of the execution and the reasons why, but rather give some interesting facts on capital punishment. According to a 2007 Texas crime survey over three quarters of the population in Texas is in favor of capital punishment. 

Many states have put a moratorium on executions due to improper legal council  and faulty court trials. Also the question of whether or not the practice of lethal injection is actually humane…there are persistent problems with injections. Just as the electric chair was cited with problems. However, Texas continues the practice on almost a weekly basis. The European Union asked  Governor Perry to consider a moratorium, but Perry rejected the consideration. 

“While we respect our friends in Europe, welcome their investment in our state and appreciate their interest in our laws, Texans are doing just fine governing Texas,” Perry’s spokesman, Robert Black, said in a statement. “Texans long ago decided that the death penalty is a just and appropriate punishment for the most horrible crimes against our citizens.” 

There are three more executions scheduled this week. 

Caroline

Yesterday, Larry Craig, the US Senator from Idaho officially withdrew from Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign after entering a guilty plea for an arrest over lewd conduct in a men’s bathroom.  Craig was arrested  in the St. Paul International airport bathroom when a plainclothes police officer was investigating reports of inappropriate behavior.  

What does all this mean? Well…in case anybody was wondering…Craig is a Republican and the party can’t take  much more. This would be the second homosexual scandal in the party in less than a year and also falls on the same day that Gonzales resigned. I’m sure that Craig’s Senate seat will be left open for a while. Can the Republican party take anymore? 

Caroline

Just as I suspected all Democratic politicians are having a field day with the Gonzales resignation. Here are some reactions both on the Republican side and on the Democratic side. According to the Democrats…”It’s long overdue” and the Republican’s are not quick to say acrimonious things about Gonzales because who wants to kick their party when it’s down?

Hillary Clinton said: 

“The Department’s hard-working lawyers, law enforcement officers and staff are trusted to defend our Constitution, not one Administration or political party. That trust is central to the sanctity of the rule of law and the vitality of our democracy. Because he betrayed his obligations and the trust of the American people, I welcome today’s announcement that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has resigned his post as Attorney General of the United States.My hope is that the president will select a new Attorney General who will respect the rule of law and abandon partisanship, who will serve the American people and not the president’s political ideology, and who will answer to the constitution and not political operatives.

It is past time to clean up this mess and restore non-partisan accountability and competence to the Department of Justice.The second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina is one more reminder that the President must appoint someone to lead the Department of Justice with the leadership and competence necessary to defend the Constitution.”

Barack Obama said :  

“I long believed that Alberto Gonzales subverted justice to promote a political agenda” and was “pleased that he has finally resigned today”:“The president needs to nominate an Attorney General who will be the people’s lawyer, not the president’s lawyer, and in an Obama Administration that person will first and foremost defend and promote the rights and liberties enshrined in our Constitution.”

Not surprisingly Giuliani said: 

Judge Gonzales served his nation honorably and I wish him well in the next phase of his career.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said:

 “I thank Alberto Gonzales for his public service and wish him well in his future endeavors. It is my hope that whomever President Bush selects as the next Attorney General, he or she is not subjected to the same poisonous partisanship that we’ve sadly grown accustomed to over the past eight months.”

 It’s a shame that the Daily Show and the Colbert Report are taking a 2 week break, because they would also have a field day with today’s events. 

Caroline

Alberto Gonzales has resigned his position as Attorney General. After months of dodging allegations of perjury and mounting controversies…Gonzales finally resigned. Gonzales called Bush on Friday and gave his resignation, but the press only found out about it this morning. Bush has not yet said who the replacement will be, but it will not be long before the position is filled. What I find strange and humorous is that the White House misled the press to believe that a resignation was not imminent…that included Gonzales himself saying that he was not going to resign.  

Bush accepted the resignation grudgingly. It’s about effin time..I’m interested to see what will follow as all of this unfolds. Karl Rove and now Gonzales…who is next..Cheney?  

Caroline

The topic has been on the minds of political scientists and  pundits  is that the Maliki government in Iraq will collapse. For all intents and purposes Iraq is in the throws of a contained civil war. The containment is the result of the U.S. military presence in the nation. If there is a troop withdrawal all out civil war will occur. Many are of the opinion that when the Maliki government collapses…Iraq will see unprecedented violence similar to a Civil War. If there is a troop withdrawal or if the government collapses…the violence that has taken place so far will seem like a pleasure cruise in comparison to what will occur. So…it’s a catch 22. Analysts are calling for political reconciliation at the national level..in hopes that some issues would be resolved in relation to this continuing problem.

Maliki became rather angry that Clinton and other Democrats were discussing the inevitable collapse of his government. “There are American officials who consider Iraq as if it were one of their villages, for example Hillary Clinton and Carl Levin. They should come to their senses,” Maliki said at a news conference.

 Caroline 

My good friend, Melissa and I decided to take up Yoga and today was our first class on our stretchy journey. We have both done Yoga classes in the past, but never continued. I was surprised how much we could stretch. All the yoga enthusiasts say that the practice will maked you centered…I promise it wont center me politically.

Above is a picture of Melissa doing a strecth handstand with the instructor. Can you see me? I was a bit shaky after the stretching…. hence the blurred picture.

Caroline