I don't have the time to do this properly, but I think it is an important story that so far seems missed by the DKos community.  A pretty big Republican businessman donor ($30,000 in last two election cycles), Abdul Tawala Ibn Ali Alishtari, and self-proclaimed member of the National Republican Senate Committee's Inner Circle has just been indicted for transferring money terrorist training camps in Afghanistan.  As may be the case for anyone donating this much money with a business, he appears to have been appointed to the "White House Business Advisory committee" there is some suspicion that this guy have received government contracts.

I turned into our local Air America affiliate this morning and heard "Mike and Mike" of ESPN radio this morning.  I thought that was odd and checked their website...what I found is below.

Please excuse me if it has been discussed elsewhere, but I have a question that I would really like to have answered and I think I need the profile of a diary to do it.  

My wife and I are expecting our first baby girl next month and we have come up with the idea of giving our girl a politically relevant (or a great left-leaning writer, thinker, scientist, musician would be interesting too) middle name and want to solicit ideas.  The ground rules follow:

I had this revelation where I always have these revelations--in the shower, this morning. Why can't an organization--say "Virginians for truth" or "Veterans against racist senate candidates" or whatever run ads in Virginia showing George Allen's little speech.

I envision something like this...

I hope this isn't a redundant diary, but I couldn't find anyone else writing about it in my search.  NPR's This American Life this week was excellent. If you haven't heard it this week, you need to.  Ira Glass laid out the Administration's lies, in general, and Cheney's lies, specifically in the lead up to war, in a straight forward way--just listing the facts.  This sort of behavior should be rewarded--I'm giving money to my local NPR station and I encourage others to as well (if your particular station carries "This american life"

For anyone out there that isn't still worried about the erosion of our civil liberties, you should see a quote from a US official in the Times today about enemy combatants.

Well, they finally did it.  The house passed a budget cutting bill.  Predictably, the vote was held up for 25 minutes and passed 217-215--all democrats and 14 republicans voted no.  The bill cuts spending primarily for medicare, medicaid, food stamps and student loans.  Up next...making the tax cuts for capital gains permanent.

John Stossel has just crossed the line.

He just wrote an article entitled In praise of price gouging.  I shit you not, that is the title and it is as bad as it sounds.

Some choice exerpts below:

Here is the link.  The bigoted rep from Colorado--to his credit--allows comments on his blog, which don't seem to be closely edited.  Some choice ones here:

"I think Tom Tancredo is the worst representative this district has ever seen. "

" I am 51 years old and have been paying into SS for 39 years. Has that money been stolen?
I have worked very hard for a very long time, to promise needs not be taken away or cheapend.
I now understand the term 3rd rail and fully suppoort its meaning. "

more below...

There are a number of things bugging me and I thought I would throw this out and see if I can get some legitimate answers.  I know there have to be some journalists posting here on DKos--if some could answer my questions, I'd appreciate it--you can even keep your double secret anonymity.

I suppose this probably breaks one of the rules about diaries, but I think it is important to bring it to people's attention and comments don't seem to do that.  I didn't watch the show, but I have been reading a thread at TPMCafe about last night's "Hardball" program here. Apparently, it was awful.  Ken "lying SOB" Mehlman was allowed to spout lie after lie about the Rove affair without ever being challenged.  Read the thread for the details.  My attitude is that we need to let the media know that we have noticed this lie campaign and shame them into actually doing their jobs.  Matthews, on occasion, can ask tough questions--why not here.  He probably even knows these things aren't true--yet he lets Mehlman repeat them.

My hope is that by posting this here, people will be encouraged to write to Hardball (or anywhere else appropriate) and let them know your displeasure.  The e-mail address is: hardball@msnbc.com

I want to bring this to people's attention.  I listened to NPR this morning on my way to work and I heard examples of the best and worst of NPR and wanted to stress why it is worth fighting for.  

After reading rakkasan's diary here, I am inspired to raise a little right wing ruckus of my own.  Will you help me?  I just read this NY Times article entitled "Bush's Official Reading List, and a Racy Omission".  Apparently, W enjoyed the recent Tom Wolfe novel "I am Charlotte Simmons" and is recommending it to his friends.  

I just spent an evening at a dinner party in which one of the people attending was a true believer right winger.  She made me realize yet again that one of the problems we face in convincing the electorate is to overcome pervasive right wing propaganda.  This propelled me to write my first diary...(more)