Global
AUSTIN, Texas -- Whee, here we go, the Ledge is back in session!
And many a village is missing its idiot. The 78th biennial disaster is upon
us, and what glorious fodder to feast upon.
Our peerless leaders are faced with a $9.9 billion deficit, almost twice as high as previously estimated, and billions in mandatory increased spending, so the new Republican majority is busily planning to solve this crisis by: (A) outlawing same-sex marriage, (B) giving more legal protection to fetuses and (C) knocking gay Texans out from under coverage by the Hate Crimes Act. This is tremendously useful of them.
Our peerless leaders are faced with a $9.9 billion deficit, almost twice as high as previously estimated, and billions in mandatory increased spending, so the new Republican majority is busily planning to solve this crisis by: (A) outlawing same-sex marriage, (B) giving more legal protection to fetuses and (C) knocking gay Texans out from under coverage by the Hate Crimes Act. This is tremendously useful of them.
Now that several weeks have passed since Mississippi Senator Trent Lott's forced resignation as Senate majority leader, we might begin to acquire deeper insights into the real nature of this recent controversy.
The initial comments that got Lott into trouble, his praise for the 1948 white supremacist presidential campaign of South Carolina Senator Strom Thurmond, were no gaffe or "terrible" misstatement. Throughout his sorry public career, Lott had expressed similarly backward beliefs, and even worse. Back in 1980, for example, at a campaign rally in Mississippi for then-presidential candidate Ronald Reagan, Lott boldly declared that if Thurmond had been elected president on the 1948 Dixiecrat ticket "we wouldn't be in the mess we are today."
The initial comments that got Lott into trouble, his praise for the 1948 white supremacist presidential campaign of South Carolina Senator Strom Thurmond, were no gaffe or "terrible" misstatement. Throughout his sorry public career, Lott had expressed similarly backward beliefs, and even worse. Back in 1980, for example, at a campaign rally in Mississippi for then-presidential candidate Ronald Reagan, Lott boldly declared that if Thurmond had been elected president on the 1948 Dixiecrat ticket "we wouldn't be in the mess we are today."
For several months now, political analysts from both major parties and the media have pushed the argument that President Bush and the Republicans achieved an unprecedented victory in this November's Congressional elections. Only hours after the polls closed, for example, Bush's press secretary Ari Fleischer announced, "It is a big victory." Tony Coelho, Al Gore's 2000 campaign chairman, agreed. "The White took a huge gamble; they rolled the dice, and it worked," Coelho said with apparent admiration. Bush "got his mandate, he got his victory and now he can govern for two years."
Republicans attributed their victories to President Bush's "personal popularity." Of the twenty-three Congressional districts Bush visited to support Republican candidates, 21 of them won. Out of 16 Senate candidates Bush campaigned with, twelve won.
Republicans attributed their victories to President Bush's "personal popularity." Of the twenty-three Congressional districts Bush visited to support Republican candidates, 21 of them won. Out of 16 Senate candidates Bush campaigned with, twelve won.
PRESIDENT BUSH: GOOD MORNING, GENTLEMEN.
VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY: GOOD MORNING, GEORGE.
SECRETARY OF STATE POWELL: REPORTING FOR DUTY, SIR.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL ASHCROFT: GOOD MORNING.
PRESIDENT BUSH: Well, boys, I've gotta tell you I'm pretty steamed this morning. Why haven't we found those weapons of mass destruction yet? Colin?
SECRETARY OF STATE POWELL: They're not in Iraq, Sir. They're in Korea.
VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY: George, we've been through this before. We all knew there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Saddam isn't stupid.
PRESIDENT BUSH: I don't need to hear about whether Saddam Hussein is stupid or he isn't stupid, Dick. I'm not stupid, that's all that counts. We set to attack Iraq long before I ran for president. And where the hell is the evidence we need to sell this damn thing.
SECRETARY POWELL: Seems like we've been outfoxed.
VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY: GOOD MORNING, GEORGE.
SECRETARY OF STATE POWELL: REPORTING FOR DUTY, SIR.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL ASHCROFT: GOOD MORNING.
PRESIDENT BUSH: Well, boys, I've gotta tell you I'm pretty steamed this morning. Why haven't we found those weapons of mass destruction yet? Colin?
SECRETARY OF STATE POWELL: They're not in Iraq, Sir. They're in Korea.
VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY: George, we've been through this before. We all knew there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Saddam isn't stupid.
PRESIDENT BUSH: I don't need to hear about whether Saddam Hussein is stupid or he isn't stupid, Dick. I'm not stupid, that's all that counts. We set to attack Iraq long before I ran for president. And where the hell is the evidence we need to sell this damn thing.
SECRETARY POWELL: Seems like we've been outfoxed.
PRESIDENT BUSH: GOOD MORNING, GENTLEMEN.
VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY: GOOD MORNING, GEORGE.
SECRETARY OF STATE POWELL: REPORTING FOR DUTY, SIR.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL ASHCROFT: GOOD MORNING.
PRESIDENT BUSH: Well, boys, I've gotta tell you I'm pretty steamed this morning. Why haven't we found those weapons of mass destruction yet? Colin?
SECRETARY OF STATE POWELL: They're not in Iraq, Sir. They're in Korea.
VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY: George, we've been through this before. We all knew there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Saddam isn't stupid.
PRESIDENT BUSH: I don't need to hear about whether Saddam Hussein is stupid or he isn't stupid, Dick. I'm not stupid, that's all that counts. We set to attack Iraq long before I ran for president. And where the hell is the evidence we need to sell this damn thing.
SECRETARY POWELL: Seems like we've been outfoxed.
VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY: GOOD MORNING, GEORGE.
SECRETARY OF STATE POWELL: REPORTING FOR DUTY, SIR.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL ASHCROFT: GOOD MORNING.
PRESIDENT BUSH: Well, boys, I've gotta tell you I'm pretty steamed this morning. Why haven't we found those weapons of mass destruction yet? Colin?
SECRETARY OF STATE POWELL: They're not in Iraq, Sir. They're in Korea.
VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY: George, we've been through this before. We all knew there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Saddam isn't stupid.
PRESIDENT BUSH: I don't need to hear about whether Saddam Hussein is stupid or he isn't stupid, Dick. I'm not stupid, that's all that counts. We set to attack Iraq long before I ran for president. And where the hell is the evidence we need to sell this damn thing.
SECRETARY POWELL: Seems like we've been outfoxed.
AUSTIN, Texas -- I just love the fine print in the president's tax-cut plan. I grant you, the overall effect is pretty spectacular, too -- a plan that has almost no stimulative effect but still opens a future of zillion-dollar deficits to drag down the economy. That's the backasswards of what we need, but it's not the fun part.
Look at these little goodies:
Look at these little goodies:
New York, Jan 1 (GIN) -- Under pressure from aid agencies and
mounting bad publicity, Swiss-based multinational Nestle has
dropped its demand for $6 million from the famine-stricken
Ethiopian government.
Nestle claimed the $6 million was owed by Ethiopia since the former regime lead by Haile Mengistu nationalized a livestock company owned by a Nestle subsidiary.
Ethiopia, in the middle of a ravaging famine that threatens millions of lives, had offered $1.5 million to cover the debt based on the assessed value of the company in 1975, the time of the nationalization. But Nestle rejected that amount, pushing for the value at the current rate of exchange between the dollar and the Ethiopian birr.
The World Bank, which had been negotiating on behalf of the Ethiopian government, reportedly expressed surprise at the hard line taken by the multinational which owns Nestle. "This $1m in our opinion is justifiable. But this is not the point of view of Nestle. They are trying to get as much as they can," said a World Bank spokesman in a published report.
Nestle claimed the $6 million was owed by Ethiopia since the former regime lead by Haile Mengistu nationalized a livestock company owned by a Nestle subsidiary.
Ethiopia, in the middle of a ravaging famine that threatens millions of lives, had offered $1.5 million to cover the debt based on the assessed value of the company in 1975, the time of the nationalization. But Nestle rejected that amount, pushing for the value at the current rate of exchange between the dollar and the Ethiopian birr.
The World Bank, which had been negotiating on behalf of the Ethiopian government, reportedly expressed surprise at the hard line taken by the multinational which owns Nestle. "This $1m in our opinion is justifiable. But this is not the point of view of Nestle. They are trying to get as much as they can," said a World Bank spokesman in a published report.
New York, Dec. 30 (GIN) -- The Togolese parliament yesterday
changed the constitution in a way that will allow President
Gnassingbe Eyadema to seek re-election in next year's June
elections.
As it stood, the 1992 constition required Eyadema to step down after two five-year terms. But now, he will be able to run for re-election as many times as he wishes to.
Opposition groups have called the amendations a constitional coup.
Jean-Pierre Fabre of the opposition party, Union of Forces for Change said, "We call on the Togolese people to mobilize immediately to oppose this 'coup de force' of President Eyadema."
Eyadema, who came to power in a 1967 military coup, is Africa's longest serving head of state. He kept Togo in a single- party system until 1993, when he won the country's first mult- party presidential election. Opposition parties boycotted the poll.
In 1998, Eyadema won the second multparty presidential election, in which he was accused of vote-rigging and other electoral malpractice.
As it stood, the 1992 constition required Eyadema to step down after two five-year terms. But now, he will be able to run for re-election as many times as he wishes to.
Opposition groups have called the amendations a constitional coup.
Jean-Pierre Fabre of the opposition party, Union of Forces for Change said, "We call on the Togolese people to mobilize immediately to oppose this 'coup de force' of President Eyadema."
Eyadema, who came to power in a 1967 military coup, is Africa's longest serving head of state. He kept Togo in a single- party system until 1993, when he won the country's first mult- party presidential election. Opposition parties boycotted the poll.
In 1998, Eyadema won the second multparty presidential election, in which he was accused of vote-rigging and other electoral malpractice.
NEW YORK, Dec. 30 (GIN) - More than 20 years after he was
toppled from power and forced into exile in Saudi Arabia, Idi
Amin wants to return to Uganda - the country where, during his
eight-year dictatorship, at least 300,000 people were massacred.
According to news group Sapa-DPA, Amin - who was once known as the "Butcher of Uganda" - wants to leave Mecca, return to live in his home town of Arua, Uganda, and build up his former house. Amin wants to live there "not as a dictator, but as a retiree," says his son, Hajji Ali.
Amin's family, many of whom have returned from exile to Uganda, have been calling for Amin to be allowed back. In April, Ali said "My father is completely innocent. We should talk about something where there is evidence, but the evidence is just not there."
The evidence, however, is stark, solid and brutal.
In addition to the 300,000 people that Amnesty International say were killed there during his rule, Amin expelled some 50,000 people of Asian decent - giving them just weeks to leave - and distributed their businesses to his friends.
According to news group Sapa-DPA, Amin - who was once known as the "Butcher of Uganda" - wants to leave Mecca, return to live in his home town of Arua, Uganda, and build up his former house. Amin wants to live there "not as a dictator, but as a retiree," says his son, Hajji Ali.
Amin's family, many of whom have returned from exile to Uganda, have been calling for Amin to be allowed back. In April, Ali said "My father is completely innocent. We should talk about something where there is evidence, but the evidence is just not there."
The evidence, however, is stark, solid and brutal.
In addition to the 300,000 people that Amnesty International say were killed there during his rule, Amin expelled some 50,000 people of Asian decent - giving them just weeks to leave - and distributed their businesses to his friends.
ABIDJAN, Jan. 2 (GIN) -- A government attack by helicopter on
a rebel-held village in the center of embattled Ivory Coast was
condemned by the French military detachment which has reportedly
been assigned to preserve a fragile ceasefire in this West
African nation.
The 2,500 French troops insist they are neutral in the fighting which pits the government against three rebel divisions. A rebellion against the government of Laurent Gbagbo was sparked on Sept. 19 with an attempt by the government to lay off hundreds of soldiers they believed supported another political partys losing bid for office.
A French military source said Tuesday's attack - in which 11 civilians are said to have died - was "unacceptable" and would have "inevitable repercussions".
It is the first time the French have criticized either side since agreeing to maintain the fragile truce signed by the government and the main rebel group, the Ivory Coast Patriotic Movement (MPCI).
The statement came as another rebel group on Wednesday opened up a new front in the south-west of the country, close to the Liberian border.
The 2,500 French troops insist they are neutral in the fighting which pits the government against three rebel divisions. A rebellion against the government of Laurent Gbagbo was sparked on Sept. 19 with an attempt by the government to lay off hundreds of soldiers they believed supported another political partys losing bid for office.
A French military source said Tuesday's attack - in which 11 civilians are said to have died - was "unacceptable" and would have "inevitable repercussions".
It is the first time the French have criticized either side since agreeing to maintain the fragile truce signed by the government and the main rebel group, the Ivory Coast Patriotic Movement (MPCI).
The statement came as another rebel group on Wednesday opened up a new front in the south-west of the country, close to the Liberian border.