More and more Americans believe it’s time for a change in our Iraq slogan of “stay the course” and time for a real policy to deal with the situation:

Fifty-eight percent (58%) of American adults say it’s time for a fundamentally different approach in Iraq. The latest Rasmussen Reports survey found that just 29% say the United States should “stay the course.” These responses come as the U.S. death toll in Iraq hits 100 for October.

Overall, a majority of voters surveyed (56%) rate the situation in Iraq as “poor.” A mere 2% rate it as “excellent” while 15% say good. – rasmussenreports.com

I wonder if the President thinks that 60% of Americans “want the terrorists to win” just like he claims that Democrats do because they don’t support his policy?

And who the hell are the 17% of people who think the war is going “good or excellent”?? The population of the Whitehouse and Fox newsroom can only account for so much…

Since the “normal” scare tactics haven’t worked for the Bush administration so far in this election cycle, they’re just going to all out ridiculous rhetoric and just plain sleeze:

Campaigning for Republicans,
President Bush said Monday that “terrorists win and America loses” if opponents of his
Iraq policy triumph in next week’s elections. AP

Terrorists win if Democrats win? Terrorists win?!

It’s now beyond hyberbole. It’s beyond election rhetoric. For a sitting President to even suggest that if the opposing party wins, terrorists like those who caused 9/11 will somehow “win” is beyond shameful.

I wonder what other Republicans think about this. Funny how they’ve seemed to clam up on issues like this lately.

Color me surprised…

In this mornings editorial section, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel endorsed Democrat Bryan Kennedy over Rep. Jim Sensennbrenner in Wisconsin’s 5th congressional district.

Endorsements mean a whole lot less than they used to, but still a big positive for the Kennedy campaign with 9 days to go.

Read it and weep. NBC is refusing to run a commercial about the Dixie Chicks upcoming movie “Shut up and Sing” because… wait for it…

“it’s disparaging to President Bush.”

Since when does a TV Network get to censor content that’s critical of the President? The whole thing is even more ironic based on the subject of the movie itself: how American media companies conspired to blacklist the Dixie Chicks for their criticism of the administration and it’s policies.

…try to remember we’re living in the “land of the free.”

I had to shake my head when I came across this headline today from the AP:

Bush remains “eternal optimist” despite polls

That’s a pretty nice way to put it. I think a lot more people would agree with a slightly tweaked headline though:

Bush remains “eternally oblivious” in spite of polls

After this mornings post, some people have emailed and ask what the Parkinson’s disease reference is about.

Here’s the ad from Michael J. Fox that’s airing right now in Wisconsin which supports Gov. Jim Doyle’s stance on stem cell research. That Republicans and their sycophants hate so much only speaks to it’s truth and effectiveness.

Three events of the past week have really made me realize that the Republican party and it’s minions have lost all credibility when it comes to morality or plain old human compassion. It’s all about power and staying in power for them right now, and anyone who stands in their way is fair game a far as they’re concerned.

- If you have a debilitating disease like Parkinsons, Republicans and their cronies will mock your disease while belittling you for speaking out in favor of potential cures.

- If you’re a decorated war veteran of the U.S. military and happen to be a Democrat, you’re branded a coward or a traitor or both while your record of service is ridiculed by people who’ve never even worn a uniform.

- If you’re a black man or woman and are running for public office in the South, Republicans will sink to the level of running racist and offensive advertising against you, then feign surprise and claim it’s not their fault when people are outraged.

In these last few months of the 2006 elections, Republicans have shown that they truly have no plan except viciousness, despotism, and hate.

A huge victory for equal rights today from New Jersey where the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples are entitled to the same rights as straight couples are:

Denying committed same-sex couples the financial and social benefits and privileges given to their married heterosexual counterparts bears no substantial relationship to a legitimate governmental purpose. ….committed same-sex couples must be afforded on equal terms the same rights and benefits enjoyed by opposite-sex couples under the civil marriage statute.

This Novembers constitutional ammendment question that would outlaw same-sex unions is going to be a huge moment for the people Wisconsin. Either we will choose to align ourselves with the bigoted and backwards laws of generally Southern states, or we will support to choose a progressive agenda that says all people are equal.

A little good news in an otherwise bleak month.

And CNN.com has(d) a banner up on their front page saying that there would be a “major announcement” from the President on Iraq.

Any guesses what it is?

Will he finally admit that it’s been in disaster mode now for more than just the run-up to the election (since we can only assume that’s why he’s so concerned about it all the sudden)?

A more important question: will he finally accept any responsibility for the failure of his Iraq policy?

It’s been a constant theme throughout the campaign. Any tidbit of information that the Journal Sentinel can dredge up and print to make Gov. Jim Doyle look bad is done without any hesitation.

Today’s newsflash from Wisconsin’s largest daily newspaper: Third party interest groups actually paid for pro-Doyle advertising! Stop the presses!

A group running negative ads against Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Green landed more than $700,000 over two months from unions and a Democratic group – jsonline.com

Of course this isn’t news at all and is such a common occurance (not saying I agree with unlimited soft money attack ads by the way) in today’s political landscape that it doesn’t make news. Unions contributing money to re-elect a Democratic politician? Yawn. No kidding.

Unless we’re talking about the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and it has an anti-Doyle slant. Then it’s “news”.

This is just the latest example by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in what’s becoming a pattern of increasingly bizarre stories that can only be seen as a concerted effort on their part to influence the outcome of the election in favor of Rep. Mark Green.

And it needs to stop.

I’m half expecting to wake up 10 days from now and read a front headline that reads something like:

Gov. Doyle Accepted Campaign Contributions From Other Democrats Since 2002