Bipartisan Report: Rumsfeld Responsible for Detainee Abuse

Senate Committee Finds Officials Made Decisions That Led to Offenses Against Prisoners

A bipartisan Senate report released today says that former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and other top Bush administration officials are directly responsible for abuses of detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and charges that decisions by those officials led to serious offenses against prisoners in Iraq and elsewhere.
The Senate Armed Services Committee report accuses Rumsfeld and his deputies of being the principal architects of the plan to use harsh interrogation techniques on captured fighters and terrorism suspects, rejecting the Bush administration's contention that the policies originated lower down the command chain.

Read the rest of the WaPo story here.

We're not holding our breath waiting for those credulous sycophants for the military to apologize for their knee-jerk commentaries that it really was a few bad apples who were responsible for this.

" ... a dry laundry list of previously announced government actions, punctuated by listless platitudes ..."

President Bush Discusses the Economy
Rose Garden

10:25 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Over the past few days, we have witnessed a startling drop in the stock market -- much of it driven by uncertainty and fear. This has been a deeply unsettling period for the American people. Many of our citizens have serious concerns about their retirement accounts, their investments, and their economic well-being.

President George W. Bush addresses his remarks on the economy Friday morning, Oct. 10, 2008, in the Rose Garden at the White House. President Bush said that he understands that the startling drop in the stock market over the past few days has been a deeply unsettling period for the American people, but they need to know that the United States government is acting, and will continue to act to resolve this crisis and restore stability to our markets. White House photo by David Bohrer Here's what the American people need to know: that the United States government is acting; we will continue to act to resolve this crisis and restore stability to our markets. We are a prosperous nation with immense resources and a wide range of tools at our disposal. We're using these tools aggressively.

The fundamental problem is this: As the housing market has declined, banks holding assets related to home mortgages have suffered serious losses. As a result of these losses, many banks lack the capital or the confidence in each other to make new loans. In turn, our system of credit has frozen, which is keeping American businesses from financing their daily transactions -- and creating uncertainty throughout our economy.

This uncertainty has led to anxiety among our people. And that is understandable -- that anxiety can feed anxiety, and that can make it hard to see all that is being done to solve the problem. The federal government has a comprehensive strategy and the tools necessary to address the challenges in our economy. Fellow citizens: We can solve this crisis -- and we will.

Here are the problems we face and the steps we are taking:

First, key markets are not functioning because there's a lack of liquidity -- the grease necessary to keep the gears of our financial system turning. So the Federal Reserve has injected hundreds of billions of dollars into the system. The Fed has joined with central banks around the world to coordinate a cut in interest rates. This rate cut will allow banks to borrow money more affordably -- and it should help free up additional credit necessary to create jobs, and finance college educations, and help American families meet their daily needs. The Fed has also announced a new program to provide support for the commercial paper market, which is freezing up. As the new program kicks in over the next week or so, it will help revive a key source of short-term financing for American businesses and financial institutions.

Second, some Americans are concerned about whether their money is safe. So the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the National Credit Union Administration have significantly expanded the amount of money insured in savings accounts, and checking accounts, and certificates of deposit. That means that if you have up to $250,000 in one of these insured accounts, every penny of that money is safe. The Treasury Department has also acted to restore confidence in a key element of America's financial system by offering government insurance for money market mutual funds.

Thirdly, we are concerned that some investors could take advantage of the crisis to illegally manipulate the stock market. So the Securities and Exchange Commission has launched rigorous enforcement actions to detect fraud and manipulation in the market. The SEC is focused on preventing abusive practices, such as putting out false information to drive down particular stocks for personal gain. Anyone caught engaging in illegal financial activities will be prosecuted.

Fourth, the decline in the housing market has left many Americans struggling to meet their mortgages and are concerned about losing their homes. My administration has launched two initiatives to help responsible borrowers keep their homes. One is called HOPE NOW, and it brings together homeowners and lenders and mortgage servicers, and others to find ways to prevent foreclosure. The other initiative is aimed at making it easier for responsible homeowners to refinance into affordable mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration. So far, these programs have helped more than 2 million Americans stay in their home. And the point is this: If you are struggling to meet your mortgage, there are ways that you can get help.

With these actions to help to prevent foreclosures, we're addressing a key problem in the housing market: The supply of homes now exceeds demand. And as a result, home values have declined. Once supply and demand balance out, our housing market will be able to recover -- and that will help our broader economy begin to grow.

Fifth, we've seen that problems in the financial system are not isolated to the United States. They're also affecting other nations around the globe. So we're working closely with partners around the world to ensure that our actions are coordinated and effective. Tomorrow, I'll meet with the finance ministers from our partners in the G7 and the heads of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. Secretary Paulson will also meet with finance ministers from the world's 20 leading economies. Through these efforts, the world is sending an unmistakable signal: We're in this together, and we'll come through this together.

And finally, American businesses and consumers are struggling to obtain credit, because banks do not have sufficient capital to make loans. So my administration worked with Congress to quickly pass a $700 billion financial rescue package. This new law authorizes the Treasury Department to use a variety of measures to help bank [sic] rebuild capital -- including buying or insuring troubled assets and purchasing equity of financial institutions. The Department will implement measures that have maximum impact as quickly as possible. Seven hundred billion dollars is a significant amount of money. And as we act, we will do it in a way that is effective.

The plan we are executing is aggressive. It is the right plan. It will take time to have its full impact. It is flexible enough to adapt as the situation changes. And it is big enough to work.

The federal government will continue to take the actions necessary to restore stability to our financial markets and growth to our economy. We have an outstanding economic team carrying out this effort, led by Secretary of the Treasury Hank Paulson, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, SEC Chairman Chris Cox, and FDIC Chair Sheila Bair. I thank them and their dedicated teams for their service during this important moment in our country's history.

This is an anxious time, but the American people can be confident in our economic future. We know what the problems are, we have the tools we need to fix them, and we're working swiftly to do so. Our economy is innovative, industrious and resilient because the American people who make up our economy are innovative, industrious and resilient. We all share a determination to solve this problem -- and that is exactly what we're going to do. May God bless you.

END 10:33 A.M. EDT

About this, WaPo's Dan Froomkin said:

"The president seems checked out. His approval ratings are in the toilet. His credibility is shot. He's arguably responsible for this mess in the first place. And his presence and his words have led to more fear and panic, not less. Bush still seems to be operating in a fantasy world where people look to him for direction. His eight-minute speech in a sunny Rose Garden this morning consisted of a dry laundry list of previously announced government actions, punctuated by listless platitudes."

Quiz from Maggie's Farm (courtesy of Villainous Company)

1. Which of the following countries had the highest economic growth since 2000?

a. France
b. Japan
c. Germany
d. U.S.A.

2. Which of the following countries has the highest GDP per capita?

a. U.K.
b. Germany
c. Japan
d. U.S.A.

3. Which of the following countries had the highest household consumption in 2005?

a. U.K.
b. Canada
c. France
d. U.S.A.

4. Which country spends the most per capita on health services?

a. U.K.
b. Germany
c. Canada
d. U.S.A.

5. What percentage of the U.S.A.’s population is covered by health insurance?

a. 55%
b. 65%
c. 75%
d. 85%

6. In which of the following countries does the richest 20% of households have the highest share of national income?

a. U.S.A.
b. U.K.
c. Israel
d. 65 other countries

7. Which of the following countries had the highest investment per capita in fixed assets in 2005?

a. Germany
b. U.K.
c. China
d. U.S.A.

8. Which period had the lowest unemployment rate?

a. Euro Zone (2000 – 2008)
b. Reagan Presidency
c. Clinton Presidency
d. Bush Presidency

9. Which period had the lowest debt interest payments as percentage of GDP?

a. Euro Zone (2001 – 2008)
b. Reagan Presidency
c. Clinton Presidency
d. Bush Presidency

Here are the answers and sources:

1. d. U.S.A (from the IMF)
2. d. U.S.A. (World Bank)
3. d. U.S.A. (World Bank)
4. d. U.S.A. (WSJ 9-3-08)
5. d. 85% (U.S. Census Bureau)
6. d. 65 other countries (World Bank)
7. d. U.S.A. (World Bank)
8. d. Bush Presidency (Department of Labor)
9. d. Bush Presidency (IMF)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

And our own addition to the quiz:

10. Which period had the highest per capita debt and interest payments ?

1. Barak Obama presidency (2009 – 2016) - still paying off Bush's war debt for Operation Iraqi Liberation

2. Michelle Obama presidency (2017 – 2021) - still paying off Bush's war debt for Operation Iraqi Liberation

3. Chelsea Clinton Presidency (2022-2030) - still paying off Bush's war debt for Operation Iraqi Liberation

4. Sasha Obama Presidency (2031-2039) - still paying off Bush's war debt for Operation Iraqi Liberation

5. Robert F. Kennedy IV Presidency (2040-2048) - still paying off Bush's war debt for Operation Iraqi Liberation

Bush rushes to the defense of his supporters over consumers

Court: US can block mad cow testing

"The Bush administration can prohibit meat packers from testing their animals for mad cow disease, a federal appeals court said Friday. ... The dispute pits the Agriculture Department, which tests about 1 percent of cows for the potentially deadly disease, against a Kansas meat packer that wants to test all its animals."

"Larger meat packers opposed such testing. If Creekstone Farms Premium Beef began advertising that its cows have all been tested, other companies fear they too will have to conduct the expensive tests."

Those poor other companies - having to compete in a free market against others with better ideas. Fortunately for agri-business, the Bush Administration and Republican appointee Judge Karen LeCraft Henderson are ready to rush to the defense of the big trade monolith against "attacks" by ... the little guy. What's a Republican administration for, after all, if not to protect the monied interests over the desires and health of consumers.

Quote of the Day

In other words, I -- once a nation hasn't told the truth, it requires a lot of work to convince people that they'll be telling the truth in the future.

George W. Bush, March 19, 2008

Bush is oblivious to the fact that his remark describes what he has done to America during the 7.5 years of his presidency.