995. A day late and a dollar short10 years late and $$ billions short

From CNN:

Bush called on Congress to give him the authority to set the standards for passenger cars sold in the United States as a means of reducing the nation's demand for gasoline.

"I encourage them to give me that authority," Bush told reporters during a visit to a service station in Biloxi, Mississippi. "It's an authority I used for light trucks, and I intend to use it wisely if Congress will give me that authority."

Congress first set the passenger car standard for fuel economy in 1975, and it has remained at 27.5 miles per gallon since 1990. The mileage is a weighted average of an automaker's fleet, not a requirement for individual models.

and the rest....

Just what we need. Congress abdicating more of its responsibility to this president. Not that the Republican leadership in Congress has shown any leadership on this issue all these years, but the authority that Bush used for light trucks that he's so proud of is this groundbreaking plan. STOP THE PRESSES!!! (from WaPo):

In March, the Bush administration approved a 1.9 mpg increase in the standards for sport utilities, minivans and pickups -- all in the light truck class that includes big gas guzzlers -- to 24.1 mpg between 2008 and 2011. It also rewrote the rules for calculating how far light trucks must go on a gallon of gasoline. (emphasis added)

[snip]

Prompted by Bush, Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta formally asked House and Senate leaders on Thursday for authority to overhaul the mileage goal for that class of vehicle as well as the method for calculating it.

Consumer and environmental groups were mixed on the administration's about-face.

The Union of Concerned Scientists said changing the way fuel savings are calculated -- as was done with the light truck class -- could create loopholes for manufacturers to produce bigger, less efficient cars.

"If Congress is going to grant the president authority to revamp car fuel economy targets, (lawmakers) must also include a requirement that an oil savings guarantee be attached to any changes," the group said in a statement.

and the rest....

And do we suspect that Bush will use any additional authority that Congresss abdicates to him in this area to claim authority in other energy-related areas? Did he do so in Iraq? Did he do so with illegal wiretapping?

996. Um, um..... time for a photo op

The L.A. Times calls it as it sees it:

President Bush stops by the Habitat for Humanity work site in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans for a photo opportunity. Habitat for Humanity is now constructing 75 new homes on this site. (Carolyn Cole / LAT) (Emphasis added.)



Amish volunteers Melvin Stoltzfus, Aaron Esh and Dave Lapp wave as President Bush goes by after his stop at the Habitat for Humanity work site in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Their group has been in New Orleans one week so far helping with the recovery effort. (Carolyn Cole / LAT)

Don't let the barn door hit you on the way out....

997. This story writes itself

From AP: House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Ill. gets out of a Hydrogen Alternative Fueled automobile, left, as he prepares to board his SUV, which uses gasoline, after holding a news conference at a local gas station in Washington, Thursday, April 27, 2006 to discuss the recent rise in gas prices. Hastert and other members of Congress drove off in the Hydrogen-Fueled cars only to switch to their official cars to drive the few blocks back to the U.S. Capitol. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

998. Rumsfeld again in Iraq

L.A. Times: Visit by Rumsfeld, Rice Sets Off Criticism in Iraq

Some leaders worry that the Americans' surprise trip could hurt talks on forming a government. Analysts see an effort to shore up U.S. opinion.

BAGHDAD — Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld paid a surprise visit to Baghdad on Wednesday to express support for Iraq's new leaders, but drew criticism from Iraqi politicians who said they feared the unannounced visit might do more harm than good.

"We didn't invite them," said Kamal Saadi, a Shiite legislator close to the new prime minister-designate, Nouri Maliki.

And the rest....

Countdown: 1000

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Bush: "I'm the deciderer and I decide what is best" video (at Crooks & Liars)

Paul Hipp's "I'm the Decider" Koo-koo-kachoo video (at Huffington Post)

A Hard Day's Work

The Bushles Discography

"A Hard Day's Work", 2006


"A Hard Day's Work" t-shirts @ impeachmentstore.com


"Boot the Bushles", 2004

"Libby Rove", 2005

"Let 'em Pee", 2006

Hi, Taylor!

I'd like to offer you something to complement the great writing and analysis that we've come to expect from you, and now from your guest bloggers as well.

I won't even try to compete in your category. While I've been blogging regularly over the last year or so on both politics and simple living, I've found that I most enjoy using satire, usually with graphics. Undoubtedly, this comes out of my lifelong passion for political cartooning, and using this medium predates my blogging.

You've used satire/graphics sporadically, but typically as an accompaniment to serious writing. Have you considered adding this voice as a regular feature on its own?

Following are some samples of previous blog posts and additional related graphics. I value your thoughts.

Cheers!

Randy Gold
Sherman Oaks, CA
rfgold@earthlink.net
818-990-7685

My blogs:
SoCal Grassroots (8/2005 thru 3/2006)
The Deciderer's Last 1,000 Days
Simple Living America

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Ceci n'est pas un roi

René Magritte
Ceci N'est Pas Un Roi (This is Not a King), 1928
Musée du Jobards (Lyons, France)


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My president visited New Orleans and all I got was a lousy t-shirt

Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld-Chertoff
DeLay-Condi-Babs-Hastert

George W and friends and family are dropped into the middle of a flooded city with no money and no food and no credit cards and no vehicle and no identification and no outside communications and no change of shoes or finely-tailored suits.

Nobody knows who they are.... and nobody cares!

ADMINISTRATION SURVIVOR: New Orleans

Watch the fun this fall, Wednesday nights on CBS.

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First Annual Pentagon-athon

YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU!

$500 billion just doesn't go as far as it used to. Anybody who has to balance a family budget or meet a weekly payroll knows this. Well, we at The Pentagon are subject to these same terrorist economic forces, even in the best of times.

continued....

* * * * * * * * * * * *

The Bushles Discography

"Boot the Bushles", 2004

"Libby Rove", 2005

"A Hard Day's Work", 2006

"Let 'em Pee", 2006

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A few political entries from my series "Double Lives: Celebrities Who Look Like Works of Art":

Richard Nixon and....
Moai statue on Easter Island

Joe Lieberman and....
Rembrandt's "Man With a Golden Helmet" (1654)

Lay in peace

Kenneth Lay and....
Perov's "Portrait of the Merchant Ivan Kamynin" (1872)

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A final word from our sponsor: