LIE OF THE WEEK: 03-31-2006

Karl Rove on people who challenge the administration's warrantless domestic wiretapping program:

"How ridiculous in a time of war is it to have concern about Osama bin Laden's civil liberties over the security interests of the United states of America?"

THE TRUTH: This has nothing to do with Osama bin Laden or other terrorists' civil liberties and has everything to do with whether the law was broken or not. The FISA act clearly disallowed any wiretapping within US borders without court approval and all the justifications made by the administration have been worthless spin. It's time for the administration to admit they were wrong to authorize the program and work with Congress to pass laws to allow whatever wiretapping is actually necessary for national security purposes. Spinning the issue just gives the administration's political opponents more to work with for their 2006 election campaigns and more justification to point the finger of corruption at an already politically very weak president.

LIE OF THE WEEK: 03-24-2006

President George W. Bush discussing immigration reform during his weekly radio address:

"As we debate the immigration issue, we must remember there are hardworking individuals, doing jobs that Americans will not do, who are contributing to the economic vitality of our country," Bush said in his weekly radio address.

THE TRUTH: It's very clear that the only reason Americans won't do these jobs is that the pay is so far below any legal minimum wage that it is obscene that any corporations, large or small, get away with paying these wages. (Not to mention the fact that it's even further below an ethical living wage that we should set as a minimum for any hard-working American). Supporting immigration reform on this basis is a red herring that diverts from the real issue: illegal immigrants are drawn to breaking the law and immigrating illegally because they will get more pay than they did from their homelands, but they are then stuck in inhumane living conditions, with no civil or human rights being given to them because of their illegal status, often exploited by organized crime, and no recourse other than to abuse the American healthcare and education systems to facilitate life here. We need to crack down hard on the many American businesses and individuals who benefit from this situation so that they attract less illegal workers. Day labor sites for illegals need to be shut down and multiple offending corporations need to have their leadership punished severely. Once the flow of illegals has reduced through this effort and stronger border control, we can push for a solution to the status of the millions of illegals already here. The lies and spin need to stop to solve this situation once and for all.

BONUS LIE OF THE WEEK: South Park and Scientology

Stepping away from Washington politics for a moment, a different kind of spin from Hollywood...

Singer Isaac Hayes, on quitting the Comedy Central show South Park for making fun of Scientology:

"Religious beliefs are sacred to people and at all times should be respected and honored," the R&B musician and actor said Monday, according to news reports. "As a civil rights activist of the past 40 years, I cannot support a show that disrespects those beliefs and practices."

THE TRUTH: The is the ultimate in Hollywood hypocrisy. This show is clearly known to most Americans as being very disrespectful of anything sacred to anyone. However, for a voice actor and singer who has participated in the show for it's entire ten year history to now claim that it is religiously offensive is absolutely ridiculous. After being with the show as it made fun of every major religion in the world (and even some minor religions), to take offense now because his religion is attacked simply proves how arrogant he is. And to be completely truthful about this topic, I will point out that Scientology is really a fringe cult with strange beliefs and it would be very much be recognized as such if it weren't for the membership of certain high profile celebrities. It's sad that the mass media even prints such blatantly hypocritical statements, but I guess they bow down at the altar of celebrity and that is what helps them sell papers.

LIE OF THE WEEK: 03-17-2006

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist on voting to raise the national debt ceiling to approximately NINE TRILLION DOLLARS:

"While the bill does not go as far as I would like to control growth in mandatory spending programs, it is a responsible budget plan that meets the needs of the American people," said Senator Bill Frist, leader of the Republican majority.

THE TRUTH: This is just sickening spin - our national debt is out of control and can never be considered a responsible budget. Any private or public company or individual or even state or local government with any parallel situation would be long ago put into receivership or bankruptcy and would certainly be out of business and it's leadership out on the street. By passing this bill, the US Congress is simply enabling Washington's addiction to uncontrolled spending (and we all know it's never healthy to give in to an addict's problem) - it's time to kick this habit once and for all!

LIE OF THE WEEK: 03-10-2006

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Iran:

"We may face no greater challenge from a single country than from Iran," she said, describing that country's leadership as "the central banker for terrorism," an oppressor of its own people, a fomenter of unrest in the Middle East and a would-be nuclear power.

THE TRUTH: Why are they always forgetting North Korea? North Korea already has nuclear weapons, supports terrorism, oppresses it's people much more than any other country (millions are starving while nearly all public money is spent on the military). Iran has had many legitimate reform and opposition movements working within their system compared to the consistent oppression by the North Korean regime for the past half century.

Also, let's not forget how each situation started: North Korea came out of the cold war, where it was a struggle between American freedom and Soviet oppression. Iran is a self-inflicted problem for America, where our CIA overthrew a moderate elected government in the 1950s so that we could install and prop up the Shah to oppress his people and give us cheap oil for two decades. Of course, the end result was the overthrow of the Shah through a popular revolution. Even at that point, the Iranians didn't consider us enemies until we sheltered the Shah from prosecution for his crimes, which led to the 1979 hostage crisis. Furthermore, our push for Saddam Hussein to attack Iran in 1980 on our behalf led to an 8-year bloody war with nearly a million deaths on each side (including many Iranians being killed by Saddam's Weapons of Mass Destruction, which was not considered an significant issue at the time by his American allies.)

If we want to solve our Iran problem, perhaps the first steps would be to apologize for the CIA activities of the 1950s and the support of Saddam during the 1980s, both of which led to so much suffering in that country.

LIE OF THE WEEK: 03-03-2006

US Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid on the PATRIOT Act reauthorization:

"Our support for the Patriot Act does not mean a blank check for the president," said Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada, who voted to pass the bill package. "What we tried to do on a bipartisan basis is have a better bill. It has been improved."

THE TRUTH: Senator Reid knows that the changes are purely cosmetic political changes with no real improvements. He knows that the administration got everything they wanted on this bill and it is a blank check. And he knows that Republican opposition (which was true libertarian opposition) ended due to pressure from the administration and that most Democrats don't have enough of a spine to stand up for real civil liberties. Sadly, the act will be reauthorized with the end result of less rights and liberties for all Americans and absolutely no increase in security. Senator Harry Reid should stop spinning his political weakness and start representing the American people.