National Ass-ociation for the Advancement of Con-servative People

...but first, a word from our 'sponsor'...Ignorance

On the July 19 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio program, Rush Limbaugh claimed that "the militant pro-abortion crowd" is "behind" efforts to legalize federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, "because you need abortions to get these [embryos]." In fact, as the National Institutes of Health webpage points out, embryonic stem cells "are derived from embryos that develop from eggs that have been fertilized in vitro -- in an in vitro fertilization clinic -- and then donated for research purposes with informed consent of the donors. They are not derived from eggs fertilized in a woman's body [emphasis original]."

Additionally, Limbaugh claimed that, in light of scientists' belief that embryonic stem cells could be useful in medicine, "we need to re-examine this whole term 'scientist,' " because "science is all about politics, and science has been so wrong about so many things."

During a discussion of President Bush's July 19 veto of a bill authorizing federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, Limbaugh stated that White House senior adviser Karl Rove "got in trouble the other day for telling the truth," when he told the editorial board of The Denver Post that research has shown "far more promise from adult stem cells than from embryonic stem cells." Noting that a July 19 Chicago Tribune article had cited a dozen" stem cell research scientists calling Rove's statement "inaccurate," Limbaugh stated that "we need to re-examine this whole term 'scientist.' " He complained that "certain things in our culture ... are never questioned" and that "if a scientist says anything ... it's gotta be true" because "scientists have this aura."

He further stated that "global warming has become a scientific thing" merely because "nobody can question science." He added: "Science is all about politics, and science has been so wrong about so many things." http://mediamatters.org/items/200607200011

Bush's Non-Advancement (from Center for American Progress)
Today at the 97th annual convention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), President Bush will make his first appearance before the group since taking office. With the appearance, Bush will avoid becoming the first president since Warren G. Harding to snub the predominantly black organization throughout his term." Previously, Bush had declined invitations to speak, citing a busy schedule. ("That was true," quipped NAACP chairman of the board Julian Bond, "he had spent the previous weeks scheduling conflicts.") Bush will try to make the case for unity to a group with whom he has a tumultuous relationship, and an African-American community whose support for Bush dropped to as low as two percent after Hurricane Katrina. White House Press Secretary Tony Snow said Bush would address the residues of the country's discriminatory past. The NAACP convention will focus on African-American voting rights, as well as education, health care, and income disparities.

"Support Our Troops": The Bush administration has reneged on its offer of free credit-monitoring to help the 26.5 million veterans and service-members whose personal data was stolen from a Department of Veterans Affairs employee's laptop. Citing the FBI's high degree of confidence" that nothing sensitive was accessed, Deputy VA Secretary Gordon Mansfield said that legislation proposed after the burglary, which would require mandatory warnings to victims in the event of a data breach, is now "no longer necessary." Leaders of veterans groups reacted angrily that the administration will not err on the side of safety or on the side of veterans, especially since, according to Jim Mueller of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, "Computer industry experts are telling us the exact opposite of what the FBI has reported."

The VA inspector general's office found that the department had "poorly protected" the sensitive information and responded to the theft with indifference and little sense of urgency or responsibility at nearly every step. Senate Veterans Affairs Committee chairman Larry Craig (R-Idaho) said the report is “a stinging indictment of a security system that was lax to nonexistent.”

Stem Cell VETO -among other things: President Bush vetoed the first bill of his presidency yesterday, ignoring the wishes of the vast majority of the public who support embryonic stem cell research and its potential to cure such diseases as juvenile diabetes, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's. Apparently, he wasn't too proud of the decision. Bush issued the veto in secret, banning the media from the veto ceremony and not allowing any photographers in the room. Bush is the longest-sitting president since Thomas Jefferson not to exercise his veto, and it's worth noting some of the bills the president chose to sign into law.
Bush chose not to veto a bill that cut funding for student loans. He would not veto a bill that gave oil and gas companies $6 billion and coal companies $9 billion, nor would he do so with the prescription drug bill favorable to drug companies that cost $1.2 trillion.

The President chose not to veto tax cuts that overwhelmingly benefited the rich while helping generate record federal deficits. Bush would not even veto the widely unpopular Terri Schiavo legislation that Congress passed in an attempt to interfere in a personal family matter. Also yesterday, the House voted 235-193 to overturn Bush’s veto, 51 votes short of the required two-thirds majority. Rep. James Langevin (D-RI), who is confined to a wheelchair, spoke out about the veto in a emotional speech.

Quickies:
"Today, al-Qaida has not only regrouped, but it is on the march," Bruce Hoffman, a terrorism expert at the Rand Corp, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "Al-Qaida is now functioning exactly as its founder and leader, Osama bin Laden, envisioned it."

Sen. John Thune (R-SD) advice to those running for reelection this year: "You obviously don't embrace the president and his agenda." "The first thing I'd do is acknowledge that there have been mistakes made," Thune said.

Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH), who refused to back John Bolton to be U.N. Ambassador when he was first nominated last year, has caved. In an op-ed titled, "Why I'll Vote for Bolton," Voinovich said questioning Bolton's renomination "would jeopardize our influence in the United Nations" and "undermine our policies and agenda."

Yesterday was the deadliest day yet in the deepening two-front Middle East crisis. Israeli weaponry rained down on Lebanon throughout the day and into the night, killing 63 people by nightfall, virtually all civilians, while two Israeli Arab brothers, ages 3 and 9, were killed by Hezbollah rockets as they played outside in Nazareth.

After promising to make its unconstitutional military commissions comply with the Uniform Code of Military Justice, the White House yesterday took a "harder line" and announced it would propose "only minor changes" to the tribunals.

Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH) "has pulled an image of a burning World Trade Center from a campaign commercial attacking Rep. Sherrod Brown's (D-OH) record on national security because the image was a fake." The spot was produced by the firm responsible for the "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" ads.

Yesterday the House voted to "bar federal courts from ruling on the constitutional validity" of the Pledge of Allegiance. "We are making an all-out assault on the Constitution of the United States which, thank God, will fail," said Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).

Are we actually paying these idiots in Congress with OUR tax money?!

..and finally, Iraq’s prime minister has broken with Bush…watch out Maliki, I smell another “election” coming.