Did Chuck Hagel's Slap Down of Republican House Leader Even Get Reported by the Omaha World-Herald?

Seriously, five days ago, Sen. Chuck Hagel delivered as straight-forward and stunning a rebuke to the Republican Party's entire Iraq War noise machine as any that has been reported across the country. Without resorting to sound bytes - simply stating the facts - Hagel managed to single-handedly debunk every fantastical notion of success just around the corner that Congressional Republicans and the Bush Administration continue grasping onto in such sick desperation.
 
In particular, Hagel embarrassed House Minority Leader John Boehner with his merciless recitation of the cold, hard facts. At the same time, he shamed Nebraska's Republican Congressmen - who spent the week fundraising with Boehner across Nebraska, earning every blood-drenched dollar with their silent embrace of Boehner's and Bush's Iraq War fantasies.

Still, to my knowledge, the Omaha World-Herald managed to completely neglect coverage of Hagel's outright refutation of the party-line concocted by Boehner and his ilk. Did I miss something or is this oversight nothing short of outrageous on the part of Nebraska's supposed paper of record?

Even though Hagel's statements may have been made to the Lincoln Journal-Star, it's impossible to justify disregarding their importance or their implications for the national political scene and for Nebraska's stooge-like House delegation. A sitting U.S. Senator from Nebraska denounced his own party's leader in the House of Representatives - essentially calling him a liar or a fool - and we're left to assume our state's largest and most powerful newspaper somehow didn't find that newsworthy. Are you kidding me?

Once again, the World-Herald proves itself either incompetent or corrupt for keeping the people of Nebraska in the dark on issues and stories that are not convenient to its Republican political bent. Nothing we haven't seen before (or, failed to see, as the case may be). But, this is definitely a failure we must rage against if we're ever to put the World-Herald on notice that Nebraskans might - one day - expect better and find themselves seeking a more honest alternative.

Go to full text...

Chuck Hagel Delivers Devastating Blow to Republicans' BS

House Republican Leader John Boehner visited Nebraska this week to make appearances at a series of high-dollar fundraisers for all three of Nebraska's Republican Congressmen - who've each remained good little partisan lap-dogs despite the nationwide implosion of the Republican Party.

Taking advantage of a few news reports that suggested some minor progress in Iraq, Boehner fantasized to the Lincoln Journal-Star:

After "investing all their political capital on failure in Iraq," Democrats soon will need to adjust to signs of U.S. success, House Republican Leader John Boehner said Wednesday.... The Bush administration's surge of additional U.S. troops into combat in Iraq has been "very successful," Boehner said....  

While the Iraqi government needs to make more progress in meeting U.S. benchmarks for political accommodation and stability, Boehner said, "the Iraqi parliament has made more progress in keeping its promises than the Democrats in Congress."

I'll give Boehner credit for working in a couple of choice soundbytes. The trouble is that they're so far out of touch with reality that they can't even be taken seriously. And, who better to hammer that fact home than Nebraska's Republican Senator, Chuck Hagel:

Hagel took issue with House Republican Leader John Boehner's own assessment that the Bush administration's strategy has been "very successful" in Iraq. "Everyone is entitled to his opinion," Hagel said, "but the facts do not bear that out".... "On the same day Boehner was boldly proclaiming we were winning in Iraq, Basra was under siege by roving gangs and militias," Hagel said. "Shiite militias are in charge in the southern third of Iraq," he said. On the same day, Hagel said, as many as 500 people were killed in the north. 

"All Sunni cabinet members of Nouri al-Maliki's government are gone," he said. "There is no functioning government in Iraq." Five U.S. soldiers were killed that day, Hagel said, and the Green Zone was hit by 25 mortar attacks. "I'm not sure on what basis Boehner says the surge (of additional U.S. troops) is working," Hagel said.

Thank you to Senator Hagel for refusing to join Nebraska's Republican Congressmen in burying their heads in the sand to the harsh realities of the Iraq War. By continuing to stand with John Boehner and President Bush through four-and-a-half years of delusion and deception, Jeff Fortenberry, Lee Terry, and Adrian Smith have all proven themselves completely undeserving of the people's trust and the offices they hold.

The one point on which Hagel was wrong in his response is that Boehner is NOT entitled to say whatever he damn well pleases about the Iraq War - not when he's an elected representative with a responsibility to protect our men and women in combat and to speak the truth to the American public.

The fact that Boehner - as Minority Leader in the House of Representatives - continues selling this disastrous and failed war policy of the Bush Administration is an undeniable testament to the sad state of the Republican Party.

The fact that he speaks for Nebraska's Republican Congressmen when engaging in this deadly game of spin and deception- with their approval and with their support - should be the only call to action we need to clean house in 2008, replacing these mere Republicans with true leaders who won't betray their oath, sell their silence, and forsake our trust in the name of partisan loyalty.

Go to full text...

Smith's Summer Vacation Plans

by: Lisa Hannah

He's going golfing with the uber rich and John Boehner. -------------------------------- Our wonderful 3rd District Congressman has some of his summer plans all set. Next week, on August 16th, Adrian Smith gets to go golfing with the grown ups. His dear leader, John Boehner, has consented to take him golfing at one of the newest golf courses in the country, which also happens to be located near Mullen, Nebraska on the Dismal River.

The Dismal River Golf Club was designed by Jack Nicklaus, and is an exclusive club for the uber rich and constipated in our society. The rates for this club make it very clear that it's not a place that most normal local ranchers can jump in their trucks and go golfing at: CHARTER MEMBERSHIP - $3,600 annual dues (fixed for 5 years) - 50% guest fee discount for immediate family and children 23 or younger - $10,000 membership-transfer-to-heir fee - 120 day tee sheet - Guest privileges for 7 guests per day - $200 daily guest fee includes golf cart, and breakfast and lunch at Jack's Shack - Unlimited holes-played-per-day MINI CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP - Annual Dues - $6,000 (fixed for 5 years from club opening) - Two Designees - $5,000 transfer fee to change a designee (no transfer fee in connection with death or retirement of designee) - 180 day tee sheet - Guest fee for corporate outing is $200 per guest per day including cart as well as breakfast and lunch at Jack's Shack SOCIAL MEMBERSHIP - Cost - $3,000 - Annual Dues - None - Tee Sheet - Social Members will be allowed to use practice facilities for a daily fee of $20 and, when built, the par-3 course at a daily fee of $75 - Social Member Minimum - $1,000 per year (includes spa, lodging, food and beverage) You can go to the site to see the extended details but you see that the rates are out of the league of most people in the 3rd District of Nebraska. Very few could ever afford it. Now, if you want to rub elbows with Smith and Boehner on August 16th, you can fork out $1500 for an individual, $2500 for couples, or if you're really generous, you can be a "Hole Sponsor" for $2500 (I won't even go there with the whole question on what hole we are talking about). It's nice to see that Adrian has moved up in the world. He's learning how to pander to the wealthy and elite all in pursuit of his ambition of staying in Washington until retirement. It also shows where his priorities with the people of the 3rd District stand.

Go to full text...