"Johnny Courage for Congress" (cuz' it's better than voting for a weiner . . . uh, sorry Anthony)

History gave us Johnny Freedom . . . now Jim Dean and Democracy for America (DFA) give us: Johnny Courage & "Courage for Congress." How quaintly timed and disgustingly appropriate. Watch out Lame Lamar . . . your name sucks.

Jimmy Dean says:
"We have the power to elect new leadership in this country.

We've proven over and over again that when we make a race competitive -- no matter the district -- we can win. But the only way to make every race and every district competitive is with your support.

Two weeks ago, we asked DFA members to kick-off the campaign to take back Congress by voting in our Grassroots All-Star competition. Tens of thousands of DFA members voted for candidates from every corner of the country. After tallying the votes, we're excited to announce the first DFA Grassroots All Star: John Courage, from San Antonio, Texas."

Courage for Congress

Ohhh Oprahoma . . . .

Color Purple: The Musical
Winfrey told the Times: "I hope... to open the door to the possibilities for a world of people who have never been or even thought of going to a Broadway show."

Umm, yeah - just a quick reality check, Oprah Warbucks . . . theatre tickets in NYC begin at about $80 per person.

Load of Crap Just In: The Anti-Cronyism Bill

Washington, D.C. - Today, Congressman Henry A. Waxman and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi introduced the Anti-Cronyism and Public Safety Act, which would prohibit the President from appointing unqualified individuals to critical public safety positions in the government.

"President Bush has handed out some of the country's most difficult and important jobs - leadership positions in public safety and emergency response - to politically well-connected individuals with no experience or qualifications," Rep. Waxman said. "This common sense legislation will end this practice and ensure that public safety is back in the hands of those who are trained and experienced in protecting the public."

The bill would require any presidential appointee for a public safety position to have proven, relevant credentials for that position. In addition, the legislation bars from appointment to an agency any individual who has been a lobbyist for an industry subject to the agency's authority during the preceding two years.

"As Hurricane Katrina tragically demonstrated, serious consequences result when unqualified cronies are appointed to federal public safety positions," Pelosi said. "The Bush Administration's culture of cronyism comes at the expense of public safety. It is unconscionable and must stop immediately - it is literally a matter of life and death. This legislation is critically needed, and I thank Mr. Waxman for his strong leadership in protecting the American people."

Subject to the bill are specific senior-level emergency preparedness offices at the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as any position with the primary function of responding to a direct threat to life or property or hazard to health.

Podcasting on the Hill, moonshine, and more:

The Hill: Under the Dome

Dispatch Rider Principles:

Principles of natural horsemanship (works well with people too):

1. Work on your own skills. The rider must communicate clearly with the horse.

2. Work from the horse's level of ability. Before each session, the rider must determine what the horse is capable of doing.

3. Take all the time the horse needs. Don't push a horse to learn more quickly than it can.

4. Make the right movement easy and the wrong movement hard.

5. Prepare the horse for instruction. Is the horse paying attention? Is it relaxed?

6. Always stay on this side of trouble. Don't let your ambitions get ahead of the horse.

LA Times: The Vaquero Way

The Catch 22:

Africa's TB crisis may spur AIDS treatment

Shituation Room Moments:

CAFFERTY: Louisiana's two senators are asking the federal government for $250 billion to rebuild Louisiana in the wake of Katrina. According to "The Washington Post," this $250 billion bill would cost more in inflation adjusted dollars than the whole Louisiana purchase, one-third of the 48 adjacent states did when Thomas Jefferson bought it back a few years ago. The Louisiana purchase actually encompassed areas all the way from North Dakota to the Gulf Coast and about a third of the center section of the country. Critics say that parts of the bill make the Louisiana delegation look greedy. Really? And that they're using Katrina as an excuse to raid the federal Treasury.

The question this hour is should it cost more to rebuild Louisiana than it did to buy it?

These two Louisiana senators filed a bill in the -- in the Senate, $250 billion they want.

BLITZER: Well, they're trying to help their state.

CAFFERTY: Yes. And then that last time we were on, I told you about the guy who resigned his job there as the head of the Democratic Party, or whoever he was, so he could go and work on his construction company. I wonder what he has in mind.

BLITZER: All right. Jack, we'll get back to you soon. Thank you very much.

Get to Know Your Pandemic: H5N1 Virus

Indonesia bird flu death toll increases

Save the church from the state:

"After weeks of prodding by Republican lawmakers and the American Red Cross, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said yesterday that it will use taxpayer money to reimburse churches and other religious organizations that have opened their doors to provide shelter, food and supplies to survivors of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

FEMA officials said it would mark the first time that the government has made large-scale payments to religious groups for helping to cope with a domestic natural disaster."
FEMA plans to reimburse faith groups for aid

Thought #1:
Um, shouldn't the Faith-Based and Community Initiatives take on this responsibility? Doesn't FEMA have enough to pay for already?

Thought #2:
Somethin' wrong here . . . Taxpayer money will go into reimbursing churches? We think . . . the Founding Fathers really would not have approved of this - BECAUSE:

1. By nature, this is what churches exist to do - help people (regardless of what the government does).
2. Churches are to be funded by their parishioners and the higher religious institutions that oversee them.
3. And, most importantly . . . Religious institutions should never by reliant on the government for ANYTHING. (It is our understanding that religion should seek to separate itself from government in order to maintain it's freedom - from regulation, restraint, restriction, etc, etc).

It has begun . . .

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement this morning on the appearance of former FEMA Director Michael Brown at the partisan select committee hearing:

"The American people have unequivocally called for an independent commission to find out the truth of what went wrong in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, not a partisan whitewash.

"Michael Brown's appearance before the sham committee proves that Republicans are adept at staging photo opportunities, not meaningful and rigorous oversight of the Bush Administration. Questioning one Republican crony will not get to the truth of the disastrous federal response to Hurricane Katrina and prevent it from happening again. Nor will it atone for Congressional Republicans abdication of their oversight responsibilities.

"House Democrats believe that the victims and survivors of Hurricane Katrina deserve the truth, which will only be provided by an independent commission, based on the rigorous and effective example of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission. An independent commission is critical to restoring Americans' confidence that the federal government will adequately respond to disasters, and keep them safer."