( – promoted by odum)

After all these many years this pair can still cobsmack me with their pure freaking arrogance,insensitivity and all around lack of lack of humanity.

Raddatz: “Mr. Vice President, I want to start with the milestone today of 4,000 dead in Iraq, Americans, and just what effect you think that has on the country. Your thoughts on that?”

Cheney: “Well, it obviously brings home, I think for a lot of people, the cost that’s involved in the global war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan. It places a special burden, obviously, on the families. We recognize, I think — it’s a reminder of the extent to which we’re blessed with families who have sacrificed as they have. The President carries the biggest burden, obviously; he’s the one who has to make the decision to commit young Americans. But we are fortunate to have the group of men and women, the all-volunteer force, who voluntarily put on the uniform and go in harm’s way for the rest of us. You wish nobody ever lost their life, but unfortunately it’s one of those things that go with living in the world we live in. Sometimes you have to commit military force, and when you do, there are casualties.”

Yesterday, as the American military death toll in Iraq passed 4,000, Bush’s first public appearance was at the annual Easter Egg Roll, where he appeared in high spirits. Today he participated in a photo op with two bass-fishing champions. “There’s nothing better than fishing,” he said.

ABC News via Froomkin  

It seems like Vt Tiger is kicking GMDs butt for the number of new diaries the last few weeks. So maybe it's time for a poll. It's a multi-vote poll, so you can check a couple of reasons why you think it's quiet around here.

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Quoting the Progressive Party news letter:

Instant Runoff Voting, S.108, has passed the House and Senate.  It is expected to hit the desk of Governor Douglas by the end of the week.  While Douglas has publicly said that he does not like IRV, there are some signs that he may be willing to let it pass into law without his signature.

Douglas signed the last IRV bill sent to his desk, a Burlington charter change that took effect in 2006.  Given IRV’s huge success in Burlington (99.9% valid ballots), a Douglas veto would say either democracy is good for Burlington but bad for the rest of the state, or IRV is bad for Vermont, but he doesn’t care about elections in Burlington.

There is wide support for IRV, from groups ranging from the League of Women Voters to the Utah State Republican Committee, from John McCain and Barack Obama, from the 53 of 56 towns that supported the change in past town meeting resolutions, and from the large number of phone calls coming into the Governor’s office over the past several days.

If majority winners in elections are important to you, please take time today to call Governor Douglas’ office at: 800-649-6825.

No better way to put it.

I was on Vermont Edition today, talking with host Jane Lindholm about the iBrattleboro case and defending the judges decision to dismiss from a blogger’s perspective. It was fun, and is only about a 6 or 7 minute listen. Give a hear and weigh in, if you’re so inclined: