A Smorgasbord of Sleaze

Will newly revealed documents show that it was Karl Rove who leaked the information to a reporter about Valerie Plame, the CIA agent who was outed last year? If so, will he be prosecuted? Wouldn't it be sweet justice if Karl Rove's big mouth lands him in jail?

In 2003, Wal-Mart profits were $8.9 billion. The Walton family wealth is $98 billion. If they took just 1% of that wealth, they could have provided every one of their employees and their families with fully-paid health care. But $8.9 billion is not enough. The bottom line for Wal-Mart has nothing to do with its employees, but everything to do with its profit. Meanwhile, in a show of disdain for American women everywhere, Wal-Mart continues to refuse to carry Plan B, known as "the morning after pill", in its pharmacies. It is an especially egregious policy that has a direct negative effect on rural poor women whose only choice, in many cases, for a "neighborhood" pharmacy is Wal-Mart.

The Republicans spend money for war like a bunch of drunken sailors, but when it comes to money for veterans returning from war, they are stingy. The Bush administration has finally admitted it underestimated the number of veterans needing help after serving in the war by 5 times. While the Democrats objections fell on deaf ears, it took Republicans falling on their swords to get through to the heedless and deaf White House.

Organizations of Americans who oppose the war, some made up of grandmothers, are being monitored in California at anti-war protests because the California National Guard says it would be imprudent not to keep track of anti-war protests and protesters. "If you are not with us, you are with the terrorists," says George Bush. And, of course, we all know that when Americans demonstrate against the war, they are always joined by terrorists trying to blend in with the crowds.

The Bush administration has announced it will maintain control over the computers that control all internet traffic, the so-called 13 "root servers" that inform web browsers and email programs how to direct internet traffic. Rather than turn control over to a private, independent organization, it seems that Bush wants to preserve some kind of perceived leverage over the internet, even though it probably could not accomplish what it might want to -- namely, modification of sites, controlling access, and censoring content. But never underestimate the Bushies zeal for control and power.

Tips of the hat to AlterNet, CommonDreams, and Buzzflash.