Stats.

From Peter King at SI.com:

The salaries of the top six hitters in the 2006 New York Yankees batting order: 1. Johnny Damon CF $13 million 2. Derek Jeter SS $19 million 3. Alex Rodriguez 3B $21 million 4. Gary Sheffield RF $13 million 5. Hideki Matsui LF $13 million 6. Jason Giambi 1B $17 million

The 24-man roster of the 2005 World Champion Chicago White Sox, plus the manager, coaching staff and general manager, did not earn as much as the $96 million these six players will make this year.

Goes to prove, it's not all a numbers game.

Made right.

"Christmas transcends the culture wars in which we are now engaged. For Christmas is God's statement to all of humanity--Democrats, Republican, Christians, Muslims, Jews, blacks, whites--that God is for the world, for all of us, each and every one, and that although we have made a mess of things, God has not given up hope in our ultimate redemption and reconciliation. Despite all of our shortcomings and all our attempts to destroy God's image in our neighbor, Christmas is the reminder that God still is hopeful for us and our futures, and that we have not been abandoned, but that God will be with us until all that is wrong with the world will be made right."
- Rev. Tim Simpson

How ya likin' that spying?

"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
- Benjamin Franklin

Merry Christmas...er, Happy Holidays.

Congressman John D. Dingell (MI-15) recited the following poem on the floor of the US House of Representatives concerning House Resolution 579, which expressed the sense of the House of Representatives that the symbols and traditions of Christmas should be protected.
"Preserving Christmas" has been a frequent topic for conservative talk show hosts, including Fox News's Bill O'Reilly:

'Twas the week before Christmas and all through the House

No bills were passed 'bout which Fox News could grouse;

Tax cuts for the wealthy were passed with great cheer,

So vacations in St. Barts soon would be near;

Katrina kids were nestled all snug in motel beds,

While visions of school and home danced in their heads;

In Iraq our soldiers needed supplies and a plan,

Plus nuclear weapons were being built in Iran;

Gas prices shot up, consumer confidence fell;

Americans feared we were on a fast track to...well...

Wait--- we need a distraction--- something divisive and wily;

A fabrication straight from the mouth of O'Reilly

We can pretend that Christmas is under attack

Hold a vote to save it--- then pat ourselves on the back;

Silent Night, First Noel, Away in the Manger

Wake up Congress, they're in no danger!

This time of year we see Christmas every where we go,

From churches, to homes, to schools, and yes...even Costco;

What we have is an attempt to divide and destroy,

When this is the season to unite us with joy

At Christmas time we're taught to unite,

We don't need a made-up reason to fight

So on O'Reilly, on Hannity, on Coulter, and those right wing blogs; You should just sit back, relax...have a few egg nogs!

'Tis the holiday season: enjoy it a pinch

With all our real problems, do we honestly need another Grinch?

So to my friends and my colleagues I say with delight,

A merry Christmas to all,

and to Bill O'Reilly...Happy Holidays.

What's it gonna be?

From National Journal's Hotline:

"To say 'unchecked power' is to ascribe dictatorial position to the president, to which I object"
- George W. Bush (WhiteHouse.gov, 12/19/05).

Amen.

"If this were a dictatorship, it'd be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I'm the dictator"
-- George W. Bush (CNN.com, 12/18/00)

Que?

Liberal is Not a Dirty Word

From the Grindstaff Chronicles:

So, What's So Wrong About The Label: Liberal?

Well, if it means that you accept the fact that God loves everybody, nothing. If liberal means accepting all your neighbors, friends and relatives just as they are, well that sounds like a pretty good thing to be. And why, pray tell, are Democrats so afraid of being called liberals? They shouldn't be, since all the word means is that they believe in being charitable, noble, all-inclusive, accepting, loving, and willing to take care of the less fortunate.

Being liberal means giving human beings the right to make decisions concerning their own bodies. Being liberal means recognizing that good people can be different and still be deserving of everything good a human is recognized as needing in order to be able to live in comfort, dignity, good health and in proper shelter. Being liberal means recognizing that the über-rich are not the only people deserving of the government's concern and largesse. Gosh darn, sounds up here like being liberal just means being a good human being, as opposed to being a snotty, selfish, paranoid fanatic of the military-industrial complex, frightened by and uncaring of, the "masses."

"Schism."

From National Journal's (subscription-only) Hotline:

The House GOP leadership and the nation's business lobbies, usually close allies, are "battling each other" over immigration. In a "rare schism," employer groups led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce are "pressing to kill a" GOP-backed measure that would "require businesses to verify that all of their workers are in the US legally" and would "increase penalties for hiring illegal employees." These businesss lobby groups are "so vehement in their opposition" that they will consider lawmakers' votes on the bill as a "measure of whether they will support them in the future."

So to all the Republican voters who believe that Mexicans are stealing American jobs: Your employer doesn't want to be hindered from hiring the undocumented. How ya like them apples?

We as a people don't want foreigners (read: Mexicans) to break the law and enter our country illegally, because they will take our jobs.

However, our employers don't want to be stopped from hiring them, because, hey, they're cheaper and can probably do our jobs better since they want it more.

In the end immigrants should be commended for their "work ethic, optimism, entrepreneurial spirit and countless contributions to American society."

Evangelicals, take heed.

"The average man, who does not know what to do with his life, wants another one which will last forever."
- Anatole France

Funny AND true.

Howard Dean on Bush's plan to target illegal immigrants for his proposed guest-worker program:

"Here's a guy who can't find a 6'4" Saudi wandering around the desert. And now he's gonna find 11 million immigrants?"

Revealing.

"When a stupid man is doing something he is ashamed of, he always declares that it is his duty."
- George Bernard Shaw

Horse's mouth or horse's ass?

Supposedly setting a deadline for getting out of Iraq would be "discouraging" to our troops because they would be getting the message that we were quitting. I wonder what the troops would really think about getting away from a place where they risk being bombed or shot at for a chance to come home to friends and family?

Discouraged? They'd probably take the next plane out if they could.

No one wants to be at war. I don't think troops in Iraq want to be there. I think they had a choice in the matter, they'd rather be in Afghanistan looking for bin Ladin. Remember him? Al-Qaeda? Terrorists? 9/11? Twin Towers? Ringing any bells?

They joined up and looked forward to kicking his ass.

Not poor, defenseless Iraqis.