TOM DELAY FLAPS HIS GUMS

From the Houston Chronicle:

DeLay and other Republican leaders lashed out against Clark and Dean last week after the Democratic contenders criticized the way President Bush has handled the war in Iraq and the economy at home.

Dean, a former Vermont governor who is considered the front-runner in a field of nine Democrats vying for their party's nomination, said Americans are not safer as a result of the Dec. 14 capture of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. Clark said that rather than going after Saddam, Bush should have concentrated on tracking down Osama bin Laden, who has claimed responsibility for the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

DeLay said Sunday those comments were "outrageous" and "cuckoo."

Such rhetoric is standard political fare, and shows that DeLay seems to think that Clark and Dean's criticisms are serious enough to warrant a response. Of course, "cuckoo" is not much of a response, but it is nice to hear DeLay make a sound that is appropriate for a man with a damaged brain such as his own. (Texas progressive activist Jim Hightower has speculated that DeLay's breathing of pesticides during his years as a bug exterminator has caused irreversible brain damage--I think Hightower's probably right about this.) Of course, the really interesting thing about this article is DeLay's bald faced lies:

DeLay said it is "big-spending Democrats who want to take everybody's money and dampen this economy that is starting to show signs of booming."

That assessment is in direct conflict with predictions of the Congressional Budget Office, however. On Saturday, that office warned that the country is facing a "major economic crisis."

"Dramatic tax increases or dramatic spending cuts across the board" will be needed to turn it around, the budget office said.

As Paul Krugman has stated, in the 80s Republicans seemed to honestly believe that neo-liberalism would improve the economy; now they just lie about it.

Sigh.

For the rest of the article, click here.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$