The title can be read two ways: women don't have a voice in how laws are applied to their bodies, or women demand that lawmakers who know little of what it's like to have a uterus keep their mouths shut.

I was scrolling through the online version of the New York Times this morning, and read the headlines, "Bush Calls to End Ban on Offshore Oil Drilling." (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/19/washington/19drill.html?_r...). Bush's argues that lifting the ban would help lower gas prices and strengthen national security. He goes on to argue that if Congress fails to act accordingly, then Americans can blame them for $4/gallon gasoline. I tried to make some sense of the argument: put the environment, surrounding wildlife, and our earthly home at risk because it's the ONLY way to keep gas prices down. And, the corollary: failure to lift the ban means greater economic pressure for Americans.

More progressives need to learn from  Jennifer Granholm, Gov of Michigan.  During a debate with her opponent, Granholm gave president Bush, who we all know is fond of pet names, a nickname of his own: "Pussycat."  What a sweet nickname.  Granholm said Michigan needs a tiger (referencing the Detroit baseball team) fighting for them and went on to say that George Bush is just an old pussycat. Oddly enough, I found this pic of George Bush today and he actually has taken on some feline features. Detroit Free Press

A reality just one small step to the right of our own

G8 Leaders to Form Support Group

By now, most people have seen the uncomfortable footage of President Bush giving German Chancellor Angela Merkel an unwelcomed shoulder massage.  But other leaders in attendance at the G8 summit have indicated that Bush's inappropriate behavior was not restricted to the Chancellor and there were further incidents that the cameras missed.  After the security footage of Bush and the Chancellor was made public, the other world leaders felt emboldened to speak out on their experiences.  The heads of state have indicated that in an effort to avoid having their personal discomfort with the President negatively impact international politics, they will be forming a support group to come to terms with their emotions.

"I was in the bathroom alone and he [Bush] walked right up to the urinal next to mine, even though there

were plenty that were available," complained French President Jacques Chirac, "He then announced that he

had heard that the French were 'great lovers' and raised his eyebrows at me.  I can't say with certainty

if this was an advance towards me or just a poor attempt at 'guy' talk, but it made me very uncomfortable."

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Ironically, President Bush chose the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005 to be the first veto of his presidency. The irony comes from several directions:

1) Bush has heretofore championed the use of "signing statements" to signal his disapproval and alternate interpretation of Congressional legislation -- why the sudden switch to the veto? Clearly election-year pandering.

2) The Reagans, the paragons of conservative virtue, are active supporters of stem cell research.

3) The President himself hates babies.