BernieHund: The Political Watchdog

And, just when you think it can’t get any worse…

FDA “glitch” kills four and creates “complications” for 350 more.  A tainted ingredient imported from China and used in the manufacture of Heparin did not forestall its use.  FDA suggested that the heparin be administered “slowly” and used in conjunction with antihistamines and steroids to prevent allergic reactions.  I suppose we are to bury the dead.  Good job, Andy.

FDA finally suspended the use of Trasylol after approximately 22,000 deaths.  Trasylol was used to reduce bleeding during and following heart surgery.  While it reduced bleeding, it also caused renal failure.  A Canadian study stopped the study of patients using Trasylol because so many of them were dying.  The FDA finally suspended its use in U.S.  I usppose that falls into the “better late than never” category, except for the 22,000 that died.

FBI “glitch” nets jackpot of emails from hundreds of accounts.  Secret Squirrel Court granted one account, but “miscommunication” is the basis of this privacy “glitch”.   Right!

President Bush goes to Africa.  Secretary of State Rice follows his visits to clean up the mess he makes.  And, damn, Bush comes home.

Carrying loaded guns into national parks becomes an issue.

Report shows that more than 700 Marines have died as a result of roadside bombs.  The forward looking Defense Department would rather invest in research than Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) trucks for the troops on duty today.

On the immigration front, according to the Washington Post:

Under the Secure Fence Act of 2006, the department [Homeland Security] was instructed to secure about one-third of the 2,000-mile Mexican border with 700 miles of double-layered fencing. However, department officials have since whittled that down to a plan for about 370 miles of pedestrian fencing and 300 miles of vehicle barriers to be finished by the end of 2008.

Someone needs to explain the definition of “fence”.  Of course, eminent domain is bound to come into play as part of the “fence” is to cross private property.

Not satisfied with taking democracy to Iraq, we are now taking our justice department.  According to NPR

Attorney General Michael Mukasey recently visited Baghdad to meet with Justice Department employees helping to reestablish an Iraqi court system.

Let’s hope they do better in Iraq than they did here.

New York was forced to recount their primary votes because no one… and I mean no one… would believe that Obama received “0″ votes in several districts, especially if you look at the “0″ votes in Harlem.  Clinton managed a “0″ vote in at least one district.  Possible?  Yes.  Probable?  Not in this lifetime.

In the meantime, Senator Joe Biden is one of hundreds overseeing elections in Pakistan.  Ah… who is overseeing elections in U.S.?

By the way, the Nevada Caucus suspended part of the delegate count today in total frustration.  No one has figured it out yet.  Maybe they will try again before the convention.

Hillary couldn’t get Barack to debate before the Wisconsin primary so she accused him of plagiarizing part of a speech.  Now, that’a an issue of national interest.

Barack wins Wisconsin, Hawaii, and Americans abroad, picking up more delegates.

Hillary and Barack debate in Austin.  It goes something like… I like you, I hate you, I love you and it’s over.

The next day Hillary becomes outraged at three week old mailers that Barack’s campaign sent out.  Gotta keep up, Hill!

John McCain says he did not have sex with that woman… and we all believe him.  (Who would want to have sex with Popeye?)

The Bush administration says that we are losing intelligence because of FISA debate.  But, in the same statement says that telecoms are continuing to allow government to use resources, temporarily.

And, as the nightcap, Mike Huckabee appears on SNL and says he still believes in miracles.  Maybe he should hope for some “fuzzy math.”

We survived another one!

Now, it’s time to watch Bush give away our national parks and wilderness… Stay tuned as the present administration tries to give our national forests to logging companies and our wilderness areas to mining companies before the term is up.  The “Roadless Rule” could become extinct as Bush and Co. want to give access to corporations.  That could lead to the loss of over 58.5 million acres (less than 2% of the land mass) of protected natural beauty and wilderness. 

Alabama areas stricken with tornado destruction this past week does not qualify for FEMA because proportionally too many people had insurance.  And, what about those who didn’t?