David Ortez

It seems that the media has had a frenzy over the latest Capitol Hill scandal. It seems that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is being scrutinized for her role in the Bush Administration torture scandal.

The CIA claims that they briefed Pelosi and disclosed that “waterboarding” was used as an interrogation technique. Pelosi went on the defensive and claims that no such thing happened.

Sometimes, I wish I could come up with some of this stuff … but then again, it is funnier when it is true. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) created a coloring book titled, "A Scary Thing Happened" which allows adults ergo parents explain how disasters occur.

A little birdy told me this was created for W so he could understand what happened after Katrina. Something tells me that this was still way over his reading level. Download a copy of the FEMA Color Book courtesy The Smoking Gun and edumacate yourself!

Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot! Unfortunately, he is a tool with access to a microphone and audience that have a shorter memory span than goldfish. That did not stop the comedian from bashing President Barack Obama for shaking hands with President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela.

What I do not understand and why should I even attempt to rationalize this demagogue’s actions … is that President Obama reacted in a civilized form. Memo to Rush, when someone extends his or her hand as a greeting, you typically reciprocate the action especially in the context of this situation.

Update: Just like I predicted or more like interpreted … Samira Simone of CNN reports, "Obama on Tuesday left open the possibility of criminal prosecution, saying it would be up to Attorney General Eric Holder to decide whether to prosecute the former officials."

As the Barack Obama released Bush memos that accounted for the terrible atrocities authorized and executed on suspected terrorists, one would think that it would be former President George W. Bush that would be held to the stake. On the contrary, it is President Obama who is being criticized!

“Yes. I think I made a mistake … I campaigned on changing Washington and bottom-up politics. And I don’t want to send a message to the American people that there are two sets of standards, one for powerful people, and one for ordinary folks who are working every day and paying their taxes … I take responsibility for it and we’re going to make sure we fix it so it doesn’t happen again.” – President Obama on Tom Daschle

The far right has been on a meme this week and who can blame them. President Obama set himself up by failing to properly vet two of his nominees who ran into tax problems.

I am quite proud that these nominees put their ego’s aside and instead of seeking the nomination, they stepped down. A stark difference from the environment that was prevalent in the last 8 years.

The United States was founded in 1776 and at that time only white, male, property owners had the right to exercise their political influence via voting in an election. Women would not be granted that right until 1920. President Obama signed into law an equal-pay for equal work bill into law. This would end years of mostly gender discrimination in the labor industry that saw females underpaid compared to their male counterparts.

Phillip Elliott of the Associated Press reports that, “Obama, choosing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act as the first bill to sign as president, called it a "wonderful day" and declared that ending pay disparities between men and woman an issue not just for women, but for all workers.”

It has been 8 years or just shy of 3000 days that we have been under the Bush Administration. It feels like this day would have never come.

I was ready for this day in 2004 but history had a different fate and it seems that it may have turned out for the better. As, this country moves on to a new administration … a different one in all respect from the one departing, I shall reflect on the last 8 years.

In many ways, President George Bush has been the first Head of State that I have lived my life under. I was 16 years old when he was elected in 2000. I briefly remember Bill Clinton as President and can vaguely remember George Bush Senior, but it is W. that I will always remember.