Bloch has to step aside. One of the focuses of the investigation, according to the L.A. Times story and apparently backed up by Bloch, is "White House efforts to keep presidential appointees attuned to Republican political priorities..."

He's one of those appointees! He might be the most honest guy in the world, but the appearance alone here of possible conflict of interest demands that he step aside and have an outside investigator take the case.

bloch investigates the WH, collects all the embarassing evidence, when congressional investigations want that evidence the WH says we gave all that to bloch go ask him. he then says can't let you see any of it since it will damage the case. rove has no worries, everyone would go down the tubes if that stuff (emails, etc.) got even vaguely near being public.

this may launch the feeding frenzy the country needs to get the resignations of our imperial idiots, ok so that's a little too generous

Does Mr. bush think America will continue to be hoodwinked. He stole the election, got us into a war under false pretenses, used the justice department as a political arm of the republican party, used the war to fatten the pockets of his allies, effectively redistributed income to the wealthy. What else can he do? Oh I know, convince America that he will investigate himself.

If I ever get busted for something, I sincerly hope that I too am lucky enough to appoint my own police investigator and judge who serves at my pleasure.

wow, another corrupt republican setting up a coverup. What a shock.

This is the most corrupt administration in America's history, headed by the most corrupt and incapable, illiterate president ever, GW Bush. And we, the people, are paying the price.

The ancient pagans had a saying: "The mills of the gods grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly fine."

Here it comes, Bushies....

We should reserve some of our ire for congress, who take a 97 day working period at what .... $150,000 per year ?.... they just voted themselves a raise so I don't know and some of who can be bought (which should be a hanging offense ... on TV off light poles in Washington.) ala Abramoff, Cunningham etc. Carol Lam (Lamb, Lamn ... I don't know)one of the DAs Gonzales got to, was investigating another of Cunninham's cronies when she got whacked. Rove and Gonzales leeringly mock us from our TV screens daily. The next important election in our lives is coming up next year.

Bush may have been less than honest about what he is doing and why, but Congress authorized military action and the President as commander in chief is the only one who can Constitutionally decide when to end it.

Congress needs to actually do what they are paid for and stop grandstanding for the 2008 election.

"Bush may have been less than honest about what he is doing and why..." Err - let's see - less than honest -- LIED! IF he LIED to get us into the war, THEN, he (Bush/Cheney) SHOULD BE IMPEACHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Bush administration is nothing more than a political mafia. They care about no one but themselves and their latest demonstration of political and moral corruption is the so called surge in Iraq. This is just a sleazy gimmick designed to prolong the war until these monsters leave the White House. They know that there is no way to get out of the Iraq disaster with any kind of victory so the only thing they can do is pass this mess on to the next President while allowing more US service men and women to give up their lives for Bush’s political vanity.

When G.W. Bush was "elected" by the Supreme Court I told my friends we'd be at War before a year was out. To sit and watch the debauchery of the last six years has been gut wrenching. I'd watch Pat Robertson's learing Alfred E. Neuman face for a pick-me-up. But then I went to see George Wallace and watch hippies get beaten by little old ladies with white handbags. Now that's entertainment! However, as I watch G.W. Bush's greying face I see the American dream going to hell in a hand basket. My older friends tell me they will be glad to pass away and not face the future the neo-con fundametalist's have planned. So step up to the plate! Do the right thing. Scott J. Bloch is a fox in the hen house. Get real. How about the War profits of Haliburton being put back into the U.S. Treasury Department and the three stodges, Bush, Cheney, and Rove and all their immediate families be required to work at a Burger King in El Paseo Texas with no medical benefits. Then Karl Rove could reallly sell Whoppers.

The head of the Office of Special Counsel, Scott J. Blochand, is a BushCheney appointee.

How stupid does one have to be to believe this will be a real investigation? It certainly will be "fair and balanced".

About 4 or 5 buckets of whitewash should do it.

I am and always have been counting on Social Security when I retire. I strongly and hold heartly disagree with the assumption that it is a bad deal for workers. It sure is alot better than the proposal by this White House and Republicans upon capital hill promoting of the Private-Retirement-Account (PRA) legislation.

For over 70 years Social Security has helped to keep millions of elderly and disabled Americans from poverty, but today there is an attempt to let Social Security “die on the vine” as one well known Republican put it. The Social Security System as Americans know it today is being assaulted by the elitist rich and powerful Republicans and their leader the “Decider” George Bush by proposing to replace or change the current Social Security System with a so-called PRA type of system. Social Security can be strengthened in a way without this luncy type of plan being proposed by Bush and his coharts. The Social Security system of today is in need of some reforms that will help all Americans when they reach the age of retirement, just as President Franklin D. Roosevelt promised over 70 years ago. All this can be done without changing the system or benefits . The answer is simple, locking up the Social Security Trust funds from these elite Republican and others unscrupuious politicians who have squandered the funds that were supposed to be available to the American people on Social Security.

The Republican were against Social Security at it’s conception, and are doing everything they can to slowly let it “die on the vine” as one unscrupuious Republican once said. The key to real reform is NOT personal-retirement-accounts in which all workers could supposely save a portion of their payroll taxes. The American people have witnessed in the last few years while under Republican control how these investment schemes and the false asumptions that componding interest would provide today’s worker with real ownership of their retirement choices and peace of mind which many of the Republicans and the “Decider” want the American people to believe.

The Social Security System does have its short-comings, but nothing that can’t be fixed with sound and purdent legislation. The arguments made against Social Security by nearly ever Republican rest on a great deal of incorrect and misleading information. These myths have spread and taken on a life of their own, without any factual foundation. To some it sounds great, but one has to look outside the box and see that these lies have been purposefully initiated to promote the Republican mean spirited agenda, rather than to advance workable reform of the Social Security System.

The elite rich and powerful Republicans and this White House along with their coharts, the corrupt and greedy corporations, have put forth a proposal that would establish a so-called Private- Retirement-Account which would cost the taxpayers between $1 trillion and 2 trillion dollars, far more than just continuing the current Social Security System. If the money were placed in this PRA the trust fund would run out of money. Ignoring these cost is disingenuous. The Democrats who are in the majority today should ban together and come up with a solution for the problems of the Social Security System while it still can, because they will not be around after the 2008 election because of their stand on illegal immigration reform legislation.

The paying for Social Security will require Congress to balance Social Security’s needs against those of the rest of the economy. And it is my opinion that Social Security solvency should be viewed as second only to the national security and protected throughout the ages as far as the human mind can percieve. As it stands now the Social Security trust fund contains assets that make Social Security secure for the next 40 years, but the Republicans reject this notion becauseit does not fit in with their luncy agenda. The trust fund is a bookkeeping system through which the government lends money to itself, and this should be stopped by this Congress.

The Social Security system can be fixed by implementing modest changes, by making the wealthy pay Social Security taxes on all of their income, or creating faster economic growth. It would be a tremendous and helpful step to end this foolish war in Iraq, and would save the American taxpayers trillions of dollars and would if handled the correct way, make Social Security system solvent. Further, if Congress would stop spending the Social Security surplus and repay the money that it has already spent, Social Security would not need to be fixed. The introducing of the so-called Social Security PRA would result in reduced benefits for existing retirees and those close to retirement.

Today Social Security is collecting more than enough money both to pay full benefits to current retirees and those about to retire, it just that these Republicans and their coharts have it in their heads to do away with Social Security all together, as one despot one said: “ we will let Social Security slowly die on the vine”. One way of protecting Social Security would be for this Democrat controlled Congress to repeal the Bush tax cuts for the elite, rich, and fat cat Republicans and their greedy coharts, and to impeach the “Decider” for failure to enforce violations of the United States Constitution and all the laws therein.

PRA would incurr high administration cost that would eliminate any potential benefits, and the only people who would gain would be the elite rich and powerful Republicans and their coharts the greedy and corrupt corporations, and Wall Street. Unlike stock market investments, today Social Security is guaranteed and risk free, so why change it? Recent volatility in the stock market proves how dangerous PRA would be.

Lower income and minority workers are better off with the current Social Security system. The rate of return is not of primary concern, because Social Security is essentially an insurance program. Also introducing PRA would reduce disability benefits. In conclusion, the many myths and scare tactics that have emerged do not change the luncy promotions of the Republicans or the realities that confront the American people. This nation’s deficits needs to be brought under control, and the luncy idea of PRA should be set aside in a thoughtful quest for authentic, effective, and critically need Social Security reform, as well as other reforms thoughout this government. The Republican Party and its coharts has brought upon this nation nothing but disgrace, shame, and dishonor , and this Democrat controlled Congress should put a stop to Bush the “Decider” and all his coharts and any others who get in the way of the American Dream.

Author: William Alford Perry

Why is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) relying on the food producers to police themselves? The contamination of the nation’s food supply which has led to disease outbreaks that have killed 3 people and sickened hundreds is a shame. It seems the FDA is incapable of protecting the safety of the food supply and this Bush administration isn’t doing anything but blowing hot air and smirking at the American people and doing very little to stem this outrage. They contend there is nothing that can be done about the problem.

There is a problem in California with hogs that have eaten feed laced with Melamine an industrial chemical that resulted in the deaths of some pets. The FDA have not yet determined if this is a threat to humans. There has been a recall of over 100 different brands of pet food. These outbreaks should prompt the FDA to change it’s way of doing business in a way that will insure the nation’s food supply. This Bush administration and many of
the sinister Republicans are sure dropping the ball here, and it seems like they are just passing the buck, and even claiming the problem is just to big to handle.

The House Energy and Commerce subcommitte is planning to have hearing on these flood of recalls of pet feed. The Bush administration and the Republicans do not want any more regulations, and not inclined to spent the money. This administration’s hostility towards the government is going to hinder the FDA getting a handle on this problem. The Congress should bring forth legislation to account for the FDA’s accountability as well as this badly led administration role in this matter.

The FDA inspectors who checks into these types of problems allowed the companies who produce the pet feed to refuse them documents they were seeking, and the FDA inspectors just up and left and never followed-up. This is a shame and very dangerous to the food safety of pets and humans.
Bush and his Republican coharts seem not to care. Last August 400 people were sickened in 44 states caused by Salmonella contamination from moisture from a roof leak and a faulty sprinkler system.

This Democratic controlled Congress should step up to the plate concerning these as well as other issues confronting the government before it will be to late to do anything about them, because it seems this administration believes that it can do the American people anyway it chooses. In my opinion there should be impeachment of Bush coming out of this Congress, the sooner the better. These elite rich fat cat Republicans
who blindly goes along with Bush no matter what the cost and suffering of the American people also need to be brought before the bar of justice and justice served where they cannot continue to prey up on the American people. William in Alabama.

This reminds me of a really bad movie. A crook investigating the crooks. Unless our corrupt bipartisan
leadership begins conducting their own investigation, oversight and imposing punishment or impeachments America will continue to be manipulated by the politically minded criminals.

Glad to see everyone is finally on the same page here. Now lets all hold the criminal dictator George W Bush to legal account for his treasonous circumvention of the US Constitution and his crimes against humanity.