[kittenb]

Gonzales Resigns.

Gonzales Resigns as Attorney General
By STEVEN LEE MYERS
WACO, Tex., Aug. 27 — ­ Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, whose tenure has been marred by controversy and accusations of perjury before Congress, has resigned. A senior administration official said he would announce the decision later this morning in Washington.

Mr. Gonzales, who had rebuffed calls for his resignation, submitted his to President Bush by telephone on Friday, the official said. His decision was not immediately announced, the official added, until after the president invited him and his wife to lunch at his ranch near here.

Mr. Bush has not yet chosen a replacement but will not leave the position open long, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the Attorney General's resignation had not yet been made public.

Mr. Bush had repeatedly stood by Mr. Gonzales, an old friend and colleague from Texas, even as he faced increasing scrutiny for his leadership of the Justice Department, including his role in the dismissals of nine United States attorneys late last year and questions about whether he testified truthfully about the National Security Agency's surveillance programs.

"We're watching a political exercise," Mr. Bush said at a news conference this month, dismissing accusations that the Attorney General had stonewalled or misled a congressional inquiry. "I mean, this is a man who has testified, he's sent thousands of papers up there. There's no proof of wrong."

Mr. Gonzales's resignation is the latest in a series of high-level departures that has reshaped the end of Mr. Bush's second term. Karl Rove, another of Mr. Bush's close circle of aides from Texas, stepped down two weeks ago.

The official said that the decision was Mr. Gonzales's and that the president accepted it grudgingly. At the same time, the official acknowledged that the turmoil over his tenure as Attorney General had made continuing difficult.

"The unfair treatment that he's been on the receiving end of has been a distraction for the department," the official said.

[culturehandy]

Erin, I did not, but that doesn't surprise me. I hear first hand from my clients the level of corruption which exhists on reserves.

I don't understand why you would not want the best for the people you govern. What politician does. This is a popultion which is marginalized, suffers hugely and no one seems to give a shit. It hurts my heart.

[erinjane]

Freckle, Canada has a huge Aboriginal population, in fact, where Culture and I live 8% of the total population is Aboriginal.

Culture, did you hear how at the same reserve that a former chief, an addictions worker, and a band council member have all been charged with bootlegging? That's just disgusting.

[culturehandy]

The Canadian justice system is set up in such a way that it stresses rehabilitation. Which some argue causes a revolving door justice system.

With that said, you don't want the case, for example, in the U.S. where a war vet was sent to jail for 90 years for growing his marijuana. Information regarding that can be found here.

Canada does not want to breed career criminals. The justice system cannot prosecute anyone under the age of 12. Where do you send these children?

There are so many things wrong with this. Such loss all around. I can't imagine.

[freckleface7]

culture,

I had no idea about any of that, starting with that there were any Aboriginal People's there in Canada whatsoever.

I understand though.. you hear about things like you said about the economic status of things here in the US on the Indian Reservations too, which is why (in my very limited knowledge & understanding of things) some/many of them have gone into running casino's & the like.

no future, no prospects, what does that do to the children growing up w/ in them?

that said, I totally disagree w/ what is being done With (as opposed To or even better FOR) those children that commited that crime. they need some sort of punishment with help.
my heart hurts for the family.

[culturehandy]

Freckle, this is a very sad thing. Unfortunately, in Canada, the Aboriginal community is marginalized and suffers extreme levels of addiction, suicide, teen pregnancy, poverty, etc. The suicide rates on reserves or upwards of 10 or 15 times the national average. The Federal Government here doesn't do shit. The current government ended the most recent accord which would have pumped billions into programs for the Aboriginal Community.

Some reserves don't have running water or electricty. You have homes that are condemned and people are still living in. It's not unusual to have 15 people living in a two bedroom house.

It's disgusting.

The outcome of many of these things is the article you just read.

In my line of work I've seen women who are 30 who have 7 and 8 children. They become pregnant at age 13 and it continues. There is a lack of education on reserves, as often times, because the communities are so small, there is no high school, so in order for someone to complete high school they have to the next biggest centre. Family is very important to the First Nations Communities, so it is hard to leave them to complete school There is very little work on reserves, and nepotism isn't uncommon. These people have nothing. Some reserves in the country are comparable to under developed nations.

It's Canada's dirty little secret. I equate it with the Maori, Aboriginee and African American populations.

[freckleface7]

Words cannot even describe. Sadly, there are many who are unsurprised by this

that is heartbreaking culturehandy, how very Tragically SAD.

and that the kids won't be punished bc they are too young?
they were old enough to understand he could not swim.
they were old enough to Humiliate him by making him strip first!

this freaks me out on so many levels, that I am raising a child in this sort of world.
the closer we get to the start of another school year, the more I desperately want to keep my frecklette home & with me forever & ever.

[culturehandy]

Words cannot even describe. Sadly, there are many who are unsurprised by this

[nickclick]

i have to say, the man's damn good at PR..... what else can explain all those people voting for an inexperienced monkey-looking, english-gargling, spolied son of a terrible president ? twice ?

maybe coca cola will hire him.

[ginger_kitty]

I felt like the Rove thing was just him trying to escape before he is held accountable for anything. I am glad to see him go, but it seems like too little, too late. I am sure Bush is going to continue reeking havok on our country until he is out of office.

[culturehandy]

He predicts that Bush will regain popularity? I've no doubt that will happen...when his term is finally finished and he's no longer in the White House.

ugh, Karl Rove is a dipshit.

[sukouyant]

I like where the article mentions that he's known as "bush's brain".

[Divala]

Karl Rove is leaving at the end of the month. My first thought is "yay!", but then I wonder if, since he'll be out of office, if he'll still be held responsible for anything that he did. You've gotta wonder why he's leaving a little over a year out from the next major election, which he should be pretty well entrenched in by now.

The scary thing is that he wants to teach politics. Maud help us.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20242719/

[sukouyant]

knorl's an articulate dame

Earlier this week

Prostitution laws face challenge: They are unconstitutional, Vancouver lawyers claim

(prostitution is legal in Canada, while many of the ways prostitutes prefer to work are not.)

[culturehandy]

word Knorl. You've hit the nail right on the head.

[sukouyant]

the intitial post was my knee jerk reaction.. the second was after i had given it some thought

ps your avatar is great sukouyant

baby animals might be the missing link to world peace (or kitten domination)

[knorl05]

the intitial post was my knee jerk reaction.. the second was after i had given it some thought

ps your avatar is great sukouyant

[sukouyant]

you said that in more words than i ever could have.
i guess that you could see that and just forgot temporarily when you asked your question. it goes to show that the words are powerful on both ends of the spectrum.

[knorl05]

sukouyant: yes i can see that but if that's the intention, she's going to have to completely debase pop culture for it to actually make some sort of impact. that's like saying the fat in fast food is the culprit behind overeating and obesity. the problem is not with our words (or eg. what we eat), the problem is with our character, our values and our awareness of world around us.

[sukouyant]

Well, boys and men calling women bitches because of the music and scene they're into is a problem and I think that's what they were trying feebly to address. It's not going to work though.