Nearly everywhere members of the Bush administration travel this summer, they are being met with protests. On Thursday in Portland, 2,500 people protested President Bush and his policies. This was almost exactly one year after a Bush appearence in Portland where antiwar protestors were shot with rubber bullets and pepper sprayed after the city declared a "state of emergency." There was no "state of emergency" declared on Thursday, but there were still a number of arrests and pepper spray was used. On Friday President Bush travels to Seattle, where large protests are being planned by a wide variety of groups.

These protests fit into a national context in which the public appears to be waking up to the reality of the Bush agenda. While opinion polls should always be looked at with skepticism, a new Zogby Poll reports that 48% of people say its time for someone new in the White House, while only 52% of people approve of Bush's job performance.

Portland IMC Coverage of the August 21 Anti-Bush Protest

Seattle IMC will have Updated Coverage Today on the Protests

It's not just the President that is being met with protests. Attorney General John Ashcroft, who is on a tour to promote the USA PATRIOT Act and the forthcoming VICTORY Act, was met by protestors today in Michigan at an appearence Detroit. A growing number of cities are passing resolutions condemning the PATRIOT Act as the Justice Department is facing increasing criticism from the US Congress.

CounterPunch: Ashcroft's VICTORY Laps

Z Magazine: The USA PATRIOT Act - The Assault on Civil Liberties