~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Top New York Times editors quit
Rose Arce and Shannon Troetel CNN
"The two top editors at The New York Times have resigned in the wake of a reporting scandal, the newspaper announced Thursday.
The editors, Executive Editor Howell Raines and Managing Editor Gerald Boyd, had been particularly criticized for their roles in the scandal surrounding
the reporting of 27-year-old Jayson Blair, who quit the paper on May 1."
Internet muse.
Daring, bold, never sold.
My daily weblog of politics, humor, philosophy...and a constant and nagging reminder of the existence of universal love....
Thursday, June 05, 2003
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Midnight Ride of the Rabble
Thom Hartmann, June 4, 2003
"These corporate-embracing conservatives are not working for what's best for democracy, for America, or for the interests of "We, The People." They are explicitly interested in a singular goal: Profits and the power to maintain them. Under control, the desire for profit can be a useful thing, as 200 years of American free enterprise have shown.
But unrestrained, as George Soros warns us so eloquently, it will create monopoly and destroy democracy. The new conservatives are systematically dismantling our governmental systems of checks and balances; of considering the public good when regulating private corporate behavior; of protecting those individuals, small businesses, and local communities who are unable to protect themselves from giant corporate predators. They want to replace government of, by, and for We, the People, with a corporate feudal state, turning America's citizens into their vassals and serfs.
Only a public revolt in disgust over this unconscionable behavior will stop these new conservatives from turning America into a corporate-based clone of Mussolini's feudal vision. As Longfellow reminds us, "In the hour of darkness and peril and need/The people will waken and listen to hear.."
It is again that hour, and now is the time for we, the rabble, to re-awaken our fellow citizens."
http://www.guerrillanews.com/media/doc2064.html
"To every Middlesex village and farm,
A cry of defiance, and not of fear,
A voice in the darkness, a knock at the door,
And a word that shall echo for evermore!
For, borne on the night-wind of the Past,
Through all our history, to the last,
In the hour of darkness and peril and need,
The people will waken and listen to hear."
-- From Paul Revere's Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1863
Midnight Ride of the Rabble
Thom Hartmann, June 4, 2003
"These corporate-embracing conservatives are not working for what's best for democracy, for America, or for the interests of "We, The People." They are explicitly interested in a singular goal: Profits and the power to maintain them. Under control, the desire for profit can be a useful thing, as 200 years of American free enterprise have shown.
But unrestrained, as George Soros warns us so eloquently, it will create monopoly and destroy democracy. The new conservatives are systematically dismantling our governmental systems of checks and balances; of considering the public good when regulating private corporate behavior; of protecting those individuals, small businesses, and local communities who are unable to protect themselves from giant corporate predators. They want to replace government of, by, and for We, the People, with a corporate feudal state, turning America's citizens into their vassals and serfs.
Only a public revolt in disgust over this unconscionable behavior will stop these new conservatives from turning America into a corporate-based clone of Mussolini's feudal vision. As Longfellow reminds us, "In the hour of darkness and peril and need/The people will waken and listen to hear.."
It is again that hour, and now is the time for we, the rabble, to re-awaken our fellow citizens."
http://www.guerrillanews.com/media/doc2064.html
"To every Middlesex village and farm,
A cry of defiance, and not of fear,
A voice in the darkness, a knock at the door,
And a word that shall echo for evermore!
For, borne on the night-wind of the Past,
Through all our history, to the last,
In the hour of darkness and peril and need,
The people will waken and listen to hear."
-- From Paul Revere's Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1863
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
General Eric K. Shinseki
An Army transformed, thanks to a retiring general
By Joseph L. Galloway
KNIGHT RIDDER TRIBUNE
http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/democrat/news/opinion/6013492.htm
"Shinseki, a quiet warrior who avoided the media at every opportunity, has been treated shamefully by Rumsfeld and his people. He soldiered on faithfully and loyally, driving the engine of change inside an institution he loves.
The Army, and the nation, owe Gen. Shinseki a salute and their gratitude for a job well done when he steps out onto the parade ground at Fort Meyer and says his farewell next week."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
YOU BE THE JUDGE:
WHAT DO YOU THINK OUR MILITARY THINKS
OF THIS BUSH ADMINISTRATION?
**It's becoming painfully clear**
http://www.sltrib.com/2003/Jun/06042003/commenta/62874.asp
"Army Chief of Staff Eric Shinseki, who has virtually been ignored and shunned by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, is scheduled to retire on June 11. Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. John Keane turned down Shinseki's job and announced his retirement. Gen. Tommy Franks, the commander of Central Command who prosecuted the war in Iraq, also turned Rumsfeld down and announced his retirement. Rumsfeld has been unable to fill either of the two top Army positions. Sources tell us that he has even sought to have retired generals return to active duty to fill the slots, but to no avail."
General Eric K. Shinseki
An Army transformed, thanks to a retiring general
By Joseph L. Galloway
KNIGHT RIDDER TRIBUNE
http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/democrat/news/opinion/6013492.htm
"Shinseki, a quiet warrior who avoided the media at every opportunity, has been treated shamefully by Rumsfeld and his people. He soldiered on faithfully and loyally, driving the engine of change inside an institution he loves.
The Army, and the nation, owe Gen. Shinseki a salute and their gratitude for a job well done when he steps out onto the parade ground at Fort Meyer and says his farewell next week."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
YOU BE THE JUDGE:
WHAT DO YOU THINK OUR MILITARY THINKS
OF THIS BUSH ADMINISTRATION?
**It's becoming painfully clear**
http://www.sltrib.com/2003/Jun/06042003/commenta/62874.asp
"Army Chief of Staff Eric Shinseki, who has virtually been ignored and shunned by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, is scheduled to retire on June 11. Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. John Keane turned down Shinseki's job and announced his retirement. Gen. Tommy Franks, the commander of Central Command who prosecuted the war in Iraq, also turned Rumsfeld down and announced his retirement. Rumsfeld has been unable to fill either of the two top Army positions. Sources tell us that he has even sought to have retired generals return to active duty to fill the slots, but to no avail."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ARE YOU SERIOUS ABOUT THE PRESERVATION OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY?
DON'T MISS:
http://www.democracycircles.org/
Democracy* isn't done alone in front of the television.
ARE YOU SERIOUS ABOUT THE PRESERVATION OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY?
DON'T MISS:
http://www.democracycircles.org/
Democracy* isn't done alone in front of the television.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Weapons Of Mass Stupidity
Fox News hits a new lowest common denominator
http://charlotte.creativeloafing.com/newsstand/current/news_cover.html
"Novelist Michael Malone, a notorious optimist, offered a faint ray of hope when he urged me to ignore all the polls -- if the government has intimidated most of the media, he argued, what makes you think the polls are credible?.."
"At the Merle Watson bluegrass festival in rural Wilkes County, singer Laura Love ridiculed President Bush from the main stage and harvested thousands of cheers to perhaps a hundred catcalls. At a crowded bookstore in Charlottesville last month, I tossed aside the book I hoped to sell and read a white-knuckled antiwar essay I wrote in 1991. One woman walked out, but everyone else applauded and grinned at me. Come to think of it, nearly everyone I know hates these wars and these lies as much as I do.
Are we so few, or are the numbers we see part of the Bush-Fox disinformation campaign -- like Saddam's missing uranium and his 25,000 liters of anthrax? This faint last hope will be tested in the presidential election of 2004. If the polls are right and Malone is wrong, as I fear, it's going to be a long, sandy century for the United States of America, for our children and grandchildren and all those sweet singing children yet unborn..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Weapons Of Mass Stupidity
Fox News hits a new lowest common denominator
http://charlotte.creativeloafing.com/newsstand/current/news_cover.html
"Novelist Michael Malone, a notorious optimist, offered a faint ray of hope when he urged me to ignore all the polls -- if the government has intimidated most of the media, he argued, what makes you think the polls are credible?.."
"At the Merle Watson bluegrass festival in rural Wilkes County, singer Laura Love ridiculed President Bush from the main stage and harvested thousands of cheers to perhaps a hundred catcalls. At a crowded bookstore in Charlottesville last month, I tossed aside the book I hoped to sell and read a white-knuckled antiwar essay I wrote in 1991. One woman walked out, but everyone else applauded and grinned at me. Come to think of it, nearly everyone I know hates these wars and these lies as much as I do.
Are we so few, or are the numbers we see part of the Bush-Fox disinformation campaign -- like Saddam's missing uranium and his 25,000 liters of anthrax? This faint last hope will be tested in the presidential election of 2004. If the polls are right and Malone is wrong, as I fear, it's going to be a long, sandy century for the United States of America, for our children and grandchildren and all those sweet singing children yet unborn..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sing-a-long time!
Sing this to the oldies tune
"SINCE I DON'T HAVE YOU"
George W Bush singing to his missing adversary Saddam Hussein:
"I fibbed 'bout WMD..
And I don't have victory...
I don't have anything
Since I don't have you-u-u-u
I don't have proof you died..
And most folks think that I've lied...
I don't have anything
Since I don't have you-u
I ain't had much success..
And I guess..
I never will ever again
When you escaped from me..
In walked old mystery..
And it's been here since then..
Whoa,
I don't have your DNA
To prove I blew you away
I don't have anything
Since I dont have you-u,you-u....."
by Iddybud
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sing-a-long time!
Sing this to the oldies tune
"SINCE I DON'T HAVE YOU"
George W Bush singing to his missing adversary Saddam Hussein:
"I fibbed 'bout WMD..
And I don't have victory...
I don't have anything
Since I don't have you-u-u-u
I don't have proof you died..
And most folks think that I've lied...
I don't have anything
Since I don't have you-u
I ain't had much success..
And I guess..
I never will ever again
When you escaped from me..
In walked old mystery..
And it's been here since then..
Whoa,
I don't have your DNA
To prove I blew you away
I don't have anything
Since I dont have you-u,you-u....."
by Iddybud
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Unravelling of Tony Blair
"Weapons of Mass Destruction, or WMD, has become part of the jargon of our time. When he finally goes, Blair ought have WMD chiselled on his political headstone. He has now been caught; for it must be clear to the most devoted courtier that he has lied about the primary reason he gave, repeatedly, for attacking Iraq.
THERE is a series of such lies; I have counted at least a dozen significant ones. They range from Blair's "solid evidence" linking Iraq with Al-Qaeda and September 11 (refuted by British intelligence) to claims of Iraq's "growing" nuclear weapons programme (refuted by the International Atomic Energy Agency when documents quoted by Blair were found to be forgeries), to perhaps his most audacious tale - that Iraq's weapons of mass destruction "could be activated within 45 minutes".
It is now Day 83 in the post-war magical mystery hunt for Iraq's "secret" arsenal. One group of experts, sent by George Bush, have already gone home...."
The Unravelling of Tony Blair
"Weapons of Mass Destruction, or WMD, has become part of the jargon of our time. When he finally goes, Blair ought have WMD chiselled on his political headstone. He has now been caught; for it must be clear to the most devoted courtier that he has lied about the primary reason he gave, repeatedly, for attacking Iraq.
THERE is a series of such lies; I have counted at least a dozen significant ones. They range from Blair's "solid evidence" linking Iraq with Al-Qaeda and September 11 (refuted by British intelligence) to claims of Iraq's "growing" nuclear weapons programme (refuted by the International Atomic Energy Agency when documents quoted by Blair were found to be forgeries), to perhaps his most audacious tale - that Iraq's weapons of mass destruction "could be activated within 45 minutes".
It is now Day 83 in the post-war magical mystery hunt for Iraq's "secret" arsenal. One group of experts, sent by George Bush, have already gone home...."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
US Senate opens Iraq weapons probe
"This is the first serious domestic pressure on the Bush administration."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/2958138.stm
"The US Congress has ordered an investigation into possible abuse of
intelligence information about alleged weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
The inquiries, launched by both Republican and Democratic politicians, will
include public hearings that will be televised live."
Related article:
End the deception
By Robert Jensen and Rahul Majahan
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2003-06-03-oppose_x.htm
"Americans face an important question in the aftermath of the Iraq invasion: Does it matter that our government fudged facts to justify war?
Should politicians face consequences when they mislead us, especially about the need for military force?
While British Prime Minister Tony Blair is facing increasing pressure because of his role in this debacle, the Bush administration is betting the
American public will tire of the debate. Officials apparently think that if they constantly repeat the mantra - "We know for certain
Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction" - and the news media faithfully relay that
message, they will get away with their deception..."
US Senate opens Iraq weapons probe
"This is the first serious domestic pressure on the Bush administration."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/2958138.stm
"The US Congress has ordered an investigation into possible abuse of
intelligence information about alleged weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
The inquiries, launched by both Republican and Democratic politicians, will
include public hearings that will be televised live."
Related article:
End the deception
By Robert Jensen and Rahul Majahan
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2003-06-03-oppose_x.htm
"Americans face an important question in the aftermath of the Iraq invasion: Does it matter that our government fudged facts to justify war?
Should politicians face consequences when they mislead us, especially about the need for military force?
While British Prime Minister Tony Blair is facing increasing pressure because of his role in this debacle, the Bush administration is betting the
American public will tire of the debate. Officials apparently think that if they constantly repeat the mantra - "We know for certain
Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction" - and the news media faithfully relay that
message, they will get away with their deception..."
Wednesday, June 04, 2003
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Shane ... Shane ... come back!"
The film Shane famously ends with Shane riding off after he's been shot in the climactic gunfight.
We all joined little Joey in that sentiment..didn't we?
If only Shane could have stayed.
Think Al Gore.
Shot down by five felonious "justices".
Riding off into the sunset.
Shane...come back!
http://www.electgore04.com/
http://www.capcityfreepress.com/news
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Shane ... Shane ... come back!"
The film Shane famously ends with Shane riding off after he's been shot in the climactic gunfight.
We all joined little Joey in that sentiment..didn't we?
If only Shane could have stayed.
Think Al Gore.
Shot down by five felonious "justices".
Riding off into the sunset.
Shane...come back!
http://www.electgore04.com/
http://www.capcityfreepress.com/news
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Truth and reality exist independent of man's mythological, religious, metaphysical and paranormal beliefs---"belief" does not necessarily equate to "truth". I believe that love, kindness, compassion, tolerance, and peace can be implanted in the psyche of man only when fear, paranormal illusion and ignorance are removed. We can then shift our attention more to matters of peace, rather than to matters of war. Man may then face the truth and reality of himself and his position in the universe and he can hope to realize that the meaning of life is dependent upon the unfolding of human powers to give life meaning. I believe it is in our power to achieve Peace on Earth, and I have hope that we will, with time, evolve the knowledge and wisdom to do so!"
http://www.religioustolerance.org/retz_01.htm
"Truth and reality exist independent of man's mythological, religious, metaphysical and paranormal beliefs---"belief" does not necessarily equate to "truth". I believe that love, kindness, compassion, tolerance, and peace can be implanted in the psyche of man only when fear, paranormal illusion and ignorance are removed. We can then shift our attention more to matters of peace, rather than to matters of war. Man may then face the truth and reality of himself and his position in the universe and he can hope to realize that the meaning of life is dependent upon the unfolding of human powers to give life meaning. I believe it is in our power to achieve Peace on Earth, and I have hope that we will, with time, evolve the knowledge and wisdom to do so!"
http://www.religioustolerance.org/retz_01.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"YEAH...RIGHT!" QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"As for the reaction of the Arab "street," the Middle East expert Professor Fouad Ajami predicts that after liberation, the streets in Basra and Baghdad are "sure to erupt in joy in the same way the throngs in Kabul greeted the Americans." Extremists in the region would have to rethink their strategy of Jihad."
Dick Cheney
In a Speech to the Veterans of Foreign Wars
August 26, 2002
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"YEAH...RIGHT!" QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"As for the reaction of the Arab "street," the Middle East expert Professor Fouad Ajami predicts that after liberation, the streets in Basra and Baghdad are "sure to erupt in joy in the same way the throngs in Kabul greeted the Americans." Extremists in the region would have to rethink their strategy of Jihad."
Dick Cheney
In a Speech to the Veterans of Foreign Wars
August 26, 2002
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
IRAN DOESN'T BELIEVE THE US WILL ATTACK IT
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?sf=3&click_id=3&art_id=qw1054390321665B265&set_id=1
"Berlin - Iran does not believe the United States will attack it although it does think Washington has demonised Tehran unjustly, Iranian Foreign Minister
Kamal Kharrazi told a German magazine.
"Unlike Iraq under Saddam we are not a dictatorship, but a democracy. Furthermore we are not disregarding any international laws. So we are not
worried about being the next victim of a military strike," Kharrazi told Der Spiegel magazine in an interview released on Saturday."
HOW ABOUT YOU? DO YOU BELIEVE IT?
http://www.onlinejournal.com/Special_Reports/
052903Leopold/052903leopold.html
"Ari Fleischer, Bush's press secretary, said during his daily press briefing Tuesday that Iran hasn't taken the appropriate steps to round up al Qaeda
terrorists allegedly hiding out within its borders. Moreover, Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons puts the U.S. in grave danger. Therefore, regime change is in order."
AND HOW DO YOU SUPPOSE REGIME CHANGE WILL BE ACHIEVED?
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=3&art_id=vn20030602104029850C952858&set_id=1
"The United States will not pursue deterrence or containment policies in its so-called war on terrorism but would instead seek to utterly destroy
its enemies, said US Vice-President Dick Cheney."
THE BIRTH OF THE ENABLING OF AMBITIONS
OF U.S. NEOCONSERVATIVE EMPIRE
WAS USHERED IN BY TERROR----
A TRIFECTA WAS "HIT"
"Cheney noted that the attacks of September 11, 2001, marked
the birth of the
"Bush doctrine" that any country supporting or harbouring terrorists was as guilty as the terrorists themselves."
DO YOU ACTUALLY DOUBT BUSH WILL GET A WAR ON WITH IRAN...AND SOON?
http://www.newamericancentury.org/foreignrelations-020702.htm
"The State of the Union address marked the maturation of the Bush Doctrine. This war, according to the president, has "two great objectives." The first is defeating terrorism. The second objective, marking the most significant declaration by an American president in almost 20 years, is an unequivocal rejection of the international status quo. "The United States of America," said President Bush, "will not permit the world's most dangerous regimes to threaten us with the world's most destructive weapons."
And President Bush singled out three regimes, North Korea, Iran and Iraq, as enemies; they constitute an "axis of evil" that poses "a grave and growing danger." Nor will he "stand by, as peril draws closer and closer." Time, he said, "is not on our side." The president is thus willing to act preemptively and, if need be, unilaterally. This is a matter of American self-defense.
The Bush Doctrine seeks to eliminate these weapons **UH-WHAT WEAPONS?** and the
dictatorial regimes that would use them **OH-LIKE SADDAM USED THEM IN THIS WAR?** ...."
"...The president also seeks to challenge tyranny in general. "No nation is exempt......"
William Kristol
2-7-2002
**TYRANNY IN GENERAL?! THIS IS A DOCTRINE, ALREADY?!**
IRAN DOESN'T BELIEVE THE US WILL ATTACK IT
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?sf=3&click_id=3&art_id=qw1054390321665B265&set_id=1
"Berlin - Iran does not believe the United States will attack it although it does think Washington has demonised Tehran unjustly, Iranian Foreign Minister
Kamal Kharrazi told a German magazine.
"Unlike Iraq under Saddam we are not a dictatorship, but a democracy. Furthermore we are not disregarding any international laws. So we are not
worried about being the next victim of a military strike," Kharrazi told Der Spiegel magazine in an interview released on Saturday."
HOW ABOUT YOU? DO YOU BELIEVE IT?
http://www.onlinejournal.com/Special_Reports/
052903Leopold/052903leopold.html
"Ari Fleischer, Bush's press secretary, said during his daily press briefing Tuesday that Iran hasn't taken the appropriate steps to round up al Qaeda
terrorists allegedly hiding out within its borders. Moreover, Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons puts the U.S. in grave danger. Therefore, regime change is in order."
AND HOW DO YOU SUPPOSE REGIME CHANGE WILL BE ACHIEVED?
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=3&art_id=vn20030602104029850C952858&set_id=1
"The United States will not pursue deterrence or containment policies in its so-called war on terrorism but would instead seek to utterly destroy
its enemies, said US Vice-President Dick Cheney."
THE BIRTH OF THE ENABLING OF AMBITIONS
OF U.S. NEOCONSERVATIVE EMPIRE
WAS USHERED IN BY TERROR----
A TRIFECTA WAS "HIT"
"Cheney noted that the attacks of September 11, 2001, marked
the birth of the
"Bush doctrine" that any country supporting or harbouring terrorists was as guilty as the terrorists themselves."
DO YOU ACTUALLY DOUBT BUSH WILL GET A WAR ON WITH IRAN...AND SOON?
http://www.newamericancentury.org/foreignrelations-020702.htm
"The State of the Union address marked the maturation of the Bush Doctrine. This war, according to the president, has "two great objectives." The first is defeating terrorism. The second objective, marking the most significant declaration by an American president in almost 20 years, is an unequivocal rejection of the international status quo. "The United States of America," said President Bush, "will not permit the world's most dangerous regimes to threaten us with the world's most destructive weapons."
And President Bush singled out three regimes, North Korea, Iran and Iraq, as enemies; they constitute an "axis of evil" that poses "a grave and growing danger." Nor will he "stand by, as peril draws closer and closer." Time, he said, "is not on our side." The president is thus willing to act preemptively and, if need be, unilaterally. This is a matter of American self-defense.
The Bush Doctrine seeks to eliminate these weapons **UH-WHAT WEAPONS?** and the
dictatorial regimes that would use them **OH-LIKE SADDAM USED THEM IN THIS WAR?** ...."
"...The president also seeks to challenge tyranny in general. "No nation is exempt......"
William Kristol
2-7-2002
**TYRANNY IN GENERAL?! THIS IS A DOCTRINE, ALREADY?!**
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DORGAN PREDICTS CONGRESS WILL OVERTURN FCC DECISION TO LIFT OWNERSHIP LIMITS
He says FCC’s decision is “dumb” and “dangerous”
“This is the fastest, most complete cave-in to corporate interests I’ve ever seen by what is supposed to be a federal regulatory agency,” Dorgan said. “This decision advances big corporate interests, and does so at the expense of the public interest. It is a decision that chooses concentration over competition.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DORGAN PREDICTS CONGRESS WILL OVERTURN FCC DECISION TO LIFT OWNERSHIP LIMITS
He says FCC’s decision is “dumb” and “dangerous”
“This is the fastest, most complete cave-in to corporate interests I’ve ever seen by what is supposed to be a federal regulatory agency,” Dorgan said. “This decision advances big corporate interests, and does so at the expense of the public interest. It is a decision that chooses concentration over competition.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ATTEMPTING TO MAINTAIN A SEMBLANCE
OF CREDIBILITY, POWELL SAYS HE DEPENDED
UPON INTELLIGENCE re: WMDS
Blix report fuels doubts on weapons of mass destruction
Financial Times
By James Politi in Washington
http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1054416347356&p=1012571727085
"Colin Powell, US secretary of state, said "it wasn't a figment of anyone's imagination" that Iraq possessed WMD. "There was no doubt in my mind as I went through the intelligence that the evidence was overwhelming," Mr Powell said in Rome, before heading to the Middle East."
"...The Senate Intelligence Committee is likely to hold a public hearing this month to examine the administration's use of intelligence..."
ATTEMPTING TO MAINTAIN A SEMBLANCE
OF CREDIBILITY, POWELL SAYS HE DEPENDED
UPON INTELLIGENCE re: WMDS
Blix report fuels doubts on weapons of mass destruction
Financial Times
By James Politi in Washington
http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1054416347356&p=1012571727085
"Colin Powell, US secretary of state, said "it wasn't a figment of anyone's imagination" that Iraq possessed WMD. "There was no doubt in my mind as I went through the intelligence that the evidence was overwhelming," Mr Powell said in Rome, before heading to the Middle East."
"...The Senate Intelligence Committee is likely to hold a public hearing this month to examine the administration's use of intelligence..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WOULD YOU BELIEVE..
"Asked about their confidence in world leaders to do the right thing, Palestinians ranked bin Laden first. He came in second in Jordan, Morocco and Pakistan."
CANADIANS ARE EVEN STARTING TO SEE US NEGATIVELY.
YES..I SAID CANADIANS.
Jun. 3, 2003. 04:48 PM
World support for U.S. at new low, survey suggests
Percentage of Americans with a positive view of Canada dips to 65 per cent
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1052251726439&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968705899037
WOULD YOU BELIEVE..
"Asked about their confidence in world leaders to do the right thing, Palestinians ranked bin Laden first. He came in second in Jordan, Morocco and Pakistan."
CANADIANS ARE EVEN STARTING TO SEE US NEGATIVELY.
YES..I SAID CANADIANS.
Jun. 3, 2003. 04:48 PM
World support for U.S. at new low, survey suggests
Percentage of Americans with a positive view of Canada dips to 65 per cent
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1052251726439&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968705899037
Tuesday, June 03, 2003
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PLAYTIME:
GO HERE.
PULL STRING AND CLICK.
REPEAT.
http://www.toostupidtobepresident.com/shockwave/bushisms.htm
PLAYTIME:
GO HERE.
PULL STRING AND CLICK.
REPEAT.
http://www.toostupidtobepresident.com/shockwave/bushisms.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Transition to an empire
By Ignacio Ramonet
Le Monde Diplomatique
http://mondediplo.com/2003/05/01ramonet
"WHEN General Jay Garner landed in Iraq and arrived in bombed and looted Baghdad he declared: "This is a great day." As if his presence miraculously ended the thousand and one problems afflicting ancient Mesopotamia. What is astonishing is not the obscenity of the statement but the resignation and apathy with which the media covered the installation of the man who should really be called the proconsul of the United States. As if there were no longer international law..."
Transition to an empire
By Ignacio Ramonet
Le Monde Diplomatique
http://mondediplo.com/2003/05/01ramonet
"WHEN General Jay Garner landed in Iraq and arrived in bombed and looted Baghdad he declared: "This is a great day." As if his presence miraculously ended the thousand and one problems afflicting ancient Mesopotamia. What is astonishing is not the obscenity of the statement but the resignation and apathy with which the media covered the installation of the man who should really be called the proconsul of the United States. As if there were no longer international law..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A "cherry-picking" of scandalous and monumental proportion
U.S. Intelligence Insiders Say Iraq Intel Deliberately Skewed
Fri May 30, 7:18 PM
By Jim Wolf
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=564&e=6&u=/nm/iraq_intelligence_dc
A "cherry-picking" of scandalous and monumental proportion
U.S. Intelligence Insiders Say Iraq Intel Deliberately Skewed
Fri May 30, 7:18 PM
By Jim Wolf
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=564&e=6&u=/nm/iraq_intelligence_dc
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PENTAGON IN DENIAL
Ex-Army boss: Pentagon won't admit reality in Iraq
By Dave Moniz, USA TODAY
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2003-06-02-white-usat_x.htm
"The former civilian head of the Army said Monday it is time for the Pentagon to admit that the military is in for a long occupation of Iraq that will require a major commitment of American troops.
Former Army secretary Thomas White said in an interview that senior Defense officials "are unwilling to come to grips" with the scale of the
postwar U.S. obligation in Iraq."
PENTAGON IN DENIAL
Ex-Army boss: Pentagon won't admit reality in Iraq
By Dave Moniz, USA TODAY
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2003-06-02-white-usat_x.htm
"The former civilian head of the Army said Monday it is time for the Pentagon to admit that the military is in for a long occupation of Iraq that will require a major commitment of American troops.
Former Army secretary Thomas White said in an interview that senior Defense officials "are unwilling to come to grips" with the scale of the
postwar U.S. obligation in Iraq."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DAVE BARRY FOR PRESIDENT!!
"Note to senior citizens: I'm not suggesting that your dental benefits are unimportant! As your president, I will take care of your teeth personally.
You can mail them to me at the White House."
http://www.sacbee.com/content/opinion/national/barry/story/6772115p-7722937c.html
DAVE BARRY FOR PRESIDENT!!
"Note to senior citizens: I'm not suggesting that your dental benefits are unimportant! As your president, I will take care of your teeth personally.
You can mail them to me at the White House."
http://www.sacbee.com/content/opinion/national/barry/story/6772115p-7722937c.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BERTRAND RUSSELL
FROM: "THE WORLD AS IT COULD BE MADE "
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=RusProp.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=8&division=div2
"A life lived in this spirit—the spirit that aims at creating rather than possessing—has a certain fundamental happiness, of which it cannot be wholly robbed by adverse circumstances. This is the way of life recommended in the Gospels, and by all the great teachers of the world. Those who have found it are freed from the tyranny of fear, since what they value most in their lives is not at the mercy of outside power. If all men could summon up the courage and the vision to live in this way in spite of obstacles and discouragement, there would be no need for the regeneration of the world to begin by political and economic reform: all that is needed in the way of reform would come automatically, without resistance, owing to the moral regeneration of individuals.
"Experience has proved that few are able to see through the apparent evils of an outcast’s life to the inner joy that comes of faith and creative hope. If the domination of fear is to be overcome, it is not enough, as regards the mass of men, to preach courage and indifference to misfortune: it is necessary to remove the causes of fear, to make a good life no longer an unsuccessful one in a worldly sense, and to diminish the harm that can be inflicted upon those who are not wary in self-defense."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BERTRAND RUSSELL
FROM: "THE WORLD AS IT COULD BE MADE "
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=RusProp.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=8&division=div2
"A life lived in this spirit—the spirit that aims at creating rather than possessing—has a certain fundamental happiness, of which it cannot be wholly robbed by adverse circumstances. This is the way of life recommended in the Gospels, and by all the great teachers of the world. Those who have found it are freed from the tyranny of fear, since what they value most in their lives is not at the mercy of outside power. If all men could summon up the courage and the vision to live in this way in spite of obstacles and discouragement, there would be no need for the regeneration of the world to begin by political and economic reform: all that is needed in the way of reform would come automatically, without resistance, owing to the moral regeneration of individuals.
"Experience has proved that few are able to see through the apparent evils of an outcast’s life to the inner joy that comes of faith and creative hope. If the domination of fear is to be overcome, it is not enough, as regards the mass of men, to preach courage and indifference to misfortune: it is necessary to remove the causes of fear, to make a good life no longer an unsuccessful one in a worldly sense, and to diminish the harm that can be inflicted upon those who are not wary in self-defense."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A MUSICAL BREAK :)
http://www.agatello.com/silvia.home/beeth_md.htm
*Sonata, Op. 53, No. 21 in Do
"Waldstein"*
*I love the second movement!*
A MUSICAL BREAK :)
http://www.agatello.com/silvia.home/beeth_md.htm
*Sonata, Op. 53, No. 21 in Do
"Waldstein"*
*I love the second movement!*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A STRONG ALLEGATION FROM BOB GRAHAM
IT'S FAR PAST THE TIME TO DEMAND
ANSWERS ABOUT 9-11
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/5993628.htm
U.S. Sen. Bob Graham.....accused the Bush administration Sunday of overzealous editing of the public version of a report on the causes of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Citing proposed changes in several sections of the report -- which was based on the congressional investigation he helped oversee as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee -- the Florida senator said on CNN's Late Edition that the administration was trying to hide information submitted in open session and, in some cases, reported in the media.
''That's not being done for any legitimate national security reasons,'' Graham told CNN. ``It's being done because they don't want the American people to see a coherent narrative of what happened.''
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A STRONG ALLEGATION FROM BOB GRAHAM
IT'S FAR PAST THE TIME TO DEMAND
ANSWERS ABOUT 9-11
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/5993628.htm
U.S. Sen. Bob Graham.....accused the Bush administration Sunday of overzealous editing of the public version of a report on the causes of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Citing proposed changes in several sections of the report -- which was based on the congressional investigation he helped oversee as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee -- the Florida senator said on CNN's Late Edition that the administration was trying to hide information submitted in open session and, in some cases, reported in the media.
''That's not being done for any legitimate national security reasons,'' Graham told CNN. ``It's being done because they don't want the American people to see a coherent narrative of what happened.''
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From Red Pepper:
Neo-conservatism and the politics of paranoia
Max Fraad Wolff
June 2003
http://www.redpepper.org.uk/
"Neo-cons offer a world remade. Media pundits and politicians share and feed off fear, offering neo-con foreign policy as the solution. But rival voices, most on the right, compete fiercely with the neo-cons; the latter do not sit alone at the tables of power. So, conservative Christian and business interests must be accommodated, thus convoluting and complicating policy.."
"Understandings of events and actions, particularly US actions, are increasingly divergent. The coverage of the war in Iraq is only the most glaring example. Where others see US failings, Americans hear of triumph. Neo-cons play a role in this process, but are not the only factor. US mass media offer a narrow range of opinion. Criticism is rare and tends to be dismissed or drowned out by the chorus of voices supporting official action and opinion. Critics are frightened – with increasingly good reason. The rise of an ideology of absolute good engaged in fierce combat with uncivilised and driven forces of evil is aiding the decline of internal debate. It remains to be seen how much further this process can run without provoking greater conflict."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From Red Pepper:
Neo-conservatism and the politics of paranoia
Max Fraad Wolff
June 2003
http://www.redpepper.org.uk/
"Neo-cons offer a world remade. Media pundits and politicians share and feed off fear, offering neo-con foreign policy as the solution. But rival voices, most on the right, compete fiercely with the neo-cons; the latter do not sit alone at the tables of power. So, conservative Christian and business interests must be accommodated, thus convoluting and complicating policy.."
"Understandings of events and actions, particularly US actions, are increasingly divergent. The coverage of the war in Iraq is only the most glaring example. Where others see US failings, Americans hear of triumph. Neo-cons play a role in this process, but are not the only factor. US mass media offer a narrow range of opinion. Criticism is rare and tends to be dismissed or drowned out by the chorus of voices supporting official action and opinion. Critics are frightened – with increasingly good reason. The rise of an ideology of absolute good engaged in fierce combat with uncivilised and driven forces of evil is aiding the decline of internal debate. It remains to be seen how much further this process can run without provoking greater conflict."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CONGESSIONAL DEMOCRATS---A WAKE-UP CALL!
"A long string of blatant misstatements"
Paul Krugman tells it like it is.
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/03/opinion/03KRUG.html?ex=1055611954&ei=1&en=41f31e1d053d1d43
"Yet few have made the same argument in this country, even though "spin" is far too mild a word for what the Bush administration does, all the time. Suggestions that the public was manipulated into supporting an Iraq war gain credibility from the fact that misrepresentation and deception are standard operating procedure for this administration, which — to an extent never before seen in U.S. history — systematically and brazenly distorts the facts."
"It's long past time for this administration to be held accountable. Over the last two years we've become accustomed to the pattern. Each time the administration comes up with another whopper, partisan supporters — a group that includes a large segment of the news media — obediently insist that black is white and up is down. Meanwhile the "liberal" media report only that some people say that black is black and up is up. And some Democratic politicians offer the administration invaluable cover by making excuses and playing down the extent of the lies."
"If that claim was fraudulent, the selling of the war is arguably the worst scandal in American political history — worse than Watergate, worse than Iran-contra. Indeed, the idea that we were deceived into war makes many commentators so uncomfortable that they refuse to admit the possibility.
"But here's the thought that should make those commentators really uncomfortable. Suppose that this administration did con us into war. And suppose that it is not held accountable for its deceptions, so Mr. Bush can fight what Mr. Hastings calls a "khaki election" next year. In that case, our political system has become utterly, and perhaps irrevocably, corrupted. "
WAKE UP, CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS!
SPEAK UP-- OR RISK POLITICAL OBSOLESCENCE!
THE AMERICAN PUBLIC IS PERFECTLY CAPABLE OF SEEING WHAT IS TRUE!
THE MORE GINGERLY YOU DANCE AROUND THE BUSH LIES, THE LESS RESPECT YOU ENGENDER.
CONGESSIONAL DEMOCRATS---A WAKE-UP CALL!
"A long string of blatant misstatements"
Paul Krugman tells it like it is.
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/03/opinion/03KRUG.html?ex=1055611954&ei=1&en=41f31e1d053d1d43
"Yet few have made the same argument in this country, even though "spin" is far too mild a word for what the Bush administration does, all the time. Suggestions that the public was manipulated into supporting an Iraq war gain credibility from the fact that misrepresentation and deception are standard operating procedure for this administration, which — to an extent never before seen in U.S. history — systematically and brazenly distorts the facts."
"It's long past time for this administration to be held accountable. Over the last two years we've become accustomed to the pattern. Each time the administration comes up with another whopper, partisan supporters — a group that includes a large segment of the news media — obediently insist that black is white and up is down. Meanwhile the "liberal" media report only that some people say that black is black and up is up. And some Democratic politicians offer the administration invaluable cover by making excuses and playing down the extent of the lies."
"If that claim was fraudulent, the selling of the war is arguably the worst scandal in American political history — worse than Watergate, worse than Iran-contra. Indeed, the idea that we were deceived into war makes many commentators so uncomfortable that they refuse to admit the possibility.
"But here's the thought that should make those commentators really uncomfortable. Suppose that this administration did con us into war. And suppose that it is not held accountable for its deceptions, so Mr. Bush can fight what Mr. Hastings calls a "khaki election" next year. In that case, our political system has become utterly, and perhaps irrevocably, corrupted. "
WAKE UP, CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS!
SPEAK UP-- OR RISK POLITICAL OBSOLESCENCE!
THE AMERICAN PUBLIC IS PERFECTLY CAPABLE OF SEEING WHAT IS TRUE!
THE MORE GINGERLY YOU DANCE AROUND THE BUSH LIES, THE LESS RESPECT YOU ENGENDER.
So much for "free" speech:
Now we have to pay to participate in polls?!
http://www.potuspoll.com/index-GL.htm
Let's face it, public polling means a disproportional lot to those who govern. Not that I think it SHOULD. I don't think poll results should mean as much as
they do to the electorate who represent the people of this country. Polls can easily be manipulated to create a false-nation of opinion.
Poll-results are often exactly (and "miraculously") what potentially-biased pollsters were possibly hoping to "cook up".
At best, a poll is only a sampling of an extremely small segment of American society.
Consideration of the law of large numbers might well drown the accuracy of these poll results.
I gave the above-linked website a look today.
Perhaps I'm naive...but it appears we now have to PAY to voice our opinions so that they may be heard by the electorate as they foolishly govern by POLL.
When the basic democratic system fails...when a letter or call to your Congressperson seems to take a back seat to governing by polls,
the knowlege that expressing that dismally effective
poll-opinion is going to "set me back" economically is doubly disheartening news.
WHERE IS TRUE AMERICAN DEMOCRACY?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now we have to pay to participate in polls?!
http://www.potuspoll.com/index-GL.htm
Let's face it, public polling means a disproportional lot to those who govern. Not that I think it SHOULD. I don't think poll results should mean as much as
they do to the electorate who represent the people of this country. Polls can easily be manipulated to create a false-nation of opinion.
Poll-results are often exactly (and "miraculously") what potentially-biased pollsters were possibly hoping to "cook up".
At best, a poll is only a sampling of an extremely small segment of American society.
Consideration of the law of large numbers might well drown the accuracy of these poll results.
I gave the above-linked website a look today.
Perhaps I'm naive...but it appears we now have to PAY to voice our opinions so that they may be heard by the electorate as they foolishly govern by POLL.
When the basic democratic system fails...when a letter or call to your Congressperson seems to take a back seat to governing by polls,
the knowlege that expressing that dismally effective
poll-opinion is going to "set me back" economically is doubly disheartening news.
WHERE IS TRUE AMERICAN DEMOCRACY?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Monday, June 02, 2003
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Billmon' has collected a number of interesting direct quotes from members of the Bush administration.
(Re: those 'elusive' WMDs)...
http://billmon.org.v.sabren.com/archives/000172.html
'Billmon' has collected a number of interesting direct quotes from members of the Bush administration.
(Re: those 'elusive' WMDs)...
http://billmon.org.v.sabren.com/archives/000172.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OH, YEAH, YOU GOT THAT SOMETHIN'..I THINK YOU UNDERSTAND.
WHEN I...
FEEL THAT SOMETHIN'....................
http://a.abcnews.com/images/autowirestory/AP/XDG107060306.jpeg
OH, YEAH, YOU GOT THAT SOMETHIN'..I THINK YOU UNDERSTAND.
WHEN I...
FEEL THAT SOMETHIN'....................
http://a.abcnews.com/images/autowirestory/AP/XDG107060306.jpeg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"WHERE IS BUSH LEADING US?" asks Gary Hart
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/153/oped/Where_is_Bush_leading_us_+.shtml
"Iraq represented no immediate or unavoidable threat to the United States. We
overthrew its government because key Bush administration officials convinced
the president it was the next step in the war on terrorism. But they had
decided Saddam Hussein must go a full decade before 9/11. The destruction of
the World Trade towers, which Saddam Hussein had nothing to do with, simply
gave them the excuse to resurrect an old agenda....."
"America is a republic. Throughout history, republics have never been
compatible with empire. Read the Romans, among others. When republics begin
to seek hegemony and expand the reach and scope of their power, they no
longer remain republics. America is still too young - and too noble - for
that."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"WHERE IS BUSH LEADING US?" asks Gary Hart
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/153/oped/Where_is_Bush_leading_us_+.shtml
"Iraq represented no immediate or unavoidable threat to the United States. We
overthrew its government because key Bush administration officials convinced
the president it was the next step in the war on terrorism. But they had
decided Saddam Hussein must go a full decade before 9/11. The destruction of
the World Trade towers, which Saddam Hussein had nothing to do with, simply
gave them the excuse to resurrect an old agenda....."
"America is a republic. Throughout history, republics have never been
compatible with empire. Read the Romans, among others. When republics begin
to seek hegemony and expand the reach and scope of their power, they no
longer remain republics. America is still too young - and too noble - for
that."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE GOOD NEWS IS:
The Dow Jones industrial average hit the 9,000 mark for the first time since last summer, but that seemed to be a sell signal to a lot of trader.
Turning down sharply two hours before the closing bell, the Dow ended the day up 48 points at 8,897.81, after giving up two-thirds of its early gains
THE BAD NEWS IS:
Neither of the pieces of economic data reported today gave stocks much reason to move up so rapidly this morning. Construction spending fell unexpectedly and while manufacturing conditions improved, that sector of the economy still is cutting its losses rather than building gains.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE GOOD NEWS IS:
The Dow Jones industrial average hit the 9,000 mark for the first time since last summer, but that seemed to be a sell signal to a lot of trader.
Turning down sharply two hours before the closing bell, the Dow ended the day up 48 points at 8,897.81, after giving up two-thirds of its early gains
THE BAD NEWS IS:
Neither of the pieces of economic data reported today gave stocks much reason to move up so rapidly this morning. Construction spending fell unexpectedly and while manufacturing conditions improved, that sector of the economy still is cutting its losses rather than building gains.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UMMM---THEY'RE CHEERING, ALRIGHTY---BUT NOT FOR WHOM YOU THOUGHT THEY'D BE CHEERLEADING...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2954096.stm
"BBC - Iraqis in Basra have taken to the streets to protest against a
British commander being installed as the de facto leader of the city.
The committee of utility experts charged with getting the city's
infrastructure back on its feet is headed by Brigadier Adrian Bradshaw,
the commander of the British Seventh Brigade, the Desert Rats. On
Sunday, when the committee met for the first time, protesters,
reportedly as many as 5,000, gathered outside the military base in
Basra, led by Shia Muslim clerics. They carried banners with "No to
British rule over Basra" and "We can rule ourselves" on them...."
RULE THEMSELVES? HOW DARE THEY PROPOSE REAL DEMOCRACY???
UMMM---THEY'RE CHEERING, ALRIGHTY---BUT NOT FOR WHOM YOU THOUGHT THEY'D BE CHEERLEADING...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2954096.stm
"BBC - Iraqis in Basra have taken to the streets to protest against a
British commander being installed as the de facto leader of the city.
The committee of utility experts charged with getting the city's
infrastructure back on its feet is headed by Brigadier Adrian Bradshaw,
the commander of the British Seventh Brigade, the Desert Rats. On
Sunday, when the committee met for the first time, protesters,
reportedly as many as 5,000, gathered outside the military base in
Basra, led by Shia Muslim clerics. They carried banners with "No to
British rule over Basra" and "We can rule ourselves" on them...."
RULE THEMSELVES? HOW DARE THEY PROPOSE REAL DEMOCRACY???
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OK---TELL ME---I GIVE UP ALREADY!!!
Where are the Real Patriots While Bush Rapes and Trashes America?
by Rob Kall
http://www.opednews.com/kall%20where_are_the_real_patriots_whil.htm
"It's so easy to line up mindlessly behind the president, to follow orders and feel like you are doing your duty. It must be. There are millions who are taking that route. But I wonder where the true patriotic conservatives are.
The main bulk of American patriots voted for Al Gore and have been watching in shock and awe as the Bush Regime loots and destroys our country's resources, defiles our values and pulverizes our economy. But, by now, it should be clear to real conservatives-- that the country is being run by fake neoconservatives-- radical right-wingers who are nothing like real conservatives."
NOTE: SEE MY RELATED BLOG ENTRY OF MAY 27th:
http://www.iddybud.blogspot.com/2003_05_25_iddybud_archive.html#94943492
OK---TELL ME---I GIVE UP ALREADY!!!
Where are the Real Patriots While Bush Rapes and Trashes America?
by Rob Kall
http://www.opednews.com/kall%20where_are_the_real_patriots_whil.htm
"It's so easy to line up mindlessly behind the president, to follow orders and feel like you are doing your duty. It must be. There are millions who are taking that route. But I wonder where the true patriotic conservatives are.
The main bulk of American patriots voted for Al Gore and have been watching in shock and awe as the Bush Regime loots and destroys our country's resources, defiles our values and pulverizes our economy. But, by now, it should be clear to real conservatives-- that the country is being run by fake neoconservatives-- radical right-wingers who are nothing like real conservatives."
NOTE: SEE MY RELATED BLOG ENTRY OF MAY 27th:
http://www.iddybud.blogspot.com/2003_05_25_iddybud_archive.html#94943492
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
YO-- JACK 'N TONY GOT SOME 'SPLAININ' TA DO ABOUT
DA REASONS FOR GETTING THEIR WAR ON.....
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,968603,00.html
"Mr Straw yesterday denied he had had a private meeting with Mr Powell on
February 4, the eve of the security council meeting where Mr Powell gave
a dramatic presentation of intelligence material purporting to reveal
hard evidence that Iraq possessed chemical and biological weapons."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardianpolitics/story/0,3605,968576,00.html
"Tony Blair is facing mounting pressure from across the House
of Commons to hold an independent inquiry into the Iraq war after Clare
Short leveled the incendiary allegation at the prime minister that he
had lied to the cabinet. As an increasingly exasperated prime minister
once again swept aside calls for a public inquiry into the failure to
uncover banned Iraqi weapons, the former international development
secretary accused Mr Blair of bypassing the cabinet to agree a "secret"
pact with George Bush to go to war."
~~~~~~~~~~
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/politics/story.jsp?story=411301
"INDEPENDENT, UK - Tony Blair's sensational pre-war claim that Iraq's
weapons of mass destruction "could be activated within 45 minutes" was
based on information from a single Iraqi defector of dubious
reliability, The Independent on Sunday can reveal. British intelligence
sources said the defector, recruited by Ahmed Chalabi's Iraqi National
Congress, told his story to American officials. It was passed on to
London as part of regular information-sharing with Washington, but
British intelligence chiefs considered the "45 minutes" claim to be
unreliable and uncorroborated by any other evidence. How it came to be
included as the most dramatic element in the Government's "intelligence
dossier" last September, making the case for war, is now the subject of
a furious row in Whitehall and abroad. "
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
YO-- JACK 'N TONY GOT SOME 'SPLAININ' TA DO ABOUT
DA REASONS FOR GETTING THEIR WAR ON.....
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,968603,00.html
"Mr Straw yesterday denied he had had a private meeting with Mr Powell on
February 4, the eve of the security council meeting where Mr Powell gave
a dramatic presentation of intelligence material purporting to reveal
hard evidence that Iraq possessed chemical and biological weapons."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardianpolitics/story/0,3605,968576,00.html
"Tony Blair is facing mounting pressure from across the House
of Commons to hold an independent inquiry into the Iraq war after Clare
Short leveled the incendiary allegation at the prime minister that he
had lied to the cabinet. As an increasingly exasperated prime minister
once again swept aside calls for a public inquiry into the failure to
uncover banned Iraqi weapons, the former international development
secretary accused Mr Blair of bypassing the cabinet to agree a "secret"
pact with George Bush to go to war."
~~~~~~~~~~
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/politics/story.jsp?story=411301
"INDEPENDENT, UK - Tony Blair's sensational pre-war claim that Iraq's
weapons of mass destruction "could be activated within 45 minutes" was
based on information from a single Iraqi defector of dubious
reliability, The Independent on Sunday can reveal. British intelligence
sources said the defector, recruited by Ahmed Chalabi's Iraqi National
Congress, told his story to American officials. It was passed on to
London as part of regular information-sharing with Washington, but
British intelligence chiefs considered the "45 minutes" claim to be
unreliable and uncorroborated by any other evidence. How it came to be
included as the most dramatic element in the Government's "intelligence
dossier" last September, making the case for war, is now the subject of
a furious row in Whitehall and abroad. "
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEMOCRACY FOR IRAQ?
UH...HMMM...NOT JUST YET.....
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/iraq/la-fg-iraq2jun02,1,4584323.story?coll=la%2Dhome%2Dheadlines
U.S. Increases Role in Picking Iraqi Leaders
Plans for a national conference are scrapped. Instead, the coalition will assemble a council to work quickly toward an interim government.
By John Daniszewski, Tyler Marshall and Michael Slackman, Times Staff Writers
"BAGHDAD -- In a major shift, U.S.-led occupation authorities Sunday abandoned the idea of letting a national conference of Iraqis select an interim government, instead opting for a plan that gives the United States a more direct role in choosing the country's leaders."
"......it risks undermining confidence in the interim administration if Iraqis see it as handpicked by the Americans and the British, rather than being selected by Iraqis in what was planned to be a conference of about 300 Iraqis from various political parties and groups."
NAH!!! YA THINK??!?
DEMOCRACY FOR IRAQ?
UH...HMMM...NOT JUST YET.....
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/iraq/la-fg-iraq2jun02,1,4584323.story?coll=la%2Dhome%2Dheadlines
U.S. Increases Role in Picking Iraqi Leaders
Plans for a national conference are scrapped. Instead, the coalition will assemble a council to work quickly toward an interim government.
By John Daniszewski, Tyler Marshall and Michael Slackman, Times Staff Writers
"BAGHDAD -- In a major shift, U.S.-led occupation authorities Sunday abandoned the idea of letting a national conference of Iraqis select an interim government, instead opting for a plan that gives the United States a more direct role in choosing the country's leaders."
"......it risks undermining confidence in the interim administration if Iraqis see it as handpicked by the Americans and the British, rather than being selected by Iraqis in what was planned to be a conference of about 300 Iraqis from various political parties and groups."
NAH!!! YA THINK??!?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HOWARD DEAN TRIES TO EXPOSE BUSH FOR WHAT
HE IS ACTUALLY ATTEMPTING TO DO--
MURDERING U.S. SOCIAL WELFARE
http://www.sunspot.net/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.witcover02jun02,0,483209.column?coll=bal-oped-headlines
"Former Gov. Howard Dean of Vermont, now a Democratic presidential candidate, invoked the theory the other day in a statement on the new Bush tax reductions and budget. "Let us be clear," he said. "The president's tax cuts are part of a radical agenda to dismantle Social Security, Medicare and our public schools through financial starvation."
HOWARD DEAN TRIES TO EXPOSE BUSH FOR WHAT
HE IS ACTUALLY ATTEMPTING TO DO--
MURDERING U.S. SOCIAL WELFARE
http://www.sunspot.net/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.witcover02jun02,0,483209.column?coll=bal-oped-headlines
"Former Gov. Howard Dean of Vermont, now a Democratic presidential candidate, invoked the theory the other day in a statement on the new Bush tax reductions and budget. "Let us be clear," he said. "The president's tax cuts are part of a radical agenda to dismantle Social Security, Medicare and our public schools through financial starvation."
Sunday, June 01, 2003
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLAIR 'N BUSH:
Are they two boys who think
"Jesus wants them for sunbeams"???
:)
The humor of Gore Vidal:
http://www.iddybud.blogspot.com/2003_05_25_iddybud_archive.html#95119857
BLAIR 'N BUSH:
Are they two boys who think
"Jesus wants them for sunbeams"???
:)
The humor of Gore Vidal:
http://www.iddybud.blogspot.com/2003_05_25_iddybud_archive.html#95119857
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY'S WISDOM:
HOW TO BE UNHAPPY
--Make little things bother you. Don't just let them, MAKE them.
--Lose your perspective on things and keep it lost: don't put first things first.
--Get yourself a good worry, one about which you cannot do anything.
--Be a perfectionist, which means not that you work hard to do your best, but that you condemn yourself and others for not achieving perfection.
--Be right. Be always right. Be the only one who is always right, and be rigid in your rightness.
--Don't trust or believe people, or accept them at anything but their worst and weakest. Be suspicious. Insist that others always have hidden motives.
--Always compare yourself unfavorably to others. This guarantees instant misery.
--Take personally everything that happens to you.
--Don't give yourself wholeheartedly to anyone or anything.
-- Always remember that if your partner loves you, he or she can read your mind. There is never a need to share openly with them how you feel.
--Surround yourself with only people that agree with everything you say. The last thing you need is contradictory opinions!
--Break that promise.
--Lose your faith in all that's good.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY'S WISDOM:
HOW TO BE UNHAPPY
--Make little things bother you. Don't just let them, MAKE them.
--Lose your perspective on things and keep it lost: don't put first things first.
--Get yourself a good worry, one about which you cannot do anything.
--Be a perfectionist, which means not that you work hard to do your best, but that you condemn yourself and others for not achieving perfection.
--Be right. Be always right. Be the only one who is always right, and be rigid in your rightness.
--Don't trust or believe people, or accept them at anything but their worst and weakest. Be suspicious. Insist that others always have hidden motives.
--Always compare yourself unfavorably to others. This guarantees instant misery.
--Take personally everything that happens to you.
--Don't give yourself wholeheartedly to anyone or anything.
-- Always remember that if your partner loves you, he or she can read your mind. There is never a need to share openly with them how you feel.
--Surround yourself with only people that agree with everything you say. The last thing you need is contradictory opinions!
--Break that promise.
--Lose your faith in all that's good.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HEY, COMRADES--DON'T WANNA BE COLD-WO NO MO
BEEN DARE DONE DAT
WAKE UP, BUSH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. "inattention and parsimony" has contributed to the growing possibility of nuclear proliferation, delaying for years a U.S.-Russian project to eliminate 1.9 million chemical weapons housed at a rickety and vulnerable facility in Russia.
http://www.hpronline.org/news/437679.html?mkey=796243
"the turn to the free market did not solve the matter of Russian capital left over from the Cold War: stockpiles of highly enriched uranium and plutonium as well as 200,000 nuclear scientists, engineers, and technicians employed in weapons-related work. The confluence of Cold War material and the neoliberal spirit has led to a "nuclear industry", as Russia encourages resource maximization and profit seeking, even at the price of global brinksmanship."
"The United States has failed to provide the material incentives necessary to dissuade Russia from questionable nuclear alliances that the Russian government has condoned. Ironically, such partnerships might be the only way possible for Russia to fund the nuclear conversion projects championed in the post-Cold War world."
HEY, COMRADES--DON'T WANNA BE COLD-WO NO MO
BEEN DARE DONE DAT
WAKE UP, BUSH ADMINISTRATION
U.S. "inattention and parsimony" has contributed to the growing possibility of nuclear proliferation, delaying for years a U.S.-Russian project to eliminate 1.9 million chemical weapons housed at a rickety and vulnerable facility in Russia.
http://www.hpronline.org/news/437679.html?mkey=796243
"the turn to the free market did not solve the matter of Russian capital left over from the Cold War: stockpiles of highly enriched uranium and plutonium as well as 200,000 nuclear scientists, engineers, and technicians employed in weapons-related work. The confluence of Cold War material and the neoliberal spirit has led to a "nuclear industry", as Russia encourages resource maximization and profit seeking, even at the price of global brinksmanship."
"The United States has failed to provide the material incentives necessary to dissuade Russia from questionable nuclear alliances that the Russian government has condoned. Ironically, such partnerships might be the only way possible for Russia to fund the nuclear conversion projects championed in the post-Cold War world."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HEY GEORGE---LET'S PLAY 20 QUESTIONS!
1-Where's the WMD?
2-Where's Saddam?
3-Where's Osama bin Laden?
4-Where's Mullah Omar?
5-How come you didn't know about the resurgence of Al Qaeda?
6-Why haven't you fixed the economy?
7-What do you plan to do to fix the economy?
8-Millions of jobs were lost on your watch. Why did you cut unemployment
benefits for more people than any other president in U.S. history?
9-Why do Alan Greenspan and Warren Buffet both say your tax plans won't
work and will only serve to further damage the economy and the
country?
10-Why does Dick Cheney still receive benefits from Halliburton? Why did
Halliburton receive a no-bid contract for the reconstruction of Iraq
worth tens of billions of dollars?
11-Where exactly were you during those months you served as a Lt. in the
Guard?
12-Why did we kill journalists in Iraq?
13-Why do you favor slashing Veterans benefits while significantly
increasing defense spending?
14-As a 2nd Amendment supporter, why did you vote in favor of extending
the ban on assault weapons?
15-As a supporter of free speech, why has your administration put massive
restrictions on the Freedom of Information Act?
AND----What are you hiding?
16-Why hasn't anyone been held accountable for 9-11? The most MASSIVE
intelligence FAILURE in U.S. history.
AND --Why have the Saudis been given a
de facto pardon?
17-Why did you take so many vacations leading up to 9-11? Were you asleep
at the switch?
18-Is our children learnin' yet?
19-Do you still think it would be easier if you were dictator?
20-Why should ANYONE in their right mind vote for you?
For extra credit-
21- What fool could have squandered the good will in the world after 9-11--when he could have had them in the palm of his hand?
HEY GEORGE---LET'S PLAY 20 QUESTIONS!
1-Where's the WMD?
2-Where's Saddam?
3-Where's Osama bin Laden?
4-Where's Mullah Omar?
5-How come you didn't know about the resurgence of Al Qaeda?
6-Why haven't you fixed the economy?
7-What do you plan to do to fix the economy?
8-Millions of jobs were lost on your watch. Why did you cut unemployment
benefits for more people than any other president in U.S. history?
9-Why do Alan Greenspan and Warren Buffet both say your tax plans won't
work and will only serve to further damage the economy and the
country?
10-Why does Dick Cheney still receive benefits from Halliburton? Why did
Halliburton receive a no-bid contract for the reconstruction of Iraq
worth tens of billions of dollars?
11-Where exactly were you during those months you served as a Lt. in the
Guard?
12-Why did we kill journalists in Iraq?
13-Why do you favor slashing Veterans benefits while significantly
increasing defense spending?
14-As a 2nd Amendment supporter, why did you vote in favor of extending
the ban on assault weapons?
15-As a supporter of free speech, why has your administration put massive
restrictions on the Freedom of Information Act?
AND----What are you hiding?
16-Why hasn't anyone been held accountable for 9-11? The most MASSIVE
intelligence FAILURE in U.S. history.
AND --Why have the Saudis been given a
de facto pardon?
17-Why did you take so many vacations leading up to 9-11? Were you asleep
at the switch?
18-Is our children learnin' yet?
19-Do you still think it would be easier if you were dictator?
20-Why should ANYONE in their right mind vote for you?
For extra credit-
21- What fool could have squandered the good will in the world after 9-11--when he could have had them in the palm of his hand?
''I'm Howard Dean,'' he shouted, ''and I'm here to represent the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party!''
NY TIMES MAGAZINE ARTICLE 6-1-03
"DR NO AND THE YES-MEN"
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/01/magazine/01DEAN.html
"In this first campaign of the post-Clinton era, the coalition of interests the former president so deftly managed to patch together is on the verge of spinning apart. Democratic voters are venting more than a decade's worth of pent-up hostility, and at least one poll shows they don't think they're going to win anyway. In Dean, they see someone who will at least go down fighting and give voice to their dissent. Against that backdrop, touting your electability -- because you're a war hero or a Southerner or a social conservative -- might turn out to be the worst argument a candidate can make."
NY TIMES MAGAZINE ARTICLE 6-1-03
"DR NO AND THE YES-MEN"
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/01/magazine/01DEAN.html
"In this first campaign of the post-Clinton era, the coalition of interests the former president so deftly managed to patch together is on the verge of spinning apart. Democratic voters are venting more than a decade's worth of pent-up hostility, and at least one poll shows they don't think they're going to win anyway. In Dean, they see someone who will at least go down fighting and give voice to their dissent. Against that backdrop, touting your electability -- because you're a war hero or a Southerner or a social conservative -- might turn out to be the worst argument a candidate can make."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From The Associated Press, 6/1/03:
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/103-05292003-98292.html
PHILADLPHIA PASSES ANTI-PATRIOT ACT RESOLUTION
LARGEST CITY YET TO PASS RESOLUTION OF ITS KIND.
"Philadelphia's resolution expresses Council's "support of the United
States government in its campaign against global terrorism, but also
reaffirms that any efforts to end terrorism not be waged at the
expense of the fundamental civil liberties of the people of
Philadelphia, and all citizens of the United States."
From The Associated Press, 6/1/03:
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/103-05292003-98292.html
PHILADLPHIA PASSES ANTI-PATRIOT ACT RESOLUTION
LARGEST CITY YET TO PASS RESOLUTION OF ITS KIND.
"Philadelphia's resolution expresses Council's "support of the United
States government in its campaign against global terrorism, but also
reaffirms that any efforts to end terrorism not be waged at the
expense of the fundamental civil liberties of the people of
Philadelphia, and all citizens of the United States."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"If many more months go by and our troops are still there, the Iraqis
are still fighting each other and us and we still haven't found any
WMD (weapons of mass destruction), there will be hell to pay."
From The Charlotte Observer, 5/31/03:
http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/news/5982641.htm
Bush aides fear tumult in Iraq rising
Questions swirl about dubious intelligence, weapons, troop deaths
By JOHN WALCOTT
Knight Ridder
"Some of President Bush's top advisers now fear the war in Iraq is
becoming a political, diplomatic and military mess, instead of being
the centerpiece of the president's re-election campaign that they had
hoped for..."
"If many more months go by and our troops are still there, the Iraqis
are still fighting each other and us and we still haven't found any
WMD (weapons of mass destruction), there will be hell to pay."
From The Charlotte Observer, 5/31/03:
http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/news/5982641.htm
Bush aides fear tumult in Iraq rising
Questions swirl about dubious intelligence, weapons, troop deaths
By JOHN WALCOTT
Knight Ridder
"Some of President Bush's top advisers now fear the war in Iraq is
becoming a political, diplomatic and military mess, instead of being
the centerpiece of the president's re-election campaign that they had
hoped for..."
Saturday, May 31, 2003
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“The President is not just ignoring poor people - he is targeting them.”
Bush administration is attacking the poor say Christians -13/5/03
"Christian campaigners in the USA are claiming that proposed regulations by the Bush administration regarding the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) amounts to an “attack” the poor. ..."
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/content/news_syndication/article_2003_05_13_poor.shtml
“The President is not just ignoring poor people - he is targeting them.”
Bush administration is attacking the poor say Christians -13/5/03
"Christian campaigners in the USA are claiming that proposed regulations by the Bush administration regarding the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) amounts to an “attack” the poor. ..."
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/content/news_syndication/article_2003_05_13_poor.shtml
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"This is not the peace of God that we are seeing built in Iraq. It is the jittery, fearful truce of standoff,
of political tensions pulled so taut that what ensues may not be considered much of a victory in the long run.."
Mennonite Weekly
No Justice In War's Violence
"When celebrations broke out in Iraq on April 9, one was tempted to believe the war was nearing its end, or at least an important turning point. In a little more than three weeks, the military objectives the coalition had set for itself largely were achieved. But the effort to establish an administration of order and integrity in Iraq is only getting started. Moments of great uncertainty are still to come, and success is far from assured."
http://www.thirdway.com/wv/article.asp?ID=251
"This is not the peace of God that we are seeing built in Iraq. It is the jittery, fearful truce of standoff,
of political tensions pulled so taut that what ensues may not be considered much of a victory in the long run.."
Mennonite Weekly
No Justice In War's Violence
"When celebrations broke out in Iraq on April 9, one was tempted to believe the war was nearing its end, or at least an important turning point. In a little more than three weeks, the military objectives the coalition had set for itself largely were achieved. But the effort to establish an administration of order and integrity in Iraq is only getting started. Moments of great uncertainty are still to come, and success is far from assured."
http://www.thirdway.com/wv/article.asp?ID=251
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Where are the Weapons of Mass Destruction?
Dual-Use Material and the Weapons Search in Iraq
Alistair Miller | 05.07.2003
Tikkun.org
"During 12 years of sanctions on Iraq, the US and Britain blocked billions of dollars in Iraqi purchase orders on the grounds that the sought-after goods could have "dual uses," one entirely innocent and the other military. Today, it appears that the most obvious evidence of dual-use material can be found in US and British arguments attempting to justify the invasion of Iraq."
http://www.tikkun.org/index.cfm/action/current/article/170.html
Where are the Weapons of Mass Destruction?
Dual-Use Material and the Weapons Search in Iraq
Alistair Miller | 05.07.2003
Tikkun.org
"During 12 years of sanctions on Iraq, the US and Britain blocked billions of dollars in Iraqi purchase orders on the grounds that the sought-after goods could have "dual uses," one entirely innocent and the other military. Today, it appears that the most obvious evidence of dual-use material can be found in US and British arguments attempting to justify the invasion of Iraq."
http://www.tikkun.org/index.cfm/action/current/article/170.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Is There Anything Left That Matters?
by Sister Joan Chittister, OSB
Thursday, May 29, 2003 - the National Catholic Reporter
"This is what I don't understand: All of a sudden nothing seems to matter....."
"If the king acts precipitously and the people say nothing, something is wrong with the people.
It may be time for us to realize that in a country that prides itself on being democratic, we are our government. And the rest of the world is figuring that out very quickly...
From where I stand, that matters."
http://www.nationalcatholicreporter.org/fwis/
Is There Anything Left That Matters?
by Sister Joan Chittister, OSB
Thursday, May 29, 2003 - the National Catholic Reporter
"This is what I don't understand: All of a sudden nothing seems to matter....."
"If the king acts precipitously and the people say nothing, something is wrong with the people.
It may be time for us to realize that in a country that prides itself on being democratic, we are our government. And the rest of the world is figuring that out very quickly...
From where I stand, that matters."
http://www.nationalcatholicreporter.org/fwis/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ON BEING A DESERT
Being a Desert
There is an ancient teaching that is at the core of true spiritual development: in order to connect constantly to the Light of the Creator we must develop and become like the desert.
The desert is un-owned, open space within which anybody can do anything they want. This is the level to which we are supposed to develop. Being like the desert means that you do not care what people do to you, what people say to you, or what they do not do for you or say to you. It means being free in the deepest sense.
Our nature is usually the opposite of the desert. We are extremely and constantly concerned about what people do, say or even think about us. We are captive to almost everybody, for their actions, words and even thoughts can influence our feelings and life. In order to develop spiritually we need to constantly work on becoming like the desert, feeling open and free like the desert. It is not an easy process but one that not only greatly enables our spiritual development, but also brings to a level of equanimity and peace that cannot be reached any other way.
It is a process that takes constant focus and effort but one whose spiritual and practical effect is immense.
Rabbi Michael Berg
ON BEING A DESERT
Being a Desert
There is an ancient teaching that is at the core of true spiritual development: in order to connect constantly to the Light of the Creator we must develop and become like the desert.
The desert is un-owned, open space within which anybody can do anything they want. This is the level to which we are supposed to develop. Being like the desert means that you do not care what people do to you, what people say to you, or what they do not do for you or say to you. It means being free in the deepest sense.
Our nature is usually the opposite of the desert. We are extremely and constantly concerned about what people do, say or even think about us. We are captive to almost everybody, for their actions, words and even thoughts can influence our feelings and life. In order to develop spiritually we need to constantly work on becoming like the desert, feeling open and free like the desert. It is not an easy process but one that not only greatly enables our spiritual development, but also brings to a level of equanimity and peace that cannot be reached any other way.
It is a process that takes constant focus and effort but one whose spiritual and practical effect is immense.
Rabbi Michael Berg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gore Vidal on the "United States of Amnesia," 9/11, the 2000 Election and the War in Iraq
http://www.democracynow.org/transcripts/gorevidal.shtml
"...we have a global empire and nobody knows where anything is, nobody knows any languages, so our statesmen go abroad and people laugh at them, because they are so dumb, or seem to be so dumb."
"....In the U.S., everybody listens to 19th Century Fox TV News. In which a bunch of loons just scream and scream and scream. And with each scream they tell another lie. How are we ever going to have an informed citizenry? Which means then how can we have an informed election?"
Gore Vidal on the "United States of Amnesia," 9/11, the 2000 Election and the War in Iraq
http://www.democracynow.org/transcripts/gorevidal.shtml
"...we have a global empire and nobody knows where anything is, nobody knows any languages, so our statesmen go abroad and people laugh at them, because they are so dumb, or seem to be so dumb."
"....In the U.S., everybody listens to 19th Century Fox TV News. In which a bunch of loons just scream and scream and scream. And with each scream they tell another lie. How are we ever going to have an informed citizenry? Which means then how can we have an informed election?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
".....if we do not participate in an educated democracy, we participate in its demise."
Kilroy's Still Here
by Sean Penn
(Published on Friday, May 30, 2003 as a full-page ad in the New York Times )
http://www.seanpenn.com/kilroy.pdf
".....if we do not participate in an educated democracy, we participate in its demise."
Kilroy's Still Here
by Sean Penn
(Published on Friday, May 30, 2003 as a full-page ad in the New York Times )
http://www.seanpenn.com/kilroy.pdf
Wednesday, May 28, 2003
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
IS BUSH DOING WHAT OSAMA BIN LADEN WOULD HOPE HE WOULD DO?
http://www.mikehersh.com/Bush_doing_what_bin_Laden_wants.shtml
IS BUSH DOING WHAT OSAMA BIN LADEN WOULD HOPE HE WOULD DO?
http://www.mikehersh.com/Bush_doing_what_bin_Laden_wants.shtml
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO 'HMMMM'....
"A dustup between two NY Times reporters over a story on an Iraqi exile leader raises some intriguing questions about the paper's coverage of the search for dangerous weapons thought to be hidden by Saddam Hussein. An internal e-mail by Judith Miller, the paper's top reporter [sic] on bioterrorism, acknowledges that her main source for such articles has been Ahmad Chalabi, a controversial exile leader who is paid by top Pentagon officials. Could Chalabi have been using the Times to build a drumbeat that Iraq was hiding WMD?... "
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A39280-2003May25.html
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO 'HMMMM'....
"A dustup between two NY Times reporters over a story on an Iraqi exile leader raises some intriguing questions about the paper's coverage of the search for dangerous weapons thought to be hidden by Saddam Hussein. An internal e-mail by Judith Miller, the paper's top reporter [sic] on bioterrorism, acknowledges that her main source for such articles has been Ahmad Chalabi, a controversial exile leader who is paid by top Pentagon officials. Could Chalabi have been using the Times to build a drumbeat that Iraq was hiding WMD?... "
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A39280-2003May25.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OPINION-
NEW YORK TIMES
Who Lied about Iraqi WMDs? NY Times Demands Investigations
"The failure so far to find any weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, the prime justification for an immediate invasion, or definitive links between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda has raised serious questions about the quality of American intelligence and even dark hints that the data may have been manipulated to support a pre-emptive war. These are critical issues that require thorough review not only by the C.I.A. but also by high-level oversight bodies in the administration and Congress... Bush should ask the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board... headed by Brent Scowcroft... to assess the record on Iraq, and the Congressional intelligence committees should conduct their own reviews. When Bush and Powell repeatedly assured the world that Iraq's unconventional weapons were a threat to international security, they relied on America's intelligence agencies. The country needs to know if the spy organizations were right or wrong."
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/26/opinion/26MON1.html
OPINION-
NEW YORK TIMES
Who Lied about Iraqi WMDs? NY Times Demands Investigations
"The failure so far to find any weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, the prime justification for an immediate invasion, or definitive links between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda has raised serious questions about the quality of American intelligence and even dark hints that the data may have been manipulated to support a pre-emptive war. These are critical issues that require thorough review not only by the C.I.A. but also by high-level oversight bodies in the administration and Congress... Bush should ask the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board... headed by Brent Scowcroft... to assess the record on Iraq, and the Congressional intelligence committees should conduct their own reviews. When Bush and Powell repeatedly assured the world that Iraq's unconventional weapons were a threat to international security, they relied on America's intelligence agencies. The country needs to know if the spy organizations were right or wrong."
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/26/opinion/26MON1.html
WATERGATE REDUX?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May 27, 2003
Democrat search probe spreads to Perry, aide
Pair reportedly in DPS command post
By R.G. RATCLIFFE
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau
"AUSTIN -- A legislative investigator said Tuesday that Gov. Rick Perry and his point man on anti-terrorism were in a state police command post the day the state enlisted federal Homeland Security forces to help search for runaway House Democrats."
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/1927358
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
May 27, 2003
Democrat search probe spreads to Perry, aide
Pair reportedly in DPS command post
By R.G. RATCLIFFE
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau
"AUSTIN -- A legislative investigator said Tuesday that Gov. Rick Perry and his point man on anti-terrorism were in a state police command post the day the state enlisted federal Homeland Security forces to help search for runaway House Democrats."
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/1927358
ROBERT BYRD-THE UNLIKELY SUPERSTAR-SHINES
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101030602-454491,00.html
"For Byrd, history not only teaches the importance of rules and precedent but also offers warnings for the present. Deviation from democratic process can, he says, cloak an attempt "to dominate all branches of government." For that reason, Byrd says, "this Republic is at its greatest danger in its history because of this Administration."
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101030602-454491,00.html
"For Byrd, history not only teaches the importance of rules and precedent but also offers warnings for the present. Deviation from democratic process can, he says, cloak an attempt "to dominate all branches of government." For that reason, Byrd says, "this Republic is at its greatest danger in its history because of this Administration."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The good news for the Pentagon yesterday was that its investigators had finally unearthed evidence of weapons of mass destruction, including 100 vials of anthrax and other dangerous bacteria.
The bad news was that the stash was found, not in Iraq, but fewer than 50 miles from Washington, near Fort Detrick in the Maryland countryside."
US finds evidence of WMD at last - buried in a field near Maryland
Julian Borger in Washington
Wednesday May 28, 2003
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,965319,00.html
"The good news for the Pentagon yesterday was that its investigators had finally unearthed evidence of weapons of mass destruction, including 100 vials of anthrax and other dangerous bacteria.
The bad news was that the stash was found, not in Iraq, but fewer than 50 miles from Washington, near Fort Detrick in the Maryland countryside."
US finds evidence of WMD at last - buried in a field near Maryland
Julian Borger in Washington
Wednesday May 28, 2003
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,965319,00.html
Tuesday, May 27, 2003
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A DIFFERENT SPIN ON NEOCONSERVATIVES:
THEY'RE RADICALS...PHONY CONSERVATIVES..
ARE CONSERVATIVE AMERICANS BEING SUCKED IN?
"Clear Thinking" Counterfeit Conservatives"
"Those who hail and embrace the term neoconservatism, and adopt their dishonesty, are Counterfeit Conservatives."
"...Contrast the collectivism of the neoconservatism with the insights of the Six Canons of Conservative Thought from Russell Kirk....
Then review The Conservative Mind by Russell Kirk and the following "Ten Conservative Principles (1993)" ....
Can any honest and truthful traditionalist espouse the policies that neoconservatives maintain and promote, and still retain a valid claim for calling themselves a Conservative? Only the prevaricator of deceit, as defined by Merriam Webster - a former liberal espousing political conservatism - would insist on a perpetual hoax that insults one’s intelligence...."
Understand clearly and unequivocally, neoconservatism is the tormentor of Western Civilization. NeoCons are the enemy, and seek a barbarism equal to the most hardened FDR New Deal "collectivist". Individual Liberty is unpalatable to the counterfeit conservative...."
"...Bill O’Reilly is just a symbol of the symptom.....Mr O’Reilly . . . doesn’t have a clue, nor do the rest of the NeoCons..."
" When Rupert Murdoch testifies before congress to secure News Corp’s latest acquisition - Direct TV - don’t be duped into thinking you will be availed with conservative content. If you think the Weekly Standard or the National Review is conservative, you are sipping that tainted drink and swallowing a fake line. Where are the Kirk Canons and Conservative Principles in any of the NeoCons positions? Limited government, Bill of Right protections, a Republic governance - are all absent from the neoconservatives. Comprehending the nature of the hoax requires an understanding of real conservatism. Surely, those ‘Clear Thinking Americans’ will follow their cue and parrot from the TelePrompTer. Will you be one of them?"
http://pages.zdnet.com/sartre65/view/id25.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A DIFFERENT SPIN ON NEOCONSERVATIVES:
THEY'RE RADICALS...PHONY CONSERVATIVES..
ARE CONSERVATIVE AMERICANS BEING SUCKED IN?
"Clear Thinking" Counterfeit Conservatives"
"Those who hail and embrace the term neoconservatism, and adopt their dishonesty, are Counterfeit Conservatives."
"...Contrast the collectivism of the neoconservatism with the insights of the Six Canons of Conservative Thought from Russell Kirk....
Then review The Conservative Mind by Russell Kirk and the following "Ten Conservative Principles (1993)" ....
Can any honest and truthful traditionalist espouse the policies that neoconservatives maintain and promote, and still retain a valid claim for calling themselves a Conservative? Only the prevaricator of deceit, as defined by Merriam Webster - a former liberal espousing political conservatism - would insist on a perpetual hoax that insults one’s intelligence...."
Understand clearly and unequivocally, neoconservatism is the tormentor of Western Civilization. NeoCons are the enemy, and seek a barbarism equal to the most hardened FDR New Deal "collectivist". Individual Liberty is unpalatable to the counterfeit conservative...."
"...Bill O’Reilly is just a symbol of the symptom.....Mr O’Reilly . . . doesn’t have a clue, nor do the rest of the NeoCons..."
" When Rupert Murdoch testifies before congress to secure News Corp’s latest acquisition - Direct TV - don’t be duped into thinking you will be availed with conservative content. If you think the Weekly Standard or the National Review is conservative, you are sipping that tainted drink and swallowing a fake line. Where are the Kirk Canons and Conservative Principles in any of the NeoCons positions? Limited government, Bill of Right protections, a Republic governance - are all absent from the neoconservatives. Comprehending the nature of the hoax requires an understanding of real conservatism. Surely, those ‘Clear Thinking Americans’ will follow their cue and parrot from the TelePrompTer. Will you be one of them?"
http://pages.zdnet.com/sartre65/view/id25.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Blair faces war crimes suit
Greek lawyers say they are going to sue British officials - including Prime Minister Tony Blair - for their role in the Iraq war.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2933140.stm
"The lawyers call the attacks by the United States and British forces against Iraq "crimes against humanity and war crimes".
They have listed a number of international treaties they say the two countries have violated.
These include the United Nations Charter, the Geneva Conventions, the Hague Convention and the International Criminal Court's statute...."
Blair faces war crimes suit
Greek lawyers say they are going to sue British officials - including Prime Minister Tony Blair - for their role in the Iraq war.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2933140.stm
"The lawyers call the attacks by the United States and British forces against Iraq "crimes against humanity and war crimes".
They have listed a number of international treaties they say the two countries have violated.
These include the United Nations Charter, the Geneva Conventions, the Hague Convention and the International Criminal Court's statute...."
THIS NEEDED TO BE SAID:
EDITORIAL OBSERVER
For Partisan Gain, Republicans Decide Rules Were Meant to Be Broken
By ADAM COHEN
There was a lot not to like about the new Congressional district lines Republicans tried to push through in Texas this month, the ones that made Democratic legislators flee to Oklahoma to prevent a vote. Democratic Austin was sliced into four parts and parceled out to nearby Republican districts. A community on the Mexican border and one 300 miles away were painstakingly joined together and declared to be a single Congressional district. But the real problem was that Republicans were redrawing lines that had just been adopted in 2001, defying the rule that redistricting occurs only once a decade, after the census.
The Texas power grab is part of a trend. Republicans, who now control all three branches of the federal government, are not just pushing through their political agenda. They are increasingly ignoring the rules of government to do it. While the Texas redistricting effort failed, Republicans succeeded in enacting an equally partisan redistricting plan in Colorado. And Republicans in the Senate — notably those involved in the highly charged issue of judicial confirmations — have been just as quick to throw out the rulebook.
These partisan attacks on the rules of government may be more harmful, and more destabilizing, than bad policies, like the $320 billion tax cut. Modern states, the German sociologist Max Weber wrote, derive their legitimacy from "rational authority," a system in which rules apply in equal and predictable ways, and even those who lead are reined in by limits on their power. When the rules of government are stripped away, people can begin to regard their government as illegitimate.
The Texas redistricting effort was part of a national Republican effort to shore up the party's 229-to-205 House majority going into the 2004 elections. The House majority leader, Tom DeLay, who traveled to Austin to supervise the effort personally, was blunt about his motives: "I'm the majority leader, and I want more seats." Texas Republicans seized control of the Legislature last year, and they thought they could add five or more Republican Congressional seats. When the Democrats took off for Oklahoma, the Department of Homeland Security helped hunt down a plane filled with escaping legislators. Sixteen members of Congress from Texas wrote to Attorney General John Ashcroft asking him whether there had been "attempts to divert federal law enforcement resources for private political gain."
In Colorado, Republicans succeeded this month in redrawing the state's Congressional lines, which had been duly redrawn after the 2000 census. Republican state legislators, under the guidance of the presidential adviser Karl Rove, added thousands of Republicans to a district that Bob Beauprez, a Republican, won last year by just 121 votes, and excluded the Democrat who nearly beat him from the district. Democrats have gone to court, charging that Republicans violated Colorado's Open Meetings Law and legislative rules when they sneaked the plan through.
In the judicial battles in the Senate, Republican leaders, frustrated that Democrats have rejected a handful of Bush nominees, have declared war on longstanding Senate rules. Orrin Hatch, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, has dispensed with procedures that allow senators to exercise their constitutional "advice and consent" function, in one case holding a single hearing for three controversial nominees, and he has stifled legitimate inquiry. When Senator Charles Schumer tried to ask one nominee about his legal beliefs, Senator Hatch snapped that he was asking "stupid questions."
The Senate majority leader, Bill Frist, has declared that filibusters, which allow senators to block action with just 41 votes, should not be used to reject judicial nominations, despite a history of using them to do just that. Abe Fortas was prevented from becoming chief justice in 1968 by a Republican-backed filibuster. While Senator Frist pushes "filibuster reform," Senate Republicans are also talking about a "nuclear option," in which Vice President Dick Cheney would preside over the Senate and hand down a ruling that Rule 22, which permits filibusters, does not apply to judicial nominations.
The Republicans' attack on the rules come at a time when they could easily afford to take a higher road. They have, by virtue of their control of the White House and Congress, extraordinary power to enact laws and shape the national agenda. And this administration is already getting far more of its judges confirmed, and more quickly, than the Clinton administration did.
Weber, in writing about rules, was concerned about what factors kept governments in power. That is not a concern in the United States — there is no uprising in the offing. But when Americans see their government flouting the rules, as they did during Watergate, they respond with cynicism.
In these hard times — with threats from abroad and a sour economy at home — our leaders should be bringing the nation together not by demonizing foreign countries, but by instilling greater faith in our own. They should be showing greater reverence for the rules of government, and looking for other ways — like tougher campaign finance laws — to assure Americans that their government operates evenhandedly.
How likely is that? The word in Texas is that Republicans may try their redistricting plan again. Senate Democrats are bracing for Senator Frist's "filibuster reform," or the "nuclear option."
And Mr. DeLay recently revealed how he felt about rules of general applicability. When he tried smoking a cigar in a restaurant on federal property, the manager told him it violated federal law. His response, according to The Washington Post, was, "I am the federal government."
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/27/opinion/27TUE4.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EDITORIAL OBSERVER
For Partisan Gain, Republicans Decide Rules Were Meant to Be Broken
By ADAM COHEN
There was a lot not to like about the new Congressional district lines Republicans tried to push through in Texas this month, the ones that made Democratic legislators flee to Oklahoma to prevent a vote. Democratic Austin was sliced into four parts and parceled out to nearby Republican districts. A community on the Mexican border and one 300 miles away were painstakingly joined together and declared to be a single Congressional district. But the real problem was that Republicans were redrawing lines that had just been adopted in 2001, defying the rule that redistricting occurs only once a decade, after the census.
The Texas power grab is part of a trend. Republicans, who now control all three branches of the federal government, are not just pushing through their political agenda. They are increasingly ignoring the rules of government to do it. While the Texas redistricting effort failed, Republicans succeeded in enacting an equally partisan redistricting plan in Colorado. And Republicans in the Senate — notably those involved in the highly charged issue of judicial confirmations — have been just as quick to throw out the rulebook.
These partisan attacks on the rules of government may be more harmful, and more destabilizing, than bad policies, like the $320 billion tax cut. Modern states, the German sociologist Max Weber wrote, derive their legitimacy from "rational authority," a system in which rules apply in equal and predictable ways, and even those who lead are reined in by limits on their power. When the rules of government are stripped away, people can begin to regard their government as illegitimate.
The Texas redistricting effort was part of a national Republican effort to shore up the party's 229-to-205 House majority going into the 2004 elections. The House majority leader, Tom DeLay, who traveled to Austin to supervise the effort personally, was blunt about his motives: "I'm the majority leader, and I want more seats." Texas Republicans seized control of the Legislature last year, and they thought they could add five or more Republican Congressional seats. When the Democrats took off for Oklahoma, the Department of Homeland Security helped hunt down a plane filled with escaping legislators. Sixteen members of Congress from Texas wrote to Attorney General John Ashcroft asking him whether there had been "attempts to divert federal law enforcement resources for private political gain."
In Colorado, Republicans succeeded this month in redrawing the state's Congressional lines, which had been duly redrawn after the 2000 census. Republican state legislators, under the guidance of the presidential adviser Karl Rove, added thousands of Republicans to a district that Bob Beauprez, a Republican, won last year by just 121 votes, and excluded the Democrat who nearly beat him from the district. Democrats have gone to court, charging that Republicans violated Colorado's Open Meetings Law and legislative rules when they sneaked the plan through.
In the judicial battles in the Senate, Republican leaders, frustrated that Democrats have rejected a handful of Bush nominees, have declared war on longstanding Senate rules. Orrin Hatch, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, has dispensed with procedures that allow senators to exercise their constitutional "advice and consent" function, in one case holding a single hearing for three controversial nominees, and he has stifled legitimate inquiry. When Senator Charles Schumer tried to ask one nominee about his legal beliefs, Senator Hatch snapped that he was asking "stupid questions."
The Senate majority leader, Bill Frist, has declared that filibusters, which allow senators to block action with just 41 votes, should not be used to reject judicial nominations, despite a history of using them to do just that. Abe Fortas was prevented from becoming chief justice in 1968 by a Republican-backed filibuster. While Senator Frist pushes "filibuster reform," Senate Republicans are also talking about a "nuclear option," in which Vice President Dick Cheney would preside over the Senate and hand down a ruling that Rule 22, which permits filibusters, does not apply to judicial nominations.
The Republicans' attack on the rules come at a time when they could easily afford to take a higher road. They have, by virtue of their control of the White House and Congress, extraordinary power to enact laws and shape the national agenda. And this administration is already getting far more of its judges confirmed, and more quickly, than the Clinton administration did.
Weber, in writing about rules, was concerned about what factors kept governments in power. That is not a concern in the United States — there is no uprising in the offing. But when Americans see their government flouting the rules, as they did during Watergate, they respond with cynicism.
In these hard times — with threats from abroad and a sour economy at home — our leaders should be bringing the nation together not by demonizing foreign countries, but by instilling greater faith in our own. They should be showing greater reverence for the rules of government, and looking for other ways — like tougher campaign finance laws — to assure Americans that their government operates evenhandedly.
How likely is that? The word in Texas is that Republicans may try their redistricting plan again. Senate Democrats are bracing for Senator Frist's "filibuster reform," or the "nuclear option."
And Mr. DeLay recently revealed how he felt about rules of general applicability. When he tried smoking a cigar in a restaurant on federal property, the manager told him it violated federal law. His response, according to The Washington Post, was, "I am the federal government."
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/27/opinion/27TUE4.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PAUL KRUGMAN/ NY TIMES May 27, 2003
"The Financial Times suggests that "more extreme Republicans" actually want a fiscal train wreck...."
"....balancing the books without tax increases will require deep cuts where the money is: that is, in Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security."
"The Financial Times suggests this is deliberate (and I agree)......"
".... the people now running America aren't conservatives: they're radicals who want to do away with the social and economic system we have, and the fiscal crisis they are concocting may give them the excuse they need. The Financial Times, it seems, now understands what's going on, but when will the public wake up?"
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/27/opinion/27KRUG.html
PAUL KRUGMAN/ NY TIMES May 27, 2003
"The Financial Times suggests that "more extreme Republicans" actually want a fiscal train wreck...."
"....balancing the books without tax increases will require deep cuts where the money is: that is, in Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security."
"The Financial Times suggests this is deliberate (and I agree)......"
".... the people now running America aren't conservatives: they're radicals who want to do away with the social and economic system we have, and the fiscal crisis they are concocting may give them the excuse they need. The Financial Times, it seems, now understands what's going on, but when will the public wake up?"
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/27/opinion/27KRUG.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How the US set a course for war with Iraq
By Quentin Peel, Robert Graham, James Harding and Judy Dempsey
Published: May 26 2003
http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1051390328587&p=1012571727088
"Mr Chirac made his move on January 22, the day of the Elysée treaty celebrations. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Mr Schröder he declared: "War is always an admission of defeat ... the worst of solutions. Hence everything must be done to avoid it." He implied it was a common European policy, although it was not.
It was a fateful day. In Brussels, France, Germany and Belgium blocked a US-led initiative to give Nato support to Turkey in the event of Iraqi retaliation.
The next day in Washington, Donald Rumsfeld, the blunt-spoken US defence secretary, dismissed the fears of "old" Europe. "The centre of gravity is moving east," he said. The stage was set for Europe to split, with a helping hand from the US."
Saturday, May 24, 2003
JIM HIGHTOWER SPEAKS....
http://www.jimhightower.com/
Friday, May 23, 2003
"BUSH'S HUG"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Who says George W doesn't love working people? I saw him hug one!
The occasion was yet another Bush photo-op, this one in Little Rock at a pep rally to cheer George's plan to give at least half-a-trillion dollars from our public treasury to America's richest people. The Arkansas Republican Party handpicked the cheering audience for the event and, as the TV cameras rolled, a worker was brought onstage for George to hug.
Why a worker? It's part of the Bushite flim flam, trying to deceive We the People into thinking that while this massive giveaway of public funds actually would go into the silk pockets of the wealthy, it's really being done for us – or, as Bush said at the staged media event, "for the American worker."
Workers sure could use a break. Since Bush took office, 2.6 million jobs have been lost, long-term unemployment is up by 184 percent, an additional two million Americans have no health insurance, wages are stagnant, pensions are being eliminated, and more corporations are abandoning America to exploit cheap labor abroad.
But instead of simply putting money directly in the hands of workers by, say, requiring corporations to pay a living wage or by cutting the payroll taxes that workers and small businesses pay – the Bushites are practicing the same old trickle-down economics that George's daddy once ridiculed as "voodoo."
Fatten the rich, goes this bankrupt theory, and they'll buy more luxury SUVs, causing more autoworkers to be hired, and – trickle, trickle – the economy to be stimulated. But wait, the rich are few in number and will only buy so many SUVs – besides, most SUVs aren't made in the U.S., so there won't be any trickle-down on American workers nor any stimulus for our economy.
This is Jim Hightower saying... Bush should have been hugging a Wall Street speculator, for that's his true love. Bush's "economic stimulus" is a fraud – the rich get the money, the rest of us get a made-for-TV hug. Try taking that to the bank. "
http://www.jimhightower.com/
Friday, May 23, 2003
"BUSH'S HUG"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Who says George W doesn't love working people? I saw him hug one!
The occasion was yet another Bush photo-op, this one in Little Rock at a pep rally to cheer George's plan to give at least half-a-trillion dollars from our public treasury to America's richest people. The Arkansas Republican Party handpicked the cheering audience for the event and, as the TV cameras rolled, a worker was brought onstage for George to hug.
Why a worker? It's part of the Bushite flim flam, trying to deceive We the People into thinking that while this massive giveaway of public funds actually would go into the silk pockets of the wealthy, it's really being done for us – or, as Bush said at the staged media event, "for the American worker."
Workers sure could use a break. Since Bush took office, 2.6 million jobs have been lost, long-term unemployment is up by 184 percent, an additional two million Americans have no health insurance, wages are stagnant, pensions are being eliminated, and more corporations are abandoning America to exploit cheap labor abroad.
But instead of simply putting money directly in the hands of workers by, say, requiring corporations to pay a living wage or by cutting the payroll taxes that workers and small businesses pay – the Bushites are practicing the same old trickle-down economics that George's daddy once ridiculed as "voodoo."
Fatten the rich, goes this bankrupt theory, and they'll buy more luxury SUVs, causing more autoworkers to be hired, and – trickle, trickle – the economy to be stimulated. But wait, the rich are few in number and will only buy so many SUVs – besides, most SUVs aren't made in the U.S., so there won't be any trickle-down on American workers nor any stimulus for our economy.
This is Jim Hightower saying... Bush should have been hugging a Wall Street speculator, for that's his true love. Bush's "economic stimulus" is a fraud – the rich get the money, the rest of us get a made-for-TV hug. Try taking that to the bank. "
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"While hollow men strut aboard aircraft carriers and smack their lips with regal smirks announcing false victories, the war of lies takes it toll in human life. The dead and dying are resurrected as martyrs to justify more violence, and their epitaphs are nothing more than empty slogans and unfulfilled pious promises.
Both sides are wrong. Both sides peer into the mirror of self-righteousness, and see only the vain glorious reflection of their own craven image, not the ugly truth of their tyranny and terror.
To quote T.S. Eliot again:
Those who have crossed
With direct eyes, to death's other Kingdom
Remember us -- if at all -- not as lost
Violent souls, but only
As the hollow men
The stuffed men.
The true weapons of mass destruction are greed, hypocrisy, and moral arrogance; wars built upon lies and false victories of hollow men who seek conquest and dominance over tolerance and peace. "
http://truthout.org/docs_03/052103A.shtml
"While hollow men strut aboard aircraft carriers and smack their lips with regal smirks announcing false victories, the war of lies takes it toll in human life. The dead and dying are resurrected as martyrs to justify more violence, and their epitaphs are nothing more than empty slogans and unfulfilled pious promises.
Both sides are wrong. Both sides peer into the mirror of self-righteousness, and see only the vain glorious reflection of their own craven image, not the ugly truth of their tyranny and terror.
To quote T.S. Eliot again:
Those who have crossed
With direct eyes, to death's other Kingdom
Remember us -- if at all -- not as lost
Violent souls, but only
As the hollow men
The stuffed men.
The true weapons of mass destruction are greed, hypocrisy, and moral arrogance; wars built upon lies and false victories of hollow men who seek conquest and dominance over tolerance and peace. "
http://truthout.org/docs_03/052103A.shtml
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A NATION OF HYPOCRITES?
In polls leading up to the war on Iraq, most of those polled supported the action.
Now..in most-recent MSNBC and WSJ polls, many of those same people don't want to have anything to do with paying for
the rebuilding of the nation we ripped apart.
Is it just me....or do you see the hypocrisy?
http://www.msnbc.com/news/916685.asp?cp1=1#survey
6. Do you support or oppose the United States' spending up to $60-billion over the next three years to rebuild Iraq?
.............NBC.....WSJ poll results:
Support 30%------37%
Oppose 55%-----57%
Depends/Not sure 16%-----6%
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A NATION OF HYPOCRITES?
In polls leading up to the war on Iraq, most of those polled supported the action.
Now..in most-recent MSNBC and WSJ polls, many of those same people don't want to have anything to do with paying for
the rebuilding of the nation we ripped apart.
Is it just me....or do you see the hypocrisy?
http://www.msnbc.com/news/916685.asp?cp1=1#survey
6. Do you support or oppose the United States' spending up to $60-billion over the next three years to rebuild Iraq?
.............NBC.....WSJ poll results:
Support 30%------37%
Oppose 55%-----57%
Depends/Not sure 16%-----6%
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
IRAQ WAR BOOSTED AL QAEDA
THANKS, MR BUSH!
From The Toronto Star. 5/20/03
Iraq war helped boost Al Qaeda
Allowed network to recruit: Experts
Saudi envoy warns of more attacks
"The U.S.-led war on Iraq gave Al Qaeda the opportunity to reinvigorate
its weakened terrorist network with new recruits and more funding, say
experts on terrorism.
The Iraq war "clearly increased the terrorist impulse," said Jonathan
Stevenson, senior fellow for counter-terrorism at London's
International Institute for Strategic Studies..."
IRAQ WAR BOOSTED AL QAEDA
THANKS, MR BUSH!
From The Toronto Star. 5/20/03
Iraq war helped boost Al Qaeda
Allowed network to recruit: Experts
Saudi envoy warns of more attacks
"The U.S.-led war on Iraq gave Al Qaeda the opportunity to reinvigorate
its weakened terrorist network with new recruits and more funding, say
experts on terrorism.
The Iraq war "clearly increased the terrorist impulse," said Jonathan
Stevenson, senior fellow for counter-terrorism at London's
International Institute for Strategic Studies..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A MUST-READ!
http://www.counterpunch.org/estabrook05222003.html
May 22, 2003
Cultivating & Exploiting American Anxiety
Republic of Fear
By CARL ESTABROOK
"Only in America was government
propaganda able to make citizens personally afraid of Saddam
Hussein, sufficiently to promote a war for non-existent "weapons
of mass destruction." 911 was a godsend to the Bush
administration, for in all the world only Americans could be made
to fear Saddam Hussein because of his supposed link to
"terrorism."
"Can the Bush
administration continue to cover one fear with the other, so that
it can go on with its policy of imperial war abroad and transfer
of wealth from the poor to the rich at home? Since no real
critique will come from the "other" party (with an occasional
exception), that seems likely. The policy of aggressive war has
both domestic and foreign attractions for any United States
government."
A MUST-READ!
http://www.counterpunch.org/estabrook05222003.html
May 22, 2003
Cultivating & Exploiting American Anxiety
Republic of Fear
By CARL ESTABROOK
"Only in America was government
propaganda able to make citizens personally afraid of Saddam
Hussein, sufficiently to promote a war for non-existent "weapons
of mass destruction." 911 was a godsend to the Bush
administration, for in all the world only Americans could be made
to fear Saddam Hussein because of his supposed link to
"terrorism."
"Can the Bush
administration continue to cover one fear with the other, so that
it can go on with its policy of imperial war abroad and transfer
of wealth from the poor to the rich at home? Since no real
critique will come from the "other" party (with an occasional
exception), that seems likely. The policy of aggressive war has
both domestic and foreign attractions for any United States
government."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HAVE YOU READ PRESIDENT EISENHOWER'S MILITARY-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX SPEECH?
http://www.rense.com/general37/mic.htm
OH, DWIGHT--WHERE IS YOUR AMERICAN SPIRIT TODAY?
"Throughout America's adventure in free government, our basic purposes have been to keep the peace; to foster progress in human achievement, and to enhance liberty, dignity and integrity among people and among nations. To strive for less would be unworthy of a free and religious people. Any failure traceable to arrogance, or our lack of comprehension or readiness to sacrifice would inflict upon us grievous hurt both at home and abroad."
HAVE YOU READ PRESIDENT EISENHOWER'S MILITARY-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX SPEECH?
http://www.rense.com/general37/mic.htm
OH, DWIGHT--WHERE IS YOUR AMERICAN SPIRIT TODAY?
"Throughout America's adventure in free government, our basic purposes have been to keep the peace; to foster progress in human achievement, and to enhance liberty, dignity and integrity among people and among nations. To strive for less would be unworthy of a free and religious people. Any failure traceable to arrogance, or our lack of comprehension or readiness to sacrifice would inflict upon us grievous hurt both at home and abroad."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The three commissioners who oversee the DPS were appointed by Bush
when he was governor and have other political connections to Bush and
his family.
Commissioner Bobby Holt of Midland was political finance chairman for
Bush's father, the former president.
Commissioner Jim Francis was chairman of the Bush Pioneers,
individuals who raised more than $100,000 for the current president's
2000 election campaign.
Francis also has close ties to senior presidential adviser Karl Rove.
From The Houston Chronicle, 5/22/03:
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/1921044
Ridge says Texas search under 'potentially criminal investigation'
"Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said today that a "potentially
criminal investigation" is under way into efforts to involve his
agency in last week's search for Democrats who shut down the state
House of Representatives. ..."
The three commissioners who oversee the DPS were appointed by Bush
when he was governor and have other political connections to Bush and
his family.
Commissioner Bobby Holt of Midland was political finance chairman for
Bush's father, the former president.
Commissioner Jim Francis was chairman of the Bush Pioneers,
individuals who raised more than $100,000 for the current president's
2000 election campaign.
Francis also has close ties to senior presidential adviser Karl Rove.
From The Houston Chronicle, 5/22/03:
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/1921044
Ridge says Texas search under 'potentially criminal investigation'
"Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said today that a "potentially
criminal investigation" is under way into efforts to involve his
agency in last week's search for Democrats who shut down the state
House of Representatives. ..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What happened to the evils of deficit spending?
From The New York Times, 5/24/03:
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/24/politics/24REPU.html
Republicans Explain an About-Face
What happened to the evils of deficit spending?
From The New York Times, 5/24/03:
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/24/politics/24REPU.html
Republicans Explain an About-Face
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COMING SOON TO YOUR COMMUNITY:
SCHOOL CLOSINGS
THANKS, MR BUSH!
"A majority of the nation's 15,000 public school districts are facing
financial difficulties of varying severity, Dan Fuller, a lobbyist for
the National School Boards Association, said.
He estimated the 50 states' combined budget deficits at $52 billion to
$82 billion.
"Those deficits are putting enormous pressure on school boards," Mr.
Fuller said, adding that many local board members have been calling
the association's office in Alexandria, Va., about federal help.
"They're asking, `How can I talk to my congressman so they'll
understand our problem?' "
From The New York Times, 5/24/03:
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/24/national/24OREG.html
COMING SOON TO YOUR COMMUNITY:
SCHOOL CLOSINGS
THANKS, MR BUSH!
"A majority of the nation's 15,000 public school districts are facing
financial difficulties of varying severity, Dan Fuller, a lobbyist for
the National School Boards Association, said.
He estimated the 50 states' combined budget deficits at $52 billion to
$82 billion.
"Those deficits are putting enormous pressure on school boards," Mr.
Fuller said, adding that many local board members have been calling
the association's office in Alexandria, Va., about federal help.
"They're asking, `How can I talk to my congressman so they'll
understand our problem?' "
From The New York Times, 5/24/03:
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/24/national/24OREG.html
Friday, May 23, 2003
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE COVER-UP
Watergate Redux?
Texas agency destroyed documents in search for legislators
Federal role is probedWednesday, May 21, 2003 Posted: 5:56 PM EDT (2156 GMT)
EXCERPT:
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- "A commander with the Texas Department of Public Safety ordered the destruction of all documents and photographs gathered in the search for the Democratic state legislators who fled to Oklahoma to block a congressional redistricting bill.
The order was issued via e-mail on May 14, a day before the Democrats ended their boycott and returned to Texas, DPS spokesman Tom Vinger said.
Meanwhile, congressional Democrats on the House floor in Washington pushed for more information Wednesday from the Homeland Security Department on its role in the search.
The DPS issued a statement Wednesday saying it destroyed the records because federal regulations prohibit it from keeping intelligence information that is not part of a criminal case....."
http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/05/21/texas.legislature.ap/index.html
THE COVER-UP
Watergate Redux?
Texas agency destroyed documents in search for legislators
Federal role is probedWednesday, May 21, 2003 Posted: 5:56 PM EDT (2156 GMT)
EXCERPT:
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- "A commander with the Texas Department of Public Safety ordered the destruction of all documents and photographs gathered in the search for the Democratic state legislators who fled to Oklahoma to block a congressional redistricting bill.
The order was issued via e-mail on May 14, a day before the Democrats ended their boycott and returned to Texas, DPS spokesman Tom Vinger said.
Meanwhile, congressional Democrats on the House floor in Washington pushed for more information Wednesday from the Homeland Security Department on its role in the search.
The DPS issued a statement Wednesday saying it destroyed the records because federal regulations prohibit it from keeping intelligence information that is not part of a criminal case....."
http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/05/21/texas.legislature.ap/index.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OUR NATION IS IN PERIL
Sen Robert Byrd's Speech..In Its Entirety
The Truth Will Emerge
by US Senator Robert Byrd
Senate Floor Remarks - May 21, 2003
"Truth, crushed to earth, shall rise again, - -
The eternal years of God are hers;
But Error, wounded, writhes in pain,
And dies among his worshippers."
Truth has a way of asserting itself despite all attempts to obscure it. Distortion only serves to derail it for a time. No matter to what lengths we humans may go to obfuscate facts or delude our fellows, truth has a way of squeezing out through the cracks, eventually.
But the danger is that at some point it may no longer matter. The danger is that damage is done before the truth is widely realized. The reality is that, sometimes, it is easier to ignore uncomfortable facts and go along with whatever distortion is currently in vogue. We see a lot of this today in politics. I see a lot of it -- more than I would ever have believed -- right on this Senate Floor.
Regarding the situation in Iraq, it appears to this Senator that the American people may have been lured into accepting the unprovoked invasion of a sovereign nation, in violation of long-standing International law, under false premises. There is ample evidence that the horrific events of September 11 have been carefully manipulated to switch public focus from Osama Bin Laden and Al Queda who masterminded the September 11th attacks, to Saddam Hussein who did not. The run up to our invasion of Iraq featured the President and members of his cabinet invoking every frightening image they could conjure, from mushroom clouds, to buried caches of germ warfare, to drones poised to deliver germ laden death in our major cities. We were treated to a heavy dose of overstatement concerning Saddam Hussein's direct threat to our freedoms. The tactic was guaranteed to provoke a sure reaction from a nation still suffering from a combination of post traumatic stress and justifiable anger after the attacks of 911. It was the exploitation of fear. It was a placebo for the anger.
Since the war's end, every subsequent revelation which has seemed to refute the previous dire claims of the Bush Administration has been brushed aside. Instead of addressing the contradictory evidence, the White House deftly changes the subject. No weapons of mass destruction have yet turned up, but we are told that they will in time. Perhaps they yet will. But, our costly and destructive bunker busting attack on Iraq seems to have proven, in the main, precisely the opposite of what we were told was the urgent reason to go in. It seems also to have, for the present, verified the assertions of Hans Blix and the inspection team he led, which President Bush and company so derided. As Blix always said, a lot of time will be needed to find such weapons, if they do, indeed, exist. Meanwhile Bin Laden is still on the loose and Saddam Hussein has come up missing.
The Administration assured the U.S. public and the world, over and over again, that an attack was necessary to protect our people and the world from terrorism. It assiduously worked to alarm the public and blur the faces of Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden until they virtually became one.
What has become painfully clear in the aftermath of war is that Iraq was no immediate threat to the U.S. Ravaged by years of sanctions, Iraq did not even lift an airplane against us. Iraq's threatening death-dealing fleet of unmanned drones about which we heard so much morphed into one prototype made of plywood and string. Their missiles proved to be outdated and of limited range. Their army was quickly overwhelmed by our technology and our well trained troops.
Presently our loyal military personnel continue their mission of diligently searching for WMD. They have so far turned up only fertilizer, vacuum cleaners, conventional weapons, and the occasional buried swimming pool. They are misused on such a mission and they continue to be at grave risk. But, the Bush team's extensive hype of WMD in Iraq as justification for a preemptive invasion has become more than embarrassing. It has raised serious questions about prevarication and the reckless use of power. Were our troops needlessly put at risk? Were countless Iraqi civilians killed and maimed when war was not really necessary? Was the American public deliberately misled? Was the world?
What makes me cringe even more is the continued claim that we are "liberators." The facts don't seem to support the label we have so euphemistically attached to ourselves. True, we have unseated a brutal, despicable despot, but "liberation" implies the follow up of freedom, self-determination and a better life for the common people. In fact, if the situation in Iraq is the result of "liberation," we may have set the cause of freedom back 200 years.
Despite our high-blown claims of a better life for the Iraqi people, water is scarce, and often foul, electricity is a sometime thing, food is in short supply, hospitals are stacked with the wounded and maimed, historic treasures of the region and of the Iraqi people have been looted, and nuclear material may have been disseminated to heaven knows where, while U.S. troops, on orders, looked on and guarded the oil supply.
Meanwhile, lucrative contracts to rebuild Iraq's infrastructure and refurbish its oil industry are awarded to Administration cronies, without benefit of competitive bidding, and the U.S. steadfastly resists offers of U.N. assistance to participate. Is there any wonder that the real motives of the U.S. government are the subject of worldwide speculation and mistrust?
And in what may be the most damaging development, the U.S. appears to be pushing off Iraq's clamor for self-government. Jay Garner has been summarily replaced, and it is becoming all too clear that the smiling face of the U.S. as liberator is quickly assuming the scowl of an occupier. The image of the boot on the throat has replaced the beckoning hand of freedom. Chaos and rioting only exacerbate that image, as U.S. soldiers try to sustain order in a land ravaged by poverty and disease. "Regime change" in Iraq has so far meant anarchy, curbed only by an occupying military force and a U.S. administrative presence that is evasive about if and when it intends to depart.
Democracy and Freedom cannot be force fed at the point of an occupier's gun. To think otherwise is folly. One has to stop and ponder. How could we have been so impossibly naive? How could we expect to easily plant a clone of U.S. culture, values, and government in a country so riven with religious, territorial, and tribal rivalries, so suspicious of U.S. motives, and so at odds with the galloping materialism which drives the western-style economies?
As so many warned this Administration before it launched its misguided war on Iraq, there is evidence that our crack down in Iraq is likely to convince 1,000 new Bin Ladens to plan other horrors of the type we have seen in the past several days. Instead of damaging the terrorists, we have given them new fuel for their fury. We did not complete our mission in Afghanistan because we were so eager to attack Iraq. Now it appears that Al Queda is back with a vengeance. We have returned to orange alert in the U.S., and we may well have destabilized the Mideast region, a region we have never fully understood. We have alienated friends around the globe with our dissembling and our haughty insistence on punishing former friends who may not see things quite our way.
The path of diplomacy and reason have gone out the window to be replaced by force, unilateralism, and punishment for transgressions. I read most recently with amazement our harsh castigation of Turkey, our longtime friend and strategic ally. It is astonishing that our government is berating the new Turkish government for conducting its affairs in accordance with its own Constitution and its democratic institutions.
Indeed, we may have sparked a new international arms race as countries move ahead to develop WMD as a last ditch attempt to ward off a possible preemptive strike from a newly belligerent U.S. which claims the right to hit where it wants. In fact, there is little to constrain this President. Congress, in what will go down in history as its most unfortunate act, handed away its power to declare war for the foreseeable future and empowered this President to wage war at will.
As if that were not bad enough, members of Congress are reluctant to ask questions which are begging to be asked. How long will we occupy Iraq? We have already heard disputes on the numbers of troops which will be needed to retain order. What is the truth? How costly will the occupation and rebuilding be? No one has given a straight answer. How will we afford this long-term massive commitment, fight terrorism at home, address a serious crisis in domestic healthcare, afford behemoth military spending and give away billions in tax cuts amidst a deficit which has climbed to over $340 billion for this year alone? If the President's tax cut passes it will be $400 billion. We cower in the shadows while false statements proliferate. We accept soft answers and shaky explanations because to demand the truth is hard, or unpopular, or may be politically costly.
But, I contend that, through it all, the people know. The American people unfortunately are used to political shading, spin, and the usual chicanery they hear from public officials. They patiently tolerate it up to a point. But there is a line. It may seem to be drawn in invisible ink for a time, but eventually it will appear in dark colors, tinged with anger. When it comes to shedding American blood - - when it comes to wreaking havoc on civilians, on innocent men, women, and children, callous dissembling is not acceptable. Nothing is worth that kind of lie - - not oil, not revenge, not reelection, not somebody's grand pipedream of a democratic domino theory.
And mark my words, the calculated intimidation which we see so often of late by the "powers that be" will only keep the loyal opposition quiet for just so long. Because eventually, like it always does, the truth will emerge. And when it does, this house of cards, built of deceit, will fall. "
OUR NATION IS IN PERIL
Sen Robert Byrd's Speech..In Its Entirety
The Truth Will Emerge
by US Senator Robert Byrd
Senate Floor Remarks - May 21, 2003
"Truth, crushed to earth, shall rise again, - -
The eternal years of God are hers;
But Error, wounded, writhes in pain,
And dies among his worshippers."
Truth has a way of asserting itself despite all attempts to obscure it. Distortion only serves to derail it for a time. No matter to what lengths we humans may go to obfuscate facts or delude our fellows, truth has a way of squeezing out through the cracks, eventually.
But the danger is that at some point it may no longer matter. The danger is that damage is done before the truth is widely realized. The reality is that, sometimes, it is easier to ignore uncomfortable facts and go along with whatever distortion is currently in vogue. We see a lot of this today in politics. I see a lot of it -- more than I would ever have believed -- right on this Senate Floor.
Regarding the situation in Iraq, it appears to this Senator that the American people may have been lured into accepting the unprovoked invasion of a sovereign nation, in violation of long-standing International law, under false premises. There is ample evidence that the horrific events of September 11 have been carefully manipulated to switch public focus from Osama Bin Laden and Al Queda who masterminded the September 11th attacks, to Saddam Hussein who did not. The run up to our invasion of Iraq featured the President and members of his cabinet invoking every frightening image they could conjure, from mushroom clouds, to buried caches of germ warfare, to drones poised to deliver germ laden death in our major cities. We were treated to a heavy dose of overstatement concerning Saddam Hussein's direct threat to our freedoms. The tactic was guaranteed to provoke a sure reaction from a nation still suffering from a combination of post traumatic stress and justifiable anger after the attacks of 911. It was the exploitation of fear. It was a placebo for the anger.
Since the war's end, every subsequent revelation which has seemed to refute the previous dire claims of the Bush Administration has been brushed aside. Instead of addressing the contradictory evidence, the White House deftly changes the subject. No weapons of mass destruction have yet turned up, but we are told that they will in time. Perhaps they yet will. But, our costly and destructive bunker busting attack on Iraq seems to have proven, in the main, precisely the opposite of what we were told was the urgent reason to go in. It seems also to have, for the present, verified the assertions of Hans Blix and the inspection team he led, which President Bush and company so derided. As Blix always said, a lot of time will be needed to find such weapons, if they do, indeed, exist. Meanwhile Bin Laden is still on the loose and Saddam Hussein has come up missing.
The Administration assured the U.S. public and the world, over and over again, that an attack was necessary to protect our people and the world from terrorism. It assiduously worked to alarm the public and blur the faces of Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden until they virtually became one.
What has become painfully clear in the aftermath of war is that Iraq was no immediate threat to the U.S. Ravaged by years of sanctions, Iraq did not even lift an airplane against us. Iraq's threatening death-dealing fleet of unmanned drones about which we heard so much morphed into one prototype made of plywood and string. Their missiles proved to be outdated and of limited range. Their army was quickly overwhelmed by our technology and our well trained troops.
Presently our loyal military personnel continue their mission of diligently searching for WMD. They have so far turned up only fertilizer, vacuum cleaners, conventional weapons, and the occasional buried swimming pool. They are misused on such a mission and they continue to be at grave risk. But, the Bush team's extensive hype of WMD in Iraq as justification for a preemptive invasion has become more than embarrassing. It has raised serious questions about prevarication and the reckless use of power. Were our troops needlessly put at risk? Were countless Iraqi civilians killed and maimed when war was not really necessary? Was the American public deliberately misled? Was the world?
What makes me cringe even more is the continued claim that we are "liberators." The facts don't seem to support the label we have so euphemistically attached to ourselves. True, we have unseated a brutal, despicable despot, but "liberation" implies the follow up of freedom, self-determination and a better life for the common people. In fact, if the situation in Iraq is the result of "liberation," we may have set the cause of freedom back 200 years.
Despite our high-blown claims of a better life for the Iraqi people, water is scarce, and often foul, electricity is a sometime thing, food is in short supply, hospitals are stacked with the wounded and maimed, historic treasures of the region and of the Iraqi people have been looted, and nuclear material may have been disseminated to heaven knows where, while U.S. troops, on orders, looked on and guarded the oil supply.
Meanwhile, lucrative contracts to rebuild Iraq's infrastructure and refurbish its oil industry are awarded to Administration cronies, without benefit of competitive bidding, and the U.S. steadfastly resists offers of U.N. assistance to participate. Is there any wonder that the real motives of the U.S. government are the subject of worldwide speculation and mistrust?
And in what may be the most damaging development, the U.S. appears to be pushing off Iraq's clamor for self-government. Jay Garner has been summarily replaced, and it is becoming all too clear that the smiling face of the U.S. as liberator is quickly assuming the scowl of an occupier. The image of the boot on the throat has replaced the beckoning hand of freedom. Chaos and rioting only exacerbate that image, as U.S. soldiers try to sustain order in a land ravaged by poverty and disease. "Regime change" in Iraq has so far meant anarchy, curbed only by an occupying military force and a U.S. administrative presence that is evasive about if and when it intends to depart.
Democracy and Freedom cannot be force fed at the point of an occupier's gun. To think otherwise is folly. One has to stop and ponder. How could we have been so impossibly naive? How could we expect to easily plant a clone of U.S. culture, values, and government in a country so riven with religious, territorial, and tribal rivalries, so suspicious of U.S. motives, and so at odds with the galloping materialism which drives the western-style economies?
As so many warned this Administration before it launched its misguided war on Iraq, there is evidence that our crack down in Iraq is likely to convince 1,000 new Bin Ladens to plan other horrors of the type we have seen in the past several days. Instead of damaging the terrorists, we have given them new fuel for their fury. We did not complete our mission in Afghanistan because we were so eager to attack Iraq. Now it appears that Al Queda is back with a vengeance. We have returned to orange alert in the U.S., and we may well have destabilized the Mideast region, a region we have never fully understood. We have alienated friends around the globe with our dissembling and our haughty insistence on punishing former friends who may not see things quite our way.
The path of diplomacy and reason have gone out the window to be replaced by force, unilateralism, and punishment for transgressions. I read most recently with amazement our harsh castigation of Turkey, our longtime friend and strategic ally. It is astonishing that our government is berating the new Turkish government for conducting its affairs in accordance with its own Constitution and its democratic institutions.
Indeed, we may have sparked a new international arms race as countries move ahead to develop WMD as a last ditch attempt to ward off a possible preemptive strike from a newly belligerent U.S. which claims the right to hit where it wants. In fact, there is little to constrain this President. Congress, in what will go down in history as its most unfortunate act, handed away its power to declare war for the foreseeable future and empowered this President to wage war at will.
As if that were not bad enough, members of Congress are reluctant to ask questions which are begging to be asked. How long will we occupy Iraq? We have already heard disputes on the numbers of troops which will be needed to retain order. What is the truth? How costly will the occupation and rebuilding be? No one has given a straight answer. How will we afford this long-term massive commitment, fight terrorism at home, address a serious crisis in domestic healthcare, afford behemoth military spending and give away billions in tax cuts amidst a deficit which has climbed to over $340 billion for this year alone? If the President's tax cut passes it will be $400 billion. We cower in the shadows while false statements proliferate. We accept soft answers and shaky explanations because to demand the truth is hard, or unpopular, or may be politically costly.
But, I contend that, through it all, the people know. The American people unfortunately are used to political shading, spin, and the usual chicanery they hear from public officials. They patiently tolerate it up to a point. But there is a line. It may seem to be drawn in invisible ink for a time, but eventually it will appear in dark colors, tinged with anger. When it comes to shedding American blood - - when it comes to wreaking havoc on civilians, on innocent men, women, and children, callous dissembling is not acceptable. Nothing is worth that kind of lie - - not oil, not revenge, not reelection, not somebody's grand pipedream of a democratic domino theory.
And mark my words, the calculated intimidation which we see so often of late by the "powers that be" will only keep the loyal opposition quiet for just so long. Because eventually, like it always does, the truth will emerge. And when it does, this house of cards, built of deceit, will fall. "
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.truthout.org/docs_03/052203A.shtml
MEET CANDIDATE HOWARD DEAN
Truthout Interview with Howard Dean by William Rivers Pitt
Thursday 22 May 2003
As the election season begins to heat up, truthout has begun pursuing interviews with the seven Democratic candidates for President. Invitations have been extended to the Kerry campaign, and we have begun to reach out to the rest of the field. The first candidate to accept our invitation was Governor Howard Dean of Vermont. We at truthout are grateful to him for taking time out of his busy schedule to speak with us
Howard Dean, M.D. served as the Governor of Vermont from 1991 to 2002. Dean is a physician who previously shared a medical practice with his wife, Dr. Judith Steinberg. He received his B.A. from Yale University in 1971 and his medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City in 1978. He served in the Vermont House from 1982 to 1986; was elected lieutenant governor in 1986, and became governor in 1991. His campaign website is www.DeanForAmerica.com...."
-----------
http://www.truthout.org/docs_03/052203A.shtml
MEET CANDIDATE HOWARD DEAN
Truthout Interview with Howard Dean by William Rivers Pitt
Thursday 22 May 2003
As the election season begins to heat up, truthout has begun pursuing interviews with the seven Democratic candidates for President. Invitations have been extended to the Kerry campaign, and we have begun to reach out to the rest of the field. The first candidate to accept our invitation was Governor Howard Dean of Vermont. We at truthout are grateful to him for taking time out of his busy schedule to speak with us
Howard Dean, M.D. served as the Governor of Vermont from 1991 to 2002. Dean is a physician who previously shared a medical practice with his wife, Dr. Judith Steinberg. He received his B.A. from Yale University in 1971 and his medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City in 1978. He served in the Vermont House from 1982 to 1986; was elected lieutenant governor in 1986, and became governor in 1991. His campaign website is www.DeanForAmerica.com...."
-----------
Sen Lugar(R)-- Iraq at Risk
Where are we going with Iraq? Sen Richard Lugar has some comments and questions....
EXCERPT FROM:
A Victory at Risk
By Richard G. LugarThursday, May 22, 2003; Page A35
"..... transforming Iraq will not be easy, quick or cheap. Clearly, the administration's planning for the post-conflict phase in Iraq was inadequate. I am concerned that the Bush administration and Congress have not yet faced up to the true size of the task that lies ahead, or prepared the American people for it. The administration should state clearly that we are engaged in "nation-building." We are constructing the future in Iraq. It's a complicated and uncertain business, and it's not made any easier when some in the Pentagon talk about quick exit strategies or say dismissively that they don't do nation-building. The days when Americans could win battles and then come home quickly for a parade are over.
The public and Congress need to know what we're getting into. Starting today, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold hearings to give the administration a chance to share its plans with the American people and to begin a debate on the important issues for Iraq's future. I want to see evidence that the administration is in this for the long haul to create a stable, democratic Iraq, and to acknowledge that this will place a significant burden on the American people. Congress has already voted $2.5 billion toward the rebuilding effort. We've heard estimates that the final bill may be $100 billion. I believe the process may take at least five years...."
Where are we going with Iraq? Sen Richard Lugar has some comments and questions....
EXCERPT FROM:
A Victory at Risk
By Richard G. LugarThursday, May 22, 2003; Page A35
"..... transforming Iraq will not be easy, quick or cheap. Clearly, the administration's planning for the post-conflict phase in Iraq was inadequate. I am concerned that the Bush administration and Congress have not yet faced up to the true size of the task that lies ahead, or prepared the American people for it. The administration should state clearly that we are engaged in "nation-building." We are constructing the future in Iraq. It's a complicated and uncertain business, and it's not made any easier when some in the Pentagon talk about quick exit strategies or say dismissively that they don't do nation-building. The days when Americans could win battles and then come home quickly for a parade are over.
The public and Congress need to know what we're getting into. Starting today, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold hearings to give the administration a chance to share its plans with the American people and to begin a debate on the important issues for Iraq's future. I want to see evidence that the administration is in this for the long haul to create a stable, democratic Iraq, and to acknowledge that this will place a significant burden on the American people. Congress has already voted $2.5 billion toward the rebuilding effort. We've heard estimates that the final bill may be $100 billion. I believe the process may take at least five years...."
Intelligence:HOW R WE DOING?
US Intelligence:
How R We Doing?
Call 1-800-WE HAVE NO CLUE
OR...
A damn good excuse for Bush to put the blame on someone else for his much-desired war on Iraq (since WMDs are not appearing and Iraqi vacuum cleaners abound):
http://www.salon.com/news/wire/2003/05/22/CIA/index.html
U.S. examining quality of prewar intelligence
- By John J. Lumpkin
"May 22, 2003 | WASHINGTON (AP) -- U.S. intelligence agencies have undertaken a high-level review to determine how their prewar assessments on a host of issues -- including the unproven presence of large-scale weapons of mass destruction programs -- have lined up with the realities since discovered in Iraq. "
US Intelligence:
How R We Doing?
Call 1-800-WE HAVE NO CLUE
OR...
A damn good excuse for Bush to put the blame on someone else for his much-desired war on Iraq (since WMDs are not appearing and Iraqi vacuum cleaners abound):
http://www.salon.com/news/wire/2003/05/22/CIA/index.html
U.S. examining quality of prewar intelligence
- By John J. Lumpkin
"May 22, 2003 | WASHINGTON (AP) -- U.S. intelligence agencies have undertaken a high-level review to determine how their prewar assessments on a host of issues -- including the unproven presence of large-scale weapons of mass destruction programs -- have lined up with the realities since discovered in Iraq. "
Tuesday, May 20, 2003
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SURPRISE!!!
From The Associated Press, 5/20/03:
http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Politics/ap20030520_1641.html
Dividend Tax Cut Cost More Than Thought
Due to Error by Tax Experts, Senate's Dividend Tax Cut Costs Billions
More Than Expected
"Due to an error by congressional tax experts, a temporary suspension
of taxes on dividends would cost billions more than senators thought
when they voted last week to incorporate it into bill cutting taxes
$350 billion over the coming decade....."
SURPRISE!!!
From The Associated Press, 5/20/03:
http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Politics/ap20030520_1641.html
Dividend Tax Cut Cost More Than Thought
Due to Error by Tax Experts, Senate's Dividend Tax Cut Costs Billions
More Than Expected
"Due to an error by congressional tax experts, a temporary suspension
of taxes on dividends would cost billions more than senators thought
when they voted last week to incorporate it into bill cutting taxes
$350 billion over the coming decade....."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From The New York Daily News, 5/20/03:
http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/85219p-77786c.html
Post writer borrows a page from Blair
By BEN WIDDICOMBE
and LEO STANDORA
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
"Holy kangaroo - the New York Post has its own plagiarizing scandal!
After writing gleefully about The New York Times' Jayson Blair
scandal, the Rupert Murdoch-owned tabloid admitted yesterday that it
published a plagiarized piece last week.
The Post identified its bad boy as Robin Gregg, a freelancer who the
paper's brass said 'fessed up to stealing a story from that paragon of
journalism the National Enquirer. "
From The New York Daily News, 5/20/03:
http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/85219p-77786c.html
Post writer borrows a page from Blair
By BEN WIDDICOMBE
and LEO STANDORA
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
"Holy kangaroo - the New York Post has its own plagiarizing scandal!
After writing gleefully about The New York Times' Jayson Blair
scandal, the Rupert Murdoch-owned tabloid admitted yesterday that it
published a plagiarized piece last week.
The Post identified its bad boy as Robin Gregg, a freelancer who the
paper's brass said 'fessed up to stealing a story from that paragon of
journalism the National Enquirer. "
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From The New York Times, 5/20/03:
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/20/international/worldspecial/20IRAQ.html
"An estimated 10,000 Shiite Muslims marched in a demonstration in
Baghdad on Monday, demanding that the United States withdraw from
Iraq.
The noisy but peaceful rally was the largest protest against America's
presence in Iraq since the war's end."
From The New York Times, 5/20/03:
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/20/international/worldspecial/20IRAQ.html
"An estimated 10,000 Shiite Muslims marched in a demonstration in
Baghdad on Monday, demanding that the United States withdraw from
Iraq.
The noisy but peaceful rally was the largest protest against America's
presence in Iraq since the war's end."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0519-03.htm
Tuesday, May 20, 2003
Move Over, Right Wing Radio - the Liberals Are Coming
by Thom Hartmann
http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0519-03.htm
Tuesday, May 20, 2003
Move Over, Right Wing Radio - the Liberals Are Coming
by Thom Hartmann
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