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New Civilization News: Are The Democrats Poised For Victory? |
Category: Politics 47 comments 16 May 2006 @ 15:52 by rayon : Guess it is aboutfinding out the real news on one's own. The scope of the problem seems to be vastness in every quarter, each like a runaway train. Where are the hills? How will American turn back the tide it has so efficiently established for itself to the core. A mixing of the metaphors here not good. But how else to touch briefly from across the pond. The people placed so who do hold back the tide, I have found them, depend on a living from the very organisations reving the engines of Post Modernity for its own sake. They temporarily have a quorum of support to bulwark the tide. How long can this continue? Eradicating all those systems and communication structures that represent linear time is one way to slow down the consumer/production/profit train so long as it is coupled with learning to appreciate the effects of constant time and put these to good use, creating ease on the individual body, reducing stress directly on celular turnover in the body physic. Out of this greater awareness of surroundings comes an affection/realisation and maybe some love for surrounding family and friends and even outsiders. And a recognition of other types of contribution that such awareness carries. In the Levant when the Goths/or Vandals finally struck the ancient and marbled city of Antioch. They set up camp outside the City. Needing water they scaled the viaduct broke open the top on the side so that the w ater cascaded down for them in their temporary camp. One of the greatest and most beautiful cities of the world, all made of white marble, fell quite quickly. So my money is on the notion of Linear Time. Interestingly the Imperial measures in paper size, feet and and inches, etc all relate to Constant time, like round clock, not liquid crystal numerical display. Metric standards relate to linear time. It is a fascinating exercise noting the differences of each and the extending of their effects into Other realms of quite different states and meaning. The more design relates to the individual, the more awareness he has and the more he will be able to make a judgement related to love and family and sustainability. The less relating to individual the more the corporate has a stranglehold on the mass emotion as their is little environmental relating to individual identity. Like drug it sleepens the mind into habiitual mode, depending totally for guidance on instant bodily gratification as primary source of trusted reality, lowest common denominator equals equality for all at that level only. If consumption is controlled, the mind takes over with the minutest sense of harmony entering into the equation of mind/body individual function, and tries to build on this new found sense of delight which is FREE just for the knowing. It tries to get more of this free stuff of goodness which starts to produce of its own accord being in tune with natural things, but the goodwill has to be there in the first place and must never depart. Not a happy tale Jazzolog of yours here. The giant consuming/producing machine is attracting all sorts from other countries who would like to function without mind but with body first dictating the needs, they are willing giving themselves to this machine. Why do we not enter into an agreement of swapping your place for theirs, if the train cannot be held up and slowed down? Is this an idea. I would be happy to live in Acapulco or somewhere, don't mind learning spanish. 16 May 2006 @ 16:41 by jmarc : Assuming that the dems win, and I am, I'm interested in how pundits such as yourself will reconcile that truth with the stated belief that the republicans are fixing the elections. I think I'll be dizzy watching the spin. Well anyway, good luck. PS... funny you mentioned a kennedy and a drunk driver, and not a drunken Kennedy driver. I guess you're just going to let that whole Patrick thing slide eh? 16 May 2006 @ 20:53 by Quinty @68.226.88.25 : What should the Democrats do? Continue to remind Americans that President Clinton reduced the deficit to a surplus. That the Democrats offered a far sounder and stable economic program. And that tax cuts for the rich are not a solution to our problems. Repeat over and over again that the Bush administration lied to the American people in order to exploit their trust and uncertainties for an illegal, unnecessary, and terribly self-destructive war. While emphasizing (yes, it will lose the jingo vote) that criticizing the policy is not same as criticizing or not “backing” the troops. Nail the quagmire directly on Bush, admitting that many people, including Democrats, were fooled by his lies. Hammer at the corruption, the waste, the selfish exploitation. Talk about Paul Bremmer’s economic policies in Iraq and about Halliburton, KBR, the missing Iraqi billions, as well as big pharma, the oil companies, monopolistic corporate power, and the degradation of basic government oversight and common protective services in the EPA, FDA, etc. Remind the voters of K Street and of Vice President Cheney’s secret summit with oil industry excec’s and other Republican scandals. Offer a genuine national (world wide) alternative energy program. One which will wean us off foreign oil resources. This should not be that hard to do. After all, we are quite close to being there. Had we not squandered hundreds of billions on Iraq we might have been well on the way of surmounting this problem by now. Remind the voters that the Bush administration’s base is the “haves and have mores,” as the president himself once said. And that this president does not really care about the problems of the American people. Remind the voters of the fraudulent tax cuts and who they really benefit, bringing out the statistics. And let’s not forget corporate perks, and how the Bush administration has allowed our infrastructure and many basic services to deteriorate. Offer courage. Leadership in the face of incompetence and lies. The American people are yearning for it. Leadership will require the novelty of speaking truth to the American people. And at first it will be greatly resisted. Many Americans have been conditioned into believing a fantasy world of self-serving neocon, rightwing, and corporate lies. A decent candidate will overcome this hurdle, and will be bold enough to attempt to awaken millions of Americans who still cling to the Bush administration’s perversions of truth. What’s more, why vote for an alternative if that new candidate doesn’t offer an alternative after all? Why offer our votes on the basis of another empty hope? By hoping the hints in that candidate’s rhetoric will be true once he or she is president? If the Democrats repeat over and over again these fundamental facts they will eventually enter into the mainstream. And those Americans who are shocked today by these simple truths will eventually accept them. The Bushies, after all, lied and lied and lied: until their lies were finally accepted as truth and reality. Can’t an opposition party do the same to bring out and establish the truth? In order to make unpleasant realities acceptable? For without first facing them nothing will ever change. Me? I’m for Feingold at this moment. Fat chance, though, his getting the nod. But I think some of us here are accustomed to that. 16 May 2006 @ 21:53 by jerryvest : Right on, Quinty...I am also for Feingold as he has opposed the Iraq debacle from the beginning. He is also bright, skillful and articulate. I think he has as much of a chance as winning the election as other democrats. I also think that the "D's" should work with the states in developing a universal health plan and reverse the drug bill for seniors that only helps the pharmaceutical and insurance cartels. I also agree that the lies of this administration should be thoroughly brought out in the open and let the Truth prevail. The "D's" should stop trying to win over the neocons and religious zealots, they will never change their minds as they are stuck with moralistic, repressive and ignorant positions of fear, doom and gloom. Good work, Richard!!! 17 May 2006 @ 10:05 by jazzolog : These Are Wonderful Comments and, as always, it is heartening when folks stop by to think over some of these issues. Coincidentally Pennsylvania's primary results are being totalled right now...and they tried the new mandated electronic voting machines for the first time statewide. Most news outlets there report everything went fine, and we don't have the kind of concern that people in Ohio have been shouting for the past 2 years. But the day is still young. BradBlog, who has been more on top of election fraud issues than anyone else on the Internet, waved some warning flags last evening though. http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00002838.htm If somehow there is anyone remaining in the States, left or right, who isn't worried about stolen elections, I urge him or her at least to browse the material Brad has put together from Florida on. I certainly welcome investigation of glitches and corruption in any election, no matter who wins. Unfortunately in America today, a group has developed that only defends its own side and mocks out (and worse) any question or dissent. For those abroad, the company that has benefitted from the new election laws here is named Diebold. Headquartered in Ohio, the firm made news during the 2004 presidential campaign when its CEO announced he was sure the new machines would deliver Bush a clear victory. The Republican running for governor here, who is also the current Secretary of State, the position that oversees Ohio elections, was discovered recently to be a major stockholder at Diebold. I mean, wouldn't anybody respond to such a situation with at least a raised hand? Hello. Besides BradBlog the Diebold questions are summarized well in this update from Monday~~~ http://www.cio.com/blog_view.html?CID=21093 . 17 May 2006 @ 16:42 by Quinty @68.226.88.25 : Feingold I think he would make an excellent candidate, if he gets the nomination. And if anyone can appeal to the good sense of the American people I think he could. All the talk today is about Hillary. Is that just an empty media fanfare, offering up the same old superficiality? Or is she really the leader? Regarding Diebold, anyone who has ever programmed or worked with computers know how easy it is to make a change. The Diebold voting machines could work wonderfully in a primary, which, after all, is not the final election, and can easily be changed to make every third vote for X go to Y in the general election. While the print out or receipt the voter receives at the booth would reflect his actual vote. Paper, paper, paper: even if it takes a week to count all the votes (that would hugely upset the mass media) it would be well worth it for the sake of an honest election. 18 May 2006 @ 09:55 by jazzolog : What Is Time, Who Should Run& Corruption While I would prefer to spin and weave with Nicola's wonderings about Time, the immediacy of the predicament interrupts her spell. I've always contented myself with a notion of the Wheel of Life as a single dimension of linear Karma. Nraye adds rather more height and depth to the perception. Feingold is the kind of Democrat who either gets relegated to the sidelines of the off-kilter prophet or is promptly assassinated if too many people start to listen. Besides, is this an America that is ready to say President Feingold? My OU friend Dick McGinn sent me the recent Greg Palast interview at DemocracyNow http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/05/15/1334249&mode=thread&tid=25 . I found it quite confusing, often incoherent, and breathless in pushing his new book. But towards the end, Palast focuses on the challenging and discounting of votes in recent elections. I think he's on to something here, and only can wonder why the hell Democrats are so flaccid in response to this issue~~~ GREG PALAST: Yeah. Well, for those who, you know, know my background, I came to the U.S. attention when I broke a story that before the 2000 election, Jeb Bush and Katherine Harris knocked tens of thousands of black voters off the voter rolls of Florida, and this is what gave the election to George Bush in 2000. It was fixed by the knocking off of these black voters. There’s a chapter in the new book -- AMY GOODMAN: You broke this on BBC. GREG PALAST: Yeah, I broke this on BBC, and to get in the United States, we got Michael Moore to put on a chicken suit and report it here as a joke. And then, thank you very much, Amy, for bringing it across the water and breaking through the electronic Berlin Wall. By the way, all of these stories are stories developed out of BBC and Guardian that basically are blacked out, except for here on Democracy Now! That's very important, because these are the stories that they don't want you to have for good reason. And they don't want you to have it, because -- I then followed up with 2004. Now, it’s accepted 2000 pretty much was fixed. Well, there’s a chapter, “Kerry won.” 2004 was fixed. And the way it was done is that 3.6 million votes were cast and never counted in the United States. That's very important to know. This isn’t Greg Palast conspiracy nut stuff. AMY GOODMAN: Say the number again. GREG PALAST: 3.6 million ballots cast, never counted. And that's because they call these spoiled votes or rejected provisional ballots, 1.9 million so-called provisional ballots, and then, most of those don't get counted. And so, whose votes don't get counted? If it was random, it wouldn’t matter. In other words, if these were votes where the machine doesn't record it properly, hanging chads, extra marks on a paper ballot, you had the wrong address on your absentee ballot, etc. Three million ballots. Whose ballots? If you're a black person, the chance your ballot will be technically invalidated is 900% higher than if you're a white voter. Hispanic voter, 500% higher than if you're a white voter. Native Americans, it’s like 2,000% higher than if you're a white voter. The overwhelming majority -- and I went to the state of New Mexico, which supposedly Bush won by 5,000 votes, 89% of the ballots were cast out of minority precincts that were thrown away. Kerry won New Mexico. You go into the dumpster, and it’s black votes, 155,000 black votes that were chucked away in Ohio. Kerry won those votes. He won Ohio. AMY GOODMAN: ’08? GREG PALAST: And ‘08, so what's happening is there is no fix of the system. In other words, just like black folk get bad schools and bad hospitals, they get the bad voting machines, which are going to kill those votes. But they're not satisfied with just letting the ballots be thrown away. They're going to move it along. And one of the things I discovered is the Republican Party has something called “caging lists,” which came to our -- you know, just like you had Friday, the way the Yes Men capture material by using false websites, so through a false website we were able to capture Republican Party internal missives, through georgebush.org. And so, what happened was is that they sent us a bunch of lists of literally tens of thousands of names of voters and addresses. We were wondering what the heck this was. It turns out these were almost all African American voters, who they were prepared to challenge in 2004, and they did, to say that these people shouldn't vote, because their addresses are suspect. And you'll see in the book that in the lists of thousands of black voters that they were challenging over their address were thousands of black soldiers who were sent to Iraq; go to Baghdad, and the Republican Party challenges your vote. And that’s the beginning, and because there's been really no action taken, they're accelerating the system now. And the next thing that they’re going after is the Hispanic vote. So when we saw two million votes cast/not counted in 2000, nearly four million votes cast/not counted in 2004, you're going see that number massively increase in challenges to voters in 2008. And that's what's going back to this database story with the National Security Agency. AMY GOODMAN: We have 30 seconds. GREG PALAST: So, you have to say, “Why are they collecting this data?” The answer is 2008. It's ultimately all about the elections. 19 May 2006 @ 10:04 by jazzolog : 2 Stolen Presidential Elections Bob Fitrakis, the Green Party endorsed candidate for Governor of Ohio, was at Ohio University last night. I saw no advertisements for the event anywhere, nor any article in the newspapers. A single line in the Events Calendar of yesterday's Athens Messenger caught my eye and I got to go. The lecture hall in Bentley was hardly packed, and the students seemed not particularly informed on either who he is or what kinds of issues concern him. But Bob was at full tilt and as usual showered his audience with the "hidden" truth of this nation's political and economic situation. Those issues are listed here at the Green Party site~~~ http://www.gp.org/press/states/oh_2006_05_01.shtml The Fitrakis for Governor site is here~~~ http://www.bobforohio.com/ Check out his credentials at the About Bob link. He said the Democrat candidate, Ted Strickland, is a great guy and a friend, but we shouldn't expect him to hit away at stolen elections and illegal wars. While the "corporatists" own the Republican Party, the Democrat Party is available for rent whenever it serves their interests. As for the Republican candidate, Ken Blackwell belongs in jail. Here's an article he wrote, with his writing partner Harvey Wasserman, last Tuesday~~~ Elections & Voting Will the major media finally cover the electronic election fraud issue? By Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman Online Journal Guest Writers May 16, 2006, 00:45 That the presidential elections of 2000 and 2004 were stolen has become an article of faith for millions of mainstream Americans. But there has been barely a whiff of coverage in the major media about any problems with the electronic voting machines that made those thefts possible -- until now. A recent OpEdNews/Zogby People's poll of Pennsylvania residents, found that “39 percent said that the 2004 election was stolen. 54 percent said it was legitimate. But let’s look at the demographics on this question. Of the people who watch Fox news as their primary source of TV news, one half of one percent believe it was stolen and 99 percent believe it was legitimate. Among people who watched ANY other news source but FOX, more felt the election was stolen than legitimate. The numbers varied dramatically.” Here, from that poll, are the stations listed as first choice by respondents and the percentage of respondents who thought the election was stolen: CNN, 70 percent; MSNBC, 65 percent; CBS, 64 percent; ABC, 56 percent; Other, 56 percent; NBC, 49 percent; FOX 0.5 percent. With 99 percent of Fox viewers believing that the election was “legitimate,” only the constant propaganda of Rupert Murdoch’s disinformation campaign stands in the way of a majority of Americans coming to grips with the reality of two consecutive stolen elections. That the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post finally ran coverage of problems with electronic voting machines this week is itself big news. It says the scandals surrounding computer fraud and financial illegalities at Diebold and other electronic voting machine companies have become simply too big and blatant for even the bought, docile mainstream media (MSM) to ignore. The gaping holes in the security of electronic voting machines are pretty old news. Bev Harris's blackboxvoting.org has been issuing definitive research since Florida 2000. Freepress.org warned of the impending electronic theft of Ohio 2004 with Diebold machines eight months before it happened. After that election, Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) issued a report confirming that security flaws could allow a single hacker with a wi-fi to shift the vote counts at entire precincts just by driving by. Then the Government Accountability Office reported that security flaws were vast and unacceptable throughout the national network of electronic machines. Despite overwhelming evidence that George W. Bush has occupied the White House due to the fraudulent manipulations of the GOP Secretaries of State in Florida and Ohio, none of this has seeped into "journals of record" like the Times and Post. Until this week. The Times was sparked out of its stupor on May 11, after officials in California and Pennsylvania warned that Diebold touch-screen machines, slated to be used in upcoming primaries, were hopelessly compromised. Michael Shamos, a professor of computer science at Pittsburgh's high-tech Carnegie-Mellon University, called it "the most severe security flaw ever discovered in a voting system." Douglas W. Jones, a computer science professor at the University of Iowa, says "this is a barn door being wide open, while people were arguing over the lock on the front door." The Times refers to the uproar as "the latest concern about touch-screen machines" while having completely ignored dozens of complaints in Ohio 2004 that voters who selected John Kerry's name saw George W. Bush's light up, or saw the light on Kerry's repeatedly go out before they could complete the voting process. The Wall Street Journal ran the following kicker: "Some former backers of technology seek return to paper ballots, citing glitches, fraud fears." The WSJ could have ran that story last year after the bipartisan commission on federal election reform co-chaired by President Jimmy Carter and former Secretary of State James Baker noted in no uncertain terms that: "Software can be modified maliciously before being installed into individual voting machines. There is no reason to trust insiders in the election industry any more than in other industries." Indeed. There's every reason because of the unprecedented power and money involved in U.S. politics to trust them less than anybody else. In its March 2006 primary, it took a week to tally Chicago's votes because of technical problems in Sequoia Voting Systems equipment. In Maryland, electronic voting scandals prompted a unanimous vote by the State House of Delegate demanding that touch-screen machines be scrapped. The Maryland Senate effectively killed that bill, which is certain to come back. Citizen lawsuits are being filed in Arizona, California, New York and New Mexico by the nonprofit Voter Action organization. The new concerns about Diebold's equipment were discovered by Harri Hursti, a Finnish computer expert who was working at the request of Black Box Voting. The new report forced Diebold to warn of a "theoretical security vulnerability" that "could potentially allow unauthorized software to be loaded onto the system." In other words, one of the prime manufacturers of the machines on which America casts its votes has admitted those machines can be hacked. But as the Times has finally reported, the company, in one of the new century's most truly laughable letters, has claimed that "the probability for exploiting this vulnerability to install unauthorized software that could affect an election is considered low." A company spokesman has admitted the flaw was actually built into the system to allow election officials to upgrade their software. But Diebold is apparently confident that those officials would never, ever cheat. "For there to be a problem here, you're basically assuming a premise where you have some evil and nefarious election officials who would sneak in and introduce a piece of software," says Diebold's David Bear. "I don't believe these evil elections people exist." The Times has thus far chosen not to report on the staggering history that frames such statements. As freepress.org reported in 2003, Diebold CEO Walden O'Dell promised in a GOP fundraising letter to "deliver Ohio's electoral votes to George W. Bush." The election chief in Florida 2000 was Katherine Harris. In Ohio 2004 it was J. Kenneth Blackwell. Both controlled access to their state's electronic voting machines, and are widely believed to have exploited their now obvious flaws. Both served simultaneously as Secretary of State and as state co-chair of the Bush-Cheney campaign. As of today, the electronic access cards for Ohio's electronic voting machines have been ordered into Blackwell's personal office, despite the fact that he is the GOP nominee for governor in the upcoming November election. Recently passed House Bill 3 in Ohio does not mandate post-election audits of electronic voting machines, nor does the Help American Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002. The rush to electronic voting machines was fueled by the passing of the HAVA Act, which authorized more than $3 billion in federal funds to purchase new voting equipment. HAVA's principal architect was Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH), whose financial ties to Diebold, through disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, have yet to be fully exposed. Blackwell personally negotiated a no-bid contract for Diebold touch-screen Direct Recording Electronic machines (DREs) while holding stock in the company. Under HB3 Blackwell will decide whether the machines will be audited or not in an election where he is running for governor. "We're prepared for those types of problems," said Deborah Hench, the registrar of voters in San Joaquin County, California, according to The Times. "There are always activists that are anti-electronic voting, and they're constantly trying to put pressure on us to change our system." Aviel Rubin, a professor of computer science at Johns Hopkins University, did the first in-depth analysis of the security flaws in the source code for Diebold touch-screen machines in 2003. After studying the latest problem, The Times reported Rubin said: "I almost had a heart attack. The implications of this are pretty astounding." More coverage from the mainstream corporate media may surface as the machines malfunction in the 22 primary elections scheduled in May and June. The next major e-vote meltdown should occur during the May 16 primaries in Kentucky, Oregon and Pennsylvania. There's still time to move to hand-counted paper ballots for the November 2006 election. And if current trends continue, some of the mainstream media may actually start reporting on the issue. Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman are co-authors of "How the GOP Stole America's 2004 Election and Is Rigging 2008". They are co-editors, with Steve Rosenfeld, of "What Happened in Ohio?" soon to be published by The New Press. Copyright © 1998-2006 Online Journal http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_804.shtml 20 May 2006 @ 20:51 by Quinty @68.226.88.25 : An interesting follow up to the above by Danny Schechter {link:http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0519-32.htm|Voting Scandal}in which he emphasizes the mass media's lack of interest appeared in Common Dreams today. About Feingold, what you say, Richard, is probably true. Arriana Huffington (I've been scanning Common Dreams) discusses the fear politicans have of being branded a "Loser" by the Punditocracy. Like the way Howard Dean was un-nominated by the media and turned into a national joke (with his own assistance) in 2004. Feingold may be portrayed as an out-of-step crank, or hot-head. For, as we know, truth telling in Washington (and on the mass news media) is seen as impolite. Though, of course, on shock radio anything goes. Including first person accounts of having taken a little ride through the Solar System on a space ship. 29 May 2006 @ 02:47 by jobrown : This is all quite interesting... ...but in the end, I think both R's and D's are one and the same and hence a real danger for American People.... That's just my feeling... BTW, has anyone of you had a chance to check out the http://www.centrustparty.com/ I think the Power in and of the Centrust party is expressed in Victor Hugo's words there on the site. If I were to vote here, I would go for the Centrust!... : ) Anyhoooo; Good Luck America! I'm envisioning only 'The Best' -whatever that is... 29 May 2006 @ 08:59 by jazzolog : Which Blueboy Are You? The one who sends me emails sometimes lives in the States, but maybe maintains citizenship elsewhere. I had not heard of the Centrust Paradigm and so am grateful to the link. I agree Repubs and Dems reach into the same pockets for power, but I think we've seen with what ferocious glee Repubs do it these past half dozen horrible years. The Dems at least still get paralyzed by conscience. Repubs go on the attack when questioned...which is denial in its final phase: murderous. 29 May 2006 @ 17:10 by Quinty @68.226.88.25 : The sad truth is that the Repubs and Dems often drink in the same country club bar. And to a European, where a genuine left can be found - or something similar - the left and right sides of the same political party may appear indistinguishable. Many Americans have that problem too. Among intellectuals Gore Vidal has been harping on this for years. And, what's more, in Europe the intellectuals tend to receive considerably more respect. Even admiration. Here they are often viewed with suspicion, as elitist outsiders and complainers. And our far right accuses them of being "America haters" at the drop of a hat. But there are some prominent honest folks in both parties: Kevin Phillips, Richard Clarke on the right, for example. On the left there is the Congressional Black Caucus, the Progressive Caucus, some good senators, such as russ Feingold. There there, and some are even honest. But the bottom line for we Americans is that a good Democrat, if one emerges, is the only hope we've got. A European may have some trouble understanding our winner take all, two party system. For a third party to succeed it has to knock another entirely out of the box. 29 May 2006 @ 18:15 by jobrown : "Interesting" Question; "Which Blueboy Are You?" Does it CHANGE the Message if the blue boy is this label- carrying - or this label-carrying or this label-carrying person? I always was tought that it is the MESSAGE that has meaning -not "Who" comes with/puts forth the Message. We learn about each other "all the time", don't we? ; ) I would agree with your statement that " The Dems at least still get paralyzed by conscience..... " and that is the only thing MOST of the Dems has going for them.... if you ask me! ( plus the few Good Ones, like yourself, of course! : )) Enjoy your Day, Jazzo!/Blueboy nr 2525 ; ) A few hours later. Heyyy , Jazzo, does this 'fit' the thread here? If it does; why don't you 'put it in' here ( I don't know how to put in pics ) http://www.workingforchange.com/comic.cfm?itemid=20771 . Anyhooo, maybe it can crack a smile on someone's face....idonnnnow.... ...an' this should really comfort an old D's Heart... : ) http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/051706R.shtml // bb/2525 29 May 2006 @ 19:59 by Quinty @68.226.88.25 : Speaking of honesty in politics, the breaking news is that Senator Harry Reid, Senate Minority Leader, has been caught in a conflict of interest scandal in which he accepted tickets for ringside seats at three major boxing bouts while working on legislation regulating the boxing industry. And if that is not enough, he appears to actually also be tied to Abramoff! Oh Harry, why, why? 30 May 2006 @ 09:34 by jazzolog : "The Medium Is The Message" I attempted to raise myself with that motto...or label...even though I still am not sure I understand it. Let me not insult anyone by linking Marshall McLuhan http://www.marshallmcluhan.com/ but I know how brief are generations today, and how short the memory of a culture. "The true enemy is inside. The maker of trouble, the source of all our suffering, the destroyer of our joy, and the destroyer of our virtue is inside. It is Ego. I call it, 'I, the most precious one'. " --Gehlek Rimpoche Yes Quinty, and I have no trouble opposing corruption no matter which party's pocket it's found in. Our mutual Repub-voting friend in Maryland sent me this email last week chronicling Dem mischief (maybe he sent it to you too)~~~ This is why no particular part, dem or rep, should get their pants in a bunch about Jack Abramoff in specific or corruption in general--it cuts both ways Politics: Haven't heard much lately about Democrats' plans to make an issue of the GOP's "culture of corruption" in the 2006 elections. Could it be they just don't want to call attention to their own scandals? Just three weeks ago Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean inveighed on national TV against the Republicans' "culture of corruption." His remarks were echoed by House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi. The Democratic National Committee has gone so far as to post "The Corruption Files" on its Web site, detailing purported GOP malfeasance. The strategy isn't looking so hot now that the FBI videotaped Democratic Rep. William Jefferson taking $100,000 from an FBI informant. The FBI later found $90,000 of the cash in Jefferson's freezer. Apparently, Jefferson planned to use the money to bribe a high-ranking Nigerian government official to win business for a U.S. company that, in turn, was bribing Jefferson. Jefferson, however, is just the latest member of his party to face questions about corrupt or unethical behavior, all but shredding the Dems' "culture of corruption" case against the GOP. Other cases include: Democrat Rep. Alan B. Mollohan of West Virginia, who is being investigated by the FBI for getting millions of dollars in pork barrel spending for his state, and profiting from it. Mollohan's personal wealth has reportedly grown from $565,000 to $6.3 million in just four years. Former Sen. Robert Torricelli of New Jersey, who is being investigated by the Senate for meeting with Iraq's U.N. ambassador, Hizar Hamdoun, in the late 1990s and seeking oil-for-food contracts for a Torricelli campaign donor, businessman David Chang. A handful of Democrats who've been ensnared in the Jack Abramoff scandal, though you likely didn't read about it. They include Michigan Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow, and Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid. Just weeks ago, the media were full of stories about how this scandal would sink the GOP. Now, Democrats and their media friends have grown strangely quiet. An aide to New York Sen. Chuck Schumer at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, who pleaded guilty to fraud after stealing personal data on Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, a Republican, including his credit report. Schumer heads the DSCC, which helps Democrats run against Republicans nationwide. Sadly, there's more - including Rep. Cynthia McKinney's outrageous assault on a Capitol Hill security officer and Patrick Kennedy's inebriated car crash. If the Democrats are counting on corruption to keep their current lead in the polls for this year's midterm elections, they may be in for a very nasty surprise. 30 May 2006 @ 14:34 by Quinty @68.226.88.25 : Hi Richard - I didn't mean to imply that you would have any trouble. Though I must admit to being disappointed with the Dems. How nice it would have been to concentrate only on the K Street Project, Halliburton, Cheney's secret meetings, Big Pharma, Oil and the like? Not to mention the world of spin Bush's White House has created. McKinneyh's neurotic slip does seem like small potatoes, though, to me, compared to the stranglehold Bush and the Repub Congress have had. And speaking of dishonesty, Bush et al have created a national climate of dishonesty, the cherry on the top being the war. No, I hadn't seen that email. It does seem the Dems have a long way to go to catch up. 30 May 2006 @ 16:21 by Quinty @68.226.88.25 : Looking at that again I see that I offered a small variation on the theme of a "climate of dishonesty." Which, in truth, I wasn't thinking of when I wrote the above. Since any two people who look out two separate windows can conclude the sky is blue if the sky indeed is. And one person doesn't need to wire the other with that information. It's plainly there for anyone who wants to see. Only a good Repub would deny this "climate" exists. But then perhaps they, the Repubs, are in denial. They see no wrong in Bush's conduct of the war: K Street is politics as usual: the Dems are really no more or less corrupt than the Repubs. While the Dems have contributed to this climate, and some voted for large scale corporate pork this runaway greed and corruption which is flourishing today goes far back: to at least the days of Reagan, when "greed was good." Though the go go dot com boom kept the pace during Clinton's presidency and real estate went off the map. Did Clinton believe "greed is good?" He certainly believed his own personal ambition was, though I can't say one way or the other how far he went in supporting corporate rapaciousness. We have, as Greg Palast said, "the best democracy money can buy." And then there those who justify it by merely saying "everone does it." Anyway, as you may have guessed, I felt a little like running on. And thanks for your patience. (That is if you are reading this, which you obviously are, if you are reading these words.) I have an appointment with the doc and perhaps I'm a little nervous. Nothing serious, just a routine checkup. You all know how that is. And rattling on helps deal with the "white coat syndrome." Have a good day..... 31 May 2006 @ 16:09 by Quinty @68.226.88.25 : To respond to your emails Well, when it comes to graft why limit it to any one party? When anyone with a vote wants to play? The reason why is power, that's why. Influence. Control. Calling the shots. More even, perhaps, than money, but coming out on top and winning the game. That appears to be what fuels many Republicans. And a corporate oligarchy is the natural plane everything would level out on in America. So if the Repubs control the Congress and the White House why should they share with the Dems? No reason at all, and that was the idea behind the K Street Project. To eliminate all Democratic influence. To take complete control. To become the single pipeline between corporations and government. No, the Repubs don’t want to share anything today but the blame. And now “equality of blame” is their spin since it deflects from their own raw guilt. And while this response may only be a straw it may be one fine straw the American people will grasp, that the corruption cuts clean both ways. For if the Age of Bush has shown us anything it is how far Americans are willing to travel with their faith in fantasies. It's as if, in truth, there were no one else there in the world, except inferiors awaiting our good tutelage in the ways of free market democracy. Under our constant supervision, of course. Each time a Democrat is caught in a scandal that will be like a flash of burning white light out of Heaven for the Republicanss. A neurotic explosion here (McKinney), a true bribery scandal there (Jefferson), a bit of scandalous nepotism, drugs and drunkenness (Patrick Kennedy) as well as some questionable odds and ends: and the Repubs can concoct a veritable moral crusade they can launch and hang on to in order to obscure their own intents and larger culture of crime. Torriceli, yeah, he was a pretty nasty piece of work. Harry Reid: his explanations are most unconvincing. But as for the others, Durbin and Schummer, we’ll see. Frankly, if these guys are truly crooks I would be greatly surprised. Especially Durbin. But then that Harry Reid sold his soul just for some tickets to a boxing match, well...... No. The phantasmagoria world of George Bush goes only so far. There even honest Republicans who are disgusted with the administration's shenanigans, seeing through the heavy cloud of lies. And for the sake of preserving their own values and mental health they are saying “Enough!” Since the point is not that many Democrats are corrupt too: many, I’m afraid, are. The point is that these Republicans in the Congress and White House have created a “culture of corruption,” to use that phrase again. And what we have to ask ourselves is, what’s to be done about it? Curious we’re having this discussion when Kenny Boy Lay and Jeff Skilling have been convicted. Ah, now there’s a story. 1 Jun 2006 @ 06:15 by jobrown : I would agree with you JAzzo, that the staement "The Medium Is The Message" is cryptic -to say the least!... You know what; I think it is one of those famour Neocon CONFUSION Rhetorics: meaning to sound so Impressive and IMPORTANT that we , the People don't dare to ask what it means, because of ooooohhhh, God forbid, fear of showing our IGNORANCE!.... In other words: the Statment "The Medium Is The Message" is nothing but CRAPP and indeed not meant to be anything but crapp -with the intention to make us feel stupid for not knowing it was nothing but crapp!... Well, anyhoo... that's what I think of about that "Message" and the Messegner who brought us that one is a crook!...OR a Fullblood Dummy! Ahhh c'est la vie! Hugs to you, jazzo from /A-d 1 Jun 2006 @ 09:04 by jazzolog : To Blueboy And Quinty The emails weren't from me Paul, but from Dana who responded more ferociously to our Maryland buddy than I usually do (although his more recent environmental barb tipped me over the edge). For the sake of this discussion and clarity in the thread, I think I should post what she sent out~~~ Root it out wherever it's found- but for sheer MASS of corruption (and this is JUST Abramoff ties) STATE BY STATE GOP SCANDAL SCORECARD State Investigation Target Disposition Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby Gov. Robert Riley Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Recipient of contributions from Abramoff. Received contributions from. DeLay's ARMPAC, linked to Abramoff Alaska Senate President Ben Stevens (son of US Senate Pro Tem President Ted Stevens) Sen. Ted Stevens Probed for accepting consulting fees from oil services firm Veco. Subject to a recall petition. Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Arkansas Republican Party Received contributions from. DeLay's ARMPAC, linked to Abramoff Arizona Rep. J. D. Hayworth Rep. Rick Renzi Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Recipient of contributions from Abramoff California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham Rep. Dana Rohrabacher Rep. Doug Ose Rep. Richard Pombo Rep. John Doolittle Rep. Ed Royce Ethics probe for accepting salary from two men's fitness magazines while governor, possible kickback from American Media publisher to Schwarzenegger charity and silence money to a woman who had an extramarital affair with Schwarzenegger. This probe may go criminal. Probed for bribery regarding financial ties with and favors for defense firm MZM. Pleaded guilty to tax evasion, conspiracy, Nov. 28, 2005. Tied to Abramoff scandal on loan papers. Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Recipient of contributions from Abramoff, including Indian casino money Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Colorado Republican Party Received contributions from. DeLay's ARMPAC, linked to Abramoff Connecticut Gov. John Rowland Rep. Rob Simmons Convicted, imprisoned 2004 Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Delaware Attorney General Jane Brady Accused of helping MBNA Bank of Wilmington skirt campaign finance laws. DC Jack Abramoff, GOP lobbyist Adam Kidan, DC Dial-a-Mattress franchise owner in DC and Abramoff associate since College Republican days when Abramoff was chairman Michael Scanlon, former chief of staff to Tom DeLay Steve Rosen, American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) Keith Weismann, AIPAC Larry Franklin, Colonel, USAF Reserves, Dept. of Defense Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Vice President's Chief of Staff White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove David H. Safavian, Head of Procurement Policy, Office of Management and Budget, former Chief of Staff, General Service Administration Ex-Corporation for Public Broadcasting Chairman and current Broadcasting Board of Governors member Kenneth Tomlinson Patricia Harrison, President Corporation for Public Broadcasting Vice President Dick Cheney President George W. Bush J. Steven Griles, former Interior Deputy Secretary Indicted, wire fraud, conspiracy Indicted, wire fraud, conspiracy. To plead guilty in return for his testimony against Abramoff Being probed for involvement in Indian casino scandal with Abramoff, Kidan, and DeLay. Indicted Nov. 18, 2005 for conspiracy to defraud Indian tribes. Pleaded guilty Nov. 21. Indicted for criminal conspiracy involving classified national security information Indicted for criminal conspiracy involving classified national security information Indicted for criminal conspiracy involving classified national security information Probed for illegal disclosure of CIA classified information. Indicted on 5 counts: Obstruction of justice, making false statements and perjury Probed for illegal disclosure of CIA classified information. New Grand Jury investigating Rove Arrested by FBI for making false statements about helping Jack Abramoff acquire two Federal properties in DC and Maryland. Under investigation for violating the Public Broadcasting Act Probed for violating Public Broadcasting Act Investigated for criminal conspiracy in divulging the identity of covert CIA agent Probed in Abramoff scandal for accepting bags of illegal campaign cash from Seminole casino interests in Florida Probed for links to Abramoff Florida Rep. Katherine Harris, US Senate candidate Rep. Tom Feeney Rep. Ric Keller Probed for campaign donations from MZM, Inc. (related to Duke Cunningham probe) Recipient of contributions from Abramoff. Probed for corporate ties to Yang Enterprises, involved in over billing state of Florida. Feeney was Jeb Bush's 1994 running mate for Lt. Gov. Recipient of contributions from Abramoff and Kidan. Georgia Ralph Reed, candidate for Lt. Gov. Sen. John Isakson Sen. Saxby Chambliss Rep. Phil Gingrey Rep. Jack Kingston Probed for involvement in Abramoff, Kidan, DeLay Indian casino money laundering. Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Guam Gov. Felix Camacho Probed for ties to Abramoff and demoting Acting US Attorney for Guam Frederick Black Hawaii New Hawaii PAC and House GOP PAC Dalton Tanonaka, former Lt. gubernatorial and congressional candidate State Rep. and House Minority Leader Galen Fox Campaign violations filed against a number of GOP candidates for the state legislature and US House for skirting spending limits. Under FEC investigation for disguising and failing to report campaign loans. Also investigated for possible illegal foreign funding from Hong Kong and Japan. Convicted on federal charges of fondling a woman on a Honolulu to Los Angeles commercial flight Idaho Rep. Michael Simpson Rep. Butch Otter Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Illinois House Speaker Dennis Hastert Rep. Jerry Weller Republican National Treasurer Bob Kjellander Former House Leader State Rep. Lee Daniels (Elmhurst) Probed for accepting money from Turkey. Recipient of contributions from Abramoff (Weller is married to the daughter of Guatemalan dictator and mass murderer [300,0000 Guatemalans] Efrain Rios Montt). Under Federal probe for steering investment contracts to Illinois Teachers Retirement Fund. Under Federal investigation for misuse of state employees for political activity and state contract kickbacks Indiana Rep. Dan Burton Gov. Mitch Daniels Thomas Sharp, INDOT Commissioner Jim Kittle, GOP state chairman Rep. Chris Chocola Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Under investigation for soliciting campaign donations in return for INDOT (Indiana Dept. of Transportation contracts) Under investigation for soliciting campaign donations in return for INDOT (Indiana Dept. of Transportation contracts) Under investigation for soliciting campaign donations in return for INDOT (Indiana Dept. of Transportation contracts) Received DeLay ARMPAC money. FEC investigating Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Kansas Rep. Jim Ryun Sen. Sam Brownback Adam Taff Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Recipient of contributions from Abramoff 2004 congressional candidate (KS-3), indicted for campaign violations and wire fraud. Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher Transportation Commissioner Dan Druen Deputy Personnel Secretary Bob Wilson Darrell Brock, Chairman of Kentucky GOP Gov. Personnel Adviser Basil Turbyfill Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert Dick Murgatroyd, Gov. Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Adams, Deputy Transportation Secretary Cory Meadows, Executive Director, Transportation Dept. Environmental Protection Commissioner Lloyd Cress Sen. Jim Bunning Lt. Gov. Stephen Pence Dave Disponett Criminal probe in a state employees' merit system scandal. Received contributions from. DeLay's ARMPAC, linked to Abramoff. Merit system scandal, witness tampering. Indicted. Merit system scandal. Indicted Merit system scandal. Indicted. Merit system scandal. Indicted Merit system scandal. Indicted Merit system scandal. Indicted Merit system scandal. Indicted. Merit system scandal. Indicted. Probed in merit system scandal Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Received contributions from. DeLay's ARMPAC, linked to Abramoff Indicted for violation of Kentucky civil service law Louisiana Sen. David Vitter Linked to Abramoff in a case involving a Louisiana Indian tribe. Maine Republican Party Received contributions from. DeLay's ARMPAC, linked to Abramoff Maryland Joseph Steffen, aide to Gov. Bob Ehrlich Gov. Bob Ehrlich Resigned for starting a rumor campaign against Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley. Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's Executive Office of Environmental Affairs Lawrence Novak, Vice Chair, state GOP Under ethics cloud for awarding a $10,000 contract to conservative Boston Herald columnist to write columns supportive of Romney's policies. Arrested by FBI for drug money laundering Michigan Rep. Dave Camp Attorney General Mike Cox Rep. Candice Miller Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Failed to pursue felony pollution charges against Graceland Fruit after a major Department of Environmental Quality investigation. Investigated by House Ethics Committee for accepting campaign contributions in return for her yes vote on the 2004 Medicare bill. Minnesota Rep. Gil Gutknecht Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Missouri Sen. Christopher Bond Sen. Jim Talent Gov. Matt Blunt, son of Roy Blunt Rep. Roy Blunt, House Majority Leader Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Received contributions from. DeLay's ARMPAC, linked to Abramoff Investigated for trading illegal PAC money with DeLay through Blunt's Rely on Your Beliefs Fund. Received Indian casino money from tribes represented by Abramoff. Mississippi Rep. Charles Pickering Rep. Roger Wicker Sen. Thad Cochran Sen. Trent Lott Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Received funds from casino Indian tribes represented by Abramoff Montana Sen. Conrad Burns Rep. Dennis Rehberg Probed for links to Abramoff Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Nebraska Former Rep. Jon Christensen Rep. Jeff Fortenberry Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Received tainted money from DeLay. Refused to return it. Nevada Sen. John Ensign Rep. Jon Porter Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Received $25,000 from DeLay's ARMPAC New Hampshire Sen. John Sununu Rep. Jeb Bradley House Speaker Gene Chandler James Tobin, Northeast political director National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee Chuck McGee, former Exec. Dir. New Hampshire Republican Party Allen Raymond, GOP Marketplace President Probed for receipt of money from DeLay tainted PAC Probed for receipt of money from DeLay tainted PAC Campaign contributions violations Indicted, conspiracy, GOTV phone line jamming, Sununu 2002 campaign. Convicted Dec. 15, on 2 telephone harassment charges. Pleaded guilty, conspiracy, GOTV phone line jamming, Sununu 2002 campaign Pleaded guilty to conspiracy, GOTV phone line jamming, Sununu 2002 campaign New Jersey GOP State Chairman Tom Wilson Rep. Jim Saxton Rep. Frank LoBiondo Rep. Mike Ferguson Probed for his firm receiving $2.7 million from the Burlington County Bridge Commission Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Recipient of contributions from Abramoff, may have illegally "wheeled" money from DeLay through his "MIKEPAC" to GOP candidates in Texas and other states New Mexico Rep. Heather Wilson Recipient of contributions from Abramoff New York Westchester County District Attorney Jeanine Pirro and US Senate candidate Probed for campaign donations from mobsters. Her husband served a year in prison for tax evasion. Northern Marianas Gov. Froilan Tenorio Grand Jury probe, ties to Abramoff North Carolina Rep. Charles Taylor Hayes Martin, Taylor Campaign Treasurer Rep. Walter Jones Probed for ownership of shady Russian bank - whose other major investor is a former KGB general. Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Indicted, fraud and money laundering Recipient of contributions from Abramoff North Dakota Richard Clayburgh, House candidate Received contributions from. DeLay's ARMPAC, linked to Abramoff Ohio Gov. Bob Taft, Misuse of state funds/ethics violations Thomas Noe, Bush-Cheney 04 campaign chair, NW Ohio; Turnpike Commissioner; University Regent Bernadette Noe, Thomas Noe's wife; chair Lucas County GOP; chair Lucas Co. Board of Elections Brian Hicks, Taft chief of staff, member Ohio University Board of Trustees Cherie Carroll, Taft Chief of Staff Executive Secretary Rep. Bob Ney Rep. Jean Schmidt Rep. Ralph Regula Douglas Moormann, Gov. Taft's Executive Assistant for Business and Industry Walden O'Dell, Chairman & CEO of Diebold, Bush-Cheney major campaign contributor who promised to "deliver" Ohio to Bush in 2004 Convicted, four first degree misdemeanors, pleaded no contest (admission of guilt). $4000 fine and public apology, two Federal Grand Juries, one state Grand Jury still investigating Taft. Misuse of state funds for rare coin fund. Indicted by Federal grand jury, arrested in Florida. Misuse of state funds Convicted Convicted Being probed for involvement with Abramoff, Kidan, and DeLay, Indian casino money laundering. Recipient of contributions from Abramoff and Kidan. Indictment may be imminent. Probe of financial ties to Games, Inc., and proposal to put Ohio State Lottery on the Internet. Received contributions from. DeLay's ARMPAC, linked to Abramoff Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Under criminal investigation for accepting loan from Noe. Resigned for "personal reasons" Dec. 13, 2005 after initiation of a class action lawsuit against Diebold for securities fraud. Oklahoma Rep. Ernest Istook Sen. James Inhofe Sen. Tom Coburn Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Oregon Sen. Gordon Smith State Rep. Dan Doyle Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Misused campaign funds. Convicted. Pennsylvania Rep. Don Sherwood Rep. Curt Weldon Sen. Arlen Specter Rep. Joe Pitts Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick Investigated by DC police for assaulting and choking a 29-year old Maryland woman Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Recipient of money from DeLay's ARMPAC (subject of Federal indictments), money laundered from Abramoff sources. Puerto Rico Puerto Rican New Progressive Party (GOP affiliate party) Paid Abramoff $400,000 for lobbying for 1998 statehood referendum Rhode Island Former House candidate (2002) Mike Battles Providence Mayor Vince Cianci Firm, Custer Battles, disbarred from Iraq contracts after allegations of over charging and money laundering Imprisoned in 2002 for 5 years. South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson Rep. Gresham Barrett Rep. Henry Brown Received contributions from. DeLay's ARMPAC, linked to Abramoff Received contributions from. DeLay's ARMPAC, linked to Abramoff Received contributions from. DeLay's ARMPAC, linked to Abramoff South Dakota Sen. John Thune Rep. Bill Janklow Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Guilty, second degree manslaughter, imprisoned. Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Tennessee Rep. Van Hilleary Sen. Bill Frist Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Under Securities and Exchange Commission investigation for insider trading on his Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) stock Texas Rep. Tom DeLay, House Majority Leader Jim Ellis, Director Americans for a Republican Majority (ARMPAC) PAC tied to DeLay and Abramoff John Colyandro, Texans for a Republican Majority (TRMPAC), DeLay associate Warren RoBold, Lobbyist and DeLay associate House Speaker Tom Craddick Sam Walls, candidate for Texas House State Rep. Todd Baxter Rep. Kevin Brady Rep. Pete Sessions Probed for campaign finance fraud, ties to Abramoff/Kidan, Saipan sweat shops. Grand Jury, Travis County prosecutor, and House Ethics Committee probing DeLay. Indicted by Travis County District Attorney for 1 count of criminal conspiracy and 2 counts of money laundering. Arrested and booked at Harris County jail October 20, 2005. Recipient of contributions from Abramoff. Conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering charges still stand after Texas Judge dropped the one count of criminal conspiracy on December 5, 2005. Indicted Indicted Indicted Probed for campaign violations involving TRMPAC and DeLay Photos of him wearing women's clothes surfaced in the 2004 runoff campaign Investigated for receiving ARMPAC and TRMPAC money from Republican National Committee. To resign from office on Nov. 1, 2005 Recipient of $10,000 from ARMPAC in 2003. Arrested for DWI in South Dakota. Probed for receiving money from casino Indian tribes represented by Abramoff Utah Rep. Chris Cannon Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas Opposition to universal health care in Vermont tied to huge contributions from insurance industry. Virginia Rep. Virgil Goode Jerry Kilgore, gubernatorial candidate Rep. Eric Cantor Rep. Randy Forbes Sen. George Allen Rep. Tom Davis Probed for contributions from MZM, Inc. (related to Duke Cunningham probe) Received $5000 from MZM, Inc. Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Recipient of contributions from Abramoff and Kidan. Washington Rep. George Nethercutt Rep. Doc Hastings Spokane Mayor Jim West Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Under Federal and state investigation for abusing his office to obtain sexual favors and soliciting sex over the Internet from underage males. Recalled Dec. 6, 2005 by a 2-1 margin. West Virginia Rep. Shelly Moore Capito Received contributions from. DeLay's ARMPAC, linked to Abramoff Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan Rep. Mark Green Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Recipient of funds from DeLay's ARMPAC Wyoming Sen. Mike Enzi Rep. Barbara Cubin Recipient of contributions from Abramoff Recipient of contributions from Abramoff The format of this horrifying list of Republicans is curious and Dana often doesn't source her material. I'll try to find out where she found this and its date when she wakes up this morning. Will post that info later. A minute later she sent out this message, which is sourced~~~ Whereas almost all lobbying before the Bush era was confined to Capitol Hill, now one in five lobbyists approaches the White House directly. Consider the success story of one Kirk Blalock, a former aide to Karl Rove as deputy director of the Office of Public Liaison, where he coordinated political links to the business community. Now, one year out of the White House, he's a senior partner in the lobbying firm of Fierce, Isakowitz and Blalock, boasting 33 major clients, 22 for whom he lobbies his former colleagues in the White House. Indeed, the Bush White House boasts 12 former lobbyists in responsible positions, from chief of staff Andrew Card (American Automobile Association Manufacturers) on down. "The number of registered lobbyists in Washington has more than doubled since 2000 to more than 34,750," reports the Washington Post, "while the amount that lobbyists charge their new clients has increased by as much as 100 percent." http://dir.salon.com/story/opinion/blumenthal/2005/10/06/rovean_empire/index.html As for McLuhan, I shall venture, blueboy, where angels feared to tread some 45 years ago when this stuff hit the university campuses. It's rather difficult to convey the impact "McLuhanism" had upon intellectuals back then. Maybe you had to be there. Essentially there was vast speculation about what the man possibly could be talking about. Looking back, his idea seems essentially quite simple...and here's what I think medium is the message is about. His main concern was television. He said the transfer of information via this tube requires a very different neurological response than simply viewing a landscape or reading a book. A landscape on a TV screen (or nowdays a computer) actually is a series of tiny dots that your brain has to decipher, put together, and interpret as to what that arrangement represents. The process involves a concentration so vast that its importance must not be neglected in favor of the mere message. In fact, that medium IS the message. Watching a movie on TV is entirely different from watching it run through a projector in a theater. The reel of film gives the illusion of motion in a different process than the dots that run left to right across the screen with lightning speed. We talk all the time about people being brainwashed in front of a TV or computer. McLuhan opened the door to that process in the brain, probably overlooked by most people, where the mind is open to such manipulation. So far as I know, he never did anything "crooked" with his theories and quite possibly was a conservative sort of guy---I'm not sure---but I think he certainly was right. 1 Jun 2006 @ 20:04 by jazzolog : Dana's Source--- it looks like---is here~~~ http://www.waynemadsenreport.com/gopscorecard.htm but the post date on it is last December. Fortunately the Repubs have learned their lesson and there's nothing new to add. Oops, what's this? It seems Randi Rhodes gives more details on this material~~~ http://forums.therandirhodesshow.com/index.php?showtopic=73535 1 Jun 2006 @ 20:54 by Quinty @68.226.88.25 : The medium is indeed the message and not "Crap" at all. All the old boy was saying is that how the message is packaged, presented, the feel of the medium embracing the message creates the message. Look at the difference between a novel, let's say, and a television presentation of an event, idea, mood, story, whatever. You get two different things and all McLuhan was predicting was that the mass media would eventually color and define truth, the culture, the world many see and accept all about us. And that has indeed happened. The war in Iraq is a good example: for the reality many Americans embrace is a fantasy which the Bush administration created with the eager collusion of the mass media. For many Americans see their own reflection in the media which greatly defines our culture. No, it's not that odd an idea. And McLuhan, I suppose, can be credited with having seen this phenomenon arising in American life and culture before it truly took hold. As that conservative, Tome Wolfe, said: "what if he's right?" If you read Wolfe's essay on McLuhan you will get the impression that he was like many thinkers, those whose active minds keep them awake at night. Guys living entirely in the world of thought, who can't shut it off. There people like that, you know? And I think McLuhan, right or not, was for real. 1 Jun 2006 @ 21:29 by vaxen : Interesting... that the ''dog and pony'' could even go on year after year. Same actors, different names, different faces, all the same... You all seem to have forgotten the real import of the American Republic for humanity. Of course the for profit CORPORATION calling itself your government, the "Democracy" which has NO AUTHORITY outside the zone and territories it was limited to (by us), has so totally hypnotised you into believing it that the Republic remains empty (well, not entirely), as well as anti-thetical to the false 'government' that installs itself, not by vote, but on the sly, as you serve your puppet master politicos. My suggestion to all you who love to get bound up in 'their' game is to consider what you lost when you became a fourteenth amendment lackey of the Corporate State and surety (your birth certificate) for its' loans. Your sovereignty. We of the republic must denounce you as the traitors that you are. Treason is punishable by? Maybe a little Lysander Spooner might be just the thing for you all... 1 Jun 2006 @ 23:57 by i2i : If the Democrats win... ...{link:http://www.themoderatevoice.com/posts/1142780783.shtml|will Brokeback Mountain be required to be shown in elementary schools???} 2 Jun 2006 @ 00:16 by vaxen : You mean... if the international banking fraudsters win, don't you? Disband this government of usurpers. Reinstantiate full reserve banking and the gold standard, and institute a total policy of ''money reform,'' Or, better yet, find out who you are and lets wake the republic up. The house of the republic is beautifull built and almost empty so... I realise I am shouting to the wind. Take a gander at this, though, if you have the time and maybe, just maybe... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Are the elections in the United States fair and honest? A review of the facts is far less than reassuring. Since 1964, right after John F. Kennedy was assassinated, vote tabulation for national elections has been handled not by the government, but by a private company lacking any official oversight at all. This company, which changes its name on a regular basis, is currently called "Voters News Service" and is located in New York City. This company is owned by a consortium of TV networks and wire services, which are in turn controlled by the CIA through its Operation MOCKINGBIRD. The TV networks will make a great show of being "first with the election results", but in reality all of them rely on the numbers sent to them by VNS, while seldom acknowledging its existence during the election coverage. This is the voting process most in use in America today. A voter punches a card in the voting booth. That card is run through a computer at the local voting center, then that computer contacts computers at Voters News Service, or the precinct official telephones the numbers the computer shows him to Voters News Service, which then announces the results via the networks. Poll watchers are allowed to watch the voting booths, to guard against polling place electioneering, but in most precincts, the actual counting of the ballots is concealed from the public, and nobody is allowed to see inside the voting machines, or review the computer software that counts the ballots. 70% of all votes in America are counted by machine, and nobody, not private citizen, not local election official, nobody, is allowed to examine how it all works. The accuracy tests conducted on the voting machines before and after the actual election are utterly worthless, as they cannot detect fraud designed to fool the accuracy test itself. In 1988, when voting machines in Illinois were tested with tens of thousands of ballots instead of the few dozen normally used for the accuracy test, over 1/4 of the machines which had passed the standard accuracy test were found to have mistabulated the larger test vote results! While researching the book, "VOTESCAM", the Collier brothers actually managed to videotape members of the League of Women voters forging ballots, and found hard evidence that Shouptronics and Printomatic vote machines were rigged in the Dade County Elections. In the Shouptronics, the wheels of the mechanical counters were shaved to cause miscounts. In the Printomatic machines, a malfunction revealed that the paper tape with the voting results had been pre-printed before the voting even started! The Colliers, along with attorney Ellis Rubin, handed the evidence to the assistant State Attorney for Florida. Sadly, that assistant State Attorney was Janet Reno, who in a pattern we have all become too familier with, killed the investigation. 60 Minutes taped a segment on the Dade County Vote Fraud, but never aired it. Mandatory voter registration laws, such as "Motor voter" have been a boon to election fraud, generating registered voters who don't vote and whose names may be used to obtain absentee ballots. In the California election that unseated Bob Dornan following his efforts to investigate the Clinton White House, canvassers discovered that nearly half of the names registered to vote in the GOP election from 7 precincts simply did not exist. The California Attorney General's office was informed by the precinct worker, but again nothing was done. In 1998, almost 20,000 fraudulent voter registrations were discovered on the voting rolls, but were allowed to remain on the excuse that their removal in time for the election would cost too much! The evidence for massive vote fraud in the United States uncovered by the Voting Integrity Project and organizations like it are ignored by the government, which has obviously been the beneficiary of such chicanery, and by the media, which is complicit in the fraud. http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/ARTICLE3/ 2 Jun 2006 @ 00:33 by i2i : But... ....{link:http://www.themoderatevoice.com/posts/1142780783.shtml|would Brokeback Mountain be required to be shown in elementary schools???} http://www.pamspaulding.com/graphics/mwilliams.jpg It is an important question. http://www.pamspaulding.com/weblog/2006/03/unhinged-blowback-on-brokeback-actress.html 2 Jun 2006 @ 01:35 by vaxen : So is... The Federal Reserve banking scam and so is knowing who you are as yourself and as a puppet in their system... till rebuttal. I really don't know what is the importance of that question, in lieu of all the above, however I'll enjoy your reply, I'm sure... 2 Jun 2006 @ 02:37 by i2i : No, no, no, sorry Vax. I asked first! So, my "important question" trumps your "important question" (sorry, that's the way it goes, lol!) Besides, my question and its related {link:http://www.themoderatevoice.com/posts/1142780783.shtml|link} are more directly related to the original question on jazzoLOG. 2 Jun 2006 @ 03:14 by i2i : Practical ways... ...to make a difference today: {link:http://www.takeitpersonally.org/index.php|Take It Personally}. Incidentally, Betsy Taylor (New American Dream,) believes that "this year may go down as ONE OF THE MOST CIVIC-MINDED in recent memory." http://www.newdream.org/newsletter/vote.php I wonder. We shall see. 2 Jun 2006 @ 08:17 by jobrown : Oooooh, my, oh my..... I had no idea!... Thanks for enlightening me on the subject ( "The Medium Is The Message"/the "Tube" thannngggg )but then again whi knew! ; ) -exept for you a few already Enlightened Ones in the Field, so to speak. Did I understand correct, that these names are (some ) of our Reps , who have seriously misbehaved, by stepping into the Corruption zone? Well.... I looked at the "Take It Personally link - not that I read it all yet... but what I saw right away was this "Sign the Petition" - s---- (Sorry!... I feel really bad to poohpooh it, but I really have difficulties in believing in the validiy and EFFICIENCY of the Petitions!... -sertainaly MOST of them are thrown in the trash -after the Reps have laughed their little Butts off -at our cost!.... Am I just being cynical here -or does my hunch 'bout them get support from anybody? Jazzo? Vaxen? Anybody? My gutt feeling wanders off more in Vaxen's Idea groove, though maybe in an even more RADICAL -as in Cosmic-(( ; ) )) groove: We women need to sidestep entirely ALL Male dominant Energy and go for the FEMALE INDEPENDENCE ENERGY, by starting to take actions in that direction extreamly seriously in our own lives! We have show every Male (energy using individual) that this Planet needs a re-alignement in the BALANCE of Female-Male energies, in EVERYBODY's thinking, acting, behaving. I could say more about this "whole thing", but this is sufficient for this thread - at least for now. Besides it is after Midnight and my Brain takes a vacation every night from ten o'clock forward till next morning!... (Some of my biggest blunders here on NCN, all happened AFTER ten o'clock in the evening!...) sighhhh... Nite, nite hugs & kisse to u all/BB A-d 2 Jun 2006 @ 09:13 by jazzolog : I Love What's Going On Here and please continue this amazing discussion. It's an honor to have you folks talking these issues out...and yes, I'm glad Vax sticks to his guns about the fundamentals of the US state. I need his reminder every day! At the same time this Bobby Kennedy story is hitting the stands and I've got half an hour to mount an entry on it. BTW, it turns out Brokeback Mountain is a wonderful movie, though I'm not sure how to edit it for an 8-year-old. 2 Jun 2006 @ 15:57 by Quinty @68.226.88.25 : Blueboy, regarding the message - I'm probably a lot older than you, and grew up watching this phenomenon. I can remember when great novelists (Hemingway, Faulkner, Steinbeck, to name a few) held sway over the cultural landscape. And how they all eventually gave way to the mass media, which pretty much defines American life and culture today. Just yesterdy I was in a book store and the current best sellers were on display: the top non-fiction authors were all media personalities: demonstrating that in today's corporate culture each medium economically boosts the others, since they're all owned by the same people. And among the fiction writers only Phillip Roth appeared among those who could be judged "serious," though schlock has always done well on the lists. But Roth is one of the last of a disappearing breed. Why the hell would anyone want to show Brokeback Mountain to gradeschool kids? 2 Jun 2006 @ 16:11 by rayon : Strange also to consider that the densely populated countries of Europe have a freer, more open discussion process entrenched in their cultures. Whilst the big open spaces of the US and Russia seem to spawn the Brave new World, Big Brother, control freak cultures. It is almost as if the great outdoors and wilderness of many Americans causes the personal a priori assumption of total unequaled freedom, more than any country in the world, and therefore the Control factor is merely a remote or even unknown quantity for the average citizen. The juxtaposition is strange tho, one would have thought it would be reversed. Certainly in Britain many take to the country to escape the media/rat race onslaught digging, fishing or bird watching with increased fervour in a selfbrainwashing attempt to regain control of their own existence and mind. Again in Europe most people walk around amidst their dense throbbing cities whilst maintaining self reflection and control,..... constantly - often causing me to wonder what exactly this is in them, and hope these days to have discovered an awareness of this sense, but not sufficiently to translate into Americaneese or even into Brit English for that matter, it merely stays as personal awareness at this stage!!! I am concerned for America. 2 Jun 2006 @ 17:34 by Quinty @68.226.88.25 : We are too Concerned, that is, about America. Since we seem to be slipping into a full fledged corporate (theocratic?) oligarchy. Yes, one of the appeals of European city life for me can be caught in a famous 1930s photograph of a Parisian in his dark suit and tie merely feeding the pigeons. I loved to walk around great cities where's there's always something to catch the eye. Parisians, for example, love slight spontaneous gestures which display some flair. I remember once a strong wind suddenly coming up and in a split second I reached up and caught my hat. Upon acomplishing this I looked about and saw two Frenchmen staring at me with something close to adoration. In America no one would have noticed or cared. Drop a package on the street? In the US it is a cause for embarrassment. In Europe it allows someone to become gallant and with a courteous flourish he will help pick it up. At least that has always been my experience. We are not a nation of walkers. Walk around the streets of your town and people may look at you with suspicion, wondering what you are doing out there. Nor do we have the sights any reasonably seasoned town in Europe has. I'm beginning to sound like an "America basher." But we do plenty of bashing of Europe here, especially the French. And they have much there we don't have here which I admire. If the US evolves into a corporate oligarchy (Cheney perhaps is more about that than Bush. And Bush definitely needs grounding.) then we will lose that which is best about our culture. And the mass media, which currently defines it, offers a fantasy world: one many Americans cling to. Maybe in 2008 things will begin to change. Many Americans are fed up, whatever their political pursuasion. Today though, we have lapsed into a vulgar, stupid, corporate imperialism which doesn't leave much room for merely taking a walk along the Seine and looking at all the intriguing sights. 2 Jun 2006 @ 19:18 by i2i : I Love What's Going On Here Ditto, Richard! 1. "I'm glad Vax sticks to his guns about the fundamentals of the US state. I need his reminder every day!" [2 Jun 2006 @ 09:13 by jazzolog] And yes, I do too share Richard's enjoyment of Vax's lectures about the fundamentals of the US - I don't think however that I need his reminders every day, lol (I mean, this one http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v119/__show_article/_a000119-000002.htm#com6678 , on my Newslog, is dated 18 Sep 2002 and, well, you’ve got to give the man points for his consistency but, I swear, if I have to be reminded one more time that "the United States was not founded as a Democracy, but is and was a Republic," I am gonna blow a fuse.) The funny thing is that I do like Vaxen’s take on things (no, seriously, I really do) on a thinktank/hogepodge kind of a thing, which is mostly one of the few main interests of NCN to me in this current stage of its development - the hogepodge kind of a thing. Maybe there is in there somewhere the seeds of some worthwile system designer’s project. How to design a system in which a vast array of posts and viewpoints are intelligently and efficiently indexed and interconnected in a way that make them obviously but unobtrusively present and accessible whenever a related topic comes up, so that people don’t feel like they have to repeat themselves all the time, or feel as Vaxen put it that they are "shouting to the wind." 2. "I looked at the 'Take It Personally' link - not that I read it all yet... but what I saw right away was this 'Sign the Petition' - s---- (Sorry!... ) I feel really bad to poohpooh it, but I really have difficulties in believing in the validiy and EFFICIENCY of the Petitions!..." [2 Jun 2006 @ 08:17 by blueboy] Good point, there are a lot of petitions there, lol. I guess that’s one of the services such sites do provide. And the site might not be your kind of thing either, which I understand – it’s not for everyone – It is an example however of what some people – good people - are trying to do out there. Most of those sites are still exploring how the internet can be used to better connect people, to raise awareness, or as a tool for Democracy. It is a growing process. It seems to me, however, that equating "Take It Personally" to just a "Sign the Petition" kind of a site would be somewhat of a REDUCTIONIST VIEW of what the site is really trying to do. For one thing, it serves as a portal to the activities of other networks, such as Greenpeace, which are not all exactly known for just "petitioning" or taking a passive stance on things. There are many ways in which changes, small and big ones, can take place, have taken, and are taking place, NOW, in the world, other than a "RADICAL" Revolution. As a matter of fact, if you will allow me that digression, it is often those changes and the way they affect one's perception of things that are the precursors of Revolutions rather than the other way around – Take the French Revolution for instance, aside from the usual culprit (i.e. food scarcity, high bread prices, grossly inequitable system of taxation, etc.) the French Revolution was also a product of the zeitgeist of the times, i.e. the rise of enlightenment ideals (maybe what blueboy refers to as "cosmic groove") and a resentment of seigneuralism and royal absolutism. The French Revolution was a bloody one and its immediate aftermath gave birth to the Reign of Terror, so it might not be the best "groove" here, and maybe the best and most successful Revolution are the quiet ones – the grass roots/ubiquitous ones as opposed to the bottom down/monolithic kind. Changes take place. The times of institutionalized racism, segregation, and lynching, or the times of robber barons, sweatshops, and child labor are not so far away. It was not too long ago either that the federal government imposed no income tax on the fortunes made by the Fords, Rockefellers, and Vanderbilts and did nothing to help poor children or ailing senior citizens, nothing to regulate the quality of food and medicines, nothing to protect people from being fired or evicted from being, say, Irish or Jewish or Black. Changes still are taking place. One of the paradoxes of our era (there are many) is that although we condemn sweatshops and child labor here at home, we seem to condone them abroad (impicitly so) in those countries from which we import our consumer goods, or to which we export our factories. People's awareness of such paradoxes and their discomfort with them has been growing. People everywhere are starting to educate themselves on how they can take it personally by making conscious consumer choices that will make a difference in the world. {link:http://www.calvert.com/sri.html|Socially Responsible Investing} is on the rise. Citizens can and should play an active role in shaping the future of our global economy: http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/index.html . {link:http://www.takeitpersonally.org/index.php|Takeitpersonally.org} was inspired by {link:http://www.gxonlinestore.org/personally.html#|Anita Roddick’s book} of the same name, and focuses primarily on human rights, environmental, trade and women’s issues. 3. "Why the hell would anyone want to show Brokeback Mountain to gradeschool kids?" [ 2 Jun 2006 @ 15:57 by Quinty]. Beats me, Quinty (I don't believe anyone does.) Doesn’t make much sense to me either, but then again, as {link:http://www.newciv.org/nl/newslog.php/_v350/__show_article/_a000350-000021.htm|you well know}, it doesn’t have to. The quote was taken from the {link:http://www.themoderatevoice.com/posts/1142780783.shtml|page by Joe Gandelman} to which it is linked. I quote: "...over the next few months American will be treated to the dizzying spectacle of the Republican-dominated Congress being used as a transparent political tool to define Democrats and to set the country up for a political campaign that is aimed at dividing the country by arousing passions in segments of the population." "Rather than discuss recent issues or policies, to win they will create enemies then accentuate stereotypical images and trigger fears of what will happen if the GOP can't protect them from them. Will a Democratic Congress appoint Cindy Sheehan to the Supreme Court? Will Brokeback Mountain be required to be shown in elementary schools? If Democrats are in will they vote to eliminate the pledge of allegiance and substitute it with George Clooney's Oscar speech?" "Actually, there is a good chance this strategy will succeed, since it has worked well before — and when it comes to politics, Democratic strategists aren't exactly rocket scientists. In, fact, they're not exactly strategists, either... But perhaps it will fail this time because polls show there is a strong desire for change." 2 Jun 2006 @ 20:31 by jobrown : Now, theres a few things here that I would like to breafly touch ( my time is very limited for NCN, since we are in the midst of a major move; packing,and some more packing!....) Anyhooo, I think it was last night after my comment here, that I ran SOMEWHERE - I wish I could remember WHERE!.... into this thing: - someone asked "Everybody" to write a letter to this one Senator, who had taken on a Major PEOPLE's REQUEST and working it through the Mire to We, the People's favor. In other words; the times someone in the Higher Echelons is doing Things right: ENCOURAGE them and CHEER them on! I liked that a lot! I believe that, that will bring in the kind of energy into Politics /our overall Society, that we so desperately need! Then again; here in I2i's comment I found a THINKING that I personally believe that we all be better off to understand as OLD way of thinking; the errouneos way of thinking that has gotten us into the s----!..... hence we "should" all wake up and understand in a more Cosmically Correct ways, and indeed poke holes in this/any errouneous thinking -or certainly at least NOT give credence to the old thinking anylonger: "Changes take place. The times of institutionalized racism, segregation, and lynching, of robber barons, sweatshops, and child labor are not so far away. It was not too long ago either that the federal government imposed no income tax on the fortunes made by the Fords, Rockefellers, and Vanderbilts and did nothing to help poor children or ailing senior citizens, nothing to regulate the quality of food and medicines, nothing to protect people from being fired or evicted from being, say, Irish or Jewish or Black." This I see as still accepting the old OUTDATED Thinking! "..... Irish or Jewish or Black." That is exactly the thinking we HAVE to poke holes into MORE, MORE and even more, eh? Of those three, only ONE is truly a Race; the 'Black' in terms of biology. The other two are just PHONY -sociopolitical-/ SEPARATING ( for the Divide & Conquer-methods (the MAchiavellian Principles all due respect ; ) )) or "Tools" that have been used to confuse and hurt people -and still are!...though less and less (I hope! ) And besides, even if 'Blacks' really reperesent a biological race, it is done WITHIN the Sphere of God's Creation of Human (animals. We are all related as bilogical GOd's Creations ( heck; The Silver Back Gorilla/s in the Rainforests of Zaire, I think it is, differ genetically only TWO % from us!... Whom are we insulting with truly understanding this?????..... ; o Heck, again!... ; ) we are related to the very dust we step on daily on our way to Work (, that our CONF/USERS have decided they need us to do FOR them! Do I sound like Vaxen -or what!hahahahah. Vax, you know I love you! : ) ) We are related to amoebas, for that matter as well. We are indeed related to ALL LIFE -and if we don't like that , or realize that, boy, then we do have problem/ then we are in serious TROUBLE!!!....in Trouble City,in fact! uuuuuhhhhhayayay The DIFFERENCE that we all need to become aware of and ALLOW to be the determining factor in our lives is the Consciousness someone is choosing to be their dominant frquency.THAT is the TRUE "Racial" issue!... Nobody thinks with the flesh, but -hopefully- with their Mind!.... Frank Zappa said: "What's the ugliest part of your body? /Some say your nose/ Some say your toes/ But I say it's your Mind/" Doesn't that 'kinda' sum it all up?... don'tcha think, eh? I do!... *!*.... Ciau for now, guys! Seize the Day! : )/ 4 Jun 2006 @ 15:52 by jobrown : i2i You do have strong points in your response to my slightly cynical -given-up-on -petitions opinion!.... Thanks for pointing out another -more positive- way to look at the Issue! Blessings to you , i2i! /A-d 8 Jun 2006 @ 11:12 by jazzolog : Godless Greg Palast June 7th, 2006 Anne Coulter says we’re “Godless” — we “liberals.” And by “liberals,” she means anyone who wants to keep the government out of our underpants, out of Iraq, and out of the business of helping Big Business shoplift America. It’s time someone took on the blonde bully. Anne, I realize yesterday was special day for you, releasing your book on June 6 — 06-06-06. Going through it, I must, admit, is heavy going: ‘Godless’ is a 300-page brick of solid meanness and pin-head hatreds packaged like a fashion magazine: Big Brother wears Prada. You accuse those who don’t sign on to your list of prejudices as the Lord’s enemies. That’s not original, Anne: the Taliban thought of it before you and they too were partial to dressing in black. You want to talk about Godless? OK, let’s go: Would the Lord lie us into a war? Would the Lord let thousands drown in New Orleans while chilling at a golf resort? Would the Lord have removed tens of thousands of Black soldiers from the voter rolls as the Republican Party did in 2004? You talk about being “Christian” — but with all your zeal to fire up electric chairs and Abrams tanks, you sound more like a Roman. I suggest this, Anne: let’s debate. Set the time, set the place, and I’ll be there. Nose to nose, my facts versus your fanaticism. But I know you don’t have the guts to do anything but lob idiocies from your electronic Fox-hole. Your new book is called, “Godless.” Your autobiography should be called, “Gutless.” ********** Greg Palast, winner of the George Orwell Courage-In-Journalism Prize, is the author of the New York Times bestseller, The Best Democracy Money Can Buy. Yesterday, he released his book, Armed Madhouse: Who’s Afraid of Osama Wolf?, China Floats Bush Sinks, the Scheme to Steal ‘08, No Child’s Behind Left and other Dispatches from the Front Lines of the Class War.” http://www.GregPalast.com 8 Jun 2006 @ 16:31 by Quinty @68.226.88.25 : Anne (Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!) Coulter I can sympathize with Palast's anger and disgust. But Anne (Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!) Coulter is nuts. And she obviously hopes to provoke a reaction. I listened to her for all of two hours last night on Hannity on the radio. Two hours of hate spuming wildly from her motor-mouth. Where to begin? Listening I kept saying, whoa, whoa, wait a minute now, as she leapt from provocative fantasy to provocative fantasy. Logically grappling with what she said would have taken several more hours for each parse of her rampant diatribe would have required its own rebuttal. Who could keep up? The liberals this, the liberals that, she went on and on: and attempting to honestly recognize myself somewhere in all of this I found nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not one of her generalizations fit. Liberalism is a religion? Nonsense. She does (and many rightwingers do) have a tendency to project, and accuse others of what she herself does. And forcing religion down other people’s throats is not one of liberalism’s faults. No, she inflames with her wanton recklessness and being nuts she's no one to take seriously. Though I must admit, I am fascinated. And the audience at Hannity's open air show in Huntington, Long Island, roared their approval. And, yes, like it or not, all the attention she receives helps sell her books. Dealing with her is like allowing a bully the satisfaction of knowing that you actually hurt each time he hits you. And, of course, not many (notice, I said "not many," instead of the universal "we" Coulter uses) want to do that. I suspect, though, that her attack on the four 9/11 widows may be too much for some on her side. I mean, after all, the woman is completely gaga and nuts. 10 Jun 2006 @ 15:40 by vaxen : She... obviously is doing something somewhere along the line as she has hooked lots of energy into her bag... I could care less what any of the countless punditized talking heads say. I know the truth. And Quinty, are you at all familiar with 'the Act of 1871?' Created a Government for Washington D.C. A Corporation known as the 'UNITED STATES,' oh it also copyrighted other little goodies, too, like 'WE THE PEOPLE.' So, since at least that time the monster in Washington was given full sway to Corporatize 'America.' Study ''UCC Redemption" for it is a way, one of many, to begin to reclaim what was stolen from you. The Declaration of Independence might give you a clue, too, as to what HAS to be done if you are at all interested in Liberty and Freedom. Beating a dead horse is deceptive... Both the Republicans, and the Democrats and, I dare say the Libertarians as well, are lackeys of the Corporate State. What, you don't like the taste of Fascism? Then divorce yourself, expatriate from, the "Democracy" in Washington. This nation was founded as A REPUBLIC not a Democracy! Mobocracy as opposed to individual rights. Any idea just what that means? The dog and pony show put on by the Corporation in Washington D.C. only impresses idiots and fools and those ignorant of the real history of this country. ;) Carpe Noctem! http://selfsip.org/ 11 Jun 2006 @ 16:08 by i2i : What should the Democrats do? "Offer courage. Leadership in the face of incompetence and lies. The American people are yearning for it. Leadership will require the novelty of speaking truth to the American people..." ---16 May 2006 @ 20:53 by Quinty @68.226.88.25 This is really the core of the question, isn't it? Not just for the Democrats, BTW, but for anyone, for any sincere person (whichever their political affiliation might be) who might have ever considered getting involved in politics: can {link:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031679/plotsummary|Mr Smith go to Washington,} Quinty? The cynics say that, if we get politicians who lie, it is because we don't vote for those who tell us the unpleasant truths. The question is not so much then about whether Politicians should "speak the truth" (I think they should) but whether they can, or as Paul Krugman put it in a recent article: "Are we — by which I mean both the public and the press — ready for political leaders who don't pander, who are willing to talk about complicated issues and call for responsible policies? That's a test of national character. I wonder whether we'll pass." 11 Jun 2006 @ 19:08 by Quinty @68.226.88.25 : As Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars says: "Trust in the force." Miracles occur when you do. If not, then nothing can ever happen. Without that courage "to be" nothing good can ever happen. Our country, the United States, may be too large for its two party system. Because there are actually many political philosophies in the United States. A country as large as ours might function in a more representative manner if power were shared. Then candidates might not feel so compelled to seek the middle in order to draw votes. (Just a thought.) By the way, I watch CSPAN from time to time: and it seems to me the Demos get a bit of bum rap. There are many loud progressive voices in both the House and Senate. But when these reps put up ammendments to bills they are almost always shot down. Some do "trust in the force," in a political way though. 12 Jun 2006 @ 08:31 by dempstress : I'm a bit worried. According to Colleen Graffy the three suicides at Guantanamo were a 'good PR move'. I work in the PR area, and am concerned that the next time my employers want to make a bit of a public splash the ante has been upped rather dramatically........ 12 Jun 2006 @ 09:54 by jazzolog : Rest Easy Dempstress The suicide of a PR guy is so commonplace it never makes news. Your mission is to get 3 unpopular administrators to jump from the tower at your college. New student applications will flood the admissions office. 12 Jun 2006 @ 10:08 by dempstress : Phew! Thanks Richard. 17 Jun 2006 @ 01:48 by jazzolog : Sex & Money This entry, created this morning (Pacific Time) at Daily Kos, already has 642 comments! Money is to Liberals as Sex is to Conservatives by SusanG Fri Jun 16, 2006 at 10:28:18 AM PDT Evil. Suspect. Immoral. Dirty and shameful. Something no one should be proud to admit either having or enjoying. But mostly ... the ultimate temptation to succumb to selfish hedonism and to betray ideals. In both cases - sex and money - knee-jerk condemnation of those who enjoy either is stupid, simplistic thinking. Of course, we recognize it when we condemn it in Republicans. After all, we think, who but a right-wing fundie would think that love consummated between two consenting adults, whatever their gender, whatever the position, is a sin? But we rarely recognize this one-dimensional, stereotypical assumption in ourselves when we apply it to those who have money. After all, who but a liberal would think wealth, no matter how honorably earned, no matter how honorably spent, is a stain upon the idealistic, progressive soul? We pride ourselves in this burgeoning people-powered movement on giving voice to the true views held by average Americans. For the most part, we're right. Polls consistently show that most citizens now agree that the Iraq war was a mistake, that President Bush is a lousy president, that clean air and water are priorities, that good schools for our kids are necessary and that our health care system needs a major overhaul. The one area that liberal activists often seem seriously out of touch with mainstream views is attitudes toward money. Most Americans view economic success as a validation of their hard work, savvy, entrepreneurship and an indication that they are meeting a previously unmet need for their fellow citizens. But too often in progressive circles, an individual living anywhere above the federal poverty guideline is dismissed as "selling out" or being co-opted. Of course, in a few individual instances, this may be the case. But these, I would argue, are aberrations, and even the right wing recognizes it as such; the constant railing from conservatives about limousine liberals and George Soros show that they at least get it: liberals with some money in their pockets can be a fearsome thing when it comes to funding candidates, issues, think tanks, progressive infrastructure. Far from selling out, liberals with wealth - and I'm including some with inherited wealth like the Kennedy family - are the right's worst nightmare. The fact is, money is a tool. In and of itself, it is absolutely neutral. It can be spent for good, it can be spent for evil. Just like a hammer, it can be used either to bash someone's head in or to build a house. We don't condemn the tool as inherently suspect, but the uses to which it is put, and to label anyone who starts earning decent money as immediately suspicious is as ludicrous as Republicans condemning anyone enjoying consensual sex outside the strictures of Leviticus as sinful. As we are seeing more and more progressives able to make a full-time living off of giving voice to our movement, this "money is evil" mindset must be reexamined. People like Markos, John Aravosis, Duncan Black ... well, I glory that what they have to say is worth paying them to write it or say it. As Air America gains markets and advertisers, I rejoice that the views expressed there are valued enough to be acquiring some serious coin. I'm dizzy with happiness at the thought that Michael Moore made a shitload off of Farenheit 911. I want this movement's best minds and hearts in a comfortable financial position. I want them undistracted by calling landlords each month to whine and wheedle about overdue rent. I want them fully focused on building our infrastructure, networking, getting our message out by any means necessary. I want them to be able to hire help if they need it. I trust them, you see, to use their time and money wisely, and here, for me, is where the real nub of the problem lies and the frightening parallel with the right-wing condemnation of sex for pleasure. I've long thought that the individuals on the right who assume sexual freedom will give rise to all sorts of inarguably exploitive sexual situations - pedophilia, rape, manipulation of the trusting sexual partner and abandonment - are telling us a lot more about their own dark side than about the reality of most of our sexual relationships. And I often give a silent prayer of thanks that they are tamping themselves down, even as I resent their efforts to impose their strictures on the rest of us who have managed to handle our sex lives with some dignity. I've now come to view objections to other progressives acquiring money and the accompanying power in the same light. It's telling me a whole lot more about what these purist economic protestors who want us all starving in garrets would do with a large chunk of change than what the folks now earning a living through progressivism will do in the future. Thus, if you don't trust yourself to handle money wisely in the service of your ideals ... please, stay away from it. But don't impose your own knee-jerk economic prejudices on your fellow progressives. Instead, welcome the flourishing as evidence that our moment is arriving and we are connecting with America in a way that shows people are willing to pay to have us build our people-powered vision. Liberals can handle money and its accompanying temptation, I'm certain. Sit back and watch. It's about to happen. :: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/6/16/132818/945 29 Apr 2016 @ 09:08 by Bandar Togel @103.12.162.4 : brilliant! I would like to share this ar Togel Online Singapore Togel Online Hongkong Bandar Togel Singapore Bandar Togel Togel Online Terpercaya Bandar Togel Online Terpercaya Togel Online Agen Togel Online Terpercaya Agen Togel Online Other entries in Politics 1 Jul 2010 @ 02:21: PHILIPPINES’ NEW PRESIDENT: AKBAR OR NERO? 4 Jun 2010 @ 08:30: SCUTTLE EU NOW, BEFORE 4TH REICH OPTION AWAKENS! 17 Nov 2008 @ 10:11: My 'story' I just uploaded to change.gov 8 Nov 2008 @ 16:06: A Boy Named Sue and the False American Dream 7 Nov 2008 @ 16:01: No He Can't... 6 Nov 2008 @ 09:16: History is NOW 5 Nov 2008 @ 16:58: Obamas World - Africa and the World beyond Poverty !? - but how? - what world? 5 Nov 2008 @ 14:02: Proud to be An American 26 Oct 2008 @ 15:26: Systemic Intelligence: How to teach Systemic Thinking effectively 26 Oct 2008 @ 10:27: OBAMA IS AMERICA’S MAN OF THE HOUR
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16 May 2006 @ 10:05, by Richard Carlson