Message from former Senator Max Cleland: Sadly, the power of well-funded lies can be hard to overcome with the underfunded truth. Six years ago, Saxby Chambliss won his Senate seat by running a TV commercial pairing my picture with Osama bin Laden's. But with Chambliss now in a runoff against Democrat Jim Martin scheduled for December 2 in Georgia, we are closer than ever to Martin winning. It's all part of finishing the job started with Barack Obama's historic election. Beyond Georgia, there are still two other outstanding Senate races - in Alaska and Minnesota. President-elect Obama will need every last legislative vote to change this country. The DSCC never takes a day off and will keep right on working to make certain the makeup of the Senate fully reflects the will of the people. But keeping pace with the GOP will take all of us doing our part to raise $100,000 before midnight Friday. We're all so committed to winning these extra seats that a group of our Democratic senators will triple every gift made before the deadline. We only have 14 days to get ready for the runoff in Georgia, and even as little as $5 from you can combine with contributions from thousands of others to make a huge difference. We need you now. I know first hand that the runoff campaign in Georgia will get nasty. Chambliss already has his latest round of shocking TV commercials exploiting the memory of 9/11. His right-wing buddies are flooding the state with vicious attacks against Democrat Jim Martin, himself a Vietnam veteran and a terrific public servant. Runoffs are won on turnout, and the DSCC knows how to get out the vote. Thanks in no small part to your generosity, they have been running proven field campaigns that push our people to the polls in numerous elections across the country. The DSCC needs your help now to win in Georgia. Boosting Barack Obama's nascent presidency demands nothing less than our best efforts over these next few weeks. Please make a contribution right away - even as little as $5 can make an important impact. I served in the Senate to the best of my ability. I know that Jim Martin will serve with character, dignity and grace. This is our chance to make it happen, and we all need to do everything we can. Sincerely, Max Cleland
2009 INAUGURATION We have been receiving many inquiries about President-Elect Barack Obama’s Inauguration on January 20, 2009 in Washington , D.C. The Inauguration is a constitutional function governed by Congress, and is not a function of the Democratic Party. The Inauguration is planned by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC), and the Balls and Parade will be hosted by Barack Obama’s Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC). Tickets to the 56th Inaugural Ceremonies will be provided free of charge and distributed through Members of the 111th Congress. The JCCIC does not provide tickets to the public. Members of the public interested in attending the Inauguration should contact their Member of Congress or U.S. Senator to request tickets. You should be aware that no website or other ticket outlet actually has Inaugural swearing-in tickets to sell, regardless of what they may claim. Tickets will not be distributed to Congressional offices until the week before the Inauguration and will require in-person pick-up. Sometime soon, President-Elect Obama will appoint the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC), which has the final say on inaugural activities. It will likely be a few weeks before the PIC is geared up and information starts to flow. There is no website yet, but there is useful background information here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inauguration_Day. Analysis of the Presidential Election Results Number of votes cast set record, but voter turnout percentage didn't  Story Highlights
Report: About 127 million votes cast, shattering 2004 record Turnout percentage about 61 percent, compared with 1960's 67 percent Early voting tracker: 31.7 million voted early in at least 30 early voting states Another expert's estimate projects nearly 131 million Americans voted Curtis Gans, director of American University's Center for the Study of the American Electorate, said Thursday that percentage turnout was lower because Republicans stayed away from the polls. Disappointment over Sen. John McCain's choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, combined with a perception that the ticket would lose, prompted many would-be Republican voters to ditch the polls on Election Day, Gans said. "There was real hostility ... amongst moderate Republicans" that McCain would choose the conservative governor, Gans said. "And then there was a gradual perception that the party was going to get whomped." Nevertheless, between 126.5 million and 128.5 million Americans cast ballots this year, according to a report by the electorate study center. Successful Democratic get-out-the-vote initiatives contributed to that number, which shattered 2004's mark of 122.2 million. The report surveyed 47 states and the nation's capital. Twenty-two of those states and the District of Columbia reported an increase in voter turnout this year, the center said. GOP turnout increased in only eight of the surveyed states, according to the report. Only 22% of the Nation's Counties Voted More Republican than in 2004 And where would this hot-bed of Republican activity be? Try the Appalachian region. (I guess you CAN fool some of the people all of the time.) This is the same region which has a strong correlation with poverty, heart disease, obesity, poor education etc... These are the same characteristics that Republicans claim are associated with Democrats, by the way. Wisconsin's battleground status not lost, some say By Greg J. Borowski And Ben Poston In one history-making election, Wisconsin went from the purplest state in the nation to a deep, wide blue. An analysis of the results showed Barack Obama flipping 32 counties to the Democratic column and racking up the party's largest winning percentage in 40-plus years. Four years ago, the state was decided for the Democrats by about 11,400 votes, the narrowest margin in the nation. Four years before that, it was even narrower: About 5,700 votes. Republicans had thought nominee John McCain, with his historic appeal to independent voters, could flip the state to the GOP for the first time since 1984. Instead, Obama topped McCain here 56% to 43%, a somewhat wider margin than the national split of 53% to 46%. On Tuesday, exit polling showed that 39% of those who voted in the state identified themselves as Democrats, 33% as Republicans and the rest as independents. In 2004, the numbers were reversed: 38% Republican, 35% Democrat and 27% independents. Some measures of the win: • Obama's statewide mark of 56% of the vote was the highest winning percentage for a Democrat since Lyndon Johnson reached 62% in 1964. Although Democrats had won the past five presidential elections, they topped 50% in only one: Michael Dukakis in 1988, at 51.4% • In Dane County, Obama notched about 73% of the vote. That's more than the 71% reached there by Johnson in 1964, and more than any Democrat dating to at least 1920. In Milwaukee County, Obama reached about 66%, on par with Johnson in 1964. • Obama was able to flip 32 counties won by President Bush in 2004, a map that pretty much followed the 2000 breakdown. By holding all 27 counties won by John Kerry in 2004, Obama ended up with 59 counties, John McCain had 13. • In Republican strongholds, Obama fared better than Kerry did - a measure of his own strength, but also McCain's weakness. For instance, Bush won 67% of the vote in Waukesha County in 2004, while McCain came in at 63%. He tallied about 10,000 fewer votes than Bush, a pattern repeated in other GOP counties, including Ozaukee and Washington. • Democrats now control both branches of the state Legislature and every statewide office except attorney general, as well as five of eight congressional seats. Statewide, turnout was estimated at just under 3 million votes, or about 70% of the voting-age population. That was slightly below 2004, bucking predictions of a record-breaking turnout. Thus, in many areas, including the city of Milwaukee, Obama improved on the Democratic performance of 2004 by winning over a higher percentage of votes, not by greatly expanding turnout. Republicans and Democrats alike marveled Wednesday at the breadth of Obama's win, which left only a smattering of counties red. There were huge margins in Milwaukee and Dane counties, but Obama had an edge in most regions of the state and many demographic groups. Consider one: Exit polls showed voters ages 18 to 29 made up 22% of all voters, up from 20% in 2004. Of those, 64% backed Obama, compared with 57% for Kerry. In the city of Milwaukee, the results followed past patterns for Democrats. In all, 274,463 voters cast ballots, for an 82.8% turnout. Overall, there were 3,072, or 1.1%, fewer ballots cast than the 2004 general election. • Obama won Milwaukee with 77.8% of the votes, garnering 213,073 votes to McCain's 57,652 votes. • Obama won 300 of the city's 312 voting wards by an average margin of 520 votes. • He had a strong showing in the aldermanic districts whose populations are predominantly African-American. He won at least 80% of the vote in the 15th, 6th, 7th, 1st, 2nd and 9th aldermanic districts. • Obama outperformed McCain in south side districts with sizable Hispanic populations. He won the 12th Aldermanic District with 82.4% and the 8th Aldermanic District with 75% of the vote. In many ways, the overall state map reflected the 1996 contest, in which Dole barely contested President Clinton in the state. That should be a caution to anyone ready to move Wisconsin off the battleground list, said Republican strategist Mark Graul. "I think Barack Obama was particularly suited to Wisconsin," said Graul, who ran Bush's 2004 state campaign. "I think Wisconsin is still one of the purple states. Four years after Bob Dole lost to Bill Clinton, we were one of the closest in the country."
By Sharif Durhams and Greg J. Borowski of the Journal Sentinel Posted: Nov. 6, 2008 Wisconsin had the second-highest voter turnout rate for Tuesday's election, despite the fact that there wasn't a statewide race on the ballot, according to an analysis released Thursday. In Wisconsin, 70.89% of the voting-age population cast ballots. That's down from 2004, when 73.82% went to the polls. In all, just under 3 million people voted in Wisconsin, compared with just over 3 million four years ago. Analysts believe the decline, in part, is because the presidential contest was seen as less competitive than in 2004, when a difference of about 11,400 votes separated the candidates. Minnesota topped Wisconsin, with 75.86% of the voting-age population casting ballots. Voters there also had the hotly contested U.S. Senate race between Republican incumbent Norm Coleman and former comedian-turned-talk show host Al Franken, a Democrat. That race is so tight that officials are recounting ballots by hand. In 2004, Minnesota also was the only state that outpolled Wisconsin. In that election, 76.75% of voting-age Minnesotans voted. The study was conducted by American University's Center for the Study of the American Electorate in Washington, D.C. It used vote tallies from The Associated Press. The study's authors used data collected as of Wednesday night. Nationwide, the percentage of those casting ballots in this election was about the same as in 2004, when a relatively high number of voters cast ballots. The study's authors estimate 60.7% to 61.7% of voting-age Americans voted. About 60% of the voting-age population cast ballots four years ago. The study examined turnout in 47 states and the District of Columbia. Alaska, California and Oregon weren't included in the study because large numbers of votes haven't been tallied in those states, the study's authors said. Washington - Voters turned out at a rate not seen in at least 40 years, as millions of Americans picked their president early and waited in lines that stretched the lengths of blocks and buildings. It looks like about 133.3 million people voted for president, based on preliminary results from the country's precincts and projections for absentee ballots, said Michael McDonald of George Mason University. Using his methods, that would give 2008 a 62.5% turnout rate, he said. Both numbers are estimates and may change as officials count more absentee and provisional ballots. McDonald suggested the turnout to be about equal to or better than 1964, but not higher than 1960, when John F. Kennedy squeaked out a victory over Richard Nixon. The turnout rate then was 63.8%. The total voting in 2008 easily outdistanced 2004's 122.3 million, which had been the highest grand total of voters. Curtis Gans, director of the nonpartisan Committee for the Study of the American Electorate at American University and dean of turnout experts, estimated the total votes to number between 126.5 million and 129 million. That puts the lower end of his estimate near the turnout rate in 2004, he said. September 25, 2008 McCain and Bush Administration Republicans (Who are Running From Bush) October Surprise!! The Politics of a Collapsed Economy Caused by Republican Deregulation, and the Spin by the Republicans to Blame it All On Democrats.
- Republicans create a bailout emergency, demand Democratic support and then don’t support the bailout themselves! - As shown on Keith Olbermann’s Countdown September 24, 2008 The politics of waiting. President Bush is warning Democrats they must not wait but must act now to bail out Wall Street the way he wants to or the economy will be, well, even worse. But on a Republican blog, one consultant is urging Republicans in tight races to vote against the bailout and attack Democrats who vote for it. Quote, “God himself couldn‘t have given rank-and-file Republicans a better opportunity to create political space between themselves and the administration. Let this be the political establishment—Bush Republicans and the White House, plus Democrats in Congress—saddling the taxpayers with hundreds of billions in debt—more than the Iraq war conjured up in a single weekend and enabled by Pelosi, by the way—while principled Republicans say, “No” and go to the country with a stinging indictment of the majority in Congress. A bailout may be inevitable, but so too can be the political benefit for congressional Republicans if played correctly.” This open call for Republicans to vote based not on, say, country first, coming from Patrick Ruffini, a former RNC staffer who‘s Web site says, it‘s a joint project with a veteran of the McCain campaign who was suspended this spring for circulating an anti-Obama Web video. White House Deputy Press Secretary Tonny Fratto claims (on September 23, 2008), that they had a plan to deal with the crisis “drawn up as a contingency plan over previous months and weeks by administration officials.” But while he acknowledged that lawmakers were only given days to review it, that “this should be enough.” The White House had a plan, that they created months before while they were publicly denying that there was a financial crisis, but didn’t distribute the plan to, and engage with the Congress of the United States until it became such a “crisis” that they had to act on it in only a few days? George Bush uses language like “panic”, “crisis”, “rescue”, “becoming more precarious by the day” in his address to the nation, in order to “build up America’s confidence” and force the Democrats into a corner? And McCain is supposed to “ride in on a white horse” and “save the day”, with his own plan to scuttle the plan that the Bush administration had under wraps for OVER A MONTH, at the eleventh hour, all the while McCain and Republicans were claiming that the “fundamentals of the economy were strong”, until the market collapsed a week ago, dropping $700 Billion in value in one day. The McCain campaign, claims to be “suspending his campaign” in order to “put country first” and work on legislation to make the bailout a better deal for taxpayers, except that he kept his campaign media appointments (other than “Letterman” where he expected to get skewered), and his campaign sends out talking points to their operatives to tell them “how to run a campaign even while looking like they had suspended their campaign”. It might have worked, except that one campaign operative made the mistake of forwarding the memo to … THE MEDIA. And of course, McCain took a different interview with CBS after lying to Letterman about having to get on a plane to Washington because of this economic emergency. - BUSTED! More lies to make him appear as if he is putting his country first, while he is in fact putting his own campaign first. (Came out on Rachel Maddow’s show Sept 24, 2008). Chris Matthews: “Every time voters switch parties (and vote for the party that isn’t the current administration), they (Republicans), pull a “razzle-dazzle play”. They hit the re-set button. They pull a “boot-leg” play when they are up against a stronger team.” Tell me again: Who is putting country first? GO CAMPBELL! Hold them accountable, whoever they are, and whichever party they represent. Keep the pressure on them! Campbell Brown continued her streak of keeping politicians' feet to the fire Wednesday night, laying into President Bush and Secretary Paulson over their lack of accountability for the current financial crisis and urging the leaders to allow "scrutiny and debate" over the bailout proposal before Congress. Brown first played a series of clips of the two over the last six months reassuring Americans that the economy was strong, then said, "today, of course, they have been proven completely wrong....This administration missed the boat on this crisis." Brown also said she found it "amazing" that the administration was "surprised that Congress and the American people are not marching in lock-stop with them on this." She continued: "Secretary Paulson, frankly, you didn't help the situation with your initial imperious request to Congress that you be handed this money and that your decisions on what to do with it — your language here — "may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency." Seriously, what were you thinking?" Finally, continuing her call for transparency, Brown urged leaders to allow "scrutiny and debate" on the bailout plan: "Now, I know everyone is screaming about how urgent this crisis is, that action must be taken immediately. But I love and live by former Supreme Court Justice Brandeis' great quote: 'Sunshine is the best disinfectant.' What we need is scrutiny and debate. If it has to happen quickly, then do it fast. But without grandstanding, or political posturing. Serious scrutiny and debate — and that should happen whether we are talking about a giant piece of legislation that is going to affect all of our lives, or whether we are talking about our Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates." See the video here: September 1, 2008 "Hookers and Blow" at RNC Convention Lobbyist Party Despite Plea from McCain to "suspend all but the most necessary activities." Top GOP Officials and Lobbyists Party On, with party hosted by Tom DeLay top aide. Brian Ross' investigative reporting catches top Republican officials in the act. Country first? Party goers weren't asked to contribute to recovery efforts. So much for toning the party down while millions of Americans have had to evacuate the Gulf Coast. An Open Letter to God, from Michael Moore Sunday, August 31st, 2008 Dear God, The other night, the Rev. James Dobson's ministry asked all believers to pray for a storm on Thursday night so that the Obama acceptance speech outdoors in Denver would have to be cancelled. I see that You have answered Rev. Dobson's prayers -- except the storm You have sent to earth is not over Denver, but on its way to New Orleans! In fact, You have scheduled it to hit Louisiana at exactly the moment that George W. Bush is to deliver his speech at the Republican National Convention. Now, heavenly Father, we all know You have a great sense of humor and impeccable timing. To send a hurricane on the third anniversary of the Katrina disaster AND right at the beginning of the Republican Convention was, at first blush, a stroke of divine irony. I don't blame You, I know You're angry that the Republicans tried to blame YOU for Katrina by calling it an "Act of God" -- when the truth was that the hurricane itself caused few casualties in New Orleans. Over a thousand people died because of the mistakes and neglect caused by humans, not You. Some of us tried to help after Katrina hit, while Bush ate cake with McCain and twiddled his thumbs. I closed my office in New York and sent my entire staff down to New Orleans to help. I asked people on my website to contribute to the relief effort I organized -- and I ended up sending over two million dollars in donations, food, water, and supplies (collected from thousands of fans) to New Orleans while Bush's FEMA ice trucks were still driving around Maine three weeks later. But this past Thursday night, the Washington Post reported that the Republicans had begun making plans to possibly postpone the convention. The AP had reported that there were no shelters set up in New Orleans for this storm, and that the levee repairs have not been adequate. In other words, as the great Ronald Reagan would say, "There you go again!" So the last thing John McCain and the Republicans needed was to have a split-screen on TVs across America: one side with Bush and McCain partying in St. Paul, and on the other side of the screen, live footage of their Republican administration screwing up once again while New Orleans drowns. So, yes, You have scared the Jesus, Mary and Joseph out of them, and more than a few million of your followers tip their hats to You. But now it appears that You haven't been having just a little fun with Bush & Co. It appears that Hurricane Gustav is truly heading to New Orleans and the Gulf coast. We hear You, O Lord, loud and clear, just as we did when Rev. Falwell said You made 9/11 happen because of all those gays and abortions. We beseech You, O Merciful One, not to punish us again as Pat Robertson said You did by giving us Katrina because of America's "wholesale slaughter of unborn children." His sentiments were echoed by other Republicans in 2005. So this is my plea to you: Don't do this to Louisiana again. The Republicans got your message. They are scrambling and doing the best they can to get planes, trains and buses to New Orleans so that everyone can get out. They haven't sent the entire Louisiana National Guard to Iraq this time -- they are already patrolling the city streets. And, in a nod to I don't know what, Bush's head of FEMA has named a man to help manage the federal government's response. His name is W. Michael Moore. I kid you not, heavenly Father. They have sent a man with both my name AND W's to help save the Gulf Coast. So please God, let the storm die out at sea. It's done enough damage already. If you do this one favor for me, I promise not to invoke your name again. I'll leave that to the followers of Rev. Dobson and to those gathering this week in St. Paul. Your faithful servant and former seminarian, Michael Moore MMFlint@aol.com MichaelMoore.com P.S. To all of God's fellow children who are reading this, the city New Orleans has not yet recovered from Katrina. Please click here for a list of things you can do to help our brothers and sisters on the Gulf Coast. And, if you do live along the Gulf Coast, please take all necessary safety precautions immediately. August 16, 2008 The Right Wing Slime Machine Is In Full Gear Fight Back with the FACTS! Download your copy of Obama's Rebuttals here: Don't Leave Any Slime Unanswered! Then write to your local Newspapers to let them know that you won't stand for this anymore. Use the following link to send out emails to local newspapers automatically. August 1, 2008 McCain the Maverick Guttersnipe Brings on the White Girls, the Black Guy and Race
Submitted by mark karlin on Fri, 08/01/2008 - 7:06am. EditorBlog
THE BUZZFLASH EDITOR'S BLOG
Mark Karlin
Editor and Publisher
Okay, McCain challenges Obama to go to Iraq and Afghanistan. Obama accepts the challenge and tosses in Europe (tracing a path McCain took earlier this year) and is greeted as a hero.
So the McCain camp panics and starts trashing Obama for being "uppity" (you know, as in "uppity negro" -- a characterization that the Washington Post is helping perpetuate) -- and the right-wing talking points spread across FOX and the GOP radio shill circuit that Obama was acting arrogant, usurping foreign policy, and drawing crowds only because there were opening bands that people were interested in seeing. (We are not making this up.)
Meanwhile, most of the mainstream corporate media -- having nothing better to do and continuing to perpetuate the myth that their role is to report both sides rather than to ascertain the truth -- goes along with actually seriously discussing a bizarre, Rovian (remember that he is an advisor to McCain) series of "attack ads" on Obama, squeezed in before the Olympics in a moment of panic. The panic is due to the fact that, on Obama's overseas tour, foreign leaders -- especially in Iraq -- took a distinctive tilt toward Obama's foreign policy goals. In fact, even Bush and McCain himself (depending on which McCain was speaking) started sidling toward Obama's positions in regards to the never-ending war and European relationships.
Fortunately, some of the corporate press did denounce the ludicrous attack on Obama for not going to a military hospital as bunkum. BuzzFlash stated that the McCain campaign had two headlines prepared for the Germany military hospital trip. If it didn't happen they were going to say, "Obama snubs soldiers." If it did happen, they were going to say, "Obama opportunistically exploits our injured soldiers." It turns out, from reports yesterday, that we were correct. The McCain campaign had prepared two such contradictory message points.
Now, McCain is unleashing what has become known as the Harold Ford "Black Man is Keen on White Women Primal Racism Fear" ad. Why toss tabloid fodder like Britney Spears and Paris Hilton in with Obama? Yes, perhaps to claim that he is all celebrity and no substance, but it was also to subliminally bring the "Harold Ford" factor into play: you can't trust a black man with white women.
It's the most basic racist fear that the Republicans have played on for years: black men threaten white women, which threatens white men, and subconsciously brings the whole issue of race to the forefront of the campaign.
So when Barack Obama joked the other day that the add was made to remind people that he didn't look like the other presidents on dollar bills, McCain's campaign manager, with a straight face and feigned indignation, accused Obama of injecting race into the campaign.
Then McCain himself chimed in, as prompted, to say that he agreed that Obama was bringing race into the campaign and how scurrilous that was.
You see, this is called, according to George Lakoff, keeping the elephant in the room, a most appropriate metaphor considering that dangerous Republican demagogues are on the loose. The more that McCain's campaign can bring up race, while blaming it on Obama, the more that race becomes an issue in the subconscious mind of many voters when they cast their ballots.
Racism isn't rational. Obama is monogamous; trust us on this one. So what threat, even in a bizarre hypothetical, would Obama pose to white women? Why none, but we are talking about exploiting the deep racial fears that hide in the deplorable recesses of the American soul going back to slavery, Reconstruction, and the rise of the modern Republican Party. This fear led to many a lynching if a black man so much as glanced sideways at a comely Southern white woman.
McCain, at this point, should be disqualified as a candidate. He has made so many gaffes that if elected it would be like having Captain Crunch run the nation, along with his financially and morally compromised Phil Gramm, who will pick the pockets of all those male racists out there who shoot up "liberal" churches because they blame progressives for their lot in life, when it's the Republicans who have economically fleeced them.
McCain ought to be confined to a neo-Confederacy assisted living center and finally leave his wife in peace.
To call the Spears, Hilton, Obama ad a new low in politics is to underestimate McCain's ability to sink lower than David Duke in Hell.
White male Americans don't need to protect their wives from Barack Obama. They need to protect the United States and their wallets from John McCain.
The guy is an immoral liar, who long ago lost his right to be called a hero.
Now, he's just a rabid junkyard dog with moral dementia.
THE BUZZFLASH EDITOR'S BLOG
Obama Doesn't Sweat. He should. by Greg Palast In swing-state Colorado, the Republican Secretary of State conducted the biggest purge of voters in history, dumping a fifth of all registrations. Guess their color. In swing-state Florida, the state is refusing to accept about 85,000 new registrations from voter drives - overwhelming Black voters. In swing state New Mexico, HALF of the Democrats of Mora, a dirt poor and overwhelmingly Hispanic county, found their registrations disappeared this year, courtesy of a Republican voting contractor. In swing states Ohio and Nevada, new federal law is knocking out tens of thousands of voters who lost their homes to foreclosure. My investigations partner spoke directly to Barack Obama about it. (When your partner is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., candidates take your phone call.) The cool, cool Senator Obama told Kennedy he was "concerned" about the integrity of the vote in the Southwest in particular. He's concerned. I'm sweating. It's time SOMEBODY raised the alarm about these missing voters; not to save Obama's candidacy – journalists should stay the heck away from partisan endorsements - but raise the alarm to save our sick democracy. And that somebody is YOU. Joining with US, the Palast investigative team. Here's how: We have been offered an astonishing opportunity to place the Kennedy-Palast investigative findings on a national, prime-time, major-network television broadcast. Plus, separately, we have an extraordinary offer to create a series of reports for national network radio. But guess what? The networks will NOT PAY for our public service reports. We have to raise the start-up funds in the next two weeks to film it, record it and get it on the airwaves. WE need YOU to fund the reports, DISSEMINATE the findings as we post the print, audio and video on the web– and ACT on it. So, for only the second time this year, I am asking each one of you to make a tax deductible donation to the non-profit, non-partisan Palast Investigative Fund of $500, $150 or $100. Progressives have complained for years of no opportunity to get the hard, cold sweaty truth on the air. Well, put your money where your heart and soul is. Donate at least $500, I'll send you every book I've written and every film, signed. Send $150 and I'll send you as a gift, a copy of John Ennis' film Free For All, Armed Madhouse, The Election Files and a copy of Live from the Armed Madhouse all signed. Donate $100, and I’ll send you 3 copies, one signed to you, of "The Elections Files," (Watch the trailer here) the best of our BBC/Democracy Now films – including special never-broadcast interviews with Kennedy(Watch a clip) and fired prosecutor David Iglesias (Watch a clip). I know you’re ponying up for your favorite candidates. But what’s the point of winning folks' votes IF NO ONE COUNTS THEM? Please make your donation – today. No corporation, no big foundation, is going to take on this emergency in our democracy. The election’s about to be stolen – for a third time. SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? Donate today (for $1,000 minimum, we’ll list you as a Producer of our next DVD, in gratitude). Why? Because the only way to get the vote-chewing cockroaches out of the voting machinery is to turn on the lights – tell the truth on them. On prime time. After our team busted the story of Katherine Harris' attack on innocent Black voters as "felons," the NAACP sued and won back their rights. The truth CAN make the difference. Yes, we can. Indeed, we HAVE. Think all votes should be counted in America? Then YOU stand up and be counted. Don’t expect networks or commercial sponsors to pay for your democracy. Feed the truth, donate $100 right now and pass on a copy of the Elections Files to your dippy cousin who thinks Kerry lost fair and square. Donations from our prior and only request already paid for some of our filming in the Southwest. Don't let this story be swept under the border. If you want more information, go to GregPalast.com, or write me directly at GregPalast.com – and hit the button, "contact Greg." ************************** Greg Palast is a Puffin Foundation Writing Fellow for Investigative Reporting at the Nation Institute, New York. Read and view his investigations for BBC Television at www.GregPalast.com . July 30, 2008
SENATOR JAUCH: MCCAIN RECORD DOESN’T BACK UP RHETORIC ON GREAT LAKES COMPACT -- UNLIKE MCCAIN, OBAMA HAS VOTED CONSISTENTLY TO PRESERVE THE GREAT LAKES - 7/30/2008
MADISON – With Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle testifying today at the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the Great Lakes Compact, Wisconsin State Senator Bob Jauch – who represents the entire Wisconsin shoreline of Lake Superior and helped craft the legislation – praised Governor Doyle’s work on the issue, but said Wisconsin also needs a President who will fight to preserve the Great Lakes. While both candidates have vocalized support for the bill, only U.S. Senator Barack Obama has backed up his words with a consistent record of support for Great Lakes preservation.
“Governor Doyle, Senator Feingold, and so many of our dedicated public servants have worked tirelessly to preserve the Great Lakes, and for that, the people of Wisconsin owe them our thanks,” Senator Jauch said. “But to truly ensure the preservation of the Great Lakes, we also need a steadfast ally in the White House. Barack Obama will be that ally.”
U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) presided over today’s hearing on the interstate compact. If passed by Congress, the bill would promote water conservation and prevent waters from being diverted to different regions – threats that have already caused damage to the Great Lakes.
Barack Obama has been a consistent advocate for preservation of the Great Lakes region, including co-sponsoring two bills to help prevent the spread of invasive species. In contrast, Senator John McCain has repeatedly opposed measures to preserve the Great Lakes, including cleanup initiatives and projects to prevent sediment pollution. In addition, McCain’s newfound support of offshore drilling for natural gas raises questions about whether the Great Lakes would be exposed to irreparable damage.
“It’s not enough for Senator McCain to say he supports the Great Lakes as a candidate, when his public record doesn’t match those words,” Senator Jauch said. “Time and again, John McCain’s record has been harmful to the Great Lakes, rather than voting to prevent pollution and ecological damage. His record certainly suggests that he was not looking out for the good of the region until he was a candidate and that the Great Lakes would not be a priority for him as President.”
-30-
BACKGROUND ON SENATOR MCCAIN’S INCONSISTENT RECORD OF SUPPORT FOR GREAT LAKES PRESERVATION:
MCCAIN OPPOSED IMPORTANT GREAT LAKES PROJECTS
McCain Opposed Legislation That Included Funding To Prevent Invasive Specie s In The Great Lakes
2007: McCain Strongly Opposed The WRDA of 2007. “Mr. President, I would like to express my strong opposition to the Conference Report on the Water Resources Development Act of 2007.” [Senator John McCain Press Release on the WRDA Conference Report, 9/24/07]
2007: The WRDA Provided Funding To Complete The Asian Carp Barrier Project To Prevent Invasive Species From Reaching The Great Lakes. A press release from Sen. Durbin’s office stated: “The United States Senate today approved the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). The bill includes a provision authored by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) that will authorize the use of federal funds to allow the Army Corps of Engineers to complete the Asian Carp Barrier project. This barrier will prevent the spread of invasive species, including Asian Carp, between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Basins through the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. "The Asian Carp t hreatens both the native fish and natural wildlife of the lake and in turn, the economy of the entire Great Lakes region," said Durbin. "Currently, this invasive species threatens a $4.1 billion sport and commercial fishing industry in the Great Lakes. The bill passed today recognizes the threat of the Asian Carp by authorizing the permanent operation of the barrier system to prevent these harmful fish from entering the waters of the Great Lakes."” [HR 1495, PL 110-114, Vote 406, Passed 79-14,11/8/07, Sen. Dick Durbin Press Release, 5/16/07]
2006: Obama And Durbin Successfully Secured Funding For Temporary Barriers To Prevent Entry Of Invasive Species. A press release from Sen. Dick Durbin stated: “In June 2006, Durbin and Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) worked to successfully secure $400,000 to operate the barriers that prevent invasive species from entering the Great Lakes. Twenty-eight other Great Lakes House Members joined Congresswoman Judy Biggert (R-IL) in sending a letter to House appropriators in support of this effort. The funding was included to pay for the operation of Barrier I, a temporary barrier that keeps the invasive species out of the Illinois River and Lake Michigan by emitting an ele ctric current that deters the carp from passing through.” [Sen. Dick Durbin Press Release, 5/16/07]
Obama Cosponsored Two Bills That Would Have Made The Invasive Species Barrier In the Great Lakes Permanent. Requires the Assistant Sec retary of the Army (Civil Works) to upgrade and make permanent the existing Chicago sanitary and ship canal dispersal barrier in Chicago, Illinois, constructed as a demonstration project to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species in U.S. waterways. Directs the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to construct, at full Federal expense, the Chicago sanitary and ship canal dispersal barrier authorized by the Water Resources Development Act of 1986. [109th S. 770, introduced 4/13/05; 110th S. 791, introduced 3/7/2007]
McCain Opposed Great Lakes Cleanup
McCain Voted Against Great Lakes Cleanup Initiatives. In 1995, McCain voted for the GOP’s Regulatory Reform bill (S 343), which would have delayed efforts to clean up the Great Lakes by requiring rigid risk assessment and cost benefit analysis, and by giving the poll uting industries unlimited opportunities to delay the implementation of rules that meet those tests through petitions for review and litigation. Polluting industries would also have been able to have their own scientists on the peer review panels that must approve the regulations. [S 343, Vote 311, 7/18/95; S 343, Vote 315, 7/20/95]
Obama Cosponsored A Bill To Clean Up Contaminated Expanses And Aid Habitat Restoration In The Great Lakes. A press release from Sen. Levin reported: “Senator Carl Levin, D-Mich., and Senator George Voinovich, R-Ohio, co-chairmen of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, today introduced the bipartisan Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2008 to expand on legislation passed six years ago. The bill aims to clean up contaminated expanses in the Great Lakes known as “Areas of Concern” within 10 years…The Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2008 focuses on Areas of Concern in the Gre at Lakes. Forty-three Areas of Concern have been identified in the Great Lakes, 13 of which are in Michigan and four in Ohio. These sites do not meet the water quality goals established by the United States and Canada in the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, mainly because of contaminated sediments from historic industrial activity. This contamination results in several detrimental consequences including fish advisories, degradation of fish and wildlife populations, taste and odor problems with drinking water, beach closures, and bird and animal deformities or reproductive problems. The Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2008 would authorize $150 million annually for clean up of the Areas of Concern within 10 years. The legislation gives the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) greater flexibility to manage funds by allowing the EPA to distribute funds directly to contractors and would provide relief to states from burdensome requirements. Under this bill, eligible projects would be expanded to include habitat restoration.” [110th S. 2994, introduced 5/8/08; Sen. Levin Press Release, 5/8/08]
McCain Opposed Prevention Of Sediment Pollution In The Great Lakes
McCain Opposed, Obama Supported Projects To Prevent Sediment Pollution In The Great Lakes Which Threatens Vegetation, Wildlife And Makes Water Treatment More Expensive. A press release from the Great Lakes Commission stated: “The Great Lakes Basin Program – which gained renewed support in the Farm Bill – is administered by the Great Lakes Commission, with funding provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. The Basin Program supports improved erosion and sediment control and sound landuse practices through demonstration grants, technical assistance and information/education projects. Grant recipients include conservation districts and other nonfederal units of government, nonprofit organizations and academic institutions in all eight states of the Great Lakes basin. Over the past 17 years, the Basin Program has supported nearly 400 projects and invested almost $12 million in water quality improvement efforts. These projects have prevented an estimated 250,000 tons of sediment and 900,000 pounds of phosphorus from entering the Great Lakes and tributaries. Sediment pollution covers spawning beds, suffocates aquatic vegetation habitat, and increases the cost of treating potable water and maintaining drainage infrastructure. Phosphorus pollution can lead to excess growth of plants and algae and rob lakes and river s of oxygen.” [Great Lakes Commission Press Release, 5/28/08; 110th HR 2419, Passed 79-14: R 37-11; D 40-3 (ND 36-3, SD 4-0); I 2-0]
McCain Opposed Projects To Support Great Lakes Commerce
McCain Opposed Important Projects To Relieve The Dredging Backlog In The Great Lakes Waterway Which Is Necessary For Hundreds Of Millions Of Transported Goods. A press release regarding the Water Resources Development Act of 2008 from Sen. Levin stated: “Great Lakes Navigation and Protection Directs the Army Corps to expedite the operation and maintenance, including dredging, of the Great Lakes commercial navigation channels and infrastructure. This provision aims to address the very serious dredging backlog in the Great Lakes, which has been exacerbated by historic low water levels. The backlog has resulted in ships having to carry reduced loads, freighters getting stuck in channels, and some shipments that have ceased altogether. Every year, hundreds of millions of tons of goods are transported through the Great Lakes waterways, and communities throughout the Great Lakes are economically ti ed to waterborne commerce. Dredging to the needed depths and maintaining other navigational features of the system are critical. Also directs the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, in coordination with the Corps and other federal agencies, to carry out a pilot project to control and prevent further spreading of viral hemorrhagic septicemia in the Great Lakes.” [HR 1495, PL 110-114, Vote 406, Passed 79-14,11/8/07; Sen. Levin Press Release, 11/08/07]
July 29, 2008 Bush administration projects record '09 deficit
Deficit for next year to hit $482 billion amid sagging economy
WASHINGTON - The next president will inherit a record budget deficit of $482 billion, according to a new Bush administration estimate released Monday.
The administration said the deficit was being driven to an all-time high by the sagging economy and the stimulus payments being made to 130 million households in an effort to keep the country from falling into a deep recession. But the numbers could go even higher if the economy performs worse than the White House predicts.
The budget office predicts the economy will grow at a rate of 1.6 percent this year and will rebound to a 2.2 percent growth rate next year. That’s a half percentage point more than predicted by the widely cited “blue chip” consensus of leading economists. The administration also sees inflation averaging 3.8 percent this year, but easing to 2.3 percent next year — better than the 3.0 percent seen by the blue chip panel.
“The nation’s economy has continued to expand and remains fundamentally resilient,” said the budget office report.
A $482 billion deficit, however, would easily surpass the record deficit of $413 billion set in 2004.
The deficit numbers for 2008 and 2009 represent about 3 percent of the size of the economy, which is the measure seen as most relevant by economists. By that measure, the 2008 and 2009 deficits would be smaller than the deficits of the 1980s and early 1990s, when Congress and earlier administrations cobbled together politically painful deficit-reduction packages.
The administration actually underestimates the deficit, however, since it leaves out about $80 billion in war costs. In a break from tradition — and in violation of new mandates from Congress — the White House did not include its full estimate of war costs.
The White House in February had forecast that next year’s deficit would be $407 billion, which puts the increase in the projections at $72 billion.
Figures for the 2008 budget year ending Sept. 30 will actually drop from an earlier projection of $410 billion to $389 billion, the report said.
The White House still projects that the budget will reach a surplus by 2012, helped by revenues boosted by optimistic economic projections of economic growth.
Still, the new figures are so eye-popping in dollar terms that it may restrain the appetite of the next president to add to it with expensive spending programs or new tax cuts. In fact, pressure may build to allow some tax cuts enacted in 2001 and 2003 to expire as scheduled at the end of 2010, with Congress also feeling pressure to curb spending growth.
Obama’s campaign used the new numbers to attack McCain for embracing Bush’s tax cuts. Obama, said campaign policy director Jason Furman, “will restore balance and fairness to our economy by cutting wasteful spending, shutting corporate loopholes and tax havens, and rolling back the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, while making health care affordable and putting a middle class tax cut in the pocket of 95 percent of workers and their families.”
The deficit for 2007 totaled $161.5 billion, which represented the lowest amount of red ink since an imbalance of $159 billion in 2002. The 2002 performance marked the first budget deficit after four consecutive years of budget surpluses.
That stretch of budget surpluses represented a period when the country’s finances had been bolstered by a 10-year period of uninterrupted economic growth, the longest period of expansion in U.S. history.
In his first year in office, helped considerably by projections of continuing surpluses, Bush drove through a 10-year, $1.35 trillion package of tax cuts.
However, the country fell into a recession in March 2001 and government spending to fight the war on terrorism contributed to pushing the deficit to a record in dollar terms in 2004.
House Budget Committee Chairman John Spratt, D-S.C., said the new deficit figure confirms “the dismal legacy of the Bush administration: under its policies, the largest surpluses in history have been converted into the largest deficits in history.
(Note that the earlier deficits in the 1980's and early 1990's referred to in this article came during Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush's administrations - both Republicans. So, three consecutive Republican Presidential Administrations have managed to totally screw up our economy and put us into record deficits, putting our taxpayers further into debt. Does anyone out there really want to make it FOUR with McCain? (This doesn't include the Clinton DEMOCRATIC Presidency in between Bush 1 and Bush 2, during which Clinton actually erased the deficits, gave us the largest surpluses in history, and made our country financially secure.) Note also, that this report again confirms that the first recession under George W. Bush started in March 2001, which repudiates Bush's repeated claims that the recession had started the previous fall, under Clinton.) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25916299
Justice Department indicts Sen. Ted Stevens
The long-serving Alaska legislator is accused of making false statements
WASHINGTON - Sen. Ted Stevens, the longest-serving Republican senator and a figure in Alaska politics since before statehood, has been indicted on seven counts of falsely reporting hundreds of thousands of dollars in services he received from a company that helped renovate his home. Stevens, 84, has been dogged by a federal investigation into whether he pushed for fishing legislation that also benefited his son, an Alaska lobbyist.
From May 1999 to August 2007, prosecutors said Stevens concealed "his continuing receipt of hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of things of value from a private corporation." Home expenses, gifts probed
The indictment released Tuesday said the items included: home improvements to his vacation home in Alaska, including a new first floor, garage, wraparound deck, plumbing, electrical wiring; as well as car exchanges, a Viking gas grill, furniture and tools.
Justice Department officials held a news conference later Tuesday to discuss the charges.
Messages left Tuesday at both Stevens' Senate office in Washington and his campaign office in Anchorage were not immediately returned.
Prosecutors said Stevens "took multiple steps to continue" receiving things from oil services company VECO Corp., and its founder, Bill Allen.
At the time, the indictment says, Allen and other VECO employees were soliciting Stevens for "multiple official actions...knowing that Stevens could and did use his official position and his office on behalf of VECO during that same time period."
VECO's requests included funding and other aid for the oil services company's projects and partnerships in Pakistan and Russia.
It also included federal grants from several agencies — as well as help in building a national gas pipeline in Alaska's North Slope Region, according to the indictment filed in U.S. District Court in Washington.
Seven other Alaska politicians had previously been indicted in the FBI’s long-running investigation of political corruption, including state Sen. John Cowdery, chairman of the influential Legislative Council Committee. Cowdery resigned last week.
Stevens acknowledged in June 2007 that he was under investigation.
A month later, FBI agents raided his house in Girdwood, a suburb of Anchorage, after a wealthy Alaska businessman told prosecutors that he paid his employees to renovate the house.
Per Republican Senate caucus rules, if a member is indicted, he or she can no longer serve as chairman or ranking member of a committee.
Stevens is a ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.
NBC affiliate KTUU of Anchorage contributed to this report.
July 28, 2008 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25804814/
Economy hitting the elderly especially hard
Bankruptcies soar as retirees, agencies struggle to keep up with rising costs Elderly Americans are filing for bankruptcy in record numbers, according to a study by AARP, formerly the American Association of Retired Persons. At the same time, support is drying up from meal, transportation and other home assistance agencies that can’t pay their own bills.
“There's no question that the downturn in the economy is dramatically impacting those at the doorstep of retirement and those that have already decided to retire,” said Mark Kitchens, a senior vice president of AARP. Soaring bankruptcy among the elderly
The numbers are stark. Of the more than 1 million Americans who filed for bankruptcy last year, nearly a quarter were 55 and up, AARP found. Bankruptcy filings among those ages 75 to 84 skyrocketed by 433 percent from 1991 to 2007.
Halfway into 2008, workers at agencies that serve the elderly say the problem is only getting worse.
“We are getting more and more calls from seniors looking for jobs, every day,” said Peggy Clarke, director of a job bank run by Positive Maturity, a senior agency in Birmingham, Ala.
“Plus, their age is higher every time,” Clarke said. “We’re talking about people in their 80s who are saying that they have to go back to work, even if it’s part-time.”
At a bankruptcy hotline operated by Utah Legal Services, a nonprofit support agency, pleas for help pour in from seniors in debt, intimidated by persistent calls from bill collectors.
“They’re calling because they want to file for bankruptcy,” said Sylvia Bosen, a spokeswoman for the agency. “Some of them think they may go to jail.”
Among Americans 50 and older:
— 45 percent say food prices have caused a hardship for their budgets
— 39 percent think at least some foods will have to be rationed within a year
— 47 percent are shopping for food less frequently
— 41 percent are eating less meat
— 18 percent have started eliminating some meals
Services strain to keep up
Only 21 percent of employers offer supplemental health coverage to retired employees enrolled in Medicare, according to the AFL-CIO, making government and private senior service agencies crucial to keeping America’s elderly clothed, housed and fed.
But those agencies are buckling, hit by the same double-whammy of higher costs for food and fuel.
More than 2,000 Meals on Wheels programs nationwide have waiting lists because it is too expensive to deliver to all who need it.
Retirement? What retirement?
Retirement plans and government benefits must provide for average life expectancies reaching 20 years longer than they did in the 1930s.
But inflation and stock plunges are eating away at retirement accounts, while Social Security is shrinking — the 2.3 percent increase in benefits announced in January was the smallest in four years. By comparison, consumer prices rose more than twice as much over the past year, the Labor Department said last week.
More and more able-bodied seniors are simply not retiring. They can’t afford it.
In a survey conducted in April, Woelfel Research of Dunn Loring, Va., found that 27 percent of Americans 45 or older expected to delay retirement because of the economic downturn. One of them is John Looney of Denver.
“I have been saving every year for some 40 years now trying to get ready for this moment where I might be able to have a little more time for family, for friends,” Looney said.
Now he expects to have to work for at least five more years.
If anyone should know, it’s John Looney. He works for AARP.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25885761
DOJ: Former aide broke law in hiring scandal
Politics influenced hiring of career prosecutors, report says
DOJ: Ex-aide broke law
July 27: The Justice Department releases a report blaming a top aide to former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales for illegally using politics to determine who was hired at the department. NBC's Pete Williams reports.
MSNBC
updated 10:03 a.m. CT, Mon., July. 28, 2008
WASHINGTON - A new Justice Department report concludes that politics illegally influenced the hiring of career prosecutors and immigration judges, and largely lays the blame on top aides to former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.
Monday's report singles out the department's former White House liaison, Monica Goodling, for violating federal law and Justice Department policy by discriminating against job applicants who weren't Republican or conservative loyalists.
The 140-page report does not indicate whether Goodling or former Gonzales chief of staff Kyle Sampson could face any charges. None of those involved in the discriminatory hiring still work at Justice, meaning they will avoid any department penalties.
However, Justice investigators said that Goodling, at least, may lose her license to practice law as a result of the findings.
Gonzales was largely unaware of the hiring decisions by two of his most trusted aides. The report said his aides' decisions weeded out Democrats and that Goodling also rejected at least one lesbian job applicant.
The report marks the culmination of a yearlong investigation by Justice's Office of Inspector General and Office of Professional Responsibility into whether Republican politics were driving hiring polices at the nation's premier law enforcement agency that is expected to be above partisan politics.
Gonzales aide Goodling resigns
The investigation is one of several that examine accusations of White House political meddling within the Justice Department. Those accusations were initially driven by the firings of nine U.S. attorneys in late 2006 and culminated with Gonzales' resignation under fire as attorney general last September.
Feb 28, 2008 You've probably seen the commercial recently, calling for people to call their members of the House of Representatives to vote in favor of reauthorizing the Surveillance Bill which supposedly protects us against Al Qaida plotting against us. It claims that we are unprotected against terrorists without this bill in place. What some of you might recognize, is that the voice of many beer commercials, which was also the voice of many Anti-Democratic smears during the 2004 Presidential campaigns, is the same voice behind this commercial. The name of the organization funding the commercial, implying itself to be a Pro-Democracy group (Defense of Democracies), is anything but that. Recent investigative reports, as well as a Bush Administration official, have admitted that the only reason to pass this bill, is to hold harmless, the telecom industry from lawsuits that are bound to be filed against them because of the illegal, unConstitutional nature of these illegal wiretaps, for any actions which they have taken in the past, or which they might take in the future. (That last piece was based on Bush's own statement.) There is no danger of any Al Qaida plots being missed, (as a result of the wiretaps no longer being in place - which is what the commercial implies), because the telecoms have all reported that they are continuing to provide this service to the Bush Administration and your government funded intelligence services, (at taxpayer expense), in spite of the fact that the legislation has not been reauthorized. The only reason for the push for the reauthorization of this bill is to protect the telecoms from being sued for illegal activities. PERIOD. Keith Olbermann - MSNBC reported on February 28th, that Republicans are puzzled that they aren't getting large campaign donations from...THE TELECOM INDUSTRY! Puzzled? Olbermann explains it by saying that the Telecom industry might possibly be upset with the Republicans by being forced into this situation in the first place, by the Republicans. Feb. 22, 2008 Go here for the full story: By LARA JAKES JORDAN,
AP
Posted: 2008-02-22 14:03:15
Filed Under: Crime News, Politics News
WASHINGTON (Feb. 22) - Republican Rep. Rick Renzi was indicted Friday on charges of extortion, wire fraud, money laundering and other matters in an Arizona land swap scam that allegedly helped him collect hundreds of thousands of dollars in payoffs.
Sabah Arar, Pool / AP
Rep. Rick Renzi, a three-term member of the House, also served as Arizona chairman for GOP presidential front-runner John McCain's campaign.
Feb 14, 2008 McCain Flip Flops on Waterboarding
He was staunchly against waterboarding in November, because it exposed our troops to torture, and it was against “American Values” then…
That was before he was for waterboarding today, in order to get Romney’s endorsement.
The Army field manual bans waterboarding and the recent bill would enforce that ban, but McCain voted against the bill which would have enforced that ban.
July 23, 2007 Senator Russ Feingold announces intent to submit a censure resolution against Bush, Cheney and others in the Bush Administration.
Hold The Administration Accountable
Censure Resolutions
Millions of Americans agree that the time has come to demand accountability from the President and his administration.
The two censure resolutions that Senator Feingold proposed will hold the President, Vice President, and the administration responsible for the destructive path down which they've taken our country.
The White House can no longer be allowed to shred the constitution, and thumb their nose at the American people.
Over the recent months and years, we've learned that this President, and his administration, have used mistruths, spin, lofty-rhetoric, hyped-up intelligence reports, and scare tactics to drag this country into a war that can only be described as the worst foreign policy mistake in our nation's history.
In addition, the administration, in an attempt to justify this mistake, has repeatedly distorted the situation on the ground in Iraq.
And the President continues to keep our country bogged down in Iraq – in a civil war that has no military solution and actually hurts America's ability to fight those who attacked us on September 11th, 2001.
What's equally dangerous is the blatant disregard President Bush has had for the rule of law on which our country was founded.
Future generations must understand that at a time in our nation's history when the very foundation of our government was threatened, Congress was not silent.
Regardless of whether you are for or against the impeachment of the President, Vice President, and other administration officials, Senator Feingold's censure resolution is a powerful way to hold this administration accountable.
Congress needs to stand up and condemn this administration for their actions.
Americans are demanding accountability and censure is a step in that direction.
It's time for the President and his administration to return to the law.
The focus of Senator Feingold's first censure resolution intends to condemn the President, Vice President, and the administration for getting the United States into the Iraq war under false pretenses. Possibly including:
• The assertion that Iraq was linked to al-Qaeda;
• The claim that Iraq harbored weapons of mass destruction that threatened the U.S.;
• The knowingly false declaration in the 2003 State of the Union Address that Saddam Hussein tried to purchase yellow-cake uranium from Niger;
• Insufficient war planning;
• The failure to protect troops and preserve the military;
• Fiscal mismanagement of the war.
The focus of Senator Feingold’s second censure resolution will likely focus on the Bush Administration’s relentless refusal to abide by the rule of law. Possibly including:
• The implementation of the illegal, domestic wiretapping program and for misleading the American people regarding the legality of the warrentless program;
• The use of military commissions;
• Redefining torture;
• The politicization of the U.S. Attorney scandal;
• The refusal to comply with congressional subpoenas.
Senator Feingold is seeking input from folks in Wisconsin and across the country on what should be in these final resolutions. You can let him know that you're on board with his demand for accountability, and give him feedback, here: http://www.progressivepatriotsfund.com/input.html . Thank GOD that Senator Feingold is continuing to speak out against Bush, Cheney and their crooked administration, and take some action against them. (I'm still waiting for Senator Reid and Speaker Pelosi to step up and do the same.) July 20, 2007 "Loyal Bushie" Judge Dismisses Valerie Plame's Lawsuit
Valerie Plame risked her life to stop terrorists from getting WMD's and murdering innocent Americans. But when her husband Joe Wilson dared to tell the truth about Bush's pre-war lies, Karl Rove declared her "fair game" and conspired with Dick Cheney and Scooter Libby to expose her identity, destroy her career, and endanger the lives of everyone she worked with to protect us.
Valerie Plame sued Cheney, Libby, and Rove. But of course the case went before a "loyal Bushie" judge named John D. Bates, who made his "bones" with the Bushies as a Whitewater prosecutor under Ken Starr. Bush appointed Bates as a Federal judge in 2001, and a year later he dismissed the GAO lawsuit demanding Cheney's Energy Task Force documents. In 2006, Chief Justice John Roberts put Bates on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to turn a blind eye to Bush's illegal wiretapping of millions of Americans.
Today Bates dismissed Plame's lawsuit by claiming the conspiracy against Wilson was "unsavory" but "within the scope of [their] duties."
http://www.democrats.com/loyal-bushie-judge-dismisses-plame-lawsuit What Cheney, Libby, and Rove did wasn't unsavory - by shutting down a crucial anti-terrorist network, endangering the lives of everyone involved, and undermining the security of the United States, they committed treason. Valerie Plame will never get justice - and our nation will never be safe - by relying on the Bush-controlled Federal courts. It is way past time for Congress to Impeach Dick Cheney. Tell your Representatives to support H.Res. 333, Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Cheney: http://www.democrats.com/peoplesemailnetwork/73_______________ Cindy Sheehan's March from Texas to Arrive in D.C. on July 23 Cindy Sheehan is leading a march/drive from Crawford, Texas, to New York City. Participants in this Journey for Humanity share the goals of ending the occupation of Iraq, impeaching Cheney and Bush, restoring New Orleans, and funding human needs at home and in Iraq and Afghanistan. The march has already made big news in several states. Watch this video of a heated discussion between Cindy and an Alabama chickenhawk. Here's Cindy's route - show up if you can! July 20 Charlottesville VA rally at 6 p.m. at Downtown Mall July 21 Richmond VA July 22 Arlington VA July 23 Washington D.C. 10 a.m. at Arlington Cemetery, march to U.S. Capitol July 24 Philadelphia PA July 25 Allentown PA July 26 New York NY July 27 United Nations Action July 29 Gathering of Hearts Fest, location to be announced http://www.thecampcaseypeaceinstitute.org _______________ The Orange Revolution Begins July 23 On July 23, 2002, the head of British intelligence reported that Bush and Cheney were intent on invading Iraq and planned to "fix the intelligence and facts around the policy". Five years later a million people have died in Iraq as a direct result of these lies with no end in sight. Torture has been institutionalized, habeas corpus eviscerated, and illegal spying made routine. New Orleans lies devastated along with the Constitution and the rule of law. And Bush and Cheney are making a mockery of the Democrats' feeble gestures towards accountability. Enough is enough, and this July 23rd we will launch a new phase in the movement for peace and justice. We call it the Orange Revolution because starting that day wearing orange will signify that you want Congress to START IMPEACHMENT and STOP THE WAR. The majority of Americans, who want to see Bush and Cheney impeached and want an immediate end to this war, are made effectively invisible by a complicit media. Wearing orange will be our signal to each other, and to the world, about where we stand. Anything orange will do: a t-shirt, a wristband, your shoelaces. Get creative and send us your ideas. Here are a some great items you can wear designed specifically for the Orange Revolution: http://www.democrats.com/orangerevolutionThe Orange Revolution will be launched with acts of civil disobedience in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere to show Congress that we are serious. In Washington, D.C. on July 23, Cindy Sheehan, Ray McGovern, Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Ann Wright, Debra Sweet, Dave Lindorff, David Swanson, Jodie Evans, Medea Benjamin, Kevin Zeese, Tina Richards, and others will march from Arlington National Cemetery to the office of Congressman John Conyers. They will sit in Conyers' office reciting the U.S. Constitution until they are either arrested or he agrees to start impeachment. You can also come and choose not to risk arrest. Meet at 10 a.m. outside the Arlington National Cemetery Metro stop: http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/sit Similiar actions will take place the same day in the offices of Rep. Howard Berman in California and Rep. Pete Visclosky in Indiana, and at Rep. Conyers' district offices in Detroit. If you are willing to go to jail for justice, you are encouraged to come to Washington to participate in the civil disobedience, or to stage a sit-in at your congress member's district office, either on the 23rd or another day. Using our new tool, you can pledge to take part only if 20 others do the same: http://www.democrats.com/sit If you cannot join in on the 23rd, please wear orange in solidarity, and please phone Congressman Conyers' office that day asking him to please move forward on impeachment: (202) 225-5126. ##### Forward this message to everyone you know! To subscribe, create a free Democrats.com account here: http://www.democrats.com/user/register
OPEN LETTERS to CNN From Michael Moore An Open Letter to CNN from Michael Moore
7/14/07
Dear CNN,
Well, the week is over -- and still no apology, no retraction, no correction of your glaring mistakes.
I bet you thought my dust-up with Wolf Blitzer was just a cool ratings coup, that you really wouldn't have to correct the false statements you made about "Sicko." I bet you thought I was just going to go quietly away.
Think again. I'm about to become your worst nightmare. 'Cause I ain't ever going away. Not until you set the record straight, and apologize to your viewers. "The Most Trusted Name in News?" I think it's safe to say you can retire that slogan.
You have an occasional segment called "Keeping Them Honest." But who keeps you honest? After what the public saw with your report on "Sicko," and how many inaccuracies that report contained, how can anyone believe anything you say on your network? In the old days, before the Internet, you could get away with it. Your victims had no way to set the record straight, to show the viewers how you had misrepresented the truth. But now, we can post the truth -- and back it up with evidence and facts -- on the web, for all to see. And boy, judging from the mail both you and I have been receiving, the evidence I have posted on my site about your "Sicko" piece has led millions now to question your honesty.
I won't waste your time rehashing your errors. You know what they are . What I want to do is help you come clean. Admit you were wrong. What is the shame in that? We all make mistakes. I know it's hard to admit it when you've screwed up, but it's also liberating and cathartic. It not only makes you a better person, it helps prevent you from screwing up again. Imagine how many people will be drawn to a network that says, "We made a mistake. We're human. We're sorry. We will make mistakes in the future -- but we will always correct them so that you know you can trust us." Now, how hard would that really be?
As you know, I hold no personal animosity against you or any of your staff. You and your parent company have been very good to me over the years. You distributed my first film, "Roger & Me" and you published "Dude, Where's My Country?" Larry King has had me on twice in the last two weeks. I couldn't ask for better treatment.
That's why I was so stunned when you let a doctor who knows a lot about brain surgery -- but apparently very little about public policy -- do a "fact check" story, not on the medical issues in "Sicko," but rather on the economic and political information in the film. Is this why there has been a delay in your apology, because you are trying to get a DOCTOR to say he was wrong? Please tell him not to worry, no one is filing a malpractice claim against him. Dr. Gupta does excellent and compassionate stories on CNN about people's health and how we can take better care of ourselves. But when it came time to discuss universal health care, he rushed together a bunch of sloppy -- and old -- research. When his producer called us about his report the day before it aired, we sent to her, in an email, all the evidence so that he wouldn't make any mistakes on air. He chose to ignore ALL the evidence, and ran with all his falsehoods -- even though he had been given the facts a full day before! How could that happen? And now, for 5 days, I have posted on my website, for all to see, every mistake and error he made.
You, on the other hand, in the face of this overwhelming evidence and a huge public backlash, have chosen to remain silent, probably praying and hoping this will all go away.
Well it isn't. We are now going to start looking into the veracity of other reports you have aired on other topics. Nothing you say now can be believed. In 2002, the New York Times busted you for bringing celebrities on your shows and not telling your viewers they were paid spokespeople for the pharmaceutical companies. You promised never to do it again. But there you were, in 2005, talking to Joe Theismann, on air, as he pushed some drug company-sponsored website on prostate health. You said nothing about about his affiliation with GlaxoSmithKline.
Clearly, no one is keeping you honest, so I guess I'm going to have to do that job, too. $1.5 billion is spent each year by the drug companies on ads on CNN and the other four networks. I'm sure that has nothing to do with any of this. After all, if someone gave me $1.5 billion, I have to admit, I might say a kind word or two about them. Who wouldn't?!
I expect CNN to put this matter to rest. Say you're sorry and correct your story -- like any good journalist would.
Then we can get back to more important things. Like a REAL discussion about our broken health care system. Everything else is a distraction from what really matters.
P.S. If you also want to apologize for not doing your job at the start of the Iraq War, I'm sure most Americans would be very happy to accept your apology. You and the other networks were willing partners with Bush, flying flags all over the TV screens and never asking the hard questions that you should have asked. You might have prevented a war. You might have saved the lives of those 3,610 soldiers who are no longer with us. Instead, you blew air kisses at a commander in chief who clearly was making it all up. Millions of us knew that -- why didn't you? I think you did. And, in my opinion, that makes you responsible for this war. Instead of doing the job the founding fathers wanted you to do -- keeping those in power honest (that's why they made it the FIRST amendment) -- you and much of the media went on the attack against the few public figures like myself who dared to question the nightmare we were about to enter. You've never thanked me or the Dixie Chicks or Al Gore for doing your job for you. That's OK. Just tell the truth from this point on.
CNN Throws in Towel, Admits to Two Errors, and States That All 'Sicko' Facts Are True to Their Source (or something like that)... Moore Realizes All This is Huge Distraction and Then Spends More Precious Time Thanking Paris Hilton for Seeing 'Sicko'... Meanwhile, More than 300 Americans Die Because They Had No Health Insurance During the 8-Day Gupta-Moore War...
July 17th, 2007
Friends,
The mighty CNN, in a lengthy and sad online defense of their woe-begotten 'Sicko' story of last Monday, has admitted that they did indeed fudge at least two of the facts in their coverage of my film and have apologized for i |