Too sad to be Original Today

Five major problems with the legislation passed by congress.

• Grants unprecedented and unchecked authority to the Executive Branch to label as "unlawful enemy combatants" and detain an overly broad range of people, including U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents inside the United States
  
• Denies any independent judicial review of these detentions
  
• Seeks to eliminate accountability for past violations of the law
  
• Permits evidence obtained through coercion
  
• Gives the Secretary of Defense authority to deviate from time-tested military justice standards for fair trials.

Five qoutes for the times:

"The first sign of corruption in a society that is still alive is that the end justifies the means.": Georges Bernanos


“So let us regard this as settled: what is morally wrong can never be advantageous, even when it enables you to make some gain that you believe to be to your advantage. The mere act of believing that some wrongful course of action constitutes an advantage is pernicious.” Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 B.C.)

The jaws of power are always open to devour, and her arm is always stretched out, if possible, to destroy the freedom of thinking, speaking, and writing: John Adams

So long as the people do not care to exercise their freedom, those who wish to tyrannize will do so; for tyrants are active and ardent, and will devote themselves in the name of any number of gods, religious and otherwise, to put shackles upon sleeping men: Voltaire. François Marie Arouet (1694-1778)

How you can win the population for war: At first, the statesman will invent cheap lying, that impute the guilt of the attacked nation, and each person will be happy over this deceit, that calm the conscience. It will study it detailed and refuse to test arguments of the other opinion. So he will convince step for step even therefrom that the war is just and thank God, that he, after this process of grotesque even deceit, can sleep better: Mark Twain

I couldn't have said it any better. Thanks to Jill Savage at Human Rights First and Tom Feely at ICH.

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A Pre 9-11 Mindset

In the early 13th Century, Genghis Kan outlawed torture. In 2006, Congress reinstated torture as an interrogation policy. Early in the Thirteenth Century, the King was stripped of his ability to detain a person with out charges being brought. In 2006, Congress voted to restore that power to the State. A truly pre 9/11 mindset.

65 to 34 and 253 to 168 the US went from being a Banana Republic , Tin-Pot Dictatorship to a pre-middle ages Authoritarian Despotism. Good bye Magna Carta. It only applies to foreigners, we’re told. If you believe that, I’ve got a bridge in Brooklyn you aught to buy from me. The Resident can declare you an enemy combatant, send you to Guantanamo, deny you a lawyer, not tell you what the charges are, keep secret the evidence against you, and torture you for the names of other “Guilty” people. That is what Habeas Corpus no longer applying means.

Yesterday, 300 people were denied their First Amendment Right to peacefully assemble and protest. Under the new rules, they could be charged with threatening the material interests’ of businesses and thereby becoming an Enemy Non-Combatant. Have you ever donated to an umbrella type Charitable organization? If they then take a portion of that money and distribute it to an other charity that the government later proclaims aids “Terrorists,” surprise, you are now, an Enemy Non-Combatant. Off to Guantanamo! I am not exaggerating. At least 34 Senators and 168 Representatives agree with me as does a coalition of hundreds of Constitutional Scholars and Lawyers and over 30 newly retired military officers and over 100 retired analysts from the CIA, NSA, and FBI.

John Christensen , of the third century church said,

“He or she, who is not angry when there is cause for anger, sins. Anger looks to the good of Justice. If you can look at in-justice without anger, then you are unjust.”

Unreasoned patience is what occurred in the 1930s. As people were being carted off, held with out charges, and tried and convicted in secret courts, good God fearing and otherwise intelligent German people remained silent. Are we too busy watching TV, cheering our favorite sports team, to do the right thing? As Dante’ warned us,

“The hottest places in Hell are reserved for those who remain neutral in times of crisis.”

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Speaking About Elections

The signs and portents do abound
The price of gas is going down
The factor of fear is on the rise
The Terror flag waves in front of our eyes
Elections must be coming around.

What fools the sheep of Americans be
Erzast "Leaders" they are following blindly
Trusting the lies of the media spin
That disregard truths that don't fit in
To the Propaganda that passes for the News we see.

Our Nation devolving to a torturous State
Critics accused of a political slate
Changing the Laws to protect the guilty
Innocent people detained in pepetuity
Politics driven by fear and hate.

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Electronic Voting Machines

In just a little bit more than a month, I will be asked to cast my vote, for the second time, on a machine that has no paper record. A machine made by a company that also makes ATMs, which, weather you ask for a receipt or not, create a paper copy of every transaction. In addition, the programs that both the ES&S machines, which record the votes, and Diebold machines, which tabulate the totals, are programmed using a program similar to Windows as the basic operating system. If you have used Windows as long as I have, since Windows 3.1 in 1991, you can be certain of two constants: At some point, the system will crash (it seems nearly always at a critical juncture); Windows' operating systems have always been extremely vulnerable to malicious manipulation.

The reason that systems like Windows tend to fail is that they are written by a limited number of people and not peer reviewed during the creation process. The public then tests it by practical application and the problems then become apparent. Programs like Linux are created by 10s of thousands critiquing, evaluating, and improving the stability and security until consensus is reached that a viable system has been created. After release, continued evaluation is not just allowed, it is encouraged. Owners of proprietary systems actively seek to keep the inner workings secret.

I can state this as a fact because I've purchased each Windows upgrade for two reasons. Exploring its weaknesses and playing computer games (to test the strength). Voting is not a game nor should it be done on a system long noted for its frailty. I use an operating system call Linux for all computer activities that require security such as on-line transactions and surfing the web. I also print a paper record of every transaction I make with my computer. This has proved very helpful in resolving disputes with both my telephone company and a credit card provider. My vote is as important and should have a paper record of every vote made in order to resolve disputes should the need arise.

The machines have the capacity to attach a printer and the operating system is capable of creating a paper record. The only excuse my elected officials have given me for not having a paper record is the expense. Surely the integrity and validity of our vote is worth the few extra dollars required to ensure this.

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Sunday Morning (coming down)

“Sunday morning coming down,” comes from a Chris Kristofferson song and the only way it doesn’t apply is that this down has been building up since Carter used his piety to get elected. A militant Christian for President. I ain’t saying he’s not a good man, I’m saying that the obvious contradictions between being a Christian (a follower of Christ’s teachings) and being the commander of the worlds largest killing machine is the embodiment of an oxymoron. I had gotten to the point of accepting his atonement by building homes for the poor and then I heard him say (about three years ago when a nuclear submarine was named after him), “This is the proudest day of my life.” Peace through war is the essence of an unobtainable goal.

What’s that got to do with the here and now? McCain (previously a victim of torture) has given the Resident Carte Blanque to redefine torture anyway he sees fit. Held to account only if he publishes a technique deemed inappropriate by which ever oversight committee isn’t overseeing that aspect of government. This to establish half the credentials needed to become a candidate for the highest office in our nation. Now he has to convince the minions of his pious religiosity (of a Christian nature, of course) in order to fulfill the two absolute basics that are needed to qualify for the job. So sad to see that his journey is through the Rresident’s alimentary canal, working from the bottom up. More simply put: He’s got his head up the Resident’s as… A good discription of the "Compromise".

If the Sunday morning talking (dick)heads could understand Spanish they might not be railing lamely about Chavez’s speech at the U.N. If you can’t take a joke… Anyway, it was much less offensive than the Resident’s “Axis of Evil” or “Islamo-Fascists” rhetoric. Or as toxic as Preacher Robert’s, (as Christians) let’s assassinate any one we don’t like type statements.

I would say, “Lord forgive them for they know not what they do,” except that I believe they know full well what they do and why.

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This is my country?

So, the three maveric? Republicans make a big show about bucking the Resident and with their tails between their legs mealy mouth how they are supporting article 3 of Geneva. NOT. BS lies for mainstream distribution to give them security cover. And the sheeple will suck it up hook, line, and sinker. The CIA will continue their torture. And innocent people will continue to languish in dark holes while the nations collective leaders keep their heads up the Resident's as...
Or better said:

What we have seen today is no "grand compromise," no "great debate," no "act of principle" and certainly no "preservation" of the Geneva Conventions. What we have seen instead is a small group of rich, cynical, power-hungry old bastards belch forth lies in the service of torture and tyranny. And if you're not angry about that, if you're not "shrill" about that, then by God you are one piss-poor American citizen. You shame every man and woman who have fought and died and marched and worked and dreamed for our freedoms.

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Quiet! It's in the Interest of National Security

Like good little soldiers we're to silently comply
And pay for the growth of security.

Take for example the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), yet another sprawling, ill-organized, inefficient bureaucracy established after 9/11 and not likely to do anything but grow in our lifetimes. Around it has sprung into existence an anti-terrorism homeland-security industry (thank you, Osama bin Laden!) of staggering proportions. "Seven years ago," writes Paul Harris of the British Guardian, "there were nine companies with federal homeland security contracts. By 2003 it was 3,512. Now there are 33,890."

That one department of seventeen is and all grow
How big and how fast you don't need to know
Just pay your taxes and bask in safety.

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Rewriting the Geneva Convention Article 3

First he broke the law, then came on TV and proudly proclaimed it, now he's beginning to run scared and is asking the congress to retroactively legalize his actions. This is the clarity he wants to lay claim to:

SEC. 6. SATISFACTION OF TREATY OBLIGATIONS…

(b) RIGHTS NOT JUDICIALLY ENFORCEABLE.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—No person in any habeas action or any other action may invoke the Geneva Conventions or any protocols thereto as a source of rights, whether directly or indirectly, for any purpose in any court of the United States or its States or territories.

SEC. 9. RETROACTIVE APPLICATION.

This Act shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply retroactively, including to any aspect of the detention, treatment, or trial of any person detained at any time since September 11, 2001, and to any claim or cause of action pending on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

This crap should make it obvious. The Resident is not only a liar and a coward, he wants to legalize torture. His justification:

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

(6) The use of military commissions is particularly important in this context because other alternatives, such as the use of courts-martial, generally are impracticable. The terrorists with whom the United States is engaged in armed conflict have demonstrated a commitment to the destruction of the United States and its people, to the violation of the law of war, and to the abuse of American legal
processes. In a time of ongoing armed conflict, it generally is neither practicable nor appropriate for combatants like al Qaeda terrorists to be tried before tribunals that include all of the procedures associated with courts-martial.

He has decided they are guilty as charged and Al-Qaeda, therefor they don't qualify as human beings and deserving of human rights. Never mind that of the thousand or so non-combatants, they are down to fourteen. I thank God that the Tribunals haven't been operating up to now or there would be a classified number of people (from teenagers to seventy-years-old) in classified locations suffering classified interrogations all for the satisfaction of the large ego of this little man.

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Six Years In

“I’m ashamed to say, I voted for Bush,” A direct quote from one Flea-market vendor. I truly enjoy the wide variety of people I can converse with at this monthly gathering of citizens. While the above mentioned quote was one man’s statement, his sentiment expressed a growing opinion of the people I meet there. My disability (I’m paraplegic, my legs are paralyzed) coupled with my obvious independence and my sunny disposition seem to encourage questions ranging from practical, “How do you ___ (insert an action), “How can I get ___(a plea for instruction), ”Where can I ___(a plea for direction),” to personal, “How did it happen (motorcycle accident)? Did it hurt (it still does)? Why (my favorite) are you always so happy? About five minutes after the accident happened, when I got past feeling sorry for myself, I made the decision that, with the Lord’s help, I would not allow my physical change to overwhelm me or change my personality. While I may be a cynic (realist?) as far as politics are concerned, personally, I'm a rock solid optimist. Sorry about the diversion, now back to the topic. Having answered their questions I feel free to ask questions of my own. Six years ago it was, “With Bush, as Governor, having plunged Texas into debt, against State constitutional dictates, how could you have voted for him for President?” The most common answer was,"He’s a Christian. That always befuddled me for Gore is also a Christian and besides that seemed to be a rather minimal requirement for the office of the Presidency. Four years on it became either I trust him, I agree with his Christian values (again Kerry is a Christian), or we’re at war and I don’t think we should change our leader.

Six years in and now I hear disappointment. While we cannot change the President, I try to inform those people I talk to that what we can do is restore the check and balance that our national Constitution allows us by putting more Democrats back in Congress. For those who say that then nothing will get done. I like to quote Will Rogers,” This country has come to feel the same when Congress is in session as when the baby gets hold of a hammer.” Lately I feel safer when Congress is not creating ever larger bureaucracies, more draconian laws and further restrictions on our liberties.

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Fear Tactics as policy of Government and the GOP

In all fairness, I must confess that I've taken words from an excellent article by Brent Budowsky that I read on Buzzflash.com. Hopefully I haven't been overly plagiaristic in my endevour or am forgiven if I have been. The following is the context of a Letter to the Editor of my local Right Wing Newspaper

As I reread our Constitution, which this week is set aside to honor, and ponder on how those patriots were so willing to give their very lives to create the situation where that document could take root, I am disappointed in the current crop of Americans.
Casually, fearfully, timidly, and meekly Americans are surrendering freedoms acquired by the blood of American heroes. Public policy driven by fear is taking away our freedoms bit by bit. These are the very freedoms that President Bush says the Islamo-Fascists hate us for. When he said that he is doing everything possible to keep us safe, I didn’t realize that would include removing the freedoms our enemies hate.

President George Bush implores us to be afraid, and wants us to think: we may not be comfortable with a President who claims the unilateral power to abrogate the Bill of Rights and violate Federal Law at will with a signing statement, but he makes us feel a little bit safer, so it's ok. And so it happened. President George Washington, having actually fought with his troops, rallied his followers with bravery, for a cause greater than themselves, their lives, greater even than the Nation they created and the times they lived in. Shall we sit in fear in front of our TVs, leaving home only to go shopping, while our government continues to chip away at the freedoms which our Constitution so eloquently endowed us?

On the bank of the Delaware, George Washington quoted Thomas Paine,

"These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of this country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like Hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly".

President George Bush wants us to sacrifice nothing except our courage, our freedom to criticize government policies, and freedom from government intrusion of our private affairs. The fact that I have nothing to hide does not mean I am willing to have it exposed for any reason that does not comply with the rights given to me by the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution.

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Residential Insanity

The Resident is ill and lack of public awareness is leading us down a dark, dark path. Paul Levey correctly lays the blame on "WE THE PEOPLE."

The situation is very analogous to when seemingly good, normal, loving Germans supported Hitler, believing he was a good leader trying to help them. The German people didn't realize that the virulent pathogen malignant egophrenia had taken possession of Hitler and was incarnating itself through him. By not seeing this and supporting Hitler, they became agents used by this non-local, deadly disease to propagate itself. This was a collective psychosis, and this is what is taking place in our country right now.

So easy to blame someone else, but each of us who remains silent or acquiescent is culpable and responsible. The Author bases his writings from the point of view that all is a manifestation of a collective dream and by conscious dreaming we can start to correct the nightmare we find ourselves living in.

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In Defense of Torture

The Resident wants to CHA,
And to shelter the thugs at the CIA
By changing the laws to cover the lies
That blatantly counter observant eyes
Defended by Hadley of the NSA.

Their sole defense is that torture works
You can trust the answers that halt the hurts
And it all plays into Republicans’ addendum
To keep fear in the front of the voters’ agenda
While downplaying all their personal quirks.

The real unspoken, diabolical plan
Is to keep us at war anyway they can
There’s gold in selling those bombs and guns
And chemical ways to kill them young ones
So shut up and follow dictates of the Man.

Sadly the “Man” is simply a shell
Within which nothing but demons dwell
And the Resident’s trying to keep on the fast track
Blindly forward and no looking back
On the straight and narrow directly to Hell.

The cover is Christ the philosopher king
Distorting the message of the peace He would bring
Claiming He leads an Army that kills
And any dissenter, they better head for the hills
If we follow the path the “Decider” does sing.

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Iran=No Nukes Kazakhstan=No to No Nukes

Found this in the comments section of the above linked post which tells the tale of the treaty between Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan which created the first nuclear-weapons free zone in the Northern Hemisphere (New Zealand led the southern):

BREAKING NEWS BREAKING NEWS BREAKING NEWS BREAKING NEWS BREAKING NEWS

Terrorist School Teacher Arrested, as reported first on CNN

NEW YORK- A public school teacher was arrested today at John F. Kennedy International Airport as he attempted to board a flight while in possession of a ruler, a protractor,a set square, a slide rule and a calculator.

At a morning press conference, Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez said he
believes the man is member of the notorious Al-gebra movement. He did
not identify the man, who has been charged by the FBI with carrying weapons of mathinstruction.

"Al-gebra is a problem for us," Gonzalez said. "They desire solutions by
means and extremes, and sometimes go off on tangents in search of absolute value. They use secret code names like 'x' and 'y' and refer to
themselves as 'unknowns', but we have determined they belong to a common denominator of the axis of medieval with coordinates in every country. As the Greek philanderer Isosceles used to say, "There are 3 sides to every triangle."

When asked to comment on the arrest, President Bush said, "If God had wanted us to have better weapons of math instruction, He would have
given us more fingers and toes."
Sadjid | 09.15.06 - 3:21 pm | #

So glad to see that humor at least still survives in these sad times. While it might not be original, I seem to remember it from early on in the Residents first term, it deserves to be recycled.

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Longing for September 10 while crying about Iraq

Been hearing a lot of people saying, "Oh, how I wish it was like Sep. 10, 2001, again." I doubt they remember the lead on CBS news that night. Robert J. Lieberman of the GAO had come before Congress and admitted that the Pentagon had "lost" $2.4 TRILLION the previous year. And $1.4 TRILLION the year before that. A total of $7.2 TRILLION has been "lost" without a paper trail. LOST?

Meanwhile the Resident compares bin Laden to Hitler and then says he's really not interested in him anymore?

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Talking Points Vs Political Dialogs

I try to spend some AM time each day listening to C-Span. I get my take on what’s at stake and where the players come from. The level of schooling, or lack there of, is readily apparent. Democrats and Independents offer a wide ranging plate of opinions, usually with facts on hand. Republicans bring their daily, dictated from the top, talking points based on fear.

For five years now, the main complaint emanating from the Republican side is Democrats don’t march in lock-step. As if a homogenous, single opinion can represent 300 million people. Cracks are beginning to open inside the Republican legislative bodies, but the rank and file haven’t noticed. Today’s talking point seems to be that Democrats are obstructionists (and the “Liberal Media” is showing it’s stripes by laying out facts instead of backing the Resident and actually covering what Democrats are saying and not just what Republicans say Democrats stand for) and the US will go to Hell in a hand basket if Democrats take control of Congress.

Republicans facing tough re-elections are co-opting Progressive positions. The White House is backing a Senator who publicly proclaimed that he didn’t vote for Bush in ‘04. Rep. Wilson (R-NM) resisted attempts by the Bush appeasers to give Carte Blank to government wiretaps. Rep. Shays (R-Con) is looking for ways to get troops out of Iraq. All the while he’s talking about how great we’re doing in training Iraqi troops. Not so much in the last six months, maybe, but really great overall. Of course if you criticize what the Resident does it’s because you hate him.

Like the moc-umetry “Path to 9-11,” it seems to me that the only way for Republicans to explain the monumental mess they’ve made is to revise history and blame everything on Clinton. Meanwhile on the world’s stage, ”More than 100 other nations are pushing to broaden the world's definition of "terrorism" to include the U.S. occupation of Iraq and the Israeli invasion of Lebanon.”

Some entertainment for your education!

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TruthOut on 9-11

Marc Ash gives a good breakdown on Official response to 9-11

"...the Bush administration used the power of the executive branch for months after the attacks of 9/11 to block the creation of any official investigation into the action of the US government. Further, such resistance by the Bush administration to an official investigation continued in the face of repeated demands by the families of the victims of the attacks. It was, in fact, that very pressure from the victims' families that forced the Bush administration to reverse their position and negotiate the creation of investigative body. However, during those negotiations, the Bush administration refused - again - to cooperate, until two demands were met: The 9/11 Commission must agree not to investigate the executive branch, and the Bush administration itself must be allowed to appoint - without review - the chairman of the commission."

Robert Scheer states some of what's missing: Five years out from the attacks, why do we still know so little about what really happened that day?

The Resident admitted that Iraq had nothing to do with 9-11, but Dick(head) on TV today still sings the old sad song (for his drooling base). He didn't bother to read the bi-partizan congressional report (reckon the Residents reading habits are contagous) and stated he'd of invaded Iraq even if he'd known there were no WMDs. Finally some truth he speaks.

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The Omnipresent Enemy

Too often we hear from the profits of fear how the proof of repressive agendas, in making us safe is the fact that as yet there have been no attacks on our Homeland, but:

Summary: Despite all the ominous warnings of wily terrorists and imminent attacks, there has been neither a successful strike nor a close call in the United States since 9/11. The reasonable -- but rarely heard -- explanation is that there are no terrorists within the United States, and few have the means or the inclination to strike from abroad.

Oh, but such a rational discourse would not sell pork and perks, of course, so politicians loudly shout that terror is what life's about and more money, guns, and war will fix the problem.

What I preceive, what I beleive is "Terror" plays in Prime Time and since our "News" are corporate owned, they tow the party line.


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Bill Maher's Take on the latest #2

And an other # 2 bites the dust. I reckon the #3's aren't exciting enough. And never mind that this #2 bought it back in June, "We're making progress!"

As a commenter on his blog noted, seems that ABC is trying to rewrite history and blame 9-11 on President Clinton. Ignoring The Resident's ignoring thePDB's and taking vacations instead.

"ABC Path to 911 debunked by 1996 CNN article

President wants Senate to hurry with new anti-terrorism laws
July 30, 1996
Web posted at: 8:40 p.m. EDT

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Clinton urged Congress Tuesday to act swiftly in developing anti-terrorism legislation before its August recess. (1.6 MB AIFF or WAV sound)

"We need to keep this country together right now. We need to focus on this terrorism issue," Clinton said during a White House news conference.

But while the president pushed for quick legislation, Republican lawmakers hardened their stance against some of the proposed anti-terrorism measures.

Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Mississippi, doubted that the Senate would rush to action before they recess this weekend. The Senate needs to study all the options, he said, and trying to get it done in the next three days would be tough.

One key GOP senator was more critical, calling a proposed study of chemical markers in explosives "a phony issue."

Taggants value disputed

Clinton said he knew there was Republican opposition to his proposal on explosive taggants, but it should not be allowed to block the provisions on which both parties agree.

"What I urge them to do is to be explicit about their disagreement, but don't let it overcome the areas of agreement," he said.

The president emphasized coming to terms on specific areas of disagreement would help move the legislation along. The president stressed it's important to get the legislation out before the weekend's recess, especially following the bombing of Centennial Olympic Park and the crash of TWA Flight 800.

"The most important thing right now is that they get the best, strongest bill they can out -- that they give us as much help as they can," he said.

Hatch blasts 'phony' issues

Republican leaders earlier met with White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta for about an hour in response to the president's call for "the very best ideas" for fighting terrorism.

Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, emerged from the meeting and said, "These are very controversial provisions that the White House wants. Some they're not going to get."

Hatch called Clinton's proposed study of taggants -- chemical markers in explosives that could help track terrorists -- "a phony issue."

"If they want to, they can study the thing" already, Hatch asserted. He also said he had some problems with the president's proposals to expand wiretapping.

Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-South Dakota, said it is a mistake if Congress leaves town without addressing anti-terrorism legislation. Daschle is expected to hold a special meeting on the matter Wednesday with Congressional leaders.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.


Related stories:
• Congress passes anti-terrorism bill - April 18, 1996
• Congress reached compromise on anti-terrorism bill - April 16, 1996

© 1996 Cable News Network, Inc.
All Rights Reserved."

Of course 30 to 50% of the common folk will be spewing this ABC history as factual on all the Reiht-Wing Talk Shows! As far as they go, history changes on a daily basis according to the needs of the Resident. And the Demo's are soft on terror. I'm getting tired of being disgusted. Sorry for the long qoute, but it needs to be circulated.

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Stolen Presidential Elections

I reckon the difference must be that we've only had two Presidential elections stolen and Mexico has suffered pretty much from the git go. Sadly, for Calderon, the presumptive winner, he was aided by the Bush team. They were as incompetent there as they are here.

The federal elections board in Mexico recounted 9% of the votes (from Calderon's districts no less) and had to subtract about 6000 of the 244,000 Calderon supposedly won by. Juxtapose that error to the other 91% and you get Obredor winning by 301,000. No wonder they don't want to count all the votes.

Well, the general population down South, as opposed to our nation of couch potatoes, don't seem willing to accept the official lie, I mean line! They are out in mass, mad as hell, and they are just not going to take it any more.

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Much Ado about Food

The 2007 Farm Bill is coming up for consideration this year and it bothers me that true to form it will probably end up subsidizing corn and soybeans and cattle and hog agribusiness. As Wendell Berry so succiently states,

"It is enormously destructive of farmland, farm communities and farmers. It wastes soil, water, energy and life. It is highly centralized, genetically impoverished and dependent on cheap fossil fuels, on long-distance hauling and on consumers' ignorance."

The corn, (more and more of it genetically modified), becomes the sugar added to almost every thing we eat. The soy becomes the fat additive in processed foods. This as our nation suffers growing problems with increasing obesity and fewer family farms.

In a related matter, the House has passed and the Senate is to consider a bill to minimize the labeling information on the food we buy. As citizens, our job is to inform ourselves and guide our government. It seems our government keeps trying to make that more difficult. The corporations get the benefits and we get the privilege of bearing the costs. As Jim Hightower has written,

"In the very short span of about fifty years, we've allowed our politicians to do something remarkably stupid: turn America's food-policy decisions over to corporate lobbyists, lawyers and economists. These are people who could not run a watermelon stand if we gave them the melons and had the Highway Patrol flag down the customers for them - yet, they have taken charge of the decisions that direct everything from how and where food is grown to what our children eat in school.”

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A True Patriot

While Rumsy, Rize, and the Resident were spewing their babble of staying the course
Salt Lake Mayor Rocky countered with an eloquent discourse.
You do not show your honor by blindly saying, "RAH!"
And following the dictates or singing, "Kume ba ya!"
You have to speak the Truth with no remorse.

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Finally finding it on line

Afganistan never was a fight in the War on Terror.

If you take the government's conspiracy theory that 19 men flew four airplanes into the Towers, the Pentagon, and the ground, well most of them came from Saudi Arabia. The rest from Pakistan and Egypt. I never understood why every one was so gung ho to bomb the rubble of Afganistan. To this day the F.B.I. admits that they cannot tie Bin Ladin to the crime. Anything to keep the war machine and all those taxpayers employed, I reckon.

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Where is the Lost & Found?

My latest "Letter to the Editor," which in all likely events will not get published:

Where is the lost and found? I want my Texas back. You know, that Texas that didn’t get frightened every time somebody says, “Boo!” The Texas that wouldn’t react in fear just because some young men in England had a fantasy about mixing liquids in flight to blow up airplanes. Yes, fantasies. If our schools taught better chemistry then the public would know that the explosives they dreamed about making are extremely difficult to create even in a laboratory at sea level. Gloves and masks and air conditioning are highly recommended. Bouncing around in an airplane at ever decreasing pressures would be a fool’s errand. Heck, when they uncapped the main ingredient the smell alone would have drawn every ones attention.

As a Texan, I have a strong belief in the rule of law. Therefore, when I hear and read statements like, “I have nothing to hide, the government can listen to my phone calls and look at my bank records all it wants,” I feel they are missing the issue. The law says get a warrant. As I try to be law abiding, I want every person in my government to do the same. Go ahead and listen to my phone calls and check my finances, I have nothing to hide. Just follow the Law and get a warrant first.

I miss the Texas I grew up in. Where our porches and cafe's were filled with talk about politics and different points of view were encouraged. Where politics was everybody's business and not just the job of politicians. Where people running for office had to tell us their positions on issues, not just how bad the other guy is. Where the schools had us read the Constitution and not just inform that there is one. Where television gave equal time to all sides of an issue. Where newspapers demanded that politicians verify the veracity of their statements. I miss my Texas.

Now, into the cirle file...

"The Rant" by Tom Degan: Fascism American Style

"The Rant" by Tom Degan: Fascism American Style

Believe it or not I haven't read this post, yet. Will, as soon as I finish posting this one. I got to him through Alternet and read his post comparing Christ Vs Conservatives and he's a man after my own heart. Not only do Christian Rightist seldom know the 10 commandments, but they never seem to take the "Sermon on the Mount" as their guide.

What really sold me though is the last two sentences in his breif bio at the end:

"AND ADVOCATING IMPEACHMENT OF THE MOST DISGUSTING PIECE OF SHIT EVER TO SLEEP IN THE WHITE HOUSE. Have a lovely day!"

Now, into the cirle file...