Mr. David Corn,

Great post!

I think it is silly to promote democracy without a free press and equal and generous civil rights. Forcing democracy at the point of a weapon is all but useless.

Each time I hear the "democracy brings freedom" blather I always think about the result of our recent elections and those of other countries that have democratically empowered the wrong people.

Thanks

Kirk

Hajji,

Maria called at 11:00 a.m. Said Dennis is getting to come home today. Said Ann was going to take him home around 2:00.

TRH & HAJII

Trade email addresses. Is this your family bulletin board?

Q: Are most members of Congress beholden to K Street?

GOP Senator: Hang on, I have to ask my lobbyist...he says no.

----

Q: Are most members of Congress beholden to K Street?

GOP Congressman: 'Beholden'? Is that some kinda Brokeback Mountain code word? I ain't be-holdin' no lobbyist nohow. I just takes the money and vote the way I'm told to.

David, I have read that one reason the so-called "democratic" parties find it nearly impossibe to gain power in the middle east is because of the concept of usury. Though I have not seen this subject discussed on any forums, I did read an article that said when orthodox Muslims gain power they won't allow banks to charge interest, it is strictly against their religious beliefs. That may shed a bit of light on an otherwise senseless conflict. If Muslims elect a theocratic govt. they should be allowed to promote laws that seem right to them. I disagree with your statement that it is right to promote democracy around the world if the parties involved are not interested. Can you imagine the uproar that would ensue if a Muslim were to gain power here in the west, and forbid banks to charge interest? That Muslim would soon find himself floating face down in the Potomac!

City demands warrant in FBI investigation

Law enforcement and Newton Free Library officials were embroiled in a tense standoff for nearly 10 hours last week when the city refused to let police and the FBI examine library computers without a warrant.

Police rushed to the main library last Wednesday after it was determined that a terrorist threat to Brandeis University had been sent from a computer at the library.

But requests to examine any of its computers were rebuffed by library Director Kathy Glick-Weil and Mayor David Cohen on the grounds that they did not have a warrant.

While one law enforcement official said he was "totally disgusted" with the city’s attempt to hold up a time-sensitive investigation of potential terrorist threat, Cohen is defending the library’s actions, calling it one of Newton’s "finest hours."

"We showed you can enforce the law ... without jeopardizing the privacy of innocent citizens," Cohen said.

Brandeis received the alleged e-mail threat at about 11 a.m. on Jan. 18, according to Waltham Lt. Brian Navin. While police reportedly didn’t find anything threatening after evacuating 12 buildings at Brandeis and a nearby elementary school, by about 2 p.m., the e-mail was traced to a computer at the Newton Free Library on Homer Street.

Newton Police, followed shortly by FBI and State Police officers, rushed to the library to lock the building down, Glick-Weil said.

"There was a lot of excitement going on," she said.

Police traced the origin of the e-mail to one of the 21 computers in the second-floor lab, Glick-Weil said. She agreed to have her information technology worker examine the computers, but said the FBI requested for information about the computers without a warrant, even though they were familiar with library privacy laws.

"You’ll have to ask them why they did that," she said.

An FBI spokesman, as well as Lt. Bruce Apotheker of the Newton Police, both said their offices would not comment on the investigation.

Cohen was asked by FBI officials to turn over information on all the computers, but said he could not without a warrant. It took U.S. attorneys several hours to finally get a warrant, Glick-Weil said, and they took the computer from the library at about 11:30 that night, after the library had closed.

But a law enforcement official who was close to the investigation but said he was not authorized to speak on the record, described the incident in an e-mail as a "nightmare."

He said Glick-Weil was told "we were dealing with a potential terrorism plot" but became "close to uncontrollable, saying that we had no right to be there."

Nancy Murray, director of education for the Boston branch of the American Civil Liberties Union, said she was surprised the FBI asked for information without a warrant.

"They couldn’t possibly expect to get [the computer] without a warrant," she said. "Good for the library for knowing more about warrants than the police."

"The law requires us to protect the privacy of library users," Glick-Weil said.

Glick-Weil said there was a "little bit of tension" during the investigation, but overall thought it went smoothly.

"I found the process encouraging," she said. "If law enforcement thinks it has probable cause, it can get a warrant in a timely fashion."

Dan Atkinson can be contacted at datkinso@cnc.com.

*****end of clip*****

Fourth amendment "probable cause" is the only constitutional process. Thank goodness for the honest and patriotic Americans that do not roll over to the fascist police state. The sad thing is how many of these illegal requests are satisfied (ie: Yahoo, MSN, etc giving data and we never heard a thing from them)

capt

PS - usury - they cannot charge interest (says that in the bible too) but they charge "rent" to hold money. Basically the same thing.

You cannot simultaneously liberate and oppress a people. It is also fairly difficult to scare the shit out of people and expect them to make rational decisions. Hence Hamas, a terrorist organization, comes to power by the will of a fearful and oppressed people. Hence the neocons, another terrorist organization, have come to power in the US, by the will of an arrogant and horribly misinformed public. Too bad actions have consequences, and the passage of time allows the repurcussions of previous US involvement in the Middle East to come washing onto the shores of the present. You reap what you sow. How about from now on, instead of letting a bunch of greasy warmongers hiding behind a retarded frat boy run the show, we elect a responsible, intelligent, and humanitarian leader, one who will actually make the world a better place? We can discount the republican party right away, and most prominent dems cannot be trusted either. Sorry people, but it looks like we may just have to think during the next election and seriously consider what our choice means for this country, the world, and humanity in general. Democracy is beautiful when it works.

The price of domestic spying: Infiltrated by feds, antiwar group turns on photographer

MIAMI -- The first time federal agents infiltrated the Broward Antiwar Coalition was in July 2003, two months before a planned protest against President George W. Bush, according to one member of the South Florida activist group.

The second time was in September 2003, two months before the infamous Free Trade Area of the Americas meeting in downtown Miami, which resulted in several lawsuits against the Miami Police Department for using excessive force against protesters.

And the third time was less than a year ago, just days before the Organization of American States meeting in downtown Fort Lauderdale, said Ray Del Papa, one of the original members of the activist group

Read more HERE

*****end of clip*****

It is too obvious but electronic wiretaps are only scratching the surface.

capt

Goob,

No doubt, that is assuming our votes are actually counted and the process fair. I do not believe this to be the case.

I hope I am wrong but I predict a huge landslide for the neocons (and DINO's). If they are stealing votes it is now or never for them too.

You do not steal all that power and not abuse it.

I hope I am completely wrong.

capt

usury will never be discussed. neither will the bourse. neither will the pipelines throughout Iraq and Syria. nor Bridas. ha - just like all the evidence surrounding 911, if we conveniently ignore it then it has no bearing on "reality".

#3

Awful brave of you to post without revealing your e-mail address. Good news is shared and all you can do is rain on the parade. Get a life.

Houston PD Running Nuclear Disaster Drills As Build-Up Of Numerous Law Enforcement Agencies Seen In Nearby Texas City

Army Intel Capt. Eric May warns Bush cabal days away from a nuclear strike. Texas City resident "opens up a hornet's nest" as he warns local law enforcement about the possibility of nuclear strike.

I agree with goob. Professional politicians, professional lobbyists combined with an apathetic public is a bad combination. We can see the obvious in the twisted political world, but there is plenty of our fellow citizens who do not and will not pay attention to what is happening around them, and the once formidable foe of politics has rolled over like a dog and let the reich scratch their belly.

Capt. May, who once backed the government's position while serving his country, became disillusioned after 911, saying facts surfaced making it "crystal clear" the enemy wasn't Al Qaeda but an "enemy within," or the Bush-New World Order Cabal.

Since realizing 911 was an inside government job, Capt. May has used every ounce of his military training, energy and intelligence to try and stop the Bush administration and what he calls its "phony war on terror." His info-war on terror can be better understood by a Google search of Ghost Troop Bibliography, taken from the name of his cyber-unit called Ghost Troop.

Capt. May said the Al Qaeda scare has been contrived and manufactured by the Bush Cabal in an effort to cover-up the real criminals and culprits in the White House. Saying every so-called terrorist attack escalates in size and body count, he is warning Americans that the next one will involve a nuclear blast on American soil.

"There is a very good chance the next attack could occur within the next 9 days and the target being the British Petroleum plant at Texas City, Texas," said Capt. May,

Diebold Blocks Alaska Voters From Viewing Election 2004 Results, Data!

Blogged by Brad on 1/24/2006 @ 2:39pm PT...

Contract with State said to Bar Release of 'Company Secrets' Such as the Records of Who Citizens Voted For
Democratic Official: 'It's impossible to say whether the correct candidates were declared the winner in all Alaska races from 2004'

In just one more story which illustrates the many undemocratic dangers of allowing private companies to "own" our public elections, Diebold, Inc., one of America's largest Voting Machine Companies is currently blocking citizens in Alaska from viewing election data from the 2004 general election!

"All Alaska races from 2004" are now being questioned, said a Democratic party official in a written letter to the state Elections Director.

Questions have begun to arise about results from that election, including the reported revelation that "district-by-district vote totals add up to 292,267 votes for President Bush, but his official total was only 190,889."

The BRAD BLOG has obtained a copy of the letter sent yesterday by Jake Metcalfe, chair of the Alaska Democratic Party to Whitney Brewster of the Alaska Division of Elections. The letter responds to Brewster's refusal to supply the party with the requested data files and outlines a number of additional concerns about the reported 2004 election results.

The complete letter is available for download here in WORD format.
-------------
Did someone mention democracy? Remind me again why we even bother to vote on these fucking machines??

Pipeline Blasted Again

Sunnis want Federalism postponed until 2009

Guerrillas blew up pipelines again on Wednesday, halting Iraqi petroleum exports through Turkey. There were some other bombings and shootings. Interior Ministry police commandos (usually Shiites) killed a Sunni cleric in Samarra. This looks bad.

A new report says that the Iraq quagmire is causing the US Army to reach the breaking point. The report notes that the army now appears to be meeting its recruiting goals by admitting high school dropouts. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, the worst SecDef in the history of the country, wants the military to move in the direction of high tech. I'd say he needs a high school and a university within the army if the dropouts are eventually going to operate that machinery.

Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said that Arab peace keeping forces for Iraq would require that 1) a sovereign, Iraq, national-unity government ask for them and 2) that US troops withdraw. He said that Arab troops would decline to serve under a US command. An Arab peace keeping force, led by Syria, was deployed in Lebanon during the civil war there.

Iraq needs $60 billion to revive its industries, according to the Iraqi government.

Paul McLeary reports from Baghdad, ' These days, more American reporters are leaving Iraq than arriving. In large part, for the U.S. press, "The party's pretty much over." ' (A tip of the hat to CBS's Public Eye.

A Kurdish writer sentenced to 30 years in prison for "defaming Kurdistan" (a.k.a. warlord Massoud Barzani) will be retried. In civilized countries, journalists are not tried for criticizing governments.

Iraqi journalists constantly face threats, either from guerrillas or from supporters of government officials, for writing critically about either. Reuters reveals that there really is not any freedom of the press in Iraq, and nor could there be given the poor security situation and the unconventional civil war.

Ghali Hassan argues that the US military is another impediment to a free press in Iraq.

Al-Zaman /AFP report [Ar.] that Sunni Arab politicians renewed their opposition to loose federalism and regional confederacies when they met Wednesday with Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, the Shiite cleric who leads the largest bloc in parliament. Salih Mutlak of the National Dialogue Council (11 seats) told Agence France Presse that the delegates insisted that loose federalism be abandoned before they would enter the new government. He said that this matter could be taken up by the next parliament, to be elected in 2009.

On another front, Virtue Party leader Nadim al-Jabiri said that the United Iraqi Alliance had broken pledges it had made to coalition partners about the distribution of compensatory seats. Virtue was given only one of these seats, whereas it had joined the United Iraqi Alliance on the promise that it would be given 15 regular seats and 5 compensatory ones. He said that most of the compensatory seats went to the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq and the Badr organization, while a few went to the Sadrist movement. He said that when he complained, the UIA leadership denied they had pledged him 5 compensatory seats.

Researcher Reidar Vissar analyzes the affiliation of the members of the United Iraqi Alliance. He concludes that they broke down as follows before the compensatory seats are figured in:

Sadrists (Muqtada): 23%
Da`wa: 23%
Independents: 22%
Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq and Badr: 19%
Virtue Party: 13%

Another 19 seats had yet to be apportioned when Vissar made this chart. Jabiri, above, is claiming that most of the 19 went to SCIRI. My own suspicion is that SCIRI and Badr are also much richer than the other factions inside the UIA, in part because of likely Iranian support. Still, an alliance of Sadrists and the Da`wa Party could form a powerful challenge to SCIRI leadership.

James,

Sounds like Capt. May (a real capt - I am not) is another looney lefty, eh?

Thank our lucky stars for the real patriots and true Americans. We many not have done enough to stop this handbasket in the last 10-15 years but it sure seems like more and more people are waking up to the nightmare.

capt

Analysis: Hamas history tied to Israel

But even then, some in Israel saw some benefits to be had in trying to continue to give Hamas support: "The thinking on the part of some of the right-wing Israeli establishment was that Hamas and the others, if they gained control, would refuse to have any part of the peace process and would torpedo any agreements put in place," said a U.S. government official who asked not to be named.

"Israel would still be the only democracy in the region for the United States to deal with," he said.

All of which disgusts some former U.S. intelligence officials.

"The thing wrong with so many Israeli operations is that they try to be too sexy," said former CIA official Vincent Cannestraro.

According to former State Department counter-terrorism official Larry Johnson, "the Israelis are their own worst enemies when it comes to fighting terrorism."

"The Israelis are like a guy who sets fire to his hair and then tries to put it out by hitting it with a hammer."

"They do more to incite and sustain terrorism than curb it," he said.
-----------
"By way of deception." Think about it, if this conflict was not constantly raging, who would support Israel's goal of total occupation of Palestine? They play the eternal victim card to the hilt.

Capt,

#7...

I hold a card to that very library! It is a very busy institution and its materials and equipment are some of the finest in the country.

Sad to think that government's responsibility to protect our privacy has, by default, fallen on the shoulders of those stereo-typical meek and humble LIBRARIANS!

The Boston FBI and Newton Police(I know a couple of agents there, believe it or not!) have instant and unimpeded access to the system for emergency warrants. They'd've probably gotten one in an instant, if they hadn't already locked the library down and tried to bully their way past the law. Making a public spectacle of the issue is one sure way to slow down the wheels that spin out the red tape!

-T

TRH,

I guess that's good news, talked to him last night and his voice actally sounded like him, again!

I can only hope that continuing radiation (burn the village to SAVE the village) doesn't send him back anytime soon.

Thank you to all here who've voiced concern and support for my family. It is telling the kind of people whose positive thoughts, prayers and energy finds its way to those who need it most!

#3 I guess my definition of "Family" is a little unorthodox. You're out of the WILL!

-T

Letter to WRH

READER: So ABC news (sic) is dishing out their exclusive report on how the Al Qaeda and the Taliban are regrouping and doing open-air recruiting to kill us Amurkans. They have shown "exclusive" video from the mountainous regions along the Afghanistan and Pakistan border.
This is great timing for Bush's recent spying scenario on that Al Qaeda bunch (in case they call). One problem with the video: where's the snow??? They show mountains in the background with no snow. This is OLD FOOTAGE!!!
-----------
Has anyone seen this footage? Is it true?

Saladin,

Amazing how they could be so disingenuous. The larger question is why aren't they there covering the largest humanitarian disaster in world history and encouraging world relief response in equally historic proportions?

Oh, yeah, "disaster fatigue"...I forgot.

-t

CSI: K Street

Arianna Huffington

Why is the White House so desperate to downplay any contact between the president and Jack Abramoff -- even though the photos of Bush making nice with Abramoff are bound to surface sooner or later? And why is the White house refusing requests to release information about Abramoff's White House meetings -- what today's Washington Post described as "a legitimate inquiry about what an admitted felon might have been seeking at the highest levels of government"?

I mean, sure, the former uber-lobbyist has become the poster boy for the GOP's culture of corruption -- famously guilty of mail fraud, tax evasion, bribery, federal conspiracy, and taking in $80 million from Indian tribes he subsequently disparaged as "morons" and "troglodytes." But it's not like he's been implicated in murder, right?

Oh, wait a minute... he has!
--------------
I've been wondering why this is never mentioned as well.

Hajji, it is far more important to keep the sheeple scared shitless!

Broadcaster says serious news at risk

The anchorman whose boss once characterized him as ice compared with his successor's fire was anything but chilly in the impassioned speech he delivered Tuesday at The Society of the Four Arts.

"Truth no longer matters in the context of politics and, sadly, in the context of cable news," said Aaron Brown, whose four-year period as anchor of CNN's NewsNight ended in November, when network executives gave his job to Anderson Cooper in a bid to push the show's ratings closer to front-runner Fox News.

Brown said he tried to give viewers a balanced diet of light and serious news with NewsNight. "But I always knew when I got to the Brussels sprouts, I was on thin ice," he said.

More HERE

*****end of clip*****

Never really warmed up to Aaron but interesting to hear his views.

capt

Speaking of red tape - I hear the government is cutting it . . right down the middle (goes twice as far).

capt

Saladin,

I am sure any murder or inflicted suicide was just a few rogue agents/criminals from the night shift, probably reservists or part time, yeah maybe it was CIA temps?

That's the ticket!

capt

Capt, I am convinced it was clinton who provoked the whole thing!

Oh, c'MON NOW!!!

Who among us can truly say they've no links to murderers and major-league felons? Give the guy a break, I mean, it isn't like Kenny-boy Lay was flyin' him around on the compn'y jet or anything! It isn't like he was guit-fiddlin' while New Orleans was fillin'up or anything! It isn't like he dragged the nation into an unfounded, illegal and immoral WAR or anything! Jeeeze, Louise, you're all just a bunch of BUSH HATERS!!!

Get OVER it, already!

HA! & HA!

What Constitutes Real Leadership on Reform?

Congress needs to make a clean break from former Majority Leader Tom DeLay's legacy. They won't do that by simply picking a new leader from three members who have their own campaign finance and ethical problems. Real reform won't happen simply by replacing DeLay -- "DeLay-ism" needs to be replaced. Both parties need to get serious about a real reform agenda that includes sweeping changes in the way we fund political campaigns, including publicly-financed "Clean Elections." Watch the videos, read the facts, and take action to demand that Congress get serious about reform.

Sign the petition HERE

*****end of clip*****

Top link has some political ads.

capt

I saw a clip on TV news with the al qaedas training - there was no snow. it was the same clip of al qaedas training that has been shown over and over for the last 4 years.

My answer to #159 from the previous thread is that Hamma will work with Bush if Bush renounces violence.

#16 Saladin, we are not a democracy.

Letters to the Editor

From TBR News

From: The-King-of-England the-king-of-england@swfla.rr.com
Sent: Saturday, January 21, 2006 10:09 PM
To: tbrnews@hotmail.com

Who the fuck do you assholes think you are saying Israelis are not Jewish but Mongolians? We are the original master race and we rule not only in Palestine but in America as well. You and your shitty left wing, anti-Bush friends better be careful or we will wipe you all out when our day of vengeance against all Chirstians and liberals comes and that will be soon! First, we will snuff all the filthy ragheads and burn their bodies and then we will drop nukes (and believe we got them!) on Tehran and fry all the arabs there. And bush is not going to stop us either and the fools at the UN are powerless without the US behind them! We rule you and you rule the world so why not shut the fuck up and go away? Ytzak Brandeis

Comment: Wonderfully expressed sentiment from a poster boy for the Likud. It's too bad his childhood couldn't have been prevented. Brian Harring
----------
The bushco neocons have no monopoly on psychotic ranting!

American Soldiers

More American soldiers are killed in the Middle East.

2,498 American soldiers have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan for Bush's evil lies.

Military men are just dumb stupid animals to be used as pawns in foreign policy. Henry Kissinger

G.K. Chesterton said, "Jesus speaks sanity to a world of lunatics."

Before you seek revenge, dig two graves. Confucius

Contamination

Linda Schrock Taylor says, "When God means to punish a nation, He deprives its rulers of wisdom."

Hitler Bush and the Nazi cabal will prowl the world seeking endless wars. With endless wars and depleted uranium the Nazi States of America will contaminate people, land, air, and water. In time our entire world will become contaminated through the use of depleted uranium in fighting our endless wars.

The Nazi States of America is an evil nation.

Hey all,
"Democracy's a bitch". ...Dude, that is true only if you don't treat her right.

Got my sys up and running....geeawd! How did things get so frithihing complicated!

Bad new...Lost alot of data on a couple of regions I was metering. Good news...most of the data had improbable variations, would have trashed it anyway.

Got about ten inches of wet heavy snow. YAAH! Going to hit the slopes tomorrow.

Hajji what did I miss?

Keep fighting the good fight.
Later,
th

Palestinian voters decided to put the focus back on the issue of Israel's solidification of its occupation. Now bush and his boyfriends (and Miss Condi) will devise some new rhetoric to continue to put the Palestinians through hoops. bush keeps professing his commitment to peace and democracy, telling other countries that they must reject violence if they want the United States to take them seriously. Rejecting violence as a means to solve a conflict is a noble goal -- it's time for the bush administration to take a leadership role in practicing what they preach.

Programmer Jeff Dean had ties to chief of White House Plumbers unit

UPDATED 1/26 10:30 a.m.: Convicted of 23 felonies for computer crimes, Jeffrey Dean was sent to prison for four years. Shortly after his release from incarceration, his company was awarded a massive ballot printing contract.

In a 2003 deposition, Dean says he was a scapegoat, left holding the bag in a series of unapproved payments from the politically connected Culp, Guterson & Grader law firm.

One of this firm's partners at the time was Egil "Bud" Krogh, who headed the White House "plumbers" unit under Richard Nixon. Krogh, who was made a partner of Culp Guterson & Grader in 1984, ordered a burglary of private documents from Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg during the Nixon administration.

In a 2003 deposition, Dean claimed that other persons from the firm were involved in a scheme, and upon discovery of illicit payments (averaging $14,000/month) he was made to take the blame.

*****end of clip*****

A poor clip, the story gets real interesting about half way down the page.

Think like 2006 is a lock. We better be ready. They will play the same game, say the same things, it has worked so far.

capt

the palestenian people voted hamas in. the american people voted bush in. that is the way democracy works. live with it.

So many just can't seem to live...with either, for many of the same reasons!

So that is how it works?

Gee thanks!

capt

Are Concentration Camps Coming to U.S.?

By John Newby
January 26, 2006

Here is the word for word news release:

KBR Awarded Homeland Security contract worth up to $385M. (HAL) (By Katherine Hunt)

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- KBR, the engineering and construction subsidiary of Halliburton Co, (HAL), said Tuesday it has been awarded a contingency contract from the Department of Homeland Security to supports its Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities in the event of an emergency. The maximum total value of the contract is $385 million and consists of a 1-year base period with four 1-year options. KBR held the previous ICE contract from 2000 through 2005. The contract, which is effective immediately, provides for establishing temporary detention and processing capabilities to expand existing ICE Detention and Removal Operations Program facilities in the event of an emergency influx of immigrants into the U.S., or to support the rapid development of new programs, KBR said. The contract may also provide migrant detention support to other government organizations in the event of an immigration emergency, as well as the development of a plan to react to a national emergency, such as a natural disaster, the company said.

If no one has ever heard anything about detention or concentration camps within the United States, the above press release would appear relatively harmless. However, if anyone is waiting for the government and KBR to come out and say "Hey, we're building concentration camps for all you minions," before they will take note, you'll be in those camps 'before' you figure it out.

Several items about this concern me greatly. First, instead of paying $385+ million for the next five years to build detention centers or so they say; why not stop the flow at the borders which would be much cheaper? On the other hand, if the illegals are the real problem and reason for building detention centers; why not cancel all jobs for illegals, stop all government payments to illegals and their off-spring and watch the illegal problem dry up like a drought stricken river. You won't have to send them back, they will leave. But that would mean that the illegals are the real problem being addressed, could there are other reasons for these little mini Gitmos?...

Secondly, what are these other detention center type projects? Maybe they learned something in New Orleans, maybe they learned that they needed detention camps in which to send people that lost their homes during this natural disaster. By having Haliburton (Man, why does Hallibuton get all the plush assignments) build local camps, we can herd the mindless little masses into them whenever a natural disaster or even potential disaster occurs. Not to mention NWO orchestrated disasters.

Now I'm sure that many will say, not to worry, no big deal or your just making a mountain out of molehill. Maybe I am, however I believe our country has survived quite well without detention or concentration camps for the past 200 years. Just not sure why King George feels we need them now? Wasn't there another country that built and operated a few concentration camps about 60 years ago? I wonder what little piece of propaganda Hitler used to convince the little minions to look the other way?

Color me naive, but when I hear talk of cages, detention and/or concentration camps, my mind usually wonders in devious directions. I haven't seen anywhere in history where detention centers and so forth were used as freedom enhancing tools. View this anyway you wish, but do so at your own peril. Consider yourself warned, what you choose to do with this information is only up to you.
--------
He brings up some good observations. I don't like this at all! How convenient for HAL.

Matriots

Dear Cornposters:

Nazi America must convert to matriotism because matriotism is a commitment to truth and to celebrate the dignity of all life. Matriots must stand up to fake patriotism that the bushians spew to the world.

It is not for him to pride himself who loveth his own country, but rather for him who loveth the whole world. The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens. Baha’µ’¨lah!

Sincerely,

Gerald

http://www.pollingreport.com/politics.htm

Check out the numbers.

Our trolls are in a group (per FOX) that represents as little as 5%!

This has got to be killing them.

What do you think?

capt

http://www.pollingreport.com/BushJob.htm

OMG one number in blue every other in the red. No not that red, the negative red.

Read 'em and weep!

capt

#5
Saladin,
How does the World Bank operate in Muslim countries? How are we going to make any money off the interst on the loans we put in place? EEEKS.

We must all be prepared to torture

You really have to love this country, our Nazi America.

#21
Haijji,
Glad to hear your brother is doing better. As for being a part of your will (I am not #3) I would prefer not to be given custody of your goats.

Wars Weaken U.S.

12 Stop scaring me. I am very sensitive.

One wonders, however, would that take DeLay out? Don't want that bird to sing. Or would he be on that special phone call list and manage to be out of town? Or am I wrong about his location and letting an overactive imagination and your mean scary stories get the better of me?

I am picturing the "journalists" on CNN giggling their way through the weather and offhandedly mentioning that Iran has launched a nuclear strike on the U.S.

It's amazing. ALthough I post post much I have been visiting this blog since before the 04 election. It's nice to see Tim L still posting. I need my daily chuckle. But really I wanted to thank Capt, Saladin, James, Hajji, and the rest for all the info.

Keep up the good work.

#'s 14, 15, and 16

James, do you know or have you heard if poppy bush is out of town? If he goes on a trip somewhere to get away, maybe I should too!

We spend billions polling the public and figuring out how the public is going to vote and then trying to sway the public to do something different.

So, why do the neocons think they have any sway in Palestine or Iran or Iraq? Anybody with brains can see how the people are going to vote. Look at the demographics. Now, the smart thing would have been to encourage education and modernizing the nations. Be a positive force in the nation. Instead in places like Iraq we blow them into the Stone Age. What do the neocons think?

More Democrats Get Behind Alito Nomination

WASHINGTON Jan 26, 2006 Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, whose confirmation seems certain in the Republican-run Senate, padded his modest Democratic support Thursday with endorsements by Sens. Robert Byrd and Tim Johnson.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=1545105

Yep, that is one fine opposition party we got goin' there...

Jeanne,

The goats are promised to that nice Greek family down the road. They really seem to like them, stopping by often to feed them grape leaves, mint and rosemary. They keep saying to them, "TOO SKINNY, EAT MORE, GET FAT!!

They keep asking us over to BBQ, and just INSIST on us bringing the goats but we haven't taken them up on it,yet!

To you I leave my autographed "Poison" guitar picks!

-T

That and other incidents gave rise to -- a number of diplomats and intelligence people who I interviewed, saying that there was plenty of reason to think that the Israelis were fostering the growth of Hamas. And, of course, Yasser Arafat himself, in a famous quote to a newspaper reporter a number of years ago, explicitly described Hamas as, quote, “a creature of Israel.” And he said that he discussed this with Yitzhak Rabin during their Oslo process. And Rabin told Arafat that it was “a fatal error” for the Israelis to have encouraged the growth of Hamas. The theory of it, of course, was that Hamas would be a force against Palestinian nationalism. And I think it's clear that it ended up, to a shocking degree, backfiring against overall Israeli policy.

- Robert Dreyfuss, investigative reporter and author of the book "Devil's Game: How the United States Helped Unleash Fundamentalist Islam." He is a contributing editor at Mother Jones, the Nation and American Prospect. On today's Democracy Now!

***********************

Because you're obviously a big "Hair Metal" groupie!

-T

Robert,

Is the thinking that a Hamas-controlled palestine would more welcome because it would have less sympathy from western governments?

That what I was thinking!

-T

Spoken like a true king to the peons...
bush again defended his program of warrantless surveillance today, saying "there's no doubt in my mind it is legal."

Jeez Louise, earlier this week he told us he wasn't a lawyer.

oh, and so it would be easier to destroy...is what I meant to say...shouldn't be cleaning house and posting at the same time!

micki,

...and, by bushbot logic, since there's no doubt in his mind, he COULDN'T have POSSIBLY known it was illegal! (ie "He didn't KNOW it was a lie, so he couldn't have been LYING!)

I mean he couldn't possibly commit a crime, if he didn't KNOW it was a crime! Hell, all those minions...I mean "constitutional scholars" surrounding him SURELY would've made him understand such a complex concept as the FOURTH AMENDMENT, f'chrissakes, wouldn't they?

-T

Jeez Louise, earlier this week he told us he wasn't a lawyer.

He's not a president, either, but he plays one on TV.

Within Palestine, the talk was mostly about rooting out corruption within the Palestinian Authority, which mainly relied on the ability to disperse patronage positions to maintain power. It should be remembered that the US, I believe through USAID, funneled a good deal of money to the P.A. to help with this election.

HAMAS, it should also be remembered, has also been more than a militant-political movement. They have also been responsible for providing greatly needed services to the Palestinian population.

sorry, jeanne...

for some reason I when I typed your name, I copied it into the box.

stupid...

-T

sorry, jeanne...

for some reason I when I typed your name, I copied it into the box.

stupid...

-T

Would you believe I did my taxes online this morning...I wonder who's gettin' my refund?

-T

Breaking: Kerry will lead Alito filibuster!
Bob Fertik - I have confirmed reports that Kerry wants to filibuster Alito, and he is talking to his colleagues to round up the 41 votes he needs.

Hajji,
I was getting a little worried. I'm sure the goats will live a loooong and happy life with the NICE Greek couple.
And thank you for including me in your will. And to you a leave an old beat up college copy of 'Siddhartha'. Hmmmm. I should read that again.

CNN:

BREAKING NEWS Sen. John Kerry calls for a filibuster of Samuel Alito's Supreme Court nomination.

******************

At least the game gets interesting...

I just emailed Senator Kerry's office and thanked him. Sent Senator Dayton an email too asking him to support the filibuster. Alito does not support the interests of this nation.

During today's press conference I'm certain I heard our usurper "N" chief Bush state that he wasn't going to allow Iran to mess with our currency. Did anyone else hear this? Although he didn't metion it by name, perhaps he was talking about the proposed Iranian Oil Bourse?

Also, I found it odd that the Bin Laden tape was aired on Jan. 19. This date reversed, 9/11.

And last evening I listened to Capt. Eric May. Very interesting!

Army Intel Capt. Eric May warns Bush cabal days away from a nuclear strike. Texas City resident "opens up a hornet's nest" as he warns local law enforcement about the possibility of nuclear strike.

Here is the audio listen for yourself. http://mp3.rbnlive.com/Greg/0601/20060124_Tue_Greg.m3u

3 new ads, one each for the repugs running for Majority Leader. See 'em here...

What's a little corruption among friends?

He's not a president, either, but he plays one on TV. LOL!!

...and he did stay at a Holiday Inn last night.

#61 I didn't think that had Jeanne's ring to the prose! hahaha

DEA is caught in the chicken coop in Bogotá corruption case
By Bill Conroy

*****************************

Very interesting...

Jeanne,

My own copy lacks covers, both front and back, but the creamy middle remains intact!

"In the journey we see there's no destination
In the journey we find our truest, true love
In the journey we find we can't do it alone
Gotta dig deep down inside and lose my Pride!"

-Martin Sexton

One of my favorite songs...always makes me think of the Hesse book.

-T

Micki,
I was beginning to question my sanity. Now I don't have to anymore. I'll leave it to the rest of you.

"I am troubled by Judge Alito's apparent views on matters such as executive power, his past opposition to the principle of one person, one vote, and his narrow interpretation of certain civil rights laws," Senator Johnson said. "Even so, I cannot accept an argument that his views are so radical that the Senate is justified in denying his confirmation."

"Because we have such a full plate of pressing issues before Congress, a filibuster at this time would be, in my view, very counterproductive," said Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., who wants the Senate to concentrate on Hurricane Katrina rebuilding programs.
+++++++++

Wait a minute! With Senator Byrd leaving the reservation, too, where the hell are the votes for a filibuster gonna come from?

[...]After OFI became USIS, the timeliness and quality of the security background checks conducted on Federal employees quickly deteriorated according to former OFI employees. They saw USIS being turned into a cash laundering operation whereby a few officials at the top became instant millionaires. Insiders also report that USIS "branched" into other operations never before conducted by OFI/OPM. These other operations were the focus of Col. Ted Westhusing's investigation when he was "suicided" in Baghdad. It is also noteworthy that USIS assumed control of a converted limestone mine in Boyers, Pennsylvania. The mine, built during the Cold War to safeguard files in the event of a nuclear conflict, contains millions of government files, including those held by the federal Employee Service and Records Center. That means that The Carlyle Group now has access to sensitive personnel files on millions of current and past government employees as well as contractors who have applied for security clearances. - Wayne Madsen

********************

Now, when Mr. Madsen asked Gen. Hayden directly about the record number of NSA whistleblowers lately, Gen. Hayden said, "I don't know what you are talking about."

Uhh, Gen. Hayden, where do you think the NYTIMES story came from that started this firestorm?

You know, the one with the 27 unnamed sources that the president wants investigated...

The Era of Massive Deficits Is Just Beginning

Today, the Congressional Budget Office issued its ten-year budget outlook. According to their report, the 2006 federal budget deficit will be at least $337 billion, and deficits from 2006-15 will total $1.2 trillion. If we continue with President Bush’≥ economic policies the actual deficits will be much, much higher.

First, the CBO numbers exclude tens of billions of dollars in expected spending for Iraq and Katrina. Second, the long-term figures assume President Bush's tax cuts, which overwhelming benefited the wealthy, will expire at the end of the decade.

To understand how tax cut extensions would ruin our long-term budget picture, look no further than the CBO report. Below are three important points from the report:

1) CBO assumes Bush tax cuts will expire after 2010:"By statute, CBO's baseline must project the future paths of federal spending and revenues under current laws and policies."
2) Little chance of tax cuts expiring:"The assumption that tax provisions will expire as scheduled has a significant impact on CBO's projections. Many of the expiring provisions were enacted many years ago but are routinely extended, and most reduce [tax] receipts."
3) Effects on the budget would be severe:"[I]f all of the tax provisions that are set to expire over the next 10 years were extended, the budget outlook for 2016 would change from a surplus of $67 billion to a deficit of $584 billion."

To learn more about budget issues check out the new Center for American Progress budget blog.
--------------------
What does this tell you about the wealthy in this nation? It tells me they don't care about the health of their nation. They care about their money.

I dunno Micki, but one can guess that Mr. Kerry can count...

or at least try to whip up a few spines...

Jeanne, I wonder about the seriousness of John Kerry's call for a filibuster...considering the timing and all. I hope he has some "moderate" Republicans lined up -- because the Dem nose count isn't too reassuring.

#81 -- jinx. Looks like we were thinking along the same lines.

#79
Robert,
He did look kind of....nervous.

Regarding the "terrorist surveilence" stuff.....

The President would like us to believe that his program needed to be so secret that even members of Congress and the FISA Court could not be trusted with information because then terrorists would learn about the program. If folks believe this, then President Bush clearly continues to appeal to the lowest common denominator - those who also pronounce the word Nu-Cu-Lor.

It is easy to argue that President Bush was only acting in good-faith to protect Americans. The President is basically suggesting that, "Two wrongs do make a right," as long as he is the one who was wrong....But the Constitution does not give the President the power to usurp those laws which are inconvenient.

On the other hand, I hope and pray that my fellow Democrats do not insist on impeachment. Let's get on with governing and rebuilding a great nation that has been damaged by short-sighted, conservative thinking.

Maybe Kerry just wants to be able to say, "I TOLD you so!" to all the other residents of the Gulag, someday!
-T

Micki,
I know. I know. But I'm going to back him and hope. It's our democracy after all. If he was willing to fight for it in Viet Nam and fight for it as a anti war protester maybe he's seeing the danger we are in and is fighting for it now. Somebody has to.

On the other hand, I hope and pray that my fellow Democrats do not insist on impeachment. - Proud Liberal Democrat...

I don't insist on impeachment, I insist on impeachment, conviction and incarceration!

PLD,

"...On the other hand, I hope and pray that my fellow Democrats do not insist on impeachment. Let's get on with governing and rebuilding a great nation that has been damaged by short-sighted, conservative thinking..."

How're we supposed to "get on" with ANYTHING even marginally progressive with the current regime in place? "Rebuiding" requires there to be some kind of foundation. If the sacred provisions of the Constitution are not to be upheld, then what is there to build on?

-T

#85
"The President would like us to believe that his program needed to be so secret that even members of Congress and the FISA Court could not be trusted with information because then terrorists would learn about the program"

The problem with the president's logic is that he's trying to convince me that he and his administration are the best people to choose who can be trusted. And since he's surrounded by people with many psychiatric disorders that include sociopathic behavior, no I do not trust his people.

This guy really needs to sign up for the military.

Gingrich Calls for Regime Change in Iran

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a potential 2008 Republican presidential candidate, says Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is as great a threat today as German dictator Adolf Hitler was in 1935, and the United States should not wait to help bring about a regime change in Iran.

"If we don’¥ have a very serious systematic program to replace the government of Iran, we’≤e going to live in an unbelievably dangerous world," Gingrich said during an exclusive interview with HUMAN EVENTS. "This is 1935 and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is as close to Adolf Hitler as we’∂e seen. We now know who they are; the question is who we are -- are we Baldwin or Churchill?"

Gingrich referenced the two former British prime ministers -- Stanley Baldwin and Winston Churchill -- who disagreed about Hitler's intentions. Churchill proved to be correct in his fears of the Nazi leader, but Britain -- and the world -- acted too late, resulting in mass casualties during World War II.
-------------------
Newt is comparing himself to Churchill.

If you click on the link you will find a woman wearing a tee shirt that reads 'Viva la Reagan Revolution" *cough* and an ad for Novak and *cough* ann coulter.

I believe I read on one of Robert's first links that 40 votes are required for a filibuster.

The following is available at Landmarkcases.org:

FROST: The wave of dissent, occasionally violent, which followed in the wake of the Cambodian incursion, prompted President Nixon to demand better intelligence about the people who were opposing him. To this end, the Deputy White House Counsel, Tom Huston, arranged a series of meetings with representatives of the CIA, the FBI, and other police and intelligence agencies.

These meetings produced a plan, the Huston Plan, which advocated the systematic use of wiretappings, burglaries, or so-called black bag jobs, mail openings and infiltration against antiwar groups and others. Some of these activities, as Huston emphasized to Nixon, were clearly illegal. Nevertheless, the president approved the plan. Five days later, after opposition from J. Edgar Hoover, the plan was withdrawn, but the president's approval was later to be listed in the Articles of Impeachment as an alleged abuse of presidential power.

FROST: So what in a sense, you're saying is that there are certain situations, and the Huston Plan or that part of it was one of them, where the president can decide that it's in the best interests of the nation or something, and do something illegal.

NIXON: Well, when the president does it that means that it is not illegal.

FROST: By definition.

NIXON: Exactly. Exactly. If the president, for example, approves something because of the national security, or in this case because of a threat to internal peace and order of significant magnitude, then the president's decision in that instance is one that enables those who carry it out, to carry it out without violating a law. Otherwise they're in an impossible position.

FROST: So, that in other words, really you were saying in that answer, really, between the burglary and murder, again, there's no subtle way to say that there was murder of a dissenter in this country because I don't know any evidence to that effect at all. But, the point is: just the dividing line, is that in fact, the dividing line is the president's judgment?

NIXON: Yes, and the dividing line and, just so that one does not get the impression, that a president can run amok in this country and get away with it, we have to have in mind that a president has to come up before the electorate. We also have to have in mind, that a president has to get appropriations from the Congress. We have to have in mind, for example, that as far as the CIA's covert operations are concerned, as far as the FBI's covert operations are concerned, through the years, they have been disclosed on a very, very limited basis to trusted members of Congress. I don't know whether it can be done today or not.

**************************

TO a person who remembers the days of COINTELPRO, we appear to be in perilous times.

Impeaching Bush would simply put Cheney in power without the doubt about who was in power. Why do you think Reagan had Poppy behind him calling him the shots? So he wouldn't be even mentioned for impeachment over Iran-Contra.

You know who's next in line after him, since Cheney does have a weak ticker and all?

You sure still want impeachment?

I wrote a paper a long time ago stating " political masses taking action will eventually have a political mass reaction" This was inferrng that Newtonian mechanics could also be applied to human behaviour. These Hama's favored voting results should have easily been predicted if any one with half a brain worked for the shrubbery.

Damn_Em, reminds me of Asimov and Foundation...

J-Dub, the mechanics of impeachment might be messy, but the evidence can be raised to implicate Mr. Cheney as well...besides, the process itself would so flommux the works...

j-dub,

Impeachment doesn't necessarily mean that Dumbya would be removed from office. (although to steal a phrase from the master..."There is no doubt in my mind..." that he should be!)

The point is that impeachment proceedings would bring an open (I'm not holding my breath for "honest) hearing of the many,many failings of this misAdministration.

Even if it did lead to the burning-at-the-stake of Prince DimestoreCowpoke the Evil DarkLord Cheney would in no way stand for re-election and his behind-the-scenes voodoo activities would be closer to the light. In the wake of such exposure of the neo-conVicts wouldn't stand up to continued scrutiny and the TRUE conservatives, at least the ones with scruples, would be forced to get come (and stay?) clean.

The message to the Rupugniconns, the Dumbyacrats and to all who seek to turn the locomotive power of the people into their own personal Gravy Train is "You're not getting away with it!"

Besides, the "Impeachment Parties" across the nations would be KILLER, dude!

-T

Hey, Jeanne, I agree with you. I wasn't being contrarian, tho it may have appeared that way (upon re-reading).

I hope John Kerry hits 'em hard for a filibuster -- I'm with him 1000% on it.

Go down the chain of succesion you have scumbags all along the way, or worse, incompetents and outright criminals. We don't need impeachment we need a sewer pump to clean out that rat's nest. The french did it right when they finally got it going. Now where did I leave that little gizmo?

#91 Newt? For president? (retch) damn how far down the rabbit hole are we? This guy resigned in disgrace so now he thinks he is a senior statesman? If he runs at all the stupid asshats that vote for him are more brain dead than I think. They might be right, there are no skilled workers left in america if he gets any votes at all, because the population has been subjected to an insidious form of IQ depletion.

Robb,
I believe 41 is the number required for filibuster.

Hey Robb!

If you're into modern political fiction, pick up a copy of "A Single Star" by Stan Barnett. Good South Carolinians standin' up fer what's right kinda book.

Walter Edgar, SC Historian has been reading it on SC Public Radio every Saturday, but I avoided listening in since I knew a copy was coming my way.

-T

QUICK.

Go to:

http://www.SaveTheCourt.org/Alitofilibuster

People for the American Way are urging "interested parties" (my lingo) to sign the petition in support of John Kerry's filibuster efforts.

Paradox

Louis Tice of the Pacific Institute in Seattle, Washington offers a paradox, "You give up control in order to be in control." Confident leaders do not have to rule by controlling and punitive threats. He also discusses Erickson's book, "Eight Stages of Human Development," regarding leadership. Leadership starts at the top with basic trust. A dishonest leader cannot be an effective leader. Controlling and punitive threats will have consequences and there will be a backlash against such a leader. People will subtly undermine the leader and in the end the leader is not in control and he or she remains in a constant state of fear. A fearful leader is an unstable leader. Good examples of fearful and unstable leaders are Napoleon and Hitler. We must be vigilant of such leaders, be it in the United States or in the world.

Bush is at the start of unraveling into insanity.

Schumer, Salazar Call for Special Counsel in Abramoff Case

___________________

With a leadership transition under way in the Justice Department’s investigation into the Jack Abramoff scandal, a pair of Senate Democrats on Thursday called on Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to appoint a special counsel to oversee the sprawling investigation.
____________________

Will anybody with power answer the call?

-T

Hamas won? Ha!
Well, so much for free elections in the Middle East!
They keep on picking the wrong guys, eh Bush?
Whats the problem?
Wasn't anybody there to jigger with the voting machines or stuff the box like in Iraq?

Protesters Sue for Speech Spot

Reflecting Pool Area Off Limits During State of the Union
__________________
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Capitol Police declined to comment on Morales's allegations that politics played a part in the decision and would not say if the Capitol Reflecting Pool has been used in the past as a protest site.

"Many of the questions you are asking are security-related, so we can't comment on that," said Sgt. Kimberly Schneider, a public information officer with the agency.

Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, a lawyer with the Partnership for Civil Justice, said the area around the Capitol Reflecting Pool on the west side of the U.S. Capitol has historically been a site where demonstrators have staged protests.

"It's been used time and time again for major demonstrations and small demonstrations," she said. "It's been a critical location for First Amendment expressive activity for a long, long time."

Morales said organizers of the Capitol Hill protest expect it to draw about 5,000 participants. The demonstration is one of several planned around the country. The group's Web site urges people to gather on the night of Bush's address to Congress and to "symbolically drown out" the president's speech with drums, pots and pans, and other noise.
___________________

Whaddya wanna bet somebody was walkin' round DC with a big drum and a cell phone askin..."Can you (still) hear me NOW?" and when the answer was "no", that's where they drew the line for the "security perimeter"?

-T

You trolls in here need to stop using this comment section as a personal message board. I could care less about Daryl and your other brother Daryl.

Buy a phone, troll! It's the thing that goes ding-a-ling when somebody wants to talkie with you.

#108

The only thing going ding-a-ling these
days is that sound you hear inside your head.
Now go answer it, and please let us all know what it says.

Oh, please, please, please don't attempt to filibuster Judge Alito. Conservatives are so scared of John Kerry and PAW!!!

Contact your Senators and tell them that under no circumstances are they to attempt a filibuster.

We conservatives are petrified that you liberals have a real winning play there, one that will resonate well with the American public.

SUPPORT A FILIBUSTER AGAINST ALITO sign on...

John Kerry's plea for filibuster support...

More keyboard activism, as capt sez.

Maybe it won't work, but at least we still believe in democracy. Fuck you and your horse.

There once was a troll named Bill
His mother's teet, he never got a fill
To compensate he comes here instead
And like at home he falls on his head
So you see he's an ingnorant troll still

#112 I agree! We believe in trying, instead of just berating people.

I hope that guy who calls himself Bill, when he's not someone else, enjoys looking at himself in the mirror. What an assignment! Gag.

143
Kerry says he'll filibuster Supreme Court nominees who do not support abortion rights

NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer

Friday, June 20, 2003

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry said Friday that he is prepared to block any Supreme Court nominee who would not uphold the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion.

"I am prepared to filibuster, if necessary, any Supreme Court nominee who would turn back the clock on a woman's right to choose or the constitutional right to privacy, on civil rights and individual liberties and on the laws protecting workers and the environment," Kerry said in remarks via satellite at a meeting of Democratic party officials in St. Paul, Minn.

"The test is basic -- any person who thinks it's his or her job to push an extreme political agenda rather than to interpret the law should not be a Supreme Court justice."

*****end of clip*****

So, I wonder if Kerry will make good on his word?

I will continue aspirating in anticipation of disappointment. If Roberts did not fit the bill described Alito does in spades.

capt

Posted by: capt at January 26, 2006 04:30 AM

*****************

Kerry must have read my post - seen my dreams.

I figured he was going to roll or be out of the country again!

WOO HOO!

S'OK, Bogus...YOU're still in the will.

To you I leave all the accumulated organic fertilizer. That head of yours is bound to need a refill, from time to time!

kisses,
-T

Oh, I'm not scared of the photos. Me? No.

Studio that scrubbed Abramoff/Bush photo earned $140,000 from 2004 campaign

A photograpy studio which admitted to scrubbing at least one photograph of President George Bush and disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff was paid more that $140,000 by the Bush/Cheney campaign in 2004, RAW STORY has learned.

Reflections Photography president Joanne Amos told Joshua Micah Marshall of Talking Points Memo that a "business decision" led the company to remove a photograph taken in late 2003 that is believed to feature Bush and Abramoff together. According to Amos, the photograph is "not relevant."

Another blog reported that Amos donated $2,000 to President Bush. The studio owner also gave $4,000 to the Republican National Committee in 2004. Steven Amos, vice president of Reflections, has contributed $2,000 to Bush and $4150 to the RNC. According to Political Money Line, each gave the RNC $750 on the same day last April.

A press release from July of 2003 shows that the photography studio was awarded a contract with the Bush/Cheney 2004 campaign. "We are, of course, extremely pleased about this contract," said Joanne Amos in the press release. "This is an incredible opportunity for our company."

Two years ago, The Washington Post reported that the studio was paid over $140,000.

This link which lists itemized disbursements from the campaign in 2004 shows that the studio was paid $28,520 for photography services on February 26, 2004.

On October 1, 2003 Congressman Tom Davis (Rep-VA) gave a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives in recognition of the "achievments" of Joanne Amos in her 25 years of work in photography (pdf link). Davis also noted her contract with Bush/Cheney 2004.

"Joanne Amos now resides in the 11th district of Virginia; from this base she will be providing event photography for the Bush-Cheney re-election campaign," said Rep. Davis. "This contract was won on the sheer quality of Reflection's reputation and will grant them the opportunity to show they can coordinate nationwide media coverage. Reflections will make full use of their extensive network of photographers and web-based technology to keep pace with the aggressive schedule set by the President's campaign."

A few weeks later, on October 31, Joanne Amos contributed $2,000 to the Bush/Cheney campaign.
--------------------
Again, what's that smell?

#116
Mushrooms need fertilizer.

I just woke up (not feel well these days)

Signed the petition - THANKS Micki!

Just ingnore the troll - freeze them out.

They are petty trouble makers.

Let's all dance, dance, dance.

OMG - I am pleased with Kerry - WOO HOO!

I will now skim the thread!

capt

I think the senators should read all the messages they receive with the petition during the filibuster.

Taking the People's Demand to Capitol Hill

Capt, this will lift your spirits. A moving billboard. It is a beauteeeful sight. Click on the pretty blue link.

Robert and micki, SOMEBODY on the left has to at least make it LOOK like there's gonna be fight!
Jeanne 87, do you still really believe we have anything even remotely resembling a democracy? I thought that idea was banished back in the 2000 selection!
TRH 109 Aren't trolls so ANNOYING! Always trying to be the blog gestapo, and always failing!

Kerry must have read my post - seen my dreams.

Capt, after seeing your first post of Kerry's statement to flilbuster, I emailed his site with your link to his statement. I have no idea if they read it, but I'd like to think we helped. I read your early morning post, 'bout noon here (central).

ACLU Releases Government Photos

The ACLU of Georgia released copies of government files on Wednesday that illustrate the extent to which the FBI, the DeKalb County Division of Homeland Security and other government agencies have gone to compile information on Georgians suspected of being threats simply for expressing controversial opinions.

Two documents relating to anti-war and anti-government protests, and a vegan rally, prove the agencies have been "spying" on Georgia residents unconstitutionally, the ACLU said. (Related: ACLU Complaint -- PDF file)

For example, more than two dozen government surveillance photographs show 22-year-old Caitlin Childs of Atlanta, a strict vegetarian, and other vegans picketing against meat eating, in December 2003. They staged their protest outside a HoneyBaked Ham store on Buford Highway in DeKalb County.

An undercover DeKalb County Homeland Security detective was assigned to conduct surveillance of the protest and the protestors, and take the photographs. The detective arrested Childs and another protester after he saw Childs approach him and write down, on a piece of paper, the license plate number of his unmarked government car.

"They told me if I didn't give over the piece of paper I would go to jail and I refused and I went to jail, and the piece of paper was taken away from me at the jail and the officer who transferred me said that was why I was arrested," Childs said on Wednesday.

The government file lists anti-war protesters in Atlanta as threats, the ACLU said. The ACLU of Georgia accuses the Bush administration of labeling those who disagree with its policy as disloyal Americans....

...."We have heard of not a single, government surveillance of a pro-war group," Weber said. "And I doubt we will ever hear of a single surveillance of a pro-war group."

The ACLU wants Congress and the courts to order government agencies, including the FBI, to stop unconstitutional surveillance.

Weber said the ACLU of Georgia may sue the government, in order to define, once and for all, what unconstitutional surveillance is in a post-911 America.
------------------
Yeah,
When are those pro bush pro war maniacs going to be spied on? When are they going to get on the 'No Fly' list?

#129

I was pretty brutal. I said that I didn't think the Bush Asministration should be allowed to appoint the next head janitor much less a Supreme Court Justice. This is the most courrupt, incompetent, and downright harmful administration in our counrty's history. They've ruined our world wide reputation, are responsible for tens of thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands of deaths in Iraq, wasted billions upon billions of dollars, ad nauseum - all in five short years. At least we will get rid of Bush in 3 years. A Supreme Court appointment can affect future generations to come. Alito must not be appointed.

That should have been #120 - I should get better glasses.

#51 Paul?

Where the heack have you been? Post more!

Good thread folks.

Hajji, I will take any money in any will but in an Apartment so . . . no goats for capt!

I sure hope the filibustering is not just a head-fake.

Impeachment will be far more important in the long run. I think we have some troll spoofers - spoofing as lib's. Sad and funny.

Nobody liked the poll numbers?

I did!

capt

David:

I am going to take a contrarary position on Hamas' win! I think it can't hurt the decades-long FAILURE to solve this ME problem. An analogy in economics would be `creative destruction'. Essentially, the fall of the corrupt Fatah party forces Hamas to either declare war on Israel or (fill in the blank).

You started with: "Democracy's a bitch..... Bush's so-called push for democracy in the Arab world....does not guarantee positive outcomes."

This is absolutely true of just about any endeavor anyone undertakes. Hell, I leave the house and I can't guarantee I will come home in time for dinner! Had Bush done nothing on Iraq, would Libya have come clean w/its WMD? Lebanon be almost free of Syria's grip? No more attacks in the U.S. since 9/11? By doing nothing when there were plenty of reasons, even if some of the reasons were not as well founded, to do something, one will always wonder "What If...".

Isn't that what life is all about? The road not taken? The forever regret of not knowing how things would've turned out diffrently if you did something when you could have but didn't? Just think about your own life's decisions! Sometimes, you just have to take action based on what you believe to be right!

Prolly too hard for the trolls, but the rest might wanna try this maze.

try the maze here

Jeanne,

Thanks - GREAT BILLBOARD! Now if we could only water-board the "Bill" HA!

I ALWAYS click every link.

GOOD STUFF.

RE: Filibuster

I sure hope we are not Charlie Brown with Lucy (Kerry) pulling the football and giggling.

Mother-in-law cleared of cancer today, all tests clean~!

All kinds of stuff to celebrate.

Maybe I am feeling a little better.

capt

"The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one. " ~ George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)

"We rarely find anyone who can say he has lived a happy life, and who, content with his life, can retire from the world like a satisfied guest. " ~ Horace (65 BC - 8 BC), Satires

"There is no greater sorrow
Than to be mindful of the happy time
In misery. "
~ Dante Alighieri (1265 - 1321), The Divine Comedy

"No man is happy without a delusion of some kind. Delusions are as necessary to our happiness as realities. " ~ Christian Nestell Bovee

Ahhh Happy,
Have you noticed what a hell hole Iraq has become? Have you ever tried to live without electricity and sewer? How about bombs going off daily?
Topping mud with whip cream and a cherry doesn't turn it into ice cream.

#129
Alan,
I hate you. You scared me.

mmmmmmmmm

ice cream

And don't forget about the depleted uranium Happy. They - BushCo - have spoiled the land and will cause birth defects and deaths for decades and decades to come, both in Iraq and here - cuz our troops are bringing it home with them.

All in the name of spreading democracy! Ha!

#129 - OMG - I screamed and jumped out of my chair! Good one Alan!

Had Bush done nothing on Iraq, would Libya have come clean w/its WMD? Lebanon be almost free of Syria's grip? No more attacks in the U.S. since 9/11?

Go Bill Clinton!! Because of his response and policies to unite the world after the first WTC attack, we didn't get hit again until Doofus took the helm. Just think how well off the world would be if the real winner of the 200 election had become president. OBL said, "that idiot? Praise to Allah, we'll have an easy target now." And lo' and behold, Doofus divided us from the rest of the world and increased terrorists' recruiting a hundred-fold. *or more
What an idiot our preznit is!!!

Flan,
I bet Alan pulled girls braids when he was in school.

#137
Alan,
Remember Bill got a blow job.

Sorry 'bout the #129 post, but I couldn't resist. A friend just nailed my azz with it, even though I just knew it was gonna be something like that. haha

Jeanne,

Yeah, well I threw worms at other girls in grade school so I guess that's why I enjoyed it even though it scared the shit out of me.

Alan,

I made my 19 year old son play it and he jumped too! He said - "I hate games like that!" I couldn't help jumping again even though I knew what was coming. I'm going to send this to some of my work friends - they'll hate me for it.

Thanks!

Yeah, well I threw worms at other girls in grade school...

haha That was cute. My daughters were somewhat of tomboys. Pretty-much nothing bothered them. I never worried 'bout the boys picking on 'em either. They'da prolly got their hat handed to 'em, if so. Stefani was sooner, but Randi didn't get into the girlie clothes/make-up and all that stuff till she was 16.

Actually, I don't think I ever pulled a pigtail in school. I didn't hate girls or worry 'bout cooties, but I didn't hang with 'em either.
Not till 6th grade, anyway. hehe

Your mother sews socks in hell!

They released a picture of Doofus with Abramoff.

caught in the act

I knows you White folks (liberals) don't like us Coloreds (conservatives) comin' to guzzle (opine) at your drinking fountain (blog).

Ya'll White folks (liberals) think us Negroes (conservatives) should know our places (Lucianne, Michelle, etc.).

But this Negro (conservative) likes the water (discussions) at yo' White folks' (liberals') water fountain (blog) jes' fine.

Until Massah Corn he tell me to leave his plantation (website), we all gonna get to be good friends.

Maybe this ol' Darkie (conservative) he can teach you somethin' about tolerance and diversity of thought. You White folks (liberals) have a heap o' bigotry and intolerance now.

David:

Going further down your post:

"In his surprise news conference today, Bush, no surprise, said that he won't be dealing with Hamas any time soon...."

Bush and Condi, and the whole world really, is simply telling Hamas that "The ball is in your court, show us what you got! It's easy to complain about what IS, now let's see you govern and take ACTION!" To the downtrodden, and no one denies that the Palestinians have suffered, it is natural to look to Hamas (their main or only social support system) for answers to all of your problems. Hamas may not be so happy that it's now the majority party and will be held accountable! Interesting times!

For a change of pace, I agree 100% with your statements below:

"I'm hoping for the best and that Indyk's hope comes true. But it's a stretch. In the meantime, while it is right for America to promote democracy worldwide, we ought not equate (or confuse) democracy promotion with near-term stability or security. If only life worked like that. But the world has as much gray--if not more--as black and white. Hamas' victory is a reminder that simplistic crusades (and invasions) for democracy are not so simple."

Anything worthwhile takes `stretching'; otherwise, it isn't worthwhile! Profound, heh? Lastly, the world is indeed mostly gray (and moderate); very much epitomized by the spying and the Abramoff scandal where the bulk of the money (his or he directed) were probably legal but his `payback' on that money?.

Bill,
You're a little odd.

#146 Bill

That was a great! Creative!

What's up with This?

December 20, 2005

The Honorable John D. Rockefeller IV
Vice Chairman
U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
Room 211 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-6475
BY FAX: (202) 224-1772

RE: CIA Terrorists

Dear Senator Rockefeller:

It's past time for the Senate to hold hearings on the deep involvement of the Central Intelligence Agency in state-sponsored terrorism. You might begin by questioning the following individuals, all of whom served
at the CIA's Consulate General at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where only three (3) Americans, including myself, had no ties to any of the American intelligence services. The below-listed names, in cooperation with
Agency-asset Osama bin Laden, recruited terrorists for training in the
United States. I should know--I was required to issue visas for them.
Jay Freres. Ostensibly American Consul General, the journalist
Julius Mader listed his employment in the CIA's Clandestine Service in a
publication about spooks in Kabul where Freres had been stationed in the
late 1970s. (See NameBase.org) He was the driving force behind the
visas for terrorists. He is currently retired with his German wife
Maria and living in Clearwater, Fla. He's listed in the phone book.
Paul Arvid Tveit. Posing as a Commercial Officer, Tveit repeatedly
demanded visas for Pakistanis who could not name the U.S. trade show
they were supposed to attend. He is listed in NameBase.org as a member
of the Clandestine Service. He is retired and living in Fairfax, Va.
He is listed in the phone book.
Eric Qualkenbush. Head of the Political/Economic Section.
According to a contact in a European intelligence Service, Qualkenbush
had been assigned to the CIA's Bucharest Station before Jeddah. He is
retired and living in Findlay, Ohio. He is in the phone book. He was
transferred to Bonn about the time I went to Stuttgart.
Henry Ensher. As Political Officer, he demanded visas for peculiar
people. Transferred to Oman and later to the State Department's Bureau
of Intelligence & Research, he is currently assigned to Kabul. He is
listed in the McLean, Va. phone book.
Karen Sasahara. Ensher's successor who demanded visas for odd
people such as a Sudanese who was an unemployed refugee in Jeddah and
who could give no reason why he wanted to visit the U.S. Sasahara is
listed on one Internet site as a member of the Clandestine Service.
Andy Weber. Had been assigned part-time to the Consular Section.
He would go out of his way to issue visas to some of his contacts. I
last saw him on American public television working as an arms inspector
in Russia. (He had been in Bonn with Qualkenbush.)
Justice Stevens. To keep Freres quiet, he would issue visas to the
many peculiar applicants after I complained about violations of the
Immigration & Nationality Act and the Foreign Service Manual.
Joseph P. O'Neill. A "State Department Inspector" who came to
Jeddah and who arranged for the shredding of the file I had kept on the
visas for terrorists.
If you have any questions, I would be happy to answer them. In any
event, I hope the foregoing proves useful.

Sincerely yours,

J. Michael Springmann
Attorney & Counselor at Law

Jeanne,

More than a little.

#122 Come on, Saladin. You know you want the same things many of us want, so don't be such a contrarian. I urge you to use your good heart more effectively, in a more positive energy -- and who knows, you might be a part of the solution! It's right there, girl.

(I know, I know...I tell people to fuck off con brio.

MSNBC Poll
Is unathorized spying Okey in times of war?
32% Yes
68% No

I just got some interesting information (well, opinion)...bush and his boyfriends really are worried about possible impeachment proceedings developing -- soon, like circa March, 2006. The busheviks are going to go into major "combat" mode dissing their detractors. The only thing is, some of the detractors are gonna turn out to be from their own party...the heat is getting too much to bear.

One thing's for sure:

He shore does have a purdy mouth.

haha Looks just like 'im.

Saladin #122

Lest you forget, I was that way on many an occasion. No longer see any sense in it. Only wish I could have seen that sooner. Sort of like realizing that you don't need to spend all your time trying to make new friends but, at the same time, realizing that you don't need to spend any time trying to make more enemies.

#154

You better bet they are worried. If you see a change of party leadership in the House in 2006 the likes of what occurred in 1994, you better believe there will be impeachment hearings. Gone are the days of the Blue Dog Democrats who supported Ronald Reagan. There are not enough of them around any longer to vote with the Republicans to thwart an inquiry if leadership changes hands. Could be a replay of 1998. House votes to impeach, Senate does not convict. Just a prediction, but only if House leadership changes party in a fairly big way.

Former NSA Director Hayden Lied To Congress And Broke The Law

[Our guest blogger, Morton Halperin, was Director of Policy Planning Staff at the State Department and served on the National Security Council under President Clinton. He also served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense under President Johnson.]

The Bush administration has pulled out all the stops in attempting to defend the NSA’s warrantless domestic spying program. After speeches by President Bush and Attorney General Gonzales, Deputy Director of National Intelligence and former NSA Director General Michael Hayden took another crack at the defense in a speech on Monday. He’s not exactly the ideal choice to restore the administration’s credibility.

As Think Progress documented back in December, Hayden misled Congress. In his 10/17/02 testimony, he told a committee investigating the 9/11 attacks that any surveillance of persons in the United States was done consistent with FISA.

At the time of his statements, Hayden was fully aware of the presidential order to conduct warrantless domestic spying issued the previous year. But Hayden didn’t feel as though he needed to share that with Congress. Apparently, Hayden believed that he had been legally authorized to conduct the surveillance, but told Congress that he had no authority to do exactly what he was doing. The Fraud and False Statements statute (18 U.S.C. 1001) make Hayden’s misleading statements to Congress illegal.

Hayden’s fate lies with the tale of another spymaster, Nixon-era CIA Director Richard Helms.

Testifying under oath before a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 1973, Richard Helms claimed that CIA was not involved in attempts to overthrow Salvador Allende of Chile:

SEN. SYMINGTON: Did you try in the Central Intelligence agency to overthrow the government of Chile?

MR. HELMS: No, sir.

SEN. SYMINGTON: Did you have any money passed to the opponents of Allende?

MR. HELMS: No, sir.

By the time Helms was called to testify again, CIA activities in Chile had become public knowledge. In 1977, Richard Helms pleaded no contest to charges of lying to Congress and served a suspended sentence.

Four years passed between Richard Helms’ false testimony before Congress and his guilty plea. Hayden’s congressional lying occurred in 2002. It’s now four years later. Time to fess up, General.

– Morton H. Halperin and Michael Fuchs

#158
Add to that all the really pissed off moderate republicans. Yeah, I see impeachment. I want to see jail time.
Of course, as I've said before, I want house arrest for Rove in that chicken coup he bought to say he was a resident of texas. Make it like 9 years of citizen arrest and then a half way house in the part of New Orleans that still won't be touch. After that, why he's free to make his way in the world, on probation of course.
Cheney....hmmmm....Gitmo.

Hi Bill, It's me again. You are the gift that keeps on giving.
Bill sez,
"Maybe this ol' Darkie (conservative) he can teach you somethin' about tolerance and diversity of thought. You White folks (liberals) have a heap o' bigotry and intolerance now."
Posted by: Bill at January 26, 2006 10:21 PM

See you've been posting from the ACLU hymnbook again. ... nihilist/Trotskyite? ... you're pprobably (sic) a big supporter of the ACLU's position on NAMBLA. Are you a member of NAMBLA? Do you want to be? Thought so."
Posted by: Bill at January 20, 2006 11:43 PM

Niiiice, dude. You get a C- for civility and an F for creativity. And Pags / happy, you get to stand in the corner with your dimwit soulmate to contemplate the idiocy of your ways.

Why does the Grand Ol' Lynching Party find it so amusing to do their blackface and mammy routine? Could they be that stupid? Don't they realize that sort of humor is degrading to the millions of blacks who have to put up with that shit from run-of-the-mill morons like baf and Timmie?

Judging from their mouthpiece, Bill, yes, they most certainly are THAT STUPID (Parental warning: graphic image on that link). And then they wonder why all of 10 black people give Chimpy a positive approval rating. Morons.

Hajji,

This solves your unorthodox family issue and Will issue. Those who are not in your Will can just show up to work for you. Good news for the hospital. Less turnover!

LONDON (Reuters) - Too busy to get to your shift at McDonald's restaurant? Don't worry -- send someone else in your family to go along for you.
The world's largest restaurant chain said Thursday it had begun trialing a new scheme in Britain whereby two people from the same family who worked at the same branch could cover each other's shifts without giving any prior notice.
"By giving our employees the freedom to manage their shift commitments, we will increase their motivation and enjoyment of work," said David Fairhurst, the chain's vice president (people).
McDonald's said the first users of the new "Family Contract," which it believes to be unique in Britain, were two sets of twins.
McDonald's said it would look to extend the scheme if it proved to be popular and successful.
"It may be just the beginning," Fairhurst said in a statement. "In the future we may even look to extend it beyond the family to include friends and extended family members such as cousins."

#162
Why do I picture ma and pa kettle and the Adam's Family when I read this post?

Jeanne,

It reminds me of the episode of MASH when they built a new officers club courtesy of a general who had a son that had been treated there for his combat injuries. When the general came to officially open up the new club, Hawkeye denied entry to the general's own son, because he was an enlisted person. When Hawkeye suggested to the general he could make the rules since it was he who built the club, he talked the general into allowing an exception for family members. When the general's son came in, the rest of the enlisted members of the unit gained entry courtesy of being a "relative" of Hawkeye. That was a classic.

So left me get this straight!

Clinton awards Halliburton no-bid contract in Yugoslavia - good... Bush awards Halliburton no-bid contract in Iraq - bad...

Clinton spends 77 billion on war in Serbia - good... Bush spends 87 billion in Iraq - bad...

Clinton imposes regime change in Serbia - good... Bush imposes regime change in Iraq - bad...

Clinton bombs Christian Serbs on behalf of Muslim Albanian terrorists - good... Bush liberates 25 million from a genocidal dictator -- bad...

Clinton bombs Chinese embassy -- good... Bush bombs terrorist camps -- bad...

Clinton commits felonies while in office -- good... Bush lands on aircraft carrier in jumpsuit -- bad...

Clinton says Iraq has WMDs - good... Bush and the whole world says Iraq has WMDs - bad...

Clinton says mass graves in Serbia - good... Entire world says WMD in Iraq - bad...

No mass graves found in Serbia - good... No WMD found Iraq - bad...

Stock market crashes in 2000 under Clinton - good... Economy on upswing under Bush - bad...

Clinton refuses to take custody of Bin Laden - good... World Trade Centers fall under Bush - bad...

Clinton says Saddam has nukes -- good... Bush says Saddam has nukes -- bad...

Clinton administration links Saddam to al Qaeda in 1998 -- good... Bush administration links Saddam to al Qaeda in 2002 -- bad...

Clinton calls for regime change in Iraq - good... Bush imposes regime change in Iraq - bad...

Terrorist training in Afghanistan under Clinton - good... Bush destroys training camps in Afghanistan - bad...

Milosevic not yet convicted -- good... Saddam turned over for trial -- bad...

Ahh, it's so confusing!

Bill whines,
"Pande,
If you're going to swoop down in the dead of night to post, please don't post the last 200 comments that each of us has made and editorialize on them."

Bill, I work two jobs and can only post in the dead of night. And I wouldn't have to punk your azz if you didn't write such stoopid, soulless shit. You can't be such a whiny titty-baby about getting ripped to shreds by my wingnut shred-o-matic. As we say in Texas, it's time to put on your Big Girl Panties and quit whiiiiiining alla the damned time.

Blowing a particularly bountiful snotbubble, Bubblenose Bill guffaws:
Of course, you made such a fool of yourself on that business valuation thing the other night (obviously trying to impress your non-business liberal friends) that I would certainly understand your being too embarrased (sic) to engage in any type of rational discourse.

I want to know how you reactionary ignoramuses work up the nerve to act all edumacated and shit when you can't even spell the solitary polysyllabic word that you're trying to impress us with? Cut back on the Red Bull(shit) and save up a few pennies so you can buy yourself a freakin' clue.

You keep talking the talk, but you don't walk the walk. You never seem to answer my question on inverse relationship that you pointed out in the Gordon Model. I keep bringing it up because it's not me that's afraid of rational discourse. That's OK. We all know why you won't get into it. As Phil Jackson likes to say to Kwame Brown, "Meeeow!"

You never did answer my post dismantling your talking points on the WashPost Howell HissyFit. Nor did you answer my post laying waste to your Clinton selling arms to Iran bullshit. Come to think of it. You never seem to have an answer that goes any deeper than a AssRocket cut-and-paste. Or endlessley repeating the same ignorant claptrap about Dems being weak on D.

Capt., what does Bill say about people who cut and paste others' words? I don't remember; but the word "hypocrite" comes to mind. (Or "Hippocrit" as the bushbots like to write -- LOL) But then again hippocracy (government by hippos?) is the distinguishing characteristic of the Grand Ol' Lynchin' Party.

DAMN IT ANYWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! If this is accurate, I might have to reconsider Saladin's naysaying about all politicians being alike.

BuzzFlash Has Heard a Rumor that Senator Barack Obama Has Been Opposing a Filibuster of Alito Inside the Democratic Caucus

January 27, 2006

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS

We hope this isn't true, but BuzzFlash has been told by a knowledgeable source that Senator Barack Obama is opposing a filibuster of Alito during the debate raging within the Democratic Senate Caucus. The implication is that he is against such a filibuster on "strategic grounds."

BuzzFlash's source for this rumor also correctly informed us that after days of BuzzFlash calling upon Senator John Kerry to live up to his 2003 commitment to lead a filibuster against a candidate with the anti-Constitutional background of Sam Alito that Kerry was now trying to get the caucus to back a filibuster. Indeed, late on Thursday, Kerry's office publicly announced what our source had told us: Kerry would indeed try to filibuster Alito and try to persuade his Democratic colleagues to back him by voting to keep the filibuster alive. He will need 40 other votes.

But that brings us back to Obama. We called both his Chicago and D.C. offices to try and ferret out whether Obama's alleged opposition to a filibuster was indeed true, but we could not get an answer. We left a message with his D.C. Press Secretary that we would run with the story if we did not hear back from him -- and we did not hear back from him.

That doesn't mean it's true. But add this to the evidence.

Someone who attended the weekly D.C. town hall breakfast meetings that Obama and Minority Whip Dick Durbin hold for Illinois constituents said that Obama was distinctly non-committal when the subject of a filibuster came up. He didn't offer to support one, and dismissed the notion with "the votes aren't there" sort of approach. This was said on the morning January 26th.

(In a separate wire service story, "Assistant Democratic Leader Dick Durbin told reporters that he 'can count votes' and concluded that a filibuster of Alito 'would not be likely to succeed.'" Message to Dick: You and Reid are the top two Democrats to make the filibuster happen, not to let everyone run off and do what they want for their own selfish political reasons.)

The Republicans often don't have the votes the day before a big bill comes up, but by the time the dust clears, somehow they find them. That's the job of political parties: to win.

If the rumor is true, the golden future of the Democratic Party has shown himself to be another Dem Senator waving a white flag. It doesn't matter if he votes "No," which he will. He knows that; the Republicans know that; and we all know that.

The Busheviks count their victories; the Dems count their losses and take pride in their "symbolic" votes. The difference is between winners and losers: only, in this case, the Constitution and our democracy are at stake.

If Obama is pulling a DLC strategy out of concern for his political future, he is going to be a lot more harmed by his caution than by standing up for the Constitution.

So, since Obama's office won't tell us if the rumor is true, you can call them bright and early on Friday morning and ask, "Does Senator Obama support a filibuster against the confirmation of Sam Alito in order to save our Constitutional division of powers and our indvidiual liberties?" Maybe they will answer such a question from you. They won't from us.

The telephone number for Senator Obama's D.C. office is 202-224-2854. The telephone number for his Chicago office is 312-886-3506.

If we are wrong about this rumor, the Senator's people know where to reach us. We will be glad to print any comment the Senator might have on whether or not he will back a filibuster.

MSM

Dear Cornposters:

I would like to share some information. My wife was listening to BBC on Tuesday morning (January 24, 2006). BBC said that Hamas was winning the election. She gets off the bed and turns on the television and the MSM says that Fatah is winning the election. She makes a comment to me that the MSM will not give us the correct news. How can we make the right decisions without the correct information? If we are given correct and truthful information, I believe that Americans will make the right decisions. When Nazi America is involved, bad information means bad decisions. Hundreds and probably thousands of people will be slaughtered by our war machine and psycho decisionmakers.

Sincerely,

Gerald

TRH,

"It may be just the beginning," Fairhurst said in a statement. "In the future we may even look to extend it beyond the family to include friends and extended family members such as cousins."

I thought JB told you, Monday 1/30 7am - 11pm the monday double shift's all YOURS this week!

-T

I like the last line of this story:

A MAN attacked his father-in-law's car with a sword after threatening to kill him in a drunken rage. Steven Hayes, 23, who was so drunk he could not remember the incident, first pulled a door off its hinges and smashed a table in front of his frightened four-year-old daughter at his partner's flat in Cleekim Road, Edinburgh. He then telephoned his father and brother-in-law and threatened them with violence before breaking the car's window and damaging doors with a sword on December 30 last year. Hayes, who pleaded guilty to damage, breach of the peace and weapons charges relating to the incident, also admitted assaulting two off-duty soldiers outside a nightclub in Edinburgh's Lothian Road while acting along with others in March last year. Defence agent Vincent Belmonte said that Hayes, of Magdalene Drive, Edinburgh, had attempted to apologise to his in-laws but recalled little of the incident with the car.
The lawyer said that although drink had caused the violence and that Hayes spent half his wages on alcohol, his client denied that he had a problem.

Get drunk, chop up car with sword, no problem!

Guys, show this story to your wife the next time she complains about how much you spend on beer etc.

Here is a little trick I use to stay grounded in reality - when you read a troll post (I hope you only skim) think of a person wearing their "Bush NEVER lied" T-shirt and right behind them is a signed sexy Ann Coulter poster on the wall next to the framed portrait of Bunnypants labeled "fearless leader" and you will have a hard time taking their piffle with more than the smallest grain of salt. (works for me).

One of our regular trolls could be Ann the man herself. Gums flapping spewing the most outrageous and false lies and insults. Think of chatting it up with Ann, she believes all liberal should be killed. She also says all liberal are rich and there are no rich neocons in Texas.

BTW - "let me say this slowly so you can understand" goes back many years - long before there was an internet so the troll is lying again.

That visual keep me smiling and reading past the piffle posts to have more time to enjoy the thoughtful and informative posts on the blog.

Try it - you will giggle!

capt

#168

Gerald, they have been pulling that kind of crud for a while now.

The MSM stinks because it is dead, it just has not reported on it yet.

capt

Hajji,

That's quite a distance to commute. When you finally get that semi-retired, part-time bartending job at a Tiki-Hut beach bar in the
Bahamas, you can invoke the "family & friends" clause. The only problem that you may have then is that I may not ever leave!

micki,

I know Obama's gotta look to his own CONSTITUENTS, but I can't believe he'd put on the blinders at this point. I've thought that 2008 was a little eary for him to "go big" but maybe somebody's tellin' him it ain't so, if all he's gotta do is beat Hillary to Iowa and NewHampster, then K.O. Condi in the South!

I've believed Obama to have a good heart and a keen mind. I think he'll stand on principle and help out a filibuster on scAlito.

...but I'll call, anyway!

-T

#165, we've already seen that one here.

Let me help you out:

"Clinton awards Halliburton no-bid contract in Yugoslavia - good... Bush awards Halliburton no-bid contract in Iraq - bad..."

Who used to be the CEO of Halliburton and still gets big fat checks from them even as he awards them no-bid contracts? Hmmmm. Tink. Tink. Tink. Ah, yes, President Cheney. It's called conflict of interest, pinhead. In politics, it's not a good thing. Look into it.

"Clinton spends 77 billion on war in Serbia - good... Bush spends 87 billion in Iraq - bad..."

87 Billion? Excuse me while I go into my Den and LAUGH MY ASS OFF! See the Debt clock, and come back when you get a freakin' clue. That Big Red Number is growing under Bush. (See? And Capt wondered if anything could actually grow under a Bush -- LOL) Big Dawg actually paid down the debt. Ouch.

"Clinton imposes regime change in Serbia - good... Bush imposes regime change in Iraq - bad..."

Regime change when it's done correctly is not bad. (cf Afghanistan). Tell us again how many folks have died or gotten maimed in King George's Excellent Crusade? Now subtract the number of brave American troops who died in the Balkan conflict. Hey! You get the same number you started with. The magic of Mathematics!

"Clinton bombs Christian Serbs on behalf of Muslim Albanian terrorists - good... Bush liberates 25 million from a genocidal dictator -- bad..."

Not bad until you factor in the fact that there are now thousands of militant jihadis flooding iraq blowing the crap out of everything. How jihadis blowing up shit in the Balkans on a daily basis? Right.

"Clinton bombs Chinese embassy -- good... Bush bombs terrorist camps -- bad...

Well, when these "terrorist camps" don't have any actual terrorists, it kinda pisses people off. Think about it, it'll come to ya'.

"Clinton commits felonies while in office -- good... Bush lands on aircraft carrier in jumpsuit -- bad...

How far back do you want to go? Lying us into a war, millions of people dropping out of the Middle Class into poverty, millions of folks losing their health care, ZERO real income growth over the last few years while corporate profits go through the roof, the Katrina screwup, the Miers debacle, the Social Security disaster, Plamegate, not stopping the proliferation of nuclear weapons, the Culture of Corruption, and now authorizing illegal wiretaps on American citizens without a warrant (then lying about it to cover it up)? I could go on and on; but Snotbubble Bill would have a conniption fit and whine about it all day tomorrow. (whispered aside: these reactionary types are verrrrry sensitive. You never know when they'll get their panties in a bunch over a real discussion or debate over the illegal shenanigans of the Grand Ol' Spendin' Party).

"Clinton says Iraq has WMDs - good... Bush and the whole world says Iraq has WMDs - bad...

Saying it isn't so bad as much as going to war without substantiating those words is really, really stoopid.

"Clinton says mass graves in Serbia - good... Entire world says WMD in Iraq - bad...

Hey, the entire world says some stupid shit. Go figure.

"No mass graves found in Serbia - good... No WMD found Iraq - bad...

Again, remind us how many American troops died looking for those mass graves? How many American troops died looking around for those imaginary WMD? Uh-huh. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

"Stock market crashes in 2000 under Clinton - good... Economy on upswing under Bush - bad...

ON the upswing? YOu must be talking about gas prices and health care costs and the number of people living in poverty; because real wages haven't gone up. Ah but Billionaires have gotten billions in yummy tax cuts. "Screw the poor," it's the new GOoPer motto. Lovely.

"Clinton refuses to take custody of Bin Laden - good... World Trade Centers fall under Bush - bad..."

The U.S. had no legal basis to take Osama. He wasn't indicted until after he was offered. You must be talking about that GOP initiative, the extraordinary rendition, where they take ordinary german citizens and torture them extraordinarily eventhought they have no ties to terrorism whatsoever. Yeah, you're right. Clinton didn't go for that. And Chimpy got lots of warnings "Bin Laden Determined to Strike in the U.S." He just didn't give a shit.

"Clinton says Saddam has nukes -- good... Bush says Saddam has nukes -- bad...

Again, telling the lie to get weapons inspectors into Iraq isn't anywhere near as bad as telling the lie to steal Iraq's oil.

"Clinton administration links Saddam to al Qaeda in 1998 -- good... Bush administration links Saddam to al Qaeda in 2002 -- bad...

Again, telling the lie to keep UN sanctions on Iraq is good. Telling the lie to steal Iraq's oil is not so good.

Clinton calls for regime change in Iraq - good... Bush imposes regime change in Iraq - bad...

There are lots of ways to impose regime change on a country, like what happened to the Eastern Bloc after the fall of Russia. Tell us again how many countries we had to invade in Eastern Europe to "democratize?"

"Terrorist training in Afghanistan under Clinton - good... Bush destroys training camps in Afghanistan - bad...

Hooey! That's funny. Because, when Chimpy had the chance, he backed down and let Zarqawi get away. Why does Chimpy hate our troops? Didn't he know that letting Zarqawi get away would have serious repercussions? Hmmm. Maybe it's because Chimpy didn't serve in the military. He doesn't know much about military planning (which is why we have no plan

Be up in the Tri-State tomorrow afternoon...
Driving the new Prius!

I go sleepy-bye now...

G'nite!

-T

Overall, Obama or ??

This is getting more and more like where no such thing as "political cover" that will cover.

I liked the speech Barack made and a few interviews and such but I have also heard a few things from him that made me take pause. (I am on his mailing list)

Most likely they will tell him to do a Bill Clinton, triangulate, etc. - I do not think that will fly.

Time to stand up and be counted.

I wager some of the rumors and such are really a testing the waters type thing, they will do what polls well. *sigh*

Heard some new poll numbers on AAR - will look for them.

capt

"I want to know how you reactionary ignoramuses work up the nerve to act all edumacated and shit when you can't even spell the solitary polysyllabic word that you're trying to impress us with? Cut back on the Red Bull(shit) and save up a few pennies so you can buy yourself a freakin' clue."

Some things really need to said more than once.

The trolls should know Pande does not have to try to impress, he impresses and makes it seem effortless!

Thanks Pande! U da'man!

capt

What I've come to learn is that there is NO one out there you can trust to do the right thing. Obama was a pipe dream, as is anyone else that even starts to show he has a spine. There must be something wrong with all of us and what does that say about human beings in general? We're all assholes and I bet there is no hope for change. Doomed.

Capt,

So far, Mr. Obama seems articulate, intelligent and savy enough to keep beyond the corruptive reach of...?

But Chi-Town politics are as rough as anywhere and I'm sure there's a player or two out there who'll come into...uhm, play.

Three years is a long time, but a "Centrist" isn't likely to affect the changes we so desperately need.

I need a to see him answer a LOT more questions and keep his same style and apparent ethics, before I'll get the donkey-saddle out!

-T

capt, a good example is Bush's lies to us and thousands of lives are killed; Americans do not know right from wrong; thousands more are maimed and tortured; and with our depleted uranium bombs thousands upon thousands will experience death, illnesses, and malignancies for decades to come. Bush has unleashed total destruction and travesty in the world.

Hajji,

I didn't know you were going to Texas first. Make sure you take the Prius back to its' rightful owner.

Pande,

How can I go to sleep when I could sit here and watch you bat that little mouse around all night?

Why do you keep it alive for so long?

Taking it back to the den for lil' Tigre to finish off?

This is better'n Animal Planet!

-T

Hajji,

No doubt, that is what I am talking about.

Hell we are all wishing upon a star that 41 can actually take a stand? How pathetic are we? In a real world common sense would have 80 or more.

It is the money, the mountains of money. It has purchased influence and will not give any away or surrender the goods for what is right. That would be too costly.

*sigh*

capt

Hajji, you bringing in my new Prius? Sweet! Park it in the street, near the lightpost, and leave the keys under the front seat. I live in a gated community, y'know, keep the hoi polloi (like Bill) at bay. I'll e you the gate code.

Bubblenose Bill makes a funny . . . He cuts and pastes an article that dismisses the idea that the Cheney Administration considered Iraq an imminent threat.

BB leads up to the article by noting,
"Those attempting to assert that the White House called Iraq an imminent threat are ignoring significant information to the contrary. Similarly, those who say the Bush administration never used the phrase or implied as much are ignoring important, though isolated, evidence."

Isolated? Yeah, if you consider 30 incidents "isolated." I was tempted to cut-and-paste for effect. Most times, temptation is the one thing I can't resist.

The funniest quote in the article was this little joke:
"While Fleischer's affirmation of reporters' use of the phrase is indeed notable, it's important to keep in mind that he never uttered the words himself - hardly conclusive evidence in the matter."

Hardly? That's like saying because Big Dawg never said he got a "blowjob" in the Oral Office, he never admitted to an affair with Lewinsky. Nope never uttered the words himself - hardly conclusive evidence in the matter. (TIC)

Let NO one respond to a troll BUT Pandemoniac! He can take care of them in one felled swoop and save us a lot of time.

Iran's Eco-Nukes

With the dumb and stupid Bush in control he will do dumb and stupid things.

Good article Gerald.

The last paragraph especiallly...

Attacking Iran would probably be an Economic Doomsday Scenario. No reasonable person would do it. But that is what I and a vast number of other people, some in the CIA, were screaming when the U.S. invaded, annihilated, and got stuck catastrophically in Iraq. The Bush people have produced catastrophes over and over again at home and around the world. They literally turned the world against the U.S. and seem to think that's great. They do not reason as we human beings do. They may push onward to the Economic Doomsday hoping it will trigger that Armageddon and Second Coming Bush seems so anxious to see during his three remaining years in absolute power.

Killing in the name of democracy

Do have the feeling that the American psyche is more in tune with Nazi thinking and America gravitates toward the killing of human beings. It would seem that our government is more animalistic than humanistic.

Alan, Bush is unraveling into insanity. We have a crazy person in the WH.

micki 152, I am not a contrarian, I remember the 2004 election, and kerry's promises. I spent half the day crying, now I know better. I will never have faith in any of these people until they pursue the truth. I do want what most want, but we will never have it as long as truth remains buried. The voting system is corrupt, yet almost none of the politicians will cop to it, even David thinks everything's hunky dory, but you know what, IT ISN'T! How am I supposed to have faith when the guys on our side blow us off? My good heart doesn't stand a chance in the face of such all encompassing evil. Tell me, who can make a difference? I will support them wholeheartedly.
TRH 157, I haven't forgotten, but I know how to forgive. I know you aren't religious but I love the saying from Jesus, "Do not condemn the splinter in your neighbors eye while ignoring the rafter in your own" or something very close to that. Peace to you.
micki 167, I have never said ALL, just most! Obama has rattled the sword towards Iran as well.

The problem is not all politicians but at any give time it can be any of the politicians. They only need to "Buy Off" enough for any given issue or cause. And they do buy off just enough, no sense in spending the extra cash.

That is why I have NO faith in any of them, except on a case by case basis. We do not have enough money nor or we organized enough to even counter the evil. The evil on the other hand does and is.

capt

Two More Democrats to Support Alito for High Court (Update2)

Jan. 26 (Bloomberg) -- Two Democratic senators representing states carried by President George W. Bush said they will vote to confirm U.S. Supreme Court nominee Samuel A. Alito Jr.

Alito picked up the support of Tim Johnson of South Dakota, who was re-elected in 2002 by 524 votes, and Robert Byrd of West Virginia. Byrd's endorsement came just days after West Virginia businessman John Raese announced plans to challenge the veteran senator in November.

With more than enough senators having declared support for Alito to ensure confirmation, Senate leaders agreed to schedule a roll-call vote on the nomination for Jan. 31. The Senate scheduled a vote the previous day to cut off debate.

``This is a nominee who is well qualified,'' said Senate Republican Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee. ``Now is the time to bring this vote to the floor of the Senate.'' Democratic leaders agreed to the timing of the votes that will place Alito on the court, succeeding retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

In his floor speech endorsing Alito, Byrd said he refuses ``simply to toe the party line when it comes to Supreme Court justices. I hail from a conservative state. And, like a majority of my constituents, I prefer conservative judges.''

Nebraska's Ben Nelson, who also represents a Republican- leaning ``red state'' that Bush carried in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, is the only Democrat to have previously announced support for Alito.

*****end of clip*****

WTF is Byrd thinking? We would end up with a conservative judge - that is a given. No cover for that political cover-up.

If Byrd cannot be convinced to filibuster - it is not going to happen.

capt

O'Connor is the only one that said "war is not a blank check for the president"

With Alito - the exact opposite.

Bushitler gets his blank check and America loses again.

capt

9/11 means never having to say you're sorry

In the days and weeks after 9/11, a frightened United States rounded up anyone who looked like they might be Arab or Muslim. They were thrown into prison for months on end and left to languish in the fear that they would never be released. No charges were laid, no lawyers were allowed, there were no interpreters for those who had only a minimal grasp of English, and physical abuse was commonplace.
---
The two brothers and four others (two other Egyptians, a Palestinian, and a British citizen) have filed a class action lawsuit against US officials over their detention. In their lawsuit they have named numerous officials including Attorney General John Ashcroft, FBI Director Robert Mueller, and Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization James Ziglar. The suit also names the prison warden and prison guards.
---
---
It was a time of many “firsts” for the US government. The first use of racial profiling, the first open disregard for the law, the first holding of people outside of the normal judiciary system, the first unapologetic physical abuse of prisoners. What these detainees suffered in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 was a harbinger of things to come. It foreshadowed Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, extraordinary renditions, and the escalation into torture. The Metropolitan Detention Centre was the birthplace.

It goes without saying that the US government has filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit on the grounds that September 11 created “special factors” that overrides people’s rights. It is the same worn out excuses we have heard for so long. 9/11 created “special” circumstances, 9/11 changed everything, 9/11 automatically granted special powers to the government.

Pagliacci / Happy, you better send Bill a birthday card, or a Walmart giftcard, or a muffin, or something. He's the only reason that I haven't come back to haunt you and your ill-advised goofballery. You make an easier target; but I feel badly about hurting your feelings. I sense that you are a washed up, old reactionary that can be swayed with facts (eg the GI Schmo story that I linked); but you are somehow immune to reason. (Kinda like the folks who gush about Bush in this video. See if you can pick out Bill, Timmie and Pags in the video) As soon as I tire of playing with Bubblenose Bill, I'll be back to toy with you.

Hi, Bill. It's me again. Let's play.

BB sez,
"Just so we can all be on the same page:
(1)Do you understand that the only calls eavesdropped were ones originating from outside the United States, from known AlQaeda operatives, into the United States?
(2)Do you understand that President Bush informed both the Chairmen and Ranking Members of both the Senate and House Intelligence Committees of the wiretaps?"
Posted by: Bill at January 24, 2006 02:27 PM

As for informing Congress, the folks he told couldn't tell their staff or families or lawyers a thing about the program. That would be disclosing classified information, kinda like what Rove and Libby did at the behest of President Cheney. They had to sit on the information until it was declassified (which it was when the New Pravda blew the lid off). You repeated that nonsense @ January 24, 2006 02:50 PM, and January 24, 2006 03:02 PM, and January 24, 2006 11:30 PM, and January 25, 2006 07:02 PM.

The idea that Congress would be able to do anything even if they tried is as silly as the notion that Congress will hold the Cheney administration accountable for all the Katrina upfuckery. Chimpy's goons will just walk out on Congress.

AS for your first assertion (which you repeat @ January 24, 2006 03:02 PM, and at January 24, 2006 04:20 PM, and January 24, 2006 05:53 PM, and January 24, 2006 06:05 PM, and January 24, 2006 06:25 PM, and January 24, 2006 06:48 PM, and January 24, 2006 06:56 PM, and January 24, 2006 08:00 PM, and Giving-up-his-Liberty-Dad agrees with you at January 24, 2006 08:04 PM, and you repeat your claim again at January 24, 2006 08:13 PM, and January 24, 2006 08:18 PM, and January 24, 2006 09:27 PM, and January 24, 2006 11:30 PM, and January 25, 2006 12:06 AM, and January 25, 2006 07:02 PM, and January 25, 2006 07:54 PM. Your persistence in saying that warrantless wiretaps are legal despite the fact that FISA strictly prohibits such things:
"(1) Notwithstanding any other law, the President, through the Attorney General, may authorize electronic surveillance without a court order under this subchapter to acquire foreign intelligence information for periods of up to one year if the Attorney General certifies in writing under oath that—
(A) the electronic surveillance is solely directed at—
(i) the acquisition of the contents of communications transmitted by means of communications used exclusively between or among foreign powers, as defined in section 1801 (a)(1), (2), or (3) of this title; or
(ii) the acquisition of technical intelligence, other than the spoken communications of individuals, from property or premises under the open and exclusive control of a foreign power, as defined in section 1801 (a)(1), (2), or (3) of this title;"

Section 1801 says that terrorist organizations (such as AQ) don't qualify under the "warrantless" spying provision that might justify the warrantless spying on Americans. Section 1802 allows warrantless spying for a year but doesn't cover terrorists either.

As for the definitions of "international" calls versus "domestic" calls. You are admitting precisely what the Cheney Administration is trying to refute (that calls to an American are considered "Domestic" calls.) Thanks for admitting what the Preznit is trying to hide. Secondly, you confuse the words authorized and legal. Yes, the calls were authorized by Chimpy; but they were illegal. They did not comply with FISA and you tout General Hayden as the defender of the Administration. Thing is, Hayden testified before Congress that the NSA was complying with FISA and getting warrants for electronic spying. He lied to Congress. That used to be a crime; when Dems were in power. I guess the Culture of Corruption knows no boundaries.

TortureBoy Gonzales knows that the jig is up and he is trying to worm out of it by going to Congress to get around his lawbreaking:
"administration officials have begun dropping subtle hints—without explicitly saying so—that President Bush could go to Congress to seek more specific authority to listen in on U.S. citizens who are suspected of entanglement with terrorists. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales added to such speculation Tuesday by asserting during a series of television interviews that the law setting up an apparatus requiring warrants for such eavesdropping—the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA—might be outmoded"

If the Cheney Administration is arguing that their warrantless wiretaps are legal, why would they go crawling back to Congress for authorization and changes in the FISA laws? Why did Hayden claim to be complying with FISA if it was unnecessary? Remind me to revisit Hamdi tomorrow. Your understanding of it is flawed (surprise).

Let's be perfectly clear. Wiretaps work. Wiretaps are good. Foreigners don't deserve the protection of the 4th Amendment to the Constitution. Hell, even Giving-up-his-Liberty-Dad probably doesn't deserve protection by the Constitution since he's willing to cede his Liberty to the government altogether. Americans, on the other hand, are protected by the "unreasonable" search and seizure clause in the Constitution. That sort of thing can only be done with a warrant.

There is a system set up for acquiring such warrants. Not getting a warrant is illegal. The President cannot decide which laws he can and can't obey (does that argument sound familiar?) even in times of war.

Anyone who is old enough to remember the most frightful days of the cold war can tell you that all those nuclear warheads (which are still aimed at us, no?), were ample reason to do everything within our power to defend us from the Commies. And those Commies could've done 1,000 times more damamge than AQ ever could. And yet, no one during the cold war (except for Nixon) claimed the executive privilige to break the law.

You claimed that all Dems were against and almost all Reds were for Warrantless spying. You are wrong (again). There are no Dems for it; and there are lots of Reactionaries again it. And lots of folks are for impeaching Chimpy if he continues with illegal wiretaps. 52%. How many folks wanted to impeach Big Dawg? Sad, huh? People get kinda pissed off when they know they can't trust you. That's the price you pay for being a liar.

I'll be back to play some more tomorrow, dude. And tomorrow, I won't be as nice or as tender in my choice of invective. As Jeanne would say, I'll be letting loose with both barrels. Timmie, I'm coming for you too, baybeee!

Hasta Pasta.

The abuse of buying and selling votes crept in and money began to play an important part in determining elections. Later on, this process of corruption spread to the law courts. And then to the army, and finally the Republic was subjected to the rule of emperors: Plutarch - Historian of the Roman Republic

=
During the last few years, politics has worked perversely: taxes on the wealthy have been cut, and so have programs directed at the poor. The reason isn't difficult to explain. Many Americans-- especially those who have been losing ground have given up on politics. As their incomes have shrunk, they've lost confidence that the "system" will work in their interest. That cynicism has generated a self-fulfilling prophesy. Politicians stop paying attention to people who don't vote, who don't work the phone banks or walk the precincts, who have opted out. And the political inattention seems to justify the cynicism. Meanwhile, the top tier has experienced precisely the opposite--a virtuous cycle in which campaign contributions have attracted the rapt attention of politicians, the attention has elicited even more money, which in turn has given the top tier even greater influence.: Robert Reich - Former Secretary of Labor

=
"If money be not thy servant, it will be thy master. The covetous man cannot so properly be said to possess wealth, as that may be said to possess him.": Sir Francis Bacon - (1561-1626) Philosopher, essayist, British Lord Chancellor

===

Thanks ICH Newsletter!

from an interview with the author of the book that's titled the same as the link
The Osama I Know

How has the war in Iraq changed bin Laden's plans?

Whether or not you agree with the war, one thing's clear: The Iraq war greatly aggravated terrorism, and it will go on for decades whatever the United States does. Even if it breaks up into lots of little civil wars, it's going to be an effective training ground for militants.
-
A lot of people have told me that 9-11 was a tactical success for bin Laden, but a strategic failure. It was clearly against Islam, and he lost the support of a lot of people, even his son Omar, so it was counterproductive for him in the end. But now Iraq has been what he hoped Afghanistan would be.
======================
Yeah, that's our mushroom for ya. He took us from the whole world united against islamic fanatics to an isolated island of shame, hated 'round the world. Worst president ever
by a landslide.

Domestic Spying Hurts Our National Security

by Sibel Edmonds

According to numerous reports and audits released by entities such as the inspectors general (IGs) of agencies that deal with national security and various presidential commissions, today, more than four years after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, almost all our national security related agencies are in disarray, riddled with incompetence, corruption, and in some cases criminal activities. While most of the real problems facing our national security today stem from gross mismanagement, inefficiency, incompetence, and a lack of sensible policies and vigorous oversight, the Bush administration insists upon blaming these deficiencies on a regrettable and dangerous lack of power in the executive branch. But the kind of power the administration pursues is the kind of power that would vault the presidency to monarchical status and nullify the Bill of Rights.

Read more HERE

*****end of clip*****

A good piece.

capt

Let's recap:
* Chimpy Says He's Confident That Warrantless Surveillance Program Is Legal: sez, "you're doing a heckuva job, Hayden."

* Chimpy's push for Democracy has just officially taken a chunk out of his ass

* Profiteers are screwing with our economy

* This has Americans worried about being able to pay the bills (especially when they're in the Trillions) Is that why they give Chimpy a 37% approval rating? Or is it because he now has a big chunk of his ass missing? Oooof.

* Corruption is eating at the core of our Government

* While the ship of state runs aground, this is what the Grand Ol' Spending Party is working on to solve all of our problems. In a grand show of power and political grandstanding, the Grand Ol' Lynching Party is pretty sure, sorta maybe, hopefully, kinda sure that they'll confirm Borkito, maybe, if everybody has their shoes on the right feet, and Frist and Santorum don't get their Big Girl Panties on backwards. Brandishing a majority in Congress, will the Reds be able to pull this lone Victory off?

Yeah, now THAT's what passes for leadership in the Grand Ol' Spending Party. Maybe they're just plum wore out from thinking of all those New Ideas‚Ñ¢, like torturing folks, and squandering our money, and not getting our troops the support they need, and giving Big Money Banks the bankruptcy bill, and giving more tax breaks to Billionaires. Whew, how many New Ideas‚Ñ¢ to destroy our nation are these MoFos going to inflict on us?

Time to make the donuts. See ya in a while, BB.

Pande,

You're either going to have to change shifts, or I am. I don't have the time to go back and reread all the posts from the previous two days like you do. Those two jobs of yours must each be short shifts.

You still miss everything. FISA says you need to do obtain certain approvals from it, unless approved by someone else. Under both Hamdi and AUMF, President Bush, the Justice Department and others said that approval had already been granted.

Now, you may disagree with that logic, but let's see what a third-party investigation says.

And do you agree with me that the only Americans being wiretapped without warrants were those (1)receiving phone calls (2)from outside the United States and (3)from known AlQaeda combatants?

You can't get around those facts.

And do you believe that if the government receives permission to tap a person's phone, the government can only listen to one-half of the conversation, because it didn't get the warrant for a tap on the other end of the conversation? Please.

No, Pande, you are cute in a simple kind of way. You probably are reading the posts as I post them, but are afraid to engage in online debate, so you hide in the shadows, only to come out and post at night when everyone but Dracula is asleep.

Is that it? Are you Dracula?

You are an excellent comedian and a fair sophist. Sadly, a poor logician.

Mmmmmmm Donuts

A clear and present danger to America

George W. Bush, the out-of-control despot who thinks the Presidency of the United States is a license to lie at will, wage war on a whim and break the law without recrimination, put on his "I am in charge" face Thursday and, for all practical purposes, told anyone who thinks his powers should be subject to review or oversight to go screw themselves.

Bush told reporters that he will assert his "presidential prerogatives" any damn way he pleases and will do so without apology, without question and without concern for the law, the Constitution or the rights of Americans.

His press conference was a frightening study of a madman on a tear, an insane, power-mad tyrant who believes he is above the law and cannot be questioned. Sadly, it appears no one has the balls to questions his lunacy.

More Here

*****end of clip*****

A clear and present danger to more than just America.

I LOVE a good rant!

capt

Give it up, little mouse!

Pandecat done logic'd you off the island. Don't worry 'bout him usin' up all his time on you, he doesn't seem to mind at all.

Now I'm getting the whole "Lion vs. unarmed starving political prisoner" as entertainment!

Or, to put it in words you might understand...

"Squeek, squeek squeek!"

-T

Majority in U.S. Say Bush Presidency Is a Failure, Poll Finds

Jan. 26 (Bloomberg) -- A majority of Americans said the presidency of George W. Bush has been a failure and that they would be more likely to vote for congressional candidates who oppose him, according to a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll.

Fifty-two percent of adults said Bush's administration since 2001 has been a failure, down from 55 percent in October. Fifty- eight percent described his second term as a failure. At the same point in former President Bill Clinton's presidency, 70 percent of those surveyed by Gallup said they considered it a success and 20 percent a failure.

In a poll conducted in January of 2002, after Bush was president for one year, 83 percent of those surveyed said his presidency was a success.

In the new poll, conducted Jan. 20-22, fifty-one percent of those surveyed said they would be more likely to vote for congressional candidates who do not support Bush's policies.

The percentage of Americans who called Bush ``honest and trustworthy'' fell 7 percentage points in the last year to 49 percent, the poll found.

The new poll also found that 62 percent of Americans said they are ``dissatisfied'' with ``the way things are going'' in the U.S., unchanged from a December survey. The percentage of ``dissatisfied'' Americans reached its peak in October of 2005 when 68 percent of those surveyed agreed.

The survey interviewed 1,006 U.S. adults and has a margin of error of 4.5 percentage points. For the questions about whether Bush's presidency is a success, about 500 U.S. adults were surveyed and the margin for error is plus or minus 5 percentage points.

*****end of clip*****

These are the poll numbers I heard about on AAR.

capt

A President Who Can Do No Right

This week, as the killing of American G.I.'s and innocent Iraqis continued, we learned from a draft report from the office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction that, like the war itself, the Bush plan for rebuilding Iraq has been crippled by incompetence and extreme shortages of personnel. I doubt that this will bother the president any more than any of his other failures. He seems to truly believe that he can do no wrong.

The fiasco in Iraq and the president's response to the Hurricane Katrina catastrophe were Mr. Bush's two most spectacular foul-ups. There have been many others. The president's new Medicare prescription drug program has been a monumental embarrassment, leaving some of the most vulnerable members of our society without essential medication. Prominent members of the president's own party are balking at the heavy hand of his No Child Left Behind law, which was supposed to radically upgrade the quality of public education.

The Constitution? Civil liberties? Don't ask.

Just keep in mind, whatever your political beliefs, that incompetence in high places can have devastating consequences.

*****end of clip*****

Well he could do right but refuses to set the bar at all because he is as much a coward as he is inept.

capt

GO GOOGLE...MARTIN INDYK/SECURITY CLEARANCE

Saturday
Indyk Investigation Won't Interfere With Proposed Middle East Talks
Aired September 23, 2000 - 12:00 p.m. ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BRIAN NELSON, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): State Department officials say that the U.S. ambassador to Israel is cooperating fully in an investigation into possible security violations. Martin Indyk's security clearance was suspended two days ago. Officials say there is no indication of espionage or the compromise of any intelligence, but the ambassador will not be allowed to handle classified documents for the time being.

In a statement, Indyk said, "Jeopardizing the national security interests of the U.S. is absolutely abhorrent to me, and I would never do anything to compromised those interests."

CNN Jerusalem bureau chief Mike Hanna explains how the suspension could affect the situation in the Middle East.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKE HANNA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): No comment from the U.S. embassy about the action against the ambassador. However, the understanding here is that Martin Indyk will not return to Israel until the investigation into his alleged security breaches is completed.

Indyk was serving his second term as U.S. ambassador to Israel. His initial appointment in the mid-'90s was criticized by the Palestinians because of what was regarding as his close relationship with the Israeli government.

However, in the years since Ambassador Indyk has secured the respect of all parties, playing a major role in defining U.S. policy in the region. The Israeli government has declined to comment on the action against Indyk, regarding it as an internal, U.S. matter.

Attention remains focused on the peace process, with both Israelis and Palestinians waiting for a position paper to be presented by the U.S.

NABIL SHA'ATH, PALESTINIAN CABINET MINISTER: We would like very much to be consulted on this paper before it's officially presented. And we'd like to see also the Israeli side and friends of this peace process in the Arab countries and Europe also consulted.

HANNA: Israeli media reports that attempts are being made to bring the leaders together in summit meeting. Ehud Barak and Yasser Arafat have not met since the Camp David talks.

YOSSI BEILIN, ISRAELI CABINET MINISTER: A meeting between leaders is a must, and I hope that this meeting will not become big news but just the usual things of two neighbors who have to take bold decisions and who have to sit together and work on it and decide eventually whether they are ready to touch fire.

HANNA: But there's been no support on the Palestinian side for such a meeting. A senior aide to Mr. Arafat describing the reports says yet another attempt by Israel to place unwarranted pressure on the Palestinian position.

(on camera): The action against the U.S. ambassador is unlikely to have any impact on negotiations. The U.S. will continue seeking solutions, but it's made clear that ultimately it's up to Israelis and Palestinians to take the tough decisions necessary to break the deadlock.

Mike Hanna, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com

Search CNN.com CNNSI.com CNNmoney.com The Web

Rove Threatens Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans

No clip - you have to read the whole thing. I was very curious why the Moonie rag published such a story - I think this piece explains it well.

capt

A call to the faithful

Karl Rove has once again proved his ability to obliterate history in the cause of his president

Rove's call to the faithful lacks Bremer's specificity. For the political theme to remain vital, recent history must be obliterated. For the moment, Rove appears not as a citizen under suspicion, but the cardinal of the Sacred Congregation de Propaganda Fide.

But Bremer's apologia is also challenged by facts. In January 2003, Larry Johnson, a CIA operative who served with Bremer in the state department's office of counterterrorism, sent him a memo that accurately predicted an Iraqi uprising - "no matter how benign or charitable" - and the influence of a "belligerent Iran". "Bremer's reaction," Johnson told me, "was that this was off base, doesn't matter, we're going to war, don't undermine the effort. His mind was made up. There was no brooking any alternative analysis. This is the doctrine, the truth, either you admit to it or you're a heretic." When Bremer became head of the CPA, Johnson tried to brief him with information that the Bush administration had not considered, but Bremer did not "want to listen".

Bremer was modeling himself on his commander in chief. In fact, elder statesmen of the foreign policy establishment and the Republican party repeatedly warned Bush to his face what the consequences of the war would be - including the former national security adviser Brent Scowcroft and former secretaries of state James Baker and Lawrence Eagleburger. It was "never thought the war would come off right", one of those who spoke to Bush told me. "It was going to end with an Islamic republic dominated by Shias and influenced by Iran ... If you know history, you don't have to be a genius." But Bush would not listen. "It's a sad story."

Rove is again playing the patriot game to salvage Bush's political position. This time he is attempting to turn Bush's domestic spying into a false issue of whether Democrats support gathering intelligence on terrorists. The history of the Bush presidency underlines Rove's premise, but not as he wishes: we do need a commander in chief who understands the gravity of the moment.

Sidney Blumenthal, a former senior adviser to President Clinton, is the author of The Clinton Wars

sidney_blumenthal @yahoo.com

*****end of clip*****

I do enjoy Mr. Sydney Blumenthal's writing and perspective.

capt

The Fact-Challenged, Spin-Filled, Easily Debunkable Universe of Scott McClellan

White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan continued the Bush Administration's efforts to spin its circumvension of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, in a contentious press conference today.

The act says that the National Security Agency must obtain a warrant before conducting surveillance. (President Bush acknowledged as much three times on the campaign trail last year.) The Justice Department issued a 42-page defense of President Bush’≥ warrantless domestic spying program, arguing that the Supreme Court agreed with the administration that it was correct to assume that detention of suspected terrorists was allowable, even though the word "detention" does not appear in the post-9/11 Congressional Authorization For Use Of Military Force. Therefore, the administration is correct to assume it can conduct surveillance of telephone calls between domestic and foreign locations, even though that is not expressed in the congressional authorization.

The leap of logic, of course, is that the Bush Administration received court approval in the earlier example. It sought no such approval now. So while it assumed that it was operating legally, it has no proof of that. And there's a long list of people -- including at least 11 Republican Senators and several prominent conservatives -- who question the rationale.

But why should such things get in the way of today's press conference? The Bush Administration has a nifty, Orwellian title for their action -- calling it a "terrorist surveillance program" -- and McClellan's job today was to get that name out there, and to continue to suggest it's a "limited" program, involving "international" calls, points that have been disputed.

*****end of clip*****

The rebrand of domestic spying as "terrorist surveillance" seems to have Frank Luntz fingerprints all over it. Who could possibly be against a "terrorist surveillance" program?

Clearly only the "blame America first," support the terrorists, give aid and comfort to the enemy, radical lefties.

capt

DAVID SAYS
"So here we are, close to three years after the invasion for democracy in Iraq, and we have aparty that HAS MOUNTED TERROIST OPERATIONS IN THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES , WE HAVE IRAN (PERHAPS)GOING NUCLEAR,(WITH A PRESIDENT WHO DENIES THE HOLOCAUST HAPPENNED AND we have a theocratic-leaning government in Iraq and a real possibility of a cival war."

1. I hope David has not forgotten that we pre-emptively invaded Iraq due to the endlessly repeated claims about WMD'S

2. Has David Corn forgotten that most of Israels leaders came out of terroist organizations...why not the Palestinians?

3. The american media is pounding the american public with the IRAN IS BUILDING NUCLEAR WEAPONS PR BLITZ (possibly) created and certainly promoted by the same people who lied our nation in to the "cakewalk" in Iraq.
LET THE IAEA DEAL WITH THIS NOT THE NEOCONS.

4. While Iran's President Ahmadinejad certainly seems to be way off center. I question our press's interpretation of what this "fundamentalist" says. Just recently Cnn was banned from Iran for printing the Presdidents words in regard to Irans nuclear program. The President of Iran said " Iran has a right to develop nuclear energy". Cnn printed the comment "Iran has a right to develop nuclear weapons."

I have also read that Iran's President said that " a myth has grown around the Holocaust"....not "the Holocaust is a myth".

There is a massive difference in these comments...and I do not trust many in the U.S. press.

THE IAEA SHOULD DEAL WITH THE QUESTION OF IRAN'S NUCLEAR DEVELOPMENT.

Spoiled Brat

Dear Cornposters:

We have a creature in the WH who is a spoiled brat. He wants what he wants when he wants it. Yes, he is a spoiled brat. He is probably the most dastardly low life who has ever prowled the world. He also seeks the ruin of souls with his lies. His incessant lies just keep mounting and mounting. He claims to be pro-life but his quick mouth and decisions have always meant pro-death. He is Dr. Death. He seeks the death of mankind but before we are all dead his goal is to enslave the world with his nonsense and torture. He is like the little kid on the street who has a bat and a ball and so we let him play even though he is not very good. If during the game he is not given his way, he takes his bat and ball and goes home. He is just a punk brat who tries to be macho but he is a coward. It is easy to tear down edifices and humanity with bombs laced with depleted uranium but it takes a real man to construct edifices and humanity. Bush is a hollow and a shallow amoeba.

Sincerely,

Gerald

State of the People's Union

I don't understand all this hand-wringing over Hamas's election victory. Terrorists have been ruling Israel since its inception, and we bend over backwards to kiss their fannies.

Osama Bin Fakin'?

'There is no reason whatsoever to believe that these audiotapes are authentic'

Noting that, astonishingly, Al Jazeera's not so sure about the authenticity of the Bin Laden tapes, I tend to agree with SpinDentist who writes: "I'm wondering if they will stop being the conduit for fakes, then, which only serve to ratchet up fear in the bedwetters on the right here in the US..."

Al Jazeera, in a lengthy editorial questioning the tapes' authenticity (after airing a bunch of them?), writes: "There is no reason whatsoever to believe that these audiotapes are authentic. While they are always followed by reports of scientific voice analyses, these studies have been invariably done by CIA experts. In fact, only [on] one occasion was an independent analysis done. And while American officials were certain of the tape’≥ authenticity, Swedish scientists were convinced that it was fake."

The editorial goes on to question the change in content and message, including the fact that the only Al Qaeda admission of culpability in 9/11 was on one of these audio tapes.

Conspiracy BONUS: Nobody's actually seen the results of one of these CIA voice analyses.

Conspiracy BONUS II: HERE

*****end of clip*****

I still wonder why none of the MSM have their own voice comparisons or why there is not one voice expert that can offer an independent or unbiased opinion?

capt

Whistleblower Revelations
Catching Up With Pentagon
Looters Rumsfeld,
Zakheim, & Wolfowitz

By Wayne Madsen
1-26-6

A rash of whistleblowers in the Pentagon points to former Comptroller and neo-con malfeasance. Soon-to-be retired veteran Pentagon budget analyst Ernie Fitzgerald is not the only Defense Department official to shine the light on massive Pentagon fraud that has cost the American taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars. From former Army Corps of Engineers Principal Assistant Responsible for Contracting Bunnatine Greenhouse, to Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) engineer Kenneth Pedeleose, to retired Army Reserve officer Paul Fellencer who blew the whistle on waste by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), more information is coming forth on how, under the regime of neo-cons like Donald Rumsfeld, former Pentagon Comptroller Rabbi Dov Zakheim (now Senior Vice President of Pentagon contractor Booz Allen), and former Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz (now World Bank President), the Pentagon was virtually looted of hundreds of billions of dollars.

Whistleblower revelations catching up on the Pentagon multibillion dollar looters: Rumsfeld, Zakheim, Wolfowitz

http://waynemadsenreport.com/
------------
I wonder what those traitors did with the money? zakheim is a major suspect in the 9/11 attacks. 2 trillion would sure go a long way in helping to set that up. When are they going to start following the money?

"It's very good". Well, it's not good, but it will generate immediate sympathy (for Israel)"

former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when asked what the attack would mean for US-Israeli relations.

AMEN David! That just goes to prove what a ton of money and good PR can do, even when you are the very foundation of evil.

Capt, one other tape that was touted by the US as legitimate was given to experts in Switzerland who were just as positive that it was a phony as the US was that it was real. I saw a poll on FMNN asking if you thought OBL was alive or dead. 66% said alive, 34% said dead, it surprised me that so many have considered it long enough to draw a rational conclusion. A death announcement was published in an Egyptian newspaper in Dec. 2001. But we wouldn't want the "bedwetters" here in the land of the free and home of the "brave" to know that, would we?

Bank: No Loans For Seized Property

FreeMarketNews.com | January 27 2006

BB&T, Washington D.C.'s second-largest bank, announced it won't lend money to developers who obtain land for commercial projects through eminent domain, according to A Washington Times story.

"The idea that a citizen's property can be taken by the government solely for private use is extremely misguided; in fact, it's just plain wrong!" said John Allison, the bank's chairman and chief executive officer in the article. Meanwhile, Chief Credit Officer Ken Chalk reportedly has admitted the North Carolina-based bank expects to lose only a tiny amount of business, but considers itself "obligated to take a stand on the issue."

At this point no other large U.S. bank has taken such a policy step.
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GOOD FOR THEM! Not everyone is willing to join the new NSA!

Seems like most people would not know the truth if it was a dead fish smacked up side their head.

It is a wonder we have survived as a species as long as we have.

capt

Capt, did you read the last comment from TimL on the previous thread? He is the epitome of cowardly bedwetters! It pissed me off so much I actually gave him a piece of my mind!

That is a good thing, you have enough mind to spare a piece. The trolls, not so much!

HA!

capt

And do you agree with me that the only Americans being wiretapped without warrants were those (1)receiving phone calls (2)from outside the United States and (3)from known AlQaeda combatants?

In a word, no.

Don, he has yet to answer why bushco felt it necessary to spy on Quakers and peace activists. I guess if he ignores it long enough it will go away!

NEW FACTS EMERGE ON 911 FINANCING

Researchers and investigators have uncovered links between a Miami bank that collapsed in 2002 amid a fraud scandal that was highlighted by billions of dollars in questionable cash and fraudulent loans and money movements linked to the Bush family and businesses linked to funding pilot training for the 9-11 hijackers.

pilot training for the 911 highjackers? double ha! - that must be where they learned to fly like THIS.

look at these flight paths very carefully - do some of you still believe 911 was NOT an inside job?

The issue would be the same if only one illegal wiretap on one American citizen was obtained illegally at the instruction of the president.

Illegal is illegal.

The fact that there are thousand or tens of thousand only magnifies the gravity of the crime. The neocons would have us believe that there are only a few specific taps? If so then that is even more reason they should have had no problem getting a warrant from the FISA court.

So the reason they could not get a warrant is because they cast a wide net and pick through huge amounts of data, but it is just specific terrorists? Which is it?

The real deal is this: probable cause can be made by oath or affirmation. That means all the law enforcement needs is a person willing to lie. The rank and file still have a little self-respect and will not lie because they know they will get caught in the lie. So, make the standard a institutional hunch or just word from on high. That way the rank and file slugs do not have to be exposed as liars.

AAAARRRGGGGHHHH!!

And people are falling for this crap?

capt

Osama and the J. Edgar Hoover Memorial Vacuum Cleaner

Kurt Nimmo | January 26 2006

Osama, dead and buried, is the reason George Bush and the NSA are snooping your daughter's cell phone calls to her boyfriend, or reading your email, disregarding the Constitution, and turning America into an Orwellian police state. All of this is necessary because, who knows, your neighbor might be a member of a sleeper cell or a vegetarian.

Bush tells us the Bill of Rights must be sacrificed because Al-Qaeda has placed operatives inside of our country. They blend in with the civilian population. They get their orders from overseas. And then they emerge to strike from within. Never mind that since nine eleven not one Al-Qaeda terrorist has been apprehended and convicted of plotting against the United States.

None of this snooping has anything to do with terrorism. It has to do with American citizens opposed to the Bush administration and the mass murder schemes of the Straussian neocons. Over the last several months, it has been revealed that the FBI, the Pentagon and the National Security Agency have each set up apparently independent covert operations to monitor the constitutionally protected political activities of citizens opposed to the Bush, explains Joel Bleifuss. The FBI has issued tens of thousands of national security letters, extending the bureau's reach as never before into the telephone calls, correspondence and financial lives of ordinary Americans. Most of the U.S. residents and citizens whose records were screened, the FBI acknowledged, were not suspected of wrongdoing, the Washington Post reported.

According to information released under a FOIA request, the FBI's targets included people involved in a vegan community project in Indianapolis, the Catholic Worker movement and its semi-communistic ideology, Code Pink, the anti-war coalition United for Peace and Justice, Greenpeace and attendees of the Third National Organizing Conference on Iraq, which was held at Stanford University in May 2005. According to the documents, in some cases the FBI received information about those under surveillance from informers within the targeted groups. In other words, COINTELPRO is alive and well and sifting through your credit card and medical records.

It has nothing to do with the dead Osama bin Laden and everything to do with books written by people such as William Blum, books we are absurdly told are on Osama's reading list. Of course, most Americans don't care about such things and a startling large number of them believe there is nothing wrong with the government violating the Fourth Amendment. Obviously, millions of Americans have no use for the Constitution. In fact, millions of Americans believe the Bill of Rights is an excuse for terrorists to attack America. It took more than a hundred years to get the populace in this state of ignorance. Now they are beginning to pay for it.
----------
Newsflash to bill, they are breaking the law by violating the 4th amendment, if there even IS such a thing anymore. Osama is dead and AL-CIADA is a neocon fabrication used to keep gullible cowards like you under control.

I've heard enough from Obama to know that he is just another politician. He looks pretty, but avoids answering questions and gives the non-answers that make you forget what was asked. Very disappointing but wholly unsurprising.

Bush: "I, Claudius"...