Broken News

The Bush administration has released information revealing that it has been conducting an ongoing investigation of terror related activities by probing into the personal bank accounts, telephone records and internet activities of Democrats throughout the United States. A massive effort has been underway for over two years, utilizing the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), National Security Agency (NSA), Defense Intelligence Angency (DIA), National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (formerly NIMA), Interpol, KGB, The Young Marines, Boy Scouts of America, Ann Coulter Fan Club and most viewers of Fox News. The resultant database is said to be the largest on the planet, literally visible from outerspace.

Attorney General, Alberto Gonzoles, when asked why only Democrats are being targeted for this massive investigation, explained that it is common knowledge that Conservatives are patriotic while Democrats are cheer-leaders for Osama bin Laden.

Congressional Democrats are outraged and speaking out about the administration's questionably legal undertaking. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) addressed the issue while on a speaking tour of the mid-west where she is not campaigning for the presidency. "I believe that Presiden Bush is acting in good faith and for the security of all Americans (except those here illegally) and I support him in this effort however, I believe he is handling the program all wrong. He should have leveled with Americans about the danger they are in and the need for this action. The fact that the investigation excludes everyone but Democrats does worry me a bit. He should at least include Republicans making less than $150,000 per year. As President, that is what I would have done".

Senator John Kerry (D-MA) was in Washington, D.C. where he attacked the administration for its secrecy and lack of transparency. Said Kerry, "This President continues to hide behind a smoke-screen to shroud his activities from the public". Asked if he will take action in the Senate over the President's program, he responded. "His tactics, though dispicable, are not overtly illegal as far as I can tell so I will not demand that the administration cease and desist".

Another high profile Senate Democrat was reached for comment. Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) said of the investigation, "President Bush is an honest and decent man with the best interests of all citizens foremost in his thoughts and efforts. We need to support this program as it is part of the ongoing war on terrorism and producing essential information required to deter the enemy from striking us again here at home". Lieberman added "The President would not do this if it were not absolutly necessary for our security. He assured me of this during our embrace at the State of the Union Address earlier this year".

Due to the recent Republican policy change forbidding the press from being told the whereabouts of any Republican member of Congress when detremental information is discovered about the Bush administration, no one could be immediately reached for comment. Once the Republican talking points had been decided upon, John Boehner (R-OH) issued the following statement. "Who cares what those whiny Democrats are saying, I'm boffing Ann Coulter".

Hate Speech

On June 6th, 2006, we were treated to yet another helping of demented spiteful bile spewed from the bottomless pit of verbal diareha that is Ann Coulter.

However, Coulter may have inadvertently assisted in overcoming the chasm between Left and Right ideologies created by Bush’s divisiveness. In her latest book, “Godless, the Church of Liberalism”, Coulter viciously attacks the widows of the 9/11 victims. "These broads are millionaires, lionized on TV and in articles about them, reveling in their status as celebrities and stalked by grief-arazzis. I've never seen people enjoying their husbands' death so much."

Many on the Right, politicians, Bloggers, Pundits, etc. have spoken out against Coulter’s comments for having crossed the line or being cruel and vicious or for going beyond the bounds of human decency.

Interestingly, this is not even close to the first time one of Coulter’s screed have gone beyond the bounds of human decency nor is this her vilest utterance. In fact, Coulter has devised a career out of producing insidious, racist, hateful commentary that could not have existed in this country a mere 15 years ago. Here are a few samples of her work:

 Which brings me to this week's scandal about No Such Agency spying on "Americans." I have difficulty ginning up much interest in this story inasmuch as I think the government should be spying on all Arabs, engaging in torture as a televised spectator sport, dropping daisy cutters wantonly throughout the Middle East, and sending liberals to Guantanamo.

 "Oh, it was so much fun this year, because saying 'Merry Christmas' is like saying 'Fuck you!' I've said it to everyone. You know, cab drivers, passing people on the street, whatever."

 “Oh, how I hate them! And, oh how I hate the waiting….Tomorrow we take revenge”

 I, for one, bolted past indifference straight into loathing long ago”

 “We need to execute people like John Walker in order to physically intimidate Liberals, by making them realize they can be killed, too. Otherwise they will turn out to be outright traitors."”

 “Both [Al Gore and Gray Davis] were veterans, after a fashion, of Viet Nam, which would make a Gore/Davis Presidential ticket the only compelling argument yet in favor of friendly fire”

 "...a cruise missile is more important than Head Start."

 "Women like Pamela Harriman and Patricia Duff are basically Anna Nicole Smith from the waist down. Let's just call it for what it is. They're whores."

 The swing voters? I like to refer to them as the idiot voters because they don't have set philosophical principles. You're either a liberal or you're a conservative if you have an IQ above a toaster"

 "[Clinton] masturbates in the sinks"

 To a disabled Vietnam vet: "People like you caused us to lose that war."

 "My libertarian friends are probably getting a little upset now but I think that's because they never appreciate the benefits of local fascism."

 "liberals are always against America. They are either traitors or idiots..."

 "I think we ought to nuke North Korea right now just to give the rest of the world a warning."

 "Press passes can't be that hard to come by if the White House allows that old Arab Helen Thomas to sit within yards of the President."

 "My only regret with Timothy McVeigh is he did not go to the New York Times building."

 "Frankly, I'm not a big fan of the First Amendment."

 "We need somebody to put rat poisoning in Justice Stevens' creme brulee."


So, it would seem that the accumulation of hateful, bigoted, violent intolerance advocated for years by Ms. Coulter has reached a limit many on the Right refuse to go beyond. Good! Perhaps they will reconsider supporting her earlier comments and insults and begin to see her for the mentally disturbed poster child for Bi-polar disease that she actually is.

A Question of Conviction

It is incredible that Senate Democrats are so pitiful and disconnected with their constituency. In spite of the deafening uproar of disenfranchised Democratic voters after the 2000 election who called for Democratic Senators to defeat the newly appointed president's nominations for the Federal Courts and other government positions, nearly every single one was confirmed with the minimum of resistance. This wimpiness demonstrated to the administration that they could nominate even more obnoxious candidates for even more sensitive positions, thus the appointments of the Johns, Negroponte and Bolton. Roberts was seen as a wash on the SCOTUS but, should have been questioned more pointedly and aggressively. However, handing over SCOTUS to absolute Conservative control by not filibustering Alito was beyond stupid, it was spineless or complicit.

Yet, the aforementioned appointments lacked, in varying degrees, the certainty we now have that this administration is all about ending democracy and is willing to openly violate all existing laws to accomplish that goal. Bush's admission of eavesdropping on American citizens without a legally required warrant removes any mitigation the administration might have claimed. They are guilty of felonies by violating the very laws written and enacted by this Congress and yet, the Senate today approved the appointment of the person responsible for implementing the illegal wiretap program in defiance of the rule of law.

As for Republican approval of General Hayden to head the CIA, as much as the act is treacherous it is also expected from the party of Fascist dogma and theocratic zealotry. Each Republican member of Congress is a fully owned subsidiary of one global corporation or another and would cease to hold their seat if they dared to step out of line. This situation exists only because corporations have succeeded in making Republicans completely dependant on their funding to achieve and hold office and by the Republican politician's compliance with this unwritten contract.

Democrats are equally exposed to the corruption and influence of corporations but have not, as yet, totally surrendered their integrity. Obvious exceptions, such as Bill Jefferson must be expected, but it is the less obvious ones that truly hurt the Party. To identify which Democratic Senators are now or are swiftly becoming DINOs (Democrats In Name Only) one need only review the voting for confirmation of General Hayden to head the CIA.

Let me save you the trouble. Here are the Democrats in the Senate who do not feel that we as citizens deserve protection of our freedoms:

Akaka HI
Baucus MT
Biden DE
Bingaman NM
Byrd WV
Cantwell WA
Carper DE
Feinstein CA
Johnson SD
Kohl WI
Landrieu LA
Lautenburg NJ
Leahy VT
Levin MI
Lieberman CT
Lincoln AR
Mikulski MD
Murray WA
Nelson FL
Nelson NE
Pryor AR
Reed RI
Reid NV
Sarbanes MD
Schumer NY
Stabenow MI

If the Democratic Party, and by that I mean the voters not the office holders, ever hope to regain a majority in Congress we need to understand the need to get rid of members who repeatedly vote with Republicans on issues that have a catastrophic effect on that goal. Several of the names listed above are those of recognized leaders within the Party who have a greater potential to help or harm Democratic objectives. Senators like Joe Biden with presidential aspirations, but who has done more to help the conservative cause by advocating and pushing through the crushingly undemocratic bankruptcy bill, are deserving of ouster from the Party. Senator Feinstein, with her ethically challenged husband and questionable financial dealings, is prone to speaking from both sides of her face on issues affecting her favorite special interests. And what is left to say about Senator Lieberman that has not already been said by the entire Republican Party as well as Fox News? Oh wait, that would only be laudatory statements. Let's just say that if Joe loses his seat in Congress it will be absolutely his own doing. He made the mistake of getting into a seat on the Left side of the aisle when he is so richly deserving of one on the Right.

Please take the time to contact the Senators who voted against our freedoms by approving General Hayden as Chief Spy-Master at the CIA and let them know that we do not appreciate our REPRESENTATIVES failing to represent us with the powers of the offices to which WE elected them. Let them know that what they may perceive as compromise is actually conceding to this administration because Bush and his posse do not and will not negotiate with anyone.

Signing Statements

The Boston Globe recently published a story by Charlie Savage detailing President Bush’s claimed constitutional authority to place himself above the laws issued by the Congress of the United States. Mr. Savage reveals the strategy Bush has employed by not using his veto power since taking office. Basically, Bush signs bills into law then issues a “signing statement” exempting the chief executive from adhering to the very law he just enacted.

Without fail, Bush’s justification for declaring himself exempt has been his constitutional authority as interpreted by the president and his legal counsel. Incredibly, he has exempted himself from over 750 bills enacted as law by his own signature.

As citizens, we also have constitutional rights. We are all entitled to the protections under those rights and the liberties guaranteed by them. It is only logical then, that when Congress passes a law that imposes upon our rights and/or liberties that we must have the same prerogative to exempt ourselves from the oppressive nature of that law.

I am proposing the use of “Citizen Signing Statements” to be issued by individual citizens to interpret your personal understanding of a law and how, or even if, that law applies to you.

Below is an example of a Citizen Signing Statement based on a statement issued by President Bush for one of the many laws he intends to ignore. Please, feel free to copy and modify the statement to apply to any law you feel particularly adamant about and from which you would like to be exempt.

Constitutionality Signing Statement

I, ____(name)____, as a citizen of the United States of America and a licensed driver in the state of Connecticut, shall construe as advisory the provisions of the Connecticut Seat Belt Law that purport to direct or burden the conduct of an adult operator of a motor vehicle with the mandatory usage of seat belts even when no other passengers are in the vehicle, which purport to direct drivers to conform to legislation originated and promoted by the insurance industry and intended to achieve specific policy objectives which would monetarily benefit said industry by reducing the number of traffic accident related injuries, but containing no provision for the reduction of policy premiums to the consumers.

Such provisions, if construed as mandatory rather than advisory, would impermissibly interfere with citizens' constitutional liberties under the fourth amendment to be secure against unreasonable searches and seizures as well as the eighth amendment banning cruel and unusual punishment as would surely be the case of any penalty imposed for the victimless crime of failure to use a seat belt.

Marketing Idiots

The last Republican president who actually had a brain and a sense of compassion was Dwight D. Eisenhower. It was the very fact that Ike was capable of critical thought that led the corporate masters of the GOP to reconsider the strategy of running candidates with a 3 digit IQ. After eight years of playing golf and pretending to be president, Ike became aware of what the moneyed sponsors of his party had done under his watch and was shocked. His realization that a military-industrial complex (MIC) had grown unencumbered in both wealth and power compelled him to warn American citizens of the dangers posed by the situation.

Their next pick for chief executive was Richard Nixon who, although intelligent, was corrupt to the bone and more than happy to continue making war profits for the MIC. Nixon’s downfall was the result of absolute power corrupting absolutely as he believed he had the right and the power to ignore all laws.

Nixon’s act of desperation to avoid imprisonment was to appoint Gerald Ford as his Vice President who would assume the presidency when Nixon resigned. This insured that he would receive a pardon from his replacement, a man who couldn’t compose a coherent sentence or appear in public without embarrassing himself, but would show his gratitude for being allowed to play president.

Having been stung by Eisenhower’s betrayal followed by Nixon almost destroying the Republican Party and relinquishing power to the court jester, the CEO conservative king makers decided on a new marketing strategy to sell a president to the American people.

Name recognition is a time honored tenet of marketing and the Big Business owners of the GOP had been grooming just such a name in the arena of California politics for several years. Ronald Reagan, a one time Democrat and president of the Screen Actors Guild (God forbid – a union!), had become a Republican to further his political aspirations. His image makers had convinced him that appearing tough on communism would capture for him the elusive John Wayne persona he would require to obtain higher elected office. Reagan was accustomed to following scripts and therefore easily led by his corporate handlers to do their bidding.

After Reagan, Big Business felt secure enough about the government they now owned to allow George H. W. Bush to take a turn at the country’s helm. Yet, they used the opportunity for an experiment in public acceptance by having Bush name as his Vice President an individual whose stupidity would challenge the most loyal wingnut. Danforth Quayle, an Indiana Republican Senator occupying the office his Daddy bought and paid for, would have been better as a poster child for special education. Nevertheless, Americans ignored the fact that an idiot was a mere single step from the Oval office and ultimate power.

Bush the senior disappointed his corporate masters when he allowed reason to interfere with governance and reneged on his promise not to raise taxes. The Republican base, who have been convinced that no one has to pay taxes and government will still work, revolted against him and allowed the Democrats to get their candidate elected.

Four years later Bob Dole became the Republican candidate, but not the president and for all appearances seemed like the sacrificial lamb. The conservative party leaders realized that Clinton was still popular enough to win so they held back their secret weapon for the next election. This gave the Arkansas Project team another four years to invent crimes and other violations with which to tar the incumbent president and weaken the Democrats for the 2000 elections.

George W. Bush, son of the 41st president, was presented to the nation as the Republican candidate for president of the United States and a non stop string of lies and crimes have been perpetrated against the American people since that day. Bush has proven himself to be a total moron, yet he holds degrees from both Yale and Harvard to their never ending shame. He was the incompetent CEO of several failed oil companies and he depended entirely on the largesse of family friends for his livelihood, friends who continually came to his rescue financially (including Osama bin Laden's brother).

The Republican experiment conducted on or against the American people, depending on you point of view, had proven successful if the aim was to determine if it was possible to get the American public (with some minor assistance from the Supreme Court) to elect a complete idiot as president. If the aim was to determine if a complete idiot could lead the American people than the experiment was a miserable failure.

Snow Job

It is being rumored that Scotty McClellan's replacement as Press Secretary will be Tony Snow from Fox News. Following recent revelations about the NSA secret wire tapping of US citizens, misuse of intelligence leading up to the war in Iraq and the ongoing investigation of the outing of an under cover CIA agent, Mr. Snow will be at a decided disadvantage if he accepts the position. He is likely to be met by a hostile press corps frustrated by the evasions and non-answers by his predecessor.

Some administrations require a higher degree of ideological loyalty than others which can severely tax the credibility of the White House's liaison to the news media. Perhaps this is the reason for choosing a journalist with no credibility to begin with. Snow, along with his cohorts at Fox News, surrendered any journalistic integrity they may have once possessed to work for the Rupert Murdock propaganda machine.

Appointing Tony Snow as the White house Press Secretary will effectively remove any remaining expectation of credibility from the position. Snow’s credentials couldn’t get him a job as a security guard at Wal-Mart, which makes him the perfect selection for Press Secretary in George Bush’s White House. True, he may have neither honor nor integrity as a journalist but, to this administration that makes him even more attractive.

Serious journalists should be offended, not only that Tony Snow might be the next Press Secretary but, that this administration considers Fox News in the same league of journalism with the traditional news media. Selecting someone from Fox News for a serious political position is an attempt by this administration to acknowledge Fox as a legitimate news agency, which it is not.

If you haven't already done so, go to Media Matters.org for a well researched list of lies, spin and misleading comments by Tony Snow that should convince anyone of this man's shameless partisanship and hatred of all things liberal. By the way, the web site, Media Matters for America, is an important resource for progressives and deserves your support. The site was developed by David Brock, a reformed conservative journalist who intimately understands the power of the news media and the importance of holding people accountable when they attempt to misuse it.

Outrageous

The latest technology and corporate despotism are combining again to screw the average people who, by the way, are their life's blood for revenue. Philips Electronics in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, has divulged their new patent which will FORCE the entire television watching audience around the world to watch the commercials by preventing anyone from changing channels when an advertisement is being broadcast.

Please take a second to completely wrap your mind around that concept. Philips Electronics intends to enable the gluttony obsessed corporate sponsors to shove their advertising down our collective throats. Channel surfing, a truly American patriotic past time, will forever be inhibited thanks to Philips Electronics.

This should please the army of sports fans who check the scores of other games during breaks. It is also sure to bring joy to the millions of TV watchers who enjoy clicking back and forth between several programs. But, most assuredly, it will elate every individual who attempts to change their channel for any reason what so ever and realize they are being held prisoner by the commercial they are being forced to endure.

It has always been acknowledged that advertising was a cost of doing business and therefore smart businesses have always tried to get the most for their advertising dollars. In the past, responsible governments have stepped in when businesses overstepped boundaries, whether legal, moral or just common sense.

• Lawmakers passed legislation preventing movie theaters from showing films that contained subliminal advertisements. This was determined to be a form of brain washing that manipulated audiences to purchase products they didn’t really want.
• Many state highway departments had to step in and limit the number and size of billboards along the roads, in some cases also regulating their distance from the traffic and use of lighting because it was having an adverse effect on the flow of traffic and safety of passengers.
• The “Truth in Advertising” law was necessary due to the abuse many companies were guilty of in promoting their products. Unsupported claims about products are reminiscent of snake oil salesmen of old, yet even with regulations banning the practice there are still many willing to employ this method.
• False advertising is flat out lying about products or services being advertised.
  

As evidenced by the long sad history of companies and their willingness to step outside the law, it must be acknowledged that most companies will do anything to sell their products. It should also be evident that governments must do more to protect consumers from the predatory tactics some companies are willing to employ. In the case of forcing TV audiences to watch commercials, Philips electronics should be prevented from introducing this device into the commercial television market. This device will have global impact and the international community needs to unite to ban this aberration from entering the market.

Yet, there is still one effrontery by Philips Electronics I have not mentioned. Take a look at their concern for customers who may be upset by their new invasion of privacy device:

Philips' patent acknowledges that this may be "greatly resented by viewers" who could initially think their equipment has gone wrong. So it suggests the new system could throw up a warning on screen when it is enforcing advert viewing. The patent also suggests that the system could offer viewers the chance to pay a fee interactively to go back to skipping adverts.

Perhaps it would be best to fight fire with fire. Corporations understand one thing better than anything else, Money! Notice how easily they justify adding yet another service charge to retain a feature we already have. Charging viewers who may be upset by being held prisoner by their televisions seems simply natural to the mentality of corporate gluttony. So why shouldn’t we, the viewers who pay their salaries through our purchases, demand payment for the time we are forced to view unwanted advertisements. If enough people write the representatives to demand we receive the same monetary consideration for our time that corporations want for sponsoring programs we could shut this idiocy down quickly.