American Heresy Redux--the Rest of the Story

Karen --

Great report. Thanks. It's good to know that the Fristian efforts to remake the U.S. government are not going unnoticed.

Mr. Gore asks, "What can we do?"

Well, we can keep doing what we're doing: learning, acting and doing what we can every day.

5 minutes for Democracy every day. Is that too much to ask?

I don't think so.

Donations Link DeLay, Ethics Panel

From Raw Story:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-04-26-delay-donations-ethics_x.htm

This whole Ethics Committee thing is a joke... what difference does it make if DeLay goes before the Ethics panel when all the Republican members have contributed to his defensee fund?

Oh yeah... they'll be objective...

Karen,

Your blogging paints such a vivid picture. I truly wish I'd been able to be there.

It's so good to hear a voice speaking with clarity and reason and reminding us that our Constitution and our particular organization of government were set up with great care and we mess with them at our peril.

Victoria Ellen posted a portion of George Washington's farewell speech the other day and I think it's worth repeating:

"All obstructions to the execution of the Laws, all combinations and associations, under whatever plausible character, with the real design to direct, control, counteract, or awe the regular deliberation and action of the constituted authorities, are destructive of this fundamental principle, and of fatal tendency. They serve to organize faction, to give it an artificial and extraordinary force; to put, in the place of the delegated will of the nation, the will of a party, often a small but artful and enterprising minority of the community; and, according to the alternate triumphs of different parties, to make the public administration the mirror of the ill-concerted and incongruous projects of faction, rather than the organ of consistent and wholesome plans digested by common counsels, and modified by mutual interests.

18 However combinations or associations of the above description may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely, in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people, and to usurp for themselves the reins of government; destroying afterwards the very engines, which have lifted them to unjust dominion.

19 Towards the preservation of your government, and the permanency of your present happy state, it is requisite, not only that you steadily discountenance irregular oppositions to its acknowledged authority, but also that you resist with care the spirit of innovation upon its principles, however specious the pretexts. One method of assault may be to effect, in the forms of the constitution, alterations, which will impair the energy of the system, and thus to undermine what cannot be directly overthrown."

- George Washington, farewell address
September 17, 1796

We must speak out against the undermining of our government.

Karen:

SO wish I was there. I feel the drumbeats are starting, and going faster. How much more they can contain the heresy, lies and theft is now, I believe, wholly the media's responsibility, and they have been bought.

MoveOn is one of many networks of strength we can draw on. We need to continue adding our voice. I'm going to share this page across the net as my five minutes of democracy for today...

Princeton University Students Filibuster outside the "Frist Building"

http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2005/04/27/news/12767.shtml

These kids stayed out all night long in the rain to protest the destruction of the filibuster.

Gives one hope, doesn't it?

It's good to see Al speaking out again.

We're not doing very well on spreading the rights of democracy elsewhere in the world. This story makes you wonder what the real hidden story is.

Ex-Afghan rights chief attacks US
By Pam O'Toole, BBC News
Wednesday, 27 April, 2005, 16:58 GMT 17:58 UK

The former United Nations human rights envoy to Afghanistan, Cherif Bassiouni, has said he lost his job because of pressure from the United States.

The UN Human Rights Commission ended Professor Bassiouni's mandate at a meeting in Geneva last week. American officials said Afghanistan's human rights situation had improved.

But Professor Bassiouni said it was because US defence officials did not want investigations into the way people were detained without trial by US forces.

Professor Bassiouni has spent the past year investigating allegations of human rights violations in Afghanistan for the commission.

The professor, who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999, was extremely critical of Washington's policy on detainees.

Last week the commission - made up of 53 elected member states - decided not to renew his mandate. Professor Bassiouni, an Egyptian-born law professor at DePaul University in Chicago, had pressed for access to US detention facilities.

He had also criticised the conditions in which many detainees were held, both by American-led coalition troops and Afghan forces.

But in an interview with the BBC, Prof Bassiouni alleged there was an intensive lobbying campaign by US officials in Geneva.

"It has nothing to do with the work in Afghanistan or the situation in Afghanistan," he said.

"This is a very narrow, limited issue that is of concern to the US Defence Department and the hawks in the administration who simply do not want anybody to look into the way people are being detained in Afghanistan by US forces."
~snip~

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4491163.stm

Karen--SING it out for us!!!!!

Glad you were there to give us the play by play. We need to hear more of this speech, and hear more voices getting on board.

The chorus here is all in perfect pitch, and ready to take our message on the road!!!

"Furthermore, I believe the Framers knew exactly what they were doing when they created the First Amendment. As I’ve argued in previous columns, I believe that the Founding Generation were likely guided by the unseen hand of Nature’s God in the construction of the United States Constitution."

"I believe that the consciousness that gave birth to all understood that our Separation of Church and State - and the revolutionary model that it represented for the world - was the best way to end the murder and mayhem that had taken place for thousands of years in Its name, at least within the borders a single nation."

"Of course, I can’t prove any of this – any more than orthodox Catholics and Christians can prove the existence of heaven and hell, or that life "begins" at conception."

"Does that make my spiritual beliefs any less worthy of protection by the Bush Administration?"

"Isn't that obviously what the Founders and Framers intended the Separation of Church and State to do?"

http://www.democracycellproject.net/blog/archives/2005/04/has_the_bush_ad.html

Victoria,

Yes, I heard about the questionable ethics of those Republicans who accepted money from Delay who are now asking to investigate Delay on ethics violations. Is this a case of I'll wash you're back if you'll wash mine?

Looks like it to me. This is slowly but surely weaving the corruption thread around so many of the current republican's in office that people out here are beginning to notice. That thread of corruption weaves around Bush and Cheney, entwining Delay, Frist, Hastert, and other Republicans. I've heard questions about why McCain isn't standing up for right or wrong anymore.

Even my own Republican who claimed he was a moderate has voted along with this corrupt regime for the last 3 months. Will the lure of staying there make him blind to the real reason he was elected?

Not with me around! No way! I'm working on a letter to send to my neighbors and working on those letters to the editors too.

Oh to be in D.C. on this April day... So glad you're there for us, Karen. Keep us posted.

By the way, here's what Olbermann said yesterday about the filibuster...

Olbermann uncovers Family Research Council filibuster flip-flop

MSNBC host Keith Olbermann noted that the Family Research Council (FRC), which is currently campaigning to stop filibusters of President Bush's judicial nominees by Senate Democrats, was quite vocal in the late 1990s in defending the right to filibuster another presidential nominee, James C. Hormel, who was nominated by President Clinton as ambassador to Luxembourg.

On the April 25 edition of MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann, host Olbermann recounted a statement made July 2, 1998, on National Public Radio by FRC senior writer Steven Schwalm:

OLBERMANN: As mentioned, the filibuster stretches back not merely to Jimmy Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, but to the presidential administration of Franklin Pierce 152 years ago. And, as a last measure of the defense of the minority, it has had many supporters over the years, like the very people of faith who sponsored yesterday's "Justice Sunday," the group Family Research Council.

Yesterday, it was opposed to filibusters. Seven years ago, it was in favor of them. That's when Clinton and a then-Democratic plurality in the Senate wanted a man named James Hormel to become the ambassador to Luxembourg. Hormel, of the Spam-and-other-meats Hormels, was gay, as the Senate minority bottled up Hormel's nomination with filibusters and threats of filibusters, minority relative to cloture, to breaking up a filibuster.

They did that for a year and a half. The Family Research Council's senior writer, Steven Schwalm, appeared on National Public Radio at the time and explained the value, even the necessity, of the filibuster.

"The Senate," he said, "is not a majoritarian institution, like the House of Representatives is. It is a deliberative body, and it's got a number of checks and balances built into our government. The filibuster is one of those checks in which a majority cannot just sheerly force its will, even if they have a majority of votes in some cases. That's why there are things like filibusters, and other things that give minorities in the Senate some power to slow things up, to hold things up, and let things be aired properly."

It's been said many times, many ways, that was then, and this is now.

After his original nomination in 1997 and re-nomination in January 1999 were blocked by Senate Republicans, Hormel was granted a recess appointment to the post by Clinton in June 1999. He served until December 2000.
http://mediamatters.org/items/200504260005

These kids stayed out all night long in the rain to protest the destruction of the filibuster.

Gives one hope, doesn't it?

Posted by: Victoria Ellen at April 27, 2005 04:38 PM

Reminds me of the lines in Toledo to vote on Nov. 2nd. All those people standing in the pouring rain. Each time, those dedicated people were fighting for democracy and freedom. Not the quasi-stuff Bush's administration gives us.

It also reminds me of Zinn's comment about rallies, "You think you're by yourself, but then you go to a rally and discover more and more people like yourself. It may start out small, but each movement grows and out of it, PEOPLE do successfully bring about reform." (paraphrased of course!)

Funny that the Frist's defenders never mention Abe Fortas. From Wikipedia:

"When the nomination set off an unprecedented Republican filibuster, Fortas withdrew his name from consideration."

My five minutes for democracy today is a letter to my Congressman. Steve King is a second-term congressman that has recently sold his soul to Tom DeLay. He's also on the House Judiciary Committee. This guy has been quoted in recent weeks as saying Congress could work with only 1 Supreme Court Justice and eliminate, "for instance," the 9th Circuit Court if need be. He says the judical branch will feel the heat when their funding goes dry.

I live in a moderate area. He's not representing us. So, that's the background.

Dear Congressman King (and staff),

Thank you for reading this note. I am contacting you to offer constructive criticism regarding your priorities in serving your constituents.

As one of your constituents, I believe you have not acted rightly upon my behalf. You are my representative, as well as our collective voice in Washington, and as so should represent Iowa's 5th District with our concerns as your priority. Your job is not to do as you please in our name. Your job is not to serve Tom DeLay or a national political agenda. Your job is to support legislation that improves our way of life.

You can start to regain our trust by fulfilling your duties on the Agriculture and Small Business Committees. All areas in our district are facing extremely hard economic times. Your constituents need small business growth. We need more favorable trade laws. We need jobs.

Please work rightly on our behalf to solve these real problems.

Sincerely,
Mark Brisky
Sioux City

Tutt--

You want some singing about crusades and revolutions and reform? Go listen to Les Miserable. The musical was based on the book called Les Miserable about the French Revolution.

I just heard it today, and it struck me that we indeed are facing a crusade of our own! The crusade to SAVE DEMOCRACY from the one party rule system, the facist-theocracy, and the big corporations who just want to exploit us and the environment.

More on the filibuster with another example of "that's not what I meant..."

Religious conservatives' selective memory on their own "anti-Christian" comments

Despite accusing Democrats who have filibustered a handful of President Bush's judicial nominees of being anti-Christian or anti-Catholic, prominent religious conservatives such as Focus on the Family founder James Dobson and Family Research Council (FRC) president Tony Perkins now deny that they have ever made such accusations. Their backpedaling followed criticism of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's (R-TN) participation in the April 24 "Justice Sunday" telecast, an event organized by the FRC to protest Democrats' use of the filibuster.

As a guest on the April 25 edition of MSNBC's Scarborough Country, Dobson said: "I mean, you'll notice that they never quote people who come from our point of view. We have never said that those who disagree with us are un-Christian and un-American. That's just unconscionable to say things like that without saying where it occurred." Perkins similarly denied ever adopting such a position. An April 26 Knight Ridder article on "Justice Sunday" quoted Perkins insisting, "We are not saying that people who disagree with us are not people of faith. We have not said that. We will never say that." Conservative Christian radio host the Rev. Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, rallied to Perkins's defense on the April 25 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes. Responding to criticism of Frist's participation in "Justice Sunday" by the Rev. Bob Edgar, general secretary of the National Council of Churches USA, Land similarly denied that opponents of the filibuster had accused Democrats of being anti-Christian:

LAND: They never said that they [filibuster supporters] were not American or not Christian. Tony Perkins started off the -- I've seen the broadcast. He started off by saying, "We are not saying that people who disagree with us are not people of faith. We haven't said that and we never will."

But promotional materials for "Justice Sunday" made just such attacks. In a letter to supporters describing the event, Perkins wrote: "As the liberal, anti-Christian dogma of the left has been repudiated in almost every recent election, the courts have become the last great bastion for liberalism." In addition, Tom Minnery, Focus on the Family's vice president of public policy, accused Democratic senators currently opposing President Bush's judicial nominees of anti-Catholic bigotry. "As a Catholic, I would think the senator [Ken Salazar (D-CO)] would be especially alarmed about the anti-Catholicism of some of his colleagues," Minnery said. And Dobson himself accused Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, of attacking people of faith. "Patrick Leahy is a 'God's people' hater. I don't know if he hates God, but he hates God's people," Dobson said [Daily Oklahoman, 10/23/04].

Read the rest at http://mediamatters.org/items/200504270001

Cyrano,

Al Gore also pointed out that it was his father who brought Fortas' nomination forward. And Howard Baker, also from Tennessee, who pointed out after that, that the majority is not always right.

But at least the Senate CONSIDERED the nomination at some length.

The point of Advise and Consent is for the President to consult with the Senate.

Bush refuses to consult. You'd think that a fool who's made as many mistakes as President as he has would understand the virtue of getting advice.

But not our Dubya.

They should put "I did the right thing" on his headstone.

Bush's 'Political Capital' - Has he lost his touch?

by Howard Fineman

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/7656009/site/newsweek/

Victoria, I think it's a matter of Bush losing touch altogether. Perhaps a bit of buyer's remorse thrown in.

Actually, make that:

"I did the right thing - and others paid the price".

Posted by: Cyrano at April 27, 2005 05:03 PM

Cyrano,

This is what some Bush supporters claimed they wanted, remember? A man who makes up his mind and doesn't back down even if he's made the wrong choices. Now, that buyers remorse has hit them hard as they realize it "ain't just about France anymore!"

Mark --

You're right on both counts...

I think the message from the WH recently is so extreme, so bursting with hubris, so far-reaching, and so terminally irrelevant to most Americans, that I honestly wonder sometimes if Karl Rove has slipped into some sort of coma...

In one day, George Bush has a photo op with Tom DeLay, the political equivalent of an orange hazard cone, and then hurries back to Texas to make out with Prince Abdullah during a romantic stroll through his Texas garden...

The only conclusion I can come to is that George's entire PR team has been killed in a fiery car wreck.

Karen,

The Senate has considered these judges ad infinitum.

Considering the theft in Florida, you'd think that Bush would have had the decency to steer a centrist course during his first term, and propose mainstream, moderate judges. But not our Dubya.

When treacherous theocrats and neoconservatives attempt to betray our system of government, a patriotic minority must do what it can to defend American ideals.

God bless the Senate Democrats. We will overcome.

You know, is it me, or do these guys create alot of crisis, only to then turn around with the "perfect" solution and say "What a good boy am I!"

Let me just say that if my company management managed my company like these guy manage things, they'd be out on ther asses.

No wonder we're broke.

Karen,

I'm glad that someone is finally talking about the role of the Senate in government. In the midst of all of this fighting and power grabbing done by the Republicans, there has been scant discussion on what the term advise and consent means. It seem to me that if the Senate can't get a cloture vote to go to the floor on these extremist judges, there is no consent.

Done.

A fresh reminder of contacts... phone numbers included

Senate Judiciary Committee
http://vote-smart.org/committee.php?comm_id=40

House Judiciary Committee
http://vote-smart.org/committee.php?comm_id=11

Spin --

United States of America: A wholly owned subsidiary of Communist China.

Brap.

Hi,

This is my first time here. Thank you for giving this information about Al Gore's speech. Who are the moderates who might stand tall against the Bush's arm twisting? How can I help if I don't live in their state? What can I do? How can I (or others like me) stop feeling so powerless against this whole system?

I find myself hard pressed to think back to a time when I have been so disgusted at the naked greed of one party of another.

I remember being annoyed, but not disgusted, and I have been voting for a good many years.

Do any of us get 100% of what we want in any arena of life? No.

Why does the Republican leadership think they should be granted exclusionary privileges from the reality the rest of the public endures?

It seem to me that if the Senate can't get a cloture vote to go to the floor on these extremist judges, there is no consent.

Done.

Posted by: Casey Morris at April 27, 2005 05:21 PM

Cloture?

Posted by: Sparrow at April 27, 2005 05:12 PM

Really! I guess that they're less than thrilled about trading in Social Security for shares of next years' Enron.

And those people who voted for bans on Gay Marriage and Civil Unions in Ohio and Missouri can't have been pleased by those photos of Dubya holding hands with that Saudi Crown Prince...

Free Spirit --

Welcome to the DCP... there are lots of things you can do from any state. If you want to communicate with your Congress members (or any congress member):

www.senate.gov
www.house.gov

You can email anyone from these websites.

Spend some time browsing around the site...there's a lot of information you might find helpful. Check out 'tips for taking action,' the book club, media reform... all of it.

And if you've got questions, there are people who are always willing to help.

Again, welcome aboard the Democracy Train.

WOOOOOOWOOOOO....

I hate to admit my ignorance, but why did the repubican majority under Clinton refuse so many of Clinton's nominations? From what I understand, some of Bush's nominations are so bad that even Gonzales said they stunk.

Welcome free spirit,

One thing you can do is to go to the forum (http://www.democracycellproject.net/forum/index.php) and look under Your Democracy Cell to see if there is already a group in your area. If so, contact the person posting about it by clicking on his/her name on the side of the post. (You will need to register for the forum to use this feature).

Also go to Tool Kits and read about WORKING FROM THE HEART. (http://www.democracycellproject.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=354)

"The first step of this more-than-12-step program is to recognize NOT our powerlessness, but our powerfulness. All too often we forget that the Congress and executive leadership are there because of our votes. They work for us. Therefore we have both the right and the responsibility to speak up.

Having our say starts with finding our voices. One of the lessons we learned in the 2004 presidential election is that well-informed voices, with solid information and a clear sense of purpose can make a difference. Letters to the editor, phone calls to corporate headquarters, short videos and montages, rapid response teams, and direct one-to-one messaging were all effective methods for registering new voters, fighting negative messages and increasing engagement. After the election, rather than giving up because what we all did was not enough, we decided to look at what had worked well, for both parties, and to build on the successes we understand."

Moderate Republicans would include:

John Warner - Virginia
Olympia Snowe - Maine
Susan Collins - Maine
Arlen Specter - Pennsylvania
Chuck Hagel - Nebraska
John McCain - Arizona

Also, I believe Lincoln Chaffee (RI) can be occasionally moderate... let him know how you want him to vote on Social Security, the Bolton nomination, and the banning of the filibuster.

In the words of Nancy Reagan: "Just say no."

Free spirit,

Welcome, here is some information about filibusters and cloture. Hope it helps.

http://www.democracycellproject.net/blog/archives/2005/03/filiblog_and_fi.html

This is being completely ignored by the mainstream media...

Member of Saudi Prince delegation denied entry to U.S. when name found on terrorist watch list.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200504270003

VP Gore said he has "listened with real curiosity" as Sen. Frist stated that no court nominee had ever been filibustered. He remembers when Abe Fortas was nominated for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court--filibustered. By the right.

You know who should remember Abe Fortas' filibuster? Um, that would be one of Bush's nominees. You know why? Because his father was a Senator at the time, and one of the people who filibustered against Associate Justice Fortas.

Hypocrisy, thy name is....Judge Griffin, one of Bush's incompetent nominee to the federal bench.

http://www.aei.org/publications/filter.all,pubID.21700/pub_detail.asp

Too bad one of the ministers in the "Justice Sunday" broadcast didn't choose to set the record straight about the Fortas filibuster.

I guess the truth wouldn't have set them free, so they chose the big lie instead.

And in other news, for my five minutes of Democracy today, I set up a meeting with my Congressman's Chief of Staff for next week to discuss why my Congresman has not yet set up a meeting with his constituents that he promised voer two months ago to discuss social security...

Memo to Chief of Staff: We're not going away. Get out your calendar. Our democracy cell has been responsible for eighteen stories painting you as a rube for not dealing with your constituents. And the stories are starting to run more frequently. Get ready for the editorials against a Congressman who doesn't do his job.

Congressman's spokesperson's remarks to the press about our democracy cell? Spokesperson: I don't like this groups tactics,they are trying to tell the Congressman how to do his job.

No, sweetie, we're telling him TO DO HIS JOB. But you keep talking to the press and making idiotic remarks like that. You may become our secret weapon.

Republicans used the filibuster to block 65 or so of Clinton's nominees.

Democrats need to start calling them what they are with the 'unprecedented' crap: LIARS.

Not misinformers, not misleaders, LIARS.

Posted by: Victoria Ellen at April 27, 2005 05:21 PM

When exactly did it become part of the Republican agenda to have communists as our bankers?

So, I admit it, I'm losing track--is Communism kool now? Is Communism like, the new black of the Right Wing of the deficit, spend and spend RepubliCon party?

Or as Ron Ziegler, Nixon's Press Secretary, might phrase it:

"That statement is no longer operative".

Spinnaker,

If this trade deficit was happening in this fashion with a Democrat in the White House, don't you know that the wingnuts would be screaming that the nation was being sold out to a foreign power.

But not a peep from the far right on that issue.

It's just: "Praise the Lord and pass tax reduction! And to hell with the American future."

From Speaker Hastert:

I think that there’s a member, especially on our side, that needs to have the process move forward so he can clear his name. Right now we can’t clear his name.

At which point, Speaker Hastert's pants suddenly burst into flames.

spinnaker --

Yes, it's apparently okay for a communist country to hold all our debt, and hence, hold our future in their hands.

Doesn't bother our President at all.

Communism good. Freedom optional. The new America.

And speaking of fire, this from Judd over at Think Progress:

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Karen Tumulty reports:

[S]ome sharp-eyed TIME readers were surprised last week to see a photo of the Majority Leader smoking one of Cuba’s best–a Hoyo de Monterrey double corona… The photo was taken in Jerusalem on July 28, 2003, during a meeting between DeLay and the Republican Jewish Coalition

Last year, Tom DeLay had some nasty things to say about people who engage in this kind of behavior:

Arguing against loosening sanctions against Cuba last year, DeLay warned that Fidel Castro “will take the money. Every dime that finds its way into Cuba first finds its way into Fidel Castro’s blood-thirsty hands…. American consumers will get their fine cigars and their cheap sugar, but at the cost of our national honor.”

To be fair, Tom DeLay may not have put any money “into Fidel Castro’s blood-thirsty hands.” There’s always a chance Jack Abramoff bought the cigar for him.

The ManDate that would not go away. From the Dallas Morning News.

http://www.pinkdome.com/archives/2005/04/who_says_blogge.html#more

I am calling the layout editor and proposing marriage this evening.

Oh fer crying out LOUD:

Democrats in the House are furious over what they see as a deliberate attempt by Republicans to rewrite Democratic amendments to make the Democrats amendments look preposterous, RAW STORY has learned.
Advertisement
The Republican-written rewrites, along with the Democratic description of the amendments, follows. RAW STORY has also learned that Republicans have not rewritten similar amendments in the past. A copy from the Congressional record in 2002 is included below, showing the "neutral" language used in a previous Congress.

###

The following amendments were offered and voted down by recorded votes in the Judiciary Committee markup of H.R. 748-The Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act (CIANA):

DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT
AMENDMENT DESCRIPTION IN HOUSE REPORT 109-51

DEMS: a Nadler amendment allows an adult who could be prosecuted under the bill to go to a Federal district court and seek a waiver to the state’s parental notice laws if this remedy is not available in the state court. (no 11-16)
GOP REWRITE:. Mr. Nadler offered an amendment that would have created an additional layer of Federal court review that could be used by sexual predators to escape conviction under the bill. By a roll call vote of 11 yeas to 16 nays, the amendment was defeated.

DEMS: a Nadler amendment to exempt a grandparent or adult sibling from the criminal and civil provisions in the bill (no 12-19)
GOP REWRITE: . Mr. Nadler offered an amendment that would have exempted sexual predators from prosecution under the bill if they were grandparents or adult siblings of a minor. By a roll call vote of 12 yeas to 19 nays, the amendment was defeated.

http://rawstory.com/exclusives/byrne/gop_rewrites_dem_amendments_427.htm

I swear, if these buttheads were around when Kennedy was assassinated, they would have recorded it as Kennedy , ducking to avoid his responsibility, was hit with a rain of bullets.

God, these people are disgusting down to a person. And I think that's what's the most disturbing of this whole thing. They corrupt even the most menially tasked among them.

I heard Nadler speak at the Arts Advocacy Day and believe me, I would not want to cross him. He was hoppin mad, and, if you have seen Nadler, just will understand JUST how motivated he is, to be HOPPIN.

These guys are in for a shock.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050427/ids_photos_ts/r3236812911.jpg

Check out the photo. It's running over at First Draft in a caption contest. Totally looking like Nixon, is what one reader said.

Wow, they are completely spot on.

Here's something every Republican should be ashamed of--

Jerry Nadler just proposed an amendment to the interstate abortion notification bill HR 748. The amendment says that if you are the father who impregnated their teen daughter, and that daughter had an abortion and their was no parental notification, then the father who impregnated the teenaged daughter CANNOT SUE the doctor who provided the abortion.

THat seems pretty simple, doesn't it? You can't benefit from raping your daughter. No problem with that, right? Wrong.

The Republican crapheads in the house just voted it down.

Things are out of control and the media is dead.

Paging God, please pick uo the white courtesy phone, God, to the white courtesy phone...

FYI: David Drier speaking right now on C-SPAN1 about the ethics committee. IT looks like the reversal of the rules change is about to come forward.

Shorter Drier: We were right before, but we are righter now in going backwards to the way things were. Cause, we are NEVER wrong.

Posted by: feelingfabulous at April 27, 2005 06:50 PM

I think that goes along with what I just heard. I don't have the link, but I heard on the Ed show that the Catholic heiracrchy has asked Condi to intervene in the pediphile law suit against the Catholic Church.

This is the SAME Catholic church that bashed Kerry and the same Church that was interfering in our election process. However, now maybe they think it's a payback time too.

Inexcusable! All of this is absolutely inexcusable: rapist, pediphiles, and fake concern or fake compassion.

Posted by: Casey Morris at April 27, 2005 07:10 PM

And what does it matter? THey already have ethics members in Delay's backpocket. They've already gotten their financial award, so they need to recuse themselves from this process or their ethics investigation means about as much our current deficit--NEGATIVE numbers and BIG RED deficits!

A little past the holiday (it should for purium which was a month or so ago) but it came to me last night-
Dick Cheney=Hayman or Karl Rove= Hayman?
(bow to me all you citizens....)

Posted by: spinnaker at April 27, 2005 06:39 PM

Yep, looks like Nixon alright--in deeds and in posture!

BUT did anybody observe a funny shaped rectangular box with wires on his back? I guess that throws away the "health" concerns that was given as a possible excuse before!

Posted by: Sparrow at April 27, 2005 07:19 PM

I haven't heard this story. This is fascinating. I didn't know that there was even a suit going on.

Does anybody know where I find the points of fascism?

Cyrano,

Check out the Ed Schultz show. That's where I heard it. (I assumed it was serious and not a joke.)

Jeez--I take the kids to one little dance class and you guys slam out a ton of information while i'm gone. GREAT POSTS!!!

Welcome back feeling fab anf greetings free spirit and Bill.

I'm thinking that Fristianity is a losing religion. The guy looks worse every time I see him. Around here we call what he has 'selective memory'

They (rethuglicans) also have:
selective truth
selective reality
selective budgeting (don't count the war costs)

I wouldn't select too darn many of them when it comes time for the to run again. they are making fools of themselves as they try to ruin this entire country. It will be stopped.

HOW??? you ask???

That would be US!!! We are going to end the madness one person and one day at a time!!

Their back at their smear campaigns again: first it's Randi Rhodes (anything to get the focus off the Putz in Office), and now it's smear the dems with more GOP talking points according to Rawstory.

http://rawstory.com/exclusives/byrne/gop_talking_points_ethics_427.htm

Free Spirit, welcome here. It's always nice to see friendly faces in support of democracy.

Oooh, fascism is a bad, dirty, evil form of government. I can't refer you to a site, but you may try to search on Google.com to find what the info you're looking for. Not much help, I know. Thanks for asking, tho, and I hope to be of more help in the future.

Sparrow, we're lobbying Clear Channel to broadcast the Ed Schultz show here. People would love it.

Does anybody know where I find the points of fascism?

Posted by: free spirit at April 27, 2005 07:32 PM

-------
Do you mean the definition of facism by characteristics of the society?

There are the 14 charachteristics of fascism and the seven conditions of the country for fascism as generally accepted as defined by Lawrence Britt. Let me go check google for a citation for you.

Posted by: free spirit at April 27, 2005 07:32 PM

Hi Free Spirit!

This is a good place to start...Fascism 101... because we are really talking about Economic Fascism...

http://www.aapsonline.org/brochures/fascism.htm

Here's the fourteen:

Dr. Lawrence Britt has examined the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia) and several Latin American regimes. Britt found 14-defining characteristics common to each:

1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism - Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.

2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights - Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of "need." The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc.

3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause - The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial , ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc.

4. Supremacy of the Military - Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized.

5. Rampant Sexism - The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Divorce, abortion and homosexuality are suppressed and the state is represented as the ultimate guardian of the family institution.

6. Controlled Mass Media - Sometimes to media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common.

7. Obsession with National Security - Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.

8. Religion and Government are Intertwined - Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government’s policies or actions.

9. Corporate Power is Protected - The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.

10. Labor Power is Suppressed - Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed.

11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts - Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher education, and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other academics to be censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts and letters is openly attacked.

12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment - Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego civil liberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations.

13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption - Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders.

14. Fraudulent Elections - Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against or even assassination of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections

Still looking for a good site for you.

This is an open source article that was w4ritten in May of 2003 by dr. Lawrence Britt entitled Fascism, Anyone?

http://www.veteransforpeace.org/The_14_characteristics_030303.htm

Sparrow--how did they try to smear Randi Rhodes?

That's exciting. They must really consider her a threat.

OMG SPIN you didn't hear?

They had a badtaste skit with gun shots. And they took it as a threat against Bush. They FORCED Lou Dobbs to comment on it and even said, "Liberal Randi Rhodes threatened GwB in a 'Bit'"

Randi has already apoligized for the poor taste of the skit and apologized to the s.s. and even if it was only people on her show, she accepted responsibility and apologized.

They are SMEARING HER like MAD!!!

Thanks Indy and Casey

NP Free Spirit...

(No Problem)=NP =]

AL GORE'S SPEECH ON C-SPAN RIGHT NOW!!

SORRY MY LOVELIES--IT'S ON C-SPAN2!!

Posted by: free spirit at April 27, 2005 08:05 PM

My pleasure. There is much to be concerned about...

Posted by: Sparrow at April 27, 2005 08:03 PM

Stupid, yes. Dangerous, no.

OTOH...she was joking.

The Republicans MEAN IT when they are inciting their wingnut followers to violence towards the judiciary in a deliberate attempt to intimidate.

They had damn well better hope that every single federal judge stays in excellent health...

good article on the theocrats by Robert Kuttner in today's Boston Globe:
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2005/04/27/whose_nation_under_god/

Here are the first two and the last two paragraphs. The very last paragraph is a call to all of us to get organized!
ROBERT KUTTNER
Whose nation under God?
April 27, 2005

WHEN John Kennedy was running for president and passions were running high about whether a Catholic could serve both the American citizenry and Rome, a joke made the rounds about a priest and a minister whose friendship nearly came to blows. Finally the priest phoned his old friend. ''What a pity," he said. ''Here we are, both men of the cloth, fighting over politics." ''It's true," said the minister. ''We're both Christians. We both worship the same God -- you in your way, and I in His."

America, which separated church and state precisely to protect the private right to worship, has long had its share of religious absolutists who have wanted to harness the power of the state to their own view of revealed truth. But never before in our history has the government deliberately and cynically intervened on the side of the zealots.

********* [see url for middle paragraphs]

But let's be clear: Our very democracy is under assault. History is filled with cases where a small minority was able to overturn democratic institutions.

Zeal on behalf of tolerance seems almost a contradiction. But the large American majority that believes in freedom of conscience and inquiry had better get organized with the same enlightened passion that drove America's Founders.

...............WhoooOOOooooOOOOoooOooOoO
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......._|..D.C.P...|.|.|___|""""""""""||||[( .......|___________|.|__.._.._.._.._.._.._||_
........( + )..( + )...( + )( + )( + )( + )..\
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If this goes astray blame Dick's font...

Indy,

well, it's a LITTLE off, but oh it makes my heart sing...

Posted by: Indy at April 27, 2005 08:56 PM

Indy! The train! That brings back great memories...

Great speech by Gore today... I finally got a chance to read it!

Another moderate senator: Geoge Voinavitch (Ohio)--hope I got the spelling right.