Evidence Mounts About July 2002

Casey,

Here is some more information about the chronology of the Bush plan to invade Iraq. I suspect that as the hearings get underway we may start to hear a lot about Hussein's "trial" in Iraq.

http://www.crisispapers.org/essays-w/downing.htm#chrono

One year later, July 2003:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,968581,00.html

Mr Powell's team removed dozens of pages of alleged evidence about Iraq's banned weapons and ties to terrorists from a draft of his speech, US News and World Report says today. At one point, he became so angry at the lack of adequate sourcing to intelligence claims that he declared: "I'm not reading this. This is bullshit."

(Then he did)

Just look at the date this was originally published.

Exclusive: Bush Wanted To Invade Iraq If Elected in 2000
Wed, 27 Oct 2004 15:59:47 -0700

He was thinking about invading Iraq in 1999, said author and journalist Mickey Herskowitz. It was on his mind. He said to me: "One of the keys to being seen as a great leader is to be seen as a commander-in-chief." And he said,"My father had all this political capital built up when he drove the Iraqis out of Kuwait and he wasted it." He said, "If I have a chance to invade, if I had that much capital, I'm not going to waste it. I'm going to get everything passed that I want to get passed and I'm going to have a successful presidency."

snip

According to Herskowitz, George W. Bush's beliefs on Iraq were based in part on a notion dating back to the Reagan White House ascribed in part to now-vice president Dick Cheney, Chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee under Reagan. "Start a small war. Pick a country where there is justification you can jump on, go ahead and invade."

snip

In December 1999, some six months after his talks with Herskowitz, Bush surprised veteran political chroniclers, including the Boston Globe's David Nyhan, with his blunt pronouncements about Saddam at a six-way New Hampshire primary event that got little notice: "It was a gaffe-free evening for the rookie front-runner, till he was asked about Saddam's weapons stash," wrote Nyhan. "I'd take 'em out," [Bush] grinned cavalierly, "take out the weapons of mass destruction... I'm surprised he's still there," said Bush of the despot who remains in power after losing the Gulf War to Bush Jr.'s father. It remains to be seen if that offhand declaration of war was just Texas talk, a sort of locker room braggadocio, or whether it was Bush's first big clinker.

http://www.gnn.tv/articles/article.php?id=761

Here is one time that we didn't hear about the F bomb being dropped in Washington.

First Stop, Iraq
By Michael Elliott and James Carney
Monday, March 24, 2003 Posted: 5:49 PM EST (2249 GMT)

"F___ Saddam. we're taking him out." Those were the words of President George W. Bush, who had poked his head into the office of National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice.

The Senators laughed uncomfortably; Rice flashed a knowing smile. The President left the room. A year later, Bush's outburst has been translated into action, as cruise missiles and smart bombs slam into Baghdad.

snip

and now for the clincher (emphasis added):

But the apparent simplicity of his message belies the gravity at hand. SURE THE OUTCOME IS CERTAIN: America will win the war, and Saddam will be taken out. But what is unfolding in Iraq is far bigger than regime change or even the elimination of dangerous weapons.

This is a long article but repeats most of the things we have grown to learn about the neocons.

Sorry, here is the link:

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/03/24/timep.saddam.tm/

Yes just go to http://www.newamericancentury.org and look at the dates on some of the early stuff, plotting about the middle east. 9/11 was a convenient excuse.

& read Clarke's book - he served in 4 administrations and much of his book is about how obsessed Bush was to go into Iraq from day 1.

& Dorothy, we're not in Kansas anymore!

Military performs first gay wedding
Last updated Jun 14 2005 08:40 AM ADT
CBC News
HALIFAX – Two men were married at the chapel on the Greenwood base in May, in what's being called the military's first gay wedding.

Lt.-Cmdr. David Greenwood, the base's head chaplain, said a sergeant and a warrant officer were married May 3 in front of about 45 guests.

"This couple had been waiting a very long, long time," said Greenwood, declining to give their names because he hadn't asked for permission.

As an Anglican, Greenwood could not perform the marriage. He made the arrangements for the service and a United Church minister from nearby Wolfville performed the vows.

"I looked after the co-ordination in accordance with our military policy of receiving the couple with dignity and respect," said Greenwood.

"I was there to preach and welcome the community on behalf of the base chaplaincy."

Greenwood said the ceremony was relaxed and low key, and there was no dry eye in sight when the couple signed the marriage documents.

Last September, the Nova Scotia Supreme Court ruled that banning same-sex marriages is unconstitutional, effectively changing the definition of marriage in the province to "the lawful union of two persons to the exclusion of all others."

The military has said it's willing to host gay weddings in jurisdictions where it's legal.

Greenwood said he has been told that a second same-sex marriage may be in the works at CFB Valcartier later in the year.

OOT
'Freedom' a taboo word on Chinese Internet
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CHINA_MICROSOFT?SITE=TNKNN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2005-06-14-07-50-02

SHANGHAI, China (AP) -- Chinese bloggers, even on foreign-sponsored sites, had better choose their words carefully - the censors are watching.

Users of the MSN Spaces section of Microsoft Corp.'s new China-based Web portal get a scolding message each time they input words deemed taboo by the communist authorities - such as democracy, freedom and human rights.

"Prohibited language in text, please delete," the message says.

However, the restrictions appear to apply only to the subject line of such entries. Writing them into the text, with a more innocuous subject heading, seems to be no problem...

This story needs our attention. Apparently Anold is planning on using DeLay's methods for undoing California's Congressional makeup and changing the methods for apportioning the California Congressional delgeation and installing hand picked Republicans, a lesson he learned from Tom DeLay's success.

Those of us here from Texas know what ReDistricting means and the substantial consequences to the makeup of the US Congress. The way I read this ballot initiative Anold plans on creating a panel which I am sure he will stack with folks like Dan Isses and Pete Wilson to recraft California's Congressional makeup. Anold has pledge to raise $50 to shove down Claifornian's throats his ReDistricting plan in an off election year when he knows that California Democrats will normally not show up in large numbers to vote.

We can not rely on the teacher's unions in California to defeat this California power grab by the Republican minority. Here in Texas we reacted too late to stop Tom DeLay and Colbertson from their partisan power grab and it costs us 5 Congressional seats something this country we cannot afford in '06. Its not too early to help mobilize California against this proposition by contacting the California Democratic party , Barbara Boxer and Nancy Pelosi. We shouldn't be lulled to sleep like we were here in Texas. While all eyes are targeted against the war and the nuclear option I ask that we initiate a mobilization strategy to help California Democrats this November, a mere 130 days away.

"The Los Angeles Times' Jordan Rau lays out the issues that will be on the ballot in the Nov. 8 special election that Gov. Schwarzenegger called yesterday, and does an excellent job of explaining how and why Schwarzenegger reached this point.

"The election will be the most critical test of Schwarzenegger's administration, a test in which he faces well-funded opponents and some reluctance even from powerful figures in his own party," write Hubbell and Martin of the San Francisco Chronicle. "It sets the stage for a political war for control of Sacramento pitting the governor's big-business allies against Democrats and labor unions, two of his principal detractors. And it's a confrontation that political experts say could have national ramifications."

I hope others here share my concerns about this story which is under the national and California media radar when all we are hearing about is Michael Jackson. This vote is coming very soon and it will impact our desires to change the direction of Congress in '06.

OK, so it's getting worse. Every day. And we put Five Minutes for Democracy a Day on the front page., Every day. And we ask you to take actions.

Do you?

We would like to know...

Over the past four weeks, I have spent a great deal of time with other organizations and indivisuals who are also working to bring democracy back to this country. What makes us unique is that we are an online learning community, dedicated to action.

Everyone loves Five Minutes A Day for Democracy. What I want to know is--is it working?

Is anyone actually DOING those things?

Oncall --

Both of those articles are amazing, the GNN and the CNN.

It's clear to me that if we'd had better leaders in charge during the time that led up to and followed 9/11... we'd have had a different outcome.

I think there's also a lesson here about the lack of a clear foreign policy approach leading up to 9/11. Going back many years.

Unfortunately, the neocons have now developed a clear policy agenda, and we'll be living with the disastrous fallout for decades to come.

karen --

I always read the 5 minutes a day, and if it's something I can participate in (email, phoning, writing of any kind, whatever), I do it.

If it's attending a rally in another state, and I'm at work, I tend not to do that.

Overall, I'd say democracy is getting a lot more than 5 minutes of my day. And I'm guessing that a lot of people here are in the same boat:)

P.S. Aren't you supposed to be taking a vacation from the DCP? You don't seem to be vacating...

ok... true confessions time...

Karen, I can't say I've done every one of the 5 Minutes a Day suggestions... but I have done a lot of them.

It's so nice to have the information concisely presented and I think that we do make a difference when each one does it.

I recently got a personally signed letter from my representative, Christopher Shays, in response to my email telling him that I supported his stand against the Republican Caucus repealing the rule that required a leader to step down if indicted. He is one of the out-numbered "moderate" Republicans.

Here's his letter:

"Thank you for your email expressing support for my vote against repealing a rule of the Republican Conference which requires party leadership to step down if indicted in federal or state court."
~snip~
"First, let me say I believe Congressman DeLay should step down as Majority Leader and have said so publicly. Concerns about his conduct and admonishments by the House ethics committee have hurt Congress and the credibility of those of us who serve in Congress."

"I opposed repealing the Republican Conference rule requiring party leadership to step down if indicted in federal or state court, and spoke out in November, both in the conference and publicly, in opposition to this change following the vote. I was a strong advocate for the rule's passage in 1994 because I believed then -- and still believe -- members of Congress must live by a higher standard."

"I am grateful that the public spoke out in the ensuing weeks and that on January 3, 2005, the Republican Conference reversed itself and did not repeal this rule when we organized the 109th Congress the following day."

Regrettably, changes made to the House Ethics rules in January significantly weakened the ability of investigations to go forward. Specifically, the new rules repealed the requirement that a complaint be dismissed if an investigative subcommittee has not been established within 45 days after the complaint is filed and require a majority of the committee members vote for an investigation to go forward. This change led to partisan deadlock."

"Because of my opposition to the rules change, I co-sponsored H.Res. 131, sponsored by House Ethics Committee Ranking Democrat Alan Mollohan, reversing these rule changes. I am grateful that on April 27, the House voted 406 to 20 to repeal the new rules governing investigations. As I stated on the House floor,

"Now that the Ethics Committee is in working order again, I hope it will not be used as a place to score political points, but rather as a body that continues to make us all proud to serve in the people's House."

"When Republicans were elected to the majority in 1994, it was in part because we promised to be different than the entrenched Democrat majority. This rule was conceived when Democrat leaders were indicted but refused Republican calls to step down from their leadership positions."

"It seems to me some members have forgotten how we got here and what the Republican Conference stood for when we won the majority in 1994. Ethics in part is what brought us together in 1994. We wanted to be different. We pledged to take the high moral ground."

"With regard to Leader DeLay, while the Texas Grand Jury has not indicted Congressman DeLay, if he were to be indicted he would have to step down as Majority Leader. I do not believe members of Congress who have contributed to his legal defense fund should serve on any investigative committee rendering a decision on Mr. DeLay."

Sincerely,

Christopher Shays
Member of Congress

========================

If you read closely, he acknowledges that all our outrage changed how the Republican Conference acted. We do make a difference.

VE,

I am as vacant as I can be! This just in:

Hearings to be held at DNC because Republicans Denying Democrats Use of Rooms on Hill

On Thursday June 16, 2005, at 1:00 p.m. in the Wasserman Room at 430 S Capitol St. SE, Washington, D.C., Rep. John Conyers, Jr., Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and other Congress Members will hold a hearing on the Downing Street Minutes and related evidence of efforts to cook the books on pre-war intelligence.

The hearings are being held at the Democratic National Committee because the Republicans controlling the House Judiciary Committee refused to permit the ranking Democratic Member to use a room on the Hill. http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/UndertheDome/index.html Nonetheless, Republicans are welcome to attend.

Later on the same day at 5:00 p.m. ET in Lafayette Square Park, in front of the White House, a large rally will support Congressman Conyers who plans to deliver to the White House a letter addressed to President Bush and signed by over 500,000 Americans and at least 94 Congress Members. The letter asks the President to respond to questions raised by the Downing Street Minutes.

Among those speaking at the hearings will be: Joe Wilson, Former Ambassador and WMD Expert; Ray McGovern, 27-year CIA analyst who prepared regular Presidential briefings during the Reagan administration; Cindy Sheehan, mother of fallen American soldier; John Bonifaz, renowned constitutional lawyer and co-founder of AfterDowningStreet.org.

Among those speaking at the rally will be: Congressman Conyers and various other Congress Members, Cindy Sheehan of Gold Star Families for Peace, John Bonifaz of AfterDowningStreet.org, Ray McGovern former CIA analyst, Medea Benjamin of Global Exchange, Rev. Lennox Yearwood of Progressive Democrats of America, Stephen Cleghorn of Military Families Speak Out, Kevin Zeese, Director of Democracy Rising. More information, and flyers promoting the rally, are available at www.afterdowningstreet.org

Flyers to print, copy, and distribute widely:
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/downloads/rally.pdf

LOCAL RALLIES PLANNED AROUND COUNTRY
Supporters of this campaign are independently organizing rallies on Thursday at locations around the country.
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=211

AfterDowningStreet.org is a rapidly growing coalition of veterans' groups, peace groups, and political activist groups, which launched on May 26, 2005, a campaign to urge the U.S. Congress to begin a formal investigation into whether President Bush has committed impeachable offenses in connection with the Iraq war.

Posted by: Karen at June 14, 2005 10:20 AM

Karen,

I have never been to confessional (especially a public one). I have to admit that I don't do every one of the listed five minutes a day action alerts. I know you don't expect anybody to do each one. I do however try to do those projects for which I have the time. I send e-mails, make calls and talk with others about the site. In general I would say that I have been reasonably successful. I say that by the responses that I have received from my correspondences.

We are reaching frustrating times. Our country is in a horrible mess. Those of us who have spoken to truth have been characterized as unpatriotic and sometimes worse. During the summer months, it is hard to get others involved, but not impossible. This movememt for truth is evolving and will reach critical mass soon. We all know that is happening. Our disappointments and frustrations will not be in vain. We will succeed.

Schwarzenegger announced Monday that he had signed a proclamation calling a special election for Nov. 8, only the fifth special election in California since 1910. He wants voters to consider measures that would cap state spending and

" strip lawmakers of their power to draw legislative boundaries"

and increase the amount of time it takes public school teachers to get tenure.

He also is likely to endorse a measure curbing public employee unions' ability to raise political contributions from member dues. That move will almost certainly produce fierce opposition from national unions who view the measure as a blow to organized labor. Democrats oppose it because they draw substantial campaign funding from unions.

The summer months in a non-election year typically offer a lull in the political campaign cycle, but the prospect of a special election this fall promises a costly face-off between the governor's political team and deep-pocketed Democratic interest groups."

This abuse by Arnold is as bad as what Tom DeLay has done with Texas ReDistricting.

Oncall knows.

Hearings to be held at DNC because Republicans Denying Democrats Use of Rooms on Hill

Posted by: Karen at June 14, 2005 12:33 PM

Beyond covering the event. We have to demand that CNN, MSNBC, and all the other Bushco Propaganda outlets (corporate media) publicize the fact that truth is being denied a forum in our own Capitol.

The members of Congress who represent half of this country are being denied a room to speak in the Capitol.

DAMNIT!! IS SOMEBODY GONNA GET MAD SOON?????

Reid and Co. should STORM the DAMN ROOM if that's what they've got to do.

Sensenbrenner's behind this, no doubt...

Time to give "Porky" some calls and letters.

Senate Issues Apology Over Failure on Lynching Law
By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
Published: June 14, 2005
Although the Senate garnered praise on Monday for acting to erase that stain, some critics said lawmakers had a long way to go. Of the 100 senators, 80 were co-sponsors of the resolution, and because it passed by voice vote, senators escaped putting themselves on record.

"It's a statement in itself that there aren't 100 co-sponsors," Senator John Kerry, Democrat of Massachusetts, said. "It's a statement in itself that there's not an up-or-down vote."
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/14/politics/14lynch.html?ex=1276401600&en=4b82a992800bd03a&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

Here are those who did not sponsor the anti-lynching bill:

Bingaman (D-NM)
Conrad (D-ND)
Reed (D-RI)

Alexander (R-TN)
Bennett (R-UT)
Cochran (R-MS)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
Enzi (R-WY)
Grassley (R-IA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lott (R-MS)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Shelby (R-AL)
Smith (R-OR)
Sununu (R-NH)
Thomas (R-WY)
Voinovich (R-OH)

Posted by: oncall at June 14, 2005 12:45 PM
et al

Thank you. What is needed is AMPLIFICATION.

Shout from the rooftops.

Crimes are being committed.

Pass it on...

My e-mail to CNN:

Are you aware that Representative Conyers has been denied a forum in our nation's Capitol to speak to the truth about our involvement in Iraq? Specifically, his June 16 hearings regarding our President's intentions to go to war against Iraq will not be allowed to be held in the Capitol. As an American, I am outraged. These British Government memos are critical for all Americans to know about. Too many people have died for this issue to be denied an opportunity for truth in our Capitol. I think that if Americans knew what was happening then the hearings would be held in a proper forum. As a news orgainization, I hope that you take the opportunity to make this issue (the hearings and the move to suppress them) a significant part of your news coverage. Just as much as we have been hearing about Michael Jackson, I would hope that we would be hearing about this issue.

Raise your hand if you think anything but Jacko's trial results will be making headlines in the next two weeks (maybe longer).......

The Lamebrain Infotainment Media will make sure Jacko's trial results will make the top of any national and local news... which will divert attention away from anything Bu$hCo and the other NeoCons are doing behind closed doors, and divert attention away from the Downing Street Memos, and everything of any genuine importance that affects all of us in this nation....

Cartoons are dealing with the subjects that are serious... Non Sequitur and Doonesbury are particularly pointed today....

Thanks, oncall. Anyone else?

My e-mail to CNN
I am writing to you to question why in the world you are not covering the fact that Representative Conyers has been denied a forum in our nation's Capitol to speak to the truth about our involvement in Iraq? I have watched your news since the beginning of the vision Ted Turner had of actually covering NEWS and cannot believe that you would choose to ignore this happening right under your noses! If you are indeed a NEWS channel then please do just that and tell the people of this country what our government is up to.

My letter to CNN:

You might be interested to know that while you are covering the all important post trial story of Michael Jackson, Representative John Conyers and other members of Congress are being forced to hold hearings on the Downing Street Memo at the DNC, because the Republicans controlling the House Judiciary Committee (E.G the infamous Rep. Sensenbrenner) have refused to allow them to use a room on Capitol Hill.

This is absolute foolishness, an over the top use of power, not to mention childish in the extreme. I'm embarassed to have these people represent me. This Republican congress could care less about finding the truth and serving the american public, and this is the story you should be reporting.

You do a disservice to your constituents if you ignore this story.

Karen,

I read the five minutes a day section every time I come to the site, and I do the things that I can. Keep up the good work!

Posted by: florida dem at June 14, 2005 12:53 PM

Great, both my senators are on there. I'll write them as soon as I'm done with CNN....

Posted by: NonnyO at June 14, 2005 01:35 PM

Nonny: links?

My Letter to CNN.

ATTN: Program Director, CNN

I am writing today to inform you of a breaking news story that you might have not been previously aware.

Representative John Conyers and other members of Congress are attempting to hold hearings on the Downing Street Memo on Capitol Hill. The Republicans controlling the House Judiciary Committee have refused to allow them to meet in The Peoples' House so they have had to adjourn to the DNC headquarters.

This partisan behavior is appalling to say the least. The Capitol Building does not belong to one party but to ALL Americans and it is in the interest of all Americans this story be told and Rep. Conyers hearings must be televised.

Thank you for your attention to this request.

Thank you ALL. Let's keep going...

Posted by: oncall at June 14, 2005 12:38 PM

Hey OC,

These are frustrating times, indeed. As the truth comes out, the neocons are feeling the heat and ramping up in whatever ridiculous way they can. I've had negative interactions with both my brother and brother-in-law after sending them Carly's Poem.

Neither of them cares a hoot about (or even acknowledges) any domestic problems we are having, neither cares if the government is lying, in fact they both think the government has a right to lie to us. Anything to protect us from another attack. These are educated men.

I wonder how they can live in the same country as I do, and especially how my brother even comes from the same family as I do. We seem more far apart than ever, and when I hear things like Conyers being prevented from using a room on the Hill, it feels like it is all collapsing. Before we know it, we'll be seeing our representatives on TV throwing chairs at each other like they do in some asian countries. You can bet the MSM would cover THAT. They'd just blame it on the dems.

Anyway - it does feel like change is aloft, but it's going to be a hard road getting there.

Here's mine.

Representative Conyers has been denied a forum in our nation's Capitol to speak to the truth about our involvement in Iraq.

A Representative of the people of America, the people you are supposed to report the NEWS to, has been denied an ear in the nations' capitol because the White House does not want to be confronted with the TRUTH.

Representative Conyers is doing his job. He has hard questions WE THE PEOPLE want and deserve answered regarding the invasion of Iraq.

If it is the last thing you EVER do in your career, PLEASE report the truth about this abuse of power coming from the White House today. WE WILL NOT be held at arms length when confronting this serious issue. The issue is: WHEN was the decision made to invade Iraq? Did this administration "COOK THE BOOKS" to make removing Saddam Hussein from power appear justified, in order to "make it legal"? I believe Representative Conyers wants to ask that question on behalf of the people of the United States, and ALL the people who have been killed as a result of that invasion.

Don't you want to know? Or would you prefer to trade your freedom and the freedom of America's people for your paycheck? Don't be a puppet, report the TRUTH. Report REAL NEWS.

Report the indignity of Representative Conyers being denied a voice in our nation's capitol in this matter.

Ew- to e-mail Sen. Cornyn you have to stare at a picture of bush. =/

I have just sent a letter to Sen. Voinovich asking why he was among the senators who did not cosponsor the anti-lynching resolution. I asked for him to give me a personal reply to explain his position. I will be eagerly awaiting his response!
Yesterday's mail contained a letter from Congressman Mike Oxley thanking me for expressing my views about election reform . Of course he said he would keep my views in mind and I'm sure he will, as he always does, before he votes directly in opposition to them.
Another letter came from Michael Coleman asking for my help in his campaign for governor of Ohio. I don't know at this point if I will support him or Ted Strickland. I need more information.
Now I'm off to write to CNN about the denial of space to John Conyers for his Downing Street meeting.
I saw am interesting item on Daily kos (I think) about senate races. It listed the senators ranking and Sen. DeWine was not in a good position. The article said that Cong. Sherrod Brown could make it an interesting race if he chooses to run. I'm hoping that Coingate makes all races interesting for Ohio republicans as they scramble to distance themselves from the scandal.
Karen, I do try to do as many of the 5 minutes for democracy as possible . Since I am a teacher on summer vacation, I'll try to give much more than 5 minutes. I know we are making a difference! I appreciate all the work that you and the others do to teach us democracy and help us to make our voices heard.

Any Va bloggers here today are urged to call moderate friends now to go vote in the Dem primary today.
Larry Sabato reports that any moderate that votes in either the Dems or Rep. primary today will be locked in to that party ballot in Nov.
Va is a critical state going forward and needs to stay in Dem hands to help us in '08.

CHECK THIS OUT:

NBC NEWS VERIFIES NEW UK MEMOS

~snip~
(emphasis added)
But now, war critics have come up with seven more memos, VERIFIED BY NBC NEWS.
~snip~

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8207731

Also check out the "Creation of a War" timeline put together by www.rawstory.com

http://www.rawstory.com/exclusives/muriel/path_of_war_timeline_613.htm

Check this out... our own Christy Cole wrote a wonderful essay which she posted on her own blog and submitted to another blog, watchingthewatchers. Now rawstory.com has picked up her essay from watchingthewatchers.

Look for the article titled: When will Democrats Retake the South right under the blogs/media header

http://www.rawstory.com

or go to Christy's own blog:

http://rebellenation.blogspot.com/2005/06/preaching-to-choir.html

It brought tears to my eyes...

Check out the coverage that the Beloved Bus Tour and Cindy Sheehan are receiving in Kentucky from the Lexington Herald-Leader's kentucky.com website

http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/news/local/11888623.htm

That's who Suz saw this weekend!

I have finished letters about Rep. Conyers Thursday meeting to CNN, MSNBC, and C-SPAN.
Christy, your article on Rawstory was wonderful. I hope there is a hero out there who acts upon it. I also hope someone brings it to Howard Dean'a attention. Hasn't he said that we will fight in all 50 states? Keep up the good work!

This is an excellent piece wriiten by my good friend Christy I would like to share it with you all;

Preaching to the Choir.
Excuse me, Blue State people. May I have your attention please..? Thank you.

I make it an obsessive habit to watch everything in our country lately. From down here in Louisiana, because of the 'Information Revolution' I keep surprisingly up to date on the current cluster***k our nation has become.

Now, normally, I don't see things in red state/blue state terms. I was taught to believe we are ALL Americans first. Period. However, there is a red/blue problem that I simply can not remain silent on anymore. It touches on EVERYTHING we hope to do.

I see all our democratic and activist leaders, all on the move. It is truely a beautiful thing. The people are waking up, and the message is trickling out, slowly but surely. Our opposition to the tyranny of the Bush family bonds us in ways that transcend blue state red state and hold us firm against the fear. I see our leaders holding rallies in N.Y., L.A., Phoenix, and D.C.

What I do not see is rallies in Jackson, Shreveport, or Birmingham.

There may be a speech now and then, that gets heartily protested by the very loud minority, and then they are gone. Back to the blue states to preach to the chior. There is no democratic hope in the south because there are no democratic generals here fighting the republicans on thier own turf. Don't get me wrong there are dems here hard at work trying desperately to spoon out the ocean. But these dems are underfunded and COMPLETELY INVISIBLE in our daily lives.

Now perhaps, you have been told that we are all morons down here that spit at outsiders and dream of the days when slaves were ours to own. Perhaps thats the image you have. But nothing could be further from the truth. By tradition the southerners are DEMOCRATS. We are only red state because the damn republicans have been rigging elections down here for more than a century. You think Ohio was ugly...? Try Louisiana EVERY election day. But, who do we tell? We are left with the corrupted leaders or telling those who will pass it on to the yankees, who then turn around and forget they once violently overthrew and occupied the very soil I am sitting above as I write this. And there were consequences.

MANY MANY consequences. All of them political. None of them easy. I wonder at times, if Martin Luther King had been from Cali would he have found it worth dying for? I doubt it.

Coming down here to make a speech and then outrun the fruit throwers on your way back to bluer borders WILL NOT WORK. You are simply overlooking the TRUE problem of the south because it is what..? Distasteful?..Tedious?.. Dangerous?

And you are missing the opportunity of the ages.

The current shuck and jive campaign coming out of D.C. these days is being delivered with a southern accent. But, not eveyone who SPEAKS with an accent, THINKS with an accent. And it is WAY past time to come and engage those people in a VERY lengthy discussion. One that we can sleep on, and engage again in the morning. I have never once believed the republicans outnumber democrats down here. ONLY at the polls is this a republican stronghold, and if you believe the numbers from Florida can be skewwed it's not a hard leap to see the truth about the south.

The truth is, you have abandoned us, and we need you now more than ever. We have the numbers, and the courage, and the will. But, we can not go anywhere without leaders who are willing to risk just as much as we are.

When a hero does come forth I do not know if he will be northern, or southern, black, white, red nor blue. I do NOT know if that hero that leads us to rally down here will even survive the experience. What I do know is this, WHOMEVER that hero is, when they rise from the ashes of the old south, their names will live forever in the halls of heros among men.

When that hero does come, many, including me, will give all we have to protect them. But we can not protect what we can not reach.

When the rallies that electrify the blue states are over, and the chior goes home, there will STILL be a quiet sense of desperation in the deep south. As a region we are the poorest and most illiterate, even now. You could get it all back, and win the very heart and mind of the country.

But you can not take what you refuse to touch.

Christy Cole

Distraction Attraction

Senate to hold another Bolton vote
Tue Jun 14, 2005 2:18 PM ET
By Vicki Allen

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Republicans hoping to turn up the pressure on Democrats said on Tuesday they would try again this week or next to break the deadlock over John Bolton's bid to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

The nomination of Bolton, an outspoken U.N. critic and a favorite of conservatives, has snagged on accusations he tried to misuse U.S. intelligence and bullied analysts and other administration officials who did not agree with his hard-line views.

Senate Republican Leader Bill Frist said he would hold another procedural vote on Bolton, even though he may not have enough senators to move the nomination to final passage, if only to demonstrate that Democrats are "unreasonably and irresponsibly filibustering this nominee."

Democrats late last month delayed the nomination in such a procedural vote, demanding the Bush administration give the Senate more information on Bolton's use of intelligence material in his post as top U.S. diplomat for arms control.

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http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyID=2005-06-14T181842Z_01_N14193997_RTRIDST_0_POLITICS-BUSH-BOLTON-DC.XML

Ty guys, yall are truely wonderful human beings.

http://hijackingcatastrophe.org/downingstreet/

watch it; send it out there

Our Conservative Government demands to cut funding to social and educational programs, those that do the most good, because the Economy should not support them. This is not only short sighted, it is dangerous.

This Economy was created by those very programs. WIC and section 8 Gives children a roof over their heads and food in the bellys. These children go on to become rocket scientists, teachers, engineers, and social workers. We invested in their future, and they created companies and technologies.
The Economy of the 90's was caused by social programs from the 70's. That generation took what was given and gave back, many times over.

What will occur when the Generation coming up does not have this support? Adults make choices based on many variables, most of them imprinted by childhood experiences. Why then does this Government try to make a childs life more difficult? We are actively choosing to build prisons instead of universities for the next generation.

This Nation never chose the easy path until now, We cannot allow the low road to become a four lane highway. We deserve better than this, we are capable of more than this, we must demand more than we are recieving from our President.

If this White House cannot deliver, we leave no stone unturned, no door closed, no bush undisturbed. We grab hold and shake government to its roots, and take back America.