A House Divided

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/03/politics/politicsspecial1/03scotus.html?th&emc=th
Conservative Groups Rally Against Gonzales as Justice

WASHINGTON, July 2 - Within hours after Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's announced retirement from the Supreme Court, members of conservative groups around the country convened in five national conference calls in which, participants said, they shared one big concern: heading off any effort by President Bush to nominate his attorney general, Alberto R. Gonzales, to replace her.
[Click on link to read more. Not one mini-headline about Rove on the e-newsletter from NYTimes.]

With Stephanopolous, one of the commentators said something about Gonzales in Iraq, mentioned it would be good for him to be seen with the troops if he does come up for a nomination.... However, conservative groups don't like Gonzales for his moderate stance on their hot button issues (they don't seem to object to his attempt to redefine torture, or to Gonzales' saying pResident Nitwit is above the law, etc....).

Feds Raid Congressman's Home
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/070305Z.shtml

Matt, I completely agree.

mkh was looking for the link to the Shut Down Guantanamo flag decals; here it is:

http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=2901

She is copying and distributing it--sounds good to me!

From the Toronto Star:
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1120255820566&call_page=TS_EditorialOpinion&call_pageid=968256290204&call_pagepath=Editorial/Opinion&pubid=968163964505&StarSource=email

Linda McQuaig says pliant American press behaving like Pravda in coverage of the U.S. president

If clear evidence emerged showing George W. Bush had written in his diary that he had lied to the American people to justify his invasion of Iraq, would the U.S. media even consider that a story?

I'm not sure any more. To an astonishing extent, the U.S. media have avoided scrutinizing this U.S. president, even after it became clear he'd launched a war in the name of disarming Iraq of weapons that didn't exist.

The Bush administration and the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee blamed this on "faulty intelligence," an explanation the media have largely parroted.

The Senate committee promised last summer to probe what role the White House may have played in concocting the faulty intelligence — but only after the presidential election.

Once the president was re-elected last fall, the Senate committee chairman, Republican Pat Roberts, simply cancelled the promised investigation of the White House's role, insisting it would be "a monumental waste of time to replow this ground any further."

Replow it further? How about plowing it once?

Roberts's decision to let the administration off the hook on Iraq was barely covered in the media.

Recently, some top-secret British government memos, leaked to the British press, have revealed that America's chief ally believed Bush's case for war was fabricated. Still, the U.S. media have barely stirred.

The British memos reveal the Bush administration had decided by April 2002 — a year before the invasion — to use military force against Saddam. This contradicts Bush's insistence that war was only a last resort.

One memo, detailing a secret meeting chaired by British Prime Minister Tony Blair in July 2002, shows the Blair government considered that Bush's case about the dangers of Saddam's weapons "was thin" and that "the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy."

The memo also shows the Blair government realized invading Iraq would be illegal and hoped Saddam could be provoked into doing something to justify war against him. One plan was for U.S. aircraft patrolling southern Iraq (officially to protect ethnic minorities from Saddam) to drop bombs in the hopes that Saddam would fight back.

The memo noted that "spikes of activity" by U.S. aircraft had already begun "to put pressure on the regime." British figures show that between May and August 2002, ten tonnes of bombs a month were dropped on Iraq. Still, Saddam failed to be lured into war.

In a televised address last week, Bush portrayed U.S. actions in Iraq as defensive, as necessary to protect America from another 9/11.

I saw no mention in the TV coverage of what the British memos reveal: that those with inside knowledge knew Saddam's arsenal posed no danger, that the intelligence was being "fixed" and that the U.S. dropped bombs to try to provoke a war — while insisting it was doing everything it could to avoid one.

Instead, the media kept their focus on what the president said in his speech. Pravda, covering a Soviet leader's speech, would have been similarly respectful.

Linda McQuaig is a Toronto-based author and commentator. lmcquaig@sympatico.ca

Excellent disection! Incredible!

NonnyO,

That goes for your post too!

Hey All,
We're off to a swimming hole for a day off--but back here to spend tomorrow fighting for democracy!

Karen and Dick

Write your powerful words to President Bush and ask him to pick a "moderate" nominee.

http://capwiz.com/pdamerica/mail/compose

And save that link, you'll be needing it!

mkh was looking for the link to the Shut Down Guantanamo flag decals; here it is:
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=2901
She is copying and distributing it--sounds good to me!

Posted by: Karen at July 3, 2005 10:40 AM

I'm going to do that too, & send to some people here who will probably want to also. Thanks!

Our fireworks display doesn't have a patriotic theme and it consists of very unusual Japanese fireworks - swirls and twists and turns and corkscrew things - very strange and unusual and unique.

Gaylord Nelson, Senator and Earth Day Founder Dies
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/070305Y.shtml

Caroline Arnold | Independence, Freedom, Democracy & the Presidency
http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0701-22.htm

I have to brag a little. Seattle is now known not only for rock bands, liberal politics, microbreweries, gourmet coffee and wineries but now has a 15 year history of development of artisan bread.

My son works for Essential Breads and their pastry chef recently won the World Bread Cup in Paris, which is held once every three years. This article is about bakers, bakeries and bread and I'm off to the bakery for my Sunday cinnamin roll. Not only is it made of croissant dough, but it's got caramel, pecans, raisins and is criss-crossed with frosting - great with a vanilla latte.

The winning bread sculture is on display there and has Mt. Rushmore, the Golden Gate Bridge, Statue of Liberty etc. - all done in bread.

Nice to know that US is still a contender for bread and bicycling (Lance Armstrong should be pedalling along).

http://www.seattleweekly.com/features/0526/050629_food_bread.php

Re: Decals for T-Shirts

Inexpensive way to make your own decals for your shirts....

Needed:
One T-Shirt (I use 100% cotton, it has to be pre-washed!)
T-Shirt Iron-On Transfers for Inkjet Printers -(the ones I have come in a package of 12, one for light or white backgrounds, the other for dark backgrounds). Follow instructions on which side to print the design on. (Test on plain paper so you make sure to know how print will appear after it's ironed on - you don't want your words to come out in reverse!)

Print out whatever you need on your inkjet printer, iron it on your T-shirt. There are many things to protest nowadays, so you might want to have more than one shirt with different political statements.... :-)

Another fun idea for summer (especially for kids):
There are fabric crayons you can get at your favorite fabric store, color your design on transparent paper (remember this will appear in reverse when ironed on the shirt if words are going to be used), iron the design on shirts or jeans.... If doing words, do the design in lead pencil on transparent paper first (I got tablets of transparent paper at the art supply store), then turn the paper over, do the designs and/or lettering (words will appear backward, but iron on correctly).

Hope everyone has a safe and happy 4th!!! :-)

WORLD TOP STORY

The world unites for needy July 4, 2005 GMT

WORLD leaders aren't normally known for their great taste in music.

But if nothing else, when the G8 summit begins in Edinburgh on Wednesday, the most powerful men in the world now know the unglamorous issue of African debt and poverty is well and truly on the agenda because of some scruffy pop stars.

While not having quite the seismic impact as the original Live Aid 20 years ago, the Live8 concerts at the weekend still packed a political wallop.

More than 26 million people sent text messages of support (a world record for a single event) and millions more either watched it live or on TV.

"For God's sake, take this seriously. Don't behave normally. Don't look for compromises. Be great," Live8 organisers said yesterday in a joint statement after the concerts ended.

In Edinburgh, 200,000 people marched peacefully through the city to back the Make Poverty History campaign.

The media in Britain -- where the build-up to Live8 had a much higher profile -- hailed organiser Bob Geldof and the 170 pop acts who graced stages.

"A beautiful day," read the front-page headline in The Independent on Sunday. "Is that loud enough for you?" asked The Sunday Times. But others are more sceptical.

In Philadelphia, where hundreds of thousands crammed the streets to hear Will Smith and Stevie Wonder, singer Alicia Keys questioned America's interest in helping Africa.

"America has a sense of disconnect when it comes to Africa or places that are very far away because many of us, most of us, won't get the opportunity to see those places," she said.

Limited television coverage in the US could also dampen the impact of such an impressive show of people power.

London's Hyde Park had the strongest line-up, with Paul McCartney, Bono, Madonna, Elton John, Pink Floyd, The Who and George Michael entertaining 200,000 people.

The crowd fell silent when Geldof replayed Live Aid footage of dying Ethiopians. After freezing on the image of a girl on the verge of death, the same person, a now healthy Birhan Woldu, was introduced on stage.

Geldof is pushing this time for a doubling of aid to Africa, forgiveness of debts and fairer trade. "Mahatma Gandhi freed a continent, Martin Luther King freed a people, Nelson Mandela freed a country. It does work. They will listen," he said.

U2's lead singer Bono probably summed up their message best. "The rock stars and the hip-hop stars can't change anything but our audience really can," he said.

"We're not asking you to put your hand in your pockets but we are asking people to put their fists in the air."

more photos, go to http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au

interesting discussion of Rove & reporters

http://obsidianwings.blogs.com/obsidian_wings/2005/07/rove_and_plame.html

Guardian:

Photos: Live8 Around the World
http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/gallery/0,8542,1519885,00.html

Live Blogging from Edinburgh all weekend:
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/news/

Toronto Star:

"We are citizens of the global village. We need help," said Siphiwe Hlophe, 45, an African, who travelled from Swaziland to join the march. "The G-8 leaders must live up to their promises."

Waving banners, blowing whistles and clutching balloons, protestors in white — the symbol of the anti-poverty campaign — streamed through the cobbled streets of the Old Town, over the Royal Mile and through the commercial district, encircling Edinburgh Castle with a giant human bracelet.

Organizers said more than 200,000 people took part.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair says poverty in Africa is a "scar on the conscience" of the world. He's seeking concerted international action when leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States join him for a three-day summit, in nearby Gleneagles.

Finance Minister Gordon Brown praised the anti-poverty marches and concerts and promised to step up efforts to help the world's poor.

"You are standing up today for people who have no power of their own but need power, and we are on their side," Brown said, in a passionate speech to several hundred activists from the charity Christian Aid. "To tackle the greatest evil of our time, ours must now become the greatest moral crusade of our time."

Brown reiterated Britain's call for debt relief, free trade and more aid. "The needs that we must meet are urgent and we cannot wait."

A percussion band from Ghana played and some demonstrators wore masks depicting the faces of G-8 leaders.

"We recognize our solidarity with the poor of the whole world," Cardinal Keith O'Brien, leader of Scotland's Catholics, told a rally in Meadows Park. "We demand generosity and justice in our giving and politics." Scores of shops were boarded up along the march route and steel barricades ringed the Parliament and Holyrood House, the Queen's official residence. Police helicopters hovered and officers in riot gear, some on horseback, were on standby.

About 150 anarchists and anti-globalization protestors dressed in black, many wearing hoods or wearing bandanas, stood out against the sea of white.

Taipei Times:

"We're not here to march for charity; we are here to march for justice," said Walden Bello, of the advocacy group Focus on the Global South.

The atmosphere was festive, with an African percussion band playing and some demonstrators wearing masks depicting the faces of G8 leaders including US President George W. Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Britain's two main Roman Catholic leaders headed the procession and Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the leader of Scotland's Catholics, read a message from the Vatican.

He said Pope Benedict XVI urged those in rich countries to bear the burden of reducing debt for the poor and call on their leaders to fight poverty.

"His Holiness prays for the participants in the rally and for the world leaders soon to gather at Gleneagles, that they may all play their part in ensuring a more just distribution of the world's good," said the message from Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano.

Reuters:

The concerts brought an unprecedented lineup of talent to 10 stages from Tokyo in the east to near Toronto in the west.

London's Hyde Park had the strongest cast, with Paul McCartney, Bono, Madonna, Elton John, Pink Floyd, The Who and George Michael entertaining 200,000 people.

The raucous crowd fell silent when Live 8 organizer Bob Geldof replayed Live Aid footage of dying Ethiopians. After freezing on the image of a girl on the verge of death, the same person, a now healthy Birhan Woldu, was introduced on stage.

Philadelphia's Live 8 attracted hundreds of thousands.

-- Johannesberg has essentially a media blackout on this. How is Fox's coverage?

American papers - minimal coverage, not seeing music and film links and crowd called "tens of thousands" - why is this event threatenng to a country where so many drive SUV's? Why is a huge concert in Philadelphia minimized?

from Andree:

Photos and videos + protest

http://permanent.nouvelobs.com/etranger/20050616.OBS0360.html

Lawrence O'Donnell's latest updated update on Rove / Plame and the Newsweek story:

Lawrence O'Donnell

Update on Rove
On Friday, I broke the story that the e-mails that Time turned over to the prosecutor that day reveal that Karl Rove is the source Matt Cooper is protecting. That provoked Rove’s lawyer, Robert Luskin, to interrupt his holiday weekend to do a little defense work with Newsweek and the Los Angeles Times. On Saturday, Luskin decided to reveal that Rove did have at least one conversation with Cooper, but Luskin told the Times he would not “characterize the substance of the conversation.”

Luskin claimed that the prosecutor “asked us not to talk about what Karl has had to say.” This is highly unlikely. Prosecutors have absolutely no control over what witnesses say when they leave the grand jury room. Rove can tell us word-for-word what he said to the grand jury and would if he thought it would help him. And notice that Luskin just did reveal part of Rove’s grand jury testimony, the fact that he had a conversation with Cooper.

Rove would not let me get one day of traction on this story if he could stop me. If what I have reported is not true, if Karl Rove is not Matt Cooper’s source, Rove could prove that instantly by telling us what he told the grand jury. Nothing prevents him from doing that, except a good lawyer who is trying to keep him out of jail.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/archive/lawrence-odonnell/update-on-rove_3584.html

Check out this disturbing video of Tom Delay, talking about Rove -a commenter wonders if he's had one too many.

http://www.dembloggers.com/story/2005/6/24/203535/424

This is a good column called "White House Briefings," from the Washington Post. I wasn't aware of it & am going to start reading it. Info here on Bush's PR strategy - make it look like we can "win" the Iraq war. Looking through the archives of this column, it appears to be almost prophetic in some ways about the way the last election turned out. It's like a political gossip column, but interesting to read for someone who lives nowhere near Washington DC (me) and doesn't really understand how these creeps operate (me).

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2005/04/11/LI2005041100879.html

American Independence

On April 19, 1775, Americans were prepared to, and did, fight for their liberty and freedom. When sun’s first light did reach the tree tops, an unexpected advance of British soldiers upon our brave American Patriots culminated in "The Shot Heard 'Round the World". Though it is still debated as to whether this took place in Lexington or Concord…the events of this day did indeed happen and were the defining moment in the birth of our American Democracy.

In that very instant was the beginning of the battle for our independence as a sovereign nation.

The Declaration of Independence, drafted by Thomas Jefferson between June 11 and June 28, 1776, became at once the nation's most cherished symbol of liberty and freedom. The political philosophy of the Declaration was not new; its ideals of individual liberty had already been expressed by John Locke and the Continental philosophers. What Jefferson did was to summarize this philosophy in "self-evident truths" and set forth a list of grievances against the King in order to justify before the world the breaking of ties between the colonies and the mother country.

Americans now face a decision of conscience no more difficult than our Founding Fathers and Mothers in defining and documenting the natural rights of all of humanity and refusing to yield their natural rights knowing such rebellion would surely be met with a swift and violent backlash from the tyranny of the Crown.

They, as We the People today, had a choice to make for themselves and for the future of all generations to come: Either conform to the will of an oppressive, corrupt and imperialistic government…or to stand united as a free and dignified people willing to fight for our individual rights and the rights of mankind.

Our independence in the beginning of the 21st century will not be won through the violence of battle but will be brought forth from within the potency of our intellect, the ingenuity to adapt and overcome any challenge before us and of our desire for the truth to be definitively heard in a chorus of individual voices crying out for justice as one.

E pluribus unum.

Literally meaning: One out of many.

If we do not stand united as Americans…as our Founders have done with astounding courage and conviction…our democracy as was intended shall surely fall.

Russia and China warned other nations Friday against attempts to dominate global affairs and interfere in the domestic issues of sovereign nations in what appeared to be a veiled expression of their irritation with U.S. policy.

Presidents Vladimir Putin and Hu Jintao signed a joint declaration after two days of talks calling for a stronger United Nations role in global affairs and opposing attempts "to impose models of social and political development from outside."

Before the eyes of the world we have the opportunity to cast out any shadow of doubt that we as Americans, as is not only our right but indeed our responsibility and duty as citizens, will strive to educate and enlighten ourselves and our fellow Americans as to the inner workings of our democracy. We will vow to question those who We the People have entrusted to govern in our stead and We shall protest when our elected officials attempt to degrade, subjugate, deny or subvert the rights of even one American within our diverse civilization or any foreign nation.

This Independence Day, July 4th, 2005 is indeed a moment that requires of all Americans a deep reflection upon how we have allowed ourselves to have been mislead so far from our country's noble course…to contemplate upon the past heroism of our Founders…to reach out and honor those who so courageously fight to protect our freedoms and liberties throughout the world and their families on this and every day hereafter…and a solemn promise from each and every individual with the audacity to dream of a better and brighter future for our beloved America…a renewed sense of unity in following the example of our profound teachers, mentors and heroes…by working with our fellow Americans to set aside our differences and strive for the noble causes of tolerance, justice and peace within our natural rights…a hallowed promise by all to live and thrive as a free and sovereign Nation and to once again regain control of our destiny by restoring a government of the people, by the people and for the people.

Happy Independence Day!

May it be a day of remembrance…a day of reflection…a day of great celebration...a day of infinite hope and renewed allegiance to our shared and constant struggle to maintain our national heritage and principles by pledging to stand up, to speak out and to live our lives as the world should be…not how it is in bowing to those who tell us how to exist as individuals, as a community or as Americans.

Be proud on this day! Be proud of our shared and glorious past. Be proud of the positive change we all contribute to the world each and every day. Be proud of our continued conviction to fight the coming battles which shall surely try the will of the most courageous among us.

Be strong…be free…be at peace…be as One.

Be Americans.

Indy

Thanks for the words during this holiday.

I especially took note of these two paragraphs:

Russia and China warned other nations Friday against attempts to dominate global affairs and interfere in the domestic issues of sovereign nations in what appeared to be a veiled expression of their irritation with U.S. policy.

Presidents Vladimir Putin and Hu Jintao signed a joint declaration after two days of talks calling for a stronger United Nations role in global affairs and opposing attempts "to impose models of social and political development from outside."

When I was a child I prayed each night for one thing - WORLD PEACE. I knew about Hiroshima and Auschwitz so knew human nature was corruptible.
It also shook my faith in God but still I prayed.

I started to support John Kerry (despite disagreements) when I saw him speak these words on video:

"We need to start making some friends on this planet."

This was in late 2002 and I never heard it broadcast or featured again, but for me, it was a done deal.

I have tried to live by this philosophy ever since I first heard it in 1979:

"Think globally, act locally."

This covers buying blue, working in a vocation that does not harm (and helps), boycotting, rallying, protesting, signing petitions, celebrating life, having international potlucks, travelling for understanding, attending cultural events, exploring ethnic culture, teaching peace (especially to children), and virtually everything else that I can think of to do.

Here are two examples:

I met Kit Kowol from the UK through the Kerry Forum. He sought a political internship in the US and I found him one in this area, for five weeks last summer. He returned this summer to fund raise for our mayor and will have a paid job here next summer. In September we will visit him. He is 19. He will spend 4th of July in NYC and we took him to Vancouver BC yesterday.

I met Marc from Paris through my job. He was in the US for NACEL, a program designed for international understanding through cultural exchange. His homestay fell through so we took him in, as the NACEL coordinator was the mother of one of my clients, and I learned that they were desperate for housing. He returned for the last two summers and in September we will visit him for the 3rd time. We took him to San Francisco and to Vancouver BC. He is also 19. His mother is starting a house swap tomorrow with a family in New York City, so she'll be there and they'll stay at her flat in Paris. In August, Marc will take a cross-country Greyhound trip through the United States, "to see how real Americans live."

I met Andree on-line through the Kerry Forum also and will meet her in person in September. & here is the ending of an article written by a Seattle travel writer/gourmet in "Cultured Traveller," after he and a friend visited the home of our Andree via a special program to foster international travel and understanding (let me know if you want to read the whole thing).

Dessert? Andrée’s daughters shake their heads. Judy and I split one of the lemon tarts. Andrée eats a raspberry. “Normally, I make a tarte tatin with apples and butter.”

We’re sated with food and drink, so the conversation turns to George Bush and John Kerry. Andrée tells us about her pen pal friend DiAnne in Seattle, who ran one of the Kerry blogs during the campaign. They’ve never met, just corresponded online.

“Why don’t Americans have a broader world view?” Judy wonders out loud. “Is it because we don’t meet people from other countries and learn about other people’s cultures? Because we’re afraid of differences?” 

She doesn’t really expect an answer, but Andrée has anticipated the question. I get the sense she’s heard it before.

Her response is to quote the quintessential American writer, Mark Twain: “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness.”

& this is why I have been posting all the articles about the G8 and Live Aid. The US is not an island and we will need to connect with others around the world, in order to even change our own system. We are interlinked. I am completely convinced. The separation between domestic and foreign affairs is completely eroded now in the age of the internet, air travel, satellites, mass media and globalization. Our educational system, government and media do not want us to live as global citizens, but unless we do, I do not believe we (or anyone) will survive.

Indy,

You probably know more than I do about this, but at the time of the Independence from England, every person and every region all had independent ideas and they were not "United" on every issue. Despite this, they were able to put aside their partison bickering and recognise fro the benefit of the whole, they needed to compromise. I find this sorely lacking today.

Sure, I would love to just blame one party but that wouldn't be true. There are instances where a compromise would help the American people more than one side "winning" everything they want.

This concerns me becuase GWB promised to be a uniter, instead he and his party have used wedge issues to win.

He had the opportunity to take Democrats and Republicans and create the AMERICAN voice but he tossed it to the wind.

Will that chance ever arise again? We here at the DCP and at other blogs, recognise we're fighting for democracy.

But for me, what is scary, is I sense the rising anger and I wonder what the long-term consequences this evil empire has set into play.

City dwellers...check this out! It's so cool!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4008343

The separation between domestic and foreign affairs is completely eroded now in the age of the internet, air travel, satellites, mass media and globalization. Our educational system, government and media do not want us to live as global citizens, but unless we do, I do not believe we (or anyone) will survive.

Posted by: DiAnne at July 3, 2005 01:27 PM

I agree Dianne. But I find it interesting that this is the same logic used to give reasons why we should accept outsourcing.

DiAnne and Sparrow,

Perhaps we need to think more like the Founders in controlling our government...

During our own American Revolution, the colonies relied upon the strength of their relationship with their allies such as France.

Though some may cringe at the very thought of asking a foreign leader to intervene on the part of the American people...it may be a start to build a greater understanding that we do indeed live within a global community.

Does Andree' know how to contact Chirac?

We could email or write letters to world leaders as Americans who do not share the current administrations Imperialistic intentions and ask for their assistance in restoring our Nation to the America the world once loved and respected and held in the highest regard.

Would this simple act be thought of or defined as treason?

To that I do not know the answer...but what if, just as during the election when the French were asked to write letters to Americans about the importance of the 2004 election and our choice of President, we turn the tables and ask that the citizens of other nations act to reach out to their leaders in helping the American people regain our democracy...

Just a Patriotic thought...

I am certain Presidents Vladimir Putin and Hu Jintao would understand that as a civilization, Americans as a whole strive for peace and world unity...it could be a contagious attempt to mend the wounds that were inflicted after 9/11 when we and the world watched in horror the actions of our government in invading Iraq.

Kind of like an open letter from the People of America to the people of the world...

HELP!!! =]

Indy,

I actually think it might be viewed as treason.

Indy,

Maybe we need a massive "message on a balloon" release day. We could send out SOS's to the country and the world. We could be the media.

What goes up, should go down, right?

Good post Dianne.

In those simple words lie great wisdom. When we start to see Iraq as people instead of a Goal, the war on terror begins to end.
When this Nation understands Iran is a Soveriegn and rightly proud culture, we stop the saber rattling and get down to negotiating productive paths to peace and open trade.
By all means hunt the terrorists down and finish them off. But confusing enemies is historically tragic.

The G8 Charade;
Africa has been rampantly abused by the IMF and International banking. An audit of African debt would reveal money flowing to Afria and immediately invested back in the United States, profitting the same banking community.
210 Billion dollars that could have stopped Aids, eradicated hunger, build hospitals and schools invested instead on the new york stock exchange. Africa was used to launder the money. Thats why the debt forgiveness is on the table, people are asking questions of where money has gone. Africa should demand complete Audits before any other action is allowed to proceed. Debt eradication is getting rid of the evidence.

At some point Americans must demand the ouster of people encouraging this. They are senators, congressman and Presidents. They write Legislation not only allowing, but providing tax incentives to abuse soveriegn Nations.
We are wasting 1.1 Billion dollars a week in Iraq while China is investing in Chile, India, Russia, Peru, Africa, Central America...fostering good will and encouraing trade. China is doing what our leaders only seem capable of talking about.

If this Nation is incapable of following through on its ideals, we should admit it. Dismantle this corrupt system and rebuild it. We dismantle it one office holder at a time.

I agree Dianne. But I find it interesting that this is the same logic used to give reasons why we should accept outsourcing.

Posted by: sparrow at July 3, 2005 01:40 PM

And speaking of outsourcing, I'm no longer going to refer to it that way! It is slave labor, period! Big businesses go around the world enslaving laborers while we here lose our job and our ability to take care of our family's food and health needs.

Sparrow

Business uses the "shrinking world" argument to justify outsourcing, but we can use it as individuals to build relationships.

We can remember that when jobs are outsourced, usually the people who receive the new jobs are exploited. I've been listening to info about CAFTA and companies that tried to make sure their foreign workers had good working conditions report that the companies hide records r/t forced overtime etc.

Having a global philosophy whereby all citizens are created equal and every baby is equally loved by its mother is different than running a global company where the bottom line can be increased by exploiting the cheapest labor.

The antiglobalization movement is international and that is the biggest champion of not letting the companies run roughshod over the planet. It's the people of the planet that should unite, not the companies. The companies do not represent the people - that is the fundamental problem.

Not to sound like some kind of Marxist here, but really, seriously - we do need to regain some balance between human rights and hypercapitalism run amok. You can talk to people most anywhere - in a developed country they will tell you their prices are rising and what they get in services is eroding, that their jobs are going to where there is cheaper labor. Then in an underdeveloped country, not enough quality jobs and lots of inflation, not enough services. It doesn't matter.

Indy

Actually Andree does know people high in government and it goes back years. It's ironic.

The point is, in the person-to-person contacts, we are doing powerful diplomacy. Andree and I last talked about cinnamin rolls and window washing. She knows that my living room is full of my son's possessions because he is having to move because his neighborhood is dangerous.

It only matters so much about Chirac or Bush.
Earlier I had sent her an article about Sarkovy, in English - he will probably replace Chirac. She gave me more background on him. She sent me an article about what will probably happen at G8. Bush and Blair are bound to disagree on climate change.

We interchanged links about world politics with links about bread and decorating.

The whole point of my argument is that we cannot make John Bolton into a diplomat but we can be diplomats on a personal level. When something arises like the ridiculous Freedom Fries thing, we can be so immune from it.

Sparrow

I agree about slave labor.

When I was in North Dakota, I saw a completely empty shopping mall. There was one business in what used to be a store. It was a call center.

Labor is pretty cheap there and there are few jobs, but I wonder how many people knew that those competing for the same niche are in Bangalore?

I would venture to say that both locales pay the equivalent of "minimum wage" max, and that costs for food, shelter etc. are relatively more expensive than those jobs can provide for - whether in Jamestown or Bangalore.

I have a service job so it cannot be done by a robot or outsourced directly. So what they do is this - increase my "productivity" standard (how many clients I must "bill for" per week), make me punch a time clock (and I see people working for nothing "off the clock"), and hire assistants and people straight out of school (cheaper than someone like me with experience) whenever they can. We are also losing funding sources every week as insurance companies tighten their belts (saying treatments are "unproven" or whatever else will enable them to not pay for children's healthcare) and the government shrinks from its responsibility to provide for the greater good (chopping Medicaid).

I have even heard that in some hospitals, you get an x-ray and the results are sent digitally for analysis in other countries where professional labor is cheaper!

By the way, I was heartened to see that Bill Gates was at one of the LiveAid concerts. (http://www.seattletimes.com now has some groovy photos of many of the concert artists).

Indy

Now I'm thinking about the letters to world leaders! I was thinking more of the people-to-people outreach, of which there is quite alot. All the http:/www.indymedia.org sites are linked - at the left column you can see the orgs from all over the world (but they have trouble with funding and staying up and running).

Remember all the "I'm sorry" photos circulating after our election? & the sympathetic photos of people lighting candles after 9-11? These were not governments or leaders. These were regular people. After the Madrid bombing, I found a photo on Las Ramblas in Barcelona and it was of thousands of people with umbrellas and the caption said (in Catalan): "We are all on that train" (that got bombed).

Every time an Iraqi baby dies, every time an orphan is made by one of the wars, by AIDS, by starvation - the grief feels the same as it would to one of us. I actually read a freeper post once where the argument was made that our feelings and sentiments are somehow different and it horrified me.

There is a type of brainwashing or conditioning that soldiers must go through and it causes incredible cognitive dissonance - when they're on active duty and when they return. It is almost too much to fathom that this is going on every day, on all sides. It doesn't matter if its state-sanctioned violence or terrorist group violence or individual violence (political or just sociopathic). It is a perversion of our nature to act this way. We are here to celebrate life.

We need to do anything we can to stop this malignant dysfunctional downward spiral of violence. It is also the opposite of functional human civil communication between related beings and is especially tragic. Animals other than humans do not act this way. They follow their survival instincts, try to protect their young and feed themselves. They do not use technology to kill each other.

These are remarks made in 1999 by George Bush, the father of our current President, speaking at the CIA.

Some people think, “what do we need intelligence for?” My answer to that is we have plenty of enemies. Plenty of enemies abound. Unpredictable leaders willing to export instability or to commit crimes against humanity. Proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, terrorism, narco-trafficking, people killing each other, fundamentalists killing each other in the name of God. These and more. Many more. As our analysts know, as our collectors of intelligence know - these are our enemies.

To combat them we need more intelligence, not less. We need more human intelligence. That means we need more protection for the methods we use to gather intelligence and more protection for our sources, particularly our human sources, people that are risking their lives for their country. (Applause)

Well, Fellow Patriots,

I just took a stroll around my neighborhood. Most political campaign signs have been down for quite a while; however, my next door neighbor, the one with the gated fence, who had his "Bush/Cheney 2000" sign up til he replaced it with his "Bush/Cheney 2004" sign up now has NO SIGNS. Not even his old, "Support the troops."

I wonder what's up. Could it be that he suddenly realized he's got 3 teenagers up for a draft who could be fighting Bush's illegal war? Could it be he doesn't like Bush messing with Social Security? Could it be that he suddenly realized Bush's policies will make it difficult for his own kids to get jobs?

Or could it just be that he couldn't handle the embarrassment any longer?

my local rags editorial for today:
Uncertain future
President Bush's message on Iraq puts symbolism over substance.
Star-Gazette Editorial
July 3, 2005

President Bush's success - and political strength - is his ability to stay on course. Regardless of what critics have to say, Bush has shown that he doesn't play to the media polls nor does he back away from a fight.

His recent message about the ongoing battle in Iraq reflects the president's consistent stance: "We will stay in the fight until the fight is won."

Bush made the comment Tuesday while addressing 750 troops from Fort Bragg, N.C., but his speech could have been a replay of many he's made about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The symbolism of Tuesday's speech was important. Bush spoke on the anniversary of the transfer of power from the U.S.-led coalition to a new Iraqi government.

But symbolism doesn't replace substance. Bush may be staying on course, but the path keeps changing with no end in sight.

Although Saddam Hussein no longer is in power, war continues in Iraq. The insurgents haven't gone away. The U.S. death toll nears 2,000.

The reality - that American lives are under constant threat - is complicated by questions that continue to plague the Bush administration:

What is the U.S. strategy in Iraq?

If the intent is for coalition troops to stay, why aren't more troops being sent to provide support?

What can be done to better protect U.S. troops?

When will Iraq's troops be able to defend Iraq?

What's the timetable for bringing troops home?

Americans are understanding of duty's call, so questioning the president's policy isn't criticism of the troops. Many Twin Tiers families have doubts of the war's necessity, yet that doesn't diminish their support for relatives and friends serving overseas. Raising questions about U.S. policy isn't being unpatriotic.

A growing number of Americans believe that sending U.S. troops to Iraq was a mistake, according to a recent USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll. The sentiment that Bush misstepped by committing to the war cuts across gender, age, education, income and even ideological lines.

U.S. Rep. John R. Kuhl Jr., R-Hammondsport, reacted as expected after Bush's speech Tuesday. And Kuhl's message does reflect what many Tiers residents feel, that "we need to conclude the war, complete our mission and bring our troops home as early as we can in an honorable way."

The nagging question is whether Bush knows that way. And if he doesn't, is the president willing to change course?

http://www.stargazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050703/OPINION01/507030329/1004

interesting.....

snip
And Kuhl's message does reflect what many Tiers residents feel, that "we need to conclude the war, complete our mission and bring our troops home as early as we can in an honorable way."
snip

doesn't that sound hauntingly familiar?

Posted by: mkh at July 3, 2005 03:54 PM

Deja vu.

~ ~ * * ~ ~

Is there any chance Rove could be playing a game in getting his name out there on the Plame case
to scare the Republicans into reuniting?

Truth,

I'm not sure. Me, personally, I don't see how this can help anyone in their party or administration.

But on the other hand, I've never been able to understand the planning behind the scenes in politics.

Thank gosh, they are finally doing something about all of our National problems!
 
Teacher Attire Becoming a Touchy Topic in Schools

LOS ANGELES (July 3) - Teachers are expected to bear long days, challenging students and demanding parents. Now, apparently, some teachers are baring too much of themselves.

School boards and superintendents increasingly are pursuing dress codes for teachers. At issue is the same kind of questionable attire most often associated with students.

In some districts, teachers can get dressed down for wearing skimpy tops, short skirts, flip flops, jeans, T-shirts, spandex or baseball caps. Spaghetti is fine in the cafeteria, but shirts supported by spaghetti straps are not welcome in the classroom.

District 11 in Colorado Springs, Colo., for example, prohibits sexually provocative items. That includes clothing that exposes "cleavage, private parts, the midriff or undergarments," district rules say.

In Georgia's Miller County, skirts must reach the knee. Elsewhere in the state, hair curlers are disallowed in Harris County and male teachers in Talbot County must wear ties two or three times a week.

"There's an impression that teachers are dressing more and more - well, the good term for it would be 'relaxed,"' said Bill Scharffe, director of bylaws and policy services for the Michigan Association of School Boards. "Another term for it would be 'sloppy."'

Regulating dress is touchy, teachers say.

Teachers may view policies that get too specific as restrictive and demeaning. And what to do about broad policies that are enforced inconsistently? What works for a physics teacher may not fit a kindergarten teacher who sits with students on the floor.

"Because we work with children, and we're trying to relate to them, sometimes we need to have guidelines that say, 'You know folks, here's the line, and you really need to stay on this side of it,"' said Karen Moxley of Grapevine, Texas, who teaches gifted seventh-graders.

But, she added, "I don't know that it needs to go down to what style of outfit you wear."

Moxley spoke during a group interview with The Associated Press at the annual meeting of the National Education Association, which got under way over the weekend.

School administrators say inappropriate dress is most often an issue with younger teachers, whose trendy clothing and casual style can make it hard to distinguish them from their students.

Mark Berntson, who teaches high school band in West Fargo, N.D., wears a tie each day. It's a tradition he began years ago to stand out from his students. He does not wear blue jeans to class often, saving them for occasions such as the first day of baseball season.

"I don't think I'm taken as seriously if I'm dressed down and I don't think I take my job as seriously if I'm dressed down," he said. "When I dress more professionally, I think I teach better, I think I'm received better, and I think I show more respect for my profession."

Schools usually have exceptions, such as allowing gym teachers to wear shorts. But sometimes the trouble is in finding the line - literally.

At the Tangipahoa Parish School System in southeastern Louisiana, the dress code was recently updated to let women wear crop pants that stretch almost to the ankle. But the school board still does not allow Capri pants because those stop only around the midcalf.

In Houston, the Aldine Independent School District's policy is cut-and-dried: Male teachers must ensure their hair does not go below the collar. Their sideburns cannot extend beyond the earlobe. Mustaches may not be of the "Fu Man Chu" variety.

This year in Alabama, Birmingham school superintendent Wayne Shiver Jr. tried to ban excessively tight clothing, see-through tops, blouses with revealing necklines and other no-nos.

But city school board members have directed him to scale back his plan in favor of a more generic policy. They do not want their administrators to become the fashion police.

"What's too short? What's too long? What's too provocative? What's too revealing?" said Jacqueline Oglesby, a representative for the Alabama Education Association, which worries about unfair enforcement of a dress code. "Everyone has their own definition. And besides, this is supposed to be about the education of children, not tattoos or holes in your tongue."

On the Hawaiian island of Oahu, where Aaron Paragoso teaches music, neat and casual clothes are the norm. He wears a tie when sixth-graders graduate from his school, telling them: "I'm congratulating you by dressing up in this manner. It shows that I'm very proud of you."

Teachers set the example, said Scharffe, the Michigan official and former director of school personnel. That is why he once sent home a teacher whose belt buckle featured a marijuana leaf.

Schools must balance their right to enforce reasonable rules against the freedom of expression that employees have under the First Amendment, said Lisa Soronen, staff lawyer for the National School Boards Association. School lawyers often determine a dress code "might be a nice idea, but it might not be worth the time and headaches to go through with it and do it."

This is the last straw:

 
Noonan attacked Clintons for appearing at Graham revival

Wall Street Journal contributing editor Peggy Noonan attacked former President Bill Clinton and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) for their June 25 appearance at evangelist Billy Graham's revival in New York City, asking, "Why did they feel it right to inject a partisan political component into a spiritual event?"

From Noonan's June 29 column for OpinionJournal.com, the website of The Wall Street Journal's editorial page:

And there are the Clintons. There are always the Clintons. ... It was embarrassing to see America's two most famous political grifters plop
themselves in the first row dressed in telegenic silk and allow themselves to become the focus of sweet words they knew would come.

Why did they feel it right to inject a partisan political component into a spiritual event? Why take advantage of the good nature and generosity of an old hero? Why, after spending their entire adulthoods in public life, have they not developed or at least learned to imitate simple class?

---I AM GOING TO BE SICK.

Sparrow,

In other words, would Rove get his name out there to start a feeding frenzy, and perhaps not be able to be implicated in the end, but in the meantime make for alot of nervous Republicans who might feel the need to reunite to save themselves for '06? He thinks way ahead, and everything with him is calculated. The more I think about it, the more I am questioning how he would ever put himself in a place to be implicated.

We might best use caution until we know for sure. They are a devious bunch.

That famous picture of the president of Iran as one of the hostage takers..take another good look.

There is a Man in the background, scratching his head, his other arm on his hip. ALthough he is in the background, his elbow protrudes on the head of the hostage in the foreground.

The picture is a Manufactured fake. Does anyone know if Karl Rove bought photoshop software lately..? LOL

Hi Indy!! You'll like this:

McKenna's militia takes on America's `Fox factor'

Ambassador arms Canadians in U.S. with facts, figures, begins campaign against negative image of Canada

WASHINGTON—Canada's ambassador to the United States marked Canada Day by embarking on an ambitious new goal — mobilizing more than a million Canadians in the U.S. to take their country's message to Americans.

Frank McKenna wants the "Canadian diaspora'' to be armed with facts, to debate Americans, to lobby when Washington makes decisions that can hurt Canadians and to try to counter the "Fox factor," referring to the U.S. television network, which often spreads disinformation and feeds a negative perception of its neighbour to the north.

snip

For starters, McKenna wants his new recruits to tell their American neighbours and co-workers that:

Canada is the largest source of imported crude oil in the U.S., bigger than Saudi Arabia or the yet untested reserves of Iraq.

The country has rotated 13,500 troops in the war on terror, has committed $300 million to rebuilding Iraq and is about to deploy a reconstruction team to Afghanistan.

None of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists entered the U.S. from Canada.

Canada-U.S. trade supports more than five million American jobs.

Read the whole article here:

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1120255821690&call_pageid=1109682110623&col=Query:1109682108702

"A growing number of Americans believe that sending U.S. troops to Iraq was a mistake, according to a recent USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll. The sentiment that Bush misstepped by committing to the war cuts across gender, age, education, income and even ideological lines." From the Star Gazette piece

Gotta say it - NO WISDOM. Knee-jerk foreign policy. There is NO WISDOM in this administration.

Contrast this to his father, who not only knew to keep the Neocons (and militant fundies) in their place within the Republican Party, but also refused to go into Iraq after Kuwait, in spite of tremendous pressure. That's what a little foreign policy experience and seasoned advisors will do for you.

We may not have agreed with everything Bush I did, but he sure had a hell of a lot more wisdom in his administration than this yahoo.

Amy

That article about Canada is a perfect example of the "citizen diplomacy" that I am advocating.

It is a thrill to listen right now as our young British guest plans his travel vacation with his young American pal that he met through his service-oriented travel. He absolutely loved Canada yesterday.

& I just got a phone call from our other young friend from France, & decided on the spur of the moment to make a few financial sacrifices (delays of needed repairs) & meet them in NYC for their "flat swap". Then he'll take his De Toqueville on the Greyhound trip.

Then before they return to college, they'll show us how they live. One calls me his "cool American aunt," the other his "American mother." & to me, they're my #2 and #3 sons, after my #1 bio-son. All of them are committed to a safer, more peaceful world.

"This year in Alabama, Birmingham school superintendent Wayne Shiver Jr. tried to ban excessively tight clothing, see-through tops, blouses with revealing necklines and other no-nos."

What teacher in his/her right mind would dress like this for work anyway? The last thing you want to do is distract the kids, or worse, give them ammo!

Amy

It just goes to show that these conservative prudes have one thing on the brain. I think there are many more Mayor Wests and Wilbur Mills types among them.

Here is a 4th of July card:

http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=FL24403073

& here is a story submitted by Uncle Jerry:

"Put it on the blog," he says (about how pot clubs are more common than fast food in certain places). It's intended to be "humor," I think.

http://sfexaminer.com/articles/2005/07/01//news//20050701_ne09_clubs.txt

From our friend Jude at Political Waves:

I live in the Heartland -- in the Ozarks, SW Missouri, USA. This is the land of lakes and trailer homes and city-shy hillbillys and tourists and poverty and craftsmen ... in the state of KC barbeque and blues, grazing cattle and soy-bean fields, and the belligerent Show Me attitude [and state motto] typical of it's most famous citizen, Harry S. Truman. There are pockets [hollers] here where you completely, and with a shock, leave the 20th century ... notice I didn't say 21st, we haven't aspired to that yet. I have to laugh when articles refer to the near-nonexistent "hinterlands" of America ... that's where I plunk my bones. I call it the Pea Patch.

Here in the Pea Patch there are fireworks set off on the tiny island in the middle of the lake every year. There is traditionally a craft fair in the town square of the nearby county seat ... pop. under 400. It's remarkable what crafters are willing to sell their skill and time for, here -- for bargain hunters, it doesn't get better. This is about "handmade/homemade" -- quilts, jams and jellies, garden produce, doll-making, woodworking -- lots of American flag themes ... lots of patriotism-inspired lawn ornaments, red/white/blue pot holders, and, of course, eagles galore. This is also the weekend when the "city folk" are down in droves, so the square was abuzz when I got there today.

Hidden among the laberynth of booths and tables were two places of interest -- one was the Democratic table, with people I know ... they're well-meaning and lethargic, but I don't fault them -- it's a small pond and they tread carefully least they get drummed out of the tribe. Another was a small booth raising funds for our Dem. Congressman, Ike Skelton. It had bumper stickers for sale, and I browsed. A handsome older woman with long flowing gray hair told me prices. I admired the "A villiage is missing it's idiot" sticker ... she said it was $3. As I reached for my purse, I noticed another. "That one's only $2 -- different suppliers," she said. I said, "I think I'll have to go with this one -- they won't hear the first, but perhaps they'll hear this." When she handed me change, she said, softly, "I have that one on my car. I don't know what this country is coming to."

I bought the one that said, "Hate is NEVER a family value."

The same way that hearing the Star Spangled Banner or America the Beautiful chokes me up now, for different reasons than it always has before, Independence Day is painful to me. While fireworks have always delighted me, now it's difficult to look up into the night sky filled with colorful "bombs bursting" and not think "Iraq" ... or gaze farther up into the heavens without thinking "Star Wars." But last night I watched the third part of the PBS special on the American Revolution and it cheered me some. So many in's and out's -- so many different opinions -- so many different classes ... but all united for freedom. The concept of the "citizen soldier." One British report said that, "They seemed a new people, a new breed of human." When the Mother Country finally gave up [due to public opinion and lack of treasure at home, I might add] one soldier commented on how sad it was to leave his fellows after eight long years ... "and no one can know our suffering." Our citizen soldiers, no less than our Founding Fathers, were committed, were faithful to the struggle despite the sacrifice required of them. We owe -- we pay back, now.

One of the "truism's" I tell people who are interested in Course in Miracles as opposed to religion is that "God has no grandchildren." Our relationship to the Divine is one-on-one ... it's not inherited, it's not "low maintenance" -- it's very personal, about as personal as it gets. That's true of freedom and democracy, too -- it's not low maintenance and today this generation, We the People, have to prove it yet again. I'm posting an article below from another spot in the Heartland -- it's from the Ravenna/Kent [Ohio] Record Courier, and -- trust me, I've been there -- it's a dinky little rural spot too.

The middle of America is not all red, not all asleep, not all unaware. We all love our country and on this weekend we are reminded how She came to be, and the sacrifice that authored Her -- reminded that we are still engaged in a struggle for Her Soul -- reminded that Red v. Blue is a myth, that in the Heartland there are those who work for Her deliverance on a small scale much as others work on a [louder and] broader one. We're all in this together.

So to all you American's out there, I wish you a Happy Fourth of July from the Pea Patch -- and may God bless America with remembrance of Her integrity, Her responsibilities and the highest aspirations of democracy.

Thanks for sharing that, Fe. It really grabs me tonight.

Today Dick wore his K-E t-shirt deep into the wilds of northern Virginia. Most we met along the trail were so grateful to see it, and they thanked him for not giving up. The woman at thw village bookshop we stopped at whispered to him, "I still have my bumpersticker on my car. I can't bring myself to take it down."

This is a typical experience for us--over the past two years, wherever we have gone, people sidle up to us and speak of the hope they had, the sorrow they are feeling, and they share the belief that they are alone in their communities.

But we can testify that they are not alone--that their neighbor just sidled up and whispered something so similar...

That is why the DCP exists. It is not for us to organize the country; but it is up to us to carry the message that more care than we think; more are ready to act than we are aware of.

SO please, everyone heed these comments tonight, and tomorrow--speak to your neighbors, share your concerns. You will be surprised, I think.

Bush says: I put US interests first

Monday July 4, 2005 The Guardian

George Bush sounds a warning today to those hoping for a significant deal on Africa and climate change at Wednesday's G8 summit, making clear that when he arrives at Gleneagles he will dedicate his efforts to putting America's interests first.

The president will adopt a stance starkly at odds with the idealism professed by the performers at Saturday's Live 8 concerts around the world and their television audience of 2 billion.

read the rest at

http://www.guardian.co.uk/g8/story/0,13365,1520827,00.html

I am celebrating the spirit of the G8 protests and the LiveAid concert, period.

'Reclaim our faith': America's pulpit politics take a left turn Sun Jul 3, 4:31 PM ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) - America's moderate and progressive evangelists, outgunned for years by the mighty "religious right," are demanding their own share of the political action.

Their mantra, in a building campaign against conservative Christians, a key constituency of President George W. Bush, is: "Since when was God pro-war, and pro-rich?

"There is a silent majority of moderate and progressive Christians out there and other people of faith who have felt completely left out of the conversation," Jim Wallis, a leading evangelical activist, told AFP.

Christians opposed to Bush, the most overtly religious president of modern times, say his war in Iraq, and tax cuts which they claim favor the rich, do not square with a faith which teaches followers to love their neighbor.

"We can no longer stand by and watch people speak hatred, division, war and greed in the name of our faith," said Patrick Mrotek, founder of the new Christian Alliance for Progress. "We must reclaim our faith."

Left-leaning Christians shudder at the prominence of conservative televangelists like Reverend Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, who preside over vast political empires.

They are seething over comments Robertson made on the ABC News Show "This Week" in May, which implied "liberal" judges were more of a threat to America than "a few bearded terrorists who fly into buildings."

But Republicans say their politics are deeply rooted in faith.

"We are called by our Creator to use this gift of freedom to build a more compassionate society -- where families are strong, life is valued and the poor and the sick can count on the love and help of their neighbors," Bush said in a satellite address in June to the Southern Baptist Convention, one of the most influential conservative evangelical groups.

Pulpit politics in America came under renewed scrutiny after exit polls suggested that voters prioritising "morals" may have swung last November's election to Bush over Democratic challenger John Kerry.

And they are about to be thrust right back into the political arena, as religious groups of all stripes blitz the airwaves in the fight for the Supreme Court seat left vacant on Friday by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's retirement.

Nomination battles could turn on issues like the separation of church and state and the fight over whether abortion should remain legal.

Religion and politics are perhaps more intertwined in the intensely religious United States than in any other developed Western nation.

"Religion has enormous political power -- it is very loud, it gets access to the press and to government power," said Marci Hamilton, author of the book "Religion and the Rule of Law."

A Newsweek poll in December 2004 found that 79 percent of Americans believed the Virgin birth was literal truth.

A national exit poll after the election found that 59 percent of Protestants and 52 percent of Roman Catholics voted for Bush, along with 78 percent of evangelicals and 61 percent of people who go to church weekly.

Each constituency was carefully courted by Bush in his first term, and Republicans have been far more proficient than Democrats at God talk.

But activists like Wallis, who heads the Sojourners national faith-based group, see a huge silent majority that could benefit Democrats in future elections.

"If Democrats just talk policy and don't talk about moral issues, they are going to keep on losing," warned Wallis, whose book "God's Politics" camped out in The New York Times bestseller list for 16 weeks.

But can a fledgling "religious left" movement take on the conservative Christian establishment, which boasts television stations, newswires and a direct line to the White House?

The religious right's allies in the powerful conservative talk radio sector are ready to smother any progressive Christian movement at birth.

"The religious left in this country hates and despises the God of Christianity and Catholicism and whatever else," the high priest of conservative talk radio, Rush Limbaugh, said on his show April 27. "They despise it because they fear it and it's a threat, because that God has moral absolutes, that God has right and wrong, that God doesn't deal in nuance."

This story looks interesting from the British perspective, and hasn't suffered from a few hours of jet lag!

Key Bush aide named in row over CIA leak

Emails reveal accused reporter spoke to president's right-hand man

Gary Younge in New York
Monday July 4, 2005
The Guardian

President George Bush's right hand man, Karl Rove, yesterday found himself at the centre of the controversy over who revealed the name of a secret CIA agent, after Newsweek revealed that he was a source for a story that appeared in Time magazine and for which two reporters are facing prison.

In a development that could prove extremely damaging to the Bush administration, two lawyers close to the case say that emails between the Time reporter who wrote the story and his editors indicate that the reporter spoke to Mr Rove.

Read the rest at

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1520821,00.html

Democrat Calls on Rove to Make Statement on Probe

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=aEjeGfPGmLBY&refer=top_world_news

Don't let this story die.

Posted by: not my president at July 3, 2005 10:57 PM

Whose America's interests first? Certainly not the average American whose jobs keep getting outsourced to sweatshops in India and China.

Bush is truly convinced that he can go it alone. No nation can. No great empire ever could - from China to Rome to UK.

Back from an afternoon and evening of BBQ and fireworks. When in an urban area in past years, big businesses could be relied upon to provide thousands of dollars worth of beautiful fireworks.
Here in rural red, July 4th is celebrated a bit differently.

Every Independence Day in this small farming town, the locals hold a parade. The parade last year consisted of high school kids in the back of a pickup, a big green tractor, and a float with a huge beer bottle in the back of someone's truck.

Ally McLesbian

I agree that he is referring to America as a big corporation.
If I were to fly a flag, I'd fly the corporate flag. Have you seen it?
As it is, I have 2 flags on my basement wall - a rainbow flag and an EU flag. They serve as room dividers.

I like to watch for what acts are committed, rather than pay attention to the symbolism of flags, bracelets and ribbons.
If I am proud of anything, it is of Kit - we just saw him off at the airport and I hadn't realized that he really does have to rely on a cane and wheelchair to travel, because of a previous accident and what tremendous courage it took him to cross to another continent last year just to try to help us reclaim our country.

I am happy that neither Gabe, Kit nor Marc has had to fight in a war under either the American, British or French flags and feel terrible for those who are fighting now, under false pretenses. I support all troops in that they were born as human beings with potential for love and peace, but no country or religion before any other.

I refuse.

Truth Shall Prevail

I think the money is short. When I was in Jamestown, which has about 12,000 people, the town was trying to come up with $5000 for fireworks. I think here that would go up in one burst.

It's a neat sensory experience. I enjoy it on that level but other than that, I think it's basically a great waste of money.

As artistry, if I were going to get into fireworks, I'd like to go to Vancouver BC some summer and spend the entire week at the International Fireworks Competition - I'd love to be on a yacht in the middle of the water.

When I was in the midwest, it was clear to me why there is such patriotism and support for the war - just as when I lived in SD during the Vietnam war - the rural places provide alot of the "cannon fodder," fighting the wars of rich old fat white corporate industrialists. People have to justify the sacrifice somehow.

After growing up with a father with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome who had to have electroshock treatments at the VA multiple times until at times he hardly recognized us, I don't think it's worth it. & if I was an Iraqi or Afghan mother with a son who was missing limbs, I wouldn't either.

I have felt this way since my father was too stressed to continue teaching and took on a garbage route. One thing he brought home (for lumber?) was a body box that had contained a body bag for a soldier a couple of years older than I, from my high school. On one end of it, it said "head." It was a waste, just like the several deaths from alcohol-related auto accidents which killed students that I knew well.

Truth Will Prevail

By coincidence, my friend Bert in Mpls just sent me this story, which he is going to have his son who just graduated from high school read.

It's about the ND National Guard and why people go the route that they do etc.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/04/sports/04soldier.html?pagewanted=1&hp

Blair Made a Deal With the Devil

It seems like a battered wife relationship. Abuse follows more abuse while the abused claims the abuser still loves her.....

*************************************************
Bush wants to shift global warming debate

LONDON, England (AP) -- Ahead of this week's G8 summit, President Bush says he wants to shift debate on global warming away from limits on greenhouse gas emissions to new technology that would reduce environmental harm without restricting energy use.

In an interview with British journalist Trevor McDonald to be broadcast on ITV television Monday, Bush repeated his opposition to the Kyoto Protocol on climate change and said the United States would not sign it or any similar deals limiting gas emissions.

"I think you can grow your economy and at the same time do a better job of harnessing greenhouse gases," Bush said. "That's exactly what I intend to talk to our partners about."

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who hosts the three-day summit of major industrial powers that begins Wednesday in Scotland, plans to make action on global warming a top focus along with tackling poverty in Africa.

Bush spoke of his administration's investment of $20 billion (16.55 billion euros) in developing hydrogen-powered vehicles, zero-emission power stations and other technology.

The Bush administration opposes the 1997 Kyoto treaty because officials believe it would raise energy prices and cost 5 million U.S. jobs.

"My hope is -- and I think the hope of Tony Blair is -- to move beyond the Kyoto debate and to collaborate on new technologies that will enable the United States and other countries to diversify away from fossil fuels so that the air will be cleaner and that we have the economic and national security that comes from less dependence on foreign sources of oil," Bush said.

Blair, who has described global warming as "probably the most serious threat we face" wants an agreement among G8 leaders on the scientific
threat posed by global warming and the urgent need for action.

He also wants greater research in so-called green technology, and to draw emerging economies such as China, India, Brazil and Mexico into the debate.

Prospects of agreement when the leaders of the United States, Russia, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan join Blair in Gleneagles,
Scotland, remain uncertain.

Bush described climate change as "a significant, long-term issue that we've got to deal with" and acknowledged that human activity is "to some extent" to blame.

Bush also made it clear that he was not ready to slash the farm subsidies that critics say distort global trade and make it difficult for African economies to compete unless the European Union was also prepared to scrap its Common Agricultural Policy.

"We've got agricultural subsidies, not nearly to the extent that our friends in the EU have," he said. "... The position of the U.S. government is, we're willing to do so and we will do so with our fine friends in the European Union."

In the interview, Bush was also asked if he would make a special effort to support Blair at the summit in return for the British leader's backing for the war in Iraq.

"I really don't view our relationship as one of quid pro quo," Bush replied. "Tony Blair made decisions on what he thought was best for keeping the peace and winning the war on terror, as I did. So I go to the G8 not really trying to make him look bad or good, but I go to the G8 with an agenda that I think is best for our country."

Happy Fourth Everybody!

Chuck in Houston, just back from a Class-A barbeque.

The real reason Bush opposes the Kyoto Protocol and anything similar is because his corporate donors like Ford Motor Company won't be able to sell those gas-guzzling, air polluting SUVs anymore.

Bush is pretty much afraid of Ford dying because of its inability to innovate. You know what? That's capitalism for you, too bad! The capitalism BushCo espouses has workers either working their behinds off to "innovate" or starving to death, with no job security to speak of; perhaps the same rule must apply to those corporations. No more corporate welfare!

I better get rid of my Ford soon...

To that end, a few days ago I test drove a Hyundai (Hyundai was offering me a $40 gift check for test driving, that's the other reason). Hyundai, the company that was building crappy cars in miserable sweatshops using leftover Japanese parts 20 years ago, is now building good cars - better than any Ford I've ever driven. And things have changed so much that now, the only Hyundai shop without organized labor is the one in Alabama. This is a shame for both American automakers and American labor laws.

Stop protecting Ford and others from the reality of responsibility toward the environment. If Ford can't survive in this new reality, and its only way of survival is more political contributions to Bush instead of using that money to innovate, TOO BAD.

Chuck in Houston for AllyMcLesbian:

First your Dell, now your Ford, what next? Just kidding -- your know Ford stands for Fix or Repair Daily, right? My brother is getting one of those Hybrids -- Toyota Prius, I think. My '92 Honda Civic CX (made in Canada, by the way), is doing great (knocok wood). When I drove down here from Portland I got 45 mpg on on a couple of tanks. The rest were 41-43 range. Hey, July 4th, what a great day to think about energy independence! Hyundai does seem to be making a major move right now. I wish US car producers wouldstart putting out that first-class, energy stingy product! I know that's a bit jingoistic. I guess as long as the jobs are good union jobs and the product is first-class I don't care where the corporate headquarters is.

Chuck in Houston

Happy 4th of July evryone.

All I can wish you is that the neocon scumbag explodes pretty soon. The too many lies and blurrs are already leaking through the cracks.

In the middle of those strange days we are all going through, my jaw dropped. I read in Le Figaro that the CIA has a common secret services basis in Paris with the GGSE, dedicated to Al Qaida. They have been collaborating since 2002. There was an article in the Washington Post that I couldn't find, but I found a similar one in the Seattle Times.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002356986_euroterror04.html

That's the kind of news Fox will never air.

Have a good peaceful day, all of you.

Sorry, "base" not basis.

French article with translation bottom thread for better comprehension.

http://permanent.nouvelobs.com/societe/20050704.OBS2293.html

Bush screws Blair again
(while screwing us & the rest of the world, but what else is new...)

Bush cool on climate deal, offers Blair no favors
http://today.reuters.com/news/NewsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2005-07-04T122919Z_01_N04711461_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-GROUP-DC.XML

Anybody see the film "Love actually"?

It's a British romantic comedy set around Christmas 2001, with a Tony Blair like PM (played by Hugh Grant) who essentially tells off a Clinton-Bush hybrid in the middle of a press conference, and chooses to issue his own Declaration of Independence.

One of these days, Blair is going to figure out it's okay to be a man, and tell Dubya where to shove his ideas...

Bullish New York promises Olympic present for Bush

New York is promising President Bush a special July 6 birthday present -- the 2012 Olympic Games.

The extravagant vow was made by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Bush's long-time friend and advisor Roland Betts in Singapore on Monday.

New York is up against London, Madrid, Moscow and Paris in the most heavyweight battle in Olympic bidding history.
_____________

Gag a maggot! & since when is Michael Bloomberg = NY, I doubt that many of his constituents want to give the shrub anything-- except maybe a basket of cow patties (not fully dry).
______________

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyID=2005-07-04T105102Z_01_N04707749_RTRIDST_0_USREPORT-OLYMPICS-NEWYORK-DC.XML

Cyrano

I love that film. I've seen it 5x.
The secretary kind of makes me think of a British Monica Lewinsky too (coloring, body type).

I love the scene where the couple is getting married & people randomly burst from all over the cathedral with horns and join in with "Love Is All You Need."

& I love the aging rockstar comeback guy with "Love Is All Around Us."

It's a Christmas tradition to watch that film.
Also recommended: "The Ruling Class" with Peter O'Toole and the original version of "Bedazzled" with Dudley Moore & Peter Cooke, where Raquel Welch plays "lust."

The Clinton-Bush guy in "Love Actually" is played by Billy Bob Thornton. You have to see this movie.

Andree
Right on - Seattle Times! I'll call you. We're planning the US/France reunion on Upper Westside NYC next weekend! We have obtained a posh flat via home exchange between NYC/Paris over the internet. The New Yorkers will be staying in the VIII arrondissement. We have determined that the East Village, Greenwich Village & Chelsea are the places to go. Just looking over the "nightlife" section, I can see that the Bushies have a way to go before they will ever conquer NYC!!

Any New Yorkers wishing to join said Meetup, let me know. I can't IRC as it crashes my computer.
You can email via the Forum.