DeLay and De Law

Casey,

Yes. I would say yes.

Tell us what to do...

I remember when Ralph Reed was coming onto the national scene, feeling that this was TRULY a wolf in sheeps clothing.

He looked like a nice boy, spoke softly and respectfully, with conviction and eloquence.

Kinda like Miers, a pitbull in size 666 shoes.

And speaking of those peace-loving christian coalition folks...

TV evangelist renews Chavez attacks
From correspondents in Washington
October 10, 2005

PROMINENT US TV evangelist Pat Robertson has accused Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez of giving Osama bin Laden $US1.2 million after the September 11 attacks and of trying to obtain nuclear material from Iran.

Mr Robertson caused uproar in August when he called during his televised religious program for the US Government to assassinate Chavez. He later was forced to apologise to the leftist leader.

But the conservative preacher issued a new denunciation of Chavez yesterday, local time, in an interview with CNN.

"The truth is, this man is setting up a Marxist-type dictatorship in Venezuela, he's trying to spread Marxism throughout South America, he's negotiating with the Iranians to get nuclear material and he also sent $US1.2 million in cash to Osama bin Laden right after 9/11," Mr Robertson said.

"I apologised and I said I will be praying for him, but one day we will be staring nuclear weapons and it won't be (Hurricane) Katrina facing New Orleans, it's going to be a Venezuelan nuke," Mr Robertson said.

"So my suggestion was, isn't it a lot cheaper sometimes to deal with these problems before you have to have a big war," he added.

Asked how he had obtained information on Chavez giving money to bin Laden, Robertson said: "Sources that came to me. That's what I was told."

"And I know he sent a warm congratulatory letter to Carlos the Jackal, he's a friend of Muammar Gaddafi," he said. "He's made common cause with these people that are considered terrorists."

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,16869135%255E1702,00.html

Posted by: monkey at October 10, 2005 09:37 AM

If Robertson is actually getting this information from a qualified source, he should realize what danger he is putting the U.S. in by blabbing everything he knows.

What on God's green earth would he be blabbing everything he knows on national television for?
It sounds close to a security breach.

Either that, or Karl Rove knows how gullible Robertson is, and is using him for propaganda to get to the religious right faster than the news channels can.

Wonderful..................I know where this is
going, and I don't like it.

Is Pat Robertson in bed with the pResident?

OMG...who would have thought!

Hey...found a great job hunting site for anyone who's looking...

http://www.cronyjobs.com/

Truth ... you have absolutely hit the nail on several heads here, which is why I posted the article. "Robertson the Provocateur: Part 2" is a BIG deal folks, don't let this slide beneath the radar.

ONE: Where is Robertson getting his info... and B: It is classic Rove to use the Christian Coalition and its minions to broadcast the news directly to the sheep because they will devour it and use it as a shield of righteousness.

Truth knows... hence the word.

It Seems The Heat of Indictments Is Keeping Their Hands Out of The Cookie Jar.

Hurricane-Relief Contracts to Be Rebid, FEMA's Head Says

By DAVID STOUT
Published: October 6, 2005

WASHINGTON, Oct. 6 - The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency said today that millions of dollars worth of federal hurricane-relief contracts that were awarded with little or no competition would be rebid to minimize waste and abuse.

"I've never been a fan of no-bid contracts," R. David Paulison, FEMA's acting director, told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, one of a half-dozen Senate and House panels holding hearings today on hurricane-recovery issues.

One underlying theme that emerged from the sessions was a sense of alarm over the overall cost of the recovery, acknowledged to be in the many billions of dollars, and how much of that the federal government must pay. Another is the growing potential for deep disagreement between Louisiana's Congressional delegation and their colleagues from other states on how much Washington can afford to do.

"We can't dilly-dally on Capitol Hill as people in the region face real-world decisions on whether to relocate or not," Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa, said at another session, that of the Senate Finance Committee, which he heads. "American taxpayers are compassionate, but rightly expect their hard-earned tax dollars to be spent wisely."

As for no-bid contracts, Mr. Paulison, according to The Associated Press, told the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee: "Sometimes you have to do them because of the expediency of getting things done. And I can assure you that we are going to look at all of these contracts very carefully."

"All of those no-bid contracts, we are going to go back and rebid," said Mr. Paulison, who succeeded Michael D. Brown after Mr. Brown stepped down amid heavy criticism of FEMA's response to the destruction wrought by winds and floods along the Gulf Coast.

Federal contracting rules allow agencies to approve deals without standard competitive bidding in "urgent and compelling circumstances." But in the weeks since hurricanes and floods devastated the Gulf Coast and uprooted thousands of people, some government officials and auditors have expressed concerns about the potential for favoritism and waste.

The no-bid contracts specify that once a contractor has received a minimum amount of money, FEMA is entitled to reopen the contracts to allow competitive bidding, according to Nicol Andrews, a FEMA spokeswoman.

Senator Susan M. Collins, the Maine Republican who heads the homeland security committee, noted that thousands of hurricane survivors remained in hotel rooms and emergency shelters despite FEMA's having spent more than $2 billion for 120,000 temporary shelters and mobile homes.

"More than a month after Katrina's landfall, frustration, concerns and questions about FEMA's responsiveness and planning persist as Gulf Coast residents work to put their lives and communities back together," she said.

Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, the ranking Democrat on Senator Collins's panel, said it might have been better if FEMA had had in place "standby contracts," already awarded after bidding.

Mr. Paulison acknowledged the senator's point. "Hopefully, we can put things in place for the future where we won't have to depend on no-bid contracts," he said. In the days immediately after the hurricane and flooding, Congress approved more than $60 billion in emergency spending - a move that Senator Grassley, who is known to be distrustful of deficit spending, implicitly criticized today.

"That well-meaning, but quickly approved open-ended appropriation has produced a lot of tales of wild and wasteful spending," Mr. Grassley said. "That bill wasn't in this committee's jurisdiction."

Mr. Grassley said he did not agree that "the federal Treasury door should be swung wide open for every conceivable tax cut or spending proposal related to the Gulf Coast region."

Treasury Secretary John W. Snow told Mr. Grassley's panel that the administration is committed to "principled, disciplined spending that is commensurate with the needs of the region," and that private enterprise must lead the way.

Cuts in spending, rather than higher taxes, are the better way toward recovery, Mr. Snow said, pledging the administration's help in identifying areas to trim.

Louisiana lawmakers of both parties have been proposing that the federal government spend as much as $250 billion on their state. The money, on top of the roughly $60 billion approved by Congress just after the disaster, would be directed through virtually every federal agency to rebuild schools and roads, provide health care, aid businesses and protect homeowners from foreclosure.

But Mr. Grassley signaled that he envisions something far less than do his Louisiana colleagues.

So did Mr. Snow. "The size and scope of hurricane damage is unprecedented in our history," Mr. Snow testified. "On an individual level, losses came in the form of homes, jobs and loved ones. Economically, lost income and infrastructure damage have national significance.

"That said," Mr. Snow went on, "it is essential that the federal government play an appropriate role, but it should avoid taking steps that are excessive. We must tailor our response appropriately."

Top headline article in Salon.com today is a lengthy interview with Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI).

He answers some tough questions. Read more here...
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2005/10/10/feingold/index2.html

(yes you have to sit through the short ad but it isn't too bad)

If Rove is using the Christian Coalition as a propaganda outlet, he is further ruining America's credibility (not to mention credit) with the rest of the world.

Some of South America leans Socialist not Marxist (you know, like Sweden). Some of the Middle East runs under strict religious law, monarchy or military dictatorship.

What are we promoting when we "spread democracy" but globalization where the rank and file have a reduced standard of living and the rich get richer? We never pay any attention, UNLESS SAID COUNTRIES HAVE OIL THAT WE WANT.

I am heading out for my 5th tank of Venezuelan Citgo.

I just heard that Angela Merkel will hold the most powerful office in Germany. I read the party platforms of a few of the Christian Democrat parties of various countries and I doubt very much that she will be the progressive, antiwar leader that Gerhard Schroeder has been.
I know that this election was being watched very closely in other European countries.

One reason I am very interested in world politics is because of the potential for allies with opposition parties in this country. It's kind of disheartening when it looks like we aren't the only ones going to the right, and at just the wrong time. So many countries face an aging population and they're trying to cut costs. Add in mismanagement and military adventurism (as we have in the US) and it's a formula for possible collapse. Demographics are not in our favor, nor is this reactionary last-gap response by conservatives to hold on to the status quo instead of planning for the future.

Here is an expose on Ralph Reed that was written this summer after Microsoft had him on the payroll. It's worth reading and you will see some very familiar names!!

http://www.seattleweekly.com/features/0522/050601_news_microsoft.php

U.S. hopes to win hearts in Pakistan
American helicopters, $50 million aid pledge reflect 'strategic relationship'

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan - Eight American helicopters that will carry supplies and rescue teams to remote areas hit by a weekend earthquake landed here Monday as the United States pledged $50 million for relief in a gesture that officials hope will show sometimes skeptical Pakistanis that Washington is a true ally.

Two days after the disaster, rescue teams and supplies have arrived from at least 10 countries with everything from jerry cans and tarpaulins to Blackhawk choppers for heavy lifting and high-tech cameras for finding buried survivors.

Pakistani authorities, usually sticklers for immigration formalities, issued seven-day visas on entry for relief workers, who flew into military and civilian airstrips around Rawalpindi, near the capital of Islamabad, before heading to devastated northern regions.

Death toll estimates ranged from 20,000 to above 30,000, with more than 2.5 million homeless, in what officials are describing as the worst disaster to face this Islamic nation since it was founded 58 years ago.

Despite the efforts, many victims remain beyond help’s reach in extremely remote mountain villages, or in areas that can’t seek assistance because communications are out.

“The magnitude of this disaster is utterly overwhelming,” Ambassador Ryan Crocker said as he received a U.S. transport plane full of blankets, plastic sheets and jerry cans. “We have under way the beginning of a very major relief effort.”

Window of opportunity
In the past two days, aid missions have arrived from Britain, South Korea, Turkey, Spain, Iran, Russia, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, Japan and Germany. Rescue experts face a closing window of opportunity to locate survivors.

On Monday, Malaysia donated $1 million, Italy said it was sending a field hospital and Singapore a search-and-rescue team. Indonesia and France planned to fly in medics, and Australia increased its aid pledge tenfold to $4.2 million.

Eight U.S. military helicopters — five Chinooks and three Blackhawks — touched down with a whoosh of dust from coalition bases from neighboring Afghanistan, diverted from action in the war on terror. The choppers will help ferry supplies and rescue teams to areas inaccessible by road because of landslides.

“There is a great need here with the damage and the destruction that has been done by this earthquake, and it’s very important for the U.S. government and the U.S. military in Afghanistan to provide assistance to them,” said U.S. military spokesman Col. James Yonts.

Coalition commander Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry also held talks with Pakistan military officials Monday to see what further assistance they might need.

Sensitive situation
Although Pakistan has for the past four years allowed the use of its bases for logistical support of the U.S. military operations against Taliban and al-Qaida rebels in Afghanistan, it’s unusual for American aircraft to fly in Pakistan.

The government, faced with strong domestic opposition to the U.S.-led war on terrorism, does not allow U.S. forces to operate on its soil.

Pakistani political analyst Rusul Bakhsh Rais said that despite the sensitivities, the sight of American helicopters helping with the relief effort and flying quake victims would probably have a more lasting, positive impact on Pakistanis than contributions of money and aid.

The U.S. ambassador said America’s swift response and grant of $50 million in emergency aid — by far the largest single contribution to the international aid effort so far — reflected its “long-term strategic relationship” with Pakistan.

“That means when crisis hits an ally, we step forward to help,” Crocker said.

But Rais, a professor at the Lahore University of Management Sciences, said the United States had spoiled the impact by initially offering just $100,000 in aid, which was mocked by some Pakistanis as inadequate.

“The initial announcement was a joke,” said Rais. “Every move of the United States is judged here on political grounds. It was a rare opportunity for the United States to show that it’s a true friend of Pakistan.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9651378/

courtesy of poster NewDirection at dailykos

Top Generals Say Troops Cause Insurgency
And the insurgency will not wane until troops are gone.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/iraq/complete/la-fg-usiraq1oct01,1,3103585.story?coll=la-iraq-complete

During a trip to Washington, the generals said the presence of U.S. forces is fueling the insurgency, fostering an undesirable dependency on American troops among the nascent Iraqi military, and energizing terrorists across the Middle East.

For all these reasons, they said, a gradual withdrawal of U.S. troops is imperative.
[...]
The generals' comments reflect an evolving outlook that senior military officials and even Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld have articulated in recent months: The battle against Iraqi insurgents will not be won by the U.S. military, and that the insurgency will go on long after U.S. troops have left Iraq.

NewDirection: So if the insurgency will go on long after our troops are gone whatever we do, which is the expert professional opinion of our military leaders, then there is no utility to staying, beyond domestic politics.

And staying only increases terrorism.

And yet, out of our entire Senate, only Feingold proposes a date for withdrawal.

Posted by: monkey at October 10, 2005 10:50 AM

I've read more than once that what Robertson and the Coalition wanted for years was a seat at the big table with the big boys, so that the Christians would be represented.

His crowing about it leads me to surmise that he is so enthralled with "being in the big boy's club" and "being in the know" that he is throwing caution to the wind and being gullible and being used to promote corruption.

Rove must wear the same size shoes you say Reed wears.

I don't know enough about Reed yet, I would like more information.

more "culture of corruption" connections via PEER (Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility)

Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility News Release http://www.peer.org

For Immediate Release: September 15, 2005
Contact: Chas Offutt (202) 265-7337

GREEN GROUPS OPPOSE BUSH PICK FOR FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE — Illegal Orders, Altering Scientific Findings and Developer-Friendly Pattern Cited

Washington, DC — The Bush administration nominee to head the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is drawing fire from conservation groups. Today a coalition of groups released a letter to Congress charging that Dale Hall, currently the USFWS Southwest regional director, gave illegal orders to his staff not to make scientific findings protective of wildlife, rewrote scientific conclusions for political reasons and issued a questionable policy forbidding biologists from considering genetic information about species’ recovery.

“We are not questioning his education or training, we are questioning his integrity,” stated PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch, noting a series of actions by Hall that undercut the mission of the Fish & Wildlife Service. “Dale Hall has developed the reputation of being one of the biggest ‘biostitutes’ in the country; his moral flexibility is apparently why he was picked for this job.”

On July 18, President Bush nominated Hall to take over the vacant directorship of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the agency responsible for administering the Endangered Species Act for land and freshwater species. The Senate is expected to consider Hall’s nomination later this month.

“Dale Hall’s actions while regional director pushed southwestern wildlife and plants closer to extinction. He disregards science, bullies scientists, and is at the command of those industries imperiling the nation’s wildlife. For that shameful legacy, Bush is seeking to promote him,” stated Dr. Nicole Rosmarino of Forest Guardians. “Hall’s confirmation as national FWS director would be a dangerous mistake that wildlife on the brink simply cannot afford.”
~snip~

read more here...
http://www.peer.org/news/news_id.php?row_id=590

Posted by: not my president at October 10, 2005 12:05 PM

NMP,

I posted my last post before I read upthread that you had posted an expose on Reed. Thanks!

TSP
Ric Anderson is a respected local investigative journalist. The Weekly is one of our two local weeklies. This investigation of Ralph Reed came about because of the convoluted situation involving Microsoft and it seems very relevant to me now, if you just look at the names and the patterns!

Excerpt:

Reed is now caught up in the influence-peddling scandal in D.C., which includes accusations he worked in concert with two other top Republicans also once engaged by Microsoft. One of them, Jack Abramoff, lobbied for Microsoft in the late 1990s while a member of the Seattle law and lobbying firm Preston Gates Ellis—the firm of Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates' father, William H. Gates II. Abramoff is under investigation for possibly bilking millions of dollars from former Indian tribal clients and improperly using his friendship with House Speaker Tom DeLay, who is facing ethics charges and is the subject of federal investigations. (See "Following the Money," April 6.) Abramoff's questioned activities include a suspected money-laundering scheme that involves both Reed and fellow Microsoft adviser and lobbying superstar Grover Norquist, head of Americans for Tax Reform.

TSP
Another article on Ralph Reed, this one from 2004, but only for subscribers. I'm going to see if I can find a full copy.

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/prem/200404/green

He's sneaky as Rove - here are a couple of quotes:

It's like guerrilla warfare. If you reveal your location, all it does is allow your opponent to improve his artillery bearings. It's better to move quietly, with stealth, under cover of night. You've got two choices: You can wear cammies and shimmy along on your belly, or you can put on a red coat and stand up for everyone to see. It comes down to whether you want to be the British army in the Revolutionary War or the Viet Cong. History tells us which tactic was more effective.
-- Ralph Reed, Los Angeles Times, March 22, 1992

I want to be invisible. I do guerrilla warfare. I paint my face and travel at night. You don't know it's over until you're in a body bag. You don't know until election night.
-- Ralph Reed, Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, November 9, 1991

Ralph Reed always struck me as having that "Boys From Brazil" look about him, only with darker heirs.

http://www.motherjones.com/news/outfront/2004/11/10_400.html

More on Ralph Reed.
Warning: Mother Jones has a liberal bias. LOL

And this is what the Christian Coalition lookslike in Oregon: From Today's Oregonian viz E and P:

NEW YORK After news broke that local law enforcement officials were investigating complaints that Louis Beres, longtime chairman of the Christian Coalition of Oregon, had molested three female family members when they were pre-teens, The Oregonian in Portland went out and interviewed Beres' family members.

Two told reporters that Beres, indeed, had molested them. All three said they have been interviewed for several hours by detectives.

"I was molested," said one of the women, now in her early 50s. "I was victimized, and I've suffered all my life for it. I'm still afraid to be in the same room with [Beres]."

The coalition led by Beres, 70, champions socially conservative candidates and causes. Its Web site describes the group as "Oregon's leading grassroots organization defending our Godly heritage." The group opposes abortion, gay rights, and stem cell research. It is affiliated with the national Christian Coalition, which was founded in 1989 by television evangelist Pat Robertson.

Seems Joe Barton (R-TX), author of the emergency energy bill voted on Friday, 10-7, doesn't believe the global-warming evidence and is using the power of his office to persecute scientists.

Published on Tuesday, August 30, 2005 by the Guardian

Republicans Accused of Witch-Hunt Against Climate Change Scientists
By Paul Brown

Some of America's leading scientists have accused Republican politicians of intimidating climate-change experts by placing them under unprecedented scrutiny.

A far-reaching inquiry into the careers of three of the US's most senior climate specialists has been launched by Joe Barton, the chairman of the House of Representatives committee on energy and commerce. He has demanded details of all their sources of funding, methods and everything they have ever published.

Mr Barton, a Texan closely associated with the fossil-fuel lobby, has spent his 11 years as chairman opposing every piece of legislation designed to combat climate change.

He is using the wide powers of his committee to force the scientists to produce great quantities of material after alleging flaws and lack of transparency in their research. He is working with Ed Whitfield, the chairman of the sub-committee on oversight and investigations.

The scientific work they are investigating was important in establishing that man-made carbon emissions were at least partly responsible for global warming, and formed part of the 2001 report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which convinced most world leaders - George Bush was a notable exception - that urgent action was needed to curb greenhouse gases.
~snip~

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0830-03.htm

http://www.cronyjobs.com/

Posted by: madame defarge at October 10, 2005 10:48 AM

I see that Scotty's big brother Mark got a "Crony Job".

According to Salon, a GOP reporter withheld information about the the illegal sale of rare coins going to Bush Cheney's slush fund.

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2005/10/06/ohio/index_np.html

The link requires membership.

This is the last I will say about Ralph Reed.

He's been a driving force for the religious right for a logn time but he has also played both sides against the middle the whole time. He has had no compunction against making lots of money on the side from purveyors of sin, such as through casinos. & he's kept it all secret.

One tribe wanted to build a casino in Louisiana but another tribe had a casino monopoly there, so the first tribe hired a GOP lobbyist (former RNC head) so the 2nd tribe hired Reed. At the same time, he spoke out against gambling to church people. The whole reason he left the Christian Coalition was to make big money as a lobbyist.
He also did hatchet work, such as smearing John McCain in 2000. Evem after his, he lead Bush's 2004 SE election campaign, and is running for office himself. Not to mention that he was paid $20,000/week by Microsoft for his work in global trade. Bush doesn't mind - that should tell us something about his moral fiber.

Oh, I almost forgot.

Beres is the former Chairman of the Republican Party in his county.

John McCain said today that he is considering a run for the 2008 nomination, and that he would NOT accept a VP post.
Speaking of the Christian Coalition- they would be his number one enemy in the primary process.
I just don't think McCain could get the Republican nomination, and I hope he doesn't. He'd be a formidable opponent if he did get the nod.
And I used to trust John McCain, but I no longer do.
He's sucked up to Georgy one too many times- and his appearance with W here in Pensacola during the 2004 election where Georgy actually kissed him on the top of the head really did it for me.
I'm not buying any more of his books.

Someone needs to tell this Beres character that it's called "Women's Rights", not "Rights to Women".

Salvation is so liberating.

By the way..

Anyone shocked by that New Orleans cops kicking the snot out of an old man video...

Don't be. It happens all the time down here. There just so happened to be someone around with a press crew this time.

Yall should bring more of those reporter press type people more often. I prefer they beat on them for a while. They actually seem more than eager to do just that.

Love from the bayou....

Linda
Ditto about McCain

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/10/opinion/10kelley.html

October 10, 2005
Bush's Veil Over History
By KITTY KELLEY
Washington

SECRECY has been perhaps the most consistent trait of the George W. Bush presidency. Whether it involves refusing to provide the names of oil executives who advised Vice President Dick Cheney on energy policy, prohibiting photographs of flag-draped coffins returning from Iraq, or forbidding the release of files pertaining to Chief Justice John Roberts's tenure in the Justice Department, President Bush seems determined to control what the public is permitted to know. And he has been spectacularly effective, making Richard Nixon look almost transparent.

But perhaps the most egregious example occurred on Nov. 1, 2001, when President Bush signed Executive Order 13233, under which a former president's private papers can be released only with the approval of both that former president (or his heirs) and the current one.

Before that executive order, the National Archives had controlled the release of documents under the Presidential Records Act of 1978, which stipulated that all papers, except those pertaining to national security, had to be made available 12 years after a president left office.

Now, however, Mr. Bush can prevent the public from knowing not only what he did in office, but what Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush and Ronald Reagan did in the name of democracy. (Although Mr. Reagan's term ended more than 12 years before the executive order, the Bush administration had filed paperwork in early 2001 to stop the clock, and thus his papers fall under it.)

Bill Clinton publicly objected to the executive order, saying he wanted all his papers open. Yet the Bush administration has nonetheless denied access to documents surrounding the 177 pardons President Clinton granted in the last days of his presidency. Coming without explanation, this action raised questions and fueled conspiracy theories: Is there something to hide? Is there more to know about the controversial pardon of the fugitive financier Marc Rich? Is there a quid pro quo between Bill Clinton and the Bushes? Is the current president laying a secrecy precedent for pardons he intends to grant?

The administration's effort to grandfather the Reagan papers under the act also raised a red flag. President Bush's signature stopped the National Archives from a planned release of documents from the Reagan era, some of which might have shed light on the Iran-contra scandal and illuminated the role played by the vice president at the time, George H. W. Bush.

What can be done to bring this information to light? Because executive orders are not acts of Congress, they can be overturned by future commanders in chief. But this is a lot to ask of presidents given the free pass handed them by Mr. Bush. (And it could put a President Hillary Clinton in a bind when it came to her own husband's papers.)

Other efforts to rectify the situation are equally problematic. Representative Henry Waxman, Democrat of California, has repeatedly introduced legislation to overturn Mr. Bush's executive order, but the chances of a Republican Congress defying a Republican president are slim.

There is also a lawsuit by the American Historical Association and other academic and archival groups before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. A successful verdict could force the National Archives to ignore the executive order and begin making public records from the Reagan and elder Bush administrations.

Unless one of these efforts succeeds, George W. Bush and his father can see to it that their administrations pass into history without examination. Their rationales for waging wars in the Middle East will go unchallenged. There will be no chance to weigh the arguments that led the administration to condone torture by our armed forces. The problems of federal agencies entrusted with public welfare during times of national disaster - 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina - will be unaddressed. Details on no-bid contracts awarded to politically connected corporations like Halliburton will escape scrutiny, as will the president's role in Environmental Protection Agency's policies on water and air polluters.

This is about much more than the desires of historians and biographers - the best interests of the nation are at stake. As the American Political Science Association, one plaintiff in the federal lawsuit, put it: "The only way we can improve the operation of government, enhance the accountability of decision-makers and ultimately help maintain public trust in government is for people to understand how it worked in the past."

Kitty Kelley is the author of "The Family: The Real Story of the Bush Dynasty."

new video clips from the peace march courtesy of miso up now on the gallery page

Here's the direct link but you can also find it by going to the Resources tab on the top nav bar and selecting Gallery from the dropdown.

http://www.democracycellproject.net/gallery/peacemarchvideo.shtml

Another interesting story in Salon.com today:

Saving Ohio
Did a reporter with GOP ties suppress a story that could have cost Bush the White House?

By Bill Frogameni

~snip~
In November 2004, Lucas County was among the most hotly contested areas in the most hotly contested state. Kerry won the county by 45,000 votes, but George W. Bush went on to win Ohio by less than 120,000 votes, which swung the election for him.

But Bush's reelection may have been made possible by a Blade reporter with close ties to the Republican Party who reportedly knew about Noe's potential campaign violations in early 2004 but suppressed the story.

According to several knowledgeable sources, the Blade's chief political columnist, Fritz Wenzel, was told of Noe's potential campaign violations as early as January 2004. But according to Blade editors, Wenzel never gave the paper the all-important tip in early 2004.

read more here...
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2005/10/06/ohio/

Ralph Reed's a slimey no-good power-grabbing right-wing religious nutcase kinda guy all right. But, what interests us is DeLay's connections to Republicans seeking re-election to the House. We've had some nasty legislation pass due to only 2 votes or so. We need to get these DeLay Repubs out.

http://solongjohn.blogspot.com/

Frank Rich had a terrific op-ed in NYT yesterday, available at the link below:

The Faith-Based President Defrocked

~snip~
Beware of leaders who drink their own Kool-Aid. The most distressing aspect of Mr. Bush's press conference last week was less his lies and half-truths than the abundant evidence that he is as out of touch as Custer was on the way to Little Bighorn. The president seemed genuinely shocked that anyone could doubt his claim that his friend is the best-qualified candidate for the highest court. Mr. Bush also seemed unaware that it was Republicans who were leading the attack on Ms. Miers. "The decision as to whether or not there will be a fight is up to the Democrats," he said, confusing his antagonists this time much as he has Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden.

Such naked presidential isolation from reality was a replay of his response to Hurricane Katrina. When your main "objective sources" for news are members of your own staff, you can actually believe that the most pressing tragedy of the storm is the rebuilding of Trent Lott's second home. You can even believe that Brownie will fix it. The truth only began to penetrate four days after the storm's arrival - and only then, according to Newsweek, because an adviser, Dan Bartlett, asked the president to turn away from his usual "objective sources" and instead watch a DVD compilation of actual evening news reports.
~snip~

http://smirkingchimp.com/viewtopic.php?topic=59962&forum=17

Greetings,

By now, I'm sure you know that Ralph Reed is running for lieutenant governor of Georgia.

The same Ralph Reed who has been tied to scandals involving disgraced Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff, gambling, and American Indian tribes.

The same Ralph Reed who led a quiet and effective smear campaign against Sen. John McCain in the South Carolina Republican primary.

The same Ralph Reed who, according to The Washington Times, has the ultimate ambition of the White House...

We've decided to keep an eye on him. We will launch a site called RalphReedWatch.com to monitor his campaign's progress and positions and make sure everyone in Georgia knows the real Ralph Reed.

Fellow Republican Warren Rudman called Reed "vicious" and a "baby-faced assassin." We'll let you decide for yourself.

Please visit RalphReedWatch.com now for a sneak preview. You'll see a variety of places to visit; there's a short biography, Reed's career "highlights," some memorable quotes, and a blog where you can share your thoughts.

Let us know what you think. Post your comments on the blog, or e-mail me your suggestions. Feel free to send it to your friends and encourage them to take a look.

I look forward to hearing your feedback.

Best,
Meghan Scott
Political Director
Public Campaign Action Fund
http://www.ralphreedwatch.com/

Reed's value to corporate America has been enhanced by his close ties to the Bush administration and especially to Karl Rove, the president's chief political guru. Not long after Century Strategies started, Rove reportedly helped Reed land an Enron contract worth at least $300,000 to help build support for energy deregulation. Century Strategies did voter-mobilization work for the Bush campaign and the Republican National Committee in 2000; it has been retained again this year for similar projects. Reed has also been serving as Southeast regional coordinator for the Bush campaign, with responsibility for delivering Florida and four other Southern states. Bush campaign manager Ken Mehlman has called Reed "the guy who gets it done" in the South, especially in reaching out to evangelicals and other religious groups and advising the national campaign on strategy.

Reed's political ties have allowed him to carve out a special niche among political influence merchants. "Ralph has cornered the market in corporate strategic communications and grassroots using his social conservative base combined with his personal communications skills and his influence in the Bush reelection campaign," says lobbyist Scott Reed (no relation), who managed Bob Dole's 1996 presidential campaign. "This is a unique role for a GOP operative that has huge value for corporate America."

more... http://www.motherjones.com/news/outfront/2004/11/10_400.html

MD: Avian flu must mutate for it to sicken humans
Multiple mutations foster guesswork about possible pandemic

Monday, October 10, 2005

(CNN) -- A physician monitoring the threat of avian influenza says a key question is whether the strain of bird flu in Asia has mutated into a flu that could result in a human pandemic.

Dr. Marc Siegel, author of "False Alarm: The Truth About the Epidemic of Fear," said it's likely that such a pandemic could occur "over the next 50 years and maybe even over the next 10 or 20," but he said "it may very well not be this bug."

-snip-

"If we stockpile vaccine against a bug that doesn't affect us directly we may end up having to discard it," Siegel said.

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt said Thursday the world is "woefully unprepared" to respond to a pandemic. He said the United States must "have surveillance domestically, so if it shows up here we know about it very quickly."

In addition to techniques and time factors involved, commercial manufacture of vaccines often isn't profitable, Siegel said, and "it's hard to get the manufacturers excited about it."

On Friday, White House officials met with representatives of the U.S. pharmaceutical industry to encourage them to get involved in the manufacture of flu vaccine.

more... http://www.cnn.com/2005/HEALTH/conditions/10/10/birdflu.mutations/index.html

(hmmm, is it just me, or are the Neocons capable of advancing the fear of pandemic story to make bush look proactive on a potential disaster story while at the same time lavishing billions on the pharmaceutical industry? nah, they would never do something like that...)

Captain James Yee who was interviewed on NPR last week in advance of his new book, "For God And Country", has had excerpts published in the Sunday Times of London. Andrew Sullivan offers this powerful conclusion to the excerpts he published in his blog post on Daily Dish:

Yee knew the truth which was partly why he was disgracefully framed and smeared by the Pentagon. But what matters now is that this kind of abuse be stopped. It only hurts us in the war by making it a battle between Christianity and Islam rather than between freedom and theocracy. And what matters now is that someone be held accountable. Surely we can all agree that the new guidelines for humane treatment of detainees (which were the old ones), set by the Senate, need to be passed by the House. The president's threatened veto is an open acknowledgment that this administration abuses detainees as a matter of policy and refuses to be reined in. We have to choose between the integrity of an Ian Fishback and the sadism of General Miller, and his enablers, Bush and Rumsfeld. There is no choice, as long as this is still America.

http://www.andrewsullivan.com/index.php?dish_inc=archives/2005_10_09_dish_archive.html#112896895563003099

And here's the link to the Sunday Times of London's excerpts of James Yee's book:

The Sunday Times - Review

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2092-1817081,00.html

Here's the NPR interview link. The webpage also includes a different excerpt from his book detailing what happened when he was first arrested:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4946292

Remove All Torturers from Power
By Scott Galindez

The Bush administration and those who support the Iraq war frequently justify it by saying that Saddam Hussein tortured his people. They say that Iraq is better off without him. I agree that Saddam needed to go, but with the reports from Abu Graib and other US run prisons it is clear that the Iraqi people are still being tortured.

Last week the Senate voted 90-9 on an amendment requiring humane treatment of detainees in US custody. The nine Senators who voted against this amendment need their power stripped as well. They are Senators Allard (CO), Bond (MO), Coburn (OK), Cochran (MS), Cornyn (TX), Inhofe (OK), Roberts (KS), Sessions (AL), and Stevens (AK).

Now we hear that George W. Bush is threatening to veto the defense bill if this amendment is still attached. So is that the noble cause our soldiers are dying for? The right to torture Iraqis?

We also hear that Dick Cheney and Karl Rove are twisting arms in the House to attempt to kill the anti-torture amendment. Where is the outrage? Why aren't all Americans demanding that the McCain Amendment be signed into law?

This amendment should have passed with a unanimous consent request in both the House and the Senate. Anyone opposing it is unfit to serve the American people. They deserve to have their power stripped just like Saddam.

Text of Amendment

SA 1977. Mr. MCCAIN (for himself, Mr. GRAHAM, Mr. HAGEL, Mr. SMITH, and Ms. COLLINS) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 2863, making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place, insert the following:

SEC. __. UNIFORM STANDARDS FOR THE INTERROGATION OF PERSONS UNDER THE DETENTION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
(a) IN GENERAL.-No personin the custody or under the effective control of the Department ofDefense or under detention in a Department of Defense facility shall besubject to any treatment or technique of interrogation not authorizedby and listed in the United States Army Field Manual on IntelligenceInterrogation.
(b)APPLICABILITY.-Subsection (a) shall not apply to with respect to anyperson in the custody or under the effective control of the Departmentof Defense pursuant to a criminal law or immigration law of the UnitedStates.


(c) CONSTRUCTION.-Nothingin this section shall be construed to affect the rights under theUnited States Constitution of any person in the custody or under thephysical jurisdiction of the United States.
SEC. __. PROHIBITION ON CRUEL, INHUMAN, OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT OF PERSONS UNDER CUSTODY OR CONTROL OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.
(a) In General.-Noindividual in the custody or under the physical control of the UnitedStates Government, regardless of nationality or physical location,shall be subject to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment orpunishment.

[Page S10909]


(b) Construction.-Nothingin this section shall be construed to impose any geographicallimitation on the applicability of the prohibition against cruel,inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment under this section.


(c) Limitation onSupersedure.-The provisions of this section shall not be superseded,except by a provision of law enacted after the date of the enactment ofthis Act which specifically repeals, modifies, or supersedes theprovisions of this section.


(d) Cruel, Inhuman, orDegrading Treatment or Punishment Defined.-In this section, the term"cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment" means the cruel,unusual, and inhumane treatment or punishment prohibited by the Fifth,Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution of the UnitedStates, as defined in the United States Reservations, Declarations andUnderstandings to the United Nations Convention Against Torture andOther Forms of Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment doneat New York, December 10, 1984.

Was this created to make the current administration look better?  Notice the ties to Iraq that are made and the patting on the back for conducting another military attack..
 
New York Eases Back on Subway Security

No Corroboration of Reported Threat to City's Train System

NEW YORK (Oct. 10) - After four days on high alert, police announced on Monday that they were scaling back security measures in the subways because no evidence had emerged that an alleged terrorist plot to blow up trains would be carried out.

Officials said they were still investigating claims by a federal intelligence agency informant that al-Qaida operatives in Iraq had schemed to attack the subways using baby strollers and brief cases packed with remote-controlled explosives as early as Oct. 7. They also continued to defend a decision to flood the subways on Oct. 6 with thousands of extra police officers.

But the arrest and interrogation of three suspects by U.S. forces in Iraq had so far produced no information to corroborate a possible threat, authorities said.

"Things were moving in the right direction," Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly told reporters at the Columbus Day Parade in Manhattan. "We're going to slowly reduce our coverage to what it was pre-Oct. 6."

Kelly stressed that police would continue random bag searches and other precautions in the subways that were launched in the summer in response to the bombings of the London transit system.

John Miller, an assistant FBI director and the agency's chief spokesman, said federal authorities agreed with the police department's assessment that any potential risk had subsided.

Miller said the operation in Iraq "would have served to neutralize any threat that may or may not have existed."

The suspects in custody in Iraq denied they planned to coordinate with operatives who were already in the city to carry out an attack, said two law enforcement officials. The men had passed polygraph tests, the officials added.

"The people supposedly standing by in New York probably were never there," one of the officials. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation had not been completed.

Still, city officials stood by their decision to heighten subway security, saying the initial tip had come from an informant with a reputation for reliability, and was too specific to ignore.

"We did precisely the right thing," Kelly said. "We had no choice but to respond the way we did."

Was this created to make the current administration look better? Notice the ties to Iraq that are made and the patting on the back for conducting another military attack

Posted by: DiAnne/James at October 10, 2005 06:18 PM

Bright minds think alike!

Oh, boy, looks like the old man the police beat up in New Orleans was an EX alcoholic and schoolteacher. Oops.

Monkey, et. al,

Thanks for the articles referencing Reed. I haven't had a chance to look at them until just now, but I plan on looking at every single one of them tonight.

This past year, as I have been seeking to put pieces of this puzzle together, I have read bits and pieces about Reed in other articles, but nothing much was uttered about him. Like he said, he likes to "work at night, in the dark, and they won't know they've been hit until after the election".

I think he's the link between Rove, and Robertson, and maybe even Dobson. I can't wait to get into it. !