Posts with the tag Bush

End of Support for President Obama

My Vote Matters — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:58:37 EST

From this moment forward I am categorically removing my support for President Obama. The tripling of troops in Afghanistan under his watch has absolutely destroyed my faith in him as an independent thinker, diplomat, and logical man, a president who has the best interest of the citizens of America in mind.

Change

Josh Lelah "TRUTH" — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:36:43 EST

"I am the voice of the voiceless;
Through me the dumb shall speak,
Till a deaf world's ear
Shall be made to hear
The wrongs of the wordless weak.
“The same force formed the sparrow
That fashioned man the king;
The God of the whole
Gave a spark of soul
To furred and feathered thing.
“And I am my brother's keeper
And I will fight his fight,
And speak the word
For beast and bird
Till the world shall set things right.”

Bush' Comments

Mary — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:41:51 EDT

It was on Fox, I think that Bush senior commented about his son, George, that he "passed the test". What test is he talking about? I will take your answers or comments. If you ask me, he failed pretty much every imaginable test he ever took. most of all, for his presidency he got an "F".

I beg the White House to respond and to capitalize on every opportunity to point out attempts at excusing Bush's excesses.

Thank you.

The Media Hypocrisy

"Voice for Humanity" — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 22:36:06 EDT

By Padmini Arhant

The Sly Fox

Old fables have many animal characters to teach moral lessons to the human species presumed ‘intellectually superior’ than others in the animal kingdom. One of the reasons for such categorization is the apparent ‘discriminative power’ of humans over other living species.

Among many interesting legends, the ‘bushy tail’ Fox has an unparallel reputation to be cunning and conniving in conduct blended with aggression against its targets. The distinctive characteristics is symbolic of the cowardice and malice towards the ‘King of the Jungle,’ the gracious and the Majestic Lion as well as those sharing the general good values.

The Fox portrayed as never affable to the surroundings and constantly engaged in wicked behavior to be the center of the universe.

Remaining content @http://www.padminiarhant.com

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Remembering the Victims of the September 11, 2001 Tragedy

"Voice for Humanity" — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:16:13 EDT

September 11, 2009

By Padmini Arhant

Please standby for the tribute to the brave citizens, the victims of the catastrophic event that changed the world economy and international security. Also remembering the fire fighters and humanitarian workers, the real heroes selflessly offered their life during the rescue operations on the mournful date.

Presented @http://www.padminiarhant.com

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Dear Mr. President

Derrick from Philadelphia, PA — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 03:30:09 EDT

Why America will not advance to the future because we need a new way of thinking and we need our President to change his agenda with the advisers who are not in his best interest. America has a history and its shortly going to damage and ruin it's self. Why war is not an answer and controlling other nations is a way to tear down the walls history and changing our way and your ways as well we all need some changes.

I am sure if you all of the people who work in the White House do not speak on certain subjects because they do not want to get in trouble. Its always secrets and this is what makes fear and when people fear you they react and it never turns to a positive out come.

"How far have we come??"

"NERVIE" — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:12:56 EDT

I ran into this blog that I had posted on another site of mine, I thought I'd share a few words because sometimes looking back you see how far you have come:

Saturday, January 31, 2009. I’m happy to hear that on last Thursday, the United States Senate followed the United States House in passing a reauthorization of a child health insurance bill. I do remember twice Bush vetoed this bill. Just imagine 4 million more children in America will have access to health insurance, isn’t that a huge post Bush phenomenon. Another positive sign that the boat has oars with a new helmsman anointed by none other than Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chair, of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

Thank God for Kennedy, now hopefully Obama can step up to all the other healthcare needs called Universal Healthcare! Don’t know about you, but I am still praying for this major fete. Yeah, it may seem odd with my working for the industry now, however, AFLAC, I rationalize was created out of a need for additional healthcare costs. So technically, it wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for the large “hole” in insurance coverage.

You see, the creators of AFLAC saw bankruptcy due to the illness of their mother who died of cancer. There were procedures the insurance company wouldn’t approve and even though the family had coverage, the costs were exorbitant so what they did have wasn’t enough. So you would think they would be on the side of the President, right?

Wrong, the new marketing director they told us in a Sheraton meeting that we needed to lobby the President to keep things as they are, our jobs were at stake, if there were any changes in the healthcare coverage we had much to lose, and if any of us were interested to see him after the meeting. I cringed. We are lobbying legislators for free? They aren’t paying us to be lobbyist? Is this part of the clean money concept? That was odd.

I thought we were the “good guys” in the insurance world. A promise I made to myself. I said if I ever go back to corporate, I wanted to work for a corporation that believed in “stewardship” as one of their core values and part of their mission statement, not gouging or "pretending to care" about customers, just to make money.

At various companies I saw how not being forthright, withholding information, to downright “verbal kung fu-ing” with the “bottomline concept”. Minerva, do you want to make money or not this week? When in the long run, the relationship with the customer would mean much more service, more referrals; new add ons (only if they needed them) and providing the customer the opportunity to choose what is best for them?) or was I back to the “gaming”, “selling” techniques and twisting the arm which could blow up in your manager’s face and they would ask you to “fall on the sword” because . . . they were the manager? Did I make that mistake again, or what? I really need to explore this new leadership more . . . hopefully I got the message wrong . . . I know the product does what it says it does, but why isn't the corporation supporting the president? Until I get a definitive explanation, I'm slowing backing away . . .

But could hope spring eternal and that even the Republicans are seeing change by having former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele, an African American at the lead. Depending on which Republican media pundit you listen to, they would have you believe that Steele’s role is just for PR purposes. Bull. Last I heard the person sitting on the top of the Republican Party had to be a “damn good fundraiser”, and in this economic market where money isn’t falling from the trees anymore, even banks are standing in line begging for governmental support. Now how effective Steele will be with his moderate views makes politics so interesting. Yes, bedfellows in politics get a little weirder and weirder if you take the time to read, to listen and to watch.

Some republicans are trying to say that media commentators weren’t saying that Mr. Blago Bully was a democrat. Blago was voted out of office and out of politics by a group of his own peers and the fallout from the criminal charges are still left to be resolved. Yes, he is a democrat and his behavior based on the information that we were provided was horrible. But I don’t remember anyone NOT saying he wasn’t the democratic governor from Illinois. What does raise my eyebrows was that Democratic strategist James Carvell originally poo-pooed the idea that Blago was under scrutiny in the first place and he said “there is wheeling and dealing going on all the time”. So is this why Blago doesn’t think he did anything wrong?

Hopefully there won’t be large court scenarios but the way Blago went out was heartbreaking to see a man who doesn’t know when he is caught. And if in fact this was politics as usual, I’m sure there are folks scrambling to clean house. Speaking of cleaning house. . . How many flaws can you find in this write up? On reading the “White House Blog”, I found this little gem:

43. GEORGE W. BUSH 2001-2009

George W. Bush, the 43rd President of the United States, was sworn into office on January 20, 2001, re-elected on November 2, 2004, and sworn in for a second term on January 20, 2005. Prior to his Presidency, President Bush served for 6 years as the 46th Governor of the State of Texas, where he earned a reputation for bipartisanship and as a compassionate conservative who shaped public policy based on the principles of limited government, personal responsibility, strong families, and local control.

President Bush was born on July 6, 1946, in New Haven, Connecticut, and grew up in Midland and Houston, Texas. He received a bachelor’s degree in history from Yale University in 1968, and then served as an F-102 fighter pilot in the Texas Air National Guard. President Bush received a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School in 1975. Following graduation, he moved back to Midland and began a career in the energy business. After working on his father’s successful 1988 Presidential campaign, President Bush assembled the group of partners who purchased the Texas Rangers baseball franchise in 1989. On November 8, 1994, President Bush was elected Governor of Texas. He became the first Governor in Texas history to be elected to consecutive 4-year terms when he was re-elected on November 3, 1998.

President Bush worked with the Congress to create an ownership society and build a future of security, prosperity, and opportunity for all Americans. He signed into law tax relief that helped workers keep more of their hard-earned money, as well as the most comprehensive education reforms in a generation, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. This legislation ushered in a new era of accountability, flexibility, local control, and more choices for parents, affirming our Nation’s fundamental belief in the promise of every child. President Bush also worked to improve healthcare and modernize Medicare, providing the first-ever prescription drug benefit for seniors; increase homeownership, especially among minorities; conserve our environment; and increase military strength, pay, and benefits. Because President Bush believed the strength of America lies in the hearts and souls of our citizens, he supported programs that encourage individuals to help their neighbors in need.

On the morning of September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked our Nation. President Bush took unprecedented steps to protect our homeland and create a world free from terror. He was grateful for the service and sacrifice of our brave men and women in uniform and their families. The President believed that by helping build free and prosperous societies, our Nation and our friends and allies can succeed in making America more secure and the world more peaceful.

President Bush is married to Laura Welch Bush, a former teacher and librarian, and they have twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna. The Bush family also includes two dogs, Barney and Miss Beazley, and a cat, Willie. (http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/georgewbush/)

I thought it was an amazing play on wording and one day maybe I’ll meet the wordsmith who must have been having a hard time putting this together. See y’all later, Todd says there is no maid, so we have a house to clean today . . .

THE END

Oh well, I recall all of the comments being made about Kennedy, I do hope he rests in peace but I have to admit "his mantle" is really heavy.

Sorry, I never had the opportunity to meet him. But I'll never forget the time, I passed out when I saw President Kennedy on the corner of Rexall Drug Store, sitting on my daddy's shoulders dripping an ice cream cone! I passed out from the excitement it was like yesterday! Minerva

Nation Bids Farewell to the Hon. Senator Edward M. Kennedy

"Voice for Humanity" — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 11:14:08 EDT

By Padmini Arhant

The moment has arrived for the nation to acknowledge the final departure of their tireless and long serving representative, Senator Ted Kennedy, the youngest son of America’s beloved family.

Senator Kennedy, the brave survivor of many family tragedies was a true warrior in various aspects. The Senator zealously battled for the large segments of the society on significant issues and health care was the top priority among them. Senator Kennedy delivered the health care speech with sincere emotion and great concern for the neglected groups in our society.

Please refer to http://www.padminiarhant.com for the remaining content.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Health Care Reform - Former Rear Admiral Rep. Joe Sestak Vet benefits and VA would be increased (video)

Unknown user — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 10:48:56 EDT

Health Care Reform - Former Rear Admiral Rep. Joe Sestak Vet benefits and VA would be increased
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1C7MnTdbf84 (video)

Bush administration kicked out about 265,000 vets in 2003 and now it’s about 500,000 vets.

Bush administration cut funding to VA
2 billion in 2003
2 billion in 2004
2 billion in 2005
2 billion in 2006

The Obama health care reform brings them back in.

VA gets an 11% increase over 5 years and it’s the largest increase in it’s history.

VA is exempt from the 2.5% tax.

Michael Jackson and America's Superstardom

Eric from Covina, CA — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 19:23:48 EDT

BENEATH THE SPIN • ERIC L. WATTREE
Michael Jackson and America's Superstardom

I greatly admired Michael Jackson. I admire anyone who's the very best at what they do, and Michael Jackson was definitely that. I remember when I first heard him. He was doing a tune called "Who's Lovin' You?" He was a mere child at the time, but his talent was so fully developed, and he sang with so much emotional maturity, I mistook the high pitch of his voice to be that of a very soulful adult female. Then later when he did "Billie Jean" at the Motown reunion, he seemed to literally defy gravity as he Moonwalked across the stage. So yes, this young man was, without a doubt, one of the greatest entertainers who ever lived.

But Michael's life - that shooting star that dazzled humanity with its awesome display, only to burn out much too soon - threatens to serve as a perfect metaphor for America itself. The story of the United States parallels that of Michael Jackson. It is also the story of a precocious child star that dazzled humanity with its awesome display. The United States is undoubtedly a superstar among nations, but we must not let hubris allow us to forget that among those very same nations, we are nothing more than a precocious child.

While the United States is 233 years old, that's relatively nothing when it comes to the history of nations. Iran, one of the oldest nations on Earth, is over 8000 years old. That means that when Jesus Christ walked the Earth, Iran was more than 6000 years older than the United States is today, even then. We need to keep that in mind as we formulate the language of our foreign policy, because believe me, it is a fact that has not been lost on the Iranian people.

Obama Is Quickly Losing His Base And Noone Cares

Leo — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 17:32:46 EDT

There are mocking calls of 'Obushma' and the like, as more and more Obama decisions become less and less distinguishable from his predecessor.

http://www.truthout.org/062709A?n

Torture Prosecution Must Not Be Feared

Leo — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:12:06 EDT

Regarding the friendly disagreement between the Bard and myself, Bush and Cheney already enjoy undeserved folk hero status, and within the far right realms, they will always enjoy such status regardless of outcome.

I appreciate the debate.

The American Taxpayer Should Never Be Censored Period

Leo — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:01:07 EDT

http://www.truthout.org/061009A

I understand the arguments and how our troops in additional harm's way and additional stain to our national image at a time when we are just starting to recover face in the world's eyes does us no justice.

At the same time, this has to be addressed-

The American taxpayer paid for and is still paying for Iraq...

The Moral Strangulation of America

Eric from Covina, CA — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:34:46 EDT

BENEATH THE SPIN • ERIC L. WATTREE

The Moral Strangulation of America

In my last article I pointed out that the character of America is being fundamentally changed. In less than two generations we've gone from citizens who were politically engaged and socially aware, to zombies who simply accept what we're being told by our favorite demagogues. We've gone from citizens who held our politicians' feet to the fire, to a group of cattle who allow our politicians to dictate what is, and what isn't, off the table - in spite of our instinctive clamor for the simple adherence to the law. We've allowed politicians to go from representatives with the single mandate of doing our biding, to so-called leaders who dictate to us what's in our best interest. As a direct result, the script has been flipped - we now define what's in the people's best interest by what's in the best interest of the politicians who are supposed to defer us.

The Israeli Government has rejected a law on the oath of allegiance

Unknown user — Sun, 31 May 2009 19:38:47 EDT

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The Speech That Needs To Be Written

Leo — Sun, 31 May 2009 18:33:31 EDT

So on this issue that has the world embittered over policies, presumably against the Geneva Convention, we are faced with the question: Do we, or do we not, turn our heads?

Same old, Same old...

Jim — Sat, 30 May 2009 08:16:51 EDT

The far right can't stop their true faces from being seen time after time. They are locked into the same race baiting tactics they've been using forever. The tactic they tried to use during the Presidential campaign was to accuse the other side of racism to disguise their own racist attacks. So the new code word for bringing up race or gender is to accuse the other party or individual or racism or reverse racism or of ethnocentricity; although they probably don't know what "ethnocentricity" means.

However obvious these tactics are they are also dangerous and are being used to provoke the lunatic fringe and crazies everywhere. It is inciting to riot in an obvious fashion and should be dealt with much like "Hate Crimes" or other forms of provocations to do harm to individuals or groups. There are people out there who believe all the lies and distortions, who are violent and looking for an excuse to do harm.

Can you imagine what would have happened if an equivalent kind of vitriol had come from anyone during the Cheyney/Bush Presidency? First the cries of "Traitor," "Un-Patriotic," "Love it or Leave it," "Terrorists," then arrests and unlawful detention.

I really believe something needs to be done about people on the right who go around during a time of war and severe economic stress, spouting anti-American rhetoric. Perhaps an action committee of some kind could bring civil action against them since the Justice Department could be accused of doing it for political reasons.

Obama called the actions of the DPRK, thoughtless act, to which the world must answer

Unknown user — Mon, 25 May 2009 17:42:26 EDT

U.S. President Barack Obama has already made a second for the night a statement on the DPRK nuclear test. If the first was relatively mild, the latter is much more rigid rhetoric.

"Program of the DPRK to develop ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear charge, represent a great threat to international peace and security, and I strongly condemn this act of unthinking," - said Obama.

He said North Korea's actions not only threaten the population of the North-East Asia, but also a flagrant violation of international law, as well as contrary to commitments made by the DPRK. It only deepens its isolation, and incur greater pressure from other states, says the head of the White House.

"The U.S. and the international community should take retaliatory action" - said Obama. He also added that Russia, China, South Korea and Japan came to the same conclusion: North Korea will achieve the security and respect through threats and the development of illicit weapons programs.

According to the American leader, the United States will work with its friends and allies to counter the North Korean behavior, and we intend to redouble our efforts to create a stronger international non-proliferation regime.

Note, Obama previously stated that the U.S. representatives to discuss information regarding the actions of North Korea with six partners and the UN Security Council.

His opinion is also now made the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the U.S. armed forces, Admiral Michael Mullen. He warned North Korea that the development of technologies related to weapons of mass destruction, only to aggravate the country's isolation.

"We will take a couple of days to verify that North Korea has also suffered. If this is the nuclear charge, we are very sorry ... Any action by the DPRK on the development and testing of weapons of mass destruction is becoming increasingly remote Pyongyang from the international community and lead to isolation of this country "- said Mullen in an interview with TV CNN.
As reported, this morning, the DPRK, "as a measure for a comprehensive strengthening of the nuclear deterrent force" conducted a successful nuclear test. According to the Ministry of Defense RF power tested a nuclear device was 10 to 20 kilotons.

Seismology United States, South Korea and Japan have reported that the north-east of the DPRK, an earthquake, which may be proof of the next nuclear test.

Later, the media reported that North Korea fired two missiles at a small range of American and British explorers, who examined the alleged place of the DPRK nuclear test.

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Bush realized that he was an ordinary man

Unknown user — Sat, 23 May 2009 19:12:46 EDT

Former U.S. president George Bush Jr. came to the conclusion that has become routine to Americans.

This, he explained, speaking recently to the students.

Bush admitted that he understood that he became the ordinary people came to him suddenly when he vygulival his dog.

Removing one's Scottish Terrier Barney, Bush said: "And here I am, former president of the United States of America, I stand with the plastic bag in his hand ... life returns to the usual track."

Bush also shared with students, that felt great relief after leaving the White House.

Recall, previously ex-U.S. President George Bush Jr. promised to write a book of memoirs about the most important decisions taken during the presidency.

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A Simple Question: Would God Condone Torture?

Eric from Covina, CA — Fri, 22 May 2009 18:05:14 EDT

BENEATH THE SPIN • ERIC L. WATTREE

A Simple Question: Would God Condone Torture?

Maybe I'm missing something but I find it uniquely ironic that some the same people who clamor for prayer in school, claim that same-sex marriage is an abomination under God,who insist that America is a Christian nation, and fight for the Biblical version of creationism over science, are also the very same people who demand the right to be armed to the teeth with some of the most destructive private weapons on Earth, the right to slaughter and bring the most excruciating kinds of death upon God's other creatures for nothing more than their own entertainment, and now, condone the torture of other human beings as a legitimate tool of government. Is it just me, or does anyone else see this as the very height of hypocrisy?

"TORTURED!"

James — Wed, 20 May 2009 23:05:14 EDT

Let me establish some basic fundamental principals in dealing with the application of what we have come to understand is torture. By the way, we know that torture is not really the playing of loud music at all hours, or having the cell, where your victims are stored, too cold or too hot. We know that torture, the kind of torture I am writing about, is the application of physical misery to such an extent that the agony of the pain generated is impossible to endure. Now, understanding that, let's look at application a little closer.

People who have no experience with physical torture also lack an understanding of the psychology of its application. You see, the torturer does not work (or 'play,' depending upon the mindset of the practitioner) in an environment of need. The needs of the torturer are analytical. Empirical data is sought, which the subject of the torture is thought to have in his or her mental possession. There is no emotional need on the part of the torturer. The emotion is experienced on the part of the tortured subject. Torture is probably the most emotional personal experience a person can go through. Total body rape. Penetration, severing, incision....all of it. And, on top of this, the burden of revelation is placed firmly on the subject! The subject, in order to lesson or stop the application, must find some way to convince the torturer that the information is valid. The torturer only moves to prove something through pre-established corroboration or proof. It is quite common, as a matter of policy, once the subject has been properly 'softened' up (by, say; being drowned ten times in a row and revived immediately by nearby doctors), to tell the subject this truth. "You must find some way to get me to believe you, in order for these procedures to be stopped." Think about the enormity of that question for a moment!

Many problems in torturing, as I discussed in my earlier essay, revolve around figuring out the right questions to ask, not evaluating the answers. This creates its own problems. It is never the "you have a nuclear bomb hidden and we need the location" kind of thing. That would be just too easy. Too Krauthammer or Jack Bauer. No, instead, the questions usually revolve around the social order. Who do you know? How do you know them? What have you done? Why are you here, in the first place? Yes, that last one is asked all the time, as astounding as that might seem.

Another problem here, especially when you are torturing cross-culturally, is language and cultural differences. How does the torturer come to understand what the subject of his or her torture is saying? How does he or she fit this into the cultural norms and rules of his or her own culture? Is our 'normal' torturer a linguist? An ethnologist, perhaps? More iikely not. More likely there are interpreters involved. And interpreters add another level of filtering. Most interpreters are indigenous to the culture of the subject (else how is the actual torturer to understand the language?). Which means that the interpreter has a vested interest is what is going to happen to the subject. If, for example, and this is all too common, the tortured subject is a higher ranking member of a tribal unit, and the interpreter is from a lower rank. If the tortured subject is removed from life, then the interpreter's situation rises in that tribe. The tribe may even come to understand that the interpreter had something to do with the removal, thereby increasing the interpreter's rank even more. The tortured subject is likely killed or returned as such a shambling wreck as to be ineffective at anything.

Unfortunately, the discussions in and around the subject of torture, as we see them in the mass media, are not dealing with the real torture that has been done. Those subjects (the really tortured) are long gone to their final relief. So there is murder here. And murder is not looked upon nicely in the American culture. So we have people willing to do just about anything to keep themselves from being found out. Then can do that by destroying records, yes, but they can also do it by threatening to expose the whole ugly mess, so that many many more people are touched by the horror of their conduct. And, we come to Dick Cheney. That is what he is trying to do, and he is doing it successfully. Barack Obama knows pretty much everything by now. His job is to protect you and me. He is torn between going after these rat-bastards or allowing most of the country to maintain some kind of positive self-image, in a time of pretty damned poor self-imaging. I feel bad for this nice man, who I contributed a lot of money to help make such decisions. So this is my apology to Barack. I'm sorry that I did this to you. I cannot make the decision, on this one, for you, and you would not have me make it anyway.

If you decide to allow all of this to remain buried, then I will also be sorry. We are doomed to repeat this history, if you decide that. We are already repeating this history, which we thought long learned years ago. Whom of you reading this right now would ever have believed, twenty years ago, that we would be having a discussion about our military and intelligence people torturing people, as a matter of policy, and in great numbers? I would bet that number would be quite small.

Finally, there are people who have been ordered to torture other people, in our name, who did not want to do it, and are having night terrors over their participation this very night. Post Traumatic Stress lives with them, like a constantly beating drum and inescapable drum. Should they come in, their counseling at the Veteran's Administration will be unmercifully cold and harsh. That's only if they have the idiotic temerity to reveal what they were involved with. They have come home to live alone among people. To die alone, hoping that there is no life after death....hoping not to die and have those subjects appear before them, as they do each and every night while they live. And we, this people, of this United States of America, have done this to them. We need to know a measure of shame for our participation. We elected Bush, twice. We elected Cheney, twice. We allowed Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Pearl, Gonzalez and Rice...and yes, Colin Powell too. If there is no butcher's bill for all of this, then we too need to hope that there is no afterlife.

http://www.jamesstraussauthor.com

http://www.themastodons.com

http://www.from-the-chateau-dif.blogspot.com

Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, George Bush should be put to justice NOW

Heinz Rainer — Fri, 15 May 2009 17:16:26 EDT

When I read the latest revelation, and we will hear more and more as the days go by,

I ask myself what kind of people these must be.

Taking a great nation such as this to a long ride, making us look like fools.

Are we going to allow them to get away with this ?

Finally President Obama, we ASK you to take action against these perpetrators of crima against humanity in no uncertain terms.

READ: WE NEED JUSTICE, WE CRY FOR JUSTICE in the name of those who were maltreated, raped, tortured, killed, and sodomized by animals who call themselves humans.

MORE here - at last the truth will come out.

Republicans: Stuck in Own Muck

Eric from Covina, CA — Tue, 12 May 2009 14:24:45 EDT

BENEATH THE SPIN • ERIC L. WATTREE

Republicans: Stuck in Own Muck

With the Grand Old Party experiencing its most precipitous decline in modern times, the very last thing it needs is a rusty old anchor pulling it down even farther. But that's exactly what it's got as it finds itself helplessly attached to a discredited and unrepentant Dick Cheney. Ironically, previously elusive and camera-shy, now that the former vice president is out of office, no one in the Republican Party seems to be able to shut him up.

Accountability: America's Moral Responsibility to Humanity

Eric from Covina, CA — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:51:12 EDT

BENEATH THE SPIN • ERIC L. WATTREE

Accountability: America's Moral Responsibility to Humanity

Eight years of Republican "leadership" has left America both economically devastated, and globally humiliated. Yet, far from apologizing for the damage that they've done to the stability and image of this great nation, instead, they've circled their wagons and gone into damage control mode–not to control the damage that they've done to the nation, but in an attempt to rewrite history in order to control the damage that they've done to themselves.

So now, as President Obama goes about the business of desperately trying to return America to its former position of economic stability at home, and respect, admiration, and moral authority abroad, the GOP leadership seems to be completely oblivious to the nation's desperate and immediate need for a concerted effort in that regard. They're like clueless children who find it impossible to see the big picture. Thus, at this point it has become abundantly clear that their primary concern is not with restoring America to a sound footing in the world, but rather, simply restoring themselves to power at any cost.

Mr. President - right - or wrong?

Heinz Rainer — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:15:19 EDT

Latest revelations about CIA torturers and the memos that came from 'above'.

Imagine, Mr. Obama, leaving a human submersed in water with a constant feeling of drowning.

Or, as we saw 'water cascading' on a human 's face, for hours. With the same feeling of getting drowned.

What else? We only begin to know what torture techniques were used against the so called 'Terrorists'.

The difference of being a 'Terrorist' or a CIA thug isn't that big in actual fact.

In Guantanamo Bay, similarly basic human rights were abused by the 'Greatest Nation' on earth.

And finally some of the memos are now being made public .

Where are Bush, Rumsfield, Cheney and Rice, as the master perpetrators. Why don't you take them on trial?

Here is the straw : "Mr President, you now want to protect the CIA henchmen who committed these crimes against humanity". Crimes, for which every normal citizen would be imprisoned for years.

You declare an amnesty for such culprits, who were 'only following orders'.

This means - in actual fact, that German SS troups were only 'following orders' and they should have been exonerated as well. Or do we have some double standards here?

Is it not that any person that tortures another fellow human, is committing a crime against humanity?

No Mr. President, we see some biased decision taking, and we are certain that Mr. Gates is the main reason for this.

He wants to protect his criminal gang.

No Sir, we won't agree. For the first time we speak out against your decision.

Like in the 'illegal use of drones' against innocent civilians.

Your policy of eliminating unwanted people somehow does not compare with the public image you portray. Somehow I have doubts if you are the person we thought you were, or you are simply caving in to pressure.

Torture in any form - is illegal. And torturers must be prosecuted, CIA henchmen or not.

Bush, Rumsfield, Cheney and Rice should be put on trial as well. Fast.

They were lying to us continiously till the end. And now we should let them go free ?

Take them on, the free world looks up to you.

LE COMBAT D'UNE MERE COURAGEUSE : Extract from the book "Les Piliers de la traîtrise" d'Elisabeth SILVA

MARQUEZ SILVA Marie-Jos� — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:12:12 EDT

LE COMBAT D’UNE MERE COURAGEUSE DIEU a dit « Vos fils et vos filles prophétiseront, Vos vieillards auront des songes, Et vos jeunes gens des visions. Même sur les serviteurs et sur les servantes, Dans ces jours-là, je répandrai mon Esprit » - Joël 2-28. « Elisabeth et Marc mes enfants chéris, mes anges ont été meurtris pour avoir défendu la cause des enfants disparus.Ma blessure est profonde, ma plaie est à vif, je suis ivre de douleur.Trouverai-je un mot pour crier ma détresse ? Des traîtres ont transpercé mon âme de leurs flèches meurtrières. Ces misérables veulent détruire et hypothéquer l’avenir de mon sang.Les pervers ont brisé mon cœur, consumé mes jours, égratigné la prunelle de mes yeux, crucifié mon être quand le fruit de mes entrailles, la chair de ma chair a été enchaînée et privée de sa liberté. Mais l’agneau immolé essuiera toute larme de nos yeux, il pansera nos plaies et nous redonnera la vie en abondance.Avec mes armes, celles de Dieu, je combattrai, je résisterai et tiendrai ferme jusqu’au bout. Je prendrai la vérité pour ceinture, je revêtirai la cuirasse de la justice et je mettrai pour chaussures à mes pieds, la paix. Avec toute la force de mon amour, je protégerai ma famille en brandissant le bouclier de la foi et me battrai avec l’épée de l’esprit qui est la parole de Dieu. Le Tout-Puissant, le juste juge qui règne éternellement anéantira la muraille de leur iniquité et pierre après pierre les piliers de la traîtrise s’effondreront. Il a éprouvé ma foi comme on éprouve l’or.J’aime l’Eternel, ma force, mon libérateur.Avec Dieu nous ferons des exploits. » Message d’une Maman déchirée, dont ses enfants font sa fierté.Marie-José MARQUEZ

Key testimony : Letter from the Reverend Graham Stevens from Colchester UK

MARQUEZ SILVA Marie-Jos� — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:39:32 EDT

Letter from the Reverend Graham Stevens “ It was the autumn of 2003 when I first met with a French family and their most deeply moving situation.It all began with a simple phone call on the 17th September; I was preparing my sermon for the forthcoming Sunday. It is not unusual within my ministry as a minister from time to time to receive calls for help from people who are in distress and often known as “the down and outs” of society.However after my short telephone conversation with Elisabeth, I had a real sense that God was asking me to be involved in a special work for Him. So without delay I went to the Church where I first of all met Marie, then Elisabeth and Marc (and later on Phai and Simone.) I invited them to my home. There they shared with me something of their tragic story which is told here in this book. I was deeply moved by what they told me and at the time felt quite powerless. What could I possibly do to help them? The first thing at the very least was to immediately offer them all hospitality and trust that God would reveal the next stage.So began several incredible months. I cannot record in just a few lines all the experiences I had as the adventure of their story impacted my life. Perhaps this will be something to write about later in another book. I am able to affirm that this extraordinary, and at the time incredible story, is true. It is a case of facts being stranger than fiction. Sometimes what is real and true is so astounding that it goes beyond our understanding and even our imagination.The faithfulness of God has helped my dear friends through these most testing of events. Times when they felt they would not be able to survive a moment longer. Times so horrifying that anxiety virtually broke their hearts and shook their morale.The understanding that God watches over those who desire to do His will has kept them up to this moment, trusting him and giving them strength to do what is good and to fight until the final victory is won where right and justice will be accomplished.

I thoroughly recommend this book to all who read it and I commend my dear French family to God for their courage and their faithfulness.

Remember the letter of James Chapter 1 and verse 12“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” Praise God.God loves you and I love you. Rev. Graham StevensColchester Evangelical Church
Abbeygate Street
Colchester
Essex

CO2 7HBhttp://www.c-e-c.org.uk
enquiries@c-e-c.org.uk

OPEN LETTER TO THE ATTENTION OF PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

SILVA Marc — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:46:40 EDT

Mr Marc SILVA Courbevoie, on April 15th, 2006. 92400 COURBEVOIE - FRANCE - Tél. : 06.XX.XX.XX.XX OPEN LETTER To the attention of the French and foreign Authorities

Subject : - Denunciation of STATE CRIME against the three members of the SILVA-MARQUEZ family: Mrs Marie-José MARQUEZ - Miss Elisabeth SILVA and Mr Marc SILVA.

- Demands of the opening of National and international inquiries and the revelation of the Secret Defence on the Leo BALLEY affair.

Dear Sir, Dear Madam, In the course of March 2005, I allowed to recommend you by offering to you, the reading of the book “LES PILIERS DE LA TRAITRISE” written by my sister Elisabeth SILVA, published by Les Editions La Lanterne, in Paris, real exhibit, which establishes the evident and indubitable proof of the attempt of crime against my family, in relation, with for backdrop, a classified SECRET DEFENCE affair, by the French authorities, which revelation is not apparently topical. Because of the obvious denial of justice, which continues, my present open letter has for end the demonstration of the truth on what it should be advisable to call now a separate State Crime. Refusing to give in to the fate and in the perspective of an inquiry led loyally and in any independence, I tried hard to collect new data, by the administration of material evidences, which come as a supplement to the book above mentioned. The check of the collected data should end to the identification of responsible persons, till this day, remained unpunished. I commit to it. I - SITUATION OF THE FAMILY SILVA - SINCE OUR RETURN TO FRANCE ON 11/02/2004 –

After a forced expatriation of my family, during almost four and a half months in England followed by an arbitrary detention in U.S.A., splendidly immortalized with courage by my dear sister Elisabeth SILVA, in a book which crossed the borders, the Calvary of my family thrown to the vindication of maffioso continued, from our return to France on 11/02/2004.

PART- PRACTICES RELATING TO MORAL HARASSMENT: Despite the work of undermining and the concentration camp practices of heroic American executioners from the prison of of York in PENNSYLVANIA and the state of extreme tiredness in which one, we come back to France, we had to undertook our fate. Very fast, the family grouping in the apartment of Courbevoie (92) was imperative in reason of the bankruptcy caused by contemptible persons.

At once, my sister and myself were gained by the consternation, when we notice the state of the mailboxes of our respective apartments, nevertheless distant around 700 kilometres, one of the other one. Both locks had been forced with the same savagery. Only the mailbox of my mother’s house located in Saubusse (40) had escaped any act of vandalism. For a very good reason, the owner of the house, without even waiting for the end of the lease had taken the decision, after the worrying missing of her tenant, to forward the mail to the local post office.

Armed with her only courage and strong of the only arms, my ruined family had to resolve to begin both moves of residence to settle down at home. The first pause intervened very fast.

And so by way of welcome, I acknowledged receipt of bailiff's act of command to pay five rents not settled. This act, beforehand drown up on 06/02/2004 at the request of the O.P.H.L.M. of the city of Courbevoie (Public House service Moderate Rents), will not miss to draw my attention.This date corresponds exactly with the day of our release from the prison of York in Pennsylvania in the United States by the American Judge of the Immigration Office of the Department of Justice (cf. my logbook of 06/02/2004) and with my return to England, according to the procedure of voluntary departure after the request of cancellation of political asylum.

With a single game of writing, the Bailiff crossed off boorishly the first date of the act to replace it by, that of the 10/02/2004, that is to say, the day of our booking of the plane ticket London / Paris. I clarify that this date also coincides with my last phone contact, from the British ground with the secretariat of the Prefect Mr. Roger Marion in Marseille (13), which I informed about our repatriation in France foreseen the next day and that, by our own means.

The Bailiff summoned me, by the aforementioned act, to pay the 2330,41-euro sum, within the delay of two months, as from 10/02/2004, and added that for lack of satisfying the present command, I could be there forced by any ways and means of law, in particular by the sequester of property of my active furniture. Besides, he reminded me the cancellation of the lease, which would be cancelled by rights for lack of payment of a single term of rent.- Cf. File OPHLM –Command of the rents - Page 17 - 19. Without even granting me respite, the 18/02/2004, the same member of legal profession diligently appointed by the O.P.H.L.M. of the municipality of Courbevoie (92), moved in my place of residence, supervised by two witnesses and by a locksmith, to proceed to the sequester of property of my personal properties to guarantee the payment of my debt. A report of sequester of property of furniture will be drawn up to me, wearing the sum to 2458 Euros, cost of the inclusive act. Despite the importance of the difficulties met and a non-existent level of resource, known by the General Finance, the administrator of the O.P.H.L.M, I shall be likely to pay the S.L.S. (Supplement of Housing Solidarity) for January and February, 2004, either, 179 euros supplementary monthly. From 24/02/2004, the Treasury of Courbevoie, will establish me a first schedule of due dates over six months, to settle the renting debt. I want, hereby, to return a supported tribute to my mother, Madam Marie-José MARQUEZ, who took from the beginning the control of the financial operations and set up a strategy of recovery. Moved by the energy of despair, my dear mother, recently retired, was going to push away the numerous assaults of the creditors, which demanded their part.In hardly one month, I settle to pay off, 61 % of this debt, namely, 1352 Euro. After, various initiatives of my own with C.A.F (Social Security Office) of the “HAUTS DE SEINE”, this welfare organization will eventually pay directly to the O.P.H.L.M. the 1347-euro sum, which will serve for discharging a part of my debts as well as the current rents. From April, I see myself reduced to the R.M.I. (Minimal income Insertion). It is in the same period that CAF will pay me an A.P.L. (Housing subsidy) and the 30/09/2004, my current rents will be up to date.From his part, the local commission of the “Hauts de Seine”(92) will examine with the biggest attention my file concerning the demand of Housing Solidarity fund. In support of the social inquiry, the members of the aforementioned commission will put the veto and that, despite the alarming precariousness and of the strictly observation of the law. Now, the article 6, the first paragraph modified by the law N ° 90-449 of the 31/05/1990 defines the criteria of eligibility in the helps of capital, which can only be based on elements such as the level of resources of the persons, the importance and the nature of the difficulties which they meet. The Commission of Excessive debt of the “Hauts de Seine” will conclude in view of the examination of my file deposited on 21/04/2004 to the Bank of France of Nanterre ( 92 ) in a " BAD FAITH " 29/07 of the same year. For the prescribed delay, I shall thus exercise an appeal against this inequitable decision with the T.G.I. (High Court Authority) of Nanterre ( 92 ).

To exploit my honesty, not possessing either very personal, or even motor vehicle, given up for lack of being able to maintain it, nor a bank account placed in a tax haven, I shall produce to the Judge of Execution, not the simple paragraphs appeared in the French media, but the long cuts putting in light the blatant abuses of a certain press at the mercy of the organized crime.

In view of following slanderous articles, inspired by a led astray police source, " Le Parisien” from 17/10/2003 titling " A runaway policeman " - ( 1 page); " Le Nouveau Détective " N°1101 of 22/10/2003 entitled " The strange missing of a policeman " - ( 3 pages), and to end the article "Le Monde" (2 pages), poured to the Judge of the Execution, Mr. Pascal LE LUONG, this one will declare "ACCEPTABLE AND VERY FOUNDED" my appeal exercised against the decision of the Local Commission of Excessive debt of the Private individuals of the Hauts de Seine, committee chaired by the Prefect of the “Hauts de Seine”. In any independence, the Judge of Execution, Mr. Pascal LELUONG will motivate his decision returned on 24/02/2005, in those terms: " … Mister SILVA seems convinced however to be the victim of neglects of his hierarchy which would not have insured his protection while he felt threatened. He reports moreover the proof that his name was quoted in the press, while during this period, he was up to the Central Bureau for repression of Banditism.In this respect, both articles, which he produces, evoke his participation in the arrest of dangerous delinquents. In any case, that his suspicions are based or that they result from his imagination, Mister Marc SILVA does not appear as a debtor of bad faith. In both hypotheses, this last one believed that he had to put his family safe from danger, by leaving the national territory, what entailed his revocation and consequently, the loss of his treatment. Mister Marc SILVA perceives a monthly payment constituted by 367,73-euro RMI.His monthly loads are estimated at a 634,28-euro amount, His debt amounts to a global 51.797,65-euro amount. He is in situation of obvious excessive debt. As a consequence, it will be advisable, to declare acceptable Mister SILVA, of his demand.” - Cf. File Excessive debt - Page 25 - 29. Nevertheless, during its session of 19/08/2004, the Housing Solidarity fund had required the admissibility of the excessive debt plan of the Bank of France before satisfying my demand. The members of the local commission considered, that I had to pursue the plan of discharge with my landlord and waited for the admissibility of the excessive debt Plan of the Bank of France. Now, my thin wages reached difficulty 367 Euro.Continuously, on 27/09/2004, the O.P.H.L.M. had seized the “Departemental Section” of the A.P.L. (Of the Local Management Equipment) for my back rent bordering only 30 % of the initial debt, with the aim of questioning my right for the A.P.L. As paradoxical as it can appear, the O.P.H.L.M. would logically have had interest in the fact that the A.P.L. continues to be paid so that my current rents should be settled. The O.P.H.L.M. of Courbevoie refused to wait for the decision of the admissibility of the Excessive debt plan of the Bank of France and for the help of the F.S.L. Unmistakably, the O.P.H.L.M. of Courbevoie, following the example of the Commission of Excessive debt and the F.S.L. both beaten by the General Council of the Hauts de Seine, chaired by Nicolas SARKOZY, will both have, adopted an attitude of systematic negation in defiance of the texts of law and the criteria of resource and that in resentment, of all the personal efforts harshly granted to adjust my delays. Height of ignominy, during this period riddled with pitfalls, Mr. Claude KUNTZ, first mayor deputy of Courbevoie and President of the O.P.H.L.M. of Courbevoie ( 92 ), had sent very quickly to my place of residence, for the second time, a Bailiff to come to notice the presence of two new tenants under my roof, namely my very dear mother and sister who did not still appear on my rental agreement.On the occasion of this fortuitous meeting, I invited this member of legal profession to follow myself up to the technical premises implanted on the landing, so that he notices by himself the state of the boiler room. On the spot, we realize together that a muff of a dozen centimeters connecting two tubes, was removed at the level of my installation. Furthermore, we shall observe with bewilderment the good connecting of the nearby columns and their normal functioning.The Bailiff having indicated me that he would draw up later a report on the subject of his initial movement, I suggest to him to tell there, at the same opportunity the report of hardship of heating.

During the next two rigorous winters, despite the payment of provisions of heating, a single apartment on eighty one, that holds the building, where I live, will be sporadically deprived of heating over long periods. Because of the fall of the temperatures, I was obliged to seek repeatedly technicians' intervention heating engineers with the guard of the building, Mrs D. (Phone. / 06. XX.XX.XX.XX), who, will scrupulously note on a register, according to her statements, each of my complaints.

Despite the numerous movements of technicians qualified from the DALKIA Company (located in - 13 rue de l’Abreuvoir in Courbevoie (92) – Sector Responsible: Mr H. - Phone: 06. XX.XX.XX.XX - Leader of operation: Mr L.), the interruptions of heating will multiply throughout both wintry seasons. It is to notice that, since my installation in this apartment since 1998, I had never had to regret a single incident. No rational explanation or report of intervention will be given to me by the aforementioned specialists, who won’t be sent by the O.P.H.L.M. anymore, at the beginning of the year on 2006, to insure this kind of repair. Information taken with the caretaker, no tenant of the building will have been entitled to such disappointments stretching over so long periods. New acts of vandalism, sabotages or simple misfortune ? Apparently, whenever the questions of interest arise, the lowness sublimates and marries all the forms, even the most degrading. Therefore, our family entry and settlement in the municipality of Courbevoie (92), will not be a simple sinecure. II – ACTIONS LED WITH THE PUBLIC AND JUDICIAL, FRENCH AND FOREIGN AUTHORITIES: Although the press plays an eminent role in any democratic society, it has to be careful not to exceed certain limits, notably aiming at the protection of reputation and at the rights of others as well as to the necessity of preventing the disclosure of confidential information. The grave negligence in the check of information, translates a blatant contempt for the research of truth and a hostile intention.This intention to strike a blow at honour and at consideration in these publications, more than litigious, constitutes an abuse of the freedom of expression characterized by a denaturation, a deformation of fundamental facts and an infringement of the rights of the person. No doubt that to serve the superior interest of the Nation, the control of the whole press at the top, give the measure of the importance of a sulphurous affair, classified in the National defence.- - Cf. articles: " Le Parisien", " Le Nouveau Détective " and "Le Monde" - Page 30 - 35. So, I attached the highest importance for the answers and others, sometimes edifying silences, which followed the sending, by registered mail, of the report drown up by myself, which drew the attention of the people concerned about grave police dysfunctions and quite particularly to the wide severely reprehensible contribution of French organs of press on international broadcasting. - To Sir, Person in charge of the High commission of the rights of the Man of The United Nations, Answer: " having examined carefully the contents of your complaint, I regret to inform you that the H.C.D.H. is not able to assist you within the framework of the affair which you evoked, for the indicated reason: - the internal, judicial or administrative appeals, were not apparently exhausted, and it was not demonstrated that these would exceed reasonable periods, or would be out of reach or ineffective. " - To the European Court of Human Rights, Answer: " I inform you that the European Court of Human Rights, sitting on 07/01/2005 in a committee of three judges (N. Vajic, president, E. Steiner and S.E. Jebens) in application of the article 27 of the Agreement to declare unacceptable the aforesaid request, the conditions put by articles 34 or 35 of the Agreement not being filled. Considering all the elements in my ownership, and as far as it was competent to know the formulated assertions, the Court raised no appearance of violation of the guaranteed rights and the liberties by the Agreement or its Protocols.This decision is definitive and can be the object of no appeal in front of the Court including the High Chamber, or another organ. You will understand that the Clerk's Office will not be able to supply you with the other precision on the considerations of the committee nor to answer the letters that you would send to it about the decision returned in the present affair. " - Clerk's Office Assistant of Section, Mr. Santiago QUESADA. - To Mister Jacques Chirac, President of the French Republic, Answer: " the President of the Republic asked me to answer the mail that you sent him on the 17/05/2004. I have to indicate to you that the constitutional principle of the separation of powers does not allow the Head of State to intervene in the cases recovering from the justice. " - leader Assistant of Cabinet, Mr. Gérard MARCHAND. - To Mister Jean Louis DEBRE, President of the National Assembly, Answer: " The President of the National Assembly asked me to inform you that he would not know how to interfere in a disciplinary procedure with which the administrative jurisdiction is at present seized considering the principle of separation of powers. " - director of Cabinet, Mr. Jean Louis Valentin. - - To Mister Christian PONCELET, President of the Senate, Answer: " I have to inform you that a procedure were in progress in front of the Administrative Court of Paris, the principle of the separation of powers forbidden the President of the Senate to interfere in this file. " - principal private secretary, Mr. Pierre ALLEAUME. - To Mister Joël THORAVAL, President of the Consultative National Committee (of the rights of the Man, Answer: " I received your mail of 19/05/2004 which quite held attention. Allow me nevertheless to remind you that the statutes of the C.N.C.D.H. do not give its competence to intervene in favour of the individual requests. The first mission of the Commission is to assist of its notices the Prime Minister and the Ministers concerned on all the questions of general reach which, concern human rights and humanitarian action. Accompanying document: list of associations. " - in charge of Mission, Madam Stéphanie DJIAN. - To Mister Pierre TRUCHE, President of the National Committee on Deontology and Security, Answer: " we cannot answer it on the bottom because the problems which you evoke do not recover from the competence of the C.N.D.S. " - general Secretary, Mrs Nathalie DUHAMEL. - To Mister Dominique DE VILLEPIN and Nicolas SARKOZY, successively Secretaries of The Home Office and the Local Liberties.- To Mister Dominique PERBEN, Minister of Justice. –- To Mister Roger MARION, Prefect delegated to the Security and to the Defence. Henceforth, physically present on the French ground, on 18/02/2004, I called the secretary of the Prefect, Mr. Roger MARION, to seek an audience from his high benevolence. (Reminder of the extract of my Log book of 22/10/2003 held in London: " initiate negotiations by phone with Mr. Roger MARION, prefect delegated to the Safety and to the Defence, which eventually invites me for an interview, on the French territory in MARSEILLE (13) or in the Pas de Calais (Dover) (59). ", the secretary of cabinet will inform me, by any means, about suites given to my request by this high authority. The propositions of negotiations with this high-ranking servant are not apparently any more topical. - To Mister Jacques KOSSOWSKI, Mayor Representative - (U.M.P). Of Courbevoie (Hauts de Seine) My transmission of report with the aim of the referral to the National Deontology Security Committee (C.N.D.S). In his quality of member of the parliament, he will pull no answer as an elected member. - To Mister Jean Luc GARNIER, General Secretary of the trade union ALLIANCE NATIONAL POLICE FORCE. In each of my phone calls remained fruitless, the switchboard operator of permanency would invariably announce me that Mr. Jean Luc GARNIER, regrettably inalienable at the moment, had received my voluminous file, on which my personal coordinates were heading represented. The civil servant regretted to announce me successively that the very media union activist, Mr. Jean Luc GARNIER was either in holidays, online or still in working meeting, but that he would have very certainly the courtesy to call me back.Despite my suggestions, it will not come at the idea of this majority trade union within the National police force, to seize the legal service to ask their lawyer to examine my situation and to bend over the reprehensible drift of my former police hierarchy. III - TASKS MADE WITH THE MEN OF JUSTICE: A/ SECTION - CONCERNING THE PRESIDENT OF THE BAR OF THE ORDER OF LAWYERS B/SECTION CONCERNING THE PARQUET C/SECTION / DECISION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT: Back from exile, on 11/02/2004, being neither lawyer, nor a jurist, I quite naturally turned to the justice of my country to ask to the jurists to undo the hank of this complex affair and to make stop the grave dysfunctions from which, my family suffers from now on more than two and a half years, in reason of a classified Secret Defence. I intend to obtain repair of the numerous undergone damages, which origin dates, as everything indicates it, to the classified rogatory commission Secret Defence of 26/02/2002 concerning the Léo BALLEY affair, for which my sister Elisabeth and myself had been heard by the Warrant officer OMER of the Brigade of Research of the Gendarmerie of Grenoble (Isère). Within any democracy, which respects itself, every person is entitled to the fact that her cause might be settled fairly, publicly and for a reasonable delay, by an independent and impartial court, established by the law, which will decide either on contestings on her rights and obligations of civil character, or on the soundness of any charge in penal case. On top, the law foresees that the customer has the possibility of being assisted by a lawyer, likely to operate everything to insure his defence. Being understood that this last one has no obligation of result but only best effort undertaking. A/ SECTION - CONCERNING THE PRESIDENT OF THE BAR OF THE ORDER OF LAWYERSFar from being at the end of my efforts, having suffered the refusal to insure the defence of my interests on behalf of a ballet of a dozen lawyers, according to the law and in view of my thin financial resources, the president of the bar was forced to appoint Mister Guy PECHEU to represent me in front of the Administrative Court of Paris in the affair, which sets me to the Home Office represented by Nicolas SARKOZY. Going against the rules, which, governs his profession, Mr Guy PECHEU refrained voluntarily to postulate for pleadings, forgetting the honesty, the loyalty and the diligence, which he was obliged to bring to my file. What led me naturally to exercise an appeal for neglect to his obligation of means in front of the same president of the bar of the order of the lawyers of Paris on 23/03/2006. - Cf. File President of the bar Page 36 - 65 B/ SECTION - CONCERNING THE PARQUET (PUBLIC PROSECUTOR'S DEPARTMENT) Naturally, afterward, every complaint will conscientiously, be classified without suites, by the persons, who due to their function are called to contribute to the truth. - Deposit of complaint to the public prosecutor near the T.G.I. of Nanterre ( 92 ) of 18/12/2003, for non assistance to person in danger and put in danger of the life of others.

- Deposit of complaint to the public prosecutor near the T.G.I. of Paris of 28/07/2004 for Violation of professional secret and defamation by one or several police officers who supplied the media with confidential character informations.

- Deposit of complaint with the public prosecutor near the T.G.I. of the Seine Saint Denis (93) of 14/10/2004 for Complicity by supply of means on behalf of journalists of an obvious violation of a professional secret by a police source against the director of publication of the daily paper "Le Parisien", Mr. Philippe AMAURY and the journalists Frédéric VEZARD and F. VIG. - Deposit of complaint to the public prosecutor near the T.G.I. of Paris of 14/10/2004 for Complicity by supply of means on behalf of journalists of an obvious violation of a professional secret by a police source against the director of publication of the weekly " Le Nouveau Détective ", Mrs Catherine NEMO and the reporter Michel Mary. The ex-Minister of Justice and Lord Chancellor, Mr. Dominique PERBEN, addressee of all the copies, will not show the slightest bewilderment on the differences between the Public prosecutor's department and the Judge of the Execution of Nanterre, Mr. Pascal LE LUONG. Concerning the works of press in cause. - Cf. File complaints - Page 66 - 81. - Cf. Notification of 24/02/2005 by the Judge of the Execution, near the Hight Court Authority of Nanterre ( 92 ) - Page 25 in 29. C/ SECTION - DECISION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT: Finally, despite the voluntary obstacle to the justice caused by the officially lawyer appointed by the court by the president of the bar, the examination of my report drown up in two parts (namely, 171 pages), as well as the numerous enclosed documents in the present Open letter, all sent to the president of the Administrative Court of Paris, with the aim of a reinstatement in the body of the National police force and especially of the seizure of the General Inspection of the Administration had to result, as a rule in a lawsuit to the penal, considering: - The material existence of the malpractices and cause-effect relations, between suspected persons and facts constituting the malpractices recovering from the obvious denial of justice and from the abuse of power characterized. (Cf. Complaints deposited in Public prosecutor's departments and decision of the Judge of the Execution of Nanterre - page 66 - 81 and page 25 in 29) The 30/03/2006, the Judge of the T.A of Paris will pronounce the REFUSAL of my formed appeal aiming at the cancellation of the order of 20/01/2004, by which the Home Office crossed me off with the National police force executives, for post desertion. - Cf. State progress file Administrative Court of Paris N ° 0408659 - Page 39 - 40. - Cf. Decision of the President of the T.A. of Paris, M.J. KRULIC - Page 167 in 171. IV - ANALYSIS AND REFLECTION UPON THE CONCLUSIONS OF the HOME OFFICE: - Cf. File conclusions of the Home Office - Page 82 in 96. " The guarantee of the Human rights and of the Citizen requires the police force. This force has been established for the advantage of all and not for the particular utility of those to whom, it is entrusted. " The article 12 of the Declaration of the rights of the Man and the Citizen who appears in foreword of the code of ethics of the National police force, always stays present in my spirit. The following observations have for purpose, to answer, in any transparency, the justifiable questions that each, can arise and will so allow to discover facts, which maybe had not held all their attention. At first, I attach a lot of price to indicate that in 02/03/2006, hearing date of the affair, which sets me to the Home Office in front of Administrative Court of Paris, Mister Guy PECHEU, the automatically appointed lawyer entitled to represent my interests, has made the choice not to appear and neither be replaced in the hypothesis of a hindrance.So surprising and grave as it can appear, Mr Guy PECHEU, especially refrained from applying in acts of procedure of which he was load, regarding his representative role. Not only, He hasn’t indicated me at any time the steps and the conclusions of the Home Office, but also, Mister Guy PECHEU refrained from drawing up any conclusion, in answer to those of 23/08/2004 defended by the Home Office. Consequently, I only notice these last ones on the hearing date further to the reading made by Government Commissioner. Deliberately, to the beginning at the end, Mister Guy PECHEU will strictly refrain from operating anything to insure my defence with the honesty, the loyalty and the diligence, which he was entitled to bring to my affair.On my demand, the President of the T.A. of Paris, M.J. KRULIC insured me to have noted my report and, in particular three newspaper articles, and invited me from the end of the audience to consult personally my file with the present Secretary in the audience, to take note of the conclusions of my lawyer, Mister Guy PECHEU. To my big bewilderment, the Secretary did not find track of the slightest conclusion of Mister Guy PECHEU. Everybody can agree, in any objectivity, that this unspeakable neglect in a written procedure, on behalf of a lawyer is inadmissible in a State so-called State under the rule of law. Obviously, this professional misconduct harms seriously my interests, and joins, once more, in the weft of the previous violations of the rights of my defence. - Cf. - extracted from my Report in two parts registered under N ° of file 0408659 - Page 97 - 104. At least, grotesque conclusions developed by the Home Office, brings out, that the opposition, instead of making amends and repent openly, persists and signs in its abuses of authority. Ministry of Interior will resolutely oppose to the fact that the consequent damages that I underwent, open straight ahead to no repair. Besides, the financial asphyxiation will become a reality by the complaint of my former administration of the received salaries, from September, 2003 till January, 2004.It is also advisable to raise, that during the statement of the facts, the demand of application of an administrative procedure of D.C.P.J., for post desertion, intervenes exactly on 16/01/2004.Indeed, this demand was fortunately passed on by the Central Director of the Criminal Investigation Department in the Management of the Administration of the National police force, in the daytime of my demand of protection and political asylum in the U.S.A, either on the 16/01/2004.The facts being enough eloquent, I shall refrain from adding it a comment. Without discussing, the Home Office declares unacceptable my request despite plethora of characterized malpractices recovering certainly from the PENAL, committed against me with complete impunity by a led astray police hierarchy, even when I was still in service. By supporting it in the report, I raised a non-exhaustive list of the acts of terrorism of State conscientiously hidden by the Home Office, namely:- A non assistance to person in danger, obstacles in the measures of assistance (criminal intention opposed twice, by the disobedience to manifestly, illegal orders on behalf of my former leader of group, very honourable Lieutenant Jean Maurice Bernard), perjury and false index cards of the D.C.P.J. and the General Information, defamations, affected the honour and the violation of professional secrecy on behalf of policemen with the approval of their direction, so stressing the put in danger of the life of a police officer and his sister Elisabeth SILVA with the complicity of newspaper journalists at their order by revealing, in the same time, my complete identity and those of two figures of the organized crime (Mr. Antonio FERRARA and Mr. Joseph MENCONI), So many unambiguous preparatory acts convenient to the realization of a well stopped criminal project. Seen what precedes, I have all the reasons to think that there is a correlation between the multiple aforesaid malpractices aiming at the preparation of the physical elimination and\or the excessive internment and the classified Leo BALLEY SECRET DEFENCE affair, for which my sister, Miss Elisabeth SILVA and myself were heard on rogatory commission, motive connected to the National Security. It is obvious, that the Home Office prefers “to open the umbrella” and to shelter behind the respect on behalf of D.C.P.J., of the formalities of the administrative procedure, by registered mail, at my last address, of formal demands to take back my service and of non-presentation to the summons, at the risk of radiation from the executives of the National police force for post desertion. To assume no responsibility in this State affair, the Home Office has the presumptuousness to call upon, one claimed turpitude, as for me. The small narrow-minded sentence is released, supposed to produce its effect the hearing date and to divert the attention on its own disorders, which ignore with balance the principles of morals and graver still violate those of the security. The Home Office, which cannot underestimate the rules of caution and security, chooses voluntarily to keep silent about the publishing of three noxious newspaper articles of nevertheless police source, protecting by no means the anonymity of a policeman appointed to an operational group of the Central Bureau for Repression of Banditism, until then irreproachable if we judge the notations and the successive and invariable appreciations from the beginning of my career until its term. - Cf. States of the services accomplished in the National police force - Page 105 - 121. Despite the settlements and the texts of law, this representative of Home secretary distorted the facts everywhere, soiling the honour of the National police force and consequently the image of the French Republic. This resolution planned to compromise me as well on a professional plan as to expose me to possible reprisals, engages the whole responsibility of the high-ranking servant responsible for the communication with the press both on an administrative and penal plan. On this matter, it is not useless to remind, that the specificity of policeman's profession led the legislator to introduce the capacities of strengthened protection, in the law of July 29th, 1881 on the freedom of the media, notably in respect for the anonymity. This Institution, even goes as far as blaming me for having leading a parallel inquiry on a missing little girl. On this matter, I allow to underline that the further inquiry asked by the Warrant officer of the Brigade of Local Research in Grenoble (Isère) on the Léo BALLEY affair, classified Secret Defence with the precious help of my sister Elisabeth, had not aroused on behalf of the Committing magistrate such a uprising of shield. As always, the simplistic arguments of the Home Office resist to no logic. In which measure, a possible headway in an inquiry stayed in the break-even point for several months, can be harmful? Finally, how not underlining the enormous contradictions raised in the strategy argument of the Home Office which, speaks about different informal contacts remained fruitless "to restore normal professional relations as from September 1st, 2003 " with an answer by fax to my mail of 04/09/2003 from Roger Marion, in his quality of prefect delegated for the Security and the Defence in Marseille. In the body of my letter, I expressly explain the case of major force, which urged me to put my family safe from danger from August 2003 and consequently the reasons which opposed the resumption of my normal professional activities at the conclusion of my annual holidays. - Cf. My report of 18/08/2003 of demand of moved closer protection sent to the Main Police captain of Police (Main superintendent), Mr. Christophe MOLMY - Page 122 - 125. - Cf. My Mail of 04/09/2003 sent to the Prefect - Page 126 in 129. - Cf. My report of transmission to the Prefect, Mr. Roger MARION - Page 135By the present document, I also want to evoke another crucial point, raised in my log book of 08/01/2004: - in his report dated 03/10/2003, the Central Director of the Criminal Investigation Department at the time of the facts, Mr. Gérard GIREL speaks about supposedly reasons, which led his direction, to open a file of missing case, concerning myself, with the Central Office of Worrying Missing Persons (O.C.D.I.P). From 20/08/2003, by adding, that I was the object of a registration in the File of the researched Persons (F.P.R). As " depressive person, likely to attempt to his life”. On the other hand, Mr. Gérard GIREL is well careful, not to mention the false index card of the R.G. (General Information) which, was delivered against me. From reliable police source, I shall learn that I became suddenly " a suicidal individual likely to go to the United-Kingdom, accompanied with his sister Elisabeth. ". Now, the establishment of this kind of index card from R.G. brings, as far as I am concerned, the following observation: - by leaving the postulate, that the files of the services of the General Information contains information on the major persons who can, because of their individual or collective activity, strike a blow at the security of the State or at the law and order, by the appeal or the active support brought to the violence as well as on persons who maintain or who maintained direct and not fortuitous relations with these and what of more these files contain the description of the persons quoted as well as the information on the political, philosophic, religious or trade-union activities of these last ones. In Which scenario enters Marc SILVA to have the honour and the advantage to appear on an index card of the R.G. established credibly in the days which followed my official demand of moved closer protection for my family and in particular for my sister Elisabeth SILVA whose mention " accompanied with his sister " is far from being a coincidence. The lies being added some to the others, in the paragraph which follows by the same report, D.C.P.J., Mr. Gérard GIREL does not hesitate to adduce: " since this date, his behaviour put in evidence the character very disturbed of this civil servant who during the next days attempted, but without succeeding there, to contact the people in charge of the television channel " LCI ", then to seek the protection of the embassy of the United States. "To restore the truth, so awkward, it is for my former hierarchy duly informed by official way, I must underline that the Main superintendent, Mr. Christophe MOLMY, person in charge in second of the O.C.R.B, at the time of the facts, despite multiplication of tracking, aiming to me as well in Toulouse region as in Paris region, escaped from his obligations by refusing to take the drastic measures of security which were imperative in the same circumstances, only because of the principle of precaution. Apparently not very worried about his staff, since the beginning, this department head will not alert the Regional Criminal Investigation Department service of Toulouse (31), about the potential danger incurred by a police officer confronted daily with the organized crime, and with the risks of reprisals inherent to the specificity of certain antiterrorist missions in support of the D.N.A.T. ( Antiterrorist National Division).For lack of police assistance and regarding the state of necessity, the 19/08/2003, I went to the office of T.F.1 where I was able to get in touch with a person in charge of the channel T.F.1, at the end of morning. It is in any transparency, that I evoked the interview granted by Mr. Antoine GUELAUD, who kindly handed me his visiting card. - Cf. log-book of 19/08/2003: " Mr. Antoine GUELAUD, journalist to T.F.1 (leader of the health / company department) receives us together with three co-workers. Documents in the support, submit him the result of our steps, begun about the missing child, Estelle MOUZIN and the form of the events because of the reference to the file of the child Léo BALLEY, classified SECRET DEFENCE. " - Cf. - photocopy Mr. Antoine GUELAUD's visiting card / T.F.1 - Page 133. V - RESULT AND EXPECTATIONS: In the management of this scandalous affair of state, everything indicates that the successive waiting-game of Mr. Jean Pierre RAFFARIN and Mr Dominique DE VILLEPIN at the post of Prime Minister, the dumbness of The Minister of Defence, Mrs Michele ALLIOT-MARIE, the guilty laxness of The Minister of Justice, Mr. Dominique PERBEN and the dominating role held by the Secretary of The Interior, Internal Security and local liberties, Nicolas SARKOZY, who seems to make it, a quite personal affair from the beginning of August 2003 till now, translate a will to damage remained intact. Let us note once more, that this illegal hardship of my freedom and those of my two relatives parents, also of French nationality and irreproachable, in the American prison, will not arouse the slightest hostile reaction of the duly informed French diplomatic authorities. As well the French diplomat, Mrs GREZE as the Minister for Foreign Affairs at the time of the facts, Mr. Dominique DE VILLEPIN, the bard of human rights if there is, known for his ardent diatribes, pronounced at the table of the O.N.U. against regimes little worried about humanist values, will not condemn the American criminal behaviour held towards my family and that nothing can legitimize.The free, independent and rightly, so-called, French press, defendant of injustices striking the French citizens illegally and arbitrarily, worldwide imprisoned, will be careful not to thunder against abuses of the American services, before and after the publishing of the book " LES PILIERS DE LA TRAITRISE " written by Miss Elisabeth SILVA and published by Les Editions la Lanterne. More annoying and more irritable, this sudden allegiance of circumstance, on behalf of a French government not denouncing the degrading and barbaric treatments of the services of the Immigration of the all powerful United States of America, violating as usual the international legal rules to the detriment of three French citizens, to the virgin police record, entered nevertheless regularly on their ground with valid passport, plane tickets, there and back U.S.A. / ENGLAND, documentary evidences of means of existence. This French pusillanimity will not miss to surprise, I am convinced, all the countries worried about the fate of their fellow countrymen manhandled outside the limits of their border. - Cf. Decisions of the American Judge of the department of Justice of the Immigration Service- Mrs Marie-José MARQUEZ, Miss Elisabeth SILVA and Mr. Marc SILVA - Page 134 - 136. Besides, being deprived since the beginning of the informed advices of a lawyer, worthy of this name, I wonder in which measure, Home secretary, Nicolas SARKOZY, in his defendant's quality in the affair which sets me to the Home Office since 24/03/2004 in front of the Administrative Court of Paris, concerning the double contesting of: - my radiation from the National police force executives, - and of the refund of the received salaries, from 01/09/2003 till 31/01/2004, has the right, and it at the same time, to make insure the defence of the interests of the company AXA BANQUE FINANCING (applicant), which assigned me on 07/03/2005 in front of the Magistrates' court of Courbevoie, for a quite other affair of excessive debt, by the Company of lawyers ARNAUD CLAUDE - NICOLAS SARKOZY, namely the SELAS (Company of liberal exercise by simplified shares, created on 02/05/2002 by NICOLAS SARKOZY with ARNAUD CLAUDE). Is not there confusion of powers between the public service exercised by Nicolas SARKOZY and his private interests? Cf. Mail of 03/03/2005 of the S.E.L.A.S. Arnaud Claude and Nicolas SARKOZY - page 65.

These pernicious, despicable schemes at least of a candidate likely to preside over the highest fates of FRANCE, are rather revealing of the perversity and the determination of this former employer, author of moral harassment. Demonstration is so made, that this new exaction does not manifestly ensue from a frenzy or from a wrong interpretation or still a syndrome of persecution, as for me, as tends to demonstrate it, by the most despicable means the Home Office.

High-ranking French Servants not only exceeded the stage of preparatory acts and realized an attempt aiming to the execution of what we can call a State crime. These same civil servants did not withdraw voluntarily, however their black intention didn’t come to its term because of the evacuation of my family, at the last minute, forced consequently to a long exile outside France. The attempt of crime always liable to penalty, the abuses of power in any kind and the moral harassment, which preceded, accompanied and followed our exile, quite as the quite particular doggedness to deny, to repay justice to an honourable family, demonstrate the guilty intention to the end, of their inspirer.The political responsibility is exclusive, neither of the civil and administrative liability of the State, nor of the penal responsibility of their authors. Force has to remain to the law. I make the solemn oath never let subsidize a State Reason on the equity towards my family. Considering all the elements in his ownership, it henceforth falls to the President of the French Republic, Leader of the Armies, Mr. Jacques Chirac to assume his responsibilities and to condemn without concession crimes committed by his own camp. Nobody is supposed to ignore the law and the obligations promulgated by articles 434-1 (non denunciation of crime) and following ones of the Penal code who are connected with it. - article 434-1 of the Penal code: " the fact, for whoever having knowledge of a crime of which it is still possible to prevent or to limit the effects, or whose authors may commit new crimes which could be prevented, not to inform the judicial or administrative authorities about it, is punished for three years of detention and for 45000 euro of fine. " Nevertheless, presently, I can only obviously emphasize and notice the absence of administrative or penal penalty against the culprits, as well as the deep autism of the current French government. It is finally without real surprise that the 30/03/2006, the Judge of the Administrative Court of Paris will pronounce the REFUSAL of my formed appeal, aiming at the cancellation of the order of 20/01/2004, by which the Home Office crossed me off, with the National police force executives, for post desertion, decision, which will go to the same direction as the political interest.All the combined elements of proofs leads me to assert, in a irrefutable way, that the constitutional principle of separation of powers, which does not in theory allow the high public Authorities to intervene in the cases of Justice, appears as a real cheating. The force of the weak will have had no respite to display the range of all its low knocks and to concentrate its offensives against two women and a man. These abuses of authority always directed at a retired person from the Ministry of Education, at a young lady heard on rogatory commission in a criminal classified Secret Defence affair, which lent gracefully her help for a further information at the request of a director of inquiry, and at the former civil servant of the National police force, also auditioned in the same frame. So many elements, which will allow you, Sir or Madam, to better understand the inextricable situation, into which my family had been plundged, since August 2003, in defiance of all the national and international legal rules, abused in a shameless way, by high despicable State Representatives, who show all the arrogance of their impunity, soiling by their contemptible schemes, the honour of two superpowers, namely France and the United States of America. It would be an error of judgment to consider my step, as subversive. I intend to denounce the pervading hypocrisy, which consists in believing, that propaganda and manipulation do not exist within both aforesaid countries, which arise, shamelessly in champions of Democracy. Naturally, you will understand that I call, in no way, for charity or still for solidarity, but for the application strictly speaking of the law, both on the national stage and international.Numerous texts of law arrange, that the citizens of the world are held multiple obligations in which they cannot escape at the risk of being punished. The same texts of law also impose on the public authorities to guarantee the fundamental rights of every individual placed under their responsibility. Consequently, the grave neglects in their duty, notably on behalf of the political authorities supposed to show the example on the base and specially appointed by the people for that purpose, must also be punished and not only during the elections. So, in the name of my family, in the name of the law for a fair justice, I consider necessary to remind to, both culprits States, so on one hand, the real courage consists in looking for the truth then in crying it out loud and clear, and on the other hand, that they have the duty to condemn resolutely, not only crimes committed by their own camp, but also those committed by the other countries, as well as acts of terrorism of State, in the same way as crimes of hurts humanity, instead of adopting the little glorious strategies to disregard the reality, by cowardice, accommodation even calculation, or still to devilish systematically the opponent. Despite the quasi-general renunciation, I still have the weakness or the naivety to believe that an inquiry led in any independence in France and\or still by O.N.U., will raise the lead screed which always presses on this taboo subject, for which we look by all the means to cover up. Otherwise, it would mean for me, that France under Mr. Jacques Chirac presidency, as U.S.A. chaired by Mr. George W. Bush reached the zero degree of Democracy, and that, with complete impunity, in defiance of the national, international law and the other rights of The Man and of The Citizen about whom, we speak so much, quite rightly. It is true, that the value of an individual or of a State, confronts in his righteousness and in his courage, and that in all respects. Finally, I indeed want to express all my gratitude to the politics and others, French and foreign personalities, who had the courage to reply to my sister Elisabeth SILVA, further to the sending of her book “LES PILIERS DE LA TRAITRISE” published by les Editions La Lanterne.- Cf. Book cover and distribution - Page 137 – 141: - to the various French political representatives, - to the French and foreign personalities, - to the foreign embassies in France,- To the French and foreign media. - Cf. Answers V.I.P. - page 142 in 163. In the name of the demonstration of the truth and of an impartial justice, I exhort you to make circulate this present Open letter, to make the light on the deliberated censorship Law. In your quality of spokesperson, it is up to you to assail the guilty silence, to denounce, according to the law this Crime and to attend to protect the right to life, in dignity and security. So that nobody ignores the unacceptable bottoms of this scandalous French-American affair. Yours faithfully, The French citizen, Mr. Marc SILVA

Suze Orman decides what you can afford

Ivanq from Clarendon, NC — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 18:34:46 EDT

Obama Administration quietly expands Bush's legal defense of wiretapping program

Jason M. Christos — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 22:51:03 EDT

John Byrne
Published: Tuesday April 7, 2009

from http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Obama_Administration_quietly_expands_Bushs_legal_0407.html

Print This Email This

In a stunning defense of President George W. Bush's warrantless wiretapping program, President Barack Obama has broadened the government's legal argument for immunizing his Administration and government agencies from lawsuits surrounding the National Security Agency's eavesdropping efforts.

In fact, a close read of a government filing last Friday reveals that the Obama Administration has gone beyond any previous legal claims put forth by former President Bush.

Responding to a lawsuit filed by a civil liberties group, the Justice Department argued that the government was protected by "sovereign immunity" from lawsuits because of a little-noticed clause in the Patriot Act...READ MORE HERE http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Obama_Administration_quietly_expands_Bushs_legal_0407.html

OBAMA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TOWS THE LINE ON SECRECY.

CJC — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 18:02:20 EDT

Everyone should be outraged about this. Spread this far and wide, contact Obama and your local congressmen and women, etc. This is NOT acceptable behavior from the Obama administration. I worked very hard to get Obama elected, but not so his administration could do things like this:

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/04/06/obama/index.html

Terrorizing the Terrorists

Don — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 13:34:58 EDT

How do you deter an enemy who is willing to kill himself in order to kill you? You strike at something more important to him than his own life. Defining that will be easy for me. The next question is can America be as ruthless as our enemies?

The time has come to end the fruitless and unsustainable effort to search and destroy every cave in Afghanistan and bomb every campground in bordering Pakistan. It’s counterproductive anyway.

What will put the fear of America into terrorist masterminds and those who would follow their orders is simple and radical revenge. Masterminds have families: Cousins, brothers and fathers. Eliminate them. All at once, or one at a time, it works just as well. The ones who survive an initial “hunt” will go into hiding. Having some adult male relatives killed and the rest hiding out in caves will demoralize masterminds and their loved ones. You cannot work and support your women like that. You can’t make more baby masterminds that way. You cannot continue the blood line. The women and children will pressure them to stop their plotting and bombing.

People want to leave a familial legacy, and they can’t do that under those circumstances over the long term.

Should America do that? Yes. Do we have the “intestinal fortitude” and sustainable motivation? I don’t think so. But we should, and it shouldn’t take another terrorist attack to get us there.

For the last seven years the CIA has been kidnapping people from other nations and torturing them. Why not just go in there and quietly shoot them to death?

Frankly, by not killing women or children the way those terrorists routinely do, we can even claim the moral high ground.

Ouverture des marchés au USA

Unknown user — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 10:28:08 EDT

L'administration Bush a, il a 2 ans voté une loi visant à fermer les jeux en ligne au US, tout le monde est d'accord pour dire que cette loi est inutile et immoral!

On sait que Barack Obama est un fervent joueur de poker et l'industrie mondiale des jeux en ligne attends avec impatience les prises de positions dans ce domaine! Un loi bien encadrée permettrait de faire rentrer beaucoup d'argents dans les caisses de l'état afin de financer des oeuvres caritatives ou autres projets dans le domaine du bien public.

Mr le président, sur certains sites en France spécialisés dans le domaine des casinos en ligne ont publié des articles sur vos diverses positions sur les jeux en ligne.

Article 1 : Barack Obama et les jeux en ligne

Article 2: Obama invité à réformer l'UIGEA

En espérant avoir des réponses sur ces 2 posts

A bientôt

Franck Cohen

Flight Suit George

Eric from Covina, CA — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 20:20:03 EDT

Flight Suit George

The revisionists are out in force in an attempt to rewrite history regarding the rein of George W. Bush as president of the United States. But fortunately, the internet is brutally tenacious in recording how the vast majority of Americans really feel about this eminently corrupt and incompetent abomination of American governance. So let us set the record straight--not for vengeance, but for posterity:

A Man of the People

Henry M — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 10:54:54 EDT

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama took a break from politics Friday to sit courtside at a basketball game between his hometown team Chicago Bulls and the Washington Wizards.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/28/obama-attends-wizards-gam_n_170731.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA4P50_hDbY

Unlike the former owner of the Texas Rangers, our new POTUS sat courtside and obviously really enjoyed the watching the Bulls, even though they lost to the Wizards.

Right-wing Hangover

Douglas from South Gate, CA — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 11:43:41 EDT

The Right complaining about all the time, effort, and expense that will be required to clean up the mess left behind by eight years of their policies under the Bush administration is like a bunch of spoiled frat boys with hangovers complaining about all the noise from the cleaning crew and all the bills for the breakage left in the wake of one of their drunken bashes. A little less complaining and a lot more help would be sorely appreciated.

The Real Abominations Against God and Jesus

Don — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:04:47 EDT

The fact that Americans vote in favoring of paying our farmers to produce LESS milk in order to keep the gallon price of milk HIGHER than a gallon of gasoline while millions of American babies' parents can't afford milk is an abomination against God.People who, in the name of Jesus, vote to DENY medicine and treatment for babies in nations where it is otherwise not available suffering from AIDS because adults delivering help condone use of condoms to staunch the spread of AIDS are committing an abomination against God.People who vote against public sponsored healthcare for babies and children who cannot otherwise obtain it are committing an abomination against God.People who allow others to go hungry, homeless and sick, thus disobeying Jesus AND God himself, find the energy to rail against adults who behind closed doors have sex with other consenting adults are committing an abomination against God. They spend money, cast votes and change constitutions to deny those people rights to get divorced like 50% of the self-righteous people do every day.People who blatantly ignore the commands of Jesus and stated in all the gospels to care for the sick, the hungry and the homeless, and “judge not lest you be judged” while trumpeting an obscure sentence fragment from the Old Testament taken out of context while calling themselves Christians are an abomination against God and Jesus. Theirs is the greatest of blasphemy imaginable.When the mere idea that a person would not CHOOSE to be reviled, persecuted, fired from the military, and in some cases savagely beaten to death -- in other words, be gay -- is met by 'conservative Republicans' with such rabid, savage hostility, then one could reasonably believe that their position and their associated rage is intended merely as a distraction from their own actions which are immoral, inhumane and even criminal (refer to first five paragraphs).

The Care and Feeding of the Wealthy

James — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 11:27:47 EDT

It is difficult for 'common' Americans to understand the mindset of the wealthy in our country. For one thing, we common folk do not encounter these people very often. They travel by private air, boat, and yes, sometimes, even private rail. They eat out at exclusive clubs or special parts of restaurants dedicated to them. They limo, or have drivers. They live in chateaus which are penetrable only by their coded limo devices or from the air, by their private helicopters. It is a sneaky quiet dimension layered above the dimension we ordinarily inhabit, so we just don't see them. Occasionally, very occasionally, they come out for public events. You will know them by the looks of discomfort on their faces. The forced good will. The nodding paternalistic smile downward toward the rest of us. That we allowed their creation, existence and continuance is never even mentioned, anywhere. It is a truly secret world they live in.

I know some of them. I work for Hollywood, so sometimes I am graced by their presence. It can be delightfully humorous to listen to their chatter about these tough economic times. I actually listened to one man discuss how he was going to fly to Florida on his G-5 Gulfstream jet (12 passenger) instead of his Canadair Challenger (28 passenger wide body). He honestly and openly stated that he was trying to do his part for the economy and to be more green. I did not laugh. I worked on my chunk of prime rib looking down. Here is another one. Different dinner. This time the host almost broke down and cried. We were dining in his five million dollar chateau, by the way, one of three which he owns that I know of. He was terribly emotionally upset about discharging his long time driver of his limo. I spoke up on this issue, and complimented him for his obvious discomfort over the driver's loss of his long-time job. The table went quiet. The man then went on to explain in detail that the driver was a good man. He would find another job. The grief the man was experiencing was due to the fact that everyone was going to know that he no longer had a driver. That he was having to drive himself.

Now can you understand why the executives flew to Washington for bailout money in their private jets? When they were called on it, what did the do in reaction? They were extremely angry! They do not live in our world. They do not even have any comprehension of our world anymore. They are like Regis Philben on Regis and Kelly in the morning t.v. show. Regis can't remember anything anymore. Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Pelosi, Kerry, McCain, Kennedy...the party affiliation does not matter. What matters is the wealth and the overpowering "God meant me to have this because I am special" mentality. Those people feel that is is part of their obligation to God Himself that they be kept wealthy and, and this is the really hilarious part, that the rest of us be kept poor. Or in our place, at least. You see, God meant us to be poor. And there it is.

Watch closely, after reading this short article, and see what you can pick up about those people. You will begin to frown, then smile and maybe even snarl, if you watch long enough.

http://www.from-the-chateau-dif.blogspot.com

http://www.jamesstraussauthor.com

http://www.themastodons.com

The George W Bush Recession and Depression

Don — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 02:13:08 EST

We need to give credit where credit is deserved: NAME this economic crisis after the man most responsible for it's creation.

$10 trillion deficit is what we had at the end of the Bush administration. In eight years, Bush more than DOUBLED all the indebtedness America had accrued in more than 200 years.

This is more than a talking point, this is a necessary reminder that should be made every day, so that the notoriously SHORT memories of Americans shall be stimulated on a regular basis.

ACTION ALERT

Dimples02 — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 03:48:02 EST

Action Alert - Stop Worker Abuse

In its final days, the Bush administration gave a gift to U.S. corporations by rewriting little-known rules that allow them to "import" foreign workers to fill jobs here.

Bush's changes make it even more attractive for businesses to hire foreign guestworkers — undercutting wages, opportunities and working conditions for all workers. This is especially troubling in today's economy.

These changes shred the few protections for H-2B guestworkers. And they're already taking a toll. Just last week, an appellate court in New Orleans cited the new regulations when ruling that an employer did not have to reimburse guestworkers for thousands of dollars in fees they paid to obtain low-wage, temporary jobs.

Foreign guestworkers don't have the same protections as U.S. workers, so they are vulnerable to exploitation by unscrupulous employers. In fact, they are routinely cheated out of their wages, and some are treated as modern-day slaves.

This abuse must stop!

We're working through the courts to stop the exploitation of guestworkers. But we need broader reforms that can only come from the federal government.

Please contact President Obama today and urge him to overturn the Bush rules and reform this program from top to bottom.

White House website
Suggested message:
President Obama, please rewrite the rules for the H-2B guestworker program. This fundamentally flawed program results in the systematic exploitation of workers and gives incentives to U.S. businesses to bring in vulnerable foreign workers, undercutting wages, opportunities and working conditions for all workers.

Thank you for support,
The Southern Poverty Law Center

Talk Radio: "Conservative" Agitprop

Lidia Seifert — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 04:09:06 EST

Is the Talk Radio message reflecting the "conservative" political values that the Republicans have been using to block President Obama's Stimulus Bill? The President has been in office only four-weeks, and Talk Radio is already calling him a failure for not having more Republicans on board. In fact, the hosts on this venue brazenly proclaim their hopes for President Obama's failure. Americans are fortunate that the badly needed Stimulus Bill finally past into law; however, the political squabbling emanating from Right-Wing politicians have tried to taint President Obama's victory. Furthermore, it gave the impression that the Republican Party is trying undermine the political policies that America voted for on Nov. 4th.

Listening to “conservative" Talk Radio, it becomes apparent that the purpose of this venue is to “agitate” their audience and stir-up discontent by spreading disinformation. The Republican Party would have a great deal to gain by using Talk Radio as agitators. Under the pretense of entertainment, these radio hosts can use volatile language to validate the pernicious behavior of Republican politicians. Unfettered, these “conservative” hosts instigate undercurrents of superiority in their audience while inserting pejorative words and phrases to describe people with diverse social/ethnic backgrounds. Then to provoke hatred towards these targeted groups, the radio hosts identifies them as the principle cause of America's problems.

These agitprop tactics harkens back to McCarthyism or worse Hitler's Nazism; in Nazi Germany, the “conservative" agitprop accused Jews of causing the economic crisis and destroying their country. The similarities are surreal; Talk Radio is freely rewriting history to mirror their ideologies to facilitates the fear mongering agitprop that they bombard their audience with virtually every day all day long. In addition, there is the bizarre claim that “Liberal” media and the “Liberal” Democrats will soon eliminate their inalienable rights by eradicating “conservative” Talk Radio; evidently, the purpose of this bizarre claim is to induce paranoid delusions.

Conservative Talk Radio and the Republican Party are like minded - functioning in a group-think mode: They spread “disinformation” to confuse the public; they're ignoring the eight-years of George W. Bush’s governance that has nearly destroyed the America economy; and they continuing to blame the Democrats for our huge $10 trillion Outstanding National Debt ($10,024,724,896,912.49 in September 30, 2008). Conveniently forgetting that Clinton was the only Democratic President in office during the last twenty-eight-years and the amount he contributed to the National Debt was $1 trillion. This means that over the past twenty-eight-years, Republican Presidents are responsible for $8 trillion of the Outstanding National Debt.

Undaunted, President Obama is doing everything possible to quickly bring some relief to America's economic troubles with the $787 billion Stimulus Bill and other legislation in the works. However, Republicans are taking every opportunity to obstruct the President’s efforts, and expecting him to solve America's problems their way. Although looking back, these problems were created by the decades of "conservative" mayhem. Nevertheless, despite the Right-Wing political opposition and the "conservative" agitprop, Americans can be proud of our President's performance during his first four-weeks in office. With a steady hand, President Obama is successfully proving his metal by fulfilling a campaign promise to stand up for working class Americans.

http://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/reports/pd/histdebt/histdebt.htm

There must be a Truth Commission...

The Texican — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 06:33:58 EST

As much as I love our new President, there is one thing I disagree vehmently with him on, and that's about investigating the criminals that have been wrecking our country for the past 8 years.

Mr. President believes that we should be looking forward, not backwards. OK. Lets look at an American President 20 or 30 years from now who, not thinks, but knows that he can get away with the kinds of crimes that were a hallmark of the Bush years and go Bush even one better (ie worse). And then we can see, in hindsight, that perhaps it wasn't such a good idea to let BushCo offthe hook. Just like now we see that it wasn't such a great idea for Ford to pardon Nixon - because Bush did everything that Nixon did, but worse and he practically bragged about it & waved it in our faces.

The people are demanding it, Mr. President. We are a nation of laws and to say that a Truth Commission is looking backwards is to also say that any investigation of any rapist, thief, murderer, etc. should be dropped because, HEY!, it's in the past! Also, the crimes that were committed were against US, those three little words at the top of the US Constitution. We are the victims of those crimes, and victims have rights as well.

So, please, Mr. President, soften your stance against an investigation into the crimes of the previous 8 years. It will help the nations heal from these injuries a lot better and faster.

Bankers CAN be heroes -- No 'vetting' required

Don — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 03:01:53 EST

Senator Dodd went rogue and inserted some crazy stuff into the new law, so the President will need to be creative. Perhaps we are looking for HEROES to run our troubled banks. A lot of wealthy patriots have made great financial sacrifices to serve in the Obama Administration. Like-minded people who don’t want to go through the vetting process and insane pubic humiliation of being outed on every little tax related or other embarrassment can now serve their country without becoming federal employees but while still consenting to be paid wages not all that far above that.

Gregg: Is This Petty Partisan Politics

Don — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 22:47:23 EST

I see nothing different Obama has said or done since 2004 and today -- perhaps Gregg's understanding of it morphed overnight between the time he was begging for the job and yesterday, when it came time to vote on the stimulus plan. Gregg seems to claim otherwise.

Obama should have known Gregg either hasn't the courage of his convictions or , far more likely, hasn't got any deeply held beliefs other than politics. We demand omniscience! How DARE the President not realize a man like Gregg would say anything to further his own personal ambitions?

There's something wrong with a vetting process that cannot discern that a politically savvy adult who somehow got himself repeatedly elected to the US Senate would claim to have turned his back on Petty Partisan Politics but actually lack the moral fortitude to stand by his decision.

Investigate Bush/Cheney for war crimes. Petition

Texas_Democrat_06 — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 09:04:41 EST

I will remember the last 8 years of financial destruction here in the US and the bloodshed of millions of civilians on a global scale. most honest political and financial experts consider him the worst leader america has ever had and this is why.

Worst fiscal crisis since the Great Depression
Lied about the war in Iraq
No WMD's found in Iraq
Vetoed health coverage for kids
Ignored law, allowed torture
Illegal wiretapping
Had enough info to stop 9/11 and didn't, hid that fact from the public
Lost Bin laden at Tora Bora
Crassly unconstitutional signing statements
Stripped resources from Afghanistan and sent them to Iraq
Didn't catch Bin Laden
Allowed Al Qaeda to regroup in Pakistan Afghan war out of control
Lied about reducing greenhouse emissions, ignored warming
Muzzled warming scientists in NASA and elsewhere
Political appointments to Department of Justice and political prosecutions
Cheney, Rove, and others in contempt of Congress -- refused to tell the American people the truth
Fooled public into believing Saddam was involved in 9/11 when he knew otherwise
Made light of inabilty to find WMD's

Please sign the petition to investigate Bush/Cheney for war crimes.
Then pass it on to everyony you know that will sign it.

Petition link http://www.petitiononline.com/856798/petition.html

Homeless, Due To A Conspiracy To Violate Civil Rights, Obstruct Justice And Harass

VERNON BALMER JR. — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:28:35 EST

I am submitting this to various individuals, agencies, and institutions, in hopes that it will get to someone that can and will do something to bring justice to this matter.

HELP ME WIN A SCHOLARSHIP just by reading this

Marcella from Point Pleasant Beach, NJ — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 13:26:53 EST

Obama: An American Savior

The next four years won’t be all sugarplums and lollipops for America (or the world, for that matter). A regime change alone – even one as stark as President Obama’s – cannot restructure the direction of a nation. After all, the President is only one man. However, America has begun to weave a sustainable pattern in the fabric of real change. With the beloved, optimistic Barack Obama coming in on the heels of a tarred-and-feathered administration, the communication, unity, and will of the people have aligned in a constellation of transformation that will usher in a new era of American Federal Government.

Barack Obama’s presidency will be the dawn of a new relationship between the federal government and the American people. The beginning of change will come as communication improves between the American public and governmental leadership. Americans can expect President Obama to come out from behind his desk in the Oval Office not just to address them, but invite them in, listen, and interact with them. President Obama will use technology, including the Internet, cell phones, PDAs, and even MP3 players, to keep in touch with the American public and to keep the American public involved with the federal government. The Obama Administration will regularly meet with the press and keep the media abreast of governmental goings-on. The propaganda and rhetoric of late will be replaced with progressive conversation and bipartisan dialogue. Starting with his own administration, President Obama will permeate transparency through Washington like bleach through dirty water.

Never before has America been so prepared for a decontamination of D.C., a Congressional cleansing, and a purification of power. If there’s one thing Americans can agree on, it’s that the federal government is so tainted with sullied politics that the trust of the people it represents is in real jeopardy, if not already lost. The unity and will of the American people are as commanding now as they have been in times of great historical change. It has taken years of political misconduct to generate the atmosphere of mistrust that defines the nation's capitol at present. In this politically aggravated climate, Americans can be sure that President Obama will rise to the occasion and quench their thirst for change with the nectar of ethical and responsible ideology. Political recklessness and irresponsibility will not be tolerated in the Obama Administration. Expect a purge of problematic party politics, patronage, and pandering to special interests and a reach for reasonable, responsive, and accountable representation in Washington.

With D.C. under an Obama-brand broom and mop, the President will work to accomplish all he has promised in preceding months. Within (his first) four years, President Obama will address the most pressing issues facing America. This, of course, includes a resolution to the economic crisis, but many issues, including America’s dependence on foreign oil and weakening job market, must be resolved in order to solve the economic dilemma. He will create an environment conducive to energy independence and the proliferation of renewable energy sources that will create new industries for employment and liberate the country from dependence on foreign oil. He will cultivate infrastructure and the American auto industry to bolster the job market and reduce unemployment. Scientific investigation, including promising stem cell research, will increase under the Obama Administration to keep America up to speed with the international scientific community and expand job opportunities. He will also invest in America’s greatest asset – education – by increasing tax credits for higher education students, improving public education school systems, and either funding or eliminating the No Child Left Behind Act. He will increase the availability and affordability of quality healthcare coverage by offering a federal plan option to all Americans and cracking down on excess pharmaceutical charges. He will create a more balanced tax system that will begin to restore the federal budget and ensure the continuity of essential federal programs. He will close Guantanamo Bay detention camp, repeal the Patriot Act, and turn over power to Iraqi security forces to begin the removal of U.S. troops. President Obama will work to improve our international rapport and diplomatic relations, particularly in the Middle Eastern region, through open conversation with alliesand enemies. Change is what America expects and change is what she will get.

This change will not come immediately (C’mon, its politics!), but it will come in the next four years. Americans have spoken; we want change, we need change, and we’re ready for it. Now we look to President Barack Obama to make it happen.

If you like what you read, please vote for it on Brickfish.com! You'll help me win a scholarship.

URL:

http://www.brickfish.com/Pages/Blogs/BlogView.aspx?bid=35954&=HP_all_PPIMEMAIL&isep=1&pbapi=1898218&pbvi=57390710

Thanks! Be well.

Cella

A PICTURE SAYS A MILLION WORDS . . .

"NERVIE" — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 10:56:25 EST

BLOG January 30, 2009. If you want to see an awesome picture of the inaugurational address, please check out Photographer David Bergman who is putting the “aweeeeeee luckie here” in a photo:

http://www.davidbergman.net/blog/2009/01/22/how-i-made-a-1474-megapixel-photo-during-president-obamas-inaugural-address/

I was totally surprise to find this little gem. He took a gigapan imager that consists of 220 shots all integrated into one enormous photograph. In his own words:

“My final photo is made up of 220 Canon G10 images and the file is 59,783 X 24,658 pixels or 1,474 megapixels. It took more than six and a half hours for the Gigapan software to put together all of the images on my Macbook Pro and the completed TIF file is almost 2 gigabytes.”

You can use the controls to zoom and pan around the photo.

You can also double click to zoom in and double click again to get even closer and see the scene in amazing detail and clarity.

And you can see close-up the expressions of your favorite — and least favorite — politicians and dignitaries as Obama makes his inaugural address.

After viewing this for over 30 minutes, I found the picture will take you into the crowd that is so vivid you will get to feeling of the largeness of the audience, expressions on people’s faces, and an instant in time. I’m sure you’ll never think of a photograph as “just another shot again”. The high resolution was astounding to me. The shot is also for sale framed, with and without the logo and in full color! I encourage you to go see this for yourself. ---- Minerva

A appeal,a request to the US presidant Barak Obama,Please Restore our innocent Brother Canadian Prisoner Khalid Awan who is facing a special modified,false,fabricated case in us since 9/11.

Arifmuhammad — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:24:54 EST

The U.S. terror war as seen through the eyes of a prisoner

When we first began corresponding with Khalid Awan in 2007, we had no idea why he was serving time in U.S. federal prison. We soon discovered Awan was one of the first of thousands of Muslims taken prisoner in the post-9/11 U.S. "terror war." As the story began unfolding in our letters, we began to realize that this honest, humble and sincere man was not only innocent, but the ongoing injustice being done to him provides critical insight into the mindless, meanspirited, bureaucratic-yes-men idiocy fueling the illegal U.S. "war on terror" (and just about everything else that is going wrong in this country). At our insistence, Awan wrote his story and supplied us with whatever documents we requested. And now, after three months of cooperative efforts, the story of Khalid Awan can be told. We have come to know Awan as a peaceful man engaged in peaceful work who has been wrongfully accused, detained and repeatedly convicted of crimes he did not commit because he was a Muslim with international connections and an office in New York on 9/11. We present this to you in faith that you will realize a deeper understanding of the levels of complicity necessary for the "land of the free" to tolerate the phony war on terror year after year and in hope that Awan—and all the other million or more political prisoners being held by this country—will one day be reunited with their families.
By Khalid Awan

My name is Khalid Qayyam Awan. My rights have been eroded in the name of "national security." Since I am a Muslim, my story has been written, produced, directed, choreographed and staged by U.S. government officials.

The Department of Justice and the FBI have been under pressure by the Bush administration to find "terrorists" in this country and to preemptively convict them before they can strike at the U.S. Although there is good evidence that there are few, if any, potential terrorists in the Muslim communities of the United States, U.S. attorneys who are not able to find any real "terrorists," target, prosecute and convict innocent Muslims on phony or inflated criminal charges to show they are politically "loyal to the president," and to avoid being fired for political reasons, as recent news revelations strongly suggest. These prosecutions have destroyed families in a country that is renowned for its human rights activities around the world.

Background

I am a 46-year old Canadian citizen and native of Pakistan. Throughout my life I studied in Catholic Christian schools and read the Bible every morning. I received my Masters Degree in Political Science at the University of Karachi in Pakistan and I am one of the founding members of the Pakistan Human Rights Commission. As a result of my belief in humanity and equality, I moved to Canada in 1993, becoming a Canadian citizen in 1996. In Canada I worked as an immigration consultant and was a member of the Canadian Bar Association. As part of my business, I also had an office in New York, which is where I was on Sept 11, 2001.

October 2001

On October 25, 2001, U.S. government agents entered my house in Garden City, NY, without knocking and yelled at me to drop everything or they would shoot me. They forced me to lie on the ground while they handcuffed me and placed me under arrest.

They claimed they had received an anonymous tip that I was a material witness for the 9/11 World Trade Center terrorist attack. After my arrest, I was taken in front of New York Judge Michael Mukasey (current U.S. attorney general known for his Israeli sympathies). After a detailed investigation by the FBI and U.S. Naval Intelligence, I was put in front of a Grand Jury. The case was dismissed on November 6, 2001.

Charge #2

Before I was released from custody, on November 5, 2001, the U.S. government imposed new charges: "Conspiracy to Commit Fraud and Money Laundering." They alleged that I stole/misused the identity profiles of my clients, people who come to me seeking to obtain Canadian visas and citizenship in the U.S., although there was not a single complaint from any of my clients or any banks.

(Note: Journalist Dr. Paul Craig Roberts stated in his 12/11/06 column, America’s Injustice System is Criminal: "The criminal justice system today consists of a process whereby a defendant is coerced into admitting to a crime in order to escape more severe punishment for maintaining his innocence. Many of the crimes for which people are imprisoned never occurred").

Every defense attorney knows that today prosecutors can purchase testimony against a defendant by paying "witnesses" with money, dropping charges against them or reducing prison sentences to testify against defendants. Jurors tend to trust government prosecutors and are generally unaware that they will withhold exculpatory evidence and suborn perjury and bear false witness to obtain convictions.

Months went by. Then a year had passed and I was still "detained" without a trial for crimes I did not commit. My lawyer advised me to plead guilty. He said it was in my own best interests as I would be "facing 10 years on the money laundering charge" due to the current climate in New York courts and my being a Muslim and a native of Pakistan. By this time I had served 17 months in detention, so I pled guilty to $95,000 of fraud conspiracy, which carried a maximum sentence of 15 to 24 months. The plea agreement—release for time served—was not even honored and I was sentenced to five years, the sentence for approximately $2,400,000 in credit card fraud.

Appeal to Canada

In January, 2005, when I was finally able to apply for a "treaty transfer" to Canada. I learned from my case manager that my citizenship was listed in the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) computer as "Pakistani" instead of "Canadian." All my Canadian documentation—passport, citizenship card, social insurance and health cards and Canadian drivers license—were in the possession of the FBI. I wrote the Canadian Consulate in Buffalo, NY, to request that they fix this problem so I could be transferred back to Canada. On March 30, 2005, the Canadian Consulate sent a letter to the jail to correct my citizenship status, but the FBOP ignored the request and did not correct the computer.

I realize now that the BOP intentionally left my citizenship as "Pakistani" to make me administratively ineligible for transfer to Canada and keep me in the U.S. while the U.S. government prepared new charges against me.

A year later, six weeks before my scheduled release date, I was transferred from Allenwood FCI to the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, NY, supposedly in preparation for my deportation back to Canada. I signed the immigration deportation papers, which incidentally, contained my correct citizenship status. Later I learned the Allenwood FCI warden had been given a summons from Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Lawrence Ferazani in January, 2006, requesting for me to appear in federal court in Brooklyn, NY, on February 15, 2006.

Family threatened

Once in Brooklyn, on January 31, 2006, I phoned my family in Montreal. I learned that Officer Buttazzoni from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) had contacted my sister regarding the whereabouts of my wife. He was told that she had returned to Pakistan. Buttazzoni left his phone number with my brother-in-law, telling him to please tell my wife to call him back immediately. She called Buttazzoni several times and left messages on his voice mail, after which Buttazzoni told my brother-in-law to tell her not to call him again.

Then on February 17, 2006, I was brought by AUSA Ferazani to an office in New York to be interrogated by the FBI without an attorney present. I was told by AUSA Farazani that if I did not talk they would arrest my sisters in Montreal and my wife, who had returned to Pakistan. He said, "We just have to make a call."

I was surprised and scared that he knew where my family lived. He stated, "If you don’t tell me [what I want to know] I can recommend lethal injection to the court and call the press and tomorrow morning you will be in every newspaper as a big terrorist."

Another federal agent told me that if I did not cooperate, they would turn me over to the Indian government, an enemy of Pakistan, which would treat me as an enemy.

At this time I was certain that my family was in danger because they were living in countries that work closely with U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies. After seeing my liberty evaporate when I was cleared of being a material witness in the World Trade Center tragedy, I had every reason to believe that the overarching power of the government would secure my family members’ arrests and inflict severe punishment on them. I strongly believed the RCMP was working in collaboration with the FBI to harass me to admit to charges of crimes that I did not commit. I thought about how the RCMP officials had played a role in other discrimination cases that included the interrogation and torture of Canadian citizens Mahrar Arar, Abdullah Almalki and Ahmed EI Matti, whose only "crimes" were being Canadian Muslims.

Because I felt I had no other choice, I signed the Miranda Rights waiver forms the agent gave me, waiving my right to an attorney’s presence during questioning and spoke with agents of the U.S. government on Feb. 17 and 20, 2006.

February 17, 2006: Interrogation…and bribe

I was pushed to the edge during this interrogation. Even though I could not answer all of their questions, I was determined to provide anything they wanted, even if the questions made no sense. I tried to give answers so they would be pleased and not give me the death penalty or harm my family.

During this interrogation, the agents offered me the opportunity to work for them in an "under cover capacity" abroad in Pakistan and Canada. They wanted me to testify against a group of Sikh people, on fabricated statements, based on my association with them from when I lived in Pakistan. I refused. So they told me to keep in mind that they wanted me to testify against people who are of the Sikh religion from India, an enemy of Pakistan and, because I am a Muslim, I should not have any concern for them.

I said, "But they are human beings! If they did something wrong and I knew about it, I would be more than happy to help the law, but you are asking me about something which I know nothing about."

The agents waited a couple weeks and then started asking me again, this time through my attorney. Upon my continued refusal, Officer Buttazzoni in Montreal again approached my family. I told them to get an attorney and not to go to his office without a legal written notice from him. They followed my advice and the RCMP stopped calling them—but not before the FBI was able to create a self-incriminating statement based on "evidence" they secured during their interrogation of me without the presence of my attorney. As a result of this, prosecutors were able to go in front of a Grand Jury and indict me, based on my own (fabricated) statements, prepared by federal agents without my signature.

Third charge March 16, 2006

On March 15, 2006, I completed the term of my imprisonment and was to be deported back to Canada. Before I could even go out onto the street I was arrested a third time and charged with "Providing Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist," and "Money Laundering to Support Terrorism," for supposedly providing support to the Sikh organization Khalistan Commando Force (KCF), through a man of the Sikh religion, Mr. Paramjit Singh Panjwar (PMJ), whom I met once when visiting Pakistan.

These charges emerged while I was still in prison and had no capability to provide KCF with any kind of support. It was difficult for me to get enough finances together to pay my legal fees while I was in prison for five years and I could not launder any money because I did not have any. In the plea agreement I signed for my previous "money laundering" charge, it is mentioned that no further money laundering charges would be brought against me, so this was double jeopardy and a violation of the 5th Amendment of the Constitution.

August to December, 2006: administrative detention

I appeared in court and pled "not-guilty" for my second "superseding indictment" on August 2, 2006. Upon my unwavering refusal to work for the government on their fabricated statements against the Sikh people, FBOP officials placed me into the Segregation Housing Unit (SHU), for 210 days of segregation and isolation despite the fact that I was rated as needing low security on the government’s "Male Custody Classification Form."

Segregation was continuous torture as we were not given basic amenities or respect and the building was cold and leaky. I went on a hunger strike for four days and after that I filed various complaints with the FBOP higher authorities, but no action was taken.

October 2006

After my refusal to work for the government on their case against "two individuals" they had identified as "potentially to be joined in this matter, but at this stage we don’t have enough evidence to charge," the government went to them and indicted them and, giving them a lot of benefits, prepared them to testify against me.

During my pre-trial hearing, the first two counts of my indictment were dismissed due to lack of facts and figures. Within two weeks, AUSA indicted me again, probably to cover up for their huge embarrassment. This hastily drawn up indictment was also full of factual errors and creative legal theories.

This time, in the bill of particulars/indictment, AUSA Farazani included the names of the following participants as co-conspirators in this "conspiracy."

1) Khalid Awan—me
2) Paramjit Singh Panjwar—Leader of Sikh Khalisto Commando Force (KFC), residing in Pakistan (not indicted).
3) Gurbax Singh—Indicted as co-conspirator #1
4) Baljinder Singh—Indicted as co-conspirator #2
5) Jatinder Singh—Residing in Texas (not indicted).
6) Dr. Pritpal Singh—Residing in California (not indicted).

Except for me, all the "co-conspirators" are elected leaders of the Sikh religion, a group of people known in Pakistani history books as the worst killers and rapists of the Pakistani nation, having killed, raped, burned and cut into pieces a hundred thousand Pakistani Muslim men, women, girls and infants during the world’s largest migration from India to Pakistan in 1947.

Sikh Background (a little history)

To better understand the game the U.S. government was playing with me and the Sikh people, a brief history is necessary. The mid-1980s to the mid-1990s was a decade of violent political opposition in Punjab, an area divided between India and Pakistan. The pattern of unlawful and indiscriminate arrests and killings during that time has left a lasting legacy of "catch and kill" police practices in the state. In the early 1980s, the Indian army attacked the Sikh Holy place called the Golden Temple in the Punjab State of India. About 10,000 civilian lives were lost while hundreds of people were detained without charge or trial and thousands of "disappearances" and extrajudicial executions were carried out by the police.

As a result, thousands of Sikhs fled to various countries for asylum. Many of the Sikhs who were living near Pakistan took refuge inside Pakistan, having the advantage of speaking the same language and the area being home to established holy places where Sikhs from all over the world came annually to perform their pilgrimage to the Pakistan side of the Punjab state. Pakistan is like a Vatican for the Sikhs, because the Sikh religion was started there and is the birthplace of their holy guru.

Paramjit Singh Panjwar (PMJ)

Among these Sikhs, PMJ also took refuge after members of his family were arrested and killed by the Indian police. In Pakistan he started producing videos about the attacks and killings of Sikhs by the Indian police, and started printing and distributing literature on the Sikh problems at the hand of the Indian government. He also started broadcasting a daily radio program and running various charities for Sikh families in India and Pakistan whose bread-winning family members had been killed by the Indian government.

I met PMJ during a visit to Pakistan when he was living next to my brother-in-law and I invited him to a wedding. He wrote his phone number down for me on a piece of paper. He also wrote down the number for Baljinder Singh, his friend in New York, because he was a community advocate for the Sikh people who might refer clients to me for immigration purposes. I kept the number, but did not call him.

The FBI had been after Baljinder Singh ever since he delivered a speech in front of the White House at the "Sikh Million March" on Washington in 2000. The FBI had called him for interrogation from 2000 to 2006, but was unable to arrest him. When they interrogated me on February 17, 2006, they told me they needed me to testify in court that the Pakistani government was taking care of terrorists in Pakistan and New York. It was Baljinder Singh, and Gurbax Singh, a close relative of PMJ, that they wanted me to testify against, and since they found his and PMJ’s phone numbers during their search of my office in New York after my arrest in 2001, they deputized their paid Sikh informant, Harjeet Singh, into my unit at MDC in 2006.

Harjeet told me he would be released from federal custody in the next six months and he wished to visit Pakistan for the annual Sikh pilgrimage there. He asked me if I knew some Sikhs in Pakistan who might take care of him during his visit. I replied that I did know Paramjit Singh Panjwar, who was there on asylum and introduced them over the phone.

The FBI then went to Baljinder and Gurbax Singh and convinced them to testify that I had transferred $4000 (two $2,000 transactions allegedly conducted between 1998 and 2002) from them to Pakistan on behalf of PMJ. In exchange for this, they dropped the charges they had against them and promised amnesty from the Indian government (for armed attack on Indian police) and U.S. green cards for them and their families.

PMJ has not been indicted by the U.S. nor convicted by the Indian courts of anything. No effort has been spent for his extradition by U.S. "terror war" ally, Pakistan, though the Pakistani government has, according to AI, handed over 700 Muslim citizens to the U.S. government.

According to my attorneys, no American citizen of the Christian faith nor of the Sikh faith has ever been arrested for providing material support to the KCF, even though the KCF is a Sikh organization that draws its support from members of the Sikh community.

I, on the other hand, a Canadian citizen of Pakistan origin and Muslim faith, on Sept 12, 2007, am the only person in the U.S. to be convicted of terrorism, on fake, fabricated and government purchased testimonies of the Sikh’s religious people, for transferring $4000. I was convicted and sentenced on three counts:

1) Conspiracy to provide material support (14 years)
2) Providing material support to foreign terrorists (10 years)
3) Money laundering to support terrorism (14 years)
Total: 38 years to run concurrently (14 more years in prison).
Jail

The government sent me to FCI Terre Haute Prison in Indiana, a "medium" prison with the exception of one isolated unit, called the "Guantanamo Bay on American Soil,"—Unit D, the "dog unit."

According to the history of this jail, this unit was built in the 1930s for Cuban people, after which it was used for convicted members of the Ku Klux Klan. Then it was used for death row inmates until its "permanent closure." It was re-opened with minor repairs for Muslim inmates because they are worse than death-row inmates—not because of their "crimes" but because of their religious beliefs.

We are denied many privileges according to BOP policy because we are Muslims. Visits must be through glass and phone calls and outgoing mail are routed through Washington D.C. The buildings are old and leaking so it’s cold in the winter, flying insects in the summer and air circulation is poor year round. Lead is seeping out of the walls and many inmates suffer chronic joint pain.

The government is trying to goad us to act violently so they can justify their claim that we are dangerous, but they have failed. According to the jail guards this Muslim unit is the most peaceful they have ever seen in any prison anywhere and they ask to be allowed to work here.

I agree that those guilty of terrorism should be prosecuted, but innocent people should not be targeted. Locking us down in this dirty, old, cold, leaking building and prohibiting us from hugging our children and restricting our calls to them will never bring peace to this country or make this nation safer.

To the American people:

I have been singled out, isolated and discriminated against because of my race and religion. I am being held here in detention against my will for crimes that I never committed. I am not a terrorist and I should not be treated like one.

The AUSA succeeded in getting a verdict against me from the jurors in December, 2006, with the help of the media glamorization of the "war on terror." I have been convicted of guilt by association; of making the FBI angry and vengeful by refusing both to work for them abroad in an undercover capacity and to testify against members of the Sikh religion using their fabricated statements; and of being a Muslim and native of Pakistan.

Isn’t it time that all humans are equal? Isn’t it time that everyone is free to choose his faith? Are human rights protected by law? We hear this, but we would like to see it – especially in this country called the United States of America that claims itself across the world as a champion of human rights.

This article was edited for publication in the hardcopy edition of The IO. The full-length version is posted online at The IO website under the Nov., 2008 update. You can correspond with Awan by writing to:

Khalid Awan, #50959-054, Federal Correctional Inst., PO Box 33, Terre Haute, IN 47808

(With thanks to Anne Wilder Chamberlain for her dedication and persistence in helping to tell Awan’s important story).

http://khalidawancanadian.today.com/ http://www.awankhalid.com/

The Onion was Prescient re Bush

Henry M — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 11:13:53 EST

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28784

WASHINGTON, DC–Mere days from assuming the presidency and closing the door on eight years of Bill Clinton, president-elect George W. Bush assured the nation in a televised address Tuesday that "our long national nightmare of peace and prosperity is finally over."

Enlarge Image

President-elect Bush vows that "together, we can put the triumphs of the recent past behind us."

"My fellow Americans," Bush said, "at long last, we have reached the end of the dark period in American history that will come to be known as the Clinton Era, eight long years characterized by unprecedented economic expansion, a sharp decrease in crime, and sustained peace overseas. The time has come to put all of that behind us."

Bush swore to do "everything in [his] power" to undo the damage wrought by Clinton's two terms in office, including selling off the national parks to developers, going into massive debt to develop expensive and impractical weapons technologies, and passing sweeping budget cuts that drive the mentally ill out of hospitals and onto the street.

During the 40-minute speech, Bush also promised to bring an end to the severe war drought that plagued the nation under Clinton, assuring citizens that the U.S. will engage in at least one Gulf War-level armed conflict in the next four years.

"You better believe we're going to mix it up with somebody at some point during my administration," said Bush, who plans a 250 percent boost in military spending. "Unlike my predecessor, I am fully committed to putting soldiers in battle situations. Otherwise, what is the point of even having a military?"

Henry M

KCUF, Still the Most Eclectic Music on the WWW, Now at 128 Kb/s on Shoutcast Unlimited: http://tinyurl.com/kcuf-on-shoutcast-limited to play and http://www.urdomain.us/kcuf.htm to see what's playing

Congratulations, Mr. Bush!

Bud — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:31:06 EST

Dear Mr. Bush:

Congratulations!

You are the new winner of a 7-day, 6-night, all-expenses-paid vacation at our fabulous new resort in wonderful

NUREMBERG, GERMANY!

When you arrive at the airport, you will be greeted by our welcoming team, who will present you with our traditional, old-world gift basket and then whisk you off to your new accommodations!

Your rooms are waiting, so hurry over!

My way to say GOODBYE to neocons, Bush and Cheney! ( 9)

! Steffen from European Union, Dr. - Together We Can! Yes. We. Can. — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:57:10 EST

You can Digg it: My_way to say GOODBYE to neocons, Bush and Cheney!

A picture from me to say goodbye from most bad president of US and all neocons.
We can only hope many people will long enough remember. Bush had a lot bad gifts for the change! Let's take care the poor and normal people will not have to pay now too much after the rich made profit in good time!
And what's with impeachment now?! What's with hidden knowledge of Sept. 11 2001?
[ Maybe an explanation of picture: it's made like an "egg laying wool milk sow" a metaphorical-idiomatic term in Germany]

Yeah, and here you can see something new about neocons were bringing to us - for me to say: don't forgive Bush and neocons and there is still a lot to work of. We will and can do this too - Yes we can!
I got now message too like "If anybody can clean up the mess bush left, it's President Obama." - Yes and Obama likes people helping still to do the work - help him! We were a big and strong movement and so people got knowledge back how strong people can be together!
Whistleblower: Bush's NSA spied on EVERYONE
(already 4255 Diggs) The NSA had access to ALL YOUR COMMUNICATIONS, regardless of who you were or whether or not you were communicating internationally.

My way to say GOODBYE to neocons, Bush and Cheney! ( 8)

! Steffen from European Union, Dr. - Together We Can! Yes. We. Can. — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:55:17 EST

You can Digg it: My_way to say GOODBYE to neocons, Bush and Cheney!

My way to say GOODBYE to neocons, Bush and Cheney! ( 7)

! Steffen from European Union, Dr. - Together We Can! Yes. We. Can. — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:52:03 EST

You can Digg it: My_way to say GOODBYE to neocons, Bush and Cheney!

My way to say GOODBYE to neocons, Bush and Cheney! ( 6)

! Steffen from European Union, Dr. - Together We Can! Yes. We. Can. — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:26:10 EST

You can Digg it: My_way to say GOODBYE to neocons, Bush and Cheney!

My way to say GOODBYE to neocons, Bush and Cheney! ( 5)

! Steffen from European Union, Dr. - Together We Can! Yes. We. Can. — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 18:30:30 EST

You can Digg it: My_way to say GOODBYE to neocons, Bush and Cheney!

My way to say GOODBYE to neocons, Bush and Cheney! ( 4)

! Steffen from European Union, Dr. - Together We Can! Yes. We. Can. — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 18:28:35 EST

You can Digg it: My_way to say GOODBYE to neocons, Bush and Cheney!

My way to say GOODBYE to neocons, Bush and Cheney! ( 3)

! Steffen from European Union, Dr. - Together We Can! Yes. We. Can. — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 18:25:23 EST

You can Digg it: My_way to say GOODBYE to neocons, Bush and Cheney!

My way to say GOODBYE to neocons, Bush and Cheney! - 2

! Steffen from European Union, Dr. - Together We Can! Yes. We. Can. — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 18:05:51 EST

You can Digg it: My_way to say GOODBYE to neocons, Bush and Cheney!

The Dawning of the New Day!

"NERVIE" — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 11:28:43 EST

BLOG January 20, 2009. The historic majesty of the transition has finally come.

President elect Barack Obama will be taking the oath of office with Abraham Lincoln’s Bible today. We just heard that the Obama’s, Biden’s and Bushes are having coffee and Danishes at the White House this morning. Obama choose to have the direction of the event to the west consequently they are able to put more people on the dais and in the National Mall area. Michelle arrived in a fitted sheath made of golden brocade with matching ¾ length jacket with a soft bold chiffon scarf made by a Cuban American designer. She was stunning, noticeably nervous, and all smiles. Barack was daper and calm as ever in a black cigarette-styled full length camel coat and dark suit. Bush had on a dark blue suit, and blue dotted tie. His face is worn the years haven't been kind. Mrs. Bush was poised and smiling with a nicely fitted grey-double breasted knit dress and her hair was smooth and shiny. She hasn't aged much but has a calm about her that is motherly.

Several camera vantage points shows little specks of blues, yellows, reds and occasional whites which are excited people who have been partying and waiting in the mall. It is estimated that there are more than 3 million people there. As the camera spans across the lawn area you see chain link fencing separating the various sections, for crowd control. Seemingly pleased, you see some people jumping up and down, others clapping their hands, hugging one another, and others swaying to keep warm in the 50 degree weather.

Crowds surround both sides of the motorcade. Hearing the history of slaves building the White House, the MLK, Jr. “I have a dream speech”, hearing recaps of seeing President Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Bush I, Clinton, Bush II taking the oath of office don’t compare to what I believe I am witnessing this morning. I still can’t cry. But my chest is full and my head is ringing from the inner excitement that I have lived to see this day.

The story goes that Dick Cheney pulled his back out while moving boxes so he will be in a wheelchair, but so far this morning we haven’t seen him yet. With his heart problems you would think that he would hire someone to move boxes for him. Meantime you hear CNN commentator saying that Bush told the media corp “you never clapped for me” and the media responded with a roaring laughter. Maybe this is the start of something different. Word is that the last time the media did clap was when Bill Clinton would appear. I’m sure Bush has much to think about, a legacy which he started rewriting weeks ago because he wants us to understand that there was purpose behind his actions. That is quite another story and I won’t taint the provocative moment with Bush thoughts.

All of this seems surreal to me because I could only hope all these months that this would even happen. Eight years ago Obama addressed the Democratic Party and his speech was well received and astonished some of us who had heard him for the first time. I remember telling my roommate, from Chicago, at the time, “have you heard of that guy before?” He responded, “yes and said that his son believed he had the ability to be the next President of the United States that on meeting him he was in absolute awe. He taped it and I remember playing again and again in my bedroom later that day, hearing the deliberate choice of words the young man had chosen. Damn he has a great speech writer I remember thinking. My roommate’s son doesn’t get excited or impressed by much anymore, he said but he called while the speech was going on and we both found his enthusiasm refreshing because up to then, I only found him happy in the greater comfort of hiking difficult trails under snow and blistering wind conditions. Man and nature and a group of friends one would say.

So I remember becoming interested in Obama then and asking, why hadn’t Ebony magazine done any special on him in the past? But they hadn’t. Of course after that speech everyone was talking about the new junior senator from Illinois and his face was plastered on all media.

I can only imagine the photo opportunity the photographer is having this morning. Perfect for the moment is what Obama is described by the media representative from CNN. Oh they will be cover him now. The color guards are coming in, I have to go and watch this. . . will be back in a few . . . Oh what a day, Oh what a day. . .

Inauguration Day!!

Alexandra — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 10:47:57 EST

Right now I am in school doing an assignment on Barack Obama. Were reading and making a paper cube about how he overcame struggles when he was younger and also when he was running for president. Its pretty interesting. I am SO psyched about the Inaguration today! Biden is going to be sworn in soon and that will be cool too. Haha, I have a theory about what the Busch Admin. were doing yesterday. Bush: Curled up in fetal position in the coner of the Oval Office(umm or a secluded area, there are no corners in the Oval office)sucking his thumb telling himself, "I won't get shot, I won't get shot" Cheney: Plotting to ovethrow the government. Rest of the Admin: Partying

New York and Low Flying Objects

Ron from La Mesa, CA — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 02:54:02 EST

It's interesting to note that New York City has a unique history and an operative metaphor in Airplanes and aircraft crash incidents. While some may note that the recent US Air "crash landing" into the Hudson River usurped President Bush's "Farewell Address", stealing media attention from his final moment, it's perhaps more interesting to note that the previous administration's entire tone and focus of its 8 year run is bookmarked by aircrashes; yet both very different. The Bush administration began with the first landmark aircrash... which set the entire tone for the term's myopic view, a solely fear and anger based focus on warfare, paranoic protectionism and punishment, whereas this second and last aircrash incident in New York brings their term to a close, with everyone landed beautifully, the pilot regarded as a hero, and all passengers vacating to safety. We are left with a spirit of Hope. Interesting and very different metaphors that happened by the landmark incidents of both aircrashes bookmarking the last regime's 8 years, as we are all left with a new celebratory sense of hope and a restored humanitariasm. Perhaps we are again free to fly.

Congratulations MR. PRESIDENT!!!

Roger from Leesburg, VA — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 13:17:27 EST

Dear Mr. President-

Today is an historic date in American history. I know you are busy doing everything that you can.

I know also that you have so very many things that must be done, that it boggles the mind.

I would like to make a humble suggestion, regarding, the previous administration...

The news organizations all speculate, and often, about what you will, or will not do, with regard to the crimes committed by your predicessor.

I must suggest that you consider STRONGLY creating a bi-partisan committee that will investigate all crimes, by whom ever is responsible, and take the strongest actions possible - including jail time, if that is what is warranted.

Nobody should be "above the law", and; the only way to insure that our allies, and the world, see that America is sincere, is to NOT let those who broke the law (American law, and International law), get away with it.

This is my opinion, worthless maybe, but; hopefully you'll consider it.

Sincerely, as always,

-Roger Mukai-

Geithner Detector....

James — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:24:27 EST

What are we doing? Just what kind of human being is allowed through the gauntlet of media, which presumes that anyone with any life experience at all is somehow tainted. Too tainted to serve in office. This Geithner fellow. I am not a fan. He is up from the same school as the rest of them. The Harvard, Yale, Darmouth crowd of Ivy leaguer's who do all of their 'training' with law firms or somebody like Kissinger and Associates. They have no real experience at all. Geithner has no experience either. Just some legacy education, and then some gifted 'not-a-real-job' employment in a foreign land. But he did not pay all of his taxes for a couple of years. Yes! That is exactly the guy we want in Treasury. He does not like to pay taxes. He eventually paid, plus penalty and interest, just like the rest of us, when we get caught. If you are not being audited than you are giving way too much to this government. Don't commit tax fraud (falsifying documents) or tax evasion (failing to admit or reveal income) but do stall, hesitate, delay and wait. Sometimes it is better for a person to pay the taxes late with penalty and interest. Sometimes we do not have the money to pay when the taxes are due! Dah! The real world, as opposed to the world most of the 'no-lifers' who run this country live in. So I am for Geithner. You go guy! I don't want to pay either. I will if you make me, but you really have to make me. I am a true patriot of our wonderful country. I fought and bled for it, and still suffer the wounds. But I part with tax money hard. I don't like it. I am not supposed to like it. I am like the forefathers who built this country in that way. They didn't like it either. So there. I would dump tea in Lake Geneva but it is frozen solid.

Bush is on television asking for sympathy, as he ships off to the brambles of Texas. God, can you imagine living down there with him? There will be no exodus, however. Most of the people down there are built just like him. "Aw shucks and golly gee, yaal!" They can keep it. And him. I like Austin, but that place is not really Texas. It somehow got transplanted there. It is a former suburb of Santa Fe. Cool. Bush is very very funny, as he goes. His truly stupid intellect and phony corn pone ticks and habits are right out there now for all to see. Hidden by the media and covered by staff for nine years, or so. The other night he actually said these words "Generally, I tell the truth." By the next day, on the White House internet site, which ran the written dialogue from the press conference, that became "Genuinely, I tell the truth." He told the truth the first time, and then covers with a lie. About lying! I love it. True to form. He goes out as he came in, wearing an invisible dunce cap that is becoming more and more visible as he slides toward oblivion. He took New Orleans and made it Republican. By simply not helping any of the real culture there survive. The poor, the renters, the real working class. All gone. Swept away by Brownie and his good old boy shucking drawl performance. And it was on purpose. Bush did that just like he did Iraq and Afghanistan. This man killed a lot of people. You have to hand it to Former President Carter. In that photo op, with all the presidents there in the oval office, he stood aloofly alone, and off to the side. That had nothing to do with Obama. That had to do with the cowardly killer who is still president, and made him show up.

The rug. The dunce-capped douche bag actually commented on the rug. That I found of interest. It was panned by the media, his comment about liking the rug, and also by John Stewart later that night. But the rug is a big deal. Nothing more exemplifies the taste and direction of the new president's presence in office as the Oval office rug. I have been in the Oval office a half dozen times. Even once with the President alone (Bush Sr.). He had the coolest rug of all time. The robin's egg blue with the coat of arms in gold at the center. God it was terrific. In fact, I liked it so much that when I was allowed in the side door (I had been grilled about walking directly to the front of the great old Naval Desk, the Man sat behind, and standing at attention until I was spoken to) instead of following my directions, I walked to the desk, and then said 'nice rug." Senior looked up at me and shook his head. I was already known to be terribly insubordinate, and he knew that. He also did not like it, but refused to take the bait. He gave me another mission impossible instead. "Go to this country, you know the one, and find out if that general leading the country is doing the terrible things to his people that I believe he is. If he is, then replace him with someone better. You have four days. And oh, don't spill any blood or spend any money." He looked back down, which meant I was dismissed. There is not a lot of great good cheer or greetings and felicitations in that room, unless the press is there. I left, only to encounter the Chief of Staff waiting in the hall. Chief's of Staff have one hatred above all others (and they have quite a few others). That hatred is for anyone that gets to see the president alone, without their oppressive company and advice. In fact, if the COS is there, then the president talks to him and he talks to you. It is idiotic, but there you have it. Anyway, he wanted to know what the president had said. I told him to ask the president. He flew into a rage and threatened my career (not my life, as he knew my line of work). I waited him out, as we walked back to the administration area. Then I laughed, and told him everything, of course. I was not stupid. One really cannot survive, working for those guys, if the COS is after your ass. He never did like me, but he left me alone. Until he got me stuck inside an African prison. But that was later. And for something else. Which I did deserve.

Palin's lovely looney head has reared up. She cannot stay out of the limelight no matter what. She has had a taste of 'the life,' and can't go back to Alaska and live like she used to anymore. She is mad at the media, at Couric and poor old Charlie for dissing her. She is mad at McCain because he mis-managed their campaign. If she had it to do over she would not have remained so compliant and silent. She would have given them advice. Now that is about as funny as Bush saying that he was a president like all the rest before him. That Obama would find out. But Palin is right there. A different form of applied stupidity. An out of control razor blade of a woman, compared to our dull, plodding baseball-bat president. God, would Palin and Bush not have been a ticket? They could have argued about who was dumber. And they would have been contesting to gain the title, not deny it. Palin also does not like bloggers. They lie. I am howling here. We do? Yes, we do. When we feel like it. And we even admit it, which places us in a league all of our own, compared to the likes of that jealous, angry and hard-ugly woman. Our national gold-digger. The kind that the guy in the last blog wants so badly to avoid (or get rid of, because I think he has kind of a problem at home).

It is twelve below zero right this minute out there. Harvey is curled up under the monitor. I took him out earlier, as he demanded it. He stood there for the longest time, then licked both of his front paws. He put them back down on the packed snow. And then snapped his head around to me with eyes wide open. I grabbed the idiot, and swooped him up. He had not, fortunately, stuck his paws to the ground. I think cats lack real saliva, as his tongue always feels dry. But still. He has not made any comments since. I think he is mad. I am the god of everything in his life, I think. And I have royally screwed up his weather. Wisconsin. In the Indian dialect the word came out of, 'wisconsin' means endurance. Yes, that is lie. I just said that in case Ms. Palin reads my blog. Or has it read, because I don't think she reads any better than our grand glorious leader.

from-the-chateau-dif.blogspot.com

May Maggots Feed....

James — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 11:19:02 EST

It is almost over, this painful odyssey through a tortured and labyrinthian complex of 'Alice in Wonderland' horror. George Bush is almost out of there, exiting as if he was Himmler giving his last and fond farewell. He was strong. He was loyal. He acted in spite of his supposed ideals and against certain conservative principals. And on and on into more drooling stupidity, the kind of such that we have been graced with for eight years. Eventually, this shape-shifting fool will be seen to have killed more people, more deliberately, and with less mercy, than Joseph Stalin. He and his fat 'Jobba The Hut' crony Dick Cheney. "When the land was ruled by evil idiots' ought to be the autobiographical title....that this simpering wimp purports to intend to write. If he could write any more than his shaky signature.

There is a lot of talk, out here on the internet and in the media, about the likely fact that Obama and team will not prosecute or go after Bush and his bunch of thieving killer scumbags. That may be true. There is always a tendency of those, when they are just taking over, to want to get on with things. It is there time and they do not want to give any of that time away to those that preceded them. Our culture does not do that with the common man. Your speeding ticket is never forgotten or forgiven. It is paid for with money or in 'skin.' Your credit record is never forgiven. Your criminal record is certainly never forgiven or forgotten. No, you are a common citizen. That is what the culture demands of you. It does not demand that of the aristocracy, and we all know it. We just don't talk about it very much. The thought lays there, at the bottom of our collective and individual mind. It is not fair. It is not good for the future. It is only good for those who were the criminal leaders and good for those taking over. There was no huge outcry of outrage over the pardon of Richard Nixon. He was pardoned so we could 'heal,' as a country. Just the first lie of the new incoming administration of the time. Richard Nixon was pardoned for two reasons: he had information on his own activities he could have revealed to shock the nation senseless (he was having his enemies in this country killed!) and the Ford people wanted their power complete and immediate, not based upon going over the past. It was a disservice to all of us, and we are still paying a price for it this day. Our culture has become a culture of lies and we all know it. And we don't like it. But what can we do?

Obama may not have to 'go after' Bush and his henchmen. If things get bad enough here, then the normal system of justice will not be consulted. The people will simply apply democracy to those who so badly need it. And, oh, the argument put forth lately by our fascinating leadership in Congress is that the men and women who did those torturous deeds in our name should not be punished. They were, after all, like Jack Bauer, in 24, merely following orders. The show precedes or presages what is happening in real life. We are being sold a package (secretly, as in the show, we really applaud Jack's work, but only when nobody is looking or listening!) in new wrapping. Following WWII we have the Nuremberg Trials. The argument of the defense was exactly what we are talking about today. And it did not wash. The judges listened to the argument; we were merely following orders, and then hanged the followers one and all.

But we have time. And things do not seem to be improving across this land. Both Bush and Cheney, when they get to their respective ranches, should assure that they have some big strong walls and long clear fields of fire. And they need to stay awake nights. They are retiring, and they are going to get the type of retirement they deserve. Eventually, this culture is going to have spent enough time thinking and suffering. Never forget that maggots have to eat too.

from-the-chateau-dif.blogspot.com

MITT ROMNEY, A MAN OF GREED:

Alex Karoub — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 22:20:31 EST

If you have read my post on the Auto Industry, then the following couple of paragraphs about Mitt will not surprise you. ( Here is an actual quote from his father that he said in 1963: "The Big Four Automakers don't have to worry about giving the Unions what they want, as long as the benefits will not be due for decades. By that time the labor plants will be outside the U.S.")

Not surprising to hear Mitt Romney, son of George Romney, and his states version of mandatory medical insurance. Mitt's approach goes pretty much like - You'll get only what you can pay for, and move to another state if you undeserving poor don't like it. Massachusetts has worked long and hard to become one of the wealthiest per capita states and does not want the burden of 'lower income individuals’. Best to wash our hands of them by financially crowding them out. If you are ‘in’ with the wealthy, you will find that "financially crowding them out" is a favorite. This is not a direct quote of Mitt; but, after rubbing elbows with enough aristocratic politicians in private you would be aghast to hear how dehumanizing they speak of those below their ‘class’, or as they prefer to call it ‘standing in the community’.

Incidentally, it’s interesting how George and Mitt Romney amassed tremendous wealth, $80 billion or so privately held now by Mitt et al. And how did they originally do that; they did it by becoming suppliers to the Big 3 from the Romney parts plants in Mexico; true leaders in forging the path to Mexico and overseas. It's also interesting to view the ancestral history of the Romney family and Mexico, as to why they originally moved there and still have strong ties there, all on Wikipedia. A common theme that shows in multiple generations of Romneys is disregard for fundamental American laws and ways they sneak around them. Also, shown at corporate websites, are interesting ties between Mitt Romney and the fanatical right wing radio talk shows that he owns for propaganda purposes.

For the spread of propaganda Mitt Romney owns 'Clear Channel Communications' with 1,100 stations including all the 'Premiere Radio Channel' programs with Limbaugh, Beck, Noory, Hannity, .… All are talk radio shows that use propaganda to sway the masses. It is so much more than the false wrapping of throwing it up against the wall and seeing what sticks. They actually use highly professional underlying tactics of sophistication, complexity, planning, and decisiveness that the average Joe the plumber would never catch on to, nor George the political 'sideline hobbyist?'. It's not all the fun and silly games that they wrap it up in, for simple entertainment, all for ‘free’ delivery to you. Give yourself a quick introduction to propaganda tactics by reading a bit of what's written in Wikipedia under ‘Propaganda’, look at ‘Techniques’ as a first preview. You will begin to recognize the rightwing tactics used on their talk shows, lots of trickery and deception, far beyond the wrappings of bias. You will easily see the professional use of propaganda if you become knowledgeable of the methods of propaganda. Fox cable television News is closely associated. Talk about greed of control, influence, ideology, and knowledge.

Whether Mitt Romney returns to again run for higher office or remains behind the scenes driving GOP political directions, he will continue, and continue with greed.

(Has anyone looked to see how much of Bush's original $700 billion dollars has gone to the web of companies that Romney has woven? I really don't know, but wonder if the good old boys network continues?)

Also, see my other posts about Libertarianism, a driving force at the top of the Republican Party. I have focused my education of Libertarianism to come directly from what they have written themselves, such as their own websites, rather than what others have said about it. I am finding Libertarianism to be immoral; I believe most Americans will find it offensive when looked at in depth. As it is thought through, there are hard-nosed uncaring consequences for those not in control and for those who don’t have power. A game to Libertarians, Survival of the Greediest.

Reply here if you are a member, or anyone is welcome to email me at: Alex.Karoub@gmail.com

Democrats Lose Senate Majority (circa 2010)

Don — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 23:38:40 EST

(Can I say 'circa' if it's in the future?)

Democrats won't be controlling the Senate after 2010.

They rushed like lemmings to declare they'd never accept Blago's appointee.

A little time and forethought should have enabled them to reason that in order to create the illusion of innocence Blagojevich would be likely to find someone eminently qualified, of stellar reputation and far removed from the (alleged) illegal activities.

That would only be in his own best interests. And if there is one thing we have learned about Blago, it is that his own best interests are his first and last consideration in decision-making.

Senate Democrats have now pitted themselves against the Chicago Democratic Machine. Despite that Dick Durbin has lost touch with reality and thrown in with them, this is a battle Senate Democrats cannot and will not win. In this, there is no winning, only degrees of losing.

Should he be denied, Burris can run against any Illinois Democrat, including Durbin, and win.

As for that silly mausoleum? All politicians are narcissists. He's just 'concrete' about it.

Remember Republican Senator Ted Stevens who actually looked jurors in the eyes and told them he didn't notice people stuffing hundreds of thousands of dollars into his pockets. I dare say Bill Gates would notice if you stuffed a few hundred thousand dollars into his pockets. Ted Stevens,... now THAT'S a big ego!

It is also necessary to remember that this is the same US Senate that gave a seven-time convicted federal felon -- Ted Stevens -- a two-minute standing ovation, and two hours of praise-filled testimonials. And they are claiming to be observing their PRINCIPLES???

Republican and Democratic Senators must think we are stupid, stupid, stupid.

GOP needs America to fail (Democrats helping them)

Don — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 22:51:49 EST

Imagine what would happen if the immediate and long-term success, and even viability, of the Republican Party depended on Barack Obama failing to pull America back into PROSPERITY. Oh, wait, we don't have to IMAGINE that because it happens to be the current condition.

While refusing to offer any better ideas, Republicans stand in adamant opposition to everything the President-Elect suggests, even without knowing any details. I have to admit, he's been somewhat vague.

History suggests that America's realization of a sense of success by spring of 2012 will mean the GOP will be broadly out of power for one to two generations.

Every month that another 600,000 Americans lose their jobs is the direct result of Republicans acting on what they see is their own best political interests. While one of their many changing SLOGANS last year was "America First", in truth it is plain that they hold the Republican Party's interests above those of America and our people.

Every day that our children continue to suffer from a declining educational system in which mediocrity is celebrated; every day that more taxpayers lose high wage jobs only to go on welfare food stamps and unemployment; every day that more and more Americans are forced to sign up to work at the country's largest employer WalMart whose own accidentally leaked internally study said 43% of their full-time employees are on welfare and food stamps; every day that we lose what little remains of our manufacturing base so that when we next need to really go to war like in WW2 we won't have car factories to swiftly convert to making fighter jets and tanks so we'll have to order them from CHINA which the most likely enemy in a real war; remember that Republicans see that as MERELY another day closer to the time when they regain power over the White House, Senate and House -- which if not for the horrendous disaster they have created over the last eight years might not be so terrifying.

America stopped keeping up with the demands for maintenance of our infrastructure with the Reagan administration. We were told that things like that "the free market" would take care of things like that, but tell that now to New Orleans and their crumbling levees, or Minnesota with their collapsed interstate bridge, or Kentucky with their billion gallons of toxic sludge that spilled out of a mine containment area.

America's best defense against precisely the current financial system collapse, the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933, enacted not coincidentally in the wake of the financial collapse of 1929, was REPEALED on the demands of deregulating Republicans -- with help from Bill Clinton in 1999. That law alone prevented financial institutions from becoming "too big to fail". That is, it kept each of the insurance, banking and real estate conglomerates within their own area. They could still become behemoths, but it's when they get into all three of those industries and start making up new ones that are totally unregulated like 'derivatives' that the failure of one company can bring down the American economy, even the world economic system.

The only thing the President-Elect can do to get us out of this disaster is to go back the way we came in, by resurrecting modern-day Glass-Steagall style regulations and stimulating the middle class segment of the system while taking back the giveaway tax cuts from the wealthiest 1% that over the last eight years gave money to people who already had more money than they knew how to spend. They squirreled it away someplace, or bought yachts built in Greece. Republicans love to claim that tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy leads to the creation of small businesses. In reality, it's Steve Jobs and Bill Gates when they had nothing who created small businesses that became leading world companies. Billionaires DON'T start small businesses, they BUY huge corporations then fire 50,000 or 100,000 employees to increase productivity and thus profits for themselves and large bonuses for the three to five top executives of each company. Oh, and they CUT wages of the few employees they do have to keep on.

That doesn't grow anything but unemployment and declining wages. Less taxpayers and more people surviving on public assistance.

If we don't stand up to these self-serving Republicans very few of us will have jobs in 2012, and they will be at WalMart. There won't be any real taxpayers to support the public assistance people need to get back into good paying jobs.

I'll get to the CRAZY DEMOCRATS on another post. I'll give you a hint that after 2012 Democrats will no longer be in control of the Senate.

American-made Nightmare

Sandy — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:54:02 EST

When I think of Nazis... I think of concentration cemps, of unspeakable tortures... And the Russians? - "Russian mob" a la 'Law and Order'... the Cold War, the Berlin Wall, orphans, abaondoned by alcoholic parents; children born with alcohol and drug-related disorders... When Americans think of Communist China... North Vietnam ... even Cuba and Argentina... Americans conjur up pictures of evil-minded people who will stop at nothing to get their way.

I just started to read a story about a man who 'existed' under American control... American CONTROL ... TORTURE ...for 6 years. Why? Because he allegedly told someone he knew how to make a shoe bomb. He said that in Indonesia, not America. He was nowhere near an airplane. I wonder what his own shoes looked like? Did he have ANY of the shoe-bomb-making materials? Did he have access to getting them? to ordering them? Even more basic - how could the USA get involved in what someone said in another sovereign country?

It didn't end with somebody interviewing him - even interrogating him... He was whisked away to various American and non-American locations where, over 6 years, he WAS TORTURED.

He was never arrested - njever indicted - never went to trial - what 'real' evidence did the USA even have? WHY did they - WHY COULD THEY get involved? What sick secret hold did America have over the power to take someone who apparently (1) had no shoe bomb making materials, directions, experience or shoe bombs ... and (2) wasn't in America and (3) wasn't on an airplane?

WE DID THAT. *WE* took this man and tortured him for 6 years. WE. Americans. Bush and Cheney were not physically there to do this. Somehow whatever directives that were decided by whoever they were ... trickled down to the people who decided to check this out... to 'arrest' (AKA KIDNAP) him ... to TORTURE him. Unless this single person was a jack of all trades - a 'diplomant' who knew the story... a 'policeman' (AKA KIDNAPPER) who took him ... a pilot who flew him away ... guards who watched him ... torturers who tortured him ... deciders who decided he should stay there... and there... and there... This wasn't one sick person - even Bush and Cheney didn't do all this. WE ... under the guise of "extraordinary rendition" (aren't cattle hides 'rendered' when they are turned into leather after having been a cow's skin for years ... of course the poor cow is now long gone)

Adolph Hitler didn't do it all. Neither did Nikit Khruschev or the Chinese communists or the Viet cong leader. Yet I am sure our history books paint everyone from those places and eras with the same grim paint. Virtually every country on earth - save these countries' allies - detested them and what they did. With good reason!

Maybe (??? who knows!???)"we" didn't torture millions (what about thousands? if there are hundreds at Guantanamo, could hundreds and hundreds more have gone through similar things?)

If I valued my freedom, and fairness and decency to all, and at least some modicum of reasonable, decent investigative procedures ... and I lived in some other country...

I would DETEST what America stands for now!

While our country has most assuredly made greivous mistakes (ask the Native Americans, the descendants of slaves, the people sent to Tule Lake because their ancestors' country was at war with the US, even though no German-Americans apparently suffered the same fate) ... we did these wrongs within our own borders. And, to a greater or lesser extent, we attempted to fix things. Native Americans still deal with rampant alcoholism - many were taken from their families and forced to learn English while denying the existence of their own cultural heritage that was here well before the Pilgrims landed. Did the slaves ever get restitution? After they and their forebears worked .... slaved ... for free for two centuries or more? And add another century of rampant discrimination.

So "we" are not any singular beacon to the world of democracy in action! "But" our screw-ups happened on our own shores.

But to reach out across the globe and snatch someone who SAID SOMETHING (allegedly!) ... did the Nazis or the Russians or the Vietcong have that power?

(I am posting this publicly ... under my own name ... is some American 'agent' gonna track me down and ...? Oh, by the way, I am a native-born American - native BORN not native - white - that should earn me some credits ... aren't us white native born Americans alot more trustworthy?)

I wonder if our kids' history books taught in our public schools ever really get into this raunchy, disgusting truth. (I wonder how well they even tell the stories of our past screw-ups?) I know that, In California, text books must get an official 'seal of approval' before the state will buy them for a district. Hmmm...

It's as though America has dropped a HUGE, pungent, gargantuan, cat shit smelling stink bomb whose aroma has permiated through every nose with access to stories like this - no matter who wrote them. Anyone who has smelled cat shit up close and personal knows that little turd packs a wallop - and thank God it ain't the size of a cow pie!

President-elect Obama - you will need to be 10 times nicer than Mother Teresa - probably better than any archangel (aren't they the 'officers' of the angel patrol?). You will need to clean house with 100% bleach - some DDT - stiff scrub brushes - lots and lots and LOTS of elbow grease - to even BEGIN to reduce in any measurable way the potence of this American-made disaster. We used to joke that "made in Japan" meant junk (and more recently, "made in Chica") but "made in America" isn't mere junk - it's deadly.

How will this country of ours ever begin to truly address the consequences of these "extraordinary renditions"? I would hardly guess that all of those in Guantanamo have no animosity towards this country - and that Al Qaida would have an easy time recruiting them, and many more. Torture one person - and you create hundreds... thousands ... who vicariously feel that torture and want to retaliate - to get even - to stop it!

To all those Americans (and whoever else!) who was in any way, by choice or by ...? involved in this 6+ year long disaster ... you have corporatly stabbed the rest of us in the heart with your actions. At the very least, you will havge left this world far more cynical - far less trusting of the alleged decency of its' people and government. It appears as though countries are already turning their backs to us. Wasn't there already some Latin-american gathering --- that DIDN'T invite the USA to its' gathering? Somebody in Russia already thinks we're gonna break up into 6 or so parts within the next few years. (With a gadzillion dollar stimulus package coming? Who would secede? Like leaving that $50 billion ponzi schemer's family before the hidden valuables are divided.

Maybe our human genome isn't so different after all. If we all share variants of the same genes, what makes us think we don't share the same code as a Nazi or VC or KGB agent?

Bush defends honor of Lisa Marie Presley

Kenneth — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:48:45 EST

I saw in the paper two years ago while eating breakfast in a charming diner in West Oakland a picture of Junchiro Koizumi the prime minister of Japan trying on a pair of sunglasses once worn by Elvis in the presence of, in order away from him, Priscilla Presley, Lisa Marie Presley, George Bush, and lastly Laura Bush.

A singularly powerful image, A Japanese leader enmeshed in a peculiarly American romance or glamour, Looking through glasses or borrowing the perspective of the chief archetype of that glamour, a sotto vocce declaration of willingness to lay aside hard truth in favor of the sublime dream that is the central motif of American media.

A whirlwind tour had apparently been arranged for the Prime Minister. Below in the story written by two staff writers at the New York Times an event was described in which the Prime Minister grabs Lisa marie by the waist while singing Hold me Close after which George claps him on the shoulder and shakes his hand. This is seen by the writers as the president putting a stop to a morally questionable action or perhaps as the protection of Lisa Marie. This presumes either that Lisa Marie was unable to handle herself in that situation or that the Prime Minister was subject to an, by American standards, offensive moral ideology. This impression is intensified by describing the president as an ex drinking and incredibly fit hero wandering around in the palace of The King, who was famous for his lascivious and drug addled lifestyle.

One may at a casual glance presume that morality and law are very similar. In fact one may go so far as to assume that law is to society as morality is to interpersonal relations. This connection is dubious at best. Legally they are like heat and light, always co-existent but not the same.

We are the proud inheritors of a constitutional republic. In essence our political system, here in America, is a democracy tempered by a constitution. The function of the constitution is to disallow egregious insults on the rights of any citizen and to define the extent to which morals may intrude upon law.

Morals are subjective. One may find the exposing of flesh inappropriate. It would then behoove that person to wear a lot of clothing. Others however may feel or even be constrained by religion to wear as little as possible. The more politically inclined among these populations may make an effort to legislate their moral leanings, thereby infringing the rights of their opposition. This is made impossible, presumably, by the constitution by circumscribing the extent to which morals may intrude upon law.

The war on Terror is an interesting effort legally. It engages the misunderstood powers of the presidency in times of war and creates a schism in the crisp differentiation between moral beliefs and law. Examples are rife these days. Same sex marriage, pornography, school prayer, drug and alcohol policy, flag burning, abortion, all of these exploit subtle differentiations within the law concerning the separation of law and religion or moral ideology.

The degree of extremity of belief seems to be the turning point. If a group within the general population believes with sufficient extremity in a moral proposition it must then be considered by law. The law is, again, prevented by the constitution from legislating morality and from an abridging of the rights of the few by the vote of the majority.

3 Moves In 3 Weeks -- Way to Relocate

Don — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 16:26:33 EST

“A President must be able to do more than one thing at a time,” said then-candidate and now President-Elect Barack Obama, a few months ago when McCain was trying to weasel out of the big debate.

Evidently, President-Elect Obama CAN do far more than one thing at a time. He and his family are MOVING three times in three weeks! This, the weekend of 4 January 2009, he moves from his Chicago home to DC’s Hay-Adams Hotel. On the 15th, they move to Blair House, then on the 20th, they move into the White House. Yes he can! For most of us, the dreaded process of a single relocation is more stressful than death and taxes. But Superman is tripling-down on it.

At the same time, the President-Elect Obama is interviewing and hiring a government, from cabinet members, agency administrators, secretaries and ambassadors. He’s working feverishly on the economic crisis, the transition and inauguration, as well as homeland security and two wars. Throw in taxes, healthcare, unemployment, social security, Medicare and the crisis of the Big 3 automakers, plus Iran, Cuba, Russia, China, the Palestinians and Israel, plus all those special interest groups here at home, such as the disabled, veterans, senior citizens and gays, and you’ve got an enormous inbox.

After those daily national security briefings in which the President-Elect Obama is beginning to learn just how badly Bush has screwed things up for us around the world, it’s a wonder the President-Elect Obama can sleep at night. He needs all the rest he can get.

Enjoy your vacation, sir, you need all the recharging your batteries can get.

Massacre! Act Now.

Unknown user — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:11:29 EST

This is Holocaust. Unacceptable by any religion. Against the Jewish Faith. Stop Ehud Barack and his Crew killing the poor, innocent Gazan women, children and elderly.

Frank Rich Overreaches Again

mathpol — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 19:54:53 EST

“You’re Likable Enough, Gay People” is the title of a column by Frank Rich in today’s New York Times. After several weeks of fairly serious columns, he has reverted to his usual hyperbolic style. The main focus is on Obama’s choice of Rick Warren to give the invocation at his inauguration. Here are some excerpts:

Barack Obama has little in common with George W. Bush, thank God, his obsessive workouts and message control notwithstanding.As we saw during primary season, our president-elect is not free of his own brand of hubris and arrogance, and sometimes it comes before a fall: “You’re likable enough, Hillary” was

the prelude to his defeat in New Hampshire. He has hit this same note again by assigning the invocation at his inauguration to the Rev. Rick Warren, the Orange County, Calif., megachurch preacher who has likened committed gay relationships to incest, polygamy and “an older guy marrying a child.”

You can’t blame V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, the first openly gay Episcopal bishop and an early Obama booster, for feeling as if he’d been slapped in the face. “I’m all for Rick Warren being at the table,” he told The Times, but “we’re talking about putting someone up front and center at what will be the most-watched inauguration in history, and asking his blessing on the nation. And the God that he’s praying to is not the God that I know.” Unlike Bush, Obama has been the vocal advocate of gay civil rights he claims to be. It is over the top to assert,

as a gay writer at Time did, that the president-elect is “a very tolerant, very rational-sounding sort of bigot.” Much more to the point is the astute criticism leveled by the gay Democratic congressman Barney Frank, who, in dissenting from the Warren choice, said of Obama, “I think he overestimates his ability to get people to put aside fundamental differences.” That’s a polite way of describing the Obama cockiness. It will take more than the force of the new president’s personality and eloquence to turn our nation into the United States of America he and we all want it to be.

(end of excerpts)

Here is the comment I posted.*

Obama tends to see the good side only, when it comes to ministers. Didn't his relationship with the Reverend Wright teach us this? To me this shows naiveté rather than cockiness. I hope this “one-sided vision” doesn’t apply to heads of state. I’m glad he’ll have Hillary as a buffer.

As for “you’re likable enough Hillary”, that has been way overblown. Watch the tape again. He was caught by surprise and had to say something. Maybe a bit sardonic, but not arrogant.

And “obsessive workouts”? Daily exercise is important, especially when one wants to relieve stress and stay in shape. With George W. Bush, on the contrary, it was clear that being a “physical trainer” was a more important role to him than being president.

As for Bishop Gene Robinson’s comment that “the God that [Rick Warren] is praying to is not the God that I know.” That statement is off the mark. I guess he meant "interpreting" rather than "praying to"

As for Warren’s role at the inaugural, it bothers me too. I would have preferred a ”Billy Graham” type, one who doesn’t state that Jews don’t go to Heaven, as Warren did when asked about it at an Aspen Ideas Festival. **

Barack Obama is only human, not divine. So let’s all stay in the big tent and wait to see how he actually governs as president. We’re really not sure, but most of the early signs are positive.

(end of comment)

** To be precise, Warren answered “yes” when a woman proclaimed her Judaism and asked him if she was going to burn in Hell. Graham, on the other hand, once advised George W. Bush to "never play God" by ruling on who gets into heaven.

*This comment actually appeared. Number 938.

Ho, Ho, Ho, Ho

Henry M — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 17:21:25 EST

Poll: Americans admire Obama most

Jonathan Ossoff — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 20:17:09 EST

Latest Gallup: 32% of Americans say President-elect Obama is the man they admire most in the world. President Bush wilts in second place with an anemic 5%.

Obama's immense and growing popularity will be a tremendous asset as he joins the political battles to define the next four and eight years. Via his web-based political organization, the President-elect will be able to leverage public support for his proposals more directly and rapidly than any president in history.

These extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. We are lucky to follow an extraordinary leader.

What Page of The Bible?

Don — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 00:07:57 EST

There are only two reasonable choices.

To evoke the vision of the world economy rising from the ashes of the torched-earth strategy of the Bush-Cheney-Rove administration, BHO should open the Bible to the gospel account of Jesus’ rising from death. Not only will it give us hope, but it will reinforce our knowledge of BHO’s Christianity, helping put aside the invocation guy.

Times are so serious that BHO should keep the Bible closed and put his hand on the whole thing – we’re gonna need ALL of it right now, and it underscores BHO’s whole ‘inclusiveness’ thing.

Welcoming the Ministry of Hatred and Scapegoating

Don — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:08:01 EST

There are always those who make their fortunes playing to the fears and insecurities of people frustrated with their own lives who need someone to blame, someone to hate, and it's easy for them to agree on certain groups to focus on.

Obama is moving America toward the point where those people will realize that if they don't have a good job, they have too little money, too much debt, their kids are in and out of jail and/or on drugs, or failing in school, it's not the fault of some group of "OTHERS". Not the gays, the jews, the blacks, or even those pesky illegal aliens, to name just a few.

It's time for a new era of Personal Responsibility in which we all take charge of our own lives while working together for all of us to achieve the American dream while making government do what it can to enable us.

Rick Warren is just an updated version of the same old Ministry Of Hatred represented by Falwell and Robertson (and so many others).

The coming of that new era is a direct threat to Rick Warren, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson and all the other leaders of the Ministry of Hate. Just like the Republicans did during the long two year campaign, they will go down kicking and screaming all the way.

Will War Crimes Be Outed?

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:05:13 EST

Will War Crimes Be Outed?

by Jeremy Brecher and Brendan Smith - Published on Thursday, December 18, 2008 by The Nation

As the officials of the Bush administration pack up in Washington and move into their posh suburban homes around the country, will they be able to rest easy, or will they be haunted by the fear that they will be held accountable for war crimes committed during their reign?

There are many reasons to anticipate that the incoming Obama administration and the new Congress will let sleeping dogs lie. Attention to criminal acts by the former administration would probably anger Republicans, whose support Obama is hoping to win for his first priority, his economic program. Democratic Congressional leaders have known a great deal about Bush administration lawlessness, and in some cases have even given it their approval--making an unfettered review seem unlikely.

Some of Obama's own top appointees would undoubtedly receive scrutiny in an unconstrained investigation--Obama's reappointed defense secretary Robert Gates, for example, has had responsibility not only for Guantánamo but also for the incarceration of tens of thousands of Iraqis in prisons in Iraq like Camp Bucca, which the Washington Post described in a headline as "a Prison Full of Innocent Men," without even a procedure for determining their guilt or innocence--unquestionably a violation of the Geneva Conventions in and of itself..........

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/12/17/douthat/

Pay to Play

Tim Schram — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 11:06:40 EST

Everyone is SOOOO upset about Blagojevich. Why? Because he is stupid enough to talk about it while being LEGALLY wiretapped? The economic conservatives should be applauding him if they are true to their beliefs. After all, he was holding a public auction for the position of Senator. It was even fairly well advertised in the niche market.

Shouldn't we be more upset about the corruption of the Bush/Cheney mafia? Theirs was a no bid corruption. It wasn't open to free market bidding like Blago. The only consideration they made was if you were their friend or not. All the plotting went on behind closed doors and we weren't even allowed to know who showed up. And if you were suspected of getting antsy, Dick would take you BIRD hunting. Sounds alittle like going out for canollis to me.

Blago should be presecuted to the full extent of the law. If found guilty, the punishment should be sever. But, I think his transgressions pale in comparison to the level of corruption perptrated by the Bush administration. Yet NOONE will have the GUTS to do anything about it. All the players in a position to prosecute are too COWARDLY to actually pursue it.

War Crimes

Kat — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 07:31:49 EST

I am writing this blog entry to beg the Obama administration to prosecute George Bush and all others involved for war crimes. It is frustrating to think that after having to live under the current administration for eight years, that they might get away scott free. Yes I am just one person posting blogs on the internet, but this is one way to raise my voice. I watch quite a lot of liberal media shows, and they are worried that the American people will just give a big, collective yawn and not stand up for the injustice of what has gone on in this country.

Some of us feel fairly powerless, especially single individuals with enough going on in our daily lives to make bigger issues seem insurmountable. But we can still speak out. If you read this and agree, post a blog. Write your newspaper. Do something. Make a stand, because you have a voice, and even if one or two people see your post or several people read your letter to the editor and decide, "Hey, I should say something about this too," you will have made a difference. Without individual links there is no chain.

Let's make sure the world knows that America as a whole does not back up what Bush and his cronies have done. And to the man who will soon be president, I don't know if you'll ever read this... but if you hear the message of what needs to be done in this specific instance from any source, I hope you listen. We're trusting you with a lot. One of those things is restoring honor to this country, the honor your predecessor stripped away so flagrantly.

Crisis Briefings: Lies Like Iraq War Pretenses: Bushiness

Don — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 02:18:41 EST

The President who told at least a dozen lies to get us to go to war in Iraq has conjured up more than a dozen lies to set up President Obama for failure? The most miserable failure of an excuse for a President is leaving directions for the next President?

If it weren’t so serious, it would be funny! If your memory is longer than that of 99% of Americans you know that’s not a line I made up, and you may even know who did. Details.

I’m just saying, George Bush should be planning out where he’s going to hide to keep from being arrested and delivered to the Hague for trial in the World Court for War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity.

We didn’t let Hitler’s assistants off the hook, and neither can we afford to let Bush’s (the New Hitler’s) people go Scot-free.

We all know that all these recent attempts by Bush to rewrite history are mere hopes that America doesn’t do what’s right. If we intend to restore any sense of moral authority or regain any worldwide respect, we must follow our own laws and those international laws we largely wrote and have been demanding everyone else follow for decades until “W” took office.

If we don’t want our soldiers tortured when they in the future are captured, we must deliver to justice George Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, their generals and other high officers who ordered torture and passed on those illegal and immoral orders.

America is a chief signatory to the Geneva Conventions. In fact, before 2001, we liked to claim we largely WROTE it. What good is international law if those who claim to have written it are the worst violators?

America has long had laws against torture of prisoners of war. We cannot allow one power-mad egomaniac (or moron, depending on who is providing the facts, and there are plenty on both sides) to cause us to abandon our Constitution, or it won’t be worth anything, ever.

To put it simply, we cannot defeat terrorism by becoming the worst terrorists on earth. Long before we got to that point, any real President would have caught himself and found a better way. Why? Because Bush’s route could be seen even by people as unworldly as me to be a fool’s plot.

It started with Bush’s WAR-PRAYER-MEETING, right after 9/11. That was disturbing to me THEN, because, as a Christian and an American I wondered if Jesus would say that we should “turn the other cheek”.

What? “Turn the other cheek”. I know. I certainly wasn’t in the mood for that. But that’s what Jesus would have us do – according to the Bible. Those so-called religious Republicans have still never mentioned that, and they would castrate me for mentioning it if they could. (They don’t have the balls for it, so they’ll try to get you to do it, just like the Romans, according to the Bible, were forced to murder Jesus. Just reading it objectively and making no assumptions. NO benefit to me which side you take).

Strange, but when you think about the things that really were surprises, you can’t find any that Bush created that much cohesion to in that short a time. Can you? I can’t.

Almost makes you wonder WHEN Rumsfeld, Cheney and Bush KNEW 9/11 was going to happen, doesn’t it? Naaaaaaah. Certainly not. I don’t really know. Do I???

It WAS amazing that five seconds after the first jet crashed into the World Trade Center, Bush’s officials declared they knew it was Osama Bin Laden! Before the first tower collapsed, the Bush administration told us who to blame. I wondered why they didn’t PREVENT it since they obviously knew so much about it in advance.

Worse yet is the fact that for all of 2000, Bush campaigned claiming “America’s military is not ready!” Yet, during all of 2001, he did NOTHING to get our military ready. Why would you TELL our enemies that our military isn’t ready? Then, once in power, why would you fail to GET it ready/ Bush should spend the rest of his days in Guantanamo for that alone.

I always think you can know who caused something to happen by figuring out who BENEFITTED from whatever happened.

But I’ve already gone LONG, so I’ll have to finish the facts later. In the meantime, don’t read into what I’ve typed, anything you imagine I said. You may end up looking foolish by the time I tie it all together.

Apathy is the Enemy

UpsideDown — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 08:00:04 EST

Only two people have commented on this blog since I began writing it, and both times they were in tune. In tune not only with me, but probably with most everybody else reading and writing on the site. A few days ago though a friend emailed me a response to the blog from a friend of hers - Monica - and right now while our Obama waits to take over is the time to deal with it.

Monica lives in New York, and doesn’t disapprove of Obama. She probably would be one of the 78 percent approving – if she answered the pollster’s questions, and she might not. Her attitude is aligned with many Americans who think it doesn’t make much difference who’s president. Their lives will be unaffected. So why not vote for the guy Joe Six-pack wants to have a beer with? This sentiment resulted in the runaway train wreck of the Bush years, and if we’re not careful will curtail the Obama possibilities. My guess is that even many of people who voted for Obama share her point of view. It sounds intelligent and rational.

First, her commentsl:

“Below is a reply I was formulating regarding your friends blog on Obama. I didn't finish it, but I can't think anymore.

Even in Sydney there were expatriates from the US because of Bush. Sean said he came to Australia after Kerry lost to Bush. He just had to "get away". But I don't think anyone really knows how to manage a nation’s economy. It's intricate and interdependent and it comes down to the consumer in the end. Every democratic nation is that way. Sure, some nations have policies that by themselves sound great (like health care in Switzerland), but when you step back and look at the larger picture (over-worked and under-paid doctors that want to leave; short medical staff equating long waiting lines) it doesn't look like the solution to the problem.

People like the idea of minimal government intervention in business and it's great for a country's economic growth where businesses can monopolize and mass produce(Starbucks, Barnes & Nobel, McDonalds), but that can also cause greed, over-production and wealthy businesses that can buy politicians that will give them tax-breaks, tax-credits. Compare that to a country with over-regulation like India. Businesses had to wait forever to get state approval to start a business, and then they get over taxed where the employer ends up making less than the employee.

Anyone with average intelligence could see that the housing-market boom was a scam. What determines how a house should be valued at? Aside from the appliances, the materials cost to build the house, it's what the house next door is selling including the value someone places on it. Who determines this value? The consumer. No one wanted to intervene because that's business. Let business take care of itself.”

Okay, not that offensive, right? More neutral, almost legitimate? But isn’t this the problem? The “yawn” constituency. The close to a majority of Americans who think, “Whatever,” are the ones who will hold us back. It’s time to pull together, not just secretly hope something might improve.

So my response:

First, sure, managing most anything is complicated, and a nation’s economy – especially the U.S.’s – is complicated and difficult. But when you put people in charge who don’t believe in the task it’s far beyond difficult; it’s doomed. This defines the Bush years. The people who are running the show ideologically don’t believe in government, and if they did, many are too incompetent to function effectively. Saying no one knows how, just encourages and excuses failure.

Heath care in Switzerland? How about in every first world country? (Except the U.S., of course.) Every single country spends less per capita and by any measure gets more for their money than the U.S. does. This isn’t opinion – as is hers about Switzerland – this is true.

Doctors, insurance companies, HMO’s, the drug industry have all conspired for various reasons to provide inferior service at higher prices. And in one way or another have paid off government officials to keep it this way.

Overworked doctors, long lines, short medical staff? Sounds like she had a bad experience in Switzerland. I do know first hand that Canadians, Brits, and the French are very happy with their health care, and many studies extoll the virtues of the Swiss system. Monica might ask what nurses think about healthcare in the hospital closest to her in New York. It won’t be good and these are people in the trenches.

Saying what people want is usually reflective of personal beliefs. Monica says people don’t want government oversight. Monica I suppose doesn't but I wonder about the rest of us. Certainly having the “right” amount of government oversight is an ongoing process but the hands off approach will never work. Ask Alan Greenspan what he thinks now in retrospect about unregulated markets.

Sure it takes too long to start a new business in India, here in Brazil too. We need to improve.

But to say that employees make more than their employers is silly. I know more about Brazil, but also know something about India. In both countries, it’s all about unreported income. Employees’’ income is almost always reported. Employers on the other hand often do not report their full income. If you are in a business of some kind that has government oversight, maybe then you report all (or pay off a government official or two), but offhand I don’t know of such a business. Such a Brazilian business or Indian business, I mean.

Probably the most accurate reporting of all business in these two countries are foreign corporations. The U.S., for example makes it a felony for its corporations to evade income tax or bribe public officials in foreign countries. I doubt much enforcement took place during the Bush years, but this too should change. And will, I believe.

About her comments on the economics of Starbucks and Barnes and Noble, she needs to understand that they are subject to the same economic forces as other businesses, and that monopolies are illegal (it's just the definition that shifted during Bush). Starbucks closed 150 stores last week, yet they almost always beat the competition. In everything but price usually.

However, when an independent takes them on in terms of a cool designed place, competent and friendly employees, and a great product, the independent often wins. Sometimes they even charge more too! Sure many fave hole in the wall coffee houses bit the dust during Starbucks' acendancy, including the one around the corner from me in Santa Monica where I used to live. It was my fault too. I just decided that being ignored by the help, and the place smelling like vomit were big reasons for going to the Starbucks next door.

Barnes and Noble are in a huge fight with Amazon and many other internet book sellers. Their world has changed. In addition, public libraries now see them as the enemy. Newly remolded libraries all around the U.S. now look like Barnes and Noble, only cooler. And mostly free! This is the world of business and has nothing to do with government regulation.

Insofar as Monica’s comments about the housing market, she’s talking about one little part of the problem: the appraisal. So let’s deal with it. The appraisal is in fact supposed to be based on what similar houses in the same or similar neighborhood sell for. This is not corrupt. The corruption comes from the idea that the appraisal is part of a process of selling people houses they cannot afford. For example, I want to buy a house that costs one million dollars, but I can’t afford it. So the real estate agent who knows that I can’t afford it “works” the appraiser to value the house at say two million. Then the agent can (sort of legitimately) tell the bank or mortgage company that if the buyer defaults they can always foreclose and clear a fast million in profit. Now this is corrupt. It didn’t happen in all cases, but some.

How do they sleep at night? Here’s how: the agent and even the bank in on this scam tell themselves that the housing market will always go up. And the buyer will always earn ever more income to one day soon be able to afford the mortgage payment, and in the meantime structure the repayment schedule to relect this. BUT WHAT IF THE HOUSING MARKET GOES DOWN, AND THE BUYER’S INCOME DOES TOO? This is happening now, and is one of the many things that happened. Is it corrupt? Yes, to value a house based on anything other than comparative worth is corrupt. Appraisals however are a tip of the iceberg of the housing crises. Greedheads on Wall Street pushing credit default swaps and other nonsense dirivative products dwarf this problem.

Mostly what I disagree with is Monica's attitude. “This is just the way things are and will always be, so just get over it,” she seems to be saying. Bush has wrecked the world economy and is a mass murderer. People have lost their jobs, houses, life savings, and self respect. Others are dead, leaving grieving and impoverished families. He has done this with a combination of ideological wrongheadedness and stupidity. But at least I wasn’t there in the U.S. every day to listen to people who think much like Monica.

Last, let’s talk about something not commented on by your friend: world peace. To say world peace is unattainable makes it so. And pisses Obama off.

Let there be peace.

How happy are you to let criminals go free?

SRG_Legal — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 21:03:40 EST

America’s renewal starts now img { display: block; }
How lame can our lame duck President get? How about pardoning war criminals before they get their day in court. Write your local paper today.

We all want to move on.

But just this past Friday, a bipartisan Senate report named Secretary Rumsfeld and other top officials directly responsible for sanctioning torture. Rumors in DC are that Bush will pardon Rumsfeld and others for these abuses.1

After eight years of defiling America's reputation and renouncing our founding principles, the Bush administration wants to jet off into the sunset without answering to the American public.

We can't let that happen. You and I have an important role to play as our nation's conscience.

Write your local paper and denounce any possible planned pardons for crimes committed in the "war on terror". Here are some sample letters and talking points you can follow.

America's renewal depends on a recommitment to human rights. And that recommitment starts by investigating past abuses and holding officials accountable. It's called justice, and the rule of law. And it's something our nation once held in high regard.
America's renewal depends on justice.

Write your local paper. And remember to register to participate in our inauguration day of action and our 100 days events. Your letter to the editor would support Senators that are starting to push for accountability. Senator Feingold just last week wrote President-elect Obama asking for a "detailed accounting of what happened over the last eight years" and that "we must fully understand the mistakes of the past in order to learn from them… and prevent them from recurring." 2

A record number of pardon seekers have flooded the White House. Some believe Bush may issue pre-emptive pardons that would abdicate anyone remotely connected to so-called "alternative interrogation techniques" (otherwise known as torture). Any such pardon would undermine any future efforts to seek and find justice for the past eight years of human rights abuses in the "war on terror".

Write your local paper and express your outrage over the possibility of impunity for crimes committed in the "war on terror".

One of our three main objectives during President-elect Obama's 100 days is to ensure an independent commission investigates abuses committed the U.S. government in its "war on terror". Pardoning key officials, or even worse, issuing a blanket pardon, would undermine this critical goal towards restoring our commitment to human rights.

We're all ready to move forward. But our best chance of restoring the America we believe in means starting off with justice and accountability.

Take a few minutes to write your local paper.

Thank you for all you do.

Sincerely,

Larry Cox
Executive Director

P.S. And remember we've got big plans for the first 100 days. We're so close to reaching our goal, help us reach 1000 events by registering today.

[1] http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/12/11/ST2008121101970.html
[2] http://feingold.senate.gov/releases/08/12/20081210.html

Bush Still Lying, Still Allowed To Lie

John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 20:46:20 EST

Still Lying, Still Allowed To Lie

by David Michael Green @ commondreams.org

I'm sorry, but there are moments when I just feel like a total alien who stumbled onto some planet full of bizarre life forms. They call this place America, and it sure is weird. And, lemme tell ya, I know what I'm talking about here. I've visited some pretty weird places in this part of the universe.

Try this on for size as an example. You might think that a president who is widely known for lying, who leads a party also known for the same, who is at the end of his term and virtually without any punitive power worth speaking of, and who is widely despised at home and abroad - you might think such a president would get a serious grilling when sitting down with the American media for an exit interview. And, even if that might seem like a giant leap for some, perhaps you'd at least be surprised if such an individual was allowed to continue to tell revisionist historical lies without being called to account in the slightest for doing so.

Yeah, well, different galaxy, I guess. On Planet America it seems a lot more like it's still 2002, and a frightened, compliant press is still learning how to embarrass itself by becoming a tool of a massively deceitful White House. Now that it's almost 2009, they've got it down to a science. Only today they don't even have the pathetic and shamefully flimsy excuse they did back then, in the wake of the 9/11 scare...........

ENTIRE ARTICLE - http://www.commondreams.org/view/2008/12/15-5

What To Do About It

Don — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 16:07:18 EST

Previously, I argued the likely consequences of the collapse of the Detroit automakers. And already my predictions are beginning to bear out in facts. Today, the Wall Street Journal reported, “Toyota will delay production at its new $300 million plant in Mississippi, citing a steep decline in the auto market.” What could we do about preventing it?Rather than pumping cash into them over the long term, what we COULD do is just take over something like 60% of the healthcare burden of only the pre-2007 retirees of the Detroit automakers.What? That would fundamentally lower the per-car cost while requiring them to bear their own burden of current and future labor costs. They will still have to make reasonable pay agreements going forward, but they won’t have to fire tens of thousands of workers who actually are cranking out cars that are of competitive quality. We CAN and should require that they immediately begin moving at an accelerated pace to make their entire fleet of cars meet California’s progressive fuel-economy standards.Why? Because that’s a smaller hit to the national economy than letting those people go on welfare, food stamps and unemployment and disability insurance. It helps keep those people paying taxes based on good wages. If those companies collapse, Medicare and Medicaid WILL be forced to take on 100% of all of those retirees from every decade. The few of us who still have jobs or own businesses will pay for that.Remember, according to THEIR OWN study, 43% of full-time WalMart workers are on food stamps and welfare. 43%. They are the largest employer in America. We cannot afford to doom another class of workers to that, because it’s costing us dearly.I don’t know if “60%” is exactly the right percentage, or if “pre-2007” is exactly the right year, but that can be worked out soon and by more knowledgeable people. What I do believe is that we can find a way to take on a much smaller share of the burden than the 100% we will inherit if those companies go down. What I know is that the rest of us will be better off with those people working and paying taxes alongside the rest of us than not.Rather than stirring up jealousy among people about UAW wages and demanding they take pay cuts, Republican conservatives ought to be working to get the pay other OTHER Americans increased so that more of us will be paying taxes at that higher rate, thus decreasing the burden on each taxpayer.Walmart workers, who continue to work full-time while having to also collect food stamps and welfare, are a major burden to all American Taxpayers. We need more high-wage jobs, not less. All that money spent at Walmart goes on a long trip, making a brief stopover in Bentonville Arkansas before flying directly to China to create more factory jobs – in China. If they have their way, conservative Republicans will have all Americans working seven days a week in 12 hour shifts making 90 cents a month like the Chinese.

How We Save America By Saving American Autoworker Jobs

Don — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:53:57 EST

Previously, I argued why all Americans, of all political persuasions, will suffer from the collapse the Detroit automakers. What can we do about the problem?I am far from being an apologist for the UAW or Detroit. There have to be consequences for this mess. But right now, we face bigger problems than that.American Taxpayers should consider carefully the consequences of letting another huge block of Taxpayers be forced to become dependent on welfare, food stamps and unemployment. It’s a double-whammy heaped upon the rest of us. Not only will they no longer be bearing their fair share by paying taxes and Social Security alongside those of us who still have jobs, but they also will be draining vast amounts of Taxpayer-funded money and other resources. What other resources? It takes more government employees, thus money, to hand out and track all those handouts. Can you guess who gets to pay for that?I am scared to death at the prospect of both taking on the burden of another half-million or so workers who will lose their jobs every month – like last month – but also paying much less in taxes myself due to the fact that I won’t be making nearly as much money once most of my customers are out of work. Come hell or high water, those people need to keep paying federal taxes just like me, and they can only do that if we keep them working.If you look at recently published studies on Appalachia – basically W. Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and northeastern Mississippi – the only place those unemployed people who will be living primarily on government assistance will be spending money is at WalMart* . All that money goes straight to China to create more jobs – in China. (Although it does pass through Bentonville Arkansas on the way.)As a direct consequence, many more jobs will be lost, though probably in northern states among people who tend to vote for Democrats. At least, that must be what Senator Shelby and the other conservative Republicans and southerners who subsidize those Japanese auto-plants down there must be thinking. But there are a lot of Republicans up here too. I voted straight GOP all my life, until November when I had to take an Independent stand. My non-auto-related small business will be killed, as will many others, and lots of individuals. Plus, many of those “plumbers” and others who work for small and large businesses that are not directly linked to Detroit will be financially killed. During the campaign Republicans swore they cared about them more than anything.People like that don’t go out and replace our Lexus or Toyota or other Japanese car or truck with next year’s model no matter where it’s built – even in the south. Moreover, people like that don’t switch parties and start voting with the GOP. People like that, including myself, don’t return to the Republican Party. People like that might not even REMAIN in the GOP. Republicans always campaign about being for plumbers and other workers and small businesses. Once the votes are all counted, the GOP kicks us right in our ‘bleepin’ behinds.From what I have seen, once out of work, those high-dollar hourly workers don’t take lower-paying jobs flipping burgers. Unemployed autoworkers sit at home and live off the Taxpayers, even by resorting to disability payments by making claims, not all of which are legitimate**. Those payments cost money, as do the investigators required to catch some unknown percentage of those making bogus claims. It costs more money to house them in jail, plus they never seem to get caught holding enough money to reimburse the Taxpayers for what they fleeced us out of.The bottom line is that we have to work hard to keep people working – especially those making good wages, thus paying more in taxes than those working at WalMart and McDonalds. We have to CREATE more high-paying jobs like that rather than focus on cutting their pay until they make the 9 cents a month they pay in China. To underline a point I’ve been arguing for quite a while, the Wall Street Journal reported today that “Toyota will delay production at its new $300 million plant in Mississippi, citing a steep decline in the auto market.” *To be fair, the studies show, the Appalachians also spend a great of money on liquor and guns. Those are available at WalMart too, but mostly not made in China. They also tend to spend a lot of time and money in church. These observations are in no way offered as commentary on lifestyles. This is all about where our money goes.**This is a concern based on studies which were not based on large sample groups, so they in no way can be asserted to reflect a majority of the group. Yet, any substantial percentage of this group engaged in this behavior would have a significant effect on an already severely depressed economy. Moreover, autoworkers were only a subset of the skilled workers discussed in the studies in general. No lifestyle judgments are implied.

Keep UAW workers paying taxes, not on welfare

Don — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 13:17:53 EST

Wall Street Journal: Toyota will delay production at its new $300 million plant in Mississippi, citing a steep decline in the auto market. The company says jobs in the state are "secure."

This is the beginning of proof of what I've been saying all along.

The most important detail not understood by southern voters and conservative Republicans is that they, too, will suffer by causing the collapse of the Detroit auto industry.

It's not only northerners whose non-auto industry jobs will be lost in the fallout. Those millions of former taxpayers on welfare, food stamps and unemployment and those around the country, including even the south, who will be dragged down with them, WILL NOT be buying those Japanese cars and trucks being manufactured in those taxpayer-subsidized southern plants.

People won't have the money, won't be able to obtain credit, and won't have the consumer confidence that enable such major purchases.

So all those high-paid UAW people Republican conservatives want to destroy will be merely the BEGINNING of the calamity.

We cannot afford at this time to have high-wage people lose taxpaying jobs while America’s largest employer, Walmart, according to their own internal report, pays wages so low that 43% of their full-time workers are on welfare and food stamps.

Blagojevich? Emanuel? Is that anything?

Don — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 01:42:47 EST

Blagojevich? Emanuel? Is that anything?

The FBI tapes may end up proving that Emanuel’s talks with Blagojevich only related that the President-Elect would offer the governor nothing more than “appreciation” for nominating one of then-Senator Obama’s “acceptable” candidates. Unless Emanuel “went rogue”. All stay together, and all hang together -- that's how they play it in the big leagues. Over the weekend, Mr. Emanuel apparently sent out his personal operatives – his ‘emissaries' – to put out his own SPIN on his alleged contacts with governor Rod. That would seem to point out that he’s the “weak link” – the person who screws up, then tries to protect himself at the expense of the team. His refusal to go to work last week was suspicious enough.

Innocent people don’t have to BREAK RANKS with their fellow patriots, shun the office so they don’t have to look into the eyes of their colleagues, or hide from the press, rather than just smile at the cameras and say “the Team will have something to say at the appropriate time”.

In addition to that, I do not understand why – if news reports and his statements are true – Mr. Emanuel would be getting threatened, or by whom. Regardless whether he is honest or dishonest, I don’t understand that at all – it seems illogical. Was he lying when he said that? Was the reporter lying about him having said that? I’d like some information on that.

You may not appreciate my questions, especially regarding the alleged claim of alleged threats, but I am someone who has been paying attention. Also, I have a very long memory, especially of politics.

I was just a kid more or less during the 80’s, but right then I was asking why we were crazy enough to be capitulating to the Japanese automakers. I seemed to be the only one in the 80’s who articulated that it was absurd for American automakers to keep making rounds of layoffs of tens of thousands of American autoworkers and then wonder WHY their sales continued to fall. “Who do they think are buying their cars?”, I asked. “The workers who build the cars are their best customers” I argued, “With their wages, they are the ones best able to afford them.”

More than twenty years ago, I could see that you can’t keep putting tens of thousands of your best customers out of work and then wondering why your sales keep declining. If a mere kid could see that over twenty years ago, why can’t beyond-middle-aged voters understand that now? American voters in general have very short memories.

There’s a reason they used to say “what’s good for GM is good for America!” Those workers made good wages. They paid equally large TAXES. They bought only American cars. They spent money only at American businesses that sold only American-made goods and services. One dollar spent on an American-made car meant eight-teen dollars (give or take a dollar) spent in America, to other Americans who paid TAXES in America. It pumped up the economy and created jobs for many AMERICANS.

Right now, we are at best buying cars made at plants in the south owned by Japanese companies that pay LOW wages, sending ALL the money we spend to Japan. Those low-wage workers spend all their meager income at WalMart. That money goes straight to China, where it creates more jobs – in China. Those workers reportedly make 9 cents a month. Do we want to “catch up” with them?

WORSE, when all those high-paid Detroit autoworkers lose their jobs, they will go right onto welfare, unemployment and food stamps. The rest of us will be paying ALL the taxes to support them.

I am terrified at the prospects of MY income decreasing due to the lack of customers directly and indrirectly linked to the Detroit autoworker economy. I am horrified that I will make LESS money but have to PAY MORE to support the government assistance to those people who should have been able to keep their jobs and PAY TAXES alongside the rest of us.

Rather than CUT the wages of union workers, Republican politicians should be RAISING the wages of the rest of American taxpayers, and NOT putting Americans out of work.

Southerners Don't See They Will Go Down With Us, Eventually

Don — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 13:59:26 EST

What's the most important detail not understood by southern voters and conservative Republicans?
That they, too, will suffer by causing the collapse of the Detroit auto industry.
It's not only northerners whose non-auto industry jobs will be lost in the fallout. Those millions of former taxpayers on welfare, food stamps and unemployment and those around the country, including even the south, who will be dragged down with them, WILL NOT be buying those Japanese cars and trucks being manufactured in those taxpayer-subsidized southern plants.
People won't have the money, won't be able to obtain credit, and won't have the consumer confidence that enable such major purchases.
So all those high-paid UAW people Republican conservatives want to destroy will be merely the BEGINNING of the calamity.
Moreover, those newly unemployed UAW members will have to head south, where, with their experience and new-found openness to accept lower wages, they will be the first to get hired at those soon to open Japanese plants if and when they do open. Even those openings in the works will be substantially delayed by the ongoing economic crisis.
But when those UAW people get down there and get the chance to vote, they won't forget which party is to blame for what they will be continuing to go through.
They will continue to vote for Democrats. That will increase the trend toward Red states turning into Blue states that start in 2008.
That, along with Republican tactics, will further ensure that the GOP becomes, for two generations, the party of Appalachia, Utah and Texas -- completely insignificant within the current Electoral College system.
Having just left the GOP last month to become an Obamican, or Independent in 8 years, that's a chance I'm willing to take.
Rather than trying to cut the pay of people who tend to vote for Democrats, those Republican politicians ought to be working to increase the pay of the rest of us. That's the only way we will BE ABLE to buy those Japanese cars over the next five years -- including two federal election cycles.

Blackberry Problem Solved -- Seriously

Don — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 19:03:05 EST

The President-Elect's communications are recorded and published, so he can't chat candidly on his own, but he can still keep in touch.

He has a close friend who is his new personal assistant. He can chat privately with his assistant, who can chat on his own personal Blackberry, which is private. What Obama's friends tell his assistant -- who is their mutual friend -- also is private. Use of such a go-between renders all that back and forth as mere gossiping, which, if not done on the President's phone or computer are entirely private.

The President's personal, in-person talks with friends can no more be public than the particulars of the bedtime stories he reads to his children. If some word of that got around "through the grape vine" through private channels, that's not the Peoples' business. Likewise, if information somehow gets back to him through a friend when that person just happens to be in the presence of the President, that, too, is his personal business.

President Obama can even sign a rule making it illegal for White House staff and also administration officials to profit from revealing what they learned during their work.

Federal Agent Insults All Illinois Citizens

Don — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 17:33:06 EST

99.9% of Illinoisans are law-abiding citizens. People who work hard and pay taxes should not be labeled corrupt by federal law enforcment officials, as was done in the announcement of the charges against the governor. Since that official has such a low opinion of Illinois and such a disdain for the citizens he should RELOCATE. At the very least, he should apologize and be fired.

Republcan Senator Ted Stevens is a seven-time convicted federal felon. Republican Senator Norm Coleman is a common criminal who merely hasn't been charged yet but has committed the crimes Rod has been charged with conspiring to committ. Are Alaska and Minnesota "corrupt" states? Should all their citizens be tarred because they've sent a few bad apples into elected office?

Admittedly, Alaska nearly re-elected Stevens, so virtually half of them actually ARE corrupt, one could argue.

Madigan's Blagojevich Blunder

Don — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 17:23:31 EST

Too bad Madigan didn't take a little time to think through her "evil plan" before acting.
She and other legislators could have drafted some legislation to be passed upon the Governor's temporary removal, and reach an agreement with the deputy governor on who would be appointed to the Senate once Rod's out of the way. Those could be acted on by the deputy governor immediately upon taking over, since it's likely that an appeal by Blagojevich would quickly see him back in his office holding things up once again.
If this wasn't just about furthering Madigan's chances of being elected governor, she would have done that and more. But like Rod's actions, Madigan isn't putting Illinois first because she's too busy looking out for herself.
Beyond that, even a layman can see that the Illinois Supreme Court would be as crazy as Blagojevich to jump into this mess this early in the game. It might set a precedent so that in the future any unpopular governor could have his tenure ended by his politic opponents filing a lawsuit, which is all Madigan has done.
He's not physically disabled, and though it appears so there is no scientific evidence that he is psychologically unfit. There is an unprecedented but good argument that under the circumstances he can't function because his most important business is appointing a Senator and the Senate is unlikely to seat his appointee, but she should have gotten affidavits from 51 Senators attesting to that -- 41 if you want to consider a filibuster. Because of the other claims in the complaint, his other actions, especially finance related, might be considered to be furthering a "crime spree". The weakness in the "inability to function" argument is that the fool keeps going to the office, apparently completing at least minor functions of his office.
Bottom line: I want him out of office, but even I can see Madigan didn't take time to plan this out. The court is likely to decline to take up the case. If they do hear it, there is a chance they could find in favor of the governor, which would further add to the perception that Illinois is lax on crooks in office.

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

WEBMASTER — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 02:26:14 EST

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Alternative Energy
Source: David Apperson

url: http://veterans.barackobama.com/page/community/tag/alternative-energy