New York Times on FISA

Submitted by JC on March 17, 2008 - 8:00am.

Yesterday, the New York Times published this editorial on the current debate over updating FISA. It calls for President Bush to finally join that debate, instead of merely offering "propaganda intended to scare Americans, expand his powers, and erode civil liberties." It also praises the House for passing the FISA bill that Rep. Reyes and I authored, which "preserves constitutional protections against unreasonable searches" and denies retroactive immunity for the telecom companies.

 

OT? Repost from previous thread.

Submitted by Mark A. Jeror Sr. on March 17, 2008 - 9:25am.

I won't change anything from my previous post, but I'll add one comment to make it more applicable to the FISA debate.

The GOP campaign finance machine known as the Prison Industrial Complex, is exacerbating the current fiscal emergency. Coincidentally, or not, every one of BushCo's FISA violations are ambiguous enough to allow us to be used as job security for law enforcement.

Simply put, America can't afford any more inmates, and the political process needs less pressure from people who see a lowering crime rate, as a personal threat to their way of life.

Submitted by Mark A. Jeror Sr. on March 17, 2008 - 7:45am.

The straw that broke Elliot Spitzer's back, was when he acknowledged that NY's crime rate had been successfully lowered to the point where he could address the biggest drain on our resources. The prison industrial complex.

All over Northern New York there are signs decrying Spitzers decision to close a few small prison camps and a medium security prison. These earstwhile anti-tax republicans don't seem to understand that their eternal quest for better benefits, higher wages, and better retirement plans, are the reason why their property taxes are so high.

Instead of realising that creating whole classes of political prisoners via the war on drugs, is the reason their property taxes are so high, they use the argument that they need these jobs so they can afford to pay increased property taxes. Simultaneously, almost every local Government in the area is owned and operated by retired former prison officials, allowing them to steer the debate away from endangering their welfare checks.

Look at the articles outlining the cuts States are being forced to make, due to Bush's irresponsibe dumping of tax dollars into a war designed to last forever. Education funding is down, medicaid funding is down, all social programs are being cut, and Pat Leahy still manages to procure millions of dollars so Vermont can fly National Guard helicopters over my mobile home, while looking for plants God created.

The entire economy in my area is either tourism, second home sales, or prisons.

How many decades should we allow communities like this to live on the public teat? Maybe if they spent their state checks on creating industry, instead of a neverending supply of new cars, booze, and cocaine, these communities wouldn't be so dependant on annual injections of tax dollars.

By refusing to limit the number of years communities are allowed to milk the system, the political and economic balance in New York is woefully out of whack. We have lifelong taxtakers dictating to lifelong taxpayers while treating them like second class citizens because they aren't smart enough, or too independant, to get on the public dole.

When you consider the fact that the average wage for taxpayers in my area is around 20,000/yr, and rookie cops and CO's make more than double that, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand who controls the political process.

I didn't like Spitzer very much, but the fact that he attacked Wall Street for years and nothing happened to him, should be taken into account.

The second he attacked the Prison Industrial Complex, his ass was grass. How can the Fascists eliminate social programs, if America opens their eyes and see's how bloated the prison induistrial complex has grown, while property taxes are forcing them to choose between paying their mortgage, eating, or heating their homes.

I'm sure Wall Street had a hand in it too. But IMO, it was working to eliminate the main source of GOP funding, that caused his downfall.

Like a scared legislator in South Carolina was quoted as saying when crackheads were determined to be worthy of rights too, "Convicted felons don't usually vote GOP."

Of course they don't. That would be like providing money to catholic dioceses, to run our public school systems, after they admit to hiding repeat pedophile priests for decades.

But wait, our highly moral and judgemental politicians already did that, before their war on marijuana caused us to have more political prisoners than any other nation in history.

Follow the money. A good place to start might be Camp Gabriels in Northern New York. They've grown so accustomed to owning the political machine up here, I doubt like hell if they even covered their tracks.

Off topic, but current.

Submitted by Frosted Flake on March 17, 2008 - 2:12pm.

Obamas' Pastor : A test poorly met.

Obviously, I have not heard EVERY remark the priest made. What I did hear was a series of very short, two and three word clips - strung together into a wild eyed, maniacal rant. The sort of caricature one might expect from a Mad Magazine spoof. I was offended, not by the words I heard, but by the impression that must have been intended to be received by those, always present, who were not paying close attention to what was being presented them. An impression of a nut with a penchant for mixing religion and politics while knowing little about either. An impression, quite, far, from reality.

I was - am - disappointed by the manner in which this early test has been handled. If I may, point at what I would have preferred, hopefully this will get back to the principals.

I thought there should have been made some hay over the cheesy clip screed, which resulted in a speech that no one ever gave. Which painted the name of a man who had 30 years in the pulpit to earn the color of his name, who has now lost his own colors and has to henceforth wear colors chosen by dishonest men whose motive is opposition to another man, a politician, one Barak Obama. To say this is unfair would be repetitive. To say these dishonest men work for Hillary would be also. It need not be that she paid them, for that seldom happens in politics. Character assassination tho, is frequent. And that is what happened here. In order to cast shadows on others, shadows no more substantial that the cheesy clip screed created by splicing disparate words together to form what appeared to be what it was not.

I thought the question should have been raised, was there anything unusual in the use, by a priest, of the words needed to indicate an awareness that Governments Lie. Habitually. Isn't that what this political contest is about? Why should this disreputable misuse of the public airwaves make anyone feel less strongly that the truth is, Governments Lie. Habitually. Was this vignette a whit less than another example of the same?

I thought there was advantage to be had in pursuing the line towards listening to what the pastor had actually said, in the context those few words were clipped out of. Is it, after all, the place of a priest to point at what is going well, a priests place to say, "That's good, children, keep it up!"? Or is it the usual method of a minister to point at what is going wrong, and to decry it? Perhaps, on occasion, with excitement in his voice?

I thought there was a point or three to be earned through going into the subtleties of racism. There is, as some - not all - know well, a great difference in style between one priest and the next. One might bore you to tears, while the next could leave you on the edge of the pew, hanging on every word. There is also a great difference in style between the various denomination. Calvinists v. Lutherans, for one fine example. And getting to the point, there would seem to be a great difference in style between your typical church experience where the congregation is generally white, and where the congregation is generally black. Even when the actual denomination is nominally the same. The difference is, that whites tend to sit quietly and listen, while blacks tend to participate.

Can I get an Amen?!?

That is what I am talking about. It is called, if I know, callback. Ask for an Amen in a white church and you get a lot of surprised looks. Do that in a black church, and the congregation will tell you whether they are engaged by what you are saying. This is a cultural difference, and the upshot is, because the chasm between is wide, there are very many folks out there in radioland who were sort of half listening when Baraks Pastors' character was assassinated. They heard what they thought they heard, not what was actually said. Many of these are so ignorant they don't even know they are racists (they think racism is normal) and this subset, all of whom are white, heard a black priest speaking in a manner they would never permit thier own priest to indulge in (Nor would Barak, the speech was a cheesy clip screed) and these ignorant bigots now feel both scandalized and threatened.

And, because of the manner in which this crisis has been handled, expediently, these ignorant bigots are left with the impression that they are right. Barak has, apparently, disowned the man who conducted his wedding.

That is a pretty big symbol. I am particularly pained by the show of expediency. This indicates a lack of appreciation for the importance of this issue.

Let me try to help focus. If Barak will not stand up for his pastor, who can expect he will do so for them?

It's a pretty big symbol. And I think there is still time to correct the impression.

On the other hand, we could all line up behind Hillary, Lets take another look at that. What is the difference? Well, here is another fine example. "Withdrawal is not defeat. Defeat is keeping troops in Iraq for 100 years." Good God! Way to set those goal posts Sister. It doesn't seem to me she wants to leave Iraq in my lifetime. She still has not admitted it was wrong to vote to go in. That, you see, would have to come with a clear, reasonable explanation WHY it was wrong. George Bush Lied, of course and of couse, we can't re-litigate (??? re-litigate ??? WTF?) those decisions. The difference between Hillary and McCain....is gender. I am not going to vote for her to avoid him. It wouldn't even be the lessor of two evils.

Obama is at least the impression of a different direction.

In the interest of disclosure, I should mention that I am white, 45, and I haven't been to church, except for funerals, in more than 25 years. So, whereof do I find the ground to so speak ? I was raised by the sort of ignorant bigots discussed in the text above. I might be ignorant, but I know, and am related to, some folks that make me look pretty smart. Poor helpless bastards.

But bastards who vote, proudly.
Frosted Flake

Here is Bill Kristol, with the opposite points to make.

Preface :

In this column, I cite a report that Sen. Obama had attended services at Trinity Church on July 22, 2007. The Obama camapaign has provided information showing that Senator Obama did not attend Trinity that day. I regret the error.

Y'hear? He regrets the error. And THEN goes ahead and makes it. It is just toooo juicy NOT to sink a tooth in. This is a quality guy, Mr. Neocon, who would make an orange jumpsuit look kinda shabby.

Punchline :

This doesn’t mean that Obama agrees with Wright’s thoroughgoing and conspiracy-heavy anti-Americanism (Paint : FF). Rather, Obama seems to have seen, early in his career, the utility of joining a prominent church that would help him establish political roots in the community in which he lives. Now he sees the utility of distancing himself from that church. Obama’s behavior in dealing with Wright is consistent with that of a politician who often voted “present” in the Illinois State Legislature for the sake of his future political viability.

You see the way that paintbrush swings? Wide arcs. The message is : "Stay away!"

Don't take the message, take the brush.

Amen!

Submitted by Max 1 on March 17, 2008 - 2:18pm.

I see it the same way.

Crooksandliars has a good thread up concerning this very topic. From Jeff Sharlet, author of the upcoming book The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power:

In contextualizing Jeremiah Wright’s “God damn America,” it might be worth remembering another Jeremiah who expressed similar sentiments: namely, Jeremiah. As in, the prophet of the Hebrew Bible, or the “Old Testament,” if you prefer.

Why does that matter? Because it reminds us that a core function of one who attempts to speak in a prophetic voice is to remind us that we are in this together and that we’ll both prosper and suffer together. Many evangelical Christians speak of a “gift of discernment,” not unlike the “gift of tongues.” Us democratically-minded folk might do well to remember that that core concept of a democracy is that we all have some gift of discernment. So let’s use ours and consider the prophetic statements on offer:

1. Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson said America is damned — cursed by God, though not permanently — because we tolerate feminists and queer people.

2. John Hagee says America is damned — cursed by God, though not permanently — because we tolerate Muslims.

3. Jeremiah Wright says America is damned — cursed by God, though not permanently, suffering from hate and division, from bitterness and envy — because we succumb to hating one another.

For my money, my Bible, and my democracy, that last sentiment has the ring of truth, and I’m not even a religious man.

That doesn’t mean it’s a sentiment for a campaign trail. But it does mean that in framing this, we might want to turn our anger toward Fox and the NY Post and all those denouncing Jeremiah Wright rather than the man who says we suffer because of racism. Here is a pastor trying, perhaps not successfully, to preach accountability for hate, not for tolerance. And here is a media that is demanding that we NOT be held accountable for hate.

That is, mainstream media is telling us we must tolerate hate — Hagee — but not those who don’t believe we should tolerate hate — Wright.

Jeremiah Wright’s words were harsh, as were Jeremiah’s. As were Martin Luther King’s — “I have a dream” wasn’t his only speech, and he died holding America accountable for the war in Vietnam and the war against the poor at home. That’s not left, that’s not right, that’s not “racial,” that’s not “post-racial.” It’s prophetic. The Right’s screeching, meanwhile, is simply pathetic.

When will America end the religious testing?

p.s.
I'm 43, white, raised Catholic.

By all accounts, anyone sitting in the pews during a sermon of a Catholic Priest who's been indicted of pedophilia supports pedophiles? And anyone who has had that Priest perform their marriage is well... NO?

Thanks Max.

Submitted by Frosted Flake on March 17, 2008 - 2:38pm.

Appreciate the backup. Good points. Thanks for the link...Hope folks overlook the spelling errors I can't fix now.

Ah, well. Jeff Sharlet's good sense more than makes up for it.

Thanks Max.
FF

Obama plans major race speech tomorrow

Submitted by Frosted Flake on March 17, 2008 - 3:59pm.

Hat tip, Ben Smith

Suggestion : Be there. Stand next to Pastor Wright. But not between him and Senator Obama.

I think that would be the opportunity I spoke of above.
Frosted Flake

Perfection.

Submitted by Frosted Flake on March 18, 2008 - 10:34pm.

It would seem I could have skipped the historonics.

I could not suggest a way to improve upon that speech.

I can't recall just now when I read a better one. Perhaps the letter from the Birmingham Jail. Or when Kennedy spoke on the separation of church and state, when asked about the influence of the Vatican upon his potential Presidency. Baraks' speech covered both these topics. It is particularly interesting He was able to speak directly to so many distinct cultures, both here and abroad. And do so from the standpoint of a member of that group.

Which he is.

It is also noteworthy that in just a very short time, starting from when the motive was noticed, this landmark speech was created and delivered. As if right off the cuff. As if this was the kind of stuff that just happens, y'know (...) ordinarily. The last time you said to yourself, "Uh-oh, I better say something..." , how well did that go?

I think we can consider that 3 am phone call, handled.

Lightning and Thunder. Barak Obama. Hmm...
Frosted Flake

Butterfly wings aren't necessarily attractive.

Submitted by Mark A. Jeror Sr. on March 20, 2008 - 8:52am.

I'm not formally educated, and my rants against "the educateds", probably cause a lot of people to get angry. If I were educated, I'd get angry too. I've been a contrary malcontent my entire life. A person would have to be pretty inventive, to insult me in a way that hasn't been done before. I've been told my only true talent, is my ability to make people uncomfortable.

We live in an age of "like-minded individuals", who insist that only those who are "on the same page", have a voice. For far too long, "same pagers" have been educating our children to be like-minded "individuals", so they can attain the monetary gain or intellectual respect, they covet.

After a while, the only ones willing to speak against the sage pagers, are forced, due to peer generated ridicule of the "keepers of credibility", to say things intended to interject an argument the same page educators, don't want America's future leaders, exposed to.

As the same page mentality persists, important events like congressional hearings into matters like The Downing Street Minutes, are easier to relegate to basement proceedings.

The fact that Mr. Obama has been exposed to his pastors argument, is encouraging.

As more and more people realise they are no longer on the same page as the like minded individuals who educated them, the decibel level of the voices of malcontents, which was no louder than the sound of butterfly wings, increases.

Have you ever looked at a butterfly wing. Most are disguised to look threatening or badtasting. When flying, they look like a swirl colors.

I thank Mr. Obama's pastor, for flapping his wings. I believe many Americans, rightly or wrongly, regardless of color, party or religious affiliation, share his views. By having the courage to express himself honestly, in the front of large groups of people while on the record, he encourages other like minded individuals, to flap their wings.

It is the open discourse of honest beliefs and feelings, that will cause people to cease becoming like minded individuals, and become more empathetic to each other. The most sanctimonious, have never been exposed to arguments that promote empathy.

For some, this is the ultimate threat, and the messanger must be attacked and ridiculed. If there wasn't truth in the flapping, it would not dignify a response.

If I were educated, I'd be able to quote chapter and verse who made the quote about the wind created by butterfly wings, that created a tsunami on the other side of the world. But I ain't.

I don't think he said the wings had to be pretty.

We live in ugly times.

On topic

Submitted by Frosted Flake on March 17, 2008 - 1:56pm.

Can't help but call that a very encouraging sign.

And so is This and This

And then there is This

About half of those surveyed (49 percent) said they favored bringing troops home as soon as possible, but most (33 percent) favored gradual withdrawal over the next year or two, rather than immediate withdrawal. Similarly, just under half (47 percent) said that the United States should keep troops in Iraq until the situation has stabilized. But those who wanted to “stay the course” were divided too, with 30 percent saying that no timetable should be set and 16 percent favoring a timetable.



What the candidates say about Iraq in the general election will be further tested by the huge partisan gap in responses: a 54-percentage-point divide between Democrats and Republicans about keeping troops in Iraq.

I am encouraged to see the media responding to reality despite the blizzard of bull blowing from the the rear (Getting icky, will cut short), the rear being, where to look if you want to find Mr.Bush.

Thanks.
Frosted Flake
Odd idea : What would happen to the suggestion that the army be withdrawn and "our responsibilities in Iraq" be addressed by sending, in cash, one half of what we have been spending to accomplish the ongoing destruction?

Maybe that idea is not so odd. The numbers are much kinder to all. And you don't HAVE to call it reparations, at least, to begin with.

Yeah, I know, that ain't what it is about. It is about Empire. still, I am talking about an election. An election is the opportunity to take a question to a different authority. The idea is to prevent the wealthy making all the decisions. To preserve the authority derived from blood. Shed. On the battlefield.

Consider it.

A Joke...

Submitted by Max 1 on March 17, 2008 - 2:06pm.


Or TRUTH?

Only 20 more years to go...

Submitted by Ishmael on March 19, 2008 - 5:41pm.

It only took 25 years for the American public to finally get so fed up with the Vietnam War, that the politicians were finally forced to change their positions.

Only 20 more years to go.

Until then, be prepared to hear that anyone who proposes a troop pull out is 'weak on terrorism', an 'appeaser', a 'cut-and-runner', hates America, hates the troops, supports our enemies. Be prepared to hear that we must 'stay the course', that the 'end is in sight', and that there is a 'light at the end of the tunnel'. And if you draw those comparisons, be prepared to hear that we could have won the War in Vietnam, if only the spineless liberals in Washington hadn't undermined the President.

Only 20 more years to go.

Impeachment: I don't care if they try and fail. I only care if they fail to try.

A Birthday Wish...

Submitted by Max 1 on March 20, 2008 - 12:04am.

A birthday wish...

If we all blow hard enough, we can make this wish come true...

John,
Will you help blow these candles out?

==============
I M P E A C H

My own take on this is

Submitted by koryannder on March 20, 2008 - 3:59am.

that Rev. Wright should have had better sense than to shoot his parishioner in the back. Ranting like that may have revealed his own feelings, but with Obama locked in a life-and-death struggle with one of the cleverest politicians of any generation, if he had given one small damn about a man with whom he had had a 20-year relationship, and one who was doing his level best to mend the rifts that divide those of differing skin color, he'd have bitten his tongue clesr off before he poured jet fuel on that particular fire. Reverend Wright has given the impression that he is a plain fool, and that is a poor rep. for a man of the cloth to have. I think Obama gave as good an answer to the Reverend's rant as could have been given, but the spin merchants like Kristol will use it to discredit him anyway. Once a damn liar, always a damn liar. Of course, a large portion of the electorate knows to take anything Kristol says with several pounds of salt, but there are a number of fools out there who think anything he says is gospel. They listen to Limbaugh and Coulter, too. They're not going to VOTE intelligently, but they may have influence on the otherwise ignorant that will cost Barack dearly. The only thing that can be gained from this is that the reverend acted stupidly and Obama recovered as well as possible, and try valiantly to stop making an issue of it. Of course, the Rethuglican smear machine will keep it between its teeth like a dog with a rotten bone, but the rest of us have to keep saying that's old news that has been answered, and it is not worthy of further comment.

Conyers: Impeachment If Bush Invades Iran

Submitted by wallen on March 20, 2008 - 6:17am.

Congressman, so Bush needs to commit ANOTHER crime before you'll act? And, you're going after them when they're already out of office? At least you admitted how afraid you are, they might start digging for more dirt on you, like sending your assistants out on personal errands... These guys commit heinous crimes, and you're worried that they might expose you for sending someone out to pick up your dry cleaning. Ridiculous!

Conyers: Impeachment If Bush Invades Iran

Speaking on Tuesday, Rep. John Conyers said that serious legal challenges to the Bush administration would not be off the table both before the president left office and after.

The Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee said he would pursue articles of impeachment for the president should he pursue war in Iran without Congress' approval.

"If Bush goes into Iran, he should be impeached," said Conyers. "And we've sent him a letter to that affect."

Conyer's office had not sent a copy of the letter to the Huffington Post at the time of this article's publication.

The line was greeted with heavy applause by attendees at the Take Back America conference, where Conyers spoke. Later in the event, he offered even more read meat for the throng of progressive activists.

Taking questions from an attendee, Conyers offered a strong suggestion that he intends to consider legal action against Bush and Company once they leave office.

"We can win this thing and go get these guys after [they leave office]," he said.

Asked to specify on what grounds he would retroactively go after the Bush administration, Conyers asked, "Have you got a couple hours? I haven't."

As for why he wouldn't pursue articles of impeachment (if he favored them so strongly) before the president's time in the White House came to conclusion, Conyers said he worried that it would become to heavy a political issue during the election season.

"I am afraid they would raise it in the campaign, and that they will use it against us, and that we would end up getting McCain," he said. "I would regret that for the rest of my life," he said. "That's the only reason. That's a chance, I don't know for sure, but that's what I fear might happen."

Conyers's view has been, to be sure, echoed previously by other prominent Democratic figures. Sen. Joseph Biden, for example, said during a presidential debate that he personally told Bush he should be impeached if he takes the country to war with Iran. Biden also, in a Newsweek interview this past summer, suggested that Congress should be "acquiring and accumulating all the data that is appropriate for possibly bringing criminal charges against members of this administration at a later date."

click here

--------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------
You can lead a republican to the truth, but you can't make him think it...

What a giant load of crap...

Submitted by Ishmael on March 20, 2008 - 10:27am.

"If Bush goes into Iran, he should be impeached," said Conyers. "And we've sent him a letter to that affect."

Bullshit.

News Flash Kiddies: Neither of the Democratic candidates is going to win in November. The Republicans used to fear Obama because they were afraid that if they said anything bad about him they would be labled as racists. But now it turns out that Obama is a racist. The boys down at the RNC must be beside themselves with joy.

And the only thing that will unite the fragmented Republican Party behind John McCain, is the possibility of Hillary Clinton in the White House. The Dems have shot themselves in the foot once again.

So McCain wins in 08. George Bush and company get off scot free. Torture becomes the norm. The principle of Unitary Presidential Powers is confirmed. FISA is ignored. Telecom Companies that break the law are forgiven. The Justice Department becomes an official wing of the Republican Party and the War in Iraq goes on, and on, and on.

Impeachment: I don't care if they try and fail. I only care if they fail to try.

C O W A R D?

Submitted by Max 1 on March 20, 2008 - 11:35am.

John,
What has George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney done to deserve the rewards of a full term in office?

WHAT DOES CONYERS SUPPORT AND DEFEND IF NOT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE U.S.A?

Warrantless... legal enough?
Torture... legal enough?
Hell, the SCOTUS has ruled T W I C E that the Admin has acted unconstitutionally.

Why does the Congressman insist on demonstrating such mental reservations regarding HIS Oath of Office?

==============
I M P E A C H
or R E S I G N!!!

Because he's a Democrat first and an American second

Submitted by Ishmael on March 20, 2008 - 12:50pm.

Listen to him. He and the rest of the Democratic leadership in Washington doesn't give a rat's ass about the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, or the Geneva Conventions. All they really care about is political power and manuevering for re-election.

If they had been waiting for John Conyers to take a bold stand, black folks down in Montgomery would still be sitting in the back of the bus.

John Conyers is worse than useless, because he had the power, the opportunity (and the responsibility) to hold this Administration accountable for their actions, and he did nothing except equivocate and triangulate and bow and scrap.

To paraphrase the Reverend Wright: Damn the United States Legislature for allowing this to continue in our names. Damn them all to Hell.

Impeachment: I don't care if they try and fail. I only care if they fail to try.

Criminals have no allegiances.

Submitted by Mark A. Jeror Sr. on March 20, 2008 - 3:45pm.

If organized criminals, bribe enough law enforcment officials to allow them to murder, rape, strongarm and steal with impunity, the officials who traded their oath of office for either riches or power, become footsoldiers in an army of organized crime.

They become criminals, and with enough evidence, can be prosecuted.

Mr. Conyers no longer has plausible deniability, yet he still refuses to impeach.

Please don't call him a Democrat, or a Republican, or an American. He's a criminal. Criminals have no allegiances.

Well said...

Submitted by Ishmael on March 20, 2008 - 5:47pm.

Impeachment: I don't care if they try and fail. I only care if they fail to try.

State Department employees breach Obama’s passport

Submitted by cali on March 20, 2008 - 8:58pm.

2 fired over Obama passport file breach
Third employee at State disciplined over accessing candidate’s records

2 fired over Obama passport file breach

State Department employees breach Obama’s passport

It is high time to understand something important

Submitted by koryannder on March 21, 2008 - 5:43am.

The Democratic Party is in the hands of traitors. Not merely traitors to the Party, but traitors to, not only the idea of America itself, but traitors to the very concept of a self-ruling Nation-State, and the very concept that Democracy (or Republicanism) is a viable form of government! Nancy Pelosi's very good friend (read "Controller") is an Oligarch by the name of Felix Rohatyn (pronounce "Rotten.").

Who IS Felix Rohatyn, besides the man who supplies a lot of campaign ca#h to what is thought to be the "Democratic" cause? He is a banker who personally financed Pinochet, the "Butcher of Chile." He is a prominent figure in Lazard Freres, the financial institution that was up to its ears in financing Adolf Hitler, along with some of our own economic royalists (read "Traitors") such as Prescott Bu$h and Averill Harriman, who helped Montague Norman, the Bruti$h "Financier" who led the way to financing Adolf Hitler's rise to power. He is also an a--hole buddy of a fellow named George Shulz, who cannot by ANY stretch of the imagination be thought of as a "Democrat." The two of them are up to their ears in the move to destroy BOTH Obama and Clinton, preparing the way for the candidacy of another Oligarch named Michael Bloomberg, who will use his billion$ to "Buy" the Presidency, and finish the job of making the tattered US into the fourth Reich. It's all of a piece - Bu$h, Cheney, McCain, Rohatyn, Shulz, Bloomberg, all co-conspirators hell-bent to destroy the United States of America and convert it to a Fascist Nation ruled by and for the Oligarchy, in which they are aided by the Murdoch cartel, the Scaifes, and possibly the Schulzbergers, as well as Time-Warner-Sony, and other media barons, whose job it is to control information and mold Public Opinion, and "Elect" whatever Patsy is chosen by the kingmakers. On the road to this elevation of evil. they are madly destroying the economy of the Nation. NAFTA, CAFTA, the WTO, FTAA, and other "Treaties that are called 'agreements,' were measures in the cause of destroying the National Sovereignty, and the very "War on terrorism" itself, started by the criminal controlled demolition of the Murrah building and the twin towers and blaming it on an impossible act of a friend of George Bu$h's whose seeming total invulnerability is explicable only by our own complicity. The idea of the war in Iraq, and the one in Iran and Syria to come, has NOTHING to do with regime change, constitution of 'Democracy,' or even oil; it was undertaken with the sole design of economically destroying the United States! That's why it's evidently endless - it was well-known that a war in Asia would bankrupt us - as it has. When traitors are in control of the Government and backed by gullible fools, it is simplicity itself to destroy the Nation's economy, and thence the Nation.
When we allowed Nancy Pelosi, who is controlled by a gang of traitors, to be the "Leader" of the Congress, we abetted our own destruction. The current threat, "Don't get us into any more wars, or we'll impeach you" is toothless. The criminal gang that is in control of the Country should have been impeached the day they started the farrago of KNOWN lies that were the excuse for the war, which itself will destroy us as a Nation, if it already hasn't.

If JC would get a backbone and start the impeachment proceedings against Cheney, it might prevent our murdering a few thousand innocent Iranians and making another permanent enemy. PLEASE, John, remember that the motto of the entire middle East is

"NEVER FORGIVE; NEVER FORGET!!"

The essential criminality of the so-called "Republican" Party should be exposed, even if Nancy compounds her treachery and attempts to remove JC as the chairman of the Judiciary Committee. During the run-up to the election contest is an excellent time to expose those bastriches for what they are - - - including Rohatyn, Shulz, and Bloomberg!

Get with it, John! or are you too afraid that the same people who killed the Kennedys and King will getcha? That is one way of explaining your inaction. A dead man can't investigate much. That could be it, at that. I can't blame you, if your pants are wet considering your own survival! Writing letters is a lot safer than actually convening hearings!

The goal is to destroy America and the concept of Democracy.

Submitted by Mark A. Jeror Sr. on March 21, 2008 - 8:43am.

The reputation our democracy has enjoyed, isn't due to massive Madison Avenue PR campaigns. Oppressed people all over the world see our success as a beacon of light, and a possible tool to remove themselves from the yoke of oppression.

Since greed is the root cause of oppression, and America's system of individual rights prevents the overutilization of it's human capital, the historic oppressers of humanity see us as something to be either controlled or destroyed.

The robber baron types know that corruption left unchecked, always results in fascism or dictatorships, then implosion. It's an historic pattern repeated ad naseum.

But they don't mind. If they can't have it, it must be destroyed.

As a contrary malcontent, I've always enjoyed interjecting my opinion, when eavesdropping on people as they discuss matters openly, that people of my station shouldn't understand, let alone have an opinion about. When I look them in the eye and tell them they're full of shit, and explain my reasons for it as I knock cobwebs off my hat or change their trash can liners, I feel the full brunt of their anger and hear what is probably the only honest statements they've made in decades.

When it comes to bankrupting America, they always say, "Good, it's grown too big anyways. There are too many people and it should be broken up into four pieces." Some even go as far as to say that FDR's social programs, were a call to war.

I wonder what would happen if our forefathers vision of 1 representative for every 30,000 citizens, existed today. They think it's too big now? Can you imagine if Congress suddenly expanded to the point where everyone in America had the representation our forefathers envisioned?

Talk about stimulating the economy, the extra bribe money alone could save the housing market.

All they need is for Mr. Conyers to continue doing nothing. He pretends to think the clock is ticking toward a permanent Democratic majority, when he knows that if he waits long enough and America goes bankrupt, the reasons for our bankruptcy will be a moot point, and he can avoid accountability for his greed driven participation in our destruction.

The Soviet Union didn't stay broken up, and the arms dealers responsible for bleeding them dry, now run Russia, as the cycle of oppression continues.

I wonder which piece of America will get to call itself The United States, after Conyers finishes his nap at the switch. Considering the size of the private armies in Texas, I'd say they have the inside track.

Glenn Greenwald on the Obama file breach

Submitted by cali on March 21, 2008 - 8:25am.

This happens all the time. It's an inevitable outcome of allowing government spying with no oversight. Just two weeks ago, the DOJ acknowledged again that its own FBI, for years, has been severely abusing the Patriot Act's "national security letters," which allow the FBI to obtain extremely personal information about tens of thousands of American citizens with no warrant and no oversight. Extremely invasive information has been obtained far beyond what the law allows, regarding Americans accused of no wrongdoing whatsoever, and without there even being a pending criminal investigation.

And yet what is Congress doing about all of this? Until the House refused last week to pass the new Draconian FISA bill demanded by the White House, what they've been doing is vesting greater and ever more invasive government spying powers in the Bush administration and subsequent administrations with no oversight whatsoever.

The Protect America Act passed and signed into law last August, as well as the Rockefeller/Cheney bill passed by the Senate in January, authorize inconceivably broad domestic spying powers -- to listen in on all of our international calls and read all of our international emails -- with no requirement to obtain a warrant and no oversight of any kind. Just listen to Sen. Russ Feingold's extremely succinct and accurate description of what the Senate FISA bill allows:


(snip)
And in one of the most under-discussed stories of the year, The Wall St. Journal reported two weeks ago that the NSA -- unbeknownst even to most members of Congress and with no judicial oversight at all -- "now monitors huge volumes of records of domestic emails and Internet searches as well as bank transfers, credit-card transactions, travel and telephone records."

Why would anyone trust the current and subsequent administrations -- not just their political officials but the thousands and thousands of permanent government and private employees -- to spy on Americans, and store and collect extremely invasive information about Americans' private lives, with no oversight or requirement to demonstrate probable cause to a court -- as the Founders required -- to believe that the citizen being spied on has actually done something wrong? Whatever the outcome of the Obama passport investigation is, whoever the parties responsible are and whatever their motives, shouldn't this rather conclusively demonstrate the complete folly, the serious dangers, of continuing to vest in the government powers to spy on Americans with no oversight?

The Obama passport snooping and the unchecked Surveillance State

An Editorial.

Submitted by Frosted Flake on March 23, 2008 - 1:47pm.

Politics is the art of controlling your environment.
Hunter S. Thompson

4000 and counting!

Submitted by Ron on March 24, 2008 - 3:37pm.


For every action, There is an equal and opposite reaction!

Exception being: The 110 Th. U S Congress ! ! !

I M P E A C H

Good news!

Submitted by Mark A. Jeror Sr. on March 24, 2008 - 4:45pm.

The GOP just-us department indicted a lying philandering low-life excuse for a politician in Michigan.

Bad News!

It wasn't the House Judiciary Chairman.

But I guess he doesn't have to worry about that. I guess there is an upside to having the integrity of Jello.

HOW'S YOUR CONSCIENCE, JC?

Submitted by koryannder on March 24, 2008 - 8:56pm.

If your failure to do your Constitutional duty and Impeach the evil eminence behind Bu$h's push to attacking Iran (and ONLY impeaching Cheney could stop that momentum), the innocent Iranian lives murdered by Cheney's attacks will be squarely on your doorstep. No one could blame the Iraq war on you directly, BUT if we attack Iran, a large measure of the carnage will be on YOUR doorstep. How many Iranians are you willing to sacrifice to Nancy's slavish obedience to that treacherous fascist Rohatyn?

Bush's War

Submitted by wallen on March 25, 2008 - 5:11am.

PBS Frontline series. Gripping and damning....

WATCH IT!

--------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------
You can lead a republican to the truth, but you can't make him think it...

Unbelievable…

Submitted by Soma on March 25, 2008 - 10:58am.

You must like this blog an awful lot to sustain it, JC for there seems to be nothing but contempt and abuse for you here as long as you do not do what you know in your heart of hearts is the right thing to do. That of course is impeachment. I almost feel sorry for you as you dance around on one foot with one hand tied behind your back. I almost feel sorry for you but I don’t…

What if you don’t impeach and then the Democrats lose the White House in November? Then we will have gained nothing in the political realm and these monsters will have gotten away with murder and much more. Now that’s not the first time that has happened in the life of the nation or in my life for that matter but that one would sting for a long time. That and I despise the living shucks out of Bush and Cheney. There’s still time to hold these cretins accountable. Impeach Cheney now!

Impeach the bastards … you’ll feel better and it’s the right thing to do.

Thanks for the forum even if you don’t interact with it nor listen to its posters.

Amos

110 MAY A POX BE UPON YOU !

Submitted by Ron on March 25, 2008 - 2:35pm.

Home » ConyersBlog » JC's blog