Everybody knows about the tree falling in the forest. But how about when the debt ceiling is being raised at the White House? Does anyone notice?

Want to see how they work us? With absolutely NO fanfare, press, or ceremony, he signs the debt ceiling increase. He does it behind closed doors. The next day, everyone (fanfare, politicains, press, ceremony) is there when he signs the tax cut plan.

There is some really, really sick stuff going on in this country. Trumped up wars fought to guarantee the Pax Americana. Higher taxes for the poor, lower taxes for the rich. If you're wealthy, the law does not apply to you. Regulations written by the companies that the commission is supposed to regulate. The goal, in case you haven't caught on yet, is to run such HIGH deficits that ALL--and I mean every one of them--social programs will have to be eliminated to pay down the debt and balance the budget. I know, I know: welfare doesn't help anyone, there is so much abuse of the system, churches do a better job, etc..... We are entering a new phase where it will be everyone for themselves.

Think back to the last tax cut. We were told 'we can afford it because we have a huge surplus'.

Many of you have talked about the need to pay down our national debt. I listened, and I agree. We owe it to our children and grandchildren to act now, and I hope you will join me to pay down $2 trillion in debt during the next 10 years. At the end of those 10 years, we will have paid down all the debt that is available to retire. That is more debt, repaid more quickly than has ever been repaid by any nation at any time in history.

We should also prepare for the unexpected, for the uncertainties of the future. We should approach our nation's budget as any prudent family would, with a contingency fund for emergencies or additional spending needs. For example, after a strategic review, we may need to increase defense spending. We may need to increase spending for our farmers or additional money to reform Medicare. And so, my budget sets aside almost a trillion dollars over 10 years for additional needs. That is one trillion additional reasons you can feel comfortable supporting this budget.

Oh, my. A trillion additional reasons. Where did that go? Now, see what Ari says the reason for the deficits is: September 11th. These people are sick. But they (PNAC) told us all about it. They put on paper and did everything but mail a copy to each American household. Everything will be justified by September 11th. Steal all your money: September 11th. No Social Security: September 11th. Need a job: September 11th. Take your civil liberties: September 11th. It is the excuse for everything. A little too convenient for me. If you haven't yet read the article I linked on Tuesday about Leo Strauss, it sheds tons of light on the subject. They only tell you what they need you to know when they deem you need to know it.

I know I spout all the time about all the bad things in our country. In the coming weeks I will try to start writing more about solutions. But these articles have to be read becuase you cannot get this on American TV or in most American newspapers.

Krugman--it's like he is reading my mind.


Molly Ivins just knows how to break things dowm.

See what Robin Cook has to say about the OIL (Operation Iraqi LIberation), Britain must not be suckered a second time by the White House. If you don't remember this is the guy who resigned a prominent post in Tony Blair's government before OIL.

Great read War in Iraq: How the Die was Cast Before Transatlantic Diplomacy Failed . That's a funny title becuase how could diplomacy really fail if it wasn't truely tried.

Move your business off shore, pay no taxes, get big defense contracts. Sound too good to be true, US 'pays offshore firms $1bn'.

A man with a plan, Getting our message out.

Two scary big brother stories: McSting lacked franchise approval and Cops' 'Operation Vagrant' has some seeing red

- posted by Mom/Dad @ 8:05 AM

 
Man, oh man. Some days, I just feel helpless. There is no opposition party anymore. If I thought there was a "Great Democratic Hope" out there, I might not feel this way. Other than Sen. Byrd, no one else will speak up. Oh, maybe Henry Waxman. But until there is any kind of public outcry, all of this will just continue.

I have a friend who believes things just haven't gotten bad enough yet. He tells me that if Bush doesn't get the economy fixed before the next election he won't get reelected. He still believes elections are still free and fair. (Were they ever?) But my question to him is: how bad does it have to get? Big deficits (federal, state, county, city, school district), rising unemployment, schools and education falling apart, higher taxes for the middle class. How bad does it have to get?

As I was growing up, my dad drilled into me a few obsevations about taxes. One: there are no tax cuts, just tax shifts. Two: the rich won't pay taxes, the poor can't, so the middle class pays all taxes. Don't tell me I just got a tax cut. I'm not in the top 1%. Who is out there fighting for the middle class and the poor? They have no lobby. Where is the press?! They are owned by corporations. They will not tell stories that are bad for business.

One thing that needs to be understood is that the Democratic party was taken over by the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) wing of the party when Bill Clinton was elected. This esentially turned the party into Republican Lite. The liberal side of the Republican Party still believes in Social Security, just like the Republican Lites. That means they are not in opposition anymore. In the article about the DLC, you see that it is heavily tied to corporate dollars. Therefore, they--like the media--do not want to speak out against the corporations that pay for their campaigns (among other things). I believe that as the parties exist today, it is just the same corporate money pushing different people, no matter who is elected. (Consider the fact that most corporations give money to both candidates in the same election. Enron did it.) We are so close to facism it is scary. So with the media and the politicians owned by the same corporations, why should we expect news and politicians to say and do things to bite the hand that feeds them?

Now to the news:

This helps explain it: The bad weather over America.

An article about what possibly can be done: Strategy for a Democratic victory in 2004

A few new things on the Texas Democrats: Just what did DeLay know about the Dems’ Texas plane? He also has a site with quite a bit of info on this, Talking Points Memo. This one is good, Malfunction blamed for gap on DPS tape. And I just found this, Judge orders legislator to reveal `secret source'.

More lies: No Bunker where U.S. Bombs Targeted Saddam-CBS .

Miranda who? Ruling Favors Police In Interrogation Case.

How much is $1 trillion, much less 44: US 'faces future of chronic deficits'.

Wolfowitz clarifies the WMD debate, Iraqi Weapons Only One Reason for War-Wolfowitz. Read these quotes; they help clarify the situation even more.

For those interested in the Private Lynch saga here is the original LA Times story, the Pentagon rebuttal and--shock of all--a reporter stands up for himself.

Oh yeah, Blair is in trouble.
- posted by Mom/Dad @ 9:07 AM

 
I my opinion the biggest lie told by the Bush White House is this:

"I don't think anybody could have predicted...that they would try to use an airplane as missile," Rice said. "Had this president known of something more specific or known that a plane was going to be used as a missile, he would have acted on it."

Not only did they know before September 11, 2001, but they apparently knew at least as far back as 1995:

The report recounts well-known case studies of similar plots, including a 1995 plan by al Qaeda operatives to hijack and crash a dozen U.S. airliners in the South Pacific and pilot a light aircraft into Langley.

Another article tells of how they even planned to defend against such an attack at the G8 Summit earlier that year:

"In June of 2001, there was a threat against the Group of 8 Summit in Genoa, Italy," he recalled. "And the government took that so seriously that they stationed anti-aircraft batteries around the city to prevent European airliners from being hijacked and slammed into the building."

What does all this mean? Well, it means that they lied!! It becomes obvious that they knew Al Qaeda would use airplanes as missles. After reading this article, A Bad Call?, we learn Bush was briefed on how they would attack. When you take into account that the Attorney General stopped flying commercially in July, 2001, it makes it clear they knew.

More on the lack of WMD's, and Common Dreams reports about evidence of found WMD's.

Ari & I from yesterday. More on the story here. This is sick stuff if it's true.

A good article on the media consolidation debate.

I haven't spent much time on this, but if you have time sign this petition to stop the "Florida-tion" of our elections.

An article on the number of dead in Iraq.

The Neocon's next move.
- posted by Mom/Dad @ 2:10 PM

 
I know that I have spent considerable time talking about the lies that are being perpetrated on us. The hardest thing for me to understand is why we, meaning the public as a whole, are so tolerant of it. Like anything else, there must be multiple reasons for this.

I think one reason is that we are taught from the beginning that our system of government is the best on earth. Only good people can create good things, right? Bad people can't create good things, can they? From this, springs a belief that our elected officials are decent, hard-working, honest, and busy doing the people's business and not their own. (...Until proven otherwise...) If we didn't feel that way, we wouldn't have voted for them, right?

Then comes the scandal, and they prove they are nothing more than imperfect humans who get caught up in another attempt to try to shortcut the system. It is not a good feeling to admit to yourself that your elected representatives are greedy, selfish, and only out for their own personal gain. These are the people you thought were the best for the job, and they betrayed you and your faith in them. I know that sounds a little "Godfather"-ish, but what can you call it but the truth? You, your ideals, and your dream of what America stands for are trampled in the dust. Once a person crosses this threshhold, though, things are seen in a whole new light, and you wonder how so many people can stand there in the dark and be satisfied with the lies and the treachery. Et tu, America?

A list of lies, in no particular order:

PNAC, WMD, OIL (Operation Iraqi Liberation, that is), Septmeber 11th, Election 2000, tax cuts and so on.

Krugman on the tax cut, Stating the Obvious:

"The lunatics are now in charge of the asylum." So wrote the normally staid Financial Times, traditionally the voice of solid British business opinion, when surveying last week's tax bill. Indeed, the legislation is doubly absurd: the gimmicks used to make an $800-billion-plus tax cut carry an official price tag of only $320 billion are a joke, yet the cost without the gimmicks is so large that the nation can't possibly afford it while keeping its other promises.

Mission Accomplished, the war is over, and Wave of Attacks Claim U.S. Casualties in Iraq:

Two U.S. soldiers were killed and others wounded in Iraqi ambushes and an [sic] explosion on Monday and, in another incident, U.S. forces seized a brother-in-law of Saddam Hussein, the U.S. military said.

If you're reading this you must be a communist (from Hate Speak 101):

So, there you have it. Welcome to Hate Speak 101 -- where enemies are our No. 1 priority. Through these examples and others like them, a picture emerges: There is One True Way of Thinking; One True Party; One True Vision for America; and beneath some words, a palpable rumble of jackboots marching in unison. Given this, it's impossible not to wonder: Once all these enemies are identified, what do Horowitz et al suggest we do with them? Should Michael Moore, Howard Zinn and Tim Robbins be rounded up in cattle cars? Should these leftist enemies and their droogs be reprogrammed? How, exactly, shall good Americans enforce our National Group Think? Michael Savage has already expressed a desire to reinstate the Sedition Act, while Ann Coulter has already expressed her solution. "We need to execute people like John Walker in order to physically intimidate liberals, by making them realize that they can be killed too. Otherwise they will turn out to be outright traitors," she said. Perhaps Herr Horowitz has an idea more in line with our firmly ingrained motto of "home of the free?"

The daddy of the Neocons (PNAC), Leo Strauss:

... consider the following list of his students or students of his students: Justice Clarence Thomas; Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork; Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz; former Assistant Secretary of State Alan Keyes; former Secretary of Education William Bennett; Weekly Standard editor and former Quayle Chief of Staff William Kristol; Allan Bloom, author of The Closing of the American Mind; former New York Post editorials editor John Podhoretz; former National Endowment for the Humanities Deputy Chairman John T. Agresto; and, not meaning to class myself with this august company but in the interests of full disclosure, myself.

That list of names should be an indictment enough of this man's teachings. Tom Paine's take on Leo Strauss. For those of you who still don't know what PNAC is here is a PNAC Primer.

I meant to post this last week: Character Witness-- a great article on the list of lies.

NEW SITE stopgeorge.com. Click on the "Posters" link, then download, print, copy, and distribute. I also added Yellow Times and Bartcop to the list of links above.

Great cartoon, Tom Tomorrow.
- posted by Mom/Dad @ 10:42 AM

 
What makes you happy? What makes you sad? What makes you mad? When I go through articles on a daily basis, I feel those emotions and many, many more. Well, I am going to try and find something for all of those feelings, even happiness, which I feel we need more of.

A must see video for Memorial Day.

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 was passed in July of that year. This legislation came into being in the wake of the Enron and WorldCom scandals. Here is an excerpt from the remarks your President made the day he signed it into law:

This law says to every dishonest corporate leader: you will be exposed and punished; the era of low standards and false profits is over; no boardroom in America is above or beyond the law.

Now read this and its companion linked in this article under "Also See." This basically tells how WorldCom (now MCI again) received a slap on the wrist: stole $11 billion, fined $500 million. It also tells how MCI received $772 million in government contracts in 2002. So, in essence, they are up $272 million on the government as of last year. No one from WorldCom is in jail and $500 million is the punishment.

Two perspectives on our media. One outside the US and one inside, but neither gives a raving review.

Hiho, hiho, it's off to Iran we go. See U.S. Eyes Pressing Uprising In Iran and Pentagon sets sights on a new Tehran regime.

Tom Toles makes me happy.
- posted by Mom/Dad @ 9:24 AM

 
Some days I'm at a loss. I say to myself, "Self, I'm sure everyone is getting sick of all this '9/11-Bush-is-a-liar-and-his-administration-is-corrupt' stuff. Maybe I should find something lighter to go on about?" Then I stumble across this and those feelings start welling up again. Why are we letting them get away with this?!

A Republican gets into the act. Notice if you will what country this paper is from. I'll give you a hint: it's not in the US.

If you are going to be around your TV tonight at 8:00 p.m. be sure to watch NOW on PBS. Bill Moyers will once again go over the coming media consolidation vote by the FCC. Check out the links on NOW's page in the Media Consolidation area. The "Well Connected" link is the Center For Public Intergrity's site about the subject. The "Database" link is great. You can see who owns all the media in your area. Another part of the database allows you to look up the trips the FCC employees took and see who is picking up the tab. Fun stuff.
- posted by Mom/Dad @ 7:35 AM

 
I do not know any other way to put this: Your President is a liar. He cheats whenever he can. He doesn't even try to hide it. We're not talking Watergate, no Nixon coverup. None needed. We are just sitting back and letting it happen as if it was a soap opera, "That George, I hate him. I wish somebody would put him in his place". Just like the villain on a soap. The Democrats are that weak guy that always gets used, over and over and over again, by the rich evil guy.

Well, it appears that there are a few people who will not go down without a fight. Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) will not go quietly as his speech on the Senate floor from yesterday will attest, "The Truth Will Emerge". You need to read the whole thing, but here are a couple of paragraphs to get you started:

Regarding the situation in Iraq, it appears to this Senator that the American people may have been lured into accepting the unprovoked invasion of a sovereign nation, in violation of long-standing International law, under false premises. There is ample evidence that the horrific events of September 11 have been carefully manipulated to switch public focus from Osama Bin Laden and Al Queda who masterminded the September 11th attacks, to Saddam Hussein who did not. The run up to our invasion of Iraq featured the President and members of his cabinet invoking every frightening image they could conjure, from mushroom clouds, to buried caches of germ warfare, to drones poised to deliver germ laden death in our major cities. We were treated to a heavy dose of overstatement concerning Saddam Hussein's direct threat to our freedoms. The tactic was guaranteed to provoke a sure reaction from a nation still suffering from a combination of post traumatic stress and justifiable anger after the attacks of 911. It was the exploitation of fear. It was a placebo for the anger.

What makes me cringe even more is the continued claim that we are "liberators." The facts don't seem to support the label we have so euphemistically attached to ourselves. True, we have unseated a brutal, despicable despot, but "liberation" implies the follow up of freedom, self-determination and a better life for the common people. In fact, if the situation in Iraq is the result of "liberation," we may have set the cause of freedom back 200 years.

It is extemely admirable and brave, especially in this day and age, for Sen. Byrd to make this speech. But he needs help--and by that, I mean assistance. He is the only Democrat doing this and he is often marginalized as a 'crazy old man.' It seems to me, that the most senior Senator accusing the President and his administration of lying would be big news. I just scanned the five majors (ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox and NBC) and the lead story is that the UN has lifted the sanctions against Iraq (more on this below). Four of them are talking about how Iran is now harboring Al Qaeda, the war must go on. The next biggest news is about American Idol. Not one has any mention of Sen. Byrd! This is why an American now has to dig up the news on his own.

Now for the Iraq sanctions article. I believe this paragraph says it all.

The seven-page resolution immediately transfers legal control over Iraq's oil industry from the United Nations and Iraq to the United States and its allies. The oil proceeds will be used to finance the country's reconstruction, the costs of an Iraqi civilian administration, the completion of Iraq's disarmament and "other purposes benefiting the people of Iraq."

I wonder if the OTHER PURPOSES include Halliburton making billions.

I love Molly Ivins. She uses those old time editorial tools like fact and logic.

If you haven't been keeping up with the famous POW, Jessica Lynch, be sure and check this out. Saving Private Lynch: Take 2, this is pure propaganda.


- posted by Mom/Dad @ 7:34 AM

 
This Buzzflash editorial goes to the heart of it. Plenty of good links.

Guess what! The cost of your tax cut just went up. Oops!

Texas State Representative Garnett Coleman (D-Houston) speaks his peace.

Tom Paine on media consolidation. Click on the image for the printable PDF version.

Check out Big Brother's new name.

The officials said the name was changed because the earlier version created a false impression that system was being created "for developing dossiers on U.S. citizens."

Also a new look. Used to be Total Information Awareness, now it's the Terrorism Information Awareness System, still the TIA. Check out this database project.

This shows how inane the terror alert system really is.

FUNNY CARTOON Tom Tomorrow's latest.
- posted by Mom/Dad @ 7:23 AM

 
Well, it looks like Laci Peterson is running out of steam. Cue the scare tactics. I wasn't sure what to write about today, so I took a tour of all the major media (ABC, CNN, NBC, and Fox) websites to see what they are focusing on. And the winner is: TERROR, TERROR, TERROR! I had not been on these sites, on purpose, for several weeks. It is amazing how all of them have the same message. It could make one start wondering if they are already owned by one company. They are definitely owned by one message.

The economy is starting to come home to roost, folks, and the fear factor has to be ratcheted up to take your mind off of it. By the way the tax cut is passing. One quick aside on the tax cuts. Remember, as far as one party is concerned, any tax cut is better than none. So don't be fooled by the opposing party into thinking that this is a victory for the opposition. As my wife says, Tom Daschle wants his capital gains tax cut, too. This came out last week, Bush Aim: Tax Cut Every Year. Size doesn't matter. He asks for too much to begin with, but "settles" for half. Then the Democrats try to claim victory. Meanwhile, back on the homefront: more job loss and a worse economy. Also, don't forget that most of this stuff is currently in place only for a few years. Then, supposedly, the tax code will go back to the way it is now, unless the tax cuts are extended or made permanent. And if that happens, these cuts wind up costing much more. The Repubs will also use this against the Dems, saying that if they don't extend the cuts, it proves that Dems are for higher taxes. In actuality, these scams were put in just to keep the total bill down in the short term and so they could use the rhetoric against their opponents in the future.

In Iraq, things don't exactly seem to be going well. Looks like vigilantie justice has begun. Looks like Rumsfeld's untidiness will continue. But remember: this had nothing to do with O-I-L. Let the manipulation of oil prices begin!

A truly scary comparison. A must read.

Found this through Smirking Chimp. Starts as a good shot at Bush and ends with an endorsement of Dean.

Thom Hartmann with a little different spin on the media consolidation and the future of liberal/progressive radio.

Try this place: MediaTank.org. You can send a form e-mail to all who represent you in oppostion to the media consolidation bill. Click on "File Comments".

A good read from P. M. Carpenter on the lies. More lies and more on the worhtless state of out media.




- posted by Mom/Dad @ 9:52 AM

 
As I go over things today, there are of couple of things on my mind: the impending FCC hearing on media consolidation and 'how much safer do you feel now that the war with Iraq is over(?!).'

One of the reasons I write this blog is to get information out that is not being reported on your TV or in most of your newspapers. If the FCC goes ahead with its plan, all media (TV, radio, print) in your market could be owned by the same company. How many different opinions do you expect to get from that type of media consolidation? Anyone who wants to get informed about this should check out moveon.org's Showdown at the FCC. It has a nice description of why you should care and quite a bit of information on this issue. I also recommend subscribing to moveon.org's bulletins. These e-mail bulletins are on different subjects, but full of good info.

Is it just me or was there a terrorist attack every day last week? It sure seemed like it. I know I feel safer since the war is over! This is an interesting slant on the Saudi bombing, plus you will learn a new word, Sutling. From what this article says, the terrorists are not necessarily targeting innocent civilians but employees of companies that help train the militias in these countries. (I'll bet you haven't heard about that in the liberal media!) In other words, they are not attacking Americans but secret American businsses. So, now we are going to use our public army to protect private American business interests that don't even pay taxes in the US. That sounds kind of like facism to me.

So where do we got from here? Maybe one thing to do is to try to expose this mess as best we can. If you're not familiar with this picture, look who your Secretary of Defense was shaking hands with in 1983. One question to ask yourself every time you see something like this is, what would happen if Clinton was still in office? I believe there would be all kinds of hearings and media outcry. Remember: $40 million was spent on Whitewater and $3 million has been allocated for the independent commission to investigate September 11th. Makes you go....hmm....

Couple of fun things:

Ari's gone.

Bushisms. For the former English major in all of us.

- posted by Mom/Dad @ 10:56 AM

 
This ran in the Washington Post today as a full page ad.

More about how you were manipulated during the war, The Hydra's New Head.

A couple of cartoons: Tom Tomorrow, Tom Toles. Browse the archives to keep laughing.

- posted by Mom/Dad @ 11:15 AM

 
This has to be first: BushCo Reams Nation Good. Very funny but if this doesn't get you mad nothing will.

Stories of Liberation

Nine Iraqi Children Killed in Explosion


One womans' opinion. Worth the short registration.



William Rivers Pitt asks, "Does this sound familiar?" Blowback in Riyadh.

More on what isn't being investigated The Dead Want The Truth.


If you find yourself with some extra time on your hands read this article. It was written in February of 2001, just after Bush introduced his first tax cut. It makes paralells between his and the Reagan tax cut. I thought these two paragraphs were particularly enlightening if you don't want to read the whole thing.

Naturally, Republicans always try to disguise the fact that it is the ultrawealthy who are the main beneficiaries of their tax cuts. In 1981, after the passage of Ronald Reagan's first tax-slashing federal budget, Reagan's budget director, David Stockman, shocked Washington by admitting that the administration's tax reductions for middle-class Americans were "a Trojan horse" to disguise massive cuts for the rich. The statement wasn't a shock; Stockman's honesty was.

What Office of Management and Budget director Stockman didn't admit, at least in his famous series of conversations with the Atlantic Monthly's William Greider, was a far more crucial way the Reagan tax cuts served as a Trojan horse, masking their most dramatic, and intentional, long-term impact -- beggaring the U.S. Treasury in order to force program cuts and spending freezes the Republicans didn't have the political clout to achieve directly. By 1984, the Reagan tax cuts had created a $200 billion budget deficit (Reagan and Stockman had promised the budget would be balanced by then); in total, Reagan and Bush quadrupled the deficit between 1980 and 1992. They screwed the economy, but they triumphed politically by ruling out new government spending and depriving the Democrats of their traditional means of appealing to their core constituencies -- problem-solving new social programs -- turning them instead into the party of deficit reduction and fiscal responsibility.

It's hard to believe we would fall for this twice, much less twice in three years.

I feel some need to say a few things about this Texas thing. We need to go back a few years to remember how this all got started. In 2000, members of the House and Senate went around the state taking testimony on the subject of redistricting. During this process, there were rumblings that the Republicans simply did not care to get anything done during the upcoming session when it came to redistricting. The reason was that at that time, the Democrats still had a majority in the house and to get a plan out, the Republicans would have had to coompromise. If nothing happened during the session, the state plans (House and Senate) would go to the Legislative Redistricting Board (LRB). The LRB consists of the Speaker of the House, Lieutenant Governor, Comptroller, Land Commissioner, and Attorney General. The Republicans held a 4-to-1 majority on the LRB, and there they could pass anything they wanted. Now we come to the Congressional plan. Interestingly, there was little apparent concern at the time over the fate of the Congressional plan. Perhaps the Republicans felt that the courts were in their favor, or perhaps that anything drawn by a court would be better than what might come out of the legislature. The House and the Senate each had their version of a Congressional plan. The House plan made it out of committee, but not to the floor; the Senate plan died in committee. Go figure. It went to a Republican-appointed federal three-judge panel who drew the current plan. It was later affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court. This brings us to the current predicament. Now with a Republican majority in both houses, brought into being by the plans drawn by the uncompromising LRB, they want to revisit the Congressional plan becuase it is "unfair." Now I'm no conspiracy theorist, but could this have been the plan all along, since back in 2000? This is not to say the Democrats are any better becuase they redrew Congressional districts in the '90's using this same ploy. I am just trying to put a little perspective on the whole issue.

Some interesting info on how the 53 Democrats were found. See if you can pick out the lies in this one. If you haven't seen it yet, Molly Ivins on the Texas 53. It's more than just redistricting.
- posted by Mom/Dad @ 7:36 AM

 
Timing! I believe when studying what occurs in the world today timing is crucial. In the last week, the focus has turned almost exclusively to the economy and where the weapons of mass destruction are. These are not subjects that are good for cable news ratings or for the Bushies? ratings either. As if they had planned it themselves, cue Al Qaeda: boom, boom, boom. Timing! Now what is the discussion about? Saudi Arabia. Al Qaeda. Terrorism. War. Now those are subjects that are good for ratings, for both cable and administration. Don't worry; one day you will wake up and the tax cut will have passed. Who cares if Iraq didn't have WMD's? We've got these other guys' who, we said, we had already taken care of--to worry about now. Oh, I almost forgot: people were starting to ask questions about Hallibutrton as well. Now that's what I call timing! The major problem with this is that as long as the Democratic leaders will not challenge Bush on any of this, he can do whatever he wants. Why don't they do anything? The reason is because they are both competing for the same money. What is needed is a fundamental change in the Democratic Party. Not just new leaders, but new membership. Don't sit there and wonder why no one is fixing the problem. Get up and help fix it. Do the actions of your current government speak for you? That is something each individual has to answer for her/himself. Want to defend the current Democrats? Read this article from Greg Palast. If you are not familiar with him, he has written a great book, The Best Democracy Money Can Buy. I highly recommend it just for the exposé on the 2000 election with information that was not reported in the good old USofA. Here's an article from the Information Clearing House, "The Manipulation of America", which goes to this same topic of timing. I will leave you with these two quotes from Thomas Jefferson:

A little rebellion now and then...is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government.

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.

I do not see myself as a fanatic or conspiracy theorist. What I am is curious. Here is another Jefferson quote that seems to sum it up: The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. There is so much information out there. Do a Google search on the Carlyle Group. The best way for anyone to understand this, in my opinion, is to dig into it for yourself. Don't be satisfied with what Tom Brokaw tells you; don't stop with your local daily; ask why and seek for yourself. Anything you accomplish on your own will teach you so much more than reading my rants. I will continue writing, but my hope is that this will be a launch pad not an ending point.


This is a sick story. Local Police officer sneaks into local school, takes pictures of class projects, goes on Rush Limbaugh show, teacher suspended.

This guy sounds like a Democrat! Listen to Dennis Kucinich on NPR this morning. Listen to the extended version.

If this isn't democracy I don't know what is, New Policy in Iraq to Authorize G.I.'s to Shoot Looters.

The Texas Democrats have a web site. Also a letter written by them to Craddick.
- posted by Mom/Dad @ 7:41 AM

 
Check this site for all your Killer D needs.

Today I added a link to The Smirking Chimp. A very good daily read. Some days I read what is going on and don't know where to start. If you have some time go to C-Span and watch Ramsey Clark speak about the Iraq war. It's sobering to hear about all that went on in Iraq. This article once again speaks about the consequences of the lying.

I believe now in our country the people are numb. Being lied to doesn't shock people anymore because it has been happening for so long that they just don't care anymore. As long as they are shown feel-good pictures of supposed liberations and the media keeps telling them that we saved the Iraqis from tyranny, most Americans feel good about the war. Few American casualties and we scattered another bad guy; now back to American Idol. This was not the liberation of France! The people there are not full of glee now! The people of Iraq have been involved in war, cold and hot, for at least 30 years. Do you think these people expect any help from the new conquerors? One of the things I remember being said before the war, and still believe to be true, is that the rest of the world will look at how we handle Afghanistan as an example of what we will do in Iraq. Well, look at Afghanistan: The Taliban is back. Pick the story you like, Christian Science Monitor, NYT. Saddam's buddies are back as well.

A WMD article from Bush's hometown paper.
- posted by Mom/Dad @ 8:08 AM

 
I am about half-way through James Bamford's book entitled, Body of Secrets. It is a history of U.S. spying in the 20th century. Some of the most eye-opening parts are when he tells of how Eisenhower told military and administration officials to lie to Congress if asked about the U2 spy plane incident. Also how he himself lied to the American people about his own involvement in the incident. Then there is the Gulf of Tonkin incident which was a complete fabrication. This was what LBJ used to force Congress to give him the authority to run an open-ended war in Vietnam. Not to mention what I am sure is to come when he recounts the Iran-Contra affair. Not only does our government lie about who they lay with, but they also make things up to get us to go along with them. I found this quote months ago and I think it is appropriate for this situation.

"Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger."
-- Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials

Nothing like a Nazi quote to make a person feel like a sap. After the Bush administration decided to release its 'new product' in September of 2002 all we heard about until the time the war started was"Weapons of Mass Destructrion". If Saddam was able to acquire "nucular" weapons we were all going to be dead! Not to mention all the anthrax, Ricin, VX, etc, etc.... But of course now we all know that was just a diversion to keep the rest of the world off our case for starting a war to liberate the Iraqi oil, oops, I mean people. Today I turn on my PC and what do I see, no WMD's looking at me, (I know, I'm still learning how to write). More missing WMD info in this article.

Found a good wrapup of last week's info that wasn't picked up on by the corporate media.

This little tidbit about the proposed tax cut. $550 billion tax cut will create 1 million jobs. That is $550,000 per job. Could you create a job if you were given $550,000?
- posted by Mom/Dad @ 7:48 AM

 
Every day brings a little more disgust. If you haven't been paying attention it appears that Unka Dick's old company has admitted to bribing a Nigerian official. One of Unka Don's old companys sold "Key Components" for nuclear, or is it nucular, reactors to North Korea, oops! Not to mention what Perle has been up to. I'm sure they are happy that the Independant Counsel law was discontinued. Most of the people in this administration have been around since Nixon. It is important to remember that this did not just start when Dubya decided to run for President. It has been going on for at least 30 years. When you start digging into Bush family connections who knows when this all started. Call it what you will, Facism, Neoconservative, whatever but it is not Democracy. The worst part is there is no true opposition party to combat this. Thom Hartmann has written a good aticle entitled, How to Take Back America, it discusses how to refrom the Democratic Party.

Moveon.org bulletin on the latest FCC stunt. Moveon is a grassroots organization that was part of the anti-war movement and now is shifting their focus to the issues facing America. I recommend subscribing to their bulletins.

Krugman, good as usual.

Another Bush AWOL item. The original Boston Globe article that should have started it all.

9-11

There are books, tons and tons of web sites on the events of that day. You could literally spend months poring over all the information that is out there. Here are a couple of jumping off points. This is a very well documentated breakdown of what we know. Here is an essay titled An Interesting Day which details your pResident's actions on 9/11. Also for current and past info be sure to visit WhatReallyHappened.com which is linked.
- posted by Mom/Dad @ 8:42 AM

 
A must read, WOW!

I watched a little Softball with Chris Matthews last night. This is a Democratic pundit? I suppose he is a Democrat just like... Hmmm... Joe Lieberman, John Kerry or Tom Daschle. Like my wife says with sarcasm, "You don't think these guys are for Bush's tax cut, do you?" I used to think that Chris was the last Dem on TV. Now I know better. Check out this Daily Howler series on Carriergate. (Start with this post on May 3rd and read forward through the archives to today.) Here is a table on your pResident's military service from uggabugga (now linked).

A few things on the media. Great article that blows up the New York Times WMD scientist story. Here is an article about consumer choice. Love the quote from this article, "Meanwhile, Fox News, a network as slavishly pro-government as any state-run channel in the old Soviet bloc.."
- posted by Mom/Dad @ 10:53 AM

 
I can't remember exactly when it started. It was probably around the time the mainstream press started going on and on about "what did he/they know?" and "when did they know it?" I got curious--way beyond the curiousness of the current O.J./Chandra/Laci news cycle. That's when I started my own search to understand as best I can what and when he/they knew. I believe that he/they knew before, during, and after. The PNAC document pretty much lays it out. Pax Americana. In order for the Pax to be set in motion, a catastrophic event had to take place; otherwise the American people would never allow this kind of imperialism. Then there were the lies. How many times were we told, "We thought they might highjack planes, but we never thought they would use them as missiles". They had known since 1995. They had no idea this was going to happen, yet within 24 hours they knew who all 19 highjackers were. I don't know what the truth is, but I don't believe much that comes out of this, ahem, "administration's" mouth. So, along this path to discovery, I have stumbled across many interesting reads. Along the way, I will try to dig these back up and post them here for your perusal. I now understand that the "american people" no longer--and probably never did--run this country. To watch the major news channels is a waste of time. I get my information from the Internet almost exclusively. I still watch a few minutes of TV news here and there just to see what is being fed to the cattle. The name I chose for this site hopefully is obvious. To say nothing is to say that you agree with what is happening. I do not agree with what is happening.

Mr. Perle is in trouble again. For those not familiar with Mr. Perle he was forced to resign as head of the Defense Policy Board recently becuase of conflict of interest. He stayed on the board, and seems to have stayed in conflict.

There still is a Democrat in the Senate. Sen. Byrd's remarks about the Prez.

Everything on Comon Dreams is good today. Budget Chief quitting amid (Gasp!) SEC scandal. Halliburton and much, much, more. One of my favorite things on this site is Ari & I.

Looking for an alternative in talk radio. Listen to Mike Malloy. I will put a link up for him. I listen to his archive because he is on from 9 p.m. to Midnight.

I had to add Letterman's WMD Top Ten. At the bottom look at the Top Ten Xtra as well.

Added some new links today. More to come.
- posted by Mom/Dad @ 11:16 AM

 
Plenty of good stuff today!

I am not sure who is familiar with the Project For A New American Century (PNAC). This looks like a good summary of their manifesto. Information Clearing House is a good alternative news site. This document starts the whole thing. It speaks of a "Pearl Harbor" type incident (09/11/01) being needed to set all of this in motion.

Krugman on Bush in his Halloween costume. This guy, if you are not familiar, is a NYT editorialist and does an excellent job exposing the Bushies. (Need to register with New York Times, it is free).

Seymour Hersh on Rumsfeld and his people.

This is the first couple of things I saw today. I will post more later as I find it.
- posted by Mom/Dad @ 7:56 AM

 

This should explain most of the problem. It is a three part article by Mike Hersh titled There is no media.There is a link to the next part at the bottom of each part.

A Buzzflash Editorial asking Daschle to resign!
- posted by Mom/Dad @ 1:27 PM