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Barbara's Daily BuzzFlash Minute

WELCOME to Barbara's Daily BuzzFlash Minute, a collection of insightful ruminations, reflections, and rants on the events of the day (with the exception of the weekend). A regular contributor to our Mailbag, we've elevated Barbara to her own BuzzFlash page. We'll collect a week's worth here and then archive them. Come visit each weekday to see what's pushing Barbara's buttons.

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August 16, 2002

Irony is wonderful!!! After citing the "law" in the 2000 debacle in Florida, it seems only justice that the "law" could actually remove Katherine Harris from the ballot. For the first time in my life I hope the Republican WINS -- that is, the one who has a suit against Ms. Harris to remove her from the ballot because she didn't follow the "law"! Hooray!

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Just wondering how all those people who have lost money in the stock market, lost their jobs, lost their retirement, and/or lost their life's savings feel when they read how capable Dumbya is at raising millions in campaign funds? Somehow, in these times, strutting around raising millions of dollars to continue bilking real people out of their money just isn't the way to impress the masses. But then it's Dumbya, and his ignorance is surpassed only by his arrogance.

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If Americans want to see how Dumbya feels about real people, all they need to do is look at his demands for the new Homeland Security Agency. He doesn't want workers to have "rights," he wants to hire and fire at whim! Workers throughout America know what happens when they lose their rights and the "boss" can do whatever he wants with them. We have lost retirement benefits, we are all working longer hours without compensation, and the few protections left are being systematically wiped out. All this, while the "boss" takes longer vacations, makes outrageous sums of money, and walks away with the benefits. It's time for a regime change.

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While the polls show that Dumbya's ratings are still acceptable, there are little cracks appearing in the staunch armor established by this administration. Viewer falloff for "Win Ben Stein's Money" is an example. Real people are beginning to show their objections to those who support this administration. Cashing out of the Stock Market is another example of real people's objections. Real people are not giving the lock step approval that was seen in the farcical Economic Forum, scripted for Dumbya. Real people don't like what Dumbya is doing to their country and their lives.

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August 15, 2002

Iraq is not the only country that needs a regime change! We here in the U.S. could also use a change. If Dumbya was as patriotic as he claims to be, then he would most certainly resign for the good of the country and the world. He is undermining everything Americans have fought for: Freedom, peace, and prosperity. All are lost, thanks to the incompetence of Dumbya and "his" administration. So it's time for a change, especially since he didn't come by the office honestly.

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Even in the best of times VA medical care left a lot to be desired. Our vets were made to wait for treatment for hours, they had to meet "qualification" for some services, and some had to travel many miles in order to be seen. These men and women gave their all for their country -- we enjoy the freedoms we have today thanks to them -- it's time this country recognized the valor. It's time to give back to our vets a little of what they have given us. It's time to keep the promises that were made to them. What this administration is doing to veterans medical care is reprehensible. It's just another example of using real people for personal gain. All the rhetoric about caring about the military was just another photo-op for Dumbya.

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Fat Boy, Ricochet, and Death Star -- names created by Enron execs. Just wondering if this is more of the dark revenge practiced by this administration and cohorts? Did Death Star represent their less than veiled wish for California because Californians did not vote for their boy Dumbya? Was the false energy crisis and bilking Californians of millions considered a payback revenge? Could they have been that vindictive?

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While many Americans may feel it is unpatriotic to criticize the president during times of war, they can certainly show their disapproval of him by taking their money out of the stock market. When are these guys going to wake up and realize that America does not like Bush? When are they going to realize that Bush stole the presidency and patriotic Americans don't like thieves? Bush is truly a loser and the American people are quite aware that he is incompetent.

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August 14, 2002

The Bush Economic Forum reminds me of the rich man telling the poor man that "money isn't everything." I suppose when your bank account is overflowing, you have a roof over your head, and more than enough food on the table, then money may not be everything. But, when you're a poor man eking out a living just to put food on the table and a roof over your head, then money is everything. These guys just don't get it, and that they give advice to millions of "real people" is a travesty.

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A nightmare -- assorted "wars" without end, economic peril, civil rights and liberties negated, and an incompetent administration digging an even deeper hole. Our country has been wrested from sanity by a party that cares for its people only when politically advantageous. We have become pawns on a rich man's chess board. The people are being used to further the goals of a spoiled boy in a man's suit. They can dress him up, tell him what to say, and parade him around, but it doesn't hide the truth -- he is an incompetent, blundering poor excuse for a president. How long before the people of America will wake up?

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Perhaps ordinary folks are pulling out of the stock market because they don't trust this administration's economic polices. Real people don't like it when they see the fat cats walking away with millions and millions while their portfolios are losing hard earned money. Dumbya and associates will never understand why ordinary folks don't like making contributions to the already very rich. They will never understand that real people don't like it when arrogant rich people tell us to keep giving them our money. Economic Forum, ha. Ordinary folks saw it for what it was -- a farcical pep rally led by a less effective cheerleader.

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August 13, 2002

The polls are a reflection of the Bush administration's wishy-washy tactics. One day they say one thing, the next the opposite. Dumbya's strategy appears as confused as he is -- first he tells us he "trusts the people" and then he takes away our rights. His vacillation is either a diabolically-contrived political maneuver or a muddled method of operation, or maybe some of both. Whichever, it does not reflect true leadership and should not be tolerated. The United States of America deserves better than those who effected a coup.

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If the Repugs can't do it one way, they will find another. School vouchers is a ploy to eliminate public education. The Repug elitists view public education as an "entitlement" program and thus not worthy. They will not tell the public, because they know they will be booted from office. So they enter from the back door touting vouchers as the way to a better education. Vouchers do not "fix" public schools that are failing, they only bolster private school funding. The children whose parents cannot afford the difference in the cost of tuition are left in the "failing" public schools with less money to operate properly to provide an education. Recognize the voucher program for what it is, the beginning of the end to public education, then let the Repugs know it stinks.

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"Bush knows that not everyone sees the charm of this hot, dry place, but he figures more people get it than do not. 'Most Americans don't sit in Martha's Vineyard, swilling white wine,' he says." A quote from an AP article regarding Dumbya's vacation. I'm just wondering if the slur and innuendo could be transferred to a different location? Say, Kennebunkport! Try as he might, clear brush as he must, Dumbya is still a privileged brat of a moneyed family. He is not a "regular" guy! If he were, he would be arrested along with the other MBA CEO's who have scammed the public out of their money.

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August 12, 2002

As Terry McAuliffe so aptly put it, "Gore was robbed." But, I believe it goes even farther -- America and the American people were robbed. We were denied our vote and the rightful winner of the most important election in our country and we are suffering the consequences of the biggest heist our country has ever had to endure. The irony here is that we were robbed by the Supreme Court of the United States, the entity that is supposed to represent the laws of our land. How sad that they, who are supposed to be above reproach, are just the same as the most common of thieves.

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For the past two weeks I have not read a newspaper, watched TV or had the availability of a computer. As I sit here this AM I find myself back to reality. Bush is still the idiot perched in the office of the Presidency, Cheney is still grumbling around preaching to us as though we were children, the Repuglicans are still practicing mean scandalous personal politics, and our country is still teetering on a dangerous precipice. Some things can be changed though, we can vote Democratic in November and we can begin a return to peace and prosperity.