|
The
BuzzFlash Mailbag
|
|||||
![]() |
|||||
|
January
29, 2003
|
|||||
Important Note: Because we can't always determine your intentions, we need to ask a favor of you when you send us email. If you DO NOT WANT YOUR EMAIL PUBLISHED in the Mailbag or in the Contributors section, please write "CONFIDENTIAL" in the Subject line or at the top of your email. That way we'll know it's just a comment to BuzzFlash. Additionally, if you submit a mailbag item and DO NOT WANT YOUR NAME associated with your submission, sign your email, "A BuzzFlash Reader." If you send email unsigned, we will post your name with your submission, or, if that's not available, your email name (not the full address, just what's on the left side of the email address). Please try and keep your word count under 500. We can only post a small percentage of what is sent to us. The opinions expressed in the Mailbag are not necessarily those of BuzzFlash. Thanks again for your email and your patience.
Subj: HE'S A GOD DAMN MAD MAN! I BLAME THE SENATE FOR GIVING THAT GOD DAMN BASTARD GEORGE BUSH THE POWER TO GO TO WAR AT HIS WHIM! THEY HAVE TURNED THE POWER GIVEN TO THEM BY OUR FOREFATHERS TO A MAD MAN! RK Re: article, "Little Caesar . . ." and comment re Noriega. From "America's Prisoner", p49, Noriega states: "Here is a man (George H.W. Bush), who as a pilot in World War II, committed a war crime by shooting at lifeboats containing the survivors of two Japanese fishing boats he sank in the Pacific Ocean." I'd believe Noriega about this because he and George, in his CIA/drug days, were close. The Bush family are killers, especially if they don't have to get their hands dirty, then grab the money and lie to world. On p.50, Noriega claims Bush referred to the "evil empire" of Noriega's Panama. The Bush men look into the mirror too often, or does paranoia flow through their genes? Holbrook
Boruck Dear BuzzFlash, 800 cruise missiles? Sounds like the old WWII firestorms. What excellent cover for a nuke first strike - who would know? A BuzzFlash Reader Re: Franco and Guernica Hey Buzz, Great site. But it wasn't REALLY Franco who bombed the shit out of Guernica. I mean, I guess he could have ordered it, but it was the Condor Legion - the German Luftwaffe. They wanted to see how terror bombing of civilian targets would affect the populace. It was the first aerial firebombing in history. The implications of that are even worse. Cheers, J Subj: Out of the mouths of babes . . . "We're afraid that Saddam Hussein is going to start a war, kill innocent civilians, and further destabilize the Middle East, so we're going to stop him by starting a war, killing innocent civilians, and further destabilizing the Middle East." -- a junior from Vista High School (san diego) Subject: Simple Iraq Solution Dear BuzzFlash, There happens to a sure-fire method to halt Saddam Hussein's assaults on his neighbors and his own people. In fact, it is so simplistic that I'm surprised that it couldn't be thought up by someone as feeble minded as Bush. Here is all it would take: US NO LONGER GIVING SADDAM ADVICE, TECHNOLOGY, AND WEAPONS! When it became apparent that Iraq was not going to be able to match the Iranian military might, the Reagan administration assigned Special Envoy Donald Rumsfeld to assist Saddam in trying to turn the tide. It is widely reported that we not only gave the Iraqis chemical weapon technology, but we also arranged that our allies would provide the ingredients to concoct a variety of lethal mixtures. It didn't stop there, though. From the Persian Gulf our Navy pilots were involved in targeting the Iranian positions that Saddam should strike. Clearly not one of our finest endeavors in promoting a humanitarian war, if that is at all possible. Even after fighting traditional fire with chemical weapons, the Iraqis were badly beaten back. Matters then took a turn for the worse. The independence minded Kurds joined up with Iran to overthrow Saddam. Of course we know that Saddam responded by "gassing his own people". But why would he think that would be a problem? We allowed him to gas the Iranians, why would we care if he used similar methods to quash an insurrection? Of course he was correct since we responded with a mild rebuke. Imagine the USA being at war with Mexico. Then imagine the Texans who felt they should rule our country joining up with the Mexicans. There would be a lot of dead Texans before all was said and done following that similar scenario. Then Saddam enters Kuwait. Through diplomats, and April Glaspie in particular, and without forethought of Saddam's brutal nature, we give the Iraqis the green light to settle militarily their disputes with Kuwait. When the world took exception to a mightier nation plundering a weaker nation, something had to be done. Since the Bush administration okayed the attack of Kuwait there needed to be other reasons for us to stop him. Enter the made up babies ejected from the incubator stories and phony satellite photos of troops amassing at the Saudi border. It was this dirty double-crossing by then President Bush that created the bad blood between the families that exists today. As for the elementary advice on how to defuse a volatile situation? It obviously won't happen because: 1. George W. Bush would lose face since he has already endeavored on an irreversible course for war. 2. George W. Bush has sold his soul to the devils (Cheney, Perle, Wolfowitz, etc.) and he knows that they can destroy him with 9/11 foreknowledge proof as fast as they turned him into a right-wing Adonis. Besides, the American Enterprise Institute has some theories on war and world order that they want put into practice. 3. There are lots of reconstruction, pipeline, occupying force infrastructure, and restocking of munitions moneys to be made. 4. War is Bush's "get out of domestic problems free" card for the next election. We've already heard it -- poor economy, huge deficits, don't you know we are at war! 5. War is all that these Texas politicians know. The last 3 major conflicts -- Afghanistan, Desert Storm and Vietnam -- were all with Texans in the White House. Is this a mere coincidence? 6. Saddam Hussein is a man who truly knows too much. He knows in which closets the skeletons are hidden, and the administration wants to be sure those doors remain shut. The Reagan papers are sequestered and the elimination of Saddam will for years to come close this chapter in their sinister history. The only speculation left is what flimsy excuse will be used to in order to trigger the assault. YT Cai Dear BuzzFlash, State of the Union What wasn't said. Hello American voters, not to be confused with Corporations (fictitious entities), who don't vote, but to whom I transferred the country's wealth. Most of the country's really big problems have been solved by transferring the US cash surplus, generated by that contemptuous womanizer, to my corporate (not registered voters) friends and supporters. I ask the voters to bear up under the strain, as the loss of funds for state projects has been the small price to pay to support American Corporate icons. The increase in property taxes that will be required in every state because of the loss of Federal funds is a temporary condition, and we will remedy that by making it a permanent condition of the foreseeable future. American voters have shouldered the burden of energy price increases and can expect this condition to be made permanent as well. It has only been by Herculean efforts that these energy prices have been maintained. Economies worldwide have been going in the dumper, producing less, using less, transporting less, and generally using much less energy. Our foresight in purchasing 50% more energy for the Pentagon and additionally filling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve at the same time has actually been able to cause increases in the energy prices. This accomplishment in the face of a worldwide drop in demand that could have caused oil prices to fall to $10/barrel. Again I ask the voters (not the fictitious entities) to bear up under the strain as the underlying cost of producing anything or moving anything goes up with these energy prices. Take heart American voters. It's been my experience that anytime I've been able to run a company into the red, I've made a large personal profit, and I don't expect this situation to be any different. Big country, big profit. As American voters peruse our International strategy, they will see clearly now that we have a coherent policy regarding the rest of the world. We shall endeavor to acquire natural resources worldwide, oil, for example, for the benefit of our Corporate icons (they don't vote). Yessir, "the business of America is business." Take heart, American voters. I run the country like my corporations, and it's been very good for me. To those worried about a return to a "cold war" mentality, I would like to point out the fact that cold wars are very profitable. They are, however, not as profitable as hot wars, but I can personally accomplish that objective. To those that feel the government is nibbling in their wallets, I say, "open those wallets, because the Corporate icons (they don't vote) need all the support they can get, and it's a small price to pay, along with the property taxes and the energy prices, etc., to be an American voter, not to be confused with a Corporate icon (who doesn't vote). Your old pal, ol' quid pro quo Dave Fagan Subj: Pro-lifers Just can't help wondering how many "pro- life" anti-abortion folks out there realize that almost certainly some pregnant woman in Iraq and there fetuses will be killed if the bombing starts. More disgusting hypocrisy from Bush & Co. psa, Kentucky Don't Forget!!!! Mike Malloy will be broadcasting LIVE from Washington, DC Wednesday, January 29 from 3:00pm-6:00pm ET the day after the State of The Union Speech. This will be a show you will want to hear! Tune in at www.ieamericaradio.com Re: State of the Union To get a real feel for what a politician stands for, turn off the sound and read the body language. In tonight's State of the Union address, I made two observations. First, Bush looks like a cross between the Saturday Night Live Church Lady and a Weasel (That is what the W stands for, right?). And second, Bush obviously fell into the Ronald Reagan Brown Hair Dye Vat and believe me, he b-a-r-e-l-y made it out. Turn off the sound. It is the only way any intelligent human being can put up with this idiot!!! A BuzzFlash Reader Re: The Bush Cartel Plan is Simple: Kill and Feel the Love Pour In ! Dear BuzzFlash, Who gave Saddam the biological weapons of mass destruction. Wasn't that another george bush? Wouldn't that make him a traitor? Shouldn't he be tried for that? cyndi from boca Subj: No War Hi Buzz, Thank you for being here for us. I thought this was an interesting question. It is from a letter to the editor of the local newspaper. If it is true that no weapons of mass destruction have been found in Iraq; If it is true that no arms factories or storage facilities have been found in Iraq; If it is true that the inspectors have no tangible proof yet of anything damning; - then WHAT exactly will the USA be dropping all those hundreds of bombs on? LAnnH. Fox reacts
to state of union Dear BuzzFlash, Monica Lewinsky is an amateur in administering presidential thrills compared to Fox News. Following the state of the union address, Brit Hume and the gang couldn't wait to heap fair and impartial glory on President Bush. "Awfully strong," they said. "Awfully powerful." "The president really seized the initiative tonight." Then Hume goes on to interview Fox's Sunday news anchor Tony Snow. "Very powerful…highly successful, very dramatic." And the big question these two " journalists" came up with - gosh, what made it a great speech, the content or the delivery? Their answer - both! Closing thoughts: "great power…stunned the congress….electrifying….mesmerizing." Then Fox, eager to give Bush a multi-orgasmic evening, begins its special Hannity and Colmes report on the state of the union. This is the show that bills itself as a "fair and balanced" debate. Here comes Peggy Noonan, former Reagan speech writer, now a columnist for the Wall Street Journal. "Big, powerful, important," she says. She likes the compassionate angle for foreign policy, how Bush makes the case for bombing Iraq while making the home folks feel safe and secure. "Big stuff," she says. " Big." Fox rushes to agree. "Yes, this is a big vision…a forceful case by a great wartime president." "This is big stuff," she says again. "Fabulous sincerity." After laughing off the Democratic response, she says "I heard the president's thinking and it was good stuff." They go on to compare Bush to Winston Churchill and Harry Truman. And like Teddy Roosevelt, Bush provides us with "joy of battle and moral comfort with what he's doing." Joy of battle? Who gets joy from killing people? Then Michael Waldman, former Clinton speech writer comes on. He allegedly represents the other side, but gives Bush pretty good marks for the speech, too. When he begins to criticize part of it - the domestic agenda - he gets the hook. Standard treatment for subjects who differ with the Fox agenda: 1) A Fox interviewer asks a question. 2) The subject begins to answer. 3) The interviewer interrupts and answers his own question the way he wants to. Noonan gets to drone on with repeated praise for Bush. Waldman, hardly a serious critic in the first place, barely gets to finish a thought. Fox sends Waldman off with an insulting "you Democrats." Fox News, just another oxymoron in the broadcast media vocabulary. Like news judgment. -Mike Archer Subj: Florida may destroy ballots from 2000 election Dear BuzzFlash, After reading the story below, please contact state officials in Florida and ask them to preserve the ballots from the 2000 election. Although most of us aren't Floridians, those ballots are a crucial part of US politics and US history. Destroying them would create a huge, irreversible loss for all of us. Website
for the Florida Division of Library and Information Services: Their contact
page is here: Florida
legislature's Website: Florida
governor's Website: Thanks, Russ --------------------------------------------
Dear Buzz, Was it just me, or did anyone else pick up on what sounded like the President putting Iran next on the target list in his speech? Jesus, he's going to make sure that he's always got an enemy, isn't he? When is Congress going to pull the plug on his blank check to wage endless war at his discretion and against the wishes of the majority of the American people? Congress was initially bullied and frightened into relegating it's war making authority to the President, because it's members (democrats at least) didn't want to be seen as soft on security, but now many of them are showing regret at this decision, because they now see what they've done. Well, it's about time they admit their mistake, swallow the bullet and fulfill their Constitutional duties. There's a bill in the house right now (Expressing the sense of Congress that the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 should be repealed) which would rescind that authority and put war-making power back where it belongs, in Congress. Write your representative and urge them to sign on to it. A BuzzFlash Reader Subj: Ted Kennedy's New Bill to Require Bush to Submit to Congress War Declaration Hi, I'm really glad that Ted Kennedy has submitted a bill to require Bush to come to the Congress/Senate to re-evaluate the need/justification to "go to war" with Iraq to prevent Bush from pre-emptive strike - on his own! He also said that Bush should go before the American people, not just have Powell go to the U.N. and (provide whatever Bush, et al thinks is evidence enough to " go to war" with Iraq). Can you please post his statement? This was shown on C-Span, and on NBC -- I caught him being interviewed and saying this on quite a few places. Thank goodness for Ted Kennedy! I think people have to know about this and notified to contact their representatives to back him. Thanks! Barb Mauz [BuzzFlash Note: Kennedy Wants Bush to Give Congress Iraq 'Evidence'.] Subj: George didn't mention Noelle Bush Buzz, I thought George Bush missed a golden opportunity tonight to bring home his point on helping families who have drug problems. (a whole $600 million to fight drugs) He should have tied it all together with the fight Noelle Bush has been waging the last few years with drugs. Gosh he could have relayed the struggles she has gone through and how the family didn't let it interfere with the rest of their lives. Karen PS. And why didn't George mention just once the troops that are fighting his fight and say he supports them and ask for a round of applause for the troops??? He had time for his Bob Jones blessing at the end but nothing for American troops. Subj: Jobs Hey Buzz, The two million jobs already lost since Bush took office is nothing compared to what we are about to see. We lost jobs in November and December even though many businesses hire extra people for the holidays. But the terrible budget situation in the states and cities is really starting to hit. I work at a large community garden in Los Angeles and I know lots of people who work for the county extension services, city government and state services. EVERYBODY is losing their jobs. LA County is closing one of the best rehabilitation centers in the nation, Rancho Los Amigos, and eliminating 100 beds from the County hospital, the last resort for many indigent and low income folks. City and county departments are cutting seven to ten percent of their staffs even though they provide essential services. States and cities must balance their budgets and they are already strapped. All the money is going for the tax cuts and military and nothing for the local level where things really happen. I'm not sure these stories will be told because this stupid war will suck up all the oxygen but this is what is happening in LA. Leslie Anderson Dear BuzzFlash, Did anyone see Press and Buchanan the day of the sotu speech? They had Dana Rohrbacher on. I will have to paraphrase what he said it was unbelievable. He first rambled about the weather being bad in Iraq in a couple of months and bush had to go to war because he would be embarrassed if he didn't and wouldn't be able to govern! I am outraged! My 24 year old nephew is a Marine in the Middle East right now. He has a wife and daughter and one on the way. He may die because dim-son has painted himself into a corner and has no other way out! This is beyond arrogance it is megalomania. Also the night before on Donahue a professor from Washington state said (paraphrased again) we are going to war with Iraq for flaunting the UN but if the UN doesn't approve we will go to war anyway and then we will also be flaunting the UN. Who said irony was dead! Can anyone get exact quotes on these? Rohrbacher's quote should be blasted around the world but I bet you won't see a thing about it. a BuzzFlash reader Subj: Happiest Man in the World Sitting in a tent somewhere in Pakistan, Osama bin Laden had to be the happiest man in the world. The man who killed more Americans in one day then Saddam Hussein did in Desert Shield and Desert Storm combined, was completely ignored by a "president" who only a little over a year ago wanted him "Dead or Alive.” While we spend our time pulling the last wings off the fly we smashed 12 years ago, the true threat to our nation plans new missions in secret and obscurity. The nation that vowed to "never forget" September 11th has already turned the page. Too bad bin Laden and his troops haven't done the same. Jeremy Warren Subj: to cnn and the rest of the media that creepy jack cafferty just said he can't stand senator kennedy.....well so much for that libral media. :):):) a BuzzFlash reader Subj: "Torture"? Dear BuzzFlash, To hear this man speak with outrage about the same terror tactics we teach the armies of "our" dictators in the School of the Americas makes me want to hurl. And of course, these same torture tactics have been documented by Amnesty International and Human Rights in many of our allies' countries - including Saudi Arabia. Guess torture is in the eye of the beholder. Susan Madrak [BuzzFlash Note: And let us not forget that Bush and his administration have condoned and practice torture of the Al Qaeda prisoners. Such horrid and disgusting hypocrisy. What will we do when Iran makes the case to the U.N. that the U.S. has WMDs, tortures its prisoners, bullies its neighbors, breaks international treaties, and its leader has accumulated enormous wealth at the expense of the citizens (e.g., the Rangers deal)?] Subj: Comprehensive review of the substance of The State Of The Union Address Anyone else notice that shrub dyed his hair for the speech? r Randy Kirchhof - Dripping Springs, Tx [BuzzFlash Note: Some say he used Clairol #1984, better known as "Reagan Orange."] Subj: State of the Union speech Dear BuzzFlash, What I don't understand is how any State of the Union speech this year could not include mention of the budget crises facing many states right now. The amount of services being cut are more frightening every day, and yet "that man" did not even mention it, opting instead to push his war and tout new ideas which make him sound "compassionate" because he sees his poll numbers slipping. The plan regarding Africa's AIDS crisis is wonderful, although it seems, given how AIDS services for people in the US are being slashed at the moment, its sudden importance is yet another PR gimmick to keep Bush from looking like a warmonger. But then that is what this administration has been since the beginning, isn't it? One PR card trick after another. And then, when it seems no one is watching, the corporate card is pulled from his sleeve. And how long will it be until it comes out that this batch of stories about Iraq are not based in fact? Probably, once again, when no one is watching. A BuzzFlash Reader Subj: Tidbits on SOU I'm sure nothing is lost on BuzzFlash, but I just wanted to register my disgust at the cameras panning John Edwards as the Moron in Chief denounced " trial lawyers." Also, was I the only one to hear a CELL PHONE ringing during Bush's closing statements?? Was it only wishful thinking? ~~robyn su Subj: State of the Union Dear BuzzFlash, I find it quite amazing that not once did Bush mention human rights, race, affirmative action - after all that has been said and done by Lott and others in the very recent past - I find this omission very telling. Jerilyn Rubin Subj: Somebody buy W a ticket to Baghdad. (State of the Union speech) Quote of the day-- "Whatever action is required, whenever action is necessary, I will defend the freedom and security of the American people." --George W. (ChickenHawk) Bush Good. Somebody buy "Rambo" a plane ticket to Baghdad and let him duke it out with Saddam himself! Nancy Lynn Nagy (TN) Subj: Lie Alert There is an invidious word creeping into the Republican vocabulary. As one who believes in the power of words to misinform and shape public dialogue, and as a retired person whose pension was wiped out by corporate shenanigans, this particular word is striking fear into my heart. Social Security is being increasingly referred to as "an entitlement" by neocons at the public microphone. Entitlement is the word that was used to denigrate welfare assistance. Entitlement implies, in it's modern usage, a wasteful program that supports the undeserving with the hard earned funds of the worthy. Calling SS an entitlement implies that the retired are taking money from others that they neither earned nor deserve. Casting SS as an " entitlement" program paves the way for it's dismantling in the name of conservative fiscal principals. I paid into the SS system for over 50 years. My employer matched my paycheck withholding. The Federal Government withheld this money with the promise that the funds would be invested in bonds and the accrued interest would be repaid, along with the principal, after I retired, guaranteeing me a base income regardless of market fluctuations and economic upheaval. I was given no voice in this decision. The money was taken before I received my earnings and I was assured that it was in my best interest. It's my money, damn it! Not an "entitlement" graciously allowed by Federal largess. The contract was that it would be increased by careful management at the Federal level. Careful management? For decades the congress has raided this SS fund to support every hair-brained, pie in the sky foolishness that a self-serving politician can dream up. Now the demographics are catching up with them and the SS fund is depleted. Further, the Bush administration is single handedly destroying the Federal government by huge tax give-backs while increasing Federal spending to the point where dismantling whole agencies will offer the only solution for a return to fiscal sanity. For over 60 years it has been the avowed purpose of the Conservatives to dismantle SS. They have nearly succeeded. Now they want to make protests against this violation of trust seem to be the plea of the unworthy. It is after all, just another " entitlement" program. Words have power. This creeping denigration of the system designed to protect the retired and elderly, by using the word entitlement, is simply the latest manipulation of truth by the right-wing propaganda machine that we call our government. Gail M. Barnes, Ph.D. |
|||||
| DAILY BUZZ | ||||
| INTERVIEWS | ||||
| ANALYSIS | ||||
| MEDIA LINKS | ||||
|
Unless
otherwise noted, all original |
||||