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September 15, 2003 |
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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 400. 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: Passive resistance against the Bush/Saudi axis Dear BuzzFlash:I couldn't help noticing your headline about Saudi oil supporting terrorism. Well, there is one thing that each of us can do about it, and that is to drive less. Too many perfectly healthy Americans think it’s normal to drive two or three blocks on an errand or to drive to work when buses or trains are available. Too many Americans who never drive on terrain more challenging than a mall parking lot or carry a load larger than two children think they need an SUV, or, heaven help us, a Hummer. Having just moved from a city with very good public transportation (Portland, Oregon) to a city with mediocre public transportation (Minneapolis), I know that it’s not always possible to avoid driving. But if every opponent of the Bush regime made a conscious effort to walk, cycle, or take public transit whenever possible, or at least to downsize into a more fuel-efficient vehicle, the combined efforts of millions of Americans to reduce gas consumption would help de-fund the Bush/Saudi axis. Not only that: we would all work some more exercise naturally into our days, thus making a dent in the obesity epidemic, and would have the satisfaction of knowing that we are helping to preserve the natural environment. Karen Sandness Subj: Fleischer shares 9-11 perspective Ready with your barf bag? Fleischer said that in the motorcade on the way to the airport, he heard Bush tell Vice President Dick Cheney, "It sounds like we have a minor war going on here, Dick." He went on to say "that's what we're paid for," and promised, "We're going to find out who did this and when we do, they aren't going to like me as president." Geoff Subj: Every time Bush opens his mouth... Dear Buzz, You are right Buzz. Now every time George W. Bush opens his mouth his poll numbers drop. Not only that, every time the guy opens his mouth and talks tough on "terra" more of our brave Soldiers die! Its reminiscent of the "good ole days" before the 9-11 tragedy when every time the idiot in chief opened his mouth the stock market crashed! If it wasn't for the fact that our pResident Buffoon is dragging our country down with him, the downfall of W would be fun to watch! But I'm not holding my breath. As Paul Krugman suggested these thugs aren't going down easy! Bush/Cheney desperately need to cover up the fact that on and prior to 9-11 Bush knew and did nothing! Nancy Lynn Nagy (TN) Subj: Krugman Interview Dear BuzzFlash, Thank you for interviewing and publishing Paul Krugman. I look forward to his opinion pieces in our paper and, if he hasn't shown up there for a while, I seek out his work on-line. A true voice of truth in the wilderness of Bushrovecheneyashcroftpearletc lies and poor husbandry of our national wealth and standing within the community of nations. I agree with him, I think that the populace of this country may wake up but, even if they woke up tomorrow, it would be too late. We are going to suffer for some time to come. We will be like the Germans in 1946. Everybody will look at everybody else and say, "What were we thinking?" Thanks Again, Joel Van
Citters Republican Priorities It has become increasingly clear that there are only three things that matter to the Republican Party. One--the Party itself and its continued power. Two--the clients of the Republican Party and their continued protection and enrichment. Three--there is no three. The environment? Forget it! Education (in spite of repeated promises)? Forget it! Democracy (with its messy insistence on civil liberties and civil rights)? Forget it! America's moral and ethical leadership in the world? Forget it! It's been replaced by America's military power in the world. The "MBA" promise of a well-run and efficient government? Forget it! The government as Bush's mentor Ronald Reagan has explained to us is the problem not the solution. It interferes too much with goals one and two. What drives it all? It's hard for people who believe, as I do, that there is always a struggle of opposing forces--of greed and altruism, of power and responsibility, of regional and national--that moves us toward compromise and balance. By the awesome scale of their deceit, lying, and right wing driven ideological zeal, the Bush administration has effectively trampled on this process. And the American public seems to be endlessly willing to be deceived. What ever happened to the Jeffersonian ideal of an informed electorate? For those who oppose this wholesale transfer of America's wealth and trammeling of its democratic values there is a possibly hopeful scenario. In its hunger for power and unprecedented control, the Republican Party seems to have a tendency to get carried away. More distasteful to the public than Clinton's philandering, for one example, was the self-righteous and hypocritical fervor of his distracters. Allan Davidson Subj: EPA Outrage Buzz, I don't know if this OUTRAGEOUS revelation was included in this week's news coverage of the EPA's lies about the environmental toxicity in New York Cty, but even if it was mentioned, it should have been a big headline. KPFA's news program, Flashpoints, interviewed an EPA chemist on Tuesday, September 9. It seems the EPA, on September 14, 2001, had their own offices, which are about a half mile from the World Trade Center, tested with state of the art equipment, including electron microscopes. After the testing for asbestos, etc., they evacuated and closed their offices for two weeks for thorough cleaning. Doesn't inspire much confidence does it? Not exactly what they recommended for the general population, is it? When asked if she would send her children to school in the Ground Zero area, the chemist discussed the practical implications involved in removing yourself and your family from the toxic area. The lies of the EPA have caused untold damage to people who could have gotten out of leases and moved away from the toxic area or who could have had insurance companies pay for proper cleanup. Check out the story at www.flashpoints.net. Couldn't live without your site. Keep up the good work! Sharon Carlson Subj: 9/11 Please, please go to www.pbs.org. Bill Moyers interviewed four 9/11 widows (search for 9/11 questions) [LINK] and two disturbing questions need to be answered now. Both are about that infamous Afghan pipeline. It seems that Bush had a plan on his desk to invade Afghanistan on 9/9/01! Is he psychic? The families also want to know about the meeting with the Taliban in Texas in the summer of '01 and the futile attempts of this administration to get them to agree to allow a pipeline through Afghanistan. Please read this. I have always thought the world trade center didn't just happen. This administration should be called before the 911 commission and forced to answer these questions and provide documents showing exactly what happened. If the present commission cannot be trusted not to whitewash this, then the democrats should demand reinstatement of the independent counsel law. The president, vice-president and the entire cabinet should be investigated now in regard to this '01 attempt to get a pipeline through Afghanistan (which now incidentally has been approved by Karzai since the Afghan war-mentioned ONE TIME on the news that I know of). Three thousand human beings are dead and we should demand that our government find out if this administration is in any way responsible. NOW. SOS Subj: Nobody Questioned Darth Rums About "100 Newspapers in Iraq" BuzzFlash, Nobody questioned Darth Rumsfeld when he got protested at the National Press Club, and one of our free speech reporters yelled "GO HOME" at the protesters, and Darth Rums missed making the point that dissent is ALLOWED here (as the dissenters were STIFLED) -------- he said that one of the benefits of our Iraq-attack is that there are now 100 newspapers in Iraq. Just wondering, they're having problems with water and electricity, but there's all that free speech FLOWING over there? Which brings up the topic, every time the Shrubbites claim the Iraqis are going to get universal health care and all these goodies WHILE curtailing stuff here: Uh, we'll take what THEY're having. An amateurish, superficial Google search on "Iraq newspapers" results in the following: Link #1 lists mostly foreign sites. #2 lists about 26 opposition sites. #3 lists about 5 newspapers. There is NO claim to scholarly or scientific methodology here, just saying that our CRACK reporters don't bother even to ASK. And by the time somebody writes a book about how the Shrubs got away with stuff, it is WAY too late. Like how the wingnuts do their dirty tricks, fingerpointing then say "Look to the FUTURE" and "no fingerpointing NOW" and make hit'n-RUN allegations.
John Garza Subj: Iraqi official: Inability to communicate with GIs led to deadly incident
A BuzzFlash Reader BuzzFlash, Is this still America??????????????????? $87 billion...where is the budget that shows how this money is to be spent???? Rice says we need the money but again no budget. Does this administration think we are all stupid. My heart breaks for what this idiot has done to this country .... we are now a haves and have not country...just like Mexico...sick. I remember the idiot looking straight in the camera and saying, "I have decided to go to war." Hells bells that was decided in Aug of 2002 or possibly from the day the S/court decided who would be in the w/house. How come they have a lifetime job anyhow? I also remember this idiot looking into the camera and saying, "I wanted the inspectors allowed back in Iraq but he S/H would not comply so after a reasonable length of time I decided to go to war." barf big time So thanks again for letting this little 75 year old woman vent some steam. I really do love this site and the job u are doing. Suzy in Tucson Subj: Bush watch The 9/12 Wash. Post has a front page article with the headline "Panel Warned Blair of War Risk". Where are the media and the congressional investigators who should be calling for an investigation into George Bush, who led us into war using the same arguments as Tony Blair? Harold Martin Subj: Vive Le French Fries! Dear Buzz, Now that we've gotten bogged down in Iraq, I hope the people running the Congressional cafeterias will consider giving Freedom Fries a new and more appropriate name: Quagmire Fries. Jon Krampner Subj: Wolfowitz Terribly clever. Say something you know is a lie on national tv and then retract it in an AP interview. He did not misspeak! He lied. None of his “corrections”were minor corrections to details of his previous statement. The corrections were complete reversals of the previous position. Unless Wolfowitz has been detached from the doings in Iraq (not likely or even possible), he knew he was lying. Now it is up to newspapers around our great nation to pick up the AP interview and do what saukvalley.com has done. The Karl Rove genius is on display. Even if the corporate media had the heart to jump on the misstatements, what are they now going write? I suppose just what saukvalley.com has done, carry “the facts”with no speculation as to the motivation. They want to be invited to the next press conference. Jim Subj: Where's the 500 billion dollars spent on defense going? Dear Buzz, Excuse me for not being able to understand Ronald Reagan's "fuzzy math". But if the Bush Pentagon was already given 79 billion for Iraq and now they are asking for 87 billion dollars and the experts say that this 87 billion is merely a down payment no matter how well the occupation goes, then where is the 500 billion dollars or more we spend annually on defense going? It hasn't gone to the new Homeland Security Department, that's for sure! Nancy Lynn Nagy (TN) Subj: Timing is Everything BuzzFlash, It is astonishing to contemplate that before Bush even came to New York City to survey the damage, the long-denied Bin Laden escape flights from America were already in the works. Colin Powell just confirmed this on Meet The Press, not that anyone was watching, given the reaction of the American media. Seriously, ask a friend today if they know about the Saudi airlift through the locked-down skies in the week after 9/11. They won't. They haven't been told. I asked a high-ranking New York State official the other day. This Republican had never heard of it. And then he was naturally furious. How did Bob Woodward miss this part of Bush at War? Hey, I can't wait to see Cheney take the hot seat this weekend. "How's the ticker, Dick?" " Fine, Timmy." "Kids okay?" "Rolling in Halliburton dough." "Thanks for facing the tough questions, Mr. Vice-President." "Thanks for always kissing my butt, Timmy." "Go Buffalo Bills." "Yes, Timmy, you're a tough-guy football fan. The grown-ups get it." "Thank you, Mr. Vice-President. That means a great deal to me." John Westermann, author of Exit Wounds, High Crimes, The Honor Farm, Sweet Deal, Ladies Of The Night, teaches at Stony Brook University.http://www.johnwestermann.com Subj: Oprah is having Arnold as her guest this Monday A request for those great BuzzFlash readers: Oprah is having Arnold Schwarzenegger on her show this Monday (9/15) as a special guest. Please e-mail her at www.oprah.com and let her producer's know that she needs to give equal time to Gray Davis, Cruz Bustamante, and the other major candidates in the California recall. The media, both here in California and nationally, is giving far too much attention to Arnold, though he has yet to espouse any actual opinions within a appropriate forum, such as a debate. So, Oprah's celebrating the premiere show of her new season with Arnold as her first guest seems like pandering to the concept of celebrity. A BuzzFlash Reader Subj: 87 bil?????????????????????? Dear BuzzFlash, If I am reading right....the dimwit will get his 87 bil from congress...while everything else goes to pot...I thought they would put up a little more effort than that, I am so mad I could spit nails....this is just not right...the republicans in the house are all crooks, that is a given...but the dems have no backbones still, if this is real! Shirley...........St.Louis Hey --So the Supreme Court rules that a sitting president (Clinton) can be compelled to testify in a civil case but Ashcroft is supposedly exempt from testifying in a criminal investigation? -- Jake -------------------------------------
Subj: GOPers are the sore losers Buzz, Notice how they can't stand it when a Democrat is elected and have to pull phony frivolous impeachment proceedings or recall efforts. Why don't we Democrats pull the same on them? mev Subj: Investigating the Northeast's big blackout The NYTimes reports here: [LINK]
In other words, they'll finish some time just after presidential election (you don't even have to read between the lines anymore with this administration). Jeff Subj: Recall effort underway for Democratic Governor of Arizona Buzz, Now it looks like Rove is after Democratic Governor Janet Napolitano of Arizona. He has a surrogate pushing for her recall, blaming her for the gas prices. Of course the Republicans didn't want the oil companies to be regulated in the first place so they tied government's hands, just like the energy companies tied the hands of Davis. What a perfect opportunity for the GOPigs to go after the Democrats who had nothing to do with the soaring prices. What is with Rove? Is he going state by state? Will Governor Bill Richardson be the next on Rove's hit list? mev Buzz, Whomever becomes our Democratic candidate, the first act must be is the tearing up of this heinous bill now law known as the U.S.A. Patriot Act. Bush has turned a democracy into a dictatorship. Mary MacElveen * * *
Subj: Gore never whined like Arnold Remind the GOP of who the real sore loser is. Arnold is begging Tim McClintock to get out of the race so he can win. I never heard Gore ask Nader to get out so he could win. Who are the real whiners? A BuzzFlash Reader Subj: ANYONE REMEMBER?!! :):):) ANYONE NOTICE? SCHWARZENEGGER SAID AT THAT CONVENTION AND NOW ALL OVER THE TV THAT HE BECAME A REPUBLICAN BECAUSE OF SOMETHING REAGAN SAID AND THEN PROCEEDED TO SAY IT. BUT OOPS! DOESN'T ANYONE REMEMBER ARNOLD ON ONE OF HIS JAY LENO VISITS VERY CLEARLY SAID HE BECAME A REPUBLICAN BECAUSE OF A SPEECH HE HEARD RICHARD NIXON MAKE! THE DEMOCRATS SHOULD GET THAT TAPE AND PLAY THE TWO BACK TO BACK! WAS HE LYING THEN OR LYING NOW! JESUS DID THEY THINK NO ONE WOULD REMEMBER THAT? :):):):):) KAREN MASSEY IN SC Subj: Buy our leaders cell phones? Dear BuzzFlash: My question about 9/11 I saw it all happen before my eyes on TV that morning. All we had was Dan Rather trying to hold us and himself together. Our government leaders were not to be heard from. Scary for many..because, we had no idea what was afoot. I won't forgive any of them for that. They claim (Congressional leaders at the time...Senator Lott and Daschle, Rep. Hastert and Gephardt), they were whisked out of DC to an unknown place...by the Secret Service and didn't have communication even with the Defense Department or the President or VP...no one. They didn't even have a cell phone? People were calling their families from the WTC and our leaders...representatives couldn't call NBC or CNN, etc.? We do have an emergency TV channel that remained silent on 9\11. For years, we put up with interruptions to programming to hear the obnoxious bleeps and message from our governor. Shouldn't we stop paying for it? It failed us. Do you suppose, we should buy them a cell phone so they can call and report to us...get in contact with the President, VP, Defense Department, etc. Couldn't the President calm us...get us into action, etc. until he reached where ever he was going from Air Force One? What about the next disaster...? Their salaries that small? What about the "little wife and family" at home? No contact? I have a bridge I can sell them. A BuzzFlash Reader Commentary Subj: Cheney on Meet the Press 9/14 As "Google" has morphed into a verb standing for "to research and find," "Cheney" should be a verb meaning the most heinous of thefts, lies and war-profiteering crimes. As in: "The nation has been Cheney-ed." Thank you BuzzFlash for your excellent analysis of the blood-dripping scumbag ghoul on the 9/14 edition of "Meet The Press." Lets see if anyone else in the media--besides Paul Krugman, Maureen Dowd and Helen Thomas--and of course Bartcop--can call it as on the money as you did. Now excuse me...after being slimed by Cheney...I need a shower. Suzanne
de Cornelia Subj: Cheney Lies on Meet the Press Greetings, The most blatant lie in the interview was Cheney's claim that we found two mobile biological weapons labs. It has been shown beyond doubt that these labs were for making hydrogen. Pathetic! Cheers, Dan Subj: Cheney Interview I listened to as much of the program that I could stomach. Cheney obviously was lying but he appeared to me as someone that was little concerned about the upcoming election. Does he know something we don't? Possibly they have the voting machines rigged, or a plan to start a new war, or a another terrorist attack just before the election. Joseph [BuzzFlash Note: Or, perhaps, he's looted everything he can and doesn't need another four years of citizens bugging him about what happened to their democracy.] Subj: What a hoot! BuzzFlash, I just returned home from a townhall meeting with Governor Howard Dean this evening. Dean was in tip top form tonight. We had an overflow crowd of 400 plus people. In all my years in politics I have never seen such an enthusiastic group of people. Older folks, younger folks, folks of all races, descriptions and political backgrounds. It was amazing. Dean kicked Bu$h and Cheney all over the place, the crowd was going crazy. What a hoot! During the Question and Answer session we had person after person stand and publicly declare their support for Governor Dean! It was the damndest thing I have ever seen in all the years that I have been in politics. This is real.....Dean was electric tonight..... Dean for America, America for Dean! Cheers, Tom Whitmore Subj: Cheney lied and Russert complied Good Morning BuzzFlash: I watched the Cheney interview on "MTP" Sunday and it was a complete and total propaganda piece. Tim Russert didn't challenge Cheney on any issue or any answer. Russert even provided Cheney with an alibi for a lie that Cheney told on an earlier Meet the Press. The entire hour was a soapbox interview that allowed Cheney to pontificate and prevaricate unchallenged on every question. Late in the show Russert recounted this statement made by Cheney on Meet the Press prior to the war " And we believe he has, in fact, reconstituted nuclear weapons." Then Russert added "Reconstituted nuclear weapons. You misspoke". Note that Russert DIDN'T pose his observation of Cheney's "RECONSTITUTED COMMENT" as a question, he dished it out to Cheney as an answer. Tim Russert behaved as a stooge and I'm sending an email to NBC to let them know that Russert's behavior didn't go unnoticed. Curly, Larry and Moe have nothing on Tim, and Russert proved yet again he's just another stooge for BushCo. A BuzzFlash Reader Hey Buzzers, Did anyone else notice the shift in reporting this weekend, particularly with Powell making his debut in Iraq? Seems like the media is changing from using the term "guerilla attacks" to "terrorist attacks." This is a powerful shift to try to connect the quagmire in Iraq to the terrorist attacks of 9-11. And our stupid media just rolls over and follows the administration's lead. (On second thought, maybe the media is doing this deliberately.) We can't let them get away with using language (propaganda) to change the truth about why we went to Iraq. We need to call them on this one. Linda Subj: This is sick! Dear BuzzFlash, I don't know where I get my endless capacity to be shocked---you'd think it'd be completely depleted by now. And yet, this is the "fair and balanced" SPOKESPERSON for Fox News?? (from your censorship link)
THAT'S the choice here? Toe the line for Bush or speak for al-Qaeda? I thought the choice was toe the line for Bush or demand accountability from him---such as, WHERE'S OSAMA ALREADY? I find the Fox News statement to be outrageous. ~~robyn su Subj: I have a question for Maria Shriver . . . What's WRONG with you? Sara Weeks Subj: Colin Powell Also Is A Clown Well, congratulations Mr. Colin Powell, after your recent comments on your visit to Iraq you are now considered a Bushie Clown team member. Now remember whoever is reading this article that the following statement was made by Mr Colin Powell, our Secretary of State after spending A DAY within a tightly secured American COMPOUND covering several square miles of downtown Baghdad. BARRICADES, BARBED WIRE AND HEAVILY ARMED U.S. SOLDIERS PROTECTED THE AREA!
Talk about someone who deserves a CLOWN outfit! Can we not recall our president and his clown team? Walter Re: Amanpour, Fox and censorship Buzz: This is an interesting interview with Amanpour posted at your site. It is about Iraq, the news and self-censorship: [LINK] In the interview, Amanpour asserted:
The administration offered a denial and said there was no truth to Amanpour's assertion. But "Fox News spokeswoman Irena Briganti said of Amanpour's comments: 'Given the choice, it's better to be viewed as a foot soldier for Bush than a spokeswoman for al-Qaeda.'" CNN had no comment. Kind of proves Amanpour's point, doesn't it? Sincerely, Clair Plume |
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