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September 30, 2003 |
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Subj: Joseph Wilson thinks he knows who outed his CIA agent wife A former ambassador who played an important role in the Niger-gate scandal has accused the president's top political advisor of leaking classified information to a sympathetic journalist. Someone -- anyone -- in the White House press corps needs to ask, "Did Rove leak the information or not?" Wayne Subj: CIA Agent's Identity Was Leaked to Media Nice to see journalists finally doing some journalism. But as one Dogskinreporter has said, "why hasn't Novak been arrested?" And why has it taken journalists over two months to find this story? Warmest regards, Top Dog * * *
Subj: Scary Economics No matter whether you are a supporter of the current administration or not, their economic policies have led to some scary statistics. Here's one: To fund the federal budget deficit this year, you and I and our children are borrowing more than $15,000 a SECOND. It's a simple calculation. Divide the projected deficit of $475 Billion by the number of seconds in a year; 31,536,000. Right now, the lenders we are borrowing this money from are mostly foreign, many of them Chinese. In effect, we are mortgaging our government to China. Oh, and by the way, that doesn't count the additional $87 Billion President Bush is asking for to help rebuild Iraq or the $76 Billion we have already spent there. That's another $163 Billion ($163,000,000,000.00) we have to borrow. A lot of money, don't you think? There are several ways to understand how much this really is. With a current population of 292,192,000, each American's share of the cost of the Iraq war is $558. My youngest son owes $558, my eldest son owes $558, my wife owes $558 and I owe $558. In fact, each of YOU owes $558 to pay for the war, too. By the way, we are borrowing this money from the Chinese at interest. The annual rate seems to be around 5%, so add another $28 to each person's share for this year. This year's total cost for the Iraq war is $586 for every man, woman and child in America. If we don't repay our debt, in around fourteen years it will double due to compound interest rates. Here's another way to look at $163 Billion. It's equal to the entire 2004 budgets of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Illinois put together. For you southerners, in Iraq this year we are proposing to spend the equivalent of the state budgets of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Texas, Oklahoma, and because that isn't enough, also add in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Montana and Idaho. (source: The National Association of State Budget Officers). Now add in each of our shares in the additional non-Iraq $475 Billion deficit, and this year each of us owes $2293. This is just for the money we're BORROWING, not the rest of the federal budget. Just for this year. Next year we plan to borrow at least as much, so each of us will owe more than $4500 next year. And more the next year, and more the next and so on and so on. By the way, this year's federal deficit BEFORE paying for Iraq is roughly equal to the total 2004 budgets of ALL FIFTY STATES put together. Pretty good time for three consecutive giant tax cuts, huh? And is this really a good time for the Republican administration and Republican congress to increase discretionary spending (non-military, non-Iraq and non-homeland security) by 4%? By the way, if I retire in 2019 at age 65 (HAH!) I'll be out of the work force and my share will have to be added to my childrens' burden. Oh, and since I'm currently the only income earner and taxpayer of the four of us, my share of the federal deficit this year is actually $9172. This is over and above all the other taxes I'm responsible for. Can you see how much of a drag on our economy this is? None of this money can be used for real things like roads, schools or missiles. And couldn't we have found a cheaper way to deal with Saddam Hussein? Is running a huge deficit good conservative economics? Is the Bush administration really conservative if they choose to spend so much more than they take in? How about the Republican congress? Are they really conservative either? And how long will the Chinese be willing to lend us the money to run the country before we become a bad investment for them? The Bush administration thinks this is all perfectly fine. They say the economy will be so strong that I'll have more than enough extra money in my pay envelope to cover this new debt. Do you think they're right? Jon that tucker carlson guy was on tim russert telling a story about how karen hughes lies, he said she denied stuff to him that she knew was a lie, he had the stuff on tape, and she still lied about it. so that leads one to wonder what else karen hughes had lied about, maneuvered and set up to make bush look good. has anyone gone back to look at things she has said and done in the past? i think the media should closely scrutinize that woman. tucker is no liberal saying what a liar she is. da Here's an interesting idea. Major network news websites that study their sites' traffic patterns have the ability to know which of their sites' stories are most popular (or, " clicked on"). So, if we conscientiously make it a habit to always enter the site from the home page and click on articles of interest to us (e.g., negative Bush stories), we will be telling the networks that their readers are interested in stories like these. The websites, in turn, might write more of these stories. Especially critical -- albeit unpleasant -- to visit are the conservative sites like FOX News. Patricia Subj: Congratulations to the Cubs I was surprised and amused to see your posting today "we don't cover sports". As a Houstonian, and a long-time Astros fan, my heartiest congratulations to the Cubs on winning the NL Central Division. We probably will be back next year. Just keep posting the antics of possibly the most idiotic state legislature in the US, and Molly Ivins and Jim Hightower. We forgive you the rest of it ----- Hope you take it all. E.R. White To BuzzFlash: There must be change in the direction the corporate masters of America want the wind to blow. Look at some subtle shifts in the corporate state media in the last two weeks. There is something brewing and it is strange. For starters, ABC Nightline has run more than a few progressively critical reports of the Bush regime. On 9/25, Ted Koppel did a one-on-one interview with former General Anthony Zinni who blasted the ineptitude of the Bush team as harshly as any BuzzFlash editorial. [LINK] Ted added his own fuel with his questioning. Does anyone believe this kind of change in journalistic direction would not happen without the blessing of the corporate ownership? And why? Could it be that even those that contributed to installing this current regime in Washington are beginning to realize they might have made a mistake? In the case of ABC News, owned by Disney, look at how the croissant crumbles: Disney theme parks, a major source of corporate revenue, depend on foreign tourism. Europeans are not visiting Orlando and Los Angeles like they used to. Attendance is down. [LINK] The Mouse does not have as much money in his pockets today. EuroDisney is really in the dumps. [LINK] Gee! We wonder what could have caused all that animosity? Somebody get Koppel on the phone. Another strange happening in the New York Times: Thomas Friedman lets loose on the Bush miracle team for contributing to increasing planetary poverty in the Cancun WTO meeting. Very odd! I wonder if some hacker broke into the NYT computer system and spoofed this column "Connect the Dots": [LINK] It makes a 180-degree turn from Friedman's ridiculous rant two weeks earlier called "Our War With France" asserting that France is an enemy of the United States: [LINK] What kinds of change in orders did this guy get? We all know the Soviet Union is our enemy. No? Even the Drudge Report has started almost daily posting of articles pointing to foreign news sources critical of Bush policies. Drudge? Yes. Another BuzzFlash competitor on the horizon, for sure. Now Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly have not changed direction yet. Maybe they will get their phone calls next week. But when they start trashing Bush, it will be time to realize this fraud will soon be on his way out and a new fraud is coming down the road. Beware! Gregory
Mysko Subj: A mediocre attempt at getting the truth out I called Walter Pincus at The Post yesterday and told him about the story with Condi and Powell saying that Saddam was NOT a threat pre-9/11. I, of course, found the Aussie article through your website. I sent him the links below, and he at least mentioned it in a front page story today. [LINK] Take care, Byron
Subj: Interesting place found "Bush Lied Soldiers Died" postcards Dear Buzz: It seems that someone in my hometown has found a unique display method for some "Bush Lied Soldiers Died" post cards. These post cards have been turning up all around town displayed at different locations in the windows of newspaper boxes. Just like the way special news interest banners usually are put in the windows of these boxes. I guess the real headlines must get out somehow. Thanks for your web-site. J Subj: americanswhotellthetruth.org I urge BuzzFlash and its staff to please have a look at the website above: "americanswhotellthetruth.org" this is an exceptional exhibit done by a Maine artist to deal with 9/11 and the sinister aftermath wrought by this administration. It needs to be seen by as many people as possible and it one of the few artistic attempts to educate the people of this country on the meaning of truth. If possible, please post. Many thanks, Joan Dheere Dear BuzzFlash: Just a comment regarding one of the letters on Friday from Michael R. McNett. Seven months ago, Wesley Clark was a military analyst on CNN. As far as pansy assing it just like the other dems - he was holding no political position - unlike the other dems whose job it was to speak out. As a commentator on a TV network, it was not the venue to speak out for or against the war and he respected that, unlike most of the other so-called journalists and analysts. It is unfair to put him in a category with senators and representatives. Obviously, he was doing some thinking - he has a book coming out next month - "Winning Modern Wars: Iraq, Terrorism and the American Empire" - which is full of information regarding the build-up to the war - information that no one else has spoken about, probably because they don't have access to the same information that General Clark does. I wouldn't write him off. Barbara in NYC Dear BuzzFlash, May I suggest you keep, at all times, a prominent link to PNAC open on your menu? Especially its "Mission Statement" with a note to readers to observe the DATE and AUTHORS. Thanks to all of you at BuzzFlash for giving us sane people a dose of "daily affirmation". Ivehad E. Noughobush. Subj: aol's news headline....9/27 Dear BuzzFlash, On their headline news story...today..is a picture of both Binladin and Hussein.. and banner headlines asking why we cannot catch these two...Why are they so hard to find???? I have an answer...Likely not the right one...but in my eyes...the reason we have not caught them..is mostly because this administration is not looking for them!! Period! They have no intention of finding them...it's not important..not now, anyway....maybe next October 2004, they will come out of their plush hiding places, and get put away...with their millions and whatever they have been promised for saving George Bush's ass!!!!! Shirley..........St.Louis Subj: Call it "Wilsongate" Hi BuzzFlash, Hope you'll get on the bandwagon, as several, including Josh Marshall of Talking Points, are now using "Wilsongate" to describe the Valerie Plume matter, and also are referring to it as a "scandal". Language counts a lot, so let's go with it. Debbie Hamilton Subj: Status of SALT I I don't understand how an unelected U.S. Chief Executive can unilaterally void SALT I, an international treaty under President Nixon and approved by U.S. Congress in 1972 and amended in 1974. Such action seems to ignore the U.S. Constitution and the powers of Congress, not to mention extreme usurpation of Executive power along with failure to maintain separation of powers. Thanks for explaining any of this. A BuzzFlash Reader Subj: Why does Limbaugh bash Clark? There is a good question I would ask as to why Limbaugh bashes Clark. Is it because the amount of bashing Limbaugh does to a candidate is in direct proportion to how much of a threat the candidate is to the Rove ideology? Just asking. A BuzzFlash Reader Subj: Fla pension fund lst invested in Enron when it was tanking, now in failing school management co buyout. Greetings, For the fourth or fifth time in my life I have been rendered speechless. It is going to take a day or two to digest this latest piece of doggerel from the JEB! franchise of Bush INC. This move sinks the republican benchmark for fiscal sanity and responsibility LOWER than the Enron stock purchase that cost State Employees some three hundred and thirty MILLION dollars. That's $330,000,000.00 Now the loons are throwing good money after bad. AND they are likely to get away with it. Somebody please help me out with this one . . . Regards, Dave Galloway * * *
Subj: Ms. Rice It seems to me that Ms. Rice has a definite memory problem. She announced that she could never have imagined planes being flown into buildings, after so many warnings from around the world. And, she now says she cannot remember reading about any doubts about the Niger Incident. Thanks, Mrs. K. Balay Subj: OMG! - MAKE IT STOP!!!! -One million+ jobs would have been lost... Buzz, Thanks again for your tireless work... The following is from McClellan's Friday briefing [LINK]:
Incredible! - Outrageous!! - UNREPORTED!!! - Frank Subj: Thanking Limbaugh I would like to tell you what I think about Rush Limbaugh. It does not bother me when Rush Limbaugh bashes people like me. It does, however, incite my highest wrath, when a man who was 4F during Viet Nam slanders a man like General Clark, who was fighting for his freedom. In fact, it makes me so furious, that the more Rush bashes, the more money I send to Little Rock. Where is Rush's silver star? Where is his bronze star? Where is his purple heart? I have finally given all $2000 to Clark's campaign, and I guess that is one thing I can thank Rush for. Martisa
Vignali Subj: Bush declares "uranium" found in Iraq Well, what a damn surprise. Bush declares there's uranium in them thar Iraqi hills. If it is there we planted it. As well as having dumped 800 tons of it on Iraq in 1991 in just four days, and untold tons recently. The whole country glows in the dark. The deadly stuff has a half-life of 4.5 billion years. Does President Numbskull imagine that little fairies swept it away. I know Dipstick doesn't posses a brain, a heart, nor does he read...but he does understand number: 1,000s of tons of uranium Dubya, lasting 4.5 billions of years. It'll be around when you can't play golf any longer...when Spot goes to doggie heaven...when Laura tires out of crocheting rhinestone-studded pink Bible covers. Does that freaking lunatic ever shutup?! Suzanne, San Francisco Subj: CALIF. RECALL ELECTION It's insane. I think the recall is wrong and ridiculous. Californians if you don't like the turn out of the next election---say arnold should be voted in---i would like to see an immediate response----by collecting 300.000 signatures for a second recall election. It's obvious you don't have to do anything criminal or illegal to be recalled. I don't see a difference between the economy in this country and in california----but we haven't recalled or impeached BUSH. Yet!!!! Keep it up BUZZ , great job. A BuzzFlash Reader re : MISSION ACCOMPLISHED by Elaine In addition to Elaine's commentary, there was another big lie associated with the show on the USS Abraham Lincoln that doesn't seem to have been noticed. The propaganda is that Bush landed on the carrier. Perhaps Bush did learn to fly in the National Guard (highly doubtful) but he certainly did not learn how to make a carrier landing. Navy and Marine pilots spend a lot of time with much instruction learning to make carrier landings which are not as simple as landing on an air strip (you have to "grab" the hook for one thing); The Air National Guard does not and Bush could not have made a carrier landing. Showing Dubya swaggering away from "his" plane carrying his helmet was just one more Riefenstal moment. Norman Subj: Bush crony profits from Iraq war Dear Buzz, Check this out. Joe Allbaugh, former FEMA head and Bush crony, is CEO of a company primed to profit from a war. http://www.newbridgestrategies.com/index.asp Margaret Subj: Limbaugh in Panic Mode If anyone has been listening to the big fat idiot for the last two weeks, they might have caught on that he is focusing on only one Democrat candidate - Wesley Clark. He has called Clark a "nut case" and "one of those maniacal generals" found in John Ludlum's novels. Rush claims Clark is a "sock puppet" for the Clintons and urges the other candidates to get angry because the Clintons are sooo powerful and are manipulating the nomination procedure. Rush is worried for them. The cigar-breathed Limbaugh has harped on the aforementioned theme almost non-stop since Clark announced. The transparent attempt at slander clearly signals the Republican's fear of the General in the upcoming election. The attempted steering of the other candidates response to the so-called Clinton maneuvers indicates a complete misread on Rush's part of the intelligence of the field. Because Rush's conservative listeners have to be told what to think and how to think - hence, "dittoheads", he has been lulled into a false sense that he is a god. I urge the BuzzFlash readers to keep up the good work and call into the Limbaugh show and let him know how to think. Jack Pryor Subj: Iraq Troop R&R Dear BuzzFlash; I watched on CNN yesterday the tearful reunions in Baltimore of troops on Iraq duty with their loved ones. The 192 soldiers are on a 2 week R & R visit. I'm sure they all need a break, and it's so generous of the military to allow 192 at a time to get one. Unfortunately, giving 192 soldiers every two weeks a break will not very quickly take care of the 130,000 currently in Iraq. In fact, if they continue at this staggering pace, it will take over 26 years to get all the troops some R & R. This doesn't count the 15,000 additional troops called up yesterday. The mainstream media, of course, didn't bother to report on this aspect of the situation. It was all honey and roses....more b.s. Sincerely, Robert Gowe Subj: The Los Angeles Times refuses to run a story on the CIA's wanting an investigation of the White House Dear BuzzFlash, When I heard the news that the CIA had requested an investigation of the White House's outing of an undercover agent for retribution, I thought, oh my God, this is big, Watergate big. (We've just learned that telling lies to rush us into a preemptive war is so big a scandal that it really doesn't count; it's off the scale.) But guess what? I couldn't find a word of it in my Saturday or Sunday newspaper, which I promptly canceled in protest. It's a rag called the Los Angeles Times, which serves the nation's second largest metropolitan area. Here's their email (letters@latimes.com) should anyone want to tell their editor that by anyone's standards, the CIA's asking for a criminal investigation of the White House is NEWS! RA in LA Subj: It's Perfectly Clear Buzz, Watching Utah Senator Robert Bennett on CSPAN (Sunday, 09/28) I suddenly "saw the light!" The good Senator was decrying the biased news coverage about Iraquagmire..... Senator Bennett proclaimed "when I watch CNN, I see we are losing the war; but when I watch (Fifteenth Century) False News, I see we are winning the war!" Well it's perfectly clear! Everyone should watch False News and nothing else! It's as plain as King George's foreign policy! But seriously, methinks Senator Bennett's undersized magic mormon underwear is constricting his thought process..... Sincerely, Bill Dougan (still pecking out the seditious rants and awaiting the knock at the front door from Kaiser AssCrack's brownshirts) BuzzFlash, Today's NY Times has a story titled "Salvation Army Shelter Charges Families to Stay." (at: LINK) That's how bad things now are. What happened? That's the question of the day: "What the Hell happened to this country?" This past week, we learn that poverty is as high now as it was in 1929! Does that figure scare you? It does me. Yet, it received little fanfare from the media, other than a bland reading between the weather and vacation travel tips. I won't be surprised to start hearing it used for bragging rights: " Screw that 'Big Depression' talk by our parents/grandparents, we have more poor folk today than they did!" It seems that record unemployment, record poverty and record homelessness don't count as long as some rich magnates aren't jumping out windows as in the (last?) Depression. Here in NYC, we have cops arresting homeless for sleeping on church steps. And don't try the trite answer: "Bush happened." He didn't happen in a vacuum, and at least half of the supposedly mentally aware people in this country is still satisfied with the shape we're in. And, if you recall, he came damn close to beating Gore in the 2000 election. Those people don't reflect the America I grew up in. So, what happened? Jack Ballinger Subj: My fax to the CIA To the CIA, September 29, 2003 Below is my letter to Attorney General John Ashcroft concerning the blown identity of one of your agents allegedly by some within our own government and a journalist named Robert Novak. I am angry with this. If we are to be a safe and secure nation, that means that those agents working to help keep America safe must not be compromised. Never before have I felt so unsafe as I do right now, CIA. I feel whoever was complicit in this, should be charged with treason, tried and jailed. We as a nation cannot tolerate any breach in our intelligence and our national security. While I have not always been an avid fan of the actions of my government, I admire and support those who put their life in danger everyday to protect my family's safety and me. Sincerely, Mary MacElveen Subj: BBC Panorama - The Price of Victory Hi Folks, There was a very well done documentary on BBC last night about the Situation in Iraq. It's available at [LINK] The 45 minute program was called - The price of Victory, and it shows what's been going on for the last three months. I wish all my fellow Americans could hear and see what our own boys are saying. I think your readers would like to see this. Thanks for all your great work. I'll contribute as soon as I find another job. Bobby Brown Subj: "the most insidious of traitors" Oh, I see that you already have a link to a WashPost story that includes the GHW quote. It's great that the Post picked that up. I hope someone corners GHW himself and asks him about it to his face. ~~robyn su Subj: "New Bridge Strategies": Former RNC Chairman Halley Barbour, Former . . .
Buzz, how can this be possible!?! Another grotesque example of who is benefiting from U.S. invasion of a sovereign nation; Bush lies; and troops deaths; and sewage lined streets of Iraq. A BuzzFlash Reader Subj: Powell Dear Buzz, Re: Powell's statements coming back at him --
Deborah Mattingly Conner I wonder why we thought they were linked?
A BuzzFlash Reader Hi Buzz, Here is something. I really like Howard Dean, but the day Clark came on, I decided to back him for many reasons, and to irritate Rush Limbaugh, I gave a truckload of money to his campaign. I would like a Clark/Dean ticket. There is something Dean left out when discussing Clark. I don't understand why Dean didn't explain that Clark voted for Clinton both times. That's just the missing piece I was wondering about. mv Subj: Protecting Leaks to Reporters
Dear Buzz, Who is this "administration official" who leaked information to the Washington Post about two other "White House officials [who] leaked the information to selected journalists to discredit Wilson." [LINK] Robert Novak is apparently protecting his sources and won't tell who called him suggesting he disclose the identity of Wilson's wife. The reporters who called Wilson to warn him [that White House officials had called them to do the same] are not saying who those administration officials are. I don't understand. Disclosing and making public classified information is, supposedly, an act of treason. Refusing to identify [were the links "anonymous?"] the persons guilty of this treason, however, is "protecting one's journalistic sources", and considered honorable, and reporters have chosen to go to jail rather than disclose their sources. What's wrong with this picture? Anybody think Ashcroft will investigate this matter? Think anybody will even remember this travesty two months from now? Where is the outrage? Where is the press on this?! Don't let this story die!! A BuzzFlash reader Subj: Electronic Voting Thank you for the interview with Bev Harris and for putting her book on your site. I will start downloading the pages and pass them out to my neighbors. I live in Georgia and would rather put a pencil mark on paper than touch another computer screen (like I did for the first time in Nov. 2002). If nothing changes in Georgia for the 2004 election, I may as well not even vote. A faithful reader of BuzzFlash, June ps. Wesley Clark for President (no chance with electronic voting) Subj: Bev Harris Bravo, Bev Harris is going down in history as "the woman who saved democracy". This story is "stunning". It's truly the "Pentagon Papers" of vote scams. I'm not surprised she's releasing her book for free. That should put to rest once and for all, the liars who keep saying, "she's just trying to sell her book". Thank you for your interview. Please keep helping her. She's, no doubt, going to need it. She's made some very powerful and dangerous enemies. Everybody needs to protect her as much as they can. Thank you. Joan Ranade Subj: Deer have nothing on Condi Good Morning BuzzFlash: I watched Meet the Punk,....uh....I mean, Meet the Press yesterday and I laughed out loud at Russert's interview of Condoleeza Rice. She was so nervous she had that deer in the headlight look about her the entire interview and you could even hear the nervousness in her voice. Russert, as usual, rolled over for the administration, not having the courage to ask Rice about her statements in early 2001 that Iraq was no threat, but at least he did a better job on Rice than he did 2 weeks ago on Cheney. I'm still fuming over the Cheney interview. I've written NBC about that interview so many times I'm surprised they're not blocking my email. Keep up the good work on BuzzFlash. I check in at least a dozen times a day trying to keep up with the latest events and I'm never disappointed with the quality or the quantity of news. Thanks for all your hard work Carolyn Ball I'm amazed there has been no press on Ms Rice's admission to Tim (GE) Russert yesterday that the White House "forgot" about the CIA's memo of reservation re the yellow cake story when they, the WH, were preparing W's rush-to-war speech. Apparently it just slipped their minds. A BuzzFlash Reader Today's Wash Post articles about the CIA leak contain a few interesting, if hidden, factoids: 1. Condi told Russert yesterday that she wasn't the leak. So now the White House can't say "no comment" if we continue down the line and ask other senior white house officials if THEY were the leak. She's already put the issue into play. They can't say "there's an ongoing investigation so we can't talk" because Condi already talked. 2. According to the Post, President Bush has no intention of asking his staff if they did this. Why? That's absolutely bizarre. Pres Bush has no interest in whether a senior aide committed a felony that endangered national security? He has no interest in whether one of his top aides continues to be a felon, or whether one of his top aides continues to be a security risk to the nation during a time of war? 3. The article says that the leaker will likely not be found, because they're never found. If true, that would mean a known felon who is a security risk to the United States during a time of war remains in the highest levels of the White House. That alone is worthy of a massive growing story. The White house can't ignore the story, even if the probe can't find the name of the official who did it, because that means the dangerous felon remains at large in the White House - a bit juicier story than "one of my aides smokes pot." And finally, this once again begs the question of why the president won't simply ask his staff if anyone did this, and who did it? The president would rather have a $40 million investigation waste our taxpayer money? This White House had no problem seeking out Joe-Six-Pack Military Guy who criticized the president in violation of the rules, but going after senior aide who is risking people's lives leaking highly classified CIA info, that's something they don't plan to do? It's downright bizarre - we ought to make that the next story, why is Bush ignoring this? John Subj: Touch screen Voting Lawsuit Follow up to Bev Harris Interview: In October 8, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals will be hearing oral argument in the case of Weber v. Jones, challenging the constitutionality of paperless touch screen voting machines. This is the most significant legal challenge to rigged elections currently in the courts. Oral argument will be in Pasadena, CA. The lawsuit was filed over two years ago. Press Release: http://electionguardians.org/details.htm A BuzzFlash Reader Subj: Annoyed at DNC Dear BuzzFlash, A week or so ago I wrote to the DNC webmaster and suggested that they should include BuzzFlash in their list of links, as did many other BuzzFlash readers. As of today, no such link exists. I can't know this, but I get the feeling that the DNC thinks BuzzFlash and its adherents are too radical. Frankly, this pisses me off mightily. This smacks of the "insider-outsider" fight that may well be going on in the DNC. I think the DNC is foolish not to embrace this constituency with all its energy, passion, and intelligence. As I have said many times, I think BuzzFlash is intelligent, witty, principled, and uncensoring in its treatment of the issues, just like a patriotic, democratic, constitution-loving website should be. We are all adults here and we can think about the issues and make up our minds in an informed way -- as long as we get accurate information. On the one hand, BuzzFlash helps us connect the dots (sorry for using this overused phrase). On the other hand, I appreciate the fact the BuzzFlash has not pushed one view or one candidate over another at this point in the race. I believe there is one thing we are 100% agreed on -- we must remove the Bush cartel from office. For the moment, that is enough for me. The Bush administration's antics are so EGREGIOUSLY BAD that, irrespective of economic philosophy, ANYBODY who claims to care about the truthfulness of our leaders and the democratic process SHOULD BE EXTREMELY ANGRY at this group of lying liars. I get mail from the DNC every day asking me for money. Today I will tell them that they will get no money from me until I see BuzzFlash on their website. Instead, I will give money to my Democratic candidate of choice. That will just have to suffice for now. Sincerely, Leslie
in Boston Subj: novak or the white house? i just read that bush has no intention of asking anyone in the white house if they outed the cia agent. jesus christ! is he nuts? does he know the meaning of the word treason? where is laura when you need her? he had no idea how the 16 words got in his speech either! what does he do? just sleep all the time? someone is lying---novak said two senior officials in the white house told him. is novak the liar or the white house? randi and
roomies Subj: Wolfowitz at New School University Wolfowitz was “eaten alive”at New School University –C-Span aired it in the middle of the night, Sat. night. The protesters were loud and passionate. It did my heart good. –Kate, Boynton Beach * * *
Subj: 60 Minutes - September 28 In case you missed it, Mike Wallace did a great piece of reporting on eminent domain being used to take private property from individuals to give it, not to the government for roads or schools, but to other individuals or companies who want it for development and profit. The story he did was excellent and should be read because the practice defies morality: [LINK] But, he forgot to use one example. One of the biggest beneficiaries of the use of eminent domain to take private land from individuals without political power to give it to individuals with power and influence is sitting in the white house today. The ballpark at arlington was taken from unwilling land owners to be given to a group of wealthy investors, including george w. Bush....for their own personal profit. Mike Wallace missed that example while doing his story. Norman Subj: Robert Novak is rather hard to believe on any occasion, but this quote coming from him is the most lame piece of crap - even coming from him. [LINK]
Really! "it might be difficult if she was traveling abroad"?? A weak request?? Aren't the grave dangers of outing a secret operative common knowledge. Isn't that why there's an Intelligence Protection Act. Doesn't everyone know that this puts the agent's life in danger, along with his or her circle of operatives? Did Novak need this spelled out to him? He knew exactly what he was doing. I only hope he pays for it. And hooray for Jim Wilson, a man with guts. He's not intimidated by the Rove. Go gett'em Jim. Keep up the good work Barbara in NYC Subj: A lil G Dubya Wisdom
Concerned Citizen Subj: Halliburton and S.1125 BuzzFlash, The S.1125 asbestos legislation now nearing a vote will benefit Halliburton by an immediate retroactive dismissal of it's 4 billion dollar settlement agreement. The legislation will also reverse the negative effect that asbestos claims had on Halliburton stock sending it plummeting to $8.50 from $45 a share. The current value of $24 should double on the news of passage. The shift in financial power to the corporations from trial attorneys who will lose the fees from asbestos claims will further damage the ability of Democrats to raise money. This is a story that needs to be highlighted. These are links to significant stories on the subject.
Barry Why is Robert Novak not in jail? He betrayed the name of a CIA agent, a Federal offense. He refuses to name his source, which is contempt of court, and carries (for liberals) an indeterminate sentence. Enquiring minds want to know... Dan Subj: Bush administration takes cues from old Steve Martin routines Dear Buzz, I think I finally figured out where the Bush administration is going with this whole Iraq thing. They’re lifting material from old Steve Martin routines! Did you see Condi Rice on Meet the Press yesterday? I LOVED her rendition of Martin’s bit during her explanation of how that uranium story got back into Bush’s SOTU speech. “I-I-I-I FORGOT!!”I tell you, I laughed so hard, I nearly fell off my chair! What’s next? Rummy justifying the post-planning debacle with “WELL, EXCU-U-U-U-SE ME?”I can’t wait for the whole gang to dress up like Egyptians and do their “King Tut”send-up. --Kate Subj: Lib Dem Gun Owner Dear Buzz Flash: As a gun owning liberal Democrat, I have to sound off on the persistent view that possession of guns inevitably lead to violence (i.e. gunguys.com). If true, why have I not yet killed anyone with my Ruger New Model Single Six .22 LR/.22 Win. Mag. (that's a handgun, all you hatas), my two lever action deer rifles passed on to me by my gramps and father in law, the 20-ga. pump shotgun and .22 LR Ruger 10/22 given to me by my social justice oriented wife (attn. hatas: the latter being a semi-automatic weapon). The only life form to perish under the onslaught of this "home arsenal" has been a young bull elk (and maybe, hopefully, a nice buck this fall), although it is true that a few cans and plastic bottles made a detour to my improvised, private land country shooting range on their way to the great recycling bin in the sky. All my shooting buddies are and have been strong vocal Democrats, by the way. My fellow liberals and progressives need to realize that there is such a thing as responsible gun use and possession, that not all gun owners are fire breathing right wingers, racists or homophobes, and most importantly, most of us don't kill others. Anti-gun activists should remember me and my friends having fun (yes, fun) blasting clay pigeons against a clear New Mexico sky or punching holes in targets next time as they pursue their various initiatives. In the meantime, I hope to hunt and blast cans until I'm too old to walk into the hills near home. David Gomez Subj: Our leaders continue to iterate the sos As a prefatory remark, allow me to state that your WEB site is extremely informative and useful, and in my case, it has kept me from going insane during the months pre- during and post invasion of Iraq. What bothers my wife and me now is that with all this wealth of information, some of the media still continue to ignore the facts or repeat the sos that has been proven to be falsehoods. (I was surprised to notice that good old Robert Novak did a sort of volte-face in his recent column--sometimes miracles do happen.) What incenses us is that interviewers on TV or radio are intimidated to the point that they let the likes of Cheney, Condi, and Powell continue to spew the sos about wmd and vans etc., without attempting to refute them with "their own quotes" prior to the invasion in which they stated categorically that Iraq was on its knees and in no way represented a threat to us. Why can't those pusillanimous journalists quote back those lines to these liars? I just had to get this off my chest. Here in Texas one has to be careful whom one talks to about these matters lest you get your head shot off. Let alone place any of your stickers on a car bumper. Keep up the fight, and thanks for helping us readers steer our path through all the muck that surrounds us. Fred Cerreta Subj: Wilsongate The fact that a top White House official would expose the identity of a CIA operative to punish and chill others from coming forward with evidence of crimes is beyond despicable. The fact that Robert Novak would participate in these jackboot tactics is nauseating. The fact that the likes of Tim Russert and Andrea Mitchell let this Administration fob off evasions and non-answers as though their replies are actually satisfactory is plain depressing. When White House spokesman Scott McClellan said, "I'm not aware of any information that has come to our attention beyond the anonymous media sources to suggest there's anything to White House involvement", his doublespeak almost made me laugh. I kept waiting to see if anyone in the press corps was awake enough to dive through the opening. I mean, it would be like Bill Clinton saying, "Other than the semen stains on the blue dress and Linda Tripp's tape recordings, I'm not aware of any evidence suggesting I was enjoying the felicitatious attentions of my intern", and all the reporters going "Oh, okay. Thanks for clearing that up for us", and dutifully reporting the explanation as if it made perfect sense. I'm not a reporter myself but given half a chance I'd have asked, "Sir, you mentioned two sources that are anonymous in the media. Can you tell us whether these sources are also anonymous among all you White House insiders?" According to my dictionary, the word anonymous does not mean false or illegitimate. I wonder what McClellan's dictionary says. A reasonably good reporter could at least have asked how high are the odds that even one top White House official would falsely accuse the most powerful administration in the world with a serious crime like treason? And my goodness, when Condoleezza Rice told Fox News Sunday that "it certainly would not be the way that the president would expect his White House to operate". Would expect. When this administration often defines something by what it is not, and that's a pretty classic evasion technique. Even the most fawning, awe-struck cub reporter ought to be able to rally himself out of a Xanax-soaked stupor long enough to ask whether Rice was allowing for the possibility that the president would expects his White House to successfully get away with their crimes, by operating in ways that will not get them caught. Meanwhile, the White House is circling the wagons. The stonewalling and feigned indifference are depressing enough but now the DOJ itself seems to be foot-dragging when they should be vigorously seeking out the evildoer and bringing him to justice. When our top law enforcement officials seem to aid a criminal cover-up it truly ought to shock the conscience of every American. An immediate independent investigation must be undertaken immediately. Rosamond Thanks to BuzzFlash and others for keeping the information about Wilson's wife alive. I heard about this injustice a month ago at the least from your site and it is just now making the regular media. We have got to keep the pressure for justice in this manner alive. Bush and his ilk want to bury it and spin it until the matter is dropped. This is serious business. What was done is illegal, immoral and treasonous. We cannot let them get away with this one. Connie Cole Subj: Dennis sMeller Buzz, The Repugs have discovered a whole new trick. We all know they will do ANYTHING to win and now they have discovered the power of....... CELEBRITIES!!! They now want that unfunny jerk dennis miller to go after Barbara Boxer's seat. It just happens that Boxer is a thorn in bush's side. So now we have arrrnolt, miller, kelsy grammer and who knows who else being brought into the repug circle because celebs have a built in fan/voter base ready to be tapped. Wasn't it only some months ago that the repug machine was doing back flips over celebs voicing their opinions about the war? All the screeching heads like limburger,hannitized,o'lielly and the local wannabes were frothing about people like Sheen, Streisand, Dixie Chicks, Penn and others, saying they were only Hollywood people and had no right to talk. They trashed them with all their power, BUT NOW.............Are there a scummier bunch of hypocrites anywhere on the planet????? Phil Rowland Subj: the Limbaugh solution It is generally agreed that Rush Limbaugh gets away with his racism and sexism without any rebuttal. Till now that is: If all printed (your site and the many others on the left) reference to Limbaugh was prefaced with the title "White House Spokesman".. just think what would happen! Bob Subj: Robert Novak/ Joseph Wilson/ Valerie Plame/ Matt Drudge I remember reading Robert Novak's article, that is now in controversy, from a link (with a spin) from the DRUDGEREPORT...I also remember that the "SPINNED" seemed to be a non sequitur from the actual article...I also seem to remember that the mention of Mr. Wilson and his wife as the subjects of Mr. Novak's article to be as much as a non sequitur to anything happening at the time (but in retrospect, I see clearly now) but just another "BLAME IT ON CLINTON" article. IMO, Mr. Novak was handed a "Bill of Goods" to deflect from something else going on at that time. IMO, Mr. Novak, in his overzealous "anti-Clinton" prejudice, took the bait and ran with...w/o realizing he was being...SCREWED, BLUED and TATTOOED!!! WE SHALL SEE...WHAT WE SHALL SEE!!! A BuzzFlash Reader Subj: TRUE or FALSE, the OUTING of CIA... At this present time Sept.29,03; 10:30p.m. Robert Novak responds:"Nobody in the Bush Administration called me to leak this". --DRUDGE Report. WHO is LYING? According to the Washington Post, Novak was not the only one called, total of 6 journalist were each called and told the same story, by two White House informers. For several months nobody made a big deal, until the Democrats started to call for an investigation, now that its "in the media", did Robert Novak get a "call" from Carl Rove? Now the FBI wants to investigate whether or not a "crime" was committed? Excuse me, even a high school drop out from Texas, could figure this one out. A BuzzFlash Reader Subj: Bob Novak Dear BuzzFlash, Where is Bob Novak in all of this? He is the one who wrote the article about Wilson's wife, and included her name. If he didn't know this was Federally Frowned On, to put it mildly, he should have had the common sense to keep the lid on it. Since he didn't, why isn't he considered dangerous to our safety just as the so called High Government Officials are? They ought all to be sent packing! Stephanie Subj: Drudge Sinks To A New Low The Slimers' New Target [LINK] Drudge has posted the fact that Joseph Wilson contributed $1000 to the Kerry campaign. So what is he saying here? That Wilson had it coming to him? That his wife and her contacts around the world deserve to be put in danger? Because they support Democrats? You snivel-nosed ass. No wonder you wear a fedora. It keeps the crap from escaping. Howard Subj: UPI COULD THIS BE WHY BUSH ADMIN BACKED FM H SCHEFFER AS NATO'S NEW SEC?
A BuzzFlash Reader Subj: use patriot act against bush Hey all you Buzzers............ or Flashers, as the case may be. Help me out friends. Shouldn't we start a campaign urging U. S. Attorney General John Ashcroft to use his new expanded authority vis a vis the USPATRIOT ACT to investigate who in the White House committed treason? After all, we are at war! Our secret assets come at a tremendous expense, and blowing their cover not only exposes them to danger but anyone who has ever had any contact with them. And of course it renders whatever intelligence was developed as a result of their work pretty damn well useless. All of this for what? The most selfish, inexcusable reason of all; political retribution, which by it's very definition goes against the principles our country was founded upon. Come on folks, I say we deluge Ashcroft demanding he demonstrate the full reach of this overreaching law and get the real criminals who are endangering our country! Just a thought. Jay Bagi |
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