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Subj: Quote of the Day

"As someone who served with President Reagan, and in the interest of historical accuracy, please allow me to share with you some of my recollections of the Reagan years that I hope will make it into the final cut of the mini-series: $640 Pentagon toilet seats; ketchup as a vegetable; union-busting; firing striking air-traffic controllers; Iran-Contra; selling arms to terrorist nations; trading arms for hostages; retreating from terrorists in Beirut; lying to Congress; financing an illegal war in Nicaragua; visiting Bitburg cemetery; a cozy relationship with Saddam Hussein; shredding documents; Ed Meese; Fawn Hall; Oliver North; James Watt; apartheid apologia; the savings-and-loan scandal; voodoo economics; record budget deficits; double-digit unemployment; farm bankruptcies; trade deficits; astrologers in the White House; Star Wars; and influence-peddling."

- John Dingell, D-Mich, after Conservatives complained the CBS mini-series, "The Reagans" was full of inaccuracies.

Subj: To the left of the extreme right

I, too, am quite tired of the Dean bashing saying he is too liberal. While it's true he is definitely to the left of the Republican Party, they've moved so far right that actually just puts Dean right in the middle where most Americans want to be. I hope Dean makes this point loudly and often because they should not be allowed to get away with it.

We also need to re-claim that "liberal" is actually an honorable word, as in that our country was founded as a "liberal democracy." It's high time, instead, to demonize the word, "conservative." I had understood it used to mean someone who would conserve fiscal and environmental resources -- but not this crowd. They're destroying both!!

Loyal Buzz Reader

Subj: Hacked poll on Senator Frist's site

*********READ THIS FROM THE CLARK04 BLOG********

Quote:

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***NEWS ALERT***

In case anyone has missed it, there's a debate going on on the floor of the U.S. Senate as we speak, in which Republicans are trying to shame Democrats into passing the most egregious four of Bush's judicial nominees (Pickering, Estrada, Owen, Pryor). They've scheduled 30 hours of debate on this subject and are currently in hour 23.

Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) began the debate by announcing that Americans overwhelmingly want the Senate to fulfill its Constitutional duty to give the judicial nominees an up or down vote.

Those of you who were on the blog last night know where I'm going with this. Guess what Frist cited as his evidence that Americans want an up or down vote? He cited a poll that was up on his Website yesterday, a poll which, as of 7:30 last night, due to postings here and on other Dem blogs such as DU and Kos, was losing badly. With about 2,900 votes, 21 percent were for the up-or-down vote, and 79 percent were against, even though the question was so heavily loaded as to be an outright push poll.

Then, at about 7:45, as I sat in the computer lab in my university's library reading this blog and checking the Frist Website, something really strange began to happen before my eyes. The numbers started changing. About 200-400 votes a minute started coming in, and every single one of them was "yes." By 8:30, there were something like 13,000 votes (yes, that's right, 10,000 votes in an hour...something which, if true, would, I'm sure, by far set an all-time record for the number of visits to a Senator's Website in a one-hour period). The results had changed. "Yes" was now winning.

Senator Frist stood on the floor of the Senate this morning and announced that Americans wanted an up-or-down vote on these four judicial nominees on the basis of a blatantly hacked poll.

I've tried everything to get the word out. I called Daschle's office. I called the National Desk of the Washington Post. I called Schumer's office (he's a firebrand, and he's been taking the lead in fighting for the right to filibuster...plus which, I like the guy). I even called Frist's office (and got shunted off to a recorded message).

Ladies and gentlemen, they're at it again, and I saw it with my own eyes (of course, this isn't the first time -- I was in the House chamber when they impeached Clinton). But let's do what we can to get the word out. Cross-post this email to other blogs. If you know a staffer in a Democratic Senate office, call them and try to get their attention. If they want to talk to me, since I actually saw it happen, drop me an email (jacobsen@gwu.edu). Call the call-in shows tonight. Don't let them get away with it!!!

Posted by DC Pol Sci at November 13, 2003 03:14 PM | Add to this discussion

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A BuzzFlash Reader

Subj: Judge Moore

Dear Buzz

RE: Ten Commandments Judge Removed From Bench

"It would have violated my conscience, violated my oath of office and violated every rule of law I had sworn to uphold," Moore said.

This guy is trying to go for a breakdown of church and state....destroy our Constitution. This is every bit as bad as Wallace defying civil rights legislation. The right decision was made here, (IMHO) in my humble opinion.

Cathi Lowery
Vancouver, WA

Buzzy Baby -- Ambien Powell looks like he's on auto pilot. Right hand constantly in motion. Drawn affect. Rapid speech. 6:15 PBS news. I would have considered this odd even if I hadn't read the Ambien quote. Cundy looks beat, too. Hyper nervous.

Lizzy W.

Subj: Dubya Does Social Security

Buzz,

Helen Masters' mailbag letter of 11/13 quotes Tom Harkin - "Bush is right at this moment trying to eliminate social security."

Why doesn't DimSon try to live on the lousy $1000/month Social Security I'll make at retirement - after making payments to this fund all my adult working life. That's bad enough, but now IdiotChief wants to rob me even of that?

The government took money from me based on a contract that I would receive Social Security upon retirement. DimSon wants to break that contract?

There are laws against breach of contract. Do we citizens class-action sue? Or force him to return all the payments we've made, since, like any cheating scumbag, he refuses to honor his end of that contract?

T Quigly

Subj: about judge roy moore

they said on tv that two thirds of the people in alabama agree with him. my mom said there was a time when two thirds of alabama did not want their white kids to go to the same school with me, a black girl. so does two thirds make it right?

keri swift in memphis tn

Subj: Soldiers are Getting Shafted

Buzz,

I believe that the decision has already been made at the highest levels that the draft WILL be reinstated. How else to explain the way our troops serving in Iraq are being shamelessly mistreated by the military brass and this administration? A lot of the troops aren't getting paid, they aren't getting prompt medical attention, their insurance is being dropped as soon as they get wounded and they are told to beg when they come home wounded. This administration and the military brass is showing total disregard for any contempt their actions might be creating within the ranks of troops. They just don't seem to care whether or not they piss off the troops so much that reenlistments diminish to the point of making the all-volunteer military nonfunctional. Why? Well, if the decision has already been made that the draft will be reinstated, why should they care? They will get their warm bodies one way or another.

You just watch and see. As soon as the presidential election is over, if Bush is elected for the first time (or the election is hijacked by republican-friendly voting machine vendors), the draft will be reinstated. Watch what they do, not what they say. The White House denies that it has intentions of reinstating the draft. But, the way they are treating the troops tells a different story. The way they are behaving toward the troops proves that they just don't care if they lose volunteer enlistments. If they cared about keeping volunteers, they wouldn't be treating our troops like throw aways.

A BuzzFlash Reader

Sent to:bob graham <bob_graham@graham.senate.gov>; tom daschle <tom_daschle@daschle.senate.gov>; Rockefeller, Senator (Rockefeller) <Senator@rockefeller.senate.gov>; shelby <senator@shelby.senate.gov>; portergoss <Porter.Goss@mail.house.gov>; John McCain <john_mccain@mccain.senate.gov>:

Subj: 9-11 Victims Criticize Deal with White House

This is what happens when the Democrats failed to investigate the events of 9-11 when they had control of the Senate. This is what happens when you have some one like Lee Hamilton as the top so called Democrat as the Vice Chairman of the 9-11 Commission.

All this talk of subpoenas was to provide a cover for a deal with the White House that the Commission is refusing to disclose. There is only one reason to hide the details of the agreement from the public and that is because it cedes too much too the White House and President Bush and allows them to continue the 9-11 coverup.

Only Tim Roemer and Max Cleland seem to be able to see the situation for what it is, a continuation of the coverup of the 9-11 events and the failure of the Bush administration to protect the country.

Anyone who has studied the matter closely would realize that much of what happened that day makes no sense unless there was gross negligence or they let it happen. Over two years later we do not have an explanation as to why there was a complete failure on the part of the FAA and NORAD. We have no explanation as to why Bush just sat there doing nothing while we were under attack. We have no explanation for a delay of almost two hours in giving the shoot down orders. We have no explanation for why those responsible for the failure were promoted and rewarded. The Commanding General of NORAD was promoted to be CG of Northern Command in addition to his NORAD assignment. The FBI Agent who blocked the Moussaoui investigation was promoted and given an FBI award. How could this happen? How can incompetence be rewarded. Why was it rewarded?

This should not be a partisan matter. This is not a case of a White House intern. This was an attack on the American people and has led to wars and threats of more wars.

We must know why this happened. Why there was a failure to protect the American people. In my eyes anyone acting to protect the President and the administration at the expense of the truth and the victims of 9-11 is a traitor. Democrat or Republican, it makes no difference.

Robert E. Reynolds, Orange Park, Fl

* * *

9-11 Victims' Relatives Criticize Deal [LINK]

By LAURENCE ARNOLD

WASHINGTON (AP) - Relatives of people who perished in the Sept. 11 attacks say a federal commission accepted too many conditions in striking a deal with the White House over access to secret intelligence documents.

The Family Steering Committee, a group of victims' relatives who are monitoring the work of the independent commission, criticized the agreement announced late Wednesday. Under the deal, only some of the 10 commissioners will be allowed to examine classified intelligence documents, and their notes will be subject to White House review.

"All 10 commissioners should have full, unfettered and unrestricted access to all evidence,'' the group said in a statement Thursday. It urged the public release of ``the full, official, and final written agreement."

Subj: Limbaugh and Powell

Dear BuzzFlash,

You know, it is almost unbelievable that Powell would say something like that.."you don't use Ambien"?.."everyone around here uses it!" Not only is that bad...it is dim-witted. Does he not know that is a drug???

I agree with whomever it was who wrote that we must not let this thing with Limbaugh just go by without any notice...I have been listening to that idiot's program since he has been gone...just out of curiosity...Believe me, Roger Hedgecock is hard to take...and all the ditto heads call in and say they are praying for Rush...as if he has had a heart attack...or worse!! I cannot even imagine any democrat...from President Clinton on down to the lowliest dem...getting by with anything like this.

It is as if nothing anyone on the liberal side says.....means a thing!!!

And it gets worse. From the beginning of this war....I have made many enemies, just asking why....why..why are we there...I was not aware that anyone in Iraq did anything to us...You know, folks, actually to Iraq, we are the enemy!!!!!!

No one will give me an answer...many have actually cried because I even asked.

I have gotten so distressed....I finally just decided that I was all alone in my thoughts and let it be!

And, most of these are family members! But last week, I won over three people!

Little things mean a lot, sometimes!!!

Peace..........Shirley..........St. Louis

Subj: Save a Conservative this Xmas season!!!

Let's all pitch in and pledge to give each of our "CONservative" acquaintances a copy of Peter Hart's "Oh Really? factor"

Start this campaign and I'll be the first to order through BuzzFlash. Consider direct mailing to the recipient...

Roger

Subj: You have gotta see this........

I posted this on my message board:

Name: Stewert
Subject: Republican Majority Leader Frist Changed And Rigged His Own Poll!
Thu, Nov 13 2003 at 9:37 pm

Check this out, frist put a poll on his senate website. When he did not like the results, he changed the wording of the poll. Then he changed it again, at least 4 times from what I see. Look at the results after 3000 votes, then 9000 votes, then look at the final results after he changed the wording of the poll 3 or 4 times. It seems to me he changed the question to get the answer he wanted. And he changed the meaning of the question during the poll. Either way he changed the wording of the poll at least 4 times, what's up with that ?

-----------

[Article Link]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - According to an old adage, there are no stupid questions, only stupid answers.

But, as U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist may have learned this week, on the Internet it can be hard to tell which is which.

On Wednesday, Frist's Senate Web site had posed visitors a simple, if somewhat leading, yes-or-no proposition: "Should the president's nominees to the federal bench be allowed an up or down vote on confirmation as specified in the Constitution?"

But, with the Senate locked in a marathon debate over Democrats' blocking of four of President Bush's conservative judicial nominees, the question quickly set off a online political brawl marked by allegations, firmly denied, of high-tech ballot rigging in the Tennessee Republican's office.

The online poll, a regular feature of Frist's site, normally generates limited interest. The previous day, a question about honoring veterans drew just 35 votes.

But the nominee question was spotted by a liberal weblogger, or online diarist, known as Atrios, who linked to Frist's site and asked his readers to weigh in. By early evening, over 9,000 people had responded, with some 60 percent voting "No."

----------

Frist's spokesman, Bob Stevenson, denied on Thursday the poll had been changed to try to ensure any particular result, attributing the initial back-and-forth to efforts to foil the automatic voting programs that were being used.

"They are up there to allow people to give their honest feedback. Wherever the chips may fall, that's fine," he said.

Now look at some screen shots a thoughtful person took at different times during the poll.

To see the screen shots go here.

DU.com has a thread on it too: Link on Democratic Underground

Steve

Subj: Hit and Run

While watching the news last night and hearing how Bush is now demanding a more speedy "Iraqification", my wife commented that Bush is like a hit and run driver. Perfect. President Hit and Run.

Mark Cashman
Yonkers, NY

Subj: Oilition

The way the Iraqi Crumbles

Thank goodness for our long-time allies Azerbaijan, Estonia and Honduras.

It's sincere and proven friends like these that come through in a crisis.

I love the sound of the word Coalition, but really it should be called the OILition for accuracy.

The list of the contributing nations to The Oilition below is most revealing for its analysis not of what the respective Governments have done, which is to send its children to War, Death and Occupation -- but for its analysis of what the actual living breathing tax paying soldier parenting PEOPLE of those countries think about it.

Be All That You Can Be, Amigos.

Roger

* * *

Iraq: the crumbling coalition [LINK]

As Italy mourns and Japan abandons plans to send troops, Bush desperately scrambles for new approach " ..General John Abizaid, head of US Central Command, said: 'The goal of the enemy is not to defeat us militarily. The goal is to break the will of the United States, to make us leave.' ..."

Click Here: Check out "Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Bush to meet bereaved British relatives"

Buzz,

Why is Bush not meeting with the bereaved relatives of American soldiers that died in his war on Iraq? Remember how he was going to have to be the one "that hugged the mothers" of the dead? Karl Rove's planned photo-op with the British parents will surely backfire here in the US.

Gigi

Subj: Senator Lautenberg

Did you guys catch Senator Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey last night? He gave one of the best political speeches I've ever heard. He took it to the Republicans with bare knuckles. When he was finished, Lindsey Graham appeared to have shrunk about four sizes, and his voice got all squeaky. The onset of puberty, no doubt. But seriously -- check out Lautenberg's remarks -- it's best to see it, but it's probably worth reading, too.

And if Norm Coleman isn't the sleaziest hypocrite in the bunch, it must mean Dick Armey isn't around anymore. Man, is Paul Wellstone being missed now...

Thanks,

Jim McGill
St. Pete Beach, FL