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Subj: Iraq War and the Injured

Subj: NRO Article

I found an article at National Review Online that I thought you'd like to see:

http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/krikorian200401070923.asp

"If the supply of foreign workers were to dry up (say, through actually enforcing the immigration law, for starters), employers would respond to this new, tighter, labor market in two ways. One, they would offer higher wages, increased benefits, and improved working conditions, so as to recruit and retain people from the remaining pool of workers...By holding down natural wage growth in labor-intensive industries, immigration serves as a subsidy for low-wage, low-productivity ways of doing business, retarding technological progress and productivity growth."

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subj: Kucinich

Buzz,

I really appreciated the Kucinich interview. I think his ideals are on the mark, and I admire someone who has the guts to share a progressive and peaceful vision. Based on his values, I'd like to see him win the nomination.

I'd like to see the other candidates take you up on your offer!

I read BuzzFlash (almost) every day, and I am grateful for the good information you put forth. You're my beacon of light in the gloomy climate of the current administration.

Thanks.

Vicki Stein

Subj: Kucinich Interview

What an excellent interview! I have been a BuzzFlash fan for some time now. I'm sure you're aware the media has been less than helpful in informing the people where the candidates stand and have decided for us who we should vote for. Thank you, thank you, thank you for this fantastic interview.

Sincerely,

Clarity Sanderson

Subj: Thank You for Kucinich

Thank you for giving me a political candidate by reporting on Dennis Kucinich. This is the person I have been waiting to vote for. The buzz is you guys are a flash of hope in the media murk.

Mary Jane LaVigne
Grateful Reader

Subj: Helicopter

Dear Buzz:

The news from Iraq tonight is simply ghastly. It just sickens me to think that we lost nine more young Americans, in the full bloom of their youth, to Mr. Bush's abominable, illegal war in Iraq.

The U.S. death toll is now approximately 500. When in God's name are the American people going to demand an end to this monstrous invasion of Iraq? Today, Colin Powell announced that there never was any real link between Al Queda and Iraq; moreover, he also announced that there never were any weapons of mass destruction. And, The Carnegie Institute's recent report is completely devastating to the entire Bush justification for the war. As BuzzFlash always intones: "Bush lies and our soldiers die".

Nevertheless, it remains quite disturbing that the American people have been so easy to dupe regarding this invasion of Iraq. No amount of evidence seems to sway them en masse away from supporting Bush on this. Perhaps if the Democrats presented a united front and demanded, every day, that Bush stand up and explain exactly why he is over there in Iraq, the media would be forced to confront Bush over these deceptions.

Unfortunately, our pathetic little candidates like Lieberman and Kerry and Dick "bomb em back to the stone age" Gephardt are spending all of their time and efforts making sure that Howard Dean is completely neutralized as an effective candidate for the Fall of 2004.

Ironically, events on the ground in Iraq now prove that Howard Dean was indeed 100% correct when he said that Americans are no safer even though Saddam Hussein is now in custody.

I spent the last year supporting John Kerry, and I now realize that I was being quite foolish. Howard Dean seems to realize that the concept of "leadership" means that someone has to step up to the plate and take a stand -- even if that means he's going to take some painful hits. Dean's apparently not afraid to do so.

In contrast. all throughout 2002, congessional Democrats were like the 12 apostles of Christ after the crucifixion --- they were hiding away in an attic somewhere, scared to death to let the Roman Centurions know where they were hiding or who they were.

Donald P. Russo

Subj: I read Kucinich's interview . . .

I know I'm not alone when I say, until this upcoming primary election, making a choice between the lesser of two evils one more time, didn't inspire much enthusiasm. That's until moveon.org started the grassroots movement to bring democracy back to the people with their efforts. I read the bios and responses to their pre-election questionnaire and found one candidate that seemed to speak my mind. That political candidate was Dennis Kucinich. And through him, I found your website. I read what he said, about not being able to unite a party when all the other Democratic hopefuls, are enough like Bush, that there's too little difference, so why bother yourself with that old paradigm? I've spoken to many friends, who agree with everything Mr. Kucinich says, but like too many other Americans are caught up in the viability game. Refusing to take Corporate money to finance his campaign, he's not showing well in the polls, etc. Other friends asked, well, if he doesn't win the primary what are you going to do? Duh! Isn't the answer obvious? I have a choice! I'm going to remain true to my value system and write his name in whether it appears on the ballot or not! Just how reliable are the polls anyway? Since the results of those polls are printed in the corporate owned media, shouldn't they be as suspect as the last election? Food for thought.

Respectfully,

Gabrielle Noske, CDP

Subj: Great Kucinich Interview!

Dear BuzzFlash,

I am sorry I never heard about you before. But after I got this email to go to your website because you had a great interview with Dennis Kucinich, I went and discovered that there are reporters who seek the truth and allow the candidates to respond without being cutoff and challenged.

It is refreshing. I'd almost given up hope. Thank you so very much for being there, for being open to listen, for interviewing Dennis Kucinich and for giving him an opportunity to reach out to your audience.

Dennis is the only candidate who makes any sense, who is honest about the world's situation, our politics at home, and the crisis we are in right now.

Dennis is also the only candidate whose solution is both systemic and fundamental. Dennis is the only candidate for President of the United States who can truly save us, not just us here in America, but all of us everywhere in the world!

Thank you for giving him an opportunity to show that to your readers.

I am going to bookmark your web page and send it out to all of our friends and relatives.

Sincerely,

Tone Sanchez

RE: Why Would Limbaugh Pay Blackmail If He Did Nothing Wrong?

One wonders also what happened to all of the pain Rush Limbaugh was suffering from. If it was so severe that they thought he had bone cancer, it just doesn't go away.

I have a husband who is a chronic pain patient. He takes OxyContin daily legally prescribed from one doctor. How is Rush Limbaugh now drug free and where did all of his severe pain go? I mean he appears back on his show all cheery and happy, ready to go back to slamming all of the liberals in the world.

Why hasn't anyone asked that question? Also you can have surgery where they go through your throat and operate on your spine and speak perfectly well afterwards. So that is obviously something else that the ever so honest Mr Limbaugh has made up.

You wonder if truth ever passes his lips.

Cheryl

Subj: Pay Back

We can buy HP Printers made in Mexico. We can buy shirts made in Bangladesh. Cars from factories in Mexico. Toys from a Chinese subcontractor, BUT, heaven help the elderly who try to buy prescription drugs from Canada (Or Mexico) -- that's called, "un-American."

Do you think the pharmaceutical companies got this special pay-back for nothing?

Don Lanquist
Pascagoula, MS

Subj: Haliburton causing food poisoning among troops

Here's something to make people aware of crooked the neocons are. Halliburton is probably causing myriad cases of food poisioning. Refrigerators aren't being fixed, mayonase is being left to putrify for hours in the hot Iraqi sun, dust gets on the food, and workers who complain get fired. http://www.northcoastjournal.com/010804/cover0108.html

Russ

* * *

[quote]

But the next evening, when Yarbrough started her first 12 hour overnight shift, she was shocked at conditions in the kitchen. Freezers and refrigerators weren't working. Food was spoiling. The kitchen workers were exhausted, and some of them weren't following basic sanitation practices. "It became apparent to me that much of the food served at the banquet the night before was ... possibly dangerous," she wrote.

At 2 a.m. Yarbrough saw a lone kitchen worker spreading mayonnaise onto several thousand slices of bread for the next day's sandwiches. He was halfway through the job, and the mayonnaise had sat in open bowls for hours.

The kitchen's air conditioner had moderated the desert heat somewhat, but it had also spewed dust over the worker, the mayonnaise and the bread. Yarbrough conferred with a kitchen supervisor, and they agreed that the mayonnaise and partially made sandwiches should be thrown away.

Yarbrough logged the incident in the journal that she kept for her Halliburton KBR supervisor, and the next day the supervisor applauded her decision to discard the suspect food.

On her second night on duty, Yarbrough met with kitchen staff -- all third-country nationals working for ESS -- and wrote down a list of supplies needed for sanitary purposes: thermometers to check the heat in steam trays, test strips to measure chlorine in sanitizing water, rubber gloves and other items.

She noted that the day shift had left the dining facility a mess: dirty tables, overflowing trash, no sodas stocked. And she took some feedback from a sergeant who represented Halliburton's client, the Army. "The cream[ed] beef was greasy. Dessert table is messy with crumbs.

[/quote]

Subj: White House Web Mail isn't secure!

Here's a good one for you: the super-security-conscious folks at the White House have let their security certificate expire! If you go to White House Web Mail (https://sawho14.eop.gov/PERSdata/intro.htm) with any level of security enabled in your browser, you'll see a notice that the site's security certificate has expired or is invalid.

As far as I'm concerned, this is just the latest chapter in the White House's campaign to discourage the American people from contacting the White House. First they made us jump through hoops to leave "respectful" comments in a multi-page Web form. Then they required that we confirm our submissions within 72 hours. Then they sent us meaningless non-replies to our comments. Now they're trying to discourage us from even accessing the site!

Check this out for yourself. So much for input from the people!

Keep up your good work. I really enjoy your site.

Sincerely,

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subj: Irony

Hi, Buzz:

Does anyone else appreciate the irony of the National Guard and Reserve units being called up by an administration "headed" by someone who hid out in the Guard during the Viet Nam war?

If the Selective Service is indeed reactivated, where will all the 'fortunate sons' hide?

Liz
Houston

Subj: Say it ain't so - No money for Kevlar?

How can they have plenty of gas money for Halliburton and not enough bullet proof vests, armor and equipment? 46,000 troops without vests? Didn't these come out of the same appropriations bill? Is it true that a separate Republican committee changed the bill after it left the House? Did they cut the vests and armor to give more money to Halliburton? Isn't that unconstitutional? Is it true the president approved the bill?

Todd Smyth
Alexandria, VA

Subj: Rush Limbaugh

Greetings:

Reading Libby Hicks' comments in "Why Would Limbaugh Pay Blackmail If He Did Nothing Wrong?"

I thought to myself, What ever happened to Rush's "pain so great at one point doctors thought he had bone cancer"? He seems magically cured doesn't he? I haven't heard him complain once about that awful pain since he gave up hillbilly herion. You'd think since he hasn't had surgery and is off the Oxy that disc condition should be laying the poor fella low with incredible pain. Wouldn't you?

I wonder if he is golfing?

Hmmmm? Just asking….

David

Dear BuzzFlash,

I was privileged to witness the swearing in of new American citizens a couple of years ago at the local Federal courthouse here in my town. The ceremony was very solemn and serious. The District Judge who administered the oath also gave a short, but poignant, speech on U.S. citizenship. It was a moving experience for me. For years I had taken my citizenship for granted. Not any more! The joy in the eyes of these new citizens at this rather large gathering of multinational people was overwhelming. Tears flowed freely as family and friends watched. They had completed a long journey. They had attended classes on citizenship and fulfilled all of the necessary requirements to become citizens.

For those who don't know, here are some general requirements for citizenship:

- you must be at least 18 years old

- you must have had a green card for 5 years (3 years if married to a US citizen)

- you must have been physically present in the United States for at least 30 months out of the previous five years

- you must have resided within the state or district you are applying in for at least three months

- you must have "good moral character"

- you must be able to read, write, speak, and understand basic English

- you must be able to demonstrate a knowledge/understanding of the fundamentals of the history and of the principles/form of the US government

I particularly like the fifth and last bullets in the list above. Oh, and by the way, citizenship is not free. It costs $310 ($260 for the application fee plue $50 for fingerprinting). For some of the folks I saw, this was a real financial hardship.

I recalled this experience the other day when the Bush* administration announced it's new immigration (vote getting) program. I had to wonder what the folks I saw sworn in that day must be thinking. Then, a light bulb went on in my head. Perhaps, we should all reaffirm our citizenship. We talk about the "dumbing down of America" and about the apathy that is so prevalent in our country. And, if you are like me, you've grown too weary of the tiresome rhetoric of ignorant folks who wrap themselves in Old Glory and call anyone who dissents a traitor. Maybe if we all had to go through this process periodically, we would be better citizens. Along with our freedom comes responsibility.

As a symbol and example to the rest of America, I suggest we start with our elected representatives at every level of government. Each year on September 17th (Citizen's Day - the day 214 years ago, when the U.S. Constitution was signed and the first immigrants to the New World became American citizens) these individuals should report to the nearest INS office for testing. Test results should be published in local newspapers. If you want to take a sample test of 100 typical questions, visit INS test on US history and government at http://citizenship.insexperts.com/en/nat/100q.pdf. Give yourself one point for each correct answer. If you don't know the answer, then try to find it on the internet. To be honest, I couldn't answer all of them, and I will spend some time searching around the web until I know them all.

It's time we took back our country. It's also time we fulfill our responsibilities by knowing more about how our government works. I would like to see one of the democratic candidates suggest this. How about you?

Linda Ward
Pocatello, Idaho