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January 16, 2004 |
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Subj: Canadian Fears about Bush Administration Dear Buzz, I am responding to Andy Grainger's mail from Canada. I have blood relatives in both countries and all of my relatives, to a person, oppose George W. Bush (including my uncle, who voted for Reagan in 1980). I was visiting my family in Toronto at Christmas, and had a long conversation with my very intelligent cousin. She echoed Andy's stated fear that, going by news reports on American stations (which are ubiquitous there), Americans seem to overwhelmingly support George Bush and his policies, policies which most Canadians find alarming (except, of course, for David Frum, Charles Krauthammer, Conrad Black, and Barbara Amiel). Friends of my parents, all of whom are in their seventies, said the same thing. Even the Conservative-voting members of my family feel this way! I assured all of them that although the media is biased in favor of Bush, there is a vigorous opposition to him on the Internet and by some brave souls in the Print media. Of course, I told them about BuzzFlash. They were definitely relieved to hear that at least opinion here is not monolithically one-sided, as conveyed on TV. Nonetheless, I think this supplies additional confirmation that the media is unquestionably biased toward George Bush and provides a little more insight into how these policies are seen by people outside of the country. Leslie Smith Subj: Why are the Fastows going to prison and Ken Lay is free??? Under Bushes, The Buck stops UNDER the top. A BuzzFlash Reader Subj: Grab Your Coat Its time to register for those Mandarin lessons you've been putting off for years. Is this what the Cheney Task Force had in Mind ? Exactly what task were they planning ? Bankrupting the USA, and selling it at auction ? Well that's what they're getting. Lucky we have made so many new and devoted friends at the OPEC Nations since The Busheviks took over. They love the way we have funded Sharon and the wall, and are ecstatic over our invasion of some sovereign Arab Nations. Of course, The Chinese will be heartbroken when the dollar collapses. Then they can do what they've been waiting for- and re value their currency. Well, what are friends for ? A BuzzFlash Reader * * *
Subj: O'Connor and Kennedy May Save the Day in Tennessee v. Lane Buzz, This is just an FYI: it looks like SCOTUS may surprise us and hand down a narrowly construed victory to the disabled: http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1073944803845 If I read the above correctly, the amicus position of the govt which is HIGHLY influential to the current Court is to take the Title II protections and narrowly restrict them. Something is better than nothing with this Court and half a loaf will suffice for now. The governments brief is here: It would be a ghastly political seppuku in a time of war to file an amicus supporting restricting handicapped access to courthouses, voting booths, etc. The Dem's would gleefully bring in the wounded vets in wheelchairs and say, "Your govt is fighting to keep you from having access" Rove would never allow that (if we may wax paranoid). Hence (perhaps) the amicus brief we saw, hence (again perhaps) the coming decision in favor of the disabled. Or so we can hope. Michael Subj: Republican Poll Rigging Check out Eschaton today and how the Republicans rigged an online poll. Readers reporter that last night, the poll answer they voted for was 60 percent of the votes. Now today, it's only 5 percent, meaning several thousand people had to take back their vote. It's truly pathetic but Buzz readers should know. Also, there is no contact info on the website where the poll is put up, so you can't contact them and let them know that you know they're rigging their online polls. Sincerely, BuzzFlash Fan Subj: Interview with "Framing" Expert Interview with "Framing" Expert, UC Berkeley Professor George Lakoff This was a very interesting interview that explains the Right's skill in "framing" the issues. George Lakoff says that the Left has to overcome its hypocognitively challenged vocabulary and work on developing its own skill at creating framing metaphors. This just seems to me like advocating that the Left play the same game as the Right and create its own issue-blurring, buzz-word ladened, euphemistic jargon. In other words... propaganda. Don't people deserve more than that? So the conservative think tankers spent years working out their propaganda. Is that what the Left should do? Spend years perfecting its message? How about spending years working on real problems? Maybe that's why the Neocons got it so wrong on Iraq. They worked their message perfectly, but they forgot to work reality. Progressives should be aware of this kind of use of language. In every confrontation they should seek to diffuse the propaganda and deframe the issue right from the start. It's like turning the sound down when watching a TV ad. It takes away half the impact. I listened to Perle make mincemeat out of Krugman in their Democracy Now! debate this week. Perle moved skillfully from one frame (Radical Islam is trying to take over the Universe) to another (we're not advocating direct military intervention in Iran). Krugman knows his facts but was unable to deframe. He should have blasted Perle's frame the moment he started talking about the aspirations of Islamic radicals. Perle even backtracked later on in the debate saying that these dangerous people are very few in number. But Krugman, who knows his economics, didn't really to pick up on it. If they're so few in number, then why are they such a threat? Why do we have to topple governments? It's like Tom Cruise cross examining Jack Nicholson in "A Few Good Men". The Cruise character understood the Colonel's frames. He used those frames against him until he allowed the colonel to finally frame himself. Going against an intimidating opponent takes a great deal of confrontational skill and courage. I keep waiting for someone to start deframing Bush. Start throwing up his frames right back at him. When will someone ask our evangelical President if his administration has a Continuation of Government policy worked out in case of Rapture? Note: I heard an interview with Don Watson, an Australian author who recently wrote a book entitled "Death Sentence, The Decay of Public Language". This book deals with the kind of jargonesque language of public discourse. Here's a quote: "If we don't immunize ourselves from this plague of public language we will get a world where every improvement in the technology of communication is defeated by the death of English." David Subj: Snidley and Mutley at large! / BUSHWACKED Buzz..... I can't hold back any longer from speaking out on the "Bushwacking" this country is taking from the Bush Cartel. In a nutshell, I see young american lives being sacrificed so a little cocky Texas Goat Roper can say, "I Got Him For You Daddy"! Along with his "Snidley and Mutley" Vice who hides in the wings and has manipulated oil prices that offset any myth that the middle and lower class folks got a tax cut. Prices at the pump elevated right after the election. Now we are supposed to feel good even when they have lowered to the point where we are only getting raped a little. Snidley and Mutley are sure looking good in the eyes of the Texas Oil Men and I know in my own mind somewhere shoe boxes are being stuffed oil investment profits! Just my opinion.... No wool over these eyes!! Show Me State "Buck" Subj: Democracy is Dead! Greetings my fellow loyal subjects ! Democracy was nice while it lasted, but I think the time has come that we need to face facts and acknowledge what the rest of the world already knows. The tone in Washington has changed, we are now a dictatorship. That's the only way to explain the lies, deceit, lack of accountability, etc., etc., etc. We've been given numerous examples not to cross this administration. (Wilson, O'neill) The security put in place is for us. That is, when people finally realize what has happened to America, I believe those "uprising" will be thrown in jail. (Demonstrators already are) "Democracy free zone", "Free speech zone"... The "election" is a nice diversion for us, but A) it will be fixed, or B) it won't take place. Do you really believe for a minute that they're going to just give up their power? Here's an article everyone should read: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_11-1-2004_pg3_4 Authoritarian: 1) characterized by or favoring the principle of blind obedience to authority, 2) characterized by or favoring concentration of political power in an authority not responsible to the people. Sound familiar? GWB lies to our face. "security", "democracy", "jobs" "safety", " FREEDOM"...they're all really pretty, comforting words that HAVE NO MEANING to this man. The only "truth" that I think he did tell us is that he's not interested in nation-building. He hasn't done a damn thing to build any nation. He's only good at tearing them down. halliburton?, bechtel? The only thing they're doing is laundering our money. We have all of the evidence that we need. I could go on and on, but you all know the truth. The question we need to be asking ourselves is.......... What are we going to do about it? A BuzzFlash Reader I am amazed that Dean’s detractors insist that his wife, Dr. Judy, should take part in the campaign. The reporters seem to feel that it is their due to prod her background and personal philosophies, to look at her wardrobe, and question her childrearing and homemaking capabilities. They say that Dean cannot expect to win if he doesn’t demonstrate his family values by showing off his family on the campaign trail. Is it really OK if the kids stay home while she comes along? They have a 17 year old son in high school. Are they really suggesting that the proper place for her is in Iowa rather than at home at dinner time and available for soccer games? Would that really demonstrate core values if she left him to his own devices? And what about her medical practice? Are they suggesting that she should leave her patients in the lurch as well? She is a conscientious doctor who cares about her patients, just as she cares about her family. They take personal responsibilities seriously rather than just talking about it. She might actually even make those chocolate chip cookies that were such an issue in the Clinton campaign. Sigrid Smith Subj: It's a first for me A friend sent this to me: Grover Norquist has said that bi-partisanship is the equivalent of date rape. I feel I am not only being raped, but gang raped, every time I am victimized by Bush's so-called bi-partisanship, however the idea of ever dating Bush is nauseating to the max. He has been the most abusive date, I have ever seen or want to see. Karen Webb Just writing to let you know that although I was able to watch Michael Moore on the Charlie Rose show last night, apparently many Americans across the country experienced "technical difficulties" just as the Moore segment was about to begin. Check the message boards at http://www.charlierose.com to see what I'm talking about. Seems a little "fishy" to me. Thanks for your website, Mark Scherer Subj: Taxes If you don't like paying the "user fees" (taxes) for a government-- Don't go to state supported business school, don't incorporate your company, and don't hire employees publicly educated at taxpayers' expense. Also, don't expect the American military to protect your property from foreign invasion. Don't expect the police to protect your business from looters or your profits from thieves, embezzlers, and fraud artists. King Subj: CYA Henry Waxman’s letter to Condoleeza Rice questions why there is such a difference in the Administration’s response to Paul O’Neill’s revelations that initiated an immediate investigation and the obvious foot-dragging approach applied in the Plame-White House Traitor scandal. Waxman, however, fails to question why the commission established to investigate the Columbia disaster was created nearly immediately after the tragedy and given $ 50 million in funding while the 9/11 Commission has been fought tooth-and-nail and the administration denied increasing its meager budget of $ 3 million by another $11 million.
What are they hiding? In other news: George Bush has a “bold”plan for conquering the moon and Mars, according to my local news (right-wing shills). When asked about how the country could possibly pay for this when it is mired in red ink, engaged in two foreign conflicts (with more on the way), with baby-boomers set to retire and drain the Social Security Trust Fund, with the dollar at record lows, and with staggering trade deficits, Mr. Bush responded, “Tax cuts.” Turk Meister “I shall give a propagandist reason for starting the war-never mind whether it will be plausible or not. The victor will not be asked afterwards whether he told the truth or not. In starting and waging a war it is not right that matters, but victory!”-Adolf Hitler, August 26, 1939 and, "Of course the people don't want war," mused a recalcitrant Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials. "But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger." If the shoe fits… Anonymous from Indiana Subj: Another Thinned-Skinned Right Wing Lemming Hello again to BuzzFlash and to all BuzzFlash readers, Perhaps someone has already made this observation, but here's mine anyway . . . So, the Chairman of the RNC, Mr. Eddie Gillespie, has his panties in a twist over MoveOn.org's posting of two ads offering comparisons of George Bush to Adolph Hitler. Oh Really. Surely Eddie Gillespie has a proven record of having been EQUALLY outraged over the phrase "FEMI-NAZI", frequently used by every Liberal person's favorite pill-pippin', money-launderin' Junkie, "Rush" Limbaugh. How about former bottom-rated MSNBC host Michael Weiner (a.k.a. Michael " Savage") of "Weiner Nation" fame, who frequently refers to Liberal thinking people as Fascists? Did Mr. Gillespie happen to mention THAT in his whining rant? And I certainly don't recall Mr. Eddie Gillespie hopping up and down over the comparisons of Senators Max Cleland and Tom Daschle to Osama bin Laden and to Saddam Hussein in advertisements during the 2002 mid-term elections. Perhaps I was napping that day, but can anyone remember who first coined the term "Hitlary" Clinton ?!? If the Right-Wing-Lemmingdom will indulge me by allowing a moment of outrage and anger (we all know they have historically been opposed to angry sentiment as the above examples demonstrate), I would like to suggest to Mr. Eddie Gillespie that he should simply: SIT DOWN . . . SHUT UP . . . and . . . GET OVER IT. Ahem. Warmest Regards, GK, a Fervently Loyal, Devoted and Proud (not to mention Angry) Liberal BuzzFlash Reader P.S. That felt good! Subj: GOP Hypocrite of the Week:Dennis Miller Buzz, Dennis Miller .. the latest entry into the crowded Bush Butt-kissing Cable Chatter field .. slams Lenny Bruce for being a heroin addict .. Will Dennis Miller slam any Repuglican Hillbilly Heroin Addicts? http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/15/arts/television/15MILL.html Dennis is also critical of Mort Sahl for getting too close to the Kennedy family .. Does Dennis consider making campaign appearances with the current occupant of the White House 'too close'? Or using a TV show to shill for the guy 'too close'? Just asking. Buzzer Subj: Pardons If Bush doesn't get re-selected, we will see if he uses his presidential pardons to release Fastow and other before he leaves office. David Subj: My Letter to Ted To the Honorable Ted Kennedy, Your speech, "AMERICA, IRAQ, AND PRESIDENTIAL LEADERSHIP", made me weep. It was so good to hear a leader in this nation tell us the truth. And it was brave, knowing the way the current administration plays politics; that it seeks revenge and ruin against any who speak against it. I helped research and write RightWATCH's 13 Myths Against the War in Iraq, and in your speech, you spoke so many of the things that we learned in doing that research; things the public media has yet to impart to the voters in this country. I've spent much of my time trying to follow and spread the truth about what's happening, this failure of democracy, but I'm just one small person. It means so much to us to hear you speak for us. Last January, I organized the group that took the MoveOn petition to Ike Skelton in Missouri, asking him and his colleagues to keep the US working with the UN inspectors, to hold off on an invasion of Iraq. At the time, the polls said 80% of Americans agreed we should not invade Iraq without the support of the UN; and suddenly, the papers were all telling us that a majority of American's supported the invasion. What we've learned from such experiences is that we cannot trust the media, the polls, to inform us or tell us the truth; that they truly do work for corporations, corporations that have been allowed to take profits without paying their full responsible production costs for the goods they sell--for example, paying a living wage to the workers they depend on; or providing retribution for the damage their products do. An irresponsible market isn't a free market. Government is no longer protecting us by keeping such things in wise balance. Our leaders do not represent us if they represent interests; for example, the stealth candidates of Millennialist Right in the House and Senate. Knowing what we have found out about the new Diebold voting machines, the illegal machinations in Florida, how can we even know who is really elected? As money runs the political system, it is our responsibility, too, as consumers to know what we are supporting when we buy things and invest our money. Just today I got a call asking me if I wanted to sign up for Direct TV. No one told me that Rupert Murdoch now owns this service. For Democracy to work today, we need to find ways to know who makes a profit from our living, because every dollar we spend votes to support something. To hear you speak of hope, means everything. May God help us, and may God keep you strong. I wish I lived in Massachusetts. My best regards and wishes, Deborah Conner Re: Paul O'Neill Buzz, The bush White House sure acted quickly when criticized. Right away there was a call for investigating the "leak" on some of the information presented by O'Neill. Funny it was the opposite story when it came to the Plame leak. Smirk-boy got on TV and basically flipped off America by saying that the leaker would "never be found" "it's a big staff." Strange how he knew in advance of even attempting, that it wouldn't happen. Bush could have solved that one in a couple of hours at most. All it would have taken is a couple of phone calls. Had bush personally called Novak and asked who told you?, do you think he would have refused? Novak would have given the name and if it wasn't the direct leaker then one more call to that person with bush demanding to know would have solved the question, case closed. This of course was of no importance to bush, it was his little Mafia that pulled this off in the first place. However just criticize a bush or even tell the truth and your in for real hell. These people are pure evil, why are his supporters so blind? This administration is dangerous! Phil Rowland Subj: Look for this Listen to Bush's NASA speech on mars. Near the beginning, he address the astronauts in the audience as..."courageous spatial entrepreneurs." Really. Les Vogt Subj: Truth in Labels Wednesday on CNN -- Bill Schneider said the following:
Why are his subtle and sometimes not so subtle bias's ever addressed on CNN? He is labeled as either senior pollster or senior political analyst Bill Schneider. This is misleading since Mr. Schneider is a fellow at the CONSERVATIVE AEI think tank. Schneider's conservative leanings should be pointed out to CNN viewers who don't know any better. What ever happened to truth in labels? CNN viewers are regularly misled into thinking that Bill is not biased. His fellow AEI member Newt Gingrich would be clearly labeled as a senior conservative analyst if he was on CNN. Why no similar label is given Schneider is beyond me. Please label your analysts more clearly so the public can make informed decisions about their commentary. You would think that especially in the field of polling that ones tendencies would be relevant, because we all know that polls can be spun by the pollsters. thank you, stevie gardiner PS - Will CNN be allowing the clearly biased "butter" queen "el dulce" Candy Crowley to continue to sand bag the Democrats through November or can we expect CNN to assign a less biased reporter to cover the Democratic candidate? If she will be covering them, should they assign her a nickname in order to get better coverage from the pro-Bush Crowley? PLEASE-PLEASE-PLEASE Urge BuzzFlash readers to go to the NPR website and click on Fresh Air for January 14. Terry Gross with an incredible interview of Paul O'Neill and author Ron Suskind. Way more than was covered by 60 Minutes. Important and revealing comments by Suskind should be heard by every American. Les Parsons, |
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