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March 17, 2004 |
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Important Note: Because we can't always determine your intentions, we need to ask a favor of you when you send us email. If you DO NOT WANT YOUR EMAIL PUBLISHED in the Mailbag or in the Contributors section, please write "CONFIDENTIAL" in the Subject line or at the top of your email. That way we'll know it's just a comment to BuzzFlash. Additionally, if you submit a mailbag item and DO NOT WANT YOUR NAME associated with your submission, sign your email "A BuzzFlash Reader." If you send email unsigned, we will post your name with your submission, or, if that's not available, your email name (not the full address, just what's on the left side of the email address). Please try and keep your word count under 400. If your letter includes hypertext links, please include the entire URL. We can only post a small percentage of what is sent to us. The opinions expressed in the Mailbag are not necessarily those of BuzzFlash. Thanks again for your email and your patience.
Subj: Saddam Hussein Dear Buzz, I have had a nagging question in my mind lately that I am hopeful you may know the answer to. I know that we attacked Iraq because it possessed WMDs that it was intending to use to attack the United States. I also know that we hunted down Saddam Hussein and have imprisoned him for being the head honcho in charge of those WMDs and plotting to use them to attack the USA. What is bothering me is, if there are no WMDs and subsequently, there must have been no plot to attack the USA, what are we going to do with Saddam Hussein? Are we going to charge him with false claims to the possession of WMDs? Is it an international crime to make false claims to the possession of WMDs. Are we going to charge him with conspiracy to scare the United States into attacking him and killing thousands of innocent civilians? Are we going to charge him with possessing WMDs prior to the first gulf war? It would seem that if we are going to do that, we would have to implicated ourselves because we supplied him with the WMDs the he possessed at that time. I am truly puzzled about this. If you could enlighten me with answers to any of my questions I would be grateful. I have written numerous letters asking the President and others who should know the answers I am looking for but I haven't received a reply from them. Sincerely, Richard
Stencil Subj: One face to Fox, another to CBS
A BuzzFlash Reader Subj: Limbaugh I was in my car much of the morning...and of course, being the glutton for punishment that I am, I was listening to Limbaugh. I always do, he never ceases to amaze me..he is so transparent. He is also a major hypocrite!!! He always says, that the liberals get on his show first...because he just does it, that's why! But, today he was on a right wing rant about Kerry, and finally after about 30 minutes of this rant, the first caller...was indeed, apparently a liberal. Limbaugh answers, and the voice on the other end says, "If Bush was so gung ho to get Bin Ladin, why did he want to go into Iraq first?" Dead....dead silence! Limbaugh, waits an appropriate amount of time...then says, "Oh, no...did we lose him?" See what I mean by transparency...almost as much as George Bush and his entire regime!!!! Shirley............St.Louis Subj: Think Tank/GOP Ads The GOP admits that their Health ads are fakes, those who are interviewed and the reporters doing the interviews. So, what else is new? From this can we not draw that most of the anything the GOP crowd says is also fake? Can we afford to let them forget the ads? A BuzzFlash Reader Hi Buzz, Well, the people of Spain have spoken. Let's hope the people of America will be smart enough to speak the same way in November. It's also a bit of a slap in the face to all of those in our government who were predicting that the people of Spain will completely roll over to our side now. No fellas, these people can think for themselves. They're not hiding in their basements with duct tape and shivering at the thought of criticizing their government. Nope, they voted the bastards out. Good for them. Wake up America! Barbara in NYC Subj: Kerry's refusal to apologize to the dimmest of the dimwits I hope you are all as happy as I because Kerry is standing his ground. These people got so accustomed to shaming the democrats during the Clinton fiasco (which should not have been any of their business)..that they think they can pull the same thing again. And, I am also happy that he thinks they are the most lying, scary bunch in the world! I cannot even imagine anyone saying that in 1999 or 2000. We listened to the bashing of Bill Clinton for so long, that we started to think it was almost "the rule of law"! Even on c-span's Washington Journal....no one stood up to the idiots! I watched it all the time...and I thought...why are we going through this....just for a lie about sex...then after King George got into the White house and got his war....I understood way too well, why! I have noticed that at least some of the pundits, after showing the Kerry words, who knows, maybe (I almost hope) he intended the world to hear...but, they will always play the famous fluff of the Bush dimwit and his equally dimwit Vice Prez...and their Clymer statement! At least....it is hard to think that the Pundits are showing both sides of anything...there was a time when I thought nothing mattered, everyone in the world wanted Clinton out because of a sin that half the congress and senate were guilty of. No one would listen...even my relatives that are so holier than thou...."He lied" the outcry was!! And, you can tell now, they are so ashamed that their great Prez has lied about so much worse! (adultery is common, murder is not!) And, funny thing is, I do not have to even bring it up....you can just tell! Shirley.....St.Louis.......GO KERRY!!!!! Subj: Drafting all the unemployed techies Your link to the article about Selective Service making plans to draft people (ages 20-44) with "specialized skills" (such as computer, technical, and Arabic language skills) brings up an interesting question about outsourcing. Are the Bush administration and the Pentagon planning ahead, removing such jobs from the USA and sending them overseas and thus leaving a huge pool of unemployed potential draftees plus no interruption of services from such a draft? Or is it just a fortuitous outcome? Pat Subj: Baptists in Iraq
Here's what former Southern Baptist Convention president Rev. Jerry Vines thinks of Islam....
Or how about this little diatribe from the Southern Baptist's John Brady?...
Well, there's three lucky Baptists that didn't get left out, eh Mr. Brady? Pastor Bush is holding daily prayer meetings in the White House and his minions are sending deluded fools out to be martyred for Jesus. What century is this? Andy Grainger Subj: Bush's 9/11 Role The President is right! His role in 9/11 should be a matter of political debate in this election year. But that role needs to be put in context. Let us first begin with the Project for a New American Century. An organization that had as its members Dick Cheney, Don Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, and Richard Perle, all prominent members of the Bush team. An organization that published a blueprint in 1997 detailing how America should dominate the world militarily and economically. A blueprint that honestly stated that it could not be implemented because the American people would not accept it unless there was a new “Pearl Harbor.”A blueprint that called for an attack on Iraq to secure its resources for American interests. Then we can flash forward to the transition from the Clinton Administration to the incoming Bush Administration. The Clinton team told the Bush team quite clearly that Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda posed a significant and imminent threat to U.S. interests and that they should be a top foreign policy priority for the new administration. The Clinton team also gave the Bush team a detailed plan for capturing or killing bin Laden. The Bush team promptly ignored these warnings and plans. Then we can move forward to August 2001 to the Presidential briefing that warned of an imminent attack on eastern US cities by al Qaeda operatives using commercial aircraft to crash into buildings. Immediately after this briefing the President went on vacation to his ranch in Crawford, Texas and Attorney General John Ashcroft stopped flying on commercial aircraft. No warnings were issued to airports. No security was ordered stepped up. The U.S. was left totally exposed and vulnerable. Then we come to the actual day of that horrible attack. For twenty minutes after being informed that the second airliner had crashed into the World Trade Center the President sat in a Florida classroom listening to children read. Then instead of immediately returning to Washington the President flitted around the nation in Air Force One while his fellow Americans died and panicked. Even after discovering that there were two more planes in the hands of al Qaeda terrorists and that one was headed toward Washington the Air Defense Command did not follow procedures established for years to intercept hijacked aircraft, allowing a third airliner to crash into the Pentagon. Then a couple of days after the attack when all but military aircraft was grounded the Bush Administration allowed a private jet to fly around the U.S. picking up members of the bin Laden family and allowing them to escape to the safety of Saudi Arabia where they could not be questioned about what they knew about the attack or their brother Osama. After discovering that fifteen of the nineteen hijackers were Saudi nationals and that the Saudi royal family may have had a hand in funding the attack on New York and Washington the Bush Administration chose to attack Afghanistan citing Saudi Arabia as a valuable ally in the fight against terror. Then before finishing the job in Afghanistan the Bush Administration diverted military, intelligence, financial resources to launching a war against Iraq. A war that was sold to the American public with misinformation, disinformation, and distortion. Oh yes the President is right! His role in 9/11 should be a central part of the political debate in this election year. He has much to answer for. The question is will the Democrats and especially the media have the guts to ask the hard questions that must be answered. Harold P.
Donle Subj: Howard Stern Goes Pro-Democracy Hello Buzz, Lots of stuff happening at Howard Stern's Website: Also check the "Letters to the Webmaster" section, containing a resume of Bush's "50 greatest accomplishments", which may look familiar. BuzzFlash Reader Subj: Rush and 9/11 Widows If all the readers of BuzzFlash write the FCC, their local Rush broadcaster, and their congressman to complain and to request that Rush be removed from their airwaves, it may have a great effect. While he may not be removed, he would be severely chastened. In writing the FCC, do your best to present specific instances from the transcript of what could be construed to be libel and lies. Allegations like that force the FCC to act. Also, point out the FCC's selective prosecution of scatological humor and swear words versus libelous commentary towards 9/11 widows. Look, Andy Rooney's comments about Gibson's movie resulted in 30,000+ letters. We need only a third of that -- or less -- to force some reaction from government against Rush, even though they are ideologically aligned with him. BuzzFlash readers, please act. Subj: Spanish Election The big question in all the media seems to be is Spain "appeasing" Al Qaeda by threatening to withdraw troops from Iraq? Spain's withdrawal from Iraq is being equated with surrendering to Al Qaeda and refusing to "fight terror." I think we're all missing the point here. It is possible to fight terror without subscribing to the Bush administration's policy of preemptive invasion of any country it deems to be a threat. The policy of global domination espoused by the neo-cons can only lead to more death and destruction. Spain is not withdrawing support for Iraq. It is simply asking that future democratization and rebuilding efforts be under the sanction and direction of the UN. That seems a reasonable request given the utter failure of the Bush administration to provide an adequate plan for post-invasion Iraq (other then protecting the oil supply and promoting war profiteering). Instead, the US invasion seems to have opened a "Pandora's Box" of retaliation, as terrorist activities are stepped up throughout the world. How can we blame Spain, or any of our allies, if they look elsewhere for leadership? The Spanish people spoke loudly and clearly through their democratic election process. They are angry that they have been lied to by their leaders and they booted them out of office. There is a good chance that Mr. Bush and his chickenhawks will suffer the same fate come November. A BuzzFlash Reader Subj: TruVote inventor, Athan Gibbs, Sr., killed in freak car crash on Friday Athan Gibbs, Sr., the inventor and president of TruVote International, was killed in Nashville on Friday after his car was struck by an 18-wheel truck. Just 2 weeks ago, Gibbs was in Atlanta demonstrating TruVote voting technology, along with the Avante Corporation, for the Georgia General Assembly State and Local Government Operations Committee. Representatives of the Secretary of State Cathy Cox's Office, which is responsible for Georgia's current 100% digital, paperless Diebold Elections System, had told the committee a week earlier, in a meeting to consider a bill that would mandate voter verified paper ballots (VVPB) for Georgia (SB500), that there was no technology that was certified by NASED to produce VVPB. Activists at Count the Vote notified the committee that the technology not only existed and was certified, it was produced by a company in Nashville who had been encouraged to bid when the SOS was conducting the RFP, before they bought the Diebold system for $55 million. The next week Gibbs was demonstrating the technology for the Senate committee. He was scheduled to return to Atlanta today to give another demonstration to Senators and to take part in the filming of a documentary on blackboxvoting, which was being produced by a team from the UK. TruVote technology includes VVPB, open source code, and an independent auditing system that ensures that votes are counted and counted accurately. Activists in Georgia are grieving the loss of this brilliant and dedicated man. Donna Price Cofounder, http://www.CounttheVote.org, and member, Coalition of the League Opposed to Virtual Elections, Georgians Against Black Box Voting, GeorgiaBlackboxVoting (GABBV) and the Voter Independence Project * * *
Subj: Mrs. Ashcroft and Patrick Henry college The NY Times reported last week that a college specializing in taking students that were home-schooled, Patrick Henry College, had more than a half dozen interns at the White House this year. That is an unusually high # for any school. So I went to the webpage for Patrick Henry College. I found that John Ashcroft's wife was on the board. So was Russ Pulliam (Indpls. Star and Arizona Republic) who is also a cousin to Dan Quayle. I checked out the Beliefs section. They believe in "traditional marriage defined as a marriage between a man and a woman with the Husband the master of the marriage. Let's see how they try to slip that one into a Constitutional Amendment. The more disturbing belief is that they believe if the country is going in the wrong direction, they have the right to overthrow the government. Obviously, they get to define the right direction. I remember taking a Loyalty Oath to get my National Defense Student Loans. This preaching is beyond any form of patriotism. It really borders on sedition. Hopefully, you can expose these views on your website. John Sullivan Subj: BuzzFlash mention on Imus Not sure if you watch or listen but Bernie mentioned BuzzFlash on the story about Dennis Miller having to pay audience members. He referred to it as “a kind of left wing Drudge report”. We all know that is inaccurate but for a right winger like Bernie “Homer Simpson”McGurk it’s the only way he could justify actually reading BuzzFlash I suppose. Larry P in Big D Subj: Polls are Dangerous Right now the polls put Kerry ahead. That actually may help Bush. Some Democrats and particularly Independents may take the election for granted and not show up and vote. Bush may steal it again. Don't give in. Thanks, I already have a hat. Al V. Subj: "No Child Left Behind" Left Behind Again. Hi Gang! I was watching C-Span2 last week while the Democrats tried in vain to get amendments put onto the massive budget Bush was proposing. I ended up watching in vain as Republicans outright rejected every amendment the Democrats proposed. The most distressing of these was the Murray Amendment, proposed by Sen. Murray of Washington state. The senator railed, along with Sen. Kennedy, about how the Bush administration promised $8 billion to fully fund the "No Child Left Behind Act." Sen. Murray explained how the program could be fully funded and would pay for itself by closing tax loopholes. Of course, here come the Republicans, irregardless of how well Sen Murray laid out her proposal, whining about how this would put a $117 million burden on the tax-payers. Needless to say, Sen. Kennedy responded by ripping the dissenting Republinut a new orifice for his gluteus maximus with which to spew more mindless conservative bile. Now, I find this article on CNN.com: "'Highly qualified' rules eased for some teachers." It seems now, rather than do what was promised, GW Shrubya is easing the "highly qualified" requirements, giving teachers an extra year to meet the requirements. So here's what we get: Yet another broken promise by the White House, Congress, and Senate, kids getting the shaft because the aforementioned simply have their heads up their asses, and teachers still under the gun to get the requirements met out of their own pocket because the conservative morons running the government are too G*d-d***ed busy trying to show how much bigger their d*cks are than the rest of the world. John Kerry, if you are reading this, rip Bush a new orifice for his gluteus maximus with which to spew more mindless conservative bile for myself with two daughters, the children of BuzzFlash, the children of the Democratic voters, and the children of the United States of America. Bush can lie, cheat, and steal to and from us adults. But now he's screwing my kids and I will not tolerate that from some narrow-minded, flaccid prick waving simpleton from Texas. Jerry Peurala Subj: Sen Kerry's Investigations into BCCI, Iran-Contra Crooks Senator Kerry KNOWS just how crooked these Bush Family Cabal Members are - A nearly hidden group of illegal, un-American war profiteers who deal with arms for hostages, crooked bank deals, crooked oil deals -- All done for money, usually at the expense of US taxpayers. Dirty money. An international Cabal of oil interests and financial dirty deals. James Bath, BCCI, bin Laden, Bush family, Carlyle Group, CIA Oil and Bank Fraud -- All tied together Just Read The Boston Globe's write up, especially Part 6 -----------------------------------
This story ran on page A1 of the Boston Globe on 6/20/2003 A BuzzFlash Reader In this morning's NY Times Editorial (<http://nytimes.com/2004/03/16/opinion/16TUE2.html>), we learn that the Editors' of the gray lady are rubbing away 3 years of sleep dust from their eyes. In the best portrayal of Rip Van Winkle ever, the NY Times woke up this morning and discovered "An Orwellian taint is emerging in the Bush administration . . . " While the cause of their alarm is the use of actors portraying reporters in a fraudulent Bush commercial about the flawed Medicare drug plan and the threat of firing directed at the Federal actuary who threatened to answer questions honestly about that same drug plan, the Bush frauds are much more far reaching than that which alerted the Times. Most of us, especially those who frequently visit BuzzFlash", have long known that the Bush admin uses Orwell's 1984 as a political marching text and grants it the respect that was once reserved for documents like the long-forgotten US Constitution and Bill of Rights. Jack Ballinger Subj: Bush = Crook The truth hurts, doesn't it Bush, All this stuff about Martha Stewart is a weapon of mass distraction from K(Enron) Lay and Harken Energy. That's all it is. Bush, you are such a crook that since you came along you have allowed tax scams so that the wealthiest pay half the taxes they did before but WE in the middle class, have had our taxes doubled. Your sneaky tax scam is going to be coming out in a book. Get ready to retire in good old Crawford, Texas, because we are through with you. Clarkie04Kerry Subj: British in Iraq 1920 Hi BuzzFlash, What the British learned in 1920 by not leaving Iraq (Deja Vu all over again). Excellent and well researched article found at... http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0311/p01s03-woiq.html Who knew the Christian Science Monitor rocked? Also...do I sound like a paranoid? Bush spokespeople are back claiming that WMD's could still be found, and setting us up for Bin Ladens capture. Rumours of 1980's-era missile parts and shells being shipped INTO Iraq abound. Ditto for Bin Laden being held by Pakistan until the time is right for a dramatic 'capture', a la Hussein. Osama and WMD's in October? Bush'll be a shoe-in. Andy Grainger Subj: Janklow Peter Slen read on C-spans Wash. Journal this morning, that the Justice department has stepped into the Janklow case, and decided that he was on official business when the accident occurred, where he killed a motorcyclist. So, Taxpayers will be picking up the bill for the family of the dead cyclist. It could be a multimillion dollar case. What a nice bunch of lawmaking republicans. No matter what the crime or how much it costs...the middle class always pays! Shirley...........St.Louis Just a note to call your attention to the very sensible article now posted at http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=17777 The Gender Circus. I had begun to wonder if I was the only person pointing out that homosexual marriage was an established tradition and that legalistic attacks on it were absurd. Such attacks being prohibited under various treaty laws, the matter seems, in a legal sense, moot. This article brings a welcome and sober set of truths to the attention of some very silly people. I wonder how it will effect the process.... The unintended consequences, as usual, may be interesting. Bill Subj: Who Stands Against Bush? Hi! I just wanted to let fellow Buzzers - especially my brother firefighters - know about the great bumper-sticker that I've put on my car. On a red and blue background it says," Firefighters Against Bush". I bought it @ http://irregulartimes.com/swho.html . They also have gems like Nurses Against Bush, Librarians Against Bush, Combat Veterans Against Bush, Plumbers Against Bush; you get the idea! These bumper stickers really work well, too! Just the other day some yahoo in a Hummer cut me off in traffic and flipped me off in an effort to bring honor and dignity back to political dialogue. If all people who are disgusted by this wee corporate troll displayed one of these great conversation-starters in plain view, I think that the media polls might look very silly. I even got an assortment of bumper stickers to give away to anybody who will display one prominently. It's fun, it's easy and it seems to piss off idiots! Have Fun, Michael J. Fowler Firefighters Against Bush Subj: Miranda on Wash. Journal Manual Miranda former Frist council……the “dick”that stole the computer documents is on Washington Journal, C-Span 2 today trying to defend himself and blame the Dems of course. Thought you might like to know. I couldn’t watch much without getting loud or ill. Lp PS: I don’t see how people actually vote for people like Frist and Hatch. Hopefully DeLay is “goin down”…….REAL SOON….. Subj: Let's Take Our Cue from Spain
Dear BuzzFlash, I really do admire the people of Spain, who seems to have more sense than some in our nation. Pres. Aznar disregarded 90% of his people and supported war monger Bush, and his party has now paid the price. I am hoping that people in the US will now take it's cue from Spain, and kick Bush out of office this November for misleading and taking this country into an expensive, unnecessary war. I KNOW ONE THING FOR SURE, IF THE WORLD COULD VOTE FOR THE US PRESIDENT, BUSH WOULD LOSE BIG TIME AND BE SENT PACKING TO CRAWFORD. I just spent a week with some folks and it was a real eye opener to me to realize just how ignorant they are about Bush. They seem to be afraid of a Kerry presidency, saying he is dangerous (this after a total failure like Bush!), they kept blaming Clinton for many things, and said that he should not be given credit for the great economy we had during his presidency, they did not know that Bush had first refused, and now has agreed to be interviewed by the 9/11 commission for only an hour, and the most shocking thing to me was how disconnected and hard hearted they are towards the common folk. I kept hearing stuff like "many people who eat in soup kitchens have jobs and don't need help", they were folk without compassion, totally self absorbed with themselves and have absolutely no tolerance for anyone or anything out of this nation. Yes friends, I was unfortunate to spend some time with some arrogant, ignorant, republicans, and I made up my mind never to make that same mistake again. I felt I had spent a week with the Bush administration!!!! A BuzzFlash Reader CLICK HERE FOR PART 2 OF THE MARCH 17, 2004 BUZZFLASH MAILBAG. |
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