October 21, 2004

The BuzzFlash Mailbag

The opinions expressed in the Mailbag are not necessarily those of BuzzFlash. Read the BuzzFlash FAQ for info on submitting to the Mailbag.

THIS IS PART 2 OF THE OCTOBER 21, 2004 BUZZFLASH MAILBAG. CLICK HERE FOR PART 1.

Subject: re: Marijuana 'petition' actually voter registration form

Hey Buzz,

I just read the article about young people asked to sign a petition to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes, only to find that they have registered to vote as Republicans. This may not be a bad thing for a few reasons:

• at least they're on the voter list, unlike many who had registered as Democrats and had their registration forms destroyed

• the Republicans may be surprised that so many of their "own" believe in medical marijuana that they may rethink their position

• the repugs may be lulled into a false sense of security by the number of new registrants

The article says:

The good news is that it does not make any difference in what party a person is registered in the upcoming election because a registered voter can vote for any candidate on the ticket regardless of party, Passarella said. However, if a person wants to vote in next spring's Democratic or Republican primary elections and is not registered in the party of his or her choice, he or she can change the registration after the Nov. 2 general election, he said.

"No voter is under any obligation to vote for the party they are registered with."

In fact, everyone who has not registered yet, and would like to, should call their local Republican office and say they would like to register as a Republican. Voters who have registered as Democrats and are not sure if they are truly registered should do the same. My guess is that they would be registered quickly and safely.

In Canada, where I live and vote, the process is much simpler and more low-tech. The voters list is a permanent document. Before every election, enumerators, paid by the federal government, go out knocking on doors to be sure that every voter is registered. If there is no one home, a card is left in the door telling them to get in touch with the elections commission. We can also check a box on our income-tax returns giving Revenue Canada permission to forward our names and addresses (only) to Elections Canada. Voter's cards are mailed to each voter stating where and when to vote. Newspapers, radio and TV stations make public service announcements telling voters what to do if they have not received their cards. Nowhere on the registration form are voters required to name their party affiliation. The government has no knowledge of how I have voted in the past or will vote. No private companies are allowed to register voters in a non-profit election.

On election day, everyone in the country votes in the same manner. I go to my polling station (precinct), one of several in a single location, such as a school gym, and show my voter's card to the two paid polling clerks. One reads out my name, the other uses a sharp pencil and ruler to cross it out on the voting list. If I still haven't got a voter's card with me I am still able to vote if I have identification with my name and address. I swear an affidavit declaring I am who I say I am. I'm given a paper ballot and a pencil, go to a table with a cardboard privacy shield, mark my selection with an X, return to the polling clerks and stick my own folded ballot into a locked box. This whole process is witnessed by two scrutineers (unpaid volunteers from any two different political parties). I leave feeling that I have taken part in an honest election.

When the polls close, an official from Elections Canada unlocks the ballot boxes. They are emptied onto the clerk's table. The clerks look inside to be sure that every ballot is out of the box. The scrutineers look, too. One of the clerks reads the name of the candidate chosen, the next clerk places that ballot in the appropriate pile. The scrutineers watch to see that every ballot is in the right pile. When all the ballots are sorted, the clerks count the number of votes in each stack and fill out an official tally sheet. It is signed by both clerks and the scrutineers. The chief phones the results to the electoral district, again witnessed by the clerks and scrutineers. The tally sheet and ballots are returned to the ballot box which is again locked by the polling chief in case a candidate demands a recount. (There are surprisingly few.). It would be very difficult to commit fraud in such an open and well-documented count. No expensive voting machines, just people. Everyone votes the same way and there is a complete paper trail. One government oversees the process, not fifty.

A half-hour after the polls close the results are already coming in and many races are already decided. An extra bonus to our system: many of the enumerators and poll clerks are unemployed. They work tax free for a few days if they are enumerators or poll clerks. It gives them a chance to actually work, meet people, and pick up a few extra bucks. After the debacle in Florida 2000, there was a great opportunity to come up with fraud-proof election laws, but it looks like 2004 will be the dirtiest election in history.

P. Coombs
Surrey. B.C.

Subject: Oh, the irony :)

The irony is just too delicious. LOL, not only is Canada bailing us out, but it's a French Canadian company. One wonders how vaccine from Canada can be considered safe but US prescription medication, imported into Canada and then exported back to the US is not safe. It simply boggles the mind. I wonder how many Republicans will boycott the flu vaccine because it's French. Perhaps they'll just call them freedom vaccines?

Feds Find More Flu Vaccine in Canada (LA Times/dailypress.com)

Linda

Subject: Voter Fraud

It is obvious in reading one story after another, and speeches from Al Gore to President Carter, that widespread, programmatic GOP voter fraud is underway. Combined with the Sinclair propaganda and other shady activities...this is racketeering. So where are the armies of trial lawyers filing RICO suits against the Bush administration and RNC for the benefit of the People of the United States?

And BTW, Monday night I had dinner with a very dignified, circumspect longtime judge. I said "They are just following the Hitler playbook right down the line." He turned and looked me straight in the eye for a minute, and said "Yes. They are."

Suzanne
San Francisco

Subject: Ohio needs us desperately!

Ohio will determine this election. Bush cannot win without it and it is neck and neck there right now. Because of their distance from New York, they are not getting their share of the east coast volunteer pool that they need.

We were in Mahoney County (Youngstown) this past weekend, doing door to door canvassing, phone banking and tabulation, and getting absentee ballot applications out to voters who need them. There is a huge democratic base there that will prove pivotal to taking the state if it is turned out. The people we met were really happy that we were there and need our help because the Bush/Cheney campaign is already starting their Florida 2000 style voter suppression drive, sending representatives of their campaign there to confuse low income African American voters regarding their polling places, telling them that if they haven't paid their electric bill they can't vote, or that if they do their electricity will be turned off, and paying kids $1 a sign to rip Kerry/Edwards signs off of people's lawns, etc.

The campaign in Youngstown said that in just that county alone, they need 1000 volunteers for the days leading up to the election. The last time we checked in they had a little over 300. The local campaign has done extensive phone banking to identify the Kerry voters and we have to get these Kerry voters out to the polls....

The campaign will provide housing to anyone who needs it....

Getting to Ohio by car.... (They definitely need drivers.)

By Bus: http://www.greyhound.com

From Port Authority: Tel: 212-971-6300

By Train: www.amtrak.com

Vote by Absentee Ballot if you are staying through Election Day.

Contact me at michele@currentstate.org to sign up and let me know if you need a ride or will be driving and can give others a ride.

Best Always,

Michele
http://www.currentstate.org/

[BuzzFlash Note: They list volunteer opportunities here: http://www.currentstate.org/events.aspx.]

Of all the brave things John Kerry has done: serving in Vietnam, fighting for peace when he returned, leading the investigation into Iran-contra, the bravest may well be running in this election, knowing how vicious and ugly the campaigns against John McCain and Max Cleland were. He had to know they would slander him and those he served with, twist his words, misrepresent his record, make fun of his wife and lie about his values. It took a lot of courage to face that onslaught, and I for one am grateful to him.

Denise Barker

Subject: Where are your tax dollars going?

I was reading this letter to the editor this morning and a very important question came to me.

Here is the letter (question follows):

Losing on the homefront

The policies, or non-policies, regarding health care, illicit drugs and public education are turning out to be the real weapons of mass destruction.

How can our government turn a blind eye on its own people while pouring billions into an unnecessary war? I support our soldiers 100 percent; God be with them. But we're losing the war at home.

How much more can our community and the rest of the country endure in regard to rising insurance rates, a greater abundance of crime and a lack of concern for public education?

Jim Roffler
Longview

And here is my question:

If the troops are not supplied properly with armament or supplies, and the pictures coming out of the Gulf show a few troops here and there performing "walk and knock" on the people of Iraq; in other words:

If the administration is underfunding the war effort, WHY IS IT COSTING "BILLIONS"?????

Could it be that those billions are being spent refurbishing the OIL INDUSTRY DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM instead of the war effort? And that our troops are doing nothing more than GUARDING THE HALLIBURTON et al. OIL WORKERS?

I for one would rather take care of our own nation, and leave the Iraqi people to rebuild theirs. The way they want. They are NOT BACKWARD IN NEED OF OUR KNOW-HOW.

They are the ones who have been filling the college seats here in America for the last three decades. The shortfall in college system income these days is caused by the lack of Middle Eastern Tuition. THAT is why the cost of an education is up!!!!

Vote for Kerry.

Let's stop this.

Oh yes, remember that your country and all it is doing is paid for by ONE PERCENT OF THE NATION'S WEALTH.

NINETY-NINE PERCENT OF AMERICA'S MONEY IS NOW TAX FREE, OFF SHORE, AND IN THE POCKETS OF THE UNTAXED RICH AND BUSINESS OWNERS (SAME THING).

A BuzzFlash Reader

PAULA ZAHN NOW Interview With Pat Robertson (CNN)

M. W.

Subject: Hijacking Catastrophe...The Perfect Answer Back to Sinclair

To the Media,

With Sinclair so intent on showing an anti Kerry program and forcing their affiliates to air this one-sided program, I am urging all of you to air a wonderful program called, Hijacking Catastrophe. You can obtain this wonderful program which I caught on my local public access station here on Long Island which broadcasts on channel 20. You can find information regarding this program on this web site, http://www.hijackingcatastrophe.org/ If the Sinclair Broadcast Group with its own agenda and financial dealings with this administration is allowed to air a program such as theirs, then we must have an equal say in this matter. The electorate must be given both sides before making an informed decision on which way they want their country to go in. It is called the American way. Do you really trust the Sinclair Broadcasting Group to decide the future of your country? This country does not solely belong to Sinclair, it belongs to all of us.

Sincerely,

Mary MacElveen
Sound Beach, NY

Subject: flu vaccine

Since the only company currently producing flu vaccine for the U.S. market is the FRENCH company Aventis Pasteur, obviously all good Republicans should boycott it and wait for Freedom Vaccine to be produced!

Russ Bennett

Subject: Bill Schneider

History is certainly dishing up more than our fair share of unsavory characters in today's America, but the one I detest the most is Bill Schneider. He is a so-called political consultant for CNN and is also a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a signatory to the letter to Bill Clinton on behalf of the Project for a New American Century encouraging an invasion of Iraq in 1998. One can not pledge his troth with more conviction than that to radical conservative causes.

Yesterday his offensive voice, full of glee and sanctimony as he parades his propaganda, came on CNN International and he told the viewing audience that Bush was way ahead in the polls now, all the polls, a fresh bounce, because of terrorism. He went on to "explain" that people like Bush because of his stand on terrorism.

Huh? I live overseas and I can tell you I have never come across a soul who liked Bush because of his stand on terrorism.

Bill Schneider is smart enough to know he is serving us a load of rubbish. I do hope when Kerry is in and the world is once again able to foster some regard for our country and we embark on the long road to reform that our country is starved for, that Bill Schneider either is put in jail or in Republican Rehab for the rest of his life. I want him to sit in an ethics in journalism class until he can sit no longer. I want him to use his own tapes to teach children how to spot propaganda in media. I want CNN to publicly apologize every day for the same number of days they have kept Bill Schneider on their payroll. I want CNN to be humiliated.

I can tell you with all sincerity that I loath this guy.

Kind regards,

Linda Deak, American Abroad
Wassenaar, the Netherlands

Subject: An idea....

Dear Buzz,

Could you alter the Masthead of your page to include the words, "Proud Members of the Reality Based community?"

I know Atrios grabbed this quickly, but if every progressive clip site and news service could do this, I think it would send a strong, noticeable message.

Just a thought.

Sincerely,

Steve in Syracuse

P.S. did you see the AlterNet article about Sinclair starting to waffle about the Stolen Honor swift boat lies?

Subject: Again he lies and misleads!

Dear BuzzFlash,

Bush tried to reassure. "We have millions of vaccine doses on hand for the most vulnerable Americans, and millions more will be shipped in the coming weeks," he said in St. Petersburg, Fla., a state heavy with senior citizens vulnerable to the sometimes deadly virus". --GW Bush

Yesterday I took my 92-year-old relative to the health department in a neighboring county from mine to get his flu shot. When we first arrived the line was all the way out the door. It was rainy and wet. Good thing I brought a folding chair for my relative to sit on so our wait was not too grueling. But for the other ELDERLY people who had to stand the wait was almost impossible. Three Srs., two women and one man, PASSED OUT and had to be rushed to the hospital by ambulance. THEN by the time we were finally received by the nurse administrating the shots, they informed us that they had run out of vaccine! Almost everyone standing in line blamed this crisis on Bush, despite his lies and misleads to the contrary! Also, his public declarations that if you are young and healthy you don't need a flu shot and shouldn't have to worry...after all he is not getting one, is highly dangerous rhetoric! YOUNG PEOPLE CAN die from the flu. Last year in another neighboring county we had a young, healthy nineteen-year-old male DIE FROM COMPLICATIONS OF THE FLU!

Vote Democratic! The life you save may be your own!

Nancy Lynn Nagy
(TN)

Subject: The Upcoming Draft Isn't Just a "Bush-ism"

In yesterday's NY Times, there was an article detailing plans by the Selective Service System to establish systems for calling up healthcare professionals between 18-44 as a "select skills" draft. This is a concrete step towards that draft he repeatedly denies will happen. Mr. George W. Bush is strongly denying there will be a draft, just simultaneously as his detailed plans are being laid, documented -- and even publicized.

Black is white. War is peace. Night is day. Tyranny is freedom. Eastasia has always been at war with Oceania.

Apparently, it's past time to rename the political parties in this country.

Those who are against Bush are to be called the "Reality Based" party. Those who are for Bush are to be called the "I don't care what the facts are, I don't care what my eyes see, I don't care what I read, I don't care what I hear, God tells me what to do" party.

Indeed. Exactly as Pat Robertson said, yesterday, about his conversation with Bush before the Iraq invasion.

...And I warned him about this war. I had deep misgivings about this war, deep misgivings. And I was trying to say, Mr. President, you had better prepare the American people for casualties. (CNN's Paula Zahn Now)

Robertson said that the president then told him, "Oh, no, we're not going to have any casualties."

I guess that God must be very deeply schizophrenic lately, as we see Him giving George W. Bush, Pat Robertson, the Iraqis, and the Iranians such radically different guidance. To only name a few.

On the other hand, maybe let's just call it the "Guy In A Bubble" party, as Mr. Bush himself has said.

Donald F.
Naperville, IL

Subject: Re: 9/11 Secret in CIA's Back Pocket

I would like to change the last sentence of Robert Scheer's LA Times article on the CIA report that isn't being released. He writes: "Unless the public demands an accounting, the administration and CIA's leadership will have won and the nation will have lost." I think it should say: "Unless the public demands an accounting, we are letting bush control the government for his own political purposes."

Congress and the public need to demand that this report be released NOW. Write your congresspeople. And add that bush should be required to take his physical before the election as well. If he's infirm, as we all suspect, we absolutely have a right to know.

Sue

Subject: Nathan Sproul

Regarding the BuzzFlash link to the Kosopedia item linking Nathan Sproul as a top contributor to Trent Franks, the extreme right wing Arizona congressman, you should also know that Nathan Sproul is listed as Franks' campaign chairman.

Robert Beeson
Peoria, AZ

Subject: O'Reilly Audio Tapes: A Dynamic Strategy, or Wasteful Litigation?

According to a Tuesday, October 19, 2004, Reuters story,

Lawyers for conservative Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly said . . . they believe a fellow employee accusing him of sexual harassment has recordings of calls between them and they are seeking a court order to obtain them.

O'Reilly Seeks Tapes in Extortion Case (Reuters)

Look, in a lawsuit there's what's called the "discovery process," where both sides are obliged to

swap information and materials with one another. Most people have heard of "depositions," where

lawyers for one party in a lawsuit cross-examine or "depose" an opposing party under oath. This

part of this discovery process is where President Clinton got nailed for his infamous, "It depends on

what the definition of 'is' is" statement.

Interrogatories are written questions from one party's attorneys to the other party, which must be

answered in writing and notarized as having been answered "under oath." Another common discovery

"tool" is called a "Request for Production," whereby one litigant requests, and is required to be

provided, materials like documents, photos, video and audio tapes, and such from the other side. Discovery enables parties to lessen, if not completely avoid, being "surprised" in Court at trial, and can help litigants get a "feel" for how strong the case is against them.

If the woman suing Bill O'Reilly has audio tapes, well, first of all, you can rest assured that such tapes

are now in her attorney's possession. At any rate, such tapes, upon request by O'Reilly's able attorneys are, indeed "discoverable" from the plaintiff. What is uncanny is that O'Reilly's attorneys would not merely serve a simple "Request for Production" on his accuser's attorneys and, within 30 days (the standard deadline) receive any and all tapes the other side has. A separate lawsuit seems incredibly silly and wasteful.

But, alas . . . Using discovery would be too easy, too "generic" and not nearly as dramatic as filing a

separate lawsuit to obtain some sort of mandatory injunction to force the other side to "give up" the tapes.

While not a member of the New York Bar, it seems to me that this is an incredibly wasteful process which not only churns a lot of very pricey lawyer fees, but also causes O'Reilly even more negative publicity. Does he want that? While I am sure that O'Reilly's attorneys are providing him "zealous representation," from afar one has to wonder how well they are providing him smart representation.

Richard R. Newton
Birmingham, Alabama

Subject: AARP Censorship

I received this email today.... Seems if you post anti-bush, pro-Kerry articles on the AARP message board they are now kicking you off!!!

Hello,

Your posting privileges were revoked after continued violations of the AARP Community Terms of Service which you agreed to follow; specifically posting of objectionable content and personal attacks.

AARP Community Administrator

Don

Subject: oh for christ sake!

oh for christ sake! to hear karen hughes talk, laura bush was a hard working mother who worked her fingers to the bone! helloooo, she hasn't had a job in 25 years, she has had maids and nannies her whole life! sorry, no, she does not have a clue!

diane anderson
miami fl
by the way, karen hughes' son is 18 now, has he signed up for the military?

Subject: Where's Mary?

Buzz,

Where is Mary Cheney? MeanDaddyDick & erotic-novelist-Mumsy are freaking out about John Kerry's kind comment about Mary and them. Nowhere is there any published response from Mary Cheney, herself. She's the subject of her parents' faux "outrage" - she should be heard from! Or have they buried her too deep?

T. Quigly
Well-behaved women seldom make history

P.S. To Carolyn in Tennessee [mailbag 10/20] - thank you for your forthright, compassionate and erudite letter. All power to you.

Subject: Cheney flu shot

I find it so deplorable that Cheney gets a flu shot because of his heart condition. My mother is a 95-year-old heart patient with a pacemaker and can't get a flu shot because her doctor doesn't have any. I find it totally repulsive he and members of Congress had access to receiving the flu shot. This is Bush's lie to the American people when he stated at the final debate that seniors should get the flu shot. If the people in our country can't see what an inept, incompetent, and lying person he is, then they deserve to be governed by this idiotic, draft dodger!

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: Follow New York's lead and vote for Kerry!

There is no question that New York was--and will continue to be--the target of terrorists. After all, the World Trade Center was attacked not once, but twice, by terrorists. New York's bridges, tunnels and subways have also allegedly been the targets of terrorists. Therefore, it stands to reason that New Yorkers care more about fighting terrorism than anyone else in the country, if not the world.

Guess what New Yorkers are doing? They are overwhelmingly supporting Senator Kerry for President. America, follow New York's lead, and vote for Senator Kerry!!

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: US elections 2004 Dirty tricks return to the sunshine state

Get ready for election mayhem! A Kerry Landslide, will be heavily contested by the Repugs, and voter fraud will be their mantra, take Ralph Nader for example, a willing tool of the Repugs, as just the tip of the 'fix' that is in. Look at all the air time CNN is giving him, when he has only 1 to 2%

of the vote, and I doubt if that is even true. The bushmedia wants to make him look like a factor, when he is not, as this election will not be decided by the 1 % factor. But watch this be made into a factor, as happened in Florida when Gore REFUSED to fight for the presidency (he changed his mind, and didn't want to be president over such a contested election, it shows in his Progressed Chart).

Anyway, hold your election staff accountable, as when I went to vote yesterday, the staff couldn't answer my questions about the ballot/paper trail, and put me on the phone with someone who could, and acted as though I was crazy to even be concerned. Your vote is safe, why are you worried, we wouldn't do anything to lose your ballot.

I asked them if they were familiar with the reputation of New Mexico as a state rife with a detailed history of voter fraud, but these election staffers had no clue. They were overly defensive, and couldn't understand why I had any concerns.

Not a good sign.

Report any problems you have to the local Democratic Party in your town, as they will quickly follow up on these matters!

Don't hesitate to indicate to your local election workers that they will be held accountable, and that the future of America is in their hands. I was met by the same man who wouldn't let me vote in the primary due to address concerns, I moved, and boy was he happy I couldn't vote. (Ask for a provisional ballot in this case). I assume he remembered me, as this time he wouldn't look up my name on the voter rolls until I provided by registration slip, and there were only three precincts he would've had to look through to find me, which he should've been more than happy to look up, but he made it clear he had no interest in helping me by looking up my name.Too much work, and there was no line! He was not happy when I provided my my proof of registration, and had to mark me off the voter roll. This is really what I experienced. People in Taos are simple and easy to read, even if they appear to not be able to read. LOL!

I reported the incident to the local Democratic Party office and they said they would take this info into account, and are recording other such incidents. Of course, this was at the National Guard Armory, where 20 sheriffs' patrol cars were parked, and it seemed like a good way to discourage turnout in an area heavily populated by known Kerry supporters, and residents of Taos, Arroyo Seco, Tres Piedras, who aren't greeted with open arms by the Military/National Guard/ Sheriffs which is our voting place. This town is plastered with Kerry/Edwards signs, and only two bush signs throughout the town. Also, it's strange that no signs anywhere indicated how to get to the Armory, or that you could vote here early or otherwise.

Hmmmm. Why not? The Democratic Party needs to address that situation as well, as it is not an easy to access location if you haven't been there before. Let me know if you have any experiences to share!

Dirty tricks return to the sunshine state (The Guardian)

Rex

Subject: Bush Suppressing CIA Report that cites administration names

With Bush Inc. and the CIA at war, and the old-guard CIA tired of being bitch-slapped by the administration...some of the naughtier spooks have been planting "payback." As WDC journalist Sally Quinn said...it isn't the brightest bulb in the pack that goes to war against the Langley crowd who bring down other countries for fun. What better way for the CIA to vindicate themselves and hoist Bush up on his own petard...than by leaking that 911 report that Bush is suppressing? Makes you want to get out the champagne just to think of it. Oh, do it for us now spooks....do it for us now...puuuhleeeze!

Suzanne
San Francisco

Subject: who's telling the truth

Today's headlines should read "BUSH CALLS PAT ROBERTSON A LIAR."

I love it. Pat Robertson said he told Bush he should prepare the american people for casualties of the Iraq war. Bush tells Robertson don't worry, there won't be any casualties.

Today the Bush camp said Bush never made such a statement. So who's telling the truth?

Either Robertson is a liar or Bush is a liar. Seeing how this administration just can't seem to tell the truth on anything, no matter what subject or how trivial, I'll put my money on Robertson being the truth teller.

Bob Lambert
Northridge, CA

Subject: Bias at PBS

The other night on the Newshour (PBS), Gwen Awful did a story which purportedly compared the difference in approaches of gwb and KERRY in how to combat terrorism. Awful began with a complete mischaracterization of what KERRY had said as to diminishing terrorism to the point where it was a "nuisance" and showed a video clip edited to the point that it was taken totally out of context.

Normally, PBS has the veneer of impartiality, but Awful's friendship with Con Rice must be influencing her. I tried to check the online video at PBS to make sure I had heard and seen her intro to the piece correctly, but as luck would have it (amazing coincidence), the video begins after her introduction and without the video clip of KERRY.

First of all, this is just plain bad reporting and one would expect it at Fox or from a Sinclair affiliate, but PBS has an obligation to work for the public as the name implies. Secondly, as Bob Somerby at The Howler has noted, the coziness of the media with those who they are supposed to cover gives the appearance of impropriety and conflict of interest. Gwen, bless her heart, should try to keep that in mind when she blatantly slants her reporting to benefit gwb, and by extension, the lying, incompetent that is Condoleezza Rice.

BTW, Letterman runs embarrassing clips of Kerry and gwb nightly. Oddly enough, the clips of Kerry are severely edited so that he says something that he really didn't say and the clips of gwb are the real deal. So, has PBS sunk to the level of the Late Show when it comes to political discourse?

Turk Meister

Subject: run but not hide

Shouldn't the Kerry people chant at their rallies that "when it comes to George Bush, Osama Bin Laden can run AND HE CAN HIDE"?

Karen in Austin

Subject: Let's DEMAND that CIA Report be made public

Robert Scheer's column today, regarding the CIA report that is being withheld until after election, is shocking but hardly surprising, given this administration's record of lies and secrecy.

In the last days of this Presidential campaign, we need to organize a nationwide campaign to make this report public NOW. Hopefully it will wake up our fellow citizens to the fact that this administration is not defending us against terrorism, but rather exploiting the 9/11 attacks for political advantage.

What the CIA is doing is illegal. As Robert Scheer states: By law, the only legitimate reason the CIA director has for holding back such a report is national security.

Yet neither Goss nor McLaughlin has invoked national security as an explanation for not delivering the report to Congress.

I hope that BuzzFlash will use their influence to mount such a campaign.

Michael Bate

Subject: Bush & Religion

Dear BuzzFlash,

I wrote the following letter to my local newspaper, which was published March 3, 2004. I think the comment I got by telephone the next day might be of interest and illustrate the character of Bush supporters.

This is the letter:

I have heard and read statements from the many religious supporters of George Bush that he is a man of God and has brought honor and dignity to the white house. This statement does not address the President's qualification to make decisions about issues that affect our future welfare. His constant reminders that he used to be a drunk and carouser but is now born-again does not make him an honest man.

It would be useful for those who respect him for his religious principles to look at some of his past statements. His lies about the reasons for going to war are well documented. His stories about National Guard service have not yet been verified. He has told us about his new EPA regulations which do marvelous things for the environment but in reality reduce present protection requirements. He has lied about the average reduction in taxes for middle class citizens. He has told us that he barely knew "Mr." Kenneth Lay when records show they were old friends. (Kenny Boy was a contributor to Bush campaigns and Bush used his airplane for campaigning). He accused Al Gore of being an NRA member during the 2000 campaign and later admitted that he knew it was not true. He talks about the large coalition of the willing which replaced the UN without telling us that only a few have combat troops in Iraq and the rest have only offered verbal support.

I believe that all US citizens should vote and they should make themselves aware of the issues. The country is at a critical point in history and our future will be affected by our voting choices.

This is the telephone call I got the next day from an unknown stranger:

"You are an a...h...." I said, "That's not very nice." He said "you're full of s..." and hung up.

Harold Martin
Waynesboro, PA

Subject: Can you stand another one?

Q. What's the difference between the Vietnam War and the Iraq War?

A. George W. Bush had a plan to get out of the Vietnam War.

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: Rush Limbaugh

Suggestion: Rather than referring to Mr. Limbaugh as "the Drug Addict," which unfairly tars thousands of innocent victims of substance abuse with the same brush as the vile master of conservative talk, you might in future consider referring to him by the slightly more specific appellation, "chunky junky."

Steven W.

Christopher Cooper and Greg Jaffe of the Wall Street Journal report that the U.S. Army has fallen 30 percent short of its 7,274 recruiting goal during the first month of its new recruiting year.

SherAn

Subject: "Deja vu all over again"?? Bush's missed physical exams

Hmmm. ANOTHER absence from a scheduled (and, I thought, mandatory) physical. Kind of makes you wonder, no?

Speculation about the one he missed during his National Guard "service" suggests that he was doing drugs at the time. What's his excuse for missing THIS one? Too busy fighting the war on "terrism"? Or...something else?

Like many Buzz readers, I've noticed how Bush's appearance has deteriorated. The rolled-up shirt sleeves (no doubt meant to suggest, "I'm ready to WORK. Bein' Prez is HARD work!") and swagger can't conceal the twitches, slurs, drools, weird skin tone and jerky movements he's been demonstrating lately.

And, of course, there's also the pretzel incident -- can anyone over the age of two choke on a pretzel?? -- and repeated falls from mountain bikes (plus one scooter). Something is amiss here. I'm no doctor, but my father -- like Bush -- was a long-time alcoholic who became a "dry drunk" (no treatment) and also "got religion." While dry, he'd sit and read the Bible AT people, muttering all the time, "God loves ME. But He doesn't love YOU. I read the Bible. You read *&@^^% sinful garbage. God will punish you."

At least my father had only his family to vent his anger on. Our "Commander in Chief" has the whole world. We all knew that Dad wasn't, well, "normal." I wish the American public would realize that GWB isn't either.

Barb in
Athens, GA

Subject: non-online piece in columbus dispatch

On Tuesday, October 19, 2004, the Columbus Dispatch ran a short on p. B5, below the fold, in a section called "Capital Notes," with the following headline:

"Nader ruling probably the end for Bush, strategist predicts."

I am typing the story from the paper for your benefit.

"Ralph Nader's exclusion from Ohio's Nov. 2 ballot sealed the victory in the presidential campaign--in the state and nationally--for Democrat John Kerry, Democratic strategist Morris Reid said yesterday.

"'Nader not being on the ballot means John Kerry is going to win Ohio,' said Reid, an Akron native and former Clinton administration official. 'Ultimately, Nader's Ohio violation will cost Bush the election.'

Reid is managing director of Westin Rinehart, a Washington, D.C., marketing, communication and lobbying firm.

"Nader was removed from the Ohio ballot by Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell, who ruled that, because of fraudulent practices in the petition process, Nader did not have the 5,000 necessary signatures.

"Nader lost a court challenge.

"Democrats fought Nader's candidacy, fearing he would take votes away from Kerry in his neck-and-neck battle with President Bush."

--Alan Johnson ajohnson@dispatch.com

I'm back. Lest you think Ken Blackwell is a hero here, let me assure you he isn't. He fought us every step of the way, including printing absentee ballots as fast as he could in order to include Nader's name. Then he had to go through all those ballots to blank out Nader's name, plus print notes to include with each ballot instructing voters that votes for Nader wouldn't be counted.

I run a political club up here in the Columbus suburbs, and I was part of the volunteer mobilization to comb the Nader petitions when they came out. This newspaper story is terrific, and I am irritated but not surprised that the Dispatch buried it and didn't even get it onto their online edition.

Paula Deming,
Worthington, Ohio