November 8, 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.

Subject: open letter to Senator Kerry

Dear Senator Kerry,

I am 44 years old and a life-long Democrat. Until "Selection 2000," I was a "talk the talk" but not a "walk the walk" Democrat. I voted and would cheerfully argue with any and all wingnuts but I was never fired up. When the Extreme Court foisted the moron from Crawford upon us, I got mad. Around the end of 2002, I was disappointed when Al Gore decided not to come back for the 2004 and claim what was rightfully his from 2000. I looked around for a candidate to support in the primaries and settled on Howard Dean. Then Dean dropped out. So, I decided to support you. It was more Anybody But Bush (ABB) than you.

I have to say that in the last several months, I have grown to admire and respect you so much. You inspired me to knock on strangers' doors for the League of Conservation Voters and to phone bank for NARAL ProChoice New Mexico. I had never given any candidate money until the primaries.

I heard you speak here in Albuquerque twice and you made me believe that we could wrest our country back from the lunatics. I am depressed, devastated and heartbroken but I know you and your family and the Edwards family all feel the pain so much more acutely. I want to thank you for working your heart out for us and thank you for getting so many of us so involved.

As for healing and uniting, sorry no can do. Those fools in the red states picked an evil little dictator over a man of courage, strength and brains. They're getting what they deserved. Hope they enjoy it.

Sincerely,
Carla Carter

Subject: letter to the editor

I think the FIRST thing we need to do is to fix the corrupt electoral system. We need a major movement to nationalize the voting process - same procedures and methods in each state. We need to prosecute people like Sproul who engage in voter suppression efforts. We need to uphold the Voting Rights Act - no state should disqualify a person who fails to check a little box on competency or citizenship when they have to sign affirming those things to be true. I thought literacy tests were unconstitutional.

And, why are we allowing conservative suburbs to have more than enough voting machines while urban and more liberal areas have too few to accommodate the thousands?

It upsets me and other progressives that there is no paper trail - no way to check for machine fraud - this is insane! As long as the system is corrupt, the Karl Roves of the neocon party will continue to manipulate the process to their benefit.

We also need to roll back the "corporate media" - this is not helping progressive causes. Conglomerates need to be broken up and there needs to be a new "fairness doctrine." Pundits should not be allowed to play over and over campaign commercials of one party or the other - as they did with the Swift Boat Liars for Bush. The FCC needs major overhaul.

And the FEC also needs to either "put out" or "get out" - they have done NOTHING to earn their salaries.

Hope you don't think this too negative, but the progressives that I network with are all saying these things, but nobody seems to be paying any attention - WHY?

Hope you guys can help spearhead a movement in these directions.

Linda and Ron Weekley
Virginia

Subject: Secession

The Jesusland map has spread like wildfire in the last day. Some forum needs to be developed for a discussion of secession. While the flip answer is that the red states would be happy to see us go, this link, http://web.inter.nl.net/users/Paul.Treanor/secession.html, containing an introductory article on the "Ethics of Secession," suggests that the idea would meet with resistance, likely strong and violent. In a sense, the notion of "joining Canada" differs from classic secession in that no more states would be created, but rather there would be a large transfer of territory from one to another. This may be styled "accession" according to the descriptions given in the above article.

Nonetheless, the idea has a great deal of currency, and ought be seized upon as worth serious consideration. Obviously, the South's attempt to secede failed, and in the most bloody possible manner. We are still paying the price to this day. The suggestion of joining Canada is somewhat different, however, than forming a new state altogether. This, so far, leaves out entirely any discussion of Canada's view on the matter. There is no doubt, however, that, at base, the "Blue State" ideology much more closely matches that of Canada and Europe. They certainly don't want our civil war at their doorstep.

The best way to start is by introducing the idea through language. Referring to my state, CT, as "Blue America" or a "Blue State" already creates a linguistic division between Blue America and Red America. This subtle linguistic change has already been developing since the last election, and to a much lesser degree, prior elections (at least since colored maps). However, the idea has now crystallized because of the contiguity of Blue America, with itself and Canada.

I honestly think a movement could build rather quickly. Let's look into this. So much to consider. Shall we get started?

John C. Pitblado
Simsbury, CT

Subject: Fantastic Idea!

Judy's idea in the Nov 4 mailbag that red states get Bush as their misleader...and blue states will have President Kerry...was excellent! California is already the world's sixth largest economy by itself....NYC is capital of the universe...Chicago...well it has Buzz. In fact all the coolest states are blue.

Only problem I see in Judy's otherwise terrific notion....is that we'd do so well...they'd come and bomb us, too. My son, who has just moved back to Paris and said he "will never live in the US again" because doesn't want to live in Bushlandia, says we should just attach the blue states to Canada and rename it.

Suzanne
San Francisco

Subject: Yankee Stay Home - Please! We need you there!

As a Canadian, I was both flattered and disturbed to read about the number of disillusioned Democrats who are talking about moving here.

During the Vietnam War Canada benefited by the influx of talented and committed young Americans. Many of them have played important roles in transforming Canada into a country that so many Americans admire.

Today the stakes are higher and the issues are different. Borders do not offer the protection they once did. Canada cannot hope to remain a free and tolerant nation if America becomes the kind of country that the Bush cartel wants to make it.

This doesn’t mean that I am worried about an actual invasion. That won’t be necessary. Economic pressure, cultural influences, control of the media and the support of our own right wing establishment will be all that is needed. There are ominous signs already. The Progressive Conservative party, after years of splits and turmoil, has dropped its
"Progressive” from its name, side-lined most of its progressive members and re-emerged as a Republican party light.

Canadians don’t like to admit it, but much of what is good and enlightened in our country has its roots in the United States. American legal precedents and social influences have played a critical role in shaping Canada’s whole social and political structure. We have always tried to build on your successes and avoid your mistakes.

Even Anti-Americanism in Canada has a made in the U.S.A. label underneath. Most Canadian criticism of the America is simply an echo of what progressive Americans are saying. The root of this criticism has been a belief that America was not living up to the core values that both Canadians and Americans share.

On Tuesday that belief in shared core values was shattered. The country that Canadians have thought of as a rich, brash but basically good-hearted cousin now seems like a stranger.

I know that American liberals are often uncomfortable with the suggestion that their country has a special mission in the world, but the fact is that it does. There has never been a free world without a free America.

Peter Sim
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Canada

Subject: "The Reaching Out" of George Bush

Buzz --

After listening to the pundits for the past two days -- both left and right -- two things are abundantly clear: any Democrat who thinks this Administration intends to reach out to them is either a fool or has been living on another planet for the past three years. It's
Republican hogwash, ain't gonna' happen. Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reilly and the rest of the Wingnuts continue to call Democrats liars, unpatriotic scum. Their tone will never change. They continue to spew the hate they have for all things not Republican right down to the personal attacks.

Mrs. Edwards gets cancer -- hey -- she deserves it!!!

The second thing I've come to realize is that we -- the Democrats -- have let this
happen. If all the votes in Ohio had been counted and the president of Diebold had been outed for raising funds for Bush and making it clear he "would do anything" to have Bush elected (not reelected), then John F. Kerry would be the President-elect.

Instead we go on these right-wing interview shows ill-prepared and cowed by the right; when they lie, we say they misspoke; when the Ann Coulters of the Right says liberals should be hanged, we let it go unchallenged. When any Democratic leader says we should work with the President, he or she should be told to shut up; Hell, no we won't work with this Administration because almost 50-million Americans voted that they are sick and tired of the lies and the deception and the stealing of our country by big corporations who
don't pay taxes but contribute mightily to the GOP. And if we don't find a leader with some backbone then we can anticipate many years of regressive legislative and Executive programs that will set back the true meaning of America.

As for me, I intend to fight every inch against ANYTHING the Bush administration does. Anyone care to fight with me???

Tony Mac

[BuzzFlash Note: Kerry's actual vote tally was 55,949,798, according to CNN; and contrary to what the pundits have implied, 49% of those came from "red states," Media Matters tells us.]

Subject: U.S.of Canada & Jesusland

If y'all want to join Canada, you should understand that it is a different country...

And we'll have to talk about that map - it's not nice to leave Alaska stuck way up north, all alone like that ... and we Canadians do try to act nice. North Yukon? Yulaska? Alaskon? Oilistan sounds honest - if a little, uh, crude ?

Canada is different.

For example, when our Liberal government has a financial scandal, it's because we had an election and they claimed there was a billion dollar budget surplus.

Actually, it was a 9 billion dollar surplus. Shameful - Liberal spending promises that don't need any tax increase! Sneaky Liberals - they must have known.

Also, Canada has a different history.

For example, in WW I and WW II - Canadians were dying "over there" while your big businesses were busy making money from both sides. Like the Iraq/Iran war. We'll have to stop that.

You all will have to relearn some ancient history too. Benedict Arnold, for instance, was almost a traitor, a rebel who saw the error of his ways, and tried to make amends ... A generation later, y'all started to paint the President's House White. Sorry about that, but you all started it. No Thanks for burning York, but Toronto is much more tidy, and nicer.

It might be good for the mental health of the folks in Jesusland. We could stop telling people from Georgia that they have yankee accents. And, they can stop trying to understand the difference between a confederation and the Confederacy.

Canada's values of respect and compromise may be foreign to you all - but it's time to learn.

e.g.: What's with the name? United States of Canada ? Canada's provinces are not states.

Confederation is what happened here, but we understand that word has unpleasant memories for you. How about the "Dominion of Canada"?

Lest the new minority feel excluded, the new government could help. Y'know ? - the believers who don't know that the bible was not written in English? We could pay for enough lessons that they could sing "O Canada" in the original, French language.

"Sait porter le croix - sait portee l'epe"? What's that about, eh?

On second thought, perhaps pot smoking married lesbian Marines might need some lessons too !

Canada will have to make some sacrifice, too, y'know.

Our steel industry will die. Your joining the rest of the world about sensible gun control will flood the new country with recycling. Your gun crazed madness is not negotiable.

Of course, as Canadians, we know that everything is open to discussion. And discussions.

And federal-provincial conferences. How about a right to bear arms - as long as we mean black powder, muzzle loading & smooth bore, at least 2 m. long... or, let's compromise - 6 ft.

Let's all do better at remembering our history - and let's end the U.S. of Amnesia.

Our place at the trough called "missile defence" will also have to go. Because science tells us that it is an impossible dream, we will have to leave it to Jesusland's pork barrel. They believe in miracles, and that is their right and their taxes.

Canada's medical system will also be in trouble. We have a single-payer insurance system,  but millions of new Canadians will have their heads full of a myth of a "socialist" system ... and there will be many doctors who will be unhappy that it takes more than two years after graduating to become millionaires.

Let's be clear - Nobody Invades Anybody, o.k.?

No boat people arriving and making real estate prices go crazy, again. Promise? We'll call it re-unification, or reconciliation, or something, eh? (I mean, huh?) Of course, our hemp farmers will have to move to California, and learn to live without snowmobiles.

Hmmm... Never mind. No Thank You. Yankee stay home. Your women are wonderful, but like the song says - "we don't need your war machine - we don't need your ghetto scene - American Woman - stay away - Bye bye! "

call me tedintoronto
USA, Love it or Fix it

I personally do not believe that Bush won this election. I think a combination of voter suppression, tampering with electronic black box totals that have no verifiable paper trail and under and over votes that were discarded caused the election to appear to have gone in Bush's favor. See: Greg Palast's web site.http://www.gregpalast.com/

If you look at the pattern, they did exactly what they did in 2000. Created an appearance that he won in the media and then made it look like Kerry fighting it would disrupt the unity of the country (well, Gore conceding certainly did not unite the country). So, my thinking is that-- progressives cannot ever win anything in this country again until we get control of the media-- Media Matters for America is a wonderful thing but it doesn't change anything.

We have to have a concerted, fierce effort to hit the media in the pocketbook. A good first idea would be to totally refuse to watch NBC and related stations because of their calling Ohio for Bush and not leaving a clear way for the vote counting to go forward. We need to boycott them and let them know that their viewership just sunk by the 47% (probably a lot more) of this country that wanted Kerry because we won't put up with their unfair and partisan behavior.

The common line is that they are "corporate" and control the slant and content of news. "Corporate" means "money." If they lose one-half of their viewership and the advertisers know why, they will not be as eager to be partisan. When the corporations that own these media outlets see that it is not in their interest to lean to the right, they will lean to the middle or the left.

Our efforts with Sinclair Broadcasting were certainly partially successful. Most far righters watch Fox and CNN--why should we allow their opinions and values to color the media that most of us watch?

If every progressive group, you guys, MoveOn, Common Cause and on and on start a long, consistent media boycott of the unfair we can change this. See Media Matters 11/4/04 for the myriad ways that all of the media influenced the election. This makes it clear what we have to do. If we do not, we will never achieve anything nationally.

Thank you,

Sandra Whiteknact

Subject: this is really weird

http://enight.dos.state.fl.us/

Look at the voter turnout in Hernando county. 109,656 registered voters and not one single person voted???

Linda

Subject: Bush pushing Catholic health care plan on fed workers

Bush is trying to move forth legislation that would only provide workers with Catholic health care, depriving them of birth control, sterilization and abortion services. Please link readers to the following site for more information:

http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/catholichealthplan

With Bush in power for four more years we must move to pass the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) which would protect us if Roe v. Wade was overturned. The link is:

www.saveroe.com

Please post these links and help us keep our rights.

Tabin Crume

Subject: Areas hit by 911 terrorists went for Kerry

I wonder how Freepers who swear their toad-in-chief keeps America "safe" justify the fact that PA, NYC, and WDC that were actually hit by terrorism...went for President Kerry.

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: Don't Stop Fighting For What is Right!

My faith in the American people has diminished, not because they voted Republican but because the lies, smears, and half-truths spewed by the GOP right-wing zealots against John Kerry, a decorated veteran, did not appear to matter to the people that voted for Bush. Although the voters said they based their votes on morals and family values, they cast a blind eye to the values of truth and looking out for the least of our brothers and sisters.

Bush has extended an olive branch and asked all of us that voted for Kerry to give him our support and unite the country. The President must first move to the center and listen to and represent the wishes of all the people, not just the religious right, corporations and the wealthy elite. Otherwise, our nation will remain divided. His pledge to cash in his political capital only reinforces his lack of sincerity in uniting our country. I see further and deeper division within our country in the years ahead if Bush proceeds as if he has a mandate. Clearly, he has no credibility left with half of the American voters and yet he is
asking for our trust.

In Fort Collins, Colorado, Nancy Hunter, the Larimer County GOP chairwoman stated that Bush's detractors will be able to see he is committed to doing what he believes is right for the country and added "I think they'll come around." I don't think anyone questions the fact that Bush believes he is right, the problem is that he believes only his viewpoint is the right one and everyone else is wrong.

To Ms. Hunter and the GOP I say no.....

I will not come around and accept policies that benefit the mega-wealthy and corporate CEO's at the expense of the poor and the working middle class. I will not come around and accept obscene, taxpayer-funded profits for the drug companies at the expense of my 75-year old mother and all elderly Americans that cannot afford prescription drugs .I will not come around and accept policies that continue denying affordable health care for all Americans .I will not come around and accept the ravaging of our environment and
natural resources that belong to the many, all for the pursuit of profits by the few.

I am a Roman Catholic and attend mass every Sunday yet I will not come around and accept policies that blur the separation of church and state. I will not come around and accept policies that favor corporate control of our free press. I will not come around and accept the drafting of laws and regulations by corporate and special interest lobbyists instead of our elected representatives .I will not come around and accept policies and rhetoric that demonize the poor and single mothers on welfare and rewards the wealthy with corporate welfare. I will not come around and accept policies that continue to widen the gap between the rich and the poor.

The Democratic Party needs to take stock and assess what the party is
all about. The party was energized and the local wins in Larimer County, Colorado are a start. We must maintain that energy and do our best nationally to articulate the Party's core values. The Democratic Party must get back to its roots, fighting for the middle class and the poor, not to give them hand-outs but a hand up. It must expose and fight injustice wherever it occurs. It must expose fraud and abuse of power.

I strongly believe, as do many Americans, that corporations have taken control of our government and our media. The Democratic Party has always made the fight for the "little people" against the greed and corruption of the rich and powerful a winning strategy. It needs to get back into that fight. We need to expose fraud, abuse of power, injustice, discrimination, and corporate welfare on a daily basis. We shouldn't have to wait another 4 years to wage that fight.

May God Bless America, especially during the next 4 years.

Pete R.

Subject: A new Democratic Party leadership

Hi BuzzFlashers,

Well, the DNC did it again. Lost 2000 without a fight, got beat bad in 2002, and went down in flames in 2004. One gets the feeling that something is really terribly wrong with democratic party leadership. I suggest it's time for a change.

So here's a few ideas for starters:

1. Lobby hard for Bill Clinton to take over as Chairman of the Democratic Party. Lord knows, we need someone with a big pair of balls to bring this party together again, and Bill just might be the guy to do it.

2. Tom Daschle getting beat could be a good thing. How about lobbying for Joe Biden to become Senate Minority leader? I don't know squat about Harry Reid, but Man, talk about cajones; Biden sure has em.

3. Find a spot for Howard Dean. Somehow, someway, we need him to continue energizing the party base.

I'm so sick and tired of "republican Lite" leadership running this party, I want to scream. If I hear one more Dem telling me that "if we want to get along, we should go along," I will rip their face off.

BuzzFlashers, we've got the power to make changes. Let's start lobbying now.

Someone once said, "I will fight till hell freezes over, and then I will fight them on the ice." We need to make this our rallying cry, and let the democratic party know they had better heed this advice now; or there will no longer be a democratic party.

Howard from Phoenix

Subject: Subject: Rove's October Surprise ..... Nov 2nd

Dear MB and BuzzFlash,

Thank you so much for your beautifully written letter to BuzzFlash mailbag. I read it three times and had to write to you. I'm feel so very bad for us all. I myself have been mumbling incoherently about the bible belt and the moral moms in the red states. My sister said she felt there was something fishy about the whole thing. She worked at the polls in Philadelphia and it was Kerry 5-1. Something Chris Matthews said last night really stuck with me. He said that when he keeps looking back to the map of red and blue states, and if you show that map to someone in India they'll say, "I know that map, it's of India and Pakistan and for the first time I realized I was living in a third world country too." Anyway, thank you so much for your wonderful letter, I pray that someday, George Bush and Karl Rove (the architect) will be exposed for the moral-less men they are.

Sincerely,
Andrea Barol

Subject: The gay marriage thing

I had stated in a letter to BuzzFlash earlier this year (which was elevated to BuzzFlash Reader Contribution status on February 10, talk about flattering!) that Rove would use the gay marriage issue to divide the country. And it worked, didn't it? The question was on the ballot in several states, which sent hundreds of thousands of the fundamentalists to the polls. And they voted for their guy on this bogus issue, perhaps to the point of giving him the election.

I totally agree with one of the letters in today's (November 4) mailbag that said "Outlawing Gay Marriage must equal outlawing divorce." If these people really care about protecting marriage, then let's pass laws that outlaw divorce between any married couple. But then, that wouldn't sit will with your Newts and your Rushes, would it?

I took the opportunity to make this suggestion to Representative Dennis Moore. He is the lone Democrat in the Kansas congressional delegation, so we Kansans are not entirely Republican no matter what you hear on TV. He thought it was a great idea. To its credit, our district re-elected Mr. Moore over his right-wing bigoted opponent, Kris Kobach, whose campaign promised that he would "protect marriage." My question to him was "from what, or whom, does marriage need protection?" He never answered the question--I was directed to his web site for his response.

As I said, if you really want to protect marriage, then make divorce illegal. Suggest that to all your Republican friends and members of Congress! See what kind of response you get. I'll be anxiously awaiting the response I get from the Kansas Senators.

David Schlomer

Subject: For Bush, unity means surrender

Dear Buzz,

George W Bush is the great uniter; the great healer. He'll heal America like he's healing Iraq. Surrender or die. Accept your fate. Accept his omnipotence. Unite behind his agenda for war, racism, pigs at the trough and fundamentalist values. I don't envy you Americans a thing. That's Bush's idea of unity.

My condolences.

Polunatic
A reader from Canada
http://polunatic.blogspot.com/

Subject: Into the Shrub Dark Ages

O.K., here we go into the deepest dark ages of George II's second term. Predictions:

Iraq civil war. The Shrubbites had been holding off unleashing heavy duty havoc till after the Election. By the way, wonder where RUMSFELD, PERLE, and WOLFOWITZ have been all through the campaign? It's safe for them to come back out now.

Other wars in lots of places.

Draft. Yep, George promised absolutely no draft, nowhere, no time. Expect a draft and lots more invisible, flag-draped boxes.

Bye-bye, Fidel. If there is one thing George actually does for himself, it is to take revenge on Poppy's old enemies. Expect George to travel to Havana personally afterwards for a huge party, with lots of cigar smokers.

Bye-bye, Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, and whatever else is left. Bye-bye, IRS. Hello, "consumption tax."

Oh, and those pesky Supremes. Four, count'em, four Supreme Court judges of the rabid wingnut variety.

But, hey, according to the t.v. yakkers, it was our own religious fundamentalists and those married women wanting security from George who made it happen, whose so important issues are being anti-choice and anti-Gay civil rights--as opposed to such trivial matters as illegal wars and pillaging the national economy through cronyism.

John G.

Subject: Divided we fall

Every great nation in history has fallen for the same reasons ...arrogance and greed. It looks like the United States is no exception to that rule. We have just elected a president that cares only about two things...wealth and power...at the expense of everyone and everything else. Instead of "government of, by, and for the people," he wants to instill a government of, by, and for God...and only a strict, fundamentalist, Christian God. No
other God need apply.

Bush will now implement his entire arrogant crusade for world domination and listen to no one. Under the guise of "family values" he has already recklessly murdered 100,000 innocent Iraqis including women and children, not to mention sacrificing 1,200 of our own men and women and injuring close to 10,000. As long is it is not "on our shores," who
cares about anyone else in the world? No one else counts. He will run our country into hopeless debt that our children will be unable to repay, while he mocks "tax and spend liberals." He will destroy the elderly by taking away their hard earned social security and medicare benefits and forcing them to seek help from Canada or other nations. He will destroy our air, water, and earth by refusing to sign any reasonable environmental
legislation even when it's backed by the entire rest of the world. What do they know? He will get us into endless wars and endanger our security out of sheer arrogance and an unwillingness to even sit down and talk to other world leaders. And for what? Wealth and power? Moral "superiority"? Just plain stupidity?

This will be the beginning of the end of the United States of America. Whenever a country gets too selfish, too arrogant, too morally self-righteous, and too condescending of others, it is a recipe for disaster. If condescending voices like Rush Limbaugh have become the rule of the day, we are lost. United we stand. Divided we fall. Unless citizens can
unravel the truth behind this arrogant, corrupt administration...the   U.S. is doomed to defeat.

Unfortunately, with a media now controlled largely by the Bush administration, it will be difficult to get any semblance of truth out to the American people, and with only Bush propaganda to go on, the public will blindly follow this man into Hell. I CRY for my country,
because it doesn't have to be this way.

Rob Moitoza
U.S. Navy Veteran

There is no longer any need to vote. As long as the outcome of an election can be stolen using rigged voting machines, what is the point? Just let the powers that be announce the man they've chosen to lead (ruin) the country. It's what they are doing anyway, and we wouldn't have to listen to all the slanderous garbage or stand out in the cold rain to vote in a rigged election where the winner has been chosen before the first vote is even cast.

We have lost more than an election, we have lost the heart and soul of our nation.

Linda in N. C.

Subject: The Exit Polls Were Not Wrong!

The exit polls were not wrong. The Diebold voting machines could easily be programmed to register every vote for Bush to Bush and every other vote for Kerry also to Bush. We will never have a fair election again unless we get rid of the paperless voting machines and go back to paper ballots. I do not think we will ever have fair elections again.

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: Bill Bennett on Election 2004 on National Review Online

This SOB is going to lecture on personal behavior and morals to the "great unwashed?" His statement about a mandate should have everyone on edge.

Having restored decency to the White House, President Bush now has a mandate to affect policy that will promote a more decent society, through both politics and law. -- Bill Bennett, National Review Online

Paul M.

Subject:Don't Cry To Me

So your guy won. You're so happy you're gloating. Finally, your ideology will not only be rammed down our throats but put into law. So over the next four years, don't cry to me when your ideology (which you really just want imposed on everyone else) comes back to haunt you.

When you reach retirement age and there is no longer any Social Security, don't cry to me about being broke. You traded an established program that was to remain solvent until at least 2047 for keeping the word God in the pledge of allegiance.

When there is no cure for your grandmother's Alzheimer's, don't cry to me about your sadness. You traded the breakthrough possibilities of stem-cell research for having abortions outlawed.

When your son is drafted and sent to war, don't cry to me with your worry. You traded your only hope of the draft not being re-instated for a president that won't attend a funeral of a soldier.

When you work 60 hours a week, but instead of getting paid for the extra 20 hours you get 2 comp days of vacation (which of course you won't be able to afford to take, because you're not getting paid for your overtime), don't cry to me about not being able to make ends meet. You traded a fair employment system just to have the Ten Commandments installed at courthouses.

When you discover that your mail is being read, your phone calls listened to, your email examined, which web sites you visit being watched, don't cry to me about feeling violated. You traded your rights to privacy for the Patriot Act.

When your loved one is harmed by a prescription medicine and you find that you can no longer sue, don't cry to me with your frustration. You traded many legal rights for a "moral" president.

When your gay or lesbian child is fired for their sexual orientation, don't cry to me with your outrage. You traded anti-discrimination protection for the protection of the "sanctity" of marriage.

When you're sick and can't afford medical care, don't cry to me about your desperation. You traded a realistic solution to the nation's health care crisis for lower taxes.

When your loved ones are killed by the next terrorist act on American soil, the first of many sure to come, don't cry to me about your pain. You traded peace talks and non-violent solutions for a "tough" president who constantly provokes retaliatory attacks.

You traded a system with safeguards, safety nets, compassion and protections just to have your "values" 'become government policy. So for the next four years, when these "policies" start affecting you, just remember you asked for them. You got what you wanted. So don't cry to me.

I don't want to hear it.

Beware of those who sell the tools of war, because they may also sell you war. And when we buy war, we buy the death of our own children. -- General Eisenhower (1890-1969)

Signed,

Depressed in Florida

Subject: Voting in Florida

I am an attorney in Miami, Florida. You may want to know that the front page of the Miami Herald this morning ran a story regarding 70,000 missing votes in the Florida election in Broward County. Apparently there was a "glitch" in the computer program that affected voting on Amendment 4 (to allow slot machines in Florida). The company's electronic machines apparently had some kind of programming that "cut-off" votes after 35,000 to avoid what they said could be ballot stuffing. This resulted in an undercount of 70,000 votes in favor of the Amendment.

If it could happen with this Amendment did it happen with anything else? Bush did "better than expected" in Broward, Dade and West Palm Beach. I know the media has made this sound as if it was just a large Evangelical turnout all across Florida and the US that resulted in a Bush win. I am much more skeptical. My skepticism also rests on the fact that the Republican controlled Florida legislature and Executive determined several months before the election that: (1) no electronic voting machines would have a paper trail and (2) the requirement that there be a witness on an absentee ballot was eliminated.

It turns out that most of the electronic voting machines (15 counties have them in Florida) are the heavily populated democratic areas.

I also was told that in some places in Florida when a person pressed the voting screen for Kerry it came out Bush. They complained and it was corrected but I don't know how many more times it happened and was not corrected. I obtained this information from a person who was doing monitoring of elections.

Best Regards,

Ira Kurzban

Subject: The Bush Era

To BuzzFlash:

It looks like you have four more years to counter the forces of reaction who have taken over this country. I hope this web site and all the other progressive sites keep up the battle. Thank You.

Sandy Gallo

Subject: The tip of an iceberg?

Dear friend in the media:

How many times did this happen in Ohio? How many times did it, or something like it, happen in Florida? Why do a number of Counties in Florida show returns in which over 50% of registered Democrats would have to have voted for George Bush to account for the results?

Where is the independent voice of journalism when the soul of the nation needs her?

Sincerely,

Roger Stritmatter
Concerned Voter
Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Subject: The 2000 stolen election vs the 2004 stolen election

November 2000: I was injured in an out-of-state accident which made me permanently disabled. I lost my 6 figure job. The three insurance companies involved (all big Bush supporters) fought against each other and against paying me. I was in the middle and used up all my savings on medical expenses. I voted absentee in 2000, stayed in bed and listened in angst to all the Florida fighting. At the end I knew that Gore won...but accepted the inevitable outcome...and started researching and writing a book on Bush Inc.

November 2004: My son..and only child...and to me the most wonderful person in the universe...has a masters degree in International Relations/Foreign Policy/UN Charter Law. This is a kid that from childhood was kind, other oriented, and totally responsible and hard working. He is a computer whiz and has dual US/French citizenship. He moved back to Paris saying he will "never live in the US again." I miss him but am glad he left.

As soon as he stepped his foot on French soil he had full health coverage from the #1 rated health care system on earth. US healthcare is rated 37. French citizens work 35 hr weeks, and get 7 weeks paid holidays a year. Here he worked 60 hours a week and more until his job was outsourced. France is 1/5th of our 300M population, and the size of Texas, yet it is the world's 4th largest economy and the world's second agricultural producer after the US.

I wish I were in France right now...and will be moving there as soon as possible...and can be an e-activist from anywhere.

It is clear this election was stolen. I do not care about analyzing "where we failed" because we didn't fail, we won. Senator Kerry has $45 million in his recount fund..and if the rules permit it...should use this to unleash lawyers and criminal investigators in Florida, Ohio, and New Mexico. I will not waste one second of my time on analysis. We won.

My own mother drilled into my four brothers and sisters and me throughout our childhood "Never say hate...never even think it." I've gotten to age 50 never having said hate.

I sincerely HATE BUSH'S GUTS. He STOLE the election...again. He does not have a mandate. He is NOT my president. He is a psychopath. I WILL NOT get over it. It is now a serious health risk for me to continue living in the US.

Suzanne
San Francisco

Subject: election results

Is there anything being done about the discrepancy between the exit polls in the critical states and the Diebold election results? Why did the Democrats even allow Diebold to provide a machine that, a)does not produce a paper record, and b) have proprietary software? Did all the states that had a discrepancy between exit polls and the election "results" use electronic voting machines? How many used the Diebold machines? Any information you could provide would be appreciated. I just can't believe there are this many stupid people in the U.S. - I believe this election was stolen once again.

Gary Cabirac

[BuzzFlash Note: For starters, see BlackBoxVoting.org and the BuzzFlash Voter Fraud Compendium.]

Subject: How Republican operative Ken Blackwell won Ohio for Bush

The fact is that significantly more Ohio voters went to the polls intending to vote for Kerry than for Bush. But those in neighborhoods most likely to vote for Kerry were faced with the defective voting machines that Ohio voting official and Republican operative Ken Blackwell purposely provided for them. They were also faced with the prohibitively long lines that resulted.

But by their very nature, Kerry and his ilk are afraid to get into the realm of such "conspiracy theory." They shrink at the prospect of even considering the possibility that Republican operatives systematically placed worn-out, third-rate voting machines in the precincts that were most likely to vote heavily Democratic. Yet it was in precisely these precincts that machines produced large numbers of defective ballots and even broke down, producing lines of would-be voters that were so long that many gave up and went home before they could vote. And even if the machines didn’t break down, there were so few of them allotted for these precincts that prohibitively long lines were assured.

Similarly in 2000, Al Gore refused to associate himself with the notion that black voters in Florida were systematically disenfranchised by the tens of thousands -- and not just by means of placing defective voting machines in their polling places. Gore preferred to give up and preserve his 'reputation' -- at immense cost to America.

Understand that worn-out, third-rate voting machines produce the greatest number of 'spoiled' ballots. Lots of run-down punch card machines were used in Ohio, just as they were in Florida in the 2000 election. And once again they produced punch card ballots with chads that were not completely punched out, causing Ohio's largely Democratic vote not to be counted in full measure.

Let's be perfectly clear about where Ohio's chief voting official and Republican operative Ken Blackwell saw to it that these defective voting machines were located. They were placed in the precincts that were sure to vote against Bush. And where was that? One was near Kenyon College, where virtually all of the students were sure to vote against Bush. There, most of the machines actually broke down, forcing many students to wait 10 hours to vote. Very limited numbers of (defective) voting machines were also placed in low-income and minority neighborhoods, where people waited for many hours in long lines for their chance to help defeat Bush. Unfortunately, many gave up and went home -- just as Bush operatives knew they would.

This is the kind of scummy immorality and criminality that it took to get Bush re-elected. And what is the likelihood that any of our corporate-owned mass media will even touch this story? For that matter, what is the likelihood that any of our establishment politicians (like Kerry) will touch it?

Virtually nil.

Richard C.

Subject: Re: Don't Think of an Elephant! / How Democrats and Progressives Can Win

Dear BuzzFlash;

In the weeks to come, we will see a new and improved George W. Bush. Under Karl Rove's direction, he will pretend to be a "unificator" (lol) dedicated bipartisan government. He will talk about mending the rift between Democrats and Republicans.

Do not be fooled. The Bump camp did the same thing during Florida 2000. This charade is designed to discourage Democrats from questioning the election results in Ohio and Florida. Within a few months, Bush will be back to his old partisan self. And the Democratic Party and America will have lost the chance to uncover Karl Rove's Goebelesque Big Lie.

Vote fraud was committed in a massive scale this election. How do I know this? Because on election morning, Ohio's GOP Secretary of State tried to prevent exit polls from being performed in his state. There is only one reason why he would have done this----exit polls were likely to conflict with the vote which Diebold's president vowed he would deliver to Bush. There are suggestions of similar fraud in Florida.

Now is the time for concerned Kerry supporters to speak out in letters to the editor, emails to Congress and (if necessary) public demonstrations. Also, send letters to Kerry urging him to demand manual recounts in Florida and Ohio. For those with computers and math skills, perform statistical analyses of exit poll/vote count discrepancies precinct by precinct to see if there is a relationship with voting technology.

Even if the results of this (stolen) election can not be overturned, if we speak out now we may be able to ensure that electronic voting is overhauled (or scrapped) to make it impossible for anyone to ever again do what Bush and Rove have done.

Suzanne Tolbert
Fort Worth, Texas

Subject: first broken promise?

I thought President Bush swore he'd never allow a foreign leader to make decisions about our national security....

"We are making last preparations. It will be soon. We are just
awaiting orders from Prime Minister (Iyad) Allawi," Marine Colonel
Michael Shupp told Reuters near Falluja. "

From: U.S. Forces Set for Imminent Assault on Falluja (Reuters, Nov. 5)

Richard T.

Progressive web sites should all begin campaigns to have readers write to moderate Northeastern Republican Senators and urge them to switch parties. Olympia Snowe and Lincoln Chaffee in particular should be reminded that Tim Coburn and Jim DeMint are not their kind of Republicans. They are the American Taliban and ultra-extremists.
What do you think??

Curt Williams
Denver, CO

Subject: Martial law, anyone?

Hey Buzz,

Let me get this straight. The first words out of Buff Daddy's mouth were; "I have a mandate." And we're supposed to believe that this guy is a uniter? These are not the words of someone who is interested in reaching out to the opposition. These are not the words of a "healer." These are the words of someone who is determined to push through his agenda, come hell or high water. If the Democratic leadership tries to extend the hand of conciliation to this fraud, it will pull back a bloody stub. If the Democratic leadership thinks it can "work" with this fraud, it will get rolled. More importantly and to the point, if the Democratic leadership tries to reach out to this fraud in the spirit of compromise and goodwill, America will be administered a bath at the hands of these ruthless thugs. The Rove Administration interprets magnanimity as weakness, and they will respond accordingly.

Speaking of fraud, for some reason I have these visions of election fraud dancing in my head. And electronic voting machines, too. Dancing in my head, that is. Visions. What's next, compadre? Marshal law? ( Or is that "martial" law? Alack. Where's Dan Quayle when you need him?) The righteous beat goes on. The noble fight continues!

Best regards,

G. Will Hunter

[BuzzFlash Note: It's martial, but we really don't feel we need Dan Quayle.]

Subject: Same song different verse

A slightly altered sentence from “The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich” by William Shirer. The names have changed but the song remains the same.

To some Americans and no doubt most foreigners it appeared that a charlatan had come to power in DC. To the majority of Americans Bush had - or would shortly assume - the aura of a truly charismatic leader. They would follow him blindly, as if he possessed a divine judgment....

Mike D.

Subject: BuzzFlash mailbag greatest idea for action

So many of us have the SAME IDEA...turn off the t.v. week. It can be done if you and other independent web sites give us a date. This will send a message of action and could even be repeated once it catches on. We will need a stated philosophy behind this protest action and that's where you come in---maybe working with mediamatters and others. I just know so many of us are angry at mainstream media maybe as an alternative we could call it C-SPAN only week!

What do you think?

Kim Johanson

Subject: Ironclad proof of fraud ...

Just for example:

Franklin County: 77.3% of voters registered Dems.

Only 15.9% registered Reps.

58.5% of the votes reported FOR BUSH???

Holmes County: 72.7% of voters registered Dems.

Only 21.3% registered Reps.

77% of the votes reported FOR BUSH???

Calhoun County: 82.4% of voters registered Dems.

Only 11.9% registered Reps.

63.4% of the votes reported FOR BUSH???

And on, and on...

http://ustogether.org/Florida_Election.htm

Peter K.

Subject: Want your guy to win?

Want your guy to win?

We've been going about spreading the word regarding electronic voting machines all wrong. We're using the difficult method of waking people up from their natural resistance to devastating information. Instead of saying, "These machines are flawed and open to abuse," or "George Bush stole this election," or any of the whining style of spreading
information, we should be saying, "Want your guy to win? Learn to rig elections at http://www.blackboxvoting.org."

For this to work, it must be a very public and extremely repetitive call to teach as many people as possible how to rig elections in their favor. We should be encouraged to print and distribute flyers, write to newspapers, post to our blogs/message boards, etc. inviting people to learn how to rig elections in their favor. Keep in mind, the goal is not to conspire for a rigged election, but to cause panic about too many people knowing how to do
it.

This will have the effect of appealing directly to people's fear (thus waking them up quicker than calm logic can). Eventually, people will start to be afraid that the wrong people are learning this, and then they will look into it for themselves. Eventually, if we reach a critical mass, there will be widespread panic over people competing to be the one who rigs the election their way – thus forcing people to demand that their government fix this problem.

On top of everything else, it'll give all us grieving progressives a lesson in creative and peaceful dissent.

I'm writing this letter to every progressive broadcaster I can find. Please join me in this campaign. The lesson from Bush is that fear works, so let's use it creatively to our advantage for once.

Jason Mott

the only problem with that map is that the province of Alberta would also have to be in green. They're the only province that supported Bush. that's also where most of the rednecks live in Canada, coincidentally.

that's also where the oil is. IT'S BUSH COUNTRY.

Richard L.

Subject: Give them enough rope...

Dear BuzzFlash,

First, I want to say thank you for being such a beacon of hope and community in these strange, troubling times.

Second, I have to admit, only one thought brings me satisfaction these days. What better punishment for Bush than to have to wallow in his own mess? The horror of Iraq, our economy in shambles, poverty, the nation divided, these are all the problems he made, and for once in his life, let him stay to clean them up. I don't believe his second term will be a good one. Almost half the country hates him -- compared to 25% several years ago. As the disasters pile on top of each other, as more of our children are sent to die in the Middle East for Halliburton, as more people lose their homes, as the inevitable terror strikes happen in our cities, our numbers will only increase.

Time and truth are on our side. It's a shame that given a choice between learning a lesson the easy way and learning a lesson the hard way, the majority chose the hard way. They're going to learn a lesson all right. It's a shame the rest of us have to learn it with them.

Laurie

Subject: Hooray!

Buzz:

Hooray to the high school kids who staged a sit-in at their school to protest the election. Thanks also, to the demonstrators in California (San Francisco, I think) who marched to protest this election. We all need to do something because the exit polls and the results don't jell! Karl Rove has pulled another one of his tricks on this nation. At least we should all go to the blackbox voting web site and offer our help to see just what has happened. If we don't start now, the two party system that we now know will no longer exist!

And please, will somebody tell Hillary Clinton to not even think about wasting our time in 2008, we need a viable candidate like John Edwards.

D. Turner
Atlanta

Subject: antiwar mobilization

we need another big antiwar mobilization!

Nick Boot
San Francisco bluest bubble in America

Subject: Comment

Your readers are driving themselves crazy trying to make sense of Kerry's loss. They're never going to make sense of it because republican beliefs don't make sense. It doesn't make any sense that republicans believe the war in Iraq is justified, Saddam was personally involved in 9/11, Iraqis welcomed us into their country, weapons of mass destruction have been found, the missing explosives were gone when our troops got there, every person, group and organization opposed to the war is supporting terrorism, etc...

Republican beliefs aren't based on common sense, logic or facts. They're based on ignorance, intolerance and superstition and they will maintain those beliefs regardless of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Republicans call their set of beliefs "bible based." Let's not forget that this is the same bible that was used to justify the burning of witches, the massacre of Indians and theft of their lands, slavery, and other injustices.

A BuzzFlash Reader