Subject: marching in the streets

I agree totally with the BuzzFlash reader who says that only taking to the streets will make a difference.

Consider:

1. due to an almost total blackout of coverage by the mainstream press, most people don't even know about the fraud charges in Ohio. when i mention it to friends, the reaction is usually..."really? how come i haven't heard about it?"

2. the wimp dems are pussyfooting around the issue. in another colossal misread of their base, they speak of a report due out next spring. a replay of the kerry/swift boat thing---the only thing worse than kicking a person when they're down is the person not fighting back. the dems seem resigned to having elections stolen from them. we want action NOW! don't they get it? people want strong decisive leadership! they re-elected a retard who is strong and wrong over a colorless ditherer.

3. the dems speak of 2008. looks like some congressional repubs are already starting to act independently to save us from bush's excesses. without any passionate leadership, the dems will solidify their also-ran status. we need leadership, not losership. stop talking about core values--take a stand and fight for them!

4. there are 55 million + pissed-off people in this country. whoever harnesses this anger and enforces their solidarity deserves their loyalty and support. simple theme: we protest the election and bush's policies. let the world see what we saw in ukraine. anti-war people managed to turn out millions for simultaneous demonstrations all over the world. putting off protest because of the "war on terror" is hogwash. the war on terror and the war on drugs--will both go on forever and never be won.

5. we need a nationwide demonstration before the inauguration in major cities around the country. and sympathy demonstrations overseas. the dems couldn't even manage to attend the Conyer hearings.

A BuzzFlash Reader

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Subject: Rumsfeld

YOU ARE MISSING A VERY IMPORTANT POINT:

When Rumsfeld said, " . . . you go to war with the army you have - not the army you wish you had . . . " Bob Woodward (Plan of Attack) and/or Ron Suskind in his book on Paul O'Neill [The Price of Loyalty] quoted a lot on how Rumsfeld made Tommy Franks and the Pentagon guys work their tails off putting together our US Army et al. exactly "Rumsfeld's" way (very technological and very few soldiers compared to the old ways - like Tommy Franks and the military staff advocated).

The important point is that 'OUR' current army is exactly what Rumsfeld DEMANDED!

So, if there are ANY problems with the soldiers - numbers, training, equipment - they are directly Rumsfeld's responsibilty.

THEY ARE EXACTLY THE ARMY HE WISHED FOR!

Philo Stephens

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Subject: Stolen Election? We Won’t Put Up With Another "Florida 2k!"

Never before in American history have there been as many claims of voting irregularities and abuses of voter rights as in this past election. While the mainstream media is full of stories about the fraudulent election in the Ukraine, once again they have been amazingly silent about the worst voting failure in our history. This is understandable, when you look at who controls the media outlet in America: large conservative corporations.

Slowly, through a tremendous grass roots effort from the Internet and concerned voters, the truth is inching into the media. Keith Olbermann’s reporting on MSNBC has produced accurate reports, and recently C-Span broadcast a forum led by Representative Conyers, Jesse Jackson and others in which testimonials of voter intimidation, obstruction, and disenfranchisement were presented, as well as concerns about voting irregularities and voting machine suspicions. An investigation has been launched by the Government Account[ability] Office, and the Kerry campaign has endorsed the Ohio recount. Cliff Arnebeck and Jon Bonifaz have filed litigation on the statistical anomalies in Ohio. People for the American Way has a lawsuit in the court of appeals in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. And William Moss has filed a lawsuit against Kenneth Blackwell based on nefarious activity on the part of an election official.

Reminiscent of election 2000, which most Democrats believe was stolen by Jeb Bush, Katherine Harris, Tom DeLay’s organized protesters, and the conservative U.S. Supreme Court, this most recent election is proving to be an even worse failure. You can bet that if the Democrats had won under these same suspicious and deplorable conditions, Tom DeLay, Karl Rove, and their minions would have blown onto the scene like the perfect storm, with every major news media at their disposal--front page headlines on a daily basis.

The U.S. government has invested over $44 million in challenging the results of the Serbian election and an estimated $14 million into challenging the recent Ukrainian election. But Kenneth Blackwell and the Republicans are complaining the investigation of this election is too expensive and unnecessary. There is no more important area in which to spend our tax dollars than on ensuring our democracy through transparent, free, and honest elections for all citizens.

A bill introduced by Rush Holt into Congress that would require a voter verified paper ballot or receipt by all electronic voting machines was systematically fought by Dennis Hastert and Tom DeLay, who would not even allow it to come up for a vote for the past two years. So for about one third of the 2004 electorate, the Republican controlled Congress made sure that there would be no possible audit of the vote. This in itself warrants suspicion.

Indisputable facts are not required to investigate this election. There is reasonable proof of widespread suspicious activity: a break-in at the Kerry/Edwards Headquarters in Ohio; non-auditable, no paper trail Republican-backed voting and tabulating machines; election tapes with signatures found in dumpsters in Florida; 600,000 to 1 odds against the exit poll discrepancies; reams of evidence of anomalous voting patterns; thousands of testimonials of voter suppression and chicanery; over and under counts of votes; partisan election officials; and the list goes on.

Like the Ukrainians, the American public should be protesting in the streets and demanding a full investigation of this past election. We will not be deceived by fraudsters any more. Our democracy is at stake.

Resa Harrison
Aubrey TX

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Subject: wimpy democrats

There is a definite tone on the tv, in other media , etc. etc. that democrats are losers and they (the democrats) are going along with it just like lemmings. When are we going to wake up and stop letting the Republicans define who we are and also the media? If there are 56 million people who voted for us, how does that make us losers? It is up to those who have the opportunity to speak publicly to put a hold on speaking of all our faults and show who we are positively. Let's get with it and stop wandering around with our tail between our legs. We have less than two years to elect some congressmen and maybe a few senators to speak for us.

Get over the loser junk and start behaving as winners. The Republicans defined John Kerry before he defined himself and now we are allowing them to do the same to loyal democrats, progressives, etc. etc.

Charlene Moran
Fed up democrat

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Subject: Question about timing

To the BuzzFlash Mailbag:

My question about Clint Curtis' release of his testimony about writing the vote switching software has to do with the timing of his coming forward AFTER the election is over. Why did he not come forward BEFORE the election when something might have been done to investigate and stop the fraud that he alleges? Has he been asked about this?

Robert Barker
Clare, MI

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Subject: Jackets

Jackets

In the AP photographs from Bush’s visit to Camp Pendleton President Bush stepped up to the podium at Camp Pendleton wearing a spiffy new military style jacket, measuring up to the sartorial elegance of Musharraf of Pakistan or Hussein of Iraq. The jacket was so carefully tailored that there could be no wrinkles in the back that would bring about the suggestion that he wears poorly made clothes or worse. As a matter of fact, I have never seen a more elegant casual military jacket worn by any military officer. When our presidents in the past have visited military bases, they appear to have been loaned a jacket by the unit being visited. Mr. Bush’s jacket, on the other hand, must have cost almost as much as a ceramic flak jacket would have cost.

Sigrid R-P. Smith
North Haven, CT

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Subject: "You go to war with the Army you have" not the one you want

Wait a minute the last time I checked Rummy did not go to war at all. Last time I heard he lived and worked in Washington DC. This is the same bullshit we heard during Vietnam -- the "loneliness of command" and how hard it was to send our "boys" [should be corrected: men and women] into battle. A Washington politico visiting the staging area miles from the front is not the same as being a grunt when the shooting starts.

Georgie-boy said "bring it on" like a drunken, rich frat-boy, but the only shot he ever heard was a "shot glass" dropped on the Officer's Club bar floor during happy hour.

I wonder how quickly Georgie-boy would have gone in if the twins wore green instead of the designer clothes they now sport.

My hat is off and my heart goes out to the the brave men and women who are experiencing this horror on a daily basis -- not to the assholes who sent them there and now sit safely in Washington spouting BULLSHIT like the quote above.

A BuzzFlash Reader

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Subject: Obituary

America
1776-2004

Our republic passed into the annals of history, 8 December 2004, at 3:13 p.m. Autopsy results showed that the country had been severely compromised by citizen apathy and ignorance for decades; however, the final death blow was administered in November 2000 by corporate felons and their camp followers.

The corpus deictic was contained in the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (http://www.c-span.org/pdf/s2845confrept.pdf) disguised as a partial cure for the country's insecurity ills. A national identification card will now be required under Section 7212 of the act empowering the U.S. Secretary of Transportation and the Department of Homeland Security to adopt and impose "standards for common machine-readable identity information to be included on each driver's license or personal identification card, including defined minimum data elements," i.e., a digital photograph or "other unique identifier" (read: fingerprint and possibly the DNA sample that can be obtained secretly during that procedure; iris scan, etc.).

The perpetrators hoped to inflict more pain on the nation by "the key reform that the Republicans want, which is we want to override the states on the whole issue of license procedures on automobiles." (Senator Christopher Shays (R-CT) on Lou Dobbs "Tonight," http://cnnstudentnews.cnn.com/...)

Fortunately the patient did not survive to suffer further abuse and succumbed quietly with little public notice.

Rest in peace, America. We loved you well.

A BuzzFlash Reader
Louisville, KY

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Subject: From Box cutters to Laser Guns

And the Death Rays! Don't Forget the Death Rays!

Just imagine the chaos they can do with the Vulcan Nerve Pinch. We must go after their star command on Tatooine.

Check out the last line.

Howard Hoffman
http://hoffmania.typepad.com/blog...

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Subject: Listen to Moses, goddamnit!!

So, the White House has been urging the Supreme Court to allow the placement of the Ten Commandments in courts and schools and what not. This isn't anything new. Many opportunistic politicians have been pushing for this for years (even though half of them can't even list the 10 commandments).

Honestly, I'm all for it. Seriously, I'm not trying to be sarcastic or anything. I think, for the most part, the 10 Commandments are pretty solid rules to follow. Although I had a thought...

Is it me, or are the people who push so hard for 10 Commandments are the ones who seem to follow them the least? I mean, if EVERYONE in the world began following the 10 Commandments, these people and their politicians would be FUCKED!!

No killing!? SHIT! Then who will take care of those gosh darn infidels? And what about all the black people and gays?!?!

No lying!? How are we gonna convince the general public that all that killing is a good idea and exactly what God wants!

No adultery!?! What else will Cletus do when he's drunk, I mean, other than beat his wife?

No graven images!?! All the Christian Book stores would GO OUT OF BUSINESS!!

Honor the Sabbath!? But what if you just NEEEEED to go to the Wal-Mart to buy more graven images?!

No STEALING!?! Not even rich white guys!?

NO COVETING YOUR NEIGHBOR'S GOODS!?! Then said rich, white guys wouldn't want to STEAL anything...not to mention our economy would totally collapse.

And so on and so on...

So, yes, I say we let them have their way and display the 10 Commandments in courthouses, schools, and public bathrooms...as long as they promise that they'll start actually OBEYING them from now on.

Wouldn't want to be hypocrites, right?

Kevin Bolk
Severn, MD

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Subject: Dandy Don R. is scrambling to escape the blitz of questions.

NPR just had the quotes from Rumsfeld where he said it wasn't a question of money or of desire it was a question of physics because it isn't physically possible to create more armor and armored vehicles. They are working at capacity.

Then they had the CEO's of the companies that make armored Humvees and the one that makes armor kits for bodies and vehicles and both said they could be making twice as many, but the Pentagon hasn't asked them to.

Then what could the problem be, Bush says they should have all their needs met, Rumsfeld says he would if the companies could do it, they say they could, the Dems in congress say they would vote for the appropriations? Must be the Republican leadership.

Karen Webb
Moore, Ok

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Subject: mailbag...12/09/04

To Lisa Carroll...N. Bend, Oregon.......The home office of Wal-Mart is Bentonville,
Arkansas. I would imagine that everything comes out of there...it is very close to the border of Missouri, southwest Missouri...Northwest Arkansas, ergo, the confusion of the state. It is the main office of Wal-Mart. Should be very easy to find the exact address...or e-mail address...Just google Wal-Mart.

As many of you know....four of the richest people in the United States are Waltons,
direct descendants of Sam Walton...two women and two men. One woman is married
to a man with the last name of Laurie...you may have been reading about the scandal of
the Missouri University sports arena...Columbia, Mo...being named for Paige Laurie, the
daughter...who went to both Stanford and USC...but never attended to any of her work. She paid another person to do all her work...the girl who did it admitted that every time the girl gave her a $20...she thought of it as lunch for the next week. Both were committing a crime...and it took about fifteen minutes to get the name changed from Paige Sports Arena...to Mizzou Sports Arena, supposedly (just going by what I have read in the paper) and it has been a big story in Missouri...Paige paid this girl about $20,000 over the time she was in college. Incidentally, Paige is a beautiful blonde...not important....she has the money to buy beauty. (Mr. Laurie is also a part owner of the St. Louis Blues hockey team.

This story has been making the rounds in all of America...they have been doing shows
on it...talk shows...for a week or two. I understand, just to get the name of the Arena changed, it is financially astronomical...most likely taxpayers may have to pick up some of the tab...and that is disgusting.

No one can understand why the girl who did the work for Paige...waited until she graduated to bring all this out in the open... We think that it could be that the girl tried to
blackmail Paige...knowing who she was...and that did not work...so she brought it out...(that is just a thought making the rounds...nothing is proven yet)

We have a niece and nephew who are department managers with Wal-Mart. (They travel all over the world.) I know nothing about salary...but full timers have good health benefits...and a profit-sharing plan. I would think they are the average salary pace, as anything that is not union scale (most of the employees are part timers...likely ones with spouses who have health benefits...maybe ones who only want to work part time).

Shirley..........St. Louis

P.S.: As a little footnote, though....Sam Walton was a heavy smoker...and when he finally
got rich (the first store in Bentonville was like a 7-11...) he spent most of his time in
Las Vegas...eventually..died, I think of lung cancer, in his mid seventies.

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Subject: Some Suggestions for the Democratic Party

Dear BuzzFlash:

Since the Democrat leadership is trying decide who will lead the party into the future I’d like to offer a few suggestions:

1. We need a person who isn’t afraid to tell it like it is!!!! No more sugar coating so that we don’t offend the offensive warmongers, homophobes, racists and the so-called Christian conservative. Anyone who can read knows that Jesus Christ wasn’t a conservative; he was a bleeding heart, peace loving, tree hugging, all inclusive, forgiving and humble person; someone who Arnold might call a, "girlie man."

2. We need a person who recognizes that our government is controlled by corporations and isn’t afraid to take back our government and return it to the people.

3. We need a person who isn’t beholding to the fanatical religious right, a person who understands that God gave us a free will expecting us to use it. Someone who understands that we are on the verge of losing our free will because we’ve allowed charlatans like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson to get their tentacles into the highest levels of our government so that they can tell us how to think, how to believe and how to live.

4 . We need a person who understands that all civil law should be derived from one basic common sense law, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

5. We need a person who isn’t afraid to elevate the poor and the helpless to the status of the first among us instead of the least among us.

6. We need a person who understands the saying, "There are none so blind as those who WILL NOT see"; a person who has shed the mantle of the connected insider, the crony capitalist, the legislative hoodwinker; a person whose eyes are wide open to the truth, because then and only then can we take this country back.

Carolyn in Tennessee

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Subject: World leaders and military uniforms

A recent AP photo that was in BuzzFlash and on the cover of the New York Times for Dec. 8 showed Bush wearing some bizarre military-esque uniform while he stood in the midst of real soldiers. I remembered how Bush has donned military-style uniforms on a number of occasions--most famously when he landed on an aircraft carrier and declared "Mission Accomplished."

It makes me uncomfortable to see our civilian commander in chief in a military-style uniform. I wonder why our president wants to wear military clothing, since I was taught that our military must always clearly be under civilian leadership in order to preserve democracy. It seems to me that a president wearing a uniform would tend to blur the distinction between military and civilian leadership.

Since I felt a bit queasy about the photo, I decided to do a Google images search under the names of a number of world leaders, to see if I could find pictures of them in military uniform while they held the position of civilian leaders.

People who did NOT (as far as I could see) seem to have appeared in uniform while in office: Abe Lincoln, FDR, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Gerald Ford, Tony Blair, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton.

People who do appear in uniform while holding office: Ado lf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Saddam Hussein, Manuel Noriega.

Gee--guess where Bush fits in?

A Loyal BuzzFlash Reader

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Subject: Rummy & armor

Thought you’d be interested in this. The AZ Republic reports that an AZ company that supplies the army with ceramic-based armor kits for Humvees is only producing at 50% capacity and is waiting for more orders. It even has a quote from AZ Republican M. Salmon stating this. Rummy – liar, liar, pants on fire.

Valley firm disputes Rumsfeld, is ready to supply Army armor (Arizona Republic)

Gary C.

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Subject: Hometown Protection

Dear Buzzers,

Since I couldn't wait any longer for federal money to help protect parts of my little hometown from potential terrorism, I decided to take matters into my own hands a couple years ago. I understand with the war on terror that so savagely attacked the Fatherland in 2001, our Federalist Government has been slow to dispense funds due to their monetary support of our troops overseas, so I developed a "plan" to keep "my little town" safe from attack.

At first the residents were against it, saying things like, "It'll never happen here, we'll never be attacked," and, "Why worry about us? There's nothing but the dead and dying in my little town." But as time went on and more and more reports came from the news media, particularly Fox and CNN, and the White House about the POSSIBILITY of an attack, they started to see things my way.

Now the only way to protect the people in my little town was to get some money. To do that we raised some taxes on some things. Knowing that the people would object (at first) to paying for protection from a perceived almost nonexistent enemy, we used parts of some obscure laws to reappropriate money from real estate taxes, school taxes, donations to charities, and even some church coffers were tapped. Needless to say, we got all the money we needed. But it would be nice if the Fatherland pays us back, which I'm sure they will.

With the money in hand, we put our plan into effect, and I'm pleased to say that we're definitely safer now than any time in the past. There are no more random attacks by wolves. There hasn't been a Rhino attack since we instituted random house searches. No one can even remember any polar bear threat since we started phone taps. Not so much as one tiger has threatened anyone since we removed questionable books from the town library. Some people thought they saw elephants congregating near some municipal buildings, but our Little Town Security Team investigated and found that it was just a "moderate" group of elephants that posed no immediate threat. However, we're keeping watch on them because you never know when a moderate group of elephants could cause problems for the rest of the people in my little town.

Yes sir. With our vigilance, there hasn't been an attack in over three years. I'm sure it's due to our preparation and dedication and the sacrifices of the people in my little town. Because of the precautions we undertook, today we are definitely safer than we were 3 years ago and we're becoming safer.

Of course, all this protection comes with a price. Some of the younger folk don't understand why we still need protection since nothing's happened in 3 years. They must be made to realize their freedom doesn't come free or cheap; that we need to continue to protect them from whatever terroristic threats may occur in the future and that will cost more and more.

In fact, some here have discussed the necessity of going out around the perimeter of my little town and looking for any possible threats to our welfare. It seems to make sense to eliminate any problems before they occur. This is why we need more money from the Fatherland. If we're going to head off any attacks from neighboring towns or villages that aren't as protected as we, that haven't taken these threats as seriously as we, then we'll have to have more money for more intel concerning these beasts (there's no other way to describe them).

It's possible that some other towns may want us to help protect them. That way those towns could get on with their own lifestyles while we maintain their protection. I'm sure the residents of my little town won't mind kicking in a few extra dollars to help these other towns.

However, due to the voluntary shortage of people patrolling our borders, we're thinking of having a few of the businesses in my little town provide some of their manpower in assisting us. It would only be for a weekend a month and maybe a couple weeks during the summer. The businesses would be given a tax incentive, of course. Our legal rep. is working on the brief.

In conclusion, if this idea worked for my little town, I see no reason it can't work all over this great god fearing Fatherland of ours.

Remember, it's for the people's own good. I'll certainly continue protecting them until I get relief from Washington. We do seem to be having a small problem with rats, though!

Bruce F,
protector of my little town, with thanks to Simon and Garfunkel

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Subject: The same old pattern

The same old pattern, time after time, hasn’t anyone noticed?? This time, it is about one-third of our military force not being protected in Iraq. Are they your sons and daughters?!

The Goodwill Ambassador from "old Europe," Donald Rumsfeld, gets pinned as one of our soldiers plays pin the tail on the "ass" and a negative question is actually reported by the press! Rumsfeld arrogantly tells his audience that’s the way things are, suck it up! Then come the excuses. Never mind just an "Excuse President," this is an "Excuse Administration"! May I inquire whatever happened to "proper prior planning prevents piss poor performance" or "look before you leap"?? As usual I’ve heard the very old standby espoused by Republicans, "It's all Clinton's fault"! That’s really reaching, since four years have passed! The Military and/or the Pentagon had plenty of time to correct the problems.

In his best "the buck gets passed here" mode, Mr. Bush agrees with the soldier! He puts on a good "public face" for us. We get the point usually made by the "Excuse President" and it's true to his pattern. He does not make mistakes and is never accountable but isn't he an agreeable guy!?

It's the third quarter of this pattern, and here comes "Defense" out into the media field! Generals, Republican Congressmen, the "Excuse" Cabinet members all talking damage control, CYA, and the old line, "It’s hard work, but we are making progress."

Haven’t we seen this pattern in the "annual" flu season, where a shortage never was checked on beforehand? What about missing explosives, a video showed us the truth about neglecting what was right under our noses. We are now embroiled in a Voting Debacle, that has remained a problem for four years since the last election. Why was a paper verification held up, why weren’t other voting problems corrected? We knew about them, and ignored the problem once again! Do the hard questions, of who held up what corrections and why, go unsolved one more time? This is not only neglectful, but dishonest!

The bottom line is, are Americans ready to open their eyes at last, and see these existing problems,or will the pattern of "Ineptness" continue without correction!??!

Susan C.

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Subject: Conyers wants a million emails, let's give them to him

Dear BuzzFlash,

the latest issue page on The People's Email Network asks if Congress should contest the election based on vote fraud and suppression in Ohio. the form looks up all your members of Congress and sends each of them your personal message with one click.

http://www.thepen.us/contest.html

by making the process as easy as possible a goal of a couple million emails sent is very realistic between now and the time Congress must confront this. let us work together to make this a reality.

peace,

The Pen

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Subject: Spc. Robert Loria

Hi Buzz,

I just got off the phone with Senator Hillary Clinton's office regarding Army Spc. Robert Loria. What I found out has left me teary eyed and elated. Senator Clinton intervened and I was informed that Mr. Loria's debt has been eliminated, the U.S. Army has given him advance pay and a travel voucher to fly home for the holidays. As soon as Senator Clinton became aware of Mr. Loria's plight, she went into action. I'm sure there were others who played a part in assisting Mr. Loria; but the point is, when we ordinary citizens care enough to take action we will realize results. Thank you BuzzFlash for keeping us informed and providing the necessary information and contacts so that we are able to take some action. I truly don't know what we'd do without you.

Judy Maclean
Colorado

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Subject: rumsfeld on armor

Hi, Buzz!!

Rumsfeld's remarks about armoring Humvees, and other news items about our soldiers' equipment - or, more usually, lack of same - reminds me of WWII. You may remember that German soldiers attacking the Soviet Union were never issued winter uniforms. Hitler assumed they wouldn't need them, because the campaign wouldn't last that long. Now the
U.S.A. has neglected to armor our soldiers' vehicles in Iraq because the chickenhawks didn't think armor would be needed!!!! And Republicans say comparing the Bush Administration to Hitler's Reich is in bad taste!!

Excuse me while I go vomit.

Jane Hawes
Emporia, KS
(a red-state Democrat)

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Subject: The Buzz

George seems to love to play "dress up" like dictators of the past and present.

Stay In The Day!

A BuzzFlash Reader

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Subject: taking to the streets

Speaking out

I have to agree with the citizen from LA who feels it is time to start getting active by way of actual demonstrations and protest of this radical, deceptive, corrupt and dangerous administration. I for one concur on the idea of Jan 20th, inauguration day as a day of peaceful demonstration all across America to protest the war in Iraq, the terrible state of the economy and the dis-enlightening of America by this neo-con administration, and let's not forget the theft of the last two elections. Can we get a ground swell going for this idea?? Can we demonstrate in the time-honored American tradition?? BuzzFlash is the perfect place to get the energy flowing. What do you say, people??

Richard from Michigan

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Subject: An Open Letter to Bill O'Reilly, December 10, 2004

Dear Bill,

I listened to your Radio Factor broadcast today. You talked for a time about Bill Moyers' claim that certain news outlets are de facto propaganda arms of the Republican National Committee. You scoffed at this idea, saying that you had never seen anyone (in your profession, presumably) get anything from the RNC. I have a story to tell you regarding this subject.

It all started on September 8, 2004. That was the night that the now-infamous story regarding President Bush's service in the Texas Air National Guard ran on 60 Minutes II. I am a frequent listener to several conservative talk shows, and in the days following CBS' broadcast, these programs were full of criticisms of the 60 Minutes segment. One of the claims made repeatedly by Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity in the days immediately afterward was that former Texas Lt. Governor Ben Barnes had, in the 60 Minutes broadcast, contradicted sworn testimony he had made in 1999 regarding Bush's entry into the TANG. In the days that followed, this claim eventually made its way onto television talk shows, particularly MSNBC's Scarborough Country and Hardball, via conservative commentator Pat Buchanan.

With all the furor over questionable documents, I didn't pay much attention to this other controversy, until I read something on a web magazine called DailyHowler.com. In the Sept. 21 edition of The Daily Howler, I saw that Ben Barnes had, in fact, provided exactly the same story on 60 Minutes that he had told under oath in 1999. The Washington Post quote provided shows this:

What Hannity, Limbaugh, and Buchanan were saying was completely false! This is where the story gets juicy. As luck would have it, none other than Ed Gillespie, chairman of the RNC, appeared on The Steve Brown Show, a local radio talk show here in Omaha, on September 22, the day after this revelation. I phoned in to the radio show and asked Mr. Gillespie why people were telling this lie that Barnes had contradicted his testimony. Gillespie said he wasn't aware of any Republicans saying this, and couldn't understand why anyone would.

When I got home that night, I began searching for the source of this lie. After numerous web searches, I had not found a single article, even from right wing news sources, that made this claim. And Ed Gillespie was right. To my knowledge, not a single Republican politician has ever made the claim in public. Here's the punch line: The only thing I did find was an email, sent out to Bush supporters and distributed on right wing websites...

Bill, I was just wondering...The next time you see your buddy Sean Hannity over at Fox, could you ask him where he got the idea that Ben Barnes had repudiated his 1999 testimony? If he didn't get it from Ed Gillespie, just where did it come from? I'd really like to know the answer to that one. As a fellow seeker of truth, I'm sure you'd like to find out, too.

Sincerely,

Donald Kuhns

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Subject: CNN Quickvote of Ironic Whoredom

Believe it or not, CNN queried yesterday:

Maybe CNN is pissed that a mere soldier broke the big story of the day.  Maybe they don't like being one-upped. Not that they didn't have the chance... I guess the part of this question CNN let remain unasked is:

CNN, you should be ashamed. How ironic you would ask such a question. You suck. Bigtime. Sleep well, "reporters." I doubt that this should wake you up.

John L. Johnson
Laingsburg, Michigan

[BuzzFlash Note: Not to mention that an "embedded" reporter (not CNN's) had to give the soldiers questions, because Rumsfeld wouldn't take questions from reporters....

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Subject: Enough!

Mr. Okrent,

The lockdown of the Conyers Hearings by the NYT and other mainstream media is the latest breach forcing millions of readers toward the breaking point. Please, do not foolishly assume that the violation and suppression of voters' rights in the polls gives license to suppress such news in the media. This will not stand.

Sincerely,

JoAnne Krieger
St. Paul, MN

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Subject: Mark Crispin Miller in BuzzFlash (as sent to the NY Times)

Peter of Lone Tree continues: Why am I not surprised? Are you trying to suppress the news even more than FOX? You can read the entire article at:
http://www.buzzflash.com/analysis/04/12/ana04029.html.

Do the Republicans own you guys too?

Peter Ryan Harty
Lone Tree, Iowa

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Subject: The way to lose the right to a free press

Dear BuzzFlash,

I hope a few journalists read this letter. I want to let them know that the way to lose the right to a free press is to fail to exercise that right and that responsibility. Ignoring the story of the election and the voting irregularities is being negligent in reporting on the election. Exercising the right to a free press is not just publishing a few pages with print and advertisements on them. It’s the words, the concepts, the news. It’s not just appearing on a TV show under the heading of NEWS. It’s what is said. It’s a question of ethics. It’s a question of courage. It’s a question of telling the truth to the public.

It’s what makes our United States of America work. It’s what gives meaning to the Constitution of the United States of America.

Make us proud. We can’t do our part as citizens unless you do your part.

Buzz, you are a true journalist.

Thanks,

Margaret Waid

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Subject: Failing your Journalistic Obligations (as sent to the NY Times)

Sadly, the NY Times is no longer the source of "All The News That's Fit to Print." Like your coverage of the 2000 Election and the Iraq War, your refusal to cover the controversy in Ohio not only betrays your readers, but your obligation to the country.

Anyone who watched the Conyers hearing on the Ohio vote (on C-Span) was provided with more than enough evidence that the Ohio result was clearly rigged.

Tragically, you appear more than happy to provide coverage of the fraud in Ukraine, but the one in your own back yard is ignored. Like the rest of the Corporate Media, the NY Times leaves me wondering why we don't send our 1st Amendment to England. At least they try to use it and try to cover the stories of the day. You and the rest of your ilk have become nothing more than mouth pieces of the white house. There appears to be very little evidence in your coverage of any attempt to hold them accountable for their actions. If the Clinton administration had behaved as badly as the Bush Administration, you would have been all over them--like flies on manure. It's sad really, as aside from your obligation to provide the information that the electorate needs and deserves--you have shattered my idealism of the role of Journalism in this Once Great Country.

Ron Russell
San Francisco, CA

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Subject: Coronation

Hi,

Just had to write and thank Barb in Athens GA for her kind words and great idea. It was all I could do to stop myself from using coronation when writing to Bush. I guess we are all thinking alike so there is either a lot of crazies here or we are right. My daughter and I have been signing our letters Blue Mothers In Red, so your signature was very interesting to me.

We have a county in MT where the vote ended in a tie between a democratic woman and a right wing repub. I have been watching it since the election and Dec 8 the Missoulian in an editorial let out the information that they were counting 7 votes for the repub when the voters had actually voted for two people, which should have gotten the ballots tossed out resulting in a democratic win, but I see today that she has been turned away by two courts with no word said about the spoiled ballots. Looks like the example being set nationally is catching on well.

One more comment and I will shut up. The latest flap about Christ and Christmas, Just another Karl Rove smokescreen designed to divide the country more and keep their shenanigans out of the public eye. A house divided, just what they want. Divide and conquer.

Suellen

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Subject: here's my letter

After scanning today's edition of BuzzFlash, I agreed it was important to write the N. Y Times. Thank you for what you do. Here's my letter:

The New York Times has been the "Home" page on my computer for some years now. I recall first subscribing in college -- at one of my early professors' insistence, and learning to trust you since then to cover important governmental issues. I've gotten very comfortable going to my computer with my cup of coffee first thing in the a.m. to see what is going on in the world. But you won't be my home page anymore, a least not for a while.

The integrity of the presidential election is one of the most important issues to me and most everybody I know right now. Like so many other people, in my gut I can't reconcile the exit polling and the bizarre change that occurred from the time I went to bed on election night until the time I woke up. Then I watch in total shock as my normal avenues for enlightenment lightly question the exit polls themselves--historically used to monitor the integrity of an election-- and provide no coverage whatsoever to the very serious efforts that are afoot to ascertain what happened in Ohio. The complete lack of coverage in the mainstream press is deafening, and makes me even more suspicious that there's "something rotten in Denmark."

When Congressional hearings like the one just held by representative Conyers are virtually ignored; when charges against Congressman Feeney are not even given a sentence; when scandalous situations occur under the direction of state election officials (both Florida in 2000 and in Ohio in 2004) who are actually on Bush's re-election team; and when a topic that is so very important to so many (49% of the country at least) is virtually ignored in favor of the election in the Ukraine...all I can say is shame on you. I obviously can no longer count on the New York Times to keep me informed. I'm just so darned disappointed in you.

Donna Butler

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Subject: Fundamentalism

Hey,

We need to stop calling them "religious right" or "conservative Christians" or "evangelicals." We need to call them what they are: Fundamentalists. This is a name they conjured themselves, but abandoned when the press began using it as a pejorative to describe Muslims with similar viewpoints. We are in a religious war - at home and abroad - and we cannot win it until we understand it for what it is. Fundamentalists do not compromise on their beliefs - they cannot. And we won't stand a chance until we understand them for what they are. Part of that understanding comes from calling them what they are - not what the want us to think they are.

Like Father, Like Son. FCC's Michael Powell is a Big Fat Liar. Tells Congress of Soaring Public Outrage, When 99.8% of Complaints Filed by ONE Religious Right Group

Lowell in Ohio

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Subject: e-mail to NYT

Dear NYT News Department:

1 in 5 Americans--not conspiracy theorists, Americans--don't believe the election 2004 results are accurate. Why is this not worthy of being reported in the NY Times? I'm a grandmother of five. When blatant voter suppression, such as too few machines in Democratic counties in OH, trashing of Democratic registrations in NV, statistical anomalies in South FL, etc, is not reported in and INVESTIGATED by the newspaper of record for the entire country, I get worried about my grandchildren's future.

I do not understand why, given the amount of power and money at stake in the outcome of the U.S. presidential election, it is inconceivable to think those in power wouldn't take steps to "fix" an election? There is no single smoking gun. There are dozens of things that went wrong or kept people from voting that added together may have changed the outcome.

The very foundation of our democracy is at risk, if for no other reason than that 20% of us question our election results. The only way to solve this problem is to get the facts out--including ALL the data from the exit polling company, internal looks at the source codes for machines, etc. PROVE nothing went wrong. Nothing less than total transparency in the election process will be good enough. I can no longer take these things on faith, I'm sorry to say.

Diana G. Burke
Ocala, F

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Subject: FOX hypes stories to claim "Christmas Under Siege"

In case you missed the reference in Sam Parry's article, "Election 2004's Myths & Mysteries," [on Consortium News] to Christians being told that liberals are at war with them, I submit that this is now the linchpin of the right-wing strategy.

Just as the Germans were told in the 1920s and 1930s that Jews were destroying their culture and their racial purity, American Christians are being kept in a whipped-up fury that the "liberal elites" are trying to take away their Bibles and to remove all mention of God and Jesus in any public location.

And what do you think the right-wing shills mean when they say or imply "liberal elites"?

Philosophical question: If a Bush commits a crime and no one hears about it, has a crime really been committed?

Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAccountable.com

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Subject: The Conyers hearings (as sent to the NY Times)

Gentlemen:

You may not realize that Rep John Conyers held public hearings this week on accounts of voting fraud and irregularities in Ohio. I caught some of it on C-Span, and the testimony was compelling. It seems clear that fraud, widespread and systematic fraud, may have falsely handed the state's electoral votes to George Bush.

You might want to look into it. It could be one of the biggest stories of the year. Could even bring you a Pulitzer. Maybe if you had somebody, a reporter say, who lived and worked in Washington D.C. you'd hear about this stuff in a timely manner.

If you're going to keep calling yourself the newspaper of record, you can't just wait around for tips from regular people like me. Especially when politicians are possibly trying to hold onto power by stealing elections.

Your friend,

Fred Golan
Los Angeles, CA

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Subject: Everything humanly possible? I don't think so.

Two years into a war and we are still unable to produce the armored Humvees needed by our troops? Mr. Rumsfeld assures us -- and the troops -- that it is not a question of money but one of physics. Evidently he believes that we are doing the very best we possibly can, but I recall that two years deep into World War II our industrial complex was turning out aircraft by the thousands, a feat thought to be impossible at the war's onset. Today, with all the advances in production techniques, we can only produce 450 Humvees?

Armor Holdings of Jacksonville told the Army last month it could add armor to as many as 550 trucks a month, up from 450. "We're prepared to build 50 to 100 vehicles more per month," he said.

And then a spokesman for ArmorWorks in Tempe, Ariz., said his company will finish a $30 million contract with the Pentagon this month to make 1,500 armor kits for Humvees. "We are at 50% capacity, and we could do a lot more," he said. "They (Pentagon) are aware of it."

No, Mr. Rumsfeld, I do not believe that it is a matter of physics. Nor do I believe that all the armor in the world would make every vehicle completely safe. And I certainly do not believe you have to fight a war with the army you have. But our service personnel are fighting this war with the army you wanted -- smaller, leaner, meaner, much more expensive, and -- unfortunately -- all too often ill-trained and ill-equipped. The army with which we went to war is exactly the one that you and Paul Wolfowitz designed. Consequently I believe the result we are now seeing is the ultimate fulfillment of the old Peter Principle --"everyone gets promoted to his highest level of incompetence."

I know our troops deserve better.

Bill Sybert
Dallas, TX

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Subject: NYT's Withholding of Information Regarding United States Vote Fraud / News Reporting Integrity

I am shocked by the shameful and certainly deliberate omission in your newspaper of any mention of John Conyers' commission regarding vote fraud in Ohio. Although you could find plenty of space to elaborate about the situation in Ukraine 5000 miles away, your venerable paper, touted as a beacon of truth, has neglected to be forthcoming on what is probably the biggest story of the century. Have you not heard about Feeney in Florida? Do you know who Jesse Jackson is? Do civil rights and voting fraud ring a bell? What a disappointment your paper has become. Shame on all of you.

I guess you mistakenly hope that readers don't recognize withholding as lying, but you're wrong. That's an old Stalinist trick. In case you people haven't noticed, there's a new source out there called the internet where readers can find out what is actually going on. Don't wonder where you readership went.


Prue Face, in Richmond, VA

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Subject: Bushies Can't Even Vet Their Nominee, What About Intelligence?

The BUSH Administration has sold its case for itself on two pillars: 1) That it can make the country more "secure" than anybody else, and 2) that anybody connected with 9-11 is clothed in heroism.

Bernard KERIK embodies both pillars as much as BUSH and shows the pillars are made of sand. This Administration can't even VET their own nominee for Homeland Security, so how can they claim to collect and evaluate INTELLIGENCE? Not to mention that the Administration has a history, not only of misinterpreting, but very probably of knowingly mis-SHAPING intelligence.

More than likely, the non-vetting was not just sloppiness, it was hubris: Thinking they could do anything and get away with it. And yet millions of voters have bought the goods.

As for the heroism, the pickings are slim. KERIK just happened to be there, stepping out of the shower, when the planes hit, and then he walked up some streets through some powder. As for his would-be boss, there was a cheerleading megaphone atop a pile of dead bodies, after a few days when the people wondered where at all their leader was.

John G.

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Subject: Harry Reid

If you weren't aware of it, Harry Reid is a hard core Mormon (so is John Ensign, Nevada's Republican senator) and wouldn't be elected from a right wing state like Nevada without the support of the Mormon church, which covers a large part of Nevada's population. The church's philosophy is similar to Nino Scalia's. In other words, Harry is a Democrat in name only. It is going to be a long four years.

Tom

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Subject: Re:" Silencing the Vote."...

Having watched C-Span last night and the pathetic Conyers who was soooo uptight and wouldn't let anyone speak, I'm not surprised the Dem. party is in such tatters. It was like a party given by your Aunt Matilda, everyone attended but no one wanted to be there !!!! I never saw such 'gum flapping and a poor show of going through the motions in my life. ...very sad indeed. The worst part, it's futile...and Bush is in again for another 4 yrs...business as usual. The MEDIA are far too busy covering Scott Peterson's sentencing...not a peep from them about the Ohio debacle...all cowering in their boots/shoes.

Colette Miller
Wellington Fl

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Subject: Blackwell confession!

According to the Associated Press article below, "Ohio's Republican Secretary of State, Kenneth Blackwell, has conceded that a recount would likely alter the vote tally somewhat." Yes, this is a clear and convincing confession that he knows the results are wrong, wrong, wrong! What the hell does "somewhat" mean? Was it the 20 percent of provisional ballots? What about the voters who were turned away because of long lines? Ohio is the greatest scandal of the year!

A BuzzFlash Reader

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Subject: Framing: "Social Uncertainty"

Dear BuzzFlash,

Suggested Frames and memes:

Bush wants to take away "Social Security" and replace it with "Social Uncertainty."

The Republicans are led by the "Cult of Crackpot Con-Artists," or "Cult of Crackpot Millionaires," "Cult of Rich Whackos."

Their radical cleric allies lead the "Stone-Throwing Christians" who fall into the "Viper" and "Hypocrit" sects. The "Christiban." "Satan's Front-Men" forming a partnership with Mammon.

All of them are "not personally acquainted with Reality." "Fact-Challenged Republicans." "Reality-Challenged Republicans." "Utter contempt for reality."

Words for Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Scalia, etc.: Megalomaniac, Lunatic, Vain, Pompous, Deluded, Narcissistic, Deaf, Blind, Willfully Stupid. "It's all about them." Bush's supporters have taken to calling him "Führer," but in English (for example, the Clearchannel Billboards).

No matter what a Republican leader says, what he really wants is for your labor to come cheap. They want a desperate, servile, work-force. Nothing else explains their deliberate failures in creating jobs, protecting the domestic economy, planning for the future, managing expenses, acknowledging reality...

Repeat: Failure, failure, failure, failed. Miserable failures, in every direction.

When a Bushiter says "Reform," he means he wants to give your money to his friends. He's hopeful that he can steal your rights at the same time.

For BushCo, the sole reason for your existence is to be a cash cow and a breeder of soldiers. If they can con you into admiring them, that's a real hoot.

Jim P.

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CLICK HERE FOR PART 2 OF THE DECEMBER 13, 2004 BUZZFLASH MAILBAG.

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