Subject: Criminals Yes, but They Remain Free and Given a Pass in DC . . .

BuzzFlash,

Why are Americans made to put up with this insanity . . . when Bush and his cabal and Halliburton have been stealing the US taxpayers blind, and our military can't use equipment left by other units in order to be safe because they are under equipped to begin with and they get jail sentences and court-martialed? Where were their attorneys, I can't believe people allowed this regime to do this and then a company has the audacity to fire this guy?

I'm surprised that Rummy and Bush don't have our military wearing corporate suits on the battlefield . . . they have stripped them of everything safe and reasonable. Why would anyone in the military vote for these bastards? Why? Where do we have to go to get justice for the real crimes of this administration? Where?

They are about nothing but punishment and death for everyone except the Republican elite. Congress voted to give Bush authority, (the headlines in my paper on September 15, 2001, says "The Senate grants the president the authority to retaliate against the attackers, while Congress approves $40 billion in funding") Does this say that Bush should invade Iraq? No. It doesn't give him anything at all, really.  And look at our figures of debt today. If this was the "authority" that I keep hearing about . . . Bush has stretched that "authority" so thin, it has smattered into over 100,000 pieces of dead human flesh with more added every day and has become the largest debt in US history.

Why can't they (Congress) vote to take that authority out of Bush's criminal hands? If you give somebody the "authority" to pack a gun and they go out and kill a town full of people, rob and pilfer all of the stores . . . does anyone out there think that we couldn't, wouldn't or shouldn't take that gun away from that killer as fast as we could disarm him, especially since he turns very paranoid and starts threatening the "family."

Regardless of what these Bush pseudo cowboys think, they have no right to mistreat anyone who has been sent out on missions unequipped for the Bush administration's illegal war . . . not discounting the fact that they, themselves, (Bush and Rummy) have never seen or been frightened on a battlefield. Talk about morality. We see the disgusting results of Bush morality every day and I am convinced that there will be no justice until Bush and his administration are arrested and shackled for their war crimes. We are witnessing the punishment of the innocent while the real perpetrators (Bush Administration) walk free.

Reservists court-martialed for theft; they say they did what they had to do (Truthout)

Thanks BuzzFlash,

Shirley Smith

Subject: Re:" DEMS. shaking up the primary system"

Does the above mean that we WON'T have a KERRY type be lead candidate for Pres again? Hallelujah praise the Lord-believe it when I see it though-we are after all dealing
with the 'asleep at the wheel" Dems. Hopefully DEAN will replace McAuliffe...that might get the job done PRONTO.

colette miller
wellington, fl

Subject: Wiretapping and getting in the face of nonproliferation efforts

Hello, All,

Here's a letter I sent to my Senators on the swarmy leakage of wiretap activity on the head of the UN watchdog agency on nuclear weapons proliferation. I encourage other Buzzers to go to the news item link, and join me by writing their own Senators.

Regards,

John F. Williford
Richland, WA

Subject: Now is the time to contest the election

hi BuzzFlash,

...Conyers wants a million emails. in the next 4 weeks this is doable. we had 12,000 submissions on our issue page to ask if Kerry should join the recount. he is now finally taking initiative with the request to examine the no votes.

our one click resource is ready to ask "Should the US Congress contest the 2004 presidential election as to the Ohio electors?" it automatically looks up your members of Congress and sends them your personal message. we've already had a thousand submissions on the newest issue page at http://www.thepen.us/contest.html.

...we believe personal messages will have much more impact than form letter type petitions. the site does the legwork of finding all the right input forms and submits to them all at once, a savings of ten minutes or more of digging and pasting for the average person. in this way we aim to maximize the number of people who will speak out. are you with we the people?

peace,

The Pen

Subject: Request that Progressives call for Consumer Strike

My wish is that all progressives would call for a massive consumer strike to express our unwillingness to cooperate with this corrupt system. The war in Iraq is so evil, how can we go about as if everything is normal. There is no way to verify our votes thanks to our gutless politicians. It appears that we have lost our ability to effect change at the polls. So why not go on strike, a consumer strike. Give up all purchases except what is needed and go to local noncorporate sources for that. I'm doing this myself, but it won't matter much unless others join me.

Lillian Reid

Healdsburg, CA

Subject: "Buy Blue" Campaign

The "Buy Blue" campaign hopefully will go global. When I needed a new PC and discovered that Microsoft, Hewlett Packard and Dell backed Bush....I choose Apple because Steve Jobs backed Kerry. The corporations and contributors that back Bush are affirming genocide, illegal war, inhumanity, mass murder, torture, war profiteering and the destruction of American democracy...and are thus as evil to me as is Bush Inc. Let's all spread the word. "Buy Blue."

http://www.choosetheblue.com/main.php

Suzanne
San Francisco

Subject: Understanding The 2004 Election in Three Easy Steps

Step back for a moment from the slugging it out on the ground in Ohio to look at the big picture nationally.

1. Diebold software was used to count something like half the 2004 votes across the USA (votes from touch screen, optical scanner and other types of machines, as well as absentee ballots). This Diebold software is totally mickey mouse and ridiculously easy to hack. To see for yourself, go to computer security expert Chuck Herrin’s web site:

http://www.chuckherrin.com/hackthevote.htm

and let him show you in a few easy steps how to download Diebold’s GEMS software to your own PC and hack its results. I, who have spent some 30 years in the computing profession, went through this exercise and confirm that yes this software is a joke. For starters, it all sits on a not-password-protected Microsoft Access database. Ask your local computer geek how secure that would be. Security specialist Herrin says it fails utterly to meet basic norms commonly accepted throughout the industry. Some of its design features even appear to be intended to facilitate tampering.

2. The arguments raised by Dr. Steven F. Freeman of the University of Pennsylvania

http://www.buzzflash.com/alerts/04/11/Expldiscrpv00oPt1.pdf

regarding discrepancies between the exit polls and the actual votes in 10 of 11 swing states cannot be dismissed lightly. Exit polls were considered reliable enough, before the 2004 election and since, to underpin serious challenges that overturned elections in places like Georgia and the Ukraine. Freeman’s analysis reveals that, based on the accuracy normally ascribed to exit polls, there is virtually no chance of them being as far off from the actual vote count as they were in those ten states, with Bush gaining actual votes in every instance. (The actual odds Freeman comes up with, looking at only three states, is 662,000-to-one against.) Somewhere, either in the exit poll numbers or in the vote counts, an explanation for these discrepancies must be found. Freeman has ruled out pure chance.

With no real evidence or explanation how it would work, Republican pollster Dick Morris hypothesized a liberal media conspiracy to fix the exit polls so that the networks would declare Kerry a winner and hence discourage potential Bush voters in the West from going to the polls. Maybe there was a conspiracy to fix the exit polls.

On the other hand, maybe there was a conspiracy to fix the vote.

3. I’ll just quote the rest from Herrin’s web site and sign off.

Respectfully,

Michael Bein
Chelsea, Quebec
Canada

Subject: Kerik's ties to mob

"Nanny problem" my ass.

Beyond the Disclosure About Kerik's Nanny, More Questions Were Lurking (NY Times)

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: :):):):):)

Am I the only one out here who finds it down right scary that the bush administration says they thoroughly vetted this Kerik guy and found nothing? I mean all this stuff coming out now are things we could have paid one of those on line companies fifty bucks to find out! :):):) and apparently the affairs were fairly public knowledge. :):)

Now I know why the bush people haven't found Osama or the anthrax terrorist! :):):) oh yes, those republican family values. :):):)

Katie Johnson
Tampa fl

Subject: christ almighty!

jesus god! all these people all over tv saying bernard kerik is such a great hero, it's a shame all this stuff had to come out, he could have been a great head of security. christ almighty! are you tv people nuts? so if all these things were just kept secret he would be a great man? so i guess ted bundy would have been a great man if only he could have kept those killings a secret!

shorty in memphis

Subject: Lying, Presidents

Dear BuzzFlash,

Came across the old quote from http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/jphuck/Book5Ch.17.html

Apparently, since 2001, Mr Matthews just loves to be lied to, and Mr Will has decided that when all his allies lie, it's positively wonderful for popular government. So fickle in their convictions, these and their ilk.

Jim P.

Subject: Gary Webb

I spoke with Gary several times as he was working on his piece about the CIA and LA, my editor and I had just finished a piece in the American Bar Association Journal about the trial of a "drug lord" from Bogota, "The Abello Conspiracy"...and we were being hit hard and heavy by DOJ and others...We warned Gary that nothing in his life would be safe ever again...even in death the L.A. Times had to take one last shot, Rest in Piece, Gary ...he did the right thing, unlike others who are making a hell of a lot more money wearing the journalistic hot pants, high heels and standing on neo-con street corners shouting...me next! Sad day, sad day.

Investigative Reporter Gary Webb Who Linked CIA to Crack Sales Found Dead of Apparent Suicide (Democracy Now)

Richard L. Fricker

Subject: We're Watching YOU! Cover the Election Irregularities Right This Time!

On Monday, at least three very important stories are going to break regarding potential 2004 Presidential election irregularities/fraud. How you handle these stories will be critical, both for the American people, and very possibly your organization. These stories are too big. It will be impossible to "keep a lid on them." The news organizations that take the initiative, and report on them, will be far ahead of any that don’t.

Here are the stories:

1 - Representative John Conyers will be conducting a second forum on the Ohio election questions. This time it will be held on Monday, December 13th, in Columbus, Ohio.
Excerpt from the press advisory: "Rep. John Conyers, Jr, and other Representatives along with Rev. Jesse Jackson will be holding a congressional forum in Columbus concerning
new evidence of election irregularities and fraud in Ohio and to discuss legislative and other responses to the problems."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/...

(more links below)

2 - COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Democrat John Kerry is asking county elections officials to allow his witnesses to visually inspect the 92,000 ballots cast in Ohio in which no vote for president was recorded, a Kerry lawyer said Sunday night. The request is one of 11 items that Kerry is asking for as part of the recount that Ohio's 88 county boards of election will begin this week, according to a letter sent to the boards over the weekend.

<snip>

http://www.onnnews.com/Global/story.asp?S=2682767

Also, in an interview with Laura Flanders on Air America on Sunday, it was stated: this investigation will involve enough votes "to possibly change the outcome." Although this is not the current position of the Kerry camp. (The interview should be available online on Monday.)

http://www.airamericaradio.com/shows/lauraflanders/

3 – Alliance [for Democracy] Co-Chair Cliff Arnebeck to File "Contest of Election" Lawsuit in Ohio Supreme Court will be filed at 9 am, Monday December 13th. Conyers is sending a letter requesting injunctive relief of the Ohio electors - ie that they either step aside or vote provisionally pending the outcome of the case. The case will be filed amid much media attention and should be a front page story in major newspapers across the country on Monday. It is now representing 40 Ohio citizens.

http://www.thealliancefordemocracy.org/

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/...

Will you be among the media that gives these stories the coverage they deserve?

More links:

Link to watch the Conyers Forum online (click on House Forum on Ohio Election Voting Procedures (12/08/04):
http://www.c-span.org/

Or paste the direct link below into the Address window of your Internet browser:
rtsp://cspanrm.fplive.net/cspan/project/c04/c04120804_conyers.rm

Judiciary Democratic Forum - Preserving Democracy - What Went Wrong in Ohio - December 8, 2004 [Transcripts]
http://www.house.gov/judiciary_democrats/voteforum.html

From Selma to Ohio: A Report from the Conyers Hearing
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/120904W.shtml

Rep. Conyers et al.: 34 Election-Related Questions for Kenneth Blackwell (Ohio Secretary of State) Submitted 12-2, still no response.
http://www.house.gov/judiciary_democrats/ohblackwellltr12204.pdf

Link to over 100 under-reported election irregularities/potential fraud stories (11-2 to present):
http://www.independentmediasource.com/election_art_1128_1204.htm

Jeremy Trudell

Subject: Bush and the Kerik choice--not a mystery

Everybody seems to be surprised that the White House (Bush) knew all these strange things about Kerik and decided to proceed with his nomination anyway. But this is not all that much different from this Administration's past actions, especially with regard to the war in Iraq. When the Iraq war first turned into a devastating mess, we all wondered how the Bush administration could be so lax about planning, and so incurious about possibilities that any thoughtful person would take into account. Then it turned out that Bush had indeed known about the possible results in Iraq. He just chose to ignore the history, the culture, the plans, the details, the warnings. The same thing is true about his tax cuts, and how they have led to an irresponsible federal deficit. He was warned this would happen, and he went ahead and did what he wanted anyway. Bush always knows exactly what he wants and frankly, he just doesn't give a damn about anything else, including any possible consequences. Besides, he got Iraq and irresponsible tax cuts past a supine Congress. Why would he think Kerik's nomination was any different?

A Loyal BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: Even the unemployed love Dear old George

I don't understand Ken Blackwell. He won't let anyone look at the those pesky polling books. Discrepancies? Nah. Everbody Loves Dubya. Particularly the unemployed. Particularly in Ohio--where Dubya created so many of them during his tenure as skipper of the USS Disaster.

In Montgomery Co. the unemployment rate--the phony official number-- rose from 3.7% to 6.3% between 2000 and the end of 2003. Result: Dubyaman increased his share of the vote from 39%-49%. In Ottawa County, the unemployment rate rose from 5.8% to 8.5%. Hooray, yelled the voters, Bush increased his share of the vote by 2% ..... Putnam County saw their rate of unemployment nearly double (3.3%-6.3%) in three years and awarded El Presidente a whopping 76% share of the vote.... In both Mahoning (Youngstown) and Lucas (Toledo) Counties, the rate of unemployment stood at 7.8% in Jan. 2004, increases of 2.6% and 3% respectively from '00. What happens? Bush exceeds his percent of the vote by 1% from '04.

One can only imagine the landslide that would have buried Kerry had the economy gone into Great Depression, The Sequel. Politics has really changed. The new equation for success: Near Depression + No New Jobs created in four years + skyrocketing federal budget and trade deficits + a disastrous war based on lies = Re-election for the nation's stupidest president.

Brad F.

Subject: Comment: "Pentagon wants to build permanent prison at Guantanamo. Is the terror war permanent too? 12/13"

Answer: Yes, yes of course it is permanent. Nuisance though it may be, as Kerry pointed out, there will be occasional blips of severe violence as the W on T continues to be a useful and profitable boogeyman for the ultra right wing for the remainder of my lifetime and yours.

Two predictions: Kellogg Brown & Root will get the Gitmo construction contract and the permanent facility will include an execution chamber.

Rosamond

Subject: Time, Newsweek

Is it me? I noticed Saturday that the covers of Time and Newsweek are both dedicated to stories about the birth of Christ. Is this their usual Christmas fare, or is this a signal that Time and Newsweek have made an editorial decision to pander to the moral values voters?

And since when is a moral values vote automatically Republican? My vote was based on moral values, too. I voted to get rid of the criminal Bush regime--that's about as moral as you can get. If someone had included me in an exit poll, I might have said moral values, too. But it wouldn't have meant what the pundits think it means.

Jeff Crook

Subject: what Bush backers (and even some Kerry voters) say

Move on! Get over it! Bush won! How do we know? Because there's no way fraud and suppression could have resulted in a 3 1/2 million-vote victory. We have to trust our officials. That's the way it goes. Better luck next time. Stop whining, 'cause nuthin's gonna change.

Imagine a police department telling you something like that, when you reported your bank account being embezzled. These thugs could give a damn. Winning is everything, at any cost. As long as they retain ultimate power. Well, they ain't the ultimate power. Their highly-selective democracy is a house of cards that truth will blow away. It's hard to believe, isn't it? They seem sooo powerful. And we are expected to acquiesce.

Fortunately for us, some people didn't knuckle under to the powers that be.

Don't Let Secretary of State Blackwell's Actions Penalize Ohio Voters (BuzzFlash/John Conyers to Gov. Taft)

Ohio Electors Vote Despite Challenge (AP/Yahoo)

Doug S.

Subject: Fwd: Misleader.org - It's Time to Move On

BuzzFlash,

Just what the Bush Administration would want for people to "Move On." We will never go anywhere by moving on. Our Democracy will be dead.

I hate to read letters such as this one.

Thanks BuzzFlash,

Shirley Smith

Subject: Bush didn't make a mistake on Kerik

Bush didn't make a mistake in not investigating, Kerik or Giuliani should have done better. I wonder if Giuliani and Kerik double-dated during their affairs. Giuliani had his living at Gracie mansion, didn't he?

Karen Webb
Moore, Ok.

Subject: Move To The Center--What Does It Mean?

The Senate Minority Leader, the Governor of Michigan, and others have urged The Democratic Party to move to the center? Why aren't these people called upon to explain exactly what they mean? In other words, what specific Democratic themes do they wish to change? Are they not comfortable with a clean environment, with aid to education, with healthcare for all, with holding drug costs down, with keeping Social Security as it is, with cutting the deficit by raising taxes on the rich, and by advocating a responsible policy in Iraq?

Do the centrists want even more access to Government by big corporations? Do they want more corporate welfare, do they want to privatize Social Security? What in the hell do they mean by 'moving to the center'? Shouldn't we insist on some answers?

Don't they realize that when Kerry moved to the center he had nothing to talk about, and lost his base? He didn't lose because of 'red states,' he lost because he lost his base. He couldn't even carry the senior vote, because he was afraid to attack the drug companies. People lost their jobs through outsourcing, but Kerry had no real plan so he lost the blue collar vote. The campaign waged was better suited to a moderate Republican (if there is such a thing anymore) than it was to a Democratic base. Any more of this centrist talk and we need a new party.

Sincerely,

Bob Norgren

Subject: Juan Cole

What has suddenly become of Juan Cole? His web site has not been answering for several days.

Did the SLAP suite get to his ISP?

Linley

Subject: Disturbed

Cancel the coronation Dubya and use that money for equipment for our troops. How many Humvees would that armor?

One time do the right thing and forget about your quirky little photo ops.

John Jessen
Oelwein, Iowa

Subject: the recovery

It is gonna take a long time for me. I heard from my cousin's wife last week, and I had told her that I was so shocked with the election results...that I sort of went into my shell and grieved for a while. She told me that Jim (her husband, my cousin) had a condition much like me...only it stayed with him longer! He ran for the state house in Missouri. He found out how nasty politics are at the state level...which is really awful...to find out that way. He was a four term congressman before this year...he finally decided to go back and try...thinking he had something to offer...but, he lost!

I may have already written about the man who superimposed his voice on a local radio station, talking to the phony man about his raising taxes higher than ever when he was in the Missouri house! It was lies...all lies! He found out the hard way!!

I feel like this election...to me...is like trying to get over losing a loved one...a much loved loved one! You start out with shock...almost unbelievable shock! I really thought with the exit polls we were going to win...but, in the back of my mind...I was very frightened. A queasy feeling. Then you are let down...depressed...I did not turn to pills...but, I let my husband know that it was going to take a long time to get over this. (He voted Bush...in fact, we displayed two yard signs...mine for Kerry on the left side of the lawn...his on the right side of the lawn.) We sort of thought it was funny...but, after the fact...it was not funny! You must understand,this is a man who has always preached that if the government would just keep their hands off the social security money...like they are supposed to...it would be fine...now, he is thinking that maybe it would not be so bad for younger people to invest...typical Republican!!!

Then you go through the rage thing...mad at everyone. I watch everything about the recount...hoping...just hoping that at least Kerry and Edwards will try...at least try!! And then, you realize that the rage has changed you...very much...you get mad at the candidates...because they are too NICE...too easily led to the right!! It makes me so mad that I even displayed that yard sign...for nothing...absolutely nothing.

The recovery...is going to take a long time...until 2008 at least. If the right wing finds a way to win every time...we have totally lost! If they could steal two elections...what is to stop them from reigning over this country for the rest of my life...and that is not one thing to look forward to!

So, I have started...at least I think I have. I got my first letter from Terry McAuliffe, wanting money...and I wrote a letter back that made me feel better. I promised that whomever the democratic candidate was, in 2008, I would go to the polls and vote for him...or her! In the meantime...until I could get an iron clad guarantee that they would fight for the right to have an equal amount of poll watchers and vote counters...in on states in question...I would never spend another dollar...nor work for another candidate. What is with the Ohio office that would not allow anyone in during the counting because of a terrorist alert!?? Please!!!! When we get paper receipts...on everything (and we all watched the voter recount being stopped in Miami Dade...with the bus load of Tom DeLay crooks (2000)...until we can stand up to that...until we can get a candidate that stands up for what we want...I do not work for anyone!!!! I will do my duty and vote...but no working.

This war in Iraq is so horrible...I cannot stand anything I hear from there...Even the soldier's question to Rumsfeld...got a days play on the news outlets...now Scott Peterson is going to take over for a month...go figure! And the payoff is last!

This country is in the worst shape I have seen it in my lifetime...in debt up to our eyeballs...no jobs...lousy economy...a war for nothing but power and to "show them"...we are making multiple amputees of our young people who are even lucky enough to live. Every child who is born into this country today...comes in with a $7000 debt on his or her shoulders. And, the dead...they are bravely dying for their country...so they are told, when the parents...or spouse gets the flag...I have been there! And, the budget.....what budget!!?? Can no one see this but us?

Shirley......St. Louis

Subject: Sent to Joe Scarborough (MSNBC) Re "Bill Moyers' retirement plans"

Well Joe,

I have to thank you for your article about Bill Moyers. You made him look good. I always thought he was a stodgy overly philosophical intellectual, but you pointed out that he's got experience, class, perspective, and conviction. I did a little research, and his career contributions are really admirable. You on the other hand appear to be a genius in your own pinkie-deep mind.

You'd be right to fear citizens being able to hear journalism of substance, and make up their own minds about it. You're desperate to feed out what you want them to think, and only deliver a tactical sliver of a statistic to try to support it. Example: "Bush received more votes than any other political candidate in United States history."

Because he ran in two elections. Adding up votes for Gore and Kerry, he probably got more votes against him than any other political candidate in United States history. The reasons are found in the unusual dynamic of the two most recent elections, though you'd conveniently failed to mention it. These are the qualities of a hack.

As for your overly-rehearsed PBS bashing, it only comes off as the same old script from neocon shill central casting. That liberal empire also produced Washington Week in Review and the McLaughlin Group, though most neocons prefer to gloss over that and portray "Sesame Street" as a subversive liberal uberweapon designed to erode the foundations of our society one preschool at a time. PBS is your political adversary? That's really sad.

Bill Moyers was a special assistant to president Lyndon Johnson, not some shadowy operative for a left-wing conspiracy. He was the administration's representative for the press corps, which was actually a pretty miserable job at a time when the White House press corps had a pair of brass ones. He's been in the forefront of network news, he's researched and written many substantive, quality accounts of American history.

Now read your stuff. You're still whining high school. Grow up.

A free press doesn't mean it has to be cowed and stupid. "Op/Ed" doesn't mean there's any valid role in journalism for bantering ignorance. Quite the opposite. The point is not to use it to destroy philosophical opponents, but to get the facts and draw conclusions based on them whether they are uncomfortable conclusions or not. That's the stuff of experts; qualified journalists. This requires dedication, courage and class, and a lot of time and perspective. This guy's a pillar of journalism, he's been around since the Johnson era. Have you got nothing better to do with your blog?

There's frankly a point of diminishing returns when trying to explain reasonable concepts to a mentality like yours. Left-wing, right-wing, whatever; if you're all mouth, no ears and no mind, and as hopelessly, paranoically entrenched as you seem to be, you're probably better off in some business other than what is supposed to be a free press. Bill Moyers happens to be sharing his extensive historical perspective to a public that could sincerely use it. After the events of the last four years, that you evidently find him so threatening reflects quite a bit about you.

The election was very close, again. The nation is extremely divided, again. And we're in the same ugly, protracted war with the quickly-evaporating goal of liberation. The reasons for all this warrant courageous exploration, a search for context which could accurately be described as patriotic, and there appears to be a marked lack of it lately. So may I constructively suggest you make better use of your time than shooting qualified messengers.

BB

Subject: Not yet time to move on (as sent to Move On)

I think your organization can go a long way to helping reach one of your stated goals, i.e., media reform. The press in this country, with a few isolated exceptions, is asleep at the wheel. I am sure you are privy to the daily published reports put on the internet by BuzzFlash.com. The site includes news items from around the U.S. and around the world, in addition to reader submissions and original essays and investigative journalism reports. I think you should take a look at the letter posted yesterday by Mark Crispin Miller about the abject failure of the New York Times to cover the news, focusing on the failure of the newspaper of record to report on Rep. Conyers' current hearings in Ohio on the election fraud, failures and improprieties that tipped the election in that State to Bush.

It is time to run an actual newspaper to compete with the Times and the other journals that have abdicated their responsibility to the people of this country. You have proven yourselves to be absolutely expert at fund-raising and I would like to ask you to consider financing a daily newspaper to be published and distributed nationwide and sold at a fair price, a paper that will include the kinds of articles posted at BuzzFlash. In fact, it might appropriately be a print version of BuzzFlash. I think moveon.org is uniquely situated to finance and publish such a newspaper. It would put the mainstream press' feet to the fire. I believe it would quickly become self-sustaining, even with minimal advertising, since overhead such as direct payments to journalists would be minimized. As a former newspaperman, current lawyer and activist who is not ready to move on from the theft of the last election, with adequate financing I would be willing to take on responsibility for getting this project off the ground. I know others would be happy to commit themselves as well.

Real news. Real paper.

Please let me have your thoughts on this matter.

William Betz

Subject: DOUBLE thanks to Suellen and Malgoska -- and another "crazy" idea

The one thing I've felt was missing from the Buzz mailbag was reader response and reinforcement to one another. I've now received encouragement and a brilliant suggestion (from Malgoska on sending the WEARERS of the inaugural elite (gold-plated, no doubt) armor to Iraq along with the armor itself. A MUCH better idea than my original concept. But that's what teamwork is all about. Too bad our present "leaders" are too busy trying to annihilate the other side to be bothered with compromises that produce viable -- for ALL of us -- solutions.)

Anyway, having read all the hand-wringing tales (from Republicans and "moderate" Democrats alike) to the tune of "Social Security is on life support...uh oh...flatline...bring on the defibrillator paddles!" I've come up with another wild suggestion. We already know (!!!) that Bush & Co. want to make Tax Cuts for the Rich a permanent fixture (maybe via a Constitutional amendment, if that's what it takes, right?). We also know how vastly that "kindness" will add to the deficit, right? (Yeah, he says it will be cut in half -- but he's not up for re-election. He can tell us that righteous Christians will be raptured up to Heaven after shedding their clothes and flying naked -- hey, where is Michael Powell when we really need him? Hissy fits over a split-second glimpse of Janet Jackson's (gasp) breast, but not a peep over all those bare-butt naked "saved" ones flying over our heads?

Anyway, here's my suggestion on "fixing" Social Security. In exchange for their tax cuts, the "Haves and the Have Mores" agree to donate THEIR Social Security benefits -- remember, EVERYONE who pays into the system is eligible to collect benefits upon retirement -- into a pool (NOT administered by Bush & Co., I hope) to be distributed to Americans who really NEED the benefits. Of course, it wouldn't solve the whole problem, but it would help. (By the way, I once emailed Paul Krugman -- who doesn't respond to emails beyond an automated message -- with the suggestion that tax cuts for corporations -- which Bush & Co. swear will bring about a magical increase in hiring, yet to be seen -- be tied to a provision that the recipients of the tax cuts will provide X numbers of new jobs, with benefits, for those who need them.

Thanks, Suellen, Malgoska, and the Buzz for listening while I vent and launch my wild suggestions.

Barb in Athens, GA
(Blue soul in Red state)

Subject: Put on your hats

What can I say...the Kobe Bryant case has dissipated...professional sports is looking into steroid use...Scott Peterson has been sentenced. By the way, how much can the media say about the Peterson sentence?

• Sentence is death
• He remained silent throughout his trial
• The jury had a hard time with its decision

It is not that I have no compassion for Laci’s family, but the three points above are the facts on the sentence, and the media is milking it for all it’s worth. This is our media today. In the meantime, investigations, law suits and the Conyers hearings in Columbus, OH, go unreported. The silence is deafening. If we are accused of wearing tinfoil hats, it is befitting that the media be seen in their dunce caps!

Cathy

Subject: Stark County Ohio Board of Elections Visit

I am the Stark County recount co-coordinator for the Cobb/Green party recount effort.

On Monday 12/13 I spoke with Jeff Matthews the director of the Stark Cty OH B of E. During our conversation he made a comment that I found ominous.

He said that the recount situation is very fluid. He is receiving new directives and rule interpretations from Secy of State Ken Blackwell on a daily basis. He is concerned that since some Ohio counties have already begun their recount, that the changing guidelines from the Secy of State will result in "inconsistencies in the recount process."

This is exactly the same argument that the US Supreme Court used to justify halting the Florida recount in 2000!

WHY are the recounts in the 88 Ohio counties starting at different times? Is this a deliberate strategic move on the part of Ken Blackwell to lay the groundwork for invalidating the entire recount process?

He also told me that the B of E will NOT permit anyone other than B of E employees to examine the provisional ballots that were disallowed. He cited HAVA-302-a5a as justification for this refusal.

He also claimed that over or under voted ballots cannot be separated out from the bulk of ballots by any automatic process using the tabulating machines. (I am returning to the B of E office today to try to verify this claim.) This would mean that the Democratic Party's plan to examine the 92,000 under voted ballots could not take place unless a manual recount of ALL of the votes is ordered. The 3% manual recount WILL have a chance to examine under voted ballots.

I will keep you informed as the recount process unfolds here in Canton Ohio.

Steve Kramer
Stark County Cobb/Green Recount Co-coordinator

Subject: My Comments

It was hilarious to read about Kerik that he realized his nanny is illegal. What a blow to the Bush Admin. How can you trust this guy to run the NYPD, leave alone, the entire U.S? He will be allowing the world to enter U.S., soon.

His pick by Rudy Giuliani only shows how incompetent these thugs are. It is a shame that we have thugs wearing suits in the white house.

The ohio's stolen election hearings will eventually stop the future stealing. Kerry/Edwards should be tough this time because Kerry won Ohio, rightfully.

Elizabeth

Subject: R. I. Republicans

Hi,

Did you read the story about the R. I. Repubs who were elected to the city council and were sworn in secretly? They went to the 1st council meeting and sat at the council table while the other incoming council members (read Democrats) sat in the audience waiting to be sworn in. The new Repub council members made a motion that caused people to be fired. The Dems protested to no avail. The new Repubs also nominated themselves for certain positions.

Wow! Republican hubris is spreading its tentacles to the northeast now. I thought it could be contained in the red states. Guess not! Where has democracy gone?

Cath

[BuzzFlash Note: Is this the story...? Council purges Foster officials: Six department heads are fired in the first meeting under a new, Republican majority. (Providence Journal)]

Subject: Lowell in Ohio, Dec. 13 mailbag

Hi, Buzz!!

I agree with Lowell in Ohio that the word "Christian" should not be applied to the extreme religious right wing. All Christians are getting a bad name from this, and as a believer, I am disturbed by it.

But "fundamentalist" doesn't really cut it either. There are three fundamentals to the Christian religion: the Incarnation (Jesus Christ is God in the flesh), the Atonement (Jesus died on the cross for our sins), and the Resurrection (Jesus rose from the dead the third day after he died). How often do you hear Tom DeLay talking about those things?

The religious right wing is more appropriately called Pharisees, in my opinion. The Pharisees were the religious right of Jesus' time. They were very scrupulous about obeying every little detail of the Law of Moses (and there's a lot of detail in there). Nothing wrong with that. But they assumed that their extreme "righteousness" made them better than everyone else, and proceeded to condemn anyone who wasn't as scrupulous as they were (Jesus took a lot of flak from them, as you might imagine). Jesus called them "hypocrites," which was about the only name-calling he ever did.

The name applies, it seems to me. Tom DeLay, Pharisee. John Ashcroft, Pharisee. George Bush, Pharisee. I could go on and on....

Keep up the good work, Buzz and all Buzzers!

Jane Hawes
Emporia, KS (red-state Democrat and Presbyterian)

BuzzFlashers...

Tomorrow (14th) is my birthday (62nd) and in all these years I have never doubted the future of the United States of America. Such a wonderful land of freedom and opportunity I have lived in. A noble country...protector of freedom and democracy around the world. A people blessed with creative genius, unrivaled enthusiasm and an honest and dedicated work ethic. To be taken over by a right wing, self-righteous, morally deceptive group of men and women who wrap themselves in the Flag and use sexual, intellectual and spiritual repression to gain absolute control over the populace, is perhaps our greatest failing. We are in the middle of a war...enlightenment v/ the dark ages, and we must each of us speak now while we still can and take action to de-throne these purveyors of untruth and non compassion who threaten to throw the entire world into a state of unstoppable chaos. I am getting older but I will not go down to the sound of chain locks closing around my heart. Long live America.

Richard from Michigan