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Subject: On The Ins and Outs . . .
BuzzFlash,
I don't think people should worry about
Gannon being "outed publicly,"
when he put himself on several websites
advertising his tax-free business .
. . that's a pretty full-blown outing.
I think we also know that the "Gay"
issue coming from the White House, before
an election, is only there to split
Americans when they vote . . . the White
House knew plenty about Gannon and the
Republican Party has many Gay members.
Gannon was "in like Flynn."
Look at the pictures . . . how many
strangers does Bush hug . . . besides
Lieberman.
We don't know how many other people
in the White House are Gay. Do we? That
is not the real issue. The real issue
is that our White House has swinging
doors and that has always been the issue.
Bush doesn't think he works for Americans.
He thinks he owns the White House and
can do whatever the hell he wants to
do and allow whomever he wants to into
the White House on his say so and only
on his say so. Gannon is just one unknown
that we now know about. He's mid-forties.
I would be real interested in the last
20 years of his life. Just out of curiosity,
because he "seemed" to be
such a fast climber within the Bush
Loyals. Gays do not have access to our
military . . . but if they were a pseudo
reporter, they could have access to
critical information in the highest
office of the US. Gay interpreters of
the Arabic language were fired for being
Gay . . . they didn't know how to speak
Bushit.
It's not the first time and it won't
be the last time that we see the Hypocritical
Republican Party use social issues for
getting votes from Americans who vote
their prejudices. Gay issues, Religious
issues, Black issues, Minority issues,
Women's issues . . . when people start
being prejudiced against the Republican
Party because of what it stands for
today, then I will feel that the American
public have been revived . . . wealthy
people do not have to live by the rules
they put in place for everyone else.
That's the reality. I don't feel sorry
for Gannon because Gay or not Gay, he
has been complicit in what I consider
illegal activity and I'm not talking
about his tax-free business.
Gannon will be another person that bites
the dust and takes the blame alone,
instead of Bush and his comrades, who
keep going on with their secret, bargain-basement
business-as-usual in the White House
until the next crime is committed. How
many crimes does it take to get a Bush
out of office?
Just wonderin . . .
Thanks BuzzFlash,
Shirley Smith
Subject: BUDGET
Dear W,
What a budget!
There's so much I like about it, but I want to thank you specifically
for your efforts to slash 150 programs that benefit middle-class
and working-class Americans. Who needs the Centers for Disease Control?
Who needs a world-class public education system? Who needs police
officers on the streets? Not me. That's why you cut the successful
COPS program by 96 percent. That's right, 96 percent!
I was most impressed that your budget completely "overlooked"
the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which will cost at least $350
billion over the next 10 years. (I make my corporate accountants
do the same thing when we cook the books.) Brilliant!
You also did a great job of ignoring the costs of our plan to eliminate
-- I know, I know, I'm supposed to say "privatize" --
Social Security. Sure, Social Security is running a huge surplus
(unlike the rest of our government). And yes, your Social Security
plan would cost almost $5,000,000,000,000 over the next 20 years...but
that doesn't mean you have to put it in your budget!
It's just a matter of time before public investments in schools,
housing, and roads are a thing of the past. In no time, the middle
class will struggle further to make ends meet, working three jobs
while we reap even greater profits off their backs. I can't wait!
Our joyful journey continues: More backdoor tax cuts for the richest
0.01 percent! More hidden costs for the middle class! Take from
Main Street and give to Wall Street! Make Social Security neither!
Budget cuts for schools and police! Huzzah!
Sincerely,
William Rosen
Kansas City, MO
Subject: Major Bush gaffe
Dear Buzz:
I'm watching CNN right now (Feb. 22), covering the president speaking
at the United Nations. An audience member asks both the president
and the UN speaker on stage with the president a question. After
Bush answers his question, he thanks everybody, rushes over to shake
hands with the UN speaker, in a hurry to leave, completely forgetting
that the UN speaker has not yet had his turn to answer the question.
What an embarrassment. So what does CNN do? It cuts the sound (while
the UN speaker is answering the question) and brings in Soledad
O'Brien, who dutifully summarizes Bush's comments about our incessant
"march for peace."
I am so sick of TV news cutting out vital parts of live coverage,
constantly covering up for Bush's gaffes, never EVER giving anything
but adoring, damage-control coverage for this president.
You can bet the bloggers will have a field day with this one, though,
haha: "Bush, alarmed at having hard, unscripted questions lobbed
at him in Europe, makes a quick exit---oops, major faux pas--the
other speaker hasn't finished yet. Priceless!"
A BuzzFlash Reader
[BuzzFlash Note: It was probably a NATO gathering where this happened,
not the UN. We saw Bush's goof on Olbermann/Countdown.]
Subject: Bush In Europe
Please, someone ... why does your trigger-happy President insist
on calling heads of state by their first names? I find it extremely
offensive and an indication of the arrogance (or is it simply stupidity?)
of Bush when he says things like "Every time I meet Jacques he gives
me good advice." It was terrible in the debates with Kerry when
he referred to Putin several times as Vladimir. Never do you hear
anyone refer to Bush as just George, especially by another political
person. You have an awesome site. Thank you!
from Toronto
[BuzzFlash Note: We cringed, too.]
Subject: Liberal vs. Conservative compassion
It's interesting these days on how people are marked by the charity
with which they associate themselves. Animal rights means interfering
with animal experimentation? No. Try defending these creatures from
brutal mistreatment. Sponsoring on behalf of the prevention of child
abuse means interfering with parental rights? I don't think so.
How about applying that biblical parable about how we treat the
least among us, especially if they are our own children? Supporting
a battered womens' shelter turns off those opposed to feminism?
Huh? How about it being extremely anti-woman to NOT support such
a shelter, not to mention to possible breakup of families? Or are
these so-called moralists not as pro-family as they claim to be?
And, then, of course, there is the Bush Senior/BIll Clinton trip
to Asia to witness the damage by December's tsunami. It's true that
most, if not all, of us would agree that to represent the United
States is more than worthy. It is the right thing to do. After all,
the tsunami was a horrible natural disaster and not, as at least
one neoconservative pundit put it in so many words, "God's
will" (because of the supposed sex trade going on in Thailand).
Yet, a man who claims that God wanted him to become President decides
to unilaterally bomb a sovereign nation which was no threat to the
safety and security of the U.S. Since this man was God-appointed,
he cannot be questioned about any actions he has taken, and cannot
be held accountable for more than roughly 1,500 [American military]
dead and many more wounded.
Was, and is, this man really following God's orders? Or, does he
just think that he IS God?
Just let Ann Coulter try to get away with her "Conservatives
feel they are the image of God while liberals think they ARE God"
comments now.
Lisa
Boston, Massachusetts
Subject: The hoopla about the "revelations" of the Bush's
tapes
Dear Buzzy,
With all that hoopla about the Bush's tapes and its "revelations,"
the whole thing seems to be another one of Karl Rove'S clever ploys
and machinations. I wouldn't be surprised if the whole conversation
was scripted and planned and George W knew he was being taped. From
all that was "revealed," George W came out looking good
and wise. Yes, he tried marijuana in his youth, what an earth shattering
revelation!!
A BuzzFlash Reader
Subject: Jim
Wallis on God's politics
I understand where Jim Wallis is coming from when he argues that
the Right wing have co-opted God, faith and values and claimed them
exclusively as their own. But, I can also understand why the Left
has seemingly embraced a more secularist view.
Secularists, at least to me, encompass values that do not necessarily
need to have a religious or biblical view to back them up. Caring
for the least among us, the civil rights of all who contribute to
a society, and not casting stones and being judgmental are, to me,
universal and not limited to any one religious faith. When the Right
started its moral crusade after Goldwater's defeat in 1964, they
began an intense campaign to paint anyone not fundamentally Christian
as someone not worthy of any care, of any civil rights, and ripe
for judgment picking. The Right's view of religion, of God, of so-called
"moral values" of course has turned off many who see themselves
as Left of center; and, unless we all can sit down and rationally
discuss religious faith, or even the absence of religious faith,
in a rational manner, the Left will not (nor should they) embrace
a religious view of intolerance and ignorance.
I don't want a religious war to intensify in this country any more
than anyone else who cares about the well-being of its citizenry.
But, a religious war will start, or, rather, intensify, if the Right,
not the Left, [do not?] change their collective attitudes.
Lisa
Boston, Massachusetts
Subject: "secret Tapes"
I agree with your reader, Shirley Smith, when she questions the
validity of these supposedly "secret tapes." After a couple
minutes of listening to a network broadcast of them, my husband
started rolling his eyes and I started laughing. It was so obvious
they were fake! My husband asked the TV, "Who are you kidding?"
The tapes reveal nothing we didn't already know, but portray Bush
as fairly articulate and reasonable, and that we know isn't true.
Ahh, distractions, distractions...Karl's job is so much fun!
Scheri Janssen
Subject: Hillary
Chatting up McCain notwithstanding, Hillary has impressed NY Republicans
from the start. Why? Because when she meets with various constituents,
like the dairy farmers, etc., she shows up prepared. She's totally
familiar with the nuts and bolts of their concerns, she knows their
issues, and they don't have to waste time educating her on matters.
That's impressive.
Rosamond
Subject: Clinton and Bush, sr.
Has anyone except me...noticed the strain on Bill Clinton lately?
Almost since the beginning of this tour of the Tsunami region...Clinton
has looked sick. He looked much better campaigning for Kerry, three
weeks after his surgery! There are even times, when Bush, Sr., is
speaking that he looks very uncomfortable. I have a feeling that
this is a humanitarian effort at its worst! Clinton, I think does
not feel good about the diversion he and Bush, Sr., are causing.
Most people...5 years ago...would have thought Clinton would have
tainted the good name of Bush! Now, what is this, an effort to boost
the bad name of Bush??? God knows...that needs to be done...even
though the mainstream press will never do it...the name of Bush
is not good...Canadians do not like the name...many Americans are
getting damned sick of it...and many Europeans think he is a dimwit...and
most Englanders, other than Blair. I am embarrassed by him, most
of the time...and I think at last he may be in deep doo doo! And
of course, there is the Jeff Gannon/Guckert mess that has to be
embarrassing to everyone but Bush, whom nothing embarrasses!
Shirley................St. Louis
PS: a poll out this morning...has Hillary Clinton even leading
in the republican poll...for president in 2008...that has to be
embarrassing...I cannot wait to hear what Rush does with that little
tidbit!!!
Subject: As You Like It
As You Like It - William Shakespeare All the World’s a stage and
the men and women merely players
George W. Bush, Richard Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Condoleezza Rice,
Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Perle, John Negroponte, Karl Rove, and a
wide cast of characters will be coming to your country soon. After
a four-year stint and continuing in the US, plus a trial balloon
in Afghanistan and Iraq, the cast of characters will take their
act on the road to Iran, Syria, Korea.
This thrilling dramatization of 21st Century power is produced and
directed by the PNAC [Project for the New American Century.]
Cathy L.
Subject: Jim
Wallis interview
Thanks so much for helping to draw attention to Jim Wallis. I really
like the interview you did with him. It gets at some important questions
and helps further the dialogue about religion that Dems need to
be having among themselves. Great job!!!
Thanks again,
Mike Pridmore
Subject: LOL
Homeland Security officials in the Bush administration are considering
ways to use the insurance industry as a free-market-friendly vehicle
to drive chemical facilities, food companies, utilities, and other
businesses to take greater precautions against terrorist attacks
without heavy-handed new regulations.
US
sees insurers as possible tool in terror fight (Boston
Globe)
Let's see if Rush Limbaugh screams night and day about how "Washington
DC is interfering with business and trying to regulate through legislation"
like he did whenever Democrats enacted legislation intended to encourage
good environmental practice, for example.
Rosamond
Subject: Outrage at the mainstream media (as sent to many of them)
I am surprised and disappointed that the mainstream media has devoted
little, if any coverage to the "Jeff Gannon" scandal in
the White House press corps.
Mr. Gannon, a fake reporter who espouses family values GOP-style,
pretends to write for a pretend news agency called Talon News, itself
an extension of gopusa.com, has been in bed with Scott McClellan
since at least 2003 [so to speak], lobbing pretend questions to
the press secretary, including some culled from the Rush Limbaugh
show.
The intrepid reporters who make up the White House press corps shared
a room with this man, who they must have known was a fraud, and
said absolutely nothing. Indeed, it was those much-maligned "liberal
bloggers" who exposed "Gannon" for what he is: a
fraud.
Your newspapers made ... a big deal of Dan Rather being passed forged
documents, but you say nothing now when the administration is caught
red-handed trying to manipulate the media. I wonder if your lack
of outrage betrays a desire that the events pass without further
embarrassment?
Sincerely,
William Rosen
Kansas City, MO
Subject: Re Justice
Department Caves In: Allows Publication of Retroactively Classified
Information
Well, why wouldn't they give up, I ask you. After all, the election
is OVER. Furthermore, the public now knows that out of 102 terror
warnings Bush and his crooked, lying, thieving pals received prior
to 9/11, 52 of them related to air transportation security. Kind
of like the cat's already out of the bag, eh?
The big question is, when will the the FBI's Inspector General's
report be declassified and the state secret classification be rescinded
so that Sibel can pursue her lawsuit against the U.S. government
for wrongful termination?
SherAn
Subject: Feds Order Beloved Teacher Deported
WHY??????????????? I AM FILLED WITH TOTAL HATRED FOR OUR GOVERMENT.
I WANT TO VOMIT ON A DAILY BASIS. I am surprised I have not had
a heart attack and I am only thirty years old.
Feds
Order Beloved Teacher Deported (ABC News)
A BuzzFlash Reader
Subject: Big Brother or a Friend of Big Brother . . .
BuzzFlash,
When we have an administration in power that is capable of anything
. . . large crimes tend to stand out, and the last paragraph that
I quote here should make people wonder if "Big Brother"
is involved. This is what happens when people are not brought to
justice for previous crimes. The crimes will keep happening as long
as the Bush administration is in power. We can count on it. Whether
they are complicit or not . . . they are not about the business
of running a government . . . they are about the business of ruining
a government.
"We are getting very close to `Big Brother is watching
you, '' U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., said during a news conference
Monday. "If this is not an eye-opening threat to our privacy,
then nothing is.''
...ChoicePoint is one of the largest warehouses of personal data
in the country. The Georgia-based company keeps a massive store
of records that includes everything from an individual's date
of birth and Social Security number to their employment history
and driving records. Employers, loan officers, law enforcement
and media outlets, among others, pay ChoicePoint for access to
its databases....
PAST SCANDALS
Publicly-held ChoicePoint is no stranger to controversy.
In 2000, it bought Boca Raton-based DBT, a data collection company
that had its contracts with the Drug Enforcement Administration
and FBI suspended because its founder was once suspected of ties
to Bahamian drug smugglers. DBT also was hired to help build Florida's
infamous felon list for the 2000 presidential election. Many of
those people, who were purged from voter rolls, were actually
eligible to vote.
Thieves
get data on 10,000 in state (Miami Herald)
It's every day folks. Every single day of the Bush administration
and yet, our members in Congress remain silent . . . media remains
silent . . . is it because Democracy in America is already dead?
It wouldn't be the first time that a crime was committed for other
reasons than those that seem so obvious . . . or because of the
connection to the Bush administration . . . this company is allowed
to commit crimes without being punished. I don't believe in coincidences
when it involves the Bush administration.
How many crimes does it take to remove Bush from office?
Just wonderin . . .
Thanks BuzzFlash,
Shirley Smith
Subject: The Pope
Dear BuzzFlash,
So, the pope calls homosexuals "evil," but promotes Bernard
Law, guardian of child molesters, to one of the top positions in
the Roman Catholic Church. I can now say that I am more in tune
with the teachings of "Christ" than the pope himself. If this man
is "holy," I am GOD.
Rob Moitoza
Seattle, WA
Subject: The Lameness Of The Left
Definition of lameness: adj. lam·er, lam·est Disabled
so that movement, especially walking, is difficult or impossible:
Lame from the accident, he walked with a cane. A lame wing kept
the bird from flying. Marked by pain or rigidness: a lame back.
Weak and ineffectual; unsatisfactory: a lame attempt to apologize;
lame excuses for not arriving on time.
To whit; the same group that excoriated John Kerry have now been
"hired" to push the Administration's trashing of Social
Security. Like """DUH""" how come
the left is so far behind the curve? The Right is so far ahead of
what's going on, might I dare say it: There is a coordinated effort
from the Right, to repeat; A COORDINATED EFFORT FROM THE RIGHT!!!!.
Like, maybe there is a conspirancy? Or is it just excellent politics.
Three decades ago HST
had the gonzos to 'tell it like it is.' And now we belatedly praise
HST. Will his legacy be thrown into the dumpster of today's 'journalism'
that is a garbage pit today? Or will he be resurrected to the hights
of Ambrose Bierce, H. L. Mencken or even Mark Twain? In an age when
Franz Kafka, George Orwell and Phillip K. Dick have become quaint,
we are in some deep doo-doo, to quote George H. W. Bush. All of
HST's drug-addled, brilliant, caustic and yes, truisms are becoming
today's obits for a true rebel. Is it too late? Unless, unless we
take the same high road that he took, we are all doomed. Might as
well take a .45 to the head also if we don't do something NOW. Forgive
me for paraphrasing, "Suicide is an act of faith because one
refuses to put up with the bullshit."
A BuzzFlash Reader
Subject: Sex toys, only for prescribed uses in Alabama according
to the Supreme Court
This is one of the stupidest things I have ever heard of and things
are pretty stupid in the Oklahoma legislature. One of our brain-damaged
democrats has suggested putting itty bitty boxing gloves on the
spurs of roosters to preserve the “sport” of cock-fighting.
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected on Tuesday a constitutional challenge
to an Alabama law that makes it a crime to sell sex toys. The
high court refused to hear an appeal by a group of individuals
who regularly use sexual devices and by two vendors who argued
the case raised important issues about the scope of the constitutional
right to sexual privacy.
Court
won't rule on sex toy ban (Reuters/CNN)
I guess you are allowed to use one, but you have to drive to Florida
to buy one.
The law prohibited the distribution of 'any device designed or
marketed as useful primarily for the stimulation of human genital
organs.' First-time violators can face a fine of up to $10,000
and as much as one year in jail.
I guess you could find something else they are useful for, like
maybe for making milkshakes and then you could sell them. Wow, $10,000
and as much as a year in jail?
The law, adopted in 1998, allowed the sale of ordinary vibrators
and body massagers that are not designed or marketed primarily
as sexual aids. It exempted sales of sexual devices 'for a bona
fide medical, scientific, educational, legislative, judicial or
law enforcement purpose.'
Where do they buy them and is there a sign that says; "We
check ID's and it better not be for recreational use"?
Here's my prescription, and the Doc and I plan for a night of "bona
fide medical" use.
We have to have it for a scientific, educational assignment for
Home and Family Living class and we have a permission slip from
our teacher.
Here are my teaching credentials and we are using it in Sex Ed class
to demonstrate what fun you can have without having actual pre-marital
sex.
I plan to use it to educate my girlfriend on the finer arts of artificial
love-making.
I am Senator/Doctor Frist and we are handing them out to use, congressionally,
to stay awake during filibusters by democrats who want to keep sex-obsessed
prudes off the bench. Congressionally is the same as legislatively
or is this a state's rights thing?
I can tell you Oklahoma is way too conservative to allow the legislature
to use sex toys during sessions, no matter how boring it gets. I
have been to some sessions that would cure insomnia. What in the
world could you possibly need one for, legislatively speaking?
They just forced Judge Thompson off the bench in Oklahoma for using
one of these devices, judicially, while on the bench. You could
hear it on the court reporter's recorder. I guess he could move
to Alabama.
Of course using them on prisoners for torture is alright, as long
as they don't enjoy it. Are there other ways law enforcement might
use them? They sure could liven up those FOP meetings.
Georgia and Texas are the only other states that restrict the distribution
of sexual devices, according to the court record in the case.
How completely asinine can you get? Were the Supremes judiciously
using vibrators during this debate?
Karen Webb
Moore, OK
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THE FEBRUARY 23, 2005 BUZZFLASH MAILBAG.
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