 |
|||
| October 7, 2005 |
MAILBAG ARCHIVES | ||
The BuzzFlash Mailbag The opinions expressed in the Mailbag are not necessarily those of BuzzFlash. Read the BuzzFlash FAQ for info on submitting to the Mailbag. Subject: The Disappointing Politics of Gore in 2000 In 2000 I was as pissed as anyone that Gore did not continue to fight. I couldn't stand the sight of him for months: fat, bearded weirdo. Stereotypical left-wing granola eater. How could someone who won't defend himself defend us? People who act as apologists for others have to pretend to put themselves inside the head of those for whom they are apologizing. It's a stupid exercise. Having said that, let me apply for the position of Gore Apologista-in-Chief. In 2000 we had a good economy. Our president had appointed both dems and republicans to cabinet posts and agency positions. We were recovering from the national ache created by our president having been caught lying under oath. Remember that it was a liberal organization that formed and named itself "Censure the president and Move On." Then the election came down to a statistical tie and the following battle began to rip the country apart again. The republicans kept cooing: "Step aside Al, we'll always consider you a hero for doing so." Bush had campaigned as a "uniter, not a divider," he talked about how he always reached across the aisle in Texas, told us he was a moderate. A man of faith in God. Once the divisive election was behind us he would help to heal our nation. Remember those things? I now honestly believe that Gore put the country first and his political aspirations second when he chose not to continue the fight. I honestly believe that he thought Bush would be true to his word, and, failing that, that the citizens of the US would hold him to his promises. Remember how we howled at 41 when he broke his "read my lips no new taxes" pledge? Why would Gore believe the citizens of the US would behave any other way? Becoming president on a specious ruling by the Supreme Court and without the popular vote does not a mandate make. Our founding fathers set up a pretty fantastic Constitution that provided checks and balances against unmitigated greed and incompetence and war mongering and treasury pilfering and cronyism and so on. In 2000, we weren't being run by Christian wackos. We had a press corps that challenged the president at every turn. It hadn't been possible for a small cabal of profiteers to run Washington through sheer avarice and greed since the late 19th century. I hated Bush in November of 2000. But I never, never imagined how truly awful, how dangerous, how historically catastrophic this presidency could be. I don't think Gore could have imagined it in his wildest dreams. And if he had a crystal ball and could have told us exactly where we'd be today, none of us, right or left, would've believed him. Now Kerry, on the other hand, who had all that information, and who collected money promising to fight if the results were tainted....I still can't stand to look at him. Gore/Obama!!!! See you at the polls. Kristi Warriner Subject: SOME politicians get the point My brother is a Wisconsin State Patrolman, who is sometimes tasked with the driver / bodyguard detail for the Governor. Below is an excerpt from an email from him which would seem to indicate that not all politicians have their heads 'up and locked' when it comes to Iraq?
David Honish Subject: I THOUGHT THAT BUSH SAID THEY WOULDN'T ATTACK US HERE IF WE ATTACKED THEM THERE...HMMM GUESS HE COULD BE WRONG.... the subway alert should be ignored considering bush rules.... i hope that you nab his lies - because he keeps using that statement to justify us being in iraq. what a dolt. karin Subject: JUDITH MILLER - And the story changes yet again ... Didn't Judy Miller go to jail to protect her sources? Maybe, but "She was also fighting for the right to provide narrow testimony before a federal grand jury investigating that leak." ... and this "That's why I was sitting in jail. For the public's right to know." I suppose that, now that it's clear that she could have gotten Scooter Libby's OK long ago, the story has to change ... but how is limiting her testimony or "protecting her source" FOR the public's right to know? We all want to know what she knew, but she wouldn't tell us until she was assured that she'd only have to tell us some of it ... and withhold some [from those of us in the public with the "right to know"]. Miller: Went to jail for 'the public's right to know' (Lou Dobbs/CNN) A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: terror on the subway... (as sent to corporate media) this is why we are being told of a terrorist threat. Subject: Bush's Speech and Other Things Dear BF- I listened to parts of our beloved leader's speech. Inspiring - not. A rag-bag of nonsense tied together with fear and exhortations to continue the fight to the end. I am so angry and frustrated by this loathsome pretender to the Presidency. It seems extraordinary to me that there is no means, other than impeachment, which is virtually impossible, to get rid of this lying moron - he's still linking Iraq to 9/11. He offered nothing - no plan, except to stay the course. And of course spread more fear amongst the populace. Back in September a BuzzFlash writer from S. California stated two things should be considered - a parliamentary form of government and the abolition of the Electoral College. The reasons were obvious. Perhaps both can be considered when the reign of fascism is finally defeated. Who shall lead us in '08? No Bidens, Clintons or other Republicans Lite. We need a new Progressive Democrat Party - a party that will at least give the people the same offered to other western democratic nations: A public education through University level at little or no cost, A national single payor medical plan. A defence policy based on enlightened self interest - not pre-emptive strikes, and gradual nuclear disarmament. Foreign policy to be carried out by professionals in the State Dept. with few Ambassadorships handed out as rewards to the party faithful. Surely we have the ability to become a proper democracy. God Bless BuzzFlash and America. A. Leslie Palmer Subject: Katrina's Nameless Victims The majority of the dead in New Orleans are said to be nameless, unidentified. So were the African slaves who were tossed overboard after dying on the Middle Passage. The slave owner doesn't give a damn about a dead slave. He's not going to waste one cent on finding out who that slave was. It's a hate thing because in Falluja the Iraqi dead also were left to rot. Before that the same thing happened to the Vietnamese. Why, in the Philippines a century ago, American troops cut off the heads of freedom-fighters and hung them up on poles to discourage would-be insurgents. And the all-American practice of scalping was to facilitate payment for genocidal services rendered. As a matter of fact the history of the USA is replete with the nameless and unidentified who were sacrificed on the altar of imperial greed. Turns out however that the nameless always have real names and the unidentified can be identified by way of careful and methodical DNA analysis which, alas, costs money. What's holding this back? The commander-in -chief hasn't yet given the word - "Spare no expenses in finding out who the victims of my criminal neglect (in not repairing those levees) were." That'll be money wisely and properly spent, too, because, just like the Iraq war is doing to us, Katrina robbed us of our best and brightest. Our next step will be to get this president to the International Court of Criminal Justice, to be tried for his crimes against humanity. A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Derision Hi, Buzz!! Kristi Warner knows her stuff!!! Her piece reminded me of something Thomas More once said: The way to drive the Devil away, "if he yield not to texts of Scripture, is to jeer and flout him, for he cannot bear scorn." The Reich can't bear scorn either; I have wondered many times if lack of a sense of humor was a requirement for membership in their little club. So LET'S LAUGH THEM OUT OF WASHINGTON. I know for a fact they won't yield to texts of Scripture, since I've been quoting it at my legislators for a long time now. Jane Hawes Subject: How Many Number 2's Do They Have??? Seems like every few weeks or so, we capture a number 2 man of Al Qaeda, or some other terrorist group affiliated with Al Qaeda. So, it makes me wonder.... Just how many number 2 men do they have? Is this something like most of our major corporations, the Big Bush backers, who have a CEO and about 46 executive vice presidents under him? Seems to me like there are an awful lot of second place guys in this terrorist world, and we must be feeding most of them because we seem to capture a lot of them. When we get the last number 2 guy, do we start working on their number 3 guys, and how many of them are there? Or, as we continue to capture number 2 guys, does this mean that the number 3 guys become number 2's and so on? And what happens if we ever do get the number 1 guy? Do all the number 2's battle it out to become the next number 1, and, if so, when the new number 1 is chosen from amongst the number 2's, does that automatically elevate one of the number 3's to a number 2 position, and which one?. Does seniority count? It kind of makes you feel sorry for those that are listed at being below number 3, because it might take forever for them to get to be number 3, yet alone number 2. Maybe all the number 4's should start their own terrorist group and draw straws to see how many of them can become number 2, as long as they can decide on a number 1. Oh, well, I guess playing the number game gets tiring after a while. But then, being a number 1, 2 3 or 4 sounds a lot better than being an A, B, C or D. I mean, come on, now, who wants to be a letter of the alphabet? Mike Allen Subject: Plato....
A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: They are at it again Color coded alerts....terrorist alarms....when things get tough..the tough get started! We had not had one of any kind of alert when Bush was busy with all his "Bidness" but the minute something like trouble starts....Katrina...Rita....Tom DeLay's shenanigans....His appointments to the bench...etc...etc...etc...and we all start wondering why we ever listened to him....we finally start getting them, terrorist alerts! I would like to know the exact time this alert was sent.....and who was on the receiving end of it. Sorry...I know I will get blown to Kingdom Come some day....but, when the Emperor has no clothes....he has no credibility, either! How in the world do we all know when to be afraid or when not to be afraid?...We cannot live day to day....on the edge of our collective seats! We have already been down this road, Mr. Bush....please....for one time...for God's sake, quit playing games. We know by now that God told you to attack Iraq...and we know that many people are believing every single thing you say....but, what about those of us who see the lies, day after day.......somebody give us a sign! It is for dead sure, the limp-backed democrats are gonna do whatever it takes to keep their jobs. I have learned that they act like wussies when they are in the minority...! We've gotta come up with a candidate...I am not even sure I can take this for another three years. Shirley............St. Louis Subject: Too bad Too bad the National Guard stuff came out ahead of time. Ol' Harry Reid had the perfect ropeadope set up. Damn, I was looking forward to the hearing. Damn. I doubt Bush will ever allow this damaging information to be entered into testimony at a Senate hearing so my guess is Miers will withdraw her name from consideration sometime in the next couple days, probably Friday night. She'll be disappointed because the appointment was her payback, but Bush can say "I tried." Then he'll appoint the mfer to the bench he really had his heart set on. Gonzales? But he still owes ol' Harriet big-time. Rosamond Subject: This Time Next Year If there is no huge death toll from the 'bird flu' and most of us are sitting here in front of our computers and TV's and although the world has its problems, most of us are still alive and not dead from the 'deadly' bird flu, can we just skip flu season altogether? It's so tiresome. First of all, there is no bird flu to speak of, ok? As of yesterday the only stat that I could find on the subject said that 60 people have died from the disease in China since 2003. Let us take a closer look at this 'epidemic', 60 people out of a country that has more than a billion? And we all know for sure that all 60 of those were definitely bird flu? Let's face it, the Chinese aren't exactly known for their health standards. For all any of us know, they could have caught something or another from unsanitary drinking water, or whatever. It could be 60 different reasons from 60 different people. Each case needs to be looked at before we declare martial law, or throw the idea of democracy into the toilet and run for the hills. In the late 70's it was the "hong kong flu" (does somebody at the CDC have it in for Asia?) and it was supposed to be really bad. It wasn't. Millions didn't die. The thing is, this is the way that the CDC works. They create a scare and then they pat themselves on the back when it doesn't pan out. That's pretty much how they get funding. They're also obsessed with the virus. Remember, these people spent 10 years and s**t loads of money looking for the virus that causes cancer, after Nixon declared "war on Cancer." You can file that one with the war on drugs and the war on terror, and poverty and etc. ... If you want an eye opening look into exactly how the CDC works, read "Inventing the AIDS virus" By Dr. Peter Duesberg. Part of the reason that they love to look for a viral cause rather than looking at the environment that the victims are living, eating, and drinking in is, you guessed it ... money. There is way more money to be made from a vaccine than there is from cleaning up the water supply, or by better regulating the meat industry, or by informing people that smoking may cause lung cancer. And lastly, we all die. One way or another, one day we're all going to lose a game of chess with Mr. Grim Reaper. So before that day comes, let's not panic about nothing, it only helps the terrorists. Meanwhile, I think it's kind of funny that in his speech about the empire of terror, Bush claimed that the US and its allies have prevented "10 or more" 9/11's" on both sides of North America, yet they never resorted to bragging about any of those successes, not even once, in between terror alerts. Yet, here we are, wetting our pants about a flu, that despite its name has yet to take flight. Stephen Ericson PS. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but at least I didn't spend my last few months in a panic. For now, it's the CDC's job to take care of it, so go do it! Why alert everyone to something that they can't do a ... thing about? Oh yeah, I forgot, they're fear mongering. Stephen Ericson Subject: Osama Rides Again Dear Buzz, War justification number 666: If we don't "stay the course," OBL could take over Iraq. Is this the same OBL, erstwhile so "marginalized" that the great brain-box bush "doesn't really think about him that much"? If this is an example of the bush man's "clear thinking" he needs to get back on his bicycle and pedal a little harder. His not thinking about OBL was the proximate cause of 9/11 to begin with, and has allowed him to roam free since. The symbiotic relationship between these two makes you wonder: Where is that Axis of Evil? It's got to be around here somewhere. Tim Mooring Subject: George Bush: Unfit Commander I have read that George Bush has lied in saying that he has been to war. He is quoted as saying something about it when he was asked about the unseemly behavior of his twin daughters. He said something like this: "I have been to war, and I have raised two daughters. I can either conduct the war or I can control my daughters, but I can't do both." If this is an actual quote, and I feel it is, and can be easily confirmed, then he told a lie because I am not aware of any war in which he has taken part. I think he was trying to copy Theodore Roosevelt, who, when asked about his recalcitrant daughter, Alice, said "I can run the country or I can control Alice, but I can't do both." I think this ties in with his "Unfit Commander" image. Mildred P. Miller Subject: The End of Our America Every day I'm on the internet reading the news on alternative news sites like this one. And every day I'm getting more and more worried and frightened. I constantly send emails- and I telephone down to D.C. - to my two senators and congressman (all Democrats) and most of the time I feel like I'm talking to the wall. I give what I can afford to organizations fighting the Fascists now in power. I demonstrate whenever I can and though it feels good when I'm with others who feel as I do, basically it is nothing more than an exercise in futility. It doen't do any good. Remember when there were 12 MILLION of us worldwide demonstrating against the war before it started? What good did it do? WHAT IS TO BE DONE? We are losing our country and turning into a Fascist dictatorship with a lunatic at the helm. People on this site and others are always talking about winning the next election. I once read a definition of insanity which is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. The GOP OWNS THE VOTING MACHINES. How the hell can we expect to win elections? Does anyone here truly believe that Bush & Co. will willingly relinquish power? Wake up, people! There are no more fair elections in America. There is no more Democracy in America. There is no more America! When Bush stole the 2000 election I predicted that sooner or later he would declare martial law and finish tearing up the Constitution. Well, I was wrong. He has already torn up the rest of the Constitution and is now in the process of declaring martial law, using the bird flu pandemic as his pretext. Dictionary.com defines FASCISM in this way:
None of us wants to live in a Fascist society but that is what we have. Deny it if you wish but that is the reality. Corporations hand in hand with a racist dictatorship. What is to be done?
These words of the Declaration of Independence are as true today as they were in the 18th century. Maybe it's time to start seriously thinking about this because there doesn't seem to be any way to stop the inevitable if we keep going the way we are headed. A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Analysis of the NY Subway Scare My roommate and I were discussing this and I think he nailed it: It's a PR stunt for Bush's "stay the course" speech. The message yesterday was "it's working." So, tied up in this subway event were: 1. foiling of a potential terror event - success in the war on terror. 2. Iraq as a source of the info - successfully associates Iraq as a front in the war on terror. 3. Scare people - remind them of terror and reinforce the need for Bush. 4. Bloomberg took responsibility for spreading the information, so it didn't appear that DHS was being use as a political tool by Bush - a charge that Tom Ridge made. And we have seen that Bush public appearance events are frequently associated with PR stunts - the food trucks "magically" appeared right after his speech in New Orleans. So in the subway scare, we once again see an event that re-enforces the message of the speech and addresses the same key weaknesses that Bush is suffering from. A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Patrick Fitzgerald questioning Karl Rove Buzzflash, I wanted to send Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald a "way to go" message on the story about "Rove being questioned again, etc." I just wanted Mr. Fitzgerald to know that there are many of us out there supporting and appreciative of his work/dedication. I tried to get on the Washington Post page that had this article and to contact the writers. The Washington Post web site would not allow me to "send" a message to the two authors of this story to pass along to Mr. Fitzgerald. The "blocked" fist came up when I tried to access the writer's emails. Any idea why? Do they just list those things on their web site even though the "links" don't work? I just wanted to express my "thanks" for what Mr. Fitzgerald is doing. Carol P.S. If you could set up an article/petition on your web site whereby we could send app recitative notes to Mr. Fitzgerald that would be great. I think Mr. Fitzgerald might be "encouraged" at the number of people who support his hard work. [BuzzFlash Note: Wikipedia's entry on Fitzgerald links to the U.S. Attorney's bio, which has a Contact Us link, which says: Contact the Paralegal on Duty at (312) 353-5300; [or write to] United States Attorney's Office, 219 S. Dearborn Street, Room 500, Chicago, IL 60604.] Subject: I Can Almost Feel Your Pain To put it bluntly, some folks on the right are pissed. The sound of gnashing of teeth and beating of breasts is heard in red state land. “This was our chance, this was our time,” they wail. “We have been betrayed.” Welcome to the real political world. I can almost feel the pain of these people as they reflect that their fearless leader has nominated his own personal lawyer for the Supreme Court. Many are simply appalled at her lack of qualifications. Others are sure she isn’t anywhere near right-wing enough. Whatever the reasons, they ain’t a bunch of happy campers. Now as liberals, being betrayed by our party is so common that there aren’t many teeth left to gnash. We have been put down, left behind, marginalized, lied to and consistently patronized. Welcome to our world. The main difference here is that we recognize that unrepresented moment when it happens and we vent our displeasure loud and clear. Your party, the Mushroom Party as I think of it, has been being betrayed all along and you just weren’t smart enough to notice. Ain’t that a knee slapper? I would be far more joyous at your pain, seeing as how you deserve every bit of it, were it not for the fact that every time your get screwed, so do we. Much as many right-wingers may dispute the fact, this does happen to be our country, too. Having Bush indulge himself by placing one of his pals in positions they do not have the competence for should offend all of us. Whatever your party, whatever your ideology, whatever your feelings about this president, the facts are clear; this woman is simply not qualified to sit on the Supreme Court. Someone should tell Mr. Bush that appointing a crony is a very bad idea. Maybe Brownie could do it; he’s toast anyway. Marjorie L. Swanson Subject: Bloomberg's Warning Last evening, all the news channels ran and reran Mayor Bloomberg’s claim that “The terrorist threat to the NYC transit system was the most specific since 9/11.” I don’t recall reading anywhere in the 9/11 Commission’s report about any NYC official having advance notice of the 9/11 attacks. Resonates with Bush seeing the first plane crash into the World Trade Center and commenting, “That’s some bad pilot.” How? From whom? When, Mr. Bloomberg? Giuliani was Mayor on 9/11, so how would you have received notice of that “most specific” threat? Just asking. C. Robert Holloway Subject: BUSH SPEECH TALKING ABOUT OSAMA....JUST CHANGE THE NAME
GEORGE BUSH IS A SON OF PRIVILEGE, HE ENCOURAGES THOSE LESS FORTUNATE TO LOSE THEIR LIVES BY TELLING HOW GREAT IT IS TO FIGHT AND SACRIFICE FOR THEIR COUNTRY, THOUGH WHEN HE HAD HIS CHANCE TO GO TO VIETNAM HE REFUSED TO GO ALONG FOR THE RIDE. INTERESTING WORDS. RK
|
|||
| back to top | |||