December 12, 2005

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.

THIS IS PART 2 OF THE DECEMBER 12, 2005 BUZZFLASH MAILBAG. CLICK HERE FOR PART 1

Subject: What?!?!?!?

The prize for the strangest argument of all, as usual, goes to Cheney for this: "Some have suggested by liberating Iraq from Saddam Hussein we simply stirred up a hornet's nest. They overlook a fundamental fact: We were not in Iraq in September 2001, and the terrorists hit us anyway."

Spin it as you please -- this is a mess (Knight-Ridder/dfw.com)

CHENEY, YOU IDIOT!!!!

Cory Hinman
Ann Arbor, MI

Subject: Who Will Help New Orleans Survive?

Please read the following, and take a moment today to call at least one senator to urge support for Category 5-strength levees for New Orleans.

Editorial: New York Times, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2005

We are about to lose New Orleans. Whether it is a conscious plan to let the city rot until no one is willing to move back or honest paralysis over difficult questions, the moment is upon us when a major American city will die, leaving nothing but a few shells for tourists to visit like a museum. ...

Death of an American City (NY Times)

Below is a sample letter to the 65 or 70 senators I've mailed and faxed to all members of the Finance, Appropriations, Environment & Public Works, and Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs committees. ... Please telephone or fax letters to House and Senate leaders to urge immediate action: Commit to building Category 5-strength levee system around New Orleans beginning NOW. The studies have been done, the plans exist (Army Corps of Engineers). All they need to do is appropriate the money and pull the teams together and get busy.

Dear Senator --:

As a Louisianan now living in New York City, I am writing to urge you to please give your fullest support to the rebuilding of America’s beloved City of New Orleans, to the restoration of the Louisiana coastline, and to generous increases in federal aid to the Gulf Coast communities wasted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. (A good start would be Sens. Kennedy and Gregg’s Gulf Coast Recovery and Preparedness Act. Have you read it?) ¶ Please, end the war in Iraq and bring the resources home for some real national defense and security for a change. If money is so tight (it wasn’t five years ago), then roll back the tax cuts for incomes over $200,000 per year. How can we have “homeland security” while dead bodies are left to float for days and weeks in a devastated American city? Where was half the Louisiana and Mississippi National Guard? Senator, we pay the government to protect us right here at home.

When my wife and I came to Washington on September 24 for the great national mobilization against the war in Iraq, we carried signs reading MAKE LEVEES, NOT WAR. We saw among our 300,000 fellow marchers dozens of other home-made signs with the same message. We’re serious: the Army Corps of Engineers needs serious, sustained funding increases to replace the fatal cutbacks to the Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Project (SELA) by the Bush administration to shift the money to Iraq.

Before Katrina, it would have cost $2.5 billion to build a Category 5 protection system (we burn through that amount every two weeks in Iraq). Now it is estimated that $10 to 20 billion is needed for full Category 5 protection—there is no time to lose—and about $15 billion for coastal restoration (see Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana: www.crcl.org).

About funding and accountability, some conservatives point to Louisiana’s reputation for corruption. But the Pentagon, which is granted at least a half trillion dollars annually, is no model of fiscal prudence, either. (Halliburton?) Trust us; whose money is it, anyway?

On behalf of dozens of friends and former neighbors who are too busy rebuilding, or looking for work, or who lack even a dry envelope with which to send a letter, I beg you to have pity on the hurricane-afflicted, on the families of dead and injured soldiers: end the bloody war, roll back the tax cuts for the wealthy. Tax the oil profiteers and build levees and restore neighborhoods and coastlines here at home. Can there really be any conscionable alternative? If this cannot be done, what is our government good for?

I believe you understand, Senator, people are hurting, and there’s really no time to lose.

http://www.LeveesNotWar.org/ (Our new web site ... simple but growing)

Find Your Elected Officials

Thank you.

Mark LaFlaur
Kew Gardens, NY

Subject: Climate of Extreme Fear in White House

What does it say about our government when everyone in the White House, as well as some of his close friends, is terrified to criticize or tell the president the truth, for fear of repercussion?

In this single article it is noted, no less than six times, that sources insisted on anonymity for fear of offending or antagonizing the president.  Three more years, of constant fear.  God help us.

"A White House aide, who like virtually all White House officials (in this story and in general) refused to be identified for fear of antagonizing the president, says...."

"...as one of his closest friends (also speaking anonymously so as not to complicate relations with the president), says..."

"But one former Bush 41 administration figure who knows her [Condi Rice] well (and declined to be identified for fear of giving offense) says

One House Republican, who asked not to be identified for fear of offending the White House, recalls..."

"He uses humor to disarm people and get a read on them," said a senior aide who wouldn't be identified talking about his boss.'

"During Bush's first term, his attitude toward Congress was "my way or the highway," according to a GOP staffer who did not want to be identified criticizing the president.

Bush in the Bubble (Newsweek/msnbc)

A Buzzflasher

Subject: How to ensure the survival of New Orleans

Dear Buzz,

The New Orleans Public Schools ought to offer to house the George W. Bush Library.  Then they would have Bush’s attention.  While most Presidential Libraries are located at Universities, George’s should go back to the earliest levels of education.  There can be a room to house the actual book “My Pet Goat” that was the making of his Presidency.  There can be a room recognizing the “No Child Left Behind” law that would have soon made New Orleans Schools a ward of the State if Katrina had not done it sooner.  There can be a room symbolizing the fall of the corruption in Bush’s government similar to the fall of corruption in the New Orleans Public Schools.

But best of all, it will ensure the survival of New Orleans, and Bush will have kept one promise of his Administration that is well worth keeping.  It is what he would be remembered for.  New Orleans is essential to the preservation of our United States and Louisiana Purchase, and Louisiana, and Mississippi River Heritage.  The George W. Bush Library would just have to be protected by Levees that would withstand Category Five hurricanes.

To account for the Ninth Ward, buildings should be built that are tall enough to house the population on the reduced land mass. The Ninth Warders can have the ninth floors of all those new buildings.

Margaret
Medicine Park, OK

(State of two of the nine Senators who voted FOR McCain’s anti-torture bill – they still have not explained why; were they tortured?)

Subject: Note to Brian Williams about Bush interview

Mr. Williams,

I suppose this is pre-recorded, but if it isn't I hope you ask about New Orleans because it is completely off the White House website. It has dropped off the radar and 2 months ago yesterday he was promising a lot to the people of New Orleans. WHAT HAPPENED? There is a link to find out about rebuilding Iraq, but not New Orleans.

Karen Webb
Moore, Oklahoma

BuzzFlash Note: "Hunkered down in the New Orleans Superdome when the storm hit, (Williams) was one of the first to report on the squalor there – and one of the first to press federal officials on-air about their slow response to the devastation." (fortwayne.com).]

Subject: Funny Story About the "War on Christmas"

The other day my wife was in Starbucks and one of those Bill O'Wrongly people was spouting off about the war on Christmas nonsense. He was with this other guy who didn't seem to agree with him but just sort of nodded along just to keep him happy. So BORjr points to this sign that says "happy holidays" and starts getting loud about it. In response to that my wife silently pointed to a package of Starbucks "Christmas Blend." The other guy, not the loud one, looked at her, saw what she was pointing to, laughed out loud and said "crisis averted." At that point the BORjr. said "oh," and then shut up. Score one for my wife.

So since then I've tried to pay attention to TV ads in and around the holiday season, and so far at least Target and Macy's both have ads that flat out say Merry Christmas. So as far as this "War on Christmas" is concerned, I think that like Terri Schiavo's functioning brain, it just doesn't exist.

SE
Jersey City

Subject: Once Upon a Time!

George W. Bush gave his third speech today as President Storyteller gave his fairy-tale version of how the political process in Iraq will change the face of the region! The problem is he has misrepresented information before and most has not turned out as he said it would. Why would we accept his account now when he has been dead wrong and evidence points to the contrary. He concludes the Mideast will draw inspiration from a free Iraq assuming all will work out just the way he said it will, and that’s very doubtful! If after the election, {the government plagued by pressure for this benchmark, again} will it be Bush’s last "hoorah" and if nothing changes how long will we continue with loss of life and money down the toilet?

Bush admitted to an image problem caused, he said, by Iraqi newspapers. The "image problem" has resulted from an illegitimate invasion of Iraqi based on lies, misinformation, cherry-picking info to back up the Administration’s version of things and omitting, or withholding dissenting opinion.

He also FORGOT to mention we have planted paid stories and own a radio station and newspaper to give our one-sided view. He NEVER answered the question why he keeps tying Iraq to 9/11! {1547 days since Bush said he’d get Osama dead or alive} He claims the enemies of Iraq are killing Sunnis, but evidence shows Iraqi Death squads are sponsored by the new government and a second case of torture has been exposed at another prison compound under the Iraqi Defense Ministry.

Bush begs us to have patience and confidence in OUR Cause? Or is it Bush’s cause for his legacy? How many times have we heard the old tired remark, If we fight the terrorists there, we prevent attacks here? Again today, Bush claims a “remarkable transformation for Iraq” and his fairy-tale continues!

Susan Carr
Tucson, AZ

Sometimes things we want are just too expensive. Someone should have told Mr. Bush his war with Iraq would be too expensive for our country's budget. But I guess he doesn't care, he got himself some nice big tax cuts. This war has cost him and his friends nothing. It has cost the poor and middle class a great deal!

Kate

Subject: Bush in the Bubble - Newsweek

Hi, Buzz!!

Thanks for including this article. I must say I was horrified to see how often a source refused to be named "for fear of offending the White House," or "for fear of appearing disloyal to the President," or some such thing. Comparing Bush to Hitler is so common as to be a little tiresome, but this reminded me of the D-Day invasion of June 6, 1944. The German response wasn't as quick as it might have been because nobody wanted to wake Hitler with the bad news.

Is this what we've come to? God help us.

Jane Hawes
Emporia, KS (red-state Democrat down under)

Subject: Press ignores "Torture" (sent to Jack Cafferty, CNN)

Hello, Jack:

Most Americans think "torture" is having to listen to loud noise or stand upright until you fall. They do not know what is going on, because our government lies to them, and our media won't even address the subject.

Robert Perkins
Newport News, VA

Subject: Censorship is everywhere ...

BuzzFlash:

It’s interesting that I’ve sent some posts that disagree with the generally anti-gun positions of democrats and democratic/progressive websites. Sent some to BuzzFlash, among other “progressive” sites, and for some reason they don’t get into print… I mean into the electronosphere (or whatever it is we can call the Internet).

I wonder why that is.

We are democrats and lib’rals and progressives. We claim to fight for Free Speech, we claim ownership of “the Big Tent,” we talk ourselves silly about the opinions we agree on, we love open discussions of ideas, and we like to point out hypocrisy and shine the light on censorship whenever we can.

Why, then, don’t we want to discuss issues and ideas that are important to a lot of people in this wonderful country?

We rant about the criminal activities of the repugs in office (and rightly so), but we’re afraid to discuss issues like gun ownership, hunting, nuclear power plants, people who like (or love) NASCAR racing, etc., etc.? Might we open ourselves to PEOPLE JUST LIKE US who happen to like these things?

I’m a lib’ral democrat (originally from Massachusetts). I own a few “weapons” (but am not a hunter), worked in the nuke bid’ness (gummint navy yahd and many commercial nuclear power plants) since 1961, and I like NASCAR racing.

I constantly get slammed by people who feel the same way I do about these things …. they say they might be liberals or democrats except for one little thing: they understand there’s no room for them in the dems' tents, where they get hammered by people who disagree. Hammered.

We are doomed if we can’t practice what we preach.

BuzzFlash: don’t censor!

Bill Darbyshire
Galien, MI

PS: And woe is us also, when the shining hope Senator from New York jumps on the pseudo-patriot bandwagon to ban flag-burning. Next prez will probably be a repug, ‘cause there’s no opposition party, and progressives and liberals are here writing and talking when we should be out working for the future and zipping open the flies on our tents.

[BuzzFlash Note: For the record, we do reject letters. Sometimes it's a matter of resources (we get more than we have time to post); sometimes it's the content.]