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| December 21, 2005 |
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The BuzzFlash Mailbag The opinions expressed in the Mailbag are not necessarily those of BuzzFlash. More reader opinion is at "Contributors." You can write to Mailbag at http://www.buzzflash.com/contact/mail.html. Guidelines for submissions are at BuzzFlash FAQ #18. Subject: Talk of Impeachment Running Wild Take a look at a simple Google News Search for the latest stories about BUSH being Impeached..... Finally after 5 years of hell, secret prisons, torture chambers, illegal wars, the bilking of the US Treasury, Katrina fiasco..., stolen elections, etc. etc. ... and now perhaps the American Public has had enough when it comes to spying on Law Abiding Americans without a warrant... http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=Impeach+Bush&ie=UTF-8&scoring=d Look at all the stories about Impeachment ...
A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Why Bush Avoided the FISA Court While it's probably true that the Bush administration wouldn't want Americans to see his "enemies list," that probably isn't the reason he went around the FISA court and wiretapped without getting warrants. I think the reason is that he couldn't get warrants. Why? To start with, because NSA is probably wiretapping everybody, and you can't get a warrant to spy on "everybody". It's well known but never officially acknowledged that the NSA has the technology and computer horsepower to monitor most if not all communications around the world - simultaneously. The program is called ECHELON. According to the lore, a network of mammoth supercomputers processes these streams for certain keywords (spoken or written), numbers, or locations. When it gets a "hit" that stream is isolated and recorded for later human review. While many people and groups (including ACLU) have raised alarms and objections over Echelon during the past couple decades, the program's defenders claimed that it would never be used domestically, against US citizens. Only against foreign targets. (For this reason, allies and enemies alike are unhappy about Echelon.) I would guess that Bush has changed the rules and ordered NSA to target domestic communications. There's no benefit to using this technical wizardry on specific calls, channels, conversations; it's designed to sweep everything, looking for targets to get further scrutiny. In other words, the NSA may be "wiretapping" everybody. You can't get a warrant to do that. Furthermore, once you've gotten a hit, you can't use that illegally-obtained information to justify getting a warrant against a specific individual. So it's a catch-22. Yes, the Bush administration is afraid we'll find out who's on the enemies list ... because it's everybody. Listening In: The U.S.-led ECHELON spy network is eavesdropping on the whole world (The Village Voice, August 1998) A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Science wins! Praise God and Judge Jones for the triumph of science, sanity, and reason and the preservation of the separation of church and state.
Sy W. [BuzzFlash Note: Tuesday another judge ruled on the same issue: Intelligent design loses: In scalding decision, judge denounces rival to evolution theory (Chicago Tribune).] Subject: More on American deaths and injured in Iraq Buzzers - There is a poignant and enraging story on the death of 3 women in Fallujah in June on the front page of Tuesday's NY Times: Fatally Exposed: A Mission That Ended in Inferno for 3 Women (NY Times) The story is poignant for the details about the lives of three women killed - one a 43-year-old single mother on her second tour in Iraq (why should this be allowed to happen?), one a 21-year-old former cheerleader, and the third a 20-year- old woman from the Bronx, with an Hispanic last name, who volunteered for the military to help support her mother - and enraging for the details of how the work the women were doing and the fact that they had to enter and leave Fallujah every day on a regular schedule in an open truck made them especially vulnerable to the suicide bomber in his car. Why are so many of our troops badly protected? Why are the Marines doing a job that their training and equipment are not suited for? Why isn't it obvious that having a regular schedule every day makes attacking a convoy a piece of cake? Why were the survivors instructed not to talk to reporters? Of course, the casualties from the attack include not only those who died - which included 3 male marines - but those left with physical and mental injuries. Lance Cpl. Erin Liberty who received a Purple Heart and is pictured wearing a big neck brace said, "I think about it every day, 24 hours a day. You're never happy, you're never sad, you're never mad. You're just pretty much numb to everything." Meanwhile the President struts around fancying that his role as commander in chief entitles him to do whatever he wants in the name of national security and accusing those who point out that he has flagrantly overstepped his constitutional authority with themselves endangering national security. And Condi Rice is brought out to defend him because she gives the appearance of being articulate even though she says nothing and ducks all questions put to her. Colleen Clark Subject: The real danger I think Bush is trying to intimidate the press into not reporting on the ugly things our government is doing. I heard him say The New York Times has endangered America! Hellooooo! Bush is the one who is endangering our country! Kate Subject: Congressman Markey I met Congressman Markey today in the Logan Airport where he was holding a press announcement and conference. He was introducing his new bill, "Leave ALL blades behind," as a slap in the face to Bush who is trying to let blades back on airplanes so another attack can happen. He really lit into Bush during the news conference. Afterwards I gave him a candy cane and thanked him and told him I followed his great work online. Then I stared intently at him and said, "Please, we want you to impeach this president." He then fervently grabbed my hand and shook it. How's that for he's in favor of chimpeachment? TSA relaxing screening rules (KVBC) A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Just what is a "born-again, Evangelical Christian"? I frankly don't know ... so I will check wikipedia, world-renowned resource for all things: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Born_again And frankly, I still don't know ... but I am a little more ... scared. So how can you tell if someone is "born-again"? If they just say it, does that make it so? If that is the case ... the concept of being "born-again" would be a perfect political game piece, wouldn't it? You can say it every day ... yet there is no way to prove or disprove it. "I was born-again!" Hallelujah. Beware that which can not be proven to be true ... or untrue. And yes ... I understand the concept of "faith". Faith, by it's very definition ... is also blind. See above. And open your eyes before it is too late. John L. Johnson Subject: to the united nations and media IT IS STARTING TO LOOK LIKE THE BUSHIES SHOULD HAVE MADE THOSE PEOPLE IN IRAQ USE DIEBOLD MACHINES SO THE WHITE HOUSE COULD GET THE RESULTS THEY WANTED, LIKE IN THIS COUNTRY! :):):):) SHORTY Subject: Spying Washington Republicans and Democrats alike: If you have not as yet thought of it, you should. What do you talk about in private, that others might like to know? And will it be one year or ten years from now when you find out that they were listening to you? A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: King George I've just read that Conyers, whom I respect, has called for censure in the latest brouhaha. For goodness sake why not start letters of impeachment? I am told this will never get support of Congress - well, we have to start somewhere. At least a start will have been made to rid us of this arrogant, fascist would-be King. Sen. Boxer is making the right noises and she deserves our support. A courageous lady who is worth several Hillarys. We heard from the King's lips an admission that he has committed an impeachable offence. Let us hang him on his own petard. We could get the CIA to organize a little "rendition" party consisting of the King and his fascist advisors (let's not forget that creep Wolfowitz - he won't be missed at the World Bank) and send them to Syria for some splendid sport like pulling fingernails or applying electrodes to the most sensitive body parts! This should bring resignations in short order! Something must be done before the destruction of this country is finally completed by the fascists currently in power. A. Leslie Palmer Subject: Impending Impeachment? Are you kidding me? After watching that press conference I realize the game is over and the vanguard of America's Freedom, the press, is on the payroll. I am sickened. The terrorists win. Terrorist=Bush and his crew. Disgusted Subject: Connecting Kansas Dots Pondering the mystery of the Kansas State School Board and ... "Intelligent Design," the rest of the modern world is struck dumb in disbelief. How could a state in the middle of America declare Darwinism implausible hogwash, in essence turn the study of Biology into a branch of Theosophy while turning up its collective nose at the validity of the Scientific Method? Ach! Oynk! Sacre Bleu! Caramba! they cry. This in America, the undisputed world leader in science for the last 100 years? Home of Einstein and Oppenheimer, Sagan and Gould, Watson and Hawking, the Human Genome Project, the computer revolution, more Nobel Prizes in Science than any other country? (Not to mention originators of the square hamburger, the faux-crab, and herbicidal corn!) Has Mad Cow Disease gotten into Kansas City’s steaks? Are Monsanto’s gene-jumbled crops zapping human brain neurons along with nasty weeds? Have Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell resurrected the ghost of Billy Sunday to once again mesmerize the minds of Middle America back to the Middle Ages? Yet, despair not! After painstaking analysis, I am hereby able to dispel these loathsome explanations with a loud and clear No! A more plausible “theory” can be evinced from the recently divulged article from Associated Press: “Huge Meteorite Found Underground in Kansas,” which reported a rare 1,400-pound meteorite in Greensburg, Kansas discovered seven feet underground in an area long known for producing prized space rocks. The meteorite, classified as an oriented pallasite, was noted for its conical shape and for its crystals embedded in iron-nickel alloy. According to the American Museum of Natural History, the mother of this meteorite exploded centuries ago and scattered more than three tons of fragments over what is now Kansas. This in itself seemed as dead-ended a digression as Neanderthal cosmology, yet the very next evening the stars of enlightenment did in fact align as I was observing a TV episode of Smallville. For the non-cognoscenti, Smallville is a WB teen hit about Clark Kent as a super-endowed young man craving normal human teenage love while being overwhelmed by his superhuman attributes and responsibilities. All of this taking place in the Kansas farm town of Smallville where, as a super-infant, Clark Kent crashed to earth from the planet Krypton. . . . Now pay very close attention here: In the same “conical-shaped” craft referred to by Smallvillians as “the meteor,” “crystals” of Kryptonite were scattered throughout this particular area of Kansas where they mysteriously induced all kinds of mental, physiological and metaphysical distortions! Like Wham Ka-ZAM!, right? Just connect the Kansas dots. Obviously, the Kansas State School Board is suffering the effects of severe KRYPTONITE POISONING! Who says that SCIENCE and SUPERSTITIOUS HOODOO are irreconcilable? All it takes is faith, Kryptonite and a little old fashioned scientific method. Steve Coffman Subject: Anti Torture Amendment What secret deal did McCain make with Bush to get the anti torture amendment acceptable? Please remember, the best way to control the populace is to keep them in a state of fear. A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Those Americans Who Give You All a Bad Name Hi Americans, After reading once again about how evil Canada is in harbouring terrorists and allowing them to creep through the border to create havoc, can you really question why citizens of other countries dislike Americans? Loud, demanding, imperative, and always denigrating our way of life and our beliefs (social systems do work when politicians do not try to undermine them) when Americans come to Canada, I try to minimalize contact because most are abrasive. I am starting to think that the decent ones have no money to come to Canada to give any other impression. Do any of you own those huge yachts that layover in our harbours? Or those mega-bucks homes on wheels that suck gas? Thought not. I wish you could afford to come here, then you could see that the idiots spreading ugly rumours about Canada on the airwaves have been those who give you all a bad name abroad. U.S. senator revives 9/11 myth about Canada: Embassy demands he retract claim terrorists came from here; U.S. TV hosts calls us 'retarded' (Ottawa Citizen) Marie-France Germain [BuzzFlash Note: Please let us apologise for the ignorant and insensitive among us. We at BuzzFlash love Canada and do visit from time to time. Guess you missed our "BuzzFlash" yacht at the dock; and the BuzzFlash Hummer was probably lost in the back country. (We're kidding!!)] Subject: To: Shirley.....St. Louis Dear Shirley: I have seen "Hijacking Catastrophe" AND "Fahrenheit 9/11".... I don't know if you have heard of it, but try to catch "The Oil Factor" which is shown on LinkTV..... If you think "Hijacking Catastrophe" and "Fahrenheit 9/11" was something, wait until you see THIS...Of course, those who watch these already know what has been going on...and those who don't, won't... Merry Christmas to all...as much as possible with the 'run amok' administration, and 'no-accountability' congress still presiding over us... Hopefully this new year coming will see more of the country waking up. Hopefully. This stuff cannot be ignored forever. A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Leading from the Fence Except for a few brave souls, the Democratic Party seems to have decided that if they sit quietly and offend no one their seats in Washington will be safe. Maybe not. You have a constituency out here that is fighting the good fight without much hope and without leadership. Read the letters to the editors, read the BuzzFlash mailbag, read the emails and letters we send to your offices. We are angry about the direction of our country. We are angry about a seemingly endless war that has lead to the death of 2150 of our people and 10’s of thousands of maimed and mutilated. We didn’t want the war and want our people home as soon as is possible in a safe and sane fashion. We want fiscal responsibility, health care for all, an EPA that really protects the environment, a FDA that really protects the people and a Government that doesn’t think it has the right to spy on citizens without going through the courts. We would also like a little competence and accountability in our “Holiday” stockings too. If Santa doesn’t bring it, maybe the Easter Bunny will. We’re out here. We’re waiting. For some leadership. There should be a much longer list of politicians in Washington willing to stand for something other than reelection. Thank you, Russ Feingold, Henry Waxman, John Conyers, Barbara Boxer. Hey Buzzers, these are my heroes, who are yours? Marjorie L. Swanson [BuzzFlash Note: We like your picks. Funny, those names all appear on our Wings of Justice honorees list.] Subject: Two notations here My dimwitted, right-wing cousins...are telling me that the ACLU started the Christmas wars....does anyone know for sure? I thought it was Bill O'Reilly and John Gibson....since I cannot stomach either of them...I don't know. On the other thing.....I have just read in our St. Louis Post Dispatch, recently bought (not the same paper it once was) that the city is going with Diebold machines in the 2006 elections.....should I register in another city? Shirley..............St. Louis [BuzzFlash Note: The right loves to rant against the ACLU, of course. The ACLU's web site shows that they advocate for "Religious Liberty"; but at the moment, they're probably kind of busy with the domestic spying issue and fighting the UnPatriot Act.] Subject: New York City Good morning: I'll admit that no one wants to walk miles to work in the freezing cold. That has to suck. But, there are other things that bother me: not only the million dollar fine slapped on the union and that the transit workers are losing two days' pay for every one day that they strike, but, the growing unpopularity of unions by the general public. Will non-union workers nowadays look at unionized workers as spoiled brats who don't get their way? I'm a librarian who belongs to a union. Good grief: with my twenty years of public service (which I love, by the way), I hope that no one will see ME in that light. Lisa Navarro Subject: Impeachment Lets give Bush the BOOT for Christmas. A BuzzFlash Reader [BuzzFlash Note: And maybe sing to him, "These Boots Were Made for Walking ..."?] Subject: We Don't Need No Stinking Badges In April 2004 President Bush said:
More recently he has taken a different position: "BADGES? ... WE DON'T NEED NO STINKING BADGES!" Justice for all? (Bob Herbert/NYTimes/Dallas News) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040897/quotes Robert R. Regl Subject: Radical, Militant Librarians and other Dangers to our Democracy A recently declassified FBI document revealed that anonymous FBI agents complained to their bosses that "Radical, Militant Librarians" were undermining the war on terror by thwarting their attempts to view the library records of terrorists. All Americans know that hard-core, middle-eastern terrorists scour the libraries across our great republic checking out sensitive documents like Civic Plans, Maps, and Blue Prints, and controversial works of literature like The Koran, The Communist Manifesto, and Heidi. Radical, Activist Librarians with extremist agendas want to stop our FBI agents from protecting America. They are easy to spot, being mostly decked out in lesbian style buzz cut hairdos, Che Guevara tee-shirts, and long hippy skirts held up with rainbow suspenders festooned with subversive buttons that say, "I Vote," "The Moral Majority is Neither," and "Jesus is coming - look busy." Walk in to your library and you will see them standing behind the check out counter, zealously scrutinizing anyone wearing a suit and dark sunglasses with an earpiece attachment. Some of these radical, militant librarians are even armed with rulers worn "holster style" tucked into their skirts. These civil servants are not alone in their quest to undermine our democracy. There are many government employees at both the state and federal level that pose a danger to our way of life by inhibiting the Bush Administration's efforts in protecting you from being blown to smithereens at the toll booth, or from decapitation while renewing your drivers license, or being thrown into a wood chipper at the salad bar. The following is a list of domestic enemies who pose a threat to the American way of life by standing in the way of George Bush's efforts to protect America: Extreme Green Park Rangers are easy to identify: Pony-tailed and bearded radicals with wrinkled government-issue uniforms, they are notorious for bringing dishonor to the badge they wear on their chests. These government paid "Eco-terrorists" use their positions to keep law abiding Americans from the natural resources they're entitled to, like a forest to keep a paper mill operating at maximum efficiency, or oil drilled from the barren waste lands of the north to keep American made Hummers, humming along. All Americans feel it is their God given right to shoot herds of Caribou with legally purchased automatic weapons. An Extreme Green Park Ranger would never allow that to happen. Let's not allow these radicals to dictate their ideology on the rest of us. Call your Congressman and demand an open season on Extreme Green Park Rangers! Money Grubbing, Greedy IRS Agents are hell-bent on robbing industrious Americans of their hard-earned wealth. Our Titans of Commerce are fed up and have made their voices heard in Washington DC! They've earned the billions they've saved their companies by fighting the radical minimum wage! Our Barons of Industry have opened the flood gates of wealth to all corners of the globe by giving the hard-working peasants of India and China opportunities they never would have dreamed possible, saving their companies billions that Money Grubbing, Greedy IRS Agents are drooling and wringing their hands over. Let's stop these Government Shylocks dead in their tracks! Our Captains of Commerce deserve nothing less than the billions they've cleverly gerrymandered from "The Man." Armed and dangerous Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms hate America and want your booze, your cigarettes, and your guns - - Enough Said! Someone once wrote that America is "the land of the free, and the home of the brave!" Our way of life is the envy the world over, and terrorists, both foreign and domestic, are jealous. They must be stopped. Terrorists in all their guises can be found in our libraries, our parks, and in the very halls of government! Roving neighborhood watch groups should be formed. Join one. Be diligent! Report any suspicious activity. The teachers in your schools are radicals with a homosexual agenda! Your children should be home schooled! Don't let them out - a sexual terrorist might kidnap them! Do you really know who your neighbor is? Buy a gun and learn to use it. Keep your curtains closed. Don't turn the lights off. Defend your family and your home. Install an alarm system. Buy a guard dog. Listen to your President: "Be afraid - - be very afraid." At FBI, Frustration Over Limits on an Antiterror Law (NY Times/Truthout) Andrew Lark Subject: Feingold Let Bush Steal 2000 Election I write to strongly protest the naming of Senator Russ Feingold as a BuzzFlash "Wings of Justice" award winner. It's obvious that both BuzzFlash and the reader who nominated him have forgotten that 5 years ago, Senator Feingold was one of the don't fight democrats who hid in their cushy, ivory Washington towers while Bush stole the 2000 election. None of this current nightmare would now be happening had Senator Feingold and his don't fight back democratic colleagues stopped Bush's theft of the 2000 election. let's also not forget that Feingold also voted in favor of 2000 Bush election stealer and Miami mob rioter John Roberts to be chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. This is clearly a record that should be cause for concern and NOT a record for an award. Nancy Kuhn Subject: Dictatorship MSNBC has a poll on the question of is it OK for the president to spy on citizens without a warrant. 23% of 15,000+ say Yes. In other words, nearly one-fourth of the population does not understand the difference between a nation of citizens with important rights, and one without. This is Bush/Cheney's immoveable base: fascists who don't understand fascism. We are becoming a nation of sheep led by swine. Richey Hope Subject: Angela Buzzflash Your BuzzFlash on Immigrants is fantastic. I watched it today. My Father, Mother and relatives, came from Italy. My Father fought for America, (lied about his age to get into the American army.) All help to make America what it is today. The America Bush is trying to tear down. Anyone of us that could, served in each and every war, to keep America Free. Father fought in the front lines, and although he had some stories to tell, never talked much about his war times. The ones he did tell were detailed, and horrible. Mother took care of us seven siblings, on meager amounts of money (especially in the depression). Both of them, Mom and Dad, had values that brought all of us the power to not take from America, but give to make America great. They did what they set out to do. We are proud of our parents. None of us is rich, but we held our own. Now our Grandchildren are doing their best to give to America, and are not takers. At this time, some of our nieces and nephews are fighting this senseless war, with no complaints. So when we, who are here, try to keep others out, what right do we have to keep others away? Ask Bush to stop wasting money on fighting countries who have done nothing to us, and we'll have money to help others in need. In our Beautiful America, all should be welcome, so they can give to keep it great! BuzzFlash Finds a Pilgrim to Articulate George Bush's Immigration Policy (Takes Awhile to Load) Angela Subject: Intelligent Design Is Not Science Dear BuzzFlash, I know there are more important news headlines to report on these days (domestic spying, GOP scandals and impeachment talk), but I see nothing on your site about the victory of science over "intelligent design" in the Dover, Pennsylvania School Board case. Here is the link to the CNN report (It was on the main page yesterday morning but is now tucked neatly away on the Science news page behind stories about menopausal gorillas and missing penguins). http://edition.cnn.com/2005/LAW/12/20/intelligent.design/index.html The judge, who I believe was appointed by the True-Believer in Chief, ruled that intelligent design was not science and violated the Constitutional separation of church and state so therefore could not be taught in science class. This ruling, however, only applies to the Pennsylvania school district so more cases like this are sure to come up. As a member of the scientific community (in Canada), I think you should take a little time to savour this victory, but you must be prepared to face more of these challenges to Darwin's work and other facets of science. You may have won the battle but you haven't won the war as long as the Religious Reich can have such a strong influence in civic/political affairs. P.S. I recently ordered "The Republican War on Science" from your site and can't wait to find out what other sordid, incomprehensible things are happening with the GOP's knowledge (is that an oxymoron?). Joel Brown [BuzzFlash Note: Joel wrote to us again, after he realized we had posted: Federal judge in Pennsylvania rules 'intelligent design' can't be taught in schools; "our conclusion today is that it is unconstitutional to teach ID as an alternative to evolution in a public school science classroom."; "Several [IE supporters] repeatedly lied to cover their motives even while professing religious beliefs," the Judge said 12/20; and in today's Mailbag (above): Intelligent design loses: In scalding decision, judge denounces rival to evolution theory (Chicago Tribune).] The only thing needed by this administration is for the 400 lbs of high explosives stolen in NM to level some occupied building. Then they will declare Martial Law, take our guns and suspend elections to retain power for eternity... "LIFE'S JOURNEY IS NOT TO ARRIVE AT THE GRAVE SAFELY IN A WELL PRESERVED BODY, BUT RATHER TO SKID IN SIDEWAYS, TOTALLY WORN OUT, SHOUTING "HOLY SHIT!.... WHAT A RIDE!" Explosives missing from site again; "You have to question the logic behind federal regulations that prohibited you from carrying nail clippers onto an airplane, but allow you to store high-grade explosives in a poorly protected site in the middle of nowhere" 12/21 A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Confession Good for the Soul Dear Buzz, Yesterday, I tried to do the right thing. I know that my country is in a life or death struggle against the unChristian evil-doers of the world. First, there are the far-left extremists who would impose regulations on corporations - never mind the fact that thousands would lose their jobs in India. Then there are the atheistic traitors who would forcibly remove Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ from our public schools, our Air Force, our synagogues and our mosques. They even want to destroy Christmas by saying, "Happy Holidays." And they want to put a stop to the War Against Global Evildoers by espousing their ridiculous notions that the oil under Iraq doesn't belong to Halliburton! I should know - I've been one of those librull leftists! So I tried to do the right thing. I have been reading these stories about how our God-appointed leader has been keeping an eye on traitors like myself. I called the office of my congressman, Trent Franks (Rubberstamp-AZ) and attempted to turn myself in to the authorities so that they could keep an eye on me. I told him that I attended peace demonstrations and even wrote editorials critical of the Glorious Beloved Leader. The staffer at Mr. Franks' did not seem very grateful for the confession of my anti-Christiamericanism; it even seemed as though he might be mildly annoyed. I was shocked. Shocked, I tell you! I try to make The Party's job a little easier - and my confession of guilt is greeted with something like annoyance! Have any other Buzzers had this kind of experience? If so, I would like to hear about it. I don't know how we can ever win the war against Evil when congressional staffers behave in such an apathetic way. Turn yourself over to the authorities today! Happy, umm - holidays! (Someone please report me to the authorities before another angel gets AIDS.) The Evil Michael J Fowler Subject: Post-Bush Era Beyond all odds, I am still praying that Prez'nut Bush will be brought up on charges; however, there is a remote possibility that this will not happen. While we need to continue putting pressure on our individual federal representatives, and also support those out of our individual states who dare to stand up for the US Constitution, the American people and secular morality and ethics, we also need to start thinking about what needs to be done in the PBE (Post-Bush Era). There are several areas that will need to be addressed: Legislative Reform: 1. Change the legislative process so that the Vice-President no longer has a "vote" to break ties. The VP can still "preside" over the Congress, but no voting rights. Limit the Congress to three votes on a deadlocked issue. If the deadlock is not broken, the bill dies. 2. Change the procedure by which unrelated provisions are attached to a major bill. Simply put, no more inserting partisan issues that do not relate to the specific topic of the bill in toto. An example would be Ted Stevens of Alaska inserting the provision to allow ANWR drilling into the defense bill currently up for vote. Campaign Finance Reform: Major corporations that want to make donations to the political process have to make it to a special election fund that will support all candidates and not just specific parties and/or individuals. Lobbyists: All corporate lobbying for industries or corporations is banned. Non-profits would still be able to present testimony, but lobbying is forbidden. All federal employees -- whether civil service or political appointees are banned for life from becoming lobbyists. Taxpayer Funding for Religious Organizations: Absolutely no taxpayer funding for religious or religious-connected organizations. If a religious organization wants to receive federal funding, they sign a waiver acknowledging they lose their tax-exempt status. Tax Breaks for the Wealthy: These MUST be repealed. From now on, all citizens pay their "fair share" on a graduated percentage basis. Tax Breaks for Corporations Off-shore: They receive tax penalties despite their off-shore status. Businesses or corporations that refuse to locate off-shore, whether to cut costs or evade paying taxes, will receive tax credits and financial assistance to improve working conditions for ALL workers. Health Care: The federal government sets up a federal health care system open to all people who cannot afford health care, or open to anyone who wants to enroll. Monthly premiums are determined on a graduated basis, dependent upon family income. CEO Compensation: Adopt the Japanese model -- where a CEO is limited to a certain percentage of income based on the wages of their aggregate personnel pool. These are just a few changes I think need to be made to bring our country out of the malaise and despicable position we now find ourselves in. While I do look forward to Bush being impeached and sentenced to pound rocks into pea gravel at Ft. Leavenworth for the rest of his natural born life, we also need a contingency plan for the future in the event the so richly deserved impeachment does not come to fruition. Lisa J.
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