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| January 9, 2006 |
MAILBAG ARCHIVES | ||
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: Thanks for Being There. Paranoia Adores Company. I cannot tell you how this page and others of like direction mean to miserable nobodies like me who just have a hankerin' that things ain't what they should be. Thanks for keeping things clear. Paranoia likes company, especially when it is right. Chris Hardaker Subject: "Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics" Job growth in December, 2005 was 108,000 according to the U.S. Labor Department. However, November job growth was revised up from a reported 215,000 in November to 305,000. This revision represents an error of 41.8%. The revision also allowed “the shrub” administration to proclaim, “the economy created 2 million jobs for the second straight year.” A 41.8% error is in itself is a statistical improbability, to put it charitably. To be frank it’s an out and out lie. Each month 150,000 new jobs need to be created to keep up with those who are just entering the job market (i.e. graduates, new workers entering the job market for the first time, etc.). This equates to 1,800,000 of the 2 million jobs, if “the shrub” administration is to be believed. In essence 200,000 new jobs were created in 2005. The old adage, “Believe half of what you see and none of what you read,” needs to be changed to, “Believe none of what you read, and what you see is an illusion.” A BuzzFlash Reader [BuzzFlash Note: It's hard to know what numbers to trust, but here's one alternative assessment: Jobs Growth Slows Down (thestreet.com): "... the lackluster jobs growth is offset by the jump in wage costs. ... For all of 2005, the U.S. economy created 2.02 million jobs. It added 2.19 million in 2004.] Subject: Howard Dean for President 2008 The corruption scandals reach the highest levels in Washington and both parties. It's time for Howard Dean to raise himself from the dead and dig himself out of the DNC hole that the DLC buried him in, all these many years. Dean was right about Iraq, right about everything. Now the American people realize this. We all know about that nasty microphone trick the DLC pulled to make Dean look like a lunatic. Dean was, is, and will continue to be the sanest voice out there. We need someone of the highest integrity, with the grit and determination to clean house and take back this country for the American people. That person is Howard Dean, not AC/DC Hillary, trying to squirm her way out of supporting Bush on the war, and not that ever-pathetic John Kerry. We need to declare the formation of a new independent party, the Progressive Party, whatever. Howard Dean, the 2008 presidency is within your grasp. It is your destiny. Now is the time to be bold again. There are millions of us out here willing to work with you and vote for you, along with a clean sweep of the U.S. Congress. Signed, A Patriot Subject: Goodbye Uncle Sam, Hello Alito I tuned in to C-Span today and there was Ernest Delgaudio, president of Public Advocate of the United States, a conservative group that "offers strong and vocal opposition to those who actively support same sex marriage and pro-choice legislation" (among other things), standing at the podium with huge posters of Uncle Sam, whom he says Sam Alito is going to "replace." Excuse me, but why is C-Span allowing this campaign-type coverage, where a right-wing conservative group spokesperson publically names their liberal "targets" (Ted Kennedy is one) and lays out their campaign strategies to quash the opposition and get Alito on the Supreme Court? I don't suppose they'll give the "other side" equal time for such a lengthy presentation. Nah. Didn't think so. What sent chills up my spine was the confidence in the outcome based on the way "we" (the conservative group) want this Supreme Court nomination to go. http://www.publicadvocateusa.org/news/article.php?article=1557 (The "Uncle Sam Alito" Campaign). A Buzzer Subject: Pat Robertson Strikes Again! Hi, Buzz!! So Pat Robertson thinks God is punishing Ariel Sharon for "dividing God's land"? Meaning, I suppose, that God told Pat He disapproves of Sharon's withdrawal from Gaza. Doesn't Scripture say, "The Earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof"? Doesn't that mean the whole WORLD belongs to God? When was the last time Pat picked up his Bible and READ it (as opposed to thumping it on some pulpit)? That voice Pat hears in his head - whose is it, anyway? Jane Hawes [BuzzFlash Note: And we're anxiously awaiting Robertson's take on Cheney's recent medical event. Why did God send him to the hospital -- yet again?] Subject: Fascism I wholeheartedly agree with Dennis from Kansas. We do live in a fascist nation. ‘Why don’t we do something?’ I’ve heard from friends overseas and from neighbors and friends—especially since the last rigged election and the ever increasing blare of yet another piece of democracy tossed to the hell hounds. If the next election is rigged as the last two, we have no recourse but to revolt. Our democracy is done for. And that means to win back the enormity of what we’ve lost, we may have to die. Liberals have been screaming for five years now; protesting is screened from the fascist’s eyesight: the fascist system only grows stronger and daily more obscene. “Your daily news reporting means absolutely nothing,” says Dennis, and so it is; we sit in our liberal circle and cry and scream and moan to each other and the only thing that changes is our despair grows deeper as we plunge yet another step into a fascist state. Barbara Subject: Keeping Track of Your Congressman's Voting Record I have been tracking my Senators' and House reps' voting record since Bush took control of our country in 2000 using Congress.org as I previously posted. My two Senators Lincoln and Pryor both fly the Democrat's banner. They are Dixiecrats in the truest sense. They have voted consistently with the Republicans to the tune of seven out of ten times. They vote in favor of all legislation that benefit corporations (corporate welfare), particularly the insurance industry. They are both pro war. They only vote against the Republicans when the vote is a done deal and the Democrats don't stand a chance in hell. If the vote is close they fall on the right side of the isle. Pryor is one of the "magnificent seven" who helped Bush stack the Court of Appeals with three of the most reprehensible human beings whom are fervid enemies of the Democratic Party. All three have sociopathic tendencies demonstrated by their adjudications from the bench and their writings. Abramoff doesn't have to give my Senators money, as they are a safe bet for the right . My House Rep Boozman votes Bush 100% of the time and accepts money from any and all! DeLay is one of his closest allies. I get letters from him assuring me that DeLay is of the highest integrity and as honest as a newborn. Keeping track of the voting records and actions of my representatives allows me to make educated judgements as to who I vote for and also vote against. If I don't understand or comprehend how certain legislation came to law, I just have to look at my representatives' voting records. It clears confusion and answers questions! Lawton Subject: A Tribe Takes Grim Satisfaction in Abramoff's Fall
Being of Choctaw descent, I prefer the old term "savage" since it not only refers to how the white invaders considered us, but also to the revenge we would occasionally take. Remember that, Abramoff. Mike Curtis Subject: RE: Saturday's Top Five Headlines from BuzzFlash.com ("Check your local non East Coast paper to see where they put the article on the findings of the Congressional Research Service, if they published it at all. Remember, breaking the law is an impeachable offense.") Hi: Proud to say that Saturday's (1/7) issue of the Sacramento (California) Bee ran the article "Congressional report faults Bush rationale on wiretaps" on the front page! Finally!!! Keep up the good work. I love your daily headlines! DiAnne Brown
Hey Buzz... Fellatio is not a crime. Apparently lying about it is an impeachable offense. Indiscriminate wiretapping is illegal. A bipartisan panel of congressmen concluded that Bush's wire tapping or eavesdropping was illegal. Bush has lied about his eavesdropping program on national television. He continues lying about the program and lies about congressional approval of the program. Where is the call for impeachment from Democrats? I'm Canadian, up 'til now the rest of the world has cut the democrats some slack, attributing the demise of the old America and ascendancy of the new twisted America to bush and his neo-con republican cronies. Your silence now rubber stamps the eavesdropping, rubberstamp's the torture and rendition and rubberstamp's the negation of many of the civil rights your Constitution once proclaimed so proudly. Stand up Democrats... Tom Coombs Subject: List of Abramoff Contributions? Where can we get a complete list of who/what Abramoff has been funneling money to? It should be arranged by state so that we can write to our paid-off congresspersons and/or to our local newspapers. A BuzzFlash Reader [BuzzFlash Note: Think Progress gives a good overview: Abramoff: The House That Jack Built.] Subject: The Troops I would like to see all news organizations stop referring to "losing troops" in Iraq. "Troops" used to refer the collective body of soldiers, usually when talking about movements, etc., during a campaign. I think, in cases like this, they should be referred to as soldiers. "Losing four troops" dehumanizes that fact that four soldiers died and further insulates the public from the impact this "war" is having. Michael Murray Subject: What a break! The powers that be are falling over like bowling pins, as they find themselves charged with yet one criminal act after another. It's worse even than the emperor having no clothes. It's "Look, the emperor's making doo-doo in his pants." Seems everybody knows this, too, except for the emperor himself, yet he keeps claiming that he's totally clean and that he doesn't stink. No surprise, said lie, coming as it does from someone whose lies, to date, already render him among the worst liars of all time. The lesson here is that, in changing the world, we the people best stay away from and not pay any attention to the emperor no more. Yes, he stinks that much. A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Tell 'ABC Family Channel' to pull the plug on Pat Robertson! I urge all 'BuzzFlashers' to write to ABC's Family Channel to tell them it is (past) time to pull the plug on the so-called Rev. Robertson's '700 Club'. Below is the note I just sent (along with the url). Ironically, when you are asked to choose a show, the '700 Club' is not listed. In order to submit the form, you must choose a show. I simply chose one at random, but wrote about Robertson. http://abcfamily.go.com/feedback/
Liz [BuzzFlash Note: Media Matters called for a campaign to drop Robertson from ABC Family in August, after the Chavez assassination remark. There are some interesting comments at their web page, including the advice to complain about Robertson to the FCC.] Subject: Is There a Connection Between the Article on DeLay Stepping Down and Cunningham Wearing a Wire? It occurred to me that there might be a connection. DeLay is not the kind of person who would do something good for the country (e.g. stepping down as Majority Leader) without being under duress. Cunningham reportedly wore a wire (Washington Post/contracostatimes) Terry Adcock Subject: gotta to agree with tom delay on this ... Note the word "acted" instead of, let's say, "behaved". Is 'the hammer' admitting it was all an act? I vote "YES"!
Liz Subject: Dean "The Man" Just saw Blitzer CNN interview Howard Dean, and boy did Dean whip the Blitzer BUTT big time. At one stage Blitzer was left with his mouth open-no comeback, because Dean The Man had HIS FACTS straight. It's just too bad this guy is not PRES. I hate to say this, but the American people are brainless - the ones who voted for this corrupt administration. The corruption is raging on - one deception after another, and YET he still has supporters. What does it take ... a large brick to fall on these American heads?? Margaret Miller Subject: Anointing Alito's seat Hey Buzzers, The Wall Street Journal article about the three ministers sneaking into the confirmation room and anointing the chairs where Alito and others will be seated illustrates new bizarre depths to which the Christian right has sunk. I mean really! This is superstition plain and simple. They are trying to put a "whammy" on the proceedings with their magic oil. How is this different than sticking pins into a voodoo doll of Senator Leahy? Are they ministers or witch doctors? Keep buzzin'. Leslie in Ashland Oregon Subject: Outrage The statement: "Where is the Outrage" is a false assumption. The questioner reasons that we don't care. Nothing could be further from the truth. The answer is so obvious: Our outrage is so over-powering, so all-consuming, that an intelligent person has to manage it, contain it, and often - sadly ignore it. The problem is the TARGETS of our outrage. You couldn't hit them all with a Gatling Gun. They are overwhelming with no head and too many armies to join. We have families, jobs, too many responsibilities, and no time. We are forced to "pick one." And that's an impossible task when so many interconnecting issues create the outrage. Imagine the target form, made up of thousands of concentric circles with each circle representing just one injustice. Where do you start? On the personal ring at the center there are race, religion, sexuality, age, education, social class, even size discrimination. On the residential ring there are mortgage, taxation, monopolistic utility costs, red-lining, and greedy, incompetent, and partisan officials. At the community at large ring, there are the haves and the have nots, charities that serve only as social/networking functions with little actually going to the needy, school systems that are failing, infrastructure that is falling apart, and party and personal collusion. As the circles get bigger, more and more movers and shakers stack the deck in their favor in ways so insidious that it's impossible for the average person to keep up - much less address the legal and not-so-legal nuances. In the end you just know you got screwed and didn't enjoy it. As the circles move outward to the state, national and world issues the intelligent person must rely on the experts. But which one? Each issue has so many parts - who is right and who has an agenda. What's the truth and what is spin? You know what you feel in your gut is the truth, and the solution obvious - but there is no one to listen, and few to agree - much less act. And thanks to modern technology the topics that outrage become part of a cacophony that all meld together into JUST ONE LOUD SCREAM. So next time someone asks, "Where is the outrage," answer: IT'S HERE! IT'S EVERYWHERE! It's like a tone only dogs can hear. A scream too high pitched to fit on a printed page, squeezed onto a tv screen, or flashed through the internet. An intelligent person has to let it go, or go mad, and then the life they are trying to live well will be lost, too. There are few saints among us, and thank God for them. Konnie Ridout Subject: Hmmm. Is "Early Alzheimer's Syndrome" a REQUIREMENT for GOP'ers?? Dear Buzzers -- Just read an article by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy in the Jan. 8th edition of truthout.org (one paragraph of which I'll try to paste here). Following close on the heels of Karl Rove's claim that he "can't remember" who told him (or whom he told) about Valerie Plame Wilson's being a covert CIA agent, we now -- according to Sen. Kennedy -- learn that Sam Alito "can't remember" ever belonging to the CAP (described below in quote):
Umm. HELLO??? Can anybody who THINKS believe any of this "memory lapse" defense?? I can remember what I did in kindergarten, and every bully who tried to beat me up in grade school. I can tell you practically everything that was served in the cafeteria when I was in college and grad school. No, I don't have a phenomenal memory. I'm just not into LYING the way anyone who wants to get ahead, or hang on by his/her fingernails, or otherwise slip under the radar to avoid accountability for their past misdeeds is -- in the current assministration -- almost a necessity. How stupid do they think we ARE?? (Another rhetorical question, of course.) As I wrote a few days ago, teachers would roll their eyes whenever "the dog ate my homework" excuse came up. But these are grown men (and women; I include Karen Hughes and Condi in the group. I'm an equal opportunity lie detector) who think they can bullsh*t their way out of any inconvenient "caught red-handed" circumstances that might occur. (Yeah, right. I'm sure every lobster thinks it can climb out of the pot of boiling water, too.) I hereby pledge to oppose the re-election of ANY Democrat who rubber stamps Alito's nomination. In my view, it's "stand up or shut up" -- and we'll do our best to SHUT you up the next time you run for office. Barbara Lee (Barb) Blazyk Subject: Questions for Lynn Westmoreland's Town Hall Meeting I have some questions that need answers. Monday evening, January 9th, my representative from the 8th Congressional district in Georgia has scheduled a town hall meeting in Fayetteville. I would like to ask the following questions of my representative, Republican Lynn Westmoreland, but I would like input from others regarding the questions before he answers them. In other words, I need input to see if he is being truthful with his answers. Question #1: Was Tom DeLay buying influence when he gave $15,000.00 to Lynn Westmoreland’s election fund? Question #2: What did Tom DeLay expect Lynn Westmoreland to do for him and the people that provided the money? Did they just give the money away? Why didn’t I get any? How much would I have to pay to get Lynn to represent me and the other voters of Georgia? Question #3: Why did my representative, Lynn Westmoreland, receive $15,000.00 when Tom DeLay gave $25,000.00 to House member Phil Gingrey (R-GA)? Was my representative so ineffective that Lynn had to do Tom’s bidding for a lower price, or had he received funds from other sources to make up the difference? (Oh ya. I forgot. Phil Gingrey, a doctor by the way, has introduced legislation to further reduce the capital gains tax for the rich. Everyone knows how doctors feel regarding any tax money being used to provide medical care to Americans. Hell, the next thing you know, we might have price controls on medical care. How can a doctor make a profit in a world with price controls? See next question.) Question #4: With the largest private employer in Georgia, Delta Airlines, facing financial disaster due to the cost of providing insurance for its employers and the cost of fuel, why has Lynn Westmoreland consistently voted to protect the obscene profits of private insurance companies, managed care companies and to promote the new republican abortion, the Medicare drug prescription plan? Delta recently shifted a large proportion of their 757 and 767 maintenance to Canada where companies have help from the Canadian government providing health care to employees. Delta Airlines outsources Maintainence to Canada (vivelecanada) Air Canada's maintenance division has won a contract worth up to $300 million US to look after more than 200 aircraft for Delta Air Lines, creating 300 jobs in Vancouver. Air Canada Technical Services said Tuesday the five-year contract, one of the aviation industry's largest outsourcing contracts, will begin in May. It involves heavy maintenance for Delta's Boeing 757 and 767 models. Mike Post Subject: Re: Saturday's Top Five Headlines from BuzzFlash.com
It was page 15 in the L.A.Times!!! I'm so angry! A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Tucker Carlson Owes 40 Bucks I posted this page with documented proof. Funny huh? http://www.chemtrailcentral.com/forum/thread10222.html Steve Subject: Cheney When I read your headline ..."Cheney is walking with a cane and sneering at small children and cute animals" I had to laugh. I can just see it ... he never smiles anymore ... unless they have to come out and stand beside their leader when he is making one of his lying speeches. They all get that phony pleasant look ... for him! But, I dreamed up a "Scrooge"-like character ... don't you just see i? Walking along , sneering, and punching little kids with his cane ... and doggies, even Rottweilers would run whimpering from him!! Shirley..............St. Louis Subject: The Empty Head with the Empty Desk Maureen Dowd mentions the empty desk in this piece, but it really does look strange. http://www.topplebush.com/oped2450.shtml It looks like they have just cleaned off his desk so they can demonstrate to the guy in charge exactly what is meant by the domino theory with real dominoes, or they are going to play chicken foot or Mexican train wreck. Karen Webb
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