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| January 12, 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: This Mess We Are In Best Letter/comment I have ever read on Internet and I have read a lot of them. A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Alito Lied Under Oath Alito says he does not remember. That is a statement. Then he says, in great detail, the reason he joined the group, which is another statement. So he has made two statements, each contradicting the other. Either he remembers or he does not. The trolls will say that the explanation is a "possible" explanation for joining. However, for a "possible" explanation, from 30 years ago, he really has a fantastic and detailed memory. One statement is a lie, the other is possibly truth, or they are both lies, but both cannot be true. He is lying, under oath. As for the second definition of "to lie." That's easier. There is no record that CAP was ever concerned about ROTC matters, or for that matter that Alito was concerned about ROTC matters on campus. Alito is making a statement to give an impression he joined an organization to protest issues the organization did not care about. QED. As for recusal. Alito's apparent explanation was that his original statements under oath 12 years ago were, well, 12 years ago, and he forgot about them or they ceased to matter. Ignorance of the law or misunderstanding of the law is no excuse for violation of the law. Technically speaking, he was not making a statement under oath, but rather a pledge or future promise to strictly adhere to the judicial code of ethics. Thus he either violated the judicial code of ethics, or perjury, or both. Either way, he has demonstrated that what he says has little or no meaning, it is what he does that matters. A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Body Armour - Supporting the Troops Hey Buzz, Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld have yet to provide body armour to protect American troops in Iraq. Studies show that up to 80% of those killed may have survived with proper body armour. Bush and Cheney et al. say the armour is too expensive. At $260 per soldier that’s 39 million to outfit the 150 thousand men over there. Bush and Co. are blowing that kind of cash every morning before coffee break. Let’s take a page out of the Hugo Chavez book. The Democratic Party springs for the armour and ships it over to the troops in Iraq. Don’t point fingers at Rummy, don’t argue about it in the media, the house or the senate, just physically go out and buy the armour and ship it over there. For starters it will embarrass the hell out of george and the neo-cons and prove that those who don’t support the war do support the troops. We’ve always supported the troops. We didn’t want to put them in harm's way in an illegal and ill-conceived war. Let’s protect them while they’re stuck there. tom coombs Subject: Why Is Alito Wrong for America? After careful consideration and personal debate about this fundamental question, I have reached this conclusion: Because Bush appointed him!!! I mean, really, who has Bush appointed that has done their jobs well? There are the exceptions of course, that prove the rule, like Paul O'Neill and Colin Powell, both of whom were unceremoniously run out of town. Greg Shepard Subject: Alito Statement from Yahoo: Republicans complained that Democrats had already made up their minds about Alito. Does ANYONE think Republicans have NOT already made up their minds about Alito????? Pam Clifford Subject: Supreme judges / Children's lives Oh Pleeeezzzzz! Are we to believe a 35-year-old very smart lawyer trying to get a job with the Reagan White House just jots down a resume over breakfast and can't even remember what is in it? That's an insult to the intelligence of my dogs! I also think it is those things that give us some insight into that person's attitudes! There is no more important job for a judge to have! He will have our children's lives in his hands. What are they so scared might be in those papers? Kate Johnson Subject: Alito says he was out of focus Alito's credibility was also undermined by his answers to questions about his failure to abide by his written promise to the Senate Judiciary Committee to recuse himself from any cases involving Vanguard Companies, with which he had sizeable investments. Today he added yet another explanation for this "oversight": "I just didn't focus on the issue of recusal." Obviously he was focusing on something other than recusal because he didn't recuse himself; probably focusing on how much money he would gain or lose in the case. Karen Webb Subject: Re Bush Wired for Alito Remarks (Democrats.com) Might I direct you all to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_drunk John L. Johnson Subject: What Does Being a Democrat Mean? Before Democrats can ever win another presidential election, we once again have to strongly define what and who we are. Does being a democrat put us in the mode of Hillary Rodham Clinton and the DLC (Democratic Leadership Council) with a very well defined and corporate derived conservative strategy for winning the White House? Are liberal democrats going to empower the conservative leadership of the DLC to use the same smoke and mirrors that gave us George Bush and Bill Clinton? The DLC is corporate America buttering both sides of a slice of bread to make sure that they get their fat quotient (control) no matter who wins the presidency. I don’t have money to throw away, but in the last presidential election I gave around $1,000.00 to democratic candidates on the local and national stage. Most of my donations were in the form of credit which means I’m still paying for it (In more ways than I ever imagined.). Just where does MoveOn, BuzzFlash and other spokesmen for democratic causes line up on this issue of progressive vs. liberal? I would beg all true democrats to do a Google search on the DLC and read their policy statements and press releases; then read what other liberals are saying on free blogs about the direction that the DLC is taking. I was ready to vote for Hillary until I began reading what others had uncovered. Has she ever come out 100% against the Iraq War and stated categorically that we should get our troops out of that Vietnam style mess starting yesterday? Or does she misdirect by taking stands about body armor that is supposed to give the illusion that she is against this war? Sorry, folks, but this old democrat that served in the military during the Vietnam era is not going to vote for any DLC-endorsed candidate. I’ll vote, I always have, but not for the DLC! Mike Post Subject: A New "nickname" for the Republicans I just coined a new (I think ... I hope) nickname for the republicans. REPUBLUFFOONS Spread it like wildfire if you wish. Use it in good health! Yul Nevanomi Subject: Good Heaven's, the Sky Is Falling!!!! Greetings again Buzzers and wonderful BuzzFlash, one of the LAST beacons of truth, Democracy, and the TRUE American way. As I sat listening to the Alito hearings, I grew increasingly more frustrated until I'm sure my blood pressure reached a dangerous level. Smoke and mirrors all. While we, the American people struggle with REAL problems like millions of outsourced jobs, gutted social programs, fast disappearing civil liberties and privacy rights, totalitarian legislation, stolen elections with rigged voting machines, and a terrified so-called mainstream media that doesn't want to infuriate the Führer in the White House, our illustrious senators postured and pouted at a man who is up for one of the most important posts in our country, or what's left of our country. Enron and Halliburton can literally walk away with MILLIONS or possibly BILLIONS that they STOLE, but our thriving prison industrial complex is filled to capacity with people who did not commit a violent crime but were maybe squeezing a few extra dollars into their income level on welfare for SURVIVAL purposes. What gives? I'm with the person who wants to march to Washington and stage a massive sit-in. I'm with you, whoever you are, and I'm angry enough to walk EVERY step of the way from Southern California to Washington. Respectfully yours, still waiting to hear the Senators ask some REAL questions of substance pertaining to issues that REALLY matter, and still waiting even MORE for ALito to actually answer one of those questions ... Dominie K. Robinson Subject: President's Day Protest in D.C. Since we cannot rely on the MSM to focus on the ever-widening gyre of King George's High Crimes and Misdemeanors (more than the framers could have possibly imagined, even on LSD, had it been available), perhaps the only way we can signal Congress that King George cannot be allowed to remain in his stolen office for more than another month without a full investigation into the many high crimes and misdemeanors he has committed, might be a ten-million-person march on Washington D.C. on "President's Day." Since King George likes to imagine himself the 21st century Lincoln (in that Lincoln suspended habeas corpus during a civil war in which the enemy was literally shooting off his hat!), let's put that to a vote on the day we celebrate Lincoln (and Washington, of course). Even the snoozing lapdog lap-it-up-Georgie [ex]press would be forced to cover ten million "concerned" Americans protesting the high crimes and misdemeanors of King George and demanding a full investigation into possible impeachment (a foregone conclusion I would assume, should hearings ever be held). Moreover, a national day of protest (a national day of solidarity for the two hundred million Americans who are concerned with King George's attempt to transform America into Nazi Germany on the Potomac), both in D.C. and across the nation for those who couldn't attend, would be just the catalyst nervous Republicants (as in cant govern and nothing but cant for ideology) need to finally exercise what the Constitution charges: executive oversight. Not only might we end the Orwellian nightmare America is rapidly becoming, but we might also hasten the end of the Iraqi debacle - so that Iraqis might reclaim their country while contributing to oil production that might keep the terror-stricken soccer moms in enough cheap gasoline to power their SUVs until reasonable policies promoting alternative energy sources can be fully explored and funded. If we fail to act now, we have no one to blame but ourselves when the jackbooted NSA come tapping at our phones. Brian Edwards Subject: Wings of Justice May I respond to the reader who thought that Dave Letterman looked like an "ass" when he admitted that he did not watch O'Reilly's show? There really is no need to watch his show: O'Reilly has been a guest on numerous "news" shows such as "Today" and "Good Morning America." He is not shy about showing up on entertainment shows, either, and has been on "The Late Show,""The Tonight Show," and "The Daily Show." He has a column that appears online and in many newspapers across the country--including one where he praised Letterman's interviewing skills:
What Letterman might have said is, "I have spoken with you personally on several occasions, have seen you on other shows and read your commentaries, I don't need to watch yours to know what you say is 60% crap." Actually, I think Dave was being diplomatic when he made the "60%" comment. I think O'Reilly is 99.99% full of crap. Liz Taylor Subject: Love Fest Oh those bad, mean, nasty democrats that ask Alito questions or make statements that make Mrs. Alito cry. Thank goodness for the republicans, the right wingers and the media to offer up the love fest and say such nice things and how they just know Alito is a good person and will do the right thing on the bench. Of course, those right things are very different in the eyes of the poor, the elderly or the sick than they are for the wealthy and the corporations. And speaking of love fests, W sure had one going in Kentucky. I'm surprised his audience didn't all join in in a round of Cumbaya and throw flowers at his feet. Bob Lambert Subject: Judge Samuel Alito No one is looking into the possibility that Judge Alito may be--like Scalia and Thomas--a member of Opus Dei, that extreme right-wing fascistic group in Roman Catholicism. With Alito's confirmation, Roman Catholic membership among Supreme Court members will far outweigh all other religious denominations. Opus Dei is a secretive group with membership among very powerful people in Washington, D.C. And they have a very troubling agenda! Why doesn't someone check out Alito's type of Roman Catholicism? If he's a member of Opus Dei, God help us! A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Alito Buzz Words To the Democratic Senators who are daring to sort of question Judge Alito during confirmation hearings: Your namby-pamby language and hangdog attitude will guarantee that once again, as you've done hundreds of times now, you will roll over under the mean old Republicans and confirm this horror of a Supreme Court nominee. Might I trouble you to read my suggestions below for substituting some more forceful words into your questioning of Judge Alito? I do not mean to suggest you aren't capable of coming up with these words on your own, by no means, and of course I do not wish to offend you, our august and respected representatives. Kindly glance at them and, if they are of any interest to you, perhaps you might deign to actually fight for our country, your constituents, and our Constitution. Simply choose a word from the first column (they are familiar to you, no doubt?), and just think about using the suggested word to the right. Thank you so much, Senator(s). Troubled = Outraged From One Outraged, Furious and Incredulous American Voter Who is Disgusted by the Democratic Weaklings (EXCEPT for Howard Dean)!! A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: My letter published in local paper, reference Iraq War Editor, The Murtha Resolution to bring the troops home from Iraq or some resolution like it will be heard closer to the 2006 election by those Republicans not being blackmailed by the Cheney/Bush spy program or it will be forced on Congress by the people when the number of dead in Iraq gets closer to the 50,000 plus who died in Korea and the 50,000 plus who died in Vietnam. The only thing to stop the troops from coming home is another 9/11 event along with martial law being declared. Will you go along with the total suspension of the constitution? Karen Boerboom Subject: oh for christ sake! Oh for Christ sake! Lindsey boo hoo graham is pathetic! He sits there whining saying good men and women will stop wanting to be public servants because of the way they are treated......................helloooooo ...................any republicans remember Harriet Miers? the repugs and media destroyed her. The repugs made sure Bush would not get his choice with her, not the democrats. Another thing, these people do not become so-called public servants out of good will, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE POWER! so cut the public servant crap! They are not dishing up soup at the homeless shelter! Another thing, I think all the media people must be scared bush is listening to them and reading their mail, not they would ever know, but they sure are kissing his ass just in case. Randi, Liz and Renee Subject: The Real Thing You are so right! I've been writing to Howard Dean and every Dem who begs for money that they aren't going to get a dime until they dump the collaborationist DLC line and become a real opposition party. Frankly, I think they need no more excuse than five years of immoral and criminal behavior by the entire Republican Party (and sadly many Dems, too) to shut down Congress and undertake a nationwide truth campaign. A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Starbucks Bomb in SF I haven't seen many articles that mention that the Starbucks is located at BUSH and Van Ness! Bomb found at Starbucks disarmed (CNN) Chris Subject: It's Time for the Gloves To Come Off I sure wish George Galloway could've been the one to question Alito. We might have actually heard some hard questions about Alito's position on Presidential Authority, secret wiretapping of innocent tax-paying citizens, or his position on torture, or preserving and protecting the environment, just to name a few. Abortion is and should remain a PRIVATE matter between a woman, her doctor, and her God. It's more than infuriating to hear a bunch of MEN publicly discussing what THEY THINK a woman should or should not do about pregnancy, but I'm getting off track. Let's consider the source. Bush wants Alito. Bush, who ran on a platform of "family values" citing a "culture of life," claiming to be a "uniter and not a divider" who is actually a first rate coward, fraud, mass murderer and traitor to this country and everything it once stood for making us the most hated country on earth in his fascist footsteps of Hitler. Hail to the DEATH PRESIDENT who is constitutionally (pun INTENDED) incapable of telling the truth. A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: This Mess We Are In? What can we do about the neo-con republicans who are the majority that rules the land? Nothing! Let them hang themselves! All one has to do is look into the past to see what's going to happen in the future! What was happening in 1929? Pretty much the same thing! Point being! AFTER THE GREAT CRASH OF 2008, 2012, 2016....Democrats and Liberals will be the majority that governs again...Because neo-con republicans can't govern! All it's going to take is Americans not having any money, again, and all the crap that is and has been happening will be nothing more than a distant memory! The only problem now is... We all will just have to sit and watch as the Great Crash is coming! All knowing there's nothing we can do about it or can do to stop it! Matthew Habben Subject: Where Are the Action Links? Dear BuzzFlash, there are two possible modes of behavior. 1) shooting off our mouths 2) doing something about it. 1) is NOT the equivalent of 2), though virtually all progressive bloggers seem to think it is. that is why we are where we are today, so desperately close to losing yet another fight we were supposed to win (on Alito). we don't care whether you feature links to our particular action site in your stories and pieces or not. http://www.nocrony.com (for example on Alito) but unless you include some kind of action links, and make a direct call for people to call their members of Congress (toll free numbers 888-818-6641, 888-355-3588) you are doing ONLY 1) and virtually none of 2). YOU have the responsibility to use whatever media prominence you have to be a force to rally people to speak out, and if you do not use that prominence for that purpose you are just sucking wind out of what could be a real mobilization. this is not a one time thing. you must integrate action links into EVERYTHING you do, even if it is only a featured section of your blog page forever dedicated to that purpose, and indeed that is the minimum. so do it or do it not. just understand precisely why it is that we keep losing so many of these fights. the other side is mobilized and we are NOT. you can have an action page on any issue of your own you like phrased any way you like also through our interface at http://www.usalone.com/bladesofgrass.htm and have a link to that action page generated on the spot. we also are distributing code where you can easily create your own action pages on your own URL using the power of our dedicated submission server only in the background. peace, A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: A Letter to our Founding Fathers This is to inform you that the net result, to date, of your design for a democracy is that we the people are knee-deep in quick-sand and it'll be all over for us unless we quickly dump your profoundly flawed from the start design and starting from scratch come up with something completely new and different. Your checks and balance scheme was worth a try but it's collapsing now, under the weight of a president who craves absolute power, a congress that's for sale to the highest bidder and a court system made up of unelected judges who have lifetime tenure and, therefore, are free to give the middle finger to the public. While your design for a democracy clearly has broken-down, perhaps you will receive some solace from knowing that it has taught us something that'll be very useful as we go about creating a government that's truly of, for and by the people. It's taught us what not to do. Thus, you'll still be leading but by negative example. Better than nothing, isn't it? In appreciation, A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Alito Confirmation Dear Buzzers: If you ever needed proof that right-wing conservatives are a small minority of Americans, the hearing of Samuel Alito is it. Alito is a clear cut right winger who believes in absolute immunity for law breaking government officials (like those who strip search ten-year-old girls) and corporations, belonged to a vitriolic neo-nazi group at Princeton, favors a government imposed Taliban theocracy on citizens, opposes a right to privacy, and favors a Tory style presidency in which the President can overrule legislation by a signing statement. Despite these true conservative views, the Republicans in Congress are all trying to say that Judge Alito never said many of the things he said, that he didn't know what the group he belonged to was about, and that Judge Alito didn't decide as he actually decided on the cases in question. Take comfort in the fact that even conservatives know that they can't present Samuel Alito in a true light. If Americans ever catch on, conservatives will be relegated to 4th party status. Big Dave From Queens Subject: Make Some Noise Everything seems hopeless as the Republican Party and this administration consistently break the law. No one seems to care. I am one unemployed old lady sitting in Wisconsin and I can’t do much. It keeps up morale to have friends here at BuzzFlash to talk to. We need our community of Progressive friends and supporters. We also need to make our voices heard out in the “real” world, where too many Americans just don’t seem to care. Cable news enrages me on a regular basis. I may be an old lady, but I am not a “nice” old lady, so I immediately let them know what I think. Last night I was watching Hardball and Matthews was so outrageously partisan that it was reprehensible. I immediately emailed the show to ask why they bothered to have a Republican on the show when Matthews eviscerated the Democratic guests for them. Below is a link to MSNBC that will take you to their survey of the day. I do this every day. Then on the left are the links to various programs. Just click on them and you’ll find the contact link at the top right-hand side of the page. Speaking out may be the only tool that we have. Television moguls need to know that Progressives are watching, too. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3080261/ CNN enrages me frequently so I visit them to let them know that I don’t care much for their biased reportage. I emailed Wolf Blitzer yesterday to ask why he thinks it is wrong for the Democrats to have made up their minds about Alito when the Republicans were all but kissing the Judge’s butt on national television. My doing this alone won’t help. Get enough Progressive voices together and we can make some noise. Below is a link to CNN. I go there everyday and take their daily poll. It’s located at the bottom of the page on the right hand side. Next is a link to Wolf Blitzer in the Situation Room. Let him know you are aware of what he is doing when he doesn’t tell the truth or twists it for any reason. http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form5.html?65 We can’t keep complaining the Democratic Party isn’t fighting back if we don’t fight, either. If nothing else, it keeps me busy while waiting for those job offers that aren’t coming my way. Marjorie L. Swanson [BuzzFlash Note: When we checked the msnbc and cnn surveys, the numbers were going against Alito and in favor of the Democrats who are challenging him.] CLICK HERE FOR PART 2 OF THE JANUARY 12, 2006 BUZZFLASH MAILBAG |
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