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| January 20, 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. THIS IS PART 2 OF THE JANUARY 20, 2006 BUZZFLASH MAILBAG. CLICK HERE FOR PART 1 Subject: Alito Confirmation Confirming Alito as Chief Justice is exchanging the judicial gavel for a sledgehammer to smash our Democracy. Where have the defenders of our Constitutional Democratic/Republic gone? Either party voting to confirm Alito breaks their oath of office to "protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." Cry your crocodile tears, Mrs. Alito. I'm crying, too, because your husband intends to create an autocratic "presidency" that could allow George W. Bush to stay in power beyond 2008. My fear is that it is already too late because, in spite of all anti-Bush activity, he's more entrenched now than ever. What more can we do? A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Verdict In: No Decency Yesterday a new tape surfaced from Osama Bin Laden. What was the reaction on most of cable television? If you missed it, lucky you, it was reprehensible. Were they outraged that the man who was responsible for 9/11 was still making tapes and threatening Americans? Nope, it seems the real threat is the Democrats in general and Michael Moore in particular. Not having the gastrointestinal fortitude to tolerate Tucker Carlson or Joe Scarborough, I missed much of the twaddle. I did hear Chris Matthews. Matthews has his foot in his unattractive mouth so often we grow accustomed to his idiocy. I did fire off an email expressing my outrage in the belief that it is everyone’s duty to hold those on the air to some kind of standard.
O’Reilly, Hannity, and Limbaugh are not worthy of comment or condemnation because they long since sold out their audience, their country and whatever integrity it is doubtful they ever possessed. President Bush promised to get Osama Bin Laden “dead or alive.” Yet this murderer of American citizens is still able to threaten America. Perhaps he might have been caught, perhaps his ability to threaten America and its citizens might have ended had those in charge found him as threatening as they apparently find the Democratic Party. No need anymore to ask if these people have any decency. It‘s obvious they don’t. They also don't seem to be aware of what enemy they should be fighting. If they are searching the Democratic Party for the enemy, it's no wonder they can’t find Osama. It’s been 1586 days since George W. Bush said he would bring in Osama Bin Laden “Dead or Alive.” It would appear that Osama's safe, as long as he is not hiding in Howard Dean's house or making a movie with Michael Moore like the right wing wants us to think may be the case. How dumb is that? Marjorie L. Swanson Subject: Google Lawsuit / THIS IS IMPORTANT! Yet another piece to the puzzle in which the Bush administration attempts to become a modern era Fascist regime. This is a blatant attempt to further spy on innocent, law-abiding citizens. Everyone needs to read the article below and then call and/or email their senators & congressmen to DEMAND the Bush administration stop this lawsuit. This issue is not democrat vs. republican. This is about us, Americans, and our right to privacy. Are we going to just sit there, spineless and let this happen? Hitler used control of media resources as part of his master plan of control, this is no different.
Greg [BuzzFlash Note: Use this link if you want to thank Google: security@google.com] Subject: Re: Editorial on the 'Soap Opera' Techniques Another example today, on how to defuse the fact that UBL is still around. a) The first theme was to use it as an attack on the Democrats. This was worked pretty hard. b) The second spin was to paint it as a mano a mano duel with our 'tough' administration. They played up the angle that UBL was trying to negotiate and then postured as 'we will never negotiate with a terrorist'. These are great examples of the 'soap opera' model which the progressives just don't get. Using standard us vs them techniques. They have a whole group of other themes, e.g., Cheney pointing out that the 'poor production values' show UBL is 'on the run'. A few really daring people are actually asking why the administration might prefer not to capture UBL. In addition to the family links that would come out, and the problems with internal politics in Pakistan, there is a good argument that it would then show the Iraq war as more of a fraud if the man who is believed to have masterminded attacks on the US was actually in custody. This would take the wind out of the sails of the war on terror. Very Impressed Subject: 911 Conspiracy Theories I have not seen any mention of any 911 conspiracy theories on the BuzzFlash website. Is it because they are too far-out, too controversial, or what? I have come across some of these conspiracy websites recently, and some of them are very interesting and seem to make a lot of sense. Does anyone else out there think that the events of 9/11 were set-up and carried out by the Bush Administration? Or at least known about ahead of time, and purposely ignored by the Bush Administration? When you add everything up; the 2000 election (where Bush really didn't win), the event of 9/11, the invasion of Iraq that followed (on a lie), something isn't right. Or, am I just being paranoid? I know that whenever I bring this up, people look at me about the same as if I said I saw a UFO. This isn't something people seem to want to believe, even if they are avid Bush haters. Any believers out there? Lucille Gould [BuzzFlash Note: We know the theories are out there, but we're not going there. Our readers can and will draw their own conclusions.] Subject: Alito Is Not a Done Deal Dear Buzz: I was so disappointed to see your headline today. Just like the rest of the media, you have already written off this battle as if it were not happening as we speak. Please stop this lemminglike behavior and join the fight. You have a perfect forum to rally instead of entertain. I am sending you a diary from Booman Tribune yesterday, so you can see we haven't all given up: Don't relax now - it's not over yet. We have all worked hard on protecting the Court from Bush's cronyism. It would feel really good to relax and recuperate for the next battle, but let's not quit before the end. I couldn't say this any better - this is from the People's Email Network this morning. NOT A Done Deal, NOT A Done Deal [Note: The PEN call to action was posted in Part 1 of today's Mailbag.] I am phoning and emailing as well as chanting every day. We could use some help. A BuzzFlash Reader [BuzzFlash Note: We'd love to see a filibuster of Alito. We've posted many commentaries to that effect, as well as links to Senate contact information ( There's Still Time -- Call Your Senator about Alito! 1/17). Paul Loeb's article is worth forwarding, too: Paul Rogat Loeb: Filibuster Bush, Impeach Alito.] Subject: Filibuster or Bust (a suggested bumper sticker based on Buzz editorial) Dear Buzzers -- I've said this so often before that you're probably sick of hearing it. But ANY (self-designated; I've begun to seriously distrust the label) Democrat who refuses to stand up against the railroading of Sam Alito through the Senate confirmation does NOT deserve to be CALLED a Democrat. Or deserve our support. In fact, he/or she will earn the right to be actively opposed. (It's not as if we have anything to lose. If these lemmings insist on rushing in a hoard and throwing themselves over a cliff, why should we bother to stand in their way? It's a futile effort on OUR part, and I'm sure all of us have better ways to spend our time. Not to mention money. I wish we could connect with other progressive websites and bloggers to organize a movement. If we start now, we MIGHT (well, maybe it's a slim chance, but better than the alternative of doing nothing) make an impression on these Repukelican clones who pass themselves off as Democrats. In MY view, they have a choice: Stand up, speak out, and filibuster until the bitter end -- or get your asses voted out of office by your former supporters. Yes, I realize that the system is skewed (and screwed), but if you're going to go down anyway, at least have the guts to go down fighting. Sooner or later (I'm afraid it will be LATER) the Repukes will hang themselves. But we progressives have long memories, and we will NOT forget and forgive any Dem who doesn't stand up and fight for our rights. Barbara Lee (Barb) Blazyk Subject: Hannity thinks bin Laden sounds like Kennedy, Pelosi and Murtha I was just reading your post about Matthews being far out in orbit for comparing bin Laden to Michael Moore and thought you might be interested in knowing that Hannity thought he sounds like Kennedy, Pelosi and Murtha. The News Hounds Subject: I Love BuzzFlash, But Please Stop with the Defeatism BuzzFlash today had a scathing editorial on the dems and the Alito nomination. The usual stuff, dems are weak, dems are making themselves irrelevant...I love BuzzFlash, but shouldn't the editorial at the top of the page be - FIGHT UNTIL THE END - IT IS NOT OVER UNTIL IT IS OVER...? Don't they realize that by posting the dems' defeat BEFORE they act is akin to the very behavior that they are criticizing? I fully understand the uphill battle we have, but I think if we keep up OVERWHELMING pressure, we have a chance. BuzzFlash is reinforcing the 'what's the point' attitude, why bother, the dems won't fight. WE HAVE TO MAKE THEM FIGHT. I will not let this happen without doing EVERYTHING I can, and I do not need the naysayers supposedly on OUR side to resign defeat. So, NO MORE talk about defeat. Instead, let's talk about doing EVERYTHING we can to stop this!!! 1. Call your Senators if you haven't already Numbers here: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm 2. If you have called your Senators, call Reid, Leahy, Kennedy, Durbin - people who are likely to lead the fight to filibuster. 3. Fax your Senator through the following link, no fax machine needed! http://www.savethecourt.org/siteapps/advocacy/index.aspx?c... 4. Sign the petition if you haven't already: http://petition.savethecourt.org/fwd/ A word on this - I am the number three person who has collected the most signatures. I have only collected 76 signatures, and while that is good, it is PATHETIC for the number 3 place. We need 1 million signatures by the end of the week. Can you e-mail out the petition and try to bump this up? 6. Then, throw in an e-mail for good measure, send a snail mail, there is still time. 7. Call people you know would support this, but need prodding. Cut and paste this post, and then e-mail it to everyone you know! Post this message on blogs and message boards throughout the internet community. 8. FIGHT UNTIL THE END! Deborah Lusignan Subject: Connie Smack Not to be snarky or anything, but I am aware of an interesting statistic - when people break up their marriages to marry one another, their subsequent divorce rate is almost 98%. So on the bright side, not only do we have the fun of watching these two bozos show what hypocrites they are, we can look forward to another big, ugly divorce in the future. Rosamond Subject: Re: Friday's Top Five BuzzFlash Headlines - Democratic Senate Campaign Committee logo should be a spineless jellyfish. Dear BuzzFlash, I really like your line: The official logo of the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee should be a spineless jellyfish. They are truly behaving like spineless jellyfish except the jellyfish is much more dangerous and to be feared. I believe that the Dems and the Repubs are on the same page. Very frightening to say the least. Democrats are acting like they are afraid of the Republicans. If the Democrats don't straighten up and show a little back bone then they will be voted out. That is, if our votes are counted! So many issues that spell IMPEACHMENT. I have "lost" so many friends and family over the bush administration's actions. Keep up the good work. I hope that your finances are taken care of. Your 24/7 news is so very important. Sincerely, Aimee L. Walker Subject: Voters in Search of a Party There’s a whole lot of people out here that are so disgusted with both parties that a good, viable third party candidate might have a chance. I know, I know, that makes lots of progressives shake in their shoes thinking that abandoning the Democratic Party means perpetual power for the Republicans. If the Democrats don’t stand up and fight for what we believe in, if they are less corrupt but just as interested in special interest money, if they are just slightly less repulsive than the Republicans, what the hell is the difference? Harry Reid just apologized to the republicans for naming names. John Cornyn whined and Reid apologized. If Harry Reid truly wants to give em hell he should have responded that “if they can’t take the heat” etc. etc. Apologizing to that smarmy Cornyn? Ugh! Democrats consistently let the Republicans set the pace and the dialogue. I have had more respect for Hillary in her refusal to step back from her “plantation remark” than I have in some time. The Democratic Party needs to realize that there are so many angry democrats, independents and even moderate republicans out here that the coming elections should be a cakewalk. Instead they dither and equivocate like a bunch of bumbling incompetents when they should be pointing out and screaming about the incompetence of this administration. Don’t try and scare us about another 4 to 8 years of a Republican White House. You don’t have your base's hatred of Bush to rally them anymore. What you do have is your base's outrage at what a bunch of nincompoops you have become. You embarrass yourselves and you embarrass the rest of us. I, thankfully can maintain that I am an Independent. I may have always ended up voting Democratic in the past; don’t count on it anymore. I would rather stay home and not vote at all than vote for a weak-kneed, craven, pathetic, pusillanimous bunch of political incompetents that shame themselves and their party every time they open their mouths. Get it together folks, this ship is about to leave the dock. As you stand waving goodbye, think about the fact that while we prepare to leave you, you abandoned us long ago. Marjorie L. Swanson Subject: OBL's Latest Tape My, my, how interesting that as the White House is trying to make its case that it needs unfettered, unchecked powers to "protect" us, reliable OBL issues another tape and threatens us. These coincidences are taking a toll on me, you know? Ari Espinoza Subject: Elephant With Stinch Didn't Shower Before Applying Deodorant Hi BuzzFlash, US Politics Today (1/20/06) has great Editorial Cartoon. http://www.uspoliticstoday.com/picture.php?img=uspol_20060120.gif The Cartoon shows The Republican Elephant Mascot spraying "Ethics" deodorant under the arms while you can still see all the stench emerging from the elephant. The Elephant says: "Shower? I'm Suppose To Shower First?" Goes to show just how lost Politicians Have Become over all these years with MONEY, MONEY, MONEY always COMING FIRST and THE PEOPLE they are suppose to Represent A DISTANT SECOND!!! Or as Michael Douglas said in the movie "WALL STREET," during the GO-GO 80's: "GREED, FOR THE LACK OF A BETTER WORD, IS GOOD!" Sounds like today's politicians have that same philosophy and are saying those same words!! I wonder if Douglas is in the works making another Movie about GREED, only this time have him as a typical Politician in cahoots with a Lobbyists? That same line from the 1980's will still apply. Tom Wieliczka Subject: Diabolical Scarlet Pimpernel They Seek Him Here, Is He In Iran? Pope Bandar bin Turtle Subject: MSNBC’s Question Of The Day MSNBC’S Question of the Day: Should the government be allowed to see what you search for on the internet? 3881 responses Yes 13% No 87% http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3080261/ Doesn’t appear Americans want the government keeping tabs on our private searches. This would appear to refute the constant drumbeat from the right that Americans just want to be protected and aren't interested in privacy. Marjorie L. Swanson Subject: Gore Speech Was Great, But ... Al Gore made his now great speech last week, and it sent the Republicans into the usual lather about how the Democrats want Bush's head on a platter, and scream at the top of their furry lungs, and defend the criminals' activities. What I have a problem with is that Gore makes a speech, then disappears for months at a time, never to be heard from until he crawls out of the woodwork again, to make another rousing speech. What the Democrats need is someone who is willing to make speeches like that almost on a daily basis, and pound the Republicans on Iraq until the proverbial cows come home. Most Democrats are mute about Iraq, either because they agree with what Bush is doing, or they simply don't have the guts to fight the smear machine the Republicans have set up whenever someone stands up and makes a comment against the insanity of George's war. The majority of the American people are against the war in general, but nobody in the Democratic party makes the case for them. Who in the party is willing to stand up and be counted? Harry Reid? Nancy Pelosi? Ted Kennedy? Joe Biden? Hillary Clinton? Nope!!! It's like the party is somehow tongue-tied about pissing off the president and the Republicans. The time has come for someone to step up to the plate and deli ever. Someone who is willing to talk about the war, while taking the slings and arrows sure to come his/her way when the Republicans counterattack. The Democrats have to counter the myriad of lies told by this inept administration, and their allies. As soon as that happens, then the Republicans will cower in the corner like the craven little vermin they are, and the truth will finally be told. Gary Sartori Subject: The Democrats Are a Disgrace Re: Alito Terrific headline commentary today. You should tell Air America Radio so they come down hard on the Democrats. List, in flaming color, the names of Democrats in Congress who will vote FOR Alito, and then after the vote, those who actually did. Under "HEROES" you should list those, like Patrick Leahy and Ken Salazar, who will vote against Alito, and those who actually do. Suggest that Air America Radio do the same. Those Democrats who vote for Alito's nomination should be publicly shamed and disgraced out of the Democratic Party, although they don't even have the balls to do that. Poor Hillary. She looks in the mirror each morning and doesn't know what face to put on that day. The American people are fed up with the scandals, corruption, etc. of BOTH PARTIES. Polls show the Republicans have lost support, but the Democrats haven't gained. I've sent emails to Howard Dean encouraging him to bolt and declare himself an Independent candidate for President in 2008. He'll never admit it, but I'm sure he has never been more ashamed of the Democratic Party. He's always been an outsider anyway, which is a very good thing. The time is now for a new third party in America. Signed, A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Tough Love I live to the left of center. I was probably born that way. Therefore, I thoroughly enjoy BuzzFlash and its wise-acre commentary and segue. (And yes, I promise to contribute when I finally get a paycheck.) But. This commentary on Democrats shows that you might be showing signs of having been subverted by a Republican strategy to cast Democrats as being totally useless. It is not productive, but abusive. I do not condone coddling Dems who are inherently weak, but DO condone praising the ones who try to be strong. These PEOPLE have been bowled over by a well-oiled criminal Republican enterprise. We as progressive citizens need to find ways to help them regain their feet. To do otherwise would be.... Republican. A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Abramoff Scandal Why do so many Americans believe Democrats are as guilty as Republicans in the Abramoff Scandal? Why do so many Americans believe Hussein was as guilty as Bin Laden in the 9-11 attacks? Answer: They both happened in 1984. A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Halliburton and the "Lost" Billions I have been doing business with Halliburton and other similar companies for many years. There is a business practice that most regular people are not aware of...it is called the multiplier. Any business venture has the same practice...such as; when a 7/11 store buys gum at $0.50/pkg., they double the price and charge us $ 1.00 and make a profit of about 17 % or so... This is a normal business practice and retail mark-up. In the Environmental business that I operate in, the standard multiplier is 1.85 (spend $1.00; bill the client $ 1.85.) A lot of larger consulting firms use a 3.25 multiplier. Halliburton uses a 10.3 multiplier; in other words, for every $1.00 that they spend on the contract that they are operating under, they invoice $10.30. (An actual case that I was involved in...We manufacture a product that, in Texas, wholesales at $1,050.00 per unit. Halliburton arranged the shipment to Pemex in Mexico. The Pemex price was $9,750.00 per unit. Keep in mind that Halliburton did absolutely nothing. They simply processed the paperwork. They were not in any part involved in the manufacture or distribution of the product.) So when you wonder where the Billions went in Iraq...they went straight into Halliburton's profit. You will probably understand why I request the use of anonymous be attached to this letter. A BuzzFlash Reader [BuzzFlash Note: Interesting food for thought. BuzzFlash has no way to confirm, however.] Subject: "Losing Centrist Democratic Campaigns" Dear BuzzFlash: I take issue with your characterization of the DLC as a centrist group. When you call somebody a centrist you are implying that half the people fall to the left of that person and half to the right. The DLC is not such a group. Part of the problem with Democrats has been the failure to properly define the political spectrum. You fell for the MSM's trap here. First the political spectrum is mostly circular; it is not a straight line from left to right. Second, notwithstanding such, the left-right line can be used for simplification purposes so I will do such. Far left = Communism, anarchists Left = socialism, greens Center left - labor, progressive Centrist - liberal Center right - half liberal, half conservative (moderate) Right - conservative Far Right - arch conservatism, fascism, nazism If you use this more specific description of the political spectrum, political power would shift among progressives, liberals, and moderates with socialists and conservatives battling it out for 4th party status. The MSM tries to wipe out three-sevenths of the political spectrum in its polling questions so as to make people believe they are more conservative than they really are. The DLC is a conservative group. They are much further to the right than most Americans, with Republicans even further to the Right than the DLC. Don't call them centrist. Big Dave From Queens Subject: Searches and Statistics Dear BuzzFlash; I wonder if there is any connection between the GOP spying on America, the bullying of Google and the case now making its way to a US Federal Court about Major League Baseball blocking the use of 'its' statistics? There's trouble in fantasy land (Toronto Star) And what implications, if any, will that baseball ruling have on information from ChoicePoint, Diebold, etc.? Will only 'private' entities be able to protect their data? One thing's for sure, the GOP sure does love setting precedent. A BuzzFlash Reader
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