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| January 25, 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 25, 2006 BUZZFLASH MAILBAG. CLICK HERE FOR PART 1 Subject: John Kerry's Campaign Promise To Filibuster You might have noted in your editorial regarding John Kerry and filibustering Alito, that he made a campaign promise to do so. Here is the relevant article. Kerry says he'll filibuster Supreme Court nominees who do not support abortion rights (AP/sfgate) Jay Raskin Subject: Message to John Kerry Editorial I completely agree that Kerry MUST filibuster Alito. And you are right in pointing out how we stood up for him while he allowed the Bush team to steal the election and disparage his name, his record and his military service. Of course, on the question of filibustering Alito, so MUST Kennedy, Leahy, Durbin, Clinton and every other Dem who used harsh words to describe the reasoning behind a useless "No" vote. As to Kerry's petition/list, I signed on, but, in the space for adding a comment to the petition, I wrote that I would be watching for which Senators commit treason by voting for a man whom they characterized as bent on "the final check within our democracy." (Leahy) Or will "Justice Alito will narrow our rights, limit our freedoms and overturn decades of progress" (Kohl). Or would support a President who "thinks his executive power permits him to violate explicit criminal statutes by spying on Americans without a court order" (Feingold). Feingold (who I hope to be able to support) also said that he and others "repeatedly asked Judge Alito whether the president can violate a clear statutory prohibition such as the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and the ban on torture" and that "he never answered the question." Harry Reid said, ""I have no confidence he will serve as real check on the abuse of presidential power that we see so prevalent today. ... President Bush continues to believe that he is above the law and above the Constitution." How can a US Senator say things like that, basically stating that Alito on the court would cause more damage to our nation than has been accomplished by any AND ALL enemies we've faced in 230 years, and then claim filibustering that nominee is too drastic??? Kerry, and EVERY Democratic Senator, AND every patriotic Republican Senator who sees what is happening to/with our country, MUST be guilty of treason if they allow America to be brought to her knees by this group of power-mad, paranoid, xenophobic, jingoistic, misogynist cowboys. I'm getting beyond my 5 year "blame Bush" mentality, as Bush is doing just what Bush/Cheney wants, and doing it damn well and virtually unopposed. So I blame the enablers: those with the (D) behind their names on the Senate roll. They've gone beyond disappointing their supporters. They are about to bring disgrace onto this country, and they want us all to cheer the "No" vote they use to camouflage their cowardice. Not me! (WHEW! Taking a deep breath and hoping that the beating in my ears is not the old blood pressure.) Anyway, if my blog hasn't gotten my phone tapped, sending this, to such a left-wing, Michael Moore Loving, Cindy Sheehan hugging, Osama worshiping, America hating journalistic partner to Satan like BuzzFlash will certainly have clicking on my phone line by tonight! And boy, would I be one proud old Viet Vet for having been a BuzzFlash Bush basher bugged by the bumbling big brother brigade! ;-) -- Jack Ballinger Subject: What If They Gave a Party and No One Came? R. J. Crane at Topplebush.com is suggesting the Democrats walk out of the State of the Union address.
Now, we at The Whirlpool think a walkout would be interesting. But, would rather have the Dems "Stand up for Democracy." Instead of walking out, they should just not sit down at all. Stand during the entire speech. The Wrong Wing couldn't call attention to the cry-baby Dems walking out. Rather, they would be panning the crowd the entire time with Democrats "Standing up for Democracy." The cameras would catch people in the gallery "Standing up for Democracy" as well. They should all be wearing their "Stand up for Democracy" buttons. Better yet, there could be twenty or thirty different buttons! There could be, "Torture is not American" and "No spying without a warrant! "and "We got rid of King George once, we can do it again!" and many, many others. The cameras would be spending more time looking for the different sayings than watching Bush. Let's face it. If a hooded Iraqi prisoner can stand on a box indefinitely with electrodes attached to his testicles, Harry Reid can stand for a 35 minute Dubya speech. Stash Subject: A Bomb in a Pretty Package! Oh for Christ sake! This bush administration could take a bomb and wrap it in a nice pretty package and get the media to persuade us all to open it! Karen (not so dumb) in South Carolina PS....OOPS, I SAID BOMB AND BUSH, GUESS MY E-MAIL WILL BE MONITORED NOW! Subject: Kerry and a Filibuster Does anyone in their right mind think that Kerry or any Democrat has the proverbial balls to stand up against Alito or the White House? We will lose when there's a vote. If the nuclear option is deployed we will still lose. So why not organize a shut down of the government (via the filibuster) until there's real change? Unfortunately, the Democrats are as much an enemy of real change as the Republicans. Both parties dance to the same tune and that's corporate money and interests. Remember that they supported Chief Justice Roberts. Now he was a champion of the little guy, wasn't he? Myles Hoenig, former Green Party candidate for Baltimore City Council Subject: If you don't think Abramoff was a trusted friend, try this! You take your child to a Bush even, and see if you can get a picture! Speak up or they assume you agree!!! ABB Karen Webb Subject: In the Balance We have come to a defining moment in our history when the very fabric of our Democracy, the Constitution, lies in the balance. I am not hopeful for the immediate future. A lifelong Democrat, I feel that my vote and voice have been sold to the Republican Party by the likes of Senators Feinstein and Nelson. My flurry of faxes and phone calls appears to have had little impact on my elected representatives. I often dream of an alternate reality in which John and Robert Kennedy and Dr. King had not been assassinated – would we be where we are today? Would they have left such an indelible legacy of equality, freedom and charity – the very qualities in which True American Patriots believe – even the most craven, power hungry would not dare defile? Dreaming aside, our reality is becoming bleaker by the moment. I do not want the fight that lies ahead, but it must be fought – for the sake of our Democracy, our ecology, our personal privacy and freedom and our children’s futures. I take some strength from these words from John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address:
Gil Childers - True American Patriot Subject: Military Injustice The sentence of CW3 Welshofer is simply outrageous. Once again, the lower ranking soldiers take the biggest hits (Lynndie England and Charles Graner, 3 and 10 years respectively) for abuse of Iraqi detainees. Meanwhile, CW3 Welshofer embarks on a calculated escalation of torture against an Iraqi General and kills him and he gets literally nothing. What a disgrace that this Warrant Officer did not have the morals or ethics to understand that putting a person in a sleeping bag, sitting on him, and trying to smother him might not result in death. These courts martial are going pretty much as I anticipated they would. The lower ranking enlisted people get slammed in the gut and the officers, who are supposed to be setting the example of professionalism are getting by with a slap on the wrists -- if that. And the General (can't remember his name now) refuses to answer questions because he might incriminate himself. There is definitely military injustice at work here. I have always believed that people who are in positions of authority and power should be held to a higher standard of behavior. These officers who are guilty of negligent homicide and dereliction of duty should be punished with a minimum of 20 years at hard labor at Fort Leavenworth. There's an old saying, "S**t flows downstream," and that is definitely true with this administration and all the institutions and people who are tainted by the flatulence and stink of the Bushistas. Instead of saying "God Bless America," I suggest we start saying "God Save America." At this point, we need all the help we can get. Mild Penalties in Military Abuse Cases (LA Times) Lisa J. Subject: Osama, Oprah. Oprah, Osama. So, bin Laden recommends we all read Rogue State: A Guide to the World's Only Superpower, and we all rush out and buy it. I wonder where he got his copy. It could be the snoops in NSA are wasting their time trying to get into Google's database. Maybe all they need to do is ask Amazon for Osama's address. F. J. Calandra Subject: Your editorial i enjoyed this morning's editorial to john kerry so much that i forwarded the link to his web office directly and immediately. this is SO important. Message to John Kerry: All You Have to do is Stand up to Take a Stand -- Filibuster Alito. thanks, craig martin Dear Sir/Madam: I read an article, Sheep Being Led To The Constitutional Slaughter, by Harris Bierhoff, on the BuzzFlash web site (link above) this morning and thought of sharing with you. It is a telling of the mindset and the willingness of many (let's say lots of) Americans who share the collective thought of what is happening to our country. Thank you, Mr. Bierhoff. What's happening is our ("our" being the citizens of the USA) freedoms are being taken away, little by little, silently and not so silently, under the disguise of the Bush administration's take on the protection of the USA. Much of the media then says that if we, the people, don't agree with Mr. Bush's handling of terrorism and the laws he wants enacted (as in Patriot Act), we are unpatriotic. This is so far from the truth. I still believe "the truth shall set us free." As long as we have a "voice" we will speak out - as long as we have ears to hear and eyes to read. As long as there is a BuzzFlash web site where many can "speak" their minds, as not all the people believe Bush is doing a good job. In fact, it is the opposite. A very large part of the media is virtually controlled by the "far right" side of the government. Well, actually, Bush's base. It is my belief that the majority of the people do not share the present administration's views. Thank you for being able to share these sentiments and the web site. I can only hope and pray it continues for many more years to come. Sincerely, Dolores M. Dryden Subject: tv stations (sent to corporate media) terrorist surveillance program or domestic spying. oh my what to call it? fox news will call it what the white house tells them to call it, then the other stations will watch to see what fox is doing so they can copy it. shorty Subject: And Now, for Your Listening Pleasure... An old favorite of mine, but still timely: Denis Leary's "I'm an Assh**e." Dedicated to YOU. (aww, cumon, ya KNOW who "YOU" are...) http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2285829452014333467&q=denis+leary A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: The F Bust FRIENDS! Bouncing checks & balances gotcha down? It's FILI time! CALL your Senators, THANK them for opposing Alito, and tell 'em you want a Filibuster, to block his scary Supreme Court nomination AND the deadly Patriot Act. Don't email, don't write. CALL for SCOTUS interruptus, to stop SCrewing Over The US. Have a Nice Day! Call senate 1-877-851-6437 ask for your senator, can give any name & zip... "If the Democrats don't filibuster Alito, they are giving up our Constitution and rule of law and their responsibilities as Senators to uphold their Constitutional duties. They are the Enablers of those who are breaking the law and destroying democracy." http://www.buzzflash.com/ flaccidly tapping, stand up throw down, bust a nut http://rudepundit.blogspot.com/2006/01/why-democrats-have-to-filibuster-alito.html i see red, i M peach, Filibuster is the new brink http://www.buzzflash.com/contributors/06/01/con06022.html Call 1-877-851-6437 block Alito & the Patriot Act http://political.MoveOn.org/protectourrights ask 'em to walk out TUE 1/31 in State of the Union http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/012206A.shtml WE can walk out TUE 1/31 in State of Emergency read this story all the way through: http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/politics/13675006.htm tell everyone you know to wake up, stand up http://www.brucemulkey.com/archives/2006/01/can_democracy_s.html LOVE YOURSELF OTHERS WILL TOO A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Please Stop Attacking Dems First of all, I absolutely love your website and read it religiously. I just wanted to ask you to tone down your attacks against Democrats. I think you've been too hard on them with the Alito nomination. I truly believe the Democrats have to choose their battles wisely if they want to regain a majority in Congress and/or win back the Presidency. Would a filibuster of Alito win support amongst the die-hard leftists? Sure, but what would it mean to the big picture? In my opinion, it could mean not winning any Congressional seats and not winning back the White House. You know the mainstream media would be all over Democrats if they filibustered Alito. They'd again be portrayed negatively at a time when Republicans are suffering at the polls. Many moderate voters would be turned off. Many left-leaning moderates I know have stated that exact sentiment to me, despite the fact that they do not like Alito. We can't let ourselves get so focused on the smaller battles (Alito) that we neglect the war as a whole (winning back Congress and the White House). The best way to defeat Bush's imperial Presidency is to win back Congress, not fight a losing battle on Alito. That would make impeachment a much more realistic possibility. A Dem Congress would also take away Bush's blank check to pass any legislation he proposes. Winning back the Presidency in 2008 would be the final nail in the Republican power. I think we should be focusing on all the positives with Democratic leadership (that they DO have a backbone again, and are slowly building back support and raising more and more campaign money), instead of attacking them for not taking the radical step of a filibuster which probably would not accomplish anything. The criticism becomes counter-productive to the struggle as a whole. You essentially play into the Rovian idea that the Democrats have no ideas and no leadership, instead of countering that message. Thanks for taking the time to read my message. Brian Sweet Subject: Project Vote Smart In addition to Contacting the Congress, compiled by Juan Cabanela, Project Vote Smart has some actual email addresses (not web forms) for Senators and Representatives that Mr. Cabanela does not have, plus issues and legislation and political resources. I'm really impressed by its clear and easy to read format. http://www.vote-smart.org/index.htm A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Safe Over...where? Dear BuzzFlash; The argument that we are safe here because our citizens are dying in Iraq is wrong. Didn't many suffer and die in New Orleans and the Mississippi gulf region because our citizens were deployed to die in Iraq? Technically we haven't had another attack here at home, but in exchange the GOP has: 1. given us torture as policy 2. installed a king instead of a president 3. institutionalized widespread waste and corruption at all levels where a Republican holds a chairmanship or leadership position 4. destroyed New Orleans and the Mississippi gulf region. I do not want anyone else to suffer another attack, but Bush took an oath to defend the Constitution, and Congress only gave the President (the office of the President) the authority to use force against those who attacked us on September 11, 2001. No one gave his party the authority to: 1. break the law 2. make himself king 3. waste our tax dollars and hire his incompetent friends, or 4. destroy New Orleans and the Mississippi gulf region. It's like we hired Bush to baby sit, gave him authority to raid the fridge and when we got home we find out he had carnal knowledge with the dog. His excuse? "Well, you didn't say I couldn't." Its high time we fire this babysitter. A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Wimpy Democratic Congressional Representatives Dear BuzzFlash, Yesterday I attended a Labor Union Luncheon with Congressman Frank Pallone, 6th District D-NJ. Mr. Pallone spoke extensively of the failed Medicare prescription plan (Part D) and I found his press release concerning his proposed legislation to reimburse the States for their costs of Bush's failed plan: http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/nj06_pallone/pr_jan24_medicare.html What was disturbing about Mr. Pallone's talk about the Medicare Prescription Plan was that he used the Bush Administration's term, privatization plan, though he qualified the term, Medicare Plan, since it really isn't part of Medicare since 18 insurance companies in NJ are administering and profiting from their own programs. Someone in the audience called the "privatization plan" a profiteering plan for drug company executives, since the drug companies will reap $180 Billion in profits over the next 8 years from this failed plan. Pallone responded that the "privatization plan" is a Rovian term and there is nothing he can do about the use of the term. I strongly disagree with Mr. Pallone and all the other Democrats who fail to re-frame Rovian double-speak into the plain language that all Americans can understand. Last Saturday, Nancy Pelosi held a Town Meeting with her constituency in San Francisco. Likewise, members of her community demanded that she support Mr. Murtha's resolution to withdraw from Iraq. Her response was similar to Mr. Pallone's response was in NJ - I am unable to support Mr. Murtha since that would be unpatriotic. Since when is it unpatriotic to condemn a criminal president who usurps Congressional power and who illegally spies upon and bullies domestic and foreign dissenters? Wasn't the lesson of World War II that the Allies failed to recognize the threat of Adolf Hitler until it was too late to prevent Hitler from plunging our World into a World War that cost 50,000,000 lives? It is only a matter of time before there will be Guantanamo Bay internment camps located all across America to hold "terrorists," i.e. all those people who disagree with George W Bush and his neocon thugs. Sincerely, A BuzzFlash Reader |
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