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| January 30, 2006 |
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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: Jack Abramoff Jack A. says he has the pictures of himself and Georgie Boy, but after shopping them around he has decided not to show and tell. So what is Jackie getting in exchange for this saintly behavior? Could it be that Georgie Porgie yesterday offered the chief prosecutor on Jacko's case a position (read promotion) the poor man could not resist? Georgie has done this exact same thing before. Well Maybe. Out here in the sticks where I live (thank the Good Lord) this kind of thing is called blackmail. In Washington DC, where I don't live (thank the Good Lord) it is called politics. Edith M. Conrad Subject: My E-mail To Harry Reid
Everyone knows that: - a vote for cloture is a vote to put Alito on the bench. - it is YOUR job to get the "no" votes. - you are not really trying. - you understand neither "opposition" nor "leader." - the ONLY neo-con successes in the last 14 months are what you have handed them: namely Roberts and Alito. - saving the court is what the Democrats ran on. - this is your last "fight". - if Alito is confirmed you will be resigning your leadership post. - four decades of American Liberty are at stake. But only historians will know the answer to the question: "Harry who?" Larry Allen Subject: Our Lost Nation! If Democratic Senators do not filibuster Alito, our Nation is lost! They won't have to worry about being re-elected. There won't be any more elections. We will have a one party rule with Bush at the helm. No more Congress, no more senate. What are they thinking? Why do they continue to play patsy to the Repugs? The GOP has for years planned this strategy of taking over the government and letting Corporations run the country, as long as they fill GOP pockets. ... A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Spineless Democrats It seems that these fence riding Senators are about due their just deserts. I am neither democrat or republican, and think it's time to put the 3rd party in charge or at least cut the majority of both parties by a third, make them work for the people for a change. We could cut their health insurance and put them on medicare. I bet medicare would get better real fast if that was the case. It may take a massive demonstration in Wash DC by millions of people to set this government on the right path. Our vote has been stolen by the corrupt electronic voting system. My own state of New Mexico has its share of problems. Senator Domenici doesn't seem to want to hear from the working class people, he's sheltered himself from our e-mails and his official site doesn't work, it times out if you say something against his views, and your message doesn't go through, if you are a cheerleader for him it goes through just fine. We need to get these high and mighty jerks and jerkettes out of Wash DC and put real Americans in office, end the monarchy, bring the Constitution back to the front of the room. They have lost touch with the people and don't want to lose their cushy jobs, put them all on minimum wage until they get with the program. I think that if these loyal Bush supporters want a war they should get in uniform and go fight it, or send their children to fight and not ask anyone else to die for a cause they themselves wouldn't die for. I would like to see Karl Rove in uniform on patrol in Iraq, I bet this war would end real fast. My opinion means nothing to them. This government is no longer of, for and by the people, it has become a monarchy, it's time to revolt against the king again. Thanks BUZZFLASH for the voice. Richard Nordland Subject: Bush Sit 'n' Spin I listened to the "press conference" the other morning, and could only shake my head in disbelief. Whenever I listen to the nattering nabob, I mentally tick through all of his contradictions between what he says and what he does. "No American is allowed to torture" (or words to that effect): 1. Two officers have been convicted on lesser charges because their actions have resulted in deaths of detainees. 2. A General refused to testify, citing his constitutional right not to incriminate himself. 3. If, as Bush says, no American is allowed to torture detainees, why was he opposed to the McCain anti-torture legislation? If memory serves correctly, he threatened to veto any legislation containing the anti-torture legislation. 4. If, as Bush says, no American is allowed to torture detainees, why did he issue a signing statement that, as Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, he would construe the law in the way he sees fit? Too many unanswered questions, Georgie. You've been on your "Sit 'N' Spin" too long and you're obviously dizzy. Lisa J. Subject: Alternative Democratic Candidates BuzzFlash, Have any organizations thought to come together and field alternative democratic candidates to challenge and hopefully displace those who have failed to fight or chosen not to fight the regime? I believe it's time to field opponents to the Bidens and Liebermans and Clintons and Reids and I believe Howard Dean would approve and support us. Can you please advise me as to what if any discussions are taking place on this subject? We need to begin now to let democrats know they will be fired by their own people in the fall - Thank you, Thomas Moore Subject: Dangerous DLC For quite some time, we've realized that the DLC was giving Congressional Democrats bad advice. However, David Sirota's article "Why the DLC Is So Dangerous To Democrats" (Huffington Post, 1/ll/06) really opened my eyes. In the article, Sirota says that "Wittman is a former Republican operative and Christian Coalition official who now purports to speak for Democrats from his post at the DLC--an institution that has over the years been funded by, among others, Enron, Phillip Morris, and Chevron." A Google search for "Wittman at DLC" brings a link to the Sirota article as well as more knowledge about Wittman's background, which I consider very far-right. I remember many years ago when Pat Robertson said that now that they had taken over the Republican Party, they were planning on taking over the Democratic Party. It looks to me as if they have! With advice from the DLC and weak leadership like Daschle and Reid, no wonder the Democrats keep losing! R. M. Johnson Subject: New Democrats In reference to your lead stories of 1-28-06, I have two comments. First, I have been contacting my Senators and others about Alito for quite some time. In fact, I contact Senators and Congressman that pretend to represent me all the time about issues ranging from the illegal war to anwr, but they still do what their monies tell them to do and herein lies the problem and leads into my second comment. Folks are going to have to get it in their heads that there is no such animal as a new democrat. If you're over 30 and still believe you can reform the democrats, then you're just delusional because it is not going to happen. Your chances are just as good if you set out to reform the republicans and that isn't happening either. If BuzzFlash would like to promote a party, try promoting the idea of forming a new party that represents everyone. A party that does not believe in war, expansion of U.S. power around the world, control of third world economies, or any of the things our government has supported throughout its entire history that began with the genocide of the native americans. Instead, try forming a party that respects the rights of all living things on this planet. A party that actually is willing to protect the environment, eliminate nuclear weapons, establish the right to health care, a meaningful education, an end to racism and promotes the idea that we all live on this ball of rock together and together we are going to solve our problems with understanding instead of guns. You see either party heading that direction? No, you don't. That is why I get upset when the writers of BuzzFlash seem to be promoting the idea of a new kind of democrat. Wake up children! We either form a new party that includes the rank and file or we may all see the end sooner than we think. William Johnson Subject: Bush Is Not Going To Appoint a Liberal Bush is not going to appoint a liberal. Why bother making such a big stink about Alito, and make a fool of all us in the process? Pick your battles. Charging straight up the hill into the machine gun nest is not the best strategy. Curtis Rhodes Subject: Who has a list of voting districts where corporations control the software ... in the voting machines? To me this will be the ultimate end of democracy. I cannot seem to find any organization that has this information. Do I need to call every voting clerk in every county and city in the US? Karen/WI Subject: BuzzFlash Declaration of Independence I applaud BuzzFlash and your commitment to stand up and fight for our country--even if it means fighting against the Democratic Party. I, too, have had enough of their spinelessness. In my contacts with my Senators regarding filibuster, I have made it clear that I will NEVER vote for any Senator who fails to support an Alito filibuster--regardless of what office that Senator is running for or when that election takes place. If these folks aren't willing to stand up for what their constituents are asking for, we shouldn't be willing to stand up for them. Fezzik Subject: Democrats Thank you, thank you, BuzzFlash, for the article on Saturday 1-28-06. You have said exactly what needs to be said, and don't think it will go unnoticed. I have been a Democrat all my life, and believe they are for the American people. But I, just as BuzzFlash, find it very discouraging at what the Democrats are failing to do. But I also know we must keep on fighting. I will continue to get the BuzzFlash name out to other people, and support your effort all the way. BuzzFlash, you are becoming a mighty force, and thanks again for continuing the fight for democracy. The Myth of the American Political "Center" and the Nomination of Radical Sam Alito Kenny Sturgill Subject: Cindy and Feinstein Give her holy hell Cindy. She truly deserves it if anybody ever did! I think you should run against her anyway, regardless of her stance on filibuster! Is it even possible we could get someone like you with guts and fortitude into our cowardly party leadership? Lawton Watson Subject: Hear Hear! Thank you. I feel like weeping when I see how the Reid wimps are abandoning us. I agree: the dems are humiliating. Thank you for saying it so clearly. God Bless all of you at BuzzFlash..... J Thompson Subject: Why the Democrats Are Cowards While sitting in the waiting room of my team doctor at the VA I had plenty of time to peruse old NEWSWEEK and TIME magazines, and I learned a hell of a lot. The "K Street Project" has given the republicans, Tom DeLay etc. total control over campaign donations from Washington lobbyists. If caught donating to Democrats, DeLay would ban them from any access to republican house members, call them in to his office and chew their asses out and threaten them with retribution. Democrats who played ball with DeLay were allowed to receive monies from his lobbyist friends. Career Democrats were and are afraid of being totally choked off from the K Street Boys. Blunt is just another DeLay. He makes no excuses for it either! Rove, the GOP and RNC have contrived and birthed the most efficient and diabolical election machine in the history of Washington politics. They believe they can and have elected their candidates at will. Those Democrats who do not fall in line and vote Bush come onto the radar screen and their future is decided by Rove and Mehlman and not the voters. They are aided by groups such as Swift Boat Vets, the Heritage Foundation, most American corporations, corporate media, but Bush and Rove's main and most influential is the coalition of christians and churches of America. There is estimated to be forty million hard core religious supporters of Bush. This election machine is fed by unlimited huge donations of cash and willing workers. Not to mention Diebold and corporate media. If a Democrat like Feinstein, Byrd, or Nelson or a republican for that matter does not fall in line come election time, they know they had better clean out their desk, turn off the lights, and catch the next flight out. I've wondered for five years now why the Democrats were so afraid of Bush/Cheney/Rove and why they have not let out even a peep about the last three illicit elections and practically took turns rubber stamping the Bushiveks' policies. They have allowed corruption to take total control of our elected offices. Our Democrats are career politicians and they care only about their seats and what little power they are allowed to have. Lack of term limits, lack of public campaign financing only and lobbyist money have nullified the American voter. America is truly no longer a Republic. The lack of a filibuster on Alito will prove this for once and for all. The Democrats' leaders will bluster and claim to support blocking the Alito confirmation but they know the battle is already lost. They feign opposition only when they know it will do no good. There is always a small group of democrats who fall on the republican side time after time. Their names just change to keep us from locking in on them. Lawton Watson Subject: It's Official, There Are No Republican Moderates in Washington What's a moderate? What's a centrist? Is Lenin a moderate because he is ideologically less extreme than Stalin but more extreme than Marx? Is the terrorist group Hamas centrist because they kill less than Hezbollah or Al Qaeda? Is Al Qaeda's number 2 a moderate because number 1 kills more? Of course not. The word moderate can be used to describe extreme people simply because you can find categories of people to put on both sides. And the tactic works likes a charm in many parts of America as some progressives, liberals, and independents like to "split their ticket" so they can persuade themselves that they are not "left nor right" and they "vote for the person not the party." In 1990 Pat Robertson stated, "With the apathy that exists today, a well organized minority can influence the selection of candidates to an astonishing degree." And this well organized minority can only succeed when voters support Republicans they disagree with eight-five percent of the time simply because the right winger has been cast as a moderate. The Republican hierarchy understands that they can not win elections if people voted the issues. In fact, they wouldn't be able to surpass 30% of the vote total. Ralph Reed basically admitted this truism when he once stated, "I want to be invisible. I do guerilla warfare. I paint my face and travel at night. You don't know it's over until you're in a body bag. You don't know until election night." So while Republicans use fear and wedge issues to distract people, their most efficacious tactic is a stealth campaign. Republican Senators like Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, Arlen Specter, Lincoln Chafee, and others all engage in guerilla warfare come election time. Their campaigns highlight the five percent of the time they agree with Democrats or offer hollow criticisms of a more extreme Republican so that they can be labeled as "moderates." But once elected, these senators veer sharply to the right, play musical chairs on key votes ensuring that the right wing always gets its way by having the Senator furthest away from an election vote no but ONLY when there have been enough yes votes. Stealth strategies are nothing new to conservatives because conservatives know they are a small minority in America. George Bush ran a stealth campaign in 2000 and 2004 and Republican candidates for Governor, Senator, and Mayor run stealth campaigns frequently. Rick Santorum used stealth in 2000 as did Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2003. Mike Bloomberg, Bush's biggest financier in 2004, ran a New York City mayoral campaign in 2005 pretending to be the second coming of Ted Kennedy. Non-moderate Senators like Olympia Snowe and Lincoln Chafee MUST be voted out of office in 2006 because they are right wing conservatives who paint their faces and travel at night. And Arlen Specter, Susan Collins must follow soon after. If these Senators can't filibuster Samuel Alito or support impeaching George Bush for illegally wiretapping American citizens, how can they be moderates? Big Dave From Queens Subject: A Poem for the Soldiers He lay there dying he died on that battle field he had lived as a man of honesty Akhil Bhardwaj Subject: A Profile in Courage? While it is tempting to give up on the Alito filibuster after hearing the words of capitulators like Harry Reid, our history is built on the heroic actions of those who did not do as predicted but stood up for liberty during times of crisis. Call, write, and fax senators who could make a difference. Convince them that standing up for this filibuster would bring them unprecedented attention and a permanent place as a Profile in Courage in the long view of our history. Backing down does nothing. The story will be over, the momentum lost, the spotlight gone, and the court set to make the Senate as irrelevant as possible. Convince the key senators that, by any reasoning, the filibuster is a good thing. Republicans will not be able to use this in November if it succeeds. Do you think they'd draw attention to such a major defeat and give Democrats the opportunity to slam Bush by pointing out the reasons they rejected Alito, such as his support of the "signing statements" through which Bush distorts the will of Congress, his support of Bush's warrantless spying, and his support of Bush's desire to arrest American citizens without charges or trial? The subject would allow Democrats the powerful side of a discussion for a change, giving them the hard stuff while the Republicans only charge could be that they delayed Senate proceedings. Republicans would not play on that The only way it will be used as a negative campaign issue by Republicans is if it fails. The entire Democratic party will be further associated with weakness and loss. All Democrats will suffer from this, whether they supported it or not. A few Dems may get away without these scathing attacks, but what are they going to get in return? A few pats on the back from Karl Rove? Do you think he won't fight them tooth and nail in November? We must convince the key senators that, by grabbing the spotlight, they will gain enormous power. It will benefit them and their constituents tremendously. The power is in their hands. They can either seize it or let it go. Once it goes, it's gone, and Bush's approval ratings start to climb again. CONVINCE THEM THAT EVEN IN TERMS OF THE DESIRE TO SAVE THEIR CAREERS AND THEIR PARTY, STANDING UP NOW IS THE ONLY CHOICE. ANYTHING ELSE RETURNS THE UPPER HAND TO BUSH. MOMENTUM, ON ALL ISSUES, WILL BE LOST. CONVINCE THEM THAT THEY HAVE A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY BE A PROFILE IN COURAGE! Dirk CLICK HERE FOR PART 2 OF THE JANUARY 30, 2006 BUZZFLASH MAILBAG
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