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| March 6, 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: Holocaust Deniers and Religious Indoctrination in Schools Dear BuzzFlash; So the world's leading Holocaust Denier has been arrested in Austria. In response, the GOPmedia obediently repeated the GOP Talking Point that his 'freedom of speech' was being restricted. Naturally the GOPmedia comes to his rescue and ignores the fact that he wasn't arrested for anything he SAID; he was arrested for something he DID. The 'minor' point of his being warned not to step foot in Austria, his prior agreement with the Austrian government that he would NOT step foot in Austria, added to the understanding that he would be arrested IF HE DID step foot in Austria, was obviously not enough to prevent the perpetually victimhood-hungry Denier from martyring himself. Boo hoo. Now we have a teacher in Colorado who exercised his rights to free speech and was immediately 'exposed' by a 'heroic' future-number-on-Cindy-Sheehan's-shirt. Exactly what the teacher said will, naturally, be ignored by the GOPvictims mainly because the GOPmedia will not discuss it. What will be discussed--ad nauseum--is the victimhood of anyone who has been exposed to the GOPmedia spin on it: a current event was discussed without the pre-requisite 'other side of the argument.' This is the tactic of the GOP: when it benefits the GOP, the 'other side of the argument' must be heard. Whether the 'other side of the argument' is relevant or even factual matters not: what does matter is that the GOP is standing up for some phantom 'point' (to be manufactured later). From Holocaust Denial to giving GOP Talking Points 'equal time' to Intelligent Design, the GOP's goal is to give the illusion of 'balance' thereby negating facts, reason, history and/or logic. For the GOP, denying something happened has equal weight as someone who saw it happen, lived through it, and documented it--The Does Not Defense. Likewise, for the GOP, the claim that something exists with only violent insistence as proof has the same weight as empirical evidence--The Does So Defense. Imagine if Austria arrested someone for Denying the Existence of God, or if the teacher had been spewing ID in a classroom. The GOP would be more twisted than a strand of DNA in their attempt to protect the integrity of The Talking Point. The GOP should thank their lucky stars that there will always be celebrity gossip to fill all their 'news shows' (not to mention the narrow minds of their GOPvictims), otherwise they may have to actually discuss the other side of the argument. A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: Waist-Deep in the Big Muddy -- and Sinking Fast! Dear Buzzers: Just read that the Busheviks are continuing their plans to ignore the growing deficit and -- no matter the consequences: HELL, THEY won't be in office when the sh*t hits the fan -- continue to push permanent tax cuts for the 1% super-rich. At least two years ago, I suggested that, if these goons really believed (which I seriously doubt) that cutting taxes for wealthy individuals and the corporations they run and rape would actually create jobs here at home, they should include a clause that REQUIRES the creation of those theoretical jobs. Otherwise, the tax cuts are nullified. Period. The new "budget" -- which, as we Buzzers know -- is the Robin Hood in reverse approach: i.e., steal from the poor and give to the rich -- is apparently now slated to be slipped through Congress as the March 17th "recess" nears. In other words, every Senator and Representative will be packing and itching to get out of town! They'd probably vote for ANYTHING at this point. Unfortunately, since Hillary, Lieberman, McCain, et al., are all rich enough themselves not to be personally impacted by deep cuts to the neediest among us, they don't have the fire in the gut to oppose this outrage. It's time for a second American Revolution, Buzzers. (And if you don't hear from me again, you'll know that the Internet Police have stuffed me into an orange jumpsuit for speaking my mind.) Barbara Lee (Barb) Blazyk (I wish I weren't here, but I'm beginning to believe that I'm a likely candidate for "extraordinary rendition." One fingernail pulled out, and I'll make up any story they want to hear -- of course the information will be totally worthless, but I'll say it anyway if it stops the pain!) … meanwhile other terrorists are off the hook because it’s now open season on women at abortion clinics. Rosamond Subject: But, But the Dems Did It Too! Dear BuzzFlash; Now that TAPES of the GOP discussing the possibility of levee failures in NOLA have been released and are being discussed on the GOP media, I expect Dems will be put on the defensive for GOP ‘leadership failures.’ For example: instead of getting supplies ready DIRECTLY BEHIND Katrina, the GOP spent more time insisting that the nationalization of local police and National Guard units was the TOP PRIORITY. I wonder if that strategy had any effect on the number of new non-voting 'felons' from a predominantly Democratic area. Oh, and speaking of voting... I expect that the GOP will be spinning the full and final blame for the Katrina mess on Gov. Blanco and only Gov. Blanco--especially since they can never admit to making ANY MISTAKES (like that re-call campaign against Blanco). I expect to hear the GOP media misuse Blanco's statements on the tapes as excuses for GOP actions, while ‘staying the course’ of denying prior knowledge of levee failures. Of course, nothing Blanco did or said excuses the LACK OF LEADERSHIP from the GOP, but since when has logic ever been a GOP consideration? I expect their favorite image will be those buses. While the GOP media will spend hours of coverage on the buses, don't expect much discussion about WHO would be driving those buses and HOW the drivers would get to the buses. Or, once there, how the drivers would maneuver through flooded streets to pick up not just their own families, but everyone else along the way. Oh, and don't forget that there was only 3 ways out of NOLA, one of which was BLOCKED by those Dead-eye Dick wannabes on that bridge. So, once the drivers could leave their own homes, evacuate their own families, go to the bus yard, retrieve working (and fueled) buses AND THEN get to where people would be gathering to be evacuated, pick them up, they really only had 2 ways out of town. But, I digress: watch for more coverage of those buses. P.S. How can I send money to support Blanco? A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: 90% of Troops Believe 9/11-Saddam Link - No Surprise I've see the amazement in many mailbag letters. For some reason Shirley.....St. Louis (btw-I graduated from Clayton HS) caught my attention. I'm really not surprised by the 90% who believe in the connection of Iraq and 9/11. I'm retired A.F. (22 years). I have many occasions to go on base for ever dwindling medical benefits, for using the recreational facilities and some shopping. In every single place (this is stateside mind you) they have TVs playing. The TV is ALWAYS tuned to Faux News!! Connection? I often chat with young airmen. One in particular told me that she lived in base housing. Base housing doesn't use the local cable company, they have their own (paid for by the residents of housing--not a freebee). She told me that the only cable news channel they have is Faux News (I can't verify this personally). Connection? I stopped in the BX Super Bowl Sunday for some snack and they had Faux News on--not the pregame shows. Is there a connection? I "report, you decide." John M Subject: Tuning out the Trash Dear BuzzFlash: After years of being forced to channel surf past Pat Robertson on my way to more interesting and rational television programming I’ve found a solution to the problem and I’d like to recommend it to other BuzzFlash readers, the solution is called Parental Block. That’s right, I’ve just permanently tuned out TBN and several of the other Evangelical TV stations using the technology created to allow parents to protect their children from TV obscenity, and frankly isn’t that what much of the religious broadcasting has become? What a relief to know that never again will my channel surfing be interrupted by a glimpse of Pat “holier-than-thou” Robertson with his eyes squinted and his head bowed, beseeching God to smite someone or something that doesn’t measure up to his standard of decency. In the process I’ve reaped the added benefit of being able to tune out the big haired lady, the guy with the over-decorative glasses string and the Spanish fellow who wears a Nehru Jacket, sports a comb-over pompadour and claims to be able to cure the sick even while being unable to resolve his own hair problem. So my advice to other BuzzFlash readers is this: PLEASE JOIN ME in using the Parental Control device for its intended purpose, to tune-out the real TV trash. Carolyn in Tennessee Subject: Beware the voters' ire, says the Nader mini-me Dear Whoever's-stolen-the-soul-of-BUZZFLASH: Democrats should "Beware the voters' ire" because their voters might stay home in a petty peeve fit? Brilliant. (-pause to barf-) And you *publish* the sophomoric views of that faux BuzzFlash reader who's obviously a Rovian mole?! To what end? Even if we *show up to vote* our votes are STOLEN, so there is some POINT to staying home like spoiled babies? We're really gonna show 'em...what? That ---boo-hoooooo!!---they WIN? We utterly and idiotically GIVE UP? Hey, congrats. You gave Rove a woodie with that one. Great choice. You made Rove and Gannon happy men tonight. Put THIS in the BuzzFlash mailbag, if you dare. And after 5 years of fighting, hang in there...try not to be witless tools of the most endearing thug strategy of all...Dem-bashing and encouraging cynicism. Have a shot of Willie Nelson's bourbon, if you need some temporary backbone. You think you and Nader and that fool-tool Walter Mosley are going to start some "new" power base? Like I said. Have a shot of Willie Nelson's bourbon and WALK AWAY from the hallucinogens in Rove's Dem-bashing kool aid. Get a grip...! I saw the conservative sites making merry over Walter Mosley's completely FLACCID idea of "showing" the Dems and starting some "new" power base. Now YOU'RE lowering yourself to rightwing merriment level? What is WITH you guys...Nader mini-mes? OH YEAH, that'll work. Robyn Miller [BuzzFlash Note: Hey - don't call our readers names, first of all. We post Reader Contributions, Guest Contributions, and Mailbag letters that present a range of viewpoints, as befits a democracy. Differing viewpoints are what give a democracy strength. Our community of readers/writers share many core values, and they enjoy learning from one another. Contributors don't present the "BuzzFlash viewpoint." Our editorials do that.] Subject: Beware of Voters' Ire I read the article, "Beware of Voters' Ire," and I thought it was great. Here is the real problem, however, as I see it. I was a blogger for CLARK 04 when Wes Clark was running for President. By the way, I supported Hackett, too, and I thought the Democratic Party was disgraceful to him, just as I thought the Democrats were disgraceful to Clark. At least Clark would have had the military guts and metal to question Ohio, and he does not scare easily by any Rovian threats or any other threats. During the time I was campaigning for Clark, a blogger kept coming in with the dampening links that showed what Diebold could do. We didn't want to pay attention. 2000 was not a fluke and 2004 was not just another fluke. Diebold, which I understand the Secretary of State of California, has certified, is not going away any time soon, and other vote fixing companies are not either. Moreover, I believe California has lost its right to paper trail. Arizona is pushing ID checks. We are not going to win anything, as Democrats, if we don't, as Marjorie Swanson indicates, stop playing "politics as usual." We are also not going to win anything if we don't keep talking at every opportunity and stating that the GOP is still planning to steal more elections. Don't let them shut you up with "sour grapes." I doubt most Bushies have even read "The Fox and The Grapes," so no wonder they don't understand what the phrase means. Are we going to let them steal another election and then just go home and forget about it? A Buzzer Subject: Media Apologies to Brownie Are Unwarranted The pre-Katrina briefing tapes exposed last week have prompted a lot of reworking in the media caricature of Michael Brown. I've heard a half-dozen talking heads declare that these tapes have effectively "rehabilitated" Brownie; freeing him from the role of Katrina scapegoat. We should not be so hasty. Here is a transcript I took from a news interview five days into the Katrina disaster:
Now, the defunding, demotion, and disarticulation of FEMA was not done on Brown's initiative, that stain belongs to the Bush White House. But statements like the one above prove that he was a clueless co-conspirator in the destruction of this once impressive agency. As suggested by Brown's comment, over the past couple of years, FEMA’s hurricane response machinery has been trimmed to the point at which it is capable only of helping wealthy gated communities through brief interludes in their solvency and providing the people there with rides to hotels or the airport. Meanwhile most of the lower or working class people in a stricken region have to struggle on by themselves until they eventually reach family or are given charity. Or die. Brown was a key party to this devolution, and should not be pardoned or offered apologies just because at one point in time he exhibited some awareness of the nature of an imminent disaster that he was incapable of dealing with. Ken Duerksen Subject: Church and State
Wonder where we can find some? Mike Curtis Subject: (forwarded) A true classic for those explaining the crimes of 9-11.... The following is a true classic and bears directly on 9-11 and should be used accordingly: Meet the Press February 19, 2006
Ehrlich: Did you believe, Ms Matalin, that after terrorists attacked on 9-11, that the Secret Service would allow Mr. Bush to sit there reading books with children when his exact location was a publicly known and a possible if not probable target of the terrorism in play that day? Does it defy common sense, as you say, Ms. Matalin, that the press would not go there post 9-11? Erlich Subject: Patriot Act vote Buzzers - I sent the following letter to my 2 senators, who voted FOR the Patriot Act extension. Everyone should do the same. The 10 senators who stood on principle should be applauded! The Democrats who voted for the extension should explain to us why. The Republicans are hopeless, but some of them are running for reelection and might pay attention to what their constituents think.
The ten who voted nay. Three cheers for Vermont! Akaka, HI; Bingaman, NM; Byrd, WV; Feingold, WI; Harkin, IA;Jeffords, VT; Leahy, VT; Levin, MI; Murray, WA; Wyden, OR Colleen Clark Subject: Pay too much and you could raise the alarm This is absolutely insane. This is really underscoring how we really ARE now a police state. How I ask is paying your credit card balance off early a sign of "terrorist activity?" Will would be terrorists pay off their bills before doing their dastardly deeds? I think not as those going on a suicide mission are not going to be concerned about a late fee on their Visa bill. This is yet another way in which the government has used the guise of terrorism to spy on ordinary Americans. It is now crystal clear we are losing our liberties in sizable chunks. If you care about the Constitution and do not want to live in East Germany or China then I suggest you get active and work to change Congress in the mid-terms. As long as Bush and his felonious associates have no check against their abuses this kind of thing is going to become commonplace. Everything you own will be subjected to warrantless search and seizure in the guise of fighting terrorism. This the founding fathers sought to avoid at all costs. The republic is not being kept, as Ben Franklin feared. Time to take it back at the ballot box before it is too late.
Dan DeLisio Subject: New Drug Program Is a Benefit For AARP (LA Times) Today's front page headline in the L.A. Times, with the article;s subtitle being, "A Medicare prescription plan's popularity yields profits, and questions, for the lobbying group." Seems that the purportedly pro-senior-citizen organization stands to make tens of millions of moola from its own Medicare prescription plan. Hmm, AARP's endorsement of this here wasteful and incomprehensible program was crucial in getting Congress to approve it. Conflict of interest here? Nonsense, says AARP spokesman, Steve Hahn, as "There are no Limos in the Garage and any money AARP makes will be plowed back into the services our members want." Members? To whom is he referring? Surely not those of us who want the best Rx available at the least price possible with the only effort required of us to obtain said Rx being whatever time and energy it takes for one to hand a Medicare card to a pharmacist. So being that this is what senior citizens want and truly need, and considering what we're stuck with instead, it sure looks like the AARP sold us out for a pot of gold. Can they make amends? Of course they can. How? By joining up with we the people, to change the world, that is. A BuzzFlash Reader Subject: What a coincidence!! There just happen to be no planes available! Dear Buzzers -- I sent a heads up on this article to BuzzFlash. I realize, of course, that they may have already seen it, but since this is Saturday afternoon, I wanted to make sure. Anyway, here it is:
Hmm. There seem to be PLENTY of planes available to fly lobbyists (for the RIGHT party -- pun intended) whenever they "need" to travel to a golf course, tropical island, wherever people in their income bracket go -- but this was a wake-up call for me. I guess NY Republicans are automatically suspect if they don't march in lock-step with the *ssh*ole-in Chief on every issue. I'm pointing this out because I've been writing (and writing, and...) under the assumption that it was mainly we progressives/liberals and, since most of us aren't members of Congress, who are being discriminated against, and who can feel the thumbscrews tightening day by day. Having (as my "faithful readers" know by now) been born and raised in NY, I'm aware that -- with certain exceptions, e.g., Rudy Giuliani, who's obviously sold his soul, if he had one in the first place, many metro NY Republicans are well to the left of GA and other states' Democrats. I've written (in vain) to my only Democratic rep, John Barrow, who replied in prose only slightly less red than his Repukelican counterparts. And his thanks, from this assministration? Having Athens, GA, being split in two, with each half -- one to the east, one to the west -- and "absorbed" by heavily Repukelican counties on each side. That really leaves us with lots of choices and chances here. (Irony intended.) The fact that, like me, when I was growing up there -- though he's probably got more information than I do -- Rep. Peter L. King has obviously seen the New York/New Jersey area ports and realizes how vulnerable they are. Face it, folks: "Homeland Security" is just another pork barrel ripe for the taking by the "loyal" Repukelicans. These people (and, no, I don't refer to Arab terrorists here; I'm talking about the ones running our current farce of a government) will clamp down on anyone they think might have more than the number of brain cells a fertilized egg has. No WONDER they're so protective of embryos/fetuses (aside from the CONTROL issue, of course): they're they only ones they can compete with in brain power! Please do take the time to read the article if you can. This is disgusting. Flying super-rich lobbyists anywhere they want to go (whether for golf, the beach, wining and dining, whatever) and denying a REPUBLICAN Congressman the right to fly because of his (JUSTIFIED!) opposition to the Dubai Port takeover of their "security" protection is pushing the envelope. But these buttheads don't only PUSH the envelope; they run it through a paper shredder. And, as some of you agree, I believe that they'll pull ANYTHING to retain their power and control. Barbara Lee (Barb) Blazyk [BuzzFlash Note: Keep in mind, the Pentagon was working with this congressional delegation on their trip, not a lobbyist. If our representatives could use more government planes, maybe the lobbyists would have less leverage over them?] Subject: 2008 I could definitely support Feingold-Clinton, Feingold-Boxer, Gore-Feingold or any combination of non-bush enablers as long as it includes Feingold. Why hasn't the DLC given this man national exposure? Lawton Watson Subject: Harkin calls for pullout, says Iraq is now 'quagmire' It was reported in the Des Moines Register that Senator Tom Harkin has called for the withdrawal of troops in Iraq. Harkin says Iraq has deteriorated into a civil war which the American troops can no longer manage. The withdrawal of American troops from Iraq is to begin immediately according to Harkin. This is good news which I hope will spread quickly and inspire others in Congress to follow Harkin's lead. Thank you for your time and attention. Bill K. Subject: Ellie Remore (3/2/06 Mailbag, How Can You Be Too Shrill?) God I wish I could write like you - thank you for your words Ellie Remore - I am 70 years old, mostly blind, an ex-physics teacher - I have seen this s**t before but never quite as bad - we are in the clutches of the bush (rove) machine - can we ever get away?? not sure - hope I can live to see it - Sincerely, Lawrence Dean Subject: Kakistocracy Happened to see this unfamiliar word in the American Heritage Dictionary while looking up something else. It means: "Government by the least qualified or most unprincipled citizens." Well, now, didn't those ancient Greeks come up with some useful terms? From kakistos=worst!! Isn't it about time to bring this word to the forefront? What could be more appropriate to describe our current misgovernment? Sure, "Worst President Ever" signs appear regularly; but what can we say for virtually the whole system of our federal government now, which, thanks to rampant gerrymandering and the Electoral College, appears to be hopelessly FUBAR? If we need a term, here it is. The sound of it even suggests the deeply excremental situation we are in! David Harrington Subject: Picture of bush leering at Condi on Hardball Dear BuzzFlash: Friday, March 3, my husband turned "Hardball" on and Chris Matthews had a picture of Condi Rice all dressed up at some dinner, or whatever it was, and to the left stood Bush. Now, this is the truth: Bush was leering at her, not looking with pride at a friend, but leering. I walked into the room, saw the picture and practically screamed: he is leering at her!!! My husband said that Chris Matthews said the same thing. Someone else on the program said that Bush was just "proud" of her. That they were friends, she spends week-ends at the ranch, etc. Honest to gawd, he was leering, or should I say in the words of President Jimmy Carter, "Lusting in my heart." I looked in vain for the picture on the Internet. If I find it, I will send it to you. Hopefully, someone out there in BuzzLand saw the picture, too. Dolores M. Dryden Subject: Whose message is BuzzFlash sending? Dear BuzzFlash: "It's way past time for Dems to take charge?" Why should they when the new message from the net-roots is "or else...!" Or else what? We'll quit and join the Nader mini-mes? Maybe it's way past time for *ALL* Americans to stand up, or way past time for REPUBLICANS to take charge of THEIR OWN PARTY, but if your new message is daily Dem-bashing my guess is you'll soon have about as many readers as Nader had voters. If we're giving up, is there a reason to read BuzzFlash anymore? You can start a new party *on your own.* Maybe you should act more like JOHN EDWARDS or MARK WARNER and look for ways to REBUILD the Dem party instead of tear it down in such a knee-jerk, boring, long-standing, predictable and USELESS manner. Have you lasted this long only to become Rovian tools? Did Rove get something on you that you don't want the wife and baby to know? This isn't about being "shrill" vs. "civil" ---- it's about being stupid instead of smart. And recognizing tough love as opposed to mindless flattery FROM ROVIAN MOLES. LONG-TIME FAN, Robyn Miller The Diebold 'voting' machines need to be destroyed, since they are GOP
machinery. CLICK HERE FOR PART 2 OF THE MARCH 6, 2006 BUZZFLASH MAILBAG
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