April 15, 2002

Important Note: Because we can't always determine your intentions, we need to ask a favor of you when you send us email. If you DO NOT want your email published in the Mailbag or in the Contributors section, please write "CONFIDENTIAL" in the Subject line or at the top of your email. That way we'll know it's just a comment to BuzzFlash. Thank you.

The BuzzFlash Mailbag is updated on an ongoing basis, with the newest material and comments on top. Again, we can only post a small percentage of what is sent to us. The opinions expressed in the Mailbag are not necessarily those of BuzzFlash. Thanks again for your email and your patience.

Last week, I received the following four Teamster press releases all on the same day. The first question that comes to mind is why are Gale Norton and Spence Abraham spending so much time rallying teamsters in favor of drilling in ANWR. As a taxpayer, I would hope they have something more productive to do than travel around campaigning for partisan/corporate causes on my dime.

The second thing that comes to mind is how promptly Bu$h inc. pays off their political debts.

4/2/2002 - Delaware Teamsters Join Interior Secretary in Support of Senate Energy Legislation
http://www.teamster.org/02news/nr_020403_4.htm

4/2/2002 - Albany Teamsters Join Interior Secretary in Support of Senate Energy Legislation
http://www.teamster.org/02news/nr_020403_2.htm

4/2/2002 - Dallas Teamsters Rally for Responsible Energy Policy
http://www.teamster.org/02news/nr_020402_1.htm

4/2/2002 - Hoffa Named to White House Panel Addressing Workforce Issues
http://www.teamster.org/02news/nr_020403_1.htm

Dave Collins

Dear BuzzFlash,

I love reading your website daily. Today's headline about Venezuela piqued my interest because I read an interview with Greg Palast about problems he has seen with the IMF, WorldBank and some Globalization policies. In this interview, which was primarily about Argentina, Mr. Palast predicted the fall of Hugo Chavez. Here is the quote:

'What they said was here you've got an elected president of the government and the IMF has announced, listen to this, that they would support a transition government if the president were removed. They are not saying that they are going to get involved in politics - they would just support a transition government. What that effectively is is saying we will pay for the coup d'etat, if the military overthrows the current president, because the current president of Venezuela has said no to the IMF. He told those guys to go packing. They brought their teams in and said you have to do this and that. And he said, I don't have to do nothing. He said what I'm going to do is, I'm going to double the taxes on oil corporations because we have a whole lot of oil in Venezuela. And I'm going to double the taxes on oil corporations and then I will have all the money I need for social programs and the government - and we will be a very rich nation. Well, as soon as they did that, they started fomenting trouble with the military and I'm telling you watch this space: the President of Venezuela will be out of office in three months or shot dead. They are not going to allow him to raise taxes on the oil companies.'

I can't believe that Mr. Palast can't get his own show here in the US.

A BuzzFlash Reader

Dear Buzz,

please begin watching taiwan-gate closely as this one poses great danger....as you know, three high level Bush appointees have taken oodles of cash from a slush fund operated by the former president of taiwan. what Taiwan wants most is arms....yesterday (4/11) the Washington Times had article quoting Wolfowitz saying the Bush administration will do "...whatever it takes..." to defend Taiwan from China. they have already allowed Taiwan to buy new missiles, aircraft and helicopters. They ended Clinton era restrictions allowing Taiwan to buy arms only once a year....next month a delegation of US defense officials will visit the island to discuss building submarines for them. the usual boys, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman, etc. Wolfie's remarks reveal a clear departure from Clinton approach which favored closer ties with mainland. The paper got this info through Freedom of Information Act (which bush is trying to shut down, of course). And let's remember China is already very upset at recent disclosure of Bush plans revealing his Pentagon is prepared to use nukes in a conflict over Taiwan. if that happens, we can all kiss our butts goodbye. every one of us.

The question is: are these people insane?

Steve Warren:
San Marcos TX

Dear BuzzFlash,

Re: RNC PREPARES PARTY FAITHFUL FOR DROP IN BUSH'S POLL NUMBERS

Sorry, but I disagree. Bush/Cheney and company will create a crisis which will push their numbers up. Anyone who could subvert American democracy the way they did, starting with the 12th amendment is corrupt and will STOP AT NOTHING to retain power. Talking with the people who need to switch their vote to the Democrats to bring us into the majority, shows me they have little understanding of the constitution and the fact that they have an unelected executive in the White House.

The most effective analogy that brings these kind of people up short is that the US Supreme Court is kicking people out of public housing when their children get into trouble with drugs, yet, when Bush's daughter(s) were in trouble, he did not get kicked out of public housing - the White House. We need more simple examples like this.

Karen/WI

Dear Buzz,

This "suicide" of Cliff Baxter stinks worse than Houston's polluted air on a humid summer day. His letter isn't helping clear anything up.

http://images.chron.com/content/news/photos/02/04/11/letter/letter2.jpg

Why would Baxter's family fight the release of the letter, when there is not one detail in the note that reveals what was going on with him or his family?

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/topstory/1363056

The circumstances surrounding his death are simply bizarre: 2:00 AM in a turn lane, in his car not far from his house, a short letter written all in capital letters to his wife left in her car, after he'd told friends he might need a body guard. Oh, and he was going to testify before Congress about his cronies at Enron.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/04/11/national/main505920.shtml

Maybe it's just what they say it is; maybe Baxter had a conscience that he couldn't live with. But when you're talking about ruthless, powerful, ultra-rich men facing potential jail time or loss of their ill-gotten fortunes....

Well, it makes one wonder doesn't it?

Mike Kress
Everett, WA

Hi Buzz,

I'm flying from Seattle to DC for the April 20th march against the "War On Terra." I hope everyone on the East Coast who opposes the endless, undefined, permanent war can make it. There are also rallies planned in numerous other cities across America. Let's show the corporate media and the power elite that Bush's poll numbers are bulls**t!

Here's the website for the event....

http://www.a20stopthewar.org

Mike
Everett, WA

Dear BuzzFlash,

Frank Rich of the New York times says it all. Maybe he should run for the Democratic
nomination since he's got more balls than the candidates have so far.

Cynthia Putt
Cloverdale, OR

The Bush Doctrine, R.I.P.
By FRANK RICH
April 13, 2002
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/13/opinion/13RICH.html

Dear BuzzFlash,

Major kudos to Rep. Stephen Horn and all of his co-sponsors!! This bill ought to pass both the house and the senate with NONE ZERO dissenting votes in record time. Any senator or representative that dared to vote against this bill should be UN-elected at the very earliest opportunity. And just let the current occupant of the White House veto that! Surely a move that stupid (although not unimaginable) would be overridden with no dissent as well. This administration has been one huge lie from even before the get go. Not a soul in it exhibits any behavior to indicate that their intent is to "restore honor, ethics or dignity to the Executive Branch". Not that it really needed it before their arrival. Bill Clinton's administration puts them to shame and they've only just started. (Don't it seem like forever though? Who could have imagined so much damage could be done to the foundations of our democracy in so short a time?) The release of all the Reagan/Bush papers would probably jeopardize the jobs, not to mention the freedom, of half of Bush Jr.'s appointments. The rest were already pardoned by Poppy. I urge all BuzzFlash readers to advise both their senators and representatives that they think this bill should be considered immediately and that a yes vote is absolutely vital to retain the trust of the people they represent.

Michael Murray

Dear Buzz,

RE: RNC PREPARES PARTY FAITHFUL FOR DROP IN BUSH'S POLL NUMBERS

The scariest thing about this email is the line "will continue to fall absent some unforeseen dominating event." How "unforeseen" do you think that event is? Perhaps an invasion of Iraq, maybe? Announcing a big capture just prior to the election, even though the guy's been locked in a shipping container in Kabul for 2 months? What do you think?

John Burns

Dear BuzzFlash,

Subj: The precipitation of WWIII....

The "Doomsday" Clock has been advanced twice in Bunnypant's first year in office...

Is World War III just around the corner? Here's a scenario...

The middle east turns into a regional conflagration.

Flow of oil is cut off to the west.

The Arab world allies with China and Russia.

China and Russia become allies (already are).

China invades Taiwan.

All hell breaks loose.

Bunnypants is playing Nintendo in Texas.

...as with all major wars, including WWI and WWII, there comes a point of no return...hard to say if we are past that...if the middle east becomes inflamed, as it appears it is (Saudi's set aside $50 million today for families of suicide bombers), the above scenario just might unfold...

A BuzzFlash Reader

Dear Buzz:

Today I read an article in the Houston Chronicle entitled "Ex-Enron exec fired gun." www.chron.com/Cs/CDA/story.hts/business/1364998

Here is the letter I wrote them concerning their unsupported conclusion:

To the Editor:

The fact that primer residue was found on Baxter's hands proves only one thing: that primer residue was on his hands. It does not prove that he fired the gun.

Has it not occurred to your reporter Eric Hanson or your editors that in a professional hit, in which the murder is being made to look like a suicide, the killer might be just a little familiar with forensic evidence? Couldn't a bit of the barium, antimony and lead residue from bullet casing primer easily be rubbed onto the victim's hands to make the "suicide" more convincing?

Given the generic, block printed, unsigned suicide note and the powerful motive for killing Baxter (to keep him from spilling the beans on the top executives at Enron), I am shocked that your newspaper and the local police are not more suspicious than you appear to be. I am left wondering why.

You should demand the full police and autopsy reports and run a full account of what those findings were. What about the cut on Baxter's hand? A sign of struggle? Was the gun his? Or did it just show up? Why would anyone use a round of lead shot to kill themselves? Why was there blood outside his car? Why were we being told the letter was not being released "because it contains very personal information" when clearly it does not? How about publishing a sample of Baxter's writing next to the suicide note? Did he always use block capitals? How about asking a few forensic experts about the possibility of faking such a suicide? How easy is it?

It's time your paper started to do its job and investigate this man's death.

A reader in Los Angeles

Dear BuzzFlash,

Judging by the following quote in the Washington Post Article, the republicans must be running scared. If you'll notice, the Carlyle Group spokesman used the same analogy, "grassy knoll" that Ari Fleischer used at his press briefing when asked about Rep. McKinney. That tells me that they've already circulated that as a talking point. Anytime people get anywhere near the truth, the republicans immediately brand them as a nutcase. Of course, the scared bunny democrats predictably run away from her as fast as possible. I say, BRAVO to her for at least being brave enough to ask questions. I want to know, too!

The quote:

"Carlyle Group spokesman Chris Ullman asked: 'Did she say these things while standing on a grassy knoll in Roswell, New Mexico?'"

Maria
San Rafael, CA

MR. AILES,

I HAVE READ SOME OF THE LETTERS YOU HAVE WRITTEN TO PEOPLE, WHO WROTE THAT THEY LIKED THE NEW CNN SHOW. YOUR LETTERS SURE DID NOT SOUND LIKE THEY WERE FROM A PROFESSIONAL MAN.

I, TOO, AM SO HAPPY TO FINALLY HAVE SOME TRUTH COME OUT ON TV. I ACTUALLY
WAS PRETTY REPUBLICAN..TILL I SAW HOW THEY TRIED TO RUIN CLINTON..IT TURNED
ME AGAINST THEM. ALSO, BOB NOVAK WOULD MAKE ANYONE TAKE THE OPPOSITE VIEW! OF COURSE, WE HAVE O'REILLY AND RUSH LIMBAUGH. WHEN I HEARD ALL THE TWISTING AND SPINNING THEY DID...IT MADE ME ILL.

SO CONTINUE ON WITH YOUR SHOWS. I NOW WATCH CNN AND GET MY NEWS FROM THE
NET. ALSO, I HAVE FOUR MARRIED CHILDREN WHO I SEND INFORMATION TO ALL THE TIME. THEY DON'T HAVE TIME TO SURF..BUT THEY DO HAVE TIME TO READ. THEY HAVE CERTAINLY BEEN MADE AWARE THAT FOX IS NOT "FAIR AND BALANCED" AND WILL NOT
WATCH EITHER BECAUSE WE HAVE POINTED OUT THE "SPINNING" TO THEM.

SINCERELY,
M. J. WINTER
OAK FOREST, ILLINOIS

Dear BuzzFlash:

I was astounded when I watched a so-called report yesterday about Rep. Cynthia McKinney and her allegations of the Bush administration knowing ahead of 9/11 attacks. During the segment about her charges, a factoid box opened up on the side stating that McKinney's father was accused of being anti-Semitic. What this tidbit had to do with the story, even if true, is not relevant. It appears to be included only to discredit Rep. McKinney. CNN is moving to the right to fight back Fox for cable news dominance. The
right wing and the media, now almost one entity, would scream unfair if Dubya were to announce a campaign to combat college binge drinking and then had a factoid box during the report describing his twin daughters' run-ins with the law over underage drinking. We need George Soros or some other wealthy left leaning wealthy activist like Barbra Streisand to fund a balanced, progressive cable news network.

See: Bush is media darling among cable networks
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A41112-2002Apr12.html
See: Rep. Cynthia McKinney charges 9/11 knowledge of attacks by administration
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A34565-2002Apr11.html

Jon Porieir, San Diego

Dear Buzz,

RE: Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes offers his views on the new Crossfire (CNN):

* "Its set up to have the left win every night by beating up the old man and the kid twit".

* "We are fair and balanced but if you enjoy watching two hired spinners who get paid to lie for a living beat up an old man and a lttle boy ... then enjoy yourself".

A RESPONSE:

What would you call a network where a bilious RIGHT WING spinner (the one who comes on straight after Rush on WABC) beats up on a second rater handpicked to be his Liberal punching bag?

Would you call it "fair and balanced"?

What would you call a network where obnoxious anchors hide behind falsehood slogans (like the "No-spin Zone") while beating up on easy Liberal targets like Al Sharpton, Hillary Clinton and Rosie O'Donnell?

Would you call it "fair and balanced"?

What would you call a network where token moderates (they're NOT Liberals, but you knew that when you hired them) either:

(1) sell out to cheap tabloid populism by "wearing a gun in Afghanistan" (I'm told Osama peed his pants over that one);

(2) allow themselves to be stood over by a neanderthal with one eyebrow (Sean it's true. Ask the missus if you don't believe me) or ...

(3) remain bound - and thereby neutered - by standards of objectivity which most at Fox haven't heard of, let alone rejected (well done Greta, but you're still working for the Dark Side).

Would you call that network "fair and balanced"? Silly question really, as you ALREADY DO. In believing this absurdity, most Fox employees and dittohead viewers suffer from an osmosis so bizarre, so deluded, so subtle yet so powerful that it can only be compared to ... well ... THE MYTH OF THE LIBERAL MEDIA.

But of course you suffer from no such delusions, do you Roger? You know EXACTLY what you're doing ...

All the best,

Andrew Gardiner

Dear BuzzFlash,

Letter to Roger Ailes in re. attacks on people watching Crossfire. We need a Nationwide BuzzFlash, both on radio and TV. Something starting out small, say like 24 7 on all but FOX. Even I am not cold hearted enough to take all the Rights Playtoys..Let THEM, get over it...

Mr. Ailes, Fox News?

I am not really into the format that Crossfire is using to get the word across to the True Believers of the Truth, but I do agree they are beating up on the Old Man and the Kid Twit of which you really do have a Majority of. We have not forgotten and We will not get over it as you are undoubtedly fearing. As for boycotting whoever sponsors you, well, I would have to watch your show to see who they might be and I wouldn't waste my time even for that. What you are finding on Crossfire is people that can be as rude as you are, but with style, and can outtalk you, in style. With one big difference, they do have their facts right. Sooo, get over it! For sure these are not the people hiding somewhere in Texas or some unnamed bunker or some chartered plane or some schoolroom with a bunch of little kiddies. no, these are the people that have their eyes open wide enough to see how this country has been literally turned upside down and raped by the far right. The same bunch that wants to place a label on anyone who wants to exercise their right to disagree with what is happening. sir..I really do not know who you are..But, you can rest assured, I do know what you are..

Robert D. Daily
W. Frankfort, Illinois Democrat

Dear Buzz,

Re: FOX'S ROGER AILES TELLS BUZZFLASH READERS WHAT HE THINKS OF CROSSFIRE

I don't know why decent people bother to write to this jackass when the only type of response he can think of is ''yeah, well you play with yourself in front of a computer" so there! He reminds me of an ultraconservative I used to work with, he knows what he knows, and even when proven wrong, he still knows what he knows.

We know some things too. We know "Fair and Balanced, as Always" is a joke. We know wingnuts across America had no problem when "the old guy and the little boy" on Crossfire were beating up on wishy washy Democrats. We know they have a serious problem with the revamped Crossfire.

I know that for the longest time, we didn't get Fox News in our area, and I remember last year when it finally slimed its way into our area, the few wingnuts at work were overjoyed that finally, their wingnut wish had been granted. Nobody else at work cared, but these two acted like it was the Second Coming.

Stop writing to Roger the Dodger. He will never give you a straight answer, he will dodge and weave around the questions, much like his masters occupying the White House dodge and weave around questions. Plus he enjoys insulting you. If you feel the need to complain, or wonder when Faux will become Fair and Balanced, write to your local paper. Many more people will see it, as opposed to one jerk-off with a Blackberry Wireless Handheld.

Actions speak louder than words. Don't tell Roger you are going to boycott Fox sponsors. Tell Fox sponsors you are boycotting them and why. Post a list of sponsors and pass them on to friends and family. Once you have a list of sponsors, STOP WATCHING THE TRASH. You'll feel better. And never forget, these are the idiots who tried to ruin Hockey as we know it, with cartoon robot monsters, blue comet streaking pucks, combined with bad announcers and Sesame Street instructions on understanding the game.

~Antonia

Dear BuzzFlash,

Re: Roger Ailes

This guy is so lame and caught up in big business he can't even send a simple e-mail without giving some business the glad hand advertisement. Just how lame is that? The far right is dying on the vine, they know and can't do a damn thing about it.

Ed Fisk
Oklahoma, which is about to rid itself of a big cancer in Frank Keating, thank the Stars above..

Buzz,

Now lets see if I have this straight....These two old BULLS, Sharon and Arafat, hate each other with an all out passion, and neither will give in...BUT these OLD GEEZERS will allow their children to die in their wake? HMMMMMMMM....isnt it clear what SHOULD be done???? These TWO OLD GOATS should be put out in a pasture somewhere and each given a cannon, to aim at each other, and both be forced to shoot .....I think possibly all of the
other killings would stop immediately.....It surely isn't the citizens who want all this killing...do you think? HMMMMMMMM just wondering

Isn't war what OLD MEN start,and send their YOUNG MEN to fight?

Genie

Roger-

Subj: Biased?

OK, if you really are worried about a "little boy and an old man" being beat up" by the left on the new Crossfire, why don't you run a similar show on your own network and have two heavy weights from both sides?

My guess is that you are afraid because your own right-wing commentators like O'Reilly are too wimpy to face guys like James Carville and Paul Begala.

Just as I'm sure you lack the integrity to even answer my email. You would rather beat up on polite ladies like Rose M. Gregory of Nashville, TN.

In case you do have some backbone, you can call me directly. I'll be glad to take on you and O'Reilly by myself. Let's see how well your "ideas" hold up when faced directly with the truth.

-Joe Otterbein
Shrewsbury, PA

Dear BuzzFlash,

Venezuelans have more insight into democracy and political and personal courage than do Americans. We watched the Bush coup on TV then changed channels to watch the football game.

H. M. Boruck
Bend, OR

Dear Buzz,

In my haste at reading Ailes' comments, I thought in his response "....[counterpoint] its set up to have the left win every night by beating up the old man and the kid twit."

He was referring the Cheney & Shrub.

Keep up the good work
Roy Streit,
Rio Rancho, NM

Dear BuzzFlash,

The Venezuelan people have more guts than their American counterparts!

In a message dated 4/14/02 9:20:13 AM, BuzzFlash writes:

<< Unshaved and with red-rimmed eyes, Ramirez said he had hidden in friend's homes after Chavez's arrest on Friday. Asked about the turnaround, Ramirez said: "It's marvelous because the Venezuelan people responded to this illegal coup attempt.">>

A BuzzFlash Reader

Dear BuzzFlash -

Did anyone else notice that today's NYT article about Gore's talk to the Florida Democratic Party neglected to include even the tiniest hint about what Gore said? There was much inside dope about byzantine political scheming and a nice large picture of John Edwards (who was only mentioned in passing) but nothing about what Gore had to say! Is everything to do with Gore ipso facto "irrelevant," as Berke infamously referred to the recount results?

Edward Strauss
Naples, FL

Dear BuzzFlash,

If you scroll down to the fourth paragraph in this article, entitled "Who Can Claim It," it shows that the tax "rebate" was no "rebate" at all, but rather an "advance." That's what we were trying to tell all these taxpayers who fell for Bush's marketing. The only thing we got to do is finance his advertising where he printed little commercials about the "rebate" we would soon be getting. I wonder how much that cost the taxpayers. To make matters worse, I know someone who was on unemployment and diligently looking for work, and with one of her $163 weekly checks last summer, she was horrified to see that the Bush administration had sent an advertisement with an insulting picture of a few extra dollars that she would get in her unemployment check because of him. I think she got $1 more. I wonder how much that advertisement cost.

You can read this story on Bankrate.com at
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/itax/news/20020125a.asp

A BuzzFlash Reader

Dear Buzz,

This weekend's online New York Times magazine section includes an interview with Phil Donahue, who says he might vote for Bush in 2004 depending on who opposes him and what happens in the next two years. Anyone who would even consider voting for Bush after what he's done to this country in just the short time he's been in office is neither a liberal nor a progressive----he's a closet Republican! Needless to say, I won't be watching Donahue's new program.

On the news Saturday, I heard that Republican NYC Mayor Bloomberg wants to cut the number of fire stations in NYC. Obviously, he doesn't believe the Bush administration's warnings about more terrorism to come or he'd find some less crucial place to cut the budget.

R. M. Johnson

BUZZ:

YOU SAY GORE COULD'VE WON BY 2 MILLION VOTES IF HE HAD CAMPAIGNED BETTER.
IT DIDN'T MATTER. HE WON, BUSH CHEATED!

GORE SHOULD BE PRESIDENT, BUSH SHOULD HAVE A DUNCE CAP ON!

BRIAN
MT.SINAI, NY

BuzzFlash,

Subj: Cynthia McKinney

I am a reader and soon to be a subscriber (I just got employed after a long unemployment stretch). I have been reading the articles on Congresswoman McKinney. She really struck a nerve with republicans.

It's amazing how 'in the dark' American congresspeople are considering international news sources have pointed to this possibility. Even CNN did that interview with Richard Butler about Bush Administration negotiations with the Taliban and an oil pipeline.

http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0201/08/ltm.05.html

It seems to me very likely they knew something was happening but the magnitude of it shocked them. I want to do something that enables people to write to their reps to do
an investigation - a web page to make it easy for people to read the allegations. Because a thorough investigation is a good thing.

A BuzzFlash Reader

Dear Buzz,

Please don't tell me that you too will go soft on the legitimate progressive movement in America by putting any stock whatsoever in Al Gore. Yes, he did win the election, I obviously agree with that, but what would that have really meant to us? Gore is pro drug war, pro NAFTA, pro WTO/IMF, pro globalization, pro death penalty, and just as corrupt as the rest.

Do you think the Clinton-Gore administration waged war in the Balkans for any other reason than that which I paraphrase by their Energy Secretary, to get the geopolitical map right for the pipeline which our current administration is warring in Central Asia. What war has the US been in involved in since Vietnam that wasn't about oil? You think the Clinton administration gave all that money to fight in Colombia to "stop drugs" or perhaps it's the same reason we're failing to overthrow Venezuela. Gore and Clinton may not be oily like Bush and Cheney, but they are no less dominated by global corporations. The corporate government has got to go. All of them.

Don't get me wrong, the "Bush Team" belongs in federal prisons as opposed to federal office, but Al Gore is not the solution. Al Gore lost an election because of clear cut fraud and only fought it as far as the pollsters told him to, rather than taking an opportunity to be a legitimate American hero by not backing down from a corrupt Supreme Court. No, Greg Palast and Michael Moore get to carry the torch while the man himself no longer cared.

Now all of a sudden Al Gore is back and fighting mad, whoo hoo. While he may have "led the pack," and "come out swinging" at the convention in Orlando last night, he did it in front of a mere 2,500 people. Meanwhile, 70 miles west in Tampa, Michael Moore, Ralph Nader, et al drew approximately 6,000 people.

I have considered BuzzFlash a legitimate source of news in this era of overt media complicity in the crimes of the powerful, so please, if you are going to feature several articles about Al Gore and the other half of the single corporate party which has a stranglehold on our democracy, how about a little equal time, or at least a mention of a political rally in the same state that drew twice the number of people?

Sincerely,
Jayson Kaplan
Tampa, FL

Dear Buzz,

It is great to read that Al Gore is back with vigor. It is about time we respond to those that say Bush makes a better "wartime" president than Gore. If Gore were president (in my book he actually is), there may never have been a war. Unlike Bush, Gore would not have completely ignored the Hart-Ruddman report on terrorism when it was submitted in Feb 2001. More importantly, if Gore were president, we would not be squandering the Social
Security trust fund on tax cuts for the super-rich. We would not be angering the rest of the world by pulling out of international treaties. If Gore were president, greedy corporate oligarchs would not be preparing to rape our country's public lands and rob our natural resources. If Gore were president, the stock market and the economy would soar because Americans would be more confident about a positive future, rather than facing four years of war and recession, and a lifetime of pollution, inadequate healthcare and dwindling retirements. So it was with eagerness that I read the CNN article: "Gore comes out swinging at GOP". That is, until I read a single phrase that really pissed me off. The following is a letter I wrote to CNN regarding this article.

Dear editors:

In an 'Inside Politics' article entitled: "Gore comes out swinging at GOP", you make the following statement:

"Bush's victory over Gore in 2000 hinged on the 537-vote margin from a recount in the state where his younger brother, Jeb, is governor."

You are correct that Jeb is W's younger brother, and that he is governor of Florida. Otherwise, this sentence is an outright fabrication. There was NO recount in Florida. In fact, a great number of ballots were never counted even once. Nevertheless, you may recall the attempted recount (that was required by Florida law and ordered by the Florida Supreme Court), was obstructed by a mob action which was incited, orchestrated and paid for by the GOP leadership. Ultimately, democracy was completely halted in its tracks by an entirely partisan (and unconstitutional) action of the US Supreme Court.

Why are you trying to propagate the myth that George Bush actually won a fair election? The majority of voters in this country say that is not true. I suspect the rest know it also, but just aren't saying so. In fact, many stories which have appeared on more unbiased news sources, indicate that there was a concerted and organized effort to subvert the democratic process. Thousands of black voters were illegally removed from voter lists. Hundreds of invalid absentee ballots were accepted in republican counties (even those mailed after the election). The secretary of state of FL and other public officials allowed GOP operatives to turn their government offices (including computers) into partisan war rooms. Republican county officials disabled error checking features on counting equipment in Democratic precincts. Thousands of legitimate votes were rejected based on the whims of local officials, rather than established rules. The voting and counting equipment used in 18 (mostly Democratic) Florida counties was old, archaic and proven to be prone to error and fraud by a 1988 government study. (Incidentally, that equipment was manufactured and programmed by a company with close ties to the Texas republican party). And finally, there were the infamous butterfly ballots.

Yet somehow, you choose to completely ignore the sordid circumstances surrounding Bush's alleged victory. You blithely state that Bush won the election based on a recount, even though that recount never actually occurred. The 537 vote margin was an arbitrary number made up by the highly partisan and completely unethical Katherine Harris, and had little or nothing to do with the actual will of the people. The GOP keeps telling the American people that it is time to "move on". However, in the parlance of the right-wing, "moving on" always seems to involve covering up misdeeds, ignoring the truth and rewriting history. Like the state-run press of Josef Stalin, the corporate-owned media in America seem perfectly happy to oblige the revisionists.

Dave Collins

Dear BuzzFlash,

So, Da' Buzz has finally popped up on the bent and broken radar of the op/ed page of Lil' Dickie Scaife's daily birdcage liner and puppy trainer. My, my, my! You have arrived!

Before you get too full of yourselves, please remember the words of Mohandas K. Ghandi: "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win".

Looks like they are forcing themselves to laugh. Wonder what their Nitrous Oxide bill costs per month? ;')

Skal Loret

Dear Buzz,

I have much to be humble for. However, for once, I can take credit (whether deserved or not) for inspiring Al Gore. Several weeks ago, in a non-ho testimony to Media Whores Online I cited William Butler Yeats' poem "Second Coming" and in particular the lines that Al Gore quoted as the message that liberals had better learn and get past. The Repugs "the
worst" are full of passionate intensity and Liberals "the best" lack all conviction. Wow. I inspired Al Gore. Good on me.

Chaz Varani
Eugene, Oregon

Dear BuzzFlash,

Oh, my, Mr. Ailes. You should definitely find smarter interns to answer your e-mail from BuzzFlash readers. The responses paint you as--good grief--an idiot. As an editor, could I help you? Sure. But I won't, since I'm anti-right-wing and, ergo, anti-foxnews.

On the other hand, how fun it would be if you're actually writing the responses personally. In that case, we'll all know that you're not just being painted as an idiot by underlings. We'll know that you fit the bill.

~georgene gallo

Dear Buzz:

I just read your link to Roll Call about how the Senate Democrats are finally tiring of being called "obstructionists" by the whining right wing radicals. And guess what? They are girding to go the defensive!!! Oh my God look out.

I always thought that when you wanted to win a battle (or even a game of chess) you had to go on the offensive, go on the attack, get the other guy on the run. But the Democrats apparently don't understand this basic concept. They are sitting around talking about going from not fighting at all to going on the DEFENSIVE.

If they had even a bit of fight in them they might realize that they could turn the obstructionist label right around and yell "Darn right! We're obstructionists!! We're obstructing your attempts to make the very richest Americans even richer. We're obstructing your attempts to pack the courts with radical right judges. We're obstructing your attempts to destroy Social Security, and countless other government programs that actually help citizens lead better and more productive lives."

But alas . . .

RA in LA

Dear BuzzFlash,

How is it possible that a man who could not seemingly watch a football game, sit upright and chew one of the world's simplest snack foods simultaneously without inflicting bodily harm upon himself, is able to jet around the country to make (at last count, IIRC) not
less than six campaign-boosting stops (and cleverly writing them off to We The Taxpayers by the mere mention of "gubmint bidness"), conduct a War on Terra and try to broker a peace agreement in the Middle East, all the while taking yet another ranch vacation?

Oh, sorry; lost my head there for a minute. I was thinking logically. Silly woman.

Patricia S.
Las Vegas, NV

[BuzzFlash Note: According to the AP today, "For his 16th fund-raiser of the year, Bush was heading to Cedar Rapids, Iowa."]

Dear Buzz,

The following is an e-mail that I sent to my congressman in response to your posting of http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48813-2002Apr14.html. With your help, we can be a more informed public and take the appropriate actions to hold these people accountable for their dreadful decisions.

Thanks for all that you do.

Bridget Gibson

**************
Sam,

It has come to my attention that legislation will be introduced to attempt to make George Bush's fiscally irresponsible tax cuts permanent. It is imperative that you use common sense and take a stand and vote against such a profligate maneuver to destroy the economic stability of our country.

I am including in this e-mail a link and excerpts from a May 2001 article that should show you that Mr. Bush is aware that budgets drive policy and with the most casual observation of the facts, you will see from the second excerpt, that such policy has taken our country into financially dangerous territory:

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/01_21/b3733099.htm

says White House Chief of Staff Andrew H. Card Jr. "It was an important pick. The President knows as an ex-governor that the budget drives policy. "

and

RED INK. Fortunately for the Blade, he comes to this task with something his predecessors didn't have - money. While most recent budget chiefs had to agonize over buckets of red ink, Daniels shows up for work every day knowing the projected 10 year surplus is $3 trillion. If the current economic slump proves but a bump in the gold paved road of higher productivity, Bush's economists reckon there will be enough dough to pay for tax cuts, keep programs growing above the rate of inflation, and still have $840 billion left over for emergencies. "The [new] budget is conservatively assembled," Daniels insists.

As you can see from the current status of our Treasury, we no longer have the assurance of a continued healthy economy. What we have Sam, is a faltering economic outlook, an "empty cupboard" and a swelling military budget.

Make the right choice, Sam. I will be watching you to see that you vote NO on this proposed initiative.

Sincerely,

Bridget Gibson

Hi--

Just an observation--one that will not come as a surprise to you or any BuzzFlash readers:

While each BuzzFlash readers' comments are articulate and well-thought out, ailes comments are (shock of all shocks) nasty, misspelled in many cases, and ignorant. As all on the right do when confronted with the truth, he resorts to name-calling and vitriol. Note, too, that despite the fact that ailes has responded to three women, he in no way curbs the nastiness.

Nothing the right does in any way changes my mind about them one bit. They operate on hate and fear--and what they hate and fear most, apparently, is the truth. Combine the truth with intelligent, strong woman (aside from the females who wrote to ailes, Hillary comes to mind), and they totally lose all control.

Long live democracy, free speech, and Liberals!

Liz Taylor
Houston

Dear BuzzFlash,

Regarding the NY Times editorial to which you linked "Unleashing the Loyal Opposition" . . .

While overall the tone of this piece is dead-on about what should have been obvious (and was to many of us) since December 12, 2000 (at least), I have to wonder about -- and take great issue with -- the following line, almost innocuous in nature, yet quite telling about the "liberal media" (sic):

"But [Bush's] impressive performance after Sept. 11 left him enormously popular with voters of all political persuasions."

I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why the so-called "media" cannot seem to separate the feeling of patriotism that swept the nation post-9/11 from the "impressive performance" of a certifiable moron.

There WAS NO "impressive performance". Need I remind everyone that he was on vacation THE ENTIRE MONTH preceding 9/11 (where on Earth can you take a one-month vacation after having been on a job only six months?). On 9/11, he waited THIRTY MINUTES to speak to the nation, knowing full well what had happened.

He flew halfway around the country like a scared rabbit, and then lied about why. It took him two days to actually speak formally to the nation. When he FINALLY (close to a week later) went to NYC to see the WTC site, he STOOD ON TOP OF THE RUBBLE (yes, on top
of the remains of probably 3000 dead New Yorkers) in order to garner yet another photo op; to coin yet another clever quip; to ONCE AGAIN prop himself up (this time, literally).

And yet not one so-called "journalist" has called him on any of this, or anything else, for that matter. With painfully few exceptions (that can be counted on one hand, with fingers left over), every damn "journalist" has regurgitated the GOP blastfax verbatim. Can't let little things like "facts" get in the way of a good, prop-up-the-idiot-so-he'll-appear-legitimate story.

When those "poll questions" are asked, they don't SEPARATE the "job" (sic) that Bush is doing from the way people felt after 9/11. Those so-called "stratospheric poll numbers" are nothing more than Karl Rove(r)ian spin.

*I* can see that; *you* can see that. So why can't the people whose jobs it is to see that actually see that?

At what point will we take back our country from the lying, cheating, thieving, arrogant, power-hungry elite that has taken over? And, more importantly, why are we, and our foreign press friends, the only ones who see this administration for what it really is --
lying, cheating, thieving, arrogant, power-hungry elite?

Patricia S.
Las Vegas, NV

Dear Buzz,

Are the letters you post from Roger Ailes legit? They're great! I especially love the line about how "spinners" undermine the credibility of the news. What the Hell is Roger Ailes? He's never been anything but a "spinner!" Sounds like more of that conservative self-loathing projected onto liberals to me.

Joe Comstock
Austin, TX