August 26, 2002

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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 the not necessarily those of BuzzFlash. Thanks again for your email and your patience.

Dear BuzzFlash,

Bush's Healthy Forests agenda stinks to high profit. Bush saying, there are "too many trees" compares to the movie about Mozart where the king says, Mozart's music has "too many notes". Cut the all the trees...no forests...cut the notes...no beautiful music.

Lumber salvage companies fight over contracts to clear burned forests. Who do you think are starting these fires? It is arson for profit. It is to get the lumber companies into our protected forests.

To cut every third tree, etc. is crazy thinking. If we fire Bush and his forest managers..the fires will decline. We need to "thin them" not the trees.

How can Bush say, he wants to get after this forest fire problem right away when he has cut funds for forest management and fighters? He is using money meant for (Bush removal) brush removal for roads...for lumbering (at tax payer expense). Billions cut from forest agencies to do their job...only to pay for his trillions to the rich 1%.

Judy Stevens

Dear BuzzFlash,

I could've sworn I saw an item in the spring about Bush setting a deadline for an Iraq war plan. Sure enough:

"Britain's strategic national interest in the Gulf specifically, and in the security of the West generally, will be dramatically affected by whatever decisions are taken in Washington after April 15, the deadline the President has set for a plan to deal with Iraq. Mr. Blair's presence at Mr. Bush's Texan ranch between April 5 to April 7 - for which Vice President Cheney will lay the groundwork in his visit to London this week - could scarcely be better-timed."

From Sunday Telegraph of March 10. Full text at:

http://www.casi.org.uk/discuss/2002/msg00339.html

Still looking for original source of deadline, but I seem to remember it was mentioned in a press conference.

Doug Bostrom

Dear BuzzFlash,

I love your website. Thank you coming up with it.

Comment:

I believe that there needs to be a congressional rule that any politician who avoided military service may not be eligible to vote for us going to war. Also, if an eligible politician does vote for us to go to war...anyone of eligible age in their immediate or extended family may not be permitted to find a way to avoid service.

Sincerely,

Chris Younken

Quote of the Day

"We arrested people, about 2500 so far, and about an equal number who have not been so lucky. They don't value life like we value life," -- President Bush says at speech in downtown Portland as crowd laughs.

George W. Bush in Portland, OR
8/22/02

http://portland.indymedia.org:8081/front.php3?article_id=17261&group=webcast

Chewgababy

Hello....

Love what you guys are doing.......

My hometown paper St. Pete Times....has on the opinion page...For a better state house...

It has listed 6 gop and 3 dems..... My mullet wrapper has gone GOP.......

HELP !!!!!!!

Laura LaPointe

Dear BuzzFlash,

The stories about the Portland protests that you have linked are sadly typical of the mainstream news coverage of Bush II's fund-raising visit.

First of all, I was at the demonstrations, and while it is true that about 300 to 500 demonstrators got pepper-sprayed in one incident, the total number demonstrating in downtown Portland was more like 1500 to 2000. It was hard to tell, because there were several protest sites all around the perimeter of the hotel where Bush was speaking, and people kept coming and going all afternoon, but the commonly cited figure of "a few hundred" is definitely too low.

I was near the area that got pepper-sprayed and even got enough of the fumes to send me into a coughing fit, but I did not see any of the "violence" that was reported. The only untoward incident I saw was when a bunch of hotheads (provocateurs?) started rocking an SUV full of guys in baseball caps, who had somehow gotten through the traffic barricades. However, the other demonstrators persuaded them to stop.

All in all, it was a peaceful, festive, and empowering demonstration, a striking contrast to the riot police in their Darth Vader outfits. The mainstream media coverage has been at best patronizing (the "oh, yes, the little weirdos do have the right to express their unpatriotic opinions" type of attitude) and at worst hostile.

But I'm glad I was there, and I'll be there to greet the next Bush regime official who dares to set foot in Portland, and next time, I'm bringing a camera. I urge all BuzzFlash readers wherever they may be to take time to demonstrate against Bush II whenever he's in their area. If you can't make it to the demonstration, find out about it afterward by talking to someone who participated, because the mainstream news media will not give you the straight story.

Karen Sandness
Portland, Oregon

Dear Buzz,

Another witchhunter is dead: Ed Bryant. Although Ed Bryant is not quite as outspoken as Bob Barr, he's every bit as "evil"! Ed Bryant, currently a Representative in the US House for the 4th District of Tennessee and former "impeachment manager" lost his bid for the US Senate seat, soon to be vacated by Fred Thompson, against a more "moderate" Repuglican, Lamar Alexander.

Many Tennessee Democrats, especially me, are relishing in his defeat and silently celebrating the fact that "another one bites the dust"!

(But I'm sure that either Bill Frist or GW Bush will find the newly unemployed Bryant a job!)

Nancy Lynn Nagy TN

Dear Buzz:

Re: Price cut on Bush's fund-raiser for Simon
http://www.ocregister.com/news/tickets00822cci2.shtml

Wouldn't you think the California Repugs would be happy to pay full price for a ticket to mingle with the President (sic)?

Maybe Dim Son isn't any more popular than Bill (corporate fraud) Simon.

Keep up the great work!

J. Smith

Hi, Buzz:

This evening I heard an interview on Houston's Pacifica radio (90.1) with two anti-bush protestors -- I believe at least one was a Green Party member. Sorry, I was driving and could not get to a pen and paper to write down their names.

The first woman recounted the peaceful demonstration in Oregon, the second her infiltration into the $25,000 per person fundraiser in Stockton, CA.

The Oregon protester said there were actually two groups of protestors: one in front of the hotel, another around the corner. The first was described as very large, many hundreds. They were chanting, among other things, for bush to come out to talk to them. Surprise! That didn't happen. The woman and her husband decided to go around the corner to check out the second group. According to her, there were "thousands" of people on the other side of the hotel. After a short time, the two groups merged. At this point, the police 'rioted' (the interviewer's and protester's word). The protester felt the police were overwhelmed and feared they might 'lose control' of the peaceful gathering. It did not take long for the police to start spraying pepper spray and shooting rubber bullets. Five were arrested. (One cannot help but notice the mainstream media's down-sizing the crowd. I have now read online at ABC new's site "500" and heard on CBS "This Morning" the same estimate.)

The second woman was part of the group protesting in Stockton. She somehow got inside the fundraiser and started chanting anti-Bush, anti-war, anti-etc. slogans. She was jumped by the very surprised, and outraged, bush supporters. They were joined by the Secret Service, local police, and other security. She was arrested, I believe. According to her account, there were "hundreds" of demonstrators. She pointed out that this was in Northern California -- staunchly repug-lican territory.

The wrap-up conversation amongst the interviewer and the two women was very upbeat. They felt that this was the start of many more anti-bush protests and they strongly believe that he will not be able to go anywhere without being met by demonstrations.

As I said, I was driving at the time (with two of my boys in the car). If anyone else in the Houston area (or any other area) heard this interview, please feel free to correct and/or add information.

Liz
Houston

Subj: Your report on Operation Noble Eagle 2

Dear BuzzFlash,

We first had, reported in Military.com , the call up of a tank unit from Alabama for state side duty in Home Land Security.

Now we have the call up of an artillery unit from Iowa for Home Land Security.

It would seem some one is anticipating a need to have these available for assaults on populated areas.

Does our government anticipate widespread protests in the event of a war on Iraq? Why would that be? Would it have anything to do with the possible use of our own weapons of mass destruction, something advocated by Rumsfeld and others?

Would a government planning detention camps for its own citizens hesitate to fire on them?

Thinks look increasingly bleak for our Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Robert E. Reynolds, Orange Park Fl

Dear BuzzFlash,

Ari Fleischer told reporters today "We did not have any inkling" that such protest would occur.

I don't understand... We have a selected president who brushed off warnings saying they "we had no idea, we thought they were only going to be conventional hijackings" but now he doesn't want any investigation. He tells people to "watch what they say" but does grant that people "ought to be ALLOWED" {emphasis mine} to have opinions. His friends have enriched themselves fraudulently with business practices similar to his own. He wants to privatize our forest and water. Can you say Enron? He decides to whom the constitution applies and stonewalls efforts by courts and congress for information and oversight. He has plans to use the National Guard to replace the ILWU if they strike.

Well, we the protesters, including peace groups, labor unions, environmental organizations, churches, low-income advocates and just plain folks have had enough. How can we not be angry? So we spoke out.

Most sincerely,

Randal Davis Portland, OR

Ari's quote at http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_0823_news_bush_protesters_folo.bba94d42.html

Dear Buzz,

Here's an example of how out in the open the right-wing is about its machinations.

Cruising home from work last night, I hit the seek button on my radio and it stopped on 106.5 KSPO, a Spokane "Christian" station. The host was talking to someone named Thomas via telephone, who was apparently in the Republican party. The whole conversation was about politics and getting conservative Christians to vote and work for Republicans.

Then this Thomas guy said:

"Whoever controls the courthouses controls the White House."

But hey, it's only those dastardly liberals who do that "judicial activism" thing, right?

Mike
Spokane, WA

P.S. I should check to see if this radio station has tax exempt status, 'cause it sure is shilling for the GHP.

Hi Buzz...

I sent my email to the Donahue Show and hope the rest of your viewers did the same....Here is what I wrote.....

To whom it may concern:

I want to thank you so much for the "Donahue Show" ALL OF MY FAMILY loves the show.....Finally we are getting to see both sides of the issues of this country,and can make our own decisions about these issues...I especially loved the show with Studs Terkel...It is so amazing to see a man of his age, so articulate and so aware of what is happening to our country.....You at MCNBC and Mr Donahue are doing a wonderful job.....PLEASE, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.....

Sincerely

Devout fan

Genie

Dear BuzzFlash,

WHO ARE THE BUSH SUPPORTERS?

I just read the following statement in "Make Them Accountable" by Carolyn Kay.

"I guess we can conclude that Republicans won’t believe anything bad about President Junior, no matter what the evidence".—Caro

I break these Bush supporters down into different categories...

1. Card-carrying Clinton-haters. If there's anything bad or wrong with what's happening today, it's Clinton's fault!!!!

2. Totally uninformed Americans who come from 'republican' backgrounds and would never change. These people don't even bother to inform themselves...they are republicans, they're satisfied that there's a republican in charge....all's right with the world!! Whatever goes wrong, it's not his fault!!

3. Badly misinformed (or lied to) average Americans who get what little "news" they do get from the corrupt corporate media...Fox, CNN, right-wing talk shows. The lies they hear on Fox are repeated on CNN and again and again on other right-wing shows. It must be the truth of course.....how could it not be....they're all saying it!!

4. Blindly religious right...."God is on their side" naturally, and Bush can do no wrong because he has been "saved". He's leading the crusade of our wonderful nation (under God) against those evil-doers. God bless our president.....God bless America!!!

5. Otherwise fairly intelligent average people who are suffering from the phenomenon of cognitive dissonance......trying to reconcile two opposing cognitives (facts)

a. They voted for Bush....they supported him....they learned to hate his opponent. GO GO GO Bush!!! Damn the torpedoes!!!!

b. They can see all the harm he has done and continues to do, BUT they prefer not to think about this since it doesn't support what they had already decided. This little principle of cognitive dissonance causes more mischief in the world....in personal relationships, in families, and in politics.

And I feel strongly that the blame for the first three categories rests squarely on the American lying media, without which Bush would never have been "elected" in the first place, and who have refused to exercise their almost sacred duty to investigate and report the truth.

And there, again, cognitive dissonance rears its ugly head. These reporters are intelligent people who KNOW they failed us, who SEE what's happening, but who would have to admit their failure in order to publish the truth now. Everything that's happening was totally foreseeable and predictable.....it didn't just happen!! Hell, if I could see it even before the beginning of the presidential campaign in 2000, certainly these trained reporters could have seen it........no?

But, as always, the question remains....What's to be done about any of this?

There's no way the people who hate Clinton are ever going to start loving him. We can't force people to inform themselves. We will never change the minds and hearts of the ultra-religious factions.

It looks like our only hope rests in a change of heart in our media....not likely!!!

We can continue increasingly to spread the good word through this wonderful medium of the internet.....we can protest publicly in greater and greater numbers.....we can exercise our right of civil disobedience.....or.......

We can just let Bush and his perfidious cronies continue their evil programs until what they're doing becomes SO obvious that they will eventually hang themselves. ....and all the while we can pray real hard that this happens before he leads us gloriously into Armageddon.

From my mouth to God's ears!!!!

Matilda Lipscomb
www.letstalksense.com
"Tie A Yellow Ribbon"

Dear BuzzFlash,

RealVideo of Portland Protest MUST SEE. (huge file, best with broadband). This video makes it clear that the mainstream media has drastically under-reported the size of the protest, and documents how the police attacked peaceful protestors with chemical weapons and rubber bullets without provocation, just because Fuhrer Bush and his guests at the fundraiser didn't want to have to look at them. If you think you still live in a free nation, this video will change your mind. This isn't some far off dictatorship where the police beat citizens for protesting, this is happening in the streets of America. BOOKMARK THIS VIDEO AND SHOW IT TO EVERYONE!

http://www.sf.indymedia.org/uploads/bushpdx.ram

A BuzzFlash Reader

Dear Buzz,

A very brief commentary.

I think we need to stop focusing on how dumb GWBush is. He is very smart in a very narrow sort of way, but when it comes to political brawling, he is quite experienced and willing to do whatever it takes to win (as we witnessed in Florida).

I also think we need to stop thinking Bush is "on the ropes." He isn't. For whatever insane reasons, apparently a majority of Americans LIKE him. They don't necessarily think he is doing the right thing on many issues, but they "can't help lovin' that man"! Why? I don't know, but that's the way it is.

He is not dumb and he is not "on the ropes."

He is ignorant, and that is a different thing. He knows very little about the world outside his narrow focus. He knows nothing of history; for him, history starts with his father's regime. It does not go much further back than that.

For George W. Bush, all that matters in this world is the land that lies between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and is bordered on the north by Canada, where, according to Bush, the wusses and wimps live, and is bordered on the south by Mexico, where no one counts but the Mexican president who is currently pouting and is upset with GWBush. Bush isn't worried about either our northern or our southern neighbors, because HE holds all the cards and has all the money and the mightiest weapons arsenal the world has ever seen. So he doesn't need to kow-tow to anybody. Not even to most Americans. We don't contribute to his campaigns so why should he be nice to us or give a damn about us for that matter? (His thoughts, not mine!)

George W. Bush is not stupid, but he has a very weak and limited intellect. He understands only one thing: power. He has the power and he plans to use it. Against the world, if he feels like it. Against Americans if we continue annoying him.

He is a very dangerous man. The worst kind, because he does not understand the dynamics of the relationships various countries have with one another, or that various subgroups have with one another. He only understands brute strength, and he has all the weapons on his side.

Hitler was a similarly smart man in a very narrow way. One might almost say Hitler was a genius at exploiting the fears, hatreds and prejudices of the German people and molding them into a solid wall of patriotic fervor and adoration of himself. Unfortunately for Hitler, he had no real understanding of other people in the world and misjudged how the British and American people would react to his stomping all over Europe killing and pillaging. He misjudged and ultimately was brought down by the very people he thought too weak and effeminate to do anything about stopping him.

Unfortunately for us, there is no similar outside Allied Power to stop GWBush, so we will have to do what we can to get the truth about him out to as many people as we can. We must stop Bush in the voting booths of America; we must surround him with legislators who will not bend to his will. Daily, we can read news articles and opinion columns that provide facts and ways of thinking about those facts; we must use that information to enlighten as many editors, news people and just plain people as we possibly can. No outside country will rescue us from the monsters in charge of our government; we must do it ourselves.

But the first thing we need to do is to disabuse ourselves of the notion that Bush is dumb, or that he is "on the ropes." He isn't. And neither are we. We are smarter than he is; we are better people than he is he. And truth is on our side. I just hope time is also on our side.

A BuzzFlash reader who loves and believes in America

Dear BuzzFlash,

Last Sunday the Times Magazine ran a 1-page interview w/Jesse Ventura that included the following question:

"Why do you think that voters flirt with maverick candidates like John McCain but elect establishment politicians like George W. Bush?"

Once again history is being rewritten. I sent the Times Magazine the following Email, which frankly I have little hope of seeing the light of day in their letters column:

When David Wallis asked Jesse Ventura, "Why do you think voters...elect establishment politicians like George W. Bush?," he forgot (like so much of the mainstream media) a minor insignificant detail regarding November 2000: Mr. Bush Was Not Elected President.

Perhaps you are tired of being reminded, but millions of Americans have not forgotten that our current president LOST the popular vote by over a half a million ballots, and is only occupying the White House courtesy of a highly suspect state election overseen by his brother together with an equally suspect decision by a less-than-impartial Supreme Court. Until the Times looks these facts honestly and straight in the eye, people will continue to distrust our government and outspoken, independent (and body-slamming) politicians like Jesse Ventura will continue to be a necessity.

J.S.

Dear BuzzFlash,

Video of Stockton, California Protest

http://cf.ibsys.com/sac/sh/videoplayer/video.cfm?id=1630123&owner=sac

Michele Winter

Dear BuzzFlash,

Why should anyone believe Bush's rosy predictions about "regime change" (aka war) in Iraq?

Bush put on rose colored glasses and gleefully predicted we could easily afford a massive tax cut for the rich and still have plenty of money left for social security, prescription drugs, the military and emergencies, yet now we have deficits as far as the eye can see. We had Bush's rosy predictions about "privatizing" Social Security and now we have a crashed Dow and NASDAQ. We had Bush's rosy predictions that the US didn't need to engage in "nation building" and now we are having to "nation build" in Afghanistan to avoid terrorism. We had Bush's rosy predictions that our army would capture Osama bin Laden dead or alive ~ and we're still waiting for the capture of that murderer.... The list of can go on and on.

How many times will Bush's rosy predictions have to be proven wrong before Americans stop believing these unrealistic projections and start exercising some common sense?

MEB
Fort Worth, Tx

Dear BuzzFlash,

What is Kelsey Grammer smoking? I love this: "...he's had some clarity when it was very important." ..." What does that mean? No clarity before or after "it was very important"? Then, he calls himself "kind of a liberal".

Very, very mixed up guy:

"Frasier" star in the audience as Bush stumps in Los Angeles
(Published Saturday, August 24, 2002, 12:15 PM)

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Actor Kelsey Grammer, a rare Republican supporter among Hollywood's liberal elite, was in the audience Saturday morning as President Bush raised money for would-be GOP governor Bill Simon.

In an interview, the "Frasier" star called himself a "big fan" of Bush's, saying, "I think he makes a lot of sense and he's had some clarity when it was very important."

Liz Taylor

Dear BuzzFlash,

The rightwingnuts wants to label the law-abiding citizens that are trying to exercise their freedom of speech. These law abiding citizens have been stuck with the label of protesters when all they wish to do is have their voices heard. I ask you where is the protest? Am I a protester if I make the remark that I do not wish to see the U.S. go to war with Iraq?

Maybe Bush would feel that way. But then he thinks if a reporter asks a question about Iraq, A frenzy has taken place. Hahahaha. And he has to ask Rumsfeld for the word he is looking for. Boy if ever you need proof that he is a puppet look no more.

The real protesters are the people that make up the Bush administration. The real protesters are the people that do not want to hear the voice of the U.S. Citizens. The real protesters are the goons that will blindly follow orders to silence the voice of the people. The real protesters are the shills that will call these citizens anarchists and extremists. The real protesters are those who say those who voice their opinions are un-worthy to make up the citizenship of the U.S.A.

The real protesters are the goons that would use violence and pepper spray on ordinary citizens to silence their voice. The real protesters are the goons that set up first amendment zones. The real protesters are the ones that care not about constitutionally guaranteed rights of the citizens. For these people are protesting against our government and our rights for their own political gains and beliefs.

Remember insecure George's quote. "It would be a lot easier if this was a dictatorship. Just so long as I am the dictator." This Quote should be held up as the most un-American protest ever uttered. And of course that would make Insecure Bush the holder of the tittle of "The Biggest Anarchist and Radical Protester" we have the misfortune of knowing.

John

Dear BuzzFlash,

Here is a piece from Human Rights Watch about Saudi Arabia (http://www.hrw.org/wr2k/Mena-08.htm):

"Under the Principles of Arrest, Temporary Confinement, and Preventative Regulations issued by the minister of interior in 1983, detainees had no right to judicial review, could be held for fifty-one days before their detention was reviewed by the regional governor, and could be held indefinitely if neither the governor nor the minister ordered their release or trial. Detainees had no right to legal counsel, to examine witnesses, or to call witnesses in their own defense. Saudi laws also allowed convictions on the basis of uncorroborated confessions. The minister of interior had virtually unlimited authority over suspects in "crimes involving national security," which were defined so broadly as to encompass nonviolent opposition to the government."

Sounds awfully like something else, doesn't it?

-Ehsan