BuzzFlash Mailbag - November 8, 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. Additionally, if you submit a mailbag item and DO NOT WANT YOUR NAME associated with your submission, sign your email, "A BuzzFlash Reader." If you send email unsigned, we will post your name with your submission, or, if that's not available, your email name (not the full address, just what's on the left side of the email address). 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 the not necessarily those of BuzzFlash. Thanks again for your email and your patience.

The "sexy" Paula Zahn on CNN just reported that over 100,000 votes in Broward county have not yet been counted.... gee what a shocker-

What's next, we will find out that 100,000 votes were counted in Tallahassee from people that didn't count- the turnout in the panhandle was even higher than it was during the presidential election....

The Democratic Party deserves exactly what they got. They never had the courage to stand up to Bush from the beginning. After he was selected by the Supreme Court to be "president", several black congressional leaders stood up to challenge his selection, before he was officially declared "president" by Al Gore in Congress. They only needed one senator to stand up for them to challenge his appointment, but not one did. Why didn't they protest Tom DeLay's brown-shirted thugs shutting down the vote count in Miami? Would the Repugs not be screaming like stuck pigs if the tables were turned?

Russell Feingold's vote allowed us to be saddled with the Gestapo tactics of John Ashcroft as Atty. Gen. Have any of the Democrats fought for an independent investigation of 9/11? After it was discovered that Bush was informed of many threats and did nothing, they should have been out there every day demanding to know why. They came out of their corners for one day and spoke out. Bush sent his team of Rice, Cheney, etc. to the Sunday talk shows and they went meekly back to their corners.

Over a year now since 9/11 and they have done virtually nothing. Now, any objective investigation will be conveniently swept under the rug by the Republican-controlled Congress. Bush will never have to answer to the death of almost 3000 people.

Several Democrats voted for Bush's tax cut for the rich, but the vote for the war in Iraq was their total demise. A couple of them asked, "Why now?", when the answer was so obvious. But they, too fell in line and voted for the U.S. to preemptively strike another country --- in essence, making us a terrorist nation. Didn't they hear the people of this country saying we did not want a war? There were massive protest marches, overwhelming e-mails, telephone calls and letters to them saying NO. Sen. Byrd Sen. Wellstone, Sen Boxer and Rep. Dennis Kucinich were one of the few to speak out against the war.

What about Harken and Halliburton? Look what the Repugs did to Clinton over Whitewater and there was nothing there. $70 million of taxpayer money for NOTHING but a consensual sexual affair between 2 adults. What about Rudy Giuliani, Tim Hutchison, Newt Gingrich, Henry Hyde, Dan Burton, etc.'s affairs? Do we hear any voices of outrage from the Democrats? Not a peep!!!!!

There is a long list of atrocities they should have spoken out against, from the environment to social issues to the economy, but they remained silent. And now not just the U.S., but the world will suffer under the Bush junta. It's been said before, but it bears repeating ----- Heaven help us all!!!!!!!

1) http://www.MarkGreen.com: From Mark Green, former Public Advocate in NYC, and the fellow who recently ran against Mike Bloomberg (and got outspent by $60 million!). He's got a new book launching this week, "Selling Out," all about campaign reform, and has free samples on his site. He's also revving up a new effort, "The New Democracy Project."

2) http://www.OpenTheBooks.com: Just launched today, following up on the article in the WSJ re: the new revelations about Bush's Enron-like dealings while at Harken (article is on this site, if you've not yet seen it). This is a petition calling on Harvey Pitt to re-open the case, and make the files public -- as he said he would if there was "new evidence." (great info on their re: statements from Pitt and the President, specific to this)

3) http://www.CorporateTraitors.com: A new effort from Progressive Majority, to slap back at corporations that set up sham headquarters in Bermuda and other havens to avoid taxes. We've got a petition up, and for each signature --- we are sending a pair of BERMUDA SHORTS to the President...

4) http://www.theretheygoagain.com: Great new site dealing with corporations raiding pension funds of normal Joes and Janes, and what we can do about it.

I spent several hours surfing around the home pages of our Repugnant Senators. I created the attached chart that shows what I found out about their military service. Interesting, that only a handful appear to have served any branch of the military...I made the assumption if the web page had no information on military service, the senator did not serve. Those who did serve seemed proud to have it prominently displayed. Be sure to check out Christopher Bond - That's a real hoot. You should visit his web page.

Name	Birthdate	State	Children	Military Service	Comments
Allard	1943	CO	2 daughters, 4 grandsons	None Noted	Graduated from Vet school 1968
Allan	Not Given	VA	3 children, ages 14, 11, and 4	None noted
Bennett	1933	UT	6 children	None noted
Bond	1939	MO	No personal info	None noted	Bio page shows him in fighter pilot uniform with small print disclaimer that he was never a fighter pilot
Brownback	1956	KS	5 children; 3 daughters, 2 sons	None noted
Bunning	Not given	KY	9 children; 35 grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren	None noted	Marrried in 1952
Burns	1935	MT	2 children, 1 daughter and 1 son	US Marines	Served in East Asia 1954
Campbell	1933	CO	2 children, 3 grand children	USAF	1951-53 in Korea
Chaffee	1953	RI	3 children	None noted
Cochran	1937	MS	2 children; 1 son and 1 daughter	US Navy	1959-61, served state-side
Collins	1952	ME	No info given	(Female)
Craig	Not given	ID	3 children; 2 sons, one daughter; 5 grandchildren	None noted
Crapo	Not given	ID	5 children	None noted	Graduated BYU 1973 and Harvard 1977
DeWine	Not given	OH	8 children, 7 grandchildren	None noted	Miami U 1969 Ohio law school 69-72
Domenici	1932	NM	8 children; 2 sons and 6 daughters	None noted	Ed. Degree 1954 and Law school 1958
Ensign	Not given	NV	None	None
Fitzgerald	1960	IL	1 son	None noted
Frist	Not given	TN	3 sons	None noted	Princeton 1974
Gramm	1942	TX	2 sons	None noted	U of G 1965, Ph.d.1967
Grassley	1933	IA	5 children	None noted	BA 1955 MA 1956
Gregg	1947	NH	3 children; 2 daughters, 1 son	None noted	J.D. 1972
Hagel	1946	NB	2 children’ 1 son and 1 daughter	US Army	1968 Vietnam vet, two purple hearts.
Hatch	1934	UT	6 childrem 20 grandchildren	None noted	BYU 1959 JD 1962
Helms	1921	NC	3 children, 7 grandchildren	US NAVY	1942-1945
Hutchinson	1949	AR	None given	None noted
Hutchison	Not given	TX	2 children; 1 son and 1 daughter	(female)
Inhofe	Not given	OK	4 children, 11 grandchildren	US ARMY
Kyl	1942	AZ	2 children, 4 grandchildren	None noted	BA 1964 LLB 1966
Lott	1941	MS	2 children, 3 grandchildren	None noted	BA 1963 JD 1957
Lugar	Not given	IN	4 sons, 7 grandchildren	US NAVY	1956-1959
McCain	1936	AZ	7 children, 4 grandchildren	US NAVY (POW)	22 years in Navy, many medals
McConnell	1942	KY	3 daughters	None noted
Murkowski	Not given	AK	6 children, 11 grandchildren	US Coast Guard	1955 - ? stationed at Ketchikan, AK
Nickles	Not given	OK	4 children	None noted
Roberts	1936	KS	3 children; 1 son, 2 daughters	US Marines	4 years in service
Santorum	Not given	PN	7 children	None noted
Sessions	1946	AL	3 children; 2 daughters, 1 son	US Army Reserves (1973-86)	BA 1969 JD 1973
Shelby	Not given	AL	2 sons, 2 grandchildren	None noted
Smith	1941	NH	3 children; 2 daughters, 1 son	US NAVY 65-67	Vietnam Vet
Smith	1952	OR	3 children	None noted	BYU 1976 JD 1979
Snow	1947	ME	No children	(female)
Specter	Not given	PN	2 sons, 4 grandchildren	USAF (2 years)	Served in Office of Special Investigations
Stevens	1923	AK	6 children	USAF Pilot in WWII	Many medals
Thomas	1933	WY	4 children; 3 sons, 1 daughter	US Marines (55-59)	Served in Infantry
Thompson	Not given	TN	2 sons, 5 grandchildren	None noted	BS 1964 JD 1967
Thurmond	1902	SC	4 children	US Army Reserves 1924 Active duty 42-46 in 82^nd Airborne Division	Many medals
Voinovich	Not given	OH	None given	None noted	BA 1958 JD 1961
Warner	1927	VA	3 children, 2 grandchildren	US NAVY (45-46)

As a political liberal who hails back from the sixties, I watched the elections with particular horror. It is inconceivable to me that the American public has just given free reign to a unintelligent puppet of the oil, banking, and energy industries. Despite the well meaning attempts by modern day liberals and democrats to voice dissent and educate the public as to the evils of the Bush Administration, we failed miserably. One reason is that our dissent and opinions are BURIED with websites such as BUZZFLASH. Mainstream Americans do not surf the web for politically liberal ideas, liberals surf the web for liberal websites. In order to push a liberal agenda we must be seen and heard by all Americans, in the same manner as cable news stations spewing pro-Bush propaganda. BUZZFLASH is one of the best liberal websites, if it were in print as a weekly paper and distributed across the country more people would be enlightened as to what is and is not , in their best interest. Dissenting protesters ended the Vietnam War in the late 60's and early 70's because we had brought our discontent and outrage to the streets. We handed out flyers in all neighborhoods of all cities. We organized protests on all college campus's. We had underground newspapers that were distributed free of charge in Chicago's loop at rush hour. We had grassroots leaders, Angela Davis, Abbie Hoffman, Bernadine Dorhn, and Jane Fonda who agitated and pushed and hollered. We were visible and our voices were heard for free, it was not necessary to purchase a $25.00 book to become aware of threats to our freedoms. When we sent letters to Senators and Congressman they appeared physically, jamming mailrooms and causing problems for legislators because of the bulk. They were not mere emails that could be deleted or ignored altogether. We got the message across, and the result was that the majority of mainstream American voters embraced our cause. I doubt George W. Bush would have gotten this far back then. If Ari Fleisher had stood in front of the White House in 1969 and said as he said a few months ago " Americans need to watch what they say and do," we would have cleaned his clock.

Why don't we fight the Republicans with their own rules? They have a candidate who is not very bright, knows how to wink and nod, they say he is charming. The most popular Republican inhabitants of the White House have been a B-grade actor and GWB They don't run the country or make decisions, they do what they are told by their handlers.

Seems as if a huge portion of America doesn't see a smirking, lying slime ball that 30% of us see. It seems as if the majority of America doesn't read the information that's out there and has become addicted to 10 sec sound bites, Fox News and Rush Limbaugh. Instead of the Dems looking for a candidate of substance, they need to find a charming, handsome/beautiful candidate who can memorize their lines and deliver them beautifully and humbly written by their handlers. Someone who has a high Emotional IQ which includes sincerity and just the right touch of humility, and is happy to serve as long as they can travel in Air Force One. Someone like that would make GWB look like the insincere twit he is in a New York Minute.

I am dead serious about this, they cannot be too young or too old. If it's Marketing Spin the majority relate to, let's do some marketing. Tom Hanks would be perfect, Morgan Freeman, he played a really believable President in a movie, Denzel Washington, someone who makes the young women feel safe and heart flutters when he talks and smiles, and someone who the young men feel comfortable with, I haven't looked at all the politicians we have, but there might be someone there. Good voice, right smile, give the people what they want. The people want "The Candidate."

So Dick Gephardt is not standing for speaker again. Good riddance. He can't articulate an idea coherently, he doesn't have the cojones to grab the microphone from people -- even when they are telling lies to his face. When the going gets tough, Gephardt immediately rolls over and exposes his belly. He did so with Gingrich, and he just did it to us again. He needs to go back home and get a job more attuned to his personality -- perhaps as a professional oatmeal taster.

Now we have Martin Frost in the running, Mr. Personality, talking about "moving the Democrats towards the center." Riiiiight. I'd LOVE to see that. The year 2002 Democratic Party has so lost their way that they are to the political right of Richard Nixon!! (Look at the record, people.) Let's see the Democratic Party move PAST the center, to the left of the center, and start representing their base. Maybe in the next election, that base might actually come out and vote -- if they are given a reason.

Note to the Party: Stop watching your worthless tracking polls, stop pretending that bellicose lying criminals are statesmen, and start CREATING and ARTICULATING the public issues. It's simple.

Be the opposition, you incompetent cowards. IT IS NOT YOUR JOB TO BE "LESS REPUBLICAN!"

Just tell the truth about the Republican Party. Got that? There is your talking point for the next two years.

That's about $40 million worth of Pinstriped Political Consultation. You can forward the check to BuzzFlash with my compliments.

The word is that renewal of the draft will come up for congressional approval in January.

Here, again, is the URL for the MOTHER JONES piece on the new military obligations of the nation's public high schools:

Title: To require the induction into the Armed Forces of young men registered under the Military Selective Service Act, and to authorize young women to volunteer, to receive basic military training and education for a period of up to one year.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jump to: Titles, Status, Committees, Related Bill Details, Amendments, Cosponsors, Summary

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SHORT TITLE(S) AS INTRODUCED: Universal Military Training and Service Act of 2001

OFFICIAL TITLE AS INTRODUCED: To require the induction into the Armed Forces of young men registered under the Military Selective Service Act, and to authorize young women to volunteer, to receive basic military training and education for a period of up to one year.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Universal Military Training and Service Act of 2001 - Makes it the obligation of male citizens and residents between 18 and 22 to receive basic military training and education as a member of the armed forces unless otherwise exempt under this Act. Permits female citizens and residents between such ages to volunteer for enlistment in the armed forces, with acceptance at the discretion of the Secretary of the military department concerned. Limits the period of training to between six months and a year. Permits transfers after basic training of such conscripts/volunteers to national and community service programs to finish the term of service. Provides educational services and Montgomery GI benefits to persons upon completion of their national service.

Uses the existing Selective Service System and local boards for induction. Sets forth criteria for deferments, postponements, and exemptions, including high school, hardship, disability, and health.

Entitles inductees to request a particular service branch. Excludes conscientious objectors from combatant training, but otherwise requires them to take basic training before a permitted transfer to a national service program.

There is a fine letter to the editors of Salon today, published in response to Joe Conason's great commentary yesterday. Here is the letter, in case you missed it:

Why do I think this is a great letter? Because it so succinctly distills the GOP positions into easily refuted nuggets. If only the Democrats had had this letter, they could have used it as the template for attacking the lies of the GOP.

"voters have been bombarded for the past two years with little else" - In what bizarro world has this happened? We have been bombarded with Churchillian, statesman, great leader. Only on liberal websites and comedy programs is the truth of Bush's idiocy openly discussed. Meet the Press and the NBC Nightly News has considered the topic of Bush's lack of presidential qualifications off limits.

"in a time of national crisis" - Please show me this current national crisis that presents so great a danger. The current national crisis - the tanking economy - is the product of the individual being criticized.

"1. Agree that we must fight terrorism, but delay intervention in Iraq through obfuscation." - There is no link between terrorism and Iraq. There is, however, a direct link between Iraqi oil reserves and the future wealth of the president's strongest supporters.

"2. Call for an end to dependence on foreign oil, but vote against drilling in Alaska." - Drilling for oil in Alaska will not in any way reduce our dependence on foreign oil. It will, however, make money for the president's strongest supporters.

"3. Point out that workers deserve a higher standard of living, but vote against tax cuts." - Workers do not receive the benefit of Bush's tax cut, only the very wealthy - the president's strongest supporters.

"4. Warm the cockles of retirees' hearts by assuring them you're for retirement security, but campaign against Social Security reform." - The Republican ideas about Social Security 'reform' are in direct opposition to the concept of retirement security. They are instead about funneling the retirement dollars of retirees into the pockets of brokers and accountants, some of the president's strongest supporters, when they aren't doing the perp walk.

"5. Agree that our kids deserve better education, but don't permit even the mildest test of school vouchers." - School vouchers will benefit only the lucky few who are able to get their children into private schools that have no federally mandated obligation to open their doors equally and equitably. School vouchers are all about getting white kids out of black schools and into religiously-funded all-white academies and for-profit schools, both of which are run by (all together now) the president's strongest supporters.

These five points were what the Republicans ran on. These were their debate points, and their arguments rely on assumptions established through repetition of assertions until they are accepted as fact. This election cycle began a decade ago when they began beating these drums, to establish these 'facts' in the minds of the electorate. Remarkably, the Democrats failed to adequately challenge even one of them.

But simply refuting statements isn't enough, and therein lies the source of the Democrats ultimate failure. Therefore, I propose:

1. We fight terrorism by fighting the causes of terrorism - greed, injustice, hunger, disease, fear, and ignorance.

2. End our suicidal strategic dependence on foreign oil by aggressively pursuing renewable energy sources. The military should be leading the way in this research, since a tank or plane that never needs refueling would give them a distinct advantage on any battlefield.

3. Provide workers with a higher standard of living by cutting their taxes and paying for these tax cuts by ending the flow of corporate and personal welfare to the wealthiest businesses and billionaires, and by accounting for all the spending that goes on in government, especially the looting of the federal treasury at the Pentagon and HUD.

4. Warm the hearts of everyone by providing universal healthcare and retirement security not subject to the vagaries of the stock market and capitalism, and secure from the rapacious greed of lawmakers, CEOs and unelected executives.

5. Provide education reform by ending the idiotic system of local taxpayer based funding for local schools. The educational future of a child should not be subject to the whims of birth and poverty. All children should have the same chance, and so all schools must be funded from a national taxpayer base.

Now that the GOP has control of Congress, you can bet there won't be any independent investigation of 9/11. At least not any meaningful one. The Bush junta simply won't allow it.

And curiously, CBS reported Nov. 6th that the Justice Department might drop its prosecution of alleged conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui. Apparently, Moussaoui has indicated he will request access to the guy they nabbed in Pakistan who claimed on Al Jezeera TV to have helped orchestrate the plot. It is doubtful that such access would ever be granted by the military, which now holds the potential witness. Herr Ashcroft is supposedly concerned that this restriction might preclude a fair trial. (Yeah, right.) Thus, the thinking goes, it might be better that the Justice Department drop its case and have the whole matter moved into a secret, military tribunal.

Which is what they probably want anyway, and what will probably happen. Moussaoui may never be tried in public. His trial could generate too many inconvenient questions that the Administration won't want asked. For instance, if they have sufficient evidence linking him to the 9/11 hijackers, when did they get it? Could they have collected that evidence before 9/11 while he was in custody? Could the conspiracy have been unraveled? Could the conspirators' "cover" have been blown? Why did FBI headquarters repeatedly suppress an agent's desperate pleas for a routine warrant to search Moussaoui's things?

Of course, the mainstream press can be counted on to ignore the most important question of our time: was 9/11 allowed to happen?

Democrats are at a point where Bush has laid down the law. You are either with them or you are an enemy. Americans are so weak minded that they will become Republicans as to not be the one left on the sidelines. Even last night on Leno, there were people afraid to applaud Bill Maher, you know him the dissenter that lost his job. Americans are afraid of the Bush Junta. Note how Wellstone has been wiped from memory. Any why did they make his best friend apologize. Note to Democrats: Republicans NEVER admit they are wrong or issue an Atta boy to the opposition NEVER. You need to learn that one lesson. That is the one thing I hate about Republicans - only Republicans get Republican praise. And for a person to be so petty that they cannot praise another because of party affiliation, there must be some more serious mental flaws.

For what it's worth, here's why I am very burned up about the election results. I keep thinking of Gephardt's standing shoulder to shoulder with Bush in the Rose Garden regarding the "war on terrorism". The Democrats did not even try to put forth a populist message. When faced with a choice between the Republicans and the me-too Democrats, people went with the candidates with the firm message. What was with all of the timidity during this campaign? The Democrats lost anyway---would they have lost BY EVEN MORE if they had had some balls and stood up and fought this man toe-to-toe? I doubt it. I'd rather see us go down fighting than to go down whimpering like a bunch of sob sisters. God Bless Paul Wellstone---he would have fought these people until hell froze over, and then he would have fought them on ice (to paraphrase Churchill). Gephardt is making noises about running for President. He'll never get my vote in a million years. We had so much to work with, given the Enron situation, a crashing economy, job loss, and historical precedents. We blew it. Granted, I know the Democrats will always be outgunned and outspent by the Republicans, but still, why spend your money on tepid little "me too" messages?

I think that Democracy is dead. The Republicans not only control the White House, the Senate, the House of Representatives, the Supreme Court, the Federal Judiciary, but they also control about 99.9% of the mainstream print, broadcast, and cable media (they own mediawhores like Tim Russert, George Will, etc.), and now the new voting machines that are coming into use are made by and serviced by right wing Republicans. They can control what messages the uninformed, ignorant masses are hearing (and not hearing), and they can control what the voting machines say is the count.

They will never willingly relinquish the enormous power they have amassed through money, lies, cheating, possibly murder.

The past two elections have meant the end of Democracy. First, in 2000, they put into the White House the man the voters did NOT choose as president, and now they have completed their grab at total control. Who knows for whom the voters ACTUALLY voted on Tuesday? For instance, the polls, consistently in the weeks leading up to the election, had such individuals as Shaheen in New Hampshire ahead, but she was "defeated" by Republican Sununu. Or was she? With Ashcroft in charge of Justice, and Republicans in charge of more and more of the voting machines, we will never know whom the VOTERS really elected.

I just wanted to implore people to start writing, calling (basically harassing) the mainstream media news outlets. They are so complicit in all of this. It's not possible to have a democracy without an independent and non-biased media. We have no voice now whatsoever. They need to know that we're very angry, and not just at the Bush administration. I've sent an email (a way too long one - I just couldn't stop) to most of the mainstream network news programs basically asking them why they've stopped reporting the news. It's as if they all work for the Bush administration. There is absolutely no investigative reporting anymore (like there was with the Clinton administration!!). The American public is among the most uninformed in the world - yet we are a democracy?! So all of you articulate, angry BuzzFlashers, please, please start complaining to the media. I think we should absolutely bombard them.

I think Rob Moitoza's idea is a good one. The media has failed the average American. They created Dubya. We need to keep them in line. A coordinated protest against the major media outlets and newspapers might get us some air time. We need to get out and make our feelings known over the next two years through demonstrations, boycotts and bumper stickers. We can't afford to be intimidated by fascists replutocans and the GOP accommodating news media.

BuzzFlash has allowed Republican strategy and maneuvering to go unnoticed. I refer to the resignation of Harvey Pitt cleverly carried out in the midst of election night. Where are the articles and headlines about Harvey Pitt? His resignation is a symptom of a terrible disease, yet it has passed virtually without comment. And is this not a victory, although a small one. What of the administration that promised "not even the hint of impropriety?" Something reeks in D.C. and it should be proclaimed loudly at every indication by every freedom loving group in the land.

Although this email is a criticism, I have the highest regard for BuzzFlash and read it devotedly. Keep up the great work and keep that Progressive Standard flying high!

It is time to formulate a mission for the Democratic Party. You must take a stand on what the party is ABOUT. We were beaten by the Republican Party because they have a well defined plan for the future of the United States and the world. One that must be opposed with as much political power as we can muster.

Our mission has to be about where the Democratic Party is headed and how we plan to get there. The ways of dealing with the issues in the past no longer serve the party or the people of this country.

It must also be diametrically opposed to the Republican plan of world supremacy.

I am a Democrat because I believe down to my very bones that humanity can save itself and the planet. I believe that all people are the same in their aspirations, in their pain, their suffering, their joys and ability to love. That a different religion, or nationality or language do not make us fundamentally different.

Where the Bush "mandate" is to go to war with Iraq, the Democratic plan must oppose any and all wars that are waged for domination of the natural resources of the planet.

Where Bush's "mandate" is to ignore the UN and threaten the world with unilateral strikes to force regime change at his party's whim, the Democratic party goal should be to support the UN and make it's humane mission of peace and prosperity a reality in the world.

Where Bush's "mandate" is to dominate the oil supplies of the world and to make his supporters richer in the process, the Democratic Party should make it a goal to find alternate sources of fuel and energy. If we can go to the moon because there was a deliberate and concerted effort by the government to fund the space program, then we can find clean and renewable energy.

While Bush thumbs his nose at the environment, the Democratic Party should have a plan ready to be implemented to deliberately reverse the effects of the damage that is happening to the planet. As just one example, the US can lead the world in stopping the ever spreading fires in the Amazon rain forest. It is something that can be done easily if there is worldwide determination.

Where Bush's "vision" is to make the rich richer and to destroy the middle class in the process, the Democratic Party should have a plan and the goal to give all the people the power to lift themselves out of poverty. It can start by raising the minimum wage to a living wage. By taking education seriously instead of using it only as a campaigning issue which too often ends up being an empty promise. Good schools in the poorest districts of our country and the world will teach the smartest and the best who would otherwise live a life of poverty and misery. Intelligence and genius are not the sole property of the rich.

In the 21st century humanity has arrived at that point in our history and in our evolution where we have to be consciously accountable for the state of the planet and all the people on it. Ignorance of how we pollute and destroy the planet is no longer an excuse.

To all the Democratic representatives in Washington, I urge you to get behind closed doors and formulate a comprehensive plan that will define the party in a clear and definite way. And I suggest that you remember to listen to your constituents.

I was a poll watcher at Precinct 314 on Tuesday. The election judge was a republican and the alternate election judge claimed to be a democrat, but the alternate judge was the one who was making it difficult if not impossible for many minorities to vote who were registered voters and had previously voted in that precinct as recently as the Democratic primary in April but due to redistricting were now in other precincts.

99% of the voters he sent to other precincts were Blacks and Hispanics and until I intervened, those voters were not provided with the address and directions to their new precinct. I saw minority voter intimidation; minority voters told that if they did a contested ballot (as I suggested and they are allowed to do under the law), the republican election judges would not approve it because they didn't believe the voter had a "good enough reason." I saw white republican election officers, including the election judge, actually going into the booth with minority voters under the guise of "helping" when in my opinion they were really intimidating the minority voters. I saw Vietnamese and Hispanic registered voters who were not told that they had the option of viewing a video in their language to demonstrate how to use the E-slate. I saw the election judge and an election officer mimic Vietnamese when they spoke. I saw minority voters given incomplete instructions so that their ballot was "spoiled." After 3 such incidents, I made it appoint to loudly ask the election judge (the only person I was allowed to speak to directly) if the voter had been told to wait until the flag waved before they left the booth. I saw and heard much, much more, and I am soul sick about it. I kept a detailed written journal of what I witnessed, and I when intervened on behalf of the voters -- all to no avail. More importantly, it was a crying shame that my calls to Harris County Democratic Headquarters were not responded to at all and I had been told they would when I attended the training to be a volunteer poll watcher.

I tell you, I truly believe the the Texas Democratic Party has been taken over for republicans claiming to be democrats and they are sabotaging elections.

I believe this is the first feedback I have contributed to your site. I am just writing to say that I stand with you and your readers all the way. I was somewhat despondent the day after the elections but the flame inside me is now back and I vow now more than ever that I will not sell either my soul or my brains to the repuglican ideology. I would rather be dead than to be that blind and or stupid.

Read E.J. Dionne's Washington Post column today. The Democratic Party lacks leadership, has not fire in its belly, and lack courage.

Was there anything more outrageous or a better example of E.J.'s analysis than Tom Daschle saying he would vote to give the President war powers so the Party could campaign on other issues? How many Americans, Brits, Iraqis, and God knows who else will die because of that approach. He abdicated any position of leadership with that one as far as I am concerned.

I have seen few Democrats worth voting for for P{resident. For those pushing for Gary Hart -- get real. All we need is a candidate to remind the electorate of the Clinton sexual follies and it's over. We need a decent man, who can speak forcefully, confidentially, and whip The Shrub's rear end in a debate. (That is not you, Al.)

I've seen few who measure up but Sen Dick Durbin from Illinois, who won with 60% of the vote on Tuesday, strikes me as being head and shoulders above any I've seen.

I've never lived in Illinois in my 60+ years and I am retired West Pointer who believes our Founding Fathers are rolling in their graves after this election, if they were not before.

Some intelligent Democrat with a scintilla of charisma needs to step forward now.

We have an opportunity to bring much needed change to our beloved party. Please join me in supporting Nancy Pelosi for minority leader of the house. Martin Frost is a good centrist Democrat, but do we really need another white guy from Texas running the show.

Nancy Pelosi is a wonderful, gritty, principled, strong woman from the great city of San Francisco. California was the only state that gave a big finger to George Bush and his minions this past Tuesday. California is NOT out of step with the rest of the country. We are way ahead of the rest of the country, follow us.. I urge you to contact house leaders, your representatives, senators and your friends. Our time has come. We need Nancy Pelosi start your own grass roots campaign now.

Just remember the first words out of his mouth ever time he mentions one of Bush's nominees - "he has an impeccable reputation." How many times have you heard him say that - ALWAYS and ALWAYS it turns out to be garbage.

If there is something wrong with the democratic party because we only have fifty% then what is wrong wi