RRRevolution

Bush & Cheney's Tax Returns... A Closer Look??

2006-04-18T21:16:00.000-07:00

At times in American history the level of corruption has reached such epic proportions that it becomes almost impossible to reveal the truth about the massive corruption that is ongoing to the American people. They just refuse to believe it. That it could be that bad.

However, one thing that gets the attention of the American people, and they will believe it, is the amount of money being "skimmed, embezzled" by their leaders.

Al Capone owned just about every arm of government, and jury trials were exercises in futility. However, his downfall was his "tax returns", the failure to report all of his income.

The same could apply to Bush and Cheney with the recent release of their tax returns. There is no way the figures presented are an accurate reflection of the money made over the last year.

Maybe Bush and Cheney's downfall will begin with a close review of their tax returns.

The Time Is Right To Speak Truth And Call Bush's Hand

2006-02-07T22:11:00.000-08:00

Senator Feingold was "gold" today ..... putting the truth on the line and calling Bush's hand.

His presidential stock definitely went up today, and not just among liberal Dems ... true conservatives do not like big government listening in on them any more than liberals.

Feingold has taken the initiative, and will reap the rewards that any Democrat could have had if they had gone to the floor of the Senate first and delivered this message.
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It takes a clear voice and clear message to connect with the American people, and until they hear both they are likely to remain confused, and unwilling to make any big changes.

Democrats need to step out and be bold. People are waiting to hear an alternative --even if it will require their sacrifice, to get this country back on track.

We need to go hard against the corrupt, including not giving our own a free pass if they have engaged in wrongdoing. Integrity comes from doing the right thing, and doing the right thing is never wrong.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, the time is right to step out, be bold, and provide an alternative to Bush and the neo-cons, not be Republican-lite.
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Another point worth noting .... in this culture of corruption that Congressional leaders have allowed, it is pretty clear that people like Sibel Edmonds(national security whistle blower) who have information on members of Congress and the WHite House should be free to disclose that information to any member of Congress, and not subject to a "state secrets" gag order.

Evidence is evidence. Either it is trustworthy and reliable or it is not. What member of Congress is going to avoid clearing his name with an allegation of bribery pending against him? Does it instill confidence in that member of Congress when they stand silent?

This really cuts to the heart of the corrupt practices allowed to go on in Congress today.

The Bradblog.com has an exclusive on Edmonds and the $500,000 Speaker Denny Hastert received from Turkish interests in amounts less than $200 each, so that they would not be required to report them.
Revolutionary

FAST FACTS REGARDING BUSH TAX CUTS & POVERTY RATES

2006-02-02T07:51:00.000-08:00

To hear President Bush, you would think the tax cuts are helping to lift all Americans prospects, and fight poverty by reinvigorating our economy.

However, as these fast facts show, the truth is just the opposite ....

FACT — POVERTY RATES HAVE INCREASED UNDER BUSH: The poverty rate has risen each year since 2001, with 12.7 percent of the population now living in poverty. African-American poverty has risen from 22.7 percent in 2001 to 24.7 percent in 2004, and child poverty has gone from 16.3 percent in 2001 to 17.8 percent (1.3 million children under the age of 18). [U.S. Census Bureau, Aug. 2005, Tables B-1 and B-2]

FACT — BUSH TAX CUTS TARGETED AT HIGH-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS: The tax bills enacted since 2001 “have helped high-income households far more than other households,” according to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. Households with incomes exceeding $1 million have received average tax cuts of $103,000, “an increase of 5.4 percent in their after-tax income.” But in 2005, the bottom fifth of households “will receive an average combined tax cut of $18 from these bills, raising their after-tax income by 0.3 percent.” [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 10/17/05]

It is hard to argue with these findings. Did anybody tell President Bush??

Tip of the hat and thank you to thinkprogress.com for bringing these facts to our attention.

Let's Take A Status Check

2006-02-02T07:37:00.000-08:00

You decide to show up and petition your government leader, say George W. Bush, and
--you cannot get in without being prescreened and determined to be a supporter of the president, signing a loyalty oath, and having received a ticket;
--you have a ticket and decide to attend to hear the president speak, but you drive your car with the democratic bumper sticker, and you are stopped and ejected from the event;
--you decide to appear and hold your sign which says impeach Bush,
so you are ushered to a metal caged area several blocks away, labelled a "free speech zone", out of sight and voice range, and placed under video surveillance;
--you decide to show up early to the site where Bush will speak to scout out a good location to protest, and you accidentally step inside an area the secret service has deemed a security zone, and you are arrested and charged with a felony under the Patriot Act, even though no one you wish to protest is even on the premises;

So your right to petition your government and engage in constitutionally protected protest is effectively suppressed.

YOu decide to watch the press use their 1st Amend right to ask the president questions, and get answers to those questions:

--Bush does not do unrehearsed press conferences;
--Bush does not answer questions he does not know about and filter in advance;
--Bush does not allow access to press members who do not report favorably about him;
--Bush refuses to allow Mike Wallace to interview him, or even speak to him;

So since you cannot effectively petition your government, and the press cannot effectively ask Bush questions, you decide to organize with others who are concerned like you:
--your telephone conversations are secretly listened to by NSA and other government agents without a warrant;
--your mail is opened by homeland security and read before being taped shut, stamped opened by the government, and delivered to you;
--your organization is infiltrated by government undercover spies, most recently if you were vegetarian, a librarian, or a peace activist associated with the Quaker religion.
--you decide to use the internet to discuss your interests and concerns, and your web surfing and emails are turned over by your isp to the government;

So you decide to use your right to vote to express your will in the democracy you call home:

--you are turned away from voting because you are wrongly identified as a felon in Florida;
--you are turned away from voting in Georgia because you do not have a picture ID card;
--your voting precinct has only 2 voting machines for thousands of precinct voters, which takes hours of standing in line to use, and which machines break down several times during the day;
--you use a touch screen voting machine which continuously registers your vote for Bush even though you are trying to vote for Kerry, and you cannot get a paper receipt showing how your vote was counted;
--you are given a provisional ballot to use and later the provisional ballot is not counted;

So how do you like the status of your constitutional rights so far?

If you said just fine, you are just the kind of citizen our present Administration is looking for.

If you said not at all, you might be still living in the past when the government existed to serve the people and we all had constitutional rights preserved to us.

It is good to take a status check every now then to realize just how many of our constitutional rights have been whittled away.

Corrupt to the Core .... Is more than a Partisan Issue

2005-11-26T19:22:00.000-08:00

This is not a novel concept, but one that some of the oppressed find unnecessary in order to right the ship.

We cannot hold accountable the extreme corrupt who are in control of the Bush Administration and have taken over the Republican party and trashed our country and its reputation UNLESS we also hold accountable Independents and Democrats who also have engaged in corruption. Why? Because there is always the extortion element to deal with when we look to Dems and Independents to do their job and hold corrupt Republicans to account when they have their own corrupt practices to hide.

Without "clean hands" it is hard to point the accusatory finger at those who have to go.

Partisanship is definitely an issue here and as a party the Republicans must be dislodged from the levers of power. But if Dems want to RETAIN power once we retake it, we had better be prepared to hold our own candidates and representatives to a higher level of responsibility and demand that the corruption cycle end or they are out as well.

As a thirty year Democrat my political allegiance is unquestioned. However, people of both parties have been corrupted by the influence of corporate money, and we will never get our country back until we live out our commitment to root out corruption wherever it is found, and not just in a partisan way in the Republican party.

Speak truth to power, hold the corrupt accountable, ensure fair and transparent elections, and stop the unfettered flow of corporate money campaign contributions to our congressional representatives, and we will be well on the way back to returning this country to the people.

One more comment ...........when the Democrats retake the WH and Congress, the first action that should be taken is to completely open ALL of government records and documents to the public which Republicans have classified as secret, except for those legitimately tied to national security.

The sunshine of open and transparent government is kryptonite to corruption.

It just might revive the last surviving vestiges of a free press in this country as the evidence of such pervasive corruption is laid bare for public perusal.

You can be sure that history will not treat Bush kindly when the truth comes out, and it just might result in a public vaccination against reelection of such corrupt leaders again for quite a while.

Quick Quiz #1 - What Do They Have In Common?

2005-11-05T10:22:00.000-08:00

Today's quick quiz: What do Abramoff, Delay, Ney, Coushatta Indian Tribe, Noe of Ohio, Cheney, and Rove and ALL HAVE IN COMMON?

Answer: All are directly involved in raising and/or receiving and/or redistributing massive illegal campaign contributions to Republicans.

Bonus Question: In which State has a sitting Governor pled NO CONTEST to criminal charges earlier this year and still in office?

Answer: Ohio

When Democrats Take Back Power .....

2005-11-05T10:14:00.000-08:00

When Democrats take back power in 2006, I think it would be a monumental mistake to publicly announce how Democrats are going to reach out to Republicans and work with them in a "spirit of bipartisanship" to address the problems facing our country.

An alternative approach that is well deserved and likely to be much more effective would be similar to the following:

"Democrats have been completely shut out of power in both houses of government, and the White House, since 2000, and in that time irreparable damage has been visited upon this country and its people, by corrupt influences and corrupt leaders in the Republican Party. There has been so much damage done to our country that it cannot be repaired all at once. However, the one thing we can do today is begin to restore the power of government to the people and deny that power to those corrupt corporate interests who have looted our treasury, and deny that power to those corrupt ideologues who have squandered the goodwill of our country and damaged our nation's reputation in the world by leading us into an unnecessary war in Iraq.
In the coming days be prepared to hear the cries of abuse and partisanship from out-of-power Republicans as we set about repairing the damage they have done to our country. Do not be misled, we are prepared to stand firm and not be swayed by empty platitudes when there is so much that needs to be done to return America once again to the service of her people. Once we rid the houses of government and the White House of the corrupt interests that have seized control during the reign of Republicans, we will be glad to work in a bipartisan way for the good of our country. Until that time, Democrats will be about addressing the needs and interests of the people and of this great country, and those who have caused the damage need not expect there to be a sharing of power with them just because they have now rediscovered the word "bipartisanship." The tide has turned, there is a new day in
America, once again the people have control of their government and as their duly elected representatives we are committed to "cleaning house" and putting our country back on course. America belongs to its people, and we will not stop until its Government has been returned to her rightful owners."

Where Does Fitz Go From Here?

2005-10-29T07:58:00.000-07:00

Rove is in real trouble for basically the same reasons Libby was indicted. His date with indictment is not avoided, just delayed.

The real target here is Cheney, which is clear from the factual recitation in the Libby indictment. Cheney was a source for Libby, knew Libby was lying for 2 years and said and did nothing. Cheney headed up the WHIG. Cheney is in this game in a big way.

Then the real issue becomes clear, what did Bush know and when did he know it, and who will "roll over" on him for their own self-interest.
The prospect of serving prison time has a way of helping you make up your mind about cooperating with the prosecutor. This would explain why Bush is in such a foul mood --he knows what he did, and how much trouble he could be in if his house of cards does not hold up.

So how does Fitz get from here to "there?"

Here is one plan. Offer Libby a deal he cannot refuse, reduced prison time, and squeeze him for every factual tidbit and get him on record under oath before the grand jury. Take that information and turn another top WH official with knowledge who has not been indicted for perjury and false statements like Libby, and get them on the record under oath, and squeeze them for their contacts.

Slowly build the framework of those who informed and observed Cheney and Bush first hand, who can testify to what was said and done consistent with what we know to be true.

Libby is toast. Rove is next. Cheney will likely resign. The big question is whether Bush can stay insulated. Right now his only card to play is the "dumb" defense, that "I was out of the loop." IF it works to avoid criminal charges, it makes Bush look incredibly out of control as President and very weak.

The story is gonna come out, the question is will anyone other than scooter take the fall. I think they will, and sighs of relief that certain people were not indicted yesterday are way too premature.

One indisputable fact that should send a chill through Rove and all the other Plamegate targets --Fitzgerald has rented office space across the street from the courthouse where Scooter will be tried and/or sentenced.

Fitz misses his bed in Chicago, but he is planning to be in Washington for an extended period of time to wind up this affair. The fact Fitz is securing office space cannot be spun, and should scare everyone with potential liability in this matter.

This is very bad news indeed for the WH and the inhabitants thereof.

Like a Jigsaw Puzzle, Obscure Pieces Reveal a Lot

2005-10-19T08:54:00.000-07:00

Names and events mentioned in passing during the speculation on the Plamegate Leak case may hold forth more merit than initially thought. John Hannah, Mary Matalin, Cheney's PR guy sent to Iraq, Bolton visiting Judy Miller in prison, Jennifer Millerwise, Tim Russert, and Bob Novak. So how do all these pieces of the puzzle fit together? Here is one theory .....

John Hannah is now being reported as having "flipped" early on in the investigation. As a member of the Cheney staff borrowed from John Bolton's Office, he would have been in a position to know about the true motives for silencing Joe Wilson and outing his wife. With that information held close to the vest Fitzgerald would have been armed with the information needed to ask the right questions, and know when people were being untruthful. Mary Matalin, married to James Carrville, would have been part of the WHIG and as such would have had inside information as to the role other members played in the outing of Plame. She has held such a low profile, she most likely could have agreed to cooperate with Fitzgerald early on and no one would have been the wiser. So Bolton gets on the visitor list to see Judy Miller while in prison. Hmmm.... sounds like somebody needed to get their stories coordinated. We know from Bolton's failed confirmation hearings that there were intercepts of communications recorded by NSA that Bolton had access to, that were requested by the Senate, that were never revealed to the full Senate --but most likely were reviewed by Sen. Roberts and Sen. Rockefeller. They would know who he was listening in on and how it related to the Plame affair. Tim Russert appeared before the grand jury, but has not commented further on his role. Russert most likely has been cooperating with Fitzgerald just like Bob Novak. Cheney's PR guy is sent out of the country to Iraq for the next 6 months "to help" over there, and to be outside the reach of Fitzgerald's grand jury. And Millerwise as the CIA communications dir. most likely has been feeding CIA info to Fitzgerald, since she was never called to testify before the grand jury.

So how do the pieces fit? Each of these individuals know a lot more about who did what in Plamegate than they have disclosed publicly. With the exception of Hannah and Bolton, they each are likely to draw lenient sentences if charged, but they have no reason to risk being charged and sentenced to cover for the higherups. However, each was in a position to know a significant part of what was going on. Millerwise would have no liability, but would have played a huge role in pushback against the Whitehouse.

A good guess is that this investigation has centered on Cheney from the very beginning, and how Libby assisted Cheney in carrying out the orders. Plea arrangements have most likely included a provision that no leaks about cooperation could be exposed or the deals are off. THis has allowed Fitzgerald to put people over a barrel for lack of truthfulness and possible charges of perjury and obstruction of justice, and thereby dig deeper. Now reports are circulating that Bush knew 2 years ago about the role Rove played in the outing, and lambasted him for it while telling the public he did not know. So is Bush in range for a "money shot" as an unindicted co-conspirator?

Most likely we are in the final hours of plea offers remaining on the table for likely defendants. Depending on who "flips" and who does not will likely determine whether Fitz takes a shot at indicting Bush, or merely refers to him as an unindicted co-conspirator.

Too many people inside and outside the White House know too much for the critical information regarding Cheney and Libby to leak out. In the end, the rest of us will be surprised at how much was known for so long by so many, and yet not made public until that time.

If Fitzgerald does his job, we may receive a second chance to remove the evildoers and reclaim our government.

GOP Corruption Presents Democrats With Opportunity

2005-10-04T10:05:00.000-07:00

We need to recognize that there is an opportunity being presented here which Democrats must take advantage of in the next 12 mos or it will be lost.

The culture of corruption is breaking out into the open all over. Ohio, Kentucky, Delay Indictment, Frist insider trading, Plame Investigation, etc. People are beginning to see the consequences of having corrupt leaders in both a raided treasury and lost lives. Those in power are beginning to be exposed as saying one thing and doing the opposite.

The opportunity presented to Democrats is to present a clear choice to voters in the mid-term elections. Democrats need to take an unambiguous stand in favor of truth, integrity, and against not only corruption, but the appearance of corruption.

This can be done if Democrats insist on promoting only candidates who are "squeaky clean" and far from known corrupt influences. Democrats must not only field clean candidates, they must speak out against corruption wherever found -- including inside its own organization.

It is impossible to point the finger of condemnation at corrupt Republicans if our house is not first put in order.

I know any kind of self-criticism is not looked upon kindly in a time of such Republican corruption and abuse. But we must clearly demonstate to the voters that we will not tolerate corruption and will set a different standard if our candidates are elected. Otherwise, plenty of Democrats will be painted with the same "culture of corruption" brush right along with Republicans.

Disaffected voters fed up with corruption will either vote for Democrats, or they will "drop out" and not vote at all. If they do not vote, you can be sure partisan Republicans will and we are in for more of the same.

This window of opportunity will not remain open long. Let us hope our party leaders and supporters will recognize it for what it is, and not let it slip away.

Harriet Miers? Non-Judge to Supreme Ct Justice?

2005-10-03T05:39:00.000-07:00

You have to wonder sometimes if George Bush's world view extends beyond the State of Texas and a small outpost called Washington, D.C. Bush has the opportunity and responsibility to name a replacement on the bench of the United States Supreme Court and he looks no further than his former personal White House Counsel from the State of Texas who has NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE as a judge to the highest court in the land.

Why?

Once again it appears that the personal relationship to Bush trumps qualifications. A loyal friend does not equal a well-qualified appointee to an important position.

Makes you wonder if Bush was not considering the possible scenario where Bush or one of his Senior Administration officials will have one of their own cases arrive before the Supreme Court, and his overriding concern had be to "stack the deck" in his favor should that situation arise.

It is not clear that an attorney who spent most of her career in private practice from the State of Texas is the best qualified candidate for this position. Her list of past clients includes Microsoft and Disney, which indicates she has wielded the corporate shield in the past. We have no evidence that she ever represented any clients in the public interest against corporate interests. Troubling news in this time of power wielded by special interest groups flush with cash.

We have no written record of her decisions as a sitting judge to show us where she might stand on important issues now pending before the Supreme Court. Abortion, civil rights, sexual equality, right to privacy, the list could go on and on. We do not know if she has an opinion on any of these issues, and if she has one what that opinion might be. We also have nothing to examine which might indicate her intellectual ability and grasp of the law.

It would appear that by selecting Miers as his nominee Bush is sending the message to the American public "just trust me, she is a good woman with a good heart." If that were enough, any female Red Cross worker would be qualified as his nominee for this position which carries with it a "lifetime" appointment.

Can we afford to risk approving Miers appointment to such an important position when we know so little about her?

The ball is in the Senate's court now. Will the duly elected Senators perform their duty to examine and determine that this nominee is qualified before giving her their stamp of approval by confirming her? Or will they view this as a political appointment which they must support in lockstep along party lines because the head of the Executive Branch of government says they must?

With all the important 5-4 decisions on the books over the last decade, this could be the most important Supreme Court nominee in our Nation's history.

If the Senate does its job, this should be a bumpy ride which requires a slow and thorough examination of this nominee. A wrong decision at this point could have lasting ill effects on this country and its way of life for so long as Harriet Miers might live.

DELAY INDICTED!!!!!

2005-09-28T10:40:00.000-07:00

Will wonders never cease to amaze us? Tom Delay is indicted for a felony --coming out of the State of Texas at that!

Presidential response "(we) still have confidence in Tom Delay."
Republican talking point "this is purely partisan."
Pat Buchanan "this is the end of his(Delay's) career."
Chris Matthews "this is moneylaundrying. He is either guilty or not."
Anti-Corruption Groups "what took you(prosecutor) so long!"

Delay's co-defendant co-conspirators are now presented with the unique opportunity of grabbing a lenient plea deal to turn state's evidence against Delay, or go "away" for a long time.

So the question the criminally indicted, including Mr. Delay, should ask now is "How do we make this indictment go away?"

Well, indictments must be dealt with in one of the following ways: (1) Trial on the charges indicted; (2) Plea bargain arrangement which covers the original charges in indictment; (3) Prosecutor decides not to prosecute the charges as indicted; (4) Indictment is dismissed by a Judge for either procedural or substantive irregularity; (5) Upon return of indictment the grand jury is presented with additional evidence which prompts reconsideration and withdrawal of the previously issued indictment with court approval (ie. proof of innocence).

Our Analysis: In reverse order, (5) has almost zero possibility as the term of the grand jury ends today, and the prosecutor is solely responsible for presentation of evidence the grand jury sees. Number (4) this is possible, but not likely. You can bet the procedural and substantive elements have been reviewed extensively by not only the prosecutor's office but by a presiding judge. Number (3) there is no chance on this one. After over 2 years of investigation and the accumulation of evidence against Delay and the other co-defendants, he will not refuse to take the grand jury indictment to trial.

Number (2) is the most likely resolution of the indictment. Delay knows the evidence that would be put on and must know that a trial would likely lead to conviction. He will want to avoid jail time and a felony conviction, so he is likely to agree to plead guilty to one or more misdemeanors with a promise of no jail time. Will the prosecutor accept a guilty plea to a misdemeanor to make this go away? Who knows. But even if Delay has to plead to a felony to get the sentence with which he can live, he will do so. His career as majority leader in the House is over, and he most likely will lose his seat in the House. His only hope is to play for time by dragging the process out, but once an indictment is issued there are established court deadlines that must be met. Essentially time has run out on Delay.

Number (1) is the second most likely resolution of the indictment. Agree to no plea offers, admit nothing, smear the prosecutor and grand jury in the press as partisan, fight like hell to win at trial on a technicality. The advantage to Delay is that this will lengthen the process. However, it will increase the likelihood of active jail time in the event of a guilty verdict. Most seasoned defense lawyers will advise a client in the fix which Mr. Delay finds himself to negotiate a deal, and get the sentencing behind him. Then mount a public relations attack to recharacterize his plea as being entered for the good of the Republican Party and President Bush, not because he was actually guilty.

The immediate effect of this indictment of Delay? It is well known that Delay made a lot of enemies within the Republican Party. This presents the perfect opportunity within the Republican Party to shift the balance of power from the hands of those leaders like Delay who have ruled with an "iron fist" to more moderate Republicans who are looking to survive the upcoming mid-term elections. Once Delay steps down, he will never "step up" to that position again.

The reality is that Delay's world has changed permanently.

And better late than never, we are all the better for it.

The Coming Economic Meltdown Is Here!

2005-08-23T06:06:00.000-07:00

Publicly available information now points to the coming of an Economic Meltdown. Consider the convergence of each of the following: (1) Credit Card minimum payments double this month, with approximately 39% of all credit card holders presently paying the minimum balance and the average adult carrying a balance in excess of $6000 each this will trigger exorbiant fees and costs and lead to default interest rates as high as 30%; (2) New Bankruptcy Law becomes effective October 17, 2005, and significantly impairs the right to a "fresh start". Consider that most will not qualify for traditional bankruptcy and will be forced to file a Chapter 13 which will tie them to a "repayment plan" over 5 years if their income over that time would contribute a total of 25% of the debt owed, will require repayment of all credit card debt incurred in last 90 days before filing, and raise the cost to file and participate in the plan for 5 years; (3) Rising interest rates will affect every form of credit for a nation that borrows 125% of its disposable income rather than saving. Adjustable rates on credit cards will continue to go up. Adjustable rate mortgages will hit homeowners like a brick as the cost of everything else goes up; (4) The housing bubble will shake the economy to its foundation as housing properties flood the market when people can no longer make the payments, driving prices straight down, and resulting in the loss of millions in equity for not only those selling but those still owning homes; (5) Job layoffs are going up as good paying jobs flow overseas by the thousands every week, and the paltry number of jobs created pay little more than minimum wage; (6) States are finding that they have to both raise taxes and cut back on services to meet demands; (7) Healthcare costs are skyrocketing like never before, with premiums set to increase 10% more this year, on top of 1/4 of the population having no medical health insurance, which transfers that costs for healthcare to the states with no increase in federal assistance for medicare and medicaid; (8) The Chinese and Japanese are beginning to cut back on their monthly purchase of treasury bills which provide liquidity and lower interest rates for all Americans, which will lead to even higher interest rates throughout the economy; (9) The increase in the price of oil and gasoline is hitting Americans not just at the pump, but in the cost of everything we buy. Gasoline surcharges are appearing on invoices for small businesses already operating on the margins, which must be passed on to consumers in higher costs. (10) The increase in the price of natural gas will hit people extremely hard during the upcoming winter; (11) The new Energy bill will transfer billions of dollars from the public treasury to the oil and energy companies who are drowning in corporate profits; (12) The non-budgeted cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will continue to escalate beyond the $300 billion already spent, drawing needed capital out of the US economy; (13) Taxes will have to increase at the Federal Level on workers as the corporations pay less, the wealthy pay less, and the Bush tax cuts are allowed to become permanent, along with the elimination of the Estate and Gift Tax; (14) Global warming will soon require US companies to expend more of their assets to respond to the effects of global warming; (15) Weather related disasters within the US further strain the US budget in a time of war; (16) The US is facing increased competition on the world market from China in its acquisition of oil, and our foreign policy could lead to an oil embargo against the US by oil producing countries; (17) A depression would be profound if the stock market takes a huge plunge; (18) Economist are already stumped by the increased in corporate profit and resulting stagnation in worker wages and real earning potential; (19) Pensions are being raided by corporate entities, leaving huge numbers of workers with only social security to rely upon; (20) Airlines will require a bigger piece of federal government assistance to keep running, which will further lessen available funds needed by businesses, driving up interest rates even further.

Each of these events has been public addressed individually, but few are putting them together in the same time period and analyzing the expected outcome from their convergence.

Who knows how to proceed in the face of all this bad news. It would appear wise to become as liquid as possible. Beyond that paltry piece of advice, we are probably on our own.

To all of the trained economists out there, if you have some well-considered timely, constructive ideas as to how we can weather this coming economic meltdown, please share them with the rest of us.

Solution to United States Declaring Only Necessary Wars

2005-08-18T06:40:00.000-07:00

Often you hear that giving peace a chance is the solution to all wars.

Not So.

Sometimes wars are necessary. Fighting against Hitler and WWII were necessary.
Most wars could be avoided if the circumstances giving rise to them are properly addressed early enough to ward off the use of military power. However today, almost all major wars are event driven, sustained by patriotic statements of a higher calling, and fought by the economically disadvantaged and politically powerless.

So who has the power to declare war? Congress and only Congress may declare war, as clearly set out in the Constitution -- the basis of all laws governing our democratic form of government. The President as Commander in Chief may act to protect the country, but may not sustain any military action that amounts to war without the approval of Congress exercising that exclusive Constitutional authority given it. So only Congress can declare war, and it is the check and balance on the power of the Commander in Chief.

So how does Congress determine when a war is necessary and inevitable?

In the past, members of Congress have acted on less than adequate information and with political motives in mind. What is the antidote to this approach to making war? We need to press each member of Congress to weigh the need for war in a real and personal way for them.

The solution could be something like this.

(1) All Members of Congress should be required to pledge that they will serve militarily by sending 1/4 of Congress' standing members to fight in any war it declares. In order to make it fair, tours of duty by members of Congress shall rotate every 3 months, so that any war lasting at least one year would mean that at the expiration of that time every member of Congress would have served on the ground. During any three(3) month period, members required to serve shall be drawn by lottery by their party, and each party shall provide the required number equal to the percentage of seats it holds. (So if the breakdown in Congress in the time of war was Repub 50%, Dem 45% and Indep 5%, then each party would supply that percentage of 1/4 of the total members of Congress by their own lottery).

(2) All members of Congress shall receive the same level of compensation and benefits(including healthcare benefits through VA) as other full-time active military during their tour of duty, and their regular pay and value of benefits they normally enjoy as a member of Congress shall be paid into a designated fund to be used to fund the war they voted to pursue).

(3) Any war which is necessary requires sacrifice by the entire country. So in the interest of proving to the rest of the country that the war declared is necessary, any draft age children or grandchildren of members of Congress shall be required to enlist or be drafted and deployed to fight with active military troops in the war theatre for such periods as are required of active military troops not related to members of Congress.

This three(3) step solution will result in every war declared by Congress being necessary and there being no alternative available. If they are required to serve, along with their children and grandchildren, then you know that the war declared is absolutely necessary and the country will be with them through this sacrifice.

A step (4) could be added by Congress which would also have a beneficial effect. Include all members of the Executive and Judicial Branches of the Federal Government in the same way members of Congress will be required to serve. (So instead of vacationing in Crawford Texas riding his bike, George Bush would spend 3 months in Iraq every year until the war is concluded. Likewise for Rumsfeld, Cheney, Condi and Karl Rove).

I suspect that the resignations in Congress would mount like a tidal wave if war were actually declared. But that is ok, because those left behind might decide to rescind the declaration of war if and when it no longer becomes necessary. The only condition I would put on those resigning their positions is that they may never serve in a governmental capacity again, and may not receive any government contracts in the future.

If we are going to ask others to sacrifice their lives for this country, members of Congress and the other two(2)branches of government should be willing to lead the way since there is no alternative to war.

The idea of public service would mean a good deal more than today, and wealth would not be an issue. Sacrifice by the country would be immediate in following the examples provided by our leaders.

Let's do it!

One Possible Scenario . . .

2005-08-01T12:02:00.000-07:00

If Congress decides to hold hearings on the Plame outing, then offers of immunity to evildoers cannot be far behind. The Watergate grants of immunity for congressional testimony stand as precedent for following this game plan.

However, there is one possible scenario ...

Fitzgerald discloses his evidence BEFORE the guilty parties have an opportunity to testify before Roberts' Senate Select Committee on Intelligence -- that way they have nothing to testify about which could be the consideration for an immunity deal.

So there they are under subpoena to testify before the Senate Committee, and subject to questions from DEMOCRATIC SENATORS about matters they would rather not discuss, including their knowledge of what Bush knew and when he knew it. However, they have to come up with something that Fitz does not have to save their own skins from criminal prosecution, and they can't pick and choose which questions to answer. (Rove under cross examination would be worth the price of admission!).

So there is Bush, with underlings about to spill the beans on him. My guess is Bush decides to pardon everyone concerned "for the good of the country, so we can move on to the people's business." But he cannot pardon himself.

Will enough Repubs in the House vote to impeach their imperial leader? Maybe. Remember Bush is a lame-duck, and after all the dirt becomes public showing Bush lied, they just might. If they did, Bush would almost certainly resign rather than risk conviction by the Senate. Plus resignation would make issuance of a pardon for him easier for whoever takes over.

Cheney should go down with him, leaving the Speaker of the House to take over for the remainder of the term. Which could be interesting since mid-term elections in 2006 could result in a DEMOCRATIC Speaker of the House acting as President.

None of the above will happen without a fight, and you can be sure that Bush & Co will use everything at their disposal to remain in power.

Announced Plan to Withdraw Troops -- Don't Believe it!

2005-07-27T10:20:00.000-07:00

Recent newsreports about the Bush Administration's plans to make substantial troop withdrawals from Iraq in the Spring of 2006 accomplish several purposes for the Bush WH.

The supposed troop withdrawal would occur just prior to mid-term elections in 2006, and give Repubs something to trumpet in their attempt to counter anti-war sentiment during re-election campaigns across the country.

The stated intention to withdraw troops allows a fallback position when troop levels are actually increased because of necessity. You can hear them now --"we planned all along to bring the troops home, but now circumstances won't let us."

It is picked up by those they want to get the message -- insurgents and Iranians. If Dick Cheney has his way, we will be invading Iran before then from newly constructed air bases in Uzbekistan and other bordering arab countries. Don't forget we are still constructing at last count no less than fourteen(14) military bases inside Iraq -- which for all intents appear to be permanent in nature.

As more troops are required to accomplish the neo-cons' goals of dominating this oil rich strategic area, Bush will use his stated desire to bring troops home to temper criticism of his decision to institute a "temporary" military draft. (Using "temporary" in this case would appear to be used in the same way it was used to justify imposition of an income tax in this country, and you see that it is still around today).

These and other advantages accrue to the Bush WH and neo-cons as a result of using this announced intention to withdraw troops.

Bush to Fitz: The Race is on re: Iran/Contra Defense & Pardons For All

2005-07-27T10:08:00.000-07:00

This quote from WP today is what has forced Bush's hand:

". . .special prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald has asked not only about how CIA operative Valerie Plame's name was leaked but also how the administration went about shifting responsibility from the White House to the CIA for having included 16 words in the 2003 State of the Union address about Iraqi efforts to acquire uranium from Africa."

Senator Roberts' announcement that his Committee will examine the Fitzgerald probe is shorthand to Fitz that the WH is about to play the Iran/Contra trump card. Roberts will call the culpable parties before his Senate Intelligence Committee, grant them immunity from criminal charges in exchange for their testimony, and leave Fitz with only non-testifiers to go after. It follows that anyone else with possible criminal liability will be granted a presidential pardon.

Folks this is a replay from the Iran/Contra case. The Supreme Court precedent is there to justify doing it again. Recall that Casper Weinberger and 5 others were slated for trial, and all were pardoned -- upheld by the SCOTUS on the basis of Congressional immunity for their testimony.

Fitz needs to get out the indictments ASAP, and ratchet up political pressure on Roberts' Committee not to grant immunity to those involved. Fitz already knows this. I suspect he has been trying to build the irrefutable case against Rove, Cheney and possibly Bush to make it politically impossible for Bush to issue pardons.

The WH knows the truth, knows who is criminally liable, and is trying to hold all of its supporters in line.The real question is "who has rolled over for Fitz?" When it becomes known who has already rolled over, the line to cooperate and negotiate a plea at Fitz Office should grow much longer. But to get to the evildoers at the top, Fitz has to manage the Iran/Contra defense and pardons which will surely be rolled out by this WH.

Some really important terms to remember in the coming days are "sealed indictments" and "unindicted co-conspirators" and "congressional immunity from criminal charges" and "pardon".

Fitzgerald knows what happened as does the Bush WH. It is all a question of how the cards are played as to who comes out on top. In the end, all the cards will be revealed -- but will there be any consequences for the evildoers?

Put on your seatbelts, the race is on!

Is Uncle Dick in Big Trouble?

2005-07-18T13:49:00.000-07:00

The Bush Official which may be in the most trouble may not be Rove, but rather "Uncle Dick".

((Anyone have any quotes by Cheney on the Plame scandal??))

Cheney may have orchestrated the whole thing on his own, and Rove might have stepped in and tried to create protection for WH by cultivating journalists as fake planted sources.Notice the distance b/t Rove and Cheney?

Bush has a real problem, who does he love more -- "Uncle Dick" who got him all the money deals with oil and defense contractors, or "Turdblossom" who tried to fix the problem and is the brains behind the WH. ("It's hard")!

"Uncle Dick" soon will likely be unavailable to Fitz and the grand jury because he is working out of his undisclosed underground bunker on national security, or his health may take a turn for the worse which will not allow him to answer questions which might cause him stress. And don't rule out new military action in Syria and/or Iran as a reason for not having time to cooperate.

The turmoil behind the scenes at the WH may be whether those outside the neo-con cabal have cooperated with Fitzgerald and given up those inside the neo-con cabal. My money is on Powell, who was caught redhanded with the memo in his hand on the plane to Africa with Bush Officials, as the cooperator with Fitz. Powell is not going to put his behind on the line to save these neo-con nuts who shut him out of all policy and planning for the Iraq war -- but used him to put out trumped up phony evidence to the UN in support of a resolution for war on Iraq.

If this scenario is true, you can bet that neither Rove nor Cheney is willing to take the fall -- and a power struggle behind the figurehead President is playing out even as we speak.

What is Fox News Up To?

2005-07-14T06:15:00.000-07:00

A few thoughts.

Fox reporting on the Rove Scandal is not surprising. It is THE story right now, has caught the public's attention, and their typical audience of rightwingers are tuning into the rest of the MSM now that the WH press corp has shown signs of life on this issue.

First, It is about marketshare.

Second, we all know there is a direct line between Rove and RNC to Fox News. What is going on now with this type of report is "conditioning" of the troops to accept the inevitable -- Rove is going to have to resign.

Third, the typical rightwing neocon response to being caught redhanded doing exactly what they denied they were doing is to find a sacrificial lamb to offer up to the public, and claim absolution for the sins of all the other culpable characters. Same as Abu Graib, say it was a few low level soldiers that dreamed up the abuse, find them guilty, and absolve everyone else higher up. Here if Rove's resignation is inevitable, might as well make him the scapegoat and claim everyone else is in the clear.

Fourth, Bush & Company did not adopt the strategy of stonewalling because they suddenly respect the criminal investigation process. They know what is coming -- and the best case scenario is Rove resigns("for the good of the country") and they put space between Rove and the rest of the WH.When Scottie is non-responsive for three straight days to WH press corp questions, and cannot bring himself to say Rove's name in expressing the President's continuing support of Rove you know this is serious. When the President suddenly clams up after making numerous statements in support of Rove in the last 2 years, and tough talk about how he would fire leakers, then you know it is serious.

Fox News has been given the bad news, is trying to help manage the WH solution to this problem as they always do, and is trying to keep their "loyal Repub viewers" after this whole fiasco comes out.A common principle in damage control is to be first to address the bad stuff before a prosecutor announces the goods on your guy. It gives you a chance to "spin" what is to come, but not yet announced to the public.

If Fitzgerald hits other WH officials (like Bush, Cheney, Rummy etal) this could be a real disaster for the "true believer rightwingers" because it hits the issue of national security which is so dear to their hearts. A watergate-like exposure of this WH could hit Fox News like a ton of bricks -- so Fox News is already in survival mode by adopting this line of appearing to recognize reality.

What Really Worries the White House Is Not the Rove Revelations

2005-07-12T07:03:00.000-07:00

What really has the WH worried is not the Rove revelations -- but rather the fear(likely well-founded) that Fitzgerald has hooked up with a modern day "deep throat" inside the WH who is feeding the really damaging dirt on this corrupt Administration.
Rove is a political advisor. He can informally advise without the title, the salary, and an office in the WH.
The real threat is that of a "mole" inside the WH, and you can bet that there have been several intensive internal sweeps to smoke him/her out.The biggest problem in locating the mole is they already made so many enemies demanding lockstep loyalty to corrupt leaders, everyone inside the WH is a suspect.
There was a rumor that Colin Powell was believed to be a "mole", unhappy about having been hung out to dry in peddling false accusations to the UN to justify war on Iraq, creating a permanent stain on his exemplary military career record. His conduct since leaving the Administration has been mixed, which is not good enough for Bush/Cheney/Rummy/Rove. They are particularly vexed over his failure to endorse Bolton as Bush's nominee to the UN Ambassador post.
Smart money is on someone else passing the dirt on to a media source with the condition that it be perserved, but not revealed, until a future date -- because as soon as it is revealed, by its very nature the source will be outed.
Conscience is the most likely reason a "mole" has been created inside the WH. We have to hope that the "dirt" being passed is "gold" as far as content, accuracy and verifiability are concerned, and that the source will remain undiscovered and unidentified until the day the revelations are made public.
Also unlike the Woodward/Deep Throat situation, we hope the mole has multiple copies of his information stored in multiple locations, and a backup plan for the information to be distributed to more than one media outlet in the event of his disappearance and/or death.
As we watch the WH clam up over the Rove allegations, we should ask "What is the WH really afraid of coming out?" It is more than Rove. Much more.

How to Identify Bush Nominees for SCOTUS

2005-07-01T11:54:00.000-07:00

First identify factors, then assign weight, multiply and read result. It is that easy!

Factors: Must be a Republican(the right kind of Republican), Pro-Corp/Business, Pro-Fundamentalist Christian, Anti-Environment, Pro Neo-Con (view of world as our own treasure box to be opened with our military by divine right), Pro NRA, Anti-Abortion, Anti-Stem Cell, Particularly Pro-Oil, Pro-Pharmaceutical, Pro-Banking and Insurance, Anti-Consumer, Pro Globalization, Pro Draft with appropriate exceptions for the rich and their kids, Pro No Bid Contracts for their friends and buddies, Pro Activist Justices in favor of the conservative agenda, Anti-voting rights, Anti-Campaign Finance Reform, Pro Labor Exploitation, Anti-New Deal Programs, Pro Rights and Privileges Contraction in favor of Security, Pro Constitutional dismantlement, and Pro End of term limits for Republican Presidents and Congressmen. And finally, someone with a definable record on the above so he gets the SCOTUS justice his contributors and supporters bought and paid for.

Did I leave anything out??

Weight: Apply 1 point for each of the above.

Of course no one potential nominee is likely to embody each of the above factors. The selected nominee will only have to agree to follow all the above to get the job.

After all, George learned how this is done when his daddy(G.H.W.B.) deep sixed his own abortion stand to become Ronald Reagan's VP. Some people can become anything to get what they want -- should definitely be a quality of Bush's nominee for SCOTUS.

Another approach to identifying the Bush nominee for SCOTUS is to imagine a bad nominee, then add a dozen or more bad attributes to this person, then make a lack of conscience a requirement -- and presto! You have Bush's nominee!!

Bush Stays on Message When Proven a Lie

2005-06-29T11:35:00.000-07:00

President Bush might as well have sent out a tape recorder last night, and turned in early for a good night's sleep.

There was nothing new in his speech.

He did stay on message and continued to repeat the same line that somehow the cause of Sept 11 was connected to Saddam Hussein, even though that allegation has been proven to be false -- admittedly so by others in his Administration, and he himself. But hey, it worked before and you always go back to what worked in the past when in the midst of a crisis of poll numbers(even if you have to contradict yourself -- I know, I know, he thinks he should get a pass for this inconsistency because he works so hard!).

Staying on message is the Republican art form of one sided communication whereby you repeat the party mantra no matter what the question you are asked. It fits in with their world view that if you repeat something enough times it becomes reality for them, and that is all that matters -- their reality is the only one that counts.

The American people are starting to ask questions about the decisions which have so far cost thousands of lives and bankrupted the public treasury -- to the financial benefit of Bush's oil and corporate buddies. Not a good sign for Repubs when repeating the mantra does not lull the voting public back to sleep.

Also not a good sign that their desperation drives the President and Rove to try and resurrect a proven lie for political gain.

This tells me that all the warning alarms should be going off, because the reality built by neo-con Repubs will not be relinquished without a fight. A crisis is the last political weapon in the arsenal which can be used to rally public support for this presidency.

One other warning sign, when the corrupt corporate interests begin transferring all their wealth offshore and then leaving the country -- we will know the end is near.

The worst may yet be ahead of us -- not only in Iraq, but here at home. In the fairy tale "The Emperor Has No Clothes" no one lost their life for pointing out the obvious. Such is likely not to be the case with this Administration.

We can only hope and pray that there are a few patriots left out there willing to tell the truth about what has been done in the good name of the United States, and continue to speak out without regard for their personal well-being. If they do so, they will not only save our country, but will reveal valuable information that will help of us avoid making these mistakes in the future.

Corruption & Greed & CHINA Equals Demise of USA

2005-06-27T08:25:00.000-07:00

Historians of America where are you in our time of need?

Historians may yet perform the greatest service to our country that we could imagine.
How so? By reminding us of the conditions and thinking that led to the downfall of the world's greatest powers, and pointing out that the United States is far along on the same track to meeting the same outcome.

What could we possibly have in common with the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, the world's greatest power at the time?

Corruption and greed at the highest levels of government dismantled the world's dominant power.

Historians know corruption that favors the advancement of a wealthy elite, and their insatiable greed, inevitably leads to decisions that are not in the interest of the common good. Decisions not in the common good lead to a weakened government and weakened exercise of political and military power, and invite natural rivals and enemies to exploit those weaknesses. The end result is demise of government, loss of legitimacy, loss of power to perserve strategic alliances and economic alliances. Essentially, impotency in meeting any challenge, and loss of all those institutions that give a government the power to not only influence the world around them, but defend itself.

Fastforward to the present.

Our representative form of government based upon democratic principles is gravely wounded. Corruption and graft at every level of government in favor of wealthy elites and corporate interests are wounds that may in and of themselves bring down our government.

But the real danger is that gravely wounded, our country and our way of life are now squarely in the crosshairs of our rivals and enemies. China has a well-defined strategy to bring the USA to heel under its exercise of power, and they are using our weaknesses of corruption and greed against us. Thus, we are cooperating in our own demise.

How could a technologically inferior country, with over 220 million surplus workers looking for a job, become our landlord and ruler?

First, China has been stockpiling US dollars and US IOUs in the form of debt instruments. The capital to buy US debt comes from the horrific trade deficits we have with China which continues every month without response by our government. So basically China uses Wallmart and other multinational companies to export billions more in cheap goods to the US than it buys, and uses those extra dollars it receives from the consumers in the US to buy US debt and dollars. In short, they are using our own dollars to buy us -- and we continue to be a party to our own demise. Greed by consumers searching for the lowest price possible.

Second, once China owns enough US debt and enough US dollars, they possess the power to influence US decisionmaking by the threat that it could dump them on the world market and destroy out economy. Interest rates would skyrocket as the debt instruments we have been selling each month are no longer purchased, capital would dry up, businesses would contract, massive job loss would ensue, and "depression" would be a mild term for describing the situation.

Third, once China gains the power and influence to direct US decisionmaking through the threat of destroying the economy, it can then begin to take over the economy by using those same dollars to acquire our assets and companies.

This is where we are today.

China is using their dollars to bid for UNOCAL, one of the worlds largest oil companies with a worldwide distribution network. If this purchase is allowed to go through, China will use UNOCAL to compete with the US at every turn for the valuable commodity of oil, which will continue to become more scarce with each passing year. Not only a competitor, but a controller of the flow of natural resources upon which our economy is dependent.

When the shareholders of UNOCAL are presented with the choice of taking the Chinese offer at a higher price than the US Chevron offer for UNOCAL at a lower price, which do you think they will pick? Greed for profit over well-being of our country. And this is the first major acquisition as China tests the waters.

Would we have been willing to sell war arms and goods to Hitler and Nazi Germany during WWII if they offered the highest price, and we had not been attacked by Japan? There are some deals that cannot be decided upon the mere price paid.

Fourth, China is diverting a substantial amount of its increased wealth into creating a huge and technologically advanced military. This ramp up began in 1999 and today makes US support of Taiwan virtually impossible. The irony of the situation is that China has used an extensive spy network to steal US technology about our military power and copy it in producing its own military power. If a conflict results we will be fighting against our own technology.

Five, China knows that once it has control of the US economy it will run the US government. Exploitation of campaign contribution finance laws will allow them to substantially control who gets elected, and as a result the actions and inactions of our government. The last nail in coffin for representational democracy.

So how does this relate to the fall of the Roman Empire? History shows once a great power believes it is immune to attack, its greed and corruption destroys it from the inside out. Evidence of this in the US can be found in outsourced jobs and sales of technology to China in pursuit of the profit that our elite and corporate interests seek in servicing millions of Chinese consumers. (Note the sale of IBM personal computers business to China's Lenovo). Billions are being made by a relatively few. Driven by corruption and greed, we are destroying not only our own economy and government, but the role the US has played in the world since the end of WWII to stand for freedom and democracy.

This is not a partisan issue. This is not a Republican v. Democrat fight. This is about the power of corruption and greed to mortally wound our country, and the action that must be taken immediately for our way of life to survive.

If our elected representatives in Washington refuse to meet these obvious challenges facing us, they deserve to be driven out of office through legal process while we still have a chance of reclaiming our country. Otherwise, they will share direct responsibility for the fall of our country. And their legacy in history books will read "they were responsible for allowing the fall of the United States to take place on their watch."

Fight Back Now--Things are Worse Than They Seem

2005-06-24T07:13:00.000-07:00

Let's review.

Paul Krugman got it right: "The United States will soon have to start reducing force levels in Iraq, or risk seeing the volunteer Army collapse. . . ."

So reality is closing in on Repubs who promote the "we are making good progress" and "there will be no draft" campaign. Repubs insist they are entitled to their own version of the "facts" because they only have to come up with an idea of "facts" they believe support their illusions in order to "create their own reality." Bull hockey!

Enlargement of the insurgency in Iraq is a fact. Increasing numbers of deaths of our soldiers and Iraqi civilians is a fact. Continuous use of national guard and reserve troops, multiple tours of combat duty, and stop loss orders which keep our troops fighting long beyond their dicharge dates, are decimating our troops. Military Officers on the ground, and overseeing our efforts in Iraq, are speaking out to contradict the rosy predictions of this Administration. And failure to recruit adequate replacements into our military are facts.

It stands to reason that reviving a military draft cannot be far behind if we continue on this same course.

Ok answer this question: "How many inquiries have been initiated by this Administration into billions of missing dollars and war profiteering in Iraq?".
We will make it easy for you, just choose the correct answer from the choices below: (A) One or More
(B) None.
<<>>
Times up. The correct answer is (B) NONE.

So over $8.8 billion cannot be accounted for, and over $12 billion was handed out in cash just before "authority" was handed over to the new Iraqi government, and over $300 billion of taxpayer money has been appropriated for the war in Iraq. These are the facts. (Query: Why do our troops still lack adequate equipment and body armor if the taxpayers coughed up $300 billion dollars for this effort?).

Sounds like tax reform has already begun!

This Administration wants to permanently end the taxation of generational wealth transfers by eliminating an estate tax that affects less than 1% of the richest population, and eliminate taxation of investment wealth. What does this mean? If you have a huge amount of wealth to transfer to your kids it will go to them tax free at your death, and prior to that time you will pay no tax on your investment returns on that wealth. In the meantime, you may soak up all the benefits of living and doing business in the US without paying any of the costs. It fits in nicely with the Leona Helmsley view of the world "taxes are for little people." Except in this case, taxes are only for those who work for a living and do not have their very own lobbyist carving out tax cuts for them.

Can there be any more damning evidence of almost total corruption on Capital Hill as this Administration and their henchmen sell access and government contracts to the highest bidders? The Abramoff corruption scandal should be the lead story and beginning point for any true journalist to follow the money to the names and faces of those bought and paid for, many times in cold hard cash, by corporate and special interest groups. (Helpful Hint: Start with Tom Delay and "Duke" Cunningham).

So where is our "fourth estate" news media, as contemplated in our constitution?
Virtually silent and missing in action, except on the internet and in news outlets outside of the US.

How do you ignore the Downing Street Memos and related docs and still maintain journalistic integrity? You don't. Corporate consolidation of the media has killed journalistic integrity.

Worse when it comes to matters of public health and welfare, the news media in the US has given this Administration a free pass by not only failing to ask crucial questions, but has actively engaged in supporting this Administration's propaganda on important issues like global warming, defunding of welfare and education programs, social security, and medical insurance availability.

In some cases the Administration hires their own production crews to create "news reporting" and distributes the product to the news media for play as journalism. We now know that those writing and presenting the propaganda were paid directly by the Administration with taxpayer funds to be the shills. And they admit it!

The stain of CBS killing the 60 Minutes tobacco story some years ago is nothing compared to the stain of ABC reediting and changing the conclusions of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s well researched paper on the link between thimerosal in childhood vaccines and the rise in cases of childhood autism. It could not be any clearer where the influence to kill and change the conclusion of the story originated -- drug companies who stand to make millions on suppression of the truth(who by the way advertised during the showing of the reedited piece). Outrageous.

Folks we are in a world of trouble. If everything changed today it would still be decades before we could fix the damage that Repubs have inflicted on our country and its citizens in their manic pursuit of unbridled wealth and power for themselves and their friends.

The first step to recovery is to admit we have a problem with this Administration. The second step is to speak the truth about the situation in which we find ourselves. Step three is remove those responsible, and demand accountability from those who take their place.

Continue to speak out to news organizations and demonstrate in large numbers. It worked in the '60s with the Vietnam War and Richard Nixon's Watergate scandal.

Meet every false statement with the truth, and keep repeating it until your response gets noticed.

Move to hold your elected representative accountable for not speaking out and acting on your country's behalf. To remain silent while all of this is going on is to be complicit with the wrongdoing.

Demand full disclosure by this Administration, and if it is not received immediately and completely, initiate impeachment proceedings against the President who is ultimately responsible for everything done by Repubs on his watch.

Demand that Democrats not only investigate and disclose the corruption of this Administration, but that they hold their own to the same standards. And if Democrats are afraid of what they might be accused of by Repubs, remind them that the price of a free and democratic government under our constitution sometimes requires that they lose their jobs rather than continue to support corrupt practices.

In short, we are in for the battle of our lives in so many ways. The time to fight is now. Don't back down. There can be no government of, by and for the people where corruption and greed and lying are the standard.

Your country needs you. Let's begin.

Follow The Money ......

2005-06-22T22:11:00.000-07:00

In exposing the corruption inherent in the present Administration, it is clear that one must follow the money.

The Abramoff lobbying scandal with Tom Delay and others is littered with cash. The Ohio Coingate scandal was just the tip of the iceberg where $10-12 million was lost. Just a little digging by the Toledo Blade turned up losses of $225 million in hedge fund investments of state workers compensation funds, all managed by Repub contributors, lobbyists, and friends. The no bid contracts with Halliburton, KBR, and other Bush buddies led to the inability to account for over $8 BILLION dollars in Iraq. Over $12 Billion was handed out in cash just days before handing over authority to the new Iraqi government -- and no one knows where it went, or what it was used to purchase.

Where political ideology and religious extremism are put forth as the basis for otherwise corrupt actions, always .... always .... follow the money. Repubican leadership continues to wrap themselves in the flag and espouse fervent religious beliefs, but in the end it is always about who gets paid and who gets the shaft.

And to all those citizens who thought it would be a good idea to identify with rich Republicans by voting for them in the last two elections -- "how's it working out for you?"

Q For Repubs, How Long to Ride Titanic?

2005-06-16T21:06:00.000-07:00

It is now clear that the American public is awakening from its slumber, and finds that the needless deaths of its sons and daughters, and the gutting of its treasury by the supporters of this Administration, are unacceptable.

It is about time.

However, many Repubs in Congress continue to follow their "leader" through one scandal after another under the mistaken notion that they have built party loyalty and a machine that is invincible. It should be noted here that moderate Repubs see the coming crisis for what it truly is, and are taking steps to distance themselves from this corrupt Administration.

The question for Repubs of all stripes is "How long do we stay with the Titanic before it goes down?"

In answering this question, it should be clear now that the American people are watching and registering their disapproval in the dismal opinion polls. Each Repub must ask how much the American people will overlook and forgive, which is not likely to be much.

As documented proof of corruption and lies that led us into an unnecessary war continue to surface, congressional Repubs must know that their attempts to coverup will be no more successful than those interposed on behalf of President Nixon in the Watergate scandal.

Some lessons need to be learned more than once. Whitehouse "stonewalling" of legitimate inquiries by Congress will not be successful.

Now is the time to decide. Will you uphold the oath you took to defend the constitution and defend this country from all threats foreign and domestic?

Your actions will tell us all we need to know.

Are you with us or against us?

Repubs See Disaster Looming

2005-06-14T11:25:00.000-07:00

Cracks in the unified Republican Party are breaking out all over.

While some Republicans are beginning to oppose strict party line votes in line with George W. Bush's positions, it is now clear that all of the members of the GOP are looking at the polls of public opinion and they are terrified.

They see a complete disaster waiting for them at the polls of the next election. But what really scares them, is they know what terrible secrets have been hidden by the Republican Party's control of both Houses and the White House, and once they lose their majority the power to investigate these abuses will be in the hands of the Democrats and Independents. Uncovering the shocking abuses will take years, and all that time the abuses will be fully exposed on a daily basis for public to see.

Public outrage will be inconsolable. A needless war, 1700+ lives losts, our treasury looted by war profiteers, government, corporate and individual corruption on an unprecedented scale, lies and threats, destroying our military readiness and diplomatic standing in the world, all consequences that will be felt for the next 20 years or more as we attempt to right the ship of our government and restore democracy.

The only hope to turn around public opinion and save some Republican seats is to adopt the contrary positions revealed by the polls. So if you are a Repub who has voted in lockstep with Karl Rove and George Bush for the last five years, and helped perpetuate these immoral and unethical practices, how do you switch sides to save your hide? First you plead ignorance, then find a scapegoat, and pray others who acted more egregiously than you will pull all of the public's attention.

Look for more congressmen to adopt the approach of Representative Walter Jones(R-NC), who recently has spoken out against the war and asked the Administration to set out a timetable to bring the troops home. (This from the same Representative who heralded "Freedom Fries" to criticize France for not supporting Bush's war). His justification for switching sides and withdrawing loyalty to George W. Bush? First, he did not know. His ignorance of the true state of affairs misled him, and he voted for a war which he would not vote for today. Second, and this is important, he is the first Republican member of Congress to come out and publicly finger the "NeoCons" in the Administration who dreamed up this war and promoted it over the objections of the intelligence community and the military leaders. Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Bolton, and other NeoCons are in for it.

This may be hard to believe, but expect more of the same from Republicans over the next three years as they try to ressurrect their image and hope the voting public will forget about all the egregious conduct they engaged in over the last five years.

As George W. Bush continues to take his marching orders from the far right fundamentalists, and from NeoCons who dream of taking on Iran and N. Korea next in hopes of forging a world empire, he will become more isolated from the majority of Republicans in Congress.

George W. Bush is not only a "lame duck" President with three years to go, he is a "dead duck" and so is his agenda of dismantling Social Security, and reforming the tax code to benefit his corporate buddies.

So Republicans in Congress have some difficult backtracking to do in a short amount of time.

However, having George W. Bush in office provides them with a hoped for "get out of jail free card." Turning on Bush and voting to impeach him may be enough to convince voters that they themselves were not responsible, and that they should be returned to Congress. In most cases this will not be true, but that will be their arguments.

The one thing that Democrats and Independents must do is ignore the cries for mercy by Republicans until after all the dirty laundry has been exposed and all of the damaging laws passed by this Administration have been repealed.

That is the only way to restore integrity and make sure this country never has to live through this kind of nightmare again.

Brit "Deep Throat" Exposes Bush Lies

2005-06-13T09:12:00.000-07:00

When historians look back on the Bush Administration they will note that the week of June 13, 2005 marks the beginning of the eventual impeachment of President George W. Bush.

They will also note that the key information which brought down President Bush came from a "deep throat" anonymous source in Britain with access to top secret documentation which proves that President Bush lied to Congress, the American people, and the rest of the world, to obtain approval for an unnecessary war on Iraq.

The American Main Stream Media tried to ignore the Downing Street Minutes for over four(4) weeks, but the followup documents released by the anonymous source are so damning that even they find themselves having to address the topic with the President.

Congressmen have begun to speak out and demand answers, and schedule hearings on their own since Republicans in charge refuse to address the matter.

Public opinion polls are reflecting the changing mood in the country regarding the Vietnamlike war in Iraq.

But the proof that President Bush is going down is Republicans are beginning to break ranks and speak out in dissent against President Bush's positions. This would have been unthinkable a few weeks ago, and shows just how bad things are going for the Bush Administration.

Look for more docs to be released by this modern day "deep throat" which will seal the fate of not only George W. Bush, but Tony Blair. The irony is that the information sinking Bush is outside his control in Britain, where questions will continue to be asked and leaks to the media cannot be controlled.

Pull up a seat. This may make Watergate look like a walk in the park.

Public outrage will be inconsolable once the truth comes out.

And when the smoke has cleared, we will owe the Brits a debt of thanks for doing the job that our government and our media failed to do.

Let the hearings begin.

Awake! Before it is too late . . . .

2005-06-10T08:48:00.000-07:00

Revelations that should scare you to death (and just may kill you):

*The GOP is moving to raise the age for receipt of Social Security Benefits and limit the amount of benefits that can be drawn.
*25,000 GM jobs leaving the US and going overseas in outsourcing are each worth $22,427 more than each new job being created in the US.
*In the largest corporate-pension fund default in American History, United Airlines filed bankruptcy and received permission from the Bankruptcy Court to terminate it's employees' pension plan, saving it $645 million/yr. The existing underfunded pension fund now will be transferred to the negative $21 billion financially strapped Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. Huge losses to pensioners can be expected.
(Can GM and other corps be far behind in their attempts to get out from under medical costs and pensions costs which they claim are making it impossible to compete with foreign labor which has neither.)
*The House GOP has begun a push to eliminate the maximum limit of $101,400 which an individual may give to federal candidates and parties EACH YEAR. (If
successful, it will make Tom Delay ethics hearings unnecessary, and all the real record keeping will no longer have to be hidden).
*Johnson & Johnson withheld public disclosure of known heart attacks and deaths related to use of its acid reflux medication propulsid and continued to rake in
millions-- with the complicity of the FDA. Hundreds of deaths, and thousands of injuries were not enough to make a public disclosure or pull the drug from the market.
*Military recruitment figures continue to be way below even the new reduced goals.
This makes it four(4) months in a row they are below their goals, and raises the real possibility of a draft as we continue to fight two(2) wars overseas. Lord help us if Bush and the neocons decide to strike Iran or North Korea to "make us safe at home."
*The new Patriot Act will make it possible to search and seize without the necessity
of first providing any reason or evidence in support of the request to a Judge. (We already have the complete stripping of constitutional rights by assigning the label "enemy combatant" to an arrestee -- no notice to family, no right to an attorney, no charges, no access to hearings or judges, and no right to a trial or sentence which sets a release date. Sounds a lot like pages right out of the Stalin playbook -- make them disappear.)
*The White House refuses to answer 89 Members of Congress in regard to the Downing Street Minutes, AND refuses to turn over documents needed by the Senate
to make an informed decision as to confirmation of U.N. Ambassador nominee
Bolton. (Maybe the rest of the world community will give us a break if Bolton is confirmed by just ignoring him when he goes into a shouting and screaming fit stating that the U.N. belongs to the U.S. when we feel like using it, and everyone else is fired and can go home.)
*Bush non-scientist staff edit and change the results of a scientific study of Global Warming, changing the position of those who conducted the research according to scientific analysis. Not to mention the crafting of official U.S. policy by the head of Exxon-Mobile Corporation and other energy company officials.
*Citigroup pays $2.58 billion in settlement with government for its role in perpetuating the Enron scandal, when it had set aside $6.7 billion to cover its projected liability. (Those campaign contributions to the Republicans really paid off this time!).
*Tobacco companies got a reduction in the liability demanded by the government
from $130 billion to $10 billion without explanation from the government -- even the Judge wondered if other influences had affected the government's position. (Hmmm ... the fact that tobacco companies were heavy contributors to the Bush and Republican campaigns could not have anything to do with it, could it?).
*Congressional Republicans plan to cut funding for PBS by 50% after they put "their
man" in charge of rooting out liberal bias.
*Efforts by the SEC are afoot to regulate the internet political bloggers. (Hmmm ..
those pesky bloggers just do not play according to the rules the Republicans set out for the mainstream media, and most are not affected by cash).
*0.01% of the US population is reaping over 15% of all tax breaks, and is looking for more. This is occurring during a time of unprecedented greed: (1)CEOs in the US make approximately 310 times the average wage paid by their company, (2) the average wages of the American worker have remained flat, and (3) there has been an unprecedented explosion of corporate profits over the last nine years while the percentage of income tax paid by corporations has fallen by 50% to about 6% per year.
*Healthcare costs continue to skyrocket, and devastate the uninsured -- who now have the new Bankruptcy Law to make it virtually impossible to get a "clean start"
without making payments and paying court fees over at least 3-5 years. (You will note the Bankruptcy Bill was not supported by even one consumer protection or advocacy group in this country. It was bought and paid for by those who contributed heavily to the Bush and Republican campaigns -- the banks, credit card, and business lobbies.)

Twenty years ago no one would have believed that these events would be taking place today. Believe it. It is happening, and it is picking up speed.

Wake up and make your voice heard -- before it is too late.

Ohio Corruption Poster Child for Washington D.C.

2005-06-09T10:11:00.000-07:00

One of the frequently used phrases from the Watergate era is "what did he know and when did he know it?"

In Ohio we find a situation where the Republican Governor's Office received an email back in October of 2004 informing him that all of the State's Workmen's Comp funds invested with MDL Investments had been lost, and the fund was without value.

According to the reporting by the Toledo Blade, the Governor previously made a statement that he just recently found out about the loss of invested funds while he was looking into another loss of $10-20 million in rare coin investment fiasco.

Hmmm ... if you take the Governor's explanation at face value, no one in his office tells him anything. Sounds strangely familiar.... like the defense put up by CEO Bernie Ebbers of Worldcom. Ignorance of what is going on, yeah that is the ticket!

But if you dig deeper you begin to see how the investment schemes using public funds are tied directly to individuals with strong ties to Republican politics.

And what do you make of waiting over eight months to try and recover the losses from those responsible. Sounds like a page right out of the Tom Delay playbook. Conceal, obscure, and then delay as long as possible hoping that the public will lose interest.

Corruption with the added spice of arrogance tends to be impossible to keep quiet forever. Arrogance causes those with their hands on all the levers of power to think they are invincible, which leads to sloppiness, which leads to public exposure, and eventually to reputiation by the public at the ballot box.

When corruption is exposed in the daylight it cannot stand. However, as long as people governed and the media are willing to look the other way, corruption will not only thrive but grow.

We can only hope that this public exposure of corruption in Ohio by the Toledo Blade will cause the media to reawaken in Washington D.C. and do their job of seeking out the truth from President Bush and his cohorts.

Military Draft Concerns Front and Center

2005-06-02T09:51:00.000-07:00

Simmering just below the surface of our American consciousness is the possible redeployment of a military draft.

Now that the Washington Post and other MSM outlets are acknowledging the possibility of a draft, it definitely increases the likelihood that an actual draft will take place. In fact, the proper classification should be one of probablity rather than possibility. When, rather than if, a military draft will resume.

What is driving the present concern about reinstituting a military draft?

The answer is undeniable facts in the public domain. Where facts are readily accessible to the public, the "spinmeisters" of the present Administration have a much more difficult time misleading the public. They are not entitled to their own version of the facts. Consider the following:

Fact #1: Military commanders have publicly stated we do not have enough troops on the ground to control the situations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Fact #2: Military enlistees whose commitments ran out years ago cannot be held much longer under this President's "stop loss" order.
Fact #3: National Guardsmen and Reservists have been "activated" and sent to Iraq to perform duties for which they were poorly trained, or not trained at all.
Fact #4: Military recruitment into the armed services has fallen short of the required goals over the last 4 months to maintain the present troop levels.
Fact #5: Not only are officers retiring from the service in record numbers, but retirees are refusing to enter the Guard or Reserves as most have in the past.
Fact #6: When we were not involved in Iraq or Afghanistan, our military leaders required a minimum level of ready troops to meet threats in Iran, North Korea or elsewhere in the world. Our level of ready troops to deploy to any of these hot spots is decimated.
Fact #7: Recruiting for an all volunteer military during a time of war is incredibly difficult and invariably leads to the type of recruiter misconduct reported recently, so egregious in nature that the Army shut down recruiting across the nation for a full day of retraining.
Fact #8: Congress has appropriated millions in funding for the Selective Service System to be revived, and has instructed it to fully staff all draft boards and be ready to implement a draft immediately.
Fact #9: There has been introduction of bills on Capitol Hill to reinstitute the draft immediately.
Fact #10: As our allies, cited as the "coalition of the willing", continue to withdraw their troops from Iraq, the U.S. must make up for loss of troops with its own troops.
Fact #11: It is clear that this Admination does not view diplomatic action as a viable means to accomplishing their goals, and therefore military force is the only alternative.
Fact #12: Changing the name of the "draft" to a more pleasant sounding "inventory of skills" does not change the reality of a draft.
Fact 13#: Activating the Ready Reserve should be the last warning sign before a draft is reinstituted, since most Ready Reserve members are of advanced age, have been out of the military, and done no training in many years. Desperation in finding warm bodies is a precursor to redeploying the draft.
Fact #14: The Administration continues to state unequivocally that there will be no military draft. It fits in nicely with their past history of saying one thing and doing the opposite, especially where it is obvious that honesty requires us to never say "never" when it comes to a draft.
Fact #15: Opinion polls clearly show that the public has finally turned against the war in Iraq "as not being worth it." As the dead and injured return from service in Iraq, they are telling their stories, which leads to a lack of will to continue this Vietnam type of war. The natural result is reduced recruitment into the military and reserves.
Fact #16: Over 5,000 military have gone AWOL rather than return to Iraq.
Fact #17: The US has entered into an agreement with Canada that US military citizens will not be allowed to stay in Canada, but rather extradicted back to the US for processing.
Fact #18: The cutting back of medical benefits and pay for military and their families has reduced the attractiveness of enlisting.
Fact #19: In light of the budget deficits this Administration has run up, it cannot afford to pay high enough economic incentives to encourage enlistment.
Fact #20: President Bush has stated consistently that we are in Iraq for "however long it takes", without setting out any kind of plan for withdrawal.

As stories begin to be reported in the MSM regarding a possible draft, it is likely that these are the first "trial balloons" the Administration is sending up as it conditions the American public to accept a military draft.

Forget the spin, and ignore what this Administration says about a military draft.

The facts, and only the facts, clearly lead to only one conclusion.

There will be a military draft which will include our kids, our spouses, and family members of draftable age, 18-25 years of age, or possibly older.

And as an added bonus ... women will likely be included in the next military draft under a provisio that they not be deployed in a combat status. However, they can still drive trucks and be deployed in military facilities each of which are presently being bombed in Iraq daily.

God help us all.

How we honor our dead on Memorial Day 2005 ......

2005-05-30T07:37:00.000-07:00

On this Memorial Day how can anyone look at the names and pictures of over 1600 individuals who have died in Iraq, and say it was a worthwhile cause for which they lost their lives. Futures so promising lost. Families torn apart. Future service to their country, their community, and their families, which will never take place. How can we ever honor them for their willingness to make these sacrifices?

We can say a prayer for each one who was a part of the fabric that binds us all together. We can comfort the wives, children, parents, fiances, girlfriends, and so many others who will miss them for the rest of their lives. And we can never forget.

But most of all, we can make their lives count in ways that will contribute to our well-being far into the future. We can demand that our government, and its leaders who made decisions that led to war, make a full disclosure of all the information it used to support the decision to invade Iraq.

If there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and our leaders knew this, then they lied to not only Congress, but the American people. If they lied about trying to make diplomacy through the United Nations the top priority before making the decision to go to war, then they were dishonest with us all.

If they lied to go to war, then we owe those who have died, and those who continue to serve, to uphold the freedom of our democracy ensured by constitutional law by holding those accountable for their actions.

We do that by finding the truth, and exposing the truth for all to see, no matter how painful it may be.

This is how we honor the dead. We pray for them and the great loss to us all. And we mean it when we say "never again." And we keep our promise to the fallen by doing our duty, which is hold those accountable who misused their power and authority. A government based upon freedom, liberty, and democracy, established by a constitution which ensures all of these, requires nothing less.

They died for this. We must live for this.

That is how we honor our dead on this Memorial Day 2005.

Losing our country ......

2005-05-27T08:22:00.000-07:00

The "big picture" of what is taking place in our country, and what is at stake, is succintly set out in the May 26, 2005 post entitled "How to Lose a Country in Seven Easy Steps" ( by Eric Alterman at the Altercation blog at www.msnbc.com). His last paragraphy succintly sums up the reality of the situation we face:

". . .I think we’re losing our Constitution, our civil liberties,
and in many significant respects, our country. When future historians look back on this period, they will wonder,
most of all, I think, how we let it go without a fight."

Those of us who believe in a constitutional form of government must come together to meet the threat, before we are deprived of the powers we possess to hold our government accountable.

We are citizens of a democracy first and last. We should not let arguments based upon the need for security or political ideology convince us to hand over to the present Administration the powers that make us a democracy governed by and for the people.

The alternative is too terrifying to contemplate.

2005-05-25T05:05:00.000-07:00

Economic Discrimination Trumps All

Over the last 50 years we as a nation have struggled to address the reality of discrimination in its many forms. We have passed laws which explicitly ban discrimination on the basis of sex, race, age, national origin, and sometimes political affiliation. In each case our courts and legislative bodies have embraced the concept that discrimination is bad. However, in too many cases the teeth to enforce such efforts to root out discrimination have been missing. We all know that what we cannot logically defeat in a full and fair debate, can surely be defeated by denying the money and manpower needed to enforce same.

Today we are seeing a wholesale change in the enforcement of laws that have been on the books so long that most people just assume that any debate over enforcement was settled long ago, and that they will continue to be enforced without any further effort. This is absolutely wrong.

We know it is wrong to deny the right to vote, employment, a place to live, and education based upon the color of one's skin. We know it wrong to provide lower pay and promote less often a worker just because the worker is female. Likewise we know that older workers should not be fired more often and paid less than younger workers doing the same work. Yet in each case each of these protections is being eroded by the present Administration in Washington as they cut the number of personnel needed to carry out these important functions. This is accomplished primarily by a cut in funding to agencies assigned these duties.

Each of these types of discrimination are abominable in their own right, and deserve to be addressed by our government with taxpayer dollars for the common good.

However, the rise of economic discrimination promoted by this Administration stands to become the trump card of all discrimination. Insidiously implemented under the banner of various "good causes" it literally determines the future for us all.

As public schools come under attack and funding is cut, government support for private schools is growing. The quality of education is directly related to the wealth of the school district in which you live, and/or the tuition you can afford to pay. As colleges shift more of the costs of education to the students, and earmark more financial aid for award on the basis of merit instead of need, the ability to obtain a college degree is tied more to how much you can afford to pay than ever before. We now know that the liklihood that a college student will graduate in 4 years is directly related to that student's economic standing.

As our country, and the world at large, comes to grips with globalization, it is clear that a college degree is a requirement to obtain a job with the hope of pay increases and advancement. Those without a college degree will be relegated to positions which provide pay increases which may not keep up with the inflation rate, and often have a hard ceiling of a college degree requirement which prevents advancement.

Since this Administration took office there has been a concerted effort to provide tax breaks to corporations and the wealthiest in our society, while at the same time shifting more of the tax burden to wage earners and away from investment income.
Likewise corporations have been allowed to avoid funding the country that provides them with their wealth by moving their principal place of business offshore in name only. With elimination of the estate tax, the wealthiest families(approximately the top 1% or less) are now able to pass on wealth to the next generation without paying any tax on the assets at all.

And where corporations and wealthy individuals engage in wrongdoing and injure others, this Administration provides them with a "get out of jail free" card. The costs of pursuing a claim through the court system has been raised to the extent that the least wealthy are virtually shut out of the system. Class action reform, and the awarding of attorneys fees to the prevailing party are used as a stick to preempt the filing of a claim for fear they will end up owing not only court costs and the costs of their own attorney, but the huge attorneys fees run up by counsel for the other side if they lose. Not to mention bankruptcy reform which ensures that individuals hit with catastrophic expenses will remain financial indentured servants for years to come to the credit card companies, banks, corporations, and business interests which charge exorbiant interest rates and fees.

The clearest example of economic discrimination is the field of health care and insurance. Where else do we have two scales of payment for the rendering of the same services? Those economically unable to obtain major medical insurance often are charged more than twice the rate paid for the same services that the economically wealthy receive. If you can afford major medical insurance, the discount applies as a result of the deal provided to the insurance company. This preempts healthcare for millions of children, the disabled, and full time workers. Over 25% of the population of North Carolina have no health insurance of any kind.

All other forms of discrimination are bad, but far and away discrimination based upon economic standing is and has become the greatest threat to our pursuit of life and liberty and general welfare.

As this Administration works to implement its will based upon preference for the wealthy and corporations, it is time to call them out for what they are doing, expose their policies for what they really promote, and vote them out of office at the earliest opportunity. Those who claim they are right because they are religious are usually wrong on both counts, and this Administration is no exception.

To remain silent and depend upon this Administration to do the right thing as they wrap themselves in the flag and religion is to ensure the elimination of our constitutional guarantees, and create a bleak future not only for us but for the next generation.

2005-05-23T09:09:00.000-07:00

Join the revolution! If democracy is to survive,

...We must speak truth to the powers that be.

Monday May 23, 2005

2005-05-23T08:21:00.000-07:00

We are living in unprecedented times.

Since the 9/11 attacks, our rights and liberties guaranteed by the constitutiion have been seriously eroded by the radical changes implemented by our government in the name of "the war on terrorism" and providing "national security."

History reveals that when government is not "transparent", or open to examination, there is cause for concern. When government is silent in the face of requests for information by the electorate, there is cause for concern. When government says that it cannot be burdened with extending constitutional protections prior to searching and seizing persons and their property, there is cause for concern. When people may be held indefinitely without charges, access to an attorney, and no court appearance, there is cause for concern.

A revolution is brewing in the United States.

Not to overthrow our government through force or violence, but to seek restoration of representational democracy and the rights and liberties that belong to the people as guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution. This is the one and only standard for determining the legitimacy of all governmental actions, and the breadth and extent of the inviolable rights and liberties conferred upon the American people.

The power of the people to "speak the truth to the powers that be" is the most effective weapon in our arsenal, for where governments operate on the basis of lies and deceit and falsehoods, they cannot stand once called out.

However, when men of good conscience sit idly by and remain silent, then and only then will democracy die.

Let us take back our government, because it belongs to us, the American people. It does not belong to the special interest groups, corporations, or the wealthiest who contribute the most money to political campaigns.

Let us demand "our place at the table" and insist that the general welfare and common good of the people once again become the one and only goal of those elected and appointed to represent us.

As the framers of our constitution met to create a legitimate government designed to serve the people, let us also join together to reassert our guaranteed rights and liberties flowing from our constitution, and hold those in power accountable for the exercise of the power which we conferred upon them as our public servants.

Let the revolution begin!