(Wash. DC) We're being blackmailed into accepting the responsibility and debt for the worst managed financial institutions in the history of this country. The starting price, our debt, is $700 billion dollars.
What's really about to happen is that the failed financial institutions will be rewarded for their bad behavior. As a result, they and others will be encouraged to do it again. It's just a matter of time.
Amid all of the debate on the $700 Billion bailout, the House of Representatives passed the Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights by a wide (312-112) margin. The bill represents one of the first times in many years that Congress has taken action on credit card debt and abusive practices within the industry, and passed despite strong opposition from both the White House and credit card companies. The Senate is not currently expected to take up the bill before the end of the legislative session, but Campus Progress will be joining consumer groups in calling on the Senate to find time to consider this important proposal.
The bill would, among other things, protect consumers from underhanded games that make it more likely that credit card payments would be considered late, require that credit card companies inform their customers at least 45 days before any interest rate increase takes effect, limit the ability of companies to increase interest rates retroactively, and prohibit certain kinds of predatory and “subprime” credit cards.
Campus Progress has worked with partner organizations to advocate for strong protections for credit card borrowers, especially young people. We have testified before the House Financial Services Committee, issued action alerts to encourage young people to contact their representative, and signed onto letters to Congress with partner organizations.
We look forward to continue working with students, Congress, and partner organizations on this issue, and congratulate the House of Representatives for taking action on this issue.
Great news – we have heard from a very good source that the House of Representatives will be voting on the Credit Card Holders’ Bill of Rights sometime early next week! The credit card industry has been lobbying hard to kill this legislation behind the scenes, and so the support of strong consumer protections for borrowers by Campus Progress readers and activists have shown to Congress so far has been crucial.
We can’t stop now – we need to keep up the pressure until the minute that Congress votes. Check out the action alert below for more information, and to take action:
With the rising costs of college, gasoline, food, health care, and other expenses, credit cards are becoming the “safety net” for an entire generation. Unfortunately, credit card companies are using unfair and even predatory practices to increase their profits at the expense of the financially vulnerable or inexperienced. Luckily, the House Financial Services Committee has recently passed the Credit Cardholder’s Bill of Rights, which will create several important protections for borrowers, and the bill will be voted on by the full House of Representatives next week, so take action now!
After a full 10 years of contacting representatives, gathering signatures, writing articles, and spreading the outrage, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, along with hundreds of supporting organizations was sure their determined efforts would finally pay off and that Congressional leadership would follow through with their pledge to repeal the counterproductive Aid Elimination Penalty of the Higher Education Act. However, we have yet again been terribly deceived.
If you’ve ever wondered why you’re asked about drug offenses when applying for federal financial aid through FAFSA, thank Representative Mark Souder (R-IN), who somehow managed to slip the AEP into the Higher Education Act in 1998 without any debate or vote. Since then, this amendment has denied over 200,000 students federal financial aid, and in turn access to education. While we assume the reasoning behind Souder’s action was that he thought it would decrease drug abuse, it’s done the exact opposite by forcing students to drop out of school, therefore increasing their risk of drug abuse and criminal activity.
Regardless of the penalty's intentions, it has blatantly attacked hard-working students, people of color, and the lower and middle class. Since the FAFSA already requires satisfactory academic progress in order for a student to be eligible for federal financial aid, the AEP only affects hard-working students who have been doing well in school. While African-Americans make up a fairly small portion of the population, racial profiling leads to an absurdly disproportionate higher number of African-Americans arrested for drug offenses. And since middle and lower class families are depending solely on financial aid, it’s easy to see why wealthy families may not be too concerned.
Many members of Congress who were on our side initially have informed us that they became terrified of facing negative attacks, fearing they’d be labeled as “pro-drug”. In reality,it is precisely the Aid Elimination Penalty they are supporting that continues to increase drug abuse and decrease education. Anybody who is against racial profiling, increasing drug abuse, and decreasing education should be against this penalty. Please fill out this pre-written letter and demand an explanation from your local legislators! Unless they hear from their constituents, they won’t realize what their people want and will continue to follow their misguided instincts.
Campus Progress congratulates Congress on the passage of the Higher Education Opportunity Act. This legislation takes another small step toward an affordable and accessible system of higher education, and will finally reauthorize the Higher Education Act of 1965.
Star witnesses, legal scholar Bruce Fein and former LA District Attorney Vincent Bugliosi. M. Collins cc
House Justice Committee Hears Kucinich Resolution
Direct from the hearing
Michael Collins "Scoop" Independent News Washington, DC Part 1
Today's hearing on the abuse of presidential powers before the House Committee on the Judiciary turned into a devastating political ambush by Chairman John Conyers (D-MI), committee Democrats, and the extraordinary panel of witnesses.. At least 12 Democratic Committee members were present plus the Chairman while only four Republicans bothered to show up.
About a year ago, I wrote a post listing my version of the top 10 annoying members of Congress. Well, it may have taken me awhile, but a boring day of work has inspired me to write the Senate addition. As always, comments and suggested additions are welcome.
10. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) I actually really love his politics. And really, he's a great Senator. Why is he on this list? Because he's the only avowed socialist in the United States Senate. This is a problem because according to the National Journal's rankings, he is not as "liberal" as Barack Obama. Sanders has set up Obama for a lot of cheap shot attacks from the right. I know it's not his fault, but its still annoying.
9. James Inhofe (R-OK) James Inhofe is perhaps the most known global warming skeptic in Congress. He spent his allotted time at a hearing with Al Gore to bring up isolated instances in which Gore maybe wasn't praticing good conservation. He claimed that global warming is a conspiracy by the Weather Channel to boost its ratings. Wow, I didn't realize that the Weather Channel was such a powerful lobby (even though I won't miss a captivating episode of "Weather PM"). Why can't he get with the program? Even Bush admits that Global Warming is a problem. The kicker? This guy used to be the chairman of the committee that deals with Global Warming until the Dems took over Congress. What did you say about elections not mattering?
8. Lindsay Graham (R-SC) This guy is John McCain's top surrogate. He's always going on Sunday talk shows and blasting Democrats with his snide self-righteous attitude. Part of what makes him so annoying is his voice, which I can't stand. Mostly though, it's about the content of what he says. Last year in an infamous MTP interview with Jim Webb, he kept repeating that "the troops just want to win" even as Webb reminded him that the troops have just as diverse political views as the American public as a whole.
7. Daniel Akaka (D-HI) Let's make this bipartisan! From what I hear, this guy doesn't do much besides walk around and offer people Macademian nuts. Now I know its only hearsay, but can't we find someone else in the great state of Hawaii who could be a more effective Senator?
6. John Cornyn (R-TX) Anyone who hasn't been acquainted with this lovely guy just needs to watch his ad (find it on YouTube) where he's dressed as a cowboy as a Texan deep voice in the background talks about "Big John" and all the great things that he's done. Besides the insane gravitas it takes to make an ad like this, he claims that he "supported our soldiers and rooted out crooks." The first part of that statement is not true, considering that he voted against the Webb GI Bill. The second part is laughable because they needed something to rhyme with "looks" even though Congress has absolutely no role in "rooting out crooks."
5. Larry Craig- (R-ID) The only reason he's not further up on the list is that his bathroom shenanigans have provided us with endless entertainment. But how does a guy who like him with a "wide stance" claim to be a crusader for moral values and supportive of a discriminatory constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. That would be like me supporting a constitutional ban on stupid CP blog postings.
4. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) This guy is the obstructionist in chief as the Republican leader of the Senate. The Republicans have already set a record for most bills filibustered and Congress still has another 5 months to go. I can understand filibustering once in awhile for bills that reach too far, but would that be the case for:
-A bill to creat a Cap-and Trade program for greenhouse polluters?
-A bill designed to prevent cuts in payments to medicare doctors?
I think he just likes to wield the little power he has. He is also really smug on Sunday talk shows. It's not the best thing to wake up to.
3. Jim DeMint (R-SC) There is a little known Senate rule that one Senator can put a hold on a piece of legislation. Though rarely used, there are two abusers of this rule in the current Senate. Jim DeMint is one of them. He blocked the bipartisan ethics bill for about 6 months before he finally relented. He also blocks all sorts of non-controversial bills, and then has the guts to go around talking about the "do-nothing Congress."
2. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) Everytime I see him on TV, I just want to throw something. I get it, he has drifted away from his party, but he just slings so much mud. Does he remember that Barack Obama campaigned for him in his primary against Ned Lamont? Not only is he a traitor who has become a right-wing talking points extraordinaire, but he does it while claiming to be an "Independent Democrat." Also, he always sounds like he has a stomach ache. And guess what Joe, none of us want to give in and lose to al qaeda!
1. Tom Coburn (R-OK). This guy takes the prize by a long shot. He has blocked so many non-controversial bipartisan bills, that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is putting a "Coburn Omnibus" bill together so that the entire Senate can vote on everything he has blocked. Why does he have to be such a thorn in the side of the entire United States Senate? Because he thinks its SOOOO cool to be fiscally conservative. Also, he was doing a crossword puzzle during the confirmation hearings of Samuel Alito. And he said that abortion doctors should be subject to the death penalty.
Campus Progress wants you to take action on abusive credit card practices! Check out this action alert:
With the rising costs of college, gasoline, food, health care, and other expenses, credit cards are becoming the "safety net" for an entire generation. Unfortunately, credit card companies are using unfair and even predatory practices to increase their profits at the expense of the financially vulnerable or inexperienced. Luckily, there are several efforts in Congress and in the Federal Reserve Board to reign in these anti-consumer practices. In fact, the Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights will probably be considered in the House Financial Services Committee by the end of the month. We need your help to make sure that your representative takes this issue seriously. Take Action Now!
Dont forget to check out our Action Alerts Page to make your voice heard on other issues that matter!
On Wednesday, July 9, 2008 join the Campus Progress Advocacy Team, progressive partner organizations like the Energy Action Coalition and U.S. PIRG, and fellow young people from around the country for a lobby day on Capitol Hill that you won't forget. Choose from one of two issues to lobby about:
1. Tell Congress how they can make a difference in the economic lives of young people - college affordability, health care, jobs, etc.
2. Press Congress to work for an end to global warming and toward a clean energy future!
Never lobbied before? Don't worry. We'll provide the skills, materials, and schedule the appointments. Just e-mail us your name and the address where you are registered to vote and come ready to make your voice heard on the issues that matter to you!
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM The Center for American Progress 1333 H Street NW, 10th floor Washington D.C.
This event is free and open to all young people interested in turning their progressive values into action.
Campus Progress’s Erica Williams, along with the PIRGs and several other organizations, testified at the House Financial Services committee today on credit cards and student debt.
You can read her testimony here, and watch the hearing here.
There’s an interesting story in the New York Times today about how some student loan companies have stopped offering loans to some students at community colleges and “other less competitive institutions.”
At face value, the move appears to be an ongoing reaction to the effects of the credit crunch on the student loan market, a topic both Kay and Pedro have written about. Essentially, a worldwide lack of people and institutions willing to lend money raised the cost of borrowing for loan companies to the point where the guaranteed return they received from the government was insufficient for the loans to be profitable. As a result, some lenders have stopped offering federally-guaranteed student loans, in which the government pays up to 97 percent of the value of a defaulted loan and gives the lenders a quarterly subsidy known as a special allowance payment.
Given that loans already appear to be turning smaller profits, the decision to stop lending to schools where students are more likely to default on their debt makes sense from a pure capitalistic standpoint.
But the federal student loan market is far from a free market enterprise. As mentioned above, lenders are given governmental subsidies to make the loan and stand to lose no more than 3 percent of the loan. In addition, under a plan unveiled by the Department of Education on May 21, lenders will now also be able to receive a low-interest government loan to help stay in the market.
So what are lenders doing with this governmentally-subsidized money? Not putting it toward the neediest students who are most likely to require financial assistance in going to college, and also the most likely to drop out if faced with too many hurdles.
The fact that companies can take government money and then essentially redline low-income students suggests that perhaps an incentive should be introduced that lenders hoping to take advantage of these funds cannot dramatically adjust the schools they are willing to serve.
While what the loan companies are doing may appear immoral, it is not illegal. It does, however, both expose a major flaw in the federally guaranteed student loan market and raise questions about the actions and motivations of the schools that are getting passed over.
First, let’s consider the school’s motivation. If there are concerns about finding lenders to offer loans, why don’t these institutions take the obvious step of at least applying to join the Direct Loan program? Direct Loans are dispersed by the Department of Education using U.S. Treasury funds. Because the money comes straight from the government, any school in the program will always be able to get loans so long as it continues to meet eligibility requirements. The article doesn’t address whether these schools are considering switching, but it certainly seems that if colleges really have their charges’ best interest in mind they would at least entertain the idea.
Finally, the decision by loan companies to be more selective institutionally exposes an inherent flaw in the federally guaranteed student loan market: the loans are an entitlement for students, but no lender is required to make them. Congress sets the subsidy rate for lenders and hopes it’s sufficient to get companies to make loans. But as the Times article shows, what could be enough for loans at one type of school may not work elsewhere. Creating a system where companies bid with one another for the lowest subsidy at which they will make loans to all students in a given state or region would at least ensure that certain schools couldn’t get bypassed.
As you have probably heard, we are going through some rocky financial times. A “credit-crunch” fueled recession means that many financial institutions will have a harder time making ends meet, and this, of course, includes student loan companies, as the Washington Post points out today.
Higher education advocates are worried that these lenders are exaggerating the effects of the crisis on the student loan industry as a way to secure unneeded bailouts and get back some of the wasteful subsidies that Congress cut last year in order to increase student aid. They are also worried that all of the hype will mean debt-averse students may be discouraged from “investing” in a college education. Don’t worry – it is very unlikely that you won’t be able to get the loans you need to finance you education.
Reuters reports that the House will vote today on whether to postpone a vote on the Colombia free-trade agreement, which was set to be voted on under Fast Track.
"The vote on Thursday would change rules for considering the deal by eliminating a 90-day deadline for Congress to approve the Colombia trade deal."
Since Fast Track's inception, it has proven to be an undemocratic mechanism for legislators to rashly pass trade deals.
Fast track gives lawmakers 90 days to read over 600+ page trade agreements
It prohibits amendments to the trade agreements
It gives the executive extraordinary power over trade agreements, neglecting Congressional oversight
Fast Track has led to the passage of CAFTA, as well as trade agreements with Morocco, Chile, Singapore, and others.
The Fast Track process forces legislators to vote without enough time to really hash out the document. Its an expedient tool that allows the President to essentially bypass Congress.
Pelosi's call to postpone a vote on the Colombia free-trade agreement is a step in the right direction. Next Step: sending Fast Track to the grave.
A House Energy and Commerce subcommittee held a hearing this morning on "Online Virtual Worlds: Applications and Avatars in a User-Generated Medium."
Witnesses testified on the evolution, culture and future of online virtual worlds. The hearing explored safety issues and the use of real currency in virtual online worlds, as well as the growing presence of educational institutions, non-profits and other real-world organizations in online virtual worlds. Most notably, Second Life.
Amazingly, this isn't the first time Congress has ventured into the futuristic virtual utopia. Last January Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) held a hearing in Second Life about the new Democratic Congress.
Some government institutions represented on Second Life:
* National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration * NASA * National Institutes of Health, * Centers for Disease Control * House of Representatives * Department of Homeland Security
The Center for American Progress and Campus Progress are pleased with today’s passage by the House of Representatives of the College Opportunity and Affordability Act (H.R. 4137). This legislation continues to build on Congress’s commitment to making college more affordable and ensuring that Americans are prepared to compete in an increasingly knowledge-based economy.
The labor movement’s decline started 61 years ago with Taft-Hartley, but the movement’s current state is in dire straits.
In 2002, Bush appointed three Republican members to the five-member National Labor Relations Board. This past September, the Board passed sixty-one sweeping decisions that impaled all working Americans; the AFL-CIO labeled these decisions “the September massacre.”
How can the movement be revitalized?
Max Fraser in last week’s Nation argued for increased lobbying efforts around a little known interpretation of the thirteenth amendment which bans "slavery and involuntary servitude" in an effort to legitimize workers' rights to organize and strike.
Another hopeful catalyst is the The Employee Free Choice Act. The Act would amend the NLR Act and “assist in labor organizations, to provide for mandatory injunctions for unfair labor practices during organizing efforts”.
The bill doesn't stand a chance against the Republican filibuster and Bush's veto threat.
The current state of unions in the US gives too much discretion and power to businesses and leaves the workers out of the equation; it behooves the Democractic Congress to lobby enough Republicans to overturn Bush's inevitable veto--workers' rights depend on it.
Today less than 8 percent of private-sector workers belong to a union.
From early favorites like 26-year-old Aaron Schock (R) in Illinois to hopefuls like 29-year-old Bill McCamley (D) in New Mexico, the odds on their candidacies differ. But their numbers are as high as ever before, and many are running in some of the most competitive districts in the country.
Scott Kleeb, a 32-year-old Democrat who ran a spirited campaign in a dark-red Nebraska House district in 2006, is weighing a Senate bid this year. He argues that the Sept. 11 attacks helped galvanize a generation of young people to believe in public service again, and those young people are now running for federal office.
On Monday, Dec. 17, the House Committee on Homeland Security posted this document in response to the many criticisms of House Resolution 1955, The Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007. Part 1 of this series examined the dangers that this bill posed to citizens and political groups using the Internet.
Based on the bill contents and the witnesses called to elaborate on the supposed problem of "homegrown terrorism," it appears that House bill and the Senate look alike (S.1959) pose a significant threat to political expression and free speech, particularly on the Internet (see part 1 of this series Thought Control on the Internet and this collection for more detail).
I just read something on politico.com that almost made me punch the wall in disgust. Bush has been nagging Congress in speeches to do several things: 1. Fund his failed war. 2. Pass a budget that includes his cuts in valuable social programs. 3. Pass an Altnerative Minimum Tax fix that is not paid for.
The House had passed a war funding bill with a withdrawal timeline, although the bill died in the Senate. Senate Republicans killed an AMT fix that is paid for by raising taxes on Hedge Fund Managers (the richest people in the country). So, it's not like Congress was sitting idly by. Today, the Democrats offered a compromise, knowing that Bush has the power to deny any legislation that comes to his desk. They offered to cut the budget by 11 billion dollars, fund the war with no strings attached, and pass an AMT fix that does not raise taxes. I was initially angry that the Democrats had capitulated and sold out on these important issues.
THEN, I had to wipe my eyes when I saw that Bush threatened to VETO this compromise package. The Democrats basically compromised on EVERYTHING, but the President is still stubbornly rejecting them. Why is he being such a stubborn loser (to speak colloquially)? First of all, he has nothing to lose. He will be gone in a year and won't have to face voters who lost jobs because of his budget cuts or those who have relatives who died in his disastrous war. Second, if he compromises, he loses his zinger about how the Democrats run a "do-nothing" Congress, and "aren't fulfilling their duties to the American people." Third, he can count on the fact that most Americans don't pay attention to the processes of our Government. If someone sees that legislation is not getting passed, they don't care who is obstructing it. Finally, he can reclaim the mantle of "fiscal conservatism" that he never had in the first place. (Nevermind the fact that he never ONCE vetoed a spending bill before this year, even though they were regularly over his requests.)
My advice to everyone, is to pay attention to what you could have had this year if the President hadn't been so rigid in his ideology. We could have a comprehensive energy bill that rolls back irresponsible subsidies to oil companies. We can have an SCHIP bill that covers 10 million of America's children. We could have a Labor-HHS Appropriations bill that restores cuts to vital programs. We could have an Iraq War that would be winding down, instead of one that is still gearing up.
All of this proves that President Bush is like the spoiled child who gets everything from his parents, but still complains that he's not getting more. You could give him a pound of chocolate ice cream and he'd throw it against the wall because he wanted two pounds. Hopefully, next year we can elect an adult to serve in the White House.
Preface:After writing for over three years, I consider this to be the most important Op-Ed I have ever written; forget who I am and please concentrate on the facts and the evidence contained herein - and then form your own opinion. I am only the messenger, but the facts speak for themselves, and our nation faces a grave crisis that the majority of the population doesn’t even know exists.
Countless millions of Americans are asking themselves, their Congress, and even their local newspapers why Congress seems to be in collusion with The Bush administration, even though they have violated our Constitution, The Bill of Rights, our Rule of Law, stand in utter contempt of Congress, violate international laws and treaties with impunity – yet a Congress that is empowered and has the duty to impeach these traitors and tyrants still abdicate their sworn duty to uphold the very constitutional values they were voted into office to protect – yet they stand mute and appear to be complicit with the eventual downfall of our democratic republic; Why? Millions are asking these questions, voicing their outrage, and still nothing of substance is being accomplished to halt our nation from falling into tyranny and utter chaos – and most of us stand in disbelief while Bush and Cheney shred everything that once made the United States the great nation it used to be, and now we watch as our economy is literally falling apart! LINK
Until a few days ago, I was one of those Americans that were asking all of these questions, and more - even editorializing on Nancy Pelosi’s idiotic stand on “taking impeachment off the table” and generally condemning our Congress for their lack of courage and inaction as we face the downfall of the world’s foremost democratic society. LINKLINK We know that Bush’s illegal wiretapping began the second month he was in office, and now because of a patriotic Whistle-blower who had the courage to tell the truth, we also know that the Bush administration was not tracking so-called Internet traffic and calls that were based in other countries, but that ALL Internet and possibly phone communication as well within the United States was being quietly fed into NSA’s surveillance system(s), and yes, that includes privileged information from attorneys, Congressmen/women, and every other citizen of the United States! LINK
Even before the 2006 Mid-term elections, I had a firm belief that President Bush, aided by Cheney and his co-conspirators in the NSA were wiretapping members of Congress and actually blackmailing them into submission. Then, it was a suspicion, and as a matter of public record, I had already secretly provided a Democrat in Florida with conclusive evidence that CIFA was in violation of their mandated functions, and I was assured that information and evidence was forwarded to members of Congress in late 2005 or early 2006. Then, after I interviewed Joe Roberts, who was running against Jeff Miller in the Florida Panhandle region, my suspicions were also mirrored by a Democrat running for office in the US Senate. LINK Unfortunately, I wish that was the only serious issue we must deal with, however, just a few days ago I found, quite by accident, or because of the clever actions of Rob Kall, the Editor of Op-Ed News, who included a link on an article that had nothing to do with politics in a piece I had written on CNN and their oversimplification of the Super-Volcano at Yellowstone National Park. LINK (Or so I thought… Rob knows that I’m extremely inquisitive, and that I’d follow a link that didn’t appear to relate to my article - so to him I am grateful that he inspired this important editorial.)
The link that Rob Kall associated with my story was this:
NSPD-51 and the Potential for a Coup d’Etat by National Emergency
By William H. White
October 30, 2007
Can you think of anyone better than George W. Bush with whom to entrust the dictatorial powers hinted at in NSPD-51? Or perhaps you are unwilling to trust anyone with such powers, even Bush. That is not a option in NATIONAL SECURITY PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE 51 (NSPD-51), signed by Bush and released without comment by the White House on May 9, 2007. To quote from NSPD-51: “This policy establishes ‘National Essential Functions,’ prescribes continuity requirements for all executive departments and agencies, and provides guidance for State, local, territorial, and tribal governments, and private sector organizations in order to ensure a comprehensive and integrated national continuity program that will enhance the credibility of our national security posture and enable a more rapid and effective response to and recovery from a national emergency.” What one would expect, but for some additional details.
Under NSPD-51, only limited ‘National Essential Functions’ of government will continue, which may or may not include Congress and the courts. NSPD-51 assures us: “Enduring Constitutional Government means a cooperative effort among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the Federal Government, coordinated by the President, as a matter of comity with respect to the legislative and judicial branches…” This “matter of comity,” which usually refers to the informal and voluntary recognition of jurisdiction among courts, is a troublesomely ambiguous phrase in this context wherein the president determines this as he “coordinates.”
Unfortunately, NSPD-51 provides limited “guidance” to state and local governments, because it revoked the then existing Presidential Decision Directive 67 of October 21, 1998 (”Enduring Constitutional Government and Continuity of Government Operations”), including “all Annexes thereto.” And replaced them with NSPD-51, along with: “Annex A and the classified Continuity Annexes, attached hereto.” But then the rabbit disappears as NSPD-51 soldiers on: “This directive and the information contained herein shall be protected from unauthorized disclosure, provided that, except for Annex A, the Annexes attached to this directive are classified and shall be accorded appropriate handling, consistent with applicable Executive Orders.” In other words, all the details are secret and even the non secret “Annex A” remains undisclosed by the White House. MUCH MORE
If you don’t read another word of this editorial, above all, please follow the above link and read the article in its entirety, as it is the foremost threat to our way of life and the very essence of freedom as we know it in the United States! Also, it vividly offers an extremely valid assumption/speculation/hypothesis on why Congress may be actually afraid to instigate actual impeachment proceeding’s against President Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney. In fact, there is one more paragraph which must be reproduced to urge anyone reading this article to keep reading to understand the extreme jeopardy this unholy directive places our entire society in jeopardy - and could end freedom as we know it and allow President Bush to become nothing less than a dictator with the sole power to rule our country with the iron fist of tyranny - effectively destroying our democracy, probably irreparably, and for that reason, this is a must-read paragraph:
This almost entirely secret directive can be invoked when the president decides “any incident, regardless of location, that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the U.S. population, infrastructure, environment, economy, or government functions” occurred. Bush alone will decide when he must assume this burden, though surely only upon prayerful contemplation during the time saved not having to consult Congress. In addition, because of a change to the Insurrection Act of 1807, enacted as part of the 439-page 2007 Defense Authorization Bill signed into law in October 2006, Bush need no longer obtain a governor’s consent to take control of a state’s national guard units. This same bill overturns the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which limited the use of US military forces within the United States for law enforcement. In addition, Bush issued an executive order on July 17, 2007 authorizing the government to seize the assets of anyone “undermining efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform in Iraq” under provisions of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Could this include critics of the Iraq war, whom Bush has repeatedly accused of undermining the war effort? LINK
If you take into consideration that President Bush has again circumvented the checks and balances demanded by our Constitution and rule of law, and that this directive is so secretive that even members of Congress are barred from viewing it - who doubts that it contains items that Congress would immediately disapprove of and demand they be quashed; no President has the legal authority to bypass the US Congress, nor does he have the right to make directives so draconian that in an effort to keep his plans hidden, he is again defying Congress and refusing to comply with the law of the land. When you start comprehending the actual danger our democratic republic is in, after reading the directive (or what we have been able to ascertain of its contents) it’s obvious the implied threat of this secret directive is having a negative impact on our Congress, and I strongly believe it’s not a stretch that Bush will attempt to enact this directive if a serious effort is made at impeaching him, and Congress appears to be “hoping” that he will step-down after the 2008 elections rather than addressing this issue and attempting to negate its possible impact.
First and foremost for the people to consider is that President’s don’t create directives if they aren’t expecting to someday place them into motion, and when one is written so that Bush can enact it purely at his sole discretion - especially when such an air of secrecy has been attached that could make Bush an instant Dictator, effectively taking-over our country. It is true, detention camps are being built and renovated across the United States, and we the people have to question why so many are being built, and especially the secrecy that surrounds the entire project:
Homeland Security Contracts for Vast New Detention Camps
News Analysis/Commentary, Peter Dale Scott, New America Media, Feb 08, 2006
Editor’s Note:A little-known $385 million contract for Halliburton subsidiary KBR to build detention facilities for “an emergency influx of immigrants” is another step down the Bush administration’s road toward martial law, the writer says.
BERKELEY, Calif.–A Halliburton subsidiary has just received a $385 million contract from the Department of Homeland Security to provide “temporary detention and processing capabilities.”
“Almost certainly this is preparation for a roundup after the next 9/11 for Mid-Easterners, Muslims and possibly dissenters,” says Daniel Ellsberg, a former military analyst who in 1971 released the Pentagon Papers, the U.S. military’s account of its activities in Vietnam. “They’ve already done this on a smaller scale, with the ’special registration’ detentions of immigrant men from Muslim countries, and with Guantanamo.”
It is clear that the Bush administration is thinking seriously about martial law. Many critics have alleged that FEMA’s spectacular failure to respond to Katrina followed from a deliberate White House policy: of paring back FEMA, and instead strengthening the military for responses to disasters.
A multimillion program for detention facilities will greatly increase NORTHCOM’s ability to respond to any domestic disorders. MUCH MORE
These “detention camps” are now interspersed throughout the United States, and many of them are already manned with personnel to run the facilities. LINK
I believe that there are two (s) factors that have Congress essentially hog-tied and ineffective; first, I still believe that the NSA under Bush and Cheney’s guidance have spied on, gathered derogatory information, and much like the days when J. Edgar Hoover was holding much of Washington hostage by the enormous dossiers that he had gathered on his perceived adversaries - the same practice is being used by the Bush administration today, and that may partially explain why they refuse to act in the best interests of the country. Second, with the Congress possibly fearful that Bush will engineer an emergency to suspend the Constitution if they instigate serious impeachment efforts - it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to acknowledge that even Congress is faced with a danger they may not have the fortitude or wherewithal to respond to effectively, and on both matters, “we the people” can offer them a solution. Yes, in spite of the enormous planning Bush and his Neo-cons, corporations, and the radical religious-right have engineered, their plan is not unstoppable - and there is a way to effectively negate these plans that have taken decades to finally be a threat to America - Again!. (Read: Like Father, Like Son – and Grandfather Prescott too! and you will understand this is not the first time a Bush family member and corporate America, as well as our “dynasty families” have attempted to overthrow our government.)
Time grows short, and just yesterday, it was revealed that once again, Vice President Dick Cheney has been attempting to force our various intelligence agencies to remove dissenting opinions from the NIE in regard Iran and its nuclear programs - which was actually ready for publication a year ago, but the White House wouldn’t accept it because it didn’t agree with their attempts to once again, make the intelligence fit their plans to ultimately attack Iran:
Cheney Tried to Stifle Dissent in Iran National Intelligence Estimate
By Gareth Porter
WASHINGTON, Nov 8 (IPS) - A National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iran has been held up for more than a year in an effort to force the intelligence community to remove dissenting judgments on the Iranian nuclear programme, and thus make the document more supportive of U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney’s militarily aggressive policy toward Iran, according to accounts of the process provided by participants to two former Central Intelligence Agency officers.
But this pressure on intelligence analysts, obviously instigated by Cheney himself, has not produced a draft estimate without those dissenting views, these sources say. The White House has now apparently decided to release the unsatisfactory draft NIE, but without making its key findings public.
A former CIA intelligence officer who has asked not to be identified told IPS that an official involved in the NIE process says the Iran estimate was ready to be published a year ago but has been delayed because the director of national intelligence wanted a draft reflecting a consensus on key conclusions — particularly on Iran’s nuclear programme.
The NIE coordinates the judgments of 16 intelligence agencies on a specific country or issue. MUCH MORE
Thankfully, this information didn’t escape the attention of Dennis Kucinich, and he has already written a letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers Jr. and stated that impeaching VP Dick Cheney may be the only way to prevent an eventual war with Iran:
Congressman Kucinich writes letter to Judiciary Committee head supporting impeachment of Vice President Cheney
On Friday, as the embattled legislation is pushed into committee, Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) wrote to House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers Jr. (D-MI) in support of H. Res 799, Articles of Impeachment of Vice President Dick Cheney.
Text of the letter appears below.
I am writing in support of H. Res. 799, the Articles of Impeachment which were referred to the committee relative to the Impeachment of the Vice President of the United States of America.
Recent reports indicate that the Vice President is attempting to shape the National Intelligence Estimate on Iran to conform to his misperceptions about the threat Iran actually poses. Much like his deceptive efforts in the lead up to the Iraq war, the Vice President appears to be manipulating intelligence to conform to his beliefs.MORE
Even though the possibility of impeaching Dick Cheney is encouraging, the fact is, such an action may be placing us in grave danger of Bush enacting this semi-secret directive and purposely creating a set of circumstances so he can use it, thus derailing any serious impeachment effort. I am not stating that the fear of him declaring martial law is a reason to suspend such efforts, in fact, to the contrary, I advocate going full-steam ahead - but with our eyes wide-open into the possible consequences of such an action, and what we as a nation can do to stop Bush from derailing legal and appropriate Congressional action! There are different messages of action and encouragement to each of our several branches of governmental entities that must be stated, and an understanding of what each of these parties, including what the people themselves can do to help circumvent Bush or Cheney derailing our Congress from meeting this daunting challenge head-on, and each will be addressed to the appropriate entities:
To the People of the United States:
I am addressing this message to the “average American”, those that inhabit the quickly disappearing Middle-class, lower Middle-class, and the poor of our country. We are the in the majority of this nation, and corporations exist not in spite of us, but because of our daily efforts and work that keeps this country functioning on an everyday basis. Corporations and special interest groups, while they exhibit the most influence on our Congress and even the President himself - none of them would exist if it were not for us, and if we choose to do so, working in unison and standing in solidarity - we have the power to change the course of history by simply exercising our rights of free speech, and taking the time to make sure this message is broadly disseminated to individuals and groups that can apply the necessary pressure to force Congress to heed our will.
1. Take the time to forward this message to your appropriate Congressional representatives, and if you choose to do so, add your own comments as to why it’s important that they act - and how to prevent our decent into utter tyranny. This action will only take a minute or two of your time. You have the right to DEMAND that Congress take action, not ask, as it is our country, not theirs. Remind them they can be voted out of office if they refuse to obey the will of the people.
2. For those of you that have the time, also make sure and send this message to your appropriate local newspapers and address them to the Editor, again demanding that they cover this issue with the importance that it is due. If enough of you do this, the papers will be forced to respond - or have to answer to angry subscribers who can threaten to discontinue their readership and support of those papers. Again, you can simply forward them a copy of this Editorial, and if enough of you take the time to act, they will be forced to respond. They too exist because of our support - which we can quickly stop if they refuse to listen and act accordingly.
3. If you listen to Air America, make a call and insist that they broadcast this message to everyone that will listen - and tell them that you support their efforts to help free us from the heel of oppression.
4. If you are a fan of Lou Dobbs, who many call a conservative, whether you like him or not, remember that he has doggedly plead the case for the “average American” and has valiantly attempted to support our cause and stop the outsourcing of our jobs and tirelessly speaks with clarity on the corruption that exists within the Bush administration. Don’t like Lou Dobbs, then send Jack Cafferty a quick message, and ask either of them why they have not addressed this critical issue, and request that they focus on the real danger to our democratic Republic.
5. If Keith Olbermann is your favorite, take a few moments to send him a message and request that he help to bring attention to this issue. Or, simply forward a copy of this Editorial to countdown@msnbc.com .
6. Finally, tell as many of your friends that remain unaware of this imminent danger, and ask then to participate in “taking back America.” Remember, the majority of Americans aren’t even aware of this absurd Presidential directive - and as always, knowledge is power, and so far, we have been complacent and none of us have yet acted in unison to stop President Bush from assuming complete control of our country. If you have followed the links and examined the evidence and facts yourself - by now you must be aware of the actual danger this directive poses to the very essence of freedom in America.
NOTE: Except for your local newspapers, if you click on the links I provided, you will instantly be connected to the appropriate way to contact all of the above named individuals.
To the Congress of The United States:
We understand the dilemma you face, however, there are many variables you must consider, and in Part 1 of this editorial, as with all others who will be impacted - I will be brief and attempt to articulate the hurdles you may face, and why the consequence may not be as dire as your have been led to believe. If this administration is holding embarrassing information over your heads to influence your votes and actions, please remember that we are a nation of laws, and Due Process and legal discovery are vital elements of our judicial system. Anything that the Bush administration may be holding over your heads has been illegally obtained, and therefore is null and void in a court of law - and therefore cannot legally be used against you.
If it is embarrassing information and you act to save this great nation from tyranny and oppression, the people will support you and demand that nothing of an incriminating nature be released to the media - and even if it was, Bush and Cheney have lost the trust of a nation, their credibility is shot, and the prospect of us believing them is probably of little or no real consequence. We know that those in Congress have even more evidence than we do - so remember that Big Brother is listening, and if you receive this editorial/essay - please take into consideration that you may represent the last chance of saving this nation from the tyrants and traitors that are busily attempting to overthrow our government.
This is a non-partisan issue, and we know that Republicans as well as Democrats are fearful of this Presidency, as are countless millions of Americans. Speak to your colleagues in confidence, poll those that you know who can be trusted, and for the moment, attempt to act in secrecy as you build momentum to impeach and remove these traitors from office. You all know that no real debate is necessary, as you in Congress are fully apprised of the many crimes that Bush and Cheney have perpetrated against this nation and the world; except for listing the actual charges, there is little or no debate necessary to impeach both of them in unison - and if you’re smart and build a coalition of support - The House and Senate could impeach these scoundrels in a matter of a couple of days, not weeks or months as most people believe.
The Congress is the “Payton Place” of politics, and members know who can be trusted and who cannot be - and springing this measure on the floor in the House unexpectedly, followed almost immediately by the Senate could result in a successful impeachment vote only if you act with the political acumen we know you possess. If a forest fire was burning fifteen miles from your homes, would you fight it while it was still containable - or would you wait until the flames were licking at your own doorsteps? We know by researching the above material that those flames are at our proverbial doorsteps, and unless Congress acts with courage and decisiveness - we all know that the face of this nation could change almost instantaneously from one of freedom and liberty to tyranny and dictatorship.
To the Republicans and GOP, I have special words for you; many of you recently overrode President Bush’s recent veto, joining in with Democrats in enacting a Bill that will truly benefit the people. Please remember how petty and vindictive this President actually is, and remember how he has thrown ardent and loyal supporters to the wolves when it served his purpose. He is loyal to no one but himself, and those of you whom voted your opposition against him may now be considered “enemies of the state” because you did stand-up against him, and you have no guarantee that you and your families won’t also be herded in the early hours of the morning into waiting railroad cars to be delivered to the nearest internment center. This President is petty, vicious, and is loyal only to power, greed, and the corporations who he constantly pays homage to rather than the people of this great nation.
The time to act is now, and whether it be from me, or someone else, the public will eventually be made aware of President Bush’s ulterior motive(s) and their many crimes - and the people will remember those who stood for tyranny and dictatorship, and those that had the courage to throw-off a tyrant and instead choose to represent the people - which is why you were all elected. Time is short, and it’s imperative that you look deep within your souls and make a choice - tyranny or freedom, and please keep in mind that America is watching your every move, and while we may be willing to forgive your past transgressions at this moment in history in order to save our nation - this same good will could just as easily evaporate if you choose to side with individuals that have chosen to disregard our constitution and Rule of Law.
This ends segment 1 of this Editorial, and I am hopeful that “the people” will act on this information that has been hidden from most of the public. The days of wine and roses are over, and while we would most likely grant any offender in Congress immunity if you act with courage and fortitude and rid this nation of its traitors; this mood of forbearance will disappear instantly if we find that thousands, or hundreds of thousands of innocent Americans have been hauled-off as political prisoners for simply exercising their belief in the constitutional values most Americans still cherish and respect.
William Cormier
Footnote: There is nothing of a seditious nature contained in this Editorial. I have simply suggested a way of using our own laws and constitution in a manner that will allow the successful impeachment of Bush and Cheney without giving them an excuse to enact NSPD-51 and escape from the rule of law and subsequent prosecution. I propose to do this in accordance with our current laws and there is no suggestion, either overt or implied of violence or revolution, as I am totally against either of those actions. I do agree that extraordinary means may be needed to save this democratic republic, but destroying it while attempting to do so would be counter-productive and would simply play into the hands of Bush and Cheney and allow them an excuse to declare martial law. Besides, it has taken over two-hundred years to build this great nation, and it was the “average American” that did it through blood, sweat and tears - and to act otherwise goes against everything I believe in as it pertains to this great nation. Corporations who exert immense power upon this government are treated like they are people, the most powerful in the world, who believe paying-off the government is the acceptable way to do business. A Government controlled by corporations, Dynasty families, and the Ultra-wealthy in any dictionary are the epitome of Fascism, and I would love to garner enough attention to debate this matter with anyone, including Fox News who I know distort the facts to serve the Bush administration and Rupert Murdoch, however the facts are on my side - and there simply isn’t a logical or legal explanation that can even be considered, unless it involves the concept of the “unitary Executive” which in plain English is a damn dictator! (Interesting. The Wikopedia entry on the “Unitary Executive” is essentially blank. Now we’ll see who gets to write this explanation, and I’m going to offer to take-on the job.
Segment two will address operation Falcon and contain messages for our National Guard, our intelligence services, the armed forces, and local and state law enforcement agencies whom are being trained to conduct a massive sweep in the dead of night to corral all of those whom this criminal government believe are “enemies of the state” - when in reality, if they seek the real enemy, they only have to gaze upon themselves in the nearest mirror.
I’m going to urge everyone to send their personal comments and request that this matter be brought-up in the media sources I offered links to in the hopes that this matter will get some airtime., possibly in a round table debate. The general public needs to know about these issues so they have the opportunity to act, and we could make that happen by spreading the word in anyway we can. Forwarding this article via email and adding your comments also speak volumes. As I’ve said in other articles, if someone has a better idea, then please, make a comment and we’ll discuss it, but my thoughts on this matter is that it’s serious enough that it needs to be addressed almost immediately - so if you have a better solution than mine, let’s discuss and make the necessary changes. A lot of us are going to carry much of the load, but no matter how you look it it, is a cause that makes many others look small. Also, if it comes up in a debate, I don’t want Democrats debating in behalf of an ideology the don’t share. I’m tired of “political correctness” and I want someone from the progressive,Liberal/or Independent side that will represent this issue with straight-forward talk minus the political rhetoric in almost any matter that is discussed in Washington, and who the tenacity and presence of mind to answer the right-wing commenter’s to appear biased and ignorant of the true facts that are driving this nation.
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