Posts with the tag Bush

Bailout Bill Defies Will of the People

MichaelCollins — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 04:56:11 EDT

Bailout Bill Defies Will of the People

Contact for your member of the House or Representatives. Image cc

White House and Congress Suspend Democracy
To Help Wall Street

(Wash. DC) The White House and Congressional leaders from both parties announced a tentative bill to bailout failed financial institutions. The bill is a response to the $700 billion initially request by the White House last week. The bill allocates $250 billion to start with a total authorized of $700 billion. The money will cover the losses of distressed Wall Street firms facing bankruptcy due to bad investments, primarily in risky real estate securities known as subprime securities and "derivatives."

There were no provisions announced to bailout citizens facing foreclosure or help with their bad investments.

Michael Collins: Not One Dime for Georgia

MichaelCollins — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 06:52:42 EDT

Michael Collins: Not One Dime for Georgia

The president of the Republic of Georgia eats his tie on national television. BBC

$1.1 Billion Giveaway for the Republic of Georgia Announced:
"The United States Supports The Recovery, Stability,
And Continued Growth Of Georgia's Economy"
The White House, Sept. 3, 2008

Michael Collins

(Wash. DC) We're not talking about the great state of Georgia, which deserves everything it has coming to it and more. We're talking about the Republic of Georgia, a nation of 4.5 million people wedged between Russia and Turkey.

On Wednesday, September 3, the White House announced a comprehensive aid package valued at $1.1 billion dollars to help the Republic of Georgia recover from the whipping it took after it attacked Russian peace keeping forces in South Ossetia, a breakaway province of Georgia near the Russian border. That region experienced a major war in 1991 and varying tensions since.

Russian personnel were in Georgia as part of a multi-national peace keeping regime created by the United Nations and endorsed by the European Union in 2006.

White Paper Justifying Iraq War Written Three Months before Intel Report Arrived

MichaelCollins — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 04:16:20 EDT

White Paper Justifying Iraq War Written
Three Months before Intel Report Arrived

A war based on deception and fraud Worldpassion cc

National Security Archive Stunner

Michael Collins
Washington, DC

The National Security Archive released a report Friday Aug. 22, 2008 that sheds even more light on the premeditated lying and deception that took the United States to war in Iraq. The findings are based on new evidence compiled by Dr. John Prados and published by the National Security Archive. See "White Paper" Drafted before NIE even Requested , "Scoop" Independent News, Aug. 24, 2008.

Most notably, Prados shows the depth of the deception perpetrated against citizens and Congress regarding the alleged threat to U.S. security posed by Iraq. It had appeared that the White House rewrote the Oct. 1, 2002 National Intelligence Estimate and then issued that doctored report to Congress on Oct. 4, 2002. Prados reveals convincing evidence that the Oct. 4 White Paper had already been written by July 2002. He shows that it was only slightly altered after the final NIE arrived. This White Paper served as the basis for the war.

The Book They Can't Stop - A Review

MichaelCollins — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 05:10:28 EDT

A Review of Bugliosi's -- The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder

Vanguard Reviewed by Michael Collins

The Prosecutor and the President

Vincent Bugliosi wants George W. Bush prosecuted for murder. There are others who are complicit in the crime, namely the Vice President and Condoleezza Rice, but Bush is the target of this famed former Los Angeles prosecutor (the Charles Manson case) and best selling author (Helter Skelter and The Betrayal of America as two examples). He is undeterred by the virtual major media blackout on interviews and advertising. He's taking his case directly to the people through alternate media and the internet.

Meeting George Bush or Washing Dishes - Tough Call

Andrew Connelly — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:06:12 EDT

In an interesting and somewhat amusing story, a British man has been arrested by Texas authorities after landing his plane a few miles from George Bush's Crawford Ranch. Maurice Kirk, from Barry in Wales, apparently wanted to personally thank the President for his recent rescue by the U.S. Coastguard after he ditched (presumably a different plane) into the Atlantic off of the Dominican Republic. He is currently undergoing psychiatric assessment - apparently the powers that be found curious his assumption that no one would mind him flying a plane at low altitude over the President's house, though, according to his wife's post on his website, "I understand that he did not fly within the prohibited flight area, and so hope that this difficulty can be resolved quickly, not least because he is due home on 1 May and it's his turn to do the washing-up." The man has obviously lost track of his priorities.

The Pentagon's Sleight of Hand in Crafting War Propaganda

Kate — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 18:16:33 EDT

As an Internet Organizer for Progressive Future, I've been busily spreading the otherwise buried reports of the atrocities and abuses committed by military contractors in Iraq. As outraged as they made me, I had to wonder why these stories failed to reach the mainstream American public. Now I know why.

"certifiable, insane"

MichaelCollins — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:45:52 EDT

"The United States does not torture."
Pres. Bush, Sept. 6, 2006

Zubaydah, Bush and the Bureaucracy of Torture

Michael Collins
Washington, D.C.

The devastating attack of 9/11 conferred unprecedented popularity on the Bush administration. This was more a reflection of the strong desire for national unity in the wake of a tragedy than an endorsement of Bush policies.

After the attack, there was a frantic effort inside the administration to show a major success in their newly proclaimed war on terror. The administration knew what the public didn't: Far from being surprised by airplanes used as weapons, they'd had a series of warnings from intelligence sources that commercial airplanes were indeed the next weapon of choice by terrorists. Once that information became public, the Bush administration would need something more to boost its image.

In addition to warnings on the use of airplanes, the administration received at least 28 advanced intelligence warnings prior to 9/11. Was there more damaging information and analysis in the files of the agencies and individuals involved?

Way To Go Dems; Listen To The MSM And Hand The Election To The GOP!

Justanothercoverup — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 10:41:33 EDT

For the past seven (7) years, the Mainstream News Media has favored the Bush administration and has refused to publish facts and report upon issues that are critical to the survival of Democracy in America. Their bias and downright refusal to honestly report the facts rather than spin and propaganda has been well documented - yet because it’s election time, in spite of a track record that indicates the MSM is as much to blame for our downward spiral into fascism as the President himself - Democrats on both sides of the isle are buying into the havoc the MSM is creating within the Democratic party itself, which is evidenced by John McCain’s rise in the polls which indicates he is polling ahead of Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama. It’s obvious I don’t understand the politics of Presidential elections as I watch the GOP pull ahead on matters the public has already condemned LINK, however, as long as we give credence to a MSM that has actively hid the truth from the American people for seven long years and are hell bent on distracting the public from the real issues this nation faces while they create havoc within the Democratic Party - I see the ultimate consequence of our infighting resulting in another loss to the warmongers that are intent on destroying America. Have we forgotten the damage the MSM has wrought upon America? The Enablers Of Fascism, The Mainstream News Media

Firedoglake published an Op-Ed that reveals the MSM’s influence on the Presidential campaign as it pertains to the Obama/Clinton debacle - and when we realize that much of the indignation and hyperbole of this controversy has been created and fanned by the MSM, we should also understand that it’s not by accident, but meant to influence the election and help to place another GOP candidate in the White House!

The Media’s Race Problem

By: David Neiwert Thursday March 20, 2008 6:00 pm

Probably the most remarkable aspect of the recent feeding frenzy about Barack Obama’s so-called “pastor problem” — besides the agility and smarts that Obama has displayed in handling it — is not as much what it reveals about the state of race in America as what it reveals about the state of the American media.

The Washington Post’s report on Obama’s speech observed that this was a controversy that “threatens to engulf his presidential candidacy.” Yet as far as anyone can tell, it was having only a marginal effect on the polls in the race before it blew up on the networks, and it was not generated by either of Obama’s political opponents, or by any particular interest groups.

No, this is a controversy cooked up almost entirely within the media realm. Once they sank their fangs into it, the whole zombielike corps of pundits, cable talking heads, and radio talk-show hosts couldn’t let go of it. And equally remarkable was the bias that was on display in discussing it: News anchors and talking heads flatly referred to the Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s videotaped remarks as “anti-American,” “hate-filled,” “vicious,” “offensive,” and so on and on.

It’s telling that none of them also observed that, for the most part, Wright’s remarks (aside from his conspiracist comments about AIDS, which were indeed inexcusable, but which received little or no play before Obama’s speech) were factually accurate, and deeply reflective of a reality that most African Americans live with — and which most white Americans do their best to ignore, deny, and forget. The remarks that were broadcast all over YouTube and replayed endlessly on the cable talk shows were, no doubt, were impolitic, but they were also largely true.

Hacktackular Howie Kurtz, the Post’s “media critic,” in his column today — while notably failing to critique the media for its performance — essentially admitted that this was a media-driven frenzy:

[I]t wasn’t until last week, when Fox News and ABC News bought DVDs of Wright’s sermons from the church, that the simmering controversy reached full boil. The recordings have long been sold by the church, but journalists did not seek them until now.

Kurtz’s description also encapsulates the blinkered bias that was at play in not just the discussion leading up to Obama’s speech, but in the general response to it:

To their credit, the network newscasts ran four or five sound bites to evoke Obama’s broader argument that while the anger of older blacks like Wright, 66, is understandable, the country needs to move beyond the racial wounds of the past. But Obama, 46, is trying to win the Democratic nomination, so the anchors kept returning to one core question.

“Is it enough to reassure white voters?” ABC’s Charlie Gibson asked.

“Does it make too many white voters uncomfortable?” asked CBS’s Katie Couric.

Their entire preoccupation, indeed, was with how Wright’s remarks might discomfit whites — while never examining the deeper questions of whether white complacence about race might be something worth challenging, as well as their own roles in failing to make that challenge. MUST READ ARTICLE!

It was only a few months ago that Progressives and Liberals across the country reacted in utter disgust as the MSM marginalized Dennis Kucinich, John Edwards, and Ron Paul - and whether we like it or not, it was the MSM that decided, not the American people, which candidates were acceptable to participate in the Presidential elections. Have we forgotten so fast that the MSM has been the leading purveyor of propaganda in the United States? When we examine and condemn their past behavior, why then are Americans now giving so much credibility to their obvious meddling in the election process by doing their best to promote and exacerbate the fractures that are rising within with the Democratic Party? Who ultimately benefits from the MSM “stirring the pot” and promoting an air of indecisiveness and confusion within the Democratic Party?

The answers to the above questions are obvious, and while we have to watch the news to collect some details, Liberals, Progressives, Independents, and especially Democrats need to take whatever the MSM has to offer as it pertains to Democratic candidates with a grain of salt and remember it’s been the MSM that has supported this illegal and corrupt Presidency from the beginning - and I believe they are up to their old tricks, and unfortunately, many in the electorate are buying their manipulations of the news hook, line, and sinker - without remembering who they are and what their ultimate goals are - and that’s to install another GOP President in the White House! From what I’ve been witnessing, their campaign to create unrest and disenfranchisement among Democrats is working as planned, and it’s up to the American people to wake-up and realize the MSM isn’t our “friend” - but represents the GOP by and through their corporate masters!

William Cormier

Bush Applauds Iraq War 5th Year; We March

Tanya Paperny — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 10:58:02 EDT

Bush was just on TV, defending the necessity of the Iraq war in the face of massive antiwar protests taking place around the country.

The stain that is Guantanamo

Nazik — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 16:40:37 EST

Bush commented yesterday on the resignation of Cuban president Fidel Castro, promising that "the United States will help the people of Cuba realize the blessings of democracy." The irony of his statement is brilliantly captured in Steve Bell's cartoon here.

Politics From Across the Ocean

sekai.no.kakumei — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:31:16 EST

It started off embarrassingly enough: my Italian professor had us write questions to ask. Next thing I know, we’re being lead down the streets of Rome, asking random Italians if they would answer our questions, and could they speak slowly for us students. It’s one thing to ask strangers questions in English; it’s another to do so in a language I’ve only been learning for a semester. My group decided to ask an unsuspecting young man his opinion on the US government. For the next few minutes, he went into a small rant about Bush (we had to ask him to repeat multiple times and to go slower). After he finished, we asked him what he thought about the current election campaign in the US. Without any hesitation, he replied: Obama.

I thought that was interesting that he had already had a candidate picked out, or that he knew so much about our upcoming election. Currently, Italy is going through its own elections, now that the prime minister has dissolved parliament. My professor, a full fledged Roman, explained it to me: because of the current system in Italy, the prime minister can dissolve parliament is he loses the majority or support. Thus, new elections are done, and parliament switches party hands, which happens almost every two years.

Better late than never?

Nazik — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 14:33:36 EST

The Center for Public Integrity and the Fund for Independence in Journalism released a study today that shows Bush administration officials gave out hundreds of false statements relating to the threat posed by Iraq between 2001 and 2003:

“The study concluded that the statements ‘were part of an orchestrated campaign that effectively galvanized public opinion and, in the process, led the nation to war under decidedly false pretenses.’

White House spokesman Scott Stanzel did not comment on the merits of the study Tuesday night but reiterated the administration's position that the world community viewed Iraq's leader, Saddam Hussein, as a threat."

I don’t know about you, but I’m so glad that investigative journalists are asking the tough questions and getting to the truth behind Bush’s rhetoric about justification for war in Iraq…four years too late.

Spychief Plan To Police Internet Is Likely Tied To S 1959, Thought Crime Prevention Bill

Justanothercoverup — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 11:16:20 EST

Would Americans be outraged if the government decided to read every piece of our personal mail? Think about it, letters and notes which are sent to a lover, things we all say in anger, regret later, and never follow-through on? What about confidential financial information, plans to trump your competitor with a new product or service, and a host of personal issues that are too numerous to mention? People in the United States have become accustomed to their privacy and believe it is one of those “unalienable constitutional rights” which are guaranteed to all American citizens that most of us take for granted. Our constitution and Bill of Rights demand it, yet here we are, one year before Bush leaves office, and the government is planning on doing almost exactly what I described. The only difference is that instead of snail-mail (which can also be opened), the government’s proposed directive covers any and all computer communications and correspondence that everyday citizens send and receive on their computer systems. This includes any all financial information as well as personal matters of anyone in your home;the communications of your teenagers will be monitored as well, and issues that are normally kept within the family unit(s) will suddenly become part of your governmental profile.

Now that our society is firmly entrenched in the digital world, a multitude of personal activity is carried out on the Internet. Millions of people use dating services, communicate with prospective “dates” and often bare their souls. We know this occurs on a regular basis by the huge amount of people that are finding successful relationships and oftentimes marriage through the internet. People often find it easier to discuss extremely personal matters on the Internet because the embarrassment and shy nature of many of the people who use these services tend to become more honest and speak of matters they never would have in person - all because of the unique privacy the internet has offered those who are seeking friends, lovers, and permanent relationships. How will these services perform when the subscribers know that every word they write is monitored and read, possibly ending-up in a file on that individual with the FBI or other law enforcement office, most likely Homeland Security?

Don’t forget the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007, also known as “The Thought Crime Prevention Bill.” S-1959 is the vehicle Homeland Security will use to judge and imprison those who they deem are guilty, but it is this directive that will help to compile what they will classify as “thought crimes”, and suddenly, like those who lived in fear while attempting to keep themselves alive in other societies that traded personal privacy for “security”, Americans will be fearful when they use any means of communication, worried that words said in anger or while being particularly emotional could be used against them and given credibility when none actually exists. In similar situations and throughout history, families were broken-up, the people as a whole lived in misery and fear, always afraid they would be picked-up by the Gestapo or other governmental storm troopers merely because they had communicated with someone the government blieved to be a “dissident”.

Many of those that were caught-up in the government’s witch-hunt were enlisted to spy on their neighbors to keep from being arrested themselves, and in the era of Stalin, Hitler, Mao’s China, and the old Soviet Union, these tactics were used to turn entire populations into informants and spies; as more and more people were arrested, those who were attempting to save themselves would often make-up stories about innocents they believed the “authorities” wanted to hear, others were turned-in and eventually the stench of mistrust was felt throughout the respective countries; even family members had to be careful, ever watchful that someone from within had been compromised and was attempting to escape their own death or incarceration by implicating another family member. Anyone that was identified as a dissident or radical was arrested, executed or sent off to a concentration camp. What was left behind was a terrified, subservient populace, easy to manage through fear and intimidation, and cowed into submission because they watched members of their own family and friends being arrested, even executed in front of them for crimes that never existed. (The implementation of similar programs in the United States could very well result in similar situations as were experienced with other societies that were morphed into “police states.” This is surely a matter where we can look upon our past in order to know what to expect from our future. One constant is that history always repeats itself. )

For reasons none of us fully understand, our Congress is powerless to stop Bush and Cheney from doing as they damn well please, and even though they have broken laws and committed war crimes, lied and stand in utter defiance of Congress and the people, neither is touchable and act with impunity, safe in the knowledge that Congress is too cowed to impeach. To allow these tyrants to gain the power to read any email or computer communication they desire is unconstitutional on its face, and now that the Supreme Court is stacked, a directive such as this is likely to succeed in court if legislation isn’t passed to prohibit any such intrusion(s) into the privacy of innocent Americans. This is what the government is proposing:

January 13, 2008, 12:00 am

Dancing Spychief Wants to Tap Into Cyberspace

Siobhan Gorman reports on the U.S. spychief.

Spychief Mike McConnell is drafting a plan to protect America’s cyberspace that will raise privacy issues and make the current debate over surveillance law look like “a walk in the park,” McConnell tells The New Yorker in the issue set to hit newsstands Monday. “This is going to be a goat rope on the Hill. My prediction is that we’re going to screw around with this until something horrendous happens.”

At issue, McConnell acknowledges, is that in order to accomplish his plan, the government must have the ability to read all the information crossing the Internet in the United States in order to protect it from abuse. Congressional aides tell The Journal that they, too, are also anticipating a fight over civil liberties that will rival the battles over the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

Part of the lawmakers’ ire, they have said, is the paltry information the administration has provided. The cyberspace security initiative was first reported in September by The Baltimore Sun, and some congressional aides say that lawmakers have still learned more from the media than they did from the few Top Secret briefings they have received hours before the administration requested money in November to jump start the program. Please note that the funds to “jump start” this program were requested in November. If I were to hazard a guess, this program is already running somewhere in tests, or for all we know, may already been implemented. This administration hasn’t exactly been truthful with the people or Congress. MORE

Scholars and Rogues posted an insight into this situation that makes perfect sense, and I agree with them, there are no coincidences!

All your Internets are belong to ATT & the NSA

Two seemingly coincidental bits of news crossed my desk yesterday morning. First, the Wall Street Journal contains excerpts of an interview with Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell in which he outlines a vast new initiative to police Internet traffic “for abuse.”

Meanwhile, AT&T announced that it plans to extend its initiative to examine packets of information on its network for illegally traded content, becoming, in effect, the Internet’s traffic cop.

Let’s see…the world’s largest telecom company states it’s in negotiations with major entertainment conglomerate to police the Internet on their behalf, on the same day the DNI announces the government wants more eyes on Internet traffic?

Mike McConnell is an old friend to the major telecom companies, having most recently stumped on their behalf to grant them retroactive immunity from prosecution in the NSA’s illegal surveillance program. He’s also a big fan of privatizing national security functions, favoring everything from outsourcing background checks to enlisting credit bureaus to handle the work of verifying identities. I find it not at all unfeasible that even as AT&T is offering its services to Big Content, Big Government is waiting expectantly in the visitors’ room for its turn at the till.

There are no coincidences.LINK

Make no mistake, this is the directive that will give S 1959 its teeth. If they make it retroactive, think about the many emails we have written, sometimes blowing-off steam, all the time critical of those attempting to steal our most basic liberties. How much can you say on the Internet or in private communication with family or friends until you’re branded as a dissident and find yourself guilty of a “thought crime?” Why is the government becoming so aloof from the people that they trample on our most basic rights of privacy, evidently attempting to sneak it through as quietly as possible.

We already live in a society where the FBI or other law enforcement agencies (sic) can break into your home while you’re away, search your home, and then plant surveillance devices as they leave. If their search and subsequent surveillance draw a blank, the “suspect” is never told of the incident. The governments request to have access to all of our computer communications is an intrusion into the very essence of privacy. We believe that our home is our castle, that mail used to be private, and now the privacy of the Internet is being assaulted and the average American is being treated as a suspect, guilty until proven innocent, and no one knows exactly what will be the deciding factor in declaring whether an individual is a “dissident.”

If the government has complete control of the Internet and could access all communications, think of the Congress, attorneys, investigative (sic) reporters, groups that actively protest the government, opposition parties, whether they be Democrat, Republican, or Independent, and the many entities “Big Brother” would like to peek into and search for anything they can claim is anti-government. How will Americans communicate on a mass scale as we do now attempting to fight elements that seek to steal our freedoms, knowing that when we do, everything we write is cataloged and filed to be used against us at a later date? As it stands now, the legality of the current program is in question, therefore, unless it’s terrorism related, is information that has been gathered illegally. We know they are reading and watching now, but this “vast new initiative”, if implemented, would then make that information legally obtained (IMO), thereby circumventing almost all of the criminal law we have on the books in regard illegal search and seizure, the right against self-incrimination would disappear, and Miranda would become meaningless. The very nature of the program is one of surveillance and intimidation, followed by an eventual removal of dissidents who were posing a “credible threat” against the government (sic).

This “vast new initiative to police Internet traffic” is presented in such broad terms that it defies common sense and logic. The imposition of a program this draconian has the potential to turn neighbor against neighbor. We were suspicious and contacted Congress and the media by the thousands or hundreds of thousands demanding an answer as to why HR1955 and S 1959 were needed and written in such broad language, a list of other questions, and why we needed this law when it is obvious we have an abundance of laws currently in force that effectively address violent behavior or any such conspiracy to plan or attempt to destabilize our country . As the Bill is written, it could be interpreted any way they choose, and in circumstances like that, it’s always the people who lose. To the best of my knowledge and belief, There’s A Press Blackout on S 1959, the Thought Crime Prevention Bill; Why? Even though HR1955 and S 1959 are of great concern to the public, all we received for our efforts was a statement issued by the House of Representatives that was double-speak and avoided the primary issues as if they were the Black Plague.

Senate Bill S 1959 is still in committee, and now this “vast new initiative to police Internet traffic” is introduced out of thin air, and to anyone looking closely, this “initiative” is an intricate piece of the heart and soul of the “Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007.” The “Thought Crime Prevention Bill” is the framework to implement and create the program, and this directive is obviously one of many tools to monitor and sort through the nations email and other communications. None of us are exactly sure “what” it is they will be searching for, however, it’s obvious that Bush and Cheney are violating the last vestiges of privacy we have, effectively treating our entire population as suspects instead of respecting our most fundamental rights of privacy and due process of the law.

This directive, initiative, or whatever it is must not be allowed to go into effect, or remain in effect if it’s currently in operation. This wanton invasion of privacy is hurled at us with absolutely no probable cause, and the number of constitutional amendments and criminals laws, state and federal, which it violates is staggering. With a directive in place that allows the government unfettered access to all of our personal computer transmissions, it would be an incredible stretch to keep labeling the United States as a democracy. Once we are stripped of those rights that afford us privacy and the expectation that our lives will be free from invasive and illegal searches, when Habeas Corpus is suspended for anyone that is designated as an “enemy combatant, the very essence of democracy disappears!

This directive, which could already be in operation, exemplifies our initial fears in regard the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007. Whereas S 1959 loosely defines the concept of “Thought Crimes” and potential threats against the government, this is an enabling act that will provide the detailed information which Homeland Security would likely rely upon to determine who it was that were actually guilty of these (sic) crimes. From past experience, we know the FBI has investigated peaceful protest groups and a host of others whose only “crime” was belonging to, or having ties to organizations that vigorously oppose our loss of liberty and the failure of the Bush administration to comply with the rule of law; thousands have been added to “terrorist watch lists” by virtue of their peaceful disagreement with the government:

President Bush called upon every agency of government to provide his administration with the names of every so-called person of concern contained in their millions of files. Those records included not just potential terrorists, but also deadbeat dads, people wanted by the federal Marshal, and Drug Enforcement Administration suspects, among others. But they all found themselves on what has come to be called the “terrorist watch list.” By June 2004, that list had swelled to 158,000 names. In May of this year, it clocked in at 755,000. Today, only five months later, it’s at 860,000 and counting, according to the Government Accountability Office. LINK

The above figures were posted on November 1, 2007. Based on how fast this list has been growing I believe we can safely project the total is well over a million and still growing. How does a “dead-beat Dad” qualify in anyone’s reality of having committed a crime or act so horrendous that it merits inclusion on the “terrorist watch list? ” It also states “Drug Enforcement Administration suspects“. If they are only suspects and included on this list, when the round-up occurs there’s little-doubt that “suspect” will equate to being guilty. We need a better break-down of what type of individuals are on this list. When you note people as innocuous as “dead-beat Dads” being added to this list, we have to question if this “terrorist Watch List” is nothing more than a list of undesirables this administration would like to - or has plans to purge from our society.

For those who have diligently been participating in the fight against HR1955/S 1959, a companion measure has shown its ugly head that provides the real teeth for S 1959; it’s important to note that many parts of this program are being kept secret from members of Congress, and that doesn’t bode well for the American people:

Part of the lawmakers’ ire, they have said, is the paltry information the administration has provided. The cyberspace security initiative was first reported in September by The Baltimore Sun, and some congressional aides say that lawmakers have still learned more from the media than they did from the few Top Secret briefings they have received hours before the administration requested money in November to jump start the program.

Americans are again being saddled by an illegal wiretapping program, however this one is exceptionally bold, violates countless issues of privacy, due process, and essentially makes everyone in America a “suspect.” No information that we process through the Internet will be “private” or exempt from the governments prying eyes. This is an unconscionable attack against the basic privacy that every American is guaranteed under our Constitution and Bill of Rights. Monitoring America’s email and private computer communications is the epitome of a “police state”; the “National ID Card” was just approved, all of which are tools to track, monitor, and catalog us for whatever awaits those who are on the “Terrorist Watch List” or other lists that DHS has or will be compiling in the future. Based on the scant information that has been released, there doesn’t appear to be any “exemptions” and at first glance, it looks like our children’s communications will be monitored as well!

Is this program already operational? In the below press release, it states:

The cyberspace security initiative was first reported in September by The Baltimore Sun, and some congressional aides say that lawmakers have still learned more from the media than they did from the few Top Secret briefings they have received hours before the administration requested money in November to jump start the program.

Was the money to “jump start” this illegal surveillance program approved when it was requested - and if so, is it already operational in selected areas to test its capability - or is the entire program already functional? These are questions that must be answered immediately; even though Mike McConnell didn’t state this program is in any way associated with S 1959 and the “Thought Crime Prevention Bill”, anyone of average intelligence that examines the intent of the program can easily make the connection and understand that McConnell’s plans for “policing the Internet” is the actual mechanism the government will use to identify and subsequently begin cataloging all of those who are guilty of “thought crimes” and supposedly pose a threat to our national security.

As citizens that refuse to give-up our freedom(s) and privacy without a fight, this is a segment of the program that must be fought-out in the courts, our legislature, and in the court of public opinion. Matters as serious as these must be injected into the Presidential debates, and above all, we as patriotic Americans must force this issue out in the open and somehow, break the “press blackout” that has been imposed on all aspects of the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007. Once again, we are faced with an urgent call to action, and this time, we need to re-double our efforts and drown Congress and the White House with emails and calls demanding that this program and its successors be suspended pending further legislative and judicial review.

As we first predicted when HR 1955 was passed in the House, this Bill threatens the very essence of freedom and democracy in the United States. There is no matter that is more serious than protecting our basic rights of privacy, freedom, due process of law, equality, and the inherent right that every American possesses in regard self-incrimination; this latest “request” by the government to obtain unfettered access to our most private information and documents very clearly demonstrates that President Bush and the intelligence community have now departed from any semblance of democracy and are now running this country as if it were a dictatorship, and if we don’t rise-up and make ourselves heard, much louder than before, saving our country from tyranny may prove to be impossible.

For your convenience, the below link reveals a huge amount of phone numbers and extensions that will facilitate making phone calls as we again call to demand that our government honors our own laws and constitution. Try to make at least two calls per day, and as we did last time, keep making those calls on a daily basis, and invite your friends to do the same. Pay special attention to the Presidential candidates, and if they refuse to address this matter, then why even consider voting for them in 2008? Tell them so in no uncertain terms that they will not receive your vote unless these issues are brought out in the open.

Send copies of your email and letters to the local editors of your newspapers, and cross-post this information on every discussion and political forum you can find. Last time, the House of Representatives responded with a statement that was double-speak; if we can keep up the pressure again, this time we shouldn’t stop until we break the press blackout and the issue is brought forth so that the entire population will know about its existence rather than being confined to those of us who receive our news from the Internet. It’s hard to believe that the situation has actually become worse, but as you read SpyChief Mike McConnell’s request and understand that every last bit of privacy we possess is being threatened, the real possibility exists that if we don’t join together in solidarity on a massive scale, this concept that we call freedom could very well disappear forever, and as patriotic Americans, none of us can stand idly by while Bush and Cheney are attempting to destroy the very foundations of democracy and freedom.

WHITEHOUSE TELEPHONE DIRECTORY

William Cormier

Bush Vetoes Education Funds

Annika — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 10:56:59 EST

Yesterday, President Bush vetoed the 2008 appropriations bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies. According to Inside Higher Ed, the bill would have

raised the maximum Pell Grant to $4,925,

increased funding for TRIO programs for low-income students to $868 million, up from $828 million in 2007

rejected Bush’s proposed cuts to campus-based aid programs

increased funding for minority serving colleges to $515 million, up $10 million from 2007

So Bush doesn’t care about giving poor kids health care OR money for college. And, unfortunately, it’s unlikely that the House and Senate will muster enough votes to overturn his veto.

Freedom Is Not Free, And Americans Are Poised To Lose Everything, Part 1

Justanothercoverup — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 15:13:15 EST

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. LINK LINK 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

11/10/2007 @ 10:32 am
Filed by RAW STORY

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.

An Open Letter To President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad And The People Of Iran

Justanothercoverup — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 01:14:37 EST

I began a series of articles back in 2005 that delved into the situation in Iraq, and specifically stated that our intent on invading Iraq was a precursor to an eventual attack on Iran. I’m not a well-known Political Commentator, and while I did note an occasional visitor from Iran, they were few and far in between; ever since I wrote Attack On Iran Slated For October 15th, Prepare For Disaster those numbers have changed drastically, and just this month we’ve received a 1,000 % increase of hits originating from Iran, a marked increase in the readership of this site from your country. Those are only the visits that we could verify, however know that many more than that have been logged by other programs. It seems that this small article has been read through-out the Middle-east and Europe, and now, Iran and other countries I never knew frequented this Blog are regular visitors.

As you have noted from previous articles, I am against a preemptive strike against your country by this administration, and sincerely believe that diplomacy, sanctions, and the internal politics of Iran, given enough time, will positively impact the current controversy in regard Iran’s nuclear issues with most of the free world. Too many people in the United States are unaware that the youth of Iran is very supportive of the United States, and their admiration and support was easy to see by their western-style haircuts, clothes, music, and even the concept of being free enough to indulge themselves in free expression, a right that is inherent in the United States, although under fire at the moment, just as it is in Iran.

I write these articles because I believe increasing the awareness of the general public is tantamount in the fight to stave-off war with Iran - and while I’m dead-set against an attack on Iran by the Bush administration, this cannot be construed as me supporting you - which I don’t, but can be viewed as me supporting the people of Iran, just as I do those here in America. There isn’t any question that when the world at large views you and President Bush, not necessarily here in the US or Iran, but even more so beyond our borders, they see two tyrants attempting to justify their actions - when both sides have made grave errors, and there is no justification for the behavior of either nation. This is a case of the “pot calling the kettle black”, as both of you have many of the same characteristics.

You ran on a platform targeting the economically challenged and campaigned with promises of a brighter economic future for those who were experiencing hard times, an audience that desperately needed help, and they placed their trust and votes in you, only to become disillusioned and witness their situations becoming worse, not better.

Ahmadinejad, a hardline conservative and Revolutionary Guard veteran, mounted a surprisingly strong challenge with a populist message aimed at the economically disadvantaged. He promised to strengthen social safety nets, offer subsidized food and housing for the poor, and institute monthly stipends for citizens. Much of Ahmadinejad’s support in the first round of voting came from poorer areas such as South Tehran. MUCH MORE

From what I’ve been able to ascertain, the Iranian economy worsens by the day, gas prices are rising, and the poor and disadvantaged are suffering worse now then before you took office:

Despite its continued bluster on nuclear issues, Iran is discovering that there are costs to be paid for maintaining its confrontational stance. Pressure from Washington to isolate Tehran financially has already succeeded in removing or significantly reducing such major European banks as Credit Suisse and UBS from the Iranian scene. Now several large German institutions are preparing to leave as well. Over the last few months Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank have withdrawn investments. Dresdner Bank has announced it will cancel operations within Iran altogether. It is believed that these banks fear losing U.S. business if they continue to operate in Iran. MORE

Excerpts from The BBC News Online:

America’s financial war on Iran

But there is also a second, potentially more powerful, element. Since September 2006, US officials have been traveling the world talking to banks and company bosses. They aim to persuade business to voluntarily abandon or scale back all dealings with Iran.

Mr Levey, who is spearheading the Treasury’s campaign, insists he is already getting results.

“There is significant evidence that it’s working in the sense that Iranian business is being subjected to greater scrutiny and it’s more difficult for them to operate,” he says.

“A number of major financial institutions have cut off doing business with certain Iranian banks or with Iran entirely.” MORE

The above information reflects pressure exerted by the US designed to force Iran into accepting the policies of the IEAA. The financial troubles began in Iran prior to those sanctions, and President Ahmadinejad needs to explain to his own people, as well as the world, why he has driven Iran back into the stone-age of social enlightenment, and instead of helping those he vowed to help,
President Ahmadinejad has made their conditions worse by spending Iran’s wealth on nuclear facilities, advanced weapons systems, and financial and logistical aid to known terrorist groups.

We in the European and Western nations who drink from the fountain of freedom, albeit diminished, find it hard to understand a society that murders those who exhibit a different different sexual preference than that of what is called for in radical Islam; we fail to understand why you have worked relentlessly to stamp-out any showing of western values in your own nation, and have actually arrested and persecuted those who didn’t follow your draconian dress and hair policies. The “morality police” are real in Iran, and many fear Americans will soon feel the heel of religious oppression via a Supreme Court that has been stacked with conservative Justices.

Iran is a nation rich in natural resources, mainly oil, yet you have built few, if any new refineries to ease the gas crunch in your nation, and the people of Iran do not benefit from Iran’s considerable wealth; armies and weapons are expensive, as are nuclear facilities and the constant financial support you offer to terrorist groups in Lebanon, Iraq, and the Palestinians… Why is it so important to ferment unrest and attempt to project Iran’s considerable local power upon others while allowing the Iranian people to suffer? The same question must be answered by President Bush, as Americans are also beginning to suffer from these endless wars. The people of the United States and Iran have similar goals, and that is to return their nations to what they were before you or Bush’s election (sic). (Again, similarities exist in your election and that of the Bush administration; Bush was “placed” in office in 2000 by the US Supreme Court, and your election was alleged to have been aided by illegal acts ordered by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and carried-out by the Revolutionary Guard:

IRAN: RUNNING TOWARD THE GASOLINE DUMP WITH A LIT MATCH

(Excerpts)

Ever since fanatical Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was installed by the Guardian Council last June via a questionable election, nearly every step taken by the former Commander of the Revolutionary Guard’s foreign assassination outfit has been designed to either solidify his hold on power by purging those in the Iranian government deemed not “revolutionary” enough or making it clear that he seeks confrontation with the west and Israel over the Iranian nuclear program.

Many analysts questioned Ahmadinejad’s victory in the runoff election against long time Iranian politico Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani whose loss to the little known former mayor of Tehran occurred under suspicious circumstances. Prior to the run-off, there were several charges of corruption, including the unleashing of 300,000 Revolutionary Guards to mobilize support for Ahmadinejad. Two newspapers who dared to print a letter outlining the charges from a reformist politician were summarily shut down. Then, in the subsequent run-off between Rafsanjani and Ahmadinejad, ballot box irregularities were reported as a sizable segment of the population boycotted the election. Polling places that were deserted on the day of the election ended up showing thousands of ballots cast for the former hard-line mayor.

It is important to understand that the President of Iran is on a very short leash. His decisions must be ratified by Iran’s Supreme Leader who also controls the ruling Guardian Council which has absolute veto power over laws passed by the Iranian parliament as well as access to the big stick in Iranian society; the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC). The Council is made up of 6 clerical members and 6 lawyers, all of whom are appointed by the Supreme Leader. The Council also has absolute authority in matters involving elections, determining who can run and, as we have seen, who wins and who loses. MORE

As we move on to the crux of the issue that has the European community, several Arab states, Israel, and the United States demanding an explanation of and a halt to Iran enriching uranium, Iran has cast its own shadow of doubt on her nuclear ambitions, and the aforementioned countries have every right to question a program you insist is peaceful; for eighteen years, Iran’s nuclear program was hidden from the rest of the world, and by running a covert nuclear program, Iran effectively demonstrated they were attempting to skirt International treaties and hide their nuclear ambitions - and that action in itself does nothing to bolster an air of trust, which is what Iran is requesting that all of the nations do, without any viable rationale or evidence that your programs are actually peaceful:

History

Iran’s interest in nuclear technology predates the Islamic revolution of 1979. Iran’s revolutionaries forced most western trained scientists, engineers and managers out of Iran, greatly slowing Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. In the late 1980s, Iran turned to the Soviet Union to restart its civil nuclear program, which at the time centered on the West German designed, but never completed Bushehr nuclear power reactor. Unknown at the time was that in 1985, Iran secretly tapped into the nuclear black market run by the father of Pakistan’s nuclear program – A.Q. Khan. Khan had established a robust network of front companies and clandestine shipments to fuel Pakistan’s own nuclear weapon program. For 18 years, Iran successfully hid – in violation of international law and its voluntary treaty commitments to the International Atomic Energy Agency – its clandestine nuclear procurement and development program. This technology was used to design and begin construction on the Natanz uranium enrichment facility where work resumed on January 9th.

International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards are used in most countries to provide confidence that peaceful facilities are not used for military purposes. This is the case in Europe and Japan, and US and Russian peaceful enrichment facilities are open to IAEA inspection. International confidence – albeit a subjective measure – is high that these countries will not use their peaceful enrichment facilities for the production of weapons.

Iran’s now documented 18-year track record of hiding nuclear facilities, and the behavior of its leaders and security forces provide the international community with much lower confidence in its peaceful intentions. Moreover, Iran currently lacks both the nuclear plants needed to make use of enriched uranium or the domestic stocks of uranium ore to justify the expense of a domestic uranium enrichment program. The existence of a robust and economically competitive international set of enrichment providers casts even further doubt on Iran’s motives for pursuing enrichment on such an accelerated and (previously) secretive basis. MORE

If your nuclear plans are peaceful as you claim, why was your nuclear program hidden from the world for eighteen years? Why did Iran also procure plans to build a nuclear weapon from Pakistan’s A.Q. Khan? The history of Iran’s so-called “peaceful” nuclear enrichment program is suspect at best based on Iran’s questionable activities prior to the discovery of their nuclear program - and it’s unreasonable for the world to accept a song and dance from President Ahmadinejad that the program is entirely peaceful until the IEAA is allowed to continue inspections throughout Iran; visiting sites that have been preprepared for international view is nothing more than an open-house into those programs that do comply with IEAA guidelines, however, until Iran allows the IEAA unfettered access to Iran in general, and is able to follow-up on any leads into suspected sites that could be used to produce weapons, the West, Israel, and the European community will remain skeptical of Iran’s intentions, and in this writer’s opinion the skepticism is well deserved.

President Ahmadinejad, the majority of the people in the United States do not favor a preemptive strike against your country, but there are several issues that Iran constantly skirts, and answers have been slow or downright impossible to receive that pertain to sites that we suspect are still operating in secrecy. I have no hard evidence that Iran is actively attempting to produce a nuclear warhead, and while the suspicions we hear may be political rhetoric with no basis in fact, Iran has made it exceedingly difficult to prove those allegations are false. Transparency in the nuclear cycle, from all of Iran’s nuclear facilities would go a long way to dispel those fears, and now we are faced with a situation where Iran can effectively diffuse the situation by cooperating with the International community - but you and those that control your policies are stubborn, refuse to halt uranium enrichment for a period long enough to successfully negotiate and build the trust we need to end this stalemate and enter a period of progress and understanding.

I’m not a diplomat and lack the ability to speak in guarded political terms, so from here forward I’ll just be blunt, speak my mind as an American citizen, which I am entitled to do - and I’ll do my best to communicate how you can help to end this stalemate, gain the trust of the International community, and how you can affect politics in the United States in a positive manner by acting responsibly and working with us to regain stability in the Middle-East as a whole and again bring Iran into the modern world, at least as much as your restrictive society will allow.

We know you follow American politics very carefully, and I have suspicions that many of your actions are based on a perceived belief that our President, George W. Bush, will not instigate an attack on Iran. Those “suspicions” could be true, however, if millions of Americans themselves also don’t trust Bush and Cheney - that should be a wake-up call to your country that a real danger exists - and as the President of Iran, in my humble opinion, rather than risk the lives of people who voted you into office because of a sense of national pride, wouldn’t it be wise to consider negotiating with a true spirit of diffusing the crisis?

As you know, there is now an impeachment measure in Committee to impeach Vice-President Dick Cheney, and if that measure succeeds, you can believe that Bush will be next. If you are a true leader, value the lives of your countrymen as well as the stability of the Middle-East - then what have you to lose to stop the nuclear enrichment program as we in America work to expel the warmongers from the White House and return our country to sanity, the Rule of Law, and halt the aggression of the Bush administration? Is your pride worth starting a war when it could be stopped by prudent action designed to allow negotiations to proceed in good faith? Are you a leader of the people, or a President that resembles our own, intent on furthering his own twisted agenda rather than one that would lead to peace and stability?

When two bullies square off to fight in a battle that everyone loses in the long run, who is the better man - one that decides to make the other look small by complying with United Nation mandates - or allowing the other bully to let your pride possibly cause the destruction of your entire society? Consider this; if Iran’s nuclear program is indeed peaceful as you state, then make a statement to the world, cease nuclear enrichment temporarily until the IAEE has definite proof that your plans are peaceful - and in the final analysis, if you’re telling the truth, who will emerge as the better leader, you who swallowed his pride and complied with the United Nations, or Mr. Bush and Cheney - who are looking for any excuse they can to start a war with your country? If the IAEE eventually does state unequivocally that Iran’s nuclear program is entirely peaceful, the blow you will deal to a President that has the lowest poll rating in US history will also have to bear the brunt of explaining why he lied again, and only you can make that happen by deescalating the crisis.

It takes two to tango, and while my father is no longer with us, he always stated the better man was the one that walked away from a fight. Which will you be, the better man, or will you continue to defy UN mandates and give Israel or Bush and Cheney an excuse to start World War III - and if you believe that any of us would survive that event, then you too have failed your people, just as Bush and Cheney have failed America and the world in general.

William Cormier