General – Page 145 – Letter Never Sent

Politics — 3 Comments
21
Jul 02

Duh – you mean Georgie boy was lying?

Files: Bush Knew Firm’s Plight Before Stock Sale:

As a businessman in 1990, George W. Bush was deluged with confidential information about the financial plight of a Texas oil company before he sold the majority of his holdings and triggered a federal investigation, according to Securities and Exchange Commission records.

Stonewalling, this guy’s just as sleazy as Clinton and about half as smart. Of course, most conservatives will continue to pretend like Bush is beyond reproach. A bit hypocritical, no?

General — Comments Off
21
Jul 02

Strengthening the Police State

From the NYTimes, Wider Military Role in U.S. Is Urged:

Posse Comitatus restricts military forces from performing domestic law enforcement duties, like policing. Over the years, the law has been amended to allow the military to lend equipment to federal, state and local authorities; assist federal agencies in drug interdiction work; protect national parks; and execute quarantine and certain health laws. About 5,000 federal troops supported civilian agencies at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City this year. …

So, instead of law enforcement officers beholden to city and state authority you will have heavily indoctrinated armed soldiers carrying out orders against people they have no community relationship to. Federal troops could be used to quell civil unrest, staff checkpoints, break strikes, and perform house to house searches for disloyal Americans.

Calling Out the Posse
The War on Terrorism and Posse Comitatus
by Russell Madden
Legal Aspects of Domestic Employment of the Army THOMAS R. LUJAN
THE POSSE COMITATUS ACT: A PRINCIPLE IN NEED OF RENEWAL from Washington University Law Quarterly
In 1982, President Ronald Reagan issued National Security Directive 58…Under “REX” the President could declare a state of emergency, empowering the head of FEMA to take control of the internal infrastructure of the United States and suspend the constitution. The President could invoke executive orders 11000 thru 11004 which would: 1- Draft all citizens into work forces under government supervision. 2- Empower the postmaster to register all men, women and children. 3- Seize all airports and aircraft. 4- Seize all housing and establish forced relocation of citizens.
Sept. 11: Will the Military Take Over?
When Governments Attack From September 1999.

General — Comments Off
20
Jul 02

Iran’s Khamenei blasts U.S. hypocrisy

From Reuters:

“America on one hand, has spread the shadow of war and death in the region, threatening officially to overthrow the people and government of Iran and cries out democracy and people’s right to elections, freedoms and progress on the other,” said Khamenei, the most powerful figure in Iran.

Though I have no love for Iranian theocrats his point is valid. I can just hear the Babbitts of the U.S., “Criticize us?! You’re next, habib!!”

Military and defense — Comments Off
20
Jul 02

The Corporate Takeover of Iraq by Bush Inc.

Newsmax is reporting that Saddam Hussein plans to invite U.N. Inspectors back to Iraq in August. If this is true and the U.N. does resume inspections expect the Bush administration to miraculously discover new evidence linking Hussein to Al Quaeda. Bush has a major hard-on to depose Hussein and get his oily friends into Iraq. This can’t be done until Iraq becomes a pliant, pro-U.S. vassal state.

Iraq’s Kurds assess risk of backing the US: They have good reason to be wary since the U.S. essentially allowed them to be crushed the last time. Not to mention that the U.S. has no plans of assisting in Kurdish independence if it wants to keep Turkey on board.
U.S. Iraq strike would hit moderate Islam
French sources: U.S. to attack Iraq `soon’
Bush exhorts rapt soldiers in orgy of bloodthirst. (Seemed that way to me. Read it for yourself.)

Politics — 1 Comment
20
Jul 02

Are a majority of Americans insane or just stupid?

FAIR: Attacks on Pledge Ruling Bolster Its Logic

“The pledge, taken as a whole, was not intended to be a coercive prayer, but was designed to promote patriotism, and as such is consistent with the neutrality principle,” wrote Rosen (New York Times, 6/28/02). Editorialized the Daily News (6/17/02): “The two words, viewed in the context of the entire pledge, have nothing whatsoever to do with avowing fealty to God.”

Yet if one can believe President Dwight Eisenhower, who signed the bill that added “under God” to the Pledge, that is precisely what altering the oath was meant to accomplish. “In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America’s heritage and future,” Eisenhower announced at the time (Columbus Dispatch, 6/28/02). “From this day forward, the millions of our schoolchildren will daily proclaim in every city and town, every village and every rural schoolhouse, the dedication of our nation and our people to the Almighty.”

General — Comments Off
20
Jul 02

The Thin Blue Line

So much for ‘officer friendly’.

Rookie officer accused of assaulting relatives – A former rookie police officer, already facing charges of molesting a 5-year-old, recently was charged with having sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old.
L.A. deputy charged with falsifying reports – A sheriff’s deputy has been indicted for pinning false drug charges on a man in order to protect a female informant.
COPWATCH
The End of the Nightstick: Confronting Police Brutality in Chicago

Military and defense — Comments Off
20
Jul 02

New World Order

U.S. has more than 19,000 troops in Arab world. Great. I feel safer.

General — 2 Comments
20
Jul 02

Victory

Calif. high court upholds medical marijuana law. Unanimously, I might add.

”The possession and cultivation of marijuana is no more criminal – so long as its conditions are satisfied – than the possession and acquisition of any prescription drug with a physician’s prescription,” Chief Justice Ronald M. George wrote for the court.

General — Comments Off
20
Jul 02

Corporate scandal trading cards

Collect them all.

the old stuff