Greetings, fellow Freedom Fighters™ and Defenders of Democracy™!
Today, we bring you an assortment of news to use along with a giggle from The Onion.
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Great finds
These are the best of what we of The Scallion find in our travels.
From Doonesbury’s “Say what?”
"We will make you successful, as long as you don't mind me grabbing your [deleted] once in a while."
-- Congressman Mark Foley, IM-ing a Congressional page.
Watch DN!’s Amy Goodman -- a true modern-day Joan of Arc -- on The Colbert Report:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JifRVpY3Fo
9 October 2006 headlines from DN!
Read all about it: Germany housing secret US prisons, mistreatment of Guantanamo prisoners, and hunger strike of NJ prisoners; US journalists secretly helped Bush shape 9/11 response; Canadian PM demands that US come clean about mistreatment of Maher Arar; Rove aide resigns over Abramoff; Israel blocks Lebanon’s food and water; and more!
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/09/1358249
From The Onion: Senate Wins Fight To Lower Allowable Amperage Levels On Detainees' Testicles
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/53539
Stealth theft of YOUR vote
View this video made by Princeton University showing how they quickly reversed the outcome of a mock vote -- leaving no evidence that they did so. This particular Diebold machine will be used for 10% of the U.S. electorate this November. Read all about it and watch their video here:
http://itpolicy.princeton.edu/voting/
Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq’s Green Zone
From DN!: Washington Post Assistant Managing Editor and former Baghdad bureau chief Rajiv Chandrasekaran has written a behind-the-scenes account of the Bush administration appointees who ran Iraq after the US invasion. Invoking the embattled ex-Director of FEMA, Chandrasekaran calls them “Michael Brown x100.” [includes rush transcript]. We of The Scallion listened to the entire interview. We were shocked at the sheer magnitude of American taxpayer dollars that are being wasted to fatten the wallets of Bush’s rich cronies at the expense of the innocent victims in Iraq and New Orleans. Roads that are being built under these contracts are collapsing before seeing their first automotive traffic; buildings are falling down before being open to the public … shameful.
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/09/29/151212
Where we stand now: here are all the cute little goodies Congress has on its plate … all the shiny news ways they are thinking up to screw over the American people ….
Congress has adjourned until after the midterm elections in November. As we head into several weeks of intense activity leading up to Election Day, we wanted to make sure you had the latest information on bills we’ve asked you to take action on (below).
Unfortunately, last week saw the passage of some shameful bills, but several other right-wing attacks were held off – for now. Congress reconvenes for a lame duck session on November 9.
-- Your Allies at People For the American Way
CONSTITUTIONAL LIBERTIES
The Military Commissions Act of 2006 – License to Torture?
S. 3930 PASSED
After a much-publicized disagreement between some prominent Senate Republicans and the White House over the president’s proposed bill on military detainees, the so-called “mavericks” on the Senate Armed Services Committee capitulated and allowed passage of a bill – The Military Commissions Act of 2006 (S. 3930) – that undermines Sixth Amendment rights granting the accused access to the prosecutorial evidence, leaves the Bush administration wide latitude in interpreting Geneva Convention mandates, and abandons Habeas Corpus rights that date back to the Magna Carta. This unconstitutional legislation comes as a response to Supreme Court decisions rebuking the Bush administration’s detainee and military tribunal policies, and legitimizes the un-American practices of indefinite detentions and the harsh mistreatment of detainees, more characteristic of oppressive dictatorships than a free society. The House had already passed similar legislation granting President Bush his requested expansion of executive power.
The Cheney-Frist Warrantless Wiretap Whitewash
S. 3931 STOPPED
Last month, Vice President Cheney negotiated a bill with Senator Arlen Specter that would legitimize the NSA’s illegal domestic spying program by gutting FISA and authorizing electronic surveillance in violation of Fourth Amendment probable cause requirements. The bill faced opposition from a small number of Republicans who, after the bill was adopted by Majority Leader Frist and subjected to changes that actually made it worse, decided to support the bill. Sen. Frist had threatened to attach S. 3931 to the detainee bill in order to increase its chance of passage, but that disaster was averted and the Senate failed to take any action on the bill. Thank you for your activism – your phone calls and letters over the last few months denied this bill the support it needed to pass and Frist chose not to bring it to a vote.
Unprecedented Restrictions on Efforts to Uphold Civil Rights and Liberties
H.R. 2679 Passes House, Not Brought Up by Senate
The House of Representatives last week passed H.R. 2679, the so-called “Public Expression of Religion Act.” The legislation would make it harder for Americans to challenge religious coercion and stand up for their First Amendment rights in court by limiting damages that could be awarded to plaintiffs who prove their rights have been violated. This “punish the victim” bill has not been taken up by the Senate, but it’s indicative of the flood of right-wing legislation that has been pouring out of the House for the last several years.
VOTING RIGHTS
Reprehensible Voter Disenfranchisement Bill
H.R. 4844 Passes House, Not Brought Up by Senate
Right-wing members of the House continued their assault on voting rights by passing H.R. 4844, “The Federal Election Integrity Act.” This bill, aimed at partisan advantage in future elections, would place extremely onerous voter identification requirements on voters, forcing them to obtain ID’s that prove their citizenship. Disguised as a measure to combat voter massive fraud that simply does not exist, it would disenfranchise possibly hundreds of thousands of primarily elderly, poor, minority, disabled and student voters. We feared congressional leaders would try to sneak this through the Senate by attaching it to a must-pass appropriations bill for either Homeland Security or Defense, but that did not happen – in part because of the action taken by activists like you.
IMMIGRATION REFORM
Comprehensive Immigration Reform Still Not a Priority
Senate Commits to Building Massive Fence, Does Not Take Up Anti-immigrant House Bills
The House passed several harsh enforcement-only immigration measures this session – measures that would do nothing to achieve comprehensive reform. The Senate did not take these anti-immigrant bills up, but House leaders were threatening to insert provisions of these bills into the must-pass Homeland Security and Defense appropriations bills. Luckily, these harmful provisions that would allow for the indefinite detention of undocumented immigrants and encourage local law enforcement to enforce immigration policies (wasting vital resources and hindering law enforcement efforts in immigrant communities) were not included in the final appropriations conference reports, but the Senate did approve funding for a massive border fence. The fence’s construction will cost taxpayers a fortune and will not solve the problems that have led to a broken immigration system. Effective reform must take economic and human realities into account and address the situation of hardworking immigrants living here now.
REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM
Women’s Health Expendable for Political Gain
S. 403, the “Child Custody Protection Act” Passes House, Fails to Gain Cloture in Senate
Last week, the House recycled its intrusive Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act (CIANA), and passed it again, this time with minor modifications and under the guise of the Child Custody Protection Act (CCPA). Both CIANA and CCPA make criminals out of adults, such as grandparents or religious counselors, who accompany minors across state lines for the purpose of obtaining a legal abortion outside of the parental consent or notification laws of their home states. This type of legislation abandons young women who choose not to involve a parent or guardian, often because they feel they cannot do so for reasons of family violence or a fear of being forced to leave home. Congressional leaders no doubt chose to bring it up to stoke the passions of their extreme right-wing base a month out from the elections.
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From our information clearinghouse
These are items we receive from the countless mailing lists to which The Scallion collectively subscribes. They are worth the effort of at least a good skim.
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From Democracy Now!
TODAY'S DEMOCRACY NOW!:
* "Classic Washington Pushoff" - Fmr. Counterrorism Advisor Rand Beers on
Rice's Reported Dismissal of Pre-9/11 CIA Warnings *
In his new book, "State of Denial," Bob Woodward reveals that then-CIA
director George Tenet had warned of an imminent threat from al-Qaeda in a
July 2001 meeting with Condoleezza Rice. We speak with former
counterterrorism advisor Rand Beers. He served on the National Security
Council under four consecutive presidents before resigning on the eve of the
invasion of Iraq.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/04/1428200
* SEIU Leader Andy Stern on "Getting America Back on Track" *
We speak with Andy Stern, president of the Service Employees International
Union - the largest and fastest-growing union in North America - about his
new book, "A Country That Works: Getting America Back on Track." In it,
Stern criticizes labor unions for not adapting to the current political
landscape and for failing to unite more workers.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/04/1428207
* Actor Mark Ruffalo on His Decision To Speak Out Against the Bush
Administration *
On Thursday, the group World Can't Wait is calling for protests in over 170
cities and towns across the country to demonstrate against President Bush
and his administration. This week the group held emergency gatherings in
response to Congress passing the new Military Commissions Act. Actor Mark
Ruffalo took part in an event in New York. He stopped by our studio to talk
about his decision to speak out.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/04/1428213
* Tensions High in Oaxaca as Fox Warns Force Might Be Used to Crush Uprising
*
In Oaxaca, Mexico, tensions remain high over concerns that the government is
planning to use force to crush a populist uprising there. Over the weekend,
military aircraft began flying over Oaxaca City and additional troops were
deployed to nearby army posts. We go to Oaxaca to get a report from
independent journalist John Gibler.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/04/1428217
* Headlines for October 4, 2006 *
- Hastert Dismisses Calls For Resignation Over Foley Scandal
- Foley Claims Childhood Sexual Abuse
- Foley Offered Minor Alcohol, Engaged in Online Sex During Vote
- Report: Bush Admin Preparing New Bolton Recess Appointment
- 16 Dead, 80 Wounded in Baghdad Attacks
- At Least 20 US Troops Killed Since Weekend
- Chavez Rebuffs Rumsfeld Over Arms Claim
- Study: Antarctica Suffers Highest-Ever Ozone Loss
- AWOL Purple Heart Iraq Veteran Surrenders at Fort Knox
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/04/1427250
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From HuffPo
GOP REP SAW FOLEY MESSAGES 6 YEARS AGO...
From AP and nytimes.comRep. Jim Kolbe (R-AZ) confirmed yesterday that he saw lurid internet exchanges between former Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL) and an underage Congressional page in 2000. Rep. Kolbe said he personally confronted Foley about the messages. He also said he suggested that the page consult the clerk of the House, Karen Haas.
This admission comes as the GOP struggles to defend itself against accusations of an extensive cover-up. House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL), who has come under sharp criticism for his inaction concerning Foley, denies having had any knowledge of the exchanges prior to Foley's resignation. Rep. Kolbe's statement adds to the mounting evidence contradicting Hastert's claims of ignorance.
Click here to read the whole story.
Click here to discuss it on HuffPost.
On AOL News: Sen. Allen Reportedly Didn't Disclose Stock Options
ON THE BLOG TODAY
Arianna Huffington: FDR and Fearlessness: How the Personal Became the PoliticalAlec Baldwin: The Embarrassed Republicans
Nora Ephron: And Yet...
Kara Swisher: Fearless Memoir: The Louis Chronicles
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From Wake up Wal-Mart!
This morning, I woke up, opened the New York Times, and read one of the best editorials on why Wal-Mart needs to change.
Under the headline "The Chair Out From Under Them," the New York Times wrote: "If Wal-Mart wants to avoid increasingly onerous legislation, regulation and scrutiny, company executives are going to have to learn that human beings are not machines that can be turned on and off, that parents can't always reshuffle their lives on short notice."
Click here to read the entire New York Times editorial:
http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/news/20061003-nytimes.html
As the editorial states, the American people are not machines and corporations have an obligation, a moral duty, to treat their employees with the dignity and respect that they deserve. Unfortunately, Wal-Mart does not treat its employees with respect. In fact, just yesterday, our campaign broke a huge story, published on the front page of the New York Times, about Wal-Mart's efforts to slash labor costs by instituting salary caps for the first time, cutting the number of full-time employees, and eliminating merit bonuses.
Click here to read the story "Wal-Mart to Add More Part-Timers and Wage Caps":
http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/news/20061002-nytimes.html
Wal-Mart's war on its workers, a huge departure from Sam Walton's vision, proves this company believes it can justify anything, even the exploitation of child labor, in the name of so-called low prices. But, what Wal-Mart fails to understand is that even though every American wants lower prices, no American wants to pay less at the expense, or sacrifice, of their moral values and the future of our country. And, it is the future of our country that is truly at stake.
By shipping U.S. jobs overseas, opposing legislation to raise wages, opposing expanding health care to hard working families and even lobbying against strengthening our nation's port security leaving America vulnerable to another terrorist attack, Wal-Mart is sacrificing the best of American values every single day and threatening to take America in the wrong direction.
That is why our campaign, our movement is so important. With over 274,600 supporters in all 50 states, we are building a movement to take our country back from big, powerful corporations like Wal-Mart so we can have economic opportunity, a living wage, and health care for all.
Together, we are going to change Wal-Mart and by changing Wal-Mart change America for the better.
Thank you for all that you do,
Jeremy Bird
WakeUpWalMart.com
P.S. Please forward these articles on to your friends and ask them to join our movement.
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Why Los Angeles Matters: Media Reform Update -- why media consolidation hurts America!
Sign Up for the
Media Reform Daily
In the midst of Washington's political scandals, you might not have heard about an extraordinary moment in U.S. media history. Here's a quick update:
On Tuesday in Los Angeles, people came out in overwhelming numbers to tell the Federal Communications Commission that Americans want to turn back the tide of media consolidation.
For eight hours, artists, writers, producers, directors, actors, small business owners and local citizens told all five commissioners about the devastating impact of media consolidation.
Nearly 1,000 people packed auditoriums in downtown L.A. and El Segundo; and all but one of the dozens who came forward testified against further media consolidation. (Listen to the testimony.)
The question now is whether FCC Chairman Kevin Martin will actually listen to the public.
The Truth About Media Consolidation
Evidence continues to mount showing the serious problems caused by media consolidation. Free Press recently released a groundbreaking study showing the shockingly low number of TV stations owned by women and people of color. Upon reading the report, FCC Commissioner Michael Copps called the FCC's failure to promote diversity in our media a "national disgrace."
This followed news that the FCC had suppressed two studies that revealed the negative impact of media consolidation -- including one that showed media concentration was disastrous for local news coverage.
Turning up the Volume Against Big Media
Chairman Martin has pledged to hold five more public hearings before the FCC votes on any media ownership rules changes. If Martin holds to this promise and hears out the public, he will learn that a vast majority of Americans do not want concentrated media. They want local owners, local coverage, and media that represent our diverse communities.
We're working to make certain these hearings are publicized and packed to the rafters. But after five more hearings like the one in Los Angeles, it would be unthinkable for the FCC to turn a deaf ear to the public and allow the Clear Channels, Disneys, Sinclairs and News Corporations to gobble up even more local media.
Stopping Stevens, Saving the Internet
On other fronts, the 2006 Telecommunications Act has been stalled in the Senate thanks to the massive outcry over Net Neutrality -- anchored by our SavetheInternet.com coalition. But the battle is far from over. We're preparing for a "lame duck" session of Congress after the November 7 elections, when we could face a dark-of-the-night effort to eliminate Net Neutrality. Check out this excellent article at Salon.com that sums up the Net Neutrality campaign and what's next.
Next week we'll likely need all hands on deck if the FCC moves to approve the biggest telecommunications merger in history. We must demand that they make Net Neutrality a permanent requirement of the $67 billion merger of AT&T and BellSouth.
Reforming Media, Transforming Democracy
Media policies made in the public's name must not be made without the public's informed consent -- whether the issue is media ownership, Net Neutrality, public broadcasting or the massive merger of AT&T and BellSouth.
That's why your active involvement is so important. The more all policies reflect public debate, the more likely the media system they shape will serve the people, not just powerful corporations.
Saul Alinsky famously wrote that the only way to beat organized money is with organized people. Well, organized people just landed a haymaker in Los Angeles. If we keep up the fight, the era of corrupt media policymaking will come to an end.
Onward,
Robert McChesney
President
Free Press
www.freepress.net
P.S. To support our work, please give to the Free Press Action Fund. Your contribution will help amplify the public's voice in Washington, D.C., and beyond -- placing the needs of our democracy before corporate interests.
P.P.S. Don't miss the chance to meet with media reformers from across the country at the 2007 National Conference for Media Reform. Register now at www.freepress.net/conference. Early bird discount ends October 31.
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Lookie here! You can be Christian and not a christofascist! You can be Christian and still hold dear all the American values we grew up with, like fair play, team work, and helping those less fortunate than yourself.
Christian Values and the Coming Elections
Dear Friends:Two years ago this November, my friends, businessman Patrick Mrotek and Presbyterian minister Gwin Pratt, got together with their families to watch the election returns. Like millions of Americans they were hoping for a change, a return to the days when America was respected around the world, where the boundaries between the church and state were clearly demarcated, where women need not fear government intrusion into their most intimate personal matters, where fiscal responsibility went hand in hand with protecting the most vulnerable in our society.
In the wake of that very sobering evening Patrick and Gwin gathered around them some like-minded people such as myself and Kathleen LeRoy in an attempt to give an answer out of the heart of the gospel message, in order to give voice to the untold numbers of American Christians who were embarrassed and ashamed of the decisions made by our nation's leaders and appalled by the Religious Right who sanctified and blessed whatever these leaders did. Thus was born the Christian Alliance for Progress.
Now, nearly two years later, another election looms before us. And this time, progressive Christians are ready to share their faith in powerful new ways in the public square. We are pleased to bring you the Christian Alliance for Progress Christian Voters' Values Guide 2006. (PDF version) Spearheaded by the efforts of the Wisconsin chapter of the Alliance and with input from others around the country, we believe that issues raised in this guide can give solid direction to American voters who want decisions about their votes to be grounded in the life and work of Jesus Christ
None of us has access to the mind of God, to know with absolute certainty what it is that God wants each of us to do individually or America collectively. We do, however, have the scripture and two millennia of Christian ethical and theological teaching as guides. Having sought the direction of the Spirit as we have reflected on the core texts and traditions of our faith, we have developed some fundamental questions concerning the crucial issues of the day that every voter can ask of candidates who stand for election in their communities. This is not about partisan politics.Nor is it abot selecting the "Christian" candidate, for sometimes the best candidate will be a Jew or Muslim or even a a person of no faith tradition whatsoever, for we would prefer an atheist or a Buddhist or a Hindu who cares for the needs of those at the margins of society over someone of our own faith who will ignore them. At issue therefore is not what party a person represents or what religion they profess but rather the ways in which the values each candidate espouses will work to enhance the lives of neighbors near and far as both testaments of the Christian scriptures demand.
We want each of you to print out these questions and take them to the town hall meetings and to other places where candidates for public office will be holding forth and ask them where they stand. If you can't get to the candidates, call their offices and ask their staffs. Christian voters have to get beyond the spin of the TV commercials and the direct mail, which allow candidates to put on their best face, but which often allows them to wiggle away from or dodge the hard questions. We believe that a prayerful consideration of the answers which you receive from potential office holders in your community whill give you solid direction as to how you should proceed when it comes to fulfilling your civic responsibility at the ballot box.
With hopes for a blessed future for our nation and the entire world,
Tim Simpson
Click Here to Support the Work of the Christian Alliance for Progress
or you can write to:
Christian Alliance for Progress
PO Box 40495
Jacksonville, Florida 32203-0495
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From the Center for American Progress
STATE WATCH
ALASKA: Four of every five Alaskans believe the earth is getting warmer, according to a new poll.
MICHIGAN: Four counties caught overcharging low-income for birth control and contraceptive supplies.
NEW YORK: Pennsylvania Station will get chemical detectors.
BLOG WATCH
THINK PROGRESS: CBS turns over news broadcast to man who blames school shootings on teaching evolution and abortion.
THINK PROGRESS: Conservatives respond to Foley scandal with anti-gay smears.
EVANGELICAL RIGHT: New blog from the author of "The Sinner's Guide to the Evangelical Right."
DAILY KOS: Rep. Tom Reynolds (R-NY) pushed Foley to run for office after learning of emails, Robert Novak says.
DAILY GRILL
"[S]omebody had [Foley's emails], and, you know, they're trying -- and they drop it the last day of the session, you know, before we adjourn on an election year."
-- House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL), 10/3/06, suggesting the timing of the release of Foley's emails was driven by the elections
VERSUS
ABC's Brian Ross "dismissed suggestions by some Republicans that the news was disseminated as part of a smear campaign against Mr. Foley. 'I hate to give up sources, but to the extent that I know the political parties of any of the people who helped us, it would be the same party,' Mr. Ross said, referring to Republicans."
-- New York Times, 10/3/06
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GOOD NEWS
Banking giant Wells Fargo "announced yesterday that it has bought renewable-energy certificates to offset 40 percent of its current electricity usage over the next three years," the largest-ever corporate purchase of renewable energy in the U.S.
STATE WATCH
ARIZONA: Federal appeals court blocks Arizona's voter ID law.
CALIFORNIA: A state appeals court yesterday upheld California's ban on gay marriage.
ENVIRONMENT: "Report: Global warming could make Northeast like the South."
BLOG WATCH
THINK PROGRESS: Rush Limbaugh blames pages for Foley's misconduct.
COALITION FOR DARFUR: Rolling Stone runs a feature story on the genocide.
GRIST: Arctic sea ice melts to second-lowest monthly minimum on record.
SECRECY NEWS: Intelligence information sharing lags, officials say.
DAILY GRILL
"I'm deeply sorry this has happened and the bottom line is we're taking responsibility. The buck stops here."
-- House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-IL) at a press conference on the Foley scandal, 10/5/06
VERSUS
"I haven't done anything wrong, obviously."
-- Hastert during the same press conference, 10/5/06
IRAQ
State of Disaster
"Wearing a helmet and a flak jacket and flanked by machine-gun-toting bodyguards to defend against insurgents," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made a surprise visit to Baghdad yesterday, and "signs of progress were not much in evidence in the first hours of her visit." Her trip "began inauspiciously when the military transport plane that brought her to Baghdad was forced to circle the city for about 40 minutes because of what a State Department spokesman later said was either mortar fire or rockets at the airport." Last night during a meeting with Iraq President Jalal Talabani, "the lights went out, forcing" Rice "to continue the discussion in the dark." The visit, during which Rice told the Iraqi government they have "really got to move forward," capped off a bad month for the administration. The release of a damaging National Intelligence Estimate, the revelations contained in Bob Woodward's book "State of Denial," and weeks of record violence have diminished further the American public's confidence in the administration's "stay the course" Iraq policy. Sixty-one percent of Americans oppose the war, matching a high point set in August. Sixty-six percent disapprove of Bush's handling of Iraq, and 57 percent say the Iraq war has made us less safe from terrorism. It's time to change the course; the Center for American Progress's plan -- Strategic Redeployment -- offers an intelligent direction.
VIOLENCE REACHES ALL-TIME HIGHS: "This has been a hard week for U.S. forces," Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said recently. "Unfortunately, as expected, attacks have steadily increased in Baghdad during these past weeks." "Seventy-four soldiers and Marines were killed in Iraq in September, representing the highest monthly toll" since last April. On Monday, eight soldiers died in Baghdad, "the most killed in a single day in the capital since July 2005." The number of planted bombs is "at an all-time high," "defying American efforts to stanch the vicious sectarian bloodshed in Baghdad that threatens to plunge the country into civil war." In August, 3,000 Iraqi civilians died violently, up from 2,000 a year ago. ("[T]his year s violence was the worst since liberation, and probably the worst over all since 1991," the Brookings Institution concluded.) The continued violence has forced the Iraqi government to extend the country's "state of emergency" and enforce strict curfews in the capital. The military is predicting the violence will "probably get worse before it gets better," and "the assessment by intelligence experts is that next year, 2007, is going to get worse."
DRIFTING SIDEWAYS TOWARDS PROGRESS: "What the American people see on their television screens is the struggle," Rice said yesterday, adding that the Iraqis are "making progress." Conservatives are openly questioning the administration's "sugarcoated" version of reality. Senate Armed Services Committee chairman John Warner "offered a stark assessment" of Iraq after his visit there last week. Warner said the situation is "drifting sideways" and several parts of Iraq have taken "steps backwards." "In two or three months if this thing hasn t come to fruition and this level of violence is not under control," Warner said, "I think it s a responsibility of our government to determine: Is there a change of course we should take?" He added, "[I] wouldn't take off the table any option at this time." Rep. Chris Shays (R-CT) has called for Donald Rumsfeld's resignation. "I am losing faith in how we are fighting this war," Shays said.
PASS THE SALTED PEANUTS: The administration is unlikely to alter its "stay the course" strategy. Bush and Cheney are taking advice from former Nixon Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who views the Iraq war "through the prism of the Vietnam War" and believes the "overriding lesson of Vietnam is to stick it out." Kissinger reportedly passed around a memo he wrote in 1969 to give the administration a sense of where he stands on Iraq. "Withdrawal of U.S. troops will become like salted peanuts to the American public," the memo warns, "the more U.S. troops come home, the more will be demanded." Bush has latched onto Kissinger's advice. "I will not withdraw, even if Laura and Barney are the only ones supporting me," Bush has said. Yet by staying the course, the administration is doing exactly what al Qaeda wants. In a letter to their Iraq organization, al Qaeda's leadership wrote, "The most important thing is that you continue in your jihad in Iraq... Indeed, prolonging the war is in our interest, with God s permission." The letter contradicts the administration's talking point that withdrawal is "precisely what they want." "Only the Iraqi people can resolve this," Colin Powell said at a recent lecture. In Iraq, "staying the course isn't good enough because a course has to have an end."
Under the Radar
NATIONAL SECURITY -- ASHCROFT ATTACKS 9/11 COMMISSION IN NEW MEMOIRS: Former Attorney General John Ashcroft this week "became the only Cabinet-level Bush official to attack the 9/11 Commission," writing in his newly-released memoirs that it "seemed obsessed with trying to lay the blame for the terrorist attacks at the feet of the Bush administration, while virtually absolving the previous administration of responsibility." Ashcroft's attacks incensed a conservative member of the Commission, former Sen. Slade Gorton (R-WA). Gorton told UPI that Ashcroft "may very well have been the worst witness we interviewed" because he was "very unresponsive and unhelpful." He added, "I was particularly disappointed" with Ashcroft "because I liked him when we were in the Senate together." During his testimony before the 9/11 Commission, Ashcroft launched what Gorton called a "disingenuous and underhanded personal attack" against a member of the Commission, former Clinton Justice Department official Jamie Gorelick. Ashcroft blamed Gorelick personally for having constructed a "wall" that prevented the sharing of intelligence between agencies -- a claim that the Commission's report refuted.
ADMINISTRATION -- BUSH ISSUES SIGNING STATEMENT CITING AUTHORITY TO IGNORE FEMA LAW: This week, President Bush issued a signing statement, claiming executive authority to disregard a new law establishing "minimum qualifications for future heads of the Federal Emergency Management Agency." The White House sought to divert attention from the signing statement by waiting to release the document on its website until 8 p.m. Wednesday, after most reporters had gone home. Congress included the law in the appropriations bill "as a response to FEMA's poor handling of Hurricane Katrina" and to shield FEMA from cronyism by requiring the President to select an agency director who has "a demonstrated ability in and knowledge of emergency management" and "not less than five years of executive leadership." In his signing statement, Bush claimed that "under his interpretation of the Constitution, the FEMA provision interfered with his power to make personnel decisions." A 27-page report by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service said the Bush administration is using these signing statements "as a means to slowly condition Congress into accepting the White House's broad conception of presidential power, which includes a presidential right to ignore laws." The report also indicated that, under most interpretations of the constitution, "the legal assertions in Bush's signing statements are dubious." Since taking office, Bush has issued a record 750 signing statements.
ENVIRONMENT -- JUDGES STRIKE DOWN BUSH ANTI-ENVIRONMENT POLICIES: Federal judges in western states are chastising the Bush administration's "repeated and sometimes willful failure to enforce laws protecting fish, forests, wildlife and clean air." In a scathing ruling, U.S. District Judge James Redden wrote that federal agencies "have repeatedly and collectively failed to demonstrate a willingness to do what is necessary to halt the reverse and trend toward species extinction." Redden's decision is the most recent in a string of rulings critical of President Bush's environmental policies. In late August, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer accused the Forest Service of privileging timber harvesting and "trampling" environmental laws. U.S. Magistrate Judge Laporte recently reinstated Clinton's "roadless rule," charging that the Bush administration had failed to cite any new evidence for its elimination, and in Montana last week, U.S. District Judge Donald W. Malloy wrote that the Fish and Wildlife Service had "lost touch with science." Dan Rohlf, law professor at Lewis & Clark Law School, noted, "You are seeing frustration in the federal judiciary. When judges express that frustration on paper, which is not all that often, they are often reflecting what they see as a systematic effort to get around the law."
Think Fast
36 percent: President Bush's approval rating, down from 38 percent in August, according to a new Time poll. "Two-thirds of Americans aware of the congressional-page sex scandal believe Republican leaders tried to cover it up."
After returning home from a week in Iraq, Sen. John Warner (R-VA) yesterday told reporters, "[I]n two or three months, if this thing hasn't come to fruition and if this level of violence is not under control and this government able to function, I think it's a responsibility of our government internally to determine: Is there a change of course that we should take?"
"Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's delay in replacing former deputy Robert Zoellick, who quit in June, is creating policy gaps on major issues from China to Sudan," according to U.S. foreign policy analysts.
Congress passed a law establishing new job qualifications for the FEMA director in last week's homeland security bill, requiring a candidate who has "a demonstrated ability in and knowledge of emergency management" and "not less than five years of executive leadership." Bush signed the homeland-security bill; then, hours later, he issued a signing statement saying he could ignore the new restrictions.
"Despite their packed megachurches, their political clout and their increasing visibility on the national stage, evangelical Christian leaders are warning one another that their teenagers are abandoning the faith in droves."
PBS Newshour -- described as "the mother ship of balance" by a Public Broadcasting ombudsman -- "fails to provide either balance or diversity of perspectives," according to a new study.
CREW, the watchdog group "that first provided the FBI with suspicious e-mails from then-Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL) said yesterday that FBI and Justice Department officials are attempting to cover up their inaction in the case by making false claims about the group."
Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA), the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, again said the Bush administration is suppressing a classified intelligence report on Iraq that paints a "grim" picture of the situation. Harman wrote a letter to CIA Director Michael Hayden requesting the document's release.
A new report from the Justice Department Inspector General says the federal Bureau of Prisons "does not read all the mail for terrorist and other high-risk inmates on its mail monitoring lists." It is also "unable to effectively monitor high-risk inmates' verbal communications," including phone calls. The Washington Post wonders why the Bush administration is "blowing the easy ones."
And finally: Earlier this year, London comedian Mark Thomas made headlines "when he helped a bunch of teenaged schoolgirls set up an online arms dealership. Before long, they were pricing out tanks" and "negotiating for grenade launchers." The stunt spurred action in Parliament, and yesterday, two men were arrested for internet arms sales.
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From AlterNet
Video & PEEK
Rice was warned of 9/11 in 7/10 meeting [VIDEO]
Post by Evan Derkacz
Before August 6 memo... "she was warned"
Media Mash: The media battle over predator protection
Post by The Masher
In the scramble to escape responsibility, the Republicans' desperate scapegoating is going full tilt.
Bush defends Hastert
Post by Melissa McEwan
But kindly endorses an investigation
Religious Right strangely silent about Foley
Post by Bob Geiger
The situational morals of the most pious among us
The End of the 'Family Values' Era? [VIDEO]
Post by Evan Derkacz
Religious right: teenagers unsafe in Congress
Frank Rich Reviews the Bush Follies
By Terrence McNally, AlterNet
The New York Times op-ed writer explains how the White House propaganda machine replaced reality with "truthiness" to lead us into Iraq.
The Gospel of Green
By Bill McKibben, OnEarth Magazine
Evangelical Christians are increasingly part of the movement to protect God's green Earth.
Abortion Hotlines Feel the Crunch
By Carole Joffe, AlterNet
Restrictive laws are turning abortion hotline counselors into financial and legal advisors. And new legislation that would relieve some of the pressure has no chance of passing.
Poor Need Job Skills, Not Wedding Rings
By Myra Batchelder, TomPaine.com
Struggling to pay the bills in Washington, D.C.? Some politicians suggest you just get married.
Dear AlterNet Reader: Top Ten Stories
By Don Hazen, AlterNet
Bush's Stupidity... and Arrogance, 9/11, and that Dennis O'Leary video, all devoured by you.
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Molly Ivins on the Texas sex toy ban [VIDEO]
Some states just don't know what to do with an "obscene device."
Woodward timeline of Bush denial
"You're not going to be happy with what I'm going to tell you ..."
Repubs and Dems fight over Foley [VIDEO]
Who's lying here?
Just why does Bill Frist hate America?
And how did they let Afghanistan get away?
UPDATED: O'Reilly labels Foley a Democrat (AP too)
Whoopsie, honest mistake... twice.
Bush Dismantles Child Care
By Ruth Rosen, TomPaine.com
America's child care crunch is more dire than ever, thanks to Bush's gutting of government programs that assist working families.
The Truth Behind Tainted Spinach
By Michael Ableman, Prairie Writers Circle
The e. coli spinach scare prompted cries for better regulation and inspection, but the drama distracts us from something much bigger: a vast industrial food system built on cheap, empty calories.
Will Bush Pardon Scooter Libby?
By Elizabeth de la Vega, Tomdispatch.com
The case against the Valerie Plame leaker is alive and well, but Republicans are working hard to get Cheney's right-hand man off the hook.
Go It Alone: Bush's Foreign Policy Strategy
By Barbara Bodine, AlterNet
The Bush administration has cut us off from so many international players that diplomatic foreign relations may no longer be an option.
Exposing the Iraq Lies, One by One
Mother Jones
Mother Jones' searchable, sortable timeline chronicles Bush's deceitful selling of the war in Iraq.
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Hastert Admits Foley Victim's Parents Said 'Stop it.' [VIDEO]
And how exactly does that not set off alarms?
FOX says Hastert is doom for GOP
Fox news highlights a poll suggesting that Hastert's presence could be a real bummer for the GOP come November.
Right wing blogs expose former page
Pajamas Media, Instapundit facilitate outing of Foley victim
Bush/Gas conspiracy?
The October un-Surprise...
We Had Abortions
By The Editors, Ms. Magazine
These women invite you to join them in a campaign for honesty and freedom.
Is Foley Truly the Worst Scandal in Washington?
By Katha Pollitt, The Nation
Rep. Mark Foley was a cancer in the House, and the GOP leadership screwed up royally in protecting him, but why can't Democrats attack Republicans on more serious issues that matter to the country?
Unlikely Terror Suspects on the TSA No-Fly List
By Lindsay Beyerstein, AlterNet
Journalists finally got their hands on the no-fly list, and it reveals colossal government incompetence in the name of protecting air passengers.
Activists, Rejoice! We're All Connected Now
By Allison Fine, AlterNet
In the click of a mouse we have traveled from an old century to a new one, from the Information Age to the Connected Age, from silent majorities to connected activism.
'Competition' with China is Killing U.S.
By Matt Taibbi, RollingStone.com
America doesn't need to try harder. China needs to stop using slave labor. If you see things any other way, you've probably got a factory in the Suzhou industrial park. Or you're taking money from someone who does.
Condi Rice: More Sordid Than Foley
By Robert Scheer, AlterNet
The Foley cover-up should not be allowed to obscure the latest evidence of administration deceit: that Rice was briefed before 9/11.
Foley's Follies
By Earl Ofari Hutchinson, AlterNet
What do Foley's massive misdeeds mean for the Dems in November?
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Olbermann to Bush: 'A Special Comment About Lying' [VIDEO]
Confronts Prez on his demonizing of Democrats
Max Boot plays the blame game with Afghanistan
Post by Joshua Holland
Or: Why we suck so badly at nation-building.
PEEK-Easy (Oct. 1-6)
Post by Evan Derkacz
O'Reilly mislabels Foley... 9/11 warnings revisited... Evangelicals pissed... The week in PEEK...
Let's Face It, Penises Dominate American Politics
By Larry Beinhart, BuzzFlash
Americans entering politics should not worry if they commit war crimes; the key to survival is to leave your sex organs at home before you do battle in Congress.
Does Top GOP Xenophobe Cash in on Undocumented Labor?
By Roberto Lovato, New America Media
Republican Congressman James Sensenbrenner's stock holdings include investments in companies that benefit from the work of undocumented immigrants, as well as firms contracted to build new border security measures.
Finally, Elite Democrats Are Feeling the Heat
By Ruth Conniff, The Progressive
A surge of populist Democratic challengers in Washington are threatening to overturn the power structure elite Democrats have held on to for decades.
Will They Ever Stop 'Hijacking' Jesus?
By Charles Demers, The Tyee
A new book argues the right distorts Christianity. But who doesn't?
The Environmental Weight of 300 Million Americans
By Brad Knickerbocker, Christian Science Monitor
As the US population rises, environmental problems that were once pushed aside may get worse.
Is Water the Best Medicine?
By Tijn Touber, Ode
Water might be the simplest way to prevent many modern illnesses.
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Santorum's crookedest ad ever... [VIDEO]
Adwatch: 'In general, the ad is false. Outright.'
'The FBI has decided to lie...' about Foley emails [VIDEO]
Post by Evan Derkacz
CREW president confronts the FBI...
Guess what? Killing people is no way to win hearts and minds!
Post by Joshua Holland
Plus: Italians prosecute the CIA.
Foley, Gibson, & alcoholism... [VIDEO]
Post by Evan Derkacz
... as understood by Peter O'Toole on Saturday Night Live
Updated: Max Boot plays the blame game with Afghanistan
Post by Joshua Holland
Or: Why we suck so badly at nation-building.
The Insanity of 'Staying the Course' in Iraq
By Joshua Holland, AlterNet
At this point, the only people left who think that the U.S. must 'stay the course' in Iraq are Bush's neocons and al Qaeda.
American Prison Camps Are on the Way
By Marjorie Cohn, AlterNet
Kellogg Brown & Root, a Halliburton subsidiary, is constructing a huge facility at an undisclosed location to hold tens of thousands of Bush's "unlawful enemy combatants." Americans are certain to be among them.
Helen Thomas: Asking Bush the Tough Questions
By Ann McFeatters, Ms. Magazine
Fearless White House correspondent Helen Thomas has covered nine presidents, and says Bush is undoubtedly the worst.
Racist Screed Is Flying Off the Shelves
By Alexander Zaitchik, Intelligence Report
Pat Buchanan's latest book is a white nationalist rant -- but that hasn't stopped it from climbing the best-seller charts.
The GOP Is the Problem, Not Foley
By John Nichols, TheNation.com
Too much focus on Foley draws attention from the real scandal. Yet, even Democrats are having trouble getting beyond the salacious details of one man's sad story.
posted by The Scallion @ 12:41 PM
