Liberty and Justice For All

Neo-cons Lay the Blame, How Predictable

Now that the American public is finally starting to wise up to the Bush administration's fabrications for going to war in Iraq, the NeoCons have come up with a new strategy. Blame Clinton for the Iraq mess.

Yeah, yeah, I know it's not a new strategy. It's the same old, tired "blame someone, anyone or anything else" strategy they've used for all of their other failures. For every single one of Bush's public policy failures he blames one, or all, of these: Clinton, 9-11, terr'ists.

I realize that conservatives by nature abhor change, progress, and enlightenment, but shouldn't this tactic of blaming everyone else be dead by now? Most people would think so, but you have to consider the way a NeoConservative's brain functions. This recent blame game fits well with all other patterns exhibited by people suffering from the mental illness known as conservatism. Anyone who's had enough stomach to hear Rush Limbaugh (I say hear because there is nothing to actually listen to) has heard him repeat the same tired fabrications, half-truths and opinions expressed as facts over and over again. The Cons pound the drum incessantly, that way an actual thought cannot enter the mind of the person hearing nothing but the drum. The constant pounding becomes a comfort to those who are easily lulled into sleepwalking by its call, much like any baby animal comforted by the sound of its mother's heartbeat. Anything that lies outside of the incessant pounding rhythm moves the sleepwalker out of his comfort zone and into that most undesirable of places: the responsible thought zone.

The responsible thought zone is a place where people have to analyze available information and come to their own conclusions based on the evidence. This activity requires effort and invokes fear, and is therefore anathema to the NeoConservative mind.

So, while blaming Clinton (or the terr'ists, or 9-11) for this latest problem seems almost like a never-ending joke to us non-conservative folks, to the NeoCons it fits right in with the rhythm of the ceaseless drumbeat. Their fellow NeoCons won't fall out of lockstep, the comfort zone is not breached, and they can go on sleepwalking. Oh, how much easier life is when you never have to take any responsibility for your own thoughts and actions.

I know you NeoCons will disagree with this theory, but tell me, where do non-conservatives go to experience the same incessant, rhythmic pounding of the message that the NeoCon now have? Liberal talk radio? They are almost nonexistent. Liberal Media? Doesn't really exist. The free ride they've given Bush since 2000 should prove that conclusively. Here's a hint: non-conservative folks do their own thinking. They don't need the incessant marching orders from an ideologue. That's why all we have polluting our airwaves in talk radio is right-wing hate. The pounding of the drum.

So, don't expect anything new from the NeoCons in power. They'll continue to blame everyone else for their failures, punish those that disagree with them, vilify and harm those that catch them in their lies, and cheat to get their way. And, while they do this they will talk about integrity and morality, yet fail to see the built-in joke of their own hypocrisy. These folks need to be removed from positions of power. Let's make it happen this November.

Saddam Caught, What an Anti-Climax

Well, you can now sleep peacefully knowing that Saddam isn't hiding under your bed. We told you about the pending capture of Saddam in the piece we wrote on December 4th (still shown below). Gee, and what do you know? They found Saddam, you remember Saddam, the guy who was leading all those Iraq resistance fighters from the safety of his isolated mud wall and Styrofoam roof bunker on a farm. This guy is really shifty too as he didn't even have a cell phone on him to direct his many minions. Or, maybe there's more to the real story about Iraqi resistance than Bush, Inc., the Pentagon, or the American media either realizes, or wants the sheople to realize.

It's also amazing that he was captured about the same time Haliburton was coming under fire in the American media for gouging American taxpayers. Now that Saddam's been captured, have you heard anymore about Haliburton? Of course not! We haven't either.

Anyway, after reading the following 2-part article by Pepe Escobar, we conceded that his insight and abilities outmatched us by a long shot. Check out these excerpts then follow the links to read the full story. This is a must read story.

"Only three months ago, this correspondent (Pepe Escobar) met scores of people in Baghdad and the Sunni triangle whom were absolutely convinced that former CIA friend Saddam and Washington were still involved in some sort of secret deal. Now European, Asian and Arab diplomats and businessmen are commenting off the record that there's every possibility that the CIA, or even Bush himself, may have struck a deal with his number two embodiment of evil - number one being the still elusive Osama bin Laden."

"They are all suspicious of the impeccable timing: and if a deal was not in the cards, then the CIA knew exactly where Saddam was for days or weeks, and were just waiting for the moment of maximum impact. Saddam was captured exactly when Halliburton was under extreme pressure for effectively swindling American taxpayers. Bush himself said on the record that if there was any proof of wrongdoing - and there is conclusive proof of overcharging - the company would face consequences. It didn't: the story - too dangerous, too close to vice president and former Halliburton boss Dick Cheney - simply disappeared from the news.

"Whatever his ghastly criminal record, already debated to exhaustion, Saddam understands power extremely well: that's how he managed to keep it for three decades. He had plenty of time to prepare his exit - before the "fall" of Baghdad - and he certainly had plenty of time to prepare his re-entry in case he was caught. He may well have piles of compromising documents to use in his defense in what will certainly be the trial of the centuries - current and previous.

"The fear in Washington is that the Iraqi resistance might attempt a sensational hit just before the next presidential election. The fear in the Arab east is that [President George W] Bush and [Vice President Dick] Cheney might escalate the conflict to retain the White House in 2004. Both fears may well be justified."

Isn't this the kind of reporting we need in America…you know, the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave? However, since we don't find that kind of reporting here in the States, you'll have to follow these links to the Asia Times.

Rat Trap Part 1 by Pepe Escobar

Rat Trap Part 2 by Pepe Escobar

-Mike

Bush's Turkey Day

The US media had nary a harsh word to say about the President's Thanksgiving flight to Iraq. The foreign press was less obeisant. Some prizewinning comments:

Best Headline:
"The Turkey has Landed" -Independent (London)

Runners Up:
"Electoral raid on Baghdad" -Liberation (Paris)
"I came, I saw nothing, but I will conquer" -An-Nahar (Beirut)

Best Capsule Descriptions:
"one of the most audacious publicity coups in White House history" -The Times (London)
"a publicity stunt which will not solve the problem of Iraq" -El Mundo (Madrid)
"opens the presidential election season" -Al-Mustaqbul (Beirut)
"a Hollywood-style stunt" -La Repubblica (Rome)

All of above comes from The Nation

The Re-Selection Campaign Never Stops

As of today, December 4, 2003, it's been 216 days since we sent troops to eliminate the imminent threat posed by Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction. Yet still we wait for any evidence of the existence of WMDs, let alone that they posed an imminent threat worthy of pre-emptive invation.

Also, they rarely mention WMDs in the media anymore. They also rarely mention Osama bin Laden anymore either, unless it's to show another tape of him supposedly threatening more terror by his minions. You see, they have to keep the threat out there so you think more about personal safety than about the Bush failures. It's all part of the neoconservative smoke and mirrors standard operating procedure.

Now we hear that Congressman Ray LaHood out of Peoria, Illinois, who sits on the Intelligence Committee, claims we know where Saddam is and we're very close to catching him (isn't this the same kind of thing that got Geraldo Rivera in trouble?). Anyway, let me guess, Karl Rove and crew are planning yet another re-election commercial disguised as news over the holidays that involves capturing Saddam. This one will be much like the puke-inducing visit Bush made to Iraq over Thanksgiving, which is the closest the sabre-rattling chickenhawk ever got to real combat. And no, we're not counting his time spent washing out of pilot school and being AWOL while attempting to guard the Southern United States from Vietnamese invaders while in, sometimes, the National Guard.

So, lets see what kind of publicity stunt they feed us this holiday season. You know it's coming since the election year starts soon. Remember, it's not about freedom or democracy for the Iraq people, or even for you for that matter. It's about getting Bush re-elected so they have another 4 years to beef up their police state. Don't let them fool you.

NeoCon Hypocrisy Never Ends

On November 20, 2003 my NY Times email quote of the day was "The people have given us the duty to defend them, and that duty sometimes requires the violent restraint of violent men. In some cases, the measured use of force is all that protects us from a chaotic world ruled by force." PRESIDENT BUSH

After reading this quote, my first reaction was: wow! Two full sentences with some long words in them, yet he got them out. My second reaction was: Those two sentences were written by a professional, then, read from a teleprompter by the Dimwit. There is absolutely no way such thoughts were generated in Shrubya's head.

I especially love the line "the measured use of force is all that protects us from a chaotic world ruled by force." Anyone with the rational ability of a single-cell life-form knows that Bush has no problem with a world ruled by force…as long as he and his henchmen are the ones doling out the force.

Bush and his Neocon thugs love force and fear. They love forcing their repeatedly failed economic policies upon us so they can keep non-wealthy people uncertain about their future. Keeping people economically uncertain leads more desperate 18-24 year-olds into joining the military rather than facing the uncertainty of joblessness, homelessness, or worse, living at home with their parents forever. That means more bodies for the neocolonial Bush armies. Besides, doing it this way is much easier than reinstating a politically unpopular draft, plus Bush Inc and friends get rich while raiding the public treasury. For these guys, it's a win-win situation!

Going back to force and fear, you can see their fear mongering as they constantly drone on about all the "terr'ists" and "evildoers" around every corner, just waiting to…to…uh...well…do something despicable and "evil" to you. (Although, I would argue that Bush & Co. are a much more dangerous threat to your liberty than the straw men terrorist they build at every politically advantageous opportunity.) I do give them credit here. They know that simple-minded, scared-of-everything, conservative leaning middle class American folks eat this stuff up! Maintaining a high level of fear keeps them scared, willfully ignorant and in a flag-waving patriotic frenzy that stops them from thinking, seeing, and criticizing Bush & Co.'s raping of the country.

Their love of force also shines through in their holier-than-though morality. Look at their efforts to create new Amendments to the Constitution that will FORCE compliance by any state that might consider legalized same-sex marriages, legalized marijuana, and other prudent, rational freedoms for its citizens. They aren't talking about policy changes or simple laws that judges can misinterpret, they want Constitutional Amendments. That's right, they want the maximum force possible to FORCE their beliefs on you! (See more on this topic at TomPaine.com)

Remember when the Neocons were whining incessantly about state's rights? You only have to look back to the days when the hypocritical Newt Gingrich was running Congress. It was state's rights this and state's rights that until they took power. Now, it's their way or the highway. Yet again, Necons = hypocrisy of the highest order.

Anyway, all we want is liberty and justice for all, not just for those who never have to earn their way in this world because they are born into wealthy and powerful families.

As one of my favorite 1980's British pop groups, The Housemartins, sang: "So this is freedom? You must be joking!"

Be Free and Happy today,
Mike

Visit our New Vote Fraud Page

The evidence of vote fraud keeps mounting. Our new Vote Fraud page provides a rant (as usual) along with links to several resources on the the subject. Come check it out. Click here to visit our Vote Fraud Page

Vote fraud reminds me that neoconservatives will stop at nothing to impose their self-serving agenda on the rest of us. For example, Shrubya is talking of a Constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. Of course, I figure this announcement is just a ploy to stir up the citizenry and keep us from scrutinizing his horrid presidency. Still, the Constitution was written in a manner that provides freedom. However, as you might expect, necons want to use the Constitution as a hammer to take rights away from people or halt actions they don't like. Once again, neoconservatives = restricted freedom.

Have you ever noticed that neocons aren't satisfied with just "turning the other cheek" and ignoring those activities done by others that have no affect on them whatsoever? Oh no! The necon wants total freedom to do whatever he wants, but he's going to tell you how you're going to live. Neocons would love Constitutional amendments that: ban gay marriages, ban flag burning, force their religion into the public square, restrict free speech that they dislike, ban pornograph (except for their stash), etc…

Why is it that neocons never propose anything enlightening that promotes more freedom for all, empowers the powerless, or even makes the world a slightly better place? Once again, it goes back to one of our earlier rants about neocons and punishment. They love to punish others and put people in their place. Naturally, the neocon will also define the "place" in which they will put you. Meanwhile, punishing others usually gives them a level of satisfaction that nears sexual arousal. These are sick people.

Their hypocrisy shines through when they spend all their time talking about repressed freedom while another political party is in power, but when they come to power, freedom is the first casualty…as well as truth.

So, do your part. Become an informed voter and learn how these bastards will cheat you at the polls in 2004 if given a chance. And remember, anyone but a neoconservative for ALL offices in 2004!

-Mike

Still Waiting for the Fear Monger's Evidence

Is anyone else out there still waiting for a barrel...a jar...even a vial of any evidence that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction that posed an imminent threat to America? Remember when Bush Mafia enforcer Colin Powell got all riled up at the UN explaining how Iraq was hours, even minutes away from taking out the US with their massive stockpile of weapons of mass destruction? Even Puppet president Bush told us Iraq had 38,000 liters of botulinum toxin, 25,000 liters of anthrax and 500 tons of sarin in his State of the Union address.

Isn't it amazing that they could have such thorough and accurate intelligence going into the war, yet now that we occupy the country, we haven't found anything. The Repuglican excuse of "it's a country the size of California" is wearing thinner every day. However, I'm guessing the physical geography of Iraq and faulty intelligence aren't the problems. Instead, the Bush administration had an agenda, so they fabricated the intelligence to get their way.

When it comes to evidence of WMD, I will accept any plausible evidence they can present. However, I am guessing that the WMD issue will go the same way as Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein. They will just kind of drift off the radar screen until they can be useful in the 2004 election. And you can bet the media will remain good little lap dogs and play right into the Bush propaganda machine.

So let's have a little fun with a prediction. Two to three months before the 2004 election, Saddam, Osama, or WMD will be captured or found. In fact, the Bush thugs may even go for a trifecta and attempt to deliver all three if Bush's popularity is low enough in the polls. Naturally, this prediction is predicated on the fact that the 2004 election is even held, as I wouldn't put it past this current crew to manufacture a national crisis to cancel the election and maintain their power. Let's see what happens.

-Mike

Bush offers himself as special advisor to God

Humor from DeadBrain.com by Malcolm Drury

DeadBrain has learned that US President "Boy" George W. Bush has offered his services to God as special advisor on the Middle East and terrorism.

According to a June 24th article in the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz, Mr. Bush told Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas at their recent meeting: "God told me to strike at al Qaeda and I struck them, and then he instructed me to strike at Saddam, which I did, and now I am determined to solve the problem in the Middle East."

Pleased with the way he is fighting global terrorism and his commitment to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but with no further orders from God, it appears that Mr. Bush has now decided to take the initiative and begin to advise the Great Deity in his daily conversations, particularly of the next steps required for defeating terrorism and solving all Middle East issues once and for all.

According to an anonymous White House source, Mr. Bush has, for the past several days, been wandering the hallways of the presidential residence alone, wearing an enigmatic smile and muttering.

"From snatches we heard, it seemed as if the President might be speaking in tongues," said the source, "as none of it seemed to make any sense. So maybe he was indeed speaking to God. But of course it's sometimes hard to make sense of what he says in a normal conversation, so we're not really sure."

Pentagon spokesman Elmer K. Ramsbottom III told our reporter that US Secretary of Offence Donald Rumsfeld supported Mr. Bush fully in his initiative, and would be offering some suggestions regarding new military targets, and maybe requesting a bit of divine guidance to help the occasionally unreliable guidance systems of smart bombs.

Dr. Rowan Atkinson, Archbishop of Canterbury, was reported to have been rendered speechless upon learning of this development, managing only a brief "Fibble" before hiding his head in a large plucked turkey.

When Does the Integrity Start?

Prior to the 2000 selection, Candidate Bush boasted about the high level of integrity he would bring to the White House. He insinuated that the Clinton administration was sorely lacking in the commodities of truth and integrity. For years the conservative attack dogs and media drilled us with images of Bill Clinton as a pot smoker, sex addict, shady businessman, liar, draft dodger, etc…

As the presidential campaigns progressed, questions about George W. Bush's past arose. Some of the allegations, included drug abuse in college, a DUI, impregnating a woman in 1971 who then got an illegal abortion, being AWOL from his National Guard duties, and this doesn't include any of his questionable stock or business deals. Naturally, the conservative attack dogs and media have not followed up on these stories, and they have fallen from public view. It is amazing how Clinton's pot smoking years ago is a huge issue while Bush's drug abuse years ago and alcoholism not so long ago is no issue at all.

Anyway, Bush's handlers ensure that their puppet emanates the perception of integrity by bullying the media into giving him a free ride. Then they cover up the remaining shadiness by calling it a National Security secret. This administration is the most secretive in American history. One way to ensure integrity is to hide anything and everything. That way nothing ever comes under scrutiny.

Now the Bush administration is dragging its feet and hiding details of the 911 attacks. Is there something you're hiding from pResident Bush? Show some integrity and let us know what happened. After all, isn't this a government of, by and for the people? Please spare us the national security hyperbole and give the integrity-filled truth.

Is the blatant hypocrisy of the neoconservative republicans that hard to see through? Republicans have mastered the art of piously proclaiming the higher moral ground while assassinating the character of their political enemies, only to get caught in their own hypocrisy (Newt Gingrich and Henry Hyde both had affairs and Mr. Virtues Bill Bennett has a gambling problem, among numerous others). The difference is, their hypocrisy is rarely called out, and if it is, it usually ends up in a small article under the newspaper's Lost and Found ads. Liberal media you say? Riiiiiiight.

Integrity is much easier to achieve when there's a double standard. George W. Bush is used to getting his way and having his family name and connections get him out of any trouble that would imprison or destroy most working folks. This pampering also goes for many of the neocons in his administration. It's always amazing to hear people who get this treatment tell others how they need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.

Increasing the hypocrisy of this entire integrity joke is the irony of the Bush administration prying deeper into our lives through the Patriot Acts at the same time they are increasing the protections on their governmental privacy. Wake up people! This isn't the way our government is supposed to work!! It should be the opposite, and our government should be open while we are free. Don't let them use national security and fear as lame excuses to hide behind closed doors. Make them accountable for their actions. That is, if we will be allowed to even see their non-PR and re-election actions anymore.

So pResident Bush, let's see you walk the walk. Show us this integrity you boasted about. Stop hiding behind your corporate string pullers and national security scams and let us peek inside and see integrity in action in our government.

And for all you Bush supporters, does integrity mean something different when your boy's in the spotlight? If so, then you might want to do a personal integrity check real soon, for hypocristy is not part of integrity.

Bullying, Hatred, Secrecy: Welcome to Compassionate Conservative America

What frightens you more, terrorist attacks or the U.S. government as imposed by George W. Bush and his neoconservative toadies? Sure, our bootlicking media will show images of non-Americans burning flags, or chanting anti-American slogans while protesting in their home country, yet these folks are unable to do much more than just that: protest in their own country. Keep watching; because you're going to see more of these types of protests the longer the Bush regime maintains an occupying force in Iraq.

Anyway, lets compare their hatred with that of any American neoconservative right-winger whining about "liberals" daily on talk radio and television. Liberals to them comprises anyone and everyone who leans a little to the left of Adolph Eichmann. Forget that most people view politics as a spectrum, neocons only see black and white. You know who these neocons are: Michael Savage, Ann Coulter, Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Ollie North, etc, ad nauseum…

These folks make their living demonizing any and all who are different than themselves. You see, these neocons have an agenda, so they seem to be under the mistaken impression that their opinion carries some weight. While we believe in their right to free speech, it does not mean their opinions have any higher merit than anyone else, even though they may repeat their opinion over and over again, or say it very sternly and with indignation.

Now to get to the point…what makes these neocons scary is their desire to punish everyone they dislike. These neocons do not have a live and let live attitude. If they don't like you, and they don't like a lot of people, they want to see you punished. In fact, it seems many of them derive a perverse pleasure in punishment. Now consider that the Bush administration is filled with neoconservatives. Even thought the Administration neocons avoid the incessant public spewing of hatred like their talking head counterparts, we can already see their thirst for punishment when Colin Powell talks of finding some way to punish France for not joining us in the raid on Iraq.

Therefore, we now have the world's largest military (the US spends more on military than all other countries combined) being led by people that thrive on punishment. Not just punishment for doing something wrong or evil, but punishment for not agreeing with them 100 percent.

This is the higher morality and integrity they told us Bush would bring to the White House? It seems like the same kind of high morality and integrity used by schoolyard bullies. No wonder they tried to spruce up conservatism by adding the word compassionate. Althought to coin an old phrase, it's pretty much like splashing perfume on a pig...sorry if that offends pigs.

So, back to the question above: what frightens you more, terrorist attacks or the U.S. government?

Running Government Like a Business

Anyone listening to the rants of conservative talk radio whiners these past many years has heard either the host or a parroting caller say "we need to run guv'ment like a business." From all indications, their dreams have been answered.

After the Supreme Court installed G.W. Bush as CEO in 2000, he brought along the same tired bunch of corporate boardroom regulars that haunted his dad's administration. All of these mega-multi-millionaires brought to Washington the manipulative, self-serving skills they honed in the private sector during the 8-year Clinton presidency. Now, however, they have a well-armed military, law enforcement, law making, and judicial system, as well as the fawning media at their bidding.

Much like a company that's leveraged the buyout of a former rival, Bush, Inc. arrived at the White House with preset policy changes that have institutionalized their corporate operational procedures. Key elements of their operation are: secrecy, media manipulation, raiding public resources for private benefit, and seizing government to create advantage and monopoly for themselves and their cronies.

They use "national security" as an excuse to rape and pillage the country, and anyone questioning their actions or their motives is labeled unpatriotic, or better yet, a terrorist, and the obedient media goes along. Just as none of today's arrogantly pushy CEOs will tolerate employees who question their extravagant bonuses while the company's working stiffs are on a permanent salary freeze, the Bush, Inc. folks will not tolerate questions from anyone as they pillage the country for all it's worth.

Also like their CEO buddies in the private sector, the good folks at Bush, Inc. are ensuring that they get first, and only, dibs at the money everyone else helped to create. They will also strive to ensure that management (themselves and their obedient cronies) will get all the perks, bonuses and huge severance packages, while the salaried folks get screwed.

From all indications, it looks as though Bush, Inc. is running the country just like their CEO buddies at Enron, Tyco, and Worldcom. It's a conservative whiner's dream come true!

For an in-depth look at the Bush, Inc. raiding of America and the World, check out this must-read article at Black Commentator.

WOLVES AND SHEEP
(apologies to Canis lupus)
A short history of the Bush Mafia's war in Iraq

From the Introduction: "In some of his best writing ever, former West Point instructor and retired U.S. Army Special Forces Master Sergeant Stan Goff breaks down for us what really happened in the Iraqi war, with our media, and to us here at home. As the so-called coalition prepares to declare "Victory", Goff reminds us and perhaps tells many for the first time how the Iraqi campaign was actually fought. His research, instead of relying on America's despicable pretense at journalism also included: The Independent UK, Le Monde, The Herald, The Hindu Times, The Asia Times (an excellent paper), Al-Jazeera, and the Financial Times.

The difference is not one of interpretation or bias. It is first a difference of which events get told and which do not. Massacred women and children seen by a New York Times photographer are not elements of spin. Massacred Iraqi soldiers with white flags of surrender still beside their bodies are not propaganda. These are crimes. Most will be surprised to learn that U.S. troops intentionally provoked the looting of Iraq's priceless antiquities. And I have not heard a single mention in American media about the extent to which depleted uranium was employed, or the fact that its dust - which will remain poisonous for four billion years - will be killing perhaps hundreds of thousands of people for decades and certainly long after Saddam's memory has faded behind the images of our next stage-managed crisis."

Tim Robbins Speaks Out at National Press Club

This is how conservatives act when they get the reigns of power. When not in power they whine endlessly about their rights being taken away because they can't push others around. Yet when they get into power, they stifle all dissent by bullying, intimidating and demonizing all who may think differently than themselves. Then they wrap their intimidation in the flag and call it patriotism.

Sorry Georgie boy, Dick, Ari, and all you puppet string pullers, but you still can't polish that turd of neoconservatism by just adding the word compassionate. Neoconservatives have shown time and again that they are bullies at best and authoritarian fascists at worst.

Anyway, Tim Robbins eloquently described the current state of authoritarianism coming from the Bush administration in a speech at the National Press Club on April 15th. This is a must read article.

Fascism: It Can't Happen Here, Can It?

Have you ever wondered how a fascist, dictatorial government can come to power without a huge outcry or even rebellion from the people? Many people mistakenly believe fascists gain power by quickly taking it. But with the exception of an invasion or political coup, the sudden appearance of fascism is rare.

Since World War II it is common to compare Nazi Germany to any political system or leader with which you disagree. However, the key is not in comparing the brutal excesses of the Nazis, but rather their ability to slowly and methodically gain power, take away rights, then demonize and imprison any and all who opposed or even questioned their actions.

After reading Mayer's piece, give this article about extending the Patriot Act a look. Notice that Senator Orrin Hatch says it's all about national security. Of course it has nothing to do with punishing political or ideological enemies. Just trust him. It's too complicated for you to understand. Hmmm....this is starting to sound familiar.

Where are those Iraqi Weapons of Mass Destruction?

As for our two cents worth, here it is. In February 2003 Colin Powell, an unquestioning, good soldier following his orders, went to the UN and talked sternly about Saddam Hussein. Powell portrayed Hussein and his supposed weapons of mass destruction (WMD) as an imminent threat to truth, justice and the American way. From the presentation it sounded as if Iraqi forces were camped along the US border like rabid dogs on a frayed rope, just waiting for any opportunity to strike.

So, to get the oil...uh...liberation of the Iraqi people that the neoconservatives in the administration wanted (for you know these neocons stayed awake at night worrying about the repressed Iraqi people), Powell dutifully presented the WMD evidence, some of which was fabricated. Yet the UN Security Council still said no. This answer just would not do for Boy President George, because he is not used to hearing the word no. So Georgie boy scolded the UN Security Council saying he could do as he pleased, which he then did by invading Iraq in March.

Now here we sit with the "liberation" over and not a single WMD was used by Iraq during the war, nor have any stockpiles been found. Hell, the Iraqis couldn't even blow up a bridge or two to slow down the Coalition forces advancing on Baghdad. This is what the fear was all about? Either our intelligence was way off mark, or there was a hidden agenda and the WMD were used as a diversion to incite fear and generate public support for an invasion.

The events surrounding the Iraq war show that we really need to keep an eye on the Prince George administration. Anyone paying attention sees that they have done everything in their power to manipulate the media and public opinion, bully and intimidate any and all dissent, and falsely increase public fear to achieve their goals. Many of the world's most despicable authoritarians have used these same methods. Just watch, Bush, Inc. will continue to use these methods in increasingly shameless degrees to get what they want, especially as the 2004 elections approach. Remember, these are folks who are used to getting whatever they want, whenever they want it. Watch them carefully!

The Real War - On American Democracy

In the midst of news of foreign wars, Americans are beginning to wake up to the real war being waged here at home. It is, however, a confused awakening. For example, Americans wonder why the Bush administration seems so intent on crippling local, state, and federal governments by starving them of funds and creating huge federal debt that our children will have to repay.

The Iraq War and 911

We've gathered from various war supporters that the war in Iraq is somehow retribution for 911 or they mention that we are heading off another 911-type of terrorist attack. While we understand that many of our country's more conservative citizens have no interest in facts, here are a few facts concerning the above reasoning.

1. The Bush administration tried hard to connect Iraq and 911, yet not a single shred of hard evidence surfaced.

3. Nobody has been able to make a tangible connection between Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden.

4. Neither U.S. or British forces (Coalition forces) have verified the discovery or use of WMD.

Just because we think this war is a waste of lives, time and resources, it doesn't mean we like the way Saddam Hussein treated his people. Power hungry tyrants should be removed from power at the first opportunity regardless of which country they run. Maybe you pro-war neoconservatives should start looking a little more closely at what's going on at home.

While we are on the topic of tyrants, this next story contains some interesting observations.

Does Voting Even Matter Anymore?

"Those who cast the votes decide nothing. Those who count the votes decide everything." -Joseph Stalin

Following the Florida voting embarrassment of 2000, much has been made of improving, upgrading and modernizing the voting process. Some of these upgrades were in place for the 2002 election and guess what? (You already know the answer.) Enough Republicans were elected to federal office that the media and those ever angry Bush supporters started using words like mandate in describing G.W.'s legitimacy. As if most conservative types need a "mandate" to force their opinions on everyone else.

Following the election all we heard was: "the Republicans did a better job of defining their message", "everyone has fallen in love with Bush", "none of the other parties (from Dems, to Libertarians to Greens) are in touch with the man in the street" and other pundit-talk phrases. Maybe those folks were right and their reasoning for the 2002 elections was correct. Or maybe there's something else going on.

An informative article from Online Journal describes how the two main manufacturers of these much clamored for modernized voting machines are owned by right-wingers who contribute heavily to the Republican party. This observation alone may seem overly paranoid but there are several other factors that, when combined together, will make you wonder if elections are legitimate anymore. Is the 2004 election already in the bag? Read the article then think about it.

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