Happy holidays. We're all going to midnight mass shortly so I'm providing a quick post tonight. Let's start with Democracy Now!
Federal Judge Calls Gitmo Detentions "Unlawful"
This news on Guantanamo Bay: the Washington Post is reporting a federal judge has ruled the detention of two ethnic Uighurs at the U.S. prison is "unlawful", but says he does not have the authority to release them. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge James Robertson said the government has taken too long to release Abu Bakker Qassim and Adel Abdu Hakim -- who have been jailed for four years. The two have been cleared for release, but not returned to China where they would likely face torture or execution.. The two men are among nine detainees that remain at Guantanamo despite having been declared "no longer enemy combatants." In his ruling, Judge Robertson wrote: "The government's use of the Kafka-esque term 'no longer enemy combatants' deliberately begs the question of whether these petitioners ever were enemy combatants."
Judge Robertson is the same guy who just stepped down from the FISA court in
objection to the Bully Boy using the NSA to spy on American citizens without a court order of any kind.
A pissed off federal judge is not a good thing for the Bully Boy but it just might be a great thing for the American people. Consider it a cause for hope.
Justice Dept. Admits Spy Program Does Not Comply With FISA
The disclosure comes as the Justice Department has admitted that the President's eavesdropping program does not comply with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Along with another wiretapping statute, FISA defines itself as: "the exclusive means by which electronic surveillance . . . may be conducted." The admission came in a letter to Congress Thursday.
Spy Program doesn't comply with FISA which means? It's breaking the law. Our Justice Department doesn't uphold the law, it circumvents it and it breaks it.
Now come Monday Democracy Now! has a special broadcast which is a reading of Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States featuring readings by people like Danny Glover, Viggo Mortensen and Marisa Tomei. So be sure to check that out.
And be sure to check out Kat's "Kat's Korner: Blunt's got the goods" from today and her "Kat's Korner: Breaking through the 'conventional truths' with No Secrets" from yesterday. She's providing three days worth of musical commentary for The Common Ills and tomorrow you can look for the third one. So far she's addressed Carly Simon's No Secrets and provided historical context on that CD and James Blunt's Back to Bedlam.
A lot of you know that Kat got attacked by Pop Politcs. The fact of the matter while they're still jerking off and can't find a position on the war or anything else going on today (but they can look back on Bob Dylan in a manner that divorces the work from the times then and now), Kat's provided more solid musical commentary that's taken music and looked at in terms of what does it say about the times.
She's not one of those lousy "reviewers" who seems to have just thumbed through their Record Guide five seconds before to grab a few factoids and present themselves as an expert. Kat's writing from the heart and soul and breathing the music, that's why she's such an important voice.
And shame on the woman who trashed Kat and supported the man demanding that Kat correct her opinion.
Now this weekend Francisco offered the run down of headlines for the week from Democracy Now! so read these, Spanish first and then English, and make sure you didn't miss an important development in the government spying story which is his focus.
"Bush aprueba espionaje telefónico a ciudadanos estadounidenses sin orden judicial"
Francisco: Hola mis amigos y amigas. Feliz Navidad y Prospero Ano Nuevo 2006. El jefe "Bully Boy" Bush tuvo una semana muy mala. Aqui estan once "Democracy Now!" las noticias.
Bush aprueba espionaje telefónico a ciudadanos estadounidenses sin orden judicial
El Presidente Bush admitió que secretamente ordenó a la Agencia de Seguridad Nacional escuchar las conversaciones de los ciudadanos estadounidenses sin siquiera solicitar las órdenes aprobadas por el Poder Judicial que exige la Constitución. Al comienzo, el Presidente se negó a contestar cualquier pregunta sobre el programa secreto, pero el sábado habló abiertamente sobre el asunto y defendió esa práctica.
El Presidente Bush dijo: "Yo autoricé a la Agencia de Seguridad Nacional, consecuentemente con la ley estadounidense y la Constitución, a interceptar las comunicaciones internacionales de personas de las que se sabe que tienen vínculos con al Qaeda y organizaciones terroristas que están relacionadas con ese grupo".Esta revelación surgió solo días después de que NBC News informó que el Pentágono expandió ampliamente sus operaciones de vigilancia en Estados Unidos, entre las que se encontraba la vigilancia de los manifestantes pacíficos en contra de la guerra.
Senador Leahy: No más ordenes secretas, tribunales secretos y tortura secreta
Muchos expertos legales acusaron al Presidente de infringir la ley al ordenar que se realizaran escuchas telefónicas sin la orden judicial requerida por la Ley de Vigilancia de Inteligencia Extranjera.
El Senador demócrata Patrick Leahy de Vermont dijo: "Este programa de espionaje de conversaciones sin una orden no está autorizado por la Ley Patriota, no está autorizado por ninguna ley del Congreso, y no está supervisado por ningún tribunal. Y según informes, fue llevado a cabo por una orden secreta del Presidente, basada en opiniones legales secretas del mismo Departamento de Justicia, de abogados que secretamente argumentaron que el presidente podía ordenar la utilización de la tortura. Señor Presidente, ya es hora de tener algunos controles y contrapesos en este país, somos una democracia. Somos una democracia. Tengamos controles y contrapesos, no órdenes secretas y tribunales secretos y tortura secreta, y así sucesivamente".
El FBI espió a Greenpeace, PETA y Catholic Worker
En Washington, documentos que se dieron a conocer recientemente indican que agentes antiterroristas del Buró Federal de Investigaciones (FBI) han estado vigilando a grupos activistas entre los que se encuentran Greenpeace, Catholic Worker (Trabajador Católico), el Comité Árabe-Estadounidense contra la discriminación y PETA (Gente por el Trato Ético a los Animales). Los documentos indican que el FBI controló las manifestaciones organizadas por estos grupos y utilizo informantes confidenciales dentro de las organizaciones para obtener información. En un caso, registros del gobierno muestran que el FBI lanzó una investigación sobre PETA por terrorismo, en Norfolk, Virginia. Según el "Washington Post", los documentos no ofrecen pruebas sobre la vinculación de PETA con actividades ilegales. Pero más de 100 páginas de expedientes del FBI severamente censuradas indican que la agencia utilizó informantes secretos y vigiló las actividades de este grupo por años. El FBI también controló actividades políticas en los predios universitarios. Un expediente del FBI contenía una lista de contactos de estudiantes y activistas por la paz que asistieron a una conferencia en la Universidad de Stanford en 2002, con el objetivo de terminar con las sanciones que se aplicaban en aquel entonces a Irak. Esta es la tercera gran revelación que se produjo recientemente sobre espionaje en Estados Unidos. La semana pasada, NBC News reveló que el Pentágono ha estado vigilando a activistas pacíficos en contra de la guerra, y el "New York Times" expuso como el Presidente Bush ordenó a la Agencia de Seguridad Nacional (NSA, por sus siglas en inglés) espiar las conversaciones de los ciudadanos estadounidenses sin órdenes aprobadas por el Poder Judicial. Ann Beeson, de la Unión Estadounidense por las Libertades Civiles (ACLU, por su siglas en inglés) dijo: "Esta claro que este gobierno utilizó todas las agencias posibles, desde el Pentágono hasta la NSA y el FBI, para espiar a los ciudadanos estadounidenses".
Daschle: Al gobierno de Bush se le negó autoridad para conducir espionajes
En Washington, el ex líder de la Minoría del Senado, Tom Daschle, reveló detalles antes desconocidos que ponen en duda las afirmaciones del gobierno de Bush de que tiene autoridad legal para espiar a los ciudadanos estadounidenses y extranjeros en Estados Unidos. La Casa Blanca dice que la autoridad le fue otorgada implícitamente en la resolución conjunta del Congreso que autorizaba la utilización de la fuerza poco después de los atentados del 11 de septiembre. Pero en la edición de hoy del "Washington Post", Daschle asegura que el gobierno de Bush solicitó sin éxito la autoridad que ahora dice que le fue otorgada.
El ex líder de la minoría del Senado, Tom Daschle, dijo: "Literalmente minutos antes de que el Senado votara, el gobierno pidió que se incorporaran las palabras 'en Estados Unidos y' después 'fuerza adecuada' al texto. Este cambio de último momento le hubiera otorgado al presidente gran autoridad para ejercer poderes ampliados no sólo en el extranjero, donde todos entendimos que quería autoridad para actuar, sino también aquí mismo, en Estados Unidos, potencialmente contra ciudadanos estadounidenses. No pude ver ninguna justificación para que el Congreso accediera a ese pedido extraordinario de autoridad adicional. Yo me rehusé".
Departamento de Justicia admite que programa de espionaje no cumple con FISA
Esa revelación surgió mientras el Departamento de Justicia admitía que el programa de espionaje del Presidente no cumple la Ley de Vigilancia de Inteligencia Extranjera (FISA, por sus siglas en inglés). Junto con otro estatuto de espionaje telefónico, FISA se define a si misma como: "los medios exclusivos mediante los cuales la vigilancia electrónica (...) puede ser llevada a cabo". Esta admisión fue realizada el jueves en una carta al Congreso.
Jueces de Tribunal de Supervisión elaboran documento sobre programa de espionaje
En otras noticias, el Washington Post informa que el juez que preside el Tribunal de Supervisión de Inteligencia en el Extranjero convocó a otros jueces integrantes de ese organismo a una reunión informativa, acerca de la revelación de que el presidente Bush autorizó espionaje interno sin órdenes judiciales, que solamente ese Tribunal puede emitir. La noticia surge luego de que uno de los diez jueces que presiden el Tribunal, James Roberston, presentó su renuncia el lunes como medida de protesta.
Juez del Tribunal de Supervisión renuncia en protesta por el programa de espionaje de Bush
Esta noticia es sobre el programa de espionaje del gobierno de Bush en Estados Unidos. El "Washington Post" informa que un juez renunció al principal tribunal para casos de espionaje del país, en protesta por el programa secreto por el que la Agencia de Seguridad Nacional ha espiado las conversaciones de los ciudadanos estadounidenses sin órdenes aprobadas por el Poder Judicial. El Juez de Distrito estadounidense James Robertson, uno de los once miembros del tribunal secreto de Supervisión de Inteligencia Extranjera (FISC, por sus siglas en inglés) secreto, presentó su renuncia el lunes. Robertson presuntamente pensó que la legalidad del programa era cuestionable y que podía haber perjudicado el trabajo del tribunal, que es considerado la única autoridad competente para autorizar espionajes telefónicos en Estados Unidos.
Bush dijo en 2004 que el espionaje telefónico podía realizarse únicamente con la aprobación del Poder Judicial
El gobierno de Bush argumentó que el programa es legal, en el marco de la autorizaciones para operaciones de vigilancia otorgada por el Congreso al Poder Ejecutivo poco después del los atentados del 11 de septiembre. Pero en abril del año pasado, el Presidente Bush dijo a periodistas que el espionaje telefónico sólo podía realizarse si el Poder Judicial lo aprobaba.El Presidente Bush, 20 de abril de 2004: "Ahora, por cierto, cada vez que escuchen al gobierno de Estados Unidos hablar de espionaje telefónico, esto requiere, el espionaje telefónico requiere, una orden del Poder Judicial. Nada ha cambiado, por cierto. Cuando hablamos de perseguir a los terroristas, hablamos de obtener una orden judicial antes de hacerlo".
La Casa Blanca dice ahora que Bush se refería sólo a las acciones que se realizaran en el marco de la Ley Patriota.
Informe: Espionaje controlaba exclusivamente comunicaciones dentro de Estados Unidos
Mientras tanto, el "New York Times" informa que el programa de espionaje controló comunicaciones que eran exclusivamente nacionales, a pesar de las que altos funcionarios del gobierno afirmaron recientemente que las comunicaciones interceptadas eran con el extranjero. Funcionarios del gobierno dijeron al "Times" que las intercepciones fueron “accidentales”.A principio de esta semana, el General Michael V. Hayden, ex director de la Agencia de Seguridad Nacional (NSA, por sus siglas en inglés) y actualmente el segundo funcionario al mando en la inteligencia del país, dijo a periodistas: "Puedo asegurarles, por la parte física de la intercepción, por cómo llevamos a cabo nuestras actividades, que estas comunicaciones son siempre con lugares fuera de Estados Unidos".
El Procurador General Alberto R. Gonzales lo reafirmó y dijo: "La gente anda diciendo por ahí que Estados Unidos está de alguna manera espiando a los ciudadanos estadounidenses cuando hablan con sus vecinos. (Es) muy, muy importante entender que las comunicaciones deben ser con alguien fuera de Estados Unidos".
Informe: Departamento de Policía de Nueva York envió agentes encubiertos a protestas, manifestaciones y vigilia
El "New York Times" dice que obtuvo vídeos que muestran al Departamento de Policía de Nueva York realizando vigilancia a través de oficiales de incógnito durante protestas en contra de la guerra, manifestaciones en bicicleta e incluso en una vigilia callejera realizada en honor a un ciclista muerto. Los oficiales sostenían símbolos de protesta, llevaban flores junto a los que estaban de luto, montaban bicicletas, y filmaban a los presentes.En un caso, el arresto simulado de un oficial encubierto durante una manifestación fuera de la Convención Nacional Republicana provocó un grave enfrentamiento entre la policía antidisturbios y transeúntes, que terminó en el arresto de dos personas. Los transeúntes habían gritado "Déjenlo ir". El "Times" dice que las filmaciones muestran a por lo menos 10 agentes encubiertos participando en siete reuniones públicas desde la Convención Republicana de agosto de 2004.
Juez federal dice que detenciones en Guantánamo son "ilícitas"
Esta noticia proviene de Bahía de Guantánamo. El Washington Post informa que un juez federal dictaminó que el arresto de dos personas de la etnia uighur en esa prisión estadounidense es "ilícito", pero dice que no tiene competencia para liberarlos. El jueves, el juez de distrito estadounidense James Roberston dijo que el gobierno ha demorado demasiado en liberar a Abu Bakker Qassim y a Adel Abdu Hakim, que han estado en prisión durante cuatro años. Se dio curso a la liberación de ambos, pero no los enviaron de regreso a China, donde se considera probable que sean torturados o ejecutados. Los dos hombres están entre nueve reclusos que permanecen detenidos en Guantánamo a pesar de que se ha declarado que "ya no son combatientes enemigos". En el fallo, el juez Robertson escribió: "El uso que hace el gobierno del término kafkiano 'ya no son combatientes enemigos' hace surgir deliberadamente la pregunta acerca de si los apelantes alguna vez fueron combatientes enemigos."
Francisco: Hello, friends. Season's greetings. Here in English are thirteen headlines from Democracy Now! Why thirteen? The Spanish headlines lumped three together into one. So there are eleven headlines in Spanish and thirteen in English.
Bush Okd Secret Wiretapping of Americans Without Warrants
President Bush has admitted that he secretly ordered the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on Americans without ever seeking constitutionally required court approved warrants. The president initially refused to answer any questions about the secret program but on Saturday he spoke openly about it and defended the practicePresident Bush: "I authorized the National Security Agency, consistent with U.S. law and the Constitution, to intercept the international communications of people with known links to al Qaeda and related terrorist organizations."The admission came just days after NBC News reported the Pentagon has vastly expanded its domestic surveillance operations including the monitoring of peaceful anti-war protesters.
Sen. Leahy: No More Secret Orders, Secret Courts, Secret Torture
Many legal experts have accused the President of breaking the law by ordering the wiretappings without a court warrant as required under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT): "This warrant-less eavesdropping program is not authorized by the patriot act, it's not authorized by any act of congress, and it's not overseen by any court. And according to reports it has been conducted under a secret presidential order, based on secret legal opinions by the same justice department, lawyers who argued secretly, that the president could order the use of torture. Mr. President, it is time to have some checks and balances in this country, we are a democracy. We are a democracy. Let's have checks and balances, not secret orders and secret courts and secret torture, and on and on."
FBI Spied on Greenpeace, PETA, Catholic Worker
In Washington, newly released documents show counterterrorism agents at the Federal Bureau of Investigation have been monitoring domestic activist groups including Greenpeace, Catholic Worker, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and PETA, the People For the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The documents indicate the F.B.I. monitored protests organized by the groups and used confidential informants inside the organizations to gain intelligence. In one case, government records show the FBI launched a terrorism investigation of PETA in Norfolk, Virginia.
Documents Show FBI Agents Tracked PETA For Years
According to the Washington Post, the documents offer no proof of PETA's involvement in illegal activity. But more than 100 pages of heavily censored FBI files show the agency used secret informants and tracked the group's events for years. The FBI also monitored political activities on college campuses. One FBI file included a contact list for students and peace activists who attended a 2002 conference at Stanford University aimed at ending sanctions then in place in Iraq.
Reports Expose Growing Domestic Surveillance
This is the third major recent revelation about domestic spying. Last week NBC News revealed the Pentagon has been monitoring peaceful anti-war protesters and the New York Times exposed how President Bush ordered the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on Americans without court-approved warrants. Ann Beeson, of the American Civil Liberties Union said "It's clear that this administration has engaged every possible agency, from the Pentagon to N.S.A. to the F.B.I., to engage in spying on Americans."
Daschle: Bush Administration Was Denied Spy Authority
In Washington, former Senate Minority leader Tom Daschle has disclosed previously unknown details that challenge the Bush administration's claim it has legal authority to eavesdrop on Americans and foreign nationals in the US. The White House says the authority was implicitly granted in the joint Congressional resolution authorizing the use of force passed shortly after 9/11. But in today's Washington Post, Daschle claims the Bush administration requested, but was denied, the authority it now claims it was granted.
Former Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle: "Literally minutes before the Senate cast its vote, the administration sought to add the words 'in the United States and' after 'appropriate force' in the agreed-upon text. This last-minute change would have given the president broad authority to exercise expansive powers not just overseas -- where we all understood he wanted authority to act -- but right here in the United States, potentially against American citizens. I could see no justification for Congress to accede to this extraordinary request for additional authority. I refused."
Justice Dept. Admits Spy Program Does Not Comply With FISA
The disclosure comes as the Justice Department has admitted that the President's eavesdropping program does not comply with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Along with another wiretapping statute, FISA defines itself as: "the exclusive means by which electronic surveillance . . . may be conducted." The admission came in a letter to Congress Thursday.
Surveillance Court Judges To Hold Briefing on Espionage Program
In other news, the Washington Post is reporting the presiding judge of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court has arranged a briefing for fellow judges to address the revelation President Bush authorized domestic-spying without court warrants only they can approve. The news comes as one of the court’s 10 presiding judges, James Robertson, submitted his resignation in protest Monday.
Surveillance Court Judge Resigns in Protest of Bush Spy Program
This news on the Bush administration’s domestic espionage program: the Washington Post is reporting a judge has resigned from the country’s top spy court in protest of the secret program in which the National Security Agency has eavesdropped on Americans without court-approved warrants. U.S. District Judge James Robertson, one of 11 members of the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, submitted his resignation Monday. The court is regarded as the only authority to authorize wire-taps for domestic espionage.
Bush in 2004: "Wiretap Requires A Court Order"
President Bush has argued eavesdropping without court-approved warrants is legal under authority granted by Congress shortly after 9/11. But in April of last year President Bush told reporters wire-taps were only conducted with court approval.President Bush, April 20, 2004: "Now, by the way, any time you hear the United States government talking about wiretap, it requires -- a wiretap requires a court order. Nothing has changed, by the way. When we're talking about chasing down terrorists, we're talking about getting a court order before we do so."The White House is now claiming Bush was referring only to actions taken under the Patriot Act.
Report: Espionage Monitored Purely Domestic Communications
Meanwhile, the New York Times is reporting the espionage program monitored communications that were entirely domestic -- despite recent assurances from top administration officials that one end of the intercepted communications came from abroad. Government officials told the Times the intercepts were "accidental."Earlier this week, former NSA director Gen. Michael V. Hayden, currently the second-ranking intelligence official in the country, told reporters: "I can assure you, by the physics of the intercept, by how we actually conduct our activities, that one end of these communications are always outside the United States."Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales made the same claim: "People are running around saying that the United States is somehow spying on American citizens calling their neighbors. [Its] very, very important to understand that one party to the communication has to be outside the United States."
Report: NYPD Planted Undercover Agents At Protests, Rallies, Vigil
The New York Times says it has obtained videotapes that show the New York Police Department conducting surveillance by planting undercover officers at anti-war protests, bike rallies, and even a street vigil for a dead cyclist. The officers held protest signs, held flowers with mourners, rode their bicycles – and videotaped the people present.In one case, the faked arrest of an undercover officer at a demonstration outside the Republican National Convention led to a serious confrontation between riot police and bystanders that led to the arrest of two people. The bystanders had shouted “Let him go!” The Times says the tapes show at least 10 undercover operatives taking part in seven public gatherings since the Republican Convention in August 2004.
Federal Judge Calls Gitmo Detentions "Unlawful"
This news on Guantanamo Bay: the Washington Post is reporting a federal judge has ruled the detention of two ethnic Uighurs at the U.S. prison is "unlawful", but says he does not have the authority to release them. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge James Robertson said the government has taken too long to release Abu Bakker Qassim and Adel Abdu Hakim -- who have been jailed for four years. The two have been cleared for release, but not returned to China where they would likely face torture or execution.. The two men are among nine detainees that remain at Guantanamo despite having been declared "no longer enemy combatants." In his ruling, Judge Robertson wrote: "The government's use of the Kafka-esque term 'no longer enemy combatants' deliberately begs the question of whether these petitioners ever were enemy combatants."
Be sure to check out Elaine's site Like Maria Said Paz and to check out The Third Estate Sunday Review which will have a new edition on Sunday. (We're on a break so I can go to mass.) Happy holidays.
james blunt
back to bedlam
kats korner
the common ills
democracy now
spying
espiar
noticias
news
carly simon
no secrets
mikey likes it
the third estate sunday review
like maria said paz
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Thursday, December 22, 2005
You can't torture but if someone gets tortured at Guantanamo they can't take their case to court
Good evening. First, thanks to Rebecca, Wally and C.I. for finding the thing Jess and me did funny. I got a lot of e-mails on that today and I know that's cause they all spotlighted my post.
I also want to say thank you to C.I. for pointing out that my post went up Tuesday evening. Maureen Dowd did write about PETA, KFC and Pam Anderson in her Wednesday column. Like C.I. said, we must have both had KFC on the brain. But one person saw it at Rebecca's and took me to task for writing what I wrote AFTER I had read Maureen Dowd. He wrote back later to say he saw the thing at The Common Ills with C.I.'s note and checked and saw that my thing went up Tuesday and too soon to have read Dowd's column because those go up around midnight. So either we both had KFC on the brain or we both searched Pam Anderson and PETA and KFC was the first thing we came up with which is probably more likely.
Senate Approves Torture Ban, Denies Gitmo Detainees Right of Appeal
After the ANWR amendment was removed, the Senate unanimously passed a $450 billion dollar defense budget bill. The Senate also approved a ban on torture of detainees in US custody -- a proposal the White House opposed until last week. But in a concession to the Bush administration, the Senate okayed an amendment that removes the right of Guantanamo detainees to appeal their detention in US courts.
We say no to torture but don't give anyone a way to complain if they are tortured at Guantanamo? That's why McCain's thing was such crap. If he was sincere he would have fought against Lindsay Grahm's thing. It kind of nullifies McCain's torture ban.
Cheney Casts Deciding Vote on $40B Cut To Welfare, Student Aid, Medicaid
And in another vote, Senate Republicans managed to pass a fiercely contested $40 billion dollar-budget cutting bill with the tie-breaking vote of Vice President Dick Cheney. The New York Times notes cuts to student aid account for nearly one-third of the budget bill’s savings. Students will be forced to pay higher interest rates, banks will receive lower subsidies for student loans, and eligibility for college aid will be narrowed down. David Ward, president of the American Council on Education, said: "This is the biggest cut in the history of the federal student loan program."
The budget bill also grants states new authority to impose fees and scale back benefits for millions of low-income Medicaid recipients. In addition, the bill imposes stricter work requirements for welfare recipients, and penalizes states for not reducing the number of families on welfare rolls.
Well they had to do something to increase recruitment, right? This is pretty disgusting. I think I'd feel that way even if I wasn't in college. They got all the money in the world for the rich but they want to do everything they can to hurt the little people who really need the help. There's no compassion in "compassionate conservative."
Now I want to note something by Robert Parry's "Democracy's Battle Joined, Again:"
In recent months, the mainstream press -- humiliated over its credulous coverage of Iraq's nonexistent weapons of mass destruction -- has published a few revelations from government whistleblowers upset over Bush-Cheney abuses. But the major news media still shies away from going so far as to invite a right-wing backlash.
How else to explain why New York Times publisher Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. held the story about Bush's warrantless wiretaps for more than a year, when timely publication before Election 2004 would have given the American voters a chance to deliver a judgment on this extra-legal program. [See Consortiumnews.com's "Spying & the Public's Right to Know."]
Instead of informing the nation, Sulzberger bowed to the administration's demands that the Times spike the story. It was finally published on Dec. 16, 2005, because it was about to be revealed in a book written by one of the reporters, James Risen.
Can't Say Liar
Also note how the mainstream press continues to choke on calling Bush a liar even when the facts are obvious. For instance, the disclosure that Bush signed his order for warrantless wiretaps in 2002 led researchers back to an assurance he made to the American people in a speech in Buffalo, N.Y., on April 20, 2004.
After calling for renewal of the USA Patriot Act, Bush veered off into a broader discussion of wiretaps. "By the way, any time you hear the United States government talking about wiretap, it requires -- a wiretap requires a court order," Bush said. "Nothing has changed, by the way. When we're talking about chasing down terrorists, we're talking about getting a court order before we do so."
Though a clip of Bush's statement was carried on network news programs, it was followed by the White House explanation that Bush was only talking about the Patriot Act. The network news reporters presented that claim as the final word on the subject.
I got familiar with Robert Parry's name thanks to The Common Ills because a lot of members spotlight him. And then I knew from Ava that he was really cool when ABC ticked her off by making a mistake in a press release. And I knew Rebecca really liked him and calls him stuff like "the last real print journalist." But we read his book Losing America for Sunday's book discussion at The Third Estate Sunday Review. He really is a good writer. I'll try to note him more because that's a really good book. Wally and me were on the phone going, "I didn't know that" and "Wait, did you see page . . ." It's a really good book. He has some more books and hopefully we'll read another one soon for a book discussion. I say "hopefully" cause the fact is there is a long list. And there are weeks when we read and are ready for a book discussion and then on Sunday something goes wrong and there's no time or we get it done and it gets lost and we didn't save a draft. Jim and Dona are suggesting we drop down to four books because we're having more people participating (and that's good) and we're having more discussion so they think we might even want to drop down to three. Sometimes, it's a struggle to read five books in one week cause of the work I have to do for my classes and all. So it might be good to drop down to three. But the thing is there is a huge list of books from readers of The Third Estate Sunday Review and we really do look at the list. C.I. is the easiest of all of us because most of the time C.I.'s already read a book by the time someone e-mails to suggest it or if it's something one of us is suggesting. There have probably been four books that C.I.'s had to read for a book discussion.
After C.I. it's probably Betty and Dona because they both love to read and can get through anything. If they stop reading a book, you've written a bad book because they will try to find something, some reason to keep reading. But the rest of us will stop reading at any point if the book just isn't cutting it. And sometimes, there isn't time to do five, so we've done one. If that happens, it has to be a book that one of us really loved. So it's been a lot of fun and it makes me look at books in different ways than I would normally. Helps me understand them better cause someone will see something I missed or something I thought was a small detail and didn't pay much attention to will be really important to someone else.
I'm real glad the book discussions are so popular. Folding Star did a book thing at A Winding Road. And so I think it was Dona who came up with the discussion because no one wants to step on any toes. Books were Folding Star's thing and music is Kat's.
Now there were some e-mails about my suggestion of a gift. I wrote about this on Tuesday. A reader has been dating a woman since a little before Thanksgiving and she wasn't sure what to get her for Christmas. Heather says my suggestion of DVDs were cold and unromantic. She says it should be the woman's favorite perfume. Cody loved my suggestion and says he forwarded it to his girlfriend as a hint. Ma had a problem with the DVDs too because she said if the woman's getting a DVD player and hasn't owned a TV before she may get the DVD player and think, "Well I didn't want that." And then she's got three gifts (TV, DVD player and DVDs) that she's not interested in. So Ma thinks the woman needs to make sure the girlfriend is looking forward to a DVD player before getting her DVDs. Callie says she likes the DVD idea but says she has music DVDs and only watches them a few times and then forgets about them. She says she can watch Bull Durham and What Lies Beneath and anything by Alfred Hitchcock over and over so she thinks it's better to get someone a movie movie on DVD. Dale says to get a braclet. Beau says DVD but a funny movie and not a concert or videos. So maybe that helps in time for Friday shopping.
That's it for tonight. What, you ask, no saying check out Elaine's site?
She hasn't written yet. How do I know? Nina and me pick her up at the airport later tonight.
Elaine's spending Christmas with my family and we're really happy about that. She hopes to write later tonight but Ma pointed out that she's not only worked a full day, she's had to deal with crowded airports and a plane trip so she may be exhausted. But you can still check! :D
democracy now
the common ills
the new york times
torture
taxes
the daily jot
like maria said paz
sex and politics and screeds and attitude
thomas friedman is a great man
kats korner
mikey likes it
the third estate sunday review
I also want to say thank you to C.I. for pointing out that my post went up Tuesday evening. Maureen Dowd did write about PETA, KFC and Pam Anderson in her Wednesday column. Like C.I. said, we must have both had KFC on the brain. But one person saw it at Rebecca's and took me to task for writing what I wrote AFTER I had read Maureen Dowd. He wrote back later to say he saw the thing at The Common Ills with C.I.'s note and checked and saw that my thing went up Tuesday and too soon to have read Dowd's column because those go up around midnight. So either we both had KFC on the brain or we both searched Pam Anderson and PETA and KFC was the first thing we came up with which is probably more likely.
Senate Approves Torture Ban, Denies Gitmo Detainees Right of Appeal
After the ANWR amendment was removed, the Senate unanimously passed a $450 billion dollar defense budget bill. The Senate also approved a ban on torture of detainees in US custody -- a proposal the White House opposed until last week. But in a concession to the Bush administration, the Senate okayed an amendment that removes the right of Guantanamo detainees to appeal their detention in US courts.
We say no to torture but don't give anyone a way to complain if they are tortured at Guantanamo? That's why McCain's thing was such crap. If he was sincere he would have fought against Lindsay Grahm's thing. It kind of nullifies McCain's torture ban.
Cheney Casts Deciding Vote on $40B Cut To Welfare, Student Aid, Medicaid
And in another vote, Senate Republicans managed to pass a fiercely contested $40 billion dollar-budget cutting bill with the tie-breaking vote of Vice President Dick Cheney. The New York Times notes cuts to student aid account for nearly one-third of the budget bill’s savings. Students will be forced to pay higher interest rates, banks will receive lower subsidies for student loans, and eligibility for college aid will be narrowed down. David Ward, president of the American Council on Education, said: "This is the biggest cut in the history of the federal student loan program."
The budget bill also grants states new authority to impose fees and scale back benefits for millions of low-income Medicaid recipients. In addition, the bill imposes stricter work requirements for welfare recipients, and penalizes states for not reducing the number of families on welfare rolls.
Well they had to do something to increase recruitment, right? This is pretty disgusting. I think I'd feel that way even if I wasn't in college. They got all the money in the world for the rich but they want to do everything they can to hurt the little people who really need the help. There's no compassion in "compassionate conservative."
Now I want to note something by Robert Parry's "Democracy's Battle Joined, Again:"
In recent months, the mainstream press -- humiliated over its credulous coverage of Iraq's nonexistent weapons of mass destruction -- has published a few revelations from government whistleblowers upset over Bush-Cheney abuses. But the major news media still shies away from going so far as to invite a right-wing backlash.
How else to explain why New York Times publisher Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. held the story about Bush's warrantless wiretaps for more than a year, when timely publication before Election 2004 would have given the American voters a chance to deliver a judgment on this extra-legal program. [See Consortiumnews.com's "Spying & the Public's Right to Know."]
Instead of informing the nation, Sulzberger bowed to the administration's demands that the Times spike the story. It was finally published on Dec. 16, 2005, because it was about to be revealed in a book written by one of the reporters, James Risen.
Can't Say Liar
Also note how the mainstream press continues to choke on calling Bush a liar even when the facts are obvious. For instance, the disclosure that Bush signed his order for warrantless wiretaps in 2002 led researchers back to an assurance he made to the American people in a speech in Buffalo, N.Y., on April 20, 2004.
After calling for renewal of the USA Patriot Act, Bush veered off into a broader discussion of wiretaps. "By the way, any time you hear the United States government talking about wiretap, it requires -- a wiretap requires a court order," Bush said. "Nothing has changed, by the way. When we're talking about chasing down terrorists, we're talking about getting a court order before we do so."
Though a clip of Bush's statement was carried on network news programs, it was followed by the White House explanation that Bush was only talking about the Patriot Act. The network news reporters presented that claim as the final word on the subject.
I got familiar with Robert Parry's name thanks to The Common Ills because a lot of members spotlight him. And then I knew from Ava that he was really cool when ABC ticked her off by making a mistake in a press release. And I knew Rebecca really liked him and calls him stuff like "the last real print journalist." But we read his book Losing America for Sunday's book discussion at The Third Estate Sunday Review. He really is a good writer. I'll try to note him more because that's a really good book. Wally and me were on the phone going, "I didn't know that" and "Wait, did you see page . . ." It's a really good book. He has some more books and hopefully we'll read another one soon for a book discussion. I say "hopefully" cause the fact is there is a long list. And there are weeks when we read and are ready for a book discussion and then on Sunday something goes wrong and there's no time or we get it done and it gets lost and we didn't save a draft. Jim and Dona are suggesting we drop down to four books because we're having more people participating (and that's good) and we're having more discussion so they think we might even want to drop down to three. Sometimes, it's a struggle to read five books in one week cause of the work I have to do for my classes and all. So it might be good to drop down to three. But the thing is there is a huge list of books from readers of The Third Estate Sunday Review and we really do look at the list. C.I. is the easiest of all of us because most of the time C.I.'s already read a book by the time someone e-mails to suggest it or if it's something one of us is suggesting. There have probably been four books that C.I.'s had to read for a book discussion.
After C.I. it's probably Betty and Dona because they both love to read and can get through anything. If they stop reading a book, you've written a bad book because they will try to find something, some reason to keep reading. But the rest of us will stop reading at any point if the book just isn't cutting it. And sometimes, there isn't time to do five, so we've done one. If that happens, it has to be a book that one of us really loved. So it's been a lot of fun and it makes me look at books in different ways than I would normally. Helps me understand them better cause someone will see something I missed or something I thought was a small detail and didn't pay much attention to will be really important to someone else.
I'm real glad the book discussions are so popular. Folding Star did a book thing at A Winding Road. And so I think it was Dona who came up with the discussion because no one wants to step on any toes. Books were Folding Star's thing and music is Kat's.
Now there were some e-mails about my suggestion of a gift. I wrote about this on Tuesday. A reader has been dating a woman since a little before Thanksgiving and she wasn't sure what to get her for Christmas. Heather says my suggestion of DVDs were cold and unromantic. She says it should be the woman's favorite perfume. Cody loved my suggestion and says he forwarded it to his girlfriend as a hint. Ma had a problem with the DVDs too because she said if the woman's getting a DVD player and hasn't owned a TV before she may get the DVD player and think, "Well I didn't want that." And then she's got three gifts (TV, DVD player and DVDs) that she's not interested in. So Ma thinks the woman needs to make sure the girlfriend is looking forward to a DVD player before getting her DVDs. Callie says she likes the DVD idea but says she has music DVDs and only watches them a few times and then forgets about them. She says she can watch Bull Durham and What Lies Beneath and anything by Alfred Hitchcock over and over so she thinks it's better to get someone a movie movie on DVD. Dale says to get a braclet. Beau says DVD but a funny movie and not a concert or videos. So maybe that helps in time for Friday shopping.
That's it for tonight. What, you ask, no saying check out Elaine's site?
She hasn't written yet. How do I know? Nina and me pick her up at the airport later tonight.
Elaine's spending Christmas with my family and we're really happy about that. She hopes to write later tonight but Ma pointed out that she's not only worked a full day, she's had to deal with crowded airports and a plane trip so she may be exhausted. But you can still check! :D
democracy now
the common ills
the new york times
torture
taxes
the daily jot
like maria said paz
sex and politics and screeds and attitude
thomas friedman is a great man
kats korner
mikey likes it
the third estate sunday review
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Bully Boy keeps lying bout that spying
Good evening. A lot to cover so let's get started with two important things from Democracy Now!
Surveillance Court Judge Resigns in Protest of Bush Spy Program
This news on the Bush administration’s domestic espionage program: the Washington Post is reporting a judge has resigned from the country’s top spy court in protest of the secret program in which the National Security Agency has eavesdropped on Americans without court-approved warrants. U.S. District Judge James Robertson, one of 11 members of the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, submitted his resignation Monday. The court is regarded as the only authority to authorize wire-taps for domestic espionage.
Bully Boy keeps saying it's not big deal. He's lying because those lips keep flapping but more proof because if it wasn't such a big deal, why would Judge Robertson resign.
We were talking about this one, Tony and some of my friends today. Nina goes that Judge Robertson isn't talking about why but people are saying he's been really bothered by things before it came out that Bully Boy was using NSA to spy without a FISA warrent. Tony said he heard that. I'm going, "Where did you hear that?"
They saw it in the first entry this morning at The Common Ills. "NYT: 'Spying Programs Snared U.S. Calls' (James Risen & Eric Lichtblau)" was where C.I. compared and contrasted the New York Times and the Washington Post coverage. Washington Post was the one who broke the story on the judge, Carol D. Leonnig and Dafna Linzer 's "Spy Court Judge Quits In ProtestJurist Concerned Bush Order Tainted Work of Secret Panel." I hadn't read it because I went into work early today to try to grab some extra hours. I didn't even get to hear Democracy Now! until I got home this afternoon and listened online. So I was walking blind all day which felt weird but I wanted to try to make a little more cash because I wanted to bring something nice to Christmas dinner. Ma always knocks herself out cooking like crazy and everyone brings something except me and my sister since we still live at home. I could try to microwave something but I think I'd just be in everyone's way so I'm grabbing something on Saturday. Not sure what so if you got ideas let me know.
Bush in 2004: "Wiretap Requires A Court Order"
President Bush has argued eavesdropping without court-approved warrants is legal under authority granted by Congress shortly after 9/11. But in April of last year President Bush told reporters wire-taps were only conducted with court approval.
President Bush, April 20, 2004: "Now, by the way, any time you hear the United States government talking about wiretap, it requires -- a wiretap requires a court order. Nothing has changed, by the way. When we're talking about chasing down terrorists, we're talking about getting a court order before we do so."
The White House is now claiming Bush was referring only to actions taken under the Patriot Act.
Still having a hard time calling Bully Boy a liar? Shouldn't after that. Tells us a wiretap requires a court order and he was already using the NSA to eavesdrop without a court order. He lied. He should be impeached for spying on Americans and not even bothering to get a warrent.
C.I. noted this already but I have to note it both because it's worth noting and because Dad goes, "Michael, your mother noted it." She did. So here's Matthew Rothschild's "Bush Takes the Crown:"
Add this to the long list of impeachable offenses that George W. Bush has committed, and put it at the top.
The President swears an oath of office that he will uphold the Constitution and faithfully execute the laws of the land.
The law against domestic spying without a warrant he has executed, all right. He shot it in the head.
When The New York Times revealed on December 16 (after sitting on the story for a year and omitting details at the request of Administration officials!) that Bush ordered the National Security Agency to monitor "the international telephone calls and international e-mail messages of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people inside the United States without warrants over the past three years," I expected Bush to deny it or to say he was going to review the policy.
Instead, he is vehemently defending that policy, citing his authority under the Constitution as commander in chief and Congress's authorization to go after Al Qaeda. He did so in his radio address on Saturday and in his press conference on Monday.But these were the very same rationales that the Bush Administration put forward last year at the Supreme Court in the case of Yaser Hamdi, one of the U.S. citizens Bush detained without charge or trial.
The Supreme Court, in an opinion by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, did not buy those arguments at all. "A state of war is not a blank check for the President when it comes to the rights of the nation’s citizens," O'Connor wrote.
I figured because C.I. noted it, that was enough but Dad's right, if Ma cared enough to get it highlighted at The Common Ills, I need to put it up here too.
Nina never asks for a spotlight of any kind but she asked me to note "Governmental spying/snooping." If you missed that, it goes into some of the history of spying on Americans when Nixon was the Bully Boy using a book by Ruth Rosen. Here's a part of it quoting from Rosen's book:
Americans first heard about the Cointelpro program and learned something of its scope when a "Citizens Committee to Investigate the FBI" broke into the FBI office in Media, Pennsylvania, in March 1971, removed secret files, and subsequently leaked them to the press. Soon after Cointelpro was exposed, several agents resigned and blew the whistle on the agency's crimes against ordinary citizens. After Hoover's death in 1972, the agency issued a public apology and vowed to reform itself. In 1975, Senator Frank Church held congressional hearings that further exposed the program and confirmed some of the New Left's and women's movement's worst nightmares.
Ruth Rosen's book is called The World Split Open.
Along with C.I., Wally and Rebecca have been hitting on this issue. And you know Elaine has at Like Maria Said Paz so be sure to check her out.
Motto: The Common Ills community is important and the Common Ills community is important to me. So I'll do my part for the Common Ills community.
democracy now
the common ills
news
iraq
like maria said paz
sex and politics and screeds and attitude
spying
the daily jot
ruth rosen
the world split open
feminism
snoopgate
spying
cointelpro
frank church
church committee
matthew rothschild
Surveillance Court Judge Resigns in Protest of Bush Spy Program
This news on the Bush administration’s domestic espionage program: the Washington Post is reporting a judge has resigned from the country’s top spy court in protest of the secret program in which the National Security Agency has eavesdropped on Americans without court-approved warrants. U.S. District Judge James Robertson, one of 11 members of the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, submitted his resignation Monday. The court is regarded as the only authority to authorize wire-taps for domestic espionage.
Bully Boy keeps saying it's not big deal. He's lying because those lips keep flapping but more proof because if it wasn't such a big deal, why would Judge Robertson resign.
We were talking about this one, Tony and some of my friends today. Nina goes that Judge Robertson isn't talking about why but people are saying he's been really bothered by things before it came out that Bully Boy was using NSA to spy without a FISA warrent. Tony said he heard that. I'm going, "Where did you hear that?"
They saw it in the first entry this morning at The Common Ills. "NYT: 'Spying Programs Snared U.S. Calls' (James Risen & Eric Lichtblau)" was where C.I. compared and contrasted the New York Times and the Washington Post coverage. Washington Post was the one who broke the story on the judge, Carol D. Leonnig and Dafna Linzer 's "Spy Court Judge Quits In ProtestJurist Concerned Bush Order Tainted Work of Secret Panel." I hadn't read it because I went into work early today to try to grab some extra hours. I didn't even get to hear Democracy Now! until I got home this afternoon and listened online. So I was walking blind all day which felt weird but I wanted to try to make a little more cash because I wanted to bring something nice to Christmas dinner. Ma always knocks herself out cooking like crazy and everyone brings something except me and my sister since we still live at home. I could try to microwave something but I think I'd just be in everyone's way so I'm grabbing something on Saturday. Not sure what so if you got ideas let me know.
Bush in 2004: "Wiretap Requires A Court Order"
President Bush has argued eavesdropping without court-approved warrants is legal under authority granted by Congress shortly after 9/11. But in April of last year President Bush told reporters wire-taps were only conducted with court approval.
President Bush, April 20, 2004: "Now, by the way, any time you hear the United States government talking about wiretap, it requires -- a wiretap requires a court order. Nothing has changed, by the way. When we're talking about chasing down terrorists, we're talking about getting a court order before we do so."
The White House is now claiming Bush was referring only to actions taken under the Patriot Act.
Still having a hard time calling Bully Boy a liar? Shouldn't after that. Tells us a wiretap requires a court order and he was already using the NSA to eavesdrop without a court order. He lied. He should be impeached for spying on Americans and not even bothering to get a warrent.
C.I. noted this already but I have to note it both because it's worth noting and because Dad goes, "Michael, your mother noted it." She did. So here's Matthew Rothschild's "Bush Takes the Crown:"
Add this to the long list of impeachable offenses that George W. Bush has committed, and put it at the top.
The President swears an oath of office that he will uphold the Constitution and faithfully execute the laws of the land.
The law against domestic spying without a warrant he has executed, all right. He shot it in the head.
When The New York Times revealed on December 16 (after sitting on the story for a year and omitting details at the request of Administration officials!) that Bush ordered the National Security Agency to monitor "the international telephone calls and international e-mail messages of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people inside the United States without warrants over the past three years," I expected Bush to deny it or to say he was going to review the policy.
Instead, he is vehemently defending that policy, citing his authority under the Constitution as commander in chief and Congress's authorization to go after Al Qaeda. He did so in his radio address on Saturday and in his press conference on Monday.But these were the very same rationales that the Bush Administration put forward last year at the Supreme Court in the case of Yaser Hamdi, one of the U.S. citizens Bush detained without charge or trial.
The Supreme Court, in an opinion by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, did not buy those arguments at all. "A state of war is not a blank check for the President when it comes to the rights of the nation’s citizens," O'Connor wrote.
I figured because C.I. noted it, that was enough but Dad's right, if Ma cared enough to get it highlighted at The Common Ills, I need to put it up here too.
Nina never asks for a spotlight of any kind but she asked me to note "Governmental spying/snooping." If you missed that, it goes into some of the history of spying on Americans when Nixon was the Bully Boy using a book by Ruth Rosen. Here's a part of it quoting from Rosen's book:
Americans first heard about the Cointelpro program and learned something of its scope when a "Citizens Committee to Investigate the FBI" broke into the FBI office in Media, Pennsylvania, in March 1971, removed secret files, and subsequently leaked them to the press. Soon after Cointelpro was exposed, several agents resigned and blew the whistle on the agency's crimes against ordinary citizens. After Hoover's death in 1972, the agency issued a public apology and vowed to reform itself. In 1975, Senator Frank Church held congressional hearings that further exposed the program and confirmed some of the New Left's and women's movement's worst nightmares.
Ruth Rosen's book is called The World Split Open.
Along with C.I., Wally and Rebecca have been hitting on this issue. And you know Elaine has at Like Maria Said Paz so be sure to check her out.
Motto: The Common Ills community is important and the Common Ills community is important to me. So I'll do my part for the Common Ills community.
democracy now
the common ills
news
iraq
like maria said paz
sex and politics and screeds and attitude
spying
the daily jot
ruth rosen
the world split open
feminism
snoopgate
spying
cointelpro
frank church
church committee
matthew rothschild
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Bully Boy keeps on spying and lying
Good evening. We have a question tonight and I'll do my best to answer. But first, we'll start things off with Democracy Now! My first two commentaries are meant to be sarcastic, just FYI.
FBI Spied on Greenpeace, PETA, Catholic Worker
In Washington, newly released documents show counterterrorism agents at the Federal Bureau of Investigation have been monitoring domestic activist groups including Greenpeace, Catholic Worker, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and PETA, the People For the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The documents indicate the F.B.I. monitored protests organized by the groups and used confidential informants inside the organizations to gain intelligence. In one case, government records show the FBI launched a terrorism investigation of PETA in Norfolk, Virginia.
Greenpeace is obviously a dangerous organization. We must all stop buying dolphin safe tuna because the funds from the purchase go to terrorists who wish to impose their will upon us! As for Catholic Workers, if they really did the Lord's work, wouldn't they have their own tax free university? Wouldn't they be rolling in the dough the way Pat Robertson is?
Documents Show FBI Agents Tracked PETA For Years
According to the Washington Post, the documents offer no proof of PETA's involvement in illegal activity. But more than 100 pages of heavily censored FBI files show the agency used secret informants and tracked the group's events for years. The FBI also monitored political activities on college campuses. One FBI file included a contact list for students and peace activists who attended a 2002 conference at Stanford University aimed at ending sanctions then in place in Iraq.
Better spy on PETA because Pamela Anderson's gone after KFC! "They are crammed by the tens of thousands into pens. . . . They routinely suffer broken bones from being bred to be top heavy. . . . KFC refuses to do even the bare minimum . . . " It's like a communique from the Weather Underground! (Thanks to Jess for help with that.) We must stop Striparella! We must put the mastermind of V.I.P. beyond bars! If we don't, the terrorists have won!
After many hours carefully studying the Pamela Anderson Lee & Tommy Lee tape, J-Ass has detected many things that raised his interest. He passed the tape onto Alberto Gonzales for further study. Gonzales is said to be aroused and passionate by the contents of the tape.
Who will save us from Pamela Anderson? Only the Bully Boy!
Reports Expose Growing Domestic Surveillance
This is the third major recent revelation about domestic spying. Last week NBC News revealed the Pentagon has been monitoring peaceful anti-war protesters and the New York Times exposed how President Bush ordered the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on Americans without court-approved warrants. Ann Beeson, of the American Civil Liberties Union said "It's clear that this administration has engaged every possible agency, from the Pentagon to N.S.A. to the F.B.I., to engage in spying on Americans."
Do you get how flimsy the excuses the administration is offering are? They think they can spy on lawful citizens acting on their rights to protest and peaceably assemble. Do you get how insane the country has become under the Bully Boy? We all need to be paying attention to this.
Where do you go for Elaine's take? That's right, Like Maria Said Paz, so check it out.
Now for the heavy math for the day, Pierre Tristam's "Trifler, Fibber, Sophist, Spy:"
The question was answered a few days ago, and confirmed by the president in the last two days. But how. Monday's White House news conference showed President Bush at his craven worst. He defended his decision to authorize spying by citing his reliance on--as he put it--"the constitutional authority to protect our country. Article II of the Constitution gives me that responsibility and the authority necessary to fulfill it." That's the sort of misleading inaccuracy you'd expect from a fast talker in a high school debating match. You don't expect it from a president, though this president has lowered the bar of credible discourse so much that American political discourse usually reeks of barroom skank. Article II does not give the president a blank check to do as he will, in time or peace or war. Article II is pretty specific. It lays out electoral law, qualifications, matters of su! ccession. It states with unequivocal clarity that "President shall communicate to Congress" by various means. It spells out the Oath of Office, which maybe the president had in mind when he referred to the "responsibility and the authority necessary" to protect the country. The Oath, however, says nothing about abrogating all other constitutional powers in deference to the presidency, no matter what the circumstances. To the contrary: "I do solemnly swear(or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of the President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." President Bush is confusing protecting his power and self-fulfilling prerogatives (see "enemy combatants," secret prisons, open-ended detentions without charge, etc.) with protecting and defending the Constitution. Note that Article II considers the president's responsibility toward the Constitution to be supreme--beyond his responsibility to the nation: Principle above immediacy, law above e xpediency. In his news conference Monday Bush simply rewrote the Constitution to suit, soothe and sanction his crimes.
Section 2 of Article II does refer to the president's role as Commander-in-Chief. But here's where this president, like every president since Ronald Reagan, has expressly misread this clause, which says nothing about the president being Commander-in-Chief of the nation--of people like you and me, of the school bus driver, of Exxon's employees, of anybody not wearing a military uniform. "The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into actual Service of the United States." That's all. Grant him the Air Force and the Marines on top of that. But no one, and nothing, else is under his military command. (John Lukacs, the historian, wrote in 2003 of the "unnecessary and unseemly habit" of president's "quite wrong" salutes as they step off planes or choppers, "especially George W. Bush, who steps off his plane a! nd cocks a jaunty salute.") What Section 2 of Article II does require the president to do is seek the advise and consent of Congress son various matters in executive and foreign policy purviews. Blank checks? Extraordinary powers in time of war? Executive privilege? Executive prerogative? Nada, nada, nada, nada. One last thing Article II does address: presidential impeachment in case of conviction of "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors."
Elaine and I both are going to note Wally's "Electronic Peeping Tom Bully Boy". Wally's got a great down rundown of what's going on in the community on the spying story.
Now for today's question. M just started dating her girlfriend the week before Thanksgiving. They're exchanging gifts for Christmas and she's trying to figure out how much to spend. She asked her girlfriend who said, "Spend what you're comfortable with." M says that's no help at all. She says her girlfriend's really into No Doubt and Gwen but has all the CDs. Her girlfriend also likes reading fantasy novels. Clothes are out of the question because her girlfriend got a sweater as an early gift from an aunt that was visiting. She acted like she liked it but the next day returned it and has complained about how if the aunt didn't know what colors she liked, she shouldn't have gotten her clothes. So M doesn't even want to risk it with clothes. She was thinking of jewelry but her girlfriend always wears the same ear rings and isn't any jewelry otherwise. Her girlfriend's father is getting her a DVD player and a TV. Currently her girlfriend doesn't have either. (You read it right, no TV.) So she was thinking maybe she could get her some DVDs?
My advice, get her Gwen's DVD. If she didn't have a player and loves Gwen, she'd probably like that. And if you want to go with more, No Doubt should have a concert DVD and I know they have a DVD with their music videos on it. (My kid sister has that one.)
I forgot to note that Rebecca was covering this issue.
If you've got advice for M, you need to mail by Thursday before I write because she's off Friday and planning to shop for the gift then.
Motto: The Common Ills community is important and the Common Ills community is important to me. So I'll do my part for the Common Ills community.
democracy now
the common ills
news
iraq
irak
noticias
like maria said paz
sex and politics and screeds and attitude
news quizpatriot act
spying
the daily jot
catholic worker
peta
greenpeace
the catholic worker
pam anderson
pamela anderson
FBI Spied on Greenpeace, PETA, Catholic Worker
In Washington, newly released documents show counterterrorism agents at the Federal Bureau of Investigation have been monitoring domestic activist groups including Greenpeace, Catholic Worker, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and PETA, the People For the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The documents indicate the F.B.I. monitored protests organized by the groups and used confidential informants inside the organizations to gain intelligence. In one case, government records show the FBI launched a terrorism investigation of PETA in Norfolk, Virginia.
Greenpeace is obviously a dangerous organization. We must all stop buying dolphin safe tuna because the funds from the purchase go to terrorists who wish to impose their will upon us! As for Catholic Workers, if they really did the Lord's work, wouldn't they have their own tax free university? Wouldn't they be rolling in the dough the way Pat Robertson is?
Documents Show FBI Agents Tracked PETA For Years
According to the Washington Post, the documents offer no proof of PETA's involvement in illegal activity. But more than 100 pages of heavily censored FBI files show the agency used secret informants and tracked the group's events for years. The FBI also monitored political activities on college campuses. One FBI file included a contact list for students and peace activists who attended a 2002 conference at Stanford University aimed at ending sanctions then in place in Iraq.
Better spy on PETA because Pamela Anderson's gone after KFC! "They are crammed by the tens of thousands into pens. . . . They routinely suffer broken bones from being bred to be top heavy. . . . KFC refuses to do even the bare minimum . . . " It's like a communique from the Weather Underground! (Thanks to Jess for help with that.) We must stop Striparella! We must put the mastermind of V.I.P. beyond bars! If we don't, the terrorists have won!
After many hours carefully studying the Pamela Anderson Lee & Tommy Lee tape, J-Ass has detected many things that raised his interest. He passed the tape onto Alberto Gonzales for further study. Gonzales is said to be aroused and passionate by the contents of the tape.
Who will save us from Pamela Anderson? Only the Bully Boy!
Reports Expose Growing Domestic Surveillance
This is the third major recent revelation about domestic spying. Last week NBC News revealed the Pentagon has been monitoring peaceful anti-war protesters and the New York Times exposed how President Bush ordered the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on Americans without court-approved warrants. Ann Beeson, of the American Civil Liberties Union said "It's clear that this administration has engaged every possible agency, from the Pentagon to N.S.A. to the F.B.I., to engage in spying on Americans."
Do you get how flimsy the excuses the administration is offering are? They think they can spy on lawful citizens acting on their rights to protest and peaceably assemble. Do you get how insane the country has become under the Bully Boy? We all need to be paying attention to this.
Where do you go for Elaine's take? That's right, Like Maria Said Paz, so check it out.
Now for the heavy math for the day, Pierre Tristam's "Trifler, Fibber, Sophist, Spy:"
The question was answered a few days ago, and confirmed by the president in the last two days. But how. Monday's White House news conference showed President Bush at his craven worst. He defended his decision to authorize spying by citing his reliance on--as he put it--"the constitutional authority to protect our country. Article II of the Constitution gives me that responsibility and the authority necessary to fulfill it." That's the sort of misleading inaccuracy you'd expect from a fast talker in a high school debating match. You don't expect it from a president, though this president has lowered the bar of credible discourse so much that American political discourse usually reeks of barroom skank. Article II does not give the president a blank check to do as he will, in time or peace or war. Article II is pretty specific. It lays out electoral law, qualifications, matters of su! ccession. It states with unequivocal clarity that "President shall communicate to Congress" by various means. It spells out the Oath of Office, which maybe the president had in mind when he referred to the "responsibility and the authority necessary" to protect the country. The Oath, however, says nothing about abrogating all other constitutional powers in deference to the presidency, no matter what the circumstances. To the contrary: "I do solemnly swear(or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of the President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." President Bush is confusing protecting his power and self-fulfilling prerogatives (see "enemy combatants," secret prisons, open-ended detentions without charge, etc.) with protecting and defending the Constitution. Note that Article II considers the president's responsibility toward the Constitution to be supreme--beyond his responsibility to the nation: Principle above immediacy, law above e xpediency. In his news conference Monday Bush simply rewrote the Constitution to suit, soothe and sanction his crimes.
Section 2 of Article II does refer to the president's role as Commander-in-Chief. But here's where this president, like every president since Ronald Reagan, has expressly misread this clause, which says nothing about the president being Commander-in-Chief of the nation--of people like you and me, of the school bus driver, of Exxon's employees, of anybody not wearing a military uniform. "The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into actual Service of the United States." That's all. Grant him the Air Force and the Marines on top of that. But no one, and nothing, else is under his military command. (John Lukacs, the historian, wrote in 2003 of the "unnecessary and unseemly habit" of president's "quite wrong" salutes as they step off planes or choppers, "especially George W. Bush, who steps off his plane a! nd cocks a jaunty salute.") What Section 2 of Article II does require the president to do is seek the advise and consent of Congress son various matters in executive and foreign policy purviews. Blank checks? Extraordinary powers in time of war? Executive privilege? Executive prerogative? Nada, nada, nada, nada. One last thing Article II does address: presidential impeachment in case of conviction of "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors."
Elaine and I both are going to note Wally's "Electronic Peeping Tom Bully Boy". Wally's got a great down rundown of what's going on in the community on the spying story.
Now for today's question. M just started dating her girlfriend the week before Thanksgiving. They're exchanging gifts for Christmas and she's trying to figure out how much to spend. She asked her girlfriend who said, "Spend what you're comfortable with." M says that's no help at all. She says her girlfriend's really into No Doubt and Gwen but has all the CDs. Her girlfriend also likes reading fantasy novels. Clothes are out of the question because her girlfriend got a sweater as an early gift from an aunt that was visiting. She acted like she liked it but the next day returned it and has complained about how if the aunt didn't know what colors she liked, she shouldn't have gotten her clothes. So M doesn't even want to risk it with clothes. She was thinking of jewelry but her girlfriend always wears the same ear rings and isn't any jewelry otherwise. Her girlfriend's father is getting her a DVD player and a TV. Currently her girlfriend doesn't have either. (You read it right, no TV.) So she was thinking maybe she could get her some DVDs?
My advice, get her Gwen's DVD. If she didn't have a player and loves Gwen, she'd probably like that. And if you want to go with more, No Doubt should have a concert DVD and I know they have a DVD with their music videos on it. (My kid sister has that one.)
I forgot to note that Rebecca was covering this issue.
If you've got advice for M, you need to mail by Thursday before I write because she's off Friday and planning to shop for the gift then.
Motto: The Common Ills community is important and the Common Ills community is important to me. So I'll do my part for the Common Ills community.
democracy now
the common ills
news
iraq
irak
noticias
like maria said paz
sex and politics and screeds and attitude
news quizpatriot act
spying
the daily jot
catholic worker
peta
greenpeace
the catholic worker
pam anderson
pamela anderson
Monday, December 19, 2005
Bully Boy the electronic peeping tom and a news quiz
Good evening. Hope everyone had a great weekend. Hope if you're celebrating Christmas and celebrating it with gifts that you've had time (and money!) to pick up what you need. I have to, have to, have to pick up the gift for my sister this week. I keep putting that off but I'll probably go on Friday. Which means I'll be late posting on Friday. Now let's get to Democracy Now!
Bush Okd Secret Wiretapping of Americans Without Warrants
President Bush has admitted that he secretly ordered the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on Americans without ever seeking constitutionally required court approved warrants. The president initially refused to answer any questions about the secret program but on Saturday he spoke openly about it and defended the practice
President Bush: "I authorized the National Security Agency, consistent with U.S. law and the Constitution, to intercept the international communications of people with known links to al Qaeda and related terrorist organizations."
The admission came just days after NBC News reported the Pentagon has vastly expanded its domestic surveillance operations including the monitoring of peaceful anti-war protesters.
"I broke the law." That's what he's saying. That and "Piss on all of you, I do what I want." He's been appeased and coddled by the press (and the New York Times sat on this story for a year) and you get idiots saying things like, "The dialogue from the left is just getting so rude tsk, tsk."
No, you've been living in the Bully Boy bubble while the rest of us have been speaking truth. You're the joke for sitting there whining about what people are saying or lying about it (like Nicky K did when he was proved he was so quick to slam the left that he didn't even need to read Molly Ivins because calling her a "Bush hater"). You're the joke for thinking a Bully Boy can be coddled.
Sen. Leahy: No More Secret Orders, Secret Courts, Secret Torture
Many legal experts have accused the President of breaking the law by ordering the wiretappings without a court warrant as required under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT): "This warrant-less eavesdropping program is not authorized by the patriot act, it's not authorized by any act of congress, and it's not overseen by any court. And according to reports it has been conducted under a secret presidential order, based on secret legal opinions by the same justice department, lawyers who argued secretly, that the president could order the use of torture. Mr. President, it is time to have some checks and balances in this country, we are a democracy. We are a democracy. Let's have checks and balances, not secret orders and secret courts and secret torture, and on and on."
See, Senator Leahy gets it. This is outrageous, unAmerican, go down the list. And some want to molly coddle the Bully Boy and waste their time whining about how the left needs to "temper" it's language. Lot of useless gas bags and bad writers want to suck up to power. They're like the snitch in a class. They disgrace themselves. Senator Leahy stood proud. He doesn't slink off from a fight. And I'll add shame on someone who used to bark at people that now wasn't the time to be baking cupcakes for today applauding one of the cowards.
Now be sure to check out Like Maria Said Paz for Elaine's take.
Here are ten questions:
1) Who did Bully Boy order to spy by intercepting phone calls and e-mails?
2) The Pentagon's got troubles, lots and lots of troubles. Can't hit those recruitment numbers, Afghanistan would be a nightmare if everyone wasn't pointing at Iraq . . . So with so much to deal with, what new job did the Pentagon take on?
3) Which is true, Eurpoean investigations have found evidence of:
a) Santa Clause
b) Bully Boy having a brain
c) CIA abductions
4) Who is holding a vigil outside Guantanamo?
5) More than 2/3 of Iraqis:
a) love them some Bully Boy
b) love them some Dick Cheney
c) want American troops out
6) To save a few bucks, the Pentagon decided:
a) to really track the costs of all the weapons and weapons systems they purchase
b) to track the quality of what they are purchasing
c) to ship coffins containing military corpses by freight
7) 20,000 soliders were hospitalized after what?
8) What came to a standstill last week in WTO?
9) Where is Rev. Jean-Juste?
10) How many home loans have been rejected for those needing to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina?
Where are the answers? Below.
Here's Maria providing the answers to the questions by running down some of the important headlines from Democracy Now! last week in "'Informe: Bush autorizó programa de NSA para vigilar conversaciones telefónicas y mensajes de correo electrónico' ('Democracy Now!'):"
Maria: Hola. De parte de "Democracy Now!" diez cosas que vale hacer notar este fin de semana. Paz.
Informe: Bush autorizó programa de NSA para vigilar conversaciones telefónicas y mensajes de correo electrónico
El "New York Times" informa que la Agencia de Seguridad Nacional (NSA por sus siglas en inglés) ha estado escuchando secretamente conversaciones de ciudadanos estadounidenses y extranjeros sin órdenes judiciales. Al amparo de una decisión del gobierno de Bush promulgada en 2002, la Agencia ha controlado las llamadas internacionales y mensajes de correo electrónico de posiblemente miles de personas dentro del país. La misión de la Agencia de Seguridad Nacional es espiar las comunicaciones en el extranjero. Aunque los funcionarios dijeron que por lo menos dos posibles atentados habían sido descubiertos mediante este programa, la mayoría de las personas espiadas por la NSA nunca fueron acusadas de un crimen. El "Times" dice que retrasó la publicación del artículo luego de un pedido del gobierno de Bush, hace por lo menos un año. El "Times" también dice que, a pedido de la Casa Blanca, omitió cierta información que según funcionarios del gobierno podía ser útil para los terroristas. Esta información se dio a conocer dos días después de que NBC News reveló que el Pentágono ha llevado registros detallados sobre las actividades de los grupos en contra de la guerra de todo el país.
El Pentágono monitorea eventos contra la guerra en todo el país
Mientras tanto, NBC News informa que el Pentágono ha desarrollado una amplia vigilancia de actos y reuniones de grupos pacíficos contra la guerra en todo el país. Una base de datos de las Fuerzas Armadas obtenida por esa cadena de noticias enumera una lista de pequeñas reuniones y movilizaciones de activistas entre 1.500 "incidentes sospechosos" durante un período de 10 meses. En la lista figura una reunión en un local cuáquero de Lake North, Florida, para planificar una protesta contra el reclutamiento militar en institutos de enseñanza secundaria. En total, la base de datos contenía una lista de casi 50 reuniones y manifestaciones contra la guerra.
Investigación europea cita evidencia de secuestros e interpretaciones de la CIA
En Europa, una investigación oficial sobre la existencia de prisiones secretas de la CIA descubrió evidencia que, según se informó, confirma recientes acusaciones de que agentes estadounidenses secuestraron y transportaron a detenidos en el territorio europeo. En un informe provisorio presentado el martes, Dick Marty, el senador suizo que dirige la investigación para el Consejo de Europa, escribió: "La información reunida hasta la fecha refuerza la credibilidad de las acusaciones sobre el transporte y detención temporaria de detenidos, fuera de todo proceso judicial, en países europeos". Marty también criticó a la Secretaria de Estado Condoleezza Rice por no dar una explicación adecuada durante su visita a Europa la semana pasada. Marty dijo que había pedido a Rumania y a Polonia información específica sobre las acusaciones de que en esos países hay prisiones secretas. Ambos países negaron esta acusación. Marty dijo que cree que las prisiones secretas fueron clausuradas y trasladadas a África del Norte.
Activistas estadounidenses realizan vigilia fuera de prisión de Guantánamo
Un grupo de activistas estadounidenses comenzó una vigilia cerca de la prisión militar estadounidense en Bahía de Guantánamo. Integrantes del grupo Witness Against Torture (Testigo contra la Tortura) marcharon durante cinco días en Cuba hasta llegar a Guantánamo. Funcionarios militares rechazaron su solicitud de reunirse con alguno de los cerca de 500 prisioneros que están detenido sin acusación. Escuchamos a Frida Berrigan hablando fuera de Guantánamo: "Estamos ayunando, la mayoría de nosotros solamente ingiere agua. Algunas personas beben jugo. Quizá mediante el poder de la plegaria sentirán nuestra presencia, nuestra solidaridad. Al mismo tiempo llamamos a las personas de Estados Unidos a que soliciten al presidente Bush, a Donald Rumsfeld, que se comuniquen con la base en Guantánamo, para que nos dejen ingresar a visitar a los prisioneros, a visitar a los soldados, a los soldados estadounidenses que están aquí. Y para que abran este moderno corazón de la oscuridad a la luz del día y a la luz del escrutinio del mundo".
Escuchábamos a Frida Berrigan de Witness Against Torture.
Encuesta: Más de dos tercios de los iraquíes se oponen a la presencia de soldados estadounidenses
En Irak, ABC News y la revista "Time" realizaron una encuesta nacional a los iraquíes antes de las elecciones de esta semana. La encuesta descubrió que más de dos tercios de los consultados se oponían a la presencia de soldados estadounidenses en Irak. Tan solo el 44 por ciento dijo sentir que el país está mejor ahora que antes de la guerra.
Pentágono acusado de enviar ataúdes en flete de aerolíneas comerciales
En otras noticias sobre la guerra de Irak, una familia de San Diego cuyo hijo murió en Irak, se quejó ante el Pentágono luego de enterarse de que las fuerzas armadas trasladaron el cuerpo de su hijo a California en un flete de una aerolínea comercial. El ataúd de Matthew Holley, que murió en Irak el mes pasado, habría sido colocado en la bodega de un avión, junto con maletas y otra carga.
Informe: 20.000 soldados hospitalizados luego de recibir vacuna de ántrax
En otras noticias militares, una investigación realizada por "Daily Press" de Virginia, reveló que 20.000 soldados fueron hospitalizados en los últimos años luego de que se les inyectara una vacuna de ántrax. El diario acusó al Pentágono de haber mentido públicamente acerca de la cantidad de soldados que requerían ser hospitalizados para persuadir al Congreso y a la opinión pública de que la vacuna era segura. "Daily Press" también reveló que al menos tres soldados contrajeron la fatal enfermedad de Lou Gehrig luego de recibir la vacuna
Conversaciones de la OMC paralizadas en Hong Kong
En Hong Kong, divisiones considerables entre los países industrializados y los países en desarrollo, en la Conferencia Ministerial de la Organización Mundial de Comercio, reducen las expectativas de lograr acuerdos significativos antes de que terminen las conversaciones el domingo.
El Comisario de Comercio de la Union Europea, Peter Mandelson, dijo: "Es difícil ver cómo puede lograrse un progreso en Hong Kong si las conversaciones continúan en la dirección que van. No quiero pensar en un fracaso en Hong Kong, por lo mucho que está en juego. De todos modos, no veo que sentido tendría un resultado que simplemente se encierre en una ambición escasa, disminuya los beneficios para los países en desarrollo y no abarque nuestras responsabilidades con la economía mundial".
Los negociadores se estancaron en una serie de asuntos clave de comercio. El jueves, el Grupo de los 77, coalición de 132 países africanos, del Pacífico y caribeños del Tercer Mundo, anunció que rechazará cualquier acuerdo que elimine la protección de sus granjeros y el acceso a los mercados extranjeros. Otro grupo de países en desarrollo, el Grupo de los 20, que representa a la mitad de la población mundial, acusa a Estados Unidos y a la Unión Europea de retrasar las conversaciones al negarse a recortar los subsidios estatales a la agricultura.
Mientras tanto, fuera de el encuentro, miles de manifestantes se siguen haciendo escuchar.
Alison Woodhead, de Oxfam, dijo: "En teoría, el sistema debería funcionar, pero hoy en día es manipulado a favor de los países más ricos. Los países ricos se benefician de las normas del acuerdo tal y como están. Pueden proteger sus propios mercados y destruir los mercados de los países más pobres".
Miembros del Congreso exhortan a Bush a que presione por la liberación del sacerdote Jean-Juste
Y seis miembros del Congreso enviaron una carta al presidente Bush exhortando al gobierno estadounidense a que exija la liberación del sacerdote haitiano Gerard Jean-Juste, que se encuentra en prisión. Antes de su encarcelamiento en julio, se pensaba que Jean-Juste sería el principal candidato de Familia Lavalas, el partido del presidente derrocado Jean Bertrand Aristide, si esa fuerza política se presentaba en las próximas elecciones de Haití. Amnistía Internacional lo declaró "prisionero de conciencia". Un médico estadounidense que lo revisó en prisión informó que Jean-Juste tenía síntomas de varias enfermedades graves, entre ellas cáncer. En la carta, los congresistas, entre ellos la demócrata de California Maxine Waters, le escribieron a Bush: "Su acción en este momento crítico podría salvar la vida de este gentil sacerdote".
Informe: El gobierno rechaza más de 77 mil solicitudes de préstamos para vivienda de evacuados por Katrina
En Estados Unidos, el "New York Times" informa que el gobierno negó préstamos a decenas de miles de familias de la costa del Golfo de México para reconstruir sus hogares perdidos o dañados debido al huracán Katrina. Según el "Times", la Administración de Pequeñas Empresas, el organismo federal a cargo del principal programa de recuperación de empresas y propietarios tras el desastre, procesó sólo un tercio de las 276 mil solicitudes de préstamos recibidas. El gobierno rechazó el 82 por ciento de las solicitudes de préstamos para vivienda que fueron analizadas, en total más de 77 mil solicitudes. En Nueva Orleans, parece que el otorgamiento de préstamos es mucho mayor para las áreas ricas de la ciudad que para las pobres. Herbert Mitchell, director del programa de asistencia tras el desastre de la Administración de Pequeñas Empresas, dijo al "Times" que el gobierno no puede arriesgar el dinero de los contribuyentes otorgándole préstamos a personas de bajos ingresos o que tengan una historia crediticia pobre. Mitchell dijo: "Simplemente nos manejamos con los datos demográficos de la zona".
Maria: Now in English, here are twelve headlines fom Democracy Now! Remember that the headlines are provided daily in English and Spanish and please get the word out. Peace.
Report: Bush-Enacted NSA Program Monitors Phone Conversations, E-Mails
The New York Times is reporting the National Security Agency has been eavesdropping on U.S. citizens and foreign nationals without court-approved warrants. Under a Bush administration directive enacted in 2002, the agency has monitored the international phone calls and e-mails of hundreds, and possibly thousands of people inside the country. The National Security Agency’s mission is to spy on communications abroad. Although officials said the program had helped thwart at least two potential attacks, most people monitored by the N.S.A. have never been charged with a crime.The Times says it delayed publishing details of the program after a request from the Bush administration at least one year ago. At the request of the White House, the Times also says it has omitted information administration officials said could be useful to terrorists. The disclosure comes two days after NBC News revealed the Pentagon has kept detailed records on the events and meetings of anti-war groups across the country.
Pentagon Monitoring Anti-War Events Across the Country
Meanwhile, NBC News is reporting the Pentagon has been extensively monitoring the events and gatherings of peaceful anti-war groups across the country. A military database obtained by the network lists small activist meetings and events among 1,500 "suspicious incidents" over a 10-month period. The events included a gathering at a Quaker Meeting House in Lake Worth, Florida, to plan a protest of military recruiting at local high schools. In total, the database listed over four dozen anti-war meetings or protests.
European Investigation Finds Evidence of CIA Abductions
In Europe, an investigation into the existence of secret CIA prisons has found evidence that reportedly bolsters recent allegations U.S. operatives kidnapped and transferred detainees on European soil. In an interim report submitted Tuesday, Dick Marty, the Swiss parliamentarian heading the investigation for the Council of Europe, wrote : "the information gathered to date reinforced the credibility of the allegations concerning the transport and temporary detention of detainees -- outside all judicial procedure -- in European countries." Marty also criticized Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for not giving an adequate explanation during a visit to Europe last week.
Marty said he has asked Romania and Poland for specific information concerning allegations the countries played host to the secret prisons. Both countries have denied this charge. Marty said he believes the secret prisons have been shut down and moved to North Africa.
U.S. Activists Hold Vigil Outside Guantanamo
A group of U.S. activists have begun a vigil near the gates of the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay. Members of the group Witness Against Torture walked for five days across Cuba to reach Guantanmo. Military officials rejected their request to meet with any of the 500 or so prisoners who are being held without charges.
Peace activist Frida Berrigan: "We're fasting, most of us fasting just on water. Some people drinking some juice. Fasting and praying, and hoping that our intentions reach the prisoners. That somehow through the power of prayer, they will feel our presence, feel our solidarity. At the same time we're calling on people in the United States to call President Bush, to call Donald Rumsfeld, to get in touch with the base here in Guatanamo, so that we might be let in to visit the prisoners, to visit the soldiers, American soldiers here. And to open up this modern heart of darkness to the light of day and to the light of world scrutiny."
Poll: More Than 2/3 of Iraqis Oppose U.S. Troops
In Iraq, ABC News and Time Magazine have conducted a nationwide poll of Iraqis ahead of this week's elections. It found that more than two thirds of those surveyed oppose the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq. Only 44 percent of the country feels the country is better off now that it was before the war.
Pentagon Accused of Shipping Coffins in Freight in Commercial Airlines
In other news on the Iraq war - a San Diego family whose son died in Iraq has complained to the Pentagon after it learned that the military transported their son's body to California as freight on a commercial airline. The coffin of Matthew Holley who died in Iraq last month was reportedly stuffed in the belly of a plane along with suitcases and other cargo.
Report: 20,000 Soldiers Hospitalized After Anthrax Vaccine
In other military news - an investigation by the Daily Press of Virginia has revealed that 20,000 soldiers have been hospitalized in recent years after receiving an anthrax vaccine. The paper accused the Pentagon of publicly low-balling the number of troops that required hospitalization in order to persuade Congress and the public that the vaccine was safe. The Daily Press also revealed that at least three soldiers developed the fatal Lou Gehrig's disease after receiving the vaccine.
WTO Talks At Standstill in Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, considerable divisions between industrialized and developing countries at the ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization are lowering expectations for significant agreements before talks end Sunday.
European Union Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson: "It is hard to see where progress can be achieved in Hong Kong if talks continue in their present direction. I do not want to contemplate failure at Hong Kong. So much is at stake. Equally, I see no point in an outcome here that simply locks in low ambition, diminishes benefits for developing countries and falls short of our responsibilities to the global economy."
EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson. Negotiations have stalled on a number of key trade issues. On Thursday, the Group of 77 -- the coalition of 132 African, Caribbean and Pacific countries in the Third World -- announced they would reject any deal that eliminates protections for their farmers and access to foreign markets. Another group of developing nations, the Group of 20 -- which represents half the world’s population -- accused the US and European Union of holding up talks by refusing to cut state agricultural subsidies.Meanwhile, outside the meetings, thousands of protesters continue to make their voices heard.Oxfam's Alison Woodhead: "The system in theory should work, but at the moment it's rigged in favour of the richest countries. The rich countries benefit from the trade rules as they exist at the moment. They're able to protect their own markets and destroy the markets of poorer countries."
Congressmembers Press for Release of Rev. Jean-Juste
And six members of Congress have sent a letter to President Bush urging the US government to demand the release of jailed Haitian priest Gerard Jean-Juste. Before his imprisonment in July, Jean-Juste was considered to be the leading candidate for the Family Lavalas -- the party of ousted Presdient Jean Bertrand Aristide -- were it to run in Haiti's upcoming elections. Amnesty International has called him a "prisoner of conscience." An American medical doctor who examined him in prison two weeks ago reported Jean-Juste has displayed symptoms of a number of serious medical conditions, including cancer. In the letter, the congressmembers, including California Democrat Maxine Waters, write Bush: "Your action at this critical time could save the life of this gentle priest."
Over 77,000 Katrina Home Loan Applications Rejected
In this country, the New York Times is reporting hundreds of thousands of Gulf Coast families are being denied government loans to rebuild homes lost or damaged in Hurricane Katrina. According to the Times, the Small Business Administration -- the federal agency in charge of the main disaster recovery program for businesses and homeowners -- has processed only a third of the 276,000 loan applications it has received. Of those that have been reviewed, the government has rejected 82 percent of home loan applications -- over 77,000 rejections. In New Orleans, approved loans appear to be heavily tilted towards wealthy neighborhoods over poor ones. Herbert Mitchell, director of the Small Business Administration’s disaster assistance program, told the Times the government could not risk taxpayer money by lending to people with low incomes or poor credit history. Mitchell said: "We're just dealing with the demographics in the area."
Be sure to check out C.I.'s "NYT: Raymond Bonner on Guantanamo Detainee, Linda Greenhouse on Jose Padilla's case."
Motto: The Common Ills community is important and the Common Ills community is important to me. So I'll do my part for the Common Ills community.
democracy now
the common ills
news
iraq
irak
noticias
like maria said paz
sex and politics and screeds and attitude
news quiz
patriot act
spying
Bush Okd Secret Wiretapping of Americans Without Warrants
President Bush has admitted that he secretly ordered the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on Americans without ever seeking constitutionally required court approved warrants. The president initially refused to answer any questions about the secret program but on Saturday he spoke openly about it and defended the practice
President Bush: "I authorized the National Security Agency, consistent with U.S. law and the Constitution, to intercept the international communications of people with known links to al Qaeda and related terrorist organizations."
The admission came just days after NBC News reported the Pentagon has vastly expanded its domestic surveillance operations including the monitoring of peaceful anti-war protesters.
"I broke the law." That's what he's saying. That and "Piss on all of you, I do what I want." He's been appeased and coddled by the press (and the New York Times sat on this story for a year) and you get idiots saying things like, "The dialogue from the left is just getting so rude tsk, tsk."
No, you've been living in the Bully Boy bubble while the rest of us have been speaking truth. You're the joke for sitting there whining about what people are saying or lying about it (like Nicky K did when he was proved he was so quick to slam the left that he didn't even need to read Molly Ivins because calling her a "Bush hater"). You're the joke for thinking a Bully Boy can be coddled.
Sen. Leahy: No More Secret Orders, Secret Courts, Secret Torture
Many legal experts have accused the President of breaking the law by ordering the wiretappings without a court warrant as required under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT): "This warrant-less eavesdropping program is not authorized by the patriot act, it's not authorized by any act of congress, and it's not overseen by any court. And according to reports it has been conducted under a secret presidential order, based on secret legal opinions by the same justice department, lawyers who argued secretly, that the president could order the use of torture. Mr. President, it is time to have some checks and balances in this country, we are a democracy. We are a democracy. Let's have checks and balances, not secret orders and secret courts and secret torture, and on and on."
See, Senator Leahy gets it. This is outrageous, unAmerican, go down the list. And some want to molly coddle the Bully Boy and waste their time whining about how the left needs to "temper" it's language. Lot of useless gas bags and bad writers want to suck up to power. They're like the snitch in a class. They disgrace themselves. Senator Leahy stood proud. He doesn't slink off from a fight. And I'll add shame on someone who used to bark at people that now wasn't the time to be baking cupcakes for today applauding one of the cowards.
Now be sure to check out Like Maria Said Paz for Elaine's take.
Here are ten questions:
1) Who did Bully Boy order to spy by intercepting phone calls and e-mails?
2) The Pentagon's got troubles, lots and lots of troubles. Can't hit those recruitment numbers, Afghanistan would be a nightmare if everyone wasn't pointing at Iraq . . . So with so much to deal with, what new job did the Pentagon take on?
3) Which is true, Eurpoean investigations have found evidence of:
a) Santa Clause
b) Bully Boy having a brain
c) CIA abductions
4) Who is holding a vigil outside Guantanamo?
5) More than 2/3 of Iraqis:
a) love them some Bully Boy
b) love them some Dick Cheney
c) want American troops out
6) To save a few bucks, the Pentagon decided:
a) to really track the costs of all the weapons and weapons systems they purchase
b) to track the quality of what they are purchasing
c) to ship coffins containing military corpses by freight
7) 20,000 soliders were hospitalized after what?
8) What came to a standstill last week in WTO?
9) Where is Rev. Jean-Juste?
10) How many home loans have been rejected for those needing to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina?
Where are the answers? Below.
Here's Maria providing the answers to the questions by running down some of the important headlines from Democracy Now! last week in "'Informe: Bush autorizó programa de NSA para vigilar conversaciones telefónicas y mensajes de correo electrónico' ('Democracy Now!'):"
Maria: Hola. De parte de "Democracy Now!" diez cosas que vale hacer notar este fin de semana. Paz.
Informe: Bush autorizó programa de NSA para vigilar conversaciones telefónicas y mensajes de correo electrónico
El "New York Times" informa que la Agencia de Seguridad Nacional (NSA por sus siglas en inglés) ha estado escuchando secretamente conversaciones de ciudadanos estadounidenses y extranjeros sin órdenes judiciales. Al amparo de una decisión del gobierno de Bush promulgada en 2002, la Agencia ha controlado las llamadas internacionales y mensajes de correo electrónico de posiblemente miles de personas dentro del país. La misión de la Agencia de Seguridad Nacional es espiar las comunicaciones en el extranjero. Aunque los funcionarios dijeron que por lo menos dos posibles atentados habían sido descubiertos mediante este programa, la mayoría de las personas espiadas por la NSA nunca fueron acusadas de un crimen. El "Times" dice que retrasó la publicación del artículo luego de un pedido del gobierno de Bush, hace por lo menos un año. El "Times" también dice que, a pedido de la Casa Blanca, omitió cierta información que según funcionarios del gobierno podía ser útil para los terroristas. Esta información se dio a conocer dos días después de que NBC News reveló que el Pentágono ha llevado registros detallados sobre las actividades de los grupos en contra de la guerra de todo el país.
El Pentágono monitorea eventos contra la guerra en todo el país
Mientras tanto, NBC News informa que el Pentágono ha desarrollado una amplia vigilancia de actos y reuniones de grupos pacíficos contra la guerra en todo el país. Una base de datos de las Fuerzas Armadas obtenida por esa cadena de noticias enumera una lista de pequeñas reuniones y movilizaciones de activistas entre 1.500 "incidentes sospechosos" durante un período de 10 meses. En la lista figura una reunión en un local cuáquero de Lake North, Florida, para planificar una protesta contra el reclutamiento militar en institutos de enseñanza secundaria. En total, la base de datos contenía una lista de casi 50 reuniones y manifestaciones contra la guerra.
Investigación europea cita evidencia de secuestros e interpretaciones de la CIA
En Europa, una investigación oficial sobre la existencia de prisiones secretas de la CIA descubrió evidencia que, según se informó, confirma recientes acusaciones de que agentes estadounidenses secuestraron y transportaron a detenidos en el territorio europeo. En un informe provisorio presentado el martes, Dick Marty, el senador suizo que dirige la investigación para el Consejo de Europa, escribió: "La información reunida hasta la fecha refuerza la credibilidad de las acusaciones sobre el transporte y detención temporaria de detenidos, fuera de todo proceso judicial, en países europeos". Marty también criticó a la Secretaria de Estado Condoleezza Rice por no dar una explicación adecuada durante su visita a Europa la semana pasada. Marty dijo que había pedido a Rumania y a Polonia información específica sobre las acusaciones de que en esos países hay prisiones secretas. Ambos países negaron esta acusación. Marty dijo que cree que las prisiones secretas fueron clausuradas y trasladadas a África del Norte.
Activistas estadounidenses realizan vigilia fuera de prisión de Guantánamo
Un grupo de activistas estadounidenses comenzó una vigilia cerca de la prisión militar estadounidense en Bahía de Guantánamo. Integrantes del grupo Witness Against Torture (Testigo contra la Tortura) marcharon durante cinco días en Cuba hasta llegar a Guantánamo. Funcionarios militares rechazaron su solicitud de reunirse con alguno de los cerca de 500 prisioneros que están detenido sin acusación. Escuchamos a Frida Berrigan hablando fuera de Guantánamo: "Estamos ayunando, la mayoría de nosotros solamente ingiere agua. Algunas personas beben jugo. Quizá mediante el poder de la plegaria sentirán nuestra presencia, nuestra solidaridad. Al mismo tiempo llamamos a las personas de Estados Unidos a que soliciten al presidente Bush, a Donald Rumsfeld, que se comuniquen con la base en Guantánamo, para que nos dejen ingresar a visitar a los prisioneros, a visitar a los soldados, a los soldados estadounidenses que están aquí. Y para que abran este moderno corazón de la oscuridad a la luz del día y a la luz del escrutinio del mundo".
Escuchábamos a Frida Berrigan de Witness Against Torture.
Encuesta: Más de dos tercios de los iraquíes se oponen a la presencia de soldados estadounidenses
En Irak, ABC News y la revista "Time" realizaron una encuesta nacional a los iraquíes antes de las elecciones de esta semana. La encuesta descubrió que más de dos tercios de los consultados se oponían a la presencia de soldados estadounidenses en Irak. Tan solo el 44 por ciento dijo sentir que el país está mejor ahora que antes de la guerra.
Pentágono acusado de enviar ataúdes en flete de aerolíneas comerciales
En otras noticias sobre la guerra de Irak, una familia de San Diego cuyo hijo murió en Irak, se quejó ante el Pentágono luego de enterarse de que las fuerzas armadas trasladaron el cuerpo de su hijo a California en un flete de una aerolínea comercial. El ataúd de Matthew Holley, que murió en Irak el mes pasado, habría sido colocado en la bodega de un avión, junto con maletas y otra carga.
Informe: 20.000 soldados hospitalizados luego de recibir vacuna de ántrax
En otras noticias militares, una investigación realizada por "Daily Press" de Virginia, reveló que 20.000 soldados fueron hospitalizados en los últimos años luego de que se les inyectara una vacuna de ántrax. El diario acusó al Pentágono de haber mentido públicamente acerca de la cantidad de soldados que requerían ser hospitalizados para persuadir al Congreso y a la opinión pública de que la vacuna era segura. "Daily Press" también reveló que al menos tres soldados contrajeron la fatal enfermedad de Lou Gehrig luego de recibir la vacuna
Conversaciones de la OMC paralizadas en Hong Kong
En Hong Kong, divisiones considerables entre los países industrializados y los países en desarrollo, en la Conferencia Ministerial de la Organización Mundial de Comercio, reducen las expectativas de lograr acuerdos significativos antes de que terminen las conversaciones el domingo.
El Comisario de Comercio de la Union Europea, Peter Mandelson, dijo: "Es difícil ver cómo puede lograrse un progreso en Hong Kong si las conversaciones continúan en la dirección que van. No quiero pensar en un fracaso en Hong Kong, por lo mucho que está en juego. De todos modos, no veo que sentido tendría un resultado que simplemente se encierre en una ambición escasa, disminuya los beneficios para los países en desarrollo y no abarque nuestras responsabilidades con la economía mundial".
Los negociadores se estancaron en una serie de asuntos clave de comercio. El jueves, el Grupo de los 77, coalición de 132 países africanos, del Pacífico y caribeños del Tercer Mundo, anunció que rechazará cualquier acuerdo que elimine la protección de sus granjeros y el acceso a los mercados extranjeros. Otro grupo de países en desarrollo, el Grupo de los 20, que representa a la mitad de la población mundial, acusa a Estados Unidos y a la Unión Europea de retrasar las conversaciones al negarse a recortar los subsidios estatales a la agricultura.
Mientras tanto, fuera de el encuentro, miles de manifestantes se siguen haciendo escuchar.
Alison Woodhead, de Oxfam, dijo: "En teoría, el sistema debería funcionar, pero hoy en día es manipulado a favor de los países más ricos. Los países ricos se benefician de las normas del acuerdo tal y como están. Pueden proteger sus propios mercados y destruir los mercados de los países más pobres".
Miembros del Congreso exhortan a Bush a que presione por la liberación del sacerdote Jean-Juste
Y seis miembros del Congreso enviaron una carta al presidente Bush exhortando al gobierno estadounidense a que exija la liberación del sacerdote haitiano Gerard Jean-Juste, que se encuentra en prisión. Antes de su encarcelamiento en julio, se pensaba que Jean-Juste sería el principal candidato de Familia Lavalas, el partido del presidente derrocado Jean Bertrand Aristide, si esa fuerza política se presentaba en las próximas elecciones de Haití. Amnistía Internacional lo declaró "prisionero de conciencia". Un médico estadounidense que lo revisó en prisión informó que Jean-Juste tenía síntomas de varias enfermedades graves, entre ellas cáncer. En la carta, los congresistas, entre ellos la demócrata de California Maxine Waters, le escribieron a Bush: "Su acción en este momento crítico podría salvar la vida de este gentil sacerdote".
Informe: El gobierno rechaza más de 77 mil solicitudes de préstamos para vivienda de evacuados por Katrina
En Estados Unidos, el "New York Times" informa que el gobierno negó préstamos a decenas de miles de familias de la costa del Golfo de México para reconstruir sus hogares perdidos o dañados debido al huracán Katrina. Según el "Times", la Administración de Pequeñas Empresas, el organismo federal a cargo del principal programa de recuperación de empresas y propietarios tras el desastre, procesó sólo un tercio de las 276 mil solicitudes de préstamos recibidas. El gobierno rechazó el 82 por ciento de las solicitudes de préstamos para vivienda que fueron analizadas, en total más de 77 mil solicitudes. En Nueva Orleans, parece que el otorgamiento de préstamos es mucho mayor para las áreas ricas de la ciudad que para las pobres. Herbert Mitchell, director del programa de asistencia tras el desastre de la Administración de Pequeñas Empresas, dijo al "Times" que el gobierno no puede arriesgar el dinero de los contribuyentes otorgándole préstamos a personas de bajos ingresos o que tengan una historia crediticia pobre. Mitchell dijo: "Simplemente nos manejamos con los datos demográficos de la zona".
Maria: Now in English, here are twelve headlines fom Democracy Now! Remember that the headlines are provided daily in English and Spanish and please get the word out. Peace.
Report: Bush-Enacted NSA Program Monitors Phone Conversations, E-Mails
The New York Times is reporting the National Security Agency has been eavesdropping on U.S. citizens and foreign nationals without court-approved warrants. Under a Bush administration directive enacted in 2002, the agency has monitored the international phone calls and e-mails of hundreds, and possibly thousands of people inside the country. The National Security Agency’s mission is to spy on communications abroad. Although officials said the program had helped thwart at least two potential attacks, most people monitored by the N.S.A. have never been charged with a crime.The Times says it delayed publishing details of the program after a request from the Bush administration at least one year ago. At the request of the White House, the Times also says it has omitted information administration officials said could be useful to terrorists. The disclosure comes two days after NBC News revealed the Pentagon has kept detailed records on the events and meetings of anti-war groups across the country.
Pentagon Monitoring Anti-War Events Across the Country
Meanwhile, NBC News is reporting the Pentagon has been extensively monitoring the events and gatherings of peaceful anti-war groups across the country. A military database obtained by the network lists small activist meetings and events among 1,500 "suspicious incidents" over a 10-month period. The events included a gathering at a Quaker Meeting House in Lake Worth, Florida, to plan a protest of military recruiting at local high schools. In total, the database listed over four dozen anti-war meetings or protests.
European Investigation Finds Evidence of CIA Abductions
In Europe, an investigation into the existence of secret CIA prisons has found evidence that reportedly bolsters recent allegations U.S. operatives kidnapped and transferred detainees on European soil. In an interim report submitted Tuesday, Dick Marty, the Swiss parliamentarian heading the investigation for the Council of Europe, wrote : "the information gathered to date reinforced the credibility of the allegations concerning the transport and temporary detention of detainees -- outside all judicial procedure -- in European countries." Marty also criticized Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for not giving an adequate explanation during a visit to Europe last week.
Marty said he has asked Romania and Poland for specific information concerning allegations the countries played host to the secret prisons. Both countries have denied this charge. Marty said he believes the secret prisons have been shut down and moved to North Africa.
U.S. Activists Hold Vigil Outside Guantanamo
A group of U.S. activists have begun a vigil near the gates of the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay. Members of the group Witness Against Torture walked for five days across Cuba to reach Guantanmo. Military officials rejected their request to meet with any of the 500 or so prisoners who are being held without charges.
Peace activist Frida Berrigan: "We're fasting, most of us fasting just on water. Some people drinking some juice. Fasting and praying, and hoping that our intentions reach the prisoners. That somehow through the power of prayer, they will feel our presence, feel our solidarity. At the same time we're calling on people in the United States to call President Bush, to call Donald Rumsfeld, to get in touch with the base here in Guatanamo, so that we might be let in to visit the prisoners, to visit the soldiers, American soldiers here. And to open up this modern heart of darkness to the light of day and to the light of world scrutiny."
Poll: More Than 2/3 of Iraqis Oppose U.S. Troops
In Iraq, ABC News and Time Magazine have conducted a nationwide poll of Iraqis ahead of this week's elections. It found that more than two thirds of those surveyed oppose the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq. Only 44 percent of the country feels the country is better off now that it was before the war.
Pentagon Accused of Shipping Coffins in Freight in Commercial Airlines
In other news on the Iraq war - a San Diego family whose son died in Iraq has complained to the Pentagon after it learned that the military transported their son's body to California as freight on a commercial airline. The coffin of Matthew Holley who died in Iraq last month was reportedly stuffed in the belly of a plane along with suitcases and other cargo.
Report: 20,000 Soldiers Hospitalized After Anthrax Vaccine
In other military news - an investigation by the Daily Press of Virginia has revealed that 20,000 soldiers have been hospitalized in recent years after receiving an anthrax vaccine. The paper accused the Pentagon of publicly low-balling the number of troops that required hospitalization in order to persuade Congress and the public that the vaccine was safe. The Daily Press also revealed that at least three soldiers developed the fatal Lou Gehrig's disease after receiving the vaccine.
WTO Talks At Standstill in Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, considerable divisions between industrialized and developing countries at the ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization are lowering expectations for significant agreements before talks end Sunday.
European Union Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson: "It is hard to see where progress can be achieved in Hong Kong if talks continue in their present direction. I do not want to contemplate failure at Hong Kong. So much is at stake. Equally, I see no point in an outcome here that simply locks in low ambition, diminishes benefits for developing countries and falls short of our responsibilities to the global economy."
EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson. Negotiations have stalled on a number of key trade issues. On Thursday, the Group of 77 -- the coalition of 132 African, Caribbean and Pacific countries in the Third World -- announced they would reject any deal that eliminates protections for their farmers and access to foreign markets. Another group of developing nations, the Group of 20 -- which represents half the world’s population -- accused the US and European Union of holding up talks by refusing to cut state agricultural subsidies.Meanwhile, outside the meetings, thousands of protesters continue to make their voices heard.Oxfam's Alison Woodhead: "The system in theory should work, but at the moment it's rigged in favour of the richest countries. The rich countries benefit from the trade rules as they exist at the moment. They're able to protect their own markets and destroy the markets of poorer countries."
Congressmembers Press for Release of Rev. Jean-Juste
And six members of Congress have sent a letter to President Bush urging the US government to demand the release of jailed Haitian priest Gerard Jean-Juste. Before his imprisonment in July, Jean-Juste was considered to be the leading candidate for the Family Lavalas -- the party of ousted Presdient Jean Bertrand Aristide -- were it to run in Haiti's upcoming elections. Amnesty International has called him a "prisoner of conscience." An American medical doctor who examined him in prison two weeks ago reported Jean-Juste has displayed symptoms of a number of serious medical conditions, including cancer. In the letter, the congressmembers, including California Democrat Maxine Waters, write Bush: "Your action at this critical time could save the life of this gentle priest."
Over 77,000 Katrina Home Loan Applications Rejected
In this country, the New York Times is reporting hundreds of thousands of Gulf Coast families are being denied government loans to rebuild homes lost or damaged in Hurricane Katrina. According to the Times, the Small Business Administration -- the federal agency in charge of the main disaster recovery program for businesses and homeowners -- has processed only a third of the 276,000 loan applications it has received. Of those that have been reviewed, the government has rejected 82 percent of home loan applications -- over 77,000 rejections. In New Orleans, approved loans appear to be heavily tilted towards wealthy neighborhoods over poor ones. Herbert Mitchell, director of the Small Business Administration’s disaster assistance program, told the Times the government could not risk taxpayer money by lending to people with low incomes or poor credit history. Mitchell said: "We're just dealing with the demographics in the area."
Be sure to check out C.I.'s "NYT: Raymond Bonner on Guantanamo Detainee, Linda Greenhouse on Jose Padilla's case."
Motto: The Common Ills community is important and the Common Ills community is important to me. So I'll do my part for the Common Ills community.
democracy now
the common ills
news
iraq
irak
noticias
like maria said paz
sex and politics and screeds and attitude
news quiz
patriot act
spying
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)