The first 15 links on Reddit.com this morning were all about impeaching Bush and Cheney. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Of course, that doesn’t mean any of these articles have any weight or are even related to impeachment.
Category: Politics
Political commentary and awareness
Knox County Schools Let’s Me Know Who’s Boss
Rant. You know, it’s the schools that will lead America away from democracy.
Of course people don’t want war
"Of course the people don’t want war. But after all, it’s the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it’s always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it’s a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger."
— Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials
Boston Summed Up For the Media!
Image: Ed Adkins, who lives in Guam, has a memo for big media outlets he believes are botching the hell out of the Boston LED terror story.
Again, thank you Boing Boing!
Blinky lights in Boston bad! Fake pipe bombs OK.
…investigators believe a former hospital employee planted the phony bomb in an office at 185 Harrison Ave. He has been identified but has not been charged… [Source]
Let me tell you about Boston
The Terrorists Won
On September 11, 2001 terrorists (for the conspiracy minded, domestic; for all others, foreign) set out to change the lifestyle of the American people. Now we send people to prison for half their lives (5 years per count times 9 counts) over a little non-permanent, vandalism.
Mayor Menino said, "It is outrageous, in a post 9/11 world, that a company would use this type of marketing scheme. I am prepared to take any and all legal action against Turner Broadcasting and its affiliates for any and all expenses incurred during the response to today’s incidents. …" [Source]
I’m sorry. If you are that stupid, maybe you should not be mayor! Fear mongering over something harmless is an outrage. The threat of terrorism today is not that much different than it was in the 1970s. (modern international terrorism started in 1968)
Terrorism has not changed since the 70s
Although the terrorist threat was known and understood in the 1990s, spending on national security went down during that decade, which affected both counterterrorism and intelligence. With limited resources, there were other intelligence failures, such as the sarin gas attacks in Japan. At the time of the attack, the Aum Shinrikyo cult was “simply not on the radar” because there were not enough intelligence analysts to research potential Asian terrorism. [Source]
So instead of bringing down the iron curtain…
"Why are you travelling so often to Canada?" the tough U.S. border guard barked. I was on Amtrak, going from New York to Montreal, as I’d done dozen of times before over several decades. This was my first experience (summer 2006) of the increasingly standard and intrusive "U.S. Exit Interviews" on trains crossing the border. Source
…and making American’s prisoners on their own soil, shreading the Constitution, hassling people instead of being nice, wasting time and money on useless security tactics (at the airports) for the sake of show, and stealing away the freedoms that have made this country great, we should be giving the intelligence community more analysts and resources to do their job (and their job is NOT to randomly stop teenagers in Maine).
Summary
Blindly following our leaders, not protesting for our rights, couch potato voting, forgetting to love our neighbors, and simply neglecting to use common sense has radically changed the American lifestyle. The terrorists won! And unless the American people stand up and take charge the American way of life will continue to deteriorate until a new revolution comes.
The only thing that the employees of Interference Inc should be charged with is littering!
You know. Maybe the people that are running our government are just too old. Perhaps we should change things to be "if you are OVER 35, you cannot hold an elected office." The more I watch and read, the more I am convinced this is no different than the bands that cover telephone poles and sides of buildings with flyers and bumper stickers, or the guys that pull over at an intersection, extend a 20 foot ladder, and put up a sign for their yard cleaning service, except that these signs had blinky lights.
More video responses:
- The Zebroshow has this video with great clips of the morons that have lost their minds (warning! adult language!)
- Peter Berdovsky, 27, and Sean Stevens, 28, giving this matter the seriousness it deserves, talked about hair at the press conference. The reports sound like jerks.
- Another video of the buildings being tagged
- ATHF Mayhem of the Mooninites
- ATHF Revenge of the Mooninites
News and responses:
- Non-Terrorist Embarrassment in Boston at Schneier on Security: "The story is almost too funny to write about seriously."
- Many young Bostonians think city overreacted "’We’re the laughingstock,’ resident says after cartoon signs prompt scare"
- Good coments regarding the press conference Citizens are pissed at Boston.
- Wil Wheaton chimes in "You know, if the goal of terrorists and the whole point of terrorism is to scare the shit out of us so badly that we leap ten feet in the air whenever someone says ‘boo,’ then the terrorists are clearly kicking our national asses." (Digg comments)
- ABC Who is at fault poll "69.1% local, state and federal authorities overreacted" (Digg comments)
- Refuse to be Terrorized
The point of terrorism is to cause terror, sometimes to further a political goal and sometimes out of sheer hatred. The people terrorists kill are not the targets; they are collateral damage. And blowing up planes, trains, markets or buses is not the goal; those are just tactics.
The real targets of terrorism are the rest of us: the billions of us who are not killed but are terrorized because of the killing. The real point of terrorism is not the act itself, but our reaction to the act.
And we’re doing exactly what the terrorists want.
- Labels for YOUR street art project thanks to Boing Boing
- Coincidentally, two fake pipe bombs were discovered in Boston unrelated to the ATHF advertising and the suspect was NOT arrested.
I-3 is about Oak Ridge!
From the minute I learned about the proposed Interstate 3, I said, "read between the lines, and this road is about moving depleted uranium to port." Obviously this is evident to other was well. See the Stop I-3 Coalition letter of January 12, 2007.
Our interest in nuclear matters stems from the fact that the proposed highway would connect the Y-12 Plant at Oak Ridge with the Savannah River Site in the Augusta area and the Port of Savannah. We have noted with concern that the I-3 proposal coincides with a considerable effort on the part of the government and a number of utility companies to increase nuclear weapons programs and nuclear power activities, including waste reprocessing, and the concentration of these activities in the Southeast. We are convinced that should I-3 ever be built it would become a convenient route for the traffic in radioactive materials which would arise from Complex 2030 and the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership, as well as expected routing of nuclear wastes and plutonium through the area. [Source]
The United States of Switzerland
Universal National Service Act of 2007 (Introduced in House)
So, in your busy lives, do you have time to pay attention to what your Congress is doing? If not, you may find that you have to take time out of your busy life to spend two years in the military unless you are under 18 or over 42. This is straight from The Library of Congress.
H. R. 393 To require all persons in the United States between the ages of 18 and 42 to perform national service, either as a member of the uniformed services or in civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security, to authorize the induction of persons in the uniformed services during wartime to meet end-strength requirements of the uniformed services, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make permanent the favorable treatment afforded combat pay under the earned income tax credit, and for other purposes. [Source]
This bill was introduced by Charles B. Rangel who, according to wikipedia, has "repeatedly called for the government to bring back the draft" with his justification being that a draft would make our military more representative of the American people rather than consisting of the poor and minority groups.
Rangel, "There’s no question in my mind that this president and this administration would never have invaded Iraq, especially on the flimsy evidence that was presented to the Congress, if indeed we had a draft and members of Congress and the administration thought that their kids from their communities would be placed in harm’s way[.]" Source
So, is HR 393 a sellout or a genuine belief that 7 out 10 people are missing the concept of the benefit of the draft?
Rangel is generally thought of as an ideologically committed liberal, but also someone who can be a pragmatic deal-maker. …Rangel is also noteworthy for his willingness to risk arrest for participating in political protests. [Source]
Interestingly enough, the last time Rangel proposed the draft, he voted against his own bill.
In 2003, Rangel introduced HR 163; legislation that would draft both men and women between the ages of 18-26 starting as early as June 2005. It was defeated 402-2 the following year in the House of Representatives, with Rangel voting against his own bill. Source
For more information see this AP article from November 19 and commentary at Knoxviews. Contact your representative and let them know you views. Contacting your representative is about as easy as reading this post.
Andy Griffith vs. Patriot Act
I know most people have seen this by now but it’s great! These values made America great!
Good Comedy Tonight: “The State of the Union Show”
I know the comedian’s punchline to his best joke has already been leaked: "Your privatized health care system gives you too many benefits" so I thought I would give you some additional background to make the humor even greater.
…most Americans are unaware that the United States is the only country in the developed world that doesn’t already have a fundamentally public–that is, tax-supported–health care system.
That means that the United States has been the unwitting control subject in a 30-year, worldwide experiment comparing the merits of private versus public health care funding…
So, instead of getting on the air tonight and saying that we are spoiled with our lousy health care, shouldn’t Mr. President get on the air and declare that we are going to begin moving toward Universal Health Care?
There are many common arguments for and against universal health care. Those in favor of universal health care often point out that it would provide health care to the people who currently do not have it. Opponents of universal health care often argue that universal healthcare may require higher taxes. These opponents also claim that the absence of a market mechanism may slow innovation in treatment and research, and leads to rationing of care through waiting lists. Both sides of the political spectrum have also looked to more philosophical arguments, debating whether or not people have a fundamental right to have health care provided to them by their government. [Source]
I wonder how the 50 million uninsured Americans are going to respond to the president’s "Gold-plated health care plans".
I wonder if they realize some people have to pay more just to get some basic coverage because they are identified as uninsurable by health insurance companies. [Source]
Hmmm. Canada? I wonder what the education is like up there. Let’s see. Socialized health care. Less infant mortality and longer life at less cost. Legalized marijuana. Oh! I get it. Isn’t Canada where all the hippies went instead of Vietnam? Eh?
Eye candy for the politicos
Republican babes! Because Dems aren’t the only sexy people.
Send the bloggers to Guantánamo!
Are bloggers journalists? If so, will we see bloggers taking Guantánamo vacations without due process?
A last-minute addition to a federal spending bill at the end of the last U.S. Congress now makes civilians eligible for military courts-martial. With the addition of just five words…makes civilian government employees and journalists eligible for prosecution under the Uniform Code of Military Justice…civilians prosecuted in military court don’t receive a grand jury hearing and are tried by members of the military, rather than by a jury of their peers. [Source]
Stephen Colbert Does His Job Well
Give Free Hugs – Get Harassed By The Man
You know.. I could see apprehensive people thinking "this perv is looking for a cheap feel" or "what a creative way to get a date" but the guy isn’t doing either. He is genuinely giving love. Watch the video and see the smiles he brings. The joy. The bonding and community. Then, in response, our society tries to take him down. Douse the good. Make a negative from a positive. But there is hope and the community rebounds and gives back what Juan Mann started. The community gives love and where Juan Mann first supported them and brought them up, they in turn help him. It’s a good watch.
Read the story behind the serial hugger Juan Mann.
Juan Mann (pronounced one man) is a play on words, but the hugger insisted his rules included no names, no phone numbers, no relationships and no dates. [Source]
Bush Supporters Are Nuts!
And the funniest thing I read this week:
Lohse, a social work master’s student at Southern Connecticut State University, says he has proven what many progressives have probably suspected for years: a direct link between mental illness and support for President Bush. [Source]
