Johnny Been Good

THE KERRY LOVE-FEST!
The convention ended last night and Kerry was nominated as expected. I'm all for ousting Bush but the war mongering and glorification of the military was almost more than I could take. Their squashing of dissent on the convention floor was decidedly something Ashcroft would be proud of. The highlights for me were Gore's speech, Obama's speech and Sharpton's speech. It was also good to hear Howard Dean and Dennis Kucinich.
Kerry's speech was ok but I do not see how he is going to do any of that without at least either the Senate or House in dem control. Of course having the White House makes a difference. They control much of the federal policy.



Warning: This article is wickedly honest!
www.commondreams.org
Johnnie Been Good?
by Greg Palast


The millionaires are dancing now. The balloons are falling on John Kerry, John Edwards and their nuclear families.

They're playing "Johnnie B. Goode" over the loudspeakers. Democrats are hopping up and down like JFK never went to Dallas; like Bill Clinton didn't blow it for us; like there's a chance to bring the boys home alive; like America can crawl out of Dick Cheney's bunker and look at the sun again.

But has Johnnie Kerry been good so far?

He told us tonight about some poor bastard in Ohio whose job evaporated when his company unbolted the equipment and sent it south. Hey, Johnnie, didn't you vote for NAFTA?

I applauded when he said the White House should stop treating teachers and school kids like fugitives from justice and help them out. But, Johnnie, didn't you vote for George Bush's "No Child's Behind Left" assault on public education?

Then there was that little story meant to show us all he is a Man for All Seasons, above party politics. "I broke with many in my own party," he said, "to vote for a balanced budget, because I thought it was the right thing to do." No, John, it wasn't. It was craven political cowardice, going with the anti-government hysteria that put a knife into the heart of the programs you cried over tonight.

He told us the sad story of the poor homeless guy huddled in front of the White House. Is this the same John Kerry that voted for Clinton's welfare "reform"? That put a five-year limit on food stamps, making child starvation the law of the USA. At least Ronald Reagan offered ketchup as a vegetable.

Kerry made good use of the cash he saved on feeding the poor. "I fought to put a 100,000 cops on the street." Hey, thanks, John.

But my absolute favorite of the night was when Kerry told us, "Saying there are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq doesn't make it so. As President, I will ask hard questions and demand hard evidence."

But, as Senator, you didn't. No questions asked: you just closed your eyes and voted for the lie. I know it, and you sure as hell know it.

And you mentioned a time or two tonight that you served your country. Got yourself a medal for it, too. I'm sorry, but shooting a Vietnamese teenager in the back who was defending his country doesn't make you a hero.

Yesterday, my buddy Michael Moore and I held a press conference in Boston. Some joker of a reporter asked Mr. Fahrenheit about Kerry's gung-ho keep'm-in-Baghdad position. Michael fudged and fidgeted. I felt bad for him as he faked the answer, "President Kerry would not have sent us to war." But as Senator, Kerry did.

I've got an easier job than Michael: as a journalist I don't have to defend any candidate. Nevertheless, I know that my Democratic Party friends will want to ship me to Guantanamo for asking, "You believe in Kerry, but does he believe in you?"

Remember, comrades, I'm only asking questions, here. I'm sorry if the answers make you uncomfortable about your favorite rich guy.

I know what you're going to say. "Isn't Bush worse?"

By a long shot. Asking if Kerry is as bad as Bush is like asking if a slap in the face is as painful as a brick to the skull.

But don't you get tired of being slapped around by privileged politicos on hypocrisy hyper-drive -- then having to applaud? It can't be pleasant, no matter how many pretty balloons they drop on your head.

Greg Palast will appear this Sunday on ABC TV, Channel 7 New York, at noon, with Gil Noble, "Like It Is." Noble will preview Palast's coming film, "Bush Family Fortunes," with music by Moby, available September 28 on DVD.

Greg Palast is the author of the New York Times bestseller, 'The Best Democracy Money Can Buy' and 'Joker's Wild: George Bush's House of Cards' regime change deck.

PEACE OUT!

Every Vote Counts

Anyone who knows me is aware of how I have been a part of the draftgore movement over the last year. (I wish there was a better word to use than "draft.") I along with several others laughed, cried and hoped that Gore would somehow get into this race and take back the White House to be the President we need right now. Well, it didn't happen. Not the way we wanted it to anyway and as Gore took the stage tonight the tears flowed. My heart aches for what could have been but I know we must go on. Here is a link and snippet of Gore's speech.
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/conventions/articles/2004/07/26/text_of_gores_speech_at_dnc/

Friends, fellow Democrats, fellow Americans, I'll be candid with you. I had hoped to be back here this week under different circumstances, running for re-election.

But you know the old saying: You win some, you lose some. And then there's that little-known third category.

I didn't come here tonight to talk about the past. After all, I don't want you to think I lie awake at night counting and recounting sheep.

I prefer to focus on the future because I know from my own experience that America is a land of opportunity, where every little boy and girl has a chance to grow up and win the popular vote.

In all seriousness, I am deeply grateful for the opportunity you have given me to serve America. I want to to thank you as Democrats for the honor of being your nominee for president four years ago. And I want to thank the American people for the privilege of serving as vice president.

And most of all, I want to thank my family with all my heart my children and grandchildren, and especially my beloved partner in life, Tipper.

I love this country deeply, and even though I always look to the future with optimism and hope I do think it is worth pausing for just a moment as we begin this year's convention, to take note of two very important lessons from four years ago.

The first lesson is this: Take it from me -- every vote counts.

In our democracy, every vote has power. And never forget: that power is yours. Don't let anyone take it away or talk you into throwing it away.

And let's make sure that this time every vote is counted. Let's make sure not only that the Supreme Court does not pick the next president, but also that this president is not the one who picks the next Supreme Court.

The second lesson from 2000 is this: What happens in a presidential election matters. A lot.

The outcome profoundly affects the lives of all 293 million Americans and people in the rest of the world too. The choice of who is president affects your life and your family's future.

More.....

Dissent is Now Dangerous

Published on Monday, July 26, 2004 by CommonDreams.org

Dissent is Now Dangerous

by Steven Laffoley

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0726-12.htm

A young pastor with a peace pin, a retired landscaper with a bumper sticker, and a poorly dressed filmmaker with a populist streak. In America, they are dangerous dissenters. At least, many now believe so. Freeport, Maine is a wonderland of American consumer capitalism. Its pristine nineteenth century buildings on a narrow main street give the familiar comfort of small town America - with the comfortable familiarity of big mall brand names: L.L. Bean, Abercrombie and Fitch, The Gap, Polo. And times are good among the wealthy in America. The street is jammed with well-dressed people carrying bags in both hands. First Parish Church is also on the main street. It too was built in the nineteenth century. Out front, on the grass, sits a white, wooden peace sign three feet across. Inside, curved pews and arches pull the viewer's attention to the front stain glass window. Below that, two men talk by the pulpit. They see me and come to talk. Ted is in his early sixties and wears a tee shirt and ball cap with the local fire department insignia. He speaks with a thick, Maine accent. Next to Ted stands the Reverend, John. He is younger, not yet 40. Passionate about their church, they describe it in detail - its history and its congregation of 100 or so. After a while, I ask them about the peace sign on the grass. Reverend John tells me it was made by local high school students celebrating the life of Martin Luther King. I ask how the tourists, given the war, have reacted to the sign. The two men talk of some hostility, some vandalism. I ask about the congregation and where they stand on the war. "Split down the middle," says Ted. "We work," offers Reverend John, "to find, common ground." He is uncertain, though. Common ground in America isn't so common. Ted says he supports the president, the war. But he is restrained. He notices the peace pin on my notebook. We talk for a while more, and then Ted leaves. Reverend John and I continue talking as we walk toward the exit. At the door I ask, "Where do you stand on the war?" He sighs and then glances past me to the street. No one is near. "If I weren't the pastor," he says pointing at my notebook, "I'd be wearing that pin." He has to be careful, he says. He wants to keep his job. We nod at each other as though we're sharing a conspiracy. John is scared. Dissent is now unchristian. The next morning, at the hotel, I have a coffee in the common room. I'm alone until an older man enters. Bald, with a barrel chest and a red face, he greets me heartily, "Good mornin'." He gets his coffee, sits on the opposite couch, and starts talking. "I'm Lou," he says, "from St. Louis." Lou is retired landscaper who talks rapidly of his family, his life, and his recent travels around America. While sipping his coffee, he notices my peace pin. He leans forward and lowers his voice. "Takes guts to wear that," he says. Again, I share conspiratorial whispers. Lou "admits" he is a moderate Democrat. "Back home, after a lot of thought," he says, "I put a 'Kerry for President' bumper sticker on my truck. It was weird. On the highway, people were honkin' at me and givin' me the finger. Occasionally, someone would drive by and give me thumbs up. But truthfully, I got nervous. I thought someone might pull a gun." Lou is scared. Dissent is now undemocratic. Late that night, I watch news on MSNBC. The commentator is yelling. A quote from filmmaker Michael Moore flashes on the screen. It reads: more American soldiers may have to die before America realizes this war is wrong. The commentator is spitting bile. "Michael Moore," he shouts into the camera, "is calling for the death of Americans. He is anti-American. A traitor. Why isn't the Democratic Party disavowing this dangerous dissenter? Why isn't Senator Kerry distancing himself from Michael Moore? Does he agree with him?" The commentator is flushed with rage. Dissent is now un-American. In the local newspaper, buried on page twelve, I read that the Bush administration is test flying the conditions necessary for postponing the November election. A terrorist attack? A hurricane? An earthquake, perhaps? I find myself wondering: is the "dissent" of pastors, landscapers, and filmmakers enough? It is then that I realize: I am scared. After all, in America, dissent is now dangerous. The author is a school principal, teacher, and columnist for the Daily News in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. E-mail address: stevenlaffoley@yahoo.ca ###

Wonderful article. Thank you Steven. It is very scary that a minister is afraid to wear a peace pin.
As for the Kerry sticker...its not even dissent. Its political free speech...someone is running for office..its called democracy. He isn't complaining about anything. What do these people not understand about living in a free country?

The Home Affront

The Home Affront
They fight for us, obediently. Yet in conflict after conflict, American soldiers are injected, gassed, medicated, experimented on, exposed to chemicals, and given faulty weapons and equipment by their own government. Then they come home to vanishing veterans benefits and Pentagon stonewalling.

by Rick Anderson

(Getty Images) About the Author Seattle Weekly writer Rick Anderson started his newspaper career as a copy boy for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. From there, he went to the Skagit Valley Herald, the Daily Olympian, the Hayward, Calif., Daily Review, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Tri-City Herald, the P-I again, The Seattle Times, then Seattle Weekly. And he’s still broke. This article is drawn from Home Front: The Government’s War on Soldiers (Clarity Press, 2004), a book that grew out of a story Anderson wrote for SW—“Crippled Home Front” (April 9, 2003). That article drew wide response and is displayed at numerous Web sites, including that of Arlington National Cemetery. Anderson will read from and sign Home Front on July 30 at 6 p.m. at Third Place Books in Bothell; Aug. 10, 7:30 p.m., at Elliott Bay Book Co. in Seattle; Aug. 26, 7 p.m., at University Book Store in Seattle; and Aug. 27, 7:30 p.m., at Village Bookstore in Bellingham.

Toney Edwards met his daughter around midnight in the hallway at Fort Sam Houston’s Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas. Prepare for a shock, she told Toney and his wife as they entered the hospital room that night in 1998. The father edged to the bedside and peered down at the distorted face of his Army son, Kevin. Toney flinched. The boy’s face reminded him of something he’d seen in Vietnam: a battered, swollen GI, the victim of friendly fire. N One of America’s 26.4 million war veterans, father Toney had joined the Army 30 years earlier, going from the backwoods of Virginia to become an airborne soldier in the Vietnam jungles, where he was exposed to the herbicide Agent Orange. “The Army gave me a life,” he liked to say—and then add that the life included post-traumatic stress disorder and maybe prostate cancer, linked, he thinks, to the chemical defoliants he was told were harmless to humans. It had been tough to live with his military memories. Now he had to face living with his son’s as well. N Hovering over Kevin, Toney was confused. How could the boy suffer such an injury? The father had witnessed members of his own unit in ’Nam after they were hit with napalm fired by U.S. aircraft. Their faces looked seared, inflated, cockeyed. N Did Kevin’s Army truck turn over? Was there a fire? An explosion? N Say what? An inoculation? N Moments after being given, under orders, a shot of anthrax vaccine while on duty in Korea, Army Spc. Kevin Edwards lapsed into a partial coma and stopped breathing. While being airlifted by helicopter to a hospital, he was given a tracheotomy. N The stab of vaccine was supposed to protect him. Instead, it put him near death and cost him part of his eyesight.

For the rest of the story, the link is at the bottom of the photo on the left. It is quite lenghty and is a small part of the book, America's War on Soldiers.
How could anyone want to join the military after reading this? How could anyone be for a draft after reading something like this? There needs to be a change in the military and in the way it treats its people.

Once again, the people need to stand up to those in authority and say, "We're not going to take it!"

This is a book I will consider buying and I recommend it to young persons who are considering joining the military.

http://www.seattleweekly.com/features/0428/040714_news_homefront.php

Challenging the Voter Purge

This week, Greg Palast, the author of "The Best Democracy Money Can Buy" and Jessie Jackson from Rainbow Push have gone to Washington, DC to ask the Civil Rights Commission to demand the Justice Department look into the voter purge and launch a criminal investigation. Whether or not the Justice department will comply remains to be seen.
It is about time someone has demanded a criminal investigation. I guess they were waiting until it was too late to get Al Gore in the White House.(sigh..I know)
The "purge" has gotten a bit more attention as of late since it has been revealed that Hispanic voters were not targeted in the purge as were African Americans. Hispanic voters in Florida are more likely to vote Republican. Back in 2002, no one ever talked about the "purge." It was all about chads. "Oh those Democrats just don't know how to vote," some said. The British knew, but most Americans were left in the dark. They swallowed the lie that "Earth in the Balance's" Al Gore lost by 537 votes fair and square. They accepted the Supreme Court's decision stopping the recount; a decision with no precedent and a decision most legal scholars feel has no merit. Al Gore even had to accept it..or go nuts.
In this political climate, I do not see the Justice Department expressing any interest in persuing this. It is not in their political interest to do so. The Justice Department used to act independently of partisan politics. Not so now.

Illinois Politics and more

It is official: Mike Ditka will not be running for the Senate. Barak Obama is as of yet, unchallenged. That is amazing. Please try to catch him at the Democratic Convention on July 27th.
Of course, Al Gore will be appearing on July 26th..Monday. He should be accepting the Nomination..for re-election but will instead be giving a speech before Bill Clinton. May it be as fiery as is his style as of late. We all go on.. although it is hard not to imagine what could have been.

Imagine a State of the Union address where the President talks about global warming and climate change instead of Weapons of Mass Destruction, war and fear. We as a people can take our country back. It isn't just dem vs rep. It is so much more than party politics. We need leadership that will not lead us to the gates of oblivion.

Why Are People Powerful?

Why are people powerful? We live in a democracy, right? We vote on issues. Or do we? We do get to vote for candidates and the candidates then vote for the issue we favor. That's how it works, right? So is that a democracy? Actually it is more of a Republic...a Republican government if you will.

With this Presidential election coming up, many are confused. Those I deal with do not want Bush to win and want the Democratic candidate, Kerry to win. But how much will things really change? Really it is all up to us. If Kerry wins, we must still fight for our civil liberties and an end to the War in Iraq.

It is in the hands of the people.

This blog will emphasize several issues. Civil Liberties, the People's right to control their lives, resistance to a possible military draft that will include our girls as well as boys,and other issues dealing with the election. Many of my beliefs are Libertarian in nature and sometimes I side with Republicans rather than Democrats.

Please feel free to add comments.
Erin