Austin Monsanto March

If you're going to protest, know what you are talking about when they turn the camera on you.

Way to go Mr. "Know GMO, No GMO" guy!!! Kudos for being passionate, succinct, informed and present. 

The video refers you to this link about the upcoming nation-wide rally.  Research SB 510 for yourself and determine if it is worth your time to get involved.


 Video from the rally at the Texas Capital Building on March 26, 2011. I had hoped to be there to take photos, but was out of the country.

Thank You Senator Mike Doherty

It is unfortunate that Mr. Doherty and others are having to go to these lengths to protect the 4th amendment, but I am glad he is doing so. I took the following text directly from his legislative site:

New Jersey Senator Michael Doherty (R-Warren, Hunterdon) announced today that he has introduced three pieces of legislation drafted to eliminate any immunity TSA agents might enjoy when violating New Jersey law during unnecessary and invasive airport screenings:

“For more than a month now, the TSA has quite literally stuck their finger in the eye of law-abiding American citizens while trampling on their constitutionally guaranteed liberties,” Doherty stated. “We call upon every state legislature in our great country to immediately act to put our federal government on notice that the dignity of our citizens shall not be the cost of a failed federal open border policy.”

The following bills were introduced:

*Makes certain body searches third degree crime of sexual assault under certain circumstances. View as PDF.

*Prohibits use of body imaging scanners to screen passengers and airline crew members. View as PDF.

*Specifies that certain images generated by body scans violate State statutes, prohibiting invasion of privacy, pornography, and endangerment of child welfare under certain circumstances. View as PDF.

“All of these bills remove any claim that TSA agents are immune to any state statutes that they violate when searching passengers or crew,” Doherty concluded. “If we don’t take strong action against these violations, where will it lead? Today planes, tomorrow trains and buses, what then? Will the drive to the market be viewed as a ‘privilege,’ the walk to church? Will we stand upon the slippery slope of paranoia that leads to invasive searches becoming a way of daily life, or say ‘No’ and defend our rights to privacy now while we still have them.”Senator Doherty has launched an online petition to support his efforts to stop invasive TSA screening procedures at www.stopthetsa.org.

The News and Ron Paul

This illustrates where we are with "news" in the United States.  I am not going to take a stance (other than my quotation marks), but would love to hear your point of view.  I have listed the "news" anchors responses to Ron Paul's words below the clip.

Mark Haines: "This is not going as planned"

ErinBurnett: "No it is not"

MarkHaines: "We were told that there would be a very limited number of opening statements, and it seems to be getting out of control."

ErinBurnett: "Here’s what we forgot, everybody is taking this live, you know what that means? Why would they miss an opportunity for free air time?"

MarkHaines: "We’re going to take a commercial break and get them out of the way, so that when something really substandard [hahaha-think he meant substantial] is happening, we don’t have to interrupt them."

Putting out the fires?

I'm just too exhausted to blog tonight, but felt that this was an appropriate cartoon adressing our misdirected priorities.  The only thing missing in the image is the bankers strolling out, loaded with cash.

Goodnight and have a pleasant tomorrow.

National Debt Too Big for the National Debt Clock

Jon Stewart's moment of Zen last night:  

At one point in time, I supported the idea of the National Debt Clock to raise the financial awareness of Americans.  Now, I think it is important that we turn the thing off.  Think of all the energy spent lighting up all those numbers.

Quote of the Day - U.S. Constitution

"All bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills." 

~Article 1, Section 7

United States Constitution

Jim Rogers on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Insolvency

Jim Rogers speaks about insolvency of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Thanks to an Austin reader who brought my attention to this one.

Letter to Lamar Smith re: Economic Stabilization Bill

Thankfully, the vote to have working Americans pay for the golden parachutes of crooks and liars fell short today.  You can read the verbiage of the bill here.  The bill failed 205 to 228. 

I watched the news and they are saying that the bill needs to be renegotiated.  We need to keep on our representatives in both houses to keep them from redistributing wealth from working American citizens to banks and corporations that have acted irresponsibly.

Rep. Ron Paul provides his view on the failure of the bailout bill right after the vote:

I wrote a letter to my State Representative before and after the vote. If you feel like contacting your representatives, you can do it easily by clicking here and filling in your zip code in the "my elected officials" search box.  

Here is the letter I wrote to my State Representative.  (He is one of the few Texas Reps that actually voted for it.):

Dear Representative Smith,

I saw how you voted on the Economic Stabilization bill and am surprised. I have differed with your views in the past, but am shocked you voted for this...as is everyone I have spoken with today.

As a constituent, I ask that you stem the socialization of debt & privatization of profit this bill and others like it provide. This is one of the most impacting decisions of our time. Please side with conservatism, responsibility, accountability, free markets, transparency and the American way. Please be a fiscal conservative, please stand up for your constituency, please be a defender of our country's financial interests in the future.

I know you speak to people around you about the issues that face us. As someone who offices in the same complex as you, I speak to a lot of the same people you would. I have not met a single person in your district that supports the way you voted this time. I hope that you continue to speak to the people you represent and that time provides insight that might change your mind regarding this huge redistribution of wealth.

Sincerely,

Erik Kuykendall

Hope you write Your represenatatives and Senators.

Nas - Y'all My Niggas

This video smacks you in the face, it is supposed to. (Not for suitable young ears.) Don't turn it off because it isn't what you usually listen to. 

We use the word everyday

Now we don't know the capacity of this word

Are we headed for conflict or not? (Yes sir)

Because we did not break down the capacity

Of the same what (The same word)

Brothers and sisters, this is why we hung up the consciousness

We've been taught wrong

My favorite part is the epilogue.  If you don't make it to the end, this is what he has to say:

"Hey yo, I'm American born. Love America, love my people, love all mankind, all nationalities.

Ya know...I think it has just been recently where everybody started to feel like there is an elite group that runs everything. And everybody else was sheep, ignorant.

 Making all ethnicities, colors and creeds...niggas. Blind to what's really going on.
So I say take off the wool from your eyes. 

Out with the old America, in with the new. End all racism, all injustice, all oppression to poor people...any people anywhere on this planet. Let's come together. A new day is rising!"   ~Nas

Congress Votes Out 4th Amendment, Senate Agrees

Microsoft sent out a security update which crashed my computer. I am purchasing a Mac today and am currently typing on a borrowed computer. I only have a brief opportunity to comment on what just transpired with the Democratic lead Senate passing FISA.

The cynical side of me isn't surprised, the American in me is appalled. Barack Obama said he was going to support this bill and his forums exploded. He opted not to vote. This man is not a valid candidate for President. He has shown that he will not defend the Constitution! Who is? Let me know.

The Senate approved a bill (previously approved by the house) to retroactively immunize the telecom companies, end all pending suits against the, and allow the government warrantless wiretapping and data tapping. The vote? 69-28 with 3 abstentions. You can see how everyone voted here.

George Bush's words on July 4th are chillingly prophetic:

To my fellow citizens to be: We believe in free speech in the United States of America!

While he is saying that, someone who just called him a war criminal is being hauled off by the CIA or Secret Service. They then hand her off to the Police.

Warrantless wire tapping and free speech in America.
This is a dark day in American history. My hope is that this is the spark that ignites the American public into taking responsibility for what is happening!

No matter what you think of the ACLU, I expect they will get a gold star for their defense of the Constitution in the coming battle. Click here to see to see how they plan to challenge this as soon as it is signed into law.

Voting Out the Constitution?

You say that you feel politically involved after the election runoff?

Here's something even the not-so-politically-involved can sink their teeth into. The New FISA bill would give immunity to the telecom companies for violating U.S. citizens' Constitutional rights (an unconscionable precedent to set) and then would allow for data-tapping,wiretapping and tracking without any sort of warrant!

Please get involved and write a letter or two to your representatives. If you don't know your representatives, click here.

The following video is of Senator Russ Feingold speaking of his opposition of FISA and explains what happens next.

I teased some of my colleagues and said we can celebrate the Constitution on July 4th and maybe when we come back
you'll decide not to tear it up.

-Russ Feingold on FISA

Obama Declares Victory - Can We Concentrate Now?

So...Can we start paying attention to what the Congress and Senate are doing? This epic-length battle has been a blue dress of distraction.

Yes, the battle for top diplomat and commander-in-chief should be important to us, but not all-consuming. Congress and Senate are as much to blame for what is happening with the United States and around the world, if not more. They were elected to represent us and act as a check/balance with the Judicial and the Executive branches.True, they are not doing their jobs the way they should and neither are we. We are just as guilty because we have not demanded accountability from our representatives. We have not remained diligent and have released control of our republic to scoundrels, crooks and liars.

Please get involved in local and state elections while we still have a chance to.

FCC Defeated in Senate

Sorry for the late post on this one regarding the defeat of the FCC in the Senate because people got involved and the blogosphere stayed diligent.



From the Bottom of my heart:
Thank you for getting involved.

Will Congress Listen? NO TELECOM IMMUNITY!

NO RETROACTIVE TELECOM IMMUNITY!!!

Please act now. The Senate passed a FISA reform bill falls short on adequately protecting Americans from warrantless surveillance and it shamefully grants retroactive immunity to the telecommunications companies that "may have" aided the Bush administration’s illegal domestic wiretapping.

Join the effort to stop retroactive telecom immunity by signing the emergency petition here.

See what Keith Olbermann had to say about it here.

If you are going to give immunity to a corporation for an illegal action, do it beforehand. Otherwise, it can only be viewed as a corporation colluding with the United States government in illegal activities.

State of the Union Address?

The manufactured drama has gone beyond satire. It isn't even good propaganda:

We're winning and bringing troops home! Be afraid, be very afraid of terrorists. We should prepare to invade another country that has not attacked us. 9/11,9/11. $1000.00 in your pocket. 9/11,9/11. ...We must provide retroactive immunity for those who trounce(d) your rights! This from he who is sworn to "...preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."

(picture acquired from defenselink site)

Thankfully there is the pre and post-address punditry so we know how we should feel about it.

I am tired. I'm going to bed.

Thought Crimes Video...Act Now!

This is a video analysis of the Thought Crimes Bill in an attempt to convince you to keep my last post at the forefront of your mind. The bill is real and this is really happening. Please don't put this one off. Your involvement is more important moment by moment. Get involved. Be heard! Speak up or they will think you agree!!!

Contact your Senators here!

Stop the Thought Crimes Bill!

I have put off blogging on this only because I get so upset each time I begin. Here it goes.
404 of your "representatives" in the House of Representatives voted for the "Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007" (Senate Bill 1959, House Resolution 1955). You say, "That sounds like it would be a good thing, right?". I say, "Read the bill!".


I will come back to add a bit of insight as to what scares me about this bill, but check it out for yourself. Click Here for the bill through the Library of Congress, Click Here for the pdf text of the bill or Here for a web link. When it was a House bill, it was H.R. 1955...Google it!

Don't know how to contact your Senators? Click Here!

Do yo want to know who sponsored it? I hope this isn't what Jane Harmon intended the bill to be.

This bill was co-sponsored by the following 14 people:
(links will take you to other legislation they are involved with)

Rep Carney, Christopher P. [PA-10]
Rep Christensen, Donna M. [VI]
Rep Clarke, Yvette D. [NY-11]
Rep Dent, Charles W. [PA-15]
Rep Dicks, Norman D. [WA-6]
Rep Green, Al [TX-9]
Rep Langevin, James R. [RI-2]
Rep Lofgren, Zoe [CA-16]
Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18]
Rep Lungren, Daniel E. [CA-3]
Rep Perlmutter, Ed [CO-7]
Rep Poe, Ted [TX-2]
Rep Reichert, David G. [WA-8]
Rep Thompson, Bennie G. [MS-2]

Four Hundred and Four of your Democrat and Republican "representatives" voted for this bill. Get involved to stop this bill now!!!

Senate is in session, do not hesitate! Call, fax, mail and email your Senator(s) ASAP.

Dodd Threatens to Filibuster Fisa Bill

Senator Chris Dodd is attempting to place a hold the Senate FISA renewal bill because it grants retroactive immunity to telephone companies their role in the Bush administration’s warrantless eavesdropping program. I can't believe more of our representatives haven't spoken out more quickly.

Oh yes...I guess I can.



Take a peak at Dodd’s FISA petition. My favorite line is his opener:

"The Military Commissions Act. Warrantless wiretapping. Shredding of Habeas Corpus. Torture. Extraordinary Rendition. Secret Prisons. No more."

"If the bill that ultimately reaches the Senate floor includes immunity and does not adequately protect the privacy of Americans, I will fight it vigorously with every tool at my disposal.”

Finally!!! Let's hope that Representative Stark & Senator Dodd's recent outspokenness is an indicator that more will be walking in and singing a bar of "Alice's Restaurant."

If the reference above escapes you, you can click here to hear Arlo sing "Alice's Restaurant".

Protect America Act 2007

Our Congress, Senate and Administration make me sick!!! These people are supposed to be our representatives and they are destroying all of what I thought America stood for. They have decided that ideas such as the Posse Comitatus Act, habeas corpus and the Fourth Amendment are all pre-9/11 thinking and have done away with them, among other tenets of our once-respected nation.
Another piece of liberty crushing legislation was signed into law by George Bush on 5 August 2007. The ironically-named Protect America Act of 2007 may (will likely) allow warrantless eavesdropping on U.S. soil as it redefines electronic surveillance.

"The dispute illustrates how lawmakers, in the end-of-session scramble, passed legislation they may not have fully understood and may have given the administration more surveillance powers than it sought."
(NY Times quoted in the Seattle Times.)

I urge everyone to submit and support bills in the legislature that require our lawmakers to read the bills they sign. Their excuse for passing the Patriot Act?: We didn't read it!!! Their excuse for getting rid of an essential legal protection for the first time since 1215 A.D.?: We didn't understand!!! Why? Because they didn't read it!!!

I say we stop letting them play the "We didn't know card" and hold them responsible for the laws they are passing. I find it unconscionable that our "representatives" are enacting laws they don't "fully understand.

Thank you Sheila Jackson Lee

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee from Texas,

Thank You!

Thank you for speaking up for our civil rights. Thank you for representing the people. Watch her in the video below as she speaks regarding SB (Senate Bill) 1927. This isn't likely to replayed on Fox like a Paris Hilton clip.

Anyone want to know which of our "representatives" felt it important to give away our civil rights? Peak at the roll call here. They called this the Protect America Act (S 1927) . Yes, this is truly beginning to upset me. Please say it upsets you and contact your representatives. Please start doing something. 20 minutes a day to a better country!

There were 227 votes in favor of making it totally legal for Big Brother to spy on you. 183 of our representatives voted to maintain some semblance of civil rights.