Where is the News Coverage

I have searched and have not been able to find major news sources covering the tar sands sit-ins at the White House that lead to the arrests of 1,252 people.  It's an impressive list, including top climate scientists, Texas and Nebraska landowners, First Nations leaders, Dr. James Hansen, Bill McKibben, Gus Speth, Daryl Hannah, Josh Fox and Naomi Klein.

Dr. James Hansen is arrested protesting

 the TransCanada KeystoneXL pipeline 

in front of the White House, August 29, 2011 (Photo by Ben Powless)

Reports on the protest and sit-in from the main-stream media are completely absent.  One might expect the arrests of 1,252 in front of the White House, including so many notables might have garnered some attention.  I haven't found any.  Although, the Washington Post was the first mainstream article to pop up regarding the tar sands and the white house.  

Then there is the Forbes article.

Where is the coverage regarding this outcry and these arrests?

Religious leaders protest the pipeline as U.S. Park Police arrest United Church of Christ minister Rev. Mari Castellanos, August 29, 2011. (Photo by Justice and Witness Ministries)

Special thanks the Evironment News Service all of the photos came from this article.

Neighbor Has the Wrong Idea? Turn Them In to the Whitehouse!

I have been making an effort to focus on and post primarily photography, music, poetry and the like lately. However, I read an article by Macon Phillips on the White House blog (Ironically titled "Facts are Stubborn Things") on Tuesday and have been stewing over it since. Macon is the White House Director of New Media.

(Photo:Zbigniew Bzdak/McClatchy News)

According to comrade Phillips:

"There is a lot of disinformation about health insurance reform out there, spanning from control of personal finances to end of life care. These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation. Since we can’t keep track of all of them here at the White House, we’re asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov."

Silly me. I had no idea it was the White House's responsibility to track all opposition to their programs. What if it is something other than fearing corporate health care designed by those we accuse of destroying the current system? Are there other addresses for other offenses? What if I disagree with bombing a country that our Congress and Senate never authorized? What if I ask about the destruction of the product life cycle? How many dissenters are being tracked? Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

(photo:NiceDeb)

Since people opposing this plan are "spreading disinformation", we should turn them into the White House staff? Macon and his buddies can't keep up with everyone who is opposing it, so we need you to report your friends, relatives and neighbors to the White House so that we can knock down any dissent. The "New Media" policy appears to be to turn in fellow citizens who have dissenting political opinions from the White House.

Debates about health care, finance, defense, security and privacy will continue to rage. I just hope that our leaders find a way to participate in the discussion without spying on constituents or asking them to turn each other in for their beliefs. (My civics teacher in high school had called Russia's (1980s) government tyrannical and overreaching for instituting such policies.)

20,000 Troops Inside U.S. by 2011

I have not been blogging on political or economic issues intentionally.  I felt this story was important enough to share.  I will try to post some art soon.

From MSNBC on November 30th:

(Photo courtesy of Stephen Chernin/Getty Images)

"The U.S. military expects to have 20,000 uniformed troops inside the United States by 2011 trained to help state and local officials respond to a nuclear terrorist attack or other domestic catastrophe, according to Pentagon officials."

Read the entire article here. 

The article, initially entitled, "20,000 Troops Iside U.S. by 2011" has been retitled (I don't know if MSNBC or the Washington Post is responsible).  The new, kinder, gentler propagandistic spin on the title is "Pentagon to Detail Troops to Bolster Domestic Security".

 

I find it interesting that the military has a different view of their duties. I spoke of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team taking their place on American soil in this  article.  

McKinney/Clemente in 2008

Think that no presidential candidate cares about trillions of dollars missing each year?   Think no presidential candidate is asking real questions about 9/11?  Think again.  Think Cynthia McKinney.

This is the 1st all-women-of-color presidential ticket in US history! 

I am still amazed that hardly anyone knows about Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente. You would think that it might get a mention on the news. Somehow ABC, NBC, CBS and (fair and balanced) Fox News seemed to have missed it. 

Do you want to vote for someone who has not supported the dissolution of the Bill of Rights as Barack Obama and John McCain have? Cynthia is an option. She is running on the Green Party ticket. Rather than choosing between the lesser of two evils, how about not voting for evil at all?

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.

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.

Martial Law Declared in Congress Last Night

Today, I stand in agreement with Rep. Michael Burgess.   Martial law has been declared so that the powers that be (he blames Democrats-partial agreement from me) can push through the socialization of the banking system.  

House Res--Waiving a requirement of clause 6(a) of rule XIII with respect to the consideration of certain resolutions reported from the Committee on Rules request BLANKET MARTIAL LAW RULE THROUGH MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29TH 2008.  Click here to read the detail of the filing.

Rep. Michael Burgess :

 

It is offensive to the senses to think that our "representatives" are even considering pushing this through so quickly.  This is going to be one of the most fundamentally impacting decisions of our lifetime.  The decisions in this bill are as far reaching, if not further reaching, as any in the patriot act.  Must we succumb to the shock doctrine of disaster capitalism?

Here is Rep. Marcy Kaptur with a Democrat's view:

A brief definition of martial law from the Daily Paul this morning:

"The Leadership apparently intends to use a process known as “martial law” to allow these bills to be brought to the floor very shortly after negotiations are completed, with the result that Members of the House are likely to have virtually no time to examine and consider the details of the legislation before they will be required to vote on it."

What do you think? What should we do? What are you going to say to your representatives?

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

George W. Bush to be Indicted for Murder?

LA prosecutor and author, Vincent Bugliosi, has been calling for the criminal prosecution of George W. Bush for murder. He has written a book that lays out the case.   The video below shows him discussing the, now, very real possibility of Bush being prosecuted for murder.

There is now a candidate for a State Attorney General position who also believes that George W. Bush is guilty of murder.  If she is successful in taking office, she plans to appoint Bugliosi as special prosecutor to seek a murder indictment against George W.Bush. 

(Thanks to Laura Flanders for the original post on this one.)

"In his career at the L.A. County District Attorney's office, Vincent successfully prosecuted 105 out of 106 felony jury trials, including 21 murder convictions without a single loss in his career. His most famous trial, the Charles Manson case, became the basis of his bestselling book, Helter Skelter."

Think this guy knows what he's talking about?  

"The likelihood of Bush being prosecuted for murder; along with Cheney and Rice is somewhere between 95% and 99%."  ~Vincent Bugliosi

Here he is testifying before the House Judiciary Committee on the Constitutional limits of executive power.

About 5 minutes in, Bugliosi says: 

"All Americans should be absolutely outraged over what the Bush administration has done!  How dare they do what they did?  How dare they?"

His statement is met with a burst of applause and Rep. Smith tried to have the room cleared because there had been "an outburst".

Phillip Swagel Reassures?

Phillip Swagel, the Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy speaking within about an hour and a half after the 6th concurrent month of job losses were announced. Pardon the commentary, it was the only copy I could find currently.

Q:"Does the economy need another stimulus package?"

A:"I-it seems, you know, it seems like that's, that's enough, uh, enough."

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.

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.

Cheney Wants Retroactive Immunity for Telecom Companies

Does it concern anyone else that the Vice President of the Unites States is asking that corporations who (may have) violated the rights of Americans and others be given retroactive immunity?

Dick Cheney spoke at the Heritage Foundation yesterday and asked that we update the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and make the temporary "Protect America ACT of 2007" PERMANENT? On top of that he is requesting that Congress give telecom companies and their execs complete retroactive immunity.

The introduction, given by Edwin Feulner, president of the Heritage Foundation is a telling prelude:

"...you are always and will always be welcome at the Heritage Foundation. Mr. Vice president at heritage, we firmly believe that congress should not impose restrictions on the ability of the executive branch to carry out one of its primary constitutionally mandated functions. Namely, protecting Americans from acts of war by foreign enemies."

In his speech, Dick Cheney declares that,

"The relative safety of the 6 years and 4months since 9/11 is not an accident, but an achievement."

AND

"Liability protection, retroactive to 9/11 is the right thing to do...It's the right way to help us prevent another 9/11 down the road."

If you are going to give immunity 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.

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.

A Giuliani-Cheney Ticket for 2008?

And you thought it couldn't get scarier.

(photo: Susan Biddle-Washington Post)

Giuliani muses on a vice president:

Later, Giuliani pivoted from a question about potential picks for secretary of state to this: "Let me answer with the question of what you would look for in a vice president first -- again without any presumption that I'm going to be the nominee."

In an answer that mentioned Cheney more than once, Giuliani said, "A vice president has to be a partner in the administration. The vice president has to know everything that's going on, just in case the vice president has to step in at a moment's notice," he said. He added that during a conversation with Cheney on Sept. 11, 2001, he felt the vice president "had a sense that he knew what he was doing."

Can this guy open his mouth without saying 9/11?

George Bush a Threat to World Peace?

I think it is important to consider what our greatest allies are saying about George Bush and the United States. Polls from Great Britain, Canada and Mexico all place Bush as a greater threat to world peace than any other world leader. Even 36% of Israelis say that Bush and U.S. policy have increased the threat to world peace.



When polled, Brits (Our closest allies) said that George Bush poses a greater threat to peace than anyone other than Osama Bin Laden. Yes...he even comes in ahead of "the evil-doers": Kim Jong Il, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad & Hassan Nasrallah.

I am curious what Americans would say about George Bush and the threat to world security. If anyone has reputable poll information regarding this, please forward it to me.

Chris Dodd Gets Gold Stars

Five Gold Stars for Chris Dodd

I did not get to put this up before the vote. However, it is important to post. Chris Dodd spoke eloquently and angrily regarding the push to exempt communications companies from any liability regarding trouncing Americans' rights.

The EFF has been at the forefront of this fight.



P.S. He won this round! But the fight is not over, rest assured.

Gonzo Not Lawyer of the Year...Anymore.

Apparently, I was not the only person to be offended by Alberto Gonzales being named "Attorney of the Year" by the ABA and Mukasey being predicted to win the title in 2008. The initial clarification regarding the title came from editor and publisher Edward A. Adams when he told an AP reporter:

"Think about Time magazine's Person of the Year," Adams said in an interview. "In years past they've named people like Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin. So we're not suggesting by these awards that these are the best lawyers in any sense of the word. We are saying they are the most newsworthy _ and perhaps also the best."

According to a recent editor's note on the ABA website, Alberto Gonzales has been stripped of the title "Attorney of the year" and more appropriately named "Newsmaker of the Year".

You can see my original article with the picture that originally appeared on the website here.

Here is a clip from the most recent editor's note I could locate on the topic:

When this article was posted online on December 12, 2007, it was titled “Lawyers of the Year 2007 and 2008.” The article defined that term as the year’s biggest legal newsmaker, identifying former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales as the major newsmaker of 2007. The Journal regrets that we did not make this theme clear.

We appreciate the feedback we’ve received, and we’re acting on it. So that there can be no confusion, the term “Lawyers of the Year” has been changed in the headline and story to “Newsmakers of the Year.” The story is otherwise unchanged from its original version.