Fascism Watch

The Secret Service also revealed that ticket distribution and staffing of the Social Security event was run by the local Republican Party. They wanted us to be clear that it was a Republican staffer - not the Secret Service - who kicked us out of the presidential event.

Bush certainly believes in privatization. He has privatized his social security propaganda show. The events are run by the Republican party but the Secret Service will eject any American taxpayer they think might disrupt the love fest. Daily Kos has the story.

The Agony of Defeat, Again

Get ready Dems. Your party is now preparing to make you a loser in November 2008.

The position of the "National Security Democrats" is that the party should be "more open to the idea of military action, and even preemption" and that the Democrats should "try to distance themselves from the Party's Post-Vietnam ambivalence about the projection of American power."

Let me get this straight. Embracing the awful policy of preemption is the way to win? If that is what the party leadership think then we should all just sit back, relax and forget 2008. We will all be watching Arnold or Jeb or whoever the hell to be sworn in four years from now. Read it here.

Fascism Watch and the Media

If America had a real press, we wouldn't be endangered by fascism. David Neiwert talks about the Schiavo media over kill, and the efforts to achieve "balance" that result in outright lies being told.

Fascism Watch

Thank God for right wing Christians. They certainly don't suffer from ambivalence. A North Carolina man was arrested for soliciting the murders of Michael Schiavo and Judge George Greer.

Not to be outdone in the hypocrisy department, it was revealed that Tom DeLay pulled the plug on his brain damaged father in 1988.

Religion and state power are a bad combination. See rule #8.

Fascism Watch

Sorry I haven't posted anything under this title since November. So much fascism, so little time. Here is a story that should not go under the radar screen. Young Conservatives at the Univerisity of Texas planned an immigrant catching day. How lovely.

Oscar Romero

Yesterday was the 25th anniversary of the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero. Romero was shot to death as he said mass in San Salvador, El Salvador. As some members of the clergy go out of their way align themselves with state power, Romero warned about the folly of such actions.

The church, he announced, is “not to be measured by the government’s support but rather by its own authenticity, its evangelical spirit of prayer, trust, sincerity and justice, its opposition to abuses.”

We live in a different country and in a new century, but we would do well to remember Romero and his ministry, especially on Good Friday.

Israel and the Bomb

"This very month both Israel and the US are making open threats of armed attacks as early as this summer on Iran's nuclear weapons potential." - Daniel Ellsberg

The corrupt, corporate U.S. media won't tell you, but Israel plans to attack Iran, with permission of the Bush administration of course. Mordechai Vanunua is being made to suffer because of those plans. Daniel Ellsberg tells the story.

Texas Pulls Plug on Baby

When George W. Bush was Texas governor he signed the Texas Futile Care Law. The law allows hospitals to pull the plug on patients if a doctor believes the patient is unlikely to recover and if that patient can't pay. Six month old Sun Hudson was taken off of life support against his mother's wishes. Too bad his name wasn't Schiavo.

Whistle Blower Shot Dead in Iraq

The corporate media doesn't tell you much about it, but Iraq is a cash cow for U.S. corporations. Corruption in the contracting process is rife of course. It also follows that anyone who threatens said corruption is in very big trouble. Read all about it here.

If You Lay Down with Dogs . . .

Everyone knows that if you lay down with dogs, you get up with fleas. Anyone considering doing business with the Bush administration had better get an extra strength flea collar first.

Take the AARP, please. In 2003 the AARP cut a deal with Republicans in Congress to pass the Medicare Drug Bill. That is the same bill that does absolutely nothing to lower the cost of prescription drugs. In fact, it forbids the U.S. government to in any way assist in lowering drug costs. It turns out that AARP CEO William Novelli is a big fan of Newt Gingrich, yes, that Newt Gingrich, and believes that privatization of entitlement programs is the way to go.

Well, now the AARP is feeling the wrath of the right wing. I guess their flea collar just wasn't big enough. USA Next, the GOP front organization propagandizing against social security, has the AARP in its cross hairs. Read this interview that appeared in today's New York Times magazine.

QUESTIONS FOR CHARLIE JARVIS

AARP's Antagonist

Interview by DEBORAH SOLOMON

Published: March 13, 2005

USA Next engineered the recent controversial ad that branded AARP pro-gay marriage and included a photograph of two men kissing.

What else are you planning?

In a few weeks, there will be ads that very specifically and aggressively brand AARP for what they are, the planet's largest liberal lobbying organization. When they are honest about that, we will take a large number of their members away.

With a budget of $10 million, how much advertising can you afford?

We're talking about TV, radio, Internet ads, large-scale direct mail and e-mail and telephone alerts. And the telephone alerts, for example, are extraordinarily inexpensive. I can call every household in South Dakota in just four hours. And it would cost only $10,000.

But don't all sane adults hang up on those prerecorded digital phone solicitations?

We know that in the range of 10 percent of those called will respond to our message.
With 35 million members, AARP is considered the leading organizational champion of seniors in this country, and I am wondering whether you can say anything positive about the group. I have nothing positive to say about their goals. They are stodgy, out-of-date and they don't really know the facts about an issue like Social Security. We do.

Isn't that just a lot of ideological name-calling?

No. This is a Democratic republic. Democratic republics are loud, and they should be.

Critics say your organization is not a legitimate lobbying group but a front for those who want to privatize Social Security, including Karl Rove, the president's chief strategist.

I have never had a one-to-one meeting with him.

What about a two-to-one meeting?

I've met him. I think he is a political and tactical genius. I've been in presentations by him at the White House briefings.

Does he know your name?

Now he does. He would say, of course: ''Charlie Jarvis was the one who was in that interview in The New York Times Magazine. And how did he blow that interview so badly?''

You previously worked for Focus on the Family, the conservative Christian group that recently dubbed Sponge Bob Square Pants a promoter of homosexuality.

I call him Sponge Robert Square Pants because I don't know him well.

How much time did you spend in the Oval Office during the years when you worked as a deputy under secretary of the interior for President Reagan and the first President Bush?

The deputy under secretary of the interior is position No. 3 in that department. I was a lowly figure. I probably met Bill Clinton more than I met Reagan. Clinton is absolutely, undeniably the most charming person I have ever met in my whole life.

Is your family in agreement with your politics?

Not completely. My two older sons, who are 21 and 19, lean toward a left-libertarian perspective. They wonder what we are doing in Iraq, and they are very concerned about the implications of the Patriot Act. We have had some very honest, knockdown arguments.

Do you care if your sons vote Democratic?

They have to make those decisions for themselves. I mean, I am going to beat them with a rubber hose if they do!

In addition to dismantling Social Security, what are the goals of USA Next?

Generally, we want to provide private-sector solutions to public health programs. Also, we want to eliminate the death tax, and radically cut the capital-gains tax.

As a leading critic of Social Security, how do you plan to support yourself in your old age?

I'm 55. I don't think of myself as getting older. I think of myself as maturing.

Your comment suggests that you are currently immature.

My wife insists that I am.

Whatever Charlie. I have two points about social security. Number one, the Republicans are master propagandists. I fear that they will succeed in getting rid of social security altogether, or altering it so badly that it will cease to function as the solvent, entitlement program that helps millions of Americans survive.

The Republicans have not given up because they had the foresight to form organizations like USA Next. While they perfect their propagandizing the Democrats don't even know how to tell the simple story of how social security works better than any other government program.

So don't sneer when USA Next uses gay marriage to fight the AARP. It was just a trial balloon. They will come up with something else that resonates with millions of Americans. The question is this. What will the Democrats do to counter it?

Canada Has Enough

As I said in a recent Black Commentator column, the rest of the world is pretty sick of the United States. At least one Canadian is publicly calling for his countrymen and women to boycott American products and services.

Quote of the Day

This comes from War Room at Salon.


Tell it to the slaves

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham appeared over the weekend at an annual Lincoln Day dinner in Knoxville, Tenn. Why wasn't he back home in South Carolina? Because, Graham said, his home state isn't quite ready to honor the 16th president of the United States. "We don't do Lincoln Day dinners in South Carolina," Graham said. "It's nothing personal, but it takes awhile to get over things."

I agree. One-hundred forty years is quite a while.

Mike Luckovich, Atlanta Journal Constitution

Left Wing Journalist Disputes Account

Oh boy. Giuliana Sgrena is toast. Today she is being described as the "left wing journalist." This means the U.S. corporate media is going to deep six the story of the killing of her rescuer by trigger happy G.I.s.

Ms. Sgrena was held hostage by kidnappers in Iraq. Her government negotiated her release only to have an Italian security agent, Nicola Calipari, killed when her car was fired upon by American soldiers. Ms. Sgrena was also wounded by gun fire. Our troops, the ones we are told to support without question, are shooting first and asking questions later. They fire on anything and anyone that moves.

We will never know if Sgrena's assertion of a deliberate shooting is correct or not. We won't get any answers from our government or from Italy's government either. Prime Minister Berlusconi is committed to assist in the occupation of Iraq. The killing of one of his nationals will not end his support for Dubya. Thousands of Iraqis have been killed in the same manner as Calipari and no one knows their names or investigates those deaths. It is truly shameful.

David Neiwert gives us more reasons why a real investigation, meaning not one from the White House, is in order. Sgrena may have been ready to prove that the U.S. was using phosphorus or napalm against Iraqis.

Canadians are Smart

Why do I say that? They said no to the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). That means they will help keep the U.S. in line, as I discussed in the most recent Black Commentator.

They are also wise enough to provide links to said commentary. I discovered that my missive had a link on the Canadian website Rabble. That is always good news, for obvious, selfish reasons, but I was glad to discover Rabble for myself.

Dump Lieberman

When John Stewart called Paul Begala a "hack" he was right on the money. Begala is a Clintonite and Exhibit A in the DNC destruction of the Democratic party. But my eyes must be deceiving me. The hack actually said something worth while. Here is the quote:

And yet rumors abound that Democrats, perhaps even former vice presidential candidate Joe Lieberman, will find a compromise that allows Mr. Bush to succeed in privatizing part of Social Security. Look, any Democrat who rescues Mr. Bush's assault on Social Security ought to be defeated in a primary and allowed to begin their own retirement early.

Well said. Social Security is a line in the sand issue, or it ought to be. I will actually quote a Republican. "Just say no." Democrats must say no to any attempt to privatize, personalize or partially privatize Social Security. Social Security should be left alone. Period.

America Defeated

At this point, Bush is a beaten man in every part of the world except America.
Today's Alternative News

If we are lucky, the rest of the world will continue to beat up on America. I have more to say about it in tomorrow's issue of Black Commentator, but an assertive world must save America from itself. Check out the article from Today's Alternative News.

Blame Canada

No wonder people are fleeing north across the border. The Canadians said no to the useless missile defense system. Not content to be hated by most of the world, the Bush administration gave a hearty "Screw you," in response. U.S. ambassador Paul Cellucci had these words of comfort for our neighbors to the north.

“We simply cannot understand why Canada would in effect give up its sovereignty – its seat at the table – to decide what to do about a missile that might be coming towards Canada.”

Hmm. Who said anything about Canada giving up its sovereignty? As Bush said, you're either with us or against us.

Gay Sex and Bad Breath

I haven't posted in nearly one week, so I thought I had better have something good. Thank goodness for friends who send little gems of information.

Ten years ago the U.S. military had nothing better to do with your tax dollars than find ways to encourage homosexuality and halitosis. I kid you not. The Pentagon 'fessed up that they spent time, money and mental energy thinking of ways to demoralize enemy soldiers and they came up with gay sex and bad breath.

"One distasteful but completely non-lethal example would be strong aphrodisiacs, especially if the chemical also caused homosexual behavior."

Read all about it here.

Gannon in a Nutshell

The Rude Pundit says it best.

"Warning-do not try to diagram this sentence: a cocksucker for hire with a fake name and no news organization affiliation, whose only journalistic "experience" is a two-day right-wing "Institute," is given a daily press pass to the White House, which denies such passes to established and legitimate journalists, and is called on to ask blatantly pro-Bush questions, who eventually is placed into a fake news front for a conservative website (that apparently hires a high school student as one of its main reporters) and becomes a regular at DC press events, as well as the daily briefing, quizzing Scott McLellan, the President's press secretary whose been seen going to gay bars in Texas but who recently married, receiving a congratulations card from said cocksucker for hire, who eventually gets to ask the anti-gay President a question at one of the anti-gay President's rare news conferences, where reporters from major news organizations go begging, at the same time that the White House the cocksucker so gracelessly praises is paying off other conservative commentators to push its proposals to the public."

I have nothing to add, except that the silence from the mainstream media on the Gannon issue is proof that they have no journalistic ethics left. Gannongate is the nail in the coffin. It is now official. Gannon was a whore among whores. Birds of a feather do flock together.

White Supremacy and the Washington Times

The Southern Poverty Law Center reports that the Washington Times makes a habit of publishing white supremacist screeds, not terribly surprising. Many of these articles are written by Marion Kester Coombs, wife of managing editor Francis Booth Coombs. The Times does not acknowledge their relationship in Mrs. Coombs' bylines.

Mrs. Coombs and others who write for the Times are also regular contributors for racist publications such as Occidental Quarterly. President Bush was interviewed by Coombs and others in the January 12th edition of the Times. Maybe someone in the White House press corps can ask if their philosophy is in sync with Bush's. Then again, if they don't investigate the Gannon/Guckert story, they aren't going to delve into anything they ought to.

Thanks to Yellow Doggerel Democrat for the Washington Times heads up.

Whores in the White House Press Room

So in the end, why does this matter? Why does it matter that Jeff Gannon may have been a gay hooker named James Guckert with a $20,000 defaulted court judgment against him? So he somehow got a job lobbing softball questions to the White House. Big deal. If he was already a prostitute, why not be one in the White House briefing room as well?

Why not indeed. Our nation's press corps has sunk so low they may as well have a gay prostitute for marines and porn website star among them. You decide. It is all here, including pornographic photos. The kids, the prudish and the faint of heart shouldn't look at the links.

Salon gives good background on what ought to be a scandal. All of this began when a man named Gannon or Guckert worked as a reporter, I use the word loosely, for an outfit called Talon news service. Talon doesn't exist as most other news services do, it is a shill for gopusa.com. Anyway, Gannon/Guckert did his job well, lobbing soft ball questions at press conferences. He may also have been given access to classified documents in the Valeria Plame outing. Gannon/Guckert gave an interview to Editor and Publisher in an attempt to defend himself. As always happens when wrongdoers try to expain themselves, he didn't really help himself any. He refused to say if he had or had not seen any classified documents relating to Plame.

The only question I have is whether or not the corporate media will report on this story the way they should. If they don't we know we are doomed. Bush can get away with anything.

Bag Men

Baghdad has no running water, despite billions of dollars being paid to U.S. contractors to rebuild Iraq. Of course it was always about the money, money and the military. It was all about making cash and getting bases.

It was so bad that millions of dollars were paid to contractors in sacks of money. Thanks to Senate Democrats like Byron Dorgan, we are now finding out how much of our tax dollars have been stolen. The BBC has part of the story.

Name That Photo

On February 4th I asked readers to write a caption for this photo.

Jacqueline Larma/AP

D.T. Cooper, M.D. has this suggestion for what he calls "Gangsta Rapture." "I see your shirt has red and blue stripes on it. Does that mean you belong to the Crips and the Bloods?"

Dr. Cooper has done no harm.

Should Ward Churchill Be Fired?

University of Colorado professor Ward Churchill is in very hot water. Did he kill people to help his friends make money? No. Is he destroying the only safety net Americans have? No.

His crime is calling 9/11 victims "Little Eichmans." Mind you, he shouldn't have said it, but an offensive statement doesn't rate when we compare it to murder for hire. At any rate, there are people who want him fired. I am not one of them. In Black Commentator I tell you why I am of that opinion.

Israel Discriminates

So says its attorney general. Israel's attorney general, Menachem Mazuz, ruled that the government may no longer market land purchased by the Jewish National Fund if only Jews will be allowed as tenants. The Forward has the story.

Mommmmy!



Jacqueline Larma, AP

"No, I don't want to be in your photo op." "Geez, this lady scares me." You pick the caption. Maybe you will win a prize.

Fascism

As I said in two Black Commentator columns, "The F Word" and "Election 2004: The Vote Theft Begins," America is taking on more and more of the characteristics of fascism.

Just in case you thought I exaggerated, take note of this story from Denver, where a woman was threatened with arrest because she had an anti-Bush bumper sticker on her car.

It can happen here.

No Honor Among Thieves

One US company is accused of massively inflating its profits by setting up sham companies to send fake invoices which the coalition paid.

What a surprise. Cash is missing in Iraq. Billions of dollars have gone to Halliburton, Bechtel and other corporations to "reconstruct" Iraq. Needless to say, Iraq is still a mess and as late as last week Baghdad had no running water. The BBC has part of the story, the Australian has more details of theft.

America: Going to Hell in a Hand Basket

In case you hadn't noticed, our nation is sinking fast. I hope you have noticed because as Black Commentator says, the corporate media won't tell you.

There is a an international conversation going on that Americans are not privy to, because of the censorship practiced by our corporate media. Whether we hear it or not, the bell is tolling.

Black Commentator printed this brilliant analysis from Aijaz Ahmad, writing for India's national newspaper, the Hindu. It is called the Global Descent of America. It is a must read.

The Bush Family and the Nazis

As the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz is commemorated, it is worth noting the connection between the Bush family and Hitler's Germany. Prescott Bush, the President's grandfather, had business dealings with the Nazis even after the U.S. entered the war. The Guardian has the story.

Time to Get Out of Dodge

Ted Kennedy is now saying what his junior Senator should have been saying last year. The U.S. must leave Iraq.

He doesn't say anything particularly earth shaking, just common sense statements about people hating occupation. These days common sense looks like brilliance.

One Nation, Under a Cult

I have called Bush delusional and I have called him a fascist. Seymour Hersh has outdone me. He says the Bushmen are a cult. I agree with him. Hersh has ominous thoughts on the direction the country is moving toward.

"You know, if you have not sold your stocks and bought property in Italy, you better do it quick. And the third thing is Europe -- Europe is not going to tolerate us much longer. The rage there is enormous. I'm talking about our old-fashioned allies. We could see something there, collective action against us. Certainly, nobody -- it's going to be an awful lot of dancing on our graves as the dollar goes bad and everybody stops buying our bonds, our credit -- our -- we're spending $2 billion a day to float the debt, and one of these days, the Japanese and the Russians, everybody is going to start buying oil in Euros instead of dollars. We're going to see enormous panic here. But he could get through that. That will be another year, and the damage he’s going to do between then and now is enormous. We’re going to have some very bad months ahead."

You Say Personal, I Say Private

The Republicans want to eliminate social security but they don't want to say that of course. The Bushmen held their focus groups and they must have told them that "private account" was too scary. Now they are called "personal accounts."

None of that is surprising, but as usual the press are disgracing themselves by repeating conservative phraseology and not owning up to their blanket suck up to Bush. Salon has the story on the press capitulation. As of now you don't need to go to the GOP to get their talking points. Just read the paper and watch the evening news.

Conscience of a Conservative

"In the ranks of the new conservatives, however, I see and experience much hate. It comes to me in violently worded, ignorant and irrational emails from self-professed conservatives who literally worship George Bush. Even Christians have fallen into idolatry. There appears to be a large number of Americans who are prepared to kill anyone for George Bush."

These words were written by a Republican, Dr. Paul Craig Roberts, who served as Assistant Treasury Secretary under Reagan. He has also served as an associate editor for the Wall Street Journal editoral page and as contributing editor for the National Review.

In a commentary for Zmag he not only skewers the fanaticism and delusion of the right, but the failure of the supposedly liberal media to stand up to Bush. Roberts' words are a powerful indictment of a delusional, crazed nation.

Will Israel Attack Iran?

If it does, it will be with the full support of the United States. The same people who gave us the Iraq occupation are chomping at the bit to let Israel attack Iran and destroy its nuclear capability.

Israel did the same thing with Iraq, which made Condi's now infamous "mushroom cloud" remark all the more laughable. Saddam Hussein couldn't resurrect his plans for attaining nuclear capability even if he wanted to do so.

The full insanity of the Bushmen and the irrelevance of the Democrats has come to fruition. What will the Democrats do? We already know the answer to that because they don't dare criticize Israel either. They will do nothing.

The pro-Israeli lobby has silenced the nation. You can't run for dog catcher if you speak out against Israel. Once again Israel's desires will help determine foreign policy decisions that the rest of the world finds abhorrent.

The Muslim world will hate us all the more. Actually, the entire world will hate us, all of us, no longer making a distinction between the government and the people.

Bringing Liberty to the Iraqi People


Chris Hondros, Getty Images

At his coronation today the Mad King went on and on about liberty and how the United States would bring it to the rest of the world. This week an embedded journalist showed the world that Iraqis now have the freedom to be shot to death if they drive down the wrong street.

The young girl in the photo saw her parents gunned down by itchy fingered U.S. troops. You know, the ones we are supposed to support without question. This child is just one of thousands who would probably disagree if you told them they were better off without Saddam.

Chinese Terrorists

You have to give credit where it is due. Only the Bush administration could add more paranoia and fear mongering to their already frightening inaugural celebration.

Phony terror alert number 99 alleges that Iraqi and Chinese terrorists are on their way to Beantown, to throw tea in the harbor I suppose. As always, the evidence is such a sham that even public officials have to say that they doubt the official story. Boston's Mayor said there is “a lot of misinformation out there.”

In today's Black Commentator I note how Bush's pathological paranoia has made the whole country just as crazy as he is.

John Kerry, A Day Late and a Dollar Short

"Thousands of people were suppressed in their efforts to vote."
John Kerry

Well, well, well. It seems that John Kerry does know how to speak up. It is all a few months late of course. I don't know whether to say better late than never or to keep cursing his name. I think I will choose the latter. I guess Kerry realizes that showing clear differences with Bush was the key to victory, but I hope he doesn't think he can run again.

Kerry says he may not vote to confirm the inept and undiplomatic Condi Rice as Secretary of State. That's nice but I'll be a little more impressed if he says no to the torturer, Alberto Gonzales, who wants to head the Justice Department.

King Day

How should we remember Dr. King? As always, read Black Commentator for the answer. On Monday the media will go on and on and on about the I Have a Dream speech. They won't tell you that when he was alive they had nothing good to say about him.

CBS

"From a Viacom standpoint, the election of a Republican administration is a better deal. Because the Republican administration has stood for many things we believe in, deregulation and so on…. I vote for Viacom. Viacom is my life, and I do believe that a Republican administration is better for media companies than a Democratic one."

There you have it. In case you couldn't figure it out, you now know why CBS fell on its sword after correctly reporting that George W. Bush didn't show up for his national guard duty. Greg Palast tells all.

Privilege

"White reality is privileged at every turn, so that if whites say something is a problem, it is, and if whites insist it isn't, then it isn't."
Tim Wise

As usual, Tim Wise hits the nail on the head.

How John Kerry Can Redeem Himself

Keith Olbermann has been unique in the corporate media. He has actually covered the vote theft of 2004. Imagine that.

Today Congress will ratify the vote of the electoral college unless at least one member of the United States Senate says that they should not. In his blog Olbermann reports that as many as six Senators may do just that. John Kerry should be one of them.

Instead of thinking about running again and bringing another Republican to the White House, Kerry must stand up today and do what he should have done on November 3rd when he punked out and gave George W. Bush legitimacy.

He must say that the Republicans cheated. They cheated when they made sure that Ohio polling places had insufficient numbers of voting machines. They cheated when they tabulated votes electronically. John Kerry can only redeem himself if he stands up today for the voting rights of American citizens.

What I Want for Christmas

I would like my faith back, thank you very much. I have become disgusted with my fellow Christians because they are so willing to suck up to the powerful in this world. I was so disgusted that I had to get in more than a few digs. Sometimes we have to talk bad about our people, which can mean our fellow citizens, our racial or ethnic group or in this case our coreligionists. Because of Christian wimpiness and cooperation with evil this Christmas is indeed a shameful one. Black Commentator is my vehicle for venting.

Bush is Still Wired

The man is either certifiably crazy, has tourettes, or he's talking to someone via a mic in his tie.

Bush is still getting audio help. There is no jacket "badly made jacket," but what excuse will the White House use this time. Actually they won't have to use an excuse because the corporate media will let him off the hook again. A description and video are here.

Challenge to Ohio Electors

I have learned that Sherole Eaton, a Deputy Director of Board of Elections in Hocking County, Ohio, has first hand knowledge of inappropriate and likely illegal election tampering in the Ohio presidential election in violation of federal and state law.

Congressman John Conyers


Keith Olbermann of MSNBC is still on the Ohio vote theft story. Perhaps they are making up for dumping Phil Donahue in favor of Chris Matthews. No they aren't, but I can dream.

Rep. John Conyers and other members of Congress are prepared to formally challenge Ohio's electors. Conyers has done an outstanding job of ferreting out the story of Ohio electronic vote theft. Conyers has done what John Kerry refused to do. He will prove that another presidential election was stolen.

Is There a Kerik Nanny?

To paraphrase the old saw, if this nanny hadn't existed, the White House or Kerik might have been awfully tempted to invent her. And perhaps they did.

Who is Bernard Kerik's nanny? You know, the one who was in the U.S. illegally and scuttled his nomination as Homeland Security czar.

Does such a person exist? Josh Marshall asks the pertinent questions.

But Wait, There's More

In 1998 a judge signed an arrest warrant for Bernard Kerik, would be chief of Homeland Security.

Haste Makes Waste

I forgot to mention. A former Bernard Kerik girlfriend, literary agent Judith Regan, hired a bodyguard to protect her from Kerik after they broke up. So much dirt, too little time.

Nanny Schnanny

Bernard Kerik claims he withdrew his nomination as Secretary of Homeland Security because his nanny was an illegal alien. Don't make me laugh.

Kerik harassed an employee of New York City's Corrections Department on behalf of a former girlfriend. Like anyone associated with Rudy Giuliani he was making a fortune by pimping 9/11. Potential conflicts of interest with a taser manufacturer that does business with Homeland Security were bound to come up. The New York Times (registration required) has part of the story, and Newsday has even more sordid details.

The most disgraceful part of this story is the continued wimpiness of democrats. Apparently none of them were going to raise the issue of unethical and possibly illegal activities committed by Kerik. Senators Clinton and Schumer were enthusiastically supporting his nomination.

Homeless Vets and Armless Babies

Who knew they would be screwed so very quickly? Iraq War vets are already showing up in homeless shelters across the country.

Like veterans of every other war that has ever been fought they are coming home physically and mentally traumatized.

"We had a few situations where, I guess, people were trying to get out of the country. They would come right at us and they would not stop," Brown said. "We had to open fire on them. It was really tough. A lot of soldiers, like me, had trouble with that."
"That was the hardest part," Brown said. "Not only were there men, but there were women and children -- really little children. There would be babies with arms blown off. It was something hard to live with."

Hard to live with for this soldier, not hard for Bush, Rumsfeld or the media who have let them have their way. We now have soldiers doing what the press is supposed to do. The poor guy who asked Rumsfeld about scrounging for material to make armor is now being villified by the right wing who claim to support the troops.

Drudge claims that the soldier was "coached" by a reporter. So what? The facts are simple, soldiers are ill equipped and Rumsfeld blew off their complaints. It won't take long for the hacks of the mainstream media to pick up where Drudge left off.

Bhopal, India

Twenty years ago an industrial accident at a Dow/Union Carbide plant in Bhopal killed between 7,000 and 10,000 people in the days immediately following the accident and an additional 15,000 since.

According to the Amnesty International report, Clouds of Injustice:

Despite determined efforts by survivors to secure justice, they have been denied adequate compensation and appropriate and timely medical assistance and rehabilitation. Union Carbide Corporation (UCC), then owner of the pesticide factory in Bhopal, and Dow Chemical, which merged with UCC in 2001, have publicly denied all responsibility for the leak and the resulting damage. Astonishingly, no one has been held responsible.

The likelihood is that no one will ever be held responsible. If the old saying "What goes around comes around" is true then Americans shouldn't complain about Indians taking their jobs. We should see it all as karmic debt.

Fascism Watch

"The subject's expression should be neutral (non-smiling) with both eyes open, and mouth closed. A smile with a closed jaw is allowed but is not preferred."

If you smile too much you can't get a visa to enter the United States. Not only are our activities and movements controlled, but now our very facial expressions have been deemed dangerous.

Domestic Violence

It recently occurred to me that Democrats are like children in a dysfunctional family. They see dad drunk and passed out on the floor but mom assures them that he is only lying on the floor because he is tired from working so hard for them all.

Dems have to start saying that the Democratic National Committee is drunk on the floor. It isn't tired from working hard for us, it is just a no good drunk. It doesn't value its family, it won't even defend it. The Greens and Libertarians demand vote counts while the Dems insist there is no reason to do so.

Now we are told to admire our drunk parent and everything will be fine. The only problem is that it never works out, as pointed out in the blog, Deride and Conquer.

And watch the Democratic Party leadership walk on eggshells, try to meet him, please him, wash the windows better, get out that spot, distance themselves from gays and civil rights. See them cry for the attention and affection and approval of the President and his followers. Watch us squirm. Watch us descend into a world of crazy-making, where logic does not work and the other side tells us we are nuts when we rely on facts. A world where, worst of all, we begin to believe we are crazy.

While the author is talking about Republicans, I think that the description works for the Democratic party as well. Democrats are the victims of Democratic party abuse before the Republicans even have a chance to lay a hand on us. The people who run our party don't care about us at all. Our lousy nominee even squirreled away money that could have been used to prevent vote fraud or help Congressional candidates.

Sorry, I forgot. He was just working hard for us.

Happy Thanksgiving

But Thanksgiving is not just a twisted fable, and the mythology it nurtures is itself inherently evil. The real-life events – subsequently revised – were perfectly understood at the time as the first, definitive triumphs of the genocidal European project in New England. The near-erasure of Native Americans in Massachusetts and, soon thereafter, from most of the remainder of the northern English colonial seaboard was the true mission of the Pilgrim enterprise – Act One of the American Dream. African Slavery commenced contemporaneously – an overlapping and ultimately inseparable Act Two.
Black Commentator

"But for the natives in these parts, God hath so pursued them, as for 300 miles space the greatest part of them are swept away by smallpox which still continues among them. So as God hath thereby cleared our title to this place, those who remain in these parts, being in all not 50, have put themselves under our protection."
John Winthrop founder of the Massachusetts Bay Colony

I always enjoy Thanksgiving. I like to eat good food, spend time with family and friends and think about what I am grateful for in my life. The history behind the holiday is an ugly and evil one, however. When the Pilgrims thanked God in those days they were thankful that their efforts to eradicate of the Native American population were moving along as planned.

Have a happy Thanksgiving, but skip the genocidal thoughts as you enjoy your turkey.

I Won, Your Team Lost, Ha, Ha, I Go Through the Door First

Fascism Watch

"And at the last minute, Republican leaders tried to slip in a provision that would give certain committee chairman and their staffers unlimited access to any American's tax return, with none of the standard privacy protections applying. "

The World Hates America

I have never seen U.S. Secret Service agents get into a fight, literally, with security from another nation's government, until now. Bush had to intervene, literally, and extricate one of his agents from a shoving match with Chilean security. It sounds like the recent Pistons NBA fracas.

Of course, bad feelings ensued and the APEC conference dinner that Bush was scheduled to attend was cancelled. According to the Guardian, "The dinner planned for Bush and 200 others by Chilean President Ricardo Lagos was reportedly scrapped after Chile was unwilling to accept security measures sought by the U.S. Secret Service, including a demand that all guests pass through metal detectors."

I guess foreign diplomats don't want to be treated badly. They have some nerve. The world hates the U.S. and it is only going to get worse.

Proof of Vote Fraud

"What are these polling place tapes doing in your dumpster?"

God bless Bev Harris. While Terry McAuliffe says there is no need to count the vote and John Kerry reveals that he was squirreling away campaign money that should have spent, Bev went mano a mano, literally, with the Volusia County, Florida Board of Elections.

Meanwhile back in Ohio, Dennis Kucinich supports the Green party effort to count every vote. Yes, I said Green party. Black Commentator says more about the shame of Democrats lagging behind while the Greens do the work.

Who is the Terrorist?

"The enemy has got a face. He's called Satan. He's in Fallujah and we're going to destroy him."
Col. Gary Brandl

Satan is in Fallujah, but of course Satan is everywhere. He may even be in the U.S. army, the White House, the halls of Congress and the Attorney General's office.

Black Men and Blondes

ABC used images of a naked white woman seducing a black man to advertise both football and a prime time soap opera. Does this mean we have true equality in America? No, but we have to enjoy the phony outrage while it lasts.


Speaking of Interracial Relationships

Doesn't she look giddy and girlish? How will she live without being down the hall from him?

No, You Can't Run Again

No, no, one thousand times no. John Kerry should not be allowed to think about running again. Senator Waffler suddenly became decisive, but about the wrong issue. He couldn't come up with a coherent message on Iraq, but he was coherent about throwing in the towel without demanding a vote count.

It is real simple. Tell him no. If you hosted a Moveon party, tell him no. If you left your home state to canvas door to door in Ohio or Pennsylvania, tell him no. If you helped register voters, tell him no. Kerry and the Democratic party left you in the lurch. They were just not worthy of your time, passion and commitment and you must tell them so.

Call his Washington office at (202) 224-2742 or fax at (202) 224-8525. Keep it short and sweet. "There is no way in hell I will do anything to help you lose again. Forget about it."

Who is demanding vote recounts? Terry McAuliffe said no, but the Libertarians and Greens have said yes. We spent four years villifying the Greens and they demand what Democrats will not. Ain't that a kick in the ass.

Why indeed Colin? It certainly didn't help you keep your job. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! It couldn't have happened to a more deserving guy. Powell lied to the U.N. about Iraq, he lied to the Congressional Black Caucus about Haiti. So long! Don't let the door hit you.

Colin and Condi in the News

Colin is out, Condi is in. Who cares? They are just two of the administration evil doers. I don't make excuses for them because they are colored. I said it all in Black Commentator a few months ago.

Fallujah in Pictures, War is All Hell



John Moore, AP

President Arnold Schwarzenegger

Before November 2nd I made the terrible prediction that Arnold Schwarzenegger can be elected president. If the idiots who run the Democratic party can't beat Bush, they can't beat anyone else either, including a former actor. Get used to it. Say it over and over again, President Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Little Change in Latino Vote

Don't believe everything you read. There has been a lot of hot air about Bush showing increased support among Latinos. There is just one small problem. It isn't true. Read all about it.

Why We Lost

Kerry himself mused as late as April, “What is our message?” If Kerry didn’t know his own message he should never have run in the first place. Bush had a message. “Stay the course.” The course can be crooked, it can be broken, but if a candidate acts like he knows where he is going, millions will follow.

Who wrote these brilliant words? I did. Check out this week's Black Commentator to get the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

Arianna Huffington has a better grasp on the inside scoop than I do. She tells us why Carville, Begala, Shrum and company should be shown the door. Curiously, Salon readers tore into her when she criticized the Kerry campaign last week. I don't get it.

Democrats have written and spoken endlessly since last week about what went wrong and where we should go from here. Very few have been willing to say that Kerry himself was a large part of the problem. Gore was immediately treated like an outcast and he actually beat Bush. This time around no one wants to say that we had a bad candidate. If the disconnect makes sense to anyone out there please explain it all to me.

Don't Even Think of Running Again

After a year of lack luster campaigning, an unclear message, and a premature concession, John Kerry is now "fired up." Gee John, it is a bit late for that. We are told that he is even considering another run in 2008. No way. No way in hell.

Anyone who had anything to do with the Kerry campaign must disappear. Unnamed aides point out that Reagan ran for president twice before he won. They neglect to point out that his failures were in getting his party's nomination, but once he got it he won. That is a very big difference.

Reports of election fraud are still coming out and yet we must also admit that Kerry was the wrong candidate in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Democrats can't win until we get rid of the idiots who run our party. They don't have a clue about much of anything. As Slate pointed out, Democrats don't even know how to frame the social security debate.

As spin doctors, Democrats kill vigorous patients. Meanwhile, Karl Rove can nurse a relic back to health. For example, the Democrats' version of "tough talk" is to accuse Bush of proposing to "privatize" Social Security. But "privatize" is a dirty word only to hard core liberals: For everyone else, it's a way to make the public sector more responsive and efficient. Bush doesn't propose to "privatize" Social Security. He proposes to eliminate it and replace it with glorified 401(k) plans—the same plans that have kept so many senior citizens working into their golden years after the stock market tanked in 2001. He plans to eliminate Social Security—still the most popular federal program in American history. George Bush wants to eliminate Social Security. Say this three times. Now say it every time you speak to the press, no matter what question the reporter asks you.

The same man who couldn't frame easy issues can't run again. Period.

Fascism Watch

Who snatched Indymedia's computers? Salon tells the story.

Thanks for Nothing Kerry

We can add Iraqi doctors to the long list of people who want to kick Kerry's ass for conceding too quickly. Your eyes do not deceive you. Iraqi doctors, nurses, and patients were searched, hand cuffed and otherwise humiliated in Fallujah. They were the lucky ones. They weren't killed. The Bushmen were waiting until after the election to attack the people of that city. If the election were still in limbo, and it should be, this would not have happened.

Florida Voting Machines Count Backwards

Fuzzy math in Broward County.

Blue is Better

Funny, but everything that conservatives rail against is worse in the red states. Divorce rates are highest in the bible belt, ditto crime and infant mortality. This graphic doesn't show it, but Massachusetts, that ultra-liberal spot, has the nation's lowest divorce rates.

Fallujah

The Muslims are right. We are the infidels. What will the bible thumpers and the Catholic bishops say about this photo?

Jerry Falwell has already declared that God is pro war, so he won't have any problem defending this desecration. The bishops should deny communion to whomever used the symbol of the Christian God to celebrate an instrument of death. On the other hand, I'm not holding my breath.

Et tu MSNBC?

It has been less than a week since the gutless wonder, aka John Kerry, conceded way too soon. The truth is starting to come out, but who would have thought that MSNBC would have been part of the investigation?

MSNBC lags in cable news ratings because it keeps trying to be a poor conservative's Fox. Why watch? If you like Fox you'll watch Fox, not a pale imitation.

Keith Olbermann is breaking with his lame brethren and declaring that he smells a rat. The rat in this case is Warren County, Ohio, where the county elections building is under lock down while the vote count is underway. Olbermann is still partly in denial, asking silly questions like, "Who fixed the exit polls?" They weren't fixed. They were right, as exit polls almost always are. Voters said they voted for Kerry because they did.

In short, the Bushmen cheated again and the truth is beginning to come out.

Kerry Punked Out

I was both wrong and right about Kerry. I didn't think he could win. I was wrong about that. He won, but I always thought he was a gutless empty suit. I was right about that.

I thought Kerry was going to fight for every vote. A lot of us were under this misapprehension and some of us are very, very angry. Thanks for nothing JFK.

The Election was Hacked. Which U.S. Senator Will Stop Another Theft of Democracy?

In Common Dreams Thom Hartmann explains that an ordinary PC can alter votes in electronic voting machines and that it happened in Florida.

One of the most memorable scenes in Fahrenheit 9/11 is the official verification of the electoral college vote that could have been stopped if just one United States Senator had stepped forward and said, "No." Who will step forward? Can one Senator be persuaded to stop the Bush vote theft?

The Big Steal of 2004

"Black Box Voting has taken the position that fraud took place in the 2004 election through electronic voting machines. We base this on hard evidence, documents obtained in public records requests, inside information, and other data indicative of manipulation of electronic voting systems. What we do not know is the specific scope of the fraud. We are working now to compile the proof, based not on soft evidence -- red flags, exit polls -- but core documents obtained by Black Box Voting in the most massive Freedom of Information action in history."

Black Box Voting needs your help. They need money, $50,000 to be exact, to file Freedom of Information requests. They need lawyers, they need computer experts willing to go public with proof of fraud. The DNC had an army of lawyers, or so we were told. They weren't willing to deploy them in Ohio, so it was all meaningless.

Corporate control endangers every aspect of our lives already. Now Diebold "We will deliver Ohio's electoral votes to President Bush" and others are truly stealing our democracy. We need to draw a line in the sand to maintain our voting rights.


Do We Need a Bible Thumper?

It is always dangerous to ascribe causes and effects, especially where clueless Democratic pundits and politicians are concerned. Ever since Tuesday an erroneous consensus has formed about the power of the religious right. Andrew Kohut of the Pew Research Center spoke these words of caution in today's New York Times.

But Andrew Kohut, president of the Pew Research Center, warned against placing too much emphasis on "values voters.''

He noted that the percentages of voters who said they attended church once a week or opposed abortion were no greater than four years ago. In addition, a surprising 60 percent of voters said they favored some kind of legal recognition for same-sex couples, with 25 percent favoring marriage rights, and 35 percent favoring civil unions. Thirty-seven percent told pollsters that same-sex couples should not be granted any form of legal recognition.

Mr. Kohut also questioned whether the anti-gay-marriage initiatives that were on the ballot in 11 states helped galvanize conservative religious voters to vote for the president. After all, he said, Mr. Kerry won both Michigan and Oregon, two swing states where gay marriage propositions were on the ballot.

"After reading the newspapers this morning, we're getting a little carried away with the cultural and religious interpretation of this election," Mr. Kohut said. "It was a vote to some extent on values, but it was also a vote on John Kerry and how the American public felt about the way President Bush handled the war on terrorism."

"God is pro war."
Jerry Falwell

"Blessed [are] the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."
Jesus
Matthew 5:9

Timidity Loses

We have all had to listen to bad analysis of the election results. We need a red stater. We need a bible thumper. We need a red state bible thumper. Actually we just needed a decent candidate. As you can see from the previous post I don't agree with her first sentence, but I think that
Arianna Huffington does a good job of explaining why it was so close. They stole it again, but if we had had a better candidate, it would have been much harder for them to cheat.

I don't think that religions is the source of Democratic party problems, but this made me laugh anyway.

Did Kerry Win in Ohio?

Greg Palast says that he did. I seem to remember John Edwards saying that the Democrats would fight for every ballot. What a bunch of punks.

Post Mortem

I don't know quite what to say this afternoon. This year has been very hard for me politically, and being the kind of person I am it has therefore taken an emotional toll as well.

As the presidential campaign began in 2003 I frankly was not very engaged. I didn't believe that the Democratic party knew how to beat Bush and I didn't see any of the Democratic candidates being able to take him. But I am a believer in the old adage, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. When the mainstream media and mainstream politicians began attacking Howard Dean I took a second look at him and I liked what I saw.

I thought that Dean could beat Bush. I believed that we needed a candidate who wasn't afraid to define the GOP, instead of waiting for them to define Democrats. I thought we needed an anti-war candidate. We needed someone who would say that the occupation of Iraq was a huge mistake. Despite Kerry's vote in favor, Bush's lies would have made it easy for him to say that he based his vote on a belief in the existence of WMD. Instead he insisted that he still would have supported the occupation. Doug Ireland tells us why this was a fatal error.

When the Dean campaign was destroyed by the corporate media and the DNC and DLC I was very, very angry, but I realized I had to accept it and move on to the probable nominee, John Kerry. I then got my second kick in the stomach as I watched Kerry campaign. He was clearly an empty suit. He allowed himself to be framed as a flip flopper and the most liberal Democrat in the Senate. Because there was no response from him or the DNC the words stuck. Just one week ago I heard someone who said he wanted Kerry to win refer to him as the most liberal Senator.

In the past month I became more optimistic about Kerry's chances. The increases in new voters made me think that Kerry could pull it off. Unfortunately, I was right the first time. I was right when I decided to miss most of the Democratic convention. I didn't see the Dems having a clue, not even a tiny clue, about how to convey a message that voters needed to hear in order to vote for them.

Rather than repeat myself I will refer you to what I have said already in my Black Commentator column. In my September 9th column, The Unthinkable, Bush Wins I spoke of my frustration that Kerry and the Dems continued to dismiss the Democratic base, especially the peace movement. How is it possible for a sitting president to have 400,000 people take to the streets against him at his convention while the opposition acts as though nothing happened?

On September 30th I talked about what we should do today. In the November 3rd Movement I said the following.

"The clumsiness of John Kerry on the campaign trial is not only a reflection of Kerry the man, but of the dysfunction promoted by the hapless Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Leadership Conference. The only outcome worse than a Kerry defeat, would be continued deference to the people who made it happen. "

My friends, it is time to act on my long standing fantasy and give Terry McAuliffe a good old fashioned beat down. Bill Clinton needs a few licks as well. I held off linking to this Counter Punch piece about the true corruption of Terry McAuliffe, Bill Clinton's boy, and the entire party apparatus as well. The time has come to lay it all on the line. Our party is run by hacks and crooks, and the sooner we acknowledge it the sooner we can begin to change things.

We have to become the leadership. We have to run for office. The Democrats who let us down have to face primary challenges. If you say you want a revolution, and you ought to, now is the time to act like it.

Reasons for Optimism

Ohio shenanigans notwithstanding, I still say Kerry will win, although I am concerned about problems with provisional voting and electronic machines.

First the good news.

1. Polls are skewed towards Republicans. Let's not forget that 4 years ago polls showed Bush beating Gore. If polls show a dead heat, that means Kerry is actually ahead.
2. Newly registered voters are anti-Bush. Even if only half of them vote, there are enough of them to put Kerry over the top.
3. Because Kerry will win by a wider margin, the GOP needs to cheat a lot in order to win. They will need more than poll challengers in Ohio.
4. Only the worst of the warmongers still support the occupation of Iraq. This election is the first opportunity for Americans to vote on the war, and they are voting no.
5. Turn out will be much higher than last time. That helps Kerry.

Now the bad news.

1. There are reports of voters choosing Kerry on electronic machines (scroll down) that instead show a vote for Bush.
2. The rules for counting provisional ballots vary widely. Some states will count them right away, others have two weeks.

I should also add that high turn out means long lines, and that means that voting will go one past the time of official poll closings. We may not know the winner tonight or tomorrow, but I still say that all signs point to a Kerry win.

Facial Poll

I know it is unscientific, but I think we can tell who is going to win by looking at this man's face. George W. Bush has the real poll numbers and this is what he looks like on Election Day? Kerry will win and no one knows it better than George W. Bush.

I am sure that I'm not the only one who has noticed that Bush has aged, a lot, in just the past month. I think that his lack of qualifications for the office has taken its toll. Also, let us not forget that Bush skipped his August physical this year, with no plans to take it until after today.
I believe that he is physically ill, but I am not going to make any predictions about whether we will ever hear the truth about his condition.

Bad News from Ohio

In a 2 to 1 decision, an Ohio appellate court has ruled that Republicans can challenge voter eligibility in polling places. The ruling reversed two others made just yesterday.

Quotes of the Day

"I mean, look, we’re up against despotism. And whatever rhetoric they want to use and say, oh, we’re not despots, we’re good Americans -- well, everybody says that. But they’re not. They are the enemy. And they have targeted the American people. They don’t like them. They don’t care anything about them. They’re interested in corporate America. They’re interested in Halliburton and their companies. They’re interested in making money. And they hate the people who stand for the old republic. They just don’t like them."
Gore Vidal


"I don't really care about the electorate. . ."
Ann Coulter

Vote Theft Watch

First the good news. In Ohio two federal judges have ruled that only poll workers can decide voter eligibility. Republican thuggery gets the boot.

Now the bad news. According to Greg Palast, because of voter roll purges, missing absentee ballots and vote "spoilage", Kerry starts out with a deficit of nearly one million votes.

It is important to tell the story of another Republican attempt to steal an election, but I say this much. They are going to have to steal much bigger to win this time around. Kerry will win all of the blue states and a couple more for good measure. The results may not be known tomorrow night, but I believe that the huge increases in voter participation will put him over the top.

The Republicans will challenge the results, but in the end it probably won't matter. At the end of last year I didn't think Kerry would be the nominee and I said so on numerous occasions. But I gladly take it all back.

Now, take deep breaths, and get up early tomorrow and vote.

Vote Theft in Wisconsin


It is clear that Kerry is ahead in Wisconsin. Otherwise, flyers like these wouldn't be around.

There also wouldn't be attempts to disenfranchise voters like this one at the University of Wisconsin. Of course, the Republican wails of voter fraud are false. The vast majority of supposedly "bad" addresses do in fact exist.

Vote Theft Watch

Wisconsin Republicans are trying to keep thousands of Milwaukee Democrats from voting. The GOP claims that the city has 37,000 "bad" addresses among registered voters and are demanding that voters have I.D. in order to vote.

According to the Republicans, a missing apartment number indicates fraud. Half of my mail is missing my apartment number. I would hate to think that I would lose my right to vote because of that omission.

It is all bogus of course. The Republicans have to cheat in order to win. As in Florida in 2000 their cheating M.O. means keeping Democrats from voting.

Get Out the Vote (In the Comfort of Your Home)

Are you feeling guilty because you aren't canvassing door to door in a swing state? Get rid of that guilt and get busy!

Go to www.votercall.org. You can register to call some of the newly registered voters in swing states, all at your leisure. Well, don't get too leisurely. You have to act before Tuesday.

The Black Vote and Election Day

Thanks for nothing founding fathers. The electoral college disenfranchises millions of Americans. Because it is winner take all, your vote doesn't count if you vote for the person who loses your state. Candidates are discouraged from even showing their faces in states that are not in play.

The effect on black voters is truly awful. Black Commentator has the story. Speaking of Black Commentator, I had to hand wring one last time before election day. I vent my spleen here.

Report from the Onion



I hope we can all laugh on Wednesday morning.

Trouble in the Buckeye State

"It's going to get worse, too: mark my words, when Democrats, civil rights attorneys, and voters themselves get visibly angry about this gambit, the GOPers will start whining about "potential violence" at the polls, and even pretend their goons are being intimidated and harassed. If nothing else, it will give them an excuse to go to court to contest Ohio's outcome if the state goes for Kerry.

Now I have no direct evidence that Karl Rove has planned and is executing this voter suppression strategy, though it's interesting that every Republican hack and pundit in the universe started singing like a cicada about "voter fraud" about a week before the Ohio story got into the national news. But it sure as hell fits Rove's M.O. like a glove. "

New Donkey

The more I read about Election Day, the more convinced I am that Ohio will be the main target of GOP chicanery. Polls show Kerry winning and that means the Republicans will have to cheat in order to win. They have already tipped their hand. They are complaining about voter fraud and Democratic voter intimidation. A Kerry victory in that state will be challenged in court.

I hope the reports of a Democratic legal swat team are accurate.

Polls Show Kerry Winning

Four years ago polls showed Al Gore losing to George W. Bush. OK, he lost, but he won more votes than Bush did. Polls over estimate Republican strength and under estimate Democratic strength. Read about it all here.

Bush will have to do a lot of cheating between now and Tuesday in order to win. I don't see Kerry losing any of Al Gore's states, and I think he will pick up a few more. Even if the GOP succeeds in hijacking Florida again, it won't be enough. Not that they haven't tried. Palm Beach County, land of the butterfly ballot, has somehow neglected to put any early voting polling places in black neighborhoods. What a coincidence.

The GOP poll watcher intimidation planned for Ohio must be the result of some very bad polling numbers. Karl Rove knows better than the rest of us that it doesn't look good there.

If Kerry loses it will be because of cheating, lawsuits, and ultimately the Supreme Court.

Lunar Eclipse

If you live in the western hemisphere, or western Africa or Europe, you have the chance to see a total lunar eclipse this evening. Fortunately, I am not in New York City. I am upstate and the lack of light pollution makes the eclipse a sight to behold.

The moon is now completely covered by the shadow of the earth and it is a purplish, brown color. It is a great distraction from nail biting time.

Vote Theft Watch

They have to cheat in order to win. If the Republican skewed polls show a dead heat that means only one thing. Kerry is ahead of Bush.

Ohio is going to be the new Florida. This week a judge ruled that provisional ballots must be cast in the correct precinct. If you vote at the wrong precinct your ballot won't be counted. Even worse, Republicans in that state have registered twice as many poll watchers as the Democrats have. These poll watchers will be able to challenge anyone's eligibility to vote.

Two weeks ago Black Commentator predicted that this crisis would take place. The DNC decided that the priority should be on legal challenges instead of on the ground foot soldiers. The result is that Kerry voters will be harassed and intimidated at the polls.

Actually, Florida is still Florida. Over 10,000 people who thought they are registered are not. They neglected to check a box stating that they are U.S. citizens. Of course, the form also requires a signature swearing citizenship. A judge ruled that signing the form is not enough. If the box isn't checked, no vote can be cast.

Greg Palast and the BBC once again run rings around their American colleagues. In Jacksonville Florida the GOP has a list of 1,800 people who they say are ineligible to vote. They are also filming people at early balloting locations in black neighborhoods.

Help get out the vote. If you live in a swing state or can get to one easily check out this site to find out how to help.

Confessing Christ in a World of Violence

Over 200 theologians and ethicists have signed this new confession of Christ. You can see the full text in Sojourners.

1. Jesus Christ, as attested in Holy Scripture, knows no national boundaries.

2. Christ commits Christians to a strong presumption against war.

3. Christ commands us to see not only the splinter in our adversary's eye, but also the beam in our own.

4. Christ shows us that enemy-love is the heart of the gospel.

5. Christ teaches us that humility is the virtue befitting forgiven sinners.

Christians must speak to these principles more adamantly than ever before. Our religion has been hijacked by extremists.

Duck Season, Wabbit Season

I get it. I really do get it. Kerry and others believe that Gore lost votes among men who like to hunt. I don't think that Kerry has any chance to get that vote, even if he dresses up like Elmer Fudd.

Fascism Watch

There are too many scary aspects to this story. First, we have Pat Robertson, who predicted that God personally assured him of a Bush victory. God doesn't make political predictions and anyone who claims otherwise is practicing the 8th "identifying characteristic" of fascism, intertwining religion and politics (see yesterday's post).

Now Robertson's usually crazed ramblings are actually helpful. It seems that Robertson has said on more than one occassion that he had misgivings about the occupation of Iraq. He says he expressed those misgivings to Bush, but Bush assured him that "there would be no casualties."

The White House denies that Bush made such a statement but it does ring true. He wanted to invade so that means there wouldn't be any problems. In my October 17th post I quoted from Ron Susskind's NY Times article, "Without a Doubt," which scares even the already frightened with quotes such as this from an unnamed administration official.

''We're an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you're studying that reality -- judiciously, as you will -- we'll act again, creating other new realities, which you can study too, and that's how things will sort out. We're history's actors . . . and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do."

When Bush said there would be no casualties he was creating his own reality.

Fascism Watch

I discovered a great site, Old American Century. In Wake Up and Smell the Fascism it gives us 14 characteristics common to fascist regimes. Check it out.