NeoCon :: Redux

The Definition!

  - fc

A pale surrealistic glow accents the detail of cold black lines, delineating the black hearted egotism and absolute power sought with no respect or remorse for those that stand in their way. The pervasive dynamic of attack mode divisiveness permeates the spirits of the NeoCon. Battles not fought head on but with character assassination of the opponent with little more than hypocritical lip service to issues. Hidden agenda's that are as cold, imperial and deceitful as their name projects. Lies and deception disbursed on the winds of politically loaded keywords are framed in ways to keep the naive and gullable, captured and enthralled in false pretense, ignorant of the true intentions and dire consequences of their surrender of power to the forces of the 21st Century's American Axis of Evil. The cold black elephant is symbolic of the republican sacrifice that was made to the rise of the NeoCon. Within a few short years we have found ourselves an ignorant, arrogant child of history, repeating mistakes made in the past, with subsequently as great or greater loss of integrity, and yet again the ultimate sacrifice of the blood of valiant American warriors fighting a faceless enemy in yet another contrived war based on lies. The prostitution of morals and ethics for nationalistic knee-jerk reactionaries has promulgated through the rank and file apologists and excusers. The vilified hate for those who see the damage being done will yet again be the undoing of their agenda. As the American public awakens to facts concerning this corrupt administration which has never before been equaled in our nations's history, the agenda has been derailed. As the blinders come off, their propaganda will carry less and less weight while their transparency will intensify. As the smoke and mirrors fade, the true path will once again be forged by those of us who are willing to stand up and let them know that we will not tolerate their excuses or the actions of those they have enabled. History will repeat itself, much to the chagrin of the NeoCons.

Originally posted on 7-28-05

Tags:   Politics   NeoCon · Bush Administration · Culture of Corruption · George W. Bush · Dick Cheney · ConMen

Stop Bush's Illegal Wiretaps

Stop Bush's illegal wiretaps -- act now!

  - fc

It's now been 5 days since President Bush admitted to authorizing the National Security Agency to spy on Americans without court order -- a system he reauthorized as many as 3 dozen times since 2001. Yet despite the outcry from millions of Americans -- both Democrats and Republicans alike -- President Bush has stubbornly promised to continue this illegal and unconstitutional activity.

How can the President of the United States -- the highest elected official in our land, a leader who swore an oath to "preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution" -- so egregiously and repeatedly violate our most basic civil liberties?

It's time for Congress to act -- to thoroughly investigate the President's actions now.

Urge Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter to hold hearings into the President's conduct, before beginning Supreme Court nomination hearings for Judge Alito - sign my petition today!

We, the undersigned Americans, urge you to hold thorough public hearings into the program of secret, warrant-less wiretaps authorized by President Bush since 2001. Congress must act to thoroughly investigate the President's actions now.

Clearly, protecting Americans from terrorism here at home must be the top priority of any Administration. But we certainly can do that without trampling on the Constitution in the process. Defending America means protecting our homeland as well as preserving our very rights and freedoms as citizens.

That's why Congress enacted the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) in 1978, to protect national security while still preserving civil liberties. Why did President Bush consciously choose to violate federal law, even though the Act clearly states that FISA "shall be the exclusive means by which electronic surveillance...and the interception of domestic wire and oral communications may be conducted"?

This egregious and repeated violation of American civil liberties by President Bush and his Administration requires a thorough Congressional investigation. That's why we urge you to hold hearings before you take up Judge Alito's nomination to the Supreme Court.

Signed by:
[Your name]
[Your address]

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Technorati tags:   politics   petition · PAC For A Change · Barbara Boxer · SnoopGate · domestic spying · FISA · constitution · Bush Administration · corruption · culture of corruption

Conyers :: Censure & Impeach

No One Is Above The Law!

  - fc

CensureBush.org Campaign Launched in Response to New House Legislation

Ask Your Congressman To Support These Bills

The AfterDowningStreet.org coalition, an alliance of over 100 grassroots organizations, has launched a new campaign called CensureBush.org in order to support new legislation introduced by Congressman John Conyers that would censure President Bush and Vice President Cheney and create a select committee to investigate the Administration's possible crimes and make recommendations regarding grounds for impeachment.

H.Res.635 would create a select committee to investigate the Administration's intent to go to war before congressional authorization, manipulation of pre-war intelligence, encouraging and countenancing torture, and retaliating against critics, and to make recommendations regarding grounds for possible impeachment. Full text PDF

Status of H.Res. 635.

H.Res.636 and H.Res.637 would censure, respectively, Bush and Cheney for failing to respond to requests for information concerning allegations that they and others in the Administration misled Congress and the American people regarding the decision to go to war in Iraq, misstated and manipulated intelligence information regarding the justification for the war, countenanced torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment of persons in Iraq, and permitted inappropriate retaliation against critics of the Administration, for failing to adequately account for certain misstatements they made regarding the war, and - in the case of President Bush - for failing to comply with Executive Order 12958.
H Res 636 PDF
H Res 637 PDF

Status of H.Res. 636.
Status of H.Res. 637.

Ask your Congress Member to support these efforts!

The House Judiciary Committee Democratic staff has just released an extensive report titled "The Constitution in Crisis: The Downing Street Minutes and Deception, Manipulation, Torture, Retribution, and Cover-ups in the Iraq War." It is available here.

The After Downing Street / Censure Bush Coalition has organized over 60 town hall forums around the country on January 7th and plans to make these new developments in Congress a focus of many of those events: http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/event

Tim Carpenter, Director of Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), and Co-Founder of After Downing Street, said: "Progressive Democrats of America is proud to be working with Congressman Conyers for the passage of H.RES.635, H.RES.636, and H.RES.637. We thank Congressman Conyers for his leadership and are excited to be working with the grassroots to mobilize and organize a broad base coalition that will demand action from Congress to investigate the lies of the Bush administration and their conduct related to the war in Iraq."

The Breaking Strain
By William Rivers Pitt
t r u t h o u t | Perspective

Wednesday 21 December 2005

"This is America," I wrote. "At bottom, America is a dream, an idea. You can take away all our roads, our crops, our people, our cities, our armies - you can take all of that away, and the idea will still be there as pure and great as anything conceived by the human mind. I do very much believe that the idea that is America stands as the last, best hope for this world. When used properly, it can work wonders. That idea, that dream, is in mortal peril. You can still have all our roads, our crops, our people, our cities, our armies - you can have all of that. But if you murder the idea that is America, you have murdered America itself in a way that ten thousand 9/11s could never do. No terrorist can destroy the ideals we hold dear. Only we can do that."

Rep. John Conyers and the Democratic staff of the House Judiciary Committee have compiled a massively detailed, impeccably-researched report on the activities of this administration titled "The Constitution in Crisis: The Downing Street Minutes and Deception, Manipulation, Torture, Retribution, and Coverups in the Iraq War."

Continue Reading ...

John Conyers ::

Censure

Impeachment

Dear Mr. President:

We are brave, proud, patriotic citizens of the United States. We love our country and are writing to express our profound disappointment with you and your administration for your conduct surrounding the Iraq War, the collection and use of intelligence, and your disrespect for the laws of this great nation.

We are calling upon Congress to form a Special Committee to investigate your administration's abuses of power and report any offenses which rise to the level of impeachment.

We are also calling upon Congress to immediately censure you and Vice-President Cheney.

We have great love for our country and faith in the government institutions provided for in our constitution. We believe that the integrity of our nation is at stake and have supported these steps only after your administration has refused to come clean with the American people at every opportunity.

Respectfully,

John Conyers

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Technorati tags:   politics · AfterDowningStreet.org · downingstreetmemo · SnoopGate · domestic spying · FISA · constitution · Bush Administration · corruption · culture of corruption

Dems FOIA Request

Democrats Request Documents!

There are many unanswered questions about the legality of what Bush is doing with regard to domestic spying.   There was a case as reported in the NY Times in 1982 where the NSA spyed on a muslim-american doctor and the case was upheld by an appeals court.   Smitty in the comments to my Act For Change petition post graciously pointed this out to me.   Many things have changed and the FISA act has been ammended several times since then.   I would also note that lawmakers on both sides of the isle are wanting to know what is going on with this issue also.   In this light I support Howard Dean's effort to gain information under the FOIA.  Join me and Howard Dean in requesting documents that bring all this out in the open.   - fc

Make Your Freedom of Information Act Request

George Bush is using the National Security Agency to conduct surveillance on American citizens without the consent of any court. After initially refusing to confirm the story, the President has admitted to personally overseeing this domestic spying program for years.

These actions are explicitly against the law. But the administration says that other laws somehow allow for this unprecedented use of a foreign intelligence agency to spy on Americans right here in the United States. According to reports, political appointees in the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel wrote still-classified legal opinions laying out the supposed justification for this program.

Governor Howard Dean is filing a formal demand that they release these documents. You can add your name to a Freedom of Information Act request below.

Ms. Elizabeth Farris
Supervisory Paralegal
Office of Legal Counsel
Room 5515
950 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
U.S. Department of Justice
Washington, D.C. 20530-2038

Re: Freedom of Information Act Request

Dear Ms. Farris:

This letter constitutes a request under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. §552 (“FOIA”), and is submitted by the undersigned individuals who are concerned about the Bush Administration’s reported decision to undertake a massive program of spying on American citizens in apparent violation of the law and the Constitution.

President Bush stated on December 19 that his legal authority to have the National Security Agency conduct such spying derives from his inherent constitutional powers and from the congressional authorization for the use of military force in Afghanistan. Of course, these assertions made no sense, in view of the express statutory provisions of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, 50 U.S.C. §§1801 et seq. that flatly prohibit any such spying without a court order. It is the duty of your Office to advise the President on precisely such questions relating to his constitutional and statutory authority. The American people certainly have a right to know whether the President has knowingly acted in blatant violation of the law or believed he was acting within the law based on advice of your office.

•   We therefore request all documents in the possession, custody or control of the Office of Legal Counsel, prepared on or after January 20, 2001, referring, relating to or discussing the authority of the President of the United States to authorize any agency of the U.S. Government, including but not limited to the National Security Agency, to conduct electronic surveillance of a United States person, as defined in FISA, 50 U.S.C. §1801(i), or where there is a substantial likelihood that the surveillance will acquire the contents of a communication to which such a United States person is a party, without obtaining a court order as required by FISA.

We urge you, in considering this request, to forego invoking Exemption 5 to FOIA allowing the government to withhold documents based on deliberative process or attorney client privilege. In these exceptional circumstances, where the President of the United States may have acted in gross disregard of the law and the Constitution, the stakes for the American people are too high for the Bush Administration and the Department of Justice to hide behind legal privileges as an excuse for withholding these documents.

The undersigned requestors fall in the category of “other requestors” for purposes of FOIA and the Department’s FOIA fee regulations. On behalf of the undersigned requestors, the Democratic National Committee will pay any fees for searching or copying the requested records.

We look forward to your response within twenty (20) working days as the law requires. If you have any questions or need any further information concerning this request, please contact the first signatory below, Governor Howard Dean. Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,
Governor Howard Dean
430 South Capitol Street SE
Washington, DC 20003



FOIA Request : pdf

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Technorati tags:   politics · domestic spying · petition · foia · constitution · Bush Administration · corruption · culture of corruption

Investigate Domestic Spying

Louise Slaughter Demands Answers!

Another opportunity to demand accountability from the Bush Administration.   Louise Slaughter stood with John Conyers and AfterDowningStreet.org and the Big Brass Alliance in seeking an explanation for the DowningStreetMemo.   Now we can stand by her in forcing answers about Bush's Illegal Spying on Americans.   Please join me in signing this petition as well as the petition by Act For Change.   - fc

Demand Hearings for Domestic Spying

Last week, we learned from the New York Times that President George W. Bush signed a presidential order in 2002 allowing the National Security Agency to spy on US citizens without court-approved warrants.

Our law forbids warrant less surveillance of American citizens, and it provides the Government with a set of procedures to follow in emergency situations, when federal agents do not have enough time to get a warrant. (Foreign Intelligence Service Act, 50 U.S.C. Chapter 36, Subchapter I) If the Times report is correct, the Bush government may have acted illegally by not following these procedures.

Moreover, this report raised serious constitutional questions as to whether the President’s order violated the Fourth Amendment, and the requirement that the President "shall take Care that Laws be faithfully executed." (Article II, sec. 3)

Congress has the responsibility to call out the Administration, determine the facts of this story, and find out whether the Bush Administration did in fact take actions which violated the constitutional and legal parameters for the Executive Branch. The House of Representatives must do their part in holding this Administration accountable if in fact it acted with total disregard of our laws.

We the undersigned urge Congressman James Sensenbrenner Jr., Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and Congressman Peter Hoekstra, Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, to hold hearings demanding answers on Bush's domestic spying.

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
FISA :: Wikipedia
FISA Info :: EFF
FISA :: ACLU :: Action
FISA :: ACLU :: Action

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Technorati tags:   politics · domestic spying · constitution · Bush Administration · corruption · culture of corruption

Investigate Illegal Spying

Congress: Investigate Bush's Illegal Domestic Spying!

Both Conservatives and Liberals alike should be up in arms at the latest news that Bush has taken it upon himself to circumvent the law, mandating spying on Americans.   This is not a partisan issue.   It is a constitutional issue that was addressed due to the same abuse by the Nixon Administration.   Please take the time to join with me in asking Congress to investigate this outright travesty.   - fc

Call To Action

Shockingly, it has come to light that President Bush secretly authorized the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on conversations of Americans and others in the United States. This spying apparently occurred without any court order and was focused on telephone and e-mail communications of "hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people inside the United States."

Even under the insidious USA PATRIOT ACT, electronic surveillance law generally prohibits non-consensual eavesdropping in the U.S. without a court order based on probable cause. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) makes it a crime, punishable by up to five years in prison, to conduct electronic surveillance, except as "authorized by and conducted pursuant to a search warrant or court order." Kate Martin, director of the Center for National Security Studies at George Washington University, has said that Bush's secret order may amount to the president authorizing criminal activity.

Since this potentially illegal activity was clearly directed from within the Administration, there is simply no way that the Justice Department can investigate the matter without serious conflicts of interest. Therefore, we are calling on Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to appoint a special prosecutor to get to the bottom of this matter and bring criminal charges against anyone found to have violated the law

Devastating hack proven

I am writing you -- with a copy to my representative and senators in Congress -- to formally request the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate recent disclosures that the National Security Agency has been spying on Americans without a court order.

This appears to be a clear violation of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. I am outraged and disgusted at this clear violation of the civil liberties of all Americans.

Since high-level administration officials -- up to and including the President himself -- may be criminally involved in this matter, it will not be possible for the Justice Department to conduct a thorough and independent investigation. Therefore, I call upon you to appoint a special prosecutor to get to the bottom of this matter and hold accountable anyone found to have violated the law.

I look forward to your response on this very serious matter.

Sincerely,

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
FISA :: Wikipedia
FISA Info :: EFF
FISA :: ACLU :: Action
FISA :: ACLU :: Action

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Technorati tags:   politics · domestic spying · constitution · Bush Administration · corruption · culture of corruption

Voter Resources

Election & Voter Info!

In the effort to reduce page size, this post will highlight the voter resource links I have collected over the years.   If you have any links that you would like to share, please leave a comment or a message in the Cbox in the sidebar.   - fc

Voter Awareness
my polling place election impact your voting equipment eVote electoral vote president elect.org election protection us election.org electionline.org e-voting security ballot initiative strategy just vote project vote-smart rock the vote	music for america hip hop summit voting assitance.gov voters info guide national voice electionmatch america votes declare yourself advancement project america coming together conservative voters young voter alliance new voters project vanishing voter project voting catholic
Polls & Stats
pollkatz politopia zogby int gallup poll harris online pew research rasmussen reports quinnipiac survey usa tipp poll research 2000	polling report pollingpoint election projection frank luntz mason dixon american research focus groups nationmaster facts wayback machine real clear politics
Voter Fraud
blackbox voting verified voting count every vote election archive.org freepress election issues contest the vote nov3.us ·  bill of rights national ballot integrity incident reporting system social responsibility s.a.v.e. democracy	voters unite submit incident votescam votergate c.a.s.e. ohio ohio roundtable indyvoter re-defeat bush alliance for democracy the blatant truth what really happened - 2004
International Elections
election resources resources int int election systems ·  links admin & cost of elections arab election law ·  links	palestinian legislative council election world int republican institute nat democratic institute ·  iraq governance in arab region
See also   Activism	See also   Iraq Resources

Updated : 12/14/2005
If you would like to add to this listing please leave a comment or message.

Technorati tags:   politics · voter resources · election · vote

Political Resources

Info and Facts!

In the effort to reduce page size, this post will highlight the political resource links I have collected over the years.   If you have any links that you would like to share, please leave a comment or a message in the Cbox in the sidebar.   - fc

Directories
fact check political index political resources political info - search politics 1.com - links political government mondo politico m&s info one stop national priorities links world leaders - 1945 -> intelligence aggregator	wikipedia demopedia dKOSopedia bibliomania disinfopedia liberal oasis cool aqua bear left hated.net link crusader cosmopolis
Government Quick Links
white house white house news releases senate senate votes frist   •   reid house of representatives house roll call votes blunt   •   pelosi conyers   •   kennedy clinton   •   jomentum fiengold   •   boxer	library of congress thomas  •  gov track first gov •  egov govspot  •  info.gov dnc   •   dscc the stakeholder ndn   •   dlc from the roots dems.com kicking ass gop   •   rnc blog
See also   Activism	See also   Government Links

Updated : 12/13/2005
If you would like to add to this listing please leave a comment or message.

Technorati tags:   politics · political resources · political directories · governemnt

Alito Petitions

You Decide!

Bill Frist said this week that he would use the Nukular Option if the Democrats filibuster Judge Alito's nomination.   I think many people have mixed emotions about the nukular option and whether or not the credentials of Alito are going to mean a definate detrimental affect on our rights as citizens.   There are some interesting points to be made at this new site and the links below to other petitions.   I present this site and the other links for you to read and decide.   - fc

Stop Alito's America

President Bush has nominated Samuel Alito, a judge with a long record of judicial extremism, to replace Sandra Day O'Connor, who has been the crucial moderate voice and swing vote on the Supreme Court. If Judge Alito is confirmed, his extreme right-wing ideology would endanger our basic freedoms.

Alito's record shows that he'll side with big business and polluters against workers and our environment. He'll undermine protections of our privacy, civil rights and public safety. Our future is at stake - we could feel the consequences of an Alito Supreme Court for fifty, sixty years or more.

Don't let Alito's America become our America

Samuel Alito's America is not my America. I'm opposed to the confirmation of Judge Alito to the Supreme Court. I believe that President Bush should appoint a mainstream judge in the mold of Sandra Day O'Connor.

Judge Alito's record on the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals clearly shows that he subscribes to a far right wing judicial philosophy. I believe that confirming a judge with such extreme ideological views will endanger our long-standing constitutional rights and legal protections.

Judge Alito's record shows: that he holds a very narrow and harmful conception of the role of the federal government in protecting our health and safety; that he believes in restricting a women's right to obtain an abortion; that he finds no constitutional violation in the strip search of a ten-year-old child not covered by a search warrant; and that he regularly sides with big corporations against workers and environmental protections, even when his mainstream colleagues do not.

The advice and consent clause of the Constitution gives the Senate the vital role of asking the hard questions and, where necessary, withholding confirmation. Judge Alito's record is too extreme. That is why I am taking action to oppose Judge Alito's nomination.

PFAW's Save The Court :: Petition
Alliance For Justice :: Petition
NARAL Pro Choice America :: Petition
Feminist Majority Foundation   •   :: Petition
National Council of Jewish Women :: Petition
Union for Reform Judaism Opposes Alito
Congressional Black Caucus Oppose Alito   •   link 2
Moving Ideas :: Alito :: Links *****
Siera Club
Save Our Courts
Supreme Court Watch
NARAL :: Bush vs Choice
NARAL Pro Choice New York
NARAL Pro Choice Wisconsin
NARAL Pro Choice Massachusetts
National Organization of Women
National Women's Political Caucus

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Technorati tags:   politics · petition · Alito · supreme court · congress · abortion · privacy

Toxic Waste Superfund

Clean Up Toxic Waste!

First hand experience has proven to me how dangerous pollution by oil and chemical companies in South Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas can be.   I worked in the oil fields and for a chemical company that refined bromine for 15 years.   Parts of beautiful natural forests and wildlife refuges were rendered unihabitable and only through tough restoration laws were these areas returned to their pristine states.   Please join with me in supporting the efforts of Rep. Hinchey to put the responsibility for cleanup back on the shoulders of the polluters.   This is a very serious matter and should have top priority for the sake of our country and it's citizens.   - fc

Cleaning Up Toxic Waste

On its 25th Anniversary, the Superfund program, our nation's premier toxic cleanup program, is facing a serious funding shortfall. Since Superfund's polluter pays fees expired in 1995, annual funding has decreased by $400 million. Leaving Superfund bankrupt jeopardizes our ability to protect the environment and human health by delaying and postponing toxic cleanups at hundreds of sites across the nation.

Tell your U.S. Representative to support new legislation from Rep. Hinchey to reinstate the Superfund fee system.

Reinstate Polluter Pays Fees

Please co-sponsor Congressman Hinchey's new bill to increase funding for the federal Superfund program. Since polluter pays fees expired in 1995, annual funding levels for Superfund have declined by $400 million while the financial burden on American taxpayers has increased 377%.

Superfund suffers persistent funding shortfalls that jeopardize human health by delaying toxic cleanups. Superfund must be returned to financial stability and polluters, not taxpayers, should be responsible for paying to clean up toxic pollution.

Sincerely,

Rep Hinchey's Press Release

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Technorati tags:   politics · petition · toxic waste · superfund · congress

We Need Answers

We Need Answers not Cover-ups!

Senator Ted Kennedy has initiated a petition asking the White House, the Vice-President and their staff to come clean with documents that were not made available to the Senate in the run-up to the Iraq War.   Join me in signing this petition for accountability from our elected officials.   - fc

We Need Answers not Cover-ups

Scooter Libby and Vice President Cheney withheld critical documents in the Senate's investigation of the use and misuse of intelligence in the decision to go to war and in the management of the war.

These documents must be handed over, because the American people deserve answers.

We need answers, not cover-ups, by the Administration about these serious issues.

I ask the White House to turn over all documents withheld from the United States Senate during its investigation of the use of intelligence during the planning of the Iraq war.

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Technorati tags:   politics · petition · Ted Kennedy · Iraq · Bush Administration

Tell Joe No

Tell JoMentum No!

Joe Liberman has painted himself into a corner with George W. Bush and many people don't like it.   I am one of them.   At a time when moderate Republicans are distancing themselves from Bush's failed and flawed policies in Iraq, Lieberman is making statements condoning and supporting Bush.   A majority of Americans want this war stopped and our troops brought home.   It is time to send Joe a wakeup call.   Join me and Democracy for America in doing so.   - fc

Earlier this week while discussing the war in Iraq, Senator Joseph Lieberman said, "It's time for Democrats who distrust President Bush to acknowledge he'll be commander-in-chief for three more critical years, and that in matters of war we undermine presidential credibility at our nation's peril."

Unfortunately, President Bush has no credibility. His administration misled our nation into the war in Iraq on trumped-up charges of weapons of mass destruction. His "stay the course" strategy has led to over 2,100 American deaths. And no one sees an end in sight.

It is disturbing enough that Senator Lieberman remains one of the president's biggest cheerleaders. But his call for opponents of the president's failed policy to keep quiet is outrageous.

The only way we will end this war is by having an honest debate about how and when we can bring our troops home.

Dear Senator Lieberman,

Recently you said, "It's time for Democrats who distrust President Bush to acknowledge he'll be commander-in-chief for three more critical years, and that in matters of war we undermine presidential credibility at our nation's peril."

I disagree. The First Amendment enumerates our right "to petition the government for a redress of grievances." If Americans don't challenge a president who is bankrupting our treasury, destroying our moral leadership and jeopardizing our national security then we fail as patriots.

Senator Lieberman: As a member of the "world's greatest deliberative body," it's time you stopped trying to stifle debate and instead become part of the solution by joining the majority of Americans in questioning President Bush's foreign policy.

Respectfully,

Jim Dean Chair, Democracy for America

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Technorati tags:   politics · petition · Joe Lieberman · Iraq · Bush Administration · NeoCon

Stop Hiring the Bad Guys

POGO - Take Action!

There seems to be no end to the corruption and cronyism that George W. Bush and his Culture of Corruption force on the American People.   The incompetence displayed with the loss of Billions of dollars in Iraq were whitewashed and overlooked and the same flawed policies are being used in the rebuilding after the Katrina disaster.   Isn't it about time we stood up and told Bush to get his act together?   - fc

Project on Government Oversight

The government's Hurricane Katrina relief and rebuilding effort will cost billions of taxpayer dollars. Some of the same companies caught cheating in Iraq are now back at the trough, seeking a share of the Katrina funding pie. USA Today and the Wall Street Journal recently reported on unethical contractors receiving Katrina cleanup and rebuilding contracts, based partly on research done by the Project On Government Oversight. For example:

• Flour Corporation "has paid millions of dollars to settle federal government lawsuits -- including one that accused it of overbilling for 1989 hurricane cleanup work," yet was awarded a $100 million contract to assist with Katrina.


• Shaw Group "is being investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission" and "is a defendant in federal securities class-action cases."


• Halliburton subsidiary Kellogg, Brown and Root still cannot account for more than $1 billion that it spent in Iraq.

The government does little to ensure that its contractors are eithical before hiring them. Let the government know that you think this is unacceptable. Send a letter to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff letting them know that they should stop hiring government contractors with mile-long rap sheets.

Tell the Government to Stop Hiring the Bad Guys

Hundreds of thousands of Americans are relying on your leadership to provide relief and to rebuild their communities which were devestated by Hurricane Katrina. I am deeply concerned that, as part of this effort, your Department has hired companies that have been caught defrauding the federal government or engaging in other misconduct.

I am writing to urge you to stop hiring unethical government contractors. Independent researchers have found that companies like Halliburton, Bechtel, and Fluor have been involved in dozens of cases of fraud, waste, or abuse.

I would rather you use my taxpayer dollars to hire government contractors that don't have mile-long rap sheets. I think in the long run the Katrina relief and rebuilding effort will not only go smoother, but more people will be helped if honest and responsible government contractors are hired to do the work.

Please instruct your contracting officials to refer to the Project On Government Oversight's Federal Contractor Misconduct Database which provides details about contractor misconduct. The database is available at www.pogo.org/db/. In addition, your own Inspectors General have plenty of information about whether or not specific companies have been involved in illegal or unethical conduct.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

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Technorati tags:   politics · petition · John Murtha · Iraq · Bush Administration · Congress

Support John Murtha

We Must Face Reality!

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is making this petition available for us to sign in support of John Murtha and his efforts to bring reality to the 109^th Congress.   It is simply stated and right to the point.     - fc

Support John Murtha

Yes, I support Representative John Murtha's call for Congress to have an honest debate on the safety of our troops.

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Technorati tags:   politics · petition · John Murtha · Iraq · Bush Administration · Congress

Reform the DMCA

Fair Use - It's Your Right!

This issue affects nearly everyone on the internet and even those who are not.   This reform of the DMCA would permit fair use and copy priviledge for audio as well as video, dvd and software backup.   You need to take action on this issue and support the Electronic Freedom Foundation's effort to secure our rights under new, consistant and fair law.   There are several worthwile action alerts at their website.   I may create other posts to highlight them but I urge you to check out their Action Center.   - fc

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) has been wreaking havoc on consumers' fair use rights for the past seven years. Now Congress is considering the Digital Media Consumers' Rights Act (DMCRA, HR 1201), a bill that would reform part of the DMCA and formally protect the "Betamax defense" relied on by so many innovators.

HR 1201 would give citizens the right to circumvent copy-protection measures as long as what they're doing is otherwise legal. For example, it would make sure that when you buy a CD, whether it is copy-protected or not, you can record it onto your computer and move the songs to an MP3 player. It would also protect a computer science professor who needs to bypass copy-protection to evaluate encryption technology. In addition, the bill would codify the Betamax defense, which has been under attack by the entertainment industries in the "INDUCE Act" last year and the MGM v. Grokster case currently before the Supreme Court. This kind of sanity would be a welcome change to our copyright law.

Last year we sent 30,000+ letters of support for the DMCRA, and the bill got a hearing on Capitol Hill. It's time to double that number - take action at the link below, then urge your friends and family to support HR 1201, too!

Text of H.R. 1201

Please Support HR 1201, the Digital Media Consumers' Rights Act I am a constituent who strongly supports balanced copyright law, and I am writing to urge you to support the Digital Media Consumers' Rights Act (DMCRA, HR 1201). HR 1201 addresses many problems stemming from the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Specifically, HR 1201 would ensure that a consumer can't be prosecuted for violating the "anti-circumvention" provisions of the DMCA, so long as her use of the underlying copyrighted material is lawful. For example, HR 1201 would remove the legal ambiguity around the act of creating a backup of a lawfully obtained DVD. It would also protect a computer science professor working with students to evaluate encryption technology. Today, copyright holders regularly block these legitimate activities by making it technically difficult to make legal copies, and under the DMCA it's legally risky to do so. HR 1201 corrects this problem. This is a long overdue reform to our copyright law, and I hope that we can go even further to legalize the tools that allow people to exercise these rights. For some even better language, please see last Congress' version of the DMCRA, H.R. 107. In addition, the bill would codify the "Betamax defense," which has been under attack by the entertainment industries in the "INDUCE Act" last year and cases like MGM v. Grokster. This would make it clear that a technology innovator will not be held responsible for every copyright infringement committed by her customers, so long as the technology is capable of noninfringing uses. This rule is critical if innovators are to have the space to create the new technologies that make us all better off. I urge you to address this important issue by becoming a co-sponsor of HR 1201. Thank you for your time.

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