Friday, November 21:

What do Zimbabwe, Burma, North Korea and Israel have in Common? They are the ONLY states in the world that deny international media and humanitarian aid workers access.

Canada Sleeps Through War to 'Save the Internet' War on Net Neutrality in Canada; links to petition, action form, and commentary by Michael Tippet of NowPublic.com and Bryan Zandberg in TheTyee.ca

W. Christopher Epler (Bill): The core cancer of planet Earth is STILL the Israeli/Palestinian "conflict". The Israeli/Palestinian cancer still rules the planet, and so far President Elect Obama has not poured any healing oils on these troubled waters. Indeed, exactly the opposite since so far he hasn't thrown a bone to the Palestinians and the Muslim world in general. Even barnyard animals know the ONLY solution to the Middle East sewer is diplomacy and compromise, but the DLC/Obama Administration can't seem to spell such words.

Jane Stillwater: Thanksgiving: Non-combat-related deaths in Iraq, MRAPs & turkeys I don't want to cook for Thanksgiving this year but if I do, here's a recipe for stuffing, a description of just how dumb Broad-Breasted White turkeys can be and a few questions about all the "non-combat-related" deaths in Iraq I've been getting press releases on lately. Could it be because of the MRAPs that these soldiers' families will be spending a very sad Thanksgiving day?

Tom Dennen: SOUTH AFRICA - FINANCIAL PATHFINDERS? South Africa leads the way in responsible credit legislation.

Ingrid E. Newkirk: Change can happen President-elect Barack Obama and PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk share a resolute belief: Change can happen. Together, we can achieve the dream of liberation from oppression, not just for human beings but for all beings, regardless of race or gender-or species.

Jim Fetzer: Another Attempted Reenactment of the Death of JFK (1 comments) A documentary broadcast over the Discovery Channel purports to show that a shot to the head of JFK was fired from above and behind. But it makes so many gratuitous assumptions and is contradicted by so much readily available evidence that it has no forensic significance. Sites from which shots were actually fired, for example, were not tested, and the only value of this latest documentary appears to be to dupe the unwary.

Lynch: Obama Less a "House Negro" and More an "HNIC" Note to al-Qaida: It would be more accurate to call President-elect Obama the HNIC. For those not in the know, the "Head Negro in Charge."

No Way. No How. No Brennan. (4 comments) Republican, former chief-of-staff for George Tenet (who authorized war crimes as CIA head), admirer of Dick Cheney, CEO of the company one of whose contract employees improperly accessed Obama's and McCain's passports, and defender of renditions and "enhanced interrogations" is still Obama's front-runner pick to head the CIA. No, I'm not making this up.

Waxman's takeover signals a shift to the left Rep. Henry Waxman's successful coup against Energy and Commerce Chair John Dingell on Thursday leaves the storied former chairman with a ceremonial role and steers the Democratic agenda sharply left. The 137-122 vote which handed Waxman the gavel dealt a serious challenge to the Democrats' seniority system and put key aspects of Pres-elect Obama's agenda in the hands of a liberal, aggressive and activist chairman.

Bob Koehler: History Is Screaming Someone has to give common sense, and nuclear disarmament, political traction. It can't remain the cry of the powerless. We demand that Obama seize the moment.

Now, at last, we know the truth about Georgia The myth of a plucky republic being 'ethnically cleansed' by an evil Russian regime was just that: a myth. With a few exceptions, the war in Georgia was presented in the British and American media as a simple tale of good and evil; a story of the cunning Russian bear smashing the noble and Western-looking Georgia. We now know for certain that 'Brave Georgia vs Evil Russia' was simply a made-up story

Hillary Clinton to be Secretary of State As expected, Hillary Clinton will be offered SoS; the next question is will she take it...

Coal? Nuclear? Activists caution Obama Administration A citizen activist group offers 10 PRINCIPLES FOR JUST CLIMATE CHANGE POLICIES IN THE UNITED STATES. (note: This is only one of thousands of examples of citizen involvement with the urgent issues of our time. This individual activism and diversity of thought is how God blesses America. The grass roots can and does influence policy. If you don't believe that, why are you here reading this?) Hope spawns possibility.

US global dominance 'set to wane' Well laid out reasoning on world changes in various nations' dominance. US economic, military and political dominance is likely to decline over the next two decades, according to a new US intelligence report on global trends. The National Intelligence Council (NIC) predicts China, India and Russia will increasingly challenge US influence

Stephen Pizzo: Put A Sock In It -- For a While. (7 comments) Jumping all over Obama before he even takes the oath of office is stupid and self-defeating. It's like the abused dog that now bites every hand that reaches out to him, even in kindness

steve young: Right Tries To Redefine Free Speech...Again Calling the Fairness Doctrine "censorship" is as much a misnomer as calling Pro-choice groups "Pro-abortion." It's simply an attempt to demonize the opposition

steve young: Right Tries To Redefine Free Speech...Again Calling the Fairness Doctrine "censorship" is as much a misnomer as calling Pro-choice groups "Pro-abortion." It's simply an attempt to demonize the opposition

Kevin Zeese: The Auto Bailout Shows the Failure of Corporate-Government More than the Failure of Detroit Corporate government is at the root of the auto industry economic crisis. It is also the root cause of the crisis in health care and the finance markets. Solving the auto crisis is an opportunity to correct the relationship between corporations and government and get them to work for the interests of the people first.

Is it OK to be liberal again, instead of progressive? This is the best analyis of all the semantic nonsense of Democrats and liberals calling themselves progressives. Anyone who persists in believing that being called a progressive actually means something significant absolutely needs to read this.

David Swanson: Congress Opposes Bush Pardons (4 comments) Nadler Introduces Resolution Opposing Possible Bush Pardons of His Own Subordinates for Crimes He Authorized

Rescue schools and hospitals first, then build light rail New infrastructure will become so many bridges to nowhere unless Obama saves human-needs budgets and public-sector jobs. I'm not an infrastructure-crisis denialist, but first things first. We are now at a crash site, and our priority should be to save the victims, not change the tires or repair the fender, much less build a new car. In triage situation now confronting Obama, keeping local schools and hospitals open come first

Is it OK to be liberal again, instead of progressive? Discussion of political labels: Those, then, are six arguments in favor of using liberalism to describe the center-left. I've reserved the seventh for last. The word "liberal" is a badge of pride. What is more embarrassing in 2008, to be associated with self-described liberals like Roosevelt and Johnson, Martin Luther King Jr. and Barbara Jordan, or with conservatives like Reagan and George W. Bush and Tom DeLay?

Midnight Hour: regulations for the last 60 days | Comment: The New Yorker Clinton holds the record for the most regulations during his last days. Bush announced at the beginning of his Presidency, that he would review and eliminate those as soon as possible. Now, he too, is establishing his own pile of regulations -- or anti-regulations -- as he eliminates or restricts application of environmental, energy, and resource related laws and directives.

Frozen Scandal - You Can't Go Wrong with Mark Danner in the NYR Scandal is our growth industry. Revelation of wrongdoing leads not to definitive investigation, punishment, and expiation but to more scandal.

B. Ross Ashley: Vote Malik Rahim in the Louisiana Second District (2 comments) Vote Malik Rahim, for repatriation, reconstruction, and respect!

martinweiss: *Cheney, Gonzales' Prison Corp. A Violation of RICO? (1 comments) Should the Attorney General and the Vice-President have a financial interest in our prison system? Is that legal or just?

Bruce K. Gagnon: BECOMING A BEE Resistance to monoculture and industrialism! That is the change we need to be fighting for. Learn about Maine's Beehive Design Collective.

Webster G. Tarpley: End the Fed – End Wall Street Bankster Rule - End the Derivatives Depression (1 comments) Monetarism has hollowed out the US economy. The private Fed, usurping the power of Congress to issue money, is a weapon of Wall Street despoiling the nation. A return to a National Bank, the New Deal and the American System of the Founding Fathers Franklin, Hamilton and Madison is urgent. We must invest in people, production, and infrastructure. First, wipe out the fictitious quadrillion-dollar derivatives balloon and the IMF.

Allen L Roland: *GET READY / WE ARE IN A MAJOR DEPRESSION WITH NO PLAN B To understand where we are now ~ you must first understand the reality of what we have done to ourselves. Our structured finance system house of cards has collapsed leaving behind a multi-trillion dollar capital black hole that is bringing down the broader economy ~ with no effective Plan B : Allen L Roland

Kent Welton: FREE TRADE DEPRESSION The question is whether we, and "our" representatives, will stand by and watch as the First World economies, and centuries of social progress, are slowly reduced to ruin and every advantage is given to totalitarian and undemocratic powers, and their legions of exploited neo-slaves, upon whom we are now dependent. What we are seeing is the greatest transfer of wealth in history, and the ruin of trade freedom and democracy.

Rob Kall: The ONLY Way We Are MOST POWERFUL (3 comments) is to work together. That will take organization and fighting the liberals' tendency to operate as loner individuals or organizations.

This Is Change? 20 Hawks, Clintonites and Neocons to Watch for in Obama's White House by Jeremy Scahill Blackwater watchdog Jeremy Scahill comments on Obama's cabinet picks

Peter smith: Melamine's Lethal Contamination Melamine's Lethal Contamination

ALONE: Vatican Appears to be Attacking Opposition to SOA (1 comments) ...just as much as charging that women have no role in leading churches. This past week,Democracy Now did a lengthy interview with Father Roy Bourgeois on the surprisingly strong threat he has received from Pope Benedict to be excommunicated before this weekend if he doesn't disavow his belief and support of women taking over leadership and ministry of the Catholic Church. Catholics need to stand behind women as priests

Thursday, November 20:

Peter Michaelson: Four Pitfalls for Progressives to Avoid (1 comments) Progressives can hold onto the power of our new democratic expressionism and pass it along to the next generation if we refrain from the personality clashes, political infighting, and policy civil wars that have undermined our initiatives in years past.

Dave Lindorff: Oh yeah...Remembering the War and Other National and Global Crises (2 comments) It's not just the economy stupid! That's just the beginning. There are a lot of critical issues that demand action immediately.

Lani Massey Brown: Another moose caught in the headlights: New ethics complaint against Sarah Palin. (3 comments) Kick that pitbull while she's down. Will another Republican Darling bite the dust... sand... SNOW? A new ethics complaint filed against Sarah Palin invokes comparisons of Palin with another Republican Darling, former Secretary of State Katherine Harris. Dark hair, lipstick, ambition, ethics... failing upwards, and both were used badly. They may have much in common after all.

Craig Harrington: The Coming of the Second Great Depression? (9 comments) We may well find ourselves in a full-blown depression by 2011.

Andrew Bard Schmookler: Justice or Reconciliation: Alternative Approaches to Healing (8 comments) It looks as though, when it comes to dealing with wrong-doers, Obama has chosen the path of unifying through reconciliation rather than that of punishing through meting out justice. That's not the approach my gut would prefer. But Obama may well be choosing wisely.

David Ross: An Open Letter to the Republican Party Where the Republican Party is and how they got this place. What they did wrong and how to change it.

Frosty Wooldridge: What do 43 Million Abortions Annually Worldwide Have to do with the Catholic Church? (2 comments) When will the Catholic Church step out of the 1st century and into the 21st century. The human species cannot continue reproducing without responsibilities to the planet and all life on Earth. The Pope needs to advocate birth control!

Ray McGovern : Robert Gates: As Bad as Rumsfeld? Defense Secretary Gates has generated accolades from FCM pundits—like the Post's David Ignatius—that read like letters of recommendation to graduate school. This comes as no surprise to those of us–including his former colleagues at the CIA–familiar with Gates's dexterity in orchestrating his own advancement. What DOES come as a surprise is the recurring rumor that President-elect Obama may let Gates stay.

A Media Parable for "the Center" During the 1992 election year, Clinton had campaigned for the White House under the mantra "Putting People First." But as economic analyst Doug Henwood was to comment, President-elect Clinton swiftly morphed into the champion of an austerity plan that could have been called "Putting Bondholders First."

How Our Gutless Media Helped Trigger the Credit Crisis (1 comments) Consumerism, fostered by the press through consumer advice stories, has helped lead people to focus on "me" instead of "we" -- the notion that a lot of little guys are in the same boat. Lenders have reinforced that sensibility, when, for example, they argue before Congress that their practices are necessary so that good credit risks don't pay for bad ones.

Crisis? What Crisis? What we are experiencing is not the fall of the bourgeoisie, but its ascendancy to dictatorship. It is a charade, it's class war waged by a confidant, victorious bourgeoisie, not one on the verge of imminent ruin. In fact, the economic failure of the bourgeoisie, as things are currently constituted in the West, is an impossibility.

earl ofari hutchinson: Pritzker Saved Obama Much Embarrasssment By Bowing Out Of Commerce Billionaire Obama campaign finance chair Penny Pritzker did the smart, maybe the only, thing she could when she quickly scotched talk that she wanted to be Obama's Commerce Department Secretary.

Obama Throws No Bones to Progressive Base When is Obama going to appoint someone who reflects the progressive base that brought him to the White House? At this point, progressives are getting absolutely nothing from Obama.

Mandate Watch: "Team of Rivals" Or Rival Team? "Team of Rivals" is now being used to justify Obama administration appointments and congressional Democratic moves that appear - at least aesthetically - to be somewhat at odds with all "change we can believe in" rhetoric. Does "Team of Rivals"-ism mean appointing, say, neoconservatives warmongers? What about free trade zealots from Bob Rubin's extended political family?

Jane Stillwater: Advice to Obama: "The New Adventures of the Old New Deal" The bailout is a loser & betting on it is like betting on a losing horse in a race. Let's bet on a proven winner instead. President-elect Obama, please become the next FDR. Who knows? You may get your face on a dime. PS: The Red states are always complaining about government interference, except when it comes to marriage, bailouts or anythng else that involves scary TV ads or PACs -- but the New Deal is GOOD interference.

Jason Miller: Stacks of dead presidents or flesh and blood companions? (2 comments) What I'm saying is that most people with reasonably developed intellects and consciences are going to struggle in some way in this ocean of liquefied excrement, and I don't care what you call it-capitalism, corporatism, consumerism, Western civilization-it's a sea of shit.

Debt Man Walking Economists know the fatal flaw in our system--but they can't agree how to fix it. For decades, the United States has relied on a tortuous financial arrangement that knits together its economy with those of China and Japan. This informal system has allowed Asian countries to run huge export surpluses with the United States, while allowing the United States to run huge budget deficits without raising interest rates or taxes.

VIDEO: We are All Robots Now A beautiful, penetrating video from a beautiful, penetrating website. It's a bit radical, ...but then again, these are desperate times.

Herbert Calhoun: The Meaning of Barack Obama to America's Race Problem (3 comments) An essay on the meaning of Obama's election on America's race problem with a warning that it means trouble for Obama as well as for the country if rising expectations are not met and exceeded.

Peter Duveen: Author Griffin calls for the formation of a truth and reconciliation commission to heal the wounds of 9-11 (13 comments) Forgiveness, not revenge, should be the hallmark of a new 9-11 investigation, says author David Ray Griffin.

Jobarama: Obama's "Investment" (2 comments) With all of the talk of how charismatic Barack Obama is, or of his oratory ability-and especially given his recent presidential victory-it is time to engage in a deeper economic critique of Obama's actual policies. Once we see the true effects of his policies and the incentives they create, we will see that his leadership skills and abilities make him more of a threat to freedom than if he were less articulate.

Raimondo: Dubious prospects for peace The Bush Administration is right now negotiating to leave a poison pill to the incoming Obama administration, assuring our continued presence in Iraq. Another harbinger of war: Hillary Clinton as Sec of State carries too much baggage to be a strong voice against the war.

Obama's secret plan to muzzle talk radio. Very, very secret. (3 comments) Marin Cogan of TNR investigates rumors that the new administration is gearing up to squelch Rush and the other talk radio entertainers. Talk radio is a multi-million dollar business, and it needs and feeds on outrage and discontent. Talk hosts routinely shout down opposing views, and stoke the fires of dissent. The inclusiveness, and hopeful positiveness of progressives is a threat. Relax Rush, there'll aways be wingnuts.

Debbie Morgan: AIG, Congress and the Taxpayers (4 comments) Why are we continuing to let the government bail out a failing business that is misusing taxpayer money? Surely there are independently owned businesses, and even individuals, that could put that money to far better use.

The Change We'd Held Our Breath For... probably good to breath out now.

Sandy Sand: California Supremes to Hear Challenges to Prop. 8 (3 comments) It's going to be a long court fight and both sides are getting their legal ducks in a row for the courts to rule whether the anti-same sex marriage ballot measure approved by voters is legal or un-Constitutional.

Harold Meyerson: A Job for Henry Waxman After a 14-year winter, it's legislating season again. Greenhouse gases are rising, the farms and factories producing the things we ingest have been spread across the globe, the number of uninsured has risen. Obama needs an ally on the Hill who can craft bills and obtain votes for the change he's pledged to deliver. He needs a master legislator. He needs Henry Waxman.

Dan Froomkin: The Attorney General of Rollback The tenure of Alberto Gonzales, who served as attorney general from 2005 to 2007 -- and before that, as White House counsel -- was marked by what critics described as torture, illegal surveillance and the overt politicization of the Justice Department. Holder, by contrast, could offer a restoration of the department's traditional role.

R. Queisser: We Don't Work for Them; They Work for Us Examining who works for us, the U.S. citizens who pay the taxes and cast the votes, if our Congress doesn't heed our votes.

John Basel: What is a Socialist Anyway? (1 comments) With all the ranting about Obama being a Socialist, do most people even know what that means? Apparently not.

michael payne: Yes, we voted for change in America; are we willing to make some personal sacrifices to get it? We must help this new President Obama in bringing massive change to America. For if he fails, then America and we will fail. And there is no better way to accomplish this than by changing our habits, our lifestyles and our entire lives. So, if a good dose of sacrifice on each of our parts is what it's going take to put America back on track, then we must rise to the occasion and do just that!

Philip Greene: Should We Really Do This? The Auto Bailout Debate (4 comments) A perspective on the auto bailout debate

the web: *Ask Obama to change his mind regarding agricultural secretary Please contact Obama and urge him to reconsider his choice of Tom Vilsak for Secretary of Agriculture. Here's why:

David Glenn Cox: Will You Go Quietly? (2 comments) Can we cut the crap here? Can we look dispassionately at the issue before us? This is a class struggle; it has always been a class struggle and it is always going to be a class struggle. We can cloak the issue of globalization in the mantle of altruism, that this is good for all concerned, but that is just not so. Globalism is good for the investment class and the ownership class and the banking class.

Allen L Roland: *PLEASE BARACK / LEAVE HILLARY IN SENATE AND CHOOSE RICHARDSON (9 comments) Please Barack ~ leave Hillary in the Senate. You know as well as I that selecting Hillary as SOS gives slick willie a new life and that means your going to have to constantly watch and monitor their self serving actions on a world stage. There is only one logical qualified choice who has more than earned it by his courageous endorsement of you earlier this year ~ Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico: Allen L Roland

Steven Rosenfeld: Machine Problems Worsened 2008 Voting Woes Voting machine issues and the confusion they caused compounded the delays faced by untold thousands of voters this fall.

Vivian Berryhill: Obama Dissed By al-Qaeda #2 Zawahiri (8 comments) Wow... Zawahiri calls Obama the equivalent of a "house nigger". Now, as a world leader, it would not be expedient for Obama to flip-the-bird to Zawahiri and al-Qaeda, as he did Clinton and McCain when they insulted him on the campaign trail. But he is going to have to say something in response to this verbal affront... lest he, and America likewise... becomes the global 'whipping boys' for the next few years.

(More...)

Friday, November 21:

Semiconductor industry group predicts chip slump in 2009 The decline, if the SIA is correct, will hit both the PC computer and cell phone markets, with PC sales falling five percent and cell phone sales down 6.4 percent. At this point the industry group is projecting just a single-year downturn, and believes the market will grow by 7.4 percent in 2010 and 7.5 percent in 2011.

Chinese Officials Warn of 'Grim' Jobs Outlook Chinese officials warned Thursday that the country faces a "grim" employment outlook with demand for workers falling and job seekers in the cities outnumbering new jobs by two-to-one as the economy slows. The global financial meltdown has dealt a body blow to China's vital export industries that account for 40 percent of the economy, causing thousands of factories making toys, shoes and cheap electronics to fold.

Big Pharma seeks to shape U.S. health plan Big Pharma executives are meeting in Washington this week at a gathering of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations. The group's current president, said the location was chosen in recognition of the coming political shifts. I have personally been called by senior leaders on the Democrat side asking for advice and help, and that's a sign of the new industry versus the old industry,"

JGideon: 'Daily Voting News' For November 21, 2008 a collection of local, state, national and international articles on electronic voting and election issues

E. Nelson: The Al Franken, Norm Coleman Minnesota Recount: And the Winner Is ....

Brad Friedman: The fallout from Promoting Janet Napolitano Mark Crispin Miller adds: The election reform movement in AZ has lately made great progress, against all odds and with great hardship. (Two months ago John Brakey was hustled off to jail in Pima County, for insisting on his right to monitor the handcount of some ballots there.)Any further progress will be blocked, and all that recent progress could be nullified, if Brewer becomes the Queen of Arizona.

Garland Favorito: Georgia Certified Election Results Missing 130 Votes Davis is also a plaintiff in a lawsuit against GA regarding its use of a certain type of electronic voting equipment.The suit contends that election results cannot be properly verified, audited and recounted.Davis explained,"GA is the only state in the union that plans to conduct future statewide elections on unverifiable voting equipment.It is time for a major overhaul of GA election law,equipment and procedures.

Wall St. Journal: Diebold Vote Company Whistleblower and GOP Cyber Security Expert Both Say That 2002 Chambliss Senate VR has been working with whistleblowers who have stated that the GOP, under the direction of Karl Rove, has been using computers to change election results. In order to protect the runoff election from such manipulations, a federal RICO lawsuit is being pursued in Ohio to take depositions from those who have been implicated in this illegal strategy.

US clout down, risks up by 2025 -intel outlook U.S. economic and political clout will decline over the next two decades and the world will be more dangerous, with food and water scarce and advanced weapons plentiful, U.S. spy agencies projected on Thursday. The National Intelligence Council analysis "Global Trends 2025" also said the current financial crisis on Wall Street is just the first phase of a global economic reordering. The U.S. dollar's role will drop too.

Horror as teenager commits suicide live online as many others watch online, some jeering.

Dedicated Iraq War Protesters in NY Hit Amazing 6 Year Milestone For 311 weeks, a Peace Vigil has been held at the corner of Rt. 59 and Middletown Rd. in Nanuet, NY. This Saturday Nov. 22 at noon marks the SIXTH year anniversary of the Iraq War - all are welcome to join in, bring signs, wave at honking cars, play drums and speak to reporters. These heroic vigilers have stood in the cold, heat, rain and snow, standing up against the war every week to support the safe return of U.S. troops.

Ashin Mettacara: *Burma, Myanmar: Leader Monk Gets Total 68 Years; Popular Burmese Comedian Gets 45 Years

Judge Orders Five Detainees Freed From Guantanamo (3 comments) In the first hearing on the government's justification for holding detainees at the Guantánamo Bay detention camp, a federal judge ruled Thursday that five Algerian men were held unlawfully for nearly seven years and ordered their release

Daschle to Be Nominee for Health Post in Obama Cabinet Headline is on Daschle. Lead concerns Clinton: Mr. Clinton's foundation has received contributions from the Saudi royal family, the king of Morocco, a foundation linked to the United Arab Emirates and the governments of Kuwait and Qatar. His tax returns show that he collected at least $12.6 million since 2002 as an adviser to the billionaire investor Ronald Burkle, whose Yucaipa Companies have invested money for the Dubai

Gene Cappa: 9/11 Traced Back To Cheney's Energy Task Force Meeting-Do You Agree? (24 comments) 9/11 can be traced back to Cheney's secret energy task force meeting. Do you agree?

Sandy Sand: Speculation Runs Rampant on the Future Who's Whos in the Obama Administration (1 comments) Vegas odds makers are probably in on the spek-a-latin' act, too. Maybe we should check them out; they were correct in calling Obama's election.

Thursday, November 20:

U.S. Attorney General Mukasey Collapses During Speech (2 comments) Attorney General Michael Mukasey collapsed while giving a speech tonight and was taken to a hospital. He began slurring his words, slumped at the lectern and fell to the floor as he neared the end of a speech to the Federalist Society. He was taken to George Washington University Hospital.

JUST RELEASED: Judge removes Guerra as prosecutor for 5 of 9 criminal cases involving Vice President Cheney and Texas S Texas Rangers to escort Guerra to court Friday morning after having been found in Mexico. Assuming he is not AWOL again; Guerra could continue as prosecutor for Vice President Cheney, Gonzales, Sen. Lucio, GEO Corp., and former warden David Forrest.

Coalition Against Genocide: Open Letter to Sonal Shah, Obama's Transition Advisory Board Member Muslim Indian groups question Sonal Shaw, a member of Obama's transition team about his silence on the violence in India against Muslims and other minorities, his personal relationship to the groups that were involved, and his dismissing their legitimate concerns as "Ridiculous tactics of guilt by association.

Patrick Malinowski: THE BIG THREE BAILOUT!!! (2 comments) Just a simple opinion about the BIG THREE wanting a bailout!!!!

Blackwater Busted? Six Guards May Be Charged in Iraq Massacre (1 comments) Bush will continue enthusiastically to use armed private forces until the W leaves office.This means that the future of Blackwater and the hundreds of for-profit war corporations servicing the Iraq occupation will lay with President-elect Obama.This includes Blackwater &at least 300 other companies,which have been hired by the US government for privatized armed services in Iraq to the tune of about $6 billion in taxpayer money

VIDEO: Ashton Kutcher On a Wednesday Election Holiday [M]aking Election Day a holiday would ease the crush of voters turning out at once (at poll opening before work, during work lunch hour, or after the work day). Though I'd recommend changing Election Day to a Wednesday when making it a holiday, so that a Tuesday holiday doesn't simply turn into a long out of town 4-day holiday weekend for many.

Bill Knell: October and November UFO Sightings in Stephenville, Texas (2 comments) On November 13, 2008, several photos were taken in the Stephenville, Texas, area that are reminiscent of the video and photos previously photographed in the skies over Erath County.

Make That Former Senator Ted Stevens Democrat Mark Begich unseats Stevens in Alaska, bringing Dems one step closer to a filibuster-proof Senate.

VideoTheVote Releases Footage of Major Problems on Election Day The election protection group releases a series of video reports showing the major problems faced by voters in 2008.While the meltdowns that marred 2000 and 2004 did not occur this year, these reports illustrate that significant changes still need to be made to the electoral process.

Steven Rosenfeld: 2008 Results: Fewer White Voters, While Minorities Set Records A preliminary study of 2008 results finds more than a million fewer white voters than in 2004 and nearly 7 million new minority voters.

The Invisible Election These problems occurred even though more voters than ever before cast their ballots before Election Day,even though everyone knew that turnout would be extremely high,even though at least one of the campaigns --recognizing that victory depended on an election system capable of processing 100,000s of new voters--had done an extraordinary amount of work helping election administrators get ready for the turnout tsunami that was

Steven Rosenfeld: See (Literally) Why Al Franken is Gaining Votes The Minnesota recount shows exactly why most voting rights advocates conclude that hand-marked paper ballots are the best way to vote. Unlike Georgia, where the final unresolved U.S. Senate seat will be selected in a runoff election in early December and the public uses paperless voting machines, in Minnesota representatives of both parties can clearly see the voters' intent in a deliberative but accurate recount.

Troy Davis Granted Hearing; Oral Arguments Set for Dec. 9 (1 comments) A hearing date has been set for death row prisoner Troy Davis, before the federal 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. The court, which stopped Davis's scheduled execution last month, will hear oral arguments about a new round of appeals on December 9th. His lawyers want the circuit court to give them permission to file an appeal with the U.S. District Court of Southern Georgia for a fresh trial, where they can present new evidence.

Japan-U.S. missile defense test fails off Hawaii A Japanese warship failed to shoot down a ballistic missile target in a joint test with U.S. forces Wednesday because of a glitch in the final stage of an interceptor made by Raytheon Co.U.S. Rear Admiral Brad Hicks, program director of the Aegis sea-based leg of an emerging U.S. anti-missile shield. "This was a failure," he said in a teleconference with reporters. It brought the tally of Aegis intercepts to 16 in 20 tries.

Nobel laureate Maguire: UN should suspend Israel membership Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mairead Maguire said Thursday the United Nations should suspend or revoke Israel's membership. In October this year she arrived on a boat that sailed into the Gaza Strip carrying international protesters who wanted to bring attention to Israel's blockade of the Hamas-controlled territory.

the web: Home Depot Founder: Retailers Who Don't Support GOP "Should Be Shot" (8 comments) It's nice to know Home Depot supports the death penalty for not supporting their politics.

Longtime Head of House Energy Panel Is Ousted Representative Henry A. Waxman of California ousted Representative John D. Dingell of Michigan from his post as chairman of the influential Committee on Energy and Commerce on Thursday, giving President-elect Barack Obama an advantage in his plans to promote efforts to combat global warming.

JGideon: 'Daily Voting News' For November 20, 2008 a collection of local, state, national and international articles on electronic voting and election issues

New York Police Fight With U.S. on Surveillance An effort by the New York Police Department to get broader latitude to eavesdrop on terrorism suspects has run into sharp resistance from the Justice Department in a bitter struggle that has left the police commissioner and the attorney general accusing each other of putting the public at risk.

Discussions With Clintons as Obama Creates Team Mr. Clinton accepted several restrictions on his business and philanthropic activities to remove any obstacle to his wife’s nomination if the cabinet job is formally offered and accepted. “I’ll do whatever they want,” Clinton said Wednesday at a public appearance.

New friendly fire coverup: Army shreds files on dead soldiers Hours after Salon revealed evidence that two Americans were killed by a U.S. tank, not enemy fire, military officials destroyed papers on the men. Salon's investigation, which included graphic battle video and eyewitness testimony, indicated that their deaths were likely due to friendly fire. After Salon published Benjamin's Oct. 14 report, the Army ordered soldiers to shred documents about the men. A soldier saved some shreds

Emergency Managers Make It Official: They Want FEMA Out of DHS (1 comments) A prominent association of emergency mangers is recommending that the Obama administration pull the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) out of the Homeland Security Department and restore its leader to cabinet level status. IAEM has been generally unhappy with the way FEMA has operated within DHS, and removing it would allow the agency to "get its act together"

Ex-member: Klan leader plotted death The head of a Kentucky-based Ku Klux Klan organization led a failed plot to kill the co-founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups and challenges white supremacists, a former Klan member testified Thursday.

SPLC Wins $2.5 Million Verdict for Teen in Klan Case In a blow to one of the nation's largest Klan groups, jurors yesterday awarded more than $2.5 million to a teenager who was assaulted by Klansmen at a county fair in rural Kentucky. The verdict is expected to shut down the Imperial Klans of America (IKA), which has 16 chapters in eight states

Antonia Juhasz: my response to Washington Post review of The Tyranny of Oil Antonia Juhasz repsonds to the partisan jargon of Steve LeVine in a Washington Post Review of her book, The Tyranny of Oil.

Ashin Mettacara: *Burma: Popular Burmese Hip-Hop Singer Gets 6 Years; Leader Monk Gets Another 15 years (3 comments)

Steven Freeman: Minnesota Recount Update (5 comments) Day one of the Minnesota recount appears to be a qualified win for Franken. Read on for more.

Cheri Cabot: Personal About Politics: To Bail or Not to Bail the Big Three Auto Makers; and Paulson Just Bails. (9 comments) Will it be bankruptcy or a bailout for Detroit's Big Three Automakers? They beg Congress for a bailout while Henry Paulson just bails.

Janet Napolitano will head Homeland Security Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano (D) has been chosen to serve as secretary of the vast and troubled Department of Homeland Security for President-elect Obama Democratic officials said.

Fight Breaks Out As Iraqi Lawmakers Debate Pact A fistfight broke out in Iraq's parliament on Wednesday, when lawmakers were supposed to be debating whether to ratify a new security pact with the United States — one that calls for the withdrawal of all American forces by the end of 2011. Eyewitnesses say the guards used force after the opposition lawmaker approached the podium and tried to rip a copy of the draft agreement from the hands of the speaker of parliament.

Wednesday, November 19:

National Cathedral Cuts Jobs, Programs Washington National Cathedral plans to slash its budget dramatically and lay off 30 percent of its staff to close a widening budget gap.To cut overhead, the cathedral plans to outsource its retail operations, which bring in about $4 million a year, to Event Network, a San Diego-based company that runs gift stores at cultural attractions.

Top judge: US and UK acted as 'vigilantes' in Iraq invasion Lord Bingham, in his first major speech since retiring as the senior law lord, rejected the then attorney general's defence of the 2003 invasion as fundamentally flawed. "It was not plain that Iraq had failed to comply in a manner justifying resort to force and there were no strong factual grounds or hard evidence to show that it had."

Unofficial Translation of U.S.-Iraq Troop Agreement from the Arabic Text Translation of complete agreement between the US and Iraq on the withdrawal of occupation troops. Since Bush won't share this with the Congress, perhaps they need to check with OEN. And, for questions about the oil, check the last graf of Article 26.

U.S. lawmaker accuses Bush of secrecy over Iraq deal The US government is refusing to make public the security pact it has signed with Iraq, even though it has been published in full in an Iraqi newspaper, a congressional hearing was told on Wednesday. The administration has said it will not seek congressional approval for the deal. It has been in a hurry to finalise the pact, which Iraqi lawmakers still must approve, before the UN mandate expires on December 31.

Taxpayers will pay for Gonzales' private attorney (1 comments) The Justice Department has agreed to pay for a private lawyer to defend former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales against allegations that he encouraged officials to inject partisan politics into the department's hiring and firing practices.

Mary Ann Gould: Ellen Brodsky and Clint Curtis on tonight's Voice of the Voters! Both Brodsky&Curtis have recently suffered losses in the general election.Brodsky lost to incumbent Dr.Snipes in the race for Supervisor of Elections in Broward County & was later arrested at the direction of her political competition.Curtis lost his primary race for Congress in the 24th District of FL.This now-famous whistle blower against purpose-designed vote flipping software will talk of the state of voting in FL&beyond

JGideon: 'Daily Voting News' For November 19, 2008 a collection of local, state, national and international articles on electronic voting and election issues

Michael Richardson: Senate testimony by police captain reveals 9 sticks of missing dynamite in 'Omaha Two' bombing case (2 comments)

China seeks to curb unrest amid global crisis China has told police to ensure stability amid the global financial crisis after thousands of people attacked police and government offices in a northwestern city in unrest triggered by a plan to resettle residents. Public Security Minister Meng Jianzhu said police "should be fully aware of the challenge brought by the global financial crisis and try their best to maintain social stability

Merkel Says Europe Is 'Closely' Watching U.S. Plans on Auto Aid German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi have asked the European Union to monitor U.S. proposals to prop up its auto industry for signs of anti-competitive practices. ''We are watching the U.S. closely to see what they do on the car industry,'' Merkel told reporters today in the northern Italian city of Trieste during a joint news conference with Berlusconi.

Vice president, former AG, state senator indicted he indictment accuses Gonzales of using his position while in office to stop an investigation in 2006 into abuses at one of the privately-run prisons.Gonzales' attorney, George Terwilliger III, said in a written statement, "This is obviously a bogus charge on its face, as any good prosecutor can recognize. Hopefully, competent Texas authorities will take steps to reign in this abuse of the criminal justice system."

Maryland Police Conflate Peace Activists with Terrorists Under the direction of Republican Governor Bob Ehrlich, Maryland State Police spied on and infiltrated non-violent peace activist groups, and labeled members as “terrorists” and “anarchists”. Your tax dollars at work fighting “Osama Been Peaceniks”.

Big Three CEOs Flew Private Jets to Plead for Public Funds Ford CEO Mulally made his case Tuesday before the committee saying he's cut expenses, laid-off workers and closed 17 plants. "We have also reduced our work force by 51,000 employees in the past three years," Mulally said. Yet Ford continues to operate a fleet of eight private jets for its executives.

Rob Kall: Did Hillary Cut The Secretary of State Deal Months Ago, Before Obama Picked Biden? (8 comments) Maybe Hillary didn't want to be VP. Maybe what she wanted all along, if she couldn't be president, was Secretary of State. Maybe she cut the deal before Obama settled on his VP pick.

Juan Cole: Afghan article says US Bin-Ladin hunt phoney An article from the Persian Afghan press alleges that French troops were at one point close to capturing Usamah Bin Ladin in Afghanistan, but that American forces stopped them from doing so. It says that a forthcoming French documentary containing interviews with the French soldiers provides proof for the allegation. The argument is that the Bush administration needed Bin Ladin in order to justify its military expansionism.

Palestine: Fifteen Palestinian fishermen kidnapped by Israelis The 15 Palestinian fishermen abducted from Palestinian waters are being held by Israeli authorities in Ashdod, while their boats have been confiscated. three internationals who were arrested while accompanying the fishermen have been taken to Ben Gurion detention facility as Israeli authorities start deportation proceedings.

Beau Biden will not accept Senate appointment DOVER, Del. - Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden says he plans to fulfill his National Guard duties and won't accept an appointment to his father's U.S. Senate seat. The younger Biden has released a statement as his unit prepares to deploy to Iraq

The Real Goal of Israel's Blockade The latest tightening of Israel's chokehold on Gaza – ending all supplies into the Strip for more than a week – has produced immediate and shocking consequences for Gaza's 1.5 million inhabitants. Israel's long-term goal is to force an exodus to Egypt once the controls along its short border with the Strip are relaxed,thus ethnically cleansing Gaza

On Top of Humanitarian Disaster, A News Blackout in Gaza Israel has imposed a virtual news blackout on the Gaza Strip. For the last ten days no foreign journalists have been able to enter the besieged territory to report on the escalating humanitarian crisis caused by Israel's complete closure of Gaza's borders for the last two weeks. There have been no deliveries of fuel and basic humanitarian assistance, and sewage had to be pumped into the ocean due to a lack of fuel.

Douglas Smyth: Should the Obama Administration Prosecute Bush-Cheney Crimes? (33 comments) Should the Obama administration pursue the Bush-Cheney crimes committed in the war, its run-up, in intelligence and interrogation and in Justice? Or shouldn't it? If a broad Bush pardon constrains the new administration, is there a middle way?

Ashin Mettacara: *Burma's Jail News: Three Jailed Today

Dave Johnson: Post-election at the Election Protection Wiki As policymakers look back at the 2008 election they will need well- researched sources of background information. The Election Protection Wiki serves as a hub where they will either find the information directly or be directed to the organization or site that has it. Here are ways that you can help:

Mark Crispin Miller: Ted Stevens is out (which does NOT mean Alaska's race was clean) Here's yet another Democratic victory that does not mean "the system works." Stevens' lead was fishy from the get-go; and so we should be looking into it, just as we should be looking into Coleman's lead in Minnesota, and Chambliss's in Georgia (and, as well, at others nationwide). And yet, so far--and as usual--the only party out there warning of election fraud is the one that's been committing it.

Consumer prices drop record 1 percent in October consumer prices fell by 1% last month, the biggest one-month decline on records that go back to February 1947. The drop was twice as large as the 0.5 percent decline analysts expected. In other economic news, the Commerce Department reported that construction of new homes and apartments fell by 4.5 percent in October to an annual rate of 791,000 units. That was the slowest construction pace on records going back to 1959

For desperate vets, victory and anger They were told they were crazy. Statistical anomalies. Whiners. This week, after enduring 17 years of baffling and incurable ailments they blamed on exposure to nasty chemicals and untested anti-nerve-gas agents- veterans of the Persian Gulf War were told they were right. Colorado's veterans of Operation Desert Storm feel justified after a congressionally mandated panel this week announced that the mysterious and often malig

Snopes says Fake UPS (or FedEx) Delivery Failure Notice Virus is Real The newest virus circulating is the UPS Delivery Failure.You will receive an email from UPS Packet Service along with a packet number. NOTE: The word packet is misspelled on this line. It will say that they were unable to deliver a package sent to you on such and such a date. It then asks you to print out the invoice copy attached.DON'T TRY TO PRINT THIS.IT LAUNCHES THE VIRUS!Pass this warning on!

Obama to tap Eric Holder for Attorney General who prosecuted Rostenkowski (1 comments) Politics in Chicago--folks remember Holder as the US Attorney who successfully pursued corruption charges in 1994 against then Rep. Dan Rostenkowski (D-Ill.). Rostenkowski lost a re-election bid and Republican Michael Flanagan snatched the 5th Congressional District seat for a term with the slot returning to Democratic hands with the election of Rod Blagojevich who went on to run for governor and Emanuel succeeded him

Daley addresses Obama-related police presence Mayor Daley, on complaints of police underfunding & usage."In Washington, D.C., the Secret Service [would] be doing most of this - even outside the buildings. We've taken that responsibility and they're going to reimburse us for that... We'll utilize resources from headquarters and the training academy until next week. [After that], off-duty officers will be compensated at time-and-a-half, to be paid by the federal government.

Recount Set for Minnesota Senate Race as Challenges Loom A recount will be held in the undecided Minnesota Senate race between Republican incumbent Norm Coleman and Democratic challenger Al Franken, a comedian and author. This expected development was confirmed by the state election canvassing board at a meeting Tuesday in the Minnesota capital of St. Paul. The recount is scheduled to begin Wednesday and will be carried out at an estimated 120 sites around the state,

Monday, November 17:

Kevin Gosztola: Bail Out the Big Three Automakers? (36 comments) The Senate and the House will be deliberating and deciding whether or not to bail out the Big Three auto makers this week (Chrysler, Ford, GM). Here's what you should know when deciding whether or not to support a bailout. This is what you may not hear from network news or cable news.

Thursday, November 13:

Gene Cappa: Obama And The Imperial Presidency-Will He Give It Up? (12 comments) Obama inherits an imperial presidency chock-full of new powers. Will he give it up or embrace it?

Monday, November 10:

Rob Kall: Assassination Conversation Poll (80 comments) Have you been in a conversation or overhead a conversation expressing concern for Obama's assassination in the past week?

Gene Cappa: CAN Obama Reverse The Economic Slide? (8 comments) The ruinous Bush fiscal and monetary policies have brought the American economy to near collapse. Can Obama reverse the slide?

Sunday, November 9:

PrMaine: So, Why Was This Election Not Stolen? (68 comments) What made things go right this time?

Gene Cappa: Obama Should Use That Secret Tool Chest-Do You Agree? (17 comments) Obama inherited a secret tool chest from Bush. Should he use it like Bush did?

Saturday, November 8:

Kevin Gosztola: Will You Speak Up or "Give Obama a Chance"? (54 comments) How long will it be before you question Obama's decisions or seek to influence him if he is slow to make the changes you wish to see. How will you organize and pressure to enact real change or will you choose to not organize and apply pressure at all?

Friday, November 7:

Steve Windisch (jibbguy): ... And the justification against Impeachment is now what?? (19 comments) The election of '08 is now over.. What justifications against Impeachment will Pelosi and Conyers come up with next?

Wednesday, November 5:

Gene Cappa: LBJ Was Behind the JFK Assasination? Do You Agree? (22 comments) The "Big Event", code words for the JFK hit, is laid at the doorstep of LBJ.

Tuesday, November 4:

Gene Cappa: Tony Blair To The Hague For Trial-Do You Agree? (13 comments) Blair lied Britain to war with Iraq. He should be sent to the Hague for trial.

Monday, November 3:

Rob Kall: When Will We Know the Results of the Presidential Election (4 comments) We knew pretty quickly for Kerry. It took weeks for Gore. How long will it take to be sure on this election?

Sunday, November 2:

PrMaine: What Punishment? (7 comments) Vote caging and purges, systematic voter intimidation, vote-flipping and corrupt tallies of votes all go on in our elections and for the most part they go unpunished. Should this attitude change in the future?

karmacounselor: Do you know if your county is at risk for election fraud (6 comments) After reading an article warning of election fraud, what have you done, if anything, to speak up, verify, and ensure your vote is safe?

Kris Malmquist: Should We Legalize/Decriminalize Marijuana? (26 comments) Cast your vote on whether or not the time has come to stop locking people up for smoking a doobie or two.

Thursday, October 30:

Michael Bonanno: Please rate "Shock And Awe" (2 comments) ...one of the candidates for the presidency is still in shock and awe mode while the other has a word for that mode.

Wednesday, October 29:

PrMaine: Who is John McCain? (9 comments) The John McCain we see today seems to many to be a totally different person than the one we knew, say in the 1990's. Which John McCain is the one of today?

Tuesday, October 28:

Dave Kisor: Does homeland security make you feel safe? (11 comments) The disestablishment of the Department of Homeland Security

Sunday, October 26:

John Kusumi: Presidential Preference Poll (6 comments) Straight up, plain vanilla presidential preference poll.

Saturday, October 25:

Patricia 0rmsby: Anyone you know been disenfrachised yet? (5 comments) We hear about millions of people being disqualified to vote in the upcoming election or falling victim to registration fraud. Has this happened to you or anyone you know?

Tuesday, October 21:

Rob Kall: Should OpEdNews Notify Members When Their Content is Most Popular? (19 comments) Would you want an email notifying you that your article, poll, diary or member page was among the most viewed, most commented, most forwarded, highest rated, for a given period of time?

Gene Cappa: 9/11: Total Proof Bombs Were Planted-Do You Agree? (48 comments) Bombs were planted and detonated to bring down the WTC on 9/11. Do you agree?

Monday, October 20:

Gene Cappa: Should Bush Be Prosecuted for Murder? (27 comments) Over 4,100 American soldiers got killed in Bush's war against Iraq on false pretenses. Should Bush be prosecuted for murder?

Monday, October 13:

Michael Morris: America needs Leadership! (8 comments) Did Congress show leadership in voting to pass the bailout?

Sunday, October 12:

UncleSim: Voting the Lesser of Two Evils - A Poll (54 comments) How strong is your support for the person who will get your vote? This poll is an attempt to locate America's heart.

Karen Fish: Will Sarah Palin now step down? (11 comments) Does she stay or does she go? Why and by whom?

Thursday, October 9:

Rob Kall: Will McCain or Obama Challenge Vote Counts? (10 comments) Kerry wimped an quit. Gore gave up when the Supreme court waded in. If the election is close, will Obama challenge the results? Will McCain?

Gene Cappa: FASCISM Came To America-Do You Agree? (30 comments) The ten steps to fascism are now in place, and any crisis, real or make believe, can be used to declare a national emergency leading to martial law and tyranny over the land.

Wednesday, October 8:

chris rice: Bail~Outs Were Wrong: How Do We Regain Control of Congress (10 comments) You have ignored the hundreds of thousands of American people who have been calling, faxing and emailing you opposing this bailout at least 100 to 1. You have ignored the almost two hundred economists from around the country that have contacted you and who have no conflict of interest and told you this bill will outright fail. My congressman's web site had a pole showing that 97.3% of his constituents were opposed.

Steph Fauxco: Who do you think won the debate tonight? Obama or McCain VOTE NOW (1 comments) Debate #2 McCain V Obama who do you think will won the debate?

PrMaine: Are trolls effective? (12 comments) Have Republican trolls been trying to influence voters through comments on progressive web sites? If so, are they effective in this effort?

Sunday, October 5:

Paul Kruger: Are we safe from our own military? (51 comments) Would members of our own military refuse an order to turn their weapons against American Citizens on US Soil?

Friday, October 3:

Steph Fauxco: First Bail Out Bill VS New Bail Out Bill? VOTE!!! (17 comments) Should Congress have voted in the less pork Bail out bill of last week vs. the one they have to TODAY?

Lance L. Landon: Biden-Palin Debate, Who Won??? (15 comments) Vote for Joe Biden Vote for Sarah Palin

Thursday, October 2:

Steph Fauxco: Will Sarah Palin say "Alaska" more times than "Hero" tonight? (3 comments) Palin, debate, Funny Poll, Alaska, Hero

Peter Dearman: Do something, but ditch the Paulson Plan (4 comments) Should Congress promise to do something major, but ditch the Paulson Plan and start listening to other informed voices?

JC Garrett: Poll: Republican 'Capitalism' or Republican 'Socialism'? (10 comments) The choice really isn't between real Capitalism and real Socialism. The choice is between the reality that occurs by applying the Republican definition of Capitalism and the Republican definition of Socialism. Which would you prefer?

Monday, September 29:

Steph Fauxco: Did the Republicans commit extreme insider trading today? (2 comments) Do you think the Republican's committed extreme insider trading today?

Sunday, September 28:

Rob Kall: After Palin Bombs Debating Biden, & Withdraws from the Campaign, Who Will McCain Pick? (14 comments) Sarah Palin bombed in her interview with Katie Couric and she's going to hit bottom and break into 700 billion ugly pieces when she debates with Joe Biden. Who Will McCain choose to replace her when Palin withdraws to "take care of her family."

Friday, September 26:

Robert Arend: Are The Republicans Gaining Hero Status On The Bailout? (14 comments) Are Democrats risking dilution of the public's blame of the Republicans for current ills of the economy when the Dems support bailing out Wall Street and the Repubs stand against it?

Wednesday, September 24:

Constance Lavender: Bailout: Post-Bush Speech to Nation (11 comments) Post-Bush Speech Bailout Gauge

Tuesday, September 23:

MedicalWhistleblower: Should Medical Whistleblowers Be Protected? (5 comments) Should Medical Whistleblowers Be Protected?

Kevin Gosztola: How can America recover from the financial crisis? (13 comments) Three prominent politicians (two of them presidential candidates) have plans for how to respond to the bailout. Neither suggest that they would support the Bush administration's or Paulson's proposal, which is being advanced in the halls of Congress right now (despite the fact that many details about the proposal are unknown).

Monday, September 22:

Rob Kall: Screwed or Saved Bailout-wise? (38 comments) will dems pass or fix the bailout, or will Republicans do it? Or will a bipartisan congress screw the taxpayers.

Saturday, September 20:

Constance Lavender: Given the economic illness of the United States, What do you prefer to do? (21 comments) Tell the World What Your Future Plans Are Going To Be....

Friday, September 19:

Rob Kall: Has J. Edgar Hoover Styled Blackmail Come Back to Haunt Congress? (18 comments) with all the access to phone tapping, has the Bush admin and its surrogates been digging up blackmail material on Dem leaders in congress?

Constance Lavender: Do you support the government's bail out of Wall Street? (14 comments) Do you support the government's bail out of Wall Street?

Rob Kall: Government Welfare Buyouts and Rescues; Are They Over Yet? (7 comments) Will there be more massive loans or government takeovers that amount to corporations become socialized-- even whole industries?

Wednesday, September 17:

Karen Fish: Did George Bush bail out AIG to save AIG or John McCain and the Neocons? (21 comments) What are the true motives behind the Bush bailout of AIG?

Monday, September 15:

Rob Kall: Diagnose Sarah Palin Poll (38 comments) Which diagnosis do you pick?

Bruce Cain: A 20 Year Moritorium on Legal/Illegal Immigration Into the US (14 comments) The "New Agenda for America" is composed of 10 "Planks." The 2nd plank calls for a 20 Year Moritorium on Legal/Illegal Immigration Into the US. [Goto www.newagecitizen.com/NAA.htm to read the full agenda].

joel kauffman: "Under God," in the Pledge of Allegiance (25 comments) The phrase has presently been held unconstitutional by a California federal district court. The decision is on appeal to the Federal Court of Appeals. In 2006, a Florida federal district court has held that a 1942, state law requiring children to stand and recite the pledge violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments and is therefore, unconstitutional

Greg Purcell: Does Rob Kall look like Tony Soprano? (5 comments) Is James Gandolfini Rob Kall's cousin?? What do you think?

PrMaine: Voting Motivations (17 comments) This poll is an attempt to get some understanding of what is motivating people to vote.

Sunday, September 14:

Constance Lavender: How much faith do you have in the American financial system? (11 comments) Given these extraordinary developments in the American financial system, how much faith do you retain?

Constance Lavender: Is Sarah Palin from the West or the Pacific? Decide where Sarah Palin is from: the West or the Pacific.

Saturday, September 13:

Hal Smith: Independent Candidates (19 comments) Who will you vote for?

Tony Forest: POLL: Will an Obama/Biden Victory Pacify The Movement ? (19 comments) Offset with an inverted question: Will a McCain/Palin Victory Empower The Movement ?

Thursday, September 11:

Amanda Lang: POLL: Should Vote Tampering or Vote Theft Crimes Be Prosecuted As Treason (10 comments) Should the penalty for vote tampering or vote theft be more stringent than it is under current law? Should voting crimes be elevated to acts of high treason?

Amy Fried: Poll: Does Sarah Palin Represent American Women? (26 comments) Does the Republican V.P. nominee represent American women?

Amy Fried: Unsolicited Absentee Ballots (5 comments) Strange stories of unsolicited absentee being received by non-Republicans, are circulating.

Gene Cappa: Congress Should Commence An Independent 9/11 Investigation-Do You Agree (21 comments) Seven years after 9/11 Congress has yet to provide the American people with an independent scientific analysis of the collapses of all 3 World Trade Center buildings.

Tuesday, September 9:

John Wood Sr: POLL: SHOULD WE REPLACE THE "STARS AND STRIPES"? (18 comments) A way to save our Constitutional rights and liberties.

Edwin Rutsch: Is Jim Hightower correct that grasping greed is a failed conservative value? (7 comments) Is Jim Hightower correct that grasping greed is a failed conservative value?

Monday, September 8: