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(OpEdNews Contributing Editor since October 2006) Inner city schoolteacher from New York, mostly covering media manipulation. I put election/finance reform ahead of all issues but also advocate for fiscal conservatism, ethics in journalism and curbing overpopulation. I enjoy open debate, history, the arts and hope to adopt a third child. Gustav Wynn is a pseudonym, but you knew that.
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Wednesday, February 15, 2012 Judge Rakoff: Bush DOJ Scammed Supreme Court on Deportation Ruling
The same Judge Jed Rakoff who halted the SEC from selling immunity to Citigroup has weighed in on a Supreme Court decision which may have been informed by faulty information. Demanding secret emails, Rakoff found that John Roberts' ruling to deport dissidents awaiting appeal was based on the existence of a program to retrieve those immigrants who win their appeals, when no such policy seems to exist. Rakoff has requested correspondence that may clear up how Roberts ended up referencing a non-existent policy in a decision that could send refugees to face deadly retribution.
Sunday, December 25, 2011 Albany Police Pepper Spray Defiant Occupy "Tent" Keepers
The seizure of the last tent standing in the Occupy Albany encampment caused an impassioned tug-of-war between cops and protesters on Friday. But did this require use of chemical weapons? Despite national outrage, the heavy handed treatment of protesters continues while lawless corporations elude justice. After defying Gov. Cuomo's previous orders to clamp down on dissent in Albany parks, Albany cops this time send a message of brutal force to Occupy activists.
Monday, December 5, 2011 Finally! Five Major Banks Sued For Foreclosure Fraud
It started when NY's AG Eric Schneiderman refused to sign off on Obama's 50 state immunity settlement with the five major mortgage servicers at the heart of the U.S. foreclosure crisis. Others AGs joined the maverick AG in CA, DE, NV, MA and MN in saying no to a pennies-on-the-dollar immunity deal. CA's Kamala Harris began a subpoena process in her state where foreclosures are epidemic - but now Massachussetts AG Martha Coakley has begun to do something rare and incredible, going after five large banks with real prosecution.
Covered in the financial press, this item is widely glossed over by networks media so far. But FDL notes Treasury, CFPB and TARP Investigators have announced a task force to go after penny-ante scam artists selling bogus HAMP modifications.
Don't go for the shell game folks - this is one big achievement for #OWS.
Monday, October 17, 2011 Five #OccupyWallStreet Myths Debunked
The mainstream media has been spreading a lot of dubious information about #OccupyWallStreet, but most is coordinated slander. Here's the real 411 behind the movement, with all the corporate messaging stripped out from someone who's been there.
Sunday, October 2, 2011 Judge: What Did Breitbart Say + Pay For ACORN Videos?
A federal judge has ruled that Andrew Breitbart, (who just raised $10 million from two unknown donors) must furnish all communications between he and the so-called ACORN Pimp, James O'Keefe as well as his "ho" Hannah Giles.
The Judge also wants records of payments made for the videos to help ascertain whether O'Keefe's secretly made recordings were legal.
O'Keefe and Giles are being sued under CA Privacy Laws by Juan Vera, an employee fired from ACORN because of the heavily edited videos. O'Keefe's defense is being provided free by Center for Individual Rights, a DC law firm who is also currently challenging parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1964
Thursday, September 22, 2011 Bank of America, Countrywide Silenced Whistleblowers
Lots of details pouring out from numerous ex-employees who tried to do the right thing as mortgage fraud was becoming epidemic.
Saturday, September 17, 2011 Bush Scrubbed Reports by FBI, Sarasota Police Linking al Qaeda to Saudi Financiers (3 comments)
Former FL Senator Bob Graham says the Joint Congressional Inquiry he co-chaired was manipulated when the Bush White House withheld key accounts of al Qaeda's movements in FL. Starting the day of the 9-11 attacks, links between the hijackers and a prominent Saudi financier Esam Ghazzawi were uncovered by the FBI and Sarasota sheriff deputies, but "blanked out", providing safe harbor for Ghazzawi, his daughter and son-in-law who were visted in Ghazzawi's home by the hijackers while enrolled in Venice flight schools (Miami Herald).
Ghazzawi is said to have held funds for a Saudi Prince who died suspiciously the same week as two other princes fingered by former bin Laden aide Abu Zubaydah. Another died mysteriously in his 40s a year later.
Over 40 Senators called for the release of the 28 pages of redactions but a network media whitewash has fed public ignorance and squelched the effort.
Monday, August 22, 2011 FCC Ends Last Remaining Fairness Doctrine Broadcast Requirements
Removing language from guidelines for broadcasters, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski cited desire for "a healthy climate for private investment and job creation" in striking down lingering policies from the Fairness Doctrine days.
This completes the eradication of the historic movement towards fairness in broadcasting created after WWII propaganda poisoned public dialogue.
Relying mostly on self-policing, FCC licensees were obligated to broadcast "in the public interest" and to make "all reasonable attempts" to present issues in relevant balance.
This signals a win for media corporations seeking to end net neutrality and begin tired internet pricing where they pick some sites for "fast" internet and others get tossed in the slow lane.
This would speed the scrubbing of news and information predicted by Orwell and carried out daily by News Corp, ABC, NBC, CBS, and CNN...
Sunday, August 14, 2011 Hannity, Fox, CNN, CPAC Caught Suppressing Their Own Polls Showing Ron Paul On Top (3 comments)
What if the GOP decided to swiftboat and astroturf their own voters? Now we know - Ron Paul won the poll on "Fox News" asking who won the Iowa GOP Presidential Debate and they removed it.
This follows a long pattern of suppression of Paul's real-life popularity. 2011 and 2010 Straw Polls at CPAC both went for Paul so they reported other candidates as "winning tonight" and even edited out roaring applause for Paul's win this year and lied about a "lackluster" audience reaction.
CNN is in on it too, pulling their own viewer poll down after Paul won and replacing it with someone else's poll in which he was one of over 50 candidates.
Notice the real-time revision of history: Fox pundits cannot debate Paul on the issues either way because the people win if we simply talk about the wars or the Fed. They decide what we are "fed" until America gets "fed up".
Thursday, August 4, 2011 Protest of Right Wing Canadian 'Attack Journalist' Overwhelms Authorities (2 comments)
Taking a lesson from our Northern neighbors, the US would do well to stop propaganda in it's tracks like this. A recent shanghai interview of an arts advocate by fiery anti-arts anchor Krista Erickson resulted in an incredible backlash as over 4,300 viewers complained to the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council.
Upset the interview was "an attack", not journalism, this volume of complaints exceeded the number of complaints received by the agency annually and overwhelmed their resources. Considered "Fox News North", this outpouring of over-aggressive bias in broadcasting by the Sun News Network should provide an example for Americans who are far too complacent with US media and the unsupported propaganda attacks we see on a regular basis.
Sun News may be forced to air an apology after the investigation is concluded.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 Shill Game: Limbaugh, Hannity's "Embedded" Ads Pimp Heritage Agenda
At long last, someone is looking into the practice of talk radio's multimillion dollar messaging deals with groups like Heritage, FreedomWorks and the Koch Brothers. Hannity and Limbaugh openly run ads and solicit memberships, but Politico is now questioning "embedded initiatives" where the line between show content and paid commercials are blurred, suggesting a conflict of interest where the influence of outside funding is undisclosed.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011 Breitbart's 'Weinergate' Tipster Linked To Rep. Issa Staffers: The Smoking Gun (1 comments)
When Rep. Weiner mistweeted his infamous crotch shot, he only hastened a scandal already known to "Dan Wolfe" who had been closely monitoring Weiner's account as part of an ongoing cyber-harassment campaign conducted along with porn site blogger and self-proclaimed "pervert" Mike Stack.
Stack joined Wolfe's pack for months disparaging Weiner online, for example saying his wife had terrorist ties but predicted the sex scandal as early as May 11.
Wolfe sent his "underwear" screen grab to Andrew Breitbart, but Stack, who said Weiner was carrying on with teenagers, suggested they consult an aide of CA Rep. Darrel Issa he trusted.
Despite a checkered, x-rated past, Stack claims he was invited by a second Issa staffer to provide dirt on "ethics" and Democrats such as President Obama.
Emails say Issa's aide Seamus Kraft confirmed he had exchanges with Stack.
Sunday, June 5, 2011 Judge in ACORN Worker Lawsuit Rejects O'Keefe's 'First Amendment' Excuse (7 comments)
A federal judge rejected James O'Keefe's assertion that his freedom of speech as an "undercover" news gatherer trumps California's prohibition on surreptitious recordings.
O'Keefe said MTV's "Punk'd" set such a precedent, though it obtained releases prior to airing footage of well-known celebrity figures.
The judge also struck down back-stabber Hannah Giles' claim she was not liable because O'Keefe held the hidden camera.
The civil case brought by fired ACORN employee Juan Carlos Vera moves now forward.
O'Keefe is represented pro bono by attorneys hired by CIR, a legal institute co-directed by Larry Arnn of Hillsdale College. Not ironically, his lawyers charge more than the $75K Vera is suing for.
This is the 3rd case brought for the ACORN sting videos and his fourth federal case. O'Keefe has settled out of court once and taken a plea deal once.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011 Nader: Limbaugh, Hannity Radio Licenses Are Corporate Welfare
Upset about NPR being defunded, Ralph Nader asks us to consider how radio licensees benefit from free access to public airwaves to promote biased political agendas. We pay more for a car registration than Clear Channel pays for a radio license. At least create fees to cover FCC operational expenses so taxpayers are no longer subsidizing propaganda like Hannity and Limbaugh.
Saturday, April 2, 2011 Bush AG Mukasey Seeks Legalization of Bribery as Paid Stooge for US Chamber
Former Bush Administration Attorney General Michael Mukasey trades in his judicial credibility for a lobbying post with the controversial US Chamber of Commerce, seeking to change anti-corruption laws to redefine "bribery" overseas, reduce transparency and indemnify CEOs from the actions of their employees.
This move comes just as Newt Gingrich's biggest billionaire donor is being investigated under these FCPA statutes for a casino development scandal in Asia but also cost Halliburton hundred of millions in "fines" to extricate Dick Cheney from liability in a Nigerian gas pipeline scandal earlier this year.
In an international "race to the bottom" Mukasey is now using all his accumulated clout in DC to argue that the US can be more competitive globally by endorsing payoffs to those in power abroad, or expanding "foreign corrupt practices".
Friday, March 18, 2011 O'Keefe's Lawyers Seeking to Overturn CA Privacy Rights Law - Koch Money Helping Fund Effort (7 comments)
James O'Keefe has answered a lawsuit brought by Juan Carlos Vera, an ACORN worker fired due to O'Keefe's "deceptive editing" and distortion. O'Keefe is being represented by DC's priciest lawyers, but the tab is being picked up by a legal non-profit funneling donations by radically partisan billionaires such as Koch Industries, Richard Mellon Scaife and the like. What's the defense? They are saying California's law requiring an individual's right to privacy is not Constitutional and secret taping without consent should be the law of the land from here on out.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011 Hillary's Holbrooke Replacement Has a "Sibel Edmonds" Problem
Hillary Clinton has tapped Marc Grossman to replace the late Richard Holbrooke as the State Department's chief Af-Pak diplomat despite as-yet unrefuted allegations surrounding the choice that allege criminal activity, including trading in nuclear secrets and selling favors to Turkish interests.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011 Ohio Court Considers Unsealing 2004 Election Theft Testimony (8 comments)
Attorneys filed papers this week seeking to make public the 2008 testimony of Michael Connell, accused of rigging the 2004 Ohio vote tabulation network. Lawyers representing Connell's estate claim "trade secrets" trump the public's right to hear how Connell explained his dual roles as an official Ohio election night contractor AND the man behind the Bush campaign's web operations. Connell died soon after his testimony in a fiery plane crash.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010 Bush Sr. Urges Nigeria to Accept Cheney's $250 Million Plea Bargain (2 comments)
Blood Fuel? George H.W. Bush and former Secretary of State James Baker handled negotiations with Nigerian officials to get Dick Cheney off in the KBR bribery scandal. A plea bargain deal was reached to pay $250 million for dropping charges. If this sounds like a bribe to settle a bribery case, it's not so funny to Nigerian activists looking to end the partnership between corrupt officials and crooked outside corporations.
Monday, November 22, 2010 London Mayor: Bush Considered War Criminal in London (2 comments)
Mayor of London Boris Johnson had strong words in a Telegraph article for George W. Bush who recently admitted to three counts of waterboarding on specious legal footing. In praise of the USA, he felt Bush betrayed American values by torturing prisoners and might therefore be perp walked like Pinochet if he shows up in London Town.
Friday, November 5, 2010 Veteran Families Petition SCOTUS To Find Iraq Invasion Illegal (1 comments)
A Rutgers Law clinic in Newark, NJ is asking the US Supreme Court to hear a case on the constitutionality of the invasion of Iraq. Because there was no formal declaration of war, the action seeks to try the Iraq war in court but the issue also sparks outrage because there was no UNSC resolution and because 10 out 12 reasons for the war stated in the Congressional Authorization for War proved false.
Thursday, October 28, 2010 WHITEWASH! CBS, CNN Withhold Footage of Karl Rove Being Served Election Fraud Subpoena (1 comments)
Backstage at CBS this Sunday, Karl Rove was subpoenaed over his role in Ohio 2004 election fraud. CNN and CBS reportedly filmed the event but have to date censored the entire story. Approved by Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner the probe addresses trashing records and hiring of the Bush campaign's IT whiz as the network administrator for Ohio's official vote reporting. Major media outlets continue to bury this shocker!
Thursday, October 14, 2010 Christine O'Donnell: 'I've Got Sean Hannity In My Back Pocket' (4 comments)
Is it legal to use radio programs for electioneering communications? Christine O'Donnell's bragging about her use of Sean Hannity's radio show as a fundraising tool may make the FCC take a closer look at the exception for "bonafide news interview" shows, as Hannity pushes the limits of allowable political propaganda on public airwaves.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 Monsanto Hires Blackwater To Spy on Critics - Will Potter
Blackwater subsidiary Total Intelligence is one of dozens of shell companies set up by Blackwater after horrible press forced them to change their name. Joining forces with GMO giant Monsanto, the firms are seeking to collect information on activist groups protesting Monsanto's business and lobbying practices.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 Domestic "Eco-Terror" Surveillance Expanding - Will Potter
When someone in law enforcement disagrees with environmental organizations, they are increasingly using surveillance and infiltration under the pretense of investigating "extremism" or "eco-terrorism" without a clear metric of what that means. If we classify vegans handing out leaflets as somehow dangerous, it's evident taxpayer money is being misappropriated by a political agenda.
Friday, April 9, 2010 If Colin Powell Had A Conscience: Lt. Wilkerson Defends Innocent Detainees
Lt Col Lawrence Wilkerson gave an affadavit in favor of a Gitmo detainee rounded up and held five years without evidence, reiterating info he told Rachel Maddow about Col Powell's foreknowledge that Dick Cheney approved information extraction techniques for prisoners whose only crime was being Islamic.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010 O'Keefe and Pals Reach Reduced Plea Deal In Landrieu "Phone Repair" Hoax (2 comments)
ACORN "pimp" James O'Keefe and his accomplices faced felony charges for a "phone repair" prank at Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu's offices in January. Now reduced to misdemeanor counts of "entering a federal building under false pretenses", the four right wing activists will face a maximum of six months in prison plus fines, dependent on a judge's ruling. Odds are O'Keefe will not be wearing his pimp costume during sentencing.
Thursday, March 11, 2010 "Get The Facts": High Fructose Corn Syrup Industry Launches Distraction Campaign (11 comments)
A large TV ad buy by National Corn Growers Association happily claims High Fructose Corn Syrup meets the official definition of "natural", but their "top myths" page ignores most major health questions about GMO food products such as crop contamination, organ damage and terminator genes. After they slant, skew and cherrypick studies, simply google the European research and understand why other countries fight to ban HFCS.
Sunday, March 7, 2010 Bush/Clinton Education Appointee: No Child Left Behind is a Failure, "Institutionalized Fraud"
The former Asst. Secretary of Education under Bush 41 has declared NCLB an unequivocal failure. After years spent implementing NCLB and researching the results, expert Diane Ravitch now says it does not work. She claims we teach to the test and narrowed learning. The privatization of schools may ultimately be a bipartisan attempt to close schools in promoting corporate-funded charters and vouchers.
Thursday, February 18, 2010 Breaking: Austin Kamikaze Pilot Targets IRS Office, Posts Screed Online (2 comments)
Joe Stack is the alleged pilot who burned his house down and flew a plane into a 7-story government office building in Austin, TX today. Purported to be Stack's an online suicide rant, the pilot decries "big brother" and government corruption, the tax code, Sen. Moynihan, George Bush, the Catholic Church and more in recounting how his retirement was lost and how his IRS troubles escalated.
Thursday, February 11, 2010 Mike Connell Story Finally Breaks Media Blackout...In Skin Mag
For perhaps the first time in print, Republican Cyberfraud expert Steven Spoonamore claims Mike Connell admitted improper manipulation of official government data to him. This extensive recap (in Maxim of all places) centers around Connell's widow and her search for answers in the election fraud case, Connell's mysterious plane crash and the anonymous letters now in the hands of the FBI asserting the death was no accident.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010 ACORN 'Pimp' Arrested Helping Bug US Senator's Phone (2 comments)
"Undercover" videographer James O'Keefe may have gotten famous filming ACORN workers giving advice to a white man in a crazy pimp suit, but now he's been caught with pals impersonating telephone repairmen and arrested for "interfering" with a US Senator's phone line. Gonzo!
Saturday, January 9, 2010 Study: Monsanto's GMO Corn Toxic, Harmful to Internal Organs (1 comments)
If you believe there is a poison that kills bugs but does nothing to the organs of humans and animals, then you believe Frankencorn is safe to eat, and probably eat it daily. High Fructose Corn Syrup, Maltodextrin, Lecithin, Guar Gum are all "weird" ingredients believed to cause health problems but a new study published in Le Monde points to specific GMO varieties found to be toxic to kidney, liver and other organs.
Monday, December 7, 2009 Call For Hannity's Termination After Crowd Scene Editing (4 comments)
An Augusta, SC lawyer has called for an area paper to demand Sean Hannity's termination citing it's earlier call for the resignation of "rabid partisan" Dan Rather. Hannity's admitted "sloppy journalism" in splicing old crowd scenes into footage of a Michelle Bachmann rally would indeed meet the paper's own criteria as published in 2004. Blatant "Hannipocrisy" exposed - again.
Thursday, November 12, 2009 US War Strategy: Pay Taliban To Kill Us Slightly Less
Forget Karzai's brother being on the CIA payroll, check out his ex-Taliban, convicted heroin-smuggling cousin and the lucrative business of charging billions in US taxpayer cash to "safeguard" Afghan roads. Giving up on controlling truck routes ourselves, the Pentagon has been pumping billions into the hands of our enemies, our frenemies and others so we can buy permission to move our guns, food and laundry into battle zones.
Monday, November 9, 2009 ABC News Links Ft. Hood Maniac to al Qaeda - Just Without Evidence (2 comments)
Assaulting your judgment, ABC News fashions an article tying lone Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan to al Qaeda, but leaves out all the evidence. Naming a radical cleric Hasan might have met, ABC words an article so as to mention bad guy Anwar al Awliki, Hasan and al Qaeda all together, without citing proof they were in cahoots. Further, their cited links go to unrelated articles. Who clicks 'em anyway, right?
Saturday, October 31, 2009 CBS, NYT: Karzai's Brother on CIA Payroll, Tied to Drug Lords
What is the Afghanistan War really about? 911? Al Qaeda? The Taliban? Pakistan? Could it be it's all really about heroin? A leak published in the Times reports President Karzai's brother Ahmed Wali has ties to powerful drug lords and has been receiving funding from the CIA. With Afghan heroin crops booming under US occupation, this begs the question - was this "war" another government endorsed Iran Contra-style drug operation?
Saturday, October 17, 2009 More Details About "ACORN Pimp": Past Entrapment Stunts (2 comments)
The "Undercover Pimp" videographer James O'Keefe who made headlines tricking low-level ACORN employees has a history of making vids which have been secretly funded by wealthy conservative backers. In one hoax call to Planned Parenthood, he offers to pay for abortions to rid the world of black babies in the name of his white newborn - using creative editing to convolute his racism with their open-to-all donation policies.
Thursday, October 15, 2009 Kucinich Secures Funds To Track Organic Farming (2 comments)
Decades overdue, funds were finally allocated to compile reliable economic data in the organic farming industry. Included by Rep. Kucinich in the $82 million Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA & Related Agencies Appropriation Act, a mere $.5 million will be allocated to study market trends, consumer preferences and contracting practices in the fast-growing organic sector. Did this grow out of Michelle Obama's little garden?
Thursday, October 15, 2009 Whistleblower to get $4.5M for exposing Defense Contractor Fraud
Why do we need oversight? Because the American taxpayer was ripped off systematically for 13 years by MPC Products, inflating their costs for Defense Dept. contracts between 1993 and 2005. A revived Truman Commission to oversee and regulate defense industry profit margins would have protected Americans from this con job in the first place.
Saturday, September 19, 2009 Limbaugh: Obama To Pardon Blacks Who Attack Whites? (2 comments)
Abandoning subtlety, #1 propagandist Rush Limbaugh describes re-segregated buses after whites are targeted on school buses in "Obama's America". He goes on to crudely imitate violent blacks cheering "raht own, raht own!" as white riders are beaten. Also claiming whites alone created free markets, he claims "we just are racists. We are born that way. We don't choose it. So shouldn't it be acceptable"? Wow! Full context here...
Friday, September 4, 2009 Agitators Disrupt Obama Healthcare Meeting in NY (1 comments)
[[maryjo]]Angry hecklers showed up at a meeting held by Obama's Organizing For America committee in Pearl River, NY on Tuesday night, brandishing signs and shouting out of turn. Equipped with instructions supplied by lobbying group National Center for Policy Analysis and Rev. Falwell's Liberty Counsel, these activists proved again that they favor shouting and outrageous insults over peaceful democratic debate.
Friday, June 19, 2009 "O-Rahm-Ba" Strongarms Progressive Dems (3 comments)
Obama and Rahm Emmanuel have been making ominous threats to freshman Dems in Congress to whip up votes for the newest war appropriation. Though we might understand Obama's desire for war funding, we cannot stand for the tactic of quid-pro-quo blackmail to withhold re-election "support" (DNC funding?) in exchange for specific votes. This is not change, nor representative democracy, this is Rahm channelling Nixon.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009 You Can Help Halliburton Rape Victim Fight Lopsided Arbitration Law
After being drugged and gang-raped by KBR employees in Iraq, Jamie Leigh Jones has become the leading voice against private contractors writing themselves preemptive "get out of jail free" clauses in employment contracts. With your support, Sen. Feingold's Arbitration Fairness bill has a great chance of passing to turn the tide against contractor lawlessness.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009 Rare Iraqi Photos Shows Conflict, Humanity
The true face of the Iraq war is kept hidden from the American people, but this rare online gallery shows the fear, sorrow, bravery, courage, confusion and perseverance of a country in conflict. Photos date from 2003-2009.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009 Republican Blame, Anger at Cheney for False Claims (1 comments)
Lt. Col. Lawrence Wilkerson follows up a scorching Maddow appearance with "The Truth About Cheney", calling Cheney's failure to prevent 9/11 and lies about WMD shameful, but disproves Cheney's recent claims that torture kept us safe.
Friday, May 1, 2009 Mike Connell's Sisters Call For "The Truth To Come Out"
Michael Connell's family members have broken their silence surrounding the IT guru's controversial death. Sisters Shannon and Mary Jo tell a Madison, WI reporter Connell was exhibiting strange behavior before he was killed and they want to know what happened. But with the major media blackout continuing, the sisters fear any probe into foul play is unlikely, leaving Ohio 2004 vote tampering questions unanswered.
Monday, April 27, 2009 Reagan's Definition, Moral and Legal Stance on Torture: It's Illegal and Un-American (6 comments)
In August, 1988, President Reagan championed US ratification of an international ban on torture, defined as "any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted". Reagan left no doubt he felt torture was not an American value: he added a signing statement and prosecuted waterboarding domestically. But would the Gipper have abandoned his moral principles after 9/11?
Wednesday, March 25, 2009 TownHall Email Offers Guns and Training to Anti-Obama "Patriots" (4 comments)
The message coming from the right lately: stand up against "tyranny". You may have heard Rove-bot Michelle Bachmann's call to arms against Obama's socialism, and FOX-TV describing an uprising of "bubba militias", but TownHall's latest email blast offers you weapons and training from a controversial Scientologist gun dealer with a history of lawsuits and alleged scams.
Saturday, March 21, 2009 Reagan's 'Stovepipe' Socialism More Extreme Than Obama's (2 comments)
Today's youth may forget how extreme Reagan's economic theories were, showering tax breaks on the wealthy while raising taxes on the middle class. Reagan increased jobs by reducing pay and benefits and increased taxes on small business owners by 66%. But worst of all were the huge deficits he signed off on, leaving this generation to pay back long after Reagan's death.
Monday, March 16, 2009 New Transparency Measure for Government Contracts Gutted
The proposal to put all government contracts online for full and open scrutiny by Americans was severely "altered" last week. The compromise instead includes only "summary" listings of what taxpayer dollars are buying, and even then, they will only bother including projects worth over $500,000.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009 Obama on Day One: Let's Not Search For Missing Bush E-mails
Literally on his first day as President, Obama had the DOJ try to dismiss the White House "missing email" lawsuit, brought by both the National Archives and CREW. Why? Bush said he found all the emails after spending millions on data recovery. But the fact is they haven't all been recovered yet and Obama has bought Bush's line that "its all there" instead of seizing the computers for forensic examination. Is this transparency?
Wednesday, February 25, 2009 Bush Shrugged As FBI Warned Of Economic Meltdown in 2004 (2 comments)
The good news: we did have some controls in place to predict and prevent this economic crisis. The bad news: the Bush administration let it happen anyway. The ugly news: major US bond rating agencies never checked any of the mortgage backed securities they certified as "AAA" because they knew they were toxic. This suggests many were complicit in willful fraud with a years long advantage over the public in "getting out" first.
Saturday, February 14, 2009 Pentagon's PR Spending Increased To Combat Rising Anti-War Sentiment (1 comments)
Is your news fake? I just found my local papers were listed as clients of the military's secret press operation, Joint Hometown News Service, planting print, video and radio releases in all 50 states to talk up the war. 27,000 employees are currently cranking out stories that have often been found to violate domestic propaganda statutes. The price tag? $4.7 billion per year, up 63 percent since 2004. Not mad yet? Read on...
Sunday, February 1, 2009 Spending, Skimming & Debt: 30 Years of GOP Economics - Thom Hartmann (1 comments)
The numbers don't lie. For three decades, Republicans have blasphemously used the word "Conservative" as they plunged generations of Americans into crushing debt, outspending even the Dems while sharply cutting taxes for the wealthy. Will the flimsy economic theory underlying the Reagan/Greenspan legacy finally be exposed in light of the massive downturn in the U.S. economy? It will if you actually run the numbers!
Friday, January 23, 2009 Accused Election Fixer Mike Connell: Angel or Demon? (2 comments)
A new article ponders the tragic Mike Connell story, including some new information and an interview with Connell's widow who reveals Connell's body parts were not even examined by police or the coroner, rather left for her to collect them from the accident site herself.
Thursday, January 22, 2009 Rove: Bush Was Right When It Mattered Most (2 comments)
While America waits to see if Karl Rove's Congressional subpoenas will be enforced, the WSJ offers Rove a free hand to write that al Qaeda is in defeat, the world is safer, student test scores are up and that Bush strengthened our economy while championing AIDS relief in Africa. Readers may add comments, but be forewarned, "Journal editors will be making a selection of entries for posting".
Wednesday, January 21, 2009 Documentary: Rampant DOJ Misconduct Under Rove (2 comments)
A new documentary details strategies used by the Dept. of Justice to target 1,000 Democratic candidates, officials and fundraisers. Under the direction of Karl Rove, the film alleges the DOJ and FBI were turned into a partisan hit squad for the RNC who used threats and intimidation to go after Democrats almost exclusively in battleground states, with Bush-friendly judges running show trials using trumped-up evidence.
Saturday, January 3, 2009 Mike Connell's Death: Convenient Coincidence or Cover-Up?
The man who knew whether the 2004 Ohio election was rigged is dead, but former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell is still the main focus of the Ohio fraud case. Read this well-done primer on how the official vote count was less secure then a two-dollar credit card transaction after the webmaster for the Bush and SwiftBoat campaigns was left alone in charge of the official reporting.
Sunday, December 28, 2008 Spoonamore Explains How (and Why) He Believes Connell Rigged Ohio 2004 (2 comments)
Internet security expert Stephen Spoonamore's deposition in the Ohio vote fraud case lays out how he believes the vote totals were rigged and what Mike Connell's involvement was, from his questions on destroying evidence to his comments on protecting the unborn, see why US elections are less secure then a $5 online credit card transaction.
Monday, December 22, 2008 Report: Rove's IT Plumbers Also Suppressed Edwards, Kucinich Votes in '04 Primary
Wayne Madsen adds new details to the RICO case in Ohio State court accusing Karl Rove, Ken Blackwell and others of rigging the 2004 vote count. Specific threats were made against now-deceased IT guru Mike Connell, plus we find Conyers Judiciary Committee network may have been bugged so the White House could snoop on emails concerning the Impeachment of Bush and Cheney.
Saturday, December 20, 2008 Cheney: VP Above Presidential Records Law (2 comments)
Cheney decrees he alone will decide what records shall be turned over at the end of his term. Ironically, this comes in a brief responding to accusations he already violated the President Records Act, burying evidence of numerous crimes. Cheney's recent confirmation he ordered unconstitutional torture flies in the face of a disapproving public and a petrified Congress.
Monday, December 15, 2008 NSA Warrantless Wiretap Whistlebower Speaks (2 comments)
After years in anonymity, the source for the original NY Times exposé tells his story with details about why NSA agents bypassed FISA judges and how the Feds believed John Ashcroft would be indicted if the story got out. After trying to alert his superiors, he only stopped Bush from spying by telling the press, but was met with persecution and threats by the FBI.
Friday, November 21, 2008 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.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008 Zogby Found Push-Polling for Hannity Chum (1 comments)
John Zogby hired out his polling services and good name to provide "statistical" data for a documentary called "Media Malpractice: How Obama Got Elected" using the textbook definition of "push-polling", a covert slime tactic. Efforts are underway to boycott Zogby Intl., including contacting his "mainstream" clients such as C-SPAN and Reuters.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008 Christian Group Rejects Sean Hannity's "Shattered Moral Compass"
The founder of pro-life Operation Rescue denounced Sean Hannity as a dangerous, shallow, partisan, treacherous enemy of real Conservatism who puts money first and trains his millions of listeners to do the same.
Saturday, November 1, 2008 Governor Palin's Crank Yanked - Suckered By Radio Stunt
After malicious hackers breached the Governor's private email account, Sarah Palin now falls victim to a wacky prank call. She believed it to be from French President Nicolas Sarkozy but it was in fact zany Canadian radio duo "The Masked Avengers" pulling Palin's leg for six minutes till they finally fessed up - the Governor never caught on.
Friday, October 24, 2008 Blog: Obama is a Gay Pedophile, Terrorist Bomber (5 comments)
This righty blog conservative claims Obama engaged in domestic terrorism while at Columbia, forged his birth certificate, had drug-fueled sex with men and he cheated on his wife, who is a racist! Perhaps we could help self-proclaimed "reasonable conservative" Jon Swift vet his information and sources? Flame on!
Friday, October 17, 2008 James Taylor To Tour Net Week in North Carolina For Obama
Sweet Baby James returns to his native NC for pre-election concerts Oct 19 in Charlotte and Asheville, Oct 20 in Chapel Hill, and Oct 21 in Raleigh and Wilmington. More dates to be added soon...
Monday, September 29, 2008 David Sirota: Top 5 Reasons to Vote Against Paulson's $700 Billion Bailout (2 comments)
Excellent analysis: The Bailout in a nutshell. A must-read summary of why and how your elected officials are choosing their donors over you, the hapless citizen. We're borrowing on the debt to help rich businesses that screwed up! Bush's last poke-in-the-eye to America!
Saturday, September 20, 2008 YOU Can Help Put Karl Rove Behind Bars
Smoking gun evidence of illegal vote caging by Karl Rove's office is the basis for a planned prime-time, major network TV special. But the network is holding up Greg Palast & Robert Kennedy Jr. for production fees. The evidence already aired on BBC, outraging the world, but not in the U.S. They now ask for your help in proving race was a factor in making the lists, which would mean thousands of felony counts.
Thursday, September 11, 2008 Photo: Are These Palin Supporters Racist?
Decide for yourself - are these women cheering Palin or mocking African Americans? I think these obviously enthusiastic ladies need to concentrate more on issues and less on theatrical props. Let's elevate the discussion lest things get misconstrued.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008 Palin's "Jesus Camp" Church: Must-See Video
Eye-opening footage of Gov. Palin and her charismatic church minister pals doing faith healings, speaking in tongues, practicing magic, prophesizing end-times, linking war to God, seeing visions, dancing, singing, pogoing up and down, and getting really, really "blitzed" on God's fiery touch.
Monday, September 1, 2008 Evangelicals Just Say No To Sarah Palin (1 comments)
Several influential Evangelical ministries have denounced McCain's choice of Governor Palin as VP -- not because of her trooper investigation or her flip-flop on the "bridge to nowhere". Rather, the complaint was that her large family will suffer from neglect.
Friday, July 25, 2008 Ford Finally Sees Sense in Smaller, More Efficient Cars
After several solid years of losses, Ford has finally decided to do what industry leaders Toyota and Honda have done for decades - make sensible cars that don't compensate for personal "shortcomings".
Wednesday, June 4, 2008 Bush: Defense Contractors to Oversee Themselves (Not Satire) (2 comments)
The DoD under the Bush Administration believes the Global War on Terror is such a high priority that we aren't even bothering to oversee what our contractors are doing, amazingly outsourcing the job to a firm based outside the U.S.!
Wednesday, June 4, 2008 Details of Iraqi "Security Agreement" Leaked (1 comments)
...and it ain't pretty. Now we know why Bush and Ambassador Crocker have been trying to ram the "Status of Forces" deal through by July, bypassing Congress and an Iraqi referendum. The lopsided agreement includes perpetual immunity for US troops and contractors, control of air space and 50 military bases, undermining Iraqi sovereignity and giving US troops a permanent "free hand" in Iraq.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008 Bush to America: The Dog Ate My Homework (Again)
The White House quietly filed documents Monday night claiming the crucial records showing whether or not the Bush administration fudged pre-Iraq war intel are lost and cannot be recovered, a similar fate to records considered the crucial evidence in the Plamegate affair. Violations of the Presidential Records Act are being investigated by Congress, but will this make the major news media?
Wednesday, April 16, 2008 Obama Considers Impeachment vs. Inevitable "Witch Hunt" Spin
Barack answers a tough question in Philly: Would he impeach in light of recent torture revelations? Obama's tightrope answer shows measured concern for his "Unifier" perception, but would "immediately review" the information alredy available to determine if crimes had been committed. Obama stops short of promising a fresh DOJ probe, but certainly puts Impeachment back on the table.
Saturday, March 1, 2008 Zbig News: Israel, Iran, America Comprise New Axis of Evil?
Last March, Zbigniew Brzezinski's WaPo-OpEd recharacterized the war on terror as a war on Americans, citing an international study of 28,000 across the globe who feel Israel, Iran and the U.S. are the countries most responsible for international problems.
Saturday, February 16, 2008 Reality Check: Single-Payer Healthcare Working Quite Well (4 comments)
Contrary to the myths fed us by our runaway government, corporate profiteers and a bought-off media, Single Payer Health Care plans are working just fine, covering entire nations with far fewer problems then we're told. A realistic, warts-and-all view of Canada's system shows how and why America's system fails so many and is worsening every day.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007 Glenn Beck Lambasted Live Over Corporate Non-Disclosure
See what will undoubtedly be Norm Solomon's last ever appearance on CNN, handing Glenn Beck his head on a short but to-the-point list of corporate media conflicts-of-interest and the lack of disclosure in network "news" reporting. Beck shows in a rare unscripted "cringe" moment how clumsily he reacts to the unexpurgated truth as Solomon is hurried off the air!
Thursday, September 6, 2007 Kids who watch TV more at risk for ADD, smoking, weight gain
New study released followed kids through early childhood through their tens and saw a strong link between attention disorders and watching 2 or more hours of TV regularly. Quick-cut editing in particular breeds brain activity very likely to leave kids bored or unhappy with "the real world".
Wednesday, July 18, 2007 Mexico intends to plant GMO corn
Caving to financial pressure exerted by US corn subsidies, Mexico plans to plant GMO corn to stay competitive. Some farmers are being lured into it by Monsanto, the titan of GMO foods with pesticide spliced into the genes of corn, soy and other frankenfoods. Mexico tried to resist, but will have to "license" Monsanto's patented seeds.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007 How Bush stole $2000 from every student loan recipient
Loopholes in non-profit status result in decadent wealth for student loan industry execs. On Dec 21, 2005 Cheney's tiebreaking vote cost student borrowers an average $2000 in extra debt by allowing Bush to make the largest ever cut in student aid while continuing to guarantee loans for billionaire lenders. Read how Educap's founder made $150 million in profit from a 'non-profit' but is still nowhere near the CEO of Sallie Mae.
Monday, July 2, 2007 Break-in in offices of peace advocacy group in Bogotá, Colombia (2 comments)
Computers containing names of perpetrators of violent attacks were seized, highlighting collusion between Colombian military, high-level civilian officials and paramilitary factions. FOR (Fellowship Of Reconciliation) has stood against US aid to the corrupted Columbian government, compiling records while offering protection to threatened nationals.
Friday, June 29, 2007 Rumsfeld on Aspartame: Drink The Kool-Aid! (1 comments)
Another European study raises doubts about the safety of aspartame, but many don't realize it was Donald Rumsfeld who got "fast track" approval of the artificial sweetener as then-CEO of Searle (now part of Monsanto). The approval was one of Reagan's first acts in office, thanks to a FDA commisssioner who rewrote the rules for approval and would later do PR work for Monsanto/Searle! Not so sweet?
Friday, June 29, 2007 Is The World Overpopulation Problem Getting Proper Attention? (1 comments)
Is OVERPOPULATION the 6.5 billion pound gorilla no one wants to talk about? Worldwide, the birth rate is about six per second, and the death rate stands at three per second.This suggests it's only a matter of time before we'll be forced to discuss this oft-avoided issue.
Thursday, May 31, 2007 Ired Over Iraq Vote, Blogosphere Looks at Dem Defense Ties, DCCC Spinjob (3 comments)
Lefty netizens were incensed enough about the Democratic cave-in on the vote to continue the occupation, but the DCCC mail blast was pure condescension, painting the outcome as something it was not. Scrutiny is now turning to the reasons Democrats voted Aye, as in "I'm supporting the troops" but it smells more like ties to oil/defense pork as they selectively attack "liberal activists" rather then the 60-70% anti-war majority!
Tuesday, May 29, 2007 Amazing new details on pre-war intelligence by stellar panel
Leading U.S. intelligence and military veterans in a forum at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) provide dramatic new evidence as to why Vice President Dick Cheney should be impeached. A long read but worth it: Powell, Rice, Rumsfeld, Libby, Wolfowitz, Plame, Wilson, and much about the real inner workings of our government.
Sunday, May 13, 2007 Suzie Flynn's patriotic crusade to insure all children
This 9-year old is no novelty act. Schooling Americans on how elementary it is to see that for every $1 spent on preventive healthcare for children, we save $16 on future costs. Suzie's simple message gets an A+ and shame on anyone still not thinking about the economy this generation will hand to the next. Suzie's my hero today for showing the government how bad they are at social studies and math!
Thursday, May 10, 2007 Iraqi Parliament Votes for U.S. Pullout: Not News? (2 comments)
A published report reveals that the Iraq Parliament voted Tuesday in favor of a US pullout with a timetable. But it's a media whitewash, coordinated with Cheney's hopeful assessment after his Iraq visit yesterday, along with persuasive claims made in DC yesterday by Iraqi national security adviser Mowaffak al-Rubaie.
Write your media! Why cover two talking heads, stalling and spinning instead of the Iraqi Parliament's vote?
Tuesday, May 8, 2007 Breaking: Chevron dirty in oil-for-food scam, Condi implicated
Perhaps the real reason Bush chose Condoleeza Rice to be his National Security Advisor was because she led Chevron's public policy committee, overseeing "political concerns". Just revealed today: during Rice's tenure, Chevron was paying out kickbacks for the millions profiteered through the Iraq Oil For Food program coming clean today to settle the probe.
Thursday, April 5, 2007 Bush: Money Trumps the Environment (3 comments)
After stacking the Supreme Court, Bush minimized the impact of their ruling which allows the EPA to curb pollution spewing from American vehicles. Bush warned that EPA regulations must not interfere with economic growth, blatantly prioritizing profits over your grandchildrens' health. Blaming China for following our lead, Bush resists the world's choice between money or the Earth, voicing the concerns of oil execs everywhere.
Tuesday, April 3, 2007 New Yellowcake timeline shows White House duplicity, not stupidity (4 comments)
The Post unravels the origin of the forged letter prompting Bush's "sixteen words", with specifics on what Bush was saying on his pre-war propaganada tour and what was concretely known at the time by intelligence agencies. This leaves a gaping hole in the White House's excuse that "mistakes were made". Essential reading for the CRUCIAL debate on whether Bush lied or bungled us into war.
This is a job for WAXMAN!
Monday, April 2, 2007 No Conflict of Interest Left Behind (1 comments)
Bush's education policy, hinging on the No Child Left Behind Act, continues the trend toward privatization, central control and failing grades. Parents, educators should take note as NCLB approaches reauthorization this year.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007 Bush on Iran IEDs: Who said what to who? (1 comments)
True to his nickname as "the worst communicator", Bush shows how he can translate his handlers' "words that work" into vague non-answers to specific questions asked by concerned reporters on crucial issues. Meant to reassure his easily hypnotized 20% base, the mantra "we're doing this to protect our troops" rams a tough-on-Iran stance right past a logical expectation of evidence that Iran is behind attacks on those troops.
Thursday, February 8, 2007 Blumenthal: Pentagon preparing for failure in Iraq (1 comments)
Publicly mum about the prospects for "success" in Iraq, Bush's top military planners are already preparing for failure, reports Sidney Blumenthal.
Related: Senator Warner's vote against his own anti-surge bill suggests Bush is stifling debate while Secretary Gates, flying in Bush's face, says media savvy US troops know such debate is a normal part of a healthy democracy. Will Rove ask for Gates' "red file"? Stay tuned...!
Monday, February 5, 2007 Study: Exxon and Big Oil manipulated election-time gas prices (1 comments)
The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights shows how Big Oil dropped profits to lull voters during the run up to the midterm election, then lying about the cause. The kicker? They've been gouging us all along, most notably last summer when prices hit $3 per gallon. Moreover, Bush's increase of the Strategic Reserve was a direct payback, causing a price spike greater then Katrina. Are you boycotting ExxonMobil & Shell yet?
Friday, February 2, 2007 Big Oil offers cash to scientists who discredit Warming study (1 comments)
Waving cash towards any scientist willing to put their name on the line, the American Enterprise Institute and it's generous donor ExxonMobil have put out a call for scientists willing to emphasize doubts and question the largest ever, most thorough and comprehensive international study attributing climate change to mankind's actions with a 90% certainty.
And we should buy ExxonMobil gasoline WHY?
