Near Death Becomes Him
It looks like NJ Governor Corzine has had a near death epiphany that appears to have changed the way he looks at the world. No knowing what he was like before, I can't be much of a judge, but it appears like he's choosing to be a person more conscious of his blessings, including the people he loves in his life. I choose to assume that this will affect the way he governs. Wouldn't it be nice if some of our other leaders had such experiences that force re-evaluation of the ways they see the world and choose to function in it?
Supporting and Betraying the Troops-- Right Wingers With American Troops Blood on their Hands.
The hypocrites on the right have accused the democrats of engaging in Political theater, in attempting to attach a timeline to the continued funding of the war. Let's call a spade a spade. This accusation of engaging in political theater is a right wing talking point, a clear, politically motivated and crafted counter political gambit. The truth is, these right wingers are politically melded to their position supporting the Iraq war. They are not supporting the war because there is a plan or a future. They are supporting it because they are being good party loyalists. The fact is, like Colin Powell-- a failed man who let his country down-- they are letting down the troops. I belief that if the Democrats thought they could pull it off, they'd shut down the war now, not in September, not next year, now. They have not tried to stop the war now because they don't have the votes to overcome a Bush veto. The right wingers (Republicans and Lieberman) are not only blocking the end of the war, but even the beginning of a timeline.
I call this action by the congressional rightwingers betrayal of the troops. Lieberman and the Republicans are, by their policies, their misguided loyalty to the president, engaging in the ultimate betrayal of the troops. Every soldier who dies in Iraq who could have been brought home-- his or her blood is on the hands of these right wing members of congress. Just to be extra clear, I'll rephrase this. The right wingers in congress who are blocking the antiwar legislation have the blood of the troops who are killed since Bush vetoed the bill. They are betraying the troops for contemptible political reasons. This is despicable and horrific. They will go down in history as political hack whores who sold out the troops for bad politics. The Democrats should hit them back very hard every time these hack hypocrites use their stale, weak talking points to stave off the end of this stupid war started based on lies and deceptions by people who should be in jail-- like Tenet, Cheney and Bush.
What Do You Think? There's an interesting discussion thread on how to handle articles that don't just fit in easily with the usual philosophy of most of the members of OpEdNews. Check out my article, Publishing Without Comfort; Thoughts on Editorial Policy and chime in with your opinions.
Check out today's headline article-- Slam Dunk Was Code For A CON JOB, and try out the action page and please digg it, so we get the word out on the message. This is a great, no-cost way to support OpEdNews, since it lets new people know about the site. Click here to digg it
Funding OpEdNews
Another month, another budget to meet. We need to raise $3210 to pay our basic overhead and expenses for the month. I'm a bit nervous about this month since I will be away for a week, from the 16th to the 24th, and will not be asking for contributions. So please, help get us off to a good start. Make a contribution of $200 or $500, or $5-- whatever you can afford. We're doing a job that is not being done by the mainstream media and it can only be done with your help. Donate Today. It would be great if the contributions all came in on one day. Then, requests for contributions wouldn't have to appear so often. So please, help make it happen.
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Newest Articles
Words From The Presidential Candidates You'll Never Hear:
A while ago, John Edwards spoke the "M" word. After Elizabeth Edwards was diagnosed with incurable cancer, she told the world that "everyone's going to die," and her presidential candidate husband spoke about everyone having to face their mortality. Mortality? Since when do presidential candidates speak about icky things with anything approaching honesty? Here are some things you'll probably never hear during the campaign.
Slam Dunk Was Code For A CON JOB
In his appearance on Meet The Press yesterday, George Tenet AGAIN confirmed that the purpose of the now infamous "slam dunk" meeting was to assess if they could SELL the war without just cause in Iraq to the American public. So, what Tenet MEANT by the words "slam dunk" was they were sure they would be able to stuff their cooked intelligence down our throats.
It 's Could Be A Helluva Season Agin, Brownie...
The season is fast approaching - June -and the Bush FEMA Hurricane Emergency Plan is not ready. "A modified version of the plan in place during Katrina will be followed" instead. Meanwhile, Americans have just learned Bush rejected $800 million in foreign aid after Katrina in 2005. 'Brownie' screwup or another 'secret' policy that makes no sense.
U.S. Attorney Scandal Diverting Attention From Greater Issue
The attention directed at the Bush Administration's US Attorney scandal ignores a larger issue: bias, corruption and incompetence on the bench.
Publishing Without Comfort; Thoughts On Editorial Policy
Today, I published an article that makes me uncomfortable and which will probably make you uncomfortable. Here's why I published it.
No Light And No End To This Tunnel
It is frightening sometimes when one think where this world is heading and how our children and grand children will live, fifty or hundred years to come. The five biggest worries are environmental damage, unemployment, corrupt governments, cross-cultural hate and political instability.
Throwing Children Into Oncoming Traffic: The Truth About Autism
#18 The American Dream Book Tour & Protest Across The USA
Palecek gets shut out in NYC, heads to the Ganas Community in Staten Island, eats a bagel with humus and watches the Ferry.
Iran & Afghan Immigrants: My Brother's Keeper
Now my friends, I am opposed to the system of society in which we live today, not because I lack the natural equipment to do for myself but because I am not satisfied to make myself comfortable knowing that there are thousands of my fellow men who suffer for the barest necessities of life. We were taught under the old ethic that man's business on this earth was to look out for himself. That was the ethic of the jungle;...
Protect Your Right To Health And Oppose S.762 And (H.R. 1249
A new bill, influenced by drug companies, wants to take away your right to buy DHEA, an inexpensive supplement, crucial to healthy aging.
#19 The American Dream Book Tour & Protest Across The USA
Palecek lands on/in Staten Island.
George Kennan Vs. Bush, Cheney, Rove, Kristol, Limbaugh, O'Reilly And Coulter
In 1953, George Kennan delivered a courageous speech at the Univeristy of Notre Dame, which challenged the high flying McCarthyites. It remains equally applicable when confronting Bush, Cheney, Rove, the Neocons and the media McCarthyites today.
Bad Luck Can Be The Best Luck Of All. Hilton, Baldwin And Hasselhoff Have An Opportunity Of A Lifetime
Paris Hilton, Alec Baldwin, David Hasselhoff, Britney Spears, Lindsey Lohan, Don Imus. It may seem to be more passenger list for the Titanic than role models for your kids, but looking past the celebrity, their plummeting reputations and escalating humiliation there lies grande opportunities. If not for them, then for us.
Duke Rape Case: The Feminist Klan Exposed
The Duke Rape Case demonstrates the danger of sexism in America. Radical feminism on our campuses has overshot all reasonable goals of equality, and established an atmosphere very unfriendly to men. The mindset flows into out legal systems -- driving a system in which 40% to 50% of rape charges are false, and many innocent men spend their lives in prison. Progress for men's human rights is long overdue in America.
Why The Hutto Texas Vigils Matter For The World
Migrants in Texas are much like migrants anywhere across the globe, and how we respect their human rights at home will make a difference in the world. Is this why the Bush administration won't let the UN Rapporteur visit a Texas prison for migrant children and their families?
The Twisted Backlash Of The Imus Controversy
The racially demeaning remarks by radio host Don Imus had many prepared to challenge the widely broadcast misogynist lyrics of hip-hop. But, rather than critique corporately promoted misogyny, somehow the conversation in the media turned to the "stop snitching" issue.
Harry Reid-- Do Not Back Down In This Battle Over War Funding
to Harry Reid from a Nevada Constituent.
Fight Is On To Free Wisconsin Vet
An informal group of veterans are offering advice and support to the jailed vet's family and their attorney. Most of the vets' descriptions of the VA under Secretary Jim Nicholson's tenure and US Atty Biskupic are profane, and on background.
Iran-Iraq: Lessons From Past Guide Present
Tehran is facing grim instability with constant demonstrations of its discontent citizens, its economical plunge with 75 % of the Iranian population under the poverty line and high unemployment rate. Two pillars have so far helped to maintain short term grip to power: increasing internal suppression, and instigating mayhem and destruction in the region. The question that comes to mind is : what can be done?
Governor Eliot Spitzer's Same-Sex Marriage Hoax
The whole drama about Governor Eliot Spitzer introducing same-sex marriage legislation, and the legislature failing to pass it, is a hoax.
George Bush's Acid Reign In Iraq: Pernicious Nation-building Creates A Failed State
Even were it overtly promoted as a lethal, pnac-inspired exercise in iraqi-style disaster capitalism, furthered along by bush's oedipal urge to finish the job started by his father, the complicated nature of the iraqi culture all but assured that, desired or not, the iraqi venture as undertaken by the bushies, would oscillate into full-blown nation-building. At that point, the failure of the Iraq mission was all but sealed.
Holy Poller-Coaster!
Help us un-skew the 2008 Presidential Polls.
Lou Dobbs Challenges The Great Objectivity Scam
CBS 60 Minutes' piece on Lou Dobbs last night told us a lot more about traditional journalism's biases than it did Dobbs' on any given issue he covers.
From V-chips To Vetoes
The right to life vs. the right to live, and other V-chip moments.
'Daily Voting News' For May 5 And 6, 2007
a run-down of the days elections/voting news from across the country and overseas
Poem For America
Poem for America
Sunday With The Lamestream Media
What about the Democratic Underground and the Democratic Parties own website? How about the polls? When 73% of the people polled think we are running our country into the ground, it's not a left wing complaint anymore. When 59% of the people support the pullout that the Dems sponsored, it was many more people than the ones that are tuned into the left.
TWO PARTIES LOOKNG FOR A CANDIDATE
Why don't they bring on the Real Candidates? This must surely be their second string.
Primate Worship? Or Depo-Privations?
Toxic America: The Great Adult Mosquito Spraying Scam, And More!
Have you ever smelled the fumes from Chinese plastic products? A printer or cell phone, or a DVD cover or any of millions of plastic products? Toxic fumes that at least give people headaches, eye-pain, asthma and eventually worse. Have you ever smelled tar/asphalt, or pesticides, Mosquito spraying, lawn care chemicals, and asked yourself why Americans poison the selves and their neighbors with products made right here? Like th
The Need To Address America's Race And Class Divide Has Come.
"America is really on some race stuff. It's unfortunate that we don't deal with it and that's why it doesn't go away." Queen Latifah
The Pathological State Of America's Broadcast Journalism: Thoughts From Greenwald, Others, And Me
Here are a few glimpses into the problems with our current journalistic culture, and indeed with American culture more generally.
Action Alert! Make A Statement: No Gas On May 15th
If all users did not go to the pump on the 15 th, it would take $2,292,000,000. 00 (that's almost 3 BILLION) out of the oil companies pockets for just one day, so please do not go to the gas station on May 15 th and let's try to put a dent in the oil industry for at least one day.
Kansas Tornado Clean-up Equipment In Iraq
Bush to throw money at the problem. We need our National Guard and Reserves home NOW!
Congress Considers Broadening Justice Department Inquiry
Congressional investigators are beginning to focus on accusations that a top civil rights official at the Justice Department illegally hired lawyers based on their political affiliations, especially for sensitive voting rights jobs.
Iraq's Oil Production Falls Short Of Goals
Despite years of rebuilding, petroleum production continues to fall short of targets, due to insurgency vandalism, poor field management, and corruption.
China Aghast At 'sacrifice' Of 288 Pupils
The Sunday Times, May 6, 2007 By Michael Sheridan Known in China as the '12/8/94 incident,' a tragic theater fire that killed 288 pupils threatens to focus long repressed anger of the masses toward Beijing's leaders. The theater was also full of officials that night, and they all escaped because the students were told these words that haunt survivors still: "Everyone keep quiet. Don't move. Let the leaders go first."
New Orleans Levee Repairs By Corps Show Signs Of Flaws
Some levee repairs by the Army Corps of Engineers are showing signs of serious flaws, a critic says.
Would Rupert Murdoch Have Let The WSJ Lead With This?
The lead story in Thursday's Wall Street Journal is reporter Greg Jaffe's 3000-word obituary for the war in Iraq.
Wall Street Journal Facing Reality-- Bush's Surge Is Failing
...surge strategy," which some U.S. officers in Iraq say does little more than chase insurgents from one part of the country to another.
Wimps, Wussies And W
How Americans' infatuation with masculinity has perilous consequences.
Cats, Not Windmills, Bigger Threat To Birds
Nation'l Academy of Sciences reports that birds are in greater danger from cats, high buildings, power lines than high-power swirling blades of wind generators. The article, however, stresses that "scientists' biggest concern was reserved for bats." Problem is though-"when researchers sought dead bats around wind machines, bat corpses may have been missed or already absconded by predators."
The Conservative Alternative Reality
Conservatives think their ideology is tested and true, but have they examined the results?
Critique Of David Ray Griffin'sThe American Empire And 9/11
Michael Lerner explains why it doesn't always help to build a movement that focuses on governmental conspiracies concluding this particular focus leads people to believe that the major problems we face are those generated by evil people in powerful positions, not on something more systemic.
The American Empire And 9/11
The 9/11 attacks were false-flag attacks orchestrated by the Bush administration to enlarge the U.S. empire under the cover of the "war on terror."
Children Of Iconic Republicans May Vote Dem
Sons and daughters of some iconic Republicans (Ike! T.R.!) are contemplating crossing the aisle.
Not So Much An Election As A National Humiliation
The ill-designed ballot papers disgracefully disenfranchised those who are already the most powerless and voiceless in society,leading one to suggest that,if the much touted "best small country in the world" aspires to be a model for democracy,then it urgently needs to find a way that its people–all its people– can express their wishes.
Giuliani Team Whines About Keith Olbermann
WSJ Op-ed Page Says Dems Should Be Embarrassed
Character assassination, sabotage, and deception and subterfuge are not incidental to conservative politics but central to it. To them, politics without such things doesn't even feel like...politics. Catch them in a relaxed moment, and they freely admit it - with relish.
Guilliani's Camp Complains About Olberman
In an angry commentary on April 25, MSNBC's Keith Olbermann accused Rudolph Giuliani of using the language of Osama bin Laden with "the same chilling nonchalance of the madman" to argue that Republicans would keep Americans safer than Democrats from terror. All Repugs are big whining babies...They should still be suckling their mommies breats instead of trying to run the counrty. He hurt my feelings, mommy!!
Lamone Deposition Made Public - TrueVoteMD.org
"Ms. Lamone will bend over backwards to use these machines,regardless of the fact that they don't comply with state law or failed to pass independent federal testing for security,"said Linda Schade, co-founder of TrueVoteMD,and lead plaintiff in the case vs the State Board of Elections."If the Governor doesn't sign the bill,this concession by Lamone could result in the de-certification" of Diebold & a new system for 2008.
Six Steps To Electronic Identity Theft Prevention
Electronic identity theft is rampant but there are some important steps that every consumer can take to safeguard their identity. News for Public Officials (NFPO) collected the six things top experts say everyone should do, or at least know about, to protect themselves and their family from becoming a victim of identity theft.
MySpace Returns Page To Hapless Obama Supporter
Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign organization reportedly took over a MySpace page created by a once ardent California supporter and refused to pay Joe Anthony for the time and effort he invested in developing the successful page.
The Hidden Costs Of Cheap Goods
The recent FDA debacle over the discovery of the toxic chemical melamine in pet food from China should remind us all that cheap goods, whether animal feed, denim jeans or the latest electronic gadgets, have a price attached.
Al-Qaeda No. 2 Mocks American 'failure'
A new video of al-Qaeda's No. 2 leader mocks U.S. President George W. Bush and American legislation requiring the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, saying the bill would rob the group's fighters of the chance to kill more Americans.
Violence Across Iraq Claims Another 59
Insurgents killed at least 37 people in car bombings in Baghdad Sunday, shattering a short-lived lull in sectarian violence in the Iraqi capital as 59 people died in a spate of attacks.
George Tenet, Spook For All Seasons | Sydney Blumenthal
The former CIA chief seems strangely oblivious that his self-serving defense is shredding the remains of his reputation.
White House Politicization Of Federal Agencies
This report highlights the pervasiveness of the White House's politicization efforts since 2001. Full report link here.
Memorial Honoring Fallen Soldiers In Iraq, Afghanistan Runs Out Of Room
Congress already has run out of space on a memorial created last year to honor all of the U.S. service members killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. In a grim sign of the times, the "Wall of the Fallen," set up by House Republican leaders in June, is almost full. The mounting death toll from Iraq has forced U.S. House staffers to study how to reconfigure the display to squeeze in more names. None added since November.
