Happy Halloween!
Bob Morris @ Oct 31st 2004 14:15 - Category: Unfiled ;
Archive for October, 2004
What Kerry & Bush aren’t talking about
Bob Morris @ Oct 31st 2004 08:00 - Category: Unfiled ;
The huge and growing budget deficit, the crumbling medical system, immigration, the resumption of the draft, corruption in corporate boardrooms, globalization, pollution, jobs vanishing overseas, global warming, the burden of taxation on the middle class. the plummeting dollar, etc.
Nope, they aren’t talking about any of that. Instead, it’s just endless macho posturing about who will be toughest in Iraq and against bin Laden. “None are so blind as theose who will not see”, and neither candidate has the slighest clue that the real and growing insurgency in Iraq is quite simply, people fighting back against outside invaders. Both favor continued US military presence everywhere the US deems fit and fuck what anyone else thinks.
Which is precisely the attitude that got the US in the Vietnam and Iraq quagmires in the first place and is why the US has lost allies worldwide the past few years.
This will not change under President Kerry - unless political pressure forces him to do so. That’s why the ANSWER Coalition will have a Counter-Inaugural Demonstration in Washington DC on January 20 regardless of who is elected, with simultaneous demos in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and elsewhere.
After Kerry is elected there will be brief euphoria on the Left, followed by disillusionment. However, we in the ANSWER Coalition won’t be disillusioned because we already know Kerry is no different from Bush on foreign policy. It’s those issues, not the domestic social issues that Kerry is obviously more moderate on, that are the crucial ones. The war is bankrupting the country as well as splitting it apart-just another example of the continuing US policy of military expansion across the globe which has gone on unabated for decades.
Mother Nature Endorses Kerry
Bob Morris @ Oct 31st 2004 07:37 - Category: Unfiled ;
From The Left Coaster
PLANET EARTH (Universal News Service - Sunday, Oct. 31). - Mother Nature today endorsed Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry and his running mate, John Edwards. She also vowed to aid the Democratic ticket by sending unseasonably warm, dry weather to most of the nation.
Osama video may help Kerry
Bob Morris @ Oct 31st 2004 07:33 - Category: Unfiled ;
A Democracy Corps poll shows the release of the Osama bin Laden video is more likely — 46% to 36% — to remind people that bin Laden hasn’t been caught and remains a threat to the United States rather than give them positive feelings about President Bush as a fighter of terrorism
Blogs of note
Bob Morris @ Oct 30th 2004 08:44 - Category: Unfiled ;
There’s many excellent video clips of news events here, available for streaming, as well as original music like “Kick Out the Republicans” by this pro musician and friends. His politics are strongly liberal Democratic, and he has the stomach to actually watch the right wing talk shows. Then, he’ll post a clip that shows them trapped in their own lies and/or makes them look ridiculous. Good stuff indeed.
Left I on the News
Hard left progressive/radical politics (like this blog) with quite a few comments too.
An illustrative posting:
Quite a few of my neighbors have Kerry-Edwards lawn signs in front of their houses. Nothing wrong with that, I have nothing against anyone who supports Kerry. It’s Kerry I have a problem with, and his lawn sign sums it up in three words - “A Stronger America.” And that is precisely what we Americans, and the world, do not need. A humbler America? A more compassionate America (not to be confused with “compassionate [sic] conservatism”)? A more generous America? How about a weaker America? Weaker, that is, in a military sense, a country where we take the trillions that are spent on weapons of death and spend it instead on human needs, not only for ourselves but for people around the world?
Well put!
Cynical election politics
Bob Morris @ Oct 30th 2004 08:19 - Category: Unfiled ;
U.S. Forces Launch Airstrikes in Fallujah (AP).
AP - U.S. forces launched airstrikes against suspected militant bases in Fallujah and carried out probing attacks on the city’s outskirts, as they prepared for a major operation in the insurgent bastion that has become the symbol of Iraqi resistance.
The Bushies are waiting until after the elections to begin these major escalations because the US casualities that will result would be unacceptable during the campaign season.
Big surprise, huh?
Bob Morris @ Oct 30th 2004 08:14 - Category: Unfiled ;
US vice-president mired in claims of bribery and corruption against his former company in four countries.
The brilliant criminal mind
Bob Morris @ Oct 30th 2004 08:13 - Category: Unfiled ;
Afraid a talkative parrot might prove to be a stool pigeon, three thieves returned to the scene of the crime to silence the bird — only to be caught by police, authorities say.
Bin Laden says he ordered 9/11 attacks
Bob Morris @ Oct 29th 2004 15:02 - Category: Unfiled ;
Your security is not in the hands of Kerry, Bush or al-Qaida. Your security is in your own hands,” bin Laden said, referring to the president and his Democratic opponent. “Each state that does not mess with our security, has naturally guaranteed its own security.”
Conclusions:
a) Bin Laden is, obviously, still alive.
b) There will be no “October surprise” with Bush capturing him just in time to influence the election.
c)He’s not choosing sides in the election. The warning is to whoever wins the election.
Everyone opposes it but the people
Bob Morris @ Oct 29th 2004 09:38 - Category: Unfiled ;
With a rapidity that has taken many political leaders by surprise, Proposition 66, a proposal to significantly scale back California’s three-strikes law, has become the focus of the hottest fight on the state’s long, complex ballot.
The grotesque Three Strikes law has resulted in thousands of people being incarcerated for 25, 35 years or longer - no parole or time off for good behavior - for nonviolent felonies. That’s right, nonviolent felonies. In some cases the felony they were charged with could have been filed as a misdemeanor.
Polls by The Times and the Field organization in the last two weeks showed the measure winning with more than 60% of the vote.
Yet, the political establishment continues to move in lockstep against it, too craven to do what’s right.
On Thursday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and three of his predecessors — Democrats Gray Davis and Jerry Brown and Republican Pete Wilson — staged a rare joint appearance to denounce the ballot measure.
Yeah, that’s right, even supposed liberal Jerry Brown wants to continue to lock ‘em up forever.
Yet the people will be voting this noxious law down come Nov. 2. Good.
Californians
Yes on 66. Amend Three Strikes for serious felonies only.
No on 69. This would mandate DNA samples be collected for anyone *arrested* for a felony. Not convicted. Just arrested. This means thousands of people who were arrested for felonies only to have the charges dropped or reduced to a misdemeanor would have their DNA sampled anyway. Big Brother wants your DNA. Not a good idea.
Uh huh, sure I believe them, don’t you?
Bob Morris @ Oct 29th 2004 09:35 - Category: Unfiled ;
IRS investigating NAACP for criticism of President
The Internal Revenue Service has informed the NAACP that it is investigating whether the civil rights organization improperly “intervened in a political campaign” when it posted on its website a speech by Chairman Julian Bond that condemned the Bush administration’s policies.
“Law enforcement decisions at the IRS are made without regard to political considerations,” Everson said.
Yeah, right…
Miss Monica points out, when Nancy Reagan took thousands of dollars worth of designer dresses and didn’t declare them at full value, everything was quietly settled by the IRS in an obvious “political consideration.”
Zogby says Kerry will win
Bob Morris @ Oct 29th 2004 09:32 - Category: Unfiled ;
I’ve tried not to pay too much attention to polls but like closing ones where KERRY WINS!!! Last night on Jon Stewart the Man asked Ace Poller Zogby who was going to win and without a second’s hesitation he said “KERRY”
The government only wants to hear good news
Bob Morris @ Oct 29th 2004 09:17 - Category: Unfiled ;
Voting machines remain unsecured–experts
In one example, a government study of voting-machine security issues was eventually canceled because conclusions by the panel of computer scientists were so negative.
Yet another menace….
Bob Morris @ Oct 29th 2004 09:16 - Category: Unfiled ;
California prosecutors are cracking down on kava-drinking motorists who are driving under the intoxicating influence of the herbal tea.
Florida Republican Party trying to steal election again
Bob Morris @ Oct 28th 2004 10:06 - Category: Unfiled ;
From Greg Palast, reporting on the BBC.
A secret document obtained from inside Bush campaign headquarters in Florida suggests a plan - possibly in violation of US law - to disrupt voting in the state’s African-American voting districts, a BBC Newsnight investigation reveals.
Two e-mails, prepared for the executive director of the Bush campaign in Florida and the campaign’s national research director in Washington DC, contain a 15-page so-called “caging list”.
It lists 1,886 names and addresses of voters in predominantly black and traditionally Democrat areas of Jacksonville, Florida.
An elections supervisor in Tallahassee, when shown the list, told Newsnight: “The only possible reason why they would keep such a thing is to challenge voters on election day.”
A Google News search for “caging list” shows few US media sources are running this story. Why aren’t WaPo and NYT on this? (The LA Times is!) The BBC is the most reputable news source on the planet yet US media is mostly ignoring this story.
It doesn’t stop there, though.
The Florida Republican neo-fascists (yes, the word does apply here) are up to even more slimy tricks, as Palast details in his Hapers Magazine article
Congratulations, Mr. President!
Florida’s computers have already counted thousands of votes for George W. Bush
Before one vote was cast in early voting this week in Florida, the new touch-screen computer voting machines of Florida started out with a several-thousand vote lead for George W. Bush. That is, the mechanics of the new digital democracy boxes “spoil” votes at a predictably high rate in African-American precincts, effectively voiding enough votes cast for John Kerry to in a tight race, keep the White House safe from the will of the voters.
I doubt they will get away with it again. There will be millions of angry people in the streets should they try. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
Well put
Bob Morris @ Oct 28th 2004 09:59 - Category: Unfiled ;
Things are in motion; can you feel it? A lunar eclipse, the Red Sox win the world series, and Eminem steps up to make the strongest cultural statement yet on the state of America. Change is real, possible, happening.
From Music for America, who wants you to get out and vote.
UK government report says Linux is ‘viable’
Bob Morris @ Oct 28th 2004 09:58 - Category: Unfiled ;
UK government departments moved a step closer to using open-source operating systems such as Linux after a study found that they were “viable” products.
The software could “generate significant savings”, according to the Office of Government Commerce (OGC).
In a clearly related story, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer says golly, that’s just poppycock, Windows is cheaper and more secure. Uh, huh, sure it is, Steve…
Here’s why they hate us
Bob Morris @ Oct 28th 2004 09:41 - Category: Unfiled ;
100,000 excess Iraqi deaths since war
Deaths of Iraqis have soared to 100,000 above normal since the Iraq war mainly due to violence and many of the victims have been women and children, public health experts from the United States said Thursday.
“Violence accounted for most of the excess death and air strikes from (U.S.-led) coalition forces accounted for the most violent deaths,” the report added.
Involuntary servitude
Bob Morris @ Oct 27th 2004 07:52 - Category: Unfiled ;
Ex-soldiers and reservists across the country are being forced back into active service, with the miltary just making shit up as their justification for doing so.
“That’s when I started to realize the problem was much bigger than simple paperwork or a minor procedural error. The answers they gave me kept changing, based on the answers I gave to them and based on the documentation I provided.”
Guess what’s coming next.
Quite a few experienced military and government observers are quietly uttering the “D” word, although neither major political party wants to be associated with it. Especially before the presidential election.
The coming escalation of war in Iraq
Bob Morris @ Oct 27th 2004 07:50 - Category: Unfiled ;
Nader off ballot in key states
Bob Morris @ Oct 27th 2004 07:31 - Category: Unfiled ;
According to Ballot Access News, Ralph Nader will not be on the ballot in the key battleground states of Ohio and Pennsylvania. This is very good news for Democrats.
Eminem anti-war, anti-Bush video
Bob Morris @ Oct 26th 2004 13:09 - Category: Unfiled ;
This is one powerful, stunning video. The anti-war segments equal ”Fixin’ to Die” by Country Joe & the Fish, the song that helped end the Vietnam War - and that’s the highest compliment I can give any protest song. Eminem has massive talent, this video has a strong message, and he’s taking big chances doing this.
You bet he can reach millions of voters and convince them to vote against Bush - and that’s precisely what he wants to do.
(If you think hip hop is only gangster rap or misogynistic or filled with no-talents, then you’ve not been listening. There’ s plenty of amazing and inspired hip hop out there - like this video.
Not that there’s anything wrong with gangster rap. “Heroin” by the Velvet Underground was a brilliant, epochal song, but that doesn’t mean those who listened to it ran out to score junk or the band advocated being a junkie. It was simply *about* their life. Just like gangster rap is about someone’s life too.)
Even the puppets are turning against the US
Bob Morris @ Oct 26th 2004 12:48 - Category: Unfiled ;
Iraq’s interim prime minister, Ayad Allawi, said today that “negligence” by US-led forces brought about the massacre of 49 Iraqi soldiers and warned of further “terrorist acts”.
Why Bush is in trouble
Bob Morris @ Oct 26th 2004 09:03 - Category: Unfiled ;
From Kos, writing in The Guardian
So a poll showing Bush leading 45-42 is headlined “Bush leads by three”, when the reality is that Bush is actually losing.
In US elections, any elected official garnering less than 50% of the vote in polls is considered vulnerable. As Democratic pollster Mark Blumenthal notes:
“In the campaign’s last hours, we tend to see ‘undecided’ voters ‘break’ for the challenger.”
Testing this theory, blogger Chris Bowers examined presidential poll results since 1976, and calculated that undecided voters broke for the challenger 86% of the time.
Kos has done a truly amazing job at blogging from a partisan liberal Democratic perspective, with his site now getting upwards of a million hits a day. He spearheaded the attack on Sinclair Broadcasting, and with that many readers, you know Sinclair felt serious pain because of it.
He once blogged that he is from El Salvador, was there during the worst of the madness, and that while US politics may get heated, it is peaceful compared to what he witnessed in El Salvador where there were death squads.
