BuzzFlash Mailbag for February 14, 2008

BUZZFLASH MAILBAG

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Subject: GOP Walkout

The Republicans walked out en masse today. What a great country this could be if the Democrats had the same chutzpa.

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/14/republican-walkout/

Bob Lambert

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Subject: Since Republicans Like Wiretapping So Much ...

Hi BuzzFlash,

Just wondering if there is anybody out there who knows a thing or two about wiretapping people's phones.

If you do, how about going to Rep John Boner's [sic] house, along with all his Republican walkout buddies, and wiretap their house phones.

I'm sure that they would all have "no problem" with us listening to their private conversations and I'm real sure their family and friends would have no problems when we wiretap them also.

After all, they have no problem with allowing Bush to do the same thing to YOU!

Just a suggestion.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540...

House Approves Contempt Resolutions ... (The Gavel)

Tom Wieliczka
Windsor Locks, CT

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Subject: Is McCain pathetic or what?

After spending years as a POW in Vietnam and supposedly tortured, John McCain votes against a bill prohibiting torture. How pathetic is that? I guess there's no limit to how much a Republican is willing to sell out to get the Rush Limbaugh vote.

I'm Marc Perkel - And I approved this message!

Marc Perkel
San Bruno, CA

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Subject: The Corporation

After seven years of Bush, Inc., enabled by spineless Democrats, I have concluded that neither party has the best interests of "We the People" in mind. Both parties have become pawns of The Corporation with little but rhetoric to separate them. What can you honestly make of so many Democratic congressmen and senators voting in lockstep with the Republicans all those years?

The Republicans weren't dancing alone and I refuse to buy the argument that the Democrats were hopelessly outnumbered therefore rendered impotent. They weren't frightened either. They were taking care of Business. Just look at what's happened to the hope they offered us when they retook the Congress in 2006? What a load of crap that was. Now we are legally spied upon by The Corporation which serves the Government because they are ONE which is exactly how Mussolini described fascism.

Since the 80s both parties have morphed into unrecognizable entities that serve no interests but their own. Call me cynical but that's how I see it.

And now we are faced with having to choose between two people who have both supported Bush's war -- Clinton and Obama -- both guilty, Obama perhaps a little less so, and I can barely contain my excitement. Does anyone think for one minute, should one of them become President, their first matter of business will be to repeal what they all voted for under Bush? Think again my friends.

As for the general election I will hold my nose once again and vote, be it for Clinton or Obama, only because McCain is more frightening than either of them. Personally, I hope it's Obama for one reason alone -- he seems to be able to awaken our young people and offer them some hope for the future. Whether or not that is true shall remain to be seen. It'll be up to him. Talk is cheap.

Steve Moore
Camptonville, CA

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Subject: Religious Parties In Tribal Pakistan Foundering

• Since being swept to power in 2002 on a wave of anti-Americanism and sympathy for the Taliban after the American invasion of Afghanistan, the mullahs here have found that the public mood has shifted against them. [1]

COMMENT: Over five years of unnecessary religious zealotry spilled into the boarder politics of Pakistan in backlash to Bush putting U.S. boots into Afghanistan in 2002 and into secular Iraq in 2003 through the oily human folly and foreign policy fiasco of a totally wasted effort in those places that destabilized the Middle East and made the terrorist element far stronger for it.

SOURCE: [1] Religious Parties in Tribal Pakistan Foundering (nytimes)

James Scott
Everett, WA

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Subject: "Terrorists Are Planning Attacks On Our Country That Will Make 9/11 Pale In Comparison"?

"He must be talking about something that's to be carried out by a rogue CIA or Special Forces unit."

"After which he'll hide behind plausible denial?"

"But would our own government attack us?"

"Didn't it lie us into this blood for oil war?

"How can we prevent such an attack?"

"We elect someone president who is going to end the Iraq war plus turning things around here at home."

"And then what sort of world?"

"It'll be up to us."

A BuzzFlash Reader

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Subject: 2/13/07 Turmoil !!!

Thank you, Mel Spiegel, and all Buzzers who point out that the Clintons were investigated like no other ... and after millions of dollars were spent ... none other than Kenneth Starr had to admit there was nothing ... not one thing but Bill's lie about Monica. What a crock!!

Thanks to all who support the insanity of that investigation ... and to BuzzFlash for bringing other things to our attention. We have to be very careful. This country is a mess ... the government in general is so arrogant. They have all gotten to the point that the common ordinary man who pays ALL the bills ... does not mean much anymore, because we do not have the power.

Think about it, people! We have never been able to give OURSELVES pay raises in the middle of the night ... or have the best medical care on the planet ... voted in by us ... Right??? This country is never going to do anything, until we realize that ... the only way we can accomplish the equality of those who run this country ... is to crash it and start all over.

We allowed ... mostly the right wing of this country and look at yourself in the mirror ... did you cross over and vote for G. W. Bush in 2000? If so, put yourself in that barrel ... those are the true culprits. If you voted him in, in 2000 ... the deed was done! When I look at the people just in my family who are guilty ... yes, I said, GUILTY ... because if you are one of the swayed ... then you are just as guilty as anyone for causing this hemorrhage in this country, I am not sure can ever be fixed.

Right now, even as we speak ... the anemic Congress of this country ... are busy questioning the baseball players ... and someone who is accusing them of steroid use! And the reason? Because, they cannot override a veto of this criminal in the White House. Even now ... the telecom companies that allow the government to listen in on each and every one of us ... will get to continue to do it ... just so they can find out how many enemies they have!!!!

There is not a damned reason in this world to listen in on our conversations ... but, for their enjoyment and to cause problems for those of us who disagree and rightly so with everything Bush, Cheney, Rice and Rumsfeld and to an extent ...e ven Powell did to this country. The lies ... all of the criminal activity that Clinton was investigated for ... ????? They have been guilty of in spades ... and all we can do is just sit by and live with it!!

We have no power to change it ... all we can do is completely change the crowd in D.C and hope ... just hope! We, the country, is more broke than anyone wants to admit ... you cannot spend 10-15 billion every month ... in a war that is not even making progress or anything good ... and take care of any citizens. We are already suffering ... the elderly are being passed over for medical care ... it is happening folks ... and these are the very people who paid into social security and medicare for more years than anyone else ever will!

Thanks to all of you who have to look into the mirror ... and admit that you voted for Bush, I thank God every day that I did not get taken in by it ... e did not fool me for one minute ... and now, it has been proven!!!

Shirley ... St. Louis

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Subj: "Constitutional Showdown" Not Important to MSM

Time to Vote Contempt (nytimes.com)

BuzzFlash,

The NYT has finally reported on the constitutional crises going on for months between Congress and the executive branch of government. A decade or two ago this would have been "The Big Story." It would have been covered on the front page of every newspaper and led off TV news coverage day after day.

Now all we get is meaningless chatter about what the primary poll numbers will look like two days from now. It's no accident. Its all about entertainment, ratings, and being afraid of the Republican Nose Machine. Why take a chance on reporting real news when you can fill the airwaves with garbage that offends no one?

The soft-on-torture liberal

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Subject: Amnesty Day For Bush And Lawbreaking Telecoms 2/14

When money is above the law, the rule of law means nothing! And a nation without the rule of law is beneath contempt and deserves punishment! Happy Valentine's Day!

Will Wyche
Palm Springs, CA

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Subject: This is my point

Remember Jan 6, 2001, when Maxine Waters, Patsy Mink (God rest her soul), Corrine Brown, Alcee Hastings, Bob Filner, Sheila Jackson Lee, Elijah Cummings, Peter Deutsch, Carrie Meek, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Mel Watt, Barbara Lee, Eva Clayton, and Jesse Jackson Jr. said they needed just one Senator to stand with them to reject those illegal Florida electors? No senator did that, so here we have a mess from Bush for eight years, as a result.

How soon we forget about Cynthia. It used to be "We believe Cynthia" buttons. Cynthia made some very brave steps and first called Bush out on 911. Since I belong to no party at all, she may be getting my vote for President.

A Buzz Reader

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Subject: Senate Votes To Prohibit CIA From Using Waterboarding

* The Senate voted today to prevent the CIA from using waterboarding and other coercive interrogation techniques that are not allowed under U.S. Army regulations. The provision, part of a larger bill that was previously approved by the House, now goes to President Bush, who has threatened to veto the measure. It passed the Senate on a 51-to-45 vote. [1]

* "This legislation will ensure that the United States no longer employs interrogation methods it would condemn if used by our enemies against captured Americans," said Elisa Massimino, Washington director of Human Rights First. [1]

COMMENT: The Senate finally gets a stem cell injection for a startup backbone.

SOURCE: [1] Senate Votes to Prohibit CIA From Using Waterboarding (Washington Post)

James Scott
Everett, WA

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Subject: Stop Complaining And Take Back The Country

There is a video, "A FORCE MORE POWERFUL," easily found at libraries and online. It tells how nonviolent civil disobedience has changed the modern world. It gives detailed instructions on how to get your country back. It shows real examples of people taking back their country. If you study and practice with others, you could start taking back the US by April or May. BuzzFlash is a most valuable news source BUT complaining on BuzzFlash is worse than nothing because it gives you the false impression you are changing things. GET THAT VID. YOUR VOTE HAS NOT COUNTED IN 8+ YEARS. WHY DO YOU THINK IT WILL COUNT THIS YEAR? Obama Hillary McCain are not going to change the system but you can. gGet that vid.

Joed
Citizen of the World

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Subject: According To One Of The Candidates We Got To Not Just End The Iraq War But Change The Mindset That Got Us There, Says One Of The Candidates

"Such as the mindset that refuses to enter into direct negotiations with any of our government's officialy designated demons?

"With the exception to this rule being North Korea's leader."

"Hmm, the only of these designated demons whose nation's got no oil reserves."

"But why this refusal to negotiate?"

"What, and risk working things out peacefully?"

"The last thing President Bush and his co-conspirators want to see."

"Because the minute peace breaks out, there goes their terrorizing us with threats of imminent doom, whether real or made up."

"Whereas with negotiations we could be on our way to peace on earth and goodwill to all living beings."

"Lucky us."

A BuzzFlash Reader

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Subject: Media Putz Of The Week-David Shuster

I have to disagree with your Media Putz award of the week.

David Shuster has apologized for his use of the word "pimp." Most who have protested loudly about his mistake have totally misunderstood the slang word that is now part of the younger generation's lexicon. It doesn't make it correct for Mr. Shuster to to use this word, but HE HAS APOLOGIZED.

Chris Matthews has bashed Hillary over and over for years now as have all of the other punsters on MSNBC. The network has never made them apologize for these unfair comments.

Since the beginning, this has been a conservative network. The lone talking head that hasn't been a conservative apologist for the Bush administration is Keith Obermann and he is excellent.

When MSNBC brought Mr. Shuster onto their news programs as a reporter, then commentator, I was delighted. He has given the network a different point of view and helped keep both Scarborough and Matthews in check. I enjoyed him in the morning on "Morning Joe" because he balanced both Joe and Willie Geist, the other conservative member of the group who makes attempts at "witty repartee."

Both Joe and Willie have made many remarks critical of Hillary and neither were made to make any apologies or been put on leave. Then, there was the time when Keith Obermann used the word "pimp" and nothing was said about his usage of the word.

Why do we all have to have an opinion these days in this country and expect to have our opinion honored? Should Mr. Shuster be fired for this as Hillary has demanded? Of course not. He is a gifted newsman and he deserves to be back on the air. Matthews, Tucker, Barnacle, Buchanan and others including Savage have trashed Hillary for years now with no restrictions or punishments.

Can Hillary take Mr. Shuster's livelihood away from him? Really her demands are a sort of censorship. It seems she is very thin-skinned in this situation. If she didn't want Chelsea to be brought into the critical political arena, then why has she had her call and visit the superdelegates to persuade them to vote for Hillary?

I think that Mr. Shuster brings a point of view to MSNBC that is outside of the east coast insider "in the know" one that is so stilted and full of itself. Mr. Shuster went to the University of Michigan and has a sensible view from the middle of the country. He is brilliant and deserves to be back on the air in Tucker's time slot.

Give him a break and take back the Media Putz of the Week.

A BuzzFlash Reader

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Subject: David Shuster

Totally disagree w/ you on his 'pimped' comment. As in 'wake up!' It's a non-story pushed by Hillary. I's called language. People actually say 'shit' once in a while even tho public media pretends the word doesn't exist. This is the same. You are wrong; get off this wagon before you fall off. This is 'p.c.' at its worst. And get this: I'm a total lefty whose skin isn't as thin as yours. I'm with you on 99% of what you write, but not this one.

Alex Race
Palm Desert, CA

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Subject: Right On, BuzzFlash!

I just made a donation today. If readers are attempting to bully you guys into writing pro-Clinton material, then they're no different than Republicans and the Bush Administration. There are so many top-notched people who were victims of Bush/Rove tactics of suppressing dissent, starting with Phil Donahue. Remember him? How can we Democrats possibly claim to be better than Republicans when we're restricting free speech, too?

So if you must shut this site down, so be it! At Least you're standing for what is right.

Felicia
Lexington, KY

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Subject: OLDER WOMEN FOR OBAMA

A group of well over 150 older women all across the United States organized within the last 36 hours to prepare and sign a statement to counteract the prevailing media spin that Older Women are for Hillary. More names are flooding in by the hour. Here is our statement ...

Why does the media repeat the mantra "older women are for Hillary?"

It's not true.

We have found each other informally, and found that, far from being alone among our friends, we are many, we are legion. We have discovered one friend after another who has come to the same conclusions.

These are a few of many we share:

- Senator Obama's intellect is outstanding. His broad and deep grasp of the difficult national and international issues of our day is remarkable.

- He has nearly two decades of wide, hands-on, personal experience with difficult major city, state, and national issues.

- He has been a subtle and successful legislative strategist.

- We have noted that he has won the endorsement of people respected all over the world for their knowledge, experience, and character, such as George Soros and Paul Volcker.

- We have seen that Senator Obama had the wisdom to see a war in Iraq for what it would be. Worse than a mistake, it would be a blunder.

- Last on this wildly incomplete list, we have been impressed by his personal character. He has lived his beliefs.

This week, we started an email tree to see how many friends and friends of friends were of our thinking. Within thirty-six hours, more than a hundred signed on to our statement endorsing Barack Obama, and names are coming in every hour from all over the country: cities, the countryside, the suburbs.

These are older white collar, blue collar, pink collar women. We include politicians, television talk show hosts, professors, nurses, women in finance, businesswomen, authors, journalists, telecom workers -- even a cattle rancher.

We are not to be pigeonholed by the pundits or the pollsters. All we have in common is more than forty years on this earth (which we share with billions of other people), our gender (which we share with fully half the human race), and our clear conviction that Barack Obama is the best person to be the next president of our United States.

Helen Hill Updike
Older Women for Obama

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Subject: Hillary And The Politics Of Personal Destruction Against Her

BuzzFlash should consider nominating itself for a media "putz" prize for pretending that scum like Chris Matthews and Shuster, are merely acting randomly like the creeps they are. These are not random attacks, they're focused and intentionally directed at liberals first, and Hillary, and even Hillary's daughter. BuzzFlash has joined this attack on Hillary, and you are as guilty of it, with the same crass, ugly, unfair and mindless attacks on her, with the idea of destroying her campaign, that MSNBC, CNN, FOX, etc. are guilty of.

How are you any different? Can't you see that whether it's BUZZFLASH or MSNBC, the winner is McCain? This is not merely being done on Obama's behalf, though you've deliberately sought to softsoap him just as MSNBC and CNN have; this is for the ultimate benefit of John McCain, and, whether you realize it or not, and certainly with a temporary victory in the shape of an Obama nominatioin, the media wide effort, including BUZZFLASH, to crush Hillary's campaign is part of that effort. How can you be blind enough not to see this? And if you see that this treachery is afoot, what does that say about you?

Your disinclination to publish this badly written post, may give you some indication of the position you're in with regard to Hillary's efforts. You know you've treated her with the worst unfairness, bias, and outright cowardliness.

John Poilfronio
Los Angeles, Calif

[BuzzFlash Note: We have criticized Senator Clinton's record and her campaign strategy. You have written off Senator Obama, why?]

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Subject: A Candidate Who's Not Supported By A Mass Popular Movement Is a Candidate That's Going To Sell-out To The Highest Bidder

"What about a candidate who's supported by such a movement?"

"Depends upon whether or not the popular movement stays alive after its candidate is elected."

"And if the popular movement does stay alive after its candidate is elected, what sort of world?"

"It'll be up to us."

A BuzzFlash Reader

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Subject: Hillary told voters she was willing to lose their support rather than apologize for her 2002 vote

Hillary has gotten just what she told voters in early 2007 -- she is willing to lose their support rather than apologize for her 2002 vote.

Clinton Tries New Approach on Iraq Vote (thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com)

February 17, 2007, 2:11 pm Clinton Tries New Approach on Iraq Vote

By Patrick Healy

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is taking new steps today to deal with the political quandary over her 2002 Iraq vote, issuing a "plan to end the war" that includes a new video and using new language to tell voters that she is willing to lose their support rather than apologize for her 2002 vote.

Mrs. Clinton has been buffeted for months by criticism from antiwar voters, some of whom have pressed her to apologize, or say she made a mistake, with regard to her vote in favor of the 2002 Senate resolution authorizing the use of force in Iraq.

Speaking this morning in Dover, N.H., Mrs. Clinton indicated that no apology would be forthcoming.

"If the most important thing to any of you is choosing someone who did not cast that vote or who has said his vote was a mistake, then there are others to choose from," she said, a veiled reference to two of her rivals for the Democratic nomination - respectively, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois and former Senator John Edwards of North Carolina.

A BuzzFlash Reader

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Subject: Obama can't win

Hey Buzz,

Are you ready to lose the GE? Better be. If Obama is our nominee. Here's why.

He can't win Ohio, and he can't win Pennsylvania. And anyone who suggests that he can flip any Southern states to make up the difference is bat s**t delusional. So, game over from the get go.

On the flip side of the coin, however, Clinton can take Ohio and Pennsylvania. In addition, she has a good shot at Florida ( Obama doesn't ), and she has a better shot at taking Nevada and New Mexico than Obama does. Oh. I almost forgot. And she has a legitimate shot at bagging at least one Southern state, that being Arkansas.

Sadly, it appears that the Democratic Party has been hijacked by its limo-latte-la-de-da-lemming wing, with the help of the RNC and the MSM, and that they are all hell bent on driving us over the cliff. It also appears that to the Obamabots it's no longer about the country or winning the election, it's all about Obama.

I think that there is still time to stop them, but the realists in the Party need to step up now. Sleep well and sweet dreams for now, Obamabots. If your guy gets the nod at the convention, you will be in for a very rude awakening after the GE.

Best regards,

G. Will Hunter

P. S. Buzz, these polls right now that are showing Obama riding high are not worth two dead flies. The only reason Obama is riding so high right now is because the MSM is protecting and promoting him. If and when he gets the nomination, that will all change in a flash.

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Subject: Racial Tactics In The Clinton Campaign

That is a little "in your face" today don't you think about telling donors who have supported you who don't like your stand on the "Clinton going Racial" issue to go ahead and leave?

A point to ponder. If Obama isn't tested even a little on the race issue in the Democratic Primary, then we Democrats may do it to ourselves again ... i.e., pick a candidate that can't win the general.

Not a Clinton or Obama specific supporter at this point or particularly up on exactly how you feel that Clinton has played the race card, but in my opinion, it WILL get played and be a key factor for Obama in the general. Say whatever you want, there is a hurdle to overcome to elect any black man president, especially one whose name rhymes with Osama, and whose middle name is Hussein ...

If Hillary can beat him on race, then the Republicans were gonna kill him on it ...

A BuzzFlash Reader

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Subject: Clinton-Obama

You have lost me until after the Democrats' convention. What used to be a site where one could read about the Republicans' wrongs has turned into a place to print every negative thing you can find about Hillary. I admire Obama, too, and will vote for the Democrat who wins. But come on. You are no longer fair and balanced. Oh wait, that's Fox news!!!!

Janis Erickson
Minot, ND

[BuzzFlash Note: We repeat, we, too, intend to support the Democratic nominee. As readers of the Editor's Blog know, over the past year of the campaign, we have acknowledged favoring Obama or Edwards (and Gore, had he entered the race). Our site, however, invites comment and submissions from all Progressive Democrats. The Editor's Blog will have more as to the editor's issues with the Clinton candidacy and Clinton's record. It's not personal, it's not sexist, it's about her politics.]

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Subject: BuzzFlash Will Not Be Intimidated ...

I couldn't agree more.. But on that note I have a question. If you are not going to be intimidated on issues of Basic justice and decency, why have you not published ONE article on the 9/11 Truth issue, i.e., the fact that 3000 Amercians, and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis later, were MURDERED by factions within this government.

The physical evidence overwhelmingly suggests explosives at the trade center and something other than a plane at the Pentagon. Hundreds of films have been supressed. Physical evidence spirited away without forensic analysis.

In ANY other situation, everyone would assume there was a cover up. But for 9/11, even the progressive internet media, and in particular my favorite, BuzzFlash, has been silent.

We owe it to those 3000 and our country to bring those involved to justice whether they are in Afghanistan or the Mayor's office in New York.

If you are willing to publish it, I am crafting a very balanced analysis of the evidence and I would love to see you publish it. I have articles on this subject that have been printed and reprinted multiple times.

Your loyal fan ...

A BuzzFlash Reader

[BuzzFlash Note: Here's a search of "9/11" on BuzzFlash. We haven't avoided the topic; but we're not on board with "inside job" viewpoints.]

BUZZFLASH MAILBAG

Want to join the conversation? Share your thoughts with other Mailbag readers by clicking here. Remember, you also may send items to post. You can register and post articles yourself at BuzzFlash.net; or submit items to BuzzFlash.com at: http://www.buzzflash.com/contact/newstip.html.