BuzzFlash Mailbag for November 21, 2008

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Subject: Guantanamo

Should we keep Guantanamo open? Will need lots of prison space for Bush administration criminals.

A BuzzFlash Reader

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Dear Buzz,

You might like posting my latest column from the December issue of The Funny Times. It's about the latest food scare from China, melamine found in chicken eggs. Probably best for your "Lighter Side" area. Here's the link:

http://www.funnytimes.com/lesser/200812RL.php

Thanks,
Ray Lesser

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Subject:  President Obama

Why am I hearing complaints about President Obama?

I'm used to hearing the neocons moan and groan spewing hate, but to hear complaining from our own Democrats is disturbing.

Have we've forgotten the stolen elections the deceitful lies, and dreadful journey to the pits of hell, for eight grueling years of the Bush/Cheney regime?

President Obama has the inner strength to not only forgive everything that has been thrown at him during the primaries but to keep a clear head in picking the right people for the job of helping him bring what is good, and right to "We The People" of America.

Enough!

Help, and pray for this honorable man who is risking his life by taking on this awe inspiring task of President, and believe he will do exactly what he promised to do. A promise from Barack Obama is a promise I would trust the future of my grandchildren with.

God Bless President Barack Obama. With his election I am finally able to exhale and have hope for the next generation.

A BuzzFlash Reader

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Subject: Big Three Bailout/Loan

The executives who flew into Washington in their 36 million dollar jets, who consider themselves as members of royalty - too good to mingle with regular people - are the biggest reason for the situation in which the car makers find themselves.

The salaries, bonuses, perks and golden parachutes are outrageously disproportional to the true value of these men and women. Otherwise, the companies would not be brinking on bankruptcy.

Also, the pay of factory workers and lower echelon employees - under union - is shockingly high; at least it appears so to me. Employees with Toyota, Honda and others in the US do good work at lesser pay.

I think the problem of to loan or not to loan the $25 billion could be resolved by this offer:

(1) All executives take 20% pay/perk cuts, and (2) All other workers take 10% pay cuts, and (3) The previous $25 billion designated for upgrading fuel economy, etc., in vehicles be used for such, and (4) Discontinue production of some uneconomical vehicle models. (5) It's up to you, CEOs. Take it or else shut up and get out of here.

My concern is for the millions of people down the ladder; the execs are already multimillionaires and will not be hurt either way. For the others, wouldn't it be better to have a job, albeit at lower pay, than no job at all?

Unions have done immense good in the past, but they should get real.

Creed Ballew
Arkansas

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Subject: The Process Of Decriminalizing A Drug

"First time?"

"Early twenty-first century."

"Location?"

"The USA."

"Drug?"

"Cannabis."

"Cirmumstances?"

"Within 48 hours of having become the president-elect, Barack Hussein Obama was being fired upon by the powers that be. Not surprising when one considers how much was at stake."

"This being?"

"The survival of life on earth."

"Based on?"

"Perpetual war + global warming + economic collapse = Extinction."

"Perfect conditions, that is, for the decriminalization of cannabis to unfold."

"Perfect conditions, how?"

"Opportunity."

"For what?"

"Turning things around."

"Such as?"

"First of all ending the Iraq and Afghanistan wars plus negotiating with Iran."

"In such a setting where did the decriminalization of cannabis fit in?"

"Way of life."

"Anything else?"

"Privacy and autonomy."

"For what purpose?"

"Liberty and justice for all."

"Based on?"

"One equals one."

"Anything else?"

"Yes we can."

A BuzzFlash Reader

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Subject: Bank "Bailout"

Has anyone noticed the complete lack of mainstream coverage of the scandalous give away of 2 trillion greenbacks unaccountable as a secret from Paulson et. al!? Naomi Klein gives us the most responsible take on this that I've seen and yes no mention on even on NPR. Perhaps 'This American Life" can truly vindicate itself again after such great reporting on the early stages of the economic meltdown, though this historic illegal giveaway is more monstrous then the wars going on...I regress...

Joel Hazard
Toledo OH

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Subject:  An Open Letter To The Congress -- Save the Auto Workers

Senators,

First of all, I have never worked for an auto company, nor have any relatives I know about. I want to make sure all of you understand that jokes and crap about having Auto CEOs give up jets to fly coach aren't funny because the people most punished by this aren't the guys flying anything who have golden parachutes, but the guys at the bottom. The workers don't have golden parachutes and in fact in the last decade they have taken hit after hit to their benefits and retirements and they aren't allowed to make the decisions on types of cars they are building.

The CEOs and wealthy board members of every entity getting anything from taxpayer money do need punishment and so far I haven't seen any going to any of the correct people. You guys have deregulated any and every kind of safety net for the rest of us and let the big guys play fast and loose with our futures and in return you are still pushing for tax cuts for people who need no tax cuts because they haven't created a damn thing except huge bank accounts for themselves.

Do not start on unions because they have a right to expect to be treated fairly and since Bush took office they have given in on numerous things. You guys are working really hard to get rid of even a back-up parachute for the people who really need one.

Senators, you guys have a lot of room to talk about others getting special treatment. The last time I looked, even a one-term congressman gets a better benefit and retirement package than most union members. You can serve one two-year term and get retirement and health care benefits that the rest of the country doesn't get.

You guys are the only thing we have, kind of like union stewards with pretty good maybe silver parachutes who are protecting us from greed. Who do we sit down with to discuss cutting congressional pay and benefits like the rest of us?

Cut the crap and start focusing on what this will do to the millions who have no say, whatsoever, and have no parachutes. A while back the Supreme Court allowed Bethlehem Steel to nix retirement benefits, during bankruptcy, in order to pay creditors, leaving the thousands of retired workers with zilch, so do something, already.

Oh, and by the way, in a cabinet member I like one with experience and maybe even inside-the-beltway experience over some dude who raised money and judged horse shows.

Karen Webb
Moore, Ok.

PS: Feel free to sign your name to this and send it to your Senator or Congressperson. Use it as a guide to write a better one with fewer grammatical errors if you like just send them something.

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Subject: Do The Children Count?

It was interesting watching Big Companies go to congress begging for a bailout of taxpayer dollars in the millions. I recently lost my job two weeks ago due to recent changes in our economy. I get no assistance whatsoever or child support of any kind. I'm not interested in a tiny welfare check that will put me and my children just above starving. I would like to have a REAL job that offers me the opportunity to work towards a better future.

Do you think if I approached congress, they would offer me some type of relief bailout? Oh that's right, I'm not some vehicle manufacuturer. I'm just an anonymous single struggling mother of two living, breathing human beings. Children who are part of the future of this country with uncertain futures of their own. Except at the moment, due to gross corruption and fat cat greed, the future is looking more and MORE difficult. Let's all ask Congress, "Do our Children count?"

A BuzzFlash Reader

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Subject: A Dystopian Sci-fi Fantasy May Soon Be Coming To Fruition On
a Battlefield Near You.

I recently read this on AlterNet.com and think it worthy to send to BF. There is more to this article; please click on the link. What will be next?

The Pentagon's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program recently sent out a call for contractors to design a pack of robots whose main purpose would be to track down what the SBIR ominously referred to as "noncooperative human subject[s]."

http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/107666/

How does the robot pack decide which human is cooperative and which is not? Welcome to the wonderful, dystopian world of defense pork.

The call immediately raised red flags, as well as philosophical and moral chills, from one end of humankind to the other. Not surprisingly, it was quickly removed from the public Web site before its cyborg spark evolved into a full-fledged paranoia over machine armies and murderous artificial intelligence, the likes of which were previously known only in seminal science-fiction exercises as old-school as Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 and Philip K. Dick's stories, "Minority Report" and "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" and as new-school as the Star Wars, Terminator and Matrix franchises.

Dolores M Dryden
Harrison, Ohio

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Subject: Obama's Responsibility For Lieberman

There have been numerous articles over the past few weeks ripping Harry Reid and other Democratic senators for failing to strip Lieberman of his caucus membership and allowing him to retain his Chairmanship of the HSC. Yet not a word about how PE Obama favored this outcome and gave cover to those who were reluctant to punish Lieberman.

Why the silence? Is this what we can expect for the next 4 years?

A BuzzFlash Reader

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Subject: Gas Prices

What does Obama's election have to do with the dropping price? Could it be that the oil industry, in anticipation of a serious effort by the new administration to really free us from our addiction to oil, is intentionally dropping the price to discourage investment in alternative energy projects? It seems to me that such a "conspiracy theory " may be worth investigating

A BuzzFlash Reader

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Subject: Ted Stevens Conviction May Be Overturned

"Don't worry, Ted, retirement will be fun. Well, there is the upcoming jail time. But don't worry, escaping jail will be like going through a series of tubes, you know, like the Internet. 11/20 "

No need for snark. He's gone. From what I know of the case, there may have been prosecutorial error if not malfeasance. Stevens should not have been convicted based on his immunized testimony or leads developed therefrom. Stevens was a bad Senator but on the matter of his conviction, I urge BuzzFlash to try to be more fair

Maezeppa
Los Angeles CA

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Subject: Pundits [originally formatted as poem]

Pundits of church and politics are vile they pretend to be on an elevated plain talking down to the masses making assumptions being dramatic hidden agenda's veiled interests and paid the stench of dishonesty is rank yet for some reason they are hired on our screens and life we are bombarded with propaganda so where does the blame lay is it the viewer uninformed uninterested watching merely for entertainment with the paid hypocrites spewing lies with amnesty with those who hire them or is it the stupidity of our culture where we make claims of individuality yet we march to drums in unison programmed and fearful to break free

The media has really been getting on my nerves. That and the Mormon Church. Excuse me for being harsh but they're a f***ing cult. Sometimes I don't get it. What is it that makes people willfully ignorant and uninformed? Switch to the TV and you see idiots with zero cognitive ability spewing crap. And then you have the Bachmanns of the world, unashamed liars representing us in Congress. What the f*** is wrong with the voters? Of course they are uninformed and ignorant and we can blame the media for that. I hope everyone knows that NEWS is an acronym for North, East, West, South. In other words, complete awareness. And the media has made a mockery out of that concept. I don't care what your politics or religion is, my only question is have you arrived at that conclusion armed with facts and logic or are you merely a puppet? For the record I am and believe in the following:

Atheist Politically Independent Pro Abortion Pro Gay rights and marriage Against the war in Iraq For getting OBL, but changing Bush's ...ahem..strategy I believe that the "war on terror" is a sham and a stupid label For bailing out the big 3, only if there are strict conditions Against the "drill baby drill" concept AGAINST Palin. If she ever gets elected as POTUS, I am moving to Canada Pro the 2nd, but believe assault weapons should be banned and for background checks For free speech in all circumstances. eg Let Imus say what he wants and the consumers decide Against banning books of any nature Support Kyoto

Cant think of any more for now. What about you guys?

Oh, need I say...ANTI BUSH!!

Akhil Bhardwaj
Jersey City, NJ

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Subject:  In Regards To This So-called Security Agreement It's The Puppet Iraqi Government Versus The Iraqi People

"Based on?"

"Polls that consistently show that two-thirds of Iraqis want the foreign troops out now."

"Which could happen if Iraq's puppet parliament rejects this pact."

"Unless, of course, the Security Council extends its permission for the presence of foreign troops in Iraq."

"Otherwise?"

"As of the 12/31/08 all U.S. military operations in Iraq must cease."

"What can us patriotic American do to help?"

"Support the Iraqi people."

"By doing what?"

"Demonstrating that we too want the troops out now."

"How?"

"By whatever means of peaceful protest and communication are possible.

"And, say, the puppet parliament rejects this security pact, what'll deter the Security Council from intending permission for foreign troops to remain in Iraq past December 31?"

"Yes we can."

"But then won't the resultant forced withdrawal of our troops be looked upon as a U.S. military defeat?"

"Hopefully."

"Why hopefully?"

"There's nothing like a military defeat when it comes to weaning the public from war or lessening the hold that militarism has on us."

"Based on?"

"The 1982 Falkland War between Argentina and Great Britain in which, after Argentina was soundly defeat, a formerly pro-military Argentina, not only turned against its armed forces, but toppled its fascist military government."

"But if we're defeated won't our troops have died in vain?"

"Not."

"For what then?"

"That there be no war no more, nowhere, never, not even one."

"And then what sort of world?"

"It'll be up to us."

A BuzzFlash Reader

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Subject: Napolitano Is A Bad Choice For Homeland Security

How can anyone call someone who presides over 250,000 cases of state-sponsored child abuse every year "progressive"? Spanking of children is child abuse. Everyone knows that spanking is associated with kinky sex. And especially spanking of boys is likely to stimulate the prostate and produce mixed signals between violence and sex. (Of course not all children are as adversely affected, but why take a chance?)

Napolitano allows 250,000 of these events of adults publicly sexually-assaulting children in Arizona schools annually. She does nothing about it because she is a militant, male-bashing, minority-hating feminist. The vast majority of those crimes against children are done to boys, with a large, disproportionate share going to minorities like blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans. Would she allow this abuse to continue if 90% of it were toward precious little white girls? I doubt it!

In addition, she presides over a state that routinely kills and tortures "illegal immigrants". And she has said nothing about the abusive sheriff Arpaio who tortures inmates in the Phoenix area. (Do you see a pattern? She does nothing about torture and abuse of males and minorities.) My homeland sure feels much more secure with "progressives" like her in charge!

A BuzzFlash Reader

[BuzzFlash Note: Yours seems to be a minority view of Napolitano.]

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Subject: Economic Solutions

I am starting a campaign to get a job as CEO in a Fortune 500 company. I figure I can ruin a company for a fraction of the cost they're currently paying CEOs to do the same thing.

I have settled upon $200,000 as my asking fee to take an otherwise respected company and drive it into the ground. Cheap, I tell you!

No million dollar salary with complex stock options for me! No embarrassing golden parachute, just $200K and I will be more than glad to take the blame for poor decisions that lead the company to destruction.

In these uncertain times, I am offering economic solutions you can believe in!

http://pigworldecon.blogspot.com/

Grant Schreiber
Chicago, IL

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Subject: Letting Obama Down

Cut him some slack. He is getting enough crap from the other side along with a record number of threats.

The thing I want him to do first is correct the first thing Bush did coming to office, unseal GHWB's papers. The first thing he did was cover his old man's butt on Iran/Contra, among other things. When he did that it was an indication there was stuff in there to be hidden.

The next thing I would like to see the light of day is every scrap on information on Cheney's Energy Task Force.

After we find out, for sure, the handling of 9/11 was planned. I don't think they actually planned the event, but I think they knew it was on the way and did nothing to stop it.

Project of a New American Century all the way and the plan to take over complete control of the oil reserves.

Karen Webb
Moore, Ok

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Subject: Honor To Howard Dean

Hi, Buzz!!

I've said this before, and I'll say it again: Howard Dean's fifty-state strategy was exactly what we needed when we needed it.

I was in Kansas when Dean became chair of the Democratic National Committee and instituted the fifty-state strategy. Before that, it had been monumentally discouraging to be a Democrat in Kansas: we had few numbers, no money, and no support from the national organization. In the election of '06, with support from Dean and his Committee, we Lyon County Democrats were able to rent a headquarters in a good location (downtown, two blocks from the local university), and really fire up our people. We sent a Democrat to the House that year, and ousted a Republican state Attorney General.

Thanks to Howard Dean, we began to feel our power. By this year, attendance at the regular party breakfast meetings had grown so much that you had to get there early if you actually wanted food. On Super Tuesday evening, the caucus room overflowed with Democrats - on a cold and snowy night!

Washington insider types said the fifty-state strategy was a bad idea, but nobody in Kansas (except Republicans) agreed with them.

Thanks, Dr. Dean: You made a difference!

Jane Hawes
Edmond, OK (still a red-state Democrat)

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Subject: The Economy And The War

May I remind y'all that we are still at war,'burning through' billions of dollars per month by any measure. Ever since the economy became the big focus of the mainstream media and hence the general population, the war has become a secondary issue to the economy.

End the damned war, and we have the money in a few weeks to "bail out" the big three automakers.

End the damned war, re-direct the billions of $$ to green projects, and we begin the work of getting us out of this economic mess.

As a VietNam veteran, you all have no idea what it is like to be forgotten by the population and the msm. Beyond that, the troops will come home to a wrecked future, with bleak job outlooks and uncertain personal lives. Everyone is paying attention to "the economy," while we bleed to death from a war.

Get out of this damned war, then we have the ability to work on the economy!

Steve
Hillsboro, Oregon

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Subject: Faith Or Doubt In Obama

Cut some slack here guys! The man just got in and is in the process of appointing his aides and cabinet. He is dealing with a huge bag of leftover Bush/Cheney worms that will continue to grow and may take the entire 8 years to normalize. We have the best person this country has to offer in the most valuable seat in the world. He does not deserve criticism or worries about his ability to fill "progressive ideas" as being enough. Have Faith here, let the process begin and take its normal course.

Faith or Doubt -- Second Guessing Obama. Are You? -- A BuzzFlash News Analysis Is Obama Letting Progressives Down, Or Are We Not Cutting Him Enough Slack? Tell Us What You Think.

Jean Lewis
Washington State

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Subject: What Obama Will Do

Everyone is trying to guess what Obama will do, and many getting mad that he hasn't said he will seek justice for the many crimes and misdemeanors committed during the bush years.

Here's what I WOULDN'T do if I was Obama. Say that I would put Bush and Cheney on trial, along with their cohorts, especially Rove.

Why?

Because until January, that bag of cracked nuts has their finger on the button.

They could attack someone, anyone and begin a new war that Obama has to clean up. Among many other possibilities.

It MAY be his intention to let the wheels of justice go after the Bushes but it's not wise to say so yet.

And I think I voted for a wise man.

Mike Curtis
Greenbrier AR

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Subject: Palin Pardons A Turkey, But ...

And they asked if she wanted to move for the interview and she said, "it's alright."

I like the question about what is being put on the chopping block. Of course it is referring to programs.

The part at the end where she says it is good to have something with levity for a change that promotes a local business instead of heavy handed stuff like politics.

And she ends with "this is fun." I guess so -- she kills for fun.

This reminds me of the Thankgiving program on WKRP in Cinncinati where they drop turkeys, for the poor, from a helicopter on to a parking lot thinking the turkeys will fly.

americablog.com/2008/11/sarah-palin...

A BuzzFlash Reader

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Subject: The Bernanke/Paulson Blip

Hi Buzz & Friends,

Wow, that was fast! Gobble, Gobble. We bought a blip. Not just part of a blip, or blippit, but an entire blip! How relieved America must be that they didn't waste their 700 billion dollars. The blip was picked up on a financial radar somewhere near the U.S. Capitol. No additional blips have been reported.

The blip is being hailed as proof positive that the bailout actually worked. In fact both men have since been on TV to accept accolades on the success of their brilliantly conceived program.

Now that they know that theirs is the "right on the money" correct approach, there will be less trepidation about a second intervention and this time they promise not to be so shy with the treasury dollars. We would have looked real foolish if any of these funds had been loaned to the auto industry, as now when the banks really, really need it - it would not have been available. Thank god the wise heads in congress prevailed on that one. There are reportedly some areas of the country that don't even know that a blip has occurred. It is important to scale the program up so that the next blip is felt by more people, perhaps enough to nudge the economy upwards. We can only hope.

I don't personally know the technical details of what constitutes a blip. Apparently one of Wall Street's biggest banks/bankers has loaned another big bank/banker some money. Some cautionary notes were offered: It may have been something as simple as two CEO's having lunch together and the one spotting the other for the bill. Or the whole thing may have been put on their TARP account, in which case much ado is being made over a routine lunch.

Whatever the technical details the psychological effect alone could have a huge impact on Wall Street where hopefully we'll soon see signs of other executives spotting each other for lunch. To break the ice the participants are likely to just put the meals and drinks on their TARP tabs. This and a fifty foot table to separate the diners makes them feel more comfortable and secure (risk in everywhere!) in each others presence.

I'm sure we all hope that the feds don't undershoot the mark again. 700 billion here, a few trillion there, before long we'll be talking about real money. So call your congressman now and ask them to bail out Wall Street now - before it's too late.

Tim Mooring
San Francisco

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Subject: Hey BuzzFlash Are You Going To Be A B***h For The Clinton Cronies Too?

I didn't work for 8 years to crawl back in bed with the Clintons. Obama is a front man. Just like Bush. I am heartsick.......and angry.

Donna

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