BuzzFlash Mailbag for January 15, 2009

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Subject: Cheerleaders for Disaster

Hi Buzz & Friends,

Watching disasters evolve, come to fruition and disappear into the fog of recent history has become a routine and unpleasant mix of frustration, anxiety, and inevitability. It's like watching a train wreck in a slow motion closed loop. TARP2 will happen, there's nothing that you or I can do about. Getting the TB2F entities their bailout is the top priority of both Congress and Barack Obama. TARP2, if anything, is going to be even dirtier than TARP1. Last time Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid had to do everything but stand on their heads to get the money for the perps that wrecked the economy. It cost taxpayers $140 billion dollars in bribes to buy off the scruples of some in congress. Let's face it congress hates jobs - they hate them with a purple passion - in particular they despise good paying American jobs. They want to free up credit so that people will start spending again - in a depression? There's no more talk about infrastructure projects. The only project I've heard mentioned since the election is about an indoor basketball court at the White House. I guess we'll have to make do with that - though they'll probably contract with a foreign company to build it.

If there's anything more corrupt than the TB2F entities it has to be the U.S. Congress. If their lips are moving they're lying. The only thing that's changed this time around is that they no longer use the phrase "Too Big to Fail". It carries the unfortunate implication that something should be done about it - can't have that, can we? Already republicans in Congress have gotten written assurances that all of the money will go to the banks this time - no more money for auto makers this time around. Democrats and republicans alike are determined that none of the money go towards anything with even a remote connection to keeping or creating American jobs.

The only consistency from Barack Obama has been the never ending pleas for more donations in the email. It's impossible to voice an opinion on anything there. Every access point is blocked with a big red banner asking for a donation. Beyond that banner another with the exact same message "Please donate now".

[The Obama web site that solicits opinions/input is here.]

It could take years to close gitmo. The war in Afghanistan could go on for years. We will have troops in Iraq for some time to come. The economy is not going to get better any time soon and some projects that we'd really like to do may have to wait. Barack watches silently as phosphorous bombs are used against the people of Gaza. Underhanded tricks are used to throw another $350B down the TB2F bottomless pit. The worst thing about TARP2 is the upside for Congress should it fail miserably just like TARP1. Congress can then feign that they're wary of any more stimulus packages and that will translate into the banks getting everything, leaving Americans in a dry hole. These people are not stupid, they just know how to pretend to be bewildered, astonished and dismayed when things work out exactly as they planned. Who could have guessed? How did this happen? We must do everything possible to make sure this never happens again. Blah, blah, blah.

A basketball court in the White House would be a nice way to celebrate a significant accomplishment like restoring the economy. As just aother gimme, gimme perk it stinks.

It doesn't matter how sick of it you or I become. It's all going to happen anyway. I don't have faith in Obama - I have the expectation that he will follow through on the agenda of change that he promised. If he keeps reading from the bush playbook - I'll want him impeached and removed from office. We don't owe him - he owes us. Big time.

Tim Mooring
San Francisco

Subject: palin's church

kind of odd, as someone wrote yesterday, that there is no update on the fire, arson fire, at palins' former (i think) church. veeeery eenteresting.

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: The Class War Intensifies In California

"For example?"

"The state legislature cuts billions of dollars from public education."

"Anything else?"

"At the University of California six percent fewer freshmen will be admitted next year."

"What about health care for the unemployed and working poor?"

"Cut."

"Funds for the homeless?"

"Cut."

"Any increases?"

"For building prisons."

"The answer being?"

"Change."

"Based on?'

"Yes we can."

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: The 44th & Last Chance Presidency

"Last chance for what?"

"Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

"Otherwise?"

"Class war."

"Based on?"

"There'll be no alternative."

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/15/israel...

WTF!!! Why isn't this at the top of your web page??? Why does the reader have to sift through unrelated headlines-we KNOW bush is an a**shole, and cheney is darth vader!!! Are your editing staff primarily Jewish??? I thought BuzzFlash was supposed to be the alternative news source!!!

Israel Shells UN Headquarters In Gaza

A BuzzFlash Reader

[BuzzFlash Note: Thanks for the link. We'll ignore that inappropriate question about our religious beliefs.]

Subject: Where is Obama going?

Obama promised us a cornucopia of appealing things during the 2-year election campaign, to the refrain of "change you can believe in."   Now, he is asking us to trust him while he is assembling a cabinet that is to the right of center, all prominently from the heart of the Establishment and, 2 nights ago he had an intimate dinner with 5 far right pundits. He is retaining SecDef Gates who is committed to keeping a sizeable force in Iraq (50,000-70,000 troops on 4 giant military bases and thousands of Halliburton contractors) permanently.  

None of his appointments  may be more telling than Eric Holder for attorney general. Is Obama going to restore the credibility of the Justice Deparment and return the country to the rule of law? Holder assisted Bill Clinton in pardoning the criminal Marc Rich. Holder has been representing cynical interest groups. Holder represented Chiquita when it was charged with criminal support of violent revolutionaries in Columbia, getting them off with a token fine. Chiquita is one of the original companies who created "banana republics", ousting popular governments, installing cooperative dictators, hogging choice land, felling rain forests, to produce bananas. Bananas, the "ideal food", delicious and creamy, have become more popular world wide than rice or potatoes.

But, ruthlessly pursuing profits, Chiquita carelessly spread the fungus that renders bananas inedible--in a decade or 2 there will be no more edible bananas on this planet.   With appointment to atty general, will Holder suddenly become principled? Will he enforce the law? Will he prosecute felons?  His confirmation hearings begin today.

Why Eric Holder Represents What's Wrong with Washington (David Corn/Mother Jones)

http://topics.nytimes.com/...

TWIGA

Subject: Which GOP Senator wants transparency and accountability?

This morning I awoke to a US Senator saying, “It is mind boggling, the lack of transparency and accountability”. They said it was a GOP senator and that it had to do with giving President Elect Obama the remainder of the bailout. Which senator could have said it? I was hoping for a long-time anti-checks and balances Bush guy. You know, a long time serving Senator willing to give up civil rights and everything else for temporary security with no oversight. I had to wake up to see who said it. It was that gift that keeps on giving. It was Mr. Transparent Moral Accountability himself, that upholder of Louisiana Political uprightness, David Vitter.

He hasn’t been a Senator for the entire Bush Imperial Reign, but he has been in congress for the entire time. Vitter first burst onto the national scene when he came in second in a special election to succeed Rep. Bob Livingston. You remember Bob, he was going to be the next Speaker of the House after Gingrich resigned, until he was caught in adultery and resigned. Vitter came in second in the election, three percentage points or less than 4000 votes ahead of David Duke, the former Grand Wizard of the Klan. In first place was the first Republican governor of Louisiana.

Vitter won in the run-off by less than 2000 votes. He ran on a Family Values platform, but his were already in question. In 1999, referring to Livingston’s resignation he said, “I think Livingston's stepping down makes a very powerful argument that Clinton should resign as well and move beyond this mess.” His wife, Wendy, said; “"I'm a lot more like Lorena Bobbitt than Hillary. If he [Vitter] does something like that, I'm walking away with one thing, and it's not alimony, trust me." It should be mentioned David’s family jewels are still intact.

Vitter won re-election in 2000 and 2002 with 80% of the vote and continued making the Bush Administration the least transparent in history. They began and ended with a secret energy task force. Bush has challenged over 1100 statutes with signing statements. In 2002 Vitters was beginning a run for governor when a member of the Louisiana Republican State Committee accused Vitter of having a long-time affair with a New Orleans prostitute. Vitter said it was “absolutely and completely untrue” and “crass Louisiana politics.” He dropped out saying he and his wife were having marital problems.

Vitter says, "Abstinence education is a public health strategy focused on risk avoidance that aims to help young people avoid exposure to harm ... by teaching teenagers that saving sex until marriage and remaining faithful afterwards is the best choice for health and happiness.”

In 2004 on same-sex marriage: "This is a real outrage. The Hollywood left is redefining the most basic institution in human history...We need a U.S. Senator who will stand up for Louisiana values, not Massachusetts’s values.” No, same sex adultery. In June 2006, he said, “I’m a conservative who opposes radically redefining marriage, the most important social institution in human history.” In October 2005, at a Louisiana Republican Executive Committee luncheon, Vitter compared gay marriage to hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which came through the same geographical areas. Vitter said "It's the crossroads where Katrina meets Rita. I always knew I was against same-sex unions." Katrina and Rita, lesbian hurricanes? Ike came through the same area, what does that make him?

Then in 2007 his name ended up on a list of phone calls to and from the DC Madam. He said it referred to a time when he was in the House; “This was a very serious sin in my past for which I am, of course, completely responsible. Several years ago, I asked for and received forgiveness from God and my wife in confession and marriage counseling. Out of respect for my family, I will keep my discussion of the matter there - with God and them. But I certainly offer my deep and sincere apologies to all I have disappointed and let down in any way.” It is unfortunate he isn’t willing to leave Bill’s sins to the Clintons.

Vitter received a standing ovation from his fellow Republican Senators after apologizing to them in private. There were Republicans who objected and said this support would hurt them in the 2008 election. In June of 2007 the Canal Street madam confirmed that Vitter did have a long time relationship with one particular $300 a night prostitute. He denied it. She denied there was any romance, but admitted he was a regular, non-kinky customer. Her name was Wendy, convenient. She passed a lie detector test and he refused to take one.

In 2008 he said, "It's certainly true that national Republicans need to improve their brand. Perhaps folks should actually take some cues from Republicans in Louisiana. At home, we're the party of reform and positive changes versus failed past and the good ol' boys."

I will lay you odds today that Louisiana will re-elect this good ol’ boy in 2010, even if he is caught with his pants down again. One of his good ol’ boy team just told the Politico Web Site that Vitter has ordered his staff to “dig deep into the more than 200,000 donors to Bill Clinton’s foundation and charitable projects.” He is still a self-righteous hypocrite after all these years. They say he has ties to Abramoff. David Vitter demanding transparency and accountability is not only mindboggling it is flabbergastingly appalling.

Karen Webb
Moore, Ok

Subject: gw is no lincoln

Hi, Buzz!!

Apparently GW tried once again, in his last news conference, to convince us that he really is like Lincoln. My response is, HOW DARE HE!? For Bush to suggest that he's at all like our greatest President ever is an insult to our intelligence and to Lincoln's memory.

The only things Bush and Lincoln have in common is that they both lived in the White House for awhile, and that they were both vilified while there. Note that I don't say they were both President of the United States. Lincoln was duly and legally elected - twice. Bush was not - twice.

I won't even say that they have membership in the Republican party in common. Lincoln would no longer recognize the party he helped establish.

Lincoln had a grave national crisis - and eventually a civil war - dumped in his lap by his predecessor. Bush started two wars all by himself, and is dumping them and other catastrophes in his successor's lap.

Lincoln took a broken nation and reunited it. Bush took a united country - united under the Constitution and law - and fractured it. Socially, politically, and economically, he broke it.

Lincoln sought to expand freedom to everyone, eventually abolishing slavery for all time. Bush has made us less free by making travel ever more difficult, fomenting fear, and violating our civil liberties.

It may be argued that Lincoln violated the Constitution himself by suspending habeas corpus. But Lincoln never treated the Constitution as if it didn't matter. Bush famously said that "the Constitution is a G-D piece of paper."

Lincoln confronted a dire reality - secession and civil war - and led the country out of it. Bush does not acknowledge reality. He constructs fantasies. Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. The Iraq war will be won. We do not torture. The moon is made of green cheese. Wishing makes it so.

George W. Bush has no right to connect himself to Lincoln. He is not worthy to speak Lincoln's name.

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

Subject: GOP worried about "conflicts of interest"?

The GOP is concerned about conflicts of interest regarding a nominee for Attorney General. They are kidding, right? Satan must be doing a triple lutz, slachow, toe loop combination followed by a sit-spin with a Hamill Camel in hell.

This is the same bunch who voted for John Ashcroft even though he had actively fought against most of the civil rights laws he would be swearing to enforce. Couldn't be any conflict of interest there? A coalition of 200 civil rights organizations opposed his nomination. Sen. Trent Lott, GOP Majority Leader said all the Republicans would vote for him, even before the hearings, and they did.

They made Ashcroft swear to uphold the laws he was going to swear to uphold. Among other things, in a show of open-mindedness on January 29, 2002 Ashcroft had drapes put on art at the Justice Department.

And then they voted unanimously for Alberto Gonzales, who's middle name should have been "conflict of interest". Gonzales had graduated law school in 1979 and then went to work for Vinson Elkins where he represented Halliburton and Enron. He was then Governor Bush's legal counsel where he didn't properly review clemency cases, even for insufficient counsel. They executed one 33 year old with the communication skills of a 7 year old and in his recommendation to the governor he never mentioned his mental retardation or that the attorney never called a mental health professional at trial.

Gonzales signed a sworn statement for the governor to get off jury duty claiming Bush had never been arrested when he knew that wasn't true. He claimed Bush might have to consider clemency in the drunk driving conviction.

Bush appointed him Texas Secretary of State and then to the Texas Supreme Court with virtually no actual court time, where he proceeded to sit, rollover and speak at the commands of his owner, the Bushes.

Then he was President Bush's legal counsel where he proceeded to shred the Freedom of Information Act and the Geneva Conventions while redefining and justifying torture.

It would be amusing if it weren't so damn serious that the Senate GOP would suddenly care about conflicts of interest on appointments. They rubber stamped two ideologues to the Supreme Court.

In 2008 the Supremes ruled that a woman who had been denied the same raises as men for 20 years couldn't have restitution because she didn't file in the six months after the first non-equal raise which was 20 years before she knew the raises weren't equal.

Then they ruled a handicapped guy couldn't have restitution for his landlord not having a ramp because he should have filed 6 months after the building was built without a ramp which was well before he was a resident or knew there wasn't a ramp.

I am sorry, no I'm not, but the horses were let out of the barn on the GOP being allowed to give a rip about "conflicts of interest" the minute they decided not to check or balance a damn thing the Bush administration decided to do.

They okayed Bush nominating cronies to everything. Brownie, a horse show judge, put in charge of FEMA comes to mind. The Sec. of Education has been fighting public education all of her adult life. She doesn't think we should just give up if our kids aren't educated as well as in other countries and she plans to combat this problem by insisting parents with a high school education, or maybe not that much, be allowed to teach their own children at home.

This is not to say that Eric Holder is an Obama cronie. Holder okayed a Clinton pardon, while Gonzales okayed about 150 executions without proper oversight. Has anyone actually checked the number of contributors Bush has given the okie dokie to?

Karen Webb
Moore, Ok

Subject: The MUST-HAVE iPhone app for BUZZFLASH readers

Richard Luckett here. Remember me? The FAUX NEWS tee-shirt in 2003. Just a short note to thank you for your continued excellence in online journalism. Oh, and something else. ; )

I wanted to share my set of “Accountability iPhone App" wallpapers with you in the hope that you might post the link for your iPhone-using readers. They are simply a sequence of screenshots from the one fantasy iPhone application we wish we had right now.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/3...

Richard Luckett
Austin Texas

Subject: mailbag 1/14/09

Irene Wells...NY...do you not remember Joe Scarborough of the Clinton administration...the hater...the one who was on Fox news then? I am not really sure he was on Fox...but, I think he was...all I know was that he never had a good thing to say about Prez. Clinton. He lived to crucify him, every single night on any show he could get on...and unfortunately, there were some Democrats who bashed the hell out of him, one MSNBC personality of now (Chris Matthews) ... who has the show between Keith and Rachel ... I could not stand the sight of him then...and have some trouble with it still...even though he was always a democrat and had worked for a former democrat who was speaker of the house...Tip O'Neill? Maybe.

Anyway...the year Clinton took the news away from everyone...and Joe Scarborough won the republican race from Ft. Walton, Fla...or wherever it was...that area...he won hands down, with a good margin...then all of a sudden barely sworn in, he quickly resigned...with the story that he and his wife had had some kind of problems and he should be home helping with his boys. OKAY...shortly thereafter...the story was published that his assistant at his office in Ft. Walton had been found dead (in the office, by someone who came for an appt.)...No matter what they say...it was never quite clear...but, they had an M. E. from Missouri (my state) a Dr. Berkland, I think...who had been chased out of the state, (as answered by the Secy of state of Missouri when I wrote)...because he had told too many lies at trials he was kicked out...and was taken in in Florida...help!!! So, he did the autopsy ... and it was accepted...so, actually, no one really knows to this day what happened to the poor woman. Supposedly, she had a previous heart thing ... but, she was an almost professional runner...did it all the time...was married...28 yrs. old ... and in great health. It was just kept quiet!! But no one questioned it...I am getting this as near to right as possible ... BuzzFlash had a number of articles about it at the time ... I think it happened in the early 2000 era ... right after Bush, was lovingly accepted by the USA and for two more years...we would still be listening to horror stories about William Jefferson Clinton. There are times now, I would like to Google the story...and read it all again...it curdled my blood at the time...and it has never left.

Shirley ... St. Louis

Subject: Who runs america?

The White House Moron Stumbles to the Finis. The Humiliation of America By PAUL CRAIG ROBERTS

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subject: Wait, wait, wait on Don't Ask

Is PM Carpenter crazy? The last thing you want Obama to do is lead with gays in military. It can wait and it should wait. The reasons to wait are many: there are more important issues facing far more Americans, gays included.

Mr. Obama: Don't wait on Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Maezeppa
Los Angeles

Subject: An Inaugural celebration...

Hey BuzzFlashers,

Daft Punk and Freeland take on Obama...

See for your self http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLni8Zl6TeM

Daft Punk vs. Freeland | Aer-Obama is the freshest evidence of the President-Elect's ability to make waves in politics and pop culture.

The following is a mixed-media stop motion music video and celebration commemorating the election and inauguration of Barack Obama as the forty-fourth president of these United States. Audibly showcasing Adam Freeland's remix of Daft Punk's "Aerodynamic" and the imaginative stylings of forward thinking toy artists Dalek, Bill McMullen and Kubrick to name just a few. Independently animated and directed by the progressive minds of the directing team GOLD, the piece is a labor of love that invites everyone to join in or create their own celebration this coming Tuesday January the 20th

Ruben
LA,CA

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