Duty to Warn
Whenever Bush or a Republican member of either the House or Senate
appears before cameras, the chorus from an old Judas Priest tune starts
running through my head:
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law
It doesn't matter what the topic is, the American people know that if Bush and Republicans are publicly discussing an issue, it is because they have or are, somehow, breaking the law. In matters large-n-small, Republicans have implemented a strategy of breaking the law, breaking the law.
1. Illegally imprisoning US citizens without a trial
2. DOD and FBI spying on Quakers and vegans
3. Torturing prisoners at Abu Ghraib
4. Torturing prisoners at Guantanamo Bay
5. Misrepresenting intelligence in order to go to war
6. Illegally outing a CIA agent (Plame) while working on Iran's nuke program
7. Trying to cover up their Katrina-related incompetence
8. Bribing the Abramoff prosecutor with a judgeship so that he leaves the case
9. Illegally funneling money (laundering) to Texas elections, i.e., DeLay
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law
It doesn't matter what the topic is, the American people know that if Bush and Republicans are publicly discussing an issue, it is because they have or are, somehow, breaking the law. In matters large-n-small, Republicans have implemented a strategy of breaking the law, breaking the law.
1. Illegally imprisoning US citizens without a trial
2. DOD and FBI spying on Quakers and vegans
3. Torturing prisoners at Abu Ghraib
4. Torturing prisoners at Guantanamo Bay
5. Misrepresenting intelligence in order to go to war
6. Illegally outing a CIA agent (Plame) while working on Iran's nuke program
7. Trying to cover up their Katrina-related incompetence
8. Bribing the Abramoff prosecutor with a judgeship so that he leaves the case
9. Illegally funneling money (laundering) to Texas elections, i.e., DeLay
Sources close to the investigation into the leak of covert CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson have revealed this week that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has not turned over emails to the special prosecutor's office that may incriminate Vice President Dick Cheney, his aides, and other White House officials who allegedly played an active role in unmasking Plame Wilson's identity to reporters.
Moreover, these sources said that, in early 2004, Cheney was interviewed by federal prosecutors investigating the Plame Wilson leak and testified that neither he nor any of his senior aides were involved in unmasking her undercover CIA status to reporters and that no one in the vice president's office had attempted to discredit her husband, a vocal critic of the administration's pre-war Iraq intelligence. Cheney did not testify under oath or under penalty of perjury when he was interviewed by federal prosecutors.
Moreover, these sources said that, in early 2004, Cheney was interviewed by federal prosecutors investigating the Plame Wilson leak and testified that neither he nor any of his senior aides were involved in unmasking her undercover CIA status to reporters and that no one in the vice president's office had attempted to discredit her husband, a vocal critic of the administration's pre-war Iraq intelligence. Cheney did not testify under oath or under penalty of perjury when he was interviewed by federal prosecutors.
THE FACTS
Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot his hunting partner, mistaking him for a covey of quail. As of this writing, the victim remains in the intensive care unit.
This is the first time since 1804, when Aaron Burr killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel, that a sitting vice president has shot anybody.
The shooting occurred at the Armstrong Ranch in south Texas, about 60 miles southwest of Corpus Christi, where the vice president and several companions were hunting quail. The shooting victim was a 78-year-old man named Harry Whittington, a millionaire attorney from Austin, Texas. Whittington was reportedly 30 yards away from Cheney when he was hit in the cheek, neck and chest. Cheney was using a 28-gauge shotgun. Each of the hunters was wearing a bright orange vest at the time.
The Attorney General is supposed to be America’s top lawyer. His job duties require him to direct the law enforcement efforts of the federal government. Alberto Gonzales seems to think that he works for Bush and Cheney instead of the American people. When Gonzales was first advanced for his position by the Bush White House, Democrats feared that Gonzales would politicize the Justice Department and overlook or excuse law-breaking by the Bush Administration.
Attorney General Gonzales has demonstrated in his recent testimony before Congress concerning the illegal NSA wiretapping authorized by the Bush White House that the worst fears of his Democratic opponents were justified. The performance of Gonzales before Congress was a clear example of excusing political abuse of office. He reminded many observers of similar performances by Nixon’s former Attorney General John Mitchell. Mitchell disgraced his office by trying to cover-up the crimes of the Nixon White House. Both Nixon and Mitchell were eventually forced from office.
Attorney General Gonzales has demonstrated in his recent testimony before Congress concerning the illegal NSA wiretapping authorized by the Bush White House that the worst fears of his Democratic opponents were justified. The performance of Gonzales before Congress was a clear example of excusing political abuse of office. He reminded many observers of similar performances by Nixon’s former Attorney General John Mitchell. Mitchell disgraced his office by trying to cover-up the crimes of the Nixon White House. Both Nixon and Mitchell were eventually forced from office.
Vice President Dick Cheney and then-Deputy National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley led a campaign beginning in March 2003 to discredit former Ambassador Joseph Wilson for publicly criticizing the Bush administration's intelligence on Iraq, according to current and former administration officials.
The officials work or had worked in the State Department, the CIA and the National Security Council in a senior capacity and had direct knowledge of the Vice President's campaign to discredit Wilson.
In interviews over the course of two days this week, these officials were urged to speak on the record for this story. But they resisted, saying they had already testified before a grand jury investigating the leak of Wilson's wife, covert CIA operative Valerie Plame Wilson, and added that speaking out against the administration and specifically Vice President Cheney would cause them to lose their jobs and subject their families to vitriolic attacks by the White House.
The officials said they decided to speak out now because they have become disillusioned with the Bush administration's policies regarding Iraq and the flawed intelligence that led to the war.
The officials work or had worked in the State Department, the CIA and the National Security Council in a senior capacity and had direct knowledge of the Vice President's campaign to discredit Wilson.
In interviews over the course of two days this week, these officials were urged to speak on the record for this story. But they resisted, saying they had already testified before a grand jury investigating the leak of Wilson's wife, covert CIA operative Valerie Plame Wilson, and added that speaking out against the administration and specifically Vice President Cheney would cause them to lose their jobs and subject their families to vitriolic attacks by the White House.
The officials said they decided to speak out now because they have become disillusioned with the Bush administration's policies regarding Iraq and the flawed intelligence that led to the war.
AVON, OH--Congressman Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today called the president's proposed FY 2007 budget a set of failed priorities for Ohio families.
The budget, presented to Congress today, calls for drastic funding cuts in health care, energy, veterans, education, and job creation programs. At the same time, the president is demanding that Congress make permanent his tax cuts.
"Budgets are moral documents," Brown said. "The president wants to cut programs vital to millions of Ohioans to pay for billionaire tax cuts. Clearly Republican leadership does not share the same values as Ohio families."
Today the president proposed to:
In addition to cutting Medicare, the president today proposed the privatization of health care through Health Savings Accounts.
The budget, presented to Congress today, calls for drastic funding cuts in health care, energy, veterans, education, and job creation programs. At the same time, the president is demanding that Congress make permanent his tax cuts.
"Budgets are moral documents," Brown said. "The president wants to cut programs vital to millions of Ohioans to pay for billionaire tax cuts. Clearly Republican leadership does not share the same values as Ohio families."
Today the president proposed to:
- Cut $36 billion from Medicare over the next five years, and $105 billion over ten
Cut or flat fund energy programs specifically designed to help Ohio industries improve energy efficiency and cut costs
Underfund No Child Left Behind by $15.4 billion
Cut health care for Ohio's veterans
Cut $198 million from children's hospitals
In addition to cutting Medicare, the president today proposed the privatization of health care through Health Savings Accounts.
Dear friends in the media and others,
I am giving a talk at the Eisenhower Center on the Mansfield campus of Ohio State University at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday February 23 about "The Lucasville Uprising: New Discoveries."
The new material supplements my book Lucasville: The Untold Story of a Prison Uprising, published in August 1994.
In the talk I continue to argue that the judicial process for Lucasville defendants has been so flawed that, as in New York State after Attica, the State of Ohio should declare a general amnesty.
The State of the Empire Address
The De Facto Tyrant: Thank you all. Mr. Speaker, Uncle Dick, my Congressional collaborators, my five guaranteed votes on the Supreme Court, distinguished plutocrats, and the rest of you wretched plebs we begrudgingly tolerate (because you grease the wheels of our money-making machine): Today our nation lost a beloved, graceful, courageous woman who called America to its founding ideals and carried on a noble dream. Tonight we are comforted by the fact that my regime is working vigorously to cause that noble dream to unravel at the seams.
Every time I’m invited to this rostrum, I remind you of the working class that you have been humbled by the privilege of serving under the strong and resolute leadership of my cabal. We have gathered under this Capitol dome in moments of national mourning and national achievement, but my fellow patricians and I have prospered, regardless of the state of the rest of the nation. It has been your honor to give your blood, sweat and tears to further our financial interests.
The De Facto Tyrant: Thank you all. Mr. Speaker, Uncle Dick, my Congressional collaborators, my five guaranteed votes on the Supreme Court, distinguished plutocrats, and the rest of you wretched plebs we begrudgingly tolerate (because you grease the wheels of our money-making machine): Today our nation lost a beloved, graceful, courageous woman who called America to its founding ideals and carried on a noble dream. Tonight we are comforted by the fact that my regime is working vigorously to cause that noble dream to unravel at the seams.
Every time I’m invited to this rostrum, I remind you of the working class that you have been humbled by the privilege of serving under the strong and resolute leadership of my cabal. We have gathered under this Capitol dome in moments of national mourning and national achievement, but my fellow patricians and I have prospered, regardless of the state of the rest of the nation. It has been your honor to give your blood, sweat and tears to further our financial interests.
In another shining example of modern day corporate fascism, it was announced recently that Halliburton subsidiary Kellogg, Brown and Root had been awarded a $385 million dollar contract by Homeland Security to construct detention and processing facilities in the event of a national emergency.
The language of the preamble to the agreement veils the program with talk of temporary migrant holding centers, but it is made clear that the camps will also be used "as the development of a plan to react to a national emergency."
Discussions of federal concentration camps is no longer the rhetoric of paranoid Internet conspiracy theorists, it is mainstream news.
Under the enemy combatant designation anyone at the behest of the US government, even if they are a US citizen, can be kidnapped and placed in an internment facility forever without trial. Jose Padilla, an American citizen, has spent over four years in a Navy brig and is only just now getting a trial.
In 2002, FEMA sought bids from major real estate and engineering firms to construct giant internment facilities in the case of a chemical, biological or nuclear attack or a natural disaster.
The language of the preamble to the agreement veils the program with talk of temporary migrant holding centers, but it is made clear that the camps will also be used "as the development of a plan to react to a national emergency."
Discussions of federal concentration camps is no longer the rhetoric of paranoid Internet conspiracy theorists, it is mainstream news.
Under the enemy combatant designation anyone at the behest of the US government, even if they are a US citizen, can be kidnapped and placed in an internment facility forever without trial. Jose Padilla, an American citizen, has spent over four years in a Navy brig and is only just now getting a trial.
In 2002, FEMA sought bids from major real estate and engineering firms to construct giant internment facilities in the case of a chemical, biological or nuclear attack or a natural disaster.
Except in the cynical, zealous or spiritually clouded minds of his right wing devotees, it's become a well-established (if under reported) fact that President George W. Bush is a serial liar, if not a congenital liar.1 For example, after The New York Times very belatedly leaked Mr. Bush's unconstitutional order permitting the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on U.S. citizens without obtaining the required court-approved warrants, Bush defended his directive as a "vital tool" in the war against terrorism.