Global
Ohio anti-aborts hauled out their big guns Tuesday (June 13) for the HB 228 show hearing at the Statehouse. It ended not with a bang but with a whimper, when House Health Committee Chair John White (R-Kettering) shut off debate after 6 hours of testimony from four panels--2 supporting and 2 opposing. The abrupt ending left about 60 witnesses on both sides, claiming they’d been promised the podium, fuming.
HB 228, bans all abortion in the state and criminalizes anyone who performs abortions, and individuals (including husbands and parents) who transport Ohio women to other states to procure abortions. A clause in the bill theoretically protects doctors from prosecution who “unintentionally” terminate a pregnancy while trying to save the life of the woman--an exclusion that nobody seems to buy.
HB 228, bans all abortion in the state and criminalizes anyone who performs abortions, and individuals (including husbands and parents) who transport Ohio women to other states to procure abortions. A clause in the bill theoretically protects doctors from prosecution who “unintentionally” terminate a pregnancy while trying to save the life of the woman--an exclusion that nobody seems to buy.
"True power lies not with those who cast the votes, but rather with those who count the vote." -- Joseph Stalin
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Columbus,Ohio-The secretary of state’s office notified Green Party candidates Bob Fitrakis and Anita Rios that they have successfully been certified to appear on the November 2006 statewide general election ballot in the race for Governor/Lt Governor. The Fitrakis/Rios team will appear as Independent candidates on the November ballot.
The Ohio Green Party voted to endorse Bob Fitrakis and Anita Rios for Governor/Lt. Governor during their convention last February. Bob Fitrakis is an attorney, an award winning journalist and a professor of political science. He earned his law degree at the Ohio State University Moritz School of Law and his Ph.D. in Political Science from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.
Anita Rios is a longtime union activist and community organizer with a background in mental health. Anita is the former chair of the Green Party National Committee. She grew up one of eight children to parents who were Mexican American migrant farm workers.
Columbus,Ohio-The secretary of state’s office notified Green Party candidates Bob Fitrakis and Anita Rios that they have successfully been certified to appear on the November 2006 statewide general election ballot in the race for Governor/Lt Governor. The Fitrakis/Rios team will appear as Independent candidates on the November ballot.
The Ohio Green Party voted to endorse Bob Fitrakis and Anita Rios for Governor/Lt. Governor during their convention last February. Bob Fitrakis is an attorney, an award winning journalist and a professor of political science. He earned his law degree at the Ohio State University Moritz School of Law and his Ph.D. in Political Science from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.
Anita Rios is a longtime union activist and community organizer with a background in mental health. Anita is the former chair of the Green Party National Committee. She grew up one of eight children to parents who were Mexican American migrant farm workers.
There are good reasons why the Lord wrote down the Ten Commandments on stone tablets and not on a computer chip. He didn’t want Moses choosing just his favorite six.
The sun had not set on Election Day when The San Jose Mercury News gave us the good news: “No Major Glitches Reported with Electronic Voting Machines .”
I was glad to hear that! But I had a question for the Mercury and all the other papers that had repeated this happy news, “How do you know?” Exactly what tests of the computer processors did you conduct, what electronic log audit did you review, what paper trail did you follow? Exactly how, my journalist comrades, did you conclude that the new touch-screen voting machines recorded the vote as voters intended?
If the computers are hacked, if the central tabulators in far-off locations are messed with, what exactly did you expect to see—smoke rising from the computer tabulators? A siren going off with a metallic voice screeching, I’ve been hacked! I’ve been hacked!?
The sun had not set on Election Day when The San Jose Mercury News gave us the good news: “No Major Glitches Reported with Electronic Voting Machines .”
I was glad to hear that! But I had a question for the Mercury and all the other papers that had repeated this happy news, “How do you know?” Exactly what tests of the computer processors did you conduct, what electronic log audit did you review, what paper trail did you follow? Exactly how, my journalist comrades, did you conclude that the new touch-screen voting machines recorded the vote as voters intended?
If the computers are hacked, if the central tabulators in far-off locations are messed with, what exactly did you expect to see—smoke rising from the computer tabulators? A siren going off with a metallic voice screeching, I’ve been hacked! I’ve been hacked!?
Something peculiar happened to me while particpating in the Voices for Creative Nonviolence's 30-day, 320-mile "Walk for Justice" from Springfield to North Chicago, Illinois to reclaim funding for the common good and away from war.
This afternoon, drinking a cup of coffee while sitting in the Jesse Brown V.A. Medical Center on Chicago's south side, a Veterans Administration cop walked up to me and said, "OK, you've had your 15 minutes, it's time to go."
"Huh?", I asked intelligently, not quite sure what he was talking about.
"You can't be in here protesting," officer Adkins said, pointing to my Veterans For Peace shirt.
"Well, I'm not protesting, I'm having a cup of coffee," I returned, thinking that logic would convince Adkins to go back to his earlier duties of guarding against serious terrorists.
Flipping his badge open, he said, "No, not with that shirt. You're protesting and you have to go."
Beginning to get his drift, I said firmly, "Not before I finish my coffee."
This afternoon, drinking a cup of coffee while sitting in the Jesse Brown V.A. Medical Center on Chicago's south side, a Veterans Administration cop walked up to me and said, "OK, you've had your 15 minutes, it's time to go."
"Huh?", I asked intelligently, not quite sure what he was talking about.
"You can't be in here protesting," officer Adkins said, pointing to my Veterans For Peace shirt.
"Well, I'm not protesting, I'm having a cup of coffee," I returned, thinking that logic would convince Adkins to go back to his earlier duties of guarding against serious terrorists.
Flipping his badge open, he said, "No, not with that shirt. You're protesting and you have to go."
Beginning to get his drift, I said firmly, "Not before I finish my coffee."
With its ruling that the Bush administration lacks the authority to put Guantanamo detainees on trial before military tribunals, the U.S. Supreme Court has dealt the Busheviks a huge blow in its unprecedented, ongoing quest to expand the president's powers. King George has finally been told he cannot do whatever he wants, to whomever he wants, whenever he wants. Like it or not, he's finally being reminded that America governs under the rule of law and holds sacred the separation of powers and our system of checks and balances. Finally, someone has said, "We will not allow you to defile the U.S. Constitution, circumvent Congress and violate international law."
Dress in GREEN for the Green Party contingent. We will be the “Green” Party – wearing all green with party hats, horns, whistles, and other party paraphernalia.
July 4th, 1:00 p.m.
Kick off at Goodale Park
(Park Street to Buttles to Dennison to Colling to Neil to 2nd to High to Russell – approx. 1 mile parade)
To join the Green Party marchers assemble in the park at 12:00 – 12:30 ish for party hats and face painting. They will have signs available to carry.
Bob Fitrakis, Green Party candidate for Ohio Governor (2006 election) will be marching with this group.
614-253-2571
614-224-8771
Dress AS YOU ARE and join the parade for election reform. Anyone with creative solutions that coincide with this (solar power, peace activists, environmentalists, peak oil, anyone with hope for our future that wants to bring it to the streets) are welcome to join the march.
Repeatedly authors, analysts, journalists, and intellectuals all state that it is the grassroots efforts that will bring about reform. Come join the march for election reform and reclaim OHIO.
Mandatory DOO DAH RULES –
DOO laugh a lot
July 4th, 1:00 p.m.
Kick off at Goodale Park
(Park Street to Buttles to Dennison to Colling to Neil to 2nd to High to Russell – approx. 1 mile parade)
To join the Green Party marchers assemble in the park at 12:00 – 12:30 ish for party hats and face painting. They will have signs available to carry.
Bob Fitrakis, Green Party candidate for Ohio Governor (2006 election) will be marching with this group.
614-253-2571
614-224-8771
Dress AS YOU ARE and join the parade for election reform. Anyone with creative solutions that coincide with this (solar power, peace activists, environmentalists, peak oil, anyone with hope for our future that wants to bring it to the streets) are welcome to join the march.
Repeatedly authors, analysts, journalists, and intellectuals all state that it is the grassroots efforts that will bring about reform. Come join the march for election reform and reclaim OHIO.
Mandatory DOO DAH RULES –
DOO laugh a lot
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Thailand's shaky government has suffered a
devastating decision by the attorney-general's office, which ruled
that the prime minister's party, and the biggest opposition party,
"both violated the law" and should be dissolved.
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra -- clinging to power despite the past few months of anti-Thaksin street protests, an election boycott, and widespread condemnation by the country's media -- responded by insisting his party was innocent.
Thaksin hopes to contest a national election on October 15, despite loud complaints that he did not pay profit taxes on his family's multi-billion dollar telecommunications deal with Singapore.
The attorney-general's office, however, declared Thaksin's nationalistic Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais) party -- plus the main opposition Democrat Party and three tiny parties -- acted illegally during a flawed April election, which was later invalidated.
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra -- clinging to power despite the past few months of anti-Thaksin street protests, an election boycott, and widespread condemnation by the country's media -- responded by insisting his party was innocent.
Thaksin hopes to contest a national election on October 15, despite loud complaints that he did not pay profit taxes on his family's multi-billion dollar telecommunications deal with Singapore.
The attorney-general's office, however, declared Thaksin's nationalistic Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais) party -- plus the main opposition Democrat Party and three tiny parties -- acted illegally during a flawed April election, which was later invalidated.
Summer’s political blockbuster is Robert Kennedy’s Jr.’s 12-page “Did Bush Steal the 2004 Election?” article in the June 15 issue of Rolling Stone. We all know the legendary impact of being on the “cover of the Rolling Stone.” RFK Jr.’s heavily fact-checked article – there are 208 footnotes online at rolling stone.com – has re-ignited the debate over Ohio’s 2004 election. While the Free Press has never stopped digging, the last major national magazine article on the issue, “None Dare Call it Stolen,” appeared in Harper’s Magazine on September 7, 2005, a precursor to Mark Crispin Miller’s essential book Fooled Again: How the Right Stole the 2004 Election and Why They’ll Steal the Next One Too (Unless We Stop Them). If you haven’t read Fooled Again yet, I recommend it.
The unending game of "pretend" that the U.S. media allow George Bush
to play on the global stage, so often letting his lying utterances
hang suspended, unchallenged, in the middle of the story, as though
they were plausible - as though a class of third-graders couldn't
demolish them with a few innocent questions - feels like the
journalistic equivalent of waterboarding. Gasp! Some truth, please!
I suggest the prez has forfeited the right to command a headline, or half a story, or an uninterrupted quote: ". . . we'll defend ourselves, but at the same time we're actively working with our partners to spread peace and democracy," he said last week in Austria.
Surely "spreading democracy" should no longer be allowed to appear in print, between now and 2008, unless accompanied by a parenthetical clarification ("not true," stated as profanely as local standards allow). And that, of course, would only be the media's first step back into integrity with the public.
I suggest the prez has forfeited the right to command a headline, or half a story, or an uninterrupted quote: ". . . we'll defend ourselves, but at the same time we're actively working with our partners to spread peace and democracy," he said last week in Austria.
Surely "spreading democracy" should no longer be allowed to appear in print, between now and 2008, unless accompanied by a parenthetical clarification ("not true," stated as profanely as local standards allow). And that, of course, would only be the media's first step back into integrity with the public.