Global
The Columbus Dispatch editorial of September 19 proclaimed: “Votes of confidence” and the editors offered this subhead: “Poll shows Ohioans trust elections to be fair, with accurate results.” The Dispatch touts a poll by the Institute for Public Policy Research at the University of Cincinnati demonstrating that most voters have confidence in the Ohio election system.
This is a bit like the Vatican scribes announcing in medieval times in a Papal bull that the vast majority of people believe that the world is flat. The Dispatch, with its usual Republican operative arrogance, writes “The outlandish conspiracy accusations concerning the 2004 election have been intended to convince the Democratic rank and file that the GOP ‘stole’ the Ohio vote to ensure President Bush’s re-election.”
This is a bit like the Vatican scribes announcing in medieval times in a Papal bull that the vast majority of people believe that the world is flat. The Dispatch, with its usual Republican operative arrogance, writes “The outlandish conspiracy accusations concerning the 2004 election have been intended to convince the Democratic rank and file that the GOP ‘stole’ the Ohio vote to ensure President Bush’s re-election.”
Of course Katharine Gun was free to have a conscience, as long as it didn’t interfere with her work at a British intelligence agency. To the authorities, practically speaking, a conscience was apt to be less tangible than a pixel on a computer screen. But suddenly -- one routine morning, while she was scrolling through e-mail at her desk -- conscience struck. It changed Katharine Gun’s life, and it changed history.
Despite the nationality of this young Englishwoman, her story is profoundly American -- all the more so because it has remained largely hidden from the public in the United States. When Katharine Gun chose, at great personal risk, to reveal an illicit spying operation at the United Nations in which the U.S. government was the senior partner, she brought out of the transatlantic shadows a special relationship that could not stand the light of day.
Despite the nationality of this young Englishwoman, her story is profoundly American -- all the more so because it has remained largely hidden from the public in the United States. When Katharine Gun chose, at great personal risk, to reveal an illicit spying operation at the United Nations in which the U.S. government was the senior partner, she brought out of the transatlantic shadows a special relationship that could not stand the light of day.
What a week we have all had. I guess for those of us who make it to the
weekend without a single scratch, it will be important to sit quietly in a
corner making plans for the future. Obviously the time for tunnel vision and
full faith in ‘somebody’ at the top having some mercy on us, must be quickly
diffusing into an alternate form of thought. At least that is what I would
hope for, because although the social inclination so far seems to be the
blaming of a few rotten apples, based on my observations, I have no choice
but to accept that the whole apple basket seems to be fairly rotten.
All I have heard on the streets over the last few days are words about the financial crisis. Everyone all of a sudden is concerned about their mortgage, their savings, their retirement, their stocks or more importantly, their jobs. Dismal economic data keeps propping up on every major newspaper and news channel and talk shows are packed with voices talking about the dire straits of this economic Armageddon. Yet, I can’t help ask myself if we are all simply asleep or we are too scared to face the truth.
All I have heard on the streets over the last few days are words about the financial crisis. Everyone all of a sudden is concerned about their mortgage, their savings, their retirement, their stocks or more importantly, their jobs. Dismal economic data keeps propping up on every major newspaper and news channel and talk shows are packed with voices talking about the dire straits of this economic Armageddon. Yet, I can’t help ask myself if we are all simply asleep or we are too scared to face the truth.
Proudly surveying our kingdom from atop the capitalist pyramid, we US Americans have deluded ourselves into believing we are at the pinnacle of cultural, social, political, and economic evolution. We fancy ourselves to be so exceptional that we are entitled to a perpetual blessing from “our” Christian God.
Break out the Haldol!
We have afflicted the globe with the fatal contagions of the American Way and corporatism. And all of us, to varying degrees, are culpable. From bicycle-peddling vegans to limo riding corporados, we are each complicit in perpetuating American capitalism, a system so rotten that were it a piece of decaying meat, starving maggots would reject it.
We would have far fewer amends to make if our nation’s impact were limited by the size of our population. Were that the case, we would be a mere blemish on the face of Mother Earth. But due to our extraordinary wealth and power, insatiable avarice, hostility towards life, and obscene appetites for consumption, the United States is more akin to a cankerous fist-sized boil, oozing pus and reeking with infection.
Break out the Haldol!
We have afflicted the globe with the fatal contagions of the American Way and corporatism. And all of us, to varying degrees, are culpable. From bicycle-peddling vegans to limo riding corporados, we are each complicit in perpetuating American capitalism, a system so rotten that were it a piece of decaying meat, starving maggots would reject it.
We would have far fewer amends to make if our nation’s impact were limited by the size of our population. Were that the case, we would be a mere blemish on the face of Mother Earth. But due to our extraordinary wealth and power, insatiable avarice, hostility towards life, and obscene appetites for consumption, the United States is more akin to a cankerous fist-sized boil, oozing pus and reeking with infection.
As Goes Ohio...Election Protection Conference
Bob Fitrakis and Steve Rosenfeld on pre-Election Day Board of Elections Monitoring Project
Link: Fitrakis & Board of Election Monitoring
Keynote Address - Mark Crispin Miller delivers the keynote speech at the As Goes Ohio...Election Protection Conference, held Sept. 24 and 25 in Columbus.
Miller is a professor of media studies at New York University and author of the books: "Loser Take All," "Fooled Again, How the Right Stole the 2004 Elections" and "The Bush Dyslexicon." He is known for his writing on American media and for his activism on behalf of democratic media reform.
YouTube Link: Mark Crispin Miller Keynote (second one from left)
Mark Crispin Miller Interview:
The 'Trinity' of Reform
Interviewed by EON's Mary Beth Brangan and Jim Heddle, author, activist MARK CRISPIN MILLER talks about meltdowns, bailouts and what he calls the 'trinity' of reforms necessary to restore voting integrity in America: Election, Media and Campaign Finance reform.
Bob Fitrakis and Steve Rosenfeld on pre-Election Day Board of Elections Monitoring Project
Link: Fitrakis & Board of Election Monitoring
Keynote Address - Mark Crispin Miller delivers the keynote speech at the As Goes Ohio...Election Protection Conference, held Sept. 24 and 25 in Columbus.
Miller is a professor of media studies at New York University and author of the books: "Loser Take All," "Fooled Again, How the Right Stole the 2004 Elections" and "The Bush Dyslexicon." He is known for his writing on American media and for his activism on behalf of democratic media reform.
YouTube Link: Mark Crispin Miller Keynote (second one from left)
Mark Crispin Miller Interview:
The 'Trinity' of Reform
Interviewed by EON's Mary Beth Brangan and Jim Heddle, author, activist MARK CRISPIN MILLER talks about meltdowns, bailouts and what he calls the 'trinity' of reforms necessary to restore voting integrity in America: Election, Media and Campaign Finance reform.
An electronic voting machine test in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, on Friday
revealed a programming error that, had it not been caught and corrected
before the start of early voting next week, would not have counted hundreds
-- or possibly thousands -- of votes for president and U.S. Senate in this
Democratic stronghold.
The software error concerned straight party voting, where voters fill in one oval on their paper ballot that indicates they want to vote for all the candidates from a political party. The test revealed that the county's vote-tabulating computer, which scans the ballots and compiles the vote total, was not counting "straight party" votes for president and U.S. Senate.
"It was a simple error," said Rick Padilla, a senior system supervisor for the Santa Fe County Clerk office, which runs county elections. "When they did the programming, they didn't link the oval to the (presidential and senatorial votes on the) straight party ticket."
The software error concerned straight party voting, where voters fill in one oval on their paper ballot that indicates they want to vote for all the candidates from a political party. The test revealed that the county's vote-tabulating computer, which scans the ballots and compiles the vote total, was not counting "straight party" votes for president and U.S. Senate.
"It was a simple error," said Rick Padilla, a senior system supervisor for the Santa Fe County Clerk office, which runs county elections. "When they did the programming, they didn't link the oval to the (presidential and senatorial votes on the) straight party ticket."
Michael Moore's new book is called "Mike's Election Guide 2008," and
it's a nice combination of the comical and the useful. The comical comes
first. Chapter One consists of Mike's answers to random election-related
questions, and his answers are for the most part funny, insightful,
informative, and sometimes brilliant.
The background Moore provides on John McCain's fits of temper is frightening, and includes this "statement from McCain, spoken loudly and freely while riding in 2000 with the press in his Straight Talk Express: 'I hated the gooks and will continue to hate them as long as I live,'" and this one made by McCain to his wife in response to a comment from her about his hair: "At least I don't plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you cunt."
Moore also provides good answers to such key questions as "Is it true Democrats drink from a sippy cup and sleep with the light on?"
The background Moore provides on John McCain's fits of temper is frightening, and includes this "statement from McCain, spoken loudly and freely while riding in 2000 with the press in his Straight Talk Express: 'I hated the gooks and will continue to hate them as long as I live,'" and this one made by McCain to his wife in response to a comment from her about his hair: "At least I don't plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you cunt."
Moore also provides good answers to such key questions as "Is it true Democrats drink from a sippy cup and sleep with the light on?"
CHICAGO – With 31 days until the presidential election, Rainbow PUSH Coalition has increased its efforts to register voters. During the past week, they registered 2090 people in the Chicago area.
Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr., founder and president of Rainbow PUSH Coalition, opened the international broadcast of Saturday Morning Forum with a call and response chant, “Say: ‘I must register and vote’, ‘register and vote’.”
Rev. Jackson said the next president must correct the financial crisis on “your street and Wall Street.” This week the $700 billion bailout plan was passed by Congress in an attempt to get banks to start lending to each other again.
“This bailout doesn’t include a plan for the 6 million homeowners in foreclosure,” Rev. Jackson said. “When you lose your home, your neighbor’s home loses value, so really, at least 42 million homeowners are suffering. It is time to look at what happens and where we go from here. Where is the hope for the people who lose their homes?”
In his sermon, Rev. Jackson preached about the “middle class” and “working class”, referring to the terms as “buzz words.”
Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr., founder and president of Rainbow PUSH Coalition, opened the international broadcast of Saturday Morning Forum with a call and response chant, “Say: ‘I must register and vote’, ‘register and vote’.”
Rev. Jackson said the next president must correct the financial crisis on “your street and Wall Street.” This week the $700 billion bailout plan was passed by Congress in an attempt to get banks to start lending to each other again.
“This bailout doesn’t include a plan for the 6 million homeowners in foreclosure,” Rev. Jackson said. “When you lose your home, your neighbor’s home loses value, so really, at least 42 million homeowners are suffering. It is time to look at what happens and where we go from here. Where is the hope for the people who lose their homes?”
In his sermon, Rev. Jackson preached about the “middle class” and “working class”, referring to the terms as “buzz words.”