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.

"The committee has voted unanimously to forward, to the attorney-general, a recommendation to ask the Constitution Court to dissolve the five political parties altogether," Attorney-General

Having just watched the premier of Al Gore’s documentary “An Inconvenient Truth,” I couldn’t help but see the parallels between the global warming issue and the 2004 stolen presidential election. Gore related his attempts over the years to get Congress, the media and the public to believe that global warming is a crisis, only to be derided and discredited. Those of us who expose stolen elections often receive the same reaction – mostly from the media.

I had the privilege of seeing Vice President Gore’s presentation live at the Ohio State University on April 16, 2004. So it was no surprise when I heard theatergoers gasp as Gore presented the scientific evidence for global warming. The charts, the graphs, the pictures – all make a clear and convincing case.

My forthcoming book, with co-editors Harvey Wasserman and Steve Rosenfeld entitled What Happened in Ohio: A Documentary Record of Theft and Fraud in the 2004 Election (New Press), attempts to put the issue of Ohio’s 2004 election in a similar light.

When Frank Gehry gets around to designing America's answer to the Sistine Chapel, I trust this postmodern Temple of Mammon on Las Vegas Blvd. will have a ceiling fresco depicting Warren Buffett's consignment of $31 billion to Bill and Melinda Gates. As the older billionaire sits on his pillow of cloud, his outthrust hand with its bag of securities is grasped by Gates -- the Adam of Software Commerce -- while seraphs and cherubs muse delightedly over the IRS regulations governing the sheltering of Buffett's swag in tax-exempt non-profit foundations.

The U.S. Must Support Strong UN Mission in Timor-Leste. The UN Security Council will soon debate the nature of the next UN mission for Timor-Leste (East Timor). Amidst violence and political turmoil, East Timor's prime minister has resigned. Dozens have been killed, houses have been burned or looted across the city, and most of the capital's population has fled their homes. The reasons for this instability are many and complex, but UN involvement remains crucial. The U.S. must support a robust UN mission to enable the new nation to achieve peace with justice and economic prosperity.

Both ETAN and the Timorese government have consistently advocated for more effective UN activities. The U.S. government, however, has repeatedly pushed the UN to rapidly reduce its presence since 2002. U.S. Ambassador to the UN John Bolton recently stated his belief in this unwise approach. But several Representatives are pushing Ambassador Bolton and Secretary of State Rice to support a robust UN mission. Urge your Representative to sign their letter.

What YOU Can Do:

Contact your Representative and tell her/him to:

(HINT: It's not about Busby or Bilbray or San Diego or even California!)

My reporting and the concerns expressed about the Busby/Bilbray election results as announced, have little or nothing to do with Francine Busby or Brian Bilbray or even, in particular, the June 6th U.S. House special run-off election in California's 50th congressional district.

It has only a tiny bit more to do with San Diego. And only slightly more than that to do with California.

It has everything, however, to do with democracy. Across the entire country. As opposed to any one race in any one area.

If I've not been clear on that until now, please allow me to set the record straight.

The concerns I've reported — and will continue to report — over the blatant disregard for the rule of law and clear illegalities endorsed and encouraged by the SD County Registrar of Voters, Mikel Haas and allowed and apparently-approved at this point by California's Secretary of State Bruce