building the margins
Saturday, February 26, 2005
  The American Right: we define freedom so you can't.

Thanks to Michael Berube (check his blog out if you haven't already) I found a ridiculous rightwing website that includes the Ayatollah Khomeini and Mohamed Atta as part of the "political left" of the US.

The site is called Discover the Network, and is an attempt by rightwing nut David Horowitz to document the ties between individuals and groups who are supposedly part of the political left.

The site includes a list of left-wing "causes" and highlights several individuals and groups that are supposedly part of these causes. Some of the causes are accurate - such as civil liberties, the environment etc -- but others such as "terrorist" and "radical" are obviously a blatent attempt to smear liberals by listing terrorist organizations along with human rights or other actual left-wing causes.

Another obvious clue that Horowitz is obviously attempting to smear liberals is that he chose to include a ton of groups that are pro-Muslim or pro-Palestine. Interesting that there didn't seem to be any pro-Israel groups... is it really true that there are no left-wing pro-Israel groups? Apparently all lefties want to see the Israelis blown up by suicide bombers. Or that's what this Horowitz asshole would have you believe.

The list of causes made me ponder the idea that if the left is fighting for (and being denigrated for on this website) causes such as human rights, anti-war, the environment, etc, the reverse must be true. That is, by extension, wouldn't it be correct to believe that the righties are against all the things that the left is truly for?

Wouldn't it be nice during the next election cycle, the righties campaigned on for their true values including being anti-environment, anti-women, pro-war, and anti-civil liberties?

But of course they avoid the truth like a plague. Perhaps they realize that if they acknowledge that they want to turn the US into a hegemonic corporate dictatorship, some of those
Kansas voters might not be so happy to support them. Instead the righties lie about their true goals and smear liberals in an attempt to make the security moms and other voters feel that the liberals want to hand the US over to terrorists.

Why else would they include photos of Democratic politicians such as Nancy Pelosi, Jim McGovern, and Howard Dean along with those of terrorists and dictators? This is a shameless ploy to link these politicans with terrorists in the minds of the gullible.

In keeping with the righties' need to misrepresent themselves to the public, the site links to the Center for the Study of Popular Culture. The name sounds rather academic and non-biased, right?

However, it should more rightly be called "Center for the Sliming of American Liberals" with a mission that is less "defending the cultural foundations of a free society" and more "defending the corporate foundations of a capitalist society." But again, that doesn't play so well in Kansas. Better to make the average Joe think that you care about him so that you can rob him blind and have him thank you for it.

Apart from the terrorist and dictators that the site incorrectly describes as being part of the American left, the common thread that many of the people on the "network" website have is not that they are un-American communist sympathizers, but rather that they are against corporate control of our country and our resources, and that they believe that our government shouldn't have unfettered control over our lives, especially if the government is acting to protect corporate interests.

Hey, I think that what the lefties are promoting is more commonly called "freedom"! Strange that the righties oppose that. Especially since we are fighting wars in the name of freedom.

See new slogan at top. And I won't even charge if the righties want to use it. Heck, if it will help them with their little honesty problem, all the better!
 
Thursday, February 24, 2005
  all in the family

i knew it felt like we're living in a Bu$h-controlled world, but this is ridiculous.

As Fuzzy Puppy pointed out, W's uncle Bucky (formally known as William HT Bush) recently cashed in on over $400K worth of shares from defense contractor Engineered Support Systems, Inc. (ESSI) which apparently has done very well recently thanks to contracts for W's war on Iraq. Bucky has been on ESSI's board since 2000.

According to news reports, there is nothing illegal in our president's uncle getting rich (richer?) off his nephew's war. However, ESSI's contracts are being investigated since they were supervised by a former Air Force acquisition manager who was sentenced for "improperly aiding" contracts with Boeing.

Also of interest is that Bucky was a "pioneer" for Bush in 2000 and 2004, raising over $100K for his dear nephew's reelection each time. (Note: according to GOP.com, Bucky was a "super Ranger" which means that he has raised at least $200k - I'm not certain if that is total for all elections, or just for 2004.)

Now, it may be perfectly legal for a close relative of the president to sit on the board of a company which received a whole lotta work due to the president's foreign policy.

But legal and ethical are not necessarily the same thing. The Bu$hies seem to be awfully good at business dealings that may pass muster (or heck, they have enough power to change the laws to suit their family's needs) but what they suck at is avoiding unethical situations.

Exhibit B: W's brother Marvin Bush. From 1993-2000 he sat on the board of a company that had security contracts at the World Trade Center in NY. When he left there, he joined the board of HCC Insurance, an insurer of the World Trade Center. He is also the co-founder of Winston Partners which owns shares in Sybase, a company that markets software to banks to help them comply with W's anti-terrorist-money laundering provisions.

None of that may be illegal, but hey, if the tin foil hat fits, I say wear it!

And the bottom line is that it is just morally wrong for the Bu$h family members to be getting richer on the backs of our soldiers fighting W's war. Every single family who has lost a loved one in Iraq should realize that W's uncle (and many other people) are making a ton of money while good American soldiers are lying in their graves.

 
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
  while we're on the subject of hypocrisy - oops - I meant Measure 37

...speaking of laws that Oregonians have passed, didya hear the one about the unfunded new law that says that your neighbor gets to use his land differently than you do if he bought his property before current land use laws went into effect?

Let's disregard for a moment the unfairness built into a law that essentially creates a landed gentry: the lords who were here first get to do what they want while us serfs who bought our land later must obey the rules and not whine if the lords around us change the character of our neighborhoods.

Now, wouldn't it be hypocritical to say that one law that voters passed should be dismissed, but another one should be upheld? Yup, I think so.

So any Oregonian who supports Measure 37 but thinks that the Supreme Court should overturn our assisted suicide law (or vice versa) is being hypocritical.

In the spirit of non-hypocrisy (which is hard to find in these days of presidents who allow killing innocents abroad in the name of cheap oil but god forbid an American can choose to have child or not or to die with dignity), I'm not advocating for the repeal of Measure 37, although I think it is a ridiculous law created and funded (and voted for) by the greedy jerks and ignorant idiots of this state.

Instead, I'm advocating a new tax. Oregonians should all have to pay a Measure 37 tax that would fund compensation for the greedy &$*#ers who want to build subdivisions or CAFOs on farmland. Hey, it's for the public good right? Our taxes pay for roads and government services that benefit us all. Why not have a tax to pay to avoid property uses that would not benefit the public or would reduce neighbors' property values? It would be up to the county governments to decide which Measure 37 claimants should be compensated or who should have existing land-use laws waived for their exclusive benefit.

"Not another tax" you shriek in outrage. No, Virginia, there really isn't a Santa Claus, so since we the people voted in this ridiculous law, we should have the decency to pay for it.

But of course that wasn't included in the original law since the people who spent the most money passing it - largely timber companies and real estate developers and their friends, the anti-tax advocates - did so in the hopes that they would fill their pockets by altering Oregon's land use laws which were created to protect Oregonians from these very same people.

"But my children's schools are already underfunded" you shout. "Shouldn't we pay for schools first?" Nope. With Bu$h and his ilk in power, your children are just going to grow up to be wage slaves for corporate America or servants in Republican armies anyway - why worry about more funding for their schooling? They'll get the education they need to grow up to be fodder for the corporations and our corporate government.

For the record, I'm not against the people out there who want to be able to put a home on their land. I'm against the people who want to put multiple homes on their land and turn Oregon's farmland into Washington's or southern California's endless sprawling suburbs.

So, let's step up to the plate. (sorry, R!) "We" voted for Measure 37. Now let's pay for it.
 
  Bu$h: wasting our time and stealing our liberty

So, what exactly will it cost the state of Oregon to defend our assisted suicide law from the overreaching claw of Bu$h's Department of “Justice” and Alberto “Torture's Fine By Me” Gonzales?

It is so infuriating that Oregon has to continue spending time and resources to continue defending the democratic decision of its citizens again religious bigots wrapped in drug law clothing.

I'm sure Hardy Myers would rather be spending his time protecting Oregonians from meth addicts or child abusers, instead protecting Oregon laws from the feds.

 
Sunday, February 20, 2005
  truth?

According to United For Peace of Pierce County, WA, former UNSCOM weapons inspector Scott Ritter stated at a talk in Olympia this weekend that Bu$h is planning to attack Iran in June. He also apparently said that the US manipulated the election in Iraq.

Anyone else have independent confirmation of these statements, or of their veracity? Pretty explosive (no pun intended) stuff, if it's true. Why is this story not yet on any other websites (that I could find)? Just another example of the so-called liberal media asleep at the wheel?

(thanks to Keith for the email with the above link)
 
Thursday, February 17, 2005
  no bouncing boobies here

The House yesterday approved stiffer fines for indecency on tv and radio. Critics fear that this will result in self censorship as the question of what could be fined for indecency is somewhat subjective. (Perhaps cartoon shows promoting tolerance of gay parents could be considered indecent? Or Will and Grace episodes with sexual innuendos? Or maybe that paragon of indecency, Spongebob?)

Under FCC rules and federal law, radio stations and over-the-air television channels cannot air obscene material at any time, and cannot air indecent material between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. The FCC defines obscene material as describing sexual conduct "in a patently offensive way" and lacking "serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value." Indecent material is not as offensive but still contains references to sex or excretions.


So my question is, where does paren
tal responsibility come into this? And where is the outrage over the violence that is seen daily on TV (including real violence perpetrated by the US in our war on Iraqis)?

I just cannot understand how seeing Janet Jackson's breast is more damaging to a child than watching the local TV news at night. Or how people can get more upset about the profanity in Saving Private Ryan than about the violence of war. Or how it's somehow sane to ban references to "excretions" from 6am to 10pm, but dead bodies shown on tv are apparently just fine.

What is especially insane to me is that WalMart can get off with a fine of $135,000 for violating child labor laws in 3 states, while CBS-owned stations were slapped with fines totalling $550,000 for the last year's Superbowl. I guess our government believes that it's more hazardous for children to see unexpected chest shots than to use chain saws.

If we want to talk about indecency that should be banned (warning: graphic material), how about perhaps not allowing hookers to attend White House press briefings or to ask our President questions at press conferences?

 
  democracy on the move - but not in Oregon

The Bu$h administration is certainly upholding John Ashcroft's proud tradition of trampling states' rights. "Gonzales v Oregon" goes before the Supreme court tomorrow.

Oregonians have twice voted for legalized assisted suicide, but the Bu$hies - who apparently believe it's ok to kill Iraqis but heaven forbid Grandpa gets to die peacefully at home - have taken their attack on Oregon's rights all the way to the judicial top.

They are trying to use the Controlled Substances Act - federal legislation designed to prevent blackmarket drug trafficking and drug abuse - to prevent Oregon doctors from assisting terminally ill patients in dying peacefully.

This is just one more example of the moral bankruptcy and hypocrisy of this administration. While trying to reduce government regulations on corporations (as an example, read here about the EPA's sweetheart proposal regarding agricultural polluters), they are trying to increase government control over the lives of individuals.

From the right to join unions to the right to use birth control to the right to die with dignity, this administration is working overtime to insure that individual rights play second string to corporate interests and religious dogma.

Fans of democracy in Oregon will have to hope that the Supreme Court recognizes Gonzales v. Oregon for what it is... an attempt to tell the voters of Oregon that we don't have the right to make laws if they conflict with the Bu$h administration's religious beliefs.
 
Thursday, February 10, 2005
  can I get some asbestos with that bill?

The US Senate today passed a bill that will send class action lawsuits to federal courts (rather than state courts).

The reason? Ostensibly to cut down on frivolous lawsuits and court-shopping by lawyers.

The results? Big unethical and careless corporations just got a get-out-of-court free card.

Just one more reason not to support corporate America with your purchasing dollars... especially since our government (remember? of the people, by the people?) is so darned intent on helping out their big business supporters with little gifts like this bill.



 
  what did I miss?

Took an inadvertent break from the blog for the past 10 days or so. Mostly due to a ton of work, which is still bearing down on me.

Also, now that we are officially in the "4 more years" stage of hell, the news just keeps getting worse and worse.

Exhibit A: Bu$h's budget.
Cut all funding for Amtrak? Excuse me? Despite having some problems (albeit large ones) with timeliness and the bottom line, Amtrak is a wonderful system of rail travel that does not deserve the federal axe, especially if we are trying to cut back on foreign energy as Bu$h mentioned in his SOTU speech. Oh I get it. He just said that to try to push for drilling in ANWR - he actually has no intention of supporting alternative transportation options like Amtrak which 25 million Americans used last year.

Or, he has no intention of supporting a program which doesn't make him or any of his cronies richer.

Exhibit B: Whoops - forgot to carry those zeros
Looks like the cost for last year's Medicare prescription drug deal was undercalculated by at least $300 billion. Somehow I'm not surprised that that little math error didn't come out before the election.

Exhibit C: conservative shills allowed at White House press conferences.
Really not so surprising. Fake name? Heck, someone let him in, might as well let him throw some softballs!

Meanwhile, 168 people have been killed in Iraq in the 10 days since the election, and North Korea has nuclear weapons. Wait, none of that is surprising either.

Our government can't even use a calculator properly. How scary is it that they have another 4 years to further *$"#-up our country and the world? I'd like to just hide under the covers for the next four years, but with these idiots in charge, there won't be anything worthwhile left if we just go to sleep.
 
If change is to come, it will have to come from the outside. It will have to come from the margins. -Wendell Berry _______________________________________ Proud member of the reality-based community

WHAT WAS SAID...
July 2004 / August 2004 / September 2004 / October 2004 / November 2004 / December 2004 / January 2005 / February 2005 / March 2005 / April 2005 /

NEWS
BBC News
The Guardian
Mother Jones
NY Times (reg. req.)
Reuters
Washington Post


NEWS COMPILERS
Alternet
Buzzflash
Cursor
Tidepool


BLOGS I LIKE
Atrios/Eschaton
Baghdad Burning
Basie!
Michael Berube Online
The Blue Lemur
Blue Oregon
Camelsbackandforth
juancole
Daily Kos
Brad DeLong
Dooce
Fafblog
Hullabaloo
Left Coaster
My Whim is Law
Mykeru
The Note
Poor Man
Scratch & Sniff
Strangechord
Taipei Kid
Talking Points Memo/Josh Marshall
Tom Tomorrow
Whiskey Bar
Wonkette


OTHER INTRIGUING SITES
Oregon Blogs
Center for American Progress
On The Media
Bus Project
Ill Will Press
Northwest Earth Institute
White House For Sale


Powered by Blogger