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Five Scandals that Could Put Republicans in Jail

By James Ridgeway, Mother Jones. Posted October 12, 2006.


The Foley cover-up is just the tip of the iceberg. If the Democrats succeed in retaking Congress this fall, here are five investigations they should get started on right away.
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The stately Russell Senate Office Building stands at one corner of a domestic Green Zone, just northeast of the Capitol building at the intersection of Delaware and Constitution avenues. In the past few years a maze of blockades has sprouted along the shaded avenues and curving drives of the Capitol complex. Checkpoints are patrolled by heavily armed police; guards watch for suspicious characters and prohibited items (which now include food and beverages; cans, bottles, and sprays; and bags larger than 13 by 14 inches). At the Russell Building, visitors encounter another set of barriers and metal detectors before being granted admittance to the elegant structure. Then, at the top of a sweeping staircase, they'll find a room walled in white marble, draped in deep red, overhung by a gilded ceiling, and fronted, altarlike, with a raised dais.

Here in the humbly named Caucus Room, the U.S. Congress has held some of its most famous public hearings, beginning with a 1912 investigation into the fate of the Titanic. The Watergate hearings unfolded here in the early '70s, beneath the ever-watchful gaze of Senator Sam Ervin (D-N.C.). It was here that Rep. Barbara Jordan (D-Texas), the first Southern black woman elected to Congress, declared: "My faith in the Constitution is whole, it is complete, it is total. I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction of the Constitution."

But in the past six years, congressional investigations of such bold, searching nature have disappeared. In a post-9/11 environment of silence and fear, the mood inside Congress has mirrored the bunkers and barriers outside: No one dares question the military or the intelligence services too closely, or to push the president too far. The Caucus Room continues to be used for party meetings and social events, and every so often there is a potted inquiry, as in the case of the 2003 hearings on the space shuttle. But on issues of war and peace, of corruption and graft, of civil rights, civil liberties, and constitutional breaches, meek questions are the rule, answered by dull assurances from the White House.

If the Democrats win back control of Congress (or even one of its chambers), if they can come up with the requisite moxie, and if they can muster the political will to reach out to their own base as well as to disaffected Republicans, they will have an opportunity to begin to change all that. They will need to overcome the myriad obstacles the Bush administration has created to keep lawmakers from obtaining and releasing critical information, such as its resistance to briefing congressional committees on intelligence issues, or its heavy hand in redacting congressional reports. When explosive information has leaked out -- the fact that documents offering "proof" of Saddam Hussein's intent to buy uranium from Niger had been forged, or that the United States is operating a network of secret prisons in other countries -- the administration's response has focused on condemning critics for politicizing national security -- a charge before which the Democrats usually crumble.

Still, there is a chance that some of the gutsier Dems, with the support of an increasingly fed-up public, could make progress toward exposing the truth.

But if lawmakers of either party do not begin to reclaim their constitutional powers -- by asking questions such as those listed below -- it's not hard to envision a time when visitors may come to the venerable Caucus Room as if to a museum, to learn about a bygone era when congressional investigations still served as a check on the imperial presidency.

1. Who lost Iraq?

It goes without saying that a congressional investigation -- a joint inquiry by both houses, given the gravity of the matter -- should address the causes, conduct, and effects of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, going back to the days immediately after Bush's election when the plans for invading Iraq were laid (see "A War Foretold," Page 61). But beyond that, the conduct of the war on terror has raised myriad vital questions that, at another time, would have been subjects of full-fledged inquiries on their own: the Pentagon's failure to adequately equip troops with armor, ammunition, radios, and the like; the use of mercenary forces; the contracting process; and the government's efforts to manipulate the press through outside PR agencies. Also worthy of scrutiny is the role of oil and gas, including the work of the secret Cheney energy task force, which points to prewar discussions with the ceos of major companies about Iraqi oil.

A congressional investigation into the Iraq war must make full use of subpoena power and must be prepared to forward findings of illegal acts to the Justice Department for possible criminal prosecution. Just as important, public hearings could provide an opportunity -- and protection -- for would-be whistleblowers: Recall that Daniel Ellsberg didn't take his trove of documents, showing the Defense Department's true assessment of the war in Vietnam, to the New York Times until after he had been rebuffed by congressional Democrats. Somewhere inside the Defense Department and the intelligence agencies today's Pentagon Papers are waiting.


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James Ridgeway is Mother Jones' Washington bureau chief.

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Let the cleansing begin...
Posted by: Thundergod on Oct 12, 2006 12:28 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Time to find out who did what and when!

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truth
Posted by: rsaxto on Oct 12, 2006 12:42 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
If we ever get the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth then Cheney/Bush, numerous other administration officials, numerous US Senators and numerous Congresspeople will all be sitting in jail, a location they so richly deserve. Then it might be possible to have a decent government in the USA for all the people instead of just for the richest bribers.

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» RE: truth Posted by: Doubtom
» RE: truth Posted by: rsaxto
Begin with a truly independent investigation of 9/11
Posted by: LeftWright on Oct 12, 2006 12:58 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
This is the core issue of where America and the world finds itself today.

There are literally thousands of facts that contradict the official government "conspiracy theory" regarding 9/11.

Just a few highlights to get the investigations started:

1) VP Cheney put in charge of NORAD just before 9/11.

2) The six wargames that were going on the day of the 9/11 attacks. Some of these were live-fly exercises that involved mock hijackings and false radar injects in the northeast air corridor. The total non-response of the Air Force for nearly two hours.

3) President Bush's behavior and statements on the morning of 9/11 and his recollection of that morning.

4) The clear evidence of insider foreknowledge demonstrated by the highly unusual stock trades in the period just before 9/11.

5) The collapse, still unexplained, of WTC 7.

6) The total destruction of the Twin Towers, which even the NIST report does not adequately or scientifically explain. (Where did all the molten steel come from?)

7) No evidence that a Boeing 757 hit the Pentagon.

8) Flight 93 debris spread over eight square miles, no plane or bodies at "crash" site.

9) Pakistan's ISI chief, Gen. Mahmoud Ahmed, ordering Saeed Sheikh to send $100,000 to Mohamed Atta just before 9/11. That same ISI chief meeting with U.S. government officials during the week of 9/11.

I few resources to get them started:

The New Pearl Harbor by David Ray Griffin

The Terror Timeline by Paul Thompson

Towers of Deception by Barrie Zwicker

The War On Truth by Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed

The Politics of Heroin by Alfred W. McCoy

Crossing the Rubicon by Michael C. Ruppert

From The Wilderness

Scholars For 9/11 Truth

911Truth.org


Yes, let the cleansing begin and we can usher in an era of true peace as we face the urgent need to address global climate change.

The truth shall set us free. Love is the only way forward.

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» Chomsky is a left gatekeeper Posted by: LeftWright
» Molten Steel Posted by: LeftWright
» RE: Molten Steel Posted by: AnarchX
» Take this up if you wish, harris Posted by: LeftWright
» Two brief points Posted by: LeftWright
» RE: Molten Steel Posted by: babs
» Is this better? Posted by: LeftWright
» RE: not so fast, please Posted by: cold2touch
» Amen JP2 Posted by: LeftWright
» tell me... Posted by: JP2
» More flawed logic Posted by: LeftWright
» I'll give you an "easy" one Posted by: LeftWright
» What? No answer? brunowe? Posted by: LeftWright
» Still waiting, brunowe Posted by: LeftWright
» The almighty $$$$$$ Posted by: Conservasaurus
» I can, we are (see below) Posted by: LeftWright
» AlterNet as Left Gatekeeper Posted by: LeftWright
» Better look again, zorro Posted by: LeftWright
» RE: Better look again, zorro Posted by: Conservasaurus
» Try this one book to start Posted by: LeftWright
» RE: Try this one book to start Posted by: Conservasaurus
» An honest give and take at last! Posted by: LeftWright
» RE: Better look again, zorro Posted by: mirimac
» RE: Better look again, zorro Posted by: Conservasaurus
Continue with an investigation into electoral fraud
Posted by: LeftWright on Oct 12, 2006 1:08 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
and organized efforts to suppress voting.

This should focus on the 2004 election, specifically. Begin with a close analysis of the results in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Mexico and Ohio.

This must include a complete investigation/review of all voting technologies currently being used, especially paperless electronic touch screen systems.

Our future depends on free, open and fair elections.

The truth shall set us free. Love is the only way forward.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» To Prophit - Posted by: LeftWright
» Interesting historical footnote Posted by: LeftWright
» How to End War Posted by: rwa
End with an investigation into Congressional corruption
Posted by: LeftWright on Oct 12, 2006 1:30 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
by both parties run by a national citizens grand jury.

End the influence of money in politics, return the government to the people, for the people and by the people.

Only then can we restore our place as a true world leader worthy of respect and admiration.

The truth shall set us free. Love is the only way forward.

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» AlterNet as Left Gatekeeper Posted by: LeftWright
Against Ethical Relativism
Posted by: BobbyGreyFriar on Oct 12, 2006 1:35 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Surely if the concept of crime/justice has any meaning our leaders ought to be held before an international war crimes tribunal. According to the Lancet the civilian death toll in Iraq to date is approximately 650,000. If ethical truisms were regarded then mass murder (such as this) would surely trivialize the crimes alleged in this article.
~
George Orwell once remarked that political thought, especially on the left, is a sort of masturbation fantasy in which the world of fact hardly matters. That’s true, unfortunately, and it’s part of the reason our society lacks a genuine, responsible, serious left-wing movement.

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» RE: Against Ethical Relativism Posted by: boydranchitos
» RE: Against Ethical Relativism Posted by: symcokid
Is Big Oil pulling an Enron?
Posted by: Fred on Oct 12, 2006 3:35 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Why on earth have oil process peaked and then plummeted this year – for no apparent visible cause?

Who is jerking around our economy and other strategic decisions as if we were puppets on a string.

What is the mechanism for crude oil price fixing? We were told shortages were due to hurricanes, BP Alaska oil problems and many other excuses – but it seems now the changes in prices are only talked of as a reflection of the drop in the barrel price of crude - which has nothing to do with any of the above.

Can’t anyone dig out the real facts here? Or are they known and suppressed?

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» RE: Is Big Oil pulling an Enron? Posted by: sapatatanka
Franklin L. Johnson, Director of The Sight Society
Posted by: starhelix on Oct 12, 2006 5:09 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
While the list of political grievences is excellent, there's really only one issue before the American people: If it was wrong to go into Iraq (and even Afghanistan), then it's wrong to stay there. Mr. Ridgeway makes the point too delicately. The Iraq war wasn't a mistake. It was, and is, an ongoing crime against humanity. Everyone who perpetrated this crime should be tried, convicted and jailed. The constitutional question before us is: Can the president unilaterally start hostilities and war without the authorization of the American people? The answer is obviously no. But, the Bush mob went to war without the explicit authorization of the American people and the global community, the false overtures to this effect notwithstanding. The war in Iraq is simply unjust. Our nation and humanity will never enjoy peace on this planet until these unjust wars are ended forever. The greatest threat to peace isn't terrorism. It's the out of control "defense" budget.

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Investigate Very Very Carefully
Posted by: ekinney on Oct 12, 2006 5:15 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Democrats must be very, very careful about investigating the Republicans and wasting political capital. Governing honestly and correctly should be their goal, not settling old scores. Matters that warrant dispassionate and thorough investigation are: (1) integrity of the election system, (2) Internal survailance, and (3) contract fraud in Iraq.

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» News Flash: The Coup was in 2000 Posted by: LeftWright
» The power of love Posted by: LeftWright
Public-private partnerships in Iraq and the US (and other coverups)
Posted by: thoughtcriminal on Oct 12, 2006 5:38 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The author makes good points, but the list is incomplete:

Bush's 'public-private partnerships' are a huge ripoff of the American people, both at home and abroad. Take, for example, the once-great "avian bird flu scare" which has vanished from the media. It was going to be the 1918 Spanish influenza epidemic all over again, wasn't it - and now dead silence.

This is because the billions went to Tamiflu anit-viral drugs, whose patent is owned by Gilead Life Sciences - and you can bet it's no coincidence that Donald Rumsfled was the CEO and George Schultz is on the Board of that company.

This is closely related to 'Project Bioshield' - take for example the story of the 'anthrax vaccine' - Rumsfeld negotiated for a billion-dollar bailout of Bioport, the Lansing Michigan firm that makes the vaccine - which has caused health problems in US soldiers. Bioport is controlled by Faud el-Hibri and retired Admiral Crowe, and has ties to the Carlyle Group.

The other maker of a new anthrax vaccine is Vaxgen, who sub-contracts all their work to Battelle, the Columbus Ohio biowarfare contract laboratory. This is a very spooky outfit with many secretive divisions - something right out of the Manchurian Candidate (the Denzyl Washington - Meryl Streep version).

Battelle is worth looking closely at because they played a large role in the initial steps of the anthrax investigation; the whole story is well-told in Richard Preston's chilling book, "The Demon in the Freezer" which has the best description I've seen anywhere of the anthrax attacks of 9/18 and 10/9 - dates that should be just as familiar to you as 9/11 is.

Moving abroad, we have the endless ripoff contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan, handed out to the primary contracts like Bechtel, Halliburton, the Louis Berger Group, etc. There are also a who host of smaller/associated sattelite firms like CH2M and Camp Dresser Mckee which subcontract for the majors - everyone gets a piece of the pie except for the people of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Getting back to anthrax, it is quite interesting that 9/11 was an 'act of war', while 9/18 and 10/9 were 'criminal acts'.

Scientists at the USAMRIID determined that the anthrax was a highly sophisticated bioweapon consisting of pure spores treated with additives that caused it to break apart; this was on Oct 16, 2001. Battelle was immediately hired to take a second look; they autoclaved their samples and then claimed that their results (not weaponized) were the accurate ones; Fort Detrick disputed this and was proved right.

Now the FBI has been claiming that the anthrax wasn't a sophisticated bioweapon. Congressman Holt, of the House Intelligence Committee, has request a breifing by the FBI on the case, but has been refused! The bureau also rejected a request for a classified briefing on the case from Rep. Rush Holt, D-NJ. Since New Jersey is where the anthrax was mailed from, Holt has a right to know the details.

You want a good conspiracy theory? Forget 9/11; that was an Al Queda attack that the Bushies blew it on,possibly deliberately.

9/18 and 10/9 are what you want to look at. There are perhaps two real suspects for this sophisticated bioterror attack on the American people: Bioport of Lansing MI and Battelle of Columbus OH are at the top of the list. These secretive biowarfare contrators had the materials and the know-how to produce and use such a weapon. The FBI had nothing to do with the initial analysis of the anthrax weapon; they're just trying desperately to cover up the fact that it was a domestic assault with political overtones.

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» Look at the forest, not the trees Posted by: LeftWright
The Contracting Process
Posted by: ProgressiveManiac on Oct 12, 2006 5:44 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
This article only briefly mentions the contracting process used in Iraq, but this seems like a scandal that is anxiously waiting to happen. The American public can become as aroused by finding that they have been robbed as they can about a sex scandal.

The non-competitive contract process that has handed billions of dollars to corporations for services not rendered or rendered poorly needs to be brought into public view. A public that has long been irate about $100 hammers should not be so complacent about millions of dollars being paid for delivery of sewer water to our troops to use for drinking and bathing. This same public should be curious about why corporations being paid $1000 per day for laborers who are paid $100 per day or less.

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» RE: The Contracting Process Posted by: JSquercia
Socialism or bust.
Posted by: shangrilalad on Oct 12, 2006 6:10 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Not one of our federal security agencies works for the benefit of the people. Not the FBI, not the CI A, not the NSA, none of the dozens of security agencies work for us. They work for the plutocrats who own the Military Industrial Complex and the government.

Every security agencies was formed and specifically designed to protect the ruling elite from the unruly masses. We are merely livestock to be managed, controlled and repressed to preserve the privilege, wealth and power of the ruling elite. The United States is not a democracy and never has been.

The Plutocrats control everything: the president, the politicians, the courts, the media, the military, and the police. Our freedoms are an illusion fostered by incessant propaganda devised to divide and control us. Our lives are sacrificed in wars to preserve and increase their wealth and power over the entire world.

Now, for the first time they have stepped from behind the curtain of secrecy to reveal themselves. Don’t delude yourself into thinking there will be any serious investigations or meaningful reforms to change anything. That’s not how capitalism was designed to work. Capitalism was designed to serve those who have the capital. The system is rigged to protect and preserve the system.

Socialism is the only way to defeat capitalism, and they will wipeout half the population to prevent that happening.

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gathaiga
Posted by: gathaiga on Oct 12, 2006 6:27 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
THEY SHOULD BUT THEY WON'T.

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Wishful thinking.
Posted by: arclight on Oct 12, 2006 6:36 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
This is all wishful thinking. While the number of actual voters voting for Democrats will almost certainly be greater than the number of Republicans, the "results" will show that the Republicans will retain one, if not both, houses. (Who knows, they may give up one just to throw us off from realizing the whole thing is rigged.)

I sound like a broken record, but seriously, without free, fair and transparent elections, all of this is totally 100% moot.

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Context of Jordan quote
Posted by: wobblies on Oct 12, 2006 6:38 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Hi~
The author should put Barbara Jordan's quote in context.

God Speed,
David

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But first, above all....
Posted by: outlander55 on Oct 12, 2006 6:50 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The Democrats have to win the majority.

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» RE: But first, above all.... Posted by: Knowmad
The Biggest Criminal Cabul in U.S. History.
Posted by: aussidawg on Oct 12, 2006 7:15 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
It never ceases to amaze me just how corrupt this admininstration is. Almost every week, there is some new revelation about another corporate handout, illegal law passed, new law ignored, or new lie expressed. This regime needs to experience the three I's...Investigate, Impeach, and Imprison.

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We have real poblems to fix
Posted by: mdwoade on Oct 12, 2006 7:42 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I am angry as the next person about the last six years of bad government, but if, God willing, the Democrats win the House and/or the Senate, I think the last thing they should do is spend millions of dollars and thousands of hours on a useless and vindictive policy of partisan witchhunts. Of course, THEY are greedy, underhanded, mean, power-hungry hypocrites. But, ask yourself if it is really worth all the time, money, and bad feeling on both sides to pursue these low lifes. Don't we have real problems like war, racism, and poverty left to fix? We need to win in 2006 and we need to win in 2008, and we need a country left to win in 2008. If we spend our energy harrassing Bush-Cheney-Big Oil-Rove and so on, will we get anywhere and will we anger the general population so we lose in 2008? People stuck with Clinton through his deceptions. People dislike Bush's policies, but they like Bush (I don't, but apparently a lot of people do). The last thing we need is to make that guy into a martyr. Or we could spend the next two years in a Whitewater/Monica gridlock while our soldiers die in Iaq and we feel righteous and vindicated.

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» RE: We have real poblems to fix Posted by: aussidawg
» RE: We have real poblems to fix Posted by: grammasanity
Don't Hold Your Breath
Posted by: NoPCZone on Oct 12, 2006 7:52 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
About 1/3rd of the Democrats currently serving up on the Hill are DINOs= DEMOCRATS IN NAME ONLY. With a few exceptions they will vote just like most any Republican. #1 in that group will be Harold Ford, Jr, who despite being a Democrat from a district full of poor people, voted for the Bankruptcy Bill pushed through by the Repugnicans.

I blame the Democrats almost as much as the G.O.P. for the current mess our country is in. With few exceptions Democrats bent over and grabbed their ankles for BushCo, DeLay & Frist. The fact that Holy Joe could even be close this late shows the farce of the Red/Blue state theory.

Yes, the NeoCons have been a bunch of strong arm bullies but an awful lot of Democrats voted with them when they didn't have to for cover, but did anyhow. I live in a state with 2 DINO Senators- Blanche Lambert-Lincoln and Mark Pryor.

Progressives have to give voters a real choice in the primaries to avoid having to choose between two flavors of Republican on Election Day. No DINO should ever run again without opposition in the primaries.

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» Caucuses and Primaries Posted by: grammasanity
Underfunded pensions
Posted by: chaoslegs on Oct 12, 2006 7:53 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Not sure on this one, but the underfunding could be partially caused by a downturn in the stock market.

For example if a pension fund was fully funded in July 2000 to meet it liabilities at $600,000,000 but half of that was in the stock market. Of that $300,000,000 in the stock market, there is a loss of 50% in value in 2001. That is a 25% loss overall of its full funding to meet its liabilites and we would be correct to label it as underfunded.

I have no idea of this happened, but it definitely could be part of the problem in underfunding pensions.

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foreknowledge of 9/11 attacks
Posted by: kellysgarden on Oct 12, 2006 8:01 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
this is the big one. They for sure knew of the attacks BEFORE they happened, and are right now in the process of covering up for that. This alone demands impeachment. The cover-up is the tip of the iceberg.

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Deja vu all over again!
Posted by: project69 on Oct 12, 2006 8:12 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Doesn't this sound familiar? Isn't this the same bunk they
said about Iraq? People, wake up and don't let this happen
again! Why do you think they want to attack Iran? Because
they have nuclear weapons, they DON'T! Because they have
threatened us, they HAVEN'T! Then why I ask you?

I'll tell you why. Because they have had "this" planned for a
long time. The "this" is another unprovoked attack/occupa-
tion of an oil-rich country that they need to further their cri-
minal agenda, world domination. They already have Iraq,
Afghanistan (no oil, but opium and the gas/oil pipeline worth
roughly $11-12 trillion dollars!), Lebanon getting pummeled
time and time again by the other partner in crime, Israel, and
now it's on to Iran.

This has to stop before it's another chip in the bucket for the
monsters who are the "real government". Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rumsfeld, etc. are just the puppets and frontmen and
women for the secret, hidden government of criminals and
sociopaths who really are running the world.

So here's a country, North Korea, with nuclear weapons,
threatening war with any nation that imposes sanctions, and
what does the puppet (Bush) say, " we have no intention of
attacking them", WHAT?? Does this make sense to you? This
proves that they care not about WMD's, but pre-planned
political agendas, period!

These criminals will stop at nothing to further their agenda
of a controlled, one world government, secretly run and lead
by them. We need to stop this now before it's too late for
all of us. We are to blame as well if we just sit and take it,
like we've done for far too long. Stop and think for a mi-
nute. Ever since 9/11, hasn't governments power increased,
while ours has diminished?

People, wake up and realize what's going on. Don't trust the
government. They only care about those closest to them.
They will stop at nothing to complete their agenda of world
tyranny, no matter how many lives are lost. The world we
know will cease to exist anymore if we the people don't stop
these madmen/women NOW!

They want to control us, not have a democracy for the people, by the people. They crave power and control over
anything and anyone, period. I know this may sound crazy,
but I too was skeptical until I searched the truth, and found
the answers to my many questions. I am horrified and scared that unless we do something now, we will all be con-
trolled, not by ourselves, but by a dictatorial regime of crimi-
nals who care nothing for anyone but those closest to them.

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» RE: Deja vu all over again! Posted by: fan43fever
» RE: Deja vu all over again! Posted by: aussidawg
» RE: Deja vu all over again! Posted by: grammasanity
Too much mud
Posted by: edith on Oct 12, 2006 8:15 AM   
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The dirt will fly in all directions particularly on the national security and war questions. The military and CIA were not as dormant under Clinton as Clinton haters in the GOP would have you believe.

9/11 especially will not be re-heard. The potential for upheaval that would sweep away the current constitutional form of govt is too great.

A coherent third party that opposes Big Government whether in the military or in education is needed. Privacy and individual rights are threatened by both corporate parties.

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Like you think
Posted by: saretto on Oct 12, 2006 8:23 AM   
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All this about people going to jail is a wonderful joke. Did anyone notice that 4 out of 5 Enron execs convictions have been overturned.

You will not get satisfaction nor conviction of anyone. You, as a people, are powerless.

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"Chomsky is a Left Gatekeeper" - nice talking point!
Posted by: thoughtcriminal on Oct 12, 2006 9:04 AM   
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Except that when you repeatedly use the exact same phrase all over the Internet, you make it rather obvious that the 9/11 Truth Movement, Inc. is distributing sets of talking points - a classic public relations operation approach.

It is also very obvious that you don't want to discuss the argument, so you attack the source of the argument and attempt to discredit them by any means available.

You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time .

Now can we get back to impeaching Bush for high crimes against the people of the United States and Iraq?

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» Fools fool only themselves Posted by: LeftWright
» Fooling the people Posted by: indy675
THE GOP's OWNERSHIP SOCIETY SEEKS TO TRANSFER ALL MARKET RISK TO THE POOR
Posted by: fiskhus on Oct 12, 2006 10:16 AM   
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See Yale and Social Science Research Council studies on the detrimental effects to US society when the GOP implements plans to transfer all market risk to the poor (and thereby insulate the leisure class from market risk - a great perversion of the principles of capitalism) at: privatizationofrisk.ssrc.org

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Future is Progressive
Posted by: Ray S on Oct 12, 2006 10:27 AM   
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The relationship between the electronic voting machine manufacturers and the current Republican cabal is a necessary investigation. That investigation may yield more links that need further investigation.

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AlterNet as Left Gatekeeper
Posted by: LeftWright on Oct 12, 2006 11:31 AM   
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Just so no one can miss it and I apologize for the repitition.

In the past several weeks we have seen AlterNet raise issues in name only,without following the logic of their own statements or delving deeply into the facts to see where they lead and thus exposing the underlying forces behind these facts.

This is like a doctor who treats symptoms but never looks for the underlying cause Thus, there is no cure, only endless "treatments."

This is the role of the left gatekeeper is to give voice to dissent but never any substance to feed it. This allows the MSM to provide the illusion of a free and objective press while simultaneously limiting the level and direction of "credible" inquiry. All part of a very subtle and effective propaganda machine.

The truth of 9/11 and its threatened exposure, pushes the left gatekeepers (esp. the icon of the left: Noam Chomsky) to the limits of their rhetorical contrivances. When faced with the overwhelming and irrefutable evidence of Cheney/Bush complicity in 9/11 Noam Chomsky refuses to turn his greatly regarded intellect and analytic ability on the subject and resorts to attacking the credibility of the "conspiracy theorists" instead. This is precisely the tactic he has ridiculed for the last 40 years. His hipocrisy would be hilarious if it were not so tragic.

In the case of 9/11, as in any other investigation, the more facts you have the more those facts point to the truth. The facts in no way support the official "conspiracy" theory that 19 Arab al Qaeda "hijackers" committed the crimes known as 9/11.

These publicy available and verifiable facts are readily available to anyone.

The truth shall set us free. Love is the only way forward.

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» Typical conspiracy-mongering Posted by: brunowe
» Another failure of logic Posted by: LeftWright
» The failure is yours-- Posted by: brunowe
» A friendly suggestion Posted by: LeftWright
» RE: A friendly suggestion Posted by: brunowe
» AlterNet, in their own words Posted by: LeftWright
For the record...
Posted by: thoughtcriminal on Oct 12, 2006 12:31 PM   
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Let me explain my thought processes on why I think much of the 9/11 conspiracy theory is actually a public relations operation.

First of all, after 9/11 I was, like most Americans, dumbfounded. The fact that Bush wanted no investigation into 9/11 was immediately suspicious. The anthrax attacks seemed very suspicious in their timing - no anthrax attacks, no Patriot Act, was my conclusion.

Knowing that the US corporate world spends at least 2 billion (and probably more like 6 billion) a year on public relations, i started wondering what kind of PR effort would be mounted by the government.