Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Countdown Special Comment: Death of Habeas Corpus: “Your words are lies, Sir.”

Countdown Special Comment: Death of Habeas Corpus: “Your words are lies, Sir.”

OlbermannSpecialComment-RIPHabeus_0001.jpg

Keith Olbermann has been calling it like it is. His "Special Comments" are indeed special because no other talking head outside of Cafferty is willing to step up to the plate and say what needs to be said on 24/7. "Your words are lies, Sir." They are lies, that imperil us all.' Sounds about right to me.

Video - WMV Video - QT

Olbermann: And lastly, as promised, a Special Comment tonight on the signing of the Military Commissions Act and the loss of Habeas Corpus.

We have lived as if in a trance. We have lived… as people in fear.

And now — our rights and our freedoms in peril — we slowly awake to learn that we have been afraid… of the wrong thing.

Therefore, tonight, have we truly become, the inheritors of our American legacy. For, on this first full day that the Military Commissions Act is in force, we now face what our ancestors faced, at other times of exaggerated crisis and melodramatic fear-mongering:


(Read the rest of this story…)

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Quoting Vanity Fair on Yellowcake - "Ruthless Relentlessness"

Quoting Vanity Fair on Yellowcake - "Ruthless Relentlessness"

"In addition, Vanity Fair has found at least 14 instances prior to the 2003 State of the Union in which analysts at the C.I.A., the State Department, or other government agencies who had examined the Niger documents or reports about them raised serious doubts about their legitimacy-only to be rebuffed by Bush-administration officials who wanted to use the material. "They were just relentless," says Wilkerson, who later prepared Colin Powell’s presentation before the United Nations General Assembly. "You would take it out and they would stick it back in. That was their favorite bureaucratic technique-ruthless relentlessness.""Just another reason to end Catastrophic Conservatism - so we can have Consistent Constitutionality

Friday, October 13, 2006

Open Letter Sent to States Urging Emergency Paper Ballot Plans and Procedures for November Election

BLOGGED BY Brad ON 10/12/2006 1:03PM
Open Letter Sent to States Urging Emergency Paper Ballot Plans and Procedures for November Election
Urgent Plea Mailed to 50 State Governors, Sec's of State and Election Directors Signed by Broad Coalition of Election Integrity Advocacy Orgs, Congressional Members, Elections Officials, Computer Scientists, Civil Rights Attorneys and Journalists
Initial Federal Effort Calling for Back-Up Paper Ballots Now Moves to States, Citizens Asked to Join the Call!

An urgent letter has been sent today to the Governors, Secretaries of State and State Election Directors of all 50 states urging them to immediately create and implement plans and procedures for allowing the use of Emergency Paper Ballots at every local jurisdiction during this November's general election.

The missive, signed by a broad coalition of more than 50 Election Integrity Advocate groups, congressional members, elections officials, computer scientists, attorneys and journalists comes on the heels of Federal legislation recently introduced in both the U.S. House and Senate. Those bills, which were not brought up for a vote before Congress adjourned for the Election Recess, called for funding to states who implement plans to provide Emergency Paper Ballots. The legislation was introduced in the wake of recent primary elections around the country where voters were unable to cast a vote due to failure, malfunction, or other inability of electronic voting systems.

The two-page letter [PDF] (also posted in full at the end of this article) was signed by individuals such as: Sen. Barbara Boxer, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Sen. John Kerry, Rep. Rush Holt, Leon County, FL Supervisor of Elections Ion Sancho, OH elections attorney Cliff Arnebeck and University of Iowa computer scientist Doug Jones. Organizations signed on include: Common Cause, VerifiedVoting.org, VotersUnite.org, BlackBoxVoting.org, VoterAction.org, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, MoveOn.org, TrueMajorityAction.org and many other national, state and local Election Integrity advocate groups.

"No legally registered voter should ever be told to 'come back later,' or be forced to use a provisional ballot simply because a voting system is unavailable to them at the time they are able to vote," the letter reads. "It is imperative that an ample supply of Emergency Paper Ballots be made available to account for any unforeseen circumstance."

The letter continues, "All voters must have the option to vote on an Emergency Paper Ballot if necessary and all such ballots must be counted as regular — not provisional — ballots."

As well, it's pointed out that some states already have certain procedures required by law to ensure that registered voters are allowed to vote, in the event that primary balloting procedures break down. Officials are urged to check those requirements and otherwise "draft, establish and publicize your own state's common-sense plans for Emergency Paper Ballots at every polling place this Nov. 7th, so that every election official, poll worker, and voter may be crystal clear on the procedures for utilizing such measures."

The movement calling on states to create Emergency Paper Ballot plans began just three weeks ago when The BRAD BLOG first called on the U.S. Congress to introduce and pass legislation in order to ensure that legally registered voters would not be turned away from the polls without being allowed to vote, as has been the case for thousands of voters in a number of states this year due to voting machines that failed to start up, were misprogrammed, failed during voting or, in some cases, hadn't been brought to polling places at all until several hours after polls were to have opened.

Many voters were either told to "come back later" or given Provisional Ballots, which are not counted as normal ballots on Election Night and frequently not counted at all.

Legislation for Emergency Ballots was introduced the following week in the U.S. Senate by Senators Boxer, Christopher Dodd, Russ Feingold and Kerry. A matching House version was filed the next day by Rep. Rush Holt and co-sponsored by 28 other House members. As well, Feingold and Kerry introduced a "Sense of the Senate" resolution calling for same, but that effort was also never brought up for a vote on the floor before the recess.

The letter, drafted by this journalist along with a number of other signatories, was sent to all recipients via return-receipt requested certified mailing this morning by VelvetRevolution.us. [DISCLOSURE: The BRAD BLOG is a co-founder of VR.]

With the failure of Congress to pass such crucial legislation prior to this November's important general election, the effort now moves to the State and Local level. Organizations and individuals are called on to contact their State and Local Elections officals to assure that plans are in place to accommodate any and all unforeseen circumstances.

Alluding to Americans who have fought for and defended the right to vote in the past, and indeed to this day around the globe, the letter concludes: "Our vote is our precious franchise. We believe it is worth defending, and worth the effort to guarantee that that right remains assured and inviolate."

Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), one of the initial signatories, has created an online petition for citizens to urge their Secretaries of State and Governors to ensure such plans and procedures are created and implemented immediately. Take action by clicking here…

The open letter, sent to all State Governors, Secretaries of State and State Election Directors calling for Emergency Paper Ballot plans and procedures and signed by 55 organizations and individuals, can be downloaded here [PDF]. It also follows below in full…

October 11, 2006

Honorable Governor, Secretary of State & State Election Director:

As you likely know, many legally registered American voters across the country were turned away from polling places without being able to cast a ballot this year. In state after state, voters were unable to exercise their franchise simply because electronic voting systems malfunctioned, suffered programming problems, or were otherwise unavailable for use.

We are sure you'll agree that should never happen in this country. No legally registered voter should ever be turned away from the polls without being allowed to vote on Election Day in America. No legally registered voter should ever be told to "come back later," or be forced to use a provisional ballot simply because a voting system is unavailable to them at the time they are able to vote. It is imperative that an ample supply of Emergency Paper Ballots be made available to account for any unforeseen circumstance.

Common-sense legislation for Emergency Paper Ballots at the polling place this November was recently filed in both the U.S. House and Senate. The proposed legislation would have:

  • Mandated that voters be given a paper ballot upon request
  • Required election officials to post information announcing and confirming that right at each polling place, and
  • Mandated that all such paper ballots be counted as regular, not provisional, ballots.

Unfortunately, legislators were unable to pass this important measure before adjourning for the Election Recess. Now the responsibility for this vital democratic process must rest on the States and Counties to ensure that millions of Americans will be able to cast their ballots in the general election on November 7th.

Many of your state's citizens and polling places will be using new electronic voting systems for the first time. Such systems have already caused unforeseen problems this year, resulting in disenfranchised voters from Maryland to California, from Texas to Indiana to many other states and counties around the union.

In Maryland, the Governor recently called for Emergency Paper Ballots statewide after catastrophic problems in their recent primary. In Texas and Arkansas, election officials wisely instructed their counties to have Emergency Paper Ballots on hand during runoff elections after thousands were unable to vote during primaries, or when voting machine companies failed to program balloting systems properly.

In America, in 2006, such occurrences should never have happened, and we write to you hoping that you will take every measure to ensure they do not happen anywhere in your state this November.

Therefore, we, the undersigned groups and individuals, strongly urge you to make contingency plans and procedures to ensure that every legally registered American voter can vote in the upcoming general election. All voters must have the option to vote on an Emergency Paper Ballot if necessary, and all such ballots must be counted as regular — not provisional — ballots.

We hope that your state and every county therein will take careful, yet aggressive measures to institute plans for ample Emergency Paper Ballots, to be made available in every voting jurisdiction.

Several states have laws in place requiring the use of emergency paper ballots for voters if voting equipment is unavailable or has malfunctioned. Many more states and counties, however, do not have such provisions. In addition, many poll workers are unaware of such state laws and elections code.

So many Americans have fought and died in this country and around the world — and indeed, are fighting today – in the defense of our most basic freedoms, to ensure the right to freely cast a vote and thus determine the consent of the governed in this great democracy. Our vote is our precious franchise. We believe it is worth defending, and worth the effort to guarantee that that right remains assured and inviolate.

We urge you to please take this opportunity to draft, establish and publicize your own state's common-sense plans for Emergency Paper Ballots at every polling place this Nov. 7th, so that every election official, poll worker, and voter may be crystal clear on the procedures for utilizing such measures.

With Great Respect,

The Undersigned

ORGANIZATIONS
51CapitalMarch.com
AUDIT-AZ
BlackBoxVoting.org
Broward Election Reform Coalition
Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota
Citizens for Legitimate Government
Coalition for Peace Action, Princeton NJ
Coloradoans for Voting Integrity
Common Cause
Democrats.com
Election Defense Alliance (EDA)
Election Reform Network
Florida Fair Elections Coalition
Georgians for Verified Voting
Iowans for Voting Integrity
Las Vegas, NM Peace and Justice Center
MoveOn.org Political Action
National Coalition on Black Civic Participation
National Committee for Voting Integrity
National Election Data Archive
NetworkOfCitizens.org
New Yorkers for Verified Voting
Ohio Honest Elections Campaign
Palm Beach Coalition for Election Reform
Progressive Democrats of America (PDA)
SAVE Our Votes:
Secure, Accessible, Verifiable Elections for MD
Solarbus.org
TrueMajorityAction.org

TrueVoteMD
United Voters of New Mexico
Valley Grassroots for Democracy
VelvetRevolution.us
VerifiedVoting.org
VotePA
VoterAction.org
VotersUnite.org
VoteTrustUSA
Voting Matters [New Mexico]
Wake Up and Save Your Country
We Do Not Concede

INDIVIDUALS
Clifford O. Arnebeck, Jr, election attorney, OH
John C. Bonifaz, voting rights attorney, Boston
Sen. Barbara Boxer
Bob Fitrakis, Ph.D, J.D.
Brad Friedman, investigative journalist
Bruce Funk, County Clerk, Emery County, UT
Sarah Granger, computer security consultant
Rush Holt, Member of Congress
Douglas W. Jones, computer scientist, U. of Iowa
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Sen. John Kerry
Prof. Mark Crispin Miller, NYU
Freddie Oakley, Yolo County, CA, Clerk/Recorder
Ion Sancho, Supvsr. of Elections, Leon County, FL
Barbara Simons, retired, IBM Research

Monday, October 02, 2006

ANNOUNCING THE LONGHOUSE COALITION

by Carol Wolman

ANNOUNCING THE LONGHOUSE COALITION

A BROOMSTICK REVOLUTION

The Bush junta has stolen two presidential elections, and now has dismantled the most basic rights of citizens under the guise of "fighting the war on terror". Our country, our heritage, our Constitution has been taken over by ruthless people, who care only about power and money.



The shameful "Military Tribunal" bills passed by Congress last week shows that its members, of both parties, are utterly craven and corrupt. The Democrats could have organized a Senate filibuster of the bills that Gitmo-ize us all, but they didn't even try. Both parties are in league with the "devil in the White House", to quote Hugo Chavez.



We need a clean sweep in Congress this November, getting rid of all the incumbents who are not actively opposing the tyranny being imposed upon us. We need to vote in true Representatives of "we the people", who will make it the first order of business to impeach Bush and Cheney.



This is our very last chance to remain a free people.



The Longhouse Coalition is collecting all candidates for Congress, of whatever party, who will serve the people rather than the super-rich. Our members are Democrats, Independents, Greens. We are up and running. We will not split the "left", as we are reserving seats for good incumbents and candidates. With Creator's help, we'll replace this rotten Congress of pandering politicians with a group of people who are dedicated to peace, freedom, and the wellbeing of "we the people".



The Solidarity Movement in Poland was able to replace the oppressive Communist regime with a people's government, that was put into office peacefully and legally, through the electoral process.



Our situation is identical. A core group of 6 internet activists have been planning the Longhouse Coalition for a year, and worked tirelessly to put it into effect. The bandwagon is rolling! Many people are now working together to recruit candidates, both on the ballot and write-ins. Our numbers are growing rapidly.



To learn details, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/longhouse_coalition_info/

The files there contain our platform, an introduction to our strategy, list of member candidates- all of whom have endorsed the platform-, a list of seats we have reserved for candidates who have not yet joined, and other important information



Some highlights of the platform:

1) IMPEACH BUSH AND CHENEY

2) Peace- leave Iraq and Afghanistan, support UN peacekeeping forces, uphold international peace treaties like the Geneva Conventions and the Nonproliferation Treaty, defund the military.

3) Environment- join the Kyoto treaty, switch to clean, renewable energy, clean up pollutants, get rid of toxics.

4) Land- return a portion (30-45%) of National Forests to Native Americans to redress a historic wrong, change the tax structure to favor small farmers over agribusiness.

5) "Moral issues" - prochoice- make birth control more available, legalize all natural substances.



This is a battle for life, for survival of a habitable planet. We can no longer ignore global warming and the threat of nuclear war. It's a spiritual battle, has to be if we are to avoid the literal Armageddon, nuclear holocaust, with which the warmongering plutocrats keep threatening us. The organizers of the Longhouse Coalition are in constant prayer to our Creator.



We are thankful that Creator has blessed us with a Constitution that safeguards human rights and dignity, and enables us to live in peace. We are using the tools given us by the Founding Fathers- the right of any citizen to run for Congress, and the right of the people to impeach members of the Executive Branch who commit high crimes and misdemeanors. What we are doing is peaceful, legal and democratic.



Where does the name come from? The Longhouse was the meeting place of the Iroquois Federation, where they made their laws. Ben Franklin attended many of their meetings, and brought the principles of Iroquois government to the Constitional Convention. The emphasis on human equality and protection of basic people's rights in our Constitution come from the original Longhouse, or Haudenosaunee. In fact, "we the people" is a Native American, not a Europen concept- England and European countries were still ruled by kings and aristocrats in 1776. Thus our Congress is a direct descendant of the Longhouse.



To learn more, email us at LonghouseCoalition@yahoo.com with your questions, comments, assistance.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/eastbayimpeach

Carol S. Wolman, MD is a psychiatrist in Northern California. A lifelong peace activist, she has written extensively on the psychology of our times. She is actively working to impeach Bush and Cheney, and suggests you join or form a local group at http://impeachbush.meetup.com/ She is running for Congress as a nonpartisan write-in candidate in CA district 1.

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