3.20.2004
Two "Must-Reads"
From Seeing the Forest I came across an article that gives much food for thought. "The Apparat -- George Bush's Back-Door Political Machine", let me know what you think. The sidebar at Media Transparency, where the article is located offers resources to use to learn about the big money shapers of public perception, as do links in the body of the piece. Learning about these big money think tanks lets us see how a powerful minority worldview can jockeyed the perspective of many Americans into positions that actually go against their best interests.
The potency of right wing politics and opinion molding lies in the architecture of the movement. That is, its constituent organizations think and act strategically. Agendas, priorities, and propaganda are directed from the center. Members are disciplined and dedicated to the narrow theology of the right.
The disparate streams of conservative thought and action -- social, economic, religious, libertarian, and corporate -- set aside major differences and march to a single drummer -- with the tempo set at weekly tactical conferences in Washington.
This cohesion has undeniably had a large impact on the American body politic. The far right coalition now effectively controls the three branches of the federal government, overriding the checks-and-balances against rampant political power built into the Constitution. Conservatives now also set the terms of the national political debate through their dominance of the unofficial "fourth estate," the media.
Anyone paying attention sees the obvious fact that we are beholden to right wing media if we choose to get the news from "mainstream" corporate information sources. Coupled with a hard right executive office as well as judicial branch we have to have hope that the will of the people can be advocated by legislative arm of government. In "America as a One-Party State"
Robert Kuttner speaks to us of the slide to the right of the Senate and Congress leaves us in a virtual autocracy due to changes in legislative process. When joined with a collaborative media and the spectre of an election this fall tallied by unaccountable "black box voting" electronic voting machines democracy as we know it seems under assault.Benjamin Franklin, leaving the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, was asked by a bystander what kind of government the Founders had bestowed. "A republic," he famously replied, "if you can keep it." There have been moments in American history when we kept our republic only by the slenderest of margins. This year is one of those times.
3/20/2004
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3.19.2004
Haiti- Round Up the Usual Suspects
Round Up the Usual Suspects...
Stan Goff's "Time for Kerry to Step Up On Haiti" gives a history of the players involved in the current Haitian Coup and their connections to the Reagan/Bush era Iran/Contra activities as well as their position in the current Bush regime. To have a mental context to analyze the days news concerning Haiti also requires knowledge of US involvement in the region as well as in the tiny nation's affairs that are much to the detriment of Democracy.
Roger Noriega is the Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, and the lead plotter in the recent coup against the democratically elected government of Haiti. Before that, he was the United States Ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS). During Iran-Contra, he was an aide in the Bureau of Latin American Affairs of the US State Department. The other felonious characters in the Contra-Crack scandal were Elliot Abrams, John Negroponte, John Poindexter, and Otto Reich. The Vice President during this episode was George Herbert Walker Bush, former Director of Central Intelligence.
These guys are all now re-employed by the administration of George W. Bush. Otto Reich was in Noriega's current position in 2001 and now is the US representative to the US-dominated Organization of American States (OAS). Reagan had Reich resign to protect his king when the story of the Cocaine-Contra connection broke, because Reich was easily connected by any journalist with five minutes to spare to CIA assassin Felix Rodriguez and terrorist Luis Posada Carriles. Reich specialized in disinformation, planting fake stories in the press about Nicaraguan MIG's and Sandinista "atrocities" against Miskito Indians. Reich was also the US Ambassador to Venezuela, when he tried to secure the release of Orlando Bosch, a Miami-Cuban mafiosi who bombed a civilian airliner. That downing of a civilian passenger airline from Cuba was the same attack in which Posada Carriles had also been implicated.
Both George W. and Jeb Bush are connected to anti-Castro Cuban terrorists, a move that has been politically expedient in Florida...
Dissident Voice has a wealth of information on Haiti to get you up to speed.
3/19/2004
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3.18.2004
"Iraq On The Record: The Bush Administration's Public Statements On Iraq"
From the web resource "Iraq On The Record: The Bush Administration's Public Statements On Iraq", presented By Rep. Henry Waxman:
The Iraq on the Record Report, prepared at the request of Rep. Henry A. Waxman, is a comprehensive examination of the statements made by the five Administration officials most responsible for providing public information and shaping public opinion on Iraq: President George W. Bush, Vice President Richard Cheney, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Colin Powell, and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice.
This database identifies 237 specific misleading statements about the threat posed by Iraq made by these five officials in 125 public appearances in the time leading up to and after the commencement of hostilities in Iraq. The search options on the left can be used to find statements by any combination of speaker, subject, keyword, or date.
3/18/2004
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3.17.2004
Medicare Lies and Propaganda: Bush Business as Usual
"There's an old saying in Tennessee - I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee - that says, fool me once, shame on - shame on you. Fool me - you can't get fooled again." --George W. Bush
Mr Bush knew that the Medicare bill strongarmed through Congress would cost more than the GOP sponsors let on, more than a billion dollars more than the 395 billion dollar price tag it was touted as costing. He was aware that 14 conservative Republicans would vote against the bill if it cost over 400 billion dollars over the next 10 years. So he lied to his own party as well as the rest of Americans. The bill passed 220 to 215 amid allegations of Republican vote buying, 54 to 44 in the Senate.
The Whitehouse threatened to fire it's own Medicare actuary, Richard Foster, if he told the truth that his figures showed the program to cost 551 billion.
MoveOn.org documents this all this underhandedness.
On January 30th Scott McCllelan, in light of what we know now, lied about what the President knew, and when.
Q Scott, to follow on that, are you telling us, on the day the President signed it and presented it to the American people, made it law, he either thought it was going to cost $400 billion over 10 years, or he didn't know how much it was going to cost and he didn't care?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, the President -- in fact, you just heard from the President -- we've been going through our budget process; the budget will be released on Monday. The President was briefed just, I believe it was two weeks ago today when he was briefed on this aspect of the budget and was informed about the new -- or I guess this was the first estimate -- that we put forward the estimate that the HHS actuaries came up with in that budget process.
emphasis mine
The fellow that Richard Foster said threatened to fire him, Tom Scully, left his position a week after the Medicare bill he helped craft was passed; to join the healthcare lobbying firm Alston and Bird. HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson supplied Scully with a code of ethics waiver (askance Federal regulations and Health and Human Services code) in May 2003 to negotiate with healthcare related firms, firms with "substantial interests in matters pending" concerning Scully's post as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Federal agencies have been ordered to stop issueing ethics waivers in light of this case. Now only the White House can approve such waivers.
Representitive Billy Tauzin, who wrote the Medicare bill reportedly recieved a 2 million dollar job offer from PhRMA the lobbying giant for the pharmaceutical industry.
In the 2000 election cycle Republicans gleaned 69 percent of pharmaceutical industry connected giving totaling 26,707,861 dollars. 2002's election cycle saw 29,366,851 dollars contributed, 74 percent to Republicans. So far in 2004 $6,246,964 dollars have been contributed, 67percent to Republicans.
Propaganda?
But it gets worse. The Federal Government supplied news outlets with tapes purporting to show reporters Karen Ryan
and in the spanish language version Alberto Garcia heaping praise on the new Medicare law. The trouble is, they are paid actors reading government scripts, not journalists. A couple of the videos end with a woman's saying "In Washington, I'm Karen Ryan reporting."
Kevin Keane, HHS assistant secretary for public affairs says that Ryan is a freelance journalist, not merely an actor.
It seems clear that if the woman is reading a prepared script she is an actor. She was paid with taxpayer money- to deceive taxpayers.
The Bush administration plans to spend 80 million dollars on advertising the Medicare plan "$12.6 million for advertising this winter..."
Your tax dollars at work.
3/17/2004
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The World STILL Says No to War!
Global Day of Action Against War and Occupation
Saturday, March 20
United for Peace and Justice is asking us to sandwich this important event day by scheduling a meeting with our Congressperson on March 19 (during Senate Recess, they should be in home districts) to advocate sensible Iraq policy , followed up by a call in day on Wednesday, March 24 to further impact our legislators in DC.
Help get the word out.
3/17/2004
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Posted some of my favorite radio sites on the sidebar just now (scroll down). These all offer great audio pieces. This American Life is a favorite; the show first demonstrated to me just how powerful the medium of radio is. We've all had
those moments when on reaching our destination we find the show on NPR is not quiet finished; then we sit , engine off, listening- the term "driveway moments" has been coined to label the phenomena.
It seems to me that the necessary descriptive powers that propel an audio piece offer the mind so much more to work
with than a visual piece, that the medium demands more depth by its very structure. Also, the mind seems more open
when not offered visual data, stemming prejudgement of the subject. Good radio seems to me sweetly subversive in that
it allows people to experience the life experiances and perspectives of others, reminding us that "People are People", no matter what our background, way in the world or genetic makeup is.
Explore these sites to relax and refresh the next time you consider, remote in hand, wading through the however many channels of mostly crap your "electronic hearth" has to offer. Feel radio engage your mind.
Hearing Voices
Sound Portraits
Third Coast Audio
This American Life
Transom
The links will open in a new window. Enjoy.
edited
3/17/2004
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3.16.2004
Social Security Surplus
"The only time to use Social Security money is in times of war, times of recession, or times of severe emergency." --George Bush, five days prior to 9/11
A quote to hold in mind as you consider the Bush administration's use of the Social Security surplus. It was said as the economy was heading for the toilet, in a time when he was giving taxcuts to the richest Americans.
As he said to me in mid-September, "Lucky me. I hit the trifecta." --Office of Management and Budget Director Mitch Daniels relating what Mr Bush said to him post-9/11
Mr Bush and his administration are using the Social Security surplus to pad his budget. Social Security payroll taxes are being used to make the Bush taxcut for the rich economy look less bleak; 164 billion dollars are being taken to pay down the deficit this fiscal year alone. Without this financial shot-in-the-arm the deficit would be at around 639 billion dollars, reaching for the record deficit as percentage of GDP (6 percent) set under Mr Reagan in 1983. Remember, Mr Bush hit the trifecta...
People making over 87,900 dollars don't pay into Social Security. It seems that they should, especially in light of how Social Security funds are being used.
The average 2004 tax cut for the richest 1 percent--$59,292--is more than five times greater than the average retired worker's Social Security benefit.
The Trust Fund was intiated in 1983 to prepare the system for the projected retirement needs of the "baby boomer" generation who will cut the ratio of workers to retirees. The surplus payroll taxes taken in go to the Treasury Department which gives Social Security US treasury securities to cash in when needed in the future to keep the system afloat by slowly spending down the fund.
Where will the treasury get these spent trillions? Some people in government will have you believe these funds don't exist. Like Mr Bush's Social Security Commission.
When Social Security runs surpluses, it doesn't get any credit because it's just part of the government. But when it runs deficits, Social Security is on its own. This twisted logic in effect expropriates all of the extra money workers have paid into the system since 1983, when Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, among others, pushed through an increase in payroll taxes ? an increase whose purpose was to build up the trust fund that the commission, co-chaired by Mr. Moynihan, now says isn't real.
Now why would government officials talk out of both sides of their mouths?
Follow the money. For instance, two of John Kerry's biggest supporters, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley stand to
reap a huge windfall should Social Security be privatized. And each firm has given 4 times as much money to the Bush campaign. Citigroup has given Bush twice as much.
Allen Greenspan counsels that Social Security benefits should be cut to trim the deficit. But he is behind the Bush tax cuts.
While the retirement funds of people making under 87,900 dollars are paying taxcuts for the rich and you see the 160 million surplus fund the attack and occupation of Iraq know things are getting better. In 1982 there were only 12 billionaires listed in the Forbes 400- the last one had 587, up from 476 the year prior. Like the President says in his speeches, things are looking up.
3/16/2004
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If you are interested in Equatorial Guinea ( as I continue to be), rent-a-battalion mercenary groups and oil stop by Hobsons Choice. He then introduces us to Kathryn Cramer (James has pertinent links listed) who offers sources pulling together Dick Cheney, Halliburton, Brown and Root, mercenaries and covert US military support:
But oil is just one reason for West Africa's growing demand for guns for hire. The US, for instance, is now more engaged in West Africa. But with troops tied down in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, it's increasingly hiring private security firms to represent it.
In a recent speech, Theresa Whelan, a top official for Africa at the US Department of Defense, put it this way: "The use of contractors in Africa ... means that the US can be supportive in trying to ameliorate regional crises without necessarily having to put US troops on the ground, which is often times a very difficult political decision."
Your tax dollars at work.
3/16/2004
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The Squawkbox free comment box system put me in a funny place. After a year of using it, without warning, it became a pay system. Thing is, they had me by the, well, mmm, comments- to change the system is to lose a years worth of input from you, the community that supports my efforts with your continued presence.
I will not fold to these comment highjackers. I have refused their offer of the sites comments being freed up, after I pay for what was a free service that they had proffered a year ago- getting me "hooked" for free and then extorting a years worth of memories- and have gone with Haloscan; a free service that I see being used throughout the blogosphere (thanx skippy). Squawkbox stole Estimated Prophet's comments. Don't let the jerks take yours. The money involved is negligible. But doing business with a company that operates in what I see as an underhanded manner is unconscionable. A dollar is a vote in a capitalist society, whether a vote of confidence as in this case or a vote for some control on the national stage in the case of politicians taking gifts from lobbyists or campaign contributions.
Your comments have added a great deal to the blogging experience for me. Losing the last years was a difficult decision, a decision made easier when a fellow blogger pointed out that Squawkbox posts the commentors IP address, which being more computer savvy now than a year ago I realize has me looking like a thoughtless host.
Thanks for coming by and being part of Estimated Prophet.
3/16/2004
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3.15.2004
Bush "Jobs" Are More Smoke and Mirrors
"I don't understand how poor people think." --George Bush, 8.26.03
You are probably aware by now that the Bush administration is comfortable playing fast and loose with facts and figures to manipulate the goodwill of the American people. That an attempt to change the classification of an individual serving burgers at McDonalds from "Service Industry" to fall under the heading of "Manufacturing" to pump up Bush employment figures is a technique of deception this administration is comfortable with.
We are told that unemployment is at 5.6 %, but we are not told that figure can be attributed to arcane statistical method;
a manner of counting which lets the long term unemployed, those who have given up the search for non-existent jobs-
these 392,000 former wage earners just disappear from the unemployment rolls. To get the benefit this sort of accounting gives the President imagine not paying your car payment for a year- then the bill disappearing and you can tell folks about your great credit rating. Ain't gonna happen to we "little people". Yet reporters, people paid to know better leave contextual facts out of the news.
Just to keep up with the population joining the eligible workforce 150,000 new jobs a month need to appear. 21,000 new jobs were created last month. All in the government sector. Much like the month of December there were no new jobs created. Zip. Zilch. You hear the soundbites, "A job created here, a job created there, they all add up and prove the good of my tax cut". Bullshit. Go to Jobwatch.Org and get the facts that conveniently get left out of the evening news and the speeches of the current White House resident. When the average Joe has little time to look into the facts and media soundbites of less than a minutes duration are what inform our collective opinion about these important issues Mr Bush can get away with these oft told untruths.
The media that should inform us has a vested interest in promoting GOP lies. Corporate America, those we trust to give us the news are owned by the same one tenth of one percent of the US population that contribute 85 percent of the itemized contributions funding our nations election campaigns. If we were told the truth the general sense of outrage engendered by an informed electorate might actually see taxes rise on those among us most able to pay them. You can imagine how unpopular this information is among America's monied elite, and why the realities of todays job market, although visible to you and me are not spoken of.
Counting the "missing labor force", people discouraged by long looking and people that never entered the job market
unemployment is up to 7.1%. Those missing 2,808,000 Americans change Mr Bush's more rosy figure to reflect the reality that you and I see in our neighborhoods, towns and cities. Discouraged young people, those under 24 years old, are at a historic high- if they were participating in the workforce at the same level as in March 2001 the official unemployment level would be 6.6 percent.
Companies are more efficient, through technology work is getting done with fewer workers. Remember this when you here how America is "picking up". Mr Bush promised 2.6 million jobs this year (after promising 1.7 million last year-
53,000 jobs were lost in 2003, seeing his "taxcut for the rich" economic program come up 1,753,000 jobs short) and we have to hope he is right but his prediction seems more rhetoric than reality based.
About his much touted jobless taxcuts and our federal deficit, to cut the deficit in half by 2009 as he has claimed these are the changes that our nation will need to suffer:
Spending on defense and homeland security will fall by 14 percent as a share of the economy by 2009. Total domestic appropriations will plummet by 24 percent, with huge cuts in science (minus 19 percent), pollution control (minus 27 percent), transportation (minus 18 percent), disaster relief (minus 49 percent), education (minus 22 percent), housing assistance (minus 33 percent), and law enforcement (minus 20 percent).
He also figures in using the projected Social Security surplus of 263 billion dollars to more than halve the projected 501
billion dollar deficit. Our payroll taxes at work- but not as how they are intended.
More on that tomarrow...
3/15/2004
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3.14.2004
John McCain On NOW
You should take a moment to read this Bill Moyers interview with John McCain that appeared on the PBS television show
"NOW".
A teaser from it follows.
BILL MOYERS: The Non-Partisan Center for Responsive Politics says less than one-tenth of one percent of the country gave 85 percent, almost 85 percent, of all itemized contributions in our recent elections. What does that tell you, Senator?
SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN: Well, it tells me that it's huge amounts of money contributed by a handful of Americans that are dictating the legislative agenda here in Congress.
A quick and quite illumnating read. I am not a McCain fan but he does sound sensible here...
"Open Secrets" is a tool that can open your eyes to just who each candidate is beholden to. Take a second to research a candidate and be sure to bookmark it when your done.
3/14/2004
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