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IS THE DEFENSE OF CONSTITUTIONAL LIBERTIES REALLY A PARTISAN QUESTION, OR IS IT THE MEANING OF THE OATH SWORN BY ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS? 18 September 2007 American conservatives, from ideologues to the everyman on the street, have long touted the notion that government powers should not be expanded, that the US Constitution contemplates a small, limited role for government in American life, and that what is needed to address society's ills is not the enactment of new laws, but enforcement of the "laws already on the books". But the 21st century has seen a radical departure from that philosophy among conservative politicians in Washington, DC. [Full Story] ELECTRONIC VOTING MACHINES FLAWED ACCORDING TO UC STUDY A California government-sponsored study has "found that virtually all voting machines used in the state are vulnerable to hackers", creating a whirlwind of complaints from activists and defiance from manufacturers. Secretary of State Debra Bowen, along with voting rights activists have said the problem needs to be solved before next year's presidential primary elections. [Full Story] REAL ID SCHEME OPPOSED BY SENATE The Democratic leadership in the Senate has garnered support to refuse funding for promoting a Republican-backed scheme whereby all US citizens would be forced to carry "national ID cards" by 2013. The vote cut a funding amendment to the Homeland Security appropriations bill; an amendment added by staunch opponent Max Baucus (D-MT) bars states from using any funding from the Homeland Security bill to enact the national ID card plan. [Full Story] ENERGY POLICY, OR THE UNNECESSARY PROLONGATION OF AN INEFFICIENT STATUS QUO? The US Congress is still working on producing legislation that would bring together federal law and executive regulatory policy in one comprehensive national energy strategy. The special consulting group organized in 2001 by the vice president wanted nuclear plants and "clean coal", but both carry huge costs for preventing or reversing high levels of contamination, and neither is broadly considered the "future" by scientific consensus. [Full Story] US SOCIAL FORUM DISCUSSES INDIGENOUS RIGHTS, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, LINK TO IMMIGRATION POLICY The United States Social Forum (USSF) has taken up the issue of indigenous rights, as part of an evaluation of how civil society treats marginalized groups or deals with hardships they experience as a result of prevailing socio-economic conditions. The forum connects the issue of indigenous rights with the interests of other marginal groups struggling to resolve chronic social disadvantages, such as immigrants, homosexuals and political dissidents. [Full Story] THOUSANDS OF CENTRAL AMERICAN MIGRANTS RISK LIFE AND LIMB ON 'DEATH TRAIN' In what are often desperate attempts to reach the northern Mexico border, where they can cross into the US and escape endemic poverty, thousands of central American workers risk life and limb to reach better life. Lack of adequate policy for arranging, organizing transport for guest workers leaves disturbing tragedy in place of road to prosperity. [Full Story] BUSH, SENATE LEADERS REACH AGREEMENT ON LANGUAGE FOR IMMIGRATION REFORM BILL After more than a year of intense debate and heated opposition, a bipartisan group of senators have reportedly reached an agreement with the White House on language that would allow passage and signing for sweeping immigration reform legislation. The bill would give legal status to an estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants, and would create a new merit-based system for approving visa applications. [Full Story] TEXT OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.'S 'I HAVE A DREAM' SPEECH I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation. Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity. [Full Story] BUSH ANNOUNCES PLANS TO SEND 21,500 MORE SOLDIERS TO IRAQ After much speculation and many leaks, US pres. George W. Bush has announced he will send more than 20,000 additional soldiers into Iraq warzone, will require Iraqi government to take action against sectarian movements fomenting violence across Iraq. Bush also said that "Where mistakes have been made, the responsibility rests with me". [Full Story] DEMOCRATS TO TAKE CONTROL OF CONGRESS FOR FIRST TIME IN 12 YEARS The Democratic party will take control of both houses of the US Congress today, as the president's party struggles to adjust to the idea of losing control of the legislative process. The November elections gave the Democrats a majority in both the House and the Senate, and they are already planning aggressive moves on key legislation for the first few days. [Full Story] VIRGINIA GIVES DEMOCRATS CONTROL OF THE SENATE The concession of Sen. George Allen (R-VA) to challenger Jim Webb gives the Democrats 51 seats in the Senate chamber, guaranteeing an outright majority, and control of both houses of Congress. The concession appears to seal the results of the midterm elections as a rejection of the methods and ideas of the party that has held power throughout the Bush presidency, and could significantly weaken his position as top executive. [Full Story] DEMOCRATS WIN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, REPUBLICANS SUFFER HEAVY LOSSES AT POLLS Among the early news emerging from the 2006 midterm elections: Hillary Clinton, Ted Kennedy win by wide margins; embattled Republican senator Rick Santorum is ousted by Bob Casey, Jr., by margin of nearly 59% to 41%; Rep. Weldon loses seat in PA, largely due to corruption scandal; Democrats take control of House of Representatives. [Full Story] MANUAL FOR MARYLAND REPUBLICANS APPEARS TO OUTLINE PLAN TO BLOCK VOTES The Republican Party of Maryland has distributed an instruction booklet for party volunteers it plans to station at polling places which instructs them in how to prevent voters casting ballots. The document outlines the need to ensure that the law is followed and that no voter is denied their legal right to cast a vote, but includes language urging volunteers to tell judges they may face jail time if they do not do as asked by the Republican party voter challengers. [Full Story] CHENEY ENDORSES TORTURE DESPITE LEGAL BANS, UPROAR PROMPTS PLEDGES NOT TO TORTURE US vice president Dick Cheney has publicly announced his support for an explicitly banned method of torture. In a radio interview with Scott Hennen of Fargo, North Dakota, the vice president said that mock drowning is "a no brainer", claiming the procedure has been a "very important tool", despite its being specifically illegal under American law, both written and in judicial precedent, and formally banned by the Pentagon. [Full Story] BUSH SIGNS BORDER FENCE LAW, ESTABLISHING PERMANENT BARRIER ALONG 700 MILES OF MEXICO-US BORDER Before his party reached any agreement on proposed immigration policy reform legislation, Pres. George W. Bush yesterday signed a new law imposing harsh restrictions at US border crossings, establishing 700 miles of fencing to be patrolled by military, border guards, dogs, and drones. [Full Story] REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN BOB NEY PLEADS GUILTY TO BRIBERY, CONSPIRACY IN PROBE LINKED TO ABRAMOFF On 13 October, Rep. Bob Ney, a Republican from Ohio, admitted he gave political favors in exchange for bribes, pleading guilty on several counts. He will now face sentencing and is expected to resign his seat in Congress, though he has not given a date. Ney is the latest political casualty of a massive corruption investigation involving convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff, anti-tax hawk Grover Norquist, disgraced Texan congressman Tom DeLay, and dozens of other influential Washington figures. [Full Story] FOLEY SCANDAL INVOLVES LEADERSHIP, MAY BE ROOTED IN ABUSE SUFFERED AS TEEN Shortly after it was revealed Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL) had sent inappropriate and highly sexual e-mails to underage boys that had worked as interns on Capitol Hill, he was forced to resign. Now, Republican leaders in the House are facing accusations they took the issue as a political one and not a matter involving the well-being of children. Two criminal probes have been launched, which are expected to include a look at cover-up allegations. [Full Story] GENERALS, REPUBLICANS REVOLT AGAINST BUSH TORTURE POLICY Roughly three dozen retired generals, including former Sec. of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Colin Powell, have come out in opposition to the White House's latest attempt to transform the legal meaning of the Geneva Conventions ban on torture and inhumane treatment of prisoners. Senate leaders, behind John McCain (R-AZ) have also joined the rebellion, passing a measure that upholds the standing definition of the Geneva constraints on coercive interrogation. [Full Story] SENATE REPORT SAYS HUSSEIN NEVER HAD AL-QAEDA TIES As the 5th anniversary of the attacks of 11 September 2001 approach, the US Senate's Intelligence Committee has issued a report officially finding that Saddam Hussein never collaborated with al-Qaeda in any sense. In fact, he was hunting Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who would later name his organization "Al-Qaeda of Mesopotamia". Hussein was suspicious of the Islamist radicalism of al-Qaeda and did not view them as friendly to his regime and its interests. [Full Story] US SENATOR ENERGIZES CROWDS IN KENYA United States Senator Barack Obama has reportedly made a connection with the people of his father's homeland, Kenya. On the 4th day of his visit there, the Illinois Democrat visited the Kibera "slum", home to some 600,000 people, one-fifth of which are estimated to be HIV-positive, according to HIV/AIDS prevention groups. [Full Story] US STATE DEPT. TO WAIVE FEE FOR EVACUEES FROM LEBANON The United States Department of State has issued a statement saying it plans to waive any fees associated with US nationals' evacuation from the now wartorn Lebanese territory. The situation had provoked anger, as evacuation teams were late in arriving, and stranded Americans complained the proposed commercial fees were making it difficult to arrange their departure. [Full Story] PRESS FREEDOM IS EVERYONE'S FREEDOM The freedom of the press is the freedom of the American people. Not its guarantor, not a metaphorical representation of freedom as an idea, not even merely a mainstay of a free system. A free and independent press is American liberty at work, building and defending itself against the slide toward secret or arbitrary exercise of power, as conceived within or beyond the legal process. [Full Story] BILL PRESENTED TO PREVENT GOV'T TAMPERING WITH SCIENCE Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC) is to introduce an amendment to legislation currently under debate, which would restrict the executive branch's ability to gag scientists, manipulate their findings or demote those who disagree with official policy. The legislation would also require that scientists appointed to investigatory panels be selected for their credentials, not their political views. [Full Story] TWENTY-SIX STATES HAVE PASSED LEGISLATION REQUIRING PAPER TRAILS FOR ELECTRONIC BALLOTS Since the 2000 election, voting technology has become a major issue in US elections regimens and regulations; touchscreen balloting machines, which legislatures seem to have favored as a way to record votes accurately, eliminating the 'hanging chad' problem, were designed with no paper record and have proven insecure and susceptible to tampering. Now, 26 US states have passed laws requiring paper trails, and 13 more, plus Washington, DC, have proposed laws "not yet enacted". [Full Story] SAN DIEGO COUNTY SENT VOTING MACHINES HOME WITH POLL WORKERS ON EVE OF ELECTION Reports have emerged that according to the San Diego registrar of voters, poll workers in San Diego county took tamper-susceptible Diebold voting machines home on the eve of the election. In some cases, poll workers may have had unsupervised access to the machines for a week or longer. [Full Story] THE ILLUSION OF THE DEFINITE & INVASIVE 'OTHER' The identity of groups, or for that matter of individuals is not implacable, nor is it absolutely relative. It follows the vicissitudes of the human health and mind, and requires sincere dialogue with the other in order to reach its fullest potential. The push to establish a single national language can only be sustained on the basis of a number of false premises, all of which work against the interests of both a democratic society and American tradition itself. [Full Story] THE WALL GOES UP AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION On Monday, George W. Bush announced a "five-point plan" for curbing illegal immigration and recognizing and regularizing the estimated 12 million immigrants living in the United States without proper residence or work permits. Now, as the Senate has voted to 83-16 to include a 370 mile protection barrier in its immigration reform legislation, the White House is enlisting major defense contractors to build the fence. [Full Story] NEW ROUND OF MASSIVE PRO-IMMIGRANT DEMONSTRATIONSACROSS U.S., COMMUNITY GROUPS, ACTIVISTS, STUDENTS, NATURALIZED CITIZENS RALLIED IN THE TENS OF THOUSANDS TO CALL FOR HUMANE REFORM 11 April 2006 Peaceful rallies in more than 60 US cities took place yesterday, to protest against House Republicans' plans to classify all undocumented immigrants as felons, to build fortified wall between US, Mexico. Tens of thousands gathered in major cities, carrying banners reading "We are America" and waving American flags and flags of their countries of origin. [Full Story] IMMIGRATION REFORM LEGISLATION FAILS IN SENATE Though many sources had predicted passage of substantial new immigration law reform in the Senate, the bill failed to gain passage, after a series of complex parliamentary maneuvers stalled a bipartisan compromise. Republicans opposed to the legislation had attempted to attach amendments designed to limit the number of people who would be eligible for citizenship and to narrow the focus of benefits under the law, prompting Democrats to use parliamentary procedural measures to block those amendments. [Full Story] IMMIGRATION REFORM COULD EASE HARDSHIP FOR MILLIONSMASS DEMONSTRATIONS IN RECENT WEEKS HAVE SHOWN HOW SERIOUS THE ISSUE IS FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS & RESIDENTS 6 April 2006 In recent weeks, the United States has seen the streets of major cities flooded with protesters, demanding more humane immigration reform than that offered by the House of Representatives. The bill currently before the Senate could offer such a solution, and would provide an opportunity for millions more people to become US citizens. [Full Story] NEW PROTEST MOVEMENT SHOWS VITAL HISPANIC POPULATION The issue of "immigration reform" began sweeping the mindset and the Latin media markets of the United States in December, when the House of Representatives passed a bill that would classify all undocumented immigrants as "aggravated felons", and make it a crime to provide assistance of any kind to them, regardless of personal relationship or imminent need of serious assistance. [Full Story] CITIZEN GOVERNMENT: HAVE YOUR SAY BEFORE CONGRESS VOTES In an effort to prevent "earmarking", whereby language is added to a bill with the specific purpose of directing specific funds to a given project or district, Readthebill.org is calling for the US House to pass a resolution that would require that all legislation be available in full online, in its final form, for at least 72 hours before Congress votes on its passage. [Full Story] NEW YORK TRANSIT STRIKE FREEZES CITY FOR 3RD DAY As New York City's public transport strike reached the end of its second day, it became clear the city was facing a difficult crisis. Reports began to mount of strangers helping strangers, sharing cars for rides into the city, and cab drivers were forced to reorganize their service to accommodate multiple fares simultaneously. Mayor has sought to depict strike as "illegal" and "selfish", says those who can least afford it are being harmed by transport inconvenience. [Full Story] CAN 'SHOOT-TO-KILL' BE LEGALLY JUSTIFIED AS A BLANKET SECURITY TACTIC? Media coverage related to the shooting of an innocent man on the boarding jetway to a Miami American Airlines flight has failed to take into account the most crucial questions. Why is "shoot-to-kill" necessary if agents are properly and adequately trained to use firearms and can "shoot-to-incapacitate"? This is the key question in the case of the American Airlines air marshal shooting, in which Rigoberto Alpízar, apparently suffering from bipolar disorder, was killed, despite being unarmed. [Full Story] CONGRESSIONAL HEARING ON RACE, CLASS IN KATRINA RELIEF DISASTER REVEALS EVIDENCE OF NEGLIGENCE, RACISM At the Hurricane Katrina Survivors' General Assembly, gathered in Jackson, Mississippi, evacuees from the Gulf Coast accuse the federal government of "criminal indifference", demanding reparations, investigations, and the "right to return" to their homes, even as New Orleans remains under a state of emergency. A Congressional hearing yesterday on race and class issues in the Katrina aftermath revealed intense suffering, brutal conditions and possible government negligence in handling relief. [Full Story] WHY THE McCAIN AMENDMENT MUST BECOME LAW Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain's anti-torture amendment proposes that "No individual in the custody or under the physical control of the United States Government, regardless of nationality or physical location, shall be subject to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment"... at a time when the US system of laws is in dire need of a clear definition of official policy on torture limits. [Full Story] A VAST LEFT-WING CONSPIRACY, SAYS DeLAY Under indictment for conspiracy in an alleged scheme to raise illegal campaign cash and conceal it through manipulation of his Political Action Committee, Rep. Tom DeLay (R-TX), stepped aside earlier this week as House Majority Leader. Congressional rules require that he leave his post while facing indictment. He has been reprimanded by Congress three times already for "objectionable behavior". Dissatisfied Republicans are looking for new leadership. [Full Story] FMR INTEL OFFICERS SAY LEAK COMPROMISED NATIONAL SECURITY In Washington, DC, today, House and Senate Democrats held a hearing examining the national security and legal implications of the leaking of CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson's identity to the press. A group of prominent and respected former intelligence officers, both Democrats and Republicans, answered questions and testified about the far-reaching implications of what they described as an "unprecedented" breach of national security. [Full Story] ROBERTS NAMED TO REPLACE O'CONNOR ON SUPREME COURT John Roberts, currently a judge on the DC Circuit Federal Court of Appeals, has been named by Pres. George W. Bush to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Though some believe his nomination will be less contentious than other controversial "front-runners" discussed in recent days, liberals have criticized Roberts for his stance on abortion and on the separation of church and state, and he has been called "a corporatist"... [Full Story] CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO DEBATE AGAIN THREATENED As the US celebrates its Independence Day, marking the date when Independence from the British crown was officially declared in the year 1776, the coming senatorial showdown over the next nominee to sit for life on the Supreme Court puts the constitutionally enshrined filibuster right in jeopardy. [Full Story] FEAR NOT THE ACT OF VOTING (FEAR ITS BEING WILLFULLY DIMINISHED) 51.3% of the voting age population of the United States took part in the 2000 presidential vote. That was 3.8% less than in 1992, and 11.8% lower than in the 1960 presidential election. But in between, there has been a consistent pattern of turnout under 60%, a disturbing if enigmatic aspect of American political life. Some have said it means the US is a democracy without the people. And polls show that a significant majority of American citizens believe the government does not represent their interests. As such, there is an urgent need to understand the psychological motivations for resisting the right to choose one's government. [Full Story] ALL THAT WE DON'T KNOW: THE PURPOSEFUL FOLLY OF POLLING6 September 2004 We are hearing constantly that the Republican National Convention has yielded a political windfall in public opinion for President Bush, with polls shifting from a Kerry lead of 3 to 5%, to an astonishing Bush lead of 11% in a post-convention poll. But this is not the whole story. According to CNN, as reported today, polling data put Bush ahead by 3% prior to the convention and by 5% afterward, a bounce of only 2%... the smallest increase in polling for an incumbent since before Richard Nixon's presidency... [Full Story] MEDIA MATTERS FINDS DRUDGE SLUR ABOUT KERRY FILMS UNFOUNDED The non-profit media watchdog organization Media Matters for America has reported that its analysis finds there is no truth to the Matt Drudge allegation that John Kerry's footage of Vietnam combat is inauthentic. According to Media Matters, Drudge deliberately ignored factual reports and evidence of authenticity in order to give priority to unfounded claims made by individuals with a history of distorting Kerry's record in order to benefit Republicans. [Full Story] REP. WOOLSEY SENDS 191 CONGRESSIONAL SIGNATURES TO RIDGE TO STOP POSTPONEMENT OF ELECTION Last week, the story broke that the Department of Homeland Security had sought advice from Justice Department lawyers on how it could postpone the November elections in the event of a terrorist incident. The news sparked an uproar over Constitutional law, the limits of Executive authority, and the principle of securing elections as the single most fundamental institution of a democracy. This week, Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) circulated a petition among her colleagues in Congress, which called for an immediate halt to all planning for postponing the election. Within the first hour, it had 100 signatures, and was ultimately signed by 191 members of Congress, including Ms. Woolsey. Only 1 Republican member signed the petition, which again has raised concern among observers... [Full Story] LATEST FLORIDA "PURGE" LIST AGAIN TARGETS LEGAL VOTERS The Miami Herald is reporting that the latest list of felons the Florida state government is requesting local elections officials "purge" from lists of registered voters contains more than 2,000 names of people who are legally eligible to vote. In the aftermath of the disputed 2000 election, various investigators found that the Florida government had unlawfully denied voting rights to well over 50,000 voters through the same process. Civil rights groups (see below) have warned throughout this year that the process is still in place and likely to produce similar problems in November. [Full Story] KERRY VOWS TO RID WORLD OF LOOSE NUCLEAR FUELS & RESIDUE Democratic Presidential Candidate John Kerry today warned of the dangers of loose nuclear materials, produced by reactors and for research, and potentially a source of fuel for nuclear weapons used by terrorists or rogue states. He criticized White House for its 10-year clean-up plan, and promised his plan would clean up all the world's loose nuclear materials within four years. Senator Kerry went on to call for a worldwide ban on the production of "highly-enriched" uranium and plutonium, for use in nuclear weapons... [Full Story] RADIO FREE DRIVEL: BIZARRE COMMENTS SEEN TO PROMOTE TORTURE The Iraq prisoner abuse scandal has entered a new arena: radio broadcasting. A new media fairness watch group, Media Matters, has called on Sec. Rumsfeld to remove Rush Limbaugh's radio program from the American Forces Radio network, broadcast to 1 million American military personnel around the world. The reason? Limbaugh has made several statements apparently condoning or promoting the use of torture. In its letter to Donald Rumsfeld, Media Matters cites Limbaugh as calling the abuses a "brilliant maneuver". [Full Story] CONDOLEEZZA RICE TESTIFIES UNDER OATH National Security Adviser, Condoleezza Rice, testified under oath today, before the Commission investigating the 9/11 attacks and intelligence activities during the years prior to the attacks. The testimony came only after months of stalling by the White House. Dr. Rice repeatedly asserted that there were no clear indications of imminent terrorist attack during the months prior to 9/11, but she admitted that the administration had been warned there were Al Qaeda cells operating in the US and under investigation. [Full Story] MEDIA SELECTED KERRY, SAYS NEW STUDY A study conducted by the Center for Media and Public Affairs targets the nature of coverage in the week prior to the Iowa caucuses. According to this study, the media "appointed" John Kerry as most electable by showering him with favorable coverage, while attacking the details of the Dean campaign. Citing:
NEW VOTING MACHINES FAIL TO VERIFY, LACK SECURITY Since the 2000 presidential election, and the revelation of flaws in the Florida process, the nation has moved toward new balloting techniques. Today, an article in the New York Times reported that a "Red Team" security test conducted for Maryland's legislature revealed troubling security gaps in the state's new electronic voting system. The test demonstrated a wide range of rudimentary tactics that could be used to taint or even steal an election. Over 100,000 votes were lost in Florida's 2002 elections, "due to a software error". VerifiedVoting.org recommends a Google News search for "electronic voting", to locate a wide range of newspaper reports on the subject. [Full Story] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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