We’re Safer, But We’re Not Safe…We’re Outer, But We’re Not Out…

(NEWSWEEK) Patriotism or Politics? President Bush called for unity in his latest speech, but in reality, he was gearing up for a bruising fall campaign.

(CNN) Transcript of Bush Speech

(Keith Olbermann Blog) This hole in the ground

How is it that Olberman is the only commentator in network or cable news who dares to tell the truth these days? I guess it’s not surprising when the events of 9/11 meant nothing to the man leading our country but a political opportunity and continue to mean only that. You read headline after headline about Democrats being upset at the Bush. Well, I’m NOT a Democrat and I’m DAMN upset about where he has led our nation, about his lies, about his sabotage of the constitution, about his war for his oil cronies. Get it right, news media, this isn’t about Democrats and Republicans, this is about democracy and demagoguery. Do we have to prove Plato right?

In the meantime, investigative reporter Greg Palast has been slapped with criminal charges Palast Charged with Journalism in the First Degree for “unauthorized filming of a ‘critical national security structure’ in Louisiana,” i.e., an oil refinery right next to a Katrina evacuee encampment still filled with 73,000 people made homeless for the last year…maybe they’re still homeless as punishment for looking at the refinery every day? Welcome to the police state.

Filibuster? Heck, No, I’d Prefer A Meaningless NO Vote…

I’m a Libra and it takes me a long time to make up my mind–some people say I never do 🙂 Nevertheless, I am convinced that Judge Sam Alito would be a detrimental addition to our Supreme Court. Save The Court has a pretty good rundown of the reasons why his confirmation would be a bad bad thing. Alito’s 1985 Job Application: A Blueprint for His Troubling Judicial Record.

Now, it is a matter of public record that Alito argued as a judge for the legality of a strip search of a 10-year old girl and he also voted for “spousal notification” w/r/t abortions (the problem with that is what if a woman is married to an abuser–the need to notify him would be tantamount to requiring his permission AND opening the woman to the possibility of further abuse). But I think the most telling problem is the issue of his honesty. There was a great hubbub made about his membership in an organization called the Concerned Alumni of Princeton, an extreme rightwing organization that was founded for the purpose of limiting or overthrowing the admission of women and minorities to the Ivy League campus. Alito claimed he did not remember the details of his membership, despite the fact that he’d noted it in his CV when applying for a post in the Reagan administration. AFTER the hubbub went into full swing, the following article appeared via the Bloomberg organization: Alito’s Name Does Not Appear in Princeton Alumni Group Records. So it seems as if Judge Sam WASN’T a member, didn’t pay dues, attend meetings, subscribe to the magazine. Alito had merely written it into his CV to make it look good to the right wing side of Reagan’s staff. So, What’s The Problem, Teddy?

The problem of course is the same problem with James Frey’s “embellishment” of his memoirs. Alito didn’t tell the truth. Think about it–did YOU embellish your credentials on your resume? Most of us, I think would say no–we didn’t even consider it. Chances are, no one would have checked out the more obscure pieces of information on it, but if they did, we didn’t want to be caught in a lie. Sam Alito didn’t have that kind of qualm. I don’t like liars. And I don’t like judges who are liars. And right now, to parallel Dashiell Hammett, even if I liked judges who lied their asses off, I still wouldn’t like Sam Alito. I urge everyone who is concerned about the direction of our nation, everyone who truly loves the United States, to write their senators to support a filibuster of his nomination.

Several senators have stated that they would not support a filibuster, but would vote no. Well, hell, that’s kinda senseless, isn’t it, given the odds on an up-down vote confirming the nomination? You may say, well, Bush will only try to appoint an even MORE radical rightwinger. Well, if he does, he’ll show his true colors and perhaps THAT nominee will not even make it out of the committee. The following orgs (among others) support the filibuster:
Save The Court, Act Speak, No Crony.
Please excuse my going on at length about this but it’s important if we are to turn the tide against the tyrannization of the American presidency.