Visit the new site here

NOVEMBER 24-16, 02 Archives

Veterans erect protest billboard near Bush's Texas ranch November 24, 2002 WACO, Texas By ANGELA K. BROWN (AP) - Veterans groups say they're fighting mad about problems in getting benefits they earned, and they want President Bush to know. They've erected a billboard that uses a quote from one of Bush's campaign speeches in 2000. It reads: "'Promises made will be promises kept' -- U.S. government denies military retirees earned healthcare, disabled military retirees retirement pay." The sign is about 20 miles from Crawford, the 700-resident town that has no billboards and is near the president's 1,600-acre ranch. "I regret that I ever voted for him," said Jack Hollinsworth, 66, a Navy veteran from Duncan, Okla., who drove to Waco for a rally attended by two dozen people Saturday. "He promised he would help us, and he's letting us down." Last week the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit denied claims by World War II and Korean War veterans who said the government reneged on a promise of free lifetime health care if they stayed in the service for 20 years. The government conceded military recruiters made the promises, but the Defense Department convinced the court there was no valid contract because the assurances were not backed up by law. reporter-news.com

Bush aide: Inspections or not, we'll attack Iraq November 23, 2002 By Paul Gilfeather Exclusive  Whitehall Editor - GEORGE Bush's top security adviser last night admitted the US would attack Iraq even if UN inspectors fail to find weapons. Dr Richard Perle stunned MPs by insisting a "clean bill of health" from UN chief weapons inspector Hans Blix would not halt America's war machine. Evidence from ONE witness on Saddam Hussein's weapons programme will be enough to trigger a fresh military onslaught, he told an all- party meeting on global security. Former defence minister and Labour backbencher Peter Kilfoyle said: "America is duping the world into believing it supports these inspections. President Bush intends to go to war even if inspectors find nothing. "This makes a mockery of the whole process and exposes America's real determination to bomb Iraq." mirror.co.uk

It has happened here, the USA we knew is no more November 23, 2002 By Bev Conover The final nail has been driven into the coffin of that great experiment in government of, by and for the people. George W. Bush has gotten his wish: This is now a dictatorship and he is the dictator. onlinejournal.com

Bush to push for amnesty to hundreds of thousands of Mexican illegal aliens November 23, 2002 By Jerry Seper THE WASHINGTON TIMES The Bush administration wants to grant amnesty to hundreds of thousands of Mexican illegal aliens now in the United States, according to the new U.S. ambassador to Mexico. Tony Garza, sworn in this week at the White House, told reporters in Mexico City that reaching an accord legalizing the status of Mexican immigrants — without giving them citizenship — continues to be a top administration priority. Mr. Garza also proposed new guest-worker programs for Mexican immigrants. Bush administration efforts to pursue immigration agreements with Mexico were put on hold after the September 11 terrorist attacks on America. washtimes.com

Electric companies and their employees contributed at least $11 million to the GOP in the 2001-02 election cycle. November 23, 2002  ... Coal companies and their employees made at least $1.9 million in political contributions in that period, with more than $8 of every $10 going to Republicans ... Bush's 2000 presidential campaign was also a major beneficiary of the industries' largess. Several energy executives raised at least $100,000 each for Bush's campaign, and the energy industry, including electric and mining companies, gave more than $2.8 million. CNN - November 23, 2002

EPA eases clean air requirements on refineries, power plants, factories November 23, 2002 By John Heilprin WASHINGTON – The Bush administration relaxed air pollution regulations and proposed other changes Friday to make it easier for older factories, refineries and power plants to modernize without having to install expensive new anti-pollution equipment. The long-awaited regulatory changes by the Environmental Protection Agency touched off a firestorm of criticism from environmentalists, Democrats and state air quality regulators, and a courtroom challenge from nine Northeastern states affected by power plant pollution. The agency also proposed a new definition for what constitutes "routine maintenance, repair and replacement" at aging coal-burning power plants. It will allow them to make major modifications without forfeiting their exemption from tougher standards imposed on plants built in the past 25 years. signonsandiego.com

Defenders of Wildlife Statement on Clean Air Regulations November 23, 2002 Environment Reporter /U.S. Newswire/ -- Following is a statement by Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife, on the release of new clean air regulations: Today the Bush administration has once again demonstrated what their true objective is on environmental issues. Clearly it is not to protect the health of the American public. Rather, it is to aid their industry supporters by weakening environmental protection. Considering that the administration's intention to weaken the Clean Air Act has been clear and expected for nearly a year, it is telling that they delayed taking action until after the national elections, after Congress had adjourned and after the nation's attention had shifted to the Thanksgiving holiday. They know this is an action against the public's interest, so they have carefully timed it so it would do the least possible political damage to them. But this is only the first of numerous anti-environmental actions that have been delayed for political reasons and now will come flooding out. I expect that as early as next week, for example, the Bush administration will propose to emasculate the regulations implementing the National Forest Management Act -- in the process destroying environmental protections that have been in place since early in the Reagan administration. usnewswire.com

Present world financial system is not in a depression, it is in a systemic collapse, from which there will be no recovery November 23, 2002 Lyndon LaRouche gave the following address to an EIR Seminar in Stockholm on November 12, 2002 As you probably know by now, the present world financial system is not in a depression, it is in a systemic collapse, from which there will be no recovery, that is, no recovery of the present financial and monetary system.  We have people of limited mental capacity in the Presidency of the United States -- some less than limited -- and we have a great problem.  But in a sense I'm optimistic, because the world has no choice except either go to Hell, or make the kind of radical change in the present monetary, financial and economic policies which I have proposed.  There is no choice. You'll find even in the Bush Administration, more and more post-election emphasis upon economic stimulus. Now I don't think that a Bushie knows what an economic stimulus is, nonetheless, this is the thing. Therefore, what we've proposed in terms of infrastructure, as an infrastructure stimulus, to the U.S. and world economy, is there. COLLAPSE

Stop the Government Plan to Mine our Privacy November 23, 2002 In the last several days, media reports have revealed that a little-known Defense Department office is developing a computer system that would provide government officials with the ability to snoop into all aspects of our private lives without a search warrant or proof of criminal wrongdoing. The Pentagon's new Office of Information Awareness is building a system called "Total Information Awareness" that would effectively provide government officials with immediate access to our personal information: all of our communications (phone calls, emails and web searches), financial records, purchases, prescriptions, school records, medical records and travel history. Under this program, our entire lives would be catalogued and available to government officials. 
 *Law-abiding people should be protected from government snooping.
 *In searching for terrorists, we must not investigate everyone.
 *We must not sacrifice our freedom and liberty in order to prosecute the "War on Terrorism."  As Americans, we have every right to be proud of our constitutional rights and freedoms. And in being proud of these rights, we must make every effort to promote and enlarge our privacy rather then sacrifice it in a time of anxiety and concern aclu.org TAKE ACTION! Send a Free Fax to President Bush! Last updated or verified on November 18, 2002

PM aide called Bush a moron: November 22, 2002 STEPHEN THORNE PM aide called Bush a moron: report OTTAWA -- A top aide Thursday reportedly referred to U.S. President George W. Bush as "a moron." Officials in the Prime Minister's Officer were investigating. Alliance MP Jason Kenney said Canada-U.S. relations have deteriorated to their lowest level in decades. because of the anti-Americanism." The remark was reported by National Post reporter Robert Fife from Prague, where NATO leaders, including Bush and Chretien, are meeting. Fife quoted a PMO official as saying "What a moron." canada.com

Woman Who Allegedly Threatened Bush Appears In Court November 22, 2002 Woman To Face Charges in S.A. ERIE, Penn. -- A former New Braunfels nursing home employee appeared in federal court on Wednesday on charges that she threatened to kill President George W. Bush. Marlene Pierce, who now lives in Erie, Penn., allegedly expressed the threats to Bush to her co-workers on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, authorities said. According to federal prosecutors in San Antonio, Pierce said, "President Bush looks like a sitting duck in Pennsylvania and if I had a gun, I'd shoot his head off." clickonsa.com

Senate Passes Fascist Homeland Security Bill November 22, 2002 - On November 19, the U.S. Senate passed the Homeland Security Act (H.R.5005) 90 to 9 with the understanding that next year both houses will take up 3 minor provisions of the bill that Democrats have objected to as being pork-barrel. The Democrats did not challenge the section for the Orwellian Information Awareness Office -- which conservative columnist William Safire lashed out at as a gross violation of civil liberties -- or the rest of its fascist provisions. The bill guts the Freedom of Information Act, establishes a draconian surveillance system for spying on U.S. citizens, and will terminate many union jobs. The House passed the bill on Nov. 13th. Many people in the U.S., including immigrants, Muslims, and political activists, will not be feeling as safe when they sleep. Previous coverage: Nov 17 [ DC IMC | Total Information Awareness Resource Center | Know Your Rights in the U.S. ]

George Bush: "I do not need to explain why I say things" November  21, 2002 From an interview conducted by Bob Woodward with the US President in Crawford, Texas, for 'The Washington Post'  "I'm the commander, I do not need to explain why I say things. That's the interesting thing about being the President. Maybe somebody needs to explain to me why they say something, but I don't feel like I owe anybody an explanation...." "The vision thing matters. That's another lesson I learnt. See, I think my job is to stay ahead of the moment. A President, I guess, can get so bogged down in the moment that you're unable to be the strategic thinker that you're supposed to be, or at least provoke strategic thought. One of my jobs is to be provocative. Seriously, to provoke people into – to force decisions, and to make sure it's clear in everybody's mind where we're headed. There was a certain rhythm and flow to this, and I was beginning to get a little frustrated. It was just not coming together as quickly as we had hoped. And I was trying to force the issue without compromising safety. I'm the commander... independent.co.uk

Conyers Condemns Today's FISA Court Decision November 21, 2002 Congressman John Conyers, Jr., Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee and Dean of the Congressional Black Caucus, issued the following statement regarding today's decision by a secret appeals court to give the Justice Department broad authority in conducting wiretaps and other surveillance on terrorism suspects within the United States: "The Administration's race down the slippery slope of eroding constitutional safeguards seems to have no end in sight. Today's disappointing decision constitutes an embarrassing step backwards for civil liberties in this country. Piece by piece, this Administration is dismantling the basic rights afforded to every American under the Constitution. "Not only is this a despicable ruling, it is a ruling that was decided in secret behind closed doors. What the public does not know is that the court heard only a one-sided argument by the Justice Department and FBI, which have repeatedly lied and misinformed the lower FISA court when seeking authorizations for secret wiretaps and physical searches. And just this week, the Inspector General of the Justice Department reported there is a double standard of discipline, a lenient one for management and a strict one for employees. truthout.com

Gore Rips Bush On Economy, Terror Fight November 21, 2002 Democrat Says Al-Qaida 'Back At Full Strength' -- Al Gore is attacking President Bush's handling of the war on terrorism and calling his economic plan "a catastrophic failure." Gore says the warlords are back in control in Afghanistan, the Taliban is resurfacing, al-Qaida is back "at full strength," and Osama bin Laden is still threatening the United States. He also says Bush shouldn't be aiming at Iraq before finishing off al-Qaida, and notes that the two are not the same. The former vice president says he still hasn't decided if he'll run against Bush in 2004. But politically, he says Bush has handed the Democrats the issue of the economy.Gore says the administration should start over with tax cuts aimed specifically at the middle class. channeloklahoma.com

Pentagon Drawing Battle Lines with Press November 21, 2002 by Mark Jurkowitz - When Army Times writer Sean Naylor linked up with the 101st Airborne Division in Kandahar to cover the Afghanistan fighting, he found that instead of the traditional practice of being housed with the troops, reporters were ''quarantined'' in media tents. During USA Today reporter Andrea Stone's visits to Guantanamo, Cuba, she was never even allowed within shouting distance of the US-held detainees. And although he was traveling with US forces, San Diego Union-Tribune reporter James Crawley had to scan transcripts of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's Washington briefings to glean any hint of information about the Afghan war-related mission he was covering. Given Afghanistan as an object lesson, the consensus was that Rumsfeld's Pentagon has taken the art of information control to new heights. 'This Pentagon practices, regularly, lack-of-information warfare against the press,'' said Mark Thompson, Time magazine's national-security correspondent. ''Longtime sources in the building that you could call up and visit, they don't want to be called. ... This is a much different place.'' History Channel host Arthur Kent - best known as NBC's ''Scud Stud'' during the 1991 Gulf War - predicted that in the event of another war with Iraq, ''attempts to muzzle us ... are going to be unprecedented.'' commondreams.org

  In First-Ever Ruling, Secret Appeals Court Allows Expanded Government Spying on U.S. Citizens November 20, 2002 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Cyber-Liberties : Government Surveillance WASHINGTON - Ruling for the first time in its history, the ultra-secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review today gave the green light to a Justice Department bid to broadly expand its powers to spy on U.S. citizens. "We are deeply disappointed with the decision, which suggests that this special court exists only to rubberstamp government applications for intrusive surveillance warrants," said Ann Beeson, litigation director of the Technology and Liberty Program of the American Civil Liberties Union. "As of today," she said, "the Attorney General can suspend the ordinary requirements of the Fourth Amendment in order to listen in on phone calls, read e-mails, and conduct secret searches of Americans' homes and offices." At issue is whether the Constitution and the USA PATRIOT Act adopted by Congress after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks permit the government to use looser foreign intelligence standards to conduct criminal investigations in the United States. aclu.org

Environmental laws in crosshairs of Republicans Bush proposals back on agenda  November 20, 2002 Eric Pianin, Helen Dewar -- Suddenly, President Bush's proposals to drill for oil in an Alaskan wilderness, boost energy exploration in the Rockies and consider changes to some major environmental laws are back in play, following the Republicans' resounding success in last week's congressional elections. Nothing illustrates the shift in environmental politics more vividly than the leadership changes about to occur on two key Senate committees. The environment committee's chairmanship is switching from James Jeffords, independent-Vt., a hero to many environmentalists, to James Inhofe, R-Okla., one of their least-liked lawmakers. sfgate.com

Rogue States? America Ought to Know The Hyperpower Sets Its Own Rules November 20, 2002 Phyllis Bennis is a Fellow of the Institute for Policy Studies and author of Calling the Shots: How Washington Dominates Today's UN. Her forthcoming book is Before & After: U.S. Foreign Policy and the Spetember 11th Crisis. We hear a lot about rogue states these days. You know, the rogue states that refuse to ratify important treaties, the ones who refuse to allow international inspections of their weapons of mass destruction, the ones who ignore U.N. resolutions, who violate human rights with impunity and who refuse to sign on to human rights conventions? You know, those rogue states. Let's get down to specifics. What would you call a country that produces the highest levels of dangerous chemicals in the world but abandons key negotiations aimed at reversing global warming? How about a country whose leader blithely announces that he is abandoning a quarter-century old arms control treaty, one the whole world understands to be the key to preventing complete nuclear madness? And what about a government that walks out of talks to enforce the biological weapons treaty because it doesn't want international inspectors peeking at its own weapons production facilities? That same country keeps rejecting human rights treaties, even the ones protecting the rights of children. Sounds pretty roguish, don't you think? Iraq, maybe, or one of those other evil-doers like Iran or North Korea? But oops -- wrong guess. This particular rogue state would be the United States of America. It's hard for most Americans to think of the United States as a rogue state. We're a democracy, after all. Our elections are free and fair (well, some of the time). tompaine.com

Right Wing Court overturns ruling on vets' free lifetime health care November 20, 2002 From Terry Frieden WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A federal appeals court Tuesday ruled that the U.S. government does not owe free lifetime medical care to World War II and Korean War veterans who agreed to serve 20 years in exchange, despite promises made to them when they were in the armed forces. The ruling represents a victory for the federal government, which had argued the veterans were not entitled to the benefits. The ruling will potentially save the government billions of dollars in health care costs.The 9-4 ruling by the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C., overturns a ruling by a three-judge appeals panel in February, 2001, which ruled that the veterans were entitled to the lifetime health care based on the military's promises. cnn.com

You Are a Suspect November 19, 2002 By WILLIAM SAFIRE WASHINGTON — If the Homeland Security Act is not amended before passage, here is what will happen to you: Every purchase you make with a credit card, every magazine subscription you buy and medical prescription you fill, every Web site you visit and e-mail you send or receive, every academic grade you receive, every bank deposit you make, every trip you book and every event you attend — all these transactions and communications will go into what the Defense Department describes as "a virtual, centralized grand database." To this computerized dossier on your private life from commercial sources, add every piece of information that government has about you — passport application, driver's license and bridge toll records, judicial and divorce records, complaints from nosy neighbors to the F.B.I., your lifetime paper trail plus the latest hidden camera surveillance — and you have the supersnoop's dream: a " Total Information Awareness" about every U.S. citizen. This is not some far-out Orwellian scenario. It is what will happen to your personal freedom in the next few weeks if John Poindexter gets the unprecedented power he seeks. Remember Poindexter? Brilliant man, first in his class at the Naval Academy, later earned a doctorate in physics, rose to national security adviser under President Ronald Reagan. He had this brilliant idea of secretly selling missiles to Iran to pay ransom for hostages, and with the illicit proceeds to illegally support contras in Nicaragua. nytimes.com

Secret Court OKs Broad Wiretap Powers November 19, 2002 By Deborah Charles WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In a victory for the Bush administration, a secretive appeals court Monday ruled the U.S. government has the right to use expanded powers to wiretap terrorism suspects under a law adopted after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The ruling was a blow to civil libertarians who say the expanded powers, which allow greater leeway in conducting electronic surveillance and in using information obtained from the wiretaps and searches, jeopardize constitutional rights. In a 56-page ruling overturning a May opinion by the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, the three-judge appeals court panel said the Patriot Act gave the government the right to expanded powers. news.findlaw.com

Over 10,000 Protesters Demand Closing of 'School of Assassins' November 19, 2002 On Sunday, November 17, the second full day of protests, over 10,000 protesters demanded the closing of the Western Hemispheric Institute for Security Cooperation (WHISC) (formerly the School of the Americas). Ninety-six activists engaged in acts of civil disobedience by illegally entering the Ft. Benning Army Base (where the school is located). At least eighty-eight people were arrested, most of them facing jail sentences of up to six months (many of those arrested at last year's protest have had to serve terms in prison). Elsewhere in solidarity actions, there was a march in Nicaragua, and a student strike in El Salvador. The SOA protests have taken place every year since 1990, and have grown considerably in the last few years. Read: entire feature

As arms inspectors arrive, row erupts over US smears November 19, 2002 Helena Smith in Larnaca and Ewen MacAskill Team leader says attacks by hawks 'unhelpful' The United Nations chief weapons inspector, Hans Blix, yesterday accused hawks in Washington, who are bent on going to war with Iraq, of conducting a smear campaign against him. The extent of the tension between Mr Blix and elements of the US administration burst into the open on the day that he led UN weapons inspectors back to Baghdad for the first time in four years to renew their search for chemical, biological and nuclear-related weapons. guardian.co.uk

Bush Homeland Security bill nears passage by US Congress Police-state measure threatens democratic rights 18, November 2002 By the Editorial Board The US House of Representatives voted November 13 to establish a new federal Department of Homeland Security along the lines laid down by the Bush administration. The Senate, still under Democratic Party control in the lame-duck session, began considering the bill Friday, under an expedited procedure that limits debate to 30 hours and insures a final vote by November 20. The Homeland Security bill represents a frontal assault on democratic rights, both in its provisions establishing, for the first time in US history, a centralized federal internal security agency, and in its consequences for workers in the new department, who are being deprived of civil service protection and union rights. wsws.org

Administration Considers Action On Social Security November 18, 2002 By Amy Goldstein Debate Centers on Timing, Political Risks. The White House is interpreting Republican congressional victories in the Nov. 5 midterm elections as a mandate for changes to Social Security that President Bush has long sought. But the administration may be unwilling to devote his political capital to such touchy legislation in the coming year. According to sources in the administration, Congress and conservative interest groups, White House officials have concluded from voters' choices that the changes -- which would for the first time tie a portion of the nation's retirement system to stock market investments -- can be a winning issue. Bush aides have compiled a PowerPoint presentation for advocates and lawmakers showing that several GOP candidates who emphasized Social Security in their campaigns did "best of all," as an administration official put it washingtonpost.com

"Black Voices For Peace" Protests For Media Fairness November 18, 2002 Black Voices For Peace and the Black Voices For Peace Peoples Action launched a Fairness In Media Campaign Friday, November 15, with a protest in front of the Washington Post. The campaign is targeting the Washington Post and other media outlets that have not been fair, balanced and accurate in their reporting on the antiwar movement and the participation of black and other people of color in antiwar activities. indymedia.org

Activists Protest Army School in Georgia November 18, 2002 By Karen Jacobs FORT BENNING, Ga. (Reuters) - Several thousand people gathered outside the gates of this military base on Sunday to protest a U.S. Army school whose graduates they claim are responsible for human rights abuses in Latin America. Carrying signs that said "Stop Training Terrorists" and "Protect Human Rights," activists of various ages and religious backgrounds took part in a peaceful demonstration calling for the closing of the facility formerly known as the School of the Americas. The facility has been constantly criticized by the School of Americas Watch group, which has held yearly protests at Fort Benning since 1990. Local police said 8,000 attended, while protest organizers estimated a crowd of 11,000. At least 96 people were detained by Fort Benning authorities when they crossed over the main gate and entered the base. The organization said about 100 people have served prison sentences for trespassing since its protests began. reuters.com

Baghdad Warns That a US Strike Will Lead It to Hit Back at Israel November 18, 2002 Tariq Aziz, Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister, gave his clearest warning yet yesterday that Baghdad would launch strikes against Israel if it was attacked by Britain and America. Mr Aziz's threat came as he repeated his government's denial that it was developing weapons of mass destruction and said full access would be given to UN weapons inspectors. independent.co.uk

COMMENTARY: November 18, 2002 The US Will Be Legislator, Judge and Executioner The Nato summit in Prague this week will determine the security interests of European countries, including Britain, for decades to come. It will determine what strategic direction they should take. It could determine when European countries go to war and when to keep the peace. These decisions will be made not by sovereign nations but by the United States. guardian.co.uk

The Texas Blueprint for the Stolen Election November 17, 2002 By Charles Knutson, Shortly after the 2000 Election, Greg Palast reported on the Florida Voter Purge. Nearly 60,000 names were on the original lists, and more than a thousand predominantly minority and Democratic voters were wrongly removed from the rolls. The original lists included 8,000 names from Texas of individuals who were wrongly identified as having felony convictions. In May 2001, at the DNC Voting Rights Institute hearings in Florida, it was reported that a similar voter purge had been attempted in Texas, in 1982. A second part of the 1982 Texas scheme included armed law enforcement officials and intimidating signs at minority precincts. A report by Rachel Berry includes a detailed history of the GOP use of this intimidation scheme: The Ballot Security Task Force (BSTF). It was used in the 1981 New Jersey Governors Race. In 1982, as part of a consent decree settlement of a lawsuit (DNC vs RNC) the RNC agreed to never do it again. But the scheme was used again, in Texas -- the very same year. How does this tie into the Florida False Felon Voter Purge of 2000? The BSTF is a recurring strategy, but the felon purge has appeared only twice -- in Texas, 1982 -- and in Florida, 1998-2000. Both events have one thing in common -- Karl Rove. democrats.com

They Brazenly Lie, Without Apology and Without Shame: You Know Who We're Talking About November 17, 2002 A BUZZFLASH EDITORIAL The Homeland Security Department Bill and the Florida Recount 2000: Lessons to be Learned – or Not Learned (as in the Case of the Congressional Democratic Leadership) In late November of 2000, in the midst of the Bush cartel heist of the presidency, BuzzFlash wrote a commentary called “The Bush Hypocrisy Triple Play.” We observed that, in Florida, the Bush Cartel was calling out the media dogs of war against Al Gore, indignantly claiming that Gore was trying to steal the election by:
1. Demanding a hand recount;
2. Standing up for the principle that every vote needed to be counted;
3. Reserving the right to seek court action if the Bush Cartel continued to oppose a recount
Much to Al Gore’s regret, his campaign did not vigorously point out that:
1. As governor of Texas, Bush supported and signed into law a bill requiring a hand recount in just such a case as the close Gore/Bush Florida vote;
2. While denying the right of black and Jewish ballots with technical errors (i.e., Democratic votes) to be included in the vote count – and blaming minorities for not knowing how to vote – the Bush cartel was demanding that all overseas military ballots be counted even if they were in violation of the law in terms of postmark date or were originally disqualified for technical errors;
3. Seeking to use the assured protection offered by Tony “the Fixer” Scalia, the Bush Cartel went to court first, filing a request for Federal Judges to stop the vote count. It should be noted that the Bush Cartel requests for Federal relief were turned down at every level, until Uncle Tony pulled Junior’s butt out of the frying pan, with the oddly blatant order to stop the recount in order not to damage the “reputation” of the presumptive winner George W. Bush. buzzflash.com

Bush may consider new nuclear tests Nov. 17, 2002 Dan Stober and Jonathan Landay Groundwork is laid to update weapons. WASHINGTON - The Bush administration is laying the groundwork for the resumption of nuclear testing and the development of new nuclear weapons, according to a memo obtained by Knight Ridder. The memorandum circulated recently to members of the Nuclear Weapons Council, a high-level government body that sets policy for nuclear weapons, urges the U.S. nuclear weapons laboratories to assess the technical risks associated with maintaining the U.S. arsenal without nuclear testing, which President Bush's father halted in 1992. In addition, the memo suggests that the United States take another look at conducting small nuclear tests, a policy rejected by the Clinton administration. azcentral.com

Argentina defaults on loan to World Bank Nov. 17, 2002  By Bill Vann Argentina defaulted Thursday on an $805 million debt to the World Bank. The decision by the government of President Eduardo Duhalde not to meet the payment came amid reports of child starvation and other signs of social disintegration within the country and increasing tensions in its negotiations with the International Monetary Fund. The World Bank responded with a notice that it would halt any new loans and stop payments on $2 billion in old ones by next month unless Argentina made good on its debt payments. Included in the money to be held back is a $600 million in social loans that the country was to receive next week. wsws.org

Bush plans to privatize jobs November 16, 2002 By Edwin Chen Los Angeles Times WASHINGTON - President Bush plans to allow the private sector to compete for nearly half the nation's 1.8 million federal civilian jobs, the White House said Thursday, a move that enraged labor unions and their Democratic allies in Congress. As many as 850,000 workers -- covering a wide range of both white- and blue-collar jobs -- could be affected, according to the White House Office of Management and Budget. "We're talking about every imaginable type of job: military logistics and support, information technology, data collection, people who work in OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration], in mine safety," said Jacqueline Simon, public policy director of the 600,000-member American Federation of Government Employees, the largest federal employees union. Other jobs subject to privatization under Bush's plan include mapmakers, computer programmers, engineers, landscapers, park-fee collectors, road builders and lens- and eyeglass-makers, said Trent Duffy, an OMB spokesman. High-ranking government jobs will not be affected, the administration said. dfw.com

Wealthy Seniors Coalition attacks Al Gore for Supporting Government-Run Socialized Medicine Program Nov.16, 2002 By the Editor -- Today The Seniors Coalition, the nation's leading "free-market" right wing senior advocacy organization which represents four million wealthy members, attacked former Vice President Al Gore for advocating a government-run healthcare system more progressive than the one he helped design during the his administration. Gores approach, which a tiny minority of wealthy seniors, the corporate media, and a republican dominated Congress have repeatedly rejected is the only plan put forward that will definitely provide all Americans with quality medical care.  thepeoplesvoice.org