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The Big Bush Social Security Lie

Medical evacuations in Iraq war hit 18,000 March 31, 2004 By Mark Benjamin  (UPI) n the first year of war in Iraq, the military has made 18,004 medical evacuations during Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Pentagon's top health official told Congress Tuesday. washtimes.com

Robert Fisk: "Most Of The People Dying In Iraq Are Iraqis" March 31, 2004 Listen to: Segment / Show / Watch 128k stream Veteran Middle East correspondent Robert Fisk reports live from Baghdad. Fisk describes the "grotesque, gruesome, terrible" attacks in Fallujah, the contracted mercenaries that have infiltrated Iraq: "They swagger in and out with heavy weapons, with automatic weapons and pistols as if they're cowboys" and the deteriorating situation throughout the country: "The violence and the insecurity, the sense of anarchy is greater." [includes rush transcript] democracynow.org

Fmr. FBI Translator: White House Had Intel On Possible Airplane Attack Pre-9/11 March 31, 2004 Listen to: Segment / Show / Watch 128k stream FBI translator, Sibel Edmonds, who was hired shortly after Sept. 11 to translate intelligence gathered over the previous year related to the 9/11 attacks. She says the FBI had information that an attack using airplanes was being planned before Sept. 11 and calls Condoleezza Rice's claim the White House had no specific information on a domestic threat or one involving planes "an outrageous lie." [includes rush transcript] democracynow.org

We can win a peaceful world! March 31, 2004 By John Pilger Let us be clear on the facts of what happened one year ago on March 20. The United States, aided by Britain and Australia, attacked a sovereign country, unprovoked, and in breach of the most basic principles of international law. By the most conservative estimates, up to 55,000 people were killed, including at least 10,000 civilians, a figure confirmed this week by Amnesty International. More than 1000 children are killed or injured in Iraq every month by exploding cluster bombs, left by the US and British forces. According to the Uranium Medical Research Centre, the main cities of Iraq are poisoned with radiation from uranium-tipped shells and missiles, fired by the US and British soldiers. greenleft.org

The First Bush War March 31, 2004 Now the questions turn to the rationale for desert storm. Since so many of the people involved in preparations for the war against Iraq (Cheney, Powell, and Wolfowitz being the most prominent) worked in the first Bush administration and had a hand in crafting Desert Storm in 1991, there is renewed speculation as to whether that war was a put-up job by Bush senior. villagevoice.com

THE "FREE MARKET" SCAM  March 31, 2004 The whole idea of a "free market" is little more than a scam perpetrated on the public in order for those Few who control the wealth to take advantage of the many who work for a living. These Few are supported by an elaborate system of government sycophants whom they manipulate by means of campaign financing, and corporate media toadies whom they influence through ownership, advertising revenues and control of corporate media board seats. Executives who run the government and corporate media on behalf of the Few live largely in denial of their purpose, often deluded enough to believe they serve the public interest. luvsite.org

No Lie Zone RICE 'N BALONEY March 30, 2004 By Ted Lang President George W. Bush's National Security advisor, Dr. Condoleezza Rice, is falsely claiming "executive privilege" and offering her principled approach to government service that precludes setting a bad precedent for a good president.  Yet, no weapons of mass destruction have been found to corroborate President Bush's claims to Congress and the American people that he needed war powers to set the first-time ever precedent of attacking a defenseless nation that neither attacked US or ever harmed US, or even intended to harm US. thepeoplesvoice.org

Why won’t Condoleezza Rice give open, sworn testimony on 9/11? March 30 2004 By Bill Van Auken President Bush’s National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice appeared on the CBS News program “60 Minutes” Sunday night to reiterate the US administration’s rejection of growing demands that she testify publicly and under oath before the national commission formed to investigate the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. wsws.org

This Isn't America March 30, 2004 By PAUL KRUGMAN Last week an opinion piece in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz about the killing of Sheik Ahmed Yassin said, "This isn't America; the government did not invent intelligence material nor exaggerate the description of the threat to justify their attack." So even in Israel, George Bush's America has become a byword for deception and abuse of power. And the administration's reaction to Richard Clarke's "Against All Enemies" provides more evidence of something rotten in the state of our government. nytimes.com

White House Whitewash March 30, 2004 A conflict of interest at the heart of the US 9/11 Commission hearings has been exposed by the families of the Twin Towers victims. By Neil Mackay ANDREW Rice is angry with George Bush. His brother David was 31 years old when he died as United Airlines Flight 175 ploughed into the south tower of the World Trade Centre where David worked as a financier with the investment firm Sandler O’Neill. Andrew doesn’t buy the rhetoric from the White House that Bush is a great war president who can make America stronger and safer. To Andrew, Bush is a charlatan making a mockery out of the deaths of his brother and the some 3000 other men, women and children who died on September 11, 2001. sundayherald.com

911 Was Not An Attack It Was Murder March 30, 2004 Jim Kirwin On that morning, after air traffic control knew that the aircraft had been hijacked, and especially after the first plane hit the towers - US Air Force fighter aircraft should have immediately been scrambled (sent to intercept the remaining hijacked planes). What was taking place had to have appeared on dozens of radarscopes in both the New York and Washington areas. Once the planes had been identified as the planes that had been taken over by unknown hijackers, the chain of command would have automatically been engaged with requests for decisions as to how to respond. Simultaneously, messages should have come from NORAD headquarters to the White House, or Air Force One - wherever the president was at the time - requesting orders for what the fighters should do regarding the potentially hostile aircraft. Yet instead of plopping his ass in front of a video monitor for a teleconference with his air defense chiefs, as well as the Joint Chiefs of Staff (which would have been done under any hostile attack situation) - Bush kept reading to a bunch of second-graders in Florida for an additional twenty minutes, after the first plane hit. rense.com

Israel, A Malignant Tumor Onto The World March 30, 2004 By Manuel Valenzuela "Anti-occupation, anti-apartheid and anti-dehumanization is not anti-Semitism nor anti-Israel. Pro-peace, pro-human rights and pro-freedom is not pro-Palestinian. The power of freedom is pointing out when it is being denied. The search for justice and equality comes not from hiding from fear of criticism but rather from taking the road less traveled up the mountain of truth." -Manuel Valenzuela. rense.com

WITH ALL DUE RESPECT March 29, 2004 By Sheila Samples The Las Vegas Sun is reporting today that the new Hamas leader, Abdel Aziz Rantisi, just announced that God has declared war against Bush and Ariel Sharon. Rantisi, speaking at Gaza's Islamic University, said he was not surprised that the United States vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning Israel's assassination on Monday of Hamas spiritual leader Sheik Ahmed Yassin. In an astonishing  "Rumsfeldesque" proclamation, Rantisi said, "...America declared war against God. Sharon declared war against God and God declared war against America, Bush and Sharon.  The war of God continues against them..." Have mercy! thepeoplesvoice.org

White House aide touts free trade despite job loss March 29, 2004 (Reuters) Free trade is the best formula for economic growth, despite job losses caused by U.S. companies moving work overseas, chief White House economic adviser Stephen Friedman said on Monday. "There are always folks that are going to be caught in a bad spot," Friedman said when asked about outsourcing of jobs following a speech to the Detroit Economic Club. reuters.com

A Town's Future Is Leaving the Country March 29, 2004 By David Streitfeld The 1,500 residents of Clintwood learn the meaning of outsourcing the hard way. CLINTWOOD, Va. — This remote Appalachian town doesn't get many visitors, but every day it sends thousands of travelers on their way. If you buy an airline ticket off the Travelocity website and need to call with a change or a question, the phone rings here. The Travelocity call center brought 250 jobs to a community wounded by the decline of coal mining, its mainstay for a century. It plugged the town's 1,500 residents into the global high-tech economy, offering the prospect of a secure future. That illusion crumbled last month when Travelocity fired Clintwood, saying it would close the call center by year-end and move all the jobs to India. latimes.com

Gangsters in the White House March 29, 2004 There are gangsters in the White House. Whenever the Bush Administration gets criticized, it responds like Tony Soprano, and Bush's capos put a hit out on whoever dares to question the don. That's the way it was when Paul O'Neill, Bush's former Treasury Secretary, said Bush wanted to go to war against Iraq way before 9/ll. Within hours, the Bush goons were threatening O'Neill with prosecution for allegedly publicizing classified information. That's the way it was when former ambassador Joseph Wilson went public with his account of how the Bush Administration played up the false story of uranium in Niger. And that's the way it is today, with Bush surrogates unloading on Richard Clarke, the counterintelligence pro who has leveled two serious charges against the Administration. progressive.org

Anti-Defamation League America's Most Powerful Hate Group March 29, 2004 The Anti-Defamation League is the longest running and most powerful hate group in the United States with 29 offices domestically and 3 offices abroad. They bring in over $40 million a year to combat free speech and the right of ethnic minorities to defend themselves from bigotry (including Black Muslims, Arabs, and Euro-Americans). The Anti-Defamation League was created in 1913 by the racist secret society known as B'nai B'rith. This organization, which exists today excludes people based on their ethnic background and religion. It is exclusively restricted to powerful Jews who believe in racial superiority. ety.com

Outsourcing - the worst of Crony Capitalism March 28, 2004 If you want to understand politics, you better educate yourself about crony capitalism. Free enterprise is the engine of wealth creation, but the merging of an economy into State / Capitalism is the formula for companion elitism. Companions in control is the method of globalism. The goal is uncomplicated. Globalism = no middle class anywhere on the planet . . . Increases in productivity produce affluence, but distributing enhanced profits is seldom shared proportionately. As a principle of private property, ye who owns the gold, makes the rules. batr.org

Most U.S. Companies Plan More Outsourcing-Survey March 28, 2004 (Reuters) - Most U.S. companies plan to outsource more of its back-office functions overseas where labor is cheaper, despite a public relations backlash and weaker prospects for cost savings, according to a survey of 182 companies released on Friday. About 86 percent of U.S. companies plan to increase the use of offshore outsourcing firms, according to a poll by Chicago-based management consulting firm DiamondCluster International. reuters.com

US troops 'shoot three-year-old boy' March 28, 2004 US forces fired on a civilian car in Tikrit, killing a three-year old boy and wounding six women and children as well as their male driver, Iraqi police and relatives have said. theage.com

White House Trying to Explain Rice Policy March 27, 2004 By TERENCE HUNT, AP White House Correspondent WASHINGTON Condoleezza Rice says the Bush administration has a good story to tell about fighting terrorism and she's pouring it out in television appearances, interviews and newspaper articles. The one place she won't talk is in public, under oath, before the independent commission investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. news.yahoo.com

Condoleezza Rice's Credibility Gap March 27, 2004 A point-by-point analysis of how one of America's top national security officials has a severe problem with the truth Pre-9/11 Intelligence CLAIM: "I don't think anybody could have predicted that they would try to use an airplane as a missile, a hijacked airplane as a missile." – National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, 5/16/02   FACT: On August 6, 2001, the President personally "received a one-and-a-half page briefing advising him that Osama bin Laden was capable of a major strike against the US, and that the plot could include the hijacking of an American airplane." Download: DOC, RTF, PDF / americanprogress.org

Kerry Slams White House Attack on Clarke March 27, 2004 By NEDRA PICKLER "If Condoleezza Rice can find time to do `60 Minutes' on television before the American people, she ought to find 60 minutes to speak to the commission under oath," Kerry told reporters. "We're talking about the security of our country." story.news.yahoo.com

Kerry: WMD `joke' no laughing matter March 27, 2004 By David R. Guarino and Noelle Straub Sen. John F. Kerry last night criticized President Bush for poking fun at his administration's inability to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq during a media dinner known for its biting humor. ``If George Bush thinks his deceptive rationale for going to war is a laughing matter, then he's even more out of touch than we thought,'' Kerry said in a statement issued to the press. bostonherald.com

People killing people – or how I learned to despise Bush and all he stands for March 27, 2004 Columnist Others than think as they want, but as far as this American is concerned, Bush is quite possibly the most horrendous excuse for a leader there has ever been.  Initially, during the previous campaign, the writer just thought Bush a rich, spoiled brat that had gotten out of trouble, into business (all failed), and had the governorship of Texas bought for him by his daddy. lewisnews.com

Israel blocking aid, food to Gaza  March 27, 2004 UNITED NATIONS The United Nations on Friday said Israel was blocking the movement of staff and supplies into the Gaza Strip, which may mean an end to some crucial aid programmes for Palestinian residents. hipakistan.com

W. Va. Sen. on Iraq: 'My Vote Was Wrong' March 27, 2004 CHARLESTON, W.Va. U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller regrets his vote to authorize a war against Iraq "If I had known then what I know now, I would have voted against it," Rockefeller, D-W.Va., said Friday. "I have admitted that my vote was wrong." yahoo.com

Greenhouse gas level hits record high March 27, 2004 NewScientist.com The level of the major greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, in the Earth's atmosphere has hit a record high, US government scientists have reported. The new data from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration also suggest that the rate of increase of the gas may have accelerated in the last two years. Carbon dioxide emissions, mainly from burning fossil fuels, are thought to be a principle cause of global warming. newscientist.com

Native American Indian Prophecies March 27, 2004 And He said "During the cycle of time I'm going to give each of you two stone tablets. When I give you those stone tablets, don't cast them on the ground. If any of the brothers and sisters of the four directions and the four colors cast their tablets on the ground, not only, will human beings have a hard time, but almost the earth itself will die." thetruthseeker.co.uk

The People Want to Know! WHAT REALLY HAPPENED! March 26, 2004 By Ted Lang The People Want to Know! WHAT REALLY HAPPENED! Every professional analyst approaches a problem badly in need of a solution in usually the same way; step one would be to clearly define the problem. If it is an easily identified problem, such as the 9-11 terrorist act, then the description of the problem can be incorporated directly into step two in analyzing a problem or a failure: a clear definition of the investigation's objective or objectives.  With this in mind, let US hypothesize that We the People are conducting an in depth professional investigation of the events summarized merely as "9-11." thepeoplesvoice.org

9/11 Hearings: Fmr Counterterror Chief Clarke Blasts Bush on 9/11 Saying "Your Government Failed You" March 26, 2004 Listen to: Segment / Show / Watch 128k stream  ROEMER: You urge policy-makers to imagine a day after hundreds of Americans lay dead at home or abroad after a terrorist attack and ask themselves what else they could have done. You write this on September the 4th, seven days before September 11th. CLARKE: That's right. ROEMER: What else could have been done, Mr. Clarke? democracynow.org

How to Destroy America March 26, 2004 By Frosty Wooldridge During the conference, speaker after speaker astounded the audience with facts on how fast the present administration and Congress continue dismantling the American Dream for average citizens. Mr. Rob Sanchez of Arizona showed how H1-B and L-1 visas have ripped one million high tech jobs out of American worker's hands. Another speaker told a packed audience how "offshoring" and "outsourcing," fully supported by the president and Congress have cost over three million American jobs in the past six years. His prediction was even more depressing: "In excess of three million more jobs will be 'outsourced' within four years. Those American jobs are headed to Mexico, India, China, Pakistan and Brazil." frontpagemag.com

9/11 Hearings: Clarke Details Controversial Post-Sept. 11 Saudi Flight March 26, 2004 Listen to: Segment / Show / Watch 128k stream  Richard Clarke describes the events surrounding the evacuation of dozens of Saudis days after 9/11 when all commercial and private flights were grounded. CLARKE: But I have asked since: Were there any individuals on that flight that in retrospect the FBI wishes they could have interviewed in this country. And the answer I've been given is no, that there was no one who left on that flight who the FBI now wants to interview. ROEMER: Despite the fact that we don't know if Dale Watson interviewed them in the first place. CLARKE: I don't think they were ever interviewed in this country. ROEMER: So they were not interviewed here. democracynow.org

Condoleezza Rice Threatens Jamaica Over Aristide March 26, 2004 Listen to: Segment / Show / Watch 128k stream RANDALL ROBINSON: The French and American troops are standing by while the summary executions are carried out. The Mayor, Jean Charles Moise of the town of Miro, which is very near Cap-Haitien, is in hiding now, and he has said that at least 50 people are killed by the thugs in Cap-Haitien a day now. All of this done with the sufferance with the French and American troops. AMY GOODMAN: How do you know Randall Robinson that Condolezza Rice is the one who’s applying pressure to Jamaica to expel the Aristides. RANDALL ROBINSON: My source in the White House named Condoleezza Rice. democracynow.org

SILENT GENOCIDE March 26, 2004 By Robert C. Koehler "After the Americans destroyed our village and killed many of us, we also lost our houses and have nothing to eat. However, we would have endured these miseries and even accepted them, if the Americans had not sentenced us all to death." This will not be easy to read, especially if you've projected evil out of your own heart...tmsfeatures.com

He served in Iraq, loses job back home March 26, 2004 By Ray Rivera Dana Beaudine was wounded in a mortar attack near the town of Basra in Iraq. But after he came home a decorated war veteran, he found himself facing a fight of another kind. seattletimes.nwsource.com

Two Bills Now Pending To Bring Back The Draft March 26, 2004 H. R. 163 and S. 89 - To provide for the common defense by requiring that all young persons in the United States, including women, perform a period of military service or a period of civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security, and for other purposes. www.congress.gov

In Rare Video, Hamas Military Issues Warning To Israel March 26, 2004 GMT The tape showed two masked men standing behind five tall rockets, the kind of missile that Hamas guerrillas use to hit Israeli towns. One of the men is reading a statement. "Oh, masses of our Arab and Islamic nation, the sons of the struggling and steadfast Palestinian people in Palestine," the statement said, "the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades promise you that they will carry out a strong, earthshaking response and make the sons of monkeys and pigs taste a painful death in retaliation for the blood of our struggling people and the blood of our leaders, at the top of whom is the holy warrior and martyr Sheik Ahmed Yassin, may God have mercy on him." dowjonesnews.com

Calls for calm as the world condemns Israeli action March 26, 2004 By Jonathan Brown The assassination of the Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin provoked widespread condemnation from world leaders amid predictions of a new cycle of violence in the Middle East and calls for calm. Only the United States fell short of outright criticism of the attack. independent.co.uk

Fierce Taliban Attack Kills 17 Coalition Forces, Warning Issued March 26, 2004 By Zafir Jamaal In Shekin area of Barmal, the Taliban have waged a deadly attack against Coalition forces. Seventeen Coalition forces were killed when three vehicles en route to the Pak-Afghan border were attacked by Taliban with rockets and GM-3 guns at 4 am Tuesday morning. Those killed were Afghan and Americans however the exact breakdown of each nationality is not yet known. The attack was very fierce and the three vehicles were completely destroyed. Helicopters fly patrols over the area following the incident in search of the attackers. jihadunspun.com

County calls out Diebold execs March 26, 2004 Registrar warns Texas company that it failed to perform under its contract for voting equipment March 26, 2004 By Ian Hoffman Alameda County Registrar of Voters Bradley J. Clark wrote a letter Monday invoking the performance clause of the county's $12.7 million contract. He demanded Diebold deliver within 10 days a written plan to correct multiple problems, foremost of which was forcing the county to use poorly tested, uncertified voter-card encoders that broke down in 200 polling places March 2. Diebold executives agreed to a meeting today. The company did not respond to inquiries Tuesday. timesstar.com

"Yet another former Bush administration cabal member steps up to the microphones"

Cabal Babble A REAL INVESTIGATION NEEDED! March 25, 2004 By Ted Lang Recall the Bush administration's concerted effort to discredit former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill when he revealed that attacking Iraq unilaterally in the absence of any provocation was number one on President George W. Bush's agenda?  Remember the outrage displayed by members of Bush's secret government, and how they tried to belittle O'Neill's accusation as being merely a vengeful and childish act to retaliate against the Bush administration because they fired him? thepeoplesvoice.org

9/11 hearings ignore political, historical issues behind terrorist attacks March 25, 2004 The pubic hearings conducted Tuesday and Wednesday by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States made clear that the bipartisan panel is engaged in a cover-up of the fundamental questions surrounding the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. wsws.org

Bush Ship of State Hits Iceberg - Republicans Jumping Ship March 25, 2004 The Bush regime has taken another serious hit after former White House counterterrorism coordinator, Richard Clarke became the latest insider to reveal just how dishonestly the present administration behaved both before and after 9/11. indymedia.org

Terror experts 'almost quit' in frustration with Bush March 25, 2004 By Rupert Cornwell The Bush administration's failure to prevent the 11 September attacks came under even fiercer scrutiny yesterday, when it emerged that two veteran CIA counter-terrorism experts were so frustrated in summer 2001 that they considered resigning and making public their fears about an imminent terrorist strike against US targets. independent.co.uk

Here's Why Condi Rice Won't Testify Under Oath Before the 9/11 Commission: March 25, 2004 She Can't Handle the Truth. Bush Did Nothing to Prevent 9/11 Hijackings. The Source of this Allegation: Condi Rice. It's an open and shut case, courtesy of Condi Rice. Once again, reminding the Pro-Bush American mainstream press that we need look no further than Condi Rice for proof that Bush failed to try and prevent 9/11, even though he was warned of a possible imminent attack in August of 2001. buzzflash.com

Medicare official tells of 'unethical' Bush administration effort to keep information from Congress March 25, 2004 AP WASHINGTON A top Medicare official told Congress Wednesday he had considered quitting to protest what he called an unethical Bush administration effort to stop him from telling lawmakers the cost of Medicare legislation. Medicare actuary Richard Foster told the House Ways and Means Committee that he stayed to fight what he called "inappropriate" decisions to keep Congress from finding out his cost estimates were more than $100 billion higher than theirs. billingsgazette.com

Pentagon Finds Iraq Deals Riddled with Problems March 25, 2004 By Sue Pleming A report by the Defense Department's inspector general has found major problems with some of the early contracts to rebuild Iraq.  According to the report on the inspector general's Web site, procurement rules were not followed in 22 of 24 deals awarded by the military on behalf of the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority in Baghdad and its now-defunct Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA). yahoo.com

Democrats in Senate win showdown on overtime rules GOP majority fails to halt reopening of debate March 25, 2004 AP WASHINGTON Senate Democrats won a showdown yesterday in their efforts to force an election-year battle with the administration on overtime pay for white collar workers. Republicans lost their attempt to sidestep Democratic efforts to reopen debate on proposed revisions to the rules governing overtime pay. Republicans urged Democrats to drop the overtime issue, arguing that any delay in passing the corporate tax cut could mean job losses. baltimoresun.com

Franciscans and other religious treated like illegal immigrants March 25, 2004 For the first time in over 50 years, Israel’s government has refused to renew visas belonging to some one hundred nuns, priests and other religious. Now the  Holy Land Custodian Spokesman is appealing to Churches around the world for moral and legal support. Jerusalem  (AsiaNews) – There has never been a crisis of the sort in the 56 years of Israel's existence as Church clergy and personnel are deprived of visas to remain in the country. asianews

'An act of bestiality' March 25, 2004 Casablanca, Morocco - A leader of Morocco's Jewish community on Wednesday condemned the "arrogant" killing by Israel of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the spiritual leader of Hamas, calling it "an act of bestiality" driven by state terrorism. news24.com

ISRAEL: WE'LL KILL THEM ALL March 25, 2004 By Mark Dowdney ISRAEL'S assassination squads were yesterday ordered to kill all of Hamas's leaders. Premier Ariel Sharon and his ministers decided to step up executions after a five hour security meeting. Israel is braced for a wave of terrorist attacks by Hamas after it assassinated the group's founder and spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin on Monday. The Israeli government has decided not to wait for an Arab counter attack but hunt down the rest of terrorist group Hamas chiefs first. mirror.co.uk

"the people of the United States in this horrendous crime"

Woes of Sharon DRAGGING US DOWN! March 24, 2004 By Ted Lang It is becoming increasingly clear that Islamic terrorists targeted US on 9-11 in retaliation for our financial, military and political support of Israel.  Instead of proceeding against the suspected terrorists with maximum force and strike capability directed at al-Qaeda forces in their hideouts and caves in Afghanistan, we allowed the likes of Richard Perle, Paul Wolfowitz, Donald Rumsfeld and other Zionists to trick US into unjustly turning America's vengeance on Iraq. thepeoplesvoice.org

President George Bush and the Gilded Age March 24, 2004 Yoshi Tsurumi (Professor of International Business, Baruch College, the City University of New York ) Something really strange has happened to the U.S. under the Bush Administration. With her ever bulging budget deficits and foreign debts, America's skewed income distribution is rapidly making the U.S. resemble Argentina or Mexico. The "Jobless Recovery" is not a political mirage, but a serious problem. America's GDP is increasing at an annual rate of about 4.0% this year. But, only those Wall Street "money gamers" and self-dealing "management aristocrats" of Corporate America are dizzy with their huge bonuses, padded salaries, and self-dealt stock options. The remaining hard working Americans cannot eat "GDP." The U.S. has widening income gap between a few "haves" and many "have-nots." glocom.org

The Butchers of American Jobs March 24, 2004 By Anonymous The goal of these anti-protectionists and free trade activists has been evident from the beginning. They say everything will be "cheap." They say it will create jobs. Well, "free trade" has been around for over thirty years and the American unemployment today is nearing Great Depression levels of fifteen million. As President Mckinley once said: "Sure, everything would be cheap and everybody would be cheap... It is the badge of poverty... And when things were the cheapest men were the poorest... sianews.com

"The White House Has Played Cover-Up" March 24, 2004 Former 9/11 Commission Member Max Cleland Blasts Bush   Listen to: Segment / Watch 128k stream The independent commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks is holding public hearings today with testimony by top Bush administration officials. We speak with former commission member Max Cleland who was the chief critic of the White House's lack of cooperation in the investigation. [includes rush transcript] democracynow.org

9/11 White House Tailspin March 24, 2004 One day after counterterrorism expert Richard Clarke's well-documented criticism of the Bush Administration's lackadaisical attitude towards terrorism, the White House is deploying top officials in a vicious barrage of personal attacks on a man with 30 years of public service under four Presidents. The attacks reveal the vicious tactics this Administration uses to intimidate and threaten truth-tellers americanprogress.org

A War (At Any Cost) President  March 24, 2004 Ehsan Ahrari, Ph.D Soon after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States, President George W. Bush created a litmus test for his presidency along the following line: that he should be judged as a "war president" in the global "war on terrorism." He reminded the nation of that template on Feb. 8, in an hour-long interview on NBC's program "Meet the Press," by referring to himself as a "war president" 31 times. tompaine.com

United Nations report: Israeli forces have inflicted a “reign of terror” March 24, 2004 By Jean Shaoul A recent report by John Dugard, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights’ Special Rapporteur, stated that Israeli forces had “inflicted a reign of terror upon innocent Palestinians in the course of their assassinations of militants in densely populated towns, their destruction of homes, and their random firing in built up areas—not to mention the methodical intimidation and humiliation of civilians at checkpoints.” wsws.org

Kerry rebuffs Venezuela's Chavez March 24, 2004 CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) -- U.S. Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry has attacked Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez as a dubious democrat hostile to U.S. interests, delivering a slap in the face to the leftist leader who had portrayed Kerry as a potential friend. cnn.com

Chomsky backs 'Bush-lite' Kerry March 24, 2004 Matthew Tempest Noam Chomsky, the political theorist and leftwing guru, yesterday gave his reluctant endorsement to the Democratic party's presidential contender, John Kerry, calling him "Bush-lite", but a "fraction" better than his rival. guardian.co.uk

BUSH ADMINISTRATON: Arrogance is appalling March 24, 2004 Usually, I get a big chuckle out of Ann Coulter's column. She rants and raves at Democrats and liberals with such animosity that it is obvious that she must be in great pain. jacksonville.com

US soldier refuses to return to Iraq March 24, 2004 By Jeff Riley A Florida National Guard soldier returned to his base of deployment at Fort Stewart, Georgia, to face charges for desertion after refusing to return to duty in Iraq to serve as, in his words, “an instrument of violence” in an “oil-driven war.” The incident has provoked disquiet within the military establishment, feeding concern over the morale of US occupation troops. wsws.org

"The synonym of nitwit is "fool," or a "simple-witted person." When used as a verb, fool means to "trick, dupe or delude."

It Takes a Nitwit March 23, 2004 By Sheila Samples "The fight is between civilization and terror," Bush said, interrupting his two-year mantra to ominously remind Spain and Poland there is no neutral ground between the two. "NO neutral ground between good and evil." he repeated, and paused, allowing the sharp edge of his "you're either with us or you're with the terrorists" doctrine to sink in amidst the applause. What does it take to admonish other world leaders it is their duty to fight terror stirred up by deadly, reckless action based on deliberate lies?  Courage? Does it take courage to call Spain cowardly because it heeded the cries of 91-percent of its population and called a stop to drinking from the cup of madness -- courage to sneer at Poland, who rightfully resents being "misled" into war, and recoils at further sacrifice of its citizens? No. It takes a nitwit. thepeoplesvoice.org

White House favors delay in mercury-cleanup goal March 23, 2004 AP Putting off effort to 2018, letting plants trade rights to pollute called options. The Bush administration is leaning toward stretching out a cleanup until 2018 and letting some power plants buy their way out of reducing their emissions. baltimoresun.com

Burning Books Before They Are Written March 23, 2004 By Laura Dawn Lewis House Resolution 3077 Passed the House…Will the Senate Save our First Amendment, or will debate in our Universities become the Occupied Territory of a foreign government? couplescompany.com

World stock markets fall sharply March 23, 2004 Major world stock markets have dropped sharply after Israel's killing of a leading Palestinian militant and amid concern at political tension in Taiwan. Analysts said investors were also acting on indications that the pace of global economic recovery was slowing. These worries sapped the dollar further against all major currencies except the Japanese yen. New York's Dow Jones index closed on Monday 1.2% lower, while Europe's main markets closed down 2-3%. news.bbc

Assassinating Sheikh Yassin Sharon Edges Closer to World War March 23, 2004 By GILAD ATZMON Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin was murdered at daybreak on Monday. Israel Air Force helicopters fired missiles at the car carrying the wheelchair-bound head of the Islamic group as he left a mosque near his house in Gaza City. It also appears Ariel Sharon was in direct command of the assassination operation, not entirely surprising considering his bloody history. For those who fail to realise, today's barbaric Israeli act is an open call for a world war. It is the final wake up call for every Muslim around the world. It is violent proof that Israel isn't only against the Palestinians but rather against Islam. counterpunch.org

The Clear Channel Controversy, One Year On (Why Howard Stern’s Woes Are Your Woes, Too) March 23, 2004 By Maureen Farrell Clear Channel, Howard Stern, the Bush Cartel, and the De Facto Emergnece of a Government Aligned Media. Sounds Like the Soviet Union, Doesn't It? or Franco's Spain? Or, Well, You Know....("For Whom the Bell Tolls") buzzflash.com

The Peace Candidate: Kucinich Vows to Stay in Race March 23, 2004 Listen to: Segment / Watch 128k stream Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich explains why is staying in the race for his party's nomination. He talks about the continuing war in Iraq, the 9-11 commission and Israel's assasination of Sheik Ahmed Yassin in Gaza. Only one presidential candidate attended one of the mass protests marking the one-year anniversary of the beginning of the US invasion of Iraq. It wasn't George W Bush and it wasn't John Kerry. It was Ohio Congressmember Dennis Kucinich. He addressed more than 100, 000 people at the large protest in New York City on Saturday. democracynow.org

Welcome to Armageddon March 23, 2004 By Miles Harvey A joint investigation by Salon and Rolling Stone reveals why the Bush administration hasn't found any weapons of mass destruction: It's looking in the wrong place. salon.com

Sex claims pursue Schwarzenegger March 23, 2004 Dan Glaister Allegations of sexual harassment against Arnold Schwarzenegger which were made during last year's campaign for the governorship of California resurfaced yesterday. guardian.co.uk

"outsourcing our own middle class"

Outsourcing America's Middle Class WEAKENING AMERICA! March 22, 2004 By Ted Lang The growing debate over the burgeoning economic problem of job outsourcing is taking on some odd characteristics.  If there is one dimension of the situation that is positively negative, it's the complexity of the problem itself.  But even more perplexing, is the proffered solution by the anarcho-capitalist economics camp.  Their solution is to simply get government out of the job outsourcing question itself.  These anarchists offer that government is the problem and that if the free market were simply left to its own devices devoid of government meddling, the problem would solve itself and go away. thepeoplesvoice.org

'Bush ignored the al-Qa'ida threat before 11 September' March 22, 2004 By Rupert Cornwell A veteran White House anti-terrorism official has accused President George Bush of ignoring the threat from al-Qa'ida before 11 September 2001 ­ and then at once seeking to hold Iraq responsible, despite being told by intelligence advisers that Iraq had nothing to do with the attacks. news.independent.co.uk

Bush used 9/11 for own agenda, ex-official says March 22, 2004 By TED BRIDIS AP On the evening of Sept. 12, 2001, according to a newly published memoir, President Bush wandered alone around the Situation Room in a White House emptied by the previous day's calamitous events. Spotting Richard A. Clarke, his counterterrorism coordinator, Bush pulled him and a small group of aides into the dark paneled room. "Go back over everything, everything," Bush said, according to Clarke's account. "See if Saddam did this." "But Mr. President, al-Qaida did this," Clarke replied. "I know, I know, but ... see if Saddam was involved. Just look. I want to know any shred." Reminded that the CIA, FBI and White House staffs had sought and found no such link before, Clarke said, Bush spoke "testily." As he left the room, Bush said a third time, "Look into Iraq, Saddam." For Clarke, then in his 10th year as a top White House official, that day marked the transition from neglect to folly in the Bush administration's stewardship of war with Islamic extremists. chron.com

Claims al-Qaida warning was lost on Rice, ignored Ex-adviser says March 22, 2004 Bush staff ignored warnings on terror By Ted Bridis AP National security adviser Condoleezza Rice "looked skeptical" when she was warned early in 2001 about the threat from Al Qaeda and appeared never to have heard of the terrorist organization, according to President Bush's former counterterrorism coordinator. boston.com

New Flash Movie: Bush's $5.2 Trillion Deficit March 22, 2004 President Bush's reckless fiscal policies have saddled America with huge new debts that will affect generations to come. Special interest tax cuts and deceptive budget manipulations have wiped out the enormous surplus created by President Clinton and created a $5.2 trillion deficit. democrats.org

Millions protest against Iraq war March 21, 2004 Anti-war protests swept across the world as millions demonstrated against the invasion of Iraq on its first anniversary. From Sydney to Tokyo, London to New York and San Francisco and across hundreds of other cities and towns, millions of protesters poured into the streets to condemn what they believed was an "unjust, illegitimate" war. english.aljazeera.net

The Ballots are Still Full of Holes March 21, 2004 by Marc Eisen It wasn't supposed to be this way. After the Florida debacle in the 2000 Presidential election, Congress agreed in 2002 that voting practices had to be made more secure and accurate. But now we are approaching the 2004 election with an even more suspect voting technology than the notorious punch-card system. progressive.org

'Convict Him Or Kill Him' The Night They Came To Kill Me March 21, 2004 By Lyndon H. LaRouche, Jr. On Oct. 6, 1986, a virtual army of more than 400 armed personnel descended upon the town of Leesburg, Virginia, for a raid on the offices of EIR and its associates, and also deployed for another, darker mission. The premises at which I was residing at that time were surrounded by an armed force, while aircraft, armored vehicles, and other personnel waited for the order to move in shooting. larouchein2004.net

Global slave trade prospers March 21, 2004 By ARTHUR JONES Owning a slave has never been cheaper than it is today. A healthy young African male can be bought on the Ivory Coast for $35. In London, two 13-year-old West African girls, bought for $1,200 each, were soon put to work as child prostitutes making $400 an hour each for their owner. In the United States, where an estimated 10,000 Asian women and girls work in underground brothels, slavery is remarkably varied in its forms. The CIA estimates that young women and girls are being smuggled into the United States at the rate of 50,000 a year. northvegr.org

Bush Family Values Photo Album March 21, 2004 For more than a half century, members of the Bush family have been setting policy and making decisions for all Americans.  Let's look at the family that has had such an impact on the lives of human beings worldwide...hereinreality.com

New bill calls for G.I. Jane draft March 20, 2004 Merrick Wiedrich With legislation requesting the reinstatement of the draft to include women, equal rights may enter a new war zone come next year, staff reporter For years women have fought to have the same rights as men, and in 2005, they may have equal rights when it comes to being drafted into the military. The U.S. House of Representatives and Senate have introduced new legislation to bring back the military draft in order to include women. The new draft states that any man or woman between the ages of 18 and 26 can be drafted into military service. datelinealabama.com

Enemies of the States If you're against Bush, you're against America March 20, 2004 By William Saletan If you oppose George Bush's policies, or if you're supported by anybody who opposes George Bush's policies, you're anti-American. That was the message of the 1988 presidential campaign of George H.W. Bush, who suggested that his opponent from Massachusetts was against the Pledge of Allegiance. Now it's his son's campaign message, too. slate.msn.com

Can Bush Rip-off Your Social Security? March 20, 2004 By Frederick Sweet Wall Street is salivating over the Social Security Trust Fund and the Bush Administration is engaging in a national scare campaign to hand the money over to Wall Street. Will they succeed? interventionmag.com

One year after the US invasion of Iraq, the lies upon which the war was based have been completely exposed March 20, 2004 There were no Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. There were no ties between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda—although Islamic fundamentalist terrorists may now be active in US-occupied Iraq. The Iraqi people did not welcome the American military as their liberators. Many resisted with arms in hand, and the vast majority looked upon the occupation authority as a colonial regime to be expelled as quickly as possible. wsws.org

THE UNMENTIONABLE SOURCE OF TERRORISM March 20, 2004 The current threat of attacks in countries whose governments have close alliances with Washington is the latest stage in a long struggle against the empires of the west, their rapacious crusades and domination. The motivation of those who plant bombs in railway carriages derives directly from this truth. What is different today is that the weak have learned how to attack the strong, and the western crusaders' most recent colonial terrorism (as many as 55,000 Iraqis killed) exposes "us" to retaliation. pilger.carlton.com

The crime committed in our name March 20, 2004 The coalition of the willing perpetrated an act of terrorism on the Iraqi people, writes John Pilger. The invasion of Iraq, which began one year ago today, was "organised with lies", says the new Spanish Prime Minister. Does anyone doubt this any more? theage.com.au

US firms try to block cheap Aids drugs March 20, 2004 Sarah Boseley The US, under pressure from its giant pharmaceutical companies, is trying to undermine the use in poor countries of cheap, copycat Aids drugs, made by "pirate", generic companies but validated by the World Health Organisation, campaigners claim. guardian.co.uk

US Jewish Groups Back Congressional Bill to Monitor Universities March 20, 2004 Barbara Ferguson Major Jewish organizations are lobbying the Senate to approve a bill that would authorize federal monitoring of government-funded Middle East studies programs throughout US universities. The bill, which was overwhelmingly approved by the House of Representatives and is now before a Senate committee, would establish a federal tribunal to investigate and monitor criticism of Israel on American college campuses. arabnews.com / billstatus

He wanted every vote to matter; Athan Gibbs, Sr. dies in crash March 20, 2004 By HOLLY EDWARDS After more than 1 million votes went uncounted in the last presidential election, Athan Gibbs Sr. devoted his life to making sure voters in future elections would know their votes mattered. The enterprising 57-year-old saw his invention of the TruVote vote-casting system as nothing less than the key to social justice and democracy in America. Before his sudden death, friends and family said, Mr. Gibbs worked tirelessly on the TruVote system and, with backing from Microsoft Inc., was marketing his invention nationwide. tennessean.com

ST. PATRICK, RID US OF THESE SNAKES! March 20, 2004 By Bill Gallagher DETROIT We need St. Patrick to drive from our land and high offices the vipers of war, greed and intolerance. Topping the list of serpents more than ready for a slithering exit from the public scene are George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. Corporations, the religious right and neocon world dominators form the three pillars of the modern Republican Party and represent George W. Bush's base and hope of winning another term. niagarafallsreporter.com

Fears Setting Public Policy March 20, 2004 The American Civil Liberties Union today joined other civil liberties experts in telling the United States Commission on Civil Rights that invasive security measures established after 9/11 threaten freedom and civil rights in the United States. aclu.org

91 percent of the Spanish people did not wish involvement

Guernica March 19, 2004 By: Ted Lang Guernica, a small town in northern Spain, was used for target and bombing run practice by Adolf Hitler's emerging deadly war machine preceding World War II.  Hitler used principles of Keynesian debt economics to launch the war economy needed to create the New World Order, and fascist Generalissimo Francisco Franco asked for Hitler's help in putting down freedom-loving resistance in Spain. In 1937, Goering's Luftwaffe, requiring actual practice in aerial attack methods, demonstrated not only National Socialism's ties to totalitarian fascism, but provided the first example known in eradicating civilian populations of non-combatant cities, towns and villages via aerial attack. thepeoplesvoice.org

US soldiers kill journalist in Baghdad March 19, 2004 US occupation forces have shot dead al-Arabiya cameraman Ali Abd al-Aziz and injured two others working for the station in Baghdad. The television crew was filming the site after it came under rocket fire. US forces opened fire "randomly", reported the station. english.aljazeera.net

Welcome to the quagmire March 19, 2004 By Juan Cole The Bush administration invaded Iraq a year ago expecting a shower of rose petals. Today, the country is on the verge of chaos, and there may be no way to stop it. salon.com

Cheney's friend to rule on case March 19, 2004 Reuters An American supreme court judge has refused to absent himself from a case concerning Vice President Dick Cheney's energy taskforce even though the two had gone duck hunting together recently. guardian.co.uk

Butterfly decline points to sixth mass extinction March 19, 2004 By Roger Highfield Insects surprisingly badly hit, study says. An accelerating decline in species, in particular a fall in butterflies, provides the first hard evidence that the Earth is on the verge of a sixth mass extinction. There have been at least five over the past 500 million years, with the biggest occurring 250 million years ago. Scientists report today that species diversity is falling fast and, contrary to current opinion, insects are particularly hard hit. This indicates that scientists may have underestimated the magnitude of the pending extinction. telegraph.co.uk

"Children of Satan" March 18, 2004 By LaRouche Campaign The leading exponents of the war party, both in the Bush Administration and in the think-tanks which advise it, and the Democratic Party, take their philosophical approach from the German-born academic Leo Strauss, who spent decades at the University of Chicago, and elsewhere, promoting a form of “Platonic” scholarship that supported the fascist doctrine of Hobbes' war of each against all, instead of the rule of reason. Explicitly, Straussians are taught to impose their ideas through lies. larouchein2004

Bombing Group Reportedly Wants Bush Re-Elected March 18, 2004 Terrorists Say They Need Bush's 'Idiocy' To Wake Up Islamic World An Islamic militant group that had claimed responsibility for the train bombings in Spain says it supports the re-election of President George W. Bush. The group said it needs what it calls Bush's "idiocy and religious fanaticism" to "wake up" the Islamic world. wesh.com

Bush administration rebuffs Congress on car safety March 18, 2004 By John Crawley (Reuters) The Bush administration Thursday strongly opposed Senate legislation that would set strict deadlines for it to require automakers to strengthen car roofs, protect passengers from ejection and implement other safety measures. forbes.com

Kerry slams Bush on Iraq, military Democrat touts 'bill of rights' for military families March 18, 2004 By Sean Loughlin (CNN) In a stinging broadside, Sen. John Kerry said Bush was more interested in tax cuts for the wealthy than providing the necessary equipment and body armor for service members in the field. cnn.com

Seventh Iraq war veteran kills himself March 18, 2004 By Mark Benjamin (UPI) A Colorado-based Army Special Forces soldier back from Iraq shot himself in the head in his front yard Sunday night, according to police -- at least the seventh soldier who has committed suicide after serving there. upi.com

Mysterious Fax Adds to Intrigue Over the Medicare Bill's Cost March 18, 2004 By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG and ROBERT PEAR Late one Friday afternoon in January, after the House of Representatives had adjourned for the week, Cybele Bjorklund, a House Democratic health policy aide, heard the buzz of the fax machine at her desk. Coming over the transom, with no hint of the sender, was a document she had been seeking for months...nytimes.com

RumsfeldLies

Bush camp exposed as 'serial liars' March 17, 2004 US President George Bush and his four top advisers made a combined total of 237 misleading public statements on the threat posed by Iraq. The claim was made in a congressional report released on Tuesday. Compiled by Democratic staff of the House Government Reform Committee, the report examined assertions made by Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Colin Powell and national security adviser Condoleezza Rice. aljazeera.net

US government faked Bush news reports March 17, 2004 Chris Tryhorn TV news reports in America that showed President George Bush getting a standing ovation from potential voters have been exposed as fake, it has emerged. media.guardian.co.uk

U.S. Debt Burden Is Higher Now than During Depression, Study Says March 17, 2004 By Danielle DiMartino The United States is shouldering a greater debt burden today than it did during the Great Depression. miami.com

The fruits of poverty March 17, 2004 George Monbiot The wealth of supermarkets is built on monopoly, exploitation and restriction of choice. Every year the list is the same, but every year it still comes as a shock. Of the 10 richest people on Earth, five of them have the same surname. It's not Gates, or Murdoch, or Rockefeller, but Walton. They are the heirs and trustees of the supermarket chain Wal-Mart. And between them they are worth $100bn. guardian.co.uk

Many Think U.S. Wants World Domination, NWO? March 17, 2004 WASHINGTON A majority of people living in Jordan, Morocco, Pakistan and Turkey say they believe the U.S. is conducting its campaign against terror to control Mideast oil and to dominate the world, according to an international poll released Tuesday. atsnn.com

DeLay: No Retreat, No Surrender, No Apologies; We Will Accept Only Victory as the Exit Strategy in Iraq March 17, 2004 U.S. Newswire House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) today spoke in strong support of our fight against terror as the House debated a resolution commending the members of the United States Armed Forces and Coalition forces for liberating Iraq. releases

Spanish leader accuses Bush and Blair March 17, 2004 Giles Tremlett in Madrid Spain's new prime minister, the Socialist José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, yesterday followed his dramatic election triumph with a pledge to bring troops home from Iraq and accusations that Tony Blair and George Bush lied about the war. "Mr. Blair and Mr. Bush must do some reflection _ you can't organize a war with lies," guardian.co.uk

A Plea to Scrap Mercury Emission Plan March 17, 2004 By Alan C. Miller and Tom Hamburger Times - A bipartisan group says the Bush proposal is slanted toward industry and is too weak to protect public health. A bipartisan group of senators, a former head of the Environmental Protection Agency and health, labor and religious groups said that the plan and the internal process that produced it was so slanted toward industry that the final rule would not survive legal challenge. latimes.com

US sergeant repulsed by Iraq war March 17, 2004 A US soldier is so disturbed by the way innocent civilians have been killed in Iraq that he is refusing to go back. english.aljazeera.net

Spain Blast Explosive Made At Instantel In NY! March 17, 2004 According to MSNBC..feed from Madrid indicates an explosive called GOMA 2-ECO was responsible for the horrific blast on the commuter trains. Despite the best efforts of the US State Dept and the admirably loyal and misquided Spanish Govt...it is not very likely that Al-Aqaeda NOR the Basques were responsible. In fact...I think we need to do some quick look up on the Pentagon's Recent Shipments of GOMA 2-ECO to the South of France? memes.org

Honduras to withdraw troops from Iraq March 17, 2004 AP Honduras plans to follow Spain's lead and withdraw 370 troops from a Spanish-led humanitarian and peacekeeping brigade in June, Defence Secretary Federico Breve said. news.ninemsn

The Real Omen March 17, 2004 By Sevak Gulbekian Extracted from In the Belly of the Beast The Incarnation of Evil He is perceived as a creative thinker and an attractive, charismatic individual. But he embodies Satan himself, and his goal is the pinnacle of earthly power: the Presidency of the United States. The earliest echoes of this tale are to be found in the Bible itself. The apostle Paul refers to ‘that man of sin … the son of perdition’, who will put himself in place of God...thetruthseeker.co.uk

The 'non-foreign policy' of the US March 17, 2004 Hasan Abu Nimah A year after the start of the Iraq war, and two-and-a-half years after the Sept. 11 attacks, it is quite stunning how American foreign policy continues to produce adverse results. The greatest military, political, intelligence, scientific and economic power in history, which possesses all the means for unlimited success, has been reaping only failures. electroniciraq.net

Tennessee county, site of `Monkey Trial,' wants to charge gays with crimes against nature March 17, 2004 The Rhea County commissioners approved the request 8-0 Tuesday. Commissioner J.C. Fugate, who introduced the measure, also asked the county attorney to find a way to enact an ordinance banning homosexuals from living in the county. "We need to keep them out of here," Fugate said. sfgate.com

Rush Limbaugh Attacks Widows and Children March 17, 2004 by Maureen Farrell "Most of us here in the media are what I consider infotainers.... Rush Limbaugh is what I call a disinfotainer. He entertains by spreading disinformation." --Al Franken at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, April 23, 1994 buzzflash.com