Let every American, every lover of liberty, every well wisher to his posterity, swear by the blood of the Revolution, never to violate in the least particular, the laws of the country; and never to tolerate their violation by others.

As the patriots of seventy-six did to the support of the Declaration of Independence, so to the support of the Constitution and Laws, let every American pledge his life, his property, and his sacred honor; let every man remember that to violate the law, is to trample on the blood of his father, and to tear the charter of his own, and his children's liberty.

Let reverence for the laws, be breathed by every American mother, to the lisping babe, that prattles on her lap; let it be taught in schools, in seminaries, and in colleges; let it be written in Primers, spelling books, and in Almanacs; let it be preached from the pulpit, proclaimed in legislative halls, and enforced in courts of justice. And, in short, let it become the political religion of the nation; and Let the old and the young, the rich and the poor, the grave and the gay, of all sexes and tongues, and colors and conditions, sacrifice unceasingly upon its altars.

While ever a state of feeling, such as this, shall universally, or even, very generally prevail throughout the nation, vain will be every effort, and fruitless every attempt, to subvert our national freedom.


- Abraham Lincoln, January 27, 1838
  Address Before the Young Men's Lyceum of Springfield, Illinois

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Give him an Oscar

I finally saw it today. I'm still stunned. I didn't expect to be stunned, but it happened anyway. That was... Heath Ledger? I spent half the movie in disbelief.

Please: give the man an Oscar. That was the performance of a lifetime -- however short. Actors have lived to be 80 without ever giving a performance as riveting... and have taken home Oscars.

Heath Ledger became the Joker. And that should be the very definition of an Academy Award winning performance.



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Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Selling hate and murder on Network TV

Great job guys!

Mr. O'Reilly: Didn't 'hate radio' also spawn the Rwanda massacres...? Mr. Savage and Mr. Hannity: do you really think that just because you're 'only talking,' you aren't inherently responsible for the murderous actions of those you are encouraging?

You're all part of a long, proud lineage of hate promoters. You're no different than the KKK or any other hate-promoting organization. Its a dangerous business... and sometimes your successes are rather bloody, aren't they?

Have fun trying to wash the blood of little children off of your hands.

This from The Knoxville News Sentinel:

Bill O'Reilly, Michael Savage, Sean Hannity on accused shooter's reading list

4-page letter outlines frustration, hatred of 'liberal movement'

Police found right-wing political books, brass knuckles, empty shotgun shell boxes and a handgun in the Powell home of a man who said he attacked a church in order to kill liberals "who are ruining the country," court records show.

Knoxville police Sunday evening searched the Levy Drive home of Jim David Adkisson after he allegedly entered the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church and killed two people and wounded six others during the presentation of a children's musical. More...

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Here they come again

This from the ACLU; the guys who keep fighting for our Constitutional rights in the courts -- while Congress is lunching with lobbyists:

Attorney General Michael Mukasey is demanding that Congress issue a new declaration of war so that anyone that this president or the next one declares to be an "enemy combatant" can be held indefinitely without a trial.

The new declaration of war would make the entire globe — including the United States itself — a “battlefield” where the president decides who will be locked up forever.

With only five weeks left in the Congressional schedule and only six months left in the Bush presidency, Mukasey’s ridiculous power grab should be laughed out of town. But given this Congress’ track record, the Mukasey proposal is no laughing matter. Especially because it also includes a cover-up of the Bush administration’s systemic torture and abuse of detainees.

We can’t take for granted that Congress will reject this outrageous proposal. We have to meet it with an immediate wall of protest that says to Congress: “Don’t you dare.”

Once again, I contacted my Representative and told him to reject this latest power grab by Bush and Mukasey.

You can do the same thing here.

Another day... another power grab. They just keep coming. Its a bit like playing 'Space Invaders,' with our freedom on the line.

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As per Lincoln's words above: its time to sign

Let every lover of liberty, every well-wisher to his posterity, swear by the blood of the revolution never to violate, in the least particular, the laws of the country and never to tolerate their violation by others. As the patriots of '76 did to the support of the declaration of independence, so to the support of the constitution and laws, let every American pledge his life, his prosperity and his sacred honor.

Let every man remember that to violate the laws is to trample on the blood of his fathers and to tear the charter of his own and his children's liberty. Let reverence for the laws be breathed by every American mother to the lisping babe that prattles on her lap. Let it be taught in schools, in seminaries, and in colleges. Let it be preached from the pulpit, proclaimed in the legislative halls, and enforced in courts of justice. In short, let it become the political religion of the nation.

- Abraham Lincoln




I have enormous respect for this man, Dennis Kucinich. And for the law. And for the sanctity of the Constitution: the piece of paper that guarantees our rights and our freedom.

And I have enormous respect and reverence for all of those patriots - everyday men and women who came before us - that risked everything they had to build this nation, this 'bastion of freedom' for future generations.

It is up to us to defend it now from rampant corruption; from the darkness that is closing in on it, and on us.

It's time to sign.

Sign the petition to put Impeachment on the table.

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Saturday, July 26, 2008

For the record: The 'Impeachment Hearing'

View it here on C-Span (click on the red 'flash video' button to view it for free.)

Or see the individual segments via YouTube below:

Kucinich enters hearing to cheers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2MWTh0QF40

Rep. Robert Wexler:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T1ojrKhp6E

Rep. Steve King:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eZxCloEbQk

Rep. Jerrold Nadler:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL7259BAP9s

Rep. Dennis Kucinich:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRAcenaTVkQ

Bruce Fein:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80IphtHrFzg

Vincent Bugliosi:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDAFozFn4kU

Bruce Fein:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXyDK2-p4fU

Vincent Bugliosi:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q53p34yzZac

Vincent Bugliosi:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7abu9a0xtNI

Lamar Smith:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epf0QpeFcag

Rep. Baldwin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFNmanXtZ9o

Maurice Hinchey:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CHKV-7vvYk

Rep. Dan Lungren:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKc5e0oAvYM

Protesters ejected:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uosDxv1bjCc

Rep. Walter Jones:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iU5HKfes0cE

Congressman Steve Cohen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZezNyKmKF1M

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Friday, July 04, 2008

Patriotism

As I've always been told - since I was a small child - patriotism is love of country.

This would also include respect for all of those who came before us and left us this legacy of freedom, democracy and basic human rights; the people who died for these ideas we tend to take for granted (because we've never had them taken away.)

This Independence Day, take a moment to read the Bill of Rights... your rights, as an American. Then take a moment to call or write to your Senator, and tell him or her that you have read and understand the Forth Amendment; and that you'd like to keep it.

It doesn't belong to your Senator... it belongs to you.

Fourth Amendment to the Constitution

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Your phone records, your phone calls, your emails -- all are protected by this basic right. Our founding fathers considered this protection a basic right - the right to privacy. Those of you who are waving flags and celebrating the military today should remember, that generations of Americans died for this text. The total collection of these basic rights drew our ancestors, our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents, to this country in the first place.

Democracy... in more than just name. A goverment of the people... not controlled by a dictator or controlling organization (or corporation.)

Call your Senator. Tell your Senator that you don't believe anyone - your Senator, or this current president - have the right to bargain away your Constitutional Rights. They've already been paid for by American blood.

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Thursday, July 03, 2008

Joe Galloway: How dare they rip up the Fourth Amendment?

Posting a link to an excellent essay... true, and terribly poignant this week.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to celebrate Independence every year, as more and more of our rights are bargained away in Congressional back rooms. Or right out in the open; as though we're not even here. As though we are of no consequence.

We are here, aren't we? We are paying attention... aren't we?

Time for a little vigilance on our part. Our forefathers counted on us - we the people - to be paying attention to our rights, and to hold our representatives feet over the fire if they deviated from true representation of our basic rights as citizens.

From Joseph L. Galloway, McClatchy Newspapers:

Early next week the US Senate will vote on an extension of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, with a few small amendments intended to immunize telecommunications corporations that assisted our government in the warrantless and illegal wiretapping it has grown to love.

That such a gutting of the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution even made it out of committee is yet another stain on the gutless and seemingly powerless Democratic majority in both houses of Congress.

That a majority on both sides of the aisle - not least of them the presumptive nominees for president of both political parties - intend to vote for such a violation of Americans' right to privacy and of the sanctity of their personal communications is a stunning surrender to those who want us to live in fear forever.

Read the rest here...

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Oilman-in-Chief approves Regional Oil Deal

... while State Department publicly said such a deal could undermine Iraq's Petroleum Law.

And its not about the oil. W thinks we're all as bright as... well as he is! Fooled us again, George! Gosh... we're such dummies.

Bush administration officials told Hunt Oil last summer that they did not object to its efforts to reach an oil deal with the Kurdish regional government in northern Iraq, even while the State Department was publicly expressing concern that such contracts could undermine a national Iraqi petroleum law, according to documents obtained by a House committee.

Last fall, after the deal was announced, the State Department said that it had tried to dissuade Hunt Oil from signing the contract with Kurdish regional authorities but that the company had proceeded "regardless of our advice." Although Hunt Oil's chief executive has been a major fundraiser for President Bush, the president said he knew nothing about the deal.

Yesterday, however, Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, released documents and e-mails showing that for nearly four months, State and Commerce department officials knew about Hunt Oil's negotiations and had told company officials that there were no objections. In one note, a Commerce Department official even wished them "a fruitful visit to Kurdistan" and invited them to contact him "in case you need any support."

Go Waxman go. Dig it all up.

You never know: maybe someday we'll have a government willing to prosecute. Someday... we may have a Congress with just a tiny bit of courage; enough to outweigh their greed.

Well maybe.

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Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Feingold stands up for the Constitution



I teased some of my colleagues and said we can celebrate the Constitution on July 4th and maybe when we come back you'll decide not to tear it up. -Russ Feingold on FISA


I didn't write when the House passed their unthinkable FISA capitulation to Bush and the telecoms - so unthinkable that even my own Blue Dog Congressman opposed it:

On June 20, 2008, the House voted on the FISA Amendments Act. This bill passed the House by a recorded vote of 293 - 129. I voted against this bill, as it contains provisions that would allow for retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies and allow the President to declare what is lawful and what is not. I have strong reservations against removing the checks and balances currently in our government by effectively removing the judicial branch from the decision as to whether or not the warrantless surveillance program was lawful.

- Baron Hill, in a letter to concerned constituents


I didn't write about this Constitutional horror when it passed the Senate - even as Feingold and Chris Dodd tried to block it with a filibuster.

I have come to the conclusion now, that it is really useless to write. They own us, guys.

We are now owned - lock, stock and barrel - by corporate America. The Constitution, as King George himself was purported to have said, is "just a piece of paper."

While our troops are supposedly fighting for 'freedom' and 'democracy' overseas in Iraq - and Iraqis call it an occupation - no one is defending our own freedom and democracy here at home. From tyranny.

Well, no one save a few: Kucinich, Feingold and Dodd.

Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer have sold out. It appears a great majority of the Democrats in power have sold out.

They have sold out to the thousands of lobbyists now working right next to them in D.C., and with much more access and money than we will ever know. These days, representation costs money. We apparently don't have it, so we are of no consequence and the looting of our public coffers will continue - along with this war, the spying, and the corruption - unabated.

This administration's crimes are already much worse than Watergate - everybody knows it, and no one will touch it. The newspapers won't even write about it. Is that a democracy?

The Government of the People, by the People and for the People has perished from the Earth.

The only questions now before us are how the whole thing is going to cave in around us... and when?

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