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___.COMPOSITION______In This Issue_______________________________
Anti-Bush Protests
Celebrate 'Not My President's Day' in NYC on Feb 18 with Ekstrom & Quinn
Help Block the Sale of Groundwater in the Name of Corporate Profits!
Hillary Rocks at Press Dinner
Bush's White House Scrubs Republican Secrets while Broadcasting Democratic Ones
Bush Gives YOUR Money to Corporate Criminals
Hastert Vows Campaign Finance Reform Will Pass Over GOP's Dead Body
Enron's Bankruptcy May Bankrupt the Republican Party
Bush Lies About 'Respect for Women'
Bush's Health Plan for 'Unborn Children' Is Beyond Outrageous - It's Moronic, Like
Bush Himself
Bush's 2003 Budget Unleashes Afghanistan-Style Assault on America's Treasury
Bush's Enron Budget Slashes Funds for Portland Job Center He Praised Just Last Month
Urban League Cites Tax Cuts Prior To Sept. 11 As Leading Cause For $4 Trillion Budget
Reduction
Evangelical Pork 'Compromise' Still Violates Constitution
ANOTHER Bush Conflict - White House Counsel Al Gonzales Worked at Vinson & Elkins
CNN Scrubs Poll Favoring Enrongate Special Prosecutor
CIA Director George Tenet Sees No Failure on 9-11 - Proving He Is Utterly (and
Willfully) Blind
Book by Former(?) CIA Agent Blames Clinton for Bush Team's 911 Failures � Pushes
Propaganda that BushDaddy's CIA Needs To 'Get It's Teeth Back' (i.e. Overthrowing
Democracies, Death Squads, Covert Arms Deals, etc)
ABA Recommends Limits on Military Tribunals
Fate of FreeRepublic.com Rests in the Hands of Federal Courts
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Support our Campaign for a Special Prosecutor for Enrongate!
Democrats.com has launched a major campaign for a Special Prosecutor for Enrongate. We
need your support! Sign our petition (6305 signatures and counting!) and contribute to
our banner advertising campaign. Your support makes our efforts possible!
http://democrats.com/enron
_________________________________________________________________
__Anti-Bush Protests
On Monday 2/11, protest Bush in Milwaukee, WI.
http://legitgov.org/action.html
__Celebrate 'Not My President's Day' in NYC on Feb 18 with Ekstrom & Quinn
Here at Democrats.com, February 18 is - you guessed it - Not My President's Day! We'll
be celebrating in New York City with the singer-songwriter team of Ekstrom & Quinn,
who performed so fabulously at our December 12 'Rising from the Ashes' forum. Ekstrom
& Quinn will preview their brand new show, "The Front Page Follies," an evening of
topical satirical songs that takes on the entire broad spectrum of American politics
today, from the far right ... to the ultra-right. Performances take place at the
Cornelia Street Cafe, at 29 Cornelia St. in the heart of Greenwich Village. Doors open
at 6:00 pm, the show starts at 6:30. Through a special arrangement, Democrats.com
members can get half-priced tickets for $5 by calling 212-340-9468. Hurry - seating is
limited. If you can't join us on 2/18, the special Democrats.com rate will be in
effect every Monday until the official opening night on March 4th - as long as you
mention Democrats.com. We hope to see you there!
http://www.evite.com/respond?iid=PZSMQTAWZBCUCOYAMOUG
__Help Block the Sale of Groundwater in the Name of Corporate Profits!
"The Cadiz Project in southern California stands out as the 'poster child' that
highlights many of the problems with selling water as a commodity. In the middle of
the desert, a single property owner, Keith Brackpool of Cadiz, Inc., has claimed the
right to stick a pipe down into the ground and suck out the water that lies beneath
not only its own land, but under the vastly larger federal land encircling Cadiz...
The Cadiz project will be the first direct purchase by [the Metropolitan Water
District of Southern California] from a private company�it is a slippery slope from a
few water sales to a completely private market for water, a basic necessity of life.
Once trading begins, it will be difficult to put the privatization genie back in the
bottle. If you like what they did to electricity, you're going to love what they do to
our water." Send a fax to Interior Secretary Gale Norton.
http://www.citizen.org/fax/background.cfm?id=26&source=3
__Hillary Rocks at Press Dinner
"Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) turned in a bravado performance at the
Washington Press Club Foundation's 58th Annual Congressional Dinner... [Clinton ribbed
Cheney over Enrongate:] 'The White House says it can locate no records,' she said.
'They can't find them anywhere. I would just helpfully suggest that they try the
upstairs closet...' She also took aim at a certain cable network, saying that when she
first heard Bush's comment about the 'axis of evil' she 'thought it was the prime-time
lineup of the Fox News Channel.' Clinton lampooned Attorney General John Ashcroft's
decision to spend more than $8,000 to cover statues of naked women in the Justice
Department building. 'I thought Missouri was the Show-Me State,' she said. Feigning
jealousy over all of the GOP attacks on Majority Leader Thomas Daschle (D-S.D.),
Clinton added, 'Tom did this and Tom did that. What does a girl have to do to earn
some old-fashioned condemnation."
http://www.democrats.com/view.cfm?id=5818
__Bush's White House Scrubs Republican Secrets while Broadcasting Democratic Ones
"For the last year President Bush's White House has pursued what amounts to a
two-tiered policy on executive privilege and prerogative: Nixonian secrecy when it
comes to the records of his own administration, and a let-it-all-hang-out openness
when it comes to those of his reviled predecessor. Even the Bush administration's
inconsistency is inconsistent: Clinton-era records that tarnish the former president's
reputation are offered up with alacrity, while those that might cast him in a better
light are hoarded as executive-branch secrets." So writes Joshua Micah Marshall in
Salon.com.
http://www.salon.com/politics/feature/2002/02/07/bush_records/index.html
__Bush Gives YOUR Money to Corporate Criminals
"Excuse me, but the Bush administration's 'internal contradictions,' as the communists
used to say, are showing like a dirty slip. On Jan. 25, the administration ordered
federal agencies to review their contracts with Arthur Andersen and Enron, saying the
scandal swirling around the companies raise doubts about whether they should continue
to receive taxpayer money. This would be well and good if the same administration had
not, on Dec. 27, repealed a Clinton-era rule that prevents the government from
awarding federal contracts to businesses that have broken environmental, labor, tax,
civil rights or other laws. What we have here is not so much hypocrisy as complete
incoherence. Shouldn't they have to wait at least a month before they contradict
themselves? Or maybe the Bush doctrine is that you can give government contacts to
chronic lawbreakers as long as they're not in the headlines." So writes columnist
Molly Ivins.
http://www.sacbee.com/content/opinion/national/ivins/story/1584228p-1660463c.html
__Hastert Vows Campaign Finance Reform Will Pass Over GOP's Dead Body
"House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), who generally has stayed aloof from the
contentious question of overhauling campaign finance laws, vowed yesterday to fight
the measure aggressively, likening next week's showdown vote to Armageddon... An aide
said the speaker will personally lobby wavering House Republicans, who typically are
loath to defy their leader on a high-profile issue. The Senate has passed a campaign
finance bill similar to the one scheduled for a House vote next week. President [sic]
Bush campaigned against the measure in 2000, but Republican insiders say he is
unlikely to veto it if it reaches his desk -- especially now that the Enron scandal is
prompting new criticisms of money and political influence. At yesterday's closed
meeting, Hastert declared, 'This is Armageddon,' participants said. He called it 'a
life and death issue' for the GOP." That's exactly right -without the massive
corruption of corporate money, the GOP would be out of business in a Cheney heartbeat.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35319-2002Feb6.html
__Enron's Bankruptcy May Bankrupt the Republican Party
Here's one GOOD consequence of Enron's bankruptcy - the Republican Party is running
out of money! "In the competitive districts likely to determine which party will
control the House after November, Democratic candidates began this election year in
better financial position than their Republican adversaries. In 22 competitive races
in which the nominee of each party is generally agreed upon, Democratic incumbents had
a strong financial edge in 10, and Democratic challengers were financially competitive
in four, according to reports recently filed with the Federal Election Commission. GOP
incumbents held solid cash advantages in four, and Republican challengers were
financially competitive in four, for an overall 14 to 8 Democratic advantage." So
reports Thomas Edsall in the Washington Post.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29451-2002Feb5.html
__Bush Lies About 'Respect for Women'
"Bush said in his State of the Union address that 'America will always stand firm for
the nonnegotiable demands of human dignity,' including 'respect for women.' So far
this is gibberish, since Bush has not yet released $34 million in family planning
funds approved by Congress for the United Nations Population Fund. Bush has held up
the funds because some antiabortion extremists in Congress, with no facts, are trying
to link the fund to forced abortions in China [in a bizarre irony, Pat Robertson has
expressed sympathy for this practice � no doubt to ingratiate himself with the
leadership of China -- where he has major business holdings!]. His response is a
reminder of how negotiable women's issues actually are to him. One of Bush's first
major policy moves as president [sic] was to reinstate the gag rule that denies US
funds to family planning groups that mention abortion." So writes Boston Globe
columnist Derrick Z. Jackson.
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/037/oped/Bush_shaky_on_women_s_rights+.shtml
__Bush's Health Plan for 'Unborn Children' Is Beyond Outrageous - It's Moronic, Like
Bush Himself
"The US ranks 27th in infant mortality and 21st in maternal mortality - the worst
among developed nations. Unfortunately, the administration's solution - extending the
Child Health Insurance Program, which covers children from low-income working
families, to cover fetuses - would set up a long regulatory and legal process and a
battle over abortion rights in virtually every state. It would create controversy
where none need exist, as well as posing puzzling medical questions. How does a doctor
provide care for a fetus outside the context of providing care for the pregnant woman?
Why would a doctor want to? If a woman develops high blood pressure and diabetes
during pregnancy, do we simply ignore her condition unless or until it affects the
fetus? Once the woman gives birth, do we then deny her the necessary postpartum care
because she is no longer carrying the fetus?" So write Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)
and Jon Corzine (D-NJ).
http://nytimes.com/2002/02/07/opinion/07BING.html
__Bush's 2003 Budget Unleashes Afghanistan-Style Assault on America's Treasury
"The tax cut proposal unveiled by the Bush White House Monday is as bold and
aggressive politically as its military assault on Afghanistan last October -- and the
administration seems to be counting on Democrats to fold as quickly as the Taliban.
The political chutzpah of the Bush budget plan is dazzling: The White House is
admitting that it will return the nation to the days of budget deficits -- briefly, it
insists -- as well as break a campaign pledge to leave the Social Security and
Medicare surpluses intact, all to bankroll nearly $2 trillion in tax cuts over the
next 10 years that will give more than 40 percent of their benefits to the wealthiest
1 percent of U.S. households." So writes Anthony York at Salon.com.
http://www.salon.com/politics/feature/2002/02/06/bush_budget/index.html
__Bush's Enron Budget Slashes Funds for Portland Job Center He Praised Just Last Month
"Last month, President [sic] Bush visited the job-training center in northeast
Portland, touting the program's benefits in the state with the nation's highest
unemployment rate. Now, funding for the 2-year-old center, located in the poorest
section of Portland, would be cut. Bush sent Congress a $2.13 trillion budget Monday
that would slash $545 million from job training programs nationwide -- including the
Portland center that Bush himself praised -- saying the money is needed for the war on
terrorism. Margaret Carter, a Democratic state senator who also runs the Urban League
of Portland, said Bush appears to be talking out of both sides of his mouth... The
center would see approximately 80 percent of its funding cut under Bush's budget plan,
which would likely result in the firing of its staff. The center currently provides
job skills counseling to about 1,400 students." So reports KGW Portland.
http://www.kgw.com/kgwnews/story.html?StoryID=36097
__Urban League Cites Tax Cuts Prior To Sept. 11 As Leading Cause For $4 Trillion
Budget Reduction
"National Urban League Institute for Opportunity and Equality bemoaned tax cuts that
began prior to the events of September 11 as the largest single policy contributing to
the $4 trillion reduction in the budget surplus that stood at $5.6 trillion when
President Bush assumed office. The League recognizes that the surplus has been further
depressed by a decrease in tax income because of the rapid economic slowdown, but not
because of increased spending on the economic safety net as in past recessions.
Equally disheartening, the League holds, is the size of the tax cuts means that the
Bush Administration will have to use the Social Security and Medicare Trust Fund
surpluses to fund the tax cuts."
http://www.democrats.com/view.cfm?id=5829
__Evangelical Pork 'Compromise' Still Violates Constitution
"A 'compromise' version of the 'faith-based' initiative endorsed today by President
[sic] George W. Bush and Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) poses constitutional
problems, according to Americans United for Separation of Church and State. [Ex. Dir
Rev. Barry W.] Lynn noted... religious groups would be able to receive public funds
while displaying unlimited amounts of religious 'art, icons, scripture or other
symbols.' Such displays will make many religious minorities feel like second-class
citizens at institutions providing social services with tax dollars... If a religious
group receives public funds, they should display an American flag, not a crucifix.'
Lynn also said that government contractors in many communities are currently required
to have governing boards that reflect the diversity of the community. The CARE Act
exempts religious groups from these equal opportunity laws."
http://www.au.org/press/pr020702.htm
__ANOTHER Bush Conflict - White House Counsel Al Gonzales Worked at Vinson & Elkins
Apart from Enron itself and Arthur Andersen, the firm whose actions were most critical
to Enron's massive fraud was its law firm, Vinson & Elkins. So where did White House
Counsel Al Gonzales learn his trade? You guessed it - V&E! That is where Gonzales was
"discovered" by the Bush crime family, which elevated him from the rank of ordinary
attorney into the stratospheric job of White House Counsel. While serving as Shrub's
counsel in Texas, Gonzales' most noteworthy action was to keep Bush from serving on a
DUI trial, where he would have been forced to disclose his OWN DUI - something the
voters learned about only 3 days before Election 2000. Now Gonzales is being groomed
for - you guessed it again - the Supreme Court. Some V&E attorneys belong in jail for
their Enron crimes, but that will NEVER happen while the Justice Department is
reporting to the White House Counsel. Once again, we demand a Special Prosecutor!
http://www.hispanicmagazine.com/2001/mar/Features/al.html
__CNN Scrubs Poll Favoring Enrongate Special Prosecutor
This week, CNN ran a "Quick Vote" whether a Special Prosecutor should be appointed to
investigate Enrongate. The results were overwhelming: Yes 73% (92393 votes), No 27%
(34812 votes). So why has CNN scrubbed this poll from its site? Send your complaints
to [EMAIL PROTECTED] - and tell them to report on Democrats.com's campaign for a Special
Prosecutor at http://democrats.com/enron
http://www.cnn.com/POLL/results/79011.html
__CIA Director George Tenet Sees No Failure on 9-11 - Proving He Is Utterly (and
Willfully) Blind
"Since the Sept. 11 attacks, some critics of the CIA have asked, in effect, what the
US is getting for the billions of dollars it spends on intelligence-gathering,
especially since the cold war is just a memory... But the senators greeted him with
deference, despite blunt questions from Senator Richard C. Shelby of Alabama and
Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas, both Republicans. 'Why were we utterly unaware of the
planning and execution of the Sept. 11 attacks?' Mr. Shelby asked. 'In other words,
what went wrong?' ... [CIA director George Tenet] objected to the very word 'failure'
in connection with the intelligence-gathering ahead of the devastating surprise
attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. 'Failure means no focus, no
attention, no discipline,' Mr. Tenet said, waving his finger for emphasis." Wrong!!!
Failure means four planes were hijacked and over 3,000 people were killed. We demand a
thorough investigation, like the one after Pearl Harbor.
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/06/international/06CND-INTEL.html
__Book by Former(?) CIA Agent Blames Clinton for Bush Team's 911 Failures � Pushes
Propaganda that BushDaddy's CIA Needs To 'Get It's Teeth Back' (i.e. Overthrowing
Democracies, Death Squads, Covert Arms Deals, etc)
"In his new book,...See No Evil, [ex-CIA Agent Robert] Baer makes alarming charges
about deficiencies in U.S. intelligence that he believes were precursors to the Sept.
11 terrorist attacks. He says that, as the roots of terrorism were rapidly expanding,
the CIA was inexplicably reducing its presence in the field. 'We basically closed
down,' says Baer. 'The CIA closed down in the '90s.'" In the ABC News Magazine report
about Baer, he said that the CIA would not get involved in car bombings. Unmentioned
was the evidence that CIA Director William Casey engineered a failed car bombing of
Sheik Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah, which killed 80 innocent people in Beirut. And Baer
said that the CIA considered Iran to be waging war on us in the '80's. So why did
Reagan-Bush sell them arms? Of course, the report failed to mention Iran-Contra - or
that the CIA armed bin Laden and Hussein under Reagan-Bush. Baer started in the
Directorate of Operations in 1976 under Bush Sr. It's now named the Bush Center for
Intelligence!
http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/community/DailyNews/chat_bobbaer020118.html
__ABA Recommends Limits on Military Tribunals
"The nation's largest lawyers' group defied the Bush administration yesterday,
recommending that Congress have a say in establishing any military tribunals used to
try terrorism suspects and that defendants be given extensive legal protections.
Military tribunals should guarantee that defendants are presumed innocent and must be
proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, the American Bar Association declared. A
death sentence should require a unanimous verdict. The vote on the floor of the ABA's
policy-making legislature was 286-147 in favor of attaching those and other conditions
to the use of tribunals. The vote means the ABA, though not contesting President [sic[
Bush's power to use tribunals, insists that special terrorism courts be used only in
limited circumstances, and under established legal and constitutional rules�With
yesterday's vote, the ABA recommends that tribunals follow the settled rules for
military courts-martial, including the right to appeal to the Supreme Court."
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/036/nation/ABA_recommends_limits_on_military_tribunals+.shtml
__Fate of FreeRepublic.com Rests in the Hands of Federal Courts
"On Monday, 11 February 2002, the Ninth District Circuit Court of Appeals, San
Francisco, will convene to hear oral arguments for Washington Post and Los Angeles
Times v. FreeRepublic.com LLC... At issue is the propensity of FreeRepublic.com and
its owner, Jim Robinson, to allow the posting of whole-length articles from news
organizations nationwide--a policy the Post and Times, respectively, assert infringe
upon the intellectual property rights of both the news corporations and of individual
writers. At stake is a tort complaint of $1,000,000 lodged against Mr. Robinson, and
the very future of FreeRepublic.com... In simple terms, a judgement against
FreeRepublic.com in the coming months will spell an Error 404 message" for the site.
It will certainly be poetic justice if a site devoted to the sanctification of private
property should be put out of business for stealing the property of others.
http://www.disinfo.com/pages/article/id2015/pg1/
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