Hope Trumps Cynicism

"Corruption is how we win..." -- from the movie, "Syriana"

Look. We can run our community by pooling our creative energies, and come up with the best possible solutions, or we can "Join 'em for lack of Beating 'em" and resign ourselves to a negative world where those who lie, cheat and steal get ahead and nice guys finish last.

I say, let those who believe that thinking is a waste of time, and that we should operate in accordance with the laws of the jungle, .. let them be managed .. let them be prevented from doing harm to the good that the rest of us are working to create. I say, let those who believe that hatred and fear are the best one can expect in humanity, be marginalized and recognized as the hazards to society that they actually are. Just because a corrupt system tries to sell you on the idea that killing, raping and pillaging are okay and sanctioned by "the system" doesn't absolve you of your moral responsibility to actively oppose and challenge such lies, and to work to bring these criminals to trial.

We can begin with Impeachment and trials for the acting President, Vice President and their cabinet.

We can continue by bringing our troops safely HOME and healing diplomatic ties with the rest of the world.

We can then break up the media monopolies.

I am hopeful that we will. It will make things better for all of us.

-- Mark Frankenberg

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New Mexico Senate Considers Impeachment for Bush, Cheney

Here's New Mexico's Impeachment Bill:
"

A JOINT RESOLUTION

PETITIONING CONGRESS TO COMMENCE THE INVESTIGATION OF AND IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS AGAINST PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH AND VICE PRESIDENT RICHARD B. CHENEY.

WHEREAS, George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney conspired with others to defraud the United States of America by intentionally misleading congress and the public regarding the threat from Iraq in order to justify a war in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 371; and

WHEREAS, George W. Bush has admitted to ordering the national security agency to conduct electronic surveillance of American civilians without seeking warrants from the foreign intelligence surveillance court of review, duly constituted by congress in 1978, in violation of Title 50 United States Code, Section 1805; and

WHEREAS, George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney conspired to commit the torture of prisoners in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Chapter 113C, the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the Geneva Conventions, which under Article VI of the United States constitution are part of the "supreme Law of the Land"; and

WHEREAS, George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney acted to strip American citizens of their constitutional rights by ordering indefinite detention without access to legal counsel, without charge and without the opportunity to appear before a civil judicial officer to challenge the detention, based solely on the discretionary designation by the president of a United States citizen as an "enemy combatant", all in subversion of
law; and

WHEREAS, in all of this, George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney have acted in a manner contrary to their trust as president and vice president, subverting constitutional government to the great prejudice of the cause of law and justice and to the manifest injury of the people of New Mexico and of the United States of America; and

WHEREAS, petitions from the country at large may be presented by the speaker of the United States house of representatives, according to Clause 3 of House Rule XII; and

WHEREAS, Section 603 of Thomas Jefferson's Manual on Parliamentary Practice and of the Rules of the United States House of Representatives states that impeachment may be set in motion by charges transmitted from the legislature of a state;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney, by such conduct, warrant impeachment and trial and removal from office and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico congressional delegation be requested to cause to be instituted in the congress of the United States proper proceedings for the investigation of the activities of George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney, to the end that they may be impeached and removed from their offices; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the secretary of state be instructed to certify and transmit to the speaker of the United States house of representatives and the clerk of the United States house of representatives, under the great seal of the state of New Mexico, a copy of this resolution and its adoption by the legislature of the state of New Mexico. The copies shall be marked with the word "Petition" at the top of the document and contain the original authorizing signature of the
secretary of state.

"
More on this bill HERE

FEAR: WarMongers' Choice Tool for Oppression

Bush/Rove uses an old playbook. Don't buy it.

"Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger."

-- Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials

Raiding BushVilles is NOT avocating Public Safety

In the "Blame the Poor" culture fostered by the worst of any plutocratic oligarchies, the unfortunates in society are subjected to harassment and random violence. Recently, police and firemen in St. Petersburg, Florida, under the direction of mayor Rick Baker, destroyed the shelters of homeless people who were clustered together for safety after the brutal murders of two of their own.

We don't like seeing failed policy that is producing these BushVille tent-cities. We don't like seeing evidence that this American Dream is falling apart due to the selling out of our republic by a bunch of rich crooks. It's bad enough that our corrupt representatives were complicit over the past generation in degrading our proud economy into this incipient squalor.

Once, there was a homeless peace-activist in the Middle East. His name was Jesus. He said,

"Whatever you do unto the least of these, you do unto me." (Matt 25:40 for you professed followers of the teachings of Jesus Christ)

I would urge those who are entrusted by the public to effectively mitigate the problems in our society, to act in the spirit of that homeless peace-activist of ancient times, and channel some of that "faith-based" money we give you in the form of taxes, to build and equip adequate public shelters for those who find themselves on the street without a home, in our communities.

To those in public office who would sell their influence to would-be corporate feudal-lords at the expense of the rest of us, Knock it Off.

Some of our homeless are from out of town. We should get some federal aid in building our new shelters.

http://blogs.tampabay.com/breakingnews/2007/01/city_raids_two_.html

"
January 19, 2007
City raids two homeless camps
ST. PETERSBURG — City officials raided two homeless camps Friday afternoon, seizing more than 20 tents and further rattling a community still shaken from the murders of two of its own.
Those who refused to get out of their tents or remove their belongings watched as two dozen police and fire officials sliced the tops of the tents away from their base, tossed them into a truck and drove off. Some said they didn’t have enough time to get out before the officials, using scissors, box cutters and other blades, began to cut.
“I was in the tent when they started cutting,” said Ken Argo, 54, who said he was asleep when the police arrived. “It was very reckless of them.”
The whole operation took less than 10 minutes.
The raid was the city’s latest attempt to deal with the highly visible tent camps that have sprung up in recent weeks and a homeless population that is becoming increasingly organized and close knit.
Last week the city shut down a tent city on Fourth Avenue N after it said it helped about 100 of its residents get social services, including rent vouchers and bus tickets to cities where relatives or friends could help.
Those who didn’t get or refused services soon set up their tents at one of two locations, Fifth Avenue N at 15th Street or Fifth Avenue N at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street.
But fire department officials soon observed a host of fire code violations at the two satellite tent cities, said Lt. Rick Feinberg, a spokesman for the city fire and rescue department. People were smoking and cooking in their tents, he said. The tents were too close together, too close to public thoroughfares, and they didn’t have fire extinguishers, he said.
Feinberg said the homeless also failed to get the required permits for their tents, which were set up on the public right of way.
“They were all in violation of codes,” Feinberg said. “No one submitted plans for preparations for these two tent cities.”
It’s not clear if all the fire codes the city cited indeed apply to the situation. The code requiring a permit specifies tents greater than 120 square feet, which is larger than the tents used by most of the homeless. And a state fire statute initially cited by the city doesn’t deal with tents, said a spokeswoman for the state Fire Marshal.
Still, city officials said their job is to protect and that there were significant safety concerns at the two locations, including danger from heavy traffic. City officials also said the homeless were given the chance to remove their belongings from the tents and were offered a mat at a nearby shelter.
Rather than arrest or get in a physical altercation with those who refused, the officers cut the tents, said Deputy Mayor Dave Metz.
“The tents were retained for evidence,” Metz said.
The city’s action outraged the homeless community, which said the police officers should have been searching for the people who killed two homeless men early Wednesday morning instead of taking away tents.
“And now they’re putting all these people in jeopardy again,” said Rev. Bruce Wright of Refuge Ministries. The reason the homeless cluster in tents is for safety, Wright said.
Metz acknowledged the criticism but said the city did what it had to do. “I think you always have those implications, but our primary concern was safety.”
Wright said that advocates for the homeless, who met Friday with the city to discuss things like getting fire extinguishers, plan to sue the city over the destruction of the tents and will seek an injunction to prevent another raid.
“We’re getting more tents,” Wright said.
“We’re bringing down the big guns now. We’re gonna sue 'em.”
-- Abhi Raghunathan and Alisa Ulferts, Times staff writers

"

http://blogs.tampabay.com/breakingnews/2007/01/city_raids_two_.html

MySpace Blocks Media Ownership Reform

MySpace is owned by Newscorp (the "Faux News" people). Since they are opposed to a free press, which is incidentally essential to the effective function of a true democratic republic, they refused to air a Common Cause ad recently that encouraged people to contact the FCC regarding Media Ownership policy.

Story Here:
http://www.commonblog.com/story/2007/1/10/103219/774

I recommend "Thomas Paine and the Promise of America" by Harvey J. Kaye

I highly recommend the book, "Thomas Paine and the Promise of America" by Harvey J. Kaye. Read this and read "A People's History of the United States" by Howard Zinn, and you will be cleansed of the filthy lies which have been foisted on us by the oligarchy since before our country was even born.

"Thomas Paine and the Promise of America" covers U.S. history from before the American Revolution until the present, leaving nothing out. Want to know about Eugene Debs? The Pullman Strike? The SDS? What was the McCarthy Era really about? Read this book. I don't write reviews for books generally, but this book, "Thomas Paine and the Promise of America" by Harvey J. Kaye is ESSENTIAL. Do you want to get America back on track? Learn what the track is and learn about the man who virtually, single-handedly conceived and initiated the idea known today as "America". In a time when this idea is dangerously close to collapse, "Thomas Paine and the Promise of America" should be on the bookshelf of any and every activist in the country. READ IT!

-- Mark Frankenberg