Enforced Fairness

I read a listserv message from a right-winger who was scoffing at a leftie's statement that we need the fairness doctrine back. The rightie said we should get rid of the FCC. He said that enforced fairness is wrong and that the free market should rule. I thought about it for a while out on my walk, and my conclusion is this: You righties like football, right? The spirit of excellence in the heat of competitive battle? Certainly it is a spectacle. Now, imagine football without referrees. Sure, things might go okay for a couple plays, but what would happen when there was a dispute? What would happen when someone intentionally tried to cheat and there was no-one there to make a just call? The game would devolve into chaos, and most of the viewers on TV would change the channel (resulting in inevitable removals of sponsorship), eventually, because the game would have lost much of its primary appeal: That of a competitive showing of managerial and performance excellence, accomplished on an even playing-field with enforced rules. A government of true representatives of the people, run effectively and fully accountable, is the referee. And no, we should NOT get rid of the FCC. We should make it answer to us, as should the rest of the government. Read the constitution!

Secret Police: The preferred choice of dictators everywhere

"Rep. Porter Goss, President Bush’s nominee to head the CIA, recently introduced legislation that would give the president new authority to direct CIA agents to conduct law-enforcement operations inside the United States—including arresting American citizens."
http://prisonplanet.com/articles/august2004/120804domesticstasi.htm

It's been going on for a long, long time

"This is a Government of the people, by the people, for the people. Consequently, nothing should be concealed from the people. The man who deceives the people is a traitor to these United States."
--Honorable Louis T. McFadden
http://iresist.com/cbg/mcfadden.html

1. Identify the Problem

"...If fascism means anything, it means government support and subsidy for business, mass privatization and intensified exploitation and repression of labor, in a word." -- Michael Parenti
http://www.michaelparenti.org/

Petition for Carter Center oversight and observation of 2004 Presidential Election

http://www.petitiononline.com/cce2004/
"
There is a crisis of confidence in America both at home and abroad.
...
If there is any question as to the validity of the election in 2004 it will further erode and undermine the perception of our form of government.
...
[We]request that Jimmy Carter & the Carter Center observe and provide oversight of voting on Election Day 2004 to insure a fair, honest and true election.
"
http://www.petitiononline.com/cce2004/

Kicking Hornet nests

"There would be no better evidence than a repeat of 9/11 to show that Bush's approach isn't working." -- former chief strategist for the President of the United States, James Carville

"I couldn't get a job with CIA today. I am not qualified,"

"
The reality is that Porter Goss was in charge of the oversight of the CIA during a time when the CIA didn't do its job, which in part resulted in the loss of lives of 3,000 people,
"
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=5944517

Support Low-Power FM

"
Take Action Now!

Senate Bill 2505 would give thousands of communities the right to broadcast on low-power FM airwaves. Congress needs to know how important it is for this bill to pass. Please take these two steps. It only takes a minute.
"
http://www.mediareform.net/lpfm/

Nominee for the "cool domain-name" award (if there is such a thing..maybe I could start one)

http://www.johnkerryisadouchebagbutimvotingforhimanyway.com/

Got fleas?

Let me put some things into perspective here. Whitewater and various encounters with women outside of marriage were personal issues that had little or no impact on society. Can the same thing be said of the World Trade Center Attacks, the Patriot Act, John Ashcroft and the brutal invasion of Iraq? This is not comparing apples to oranges. It is more like comparing a flea to an elephant. If you hear someone talking about Whitewater or Monica Lewinsky, politely advise them that there is good information available but they must look for it; and that maybe they could also pray for wisdom.

Can you say.. Corporatism?

"
Tom DeLay has done more than any other person to construct a system where our representatives sell the privilege of writing legislation to the highest bidder.
...
He is at the center of a machine that launders corporate influence in our political process. And that machine reaches even into the House Ethics Committee that is supposed to be investigating its activity. Four of the five Republicans on the Committee have received money from the DeLay operation.
...
The House Ethics Committee must appoint an outside counsel to lead the investigation. Add your name to the call for accountability:
"
http://www.democracyforamerica.com/stoptomdelay

"Fascism should rightly be called Corporatism as it is a merge of state and corporate power." -Benito Mussolini

He does tell the truth sometimes...

"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." -- George W. Bush, August 5, 2004

Again.. these Swiftboat liars were not on Kerry's boat.

http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/breaking/080604mccain.html
"
WASHINGTON - Republican Sen. John McCain, a former prisoner of war in Vietnam, called an ad criticizing John Kerry's military service "dishonest and dishonorable" and urged the White House yesterday to condemn it as well.

The White House declined.

"It was the same kind of deal that was pulled on me," McCain said in an interview with The Associated Press, comparing the anti-Kerry ad to tactics in his bitter Republican primary fight with President Bush.
...
"
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/breaking/080604mccain.html

Fear Totalitarianism

Miami FTAA police suppression of dissent movie
http://ftaaimc.org/miamimodel

Watch it, Winston Smith

Pinellas County Florida absentee ballot information

http://www.votepinellas.com/content.aspx?id=19

RETURNING VOTED BALLOT
Ballots may be returned by mail or in person.
There is no limit to the number of ballots a person may return.

VOTED ABSENTEE BALLOTS CAN NOT BE ACCEPTED AT POLLING PLACES. THEY MUST BE RETURNED TO ONE OF THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS OFFICES BY 7 P.M. ELECTION DAY. F.S. 101.67(2) and 101.6103(2)]

Supervisor of Elections Office
Pinellas County Courthouse
315 Court St Room 117
Clearwater FL 33756

Supervisor of Elections Office
501 1st Ave N
5th Street North Entrance
St. Petersburg FL 33701

Supervisor of Elections Office
Election Service Center
14255 49 St N Suite 202
Clearwater FL 33762

To get an absentee ballot:
PHONE: (727) 464-6788

Tell it, Al!

THE REVEREND AL SHARPTON DELIVERS REMARKS AT THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION - JULY 28, 2004

Hear it at Michael Moore's site
Read it at http://www.markfrankenberg.com/alconv.htm

Something I saw today:

1. Identify the problem...

Movie "orwell rolls in his grave"

Here's another film that could help things. It's about how the monied interests have seized control of the information we get. As with other films, powerful interests are working to prevent the people from seeing it. More information on this film can be found at http://www.buzzflash.com/orwell/

Who controls what you know?

http://www.thenation.com/special/bigten.html