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source: Viroqua Institute
News
in bed with the red
News
spread of the red
fun d' mental
one nation, under surveillance
number 170 10.12.08
| redstat archive |
| verbatim archive |
| Slim Harpo Tribute Page |
As the international financial crisis
continues to unfold, daily revealing
undisclosed new dimensions requiring
continuous emergency measures
involving incomprehensible amounts of
money, the candidates for president of
the United States struggle for media
relevance. While both Barack Obama
and John McCain have refurbished their
economic talking points and floated a
few new initiatives, they have been slow
to react to new developments,
preferring the tepid cooperation
endorsed by party leaders as the election
approaches. Despite an attempt to raise
the issue during the first debate, the
candidates have not addressed how
depressed economic conditions will
continues to unfold, daily revealing
undisclosed new dimensions requiring
continuous emergency measures
involving incomprehensible amounts of
money, the candidates for president of
the United States struggle for media
relevance. While both Barack Obama
and John McCain have refurbished their
economic talking points and floated a
few new initiatives, they have been slow
to react to new developments,
preferring the tepid cooperation
endorsed by party leaders as the election
approaches. Despite an attempt to raise
the issue during the first debate, the
candidates have not addressed how
depressed economic conditions will
impact their administrations, or their
budget proposals.
McCain last week suggested the kind of
mortgage modification program that was
a bone of contention in the recent $820
billion bailout negotiation when it was
promoted by House Democrats. Obama
has called for a 90-day moratorium on
some foreclosures, a move that
extensive polling indicates is popular with
voters and gaining traction with
policymakers. But in their public
appearances and televised debates, the
candidates seem unwilling to consider
that economic policy positions refined
over months by their top policy advisers
have been overwhelmed by events.
budget proposals.
McCain last week suggested the kind of
mortgage modification program that was
a bone of contention in the recent $820
billion bailout negotiation when it was
promoted by House Democrats. Obama
has called for a 90-day moratorium on
some foreclosures, a move that
extensive polling indicates is popular with
voters and gaining traction with
policymakers. But in their public
appearances and televised debates, the
candidates seem unwilling to consider
that economic policy positions refined
over months by their top policy advisers
have been overwhelmed by events.
Economic analysts have warned that
neither campaign seems to grasp the
scope of the crisis and its likely effect
on federal revenues over the next
decade.
“You don’t get a sense that there’s
quite a realization that this whole
thing has sunk in yet. Clearly, there
are going to have to be some
changes made,” Concord Coalition
executive director Robert Bixby said
in an interview with the Houston
Chronicle. Daniel Mitchell, a senior
fellow at the libertarian Cato
Institute, said of the presidential
candidates, “I think they’re both
being unrealistic.” it's all true
neither campaign seems to grasp the
scope of the crisis and its likely effect
on federal revenues over the next
decade.
“You don’t get a sense that there’s
quite a realization that this whole
thing has sunk in yet. Clearly, there
are going to have to be some
changes made,” Concord Coalition
executive director Robert Bixby said
in an interview with the Houston
Chronicle. Daniel Mitchell, a senior
fellow at the libertarian Cato
Institute, said of the presidential
candidates, “I think they’re both
being unrealistic.” it's all true
Bush-Cheney Excesses Will Impede Successors' Successes
The National Urban League has
called on Treasury Secretary Henry
Paulson to condemn remarks by
some conservative politicians placing
the blame for global economic
turmoil on minority communities
that may have received subprime
mortgage loans. In a letter to
Paulson, National Urban League
director Marc H. Morial challenged
such statements and asserted that
the Treasury Secretary has “an
obligation to correct the
misinformation that is spread
concerning the root cause of the
current financial crisis.”
During Congressional debate on the
bailout package, Republicans cited
the 1977 Community Reinvestment
Act as a cause of current market
disruptions. Morial, who was mayor
of New Orleans from 1994-2002,
told reporters that the effort by
politicians and television pundits to
“pin the subprime crisis on African
Americans and Latinos” amounted to
a propagandistic “big lie.” The
Treasury Department did not
immediately comment on the
content of Morial’s letter. it's all true
called on Treasury Secretary Henry
Paulson to condemn remarks by
some conservative politicians placing
the blame for global economic
turmoil on minority communities
that may have received subprime
mortgage loans. In a letter to
Paulson, National Urban League
director Marc H. Morial challenged
such statements and asserted that
the Treasury Secretary has “an
obligation to correct the
misinformation that is spread
concerning the root cause of the
current financial crisis.”
During Congressional debate on the
bailout package, Republicans cited
the 1977 Community Reinvestment
Act as a cause of current market
disruptions. Morial, who was mayor
of New Orleans from 1994-2002,
told reporters that the effort by
politicians and television pundits to
“pin the subprime crisis on African
Americans and Latinos” amounted to
a propagandistic “big lie.” The
Treasury Department did not
immediately comment on the
content of Morial’s letter. it's all true
Media Milk
Subprime Scapegoat
Subprime Scapegoat
"The people in Louisiana
must know that all across
our country there's a lot
of prayer for those whose
lives have been turned
upside down...
must know that all across
our country there's a lot
of prayer for those whose
lives have been turned
upside down...
...And I'm one of them."
Baton Rouge LA 09.03.08
Baton Rouge LA 09.03.08
verbatim number 33.2
A group of politically conservative
pastors from 22 states defied the
federal ban on campaigning by
nonprofit groups when they
recently agreed to deliver highly
charged political speeches from
their pulpits, exhorting their
congregants to vote against liberal
political candidates.
The group organized the so-called
“pulpit imitative” to specifically
challenge the federal government
to sanction them for violating the
decades old law that prohibits not
for profit tax exempt groups
from engaging in politics. A
conservative legal group called the
Alliance Defense Fund provided
financial and legal support to the
group of pastors in their law-
breaking scheme.
One of the lead pastors who
delivered a political speech from
his pulpit, Reverend Wiley S.
Drake, who said that he told his
congregation of the “un-biblical
stands that Barack Obama takes,”
stated that he and the other
pastors supporting the initiative,
“may not be politically correct,
but we are going to be biblically
correct.”
Another group of pastors,
members of the Interfaith
Alliance, has countered the pulpit
initiative, filing a complaint with
the Internal Revenue Service
challenging the not for profit
status of the political preachers
who participated. The Alliance
said in a statement, “partisan
politics are…a death knell to the
prophetic freedom that any
religious organization must
protect.” it's all true
pastors from 22 states defied the
federal ban on campaigning by
nonprofit groups when they
recently agreed to deliver highly
charged political speeches from
their pulpits, exhorting their
congregants to vote against liberal
political candidates.
The group organized the so-called
“pulpit imitative” to specifically
challenge the federal government
to sanction them for violating the
decades old law that prohibits not
for profit tax exempt groups
from engaging in politics. A
conservative legal group called the
Alliance Defense Fund provided
financial and legal support to the
group of pastors in their law-
breaking scheme.
One of the lead pastors who
delivered a political speech from
his pulpit, Reverend Wiley S.
Drake, who said that he told his
congregation of the “un-biblical
stands that Barack Obama takes,”
stated that he and the other
pastors supporting the initiative,
“may not be politically correct,
but we are going to be biblically
correct.”
Another group of pastors,
members of the Interfaith
Alliance, has countered the pulpit
initiative, filing a complaint with
the Internal Revenue Service
challenging the not for profit
status of the political preachers
who participated. The Alliance
said in a statement, “partisan
politics are…a death knell to the
prophetic freedom that any
religious organization must
protect.” it's all true
A federal judge has ruled that a series of
photographs depicting the abuse of
detainees that were captured and held in
US military detention camps be publicly
released. The 21 photographs are part
of US Army investigation files and have
never been released to the general
public.
Human rights advocates believe that the
series of photographs demonstrate that
detainee abuse was widespread in the
US military, being perpetrated by
soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq, and
confirms that the abusive tactics utilized
by US soldiers in both countries were
consistent, which suggests that the
abusive procedures were officially
sanctioned by the Department of
Defense.
The photographs were originally ordered
photographs depicting the abuse of
detainees that were captured and held in
US military detention camps be publicly
released. The 21 photographs are part
of US Army investigation files and have
never been released to the general
public.
Human rights advocates believe that the
series of photographs demonstrate that
detainee abuse was widespread in the
US military, being perpetrated by
soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq, and
confirms that the abusive tactics utilized
by US soldiers in both countries were
consistent, which suggests that the
abusive procedures were officially
sanctioned by the Department of
Defense.
The photographs were originally ordered
to be released with redaction by a US
district judge in 2006 because he deemed
that the images were of critical public
interest. The US Department of
Defense appealed the ruling on the
grounds that release of the photographs
would jeopardize the privacy of the
detainees depicted in the images and
may endanger US troops by revealing the
methods that are used on US captives.
The court found the argument made by
US government attorneys to be
“painfully insufficient” and asserted that
the release of the photographs could in
no way “endanger some unspecified
member of a group so vast as to
encompass all United States troops
(and) coalition forces."
The American Civil Liberties Union
fought for the release of the 21
district judge in 2006 because he deemed
that the images were of critical public
interest. The US Department of
Defense appealed the ruling on the
grounds that release of the photographs
would jeopardize the privacy of the
detainees depicted in the images and
may endanger US troops by revealing the
methods that are used on US captives.
The court found the argument made by
US government attorneys to be
“painfully insufficient” and asserted that
the release of the photographs could in
no way “endanger some unspecified
member of a group so vast as to
encompass all United States troops
(and) coalition forces."
The American Civil Liberties Union
fought for the release of the 21
images and other photographs,
hoping that public awareness of the
practices revealed in the images
would deter future detainee abuse.
An attorney for the ACLU said that
the images “demonstrate that the
abuse of prisoners held in US custody
abroad was not aberrational.” The
court said in its recent ruling, “The
photographs depict abusive
treatment of detainees by United
States soldiers in Iraq and
Afghanistan.”
US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein
said that he hoped that the release of
the photographs would help spark a
debate in the military and the US
public about the conduct of US
soldiers and the approval of the use
of abusive interrogation tactics by US
military commanders. it's all true
hoping that public awareness of the
practices revealed in the images
would deter future detainee abuse.
An attorney for the ACLU said that
the images “demonstrate that the
abuse of prisoners held in US custody
abroad was not aberrational.” The
court said in its recent ruling, “The
photographs depict abusive
treatment of detainees by United
States soldiers in Iraq and
Afghanistan.”
US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein
said that he hoped that the release of
the photographs would help spark a
debate in the military and the US
public about the conduct of US
soldiers and the approval of the use
of abusive interrogation tactics by US
military commanders. it's all true
The State Department, in apparent
violation of federal regulations, has hired
a private company to investigate
allegations of wrongdoing and criminality
made against other private firms that
were hired by the Department of
Defense to perform quasi-military
functions in occupied Iraq.
The State Department, charged with
staffing a newly created unit that was
formed to investigate crimes, graft and
abuses of power alleged against the
private mercenary companies that the
US military has hired to carry out
security and other functions in Iraq,
awarded a $4.4 million contract to the
private firm called US Investigations
Services to fill positions in the
investigative unit.
The Force Investigation Unit was
violation of federal regulations, has hired
a private company to investigate
allegations of wrongdoing and criminality
made against other private firms that
were hired by the Department of
Defense to perform quasi-military
functions in occupied Iraq.
The State Department, charged with
staffing a newly created unit that was
formed to investigate crimes, graft and
abuses of power alleged against the
private mercenary companies that the
US military has hired to carry out
security and other functions in Iraq,
awarded a $4.4 million contract to the
private firm called US Investigations
Services to fill positions in the
investigative unit.
The Force Investigation Unit was
created by the State Department
following from several incidents where
private mercenaries were alleged to have
gone on unprovoked killing sprees in the
course of their duties guarding
diplomatic personnel. In one such
incident in 2007 involving Blackwater
Worldwide, 17 Iraqi civilians including
women and children were killed and
scores more were seriously injured.
The regulation that created the FIU
specifies that certain functions of the
unit cannot be outsourced and must be
performed by US government officials.
One such function is the conduct of
“complex and sensitive investigations”.
USIS’s eleven employees make up the
majority of the full time employees in
the FIU investigation unit. USIS said that
it would not take the contract if it was
illegal to do so. it's all true
following from several incidents where
private mercenaries were alleged to have
gone on unprovoked killing sprees in the
course of their duties guarding
diplomatic personnel. In one such
incident in 2007 involving Blackwater
Worldwide, 17 Iraqi civilians including
women and children were killed and
scores more were seriously injured.
The regulation that created the FIU
specifies that certain functions of the
unit cannot be outsourced and must be
performed by US government officials.
One such function is the conduct of
“complex and sensitive investigations”.
USIS’s eleven employees make up the
majority of the full time employees in
the FIU investigation unit. USIS said that
it would not take the contract if it was
illegal to do so. it's all true
Demagogue Deacons
Politicize Pulpits
Politicize Pulpits
Torture Tactic Photos Put Defense Department in Stress Position
Contractors Hired to Investigate Contractors
1
| Cost of basic food items on the rise |
| flour bread potatoes tomatoes |
$
.50
| 1.50 |
| 2000 2004 2008 |
The Department of Homeland Security
has confirmed that it will continue with
the implementation of controversial new
spy satellite protocols, despite
Congressional opposition and a recent
report on the program that renewed
privacy concerns. The satellite
surveillance initiative, known as the
National Applications Office, has been
the subject of a longstanding battle
between the Bush administration and
Congressional Democrats, who say it
lacks adequate privacy protections and
independent oversight. Proponents of
the NAO were able to get partial
funding for the project to proceed added
to the huge $634 billion spending bill
that recently became law, but received
little media attention because of the
presidential election campaign and the
financial crisis.
Homeland Security officials attempted to
downplay the findings of a 60-page
Government Accountability Office
report that raised doubts about privacy
protections in the program. The report
concludes the DHS “lacks assurances
that NAO operations will comply with
applicable laws and privacy and civil
liberties standards,” according to the
Wall Street Journal, which obtained
access to the unreleased GAO
has confirmed that it will continue with
the implementation of controversial new
spy satellite protocols, despite
Congressional opposition and a recent
report on the program that renewed
privacy concerns. The satellite
surveillance initiative, known as the
National Applications Office, has been
the subject of a longstanding battle
between the Bush administration and
Congressional Democrats, who say it
lacks adequate privacy protections and
independent oversight. Proponents of
the NAO were able to get partial
funding for the project to proceed added
to the huge $634 billion spending bill
that recently became law, but received
little media attention because of the
presidential election campaign and the
financial crisis.
Homeland Security officials attempted to
downplay the findings of a 60-page
Government Accountability Office
report that raised doubts about privacy
protections in the program. The report
concludes the DHS “lacks assurances
that NAO operations will comply with
applicable laws and privacy and civil
liberties standards,” according to the
Wall Street Journal, which obtained
access to the unreleased GAO
document. The Journal reports that
DHS officials decided that the NAO
program is in compliance with existing
laws because the GAO report did not
explicitly say otherwise.
House Homeland Security Committee
Chairman Bennie Thompson of
Mississippi sought a delay in launching
the NAO until next year, so that the
issues could be considered by the next
administration and Congress. Thompson
and other Democrats have been critical
of the DHS program since it was first
proposed in 2006. The omnibus spending
bill just passed into law allows the
implementation of scientific and
emergency services satellite technology.
The DHS must meet certain criteria
before it will be allowed to launch the
law enforcement and antiterrorism
functions of the NOA.
Rep. Jane Harman of California warned
that even limited funding and approval
for the NOA could have unintended
consequences. Citing the example of
the Bush administration's warrantless
wiretapping programs, Harman said,
"Having learned my lesson, I don't want
to go there again unless and until the
legal framework for the entire program
is entirely spelled out." it's all true
DHS officials decided that the NAO
program is in compliance with existing
laws because the GAO report did not
explicitly say otherwise.
House Homeland Security Committee
Chairman Bennie Thompson of
Mississippi sought a delay in launching
the NAO until next year, so that the
issues could be considered by the next
administration and Congress. Thompson
and other Democrats have been critical
of the DHS program since it was first
proposed in 2006. The omnibus spending
bill just passed into law allows the
implementation of scientific and
emergency services satellite technology.
The DHS must meet certain criteria
before it will be allowed to launch the
law enforcement and antiterrorism
functions of the NOA.
Rep. Jane Harman of California warned
that even limited funding and approval
for the NOA could have unintended
consequences. Citing the example of
the Bush administration's warrantless
wiretapping programs, Harman said,
"Having learned my lesson, I don't want
to go there again unless and until the
legal framework for the entire program
is entirely spelled out." it's all true
DHS Spy Satellites Get Bad Reception