News
number 5 05.28.05
Bush Administration Sends Message to Veterans
| interpreting the constitution crowd control spread of the red one nation, under surveillance fun d' mental in bed with the red red state rebate verbatim |
The budget that the Bush Administration
sent to Congress this year has proposed
raising the prescription medication co-
payment for many of America’s
veterans. The budget calls for increasing
veteran's copayments in some categories
up to 100 percent. The Bush budget
also proposed a required yearly $250 fee
from some veterans for accessing
medical treatment and services.
The Bush budget reduces funding for
veteran’s nursing homes by $351 million.
sent to Congress this year has proposed
raising the prescription medication co-
payment for many of America’s
veterans. The budget calls for increasing
veteran's copayments in some categories
up to 100 percent. The Bush budget
also proposed a required yearly $250 fee
from some veterans for accessing
medical treatment and services.
The Bush budget reduces funding for
veteran’s nursing homes by $351 million.
Federal funding would also be eliminated
for a long-term care program for
veterans. The budget advanced by the
president is $68.2 billion, an increase of
one percent.
Veteran’s advocates have criticized the
president's budget for limiting spending
on veteran’s health care while the need
for services is expected to rise. Richard
Fuller, legislative director of the
Paralyzed Veterans of America stated
that the one percent increase is
insufficient at a time when “there has
for a long-term care program for
veterans. The budget advanced by the
president is $68.2 billion, an increase of
one percent.
Veteran’s advocates have criticized the
president's budget for limiting spending
on veteran’s health care while the need
for services is expected to rise. Richard
Fuller, legislative director of the
Paralyzed Veterans of America stated
that the one percent increase is
insufficient at a time when “there has
been a huge increase in health care
costs”. Vice President Dick Cheney
defended the president’s overall budget
proposal on Meet The Press in March,
stating of the cuts, “Its not something
we’ve done with a meat ax”.
The Veteran’s Administration operates
the nation’s largest hospital network.
More than 5 million veterans are treated
by the Veteran’s Administration
annually. An anticipated 600,000
additional veterans are expected to sign
up for benefits this year.
costs”. Vice President Dick Cheney
defended the president’s overall budget
proposal on Meet The Press in March,
stating of the cuts, “Its not something
we’ve done with a meat ax”.
The Veteran’s Administration operates
the nation’s largest hospital network.
More than 5 million veterans are treated
by the Veteran’s Administration
annually. An anticipated 600,000
additional veterans are expected to sign
up for benefits this year.
red state rebate
Weather
Seed Companies
Weed out Opposition
Weed out Opposition
Nominations Reduce Need for Energy Lobbyists
A report released this month by the
Center for Investigative Reporting
(CIFR) reveals that 35 percent of the
judges which have been nominated to
the Federal Court of Claims by the Bush
administration have a financial interest in
or have been employed by oil, gas,
mining and energy companies during
their legal careers.
21 of the 59 judges nominated by the
president have received compensation
from the energy industry according to
the financial disclosure statements filed
by the nominees and reviewed by the
CFIR. The analysis, the first of its kind
regarding possible conflicts of interest of
judicial nominees, also revealed that at
Center for Investigative Reporting
(CIFR) reveals that 35 percent of the
judges which have been nominated to
the Federal Court of Claims by the Bush
administration have a financial interest in
or have been employed by oil, gas,
mining and energy companies during
their legal careers.
21 of the 59 judges nominated by the
president have received compensation
from the energy industry according to
the financial disclosure statements filed
by the nominees and reviewed by the
CFIR. The analysis, the first of its kind
regarding possible conflicts of interest of
judicial nominees, also revealed that at
least nine of the nominees have
previously lobbied for energy or mining
corporations.
Nominee Judge Charles Pickering has
worked in the Federal District Court in
Mississippi where he has presided over
dozens of cases involving the oil and gas
industry for more than ten years even
though records show that Pickering
himself owns an energy company.
Nominee Judge John Roberts filed an
amicus brief on behalf of the national
mining association in 2000 in support of
a mining technique called “mountain top
removal” where entire mountains are
excavated and leeched in chemicals to
extract minerals.
previously lobbied for energy or mining
corporations.
Nominee Judge Charles Pickering has
worked in the Federal District Court in
Mississippi where he has presided over
dozens of cases involving the oil and gas
industry for more than ten years even
though records show that Pickering
himself owns an energy company.
Nominee Judge John Roberts filed an
amicus brief on behalf of the national
mining association in 2000 in support of
a mining technique called “mountain top
removal” where entire mountains are
excavated and leeched in chemicals to
extract minerals.
Nine of Bush’s judicial nominees are
board members or actively participate
in conservative think tanks that
advocate for less government
regulation of business. 25 of the
nominees made campaign contributions
of more than one thousand dollars to
President Bush. Research performed
by Ohio State University suggests that
today there are more federal judges
who have close ties to industry than
any time in American history.
board members or actively participate
in conservative think tanks that
advocate for less government
regulation of business. 25 of the
nominees made campaign contributions
of more than one thousand dollars to
President Bush. Research performed
by Ohio State University suggests that
today there are more federal judges
who have close ties to industry than
any time in American history.
Two bills currently under
consideration by the North
Carolina state legislature would
assist large agrochemical
corporations in their bid to
introduce genetically modified
seed technology, even against the
wishes of local authorities.
The legislation, if enacted, would
make the State Department of
Agriculture the sole regulatory
body for plant species. The seed
companies hope that this will
circumvent opposition at the local
level. The industry, which is
dominated by five companies:
Monsanto, Bayer, Dow, Dupont,
and Syngenta, has sponsored
similar legislative initiatives in nine
other states.
By centralizing regulatory
authority in such matters, the
agrochemical giants hope to
prevent local regulations that
might prohibit the controversial
crops. Local opposition recently
led to restrictions on genetically
modified seed technology in three
California counties.
Farmers and activists warn of
possible unintended
environmental effects of
genetically modified crops. The
technology allows corporations to
gain virtual monopolies on specific
strains of seed. Experts estimate
that up to 75 percent of
processed foods have some
genetically modified content.
consideration by the North
Carolina state legislature would
assist large agrochemical
corporations in their bid to
introduce genetically modified
seed technology, even against the
wishes of local authorities.
The legislation, if enacted, would
make the State Department of
Agriculture the sole regulatory
body for plant species. The seed
companies hope that this will
circumvent opposition at the local
level. The industry, which is
dominated by five companies:
Monsanto, Bayer, Dow, Dupont,
and Syngenta, has sponsored
similar legislative initiatives in nine
other states.
By centralizing regulatory
authority in such matters, the
agrochemical giants hope to
prevent local regulations that
might prohibit the controversial
crops. Local opposition recently
led to restrictions on genetically
modified seed technology in three
California counties.
Farmers and activists warn of
possible unintended
environmental effects of
genetically modified crops. The
technology allows corporations to
gain virtual monopolies on specific
strains of seed. Experts estimate
that up to 75 percent of
processed foods have some
genetically modified content.
| redstat |
one nation under surveillance
FBI Seeks Further Powers Under Patriot Act
President Bush in cooperation with
Republican Senate leadership is
advancing an expansion of the USA
Patriot Act that would allow
investigators to demand documents
from businesses and institutions
without having to obtain a judge’s
approval. The expansion of the USA
Patriot Act would allow the FBI to
subpoena documents without
presenting evidence to a judge if the
agency declares that such records and
documents are pertinent to an on-
going terror investigation.
The Senate Intelligence committee
will take up the proposal this month.
The expansion of Justice Department
Republican Senate leadership is
advancing an expansion of the USA
Patriot Act that would allow
investigators to demand documents
from businesses and institutions
without having to obtain a judge’s
approval. The expansion of the USA
Patriot Act would allow the FBI to
subpoena documents without
presenting evidence to a judge if the
agency declares that such records and
documents are pertinent to an on-
going terror investigation.
The Senate Intelligence committee
will take up the proposal this month.
The expansion of Justice Department
authority is supported by the
administration that feels it will speed up
the investigation of terror leads by
simplifying the process of searching
businesses’ records. The American Civil
Liberties Union views the proposal as
both a “power grab” and a “dramatic
expansion of the powers of the Justice
Department”.
The Bush administration is seeking to
make permanent provisions of the
Patriot Act that are scheduled to expire
this year. More than 350 governmental
bodies on the municipal and state level
have passed formal resolutions
challenging the authorities created
under the Patriot Act.
administration that feels it will speed up
the investigation of terror leads by
simplifying the process of searching
businesses’ records. The American Civil
Liberties Union views the proposal as
both a “power grab” and a “dramatic
expansion of the powers of the Justice
Department”.
The Bush administration is seeking to
make permanent provisions of the
Patriot Act that are scheduled to expire
this year. More than 350 governmental
bodies on the municipal and state level
have passed formal resolutions
challenging the authorities created
under the Patriot Act.
spread of the red
interpreting the constitution
Chicago's Cameras
Catch Fifty-Six
Catch Fifty-Six
Local PD Targets Local Anarchists
The police department in Melbourne,
Florida has collected over 600 pages of
records on citizens of Brevard County
who have attended anti-war protests.
The records were obtained by the
Florida American Civil Liberties Union
after the attendees at a January 2005
anti-war rally realized that the local
police were video taping the permitted
event. The surveillance reports date
back to 2002 and reflect espionage
carried out by the Melbourne Police
Department at more than a dozen
political, religious and civil rights events.
The reports revealed that the police had
developed a “War Protest Operational
Plan” which allows officers to
clandestinely photograph and videotape
public events where citizens voiced their
opposition to the occupation of
Iraq and other policies of the Bush
administration. In addition to the
surreptitious recording of the rallies
Melbourne police reportedly infiltrated
meetings where organizers planned the
events to secretly gather information
about the event’s planners. The records
obtained by the ACLU also indicate that
police “monitored” the movements of
Florida has collected over 600 pages of
records on citizens of Brevard County
who have attended anti-war protests.
The records were obtained by the
Florida American Civil Liberties Union
after the attendees at a January 2005
anti-war rally realized that the local
police were video taping the permitted
event. The surveillance reports date
back to 2002 and reflect espionage
carried out by the Melbourne Police
Department at more than a dozen
political, religious and civil rights events.
The reports revealed that the police had
developed a “War Protest Operational
Plan” which allows officers to
clandestinely photograph and videotape
public events where citizens voiced their
opposition to the occupation of
Iraq and other policies of the Bush
administration. In addition to the
surreptitious recording of the rallies
Melbourne police reportedly infiltrated
meetings where organizers planned the
events to secretly gather information
about the event’s planners. The records
obtained by the ACLU also indicate that
police “monitored” the movements of
the event planners.
The officers who performed the
espionage collected VIN & license plate
information on over 60 vehicles, did
background checks on planners and rally
participants, and identified 67 “persons
of interest” under the operational plan.
During the time when the plan was being
carried out by the police department a
pro-war rally was held in Melbourne
where no photographs or videos were
taken by officers no vehicle information
was collected and no “persons of
interest" were identified.
Spokes persons for the Brevard chapter
of the ACLU stated that “if you are part
of the peace movement or you are
against the administration you can pretty
much bet your personal information is
going to be on file” with local police
authorities. Bruce Parker, director of
the Melbourne Sheriff’s Investigative
Support Unit assured Floridians that
“we're looking for anarchists”. The
Melbourne Police Department has
discontinued their policy of videotaping
pro-peace events since it‘s clandestine
data collection practices were revealed.
The officers who performed the
espionage collected VIN & license plate
information on over 60 vehicles, did
background checks on planners and rally
participants, and identified 67 “persons
of interest” under the operational plan.
During the time when the plan was being
carried out by the police department a
pro-war rally was held in Melbourne
where no photographs or videos were
taken by officers no vehicle information
was collected and no “persons of
interest" were identified.
Spokes persons for the Brevard chapter
of the ACLU stated that “if you are part
of the peace movement or you are
against the administration you can pretty
much bet your personal information is
going to be on file” with local police
authorities. Bruce Parker, director of
the Melbourne Sheriff’s Investigative
Support Unit assured Floridians that
“we're looking for anarchists”. The
Melbourne Police Department has
discontinued their policy of videotaping
pro-peace events since it‘s clandestine
data collection practices were revealed.
The Chicago police are in the final
stages of constructing a network of
over two thousand five hundred
video cameras in public spaces around
the city.
The video surveillance equipment is
positioned in what Chicago Police
define as “high crime areas” as well as
in most large public spaces in
Chicago, including 600 schools.
Monitoring the two thousand plus 24-
hour video surveillance cameras will
be aided by sophisticated software
that will direct the attention of
police monitors to what the software
categorizes as “unusual”.
Police officials reported that the
cameras in the city’s public spaces
have produced “over 56 usable
videos” which the department has
inventoried. Mayor Daley told
reporters that the public should not
be concerned about the mega-
surveillance system infringing on
privacy stating, “We’re not in your
homes or your businesses, the city
owns the sidewalks”.
stages of constructing a network of
over two thousand five hundred
video cameras in public spaces around
the city.
The video surveillance equipment is
positioned in what Chicago Police
define as “high crime areas” as well as
in most large public spaces in
Chicago, including 600 schools.
Monitoring the two thousand plus 24-
hour video surveillance cameras will
be aided by sophisticated software
that will direct the attention of
police monitors to what the software
categorizes as “unusual”.
Police officials reported that the
cameras in the city’s public spaces
have produced “over 56 usable
videos” which the department has
inventoried. Mayor Daley told
reporters that the public should not
be concerned about the mega-
surveillance system infringing on
privacy stating, “We’re not in your
homes or your businesses, the city
owns the sidewalks”.
redstateupdate.net
"The notion that the United
States is getting ready to attack
Iran is simply ridiculous...
States is getting ready to attack
Iran is simply ridiculous...
...having said that, all options
are on the table."
Brussels, Belgium 02.22.05
are on the table."
Brussels, Belgium 02.22.05
verbatim number 1.5
source: Economic Policy Institute
| Share of all workers earning poverty-level hourly wages |
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