number 7 06.12.05
| 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 Inspector General for the Interior
Department has released the findings of
an investigation into the sale of mineral
rights for 400,000 acres of land in the
Florida everglades to the US government
by Collier Resources where the
government was found to have paid
substantially more than the rights were
worth. The most recent estimate of the
land's value, conducted by the US
Geographical Survey, assessed the
mineral rights to be worth between $5
million and $20 million. The company
was paid $120 million for the rights and
Department has released the findings of
an investigation into the sale of mineral
rights for 400,000 acres of land in the
Florida everglades to the US government
by Collier Resources where the
government was found to have paid
substantially more than the rights were
worth. The most recent estimate of the
land's value, conducted by the US
Geographical Survey, assessed the
mineral rights to be worth between $5
million and $20 million. The company
was paid $120 million for the rights and
was also offered additional tax
deductions by the US Government.
The Inspector General, Earl Devaney,
has found that instead of using estimates
offered by department employees,
attorneys in the Interior Department
had brought in a firm with “no
experience" in subsurface land mineral
rights evaluation. Devaney wrote in a
letter that accompanied the recently
released report that “the conduct
revealed in this special report
cries out for accountability.”
deductions by the US Government.
The Inspector General, Earl Devaney,
has found that instead of using estimates
offered by department employees,
attorneys in the Interior Department
had brought in a firm with “no
experience" in subsurface land mineral
rights evaluation. Devaney wrote in a
letter that accompanied the recently
released report that “the conduct
revealed in this special report
cries out for accountability.”
The Collier family is one of the largest
land owners in Florida. The company
Collier Resources gave over $100,000 in
campaign donations to republican
candidates in the last election cycle
including $5000 to Jeb Bush’s re-election
campaign.
The land sale was announced by
President Bush in 2002 in a ceremony
that was attended by Secretary of the
Interior Gale Norton who characterized
the deal as a “win for all sides”.
land owners in Florida. The company
Collier Resources gave over $100,000 in
campaign donations to republican
candidates in the last election cycle
including $5000 to Jeb Bush’s re-election
campaign.
The land sale was announced by
President Bush in 2002 in a ceremony
that was attended by Secretary of the
Interior Gale Norton who characterized
the deal as a “win for all sides”.
fun d' mental
in bed with the red
DOJ Disregards Expert Witness in Tobacco Trial
Project Places
Patriot Pastors
Patriot Pastors
Late last week the Department of
Justice stunned anti-smoking advocates,
tobacco industry insiders and a federal
judge when it proposed a settlement in
the United State’s lawsuit against the
nation’s tobacco producers of less than
10 percent of what has been previously
indicated by government attorneys
throughout the 8 month long trail.
Government expert witness Dr. Michael
Fiore had previously,recommended that
the leading tobacco industry
manufacturers be required to pay 130
billion dollars over the next twenty five
years to fund smoking cessation
programs in the United States. The
Justice Departments lawyers advised the
court on June 2nd that they would
Justice stunned anti-smoking advocates,
tobacco industry insiders and a federal
judge when it proposed a settlement in
the United State’s lawsuit against the
nation’s tobacco producers of less than
10 percent of what has been previously
indicated by government attorneys
throughout the 8 month long trail.
Government expert witness Dr. Michael
Fiore had previously,recommended that
the leading tobacco industry
manufacturers be required to pay 130
billion dollars over the next twenty five
years to fund smoking cessation
programs in the United States. The
Justice Departments lawyers advised the
court on June 2nd that they would
seek only 10 billion dollars from the
defendants.
The trial judge, US Associate Judge
Gladys Kessler, was apparently taken
aback by the Justice Department’s
substantial back-peddling on the fines
which it is seeking and asked rhetorically
in the court room whether the decision
was the result of “additional” influences
brought to bear on government
attorneys.
Sources who have requested to remain
anonymous have come forward to
describe that the department's change in
tactics was motivated by politically
appointed officials at the Department of
Justice, including Associate Attorney
General Robert McCallum who is the
defendants.
The trial judge, US Associate Judge
Gladys Kessler, was apparently taken
aback by the Justice Department’s
substantial back-peddling on the fines
which it is seeking and asked rhetorically
in the court room whether the decision
was the result of “additional” influences
brought to bear on government
attorneys.
Sources who have requested to remain
anonymous have come forward to
describe that the department's change in
tactics was motivated by politically
appointed officials at the Department of
Justice, including Associate Attorney
General Robert McCallum who is the
Religious conservatives in Ohio have
a plan to promote politics from the
pulpit with the help of Ohio
Secretary of State Kenneth
Blackwell. The Ohio Restoration
Project is gearing up to train local
pastors on “issues relevant to the
Christian Community” and hold
meetings and rallies featuring
Blackwell among other politically
conservative religious leaders in the
run up to the 2006 election season.
The project has targeted the faithful
in that state with a marketing
campaign that enlists church elders as
“patriot pastors” who are to provide
lists of church congregations to the
organization. The project’s
coordinators want to ensure that
members of the state’s churches will
be provided with Christian Coalition
voter’s guides that will help them
“engage their communities with
conviction and confidence”.
The group’s web site describes
regional policy briefings on topics
including school vouchers, tax reform
and tort reform and a radio
advertisement blitz called “Ohio for
Jesus” featuring Ohio Secretary of
State Kenneth Blackwell.
Ohio Secretary of State Blackwell,
who is also currently running for
Governor of Ohio, presided over the
2004 election in that state which was
characterized in a recent
congressional report as being marred
by “misconduct and illegal behavior”
(see link of the week: Conyers
Report).
a plan to promote politics from the
pulpit with the help of Ohio
Secretary of State Kenneth
Blackwell. The Ohio Restoration
Project is gearing up to train local
pastors on “issues relevant to the
Christian Community” and hold
meetings and rallies featuring
Blackwell among other politically
conservative religious leaders in the
run up to the 2006 election season.
The project has targeted the faithful
in that state with a marketing
campaign that enlists church elders as
“patriot pastors” who are to provide
lists of church congregations to the
organization. The project’s
coordinators want to ensure that
members of the state’s churches will
be provided with Christian Coalition
voter’s guides that will help them
“engage their communities with
conviction and confidence”.
The group’s web site describes
regional policy briefings on topics
including school vouchers, tax reform
and tort reform and a radio
advertisement blitz called “Ohio for
Jesus” featuring Ohio Secretary of
State Kenneth Blackwell.
Ohio Secretary of State Blackwell,
who is also currently running for
Governor of Ohio, presided over the
2004 election in that state which was
characterized in a recent
congressional report as being marred
by “misconduct and illegal behavior”
(see link of the week: Conyers
Report).
| redstat |
News
Committee Passes a Worried and Worrisome Budget
The House Appropriations Committee
approved President Bush’s domestic
spending bill which calls for cuts in
more than 50 government programs.
The budget for America’s schools for
the year 2006 was locked at 2005 levels
and the Departments of Health and
Human Services and Department of
Labor have been cut by over one billion
dollars.
The president’s original budget was
formulated to take account of record
high and growing federal budget deficits
and did not include spending targeted
for the occupation of Iraq or the cost
of the president’s plan to privatize the
country’s Social Security benefit
program.
approved President Bush’s domestic
spending bill which calls for cuts in
more than 50 government programs.
The budget for America’s schools for
the year 2006 was locked at 2005 levels
and the Departments of Health and
Human Services and Department of
Labor have been cut by over one billion
dollars.
The president’s original budget was
formulated to take account of record
high and growing federal budget deficits
and did not include spending targeted
for the occupation of Iraq or the cost
of the president’s plan to privatize the
country’s Social Security benefit
program.
The president’s budget calls for the
elimination of programs for worker
training and preventive health care
services which were paid out of block
grants to the states. Overall the
president’s budget for 2006 eliminates or
drastically reduces 150 programs, one in
three of these are education programs.
The president’s plan also eliminates $100
million in grants for water and land
conservation and terminates the
Community Food Nutrition Program.
President Bush acknowledged that he
was worried about the rapidly expanding
deficit caused largely the occupation of
Iraq. “My last budget worried about it,
this budget will really worry about it” the
president said of the budget proposal.
elimination of programs for worker
training and preventive health care
services which were paid out of block
grants to the states. Overall the
president’s budget for 2006 eliminates or
drastically reduces 150 programs, one in
three of these are education programs.
The president’s plan also eliminates $100
million in grants for water and land
conservation and terminates the
Community Food Nutrition Program.
President Bush acknowledged that he
was worried about the rapidly expanding
deficit caused largely the occupation of
Iraq. “My last budget worried about it,
this budget will really worry about it” the
president said of the budget proposal.
Weather
Exxon Finds Federal Environmental Policy "Acceptable"
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Two recently leaked sets of documents
reveal that the Bush administration
routinely involves energy industry
interests and representatives in the
formulation of federal energy policy.
Last Wednesday it was reported that a
White House official who is a former oil
industry lobbyist has frequently edited
government reports to downplay
concerns about global warming.
According to the New York Times,
Phillip Cooney, the Chief of Staff for the
White House Council on Environmental
Quality, made “dozens” of emendations
which “tend to produce an air of doubt
about findings that most climate experts
say are robust.” Cooney, previously the
“climate team leader” at the American
Petroleum Institute, has no scientific
credentials.
reveal that the Bush administration
routinely involves energy industry
interests and representatives in the
formulation of federal energy policy.
Last Wednesday it was reported that a
White House official who is a former oil
industry lobbyist has frequently edited
government reports to downplay
concerns about global warming.
According to the New York Times,
Phillip Cooney, the Chief of Staff for the
White House Council on Environmental
Quality, made “dozens” of emendations
which “tend to produce an air of doubt
about findings that most climate experts
say are robust.” Cooney, previously the
“climate team leader” at the American
Petroleum Institute, has no scientific
credentials.
Also made public last week were
briefing papers dating from 2001
through 2004 which confirm that the
Bush administration’s controversial
abrogation of the Kyoto Treaty on
global warming was in part due to
active lobbying by ExxonMobil.
Executives of the world’s largest energy
company have repeatedly denied any
attempts to pressure the administration
with regard to Kyoto. But an article in
the Guardian reports that not only did
Exxon seek to influence energy policy,
the Bush administration sought the
corporation’s “advice on what climate
change policies the company might find
acceptable”.
The revelations came just as British
Prime Minister Tony Blair was arriving
in Washington to discuss climate change
issues with President Bush
briefing papers dating from 2001
through 2004 which confirm that the
Bush administration’s controversial
abrogation of the Kyoto Treaty on
global warming was in part due to
active lobbying by ExxonMobil.
Executives of the world’s largest energy
company have repeatedly denied any
attempts to pressure the administration
with regard to Kyoto. But an article in
the Guardian reports that not only did
Exxon seek to influence energy policy,
the Bush administration sought the
corporation’s “advice on what climate
change policies the company might find
acceptable”.
The revelations came just as British
Prime Minister Tony Blair was arriving
in Washington to discuss climate change
issues with President Bush
ahead of the G8 summit at
Gleneagles in Scotland next month.
Blair has made addressing global
warming a priority of his government.
The Bush administration has
consistently questioned scientific links
between greenhouse gas emissions
and long-term climate change. This
stance has led to tensions between
the US and many of its traditional
allies.
ExxonMobil, with revenue of over
$350 billion, has been facing some
protests from shareholders over its
position on climate change in general,
and the Kyoto accords in particular.
Environmentalists were able to
introduce two resolutions at the
company’s recent annual meeting.
After discussion, both measures were
defeated.
Gleneagles in Scotland next month.
Blair has made addressing global
warming a priority of his government.
The Bush administration has
consistently questioned scientific links
between greenhouse gas emissions
and long-term climate change. This
stance has led to tensions between
the US and many of its traditional
allies.
ExxonMobil, with revenue of over
$350 billion, has been facing some
protests from shareholders over its
position on climate change in general,
and the Kyoto accords in particular.
Environmentalists were able to
introduce two resolutions at the
company’s recent annual meeting.
After discussion, both measures were
defeated.
red state rebate
redstateupdate.net
a supervisor in Justice’s civil division.
McCallum previously represented R.
J. Reynolds when he worked for
Atlanta law firm Alston & Bird.
Several senators called for a review
of the shift in tactics by the Justice
Department’s Inspector General’s
Office. Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-
NJ) stated that the about-face of the
Justice Department “reeks of
political interference by the Bush
administration”. In a letter sent to
Inspector General Glenn Fine,
Congress persons Henry Waxman (D-
CA) and Martin Meehan (D-MA) also
requested a formal investigation into
what they characterized as
“inappropriate political
interference”.
McCallum previously represented R.
J. Reynolds when he worked for
Atlanta law firm Alston & Bird.
Several senators called for a review
of the shift in tactics by the Justice
Department’s Inspector General’s
Office. Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-
NJ) stated that the about-face of the
Justice Department “reeks of
political interference by the Bush
administration”. In a letter sent to
Inspector General Glenn Fine,
Congress persons Henry Waxman (D-
CA) and Martin Meehan (D-MA) also
requested a formal investigation into
what they characterized as
“inappropriate political
interference”.
Government finds Government Paid too Much
"We must stay the course."
April 3 2004
April 3 2004
"We must stay the course."
November 3 1969
November 3 1969
"We must stay the course."
November 1 1967
November 1 1967
verbatim Number 2.1
source: Center on Budget and Priotities
| states with the highest rates of children under 18 living in poverty: 2003 |
0 10 20 30 40
in percents to total number of children
in percents to total number of children
| District of Columbia |
| Louisiana |
| Mississippi |
| West Virginia |
| New Mexico |
| Kentucky |
| Arkansas |
| Alabama |
| Texas |
| Oklahoma |
