Sen. Maria Cantwell was one of 34 US Senators to vote against a detainee bill that suspends habeas corpus and grants President Bush the power to reinterpret the Geneva Conventions as he sees fit. Here is her statement on her vote:
“We must win the war on terrorism by being smarter and tougher, and by passing legislation that makes our troops more secure. I believe the bill passed by the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this month met this test. The legislation voted on tonight still has critical flaws.
“The legislation voted on by the full Senate will permit the Bush Administration to undermine the Geneva Conventions, broadly expand the definition of enemy combatants, allow for coerced and secret evidence and abandon habeus corpus. For more than three years, our ability to try terrorists has been hampered by the Administration’s refusal to abide by U.S. law. The provisions in this legislation may be once again deemed unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court, only further delaying our goal of bringing the terrorists to justice.
“Short-term political goals should never come ahead of America’s long-term success in the war on terror.”
Meanwhile, Republican challenger Mike McGavick says he would have voted for the bill:
“Very simply, this legislation is a necessary piece of the long term struggle against radical Islamic terrorism. Our security depends on our military and intelligence communities possessing intelligence gathering tools, and we are in need of a system to try our terrorist enemies.”
On both moral and pragmatic grounds, Sen. Cantwell defends the basic right to habeas corpus, and opposes the use of torture. McGavick disagrees.
Sometimes, politicians are faced with simple choices. And sometimes, so are voters.
I want the number and full title of the bill so I can look up the voting record on senate.gov, please.
http://www.senate.gov/legislat.....0259#state
FYI Senate Vote. Both Cantwell and Murrey voted Nay
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2006/roll491.xml
House Vote
What has Cantwell done to lower prices on prescription drugs?
She claims she’s working it – what is she doing?
Maria once again shows why she should be re-elected. She takes a position which is risky politically, but the principled way to go. She shows her respect for human rights and the rule of law. McGavick, predictably, goes with political expediency and mouths some horseshit platitudes as an explanation. We don’t need cowards like McGavick in the Senate. By the way, you rightwing “Christians” out there, how many of you believe that Jesus Christ would be in favor of torture? Can you picture him doing some waterboarding, for instance? Do your political values ever coincide with the religious views you purport to follow?
Thanks for the link, C.O.
Whoah, proud leftist, Of Course Jesus Christ was in favor of torture. Absolutely without question. If not for torture he couldn’t have died for our sins. Mel Gibson explained that to us.
If the Republicans suddenly pull Osama out of their Nethercutt in OCT., it will be such an obvious and pathetic ploy. SMEGMAC is a low-ranking pinhead who needs to follow orders and go in the corner!
Get in that corner , dunce!!!
Does McGavick’s statement surprise anyone? After all, his mentor, Sen. McWrinkledAss (R-AK), has already voted to allow torture.
If this dangerous piece of legislation becomes law, the United States will no longer be the United States of old. No longer will we be able to claim any moral high ground. We will be no better than the old Soviet Union, North Korea, Iran, or any other state that this country used to condemn for their human rights abuses.
And you righties, don’t think that this can’t affect you. Just wait until some government appointee (that is, one of those highly competent Bush cronies) misspells a terrorists name and they come to pick you up. Nobody will know where you are. They’ll use their “special interrogation” techniques on you. Maybe even send you off to another country where even more interesting things can be done.
Think it can’t happen? Just ask that
innocent Canadian who was arrested, sent to Syria, and tortured. And WE did that. OUR country. Yes, our tax dollars at work. And some of you actually support this criminal administration. SHAME ON YOU!
Did you ever get an answer to your question at #5, sgmmac?
6 Proud Leftist
You again show your lack of intelligence that only conservatives are religious…Your remarks show your partisan intolerance.
I commend you Maria, and Patty. We don’t need to burn our constitution, and pee on the grave of George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson to fight terror.
Powell is right. Our moral high ground is not only being questioned, it is being destroyed by the GOP.
http://pewglobal.org/reports/d.....portID=252
America’s image slips farther, and Osama recruits a few thousand more!
Isn’t creating enemies what presidents are supposed to do?
You again show your lack of intelligence that only conservatives are religious…Your remarks show your partisan intolerance.
You seem to have misunderstood his point. I’m sure if you reread his comment, you’ll see that your criticism is mistaken.
Goldy
Can you please provide the exact quotes from the bill where it suspends habeas corpus to support your post?
The bill is at:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.go.....cs.txt.pdf
Rep. Dr. Ron Paul, who voted nay, continues to be my fave Republican. Even if he doesn’t know what decade he’s in. Probably because he doesn’t know what decade he’s in.
From the Washington Post:
In his legislative fantasies, the amiable Texas congressman would do away with the CIA and the Federal Reserve. He’d reinstate the gold standard. He’d get rid of the Department of Education and leave the business of schooling to local governments, because he believes that’s what the Constitution intended.
Paul, 70, has earned the nickname Dr. No for his habit of voting against just about anything that he sees as government overreach or that interferes with the free market. No to the Iraq war. No to a federal ban on same-sex marriage. No to a congressional gold medal for Pope John Paul II and Ronald Reagan and Rosa Parks. He says the medals are an unconstitutional use of taxpayer money and once suggested each House member instead contribute 100 bucks from his or her own pocket.
At least he walks the traditional GOP walk, even if it means being walking alone. Ms. Burner and Senator Cantwell would have tougher fights if their “I like my party’s current form better than I like the Constitution” rivals were more like Mr. Paul. He doesn’t even have to reference an Old Testament God to get elected.
Libertarian,
No-one has answered it. I guess the obvious reason is that Cantwell is doing nothing about the price of drugs. It’s a political ad, so apparantely you can do or say anything you please and hope enough people believe you to vote you into office.
Gregoire’s plan to reimport drugs from Canada happened a couple of years ago and President Bush’s drug plan is working well for Seniors. Whatever Cantwell is doing, it must be covert, because no-one knows anything about it!
Latin for “you [should] have the body”, in common law countries, habeas corpus is the name of a legal instrument or writ by means of which detainees can seek release from unlawful imprisonment. A writ of habeas corpus is a court order addressed to a prison official (or other custodian) ordering that a detainee be brought to the court so it can be determined whether or not that person is imprisoned lawfully and whether or not he or she should be released from custody. The writ of habeas corpus in common law countries is an important instrument for the safeguarding of individual freedom against arbitrary state action.
sillyguy @ 13
I put Christian in quotes, but such subtleties typically escape the Republican mind. I happen to be a very religious person. My father is a minister, and I have never left the fold. I am a leftist because that is where my religious beliefs take me. Being antitorture and antiwar seem to me to be the only possible positions consistent with Gospel teachings. So, why don’t you just keep your little judgments to yourself.
No-one has answered it. I guess the obvious reason is that Cantwell is doing nothing about the price of drugs.
The obvious answer is that it’s off-topic.
The obvious answer is that it’s off-topic.
Commentby Another TJ— 9/29/06@ 3:13 pm
So?
Don’t Forget these bed rock principles either, so that when we talk about “freedom” – we mean –
In the United States, the Bill of Rights and the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. These amendments explicitly limit the Federal government’s powers, protecting the rights of the people by preventing Congress from abridging freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom of religious worship, and the right to bear arms, preventing unreasonable search and seizure, cruel and unusual punishment, and self-incrimination, and guaranteeing due process of law and a speedy public trial with an impartial jury. In addition, the Bill of Rights states that “the enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people,” and reserves all powers not granted to the Federal government to the citizenry or States.
We guard these with our votes and lives!
well sead there mate
Genealogist, as Ahnuld would say, No Problimo (Decent B Action Actor. Lousy Politician)
If I live to see 50 more elections, I will never figure out why Politicians, Especially Republicans, keep passing laws that they know are going to be rejected by the Supremes as Unconstitutional.
Sec. 950fff. Wrongfully aiding the enemy
`Any person subject to this chapter who, in breach of an allegiance or duty to the United States, knowingly and intentionally aids an enemy of the United States, or one of the co-belligerents of the enemy, shall be punished as a military commission under this chapter may direct.
Who decides what an enemy of the US is? Hugo Chavez has not been Mr. Nice Guy toward Bush? Can going down to Venezuela to help earthquake victims fall under that category?
Hmm?
But this part is the best (This is the part you’re asking about sillyguy)
SEC. 6. HABEAS CORPUS MATTERS.
`(e)(1) No court, justice, or judge shall have jurisdiction to hear or consider an application for a writ of habeas corpus filed by or on behalf of an alien detained by the United States who–
`(A) is currently in United States custody; and
`(B) has been determined by the United States to have been properly detained as an enemy combatant or is awaiting such determination.
Wasn’t their a silly thing called the Constitution. Oh yeah, now I remember:
Article I, Section 9
The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.
No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.
Since we whipped the Confeds asses 140 years ago, their has been no Rebellion. And we have not been invaded. And public safety sure as hell does not require locking people up without charges, Ann Coulter not withstanding.
Who decides what an enemy of the US is? Hugo Chavez has not been Mr. Nice Guy toward Bush? Can going down to Venezuela to help earthquake victims fall under that category?
Hmm?
Tech error. Sorry
For our right-wing traitorous “friends”:
Just repeat to yourselves: “Stockholm Syndrome”… “Deprogramming”…
And if you ever get the feeling to “waterboard”, focus on the here and now and let the feeling pass.
Foley resigns from Congress over e-mails
By DAVID ESPO AND JIM KUHNHENN
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITERS
WASHINGTON — Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., abruptly resigned from Congress on Friday in the wake of questions about e-mails he wrote a former teenage male page.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/.....Mails.html
Another republicans morality is outed
Friday, September 29, 2006
Most in U.S. say Congress short-sighted
By DEVLIN BARRETT
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — Americans are very worried about the long-term future of the country, and they don’t think Congress is paying attention to big issues on the horizon, like Social Security and global warming, according to a survey released Friday.
The survey found 81 percent of respondents were very or somewhat worried about Social Security, and just as many were very or somewhat worried about energy issues. The findings were released by New York University’s John Brademas Center for the Study of Congress.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/.....ss29ww.asp
HAHAHAA it looks like the republican B.S. ofensive isn’t working very well
“We” whipped the Confeds’ asses? What kind of malarkey is that? Two things: 1) “We” were not alive then. 2)Washington was not a state and was not part of the civil war.
In terms of the riskiness of Cantwell’s vote, remember that Cantwell voted to authorize Bush to use military force and has, up until recently, be a staunch supporter of the “stay-the-course” rhetoric, despite loud and continuing opposition from her constituency. Currently, her modified position calls for the withdrawal of troops “sometime in the future”. Risky? No.
In terms of habeas corpus, her vote was fairly safe, given that such a large number of Democrats voted against Bush’s abduction and torture measure. Still, it was a good vote.
Socialist,
There is nothing wrong with social security. It’s fine, just move along.
I heard it here…….. a little cute furry rabbit told me so!
Greg, do not be so literal. I meant the United States, and by definition all those who are not followers of George (Macaca) Allen and his Neo Confederate cliq. Se the Southern Strategy for details: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_strategy
We” whipped the Confeds’ asses? What kind of malarkey is that?
It’s the kind of malarky that shows up often on blogs.
The big diference between Cantwell and McGavick as shown by their statements on this bill is that you need to have a brain and use it a bit to understand what Cantwelll is about; while McGavick is taking the neanderthalic approach.
http://tinyurl.com/jeoou
JCH wrote:
“[…..OK…….The question: “high, low, medium, “J” Band homer”………Are there any Navy types onboard HA. ORG that can identify?] A Hershey bar for the correct answer…………….[You too, Chief!! E-3 GBS, this is above your paygrade, but you can play.] ”
J Band is a radio frequency that is used by missiles to home in on their targets. A variety of surface-to-air and surface-to-surface missiles use this technology. Aegis cruisers deploy this radar system as well.
Thanks for letting me play. Keep your Hershey bar, however. Knowing you, you mean a Duke Cunningham Hershey bar. No thanks.
OK, since you avoided answering my question on the previous thread I’ve reposted it in it entirety here for you.
You’re betting your silver bars here, Mac, answer wisely.
“JCH,
Since you like birds try this one on for size.
“BT has left the rail”
OK, if you’re truly a Surface Warfare Officer you’ll easily know what this means. Especially, if you served in the early 80’s and on Gonzo Station as you claim.
I’ll check in tomorrow to see you answer.
PS: You won’t find it on a Google search, you’re going to really have to know the jargon for Naval weapons systems in order to get this one right.
Good luck, Jack Off, another truth trap has been set. Let’s see if you spring it or avoid it.
Ohhh, man I really hope you avoid answering this one, then, I’ll know for sure you never served.
YO, do us all a favor and save your breath, OK?
Commentby GBS— 9/28/06@ 5:06 pm”
Still searching the web, Loser?!?!?
YO, do us all a favor and save your breath, OK?
Commentby GBS— 9/28/06@ 5:06 pm”
Lick me and lick me hard!
re 38: I know it’s really you, Colonel Cathcart. These comments you are making are a BLACK EYE, and not a FEATHER IN YOUR CAP.
Keep a tight bomb pattern,
ORR
Cantwerll put who finger on it when she said “smarter and tougher.”
Unfortunately, we are being ruled by an administration that serves up ignorance (see the Newsweek cover) and fear (see the excerpts from the NIE report).
Ignorance and fearo be the mantra for the conservatives. Unbelievable.
Do you know why no one’s ever invaded Sweden? They’re armed to the teeth.
You’re listenting to Thom. AT least you have some good sense. Why not tell the rest of the story . . .
They are on call if there should be the need for immediate defense of their country. So, no one gives them any trouble. But, they don’t have an official military. You wanna do that? Okay by me.
Typical conservative who tells part of the story . . . by the way, each household is not armed “to the teeth.”
@ 38:
Why the comment? Unless you thought I was referring to you, which I wasn’t. I was referring to “YO” who is a complete moron and JCH’s personal ass licker who can’t spell ‘KAT’.
But, of course, if you are the person I was referring to then; FUCK YOU! You Mark Foley, Jim West homosexual.
37..Incomplete answer. Add detail.
“BT has left the rail”……..My only experience with surface to air missiles was on the USS Chicago [Talos, terrier, and tartar SA “rail” systems. We ran up “blue and white” SA missiles on a daily [PMS] basis. Now, I’m 30 years behind today. These systems were replaced by vertical “Standard” and “Standard [ER] [extended range] systems on DDg and CGs. Knox frigates were also equiped with similiar systems. Today [according to Jane’s Fighting Ships], “canister vertical systems” are the SA systems.
44…E-3 GBS…I wouldn’t expect an E-3 to know the “high, low, medium, J band homer” aspects of what you would know as a Tomahawk cruise missile. [at least in 1980]. Today’s systems are updated, self correcting, and unique, with multiple “freqs” that randomly shift until the homer [lock on] phase. Bottom line: YOU DID NOT WIN THE HERSHEY BAR!!!! NOW…………………….You may make my rack and shine my shoes, E-3 GBS. And…….don’t be late for the working party!!!!!!!!
Still searching the web, Loser?!?!?
Commentby GBS [Such an enlisted E-3 Mess Cook GBS…….]
GBS, Over the side and man the paint barge!!!!!!
“E-3 GBS…………….Not recommended for promotion to E-4” hehe, LT JCH, Department Head
how ya doing semen recruit JCH? How many Indos did you ‘service’ today?
The traitors vote once more for terorrists. We know where you traitors stand now don’t we?
How would you like to go down in history as a politician so bereft of backbone that you voted away the freedom of your constituents.
The first people a dictator annihilates are his supporters. I can’t wait to see it!
As for me. I will live to fight another day. Hopefully with my vote, but I’m not expecting a mirscle this time around. When this administration tries to get people to disarm, you will know what comes next. Like the little rats they are, the Republicans will trot to the collection centers empty guns in hand — just like 1776.
Mike Webb doesn’t suck. Mike Webb SUCKS sucks. Gee whilikers and gosh boy howdy.That’s the way it was……………AND WE LIKED IT!!!!!
Notice how Republicans (like Foley) resign in the face of scandal, but Democrats stay in office (William Jefferson) because they know that they will get reelected?
Why doesn’t the Democrat leadership demand Jefferson’s resignation? They won’t because all they care about is that he votes how he is told, and he is theirs.
So much for ethics.
janet s, could it be that foley knows he’s guilty as sin? And perhaps Jefferson has his story to tell? Oops, forgot that you only answer what your controller allows. (P Roach maybe?)
Why doesn’t the Democrat leadership demand Jefferson’s resignation?
Why didn’t the Republican leadership demand Foley’s resignation ten months ago?
Janet wrote: Why doesn’t the Democrat leadership demand Jefferson’s resignation? They won’t because all they care about is that he votes how he is told, and he is theirs.
So much for ethics.
Gee, Janet, with all the corruption in the rethuglican party these days, you don’t think they might just rather forget the one little item on the Dem’s list? jusy maybe . . . huh?
sgmmac.Marie is working on a new birth control pill for men you put it in yout shoe and it makes you limp.
sgmmac.boy that headlice is such a brute.ill bet when he gets up in the middle of the night to take a piss he put his leg in the toilet and pisses down his leg so he does not wake up his wife.
skagit your such an idiot.you probley live in mount vernon.and if you do the base at whidbey will be over to save your ass when the skagit overflows its bank then ill bet you wont give a shit if there repugs or not.now go take a hit on your bong.
I’m proud that Maria Cantwell, and Patty Murray voted against the Military Commissions Act, they both deserve my support and they’re going to get it.
The Republican Party has voted to make us Argentina, they have created a fascist strongman, with a rubber stamp legislature, and a supreme court to dress things up with the necessary legalities.
All fascist strongmen everywhere share certain characteristics in common, and George Bush will be no different, there is nothing unique about him, he is a “type”.
Having gotten so much power he will now want to use it. Like all fascist strongmen he will find it necessary to make examples of certain people he finds objectionable. Both in and out of politics.
Its a new day in America. A dark day.
Finally!! McGavick takes a stand on an issue. He advocates overthrowing centuries of common law and the genius of our Constitution and replacing it with Weimar like self delusion.
Heil, y’all, Mikey!
5 sgmmac
What do you want, bill numbers?
Hre’s teh bottom line on habeas corpus. Our Cosntitution guarantees it.
Article I Powers of the legislative branch
Section 9
No rebellion.
No invasion.
Unconstitutional.
But our president pisses on the Constitution, why shouldn’t the Congress?
According to the president, those who think he’s created a mess in Iraq which is making us less rather than more secure “buy into the enemy’s propaganda.”
So, a problem wih thits statemetn is that this is what the president’s own intelligence agencies are telling him. I guess they’re buying into the enemy’s propaganda. And from recent polls, it looks like more than half the country is buying into the enemy’s propaganda too. Pretty soon everybody besides the president and those who sign on to his dogmas will be.
New Republican slogans for ’06 and beyond:
“Give Us Your Vote Because Who Better to Trust Than the Guys Who Created the Mess!”
“Vote For Us Because Don’t We Have to do Something Right Eventually!?!”
Commentby Daddy Love— 9/30/06@ 8:40 am
Another possibility:
“Vote For Us – After all, you wouldn’t hand this mess to someone you like, would you?”
When this campaign season began, I was lukewarm (at best) about Ms. Cantwell. Some of her votes troubled me, and I was even willing to consider a Republican, so long as he was honest and diligent.
In the months following, Mike! has proved himself to be less than honest, which was enough to tip any balance over to Ms. Cantwell, but I was still lukewarm about her.
Mike! just changed that.
Mike! supports eroding one of the most basic of our Constitutional rights. The one right so basic, so fundamental to a free society that the framers of the Constitution put it in the body of that document, rather than in the Bill of Rights.
Habeas Corpus. The right to have a judge tell the government to produce a person being held and give a reason for holding that person.
Without that right, none of the other really mean anything. A person can be jailed indefinitely. Family and friends standing outside the jailhouse, hoping to find some information about their loved ones.
Today, this right has been taken from people who are not US citizens. Legal aliens, tourists on visas, diplomats. All of these folks fall under the category “aliens”.
Diplomatic immunity is meaningless if the government does not have to acknowledge that they are even holding a person.
Some here are saying that “our” rights have not been changed. After all, most, if not all of the people posting here are citizens. My wife could probably get a judge to issue a writ of habeas corpus upon proving that I am a citizen. Only other people’s rights have been trampled on in this law.
“First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.”
Pastor Martin Niemöller
She’s an angel to you naive people, but she supports the Iraq war….rationalize that one. About all she’s good at is blaming others while not offering a viable alternative solution for anything.
did you see this yet john
14 POINTS OF FASCISM
1. Powerful and continuing expressions of nationalism
From the prominent displays of flags and bunting to the ubiquitous lapel pins, the fervor to show patriotic nationalism, both on the part of the regime itself and of citizens caught up in its frenzy, was always obvious. Catchy slogans, pride in the military, and demands for unity were common themes in expressing this nationalism. It was usually coupled with a suspicion of things foreign that often bordered on xenophobia.
2. Disdain for the importance of human rights
The regimes themselves viewed human rights as of little value and a hindrance to realizing the objectives of the ruling elite. Through clever use of propaganda, the population was brought to accept these human rights abuses by marginalizing, even demonizing, those being targeted. When abuse was egregious, the tactic was to use secrecy, denial, and disinformation.
3. Identification of enemies/scapegoats as a unifying cause
The most significant common thread among these regimes was the use of scapegoating as a means to divert the people’s attention from other problems, to shift blame for failures, and to channel frustration in controlled directions. The methods of choice—relentless propaganda and disinformation—were usually effective. Often the regimes would incite “spontaneous” acts against the target scapegoats, usually communists, socialists, liberals, Jews, ethnic and racial minorities, traditional national enemies, members of other religions, secularists, homosexuals, and “terrorists.” Active opponents of these regimes were inevitably labeled as terrorists and dealt with accordingly.
4. The supremacy of the military/avid militarism
Ruling elites always identified closely with the military and the industrial infrastructure that supported it. A disproportionate share of national resources was allocated to the military, even when domestic needs were acute. The military was seen as an expression of nationalism, and was used whenever possible to assert national goals, intimidate other nations, and increase the power and prestige of the ruling elite.
5. Rampant sexism
Beyond the simple fact that the political elite and the national culture were male-dominated, these regimes inevitably viewed women as second-class citizens. They were adamantly anti-abortion and also homophobic. These attitudes were usually codified in Draconian laws that enjoyed strong support by the orthodox religion of the country, thus lending the regime cover for its abuses.
6. A controlled mass media
Under some of the regimes, the mass media were under strict direct control and could be relied upon never to stray from the party line. Other regimes exercised more subtle power to ensure media orthodoxy. Methods included the control of licensing and access to resources, economic pressure, appeals to patriotism, and implied threats. The leaders of the mass media were often politically compatible with the power elite. The result was usually success in keeping the general public unaware of the regimes’ excesses.
7. Obsession with national security
Inevitably, a national security apparatus was under direct control of the ruling elite. It was usually an instrument of oppression, operating in secret and beyond any constraints. Its actions were justified under the rubric of protecting “national security,” and questioning its activities was portrayed as unpatriotic or even treasonous.
8. Religion and ruling elite tied together
Unlike communist regimes, the fascist and protofascist regimes were never proclaimed as godless by their opponents. In fact, most of the regimes attached themselves to the predominant religion of the country and chose to portray themselves as militant defenders of that religion. The fact that the ruling elite’s behavior was incompatible with the precepts of the religion was generally swept under the rug. Propaganda kept up the illusion that the ruling elites were defenders of the faith and opponents of the “godless.” A perception was manufactured that opposing the power elite was tantamount to an attack on religion.
9. Power of corporations protected
Although the personal life of ordinary citizens was under strict control, the ability of large corporations to operate in relative freedom was not compromised. The ruling elite saw the corporate structure as a way to not only ensure military production (in developed states), but also as an additional means of social control. Members of the economic elite were often pampered by the political elite to ensure a continued mutuality of interests, especially in the repression of “have-not” citizens.
10. Power of labor suppressed or eliminated
Since organized labor was seen as the one power center that could challenge the political hegemony of the ruling elite and its corporate allies, it was inevitably crushed or made powerless. The poor formed an underclass, viewed with suspicion or outright contempt. Under some regimes, being poor was considered akin to a vice.
11. Disdain and suppression of intellectuals and the arts
Intellectuals and the inherent freedom of ideas and expression associated with them were anathema to these regimes. Intellectual and academic freedom were considered subversive to national security and the patriotic ideal. Universities were tightly controlled; politically unreliable faculty harassed or eliminated. Unorthodox ideas or expressions of dissent were strongly attacked, silenced, or crushed. To these regimes, art and literature should serve the national interest or they had no right to exist.
12. Obsession with crime and punishment
Most of these regimes maintained Draconian systems of criminal justice with huge prison populations. The police were often glorified and had almost unchecked power, leading to rampant abuse. “Normal” and political crime were often merged into trumped-up criminal charges and sometimes used against political opponents of the regime. Fear, and hatred, of criminals or “traitors” was often promoted among the population as an excuse for more police power.
13. Rampant cronyism and corruption
Those in business circles and close to the power elite often used their position to enrich themselves. This corruption worked both ways; the power elite would receive financial gifts and property from the economic elite, who in turn would gain the benefit of government favoritism. Members of the power elite were in a position to obtain vast wealth from other sources as well: for example, by stealing national resources. With the national security apparatus under control and the media muzzled, this corruption was largely unconstrained and not well understood by the general population.
14. Fraudulent elections
Elections in the form of plebiscites or public opinion polls were usually bogus. When actual elections with candidates were held, they would usually be perverted by the power elite to get the desired result. Common methods included maintaining control of the election machinery, intimidating and disenfranchising opposition voters, destroying or disallowing legal votes, and, as a last resort, turning to a judiciary beholden to the power elite.
NOTE: The above 14 Points was written in 2004 by Dr. Laurence Britt, a political scientist. Dr. Britt studied the fascist regimes of: Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia), and Pinochet (Chile).
Does any of this sound familiar? As America sinks deeper and deeper into corporate greed will this country continue to be a democracy by the people and for the people or will it be ruled by the few? Will the trinity of money, power and greed over come one of the greatest countries in the world? Only we, the people, can keep it free. SPEAK OUT AND LET YOUR THOUGHTS BE KNOWN…ONLY BY SILENCE WILL WE BE DEFEATED!
“What no one seemed to notice. . . was the ever widening gap. . .between the government and the people. . . And it became always wider. . . the whole process of its coming into being, was above all diverting, it provided an excuse not to think for people who did not want to think anyway . . . (it) gave us some dreadful, fundamental things to think about . . .and kept us so busy with continuous changes and ‘crises’ and so fascinated . . . by the machinations of the ‘national enemies,’ without and within, that we had no time to think about these dreadful things that were growing, little by little, all around us. . .
Each step was so small, so inconsequential, so well explained or, on occasion, ‘regretted,’ that unless one understood what the whole thing was in principle, what all these ‘little measures’. . . must some day lead to, one no more saw it developing from day to day than a farmer in his field sees the corn growing. . . .Each act. . . is worse than the last, but only a little worse. You wait for the next and the next. You wait for one great shocking occasion, thinking that others, when such a shock comes, will join you in resisting somehow.
You don’t want to act, or even talk, alone. . . you don’t want to ‘go out of your way to make trouble.’ . . .But the one great shocking occasion, when tens or hundreds or thousands will join with you, never comes. That’s the difficulty. The forms are all there, all untouched, all reassuring, the houses, the shops, the jobs, the mealtimes, the visits, the concerts, the cinema, the holidays. But the spirit, which you never noticed because you made the lifelong mistake of identifying it with the forms, is changed. Now you live in a world of hate and fear, and the people who hate and fear do not even know it themselves, when everyone is transformed, no one is transformed. . . .You have accepted things you would not have accepted five years ago, a year ago, things your father. . . could never have imagined.” :
From Milton Mayer, They Thought They Were Free, The Germans, 1938-45 (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1955)
Have you guys seen this yet
Legislating Violations of the Constitution
By Erwin Chemerinsky
Special to washingtonpost.com
Saturday, September 30, 2006; 12:00 AM
With little public attention or even notice, the House of Representatives has passed a bill that undermines enforcement of the First Amendment’s separation of church and state. The Public Expression of Religion Act – H.R. 2679 – provides that attorneys who successfully challenge government actions as violating the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment shall not be entitled to recover attorneys fees. The bill has only one purpose: to prevent suits challenging unconstitutional government actions advancing
http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....01055.html
Since our new fascist dictator now has no necessity to explain himself, and logic of any kind is no longer a requirement, and anybody who challenges his actions or justifications can now be arbitrarily labeled a “terrorist enabler”, and by extension an “unlawful enemy combatant”, then there is no practical limit to what he can legally do.
Then lots of people he finds objectionable, or inconvenient can be thus labeled and removed from the scene.
George Bush finds advocates of birth control objectionable, abortion providers, people who want to seperate church and state, people who support Islamic charities, people who provide financial services to Islamic Americans, feminists, labor union members and activists, and a range of others, including, I’m sure, liberal bloggers.
We are all suspects now, potential terrorist enablers beneath the skin, and George Bush, like all fascist dictators will soon find he has a need to demonstrate his new power, and everybody’s new place in the new paradigm. Arrests and disappearances are soon to follow.
The America of this week is radically different from the America that lasted from 1776 until last week.
Commentby The Socialist— 9/30/06@ 11:00 am
– and –
Commentby The Socialist— 9/30/06@ 11:10 am
The first of those I have seen, the second I had not known about. Yes, it seems that the only reason for it is to prevent lawsuits based on violations of the First Amendment, but I doubt that it will work. It may stop some of the sillier ones, allowing us to focus on serious violations, and this could work to our advantage. Let’s face it, some of these lawsuits should lose. (We could probably have an interesting debate as to which ones, but that would pull us far off-topic.)
Many of these lawsuits are filed by groups such as the ACLU and Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, that will not stop just because of HR 2679.
“Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” – George Santayana
And let’s not forget Maria Cantvotewell voted multiple times in support of the Iraq war…..what? No comeback on that one? Huh, I know I’m shocked. Hypocrits.
Commentby Mark1— 9/30/06@ 1:08 pm
“And let’s not forget Maria Cantvotewell voted multiple times in support of the Iraq war…..what? No comeback on that one? Huh, I know I’m shocked. Hypocrits.”
As many of us here have stated, many times, her votes on that are not something to be proud of. Lots of people originally believed the lies that we were told and voted for the war, but have since then learned the truth and changed their positions. She has not, nor has she (in my not-so-humble opinion) given a good reason for her continued support.
** Side note ** Even I can see some good reasons for us to stay in Iraq, although not with our current leadership. She may believe that once the current leaders are out, we may be able to do some good, and that simply pulling out would be a betrayal of the Iraqis that have risked their lives to help us, trusting that we would help them rebuild their country. Still, if this is her position, she should say so.
Unfortunately, our current government seems to be determined to continue the policies that have gotten us into this mess. Given a choice between continuing to alienate the entire world (while strengthening and enlarging the terrorist groups determined to kill us) and simply getting out and refusing to do any more damage (and killing a bunch more American and British troops), I’ll go with getting out.
Bad choices all around, but those are the choices we seem to have today. I don’t like Ms. Cantwell’s votes on Iraq, but I can understand them, and considering that the alternative is a fervent Bush supporter that has come out publicly in favor of this latest outrage upon our Constitution, I’ll stick with Ms. Cantwell.
How, exactly, is that hypocritical?
Maria Cantwell’s “support of the war:”
The bottom line on Iraq is:
Bush put us there in Iraq, not the Congress, and he’s not leaving. He thinks leaving is losing and he’s made it clear (a) he’s not going to change his approach no matter how badly it fails, and (b) he ain’t leaving while he’s president.
With a Rubber Stamp Republican Congress, Bush has no opposition, and they aren’t asking for any changes either. A minority Democrat has little choice but to keep funding the war to support the troops, and to speak out and try to build momentum for change.
Here’s a big Fuck You to the GOP assholes who accuse Democrats of not supporting the troops:
I don’t know what went wrong. Tha was to have been
Here’s a big Fuck You to the GOP assholes who accuse Democrats of not supporting the troops:
And, of course:
CNN Poll conducted by Opinion Research Corporation. Sept. 22-24, 2006. N=1,009 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3 (for all adults).
“Do you favor or oppose the U.S. war in Iraq?” Half sample, MoE ± 4.5
Favor 40%
Oppose 59%
CBS News/New York Times Poll. Sept. 15-19, 2006. N=1,131 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3 (for all adults). RV = registered voters
“Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling the situation with Iraq?”
Approve 36%
Disapprove 59%
USA Today/Gallup Poll. Sept. 15-17, 2006. N=1,003 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.
“Do you think George W. Bush does or does not have a clear plan for handling the situation in Iraq?”
Does 36%
Does Not 61%
ABC News Poll. Sept. 5-7, 2006. N=1,003 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3 (for all adults). Fieldwork by TNS. RV = registered voters.
“All in all, considering the costs to the United States versus the benefits to the United States, do you think the war with Iraq was worth fighting, or not?”
Worth Fighting 42%
Not Worth Fighting 56%
BTW, Al Gore flew in on a private G-4 [Gulfstream], took a V8 limo [10 MPG] to an air conditioned suite big enough to house 3 welfare families, and gave a speech in Sundance, Utah in a ballroom that required enough electricity to power a small town. The theme was “Energy Conservation”. Of course Al is “carbon neutral”, and most dumb ass liberal Democrats buy this shit!! hehe, JCH
Cantwell should NOT BE SENT BACK TO THE SENATE!!!!!!! She is NOT voting the will of the people with regard to ILLEGAL immigration.
whoops?Patricia famous:graph intoxication:predetermination .
Jello sharply expunges?glimpsed?blood,toothbrush adjustments