"The action I am taking is no more than a radical measure to hasten the explosion of truth and justice. I have but one passion: to enlighten those who have been kept in the dark, in the name of humanity which has suffered so much and is entitled to happiness. My fiery protest is simply the cry of my very soul. Let them dare, then, to bring me before a court of law and let the enquiry take place in broad daylight!"
- Emile Zola, J'accuse! (1898) -
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Impeachment Issues Statements And Videos. More McCain-Palin Slap-Shot Hockey Pucks. Pelosi Biden And The Catholic Church. The Economic Toilet.More
Posted by ed. dickau at 6:57 AM![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyBE72q6af_rzfMSUtUOMK5Prq-8sbiGxuYxiw-ZRk2xiSQCza6uG9GeDPjBTrxJAeaOixSrjiVyOCmhRI16L052M2fjj9_gVh5yGYL5NJZbtH-qZoKU-b9keFU2kkoDs7nmqgpbxSfsg/s400/killers.jpg)
Democratic vice-presidential nominee Joe Biden has said that that he and running mate Barack Obama could pursue criminal charges against the Bush administration if elected to the White House this November.
Biden said that an Obama-led government would go through Bush administration data with “a fine-toothed comb” and pursue charges if necessary.
He told ABC News "If there has been a basis upon which you can pursue someone for a criminal violation...they will be pursued, not out of vengeance, not out of retribution - out of the need to preserve the notion that no one, no one, no attorney general, no president, no one is above the law."
Addressing a crowd in Deerfield Beach, Florida, Biden also highlighted the importance of the election in terms of the Supreme Court, noting that the next administration might appoint as many as three new justices.
"The single most important domestic decision that a president gets to make on his own or her own is the Supreme Court," he said.
Biden's comments chime with Obama's remarks in April. He vowed that if elected, he would ask his attorney general to initiate a prompt review of Bush-era actions to distinguish between possible "genuine crimes" and "really bad policies".
"If crimes have been committed, they should be investigated. You're also right that I would not want my first term consumed by what was perceived on the part of Republicans as a partisan witch hunt, because I think we've got too many problems we've got to solve."
However when asked about his comments today, Biden said he has no evidence that criminal charges would be warranted and no intention of pursuing action against the current president.
"What is true is the United States Congress is trying to preserve records on questions that relate to whether or not the law has been violated by anyone.
"But, you know, there's been an awful lot of unsavory stuff that's gone on. And the mere fact ? that it occurred in a previous administration doesn't mean a subsequent Justice Department, if, in fact, there's evidence, shouldn't pursue them.
"But I have no evidence of any of that. No one's talking about pursuing President Bush criminally."
In June a former Democratic presidential contender, Dennis Kucinich, called for the impeachment of George W Bush claiming that the president set out to deceive the nation, and violated his oath of office with the Iraq war.
Democrats have also issued subpoenas to Bush administration aides as part of inquiries into the authorization of alleged torture at Guantanamo Bay.
Three officials have been held in criminal contempt of Congress for refusing to respond to the subpoenas. However former chief political adviser Karl Rove, former counsel Harriet Miers and current chief of staff Josh Bolten have refused to appear.
“We Need to Remind People that You Cannot Trample the Bill of ...By Chip http://www.democracynow.org/2008/9/8/we_need_to_remind_people_that He was assassinated forty years ago, the night he won the Los Angeles Democratic primary. After the event, I sat down with Robert F. Kennedy’s son, environmental attorney Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. He spoke about torture, impeachment and ...AfterDowningStreet.org - Convict... - http://www.afterdowningstreet.org
ImpeachmentWatch Day 91 (2008-09-08)By impeachmentwatch Dennis has re-introduced the articles of impeachment. It’s up to us, the independent bloggers of the internet to keep this story going. The RULE OF LAW demands that we Impeach President Bush and Vice President Cheney for the high crimes ...Impeachmentwatch - http://impeachmentwatch.wordpress.com
Impeachment, Cover Ups, The Fascist Cross an Political Becoming ...By Ed. Dickau(Ed. Dickau) September 05, 2008 IMPEACH BUSH IMPEACH CHENEY THE GOP EMPTY SUITS ...By Jerry(Jerry) IMPEACH BUSH IMPEACH CHENEY THE GOP EMPTY SUITS Republicans offer war and more war, tax cuts for the rich, carte blanche for polluters, ...The Impeachment Hearing Room - http://theimpeachmenthearingroom.blogspot.com/
NSPD-51 and the Potential for a Coup d’état by National EmergencyBy operationitch Or, perhaps we have a national emergency for as yet unknown reasons, maybe in the late summer when likely replacement administrations are judged by Bush/Cheney to be unacceptable; and then, as the national emergency begins to unravel, ...OPERATION ITCH - http://operationitch.wordpress.com
Beware of the Cheney DoctrineAljazeera.com - London,UKYears ago while watching President Nixon’s forced resignation, to escape impeachment, Cheney learned to resent the Constitutional principle of checks and ...See all stories on this topic
You Really Need To Drop In On This Site!
The Sarah Palin I Know
Posted by Anne Kilkenny, AlterNet at 5:01 PM on September 8, 2008.
A long-time Wasilla resident who has known Palin for 16 years shares her own views on the Vice Presidential candidate.
EDITOR'S NOTE:
The following is an email missive probably read by millions of people by Anne Kilkenny, a long-time resident of Wasilla Alaska, who has known Sarah Palin for 16 years. The author's identity has been confirmed in the press: "Kilkenny, a registered Democrat, sent the note Aug. 30, the day after Republican presidential candidate John McCain picked Palin to be his running mate. She said she sent it to 30 relatives and friends outside Alaska to answer the questions she was getting about Palin. She signed her name and asked that it not be posted, but it went viral across the Internet almost instantly."
ABOUT SARAH PALIN
I am a resident of Wasilla, Alaska. I have known Sarah since 1992. Everyone here knows Sarah, so it is nothing special to say we are on a first-name basis. Our children have attended the same schools. Her father was my child's favorite substitute teacher. I also am on a first name basis with her parents and mother-in-law. I attended more City Council meetings during her administration than about 99% of the residents of the city.
She is enormously popular; in every way she's like the most popular girl in middle school. Even men who think she is a poor choice and won't vote for her can't quit smiling when talking about her because she is a "babe".
It is astonishing and almost scary how well she can keep a secret. She kept her most recent pregnancy a secret from her children and parents for seven months.
She is "pro-life". She recently gave birth to a Down's syndrome baby. There is no cover-up involved, here; Trig is her baby.
She is energetic and hardworking. She regularly worked out at the gym.
She is savvy. She doesn't take positions; she just "puts things out there" and if they prove to be popular, then she takes credit.
Her husband works a union job on the North Slope for BP and is a champion snowmobile racer. Todd Palin's kind of job is highly sought-after because of the schedule and high pay. He arranges his work schedule so he can fish for salmon in Bristol Bay for a month or so in summer, but by no stretch of the imagination is fishing their major source of income. Nor has her life-style ever been anything like that of native Alaskans.
Sarah and her whole family are avid hunters.
She's smart.
Her experience is as mayor of a city with a population of about 5,000 (at the time), and less than 2 years as governor of a state with about 670,000 residents.
During her mayoral administration most of the actual work of running this small city was turned over to an administrator. She had been pushed to hire this administrator by party power-brokers after she had gotten herself into some trouble over precipitous firings which had given rise to a recall campaign.
Sarah campaigned in Wasilla as a "fiscal conservative". During her 6 years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by over 33%. During those same 6 years the amount of taxes collected by the City increased by 38%. This was during a period of low inflation (1996-2002). She reduced progressive property taxes and increased a regressive sales tax which taxed even food.
The tax cuts that she promoted benefited large corporate property owners way more than they benefited residents.The huge increases in tax revenues during her mayoral administration weren't enough to fund everything on her wish list though, borrowed money was needed, too.
What did Mayor Palin encourage the voters to borrow money for? Was it the infrastructure that she said she supported? The sewage treatment plant that the city lacked? or a new library?
No.The sports complex itself is a nice addition to the community but a huge money pit, not the profit-generator she claimed it would be. She also supported bonds for $5.5m for road projects that could have been done in 5-7 yrs without any borrowing.
While Mayor, City Hall was extensively remodeled and her office redecorated more than once.
These are small numbers, but Wasilla is a very small city.
As an oil producer, the high price of oil has created a budget surplus in Alaska. Rather than invest this surplus in technology that will make us energy independent and increase efficiency, as Governor she proposed distribution of this surplus to every individual in the state.
In this time of record state revenues and budget surpluses, she recommended that the state borrow/bond for road projects, even while she proposed distribution of surplus state revenues: spend today's surplus, borrow for needs.
She's not very tolerant of divergent opinions or open to outside ideas or compromise.
As Mayor, she fought ideas that weren't generated by her or her staff. Ideas weren't evaluated on their merits, but on the basis of who proposed them.
While Sarah was Mayor of Wasilla she tried to fire our highly respected City Librarian because the Librarian refused to consider removing from the library some books that Sarah wanted removed.
Sarah complained about the "old boy's club" when she first ran for Mayor, so what did she bring Wasilla?
As Mayor, Sarah fired Wasilla's Police Chief because he "intimidated" her, she told the press.
As Governor, her recent firing of Alaska's top cop has the ring of familiarity about it. He served at her pleasure and she had every legal right to fire him, but it's pretty clear that an important factor in her decision to fire him was because he wouldn't fire her sister's ex-husband, a State Trooper.
She has bitten the hand of every person who extended theirs to her in help.
The City Council person who personally escorted her around town introducing her to voters when she first ran for Wasilla City Council became one of her first targets when she was later elected Mayor. She abruptly fired her loyal City Administrator; even people who didn't like the guy were stunned by this ruthlessness.
Fear of retribution has kept all of these people from saying anything publicly about her.
When then-Governor Murkowski was handing out political plums, Sarah got the best, Chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission: one of the few jobs not in Juneau and one of the best paid.
As Mayor, she had her hand stuck out as far as anyone for pork from Senator Ted Stevens.
Lately, she has castigated his pork-barrel politics and publicly humiliated him. She only opposed the "bridge to nowhere" after it became clear that it would be unwise not to.
As Governor, she gave the Legislature no direction and budget guidelines, then made a big grandstand display of line-item vetoing projects, calling them pork. Public outcry and further legislative action restored most of these projects-which had been vetoed simply because she was not aware of their importance-but with the unobservant she had gained a reputation as "anti-pork".
She is solidly Republican: no political maverick.
Around Wasilla there are people who went to high school with Sarah. They call her "Sarah Barracuda" because of her unbridled ambition and predatory ruthlessness.
Before she became so powerful, very ugly stories circulated around town about shenanigans she pulled to be made point guard on the high school basketball team. When Sarah's mother-in-law, a highly respected member of the community and experienced manager, ran for Mayor, Sarah refused to endorse her.
As Governor, she stepped outside of the box and put together of package of legislation known as "AGIA" that forced the oil companies to march to the beat of her drum.
Like most Alaskans, she favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. She has questioned if the loss of sea ice is linked to global warming. She campaigned "as a private citizen" against a state initiaitive that would have either a) protected salmon streams from pollution from mines, or b) tied up in the courts all mining in the state (depending on who you listen to). She has pushed the State's lawsuit against the Dept. of the Interior's decision to list polar bears as threatened species.
McCain is the oldest person to ever run for President; Sarah will be a heartbeat away from being President.
There has to be literally millions of Americans who are more knowledgeable and experienced than she.
However, there's a lot of people who have underestimated her and are regretting it.
CLAIM VS FACT
"Hockey mom": true for a few years
"PTA mom": true years ago when her first-born was in elementary school, not since
"NRA supporter": absolutely true
Social conservative: mixed. Opposes gay marriage, BUT vetoed a bill that would have denied benefits to employees in same-sex relationships (said she did this because it was unconsitutional). pro-creationism: mixed. Supports it, BUT did nothing as Governor to promote it.
"Pro-life": mixed. Knowingly gave birth to a Down's syndrome baby BUT declined to call a special legislative session on some pro-life legislation
"Experienced": Some high schools have more students than Wasilla has residents. Many cities have more residents than the state of Alaska. No legislative experience other than City Council. Little hands-on supervisory or managerial experience; needed help of a city administrator to run town of about 5,000. political maverick: not at all
gutsy: absolutely!
open & transparent: ??? Good at keeping secrets. Not good at explaining actions.
Has a developed philosophy of public policy: no "a Greenie": no.
Turned Wasilla into a wasteland of big box stores and disconnected parking lots.
Is pro-drilling off-shore and in ANWR. fiscal conservative: not by my definition!
pro-infrastructure: No. Promoted a sports complex and park in a city without a sewage treatment plant or storm drainage system. Built streets to early 20th century standards. pro-tax relief: Lowered taxes for businesses, increased tax burden on residents
Pro-small government: No. Oversaw greatest expansion of city government in Wasilla's history.
Pro-labor/pro-union. No. Just because her husband works union doesn't make her pro-labor. I have seen nothing to support any claim that she is pro-labor/pro-union.
WHY AM I WRITING THIS?
First, I have long believed in the importance of being an informed voter. I am a voter registrar. For 10 years I put on student voting programs in the schools. If you google my name (Anne Kilkenny + Alaska), you will find references to my participation in local government, education, and PTA/parent organizations.
Secondly, I've always operated in the belief that "Bad things happen when good people stay silent". Few people know as much as I do because few have gone to as many City Council meetings.
Third, I am just a housewife. I don't have a job she can bump me out of. I don't belong to any organization that she can hurt. But, I am no fool; she is immensely popular here, and it is likely that this will cost me somehow in the future: that's life.
Fourth, she has hated me since back in 1996, when I was one of the 100 or so people who rallied to support the City Librarian against Sarah's attempt at censorship.
Fifth, I looked around and realized that everybody else was afraid to say anything because they were somehow vulnerable.
CAVEATS
I am not a statistician. I developed the numbers for the increase in spending & taxation 2 years ago (when Palin was running for Governor) from information supplied to me by the Finance Director of the City of Wasilla, and I can't recall exactly what I adjusted for: did I adjust for inflation? for population increases? Right now, it is impossible for a private person to get any info out of City Hall-they are swamped. So I can't verify my numbers.
You may have noticed that there are various numbers circulating for the population of Wasilla, ranging from my "about 5,000?, up to 9,000. The day Palin's selection was announced a city official told me that the current population is about 7,000. The official 2000 census count was 5,460. I have used about 5,000 because Palin was Mayor from 1996 to 2002, and the city was growing rapidly in the mid-90's.
Anne Kilkenny August 31, 2008
John McCain: The Candidate Without Honor, Convictions or PrinciplesBy Ed. Dickau(Ed. Dickau) War, honor, and John McCain It is sad to see John McCain dishonor his own core value in this way, but it is clear why he does so. Nothing else qualifies him to be president. John McCain Has Now Proven That He Is A Man Without Honor, ...The Impeachment Hearing Room - http://theimpeachmenthearingroom.blogspot.com/
'Bridge to Nowhere' Tracks Into Presidential Campaigns
Although Congress' appetite for earmarks has drawn increasing criticism in recent years, very few of them ever became the subject of vigorous public debate, and the infamous "bridge to nowhere" at the center of much of the current presidential campaign is one of a kind in terms of notoriety. Read More
Hill Leaders Didn't Hear About Fannie/Freddie Deal Until Last MinuteCBS News - New York,NY,USASpeaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) got a phone call on Saturday, after the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac deal had already made it into The Washington Post, ...See all stories on this topic (This Is Not Over By A Long Shot)
Given The Economic Chaos Worldwide This Link Will Be Appearing Several Places On This Blog After Today.
Gold's Trading Range Tightens, Volatility Jumps, as "Deflationary ...BullionVault (press release) - London,England,UKUS Senate Banking Committee chairman Christopher Dodd, in contrast, thinks the only certainty is that "a President Obama or a President McCain is going to ...See all stories on this topic
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac rescue plan gets an enthusiastic responseNew Brunswick Home News Tribune - New Brunswick,NJ,USA
The government's decision to take over the two publicly traded companies generated some skepticism in Washington. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd, D-Conn., said he wasn't necessarily opposed to the move but needed to know a lot more detail and plans to hold a hearing later this week. See all stories on this topic
Congress Returns: "Drill Now" Rebels Don’t QuitHuman Events - Washington,DC,USAWithin a few short days after that interview where she had reiterated her insistent opposition to even allowing a vote on drilling, Speaker Nancy Pelosi ...See all stories on this topic
House GOP Threatens Shutdown Over Drilling
As they try to defuse the politically charged energy issue with legislation allowing limited new offshore oil and gas exploration, Democrats warn that a government shutdown would boomerang against Republicans. Read More
Returning lawmakers make Capitol a campaign stageThe Associated Press - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday blamed President Bush and Republicans for the latest dismal unemployment statistics and said Democrats would respond ...See all stories on this topic
AmericanPapsit has a great list of Catholic Bishops who have rebuked Nancy Pelosi on her abortion remarks, and links to each story covering the statement from the Bishop.
27 and counting! This is becoming a very strange issue among Catholics in the Bay Area and for the life of me I cannot determine how it will play out. Will Catholics upset with her turn to Cindy? If they do it will not be on the issue per say, but as a response to Nancy’s stance and actions. I guess we’ll just have to wait this one out.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT-aY3EN23h0HNHQEgJVHyF6scBO1hzO0HmtJ9xx5qQ-Qg2henp_YCsR9hyphenhyphenKGWN9q3OEniXsQOEbyR1Vy07rLAQN2dgaHmXaeyCiYY1oQsz50f4IxF-WikM6yp4FetzwKMtPwi9ps5KC4/s400/confused.gif)
Bishops criticize Biden’s abortion remarks for flawed reasoningCatholic News Agency - Denver,CO,USAJoseph Biden and Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s remarks about abortion. “They are roughly my age… so that means that Speaker Pelosi and Sen. Biden were educated just ...See all stories on this topic
Catholics Against Joe Biden: Joe Biden channels Nancy Pelosi on ...By Richard Froggatt ... not so much as those who have bought the lies and delusions of the Abortionists. H/T. Catholics Against Joe Biden: Joe Biden channels Nancy Pelosi on Meet The Press — another “teaching moment” for the Catholic Bishops?.Growing In The Grace And Knowledge... - Http://Gibralter.Wordpress.Com
Catholics for McCain - http://catholics4mccain.org/
This is an unusual amount of action on the part of the Bishops on the Abortion Issue and it may well be that Pelosi has ignited a fire that to some damaging effect will play for McCain-Palin. As I said: “. I guess we’ll just have to wait this one out.”
Virginia Registrar Caught Attempting To Screw Student Voters!
Va. Registrar's guidance prompts ACLU complaint
September 8, 2008 - 5:10pm
By LARRY O'DELL Associated Press Writer
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ8pBo5sQShw0vHrAOIydlCMTzNiy6rJlhsDLpC5chBsPU_clVJm6IVCQ37e0-3y7Wj-bHbHTdESWXyveOchNyevsLc0Bm0MnsuOMDKkN5FH5xPwnlUbGHGQON7dFXacPRKh0wHSOokgs/s400/124876.gif)
RICHMOND, Va. - Election officials in the county that is home to Virginia Tech were wrong when they issued a news release saying college students who register to vote there cannot be claimed as dependents on their parents' income tax returns, a civil liberties group said Monday.
The news release came late last month during a voter registration drive at the university conducted by supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. The statement said that along with the tax benefit, students could risk losing residence-based scholarships.
"First of all, it's not true," said Kent Willis, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia. "Second, it's obviously sort of an intimidation tactic to discourage students from voting in local elections."
E. Randall Wertz, voter registrar for Montgomery County, said there was no nefarious intent.
"We were providing information to students so they could make an informed decision," he said. "You've heard the saying: No good deed goes unpunished."
After a lawyer for the Obama campaign and the ACLU complained, Wertz issued a revised news release saying his office is prohibited from offering advice on taxes or other benefits and suggesting anyone with questions about those issues direct them to the appropriate agency or organization.
Asked for clarification on the tax issue, the Internal Revenue Service simply directed attention to the IRS Form 1040's three pages of instructions on dependents.
Wertz said Monday that his original news release was based on information on the State Board of Elections Web site. On the question of where is a college student's legal residence, the site says: "Are you claimed as a dependent on your parents' income tax return? If you are, then their address is probably your legal residence."
The site also says: "Do you have a scholarship that would be affected if you changed your legal residence? Some scholarships require that the student be a resident of a particular town, city or state. Contact the provider of your scholarship to determine if a change in your legal residence will affect your scholarship."
State Board of Elections Secretary Nancy Rodrigues did not return phone calls seeking comment.
The Montgomery County incident prompted the ACLU to send letters to voter registrars in all Virginia college localities urging them to allow students to register to vote. The organization also sent letters to college newspapers asking them to publicize the issue.
Voter registrars are nonpartisan positions, and the partisan makeup of local electoral boards is based on the governor's party affiliation. Because Gov. Timothy M. Kaine is a Democrat, that party has a 2-1 edge over Republicans on the Montgomery County Board of Elections, Wertz noted.
This is not the first brouhaha over college student voter registration in Virginia, Willis said. The ACLU has objected to similar obstacles to registration of students at the University of Mary Washington and the College of William and Mary in recent years, he said.
Willis said much of the problem stems from ambiguity in Virginia election laws, but that federal court cases around the county have consistently held that students have a right to register where they attend college.
"The bottom line is Virginia law is not clear as regards student registration, and registrars are given an unusual amount of autonomy," he said.
On that point, he and Wertz agreed.
"The laws are very vague, and they need to clarify it for us," he said. "If any of these groups have a problem with it, they should take it up with the General Assembly."
What A Crock!
Labels: Obama Election 2008 McCain Palin
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