Just say "No!" to the Wall St. Bailout Legislation!

Here is a "Call to Action" - compliments of:
http://www.votenobailout.org/

If you go to the site, you can have a form letter delivered to all your legislators, demanding that they balk at the blank check being demanded by Paulson and Bernanke.

You can also customize the letter to your liking, so I have attached my particular customized version for your perusal...


--- Text of Letter ---

Congress has no right to give the White House and its Secretary of the Treasury the power to transfer the people's money to the richest bankers in the country.

Vote No to the Bailout legislation.

The Bailout legislation is being rammed through Congress in a matter of days. This is an illegal power grab by the White House and their richest friends on Wall Street.

The Legislation allows the Treasury Department to appoint the same bankers who created the crisis to administer and dictate the use of trillions of our tax dollars.

If this legislation were to pass, it would constitute one of the biggest transfers of public wealth from working families to the private coffers of the ultra-rich in the history of the United States.

(Additionally, the "no judiciary review" clause in the bill is something that has been found unconstitutional time-and-time again, since the days of Marbury vs. Madison back in 1803!)

Congress should help families stay in their homes. Wealthy executives should be forced to disgorge their obscene profits, fees and bonuses that made them ultra-rich while they ran the economy into the ground.

This is nothing more than a publicly-funded bailout for private criminal recklessness, and there MUST be personal accountability on the part of those responsible.

Denver Flashback - Kucinich Rocked the Convention

In what probably *should* have been considered the keynote speech of the 2008 Democratic Convention, Ohio Representative and long-time Presidential Candidate Dennis Kucinich positively electrified the audience, bringing the crowd to its feet, causing those present to roar so loudly he had to yell into the microphone to be heard, and leaving the delegates cheering through the first part of the next speaker's remarks.

In the most spirited speech of the Tuesday session, now known as the "Wake Up, America!" speech, Kucinich railed against our illegal wars, the pitiful state of our economy and the Republican assaults on the Constitution and the Middle Class.

The text of the speech appears below, but please pay a visit to www.kucinich.us to see the amazing video footage, to sign on to an Impeachment Petition, or just to show some support for America's most courageous public servant.


--- Text of Speech ---

It's Election Day, 2008. We Democrats are giving America a wake up call. Wake up America. In 2001, the oil companies, the war contractors and the neo-con artists seized the economy, and have added four trillion dollars of unproductive spending to the national debt.

We now pay four times more for defense, three times more for gasoline and home heating oil, and twice what we paid for health care. Millions of Americans have lost their jobs, their homes, their health care, their pensions. Trillions of dollars for an unnecessary war paid with borrowed money. Tens of billions of dollars in cash and weapons disappeared into thin air, at the cost of the lives of our troops and innocent Iraqis, while all the President’s oilmen are maneuvering to grab Iraq's oil.

Borrowed money to bomb bridges in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. No money to rebuild bridges in America. Money to start a hot war with Iran. Now we have another cold war with Russia while the American economy has become a game of Russian roulette.

If there was an Olympics for misleading, mismanaging and misappropriating this Administration would take the gold. World records for violations of national and international laws. They want another four year term to continue to alienate our allies, spend our children's inheritance and hollow out our economy. We can't afford it, America.

Wake up America, the insurance companies took over health care.

Wake up America, the pharmaceutical companies took over drug pricing.

Wake up America, the speculators took over Wall Street.

Wake up America, they want to take your Social Security.

Wake up America, multinational corporations took over our trade policies, factories are closing, good paying jobs lost.

Wake up, America. We went into Iraq for oil. The oil companies want more. War against Iran will mean $10 a gallon gasoline. The Oil Administration wants to drill more -- into your wallet.

Wake up, America. Weapons contractors want more. An Iran war will cost five to ten trillion dollars.

This Administration can tap our phones. They can't tap our creative spirit. They can open our mail. They can't open economic opportunities. They can track our every move. They lost track of the economy while the cost of food, gasoline, and electricity skyrockets.

They skillfully played our post-911 fears and allowed the few to profit at the expense of the many. Everyday we get the color orange, while the oil companies, the insurance companies, the speculators, the war contractors get the color green.

Wake up America. This is not a call for you to take a new direction from right to left.

This is call for you to go from down to up.

Up with the rights of workers.

Up with wages.

Up with fair trade.

Up with creating millions of good paying jobs rebuilding our bridges, ports and water systems.

Up with creating millions of sustainable energy jobs to lower the cost of energy, lower carbon emissions and protect the environment.

Up with health care for all.

Up with education for all.

Up with home ownership.

Up with guaranteed retirement benefits.

Up with Peace.

Up with Prosperity.

Up with the Democratic Party

Up with Obama - Biden

Wake up, America.

Wake up, America.

Wake up, America.

Obama Tattoos (beautiful, functional, and temporary, of course...)

While my SO and I were waiting to leave the armed madhouse that Denver had become in anticipation of the Democratic National Convention, we were sitting in the lobby of our hotel and struck up a conversation with a lovely couple sitting alongside us.

In the course of our conversation, (which included a delightful digression into the phenomenal qualities of *my* favorite politician - none other than Dennis Kucinich!) we discovered that they were not delegates, but entrepreneurs attempting to place themselves at the right place at the right time in order to give their fledgling business a lift.

We could not help but to admire their thinking and their determination - we also could not help but to admire their wares!! Temporary tattoos... a whole series of them... beautiful artwork designed to help spread the message of presidential candidate Barack Obama. Impressed as I was, I promised to help spread the word here at Jefferson Weeps.

So... to honor my commitment, I hereby beseech our readership to take a moment and head over to http://www.obamatattoos.com/ Here is your chance to show your support for the candidate as well as an opportunity to support one of the small businesses that embody the "American Dream." I think that you will be very pleased with what you find there!

Tales from the road - Denver and Amtrak and DHS...

Ever have one of those times where so much happened that it takes a while to process and/or recover? The ten day period from August 16th to August 26th was just such a time for me...

My SO and I decided that in the interest of avoiding hassles with TSA officials (due to my feelings that the whole airport security process is completely bogus and merely another way to push citizens around...) and avoiding extra-ridiculous (and heavily-armed) security in the Denver airport on our trip home (due to the arrival of the Democratic National Convention) *and* some misguided notion of the "romance of the rails" we recalled from old black & white movies, we would take Amtrak trains from Springfield, MA to Denver, CO and back.

Silly us...

(more to come...)

Arrest Speaker Pelosi for Obstruction of Justice

According to AfterDowningStreet.org - Nancy Pelosi is urging the Judiciary committee NOT to go forward with contempt charges against former Presidential advisor Karl Rove. House Judiciary Chairman Congressman John Conyers and the rest of the Judiciary staff are battling to pursue the charges, yet Ms. "Impeachment is off the table" has unilaterally decided to protect the criminals in the Executive Branch. Therefore, Ms. Pelosi should be immediately arrested for not fulfilling her solenly sworn duty to enforce the checks and balances of the United States Constitution, and immediately replaced by someone with a healthy respect for the rule of law. So... who knows how to reach the Sergeant-at-Arms?????

Does the Constitution Require the Impeachment of Bush and Cheney?

Here is a *must-read* article that can be found at http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/constitutionrequires...

And (by the way...) the answer is "Yes!!!!"

A message to Silvestre Reyes about Telcom Immunity

(Note: Congressman Silvestre Reyes, D-TX, Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, sent a widely publicized and strongly worded letter on 2008-02-14 to (p)Resident Bush regarding his objections to the FISA bill provisions for Telcom Immunity.)

Wow.. for a little while there, I was impressed...

After reading your letter, which included such gems as:

If our nation is left vulnerable in the coming months, it will not be because we don’t have enough domestic spying powers. It will be because your Administration has not done enough to defeat terrorist organizations – including al Qaeda -- that have gained strength since 9/11. We do not have nearly enough linguists to translate the reams of information we currently collect. We do not have enough intelligence officers who can penetrate the hardest targets, such as al Qaeda. We have surged so many intelligence resources into Iraq that we have taken our eye off the ball in Afghanistan and Pakistan. As a result, you have allowed al Qaeda to reconstitute itself on your watch.

You have also suggested that Congress must grant retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies. As someone who has been briefed on our most sensitive intelligence programs, I can see no argument why the future security of our country depends on whether past actions of telecommunications companies are immunized.

The issue of telecom liability should be carefully considered based on a full review of the documents that your Administration withheld from Congress for eight months. However, it is an insult to the intelligence of the American people to say that we will be vulnerable unless we grant immunity for actions that happened years ago...

...I, for one, do not intend to back down – not to the terrorists and not to anyone, including a President, who wants Americans to cower in fear.

We are a strong nation. We cannot allow ourselves to be scared into suspending the Constitution. If we do that, we might as well call the terrorists and tell them that they have won.

As recently as February 24th, Congressman Reyes was on the record as being anti-telcom-immunity in an article in the Washington Post, co-written with Jay Rockefeller, Patrick Leahy, and John Conyers

Well, it was nice while it lasted...

According to this article from Crooks & Liars, Silvestre Reyes Says The House Is About Ready To Approve FISA Bill—WITH Immunity!!!

Here is a similar article at the "Wake Up, America" blog

And a truly damning appraisal, compliments of Scholars & Rogues, entitled: The Reyes Doctrine: speak loudly and cower like a whipped cur

Yes, folks... proving once again that talk is cheap, a highly-placed member of the so-called "opposition" party has told the American public exactly what they wanted to hear, only to support the criminal policies of the Bush Administration when it came time to "walk the walk..."

As I wrote on his Facebook fan page,

You caved on Telecom Immunity???? After all that tough talk, you sold us out... threw us under the bus... What do they have on you? Or were you just a shill all along??? Remember - those who do not fight this regime are guilty of aiding and abetting War Criminals - as well as guilty of violating their sworn, solemn oath to uphold and defend the Constitution... perhaps you should start thinking about some sort of Congressional Immunity bill... you might just need it...

In the words of the Chimp, himself: You're either with us (the American people) or you're against us (in cahoots with the administration)

Remember: Democrats can be war criminals, too...


-----
"...Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed..."

USDA recalls 143M pounds of beef

In the largest beef recall in U.S. history, the USDA is recalling beef products dating to Feb. 1, 2006, that came from Chino-based Westland/Hallmark Meat Co., which supplies meat to the federal school lunch program and to some major fast-food chains.

The article in Newsday includes an official saying that about 37 million pounds of the recalled beef went to school programs, but they believe most of the meat probably has already been eaten.

A recall on perishable goods dating back two years? For potentially hazardous foodstuffs that have already been consumed by the innocent, unsuspecting, (and seemingly expendable) future of our nation?

Nice, isn't it? Admittedly, we all roll the dice when we entrust our health to the Fast Food restaurants, but the School Lunch Program??? Come on...

Politicians LOVE to talk about "protecting the children" - but only if they can use it as a cudgel against a member of the opposition party...

Children are more important than corporate profits, right?

Right???

-----
(As for the Fast Food restaurants - according to another source, McDonald's and Burger King are NOT customers of this distributor, but Jack-in-the-Box and the fabled In-N-Out Burger may have purchased Westland/Hallmark "beef" - however, no time frame was given...)


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"...Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed..."

House passes contempt citations against Bush aides - AG will not enforce????

In an article from RawStory - House passes contempt citations for Bush aides, we are reminded that Attorney General Michael Mukasey recently told Congress he would not prosecute the contempt charges because Bolten and Miers were following Bush's order that they not appear.

1) "Following orders" got soldiers executed after WWII - why the double standard????

2) Since when is the AG allowed to be in contempt of Congress?

When will they be held accountable???

"...Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed..."

Senate bans waterboarding and other torture - Justice Dept agrees it is illegal - Bush vows to Veto????

In an earlier post - "May we arrest them all???" I did not directly mention Bush/Cheney by name, yet it was this gruesome twosome that I was referring to when I said Pelosi and Conyers were aiding and abetting War Criminals...

Well, if you had any lingering doubts about the Executive Branch's contemptuous disregard for the law, take a look at these stories:

First up is a Yahoo News link - Justice Dept: Waterboarding not legal

Second is an article from USAtoday - Senate votes to ban waterboarding; Bush vows veto

Let's see now... Banned by Senate, Declared illegal by Justice Department... hmm... sounds like SOMEONE (shrub) is endorsing criminal activity...

When will we hold these war criminals accountable?????

"...Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed..."

New Utah Bill To Allow Police Misconduct Be Hidden From Public

Ran across this gem at WhatReallyHappened.com - here is the link to the story from a local Utah TV station's website...

As the article states, a bill such as this one "... would be allowing for hidden misconduct from those who are expected to live the highest of society’s standards."

Unfortunately, some seem to forget that the police (like the government) work for the people, and must answer to the people...

Once again, it's a matter of accountability...

"...Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed..."

May We Arrest Them All ???

1) Madame Speaker Pelosi is guilty of aiding and abetting War Criminals
2) Madame Speaker Pelosi is guilty of violating her sworn, solemn oath to uphold and defend the Constitution

3) House Judiciary Committee Chairman Conyers is guilty of aiding and abetting War Criminals
4) House Judiciary Committee Chairman Conyers is guilty of violating his sworn, solemn oath to uphold and defend the Constitution

5) Attorney General Mukasey is guilty of contempt of Congress
6) Attorney General Mukasey is guilty of violating his sworn, solemn oath to uphold and defend the Constitution

We oughta drive the entire bunch of traitors out of Washington clad in tar and feathers...
Some might even ponder letting them face Capital Punishment for their actions... It would have precedent - and - it would be within the law...

"...Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, -- That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." - The Declaration of Independence

Once again, the media chooses your candidates for you...

An excellent article with some astute reader comments (always nice to see!) that appeared in the Las Vegas Sun, discusses the exclusion of Dennis Kucinich from Tuesday night's (1/15) nationally televised Democratic "debate."

Originally invited by MSNBC to appear on the program, Congressman Kucinich's invitation was rescinded, causing him to challenge the case in court and present such a powerful argument that the judge ordered the network to allow Congressman Kucinich to participate, under penalty of an injunction that would cancel the entire event. The judge's ruling was that the appearance would be beneficial to potential voters, believing that Nevada voters would be better served by hearing from more than just the "three front-runners."

Unfortunately, the might of the giant, multi-national weapons manufacturer, General Electric, which just happens to own NBC, was brought to bear upon the Nevada judiciary, claiming First Amendment right to show whatever the hell they pleased, and they certainly weren't going to let some peace advocate distract attention from their bought-and-paid-for war party candidates. And MSNBC is a cable channel, so forget your antiquated (and no longer enforceable) fairness doctrines in the media - those only applied to the regular airwaves when they *were* in force...

So there!!! (writer embellishment... sorry...)

The Nevada Supreme Court, in its infinite wisdom, sided with the First Amendment Rights of the General Electric Corporation over the the civic responsibilities of the People of the United States to be informed, educated voters and citizens.

Who the hell is General Electric (or NBC, or any media outlet for that matter...) to tell you that these are the only three candidates from which you may choose? Are you going to tell me that Iowa and New Hampshire are truly representative cross-sections of this multicultural melting pot, therefore, the rest of the country would have no reason whatsoever to deviate from the opinions held by these cold, white, predominantly rural, omniscient king-makers?

Hmmm... methinks large groups of Americans have been summarily disenfranchised. I can assure you with the utmost certainty, that the issues of greatest import to the fine folks in Des Moines or Concord are not necessarily identical to those of their fellow citizens in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis, New Orleans or Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

The last I knew, all the citizens deserved the opportunity to listen to all the candidates and make their own decisions, thank you very much! (Which reminds me... it looks like the amazingly coincidental correlation between vote fraud and the Electronic Voting Machines from Diebold will have to be discussed in another post...)

Anyway...

YOU CHOOSE YOUR CANDIDATE - NOT THE MEDIA!!!!!
YOU CHOOSE YOUR CANDIDATE - NOT THE MEDIA!!!!!
YOU CHOOSE YOUR CANDIDATE - NOT THE MEDIA!!!!!

(And please, please, please... don't go with the flock mentality, either, huh? "Oh, but everyone else is voting for so-and-so!" Aaarrgghh... do your own homework, OK? You just might be copying your answers to the exams from over the shoulders of a whole lot of the dumbest people in the class - who didn't do *their* howework, either... Thank you...)

Andy Olmsted

A soldier died in Iraq, a few days ago. I found out because the soldier was a blogger I read fairly regularly on Obsidian Wings. He wrote well, reasonably and with civility. His commentaries were interesting. They were worth reading. He was a good man who cared deeply and communicated that caring.

He also understood the possibilities of being in a theater of war, and what they could mean. He wrote an entry to be published in the event of his death. I quote a bit bit from his posthumous post:

What I don't want this to be is a chance for me, or anyone else, to be maudlin. I'm dead. That sucks, at least for me and my family and friends. But all the tears in the world aren't going to bring me back, so I would prefer that people remember the good things about me rather than mourning my loss. (If it turns out a specific number of tears will, in fact, bring me back to life, then by all means, break out the onions.) I had a pretty good life, as I noted above. Sure, all things being equal I would have preferred to have more time, but I have no business complaining with all the good fortune I've enjoyed in my life. So if you're up for that, put on a little 80s music (preferably vintage 1980-1984), grab a Coke and have a drink with me. If you have it, throw 'Freedom Isn't Free' from the Team America soundtrack in; if you can't laugh at that song, I think you need to lighten up a little. I'm dead, but if you're reading this, you're not, so take a moment to enjoy that happy fact.

I will make no point. No argument. No plea. Someone who moved me with his writings is dead and I am sad, angry and reminded that we get a sorely limited tenure on this rock before we are a long time gone.

Valhalla. The Summerlands. Nirvana. Heaven.

Wherever you are, Andy, thank you and Rest In Peace.

Happy New Year from Jefferson Weeps!

Just a quick note wishing all a very happy, healthy, and prosperous new year from us here at Jefferson Weeps... Of course, since 2008 is a presidential election year here in the the States, we would be remiss if we did not remind you to get out and exercise your constitutional right to vote in your state primary elections over the next few weeks, and then again, way down the road, in November. Not only is a right, but it truly is your duty as a responsible citizen... Here is one way to get into the spirit of participatory democracy - a link to an online primary being held at MySpace on Jan. 1st and 2nd:
http://www.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=impact
Remember - do not let others tell you to cast your vote for a candidate who is 'electable,' who 'looks presidential,' that they 'would like to have a beer with,' whose platform is in 'the best interests of any sovereign nation other than the United States,' or any other such nonsense... Cast your vote based upon the candidates' stands on all the issues and listen closely to your conscience for direction...
Meanwhile... Happy New Year!