The Beautiful Obligation

We in America have at this time a beautiful obligation. As regular readers of this blog will understand, the democratic republic of the United States has been under attack from within and without for a number of years. The attackers have not been bearded men in long white robes, but men and women in suits and men and one woman in long, black robes.

The suited men and the power-suited women (but mostly men, I dare say) have been the moguls of finance, who, working in concert with like-minded colleagues in the world financial order, have worked to out-source both jobs and money from the United States to foreign lands. The men and one woman in long, black robes were the fascist members of the A.D. 2000 Supreme Court, who traitorously gave the election to a man who did not earn it after a fair counting of the votes, and who, indeed never had the majority of the popular vote.

Several authors have worked hard to document all this. Some of these authors are given in other places on this web log. I commend them to you. In coming days I intend to add further information on the resources which are available to you.

But for now, let me underscore the choice we have to make. We in America now can either stand up for a continuance of the world's oldest democracy or we can stick our necks in the sand and take what seems to be the safe route. As for me, I choose to stand with the democracy I was taught as a young boy and came to love deeply as a young man. I say proudly that I have no other choice. To decide differently would be to dishonor not only my country, but myself.

So onward toward further brave seeing, toward impeachment, toward securing the right to vote. This democracy is far from finished. Let us be about the honorable business of securing its rights and privileges for another generation.

There's Still Time

Every so often I get the urge to revisit the events of November and December 2000, in the aftermath of the Presidential vote that year. Last evening I read a statement of well-known prosecutor, Vincent Bugliosi, to the effect it was not too late to impeach the Supreme Court Five (the majority which handed the election to Bush). This was in an interview with Bugliosi sometime after September 11, 2001, on the web site of The Nation magazine. Two of the Fascist Five (as I call them) are no longer on the court, although it is possible to impeach someone after he or she has resigned. (Whether it is possible or advisable to impeach a dead person -- Rhenquist -- is open to question.)

In any event, I agree it is not too late to impeach the people who effectively put the least-qualified and one of the least-effective people in the White House in U.S. history. Of course any impeachment effort against them would face the same kind of hurdles the Cheney and Bush impeachment efforts are facing. Still these efforts continue to slowly gather strength, so who knows what can happen. And here I may mention my post of yesterday in which I mentioned gaining considerable encouragement from the writings of Thomas Paine.

It is tragic and even horrifying that our information systems are dominated by a small number of huge conglomerates which do not have the true interests of the American people at heart. Thus, any attempts at justice which simultaneously threaten corporate media interests have, unfortunately, a rough go of things.*

These are indeed times which try men's (people's) souls. But these are also times for persons of courage to stand up and contribute time and energy non-violently to the cause of a true democratic system in the United States, a process only begun by our founding fathers, but desperately needing revivifying now.


* See my earlier recommendation of a group called Reclaim Democracy (www.ReclaimDemocracy.org).

The New Democracy

A new year has brought substantial work for me and I am only now beginning to get caught up. Thus, there has been a break in my postings. I am glad to be able to write something today.

Last Friday night saw another fascinating Bill Moyers program. This is a man who continues to pay penance for his part in the Viet Nam War fiasco. Friday night's program featured several interesting segments. One was on Tom Paine. The conversation prompted me to get a book of Paine writings from the library.

I have started reading his Common Sense. For some reason I have never read this. It is clearly a great work, greater perhaps than the Federalist papers (some of which I have read). In the beginning he distinguishes between society and its purpose and the reason for government.

I am astounded that I was never assigned to read this work in either high school or college. It is time to ask for my money back!

Seriously, I certainly recommend this book. The information presented here along with the work of other guests on the Moyers program is inspiring me to action.

Best wishes for a meaningful Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Impeaching the Media -- Part 1

Sound and Fury Signifying Nothing

The media world is today full of energetic mouthings about revolutions. No, the Sunnis are not back in power in Iraq, and, no, the son of Benazir Bhuto has not unseated Musharaf. They are referring to the "stunning victory" of Senator Barrack Obama in Iowa, accompanied by the "impressive victory" of M. Huckabee. However, even more surprisingly neither man actually won Iowa, as can be shown. Writer Scott Galindez wrote convincingly several days ago that the caucuses held last night are only the first step in the actual selection of delegates which, according to Galindez, will not actually occur until June.

Readers of Naomi Wolf's important and urgently-relevant book The End of America know that there is something of far more concern than these primaries and caucuses. For in a fascist shift, elections become a point of pride to those doing the shifting as a means of hiding the evidence of the closing down of an open society. As "far-out" as all this may seem, Wolf's assertions are borne out by my own independent research and by her own sources.

Thus I plead with readers of this web log to get her book and be enlightened. Although difficult and perhaps painful in one sense, reading this book can save a person from much confusion and wasted effort. Happy reading.

Information on Iowa delegate selection process:

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/122807A.shtml


im·peach (im p"chÆ), v.t.
1. to accuse (a public official) before an appropriate tribunal of misconduct in office.
2. Chiefly Law. to challenge the credibility of: to impeach a witness.
3. to bring an accusation against.
4. to call in question; cast an imputation upon: to impeach a person's motives.
5. to call to account.

-- from Random House dictionary

First Reports of Dirty Tricks in Campaign '08

Josh Earnest, a spokesman for Obama, criticized the calls.

"Negative campaign tactics like push polls don't reflect the values that are at the core of the Democratic Party and the Iowa caucuses," he said.

An aide to Edwards, Dan Leistikow, denounced what he said were "underhanded, despicable" political attacks.

Throughout American history -- sadly -- various kinds of dirty tricks have been employed to try to help a candidate get into office. Now comes the first word of such dirty tricks in Iowa. Voters are being called at home in so-called push-polling in which persons are asked leading questions. The caller then goes on to offer some kind of negative information about one or more candidates. Other tactics being employed appear designed to suppress voter turn-out, such as mentioning a popular football game being shown on TV the night of the Iowa caucuses.

Such tactics are disgusting. Fortunately, there is a bill pending in the Senate which may address some of the concerns.

For more information on this issue, follow the link to The Washington Post below. (Registration may be required.)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/31/AR2007123101280.html

Resolved

In these opening hours of 2008 may we in America re-dedicate ourselves to the cause of freedom and justice in our country and around the world. Let us commit to proper study in the areas where we lack knowledge. Let us commit to action where action is called for. Let us conserve what should be conserved and reform what needs reforming; and let us have the discernment to know the difference.

If this sounds like a prayer, so be it.

There are unique challenges to our democratic republic which confront us in this new election year. As important as an election is, we must be reminded that under current circumstances we can perhaps not influence events through elections as much as we might wish.* As the days ahead unfold, I hope to provide some resources to you which may help in your understanding of events.

In the meantime, may we who are able eat hearty -- to gain strength for service.


Peace,

TMP

* For a valuable and interesting article on this subject, see the following:
http://www.democrats.com/node/15218

Oh, Thank Heaven for the End of 2007?

This might be the sentiment of some. And, I confess, I am tempted to adopt this feeling as my own. It was a full year. It began with Attorney General Alberto Gonzales under fire for the dismissal of several U.S. Attorneys. It ended with the horrible assassination of Benazir Bhuto. In between were events weighty and trivial, from the confirmation of a new Attorney General to the ups and downs of twenty-something actresses too young to remember the inauguration of the actor President.

Tonight marks the end of the first full calendar year completed by this web log. I am proud that this blog has remained constant amidst a sometimes tumultuous personal schedule.

I am especially pleased that I have been able to keep abreast of the reaction to the new book called The End of America, by Naomi Wolf. And, too, I have advocated continuously for the impeachment of R. Cheney, seeing him as a violator of the Constitution. (And at this time I thank anonymously D.S. and R.C.S. for their early and timely signing of the Robert Wexler petition urging the Judiciary Committee to conduct hearings in this regard. They know who they are. )

So, A.D. 2007 ends quietly but with activity presaging greater activity. May we be even more vigilant and more energetic in our protecting of this democratic republic known as the United States of America.