Parties focus on different moralities: Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11, Jack Ryan and War Profiteering
StarTribune.com
. . .
But it's George Bush's lack of public morality that's on display in
"Fahrenheit 9/11." We see him profiting from his family's old and oily
ties to the Bin Laden family and from his cozy cheek-to-cheek
relationship with his father's corporate cronies. In one clip from the
film Bush is seen at an elegant white-tie fundraiser smugly joking,
"Some people call you the elite; I call you my base."
More
disturbing is the footage which portrays him as a man lacking the
gravitas to understand the cataclysmic consequences of his public
actions. He rolls his eyes and mugs for the camera as the clock ticks
down to his televised announcement that he has ordered the bombing of
Iraq. He comes across not as a man wrestling with the morality of his
decision, but as a man blowing up a foreign country, because he can.
(more)
VP Dick Cheney has set a standard for War Profiteering that others can only dream about
Intervention Magazine: War, Politics, Culture
Vice
President Cheney is an angry man. His war isn’t going well, the
prospect of a second term is slipping away, and now some troublemakers
in Congress are even starting to talk about war profiteering.
• “[Sen.
Patrick Leahy kicked] off the Democratic National Committee's
"Halliburton Week" focusing on Cheney, the company, ‘and the millions
of dollars they've cost taxpayers,’ …”--The Washington Post, 6/26/04
• “Vice
President Dick Cheney blurted out the "F word" at Democratic Sen.
Patrick Leahy of Vermont during a heated exchange on the Senate floor,
congressional aides said on Thursday…[Cheney] ripped into Leahy for the
Democratic senator's criticism this week of alleged war profiteering in
Iraq by Halliburton, the oil services company that Cheney once ran.”--
Reuters Jun 24, 2004
I can
understand why Cheney is mad. He is getting too old to start a new
career, and war profiteering is the only thing he does really well.
Dick Cheney has set a standard that other war profiteers can only dream
about
(more)
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Wednesday, June 30
Parties focus on different moralities: Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11, Jack Ryan and War Profiteering
by
Linda Thieman
on Wed 30 Jun 2004 02:46 PM CDT
Fallon Requests Info On Jobs Lost To Prison Labor, Clarifies “Gulag” Remark
by
Linda Thieman
on Wed 30 Jun 2004 10:28 AM CDT
Fallon Requests Info On Jobs Lost To Prison Labor, Clarifies “Gulag” Remark
State Representative Ed Fallon (D-Des Moines) today requested detailed information from the Legislative Services Agency (LSA) about how many jobs are lost to Iowans because of the use of prison labor, and its economic impact on Iowa and the state budget. Also, in seeking to clarify his concerns regarding prisoners working at the State liquor warehouse, Fallon said, “When I was told by a Des Moines Register reporter about 15-hour days and no supper, the ‘Gulag’ remark just kind of popped out of mouth. It was an overstatement, and I regret it. But what I regret most is that people have missed my true concerns about inmate labor.” “I feel strongly that all Iowa prisoners who are able must work. In fact, nearly 100% of the 8,700 prisoners in Iowa’s correctional facilities who can work do, most of them eight hours a day. We could further expand the opportunities for prisoners to work within prison without taking jobs away from those on the outside by requiring each prison to produce and process most its own food,” explained Fallon. “What bothers me is the use of prison labor by private corporations, and increasingly by government itself, for jobs that should be – and used to be – performed by Iowans not in prison,” continued Fallon. “In the case of the State liquor warehouse, 12 workers just lost good-paying jobs to prisoners who are paid 37 cents an hour. Currently, 500 state government jobs and 190 private sector positions are being filled by prisoners.” Prison labor is used in many areas of state and local government, including park maintenance, tree nurseries, cemetery maintenance, State Capitol grounds work, upkeep at the Cherokee Mental Health Institute, highway litter clean up, and answering the phone for the Iowa Tourism Bureau. Private corporations using prison labor include Diamond Vogel, Global Marketing (a telemarketing firm), Hawkeye Glove, DZ Manufacturing, CGB Printing, Sully Truck Wash, H & H Trailer, and Misty Harbor. “Prisoners ought to work,” said Fallon, “but not at the expense of jobs held by Iowans struggling to pay their bills and feed their families. Arguments that using prison labor saves the taxpayers money fail to look at the whole picture. If your neighbors lose their jobs to prisoners, those neighbors no longer pay taxes. They’re no longer part of the local economy. Perhaps they end up on welfare. Maybe they move out of Iowa altogether. If this is the State’s idea of economic development, I must be missing something,” concluded Fallon.
News & Notes from Deanland
by
Linda Thieman
on Wed 30 Jun 2004 05:00 AM CDT
News & Notes from Deanland
Tell Your Dean Story This message came into Blog for Iowa recently from a fellow who is compiling the stories of Deaniacs everywhere. Hey, this is Scott Goldstein. I now work up in Burlington as an intern at Democracy for America. Over the past year and a half or so I have been a part of the greatest grassroots campaign ever. Starting in late winter 2002, I began to volunteer for the Howard Dean campaign. The journey since then has been incredible. I began volunteering with NJ for Dean, and then came down to start college at American University in D.C. I met some incredible people here, like the founder of Generation Dean, Michael Whitney. I got involved in Gen Dean and began to work on projects with both people in Burlington and across the country. Locally we spread the Dean message, and over 400 people signed up for our email list. I got to help coordinate the Dean birthday bash, and other rallies and events. Ths summer, I will be working for Democracy for America. The journey and the campaign were incredible. It is time to tell those stories. When I was 15 I wrote and published a book on the election of 2000 and how it impacted young people. My new book, to be titled, "A Campaign Based on Hope," will help to explain something we all want to explain. One of the most frustrating things for us Deaniacs was that some people just "didn't get it." They didn't understand what it was about Howard Dean, what it was about this campaign that made us do some amazing things. There are endless stories of people who gave up their normal life, were thrust into amazing opportunities and given awesome responsibilities. This is essentially what the book is about. If you would like to contribute your story to the book, contact Scott Goldstein here. Dean: Most Americans Now Oppose Iraq War Seattle Post-Intelligencer WASHINGTON -- Howard Dean sounded like he had been vindicated on Sunday when he noted that most Americans now agree that the United States should not have invaded Iraq. It was a position that fueled his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, and earned Dean much criticism in the process. "After being castigated by both Democrats and Republicans for a while, now the majority of Americans agree with me this was a mistake," the one-time Democratic front-runner said on CNN's "Late Edition." More than half, or 52 percent, of Americans said the war was not worth fighting, according to an ABC News-Washington Post poll taken June 17-20. That number is up from 50 percent in May. (more) Howard Dean on Stem Cell Research CagleCartoons.com . . . There is no guarantee that stem cell research can produce a cure for Alzheimer's disease. But stemcells show promise by helping to prevent or cure chronic and life-shortening diseases such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's and various cardiac diseases. Many Republicans continue to link stem cell research to the abortion debate. Nothing could be further from the truth. Embryonic stem cells come from embryos which have been created for the purpose of helping infertile couples have children. In this process, a few embryos may be implanted in a woman's uterus, to be born nine months later. A much larger number of embryos will be frozen for future use. The vast majority of these will ultimately be discarded. But, these discarded embryos can produce something good, they can potentially save the life or health of a stranger. Stem cells, the basis of all the cells in our body, can be saved from these embryos, and can become tissue which can potentially replace diseased tissue in human beings who are suffering greatly, as President Reagan did. Or these embryos can be discarded, as they usually are now. (more) Howard Dean on Bush's War on Science CagleCartoons.com I write this week’s column as a physician. The Bush administration has declared war on science. In the Orwellian world of 21st century America, two plus two no longer equals four where public policy is concerned, and science is no exception. When a right-wing theory is contradicted by an inconvenient scientific fact, the science is not refuted; it is simply discarded or ignored. Egregious examples abound. Over-the-counter morning-after contraceptive sales are banned, despite the recommendation for approval by an independent panel of the Food and Drug Administration review board. The health risks of mercury were discounted by a White House staffer who simply crossed out the word "confirmed" from a phrase describing mercury as a "confirmed public health risk." A National Cancer Institute fact sheet is doctored to suggest that abortion increases breast cancer risk, even though the American Cancer Society concluded that the best study discounts that. Reports on the status of minority health and the importance of breast feeding are similarly watered down to appease right-wing ideologies. (more) Tuesday, June 29
Howard Dean on Hardball Right Now
by
Linda Thieman
on Tue 29 Jun 2004 10:02 PM CDT
Howard Dean on Hardball Right Now
Gov. Dean was on Hardball (MSNBC) earlier today. The show will be rerun at 10pm Iowa time (right now) and later tonight at 3am. I hear that the Governor is on at about 37 minutes after the hour.
Victory For The Public Interest: Court Rejects FCC Rules
by
Linda Thieman
on Tue 29 Jun 2004 04:38 PM CDT
Victory For The Public Interest: Court Rejects FCC Rules
According to MoveOn.org, following an unprecedented public outcry, a federal appeals court rejected the Federal Communications Commission's rules last Thursday. The decision gives priority to the public interest over corporate bottom lines. Media policy is usually considered too obscure for ordinary people to care about. Last year, however, Congressional offices reported receiving comments about media ownership from millions of Americans -- more than any topic except the war in Iraq. As a result, the Senate twice voted to roll back the FCC rules. There was enough support in the House to do the same, but the Republican leadership prevented a vote, saving pseudo-pResident Bush from a politically unpopular veto. However, according to FreePress.net, the rules aren't dead — they've been sent back to the FCC for revision. Let's make sure the FCC listens to the people before they rewrite the rules. Sign This Petition Sign this petition demanding a public hearing in Iowa. The following is the text of the petition: I call on you to hold an official public hearing in my state. Before the disastrous 2003 decision to weaken media ownership rules (which a federal court has now overturned), you held only one official public hearing. Further, FCC officials met behind closed doors 71 times with major broadcasters — but only five times with public interest groups. And to justify your actions, you used deceptive, industry-sponsored research data. The will of Big Media had been heeded at the expense of American citizens and democracy itself. This has to end. Before you rewrite the ownership rules, I demand an official public FCC hearing in my state, impartial and verifiable research, and transparent debates. It is time to put the needs of democracy - a diverse, skeptical, independent and competitive media system - ahead of profit-hungry media giants. The FCC Media Ownership Rules Battle FreePress.net On June 2, 2003, the Federal Communications Commission — charged with regulating media in the public interest — voted 3-2 to change several of its remaining media ownership rules, such as those limiting the number of TV stations one corporation can own and banning the cross-ownership of a TV station and newspaper in the same market. The loosening of these rules would lead to a massive wave of media consolidation. The largest firms would be able to swallow up other media firms they set their eyes upon, and industry observers all expect a flurry of large deals. At the local level, we should expect a single firm, or perhaps two or three firms, to own the vast majority of the media — daily newspaper, TV stations, radio stations, cable TV systems — in a single community. There is enormous profit to be made by having such monopolistic power, and firms are scrambling to get the rules changed so they can dominate markets and crush competition. Such media concentration not only violates the premises of a competitive marketplace, but it makes a mockery of the notion of a free press enshrined in the Constitution. The implications are clear: huge media conglomerates would rule journalism, culture and to a large extent, public opinion. They have the power to put their footprint on our political system in a manner that has never been seen before. As they say, "You control the news, you control the views."
Art Small: Think Big - Vote Small
by
Linda Thieman
on Tue 29 Jun 2004 10:28 AM CDT
Art Small: Think Big - Vote Small Remarks by Arthur Small Jr. Candidate for Senate Democratic State Convention Des Moines, IA June 26, 2004 A delightful read! That was an impressive group of Congressional candidates. I am proud to be running on the ticket with them. Bill Gluba mentioned that Nussle refers to himself as the “architect” of economic policy. Charles Grassley calls himself the “architect” of the recently passed Medicare bill. I don’t know about you, but if I hired an architect and he built things that always leaned strongly to the right, I would get myself a new architect. Ok. Six minutes. My kids say I better talk fast. And I don’t want to tell you things you know or can easily find out. That is why we put together the newspaper that has been handed out to you. It lays out my background and my positions on the issues. [See some of the humorous excerpts here.] You can see on the front page what is going to happen in November, “Democrats Sweep Elections;” Art Small Trounces Grassley.” I am perhaps the only candidate for the U.S. Senate who has this ability to see into the future. We can make that happen. more »
U.S. Senate Candidate Art Small Makes A Big Splash At State Convention
by
Linda Thieman
on Tue 29 Jun 2004 05:03 AM CDT
U.S. Senate Candidate Art Small Makes A Big Splash At State Convention
It should come as no surprise that one of the highlights of the Iowa Democratic State Convention was a literate and roll-on-the-floor funny faux newspaper coming out of the Art Small for U.S. Senate campaign. The November 3, 2004 – that’s right, I said 2004 - edition of Vox Populi’s lead story was, of course, "Democrats Sweep Elections: Art Small Trounces Grassley." (Amen to that!) Highlights from Vox Populi’s world roundup: ASIA (Jakarta, Indonesia) AP reports that more than 500 Indonesians were instantly cured of Beri-Beri and Yellow River Fever in the wake of Bush’s defeat in U.S. presidential elections. EUROPE (Paris, France) Speaking at a celebration of 250 years of L’academie française, the guardian of the French language, President Jacques Chirac hails death of ‘freedom’ fry as final U.S. recognition that Americans did not invent every great food, just, he said, “the overstuffed sandwich, le hot chien, et le taco.” That the “French fry” is Belgian is beside the point, he said. (Brussels, Belgium) Concerned about imminent changes in U.S. trade policy likely to be made as a result of the landslide Democratic victories during this election, E.U. leaders have instituted a review of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). “We sense that the members of the new administration are not all rapacious, lying bastards,” said one senior E.U. official, “so perhaps now Europeans and Americans can work towards agricultural support that assists the family farm rather than agri-business.” (Hamburg, Germany) Across this country, people are delighting in U.S. pResident George Bush’s defeat. Die Neue Zeitung reports more than 200,000 Hamburgers alone have flooded the streets, dancing, hugging each other and crying. “We are just so relieved the United States has joined the ranks of civilized nations again,” said Hamburg Mayor Heinrich Schadenfreude. Monday, June 28
Dave Inbody: Our State Convention
by
Linda Thieman
on Mon 28 Jun 2004 08:25 PM CDT
Dave Inbody: Our State Convention
Our Democratic State Convention was one of the most trying political experiences in which I have ever participated. It really disturbed me to see those representing our nominee essentially write-off 15% of the delegates present, until we pointed out the inconsistencies in procedure, reached a critical mass and refused to budge. We shouldn’t have had to go to those lengths. A memorable moment for me occurred soon after we gathered for our spontaneous caucus during the lunch period. When it became clear that this could be a potential problem and tempers were beginning to rise, I approached a Kerry supporter/party staffer, for whom I have great respect. Due to the chaos during our gathering, I felt that we had not made our points clearly and felt it necessary to reiterate them. Because I was familiar with the work of this staffer, I felt I could appeal in the name of unity in preparation for the fall. I made the following points: (1) The expanding mob of disgruntled people represents nearly 15% of the delegates present. (2) We probably won't get enough people to be viable, since many had left out of frustration. (3) The energy and dedication of these people will be critical this fall. (4) Many of the Dean and Kucinich supporters are first-time convention attendees. What happens here could affect their opinion of the party for many years. (5) There has been bad blood between the Kerry and Dean groups for a long time and this was an opportunity to end it. (6) Regardless of the outcome of the recount, I suggested that the Kerry group offer our "mob" at least one delegate and one alternate as a good faith gesture. I was surprised to hear in response that the rules are the rules. Without 15% we get no voice. It was time to join the Kerry group. There was agreement between us that we needed to unify. Unfortunately, unification meant assimilation to the staffer. To me, it meant recognizing our differences and focusing on our shared goals. The expectation was blind allegiance to one ideology. My request for a gesture in the name of the party, our success in the fall, the future of the party, etc… fell flat. This made me feel embarrassed of my party. I had the same feeling in my stomach as I did when, in October 2002, I watching our federal officials stand up in support of the invasion of Iraq and the Patriot Act. This is also the feeling I had when I heard Tom Harkin respond to a tearful Wellstone staffer two weeks after the 2002 general election indicating that the Senate Democrats supported the war to get it off the table before the election. It was a feeling of total abandonment. I lived in Georgia for 7 years and experienced disappointment within my party over and over again during that time. In Iowa it hurts more. It hurts more because we should know better. I moved to Iowa because politics here have a reputation for being fair and open. The politicians on both sides are more civil than most places and the people are more informed. This was not the Democratic Party I saw on Saturday. My wife and I went to see “Fahrenheit 9/11” yesterday to remind us why we need to keep going. As much as I am disturbed by the actions of the Kerry campaign, the present administration is still worse. I have not given up on our party, but I know we have many problems that must be addressed in order to win this fall. I will continue to give my time to state legislative candidates in the hope that our future party leaders will remain true to our party’s ideals. Dave Inbody is a DFIA Founding Member and the creator and operator of Citizen Whip, a State PAC designed to help fund Democratic races for the Iowa Legislature through small donations over the Internet. |
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