The mainstream media has stopped discussing the spying issue and decided that the public doesn't care. According to a Zogby poll Americans by a margin of 52%-43% said that "If President Bush wire tapped American citizens without the approval of a judge, they agree that Congress should consider holding him accountable through impeachment." The judge's order won't delay legitimate taps to protect against terrorism. It does ensure they are legitimate and not part of a program of political spying.
Lori
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Fair and Balanced
The meaning of words often tends to transform with time. Take the words cool or Gay or bad. This has obviously happened with fair and balanced. When applied to the media it used to mean an objective presentation of all the facts. Now it means (after the President complains):
Never question or challenge the President.
Even if he lies in order to take the Country into war, even if he exposes CIA agents to keep opponants quiet, even if he spies on Americans without a warrant; don't question him.
Don't show Dead Soldiers carried off a plane or report the causality numbers.
After viewing the CBS news coverage of the Senate Judiciary Hearing on January 11th it is obvious we have even another meaning.
When reporting on a confirmation hearing for a pivotal seat on the Supreme Court,
Never stress the important decisions that Justice will make!
Never discuss his past opinions and record.
Never discuss the fact that he refuses to provide answers to troubling questions about his past record.
Never dwell on the fact that a Justice cannot be removed and is on the Court for life (no matter how much he might mislead the Senate).
CBS's interpretation of fair and balanced obviously goes beyond this:
Do show the conflict and tempers.
Do show crying wives.
Do blame Democrats for persisting in requesting answers to questions that other Justice nominees have provided.
Do assume taht they would never want these answers but for the pressure of special interest groups.
Do blame the bully boy Democrats for making little girls cry.
This is a serious appointment. Liberty and lives are at stake and America has the right to know. This is far more important than the hurt feelings of Alito or his wife. If the media refuses to provide real fair and balanced news, how can our Democracy thrive?
Mr Schieffer doesn't have to worry about anyone making a movie about his life and career. He'll never be an Edward R. Murrow!
Lori
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Dangers of HAVA
One of the changes that came out of the Republican controlled Congress after the fiasco of the Butterfly Ballot is the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). It sounds like an excellent thing! Unfortunately, it is like many of the bills Republicans pass with Orwellian names.
This legislation has forced New York State (along with the rest of the nation) to abandon the mechanical machines which are efficent and tamper proof for computerized machines.
The reason mechanical machines have worked so well is that they are set up and repaired by a member of each party. They cannot be rigged by one party. Every vote moves the counter forward by one. At the end of the day members from each party remove a paper record from the machine and lock it up. The machine can be double checked against that paper record. This part of the process is tamper proof.
We are abandoning this for computers. We can't provide enough people with the exepertise from each party to adequately supervise these computerized polls. What many localities are forced to resort to is allowing the manufacturer to "certify". This process is very open to tampering!! For more information read Assemblywoman Lifton's testimony to the Board of Elections.
This legislation has forced New York State (along with the rest of the nation) to abandon the mechanical machines which are efficent and tamper proof for computerized machines.
The reason mechanical machines have worked so well is that they are set up and repaired by a member of each party. They cannot be rigged by one party. Every vote moves the counter forward by one. At the end of the day members from each party remove a paper record from the machine and lock it up. The machine can be double checked against that paper record. This part of the process is tamper proof.
We are abandoning this for computers. We can't provide enough people with the exepertise from each party to adequately supervise these computerized polls. What many localities are forced to resort to is allowing the manufacturer to "certify". This process is very open to tampering!! For more information read Assemblywoman Lifton's testimony to the Board of Elections.
Monday, January 09, 2006
Alito Nomination
The ultra right wing, who rejected Harriet Myers because they could not be certain that she was committeed to their agenda, continues to claim that they are looking for Judges without an agenda. They claim to be looking for strict constructionists. They are not!! They are looking for Judges with their agenda. They are looking for Judges who will overturn Roe V. Wade. They are looking for Judges who will end Title IX. They claim to be looking for Judges who support States Rights (if the state wants to ban abortions), but they oppose States Rights, if that state wants to allow same sex marriage. They are looking for Judges who will rule for corporations over the employee or consumer.
This is about ensuring that our Supreme Court will protect the basic rights freedoms and privacy of the individual. This is about ensuring that our Supreme Court will be there to protect the average person against the goliath, when that is the just action.
Samuel Alito has not shown that he can be this kind of justice and in fact his record shows just the opposite. While he wiggles around about his former record and statements (which are racist, sexist, and vehemently against choice), He has not eased my concerns.
I am not assured that he would respect Stare Decisis in a case where he so obviously believes that the Constitution does not provide the Right to Choice. He will not be the first Justice to mislead the Senate and show his true colors only when they are beyond reach.
Senator Schumer demonstrated most effectively that Judge Alito has not respected Stare Decisis well at the circuit court level.
I have also been very disappointed with Sen Spector. While he claims to be pro-choice, he is promoting the Republican line, (that NOW was all upset over Souter and he has supported Roe). This is used to invalidate our concerns. It should be noted that we are right more than we are wrong about Court appointments. We were right about Thomas and Scalia. That makes us right 2/3 times. Sen Spector was wrong about Thomas and Scalia. That makes him right 1/3 times. I guess we are a better judge that he.
For more information go to NOW website.
Lori
This is about ensuring that our Supreme Court will protect the basic rights freedoms and privacy of the individual. This is about ensuring that our Supreme Court will be there to protect the average person against the goliath, when that is the just action.
Samuel Alito has not shown that he can be this kind of justice and in fact his record shows just the opposite. While he wiggles around about his former record and statements (which are racist, sexist, and vehemently against choice), He has not eased my concerns.
I am not assured that he would respect Stare Decisis in a case where he so obviously believes that the Constitution does not provide the Right to Choice. He will not be the first Justice to mislead the Senate and show his true colors only when they are beyond reach.
Senator Schumer demonstrated most effectively that Judge Alito has not respected Stare Decisis well at the circuit court level.
I have also been very disappointed with Sen Spector. While he claims to be pro-choice, he is promoting the Republican line, (that NOW was all upset over Souter and he has supported Roe). This is used to invalidate our concerns. It should be noted that we are right more than we are wrong about Court appointments. We were right about Thomas and Scalia. That makes us right 2/3 times. Sen Spector was wrong about Thomas and Scalia. That makes him right 1/3 times. I guess we are a better judge that he.
For more information go to NOW website.
Lori
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Goverment Spies
Over 30 years ago a President was brought down for spying on the other party. There will never be another Watergate, because now the President has claimed the authority to spy on anyone he chooses without any checks or disclosures.
When one considers the dirty tricks that this administration has employed on individuals who challenge or dissent with their opinion, it is not a far leap to believe that they are spying on anyone who disagrees with their position on the war, choice supreme court nominations....Was this going on during the last Presidential election? Did they have access to the private conversations and strategy of the Kerry Campaign? Can we ever have another fair election, if they do?
Lori
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