Politics Takes A Holiday? Uh, No...

Top 12 media myths and falsehoods on the Bush administration's spying scandal

1. Timeliness necessitated bypassing the FISA court
   
2. Congress was adequately informed of -- and approved -- the administration's actions
   
3. Warrantless searches of Americans are legal under the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
   
4. Clinton, Carter also authorized warrantless searches of U.S. citizens
   
5. Only Democrats are concerned about the Bush administration's secret surveillance
   
6. Debate is between those supporting civil liberties and those seeking to prevent terrorism
   
7. Bin Laden phone leak demonstrates how leak of spy operation could damage national security
   
8. Gorelick testimony proved Clinton asserted "the same authority" as Bush
   
9. Aldrich Ames investigation is example of Clinton administration bypassing FISA regulations
   
10. Clinton administration conducted domestic spying
    
11. Moussaoui case proved that FISA probable-cause standard impedes terrorism probes
    
12. A 2002 FISA review court opinion makes clear that Bush acted legally

(from the DU)

ON THIS DAY IN 1998...

On December 19, 1998, the House of Representative impeached William Jefferson Clinton on one count of obstruction of justice and one count of perjury. Now I would like to know when George W Bush will be impeached for illegally ordering the National Security Agency to wire tap American citizens without judicial authorization. And for lying to Congress about the threat of WMD from Iraq. And for lying to the American people about the attacks on 9/11.

We all know the answer to this question. And we know why. Because the republicans in the House and in the Bush administation are the most unethical, hypocritical, and incompetent people to ever serve in the United States Government.

Deterring Death?

TEN WORST STATES FOR MURDER, 2003

STATE	PER 100,000
(1) Louisiana	13.0
(2) Maryland	9.5
(3) Mississippi	9.3
(4) Nevada	8.8
(5) Arizona	7.9
(6) Georgia	7.6
(7) South Carolina	7.2
(8) California	6.8
(9) Tennessee	6.8
(10) Alabama	6.6

All of these states have the death penalty.
Call it what it is, revenge, bloodlust, just don't call it a deterrent.

The Lincoln Group

The Lincoln Group is a Washington DC based organization that plants stories in Iraqi newspapers for the Bush administration. Just as the administration has paid pundits in this country to write glowing articles touting the benefits of policies such as no child left behind and the healthy forest initiative, they also pay entire newspapers to print friendly articles about the invasion and occupation of Iraq. Here is part of the Licoln Group press release given out this week:

[We counter the lies, intimidation, and pure evil of terror with factual stories that highlight the heroism and sacrifice of the Iraqi people and their struggle for freedom and security. We are encouraged by their sacrifice and proud to help them tell their side of the story.]

And so far it has cost them six million dollars to do this. Even the propaganda war is costing too much. But I think the larger point is how are we supposed to be "spreading freedom" while at the same time subverting freedom of the press? And if the truth is on our side, why do we have to plant stories favorable to us?