Libertas Continued

In June 2006, Lt. Watada held a press conference where he declared that the Iraq War was illegal, and that it was his duty to refuse orders to deploy. Lt. Watada was charged with violations of articles 87 and 133 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice for refusing to deploy to Iraq, and publicly explaining his reasons for doing so. If convicted, he faced up to six and a half years in prison. The Army's prosecution of the first officer to publicly refuse to deploy to Iraq has been in legal limbo since a February court martial ended abruptly when the military judge threw out a stipulation agreement and declared a mistrial. As Lt. Watada's case appears to be headed for what supporters call a victory, it's useful to remember that the original issues Lt. Watada raised -- those of the illegality of the war, and a soldier's obligation to refuse orders thought to be illegal -- have not yet had their day in court.

I'm worried that none of the Presidential candidates are addressing the INVISIBLE AGENDA. Those who form the core of the Republican party are Religious Fundamentalists bent upon world domination and Armageddon. Why don't you guys address this underlying religious fanaticism that threatens our true American Value, Liberty? Stand up and say it! Fundamentalist Evangelical Christians are UN-AMERICAN. And they will destroy American Potential to secure their deeply flawed religious agendas. See the documentary.

(Why don't all the canadates do this?) We all know that something is very wrong in our country. The Rule of Law, the Balance of Powers, and our Constitutionally guaranteed Civil Liberties have been under sustained assault by an Administration that is brazen and unrepentant in its abuses of our rights and our founding principles. And, to make matters worse, the Democratic leadership of the House and the Senate have failed to exercise the Constitutional authority granted to Congress to stop those abuses and hold violators accountable. The results? The powers of the Executive Branch have gone unchecked and its policies unchallenged. The Congress and the American people were deceived into an illegal and immoral war in Iraq, and those same deceptions and manipulations are being used to justify a new war in Iran. The government is spying on its own citizens, ignoring judicial protections and due process, denying the right of habeas corpus, and refusing to abide by international laws, tre

Libertas, ancient Rome's goddess of freedom from slavery, oppression, and tyranny. "The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame. "Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" Happy Thanksgiving

WES CLARK = An Educated Warrior, knows the military, and should be the next Secretary of Defense.

If you have been feeling the pinch of home ownership, don't worry, soon it will all be over. Gold is at a twenty year high against the dollar , Oil is going to $200/barrel, and your home is going down in price, all because of the mistakes of the Republican Administration. Note how the value of the U.S. Dollar has fallen over the course of the Bush Presidency. Those home equity gains you thought you made, really didn't get you any value, as the dollars are worth less than half of what they were just six years ago . But don't worry, that means the loan payments on your morguage are only half as expensive in real value. Then again so is your pay check.

Another movie on the "War on Terror" is out in theaters now. I've heard that it contains a prolonged scene of water boarding, the non-torture that 'simulates' drowning. It seems a bit obsene to demonstrate torture in order to get people's attention, they should know it is wrong without needing to be shown. But if that were true I guess we wouldn't be doing this would we? A few years ago there was a movie called IRREVERSIBLE , which used a very unique backward cinimatography to show how Revenge and Rath make individuals become Murders, you sercome to the very evil you attempt to destroy. There is a lesson in ther somewhere. Anyway, the RAPE scene in the movie was 15 minutes long. Critics called it pornography. I watched, and understood something, you must experience RAPE in order to truely understand it, not that you must be the victem of tragic violence or a preditor, but you must see it, hear it, imagine it fully, to truly understand the horror and terror

De Palma's New Movie - REDACTED SYNOPSIS A fictional story inspired by true events, REDACTED is a unique cinematic experience that will force viewers to radically reconsider the filters through which we see and accept events in our world, the power of the mediated image and how presentation and composition influence our ideas and beliefs. A profound meditation on the way information is packaged, distributed and received in an era with infinite channels of communication, REDACTED utilizes a variety of created source material-video diaries, produced documentary, surveillance footage, online testimonials, news pieces-to comment on the extreme disconnect between the surface of an image and the reality of ideas and the truth, especially in times of strife. Centered around a small group of American soldiers stationed at a checkpoint in Iraq, REDACTED alternates points of view, balancing the experiences of these young men under duress and members of the media with those of the local Iraqi

Finally, One of the dozens of aspiring presidential candidates has drawn a line in the sand and taken a real stand, not just on one issue, preaching to one interest group or another, but on ALL the issues. John Edwards is the only candidate who has written his entire PLATFORM, for all to see. John Edwards has produced an eighty page document , outlining in detail what his issues are and what he will do if elected. It is organized into three areas: Standing Up For Regular Families Restoring America's Leadership Role In The World Investing In Our Future And Our Communities My favorite part is what he says he will do about GOVERNMENT REFORM . But see what he says about the NEW ENERGY ECONOMY and WOMEN , IRAQ and HEALTH CARE . This proves he's thinking ahead, about everything, and he is way out ahead of any other candidate in stating his position BEFORE the upcoming IOWA PRIMARY. For once we can VOTE FOR SOMETHING, rather than against it.

Welcome to the fourth annual "Falsies Awards" contest, sponsored by the Center for Media and Democracy to recognize the people and players responsible for polluting our information environment. This year, we are asking you to help identify the worst spinners and propagandists of 2007. Please read through the list of nominees below and rank them. You can also nominate additional candidates in our readers' award section. Please note: you can vote for multiple winners in each category and the CMD judges will take the recommendations into account when deciding the falsest of the false. Help choose the winners of this year's Falsies Awards

Ten Reasons to Impeach Cheney: 1. Treason - Vice President Cheney gave up the top secret identity of CIA Agents working on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, putting U.S. National Security at risk. 2. Treason - Vice President Cheney propagated lies to the public about the non-existent Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq, in order to incite an illegal invasion. 3. Treason - Vice President Cheney used his special position to enrich himself and his company by directing no-bid contracts into the hands of his war profiteering enterprises. 4. Treason - Vice President Cheney used the tragic events of 9/11 to incite a War against an innocent sovereign country, killing hundreds of thousands of Iraq citizens and turning the region into chaos, which decreased our national security and cost thousands of U.S. Military lives. 5. Treason - Vice President Cheney has violated his security clearance, and continues to use his top secret clearance to illegally decimate classified information through pr

There is no better investigative journal.

The lack of real WMD in Iraq in 2003 embarrassed the Bush Administration. Either they are incredibly incompetent to tragic proportions never before achieved, or they are so evil as to kill hundreds of thousands of people, waste American soldiers, and destroy U.S. credibility by invading a country on a profound lie. This level of stupidly is unequaled in history, even the Nazi's of the 1930's had some intelligence about their evil ambitions. Yet Bush 43 and his clan are willing to causes irrevocable harm to this country, to Iraq, even the entire world, and for what? If all their reasons were either mistakes or lies? Why did we invade Iraq? But I digress. For it was the Ambassador to Niger, Joe Wilson, who first spoke up. He reputed the claims of Nigerian uranium 'yellow cake' being shipped to Iraq. Claims made by Collin Powel in front of the United Nations, and by Bush himself in his now infamous sixteen words during his 2003 State of the Nation. But Wilson would pay a p

How can the gonverment ban U.S. Citizens from Capitol Hill? They just do. CODEPINK activist Desiree Anita Ali-Fairooz was barred from Capitol Hill after she covered her hands in fake blood and approached Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice last week at the start of a congressional hearing. Ali-Fairooz said that the blood "of millions of Iraqis" was on the hands of the Bush administration. [includes rush transcript] So, next time you see any one in the BUSH administration, paint your left hand red and raise it in protest, just as the brave activitst at code pink did last week.

Read a REVIEW A scathing portrait of contemporary executive power run amok, by the author of the original 1976 Church Committee Report on executive abuse In thirty-four years, I have repeatedly seen an erosion of the powers and the ability of the president of the United States to do his job. —VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY Thirty years after the Church Committee unearthed COINTELPRO and other instances of illicit executive behavior on the domestic and international fronts, the Bush administration has elevated the flaws identified by the committee into first principles of government. Through a constellation of non-public laws and opaque, unaccountable institutions, the current administration has created a “secret presidency” run by classified presidential decisions and orders about national security. A hyperactive Office of Legal Counsel in the Department of Justice is intent on eliminating checks on presidential power and testing that power’s limits. Decisions are routinely executed at sen

It is worth repeating. Bill Moyers Journal is absolutely necessary for a free and democratic republic. Watch or listen to this episode on the increasing power of the residency. Tell your friends and neighbors, find out if you live among Americans or Republicans.