John Conyers, Jr. - 40 Years Of Jobs, Justice And Peace
Main Index » Archives » September 2005 » Brown Out, Full Accountability Remains Elusive

[Previous entry: "Bankruptcy Bill Introduced Today"]
[MAIN INDEX]
[Next entry: "Return from Fighting BobFest"]

Blogged by JC on 09.09.05 @ 08:54 PM ET

Brown Out, Full Accountability Remains Elusive


The news that FEMA Director, Michael Brown, was being relieved of day-to-day duties in New Orleans was welcomed by those of us who found leadership lacking in the federal relief efforts. The revelation that there were significant inaccuracies in his resume was very surprising, considering political appointees are typically subjected to substantial background checks. But perhaps most perplexing, was Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff's insistence that Brown was not being fired, but was returning to DC to lead FEMA in preparation for "other challenges and threats remain[ing] around the world." The administration seemingly has not come to grips yet with its vast shortcomings despite the President's plummeting favorability ratings, which today sank below 40 percent in today's AP/IPSOS poll. Even in his darkest days, Clinton did not suffer from such low approval ratings.

What is also alarming about this tragedy is how Republican leaders can't help but be insensitive to those who are suffering. It was reported today that House Majority Leader Tom Delay compared the situation of evacuees in Reliant Stadium to summer camp, asking the children, "is this kind of fun?" Were this an isolated incident, it may be easier to overlook, but Louisiana Representative Richard Baker exclaimed, "we finally cleaned up public housing in New Orleans... We couldn't do it, but God did," House Speaker Hastert suggested that New Orleans ought not be rebuilt, and Senate Republican Conference Chairman Rick Santorum suggested those who couldn't evacuate themselves should be fined. I am deeply saddened when people who have lost everything hear these disparaging comments from Republican Leadership in Washington. Those who are suffering and grieving deserve so much more.

Replies: 79 Comments


Comment #1: Dr Alan H Levinson said on 9/9/05 @ 8:58pm ET...

A copy of an op-ed to be sent to local newspapers!!

INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION
The enormity of the Katrina debacle provides clear examples of multitudes of failures that resulted in the death of potentially thousands of American citizens. Once the rescue and recovery is completed, substantial blame will be spread amongst Local, State and Federal officials for failure to plan, prepare, and act in a timely fashion. The so-called investigation into “what went right…and what went wrong” presents a perfect opportunity for problems to be elucidated and new procedures to be implemented hopefully before the next major catastrophe reaches our shores. This, of course, requires the willingness of the investigators to dispassionately point the finger of accountability towards those responsible.

The proposed investigation of mention will apparently be headed by none other than President Bush. This does appear odd to me since the results of such an investigation may point to failures on his part. Ask me if I am confident that this will occur, and I will have to answer “NO”. Mr. Bush has yet to acknowledge any mistakes in the nearly 6 years of his administration. This is curious in an ironic sort of way as new polls show that 59% of Americans find considerable areas of fault to regard his performance as Commander-In-Chief as poor. For the sake and safety of the American people, Mr. Bush should immediately remove himself from the head of a ‘self-investigatory’ committee (conflict of interest?) and call for an Independent Commission to investigate what transpired. With poll numbers this low, and citizen’s safety at stake, (not to mention his lame-duck status), wouldn’t we hope for a proper investigation without even the slightest suggestion of impropriety?

Dr. Alan H. Levinson



Comment #2: Patriot said on 9/9/05 @ 8:58pm ET...

Mr. Conyers, please take a look at my analysis of Bush's pre-hurricane relief order. It shorts the blue parishes and is exactly the opposite of the request that Blanco sent him. It gives no mention of the parishes expected to take the biggest hits.

Bush shorts blue parishes in relief order

I believe it's a significant finding.



Comment #3: Patriot said on 9/9/05 @ 8:59pm ET...

Shucks, Alan... you beat me! ;-)



Comment #4: Patriot said on 9/9/05 @ 9:07pm ET...

I cannot believe how the right twists and spins and the in senstivity to the needs and concerns of our fellow citizens. Mr. Conyers, I'm so glad to be here and so glad to have an opportunity to be heard. You are doing an amazing job. I believe you stand out above all others in our government for your speaking out and attacking where you see an injustice.

Alan, did you go have a look at my analysis of Bush's relief order? Comment anyone? More info? Does anyone know how he came to chose those parishes?



Comment #5: Dr Alan H Levinson said on 9/9/05 @ 9:19pm ET...

I don't understand what I am reading. Can you describe?



Comment #6: Patriot said on 9/9/05 @ 9:25pm ET...

Sorry for posting again, but... y'know... this order he gave may well be the reason FEMA didn't go into New Orleans. Bush excluded the entire south and southeast part of the state. The relief was ordered for the northern parishes only... not the southern, the ones expected to take the hit. Why?

http://soapbox4truth.org/katrina.html



Comment #7: Patriot said on 9/9/05 @ 9:27pm ET...

Alan, what don't you understand? My analysis or something else?



Comment #8: LenaDavid said on 9/9/05 @ 9:50pm ET...

Patriot,

Thank you for all the good work you are doing. I have trouble understanding charts but it looks like Bush did do this on partisan lines.

I had though a parish was like a borough in New York City and when they talked about the tragedy in Jefferson Parrish, I thought it was within the city of New Orleans but you have a separate line for Orleans so it sounds like a parish is comparable to a County?

I have lived in this area so long that I don't know how the rest of the country subdivides either a city or the suburbs or rural areas?

It looks like Bush did say Y - yes for one or two blue Parishes but what struck me when I thought the chart was about New Orleans was that I thought that NOLA was one of the Democratic areas in LA but did not realize that Republicans had such a majority throughout the state.

But I don't know how much of the State of Louisiana suffered because Shepard Smith when he was rightly freaking out that people were not allowed to pass the checkpoint at the end of the bridge threw his arm back to talk about the checkpoint and beg the people who could walk and who weren't locked in the Dome be allowed to walk to the next town or area outside city limits and Smith threw his arm to the side when talking about where water, food and light was.

Some people complained and asked why the buses were taking people to the Dome in Houston when there were dry areas much closer just outside the city. and that would reduce the time of the limited number of buses doing round-trips to get the people out.

And someone else wrote that there was a dry area with parks inside the city where 40,000 could stay in the parks and homes.

Don't know if this is good feedback but maybe others are not familiar with Parishes and if the chart refers just to New Orleans the city or the whole state or part of the state.

Orleans could just be using part of the name of the city to show a section of New Orleans.

The bushco regime is certainly beyond partisan to the place of murdering any one by any means who disagrees with them and someone had mentioned aid not being given in Hurricane Andrew to those in North Carolina who voted Democrat.

Read that just now either DU or Ameriblog posts.



Comment #9: Genghis Khan said on 9/9/05 @ 10:16pm ET...

#2:

I think it would be more interesting to have a column showing the per-capita income of those areas. There were 20 "red" parishes not covered in the order and only 5 "blue" parishes.

It appears that the higher-income parishes (which were in higher-ground areas and therefore not subject to the flooding which caused the majority of the damage) were designated to be protected while the lower-income areas (lower ground, more subject to flooding) were not.

Make your argument on a socio-economic basic, not a purely political basis. The socio-economic argument cuts deeper because it shows that Bush doesn't even care about his own voters if they don't make $X in income.



Comment #10: tahoebasha1 said on 9/9/05 @ 10:55pm ET...

Please take note of the following:

"The federal response to Hurricane Katrina is a national scandal that requires an independent investigation like the 9/11 Commission, but Republican leaders are trying to set up an investigation they control. Make sure the media hears the public outcry for an independent investigation by writing a letter to the editor calling for a Katrina Commission modeled after the 9/11 Commission.



Dear MoveOn member,
Ten days after Hurricane Katrina, the city of New Orleans is still mostly underwater and hundreds of thousands of people are homeless, yet NBC Nightly News reported last night that FEMA's portable housing remains hundreds of miles away unused. It is now obvious that the federal response to Hurricane Katrina is a national scandal that requires a proper investigation. But Republicans in Congress have proposed an investigation that would be run by them. Democrats are insisting on an independent commission with its own independent investigators and subpoena authority—modeled after the 9/11 Commission.

So far the media isn't exposing that the Republican leadership is trying to cover over the Bush administration's failure to keep us safe. We need to make sure the media get on the case. One easy way to do that is on the Letters to the Editor page of newspapers. We've set up an online tool that makes submitting a letter easy. You write your letter, choose where you want it to go, and click to send. Will you write a letter to the editor? Click below to get started."

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=875&zip=60466&id=5974-5375512-e2VH_2l6PIVVOM.a4LS0Gw&t=3

An effective letter to the editor is short—just a couple of paragraphs. The goal is to show your local media, your neighbors and even our elected leaders that people want an independent investigation of what happened, and apparently what continues to happen, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The Letters to the Editor page is often the most-read page in a newspaper.

Your letter will be very timely. New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is introducing legislation that would establish the independent Katrina Commission. According to Sen. Clinton's website: "The Katrina Commission would be charged with providing a comprehensive and unbiased evaluation of what could and should have been done to avoid the extraordinary damage, the loss of life, the evacuation problems and the inadequate relief efforts that have exacerbated the dislocation and suffering of thousands of Americans affected by Hurricane Katrina."

But while Sen. Clinton's proposal is exactly what we need to do, many in the media are reporting on this as a squabble between Democrats and Republicans. Your letter can send a signal to the media that the public wants an independent commission modeled after the 9/11 Commission that is widely respected and viewed as the right way to look into failures by our government. Please write a letter today.

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=875&zip=60466&id=5974-5375512-e2VH_2l6PIVVOM.a4LS0Gw&t=4

This wouldn't be the first time the Republicans tried to stack the deck in an investigation. After September 11, they tried to push a phony investigation and only after 9/11 widows insisted on an independent investigation did they pass legislation to establish the 9/11 Commission.

The heads of that commission are now speaking openly about the failures they saw during Katrina. We need those independent voices.

We need to insist the media reports this right by making it clear that people want an independent commission much like the 9/11 Commission—a Katrina Commission.

Please write a letter today. Thanks for all you do.

—Tom, Justin, Wes, Micayla and the MoveOn.org Political Action Team
Friday, September 9th, 2005



Comment #11: Nolip said on 9/9/05 @ 10:55pm ET...

Katrina messed with the Republican agenda of death and destruction with death and destruction...

Hurricane Politics



Comment #12: jmatthan said on 9/9/05 @ 11:01pm ET...

If the investigation was carried out similar to how Congressman James Senseberger ran that Committee Meeting on the Patriot Act, what more would one expect!

I think you should be the one to point this out!



Comment #13: Nolip said on 9/9/05 @ 11:01pm ET...

"Their fictitious storm eerily foreshadowed the havoc wrought by Category 4 Katrina a few days later, raising questions about whether government leaders did everything possible — as early as possible — to protect New Orleans residents from a well-documented threat."

Feds’ ‘Hurricane Pam’ exercise predicted massive flooding, 61,000 dead



Comment #14: LeslieB said on 9/9/05 @ 11:04pm ET...

Dear Rep. Conyers,
Wondered whether Brown would have been subjected to background checks in order to be cleared to run FEMA? It's mind-boggling to me how Brown gets called back to DC, not for being incompetent, but for being caught lying about his resume. Because the Bush administration had to know he was lying beforehand. Unless they didn't vet him?!

This is a national disgrace to have someone so incompetent, unqualified and a liar in charge of a department concerned with our national security. It's also dangerous and tragic. Lives have been lost, an entire city drowned as a result. But the problem isn't limited to Brown. Since, according to news articles, 5 of the 8 top FEMA officials are likewise unqualified. This nation isn't prepared for any sort of disaster. So what has Bush been doing for the last 4+ years, besides rewarding his campaign donors and cronies? It's an appalling tragedy.

Patriot,
The work you did regarding Bush's emergency order, Blanco's and the voting statistics looks interesting. I need to study what you did more. There may be reasons for what Bush did other than the ones you give. But I would need more information. However, you may indeed be onto something. And, it would certainly fit Bush's MO, sad to say.



Comment #15: Nolip said on 9/9/05 @ 11:11pm ET...

“It might make sense to hold off on the criticism if this were the first big disaster on Mr. Bush's watch, or if the chain of mistakes in handling Hurricane Katrina were out of character. But even with the most generous possible assessment, this is the administration's second big policy disaster, after Iraq. And the chain of mistakes was perfectly in character - there are striking parallels between the errors the administration made in Iraq and the errors it made last week.”

Point Those Fingers



Comment #16: Nolip said on 9/9/05 @ 11:15pm ET...

“There were two levee breaks last week: The natural disaster of Katrina ravaged New Orleans and left behind thousands of victims; but there was also a political catastrophe that breached the Bush administration's containment walls and exposed fundamental weaknesses in how this White House makes decisions.”

Bush can't plug Katrina dike



Comment #17: Nolip said on 9/9/05 @ 11:18pm ET...

“NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - Rescue crews prepared to speed up the retrieval of the dead from Hurricane Katrina on Friday amid reports that President George W. Bush chose unqualified political supporters rather than disaster experts to head the agency leading the relief effort.”

White House faces new questions on Katrina relief



Comment #18: LeslieB said on 9/9/05 @ 11:21pm ET...

This disaster wasn't Brown's first. There was a huge fire in California, in which Pelosi and other California officials begged FEMA to declare an emergency and remove dried out trees and brush. FEMA refused. The result was a devastating fire. Wish I could remember where I read that, so I could give the link. But it's late and I'm tired. Sorry.



Comment #19: ljm said on 9/9/05 @ 11:32pm ET...

The most astonishing thing is hearing David Brooks say tonight on The News Hour, "we need government." Ta da! Perhaps we've turned the most tragic corner in keeping the Republicans from totally "starving the best" as they wanted to do. They nearly succeeded in doing just that in New Orleans. If they don't give up tax cuts for the rich, the very insurance and drug company friendly medicare drug bill and the estate tax repeal, the beast will still starve and the rich won't have services either.
At the moment the execs of New Orleans are planning to re-open the French Quarter in 3 months and the convention center in 6. I think they are still in shock. The city doesn't function. Where are the police and other emergency people supposed to work and live? The employees to staff the hotels, restaurants, etc...they think will restore the French Quarter to how it was before the flood. I'm so glad this part of the city isn't damaged, but they have a plan that sounds like opening New Orleans like Disney Land. You have to have a functioning place to do that. Any theme park is located in a functioning metropolis. I think all these people need counseling. They are still in shock. I had a dishwasher flood in my house and the cleanup from that was horrible. It took a good 6 weeks to finish the repairs. Imagine building an entire city and repairing all the historical buildings? They do want a party convention in 2008 and I think the Democrats should have it there. I hope it's picture perfect by then.



Comment #20: Dr Alan H Levinson said on 9/9/05 @ 11:42pm ET...

Just a piece of information. Our old friend Hcocdr has found his way over to www.bradblog.com to instigate his usual discourse. He is already close to being banned. Might be fun to watch the hole he digs for himself.

Alan



Comment #21: Kitty Gambler said on 9/10/05 @ 12:41am ET...

Reportedly 25,000 body bags were sent to New Orleans and "only" 10,000 might be needed. In Bush's twisted logic that means that he rates worlwide acclaim for saving 15,000 lives.

In my heart right now, I feel that the gas station ending of Benito Mussolini's life would be too kind a fate.



Comment #22: Chris Ross said on 9/10/05 @ 1:04am ET...

#10 Exactly what needs to NOT HAPPEN. The 9/11 Commission was set up, investigated, staged by Bush cronies and any and everything of any real PHYSICAL evidence in regards to Sept. 11th was stonewalled. It was a total SNOW job, nothing independent about it in the slightest. Remember who initially was (self?)appointed to head the 9/11 Commission? Kissinger. No commissions please, another Special Prosecutor to investigate criminal negligence, racketeering, manslaughter, dereliction of duty (BUSH AWOL again during National Emergency!!!) is appropriate. Lo and behold FEMA is left to "clean up" another crime disaster area like Ground Zero, only this time they don't a pile scrap steel to pawn off on the Black Market. We already knew Bushes FEMA were scum. Surely, we can look forward to another NOVA Special soon, titled "Why the Levees Broke".
And for Chrissake please, someone, explain the breach of the 17th Street Levee, there are flailing rumors about it being already reinforced, partially reinforced; but the funding to complete the job was DIVERTED by Bush cuts to Army Corp of Engineers or, it was hit by a loose barge or, that it was bombed, Mayor Nagin was ordering it sandbagged by helicopter drops, but the helicopter was ordered to divert to a rescue, by whom??, What is going on here? We know what these people have done. Question is, who will stop them?... and how soon?



Comment #23: St Louis said on 9/10/05 @ 1:26am ET...

Dear Congressman Conyers,
I've been reading, these past weeks, but not posting because the problems were getting so big and overwhelming, I had to step back a bit...but only a bit. I don't have words to express how much I sincerely appreciate the fact that you CAN'T step back. You have to wake up every morning and wonder what new bad thing is going to happen today. Then you start reading, informing yourself and us. You keep an inner calm and grounded perspective. You rarely sound down, and that keeps us up. You seem to me to be an "old soul"... and that is a compliment.
So, tonight, after reading here, and purusing the Wash. Post, etc, I went through my e-mail. I am always grateful to the PEN. Their site makes it real easy to write to Congress and newspapers. I also had e-mail responses from both our Senators, assuring me again they never did give W their vote to go to war.
So, I wrote to both of them. Then I came upon a glossy e-mail from my Repub Rep from the House, braying about disaster relief legislation and a plea to give to the Bush-Clinton Fund. I keep writing to him to sign onto HR375, with no response, so I decided to respond to his e-mail tonight.
I know this post will be too long if I share it with you, but things are kind of quiet tonight, and maybe admin will forgive me for the length of this post. Anyway, this is what I wrote back to him. Maybe it will help.
Thank you again for your tenacity! I feel the winds are shifting. I just think there will be an awful mess to clean up after the Bushie's are gone, but then, it will be a labor of love. K

Dear Congressman,
If you REALLY want to help the thousands of people devastated by the Katrina disaster, you will:
1. Call for the immediate firing of Michael Brown and all the other Bush cronies who have crawled in, and littered FEMA...and, for that matter, every other government agency that has lost competent long time civil servants in the wake of Bush appointments.
2. Call immediately for a revision/repeal of the Bankruptcy Bill that spells disaster, not only for Katrina survivors, but for millions of Americans who are living on credit in the Bush economy.
3. Call immediately for Oil Companies and American cities to donate their pork give aways from the Energy and Transportation Bills to Habitat for Humanity.
4. SIGN ONTO HR375 to demand an Inquiry into the Bush Administration's illegal war in Iraq.
5. Call immediately for an oversight of John Bolton's activities at the United Nations.
(Recall the apointment, if possible.)
6. Apologize immediately to America and the world for putting spinmeister Karen Hughes out there as the face of America.
(Recall the appointment if possible.)
7. Call immediately for a world wide moratorium on violence. Call for Peace Talks with the Iraqis. You will find that they want us to stop building bases in their country, and stop controlling their oil fields.
8. Call immediately for the Ethics Committee of the House to sanction Tom DeLay for his collusion with criminals like Jack Abramhoff and his real ties to the indicted PAC in Texas. It is outrageous that he is still strutting around saying, "I AM the government."
8. Call immediately for Congressional oversight of Bush's decision today to cap the salaries of those who will rebuild New Orleans. (Can this be repealed?)
9. Demand immediately that Halliburton be PROHIBITED from making a single penny from the Katrina disaster.
10. Demand an independent inquiry into what happened in New Orleans, before, during and after the hurricane and flood. Pay close attention to how the citizens were treated by the zillions of gun toters who landed without food, water, medical supplies and port-o-johns. Do you even know that the first response of our government was not to the victims, but to protect possessions? Imagine for a minute that every black face is suspected of being a looter....and imagine that your face is black.



Comment #24: Jo said on 9/10/05 @ 2:10am ET...

#20- I visited and yup...Thats our Ranger Rick.
stuffi is over at afterdowningstreet.org. Same old stuff. I recognized him with the moonbat language. It's a small world.



Comment #25: Jo said on 9/10/05 @ 2:12am ET...

Doug is over at afterdowningstreet.org also.



Comment #26: Linette said on 9/10/05 @ 8:06am ET...

I've been mentioning the James Kroeger article, The Republican Nemesis, on the blogs because I feel so strongly about its potential to make the Democrats the majority party again.

It's lengthy, but it's packed with insights into why Democratic campaign strategists fail when they go up against the Republicans.

Here's what others have been saying about The Republican Nemesis.



Comment #27: pita said on 9/10/05 @ 9:31am ET...

One of my most thoughtful blogging friends, NwH, has these thoughts about Bush administration selection, appointment, loyalty, promotion and fallout. See http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2078132&mesg_id=2078633

It was posted as a comment on discussion of your most recent blog entry "Brown Out, Full Accountability Remains Elusive" at http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2078132&mesg_id=2078132

"Bush's only criterion for appointment is total personal loyalty to him combined with willingness to break any law, do anything to promote his (Bush's) interests.

"As Tenet is finding now, once the person becomes a real liability to Bush's ratings, he'll be cut loose and trashed without a qualm. But Bush has that childish stubborness when told by other people that he must do something. Even worse if he's told he's made a MISTAKE! He NEVER admits those.

"I really, REALLY hope Mr. Conyers is aware of all the information in the opening post and replies in this thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4715924
Thread title: NPR Reports: GW to Blanco"I'll send in the troops if you answer to the WH"

"This isn't the first time this incident has been discussed. It shows clearly what is behind the DELIBERATE withholding and blocking of aid in the hurricane-struck areas: they are angling for an excuse to launch martial law. Blanco was blackmailed for it. She refused to cave, but they will continue to try to find a way. I believe they will do everything they can to promote and incite "civil disturbances" around the country in protest of hurricane non-relief. That is another excuse for declaring widespread martial law and suspension of the Constitution.

"This is not tinfoilhattery - they have been working toward this and now they are trying to use this disaster to get their chance. Some of the background is in this post, but there is much much more:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1765780&mesg_id=1766896



Comment #28: St Louis said on 9/10/05 @ 10:34am ET...

#26 Thank you, Linette, for the link to James Kroeger's site. After reading the Republican Nemesis, I went reading some of his other postings. VERY Good stuff!!! And, yes, Republican Nemesis should be required reading for all Democrats......
**Righteous ANGER and FEAR of the PNAC/neo-con THREAT to our country grows a strong back bone and thick hide faster than anything else. It keeps our "eye on the ball" and URGENCY to our mission.
Congressman Conyers,
You have the authority to begin Impeachment actions. It is time.



Comment #29: Sandra said on 9/10/05 @ 10:53am ET...

Patriot, Genghis Khan, and others --
The partisan politics and separating out of red vs. blue and rich vs. poor has been a highly efficient program of the GOP and Karl Rove campaign tactics for many, many, years. It is by design and is what propells them to be in constant campaign mode.

I would bet money that the large majority affected by the Katrina disaster in Louisiana did not vote for GW or due to poverty and disenfranchisement didn't get to vote at all. (Noted: His first visits on the ground were to Mississippi and Alabama wealthy coastal estates and solid GOP white voters; the same senators who fought for the gun lobby, and refused to sign on to anti-lynching legislation -- aka KKK)

Years ago living on the border of Missouri (Blue; Dick Gephart-Democrat) and Kansas (Red; Bob Dole-Republican) I witnessed first hand how construction projects, investments in banking, insurance, business and infrastructure, roads and bridges, would always go to the (red) areas while the services and foundation crumbled in the (blue) areas.

Since moving to Florida in 2000, I have witnessed the same tactics here along with revitalization of Jim Crow. I have visibly seen the disenfranchisement and gutting of (blue) areas by design when I was a visiting nurse and a campaign canvasser for Kerry/Edwards. I have been repeatedly harassed myself and blacklisted because I am not a supporter of the GOP.

Also, during the campaign of 2004 we saw a repeat of 2000 --- actual lists of black voters addresses and phone numbers in Jacksonville and other areas to be derailed and disenfranchised from participating in voting. Either by preventing them from getting to the polls, misinformed about where and when to vote, limited machines or none, voting at churches, discarding provisional ballots or never mailing absentee ballots, etc.

Note: This information was obtained from Whitehouse.org email inbox by error --- their campaign personnel were suppose to communicate with each other via Whitehouse.gov their official email inbox but was sent in error to .org.

Copies of the lists were provided to the attorneys for Kerry/Edwards team. The GOP name for this handy disenfranchisement tool is called "CAGING".

Many people have told me over the years that they registered as Republican (but still vote democratic) so the GOP would leave them alone and not dismantle, gut, and harass. But, frankly -- the GOP knows when you don't vote for their candidates --- they control the data, numbers, machines, and counting.

The entire United States is mapped out accordingly, county, parish, town, right down to block-by-block investments, GOP supporters, back-door deals, no-bid contracts, disenfranchisement, and money laundering, etc. the list is very extensive.

So, regrettably, Patriot I am not the least bit surprised by what you have found. This is their m.o.



Comment #30: Sandra said on 9/10/05 @ 11:19am ET...

More on Karl Rove and GOP Caging Lists

Wednesday, 27 October 2004

Florida GOP's "caging list"
Greg Palast on BBC News reports:

A secret document obtained from inside Bush campaign headquarters in Florida suggests a plan - possibly in violation of US law - to disrupt voting in the state's African-American voting districts, a BBC Newsnight investigation reveals.

Two e-mails, prepared for the executive director of the Bush campaign in Florida and the campaign's national research director in Washington DC, contain a 15-page so-called "caging list".

It lists 1,886 names and addresses of voters in predominantly black and traditionally Democrat areas of Jacksonville, Florida.

An elections supervisor in Tallahassee, when shown the list, told Newsnight: "The only possible reason why they would keep such a thing is to challenge voters on election day." -- The Writings of Greg Palast

The BBC also has the Republican response to Palast's story: Second, the list was a listing of returned mail that came from a mailing that the Republican National Committee sent to new registrants in Duval County in Florida, encouraging newly registered Republicans, Democrats and Independents to vote Republican.

Voter registration has been a heavy concentration of both parties this year and both national and state Republican parties have been reaching out to new registrants for the upcoming election.

Vote Law.com

Remember, Karl Rove got his start in the direct mail and mail order business; and these 'Pioneers' are those who get all the perks, the special treatment, funding and financing. Additionally, these are the same tactics used in reverse for 'starving' a population, courts, municiples, infrastructure, etc. --- All by partisan political design.



Comment #31: cali said on 9/10/05 @ 11:30am ET...

Another investigation we really need to have. This is just so disgusting.

Firms with Bush Ties Snag Katrina Deals
At least two major corporate clients of lobbyist Joe Allbaugh, President George W. Bush's former campaign manager and a former head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, have already been tapped to start recovery work along the battered Gulf Coast.
One is Shaw Group Inc. (SGR.N) and the other is Halliburton Co. (HAL.N) subsidiary Kellogg Brown and Root. Vice President Dick Cheney is a former head of Halliburton. Bechtel National Inc., a unit of San Francisco-based Bechtel Corp., has also been selected by FEMA to provide short-term housing for people displaced by the hurricane. Bush named Bechtel's CEO to his Export Council and put the former CEO of Bechtel Energy in charge of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/business/business-contracts.html



Comment #32: Nolip said on 9/10/05 @ 12:30pm ET...

9/11 and Katrina...one thing in common...Bush was caught with his pants down and then didn't have a clue how to respond...he was on vacation after all...

“Democrats said Bush and the Republican-controlled Congress did not learn a painful lesson of Sept. 11 — America must be ready for disaster. Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, in his party’s radio address, said victims of the hurricane are suffering because the government was unprepared.”

On 9/11 anniversary, president compares attack aftermath, Katrina disaster



Comment #33: Nolip said on 9/10/05 @ 12:38pm ET...

The President cut "short" (what was it two or three hours?) his vacation to get a handle on the situation following Katrina...which he needed to do BEFORE Katrina hit (he was taking meetings, having friends over to the ranch, hanging out...important stuff)...meanwhile the folks in the path of Katrina had an entirely different experience thanks to the President (who is so decisive he comes up with a plan AFTER everything turns to manure).

“Trapped inside the darkened, stifling hot attic of her flooded home in New Orleans with her two teenage daughters, Debbie Este watched her own mother die as they waited for help she thought would never come.”

3 days of death, despair and survival



Comment #34: Nolip said on 9/10/05 @ 12:47pm ET...

Innocent until proven guilty or unless your rights are stripped by a kangaroo court…

So, if Jose Padilla is an “enemy combatant” what does that make Karl Rove, “Mr. Alert (read: manipulate) The Media” and expose undercover CIA agents?

“A federal appeals court yesterday backed the president's power to indefinitely detain a U.S. citizen captured on U.S. soil without any criminal charges, holding that such authority is vital during wartime to protect the nation from terrorist attacks.

The ruling, by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, came in the case of Jose Padilla, a former gang member and U.S. citizen arrested in Chicago in 2002 and a month later designated an "enemy combatant" by President Bush.”

U.S. Can Confine Citizens Without Charges, Court Rules



Comment #35: Sandra said on 9/10/05 @ 12:59pm ET...

Cali --- Very true, and I have posted these same links also as they are all inter-twined in the 'Good Ole Boy's Club' Bush/Cheney Crime Family Cartel.

Designs have been on Louisiana for quite some time with emphasis on the oil/chemical of this region.

When our Florida Senators Nelson and Martinez fought the oil drilling 20 miles off our coast recently with the Energy Bill they were met with stiff opposition from the GOP. The GOP made handsome offers to the Senators of Louisiana and the Governor to bolster the operations and increased oil/gas exploration, refinement, and industrial revenues, profit.

Cheney's Energy Task force had already put plans in place to conquer long ago and systematically cut funding to address the levee situation as well as the cuts in social sustainability for the people.

The GOP put in 'like-minded' political hacks and connections over the past few years and awarded those that reinforced their designs. Even going as far as recently awarding Florida Gulf waters to Louisiana and Mississippi in true 'kickback' fashion because Florida would not allow this activity just off our coast due to several reasons primarily tourism, ecology, and military maneuvers.

Louisiana however, insisted on having the expansion of drilling, refineries, exploration, etc. and it appears the residents in the flood zone had to be sacrificed for the GOP oil/chemical resources to go forward --- again by design. GOP 'Collateral Damage'.

You will also notice that when you research some of these 'design' corporations of architechs and engineers --- they have quite a few highly experienced geologists on the boards. (You better hope you don't live above oil, gas, uranium, etc. or a gold mine because you will be sacrificed for these riches beneath the soil.)

Another investigation which began and then has apparently been put on the back burner somewhere, but appears directly linked at this time was, how Homeland Security funds were disbursed --- as it was not done according to risk assessment but, to 'most favorite GOP' and/or alterior motives. I remember reading somewhere that Wyoming (Cheney's home state) received more Homeland Security financing than New York City.

Of course, in my opinion the whole 'War on Terrorism' is just a diversion for what they have really been doing behind the scenes that we have not been made aware of.

Somewhere are the blueprints for the pre-planned designs of the Gulf Coast. And they include military base expansions, oil refineries, chemical, gas exploration, pipelines, nuclear power plants, major port expansions, and industrialization of this region with nearby hotels, convention centers, and casinos. The one thing you will not find on the design is suburban residential homes.



Comment #36: Nolip said on 9/10/05 @ 1:01pm ET...

A woman, Katrina, gets the upper hand (yeh!) and forces Bush, desperate to save his political base (that’s spelled a**), to change course during his second term…for my money, that’s really what God was trying to do with this catastrophe…”Whose in charge George”? Meanwhile Bush bleeds the treasury because of his stupidity and his inability to admit to his mistakes while heaping tons of dough on his friends (Halliburton) and short changing the ones who need it the most (N.O. local contractors will only be paid government minimum which trickles down to their workers…means more money in Dick Cheney’s retirement fund).

“"The president's plan is a big change from what has been the traditional federal role in disasters," said William Niskanen, chairman of the Cato Institute, a Washington think tank that advocates small government.

"The effect is going to be to indefinitely defer things he's wanted to do, like Social Security [restructuring]," Niskanen said. "And I don't think there's any possibility of eliminating the estate tax" — another Bush priority before Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast on Aug. 29.”

A Comeback for Big Government



Comment #37: Nolip said on 9/10/05 @ 1:22pm ET...

Following his less than stellar leadership in combating the terrorist attack of 9/11 (remember the Aug. 6 '01 PDB?), his initial response to the tsunami (a whopping $24 million?) and his wretched "I'm On Vacation" reaction to Katrina, the following could be said about our illustrious President "He could screw up a one car funeral".



Comment #38: Ohiodem1 said on 9/10/05 @ 1:25pm ET...

Sunday will mark the 4 year anniversary of George W. Bush's first failure to protect the American people, the attacks of September 11, 2001. He failed, by his inaction in the face of multiple warnings, specific warnings that hijackings were likely to be the method of attack.

George W. Bush has also failed to bring Osama bin Laden to justice.

George W. Bush has failed to bring Mullah Omar to justice.

George W. Bush as failed to bring Zarquai to justice.

George W. Bush has failed finish the job in Afghanistan.

George W. Bush failed to make a truthful case for war against Iraq.

George W. Bush failed to plan for the events following the collapse of the Baathist government in Iraq.

George W. Bush, through the policies of the Coalition Provisional Authority, which was run by corrupt political hacks selected by George W. Bush, made grievous decisions that both armed and financed the insurgency that kills Americans and Iraqis each and every day.

George W. Bush has initiated a set of policies intended to impoverish America for generations.

George W. Bush has initiated a set of policies that have shifted the tax burden for running America to the middle and lower wage earners, and away from corporate and wealthy interests.

George W. Bush has initiated a set of policies that shift wealth from the middle and lower wage earners to the wealthiest Americans, while at the same time, reducing the sacrifices on on those most able to absorb sacrifice to nearly nothing.

George W. Bush has staffed our government with a large cadre of poltical hacks who are incompetent to carry out their congressionally mandated duties.

George W. Bush has actively worked to foil any attempt by Congress or the People of America to hold his administration to account for any act of misfeasance, nonfeasance or malfeasance.

Sunday will mark the one week anniversary of the second major failure to protect the American people. George W. Bush's admininstation of incompetent poltical appointees, with no competencies in emergency management whatever, failed even in the face of predictions two days in advance of landfall by Hurricane Katrina, with a prediction accuracy of 15 miles of where landfall actually was made, to protect the South Coast of America.

It is likely that the death toll from this Hurricane will exceed the the death toll from September 11, 2001.

Between these bookends of mass death in America and of Americans, both with sufficient warnings to take actions to reduce or mitigate the scale of these disasters, the Presidential administration of George W. Bush has:

Approved Torture as an American Policy.

Placed our Soldiers at greater risk of torture or murder when they become captives by illegally vacating the Geneva Conventions, to which the United States of America are signatories, and the Congress has ratified these treaties. Under the Constitution of the United States, Treaty obligations are the part of the Supreme Law of America.

Reduced the Freedom of all Americans through the Patriot Act, and seeks to make this diminution of our freedom permanent through the elimination of sunset provisions in the law.

Presided over the creation of the most corrupt administration in the history of America.

Presided over the largest illegal grant of unbid contracts to properly politically connected companies in the history of America.

Has run up the largest debt in the history of America, creating unbearable debt burdens for generations of Americans yet unborn.

Has emaciated environmental laws that will damage America for generations yet unborn.

Has limited the ability of Americans to find redress of damages in courtrooms across America.

Has failed to implement an equitible health care delivery system.

Has worked to benefit poltical contributors over the interest of Citizens of both political parties.

It is time for Congress to face this reality and begin the process of removing the Bush Administration, which is a Cancer on America.

The indviduals who should be removed from office immediately are Condolezza Rice, Donald Rumsfeld, Karl Rove, Andrew Card, Vice President Richard Cheney, Presdent George W. Bush.

There are many others including Michael Brown, Michael Chertoff, Tom DeLay (through Congressional Ethics actions), and others.

It is time to lift the veil of denial. This administration must be replaced to save America.



Comment #39: Ohiodem1 said on 9/10/05 @ 1:31pm ET...

From UPI. Karl Rove's reach appears to be endless. Say something about him, you are fired. Does not matter if it is truthful. The Bush admin has to go. They are a cancer on America.

Source: UPI
Texas lawyer fired for talking about Rove

Date: Saturday, September 10, 2005 12:18:49 PM EST

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 10 (UPI) -- An attorney at the Texas Secretary of State's office has been fired for talking to a reporter about President Bush's adviser Karl Rove.

The Washington Post reports that Elizabeth Reyes confirmed Friday she has been fired for answering questions in a Post story that ran Sept. 3.

Reyes was fired Tuesday but Scott Haywood, a spokesman for Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams, wouldn't comment besides saying that Reyes "was not authorized to speak on behalf of the agency."

The story was about tax deductions on two rental cottages that Rove and his wife own in Kerr County, Tex.

Although the Roves were eligible for a tax break in 2001 when they bought the Texas property, a 2002 change to the tax law made them ineligible. They received the break inadvertently, the Post said.

The Post reporter telephoning state officials to ask about the tax break was transferred to Reyes because the department's press officer was on vacation.

Reyes then answered questions about the tax law and the Roves' property.

--
Copyright 2005 by United Press International.
All rights reserved.
--



Comment #40: Patriot said on 9/10/05 @ 2:05pm ET...

#8, Lena, I'll go make that Parish thingie more clear. Yes, parish is a county. Those are all the counties of Louisana. So why is the relief ordered in exact reverse of what would be needed? Stupidity? Intention? He got the lists mixed up? I have no idea, but I'd like to see Mr. Conyers investigate it because it seems to me that order was a significant factor in New Orleans's not getting immediate aid.

#9 Genghis, hmmm... might be a job for you?

#29, Sandra, so very true.

Now please let's get all this information into that database. You know, it's a pretty darn good program I wrote there, if I do say so myself.

http://soapbox4truth.org/katrina.html

For those who haven't seen this katrina page, have a look at it. It's really interesting to see how Bush's idea of relief was the opposite of what was expected. You know, when I went to look at it, I expected it to be a bit off-kilter, but it still just amazes me how off it can be.

On another subject, I found a survey about the Seperate Realities of Bush and Kerry Supporters. Asked questions on Iraq and policy, Bush supporters got 3/17 and Kerry supporters got 17/17 mostly correct.

The more likely a Bush supporter is to watch news (read that 'conservative or commerical news), the more likely he or she is not to know the facts. The more likely a Kerry supporter is to watch the news (usually alternative, public or international news) the more likely he or she is to know the facts. It's in that link, too... see 'propoganda' under 'events'.



Comment #41: Sandra said on 9/10/05 @ 2:58pm ET...

Sorry Patriot -- there's just too much to put in on the data base. It requires a full time paid staff! In fact, when I was working on entries in the past it became more than a full time job -- I would highly recommend that you combine efforts already established tracking this historical information because I really don't have time to do the data entry. Who can keep up with this international criminal cartel? And, while much is being recorded they're already moved on to other obstruction of justice events. Where's the congressional staff ? FBI ? Justice Dept. ? GAO ? GSA ?

--------

On this premise, since we are all well aware of 'fixing the facts' and means justifying the end.

There was to be no need for body armor or armored vehicles in Iraq. There were no weapons of mass destruction, there was no viable 'army' to fight us. They were not a threat.

We were just supposed to roll on in there and secure the pipelines, refineries, and oil fields. Take over the capital of Bagdad and remove the ruling goverment. (Invasion/Coup) "Mission Accomplished"

As far back as the Bush/Cheney campaign of 2000 and more than likely prior, Bush had exclaimed at a hotel in Michigan surrounded by GOP talking heads that 'We're going to TAKE the oil in Iraq'.

Our troops and coalition provisional authority puppets were to be received as 'liberators' freeing the peasants and bringing democracy, freedom and improved 're-design and rebuilding' of their crumbling infrastructue under the heavy hand of sanctions and a failed state. (Essentially, rob the riches and install a ruling military aparatus.)

There was no need for armor because Iraq was not a threat to us... who needs armor when they're throwing flowers? the Bush/Cheney cabal never imagined there would be such resistance to their goals by the people of Iraq and surrounding countries who clearly saw that this cabal invaded purely for the resources that lie beneath... it had already been mapped out. Just as military bases line the gas pipeline from the Caspian Sea through Afghanistan --- so will be the permanent military bases in Iraq surrounding oil exports.

But, by the massive bombings, senseless killing, cut off of essential water and electricity to the population, forced unemployment, (textbook tactic), torture and removal of human rights they did not anticipate such a sustained resistance of (insurgents) 'freedom fighters' for this land, culture, and survival of the people.

In order to provide for their families, surviving Iraqis must join the fascist colonialism/capitalism 'Empire Builder' and American Army to survive, are paid slave wages in reconstruction projects, and have no rights, human-judicial or otherwise.

The DOD/Carlyle Group/Halliburton/Bechtel etc. (war profiteers) are all guilty of expansion and escallation of the war on terror --- "fueling the fire" because perpetual war demands an enemy. "Terrorists are everywhere".

Why would you dismantle and enemy army but leave them with their guns, and not secure major weapons depots? Why also would you not secure electricity and water or known historical artifacts? Empire Building requires elimination of entire populations draining the profits of greed for 'welfare and social' programs.

Any guess how much of the $200 Billion benefited the Iraqi people?

Keep in mind, when Israel wants to expand settlements they just physically remove residents by force and send in the bull-dozers and heavy equipment. The Palestines have no rights to their own land.

The same thing has begun in Iraq and now, Louisiana will be victim of the same ideology. This is the real premise of imminent domain and expansionism for capitalistic and commercial purposes.

Priorities, priorities... this is why when Bush, extremely delayed, first landed in Alabama and Mississippi and talked about rebuilding better than it was before (because the plans were already on the shelf and just need to be implimented now)... all this he spoke of while people were screaming for help, drowning, trapped, without water, food, or electricity.

How many people died in the desert of Iraq for lack of water, food, and electricity ? That has never been the priority in Iraq or America under this criminal administration.

It's amazing how many have survived under these horific circumstances.



Comment #42: Genghis Khan said on 9/10/05 @ 2:59pm ET...

In re: Padilla.

The right-wing has been touting this case in their arguments supporting the Federal court decision:

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=317&invol=1

It's called "Ex Parte Quirin".

I say that the court fallacious relied on Quirin to reverse the District court. Quirin was decided against a group of individuals who were NOT US citizens. The one defendant who alleged US citizenship (Haupt) was found to be operating under the military arm of a foreign government.

Therefore, Quirin is not applicable to the Padilla case because Mr. Padilla was neither a foreign national nor acting under the military arm of a foreign government.

Mr. Conyers, please have your legal team check my analysis. But I'll bet dollars to donughts that my analysis holds. The judges in the Padilla case were being "activist judges" in using existing law to create new law by expanding the "Quirin" findings so widely.



Comment #43: Sandra said on 9/10/05 @ 3:11pm ET...

Genghis Khan --- here's an already established analysis with legal briefs filed:

Human Rights First.org - US Law and The Supreme Court - Jose' Padilla



Comment #44: Genghis Khan said on 9/10/05 @ 3:29pm ET...

Sandra:

Thanks. I'll chew on this later. However, the link only shows up to the last ruling (which relied on Quirin in support of the AUMF). I'm talking about arguments going forward to reverse the 4th Circuit opinion (which must necessarily find that Quirin does not apply and that the AUMF must be reevaluated).

In fact, as we all have previously discussed, MUCH of the legislation passed in the immediate aftermath of 9/11/2001 must be reevaluated.



Comment #45: Sandra said on 9/10/05 @ 3:53pm ET...

Genghis -- agreed; all legislation immediately post 9/11 must be reevaluated and the ACLU has been instrumental in pursuing.

I found this link on Padilla to be very informative because of the numerous entites working in concert to appeal such rulings; is there any progress to reverse the 4th Circuit opinion with any of these that you know of?



Comment #46: Sandra said on 9/10/05 @ 4:07pm ET...

p.s. Check the contact page, legal staff, national council, and board of directors. (see bottom of page) Email addresses are also available in addition to phone, fax, and snail mail.



Comment #47: Nolip said on 9/10/05 @ 4:22pm ET...

George Bush’s voicemail at the White House during the month of August:

“Hello this is George Bush. I’m away from my desk and can’t come to the phone right now so if you would please leave your name and phone number, I or one of my aids will get back to you as soon as we can”.

If you’re Osama Bin Laden or some other freakin terrorist press 1 and you’ll be routed to the “I’m On Vacation You Freakin Terrorist” line.

If you’re a hurricane or some other gawdawful natural disaster press 2 and you’ll be routed to “I’m Still On Vacation But I May Cut It Short” line.

If you’re Dick Cheney press 3 and you’ll be routed to the Toys in the Attic R Us line and Dick leave the next installment amount for Halliburton.

If you’re Mike “Brownie” Brown press 5 and you will go directly back to D.C., do not collect a paycheck and receive a “Get Into Jail Free” card.

All other callers please use the White House Switchboard because, in case you hadn’t heard “I’M ON VACATION!”



Comment #48: Nolip said on 9/10/05 @ 5:20pm ET...

“The official autopsies of the flawed response to the catastrophic storm have already begun in Washington, and may offer lessons for dealing with a terrorist attack or even another hurricane this season. But an initial examination of Katrina's aftermath demonstrates the extent to which the federal government failed to fulfill the pledge it made after the Sept. 11 attacks to face domestic threats as a unified, seamless force.”

Disarray Marked the Path From Hurricane to Anarchy



Comment #49: Patriot said on 9/10/05 @ 6:30pm ET...

Sandra, yes, I know it's a big job which is why I need help doing it. All the info that gets posted just in here would make a world of difference to the project. I certainly wouldn't expect anyone to spend a lot of time on it, just put some stuff in it as it comes up. If everyone did a little each day, it would fill up and be awesome.

Yes there are other projects, but none as advanced (that I've seen) program-wise as this one.

And it's our chance to make a difference. Right here for Mr. Conyers.

It will take off. I'm confident of it. I put too much work into it to give it up now! :-)

http://soapbox4truth.org/we_the_people/



Comment #50: Dr Alan H Levinson said on 9/10/05 @ 6:32pm ET...

Is 9/24 - 9/26 a protest at the white house?



Comment #51: Linette said on 9/10/05 @ 6:49pm ET...

#28 St Louis: "#26 Thank you, Linette, for the link to James Kroeger's site. After reading the Republican Nemesis, I went reading some of his other postings. VERY Good stuff!!! And, yes, Republican Nemesis should be required reading for all Democrats......"

Your welcome, St. Louis. I'm pretty excited about it. Do you think Rep. Conyers will read it?

What others have been saying about The Republican Nemesis



Comment #52: Sandra said on 9/10/05 @ 7:15pm ET...

Patriot -- I know your committment to this project. I wish I could be more help... I'm stretched too thin these days.

Dr. Alan -- Yes. It's a march on the White House and Washington DC right down Pennsylvania Avenue and in Lafayette Park. The protest permits have already been obtained from the DC Police. I'll try to post more about this in the coming days. But, in the meantime you can obtain more information @: International Answer.org



Comment #53: Nolip said on 9/10/05 @ 7:17pm ET...

Kid gloves from conservative journalists for George Dubya…and they’re allowed to collect a paycheck???

Conservative Pundits Reluctant to Criticize Bush's Katrina Response



Comment #54: Nolip said on 9/10/05 @ 7:19pm ET...

Oops...word processer ate an apostrophe...

Conservative Pundits Reluctant to Criticize Bush's Katrina Response



Comment #55: Sandra said on 9/10/05 @ 7:24pm ET...

For those of you who do not have access to HBO, Bradblog has video clip from Real Time with Bill Maher from last night's show. It's certainly worth a watch. For those of you who have HBO there will be a re-broadcast tonight so check your local times.



Comment #56: Frosted Flake said on 9/10/05 @ 7:30pm ET...

Here is a little light music

Now I start to feel alive,
1,2,3,4, f*ckin 5,
Feel my heart accelerate,
5,6,7,f*ckin 8,
Past the point of no return,
got no rubber left to burn,
No stoppin now just straight ahead,
no stoppin now I'm seein red

I think of how things used to be,
I think of what you meant to me,
I think about the ones already dead,

Now I look and all I see,
an empty shell, a memory,
I look at you and all I see is red.

Something in the way you make me bleed,
something in the you make me,
Something in the way you break me down,
something in the way you break me.

Oh, yeah, I got pain, and I got drugs,
take it and go, can't get enough.
I got plans and I got guns,
take it and go, can't get enough, BULLSH*T.

Seein Red by JACKMOVE



Comment #57: Patriot said on 9/10/05 @ 7:31pm ET...

Sandra, I know you've got your hands full. My hand is better, although not completely well, so I'm getting some work done on it.



Comment #58: Sandra said on 9/10/05 @ 7:38pm ET...

Patriot, glad to hear you're doing better. Well, Rome was not built in a day --- but, this cartel has taught us the world can be destroyed in an instant. With that in mind I bid another farewell for now as duty calls elsewhere :0) Take good care.



Comment #59: Sandra said on 9/10/05 @ 7:41pm ET...

Frosted --- here's a music video for you. Be strong :0)

Peace Takes Courage - Hurricane Katrina



Comment #60: Frosted Flake said on 9/10/05 @ 7:51pm ET...

Speaking of red

Chi Haotian, China's Minister of Defense and vice-chairman of China’s Central Military Commission, gave a speech in a SECURE BRIEFING to his military leadership

The Invasion of the Chinese Cyberspies (And the Man Who Tried to Stop Them)
An exclusive look at how the hackers called TITAN RAIN are stealing U.S. secrets

The point I am making is, it is important to finish what we are doing with expedition and dispatch, because this ain't the only thing going on in the world.

We can mention Chinese spies here, right? O.K.
Frosted Flake



Comment #61: tahoebasha1 said on 9/10/05 @ 8:19pm ET...

It looks as though the victims of Katrina in Utah are being held more as "prisoners" rather than "victims" via FEMA.

See: www/crooksandliars.com/2005/09/09/html#a4876
------



Comment #62: tahoebasha1 said on 9/10/05 @ 8:22pm ET...

For the last few days, I have had a concern about "eminent domain" and the new laws that have been established in this administration. Obviously, the administration must have had some ideas in mind. Let us hope New Orleans is not one of them.



Comment #63: tahoebasha1 said on 9/10/05 @ 8:26pm ET...

For those of you who are able to attend the events of September 24, 2005, in Washington, D.C., here is a schedule of events:

September 24-26 Anti-War Mobilization in Washington DC

In just three weeks PDA members from across the country will gather
in Washington , DC for the Anti-War Mobilization weekend ! It's
important that Illinois is well-represented! Please check out the
outstanding line-up of activities and events that are planned! Click
here
(http://www.pdamerica.org/articles/events/sept2005/index.php#planning)
An overview of the weekend is described below.

On Saturday, September 24, hundreds of thousands of activists are
expected to gather for a mass rally and march. PDA will announce
within the next week the specific location and time at which PDA
members will gather. Watch for details in upcoming alerts and on
PDA's web site (http://www.pdamerica.org/)for the latest information!

PDA is hoping to make a powerful statement during the march on the
24th! We envision our national PDA banner visibly leading our
contingent of marchers with PDA members from different states proudly
following behind with their PDA state banners! Look for details from
PDA Ohio leadership, Michael Carano, within the next few days.

On Sunday, September 25, PDA has a stellar "Grassroots Strategy Day"
planned. Click here
(http://www.pdamerica.org/articles/events/sept2005/index.php#planning)for
details of the day. Sign up early for this not-to-be-missed strategic
planning day! Click here
(https://www.pdamerica.org/dc-sept-tickets.php)to sign up now!

On Monday, September 26, PDA members are encouraged to visit their
Congressional representatives. An on-line Lobbying Kit that will be
available soon. Lobbying training materials will also be available on
Sunday, September 25! Click here
(http://capwiz.com/pdamerica/dbq/officials/)to get your
Representatives' contact information. Then click here
(http://www.unitedforpeace.org/modinput4.php?modin=102)to register
your appointment. Be sure to list Progressive Democrats of America as
your organizational affiliation under "Organization" on the
registration form.

Members of PDA from all across the country are coming! Let's make
sure tha t Illinois is well-represented! Make your travel plans, sign
up for PDA's Sunday Strategic Planning Day , Click here
(https://www.pdamerica.org/dc-sept-tickets.php), and then let us know
personally that you will be joining us. Email us at
aqmstaffo@mailbag.com (mailto:aqmstaffo@mailbag.com); or
KGutier509@aol.com (mailto:KGutier509@aol.com). We want to be sure to
connect you with others from our state who will be there.

Also, if you haven't already done so, please take a minute to sign
the People's Petition for an Iraq Peace Process
http://www.pdamerica.org/petition/iraq-withdraw-petition.php#here
(http://www.pdamerica.org/petition/iraq-withdraw-petition.php#here)!
Our goal is to have 25,000 signatures by the time we deliver the
Petition on September 15! Please sign and then share with your
progressive networks encouraging them to sign and send it on as well!

See you in Washington . Every voice matters.

Dan Stafford and Karen Gutierrez,
PDA Illinois State Leadership
-- One person, One vote, It Counts! Do it, America!
http://www.illinoisprogressives.org/pdi/
(http://www.illinoisprogressives.org/pdi/)



Comment #64: Bill_o_Carolina said on 9/10/05 @ 11:39pm ET...

Anyone catch Bill Maher's show on HBO?
Here's an excerpt from his show speaking to Georgie.

"...You're a catastrophe that walks like a man. On your watch we've lost almost all of our allies, the budget surplus, four airliners, two trade centers, a piece of the Pentagon and the city of New Orleans. Maybe your just not lucky. I'm not saying you don't love this country. I'm just wondering how much worse it could be if you were on the other side. Yes, God does speak to you. And he's saying: "Take a hint."



Comment #65: Nolip said on 9/11/05 @ 12:07am ET...

Somebody has to make money off the pain of others...why not Bush? :(

Firms with Bush ties snag Katrina deals



Comment #66: gimama said on 9/11/05 @ 1:09am ET...

Visualize IMPEACHMENT!
~A PERFECT GIFT TO AMERICA, on the anniversary of Sept.11 attacks..
IMPEACH BUSH & CHENEY petition:
http://elandslide.org/elandslide/petition.cfm?campaign=impeach&refer=friend
Sign it,~smile!~
Be Blessed..pass it on...



Comment #67: Rusty said on 9/11/05 @ 2:23am ET...

Thank you for #26, Linette!

"The Republican Nemesis" concisely identifies what Democratic candidates have to do to defeat the GOP slander machine. Kroeger provides a brilliant analysis of how and why these lying, hypocrites in the GOP have been able to cynically manipulate the emotions of voters and deceive them into believing that no Democrat can be trusted.

Next year, if they heed Kroeger's advice, Democrats in every Congressional district can inspire Democratic voters, win to our side most of the swing voters, and effectively attack their Rovian opponents.

In the meantime, if they heed Kroeger's advice, every Democrat and progressive who appears on television in the coming weeks and months will be able to psychologically and emotionally connect with the American people and open their eyes to the vile hypcrisy of the GOP.

That bastard Rove has always understood that emotion and psychology win elections. Democrats have always had facts and logic on their side, but facts and logic don't win elections in this age of mass media hype.

Democrats need to understand that emotion and psychology are the ultimate weapons in political campaigns. Facts and logic are needed to govern effectively, but Democrats can no longer rely solely on facts and logic when campaigning for office or refuting right wingers on television. Doing so leaves them defenseless against the corrupt GOP's psychological and emotional tactics.

James Kroegers' editorial, "The Republican Nemesis" MUST BE READ, AND MUST BE E-MAILED TO EVERY DEMOCRAT IN CONGRESS AND EVERY DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE.

Please read it here:

http://www.taxwisdom.org/republican_nemesis.htm

I implore everyone to e-mail "The Republican Nemesis" to everyone they know and to progressive blogs, but especially to their Democratic senators and congressmen. I have, and starting tomorrow I'm going to e-mail a copy to every Democrat in Congress and to Howard Dean at the DNC.

I've been reading this blog and posting here for five months. I've read countless posts filled with valuable information and great insights, and have appreciated them all.

Then, on September 10, 2005 at 8:06 am EST, Linette told us about "The Republican Nemesis" and in my humble opinion, posted the most valuable link in the history of the Conyers Blog.

Linette, you are a progressive blogosphere SUPERSTAR for spreading the word about James Kroeger's editorial. It's the electoral key to restoring democracy in America that tens of millions of Democrats have been searching for ever since this Rovian nightmare began.



Comment #68: epppie said on 9/11/05 @ 5:38am ET...

If the stuff about the disaster declaration inequities in La parishes is true, it sounds like clear evidence of criminal intent on the part of Bush.



Comment #69: Nolip said on 9/11/05 @ 7:32am ET...

George Bush runs a tight ship...not!

Bush's ability for mismanagement is costly this country dearly.

Confusion, bureaucracy reigned as floodwaters overtook New Orleans



Comment #70: Truth_in_action said on 9/11/05 @ 7:41am ET...

Let's not be distracted from Katrina's horror to take our eye on the Government Ball.

Today's(9-11-05) Huffington Post online website www.huffingtonpost.com has an article from the New York Times "Pentagon Studies Pre-Emptive Nuclear Strikes". Beneath that article on the Huffington Post webpage, is ANOTHER story "UN inspectors Powerless Against Iran Nuclear Bomb Plans". These are two must-reads.

Anyone see a connection here???

Hello, AfterDowningStreet.org???



Comment #71: Nolip said on 9/11/05 @ 9:34am ET...

Let us take a moment...to cheer!

“Sept. 10, 2005 - Hurricane Katrina claimed her first political casualty Friday. Michael Brown, the head of FEMA, the federal disaster readiness and response agency, was sidelined from the largest disaster relief project in the nation’s history. Brown was recalled to Washington by his boss, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. But a new NEWSWEEK Poll suggests the post-Katrina political storm may just be rising. And her ultimate casualty could be President George W. Bush.”

A new NEWSWEEK poll suggests President Bush could become Katrina’s next casualty



Comment #72: Nolip said on 9/11/05 @ 10:21am ET...

On this fourth anniversary of 9/11 let us not forget that the world’s most wanted terrorist, Osama Bin Ugly is still at large, that is George Bush hasn’t captured him while diverting the monies needed to go after him to an illegal, expensive, war with Iraq.

Families remember Sept. 11 attacks at memorial



Comment #73: tahoebasha1 said on 9/11/05 @ 10:51am ET...

#68 - Rusty

Linette had posted The Republican Nemesis previously on another thread. I do believe it is a must read. I believe Kroeger nailed it down to a "T".

This was my response:

#50 - Linette

I read The Republican Nemesis -- it is a tremendous analysis of what went wrong and why. Partly, I think Democrats were caught up unaware and thus, psychologically unprepared for the kinds of onslaught heaped on them -- or they might have done a better job in their responses. Hopefully, we all have learned by now. A good platform and mocking and ridiculing the Republicans (turn about) should, perhaps, be the new strategy.



Comment #74: Dr Jay said on 9/11/05 @ 12:00pm ET...

Tue, 6 Sep 2005 14:40:55 -0700 (PDT)
From: "ROSE KING"
Subject: The Hardest Job on this Planet--Post Hurricane Prayers--Links at Bottom

To:,cccc-usa@yahoogroups.com, armageddon-or-newage@yahoogroups.com,
apfn1@yahoogroups.com,


9-6-05

Dear Friends,

This epistle was written before they created the
tragedy in the hurricane stricken areas and now has
more of an impact on any conscious heart than ever. We
have seen the beast strike again and everyone knows
the who, what, and when’s, of this awful event. It so
easy to see that Cheney and his contracts to
Haliburton to do the clean up in the disaster areas
are very connected to this tragedy.

When are the righteous going to stand in unison and
stop this insanity that daily grows worse? When are
the American People going to realize things in this
country are going to be like New Orleans all over in
every big city as the plan is coming to fruition every
day and this kind of chaos is coming to a theater near
you soon also!

This heart is saddened that the spirit is only able to
warn us of the events, and that we can not stop it
until the mass mind decides to stop it. A prophet of
old would only tell the peoples what could happen, it
was up to the people to change the course of the ship
or not. They have been historically warned but are
seldom unified enough to make the right changes. The
great term: “United we stand, Divided we fall” never
had a more significant meaning. Will the dumbed down
mass ever realize this?

Here is the answer to save worlds: A Unified People in
mind and heart are the force of forces and can control
the matrix if they consciously choose to do so. Does
anyone remember Art Bells experiments to bring rain in
the drought stricken areas a few years back? This is
the idea to be refined that can make real changes.
This concept of unified thought as a force multiplier
came in the 80’s and has yet to be realized for great
uses still.

If everyone on the planet knew of all the corruption
and then had the decision to continue to support it,
or change it by removing the cancer, what do you think
would happen? Sadly, until Alex Jones, one of our best
aware and informed spokesman gets on all the major
networks every day and night for a week straight just
to bring the country up to speed, the best we can do
is continue to awaken the people until the hundredth
monkey LAWMAN decides it’s time to stop it all NOW.

This globalistic plan to kill this nation can be
stopped and reversed if someone will stand up in the
name of the Law and simply do the right thing by
arresting all those that are corrupted in the places
of power and the corporate heads of the powerful
military industrial complex responsible for the use of
HAARP and etc to create events like this recent
disaster in the south. This along with 911 rank right
up there with the crimes of genocide as among the
greatest crimes ever committed against a free and
innocent people in the history of this world.

There are few without guilt, and the ONLY saving grace
for those dying of the cancer of guilt is to come
forward and reverse their mental stance, philosophy,
morals, and ethics of evil. Don’t you realize that
with out freedom we ALL will spiritually die? Where
there is no spiritual life, there is no life worth
God’s attention, and truly, without this light, a
planet goes dead as many in universal histories have
before us. The Sun slowly follows the spiritual force
to another prosperous planet to try again. To try the
simple experiment of learning to be a spiritual force
of beings living in abundance of greatness and
harmony. It really is so easy. As easy as Love! Being
it and manifesting it in every breath.

You must repent and ask for forgiveness from an all
knowing and truly all seeing God that will forgive you
for your sins against this nation. Only God will save
you from the masses of people who are awakening daily
to your crimes committed against them also. This heart
begs you to please come and stand in unity with the
awakening mass of free people to behead the beast NOW
before it commits any more of these heinous acts
against humanity again! It can be done. We can do it
NOW!!!!
It’s your only choice.

RK

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Hardest Job on this Planet

In a human life there should come a time of
consciousness. Not just conscious of the time to go to
the bathroom, tie ones shoe, or to even realize that
yes, you really are automatically blinking your eyes
with NO consciousness; there is also consciousness of
concern! For the most part, we also upon some
maturity, become mentally conscious of personal
feelings, others feelings, morals, and the ethics of
what an advanced society calls, guides of human
behavior. Some think this is a joke!

How can any human being grow up in this world not
knowing what feels good, what sadness is, and of
course, what it’s like when we first learn to love
something or even, someone. Everyone feels good when
you receive say a massage, sit in a warm hot tub, or
receive a well placed compliment. Some think it feels
good to kill.

You may have received inhuman treatment, or for other
universal reasons, have experienced sadness about some
life event or maybe an occurrence resulting in an
unhappy feeling. Maybe you care when you are
experiencing this unhappiness, and maybe you don‘t.
Some think killing is inhuman and in direct conflict
with the Commandment, “Thou shalt not kill!”

And as far as Love, who hasn’t at some point in time
just loved an ice cream cone, or some great life
experience, or best of all, loved another human being.
Wouldn’t it be great if we all learned to love each
other from the inside to the out, instead of from the
outside to the in. Or to put it another way, learn to
love each other the spiritual being we are first
instead of WANTing to love the body before we really
love the spiritual being themselves. This would be you
serving the spirit before serving the flesh. Some want
to love.

So then, there are different degrees of how and what
we experience, and as fully compliant human beings,
for the most part, we are living and caring and loving
and feeling and choosing as a spiritual being, the
conscious spiritual being, what degree we want to
experience all that comes in each day. Some don’t care
where the planet is spinning into.

Let us ponder.

Would you like to know what the definition of
multi-dimensional is? It’s the ability to be conscious
of all of the above. The feelings of emotions,
experiences, sadnesses, love, occurrences, celestial
events, and assorted ‘other’ chosen learned lessons
both good and bad. This is the Christ consciousness.
It then becomes the simple process of overcoming and
ones ability to perceive and survive in a world gone
Mad. Of course then, there are those that have no
consciousness at all because of life circumstances or
personal choice. Let us pray for those born so
unfortunate. Some refuse to accept the everlasting
truth.

The hardest job is held by the one who thinks about it
all and prays for us all. This is the job of the
Christ conscious being. This job belonged
traditionally to the Melchizedakian High Priest in His
Wilderness Tabernacle. Anyone in these days can do the
same. It was His sworn duty to a Higher Power above
all things that kept Him thinking in a Christ
conscious multi-dimensional way. For the sake of
mutual understanding, let it be known that all
dimensions are in the mind and heart. Where we
conceive or not, is the place of the multidimensional
worlds we perceive and experience in all the ways
previously mentioned. Some call this life.

But by far the hardest part of the hardest Job is when
he has to pray for all the deceased and suffering. He
gives prayers every time he passes a cemetery. It is
his job to pray for the dead and dying. He sees into a
bleak future and tries to warn his people of coming
tribulations, but to no avail. He prays and puts deep
emotional energies into his prayers of hope for our
world and for the salvation of the peoples. Prayers
that ask the Higher Power to please awaken the mass
mind before the torrent of hell breaks loose under the
draconian plans of the evil that would subdue us all.
He sees into the dismal future the potential for mass
amounts of suddenly departed souls.

Departed suddenly from the flesh that houses the
spiritual being we are. It is the hardest part of His
job to say a last prayer for the forgiveness of all
those souls that were not able to give a last prayer.
Whether they knew it or not, he would send them to a
place of judgment with the best chances ever for
making it through those pearly gates.

This is the one that no one loves for his differences
that are misunderstood and ways that are far too
futuristic for a closed minded society that cares even
less for it self. His job is to struggle diligently in
an effort to stay alive and to continue to pray for
all those innocents and murdered souls that never knew
what, why, or how death came upon them. We give you
this Apache pilot’s gun camera capturing the murdering
on film as an example of innocents murdered to be held
as evidence in God’s World court of war crimes against
his people for a later time.
http://www.prisonplanet.com/011604apachekilling.html

This is the one who seeks the outer reaches of inner
space. He prays upon the mountain in witness of only
One and asks for mercy for all those soldiers and
people in Iraq that don’t even know they are slowly
dying from DU poisoning. Little do they all know of
the sad suffering they will all experience as they
slowly die. The worst part is what the families of
these soldiers will go through watching them slowly
die.

Why was it so hard to believe that the global
domination plan called for the complete elimination of
the American military forces in this phony war, and
another potential fake propagated war on Iran, Syria,
and North Korea? Why didn’t they listen when they were
warned years ago that the plan called for them to be
killed off or placed out of this country? This is so
when the gov babalonic forces of the evil Oil Empire
go to killing off and imprisoning its own US citizens
and calling them all seditionists, insurgents, and
terrorists for defending freedom and their country,
none of the soldiers will be here to defend the
American people from the tyranny being implemented
now. Its dam sad to see all our children soldiers are
out guarding almost every border in the world but our
own, and that they are in every other country but the
one they belong in.

And he prays for all those that are unknowingly slowly
dying and those that will suffer from being part of
the poor soldier’s world. He calls out to God for
mercy. He calls out for the right people to take a
stand for America and stop this pure insanity NOW! He
prays for this country to be saved from the CFR plans
to bring her down in a concoction of flames, chaos,
tyranny, war, disease, famine, and poverty.

And He prays as part of his eternal job is to care
still for a world that seemingly cares not for it
self. He prays for those that will never have the
chance to say a last “Our Father” or ask for
forgiveness. He prays for himself also because being a
Modern caring Priest in this time is hard on the Heart
and holding up through all this multi-dimensional
consciousness is the hardest part of the hardest Job
on this planet.

May we please find salvation through truth and have
the hope that we all can stop this drive to end free
America? May we see an end to oil baron and bankster
wars for profit and plunder? The cost is already too
high with the deaths of so many innocent and unknowing
young peoples, who like the holocaust victims, are
blindly marching into the ovens of death thinking it’s
a picnic. The US military death toll is possibly over
10,000 between Iraq and Afghanistan. The American
people deserve to know the truth. How many more broken
families and innocents will it take?
How many more souls will be killed for the lies and
corruption of the babalonic regime?

Pray to the very end for a better way…to find its way.

In Holy Service,

PS: A delayed comment for those wicked old CFR
members, Bildabergers, and/or other assorted
associated minion bags of cow excrement that don’t
like the truths of God that get out to the world here:

“If you don’t like Free Speech…shut the f^*k up!”

.:Just a little attitude from the Biker era;) please
to excuse the punctuation!~+

More?!?

Tidbit-an Christian type non-mystery parable lesson
#33.33.33 X 360 is:

The matter of my body is made up of the four basic
elements of this material world. They are Earth, Air,
Water, and Fire. It is up to me to master the matter
and its god therefore not allowing it to master me.
The I AM that I am is the eternal spiritual being that
animates this matter and maintains the bag of water at
a cool 98.6 degrees. The I AM that I AM is only
passing through borrowing these four elements that
assemble into the house or vehicle of me, the soul,
the eternal spiritual being having a human experience
learning the lessons of growth for the soul, or the
treasures that you can take through the eye of the
needle.

“Hey Batman, what’s a Secret of Life?”
---Preparing for the next!***

“Gee, does that mean what goes around comes around.”
---Yes, but that is lesson CYCLES #34.34.34 X 370 and
just another non-elitist non mystery lesson meant for
all real Christians 2.***

“They say Jesus Saves!”
---It’s What He Taught that Saved***
---The Downfall of the Christian religion was when it
turned into a religion about the man and it turned him
into an idol. Instead, we should all be studying and
practicing in a daily walk, What He Taught. This
would be true Christianity!***

Criminal Activities:

http://www.cloakanddagger.de/media/Grossmann/Scalar_Weather_Wars.htm

http://www.vialls.com/subliminalsuggestion/tsunami2.html

http://www.cuttingedge.org/articles/weather.cfm

http://www.rense.com/general50/owningweather.htm

http://www.fas.org/spp/military/docops/usaf/2025/v3c15/v3c15-1.htm

http://globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO409F.html

http://www.cheniere.org/

http://www.allthingspass.com/uploads/html-50Out%20Of%20The%20Blue%20Mar_05.htm

http://www.industryinet.com/~ruby/political_medical_agenda.html

http://www.weathermod.com/

http://twm.co.nz/wxwar.html

http://www.abovetopsecret.com/pages/af2025.html



Comment #75: Frosted Flake said on 9/11/05 @ 6:19pm ET...

On the art of listening to a constituant



Comment #76: Sandra said on 9/11/05 @ 7:47pm ET...

New Orleans covert operations underway

Larry Chin September 10 2005

Wednesday's broadcast of KPFA's "Flashpoints" featured a telephone interview with Malik Rahim, who gave a gut-wrenching and shocking firsthand account of the staggering horror of still-neglected New Orleans that he and other survivors are facing.

In stark contrast to increasingly optimistic mainstream media coverage (cover-up) about "improving relief efforts" and "rebuilding," Rahim exposed the fact that there is no relief. No Red Cross, no food, no emergency medical care under a FEMA lockdown that has kept any relief from getting into New Orleans.

Meanwhile, as the Bush administration's combat operations ramp up, and troops prowl the streets, no help whatsoever has been offered to residents, according to Rahim. Rotting corpses litter the streets. People, heroically fending for themselves and their own, are being left in shocking conditions to suffer and die.

And there is more. In "Slow response or deliberate extermination?", I wrote:

"Between these disturbing [independent firsthand] reports, and accounts such as "The People of the Dome", New Orleans is being reduced to another Fallujah."

Rahim's account confirms this—literally. According to Rahim, mercenaries from Blackwater USA are rumbling through the New Orleans streets, armed to the teeth and in full battle gear.

Blackwater USA is a private mercenary firm, one of many "war outsourcing" outfits working for the Pentagon. In the spring 2004 Fallujah assault, Blackwater was involved with combat as well as logistics (food shipments, etc.). Four Blackwater USA mercenaries were killed in Fallujah, raising worldwide attention. In February 2005, the former director of the CIA's Counterterrorism Center, and the Bush State Department's former coordinator for Counterterrorism, Cofer Black, became Blackwater USA's vice chairman.

In "The Mercenary Variable: Outsourced Combat in Iraq", US Army Special Forces Master Sergeant Stan Goff describes Blackwater as follows:

"Blackwater USA is a guns-for-hire training-and-recruitment outfit on a 6,000-acre military training compound on the northern coastal plain of Moyock, North Carolina, a stone's throw from the Virginia border . . .

"What differentiates them from the crazed, ex-military flotsam that rampaged through Congo in the 1960s is that they are (1) incorporated, (2) they use legally recognized financial/contract instruments, and (3), they work for recognized governments. The latter is a very finely drawn point, because governments frequently hire these legalized mercenaries at the insistence, and with the support, of multinational corporations who just happen—as it turns out—to be in the same place these outfits are doing their security."

He noted, "On the combat end, Blackwater USA is mostly ex-SEALs with a few former SWAT cops thrown in, run by a blustering hyper-macho ex-SEAL named Gary Jackson. One of the victims of the Fallujah ambush—a WWF-looking body-builder-type—had boasted to a reporter staying in his hotel in Baghdad that he preferred hand-to-hand combat so he could see his quarry eye to eye. When I was running a Special Forces A-Detachment, this kind of talk would have sent me seeking a way to reassign you out of my team."

The infamous Halliburton-KBR (Kellogg Brown & Root), the "classic" private military firm connected to Dick Cheney, is already in the area as well. Where there is oil, war, destruction and "rebuilding," there is KBR.

What are they doing in New Orleans? What is the Bush administration and FEMA up to, which the world is being kept from seeing? How many more Americans in New Orleans will die?

Covert Ops

-------------

Inside Blackwater USA

snip~ The world knew little about Blackwater before March 31, when four of its contractors were killed in Fallujah, Iraq, their bodies mutilated and hung from a bridge over the Euphrates River.

Since then, the world has learned little more about the company and its 6,000-acre facility. Mercenaries? Militia? The world’s largest private army?

Inside Blackwater USA

-------------

BLACKWATER SECURITY CONSULTING

"Providing a new generation of capability, skills, and people to solve the spectrum of needs in the world of security".

Blackwater Security Consulting is a strategic division of Blackwater USA. Blackwater USA has historically provided a spectrum of support to military, government agencies, law enforcement and civilian entities in training, targets and range operations as a solution provider. Blackwater Security Consulting has its roots in the Special Operations community and continues to sustain the skills acquired over the years. These skills are effective tools that support both national and commercial objectives. Our staff has a wealth of exceptional experience worldwide and is renowned for dealing with high-risk situations and complex operations. Our mission is to provide the client with veteran military, intelligence and law enforcement professionals with demonstrated field operations performance tempered with mature experience in both foreign and domestic requirements. We employ only the most highly motivated and professional operators, all drawn from various U.S. and international Special Operations Forces, Intelligence and Law Enforcement organizations. We focus on physical and personal security, personal security/risk and assessments, and training.

With a growing base of satisfied customers, we will continue to enhance our reputation of responsiveness, professionalism, and excellence. We stand ready to offer this exceptional and talented group of men and women to assist you in meeting organizational requirements.

Blackwater USA Security Consulting



Comment #77: St Louis said on 9/11/05 @ 9:53pm ET...

God, Sandra,
What ARE these guys up to? Bush, Cheney and their Rovian Reicht (sp) are beyond belief. Cheney has one eye on Iran and the other on Louisiana. I had been around shaking the trees, getting anyone I could think of to go read The Republican Nemesis and sign the Impeachment petition. Then I came back and read your post on #$&#^$ Blackwater and Halliburton. I blasted a fully upper case URGENT URGENT URGENT message to my Senator, along with your post. I told him to get on a plane and find out what the $#&$& is going on down in Louisiana. And take the Press with him.
Congressman Conyers, you have the authority to crack open the windows and shine the light on the cockroaches in the corners. Louisiana is America, for God's sake.



Comment #78: beansighe said on 9/11/05 @ 10:59pm ET...

I believe the delay in providing help to the Katrina people in New Orleans was intentional and driven totally by greed. Not only where they poor and black (not part of Bush's base) but the longer they (the federal government) ignored them, they knew there would be a greater amount of damage. Hence Haliburton and Bechtel would get more money for "rebuilding" New Orleans. This in leagal circles is known as money laundering and it is a felony in most states. Not only does cha-ching Cheney and Bush cronies in Haliburton (and other global construction firms) benifit, it also absolutley guarentees that gas and oil prices go up exponentially. They kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. These people in charge of this country are not patriots, christians, or Americans. They are nasty, evil facist. Bush has tainted this historic day and the tragedy that befell this country on Sept 11 2001, and dishonoring the real hero's and patriots of that sad day by prostituting that event every time he gets on T.V.
I see this country go down hill daily and rapidly. My heart breaks. Katrina proved that the hero's in this country are not in Washington D.C., far from it. They are right next door to you. They are the ones who loaded up their cars and trucks and brought water and food and whatever else they could for those who needed it. They tried. Also, those in the armed services. God Bless all of you. You rescued so many from roof tops and flooded apartments. I do not lump you brave men and women in with this cruel regime that is in power. God bless and keep all of you and God bless the people of Louisiana, Mississippi and all along the Gulf Coast that have suffered so terribly and lost so much. And may God have mercy on the U.S. for the evil and carnage it has wrought in this world with this administration.



Comment #79: St Louis said on 9/11/05 @ 11:11pm ET...

#80 beansight said: "Katrina proved that the hero's in this country are not in Washington D.C., far from it. They are right next door to you. They are the ones who loaded up their cars and trucks and brought water and food and whatever else they could for those who needed it. They tried. Also, those in the armed services. God Bless all of you. You rescued so many from roof tops and flooded apartments. I do not lump you brave men and women in with this cruel regime that is in power. God bless and keep all of you and God bless the people of Louisiana, Mississippi and all along the Gulf Coast that have suffered so terribly and lost so much. And may God have mercy on the U.S. for the evil and carnage it has wrought in this world with this administration."

.....I totally agree. Support the Troops. Support the Country. Impeach the President.


New Comment
Name:
Password:
E-Mail:
Homepage:
Password is required to post a comment.
If you are not registered, please click here
to register. Please allow 24 to 48 hours for the
registration to be completed.
John Conyers'
ConyersBlog

· Main Index ·
· RSS Feed ·
ConyersBlog RSS 1.0 FEED


Paid For And Authorized By Conyers for Congress
Michael J. Remington, Treasurer
P.O. Box 17204
Alexandria, Virginia 22302
Phone: 313-438-2004
Email: campaign@johnconyers.com
Photographs Copyright Kim M. Simpson All Rights Reserved


Campaignoffice.com