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Latest News
Week of November 7 2005
Stolen Elections
Watch (or read the transcript of) a debate on Democracy Now! between Mark Crispin Miller, author of the new book, "Fooled Again: How the Right Stole the 2004 Election and Why They’ll Steal the Next One Too (Unless We Stop Them)" and Mark Hertsgaard, author of the article "Was Ohio stolen? You might not like the answer" on Mother Jones.
Support H.R. 4232 "End the War in Iraq Act of 2005" Rep. Jim McGovern has introduced a bill calling for Defense Dept funds in Iraq to be used only for the safe and orderly withdrawal of all troops, consultations with other governments, NATO and the UN regarding international forces, and financial assistance and equipment to either Iraqi security forces and/or international forces. The bill will not prohibit or restrict non-defense funding to carry out reconstruction in Iraq. See the United for Peace or Progressive Democrats of America web sites for tools to contact your representative urging them to support this legislation.
Impeach Bush: Now Is the Time
If you haven't already, read the articles to impeach on the Vote To Impeach web site sign the petition to impeach Bush. Over 600,000 have already signed. And the same folks who brought you AfterDowningStreet.org have launched a new political action committee, ImpeachPAC, to raise money to elect Democratic candidates who support the
immediate and simultaneous impeachment of George Bush and Dick Cheney for their
Iraq War lies. In their first weekend, they raised almost $25,000.
Secret Prisons
The Washington Post recently published an article, "CIA Holds Terror Suspects in Secret Prisons" but agreed to a government request to withhold information on locations and countries involved. Read the FAIR article "The Consequences of Covering Up" on their decision and contact the Washington Post to let them know what you think of this.
Senate Shutdown Last week, Senate Democrats forced the Republican-controlled Senate into a closed session to
discuss the stalled investigation into the Bush Administration's use and misuse of intelligence prior to the invasion
of Iraq in March 2003. Read the article on The Nation "Senate Democrats Show Some Spine" and watch (or read the transcript of) a discussion with journalists Robert Parry and Scott Armstrong of how the CIA leak case indictment has highlighted questions about pre-war
intelligence on
Democracy Now!
Contracting in Iraq Read a collection of articles on the CorpWatch War Profiteers web site
on contracting in Iraq, from Asian workers paid $1.56 an hour to build U.S. bases to Lockheed Martin's new role in supplying interrogators.
On the Media
Ken Tomlinson has resigned from the board of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting amid investigations into his efforts to impose his partisan agenda at PBS and NPR. Unfortunately, he left behind GOP loyalists and seasoned propagandists. See background information on the Free Press web site as well as a way to send Congress a message to clean house.
If that weren't enough, The New York Times reports that Tomlinson, who is still chair of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which plays a central role in public diplomacy, including the government's foreign broadcasting operations, is also being investigated for misuse of federal funds and the use of phantom or unqualified employees.
Meanwhile, Fox News has it's sights set on local television stations, replacing local news and information with the biased infotainment that’s become the hallmark of Fox News Channel.
