Senator Hillary Clinton:
"Kerry may sometimes change his positions to fit the facts. But Bush changes the facts to fit his positions."
John Stewart of The Daily Show in an interview with Newsweek:
Interviewer: "From a purely comic perspective, do you want four more years of Bush?"
Stewart: "Well, from a purely comic perspective, you'd want Mr. T to be president. That would be truly fun. But no, I don't cheer for the demise and erosion of the world purely for my own professional standing. I can write jokes about anything."
John Kerry for President
10.26.2004
Florida 2000 is already showing its ugly head
Albuquerque, New Mexico....
Some early voters are having trouble with the new touch-screen voting machines...
Kim Griffith, an early voter, said that she went there to vote for John Kerry, but when she touched John Kerry's name, "a green check mark appeared before President Bush's name."
Other voters said the same thing, complaining how they had to "correct" their vote 5 or 6 times.
Election officials say the machines work well, and that the people are using the machines wrong. Bernalillo County Clerk Mary Herrera says that some of these voters could have "leaned [their] palm on the touch screen and it hit the wrong button."
November 3 is going to be very interesting.
more info:
Some Early Voters Say Machines Mark Incorrect Choices (ABQ Journal)
Some early voters are having trouble with the new touch-screen voting machines...
Kim Griffith, an early voter, said that she went there to vote for John Kerry, but when she touched John Kerry's name, "a green check mark appeared before President Bush's name."
Other voters said the same thing, complaining how they had to "correct" their vote 5 or 6 times.
Election officials say the machines work well, and that the people are using the machines wrong. Bernalillo County Clerk Mary Herrera says that some of these voters could have "leaned [their] palm on the touch screen and it hit the wrong button."
November 3 is going to be very interesting.
more info:
Some Early Voters Say Machines Mark Incorrect Choices (ABQ Journal)
The Politics of Religion
My new article titled, "The Politics of Religion in '04" was submitted to the Capital City Free Press for the November issue, but because of the upcoming election, the editor saw fit to post it early.
You can read it here.
...and be sure to check out the rest of the Capital City Free Press site here.
You can read it here.
...and be sure to check out the rest of the Capital City Free Press site here.
10.24.2004
Hate group endorses Michael Peroutka for President in 2004
The League of the South, a neo-secessionist hate group, had a special guest speaker at their 11th Annual national conference - Michael Peroutka.
Peroutka, the Constitution Party’s presidential candidate, said that getting the support of the League was an “easy task.” The League, like Peroutka, takes the Constitution literally, favoring “outlawing abortion, abolishing the Internal Revenue Service and making America a Bible-based republic."
While Peroutka believes that the GOP is “committed to an anti-American agenda,” he supports Republicans like Tom Parker (surprised?) and Roy Moore.
“Principles over politics” is Peroutka’s party’s motto, so he says he is not against all Republicans.
Concerning Tom Parker’s ties to hate groups (like the one he was addressing at this conference), Peroutka called the allegations “nonsense,” saying that the rebel flag “stands for justice, decency, integrity, and honesty.”
He went on to say, "There are those who have said it represents something else, but I believe that's historically inaccurate, a perversion."
While Parker doesn’t claim to be affiliated with the League of the South or the Council of Conservative Citizens (which in his case would be like attending a church every week without actually “joining” it), Peroutka is more open about his membership in the League.
A “multi-organisational (sic) group of Southern Leaders and Conservative Activists,” under the name “Southerners for Peroutka” has a banner ad on their web site that says:
“Effective January 21, 2005,"
“Illegal Immigrants: Deported."
“Roe v. Wade: Ignored."
“Sodomy-based Marriage: Voided."
“IRS: Abolished."
“Department of Education: Abolished."
“2nd Amendment: Shall Not Be Infringed."
“Can all this really be done?"
“President Peroutka 2004”
First of all, I can’t seem to make sense of a League of the South having a national conference. Is it national or is it just Southern? Is Peroutka running for President of the United States, or President of the South? President of the Confederacy? President of the ignorant racists and bigots?
Next, the Amendments are part of the Constitution, so if you take the Constitution literally, you cannot advocate a Bible-based republic. Read the First Amendment, and take it literally. Then read the Fourteenth Amendment, and take it literally. Oh, but I forgot – On yet another racist web site that supports Peroutka, they referred to the “bogus passage of the 14th Amendment.” So, I guess to Peroutka and his Constitution Party, taking the Constitution literally really means taking the parts you like literally and calling the parts you don’t like “bogus.”
When the statement was made that "There are those who have said [the rebel flag] represents something else, but I believe that's historically inaccurate, a perversion,” he was speaking to a neo-secessionist group who hates the 14th Amendment, which freed slaves. The League of the South are the ones who are “misrepresenting” the flag – and he’s a member (And let’s not forget about Tom Parker. We’ll call him an “honorary member.”)
Some say that ignorance is bliss. Peroutka wants to abolish the Department of Education. Hhhmmmmm…..
More info:
Montgomery Advertiser's article on the League's "national" conference (with a whopping 150 people in attendance)
Peroutka's propoganda on the web
[Ignorant]Southerners for Peroutka
Racists call the 14th Amendment "bogus"
Fun Fact: There are over 70 people who are running against George W. Bush. Click here for the complete list.
Peroutka, the Constitution Party’s presidential candidate, said that getting the support of the League was an “easy task.” The League, like Peroutka, takes the Constitution literally, favoring “outlawing abortion, abolishing the Internal Revenue Service and making America a Bible-based republic."
While Peroutka believes that the GOP is “committed to an anti-American agenda,” he supports Republicans like Tom Parker (surprised?) and Roy Moore.
“Principles over politics” is Peroutka’s party’s motto, so he says he is not against all Republicans.
Concerning Tom Parker’s ties to hate groups (like the one he was addressing at this conference), Peroutka called the allegations “nonsense,” saying that the rebel flag “stands for justice, decency, integrity, and honesty.”
He went on to say, "There are those who have said it represents something else, but I believe that's historically inaccurate, a perversion."
While Parker doesn’t claim to be affiliated with the League of the South or the Council of Conservative Citizens (which in his case would be like attending a church every week without actually “joining” it), Peroutka is more open about his membership in the League.
A “multi-organisational (sic) group of Southern Leaders and Conservative Activists,” under the name “Southerners for Peroutka” has a banner ad on their web site that says:
“Effective January 21, 2005,"
“Illegal Immigrants: Deported."
“Roe v. Wade: Ignored."
“Sodomy-based Marriage: Voided."
“IRS: Abolished."
“Department of Education: Abolished."
“2nd Amendment: Shall Not Be Infringed."
“Can all this really be done?"
“President Peroutka 2004”
First of all, I can’t seem to make sense of a League of the South having a national conference. Is it national or is it just Southern? Is Peroutka running for President of the United States, or President of the South? President of the Confederacy? President of the ignorant racists and bigots?
Next, the Amendments are part of the Constitution, so if you take the Constitution literally, you cannot advocate a Bible-based republic. Read the First Amendment, and take it literally. Then read the Fourteenth Amendment, and take it literally. Oh, but I forgot – On yet another racist web site that supports Peroutka, they referred to the “bogus passage of the 14th Amendment.” So, I guess to Peroutka and his Constitution Party, taking the Constitution literally really means taking the parts you like literally and calling the parts you don’t like “bogus.”
When the statement was made that "There are those who have said [the rebel flag] represents something else, but I believe that's historically inaccurate, a perversion,” he was speaking to a neo-secessionist group who hates the 14th Amendment, which freed slaves. The League of the South are the ones who are “misrepresenting” the flag – and he’s a member (And let’s not forget about Tom Parker. We’ll call him an “honorary member.”)
Some say that ignorance is bliss. Peroutka wants to abolish the Department of Education. Hhhmmmmm…..
More info:
Montgomery Advertiser's article on the League's "national" conference (with a whopping 150 people in attendance)
Peroutka's propoganda on the web
[Ignorant]Southerners for Peroutka
Racists call the 14th Amendment "bogus"
Fun Fact: There are over 70 people who are running against George W. Bush. Click here for the complete list.
10.19.2004
The Montgomery Advertiser broke the Tom Parker story today
In today's issue of the Montgomery Advertiser, the story about Tom Parker and his ties to hate groups appears.
Their article is here: http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/NEWSV5/storyV5PARKER19W.htm
The story I published yesterday appears below.
Their article is here: http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/NEWSV5/storyV5PARKER19W.htm
The story I published yesterday appears below.
10.18.2004
Republican Supreme Court Candidate Poses with Hate Group Leaders
Tom Parker, a Republican candidate for the Alabama Supreme Court, was shown posing with members of the Council of Conservative Citizens and the League of the South. Both organizations are classified as hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Leonard Wilson, a board member of the Council of Conservative Citizens, a white supremacist hate group, and Mike Whorton, the Alabama state leader of the League of the South, a “neo-secessionist” hate group, appear with Parker as Parker proudly holds the confederate battle flag.
The Southern Poverty Law Center’s Intelligence Report tells of Parker visiting Pat and Butch Godwin’s home in Selma, joining them as a speaker in a birthday celebration in honor of Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest. Along with being a wealthy slave trader, Forrest was the first grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.
Parker admitted to the Birmingham News that he was present at the Godwin’s home in July for the party, and said that Forrest had later tried to deactivate the Klan “because he was ‘shocked’ by it.”
The Godwin’s have reportedly attempted to block acknowledgement of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery March on Capitol Grounds, but they have attempted, through their organization called “Friends of Forrest, Inc.,” to place a statue of Forrest on public property. So far, all attempts have been unsuccessful.
Prior to the Forrest birthday party, The Intelligence Report tells of Parker appearing in Elba, AL, at the funeral of Alberta Stewart Martin. Martin was believed to have been the last living widow of a Confederate soldier. Parker passed out confederate battle flags to the attendees.
Parker was quoted in the Birmingham News as saying, “If there is any more appropriate place for the display of the Confederate battle flag than at the funeral for the last Confederate widow, I would like for someone to explain it to me. Political correctness should not cause people to dishonor our history.”
Parker calls the Southern Poverty Law Center “the most liberal, politically correct law firm in the country.”
Parker was former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore’s adviser, and happens to be the only one of the three candidates Moore endorsed in the primaries to win – and that win was by a narrow margin.
While Parker aligns himself with the Christian right, I still cannot figure out what is so “Christian” about hatred and bigotry. That is why I support Robert H. Smith for Alabama Supreme Court, Place 1.
more info:
Intelligence Report: Honoring the Confederacy
Birmingham News article on Parker
Robert H. Smith for AL Supreme Court
Alabama Democratic Party
Leonard Wilson, a board member of the Council of Conservative Citizens, a white supremacist hate group, and Mike Whorton, the Alabama state leader of the League of the South, a “neo-secessionist” hate group, appear with Parker as Parker proudly holds the confederate battle flag.
The Southern Poverty Law Center’s Intelligence Report tells of Parker visiting Pat and Butch Godwin’s home in Selma, joining them as a speaker in a birthday celebration in honor of Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest. Along with being a wealthy slave trader, Forrest was the first grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.
Parker admitted to the Birmingham News that he was present at the Godwin’s home in July for the party, and said that Forrest had later tried to deactivate the Klan “because he was ‘shocked’ by it.”
The Godwin’s have reportedly attempted to block acknowledgement of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery March on Capitol Grounds, but they have attempted, through their organization called “Friends of Forrest, Inc.,” to place a statue of Forrest on public property. So far, all attempts have been unsuccessful.
Prior to the Forrest birthday party, The Intelligence Report tells of Parker appearing in Elba, AL, at the funeral of Alberta Stewart Martin. Martin was believed to have been the last living widow of a Confederate soldier. Parker passed out confederate battle flags to the attendees.
Parker was quoted in the Birmingham News as saying, “If there is any more appropriate place for the display of the Confederate battle flag than at the funeral for the last Confederate widow, I would like for someone to explain it to me. Political correctness should not cause people to dishonor our history.”
Parker calls the Southern Poverty Law Center “the most liberal, politically correct law firm in the country.”
Parker was former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore’s adviser, and happens to be the only one of the three candidates Moore endorsed in the primaries to win – and that win was by a narrow margin.
While Parker aligns himself with the Christian right, I still cannot figure out what is so “Christian” about hatred and bigotry. That is why I support Robert H. Smith for Alabama Supreme Court, Place 1.
more info:
Intelligence Report: Honoring the Confederacy
Birmingham News article on Parker
Robert H. Smith for AL Supreme Court
Alabama Democratic Party
10.14.2004
Sinclair Broadcast Group should change its name to GOP TV (or did Fox News already take that one?)
Just when you thought the Vietnam War was over......
Sinclair Broadcasting Group, Inc. has decided to preempt its regularly scheduled programs to bring you an attack movie (oops, I mean "documentary") called "Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal."
This "documentary" is nothing more than an attack movie created to belittle Democratic Presidential Candidate John Kerry.
Now, I really can't say that I'm surprised that Sinclair is airing this. If you'll remember back to April of this year, the name Sinclair was in the news. They ordered all of their ABC affiliate stations not to air a special edition of "Nightline", the news show hosted by Ted Koppel.
The special edition of "Nightline" that Sinclair refused to show was an episode in tribute to our soldiers who were killed in the Iraq War. (At that point, the death toll was over 500.) In the show, Ted Koppel would read the name of the soldier while a picture of the soldier would be on the screen.
Sinclair's General Council, Barry Faber, said of the episode, "We find it contrary to public interest," and Sinclair issued a statement saying that the program "appears to be motivated by a political agenda designed to undermine the efforts of the United States in Iraq."
Arizona Senator John McCain called Sinclair's decision "in short,...unpatriotic."
The "Nightline" episode never took a position on the war - it only read out names and showed pictures in tribute to fallen soldiers.
Now, a company that won't allow its stations to pay tribute to our soldiers is preempting programming to attack someone who was a soldier. Take a moment to let that sink it.
The "Stolen Honor" web site calls the movie "A documentary exposing John Kerry's record of betrayal."
Now what was Sinclair bitching about there being a "political agenda"???
From CNN: "According to campaign finance records, four of Sinclair's top executives each have given the maximum campaign contribution of $2,000 to the Bush-Cheney re-election campaign...
"...The executives have not given any donations to the campaign of Sen. John Kerry, the presumptive Democratic nominee, the records showed."
And according to OpenSecrets.org, Sinclair has donated $67,784 in political contributions. 97% of that money went to Republicans. 3% to Democrats. Imagine that.
Some people have said that "Stolen Honor" should be played because "Fahrenheit 9/11" is on TV, but these people tend to be morons who don't understand that there is a difference between network television and pay-per-view. Don't be a moron. Know the difference. If "Stolen Honor" was airing on pay-per-view right beside "Fahrenheit 9/11", there would be no problem.
Over 60,000 people have signed an online petition to stop Sinclair Broadcasting from playing partisan politics with the airwaves. Sign up at www.stopsinclair.org
more info:
Stop Sinclair
CNN article about Sinclair and "Nightline"
Sinclair (GOP TV) home page
"Stolen Honor" attack-umentary
Open Secrets tracks campaign contributions
Boycott Sinclair Advertisers: the blog
Sinclair Broadcasting Group, Inc. has decided to preempt its regularly scheduled programs to bring you an attack movie (oops, I mean "documentary") called "Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal."
This "documentary" is nothing more than an attack movie created to belittle Democratic Presidential Candidate John Kerry.
Now, I really can't say that I'm surprised that Sinclair is airing this. If you'll remember back to April of this year, the name Sinclair was in the news. They ordered all of their ABC affiliate stations not to air a special edition of "Nightline", the news show hosted by Ted Koppel.
The special edition of "Nightline" that Sinclair refused to show was an episode in tribute to our soldiers who were killed in the Iraq War. (At that point, the death toll was over 500.) In the show, Ted Koppel would read the name of the soldier while a picture of the soldier would be on the screen.
Sinclair's General Council, Barry Faber, said of the episode, "We find it contrary to public interest," and Sinclair issued a statement saying that the program "appears to be motivated by a political agenda designed to undermine the efforts of the United States in Iraq."
Arizona Senator John McCain called Sinclair's decision "in short,...unpatriotic."
The "Nightline" episode never took a position on the war - it only read out names and showed pictures in tribute to fallen soldiers.
Now, a company that won't allow its stations to pay tribute to our soldiers is preempting programming to attack someone who was a soldier. Take a moment to let that sink it.
The "Stolen Honor" web site calls the movie "A documentary exposing John Kerry's record of betrayal."
Now what was Sinclair bitching about there being a "political agenda"???
From CNN: "According to campaign finance records, four of Sinclair's top executives each have given the maximum campaign contribution of $2,000 to the Bush-Cheney re-election campaign...
"...The executives have not given any donations to the campaign of Sen. John Kerry, the presumptive Democratic nominee, the records showed."
And according to OpenSecrets.org, Sinclair has donated $67,784 in political contributions. 97% of that money went to Republicans. 3% to Democrats. Imagine that.
Some people have said that "Stolen Honor" should be played because "Fahrenheit 9/11" is on TV, but these people tend to be morons who don't understand that there is a difference between network television and pay-per-view. Don't be a moron. Know the difference. If "Stolen Honor" was airing on pay-per-view right beside "Fahrenheit 9/11", there would be no problem.
Over 60,000 people have signed an online petition to stop Sinclair Broadcasting from playing partisan politics with the airwaves. Sign up at www.stopsinclair.org
more info:
Stop Sinclair
CNN article about Sinclair and "Nightline"
Sinclair (GOP TV) home page
"Stolen Honor" attack-umentary
Open Secrets tracks campaign contributions
Boycott Sinclair Advertisers: the blog
10.06.2004
New Scandal - No, not Oil for Food - Underwear for Votes
Just when you thought you had heard it all..........
Michael Moore (Fahrenheit 9/11, Bowling for Columbine) may soon be a wanted man. Literally.
In the state of Michigan, four county prosecutors, at the request of the Michigan GOP, have been asked to file charges against Michael Moore.
The charge: Giving underwear and Ramen noodles to students in exchange for their promise to vote on November 2.
The Michigan GOP says that this is illegal, calling it "bribery" and "coercion", and a violation of Michigan's election law.
Michael Moore is currently on his "Slacker Uprising Tour 2004" where he encourages students to get involved in the political process. He tells them that he understands their distrust of politicians, but also says that this election is too important not to get involved.
Moore says, "Keep sleeping 'til noon! Keep drinking beer! Stay on the sofa and watch as much TV as possible! But, please, just for me, on 11/2, I want you to leave the house and give voting a try -- just this once. The stakes this time are just too high...
"If they promise me that they'll do this, I give the guys a 3-pack of new Fruit of the Loom underwear, and the women get a day's supply of Ramen noodles, the sustenance of slackers everywhere."
This proves two things:
1. Life is stranger than fiction.
2. Republicans do have a sense of humor.
more info:
State GOP says Michael Moore illegally offered underwear in exchange for voting
Slacker Uprising Tour 2004
Republicans, Out of Ideas, Ask Prosecutors to Arrest Michael Moore
Michael Moore
Michael Moore (Fahrenheit 9/11, Bowling for Columbine) may soon be a wanted man. Literally.
In the state of Michigan, four county prosecutors, at the request of the Michigan GOP, have been asked to file charges against Michael Moore.
The charge: Giving underwear and Ramen noodles to students in exchange for their promise to vote on November 2.
The Michigan GOP says that this is illegal, calling it "bribery" and "coercion", and a violation of Michigan's election law.
Michael Moore is currently on his "Slacker Uprising Tour 2004" where he encourages students to get involved in the political process. He tells them that he understands their distrust of politicians, but also says that this election is too important not to get involved.
Moore says, "Keep sleeping 'til noon! Keep drinking beer! Stay on the sofa and watch as much TV as possible! But, please, just for me, on 11/2, I want you to leave the house and give voting a try -- just this once. The stakes this time are just too high...
"If they promise me that they'll do this, I give the guys a 3-pack of new Fruit of the Loom underwear, and the women get a day's supply of Ramen noodles, the sustenance of slackers everywhere."
This proves two things:
1. Life is stranger than fiction.
2. Republicans do have a sense of humor.
more info:
State GOP says Michael Moore illegally offered underwear in exchange for voting
Slacker Uprising Tour 2004
Republicans, Out of Ideas, Ask Prosecutors to Arrest Michael Moore
Michael Moore
10.02.2004
Bush vs. Kerry: The Campaigns
Be sure to check out the new issue of the Capital City Free Press.
My new article, "Bush vs. Kerry: The Campaigns" is now up in the October issue.
Find out what is true and false regarding the Bush and Kerry campaigns. "Yes, it would be nice if the media would do this for us, but why would they go to such trouble for free when they can make tons of money from all the advertising of the parties involved (or you can put quotation marks around “involved” if you’re Bush’s chief political strategist Karl Rove speaking about the Swift Boat ads)...."
Read more here.
Capital City Free Press
My new article, "Bush vs. Kerry: The Campaigns" is now up in the October issue.
Find out what is true and false regarding the Bush and Kerry campaigns. "Yes, it would be nice if the media would do this for us, but why would they go to such trouble for free when they can make tons of money from all the advertising of the parties involved (or you can put quotation marks around “involved” if you’re Bush’s chief political strategist Karl Rove speaking about the Swift Boat ads)...."
Read more here.
Capital City Free Press
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