I'MMA LET YOU FINISH
Prima?
WORK!
Someone on Air America just annouced there would be a guest on to "put to bed" the allegations of vote fraud. I think we are going to soon realize who our true leaders are in this country:
From http://www.washingtondispatch.
com/spectrum/archives/000712.html
Vote Fraud in Ohio?
November 5, 2004 12:25 AM
Now that the data is beginning to trickle in from the November 2nd election, many across the nation are raising an eyebrow to results that do not seem to mesh with reality.
In one voting precinct in Gahanna, Ohio, 4,258 voters supposedly cast an electronic ballot for George Bush while only 260 voted for John Kerry. While it is vaguely possible that over 94% of voters in the precinct supported George W. Bush, it is a hard number to believe considering that only 638 voters were counted at the polling center.
To view the vote count for yourself, click on this link and scroll to page 23 (Adobe Acrobat Reader required).
Another curious number that should be investigated is how the Gahanna District ended up with a voter turnout above 100% according to data compiled by the members of DemocraticUnderground.com and confirmed by the Washington Dispatch. Within this recent election, 20,736 voters cast ballots in all of Gahanna's districts while the City of Gahanna only shows that it has roughly 20,130 citizens of voting age. Even with 90% voter registration, 20,736 ballots cast within the City of Gahanna would be an amazing feat worthy of biblical notoriety. Others may call it fraud.
Developing.
Well, if we've learned anything from our recent ass-kicking, we all need to be wailing about the Increase In The Unemployment Rate!!!
Hurricane-related construction work would obviously be located primarily in Florida, which would explain a few things. After Hurricane Andrew in 1992, the roads were full of shitty pickups with plates from all over the deep south. But I wouldn't think that casual laborers could or would vote. It would be interesting to look into that.
PROTEST
PITTSBURGH
SATURDAY 3:30
University of Pittsburgh Campus
5th & Bigelow
In every stage of these Oppressions
We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our Repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a Free People.
Declaration of Independence 1776
www.BLACKBOXVOTING.org
League of Pissed off Voters
Ohio Voter Suppression News
www.pittnews.com
-L.
Now I understand why you don't think Bush has a mandate. If "mostly" means 71,000 out of 337,000 jobs, then heck, 4 million votes is no mandate. And since expectations were 200,000 at the high end of the expected range, that still leaves 66,000 jobs above the expected range when you back out the 71,000.
You're an economist, Atrios. You can do better than this.
I think we need to make sure the country knows that this election was fishy. It does 2 things: it pisses people off even more, and it gets people wanting to change this fucked up election system.
'Cause if we don't change it, we really are never going to get out of here.
www.BLACKBOXVOTING.org
www.BLACKBOXVOTING.org
www.BLACKBOXVOTING.org
www.BLACKBOXVOTING.org
www.BLACKBOXVOTING.org
www.BLACKBOXVOTING.org
Check out this map:
http://www.learner.org/biography...ca/prog10/maps/
oh, and "mandate" my ASS!
ranking elections from 1968 through 2004, guess who wins Most Popular Candidate, with 60.67% of the votes and a 55.2% turnout of all Americans old enough to vote:
RICHARD NIXON.
in terms of % of popular vote, W gets # 4 (so far, with many counts not in, and looks like a lot more in dispute, not to mention people who never got the chance despite trying ALL DAY to vote.)
and John Kerry gets 47.99% (again, so far--but will the rest ever be counted?)
mandate? bullshit.
source:
www.uselectionatlas.org/USPRESIDENT
welcome to the occupation.
-L.
(and y'all are making me miss some serious sleep!)
So the hurricanes were the Bush Boom?
Given recent environmental studies, we're in for larger and larger such booms every year. At least until Florida sinks entirely beneath the sea.
check out
http://oldamericancentury.org/vo...g/
votefraud.htm
or google:
blackbox voter fraud, the carlyle group
George W. Bush--LESS POPULAR THAN NIXON.
there is your talking point for the day!
-L.
www.blackboxvoting.org
ohio vote suppression
league of pissed off voters
www.pittnews.com
People pay far too much attention to these monthly numbers. First of all, it's survey data, it includes just plain noise (i.e. error). Second, it has all sorts of volatility due to short-term, essentially stochastic factors. Most of what influences month-to-month movement is not really subject to political influence, and even the business cycle, which moves in waves of more than a year, is inevitable regardless of federal policy, although policies can dampen or magnify the magnitude of the cycles.
What's important is long term policy. These immediate numbers are a distraction. The country is digesting its own innards right now -- we'll be very sorry indeed in ten years if we don't get very serious about our structural problems. What the jobs number is this month, or next month, or the month after that, is irrelevant.
i find this interesting:
Nonfarm payroll employment increased by 337,000 in October, and the un-
employment rate was about unchanged at 5.5 percent, the Bureau of Labor
Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Construction em-
ployment rose sharply over the month, and several service-providing indus-
tries also added jobs.
the unemployment rate was "about unchanged"? looks like it went up a tenth of a point. hmmm, what happened when the unemployment rate went down a tenth of a point? oh, that right, we were told the unemployment rate fell and it was good news. isn't that peculiar...
And who said global warming is bad thing?!?
How should we be investing, from a reality-based community point of view? All European stocks to fight off the declining dollar or in the U.S. Market as exports may eventually go up. Not that it matters, I am unemployed in this economy. But the wife has a 401(k) I'd like to see exist in 30 years.
10% exposure to foreign equities now.
George W. Bush says the people have spoken, and he has a mandate.
I started thinking, how we can show him we are still here, and we voted for the other guy, and force him from the far-right to the center.
We still have one more vote left. Our spending dollars.
55,905,019 people voted for Kerry. If every one of us pledged to withhold spending $10,000 a year, as long as Bush continues to tack far right, the numbers speak for themselves.
$559,050,190,000. Over four years, that is $2,236,200,760,000. A very loud message that would let the President and the red-states know how much they depend on liberals. A reminder that they still need to listen to us. And it puts $40,000 in your pocket to spend when this country is back on track.
Even if you could only pledge $1,000 a year to withhold, or $100, it would send a message.
But we would have to organize it. And follow through with it. And get enough people so that it does make a difference.
MANDATE MY ASS!
I'm loving this story on AAR about the 85 Boulder High School students who are camping out in the library to protest the election. Won't change anything, but it is good to see people - even high school kids - are not willing to just take this and shut up.
Librarian -- keep shouting on your end, i'll keep shouting it at my end
www.blackboxvoting.org
votergate.org
high crimes, my friends, high crimes...
Street protests, my friends, street protests......
http://www.markfiore.com/animati...ion/
prizes.html
Look at what Bush has won
Oh, and the upward revision of a combined 113,000 jobs in August and September? That's not hurricane-related, Atrios. AND I guess I should start a conspiracy theory, considering the people on your site, about how the BLS was trying to show job growth weaker in those 2 months in order to hurt Bush.
40K - I'm already working on that angle. I decided yesterday to take any extra money I have and instead of blowing it on crap, I'm putting it into a fund that I'm going to set up that will help women get to a country where abortion is legal when they repeal Roe v. Wade.
Glad the economy is booming.
Beautiful 
.
.........
Glad the economy is booming.
Beautiful .
.........
Thugniks look morose.
..........
Wonder why.
.........
.
........
We're really going to need to organize and make sure we follow through on all of these starve the beast schemes. Or by all, the one we eventually decide on.
One convincing case was made to strangle them one at a time. No liberals eat at McDonalds until they die (McDonald's, that is), then no liberals drink Coke, etc.
That wouldn't really be hard. A matter of simple substitution.
Asking people to give up everything is harder, though I'm more up for it every day.
OT quick query --
Obviously, New Hampshire went for
Kerry.
Did any blue state go red?
Is our companies hiring?
Tena--my kids got arrested Wednesday night for burning a flag in the middle of a major 4 lane avenue that runs through campus during rush-hour...
i will let them tell their own stories:
www.pittnews.com
but basically, they got scammed at least three times prior to election day (to fuck up their addys, etc.) and then they ended up waiting SIX hours in line in the rain, Republican lawyers challenged every other kid & made them go DOWN TOWN to plead their case before a judge and then come BACK and wait AGAIN--and yet, and YET...at least TWICE as many voted this time, as compared to 2000 (and this does not count the ones who never made it through all the hoops, or got stuck with a provisional ballot!)
Pittsburgh PA and Cleveland OH are pretty similar cities--we just managed to Beat the Cheat, and they did not (well, we actually don't even KNOW that yet, do we?)
anyway, i'm so damn proud of them! read their stories!
NAACP has 21 pages of voter suppression up to November 1st on their website.
I AM PISSED.
-L.
Think of Karl Rove as your friend.
.........
George Bush still a jackass, Karl Rove is our friend.
...........
Anyone looking to recover from the election, try this TWELVE STEP PROGRAM
http://drdem.blogspot.com/
Be a Big Idea Democrat
There's gonna be a lotta unemployed chattering cable legal beagles after the jury comes in. It's the Big One, Laci. I'm comin' to join ya. Beam me up, Jeebus!
Even if the vote was real (ha ha ha ha) we are half of the country. We have been and are continuing to be discounted (uncounted even).
We also are the economic engine of this country. Let's stick it to corporate Amurka the way they've been sticking it to us.
Don't forget the creative camera angles employed during the 2000 inauguration drive up Pennsylvania Ave. We need to have lots of protestors out on inauguration day just like 2000. Don't forget to go to the grocery store for those eggs.
Holy shit...the unemployment rate for black folks is 10.7. Liberty and justice for all, my ass.
BOYCOTT CHRISTMAS.
if it's a holiday for you, just don't spend any MONEY on anything--make cookies for people or clean their homes or something as your gift, or just agree to not buy presents (or decorations) and instead spend the time quietly together as a family.
if you MUST buy gifts--do it now, and try to buy from co-ops, or under-the-table, or give people gift certificates for the local co-op grocery or something Green online.
and NO CARDS. NONE. make your own or just skip it altogether and plead lack of funds due to the Bush Depression.
i plan to announce this to MY relatives at Thanksgiving Dinner--which i will also boycott, so i'll have to do that by phone
they can't make us do shit.
put me in prison--i WILL NOT play along.
-L.
DONATE DONATE DONATE DONATE DONATE
Please everyone right now, get out your checkbooks and write a check to Black Box Voting, Bev Harris's website.
I have never donated to anyone's website before because I am a poor biatch, but I already wrote my check. It's not much, but it's important.
She has filed a massive Freedom of Imformation act for electronic voting.
It's important work because if we ARE EVER to win another election, we have to make people aware of the e-voting problem.
So just a few bucks, 5, 10, 15, 20 will help with the $50,000 expense for the freedom of information costs.
Please do this, it won't change the outcome, but it might prevent another theft of a future election:
The address is:
Black Box Voting
330 sw 43rd St. Suite K
PMB 547
Renton, WA 98055
Give as much as you can, even if it's just 5 or 10!!!
If you want to pay by credit card,go to Bev's Black Box Voting site.
Well, if 51% is a "mandate," I guess this is the bush boom!
.
Holy shit...the unemployment rate for black folks is 10.7. Liberty and justice for all, my ass.
According to Greg Palast, we don't even count their votes.
The whores want no part of "votegate."
Their man has a fucking mandate.
They can go back to sleep,
Without earning their keep.
New banalitys now await.
and, assuming we don't prove the voter fraud case in time, i am SO looking forward to January---i wanna' see MY face in the next Moore film, pelting Bush's limo with eggs!
may as well make it fun, right?
BLACKBOXVOTING.ORG
yeah good jobs number... but the dollar sucks. this is going to be a hell of an unpleasant time. read krugman and herbert today.
forget recovery, forget canada.
this information about black box voting needs to get through to the press and to people that are not political, if more people were to read about voter fraud , they will get angry!
e-mail is a great tool
send out e-mails to everyone you know .
start one of those stupid e-mail chains
distribute information.
www.oldamericancentury.org/voterfraud.htm
Boycott Christmas
I have thought of that. I can't because I have 3 kids, but here's what I have done.
I have bought very little at Wal Mart, which because I live in small town is my only option. But I have most of my shopping done now, so it won't show up as Christmas sales.
Shop early, NOW
Cut back on what you buy. Although I have 3 kids, they aren't getting as much this year. Several presents less from me and my inlaws and mom.
I am not buying other people much either. One item and those presents are bought now.
ASK everyone who gives you gifts this year to cut back or not to give you one at all. My hubby won't be giving me anything, but I got him a watch he really really really wanted.
This may sound drastic, like we are cutting our nose off to spite our faces but what it does is send a message to corporations and companies who rely on our money to fuel the economy that they won't be making money off our sweat and blood this year. They can take away our country, but they can't have our souls.
Oh, and the upward revision of a combined 113,000 jobs in August and September? That's not hurricane-related, Atrios. AND I guess I should start a conspiracy theory, considering the people on your site, about how the BLS was trying to show job growth weaker in those 2 months in order to hurt Bush.
Is that faith-based meteorology, or just Values History?
Charley - August
Frances - September
Ivan - September
Jeanne - September
Karl - September
.
Holy shit...the unemployment rate for black folks is 10.7. Liberty and justice for all, my ass.
Yep. Good thing they voted based on gay marriage, or just stayed home...
.
Even if you can only afford to not put $1,000 into Bush's "mandate" each year, that amount of money times 50 million voters donated to Dem candidates during election can also make a difference.
Look how successful the Sinclair boycott was. I'm sick of the word 'liberal' being talked about by media jackasses like it is some kind of nasty word used to describe subhumans. Calling Kerry "the most liberal Senator" like it is a badge of shame. Why the fuck shouldn't THE MOST CONSERVATIVE SENATOR be equally disgusting? These assholes need to be reminded we shop at their stores, we pay our taxes, we are teachers, scientists, working class, Americans, and we have a voice.
Why support someone with your paycheck, when they treat you like a second-class citizen?
There is only one way you can vote against Bush for the next four years.
Erica--do you know what the deal is between the blackbox .org and .com split? looks like one is doing the machines, and the other is collecting suppression/intimidation stories? Bev is with .org, right?
just trying to keep my Yippies clear.
-L.
Could you link that krugman article?
asdf - and we thought we were still fighting over Vietnam . . .
Hey has everyone phoned the DNC to demand that Howard Dean get Terry's job, if you haven't, please do so today. And write Bev Harris's Black Box Voting a check, 10 bucks even.
Do it now, it's too important and she needs our help.
Make checks payable to Black Box Voting.
Well, if 51% is a "mandate," I guess this is the bush boom!
Well, yeah! Heard an economist or other such pooh-bah on the radio today, explaining that it's just a very, very, very slow recovery that we're in.
I honestly think they don't know what the hell they're talking about anymore. They depend on the generally accepted definition of "recovery," based on certain economic indicators, and more and more they look like the meterologists who don't have the sense to stick a hand out the window to see if it's raining.
If the generally accepted instruments tell them it is so, it must be so! Circumstances wouldn't have the temerity to change and render all their yardsticks irrelevant!
On with the mandate! 51% is a clear and convincing majority! 49% of the poeple can either get with Bush, or get out of the way!
As Jon Stewart pointed out last night, even Bush doesn't argue he has a mandate; he just asserts it. Reaching out to those who agree with you, (as Bush explicitly did), is not "reaching out" at all. It's simply giving the finger to 49% of the country.
Yeah, this is gonna be fun....
OT to Hecate: You read Marc Fisher yesterday? Good stuff.
I like the idea of withholding our money. It's all crap anyway. Who needs McDonald's? I'm too fat already. My new mantra: Slim down, in every aspect. No more buying crap because it's "there." A small, cozy Christmas. And part of what I save every year will go to DEMOCRATIC causes. And quick, I'm gonna exercise outside while the air's still clean enough to breathe (how much longer?).
Krugmans article is linked from BuzzFlash, just a few items down the page in first column!!!
So are you suggesting the Hurricane related Job Growth outstrips the Hurricane related Unemployment? Or does that not fit into your clouded view of things?
EXACTLY TINFOIL HATTIE!!!
Christmas is way over commercialized anyway.
And explain to people why you're doing it. I am cutting down on Christmas because I have to save my money for when Bush ruins our Country. If they don't like it, too damn bad!
Postcard of the day!
Also sweatshirt, mousepad, and coffee cup...
My new mantra: Slim down, in every aspect.
Yeah, sister! Exactly what I plan to do. It'll be a lean Christmas. Homemade gifts.
Paul Krugman:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/0.../
05krugman.html
Bob Herbert:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/0.../
05herbert.html
Christmas--unplug the machine. Doing what I've done for years.
Xmas presents for my daughter (a few).
Work on a room in the house that needs it, for us (wife and I).
Donations to charity for everybody else. And baked goods (breads, cookies, cakes, etc.)
The major spending, is the charitable donations. Sending cards to people saying they share in buying goats for people, something somebody really needs somewhere, v. the usual crap none of us need. It's the only way to do Xmas, anymore. Nothing political; just theological.
Why support someone with your paycheck, when they treat you like a second-class citizen?
totally - economic boycotts hit the greedy racists in the only place they care - their wallets!
all lefties should already be boycotting as much materialistic stuff as possible - along with the big 4 teevee mega-corps!
BOYCOTT ALL THUG GOODS!
(which is practically everything...milk, bread and gas only!)
I have been doing this for decades, it pisses me off that MANY of the younger (grown in reagan-era materialism) gen does not understand boycotting and it's power...
come on!
Hey Robert, did you notice how Jon Stewart pointed out a couple of days ago, that States like New York that should be the most afraid of terrorism went for Kerry, while Red states, which are protecting the corn palace and have very little to fear went for Bush.
It was a great point.
Stan Greenberg is going through the election numbers now on CSPAN. Worth watching.
I agree it's tough to impossible to boycott Christmas if you have kids (although with the way things are going, by next year many of us may have little choice).
But one suggestion I've seen that would be pretty painless (I think) is to boycott National Shopping Day, the day after Thanksgiving.
I'm still thinking on where I can best expend my very limited resources, but I am definitely gonna do this one.*
* Full disclosure...you wouldn't catch me dead in a mall that day anyway.
Erica--buy your presents online from Canada. or use it as a lesson with your kids in what is really important, not money, but being together, family...hey--put all the "gift" money together, and travel outside the US, or at least to a blue state, and make that be the "family" present...just deny the Bushistas your hard-earned money. or at least find some "clean" way to spend it--second hand, charity, a small local shop, or pay people you know who can make things (clothes, toys, whatever.) at the very very least, keep that money the heck away from Wal-Mart or anyone like that.
even if 10% of us do that, it WILL be felt.
i think we should all use our Christmas money to fly Air France to Paris for the Holiday!
screw them
screw them
screw them
i am NOT playing along.
-L.
OT: State Average IQs and How They Voted.
Should be able to guess how it will look.
State IQs
So are you suggesting the Hurricane related Job Growth outstrips the Hurricane related Unemployment? Or does that not fit into your clouded view of things?
Is the time-lag difference not obvious? Are we confused about sequence? Reporting issues? As for 'outstripping,' you do the math (though multiple, overlapping instances will probably make that a useless exercise) for July - October.
As for 'clouded,' the breakdown was pretty clear.
.
I have bought very little at Wal Mart, which because I live in small town is my only option.
If there aren't local merchants who can meet your needs, you should try shopping online. Big, bulky items might be difficult, but usually, if you spend over a certain amount, the shipping at least is free. And at least when it comes to shopping for the adults, there are plenty of progressive online-mall-type places where your money is going to help the cause!
Hey, and these make lovely Christmas cards! They might even be Christmas cards by the end of the day...
OT: New Star Wars plot sounds familiar:
Revenge of the Sith Plot
"After three long years of relentless fighting, the Clone Wars are nearly at an end. The Jedi Council dispatches Obi-Wan Kenobi to bring General Grievous, the deadly leader of the Separatist droid army, to justice. Meanwhile, back on Coruscant, Chancellor Palpatine has grown in power. His sweeping political changes transform the war-weary Republic into the mighty Galactic Empire. To his closest ally, Anakin Skywalker, he reveals the true nature of power and the promised secrets of the Force in an attempt to lure him to the dark side."
RMJ: that's why I read oldman. I'm not much for faith-based economics.
.
The site I was on Librarian, where I got the info was Blackboxvoting.org
That's where they put out a call for cash in order to pay for all the freedom of info documents.
It costs a lot to get documents when you're talking about literally thousands and thousands of copies.
Pooty Poot ratifies Kyoto .
.........
anti-atrios: If you strip out the construction jobs, you are a lot closer to the predictions.
If you strip out constuction and government, you're left with service and retail (since Mfg is -5K).
I promise to be thrilled about the ca. 160K that were education, health care, and "business services" related hires if they turn out to be sustainable (which the government hiring appears to be; I wish there were a Republican in office), and not just a quarterly event.
and besides, as good Fundie Republicans know, Christmas should NOT be about money & presents, right? 
maybe we could all have gay sex in the public libraries for Christmas? like they said on the Daily Show!
(okay, now i REALLY know i am getting sleep deprived!)
-L.
Alan Tonelson
Wednesday, October 06, 2004
U.S. Employment Trends:
Computer industry layoffs, August, 2004: 5,004
Computer industry layoffs, September, 2004: 24,300
Telecom industry layoffs, August, 2004: 5,617
Telecom industry layoffs, September, 2004: 10,982
New jobs created in computer industry, September, 2004: 0
New jobs created in telecom industry, September, 2004: 0
Source: “Layoffs on the rise,” by Emily Chassan, Reuters, October 6, 2004
Yeah Dave,
I did shop by catolog and there are some new merchants, a grocery store and a couple clothing stores that I have been shopping at. I also have driven 50 miles to buy groceries. I hate WalMart with a passion but my mom works there, so it's a trick line to walk.
WE finally got a grocery store back after several years. When Wal Mart came to town there was 2 major grocery chains, Kroger and Eagle but within five years of the SuperStore, they were gone. Now we got another chain and I will shop there, you can count on it.
Also, we got a new funky clothing store, yeahhhhh, the first clothing store in 15 years that didn't sell second hand clothes and people are flocking to it. I even saw the assistant manager of WalMart in there. And surprise surprise, Wal Mart isn't giving us ugly crappy clothes anymore, they have actually got some decent stuff now. Competition does a world of good.
If this has been said once anywhere around here, it deserves saying again.
From Herbert's NYT column. Krugman's is equally as good.
Roll up your sleeves and do what you can. Talk to your neighbors. Call or write your elected officials. Volunteer to help in political campaigns. Circulate petitions. Attend meetings. Protest. Run for office. Support good candidates who are running for office. Register people to vote. Reach out to the young and the apathetic. Raise money. Stay informed. And vote, vote, vote - every chance you get.
Democracy is a breeze during good times. It's when the storms are raging that citizenship is put to the test. And there's a hell of a wind blowing right now.
No retreat. No surrender.
Also, if you really have to buy a present, you could wait until February or something. My birthday's tomorrow and I'm getting jack. Except maybe a shotgun and some gold or sterling. And I don't know if I'm joking.
Librarian, I've been up two nights now, all night, and I've slept during the day. I have two papers to write this weekend. I dunno how I'm going to do it.
Hell, Librarian. If you want to be biblical about it, Christmas shouldn't even be in December...
.
thanks for the info Erica.
another idea--you can just give the actual money to people, with the stipulation that they not spend it until the Republicans are out of office (kind of a reverse IOU.)
i feel nasty like the Grinch!
and it feels GOOD.
-L.
For Xmas, you could even circumvent having to buy cards, stamps, by going to e-cards.com. Run by a bunch of environmentalists trying to save the trees by cutting the paper out of greetings, the advantage is that you get some thumping good piccies you can send right round the world - FOR FREE.
I know a guy, smart guy and a friend of mine, who voted for Bush even though he thought the first term was horrible. When asked why, he said he was hoping Bush would be more moderate and fiscally conservative the second term.
I told him he was an idiot.
And vote, vote, vote - every chance you get.
This is all well and good, but vote absentee and if you see an electronic voting machine, smash it into dust.
If Nero and his handlers are allowed to stay in office, I doubt voting will be an option next time anyway. Or it might, but only one party will be on the ballot.
RMJ: hadn't read the Herbert (the Krugman is a stormer). Wowza.
Hey Robert, did you notice how Jon Stewart pointed out a couple of days ago, that States like New York that should be the most afraid of terrorism went for Kerry, while Red states, which are protecting the corn palace and have very little to fear went for Bush.
It was a great point.
Interesting, isn't it, that you get the clearest, most intelligent analysis, from a comedy show? Because that was a dead-on perception. Same people who "reacted" (so goes CW at the moment) to "gay marriage."
I note neither Krugman nor Herbert make any mention of the role of gay marriage in the election (or if they do, they push it aside quickly). That's a nice hook for the talking heads, but it's a distraction. 49% of the people agreed with Kerry. As Greg Palast points out, we have a history of accepted "spoilage" (1 million to 3 miliion votes lost every 4 years), which always affects Blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans. These are the issues. This is where the fight is.
Until we truly count every vote, we are always at the mercy of the ruling class. There's a lot to do, and plenty of people who will want to see it done. Time to get to work.
ok, this occurred to me last night on the drive home, and it has to be raised. I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but this is going to eat at me until I mention it.
of all of the possible or reasonably likely Democratic candidates for President, who has the most in common with George Bush?
of all of the possible or reasonably likely Democratic candidates for President, who has the clearest ties to the sorts of organizations around which tinfoil-hat conspiracy theories are built?
now, I'm not generally inclined to buy into conspiracy theories. In fact, I belong to a Greek-letter college fraternity often identified by the farther-out conspiracy theorists as a satellite group affiliated with Skull and Bones; I have gotten to know people at the top of this organization well enough to be able to assure you that any such identification is nonsense. The skull and bones motif is just common in the symbology of Greek-letter organizations, that's all.
But I would also be glad to answer just about any questions you might have about the secret society I belong to. Our secret meetings were pretty tame, and our secrets pretty trivial. Being more than twenty years out of college, I've forgotten most of them anyway.
There is something strange about the way in which members, including both Bush and Kerry, refuse to discuss Skull and Bones. (There are S&B members who will discuss the society to some extent, but not these two.)
Could the vote fraud in Ohio be merely part of something bigger?
stop talking those fukin jobs numbers, atrios, they are fukin walmart monkey-brain jobs!
what about high-tech and GOOD jobs that pay well-enough to take care of a family - where are those numbers?
if you post job numbers - post those that the pay is at least $30k/year
not a lot of pay - but it removes most of the walmart job figures!
That way lies madness, theodoric. It is true Kerry came out of nowhere in Iowa. And I can't help but wonder myself sometimes. But if it's really that bad, then we're all so fucked beyond fucked that it's impossible to comprehend how fucked we are.
people on the tube talk about the voters "out there" in the red as if they were a secret cult that speak another language. they're not. their leaders however...?
I tell you why the economy sucks-Half the nation is depressed by the state of America- I haven't been to a Mall in 2 years, I havn't shopped at a Wal-mart in 2 months. Only bought essentials. Why?-I don't feel
optimistic about the future. I think my spirits would of been up if Kerry officially won. I would of gone on a buying spree.
oh my god, shirty--we should give our xmas gifts in EUROS! get 'em now, and they'll be worth TWICE as much by December!
(but stay away from that shotgun until you get some sleep!)
yeah, it's been a long 4 years, a longer summer & fall, a DAMN long month or two, and a frickin' ETERNITY of a week for most of us...the dirty clothes & dishes pile up, the sleep goes un-slept, the bills unpaid, the work days are walked through in a frantic daze...
but we're going to be okay.
we are STILL nearly HALF of this nation...don't forget that (and it isn't even counting the homeless, the people in prison, and anyone else not on the census or underage or for some other reason not registered to vote.)
break down:
a little over half of the eligible population got registered at all.
so far, we don't even know how many of them actually managed to vote, but of THOSE people so far who did, just over half chose Bush.
so what--roughly a quarter of eligible people voted for Bush? and how many of those were just plain fooled into it?
it bears repeating,
MANDATE, MY ASS!
-L.
told writes: It is true Kerry came out of nowhere in Iowa.
Umm, I might be taking this post wrong, but Kerry did not come out nowhere in Iowa. In fact, I live in Illinois and worked for Kerry's campaign in Iowa. While Canvassing in
Davenport, I only ran across 2 people who said they supported Bush, the others were Kerry or leaning Kerry. I canvassed undecideds. The Kerry camp was sure that Kerry would win Iowa.
We've been abandoned again. Bastard.
and now, i MUST at least take a NAP!
keep fighting the good fight, and spreading all the good words, Atriots!
from Whoville,
-L.
Theordoric,
I have already thought of this and my husband and I discussed the relationship of Bush and Kerry with Skull and Bones.
I even made a reference to Magog, Bush's S&B name on another thread but no one understood what I was talking about.
I am uncomfortable also with the two of our candidates belonging to an organization that is somewhat Satanic.
And if you think that you're a conspiracy theorist, you don't know nuttin!
My hubby and I believe in our hearts that Bush is the AntiChrist.
www.bushisantichrist.com
It will scare the pants of you. Take that for TinFoil hats theory!!!
ALSO, KILL YOUR CABLE!
Uh-oh. Anyone got the links to newer comment threads?
Yes, Skull and Bones! Why is it that every conspiratorial worry and fear that we had about both a Kerry candidacy and about Bush seems to have come to pass? We are living in a sick nightmare.
atrios is pissed...bush is truly screwed now
atrios is pissed...bush is truly screwed now
As the holidays approached, the Bush White House was as jolly as Rove. On Dec. 20 the Bush daughters, Jenna and Barbara, both college seniors, decided to hold a blowout for their friends in the Executive Mansion. Jenna, a young lady with her father's eye for a good time, had heard about a band from Nashville that was a big favorite at Southern good-ole-boy fraternity parties. The band, formally called the Tyrone Smith Revue, was better known as Super T. The bandleader, Tyrone Smith, would appear for the second set wearing a red cape and a bright blue jumpsuit emblazoned with a giant T.
The Tyrone Smith Revue set up in the East Room, usually used for press conferences. Shortly after 9, when the drinks were flowing and the kids were starting to glow, Super T swung into "Shotgun" and summoned the president, the First Lady and the twins onto the stage. "I want the Secret Service to stay back!" he cried. "I'm taking over now!" Super T began to instruct the First Family in a dance called the Super T Booty Green. ("Put your hands on your knees. Bend over. Shake two times to the right, shake two times to the left.")
The First Family got right down. The crowd erupted. Super T picked up the beat; he later recalled hearing a familiar voice cry, "Go, Super T!" He looked back to see the president of the United States hollering and shaking it like in old times at the Deke House. Laura Bush gently put her hand on the president's elbow; the frat brother subsided; the chief executive returned to duty.
The Bushes went to bed that night at 11:30, about two hours after the president's usual bedtime. As he dozed off, or tried to, a conga line twisted along the red carpet he usually walked down for formal press conferences. (Before the president retired, Super T offered to play at the Inaugural. Bush just grinned.)
Hello? Anybody? Bueller? Bueller?
Maybe it's time to quit this presidential election bullshit.
If the electors for the still-upcoming (remember) election had been selected by state legislatures rather than by direct popular vote,
a) massive vote fraud on a statewide level would be impossible;
b) spending on presidential campaigns would essentially cease, since there would be only a few voters in even the largest communities;
c) it would be impossible to game the system as the GOP just did, inflaming public fears with irrelevant issues;
d) someone who had screwed up as badly in a first term as George Bush has would likely never be a serious candidate for reelection in the first place.
There is nothing in the federal Constitution that mandates direct popular voting for presidential electors. Nothing.
We wouldn't even need a constitutional amendment to put an end to this nonsense.
Well I think Skull and Bones has more to do with what's going on than we think. And the reason I say that, (put on tinfoil hats now) is because when I read the website bushisantichrist.com, they make a big deal about Skull and Bones because apparently, Nostradomus (sp) predicted the name of the antiChrist and it was a version of the name of Bush during his Skull and Bones days. (Nostradomus also predicted the name of Hitler too, but I digress)
But Skull and Bones is very Satanic, it's not some crazy fraternity, it's serious shit and they own a damn island for God's sakes.
Plus, the guy from the website talks about the sign Bush always uses, index finger, pinky and thumb. When asked about it, Bush says that it's a sign of Texas Longhorns, but Bush never attended that university, he was in fact, turned down there because of his mediocre grades. But that's not the sign of the Texas Longhorns, it's actually a Satanic sign to help other people recognize you as a fellow Satanist. What's more disturbing is that in a completely seperate article and one that I happened upon by chance, the TNR has an article that explains how the Palestinian Finance Minister, walked into the White House, flashed Bush the sign of the Texas Longhorns, described by one Israeli as one hand up with index finger, pinkie and thumbs extended and after meeting with him, Bush demaned that the Israelis release money they were witholding from the Palestinians, proclaiming it wasn't their money to keep. And Bush's name in every numerology method, including computer language, 6 6 6. Every important date in his life; 6 6 6
And you shall know him by the sign of the beast and that number is 666.
And Nostradomus predicted it would be Bush.
bushisantichrist.com IF YOU DARE!
Also someone called Bush Nero, spppoooooky~!!!
The guy from the website said many thought that the AntiChrist was nero, but that's why they did the number thing 666, so you could tell when someone was the antichrist.
Hello?
Hey Kent, you still there?
maybe we should all go blogless for the weekend...
NAAAAHHHHHH.
they own a damn island for God's sakes.
Actually, I happen to know a guy who owns an island in Lake Huron.
He's a pretty nice guy.
And it's a nice island.
yes I am.
I guess well have to bookmark this url
only thread in town
Hey Atrios,
You know, you have a lot of people truly hurting out here and instead of reaching out to them, you failed to post for hours and hours and hours and then when you did post, it wasn't anything encouraging.
I know it sucks to have so much responsiblity for people all of the time, it has to be a major burden, but you took it on and I understand that you need a break, fine, but you didn't have to slap everyone in the face.
You could have done so nicely and you certainly didn't need to remove the comments, if you didn't want to read them, fine, but people use these comments as an outlet. Shame on you. For the first time, I am disappointed in you.
Take the weekend off, try to relax and enjoy yourself and then come back and apologize.
You owe your followers that much.
Atrios had a hissy fit, I guess he was due, but damn, he could have been a little nicer
Theodoric,
The point here wasn't that they own an island, the point was that they are far cry more than just a fraternity. Most fraternities don't own islands, they own crappy, dilapitated frat houses.
This just bloggles the mind, Erica, but I have kept a link for this thread, and we might as well make use of it.
I also have the next thread url saved as well. While I am dissappointed that my favorite watering hole won't be available, at least Atrios is not shutting down entirely.
I know Kent, and I think that Atrios has a damn right to take a break, he has freaking earned it, but ouch, did he have to do is callously.
Sometimes, I think that he sees us all as a bunch of jibbering monkies not worthy of him but he keeps around because it makes him feel good. Can you say power trip?
So when he gets tired of us he pulls the plug.
It's hardly fair. We are people every bit as concerned about what's going on as he is, we just don't always express it in the same ways that he does. Some of us aren't as sophsticated as he is. But we are people with feelings and we are hurt, confused, and disillusioned and we need some time to vent, even if the shit we are saying sounds nuts. He needs to make up his mind, does he want us to come here and listen to what he has to say and then express ourselves and jump on any bandwagon he has chosen for us or should we go to DailyKos and bid him farewell?
Erica, I understand your frustration, but would suggest not to jump to any conclusions concerning his motives. I was really dissappointed when Billmon shut down his comments, but as he used to keep them free of trolls (for the most part) it amounted to a lot of work for him in the end.
It does seem that alot of the regulars have taken up residence at first draft so you may want to go visit, its got a homey kind of feeling and seems troll free for the moment.
I hope you throw up some cats for the weekend. Here kitty kitty.
Many regulars over at first-draft.com
yeah, I'm trying to register right now.
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