tagged w/ Accountability Now
-
Count me in as one of the many Americans who feel we need to get to the bottom of what went wrong. "I agree. We need to be able to read the page before we turn the page."
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy insisted on Monday in firm and passionate terms that a comprehensive investigation be launched into the conduct of the Bush administration, saying anything less would prevent the country from moving forward.
Speaking at a forum at Georgetown University, the Vermont Democrat suggested the creation of a truth and reconciliation commission to uncover the "misdeeds" of the past eight years.
"Many Americans feel we need to get to the bottom of what went wrong," said Leahy. "I agree. We need to be able to read the page before we turn the page."
The Senator also stated that Attorney General Eric Holder never gave assurances to Republican Senators that he would not prosecute Bush administration officials who may have been involved in illegalities such as authorizing torture or warrantless wiretapping.
"There are some who resist any effort to investigate the misdeeds of the recent past," he said. "Indeed, during the nomination hearing of Eric Holder, some of my fellow Senators on the other side of the aisle tried to extract a devil's bargain from him in exchange for the votes -- a commitment that he would not make... That is a pledge no prosecutor should give and Eric Holder did not give it. But because he did not it accounts for some of the votes against him."Count me in as one of the many Americans who feel we need to get to the bottom of what... more
-
-
This doesn't happen by accident. It is done to confuse ordinary Americans, making them think the Republicans have better ideas. The Republicans were voted out, despite the efforts of cable news. It's time for Democratic voices to be heard. Cable news must stop spinning for the right. We are watching. We can't expect change as long as cable news keeps operating the same.
As Media Matters has documented, during the Bush administration, the media consistently allowed conservatives to dominate their shows, booking them as guests far more often than progressives. The rationale was that Republicans were “in power.”
It appears that old habits die hard. Even though President Obama and his team are in control of the executive branch and Democrats are in the majority in Congress, the cable networks are still turning more often to Republicans and allowing them to set the agenda on major issues, most recently on the debate over the economic recovery package.
On Sunday, conservatives began an all-out assault on President Obama’s economic recovery plan, with House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) both announcing that they would vote against the plan as it stood. Despite Obama’s efforts at good faith outreach, congressional conservatives have continued to attack the stimulus plan with a series of false and disingenuous arguments.
The media have been aiding their efforts. In a new analysis, ThinkProgress has found that the five cable news networks — CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, Fox Business and CNBC — have hosted more Republican lawmakers to discuss the plan than Democrats by a 2 to 1 ratio this weekThis doesn't happen by accident. It is done to confuse ordinary Americans,... more
-
-
LTTE propaganda pushing LTTE supporters have spread enough lies on the internet. Now many Sri Lankans are standing up for the truth.
As I v said, my sinhalese is not that good, so when I saw this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=karCvHe7xiI
I was applled. I was angry even at President of Lanka who had said
he would do good to bring change then I sent an email asking those
who know alot about the situation for clarifications and I got information
from people who pointed me in the right direction.
Spreading misinformation has been a trick of the LTTE & LTTE
supporters. Just look at Tavis Smiley interview of singer mia
she plainly says words to the effec that since Americans do not know
about the situation, she will go ahead and say the information: Misinformation
she and others like her thinks that if a group of people do not know
something it is ok to lie and mislead them. well you messed
with the wrong bulls sister!!!
Because we like to stick to at least...the facts.
The government is not blameless, but much has changed. LTTE is not blameless.
I m not linking the video because I do not want readers to think that it is truth. find out for yourself. The responses I got to my email of "Misleading Misinformation: do you know Sinhala? then help me to know what she is saying" Are below.LTTE propaganda pushing LTTE supporters have spread enough lies on the internet. Now... more
-
-
"Say NO To Terrorism" Movement to inform of the atrocities of terrorism and subsequently to forewarn all of its supporters and hold them all individually accountable."Say NO To Terrorism" Movement to inform of the atrocities of terrorism and... more
-
-
A voice of reason. Well worth listening to!
-
-
Is President Obama going to let the pharmaceutical companies follow the path of the banks, which are now 'supposedly' to big to fail? I think it's time to stop any companies in America from becoming to big to fail. Will we be forced to bail them out next?
President Obama should stop this before it happens.Is President Obama going to let the pharmaceutical companies follow the path of the... more
-
-
free sri lanka from misinformation and terrorism.
-
-
The National Whistleblower Assembly will be held in Washington, DC, from Sunday March 8 to Wednesday March 11, 2009.
This year’s Assembly has four cornerstone objectives:
1. Matchmaking for solidarity and ongoing working relationships between whistleblowers and those who should benefit from their dissent, such as NGO’s, investigative journalists and government investigators;
2. Lobbying Congress to upgrade its rhetorical commitments for stronger whistleblower protection into reality, from completion of legislation pending nine years to overhaul the Whistleblower Protection Act, to comprehensive corporate rights expanding on five precedents in the last Congress
3. Providing "street law" so that whistleblowers learn how to use and act on their rights under new whistleblower laws; and
4. Providing a living history forum where whistleblowers can make a record of why they risked their careers to defend the public, and what happened.
The National Whistleblower Assembly will kick-off with a plenary session comprised of whistleblowers and government leaders. The Assembly will strategize on how to assist and help hold our leaders to President Obama’s commitment made his first day in office:
“Starting today, every agency and department should know that this administration stands on the side not of those who seek to withhold information, but those who seek to make it known.”
We encourage all 264 organizations and corporations that signed the Whistleblower Protection Act sign-on letter to join us! We are already bonded by a shared principle that “whistleblower protection is a foundation for any change in which the public can believe. It does not matter whether the issue is economic recovery, prescription drug safety, environmental protection, infrastructure spending, national health insurance, or foreign policy.”The National Whistleblower Assembly will be held in Washington, DC, from Sunday March... more
-
-
-
E-Voting Machines Used in Disputed Franken, Coleman Race Failed Tests
By Jason Leopold
The Public Record
Electronic voting machines that a Michigan election official said last week incorrectly tabulated vote counts during pre-election tests in the state were used in Minnesota where the senate race between Republican incumbent Norm Coleman and Democratic challenger Al Franken is in dispute.
According to an Oct. 24 letter sent to the federal Election Assistance Commission (EAC), Ruth Johnson, the Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds, warned that tabulating software in Election Systems & Software M-100 optical scan voting machines recorded "conflicting" vote counts during testing in her state.
Minnesota voters uses optical scan ballots that voters mark by hand. ES&S's M-100 optical scan voting was used in Minnesota counties and in more than a dozen other states on Election Day.
On Wednesday, an unofficial vote count released by Minnesota election officials showed 2.9 million ballots cast with Coleman leading Franken by a razor-thin margin of .02%, or 475 votes. By late Wednesday, the unofficial vote total showed Coleman with 1,211,642 votes, or 41.99 percent of the total votes cast, while Franken had 1,211,167 votes, or 41.98 percent. Dean Barkley, who ran as an Independent, captured 15% of the vote.
That will lead to an automatic recount, which Minnesota state law says is triggered if the margin of victory is less than half of 1%. The recount will be conducted by hand and won't begin until Nov. 19.
The Associated Press declared Coleman the winner early Wednesday, but hours later the wire service "uncalled" the race. Franken told reporters Wednesday "this is a long election and it's going to be a little longer."
Franken went into Tuesday"s election with a slim lead over Coleman. According to exit polls, Franken won the 18-29 age group by 50% to 35% but apparently did not attract independent voters, according to polling data.
It's possible that a recount, the results of which would not be known until December, could turn out in Franken's favor or perhaps provide Coleman with additional votes.
Still, that the electronic voting machines manufactured by Election Systems & Software (ES&S) that were used in Minnesota Tuesday are said to be unreliable calls into question the integrity of the election.
The EAC,established by the 2002 Help America Vote Act (HAVA), launched a program to certify the integrity of e-voting machines in early 2007, but has been slow to act.
Johnson, the Oakland County Clerk, said in her letter last week to the EAC that the M-100 voting machines used in four communities Tuesday 'reported inconsistent vote totals during their logic and accuracy testing.'
'The same ballots run through the same machines, yielded different results each time,' says the letter addressed to Rosemary Rodriguez, the chairwoman of the Election Assistance Commission. 'ES&S determined that the primary issue [that caused the machines to formulate incorrect vote counts] was dust and debris build-up on the sensors inside the M-100'; voting machine. 'This has impacted the Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) settings for the two Contact Image Sensors (CIS).'
"This begs the question,' Johnson wrote. 'On Election Day, will the record number of ballots going through the remaining tabulators leave even more build-up on the sensors, affecting machines that tested fine just initially? Could this additional build-up on voting tabulators that have not had any preventative maintenance skew vote totals?
'My understanding is that the problem could occur and election workers would have no inkling that ballots are being misread.'
A spokesman for ES&S did not return calls for comment.
continued at link....E-Voting Machines Used in Disputed Franken, Coleman Race Failed Tests
By Jason... more
-
-
Jon Gold
9/11 Blogger
Dec. 1, 2008
Donna Marsh O’Connor, mother of 9/11 victim Vanessa Lang Langer, recently posted an “idea” at change.org, “which was then promoted at both 911truth.org and 911blogger” for America to have a new investigation into the attacks of 9/11. Unfortunately, Donna’s “idea” never picked up steam.
However, on 11/28/2008, Debora Blake posted a similar “idea” at change.org, and for whatever reason, that entry “took off.” Within 2 days, the “idea” for a new investigation into 9/11 was #1 on the entire site with 660 votes. The #2 entry, “Pass the DREAM Act Now!,” posted on 11/24/2008, only has 347 votes.
They have since deleted every “idea” calling for a new investigation into 9/11, including the #1 entry. Here is the email I just received from change.org:
Hello Jon,
We wanted to send you a note about an idea you recently voted on in the Ideas for Change in America competition titled “Conduct a new, independent investigation into the attacks of September 11, 2001?
We support calls for truth and transparency in our government on every subject and welcome you to directly petition the new administration about this matter, which you can do at http://change.gov/page/s/ofthepeople. However, this is unfortunately outside the scope of the Ideas for Change in America project, which aims to offer specific policy solutions rather than investigations into past government action. As such, it is not eligible to enter the second round of the competition.
We understand that good people may disagree with our vision. But this is a private effort not connected to the Obama campaign or transition team, and we reserve the right to keep the competition and its content aligned with the stated mission and overall spirit of the project.
Thank you for your understanding. As mentioned above, we welcome you to directly petition the Obama administration about your proposal at http://change.gov/page/s/ofthepeople. And we hope you continue your work to advance change.
Best,
- The Ideas for Change in America Team
Through Obama’s entire campaign, he promised “change.” If organizations like change “idea” of what’s to come, then those people fearing Obama’s message was just rhetoric for political purposes, are probably right.Jon Gold
9/11 Blogger
Dec. 1, 2008
Donna Marsh O’Connor, mother of 9/11... more
-
-
Follow the link to access each story
http://www.projectcensored.org/top-stories/category/y-2009
#1. Over One Million Iraqi Deaths Caused by US Occupation
# 2 Security and Prosperity Partnership: Militarized NAFTA
# 3 InfraGard: The FBI Deputizes Business
# 4 ILEA: Is the US Restarting Dirty Wars in Latin America?
# 5 Seizing War Protesters’ Assets
# 6 The Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act
# 7 Guest Workers Inc.: Fraud and Human Trafficking
# 8 Executive Orders Can Be Changed Secretly
#9 Iraq and Afghanistan Vets Testify
# 10 APA Complicit in CIA Torture
# 11 El Salvador’s Water Privatization and the Global War on Terror
# 12 Bush Profiteers Collect Billions From No Child Left Behind
# 13 Tracking Billions of Dollars Lost in Iraq
# 14 Mainstreaming Nuclear Waste
# 15 Worldwide Slavery
# 16 Annual Survey on Trade Union Rights
# 17 UN’s Empty Declaration of Indigenous Rights
# 18 Cruelty and Death in Juvenile Detention Centers
# 19 Indigenous Herders and Small Farmers Fight Livestock Extinction
# 20 Marijuana Arrests Set New Record
# 21 NATO Considers “First Strike” Nuclear Option
# 22 CARE Rejects US Food Aid
# 23 FDA Complicit in Pushing Pharmaceutical Drugs
# 24 Japan Questions 9/11 and the Global War on Terror
# 25 Bush’s Real Problem with Eliot SpitzerFollow the link to access each story... more
-
-
The word is that a million votes is all it takes to present the idea to obama, and the call is free!!(short of your personal monthly bill)
Now the number i called is SLIGHTLY DIFFERNT from the one i found online, so
LOOK IT UP! MAKE THE CALL!! use google to make this work for you and tell your friends!
(i personaly ran into a snag while trying to call becaus i cut my phone bill down bye droping long distance so my call never made it through..........) BUt im not gonna let that keep me from getting a "vote" in.
So if anyone has more helpfull information about getting our voices heard on this highly important topic please let it be known!!
~~"It is time!!"~~ *rafikee*lion kingThe word is that a million votes is all it takes to present the idea to obama, and the... more
-
-
Los Angeles
Sunday, February 8th, 2009
*Group of Sri Lankans, Americans & Sri Lankan-Americans gathered
to rally and protest recording artist mia's lies & misrepresentation
to the American public and her support of terrorism and to hold her accountable for
her statements. The peaceful gathering was in downtown LA
across from the 51st annual grammy awards venue & they loudly said
"NO" to terrorism. the ltte terror group in sri lanka uses
suicide bombers, recruit child soldiers & hav been harming people
for 25 + years. Community leaders such as Piyal Matharaarachchi,
a group of Venerable Monks including from Normandy & Sun Valley Temple,
Nish Pitigala, Dr. Walter Jay, Dr. Lakshman Makandura, actor/singer Shantha Senadheera
& hip Reggie Dissanayake other community members and non sri lankan terrorism activists were at the rally as well. A better late than never participant & activist
Malinda brought attention to child soldier recruiting
& suicide bombings. Various age groups marched, chanted, & waved
signs to make an impact in bringing awareness to the current situation.
**When I heard about the group speaking up with say no to terrorism I also went to see what was happening and to find out the cause and took part because there is
a time to speak up about harmful situations.**Los Angeles
Sunday, February 8th, 2009
*Group of Sri Lankans, Americans & Sri... more
-
-
I was afraid George W. would succeed in silencing the voice of justice. There may be reason for hope after all.
By Zachary Roth
So does that letter Newsweek obtained, sent January 16 by the Bush White House to Karl Rove's lawyer, instructing Rove not to respond to any subpoenas that might be issued, change the state of play as to whether Rove will end up testifying on the US Attorneys firings? After all, President Bush is now on the record claiming the right to assert executive privilege even after leaving office.
Not according to Neil Eggleston, who specialized in executive privilege issues for President Clinton's White House. Eggleston told TPMmuckraker that, since President Obama has already issued an executive order that appears to take the view that a former president can't assert executive privilege, he's unlikely to back Bush's claim. And assuming things then wind up in court, Eggleston said he'd be very surprised if a court sided with Bush, ruling that executive privilege can be asserted retroactively.
"Remember what Obama kept saying during the transition: 'There's only one president at a time?'" asked Eggleston. "This is one where I think a court's going to decide there's only one president at a time."
Eggleston told TPMmuckraker last week that Obama's order seemed designed to help gain access to Bush White House documents and testimony that Congress has been seeking, including on the US Attorney firings matter.I was afraid George W. would succeed in silencing the voice of justice. There may be... more
-
-
Truth should win over spin! Accountability for misleading ordinary Americans should be a requirement for supposed news organizations using American airwaves.
by Gustav Wynn
Revelations by a former right wing radio news director confirm broadcasters aired talking points supplied secretly by the White House, reminiscent of "covert propaganda" violations uncovered in the Armstrong Williams scandal of 2005. Meanwhile, Sean Hannity and his ilk have been "messaging" followers to believe Congressional boogeymen are targeting their free speech by conspiring to revive the Fairness Doctrine. If you agree the two most-listened-to radio programs in the U.S. are not making reasonable attempts to provide crucial facts and evenhanded political coverage, find out how you can do something about it using Twitter at the end of this article.
Preemptive Propaganda "Air" Raids
Airing this week on talk radio shows have been a slew of "538" ad buys, confusing listeners into thinking a revived Fairness Doctrine would muzzle partisan talk. Hannity in particular began referring to the law as the "Censorship Doctrine" but quickly laid bare in an L.A. Times piece, we saw the effort was an intentional "cry wolf", meant to begin a messaging campaign - that is, conditioning listeners to have kneejerk reactions at any mention of the Fairness Doctrine. Hannity and Rush Limbaugh, who calls it the "hush Rush" bill should perhaps be gearing up to answer different questions about disclosure requirements on public airwaves.
The most serious criticisms of right wing radio aren't about free speech or equal time for opposing viewpoints, rather the deliberately deceptive nature of show content. Unlike truth-in-advertising regulations for commercials, anything goes in show segments. But if you can't legally broadcast an advertisement that says a hearing aid filters out the noise you don't want to hear, why should Hannity be allowed to selectively present only the news items, guests and call-ins that reinforce his bias? If the limits of free speech fall short of yelling fire in a crowded theater, what might be the negative side-effects of someone urging "hate liberals!" in an orderly society every day? Might this not push some to commit violent acts like the unwell man who shot up a "liberal" church in Knoxville?Truth should win over spin! Accountability for misleading ordinary Americans should... more
-
-
After the sudden death of Michael Jackson Evan Chandler tells the truth.
evan
” Now for the first time i can’t bare to lie anymore. Michael Jackson didn’t do anything to me, all was my father lies to escape from being poor.”
In 1993, Chandler told a psychiatrist and police that he and Jackson had engaged in sexual acts that included oral sex, the boy gave detailed description of Jackson’s genitals. The case was settled out of court for a reported $22 million, but the strain led Jackson to begin taking painkillers. Eventually he became addicted.
Now maybe for the remorse of his death Chandler decides to tell us the truth. ” I never meant to lie and destroy Michael Jackson but my father made me to tell only lies. Now i can’t tell Michael how much i’m sorry and if he will forgive me ”.Evan Chandler was tape-recorded saying amongst other things, “If I go through with this, I win big-time. There’s no way I lose. I will get everything I want and they will be destroyed forever…
Under the influence of a controversial father (Jordan Chandler) told his son to tell that Jackson had touched his penis.Jordan Chandler then told a psychiatrist and later police that he and Jackson had engaged in acts of kissing, masturbation and oral sex, as well as giving a detailed description of what he alleged were the singer’s genitals.
” Now for the first time i can’t bare to lie anymore. Michael Jackson didn’t do anything to me, all was my father lies to escape from being poor.”After the sudden death of Michael Jackson Evan Chandler tells the truth.
evan... more
-
-
Joe Scarborough: Blame Dana Priest "If Planes Go Into Buildings" Because She Reported On Waterboarding
If America gets hit again it will be due to George W. Bush and his enablers. It's time to hold them all accountable using facts. 'Shame in plain sight' -- that's the change we need. These guys are shameful!
Joe Scarborough seems to think that the sadistic use of waterboarding has been an essential and successful component of our national security apparatus, when in truth, its a fantastic boon to terrorist recruiters. Apparently, however, these programs - torture, rendition, secret prisons - are so dear to him, that he'll be holding Washington Post reporter Dana Priest responsible for any further deaths related to terrorism. This is, as they say, bonkers:
SCARBOROUGH: The second Dana Priest wrote her article and we had this debate on waterboarding, we were moving towards not using waterboarding again. We don't - these techniques are worthless now anyways, so if planes go into buildings, well don't blame Barack Obama, blame Dana Priest and the chaos that occurred after that cause that was - when her article came out, from that point forward, this secret CIA program was dead on arrival.Joe Scarborough: Blame Dana Priest "If Planes Go Into Buildings" Because She... more
-
-
The election of Barack Obama gives me hope of a better day, but hope is not enough. The prosecution of George W. and his cohorts would guarantee better leadership in the future. The only way forward is to prosecute and shame those who have committed crimes in plain sight.
by Elizabeth Holtzman
President Obama, on his first day in office, can make a number of changes that will mark a clean break with the Bush presidency. He can, and should, issue an executive order revoking any prior order that permits detainee mistreatment by any government agency. He should begin the process of closing Guantánamo, and he should submit to Congress a bill to end the use of military commissions, at least as presently constituted. Over the coming months he can pursue other reforms to restore respect for the Constitution, such as revising the Patriot Act, abolishing secret prisons and "extraordinary rendition," and ending practices, like signing statements, that seek to undo laws.
While these steps are all crucial, however, it is not enough merely to cease the abuses of power and apparent criminality that marked the highest levels of George W. Bush's administration. We cannot simply shrug off the constitutional and criminal misbehavior of the administration, treat it as an aberration and hope it won't happen again. The misbehavior was not an aberration--aspects of it, particularly the idea that the president is above the law, were present in Watergate and in the Iran/Contra scandal. To fully restore the rule of law and prevent any repetition of Bush's misconduct, the abuses of his administration must be directly confronted. As Indiana University law professor Dawn Johnsen--recently tapped by Obama to head his Office of Legal Counsel--wrote in Slate last March, "We must avoid any temptation simply to move on. We must instead be honest with ourselves and the world as we condemn our nation's past transgressions and reject Bush's corruption of our American ideals."
What we need to do is conceptually simple. We need to launch investigations to get at the central unanswered questions of Bush's abuse of power, commence criminal proceedings and undertake institutional, statutory and constitutional reforms. Perhaps all these things don't need to be done at once, but over time--not too much time--they must take place. Otherwise, we establish a doctrine of presidential impunity, which has no place in a country that cherishes the rule of law or considers itself a democracy. Bush's claim that the president enjoys virtually unlimited power as commander in chief at a time of war--which Vice President Dick Cheney defiantly reasserted just last month--brought us perilously close to military dictatorship.
As the former district attorney in Brooklyn, New York, I know the price society pays for a doctrine of impunity. Failure to prosecute trivializes and encourages the crimes. The same holds true of political abuses--failure to hold violators accountable condones the abuse and entrenches its acceptability, creating a climate in which it is likely to be repeated. The doctrine of impunity suggests, too, that there is a dual system of justice--one for the powerful and one for ordinary Americans. Because the concept of equal justice under the law is the foundation of democracy, impunity for high-level officials who abuse power and commit crimes erodes our democracy.The election of Barack Obama gives me hope of a better day, but hope is not enough.... more
-
-
Jesse Ventura takes Elizabeth Hasselbeck to school, it was great. I have a hard time turning on 'The View' cause Elizabeth Hasselbeck makes me scream at my television. Jesse Ventura makes me stand up and applaud. Finally, a 'Voice of Reason'! Kudos to Jesse Ventura!Jesse Ventura takes Elizabeth Hasselbeck to school, it was great. I have a hard time... more
-
