January 28, 2005

My fellow Americans:
I want us to go to war against Iraq. But I want us to have our eyes open and be completely realistic. A war against Iraq will be expensive. It will cost you, the taxpayer, about $300 billion over five years. I know Wolfowitz is telling you Iraq's oil revenues will pay for it all, but that's ridiculous. Iraq only pumps about $10 billion a year worth of oil, and it's going to need that just to run the new government we're putting in. No, we're going to have to pay for it, ourselves. I'm going to ask you for $25 billion, then $80 billion, then another $80 billion. And so on. I'm going to be back to you for money more often than that unemployed relative that you don't like. The cost of the war is going to drive up my already massive budget deficits from about $370 billion to more like $450 billion a year. Just so you understand, I'm going to cut taxes on rich people at the same time that I fight this war. Then I'm going to borrow the money to fight it, and to pay for much of what the government does. And you and your children will be paying off that debt for decades. In the meantime, your dollar isn't going to go as far when you buy something made overseas, since running those kinds of deficits will weaken our currency. more....

January 27, 2005

January 26, 2005

1373 Official U.S. Military Fatalities in Iraq, 10371 Official Wounded (thru 1/8/05). Bush Lied, Soldiers Keep Dying.

January 25, 2005

01/24/05 "Information Clearing House" -- On Thursday, January 20, 2005, the most widely disliked man on earth swore a sacred oath of office. Then, in a display of arrogant and insensitive vulgarity unmatched in our nationâs history he ascended himself to the 55th Presidency of the no-longer-United States of America. All about him, the believers reveled.

The debauch capped a week that saw the Secretary of State-designate, Condoleeza Rice, declare her sensitivity to foreign affairs by publicly calling the tsunami disaster ã·a wonderful opportunity for America.ä The inauguration caps a week in which we heard the nationâs proposed chief law enforcement officer, Attorney General designate Alberto Gonzalez, endorse the most flagrant violation of human rights imaginable - torture - as a lawful way to interrogate prisoners. It was a week in which the White House finally announced that there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, and hadnât been since the Nineties. Then, as if to top it all off, we were subjected to more baby-talk from the great man himself.Ê

In a post-election return to using his own words, the self-styled leader of the ãfree world,ä George W. Bush, blurted out that we cannot find Osama bin Laden because he is hiding. Still, the believers reveled.Ê more....

January 24, 2005

It's the third day of Eid. Eid is the Islamic holiday and usually itâs a time for families to get together, eat, drink and celebrate. Not this Eid. This Eid is unbearable. We managed a feeble gathering on the first day and no one was in a celebratory mood. There have been several explosions- some far and some near but even those aren't as worrisome as the tension that seems to be growing on a daily basis.

There hasnât been a drop of water in the faucets for six days. six days. Even at the beginning of the occupation, when the water would disappear in the summer, there was always a trickle that would come from one of the pipes in the garden. Now, even that is gone. Weâve been purchasing bottles of water (the price has gone up) to use for cooking and drinking. Forget about cleaning. Itâs really frustrating because everyone cleans house during Eid. Itâs like a part of the tradition. The days leading up to Eid are a frenzy of mops, brooms, dusting rags and disinfectant. The cleaning makes one feel like there's room for a fresh start. It's almost as if the house and its inhabitants are being reborn. Not this year. Weâre managing just enough water to rinse dishes with. To bathe, we have to try to make-do with a few liters of water heated in pots on kerosene heaters. more....

January 23, 2005

Franklin Roosevelt said in his inaugural, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself." But he didn't have Dick Cheney creating from his bunker a government which is little more than a Wal-Mart of Fear: midnight snatchings of citizens for uncharged crimes, wars to hunt for imaginary weapons aimed at Los Angeles, DNA data banks of kids and grandmas, the Chicken Little sky-is-falling social security spook-show, and shoe-searches in airports. Fear is your only product.

January 22, 2005

A Day of Action for Women's Lives

Stand Up for Reproductive Justice! Stop the Anti-Choice Right wing!

1 PM
MEET AT AQUATIC PARK (near Fort Mason) FOR COUNTER DEMONSTRATION

Look for the Green ÎWeâll never go back bannerâ at the rally and counter demonstration. Wear Green!

January 22nd, 2005 will be the 32nd anniversary of the Roe v. Wade court decision that established a constitutional right to reproductive freedom in the United States. The right-wing is seizing upon this day to advance their agenda against women's rights.

"Walk for Life West Coast", an anti-choice event, is organizing a march in San Francisco. Letâs show them that their right wing, anti-women agenda is not welcome in our community.

This is the same agenda that criminalizes immigrants, denies same-sex marriage, and denounces queer people and their families. Let us take this opportunity to re-affirm our commitment to justice and dignity for all people. more....

January 28, 2005


January 27, 2005


January 26, 2005


January 25, 2005


January 24, 2005


January 23, 2005


January 22, 2005

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