Extremely well said. I was reminded of the brown-shirted supporters of another elected official who saw the rule of law as on entrance, not an end.

John Kerry was the first ever presidential candidate to come to Mount Vernon Ohio. He planned was to stop at Jody's, a popular restaurant, but the Republican crowd was so violent acting, shouting down all speakers, that the Secret Service told Kerry to skip Jody's, it was too dangerous. These "rally squads"were exactly what the article describes. How ashamed I was of my fellow citizens who violated my right to hear what this candidate had to say.

You know, everybody "pooh-pooh's" it when a "Vast Right Wing Conspiracy" is even mentioned... But this is further evidence that there is a MACHINE in place to manipulate public opinioon. Add this to the long list of buzzwords, catchy phrass, stone-walling, and other tactics to get an agenda pushed through that goes against everything this country has stood for, and protections guaranteed by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. This MACHINE has acted to overthrow the government, cloaking itself by wrapping up in the American Flag, and manipulating citizens by pushing their patriotic buttons.

How many more times do we have to discover how the Bush Administration has abrogated our fundamental rights.

And the worst part is that many Americans cheered and waved their flags while it was happening right before their eyes.

For shame.

In Cincinnati at a Kerry appearance extremely rude young republicans stood right in front of the podium with flip flop shoes screaming. I couldn't even hear the speech because of their rudeness. This wasn't even thoughtful dissent, it was just childish Rove approved slogans.

How many reporters did the Post assign to this story five years ago? Surely some flunky could have been persuaded to leak this manual before now. Isn't that what good reporters do?

How many editorials has the Post written on this issue?

This sounds more to me like a violation (or better perhaps an "obstruction") of the last clause of the First Amendment, "the right to peaceably assemble, and to petition the government for redress of grievances." I am still not sure there is a real right to "freedom of expression" boldly inferred from the First Amendment. And if there is it is less than the freedom of speech right actually written into the First Amendment.

On the other hand, how can you say that someone has a right to "free expression" and "speech" during a Presidentail appearance or at anyone else's rally? Usually it is best to keep two contentious groups somewhat apart to reduce the risk of violent encounters (Pro-choice and pro-life demonstrators, for example.)

Certainly as much as the "rally squads" would squelch the protestors "free speech," the protestors are trying squelching the President's free speech -- by shouting during his address. And frankly there is nothing criminal and only moderately subversive about shouting two protesting grpoups shouting out each other or blocking them from view; this is a common tactic of protestors the world over.

As Rose Sebouhian pointed out with Kerry, the objection here is more a desire to suppress Republicans than a true embrace of free speech.
It seems that Andrew and his partisan friends on the left would like nothing more than suppress the President's speech and probably that of all Republicans. Of course, they could just choose not to listen.

Rally Squads, Voting Fraud, Secret Prisons.

Americans don't read enough to know what that spells out!

Sorry folks, but our country men don't comprehend!

Do you think when W dies they'll actually have a state funeral.

The USSR buried its Stalinist past - will we.

It's obvious that Bush is a strong admirer of Stalin - thank god he's incompetent.

Constitutionalist,

So, how is two attendees at a rally wearing anti-Bush shirts "suppressing the President's speech"? That was the reason for the lawsuit that got this disgusting manual revealed to the public.

While I think shouting down a candidate's speech is unwarranted, so is deliberately sending out "rally squads" to block or harass protesters with signs or shirts that only want to voice their opinion.

Constitutionalist:

You might want to stop getting your news from talk radio. At issue here was two people who were arrested for wearing anti-Bush T-shirts at a public, taxpayer-financed event. If that amounts to a "desire to suppress Republicans," much less an appropriate police response, you guys are even more insecure and paranoid than I thought.

I, too, thought of brown shirts and Nazis as I read this, but there was nothing here that I wasn't already aware of from watching and reading over the past several years. I could not understand, once again, the lack of protest against this scripted ban on protesters! The press just kept on reporting on the speeches and appearances, without raising any questions about the practices of the administration. How is it possible that in America people are banned from hearing a President because they disagree with him? And, how is the President supposed to win over the opposition if he refuses to admit that they exist? I'm not talking about disrupting anyone's speech -- that defeats the purpose -- but we have to get back to listening to each other and respecting opposing points of view.

What is sadder to me still is that in an effort to ensure that no one had any "footage" of the president that showed dissent or implied that anything might be wrong, the president's advisors isolated him from the one advisor it is clear he needed the most: the American People

Nazi-ism, thy name is Republicans.
Fascism, thy name is Republicans.
Crusaders, thy name is Republicans.
It does now appear that our long national nightmare will never end.
So long, real America. It was nice whilst it lasted.
You'll be missed for a while, but your evil legacy will be long remembered.

The brilliance of the Bush Reality Show is that he has projected himself as a salt-of-the-earth guy who believes in America. In cold reality, he is a complete creation of his family's wealth and his handlers' assumption that you can fool enough of the people enough of the time. Just as the Schiavo case laid bare the shallowness of Bush's pandering to the private values of his religious base, the Tillman case revealed how the White House and the Pentagon manipulated the public's emotions about Iraq, and now this evidence that Bush has no use for dissent, the public better grasps what it might miss from the more abstract criticism centering respectively on Bush's mindless obeisance to his personal religious views, his patently vapid reasons for invading Iraq and then botching the war and his administration's trampling of private rights. I can't wait for Tony Snow to dance around this one.

08/21/07 It amazes me how the protesters lined up to the allegations against Michael
Vick about gambling and the dog fighting and alleged killings of these dogs. I am not in favor of killing any animal or humans. But, how come these same people are not out there protesting this illegal war in Iraq and the killing of the millons of Iraqs people? Also, I saw no protests of the lack of help for the people in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina. This country shouts of freeedom and all the so-callled fairness of this justice system; also no shouting about the innocent man Texas have on death row. What this but good old fashion deep seated racism, mean-spirited and "if they are people who are poor and just so happens be people of color, who gives a damn! Then this nation want to try to dictate to other nations. Wake up America!

While Bush has made this an art form, the suppression of dissent at speeches and other events is something that every campaign uses. The first campaign that I can remember doing it was Nixon's. And it probably does not violate the Constitution when the speeches are limited to private locations as most now are. That is Mr. Cohen's suggestion is so persuasive. These are staged political commercials that the televised media are airing free of charge. The best way to combat this is to not give them any attention.

I am sure no one was screened before attending the recent, televised, Democratic debates. Or, maybe those that disagree with them are more polite.

Sinclair Lewis said it very well: "When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross." I apologize if this quote is overused.

I knew this was going on all along. The evidence was overwhelming even though there was little outrage by the cowed Democratic leadership. My "Republic Party" (let's start using this phrase so we can follow the lead of our wise President) friends and family denied it vehemently. Since there was no outrage by the Republic Party leadership, they must think it is OK.

Why don't we just codify this method for controlling dissent at taxpayer events as the law of the land? If we don't, Republic Party candidates and officials will just go on doing it while Democratic candidates and officials will be too spineless (or perhaps ethical) to use such a tactic. What little outrage occurred was one-sided and ineffectual at best. Example: an $80,000 settlement for being wrongly imprisoned is peanuts.

One final point in favor of my belief that we should just make it a law. If a Democratic President had done this, he would have been hung by the press and as quickly impeached by Congress.

Actually, I was responding here to Andrew's column, which is mentioned simply as the foundation for the lawsuit, not as the main topic: he spent much more time in a diatribe against rally squads.

Of course arresting two people for wearing non-obscene tee shirts is a crime and a violation of their civil rights, more likely wrongful arrest though than a denial of their "free expression."

And I believe that they received $80,000; I don't remember if that was each or to share in settlement.

Again, Andrew wants the media basically to stop covering the President's appearances because of this manual and organized efforts to out maneuver the protestors. Of course, that IS freedom of the press; the Washington Post and other media may do as they like.

Constitutionalist:
Few of us opposed to this president, who opens his mouth to change feet, would ever try to disrupt his speech. "Footage" of presidential speechmaking serves our cause too well.

Constitutionalist:
Few of us opposed to this president, who opens his mouth to change feet, would ever try to disrupt his speech. "Footage" of presidential speechmaking serves our cause too well.

Maybe if the Post had more excellent reporters like Andrew Cohen, they wouldn't be almost a decade late in reporting this stuff.

Other techniques used by this regime to suppress dissent include persistent burglaries and professional computer hackers. When you have your very own so-called Terrorist Surveillance Program to do your political dirty tricks for you, you don't stop at 'rally squads' stationed in strategic locations. Not if your name is The Arbusto Bandido.

Instead of reporting on the surreptitious Bushification of Amerika leveraged by the full covert force of the US Military, an enraptured press corps celebrated Rove. "Let me disclose my own bias in this matter. I like Karl Rove," wrote David Broder, the lead political columnist for the Washington Post, on May 18, 2003. "In the days when he was operating from Austin, we had many long and rewarding conversations. I have eaten quail at his table and admired the splendid Hill Country landscape from the porch of the historic cabin Karl and his wife Darby found miles away and had carted to its present site on their land." Apparently Broder sees fit to ignore burglary for the chance to sit down with an accomplice.

This is why when BUSH look in the eyes of PUTIN he saw the true sprit of a man just like him. When GOD talks just to you it won't matter what you do because it's for the good of the people. BUSH and PUTIN know whats best for all of ua ; so just bend over. It will only hurt for a little while and it's good for the world.

Staged events, manipulating the news coverage, denying the right to free speech, how far will Putin go to restore a dictatorship in Russia. I bet you thought I was talking about the USA

As a writter for the WP you should know better than anyone else that ain't gonna happen. Because is network XXX didn't go, then YYY and ZZZ would and then XXX as a station would be non-competitive and lose viewers. Better to give up on the constitution than lose money.

"I am sure no one was screened before attending the recent, televised, Democratic debates. Or, maybe those that disagree with them are more polite."

Nice try "D", but there's a difference between taxpayer-financed, public events such as presidential speeches, and privately organized and paid for forums such as intra-party debates.

Why are the U.S. taxpayers paying the $80,000 instead of the Republican Party?

personally, I think the handlers didn't want any dissenters in view of Bush because he loses his temper so easily. They were more afraid of footage of angry outbursts from Bush when confronted with dissenters than with footage showing dissenters in the crowd. remember how badly he lost it in the debates?

You should be happy that you live in a free country. Not like some places where people are not allowed to express their opinions. Here you can criticize the government openly and never have to worry about retribution or investigation, wiretapping or eavesdropping of any sort. The government would never arrest you for expressing an opposing view. Here we have freedom of speech.

Why was the comment I posted at approximately 2:00 p.m. removed?

One way the Networks could stop this practice and cover the speeches would be to send reporters to interview at length the people locked into "free speech zones". Make sure this coverage gets equal time with the President. Do that a few times, and the protesters will be back in the regular crowd where they get 20 seconds of coverage, instead of 5-10 minutes.

Prior to the US's entry into this horrible war, I attended an anti-war rally where I was chatting with others. They said that protesting was worthless. Look what it did for Vietnam: nothing they told me. I said no, that protesting was what got us out of Vietnam. And they said, "wait and see, this protesting will have no effect". So now I see they were right. All the civil disobedience and protests from the 60's were for nothing. Now we live in a police state of our own choosing. We have bought into this administration the same way the German people bought into Hitler's regime. By closing our eyes and our ears.

If the Secret Service participated in this unlawful exercise of suppressing a person's non-violent views, then they should be arrested and prosecuted.

There's nothing wrong (or unusual) with a President, candidate, social group or any other organization renting or reserving a private or public (providing a non-discriminatory usage policy exists)arena for a function, and denying entrance to anyone not specifically invited, per their criteria. Using "rally," "goon" or "true believer" squads to drown out gate-crashers is also fine, within the limits of human rights (e.g., no billy clubs).

BUT Mr. Cohen is right in shaming the news media. If the President really has something of great importance to relate to his entire constituency (all Americans), he is easily granted prime television time to talk one-to-one from the Oval Office.

If he wants to stage a political rally, the press should evaluate the nature and amount of its coverage in the same way it would a closed meeting of the local garden club.

FINALLY - another fact we have all been peripherally aware of has been clarified beyond dispute: this White House controls the media message, to the letter. That's why they hired a Hollywood director to build the stage set over in Iraq.

The collaborators in this 7-year fraud are the media covering the administration. One such news sources would now like us to believe they have Just Discovered this diabolical tactic. Oh please, give us a break. I haven't watched any broadcast of Bush or Cheney speeches since 1999, it's very simple with a remote. Andrew and Peter should be hanging their heads in shame rather than clapping themselves on the back for suddenly uncovering the truth.

"Why are the U.S. taxpayers paying the $80,000 instead of the Republican Party?
Posted by: jc | August 22, 2007 02:35 PM "

Excellent question! It sounds like ANOTHER Bush-administration violation of the Hatch Act - having the gov't pay the $80,000 fine AND using gov't employees to squelch free speech at a gov't sponsored/funded public appearance.

IMPEACH NOW IMPEACH NOW IMPEACH NOW IMPEACH NOW IMPEACH NOW IMPEACH NOW IMPEACH NOW IMPEACH NOW IMPEACH NOW IMPEACH NOW IMPEACH NOW IMPEACH NOW IMPEACH NOW IMPEACH NOW IMPEACH NOW IMPEACH NOW IMPEACH NOW IMPEACH NOW IMPEACH NOW IMPEACH NOW IMPEACH NOW IMPEACH NOW IMPEACH NOW IMPEACH NOW IMPEACH NOW IMPEACH NOW IMPEACH NOW IMPEACH NOW

NOW

Redwood, yes, it's not only well-organized, but a determined effort at a selfish end- almost the complee opposite of some undounded conspiracy theory. However crazy an idea, if many enact it, and act "as if", it becomes reality of a sort, at least for the short term.

"Constitutionalist" (seemingly anything but) has me helplessly rolling on the floor.

Everyone should know that Bush Adminstration has followed these policies from day one, and the Press has been well Aware of it. I have personnelly informed both the Washington Post and the New York times to little effect.

Our modern black shirts and brown shirts wear button-downs and silk ties and Bush/Cheney buttons instead of swastikas and Roman imperial insignia. Of course there are differences and of course the Nazis and Italian fascists were worse, but the parallels between Bush/Cheney/Rovism and fascism, especially the Italian fascism without the Nazis' racism, are striking. Mussolini's fascism was a form of thugism advancing imperial goals and Bush/Cheney/Rove are basically pin-stripe imperial thugs. Their opponents are branded as unpatriotic, America-hating, contemptible wimps by most Bushies (SecDef Gates being the notable exception), and by their neocon and talk radio supporters. They wrap themselves in the flag and do their best to appropriate support of our soldiers as their private domain, no 'libs' or 'lefties' welcome, and of course do their utmost to stifle dissent. How ironic and hypocritical that this president with his strong fascistic tendencies purports to be the champion of democracy in the world. And how pathetic, I guess, that this president, unlike his fascistic models, is the epitome of incompetence. Mussolini at least got the Italian trains running on time (or so it's said), whereas Bush and Cheney have demonstrated beyond cavil that they couldn't manage a one car parade. What did the country do to deserve these guys? Oh yeah, I remember now. We elected them.

The Brown Shirts have arrived with a US Flag in their lapel. Hitler would have been proud.

Why do the Red Bushies and their 24 percent deadenders hate America and our Freedoms and Constitution so very very much?

Only someone like that would try to restrict American citizens as if they lived in a Red Bushie version of their comrade nation of Red Russia or Red China.

It's very very sad. Maybe if they'd served instead of swerved they would have understood, like myself, what Freedom means.

SATYAGRAHA - FIRST, LAST, AND ALWAYS

Satyagraha is the unwavering search for Truth using non-violence. Ghandi, the creator of the concept and its prime mover said "Truth is God; non-violence is love in action; and peace, the result of enduring conflict resolution.

Since the unholy alliance between corporate America and the neocons occurred, a merger of which Bush is the symbol and CEO, we the People have been immersed in a sea of falsehoods, deceptions, and other manipulative devices. Our government is Untruth personified. Unless the People know the Truth and follow its path our Constitutional republic will become history. This can only happen if the principles of Satyagraha are adhered to by a concerned and alert electorate as individuals or groups.

There are those amongst us who are wittingly or unwittingly the adherents and agents of satyagraha. They are the true patriots and we should all join their ranks. We cannot depend on our Representatives and Senators to save us from serfdom. Nonviolent protests and more nonviolent protests are the answer.

I am shocked and appaled that these nice Republicans would stoop so low, there must be some mistake. Just like Iraq is a mess, and that those people weren't helped during Katrina and are still being left without. It's all propaganda by the left wing media, I'm sure. Oh, wait, Rupert bought the WP and he loves Bush and Cheney.

Mark In Irvine made a very important suggestion that I think all Americans should think seriously about. First, impeach Cheney, to be sure that he never becomes president. Then line the rest of the Bush administartion up and impeach them as a group. Then impeach Bush. If this doesn't happen, there is a strong chance that succeeding Presidents will mimic the crimes that have been committed by Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld/Rove/Rice etc.

BUSH WANTS TO SPREAD HIS VERSION OF DEMOCRACY AROUND THE WORLD: DEMOCRACY WHERE REPUBLICAN VOTES COUNT MORE IN CONVENIENTLY REARRANGED DISTRICTS, OIL RULES, THE LAWS ARE FOR BUSH ONLY AND THEREFORE CAN BE MANIPULATED AND OF COURSE ONE OF THE GREAT FOUNDATIONS OF DEMOCRACY: DISSENT CAN BE TRAMPLED UNDERFOOT. BUSH DOESN'T LIKE DISSENT: FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS CAUSED AND CONTINUES TO CAUSE SO MUCH DEATH AND DESTRUCTION... HIS FEELINGS GET HURT PRETTY EASILY. FINALLY WHY AREN'T THE REPUBLICANS IN THE STREET DISSENTING OVER THIS MANUAL AGAINST DISSENT...OH, THAT'S RIGHT, HE HAS GOD ON HIS SIDE... INTERESTINGLY MOCTA SADR AND OSAMA BIN LADEN BELIEVE THEY HAVE GOD ON THEIR SIDE TOO!

KEITH C.

You should be happy that you live in a free country. Not like some places where people are not allowed to express their opinions. Here you can criticize the government openly and never have to worry about retribution or investigation, wiretapping or eavesdropping of any sort. The government would never arrest you for expressing an opposing view. Here we have freedom of speech.

I am sorry Kim, but where have you been...this IS happening with this administration.
Kensolar

Did someone say King George? Oh, so sorry, I thought there was a king in the White House.

DUH!

In America. In 2007. I can certainly believe just about anything of America now. What I don't believe, or rather am saddened by, is how complacent so many are while events occur over and over- the numbness of the repetition of violations. Ok, we know- enough is known-- those in Congress, the media just smile silently, the candidates state ridiculous platforms, and outright contradictory positions to what said in March when the climate was different-- so thought needs to be given by those who care to the specifics of a plan, what needs to be changed and why, and how to do it.

Bush today "in an emotional speech" (amusing how he can turn it on at will, and how "moved" people are by the display) equating Iraq with the last days of Japan and after, a comparison so laughably idiotic and ignorant, but the masses listen impressed (why are our academics silent, who I hope with their Ivy history Phds earned over many many years, know better; hope that historiograpohy and the fact that history is written hasn't blinded them to what they know). He can just throw things out at will that ignorant people believe and take as proof of his "wisdom" -- can see instances of that just in some of the respondents to this forum over time.

Two questions: is there a transcript of that speech, and is there a site somewhere devoted to correcting the relentless flood of nonsense and disinformation plausible to those who don't know better, coming from the president and his supporters. There certainly needs to be.

Oh really Kim? Well I guess I don't live in the fantasy image world in your head, if you are even reporting honestly on your own perceptions, rather than parroting something told to you.

Robert Castle, while the problem as you state is most real, I don't believe it iis helpful to say "satyagraha is the only way" or that Gandhi is some special, and the only solution, or to use what we do know about the current administration as a plug for some affiliation.

I know, Bosley, I find it bizarre that the administration finds these tactics something admirable to copy- I usually hope that it is some cynical joke to get back at those perceived as not showing him respect (and this is how they operate without doubt in my observation:only pay attention to reality however valid someone else's point, if they kiss one's own a..)- and then amazingly it is done in action (at least as reported in international papers), and even more amazingly, is then responded to as if routine and seemingly swallowed up and forgotten (or is it the attitude of the balkanized personal interests, that until something happens to one's interest, they can ignore as "it isn't their problem" so as long as doesn't encroach on anyone powerful but can do anything to the outsiders, they are fine) . On to the next day's news!

There comes a point like Titus Andronicus after his offer to "give his hand for Rome" is mockingly taken literally and after the ensuing despair, that one's thoughts have to turn to some redress.

Well James, and Mark in Irvine (great choice to live by the way!), I for one would line up (and I mean ASAP!) if we figure how to get this done.

And to be clear on one point: these are not private party functions, these are public events paid for with taxpayer dollars. If Shrub wants to "buy the microphones" and speak only to private gatherings of party faithful, he's welcome to do so talking to ordinary Americans. That's not what these events were. They were public events, billed as such, and passed off as such to the news cameras.

Consider , all those who say the Bushies are 24 percenters, how much that number would change if the military were clearly dominating- he might actually have a MAJORITY of approval. America seems not anti-international crime but anti-losing.

I wonder if his protective bubble will reach past the presidency? Certainly it may for private events but I hope that he can't stay in his bunker forever. If I ever get the chance to meet him without his protective bubble (and I imagine I am not alone in this) here is what I will say:

"You are the worst president I have ever lived to see, and I lived during the Nixon administration. You are a miserable failure at almost everything you have done. I am horrified at how low you went to serve your petty purposes. Why would anyone believe anything you say ever again? If we elect another empty suit, holier than thou, dissembling frat boy, we deserve a precipitous decline and fall of our once great nation."

I have long railed against the charade of Bush's "public" speeches. I'm more offened, however, by the fact that taxpayer money paid the salary of the man who probably wrote this discriminatory manual: Karl Rove, a Republican political operative with a White House office. We pay for our own mistreatment.

You know what's sad about this "free speech" issue? When a Democrat is elected president (assuming there IS an election in 2008 instead of a declaration of martial law) the same Rethugs who make up these "rally teams" will cause disruptions at that president's appearances. They'll be screaming and doing whatever the future equivalent is of waving flip-flops like they did in Kerry speeches. And these Repiglicans who stifled anti-fuhrer speech while tey were in power will claim it's their right to riot because of the First Amendment.

And thus does America grow ever more divided. I'm looking forward to the dissolution of the "United" States. I hope it can be acomplished like it was in Czechoslovakia, not the way it was when the Southern 25-percenters attempted it in 1861. Because when the Confederate region plus Indiana forms its own Jeebusland, the people in the sensible states will have somewhere to ship the wingnuts to, and the sensible people stuck in the redneck regions will have a nearby country in which to flee.

Why just single out presidential speeches as done in the initial post. There is no law that requires candidates to tell the truth in their speeches. In fact, law requires that all political advertising be published by the media even though they know it contains lies.
Our problem is we have to many professional politicians who care more for themselves than the country.
Time to vote out all incumbents and save the nation

WOW. Eighteen months before an election that, even WITH rigged voting machines, should have a party change in the executive branch by a landslide, the Washington Post is calling for a change in the way speeches are covered. The way things work, it would go into effect as soon as the dems take office. Maybe it's a shot at television, or maybe it's a shot at everyone, but what i DO know is that the Washington Post hasn't given that much equal time to protestors in it newspaper. I think they should practice what they preach.

STICKS AND STONES. PLEASE, BE POSITIVE. ALL I ASK IS THAT YOU GO TO "RON PAUL 2008" AND READ. THIS IS THE ONLY MAN THAT MAKES ANY SENSE AT ALL.

Is what Jim Ret says in his second sentence true? That might explain the lack of restraint in making up things and yeet broadcasting it publicly, but the problems with such a policy are obvious and constantly evident.

DUDLYDO, I don't mind Ron Paul at all, but Edwards is my choice of what we have (after going through this administration we've seen that prior "experience" isn't too important-can't get any more disastrous than what we've gone through-, but good judgment is), and am interested in what can be done to give him a real shot at winning.

Bosley, one should also consider the predominant influence of the military, and the whole domestic law enforcement network's beliefs and practices (the two often promote similar, special attitudes, shortcuts of laws for the comfort of their group etc..). The two often seem to mouth the same memorized dogmas, and extol their make-do "techniques" (also, the role of the military in, I have to say it, Israel, and the collectivist attitudes of its traditions, many of which of course came from totalitarian Eastern Europe, not to mention some weird traits or maybe --possibly false?--applications of its religious doctrines as promoted by 60's Americans)as practicality, necessary evils (many even joyously, false-Nietzsche/postmodernist like CELEBRATE amorality like self-hating perverts) in an unfair world silently assumed to be against them, or even a natural reality to be counter personal habits and traits.

Just one hint: when Japan surrendered in WW2, while the people and the emperor accepted surrender, it was the enclosed special clique of the Japanese military who tried to overthrow their own government after it announced surrender, widely proclaimed the honor of suicide and fighting to the death along with their own notions of honor and fascism, actually engaged several rebellions etc...

Luckily for various reasons not much significant came of it, but it just shows that if the Japanese military had its way, there would have been a view of the Japanese people (and subsequent false historical stories could have easily promulgated the story) which wouldn't have been actually true/reflective of the nation (even Hirohito the emperor announced the surrender- and it wasn't even primarily Truman's dropping of the atomic bomb that was the decisive force, as our conventional stories assume ), but of a fanatical, unrepresentative and specialist military bloc in it. Of course the Japanese PEOPLE would without question have suffered deaths if the clique of a military group had had their way, as was very close to happening.

Not surprising. Bush and the GOP prove over and over they really hate America, and love corporate money. Remember the Florida ballot recount in 2000 -- the Republican Party sent busloads of "brown shirts" to prevent votes from being counted, then Bush I appointed Supreme Court jurists ordered the counting to stop, which delivered the Presidency to Bush II. Most don't realize it, but about 10,000 ballots cast by black voters were never counted because the GOP claimed voter fraud. Claiming voter fraud is how Bush and the GOP still disenfranchise black voters, and that's what our lying Attourney General was up to by firing select U.S. Attourneys. Gore won, and we all lost.

8/22 @ 2:59: Did you see the obit yesterday for Hitler's secretary? She said even now just before death(and seems believable to me)she knew nothing the whole time- "we were in the wings while only he and the central actors knew what the play was"- and with her the whole time he was an affable and considerate men, the only "idiosyncrasy" she saw was a revulsion from meat, and dislke for her attempts to sneak it into his meal.

Bush and his BAndits have done it again! Busted another basic right and made that right illegal!And we have to wait until Sept 15th to have Bonnie Rice and Clyde Cheney attend the Memory lapse General's report to the rest of Bushies Bandits!
They have taken GOD away from us and placed him in Bushie's camp only. No one else has a right to him, no school, no ball game, no public gathering, no law with God included merciful or otherwise, etc.. GOD IS GONE FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC!
He is stored in Bushies camp for private use as needed!
The Bill of Rights and Constitution NO LONGER APPLY TO ANY CITIZENS! And portions of it are stomped and burned by Bushie's Bandits sitting on his appointed seats in the Courts! Laws are for the use of Bushies Bandits according to their needs. Classify any dissenter as a traitor and place a watch on everything they do. If they tred on Bushie space lock them up no matter the right they may have to do so!
Tell the World it must move and shake according to Bushies Bandits or we send in our DoRighter Force of might, under orders from none other than Bush The Master Bandit at the direction of his private GOD!
Lie, Cheat, Kill and Murder and call it all a continuing battle against a small international band of Bandits who dont play the game the way Bushie Likes!
An ON and ON!
Folks, this ain't no amateur stage play, this is the DEATH OF AMERICA happening before your eyes!

while there are indeed a certain amount of posts from those supporting the administration, i gotta believe, with nearly all the opportunities to comment to WP articles, there's a pattern here which leans the other way quite strongly. let us continue to voice our concerns, because it's American to do so. and let us save some energy to get our collective behinds to the booth to cast a vote in accordance with our voices. let them never again call us a "SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP"..! remember..if they get back in, we may all have to move..!

Getting to the booth to cast a vote is no problem. Is that sufficient, or is a Democrat win sufficient though?

Hey, wasn't Leahy talking about Rove being subpoenaed? What happened? It seemed Rove announced his leaving very shortly after.

Just to add to Hal k, this basically makes George's statements to the effect that there were doubters after WW2 about Japan becoming a democracy but those with faith persevered (as if anyone who ever questions is automatically wrong, and those who blindly "stay the course" in a favorite phrase of his family and "have faith" inherently get their way! Funny also how the one directional functional goal-oriented selfish self-interest notion from the 80's goes along the same lines as this prevailing will of faith thing)is basically nonsense.

Japan's ascendance didn't come from some self-congratulation of the unstoppable success of the superior wisdom of American direction- most people, including the Emperor, were already ready for it, and didn't copy American practices blindly, but did it their own way (and there was plenty of mass trickery of the American authorities during the occupation)

The comparisons of Bush to Putin, Hitler, and Stalin all ring true. The numerous remarks about the Post and other main stream media ignoring what we have all known is happening are right on as well.

What to do? I, for one, have been working up the courage to leave my native land, the home of my ancestors since the 1640's in Manhatten, and establish residency and perhaps citizenship in another country.

I have lost faith that the situation in America can improve. A new president, no matter how much an improvement over Bush (and it wouldn't take much) will inherit a country full of rot. I despair that we can ever pull out of the destruction wrought in these 2000 years.

Someone asked about previous post if politicians can lie. Here is an article concerning that (snip)

False Ads: There Oughta Be A Law! - Or Maybe Not
June 3, 2004 Updated: May 10, 2007
By Brooks Jackson
Here's a fact that may surprise you: Candidates have a legal right to lie to voters just about as much as they want.
That comes as a shock to many. After all, consumers have been protected for decades from false ads for commercial products. Shouldn't there be "truth-in-advertising" laws to protect voters, too?
For one thing, the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution says, "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech," and that applies to candidates for office especially. And secondly, in the few states that have enacted laws against false political ads, they haven't been very effective.

Federal Communications Act(U.S. Code: Title 47, Sec. 315. - Candidates for public office)
(a) ... If any licensee shall permit any person who is a legally qualified candidate for any public office... Provided, That such licensee shall have no power of censorship over the material broadcast under the provisions of this section."
But there's no such truth-in-advertising law governing federal candidates. They can legally lie about almost anything they want. In fact, the Federal Communications Act even requires broadcasters who run candidate ads to show them uncensored, even if the broadcasters believe their content to be offensive or false.(end snip)
Full story at:
http://www.factcheck.org/specialreports/false_ads_there_oughta_be_a_law.html

I greatly sympathize with "Moving"- it can't be at all an easy decision, especially so for someone whose roots and, I'm sure, pride in the country go way back to before its founding.

(and by the way isn't that to this day the knee jerk -and often phony- cry against Germans of the 40's, and whose full activities of the government didn't become widely known till AFTER the war was lost-- yes people were disappearing, but so some are here, and actually worse, admitted in public view-, that German residents' automatic guilt of complicity with their government's crimes was shown solely by the fact of their remaing in the country at the time)

Personally I'm not immediately able (and I'm sure plenty of other Americans with its huge population are in the same boat)to do this, nor to pack in the towel yet, and am most willing to find a way to work things out-- but there NEEDS to be a plan that is effective and fundamental, not just more labelling and covering as so many of our 60's gen and after seem only inclined to (or able to?) do (I remember even someone of as prominent stature as Kerry making this point in 2004, even if it may have seemed by the way then)

Thanks for that Jim- I can't believe the founders intended, for an issue that they WERE very aware of and which is at least one subject that couldn't have changed much in essence to this day- for political candidates to have protected freedom of speech to completely misrepresent issues to voters dependent on such information to make a decision whether to elect the candidates.

They couldn't have wanted complete lying to be piously protected "freedom of speech" so that the simple ignorant masses could choose powerful holders of office based on false information by crooks (who they were acutely aware of exisiting then also)! Makes me curious to look into it further.

We also need to remember to hold our media accountable for allowing this to occur! Where were they with these questions before this machine became so big AND OVERTOOK EVERY FORM OF OUR GOVERNMENT? The press was either asleep at the wheel or too chicken to rock the boat and possibly be attacked by the Republican attack machine. The Post was one of the few who spoke up but even they waited way too long before speaking up/out. That delay caused us to lose most of our rights and create a country that is so far removed from Democracy that it will take some strong leaders and intelligent voters to even begin to put us back on track (Either of them seem to be in short supply!).

One major example is the man who testified to Congress that he was asked by Feeney in Florida to write a program altering the count of our votes using a touch-screen computer. He thought they wanted to know if it could be done so they could stop it. To his dismay when he designed the program he found out they did not want to expose it, they had every intention of using it! Since that time we have had traditionally All Democratic counties return numbers which reflect a DRASTIC change and life-long Democrats all decided to vote Republican. Every attempt to secure a paper trail on the voting machines has been thwarted by the Republican Legislators.

Where is the press? How much more do you need?

Another simple Florida issue is another one the press is sitting on their butts. The Legislators passed a bill requiring cars in the left lane of interstate could only be in that lane to pass. This bill was requested by the State and local police department because it would cut down on road rage as well as move traffic along. Jeb Bush was in office and he vetoed it. No one knows why (He is probably a left lane driver or one of his big supporters). When he was out of office the same bill was put up again. What happened? It did not pass! The same people who voted for it the 1st time did not do so the 2nd time. They only did it the 1st time because they were up for election and JEB Bush said he would veto it, no matter how good it was for traffic, the police etc....

So why has the press not written the politicians up on this? Are they all bought and paid for in Florida?

It is time the press stops acting like tabloids and start acting like the press!

You're right anon 3:56. Now what?

How funny when our wannabe wizard of Oz finally reveals ,in situations where he is forced to, the mystical, oracular reasoning behind the superior plan and design that he acts as if only HE can see, it turns out to be,such a surprise, FUNDAMENTALLY FLAWED OR OUTRIGHT WRONG/FALSE.

(and the Wizard of Oz made its point, when, in the late 1800's?)

I've known for some time that people attending Bush rallies were carefully screened and that Bush only addresses audiences likely to support him (Military, VFW, American Legion). I remembered that they tried to exclude a command level lieutenant who had served in Afghanistan and Iraq beceaue one of the two students with him had a Kerry for President sticker on a book bag. The lieutenant pulled rank and asked if the screeners wanted it publicly known that he, as a command level lieutenant who had served in Afghanistan and Iraq, was denied access a Bush rally. Typical of the cowards they are, they decided to let him in, but not the two students. I don't support these wars, but it's well past time to use these atrocities against Bush. We get the government we deserve.

It appears that Bush (and his administration) are the Michael Vick(and his entourage) of politics. No ethics, no morality, and no empathy. They've both let us down and will never pay a price commensurate with the damage they have done.

Sounds to me like everyone on this board is taking full advantage of their First Amendment freedoms to criticize the President & his entourage in no uncertain terms - apparently w/out reservation or any fear of real retribution. Hard to square that, logically, w/ all the talk about fascism, stalinism, etc.

Scott, what hypocrites many here must be, howling about the things you say, they must just be making it up!

The point isn't that people at the current moment on a board not directly controlled by the administration state things (and how do you know they are taking " full advantage" as if to assume what is said here is everything one might say, or that just because someone here apparently hasn't been retaliated against yet for something they said, that they speak without the thought of "retribution"), but that actions and retributions HAVE been taken against non-majority groups, individuals, and in actions abroad without the required public disclosure. No one can seriously say that COMPLETE totalitarianism is CURRENTLY here, but many of the encroaching signs HAVE ALREADY occurred to an alarming and unprecedented extent, and are violations of long-standing agreed American principles, to say what should be obvious to many.

Another example of fine, "alternative" critical thinking.

I can't fathom Bush's eagerness to be insulated from troublesome realities. He isn't in that bubble by accident. He demands to live there.

It has been common knowledgefor a long time that the media people didn't report the shenanigans the Bush people were doing because they were afraid of losing their livelihood. The reasons were that these reporters were afraid they would lose their jobs and they had families to support.
Most of us who have the time to watch Bush on T.. knew he had only yes people around him. Most of the demonstrators who wanted to protest didn't want to be rounded up and arrested on false charges.
Their names and pictures would have been posted as "terrorists".
The nightly news media etc let this administration get away with this awful treatment of citizens for the last six and a half years.
When the new Congress convenes soon I hope they will revisit the Patriot Act and change it by eliminating much of the new material that has been added in the last few months.
I believe that Karl Rove left so that he can do his dirty work against Democrats that he couldn't do legally from the white House.
Bush has become personna non grata overseas and he should be here also.

Baaaaa!!!

So said the American sheep as they were told that wool was silk...

Baaaaa!!!

So said the American sheep as they were told that someone very, very far away was going to destroy their television sets...

Baaaaa!!!

So said the American sheep as they were led into the pen...

Baaaaa!!!

So said the American sheep as their heads were placed in the harness...

Silence, as the American sheep bleated no more...

Dolsac, there's probably a lot to what you say, but WHAT A COST there was from those choices by both the information reporters and the majority of the public! You can't get too much worse of a result, short of civil war.

TO KEITH C:

YOU ARE RIGHT: BUSH SAID GOD IS ON HIS SIDE JUST LIKE OSAMA BIN LADIN SAID GOD IS ON HIS SIDE SO DID MUKTADA AL SAD'R. BOTTOMLINE BUSH IS A FANATIC JUST LIKE JIHADISTS ARE FANATICS.

consolidation corporation loan student Blue-plate special

medical insurance Turn the tables

insurance adjuster We are not amused

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