More Good News

Zogby Poll: Americans Support Impeaching Bush for
Wiretapping

Submitted by Bob Fertik on January 13, 2006 - 11:34pm.Impeachment

New Zogby Poll Shows Majority of Americans Support Impeaching Bush for Wiretapping

By a margin of 52% to 43%, Americans want Congress to consider impeaching President Bush if he wiretapped American citizens without a judge's approval, according to a new poll commissioned by AfterDowningStreet.org, a grassroots coalition that supports a Congressional investigation of President Bush's decision to invade Iraq in 2003.

The poll was conducted by Zogby International, the highly-regarded non-partisan polling company. The poll interviewed 1,216 U.S. adults from January 9-12.

The poll found that 52% agreed with the statement:

"If President Bush wiretapped American citizens without the approval of a judge, do you agree or disagree that Congress should consider holding him accountable through impeachment."

43% disagreed, and 6% said they didn't know or declined to answer. The poll has a +/- 2.9% margin of error.

"The American people are not buying Bush's outrageous claim that he has the power to wiretap American citizens without a warrant. Americans believe terrorism can be fought without turning our own government into Big Brother," said AfterDowningStreet.org co-founder Bob Fertik.

Recently White House spokesman Scott McClellan cited a Rasmussen poll that found 64% believe the NSA "should be allowed to intercept telephone conversations between terrorism suspects." Of course, that is exactly what Congress authorized when it created the FISA courts to issue special expedited secret warrants for terrorism suspects. But Bush defied the FISA law and authorized warrantless wiretaps of Americans, which has outraged Americans to the point that a majority believe Congress should consider Bush's impeachment.

"Bush admits he ordered illegal warantless wiretapping, but says it began in response to 9/11 and was limited to a small number of calls to or from Al Qaeda," Fertik said. "But recent reports suggest wiretapping affected a much larger number of Americans, and a report in Friday's Truthout says the wiretapping began before 9/11."

"The upcoming Senate hearings on White House wiretapping could be as dramatic as the Watergate hearings in 1973. A majority of Americans have already believe Congress should look into grounds for impeachment, yet we have only seen the tip of the iceberg in the Corporate Media. If Bush ordered warrantless wiretapping long before the terrorist attack on 9/11, then Americans will realize that George Bush came into office determined to shred the Constitution and take away our rights," Fertik said.

Impeachment Supported by Majorities of Many Groups

Responses to the Zogby poll varied by political party affiliation: 66% of Democrats favored impeachment, as did 59% of Independents, but only 23% of Republicans. By ideology, impeachment was supported by Progressives (90%), Libertarians (71%), Liberals (65%), and Moderates (58%), but not by Conservatives (33%) or Very Conservatives (28%).

Responses also varied by age, sex, race, and religion. 74% of those 18-29 favored impeachment, 47% of those 31-49, 49% of those 50-64, and 40% of those over 65. 55% of women favored impeachment, compared to 49% of men. Among African Americans, 75% favored impeachment, compared to 56% of Hispanics, and 47% of whites. Majorities of Catholics, Jews, and Others favored impeachment, while 44% of Protestants and 38% of Born Again Christians did so.

Majorities favored impeachment in the East (54%), South (53%) and West (52%), and Central states (50%). In large cities, 56% support impeachment; in small cities, 58%; in suburbs, 46%; in rural areas, 46%.

Support for Clinton Impeachment Was Much Lower

In August and September of 1998, 16 major polls asked about impeaching President Clinton (http://democrats.com/clinton-impeachment-polls). Only 36% supported hearings to consider impeachment, and only 26% supported actual impeachment and removal. Even so, the impeachment debate dominated the news for months, and the Republican Congress impeached Clinton despite overwhelming public opposition.

Passion for Impeachment is Major Unreported Story

The strong support for impeachment found in this poll is especially surprising because the views of impeachment supporters are entirely absent from the broadcast and print media, and can only be found on the Internet and in street protests. The lack of coverage of impeachment support is due in part to the fact that not a single Democrat in Congress has called for impeachment, despite considerable grassroots activism by groups like Democrats.com (http://democrats.com/impeach).

The passion of impeachment supporters is directly responsible for the four polls commissioned by After Downing Street. After the Zogby poll in June, activists led by Democrats.com urged all of the major polling organizations to include an impeachment question in their upcoming polls. But none of the polling organizations were willing to do so for free, so on September 30, AfterDowningStreet.org posted a request for donations to fund paid polls (http://afterdowningstreet.org/polling). People responded with small donations (on average $27) which quickly added up to over $10,000. After Downing Street has spent a portion of that money on the Ipsos Poll and the two Zogby Polls.

Footnotes:

1. AfterDowningStreet.org is a rapidly growing coalition of veterans' groups, peace groups, and political activist groups that was created on May 26, 2005, following the publication of the Downing Street Memo in London's Sunday Times on May 1. The coalition is urging Congress to begin a formal investigation into whether President Bush committed impeachable offenses in connection with the Iraq war.

2. The Ipsos Public Affairs poll and the new Zogby poll results cited above refer to surveys of U.S. adults. The June Zogby results are from a survey of likely voters. The new Zogby poll produced results for both adults and likely voters (see footnote 3).

3. Here are the complete data tables from all three polls.

January Zogby: Adults and Likely Voters
November Zogby: Adults and Likely Voters.
October Ipsos: Adults and definitions of regions.
June Zogby: Likely Voters.

Now For Some Really Good News

Maybe Texans aren't quite as [ahem] ignorant as I gave them credit for. Seems they have wised up to their good ole boy Tommy [Mr. Corrupt] De Lay.

The Houston Chronicle is reporting that a poll finds only half of the Republicans who voted for DeLay in 2004 would do so again. This is not a good sign for Tommy and if he is indicted for his dealings wiith Abramoff his political career is pretty much over with.

You know what they say, Tommy, when you play, you pay.

The Main Problem With Alito Being Confirmed

Imo, it is not his stance on abortion or what clubs he was affiliated with when in college but the fact that when it comes time to impeach Bush and try him for war crimes, Alito and Roberts will give him a free ride on it. Basically, Bush will be able to commit murder and get away with breaking some of the most important laws of the land. It's a well established fact Bush is a coward, tyrant, liar and one of the most corrupt Presidents in history, of course he is going to cover his sorry ass. Alito is a yes man to the Republicans, he has proven that with Reagan and he'll be a yes man for Bush. It would really be wonderful if he held to ethics but he has also proven he has none.

It seems to me the Democrats are working with Republicans. WTF is wrong with the DNC that they allow the repukes to have their way in everything. Who gives a crap if Ann Coulter, Lindsey Gramm or Arlen Specter bitch about the mean old Democrats. The bastards are going to say it no matter what the Democrats do. If the DNC continues to roll over for the Republicans as they have for years now, I say vote those bums out of office too.

The Republicans have proven time and again they do not care about the Constitution, Americans or what is just and right. They care only for the their party and their pockets.

How damn corrupt does a Political party and Administration have to be before the American people stand up and say, ENOUGH!?!?

IMPEACH

What Goes Around Comes Around...Again!

I just love it when that happens to the holier than thou Republicans especially the totally corrupt Tommy DeLay.

How many of you remember when he was first indicted he made the claim, "it's not against the law to defeat the Democrats and that's all I did." As most of us know, he would and did do just about everything in his power short of murder to defeat Democrats or whoever stood in his way to reach his goal and I'm not so sure he didn't do that either.

Anyhoo, this morning the Austin American Statesman reports that there are several activists groups, Campaign for America's Future and Public Campaign Action Fund, who are going to run television commericals aimed at Tommy.

It seems Tommy doesn't like it when the Democrats do something to defeat a Republican. And damn the bad luck, Tommy, it looks like you are the Republican.

[clip]

Shannon Flaherty, a DeLay campaign spokeswoman, said the campaign has sent a letter to Houston television stations asking them not to run the ads.

"These ads, just like the groups that are sponsoring them, are purposefully misleading to attack conservative leaders like Tom DeLay," Flaherty said.

[clip]

This IS The Reality Of Bushes War

This is an email a mother received from her son who is a soldier in Iraq. It touches me deeply because I also have a son who is of military age and it is not hard for me to imagine putting myself in this mother's place. My son lives here in the United States and whenever I talk to him, I ask him if he's eating well and taking care of himself just like this mother asked her son. How my heart would break to think he was only eating one meal a day and only bathing once a week if that. To think his life was being put in danger unnecessarily ever single day for a war based on lies and for a President not interested in ending this war but keeping it going.

Mommas don't let your babies grow up to be soldiers. OMG, this war must be stopped.

Military Families
Submitted by davidswanson on Mon, 2006-01-09 19:54. Media

From a friend of Cindy Sheehan's

**WARNING** FYI.....This is pretty graphic.....

I was thrilled yesterday to wake to an email from Micah. The last correspondence I had from him was the email on Dec. 26. Then 2 guys in his battalion were killed and one wounded on the 27th (the wounded soldier has since passed away from his injuries). All communications were shut down until notification of their deaths by the Army to their families....but still no word from Micah. I knew that he would contact us as soon as hecould...but that didn't make the waiting any easier. He emailed yesterday to reassure me that he was "fine"....which of course I was glad to hear. Then he called me later in the day.....

It was wonderful to hear his voice....be able to talk to him. I asked him about the incident that ended those 3 guys lives.....ages 26, 23, and 20. He said he hadn't planned on telling me about it, but then knew that I already knew about it...aware that I had received the email from the military explaining why we may not be hearing from our soldiers. I asked him if he knew what happened....he hesitantly told me....."Yes".....he was there when it happened! That....I wasn't prepared for. He wanted to spare me the details....but Micah and I can and do talk very frankly about everything.....I knew he needed to talk to someone about it....so I told him not to hold anything back. I told him I already know he is in harms way, I know there are horrible things going on there....things I can't even imagine.....but I wanted to know....and I wanted him to be able to talk about it with me.

He said it was their first mission since arriving in Baghdad. A group of them had to walk through a field to a "destination". He said just in front of him....about 100 yards was an explosion. Someone had stepped on a buried mine that exploded.....they were walking in a mine field! He said nothing was left....except an arm....a leg.....fingers..... They continued walking....then a second explosion.....the next two victims. They radioed for a helicopter that was not to come. So they were instructed to turn back and walk BACK thru the field......9 hours they walked......4 1/2 one way....4 1/2 back....nothing accomplished.....3 lives lost. The tension and fear that your next step, placement of your foot would be you.....your friend at any moment.....
This is our war..........

Why not take a high school class out on the edge of the expressway and have them run back and forth....who gets hit does...who's lucky enough not to....well is just lucky.

It was horrifying knowing he witnessed it, knowing he was filled with fear and images that will stay with him forever.

I asked him about the Iraqis.....the Iraqi soldiers he was with. "Their crazy" was his reply. He said that morning a dog was running down the street and an Iraqi man beat it to death with a shovel then threw it on theside of the road. He said, "That's normal here."

I immediately knew when I started talking to him that he had a cold.....he said, "Yeah, I do, but I'm ok." I asked if he was eating good....what did they have for them to eat?....American food....Iraqi food? He said they get ONE meal a day. A "meal" that is either a 6 inch cold pizza, or well, he had 5 cold chicken wings one day, oh and a hotdog one day....well a lone hotdog....no bun.

One meal a day!!! Prisoners in this country are required to receive 3 full meals a day in prison or it's infringing on their rights??!!! He said they have 2 microwave ovens that are broken and a toaster oven that doesn't work well....the government is apparently spoiling them! Our sons and daughters are in the U.S. military.....fighting for our country.....have committed no crimes and this is what they feed them???It's like the Twilight Zone or some parallel universe.....a bad dream that upon waking makes no real sense....

He took his first shower yesterday.....his first since Dec. 20. That was good he said.

The Army is wondering why no one wants to join??? Why no one wants to go back??? Are the American people really that dense to think that we are doing the right thing.....doing good? The government wants to spin this into that they're protecting us from terrorists.....payback for 9/11. Osama Bin Ladin is no where near Iraq! So is anyone on his trail?

I know they're in harms way.....thousands of miles away from home and family but can they for God's sake treat them better than a prisoner....than an animal? You mistreat an animal in this country and all kinds of organizations are on your back.....you go to jail. Our government is mistreating our soldiers and we stand back and watch......well not really because we don't see THIS on the news. We only see what they want us to see.

Most of the guys that joined were promised to be able to go to college....ont he government...and could start even while in the military. Micah was included in this group. He was met with....you don't have time for college you can go when you get out. But....our prisoners are receiving college degrees while serving their sentences! Is it me or is it just backwards?? Micah is already skinny as a rail.....how do they expect a 20 yr old boy to live on what they are feeding them? Guess it doesn't matter much....why waste food on people you make walk thru mine fields? Doesn't this sound alittle like the Holocaust?

So.....Micah says....he's "ok". I'm sorry to vent but THIS HAS TO STOP!!!!
PLEASE!!!!!!

Email, write, call your congressmen, state representatives....etc. Go to some of the websites I have listed below....read the stories of the people....one after another..... I will email the links again to find your state officials. EDUCATE YOURSELF!!

I don't want to wait over the next year for a knock at my door....and I don't want one more mother, wife, family member to either. These Iraqi people apparently have no regard for life.....theirs, their women and children, ours, even animals.

WHY ARE WE THERE??

And I voted for Bush.....TWICE! You don't see the Bush twins in Iraq.....no manicures or shopping sprees.

Don't want to ruin your day.....just want to get you thinking.....and MAD!!!

Send what you can to our troops....they definitely need it...apparently especially FOOD!!!

Please feel free to forward this email to anyone and everyone you can! I feel helpless.....I want to jump on a plane like that 16 yr old from Florida and grab my son and bring him home.....

PLEASE VISIT THESE WEBSITES:
www.bringthemhomenow.org
www.stopthelie.com
www.unitedforpeace.org

Gold Star Families for Peace: www.gsfp.org

Military Families Speak Out: www.mfso.org
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/iraq/casualties/facesofthefallen.htm

WHERE TO SEND PACKAGES TO OTHER SOLDIERS:
www.anysoldier.com
www.give2thetroops.org
www.treatanysoldier.com

IMPEACH BUSH NOW!!!

Alert! Contaminated Pet Food Has killed Dozens of Dogs

Contaminated pet food kills dozens of dogs

Diamond Pet Foods recalled 19 varieties containing toxic chemical

MSNBC News Services
Updated: 11:35 a.m. ET Jan. 9, 2006

COLUMBIA, S.C. - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports that at least 76 dogs nationwide are believed to have died as a result of eating contaminated Diamond Pet Foods.

The company has recalled 19 varieties of dog and cat food because tests showed high levels of aflatoxin, a naturally occurring toxic chemical that comes from a fungus found on corn and other grains that causes severe liver damage in animals.

The company recalled products manufactured at its Gaston, S.C., plant from around September to November 2005. Based on sample testing, Diamond has narrowed down the exposure to food produced on Oct. 11, Brinkmann said Thursday.

The FDA and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture have launched investigations.
Customers who have purchased the recalled Diamond Pet Food manufactured in the South Carolina plant should immediately stop using it and return any remaining product to their retailer, according to the FDA.

The range of date codes being reviewed are "Best By 01-March-07" through Best By " 11-June-07".

FDA also has discovered that some of the recalled product was exported to at least 29 countries, including countries within the European Union. These countries have been notified.
Diamond officials say they are doing what they can to help affected pet owners.

“It’s going to take some time to take care of all these customers, and we’re going to do it,” said the company’s chief operating officer, Mark Brinkmann.

Diamond has promised to reimburse pet owners for vet bills and other costs associated with the aflatoxin poisoning, which officials now believe may include pets in Europe and other areas outside the country where the food is distributed.

Complete list of states and brands affected by recall

The company set up a call center staffed with veterinarians. The call volume peaked at about 2,000 calls a day last week, Brinkmann said.

Shanika Stewart has been caring for her ailing 9-year-old chow, force-feeding the animal with a syringe six times a day since suffering permanent liver damage after eating contaminated dog food.

“I haven’t had any time to do anything but take care of her,” said Stewart, a 19-year-old nursing student at the University of South Carolina. “She’s the No. 1 priority. ... I get maybe four hours of sleep before she wakes me up.”

Aflatoxin poisoning symptoms

Aflatoxin comes from a fungus found on corn and other crops and can cause severe liver damage in pets. If your pet shows any of these symptoms contact your veterinarian immediately.

— Sluggishness
— Loss of appetite
— Jaundice (yellow whites of the eyes, gums, belly)
— Severe, persistent vomiting combined with bloody diarrhea
— Fever

Source: Food and Drug AdministrationThrough relocations from Army bases in Georgia, Oklahoma, Washington and now South Carolina, Cocoa has been a constant companion for Stewart, whose father is serving in Iraq.

When her own daughter died last year, Stewart said Cocoa helped her through her grief. “It was like she understood,” Stewart said. “She was my best friend.”

Severe liver damageStewart’s other dog, a 2-year-old pit bull named Chulo, died last month just hours after being diagnosed with liver failure. It was only then that the family learned of the recall.

Stewart initially thought Cocoa had refused to eat because she was depressed about losing Chulo. After the recall, the family vet confirmed aflatoxin poisoning in Cocoa, Stewart said.

Steve Shrum, president of the South Carolina Association of Veterinarians, said vets around the state were confused when puppies began showing signs of liver problems usually seen in older dogs.

“It takes such a small amount, and there’s pretty much nothing you can do with the process that will inactivate that toxin once it gets in the food supply,” he said.
Stewart says she has not spoken with anyone at the company despite several calls. The family has filled out an online form explaining their situation.

“You don’t get anybody to talk to and tell your story,” she said. “It’s like they’re not concerned. To me, it’s like they’re saying, ’Oh well, we’ll get to it when we get to it.”’
Brinkmann was sympathetic.

“We’re going as fast as we can,” he said. “I grieve with her, and I’m going to do everything I can to make sure we can do right by her.”

Face Of Hypocrisy

That's right folks...Newt Gingrich. Of course I could have put up anyone of a number of the NeoCon movement but today Mr. Gingrich will be the featured attraction.

As I write this article let us not lose sight of the fact Mr. Newt Gingrich is in the market to run as the 2008 Presidential Republican nominee and is desperate for people to forget what a corrupt creep...oops, politician he really is.

Now on to the hypocrisy of Newt Gingrich...

As David Sirota reminds us, while Newt is making mewling sounds of protestation in regards the corruption in Washington let us not forget he helped Jack Abramoff reach the pinnacle of where he now stands. He was bosom buddies [no offense to bosoms] with Abramoff as much as was Tommy DeLay.

With the help of David Sirota's fine research skills let us take, as Sirota says, a trip down memory lane...

GINGRICH STARTED THE K STREET PROJECT: "Starting in the mid-1990s, some Republicans, including then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) and DeLay, have advocated tracking the political affiliation of lobbyists, as part of an effort to place more conservatives on K Street." [Source: Washington Post, 8/2/02]

GINGRICH RAKED IN CASH FROM THE K STREET PROJECT'S SHAKEDOWN OPERATION: "Their strategy, which Norquist dubbed the 'K Street Project,' was designed to transform Washington's business PACs and lobbies -- and the businesses they represented -- into loyal soldiers in the new Republican revolution. In exchange for legislative favors, Gingrich, DeLay, and other congressional leaders expected that the businesses would provide the funds to keep them in office. Meanwhile, Norquist's group, the Christian Coalition, and other Wednesday groups would be rewarded with generous 'educational' contracts from the Republican campaign committees. In 1996, Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform received a $ 4.6 million windfall from soft money contributions to the Republican National Committee. This new strategy worked admirably during Gingrich's first six months as speaker. While the Republican leadership introduced a spate of controversial bills gutting regulatory agencies, business contributions more than doubled from what they had been during a comparable period in 1993." [Source: American Prospect, 3/13/00]

GINGRICH OVERTLY USES LEGISLATIVE FAVORS TO GET LOBBYIST CONTRIBUTIONS: "The most famous and ominous warning came in 1998 from then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) and then-Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Tex.). The two leaders held up a vote on intellectual property legislation in protest of the Electronics Industry Association's plan to hire a Democrat to run the group." [Source: Washington Post, 6/26/03]

And not to be forgotten...

ABRAMOFF KNOWN TO BE CLOSEST TO GINGRICH: "Few lobbyists in Washington are closer to House power brokers Newt Gingrich and Tom DeLay than Abramoff." [Source: Washingtonian, 12/98]

ABRAMOFF REGULARLY TOUTED HIS PROXIMITY TO GINGRICH & USED IT TO WIELD POWER: "In these capacities and through his work on political campaigns and grassroots efforts with organizations such as the Republican National Committee, the Christian Coalition, and the National Jewish Coalition, Abramoff developed and maintains strong ties to Speaker Newt Gingrich, Majority Leader Dick Armey, Majority Whip Tom Delay and Republican Policy Committee Chairman Chris Cox and their staffs." [Source: Preston, Gates & Ellis Press Release, 12/30/94]

ABRAMOFF & GINGRICH WORKED CLOSELY ON THE K STREET PROJECT: "Jack Abramoff, a lobbyist here who is close to Mr. Gingrich, said House Republicans were watching very closely to see whether lobbyists were making more than a token effort to help Republicans stay in power." [Source: New York Times, 3/20/95]

K STREET SAW ABRAMOFF AS THEIR BRIDGE TO GINGRICH: "The GOP victories in 1994 transformed [Abramoff] into a valuable asset as law firms recruited activists with connections to the new Gingrich team." [Source: National Journal, 7/29/95]

Now kids for the really juicey part of Newt Gingrich's hypocrisy...

All the while Newt was calling for the impeachment of a President [On July 15, the party sent letters to House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, formally requesting that the "United States House begin Articles of Impeachment" against Clinton and Gore.] for lying about a consensual sexual relationship with one of his aids, he (Newt) himself was doing the exact same thing and one of the reasons he stepped down as Speaker of the House.

So when you hear Newt Gingrich bemoaning the recent corruption in Washington, please remember where and with whom it all started.

Thank you.

Impeach