A Better Day - (3rd annual Progressive Fest Illinois) Saturday, September 20th 9a-4:30p

http://www.better-day.info/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Palatine Conference Fosters Grassroots Efforts Toward Peace, Justice, Sustainability.

Palatine, IL - September 3, 2008 - When it comes to the large problems facing humanity, how can one person make a difference? A Better Day 2008 offers answers by bringing together distinguished speakers, activists, and community organizers for a day. The public is invited to learn and discuss the issues, make connections, and get involved in any of dozens of social benefit groups.

A Better Day 2008 takes place Saturday, September 20, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Countryside Church Unitarian Universalist, 1025 N. Smith Street, Palatine, Illinois.

This open, non-partisan event offers three tracks of activity: speakers, an exhibit of local organizations, and breakout sessions in the church classrooms. Jim Kenney of Common Ground will give the morning keynote, “Peace is Possible”. Other speakers will address social and economic justice, sustainable living, support for our veterans, and ways of dealing with our differences. Exhibitors in the conference hall will include environmentalists, advocates for economic reform and social justice, and local peace groups.

Programs will emphasize personal involvement. Program Committee member Kat Doyle says, "We want to tell everyone, you can do something! Working with other people for a good cause is a great way to make friends, discover skills you never knew you had, and just have fun."

A Better Day 2008 is sponsored by the Adult Faith Development Council of Countryside Church Unitarian Universalist, Palatine, Illinois.

Contact:
Hal Snyder, M.D.
A Better Day 2008 Program Committee
224-678-6188
hal@better-day.info
http://www.better-day.info

What Is A Better Day?

• A one-day grassroots gathering about peace, justice, and the environment.
• A chance to network with people who are concerned about the way things are going and are determined to make a difference.
• A day of learning about the issues from organizers who are at the forefront on matters of global and interfaith fellowship, social justice, and sustainability.
• But most of all - a day to kick-start your participation in any of twenty or more local action groups - or if you are already involved, a chance to make new connections and reach out to the community.

A Better Day was inspired by Fighting Bob Fest, the annual Wisconsin extravaganza that brings thousands of fired-up progressive speakers, organizers, and rabble-rousers to Baraboo every September.

Morning Session

9:00-9:30 Doors Open, Registration

9:30-10:00 Opening

• Rev. Hilary Landau-Krivchenia: Welcome
• Hal Snyder: Getting the Most Out of the Day

10:00-10:45 Keynote by Jim Kenney: Peace is Possible Common Ground

11:00-12:00 Health and Education, Social Justice

• 11:00-11:20 Melanie Schikore Andina: Social Justice Through the Arts
• 11:30-11:50 Victoria Weiley: Living Within Your Means; Means Simply......Living

Lunch Break - 12:00-1:30

Afternoon Session

1:30-2:30 Sustainability

• 1:30- 1:50 Bruce Bendix: Defining a Sustainable Future Eco Squared Consulting
• 2:00- 2:20 Jay Womack & Paul Sorci : Green Roof Wight & Company

2:30-3:30 Supporting Our Veterans

• 2:30- 2:50 Dirk Enger: Our Veterans; Our Community Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans
• 3:00- 3:20 Christopher France: Understanding PTSD Iraq Veterans Against the War

3:30-4:15 Panel: Dealing With Our Differences

• Vid Axel - Non-Violent Communication Living Action
• Jay Becker O'Neil World Can't Wait
• Catherine Caporusso Chicago Area CodePINK, Northwest suburban NOW

4:15 Closing by Rev. Hilary Landau-Krivchenia: Taking A Better Day Forward

Groups Working to Make a Difference

We hope you'll use A Better Day as a chance to network. Joining a social benefit organization is a great way to make new friends and discover your hidden talents. We are opening Atherton Hall to tables for more than 20 organizations.

We expect members or official representatives from the
following:

• Students for Animal Defense (College of DuPage)
• Greater Chicago Caucus
• Citizen Action/Illinois
• Social Action Committee, CCUU
• Green Sanctuary Committee, CCUU
• National Organization for Women – Northwest Suburban Chapter
• Northwest Suburban Peace & Education Project
• Chicago Area Code Pink
• Working Families Win
• Holistic Moms Network
• Sierra Club – Northwest Suburbs Region
• ACLU
• A+ Illinois
• Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
• Illinois Coalition for Justice, Peace, & the Environment
• World Can't Wait
• League of Women Voters
• Iraq Veterans Against the War
• Illinois League of Conservation Voters
• Common Ground
• Illinois Maternal & Child Health Coalition
• Alliance for the Great Lakes
• Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans

Getting the Word Out

Invitation (updated 9/02)

Mindmap (updated 8/29)

Registration form (save $2 by registering in advance at CCUU)

What is A Better Day? (updated 8/29)

Help Us Publicize the Event!

About US:

The team behind A Better Day arose from the joining of two groups.

For two years, 2006 and 2007, some of us helped organize the Illinois Progressive Fest in Big Rock, Illinois to bring together progressive candidates and activists working to put people before profits and restore the social contract in our government. In 2008 we formed the Progressive Fest Illinois (PFI) committee to work on non-partisan annual events going forward.

The Adult Faith Development Council of CCUU (Countryside Church Unitarian Universalist) in Palatine includes persons dedicated to uplifting the human spirit and working with organizations in the community to promote peace, justice, and sustainability.

email: info@better-day.info · media contact: Hal Snyder 224-678-6188

Both groups were interested in bringing together speakers, activists, and the public for a day of learning and networking. We decided to pool our efforts to bring you A Better Day.

Former Congresswoman, Presidential Candidate Cynthia McKinney Makes Campaign Stops in TN

The Green Party of TN is honored to host Ms McKinney as she visits 4
communities across the state this week. “From community problems like
landfill issues in Dickson to community solutions like the Biofuels plant
in Memphis and community gardens in Nashville Ms McKinney will get to talk
to people who are impacted and those with community-based solutions, a
Green Party Key Value”, said Katey Culver Green Party of TN Co-chair.

Wednesday, August 20th McKinney will make 3 stops in Memphis.
That evening she will be in Jackson, Tennessee for a fundraiser hosted by
the Madison County Green Party.

Thursday, August 21st McKinney's first stop is in Dickson to meet with
representatives of the community who have been affected by the dumping of
toxic waste in their community. Then to Nashville for an 11:00 AM Press
Conference in Room 31, Legislative Plaza speaking to the press about her
campaign. This event is open to the public. Following the press
conference Ms McKinney will speak directly to the public and take
questions. This will also be in Legislative Plaza, Room 31.

That morning Greens will turn in their nominating petitions to secure her
position on the general election ballot in Tennessee. “Due to
Tennessee's oppressive election access laws Ms McKinney will be listed
on the ballot as an independent candidate which we can achieve with 275 valid
signatures. It would take over 45,000 valid signatures to get her listed
with the “Green” affiliation. The Green Party is currently a litigant
against the state seeking ballot access laws that are fair”, said John
Miglietta a delegate to the Green Party of the US and a Green Candidate
for US House District 5.

Following the Press Conference she is scheduled to visit Tennessee State
University, Fisk University and Carver Food Park where Sizwe Herring of
EarthMatters Tennessee teaches children and community members about the
value of composting and principles of ecology.

Cynthia McKinney in her Chicago acceptance speech indicated why she had
chosen to go Green, saying, "In 2008, after two stolen Presidential elections and
eight years of George W. Bush, and at least two years of Democratic Party
complicity, the racket is about war crimes, torture, crimes against the
peace; the racket is about crimes against the Constitution, crimes against
the American people, and crimes against the global community. The racket
is even about values that we thought were long settled as reasonable to
pursue, like liberty and justice, and economic opportunity, for all."

As the Green Party candidate, issues of environmental and racial justice will
highlight her Tennessee visit. “Cynthia has chosen to visit people and places
that the Democrats and Republicans would would rather forget, such as
the victims of environmental racism in Dickson, Tennessee. I think this is why
Cynthia is the best choice this election season, because it is clear that she is
the people's candidate," said Chris Lugo Green candidate for the US Senate.

Scheduled Itinerary Available Upon Request:

For More Information Contact:

Katey Culver, Green Party of TN,
Committee Co-chair, 615-416-1908
katey@gp.org

Chris Lugo, Green Candidate, US Senate,
615-593-0304, chris4senate@gmail.com

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/aug/14/subprimecrisis.housingmarket?gusrc=rss&feed=worldnews

Sub-prime crisis: Property crash pushes third of US homebuyers into negative equity

• Andrew Clark in New York
• The Guardian,
• Thursday August 14 2008
• Article history

The US property market has collapsed with such ferocity that almost a third of homebuyers are trapped in negative equity with mortgages outstripping the value of their homes.

House prices in the US are plunging at their fastest rate for 12 years, leaving millions of people struggling to meet home loans often provided by unscrupulous lenders after making minimal checks on the suitability of borrowers.

Among Americans who bought homes since the beginning of 2003, some 29.1% are in negative equity according to research by Zillow.com, an online specialist in house values. For those who bought in 2006, as many as 45% have mortgages under water in comparison to the sale value of their property.

"For homeowners who need to sell, this is a gravely serious situation," Stan Humphries, Zillow's vice-president of analytics, told Bloomberg News.

"It can also be harmful to communities where the number of unsold homes adds more houses to inventory and puts downward pressure on prices."

The latest figures on house prices showed a year on year drop of 9.9%.

Worst hit are previously booming areas such as Los Angeles, where prices are down 27%, and Las Vegas, which has seen a drop of 21%.

Citigroup's housebuilding analyst, Josh Levin, yesterday predicted that property prices could continue falling through 2010 and possibly 2011.

One of America's largest mortgage finance companies recently forecast that prices would drop by between 18% and 20% from "peak to trough" in the current downturn.

Freddie Mac said the US property market was in its most dismal condition since the great depression of the 1930s.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080813/METRO/808130360

Foreclosure fallout: Houses go for a $1

Ron French / The Detroit News

DETROIT -- One dollar can get you a large soda at McDonald's, a used VHS movie at 7-Eleven or a house in Detroit.

The fact that a home on the city's east side was listed for $1 recently shows how depressed the real estate market has become in one of America's poorest big cities.

And it still took 19 days to find a buyer.

The sale price of the home may be an anomaly, but illustrates both the depths of the foreclosure crisis in Detroit and the rapid scuttling of vacant homes in some of the city's impoverished neighborhoods.

The home, at 8111 Traverse Street, a few blocks from Detroit City Airport, was the nicest house on the block when it sold for $65,000 in November 2006, said neighbor Carl Upshaw. But the home was foreclosed last summer, and it wasn't long until "the vultures closed in," Upshaw said. "The siding was the first to go. Then they took the fence. Then they broke in and took everything else."

The company hired to manage the home and sell it, the Bearing Group, boarded up the home only to find the boards stolen and used to board up another abandoned home nearby.

Scrappers tore out the copper plumbing, the furnace and the light fixtures, taking everything of value, including the kitchen sink.

"It about doesn't make sense to put the family out," Upshaw said. "Once people are gone, you're gonna lose the house in this neighborhood."

Tuesday, the home was wide open. Doors leading into the kitchen and the basement were missing, and the front windows had been smashed. Weeds grew chest-high, and charred remains marked a spot where the garage recently burned.

Put on the market in January for $1,100, the house had no lookers other than the squatters who sometimes stayed there at night. Facing $4,000 in back taxes and a large unpaid water bill, the bank that owned the property lowered the price to $1.

$1 sale to cost bank $10,000

While it's not unusual for $1 to be exchanged when property is transferred for legal reasons, listing a home in the Multiple Listing Service for $1 was surprising and unsettling to Kent Colpaert, the listing real estate agent for the property.

"I've never seen a home listed for $1," Colpaert said.

"But it's been hit hard: It's just a shell."

On Tuesday, Realtor.com listed one other single-family home, one duplex and one empty lot at $1 in Detroit.

Dollar property sales are the financial hangover from the foreclosure crisis, said Anthony Viola of Realty Corp. of America in Cleveland.

Lenders that made loans to unqualified buyers during the height of the subprime market now find themselves the owners of whole neighborhoods of vacant, deteriorating homes.

"No one has much sympathy for these banks that made subprime loans," Viola said. "And in some cities like Cleveland, judges aren't letting them sit on the properties -- they're ordering them to tear them down or sell them."

So desperate was the bank owner of 8111 Traverse Street to unload the property that it agreed to pay $2,500 in sales commission and another $1,000 bonus for closing the $1 sale; the bank also will pay $500 of the buyer's closing costs. Throw in back taxes and a water bill, and unloading the house will cost the bank about $10,000.

"It doesn't make sense in some neighborhoods to keep paying costs and costs," Colpaert said. "It can make more financial sense to give it away."

Buyer calls it an investment

Colpaert declined to provide the name of the prospective purchaser, because the deal had not been through closing. The agent did say that the buyer agreed to pay the full list price of $1, and planned to pay cash.

The buyer, a local woman, considers the home to be an investment property and will not live there, Colpaert said, though exactly how soon the buyer can expect to recoup her four-quarter investment is questionable. Replacing the guts of the house will costs tens of thousands of dollars, and the owner will have trouble keeping scrappers from stealing the improvements as quickly as they're installed. Home demolition costs about $5,000, Colpaert said.

Meanwhile, the new owner will owe $3,900 in property taxes in 2009 on her dollar purchase unless she challenges the tax assessment.

While selling a home for the amount of change most people could find between their couch cushions is unusual, some abandoned homes in Detroit sell for $100; vacant lots can be purchased for $300.

"My 14-year-old son could buy a block of Detroit property," said Ann Laciura, senior servicing specialist for the Bearing Group.

You can reach Ron French at (313) 222-2175 or rfrench@detnews.com.

No More Drilling on Public Lands

President Bush and the McCain campaign are beating a dead horse these days and it is called the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. They want you to believe that we must squeeze the last bits of oil out of the earth, wherever we can find it, and we need to start right here at home by destroying our last remaining wild refuge and devastating our coastal wetlands in the name of boosting corporate oil profits. The right wing echo chamber has taken up the cause celeb, and candidates across the country can be heard ringing the bells of freedom for the global oil market.

Developing our remaining public lands for oil and natural gas is a waste of time and resources. The industry already leases 44 million acres of land for oil and gas development, and to date they have not used almost 30 million acres of public land. In addition, drilling in our most fragile wild spaces is a slap in the face to the environment and future generations who will judge us on the basis of how we cared for and exercised responsible stewardship of the natural resources of the planet.

The time will come when there will be no more oil to drill and we have already reached far beyond the point where we must begin to invest in sustainable alternatives to oil, such as biofuels, solar and wind power as our primary sources of energy production. Drilling in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge is like using a garden hose to put out the forest fire. Clearly we need to develop new strategies and begin to invest in a sustainable energy infrastructure not dependent on the burning of fossil fuels. The scientific evidence has proven beyond a reasonable doubt that global warming is real and we are the source of the problem. It is time to become part of the solution.

The oil and gas industry already has plenty of access to public lands in the United States. It is up to us to protect our coastal beaches and marshlands from environmental devastation. It is up to us to lock up ecologically sensitive regions in Alaska, Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico and Colorado before they are destroyed forever. There is no clear evidence that drilling on our remaining public lands will lead to a decrease in oil prices. In fact, oil prices are going to continue to rise regardless because global demand is far outstripping supply. The only real solution is to begin to invest in our alternative energy infrastructure and develop green solutions to the global energy crisis. We face a real challenge in the years ahead, but we can begin to make the right choices now by saying no to continued drilling in environmentally sensitive regions.

for more information on this issue please visit: http://action.wilderness.org/campaign/oildrill/

Re: CINDY MADE IT! Peace Mom Puts Peace On Ballot, Officially!!!!!!

Carol Wolman wrote:

Congratulations to Cindy!  I hope she will now take the lead in publicizing the New Broom Coalition of impeachment candidates! 

 

Bay Area candidates and impeachers, we have a meeting of Impeach Bush-Cheney this Sunday evening, 5 pm, at 406 41st St in Oakland.  Lots of good strategizing has come out of this group over the past 3 years.  Let's roll!

 

Peace, Carol Wolman, MD

 

Green Candidate for Congress, CA District 1
www.carolwolmanforcongress.com
Coordinator, New Broom Coalition
http://newbroomcoalition.org1002.html
Chair- Impeach Bush-Cheney

 

----- Original Message -----

From: cynthia papermaster

Sent: Friday, August 08, 2008 4:59 PM

Subject: CINDY MADE IT! Peace Mom Puts Peace On Ballot, Officially!!!!!!

 

"When the people fear the government you have tyranny; when the government fears the people you have liberty."
Thomas Jefferson

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Cindy Sheehan for Congress <campaign@cindyforcongress.org>
To: cynthia@cynthia08.com
Sent: Friday, August 8, 2008 4:01:55 PM
Subject: Peace Mom Puts Peace On Ballot, Officially!!!!!!

	August 8,2008 Dear Cynthia, On behalf of the people of San Francisco and all whom dream of a better tomorrow, we are proud to announce that Cindy Sheehan is officially on the ballot as a candidate for California's 8th Congressional District Representative to the U.S. House.  Cindy is only the 6th Independent candidate ever to be listed on a California election ballot.   There has been an overwhelming and unprecedented show of support among San Francisco voters for the Sheehan campaign's progressive agenda.  Over the past few months, hundreds of volunteers and supports rallied around getting their voices heard in November's election.  After collecting roughly 20,000 signatures, with at least 10,198 qualifying, the Sheehan campaign has proven its viability with flying colors.    Cindy's access to November's ballot is evidence of growing discontent among San Francisco voters with the Democratically lead U.S. congress and its inability to end the war, hold the Bush administration accountable for unconstitutional acts, stimulate the economy, reform healthcare, reconsider trade agreements that harm American workers and the environment and cut ties to corporate lobbyists.  The Sheehan campaign is offering a new vision for San Francisco and the nation.  Cindy believes in peace, accountability, freedom, and well being for all.  She believes that war should be a last resort for defense and not the handy policy tool that it is currently being used as.  She believes that healthcare is a basic right in a democratic society and should not be based on ability to pay.  Cindy knows that it is essential to keep our representatives and leaders accountable to our Constitution and to democratic practices.  She knows that we must retool our economy to be in harmony with the environment and its sustainability.  Most importantly, Cindy understands that Americans are striving for a new type of politics that has meaning, puts people before profits and that challenges the divisive two party system.        After overcoming its first obstacle by achieving ballot access, the Sheehan campaign is in full gear and ready to achieve victory in November.  Over the next few months, the campaign will be working hard to spread its message of peace, accountability, and hope.  Thank you to all whom have shown their support by volunteering, donating, advocating, and being the change that we wish to see.  Although Cindy is on the ballot, the most challenging part of the campaign is around the corner.  We must spread our message more widely, recruit more volunteers, raise more funds and secure more votes.  As a grassroots campaign going up against a well oiled machine, we are fighting an uphill battle.  Regardless, we have hope.  We have hope because we understand the power of people to chance society.  The civil rights movement and women's liberation movement within the United States is evidence that if we come together in union, regardless of the odds against us, we can overcome all obstacles.  The Sheehan campaign's message to you today is that, we can overcome!  We can overcome fear.  We can overcome the military industrial complex.  We can overcome corporate domination of our economy.  We can overcome environmental degradation.  Let us create a society grounded in peace, love, and humanity.   Onwards to victory!!!!! Let us elect Cindy Sheehan to the House of Representatives! click here to unsubscribe

Living in a World Without Fear

This week marks the 63rd anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on the civilian populations of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On August 9th, 1945 at 11:01am the United States of America dropped a nuclear bomb on a pre-designated city in Japan killing 80,000 people in the second of two nuclear attacks. This attack was the only time that nuclear weapons have been used as an instrument of war, and it could be the last, if we generate the political will to dismantle our weapons of mass destruction, abide by the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and create a federal level department of peace. At the time of the bombing the United States only had two nuclear weapons in its arsenal but since that time our stockpile of nuclear weapons has mushroomed to nearly six thousand weapons. Fortunately we have not used these weapons since then, but the only guarantee that they will never be used is if they do not exist. As tempting as it is to believe that we are a moral nation that would never use such terrible instruments of destruction, the fact is that we have used them and we can use them again if our military or elected leaders believe the situation justifies it. That is why it is more important than ever to dismantle weapons of mass destruction.

Nuclear weapons are dirty, dangerous, immoral weapons that continue to do damage long after the bombs have been used. In addition to the nearly 200,000 people who died as a result of the nuclear attacks, many more victims continue to suffer to this day as a result of the radiation released that day. Birth defects and mutations continue to affect the children of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to this day. With literally thousands of nuclear weapons in the possession of nearly two dozen nations, the risk of one of these bombs being used in a conflict has increased exponentially since it was first used in 1945. In the past six decades the United States alone has gone to critical levels of preparedness for nuclear attack on more than thirty occasions in response to international conflicts. Having initiated a first use policy, we cannot claim to have the higher ground on the issue of nuclear proliferation and possession. By using the bomb first and then building the biggest arsenal, our national policy makers have set a precedent and sent a clear message to the world that we are not a country which is truly interested in peace and international security.

There is nothing more threatening to global peace than our own nuclear weapons stockpiles. These weapons are also a threat to the environment both short term and long term. Uranium mining involves milling, production and environmental and ecological devastation. After the uranium ore is extracted and processed no one seems to want the nuclear waste, which is left like an orphan without a home. There is no comprehensive plan for the long term storage of radioactive nuclear waste which stays radioactive for up to 250,000 years and scientists haven't figured out how to safely contain such materials. For the people of the world to even begin to have a chance at peace and a healthy environment we need to begin to dismantle our nuclear weapons stockpiles now and clean up the mess we have made. In Tennessee there is enough work for all of the hundreds of employees of the Oak Ridge nuclear complex just cleaning up the contaminated facilities and the environment to keep them employed for many years to come. The same is true of all of our nuclear weapons production and storage facilities. Additionally we need more investment in research and development to study how to more safely contain the nuclear waste that has already been produced.

It has become clear to the people of this world that the future does not include nuclear war or proliferation of nuclear weapons. After the cold war the United States and the former Soviet Union took a big step back from the precipice by dismantling some warheads. Since that time international will has resolved and grown stronger to continue the progress that was made nearly twenty years ago. Right now, while our world is at relative peace regarding global threats to security is a good time to dismantle our weapons of mass destruction. It is up to the people of the United States to develop the will and the leadership to live up to the vision of a nation which is dedicated to peace and social justice rather than violence and warfare. We can live in a world of peace, if we take concrete steps now by by dismantling our weapons of mass destruction, abide by the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and support a federal level department of peace. It is possible to resolve international conflicts without threatening to completely destroy other cultures. We have the collective intelligence to create a more meaningful future for ourselves and the generations to come.

No Permanent Military Bases in Iraq

The Iraqi Parliament wants the US out of Iraq, and they have made it clear in a recent letter which called for US troops to be removed. The United States doesn't seem quite so inclined to oblige. Recently we learned that the Bush administration was engaged in secret negotiations to establish fifty military bases, control of Iraqi airspace and legal immunity for all American soldiers and contractors for an indefinite period of time. The congress must remain engaged and not give in to pressure from the military industrial complex or current administration officials from both sides of the aisle. If we are ever to step out of this quagmire there must be broad resolve by the American people to bring the troops home and close down the military bases.

As part of long term security negotiations in Iraq, Massoud Barzani, the head of northern Iraq's regional Kurdish administration suggested that military forces be permanently redeployed to northern Iraq. Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama has indicated that he believes it would be appropriate to deploy troops there in the near future. Permanent military bases of any sort will act as an anchor to keep us locked into Iraq for decades to come. The United States clearly intends to remain in Iraq and Afghanistan into the indefinite future. Pentagon officials have indicated as much in their long term and short term planning for the region.

The Iraqis have a different idea about what we should do. There is consensus in the Iraqi parliament that the United States needs to leave now and take our military bases with us. As a candidate for federal office, I do not support the permanent establishment of any military bases in Iraq or Afghanistan. I believe that it is essential that the anti-war movement in this country continue to pressure elected officials and run candidates who will remove the military presence from the Middle East. It is clear that political instability in the region is being fueled by a continued US military presence in the region. This in turn is creating uncertainty on the global oil markets and pushing up prices, weakening the US dollar and contributing to a global recession.

The current thinking on the part of military strategists and international policy experts is that the situation in Iraq is analogous to Korea or Germany, and that permanent military bases are a fundamental aspect of Iraqi and Afghan reconstruction. The problem is that the Iraqi people do not agree. The people of Iraq consider us to be agents of occupation, and fundamentally anti-democratic. They do not see the invasion of Iraq as being worth the hundreds of thousands of people who have been killed or injured. They do not like the long term economic, infrastructure and environmental devastation which was been visited upon their country.

The Iraqi people have spoken and it is time to honor our agreements. In a recent statement to the press, Nouri al-Maliki said that the US was making demands that would lead to the colonization of Iraq. If the US remains in the region, we will eventually use our presence in Iraq as a base for further military exploits in the region, especially into Iran. That is why it is time to withdraw all of our military forces from Iraq and Afghanistan, to close down our military bases and to bring our troops home now.

The Art Of The Very Small...

The Art Of The Very Small...

Contraction and redaction,
Rome burning its money,
We're all dancing the fiddlers' tune,
Soft-shoe on the stained red carpet,
Roll it up into a bag.

Staycation nation,
The wheels stopped turning,
So the world doesn't - we need a better way,
It's the little things Silly,
Sunlight on hair and a cheap harmonica,
Sunshine in your own back yard.

The proud and the mighty,
Dancing a skull-bones fantasy,
Raving Revengers on the prowl,
Buried in video games and movies,
Burning and shooting and exploding.

The big tickets are over,
The dance is all that's left,
Piper plays and who can pay?

It's the art of being satisfied with the very small -
Mental survival.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
© 08/02/2008

In Support of a UN Arms Embargo of Sudan

It is widely known in the international community that the United Nations ban on weapons to Darfur is ineffective. The various factions are still receiving shipments of heavy weapons, small arms, ammunition, and other military equipment into Sudan, where they are transported to Darfur. That is why it is essential that the Congress act now to extend the embargo to all of Sudan. It is essential that we exercise our strength as a country to do everything we can to stop the genocide.

A recent report by Amnesty International stated that a total arms embargo on Darfur will add diplomatic pressure for the embargo to be applied to Sudan as a whole. At the moment there is a limited ban which is intended to stop the supply of weapons from reaching various factions in Darfur, but this ban has been considered ineffective. After four years of warfare, the people of Sudan are suffering terribly from the affects of widespread civilian dislocation, famine and genocide. If the United States redirected even a small percentage of budgetary allocation they are spending on the war in Iraq, we could unilaterally prevent genocide.

As a world leader, the Congress of the United States and the Executive Branch have a responsibility to do their part to help prevent genocide. As signatories to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights the US has promised to respond with a concerted will to ensure that our planet never again witnesses the horror of genocide and that people everywhere have basic rights including the right to food, housing, clean water, an education and the right to live free of violence and intimidation.

Clearly the people of Sudan have been abandoned for the most part by the current administration. While Sudan is not considered to be important in terms of military strategy for empire building and control of global oil resources, the USA does claim to engage in military adventures overseas for the purpose of building democracy and ensuring the people living in the bondage of fear and terror deserve the opportunity to be free and make choices about their government. Sudan is clearly an international crisis, more so than Iraq but perhaps equal to the gravitas given to Afghanistan.

As a country which preaches democracy and human rights, it is time for the United States to take positive actions to ensure that genocide does not continue in Sudan. We have a responsibility to support international peace keeping efforts to end the war in Sudan and feed, clothe and house the hundreds of thousands of refugees which have been created by the ongoing crisis the region. The first step is to support a total embargo of Sudan to ensure that arms do not continue to fuel the ongoing violence between various factions in the region.

Now is the Time for Comprehensive Gun Control

Many Tennesseans were stunned to hear the news that yesterday morning at 10:18am a lone gunman walked into a welcoming congregation in Knoxville and opened fire on the congregants who were gathered in anticipation of watching their children perform a scene from the musical "Annie" as part of the morning services, killing two people and shooting several more in the head before being tackled to the ground. That church, the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, is a beacon of joy and hope in East Tennessee. Its congregation is made up of some of the most loving, kind and gentle people in the fine city of Knoxville, and the horrific tragedy which was visited upon that church is a wakeup call to good people throughout Tennessee to re-examine our approach to gun control in Tennessee and throughout this nation.

Sadly this is not the first nor the last example of guns in churches, schools and public spaces being used to kill innocent men, women and children. In the past decade alone, dozens of people have been killed in our nations schools, churches and public gathering places by people who had obtained guns legally and illegally with the sole intention of killing unarmed civilians. The public school shooting rampage phenomenon started here in the South only a decade ago when two students in Jonesboro, Arkansas opened fire on their fellow middle school students killing five and wounding eleven. Since that time our nation has witnessed school shootings in over a dozen states with victims numbering in the hundreds. There have also been shootings at shopping malls and church shootings in the past year in Texas, Colorado and now Tennessee.

Unfortunately, in many of these cases, the guns that were used in the commission of felony first degree homicides were obtained legally. Either the guns were in possession of parents who were not able to keep the guns from the access of their children, or in some cases rifles were used. In many states there are no laws regarding the use of these weapons by minors. In other cases guns were obtained illegally. No matter how the gun was obtained, it was used in the commission of a crime against men, women and children who lost their parents, children or grandchildren as was the case today in Knoxville.

I cannot imagine the horror of the children yesterday watching as their parents were shot in front of them, but this incident further illustrates to me the need for effective gun control regulations at the federal level. The fact is that guns kill people and in the United States they kill a lot of people. The United States has the highest per capita murder rate in the developed world, with 14 people per 100,000 dying of gun violence each year. This adds up to nearly 10,000 people a year who die at the hands of a gun, not including the additional 16,000 suicides that happen each year with the use of a gun. This is nearly thirty three times the number of Americans who have been killed in Iraq since the beginning of the war.

The recent Supreme Court ruling on the second amendment by the Bush and Reagan stacked court insures that our nation's cities can continue to live in perpetual fear of similar incidents happening around the nation as what happened in Knoxville on Sunday. Cities are already scrambling to deal with the chilling new reality handed down by the Supreme Court this summer, which seems to mean that it is open season for every crazy person who can get their hands on a gun in our nation’s urban centers.

There is a solution though, and it is up to Congress to exercise the political will to make a decision to pass laws which place strict limits on gun ownership and to hold gun sellers strictly accountable for who they sell their products to. We have a responsibility to protect our children and our nation’s citizens have a right to live free of the fear of being visited with violence as they go about their daily lives of working, shopping and worshiping as they choose. As a candidate for federal office I believe that federal government has the responsibility to place strict limits on gun ownership in this country. Gun rights advocates argue that guns make us safe, but I believe that a heavily armed nation is a dangerous place to live. It is time to make our country safe for our children. Now is the time for comprehensive gun control for a safer America.

Angry Bloggers On Left And Right Unite Over FISA

Morning Edition, July 25, 2008 · Bloggers across the political spectrum have been raising money in recent weeks in an effort to punish certain members of Congress for supporting a government surveillance bill backed by the White House.

Full story:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92814309

(Major party dissatisfaction on the rise - Dan)

Support the Gulf Coast Works Act of 2008

It has been nearly three years since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the gulf coast region, leaving behind a wake of suffering and human misery unmatched in recent American history. Sadly, the victims of this crisis are still suffering and residents of the Gulf Coast region are still waiting for the government to do the right thing by investing in the region, cleaning up and rebuilding New Orleans and surrounding communities. The scale of this crisis is unimaginable for a modern, developed nation with the industrial strength and collective will we have to remedy the situation. As a country, it is time for us to come together and call for justice for the victims of Katrina and Rita with a comprehensive, public works program designed to address the real needs of people who are still suffering from this natural disaster.

In New Orleans and surrounding regions, people continue to suffer from unhealthy living conditions. Many areas lack basic social services and there always remains the looming threat of Mother Nature once again taking more. We have the means to address this crisis. Recently Congress introduced the Gulf Coast Works Act, which is designed to restore the region. The Gulf Coast Works Act will ensure that real progress is made toward restoring the environment, rebuilding infrastructure, and revitalizing the workforce of the area. The Act will provide 100,000 job opportunities for residents to rebuild their communities and it will create incentives for local and national business to participate in the redevelopment of the Gulf Coast region.

If this bill is introduced into the Senate I will work to support this companion legislation as a candidate and work to ensure that all victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have the opportunity to rebuild their lives and make New Orleans the city it truly deserves to be. Real solutions to the problems of jobs, infrastructure development and environmental restoration are possible with the collective participation of our entire society. Unfortunately, at a time when the people of New Orleans really needed our support our President was too busy waging war halfway around the world. Instead of dealing with the real crisis at home, the Bush administration and FEMA largely neglected the disaster which had struck the gulf region, betraying a fundamental trust that the people have in government that it will be there at times of national crisis.

Thankfully, some people still believe that when disaster strikes, we the people will respond. In addition to the numerous private efforts which have accomplished many good works since 2005, the federal government has finally woken up to the reality of the situation and is finally going to do something right. The Gulf Coast Works Act will create a federal authority with the ability to implement and coordinate the necessary federal response in the event of a future natural disaster in the region. It will put people to work rebuilding vital infrastructure and restoring the environment and it will spur sustainable development in the community, giving people a sense of dignity and justice.

By working to rebuild the roads, levees, police stations, schools, firehouses and public utilities in the gulf region we are rebuilding America. By cleaning up the marshes, wetlands and restoring the natural ecology of the region we are protecting the planet. By serving as a national model for disaster recovery and infrastructure development we are protecting the future.

for more information on the Gulf Coast Civic Works Act please visit:
http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/2749/t/3071/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=2252

Al Gore's Climate Challenge Speech

Re: Ohio Attorneys Launch Election Fraud Probe Against Rove and Others

Velvet Revolution wrote:

VR MEMBER NEWSLETTER ALERT  OHIO ATTORNEYS LAUNCH TARGETED PROBE TO EXPOSE ELECTION MANIPULATION BY KARL ROVE AND OTHERS   Dear VR supporters, Read the full story HERE! Yesterday, Ohio Attorney Cliff Arnebeck launched a new legal strategy to expose a national strategy of election manipulation directed by Karl Rove.  The implications are stunning.  Arnebeck has asked the Ohio Federal Court to allow for targeted under oath depositions of key individuals including Rove, Bush IT guru Michael Connell, Jack Abramoff, Ken Blackwell and others.  This will be the first opportunity ever to place these individuals under oath.    Arnebeck indicated that he has amassed a great deal of information from various sources including whistleblowers implicating Rove.  He wrote in yesterday’s court filing that the “suspected lead perpetrator of this conspiracy against the civil rights of the plaintiffs and against the rule of law in the United States is Karl Rove…. Rove’s politicization of  the Justice Department is currently being investigation by the US House Judiciary Committee.”    Arnebeck also notified both Attorney General Mukasey and the Chamber of Commerce that he intends to “assert an Ohio Corrupt Practices Act/RICO claim against Mr. Karl Rove and others based upon their activities beginning in 2000 to illegally use corporate treasury money and government power to establish single faction dominance in the United States, military dominance in the world and generally undermine the rule of law as it had developed over the course of the past century.”    VR was at the press conference and extensive coverage is here on our Election Protection Strike Force and on the Brad Blog.  Raw Story has also covered this with new details on the possible manipulation of the 2002 Senate Max Cleland Senate race .  VR will have a complete video of the press conference up shortly. VR is raising funds to assist in this historic litigation so please donate generously here. All the best, VR For more details visit our site ! http://www.velvetrevolution.us Thank you for your help in supporting our work! We can't do this alone! Please click here to donate to VR today! (http://velvetrevolution.us/donate.php) If you prefer to send a Snail Mail donation, we'll gladly accept that as well! You can send a check or money order to: VELVET REVOLUTION PO BOX 9576 Washington, DC 20016

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Address : PO BOX 9576     City: Washington     St: District of Columbia     Zip: 20016

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Raw Sory: EXCLUSIVE: GOP CYBERSECURITY EXPERT SUGGESTS, DIEBOLD TAMPERED WITH 2002 ELECTION IN GEORGIA

EXCLUSIVE: GOP CYBERSECURITY EXPERT SUGGESTS
DIEBOLD TAMPERED WITH 2002 ELECTION IN GEORGIA

http://rawstory.com//news/2008/Cybersecurity_expert_raises_allegations_of_2004_0717.html

What Does Family Mean to You?

Americans believe they have one of the best, if not the best, standard of living in the world. Indeed, some Americans have a fantastic standard of living, while millions of others live in near third world conditions. Many people who are poor, infirm, elderly or sick will turn to their family or community for aid and support in times of need. When that is not available they will turn to the government for help. The public welfare tradition of government support is a relatively new tradition, started in full force during the great depression of the 1930's through the recognition of government as a positive force for social change. Since that time, there has been a continuous dialectic between supporters of government as a basic safety net and detractors of government who feel that family is the basic social unit of society, and that government interference weakens the family and diminishes America.

What does family mean to you? On June 15th, 2008 California became the second state in the nation to grant gays and lesbians the right to legally marry. After nearly thirty years of struggle some fundamental rights are finally being granted to same sex couples who are committed to loving and caring for each other in every way similar to those of us who have always taken those rights for granted. For some, this is a step backwards, towards a dissolution of the traditional family unit and the basic moral framework of this country. For others, it is a step forward towards a more liberal and open minded society, throwing off the shackles of an oppressive framework and moving towards a more humanistic and egalitarian vision of community.

Regardless of what family means to you, the law still places strong limitations on what a family is and can do. That is why I propose we take a step further, even beyond gay marriage and beyond traditional welfare standards in our consideration of what family means. In recent history, a family meant a mother and a father, living in a house, with dependent minor children. This basic family unit was the classic definition of postwar American culture. The reality is that this is a very new definition of family and a recent cultural construction. This definition, however, has permeated all aspects of law and public policy and has become the framework of political dialogue.

A more historical, and therefore more traditional definition of family is people who live together in a 'household.' What that means practically is that a 'household' is a group of people living together and taking care of each other. Sometimes that is a heterosexual couple and their children. Sometimes it is a grandmother and her grandchildren. Sometimes it is two men or two women and their natural or adopted children. Sometimes it is a man and his mother and her nieces. Sometimes it is a group of people who have chosen to live together intentionally. The point is that love makes a family. Whoever lives in a household together and takes care of each other out of mutual love, respect and desire is a family.

This means that public welfare policy and law need to catch up with the times. The cost to the American taxpayers and the loss of productivity and income due to the limitation of benefits is enormous and a real burden on the public treasury. Take the following case as an example of how the current framework of social policy limits who can receive benefits and the burdens that it places on individuals: A man is living with his wife and they find it is time to bring home his mother to take care of her. At the same time, his sister is caught up in a lifestyle of drug addiction and is living on the streets so she gives her daughter to that same family to take care of. The working man and his wife cannot put either the niece or mother on their insurance. In order to do so they will need to file mountains of legal paperwork as guardians, power of attorney and adoption just to be able to participate in their medical care and help them.

In this hypothetical example everyone is related and still they cannot claim these persons as dependents for matters of insurance and other public policy issues. So the only institution to turn to is the government. That is what government is for, but in this case is it really necessary? If we have universal health care and other universal social care policies then perhaps this point would not need to be made. But currently the reality is that we live in a mixed tradition of public and private institutional support with regard to matters of insurance and medical care, not to mention issues of legal responsibility, social visitation and other public policy issues which are part of the current dialogue concerning definitions of family.

A family consists of people who love each other and have made a commitment to caring for each other. I believe it is time for our legislators and public policy administrators to acknowledge this simple truth. Families helping each other out is the most responsible agenda our society can promote. Narrowing the definition of family and excluding some means that the government must then bear the burden or even worse it means that some family members will not get any support or aid in their times of need. This is especially ironic at a time when we are spending hundreds of billions of dollars on a war in Iraq which is using public dollars to destroy an entire infrastructure and government. Our actions in that country have resulted in the dissolution and separation of hundreds of thousands of families, some temporarily and some permanently through death.

That is why I believe it is time to reframe our definition of what a family means. A 'household' should be redefined to mean any individual who lives in a common dwelling or property and is actively participating in the caregiving of one or more individuals in that dwelling or property or is the recipient of such care, living in said dwelling or property. This reframework should permeate all levels of public policy from the granting of insurance to the bestowing of rights of visitation to the administration of the ceremony of marriage. We must mandate that employers and insurers offer all family members coverage, and that hospitals and legal authorities recognize the rights of family members to participate in all aspects of their common lives.

Common law family support should be the expectation and the societal norm. Regardless of what our religious tradition may be or lack thereof, the expectation of society should be kindness, charity, love and support. Giving to one another and nurturing is the normal, human thing to do. That is why it is time for our legislators in Washington DC to catch up with the reality of how people are living now and enact laws and public policy recommendations to relieve the burden on families who are already overburdened. As a candidate for federal office, I support the framework and intention of expanding the definition of what it means to be a family and will work to see that such legislation is brought into the public dialogue and made visible to the American people.

Independence Day

July 4th marks the anniversary of the birth of this nation. On that day, the Declaration of Independence was signed by a cadre of men, who wrote the words ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.’ That declaration was a living promise to future generations of certain fundamental, inalienable rights such as the right to privacy.

On this fourth of July let us never forget that the rights we have secured were won by the hard fought efforts of generations of tireless activists and that the Constitution of the United States is a living document, shaped and formed by the collective participation of millions of people in a constant dialogue.

Our country is not perfect. Far from it, our history is one of terrible oppression and thoughtless, inconsiderate discrimination. Too many a man has been sent unnecessarily to die in war. Too many died without freedom, without rights. The stain of our neglect and terror scars the Constitution and the legers of history.

In spite of this truth, the human spirit has prevailed more often than not in this country and people have continued to believe in the fundamental goodness of the national project we call our Constitution. That belief in the security and equality of the individual and the guarantee of rights is perhaps the greatest contributor to the slow victory of justice in America.

That guarantee of our rights ensures that no man or woman, no matter how powerful and influential, is permitted to permanently or decisively interfere with the fundamental rights and freedoms of any other. These are the rights we celebrate on Independence Day and the freedoms that have been won in the generations since our nation's birth.

These victories include the extension of the right to vote and the rights of citizenship to all members of our society. The articulation of individual rights and freedoms is the fruit of their efforts. These freedoms offer proof that our Constitution is a living document and that the will of the people can be expressed in the language of the nation, articulated as law and common practice.

These freedoms, which we hold so dear, were brought to realization through the spirit of individual liberty and collective responsibility. Through an acknowledgement of the humanity of each person, the fundamental value of humankind is acknowledged. By recognizing this value in the individual we have crafted a body of law to protect the rights of everyone.

The threats to the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and our fundamental rights and liberties is always present, both from without and from within. On this day of celebration of collective freedom, let us never hand over our rights and responsibilities to any executive or any legislator who will seek to compromise those rights in the name of security.

The generations before us have worked too hard and labored too long to hand over the right to privacy and the responsibility of the national defense to rogue administrators and legislators who would betray our trust as a country. We must ensure that the freedoms and rights that have been secured for us remain so for future generations.

So on this Independence Day let us remember that the articulation of rights does not secure those rights. Only a vigilant citizenry can ensure the security of those rights guaranteed on paper. Our Constitution is a living document, which is given meaning through our participation. Through our direct engagement in the experiment of democracy we truly give meaning to the freedoms we celebrate.

The Case for Impeachment

George W Bush is perhaps the worst American president who has ever served. To this day it is a mystery to me how the man was able to gain the Republican nomination, steal the election, start two wars, get re-elected and then drag on a failed war for five years and drive the economy into the ground without getting impeached. Although the light is fading on the Presidency of Bush, it is not too late to impeach the man who lied to us about weapons of mass destruction. As of result of the President's deception, over four thousand American soldiers have died in Iraq and tens of thousands have been wounded, not to mention the one million or so Iraqis who have died directly or indirectly due to Bush's interference in their country.

The case for impeachment is strong, so strong that it has been supported by numerous Congressional representatives, most notably by Representative Dennis Kucinich of Ohio who introduced articles of impeachment in early June. Kucinich had the courage and the tenacity to say what needs to be said and to do what needs to be done. President Bush has violated the will of the people, but more importantly, he has violated the Constitution of the United States of America, a document that he was sworn to uphold and defend, and for this indiscretion President Bush deserves to be impeached.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made it clear when she was elected Speaker of the House that impeachment was not on the table, and she has been true to her word since that date, betraying the trust of the American people and showing her true colors as well as those of the Democratic party generally, except for a few brave individuals such as Kucinich. The irony is that the Democratic Party and the left would be stronger if they called the President to account for his actions. In any event, there are numerous candidates outside of the two party duopoly who support impeachment because we believe this should be a campaign issue. We feel strongly about our rights as Americans and do not believe that a corrupt administration can compromise those rights. When they try, we believe that it is time to call them to account.

Bush must be called to account for the lies he has made in order to manipulate the general public. Bush claimed that Saddam Hussein was an immediate threat to America but the truth is that we were a real threat to Iraq. His administration lied about the issue of significant quantities of uranium being brought into Iraq from Africa. He lied about the connections between 9/11 and Iraq, continuously misleading the American people into believing there was a relationship. Bush lied about Iraq and Al Qaeda, misleading the American people into believing there was a collaborative relationship between the two. The President lied about weapons of mass destruction, insisting that there was evidence which consisted mostly of forged documents. The United Nations found no evidence of weapons of mass destruction and intelligence services produced no credible information to support Bush's claim. As a result of these lies and misleading statements the United States was led into a war it could not win, spending hundreds of billions of dollars and causing the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people.

By supporting impeachment Kucinich has set in motion a process which calls to public light the terrible misdeeds of this administration. The tide of public opinion has turned against Bush and across the nation people are calling for impeachment. President Bush has condoned the use of torture on men, women and even boys in Iraq and at secret prisons around the world in the name of national security. He violated the constitution by denying habeas corpus and has called for domestic spying on Americans.

We can wait for the elections to remove Bush from office, but why wait until November? Indeed, although it is not a crime to be the worst President in the history of the United States, it is a crime to lie, mislead, deny constitutional rights, torture, spy and violate international law. There has never been a better case to impeach a sitting President than now. The people of Iraq, our soldiers abroad and ordinary Americans everywhere will all be better off once this criminal has been removed from office, and I say the sooner the better.

Just Say No to Domestic Spying

Big brother is watching you and his name is AT&T. Sometimes he goes by the name of BellSouth and at other times he is known as AOL-Time-Warner. Big brother goes by a lot of names. He is listening to you while you talk and watching you while you type and everything you say could be recorded so he can look at it somewhere down the line. Now everyone knows that it is not polite to intrude on people in their private moments. The problem is that big brother doesn't seem to know that peeking into people's private communication is wrong and it should be illegal. Unfortunately President Bush wants to continue to grant immunity to telecommunications companies in the name of the so called 'war on terror' which in actuality is a war on the American people and the telecommunications infrastructure is the front line in the gradual diminishment of civil rights that Congress has permitted in recent years.

We need representatives in Washington DC who support protecting Americans instead of distrusting us. As a candidate for federal office I support legislation to abolish the Department of Homeland security, that Orwellian agency constructed in the days after 9-11, which has crafted the war on the American people and their rights since. I support the elimination of FISA loopholes and the closing of Guantanamo Bay and the return of all detainees to their countries of origin. I believe that the American people deserve full and open disclosure on all activities related to government spying conducted against her citizens. Finally, I support the elimination of discreet, undocumented funding of the Central Intelligence agency.

Our rights are not negotiable. Telecommunication companies have violated those rights and have broken the law in order to appease a corrupt and power hungry administration that is willing to throw out habeus corpus, the right to privacy and international law in a reckless drive down the road to never-never land. Corporations must be held accountable and the President and his cronies must be called to account for violating our basic constitutional rights. Unfortunately, Senator Obama has been a disappointment on this issue and has refused to honor his commitment to filibuster this legislation. As a result, we are once again adrift without a rudder, a captain, a ship or an engine, being dragged along by the tides of fear.

It is time to reject the efforts of George Bush and anyone else who wants to grant retroactive immunity to corporations that spy on Americans. Congress has proven itself to be too weak-kneed to stand up to the fear mongers, but there is a new line of candidates running for office who are not so willing to roll over and play dumb. Treason is not patriotic. We all know that the government spying on us is wrong, and that any agency or corporation that assists in breaking into our most intimate communications is not behaving in a democratic fashion. The new reality is that our privacy is being compromised until we roll back FISA protections and strip immunity for corporations that spy on Americans.

For more information on this issue please visit: http://www.usalone.com/no_following_orders.php