Kitzhaber tepid over Measure 50:

The biggest complaints about Ballot Measure 50 are:

1. It's a diminishing returns flow of funds. Since the smoking population will get smaller, it's not fair to give these poor kids a lame horse... so, we better not give them any healthcare at all.
2. It's a constitutional amendment and is therefore bad!
3. It aint fair to all the poor people who smoke! Why should they carry the burden?

Ok, since we all know republicans don’t give a shit about anyone but themselves, much less poor people, much much less poor people on minimum wage (who they think are better off without an increase in wages) we know that #3 is full of horse shit.

#1 is flawed for so many reasons it’s not even funny. Ballot Measure 50 has already taken into consideration the decrease in smokers and still comes up with some massive dollar amounts for little kids. Numbers like “$386 million” which is the dollar amount that will be raised over the next four years, thanks to all the volunteers at Black Lungs Anonymous.

Last I checked that was $386 million more than what we got going towards little kids right now. But those darn republicans don’t want a penny of it going to them kids. They want their tobaccee cheap and accessible.

Now, the only legitimate issue that the righties bring up is the constitution. They’re right… the Constitution (US or State, no difference) should be sacred for big, important things like… giving blacks and women the right to vote, right to bear arms etc.

Should it be used so flippantly and casually to tax a drug? Well, no, not really. So the big question is WHY did the planners make it this way?

Could it be that they just want to make sure nobody touches it? …..mmmmm possibly. Or could it be because the only way around the rat bastard republicans is through the constitution? I don’t know and the answers are not readily available. But, I’ll find out Tuesday what the hell the reason is.

In the mean time, here’s what John Kitzhaber has to say about Ballot Measure 50. You can visit his blog here.


Why I intend to vote for Measure 50
Submitted by John Kitzhaber on Tue, 09/25/2007 - 9:06am.
Over the past few weeks I have been asked several times whether or not I am supporting Ballot Measure 50, which seeks to fund the Healthy Kids Plan. While each Archimedes Movement member in Oregon will need to decide how to vote on this issue, I am writing to clarify my own personal position.

I intend to vote for Measure 50 for one simple reason – we have Oregon children who desperately need better financial access to health services now and they cannot wait. This is one way to address a very real problem in the short term.

At the same time, I agree with many of you who argue that the financing mechanism in Measure 50 is far from perfect on a number of counts. First, I do not believe that the Oregon constitution is the appropriate place to put a tobacco tax increase. This should have been a statutory measure.

Second, I believe that financing health care for children is the responsibility of our entire society, not just those who smoke. The general fund would have been a more appropriate and a fairer financing mechanism. However, it is also not fair that so many of Oregon children lack timely access to needed medical care. We should not penalize them because this was the best the legislature could come up with.

So I intend to vote for Measure 50 and will urge others to do so as well. But we must also recognize that this is not a solution to the larger challenges facing our health care system. It is a bandaid – albeit an important one – but it does not take on the underlying structural problems which are driving up costs in our health care system.

If we do not deal honestly and effectively with these issues – which is one of the central objectives of the Archimedes Movement – the promise of access we are making to our children in the Healthy Kids Plan will be a hollow one and, in a few years, we will be dropping kids from coverage once more. We can do better.

So, even as we commit ourselves through Ballot Measure 50 to dealing with the immediate crisis in access faced by thousands of Oregon’s children, we must also recommit ourselves to the larger challenge of serious system wide reform.

John Kitzhaber
P.S. For more information on the campaign for Measure 50, see the Healthy Kids Oregon website.

49 - ""If you have a claim for one to three houses, you get a green light!"

As I've said before, if you have a 37 claim for 1-3 houses, "you get a green light!" But nobody listens to those who wear masks and capes.

Sigh…..

If you have put in a 37 claim, you have already stated what restriction is devaluing the "fair market price" of your land. When the state/county officials see this, you get a green light (as long as it is a legitimate claim).

Opponents to 49 basically lie their asses off. Stating everything from "you have to do an appraisal" to "you have to start Alllllllllll over again." Liars, all of them.

Anti 49ers cry, "the sky is falling, the sky is falling" all the while, refusing to admit that 49 "allows small-scale development while curbing large, densely packed subdivisions, the report said." Check out what the Oregonian said on Sept. 28th. [Batman's comments in brackets!]

Opponent calls 49 'a bill of goods'
Land use - A Portland institute says the measure would clear the way for small-scale development
Friday, September 28, 2007
ERIC MORTENSON
The Oregonian Staff

The president of the property rights group Oregonians in Action takes issue with a report saying Measure 49 would resolve many of the contentious development claims touched off by voter approval of Measure 37 in 2004.

Dave Hunnicutt said complications and procedural hurdles woven throughout the 21-page ballot measure will frustrate claimants by forcing many who won development rights under Measure 37 to start all over while scaling back their proposals.

Measure 49 was referred to voters by the Legislature and is on the Nov. 6 election ballot.
"The devil's in the details," Hunnicutt said Wednesday. "There will be a lot of property owners who will feel they were sold a bill of goods if Measure 49 passes."

But the Portland-based American Land Institute on Monday said passage of Measure 49 could clear the way for perhaps 42 percent of the 7,500 statewide development claims to proceed. It would do so in a way that allows small-scale development while curbing large, densely packed subdivisions, the report said.

"If you have a claim for one to three houses, you get a green light," said Henry Richmond, the report's co-author, of Measure 49. "It won't be difficult for people to do what they want to do."

Richmond, a founder and former executive director of the conservation-leaning 1000 Friends of Oregon, said a lack of "transferability" has blocked construction of Measure 37 claims. Measure 49, by contrast, allows development rights to be transferred to surviving spouses and new owners and specifically helps small-scale builders, he said.

He and other supporters believe Measure 49 accomplishes what voters thought they were getting when they passed Measure 37 three years ago.

The original measure, sponsored by Hunnicutt's Oregonians in Action, allowed property owners to seek compensation or a waiver from land-use rules if regulations imposed after they bought their property restricted its use and reduced its value.

What followed, however, was a flood of claims to build large subdivisions, shopping malls, resorts, mines and other industrial and commercial development, most of it on rural farm and forest land. The 2007 Legislature wrote Measure 49 in response, and referred it to voters on a party-line vote. Democrats favored it; Republicans opposed it. [imagine that!!]

The Measure 49 rhetoric has heated up this week. The Yes on 49 campaign group issued a news release saying recent television commercials opposing the measure contain five "misleading and false" statements.[GASP!! Republicans lying?! OMG!! I've never heard of such slander!]

Among them is a claim that legislators did not hold public hearings on the bill that became Measure 49. Supporters said a legislative committee held nine public hearings on reforming Measure 37 and that 369 people testified.

Meanwhile, Hunnicutt of Oregonians in Action said Measure 49 supporters cloud the issue by using stark portrayals of subdivisions popping up on prime farmland.

Hunnicutt noted that a subdivision is defined as four or more lots. But an 80-acre property divided into four 20-acre parcels, with a home on each, probably would not be viewed as a crowded subdivision by most people, he said. [HA Haaa! What a creepy lying Piece Of SHIT! Please Bush! Save me from your lying rat bastard followers!]

"That shows what happens when you use a loaded term," he said. According to a ballot explanation written by legislators, Measure 49 would allow claimants to build one to three homes on a fast-track basis. "There is no fee for these claims, and the expectation is that in most cases little or no additional information will be needed from the claimant," according to a summary of the measure prepared by the state attorney general's office. The AG's office provided a section-by-section summary to the Legislature in April 2007.

The total number of home sites allowed under that process would be three. If a property owner already had a house on the land, he or she could develop two more home sites.

Claimants could build four to 10 homesites if an appraisal shows land-use regulations reduced the fair market value of their property, and that the amount of the loss is equal to or greater than the value of the homesites the claimant wants to build. Again, existing homes on the property would count toward the total allowed.

Development on high-value farm or forest land, or in areas where groundwater is limited, would be limited to three homes. Claimants who filed for larger developments may amend their claims to the one-to-three home category in order to get fast-track treatment. Otherwise, they would have about six months to submit an appraisal.

Under the measure, claimants who filed for larger subdivisions might be able to proceed if they have spent enough money to be "vested" in the project. At the encouragement of Oregonians in Action, many property owners are drilling wells, putting in septic tanks, building roads or doing other site work in advance of the vote. People on both sides say the legal definition of "vested" is unclear, however.

Industrial and commercial development would not be allowed. Claims involving property inside urban growth boundaries would be treated differently: Property owners would be allowed to build one to 10 single-family homes if they meet a series of conditions, including showing that land-use regulations decreased the fair market value of the property.

Eric Mortenson; 503-294-7636; ericmortenson@news.oregonian.com For environment news, go to http://blog.oregonlive.com/pdxgreen

====

OK you redneck, indbred, cowtippin, lying republican Hillbillies. How many times do you have to read this before you finally quit whining? If you're against 49 then you are:

• FOR large industrial and commercial development


• FOR building on Limited Groundwater areas


• FOR building on Forest Land


• FOR building strip malls, strip mines, Orange County type subdivisions and even dog food factories on EXCLUSIVE FARM USE LAND.

Putting it bluntly... how much money do you guys get in your pocket by turning Oregon's farm and forest land into nothing but Ward Cleaver homes as far as they eye can see? As long as you bastards get your money, that's all you care about.

Gasp! Batman... you're swearing! You're not supposed to sw...

Yeah whatever. Neocons do everything they can to invalidate people who, godforbid, get uppity and in their face. The only thing that keeps me from jumping down their throat is their vile halitosis.

Welcome to life if 49 fails! Goooo Suburbia! Ra Ra Ra!

WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY??

Congress Quietly Approves Billions More for Iraq War
Posted 09/28/2007 read the full article here

"The Senate agreed on Thursday to increase the federal debt limit by $850 billion -- from $8.965 trillion to $9.815 trillion -- and then proceeded to approve a stop-gap spending bill that gives the Bush White House at least $9 billion in new funding for its war in Iraq.

Additionally, the administration has been given emergency authority to tap further into a $70 billion "bridge fund" to provide new infusions of money for the occupation while the Congress works on appropriations bills for the Department of Defense and other agencies.

Translation: Under the guise of a stop-gap spending bill that is simply supposed to keep the government running until a long-delayed appropriations process is completed -- probably in November -- the Congress has just approved a massive increase in war funding.

The move was backed by every senator who cast a vote, save one. Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold, the maverick Democrat who has led the fight to end the war and bring U.S. troops home from Iraq, was on the losing end of the 94-1 vote. (The five senators who did not vote, all presidential candidates who are more involved in campaigning than governing, were Democrats Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden and Republicans John McCain and Sam Brownback.) ...."

Greenspan: 'Iraq war all about OIL'

One of the most respected officials in government. Similar to what was said 16 years ago during Desert Storm, Gulf War I.

"The Iraq War is largely about oil."





Not a credible source... but it's cool.

Republican Senator Chuck Hagel WARNS our Government has LIED about WAR!

Does any of this sound familiar? Iraqi Civil War... Sectarian Violence... Morally Wrong... Tactically Wrong... We will not win a war of attrition... Skepticism of the American people over a 4 year period. The reality of what's going on, as ol' Chuck says, is that we are engaging in a “war” that is not only a lie but is ruining our country.

All from a Republican, Chuck Hagel, criticizing Bush and the administration and our very presence in Cambodia…. I mean Vietnam… oops, I mean Iraq.

Giuliani 9/11 Gets Exposed As Fraud by Firefighters

The International Association of Firefighters REALLLY has a case of the ass against Giuliani stating that he has used 9/11 "to create a carefully crafted persona."

This is an amazing video, well worth watching how "America's Mayor" is nothing but a liar. These are the stories of NY Firefighters and the tragedy that occurred on 9/11 by the incompetence of a corrupt mayor.

There was no leadership. Only lies and passing the buck. WATCH...

RUDY GIULIANI LIES LIKE NO OTHER REPUBLICAN

The one thing republicans have going for them is the "Value Add" of LYING. Yet... nobody cares, nobody calls them on it.

Bush Dissolves The U.S. Constitution - Habeus Corpus

This is old, Oct. 2006 but just as relevant as ever

HABEUS CORPUS – or “[We command] that you have the body” in Latin. It is the name of a legal action through which a person can seek relief from unlawful detention of themselves or another person. The writ of habeas corpus has historically been an important instrument for the safeguarding of individual freedom against arbitrary state action.

What this means is that, if you’re targeted by the authorities for "whateverthehell" you have the misfortune of being busted for, the Habeus Corpus card comes into play by saying, “oh yeah?... prove it! Shoe me the body if you say I killed someone!” No body… no crime.

Or, in other words “demanding that a prisoner be brought before the court, together with proof of authority, so that the court can determine whether that custodian has lawful authority to hold that person, or, if not, the person should be released from custody”

So what?? Well, Bush just got rid of it last year. Most likely you and 95% of the country didn’t know about it, since it happened during the premiere of Lost and American Idol Countdown.



Olbermann goes off against what Bush has done. I love this man!!

A BURIED 60 Minutes INTERVIEW / INDICTMENT

Paul O'neil, Bush's Treasury Secretary was fired by Bush for disagreeing with tax programs. O'neil is in the book "price of loyalty" goes public about what goes on in the White House and how the Bush administration is secretive.

With an interview of hundreds of people as well as several cabinet members was conducted in order to write this book. Going after Saddam was #1 on the plan, 10 days after the inauguration, 8 months before September 11.

Republicans bear false witness. Business as usual, “I got mine, Sucks to be you.”

Bill Clinton On MoveOn

No time to put anything substantial here... but I couldn't pass this up.

Bill talks about the disingenuous feigned interest of the republicans.



Here's Olbermann on Bush and MoveOn.org/The Distraction.

Israel plans nuclear strike on Iran... Is It True?

This is a little dated, by 9 months, but I just stumbled over this article and thought it important to post. A little off topic but still, not a pleasant thought at all. Our alliance with Israel puts us at risk of future attacks from radical, and non-radical, Muslims if Israel does anything as ridiculous as dropping a nuke on any Arab soil. The entire Muslim population will be itching to destroy, not only Israel, but the U.S. as well, because of said alliance.

Read on gentle and cautious reader….

=======

Revealed: Israel plans nuclear strike on Iran

From The Sunday Times

January 7, 2007

ISRAEL has drawn up secret plans to destroy Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities with tactical nuclear weapons. Two Israeli air force squadrons are training to blow up an Iranian facility using low-yield nuclear “bunker-busters”, according to several Israeli military sources.

The attack would be the first with nuclear weapons since 1945, when the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Israeli weapons would each have a force equivalent to one-fifteenth of the Hiroshima bomb.

Under the plans, conventional laser-guided bombs would open “tunnels” into the targets. “Mini-nukes” would then immediately be fired into a plant at Natanz, exploding deep underground to reduce the risk of radioactive fallout.

“As soon as the green light is given, it will be one mission, one strike and the Iranian nuclear project will be demolished,” said one of the sources.

The plans, disclosed to The Sunday Times last week, have been prompted in part by the Israeli intelligence service Mossad’s assessment that Iran is on the verge of producing enough enriched uranium to make nuclear weapons within two years.

Israeli military commanders believe conventional strikes may no longer be enough to annihilate increasingly well-defended enrichment facilities. Several have been built beneath at least 70ft of concrete and rock. However, the nuclear-tipped bunker-busters would be used only if a conventional attack was ruled out and if the United States declined to intervene, senior sources said.

Israeli and American officials have met several times to consider military action. Military analysts said the disclosure of the plans could be intended to put pressure on Tehran to halt enrichment, cajole America into action or soften up world opinion in advance of an Israeli attack. Some analysts warned that Iranian retaliation for such a strike could range from disruption of oil supplies to the West to terrorist attacks against Jewish targets around the world.

Israel has identified three prime targets south of Tehran which are believed to be involved in Iran’s nuclear programme:

Natanz, where thousands of centrifuges are being installed for uranium enrichment.

A uranium conversion facility near Isfahan where, according to a statement by an Iranian vice-president last week, 250 tons of gas for the enrichment process have been stored in tunnels

A heavy water reactor at Arak, which may in future produce enough plutonium for a bomb.

Israeli officials believe that destroying all three sites would delay Iran’s nuclear programme indefinitely and prevent them from having to live in fear of a “second Holocaust”.

The Israeli government has warned repeatedly that it will never allow nuclear weapons to be made in Iran, whose president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has declared that “Israel must be wiped off the map”.

Robert Gates, the new US defence secretary, has described military action against Iran as a “last resort”, leading Israeli officials to conclude that it will be left to them to strike. Israeli pilots have flown to Gibraltar in recent weeks to train for the 2,000-mile round trip to the Iranian targets.

Three possible routes have been mapped out, including one over Turkey. Air force squadrons based at Hatzerim in the Negev desert and Tel Nof, south of Tel Aviv, have trained to use Israel’s tactical nuclear weapons on the mission. The preparations have been overseen by Major General Eliezer Shkedi, commander of the Israeli air force.

Sources close to the Pentagon said the United States was highly unlikely to give approval for tactical nuclear weapons to be used. One source said Israel would have to seek approval “after the event”, as it did when it crippled Iraq’s nuclear reactor at Osirak with airstrikes in 1981. Scientists have calculated that although contamination from the bunker-busters could be limited, tons of radioactive uranium compounds would be released.

The Israelis believe that Iran’s retaliation would be constrained by fear of a second strike if it were to launch its Shehab-3 ballistic missiles at Israel. However, American experts warned of repercussions, including widespread protests that could destabilise parts of the Islamic world friendly to the West.

Colonel Sam Gardiner, a Pentagon adviser, said Iran could try to close the Strait of Hormuz, the route for 20% of the world’s oil.

Some sources in Washington said they doubted if Israel would have the nerve to attack Iran. However, Dr Ephraim Sneh, the deputy Israeli defence minister, said last month: “The time is approaching when Israel and the international community will have to decide whether to take military action against Iran.”

Measure 49 update

Since the YesOn49 group is doing such a piss poor job of getting the truth out to the public, I am forced once again to make things clear.

The lies coming from some vocal minorities, eg. republican megaphone, lying rat-bastards, appear almost as fast as you can shake a stick at a row of tumbling dominoes. The right, and their fabrications blather on about how people who want 1-3 homes will be pushed over a barrel, have their garden overalls pulled down and will be violated by big government, hard and continuously, with it’s big bad land restrictions.

Utter nonsense.

A farmer, outside of the Urban Growth Boundary, has the option of having 1-3 homes or 4-10 homes.

They are two different paths. When a person puts in a 37 claim, they have already essentially completed 6.6(d) which says:

“claimant must establish that … One or more land use regulations prohibit establishing the lot, parcel or dwelling”

This has already been done when they submitted the 37 claim.

1. For 1-3 home site claims, with 49, all they have to do is reference, write down, the regulation that prohibits their establishment and submit the form. That’s it, also called the Fast Track, for 1-3 homes.


2. For 4-10 homes will the owner have to prove through an audit or certified appraisal that proves that you deserve 4-10 home sites for compensation.

Republicans are basically making a big stink about nothing and they are just simply lying out their southern regions.

The only other restriction is for 4-10 homes not being built over limited groundwater and/or high value land, which is not subjective at all since they define it in the definitions in the front of house bill 3540.

Be sure to read section 6.1 - 6.3 and section 6.6. 6.6 says what the claimant has to do, which they already did when they submitted a 37 claim.

How Ballot Measure 49 works

Questions and Answers on Ballot Measure 49

The Facts on Ballot Measure 49

Teens Help Spread Republican Propaganda.

Yet one more example of the Republican Machine grinding forward with in it’s push to manipulate the public towards their own ends. Ahhh, if only the democrats had such Rovian tactics up it’s sleeve. Alas, it does not.

So, all that is left is to continue ridiculing the conservative right until people become more aware of what the hell is actually going on.

This one guy was paid to work at a propoganda phone bank. I think you'll find his story interesting.

===
"$8.50 an hour, if I could complete enough surveys. I was a ‘telesurveyer,’ “I don’t want your money, just your time, it will only take two minutes [yeah right].” More than just pollsters however, we did our paid part to sway public opinion, I’ll let you guess at the precise damage.

A typical call would start like this “Hi my name is John Smith [we were allowed to say any name] and we’re just doing a real quick survey tonight on behalf of Alliance for America [not a precise name, but they were typically generic as such] and we’d just like to ask you a couple [40 or so] questions about YOUR opinions on the Democratic candidates for ______.

I don’t remember specifics, and unfortunately, this was over a year ago, but let me give you an idea of just how shady telephone “polling” is. We never lied. No really, we never once lied, technically. We did, however, spread misinformation. Naturally, these polls were sponsored by political parties, both of them, actually. And The title of this post is largely to gain attention, but I can’t say I remember many Democratically slanted polls, still don’t hold me to it.

Anyway, after we used our nicest voices to get people to participate, a barrage of questions unfolded. Some were harmless “In the election being held on ______ what party do you intend to vote for?” Most surveys open nice and easy, simple unbiased questions are better toward the beginning.

They let the telesurveyer build rapport. Because of this, I called a person accepting a survey a “sink,” since their yes was the beginning of a process akin to a hook ’sinking’ into a fish’s mouth. Sinks led to completions of the survey, and for every completion, there was a slight bonus.

It was a room full of semi-determined, semi-articulate people, mostly teenagers, trying to get sinks. There were about 40 or 50 of us at any one time, and an average survey completion rate, given a political survey of about five minutes, would be 3 per hour. We were open from 2-9 Monday through Thursday, 2-6 Friday, Eight to four Saturday, and 2-6 Sunday. A total of 44 hours. [Since my leaving, this has likely gone up.] ....

... There was no lies, just extreme deception... "

Be sure to check out the site for the full story.

Where do Republicans stand on Global Warming?

The question: "Do you think it's been proven beyond a reasonable doubt that that the Earth is warming because of man made problems?"

Way too often do we see them flip flop on issues as they are flipping and flopping now. They've gone from staunch denial that it even exists to accepting that it exists but not human related to saying that humans are partially to cause but that the liberal agenda is wacky!

Here is a reminder of their beliefs. Let’s continue to monitor their flip-floppiness as time marches on…and as sea levels rise.

Republican Representative Bob Allen Arrested on Sex Charge

I see what I have to do. I just have to go back a couple months to scrape up the dirt on these bastards! Jesus Christ, there's so much of it, I can't keep up.

Here's the latest news on a republican sex scandal back in July in Brevard Co. Florida.

“Republican Rep. Bob Allen of Merritt Island, whose district includes a large swath of east Orange County, was arrested for soliciting a male undercover police officer for sex in a Titusville park restroom.

Allen was considered to be acting suspicious by police as he entered and exited the men's room three times, according to a Titusville Police report. Moments later, he approached the plainclothes officer and offered to perform oral sex for $20, police said.

Allen faces second degree misdemeanor charges. A seven-year House veteran, the term-limited Allen had been considered a likely Senate candidate next year. He also had been named a co-chairman last spring of Arizona Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign team in Florida.
Police said they realized Allen was a public figure after the arrest.”

As one commenter put it, “The party of "Family Values" strikes again!”

Here is what the arresting officer wrote about the republican representative Robert Allen.

“SOLICITING FOR PROSTITUTION FOR HIRE, LEWDNESS,…
On July 11 at approximately 1533 hours I was conducting a plain clothes investigation in the area of 10 Broad Street… I observed a white male driving a silver 4 door Toyota pull into the driveway which is a roundabout twice within a matter of moments. I recall this because I was conducting surveillance in attempt to capture a burglar in a nearby condominium and I was concerned about counter-surveillance.

I walked out of the park and when I returned I observed that the white male, later identified as Robert Allen, had parked his car on the side of Broad Street and had entered the park on foot.

As I walked back to the park I observed Allen walk into the men’s restroom. I sat down nest to two other plainclothes officers in the park. I then observed Allen leave the restroom and walk towards a park bench. I then entered the bathroom to adjust my police radio. On my way out of the restroom I almost bumped into Allen who was on his way into the restroom again.

Allen changed his course of direction when he saw that I was leaving the restroom and [went] back towards his park bench. I talked with the other officers again and then entered the bathroom and began washing my hands. Allen entered the restroom behind me and proceeded into the first stall.

I realized that there were no paper towels to dry my hands so I walked [into] the handicap stall to dry my hands. As I stood in the stall drying my hands I observed Allen look over the door of my stall and make eye contact with me. Allen then stepped away and then came back to the door of my stall and looked in, making eye contact with me again. I said, “hey buddy” and Allen said “hi” and then stepped away again. About 5 seconds later Allen pushed open the door to my stall and stepped inside.

I was standing against the far wall of the stall. Allen closed the door behind him and stood against it. I said “whats up” and Allen again said “hi”. Allen then said “this is kind of a public place isn’t it. I said “do you have somewhere else we can go”. Allen said “How about across the bridge, its [quiet] over there”.

Allen engaged me in a conversation in which it was agreed that he would pay me $20 in order to perform a “blow job” on me. Allen stated that he wanted me to ride with him across the river before he performed the act and gave me the money. Before entering Allen’s vehicle I identified myself as a police officer and detained him.”

Thank you Officer Kavanaugh from the Titasville Police Dept. (Let this be a lesson to all of you cops…. Use spell check!)

Well, Officer Kavanaugh's superior stated the following
"I spoke with Allen and he said this was just a little misunderstanding. He told me he was intimidated by Officer Kavanaugh. I then asked him if Officer Kavanaugh as blocking [his] path to exit the stall he entered into with Officer Kavanaugh. He said “no”. I then asked Allen if he was scared or if he felt threatened by Officer Kavanaugh why didn’t he jus walk our of the stall. Allen did not answer my question; he jus said “this is just a huge misunderstanding”.

… As Allen was getting into my vehicle he said “I don’t suppose it would help if I said I was a State Legislator would it?” I replied “no” and then I asked him to get all the way into my vehicle. "

Republican S.C. Treasurer Thoms Ravenel Blows Cocaine.. gets BUSTED!

Oh God, how did I let this one slip by me?

Republican Cocaine User also known as the South Carolina Treasurer Thomas Ravenel is a former real estate developer who became a rising political star after his election in 2006. He was indicted June 19, 2007, on federal cocaine charges.

Good god, no sooner than I can finish writing about one republican liar/bribe/corrupt case another one creeps out about cocaine use.
Will it ever stop?

Here, you can read about Thomas Ravenel the Republican, Family Values, South Carolina Treasurer’s use of cocaine here and here.

What an embarrassment to republicans. To think, gasp, that one of their own was… gasp… doing drugs! OMG!

Such is the life of a republican, millionaire, liar and drug user.

"The millionaire is accused of buying less than 500 grams of the drug to share with other people in late 2005, U.S. Attorney Reggie Lloyd said. Ravenel, 44, is charged with distribution of cocaine, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The investigation into Ravenel arose from a drug case last year in Charleston, Lloyd said. State Law Enforcement Division Chief Robert Stewart said his agents were aware of the allegations before Ravenel was elected in November, but they didn't have enough information to pursue criminal charges.

The case was turned over to the FBI in April. "The investigation is just beginning," the federal prosecutor said. The man accused of selling Ravenel the drug, Michael L. Miller, is in custody on the same charge. Ravenel will be allowed to turn himself in, authorities said. The treasurer's office referred all questions to Ravenel's lawyer Joel Collins, who did not return a message left at his office. "

You can read this here

A little something about Mormons...

Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney is, of course, ... running for President!

Hurrrahhhh!!! No wait, should we be celebrating? Who here really knows what a Mormon is? Since he's not Jewish, it'll probably be ok to talk about his religeous faith, since people tend to think that Mormons are just kind of weird.

Here are a couple of links to sites about Mormonism... but hey, they all sound kind of biased since they talk about real practices of the Mormon religion, so they must be hogwash. Right?

Real Mormon History
Mormon Cult
History of Mormons

Here, we shall attempt to give you a breakdown on Mormonism. You can do your own research, contrast and compare and then decide if you think Mormons are justifiably ... weird or not. And then you can either go and love Romney or run from him.

Mormons, a.k.a. The Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints, or LDS. The Mormons are stron adherents to the concept that they are a "restoration" of the earliest Christian and pre-Christian doctrines, basically the Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox "cults" got the whole Jesus Christ thing wrong and Mormons got it right. But let's start In The Beginning, shall we?

Joseph Smith, Jr. (1805 – 1844) was the American founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, also known as Mormonism. His mission was to restore the original Christian church, said to have been lost. Smith was also a political and military leader in the American Midwest. No kidding.

At 14, Smith experienced a "vision." The story goes that young squire Smith was concerned about what religion to follow so he went to a grove of trees to pray. As he prayed, Smith saw God and Jesus Christ. God, and Jesus, both told young Smith that all of the other churches were fake and he should join none of them.

In 1826, at 21, Smith was convicted for being a "disorderly person" and an "impostor" in Bainbridge, New York. In court documents Smith was described as a 'Glass Looker' for using his peep stone (.. that's right.. Peep Stones) to locate buried treasure in exchange for fees. Smith used his burried treasure skills with his 'glass looking' to the extent of discovering the buried golden tablets.

Smith said that, in 1823, he had a resurrected visitor who was a prophet named Moroni. The dead, resurrected prophet named Moroni led Smith to finding a long-buried book... inscribed on metal leaves... which contained a record of God's dealings with the ancient Israelite inhabitants of the Americas.... no really, this is what he said. The record, and artifacts included a sword, a compass-like device, a breastplate and what Smith referred to as the Urim and Thummim.

These all happened to be buried in a hill in his back yard. Smith states that in 1827 that the angel allowed him to take the plates and artifacts. Almost immediately thereafter Smith began having difficulties with his treasure-hunting colleagues who were trying to discover where the plates were hidden on the Smith farm. They were never found by those people.

So far we have the following:

• A vision from God the creator of the universe and his only son Jesus Christ,
• A statement from God that all other religions are fake and not to be trusted,
• A conviction for fraud in NY,
• A visitation from a resurrected dead prophet named Moroni,
• Peep Stones, to find buried treasure,
• unearthed Golden Tablets,
• A book, written on metal leaves, which depicted God talking to American Israelites,
• A Sword,
• Compass,
• Breastplate,
• And two things named Urim and Thummim,
• All on his family's farm.

Smith and his wife moved to Pennsylvania. reported to a few family members that he had translated some of the Reformed Egyptian text from the Golden plates he had found in his back yard, with the help of a resurrected prophet. Smith's friend, Harris, was Smith's scribe who recorded what Smith told him to.

Smith used his "Peep Stones" which he tossed around in one of his hats, and told Harris what to write. A local school teacher, named Oliver Cowdery, took an interest in Smith's story and began acting as a scribe as well. However, Smith would not allow anyone to see or touch the golden plates which he kept hidden in the woods even while translating.

Around 1829 Smith completed the translation and out came the book of Mormon. Smith then received new instructions from God whereas he started organizing a new Christian church. Smith and Cowdery, after baptizing each other, proceeded to baptize several followers who called themselves the Church of Christ. This new church was based on Smith's view of Christian theology wile translating golden plates that he dug up in his back yard.

In 1830 branches of the Church of Christ were set up in NY. People immediately started hating them so Smith claimed to have set up a City of Zion on American Indian land in Missouri. They left Pennsylvania and planted themselves in Ohio. But in Ohio they beat and tar and feathered Smith, he was hated so bad!

The built a temple in Kirtland, Ohio in 1836 surrounded by appearance of Jesus, Moses, Elijah, Elias, numerous angels, etc. Smith created an "anti-bank" but it failed 21 days later. He and his associates were accused of illegal and unethical actions, by the very people who were duped into financing his anti-bank fiasco. So, Smith skipped out of Kirtland (heading to Missouri) late one night with his followers... along with $6,100 in civil suits and a warrant for Smith's arrest.

Smith stated that they would build a temple in Missouri and that it will be the future center of New Jerusalem. Local leaders were afraid that the influx of Mormons would ruin their community. The locals banded together and beat the hell out of the Mormons and jailed several for months.

Smith and Co. escaped Missouri in 1839. Are you seeing the pattern here? Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri... SO, they set up in Illinois, created a city named Nauvoo, and even created their own militia named the Nauvoo Legion. In Nauvoo, Smith taught about plural marriages.

In 1644 a paper made some statements about Smith, who was the mayor of Nauvoo, that caused Smith to state that the newspaper was a public nuisance. Nauvoo's mayor, Smith, in conjunction with the city council, ordered the city marshal to destroy the paper and the press on June 10, 1844.

Smith, his brother, and some followers were jailed. The locals stormed the jail, shot Smith while he was trying to escape and shot his dead body several more times to make sure he was good and dead.

Mitt Romney is a Republican Mormon running for President of the United States.

Mitt Romney: Opportunistic flip-flopper? Or the rare Republican who "gets it"

Mitt Romney is running for President. Mitt Romney is a Mormon who happens to be a Republican. Mitt Romney is a Republican that wants to distance himself from the Republican platform, in order to win votes, because the public simply doesn’t trust Republicans anymore. Could it be because of all of their scandals?

===

Romney Tries to Show Voters He 'Gets It'
Republican ReframesDemocrat-Owned IssuesIn Reach for the Middle
By MARY JACOBYSeptember 24, 2007

"Mitt Romney: Opportunistic flip-flopper? Or the rare Republican who "gets it" at a time when his party is losing favor with the general public?

In the battle to define his presidential candidacy, the former Massachusetts governor is trying to swat away charges that he has changed positions on hot-button issues such as abortion, immigration, gun ownership and gay rights to appeal to his party's conservative base.

Yet, even as he tries to distance himself from his moderate record, Mr. Romney also embraces it to reach voters in the middle -- both Republicans uncomfortable with the direction of the party and independent voters he would need in a general election.

The result is that Mr. Romney's stump speech can sound at times part Rush Limbaugh, part Bill Clinton, braiding red-meat conservative lines with feel-your-pain prescriptions for health care and retirement security.

"There's a lot of people who say health care's a Democrat issue," Mr. Romney said at a recent campaign stop in Greenville, S.C. "Well, baloney."

The backdrop to Mr. Romney's appeal is a dramatic shift in public opinion since President Bush's 2004 re-election -- away from the Republican Party and toward an issue set that has traditionally benefited Democrats.

A Wall Street Journal/NBC poll this month found that 47% of respondents viewed the Republican Party negatively, one of the worst scores since the poll began in 1990. The poll showed health care second only to the Iraq war as a concern in voters' minds. More broadly, surveys show economic insecurity ranking with national security as a top worry for Americans.... "

Read More...

Given the Republican corruption scandals of the last couple of years...

It's just one republican scandal after another. Is it something genetic? Are the right wing nuts just predestined to continuously lie every step of the way merely for their own personal gain at the expense of the American people? ... duhhhh!!! Sure does look like they're doing everything they can to prove it.. and cover it up.

Here is one more corrupt republican scandalous story to add to our collection.

Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK), caught on tape
Posted September 21st, 2007 at 12:43 pm Read Article Here...

"Given the Republican corruption scandals of the last couple of years it’s easy to get inured to the seriousness of the controversies. After a while, names like DeLay, Cunningham, Ney, Foley, Lewis, and Burns start to blur together. Which one was Abramoff’s buddy? Which one took bribes from defense contractors?...."

Basically the article goes on to say, "where's the outrage?" Of course this is in reference to REPUBLICAN Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska getting caught in some big money back scratching.... but shhhhhh.... the "liberal media" doesn't seem to care. No wait... maybe the liberal media isn't so liberal. ... You think?

Here's a little more of the story...

"But as ongoing corruption scandals go, let’s not lose sight of the world of trouble Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) is in. An executive from oil company has already admitted to offering Stevens bribes, and today we learn that the senator’s calls were being secretly taped by FBI investigators.

An Alaska oil contractor cooperated with the FBI by tape-recording phone calls with Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) as part of a public corruption investigation, a source familiar with the probe said last night.

The recordings done by former Veco Corp. chief executive Bill Allen mean that Stevens, who is the longest serving Republican in the Senate, was under scrutiny by the FBI much earlier than June, when the senator first acknowledged publicly that he was a subject of FBI inquiries.

The central focus of all of this stems from Veco Corp., an oil-services company, remodeling Ted Stevens’ house in an exclusive ski resort area. After the lavish renovation was complete, Stevens steered $170 million in contracts to Veco, which, wouldn’t you know it, looked suspicious to the FBI.

So, Stevens appears to be in fairly big trouble. The next question, of course, is why reporters don’t seem to care...."

HOLY SMOKE Batman! Measure 50!

by AMY J. RUIZ - Portland Mercury

"On Tuesday, the Healthy Kids Oregon campaign stumping for Measure 50—a cigarette tax earmarked for kids' health insurance—blasted R.J. Reynolds and Philip Morris for spending "$4.5 million on television and radio, potentially the largest media buy in the history of the state of Oregon for a ballot measure." Courtni Dresser, an American Cancer Society spokesperson on loan to the Healthy Kids Oregon campaign, urged supporters to contact the tobacco companies whenever they see the ads—which refer to the tobacco tax as a "blank check" written by "HMOs and health insurers" for their own benefit—and ask them to "butt out of Oregon!" ... A spokesperson for the Reject 50 campaign did not return a call for comment by press time. "

======

Jeepers. $4.5 Million marketing blitz... or is it a "surge?" These guys will spend a fortune to keep the prices of cigarettes down. Big tobacco and republicans have been in bed together almost as long as big oil and republicans.

Republican Corruption Continues, Unabated...

And yet the scandalous republican corruption continues marches on. I just found this little bit on some more republicans who are more crooked than a kyphotic 90 year old hunch back.

by Professor Emeritus Peter Bagnolo
"Republican Corruption Continues, Unabated...The corruption charges leveled by Democrats at Republicans throughout the period leading to the 2006 Congressional election, continue and here is an analysis of events, which led to indictments and more investigations the last few months.More Charges Coming?Last year about this time the Democrats were looking forward to sweeping changes in the make-up of the congress following their campaign alleging the corruption of the Republican elected officials. Now, with a new election only about 13 months away the uncovering of corruption continues unabated.

The recent arrest of Republican Senator Larry Craig, Idaho, who though vacillating, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor after an undercover sting in an airport men's room, added to, Senator David Vitter, R-La., (not up for reelection, however) who confirmed that a Washington company, which was a beard for prostitution, had his phone number appearing in their records, and also the Senate Ethics Committee is investigating accusations that Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., attempted to influence a federal prosecutor in the election probe of some Democrats, continues to lend credence that Republican congressmen along with the President, feel that they are above the law.

It may be old news, but for Democrats it will be good news. It isn't just that Senator (Alaska) Ted Stevens and Former House Speaker of Alaska, Pete Kott, were alleged to have taken huge bribes from at least one oil services company, it also appears that Senator Ted Stevens's son has also been accused of sharing in the Goodies Gathering.Through the apparent benevolence of William "Bill" Allen, former CEO of the oil services company VECO, Senator Stevens the most Senior Republican Senator, (since 1968) was among those who enriched by more than $400,000 in gratuities from VECO. How generous of VECO to be looking after the welfare of wealthy politicians. (Gee, I wonder why they never bribe the Homeless, Busboys, waitresses or parking lot attendants.).... " Read the full article here.

Let’s bullet point these scandals, shall we?

• Republican Senator Larry Craig, Idaho, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor to a men's room blow job incident where he was prospecting for sexual favors from another man in a stall. …. Grosss!
• Republican Senator David Vitter, Louisiana, confirmed that a Washington hoar house had his phone number in their records. …. Ooops!
• Republican Senator, Pete Domenici, New Mexico, attempted to influence a federal prosecutor in the election probe of some Democrats. …. Imagine that!
• Republican Senator Ted Stevens (Alaska) and Former House Speaker of Alaska, Pete Kott, took huge bribes from at least one oil services company. ...Daaaaammn!
• Senator Ted Stevens's son was also on the “bribe sheet” where former VECO Corp. CEO Bill Allen testified in the federal trial that Ol Ted Steven’s (remember the Alaskan Republican Senator? See above.) son was also on the take. … Jeepers!
• Republican Congressman John T. Doolittle, California, is currently the subject of a Department of Justice investigation and was included in CREW’s 2006 report on congressional corruption. ... Gosh, not corruption!
• 
  Republican Congressman Jerry Lewis, California, "his ethics issues stem primarily from the misuse of his position as chairman of the committee to steer hundreds of millions of dollars in earmarks to family and friends in direct exchange for contributions to his campaign committee and political action committee. Rep. Lewis was included in CREW’s 2006 report on congressional corruption." .. when will it stop?!


• Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty to fraud, public corruption and tax evasion on Jan. 3, 2006 for his role in the purchaseof a fleet of Florida gambling boats from a businessman who was later killed in a gangland-style hit. He leveraged his close ties to Republican and conservative leaders, including then-House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas), to collect tens of millions of dollars from clients such as casino-rich Indian tribes. He treated lawmakers and their aides to lavish trips, meals and tickets to sporting events, and directed the tribes to donate millions of dollars to political candidates and parties. Now he is at the center of one of the widest-ranging federal corruption investigations in decades. ...please, it's killing me, make it stop!



• Republican, Congressman, Thomas DeLay TEXAS, DeLay was one of the most powerful leaders on Capitol Hill before he was indicted on campaign finance charges in September 2005 and temporarily resigned as House majority leader. Abramoff, whom DeLay once called "one of my closest and dearest friends," held fundraisers for the congressman and arranged for DeLay to accompany him on a luxury golf trip to Scotland and a trip to the Northern Mariana Islands. Abramoff also maintained close ties with DeLay aides

Just remember folks. A vote for a republican is a vote for corruption. More of the same...

"I got mine, Sucks to be you!"

Poll: Public not swayed by Petraeus

Regardless of the credibility that Patraeus brings to the table, people are still resolute regarding their opinions on the war. People, the people of the United States, the people who vote, the people of this “democracy” still want the U.S. out of Iraq.

Regardless of what Bush & Co. continue to keep pushing, over 2/3 of the public do not believe that the war is “winnable.” How do you win a war on “terror” when you’re fighting against a guerilla force based on sectarian violence among the indigenous people?

… You don’t! And 58% of the people polled don’t want us there any more. Read what USA Today had to say about it.
========================

By Susan Page, USA TODAY

"WASHINGTON — A plurality of Americans say Gen. David Petraeus' proposal to begin withdrawing some U.S. forces from Iraq is on the right track, but his long-awaited testimony to Congress last week failed to change fundamental attitudes toward the war.

A USA TODAY/Gallup Poll taken Friday through Sunday found essentially no shift in views on whether U.S. forces are likely to win the war — two-thirds predict they won't — and if the United States should set a firm timetable to remove troops.

In the days before Petraeus' appearances and President Bush's speech to the nation last week, 60% supported setting a timetable for withdrawal and sticking to it "regardless of what is going on in Iraq at the time." Now 59% do.

The findings underscore how attitudes toward the war have solidified 4½ years after the U.S.-led invasion.

"In terms of public opinion, it seems like Petraeus didn't really change anyone's mind," says Christian Grose, a political scientist at Vanderbilt University who studies the impact of the war on voting behavior. "He may have bought the president some time in Washington … but not in the public's eyes."
The number of Americans who say it was a mistake to send troops to Iraq ticked up to 58% from 54% in the USA TODAY Poll a week earlier. .... "

Poll Results

Satellites witness lowest Arctic ice coverage in history

It is mind boggling to sit and watch man’s inhumanity to man flourish or even (man’s war on nature) while those sitting right next to me suffer from cognitive dissonance. Where one might say, “boy, why did we attack Iraq?” and our neighbor would respond with, “You love terrorism!”

One might question the actions of our government while our neighbor calls us “Anti-Patriotic.” Again, we might say, “Our human activity is resulting in an a maximal release of greenhouse gases such as CO2 and CH4, known greenhouse gases, which have a direct effect on our environment causing not only an increase in global ambient temperature as well as the resulting influx of IR radiation and melting of global permafrost and polar icecaps and an increase in melanoma at unprecedented levels!”

But our staunch neighbors are resilient in their responses, ever ready as usual, “You’re a communist hippy! You hate business don’t you? You want to see our country fail, you… you.. terrorist you!” The republican/Bush Co./Neocon/Conservative agenda is as it always has been over the past 50 years… “I got mine, sucks to be you!”

Ignorance marches on.

From the European Space Agency Sept. 14, 2007
"Envisat ASAR mosaic of the Arctic Ocean for early September 2007, clearly showing the most direct route of the Northwest Pssage open (orange line) and the Northeast passage only partially blocked (blue line). The dark gray colour represents the ice-free areas, while green represents areas with sea ice."

This animated gif below highlights the changes in sea ice. The ice-free areas appear as dark gray and the sea ice areas as light gray.


Image below.. The McClure Strait is the most direct route of the Northwest Passage and has been fully open since early August 2007.

Republicans/Bush Co./Neocons/Conservatives of all walks of life claim that volcanoes emit more CO2 than we could in a life time. This is utterly false. It is a lie that has been spoon fed to them and they believe it with all their heart. It is a lie when in fact, the exact opposite is true. We have put out more CO2 each year than any volcano does in 10 years.

We all have a choice. What will yours be? To shove your head in the sand? To listen to the propaganda? Or could possibly be somewhere akin to actually getting up, turning off American Idol and doing some research on your own to find out what the real truth is?

Better hurry. I hear Brittany just shaved her head again. Maybe you can catch it on the toob if you’re not too late.

Verbatim Quotes from Republicans

When Clinton was President
Kentuky's Senior Senator Mitch McConnell said during a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate
"Domestic terrorism is not a cause we have to fight or a project we need to fund. We are not interested in capturing bin Laden. Even though he has been offered to us. We are not the world's policemen. It's not our job to clean up other countries messes or arrest it's bad guys."

When Clinton was committing troops to Bosnia
Rep Tom Delay (R-TX)
"You can support the troops but not the president."

Joe Scarborough (R-FL)
"Well, I just think it's a bad idea. What's going to happen is they're going to be over there for 10, 15, maybe 20 years."

Sean Hannity, Fox News, 4/6/99
"Explain to the mothers and fathers of American servicemen that may come home in body bags why their son or daughter have to give up their life?"

Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA)
"[The] President . . . is once again releasing American military might on a foreign country with an ill-defined objective and no exit strategy. He has yet to tell the Congress how much this operation will cost. And he has not informed our nation's armed forces about how long they will be away from home. These strikes do not make for a sound foreign policy."

Rep Tom Delay (R-TX)
"American foreign policy is now one huge big mystery. Simply put, the administration is trying to lead the world with a feel-good foreign policy."

Karen Hughes, speaking on behalf of George W Bush
"If we are going to commit American troops, we must be certain they have a clear mission, an achievable goal and an exit strategy."

Rep Tom Delay (R-TX)
"I cannot support a failed foreign policy. History teaches us that it is often easier to make war than peace. This administration is just learning that lesson right now. The President began this mission with very vague objectives and lots of unanswered questions. A month later, these questions are still unanswered. There are no clarified rules of engagement. There is no timetable. There is no legitimate definition of victory. There is no contingency plan for mission creep. There is no clear funding program. There is no agenda to bolster our over-extended military. There is no explanation defining what vital national interests are at stake. There was no strategic plan for war when the President started this thing, and there still is no plan today"

Governor George W. Bush (R)-TX
"Victory means exit strategy, and it's important for the President to explain to us what the exit strategy is."

Source

Such hypocrisy. Such lies in the face of the public so that the republican administration can continue with it’s agenda.

A senseless war occurs, against the wrong people, for the wrong reasons all while the gap between the rich and poor continues to widen and our education system gets flushed down the toilet.

With the amount of money spent on this war, we could have hired 16 million teachers or 8 million cops. We could have actually done some good.

37 lets Stimson Lumber Co. plans development on Iowa Hill

A letter from Gaston to the Forest Grove News Times about the poor effects of what Ballot Measure brought us in 2004.

"I have lived adjacent to Stimson Lumber’s tract of land on Iowa Hill for the past 13 years.
They have been very poor neighbors for that entire time. They have damaged their land many times, which has resulted in damaging my land and the lands of other neighbors in the area.

At one point they were ready to remove the water line that carries water to nine households below Iowa Hill. Their “projects” have all been carried out without the consideration of neighbors, wildlife, erosion, water supply, pollution or general impact on the land. Certainly their proposed plans for Iowa Hill would be no different. ..."

A perfect example of what happens when people / companies who wish to over develop farm land and forest land, with complete disreagard to limited groundwater land, decide to come in and build.

Ballot Measure 49 will stop large industrial development such as what is being done by the Stimson Lumber Co. 49 will also stop potential strip mining that 37 would allow.

Save our farm lands. Save our forest lands. Save our Limited Groundwater lands. Save Oregon from being over developed from big business as well as people who want to make their wealth on bringing in hundreds of subdivisions.

This isn't California. Vote Yes on 49.

Greenspan Links Iraq War to US thirst for oil - Blames Republicans

"...The Iraq war is largely about oil." Says Alan Greenspan the Former Federal Reserve chairman . Greenspan, who is a lifelong Republican, writes that he advised the White House to veto some bills to curb "out-of-control" spending while the Republicans controlled Congress.

Here we have another person from within the upper echelons that be stating the truth. The other Richard Clarke (who worked for the State Dept. under Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton and Dubya and was promoted to chief counter-terrorism adviser on the U.S. National Security Council). Clarke was immediately demonized for his unpopular stance on the Iraq threat.

I highly suggest that you read what Greenspan says about republicans and the conservative elite who march to battle with empirical hubris over oil under the Trojan Horse of “Eminent WMD Threats / Democracy”… take your pick.

"I'm saddened that it is politically inconvenient to acknowledge what everyone knows -- the Iraq war is largely about oil," he wrote in reported excerpts of the book, which is set for release on Monday.

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates, while explaining his "respect" for Greenspan, rejected the charge that a thirst for crude explained the decision to invade Iraq in March 2003. "I know the same allegation was made about the Gulf War in 1991, and I just don't believe it's true," he said on ABC television Sunday. "I think that it's really about stability in the Gulf. It's about rogue regimes trying to develop weapons of mass destruction," he said.

Some articles on Greenspan and his highly respected stance and criticism of the Bush administration.

• Greenspan labels oil as prime motive for Iraq war
• Greenspan memoir links Iraq war to US thirst for oil
• Greenspan's shock: oil behind Iraq invasion
• Greenspan Says Politics Are Getting In The Way Of Sound Policy
• Alan Greenspan: "Iraq was invaded for oil"

Who is Alan Greenspan?
Greenspan is an American economist and was Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve of the United States from 1987 to 2006. Following his retirement as Fed chairman, he accepted an honorary (unpaid) position at HM Treasury in the United Kingdom. Read More on Wikipedia.

More Oregon kids have a school but not a home

Education - The number of homeless students rises as Oregon's stronger economy fails to lift poorer families Thursday, September 13, 2007
BETSY HAMMOND The Oregonian Staff (Read full story here...)
Despite a rebounding economy, Oregon schools report a continuing surge in the number of their students who are homeless.

"The latest count of 15,517 homeless children and youth, released Wednesday, is 18 percent higher than a year ago and 37 percent higher than two years ago. Educators say schools are doing a better job of identifying students who lack permanent homes and also doing a better job of helping students in those straits to overcome barriers and stay in school.

More than 200 homeless education specialists around the state work to make sure that students who become homeless get the bus rides, food baskets, utility assistance, encouragement and red-tape-busting that they and their families need to keep them in class.

But they say the rising numbers also reflect a tough reality for Oregon families with children: Housing costs continue to skyrocket while incomes for those at the bottom of the economic spectrum have not. Affordable housing is extremely scarce, they say.

"Despite the economic trends, there are more kids that are new to homelessness now than ever before," says Dona Bolt, Oregon's coordinator of homeless education. Nearly 2,500 of the homeless students lack not only a home, but also a parent or guardian.

Abandoned by parents or having run away from home or foster care, these students "couch surf," staying temporarily with a series of friends and acquaintances.....

...The definition of homeless students is broader than just those young people living in shelters or on the street. It includes any student whose family lacks a sturdy home of their own, including families who have to move in with friends or relatives for economic reasons; families who live in tents, garages or trailers without running water or electricity; and families who live in motels. ..."

Along with homelessness comes poor health as well as an influx of diseases. Health care is a primary issue for people without a home. Health care is a legitimate right for children. Many seem to think it is a privilege that children are not entitled to.

Ballot Measure 50 will provide over 100,000 uninsured children in Oregon with the health care coverage they need and deserve. It will strengthen safety net clinics, rural health care facilities and provide health care for Oregon’ lowest income families.

Ballot Measure 50 is an 84.5¢ tax on packs of cigarettes as well as other cigarette products. The Measure has already don’t the calculations to integrate a potential decrease in smokers over time. It will raise over $150 Million in the first two years and over $200,000 in the following two years.

You can read up more on Ballot Measure 50 and Senate Joint Resolution 4 as well as what it will provide at these links.

On November 6, you will have the opportunity to Vote Yes on Ballot Measure 50.