Still Fighting

Activism

A Primer for Online Activists. Everyone agrees that something must be done, but opinions vary as to what, exactly, the something is. One thing to help you on your way, no matter what the issue, is this primer with advice on how to go about the process of effecting change. You can never take for granted that everyone listening to you or reading what write knows who you are, or how you think, or what you do when you're not ranting about how bad those Other People are. Earn respect for yourself as you work on making your point, and your ideas will tend to be more respected as well. It's easier said than done (I know), but it's good to stop and remind yourself every now and then that it takes more than a collection of facts and opinions to make a good case.

News

Al-Qaeda 'destroyed in Pakistan'. President Pervez Musharraf says Al Qaeda's ability to operate in Pakistan has been destroyed, and that "Al-Qaeda does not exist in Pakistan any more." He says that their command system has been "shattered and eliminated" in the mountainous tribal regions of Waziristan, which borders Afghanistan, and that it's not possible for an Al Qaeda plan in London, Sharm el-Sheikh, Istanbul or Africa to be controlled from within Pakistan. Despite thousands of Pakistani troops deployed in Waziristan, the Afghan government complains almost daily of cross-border militant incursions onto its territory. While defending a recent crackdown against extremists last week, Gen Musharraf said Britain must do more to handle its own terrorist threats.

Brazilians Demand Arrest Over Killing. Relatives and friends of a Brazilian man, mistaken for a terrorist by British police and shot to death in the subway, said that Prime Minister Tony Blair's apology "did not go far enough," and are demanding justice, not apologies. The killing of Jean Charles de Menezes, an electrician who had planned to return to Brazil to start a cattle ranch, has been the top radio and television story since Sunday. Foreign Minister Celso Amorin has been instructed to "take firm measures to defend the interests of the family of a Brazilian who died in an absurd manner."

Supreme Court nom Roberts gives assurances. Democrats are scrutinizing the record of Supreme Court Nominee John Roberts, studying his opinions on issues such as worker rights, civil rights and abortion rights. Roberts, who spent the last two years as a federal appeals court judge, has been generally well-received on Capitol Hill since his nomination was announced last Tuesday. Abortion rights groups oppose Roberts on the basis of his 1990 statement, as U.S. deputy solicitor general, that the first Bush administration believed the decision in Roe v. Wade should be overturned. Roberts has also stated previously that there is "no role whatsoever" for personal beliefs or views in making judicial decisions.

Editorials

The right aims at Larry Johnson -- and misses. The GOP sure doesn't like it when you step out of line in their camp. Paul O'Neill, former Treasury Secretary, was "disgruntled" and "marginal." Richard Clarke was disgruntled and "out of the loop" after being demoted. And Joseph Wilson is, of course, a pathological liar who's trying to salvage a tattered career by attacking President Bush. Now there's Larry Johnson: former CIA analyst and former classmate of Plame's. Johnson has come out strong against the GOP talking point that Valerie Plame wasn't really undercover. He is also among a group of former CIA analysts who sent a letter to Congress arguing for protecting the identities of all undercover agents -- even those with "mere" desk jobs. Gary Schmitt, director of the neoconservative Project for a New American Century, accused Johnson of having a "pre-9/11 mindset" over an Op-Ed piece Johnson wrote in The New York Times. Trouble is, the piece (which downplays the terrorist threat to the US) was written in July of 2001, well before the events that Schmitt accuses him of ignoring.

Can the Media Walk and Chew Gum at the Same Time? The current state of American news media has to be at least partly responsible for Karl Rove's skill in reshaping public debate. On issue after issue, what would seem to be breaking news sinks noiselessly beneath the weight of whatever story heats up right after it. If news coverage focuses on only one thing at a time, it hurts the public's ability to make reasoned and informed choices on important issues. Even CNN's Bob Franken admits that "we in the media can only over-cover one story at a time." Trouble is, most of the really important stories can't be wrapped up in simple sound bites. When all eyes are focused on the latest media-driven missing woman story, important things like the Downing Street Minutes, the Rove leak, the Bolton recess appointment (which will surprise no-one), the Abu Ghraib abuse scandal and the Pentagon's missed deadline to provide detailed troop numbers for Iraq continue unnoticed and, sometimes, vanish without so much as a squeak.

When The White House Has Something To Hide… Former Sen. Fred Thompson, who also portrays DA Arthur Branch in the Law & Order series, has been assigned to guide Supreme Court Nominee John Rogers through the nomination process. Thompson said the White House is likely to refuse requests from the Senate Judiciary Committee to review documents drafted by Roberts during his time in the Reagan and Bush I administrations. This White House likes to ignore requests for things it doesn't think is necessary or that, perhaps, might be inconvenient to its case; Bush and friends certainly can't blame critics for being suspicious they might have something to hide. Previous requests for documents related to the 9/11 commission investigation, Cheney's possible influence in Halliburton deals, and John Bolton's secret intercepts have met with resistance, if not outright refusal. Even more recently, photos and other documents related to abuse cases at Abu Ghraib, due this past Friday by a federal court order, were blocked. One thing we've learned in going through this before is that if the White House wants to keep something private, there's a good possibility it's because whatever they're hiding makes them look bad.

Activism

Unite Against Terror. It seems too obvious, doesn't it? It's time we formed a united front against terrorism. It's tough, these days, to even have a rational discussion about terrorism, when our political leaders have co-opted such tragedy for political gain. But that doesn't mean we can't show our utter disgust with terroism as we also show our contempt for our corrupt and inept leadership. Sign the statement showing your commitment to building a global community that will stand against racist, evil, hateful people that seek to spread death and destruction. Only together, as a global community, will we be able to end this perverse ideology.

News

>White House Aims to Block Legislation on Detainees. In a message that can only be responded to with the letters "WTF," the Bush administration wants to "block legislation supported by Republican senators that would bar the U.S. military from engaging in 'cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment' of detainees, from hiding prisoners from the Red Cross, and from using interrogation methods not authorized by a new Army field manual." We wish we were making this up, but we are not. The Senate in general, and John McCain (R-AZ) in particular, want a clear set of rules and regulations for the handling of detainees (Not to mention, you know, actual CHARGES brought against those we're holding in Gitmo.) But Cheney thinks that these kinds of rules would usurp the President's power. And to make it clear that Bush wants the power to torture, humiliate and maim anyone he wants, he has threatened to veto the $442 billion Defense bill if the Senate passes the legislature that it wants. In this, for once, we completely side with the (honorable) Republicans. There must be a written set of rules (Well, actually, there is. It's in the Army Field Manual. But the Army wants it updated). We cannot allow Bush's desire for unhindered power and blatant fear-mongering to allow us to betray our founding principles.

If It's Civil War, Do We Know It? Violence in Iraq has increased exponentionally over the last week, with the targets of the insurgency becoming less random and more sectarian. Is this the beginnings of a Civil War? We're seeing similarities to what happened in Lebanon, and it's scary. Could we have directly perpetrated another Vietnam-like quagmire? The Sunni insurgency is targeting Shi'ites, calling them "monkeys" and saying that their religion is an affront to God. If anyone hasn't realized that we have no idea what the hell we're doing in Iraq, they should now. If anyone doesn't agree that Bushco has no idea how to handle this situation, they should now. Bushco sees this as a fight for freedom. Only, Sunnis in Iraq don't. They see it as a holy crusade, and that's far, far more dangerous.

Library Leader Questions Patriot Act. It's nice to see that Democrats aren't the only ones upset about the Patriot Act being reauthorized. Michael Gorman, president of the American Library Association, has called the Patriot Act's library clause "Kafkaesque." Have we really reached a point in this country where the government will enact legislation that strips away the privacy of its citizens "just in case?" Oh, and librarians cannot tell readers that they are being investigated. So far, over 200 people have been observed with this provision since 2001. We've said it before and we'll say it again. There are many, many ways to ensure the safety of America without restricting the rights of its citizens and changing the fundamental fabric of this country. Unfortunately, this administration has not been able to find any of them.

Editorials

Eight Days in July. Frank Rich is on fire. In his latest article, Rich points to the eight days in July of 2003 between the famous Wilson Op-ed and the Novak article that outed Valerie Plame. It seems that those eight days were the genesis of the assault on Wilson. And Rich outlines some important details that point once more to the massive cover-up of the treasonous acts apparently committed by Rove, Libby, and maybe even more White House muckety-mucks. For three months, no one investigated the leak. Then, for another three months after that, it was being investigated by none other than that paragon of virtue, John Ashcroft. And, oddly enough, Ashcroft allowed the White House to wait 12 hours between being informed of the DoJ investigation and being required to preserve all materials related to the investigation. How convenient. Even though the details of this case are important in determining just how deep this cover-up went, fundamentally, as Rich says: "The real crime here remains the sending of American men and women to Iraq on fictitious grounds."

A Bid to Chill Thinking. We've talked about Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) before in general, and on this issue specifically last Monday. Last month, Barton wrote a vicious letter to Michael Mann of the University of Virginia and two other scientists, attacking them for their studies on global warming (you can read a summary of and the full letter here). The letter gave Mann three weeks to provide all of his documentation, funding information and background. Mann has been accused of writing a report that provides "political intimidation" and not scientific clarity. The majority of the scientific community backs the results of Mann's study. Of course, their information is based on fact, and not subjective conjecture on a subject they aren't familiar with, so Republicans can't really understand it.

It's Clement! No, It's Roberts! No, It's a Mariachi Band!. If you had occasion to watch any of the 24 hour news channels last Tuesday afternoon (or the subsequent Daily Show), you saw the speculation that Bush would nominate Edith Brown Clement to the Supreme Court. That lasted right up until Bush announced John G. Roberts (who, apparently, has a huge problem with toads). Liz Cox Barrett and Samantha Henig, over at the Columbia Journalism Review, break down Tuesday night. How do newscasters make up for being so very wrong? Blame speculation (that they perpetuated), slowly back away from your earlier comments, and then feign surprise. And pundits wonder why people don't trust the media anymore. Hey, at least he didn't nominate the Mariachi to draw attention away from Rove!

Activism

Send an Iraq War Veteran to Congress. With all the talk about the 2006 elections, we don't want to forget the important ones this year. There's an open House seat in Ohio, and a special election will be held on August 2, just 9 days from now. Democrat Paul Hackett can win this election, but he needs our help. Blog for America has the link to ActBlue, and MyDD has the link to Citizens for a Sound Government, both of which will show you how to volunteer. What are you waiting for?

News

DeLay Gets By With Less Help From Hill Friends. Tom DeLay has resurfaced, briefly, in a report on research conducted by Public Citizen, a liberal advocacy group. According to their analysis of contributions to his legal defense fund, only two other House members donated money during the last quarter. The fund has raised over a million dollars since it was formed five years ago. In past quarters the fund has been more successful; DeLay's colleagues contributed more than four times as much the previous quarter, and the quarter before that nearly seventy percent of the quarter million the fund reported receiving. The declining numbers are interpreted as a loss of support by Public Citizen, but the fund's trustee said it only indicated that they hadn't been focused on fundraising.

US Defiant After London Attacks. The BBC interviews travelers flying from Washington Dulles airport to London, and finds that despite the bombings in London, travel companies are reporting few trips to the UK are cancelled. Americans are concerned about the increased terror attacks, but (for the most part) determined to go about their normal schedules. According to an ABC/Washington Post poll, seventy three percent of Americans are worried about another major terrorist attack in the US - the same as the national average since the 9/11 attacks. Just days ago, Bush evoked the July 7 bombings in a speech supporting renewal of the Patriot Act in full, and the House of Representatives later voted to extend most provisions of the Patriot Act indefinitely.

CIA Vet's Harsh Retort to Rove's Spinners. In an unofficial hearing held today by Senate Democrats, former CIA case officer and former prosecutor James Marcinkowski delivered a stinging rebuttal of main GOP talking points in the Rove/Plame leak. Marcinkowski rebuked the administration for endangering national security with a partisan smear campaign to silence Joseph Wilson's dissenting voice, and explained in detail the notion of "cover," and how it applied to Plame. He also discussed the threat to national security inherent in showing the world that your government's leaders are willing to put politics first, potentially alienating sources who might think twice about coming forward. Does this leak, and the administration's actions pertaining to it, undermine the credibility of case officers in the field? How do you recruit a source when you can't, literally can not, guarantee them protection?

Editorials

Spiritual Activism: The Religious Left Fights Back – On All Fronts. As Van Jones writes, Rabbi Michael Lerner is another religious figure who is fed up with the religious right's claims that they are being repressed. He recently held a "Spiritual Activism" conference for the religious left (doesn't that have a nice ring to it?) Jones also discusses his personal problem with Democrats and the way that many "don't get" religion. Lerner is right when he says that the Democratic party has problems that it needs to fix when it comes to religion. Question is, how are we going to do it?

An Empty Apology. We'll bet that you didn't know that Ken Mehlman, head of the RNC, went before the NAACP last week and apologized for the RNC's "reprehensible, decades-long Southern strategy." Only, the RNC still uses the same tactics. The RNC still employs a racist strategy in the South. Think of Reagan in Philadelphia, MS. Think of H.W. and Willie Horton. Think of W. and Bob Jones University and Buddy Dyer. Then tell us that the party is "sorry."

Excuse Me, but Do You ENJOY Being In the Minority?? This Think Progress editorial is very good. It shows the questions that Democrats should have asked at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee meeting that interviewed Karen Hughes. The questions are well thought out, and aren't a witch hunt, as they each document evidence to show their relevance. Only, they didn't ask these questions. In fact, they didn't ask any questions, because they didn't show up. The bigger question out of this editorial, and the reason for the title, is why Democrats didn't show up? Biden cites previous commitments, but there are eight Democrats on the Committee, including Barak Obama, John Kerry and Barbara Boxer. What was so important that they couldn't show up? Maybe, as the title suggests, elected Democrats DO enjoy being the minority. But we don't. We've already called Paul Sarbanes's office to ask what was so damn important that he couldn't make it. If you live in Deleware (Joe Biden), Maryland (Paul Sarbanes), Connecticut (Christopher Dodd), Massachusetts (John Kerry), Wisconsin (Russ Feingold), California (Barbara Boxer), Florida (Bill Nelson) or Illinois (Barak Obama), we strongly encourage you to do the same. Find your Senator's contact information here.