Truth Surfer

Kerry's coming to town. Monday, October 10th 10:00-11:00 a.m. Macalester College, Kagin Commons He's stomping for Chris Coleman . But naturally he's a busy political bee pollenating all the pre-campaign gonna run again flowers but still he found time to meet with Cindy Sheehan for some Q&A... 1. What noble cause? “This is an artsy question that is hard to answer. However I can tell you that a war based on lies is not noble, but a war based on bringing freedom to people is noble.” 2. How many more lives? “If we can not achieve the goal of bring freedom, I do not want to see any more lives lost in this war.” 3. How many lives are you personally willing to risk? “I will say the same thing. If this war will not bring freedom to the Iraqi people I am not willing to personally risk any lives.” 4. What are you doing to bring our troops home? “I believe that we are in a critical two month stage right now. The Iraqi people are supposed to have an election in December.” I'm ...

This handy dandy booklet of signs contains many useful (if not totally politically incorrect) messages for other drivers on the road. They even have reversed type, so drivers can read your message through their rear-view mirror.

I didn't make the march in WA DC this weekend... I was tapped out from spending the week before there... and had to play catch up at work but in heart I was there, march, chanting, supporting, crying...enough, no more, for what noble cause? I did go to Belle Plaine to attend a march there but showed late because of a meeting that went long before. Still I help up my WAGE PEACE sign with the hopes we will.

On September 22nd, 2005, the 44th anniversary of President Kennedy's signing of the legislation creating the Peace Corps, Senator Mark Dayton (D-MN) introduced the Department of Peace legislation into the U.S. Senate, calling for an elevation of the Reagan-established "Institute of Peace" to a Cabinet-level position. Dayton's Senate bill elevates the U.S. Institute of Peace to a cabinet level department and expands its responsibilities to cover domestic issues as well as international. See Dayton's press release at http://dayton.senate.gov/news/press.cfm . Many thanks to the Department of Peace activists from Minnesota who met with Senator Dayton this past week after the National Peace Alliance Conference in WA D.C. They encouraged Dayton in taking this bold step for peace legislation. In particular thank the three Minnesota youth leaders, Chelsea Skog (13 yrs), Eric Skog (6 yrs) and Raven Kinnell(12 yrs), who also met with the Senator. Senator Dayton said he was ...

THIS IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HISTORIC!! http://dayton.senate.gov/news/details.cfm?id=246312&& September 22, 2005 Contact: Press Office, 202.224.3244 Press Release Dayton Introduces Legislation to Establish U.S. Department of Peace and Nonviolence Bill would elevate Reagan-established “Institute of Peace” to Cabinet-level department Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Mark Dayton today introduced legislation that would elevate the current, nonpartisan, federally-funded Institute of Peace to a Cabinet-level department, dedicated to the study and development of policies to promote peace and expand human rights. Dayton’s Department of Peace and Nonviolence Act is the Senate counterpart to House legislation (H.R. 3760) introduced by Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) and cosponsored by 59 members of Congress. Speaking from the Senate floor, Dayton said, “If we are to remain the world’s leader, and if we are to lead the world into a more secure and more prosperous future, we must become be...

Kerry Vells… … said this Katrina is a symbol of all this administration does and doesn't do. Michael Brown...is to Katrina what Paul Bremer is to peace in Iraq; what George Tenet is to slam dunk intelligence; what Paul Wolfowitz is to parades paved with flowers in Baghdad; what Dick Cheney is to visionary energy policy; what Donald Rumsfeld is to basic war planning; what Tom Delay is to ethics; and what George Bush is to "Mission Accomplished" and "Wanted Dead or Alive." The bottom line is simple: The "we'll do whatever it takes" administration doesn't have what it takes to get the job done.… So tell me Mr. Kerry, how do you ask a young man or young woman to be the last one to die for their country in a failed venture founded on a lie? For what noble cause? C'mon John, set the date for their return. Show me!

If Bush's approval rating drops any lower, he'll have to take the elevator up just to be in the basement... Too bad it took so many deaths at home and in Iraq to bring us to this point.... President Bush's Approval Rating has tumbled five points over the past week to the lowest level ever recorded by Rasmussen Reports. Just 43% of American adults now approve of the way George W. Bush is performing his role as President. Fifty-five percent (55%) disapprove. The President's Approval Rating has fallen to 47% among those who are married. Just 38% of unmarried respondents give the President their approval. Forty-six percent (46%) of Investors Approve along with 41% of non-Investors. Rising oil prices have pushed consumer confidence to its lowest level in nearly two years. The oil price surge has also increased support for building nuclear power plants. Confidence in the War on Terror has reached its lowest level ever.

While in WA DC last week for the National Peace Alliance Conference, I took a walking during lunch...and ended up in front of the Radisson Select Hotel. Folks were rolling out of their supersized SUVs and shiny black town cars in formal wear that sported their best jewels. It seemed like a pretty swanky affair for 2 PM... but not wanting to appear too 'small town' like... I continued on my walk around the hotel's circular drive. It really wasn't until I saw the numerous tux attired secret service guys with their ear wires that curiousity got the better of me. I decided to go inside to find out what was happening. Imagine my surprise when the reader board in the lobby said: Welcome to FEMA National Appreciation Week! So while Louisiana and Mississippi are still recovering bodies, still in the thoes of a crisis, still digging out, still trying to recover their lost souls...FEMA muckeups eat, drink and make merry in the safety of a four star hotel. I couldn't get clos...

Bush used Hurricane Katrina as an excuse to dispose of more than seven decades of labor law by suspending the Davis-Bacon law. This allows Katrina contractors to hire employees at whatever wages the depressed local conditions might warrant. It’s akin to slave wages as there is no market competition left due to the Hurricane. Congressman Gil Gutknecht from Minnesota was among the initial group who requested that President Bush suspend the prevailing wage law in parts of Louisiana , Mississippi , Alabama and Florida . Workers in these battered regions will now suffer a double blow. First they lose their homes and their possessions. And now, they’ll be paid substandard wages. Instead of putting a cap on the profits contractors make from Hurricane Katrina, this administration of thieves have denied the victims the chance to work their way back to their former standard of living.

From L'Fant Plaza Hotel, Washington DC 3 rd Annual Peace Conference... One goal, a Department of Peace. To change the status quoWe don't have to accept the of violence, hate, war, destruction… I want to make an impact on the world…for my family, friends, neighbors, community. There is another way. A new wave of peace, building, gathering more power, spilling over with life... Active in 46 states 265 congressional team leaders out of 440 congressional districts 40 states represented at peace conference Strong showing from Japan and Canada The time has come to call forth from each and everyone for the compassion, the loving, the understand and the spirit to bring about a shifting of the collective consciousness that will lead us in this new wave of peace. Change is from thinking there is another wave. Every surfer knows the best rideis always the next wave coming in. Wax up the boards, it's coming.

Eleven House Conservatives Voted Against Katrina Aid Package! Per Oliver Willis , we find out that these 11 House GOP conservatives from the "culture of life" party all voted against the $51 billion Katrina aid package today. Yet 7 of the 11 rushed to vote for the Terri Schiavo legislation . The remaining 4 chose not to vote (Barton, Flake, Hostettler, and Paul) although it was clear that it would pass. So the fate of one, poor, brain-dead white woman is more worthy/valued/important than the fate of thousands of poor black people ? Sometime is very seriously wrong with the values of these legislaturers. What other explanation can there be for this kind of behavior other than they are flat out evil.

Old news to me... ...but it's nice to see other folks catching on:

We need to continue to help those in need directly and make sure our government does their job. There will be a time to figure out who specifically to blame and what to change. In the meantime, the Bush administration needs to get to work helping those in need. Timeline Friday, Aug. 26: Gov. Kathleen Blanco declares a state of emergency in Louisiana and requests troop assistance. Saturday, Aug. 27: Gov. Blanco asks for federal state of emergency. A federal emergency is declared giving federal officials the authority to get involved. Sunday, Aug. 28: Mayor Ray Nagin orders mandatory evacuation of New Orleans. President Bush warned of Levee failure by National Hurricane Center. National Weather Service predicts area will be "uninhabitable" after Hurricane arrives. First reports of water toppling over the levee appear in local paper. Monday, Aug. 29: Levee breaches and New Orleans begins to fill with water, Bush travels to Arizona and California to discuss Medic...

More Facts . From TPM Café http://www.tpmcafe.com/story/2005/9/7/141812/3897 SORTING OUT OPINION FROM FACT ON KATRINA By Larry Johnson bio From: Media While watching the MSNBC program, CONNECTED, COAST TO COAST with Ron Reagan, a man from the Evergreen Foundation was on air spinning the myth that the President had to "beg" the Governor of Louisiana to take action. Having been on this show several times I called one of the bookers, Susan Durrwatcher, to alert her to the fact that this man was misrepresenting what happened. I offered Susan the following objective, documented facts (see timeline below). Susan thanked me for my "opinion" and said "we just have a different perspective". Stunned, I asked her by what standard of journalism that an objective fact was mere opinion? I asked her to simply look at the documents and correct the record. She declined. I asked her to remove me from the MSNBC list of contacts. I'm sure MSNBC won't miss me and I am...

January 2001 to September 2005 From Washington Monthly http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2005_09/007023.php CHRONOLOGY....Here's a timeline that outlines the fate of both FEMA and flood control projects in New Orleans under the Bush administration. Read it and weep: January 2001: Bush appoints Joe Allbaugh, a crony from Texas, as head of FEMA. Allbaugh has no previous experience in disaster management. April 2001: Budget Director Mitch Daniels announces the Bush administration's goal of privatizing much of FEMA's work. In May, Allbaugh confirms that FEMA will be downsized: "Many are concerned that federal disaster assistance may have evolved into both an oversized entitlement program...." he said. "Expectations of when the federal government should be involved and the degree of involvement may have ballooned beyond what is an appropriate level." 2001: FEMA designates a major hurricane hitting New Orleans as one of the three "li...

New Orleans is the musical soul of southern jazz and blues...will they rebuilt? Should they?