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Shall Democracy for Riverside Endorse Bill Hedrick for Congress?
Linked to groups: Democracy for Riverside
Democracy for Riverside offered both Bill Hedrick and Louis Vandenberg, the two progressive candidates currently running for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 44th Congressional District, the opportunity to compete for our local endorsement and recommendation to Democracy for America for the coveted DFA-List. Mr. Hedrick accepted the offer and returned the questionnaire.
Polling on whether or not Democracy for Riverside should endorse Mr. Hedrick will kick off following discussion at our monthly meeting on November 12, and will run until midnight on Sunday, November 25. Following are the questions posed by DFR and Mr. Hedrick’s responses in his own words....
DFR: What motivates you to run for the U.S. Congress?
Hedrick: I can represent the people of the 44th District more effectively than the incumbent. I am a candidate for the 44th Congressional District because I strongly disagree with the views of the incumbent, Ken Calvert, a man who has marched lock-step with the Bush Administration. Worse, Mr. Calvert has been named one of the 20 most corrupt members of Congress by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). I run because I want to support our troops by withdrawal from Iraq, through fully funding the VA and enhancing services to our veterans, and reviewing the current strategy in Afghanistan. I want to work to resolve the national shame that leaves 95 million Americans under- or uninsured. I want to work for fair trade rather than the current policies supported by Mr. Calvert that are gutting the U.S. economy and exporting our industrial base, capital, and jobs. I want to fight the oil company monopoly that drains household income while simultaneously resisting efforts to promote new technologies and alternative fuels.
DFR: Which member of Congress would you choose to be your mentor?
Hedrick: I hold many members in great esteem. I would seek advice and guidance from various members depending on the issue. For example, John Conyers and Dennis Kucinich possess great knowledge regarding health care. Bob Filner is an expert on Veterans’Affairs, while Henry Waxman is an expert on government reform. Loretta Sanchez holds special knowledge regarding national security, while Joe Baca possesses expertise on agriculture issues. In short, I would seek guidance and input from a host of experts, as well as the House leadership.
DFR: What would be your top three choices for committee assignments?
Hedrick: 1) Education and Labor, 2) Foreign Affairs, 3) Veterans’ Affairs.
DFR: What would be the first bill you would introduce in Congress?
Hedrick: On a local level, my highest priority would be accelerated funding for rail grade separation and dedicated truck lanes to mitigate the impact of increased international trade passing through the Inland Empire. In addition, I would fight for federal dollars for public transportation upgrades in Riverside County and south Orange County along with upgrades to Interstate 5. Local water issues will play a critical role in 2009 as well.
At the national level, I will join with others to withdraw troops from Iraq. Although I hope the issue is resolved this year, I especially am interested in co-sponsoring a bill to definitively define and prohibit torture—a practice so inimical to American traditions and destructive of our values. The President is unclear on the definition, but whatever is done in terms of “coercive interrogation” is done by “highly trained professionals.” It is the responsibility of Congress to help the President by defining—and prohibiting—un-American practices.
DFR: Would you vote to cut off funding for the Iraq War? Briefly explain your reasoning.
Hedrick: Yes. This is an incredibly costly religious civil war that must be resolved by Iraqis with the assistance of neighboring states. Our troop sneed to be withdrawn and a diplomatic resolution aggressively pursued.
Our military has been strained to the breaking point by this preemptive war, and our ability to respond to real threats in the world has been damaged. Hundreds of billions of dollars have been diverted for this war that has devolved into a military occupation that is destroying our moral leadership around the globe. Thousands of Americans have been killed or maimed along with nearly one million Iraqis in a conflict presented to Americans as the mainfront of the war on terror—an argument we now know to have been false. It is wrong to continue this policy and if funding is cut off the President will not be able to continue to conduct this ruinous war. That is why I would vote to cut off funding.
DFR: Would you vote to repeal the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy?
Hedrick: Yes. It is a policy that hurts Americans and weakens our defense because it reduces the pool of patriotic Americans able to serve in our volunteer military. We need to combat terrorists, interpret their communications, and have the most highly skilled service members available to protect our country.
President Kennedy challenged us with the words, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” Let gay Americans answer our nation’s call, as well. The best consideration for service must be whether individuals are knowledgeable and effective in their job of defending our nation’s interests—nothing more, nothing less.
DFR: What would you propose to improve port security & assure trains traveling thru our neighborhoods aren’t a threat?
Hedrick: Congress must immediately allocate funds to dramatically increase the percentage of cargo containers screened at ports before they are transported by trains and trucks through our cities. This is a real threat, and dollars saved from de-funding the Iraq Warshould be used to provide real security at home.
DFR: What is the first thing you would propose doing to achieve universal health coverage?
Hedrick: I support a non-profit, single payer, universal health coverage for all, particularly HR 676 authored by John Conyers and Dennis Kucinich. In the absence of consensus for HR 676, I support legislation to cover all children. I agree with a quote attributed to Martin Luther King: “Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.”
DFR: What is your opinion of the current requirements for school testing? Are they working?
Hedrick: Current requirements for testing are tremendously excessive. An enormous amount of instructional time is lost to redundant testing, especially in schools of greatest need. Testing does not improve achievement -instruction improves achievement. Testing is said to represent a “snapshot” of a given moment. We need fewer “photos” and more time to remediate the instructional deficits identified by appropriate assessments.
DFR: How would you propose to help failing schools succeed without punishing them?
Hedrick: Districts need to provide the most effective educational resource – highly skilled teachers -- to the students who need them the most. Federal funds should be used to reduce class sizes, improve teacher training, increase parental involvement, and repair dilapidated facilities. I also believe that current federal dollars must ensure that students are also taught basic study skills and academic discipline needed for success that can transfer across curricula and grade level. Finally, schools should be held accountable for improved achievement using a growth model similar to California’s API rather than the punitive No Child Left Behind guideline of annual yearly progress, a measure guarantees that almost every California school district will be labeled a failure by 2014.
DFR: What policies would you propose within your first year in Congress to address the climate crisis?
Hedrick: First, I would propose large scale, long-term public investment in the development of clean technologies and alternative fuels that will provide economic opportunity and reduce environmental degradation. We also must have a package of private sector incentives that will also bring to bear the ingenuity of our citizens, scientists, and entrepreneurs making clean, green development not only the right thing to do, but profitable as well. Finally, I emphatically support efforts to bring the United States into accord with the rest of the industrial world and adopt greenhouse emission caps.
DFR: Do you believe the United States will continue to shift to a service-based economy? What policies would you propose to reverse this trend and shore up the middle class?
Hedrick: Yes. I believe the United States should withdraw from NAFTA and WTO. This would assist in protecting high-tech jobs from outsourcing. I support fair trade policies based on bilateral agreements that uphold labor and environmental standards. Fair trade standards will also promote revitalization of manufacturing in aerospace, technology, and other capital-intensive industries. At the same time, improving affordability for college will allow America to invest in its citizens and provide them with the skills necessary for the 21sat century manufacturing and design jobs that will restore the middle class.
DFR: What would you propose to make college education more affordable and accessible?
Hedrick: In the short term, I support a significant expansion of Pell Grants. In the broader sense, I support universal access to public colleges funded by dollars saved by ending the occupation of Iraq. Our ability to remain competitive in the service sector will depend on our ability to post-secondary education for our youth. The alternative will be an accelerating gap between the haves and have-nots, and a service sector filled with McJobs.
Corona-Norco Unified has partners with the local community college district to create a “high schoolmiddle college” where students may enroll in college courses fee-free. At a local level, this enhances affordability and efficiently uses joint facilities—a benefit to taxpayers. We need to insure similar opportunities in all districts.
DFR: Given the registration disparity in the 44th CD, how do you plan to attract conservative voters?
Hedrick: Success in the 44th District is dependent on a bipartisan appeal. I plan to attract Democrats, independents, and disaffected Republicans with a fiscally sound message that underscores withdrawal from the incredibly costly no-win Iraqi quagmire, redirecting spending toward investment in education and health care, reinvestment in America’s infrastructure, and trade policies that strengthens the American middle and working class. The Administration’s housing credit crisis, accelerated by predatory lending policies, is threatening to crush middle class homeowners—regardless of party affiliation.
Additionally, conservative voters are troubled by Rep. Calvert’s placement as one of the most corrupt members of Congress for the second year in a row by the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). I have a nineteen year record of service to the voters ofthe Corona-Norco Unified School District, and many of Corona-Norco’s conservatives have trusted me to make ethical decisions for their children and families. I will not betray that trust.
DFR: Why should someone vote for you?
Hedrick: In 2006, the electorate voted for change. Unfortunately, in many areas of federal policy, change has come slowly. I will be a progressive voice for the 44th District, and forcefully represent the interests of the middle class within the framework of traditional American values including fiscal responsibility and integrity. I will fight for complete financial transparency and an end to a system of ethically questionable earmarks and hidden rewards for supporters that often smacks of self-dealing and corruption. I will not use the office for personal gain or investment. Rather, I will work for renewed opportunity for families with healthcare reform and access to affordable higher education.
I can defeat a reactionary incumbent in the November 2008 election. I have been elected five times to the Board of the Corona-Norco Unified School District comprising almost 40% of the 44th. I can attract sufficient concerned Republican voters (approximately 16%) necessary to prevail against the incumbent. I have the experience necessary to successfully work with and represent residents drawn from across the political spectrum. I offer common sense and fiscally responsible solutions to the challenges we face.
Candidate’s Name: Bill Hedrick
Candidate’s E-mailAddress: info@hedrickforcongress.com
Name of CampaignCommittee: Hedrick for Congress
Committee’s FECNumber: C00436758
Campaign Address: PO Box 2855,Corona, CA 92878
Campaign Manager’sName: Christopher Sandoval
Manager’s E-mailAddress: info@hedrickforcongress.com
Amount of cash on handreported as of Oct 31, 2007: $11,000
URL of CampaignWebsite: www.hedrickforcongress.com
List key individuals and organizations that have endorsed you to date in this election cycle:
I have not publicly declared candidacy at this time, and thus can not yet list endorsements that have been offered to me. However, our campaign intends to aggressively pursue endorsements from incumbent Democratic and DTS [Decline to State] incumbents, CTA, CFT, labor locals of the AFL-CIO and Change to Win, the COPE committees of the labor councils, and the Democratic Central Committees of both counties, progressive organizations, peace and justice groups, environmental organizations, pragmatic business leaders, and, of course, DFA.
sm, of course I didn't think you were picking a fight, since I'm not thin-skinned. I agree with what you say about Edwards. All I was saying is that the Peru deal, IMO, gave Edwards an opening. I never said I back Edwards. Nor do I back Obama or Clinton.
It's very important that we don't read things into peoples' posts that aren't there and that we don't seem to think we know what people are thinking. Assuming leads to problems.
Gore/?
While Kristol thinks the choice (Mukasey) is a good one, many other right-wing Bush supporters do not, …based on their hope for more partisan figures (such as Ted Olson) Salon.com
From the Anonymous Liberal Blog: by A.L.: While he is certainly conservative (which is to be expected), (Mukasey) he has a demonstrated track record of independent-mindedness. He was willing to stand up to the Bush administration in the Padilla case at a time when many judges would have been too intimidated. He's intelligent, well-respected, and has a reputation among litigators for being fair.
(From an ex-Judge) ...the most important thing is that the new Attorney General be someone who has a reputation for independence and who respects the rule of law. I think Mukasey fits the bill (which is why I'm still pretty shocked that Bush plans to nominate him). http://www.anonymousliberal.com/2007/09/mukasey.html
I TRUST CHUCK.
Bush Bows to Reality and the Democrats –
WASHINGTON (AP) — Of neither Washington nor President Bush's Texas power circle, Michael Mukasey won his new job as attorney general in large part by vowing to be his own man..
Bush added another instruction:
"Now that Judge Mukasey has been confirmed, I look forward to working with the Senate to fill the other senior leadership positions at the Justice Department so that America has the strongest, most capable national security team during this time of war."
The statement was a bow to reality — and to the demands of Democrats that Mukasey clean up the mess Alberto Gonzales left at the helm of the nation's federal law enforcement agency.
At least 15 senior Justice Department officials have resigned since Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. began his investigation of the firings of federal prosecutors at the start of 2007. The departures include Mukasey's predecessor Gonzales, his second- and third-in-command and five assistant attorneys general
Schumer drove the probe into the purge of nine federal prosecutors that helped push Gonzales out. Other possible misconduct was revealed in the process, such as Gonzales' subordinates making hiring decisions based on whether a candidate is Republican or Democrat — a possible violation of civil service laws. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jzprrDWjDkAOp7ZTLpTmgiV-h6FgD8SQ7ROG2
I trust Chuck Schumer. Mukasey has made him personal promises - that seem to make a lot of Republicans nervous. The ‘water boarding’ is a legal issue right now – and maybe for the first time, we have an Attorney General being a little careful and INVESTIGATING before dropping the axe. And one day he won't have to say 'I DON'T RECALL!"
Say ....there were two comments already in before I put mine in. And suddenly it came up as No. 1. ??
NUMBER ONE should be --- HOWARD IS FIRST! : )
By Ethan Wilenski-Lanford
Monitor staff
November 09. 2007 12:35AM
Sen. Chris Dodd recalls his time in the Dominican Republic. “You’re not trying to sell a policy,” he said. “You’re just trying to work with people.”
Zoom
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A few years ago, Chris Dodd visited the bedside of a Caribbean woman in the Bronx. She was in her 90s and lay in a coma, dying.
Dodd, a Democratic senator from Connecticut, told her stories about people they had known 40 years earlier. He even asked her to dance.
"I think we saw a little smile on her face when I suggested that a good merengue would perk her up," Dodd said.
But the woman, Dona Alicia, did not awake. Dodd was with her and her son when she died.
We are not shocked.
When Democrats show GUTS - others show GUTS.
Cheney Tried to Stifle Dissent in Iran NIE
by Gareth PorterA National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iran has been held up for more than a year in an effort to force the intelligence community to remove dissenting judgments on the Iranian nuclear program, and thus make the document more supportive of US Vice President Dick Cheney's militarily aggressive policy toward Iran, according to accounts of the process provided by participants to two former Central Intelligence Agency officers http://www.antiwar.com/porter/?articleid=11879"Now that Judge Mukasey has been confirmed, I look forward to working with the Senate to fill the other senior leadership positions at the Justice Department so that America has the strongest, most capable national security team during this time of war."
Translation: I want my police state NOW.
How do we get across to the congress and the CM that we are not at war and he is not a war prez, which would make him immediately impeachable and headed for the Hague. Rove had this war prez thought out well in advance of 9/11.....everything. The Patriot Act should be renamed to the Enslavement Act or Peeping Tom act.
Where are our courageous critters who will call things what they are? We need Al Franken in the House.
When Democrats show GUTS - others show GUTS.
And....when would that be, especially with regard to Iran?
3. Sam Ross trusts Chuck.
Sam, would you be interested in some ocean-view real estate in Arizona?
Michael Mukasey won his new job as attorney general in large part by vowing to be his own man..
DID he now.......
President Bush's choice for attorney general, Michael B. Mukasey, embraced some of the administration's most controversial legal positions yesterday, suggesting that Bush can ignore surveillance statutes in wartime and avoiding a declaration that simulated drowning constitutes torture under U.S. laws.
Mukasey struck a different tone on the second and final day of his confirmation hearing, after earlier pleasing lawmakers from both parties by promising new administrative policies at the Justice Department and by declaring that the president cannot override constitutional and legal bans on torture and the inhumane treatment of prisoners.....
Why do you think Mukasey changed his tune -- because he's his own man or a lackey of the bush regime?
Sam, would you be interested in some ocean-view real estate in Arizona?
With the polar ice caps melting so much faster than predicted, that's not such a far flung prospect.
The statement was a bow to reality
Yeah, right. Bush getting what he wants from corrupt and cowardly DCDems is bowing to reality.
You should try bowing to it sometime, Sam. The truth will set you free from defending the indefensible.
Schumer put the guy forward without knowing his views on torture and had a good reason for backing down from his support but didn't . an embarassing 34th chapter in Bush getting the better of democrats in Congress
but I continue to hope (and support primary challenges)
Well now ....that was fun. : ) I have 'almost' beach front property, but there's a golf course in the way - but thanks anyway, John. I WOULD like to own some 'land' in the Arctic - one day it will be good farming.
Checking out the Republican blogs - they're saying the same things..that makes you wonder. And the Corporate media? They want us upset with the Democrats - any Democrat. Warning. Schumer got Gonzales out. Bad man.? There are arm chair quarter backs and there are computer chair politicians, I'm one of them. I trust my own research. If the Republicans are NOT HAPPY with Mukasey - that says a lot. Do they want us mad at every Democrat running for any office or IN office? You bet! And just who do they hate the very most ?? Howard Dean! Howard started it all! He made us 'question' - and check out the media propoganda. He understands their smearing and 'swiftboating'. Divide and conquer they think is their last hope. Nope - there is no hope. THEY are divided and conquered and screaming all the way down the rabbit hole that it was someone else's fault. OUR fault - the Democrats' fault. : ) Who's falling for that? Yeah - right. The American people know. ABR! ANYBODY BUT a REPUBLICAN.
I'm voting for every Democrat on any ticket for any office! The WORST Democrat is ten times better than the BEST Republican. The proof is all around us - and in several of our jails.
Sam Ross
Fri, 11/09/07
2:07 pm
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Interesting post Sam.........personally, I am at a point in my life with regards to politics that I am refusing to "settle" for such an inferior product.................anymore.
Hey Blog -
The comment I made about buying gold was not idle chitchat -- not as idle as Barry Manilow's free download anyway (it's a great song - It Came Upon a Midnight Clear becomes an anti-war protest song -- well as protesty as Barry gets).
http://76.12.17.68/bonustrack/
No, Federal Reserve Chairman Biernanke says the economy is going to h*ll in a handbasket, and obtw China has diversified it's dollar holdings (in the trillions) into Euros and Loonies. So, I've watched Gone with the Wind too many times -- and like Scarlett, I don't want to be hungry. If my $ becomes worthless, I'll hope to have a little gold on hand, if I can afford it and figure out where to buy a small amount.
References on above:
http://biz.yahoo.com/portfolio/071107/dc...
and
http://ozarksfirst.com/content/fulltext/...
I'll be back soon with the always pertinent Trivia Question from WUFT LOL.
This morning a woman called CSPAN about the 'AIPAC trial' asking for some coverage b/c the MSM was not covering. Even after reading
a KOS diary and a few Google headlines, I do not understand the convoluted thing, except this woman, the translator, Sibel Edmonds, wants to tell all and NO NETWORK WILL TAKE HER UP ON IT I guess.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/11/9/...
I wrote Brian Lamb w/ the above link and said he was my hero, why doesn't he have Sibel Edmonds on.
Here's the WUFT FM Classical trivia question - don't look it up:
Saint Saens organ symphony was premiered in London in 1886. The performance was dedicated to what dear friend of the composer?
Our Democrats have got to quit giving up our rights like women's choice to appeal so much to the religious right. The big tent opens both ways.
floridagal and all.....
Debbie Wasserman schultz took quite a trouncing from the callers on the Ed Schultz show, and most of them were her constituents. A former Exec. Dir of the Broward Cty. Fl. Dem Party called to express her support for impeachment and disagreement with her critter. She said she didn't know what happened to the Dems in her area on other issues locally either. She expressed an interest in another Party or two.
Maybe Floridagal knows this Dem. I think her name is Donna ?. Interesting.
Phil wrote:" Kucinich was dissed by Howard on stage of the IPT debate by declaring himself the only "major" candidate against the war. and that prompted the pricked ego of Kucinich to throw his support to Edwards
it would be funny if not for the fact that was the margin "
----
If that's all it takes to get Kucinich to throw his support to a pro war candidate, he has a major integrity problem.
Especially considering Howard Apologized and stated that publicly a couple times acknowledging that DK voted against the war.
Sibel could bring down this regime with what she knows and has been effectively silenced.
Here's everything you might want to know about her.
Edmonds timeline...same link
A Timeline of Secrecy
SEPT. 11, 2001: Terrorists attack the U.S., killing 3,000 in New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania.
FALL 2001: Sibel Edmonds is hired by the FBI as a contract translator.
FALL 2001 - MARCH 2002: Edmonds discovers and reports several problems inside the FBI, including shoddy translation work, a large backlog of untranslated documents and employees with questionable alliances.
MARCH 2002: Edmonds is fired from the FBI.
JUNE 2002: The FBI acknowledges the truth of some of Edmonds' allegations.
JUNE 2002: Senators Grassley and Leahy write the Justice Department Inspector General a letter asking specific questions about Edmonds' allegations and write that the FBI has confirmed many of her allegations in unclassified briefings. This letter is later retroactively classified in May 2004.
JULY 2002: Edmonds files a lawsuit to challenge the FBI's retaliatory actions.
AUGUST 2002: Senator Leahy writes Attorney General John Ashcroft a letter asking for a speedy and thorough investigation of Edmonds' case. This letter is later retroactively classified in May 2004. The investigation is not completed for another two years, and then is classified.
FEBRUARY 2004: Edmonds testifies to the 9-11 Commission about problems at the FBI.
MAY 2004: The Justice Department retroactively classifies Edmonds' briefings to Senators Grassley and Leahy in 2002, as well as FBI briefings regarding her allegations.
JUNE 2004: The Project On Government Oversight files suit against the Justice Department and Attorney General Ashcroft, saying the retroactive classification violates the organization's First Amendment rights.
JULY 2004: A Justice Department investigation into Edmonds' dismissal is completed but is entirely classified. The report finds that Edmonds' allegations of corruption within the FBI ""were at least a contributing factor" in her dismissal.
JULY 2004: Judge Reggie Walton in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia dismisses Edmonds' lawsuit, relying on the government's states secrets privilege.
Return to main Whistleblower page.JANUARY 2005: ACLU files brief urging the D.C. Court of Appeals to reinstate the Edmonds' case, saying that the government is abusing the ""state secrets privilege"" to silence employees who expose national security blunders. Oral argument is scheduled for April 21, 2005.
JANUARY 2005: The Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General releases an unclassified summary of its investigation into Edmonds' termination. The report concludes that Edmonds was fired for reporting serious security breaches and misconduct in the agency's translation program, and that many of her allegations were supported.
It would appear the CM is complicit in keeping her silent, at least so far.
Who owns the media?
I agree, Annilow. Owning gold coins or things gold would not be a bad idea, but where to buy w/o being ripped off.
I'm voting for every Democrat on any ticket for any office! The WORST Democrat is ten times better than the BEST Republican.
The shortfall with that approach is, you too often wind up with the worst Democrats entrenched in office.
AIPAC fights back USA Government (NEITHER wants to be the future SOLE and THE ONLY SCAPEGOAT..., lol).
---------------
http://www.nysun.com/article/65814
Subpoenas for Rice, Officials in Aipac Trial
BY JOSH GERSTEIN - Staff Reporter of the Sun
November 2, 2007
Secretary of State Rice, President Bush's national security adviser, and 13 other current and former government officials will be required to testify as defense witnesses at the upcoming trial of two pro-Israel lobbyists for trafficking in classified information, a federal judge ruled yesterday.
Judge Thomas Ellis III ruled that the two former lobbyists for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Steven Rosen and Keith Weissman, are entitled to the testimony in order to prove that American officials routinely used the pro-Israel group as a back channel to pass "sensitive, non-public" information to the press, foreign government officials, and other foreign policy advocates.
"If true, the U.S. government's use of Aipac for 'back channel' purposes may serve to exculpate defendants by negating the criminal states of mind the government must prove to convict defendants of the charged offenses," Judge Ellis wrote.
Lawyers for the former Aipac lobbyists have subpoenaed Ms. Rice, the national security adviser, Stephen Hadley, a former deputy secretary of state, Richard Armitage, a former deputy secretary of defense, Paul Wolfowitz, and several others to testify at the trial expected to begin in January.
........................
The other officials for whom Judge Ellis authorized trial subpoenas are a former undersecretary of defense, Douglas Feith; a former undersecretary of state for political affairs, Marc Grossman; the American ambassador to Russia, William Burns; a deputy chief of mission at the American Embassy in the Slovak Republic, Lawrence Silverman; a deputy assistant secretary of state, Matthew Bryza; a political officer at the American Embassy in Israel, Marc Sievers; a senior adviser to Ms. Rice and a coordinator for Iraq policy, David Satterfield; a deputy national security adviser for global democracy strategy, Elliott Abrams; a former National Security Council official, Kenneth Pollack; a former Defense Department official, Michael Makovsky, and a Pentagon analyst who previously pled guilty in the case; Lawrence Franklin.
..............
In a separate ruling released yesterday, Judge Ellis indicated that he may permit some evidence shown to the jury to be kept secret from the public and the press. In April, he rejected a government proposal to prevent the public and the press from listening to wiretap recordings as they are played for the jury.
The new secrecy plan involves replacing some portions of the recordings to be played publicly with static and giving jurors and witnesses codes to refer to certain classified facts, like the names of specific countries.
And putz is left with his finger up his whatsits.
House Arrest Ends for Pakistan's BhuttoBy MATTHEW ROSENBERG – 49 minutes ago
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) — President Gen. Pervez Musharraf placed opposition leader Benazir Bhutto under house arrest for a single day Friday — surrounding her villa with barbed wire — and rounded up thousands of her supporters to block a mass rally against his emergency rule.
The crackdown dimmed hopes the two pro-U.S. leaders could ever form an alliance. A top American official voiced fears it would obstruct the fight against Islamic extremism — a threat underlined by a suicide bombing in northwest Pakistan that targeted a Cabinet minister, who escaped unharmed.
The U.S. called for the restrictions to be lifted. Hours later, the acting deputy commissioner for Islamabad, Aamir Ali Ahmed, said that they had ended, but her villa remained surrounded by police.
Party members said she would try to leave Saturday morning.
"We'll see tomorrow," said Makhdoom Shah Qureshi, a senior official from Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party as he left a midnight meeting at her home. "You can see for yourself the barriers are still up, the police are still here."
Bhutto twice tried to escape in her car during the day, telling police who surrounded her villa: "Do not raise hands on women. You are Muslims. This is un-Islamic." They responded by blocking her way with an armored vehicle. In nearby Rawalpindi, the city where she had hoped to stage the rally, police tear gassed hundreds of supporters who staged wildcat protests and hurled stones. More than 100 were arrested.
"We remain concerned about the continued state of emergency and curtailment of basic freedoms, and urge Pakistani authorities to quickly return to constitutional order and democratic norms," Gordon Johndroe, a spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council, said in a statement.
Washington, Musharraf's chief international backer, has reason to be worried. Nuclear-armed Pakistan, a country of 160 million, has been wracked by Taliban and al-Qaida-linked violence, including suicide bombings and clashes in its troubled northwest, where insurgents have been gaining the upper hand.
Musharraf cited the spreading militancy as one of the main reasons for the emergency.
On Friday, a suicide bomber blew himself up at the home of Minister for Political Affairs Amir Muqam in the northwestern city of Peshawar. Muqam was unhurt but four others died.
But U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the political turmoil could undermine the battle along the Afghan border.
more
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jIE0IUn4WIiaMBpjG8SI_6H5RXzgD8SQBS980
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The Bush administation has covered up and ignored dissenting Pentagon war games analysis that suggests an attack on Iran’s nuclear or military facilities will lead directly to the annihilation of the Navy’s Fifth Fleet now stationed in the Persian Gulf. Lt. General Paul Van Riper led a hypothetical Persian Gulf state in the 2002 Millennium Challenge wargames that resulted in the destruction of the Fifth Fleet. His experience and conclusions regarding the vulnerability of the Fifth Fleet to an assymetrical military conflict and the implications for a war against Iran have been ignored. Neoconservatives within the Bush administration are currently aggressively promoting a range of military actions against Iran that will culminate in it attacking the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet with sophisticated cruise anti-ship missiles. They are ignoring Van Riper’s experiences in the Millennium Challenge and how it applies to the current nuclear conflict with Iran.
Iran has sufficient quantities of cruise missiles to destroy much or all of the Fifth Fleet which is within range of Iran’s mobile missile launchers strategically located along its mountainous terrain overlooking the Persian Gulf. The Bush administration is deliberately downplaying the vulnerability of the Fifth Fleet to Iran’s advanced missile technology which has been purchased from Russia and China since the late 1990’s. The most sophisticated of Iran’s cruise missiles are the ‘Sunburn’ and ‘Yakhonts’. These are missiles against which U.S. military experts conclude modern warships have no effective defense. By deliberately provoking an Iranian retaliation to U.S. military actions, the neoconservatives will knowingly sacrifice much or all of the Fifth Fleet. This will culminate in a new Pearl Harbor that will create the right political environment for total war against Iran, and expanded military actions in the Persian Gulf region.
The Fifth Fleet’s Vulnerability to Iran’s Anti-Ship Missile Arsenal
The U.S. Navy Fifth Fleet is headquartered in the Gulf State of Bahrain which is responsible for patrolling the Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea, Suez Canal and parts of the Indian Ocean. The Fifth Fleet currently comprises a carrier group and two helicopter carrier ships. Its size peaked at five aircraft carrier groups and six helicopter carriers in 2003 during the invasion of Iraq. Presently, it is led by the USS Enterprise (CVN-65), the first nuclear powered aircraft carrier commissioned in 1961, and on November 2, began participating in a Naval exercise in the Persian Gulf .
Imangine, there's a new thread.
I'm a little pissed that Inland Empire Democrats have placed their hopes of defeating corrupt Rep. Ken Calvert (R) on Bill Hedrick. Can't we find someone better? Hedrick is gonna get ripped apart if he makes it to the general election in Nov. 2008. See below.
I found this on craigslist > california > inland empire > politics.
Maybe someone can email Bill Hedrick and get a response? Bill Hedrick needs to come clean about his statement that George Warren retired and that the "sexual harassment allegations had nothing to do" with Warren's decision to retire. How stupid does he think the Democratic voters of CA-44 are? I suspect some industrious muckraking reporters are on the case now...
Check out this story to get an overview of the sex predator problem in our nation's schools: http://www.editorandpublisher.com/...
IntroYou must enter an Intro for your Diary Entry between 300 and 1150 characters long.I'm a little pissed that Inland Empire Democrats have placed their hopes of defeating corrupt Rep. Ken Calvert (R) on Bill Hedrick. Can't we find someone better? Hedrick is gonna get ripped apart if he makes it to the general election in Nov. 2008. See below. I found this on craigslist > california > inland empire > politics. Maybe someone can email Bill Hedrick and get a response? Bill Hedrick needs to come clean about his statement that George Warren retired and that the "sexual harassment allegations had nothing to do" with Warren's decision to retire. How stupid does he think the Democratic voters of CA-44 are? I suspect some industrious muckraking reporters are on the case now... Check out this story to get an overview of the sex predator problem in our nation's schools: http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003661136 Copied from http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/... "Bill Hedrick is a Democratic candidate in the 2008 congressional elections for the 44th Congressional District of California, which includes Riverside. He is seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.). The primary will take place on June 3, 2008. Questions and serious concerns remain about controversial comments made by Bill Hedrick while president of the Rialto Teacher's Union. In 2005, a verbal argument erupted between a young middle school girl and her teacher, George Warren. Later, the girl accused George Warren of sexually harassing her. Soon, other female students came forward as well, corroborating a pattern of sexual harassment carried out by George Warren. The school district conducted an investigation. At its conclusion, George Warren announced he would no longer serve as a middle school teacher. Bill Hedrick, then and still president of the Rialto Teachers Union, made it clear that Warren had been cleared by the school board, had simply retired of his own choice and that the sexual harassment allegations had nothing to do with his decision. Do you believe Bill? Did he protect a child sex predator?" See story at http://www.zerointelligence.net/... Bill Hedrick's campaign website: http://www.hedrickforcongress.com/... His more honorable Democratic Opponent Louis Vandenberg: http://www.vandenbergforcongress.com/
URL: http:// Label: ImageRead this Daily Kos diary about Bill Hedrick:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/11/4/1924/15296
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