The Guardian | Tuesday April 24, 2007

“From Hitler to Pinochet and beyond, history shows there are certain steps that any would-be dictator must take to destroy constitutional freedoms. And, argues Naomi Wolf, George Bush and his administration seem to be taking them all”

read the article >>

Video: Naomi Wolf addressing large crowd

• A lot of her mail goes missing and the mail that gets delivered is opened - even the mail from her daughter at summer camp.
• With elections coming up and a criminal government still holding the reigns, Naomi reminds us to be vigilant and active citizens.

Is this just a stunt to bolster congress’s low approval rating? (9% and even lower than Bush’s)

Let’s overload the office phones of John Conyer’s, Nancy Pelosi and other Judiciary Committee members and tell them it’s about time!

Please tell them to hear all the evidence and all the witnesses– not only for Kucinich’s one article (misleading US into war) but also for ALL of the articles of impeachment.

Capitol Hill Switchboard: (202) 224-2131 , (800) 828-0498

In the News:

1. Kucinich impeach bill charges Bush ‘fabricated threats’; Pelosi hints at possible hearing
2. Report: Judiciary may hold hearings on impeachment
3. Pelosi cracks door open on impeachment resolution
4. Pelosi Slips Impeachment Onto the Table
5. Kucinich Impeachment Resolution Hearings?
6. Pelosi Says House Judiciary May Hold Hearings On Kucinich Impeachment Resolution

I just signed the below ad/petition and forwarded to all of my contacts, I hope you will do the same. (just copy and paste into your email program.

Michelle

____________

Dear Friend,

Cowed by the Bush administration’s pre-election scare tactics, the Senate passed privacy-stealing FISA legislation undermining your Fourth Amendment rights.

It’s outrageous, unconstitutional and un-American. That’s why the ACLU is prepared to challenge this law the moment George Bush signs it — and you can rest assured, they’ll be meeting our lawyers in court.

The ACLU’s lawsuit will send a powerful message to those in Congress who played it safe when they had the opportunity to defend the Constitution.

In addition, the ACLU will be taking out a full-page ad in a major national newspaper announcing their lawsuit and expressing outrage at this abandonment of our Constitutional principles. Their goal is to run an ad containing the names of tens of thousands of Americans who believe in the Constitution and want Congress to hear us loud and clear: next time, stand up for our rights.

You can sign your name to the ACLU’s ad by visiting:

http://action.firedoglake.com/page/s/fisaad

therawstory | Nick Juliano | July 8

“Few in the House of Representatives have any intention of doing anything with the last 35 articles of impeachment Kucinich set before them last month, so the former presidential candidate appears to be lightening the load. Kucinich sent a letter to colleagues Tuesday asking them to support a single article of impeachment, to be introduced Thursday, which accuses President Bush of leading the country to war based on lies.”

Capitol Hill Switchboard: (202) 224-2131 , (800) 828-0498

If you can’t be there in person, watch it on C-SPAN (C-SPAN 2 - Time TBD)

If you’ll be in the DC area, gather at the corner of Constitution and First to get tickets from your senator’s office.

* CALL YOUR SENATORS’ OFFICES TODAY (MONDAY)!

• Ask for the Senator’s position on the FISA bill. The staffer at the other end of the line will be happy to tell you.
• Once you know their stand, tell them yours, and ask them to
  • Support the rule of law and vote YES on the Dodd-Feingold-Leahy and Bingaman amendments.
  • Oppose expansion of government surveillance powers and vote NO on the FISA bill
  • Work to convince their colleagues in both parties to do the same

The easiest way to call is using this http://tools.advomatic.com/7/fisa

For more on what you can do, visit the priorities page http://get-fisa-right.wetpaint.com/page/Today%27s+priorities

Thank you for standing up for our civil liberties!

Thomas Nephew dressed as the Town Crier and talked with parade-goers about the FISA Amendment Act — “a terrible idea.”

Thomas Nephew of Takoma Park, MD

(photo: Michelle Bailey)

Celebrate the US Constitution this 4th of July! Tell the US Senate and Barack Obama to get FISA right before voting Tuesday July 8th. Don’t let illegal wire-tappers off the hook!

The Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

Without your help right now, a flawed FISA bill will give George Bush and the phone companies a pass next Tuesday for years of illegal spying on millions of US citizens.

What can you do to defend the Fourth Amendment? How about something easy, patriotic and fun?

(1) Call your Senators and especially Barack Obama and ask that they vote against the current FISA bill on Tuesday. Don’t let illegal wire-tappers off the hook!

Senator Cardin 202-224-4524
Senator Mikulski 202 224-4654
Barack Obama HQ 866-675-2008

(2) Visit “newsrackblog.com”

Learn more and get active about this online – including how to join “Senator Obama - Please Vote NO on Telecom Immunity - Get FISA Right” groups at “facebook” and “mybarackobama.com.”

Eric Lichtblau, reporting for The New York Times, writes: “A federal judge in California said Wednesday that the wiretapping law established by Congress was the ‘exclusive’ means for the president to eavesdrop on Americans, and he rejected the government’s claim that the president’s constitutional authority as commander in chief trumped that law.”

newyorker.com | July 7, 2008

“Although some legislators were troubled by aspects of the Finding, and “there was a significant amount of high-level discussion” about it, according to the source familiar with it, the funding for the escalation was approved. In other words, some members of the Democratic leadership—Congress has been under Democratic control since the 2006 elections—were willing, in secret, to go along with the Administration in expanding covert activities directed at Iran, while the Party’s presumptive candidate for President, Barack Obama, has said that he favors direct talks and diplomacy.”

read complete article here >>

Friday at 10am (ET) on C-SPAN Radio (Net. TBD)

Watch (online too) on C-SPAN3 at 9:30am (ET) - http://c-span.org/

General Accuses WH of War Crimes

Washingtonpost.com | June 18, 2008

“In his 2004 report on Abu Ghraib, then-Major General Anthony Taguba concluded that “numerous incidents of sadistic, blatant, and wanton criminal abuses were inflicted on several detainees.” He called the abuse “systemic and illegal.” And, as Seymour M. Hersh reported in the New Yorker, he was rewarded for his honesty by being forced into retirement.”

read full article >>

Support Rep. Kucinich’s and the Articles of Impeachment Against George Bush

opednew.com | June 19, 2008

“Please, if you will, sign this petition supporting Rep. Kucinich and urging your Congressperson and Senators to join him in this effort.

I know that the chance of Bush actually being impeached or in any way held accountable for his violations of the Constitution, his violations of the Geneva Conventions, his human rights crimes, his war crimes, and the many other crimes he is alleged to have engaged in is, as the saying goes, “slim to bupkis.” Nevertheless, for what it’s worth, in the Congressional Record there is now proof that some Americans were not willing to ignore or gloss over these terrible crimes.”

read full article >>