Thursday, January 01, 2004
Say Goodbye to ‘03
I won’t post a year-end summary or offer prognostications. Barry Crimmins had a humorous summary in last week’s Boston Phoenix, Bob Kuttner predicts in Wednesday’s Globe and- eeek- William Safire offers his in today’s NYTimes. I’ll only note that ’03 continued the trend of engorging the wealthy at the expense of (almost) everyone else and that Bush is beatable (though…) http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/31/opinion/31SAFI.html http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2003/12/31/the_outlook_for_2004/
On to ELECTION ‘04
Despite it being ‘holiday season’, it’s heated up. The all-out assault on Dean- not by the Republicans, but by the pundits and, lo, the Democrats- is underway. The DLC and the Democratic candidates blister him, NPR commentators make fun of him, the Washington Post termed the candidate's views to be "not just unfounded but ludicrous" and complained of his "departure from the Democratic mainstream."
Dean complicated matters by suggesting that should he not get the nomination, many of his supporters may balk at supporting one of the “Washington Democrats.”
Oy vey. This is too familiar. Democrats- and too many progressive activists- have always been talented at eating their own while reserving their “action” to protesting policies of the opposition. Too little energy is put to offering alternative visions/programs and fighting hard against the reactionary opposition. The Democrats have to simply pledge to vigorously support the nomination winner, whomever…
Assuredly Dean will be emphasizing his centrism, most recently his Christianity. We should also not be surprised at notes of “moderation” that will be trumpeted by the Bush Campaign, new evidence of compassionate conservatism. This will contrast with the right-wing diatribes coming from the hard core.
Witness the “public manifesto” that was publicly “sent” to Bush by Richard Perle et al, co-author (w/ David Frum) of a new book that calls for a renewed “will to win” the terrorism business. The Independent (David Rennie) reports that the Manifesto demands regime change for Syria and Iran as well as a military blockade / quarantine of North Korea and urges planning for preemptive strikes on Korea’s nuclear sites. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/12/31/wcons31.xml&sSheet=/portal/2003/12/31/ixportaltop.html
Republican Media Advantage: The NY Times (Jim Rutenberg) piece demonstrated the coordinated media efforts.
But on one recent Thursday, Terry Holt, Mr. Bush's campaign press secretary, called in to "The Marc Bernier Show," at 1150 and 1490 on the AM dial here, to talk extensively about how the president wanted to help orange growers and would not be satisfied until "every American who wants a job can have a job."
It was one of several telephone visits Mr. Holt made to radio stations in the past few weeks, though he has not appeared on a national television program since he started his job in early November.
While the Bush campaign maintains a low profile on the national campaign stage — content for now to watch the Democrats beat on one another — it is aggressively working the expansive hustings of Republican-friendly talk radio, priming the grass roots faithful for battle next year.
Mr. Bernier's program is part of a network of conservative-minded local radio shows in politically important states on which campaign officials are heard daily, programs like "Mid-Day With Charlie Sykes" in Milwaukee, "The Martha Zoller Show" in Atlanta and "The Jerry Bowyer Program" in Pittsburgh.
It is a network that the Democrats do not have — though they are trying to cultivate one — and one that Mr. Bush's campaign strategists believe will give him an edge in an election that could go to whichever side best mobilizes its core voters.
Presidents have used radio to reach voters virtually since its invention. But strategists and radio experts say the Bush campaign has taken it to a new level of sophistication, using it far earlier in the campaign cycle and appearing regularly on shows with even the tiniest of audiences. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/29/politics/campaigns/29RADI.html?hp=&pagewanted=print&position=
Army Times Salutes the Soldiers.
The newspaper honored those killed in Afghanistan and Iraq in 2003 by publishing photos of them, rare publicity of our casualties, a modeling for others. [Elsewhere in their periodical they note that “the men and women in uniform strongly back President Bush and his policies in Iraq, according to a Military Times Poll.”] http://www.armytimes.com/
Rosy Economy, or Happy Talk? The desire to be positive/optimistic is human, the need to project success is Republican. So, powerful forces are urging a celebrating of the economy’s “recovery”. The stock market has had a bountiful 9 months, that third quarter looked great, etc. However, minimalist detective work leads one to the conclusion that most people are not benefiting.
Indeed, workers are losing ground, or their jobs. My compatriot Chuck Palson and I have no trouble finding measuring sticks that demonstrate that jobs pay less, are disappearing, and benefits are declining as well as noting the growing number of underemployed or "permanently discouraged" workers. As part of Fairness in Taxes for Everyone's [FITE] efforts, Chuck prowled through the Bureau of Labor Statistics to come up with another barometer. He found that unemployed persons are taking increasingly lengthy periods to find jobs, that the minimal period for such has steadily increased since the 1960’s.
So, beware the happy talk.
What’s Happening, Iraq: Tiresome, preoccupying, but must report!
* Didn’t see, but heard from two sources about Christianne Amanpour’s report on 60 Minutes, including how we train- but don’t trust- the new Iraq police.
* Arab News had a report on Saddam threatening to tell all as to his past dealings with the U.S. reports.
According to the European source close to US investigators, Saddam also said that he would ask the International Court of Justice in The Hague to try the United States for its crimes against the Iraqi people for allegedly using internationally prohibited weapons against the Iraqis during the last two wars against his country.
If the Americans want to try me in a court of law, they should also try high-ranking international officials," the source quoted the former Iraqi dictator as saying. Saddam has insisted that his statements are recorded verbatim, the paper said. The source said Saddam neither prayed not read the Qur'an, it added.... http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4§ion=0&article=37091&d=27&m=12&y=2003 I
* Southern Iraq relatively tranquil: Luke Harding of the Guardian conveyed how well it’s going in the South.
In contrast to the daily mayhem in the rest of Iraq, the British-occupied south of the country is - comparatively - a tranquil place. There is violence here too - kidnappings and car-jackings by armed bandits who lurk on the road north of Basra are common; last week gunmen shot dead a Christian alcohol-seller as he went to buy vegetables in Basra's market.
But Iraq's increasingly well-organised resistance has made little effort to launch attacks on the British troops who have been encamped in Basra since June, in one of Saddam's riverside palaces, a short stroll from his un-sunken yacht. The last British soldier killed in action in Iraq died in late August.
"It's all about managing the Shia mood," Brigadier David Rutherford-Jones said last week, as his men tucked into a Christmas dinner of turkey and mince pies, served in the palace's tinsel-covered mosque. "Their expectations are very high. I sense that they are outpacing reality a little."
But the reality is that the 10,000 British soldiers in Iraq are not confronting the same kind of brutal insurgency faced by the Americans further north. Iraq is now divided into three chunks - the tranquil south; Kurdistan, which has enjoyed self-government since 1991; and Baghdad and the Sunni triangle. http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,7792,1113623,00.html
“Astroturf”, Ongoing:
That is, the placing of campaign verbiage in media, nation-wide, often attaching bogus names to the “letters.” Missives to various periodicals reproduce phrases, sections, or entire model letters that come from RNC / Bush-Cheney campaign sources. It’s mighty effective. Many illustrations, the “Healthy Forest” initiative being a recent one. On the campaign web site:
On December 3, 2003, President Bush signed into law the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 to help to prevent catastrophic wildfires and strengthen America’s long-term forest health. The legislation, based on the President’s Healthy Forest Initiative, will reduce the risk of catastrophic fire to communities, help save the lives of firefighters and citizens, and protect
As a nation, we have watched helplessly as parts of America were devastated by wildfires that displaced families, ruined communities and took lives. In the past two years alone, 147,049 fires burned nearly 11 million acres. The President understands the necessity to manage forest and rangelands to protect the land and prevent further destruction caused not only by fires, but also disease and infestation of insects.
Then, letters to the editor appeared in a host of publications, including the Delaware Coast Press web site http://www.delmarvanow.com/deweybeach/stories/20031224/102202.html \
On Dec. 3, President Bush signed into law the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 to help to prevent catastrophic wildÞres and strengthen America's long-term forest health. The legislation, based on the president's Healthy Forest Initiative, will reduce the risk of catastrophic Þre to communities, help save the lives of ÞreÞghters and citizens, and protect threatened and endangered species.
As a nation, we have watched helplessly as parts of America were devastated by wildÞres that displaced families, ruined communities and took lives. In the past two years alone, 147,049 Þres burned nearly 11 million acres. The president understands the necessity to manage forest and range lands to protect the land and prevent further destruction caused not only by Þres, but also disease and infestation of insects. By working with Congress, he achieved bipartisan support for a bill that will not only protect endangered species, but also protect our nations' forests and nearby communities for generations to come. Uncontrolled growth, the result of years of unwise forest policy, has left our forests vulnerable to catastrophic Þres
Notice the substitution of “Pres” for “fire/fires”… not my doing; perhaps the editor was making a statement…
“Person of the Year”- the U.S. Soldier. Being someone who values truth-telling, I would’ve hoped that exemplary individuals would have captured this ‘honor’. Hans Blix, however taciturn, could’ve served as poster boy.
The Spin Continues as to Libya “triumph” The Repubs are repeating this claim, hoping the public will buy it as fact, as with all of their previous claims/misrepresentations/lies. The Wall Street Journal (Jackie Calmes) reports that Condi Rice “ has made the Libyan initiative a top priority -- as vindication of the Bush doctrine of threatening pre-emptive force.” http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB107239125852700000,00.html?mod=politics%5Fsecondary%5Fstories%5Fhs
Public Broadcasting Under Siege!
Marguerite R. passed this piece of good news.
The Bush Administration has awarded two major Republican donors seats on the nine-member board of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). Bush appointees Cheryl Halpern and Gay Hart Gaines and their families have given over $800,000 to Republican causes in recent years.
But just as troubling are the agendas that Halpern and Hart Gaines would bring to the CPB. Both have stated views or espoused causes thatcall into question their qualifications to service on a board whose mission is to promote and fund public television and radio programming.
Halpern, in her confirmation hearings, indicated that she would welcome empowering the CPB board members to intervene in program content when they felt a program was biased. And, Gaines was an ardent supporter of Representative Newt Gingrich (R-GA). http://www.commoncause.org/news/default.cfm?ArtID=270
-R
I won’t post a year-end summary or offer prognostications. Barry Crimmins had a humorous summary in last week’s Boston Phoenix, Bob Kuttner predicts in Wednesday’s Globe and- eeek- William Safire offers his in today’s NYTimes. I’ll only note that ’03 continued the trend of engorging the wealthy at the expense of (almost) everyone else and that Bush is beatable (though…) http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/31/opinion/31SAFI.html http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2003/12/31/the_outlook_for_2004/
On to ELECTION ‘04
Despite it being ‘holiday season’, it’s heated up. The all-out assault on Dean- not by the Republicans, but by the pundits and, lo, the Democrats- is underway. The DLC and the Democratic candidates blister him, NPR commentators make fun of him, the Washington Post termed the candidate's views to be "not just unfounded but ludicrous" and complained of his "departure from the Democratic mainstream."
Dean complicated matters by suggesting that should he not get the nomination, many of his supporters may balk at supporting one of the “Washington Democrats.”
Oy vey. This is too familiar. Democrats- and too many progressive activists- have always been talented at eating their own while reserving their “action” to protesting policies of the opposition. Too little energy is put to offering alternative visions/programs and fighting hard against the reactionary opposition. The Democrats have to simply pledge to vigorously support the nomination winner, whomever…
Assuredly Dean will be emphasizing his centrism, most recently his Christianity. We should also not be surprised at notes of “moderation” that will be trumpeted by the Bush Campaign, new evidence of compassionate conservatism. This will contrast with the right-wing diatribes coming from the hard core.
Witness the “public manifesto” that was publicly “sent” to Bush by Richard Perle et al, co-author (w/ David Frum) of a new book that calls for a renewed “will to win” the terrorism business. The Independent (David Rennie) reports that the Manifesto demands regime change for Syria and Iran as well as a military blockade / quarantine of North Korea and urges planning for preemptive strikes on Korea’s nuclear sites. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/12/31/wcons31.xml&sSheet=/portal/2003/12/31/ixportaltop.html
Republican Media Advantage: The NY Times (Jim Rutenberg) piece demonstrated the coordinated media efforts.
But on one recent Thursday, Terry Holt, Mr. Bush's campaign press secretary, called in to "The Marc Bernier Show," at 1150 and 1490 on the AM dial here, to talk extensively about how the president wanted to help orange growers and would not be satisfied until "every American who wants a job can have a job."
It was one of several telephone visits Mr. Holt made to radio stations in the past few weeks, though he has not appeared on a national television program since he started his job in early November.
While the Bush campaign maintains a low profile on the national campaign stage — content for now to watch the Democrats beat on one another — it is aggressively working the expansive hustings of Republican-friendly talk radio, priming the grass roots faithful for battle next year.
Mr. Bernier's program is part of a network of conservative-minded local radio shows in politically important states on which campaign officials are heard daily, programs like "Mid-Day With Charlie Sykes" in Milwaukee, "The Martha Zoller Show" in Atlanta and "The Jerry Bowyer Program" in Pittsburgh.
It is a network that the Democrats do not have — though they are trying to cultivate one — and one that Mr. Bush's campaign strategists believe will give him an edge in an election that could go to whichever side best mobilizes its core voters.
Presidents have used radio to reach voters virtually since its invention. But strategists and radio experts say the Bush campaign has taken it to a new level of sophistication, using it far earlier in the campaign cycle and appearing regularly on shows with even the tiniest of audiences. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/29/politics/campaigns/29RADI.html?hp=&pagewanted=print&position=
Army Times Salutes the Soldiers.
The newspaper honored those killed in Afghanistan and Iraq in 2003 by publishing photos of them, rare publicity of our casualties, a modeling for others. [Elsewhere in their periodical they note that “the men and women in uniform strongly back President Bush and his policies in Iraq, according to a Military Times Poll.”] http://www.armytimes.com/
Rosy Economy, or Happy Talk? The desire to be positive/optimistic is human, the need to project success is Republican. So, powerful forces are urging a celebrating of the economy’s “recovery”. The stock market has had a bountiful 9 months, that third quarter looked great, etc. However, minimalist detective work leads one to the conclusion that most people are not benefiting.
Indeed, workers are losing ground, or their jobs. My compatriot Chuck Palson and I have no trouble finding measuring sticks that demonstrate that jobs pay less, are disappearing, and benefits are declining as well as noting the growing number of underemployed or "permanently discouraged" workers. As part of Fairness in Taxes for Everyone's [FITE] efforts, Chuck prowled through the Bureau of Labor Statistics to come up with another barometer. He found that unemployed persons are taking increasingly lengthy periods to find jobs, that the minimal period for such has steadily increased since the 1960’s.
So, beware the happy talk.
What’s Happening, Iraq: Tiresome, preoccupying, but must report!
* Didn’t see, but heard from two sources about Christianne Amanpour’s report on 60 Minutes, including how we train- but don’t trust- the new Iraq police.
* Arab News had a report on Saddam threatening to tell all as to his past dealings with the U.S. reports.
According to the European source close to US investigators, Saddam also said that he would ask the International Court of Justice in The Hague to try the United States for its crimes against the Iraqi people for allegedly using internationally prohibited weapons against the Iraqis during the last two wars against his country.
If the Americans want to try me in a court of law, they should also try high-ranking international officials," the source quoted the former Iraqi dictator as saying. Saddam has insisted that his statements are recorded verbatim, the paper said. The source said Saddam neither prayed not read the Qur'an, it added.... http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4§ion=0&article=37091&d=27&m=12&y=2003 I
* Southern Iraq relatively tranquil: Luke Harding of the Guardian conveyed how well it’s going in the South.
In contrast to the daily mayhem in the rest of Iraq, the British-occupied south of the country is - comparatively - a tranquil place. There is violence here too - kidnappings and car-jackings by armed bandits who lurk on the road north of Basra are common; last week gunmen shot dead a Christian alcohol-seller as he went to buy vegetables in Basra's market.
But Iraq's increasingly well-organised resistance has made little effort to launch attacks on the British troops who have been encamped in Basra since June, in one of Saddam's riverside palaces, a short stroll from his un-sunken yacht. The last British soldier killed in action in Iraq died in late August.
"It's all about managing the Shia mood," Brigadier David Rutherford-Jones said last week, as his men tucked into a Christmas dinner of turkey and mince pies, served in the palace's tinsel-covered mosque. "Their expectations are very high. I sense that they are outpacing reality a little."
But the reality is that the 10,000 British soldiers in Iraq are not confronting the same kind of brutal insurgency faced by the Americans further north. Iraq is now divided into three chunks - the tranquil south; Kurdistan, which has enjoyed self-government since 1991; and Baghdad and the Sunni triangle. http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,7792,1113623,00.html
“Astroturf”, Ongoing:
That is, the placing of campaign verbiage in media, nation-wide, often attaching bogus names to the “letters.” Missives to various periodicals reproduce phrases, sections, or entire model letters that come from RNC / Bush-Cheney campaign sources. It’s mighty effective. Many illustrations, the “Healthy Forest” initiative being a recent one. On the campaign web site:
On December 3, 2003, President Bush signed into law the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 to help to prevent catastrophic wildfires and strengthen America’s long-term forest health. The legislation, based on the President’s Healthy Forest Initiative, will reduce the risk of catastrophic fire to communities, help save the lives of firefighters and citizens, and protect
As a nation, we have watched helplessly as parts of America were devastated by wildfires that displaced families, ruined communities and took lives. In the past two years alone, 147,049 fires burned nearly 11 million acres. The President understands the necessity to manage forest and rangelands to protect the land and prevent further destruction caused not only by fires, but also disease and infestation of insects.
Then, letters to the editor appeared in a host of publications, including the Delaware Coast Press web site http://www.delmarvanow.com/deweybeach/stories/20031224/102202.html \
On Dec. 3, President Bush signed into law the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 to help to prevent catastrophic wildÞres and strengthen America's long-term forest health. The legislation, based on the president's Healthy Forest Initiative, will reduce the risk of catastrophic Þre to communities, help save the lives of ÞreÞghters and citizens, and protect threatened and endangered species.
As a nation, we have watched helplessly as parts of America were devastated by wildÞres that displaced families, ruined communities and took lives. In the past two years alone, 147,049 Þres burned nearly 11 million acres. The president understands the necessity to manage forest and range lands to protect the land and prevent further destruction caused not only by Þres, but also disease and infestation of insects. By working with Congress, he achieved bipartisan support for a bill that will not only protect endangered species, but also protect our nations' forests and nearby communities for generations to come. Uncontrolled growth, the result of years of unwise forest policy, has left our forests vulnerable to catastrophic Þres
Notice the substitution of “Pres” for “fire/fires”… not my doing; perhaps the editor was making a statement…
“Person of the Year”- the U.S. Soldier. Being someone who values truth-telling, I would’ve hoped that exemplary individuals would have captured this ‘honor’. Hans Blix, however taciturn, could’ve served as poster boy.
The Spin Continues as to Libya “triumph” The Repubs are repeating this claim, hoping the public will buy it as fact, as with all of their previous claims/misrepresentations/lies. The Wall Street Journal (Jackie Calmes) reports that Condi Rice “ has made the Libyan initiative a top priority -- as vindication of the Bush doctrine of threatening pre-emptive force.” http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB107239125852700000,00.html?mod=politics%5Fsecondary%5Fstories%5Fhs
Public Broadcasting Under Siege!
Marguerite R. passed this piece of good news.
The Bush Administration has awarded two major Republican donors seats on the nine-member board of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). Bush appointees Cheryl Halpern and Gay Hart Gaines and their families have given over $800,000 to Republican causes in recent years.
But just as troubling are the agendas that Halpern and Hart Gaines would bring to the CPB. Both have stated views or espoused causes thatcall into question their qualifications to service on a board whose mission is to promote and fund public television and radio programming.
Halpern, in her confirmation hearings, indicated that she would welcome empowering the CPB board members to intervene in program content when they felt a program was biased. And, Gaines was an ardent supporter of Representative Newt Gingrich (R-GA). http://www.commoncause.org/news/default.cfm?ArtID=270
-R
