Went to see Ned Lamont speak at an African American church tonight. They loved Ned. The pastor introduced him saying "we haven’t seen Joe Lieberman on this side of town in 18 years…We decided it was time to get a horse we could fellowship with and who would listen to us."
They really responded to Ned’s message, loved his background as a volunteer teacher at Harding High School in Bridgeport and cheered when he said "we’re sending too many of our young people to jail, when what they need is hope and a second chance."
They were already quite disgusted with Lieberman. — how would they have felt if they knew that one of Lieberman’s big donors was the CEO of Choicepoint, the firm that worked hand-in-hand with Katherine Harris to purge African American voters from the Florida voter rolls in 2000?
The disfranchisement operation began in 1998 under Katherine Harris’s predecessor as secretary of state, Sandra Mortham. Mortham was a Republican star, designated by Jeb Bush as his lieutenant governor running mate for his second run for governor.
Six months prior to the gubernatorial contest, the Florida legislature passed a "reform" law to eliminate registration of ineligible voters: those who had moved, those who had died and felons without voting rights. The legislation was promoted as a good-government response to the fraud-tainted Miami mayoral race of 1997.
But from the beginning, the law and its implementation emitted a partisan fragrance. Passed by the Republican legislature’s majority, the new code included an extraordinary provision to turn over the initial creation of "scrub" lists to a private firm. No other state, either before or since, has privatized this key step in the elimination of citizens’ civil rights.
In November 1998 the Republican-controlled office of the secretary of state handed the task to the single bidder, Database Technologies, now the DBT Online unit of ChoicePoint Inc. of Atlanta, into which it merged last year.
The elections unit within the secretary of state’s office immediately launched a felon manhunt with a zeal and carelessness that worried local elections professionals. The Nation has obtained an internal Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections memo, dated August 1998, which warns Mortham’s office that it had wrongly removed eligible voters in a botched rush "to capriciously take names off the rolls." However, to avoid a public row, the supervisors agreed to keep their misgivings within the confines of the bureaucracies in the belief that "entering a public fight with [state officials] would be counterproductive."
That November Jeb Bush had an unexpectedly easy walk to the governor’s mansion, an election victory attributed, ironically, to his endorsement by black Democratic politicians feuding with their party.
Over the past two years, with Republicans in charge of both the governorship and the secretary of state’s office, now under Harris, the felon purge has accelerated. In May 2000, using a list provided by DBT, Harris’s office ordered counties to purge 8,000 Florida voters who had committed felonies in Texas. In fact, none of the group were charged with anything more than misdemeanors, a mistake caught but never fully reversed. ChoicePoint DBT and Harris then sent out "corrected" lists, including the names of 437 voters who indeed had committed felonies in Texas. But this list too was in error, since a Texas law enacted in 1997 permits felons to vote after doing their time. In this case there was no attempt at all to correct the error.
The wrongful purge of the Texas convicts was no one-of-a-kind mishap. The secretary of state’s office acknowledges that it also ordered the removal of 714 names of Illinois felons and 990 from Ohio–states that permit the vote even to those on probation or parole. According to Florida’s own laws, not a single person arriving in the state from Ohio or Illinois should have been removed. Altogether DBT tagged for the scrub nearly 3,000 felons who came from at least eight states that automatically restore voting rights and who therefore arrived in Florida with full citizenship.
A ChoicePoint DBT spokesman said, and the Florida Department of Elections confirms, that Harris’s office approved the selection of states from which to obtain records for the felon scrub. As to why the department included states that restore voting rights, Janet Modrow, Florida’s liaison to ChoicePoint DBT, bounced the question to Harris’s legal staff. That office has not returned repeated calls.
Can we have another chorus of Marshall Whitman talking about how Joe marched in ‘64? I think the shelf life on that one may have expired.
(Lamont mailer via Connecticut Local Politics)
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wow
seriously, just finished a video and FITZ!
Ah. Wonderful. That’s some fine ham-and-egging with Stoller on this one, Jane. Superb.
Hey, here’s an idea: Why not just… let ex-cons vote? They’ve paid their debt to society, shouldn’t they be full-fledge citizens again? Isn’t this some kind of equal protection violation?
Fitz and Jane.
What does Smokin’ Joe say about the current ME situation? He was a heartbeat away… so maybe he has an opinion.
I would have thought that if persons had done their time they would be granted the full rights and privileges of a citizen.
I am stunned to see that people could lose such a basic right forever (or not?), though I can understand why it is so popular with certain politicians.
I am stunned to see that people could lose such a basic right forever (or not?), though I can understand why it is so popular with certain politicians.
It’s a great way to purge black voters without admitting that that’s what you’re doing. “Surely you don’t want *criminals* voting, do you?”
Why does it always surprise me how far these wingnuts will go?And how little most people care?
Crazy stuff,when will people wake up?
The thing about Lamont is that he needs to find it. Admittedly I’ve only watched 25-30 minutes of his presentations. But there is an edge lacking. Ned, it ain’t about your gut, it’s about your heart.
Dang I feel old.
Florida Statute 98.0975 (4) was the enabling legislation that put the illegal voter purge in motion. Note the double negative in Section (4) — if the registrar’s couldn’t prove the information was inaccurate, they were required to remove the name.
Then Speaker of the Florida House Tom Feeney inserted this into the bill at the last minute, in mid August 1998. (Paul Lukasiak knows the details) No one on either side of the aisle knew about it.
98.0975 has since been repealed.
Perhaps Jane and Rayne would like some waffles with their ham and eggs?
;>)
Most criminals would never vote for anyone associated with the criminals in charge. After all, it takes one to know one.
Heh. darkblack, I don’t know how my body will metabolize that much of Joe-mama’s waffles smothered in all that syrup…
Trivia question: Was Rene Zellweger in Dazed and Confused?
I once thought so too, but I wasn’t writing about the film’s director for the Washington Post.
Trivia question: Was Rene Zellweger in Dazed and Confused?
Doesn’t look like it.
darkblack — you are so bad. That is so funny.
Before the 2004 election, I asked people I met at the store, gas station, etc. if they were registered to vote.
Surprising number said, “I can’t vote.” Bad check conviction for several single moms, for instance.
I told them they can vote in Ohio. They were told they couldn’t and were afraid to draw attention to themselves. This just drives me crazy. Some nice woman who works at a gas station is afraid to register to vote.
I loved reading Palast on the presence of Choicepoint in the Mexican elections. It’s a shame that he can’t write for the American press.
50 Ways To Dump The Dubya
Sorry I forgot the link…
50 Ways
Everything else about Lieberman could be considered honest disagreement. (Yeah, I know)
Except the ChoicePoint donations. For that, he’s got to go.
Bastard.
Ned Lamont appeals to everyone. If only filming him tonight had been appropriate, I would have so you guys could see it for yourselves. I’ll never forget it.
Ah. On second thought:
yes, it’s true: Renee Zellweger is in Dazed and Confused for roughly 2 seconds.
Now that much of the public is more aware of the “October Surprise,” are we seeing an adjustment by the string-pullers? Is Lebanon the beginning of the “July Surprise”? And all of a sudden there are terror “plots” being foiled again, right when Rover gets back in the saddle….Hmmmm…..
Whatever the case, I’m sure patriot Jumpin’ Joe Leaverman will get to the bottom of it. Oh? He’s not going to be around much longer you say? Well, we’ve always got Joe Biden-tal to protect us!
OT BTW,
When I went to sleep last night, I was anticipating 2000 downloads of “Goper’s Lament” when I woke up, based on how the numbers were coming in. It turns out that there were actually 4030 downloads.
Thanks folks.
Spazeboy was at the church, too.
For those of you interested in the ACLU’s efforts with regard to Florida’s deprivation of state citizenship rights for felons (it isn’t just voting, folks): http://www.aclufl.org/issues/v…..ng_ban.cfm
An equal protection challenge was rejected by the 11th Circuit and SCOTUS denied cert. One other wrinkle: the felon does not have to have committedd the felony in Florida. A conviction in another state is enough provided it meets certain criteria. I won’t bore you with the details, but there are some very complicated conflict-of-laws issues involved in all this. As for why the Republican-dominated Florida legislature won’t change it, try this: The provisions for disenfranchising felons were first adopted during Reconstruction. One out of every six African American voting age men in Florida cannot vote. ‘Nuff said?
Ned is doing all the right things. Joe is not. These dots are connecting thanks to the blessed unclogged tubes of the internets. I’d like to know the precise connex between Choicepoint and Joe and why the money is flowing. Really scummy.
One out of every six African American voting age men in Florida cannot vote. ‘Nuff said?
That’s what it’s all about. Mask discrimination behind something that sounds reasonable and positive, like preventing criminals from voting, or “protecting” the oh-so-fragile institution of marriage.
Links to the US Civil Rights Commission Report on the year 2000 Election Irregularities in Florida.
http://www.usccr.gov/pubs/vote2000/report/main.htm
Chapter 5 has most of the DBT Choicepoint details.
http://www.usccr.gov/pubs/vote2000/report/ch5.htm
25
Sorry, should have made that clear. I was at the church. I’m way too tired to comment here tonight.
Ah. On second thought:
yes, it’s true: Renee Zellweger is in Dazed and Confused for roughly 2 seconds.
Wuh? Weird. I assumed that everyone — like me — was confusing her with Joey Lauren Adams.
spaze, you rock so hard. Thanks so much for bringing all this visual information to us. Huge service.
Wuh? Weird. I assumed that everyone — like me — was confusing her with Joey Lauren Adams.
Apparently it was an uncredited, non-speaking role, which is why the IMDb didn’t have it listed.
Spazeboy, you have been doing incredible work and we all love you to pieces. You are allowed to get some rest. Go to bed. We’ll miss you, but we want you to stay healthy.
BarbaraB and -ck-, thank you for the links. I’m having major flashbacks.
Fouad Ajani on Charlie Rose.
Rose asks if Ajani got Iraq wrong or at least partly wrong. Ajani responds that everyone got Iraq wrong. No, Fouad, not everyone did. Mostly neocons like you got it wrong. Ajani still won’t say it’s a disaster. He is hopeful about Iraq. He says the Iraqi army is well trained and professional and the problem is with the police. What Iraqi army is he talking about and where are they hiding? He says the militias are in the police. Apparently he hasn’t noticed they are also in the army but that might be too much reality for Ajani. He talks about the hypocrisy of the Arab world when it didn’t condemn Saddam Hussein. Again he forgets when our country considered Saddam an ally. Oh well. He cites one unnamed Iraqi who says things are better. So I guess it was all worth it or maybe the guy is on drugs or doesn’t really exist. Hard to tell with Ajani.
He says that Congress voted for the war. He needs to go back and reread the AUMF for Iraq. He say that more than 70% of Americans were for the war. Of course, he doesn’t say that most of these same Americans believed that Saddam was tied up with al-Qaeda and responsible for 911.
Now he says that there was a linkage between Saddam and al Qaeda. What was is? He was a bad man and so was al Qaeda. Head beginning to hurt here. Secularism and religious extremism are the same in the Arab world for Ajani. He doesn’t explain how.
Criticizes buyer’s remorse that people are truning away from the war. Again ignores that Bush lied to take us to war. This guy is incoherent. Think I’ll stop here. What he’s doing isn’t commentary or analysis. It’s fiction, very bad fiction.
I wonder if Maxine Waters knows about this? I wonder if John Lewis does? Some enterprising person who knows how to do these things should check Choicepoint’s (or its predecessor’s) contributions to Jeb Bush and Tom Feeney. Jeb is real big on privatizing and for some strange reason campaign contributors always seem to get the contracts. Then they always seem to f*** them up. Jeb’s motto: “Gubmint bad, bidness good.” It will take Florida 20 years to recover from the incompetent crony capitalism he has inlicted on us.
Greg Palast on the Texas 8,000, and other illegal disenfranchisement –
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20010205/palast/2
A Spokesperson for the Texas DPS responded, saying it wasn’t their fault:
http://www.austinchronicle.com…..aked3.html
Note that the Texas CRD hadn’t been changed since 1998 — the same year the voter purge was put in motion by Jeb Bush’s former running mate.
It is just amazing, the number of coincidences that follow George Bush, Jeb Bush, and Karl Rove.
Hugh 36
“Ajani responds that everyone got Iraq wrong. No, Fouad, not everyone did. Mostly neocons like you got it wrong.”
They think everybody got it wrong because they didn’t talk to anyone but each other.
It is just amazing, the number of coincidences that follow George Bush, Jeb Bush, and Karl Rove.
I’m sure it’s just coincidence.
My hairdresser, who keeps up with these things, told me yesterday that John McCain met with Jeb earlier this week (or maybe last) here in Tallahassee. Very hush hush. I guess those rumors about a McCain-Jeb ticket have something to them. Be afraid. Be very afraid. (On the other hand, there’s enough dirt on Jeb for anyone willing to look hard enough that I can’t believe McCain would be that dumb. But maybe he would.)
Hugh, was Charlie just sitting here nodding and smiling? Ajani has always come off as someone not completely plugged in to reality. These are the elite.
OT:
skippy has a great piece up tonight about the Joe Scarborough “The intern-she just died, I dunno” deal.
Def. worth reading, well researched.
over half of the Democratic Congresscritters voted against the War on Iraq in October 2002 — they got it right, even back then…
meta 9:45 pm — I think the links that “connex the tubes” is somewhere in legislation that came before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, or before the Senate Armed Forces Committee. Ranking Dem on the first is only thing about Joe that is unique; he’s not the ranking Dem on the Armed Forces Committee.
So what legislation came up this past two quarters that had to go before one if not both committees?
ChoicePoint doesn’t appear to have a PAC, either; the executives make direct donations. In some respects that’s a tell about the firm; they are either that sloppy-stupid or that sloppy with hubris.
The only other driver I can think of is damage control; was ChoicePoint getting pressed about a particular security breach during this time window, and it felt it needed to repair the damage or reward those folks who stuck by them? Perhaps looking at lobbying firm donations might also tell us something.
But that will have to wait until tomorrow; I’m up too late yet again with you FirePups.
Well, good for Mr. Lamont! I’ve been banging my personal drum about Mr. Lamont needing to get down to the factory gates and all….but I had wondered about the minority voters also. His appearance at this church is a sound move. Very, very good.
These kinds of outings will get him votes. I hope Mr. Lamont continues these types of appearances right up to election day.
Oh, and on the choicepoint stuff: it’s PURE Karl The Coward tactics. Much discussion has been had at this site about all the possible Diebold problems. Fair enough. But Karl The Coward works in some very subtle ways. He’ll send his snakes out to purge voter rolls on criminal history grounds, or even on lack of confirmed residency grounds. He’ll try to snake into the system things like Ms. Hamsher wrote about recently on the Voters Rights Act. Karl The Coward also specializes in shorting supplies….on election day various precincts are short on ballots, pencils, etc etc. Guess which precincts always get shorted? Yep, you got it.
Ghostman
You know, I don’t believe for a second that more than 1% of the people who voted for this war bought the 911/Iraq connection. It was all about political expediency and covering their asses, ya know, a slam, bam, thank you ma’am kinda war — they didn’t want to look like losers and weaklings so they let the lying bully have his way.
If we, the audience, knew we were being manipulated, they did as well. This is why you don’t hear more of the “Bush lied to us!!” and “We believed him!” stuff. Because it sticks in their craw, just too much of a damned lie to spit out.
Well, at least they have some shame.
(Oh, and Hal Holbrook woulda made a fine Joe Wilson in his younger days…)
How DBT Choicepoint got the voter list contract:
http://www.usccr.gov/pubs/vote2000/report/ch5.htm
How convenient — a “little bird” (in the Jeb Bush Administration?) told DBT to how to structure it’s proposal, and to raise it’s bid from slightly more than $30,000 to $3,100,000.
Sounds reasonable to me — no way the fix was in . . .
. . . and your little dog, too
I agree but it is also a way of diminishing blame and responsibility. Well, shucks, I was wrong but then again we all were. So I guess it wasn’t so bad.
meta
As sometimes happens to a hard hitting fluff interviewer like Rose, even he has to try to inject, timidly to be sure, a little reality into the interview. When this happened, Ajani talked over him and ignored the point.
So far all I’ve been able to turn up is a connection with Insurity, a subsidiary of Choicepoint, setting up shop and doing biz in Hartford.
Jenny from the Blog
Cheney repeatedly made the connection and continued to do so long after it was debunked. What is sad is that I still see stories that many of our troops in Iraq still believe these things and so are fighting and dying for this Administration’s lies.
As far as Choicepoint’s donation to Lieberman — as Bush’s favorite Democrat, HoJo would automatically be on Karl Rove’s approved list.
There doesn’t have to be anything unseemly — the kiss and the random backstab are enough to bring in the GOoPer dough.
BarbaraB, McCain and Jeb – that is just so screwed up on so many levels. Please tell me this can never work…..
Hugh -
Outrageous, isn’t it. And they sent these kids over to Iraq with pictures of New Yorkers leaping to their death on 911, fueling the fire for revenge. I’ll never, never understand what mass psychosis was at play when everyone rolled over for the big lie. I remember when BushCo first started beating the Iraq drum and it was so ludicrous I just never in a million years thought anyone would buy into it. It was to laugh. But then somehow…
There has never been voter fraud to the level the GOP wants everyone to believe. I think in 2002 a couple people in Wisconsin got busted for it, and in 2004 the only one I’ve heard of was Ann Coulter.
When someone says “voter fraud” they really mean election fraud. Election fraud is typically executed by those in power, such as Mayor Daley in 1960s Chicago or Ken Blackwell in Ohio. When you hear talk of dead people voting, it’s certainly not a bunch of drunk guys sitting in a bar who say hey, let’s go get names off tombstones and vote a bunch of times. Dead voters come from criminal politicians trying to alter election results.
Voter fraud is a bogus issue that is being used by GOP operatives as a way to implement the mechanisms they want for election fraud and voter suppression.
Jenny, I felt exactly the same way. It’s almost textbook social psychology. The constant fear-mongering, the repeated memes, the visual images of horror used against us. I truly wonder how many people really realize the ultimate manipulation performed upon them.
On felons voting rights – LWV of Washington State filed amicus briefs on behalf of plaintiffs in the case now before the state supreme court
http://www.aclu-wa.org/intheco…..cfm?id=484
No syrup, Rayne?
How about a la mode?
;>)
I’d guess it’s Homeland Security, although Armed Services is a possibility and there is also an insurance company connection (major Conn. business, remember?) Choicepoint collects and sells personal data. Can anyone say data mining? Greg Palast can, although I don’t know if he’s reliable. http://www.gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=502
Big scandal, though, when information on 145,000 people was stolen. http://www.techdirt.com/articl…..05_F.shtml
meta -
More and more I feel compelled to manage my affairs in a very simple way, be kind to the people around me, appreciate the small things, do no harm. Work on a community level for change.
There’s a guy running for congress in San Diego and I heard him speak today, he was on Franken’s show. He’s owns a bunch of wind-farms and his platform is the environment. He was pretty damned inspiring. I’m gonna send him some money.
Like that. Because the big picture is just too much to grasp.
Shoephone:
How was your theater?
Jenny 60
Was that the guy who’s running against Pombo? McEarney?
… and your little dog
Yes, his name is Macnerny (sp?) and he was speaking at a college today. Did you hear him? HIs son was over in Iraq (maybe still is). I really liked what he had to say.
Palast has been pointing out in recent days that Choicepoint has been involved in the Mexico election fiasco. His claim is that they scrubbed voter lists there under the guise of gathering info on terrorists via a secret homeland security contract.
Holy Joe is oblivious of course.
Ye gads, a whole church full of plants. Mebbe even a whole state full.
Fellow pups and lambs –
I was the former college roommate of Joe Lieberman who wrote the letter to the LA Times that Jane quoted in the last thread. If I was a resident of Connecticut, I would indeed be voting for Ned Lamont in both the primary and, hopefully, the general election.
The reasons are many and beyond just the war. I like Joe personally and always have, but I understand that many who don’t know him would consider him sanctimonius and holier-than-thou. He is that too. He is genuinely religious, but he is also very moralistic.
I’ve written to him over the years about his “culture wars” with Hollywood and his votes for the Supreme Court. He credited me and his daughter with changing his vote on Clarence Thomas. But now, I honestly wonder if he voted “no” on Thomas only when he was sure Thomas was already assured of enough votes to win. Unfortunately, his position for cloture and against filibuster for Samuel Alito, and then the after-the-fact vote against him only confirmed my cynical suspicions. Alito is going to be an anti-choice, anti-woman, anti-minority vote on the Supreme Court for another 20-30 years.
That and his “cheerleading” for Bush and the War on Iraq did it for me.
You can give old friends the benefit of the doubt, but when they are actively damaging the country and the Constitution by supporting a President who should be impeached rather than praised, that is when I say “Enough!”
Sometimes you have to consider what’s best for your country rather than what’s best for your friend.
GO, NED!
WHY do you think that Joe supports this war, radlib1??? Please tell us what you surmise, having known him personally.
radlib1
Thanks, that took some soul searching, I’m sure.
BarbaraB 37, Well, Cynthia McKinney knows:
http://www.house.gov/apps/list…..oters.html
radlib1, I thought that letter must have been yours, fine words, hard to write about a friend, I’m sure, but thank you for your honesty.
Jenny 63
I’ve downloaded the podcast of the show, but I’m only an hour into it.
I think he may be one of the fighting Dems I’ve heard Kos and Sam Sedar interview.
Sounds good and Pombo is sleazy.
Thanks, Margot 69, my question wasn’t very clear. I meant does the CBC know that Choicepoint is a big contributor to HoJo. I’d be very surprised if they don’t all know about Choicepoint’s role in the 2000 election, which is precisely why that donation is toxic (or it should be.)
…if McCain is thinking of putting Jeb on the ticket with him then we have nothing to worry about…in fact we should hope for this as it will doom McCain better than any thing we Dems could EVER do…
Just got home a little bit ago from calling bingo all night. Has the Muddle East imploded into a burning cinder yet?
and your little dog too -
So far, it was less “theatre” and more solo “guerrilla”. Basically, a few of the larger group who got shafted by the city are each going to do our own under-cover-of-night installations of signs, artwork, etc. for the larger neighborhood to see the next morning on their jogs, dog walks, etc. Mine was the first.
In a few weeks we’ll move on to more daytime “theatre” stuff. It’s not too organized. And we think that’s probably best.
Parks Dept. vans have been doing slow drive-bys to prevent people from going onto the (now double fenced-off) property.. I almost fell all the way to the bottom of the hill trying to hide from one tonight.
Was fun.
Fini– it’s the Superpower’s Meddle East, I think.
I love good street theater. It makes for compelling digital video on YouTube. Whatcha doin shoesy?
Muddle East, Meddle East, Middle Beast, what have you, has that region where falafel comes from fucked up everything yet?
radlib1,
Did Jumpin’ Joe get beat up a lot?
No. I beg to differ.
Renee Zelwieger is not in “Dazed and Confused.”
McCain and Jeb? Puleeeze.
They have enough skeletons between them to open a Grateful Dead Record store.
If God is smiling upon me he will put Jeb and John in the same campaign. ANYONE on the D side of the race will have easy work of those two assclowns.
meta and spiderpaws — I’d like to think that the Bush name on a ticket would be the kiss of death, but….Consider the following. For reasons I will never understand, since I have never voted for anyone named Bush, Jeb is very popular in Florida. Maybe it’s because he actually shows up for hurricanes. If he were not term limited, he would probably be reelected. So McCain is thinking Jeb can deliver Florida, and he might be right. Second, Jeb’s wife is Hispanic. What her pronounced accent would do to the immigrant-bashers, I don’t know, but they’re not going to vote for McCain in the primaries anyway (and more to the point, they’re not going to vote for a Democrat. Period.) Jeb may pick up a slice of the Hispanic vote. Jeb converted to Catholicism, so… Well, you get the picture. With any other last name, he’d be a credible GOP pick for Veep. Heck, with any other last name, he’d be running for President. The fact that he is credibly rumored to be a philanderer and widely believed to be a crook never stopped the GOP before. It could happen. My blood runs cold at the thought, but it could happen.
Fini FiniTOOBZ! says:
July 14th, 2006 at 11:28 pm
If God is smiling upon me he will put Jeb and John in the same campaign. ANYONE on the D side of the race will have easy work of those two assclowns.
———————————————————-
Unfortunately, I thought the same thing about the 2000 and 2004 elections, and look how those turned out.
A few more peices to the choicepoint/voter rigging
Hank Asher was a Contra dope smuggler who was also a computer programming wiz who has worked for choicepoint and founded Seisint and other tech companies, and helped develop the Matrix, the grandaddy of the NSA domestic spying program.
Florida Department of Law Enforcement … are investigating the background of Hank Asher, founder of Seisint and other technology companies. Asher was identified as a pilot and former smuggler in several drug smuggling cases prosecuted in the mid-1980s…
http://www.sptimes.com/2003/08….._may.shtml
The Net’s Master Data-miner
When maverick cyber-pioneer Hank Asher invented MATRIX—a controversial personal-information database—he gave the government a powerful tool for tracking terrorists. So why isn’t he a hero?
http://www.vanityfair.com/comm…..0131roco01
LexisNexis To Buy Seisint For $775 Million
Data Firm’s Matrix Tool Generated Controversy
http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..Jul14.html
Choicepoint and Seisant/Lexis nexis and other databroker companies keep files on virtually every person in the US, and they work with the NSA program.
Video: James Risen interview
NSA Uses Private Firms for Massive Unchecked Domestic Surveillance
http://veredictum.com/node/109
angie at #67 — good question.
I think Joe has always been more of a “Scoop” Jackson Democrat than even a JFK Democrat (although Kennedy’s idealism inspired us all.)
I think that JFK, had he not been assassinated, would have gotten us out of Vietnam (but that’s only surmise and perhaps wishful thinking on my part).
“Scoop” Jackson, on the other hand, was strong on civil liberties, but even stronger on national defense and security (he spawned both Richard Perle and Paul Wolfowitz). Joe, I think, honestly believes in his position on the war, however misguided and wrongheaded you and I believe it to be.
He wanted to take out Saddam Hussein before 9/11 and he didn’t mind that Bush and Cheney and Rice and Rumsfeld and Powell all lied about WMD’s and everything else. He truly believed that Saddam was a threat to American hegemony in the Middle East.
He couldn’t be more wrong (as Bush couldn’t be more wrong), but I do think that he believes in what he says (however misguided that may be). It’s just that he’s gone too far over to the Republican position on the “war on terrorism” and refuses to admit that, in Iraq, we have created a bloody field for American and Iraqi deaths, a training ground for terrorism, and a totally unnecessary and immoral drain on our national treasury .
As soon as W announced he was running I knew he was gonna win. You have to understand the dynamics of the Bush family. There was no way W was NOT gonna win, he is the charismatic one of the brothers Bush. The fraud and the dirty tricks in TX was legendary as well, and with Rove on his team it was predestined.
Jeb on the other hand does not have the charisma of W. He also does not have Rove, though I am sure Rove will probably be loaned out to him. Couple that with Bush Family Fatigue and there is no way this country will make a mistake like that again. All the Democrat running has to say is the same thing working this year for us – Had Enough?
Well, I had a well reasoned response for why I think the way I think about jeb but it got ate and i am too tired to retype it. FDL is eating comments again. Phooey.
Oh, and before you decide that a McCain-Bush ticket could not possibly win, stop and ask how Bush-Cheney won a second term. And then think about a Democratic ticket of, say, Clinton-Bayh. Think the Democrats could not possibly be that stupid? Hah. I hope not, but then, I supported Wes Clark in ‘04. Kerry was way down my list, not that it mattered since Florida has a late primary. Yes, the Democrats could be that stupid.
I’m from Indiana and my brother used to work for Bayh when he was Governor. Please don’t make this happen, we are long suffering in this state as it is. Dick Lugar is more progressive than Evan Bayh if you want to know the truth.
Dick Lugar is smarter, too. Well, bedtime for me. G’night, y’all.
BarbaraB – I’m with you. It could happen. And if it does, I’m either taking a four-year vaction in Costa Rica, or committing sepeku.
Electronic Voting Machines, anyone?
thanks very much radlib1 for your thoughtful answer. I think that the true belief you speak of wrt Joe is much the same as George’s own.
neither ever appear insincere when it comes to their wrongheaded, imho, ideas. maybe bush learned the mantra from joe or poppy.
thank you for speaking out.
Seppuku is far too messy, shoephone. Costa Rica is supposed to be nice, but I recommend New Zealand. OK, off I go.
radlib1 (II):
You know, you could save us all a lot of time, energy and money if you would just spill the beans. As his roommate, you must have some embarrassing sex story about Leaverman. Orgy? Boy “experiments”? Wee Willie Winkie? C’mon, for America’s sake…do tell, and Lamont has an easy win, and the rest of us rabid lambs can graze more difficult pastures (Tester, McNerney, Burner, etc.). The future is in your hands, radlib1.
That’s about as perfect an explanation as I’ve ever heard. The ends justify the means in Joe’s world. It’s an unbelievably sanctimonious stance and I wonder if he will ever understand how fundamentally dishonest he is.
No party in history has gamed elections like this bunch – at least in my lifetime – not too many election cycles ago Pebble Beach Company executed a textbook example with their Measure A initiative that so dazed and confused the Monterey County wide electorate with such costly and slick double-speak – including dreamy commercials of Dirty Harry errr Clint Eastwood and his lovely (and deservedly popular) wife in the old growth (breathlessly beautiful) towering Monterey Pine forest) demonstrating how committed Clint and his Pebble Beach Company cherished the environment in general and the Del Monte Forest in particular. To the horror of many of us the measure won handily.
What a party the PBC and its corporate partners (i.e.- AT&T) must have enjoyed that election night. Long story short – the fix was in with their Republican party leadership and, I sadly report the Democratic State leadership as well.
But a funny thing happened during the long process that finally wended its way to the State Coastal Commission in this most recent past year or so. Like the tragic Clintons the boys didn’t get the power of the grassroots and netroots and wouldn’t ya know details of the back story began to reach public light. Who knew the California State Coastal Commission’s enviromental attorney – much like Fitz – was incorruptable?
Oh my friends it was a sight to behold on the eve of the defining meeting last month of the California State Coastal Commission way up north in Santa Clara. Word leaked earlier that week that the staff report saw right through the Measure A deception. A vaudvillian delight ensued – never mind that luxury buses brimming with groupies of all stripes & ages had already arrived at the luxury hotel up north (mostly Pebble Beach republicans) to cheer PBC on during the public hearing.
Gasp – wouldn’t ya know it was all so last minute that the State Democratic leadership were called to duty and hastily appointed several more friendly candidates to the State Coastal Commission. Whoops – that didn’t work – so rather like ole JoeNoMomentum – they went to Plan B and whispered in the ears of the Monterey County Supervisors – their homeboys – and by golly in a last minute and comically choregraphed scramble the Supes officially pulled the issue from the CCC agenda. At this writing the boys remain in a huddle but their dream to wreak havoc and destroy the fragile eco system of sacred Del Monte Forest for another championship golf course is toast at least for the near future.
Send some love and encouragement to Concerned Residents of Pebble Beach and Monterey County whose web site brought the whole sordid scheme to the fore. The incomparable Janice O’Brien and her original Forest Committee led by doing for decades and their long vigil prevailed, as will Ned Lamont and so many others this election cycle.
Fellow Firepups will be greatly amused, me thinks, to know the State Coastal Commission’s ace environmental lawyer is a long-haired handsome surfer who, like Fitz, knows the letter of the law and is…what is that terrifying word…incorruptable.
American hegemony
has a very hollow ring to it– it’s a gold plated, oil lubricated nightmare.
Hmmm. New Zealand…
bonkers — wish I could help you and America out, but in four years as a roommate, Joe was as clean as the driven snow (or a driven, future politician).
Hate him if you will (and I understand how you could, given his public stands and pronouncements), but personally, the guy is clean.
And, unlike what he did to Clinton, he never turned me in for having girls in my room overnight (and that’s when it was a felony at Yale). So, at least he never wagged his finger at me.
I owe him, but not enough to ruin my country for.
GO, NED!
Awww…shucks! It was worth a try. Thanks anyway, and good on ya, naughty boy. ;)
Bastille Day BBQ avec Frenchies
Thank you radib1!
Nice to know California can claim a Yale gentleman and scholar in these otherwise troubling times.
GO, NED! Indeed!
Thank you, Anne Holiday and bonkers and angie and SteveAudio and Teddy (”Had Enough”) SanFran and Jane and all the firepups –
It is hard to turn against an old friend, but I feel it’s for the greater good. My country rather than my former roommate.
Unlike many of you, I genuinely like the guy. We were compadres and compatriots a long time ago. Joe did indeed go to Mississippi to register black voters in 1963 when it was dangerous, He was a good Attorney General for Connecticut for the environment.
But, to me, what he has done to undermine the Democratic Party on the War on Iraq, his flip-flop votes on the Supreme Court with Alito, and his egregious comments on the “short rides” rape victims can take to other hospitals are beyond the pale.
He must be defeated as Connecticut’s Senator.
I’m not worried about his future. Bush will name him Secretary of Defense or he will become a highly-paid lobbyist for the Insurance or the Big Pharma firms like his wife, Hadassah.
He’ll be fine and the country will be better off with Ned Lamont as the Senator from Connnecticut.
Moderator – me thinks the spirit of Bastille Day may have clouded my judgment and I regret posting a first draft of my pre-midnight, impassioned ranting & raving. It can and should await an improved & more thoughtful, polished and judicious posting another day.
Tried posting this before. Will try again.
Thank you, Anne Holiday and bonkers and angie and SteveAudio and Teddy (”Had Enough”) SanFran and Jane and all the firepups –
It is hard to turn against an old friend, but I feel it’s for the greater good. My country rather than my former roommate.
Unlike many of you, I genuinely like the guy. We were compadres and compatriots a long time ago. Joe did indeed go to Mississippi to register black voters in 1963 when it was dangerous, He was a good Attorney General for Connecticut for the environment.
But, to me, what he has done to undermine the Democratic Party on the War on Iraq, his flip-flop votes on the Supreme Court with Alito, and his egregious comments on the “short rides” rape victims can take to other hospitals are beyond the pale.
He must be defeated as Connecticut’s Senator.
I’m not worried about his future. Bush will name him Secretary of Defense or he will become a highly-paid lobbyist for the Insurance or the Big Pharma firms like his wife, Hadassah.
He’ll be fine and the country will be better off with Ned Lamont as the Senator from Connnecticut.
Let me get this straight.
Choicepoint — whose work was significant in the 2000 election, helped to defeat Joe Lieberman, candidate for Vice President of the United States.
And now he’s taking money from them? When it comes to digging through Lieberman’s finances (See here, where Maura, yes that Maura the so-called “plant” — posts about Lieberman’s war chest, wondering where it all came from), these are the questions to answer:
When did Choicepoint begin to contribute to Lieberman?
And how much money comes from the Choicepoint CEO?
Here’s another question. One that can’t be answered the way the previous two can:
What kind of an effect does that kind of contribution have on the man? Joe, Joe, were candidate for veep, you were defeated, and one company that helped to defeat you later gives you money.
And Joe, you kept it.
That gives me the creepy-crawlies. It’s sinister.
Is it soulless of Joe to accept that money?
Cynical?
Same-old same-old? (payola is payola)
Does he feel he’s entitled to it?
Is he even aware of it?
Or is he simply oblivious to it?
(This line of thought does lend credence to the theories I’ve been reading about The Spoiler Have-it-your-way Joe. Won’t resign from Senate t run for Veep. Won’t abide by the results as determined by the will of voters of his party. Slice it more than one way Joe. Always more than one way.)
What does Joe say to himself about the choicepoint money?
“Well, Money’s money, and the CEO dude supports me. Maybe he’s saying ‘No hard feelings.’ Maybe he’s saying ‘Look the Other Way.’ Maybe he’s gonna do the same thing in Connecticut–and that’ll help me against Ned Lamont.”
Has the man no pride? No sense of self?
Me thinkee the man’s insides–and his spine– is made from jello.
Yesterday was bastille day but everyday is bastille day for a sans-culotte
the chimperor must kneel
and let his wingdom rise!
Off with Bush’s brain!
btw, I see my earlier comment finally posted (85) Why did it wait on “moderation”?
Is it link based? I seem to remember something about wordpress doing it on was it 3 or 4 links? I dunno. I haven’t posted here too much since FDL left blogger. It’s way better now but I’m just not used to it. Waiting for your post to post sux. I don’t want to do whatever I did to make that happen again.
Ned, Jane, Redd, Fitz, Val, etc etc, let’s right this fucking ship if we can, good night and good morning all!
One detail that is almost always missed in the whole “felons list” controversy — while the Civil Rights Commission goes to great lengths to detail how Ethel Baxter warned county supervisors about the reliability of the lists, it does not discuss Baxter’s role in the “pre-clearance” process. (Baxter was a non-partisan career election official who served as interim Director of the Division of Elections prior to the tenure of GOP appointee Clay Roberts.)
Because of past discriminatory conduct in elections, the State of Florida was required to submit all changes in election laws to the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division before they could be implemented. The DoJ was very concerned about the wording of the “felons list” statute, and Baxter basically told the DoJ that the wording would be ignored, and that only individuals whose ineligibility due to a felony conviction was affirmatively determined by County Supervisors would be removed from the lists. The DoJ accepted Baxter’s word, and “cleared” the felons list law for use in Florida. And,as the Civil Rights Commission details, Baxter followed through on her promise.
Baxter retired from the State DoE soon after Clay Roberts was appointed by Katherine Harris to take over the DoE, and simply ignored all the promises that Baxter had made to the federal government regarding the way in which the Felons List law would be implemented.
Charlie Savage writes in today’s Globe about Scalia’s dissent in the Gitmo decision (it IS Hamdam, I think…)
http://www.boston.com/news/nat…..more_heft/
And guess who not only joined Scalia, but goes way back as an advocate of the power of ’signing statements? The last bits from Savage:
…”Legal specialists also noted that Alito was among the justices who backed Scalia’s citation to a signing statement. In 1986, 20 years before Bush put him on the Supreme Court, Alito helped pioneer the strategy of using signing statements as a way to increase the power of the White House.
In a 1986 memo that surfaced last year amid his confirmation fight, Alito — then an official in the Reagan administration — wrote that presidents should use signing statements to record their own interpretations about the meaning of new statutes. If a question arose about a law’s meaning, Alito wrote, judges could look to the statement for guidance, rather than relying solely on its legislative history.
“Since the president’s approval is just as important as that of the House or Senate, it seems to follow that the president’s understanding of the bill should be just as important as that of Congress,” Alito wrote in a memo dated Feb. 5, 1986.
He warned, however, that “Congress is likely to resent the fact that the president will get in the last word on questions of interpretation.”"
——
Hey Joe! Cloture vote, anyone?
What does Smokin’ Joe say about the current ME situation? He was a heartbeat away… so maybe he has an opinion.
And I would bet there is evidence of him somewhere parroting the necon line that taking out Saddam would pave the way to peace in the ME.
It would be interesting to know what constitutes being a felon in different states. Several years ago Indiana said driving without a seatbelt was a felony charge. Busby in California was told not to talk about election fraud by democrats. So, can we talk about it now that RFK Jr. has filed a lawsuit? Don’t want to lose our reputations as sheep.
I was just listening to the Ted Stevens Remix http://www.alternet.org/multim…..popup=true and wondering how he came to be in charge of Net Neutrality….
Stevens: What? You’re making me head of the Commission of Net Neutrality?
Rove: Senator, we must quiet them blogs before the 2008 Election.
Stevens: But, but, but, I am out of my depth here, sir…
Rove: (Pulling down the screen) Not to worry, Senator. I have prepared Power Point Talking Points for you.
Stevens: I was born in 1923…..I know nothing of the Internets!
Rove: Oh, Senator, it’s nothing but a series of tubes (pointing to the screen). Here’s the deal. As you know, there is a massive, massive amount of commercial activity going on in the internet today, which can cause regular guys like you and me to not get important mail. Look what happened to Scooter’s email. He sent it in 2003 and Patrick Fitzgerald didn’t find it ….
Stevens: Egads! I know what you mean! Why just the other day an internet was sent at 10:00 on a Friday and my staff didn’t get it until yesterday!
Rove: Tangled up tubes, Senator. The internet is not a big truck. You just can’t dump something on it.
Stevens: Why, it’s a massive invasion of fiber optics.
Rove: In need of regulation. Well, Senator, I have a 3:00, good luck. And I’ll put in a word about that bridge.
Stevens: Good day, Mr. Rove.
morning, folks … that choicepoint/florida 2000 stuff really brings back some powerful memories. Isn’t it interesting that Joe has somehow managed to put himself on the Wrong side of that event?
Molly at 110, there are a number of law journal articles about that issue. I think at least one might have been written by a woman named Nora Demleitner currently at Hofstra….
molly at 110, here’s a handy bibliography:
http://www.sentencingproject.o…..review.pdf
Good morning, all.
cc, LAT has a story today you’ll enjoy:
Good morning Lotus. Good story at the link, but it wouldn’t let me out!
So, am I right in thinking that according to Motor Vehicle records, insiders can just arrest Democrat drivers in order to purge them from the rolls? No wonder our prisons are full.
You know, I have to admit this morning that I feel almost as dizzy as Ted Stevens — just reeling from all this godawfulness. Can’t shake my head clear.
Lotus!
Hmmm, tubes. Makes me think of Hitchhiker’s Guide in which a character describes British sausages as “joyless tubes.”
Wouldn’t let you out, cc? Howdya mean?
Imm!
Having had British sausages, I can attest to the correctness of that description.
I read the article, hit thye back button and it wouldn’t go back. Kept clicking it and I had to close out the tube and reopen a new tube. Massive amount of material.
Ah, yeah, I’ve had that experience a few times lately at various sites too, cc. Quien sabe por que?
No lo se…
Hi all,
I’m away at a conference, and spent all day yesterday in airports . . . mostly running from gate to gate, without any time to check the news, let alone the web. I’ll be bouncing in and out, but had to drop by to check on yesterday’s press conference and Christy’s take on the Wilson’s complaint.
Damn! Good stuff in the posts and comments yesterday.
Gonna be a big week around these parts . . .
The “no back” feature is intended to keep people at sites longer. It is really a simple thing to do — some pages are really two pages — the first being the portal which immediately sends you to page “two” which is the page with content. Then, when you hit “back” you just gp back to the protal which returns you to content page — a mini loop.
The solution once you realize you are in such a place is to right click on your back button which brings down a recent history list and you just jump over the portal listing back to where you want to go…..
BoingBoing has a link to a NetNeutrality Smackdown’ hosted by the Center for American Progress coming up Monday. Vint Cerf v. Dave Farber.
http://public.resource.org/neutral.html
I don’t know this Farber (although he seems to be on the board on Electronic Privacy Information Center, and has history w/Jon Postel (RFC’s(?)), but Vint Cerf had this to say:
http://64.233.161.104/search?q…..020706.pdf vint cerf net neutrality statement&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1
(PDF in HTML format)
…”The Internet’s open, neutral architecture has proven to be an enormous engine for market innovation,
economic growth, social discourse, and the free flow of ideas. The remarkable success of the Internet
can be traced to a few simple network principles – end-to-end design, layered architecture, and open
standards — which together give consumers choice and control over their online activities. This
“neutral” network has supported an explosion of innovation at the edges of the network, and the
growth of companies like Google, Yahoo, eBay, Amazon, and many others. Because the network is
neutral, the creators of new Internet content and services need not seek permission from carriers or
pay special fees to be seen online. As a result, we have seen an array of unpredictable new offerings –
from Voice-over-IP to wireless home networks to blogging – that might never have evolved had
central control of the network been required by design.”…
—–
He also had similar comments to Sensenbrenner’s subcommittee which was marking up that bill a month or two back.(Caveat: he is Google employee these days. “Evangalist”)
I hold him in high regard in reading a ‘history of the internet’ book. Can’t remember author/title, and googling was no help….argh. BUt it gave a great read of issues and genius involved in the creation of the “Toobz”.)
damn. what is that? embedded CR characters? sorry.
immanentize: Never knew that. Good feature, thanks.
good morning!
imm @ 128
That’s called the “Way Back” solution, I believe.
One of the mysteries of life, cc 123.
I’ve got another one afoot that I’m gonna spill on y’all just because you’re available and I’m flummoxed by it.
In December, one of my three best friends (of 25 years’ standing), who was due to come visit here from Missouri for New Year’s, suddenly fell silent. Not a peep out of her until she finally emailed one response once in mid-January and another in mid-March — since then, zip.
She’s a very smart, attractive and personable lawyer (one-term elected PA of her rural county), with a good healthy ego, a new beau, and a wide social circle. We normally emailed back & forth several times a day, commenting on the news. She would fit in here seamlessly.
In January, she claimed to have emailed me an “I have to cancel” note before Christmas (if so, the toobz ate it), adding something that surprised me:
Also, if you want to know something I suspect, I think I might be gliding into some sort of depressive mode — yeah, me. Feeling kind of overwhelmed. You know, like running in very thick mud and I can’t kick my brain out of neutral. Ugh.
Last night I heard from her sister in NJ that S has completely dropped out of sight of not only all the friends the sister knows how to find but her (solo) law practice too — leaving cases hanging.
Damnedest thing I’ve ever personally witnessed. Not a thing you guys could say or do to solve it, I’m just bummin’ and need to tell somebody (all my local friends who know her are out of the country right now).
Thanks for listening.
Good morning, tommy! ‘Zup?
hey, lotus. i hope you find your friend and recommend treatment.
Ooop — time to Pull Up A Chair upstairs.
That November Jeb Bush had an unexpectedly easy walk to the governor’s mansion, an election victory attributed, ironically, to his endorsement by black Democratic politicians feuding with their party.
*ilson46201 says:
“over half of the Democratic Congresscritters voted against the War on Iraq in October 2002 — they got it right, even back then…”
Of the one’s that got it right, however regrettably few they may be, they are all from one party. That’s all I have to say, do the math, connect the dots, whatever…
Oh, let the man go on about something he accomplished 30 or so years ago. Emphasizing actions that may have been significant but represent a minute portion of your overall record won’t likely work out that well, just ask this guy.
How about an addition to the voting rights act that once felons have done their time, they automatically get back their right to vote?
The Republicans have switched their focus from winning the hearts and minds of Americans to simply winning the elections. Their strategy for winning an election is stopping the opposition from registering, voting, and when necessary, not counting their votes. This new strategy is showing up in elections all over the world.
One of the Republican strategies for Connecticut is going to be sending Republicans to vote for Leiberman in the primary, so that he can be defeated before he becomes a Senatorial candidate. They see Lamont a a real threat and are targeting him for defeat, much the same way they have targeted other Democrats. The turnout to vote for Lamont must be overwhelming.
Anne Holliday 105
Moderator – me thinks the spirit of Bastille Day may have clouded my judgment and I regret posting a first draft of my pre-midnight, impassioned ranting & raving. It can and should await an improved & more thoughtful, polished and judicious posting another day.
don’t be silly – it’s a great recounting.
So if Choicepoint is a big donor, and we know what they did in 2000…
why isn’t anyone connecting the dots here?
Lieberman’s “insurance policy” of keeping his name on the ballot in CT as Senator while simultaneously running as Gore’s VP… his lackluster perfomance in the debate with Dick Cheney (in comparison to the attack dog who met Ned Lamont)… this makes a whole lot more sense when you consider Lieberman was probably the GOP’s “inside man” in 2000.
What are the conservatives over at the Democratic Leadership Council saying about the Joe Lieberman race? Well, it’s a fascinating read. Apparently the “liberal fundamentalists” are not voting for change but conducting a “purge effort” that stifles dissent and strengthens conformity. Hilarious.
http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm…..;subid=192
“We deplore this purge effort because Joe Lieberman is an outstanding and respected U.S. Senator. He is a man of utmost integrity who speaks and governs by his values and principles, even when they lead him against the popular tide — as he did when he went to Mississippi to fight for civil rights in 1964. He is a man who always puts his country above his party or his personal interests. Those are qualities we should cherish, not disdain, in today’s far too polarized politics. We need more, not fewer, people with Joe Lieberman’s character in the Democratic Party.
Lieberman served as DLC chairman for six years, handing over the gavel to Sen. Evan Bayh after the 2000 presidential elections. But opposition to this kind of intra-party purge is also a matter of tradition for us: One of the major reasons for the DLC’s founding in 1985 was to resist what we called “liberal fundamentalism,” a conformist tendency to stifle dissent among Democrats and require adherence to litmus tests devised by interest groups and ideological advocates.”
yeah, after Rev. Jesse Jackson ran a most successful Presidential campaign in 1984, the good ole boys had to organize something to keep the uppity radicals “in their place”. In 1988, the DLC quite-white top dogs spent a lot of time running down Jesse …
Also, according to Palast via Democracy Now, Air America, and, I think The Guardian, Choice point received a no-bid contract to “help” Mexico with their election. Looks like Georgie bought himself ANOTHER election.