Letters to the Editor
Cocktailhag
Published Letters: 483
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Back in the USSR
[Read the article: Various items]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]So the Siegelman story was a victim of "technical difficulties," a flagrant lie CBS has already debunked. And here we were worrying that the Oscars might render the long-delayed 60 minutes piece irrelevant. Never underestimate the authoritarian "itch" of Bush-serving corporations to shoot themselves in the foot.
Am I lapsing into self-delusion to think that there is an unavoidably LARGE news story here? Could the M$M really be so lame as to ignore such a travesty, the likes of which we used to condemn tinpot dictators for? I mean, before we got our own?
Could Rove et al have done anything more to confirm people's worst fears than actually having its political cronies tramsmit black screens and propaganda instead of the segment, which they were already attempting to discredit by the usual ad hominem means?
I suppose they could have sent Halliburton and Blackwater thugs out to individually shoot out people's television screens.....
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and all.
I'm pouring myself a cool something to go with the gloating.
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Say What?
[Read the article: Obama shows that dismissing slimy right-wing attacks is not difficult]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]In response to a letter I wrote him about FISA, in which I included a lovely message pad depicting a typically vengeful and dyspeptic President wearing earphones, the cord of which morphed into barbed wire and attractively wrapped the page, I receieved the following from my understandably nervous faux-moderate Senator, future game show host Gordon H. Smith.
Dear Cocktailhag,
Thank you for contacting me regarding the proposed changes to the Foreign Intelligences Surveillance Act. I appreciate your comments and welcome the opportunity to respond.
There is little doubt that the devastating terrorist attack of Sept. 11, 2001, exposed some serious deficiencies in our domestic law enforcement and intelligence gathering capabilities. (CH: How about in our idiot President and his minions? But please go on.) Shortly after 9/11, a congressional resolution was passed that authorized the President to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, and persons that are determined (by whom, you fascist shill?) to be planning, authorizing, committing, or aiding future terrorist actions. (For which I fervently hope, otherwise I'm toast...)
Recently, the Bush Administration has asked ("threatened" is such an ugly word) the Congress to provide telecommunications companies with immunity from (justified, asshole!) lawsuits brought against them for assisting surveillance efforts without (required!!!!) warrants. An individual may be granted immunity from prosecution for his testimony in very limited cases. (Or for withholding testimony, as in this case, you liar...) Therefore, Congress must use careful discretion when considering expanding this protection. (Anyone you know, Senator?)
Like you, (!) I believe that we must work to safeguard our civil liberties and I'm working to provide that they are protected. (By voting to eviscerate them) There must be a careful balance struck between preserving Americans' freedoms and their security. (a feather on the former and a brick on the latter) The freedoms that Americans (used to) enjoy are (were) the envy of the world, and we must not allow our fundamental values to be compromised. (!)
You can rest assured ( Whew! ok, I'll pour myself a nightcap and put my curlers in.. You handle it, Senator) that I will work closely with my colleagues (Dick? Jay? McConnell?) to strike the proper balance between protecting our country from future terrorist attacks while ensuring adequate (there's the first honest word) protection of our civil liberties.
Again, I thank you for sharing your concerns. It is a great honor and privilege to represent (a rapidly diminishing fragment of) Oregon in the United States Senate.
Sincerely (!),
Senator Gordon Smith