Yellow Dog has a couple of good points. Anyone who has seen Zeitgeist will understand the financial rationale, which is the real reason behind a continuous war that can not be won. The Federal Reserve, a private corporation, lends the government money to wage the war. They collect their interest in the form of federal income tax, and the rich get richer. Since the war is un-winnable, and the armaments used must be replaced, the Fed will keep up the loans, and the cycle will go on.

The only solution is education, and your government has a vested interest in making sure that doesn't happen. Educate people too much, and they might realize that the guy they are killing looks just like them, has a wife and kids, and doesn't really deserve an early death. Zeitgeist is a film everyone should see. But remember, once you have seen the light, it is impossible to go back.

This is a great piece. Your dissection of the events leading up to the temporary thwarting of this odious legislation helps to show that the power of the people can still change the direction of the power brokers.

In another thread, I mistakenly attributed the authorship of The End Of America to Naomi Klein, whereas it should have been to Naomi Wolf. This is a great book that examines the progression of the fascisit shift taking place in America. It is also a call to action to individuals to not give up their obligations to fight for democracy, much like your blog. Thanks for your continued efforts to keep truth in the game, and your assiduous attention to detail. There are a few George Washingtons out there.

Another great post, right on the money as usual. I reflect on how this all began, at least in the recent past. There was pre-9/11, and then there was post-9/11. It was at that instant that 'Everything Changed'. It was then that the oligarchs started to assert their control of the masses in a very blatant manner, and expose their belief that the rule of law does not apply to them. (Passage of The Patriot Act, an oxymoron if there ever was one.)

The evidence that the Bush Administration at least looked the other way, or perhaps was actually involved in the planning and orchestration of that tragic event, is overwhelming. Steel framed structures do not collapse at free fall speed due to a fire and some plane damage. Have you followed the fact that there is still no report on the collapse of WTC 7? As a resident of New York, you must be aware of the numerous local polls that show huge scepticism of 'The Official Story'.

I just saw The Golden Compass, and am reminded of the Magisterium as reflected in the words of Mrs. Coulter. "There are certain subjects about which one does not speak." I know this is one of those topics. It could bring the Magisterium down, and strip the veneer off the ugly underside of the ruling elite. I realise you will not comment on this topic, but for your own interest, a good scientific analysis of all the current thought on the topic can be found at http://www.journalof911studies.com/

Best Wishes for Christmas and The New Year

Your attention to detail is consistent , and really beyond compare. I must congratulate you on your dogged determination, and the effort that you put in. It is also gratifying to see how much attention you pay to your reader's comments, and that you engage in a dialogue with them to help elaborate our knowledge.

I was interested to see the number of comments on your recent post about the obstruction of the 9/11 commission by the destruction of the interrogation tapes. I was happy to see a number of supporters of the idea that there may be alternative explanations to account for what happened on September 11, 2001, that do not coincide with 'The Official Story'. When the Chairmen of the 9/11 Commission (Kean and Hamilton) state that they feel their report was tainted by obstruction, do you feel that the report should be relied upon as the truth? Would you support a further independent report that tries to resolve issues of inconsistencies and ommissions? What do you make, for example, of the statements by Norman Mineta that Cheney was in the POAC at about 9.20 AM, and the conclusion of the 9/11 Commission Report that he was not there (despite this televised and open testimony) till about 9.45AM?

In regular reading of your column, I have not seen you advocate for impeachment of Bush or Cheney, despite your arguments that they consistently break the law. Given your writing, and legal training, I suspect that you would support impeachment proceedings.

In the same vein, the 9/11 truth movement has shown that there are gross ommissions and distortions in The 9/11 Commission Report, and Kean and Hamilton have now explicitly stated that the report is tainted because evidence was withheld. Would you support a new independent investigation of 9/11 to sort out who really was behind those crimes?

I am very sorry that this comment is off the thread. Judging by the volume of reader comments on the topic, though, I think that your readers would be interested in your opinion. Cheers...