Marta- lol!

Susan, “So be careful about granting the rest of the world jurisdiction over our best interests.” WTF…… BUSH wanted to turn over the running of our vulnerable ports to his criminal friends in Dubai. Bush defended a deal that would let United Arab Emirates-based company run key U.S. seaports, telling reporters that he would veto any bill to hold up the agreement….until he was fought back from this absolute insane idea. BUSH didn’t “AGREE TO GO ALONG WITH INTERNATIONAL OVERSIGHT” he and his criminal/incompentent administration caused an International financial crisis. HUMBLED THE US and the G-20/International Monetary Fund are excerising their rights in the face of mammouth Bush incompetence. “THE world’s international financial institutions will be reshaped and worldwide regulatory and accounting rules reformed as a result of the G20 meeting.The global leaders’ 11-page statement spoke of broad principles, leaving the details to be worked out by aides before another summit meeting in April, after Barack Obama assumes the US presidency. “But the gathering in Washington of nations from every region reflected the new balance of power emerging in the aftermath of a financial crisis that has devastated even well-run economies” He’s done NOTHING but GREATLY WEAKENED & IMPERILED THE US ECONOMY THAT IS ON THE BRINK OF DEPRESSION BECAUSE OF BUSH ‘POLICIES’ IE HOW MUCH CAN HIS CRONIES STEAL. We WERE strong because of our ECONOMIC SOUNDNESS AND STRENGH….now the dollar is down against all currencies and we are in deep merde because of BUSH. And now the adults are back in charge. Democrats ALWAYS have the strongest economies [Dept of Commerce facts]

The First Amendment allows for free practice of religion by individuals, and prohibits joining of Church and State. “Separation of church and state is a political and legal doctrine that government and religious institutions are to be kept separate and independent from each other. The term most often refers to the combination of two principles: secularity of government and freedom of religious exercise. “The phrase separation of church and state is generally traced to the letter written by Thomas Jefferson in 1802 to the Danbury Baptists, in which he referred to the First Amendment to the United States Constitution as creating a “wall of separation” between church and state. The phrase was then quoted by the United States Supreme Court first in 1878, and then in a series of cases starting in 1948.This led to increased popular and political discussion of the concept. “The concept has since been adopted in a number of countries, to varying degrees depending on the applicable legal structures and prevalent views toward the proper role of religion in society. A similar principle of laïcité has been applied in France and Turkey. The concept parallels various other international social and political ideas, including secularism, disestablishment, religious liberty, and religious pluralism.” Sheesh already, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” THIS PROTECTS INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS IT DOESN’T GRANT STATE RIGHT TO CREATE RELIGION…FOR PETE’S SAKE…YOU DON’T EVEN READ OR COMPREHEND WHAT YOU QUOTE. THIS IS 5TH GRADE CIVICS!!!! THE US IS NOT ABLE TO EXCERCISE ANY ‘RELIGIOUS RIGHTS’ IN SCHOOLS….THAT’S WHAT PRIVATE SCHOOLS ARE FOR.

Susan, EVERYTHING you have said is disputed by FACTS. Bush IS a war criminal, period. That is NOT an opinion, it is a FACT.

PS Susan, that last paragraph was yours that I neglected to cut out, ie: “I certainly have a brain and just not your opinion on things. Some of your argument may have validity, but not all. Just because our “fair” % of our GDP does not make us stingy. We still give alot—do you dispute that?” Yes, of course I dispute it, because it was wrong just like everything else you said: In 4/2001 the US was not reelected to the UN Human Rights Commission for withholding UN dues, including current dues of $244 million. As a percentage of GDP the US as the wealthiest country on earth, contributes the least to foreign aid, almost zero when 1% of the GDP of industrialized nations could eradicate the world despair that feeds terrorism. Bush undoubtedly gave $$ to Africa and AIDS as a poltical ploy thinking that it would help dissuade US blacks from supporting Obama,

Susan, I’m only going to do this once, because I am not getting in debates with ill-informed people. “You are so harsh—do you know how absolutely mean and nasty you sound?” What sounds mean and nasty is the morally regressive idea that we are are 5% of the world population, create 25%+ of the environmental polution and destruction, have fomented two illegal wars that killed over 1 million innocents, created 2.4 million refugees that destablized the Middle East and put tremendous pressures on neighboring countries like Jordan, and with the facts that America is #72 in the world in health care and alone in Industrial nations in not providing health care for citizens, that America is #44 in the world in freedom of the press; # 55 in the world in literary, and # 48th in infant mortality, #1 in arming the world and in money laundering that shores up terrorists, #1 as a debtor nation {we owe $1 trillion to China and are even a debtor nation to Mexico} and in destablizing the world economy, and #1 in blocking important Internrational treaties like Kyoto, and #1 in flouting International laws and starting illegal wars based on lies. Was is rude, ‘mean’ ‘nasty’ is supporting the regressive ‘Bush Doctrine” of thumbing our nose at the rest of the world, the idea of American exceptionalism when all that’s been proven in the last 8 years is America’s power to destroy rather than build, America’s incompetence under Bush Inc. We were once a nation that could run world saving operations like the Marshall Plan. Since 2000: The NeoCons dictated every area of public and foreign policy, monopolized our media, privatized our military, militarized our police, endangered our security, flooded the world with arms, laundered the world’s dirty money to shore up dictators, terrorists, drug and arms cartels, destabilized and dehumanized the globe, engineered war for profit, poisoned our food, air and water, and threatened the survivability of the planet. Every week 245,000 children die from malnutrition and from the lack of clean water, 37.5 million people have died unnecessarily from hunger since 9/11. But we’ve not declared war against world hunger. In the summer of 2003 in Europe 40,000 people died from the effects of pollution, 30,000 will die in the US every year prematurely due to the Bush administration’s rollbacks on clean air protections. 545,000 die each year in the US from environmental-related cancers. Yet we’ve not declared a war for our lifetime against global warming and polluters.100,000 die in the US each year from medical mistakes, and 43 million lack health insurance, yet we haven’t upped the US health care budget to over $1 billion a day as we did defense, to protect Americans from what actually endangers them. Catholic Bishop, Robert Bowman a former U. S. Air Force lieutenant colonel who flew over 100 combat missions in Vietnam, wrote about the seeds of terrorism three years prior to September 11, 2001: “We are not hated because we practice democracy, value freedom, or uphold human rights. We are hated because our government denies these things to people in the Third World countries whose resources are coveted by our multinational corporations. That hatred we have sown has come back to haunt us in the form of terrorism….Instead of sending our sons and daughters around the world to kill Arabs so we can have the oil under their sand, we shoul send them to rebuild their infrastructure, supply clean water, and feed starving children…In short we should do good instead of evil….Who would want to bomb us? That is the truth the American people need to hear.” And General Smedley Butler, a decorated war hero wrote about his 34 year military career that helped sow those seeds in his book, “War as a Racket” penned, “I spent most of my time being a high-class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and for the Bankers. In short I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism…I helped make Honduras ‘right’ for American fruit companies in 1903. I helped make Mexico, specifically Tampico, safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefits of Wall Street. The record of racketeering is long.” Just as in Europe in the 1930s, the multinational corporations in lockstep with the current US administration, the IMF, WTO and big banks have consolidated control and nailed their dehumanizing ethos over our Constitution and Bill of Rights. “The centuries-old mercenary trade has morphed into an immensely profitable corporate enterprise complete with boards of directors, stockholders, and substantial returns on investment. And the post-cold-war period has spawned a slew of former military types with access to global arms bazaars. These latter-day soldiers of fortune [ie Blackwater, et al} are working for firms ready to roll, provided the price is right.” -Alan Miller, The Christian Science Monitor “We must make war obsolete, or it will make us obsolete.”-Albert Einstein Since 2000, hunger and homelessness in the US was up with over 40 million Americans in the worst poverty since the Depression. In Mexico 75% of the people are in poverty. In the 34 countries of Latin America, with nearly three times the US population, 44% are in poverty. In India, 1 billion people are under siege, 56 million alone are displaced due to corporate privatization of dams. The African continent is doted with civil wars, humanitarian crisis, widespread hunger and disease. The Middle-East is sitting on a nuclear powder keg with humanitarian disasters involving tens of millions created in our name, with our tax dollars. “Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country…It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent that…he fails in his duty to stand by the country.” -President Theodore Roosevelt “…The government is merely a servantù merely a temporary servant; it cannot be its prerogative to determine what is right and what is wrong, and decide who is a patriot and who isn’t. Its function is to obey orders, not originate them.” -Mark Twain Since 2000, More executive orders and laws amending the Constitution were excuted ever in US history, in violation of the Bill of Rights sealing public records, from public review. U.S. News & World Report wrote that from day one the Bush administration ‘dropped a shroud of secrecy’ over the government. Since 2000, more checks and balances fundamental to democracy, and more freedoms and civil liberties for Americans, were removed than ever in US history. The Patriot II Act grants presidential powers identical to the ones Hitler and Caesar claimed for themselves. Since 2000, America’s largest surplus ever was turned into the largest treasury and trade deficits in the history of the world. America experienced the most severe economic decline since the Great Depression, the greatest stock market percentage decline in US history, the most catastrophic stock market fraud in the history of the world: over $4 trillion was lost by investors and over $1 trillion was lost in pension funds and university endowments. Leading to the most personal bankruptcies, and the most real estate foreclosures ever filed. The worst energy crisis in the history of the US was created when the administration’s number one all time campaign contributor bilked California out of $9 billion, plunging the state into economic chaos, while the administration refused to intervene or investigate. Since 2000, more jobs were shipped overseas than in any time in America. Bush had the worst job creation record in 60 years, Federal revenues as a percentage of GDP fell to their lowest levels since 1950 according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities pushing all 50 states near bankruptcy in the gravest financial crisis since WWII. Though 79% of Americans want taxes to stabilize Social Security, and not to be used for tax cuts, the military, or homeland security; hundreds of billions were borrowed at interest added to our staggering $7.006 trillion dollar national debt that is rising at $1,400 a second, to hand out multiple, massive tax cuts to the richest 2% who already control 40% of America’s wealth, and to award hundreds of billions more in no-bid deals to administration campaign contributors. Burden upon burden was piled onto yet unborn generations, while simultaneously cutting services, and pushing unfunded federal programs back onto the bankrupt states. “Bank robbers are in charge of the bank…we are facing a challenge to our way of life, an internal challenge…irresponsibility that I donÆt think you can find before in American political history…dismantling institutions that do a lot to make America a more decent place….restrictions on individual freedoms…and irresponsibility and authoritarianism in the people running the country that I find very, very frightening.” -Paul Krugman, Princeton economist, Nobel Prize winner in Economics, New York Times columnist, author of ‘The Great Unraveling’ Since 2000, health care, public safety, disability and retirement benefits, veteran benefits, Federal civil service protections, environmental and consumer protection, education, after school programs, Social Security, employee rights and even job safety rules that were ten years in the making to help prevent the accidents that kill 6,000 and injure 6,000,000 workers a year, were eviscerated. Education was cut, the defense budget was raised to over 50% of our discretionary budget. While administration cronies like Halliburton other campaign contributors wallowed in boondoggles, their gold rush from Afghanistan and Iraq will cost the US over $3.1 trillion. “Unless the people, through unified action, arise and take charge of their government, they will find that their government has taken charge of them. Independence and liberty will be gone, and the general public will find itself in a condition of servitude to an aggregation of organized and selfish interest.” -President Calvin Coolidge Since 2000: -Bush Inc has set an all time record for violating US law by retaining their investments in corporations being awarded government contracts. -More convicted criminals secured administration positions and government contracts than anytime in US history. -For the first time in US history, the illegal doctrine of preventative war, condemned at the Nuremberg trials of Nazi war criminals as the supreme crime, was invoked to attack and invade a sovereign nation that the administration knew posed no legitimate threat, and had no connection to 911. -For the first time America was removed by the United Nations from the Human Rights Commission. -For the first time ever UN election inspectors were refused access during the 2002 US elections, and America was removed from the UN Elections Monitoring Board. Since 2000, administration actions in the Middle-East have placed America in the top 4 of all countries in the world as likely to see another 911 scale attack within its border according to the Worlds Markets Research Center. While placing America in greater jephrody, in November 2001 it defeated a bipartisan initiative to spend $10 billion on security upgrades at vulnerable ports and nuclear sites, and in fact Bush Inc wanted to OUTSOURCE protection and operation of our ports to a Middle East country. -Rand Beers, a 20 year presidential advisor and National Security Council expert in counterterrorism, resigned saying that the Bush team ‘is making the US less secure, not more secure.Instead of focusing on the basic sources of terrorism ôthe humiliation and despair that exists in large segments of the Islamic population, ‘it is inflaming passions against America. -Global public relations firm Edelman polled Europeans and found that 64% were less likely to buy American brands because of Bush policies. And a Pew Global Attitudes project reported that Muslim rage at the US throughout the Middle-east, Nigeria, Morocco, Indonesia, Kuwait, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Jordan is at a record fury. “Just as US companies will profit from both the destruction and rebuilding of Iraq at a cost of billions of US taxpayer dollars . They will also profit from the restoration of the US arsenal after the war, a war whose astronomical costs, at a time the US can least afford it, the Bush administration has worked hard to keep hidden.” -Candace Ward, Jamaica-Gleaner.com “If President Eisenhower were with us today, he would be suffering his own case of ôshock and aweö over the lengths this administration is willing to go to in using the military-industrial complex as a political tool to help its friends and grease the path to its re-election. ” -William D. Hartung, World Policy Institute Since 2000, more international environmental protections, human rights, arms control and other treaties have been denounced than in any other time in American history: -In 12/2001 the US withdrew from the 1972 Antiballistic Missile Treaty. It was the first time in the nuclear age that the US abandoned a major arms control agreement. -In 7/2001 the US abandoned efforts to strengthen the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention. In 1972 this agreement was ratified by 144 nations including the US. -In 7/2001 the UN Agreement to Curb the International Flow of Illicit Small Arms was approved by all nations except the US. The US is 5% of the worldÆs population, and provides 50% of the worldÆs arms. Major US banks are the worldÆs number one money launderers. Together money laundering and arms dealing perpetuates the cycle of more dictators, terrorists, drug cartels, arms runners, and civil wars. This combination perpetuates the worldÆs annual $5 trillion dollar gross criminal product. US big banks make enormous, unregulated fees by laundering dirty money. -In 4/2001 the US was not reelected to the UN Human Rights Commission for withholding UN dues, including current dues of $244 million. As a percentage of GDP the US as the wealthiest country on earth, contributes the least to foreign aid, almost zero. 1% of the GDP of industrialized nations could eradicate the world despair that feeds terrorism. -In 3/2001 The Koyoto Protocol of 1997 developed over 10 years by 160 nations cooperating to control global warming was declared ôdeadö by the US Administration. US tax payers provide $400 million a year in federal R&D grants for profit rich oil companies. Clean alternative energy companies receive $24 million, which was cut to pay for printing costs for the 2003 boondoggle Cheney Energy Bill. -In 5/2001 the US refused to meet with European Union nations on economic espionage and electronic surveillance of phone calls, e-mail and faxes. -In 2/2001 the US refused to join the pledge of 123 nations to ban the use and production of personnel bombs and mines. -In 7/2001, out of the G-8 countries, the US was the only country to oppose the International Plan for Cleaner Energy. -In 10/2001 the US General Assembly resolution to call for an end to the US embargo of Cuba passed by 167 to 3. The US, Israel and the Marshall Islands cast the opposing votes. The US has failed to ratify: -The Land Mind Treaty. Bans land mines, signed by 122 nations. The US, Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Vietnam, Egypt and Turkey refused to sign. The UN estimates that there are 500,000 mines in Chechnya alone. Millions of children who’ve been traumatized by war, seen their parents, siblings, friends and neighbors killed, lost their homes, and live in desparate circumstances, can’t even play outdoors for fear of unexploded ordinance. Mines hamper efforts to restore infrastructure, sanitation, and heal the results of war: lost limbs, eyes, hearing, rampant Hepatitis A, whooping coup, anemia, gastrointestinal disease, tuberculois, cancers, permanent traumatic stress disorders. What kind of future are we making, when millions of children see wildflower fields as places likely to explode beneath their feet? ‘The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The US and Somalia are the only nations that failed to ratify this treaty. -The Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. This treaty seeks to end the death penalty, and execution of minors under18. The US refused to sign. The US, Saudi Arabia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran and Nigeria are the five countries that execute minors. -The International Criminal Court. Would try political leaders and military personnel for war crimes and crimes against humanity. 120 countries approved, 7 opposed including the US. -The Cairo Consensus. The US was the the sole dissenter from 40 nations in March 2004 at the Hemispheric Conference on Gender and Population in Santiago, Chile. The Cairo Consensus population goals were set and approved by 179 countries and the US at the 1994 International Conference on Poulation and Development. The Bush administration would not reffirm the US committment to the 1996 Beijing Platform of Action, a UN program set by consenus at the UN Millennium Summit of 2000 to advance women throughout the world. Instead of cooperating with the International community on paramount issues, Bush capitulates to his radical-fundamentalist base. -The 1979 Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women. Four countries have not ratified: the US, Afghanistan, Sao Tome and Principe. -The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty: Signed by 164 nations. Signed by President Clinton in 1996, rejected by the GOP controlled Senate in 1999. In September 2003 the GOP controlled Senate approved BushÆs request to lift the 10 year ban on research, development and production of nuclear weapons. $5.8 billion of US taxpayer money will be spent on nuclear weapons in 2003. By comparison, the total annual funding for The National Endowment of the Arts is $1,109,000. (Bush proposed raising this by 15% in February 2004, to $1,139,000.) One F-17 jet fighter costs $1,120,000. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.” -From the US Constitution “The strength of the Constitution lies entirely in the determination of each citizen to defend it. Only if every single citizen feels duty bound to do his share in this defense are the constitutional rights secure.” -Albert Einstein Finally, Obama supporters covers a broad base, including the most weathly and best educated. ie Nancy Pelosi’s #5 Congressional District is one of the richest and best educated in the US and it went 73%+ for Obama, etc. “Anyway, you don’t seem like a very happy person and I hope you find in Obama something that makes you happy.” Except for my brother’s recent death, I am an exceedingly happy person…and am very proud to have worked hard to get Obama elected. He will be among America’s best presidents” Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt FDR, JFK. I think you are mistaking contempt for the ill-informed who are destroying this country and the world…with unhappiness. I certainly have a brain and just not your opinion on things. Some of your argument may have validity, but not all. Just because our “fair” % of our GDP does not make us stingy. We still give alot—do you dispute that?

MP—This is from a Mass. Conference in Sept 2008 led by David Swanson “After Downing Street Memo” re Criminal Prosecution, etc. ANDOVER , MASS. (Special) — Twenty recommendations made at a conference on prosecuting President George Bush for war crimes are under consideration for action, according to conference convener Lawrence Velvel, a prominent law school dean. “Attendees discussed the violations of international and domestic law that were committed and are now studying recommendations for action,” said Velvel. “All of us feel that those who committed war crimes and other crimes against humanity must be held accountable,” he said. “The continued viability of Nuremberg Principles barring aggressive war and torture depends on it.” More than 120 public officials, lawyers, academics, and authorities on the U.S. Constitution and international law attended the two day conference, which was held in Andover , Massachusetts on September 13th and 14th. The conference resulted in recommendations ranging from asking the next U.S. Attorney General to prosecute Bush, to having any of some 2,700 county district attorneys launch proceedings against him for murder, to having Bush prosecuted for war crimes in other countries. A newly formed committee will decide which of the suggestions can practicably be pursued. The complete list of possible actions is: 1. Working for the election of district attorneys who pledge to prosecute high level war criminals for murder under state law, and working for the reelection of district attorneys who pledge to prosecute such criminals for murder. 2. Working for the election of state attorneys general who pledge to prosecute high level war criminals for murder under state law. 3. Working for the election of local executive and legislative officials (e.g., city council members) in specified localities who will formally denounce war crimes and might even seek to take action against them, as apparently has occurred in Vermont. 4. Mandamus proceedings to force local prosecutors to act. 5. Requesting state bar authorities to disbar the lawyers who were part of the executive cabal to authorize torture and other abuses that are crimes under international law, domestic law, or both. 6. Teach-ins at universities on the question of war crimes. 7. Asking universities to conduct hearings on whether certain individuals (e.g., John Yoo, Jack Goldsmith) should be dismissed from faculties for aiding and abetting criminal acts. 8. A march of many thousands of American lawyers on the Department of Justice (a la Civil Rights or Viet Nam war marches or the million man march). The purpose of the march would be to highlight lawyers’ belief that crimes were committed and must be punished. 9. Seeking prosecutions of high level war criminals before foreign courts or before international tribunals such as the International Criminal Court. 10. Asking the next federal Attorney General to prosecute war criminals. 11. Seeking major congressional investigations of what occurred. 12. Obtaining inspector general reports of what was done in given federal departments like the Department of Justice, the Pentagon, the State Department, the CIA, etc. 13. A truth and reconciliation commission. 14. Impeachment, even after the culprits leave office. And, unless he resigns from the federal bench, Jay Bybee, who collaborated with John Yoo on the first torture papers, will still be in office after the election. 15. Legislative or judicial action to dramatically cut back on, and sometimes totally eliminate, the present vast overuse by the federal government of the state secrets doctrine, executive privilege and other such doctrines. 16. Repeal of immunity amendments (which, even if not repealed, may have tremendous holes in them with regard to federal prosecutions, are unlikely to have any immunizing effect at the state level (though they may nonetheless be claimed as a defense), and whose only effect on foreign and international prosecutions would be to encourage them because these amendments indicate that the American federal government (like the governments of Argentina and Chile for many years) refuses to take action against federal criminals. 17. Resisting pardons, particularly advance pardons by Bush or the next president before there are convictions. 18. Creating an office of Chief Prosecutor(s), with Vince Bugliosi as Chief Prosecutor for domestic actions and perhaps a Co-Chief Prosecutor, with international prosecutorial experience, as Chief Prosecutor for foreign and international actions. This office would handle prosecutions in which governmental officials are willing to use “our” designated chief prosecutor as the lead lawyer, and would advise governmental prosecutors who desire to handle the prosecutions themselves but are willing to use “our” chief prosecutor as an adviser. 19. Setting up an internet-accessible repository, or library, of information on the pertinent war crimes, so that persons will have ready access to all relevant information. The repository, or library, should be cross indexed by subject matter, and should include briefs, articles, books, memos, speeches, etc. — anything that sheds light on what was done. 20. Considering what, if anything, can be done to overcome the current ineptitude, failure and sometimes even deliberate hiding of facts by the corporate mass media, and to consider how the web might be used to accomplish this. Vincent Bugliosi, former Los Angeles county prosecutor, extensively explained the legal reasoning under which Bush can be prosecuted for murder once he is no longer president. Bugliosi added that “No Federal, state or local statute says there is any person who can’t be prosecuted for murder.” Bugliosi said that, of the 2,700 district and county attorneys having the power to prosecute, “There should be one prosecutor bold enough to say ‘No man is above the law’. I am looking for that courageous prosecutor and I am not going to be satisfied until I see George W. Bush in an American courtroom prosecuted for murder.” Bugliosi said the evidence of U.S. war crimes in Iraq was overwhelming. “There are over 100 books” providing facts to underpin“ bringing Bush to prosecution for the deaths of 4,000 American soldiers under false pretenses,” Bugliosi said. Philippe Sands, director of the Centre of International Courts and Tribunals at University College , London , discussed violations of law such as torture. He said that “Under the Convention Against Torture, any person who has tortured anywhere in the world can be arrested in the United Kingdom ” if they enter that country. Political scientist Christopher Pyle of Mt. Holyoke College , S. Hadley, Mass. , spoke for many Conference attendees when he said, “The evidence is overwhelming. The torture, kidnapping, and degradation of suspected terrorists was part of a deliberate policy, hatched and concealed at the highest levels of the Bush administration.” Pyle said the nation does not need any “truth commission” that will offer immunity to suspects who confess their crimes because “if there is no threat of punishment, and therefore no prospect of plea bargains, why would underlings admit anything?” Any attempt by President Bush to pre-pardon himself or any of his aides involved in war crimes and torture would be “an obstruction of justice,” said Pyle. He suggested one approach could be to appoint “a non-partisan prosecutor with considerable independence,” much as Attorney General Elliot Richardson did when he chose Archibald Cox to lead the Watergate team. “A special prosecutor could be chosen by the next attorney general from among any number of distinguished Republican attorneys.” Professor Amy Bartholomew of Carleton University , Ottawa , told the conference that the Bush administration was attempting to replace the Nuremberg Principles adopted after World War Two with “a global and transnational state of exception” under which the U.S. can invade countries with impunity. Peter Weiss of the Center For Constitutional Rights pointed out that there is no need for any new legislation to outlaw aggressive war, since “It is already outlawed by Article 2 of the United States Charter.” Dean Velvel summarized the conference proceedings by saying, “In a nutshell, this conference was about giving continued life to the Nuremberg principles, which our country itself established, instead of allowing guilty members of the Bush Administration to destroy those principles wholesale by committing aggressive war and torture with impunity.” What I don’t understand is why human rights groups don’t ban together to prosecute the administration under the RICO Act.

MP—Good point….that would be great. The reason we have Bushes still is that FDR was too busy with WII to try Prescott Bush for treason…..ie had his bank seized under the Trading With The Enemy Act for selling to Hitler, and then he helped fund the “Business Plan” that raised $30M to pay an army to physically oust FDR and install a fascist regieme. That little plan was broken up when Major General Smedley Butler reported it to Congress. Then Bush I with the BCCI, Silverado, and Iran Contra schemes. Now this third Bush criminal. I felt that Nancy Pelosi should do her Constitututional duty regardless of convenience and impeach. When they are not punished they just do it again, only bolder. Let’s hope the International Court acts.

James….Some women do look good in short hair, Princess Diana for one. But for me…same perfecty blunt/smooth haircut few inches past my shoulders, I would not be happy with less than longish hair.

Rocky 2—Right, Edwards was referred to as “The Breck Girl” and Stephanopoulos as “Mr. Blow-Dry.” Much Ado about Nothing Here….. Has anyone noticed this site is slowing down? Or is it just me? Hit ‘submit’ and it takes forever to post something and it takes forever. But not on other sites…so am wondering if just here. Annoying.

Mugsy, Hey don’t go using reason, logic and match on us! We wanted the dude impeached!!

Char…You don’t need to explain that to me. Totally agree…she might as well be wearing a sign…because that’s all I ever see when hear/see her. To me Pelois is so…whatever.

“Like my former finance.” Oops, my bad. That’s ‘fiancé’…..Freudian Slip?

She is an admirable and likable, if over the top, lady in many ways. Why any woman wants to marry their son is beyond me. And he just didn’t seem sincere when they married, his body language/facial expressions said to me “user.” The man was practically looking at his watch as if he wanted to escape. Like my former finance who called me from Hawaii on his honeymoon and said he made a terrible mistake and could we have ‘Taper-off sex”!!! Very amusing, but No!!!

The man hasn’t been tried or convicted yet so I think the media and the parents should be referring to him as ‘suspect’ and not as if his conviction is a fait accompli…they are handing ammunition to the defense. If there is strong DNA evidence….then perhaps he is the one. I also think that if he did it the brutality of it suggests something more than just a robbery gone wrong. I’m not lightly for the death penalty …but beating a completely innocent woman to death in her own bed….certainly calls for it. He took away so much, so senselessly. Why? It’s like he murdered Cinderella on her way to the ball. Very tragic.