Friday, September 17, 2004
The New York Times > Opinion > The Return of Katherine Harris
The New York Times > Opinion > The Return of Katherine Harris
Election 2004 in Florida may have some of the same characteristics as that of 2000. Governor Jeb Bush has appointed political crony Glenda Hood as secretary of state and given her charge for running the 2004 election in the state.
Ms. Hood recently conducted a voting-roll purge of felons. "The voters who were to be taken off the list included more than 22,000 African-Americans, who generally vote heavily Democratic, but just 61 Hispanics, who tend to favor Republicans in Florida. She was forced to scrap the list."
In last month's primary, "some people without photo identification were turned away without being told that they could vote if they signed affidavits affirming their identities." The same thing happened in South Dakota this year; the Board of Elections there told every polling place to post signs advising people of their rights. Ms. Hood's office claims that "voters need not be told of the affidavit option." Poor people and members of other groups that are less likely to have identification often vote Democratic.
Most recently, Ms. Hood has helped Mr. Nader get on Florida's ballot, where he would be likely to weaken John Kerry. A court has ruled against Mr. Nader's claim to have met the requirements to be on the ballot.
Election 2004 in Florida may have some of the same characteristics as that of 2000. Governor Jeb Bush has appointed political crony Glenda Hood as secretary of state and given her charge for running the 2004 election in the state.
Ms. Hood recently conducted a voting-roll purge of felons. "The voters who were to be taken off the list included more than 22,000 African-Americans, who generally vote heavily Democratic, but just 61 Hispanics, who tend to favor Republicans in Florida. She was forced to scrap the list."
In last month's primary, "some people without photo identification were turned away without being told that they could vote if they signed affidavits affirming their identities." The same thing happened in South Dakota this year; the Board of Elections there told every polling place to post signs advising people of their rights. Ms. Hood's office claims that "voters need not be told of the affidavit option." Poor people and members of other groups that are less likely to have identification often vote Democratic.
Most recently, Ms. Hood has helped Mr. Nader get on Florida's ballot, where he would be likely to weaken John Kerry. A court has ruled against Mr. Nader's claim to have met the requirements to be on the ballot.
The New York Times > Opinion > Op-Ed Columnist: Pre-emptive Paranoia
The New York Times > Opinion > Op-Ed Columnist: Pre-emptive Paranoia
Documents revealed by CBS "60-Minutes" last week about President Bush's military service have been shown to be flawed. Abbreviations in the documents are wrong. Group should be "GP" rather than "GRP," there should be no period after "Lt," and Mr. Bush's Social Security number should have been used rather than his old service number. It looks like someone who had access to the originals may have typed up a newer version. CBS may have been set up in order to discredit the stories going around Bush's failure to fulfill his military obligations.
Maureen Dowd says the Democrats are suffering from pre-emptive paranoia. Some Democrats are afraid that Bush aide Karl Rove is up to his usual dirty tricks. "Those who suspect Mr. Rove note that when he was Bill Clements's campaign strategist in a 1986 governor's race in Texas, he was accused of bugging his own office to distract from a debate, according to James Moore and Wayne Slater, authors of "Bush's Brain.'' They said it turned the election because after that, the Democrat could not get any attention."
Now the Republicans in Congress want an investigation of the "60 Minute" memos.
However, 86-year-old Marian Carr Knox, who was secretary to Lt. Col. Jerry Killian, says he wrote a "cover-your-back file,'' a "personal journal'' to keep a record about the politically connected Bush in his charge. She said the contents of that mirrored the CBS documents, but she said those documents were not on the right forms and contained Army terms rather than Air National Guard argot. Mr. Bush had disobeyed a direct order from Colonel Killian to take a physical and Killian wanted it documented. "It looks like someone may have read the originals and put that (the CBS documents) together.''
Karl Rove or someone else in the Administration would have had access to the originals and may have put the doctored documents into circulation to discredit the media and the stories about Bush's failure to meet his obligations.
Documents revealed by CBS "60-Minutes" last week about President Bush's military service have been shown to be flawed. Abbreviations in the documents are wrong. Group should be "GP" rather than "GRP," there should be no period after "Lt," and Mr. Bush's Social Security number should have been used rather than his old service number. It looks like someone who had access to the originals may have typed up a newer version. CBS may have been set up in order to discredit the stories going around Bush's failure to fulfill his military obligations.
Maureen Dowd says the Democrats are suffering from pre-emptive paranoia. Some Democrats are afraid that Bush aide Karl Rove is up to his usual dirty tricks. "Those who suspect Mr. Rove note that when he was Bill Clements's campaign strategist in a 1986 governor's race in Texas, he was accused of bugging his own office to distract from a debate, according to James Moore and Wayne Slater, authors of "Bush's Brain.'' They said it turned the election because after that, the Democrat could not get any attention."
Now the Republicans in Congress want an investigation of the "60 Minute" memos.
However, 86-year-old Marian Carr Knox, who was secretary to Lt. Col. Jerry Killian, says he wrote a "cover-your-back file,'' a "personal journal'' to keep a record about the politically connected Bush in his charge. She said the contents of that mirrored the CBS documents, but she said those documents were not on the right forms and contained Army terms rather than Air National Guard argot. Mr. Bush had disobeyed a direct order from Colonel Killian to take a physical and Killian wanted it documented. "It looks like someone may have read the originals and put that (the CBS documents) together.''
Karl Rove or someone else in the Administration would have had access to the originals and may have put the doctored documents into circulation to discredit the media and the stories about Bush's failure to meet his obligations.
The New York Times > Opinion > Op-Ed Columnist: Mr. Bush's Glass House
The New York Times > Opinion > Op-Ed Columnist: Mr. Bush's Glass House
NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF thinks George W. Bush is hiding something about his past, since he won't clear up his record about his service in the Air National Guard. He is less concerned about what he did, then the fact that Mr. Bush won't be honest about it. Mr. Bush got into the National Guard because of his name. In 1972, Mr. Bush's performance ratings deteriorated, he skipped his flight physical, he stopped flying military planes forever, he transferred to Alabama, and he did not report to certain drills there as ordered. The next year Mr. Bush skipped off to Harvard Business School. He still had almost another year in the Guard which he did not serve.
NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF thinks George W. Bush is hiding something about his past, since he won't clear up his record about his service in the Air National Guard. He is less concerned about what he did, then the fact that Mr. Bush won't be honest about it. Mr. Bush got into the National Guard because of his name. In 1972, Mr. Bush's performance ratings deteriorated, he skipped his flight physical, he stopped flying military planes forever, he transferred to Alabama, and he did not report to certain drills there as ordered. The next year Mr. Bush skipped off to Harvard Business School. He still had almost another year in the Guard which he did not serve.
Friday, September 10, 2004
The New York Times > Opinion > Unraveling Kerry's Iraq Plan
The New York Times > Opinion > Unraveling Kerry's Iraq Plan
John Kerry doesn't seem to have taken a solid stand on the war in Iraq. He claims U.S. soldiers will need to be committed to Iraq for the foreseeable future. Under a new administration, things will be different. He will provide safety for UN election officials, fix the Iraqi infrastructure, and do a better job of training Iraqi security. What I want to know is how he will end U.S. entanglement in Iraq. Now is the time to spellout specifically how he will bring American soldiers home and end America's involvement in Iraq. Without that commitment, his promises are no better than Nixon's in 1968 when he claimed he would end the war in Viet Nam.
John Kerry doesn't seem to have taken a solid stand on the war in Iraq. He claims U.S. soldiers will need to be committed to Iraq for the foreseeable future. Under a new administration, things will be different. He will provide safety for UN election officials, fix the Iraqi infrastructure, and do a better job of training Iraqi security. What I want to know is how he will end U.S. entanglement in Iraq. Now is the time to spellout specifically how he will bring American soldiers home and end America's involvement in Iraq. Without that commitment, his promises are no better than Nixon's in 1968 when he claimed he would end the war in Viet Nam.
The New York Times > Washington > Documents Suggest Special Treatment for Bush in Guard
The New York Times > Washington > Documents Suggest Special Treatment for Bush in Guard
I am among thousands, ten of thousands, perhaps millions of men who did my best to avoid service in Viet Nam. I am upfront about it, unlike George W. Bush who seems to have done his best to try to deceive us about his service (or lack of it). Firstly, he used privilege to get a coveted post that would assure he didn't have to fight. Then he went AWOL, not fulfilling his commitment. And now he won't admit his ruse.
But worse than his lies is his hypocrisy. In 2003, when he claimed the war in Iraq was over, he dressed in a fighter pilot's flight suit. What fakery! By putting on the garb, he purported to be one of America's fighting men. And he certainly was not. His lack of service shows that.
In addition, he is sending American soldiers to fight a war that serves only political purposes. (This week a milestone was reached. 1000 service people have died in Iraq.) He claimed the war was started to destroy weapons of mass destruction. None were found. Now he claims that the war serves in the fight on terrorism. In fact, it has spawned more terrorism and has cost over $200 billion, part of which is needed for homeland security.
I am among thousands, ten of thousands, perhaps millions of men who did my best to avoid service in Viet Nam. I am upfront about it, unlike George W. Bush who seems to have done his best to try to deceive us about his service (or lack of it). Firstly, he used privilege to get a coveted post that would assure he didn't have to fight. Then he went AWOL, not fulfilling his commitment. And now he won't admit his ruse.
But worse than his lies is his hypocrisy. In 2003, when he claimed the war in Iraq was over, he dressed in a fighter pilot's flight suit. What fakery! By putting on the garb, he purported to be one of America's fighting men. And he certainly was not. His lack of service shows that.
In addition, he is sending American soldiers to fight a war that serves only political purposes. (This week a milestone was reached. 1000 service people have died in Iraq.) He claimed the war was started to destroy weapons of mass destruction. None were found. Now he claims that the war serves in the fight on terrorism. In fact, it has spawned more terrorism and has cost over $200 billion, part of which is needed for homeland security.
The dishonesty thing by Paul Krugman
Krugman describes how the Bush administration exagerates budget estimates and then when the actual figures come in they can make claims that the deficit is decreasing. This is another example of how we are being deceived by this government. http://http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/10/opinion/10krugman.html
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