So, about this MSM refusal to report on the Iraq memo..

[TruthIsAll]

I will be brief. This concerns Iraq, but it deals with the same underlying issue as the stolen election: Bush mendacity. They're related -two sides of the same coin.

I have stopped watching the networks totally for the last year or so. That's because it's pure crap. But you know that.

Here's my point. The main-stream media is not talking about the Iraq memo from what I hear. But McCain apparently stated today on one of the Sunday talk shows that he does not believe the memo, whatever that means.

Well, I don't give a damn what McCain says. He's a Bush shill. We all know that.

But where is Clinton? Where is Kerry? Where is Dean? Where is Clark? Where is Levin? Where is Kennedy? Where is Big Dog?

Can't they just get on NBC/CNN, promise beforehand to Russert/ Blitzer not to talk about the memo - and then do it anyway? Or hold a press conference? And start spreading the I-word?

All we get is Biden(ess). Or LIEberman.

Al Gore would surely do it. But the MSM won't give him the time of day. Too honest. Too smart.

So it's up to the Democrats. And they are failing us as usual.
The MSM is bad. But the DINOS are worse.

The memo is a gift. But the DINOS have squandered many gifts before.

[Skittles]

1. I am disgusted too, TruthIsALL

absolutely disgusted

[Griffy]

35. It is not the actions of our enemies we will remeber..it is the silence...

of our friends! "MLK"

We need to be the media.. and the cattle prod.. to get this into the full light!

Perhaps.. just perhaps the DAM of LIES bush uses on the river of TRUTH is about to break! ..at the very least it is straining to hold!

[JDPriestly]

2. The Democrats

at least Kerry, the Clintons and Clark support the war just like Lieberman. Maybe we we need to start an e-mail campaign to these folks. Where is Boxer on this? I'm surprised she isn't speaking out -- after her great questioning of Rice at the committee hearing on Rice's confirmation.

[Starfury]

3. There has to be a reason for the deafening Democratic silence

No one could fail to see the opportunities and issues, they're too obvious to anyone in the business of politics. Heck, they're patently obvious to us, and we're metaphorically just sitting in the stands heckling the players. These people live and breathe politics, it's what they do, who they are. Incompetence and bumbling ineffectiveness and utter cluelessness only go so far to explain our party's actions and non-actions.

I hate that, try as I might to not do so, I can't help but draw certain conclusions....

[redacted]

6. What certain conclusions?

What's your point?

[Starfury]

8. Well, if they're not using all the ammo available...

...there must be some reason. Like GaryBeck says below, there are lots of unanswered questions. Why no mention of the memo, election fraud, Gannon? Why was the Kerry campaign so passive? I never understood that. Maybe there are benign explanations for all those issues, but I don't see it. It starts seeming surreal, I just start wondering if I've totally misread the situation, like I never understood the rules of the game or even what the game is.

So, no I don't have a specific allegation to make (at this point), but I'm starting to question everything.

[Amaryllis]

31. Have youn checked out Votescam? Dems complicit in election fraud for many

years, according to this book.

[hvn_nbr_2]

19. Deafening silence

Yeah, I was one of the ones who kept saying after election day, the silence of the Dems must mean something is up. Unfortunately, now I'm starting to think it means something different is up.

[Amaryllis]

32. Any thoughts on what exactly that something is? Compicity? They too

have something to hide, and don't really want investigations? It doesn't fit with Kerry's background with taking on the BCCI scandal and Iran contra. He's never been afraid to investigate serious scandals before.

[hvn_nbr_2]

33. Only pure speculations, but in the absence of any explanation...

what else do we have?

I don't want to believe these possibilities but nobody's shown me anything more likely or any good reasons not to believe them. Some possibilities I've thought of:

complicity, in various ways and at various levels and degrees

they're all just wimps, appeasers, and enablers. BTW, I've just coined a new acronym (I think it's new)--OINOS - opposition in name only.

Dems have been so accustomed for so long to trying desperately not to offend anyone anywhere about anything, in order to keep the diverse Dem coalition together, that they pathologically try to avoid controversy.

done just as bad, and Pukes have the goods on them

utterly clueless and still don't know it or don't believe it

were completely blindsided by the election theft on election night. Up till then they actually thought they wouldn't do that. Still so stunned that they're in shock and haven't woken up.

still living in the old wonderland of "collegiality" of the House and Senate and haven't noticed that the other side dumped collegiality for rabid no-holds-barred gang warfare long ago

Jimmy-Jeff "did" everybody on both sides, and they've got it all on tape

they've all been threatened with Wellstoning, Fostering, Carnahaning, and Kennedying

and from there, my speculations start to get paranoid

[Amaryllis]

39. Geez, you guys, this is reallly getting depressing. Where's our champion?

We have Conyers...we need about 200 of him.

[BillyDoc]

38. You mean like maybe the Dems are part of the problem as well?

And don't dare to piss off their corporate backers with anything real?

[loveable liberal]

4. Memo... .hmmmm....memo.... .where have I heard that word before....

My only hope is that the Dems and the DNC are cookin up a wicked brew to use in a 'shock and awe' campaign for 2006. Dont shoot til you see the whites of their eyes as it were. If not, and they're afraid of being the next Rather, then we're in trouble with a capital T.

[tavalon]

22. Please, please, please

don't hold your breath on that one. We need all of our DUers alive.

Oh, and yes, we are in Trouble with that capital T. Or Fucked with that capital F.

[garybeck]

5. there is a disturbuing pattern, friends

Kerry rolled over on the election and never questioned the results. his legal team even fought AGAINST the lawsuits in Ohio.

Only one Senator (Boxer) seems to think there was anything wrong with the election. Even she has admitted that she's "not aware" of any problems in other states besides Ohio.

Not a single Democrat has introduced legislation for paper ballots. Hillary's bill is called the "count every vote act" while it only seeks to count 2% of the votes

All the orgs that are closely tied to the DNC are avoiding the election issue - MoveOn and DFA to name a couple.

No Dems are raising issues with Gannongate, even though it stinks to high heaven of a Lewinsky type scandal, if not more.

No Dems are raising issues about the smoking gun Iraq memo.


I think we have to re-evaluate some of our assumptions. Something doesn't add up. There has to be a piece to this puzzle that we don't understand.

[Starfury]

7. Bingo. n/t

[Journeyman]

9. Maybe there's something to what Nader said. . .

n/t

[lthuedk]

10. Chenibooshrove have a slam dunk on dem election fraud?

[kster]

11. My hope is

that the Dem's don't get out ahead of this story.I think we have to surround the crooks with this story First.If the Dem's come out first the media will just crush them,if we get this story wrapped around repug media.

Then the repugs and the Dem's come out on a even playing surface.Not just the repugs talking about Dem sore loser,but the Dem's and repugs having to face the facts of a stolen election. And yes people from both side's will undoubtedly go to jail. So be it.

[GuvWurld]

12. Don't Understand, Or Don't Allow Ourselves to Believe?

I have repeatedly been amazed at threads like this. What does not compute for me is how bright and dedicated people continue to find themselves surprised and disgusted at absolutely routine behavior.

I don't think this is about what we don't understand about the political game. I think this is much more about being ruthlessly honest with ourselves. Someone on DU recently labeled this attitude smug. That's fine. At least I'm going out of my way to stop lying to myself. It is a human nature tendency that nobody should take blame for. But at the same time it is a shortcoming we can each begin to address only once we first acknowledge it.

If we want to coordinate a really useful self-help effort it should be helping each other find the chasms between what we say we believe and the way we act on the same information. We must accept that there is no number of e-mails, calls or letters that will suddenly make a Senator give up a career of ignoring and/or systematically distorting the truth. And we should stop acting surprised when people or networks act as they always do.

Organize in your community. Ask your City Council to protect your town. Show them that the federal government is compelling them to take action damaging to their constituents. Cite your town's budget problems and connect it to the war (see Arcata's Municipal Response to Federal Lawlessness resolution). Talk about No Child Left Behind, which is widely despised by teachers and school administrators. Point out HAVA requirements ensuring future elections will continue to deliver inconclusive results. Go with ten of your friends and say that you want them to pass the Voter Confidence Resolution.

The most common definition of insanity is repeating the same action and expecting a different result. We must stop wasting our time trying to communicate with a Congress that is not interested in what we have to say. They are not only failing to account for the Consent of the Governed, they are not even seeking this Consent. They are completely unaccountable and we don't have a way to change that in a single step. Thus the better strategy is to create intermediate steps that are actually doable. City Councilmembers are accessible and accountable. Get their cooperation and we can start making some progress toward healing our divides. Creating unity in this way is essential to establish effective resistance to fascism.

[Vektor]

13. This is by far one of the best

posts I have seen on DU. Would you mind copying it and making it its own thread in the General Discussion Politics forum? More people should see it.

[GuvWurld]

27. Re-Posted Above to General Discussion

Thanks for the feedback and encouragement, Vektor. New thread link below.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3665116

[Vektor]

43. No prob!

I recommended you. It's a powerful and accurate message.

[GuvWurld]

45. Thanks again, Vektor. Thread made Greatest page (eom)

[Vektor]

46. And rightly so!

:-)

[Kip Humphrey]

14. Great post, well ariculated and right on!

[Pacifist Patriot]

23. That is precisely what scares me.

[Nothing Without Hope]

48. Actually, Conyers and 88 Dems, 1 Independent signed letter asking Bush for

explanation of the "smoking gun" Downing St Memo. And this was with very little leadup time. This is mentioned in this video of Keith Olbermann on the memo; he also interviews Rep. Louise Slaughter:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=3668912#3670676
Thread title: “Olbermann: Memo shows "Fixed Intel" and "pre-war plots" - (VIDEO)”

There are SOME Dems that are fighting. But I agree that there are all too many that are silent. I have my own cynical speculations on WHY they are silent, ror example that some of them want the 2008 Presidential nomination and don't want to make waves. I imagine there are other secret reasons for the silence of others. Corruption is widespread, I believe.

[MelissaB]

15. 3rd nomination for the freaking, frustrating pattern.

The Dems should be yelling from the mountaintop about this one.

[mod mom]

16. Rather/swift boat liers, Newsweek/Desecretion at Gitmo, perhaps they

are afraid it's authencity will be revoked by the rovian machine (remember truth does not matter with this crowd). Just a guess.

[acmejack]

17. Exactly right

The cons always respond with a reply to the effect that it is another liberal forgery, "just like the Rather memo". But the true question about Congress boils down to the Class issue.

Just how hard do you really expect people to fight against initiatives which are, in actuality, in their personal best interests? The vast majority of these people are rich and getting richer thanks to the lobbyists who run this country. They are so confident of reelection they don't worry about us, the little people who are allegedly the reason they "serve".

Corporatists are corporatists, irregardless of the cover they assume. Witness the last few major votes (ie; REAL ID, Bankruptcy, tort reform, etc, etc) if you doubt this.

[Jo March]

21. Or they're afraid of being Wellstoned?

I don't know but I think about Paul Wellstone more and more as this crap leaks out.

[Pacifist Patriot]

26. I mentioned that to my sister yesterday.

She didn't understand why I considered Conyers and Boxer to be so courageous. After I reminded her of a few accidents she got it.

[Jo March]

28. it's a thought that I hate to have but do

Each time Boxer and Conyers and Kerry speak out (or any Dem leader), a little part of me wants to shout, "Don't get on a small plane any time soon!"

Funny but I mentioned it to someone the other day and she solemnly agreed with me. She is not a tin-foil hatter in the least bit but even she thinks that Wellstone's death was no accident.

[kansasblue]

18. we do have Rep. Conveys fightling like a real Dem

.. But it is true that the Dems are laying down a little too much. Nader opposed the Dems (2000) because he said they were both in the pocket of the big corporations.

[Pacifist Patriot]

24. This is why I think for PR purposes we really need to rally

behind him and be very visible in our support. Last week someone mentioned sending Conyers flowers and I was reminded of the awesome PR photo released by Boxer's office of her surrounded by the flowers at Valentine's Day.

Picture this:

Fourth of July

A picture of Conyers at his Michigan office (congress is on break then, right?) with red, white and blue carnations and oodles and oodles of small American flags overflowing the office. Mail bags full of red, white and blue thank you cards from grateful democrats spilling over the desks.

The rest of congress would be green with envy. Not to mention the lack of a similar photo coming from the White House. Bwa! ;)

[kimchi]

40. That is a great idea.

Pukes don't have the monopoly on patriotism.

[fooj]

42. Now there's a thought to run with!!!

Great idea!

peace.

[helderheid]

20. took the words out of my mouth

I did see our local paper carried the story but I haven't heard anything on the TV (which is where most get their news). I'm sorry to say I'm absolutely not surprised, but you are so right - WHERE THE HELL ARE OUR DEMOCRATS AND WHY AREN'T THEY SCREEMING BLOODY MURDER??

[Pacifist Patriot]

25. I feel like a gnat in a wind tunnel.

If the tables were reversed and a democrat were in the White House with a democratically controlled congress you can bet your bippy we'd be hearing the screaming without having to turn on our television sets.

[denese]

29. Keith is going to have it on Countdown tonight n/t

[Peace Patriot]

30. Don't use the acronym "MSM" unless you add...

MSMI

Mainstream Media Illusion

or

MSMD

Mainstream Media Delusion

or better yet, forget "MSM" and call them what they really are

the News Monopolies

or, as often modified by me

the Lapdog News Monopolies.

This delusion that they create, called "the news," is in no way a reflection of mainstream American opinion. In the real as opposed to the fabricated country, nearly 60% of Americans oppose the Iraq war, now, today. Still oppose it! --as we have since before the invasion (except for a brief dip in that number during the invasion itself, obviously influenced by fear for US troops in battle). Over 60% of Americans oppose torture UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. The President of the United States, on his Inauguration Day, had an approval rating of only 49% (soon falling to 45%)--an unprecedented "vote of no confidence" in a recently "reelected" 2nd term president. Opposition to every major Bush policy, foreign and domestic, is way up in the 60% to 70% range. This great disapproval of the Bush regime has been going on now for over a year, across the board in numerous polls.

The Lapdog News Monopolies do not just fail to be astounded by this overwhelming disapproval--and do not just fail to look for the reasons why this might be so (election fraud perhaps?)--they fail to even notice it!

If there were any fairness or reality in the country that they create--with their "news" and their "news" broadcasts--they would be giving about 60% of their news items and news commentary to Democrats and other dissenters talking about the Iraq memo and denouncing Bush and his cronies for lying.

Instead, NOTHING gets said--or if anything at all gets said, it is the Bush Cartel "talking point' of the day. Spin, propaganda, with hardly a peep of dissent (or no dissent).

This is NOT the mainstream. This is a bunch of fatcat, war profiteering monopolists dictating the news!

As for the Democrats, we have two problems, a) many of them support war in the Middle East, a war economy, stealing Iraqi oil, global piracy, and US military protection surrounding Israel; these prevented anti-war candidate Howard Dean from being nominated, and some would just as soon see Bush get the blame for war crimes and for making the rich far, far richer; and b) where the Democrats are mixed in their motives, or are true populists and believers in democracy, they are almost completely blockaded from expressing their views in the news monopoly press, and some are quite fearful of the power of the Bush Cartel (very scary people, those) and of their lapdog press.

People like Barbara Boxer and John Conyers are all the more remarkable for having bucked all the powers that be, Bushite and Democrat, on some issues and having persisted and gotten some attention. But damn little.

I don't think this is entirely the good Democrats' fault. They do have some real things to be fearful of, and, despite the obvious fact that they represent the majority of Americans, they are consigned to minority status (and even their minority powers are routinely assaulted by Bushites in Congress).

Finally, I just want to make the point that the failure of American journalism that we are seeing is huge and catastrophic--and planned. It is no accident that all "news" is in the hands of a few very rich war profiteers. IF our news media were doing their job and their duty as the Fourth Estate, they would be actively investigating the election, the Bush Cartel, the Congress, the corporate pigsty in Iraq, and collusive Democrats, and would be SEEKING OUT alternative information and opinion, among dissenting Democrats and others. This is so far from what they ARE doing as to be almost absurd to think about. Real journalism. My god. Is that even dreamable?

So a Democrat who might have the goods on these jokers would go to the door of the corporate media and have it slammed in his/her face. End of story.

Not to say they shouldn't keep trying. They do, in fact, represent the majority--but just try to imagine what a burden that is, in current conditions, for those with a conscience.

[autorank]

36. Wow, now you're thoughtful. Great!. How about just CM (Corporate Media)

[autorank]

34. It's all the same story, just different scenes. KICK/Recommend

I think the Democrats are probably waiting for CM (corporate media) to pick up on this as cover for their charges. What a foolish mistake. Howard Dean needs to be out there thumping the podium. Wes Clark needs to get some publicity as well. I'm sure he's commented but he's too reasonable for CM to cover; they can't control him and he's intellectually honest (which CM fears worse than real work).

My grand theory is that the gates of CM will not open until "management" has experienced sufficient risk, pain and fear about *'s self-destructive jihad.

Nevertheless, the Democrats have no excuse to hold back. After all, 80 something house members (thank you Rep. Conyers) petitioned * to explain the 2004 memo.

I'm afraid that this is indicative of the old saying (not always true now days): the Democrats never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.

[kansasblue]

37. Have the Dems drank the kool-aide?

But we've got Boxer, Conveys and Dennis K

[wiggs]

41. Dem leaders complicit for 5 years

most dem leaders have been comlicit/silent for 5 years during some of the most outrageous misdeeds by any government. Most of us could list dozens of problems and scandals that would have brought down most administrations. Environmental pillage alone should have been enough and that is not the most grievous obscenity perpetrated.

This is a very important question, because for a long time we depended on our dem leaders to represent us, to be the opposition party, to question, to voice concern vigorously, to shed light, to oversee, to do the job of the congress. I can't say they've done much of this....so who is looking out for us? I don't expect the corporate owned media to be honest anymore...and republicans are too drunk with power to consider the public. I did expect the opposition party to care, however, and that makes their complicity more surprising and painful.

True that they are not the majority in either house, but they have visibility and a pulpit that they have not used for the most part.

It's not democrats vs republicans. It's all of us against all of them...us against all of them who would concentrate wealth and power in the world into the hands of fewer and fewer people.

Thanks TIA for setting down the calculator and making an important point that can't get enough attention.

[rucky]

44. If consumers of the MSM won't get off their asses to be critical

of their sources, what exactly would be different if they knew the truth? They wouldn't revolt or anything.

[Nothing Without Hope]

47. VIDEO - Keith Olbermann covered it on air in a good segment, including

an interview with Rep. Louise Slaughter:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=3668912#3670676
Thread title: “Olbermann: Memo shows "Fixed Intel" and "pre-war plots" - (VIDEO)”

[Al-CIAda]

49. TIA yes, I too am disgusted with the false 'opposition'.

There are maybe 6-8 fighters for truth in the entire congress, none of them in 'leadership' positions.

[autorank]

50. Conyers, Tubbs, Lee, Byrd, Boxer...who else or who instead to get to 8?

Ron Paul maybe (I'm thinking out of the box)

[Al-CIAda]

54. Ron Paul, yes, but also Cynthia McKinney, Slaughter, and at one

point Sen. Dayton-

The non-response of NORAD and lack of defense of the Pentagon.
Testimony of Sentor Dayton and an interview with Dr. Bowman (Lt. Col. Ret. USAF) by Micheal Kane. He discusses the war games planned that very morning at the exact time the event occured.
Powerful 15 min...

http://innworldreport.net/video/2004-08-04/dayton.html

[autorank]

55. I agree with the additions & thanks for the link!!!

[KG]

51. let's be clear - all those dems. you named were pro-war and still

are pro-war. and being morally corrupt politcal cowards, they are not about to admit they made a mistake.

don't expect any help from the democratic party on important social issues, and you won't be dissappointed.

[snot]

52. And how much coverage has Air America given?

I haven't had time to listen.

[althecat]

53. Well said TIA and good point...