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Al Gore’s recent speech at NYU is awesome. If this man’s vision for our country was a reality, I could once again say, truly, that I’m proud to be an American. Unfortunately, under the Bush administration. This is not the case.

The direction in which our nation is being led is deeply troubling to me — not only in Iraq but also here at home on economic policy, social policy and environmental policy.

I’m posting this because it’s much too long to read at work, and I want to check it out later. But it looks excellent.

Reason: Suspected Terrorist: Multimillionaire John Gilmore is suing the government to remain anonymous. Is this the last stand for privacy?

Why not, indeed? The world does not indulge those who refuse to flash identification when asked. Earlier that week, I was purchasing my first cell phone. Bursting with bile over such intrusive requests because I’d been researching the Gilmore case, I frostily walked out of one Cingular store after the clerk demanded my Social Security number and couldn’t even tell me why. She just blandly, coldly repeated: “It’s a necessary part of the form.”

At Rainbow, I always tell them “I forgot my card.” At TJ Maxx, refuse your phone number. At Best Buy, make up a Zip Code. Trust me, when you begin to realize the scope of the data that everyone is collecting, it’s scary.

The best news I’ve heard all week. My hope for our government went up one or two notches today. From the always good, Warblogging.com

In a 309-118 vote the House voted to attach a provision to a $37.9 billion spending bill that would ban the Department of Justice from allocating any money whatsoever for so-called “sneak and peak” searches of private property.

“We gave him a chance to allow the inspectors in, and he [Saddam Hussein] wouldn’t let them in,” [President Bush said Monday.]”

Has he lost his mind? The whole point that most of the world was arguing was that the inspectors, THAT WERE ALREADY IN THE COUNTRY! needed more time to do their work.

But President Bush, the man who spoke the above words (I saw it with my own eyes), said, Okay Blix, times up, Let’s Roll!

I’m in awe. I can’t believe that this is happening. I can’t believe that nobody seems to care!

Salon Article about Bush lying (You’ll have to watch an advert)

White House video of Bush lying Click the ‘View’ link

What does Iraq have that Liberia doesn’t?

Say it with me now.

From Arianna Huffington’s recent article,

After 700 people were massacred in a rebel attack on the capital city of Monrovia two weeks ago, African leaders called on Bush to send in 2,000 U.S. troops as part of an international peacekeeping force. The Pentagon and the State Department are in favor of such a move, but the White House has been extremely reluctant to extend its adventures in dictator eradication to Africa.

Of course, that hasn’t stopped Bush from paying lip service to stopping the bloodshed. Just last week, he said: “We are determined to help the people of Liberia find the path to peace.” But not determined enough to facilitate a cease-fire agreement. So far, he’s dispatched 35 — that’s not a typo — U.S. military personnel to the country, as he put it, “solely for the purpose of protecting American citizens and property.” Wow, I bet Liberian President Charles Taylor, indicted last month for war crimes by a United Nations court, is quaking in his jackboots.

Howard Dean has called on the Idiot Boy King to send U.S. troops to the region. This is a situation where our troops should be used.

I went to the local Howard Dean Meetup tonight looking for a little info and maybe some like minded individuals. It turns out that there are one or two people in Rochester that aren’t republican, that was a good feeling.

There is more research to be done for me on all these candidates, but for now I like Dean. I don’t agree with him on a few things, but his record in Vermont on Health Care is excellent.

In Vermont, where I served as governor for the last 11 years, nearly 92% of adults now have coverage. Most importantly, 99% of all Vermont children are eligible for health insurance and 96% have it.

He’s also strongly against the Iraq war. I’m right behind him there.

We’ll see how it plays out. Here’s a recent article about him in the Christian Science Monitor.

Contact your representatives

Write your Senators

Thanks dad for telling me about those contact pages!