Tricounty DFA Update: Vigil Saturday, FISA Debacle, Judges, More
Hello Everyone;

In This Update For Thursday, July 10m 2008:

1. Vigil Saturday, 11am Downtown Glens Falls
2. Congressional Debacle On FISA: ACLU Challenge
3. But Thank Clinton & Schumer
4. Iraq Leader Wants US Out
5. No More Bush Judges
6. Help Save Antioch
7. Friday Night Film Festival


1. Vigil Saturday, 11am Downtown Glens Falls

We will be holding another weekly vigil for peace and to bring our troops home this Saturday, July 12th, from 11am until Noon in front of the Civil War Monument at the corner of Bay, Glen and South Streets in downtown Glens Falls. Please come and bring a friend and a sign.


2. Congressional Debacle On FISA: ACLU Challenge

As you probably all know, the Senate caved in Wednesday and gave George Bush yet another great victory, and the destruction of the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution, so desired by the right wing. As has been the case, author and commentator Glenn Greenwald on Salon, has been a real national hero for his advocacy on this issue. His final take, entitled "Strength Through Bowing," is a must read: http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/07/10/democrats/index.html

On the bright side (if there is one) the ACLU is challenging this repudiation of right sAmericans have fought for since patriot pioneer James Otis challenged the Writs of Assistance in 1765, starting a legal quarrel that helped lead to the American Revolution. Greenwald on that: http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/07/10/aclu/


3. But Thank Clinton & Schumer

But is it important to give credit where credit is due, and great credit is due to our two Senators, Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer, who were among the 29 who stood up for what this country stands for. I suggest dropping them a note and thanking them:
clinton.senate.gov/contact
schumer.senate.gov/SchumerWebsite/contact/webform.cfm


4. Iraq Leader Wants US Out

Another extraordinary story, coming as it does on the Congress' cave-in to Bush on war funding, is that Iraqi leader Maliki now wants a timetable for the US to get out of Iraq. This is remarkable, coming from what is little more than a puppet government created by the administration to comply with its desire to occupy their country and control their oil, and it certainly puts Congress' recent vote to continue the war for another year in a different light: http://www.truthout.org/article/maliki-stunner-he-wants-us-pullout-timetable

5. No More Bush Judges

Drew sends this along this excellent idea from Credo Action-- Credo (formerly Working Assets ) is calling on the Senate to confirm no more Bush judges before President Obama is sworn in. Bush has done enough to pack the courts with right wing clones. Filling those seats can wait: http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/no_more_bush_judges/?rc=du

6. Help Save Antioch

Hilary sends this along: Antiioch College, which has been called the founding college of American progressivism, is in danger of extinction. You can sign a petition to help save it and learn more at: http://petition.antiochians.org/


7. Friday Night Film Festival


The Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe's Friday Night Progressive Film Festival continues with"

Fri Jul 11 7:30 pm SUMMER FAMILY FILM FEST (Oft-overlooked free family movies all summer long)
HAROLD AND MAUDE (1971) Hal Ashby 91 min. RT Rating = 86 %
In the days before home video, when access to anything but first-run Hollywood movies was limited to repertory houses and college film societies, Hal Ashby's HAROLD AND MAUDE achieved cult status and became a surprise hit. In a broad sense, the film is a simple love story about how opposites attract--only, this time around, he's 19 and she's 79. Harold, played with deadpan humor by Bud Cort (M*A*S*H), is under extreme pressure from his overbearing mother, Mrs. Chasen (Vivian Pickles, in a performance that is a sheer delight), to enter the dating world. Unfortunately, the shy and morose Harold would rather spend his time attending the funerals of complete strangers. It is at one of these where he meets Maude (Ruth Gordon), who has the spunk and energy of a teenager. Maude is convinced that Harold needs to come out of his shell and enjoy life, so she brings him into hers. The taboo relationship between Harold and Maude, created by screenwriter Colin Higgins, embodied the spirit of an experimental generation guided by the mantra "If it feels good, do it." The love affair between the film's two eccentrics remains one of Hollywood's most unexpected, but tender, romances. The soundtrack, with songs by Cat Stevens, provides an effective thematic bridge as Harold crosses from extended adolescence into manhood.


Thanks everyone! See you all soon,

Larry

Labels: Credo Action, Democracy For America, Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area, DFA, FISA, Iraq Timeline, Iraq War, Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe, Supplemental Bill, vigil, Writs Of Assistance

- posted by Larry Dudley @ 10:27 PM 0 comments

 
Tricounty DFA Update: Peace & Unity Vigil Saturday 11am, McClatchy Series, FISA, War Vote Alarm
Hello Everyone;

In This Update:

1. Vigil & Unity Event Saturday
2. Kudos To Post Star On McClatchy Series
3. FISA, War Funding Votes Imminent
4. Robocalling
5. Friday Night Progressive Film Festival


1. Vigil & Unity Event Saturday

We will be holding another one hour vigil this Saturday, June 21st at 11am in front of the Civil War Monument at the corners of Bay, Glen and South Streets in downtown Glens Falls.

This will be a vigil for peace and to bring our troops home. But it will have an extra dimension this weekend. DFA National is urging us to hold unity events now that the primary process is over. Accordingly, now that Ron Paul has dropped out of the race, we would urge the community to come together and also show support for the only remaining candidate committed to ending the Iraq War and bringing our troops home, Barack Obama.

Please come at 11am and bring a sign (we have a few) and a friend.


2. Kudos To Post Star On McClatchy Series

The Post Star deserves a real salute for its recent decision to carry the McClatchy Newspapers syndicated series on the abuse and sometimes torture of prisoners in US military custody, which occurred at the order of top civilian lawyers in the administration, over the objection of military attorneys in the Judge Advocate Generals office.

McClatchy is the news service that got the facts on Iraq right, as opposed to the rest of the main stream media, and it is great to see the Post Star now carrying their distinguished coverage.

For those who missed them, here are some links to these "must read" stories:

Many at Guantanamo had no ties to terrorism.
Documents undercut Pentagon's denial of routine abuse.
Former detainees allege Quran abuse at Guantanamo.

Abuse of detainees routine at U.S. bases in Afghanistan.

Laws that led to detainee abuse hatched in secret
Guantanamo becoming recruiting ground



3. FISA, War Funding Votes Imminent

Votes in Congress are imminent on funding the war in Iraq for another year, and the FISA bill, which is basically a complete surrender that gives the Bush administration every it wants in terms of warrantless spying on Americans and letting telecom corporate criminals off the hook for helping spy illegally on Americans.

Why the Congress is even considering either measure is hard to comprehend-- for instance, these telecommunications companies have never exactly been friends of the Democratic Party, as all those messages we get from DFA Wireless/Credo Mobile like to point out. They give almost entirely to Republicans.

Democrats.com send this alert out today on the war funding bill, which betrays the commitment Democrats made to the American people before the 2006 election:

"Late Wednesday, House "Democratic" Leader Steny Hoyer announced a deal with George Bush to give him $165B more for Iraq without bringing a single soldier home. And Hoyer wants the Democratic Congress to pass the bill today (Thursday) - before the 68% of Americans who oppose the disastrous occupation get ourselves organized.

"So please pick up the phone right now and tell your House Representative to vote NO on wasting $165 billion more in Iraq.

"Call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for your House Representative (not Senators) by name, or find your House Representative's name and direct dial by entering your address on the right side:
http://usalone.com

If you do call, I would also suggest you bring up FISA, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Glenn Greenwald, the constitutional law scholar and Salon columnist has been doing great work on this issue. Today he writes: "It's full-scale, unconditional amnesty with no inquiry into whether anyone broke the law. In the U.S. now, thanks to the Democratic Congress, we'll have a new law based on the premise that the President has the power to order private actors to break the law, and when he issues such an order, the private actors will be protected from liability of any kind on the ground that the Leader told them to do it -- the very theory that the Nuremberg Trial rejected." and
"Sen. Russ Feingold courteously answers the last question I just posed:

"The proposed FISA deal is not a compromise; it is a capitulation. . . . The House and Senate should not be taking up this bill, which effectively guarantees immunity for telecom companies alleged to have participated in the President's illegal program, and which fails to protect the privacy of law-abiding Americans at home. "

Dick sends along this earlier Greenwald observation:

"I'm trying to get some more details about this deal -- and am also trying to minimize the less rational aspects of my reaction -- before I write about it, which I'll do tomorrow at the latest. Suffice to say, the Democrats are about to reverse the only worthwhile act they've undertaken since being handed control of the Congress 18 months ago, and will endorse and authorize yet another aspect of the Bush lawbreaking regime. I ask this literally, not rhetorically: can someone identify even one meaningful event from the past 18 months that would have been different had the GOP retained control of both houses of Congress? Just one."

So if you call, please urge our members of Congress to vote no on war funding and no on FISA.



4. Robocalling

I have been asked to pass this along about robocalls coming into the district about Rep. Gillibrand, with a press release I will paste at the bottom, and so I will.
But I don't believe I am doing her any favors in doing so, because this completely concedes Republican energy policy frames, specifically that drilling can have any impact whatsoever on our energy status, or that there is any relationship between supply and price. There is none. Demand has dropped sharply but prices continue to rise.

I would also note it is common knowledge that just because a piece of federal land has been leased, does not mean it has oil or gas on it. All the good areas were drilled many years ago. What's left, if anything at all, are resources like tar sands or oil shale, which require massive capital investment or non-existent technology, or are heavy oils that require steam injection from non existent western water resources. These companies are famous for never thinking beyond the next quarter. If they had oil they sold it as fast as they could. That's why we're running out now.

"FYI: Tomorrow, Freedoms Watch, a 527 front group for the National Republican Party, will launch robo-dials into the district saying that the Congresswoman opposes drilling for oil during record high gas prices."

"In fact: The Congresswoman supports domestic drilling on lands (off and on-shore) already permitted to be tapped today, and she sponsored legislation to fine oil companies who continue to sit on their drilling permits and do nothing."

"If you can help let the Congresswoman’s constituents know the truth via any means -- letters to the editor, word of mouth and emails to your lists, that would be great. The following press release was sent out on Father’s Day and contains good information on this issue. I am also attaching the Congresswoman’s most current letter on energy. It discusses several of the steps she has taken since she took office to address gas prices and the energy crisis. "



5. Friday Night Progressive Film Festival

Fri Jun 20 7:30 pm Progressive Film Forum
GENGHIS BLUES (1999) Roiko & Adrian Belic 90 min. RT Rating = 73 %
In 1995, blind bluesman Paul Pena, who has played with Muddy Waters, B.B. King, John Lee Hooker, Jerry Garcia, and Merl Saunders and wrote the Steve Miller Band hit "Jet Airliner," traveled to Tuva, a small land in Northern Mongolia, with a small film crew and radio DJ Mario Casetta. Pena had become fascinated with the Tuvan practice of harmonic throat singing, in which singers are able to make incredible, almost magical sounds flow from deep in their throats. Pena's tour of the country leads him to the 1995 Throat singing Competition and Symposium, in which he competes in the kargyaa section, and the crowd is thrilled to see an American blues musician throat singing and talking to them in the Tuvan language. Brothers Adrian and Roko Belic document the trip, alternating between scenes of Pena's experiences with the people and shots of the beautiful Tuvan landscape and culture, from lush fields, stunning mountains, and hot deserts to dancing, a form of sumo-like wrestling, and a brutal sheep slaughtering ceremony. This majestic film won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature at the 1999 Academy Awards as well as the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival. The music in the film is literally incredible and it has to be seen and heard to be believed.

Thanks everyone! See you all Saturday!

Larry


***************





Gillibrand Calls for Expanded Domestic Energy Production


Long-term Solutions Needed to Bring Relief to Upstate Residents

“It is time for American energy policy to be dictated by the consumers and not the oil and gas industry.” – Rep. Gillibrand



Saratoga Springs, NY – Today, local Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand called on oil companies to expand their domestic energy production on public lands already leased by the federal government. Oil and gas companies currently hold leases to 68 million acres of federal lands for energy production that are not being utilized. In testimony on Capitol Hill last month, oil executives asked Congress to open up new lands to oil production while they sit on permits for tens of millions of acres they are not using for production. The oil and gas companies have so far refused to begin production on 77% of their offshore oil leases and 73% of their onshore leases. When citing record gas prices economists have frequently cited the supply and demand equation as a driving reason for soaring prices. This bill will force the oil companies to increase supply on lands they are permitted to tap today. According to AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report the average cost for a gallon of gas in the Capitol region is $4.19.

In reaction to their continued inaction, Congresswoman Gillibrand announced that she is an original sponsor of legislation that would impose fees on the oil companies for refusing to use the permits they asked for. The Responsible Ownership of Public Lands Act imposes a $5 per acre fee on oil companies for the first three years the companies have leases but are not using for production, and increase to $25 per acre for the fourth year, and $50 per acre for subsequent years. These fees would be used to invest in alternative energy research and development and to ensure funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

“We can’t drill our way out of this problem, but for the oil and gas companies to continue to make record profits while Upstate families are struggling with record prices at the pump, and not to increase production from the leases they currently have, is unacceptable,” said Congresswoman Gillibrand, a Member of the House Armed Services Committee. “It is time for American energy policy to be dictated by the consumers and not the oil and gas industry.”

Congresswoman Gillibrand has been a leader in Congress, fighting for immediate relief for the American people and our nation’s long-term energy security. The Congresswoman led the effort to call for a temporary suspension of future purchases to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in order to keep more oil in the market. On May 13, the Congresswoman voted in favor of legislation that made this proposal law.

“Our long-term energy security is tied to our ability to work toward achieving energy independence through investment and deployment of new renewable energy technologies. I want America, and specifically Upstate New York, to be the market leader in the development of these new technologies that will, not only bring us closer to achieving energy independence, but will create ‘green collar’ jobs and revitalize our agricultural and manufacturing bases. Our region is blessed with not just the natural resources that can create energy through solar, wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal power, but we also have the creativity and innovation to lead the region in the development of non-food based biofuels, fuel cell technology and energy efficient building and product manufacturing.”

Labels: Democracy For America, Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area, DFA, Iraq War, Obama, Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe, Supplemental Bill, vigil

- posted by Larry Dudley @ 7:00 PM 0 comments

 
Tricounty DFA Update: "Day In The Life Of Glens Falls" Peace Vigil Thursday, more
Hello Everyone;

In This Update:

1. Special Vigil: Day In The Life of Glens Falls, Thursday, 5:15pm
2. Saturday Vigil 11am
3. Iraq War Vote Still Looms: Kucinich Speaks Out
4. Rockhill Friday Night Progressive Film Festival
5. On The Lighter Side: Amy Poler on SNL


1. Special Vigil: Day In The Life of Glens Falls, Thursday, 5:15pm

At our meeting Wednesday, it was pointed out (my apologies, I forget who it was!) that the Post Star on Thursday will be recording events around the community for a special "Day In The Life Of Glens Falls," chronicling life in the city over a 24 hour period, much the way has been done with other countries and communities.

We decided to participate by holding a special vigil for peace and to support our troops on Thursday from 5:15pm to 6:15pm at the corner of Bay and Glen Street in front of the Civil War Monument.

Please come down and bring a friend and a sign if you have one-- what we do helps determine the nature of the face that Glens Falls puts forward. We want it to accurately reflect how the community has changed in recent years.

2. Saturday Vigil 11am

We will again be holding our regular vigil for peace and to support our troops on Saturday from 11am until Noon, again, at the corner of Bay and Glen Streets in front of the Civil War monument in downtown Glens Falls. Two vigils in one week really isn't that much: attendance at the weekly vigil has been growing. Help us keep the ball rolling.


3. Iraq War Vote Still Looms: Kucinich Speaks Out

The proposed House of Representatives Bill to fund the Iraq War for another year, and probably continue it into 2010, is still pending, and the scandal of what it represents is still growing. Representative Maurice Hinchey publicly attacked the Blue Dog Coalition of conservative Democrats for attempting to strip veterans educational benefits from the bill. Said Hinchey:

"It is absolutely shameful that members of the Blue Dog coalition would vote to take this country into Iraq on false intelligence and lies, repeatedly vote to fund the disastrous military occupation of that country, but choose to turn their backs on the brave members of our armed forces by refusing to support an expansion of education benefits for them when they come home," Hinchey said in a statement.

Read about Hinchey's statement at: http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/050908O.shtml

Bert sends along this link to a short speech by Rep. Dennis Kucinich, asking the simple question "why are we in Iraq?" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYgI7NhDQ5A

The "must read" of the week is probably this piece on Salon.com, by oil scholar Michael Klare. Klare argues that the rising price of oil represents the end of American power-- unless really radical changes are made quickly, specifically getting out of Iraq now. http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2008/05/12/russian_oil/index1.html

Indeed, our imperial pretensions are almost the end of America as a country. http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2008/05/12/russian_oil/index1.html

If you are in for some additional bleak reading, Thomas Powers latest article in the New York Review of Books asks whether the US really has the resolve to avert its own destruction: http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/051108Z.shtml


4. Rockhill Friday Night Progressive Film Festival

The Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe's Friday Night Progressive Film Festival continues this week with:

OT: OUR TOWN (2003) Scott Hamilton Kennedy 77 min. RT Rating = 88 %
This inspiring documentary tracks the progress of Catherine Borek, a high school teacher in Compton California who is determined to start a drama troupe in a school that is dominated by a champion basketball team and is otherwise full of hopeless, helpless kids. Pulling her students together and motivating them by telling them that they are talented and they can prove themselves, she gives them the script for Our Town, the classic play by Thornton Wilder about a small community in Grover's Corners, New Hampshire. With frequent cuts to the 1977 television rendition of the play starring Hal Holbrook, OT: OUR TOWN slowly but surely establishes the gigantic differences between the crime-ridden ghetto that is Compton and the idyllic homogeneous safe haven of Grover's Corners. The kids who are to star in the play first approach it with amusement, coloring the actions of the play with their own music, insights, and experiences. But they soon encounter seemingly insurmountable challenges, ad that is when the film diverges from the play's production to show the real family and friends behind these struggling students. An inspiring and honest piece of filmmaking directed and produced by Scott Hamilton Kennedy, OT: OUR TOWN is a tale of modern urban struggle and strife with a happy ending.


5. On The Lighter Side: Amy Poler on SNL

And finally, this sketch of Amy Poler from the last Saturday Night Live is the funniest thing all week: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/11/6490/23273/998/513606

See you all Thursday!

Larry

Labels: Democracy For America, Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area, DFA, Iraq, Iraq War, Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe, Supplemental Bill, vigil

- posted by Larry Dudley @ 11:05 PM 0 comments

 
Tricounty DFA Update: Bush Veto Alert, Meeting, DFA Conference, More
Hello Everyone!

In This Update:

1. Bush Veto Demo Alert
2. Meeting Wednesday
3. DFNY Conference Next Weekend
4. Keehn Announces
5. Saratoga DFA Meeting Monday, May 7
6. Friday Night Film Fest
7. On The Lighter Side


1. Bush Veto Demo Alert

One of the things we voted to do at our April Meeting was to hold a demonstration when Bush vetoed the Supplemental Bill with its timeline for ending the Iraq War. The Conference Committee finalized the bill and the House of Representatives passed it Tuesday. The Senate passed it Friday. Bush's veto is expected Tuesday or possibly Wednesday.

Accordingly, we agreed to rally for an hour at the intersection of Route Nine and Quaker Road in Queensbury. (This is because our usual rallying point in downtown Glens Falls is still torn up by the roundabout construction.) Since Tuesday is a work day, we agreed to gather at 5:30 on the veto day, whenever it occurs- again, presumably Tuesday or Wednesday. All I can say beyond that is stay tuned for further details. If the veto comes on Wednesday, we will not be able to hold the May DFA-Linkup meeting. We will just have to postpone until June. In effect, the rally/demonstration will be our meeting in that case.

2. Meeting Wednesday

If Bush's veto is not on Wednesday, then Wednesday, May 2nd, is our scheduled monthly DFA Linkup or Meetup at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe in downtown Glens Falls at 7pm. We'll see a return of something those of us who began with Dean For America will remember fondly: a new "Letters To Iowa" campaign. We should have the materials by then.

Only we won't be writing to Iowa, but rather the winners of the current DFA All Stars Poll ( If you haven't voted, or know what this is about, go to: http://www.democracyforamerica.com/allstars ). This is a vote to select a few early Congressional races Democrats are looking to take from the Republicans in 2008. The winners will be known later this week, and, just the way we wrote to people in Iowa asking them to support Governor Dean, we will write to Democrats in those districts asking them to support the winners of the DFA All Stars Poll. It will be fun.

3. DFNY Conference Next Weekend

I will have more information on this tomorrow night, but the third annual Democracy For New York Conference is on at the SEIU hall in Albany on Saturday and Sunday May 5th and 6th.

Included on the speakers list are Jim Dean, Chair of DFA, Eric Massa, Democratic Candidate for the NY-29th CD, Amy Little, Campaign Manager of the successful John Hall for Congress campaign and Brian Keeler, NYBri, candidate for the New York State Senate and founder of The Albany Project blog, and Bo Lipari, Director and Founder of New Yorkers for Verified Voting. Saturday evening will featuring a showing of the film "Taking the Hill" a documentary about five veterans who ran for Congress in 2006 along with a buffet at the Schuyler Inn in Albany.

If you are interested, RSVP, or get more details at: http://www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=17019

Again, I will have more details tomorrow and at the meeting.

4. Keehn Announces

I am sure many of us read in the papers about Mayor Valerie Keehn's announcement Monday that she would run for reelection in November. Our Saratoga DFA group endorsed Val two years ago and the clean sweep won by the Democrats in Saratoga Springs in the 2005 elections brought attention across the country. It should be an interesting year in Saratoga.

Watch for important postings on this race and others on our blog at http://townmeetingday.blogspot.com .

5. Saratoga DFA Meeting Monday, May 7

On the same note, I am pleased to announced that Saratoga Springs DFA will be holding meetings again starting Monday, May 7th at 7pm.

As many of us know, Pat Friesen started the Saratoga meetups during the Dean campaign and did a great job. But Pat is now working for Rep. Gillibrand, so Sally Kirouac has agreed to take them on.

There are major races for City council coming up this year.

Sally sends this along:

"Dear Friends,
Please attend Talk with Mayor Valerie Keehn on Monday, May 7, 2007 at
7:00 PM. You can RSVP at:
http://www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=19886
The DFA of Saratoga Springs endorsed Valerie Keehn for mayor in 2005.
She was elected and has served for 16 months. Now she is facing
another Democratic primary in September and election in November.
Mayor Keehn will talk about what she has accomplished during her time
in office and what she hopes to accomplish in a second term.

"Those present at this DFA meeting will decide whether to endorse Mayor
Keehn for reelection.

What: Talk with Mayor Valerie Keehn
When: Monday, May 7, 2007, 7:00 PM
Where: Home of Sally Kirouac
21 Horseshoe Drive
Saratoga Springs NY 12866"

Many thanks to Pat for all her very hard work in the past!

6. Friday Night Film Fest

The Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe's Friday Night Progressive Film Fest continues at 7:30 with"

Apr 27 THE ROAD TO GUANTANAMO (2006) Michael Winterbottom and Mat Whitecross 95 min.
The post-9/11 climate found the U.S. government resorting to many unorthodox methods to quash the perceived threat from further terrorist attacks. None was more controversial or more headline-grabbing than the detainment camp set up in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, which was constructed to imprison and interrogate Taliban and Al-Qaeda operatives captured by U.S. soldiers. Prolific British filmmaker Michael Winterbottom (9 SONGS) turns his cameras on the camp with this true story of three innocent British 20-something Muslims who were captured and held at Guantanamo for two years. Winterbottom cleverly marries extensive interview footage with the three men--Asif Iqbal, Ruhel Ahmed, and Shafiq Rasifknown, collectively known as the Tipton Three--with nerve-jarring reconstructive footage of what happened to them. After traveling to Pakistan for a wedding, the three men set out on an intrepid explora

7. On The Lighter Side

In times like these we do need some humor. Rik sends this along:

One night, George W. Bush is tossing restlessly in his White House bed. He awakens to see George Washington standing by him.
Bush asks him, "George, what's the best thing I can do to help the country?"
"Set an honest and honorable example, just as I did," Washington advises, and then fades away...
The next night, Bush is astir again, and sees the ghost of Thomas Jefferson moving through the darkened bedroom. Bush calls out,
"Tom, please! What is the best thing I can do to help the country?"
"Respect the Constitution, as I did," Jefferson advises, and dims from sight...
The third night sleep still does not come for Bush. He awakens to see the ghost of FDR hovering over his bed. Bush whispers,
"Franklin, What is the best thing I can do to help the country?"
"Help the less fortunate, just as I did," FDR replies and fades into the mist...
Bush isn't sleeping well the fourth night when he sees another figure moving in the shadows. It is the ghost of Abraham Lincoln.
Bush pleads, "Abe, what is the best thing I can do right now to help the country?"
Lincoln replies, "Go see a play."

Thanks everyone; watch for alerts on the veto protest!

Larry Dudley

Labels: Democracy For America, DFA, Glens Falls, Iraq Timeline, Iraq War, protest, Rally, Supplemental Bill

- posted by Larry Dudley @ 11:43 PM 0 comments