Ethical Dilemma Solved

House Republicans have discovered a truly creative way to deal with the rapidly decreasing ethics of their colleagues.

They're going to change the rules!

Three proposed rule changes, that will be put before lawmakers after the return on Tuesday, would make unethical behavior much easier to get away with.

• Bringing discredit upon the House will no longer be considered a problem
• Relatives of lawmakers will be able to accept free trips from lobbyists working to pass legislation.
• A change in voting rules will make it harder to force an investigation of ethics complaints. A majority vote would be required before an investigation could begin.

I am so glad to the Republicans continue to restore honor and integrity to our government. As the party of moral values, it is good that they set an example for the rest of us.

Obviously, all those ethical restrictions were making it difficult to legislate effectively!

Appearances

Throughout the last four years, and especially during the presidential campaign, we have watched a Bush administration obsessed with appearances. We have seen carrier landings, rubber turkeys and vials of mysterious white powder held up before the United Nations.

So how is it, that faced with a catastrophe of unimaginable proportions, Bush comes up short. While other western leaders end vacations early, make public statements and pledge large amounts of money to relief efforts, George Bush hides on his Crawford ranch, cuts brush and takes walks with Laura. When the first US offer of aid, in the amount of $15 million, engendered widespread criticism the amount was raised to $35 million. This still does not even match the $40 million plus that will be spent on Bush's inauguration next month.

But an even worse contrast is with our spending in Iraq. Estimates put the cost of that debacle at between $7 million and $9 million an hour. That means that the US aid pledge to all those Asian nations amounts to between three and five hours worth of our dirty little war. This is not to mention that without this pointless war in Iraq, we might have many more military resources available to help in this time of need.

And beyond this is the question of appearances. The US stands now with a unique opportunity to show millions of Muslims worldwide that we do see them as people, believe they are our equals, value their humanity and, perhaps most importantly, that we are not at war with their religion. It seems obvious that the Islamic militant movement will soon be recruiting lost souls in shattered communities throughout the Asian region. Many, many of these communities have been completely destroyed. This includes their infrastructure, their economy and their social structure. The reach of this catastrophe goes way beyond the death toll. If we not step in and offer these people some hope then our enemies will step in and offer them someone to blame.

And yet, against this morning's estimate of 500,000 injured, the US pledges $70 apiece. Add in the orphaned and the displaced and that number becomes truly puny. While I know that many, many Americans have opened their hearts and their wallets and that many, many more will follow, the perceptions of our nation will be based largely upon the government's actions. Mr. Bush's failure to act swiftly and generously adds to the perception that the US sees itself as somehow superior to everyone else. The irony is that Mr. Bush and his cabal, given their obsession with appearances, should understand this more than most. Perhaps they just don't care.

Eric Alterman, writing on MSNBC.com yesterday, put it somewhat differently in a paragraph that I would be hard-pressed to improve upon.

Is this president interested only in killing people, but can’t be bothered when given the chance to help save them? His morally callous parsimony in the face of this, the greatest natural disaster in modern history, seems determined to give the rest of that world exactly that impression. George W. Bush shames our nation with large talk and small deeds; with his want of character and smallness of spirit.

Additional: For how other's are treating this situation see today's Mahablog.

The Preponderance of the Evidence

It's interesting, how those with a tilt to the right, can read something entirely different than what I have written. The tone of several comments I have received is that I place too much faith in the mainstream media. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

In a previous post entitled "Who's Lying", I was referring to those events in Iraq that are indisputable. The bombing of the mess tent in Mosul and the explosion of a fuel truck in Baghdad neighborhood yesterday are just the latest examples. Far from relying on the mainstream media, I read reports from a wide variety sources. When events such as these appear in virtually every news source on the planet one can assume they actually happened. Statements by administration spokesmen, referring to these events, merely added to the credibility of the reports. So, rather than placing any faith in the mainstream media, I am relying on what the legal system calls the preponderance of evidence.

It's deeply saddens me to sit helplessly and watch as the inevitable preponderance of evidence builds in Iraq. Just as during the Vietnam War, the suffering in this country slowly built to the point of intolerance, so now is that same process under way regarding Iraq. Just last week, for the first time, a majority of those polled said the invasion was a mistake. Recent polling data also indicates majority disapproval for how the Iraq situation is being handled. These are the inescapable conclusions we will draw as more and more of our young men and women are sacrificed in this quagmire. The lack of clearly stated goals and plans to achieve them coupled with the lies that were used to build momentum for the invasion can only lead to disillusionment as more and more families suffer horrendous loss.

I write this on Christmas morning. This is the day of peace on earth goodwill toward men. All across this country, Christmas dinner tables will feature an empty chair. No amount of rhetoric about "defending freedom" or "establishing democracy" will comfort many of the survivors. Knowing that their loved ones perished for a lie must be the cruelest pain of all. Meanwhile, they must watch as the war criminals Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, Powell, Myers et al. babble incessantly about sacrifice, freedom and the flag.

Day by day I hear the voices rising
Started with a whisper like it did before
Day by day we count the dead and dying
Ship the body's home while the networks all keep score

Did you hear ‘em talkin’ ’bout it on the radio
Could your eyes believe the writing on the wall
Did that voice inside you say I've heard it all before
It's like Deja Vu all over again

John Fogerty 2004

Peace!

Just a Thought

When I mentioned this to my daughter, she suggested that I start wearing a tinfoil hat. Nevertheless, I feel the need to share this thought.

The trial of Scott Peterson, which has dominated the media for the last couple of years, ended last week. The trial of actor Robert Blake, which will dominate the media for a long time to come, started this week.

Coincidence?

You decide.

At the least, it certainly is convenient for the infotainment business to have another high-profile court case to cover. And don't forget, we have the Michael Jackson case in the offing.

Who's Lying?

Do you ever find it difficult to reconcile the difference between the daily news reports and the Administration's Polyanna tales? Administration spokesmen tell us that the media is giving us a pessimistic view, only reporting the negatives. If only the media would report the positive stories, they tell us, we would see that, for most Iraqis, life is returning to normal.

If you'd like to know where the truth lies, here's a simple test you can apply yourself. Remember how many times we've been told that Iraq is the size of California. As in, 'imagine searching a place the size of California'. So, even the Administration agrees that Iraq is approximately the size of California. If you don't live in or near California, you can easily substitute another state or states for this test. For instance, Oregon and Washington, Montana and Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota, Florida and Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi and Alabama, Ohio and Pennsylvania and New York or Missouri and Iowa and Minnesota. You get the idea.

Now, using the California example, imagine that several times a week in a major California city there's a car bombing with casualties of 10, 20 or more. Imagine on Tuesday a car bomb in Sacramento, on Thursday two car bombs in San Francisco, on Friday four election workers gunned down in Los Angeles and then on Sunday a suicide bomber detonates his deadly cargo in the crowds outside the famed Crystal Cathedral.

If you don't live in or near California, substitute states and cities that feel close and personal to you. For example, in Washington -- Oregon substitute Portland, Eugene, Spokane, Olympia and the St. James Cathedral in Seattle. Or try Dayton, Pittsburgh, Albany, Philadelphia and St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.

Now, in addition to the random bombings and destruction, imagine the presence of 150,000 armed troops attempting to keep order in your small geographical area. Imagine that everywhere you go you see armed troops in armored vehicles patrolling rubble strewn streets. Imagine that those troops suffer 20, 30, even up to 70 attacks a day at the hands of the ‘insurgents’. And nearly every day you hear gunfire in your immediate surroundings.

All the things I have asked you to imagine are based in fact. The number of bombings, the number of attacks, the casualties and the images of ruined city streets are real. No amount of Administration optimism can make them go away. The neo-con-artists know this. So, what they want you to believe is that life feels "normal" in Iraq. They want you to believe that the Iraqis are not concerned.

So the simple test for truth is this: If the violence I suggested were really happening in your region of the country, would life feel normal to you? If you were trying to live with that level of chaos would you find talk of water treatment, electricity and schools sufficient to calm your fears? Would you be concerned about or able to concentrate on upcoming elections? Or, more likely, would you find yourself in an escalating spiral of anxiety?

Life in Iraq is anything but normal!

True Colors

Republicans constantly talk about freedom, democracy, morality and the flag. But when it comes to one of the fundamental building blocks of the democracy, the vote, their true colors show immediately.

Friday a Superior Court judge in Pierce County Washington granted a Republican request to block King County from counting 573 ballots that were found uncounted after election day. These, added to 150 found today, bring the total of ballots that may go uncounted to 723.

Most telling, were remarks made by a spokesperson for the state Republican Party, Mary Lane, who said: "If King County were allowed to keep adding more ballots, elections would never end." The implication here, that King County is creating ballots merely to complicate the election is patently absurd. Referring to the voters whose votes will be wasted, Lane said: "That is King County's fault. We cannot be held responsible for the fact that King County made a mistake." Beyond Ms. Lane's cold disregard for the rights of individual voters, her statement again attempts to twist reality. No one is trying to hold the Republican Party responsible for the mistakes of King County. What they are trying to do is see that all legitimate votes are counted.

The spirit of democracy would say that, if these are legitimate ballots that were merely mislaid by election workers they should be counted. If Republican officials have reason to believe that these ballots have been fabricated or are in some other way illegitimate they should not hesitate to share their evidence. If not, they should stop using the courts as a political tool. For all their whining about "activist judges", they have no problem using courts to limit rights and take away freedoms.

Toy Soldier II

President Bush's fascination with the military will be evident in the inaugural festivities scheduled for January. According to the Los Angeles Times, a military theme will weave through the 10 days of inaugural celebrations.

A Commander in Chief's Ball, the night of the inauguration, will be free for enlisted personnel and noncommissioned officers returning from or going to Iraq or Afghanistan. While, no doubt, a thrill for those who attend, this event will only accommodate 2000 personnel (a tiny fraction of the hundreds of thousands that have served). There will be a pre-inaugural celebration entitled "America's Heroes: A Salute to Those Who Serve". Military bands, floats and other performances will involve 2100 military personnel. Tracey Schmitt, a spokesman for the inaugural committee, said "The fact that we're a nation at war will be reflected throughout the inaugural."

This emphasis on celebrating the military stands in contrast to the 1945 inauguration of Franklin Roosevelt which was moved to the White House, in part, to dampen the celebration during a time of war.

While I have as much gratitude and appreciation as anyone for the soldiers who defend our freedom when necessary, I take exception with the way this administration uses the military. A good part of the public-relations war waged on us by the administration has preyed upon our collective guilt over the way soldiers were treated during the Vietnam War. In that era, the individuals in the uniforms were often confused with the policies of the leaders. This was the source of deep emotional wounds that have yet to heal. The Bush administration has used our reluctance to make those same mistakes again as a way to dampen criticism of their policies.

Meanwhile, under the banner of the War on Terrorism, they have invaded and occupied a defenseless country. One reason for this entire militarist strategy is the fear and confusion it throws at the political opposition in this country.

If Only This Were Ukraine

It seems really clear now, that the Republicans used a variety of means to suppress the Democratic vote count in Ohio. Both a hearing held by some Congressional Democrats on Monday, December 13 in Columbus and affidavits presented in a lawsuit challenging the election in front of the Ohio Supreme Court produced some highly suspicious accounts.

Among them:

• An unexplained lockdown barring anyone from watching the vote count. A claim of Homeland Security/Terror Alert fell apart when federal officials denied it.
• Voting machines held out of service to create shortages in Democratic precincts.
• Groups of people brought in and organized to make intimidating phone calls.
• One voting machine serving a liberal arts college while a nearby religious college had ample machines.

What troubles me is how the majority of Americans seem to be moving on with their lives without any regard for the almost inescapable fact that this election was stolen. We seem to have way more energy for following the situation in the Ukraine than we do for Ohio. Some say it's the fault of the mainstream media. People don't know about this therefore they're not outraged. But I suspect it runs deeper than that. For, all one has to do is look and there's plenty of information available.

Perhaps it's as simple as denial. Perhaps, the carefully crafted facades of many American lives would crumble if their belief in the moral superiority of their elected leaders was threatened. To me, the idea that anyone is morally superior merely because they were elected is ludicrous.

The worst part is, that as they go down they take us down with them.

Toy Soldier

When I was a boy, which was in the same decade as George W. Bush, playing soldier was all the rage. Later, thanks to John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon many of my generation got their chance to play soldier for real. Over 50,000 died, hundreds of thousands were changed for life and a lucky few of us escaped unscathed. Like George W. Bush I spent my time in the National Guard. Unlike George W. Bush I spent all of the time required in the National Guard. Also unlike George W. Bush, I have been grateful ever since for the shallowness and safety of my military experience.

By the time I finished my National Guard obligation, I no longer found anything romantic about wearing a uniform. George W. Bush, it appears, has never gotten past that little boy thrill associated with being a soldier. At a recent appearance in Camp Pendleton, California, President Bush appeared in a custom-made Marine Corps field jacket complete with his name and a patch bearing his title, Commander in Chief.

This was reminiscent of his earlier appearance in a flight suit after landing on the deck of an aircraft carrier. It seems that Mr. Bush likes nothing better than playing soldier as long as he is safe from the actual risks of combat. (Note that the preceding images came from the White House web site) This penchant for military dress up is seen in some other contemporary leaders. It is clear from these lapses into military pretend that Mr. Bush has visions of himself that are somewhere between Messianic and Napoleonic. Either of those should strike fear into the heart and anyone who is paying attention.

Wonderland

The farther we go in the bizarre presidency of George W. Bush the more it resembles the creations of Lewis Carroll. Yesterday, our favorite Mad Hatter presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom to three of his favorite characters. L. Paul Bremer, George Tenet and Gen. Tommy Franks all were honored for their services in the occupation of Iraq.

Tenet recently took the blame for the intelligence failure that led to the Iraq invasion. Bremer all but ran out of Iraq when his tenure as head of the Coalition Provisional Authority ended amid rumors that billions of dollars were missing. Franks has played the loyal soldier throughout the Iraq fiasco denying that any mistakes were made in planning for and executing the invasion and occupation

Listening to Bush's words of praise for these men you might begin to think you've lost your mind.
If this were a cartoon it might even be mildly amusing. However, while these fools play out their melodrama thousands of our young men and women are being maimed in killed. And, while the Chicken Hawk In Chief ceremonially rewards incompetence, real soldiers are court-martialed for trying to protect themselves and carry out their mission.

Distractions . . .

I just came up for air and realized that it's been a almost a week since I posted anything here.

The misbehavior of an errant relative has brought about the need for high-priced lawyers and much research. I have spent most of the last week digging through documents, typing, sorting and analyzing. My head hurts, my neck is stiff and my attitude is poor.

Meanwhile, we had the rise and fall of Bernie Kerik and the war drums for Iran are still beating in the background. Iran seems to be taking evasive action.

And, unfortunately Scott Peterson was given the death penalty. I say unfortunately, not so much because I'm opposed to the death penalty but because this way, we will have Scott Peterson in the news for the next 15 years! I'm sure though, that all the legal analysts at the cable news networks are salivating at the thought.

Things You Don't See

Buried deep within the giant Omnibus Spending Bill passed by Congress last week is a small provision that will allow the harvesting, slaughter and sale for food of thousands of wild horses and burros that run wild on government land and compete with commercial livestock. This is just one example of the myriad of unrelated items that are tacked onto major legislation as it moves through congress.

Another unseen item is the ad hoc hearing held today by the Democratic members of the House Judiciary Committee, called "Preserving Democracy - What Went Wrong in Ohio". A search at this time of all major mainstream outlets came up empty. CSPAN did carry the hearing and the House Judiciary Democrats website will include a complete transcript in the near future.

In other unseen business, the provision in the Omnibus Spending Bill that would have allowed certain committee chairs to access citizens income tax returns was finally removed on Monday. No doubt, without vigilant scrutiny of the bill and a widespread outcry, this provision would have remained in the bill.

Courage vs. Revisionism

The courage was shown by an Army Specialist in Kuwait who asked Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld why soldiers had to "dig through local landfills" to obtain materials to armor the vehicles they will be taking into Iraq.

The revisionism was shown by Secretary Rumsfeld when he replied that "You go to war with the Army you have" as if the Iraq war had sprung at us from the shadows.

The arrogance of these people knows no bounds. Rumsfeld himself is the one responsible for the ill equipped, under staffed nature of the American occupation forces, yet he is apparently free to re-write history to make himself look competent, having just received a vote of confidence from his boss.

In the 22nd month of our occupation of Iraq, the U.S. casualty count stands at 1276. I wonder how many of those 1276 could have been saved if we had not gone to war with the army we had! I wonder how many of those 1276 died because Rumsfeld and his cronies ignored the advice of their own military commanders!

If It Ain't Broke . . .

Recently, we have been seeing the beginnings of another Bush Administration blitz designed to convince us that drastic action needs to be taken immediately.

No . . . I'm not talking about Iran (although that bears watching as well) I'm talking about the building fever to "fix" Social Security by partial privitization.

While the current system isn't perfect, according to the Congressional Budget Office, "Social Security is currently running an annual surplus." With no changes in benefits or taxes, Social Security benefits will out pace payroll taxes around the year 2018. After that time, if no changes are made, the Social Security Trust Fund would make up the shortfall and that resource would last until around 2052. Even if the trust fund were completely exhausted, payroll taxes would still be able to meet 80% of the obligation.

So where's the crisis? We have 13 years to decide how to handle the idea that the program will no longer run a surplus. We have 47 years before the trust fund is exhausted. Given those time frames, one has to ask, "Why the big push now?"

One obvious reason would be the unprecedented control that Republicans have with the Senate, House and White House all under their control. That would explain the "now" part of the push, but what explains the "why"?

Paul Krugman, in his N.Y. Times column this morning lays the blame on the very success of the Social Security System. Krugman says that the success of Social Security is "a demonstration that a modest amount of taxing and spending can make people's lives better and more secure." One can certainly see how that undermines much of the recent Republican rhetoric that has been focused on convincing us that "it's your money" and that any tax or program is inherently evil.

The roots of some of this thinking can be found at places like the Americans for Tax Reform, an extremely conservative foundation with strong ties to the Bush Administration and corporate interests. ATR president, Grover Norquist, once described his ambitions in stark terms: "My goal is to cut government in half in twenty-five years, to get it down to the size where we can drown it in the bathtub.” Robert Dreyfuss in the title of his 2001 portrait of Norquist refers to him as the "'Field Marshall' of the Bush Plan". A close look at Norquist and his allies will show a strong corporate presence. This corporate, consciousless, amoral approach to government has been underway since before Newt Gingrich's infamous 'Republican Revolution'.

To my way of thinking, the bottom line on much of this is just plain greed. Smaller government means less regulation. Less regulation means more opportunities for corruption and fraud. (witness Enron etc.) In addition, in the case of Social Security, there would be vast sums to be earned by brokers and fund managers in all the private investments that would take place if this change were to occur.

Nothing to See Here - Move Along Please

So I made the mistake of pausing briefly on the cable news channel this morning to listen to the impeccably groomed woman with the microphone describe the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Jedda, Saudi Arabia today. What really jumped out at me was her cheerful assessment that the "good news" was that out of the 5 plus fatalities, there were no Americans. Perhaps it's time for us to reconsider one of our basic frames of reference. Time after time, our media considers the inclusion of Americans as a measure of the severity of an incident. We see the same thing all the time in the reporting out of Iraq.

To me this speaks of a fundamental bias that is so pervasive, we hardly even think about it. This bias affects not only the style of reporting we receive, it also affects the selection of stories. It could easily be a factor in the silence of the U.S. media about the numerous reports out of Fallujah about the killing of civilians. According to a story in the Guardian Saturday, the U.S. military has targeted doctors and hospitals as a means of keeping news of civilian casualties from getting out of Fallujah. Given the fact that none of these deaths are Americans, even this story seems to raise no interest here.

This Is Not A Spectator Sport

Now, more than ever, liberals/progressives must take action to defend what we believe in. As a bumper sticker I saw recently put it: “Freedom isn’t Free!

The last four years have been a disaster if you believe in human rights or democracy. The election, on which we staked so much hope, was a bust. If you’re like me, you’ve spent much of the last month trying to figure how you’ll make it through another four years.

Many of us enjoyed the luxury of an unparalleled burgeoning of freedom during the 60s and 70s. For a time, we actually felt the power of change coming from the people. Many of us came to believe that, even though the system seemed corrupt, the will of the people would win out. It was as if, because we were Americans we would always be free. Hidden in that false assumption were the seeds of our current dilemma.

While we enjoyed our new-found freedoms and then went on to have more or less normal lives – children – mortgages – even careers in some cases, the enemy was relentlessly working to seize the reins of power. Even the Reagan Presidency, while corrupt in many ways, did not seem to overstep the boundaries set by our founders. The false sense of security engendered by the Clinton years only served to further our lack of focus. While the corporate/conservative right-wing steadily gained power, liberals/progressives foundered politically and in many cases adopted a fatalistic attitude. Many times, I’ve heard about how hopeless it all is from people who’s values I share. Frequently, I’m told that “politicians are all alike” and “none of it makes any difference.” I beg to disagree.

With corporate/conservative right-wing fundamentalist influence dominating both houses of Congress and the White House and with a media establishment too comfortable to rock the boat, we are in serious danger of losing not only our past gains but our very chance to have a voice in the process. It is obvious that those in power now are working toward a much darker, more threatening future than at any time in our lifetimes.

Meanwhile, we struggle to come to terms with the situation. Our malaise comes in part from the number of challenges we perceive. On any average day now, there are 10, 20 or more issues that warrant serious concern. A short list would include:

• Condoleeza Rice’s nomination as Secretary of State
• Alberto Gonzales’ nomination as Attorney General
• An addition to the omnibus spending bill that would allow any Congressional committee chairman to access anyone’s income tax return.
• The ‘purge’ of the CIA
• And of course there’s always the war.

For many, just as in the past, the sheer quantity of issues produces paralysis. We cannot allow that to happen. What I am suggesting is that we adopt a longer range, more process oriented approach to these problems. If each of us does just a little, much can be accomplished. Just as the civil rights movement and the anti-Vietnam War movement took time to build and have their effect, this will take time as well. And, just as in those movements, the more people who participate, the more effective the movement.

Recently a caller to the Mike Malloy radio program reminded us of John Kennedy’s challenge issued in a much more naïve and optimistic era, “. . . Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” While the times were different, the challenge is still valid. Ask what you can do – it doesn’t have to be heroic – just some-thing that you can do.

Here are some ideas for immediate participation. With just 15 to 30 minutes, you could participate. Instead of deciding that your voice won’t matter, let your voice be heard.

In this day of email, it is easier than ever to contact elected officials. Go to Thomas Legislative Information, find out how to contact yours and do it, frequently. you don’t have to be a great writer – sheer number of contacts counts.

• If you can spare $5, $10 or $20 – contribute to one of the many fine organizations that are working to maintain progressive values. The Internet has made this kind of participation much easier.
• Write letters to the editor of your local paper. – help to balance the editorial page.
• Call talk radio and voice your opinions. – again so that other opinions are heard.
• Cultivate alternative news sources – through the Internet, you can find many, varied sources of information. Resist the pull of the Peterson trial and other distractions offered by the mainstream.
• Last but absolutely not least – Do Not Give Up!

As a footnote, let me share a little secret. Just the act of doing something will make you feel better. You’ll have to try this for yourself but I can say that every time I take action, I feel better.

Feel Better Soon!

Update

The U.S. casualty count for November is now listed as the worst month overall in Iraq. 137 of our troops lost their lives in November in the "catastrophic success".

Just in Case You're Not Alarmed!

How about the Department of Defense using CNN to send false information to the "insurgents" in Iraq. Sound like a really wacky fantasy? In an article in the L.A. Times, Mark Mazzetti tells of how the Pentagon has used mainstream media, CNN in particular to influence the war in Iraq. He also tells of an internal debate within the department about the dangers of allowing psychological operations and public relations to move closer together.

What Can We Do?

In his article How To Take Back A Stolen Election writer and broadcaster Thom Hartmann elaborates on the U.S. sponsored election strategy being used in the Ukrainian election. Hartman goes on to propose that we need to begin building a similar strategy so that never again will we have a "skewed" election!

And Another Election Lawsuit

Yesterday, Black Box Voting filed a lawsuit against Palm Beach County, Florida for failure to produce public records. In the filing, Black Box Voting outlines the specific information that they have requested and they name Theresa LePore in her capacity as Elections Supervisor as the person who is blocking these requests. Ms. LePore played a prominent role in the 2000 Election problems in Florida as the designer of the infamous "butterfly ballot" that confused many elderly voters in Palm Beach County and resulted in abnormally high vote counts for independent candidate Pat Buchanan.

Fair Elections - Everywhere But Here!

An article published recently in The Guardian tells how the U.S. government along with the Republican and Democratic Parties have worked in several foreign elections to ensure a democratic outcome. The article outlines both before election strategies to make stealing an election more difficult and after election strategies to mobilize civil disobedience to protest the outcome. The height of irony is that EXIT POLLS play a pivotal role in these strategies. Only in the U.S. (and only for the last 3 elections) have EXIT POLLS been considered unreliable. According to The Guardian, these techniques have been used in Serbia as well as Soviet Georgia, Belarus and now in Ukraine.