[154606] in Zephyr_Bugs
William Rivers Pitt | The Triumph of Political Derangement
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (t r u t h o u t)
Fri Jun 3 17:38:39 2011
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t r u t h o u t | 06.03
William Rivers Pitt | The Triumph of Political Derangement
http://www.truthout.org/triumph-political-derangement/1307032173
William Rivers Pitt, Truthout: "There are many familiar symbols that repres=
ent the United States of America. There is the flag, of course. There is th=
e strange eye above the unfinished pyramid on the back of the dollar bill. =
There are the myriad iconic buildings in Washington as familiar to us as th=
e back of our hands. Well, the moment has arrived to add a new symbol to th=
e list, one that represents the sad state of our national politics, the rid=
iculous media coverage of same, and the deranged condition the American peo=
ple find themselves in today. I suggest Janus, the ancient two-headed Roman=
god whose faces look both forward and backward simultaneously. In represen=
ting the American people, Janus would be a perfect depiction of a person wh=
o wants two things at once, and hasn't yet figured out how to do it."
MSNBC's Flawed Coverage of Libya, Economy
http://www.truthout.org/msnbcs-flawed-coverage-libya-economy/1307021979
Michael Corcoran and Stephen Maher, Truthout: "When US bombs began to drop =
on Libya last month, representing the start of the third simultaneous US wa=
r (not including covert wars being waged by US Special Forces and the CIA i=
n Yemen, Pakistan, Somalia, and elsewhere), it was not surprising to see th=
e media jump into a pro-war frenzy, as it so often does. One might hope, ho=
wever, that perhaps MSNBC - on the liberal side of acceptable discourse in =
US cable media - would at least offer significant skepticism toward another=
expensive and bloody US war. This is especially true given that 74 percent=
of the US population opposed US intervention. A close look, however, revea=
ls the opposite is true. MSNBC, whose hosts align themselves closely with B=
arack Obama and the Democratic Party, has been perhaps the most hawkish sta=
tion on cable news."
Rifts Appear as Syrian Opposition Struggles to Maintain Momentum
http://www.truthout.org/rifts-appear-syrian-opposition-struggles-maintain-m=
omentum/1307120279
Samer Araabi, Inter Press Service: "Two months into the uprisings that have=
shaken the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad, the outcome remains largely u=
nclear. The Syrian government's repressive measures, complete with mass arr=
ests, torture, and sizable military deployments, have severely dampened the=
movement but failed to extinguish the protests altogether. Meanwhile, whil=
e a large-scale opposition meeting takes place in Istanbul, many analysts h=
ave noted worrying rifts in the anti-regime movement. As the opposition tri=
es to muster its support, the Syrian regime has continued its month-long cr=
ackdown on protestors. Despite the government brutality, protestors have co=
ntinued to demonstrate in the streets."
Reckless Endangerment: Making Debt "Owe-nership" Easy
http://www.truthout.org/reckless-endangerment-making-debt-owenership-easy/1=
307120809
Gerald Epstein, Triple Crisis: "In search of a new angle on the financial c=
risis, Gretchen Morgenson and Joshua Rosner's (M&R) new book, Reckless Enda=
ngerment, seems to pin a lot of the blame on misguided do-gooders who were =
trying to make the dream of 'home ownership' in America a reality for all. =
These include Bill Clinton, who they say pushed for making home ownership e=
asy through his 'National Partnership in Home Ownership,' the Federal Reser=
ve Bank of Boston's researchers who did a path-breaking study of discrimina=
tion in lending, and even community organizing groups like ACORN. M&R say t=
hat ACORN and other housing groups let themselves be taken in and bought of=
f by James A. Johnson, the CEO of Fannie Mae. But in spite of the authors' =
desire to highlight the role of Fannie and Freddie, (the so called Governme=
nt sponsored enterprises (GSEs) that helped finance home mortgages and afte=
r failing in 2008 have been taken over to the tune of 180 billion dollars b=
y the tax payers) what comes through clearly from the dozens of interviews =
and reporting in Reckless Endangerment, the real culprits were not primaril=
y Johnson and his pals, but rather the political establishment."
FCC Court Case Delays and Complicates Media Ownership Review
http://www.truthout.org/fcc-court-case-delays-and-complicates-media-ownersh=
ip-review/1307108421
Nadia Prupis, Truthout: "The Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) long=
-overdue quadrennial review of media ownership rules is quickly approaching=
its most recent deadline as the agency waits on the result of an ongoing c=
ourt case with several media reform groups. Every four years, the FCC evalu=
ates rules that regulate ownership of broadcast outlets. The FCC commission=
ed nine economic studies and held six public workshops in 2009 and 2010 to =
get input on its regulations, including how to address financial needs and =
economic changes in the media, industry diversity and the effects of new me=
dia on broadcast stations - but a debate on cross-ownership has become the =
standout issue."
Washington Visit, Bibi's Waterloo?
http://www.truthout.org/washington-visit-bibis-waterloo/1306953483
Richard Silverstein, Truthout: "After witnessing the weird, dissonant polit=
ical theater surrounding Bibi Netanyahu's visit to the United States in May=
, it is difficult to tell whether it is the best of times or the worst for =
Israeli-Palestinian peace. Is the conflict at an impasse that augurs more h=
orrible war, chaos and bloodshed? Or is the very severity of the situation =
a sign that the logjam can be broken because the parties and the internatio=
nal community may listen to alternative voices and embrace unconventional a=
pproaches? It is also possible that both are true. Without doubt, relations=
between Israel and the United States, or, specifically, between the Israel=
i prime minister and the American president, are in the deep freeze."
News in Brief: Troops Continue to Fire on Protesters in Yemen as Internet B=
lackout Begins in Syria, and More ...
http://truthout.org/news-brief-troops-continue-fire-protesters-yemen-intern=
et-blackout-begins-syria-and-more/1307121519
Yemeni government troops have continued to fire on protesters and young pro=
testers in the south of the country have taken up arms against the governme=
nt; a new GOP map proposed Thursday in Texas would see the demographics of =
Ron Paul's Texas district shifted; infections of the HIV virus have dropped=
10 percent in the last decade, according to the United Nations AIDS agency=
, but the gains have been unevenly distributed; Greece has not raised a sin=
gle cent from its plan to sell off public property and state companies; Chi=
na-based hackers who broke into Google Inc.'s Gmail accounts were targeting=
people who worked at the White House.
Weak Job Growth Leads to Further Rise in Unemployment
http://www.truthout.org/weak-job-growth-leads-further-rise-unemployment/130=
7125585
Dean Baker, The Center for Economic and Policy Research: "The unemployment =
rate edged up again in May, reaching 9.1 percent, as the rate of private-se=
ctor job growth slowed to just 83,000. There were also downward revisions t=
o the prior two months data, which lowered the average for the last three m=
onths to 160,000, approximately 70,000 more than what is needed to keep pac=
e with the growth of the labor force. Some of the weakness in May probably =
stemmed from quirks that exaggerated April job growth. For example, the ret=
ail sector reportedly added 64,000 jobs in April. It lost 8,500 in May. Hea=
lth added 36,700 jobs in April, compared with an increase of just 17,400 in=
May. Food manufacturing added 6,300 jobs in April, it lost 7,000 in May. T=
hese are most likely quirks of seasonal adjustments, not sharp shifts in th=
e economy itself."
Yemen's President Is "Lightly" Injured in Shelling of Palace
http://www.truthout.org/yemens-president-lightly-injured-shelling-palace/13=
07126227
Nasser Arrabyee and J. David Goodman, The New York Times News Service: "Yem=
en's embattled leader, Ali Abdullah Saleh, was lightly injured Friday in an=
opposition mortar attack on the presidential palace that killed three guar=
ds and a cleric, his spokesman said. The attack inched the country ever clo=
ser to civil war after months of political turmoil. The spokesman, Abdel al=
-Jandi, said that Mr. Saleh was in a mosque located within the palace compo=
und when it was shaken by explosions as Friday prayers were beginning just =
after noon. Mr. Saleh had 'scratches' on his face from the attack, Mr. Jand=
i said, which forced him to postpone a planned televised news conference as=
earlier rumors swirled that the president had been killed. He did not say =
when Mr. Saleh would speak."
Netanyahu's Speech and Congressional Democrats' Embrace of Extremism
http://truthout.org/netanyahus-speech-and-congressional-democrats-embrace-e=
xtremism/1307128075
Stephen Zunes, Truthout: "As Israeli opposition parties, peace and human ri=
ghts activists and editorialists denounced their prime minister's intransig=
ence in the face of President Barack Obama's peace initiative, Congressiona=
l Democrats here in the United States have instead joined their Republican =
counterparts in lining up to support the right-wing Israeli leader's defian=
ce. As Benyamin Netanyahu arrogantly rejected Obama's modest parameters for=
a peace settlement in a May 20 speech before a joint session of Congress -=
a rare honor for a foreign leader - Democrats joined Republicans in giving=
him no less than 29 standing ovations, more than were given to Obama durin=
g his State of the Union Speech earlier this year. Mitchell Plitnick of Jew=
ish Voice for Peace, in the immediate aftermath of Netanyahu's speech, obse=
rved how 'The United States itself has never been as shameless in its blind=
support' for the Israeli right, placing support for the Likud leader, 'ove=
r the interests of justice and human rights and even its own self-interest.=
'"
Peru's Presidential Election: A Battle Over Memory and Justice
http://www.truthout.org/perus-presidential-election-battle-over-memory-and-=
justice/1307119489
Benjamin Dangl and Jesse Strauss, Truthout: "When Peruvian presidential can=
didate Keiko Fujimori arrived at a plaza in the city of Cajamarca for a rec=
ent campaign speech, she was met by a barrage of eggs thrown by activists w=
ho opposed her candidacy and called her a 'murderer and thief.' The activis=
ts were referring to the legacy of her father, Alberto Fujimori, who was Pe=
ru's president from 1990-2000, and jailed in 2007 for a quarter-century sen=
tence after being found guilty of corruption and 'crimes against humanity.'=
A mock national vote one week before the upcoming June 5 election showed a=
tight race, with Fujimori leading her only opponent, left-leaning Ollanta =
Humala, by a single percentage point. For many voters, the election is not =
just about politics and economics - it's a battle over memory and justice."
We Will Never Accept Unconstitutional War
http://www.truthout.org/we-will-never-accept-unconstitutional-war/130711513=
5
Aimee Allison, Norman Solomon and David Swanson, RootsAction: "On May 26, t=
he U.S. House amended the Defense Authorization Act of 2012 to state that i=
ts passage in no way authorizes the current war in Libya, and to prohibit t=
he introduction of U.S. ground troops into Libya. We must insist that the S=
enate uphold those amendments next week. At the same time, the House reject=
ed amendments that would have limited or ended U.S. warfare in Afghanistan,=
and rejected an amendment that would have stripped Section 1034 from the b=
ill. That section is perhaps the most fundamental change to the structure o=
f our federal government that has ever appeared likely to pass through Cong=
ress, as it would effectively give the power to make war to all future pres=
idents. We must demand that the Senate remove Section 1034."
Women vs. Wal-Mart (Video)
http://www.truthout.org/video-highlights-impact-largest-civil-rights-class-=
action-lawsuit-us-history/1307111444
A new, brief video by the Rosenberg Foundation highlights the positive impa=
ct of a historic lawsuit currently pending before the US Supreme Court - Du=
kes v. Wal-Mart, the largest civil rights class action in US history.
TRUTHOUT'S BUZZFLASH DAILY HEADLINES =20
"Instead of ending Medicare as we know it and making savage cuts to communi=
ty health centers and children's health care programs, we must ask the top =
2 percent of income earners, who currently pay the lowest upper-income tax =
rate on record, to start paying their fair share of taxes."
That is a seemingly reasonable statement by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont,=
in a commentary his office submitted to BuzzFlash at Truthout. (http://blo=
g.buzzflash.com/node/12743)
Yet, while Sanders is getting a bit more time on cable television to make h=
is case for a budget that recognizes the need for upper-crust tax revenue i=
ncreases and a reduction in the military budget, he is hardly a regular gue=
st on national Sunday morning political talk shows. It is from these progra=
ms that much of the political punditry framework, known as "conventional wi=
sdom," is set for public policy debates.
The corporate mainstream media generally "balances" the Ayn Rand extremism =
of Paul Ryan, for example, with a so-called "centrist" Democrat.
Sanders has proven himself a powerful voice for an alternative frame to loo=
k at America's budget, one that supports the services Americans want, while=
reducing the deficit by rolling back tax cuts for the wealthy and reining =
in the military-industrial complex.
In that context, Sanders is straightforward in asserting that enriching the=
wealthy and corporations through lower taxes is a major contributor to the=
high deficit:
"Amazingly, while the Republican budget writers waged a vicious and unprece=
dented attack on the needs of working families, they do not ask the wealthi=
est people in this country, whose tax rates are now the lowest on record, t=
o contribute one dime more for deficit reduction. Nor do they propose to do=
away with any of the loopholes that enable extremely profitable corporatio=
ns (like General Electric, Bank of America, Exxon-Mobil, Chevron and many m=
ore) to pay little or no federal income taxes. Quite the contrary! The Repu=
blican budget actually provides $1 trillion more in tax breaks over the nex=
t 10 years for the very rich."
Could it be that the corporate mainstream media generally shies away from S=
anders because he threatens the gluttonous incomes of the corporations and =
people who own most of the mass press in America?
Mark Karlin
Editor, BuzzFlash at Truthout
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Sen. Bernie Sanders Says Deficit Reduction Requires Shared Sacrifice. Will =
the President Stand Tall?
Read the Article at BuzzFlash
http://blog.buzzflash.com/node/12743
The Republican Party's War on Democracy
Read the Article at BuzzFlash
http://blog.buzzflash.com/node/12739
NATO Renews Airstrikes After Extending Libya Mission by Three Months
Read the Article at The Christian Science Monitor
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/terrorism-security/2011/0603/NATO-renews-air=
strikes-after-extending-Libya-mission-by-three-months
Growing Revolt Among GOP Against US Involvement in Libya
Article at Talking Points Memo
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/06/speaker-boehner-crafting-libya-r=
esolution-to-derail-kucinichs-anti-war-bill.php?ref=3Dfpb
Why Jobs No Longer Top Washington's Agenda
Read the Article at MSNBC
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43259001/ns/politics/
GOPers Receiving "Call" From on High to Run for Presidency. Is That Via the=
Internet or a Cellphone?
Read the Article at BuzzFlash
http://blog.buzzflash.com/node/12741
Fact Checker: Sarah Palin Collects a Bushel of Pinocchios on Her Bus Tour
Read the Article at The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/post/sarah-palin-collects-=
a-bushel-of-pinocchios-on-her-bus-tour/2011/06/02/AGkNAbHH_blog.html?hpid=
=3Dz3
Is Medicare Turning Point Issue for 2012 Elections?
Read the Article at BuzzFlash
http://blog.buzzflash.com/node/12744
Click here for more BuzzFlash headlines: http://www.buzzflash.com/
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<p></p>
<center><a href=3D"http://org2.democracyinaction.org/di=
a/track.jsp?v=3D2&c=3DQRV%2B8EaqHmG0ZVkjcYGeFA5NYaB0aZWM"><font color=3D"#c=
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<!-- TemplateBeginEditable name=3D"content" --><p>Frida=
y 03 June 2011</p>
<p><font><strong>William Rivers Pitt | The Triumph of Political Derangement=
</strong></font><br />
William Rivers Pitt, Truthout: "There are many familiar symbols that repres=
ent the United States of America. There is the flag, of course. There is th=
e strange eye above the unfinished pyramid on the back of the dollar bill. =
There are the myriad iconic buildings in Washington as familiar to us as th=
e back of our hands. Well, the moment has arrived to add a new symbol to th=
e list, one that represents the sad state of our national politics, the rid=
iculous media coverage of same, and the deranged condition the American peo=
ple find themselves in today. I suggest Janus, the ancient two-headed Roman=
god whose faces look both forward and backward simultaneously. In represen=
ting the American people, Janus would be a perfect depiction of a person wh=
o wants two things at once, and hasn't yet figured out how to do it." <br /=
>
<a href=3D"http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=3D2&c=3D67HCPC=
uog%2BeADMBtWgO9RA5NYaB0aZWM"><font color=3D"#cc0000">Read the Article</fon=
t></a> <br />
<br />
<font><strong>MSNBC's Flawed Coverage of Libya, Economy</strong></font><br =
/>
Michael Corcoran and Stephen Maher, Truthout: "When US bombs began to drop =
on Libya last month, representing the start of the third simultaneous US wa=
r (not including covert wars being waged by US Special Forces and the CIA i=
n Yemen, Pakistan, Somalia, and elsewhere), it was not surprising to see th=
e media jump into a pro-war frenzy, as it so often does. One might hope, ho=
wever, that perhaps MSNBC - on the liberal side of acceptable discourse in =
US cable media - would at least offer significant skepticism toward another=
expensive and bloody US war. This is especially true given that 74 percent=
of the US population opposed US intervention. A close look, however, revea=
ls the opposite is true. MSNBC, whose hosts align themselves closely with B=
arack Obama and the Democratic Party, has been perhaps the most hawkish sta=
tion on cable news." <br />
<a href=3D"http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=3D2&c=3Dp8SbEy=
HIOdCZyNvn9HFS2w5NYaB0aZWM"><font color=3D"#cc0000">Read the Article</font>=
</a> <br />
<br />
<font><strong>Rifts Appear as Syrian Opposition Struggles to Maintain Momen=
tum</strong></font><br />
Samer Araabi, Inter Press Service: "Two months into the uprisings that have=
shaken the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad, the outcome remains largely u=
nclear. The Syrian government's repressive measures, complete with mass arr=
ests, torture, and sizable military deployments, have severely dampened the=
movement but failed to extinguish the protests altogether. Meanwhile, whil=
e a large-scale opposition meeting takes place in Istanbul, many analysts h=
ave noted worrying rifts in the anti-regime movement. As the opposition tri=
es to muster its support, the Syrian regime has continued its month-long cr=
ackdown on protestors. Despite the government brutality, protestors have co=
ntinued to demonstrate in the streets." <br />
<a href=3D"http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=3D2&c=3DPxXrv8=
KM516Tyo%2BEJii8rInSS4WPOGaC"><font color=3D"#cc0000">Read the Article</fon=
t></a> <br />
<br />
<font><strong>Reckless Endangerment: Making Debt "Owe-nership" Easy</strong=
></font><br />
Gerald Epstein, Triple Crisis: "In search of a new angle on the financial c=
risis, Gretchen Morgenson and Joshua Rosner's (M&R) new book, Reckless =
Endangerment, seems to pin a lot of the blame on misguided do-gooders who w=
ere trying to make the dream of 'home ownership' in America a reality for a=
ll. These include Bill Clinton, who they say pushed for making home ownersh=
ip easy through his 'National Partnership in Home Ownership,' the Federal R=
eserve Bank of Boston's researchers who did a path-breaking study of discri=
mination in lending, and even community organizing groups like ACORN. M&=
;R say that ACORN and other housing groups let themselves be taken in and b=
ought off by James A. Johnson, the CEO of Fannie Mae. But in spite of the a=
uthors' desire to highlight the role of Fannie and Freddie, (the so called =
Government sponsored enterprises (GSEs) that helped finance home mortgages =
and after failing in 2008 have been taken over to the tune of 180 billion d=
ollars by the tax payers) what comes through clearly from the dozens of int=
erviews and reporting in Reckless Endangerment, the real culprits were not =
primarily Johnson and his pals, but rather the political establishment." <b=
r />
<a href=3D"http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=3D2&c=3DancztT=
ZB33YnkGYuDH7nQQ5NYaB0aZWM"><font color=3D"#cc0000">Read the Article</font>=
</a> <br />
<br />
<font><strong>FCC Court Case Delays and Complicates Media Ownership Review<=
/strong></font><br />
Nadia Prupis, Truthout: "The Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) long=
-overdue quadrennial review of media ownership rules is quickly approaching=
its most recent deadline as the agency waits on the result of an ongoing c=
ourt case with several media reform groups. Every four years, the FCC evalu=
ates rules that regulate ownership of broadcast outlets. The FCC commission=
ed nine economic studies and held six public workshops in 2009 and 2010 to =
get input on its regulations, including how to address financial needs and =
economic changes in the media, industry diversity and the effects of new me=
dia on broadcast stations - but a debate on cross-ownership has become the =
standout issue." <br />
<a href=3D"http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=3D2&c=3D8QyEHl=
MUMu0oTZ%2B0jmxGCInSS4WPOGaC"><font color=3D"#cc0000">Read the Article</fon=
t></a> <br />
<br />
<font><strong>Washington Visit, Bibi's Waterloo?</strong></font><br />
Richard Silverstein, Truthout: "After witnessing the weird, dissonant polit=
ical theater surrounding Bibi Netanyahu's visit to the United States in May=
, it is difficult to tell whether it is the best of times or the worst for =
Israeli-Palestinian peace. Is the conflict at an impasse that augurs more h=
orrible war, chaos and bloodshed? Or is the very severity of the situation =
a sign that the logjam can be broken because the parties and the internatio=
nal community may listen to alternative voices and embrace unconventional a=
pproaches? It is also possible that both are true. Without doubt, relations=
between Israel and the United States, or, specifically, between the Israel=
i prime minister and the American president, are in the deep freeze." <br /=
>
<a href=3D"http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=3D2&c=3DfTe6eI=
GHz3Q7WcaS2br%2Fww5NYaB0aZWM"><font color=3D"#cc0000">Read the Article</fon=
t></a> <br />
<br />
<font><strong>News in Brief: Troops Continue to Fire on Protesters in Yemen=
as Internet Blackout Begins in Syria, and More ...</strong></font><br />
Yemeni government troops have continued to fire on protesters and young pro=
testers in the south of the country have taken up arms against the governme=
nt; a new GOP map proposed Thursday in Texas would see the demographics of =
Ron Paul's Texas district shifted; infections of the HIV virus have dropped=
10 percent in the last decade, according to the United Nations AIDS agency=
, but the gains have been unevenly distributed; Greece has not raised a sin=
gle cent from its plan to sell off public property and state companies; Chi=
na-based hackers who broke into Google Inc.'s Gmail accounts were targeting=
people who worked at the White House. <br />
<a href=3D"http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=3D2&c=3DFjqhXF=
o8aaaLvpYPa51qSg5NYaB0aZWM"><font color=3D"#cc0000">Read the Article</font>=
</a> <br />
<br />
<font><strong>Weak Job Growth Leads to Further Rise in Unemployment</strong=
></font><br />
Dean Baker, The Center for Economic and Policy Research: "The unemployment =
rate edged up again in May, reaching 9.1 percent, as the rate of private-se=
ctor job growth slowed to just 83,000. There were also downward revisions t=
o the prior two months data, which lowered the average for the last three m=
onths to 160,000, approximately 70,000 more than what is needed to keep pac=
e with the growth of the labor force. Some of the weakness in May probably =
stemmed from quirks that exaggerated April job growth. For example, the ret=
ail sector reportedly added 64,000 jobs in April. It lost 8,500 in May. Hea=
lth added 36,700 jobs in April, compared with an increase of just 17,400 in=
May. Food manufacturing added 6,300 jobs in April, it lost 7,000 in May. T=
hese are most likely quirks of seasonal adjustments, not sharp shifts in th=
e economy itself." <br />
<a href=3D"http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=3D2&c=3DpuVFfv=
zpzZ6C2NqTdIPfGg5NYaB0aZWM"><font color=3D"#cc0000">Read the Article</font>=
</a> <br />
<br />
<font><strong>Yemen's President Is "Lightly" Injured in Shelling of Palace<=
/strong></font><br />
Nasser Arrabyee and J. David Goodman, The New York Times News Service: "Yem=
en's embattled leader, Ali Abdullah Saleh, was lightly injured Friday in an=
opposition mortar attack on the presidential palace that killed three guar=
ds and a cleric, his spokesman said. The attack inched the country ever clo=
ser to civil war after months of political turmoil. The spokesman, Abdel al=
-Jandi, said that Mr. Saleh was in a mosque located within the palace compo=
und when it was shaken by explosions as Friday prayers were beginning just =
after noon. Mr. Saleh had 'scratches' on his face from the attack, Mr. Jand=
i said, which forced him to postpone a planned televised news conference as=
earlier rumors swirled that the president had been killed. He did not say =
when Mr. Saleh would speak." <br />
<a href=3D"http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=3D2&c=3Dx05HLe=
wmkK%2Bkkuw2u4hxFg5NYaB0aZWM"><font color=3D"#cc0000">Read the Article</fon=
t></a> <br />
<br />
<font><strong>Netanyahu's Speech and Congressional Democrats' Embrace of Ex=
tremism</strong></font><br />
Stephen Zunes, Truthout: "As Israeli opposition parties, peace and human ri=
ghts activists and editorialists denounced their prime minister's intransig=
ence in the face of President Barack Obama's peace initiative, Congressiona=
l Democrats here in the United States have instead joined their Republican =
counterparts in lining up to support the right-wing Israeli leader's defian=
ce. As Benyamin Netanyahu arrogantly rejected Obama's modest parameters for=
a peace settlement in a May 20 speech before a joint session of Congress -=
a rare honor for a foreign leader - Democrats joined Republicans in giving=
him no less than 29 standing ovations, more than were given to Obama durin=
g his State of the Union Speech earlier this year. Mitchell Plitnick of Jew=
ish Voice for Peace, in the immediate aftermath of Netanyahu's speech, obse=
rved how 'The United States itself has never been as shameless in its blind=
support' for the Israeli right, placing support for the Likud leader, 'ove=
r the interests of justice and human rights and even its own self-interest.=
'" <br />
<a href=3D"http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=3D2&c=3DeQKPdM=
UEapo2CMm7LaCGmA5NYaB0aZWM"><font color=3D"#cc0000">Read the Article</font>=
</a> <br />
<br />
<font><strong>Peru's Presidential Election: A Battle Over Memory and Justic=
e</strong></font><br />
Benjamin Dangl and Jesse Strauss, Truthout: "When Peruvian presidential can=
didate Keiko Fujimori arrived at a plaza in the city of Cajamarca for a rec=
ent campaign speech, she was met by a barrage of eggs thrown by activists w=
ho opposed her candidacy and called her a 'murderer and thief.' The activis=
ts were referring to the legacy of her father, Alberto Fujimori, who was Pe=
ru's president from 1990-2000, and jailed in 2007 for a quarter-century sen=
tence after being found guilty of corruption and 'crimes against humanity.'=
A mock national vote one week before the upcoming June 5 election showed a=
tight race, with Fujimori leading her only opponent, left-leaning Ollanta =
Humala, by a single percentage point. For many voters, the election is not =
just about politics and economics - it's a battle over memory and justice."=
<br />
<a href=3D"http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=3D2&c=3DaYQbPS=
vW7WUcp75Aig6fpQ5NYaB0aZWM"><font color=3D"#cc0000">Read the Article</font>=
</a> <br />
<br />
<font><strong>We Will Never Accept Unconstitutional War</strong></font><br =
/>
Aimee Allison, Norman Solomon and David Swanson, RootsAction: "On May 26, t=
he U.S. House amended the Defense Authorization Act of 2012 to state that i=
ts passage in no way authorizes the current war in Libya, and to prohibit t=
he introduction of U.S. ground troops into Libya. We must insist that the S=
enate uphold those amendments next week. At the same time, the House reject=
ed amendments that would have limited or ended U.S. warfare in Afghanistan,=
and rejected an amendment that would have stripped Section 1034 from the b=
ill. That section is perhaps the most fundamental change to the structure o=
f our federal government that has ever appeared likely to pass through Cong=
ress, as it would effectively give the power to make war to all future pres=
idents. We must demand that the Senate remove Section 1034." <br />
<a href=3D"http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=3D2&c=3D4VpCvt=
xDs5%2F57oa6HG8pyQ5NYaB0aZWM"><font color=3D"#cc0000">Read the Article</fon=
t></a> <br />
<br />
<font><strong>Women vs. Wal-Mart (Video)</strong></font><br />
A new, brief video by the Rosenberg Foundation highlights the positive impa=
ct of a historic lawsuit currently pending before the US Supreme Court - Du=
kes v. Wal-Mart, the largest civil rights class action in US history. <br /=
>
<a href=3D"http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=3D2&c=3DAk506E=
zs7CF1N5Qi3SNfgA5NYaB0aZWM"><font color=3D"#cc0000">Watch the Video</font><=
/a> </p>
<p></p>
<p><a target=3D"_blank" href=3D"http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track=
.jsp?v=3D2&c=3D8TenI6RpIZNLcqLkdWxvFg5NYaB0aZWM"><font color=3D"#cc0000"><e=
m>Click here for more Truthout articles</em></font></a></p>
<p></p>
<div align=3D"center">
<table border=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" width=3D"100%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align=3D"left" valign=3D"bottom">
<div align=3D"left"><strong><em>BUZZFLASH DAILY HEADLINES</em><=
/strong></div>
</td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=3D"#336699">
<td colspan=3D"2" height=3D"3"></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
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</div>
<p><i>
<p>"Instead of ending Medicare as we know it and making savage cuts to comm=
unity health centers and children's health care programs, we must ask the t=
op 2 percent of income earners, who currently pay the lowest upper-income t=
ax rate on record, to start paying their fair share of taxes."</p>
<p>That is a seemingly reasonable statement by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermo=
nt, in a <a target=3D"_blank" href=3D"http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia=
/track.jsp?v=3D2&c=3D2M8Hdh%2FE33mG9nCpl3mtVg5NYaB0aZWM"><font color=3D"#cc=
0000">commentary</font></a> his office submitted to BuzzFlash at Truthout.<=
/p>
<p>Yet, while Sanders is getting a bit more time on cable television to mak=
e his case for a budget that recognizes the need for upper-crust tax revenu=
e increases and a reduction in the military budget, he is hardly a regular =
guest on national Sunday morning political talk shows. It is from these pro=
grams that much of the political punditry framework, known as "conventional=
wisdom," is set for public policy debates.</p>
<p>The corporate mainstream media generally "balances" the Ayn Rand extremi=
sm of Paul Ryan, for example, with a so-called "centrist" Democrat.</p>
<p>Sanders has proven himself a powerful voice for an alternative frame to =
look at America's budget, one that supports the services Americans want, wh=
ile reducing the deficit by rolling back tax cuts for the wealthy and reini=
ng in the military-industrial complex.</p>
<p>In that context, Sanders is straightforward in asserting that enriching =
the wealthy and corporations through lower taxes is a major contributor to =
the high deficit:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Amazingly, while the Republican budget writers waged a vicious and unpre=
cedented attack on the needs of working families, they do not ask the wealt=
hiest people in this country, whose tax rates are now the lowest on record,=
to contribute one dime more for deficit reduction. Nor do they propose to =
do away with any of the loopholes that enable extremely profitable corporat=
ions (like General Electric, Bank of America, Exxon-Mobil, Chevron and many=
more) to pay little or no federal income taxes. Quite the contrary! The Re=
publican budget actually provides $1 trillion more in tax breaks over the n=
ext 10 years for the very rich.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Could it be that the corporate mainstream media generally shies away fro=
m Sanders because he threatens the gluttonous incomes of the corporations a=
nd people who own most of the mass press in America?</p>
<p>Mark Karlin<br />
Editor, BuzzFlash at Truthout</p>
</i></p>
<p><strong>Sen. Bernie Sanders Says Deficit Reduction Requires Shared Sacri=
fice. Will the President Stand Tall?<br />
</strong><a target=3D"_blank" href=3D"http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia=
/track.jsp?v=3D2&c=3DCQ4%2FGUpNA5t3xKrW5LwZ6w5NYaB0aZWM"><font color=3D"#cc=
0000">Read the Article at BuzzFlash</font></a></p>
<p><strong>The Republican Party's War on Democracy<br />
</strong><a target=3D"_blank" href=3D"http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia=
/track.jsp?v=3D2&c=3DRYtvVULwefPq82MXfYWIzA5NYaB0aZWM"><font color=3D"#cc00=
00">Read the Article at BuzzFlash</font></a></p>
<p><strong>NATO Renews Airstrikes After Extending Libya Mission by Three Mo=
nths<br />
</strong><a target=3D"_blank" href=3D"http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia=
/track.jsp?v=3D2&c=3D8OmJdG%2FOnNgipbBmrUL%2Blw5NYaB0aZWM"><font color=3D"#=
cc0000">Read the Article at The Christian Science Monitor</font></a></p>
<p><strong>Growing Revolt Among GOP Against US Involvement in Libya<br />
</strong><a target=3D"_blank" href=3D"http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia=
/track.jsp?v=3D2&c=3DTHhf9uHXsV4Bj81cjPVAyQ5NYaB0aZWM"><font color=3D"#cc00=
00">Article at Talking Points Memo</font></a></p>
<p><strong>Why Jobs No Longer Top Washington's Agenda<br />
</strong><a target=3D"_blank" href=3D"http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia=
/track.jsp?v=3D2&c=3DSnee8pd1Zb%2BD7tX2UgunLg5NYaB0aZWM"><font color=3D"#cc=
0000">Read the Article at MSNBC</font></a></p>
<p><strong>GOPers Receiving "Call" From on High to Run for Presidency. Is T=
hat Via the Internet or a Cellphone?<br />
</strong><a target=3D"_blank" href=3D"http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia=
/track.jsp?v=3D2&c=3DE%2FL6cR5oQrqiVZAY%2FCPQiA5NYaB0aZWM"><font color=3D"#=
cc0000">Read the Article at BuzzFlash</font></a></p>
<p><strong>Fact Checker: Sarah Palin Collects a Bushel of Pinocchios on Her=
Bus Tour<br />
</strong><a target=3D"_blank" href=3D"http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia=
/track.jsp?v=3D2&c=3DH0drm3YFOsiE%2BUpNbOVm4Q5NYaB0aZWM"><font color=3D"#cc=
0000">Read the Article at The Washington Post</font></a></p>
<p><strong>Is Medicare Turning Point Issue for 2012 Elections?<br />
</strong><a target=3D"_blank" href=3D"http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia=
/track.jsp?v=3D2&c=3DVZmvT5FvU%2BpFJvwDfOy0Fw5NYaB0aZWM"><font color=3D"#cc=
0000">Read the Article at BuzzFlash</font></a></p>
<p><a href=3D"http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=3D2&c=3DsQE=
RMM0%2FGvZXTlDSicuXFA5NYaB0aZWM"><b><font color=3D"#cc0000"><em>Click here =
for more BuzzFlash headlines</em></font></b></a></p>
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