| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| apl4eris |
Posted - 07/11/2004 : 22:30:16
Listening to Art Bell on Coast to Coast AM. He is saying that CNN and Newsweek have reported that counter-terrorism officials are considering the possibility of postponing, rescheduling, or even cancelling this year's presidential elections. That is quite something, if it holds water.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5411741/site/newsweek/
"Exclusive: Election Day Worries
Newsweek
July 19 issue - American counterterrorism officials, citing what they call "alarming" intelligence about a possible Qaeda strike inside the United States this fall, are reviewing a proposal that could allow for the postponement of the November presidential election in the event of such an attack, NEWSWEEK has learned.
The prospect that Al Qaeda might seek to disrupt the U.S. election was a major factor behind last week's terror warning by Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge. Ridge and other counterterrorism officials concede they have no intel about any specific plots. But the success of March's Madrid railway bombings in influencing the Spanish elections—as well as intercepted "chatter" among Qaeda operatives—has led analysts to conclude "they want to interfere with the elections," says one official.
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TERROR WATCH
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As a result, sources tell NEWSWEEK, Ridge's department last week asked the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel to analyze what legal steps would be needed to permit the postponement of the election were an attack to take place. Justice was specifically asked to review a recent letter to Ridge from DeForest B. Soaries Jr., chairman of the newly created U.S. Election Assistance Commission. Soaries noted that, while a primary election in New York on September 11, 2001, was quickly suspended by that state's Board of Elections after the attacks that morning, "the federal government has no agency that has the statutory authority to cancel and reschedule a federal election." Soaries, a Bush appointee who two years ago was an unsuccessful GOP candidate for Congress, wants Ridge to seek emergency legislation from Congress empowering his agency to make such a call. Homeland officials say that as drastic as such proposals sound, they are taking them seriously—along with other possible contingency plans in the event of an election-eve or Election Day attack. "We are reviewing the issue to determine what steps need to be taken to secure the election," says Brian Roehrkasse, a Homeland spokesman.
—Michael Isikoff"
I will post more later, after I try to get some sleep.
 RIP Little Bucharest: Yuppies. They don't eat goulash. |
| 23 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| begeegs |
Posted - 07/13/2004 : 01:24:24
quote:
Originally posted by ProverbialCereal
Ok, I'm getting irritated at something as far as the voting/election this year.
Why is it that when someone talks about voting democratic this year the word "Bush" always pops up? Not just that, but the word "Kerry" is rarely mentioned. Do you guys even know who you are voting for? It's always "blah blah to get Bush out of the White House." I'm not sure what my opinions about voting just to get someone out are, but it almost seems ignorant unless you really know something about who you are voting for.
I wonder how many votes Kerry will get by the "I just don't like Bush" crowd.
Maybe you all see it differently?
Just quit a cult / going through withdrawal
I voted Nader in 2000 (I lived in Massachusetts where Gore won by a large margin)and Kerry doesn't exactly inspire me to run out and vote for him. He has (up until now) run a completely feeble campaign. One that Gore would be proud of. The Democrats have lost touch with the progressive vote and Bush is such an easy target, but still nothing is happening. - that being said, he will bring the National Budget back into line and get rid of the red ink that we have been given with Bush's tax cuts.
However, I completely agree with your assessment that if you are ignorant of the candidates, then stay home, but in this instance, I believe that everyone should go out and vote for Kerry to get this clown out ignorant or not. Bush/Cheney (and the Pentagon Administation) are really evil bastards and are only now starting to attempt to appear moderate for the election, then back to the right again...don't be fooled! |
| ProverbialCereal |
Posted - 07/12/2004 : 22:56:55
Natural disaster? Did you not see "The Day After Tomorrow"?
That movie was devastating.
Just quit a cult / going through withdrawal |
| floop |
Posted - 07/12/2004 : 22:38:34
quote:
Originally posted by El Barto
God, this is fucking insane. I think we need another civil war. Monsieur brings up an excellent point.
or maybe a nice natural disaster. at least it would bring rent prices down.
die quesadillas von LBF lecken skrotum! hahahahahahahhahahaa! |
| Monsieur |
Posted - 07/12/2004 : 22:33:30
Come on, fbf, you are smarter than your reply. |
| frank_black_francis |
Posted - 07/12/2004 : 15:09:15
quote:
Originally posted by El Barto
God, this is fucking insane. I think we need another civil war. Monsieur brings up an excellent point.
I guess I just wasn't made for these times.
...and then Organized Crime can take over and people would pine for the days when multi-national ran the world. |
| El Barto |
Posted - 07/12/2004 : 14:10:44
God, this is fucking insane. I think we need another civil war. Monsieur brings up an excellent point.
I guess I just wasn't made for these times. |
| Monsieur |
Posted - 07/12/2004 : 12:27:24
All that stuff about postponing the elections reminds me of the nazis who accused the Jews of having burnt down the Reichstag... |
| apl4eris |
Posted - 07/12/2004 : 12:06:24
Some interesting reporting, concerning the remarkeable odds of this unique presidential election. Knowing certain things about secret societies, I am not paranoiacly digging up conspiracy theories, but seeing this pragmatically -they are not so differently motivated as they seem to some.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A48358-2004Apr3?language=printer
"Bush, Kerry Share Tippy-Top Secret
Yalies Bush and Kerry Share a Patrician Past Of Skull and Bones
By Don Oldenburg
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, April 4, 2004; Page D01
NEW HAVEN, Conn.
People passing through on High Street barely notice the cryptlike Greco-Egyptian building called the Tomb. On a snowy March morning, Yale professor Ingeborg Glier hurries to class past the grim, practically windowless, brown limestone mausoleum. For 138 years it has housed Skull and Bones -- a secret society that links President Bush and Sen. John Kerry, and is imagined by some to be the most potent in the nation's history.
"I know it exists but that's about as much as I know," says Glier, who has taught Germanic language and literature at Yale for 34 years. "Once in a while there is a sort of furtive person slinking into this building."
Bulldozing a stump in front of the Tomb's towering padlocked front doors, grounds worker Dawn Landino says that after 19 years on the job she knows "nothing" about the secret society. "I never see anyone around the Tomb," she says. "I think it's more of an after-hours club."
New Haven cabby Gerald Walthall grins knowingly. "They're supposed to have Geronimo's bones in there, but they could be anyone's bones," he says. "College kids do crazy things. . . . But because Skull and Bones doesn't tell you anything, people suspect it."
Rick Beckwith flips sausages and eggs on the grill at the Yankee Doodle diner, a Yale institution three blocks away. "From what I hear," says the New Haven native, whose grandfather opened the popular eatery 54 years ago, "it's the most powerful secret society at Yale. Looking at the number of powerful people who come out of Yale, Skull and Bones is probably everything it's made out to be."
It's no secret that Bush and Kerry are both Yalies. Bush graduated in 1968, Kerry in '66. It's no secret either that they both come from privileged preppy backgrounds. What remains shrouded in mystery is their membership in Skull and Bones, an elite, covert club for which involvement continues long past the last refrain of "Pomp and Circumstance" on graduation day.
Never before have two Bonesmen run against each other for the presidency. It's a coincidence of historic political proportions.
"What is so staggering about two Bonesmen running against each other for president is that it's a tiny club with 15 members a year and only 600-some living at any time. What are the odds?" says Alexandra Robbins, author of the 2002 book "Secrets of the Tomb: Skull and Bones, the Ivy League, and the Hidden Paths of Power."
Don't bother asking Bush and Kerry the odds. Both would rather advocate raising taxes. Neither talks publicly about Skull and Bones -- except to say he can't talk about it.
Neither man responded to repeated requests for interviews for this article. But when Tim Russert asked Bush about Skull and Bones in February on "Meet the Press," the president said: "It's so secret we can't talk about it." When Russert asked Kerry last August what it meant that both he and Bush are Bonesmen, the Massachusetts senator replied: "Not much because it's a secret."
edit: had to cut down the amount of the article I posted -way too long for an easily navigated thread. If you want to read the whole thing the link is there.
RIP Little Bucharest: Yuppies. They don't eat goulash. |
| VoVat |
Posted - 07/12/2004 : 11:11:09
In our two-party system, Kerry is probably the only one who stands a chance at defeating Bush. Of course, if you don't like him any better than Bush, don't vote for him. Some people really support Kerry, and others consider him the lesser of two evils.
Cattle in Korea / They can really moo. |
| ProverbialCereal |
Posted - 07/12/2004 : 10:54:21
Ok, I'm getting irritated at something as far as the voting/election this year.
Why is it that when someone talks about voting democratic this year the word "Bush" always pops up? Not just that, but the word "Kerry" is rarely mentioned. Do you guys even know who you are voting for? It's always "blah blah to get Bush out of the White House." I'm not sure what my opinions about voting just to get someone out are, but it almost seems ignorant unless you really know something about who you are voting for.
I wonder how many votes Kerry will get by the "I just don't like Bush" crowd.
Maybe you all see it differently?
Just quit a cult / going through withdrawal |
| VoVat |
Posted - 07/12/2004 : 09:20:09
But he already WAS impeached! How many times can you do that to a guy?
Cattle in Korea / They can really moo. |
| begeegs |
Posted - 07/12/2004 : 09:08:41
quote:
Originally posted by apl4eris
Also, the real issue (to me) has absolutely nothing to do with partisan politics. I do not believe for a second that the democratic party wouldn't do the very same thing if they were in power. Either it is a cynical ploy for support, or it is potentially dangerous (to the health and integrity of our Constitutionally-based society) strategy to divert an attack. I think it is most likely the latter, and actually worse for our country in the long run. To my mind, the anti-Bush angle is a red herring, and doesn't help the health of the country because it takes energy and focus away from the really important problems.
I think we need to have intelligence systems that work, and money going to local governments to protect from attack and to minimize the fallout from a potential attack. After almost 4 years, we should not even be having to consider moving, postponing, or indefinitely cancelling presidential elections. That is unacceptable to me.
RIP Little Bucharest: Yuppies. They don't eat goulash.
I agree about the unacceptable cancelled or even postponed elections, however that being said (I am an independent, however I am going to hold my nose this election to vote for the Dems to get King Moron out)I disagree about the Democratic Party doing the same. If that were the case, they would be playing alot more hardball with the Bush Administration leading up to and after this war, but they really haven't capitalized on any of it, unfortunately. They are opting to let Bush sink himself which is hardly a good campaign.
Regarding the intelligence issue, intelligence isn't a science and never will be. With the CIA/FBI getting black-eyes with 9/11 - Iraq, the buck still stops with the Bush Administration, either politicized intelligence that wasn't reliable at best to trusting a convicted criminal (Chalabi) to provide them with lies for his own personal gain, it is still rather evident that we have an idealogical/war-profiteering administration that is unaccountable to the public no matter what.
If it were Clinton that had done any of this, you'd expect him to be impeached long ago.... |
| VoVat |
Posted - 07/12/2004 : 08:51:31
This sounds remarkably suspicious to me. Bush stole one election, and now he wants to have another one cancelled? I don't know for a fact that this is true, but it makes me worry. I'm hoping this doesn't actually come true.
Cattle in Korea / They can really moo. |
| Cult_Of_Frank |
Posted - 07/12/2004 : 08:19:38
Not that I live down there, but it seems to me that talk of postponing the elections already means that Al Quaeda is affecting elections...
 "When 5000 posts you reach / Look as good you will not, hmmm?" |
| apl4eris |
Posted - 07/12/2004 : 08:13:44
Also, the real issue (to me) has absolutely nothing to do with partisan politics. I do not believe for a second that the democratic party wouldn't do the very same thing if they were in power. Either it is a cynical ploy for support, or it is potentially dangerous (to the health and integrity of our Constitutionally-based society) strategy to divert an attack. I think it is most likely the latter, and actually worse for our country in the long run. To my mind, the anti-Bush angle is a red herring, and doesn't help the health of the country because it takes energy and focus away from the really important problems.
I think we need to have intelligence systems that work, and money going to local governments to protect from attack and to minimize the fallout from a potential attack. After almost 4 years, we should not even be having to consider moving, postponing, or indefinitely cancelling presidential elections. That is unacceptable to me.
RIP Little Bucharest: Yuppies. They don't eat goulash. |
| apl4eris |
Posted - 07/12/2004 : 07:59:52
No - everything interferes with my sleep, which is why I was up listening to Coast to Coast AM.
My point in posting this bit of news was that if it happens, it is a unique occurrence in the history of the United States. Unprecedented, and worth thinking about carefully. I would hope that we could have security that allows elections to run smoothly and on schedule. If we allow threat of attacks to effect the timing and nature of our elections, then it seems to me terrorism (in this case just the threat of it) is already effecting elections. Is that something we are willing to accept, considering the implications, and the risk of slippery slope? As best I have learned, the Constitution warned against behavior like that.
RIP Little Bucharest: Yuppies. They don't eat goulash. |
| fudd |
Posted - 07/12/2004 : 07:36:56
quote:
Originally posted by apl4eris
I will post more later, after I try to get some sleep.
You let something like this interfere with your sleep? |
| Little Black Francis |
Posted - 07/12/2004 : 07:10:14
Why the fuck whould anyone half-sane disrrupt an election in which Bush will be defeated again... we voted against him once, this time it will work!
Re-defeat Bush in 2004.
I bet terrorists will be lining up at the voting booths to vote for the green party... or at least the ass!
Democrats are sexy, who ever heard of a good peice of Elephant!
suce ma bite enculé de ta merehehehahhahehehaha |
| KimStanleyRobinson |
Posted - 07/12/2004 : 06:44:18
BS erebus.
If the CIA would get their heads out of their asses long enough to use what they already have and resolve/reconcile it against what other intelligence sources, they would know what the hell is going on.
Think about it.
The intelligence is bad (kept that way)...the attack is pending...the election postponed...the powergrab continues.
If the threat of attack is intended to affect the election, then the next president will be elected by the most militant of this population. I consider myself to be extremely anti-bush...and I'm not a minority.
Dig the gas mask comment earlier.
It will happen.
He will go.
Attack, postponement, whatever, he'll go.
-----------------------------------------------
I'm a grit. |
| Erebus |
Posted - 07/12/2004 : 06:22:04
To me it seems pretty obvious that TALK about the possibility of postponing the elections is intended to deprive Al Qaeda of incentive to attack for the purpose of impacting election results.
Those who habitually leap to an anti-Bush interpretation of anything that will fit their templates of prejudice need to take a hard look at themselves. |
| begeegs |
Posted - 07/12/2004 : 01:53:16
quote:
Originally posted by Bryan Shepherd
After the disaster in Florida last go`round, I wouldn't think they'd have the balls to fuck with the "democratic process" again.
 I'm the guy from wonderland...& you will never understand...
I wouldn't bank on that one. I think this Administration has transformed the fabric of the US whereas when I go back now (I live in the UK) it is scary to see the changes...
I am sure that you are familiar with the frogs in the slow boiling water saying? Well, that is completely relevant in this case. With Diebold electronic voting machines having back-door trojans that can instantly transforming votes (with the CEO of the company being a Bush donor), I would expect anything including terrorist attacks/warnings, etc. to keep the Bushies in power.... |
| TarTar |
Posted - 07/12/2004 : 00:38:14
Sure. They take the easy way out. Blame it on Al Qaeda.
"There is a new craze in the nation/ it is lamination/ we like to laminate/ we laminate our driver's license/ so cannot be changed" |
| Bryan Shepherd |
Posted - 07/11/2004 : 22:49:12
I'll be at the polls with a helmet & gas mask. Not to go all partisan and stuff, but this smells like more official bullshit to me. When will we be safe from possible terror attacks? When Bush's approval rating goes up. I'm not saying it's all sunshine in the world, but I've been hearing "Wolf!" a lot lately. After the disaster in Florida last go`round, I wouldn't think they'd have the balls to fuck with the "democratic process" again. Well, you don't know what you can do until you try. Who would've guessed the Patriot Act would have passed? Ooooh I'm worked up now. The founding fathers are spinning in their memorials right now, folks.
PS to apl4eris: I love my Powerbook. Macs rule!
I'm the guy from wonderland...& you will never understand... |
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