The Llano Ledger
Newsletter Text V128
BANNER AND POP-UP ADVERTISING PAYS ONLY FOR WEBSITE. THIS PUBLICATION
RECEIVES NO COMPENSATION FROM STORMPAGES NOR THE ADVERTISERS. NONE.
***
Got guts? Tired of being lied to? Like an alternative source of
information truly independent and free of government propaganda? Want
this publication to continue? Send a financial donation to P.O. Box
997, Buchanan Dam, Tx. 78609.
***
Publisher's Note: Due to repeated problems with the Maxpages server, a
new Ledger website has been created and is under construction.
Programming is at the HTML level with far greater webspace, so a much
better site will result after the learning curve is breached. The URL
is http://www.stormpages.com/llanoledger. Both Maxpages websites,
however, will continue to be maintained and updated for quite some time
until the readership has been made aware of the new website.
Maxpages sites:
http://maxpages.com/llanoledger2
http://maxpages.com/llanoledger
Tim Chorney, Publisher
The Llano Ledger
*************December 10, 2001************
*****Attorney General Testifies*****
U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft faced extremely soft questioning
before the Senate Judiciary Committee last week. -- Sadly, strong
evidence there is no substantive difference between both major
political parties. Indeed, Ole' Johnny Boy was handled with kid gloves
by senators stumbling all over themselves not to offend his fascist
sensibilities and agenda.
Mr. Ashcroft disingenuously and falsely crowed: "The Department of
Justice has sought to prevent terrorism with reason, careful balance
and excruciating attention to detail. Some of our critics, I regret to
say, have shown less affection for details. Their bold declaration of
so-called facts have quickly dissolved upon inspection into vague
conjecture. Charges of kangaroo courts and shredding the Constitution
give new meaning to the term 'fog of war.' Since lives and liberties
depend on clarity, not obfuscation, and upon reason, not hyperbole, let
me take this opportunity to be clear. Each action taken by the
Department of Justice, as well as the war crimes commissions considered
by the president and the Department of Defense, is carefully drawn to
target a narrow class of individuals - terrorists. Our legal powers are
targeted at terrorists. Our investigation is focused on terrorists. Our
prevention strategy targets the terrorist threat."
The Attorney General is a liar. Only a handful of well over a
thousand foreigners recently incarcerated are suspected of being
terrorists or supporting terrorists. Worse yet, The Patriot Act and
other supposedly anti-terrorist measures designed to eviscerate civil
liberties can be directed not only at terrorists but American citizens
as well. To date and as far as publicly known, the "Administration" has
only targeted foreigners, egregiously depriving them of Fourth, Fifth,
Sixth, and Eighth Amendment rights. No problem, right? After all,
they're only aliens, no? What then when the fascist sitting in the
White House is finally exposed targeting Americans? ... Never happen,
right?
Continuing to distort reality, Mr. Ashcroft asserted: "We need
honest, reasoned debate, and not fear-mongering. To those who pit
Americans against immigrants and citizens against noncitizens, to those
who scare peace-loving people with phantoms of lost liberty, my message
is this: Your tactics only aid terrorists, for they erode our national
unity and diminish our resolve. They give ammunition to America's
enemies, and pause to America's friends. They encourage people of good
will to remain silent in the face of evil."
... Hey, Johnny? Adolph and Benito would have been proud... Anyone
in strong disagreement with your fascist agenda and policies not
"honest" and "reasoned", sir? Wake up, you jackass. Not all of us are
as aggressively stupid as the vast majority of the American public. ...
Suspect you and the "President" will be doing the "Old Soft Shoe",
however, when outrageous abuse of American citizens by federal goons
becomes public, sir. -- And it will, Johnny. Be too late then to do
anything, right, General?
Disingenuously worried about foreigners with information remaining
silent? What about the American public? Sadly, they've remained
gutlessly silent as you and the Nazi occupying the White House executed
what amounted to a bloodless coup the day The "Patriot" Act was signed
into law. The Founders must still be spinning in their graves. Sadly,
the American people remain too stupid to realize what indeed happened.
Disingenuously you lambast your detractors for assuming the worst
of government. You bet, Mr. Ashcroft. So did the Founders, you jackass.
Precisely why they provided the Bill of Rights to protect the people
from tyrants like you and the fascist occupying the White House.
Pointedly, criticism of government officials such as you and the "Chief
Executive" IS the American thing to do, sir. Conversely, your
evisceration of the Bill of Rights in an outrageous attempt to impose a
fascist agenda is quite the opposite. In fact, treasonous, Johnny. Mr.
Bush should have already been impeached for failing to honor his oath
of office. Aid and comfort to the enemy, General? Isn't that precisely
what you've done with passage of The Patriot Act and emplacement of
military tribunals no more than rubber stamps for government policy?
After all, terrorists will loudly go to their executions complaining
with good reason of kangaroo justice. ... But you and "Die Fuhrer" will
get your way. That's all that matters, right, Johnny?
Cackling further: "Our efforts have been crafted carefully to avoid
infringing on constitutional rights while saving American lives. We
have engaged in a deliberate campaign of arrest and detention of law
breakers. All persons being detained have the right to contact their
lawyers and their families. Our respect for their privacy and concern
for saving lives motivates us not to publicize the names of those
detained."
Clearly again, the Attorney General is lying. To say the least,
habeas corpus has been eviscerated by this unabashed fascist. Over one
thousand foreigners recently incarcerated are held on no formal charges
and have not been afforded their day in court. Literally only a handful
are suspected of being terrorists or directly supporting terrorists.
Ashcroft could care less regarding their privacy. He has refused to
release their names and alleged charges to cover his sorry ass and that
of the jackass enthroned in the White House. ... While some 90% of the
aggressively stupid public remain asleep and oblivious of the egregious
assault on civil liberties and rights.
Recently, the Attorney General pompously crowed no one has sued in
regard to civil rights abuses perpetrated by the "President".
Fortunately, that has changed. Earlier last week the ACLU and other
civil rights groups finally filed suit. About time. This is not Nazi
Germany. ... Supposedly. The people have a right to know who is held,
where they are held, what charges they are held on, IF there are any
charges, etc.. With the judicial system thoroughly corrupt, it will
indeed be interesting to see whether the Constitution including the
Bill of Rights will be upheld.
Continuing disingenuously, Mr. Ashcroft asserted: "We have the
authority to monitor the conversations of 16 of 158,000 federal inmates
and their attorneys because we suspect these communications could
facilitate acts of terrorism. Each such prisoner has been told in
advance his conversations will be monitored. None of the information
that is protected by attorney-client privilege may be used for
prosecution. Information will only be used to stop impending terrorist
acts and to save American lives."
No, General. You do NOT have the authority to monitor lawyer-client
conversations. The Bill of Rights protects attorney-client privilege,
you jackass. Telling them ahead of time you have deprived them of that
right denies those accused effective counsel. Precisely what you
intend, right, Johnny? Fits in with the kangaroo agenda, doesn't it,
sir? When will it happen to American citizens, General? Or is that
already occurring? Adolph and Benito would have been proud.
Lying further, the Attorney General crowed: "We have asked a very
limited number of individuals, visitors to our country holding
passports from countries with active al Qaeda operations, to speak
voluntarily with law enforcement. We are forcing them to do nothing. We
are merely asking them to do the right thing, to willingly disclose
information they may have of terrorist threats to the lives and safety
of all people in the United States."
... Hey, Johnny? Five thousand sought for "questioning" your idea
of a "limited number"? More pointedly, how will they "voluntarily"
speak with law enforcement when law enforcement goons have been ordered
to question them regarding their visa status and hold them if there are
any problems with that status? -- Problems totally unrelated to any
terrorism or support of terrorist activity? Is that what you call
engendering "trust", General? Hope their attorneys sue your
outrageously un-American ass, sir.
Disingenuously testifying further, the Attorney General claimed: "The
Constitution specifically delegates to the president the authority to,
and I quote, 'take care that the laws are faithfully executed,' closed
quote. And, perhaps most importantly, the Constitution vests the
president with the extraordinary and sole authority, as commander in
chief, to lead our nation in times of war."
Hey, Johnny? It doesn't give the "Chief Executive" the right to
essentially suspend the Bill of Rights, you jackass. Equally pointedly,
you nor the dolt occupying the White House have "faithfully executed"
the law, sir. The supreme law of the land is the U.S. Constitution
including the Bill of Rights. You and the "President", however, have
outrageously failed to honor your oaths of office to protect and defend
those rights.
Equally ominously, consider the following assertion by the Attorney
General: "Mr. Chairman and members of this committee, not long ago I
had the privilege of sitting where you now sit. I have the greatest
reverence and respect for the constitutional responsibilities you
shoulder. I will continue to consult with Congress so that you may
fulfill your constitutional responsibilities. In some areas, however, I
cannot and will not consult with you. The advice I give to the
president, whether in his role as commander in chief when at war or in
any other capacity, is privileged and confidential. I cannot and will
not divulge the contents, the context, or even the existence of such
advice to anyone, including Congress, unless the president instructs me
so to do...As attorney general, it is my responsibility, at the
direction of the president, to exercise those core executive powers the
Constitution so designates. The law enforcement initiatives undertaken
by the Department of Justice, those individuals we arrest, detain or
seek to interview, fall under these core executive powers. In addition,
the president's authority to establish war crimes commissions arises
out of his power as commander in chief. For centuries, Congress has
recognized this authority, and the Supreme Court has never held that
any Congress may limit it."
Clearly, this is a fascist attorney general consolidating power for
the Nazi securely occupying the White House. It is the function of
Congress, particularly the Judiciary Committees of both houses, to
exercise oversight of the Executive Branch. Apparently, the Attorney
General is arrogantly abrogating that right and duty. ... Not
particularly surprising coming from this outrageous Aryan. What is
surprising, however, is the gutless silence of the American public.
The Attorney General is on thin ice regarding the legality of military
tribunals under present conditions. There has been no declaration of
war by Congress. Despite assurances to the contrary by Ashcroft, legal
authorities assert Congress indeed has the right to exercise authority
over the issue of military tribunals. Regardless of the legalities or
lack thereof, tribunals in the past have been no more than a rubber
stamp for government policy.
Rules of evidence are far more limited than that available in the
judiciary. The accused in a military tribunal have far more limited
rights to present a defense. Guilt is determined not beyond a
reasonable doubt, but by a preponderance of the evidence. A big
difference. Especially to someone about to be executed. Verdicts need
not be unanimous, but by a two-thirds vote of military officers
obviously beholden to government. Hardly, an impartial "jury". An
outrageous example of kangaroo justice quite un-American. ... Or is it
readers? After all, American Nazism is okay in times of war, isn't it?
... Why bother with tribunals? Just line 'em up against the wall and
shoot 'em. ... Sieg Heil.
Even more telling is the Attorney General's clever approach to
"rights": "There are fundamental rights at stake here - and that's the
right of the American people not to be abused by war criminals." Hey
Johnny? The American people as well as all aliens are entitled to
constitutional rights when accused under American law. Whether guilty
or innocent, you jackass. Clearly, this fascist doesn't understand what
"fundamental rights" are or that they are guaranteed by the
Constitution including the Bill of Rights.
Human rights? What the hell are they, right, General? -- And, more
importantly, who cares? Should military tribunals be used, we are
little better than the enemy who cared nothing for due process. Readers
are reminded one man's "freedom fighter" is another man's "terrorist".
Example? Assassination of Arabs by Israeli government goons. Another
example much closer to home? The saturation bombing of Nazi Germany and
the nuclear obliteration of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. While the United
States WAS RIGHT to do so, both actions were acts of terror by
definition since innocent citizens were targeted. Again, this country
did the right thing. Ultimately, millions of American casualties were
spared. So were many Japanese and German lives. It was still terror,
however. By definition. Yet, we refuse to admit it.
During questioning by Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wa. regarding new
surveillance powers she asked: "Who's watching the watchers?" Clearly,
no one, Senator. Certainly, not Congress. The Attorney General
responded by alluding to a cartoon depicting Santa Claus and a child
with Santa telling the kid: "I know when you've been sleeping, I know
when you've been awake, I know when you've been bad or good." The child
replied: "Who are you? John Ashcroft?" The audience laughed, but the
interrogating senator was clearly not amused responding: "I'm not sure
everyone in America is laughing at that." That's right, Senator.
Pointedly, you and your colleagues could have been far more aggressive
in your questioning of the outrageous fascist testifying in front of
the committee. Instead, the Nazi was afforded kid gloves.
The arrogance of the Attorney General is quite galling. During the
hearing at one point and as discussed earlier in this edition he
lambasted those critical of his policies as: "those who scare
peace-loving people with phantoms of lost liberty." ... Hey, Johnny?
Sounds like propaganda coming from Nazi Germany or the Soviet Union.
Liberty has been under attack for the last thirty five years as our
great country turned Right Wing and fascist. Freedom had been
egregiously eroded long before you became Attorney General. Recent
action by the "Administration" since September 11 eviscerating what was
left of civil liberties is simply the icing on the cake.
It is not so much what has happened since September 11 that is so
offensive to the few of us who value civil rights and liberties. It is
what you and the Nazi in the White House will do in the future with The
"Patriot" Act, and other unconstitutional measures, against the
American public. Sieg Heil, Johnny. Sadly, kangaroo justice reminiscent
of the Gestapo and Nazi SS are now embraced by federal goons.
*****Civil Rights Commission Refuses To Seat Bush Lackey*****
That's right. "The Tush" attempted to appoint a fascist colleague,
"conservative" attorney Peter Kirsanow, to the Civil Rights Commission
but was rebuffed by Commission Chair Mary Frances Berry. She claims
there is no vacancy for the "President" to fill. The issue will be
decided by the courts. Fat chance she will prevail with the judiciary,
clearly biased in favor of the Fascist Right in this country.
The Commission is supposed to be independent and is a watch dog for
civil rights. The "President" apparently wants no part of that and is
determined to force his will and agenda. Kirsanow is no happy camper,
disingenuously asserting he's "saddened by the realization that this
body, which is charged with ensuring that the legal rights of all
Americans are protected, is acting in a manner that can only be
described as lawless." Is that right, Pete? ... Tough, isn't it? Good
to see, however, at least a few are beginning to challenge the jackass
in the White House, -- regardless of whether or not they prevail in
court. ... Hey, Pete? One more thing... Since when are fascists
interested "with ensuring that the legal rights of all Americans are
protected"?
*****Klee's Kaleidoscope*****
Be sure to click on 'Kaleidoscope V4' on the Maxpages site or
'Kaleidoscope' on the Stormpages site for Harvey Klee's latest edition.
This publication is a forum for a diversity of viewpoints. All are
encouraged to submit material.
*****Unbridled Fear*****
As strongly asserted in the last 32 editions, gut-wrenching fear
generated by the Narcotics Enforcement Team is quite impressive. After
all, these Nazi stormtroopers not only outrageously intimidate
defendants and their gutless attorneys, but even innocent third parties
who have suffered at their corrupt and abusive hands.
Recently, a source came forward with allegations regarding the death of
a loved one under exceptionally curious circumstances. Sadly, the
survivor got cold feet.
Most pointedly and quite publicly, how in hell do you expect these
abuses to end if you don't have the guts to stand up and expose them to
the light of day?
Every time a source cowardly runs the other way, the corrupt and
abusive sons of bitches win. Every g-ddamned time. Worse yet, another
nail is driven into the coffin of liberty.
If you don't have the courage to stand up and do the right thing, why
should this writer continue to place himself in physical and legal
jeopardy trying to expose the outrageous corruption and abuse?
Tim Chorney, Publisher
The Llano Ledger