On a new state department policy on Turkey and Armenia, Bruce Fein

Bruce Fein

The Quest for Change

Posted March 7, 2008 | 05:36 PM (EST)

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By all accounts, the 2008 presidential election is about "change," yet it is politics as usual when it comes to the ongoing Armenian dispute with Turkey. The quarrel over World War I history in Anatolia -- which many have difficulty even finding on a map -- has been turned into a special interest issue by the Armenian lobby. Political calculations prompted Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton to release presidential campaign statements supporting a congressional resolution to mischaracterize tragic events which unfolded during the waning years of the Ottoman Empire as genocide. The two White House aspirants are aping the Armenian resolution initiative of the House of Representatives in the previous Congress, whereby Members would hijack the role of both historian and the World Court in deciding the genocide question; this resolution was derailed by the then House Speaker. The Obama-Clinton pandering to the Armenian lobby betrays the signature Washington habit of making promises now and thinking about them later. It speaks volumes that Senator John McCain, arch enemy of earmarks and sister special interest money, refrained from bowing to Armenian campaign contributions and votes.

For several decades, some outspoken Armenian-Americans have politicized the events of 1915 in lieu of seeking the full truth. By playing their game, Obama and Clinton wander from history, fan the flames of division, and stray ever farther from what they purport to be about: change from past myopia, folly, or pettiness.

Turkey opened the Ottoman archives for academic research many years ago. Armenian archives that remain closed, including those in the United States, should be opened for examination by scholars. Openness would foster constructive change by creating an impartial forum free from the influences of domestic electoral politics to establish a more comprehensive narrative of the events of 1915. Genocide questions are too important to be entrusted to amateurs. They should be addressed by objective experts in the proper forum un-distracted by political calculations.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul responded to the recent Armenian presidential election results by calling for "normalized relations" between Turkey and Armenia and urging increased cooperation. His remarks highlight Turkey's commitment to change from a political landscape reminiscent of a petrified forest. Our nation's leaders, both current and prospective, should follow President Gul's instruction.

Reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia is no pipedream. Who ever thought Germany and France would reconcile in the short decades after World War II? At issue are not only the grim events of 1915, where innocent life was tragically lost on both sides during the war, but also Armenia's occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh, territory belonging to Azerbaijan. Turkish-Armenian reconciliation may need the catalyst of leaders who care not only about geostrategic maneuvering, but the people whose lives would be directly implicated. To play the role of facilitator, a United States leader would need to harmonize the disparate voices of domestic constituencies, without neglecting strategic allies such as Turkey.

A leader who promotes reconciliation and peace among peoples and nations is the architect of change.

America deserves that kind of leader.

Response:

Bruce Fein Explains the Turkey/Armenia Issue
Michael van der Galien on March 13, 2008 @ 12:02 pm CET
Publish Post

Bruce Fein wrote a great post for the Huffington Post (of all places) about ” the ongoing Armenian dispute with Turkey.” “The quarrel over World War I history in Anatolia — which many have difficulty even finding on a map — has been turned into a special interest issue by the Armenian lobby,” he writes, and American politicians seem all too willing to give in to Armenian pressure.

Political calculations prompted Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton to release presidential campaign statements supporting a congressional resolution to mischaracterize tragic events which unfolded during the waning years of the Ottoman Empire as genocide. The two White House aspirants are aping the Armenian resolution initiative of the House of Representatives in the previous Congress, whereby Members would hijack the role of both historian and the World Court in deciding the genocide question; this resolution was derailed by the then House Speaker. The Obama-Clinton pandering to the Armenian lobby betrays the signature Washington habit of making promises now and thinking about them later. It speaks volumes that Senator John McCain, arch enemy of earmarks and sister special interest money, refrained from bowing to Armenian campaign contributions and votes.

For several decades, some outspoken Armenian-Americans have politicized the events of 1915 in lieu of seeking the full truth. By playing their game, Obama and Clinton wander from history, fan the flames of division, and stray ever farther from what they purport to be about: change from past myopia, folly, or pettiness.

He goes on to write that Turkey open its archives (for research) years ago. The Armenian archives, on the other hand, remain closed. Why don’t Armenians open their archives? Well, the reason is simple: Armenians misbehaved tremendously before, during and after the first World War. The world doesn’t have to know that, of course. Those who want to spend time investigating this matter know so nonetheless, but if the Armenian archives contradict the Armenian claims (and propaganda), well, they’ve got a problem.

So, that’s why many people who know a bit about this issue think the Armenians refuse to open their archives (interestingly enough, they continue to say that Turkey has to open its archives, even though Turkey has opened them; it’s all part of the propaganda war).

Fein also writes that if Armenians want reconciliation, they should open up the archives. The problem with this kind of reasoning is, of course, that Armenian lobbyists don’t want reconciliation. They want money and lands.

However; at the moment that Armenia understands that this isn’t going to happen, then - and only then - they might be willing to reconcile with Turkey. In order for that to happen, Fein writes, the US should stop functioning as a mouthpiece for Armenian propagandists. The US shouldn’t be an activist, it should play “the role of facilitator.”

The next president, he writes, should be a person who understands that. Not a person who’s willing to condemn Turkey for something that happened before Turkey existed and who doesn’t understand the difference between a tremendous tragedy with many deaths (on both sides) and genocide.

Well said Bruce.
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6 Comments

1.

1 Harb
March 13, 2008 @ 2:08 pm CET

The issue of whether or not a genocide was committed by the Ottoman Empire against their Armenian Citizens has been decided. The International Association of Genocide Scholars has determined it to be a genocide. It seems that Clinton and Obama are courageously standing against genocide denial despite the fallout with Turkey.
2.

2 raffi
March 13, 2008 @ 3:23 pm CET

i don’t think that for obama and clinton, it’s an issue of courage, but rather of votes. either way, the content of this article is total bullox. it is true that the turkish archives are open, no one disputes this, however, it is a question of ‘what’ is open. though technically you may enter through the doors, the number of articles that one may read are quite restricted, mostly because turkish scholars must go over them first. now, about the armenian archives of 1915, i find it rather difficult to see how mr. fein wants them open. he must not have realised that in 1915, armenia did not exist, for it was under ottoman occupation for the last 400 years. records have been kept, however, and today’s modern republic of armenia’s archives are quite open. it is interesting to note that mr. fein places all armenians in the same boat, as if they were one thinking block. he seems to be sure that all armenians are sleeper agents, part of a global conspiracy to soil the ‘good name’ of the turkish state. it is unsafe to say that all armenians just want land and money. the land issue has nothing to do with the genocide, as it is related to the sevres treaty, and compensation is not such a bad thing to be sure, the jewish state was built on german money after all. how easy is it to say that armenians are some sort of money hungry creatures. many times over, armenian families of genocide victims have gone to court to retrieve their insurance money. however, after winning, they were only payed a tiny fraction of what was owed, but to the armenians it was not the monitary value that counted, but rather the symbolic value. thus it is my opinion that bruce fein is living in a kemalist fantasy world. also it must be noted that politics are what create history, so for turks to claim that armenians are trying to ‘politicise a historical issue’ is quite wrong.
3.

3 Richard
March 13, 2008 @ 3:26 pm CET

Interesting piece from the "Resident Scholar for the Turkish Coalition of America. Prior to this position, Mr. Fein was also resident scholar at the Assembly of Turkish American Associations and a columnist for the Turkish Times".

He repeats a few inaccuracies though. Armenia’s archives are open and accessible. The various Ottoman and Turkish archives have been progressively opened in recent years although some still remain restricted and there is evidence of "cleansing".

The U.S.A. should be putting more pressure on Turkey to end its blockade of Armenia and re-establish diplomatic relations with this tiny country. Armenia has offered to do so without pre-conditions. This is the way forward to reconciliation.
4.

4 Nihat
March 13, 2008 @ 5:15 pm CET

There wasn’t Armenia in those years, so there are no Armenian archives to speak of. That’s a good one…
5.

5 Harut
March 13, 2008 @ 6:36 pm CET

When you have thousands upon thousands of Armenians who are living today all over the world, who did not see any grandparents, any aunts, any uncles, any cousins because all were massacred by the Turks, this are the Armenian archives. When you have both of your parents growing up after the 1915 Genocide with out any relatives, this is the Armenian archives. And also to mention that this archives have mouths and this archives do speak. And times this archives speak very loud. And even when there time is up and they have to pass on, their off springs in multiple numbers will be continuing to be the old and new archives.

The Bible says:
John 12:24
I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
6.

6 Jason
March 13, 2008 @ 9:37 pm CET

Because so many (more than 60% of all comments on this thread) of those who disagree have shown themselves unwilling or unable to do so without using racial and ethnic slurs and baseless accusations of corruption, comments have been deleted and this comments thread has been closed.

Let this be a warning to those who would use racial, religious, and national slurs and baseless accusations in the future as well. If you do it, your comments will be deleted, threads closed, and you may be banned.

If you can disagree civilly, without name-calling, without bigotry, and without accusations of corruption, you are welcome and encouraged to comment.

Maureen Dowd and Virginia Simson on HiLIARy and Obama THERE WILL BE BLOOD

I'm NOT pro Obama, although he can get me excited - He did the first time I ever heard him. I specifically tuned in to watch him on Oprah. Truth to tell, I was particularly avid to see Oprah spend some of her own money promoting him. Which she has - and thank God for that!

Any regular reader here will know (the few who persist) that I categorically do NOT support HiLIARy Clinton - the "issue" is in my backyard. This woman sat on her behind while my son tried to kill himself after we we had been tortured under the hand of the Immigration and Natualization Service (INS) while on her (unelected) watch as Vice President.

I know that she KNEW and her husband KNEW precisely what had befallen us and how bad our conditions became. It was a prision without guards for us during the next years of the Clinton Administration, only we didnt' even get food or clothing. My son went without shoes we were so poor!

Now I watch as their latest ripoffs go largely undetected (see articles about Bill Clinton on this blog, just as examples.)

She explicitly knew about my so-called case! I am ONE of those missing documents that the Clintons do not, do NOT want turned over. What could she say about "caring about children" when the truth were to become known, common knowledge ..

I will never in my last days on this earth, being tortured in at some future date - EVER EVER support this tyrant, for my friends, that is what she is. A full scale, hideous tyrant - already tried and tested.

I know, Peter F. Paul knows - and believe me! We are NOT the only ones.

Barak Obama has yet to personally fall under her torture tactics which are perhaps more covert than George W. Bush within the United States.

I remain here, in exile, in Canada, a living reminder of an Inconvenient Truth - that the US has been a torturing nation domestically although officially they claim that "We do not torture". I assure you that they DO, and in secret rooms in federal offices where no photographic evidence can remain. Where no can see - and not always "leaving no marks" either.

It's Sunday - a day I usually put alot of financial items on this blog. I am not going to upset myself by going over ALL the dilaterious side effects that torture had on me. I am sick to death of talking about them, I am sick of living them. My son has gone utterly mad due to what was done to us. I live with that TRUTH on a daily basis. It is exquisitely painful, a crying truth no one, nowhere at any time should have to live with. A completely unbelievable sorrow.

While this is NOT a great place to make this confession: I live now utterly alone, impoverished, ignored and under great stress and disability every day!! I curse Hillary Clinton every day of my life and while I don't care to see her suffer in the same fashion I have (who could wish that on anyone else), it is my prayer that someday - SOMEDAY - that woman and her horrible husband and their "friend" Al Gore face a court of justice and I get my chance to testify against her.

Enjoy her face on your newspapers while you can, America. That is the face of Pure Unadultered Greed, lieing right to your faces day after day after day.

Derek Obama, GET ELECTED if they let you. Expose their stupid corporate rot and distance yourselves from these evil corrupters!! America is going down the shithole and it needs someone with a steady hand at this point. I do not support your zionist stance, Obama. When you say you will keep a nuclear option on the table for Pakistan I shudder and long, suffering days in which I can write and post nothing. I was shocked when the lawyers came out and supported you.

But you have a GIFT, a gift that in her usual selfish way, she would deny you being turned to advantage to yourself - and to the benefit of not just American people but people around the globe.

This is no time for debates about racism and sexism, this is the FINAL HOUR which BuZh and the Clinton Cos have brought on and the victims of their ruthlessness are legion and widely unknown and totally silenced.

I will NOT be silenced! I've paid dearly for (1) sticking up for Leonard Peltier; (2) trying to protect my son from a DARPA agent and (3) exposing rendition and lack of due process back in 1994 in the mainstream press. It is truly a wonder I am alive, I must be here for some purpose.

If that purpose is to expose even one more time the LIES that are HiLIARy and William Clinton, then I'll take that opportunity today.

And Barak - get some guys with big fat mitts and sock her right down!! If you care one whit about the future of America and your children, sock her right down!!

And for anyone who chances on reading this, watch this video, get your friends to watch and hope that someday, someday I get a video out that exposes the human rights violations of the Clintonistas from MY point of view; the voice of the women and children she put into completely intolerable positions with their Greed Agenda. Change! Hillary wants Change?? Then Hillary start praying that Gawd forgives you for what you have done to so many of us. Shut up and get out of Obama's way ..

www.peterfpaul.com


HiLIARy, today, once again, I SPIT ON YOU and your little dog, too.

Virginia Simson
Once a Minnesotan, now living in no man's land


Op-Ed Columnist

There Will Be Blood

• By MAUREEN DOWD

Published: February 3, 2008

LOS ANGELES

Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times

Maureen Dowd

Suddenly, everyone was in the mood for love. Would the scream team turn into the dream team?

After Thursday’s Democratic debate, CNN’s Carol Costello said there were “heart palpitations” and “ripples of joy” in the glittery Kodak Theater audience at the idea of a Hillary-Obama or Obama-Hillary ticket, after he was gallant with her and she laughed gaily with him.

How could Hollywood not fall in love with Hollywood’s favorite plot? After lots of sparking and sparring, the couple falls into each other’s arms in the last scene.

The would-be matchmakers didn’t seem to know that in Hollywood, couples who have chemistry on screen often don’t like each other off screen, and ones who are involved off screen often don’t have any chemistry on screen.

And so it is with Barack and Hillary. Thursday night was not the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Just a beautiful, dare we say, fairy tale.

Hillary is done with playing a supporting role to a political natural. And why would Obama want to follow in the frustrated footsteps of Al Gore, who became Bill Clinton’s vice president only to find that the job was already taken by Hillary? Think about being third banana to Billary? There won’t be any Dick Cheney-style coup in Hillary’s White House.

“Can you imagine being in that position?” a member of Team Obama said tartly. “Well, neither can he. It’s just part of their campaign to marginalize him. I think they’re pushing every freaking button they can right now.”

Team Obama refers to the Clinton campaign as “Jaws” because “just when things are quiet, they keep trying to come back and capsize the boat.”

A more accurate snapshot of the frosty Clinton-Obama relationship came on a frosty December day in a scorching encounter that is now known simply as “the tarmac moment.” On Dec. 13, the two senators were preparing to board their private planes, parked next to each other at Reagan National Airport, to go back to Iowa for a debate. Hillary sent word to Obama that she wanted to talk to him. Obama’s aides figured that she wanted to make a pro forma apology for the comments of Billy Shaheen, the Clinton co-chairman in New Hampshire, who had told The Washington Post that Republicans would pounce on Obama’s confessions of cocaine and marijuana use in his late teens. Shaheen would step down the next day, but Camp Obama did not think the slam was a mere slip of the tongue.

In front of her plane, Hillary apologized to her rival about Shaheen. Obama replied that he was concerned at the pattern of insinuations and attacks from her supporters and that a message needed to be sent from the top that sharp attacks were not, as Hillary had put it, “the fun part.” He brought up another recent example: the Clinton volunteer in Iowa who had been asked to leave after forwarding sleazy e-mail falsely claiming that Obama was a Muslim.

Then, according to witnesses from the Obama camp, Hillary got very agitated and was “flapping her arms.” All her simmering grievances spilled out during the 10-minute talk. She was still furious about David Geffen’s searing interview with me the previous February, charging that she and Bill lie with such ease “it’s troubling.” While Geffen’s fund-raiser for Obama spurred the column, Obama knew nothing about the interview until it appeared. Hillary was also angry that Obama had called her “disingenuous,” telling Newsweek that it was a contradiction for her to claim that her tenure as first lady gave her more experience but then refuse to release her first lady papers from Bill’s library, saying she had no control over them.

At some point, an Obama intimate recalled, he “gently put his hand on her arm to chill her out.” The tall senator often leans down to put a friendly hand on the shoulder of his fellow senators — male and female — on the Senate floor, and they seem charmed by the gesture.

But Senator Clinton and her circle were not. They had been surprised and troubled by what they saw as his attempt to grab her arm and hold her in place while they talked, an unpleasant flashback to Rick Lazio getting in her space. As Queen Bee of the Clinton hive, Hillary has created a regal force field that can be breached only with permission, so something that wasn’t even a jostle was perceived as a joust.

The encounter seemed to have steeled them both. Hillary, to knock back the upstart who had unexpectedly gotten in her way, and Obama, who came away feeling that, for all of Hillary’s outer strength, she was afraid of him in some ways, and for all of her supposed poise, she had a more spiky temperament than he had realized.

But on Thursday, when he leaned down to whisper and put his hand on her shoulder, she looked up at him with a glowing smile. They really should have taken home gold statuettes.

EQUALITY, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for ALL

I don' t know what to think since Dennis Kucinich has left the ring of those pursuing the presidency..

and I won't know what to think until I hear Dennis' statement on Friday.

But I do know how I am feeling. I am feeling glum. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is the phrase that goes begging at this point.

As someone who will not get excited by any other democratic candidate (and sickened when Hillary gets the nomination) - I cennot support Ron Paul's candidacy. I've done way too much research into him, his supporters and the ideologue platfrom on which he runs. I cannot support McCain or HiLIARy for president - and today's NYT endorsement of those two is certainly pause for thought.

Below is my specific reasoning as to WHY that is.

I really have concluded that much of what we are seeing is a direct result of the THEOCRATIC mindset in work in America. It's not just that the media is able to get away with being able to subvert THE LAW, which they most certainly have when it came to Dennis' media blackout - but those in power know exactly how to manipulate people based on this covert and sick religious militancy people in the United States subscribed to. I don't care if it's evangelicals, new agers (yes!), scientologists (which are legion in Ron Paul's campaign, btw), rapturists (as opposed to evangelicals) --that religious imperative is running wild in the US historical debate of today.

This "debate" that is taking place is overt and sinister. Rather than facing a direct and obvious discussion, it comes out sideways - rather than discussing if all people are equal under the eyes of the law we have discussions of "gay marriage", of "who supports Martin Luther King the most", "do we bomb all the Muslims?" ..

The REAL debate has been delayed by the timely advent in the US discussion by George Bush's disastrous presidency with seven years of direct repression and subversion of the discussion of America's soul and whither it goes into this new Millenium. The Clinton tag team surely has no answers. Obama says: we must work together.

Me, I don't work with religious BIGOTS.

I found it very telling while watching the NYT series called Purple States. A man who is wretched as he's been "downsized" and margainalized in the Atlantic United States. He is entitled by his NYT to go and visit each candidate. His reaction is that he is really For Dennis, because he says Dennis most represented "true" Christianity, as opposed to those waving a cross!! This is very telling, at least to my mind. Would the guy work to get Dennis elected - of COURSE not. And this is illustrative of the nasty little debate everyone avoids 0 the truth that is SELF EVIDENT that no one wants to say any more.

My own morality has been totally challenged since the arrival of Bill Clinton. I am now on year 16 of wondering how long the charade goes on .. and how long is all this going to last. I have been given no one to support except for Dennis Kuchinich in all that time.

I intend to write up more of my observations on this and why the US will not support a person of conviction who suggests American uphold the rule of law. This is NOT a mutually exclusive concept from the idea of freedom for corporations and theocrats although Bush and Dick Cheney&Co would have one think that they are. The leadership of the Bush Administration has been .. well, we all KNOW .. but the vast numbers of the "religious" voting blocks do not. How the executive branch and the fourth branch of US government accomplished their destruction of America needs to be examined very very closely by all of us. It all came wrapped in a flag carrying a cross, just as Sinclair Lewis prediced it would.

Dennis was the spokesperson of last resort for many of us - he MUST hang onto his Congressional seat and it's sure bet that Ohio is also being covert in its discussions and Dennis has a vital role to play in Ohio now. I wish him (and Elizabth) Godspeed.

I don't care what Dennis decides - I will support whatever decision he has made. But I am certain of one thing - he will keep the REAL discussions "On the Table" as long as he is able. He's seen the damage that the toxic brew of religiosity and lieing and deception lead to and he is STILL angry. GREAT! that's what made him my "mouth" in the public debate. He and Wexler have proven to be the great exemplars of conscience, although Bernie Frank is startlingly refreshing. Mike Gravel, Cynthia McKinney - there ARE a few.

I won't be making any decision as to a candidate to support, I"ll just be trying to assist those who want real spiritual debate to be open and free. The republicans devasted themselves by not allowing a free open discussion and now the democrats have truly done themselves in .. what comes next I don't know.

Until that vital discussion of "are all humans are created equal" gains a place in our very public discussions, all that takes place on the political scene is just matter of tactics on how to deal with the idea that they are NOT. America is lead day today by representatives who truly believe that some are NOT and that is why FISA and the torture 'issue' are dominant in our public discourse. Jay Rockerfeller and Feinstein, to my mind, are the biggest tacticians in figuring out how to rig things so that discussion is subdued forever. Ron Paulites have very very little chance to change this - for them, he who has the gold makes the rules.

Any, and I mean any, organization that puts money, property and prestige above its considerations of spiritual considerations is doomed to failure - and that's America today. All men are created EQUAL and they are endowed by their Creator with certain UNALIENABLE RIGHTS. NOT JUST AMERICANS!

Think about it.

I do, constantly. And it means that I should not fear nor cave in to those who would make armaments to the tune of 85% of the US budget subjecting the rest of the globe into terror, nor cave in to those who would "save civilization" for the West.

Ron Paul is not MY mouthpeice in this debate - if he had it correct he would have refused to go on TV to debate when Dennis was getting kicked, he would be pursuing impeachment rather than appealing to those who don't want to obey the laws, he would actively be out working for the end of the oppression of those held back from social justice instead of looking for photo ops with black people and he'd keep his ass away from Bob Jones University.

I ask anyone who supported Dennis to examine what I am saying very carefully before deciding which way to jump .... the whole world is at stake. For those zealots who are following Ron Paul, I hope you demand your candidate's accountability to the US Constitution. He is not pursuing a real platform for impeachment NOW, he is not fighting the FISA fight, he is not telling out Geneva which is part of the Supreme Law of the Land. He is waving a flag and building a coalition of cross bearers in league with scientologiest/eugenists. Think about it. Think HARD.

MAPA endores Dennis Kucinich

Kucinich Wins Presidential Endorsement From Key Mexican American Organization

Posted on January 20, 2008 by dandelionsalad

Dandelion Salad

January 19, 2008 08:19 PM ET

CLEVELAND–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Ohio Congressman and Democratic Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich gained a significant endorsement today from the Mexican American Political Association (MAPA), a progressive advocacy organization based in California and well known for its work in the areas of civil and human rights.

The endorsement of Kucinich from MAPA for the upcoming California Democratic Primary was decided after a vote by the organization’s members earlier in the day. A statement accompany the endorsement, which was announced by MAPA President Nativo Lopez, said:

“We concurred that Dennis Kucinich is the most consistent candidate with the principles of MAPA and the interests of the Latino voters, workers, families, and youth, and of all American voters.

“He has consistently called for and demanded an end to the war against the sovereign people of Iraq and an immediate return of U.S. troops to their families. He has consistently fought for and advocated in favor of a single-payer not-for-profit health care system, which accords with the material and spiritual interests of all Americans, irrespective of any medical pre-conditions, age, immigration status, or income. He has clearly articulated that the U.S. Healthcare system does not need the insurance companies as middlemen or money men to act as go betweens to the medical professionals and the patients.

“This is the candidate who does not accept corporate contributions and steadfastly supports public financing of elections as a way to rid the system of special money interests who buy and sell our politicians.

“Kucinich, the grandson of an immigrant, has most consistently articulated a fair and humane option for immigration reform that accords with the interests of all American workers who have the right to protect their jobs, and also immigrants who are contributing to the wealth of America and therefore deserve to obtain legal status in a fair and judicious way. He has opposed the construction of border walls, unlike the other top tier candidates who voted in favor of constructing the wall along the Mexico and U.S. border.

“He has most astutely opposed the type of ‘free trade’ policies pursued by this and former administrations as detrimental to the U.S. economy and workers, and which result in the export of millions of jobs, and also result in undermining the economies of our neighbors, which in turn are forced to expel their workers as new migrants to the U.S. He has called for the repeal of NAFTA and has advocated for the prospect of fair trade.

“It is for these reasons that MAPA formally endorses citizen Congressman Dennis Kucinich for the Democratic Party presidential candidate.”

Kucinich thanked the members of MAPA for its endorsement, and said: “I applaud your courage and determination to back a political leader who has the best interests of all Americans in mind, and not simply someone who has been given a quick stamp of approval by the media moguls, corporate chiefs and political insiders. The future of our great country is in balance with this election, and I truly appreciate your close attention to the issues that matter in making your decision today.”

MAPA was founded in 1963 to help protect Mexican American farm workers from human rights and work place abuses while simultaneously strengthening communities across California. The organization’s first president, Edward R. Roybal, was later elected to the U. S. House of Representatives, and MAPA members have worked alongside a number of political leaders, including John and Robert Kennedy, Cesar Chavez and Jerry Brown. Since its inception MAPA has been dedicated to the constitutional and democratic principles of political freedom and representation for the Mexican, Mexican-American and Latino people in the United States. For more information, visit the MAPA website at www.MAPA.org.

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Kucinich-Dennis

Dennis 4 President

Meet the Only Two Candidates Worse Than Bush and Cheney

Rudy or Hillary: Pick Your Poison

By PAUL CRAIG ROBERTS

In new books writers as disparate as Naomi Wolf and Pat Buchanan conclude that America as we know her is disappearing. Both writers hope, but are not confident, that enough Americans will catch on in time to find the leadership to pull America back from the brink.

If polls are reliable, a majority of Americans are dissatisfied with President Bush and Congress. However, Americans are far short of Wolf and Buchanan's grasp of our peril.

Americans are unable to connect their dissatisfaction with the current political leadership with their choice of new leaders. All polls show that Hillary Clinton is far in the lead for the Democratic presidential nomination and Rudy Giuliani is far in the lead for the Republican nomination These are the only two candidates guaranteed to be worse than Bush/Cheney.

Both Hillary and Rudy are committed to the war. Both refuse to rule out expanding the war to Iran and beyond. Both are totally in the pocket of the Israel Lobby. Indeed, practically every Giuliani advisor is a member of the Lobby. Both defend the police state measures that "protect us from terrorism." And neither gives a hoot for the US Constitution and the civil liberties it guarantees. The Republican Giuliani is likely to overturn the Second Amendment even quicker than the Democrat Hillary.

Both Hillary and Rudy are creatures of ambition, not of principle. Both are one up on Karl Marx. Marx said truth serves class interests. For Hillary and Rudy, truth is what serves their individual interests. They both wear black hats, and the horse they ride is called power.

Yet in November polls, Republicans prefer Giuliani by a margin of five or six to one over Ron Paul, the only principled Republican candidate and a person who without any doubt believes in the Constitution and would protect it.

Democrats prefer Hillary by a margin of twenty to one over Dennis Kucinich, the only member of Congress sufficiently concerned and courageous to introduce impeachment against the notorious war criminal Dick Cheney. By margins as much as forty-four to one, Democrats prefer Hillary to Senator Christopher Dodd, who promises to give America back its Constitution in the first hour of his administration. Former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel does not even register in the polls.

Obviously, the American people haven't a clue. In November 2007 they show a distinct preference for leaders who are even worse than the ones with whom they are currently dissatisfied. What does this tell us about the American people and their commitment to be sufficiently informed for democracy to function?

It tells us that they are not up to the challenge. It is only a matter of time before America succumbs to the plutocracy, against which Warren Buffet recently warned Congress, or the fascist tyranny that Naomi Wolf sees in our future.

Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in the Reagan administration. He was Associate Editor of the Wall Street Journal editorial page and Contributing Editor of National Review. He is coauthor of The Tyranny of Good Intentions.He can be reached at: PaulCraigRoberts@yahoo.com

The Next BIGGEST World Leader??

Hilary Clinton Rant of the Day

Or, Don't look now
but your feet are showing

The sheClinton is falling from her self-imposed IMPERIAL pedestal.

What happened? She's the new Woman of the Day for the mainstream media and for WALL STREET. Woman with an eye to seeing a woman in the White House, a leader of the alleged Free World, were so intent on seeing HiLIARy come to POWER, that she could do no wrong for many months.

Hillary may not be the politician that her husband is but she does have access to his direction, and people seemed to like the two-for-one aspect of the joint chiefs of the Executive Branch of the US government. It seemed like MUKANS could go to bed at night and get a good night's REST knowing that those two would avert any nuclear crisis, keep the troops morale up, handle the crisis-riddent medical/insurance system which is bankrupting millions, keep the roofs over their heads as the mortgage crisis grinds down everyone to silly, ensure their kidz got a good education, not spend MORE than George W, Buzh, get those terrorists bitchslapped back into line at a moment's notice, make nice to Zionist and arab sheiks alike, eat Chinese food with the top Chinese officials without slobbering while keeping the lead out of the toys,

You know, restore a little FDR fervor to the White House, while making the rest of the world think AMERICA was somehow back on track. WoW! SUPERWOMAN! Supermom! Superlawyer! Superdiplomat! Super-reformer! and she wears her plastic surgery so WELL, too.

In hindsight to those not in the know, Bill Clinton looks like a popular president. He was well educated. His economic MISTAKES were buried under worries people had about college tuition fees and CONSUMING. He had plenty of time to come up with an alternative energy plan for the US, but that bothered no one; no one even put proper insulation into their homes, although his VP, Al Gore, had ample opportunity to help him out on this. He had the ever-faithful HiLIARy to rely on when his critics attacked him for his "indiscretions" as well as his lies. THEY played well to the Audience.

Sounds like their simple life as a married couple could make people feel some identification as their common goal of raising a daughter, maintaining their power dreams and residences and electabllity would carry them through. Hillary's coronation as IMPERIUM QUEEN had been planned for over two decades. Now, that appears to be DEDICATION, doesn't it?

Ah, but the best-laid plans often come to NAUGHT.

Her bid for the throne has been shown to have WEAKNESS, which is not so cool if you campaign, not as a concerned wife and mother, but as an ICON of the Big Boys, the rough tough MURKAN Big Boys. She simply does not have the Oval Office experience. She has SECOND HAND power lust. Claiming that she can stump up the contacts to make her win her bid is not working out for her. She's just a fly on the wall in the White House, not the POWER.

The US executive class women who could SO easily get behind the sheClinton are not doing that. She takes questionable donations (Norman Hsui, Chinese busboys are bamboozled into contributing), but her Natural Audience goes begging. Where are the spiels to Rotary Club women, to Mothers Against Drunk Drivers? Woman executives in local governments? Women in Hollyweird? To women lawyers, for god's sake??

Blessed with intelligence, she doesn't appear to be using it. She's run her campaign as if she was The Nominee -- everyone one else was merely playing their roles as Good Little Subjects - yet time and again, The Queenly touch has failed to touch love in their hearts of her minions

Unlike the Queen of England (or some other Crown state), she's gotten herself in HOT WATER.

She misses her cues . and the brittle face of authentic MURKAN authoritarianism and baffling COLDNESS comes to the fore, in place of HONEST ANSWERS. She waffles, she ducks, she votes for the wrong damned bills like the Kyl-Leiberman amendment, which threatens us all with WWIII implications!! The Queen hands out more wiretaps, more torture of foreigners, voting in an Attorney General who thinks WATERBOARDING is okay -- even IF it's not a tactic that elicits true information from a US detainee. She goes along with TORTURE.

As I've shown, she thinks she should be running any manner of things right down to the videogames, rather than relying on the Justice Department.

For someone who graduated from law school, she doesn't seem to understand the US Constitution or know how to read case law on US Citizen's RIGHTS.

And this just highlights the difficulties she would have running the biggest military in the world, the biggest EMPIRE in the world, shouting out her message of FREEDOM around the world, and commanding respect. She isn't liked much anymore and certainly the respect is slipping by the day. Her experience packing lunches for Bill while he was President isn't standing her in stead as she tries to create her image.

Who is she running AGAINST? The Democrats or George BuZh? The American people?

The field of support she has is looking more threadbare by the day. Her campaigners make enemies at the debates and at political rallies as they elbow their way around and try to prevent other campaigners from having any ground to stand on. She's been accused of PLANTING proHilary forces in the stands .. this doesn't look too good for future leadership; if she were SECURE why would she be doing this ridiculously immature behavior and not trusting in her message? Because there is no message except this

I AM HILLARY! ELECT ME!

The people are quickly getting fed up. With a campaign strategy that thin, who wants her running the WORLD? BuZh may be mesmerized, but WE are not.

Whatever base of enthusiasm she COULD have built up is quickly drifting away ... the moms, the executive-class woman who hit the glass ceiling, the would be academic, the lawyer in a mid-sized law firm - to them she doesn't offer much of a HOPE at all.

The women journalists who might have been her BIGGEST fans of all, are not defending her nor writing those WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONderfulling articles about her High Highness expected to see.

The peacock feathers of being Bill's wife, just couldn't hold the attention of those who are now looking at her feet.

And the funeral notices beginning to pour in ...

I could not care less.

The pulse of America on HiLIARy...

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/10/20/422511.aspx

From NBC/NJ’s Athena Jones
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Clinton addressed the issue of questionable donors from an event last spring in New York’s Chinatown and talked about how she would respond to increased attacks from her rivals while speaking to reporters today after a speech here.

“I’m proud to have support from across our country,” Clinton said. “I represent New York and New York is a symbol of the success of immigrants coming to America and I am pleased to have a lot of first-generation American support as well as people who have been longtime involved in the political process.

“I think with respect to that one event, there were more than 250 people there. My campaign reviewed any of the contributors. We returned money. If new things come to light, we’ll continue to do that.”

The New York Times noted today the Clinton campaign returned $7,000 it determined may have come from people in Chinatown whose professions would make it difficult to contribute so much.

Clinton added she was well aware her opponents on both sides were increasing their focus on her and repeated the line about how nice it is to have all these men paying so much attention to her. She talked about why she could be an agent of change and not just a return to the old Washington establishment.

“Rhetoric is easy to come by but if you look at what I’ve done,” Clinton said. “I have been on the forefront of a lot of the major challenges we’ve had in trying to reign in special interests, and I believe as president I will be in a position to do that.”

On the whether she could her hurt down-ticket Democrats in some places: “I don’t think there’s any basis to that,” she said, “and I think as the campaign goes forward that will be very clearly demonstrated.

“I am not letting the forces that oppose me define me. You know, there’s been a lot of cumulated attacks on me going back 15 years, and what I’ve done in this campaign is to get out and have people form their own opinions of me and slowly but surely I think sort of reverse a lot of the unfounded feelings people had; and of course, you know, when someone like Sen. Evan Bayh endorses me, from a red state like Indiana, I think it sends a strong signal that I’m not only doing well in a lot of these red states, which I am, but I’m going to run a winning campaign. I think the campaign that I’ve run and that I will continue to run should give confidence not only to Democrats but fair-minded Independents and Republicans that we can bring the country back together.”

Clinton said she did not consider herself a front-runner and that she planned to keep working as hard as she possibly could to try to persuade Iowans to come out and caucus for her.

Comments

Lots of fell good talk but no substance. Zero experience.

JPFREE, Southcentral Idaho

If she does not consider herself the frontrunner, then she should talk to Terry McAuliffe(u know, the guy that works for her) to stop telling everyone he meets in Iowa and elsewhere that she has this locked up.
Again, the money from those ppl in Chinatown that cannot be located(how does that money get returned?).

Marbw

I love how she responds without saying anything. It sounds like a total shakedown of poor people who had no choice but to give. If they were scared enough or pressured enough to give the first time, then are they going to really say "I want my money back"?

Also, how does HRC rationalize taking $1000 from someone who washes dishes for a living. This is someone living in NYC on probably close to minimum wage. $1000 is probably more than their non-essential income for the year. She cares about children so much but how many had to go without winter coats or shoes because their parents were strong armed into giving to the Clinton campaign.

She may not be from NYC but she must have watched "The Godfather" a few times.

I hope the NY Times, Washington Post, and other major media is looking into this. So far it has been a complete whitewash. Also, the FEC should be paying a visit to Chinatown.

Doug Crimm

She doesn't realize that everyone gets a bad donation or two but, with her it is a pattern. It seems every few weeks something else is popping up about questionable donations. it is not just one or two. It is all the time. You have to wonder not just about the lack of ethics but, what it says about a person plauged by this and her people around her and her judgment.
It is also an ongoing pattern carried over from her husband's years and the ethics problems from back then.
It makes people wonder...

diane

Clinton today: I am proud top have support of all illegal aliens, gangsters, mafia, Chinese pissons, adn all other illegal money i can raise, because there is no media that would DARE go against me and my adulterous husband Bill, because they know what is good for them if they try anything stupid

Hillaryhater the other America

“Rhetoric is easy to come by but if you look at what I’ve done,” Clinton said. “I have been on the forefront of a lot of the major challenges we’ve had in trying to reign in special interests, and I believe as president I will be in a position to do that.”

Before, it was: "Lobbyists represent real people". Hmm should I think lobbyists and special interests are different or what? She takes money from PACs, lobbyists and/or special interests and turns around and say that she is fighting them... I bet no one in the MSM is going to question that.

Eliah

Everyone, If she keeps her beliefs to herself and shows us where the money is going she will be better off than any republican. I hope we all can just put are beliefs aside. All politicians are corrupt but hey if she takes care of the basic needs, I have her vote!

Christy Anderson

To be flatered is one thing, but Clinton you don't know when your being laughed at for the fool you are!!

Only a lunatic would come up with the promises you have been dumping on the Media. Your one of the most scandal drive Washinton self serving paper hangers this country has to put up with.

Every time you turn, your jumping on the coat tail of another who ""does Have solutions!!

Hilary Clinton is self serving and thrives on being a Washington paper hanger.

only a damn fool would join with this goose stepping lunatic.

Fact /AZ (Sent Saturday, October 20, 2007 10:07 PM)

How do you spell Clinton? B-U-S-H!!!!

DrTim Glendale Arizona

hillary is a PHONY --

t j gretna la

What the Media exposes they will have a feeding frenzy, yet how many thousands of dollars is not exposed. Flaws''More like hidden corruption. It is the game the Paper hangers play every day.

The great QUOTE ''I never knew that money was there! My how they think we are stupid. thus they with your hard earned dollar live high on the hog.

A flaw, no just a common corrupt Washington self serving paper hangers agenda!

Another Fact / AZ (Sent Sunday, October 21, 2007 3:17 AM)

I can guarantee you that all of the candidates for President have some form of questionable donations occuring. It is refreshing to see Mrs. Clinton come out and do the right thing on this.

Bryan Brouhard, Williams, Arizona (Sent Sunday, October 21, 2007 7:51 AM)

Wow, A candidate that acts fast when there is a problem, is that a good example of what we can expect finally in an american leader? Even though she acted quickly, it will never be enough for the Hillary Haters. But it shows me we have at least one person who will look into problems and make decisions instead of blaming someone else, what a breath of fresh air after six and a half years of finger pointing and hiding from responsability.

John S. Alexander, Edinboro, PA

Hillary and Bill Clinton's corruption is real, no matter how they try to justify or spin it.

wizinit, Arlington, VA

Hillary Clinton. Bought and paid for by the Chinese government.

Mel Andrews, Port Hope NC (Sent Sunday, October 21, 2007 10:34 AM)

all in all I am tired of the dynisty of the last 12 years.Everyone here is playing only to what people want to hear and not the truth.This country is in for a rough time in the next administration,everyone knows it will be a time of serious depression We will not be able to do any of the proposals you offer because there will be no money to implament your promises.

Dennis Fitzgerald (Sent Sunday, October 21, 2007 12:17 PM)

Sounds like Hillary is getting into "the no spin zone" ! If you believe this Country needs new direction, I can only assure you that Hillary & Billery will have a devastating effect on the U.S. with their liberal,left wing attitudes,& with Nancy Pelosi, Harry (the wimp) Reid et al!

Jim McGovern

msnbc Wake UP! The people are speaking!

It was the Clintons and the Washington self serving paper hangers who exported America Industry, It was a self serving agenda and we now have the full effect of failure. America is being crushed and the Washington self serving Paper hangers continue the hand out! Mexico has supported Illegal migration, Mexico intends to defy our borders and nothing will stop this movement. A fence was made to jump over ""we learned that while we were children""!

Washington has destroyed our trucking industry! the Mexican is allowed to haul into any where in the country now, thus people are giving loads to the Mewxican as he then dosen't have to return to Mexico ""EMPTY""!! The American Truckers are being given the short haul while the Mexican is now the Prime Hauler going south!! Thus the American again has been sent to the dumpster!! Thank your Wasington Self Serving Paper Hangers """"TRUCKERS""!

Hell, SEND IT OFF SHORE??? """WHY NOW THEY ARE BRING IT ON SHORE"""" """WHAT A INSULT AND A SLAP IN THE FACE""!!!

LOST INDUSTRY / AZ

I'm not letting the forces that oppose me, define me." Finally, Hillary said something that is worth repeating! Unfortunately, if she let the "forces" that oppose her define her, she wouldn't be the socialist manipulator she is. Maybe she ought to listen to her opposition.

glen m. howell, dover de

Dear Hillary, Please tell me and your country just how you gave donations back to people in Chinatown that don't even exist!

Helena Fee, Clearwater, Florida

WE ARE NOT DUMB HILLARY!!

The dirty money was exposed by the Media!!

Like past and Present the Clintons again exposed as corrupt and riddled with scandal!!

A Clinton VOTE is sending a Washington self serving Paper hanger with no leadership or morals to be President!! The Facts stand as they are written.

If it is more of nothing you want, The the Clintons are the best ticket!!

Facts are just that //AZ

In the end, the Presidency will be decided by who looks better in a Red Dress, Hillary or Rudy.

Steve Turner Cedar Falls Iowa

Does anyone expect Clinton to say yes I'll hurt candidates in some places down ticket? Of course not, but it's true.

Patrick CR IA

Don't Let it be said we DID NOTHING!!

Please! Let the lieing STOP!!