The APJ Mailbag

From: Garin W.
Re: More frustration and failure!
Date: Oct. 12, 2002

I'd really like Bernard Weiner to tell me _exactly_ what in the history of the last few years would cause a rational person to think that electing more democrats will make any difference whatsoever.

My Congressweasal, Adam Smith (WA), and one of my Senators, Maria Cantwell, voted with Bush on the war resolution. Based on what I've seen over the last 10-20 years, I might as well vote for the repuglican -- I'm gonna get somebody that votes that way.

Gephardt and Daschle sure have shown big time courage and leadership. I'm gonna vote for any _real_ left of center progressive available or not vote in that race -- no more lesser evil.

From: Bernie Weiner
To: Garin
Re: More frustration and failure!
Date: Oct. 12, 2002

I share your frustration. I HATE voting for the lesser evil -- I was a founding member of The New Party in the '60s and have supported Greens often -- and rarely advocate that policy. I do so this year only because the stakes are so damn high. If the Republicans take over the House and the Senate, we can kiss progressive politics goodbye for the next several decades. If the Democrats can take the House and hold the Senate, the worst of Bush&Co. policies can be stopped or at least mangled a bit -- and we can move on from there to try to move the country in a more progressive direction.

Thus, for this election, I'm willing to forsake political purity, hold my nose and vote for less than spotless Democrats. If you want to help defeat Democrats you don't like, and thus risk giving Bush&Co. more ammunition for their imperial foreign policy and anti-Constitutional domestic policy, I can't stop you.

But, while I certainly understand where you're coming from and even share your desires, I can't concentrate on what I'M feeling this time; I've got to work to break the Bush momentum and stranglehold on power.

Thanks for writing.

All best, Bernard Weiner

From: John M.
Re: Nov. 5
Date: Oct. 12, 2002

It would be a wonderful thing if people did turn out in record numbers to vote for change on November 5th.

But would their votes be counted?
I find it impossible to believe that with so much at stake that Bush and his band of thugs haven't already rigged enough friendly states and congressional districts to give him the outcome he wants. Who's to stop him? The Justice Department? The Courts? Our Corporate Press Corps? The Cowards in The Democratic Party? Bush can pretty much do whatever he wants this November. There's no one to stop him.

From: A disgruntled suburbanite
Re: APJ
Date: Oct. 11, 2002

keep writing

we enjoy you

suburbanites surrounded by bushies

From: JCH
Re: Grandpa Don
Date: 10/10/02

Jeff Koopersmith wrote, "My suggestion might be to simply invade all the Arab states at once and crush them -- installing feminist women as president of each. That way we could have all the oil we want, not to mention great olives, some camels, and plenty of sand to replenish the eroding beaches of our eastern shores."

You got some it correct.

Take over the Arab states and if the people care to have a democracy let them have it thereby helping capitalism which helps freedom which helps us have a great standard of living. The more goods that are sold around the world and the more freedom people enjoy and the less war we have the better off we (well, the ones that want to live in peace at least) will be.

So I don't care what political affiliation the President has when he destroys people that not only preach our destruction but act on it.

From: Dimitra
Re: Dry Drunk
Date: 10/10/02

Thank you for printing Alan Bisbort's article.

I would like to share with you my letter to Arianna Huffington, editors of the LA Times, NY Times, and columnists Frank Rich, Paul Krugman, Nicholas Kristof, and Maureen Dowd.

IS ANYONE EVER GOING TO START DEALING WITH THE FACT THAT GEORGE BUSH IS AN UNTREATED DRUG AND ALCOHOL ADDICT???

He has never availed himself of rehab facilities or the benefits of attending Alcoholics Anonymous.

He is what is known as a "DRY DRUNK." There is a saying in AA that directly applies to him: "Just because you're SOBER doesn't mean you're SANE!"

And, besides, he is NOT Sober -- he is known to guzzle so-called Non-alcoholic Beer, which contains 3% alcohol. The FDA regulation is 3% or less alcohol can be labeled "NON" Alcoholic -- but it is'nt! Recovering alcoholics do not drink that stuff -- it's too dangerous -- it can trigger and activate alcoholic thinking and behavior -- which is completely irrational.

GEORGE BUSH's BEHAVIOR IS NOT RATIONAL -- his refusal to deal with or make any effort to solve the problems tearing this country apart is not rational --his uncaring indifference to anyone except the CEO's he and his Administration are in bed with and the l% richest Americans he is catering to is not rational. This is not being a Compassionate Conservative -- it is a SOCIOPATHIC lack of conscience or caring about anyone or anything but himself and what he wants -- and his inability to see anything wrong with his thinking or behavior. These are all symptoms of alcoholism -- the most classic of which is DENIAL!!!

ALCOHOLISM is a DISEASE OF DENIAL -- and George Bush is in a profound state of denial on many levels.

Obsessing on Saddam Hussein and what he may do in the future -- instead of dealing with the domestic problems of TODAY and solving them are typical of alcoholic thinking and behavior.

I could go on -- but let me conclude on this note:

One never recovers from Alcoholism -- but is always in a state of Redcover-ING, not Recover-ED. Recover-ING and living a SOBER and SANE life is based on a few simple concepts: (1) Living "one day at a time" (2) Making a thorough and honest inventory of unsolved problems from the past which are contaminating the present -- and solving them

What is urgently needed in NOT A PREEMPTIVE STRIKE AGAINST IRAQ -- but a mass INTERVENTION by the American people who do NOT AGREE with him -- to have him admitted into a REHAB FACILITY immediately AND make it mandatory for his family and Members of his Staff of ENABLERS to attend ALANON MEETINGS! Then let the American people and those members of the House and Senate who do NOT WANT WAR deal with Saddam Hussein and Iraq. If George Bush wants to destroy himself -- that is his prerogative. But it is NOT his prerogative to take our country and possibly the rest of the world with him!

From: Snootie
To: Tamara Baker
Re: Trifectas
Date: 10/8/02

Forget the NYT paper, the fun is with the political payoffs, ie, St Rudy's real estate manipulations that screwed the littlier guy to profit the Times Corp.

Keep your eye on the subsidiaries of the Times and Post.

BTW, if you want to join the graduate school of cynics, forget the liberal bias drone.

If Howell Raines was truly in the sights of the right wing hate machine, his sleazy personal life would be bouncing around the echo chamber. It's a strawman routine.

The Times "seems" to be resisting the bushiraq circle jerk so when they solemnly sign on, they can be held up as doves who saw the light.

Never, ever believe the right wing thinks someone is liberal unless that person is being savaged 24/7.

From: CK
Re: The alliteration trifecta
Date: Oct. 8, 2002

On the late news, one station led with this alliteration trifecta:

"The time for denying, deceiving and delaying has come
to an end," Mr. Bush said. "Saddam must disarm himself
or, for the sake of peace, we will lead a coalition to
disarm him."

Bush Hits The Alliteration Trifecta!

That Settles It!!

Let's Go To War!!!

Yessir, with word-smithing like that, the game is over -- supreme ultimate maximum glorious leader-for-life Bush has convinced me!

On to Baghdad!
And then --
Iran...
Syria...
Mecca...
Libya...
Cuba...
Brazil...
Venezuela...
Germany...
Canada...
California...

...and all those other blue states that need to be destroyed in order to liberate them from their delusions of freedom!

El Supremo Bush will set them straight -- even if he has to kill 'em all.

Pity the people of Iraq -- may God help them.

Pity the World; and God help us all.

From: John S.
Re: Roll over, play dead
Date: Oct. 8, 2002

The American people are more interested in our problems here at home than they are in conquering the middle east. Calls to the Congress are 90% against a war. About 67% are opposed in the polls. No legitimate case has been made for an attack on Iraq.

But you are now on the brink of giving this 'president' the authority to plunge us into war which WE THE PEOPLE (remember us, we vote?) DO NOT WANT.

Memo to Democrats in Congress: AREN'T YOU LISTENING?

Are you just going to play dead?

Get some backbone and represent the American people. We don't trust this 'president' or the republicans. Look at what they've done to us already: dying economy, rampant unemployment, market meltdown, corporate scandals, relaxed environmental laws, abandoned global cooperation

They've turned us into a police state, embroiled us in an undeclared war that has accomplished little to free us from terrorism, and have the colossal nerve that we follow them blindly and give the president power to lead us into global war.

Well, if we are at war in November, you will lose the election, and you will deserve to. Stopping this resolution is your test. If you lose, we will lose our country as we know it. We don't want to lose. This country belongs to us, not to Bush and the republicans who follow blindly.

I am a disabled veteran of World War II. I am also a democratic committeeman in my district. I want to help us win back our country and to earn the respect, not the fear, of the rest of the world. I want the United States to be prosperous and a better place to live.

We should negotiate a safer peaceful middle east, not invade and impose our will. But this will never happen with power-mad George W. in charge. You have the power to stop it now, but playing dead won't do it. IT IS TIME TO TAKE A STAND for us.

From: Marc Perkel
Re: We've Gone Mad
Date: 10/8/02

We used to be the beacon of freedom and democracy but now we are a threat to the rest of the world. In 2000 America was overthrown by a right wing coop who stole the election and installed a drunken moron into power. The first thing he did was to destroy the economy and shut down anti-terrorism efforts leaving us vulnerable to attack. Then Bush and Congress, in a bipartisan effort to destroy freedom, tore up the Constitution with the Patriot Act and are trying to implement a Nazi era style form of "Homeland Security" to keep us under this government's thumb.

After having failed this summer to overthrow the government of Venezuela and install an oil man as president, Bush now turns to overthrowing Iraq without world support, to initiate a war where America is clearly the aggressor. We do not have the support of the United Nations and we are the object of ridicule and are now feared by our allies. Our friends don't trust us and we are an isolated rogue nation that has gone mad.

This government is not America and we are a threat to humanity and we should do everything in our powers to rise up against our illegitimate government and let the President and members of Congress know that this is a government of the People. If they forget that then the People of America will rise up and install a new government that understands the our government exists for the sole purpose of serving the people and not the self interests of our (un)elected officials.