November 11, 2005
Report: Mark Crispin Miller "Fooled Again" at Seattle Townhall
Mark Crispin Miller spoke at Seattle Townhall last night. He's promoting his new book Fooled Again. The book is an engaging layperson's guide to the stolen 2004 Presidential election. Summarizing the works of Rep Conyers, Wasserman, Fitrakis, etc. The talk included some current events, a quick summary of the book, a call to arms, and a healthy Q&A session.
[Note: Mark Crispin Miller is speaking again tonight at University Bookstore and tomorrow night at Elliot Bay Books. See below. Highly recommended.]
Of course, Miller started with his version of the "Kerry Told Me He Now Thinks the Election Was Stolen" story, covering the events before and after.
Miller then listed some of the many Republicans and conservatives who opposed Bush prior to the 2004 election. Like Clinton impeachment champion Bob Barr, now consultant to the ACLU.
The Bush Team are not conservatives, they're radical. Bush's "strong support" is now 22%, +/- 4%. Miller noted that 18% also supported Bush on the Terry Schiavo mess. These are the same hardcore people.
We're all children of the Cold War. We thought that was the big fight. It was just a historical blip. Both capitalism and communism were results of the Age of Englightment. But the fight over the Enlightment continues, with the liberal democratic believers in progress on one side and the misogynistic, misanthropic, intolerant, anti-progress theocrats on the other.
The United States of America was a product of the Enlightment. Pursuit of happiness. Separation of church and state. The Bill of Rights. Democracy. Etc. We all need to relearn Tom Paine, Thomas Jefferson, etc. Most religious types, who came to America to escape religious persecution, have been historically Jeffersonian. For instance, the Baptists used to support the separation of church and state. Until they tasted the apple of power in the 1980s.
Traditional conservatives are products of the Age of Enlightenment: coherent, rational, worldly. Miller, a self-professed independent, said "conservatives" love him. Assuming the labels "conservative" and "liberal" have any meaning any more. What we're facing now are the children of Nixon. They're not conservative. They're religious zealots bent on destroying democracy. They're cryptofascists. We no longer live in a democracy.
The fundamentalist evangelical (Dominionist) doctrine justifying the destruction of the earth comes from a very narrow reading of Genesis. They're doing it on purpose.
Miller also mentioned the 10 million Christian Zionists. The hardcore supporters of Isreal. The ones currently doing missionary work in Iraq, trying to save souls and sometimes getting killed for their efforts.
I think it's fair to say that people are very upset and disappointed that (establishment) Washington Democrats won't touch the issue of stolen elections. Miller says the locals, activists, and grassroots have "the fire in the belly". There's a disconnect between national and locals. The national leadership is the problem. For some reason, the subject is taboo. Miller lists all the scandals, lies, atrocities, and criminality of the Bush Administration and GOP that we accept as true. But to steal an election!? No, that could never happen here.
People want to know why the Democrats remain silent. Miller gives three reasons. Many Democrats are essentially Republicans. Infiltrators and impersonators, really. It's an old trick. He listed "Democrats" from Ohio and Florida, like the butterfly ballot lady, who are Republicans that ran as Democrats.
Corruption is the second reason. Bev Harris and others have exposed many Democrat and minority leaders who are on the payroll.
Lastly, and probably the biggest reason, is denial. Stolen elections is just too huge to comprehend and accept. Anyone in an elected position is emotionally invested in the status quo, unwilling to examine their own perhaps unscrupulous actions, and can't face the facts.
One question was "How do we change a broken election system using the broken system?", a reference to the failed Reform Ohio Now initiatives. Miller said circumstances do change, the elites fighting each other, and as we get active on the local level, opportunities will present themselves.
Miller advised not to think about the whole problem all at once. It's just too much and you won't bother getting out of bed. Focus on what you can do right here, right now. Work towards the goal in small steps.
Miller also said that a system canoot exist without support from the people. The Soviet Union failed because the people's lack of faith in the system finally reached a tipping point. Ultimately, it doesn't matter how many guns they have if the people are opposed.
Miller on Michael Medved
Miller will be on Medved's program on KTTH 770AM Seattle today at 1:00pm. (I think it's syndicated.) Medved likes to play "gotcha!" with his liberal guests. Miller encouraged us to call in. 206-421-0770 or 1-800-465-8770.
I'll probably ask why the Ohio GOP won't permit inspection of the ballots, machines, etc. Or maybe if the burden of proof is on us to prove fraud, or for the government to prove the process is open, fair, and verifiable.
Miscellany
Project Censored ranks Another Year of Distorted Election Coverage at number 3 for 2006.
Thanks to everyone who took the poll yesterday. 87% believe the election was stolen. Remember Brad Friedman's advice: Be the media. You've read the reports. You know the facts. You've seen the results. Do not let the pollyannas, doubting Thomases, and deniers dissuade you. Find each other. Talk to each other. Educate each other. Attend the public hearings. Protest. Get out and get active. Speak truth to power.
Carl Shatski of Pirate TV on Seattle Community Television taped the event. But I can't find a URL and I don't think they stream stuff online. Stay tuned.
Upcoming Mark Crispin Miller Events
Seattle:
Nov 11 University Book Store, 7pm
Nov 12 Elliot Bay Books
Portland:
Nov 14 Powell's Books, Hawthorne, 7:30 pm
Minneapolis:
Nov 15 Magers & Quinn Booksellers, 7pm
Wisconsin:
Nov 21
University School of Milwaukee, College Prep School, talk to 300-400 students, 1:00 pm (Schwarz to sell books)
Harry W. Schwartz, 7pm
Chicago:
Nov 22 Barbara's, 7:30 pm
Baltimore:
Nov 26 Creative Alliance, 7:30 pm
Washington, DC:
Nov 29 Politics & Prose, 7pm
Philadelphia:
Nov 30 Robin's Books, 7pm
(Cross-posted on dailyKos, WashBlog.)
[Note: Mark Crispin Miller is speaking again tonight at University Bookstore and tomorrow night at Elliot Bay Books. See below. Highly recommended.]
Of course, Miller started with his version of the "Kerry Told Me He Now Thinks the Election Was Stolen" story, covering the events before and after.
Miller then listed some of the many Republicans and conservatives who opposed Bush prior to the 2004 election. Like Clinton impeachment champion Bob Barr, now consultant to the ACLU.
The Bush Team are not conservatives, they're radical. Bush's "strong support" is now 22%, +/- 4%. Miller noted that 18% also supported Bush on the Terry Schiavo mess. These are the same hardcore people.
We're all children of the Cold War. We thought that was the big fight. It was just a historical blip. Both capitalism and communism were results of the Age of Englightment. But the fight over the Enlightment continues, with the liberal democratic believers in progress on one side and the misogynistic, misanthropic, intolerant, anti-progress theocrats on the other.
The United States of America was a product of the Enlightment. Pursuit of happiness. Separation of church and state. The Bill of Rights. Democracy. Etc. We all need to relearn Tom Paine, Thomas Jefferson, etc. Most religious types, who came to America to escape religious persecution, have been historically Jeffersonian. For instance, the Baptists used to support the separation of church and state. Until they tasted the apple of power in the 1980s.
Traditional conservatives are products of the Age of Enlightenment: coherent, rational, worldly. Miller, a self-professed independent, said "conservatives" love him. Assuming the labels "conservative" and "liberal" have any meaning any more. What we're facing now are the children of Nixon. They're not conservative. They're religious zealots bent on destroying democracy. They're cryptofascists. We no longer live in a democracy.
The fundamentalist evangelical (Dominionist) doctrine justifying the destruction of the earth comes from a very narrow reading of Genesis. They're doing it on purpose.
Miller also mentioned the 10 million Christian Zionists. The hardcore supporters of Isreal. The ones currently doing missionary work in Iraq, trying to save souls and sometimes getting killed for their efforts.
I think it's fair to say that people are very upset and disappointed that (establishment) Washington Democrats won't touch the issue of stolen elections. Miller says the locals, activists, and grassroots have "the fire in the belly". There's a disconnect between national and locals. The national leadership is the problem. For some reason, the subject is taboo. Miller lists all the scandals, lies, atrocities, and criminality of the Bush Administration and GOP that we accept as true. But to steal an election!? No, that could never happen here.
People want to know why the Democrats remain silent. Miller gives three reasons. Many Democrats are essentially Republicans. Infiltrators and impersonators, really. It's an old trick. He listed "Democrats" from Ohio and Florida, like the butterfly ballot lady, who are Republicans that ran as Democrats.
Corruption is the second reason. Bev Harris and others have exposed many Democrat and minority leaders who are on the payroll.
Lastly, and probably the biggest reason, is denial. Stolen elections is just too huge to comprehend and accept. Anyone in an elected position is emotionally invested in the status quo, unwilling to examine their own perhaps unscrupulous actions, and can't face the facts.
One question was "How do we change a broken election system using the broken system?", a reference to the failed Reform Ohio Now initiatives. Miller said circumstances do change, the elites fighting each other, and as we get active on the local level, opportunities will present themselves.
Miller advised not to think about the whole problem all at once. It's just too much and you won't bother getting out of bed. Focus on what you can do right here, right now. Work towards the goal in small steps.
Miller also said that a system canoot exist without support from the people. The Soviet Union failed because the people's lack of faith in the system finally reached a tipping point. Ultimately, it doesn't matter how many guns they have if the people are opposed.
Miller on Michael Medved
Miller will be on Medved's program on KTTH 770AM Seattle today at 1:00pm. (I think it's syndicated.) Medved likes to play "gotcha!" with his liberal guests. Miller encouraged us to call in. 206-421-0770 or 1-800-465-8770.
I'll probably ask why the Ohio GOP won't permit inspection of the ballots, machines, etc. Or maybe if the burden of proof is on us to prove fraud, or for the government to prove the process is open, fair, and verifiable.
Miscellany
Project Censored ranks Another Year of Distorted Election Coverage at number 3 for 2006.
Thanks to everyone who took the poll yesterday. 87% believe the election was stolen. Remember Brad Friedman's advice: Be the media. You've read the reports. You know the facts. You've seen the results. Do not let the pollyannas, doubting Thomases, and deniers dissuade you. Find each other. Talk to each other. Educate each other. Attend the public hearings. Protest. Get out and get active. Speak truth to power.
Carl Shatski of Pirate TV on Seattle Community Television taped the event. But I can't find a URL and I don't think they stream stuff online. Stay tuned.
Upcoming Mark Crispin Miller Events
Seattle:
Nov 11 University Book Store, 7pm
Nov 12 Elliot Bay Books
Portland:
Nov 14 Powell's Books, Hawthorne, 7:30 pm
Minneapolis:
Nov 15 Magers & Quinn Booksellers, 7pm
Wisconsin:
Nov 21
University School of Milwaukee, College Prep School, talk to 300-400 students, 1:00 pm (Schwarz to sell books)
Harry W. Schwartz, 7pm
Chicago:
Nov 22 Barbara's, 7:30 pm
Baltimore:
Nov 26 Creative Alliance, 7:30 pm
Washington, DC:
Nov 29 Politics & Prose, 7pm
Philadelphia:
Nov 30 Robin's Books, 7pm
(Cross-posted on dailyKos, WashBlog.)
