The Articles They Don't Want You to See 3

Two weeks ago I started something without even realizing it. I posted my second ever recommended diary on Daily Kos called "The Articles They Don't Want You to See." The success led me to even start it as a new blog, as well as a regular Daily Kos article.

The response was good enough that it is clear I should try and make this a weekly thing. The idea is to highlight articles/infromation/videos, new or old, that are important, under-reported and/or forgotten. And to provide YOU to post articles that YOU think need more attention. This week I will review last week's articles, YOUR suggestions from last week, and present a new set of articles that I think deserve more attention. And if you think I forgot anything, please post in the comments! New articles come first, last week's articles are at the end.


Mitt Romney:
aka Hezbollah Mitt

Something is DEEPLY wrong with Mitt Romney. I already highlighted how Mitt Romney is either an abusive or at least abyssmally stupid pet owner. But he also appears to be a fan of Hezbollah! Mitt Romney has said the United States should emulate Hezbollah. If he wanted an example of civic activism, he could have looked to practically any church, synagogue, mosque, Buddhist temple, etc. in America. Instead he looks to Hezbollah for inspiration.

And let's not forget Mitt Romney's flip flopping on abortion. I can't find a good YouTube of Romney's incomprehensible flip-flopping comments on abortion from the Des Moines debate, but I heard it on NPR and wondered what kind of idiot couldn't get his own stand on abortion straight. If anyone has a link to footage of Romney's abortion babble from Des Moines, please let me know! THIS is a man you cannot trust.

Here's an old article I dug up that deserves more attention. From 2005 there is a report that Mitt Romney illegally used corporate funds to pay a political operative. Can't find a follow up to the story, but definitely is one that should not be buried now that Mitt is running for President.


How about actually LISTENING to our soldiers, something Republicans never actually do:

We always hear crap from right wing chickenhawks about supporting the troops. Trouble is, when the right wing nuts aren't outright cutting veterans benefits, they are STILL ignoring the troops. I prefer paying attention to what our troops and veterans actually have to say.

The View from Iraq, by seven returning soldiers

Reminds me of something I heard on the Henry Rollins show which bears more attention: Chasing Ghosts, by 1st Lieutenant Paul Rieckhoff.


But rather than LISTEN to our Veterans, Republicans outright run away from Americans when the subject of Iraq comes up...sometimes literally.

The following come from Americans Against Escalation in Iraq:

PA: Rep. Tim Murphy Locks Door in Constituents’ Faces:

IL: Congressman Mark Kirk Runs Away from Iraq Vet, War.

VA: Rep. Thelma Drake Runs From Iraq Question.

MI: Rep. Vernon Ehlers Ducks Out on Iraq.

IA: Mother of Iraq Veteran Confronts Rep. Tom Latham on the war.

NY: Invitation to Take a Stand Day delivered to Rep. Randy Kuhl (in protective vests), but are shut out.

VA: Rep. Thelma Drake seeks "protection" from "unexpected questions.

NH: Sen. Sununu (R-NH) Refuses to Take A Stand

Remember. It is time to get right in the face of every Congressman, Republican OR Democrat, and confront them over Civil Liberties, Iraq and Impeachment. Call to make an appointment with your Rep today.


Now we turn to what I consider a PARTICULARLY interesting story. This is all about how bloggers are the real investigative journalists of the 21st century. I mentioned last week the very strange battle going on in NY State that the MSM has largely been showing only one side of. The MSM told a story that Governor Eliot Spitzer has abused his power to have Republican Joe Bruno followed by state troopers. But it turns out that this may be another Whitewater fraud. The troopers were there at Bruno's request and there is a suspicious campaign by a particular pair, Michael Caputo and Roger Stone, to smear Spitzer. The question that the Albany Project and Daily Gotham is raising is whether Joe Bruno is behind this campaign. Michael Caputo, the frontman of the smear campaign, swore up and down that he had no ties to Roger Stone and Joe Bruno. Roger Stone, who was once a Nixon operative, worked for Joe Bruno. Turns out that Roger Stone is INDEED behind Michael Caputo in a scandal called "emailgate". Here are the stories I posted last week which now are background to the REAL story that broke since then on The Albany Project and Daily Gothm:

The Strange Case of Michael Caputo

Bruno, Stone and Caputo: Emailgate

Caputo Responds

Caputo Speaks

Caputo's comment in response to a posting on Daily Gotham

And a related story.

NOW we come to the meat of it. Michael Bouldin and Liza Sabater of the Daily Gotham traced the precise connections that link Michael Caputo and Roger Stone, showing both of them are liars. Read through it...it really shows how blogging works at its best and what the MSM SHOULD have caught.

Very soon after the Roger Stone/Michael Caputo connection broke on The Albany Project and Daily Gotham, Roger Stone apparently went into a rage. And who did he take it out on? Eliot Spizter's elderly father. Stone called Spitzer's father and threatened him viciously. Stone then claimed that he had not been home at the time but rather had been at a play. Problem is, the play he claimed to be seeing was closed that night, showing him to be not just a liar...but a really, really bad liar. Some think that once his link to emailgate was revealed, Roger Stone may be losing it.

Roger Stone was subsequently fired by Joe Bruno...though this leaves unanswered the question as to whether Bruno knew what Stone was doing. There are also some legal issues that may soon be raised by all of this...but more of that later.

So three cheers for the people who uncovered this! Now, for those familiar with my work, I do write for Daily Gotham, but I wasn't involved very much in this story. But my collegues at DG did!


And speaking of Republican corruption, did you hear the one about the Bush Administration's use of YOUR tax money to elect Republicans? Needless to say, Karl Rove was behind the scam. In some ways it is business as usual for Washington, in that every administration use Federal appointees to go to districts where candidates need help...but Rove took it further than any administration ever has. It may be the ultimate in government corruption.

Finally, a bit of history for those too young to remember: The Tragedy of Bhopal Continues 23 Years Later. It is one of the most disgusting moments in the history of capitalism.


ARTICLES FROM LAST WEEK: (with minimal comment)

My reminder that although there are good Republicans out there, it seems like Bush might just be the death of the Republican Party.

Last week I focused on the Taliban Twins, two right wing religious fanatics, Sam Brownback and Mike Huckabee.

Rolling Stone has run an article showing what a fundamentalist Christian fanatic Sam Brownback is. He is NOT mainstream Christianity.

The extreme anti-choice stand of Sam Brownback, forcing women to bear the child of their rapist even at the risk of her own life, is particularly disturbing.

Equally disturbing is how eagerly Mike Huckabee lets rapists off the hook...letting them rape again. Taliban Huckabee seems soft on crime!

Mike Huckabee's Family Values are also quite disturbing.

Mike Huckabee is calling for religious jihad right in America.

His jihad also extends to Iraq where Mike Huckabee wants even MORE escalation, more American soldiers and money sent into the Iraq quagmire.

And here is a good summary of "what's wrong with Mike Huckabee"

Then I cover again the NY-13 Congressional race between Bagdhad Vito (also called Bush's Lap Dog) and Steve Harrison.

Daily Gotham broke the news that Steve Harrison is our man to defeat Bagdhad Vito.

This led to Vito Fossella, Freaking Out.

Vito Fossella is already in debt from last time around. By contrast, Harrison has some money left over, though not much yet.

A little on Vito Fossella breaking campaign finance laws.

But if you really want to know how bad Vito Fossella is, you can read my article titled
Vito Fossella: Bush Lap Dog, Social Security Flip Flopper, and Friend to Criminals.

And I will end this week's Vito Fossella/Steve Harrison Rematch segment with a quote from Steve Harrison on Iraq

What are we doing in Iraq? Saddam is dead, we found no weapons of mass destruction, and we know that Iraq didn't attack us — we need to get out.

— Steve Harrison, Democratic Candidate for Congress


I also covered emailgate last week, but since I cover it again above in more detail I won't repeat the links.