Mind Vomit by the ikss ~ a journal
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Tuesday, Jun. 15, 2004still no time for a proper update
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�Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead�
-Lucille Ball
"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."
--Theodore Roosevelt, 1918
REGISTER TO VOTE
"The time is always right to do what is right"
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
"The "seven social sins": Knowledge without character,
Science without humanity,
Wealth without work,
Commerce without morality,
Politics without principles,
Pleasure without conscience,
Worship without self-sacrifice."
--Gandhi
"We have not inherited the world from our forfathers -
We have borrowed it from our children."
--Kashmiri, proverb
Waylon Jennings, born this day is 1941.
In other monumental music news, I�d like to point out that on this day in 1956, John Lennon met Paul McCartney for the first time.
Of course, also on this day, in 1775, George Washington was made Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army by the Second Continental Congress. But really � what�s more important?
~~~
REPORT: CHENEY LYING ABOUT HALLIBURTON INVOLVEMENT
Vice President Dick Cheney has repeatedly assured Americans that he has positively no involvement in directing billions of taxpayer dollars in no-bid contracts to Halliburton, his former employer. In September of 2003, he told NBC's Meet the Press that his office has "absolutely no influence of, involvement of, knowledge of in any way, shape or form of contracts."[1] In January of 2004, he told Fox News Radio, "I don't have anything to do with the contracting process,[2] and I wouldn't know how to manipulate the process if I wanted to." But, according to new evidence, Cheney's office "coordinated"[3] the Halliburton contracts and had the Pentagon specifically seek its input in constructing what ultimately became a multi-billion-dollar contract.
According to the New York Times, the Pentagon discussed a $1.9 million planning contract with "senior Bush administration officials, including the Vice President's Chief of Staff"[4] before inking the deal. According to the Los Angeles Times, three companies were vying for the lucrative contract which was seen as the precursor to a much larger, $7 billion contract. But instead of following the normal competitive civil service contracting process, the Times reports that Bush administration political appointees overruled the advice of Army lawyers and simply gave Halliburton the contract.[5] That decision was then brought to Cheney's Chief of Staff Lewis "Scooter" Libby, who reviewed the contract and raised no objections to the non-competitive process.
Cheney has denied having any financial stake in Halliburton receiving massive government contracts, claiming, "I severed my ties nearly four years ago when I ran for Vice President."[6] But Cheney still receives about $150,000 a year in deferred compensation from Halliburton[7] and still owns about 433,000 company stock options[8]; options which could become more valuable as the company's revenues rise. That fact was enough to lead the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service to bill Cheney's continued financial ties a "potential conflict of interest."[9]
And yet despite all these questions, the Bush administration's allies today formally blocked any testimony from Halliburton employees about the matter.[10] Specifically, when Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA) presented a slate of witnesses to the House Government Reform Committee, they were prevented from appearing by Republicans. That move led Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) to demand the appointment of a special counsel to independently investigate the situation.[11]
Sources:
1. "Cheney denies role in Iraq deal", The Boston Globe, 9/15/2003
2. "Cheney faults 'desperate' attacks on Halliburton", CNN.com, 1/23/2004
3. "Cheney Coordinated Halliburton Iraq Contract: Report", Common Dreams News Center, 5/31/2004
4. "White House Officials and Cheney Aide Approved Halliburton Contract in Iraq, Pentagon Says", The New York Times, 6/14/2004
5. "Appointee's Role in Halliburton Pact Told", Los Angeles Times, 6/14/2004
6. "VP Interview with Wolf Blitzer, CNN", WhiteHouse.gov, 3/2/2004
7. "Contract Sport", The New Yorker, 2/9/2004
8. "Halliburton asks employees to help defend company", CNN.com, 10/25/2003
9. "Cheney may still have Halliburton ties", CNNmoney.com, 9/25/2003
10. "Whistle-blowers say Halliburton rife with waste", Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 6/15/2004
11. "Senator Seeks Halliburton Special Counsel", Reuters, 6/14/2004
Visit Misldeader.org for more about Bush Administration distortion
~~~
Word of the Day for Tuesday June 15, 2004
primogeniture pry-moh-JEN-ih-choor, noun:
1. The state of being the firstborn of the same parents; seniority by birth among children of the same family.
2. (Law) An exclusive right of inheritance that belongs to the eldest son.
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