CORRUPTION
UPDATES 39
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1) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY
PUBLISHED IN THE BEE 3-12-07:
Number
of registered voters drops
By Judy Lin - Bee Capitol
Bureau
Published 2:04 pm PDT Monday, March 12, 2007
“There are nearly one
million fewer Californians registered to vote compared to two years
ago, according to the Secretary of State's latest registration
report.”
“Of
22 million eligible voters, California had
16.6 million people, or 74 percent, register in 2005, compared to
15.7 million, or 69 percent, this year.”
THE
COMMITTEE SAYS:
VOTING
IRRELEVENT IN CORPORATE DEMOCRACY
The recent decline in voters and registered voters as a
percentage of the eligible population is becoming an increasing
trend. We are in a thirty year decline of voter turnout and
registration.
54.4% of the eligible voters registered in 2004, 74% in
2005, and 68.8% for the November 06 election.
The
percent of registered voters who participated in last November's
election was 56.19%. The percentage of eligible voters who participated in the
election was 39.29%.
Our
last national election's importance was magnified by our illegal war
and open political corruption. Yet only 40% of qualified citizens
participated.
The
problem lies squarely with the parties and their candidates. The
parties are funded by corporations and Special interests. The
election districts have been drawn to guarantee victory for one
party or the other.
The
candidates look first to party, and second, to the Special interests
for the support they need to be “the” candidate.
Finally, the candidate comes before us, the voters, last, so we can
approve the candidate the party and Special interests selected. This
is not democracy.
Why
vote?
Because
it is your duty to keep the franchise active, if not yet effective.
Also
See:
California Secretary of
State: Current
Election Statistics Check
out the PDF of historical voter participation statistics and you
will see a dramatic, long term decline.
(This is an Excellent Document. Take the time to Scroll Down to the Historical data. Note the precipitious decline of registered voters, and the percentage of the registered who voted, over the decades.)
Search the Corruption
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2) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY
PUBLISHED IN THE WASHINGTON POST, 3-12-07:
Businesses
Prepare to Mount a Concerted Attack on Regulation
By Carrie Johnson
Washington Post
Staff Writer
Monday,
March 12, 2007; A02
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/11/AR2007031101197_pf.html
“Call it the end of
the post-Enron era.”
“A major anti-regulatory offensive culminates this week with a one-two
punch thrown by Washington and Wall Street's most moneyed
institutions, as the Treasury Department convenes a star-studded
meeting tomorrow and the nation's largest business lobby issues its own call to action a day later.”
“At the top of the
agenda are ways to "secure
America's competitiveness." ”
“Translation:
Burdensome rules, costly litigation and hard-nosed prosecutors are
killing U.S. companies.”
“Industry
is presenting its wish list. The key requests are to streamline
corporate rules, dial back on cases against business in favor of
going after individual employees, and impose new limits on investor
lawsuits.”
“The
organized drive to scrap expensive rules began last
fall with the creation of the Committee on Capital Markets
Regulation, a group that won the blessing of Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr.”
“The committee said
Wall Street was losing ground to international rivals, and it urged
prosecutors and regulators to slap business with criminal charges
only as a "last resort." ”
“Its research claimed
that fewer international companies list on U.S. stock markets
because of lawsuits, overly aggressive enforcers and huge financial
penalties.”
“In the past five
years, regulators have ratcheted up the consequences for engaging
in fraud, topped by a $750 million settlement by WorldCom.”
“For
his part, Paulson is mobilizing some of the nation's most
high-wattage financial luminaries, including former Federal Reserve
Board presidents Alan Greenspan and Paul A. Volcker and chieftains
from Berkshire Hathaway, General Electric and J.P. Morgan Chase, to
appear at Georgetown University tomorrow.”
“Among
the items the U.S. chamber panelists will promote in their report
Wednesday are top-to-bottom reforms at the Security and Exchange
Commission, which they say is staffed with too many lawyers who
create and enforce rules and too few economists who analyze costs to
business.”
“The
chamber wants Congress to instruct regulators to study the number
and effectiveness of shareholder lawsuits. It also is asking
lawmakers to give the SEC more authority to oversee Sarbanes-Oxley
and the power to repeal its most burdensome parts such as a section
that requires companies to review their financial safeguards to help
prevent fraud and mistakes.”
“Linda
Chatman Thomsen, the SEC's enforcement chief, warned executives to
stop complaining and start policing their operations.”
“ "There
is substantial evidence that financial markets succeed because of
strong enforcement and regulation, not in spite of it," she
said in a speech last week.”
“Corporate
America found cause for cheer earlier this year when regulators
filed court briefs supporting limits on the ability of investors to
file lawsuits, a "major philosophical shift," according to
Joel Seligman, president of the University of Rochester.”
“But the endgame may
be known fully only after the 2008 elections, political and
financial analysts said.”
THE
COMMITTEE SAYS:
BUSINESS
STILL RUNS THE SHOW, DEMS JUST WANT MONEY
The
Corporations desire that they not be hindered by rules. To "secure
America's competitiveness," they require “free
trade,” which will magically produce more products, cheaper,
and larger profits. Their Politicians have already exempted them
from taxation, in pursuit of "secure(ing) America's
competitiveness."
Now
they propose we suspend our right to regulate commerce for the
general welfare of our country, in favor of a global system of “free
trade.” I am an American, and I have the Constitutional
Power to regulate markets, through my Representatives. The Constitution grants no power to the Corporations or the
Markets to regulate me, control my politicians, or defy the
Constitution in pursuit of greater profits.
The
market has produced most of it profits during the last thirty years
by eating our middle and lower classes. Here, and around the world.
Unless, and until, we have a democracy strong enough to make the
Corporations pay the FULL costs of doing business, the
corporations will continue to reap huge profits by throwing their
workers into our schools, hospitals and prisons.
The
Corporations have avoided paying the medical, educational,
correctional and infrastructural costs of maintaining the social
institutions that are the foundation of their profits. Our country
has been used to subsidize corporate profits. The Corporations will
continue to drain the life and wealth out of our social institutions
to subsidize their irresponsible profits as long as they own the
politicians, and control our democracy.
The
social costs of profit must be taken directly out of the corporate
bottom line. What's left is responsible profit that paid the social
costs of making money.
The
only way to make the corporations loyal to our nation, and
responsible for our social institutions, is to fix our political
institutions. Until we make our democracy work, our government
will work for the richest and greediest people in the country,
rather than the welfare of our country.
And
these guys are planning to get the Dems to maintain, or improve, the
status quo. It should work. They give the Dems truckloads of money.
Our
initiative is designed to take our government back from the
corporations and Special interests, and put it back into the hands
of the people. You will be well served by this reform if you are a
Democrat or a Republican, and tired of money running your party.
Also
See:
Corruption
Updates 10, 5th article on page, “Do
Bribed Politicians Provide Safe Regulation of Pipelines, or Anything
Else?”
Search the Corruption
Database under
Killing
Market Regulation
Killing
Safety Regulation
Big
Money Politics
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3) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY
PUBLISHED BY McClatchy, 3-12-07:
Rove's
role in firings is focus
White House acknowledges he funneled complaints about U.S.
prosecutors who lost their jobs.
By Ron Hutcheson, Marisa
Taylor and Margaret Talev - McClatchy Washington Bureau
Published
12:00 am PDT Monday, March 12, 2007
“WASHINGTON -- The
White House acknowledged on Sunday that presidential adviser Karl
Rove served as a conduit for complaints to the Justice
Department about federal prosecutors who were later fired for what
critics charge were partisan political reasons.”
“House investigators
on Sunday declared their intention to question Rove about any role
he may have played in the firings.”
“White House
spokeswoman Dana Perino said Rove had relayed complaints from
Republican officials and others to the Justice Department and the
White House counsel's office. She said Rove, the chief White
House political operative, specifically recalled passing along
complaints about former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias and may have
mentioned the grumblings about Iglesias to Attorney General
Alberto Gonzales.”
“Iglesias
has said he believes he lost his job as the top federal prosecutor
in New Mexico after rebuffing Republican pressure to speed up his
investigation of a Democratic state official.”
“Perino said Rove
might have mentioned the complaints about Iglesias "in passing"
to Gonzales.”
"He doesn't exactly
recall, but he may have had a casual conversation with the A.G.
to say he had passed those complaints to (then-White House counsel)
Harriet Miers," Perino said, relaying Rove's hazy
recollection.
Perino said such a
conversation would be fairly routine at the White
House.
The
new details about Rove's involvement emerged as the top Democrats on
the House Judiciary Committee declared their interest in talking to
him. The committee is trying to determine whether the firings
were part of an effort to exert political control over federal
prosecutors. Democrats consider Rove the key source for any
political interference at the Justice Department because of his role
at the center of politics and policy in the White House.
House
Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., and Rep. Linda
Sánchez, D-Lakewood, confirmed their plans after McClatchy
Newspapers reported Saturday that New Mexico's Republican Party
chairman, Allen Weh, had complained to Rove and one of Rove's
deputies about Iglesias.
After
initially citing unspecified "performance-related"
reasons, the Justice Department later acknowledged that policy
differences played a role but denied acting at the request of
the White House. Sunday's revelations indicate a bigger White
House role than was previously known.
In another development, two
leading Democrats said Gonzales should resign. Sen. Chuck Schumer,
D-N.Y., and Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., said Gonzales has lost
credibility with his handling of the firings, his failure to
catch privacy infringements by federal investigators operating under
the Patriot Act and other controversies at the Justice Department.
A
blistering 126-page report by the Justice Department's inspector
general released Friday found that agents improperly obtained
telephone records and demanded sensitive data. Gonzales and FBI
Director Robert Mueller subsequently acknowledged the FBI had broken
the law to secretly pry out personal information about people in the
United States as part of its pursuit of suspected terrorists and
spies.
THE
COMMITTEE SAYS:
REPUBS
CAUGHT KILLING, EATING THEIR OWN POLITICAL CHILDREN
Alberto said he had no direct participation or
knowledge about the firings. What a frickin liar.
Here's what we know so far. Republican officeholders
and party officials contacted US Attorneys expecting action on their
requests for political favors. When rebuffed, they contacted Rove,
who, with Meyers, discussed this “problem” with Gonzales
and a raft of Justice officials.
Justice, in the meantime, had enough of Lam and others
who dare pursue prosecutions against Republican corruption, and were
fixing to fire her
Rove, while acting to punish non-cooperative US
Attorneys, decided this was a good time to make one of his political
operatives a US Attorney.
But every US Attorney they fired was one of their own,
a “good” Republican. But not good enough. The Bush
Administration has proved, time and time again, that they demand a
loyalty the rises above duty to office, country, and Constitution.
They pushed their own people off the gangplank to
replace them with US Attorneys who could be depended on to break the
law in pursuit of party gain.
The US Attorney massacre was executed as planned, and
the White House, the Justice Department, and their leaders all lied
about how and why these firings occurred.
Although the Corporate Press keeps trumpeting the fact
that the President has the right to remove and appoint US Attorneys, they often fail to point out that it is a crime for anyone in the
administration or any party to require, or forestall prosecutions
from the US Attorneys. Especially political prosecutions.
When questioned about this by Congress and the
press, they all lied. It is a crime to lie to Congress. The
Attorney General, the top cop in the country, has broken the law
repeatedly, and now he has lied to Congress.
This Administration has shown its true colors again: YELLOW. No matter what topic or issue, they are afraid to be honest. They
have never put the true reasons for any of their actions before the
public for a full and fair discussion.
This Administration has only offered the public and
Congress lies and half-truths for both justifying and explaining
their actions. The “free Press” and Democrats have done
a great job helping the Administration shove these lies down our
throats.
Until now. Maybe the Democrats will grow up and do
their duty by exposing the lies they went along with for six years.
Not according to Pelosi, who says “impeachment is off the
table.” Well, maybe they will hold Gonzales to account.
The
list of Attorney Scandal articles, so far:
Corruption
Updates 34, 2nd article on page, “SCARY
NEO-CON POLITICAL OPERATIVE REPLACES US ATTORNEY IN ARKANSAS”
Corruption
Updates 35,
12th article on page, “DOMENICI FINALLY ADMITS
TO UNETHICAL, IF NOT CRIMINAL, CONTACT WITH FEDERAL PROSECUTOR”
Corruption
Updates 37, 5th article on page, “Fired
U.S. attorneys testify before Congress” ( Fed
Attorneys Silent on Pressure/Threats Until Fired)
Corruption
Updates 37, 6th article on page, “Republicans
could face new ethics probes”
Corruption
Updates 37, 7th article on page, “Keating
case prompted intervention rules”
Corruption
Updates 38, 1st article on page, “Fired
U.S. attorney's testimony raises broader concerns”
Corruption
Updates 38, 5th article on page, “LA
TIMES OFFERS BUSH POLITICAL COVER FOR FIRING PROSECUTOR OF DUKE
CUNNINGHAM”
Corruption
Updates 39, 3rd article on page, “Rove's
role in firings is focus”
Corruption
Updates 39, 4th article on page, “Fed
Attny Firing Report:TRIBUNE CO HAS MADE LATIMES A TOOL”
Corruption
Updates 39, 5th article on page, “GOP official
urged Rove to fire prosecutor”
Corruption
Updates 39, 6th article on page, “House
panel expands inquiry into prosecutor firings”
Corruption
Updates 39, 7th article on page, “Gonzales
is urged to quit 'for the nation' ”
See more references to political Abuse of the US Attorney
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4) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY
PUBLISHED IN THE LA TIMES, 3-11-07:
U.S.
attorneys often clash with Washington
“Ousted prosecutors,
many from the West, had disagreed with an increasingly involved
Justice Department.”
By Richard A. Serrano, Ralph Vartabedian and Sam Howe Verhovek,
Times Staff Writers
March 11, 2007
www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-usattys11mar11,1,246401,full.story?coll=la-headlines-politics
“In
Seattle, John McKay had followed his older brother into the top spot
at the U.S. attorney's office.
He also had an eye on a federal judgeship someday. Instead, he got
bounced, he said, after senior White House officials became
displeased over his inaction during a 2004 recount in a razor-thin
governor's race, which a Democrat ultimately won.”
“In
Little Rock, Ark., H.E. "Bud" Cummins III was pushed
aside, he was told, to make room for a GOP operative for White House
political guru Karl Rove.”
“In San Diego, Carol
Lam notched her belt with the conviction of Republican Rep. Randy
"Duke" Cunningham of Rancho Santa Fe, only to become
embroiled in a political spat with Washington over
illegal immigration. She too was let go.”
“Also
shown the door was David C. Iglesias of Albuquerque. Democrats
charge that his departure is linked to veiled attempts by two
Republican lawmakers to speed up action on a Democratic corruption
scandal before last year's midterm election.”
“U.S. attorneys are appointed by the
president and serve at his pleasure. They can be fired at his whim.
But what has made these dismissals remarkable is that most of them
were done the same day, Dec. 7. The firings were followed by a
strong hint from Washington that
the group should not make any noise in the media or before
Congress.”
“McKay, the U.S. attorney
in Seattle, found himself in the midst of the contested 2004
governor's race between Republican Dino Rossi and Democrat Chris
Gregoire.”
“While the voting dispute was still in
progress, McKay took a phone call from Ed Cassidy, chief of staff
for Rep. Doc Hastings (R-Wash.), then the head of the House Ethics
Committee.”
“McKay said Cassidy started to ask
about what federal prosecutors were doing in the election dispute,
but McKay cut him off, saying that going further could constitute
obstruction of justice. Later, when McKay was interviewed by
then-White House Counsel Harriet E. Miers and her deputy, William
Kelly, for a possible judgeship, he said they criticized him for "mishandling" things during the recount.”
“He
never got the judicial robes, and he lost his job as prosecutor as
well.”
“Chief U.S. District Judge Robert S.
Lasnik of Seattle praised McKay
as a "superb U.S. attorney,"
and said that "for the Justice Department to suggest otherwise
is just not fair." ”
“Back in Phoenix, as in
the seven other regions where U.S. attorneys
have been toppled, many wonder whether other top prosecutors will
risk challenging Washington when
they meet across the table in future disagreements.”
THE
COMMITTEE SAYS:
TRIBUNE
CO HAS MADE LATIMES A TOOL
Well,
here's the cost of the Tribune Co firing the Times Publisher and
Editor: we get articles excusing the political crimes of this
Administration, rather than articles investigating the crimes.
Classic Corporate “Free Press.”
Also
See:
Corruption
Updates 16, 7th article on page, “Times
Publisher Johnson Forced Out”
Corruption
Updates 22, 4th article on page, “L.A.
Times editor to leave the paper”
Reports on the Free Press
Link
List at bottom of Article 3, above.
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Attorney
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5) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY
PUBLISHED IN THE BEE, 3-11-07:
GOP
official urged Rove to fire prosecutor
“New Mexico party chief complained about U.S. attorney.”
By Marisa Taylor and Margaret Talev - McClatchy Washington
Bureau
Published 1:00 am PDT Sunday, March 11, 2007
“WASHINGTON --
Presidential adviser Karl Rove and at least one other member
of the White House political team were urged by the New Mexico
Republican party chairman to fire the state's U.S. attorney because of dissatisfaction in part with his failure to
indict Democrats in a voter fraud investigation in the
battleground election state.”
“"Is
anything ever going to happen to that guy?" Weh said he
asked Rove at a White House holiday event that month.
"He's gone,"
Rove said, according to Weh.”
“ "I probably
said something close to 'Hallelujah,'" said Weh.”
“Weh's account
calls into question the Justice Department's stance that the recent
decision to fire Iglesias and seven U.S. attorneys in other states
was a personnel matter -- made without White House intervention.
Justice Department officials have said the White House's involvement was limited to approving a list of the U.S. attorneys after the
Justice Department made the decision to fire them.”
“But
Iglesias, who was fired Dec. 7, said he believes politics was the
driving force. He accused Sen. Pete Domenici and Rep. Heather
Wilson, both Republicans, of trying to pressure him to bring
indictments against several Democrats in time for the 2006
congressional election.”
“Domenici and Wilson
acknowledge calling Iglesias but deny pressuring him.”
“Justice Department
officials have revealed that Domenici repeatedly contacted
officials within the department requesting Iglesias' removal.
But when asked Friday whether he contacted Rove about the issue,
Domenici said he could not remember.”
“Iglesias said Friday
he believes the impatience of state Republicans raises the
possibility that the Bush administration might have been more
involved than officials have acknowledged.”
“ "Part of the
controversy behind this is prosecutorial discretion," Iglesias
said. "What that means is it's up to the sole discretion of
the prosecutor in the case of how to handle the indictment and
when to issue it." ”
“Former federal
prosecutors and defense lawyers who've represented public officials
in corruption cases say the allegations of political inference
could undermine the reputation of U.S. attorneys as impartial
enforcers of the law.”
THE
COMMITTEE SAYS:
ROVE-REPUBLICAN
PLOT TO POLITICIZE US ATTORNEYS REVEALED
Party
Officials, Congressmen, Administration, pervert course of American
Justice
Bush
and his criminals are a blessing to our perverted political system.
They have brought the inner workings of our Corporate Democracy to
the surface, and to the public eye.
Before
Bush, you may have thought that you were protected by the Fourth
Amendment and the Bill of Rights; you were not. But now you know the
government has cast it aside.
Before
Bush, you may have thought the people elected and guided our
politicians; they did not. Now you know the corporations and Special
interests fund and control the politicians.
Before
Bush, you may have thought our government was limited by checks and
balances to preserve our freedoms; it is not. Now you know the
politicians are more interested in serving the corporations and
Special interests than doing their duty to their country.
Before
Bush, you may have thought that America was the “friend of the
world;” we were not. Our government has funded dictators
around the world, helping them kidnap, hold, torture and kill their
own people, and occasionally a few of ours. Now you know that we
kidnap, illegally hold, and torture them ourselves.
Bush
and the Democrats have betrayed our democracy, looted our country,
and tortured the world for quite long enough.
Our
initiative will reform both parties equally, requiring democrats and
republicans to represent the voters, rather than their favorite
corporations and Special interests.
Link
List at the bottom of Article 3, above.
Rove Links
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6) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY
PUBLISHED IN THE LA TIMES, 3-10-07:
House
panel expands inquiry into prosecutor firings
“The judiciary
committee asks the White House for legal documents and interviews
with officials.”
By Richard A. Serrano
Times
Staff
Writer
www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-usattys10mar10,1,4659203,print.story?coll=la-headlines-politics
March 10, 2007
“WASHINGTON
— The House Judiciary Committee on Friday broadened its
investigation into the firing of eight top federal prosecutors,
calling on the White House to provide legal documents and make
current and former senior officials available for interviews —
including former White House Counsel Harriet E. Miers.”
“The
Democratic-controlled panel is investigating whether the firings in
December were part of a political vendetta against prosecutors
who did not bring criminal cases that would have hurt Democratic
candidates in last year's midterm election. There is also
concern that Washington officials
may have imposed political or ideological litmus tests on
prosecutorial decisions.”
“Specifically, the
committee is requesting interviews with Miers and White House Deputy
Counsel William Kelley, and is asking the administration "to
produce relevant documents, including White House communications on
the firings with the Justice Department and members of Congress."
”
“Another
fired U.S. attorney, H.E. "Bud"
Cummins III of Little Rock, Ark., said he was told by Washington that he was being moved out to make
room for Timothy Griffin, a Republican operative for chief White
House political advisor Karl Rove.”
“Committee Chairman John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) said that Democrats
believed the Justice Department had given conflicting reasons for the terminations and that the panel wanted to "get a
clear and credible answer from the Bush administration on who made
the decision to fire these U.S. attorneys and why they did it."
”
“ "We want to make sure," Conyers
said, "that those who would contaminate our justice system
with partisan politics are held accountable." ”
“Conyers'
query was sent to White House Counsel Fred F. Fielding. The unusual
step could set up a confrontation between the two branches of
government. The Bush White House has often taken a tough stance on
protecting the confidentiality of internal legal documents and its
decision-making process.”
“ "It poses a
tricky question," said Carl Tobias, a law school professor at
the University of Richmond in Virginia. "Miers has left. And
my sense is that Fred Fielding is a real expert on this type of
issue and will attempt to craft a reasonable compromise rather than
fight Congress." ”
“Fielding has more than
three decades of experience with the legal relationship between
presidents and Congress. He served in the White House counsel's
office under President Nixon during Watergate; he was also White
House counsel under President Reagan.”
“He
noted that McKay testified this week that Miers personally told
him he had "mishandled" a situation in Washington state by not investigating voter
fraud in last year's gubernatorial race.”
“
"This testimony," Conyers said, "raises serious
issues concerning possible undue influence and obstruction of
justice." ”
THE
COMMITTEE SAYS:
BUSH
WHITE HOUSE HAS NO RESPECT FOR THE RULE OF LAW, DEMOCRACY, OR OUR
CONSTITUTION
Despite
the Administration's denials, it is obvious to any objective
observer that the President has put the interests of his party and
their contributors before the good of the country.
This
is not a difference of policy or opinion, as many defenders of the
Administration contend. The President has taken honest analysis and
discussion of any issue, from WMD, and the war, to Energy policy and
US Attorneys, off the table by directing his people to pressure CIA
analysts, censor and alter scientific data, and pressure US
Attorneys to pursue or withhold political prosecutions. Bush has
broken the ability of government agencies to provide honest data for
policymakers.
Bush
has rejected open, honest discussion and debate of policy by
criminally subverting our democratic institutions. Bush achieved
his goals; his illegal war has provided the cover for his attack on
our Constitutional rights, and has enriched his Big Oil backers
beyond their wildest dreams.
Bush
has gagged the scientists and science we need to understand, and
neutralize the effects of our massive growth. Bush has put industry
executives and lobbyists into Executive departments that are
supposed to protect the public's health and wealth, by regulating
industry. This has resulted in massive giveaways of public wealth to
Bush backers, and seriously degraded public safety.
Bush
has sacrificed the safety, health, and honor of our country to
enrich his friends, and gather illegal powers into his hands.
This
Constitutional Crisis has been ignored by the Democrats for SIX
YEARS, and has progressed beyond the point that the resignation of
Gonzales, or the conviction of yet another Abramoff will solve.
To
redeem our Government the President must be brought before Congress
and held to account for his crimes.
Without
impeachment, Bush's crimes will become guideposts for the next
president's administration.
Also
See:
Full
Link List at bottom of Article 3, above.
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7) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY
PUBLISHED IN THE LA TIMES, 3-12-07:
Gonzales
is urged to quit 'for the nation'
“Sen. Charles Schumer
says the attorney general has politicized the Justice Department”
By Walter F. Roche Jr.
Times
Staff
Writer
www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-gonzales12mar12,0,1597387,print.story?coll=la-headlines-politics
March
12, 2007
“WASHINGTON — U.S.
Atty. Gen. Alberto R. Gonzales has so politicized the Justice
Department that he should step down for the sake of the nation, the
Senate's third-ranking Democrat said Sunday.” ” (Sen.
Charles E. Schumer of New York)
“Specter
said the inspector general's report showed widespread violations of
Patriot Act requirements designed to protect privacy rights of U.S.
citizens.”
“Stating that the act has been "very
badly abused," Specter said Judiciary Committee hearings
planned for this month — including one with FBI Director
Robert S. Mueller III — not only should look at the failures
but should include "very active consideration about withdrawing
some of those powers." ”
THE
COMMITTEE SAYS:
SENATE
APPROVED GONZALES AFTER HE PROPOSED UNLIMITED PRESIDENT, TORTURE,
ILLEGAL SEARCHES, AND MORE!
IS
ANY OF THIS ILLEGAL BEHAVIOR ANYTHING BUT CONSISTANT? PREDICTABLE?
WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH CONGRESS?
Congress
is bought and paid for by the same special interests that bought the
President. Congress tolerated Bush's corruptions because they are
shared corruptions.
It's
hard for Congress to act honestly or honorably after selling their
souls, and our democracy, to the same special interests that backed
Bush, to get elected.
Election
corruption assures corrupt representatives who are blind to justice,
and incapable of defining moral, or political limits for themselves
or the President.
A
simple reform can throughly transform our government by making the
politicians dependent on the voters, rather than the Special
Interests, for funding their elections.
The
reform is called democracy. It starts here, with you. Read our Initiative.
Also
See:
Corruption
Updates 25, 8th article on page, “FBI CHIEF DEFYS
CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT REFUSAL TO DISCLOSE ILLEGAL PROGRAM...”
Corruption
Updates 34, 2nd article on page, “SCARY
NEO-CON POLITICAL OPERATIVE REPLACES US ATTORNEY IN ARKANSAS”
Corruption Update 34, Jan., 31, 2006, 7th article on page, "ALBERTO
FIGHTS FOR UNCONSTITUTIONAL PRESIDENTIAL POWERS"
Corruption
Updates 35,
12th article on page, “DOMENICI FINALLY ADMITS
TO UNETHICAL, IF NOT CRIMINAL, CONTACT WITH FEDERAL PROSECUTOR”
Corruption
Updates 37, 5th article on page, “Fired
U.S. attorneys testify before Congress” ( Fed
Attorneys Silent on Pressure/Threats Until Fired)
Corruption
Updates 37, 6th article on page, “Republicans
could face new ethics probes”
Corruption
Updates 37, 7th article on page, “Keating
case prompted intervention rules”
Corruption
Updates 38, 1st article on page, “Fired
U.S. attorney's testimony raises broader concerns”
Corruption
Updates 38, 5th article on page, “LA
TIMES OFFERS BUSH POLITICAL COVER FOR FIRING PROSECUTOR OF DUKE
CUNNINGHAM”
Corruption
Updates 39, 3rd article on page, “Rove's
role in firings is focus”
Corruption
Updates 39, 4th article on page, “Fed
Attny Firing Report:TRIBUNE CO HAS MADE LATIMES A TOOL”
Corruption
Updates 39, 5th article on page, “GOP official
urged Rove to fire prosecutor”
Corruption
Updates 39, 6th article on page, “House
panel expands inquiry into prosecutor firings”
Corruption
Updates 39, 7th article on page, “Gonzales
is urged to quit 'for the nation' ”
Read more articles About Abuse of the US Attorney
Search the Corruption
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US Attorney
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8) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY
PUBLISHED IN THE WASHINGTON POST, 3-12-07:
Who's to
Blame for Russia?
By Fred Hiatt
Washington Post,
Monday, March 12, 2007; A13
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/11/AR2007031101047_pf.html
“Who
lost Russia? As the world's biggest country backslides ever more
quickly into authoritarianism, the answer you hear increasingly is:
the United States.”
THE
COMMITTEE SAYS:
THE
REAL QUESTION: WHO'S TO BLAME FOR THE LOSS OF AMERICA?
The
Blame Game has begun. Russia is rising again, and it's pissed. And
this article is already trying to blame someone for “losing
Russia.”
This
article misses the whole point, by figuring the goal, the ideal
outcome for Russia, is to enter some kind of global business eden,
where Russia becomes a Corporate Fascist State, just like us, and
does just what we tell them to do.
This
article fails to realize that we are not a free, democratic nation,
so it misses the most important contributing factor in “losing”
Russia: The Loss of American Democracy.
Russia,
like China and India, will have limited options for entering the
American dominated world economy, if we get our way.
First,
to be our “friends,” they must develop corporate
dominated governments. This has not been achieved in any of these
nations, yet, and, considering their histories and cultures, may
not be possible.
Besides
the Corporate political option, their options are severely limited:
Either they enter our economic sphere with corporate dominated
governments and economies, as our “friends,” or we will
try, one way or another, to force a dictatorship on them that will
put their resources on the world market, under our corporations'
control.
Eventually
our dictatorships will moderate into corporate fascist
“democracies,” as has happened in the Philippines, South
Korea, Japan, Formosa, and Indonesia, among others.
Make
no mistake about it: Our allies are not free democratic countries.
Like us, their parties, politicians and governments are dominated by
their nations most powerful corporate special interests, not their
people. This is a shame, as each of these countries have histories,
cultures, values, and political and social principals that are not
well served by their Corporate Governments.
All
the other options for Nationhood in the American Age of
“Globalism”are off the table. To take another path, such
as having elections that don't elect corporate representatives, or
having a democracy that serves any purpose other than focusing
wealth and power under corporate control, is completely
unacceptable. We will crush any popular democracies that do not
serve our needs, and impose dictators who will.
Any
democracy that reflects local values, and puts locals in control of
their own resources, is completely unacceptable.
Those
that do not obey will feel the many forms of our wrath. The
countries that do not obey us will be tortured economically,
politically, and be plagued with death squads, or “Contras,”
or find they have a Pinochet in their army.
If
worse comes to worse, we can find a proxy to attack your country, as
we did when we encouraged Saddam to attack Iran.
Russia
is struggling to find its own identity, while we are struggling for
world domination. Russia's identity, and its relations with America,
are being forged by American military, political, and economic
aggressions, along all of its frontiers, and around the world.
Expect Russian resistance to increase as the situation developers.
If
I was Russia, I'd be talking to the whole developing world about
their options to escape American domination.
A
new world balance of power is emerging in response and resistance to
decades of American political, economic, and military abuses. Watch
out, because our politicians and corporations have engendered the
hatred of billions of people around the world. People who sit on top
of the majority of the world's resources, but under our dictators.
Russia
may offer to help them exchange their American Dictators for
freedom.
Who
would have thought that possible?
Also
See:
Corruption
Updates 36, 1st article on page, “Russia prepares to revise military
doctrine in response to USA's missile defense plans
Corruption
Updates 36, 2nd article on page, “Russia capable of hitting US missile
shield - general”
Search the Corruption
Database under
Russia
International
Egypt
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ARCHIVES
9) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY
PUBLISHED IN THE LA TIMES, 2-11-07:
One Time
Reformer Taps Big Donors
By John Solomon
Washington
Post Staff Writer
Sunday, February 11, 2007; A01
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/10/AR2007021001510_pf.html
“Just about a year and
a half ago, Sen.
John McCain went to
court to try to curtail the influence of a group to which A.
Jerrold Perenchio gave $9 million, saying it was trying to
"evade and violate" new campaign laws with voter ads ahead
of the midterm elections.”
“As McCain launches
his own presidential campaign, however, he is counting on
Perenchio, the founder of the Univision Spanish-language media
empire, to raise millions of dollars as co-chairman of the Arizona
Republican's national finance committee.”
“McCain
has embraced some of the same political-money figures, forces and
tactics he pilloried during a 15-year crusade to reduce the
influence of big donors, fund raisers and lobbyists in elections.
That includes enlisting the support of Washington lobbyists as well
as key players in the fundraising machine that helped President Bush
defeat McCain in the 2000 Republican primaries.”
“After enduring his
own brush with scandal in the early 1990s, when he and four Senate
colleagues pressured regulators on behalf of Charles Keating, chairman of a failed savings and loan association, while
collecting donations and favors from him, McCain became a leader in
the effort to eliminate "soft money" in elections -- large
donations from corporations, labor unions and wealthy individuals.
In 2002, McCain joined forces with Sen.
Russell Feingold (D-Wis.)
to finally push through legislation ending soft money and placing
strict limits on donations.”
“McCain
the reformer relentlessly argued that six- and seven-figure "soft
money" checks that corporations, wealthy individuals and unions
were giving to political parties to influence elections were
corrupting American politics. "The voices of average
Americans have been drowned out by the deafening racket of campaign
cash," he warned just a few years ago.”
“McCain the candidate
has enlisted some of the same GOP fundraising giants who created and
flourished in the soft-money system, including Bush's fundraising
"Pioneers" and "Rangers," who earned their
designations by raising at least $100,000 or $200,000 for his
campaigns.”
“At least six of
McCain's first eight national finance co-chairmen have given or
raised large donations for political parties or 527 groups, campaign
and IRS records show. In all, the finance co-chairs have given at
least $13.5 million in soft money and 527 donations since the 1998
election.”
“They include former
Bush moneymen such as lobbyist Thomas G. Loeffler and financier
Donald Bren, whose personal and corporate donations total in the
hundreds of thousands of dollars each in recent elections.”
“Lobbyists
have been a favorite target of McCain the reformer, who proposed
legislation requiring so-called grass-roots groups that organize
average citizens into lobbying forces to disclose their financial
backers.
But McCain the candidate
switched positions and last month voted against that disclosure
requirement after influential GOP groups such as Focus on the Family
and National Right to Life strongly opposed the idea. McCain also
hired as his campaign manager one of the grass-roots-lobbying
industry's key consultants, Bush strategist Terry Nelson.”
“In
December, Sen.
Trent Lott (Miss.),
a darling of GOP conservatives and lobbyists, acted as a
surrogate for McCain at a fundraising meeting with a group of
lobbyists at a Capitol Hill hotel. McCain's political action
committee has collected donations -- capped at $5,000 -- from
several big-name lobbyists, including Loeffler and fellow Bush
fundraiser Wayne Berman, whose blue-chip clients frequently have
issues pending before Congress and the White House.”
“Perenchio, now a member of McCain's finance committee, funneled more than $1.4
million in soft
money to Republican causes in the 1998, 2000 and 2002 election
campaigns, often in
amounts McCain used to criticize. For one GOP fundraising dinner in
the spring of 2001, for example, he donated $250,000. Perenchio
has also been a major donor to the 527 groups formed to exploit a
loophole in the legislation sponsored by McCain and Feingold.”
“Perenchio
gave $4 million to a pro-Republican 527 group called Progress for
America, which helped Bush in the 2004 campaign. In the 2006
congressional races, Perenchio gave $5 million more to the same
group.”
“In the summer of
2005, McCain's allies in the reform movement went to court seeking
to force the Federal Election Commission to regulate the 527 groups
and make them abide by the same donation limits as other political
committees.”
“In a
friend-of-the-court brief, McCain and Feingold specifically cited
Progress for America as an example of what was wrong with 527
groups. The court filing cited one of the group's pro-Bush
commercials -- which starred a 16-year-old whose mother was killed
in the Sept. 11 attacks -- to illustrate the impact large donations
had on the election. Perenchio was not mentioned.”
“ "The deployment
of section 527 groups as the new vehicle for using soft money to
conduct political activities to influence federal elections is
simply the latest chapter in a long history of efforts to evade and
violate the federal campaign finance laws," the McCain court
filing stated. “
“ "Sadly, it is
another chapter in the FEC's failure to enforce the campaign finance
laws." ”
THE
COMMITTEE SAYS:
NEITHER
MCAIN NOR FINDGOLD TARGETED CORRUPTION:
THEY
NEVER SOUGHT DEMOCRACY, SO REFORM ELUDED THEM
McCain-Feingold
tried to regulate corruption, not end it. Our politicians have never
proposed campaign finance reform based on democratic principals.
They contend that “free speech” justifies the hijacking
of our democracy by corporations and Special interests. It does not.
Free
speech does not trump the right of the voter to select and elect
their own candidates and representatives. Neither do the rights of
association or petition.
Any
reform that does not end infringements on the voters' franchise is a
fake reform. They are merely regulating corruption to preserve their
illegitimate political power.
The
only solution to our political corruption is democracy. Only by
removing non-voters from participating in elections (the various
special interests), and balancing the financial influence of the
eligible voters, can we create the basis of democracy: Political
Equality.
We
cannot re-legitimize our government until we reestablish political
equality and democracy. Today, the parties, politicians, the rich
and the politically connected have extinguished political equality.
Until
we reestablish political equality, democracy, our politicians are no
better than corrupted tools of the special interests.
Search the Corruption
Database under
Fake
Reform
Reform
Candidates
Big
Money Politics
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10) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY
PUBLISHED IN THE NY TIMES, 3-12-07:
Top
Scientists Warn of Water Shortages and Disease Linked to Global
Warming
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
March 12, 2007
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/12/science/earth/12climate.html?_
r=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print
“WASHINGTON, March 11
(AP) — The harmful effects of global
warming on daily
life are already showing up, and within a couple of decades hundreds
of millions of people will not have enough water, top
scientists are likely to say next month at a meeting in Belgium.”
“At the same time, tens of millions of others will be flooded out of their homes
each year as the earth reels from rising temperatures and sea
levels, according to portions of a draft of an international
scientific report by the authoritative Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change.”
“Tropical diseases
like malaria will spread, the draft says. By 2050, polar bears will
mostly be found in zoos, their habitats gone. Pests like fire ants
will thrive.”
“For a time, food will
be plentiful because of the longer growing season in northern
regions. But by 2080, hundreds of millions of people could face
starvation, according to the report, which is still being revised.”
““Changes
in climate are now affecting physical and biological systems on
every continent,” the report says, in marked contrast to a
2001 report by the same international group that said the effects of
global warming were coming. But that report mentioned only scattered
regional effects.
“Things
are happening and happening faster than we expected,” said
Patricia Romero Lankao of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder,
Colo., one of the many co-authors of the new report.”
“For
example, the report says North America “has already
experienced substantial ecosystem, social and cultural disruption
from recent climate extremes,” like hurricanes and wildfires.”
“Another
co-author, Terry Root of Stanford
University, said,
“We truly are standing at the edge of mass extinction”
of species.”
THE
COMMITTEE SAYS:
CLIMATE
ALREADY CHANGED, NO ONE NOTICED
The
last 10 years has seen summer extending deep into fall, Fall ending
in late December, and Winter has been occurring in Spring.
Yet
the people of California seem unaware of the changes. Our
“residents” perceive the deteriorated conditions in our
schools, the loss of our middle class, and massive poverty as
normal.
For
those who have not been here long, know that it has not always
been like this. The changes in our social, political, and
economic values, like the change in our climate, are the product of
our unprecedented growth.
The
majority of our population arrived recently, and have no historical
perspective on what our schools, roads, and democracy were like
before they got here.
The
changes are invisible to those who just got here, and those who
profit by bleeding our people.
They
tell us, “It's always been like this.”
Also
See:
Corruption
Updates 36, 6th article on page, “AMERICA
REFUSES TO STOP EXPANDING POPULATION AND CONSUMPTION:AMERICAN
GREED-CONSUMPTION FUELS MANUFACTURING (POLLUTION) IN CHINA”
NY TIMES, 3-12-07: Top Scientists Warn of Water Shortages and Disease Linked to Global Warming: CLIMATE ALREADY CHANGED, NO ONE NOTICED
Climate Change Spurring Dengue Rise, Experts Say, National Geographic News, 9-21-07
2007 one of warmest on record, BBC, 13 December 2007
Brazil military will combat dengue outbreak in Rio, reuters, 3-23-08
Asia shows way to fight dengue as global spread looms, newsdaily, 3-12-08
More Articles on China
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11) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY
PUBLISHED IN THE BEE, 3-12-07:
Senate
lockout: Perata punishes moderate Dems
By Shane Goldmacher - Bee Capitol Bureau
Published 3:34 pm
PDT Monday, March 12, 2007
“Three Democratic
senators arrived in the Capitol Monday to a rude awakening - the
locks on their offices had been changed.”
“Over
the weekend, Senate leader Don Perata had ordered the locks changed
on the offices of newly elected Sens. Ron Calderon, Lou Correa and
Gloria Negrete-McLeod as punishment for attending a fundraising
dinner last Thursday, hosted by the Assembly moderate caucus.”
“All
three locked out Democrats, Calderon, Correa and Negrete-McLeod,
were members of the moderate caucus - better known around the
Capitol as the "Mod Squad" - when they served in the
Assembly. The group of business-friendly Democrats often align to
derail legislation backed by more liberal Democrats.”
“ "You
can't have ideological caucuses. There are two caucuses: the
Democratic and Republican caucuses," said Schmidt. Of policy
oriented caucuses, Schmidt said, "never done it, never will do
it." ”
THE
COMMITTEE SAYS:
WHO
CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS?
PERATA,
TOOL OF BUSINESS, CURBS BUSINESS DEMOCRATS
Perata
is clubbing the business Dems into line. But this article confuses
me; Perata is a business Dem. Perata was bribed by the developers,
and a slew of business lobbyists at the end of the last legislative
session to kill or pass their favorite bills. And he did their
bidding.
Also
See:
Corruption
Updates 2, 2nd article on page, “Perata Takes a HALF-Mil to
Sell Out:..half-mil to kill bills”
Corruption
Updates 2, 4th article on page, “Dems Claims BUILDERS CLOUT Arnie's
Fault: Dems cite Arnie as cause of Perata's Corruption”
Search the Corruption
Database under
Perata
Influence
Peddling
Bribery/Contributions
California
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12) THE ABSTRACT PRINTED BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY
PUBLISHED IN THE LA TIMES, 3-11-07:
Governor
may be selling an illusion of unity
“ANALYSIS:
Schwarzenegger touts his 'post-partisan' style, but GOP critics say
there's no magic: He just joined the other side.”
By Peter Nicholas
Times Staff
Writer
www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-me-arnold11mar11,1,540720,print.story?coll=la-headlines-politics
March
11, 2007
“SACRAMENTO — Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has plunged into the debate over the nation's
future with his call for a new, "post-partisan"
governing style aimed at ending political gridlock.”
“Post-partisanship,
said a rueful state Sen. Tom McClintock (R-Thousand Oaks) "is
the process by which Arnold sits down with Democratic leaders and
gets them to do exactly what they wanted to do all along."
”
“ "A lot of the large goals accomplished
last year didn't feel bipartisan to us," said Michael Villines
(R-Clovis), leader of the Assembly's Republicans. "It just felt
like we got steamrolled." ”
“None of that
troubles Schwarzenegger, who first employed the "post-partisan"
slogan in his inaugural speech in January and road-tested it on
his recent trip east.”
“Little has changed in
Sacramento since Schwarzenegger
took office in 2003. Democrats control 48 seats in the Assembly,
Republicans 32. In the Senate, Democrats enjoy a 25-15
margin.”
“Because the Legislature has
carved voting districts that tend to protect incumbents, the
partisan complexion remains largely the same year to year.”
“Moreover,
no bipartisan consensus exists on the centerpiece of
Schwarzenegger's 2007 agenda, which has garnered national headlines:
an overhaul of California's healthcare system.”
“The
leaders of both houses, anticipating a sweeping proposal from the
governor, announced separate plans before Schwarzenegger unveiled
his. At least one other Democrat, casting Schwarzenegger's
program as a bonanza for insurers, has proposed a government-run
approach instead. Schwarzenegger dislikes that
concept.”
“Republicans in the Senate have
offered yet another proposal, a limited one that spurns the
governor's main goal of insuring every Californian. Republicans
recoiled from Schwarzenegger's plan to pay for the program partly
through new doctor and hospital fees. In describing the governor's
plan, Republicans use the dreaded T word: taxes.”
THE
COMMITTEE SAYS:
ARNIE
LATEST MEMBER OF REPUGNACRAP PARTY OF THE CLINTONS:
Arnie,
like the Clintons, does his best to serve all the corporate
interests at once, especially the really rich ones, while pretending
to care
Arnie,
like the Democrats, are the paid shills of business. The Repubs and
Dems have been subsidizing business profits for forty years by
providing free health, education, and social services to illegal
laborers who's whole yearly salary does not cover the medical,
educational, and social services the state provides to them and
their families. That, my friends, is the height of irresponsibility.
After
forty years of irresponsible growth, the insurance and healthcare
businesses are looking to reap huge profits by instituting a
mandatory private universal health care system.
This
would take business off the hook for taking responsibility for the
true costs of their cheap labor, requiring that whats left of the
middle class subsidize cheap illegal labor, and make the insurance
and health care industries even greater profits than they steal now.
The
Dems and Repubs are merely fighting over how the taxpayers are going
to get screwed, and which special interests are going to get the
money.
Also
See:
Corruption
Updates 6, 4th article on page, “Arnie's Turn to Bleed Special Interests:
Assembly done selling itself, Now it's Arnie's Turn.
Corruption
Updates 12, 4th article on page, “How to Corrupt Democracy: The Insurance
Industry and the Governor”
Ccrruption
Updates 12, 5th article on page “INSURANCE INDUSTRY
BATTLE PLAN: COMBINED BUSINESS ASSUALT ON DEMOCRACY” LATimes. Plot to corrupt democratic process and institutions
successful. Plot uncovered, and yet it goes on. 9-24-06
Corruption
Updates 13,
6th article on page, “Governor, PGE, Set Up
Political Slush Fund”
Corruption
Updates 17, 5th article on page, “VAST
SUMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST MONEY COLLECTED BY GOV CANDIDATES IN CA”
Corruption
Updates 17,
6th article on page “Total Campaign Outlays Approach $400
Million”
Corruption
Updates 24, 2nd article on page, “Arnie has Huge Special Interest Slush
Fund” ("officeholder"
account: Southern California Edison, PG&E, Chevron and
AT&T)
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Arnie
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