An essential clip, but from minute 3:43 it gets truly sensational.

Maybe what strikes the most is that after such an absurd and illegitimate disallowance he calmly begins his argument with:

“Gentlemen, I think you’re being subjected to an unlawful order”

And continues:

“The authority of the state of Massachusetts should not be misused for a political exclusion of a presidential candidate who has a ticket to watch the debate on remote television and has a official invitation from FOX news. [...]

This is the strangest situation I’ve ever seen.”

Technorati Tags: nader, determination, unlawful, presidential debates

The [presidential] debates [in the USA] are controlled by the so-called Commission on Presidential Debates, a private [non-profit] corporation which was created by the Democratic and Republican Parties in 1987.

The Commission is headed by Frank Fahrenkopf — the former head of the Republican National Committee, and Paul Kirk — the former head of Democratic National Committee.

Fahrenkopf is a lobbyist for gambling interests, Kirk for pharmaceutical companies.

source: voteNader.org

Ascoltare i discorsi ispirati di Obama e poi ascoltare le stronzate di Berlusconi o le pappette lessate di Veltroni è qualcosa di veramente deprimente. In Italia non possiamo nemmeno scegliere l’uomo quando votiamo. Se anche ci fosse un Obama in Italia, non avrebbe nessuna speranza, nessun mezzo per affermarsi. Che tristezza. E il mondo ride di noi.
Technorati Tags: berlusconi, obama, young+tanned, change

Finally somebody understood the problem from its roots. Why did it take so long? This is a ground-breaking step in US politics. Go Larry.

Technorati Tags: lessig, corruption, lobbying

Two things I can see from the CNN screenshot (taken today Feb 5 around 11:20 PM):
1. People are voting for a candidate who already bailed from the race (Edwards got out a week ago)
   Corollary: Either I am missing something basic (votes for Edwards’ are transfered to whoever he endorses?) or somebody is pretty disconnected from reality.

2. CNN doesn’t even report results for the only “other” democratic candidate around, Mike Gravel.

It has to be said that CNN (and all other mainstream media outlets) has totally ignored Gravel giving him no TV air time, so at least they are coherent bastards. However, how can legit “alternative” candidates like Gravel ever stand a chance if no-one even consider them? Has he lost before even trying, or are we making him lose? Is this democratic? Is this giving everybody a fair chance? I don’t pretend equality, just the fairness of doing your job.

Technorati Tags: mike gravel, cnn, primaries, air time

Net neutrality is a pretty basic subject about the future of the internet. You are either in favor, or not. Why is Senator McCain’s position so convoluted? How about a simple yes or no. (‘Cos there’s no maybe, really.)

Question: Let’s talk about net neutrality. It’s probably the most important issue in Silicon Valley, and yet it rarely makes its way to Washington-level consciousness. Barack Obama recently came out saying that he would promise to make it a priority if he became president. What is your position on the net neutrality issue?

McCain Answer: In general, I think we need to move to a different model for thinking about the FCC. I think it should focus on policing clearly anti-competitive behavior and consumer predators. But, frankly, until some foul has been committed, I don’t think it should be interfering in the market, and probably shouldn’t be trying to micromanage American business and innovation. This is a very tough issue, because if you look at the extremes of it, then, obviously it has significant consequences – you can’t restrain the market, you can’t say that people can’t make a living or a profit off of the Internet. That obviously is not the intent of why the Internet was invented, and the reason why it has flourished. So what I would like to do is keep an eye on what goes on with the Internet, whether people are taking unfair advantage of it, whether people are being ripped off, and how this thing progresses. The great thing about the Internet is that it has enjoyed, to a large degree, immunity from federal interference and federal regulation. So, I have a tendency to say, look, let’s see how this thing all turns out, rather than anticipate something that, a problem that so far has not arisen in any significant way. I know that sounds a little bit equivocal, but it has a lot to do with my reluctance to use, my inclination to use government intervention only when it’s absolutely necessary.

Technorati Tags: Net Neutrality, John McCain

Servono nuove persone e soprattutto nuovi metodi per controllare ‘sta gente in modo piu’ diretto. Devono essere braccio e meno mente.

• Info for all states (including all electorial contests for direct election of State Senate, State Assembly, Supreme Court and Court of Appeal judges, school and city officials, various municipal directors):
  smartvoter.org
• California:
  voterguide.ss.ca.gov
• MoveOn ballot endorsements:
  snipurl.com/zfke

New Pope Intervened against Kerry in US 2004 Election Campaign (Agence France-Presse) [April 19, 2005]
www.truthout.org/docs_2005/042005Z.shtml

Neil Bush and Cardinal Ratzinger, associates in Switzerland, during 2001 [comedonchisciotte.org] [May 3, 2005]
www.comedonchisciotte.org/site/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=949

In 1986, Ratzinger defended violence against gays when he issued the “Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons,”. In the same letter, Ratzinger called gay rights advocacy a threat to the family. [January 13, 2005]
http://americablog.blogspot.com/2005/04/ratzinger-defends-violence-against.html
http://users.starpower.net/rrosendall/archive/2005/raisingratzinger0113.shtml

Pope Benedict XVI issued an order ensuring the church’s investigations into child sex abuse claims be carried out in secret. The order was made in a confidential letter, obtained by The Observer, which was sent to every Catholic bishop in May 2001. [The Observer] [April 24, 2005]
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1469055,00.html

Ratzinger also has a Fab Club and signs autographs, just like a movie star.
www.ratzingerfanclub.com
www.ratzingerfanclub.com/ratzinger_autographs.jpg