July 2009

If Media Were Any Good

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By David Swanson

A week ago, I published a report on 1,200 photos of U.S. torture that I have examined but the public at large has not seen. I talked about the photos on a few progressive radio shows. I received calls from some advocacy groups that have been trying for years to get hold of these photos. But I received not one single inquiry from the corporate media. Even most good blogs ignored this story despite a handful of prominent blogs read more

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Not What Obama Promised

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By David Swanson

In six months as president, Barack Obama has aggressively done the opposite of many specific things he explicitly and unequivocally promised as a candidate. A lot of these were things Obama’s fiercest opponents never wanted. And Obama’s fiercest supporters favor censoring this information. But if we expect public servants to be public servants, the public must know the facts, make of them what it will.

Here’s a read more

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House Lets States Do Single Payer Healthcare

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By David Swanson

On Friday morning at 9:45 a.m. ET in the House Committee on Education and Labor, the committee members voted 25 to 19 to pass Congressman Dennis Kucinich’s amendment to the healthcare reform bill. This amendment, if it survives the full House, the Senate, the conference, and the President, will not alter the federal legislation except to allow states to create single-payer healthcare systems if they choose to. If this change to the bill makes news, it will pass the Senate, read more

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Will Congress Ban States from Providing Healthcare?

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By David Swanson

The healthcare legislation under consideration in Congress would prevent states from improving on what Congress creates. An amendment is under consideration right now in a House committee that would change that, leaving the federal initiative as is but permitting states to do better. This battle pits states’ rights against the much less spoken of insurance company rights. And it calls the bluff of every individual or group who opposes single-payer healthcare at the federal read more

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Cookout for Healthcare with Cindy Sheehan

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Charlottesville, VA
Saturday, July 18, 2009, at noon

Cindy Sheehan, one of the best known peace and justice activists in the United States, will be joined by other speakers in support of public healthcare at a cookout open to the public and the media. Please join Cindy for lunch at noon on Saturday, July, 18, 2009, rain or shine, at 707 Gillespie Ave, Charlottesville, VA, 22902. Cindy will talk about her new book and the need for an expanded public healthcare system.

RSVP: read more

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Happy Fifth Birthday, PDA!

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By David Swanson

The most useful tool progressive political activists have in the United States, at the local, state, and national levels, was created from scratch five years ago, and has been developed and sharpened while proving itself time and again in each and every week since. Progressive Democrats of America has stood strongly behind truly progressive, majority positions more consistently than any other activist group with national weight that I’m aware of. And at the same time, PDA read more

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I've Seen 1,200 Torture Photos

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By David Swanson

This moment, in which the Attorney General of the United States claims to be considering the possibility of allowing our laws against torture to be enforced seems a good one in which to reveal that I have seen over 1,200 torture photos and a dozen videos that are in the possession of the United States military. These are photographs depicting torture, the victims of torture, and other inhuman and degrading treatment. read more

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Ask Holder to Appoint a Special Prosecutor

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Attorney General Eric Holder is considering whether to prosecute torture. He shouldn’t consider it. He should appoint a special prosecutor and let him or her consider whether torturing people violates our laws against torture. You can ask Holder to do this at: 202-514-2001 or AskDOJ@usdoj.gov

More from Brad. And here Greenwald reacts to indications in WaPo that special read more

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Report from National Assembly to End the Iraq & Afghanistan Wars & Occupations

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I’m encouraged by this assembly of major and minor peace organizations from around the country. We’ve agreed to organize a national protest (including both a demonstration and civil resistance) at the U.S. House office buildings and the White House on Monday, October 5th, 2009. We’ve agreed to organize local and regional protests on Saturday, October 17th, 2009. We’ve amended the language of the action statement to include a demand to end war crimes, including torture, read more

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