"We should all be concerned about the direction President Chávez is taking his country," Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.), chairman of the Senate Appropriations foreign operations subcommittee, said in a statement this week. "Any leader who tries to tighten his grip on power by destroying the institutions of democracy, curtailing press freedom and using his office to intimidate pro-democracy opponents is setting in motion a dangerous process with potentially ominous consequences." (Washington Post)

THIS IS HILARIOUS! A DEMOCRAT, LEAHY, TALKING ABOUT CHAVEZ "DESTROYING THE INSTITUTIONS OF DEMOCRACY" (IN VENEZUELA)! WHAT DOES HE THINK THE PATRIOT ACT DID? THE REAL ID ACT? THE WORST OF THEM ALL, THE MILITARY COMMISSIONS ACT? CHAVEZ WILL HAVE TO DO A LOT AGAINST DEMOCRACY TO KEEP PACE WITH OUR OWN LEGISLATURE! REALLY!

In less than half an hour you can send letters to newspapers in your state on the subject of torturing by our government, the mis-named Patriot Act, the Military Commissions Act, etc. Just paste this address in your browser. If we aren't part of the solution, WE ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM.

http://action.aclu.org/site/PageServer?pagename=LTE_SOTU_2007_thankyou&key=49128&message=Successfully+updated+Supporter+letter+information

One of the best organizations for those wanting to do something to stop the madness in our country is Downsize DC. http://action.downsizedc.org/wyc.php?cid=58

When will they stop, when will they have taken away enough of our rights? First the Patriot Act, The War Powers Act, The Real ID Act, to name just a few, and the worst of the bunch, the Military Commissions Act! Each instigated by Mr. Bush to take away our rights. No, I am not a Democrat, nor a Republican! I am just an American who is afraid that if we do not fight for the repeal of these acts that take away our rights now we will not be able to later.

No matter what is going on in our personal lives, I truly believe that EACH ONE OF US MUST HELP if we are to continue to win this war being fought over our most basic rights as Americans. The war in Iraq is just one symptom of our problem. We must stop electing "pretty people with cosmetically beautiful teeth" to lead us. We should have to drag a competent person kicking and screaming to the White House because he alone appreciates what will be asked of him. Those desperate for the job are automatically suspect.

If you have to choose just one organization to work with online, I would suggest this one. They make it so easy to make your voice heard. This organization is working for passage of a bill requiring that our elected representatives read EVERY SINGLE BILL they sign. You know how they always play dumb, saying "I don't know how that provision got in there!" This bill would require them, by law, to sign a document saying they have read and understand every provision added to a bill. It will drastically change the nature of legislation approved and accountability.

While we are heartened to know we are winning, the battle has not slacked AT ALL! If just one of you will read this and act on its plea, AND THEN ENCOURAGE SOMEONE ELSE TO TAKE PART IN THIS FIGHT, and so on, we will be assured a victory. (Half an hour a day is not too much to ask when we are talking about our right not to be reduced to slaves! And this is not hyperbole!).

Sacrifice one TV show a night, that's all. Then you, too, will be on the side of right in a real way, not just paying lip service, i.e., "Isn't it awful?" It is awful and we each must be involved in the fight to stop it now, while we can!

My best to everyone!

This is a great radio show online. He's back live at 8 p.m. this Friday and is great to hear!

The square root of 1 percent of the people on the earth can change the world. We’ve got them, the 8,000 people who believe that:

1) killing is wrong except in self defense;

2) had the republicans (and some democrats) remained in power we would have lost all of our rights and the Constitution would have become a worthless piece of paper; and

3) we can never again trust that politicians, no matter what their party affiliation, left to their own devices, will act in our best interest as opposed to their own and that we must, from this day forward, be good watchdogs of our precious rights under the Constitution.

The turnaround has begun and it did not happen by itself. It took the concern, fear, and anger of everyone of us to bring this about. All we have to do now is keep spreading the word and keep reminding our elected representatives that we are watching them; and, God willing, America will once again become the country we once loved and respected! Most importantly, we will never again let a Carl Rowe, Tom Delay, Frist, Cheney, or Bush take our country away from us. Never again!