announcement: There will be a free presentation with amazing videos about Brazil's spiritual healer, Joao de Deus also known as John of God, tomorrow eve, Thursday, Oct 26th at 6:30 pm. at the Briar Patch offices, which is across the street from the Briar Patch co-op in grass valley. For more information call 272-8122 or visit www.Touch-Star.com

Next item: a listener wrote me with the following question: what are republicans thinking?  Here is my answer: from my brief conversations with some of them, they dont think.  either their mommies and daddies voted gop so they do, or their stock portfolios determine who they vote for. anyone who claims they vote gop because the gop champions  their conservative values is either lying or not paying any attention at all. The gop long ago abandoned conservative principles of governing, and under the bush regime has seemingly abandoned all principles entirely.   i say the same thing for this election i said for the last 2 presidential elections:  that is that the previous election was "close", and since then the bush cabal has alienated vast segments of their former supporters. In this upcoming election there isnt a voter in the country who previoiusly voted for the dems and will now l switch to voting republican, and plenty of voters who voted for the gop who will switch.  therefore, in a fair and honest election there isnt a chance in hell of the gop winning.  I said this before the last 2 elections, and guess what?  they won.  twice. miraculous eh?   i say the  same thing this time.  In a fair election, the dems should at least retake the house, and possibly but not likely the senate. we shall see. Notice I added the qualifier, fair and honest elections. When is the last time we had one of those?

Next item: all the propositions on your ballot can be very confusing. A listener sent me a very concise appraisal of all the state ballot issues and I have posted it on my website. I don’t necessarily agree with all the conclusions but the analysis are short and easy to follow, and I think they will help you make up your own minds.

Next item; well big john Doolittle thought he pulled a slick one when he finally came thru on his promise to debate his challenger charlie brown by debating brown in a tiny studio and broadcast live to a very limited audience of 20,000 Placer County cable customers. Slick move. He technically honored his pledge while severely limiting his exposure. Just the sort of thing we’ve come to expect from big john. But slick johnnie was done in by technology. just days after the Doolittle and Brown face-off. two savvy citizen journalists calling themselves "GetInTheirFace" and "boboze" posted videos of the debate on (www.youtube.com)

Although rep cong Doolittle has held only one debate with his Democratic challenger Charlie Brown, thanks to technology the Oct. 12 event can be heard repeatedly on the Internet. These audio and video casts of the debate are the latest examples of how the Internet is making it possible to expose more Americans to political debates and discussion. Its also an example of reluctant politicians being exposed for who they really are. In listened to parts of that debate broadcast on your favorite radio station and one thing that stood out to me was Doolittle in his whiney shrill voice complaining about charlie browns membership in the aclu, as if we were back in the 50’s and he was accusing brown of being a card carrying communist. Last time I checked, the aclu is committed to defending every ones rights under the constitution. That’s everyone rights, weather you agree with them or not. If Doolittle believes that is a bad thing, then I for one am glad he is publically admitting how he feels about our constitution and bill of rights. If you don’t vote for any other issue this nov 7^th, the Doolittle brown race is certainly worth voting on. If you can vote, and you don’t vote, shame on you. Get off your butts, and go out and vote.
Next item: its world series time, and if anyone doubts that baseball is america’s pastime, you only have to watch the controversy surrounding one pitchers use of an illegal substance on his hand to improve his control of the baseball. Everyone admits that pitchers cheat. Its part of the game they all say. Every quote ive read in the newspapers condones this obvious cheating. And isn’t that perfectly American? We have rules, but we cheat. And its condoned at the highest levels. In fact, the higher the level, the more cheating is accepted. Our political leaders lie and cheat, our star athletes lie and cheat. No one cares, no one protests. We have become a nation of liars and cheaters. What a wonderful example to our children. Welcome to America 2006. what a world we are creating.

Next item: here is one example of one star athlete who believed in playing by the rules, and believed his govt was telling him the truth. It cost him his life. On his mon morn show, Steve baker read this letter from the dead athletes brother, but I don’t mind stealing steves stuff, and I think its important enuff to read it again in case some listeners missed it. In response to 911, believing their govt’s lies, Pat tillman and his brother Kevin enlisted in the army and went thru special forces training. They became rangers- the army’s elite. That would be a courageous decision for any man but since pat tillman was a star pro football linebacker in the prime of his career, his decision to give up a contract worth millions to fight for his country made headlines nationwide, as did his death during combat in Afghanistan. The us army, in its infinite compassion, lied about how pat died, to milk his service and subsequent death for propaganda purposes. It took months for the truth to come out, that pat tillman was shot by his own buddies in a tragic screw up. For those of you who want details of how pat tillman lived, what he believed, and how and why he died, sports illustrated had an excellent cover page article some weeks back. Its in your library. I recommend it highly. Its written by gary smith, who is one of the best writers around, sports or otherwise. When I first read of tillmans decision to quit football and fight for his country I made a snap judgment that he was a dumb jock and it was a stupid decision. I still think it was a stupid decision but after reading the article I gained a new perspective on who pat tillman was. Read the article and judge for yourself. Pats family was outraged at the govt lying about the circumstances of his death, and twisting his story for propaganda purposes. The following letter is from his brother Kevin who served in Afghanistan with him. Here is that letter: READ TILLMAN LETTER

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