While we are transfixed by the latest episode of survivor, and American idol, the police state creeps in silently on cats feet. Even if we are interested in politics, while our eyes and minds are diverted by juicy scandals amongst the bush crowd, and what should be slam dunk non issues like a womans right to chose, gay marriage, right to die, and the latest absurdity of health care for our children, etc. we are subtly becoming a fascist police state. Lets look at the seemingly innocuous issue of driving licenses. The feds, using the excuse of their self appointed mission to protect us from god knows whom, are mandating that states change their driving licenses to in effect become a national identity card. Some states are resisting this national id card. So now the feds are threatening that citizen of a state not issuing a federally approved driving license, [read national id card], must present a passport to either leave or enter the country. Ok so far? So you have to get a passport. No big deal right? Next step. They confiscate your passport. Suddenly, for the first time in American history, you cannot leave your country, and if you do make it out, you cant return. Voila, Welcome to the police state. "your papers please"

Next item: there was an article in one of the newspapers reporting on a federal bust of medical marijuana providers. I quote one paragraph: In federal marijuana cases, defense attorneys are barred from telling jurors that that companies supply in medical cannabis products through licensed dispensaries to qualified patients. This prohibition goes further than that. The sad fact is that defendants are barred from using medical marijuana as a defense in any criminal case. Lets look at that for a moment. How and why can any judge bar a defense attny or a defendant from offering any defense whatsoever? The entire basis of our judicial system is that you will be judged by 12 of your peers. By simple logic, these 12 jurors are eminently capable of deciding if your defense is valid or not. You should be able to offer any defense whatsoever, from eating excess twinkies, to believing that god or the tooth fairy told you to do it, to that you were following the provisions of medical marijuana state prop 215. it should then be up to your 12 peers to judge the validity or absurdity of your defense, not a judge or govt prosecutor. how did we come to such a sad state that you can only offer a defense the prosecutors allow you to enter? What sort of absurd judicial system is that? Does this sound like America or soviet Russia? Shame on any judge who allows or supports this farce.

You want another absurdity of our judicial system? Some time ago, congress banned various forms of torture. The dept of justice announced they would abide by this, but then, and get this, it has just been revealed that the dept of justice although publicly supporting the ruling, immediately issued a secret ruling that they would ignore congress and not follow the law. Secret ruling? Secret? From whom? Again, is this America, the land of the brave and home of the free, or is this soviet Russia?

Next item: News out of wash dc gets weirder and weirder. You have to wonder what planet these guys live on. we’ve gone from non binding resolutions to resolutions that ask king geo pretty please give us some sort of plan for iraq we can take back to our constituants to prove we are doing something, but by the way, you not only don’t have to follow our requests, you don’t even have to follow your own plan. Did you get that? They want the president to issue a plan but then he doesn’t have to follow it. That’s so absurd I cant even believe im typing this.

Related item: you want more hilarity out of wash? Ok, I geev it to you. You think all haliburton and its subsidery kellog brown and root do in iraq is steal our tax dollars. Nope. It appears they are also training the locals to do the same. Some construction company masquerading as a Kuwaiti corporation got the multi billion contract to build the worlds largest fortress, excuse me embassy, in bagdad. News is leaking out almost as fast as the sewage pipes that there are literally hundreds of defects and screw ups in the construction, so serious that even the us congress is beginning to pretend to pay attention. So this massive project, in a land we swear we are only there until the Iraqis can run their own country, and then we will leave, and if you believe that, I have a partially built embassy id like to sell you. Anyhow the great fortress embassy project has ground to a halt. Does this impede our war effort? Does it have anything at all to do with our war effort? Who knows? What we do know is once again, someone is stealing a fortune from our tax dollars. The only remaining question is who really owns and operates the Kuwaiti corp that has pulled off this economic coup. Recall all the photo oops of American troops hooping an hollering as they took over saddams palaces. Fast forward to a time when Iraqis will hoop and holler as they take over the abandoned boondoggle of the massive American embassy. There are ruined fortresses all over the middle east, evidence of failed empires, and long gone conquerors. Sooner or later, it will happen. History bats last.

Next item: lest you believe that the us govt has a strangle hold on absurdity, we now give you the Canadian govt. the ruling party is facing an election fairly soon. So, in exemplary fashion they are beginning to sling mud at their opponents, by revealing the startling fact that the leader of the opposition has never visited Afghanistan, the far off land where Canada has troops battling, well its not exactly clear what they are battling or why but that’s another story. So the leader of the opposition squashes that charge by immediately flying off to inspect the troops in Afghanistan. Is the govt pleased that their possible successor will be up to speed on their war? Don’t be silly. The govt is miffed that the opposition leader not only flew off with out consulting, read asking permission, from the govt but he didn’t even ask for a briefing. Political silliness, Canadian style.

. Next item: polls indicate that hillary is leading obama in raising money. No mention of their plans for this nation or their votes on issues vital to all of us. One would think that this is a sporting event and whomever raises the most money is the winner. Hum. Maybe I don’t get it. Maybe that’s exactly what our presidential nominations have become. Whomever amasses the largest campaign contributions wins. I have a proposal. Abandon elections entirely. Simply count up campaign donations. Most money wins. That’s how our elections are determined anyway. Save us the charade of pseudo elections.

Next tiem: finally a little honesty out of wash. every few years or so congress tries to gain American Armenian votes by sponsoring a meaningless resolution acknowledging the Turkish massacre of its Armenian citizens back in the 1920’s. well condi rice, In a rare burst of honesty told congress to cool it. We need turkey as an ally in our misadventures in iraq, and we don’t want to piss of the turks, never mind what they did to the Armenians. When has truth or justice ever impeded American foreign policy?

Next item: recall that news story of some guy in ariz being arrested over some tee shirts with the names of the American casualties in iraq printed on it? Evidently it got tossed out of court, as a listener sent in the following: Judge Wake wrote: "we each have our own convictions of the worth of our political values and of the service we choose to give. That worth is not diminished by the disagreement of others."
What a great principle. It seems to me it would benefit us to apply it in our personal relationships as well, such that "our values are not diminished" by the fact that others disagree. I am left wondering how long that judge will last in their position? Ve haf our vays, you know?
Another good point was made by the journalist who wrote the article:
"The legislators who unanimously passed and Gov. Janet Napolitano who signed this law so at odds with American values - probably well-aware it wouldn't pass a court review - should be ashamed." Indeed!
the listener was left with yet another - seemingly unanswerable, but very interesting - question, namely the question of consequences. He wonders what, if anything, could or should be the consequences of signing an unconstitutional law, other that expecting that Arizona governor "should be ashamed"? We all know that politicians, tycoons and corporate chiefs are not prone to feel guilty or easily shamed. They tend to be ambitious, aggressive and bulldozing personalities, not overly concerned with subtleties. What they seem to be concerned about are exclusively PRACTICAL consequences of their actions.
Thus his (possibly unanswerable) question remains: what could be done to bring the more immediate consequences for politicians or corporations who engage in shameful behavior (like dumping chemical waste into our environment), yet don't seem to have whatever it takes for a natural response of shame to happen?
How can someone be "prompted" toward feeling that one's actions were inappropriate? I mean, don't we do it with children all the time? If a particular kid doesn't seem to have whatever it takes for a "natural response of shame to happen" when his or her behavior is inappropriate, then others around him or her try to help but "prompting" him or her toward that feeling of "having done something inappropriate" that we call "natural sense of shame"? the question is: how to bring on the natural sense of shame to people who are - for whatever reason - lacking it? Is there a way of talking about it that wouldn't trigger their automatic defense (or revenge)? Or would it be like talking about the shades of green to a color blind person?

Next item: You want more hilarity out of your nations capital? Congress is looking into maybe doing something concerning those secret justice dept memos that said ignore congress, torture away. Some govt spokesperson was asked why the justice dept wont elaborate or explain exactly which enhanced interrogation techniques have been secretly approved. The answer is a classic. "If we reveal which techniques we use, the terrorists might train their people how to resist our techniques." In a rabble rousing exclusive, We now take you to terrorist training central to witness the training of their recruits to resist the newly revealed secret American torture techniques. Lets listen in on whats going on in one room. Ok, Mustapha, we are now going to hold your head under water until you think you will drown. Its very important for you to learn to enjoy this. Imagine it is a very hot day, and the Americans are simply helping you stay cool. Be cool Mustapha. As the Americans force your head into the bucket, try to hold your breath until the Americans hands grow tired. Oh, Mustapha, you are gasping and choking. This is not going to fool the Americans. You must learn to hold your breath longer. Try thinking of allah, or reciting the koran. Now we take you into the next room to listen in on more training. Ok abdul, we have attached electric wires to your genitals and are about to turn on the juice. We are training you to ignore this minor inconvenience. Ready, set, abdul, screaming is simply not acceptable. You must smile, thank your infidel captors, praise allah and ask for more electricity.

I hope this rabble rousing exclusive visit to a terrorist training camp will reassure all listeners of the validity of the us govt keeping their approved torture techniques secret. You just never know who might be listening, or what they might do with the information.

Next item: There are some interesting political movements going on not being reported by the corporate media
       this was sent to me by Catherine Austin fitts, an old friend who will be our guest on our pledge drive show oct31 Secessionists meeting in Tennessee         By BILL POOVEY, Associated Press Writer,   
      The U.S. Constitution does not explicitly prohibit secession,     but few     people think it is politically viable.    In spite of this,  Separated by hundreds of miles and divergent political     philosophies,     the Middlebury Institute and the League of the South are hosting a     two-day Secessionist Convention starting Wednesday in Chattanooga.
        They expect to attract supporters from California, Alaska and     Hawaii,    and are inviting anyone who wants to dissolve the Union so states can save     themselves from an overbearing federal government.    
    Vermont, one of the nation's most liberal states, has become a     hotbed     for liberal secessionists, a fringe movement that gained new     traction     because of the Iraq war, rising oil prices and the formation of
    several pro-secession groups.         there are secessionist movements in more than 25 states, including
    Hawaii, Alaska, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Texas.     The Middlebury Institute, based in Cold Spring, N.Y., was     started in     2005 Its followers, disillusioned by the Iraq war and federal     imperialism, share the idea of states becoming independent     republics.     They contend their movement is growing.