The Spirit of Democracy in Venezuela
Stephen Lendman,

Venezuelan election a model of the electoral process.
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Iraq War Resister Kyle Snyder Speaks in San Diego
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine,

At 19, Kyle Snyder joined the Army for the usual reasons a 19-year-old would: a $5,000 signing bonus and promises of health coverage and college aid. Four years later, he's touring the country in a bus run by the Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) and speaking largely to student audiences — many of them students of color — in schools heavily recruited by the military. He's also fulfilling the opportunity the military promised him and then reneged — the chance to reconstruct infrastructure for a devastated population — not in Iraq, but in New Orleans, where IVAW members have an ongoing cleanup project to rehabilitate homes flooded in Hurricane Katrina.

“There’s not a day that goes by without me thinking about the 500,000 Iraqis and 3,000 Americans who have died. I support the troops but oppose the war. I want my friends home so I don’t have to question anymore. I don’t believe in the Bush administration. One minute I’m looked at as a hero, and the next as a traitor. It’s difficult for me to understand that kind of logic.”

Iraq Veterans Against the War | San Diego Pablo Paredes Coverage: 1 2 3 4 5
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Mensaje de Fidel a Chávez
yulio,

Hugo:

Seré breve para que la emoción no me traicione.

Tu victoria fue contundente, aplastante y sin paralelo en la historia de nuestra América.

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Speaker Nunez Urged to Return Contributions
B. Swarm,

The questionable $4 million Election Day contribution that Speaker Fabian Nunez received from the California Democratic Party immediately drew condemnation from good government activists, but now Democratic activists are wondering why grassroots contributions were refunded to a term-limited incumbent in a safe Democratic district.
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Wal-Mart Burns at the Weirdo Art Gallery
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine,

The painting is called "Let It Be," and it shows the front of a Wal-Mart with flames billowing from the back of the building. It's just one of the many striking images created by local artist Kelly Hutchinson and on display at his Fish Out of Water Weirdo Art Gallery, 2925 Lincoln Avenue just off 30th Street in North Park. Another painting in the show features President Bush eating a cake with an American flag stuck in it, in a field of sheep (representing the people who voted for him), while working people are shoveling excrement in front of him. Though Hutchinson insists his gallery isn't meant to be political but "fun," his convictions come through in much of his work. See his pieces at the gallery's official opening, December 9 from 6 p.m. to midnight.
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Election 2006: Mixed Blessings
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine,

An analysis of the November 7 election results plus the ways in which the Democratic takeover of Congress has been reported in the corporate media since. The analysis suggests that the Democrats will have a hard time maintaining their Congressional majority if they don't take a strong stand on corruption and ethics issues; that conservative social issues in general and a Constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage may actually have an easier time of passing in the new Congress, since many of the recently elected Democrats assured their constituents in their campaigns that they were anti-abortion rights and anti-Gay marriage; and that the "outings" of Florida Congressmember Mark Foley and Reverend Ted Haggard towards the end of the campaign may be more complex issues than most progressives believe.
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Socialist Party Makes Big Gains In The Nether
Steven Argue ,

Dutch voters were fed up with both the ruling Christian Democrat (CDA) government led by Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenede as well as the powerful Labor Party (PvdA) and Liberal Party (VVD). All three parties have carried out the policies of austerity and privatization that are components of the drive for higher corporate profit as well as integration into the capitalist European Union.
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Venezuela, elecciones 2006: hablan l@s anarqu
CRA - El Libertario, Venezuela,

Desde la Comisión de Relaciones Anarquistas y su vocero El Libertario, difundimos tres textos en los que se expresa publicamente nuestra perspectiva sobre los comicios presidenciales venezolanos del 3 de diciembre de 2006.
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Venezuela, Elections 2006: Anarchists Speak
CRA - El Libertario, Venezuela,

From the Commision of Anarchist Relations (Comision de Relaciones Anarquistas) and its organ El Libertario, we disseminate three texts in which we publically express our perspective on the upcoming Venezuelan elections of December 3, 2006.
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Progressive S.D. Hosts Post-Election Forum
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine,

Progressive San Diego hosted a forum November 18 on "Lessons Learned" from the November 7 election, featuring three defeated local candidates — Francine Busby, Richard Barrera and Lorena Gonzalez — as well as Laura Hunter of the Environmental Health Coalition, Jess Durfee of the San Diego County Democratic Central Committee and Scott Lewis of the Voice of San Diego Web site. The focus was less on the Democrats' national triumph and more on the defeats at the state and local level — particularly the 3 to 1 defeat of the clean-elections initiative, Proposition 89, statewide and the 2 to 1 passage of Proposition C, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders' bid to privatize city services.
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Lillian Faderman Promotes "Gay L.A." in S.D.
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine,

Lillian Faderman, veteran Lesbian author and activist and co-writer of the new book "Gay L.A." spoke at San Diego's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Community Center November 8. She talked about the history of Queer Los Angeles, mentioned the many "firsts" for the Queer movement that took place in L.A. — including the first ongoing Queer activist organization, first Lesbian and Gay male publications, first community center and first church specifically designed to reach out to Queer people — about the long history of anti-Queer repression, specifically from the Los Angeles Police Department, and the difficulties Lesbians and Gay men have had in trying to work together.
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Venezuelan elections: Cast a blank ballot
Mario López,

[Here's a translation of the latest article from the Venezuelan Trotskyists. It is of special interest in the United States, where the left entirely capitulates to the Bolivarian popular front headed by Hugo Chávez, thinking that their blind endorsement of class collaboration is some kind of "solidarity." Solidarity with whom? With what class?]
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Tell Pelosi: Rep. Lantos is wrong for the job
Peacemonger,

If you want the new, Democrat-led Congress to stand up for peace, NOW is the time to call or fax Rep. Nancy Pelosi and your Representatives and urge them to support a peacemaker--not a war-enabler--as Chairman of the House International Affairs Committee.

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NEW FACES, SAME AGENDA
Stephen Lendman,

NO REAL CHANGE WILL COME FROM US MID-TERM ELECTIONS
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Elections Are Over, Gas Prices Are Up
Stewart A. Alexander,

The 2006 Election results have been posted within the past few days and gasoline prices have already begun to show increases throughout the entire State of California and in some areas prices have increased 10 to 15 cents. Alexander says, “The greatest challenge Americans are facing to stop rising gasoline prices is not being organized to demand lower prices at the pumps. It is unfortunate that America’s one party system is keeping the nation divided on this front to protect the oil giants.”


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Republican Meltdown: Election Analysis by Fre
Freedom Road Socialist Organization,

The midterm elections represented a defeat of historic proportions for the Bush administration. They were a referendum on the war against Iraq. The American people voted ‘no.’ The Republican agenda of racism, inequality and reaction met with a setback. This is a moment to savor. It’s payback time for the politicians who left people to die on freeway overpasses in New Orleans and who are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands in Iraq.
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Diebold Voting Machines Jam in Vista
repost from e-mail,

Two Diebold voting machines in Vista experienced paper jams on the already controversial computerized format that has been challenged on local, regional and national levels.

"What happend today in Vista is an example of the continued erosion of our democracy," said Fredia Avalos, a communication lecturer at Cal State San
Marcos. Vista filmaker Mark Day commented "I ended up voting twice. Those machines make a lot of racket and sound like an old harvesting machine. The whole thing is very scary."
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Voter Guides for San Diego County
JJ Rex,

If you are going to vote... Here are some guides to some voter guides. I think the City Beat Guide is the best, but the Republican list is pretty organized (just vote for the opposites).
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San Diego Activist Janice Jordan Running for CA Governor
san diego indymedia volunteer,

San Diego activist Janice Jordan is running as the Peace and Freedom Candidate for governor of California with a $400 budget. Her campaign calls for an immediate moratorium on the death penalty, community policing, universal healthcare and free education, affordable housing, full equality for women, support for unions and immigrant rights.

Jordan was political prisoner Leonard Peltier's vice-presidential running mate in the 2004 election. She is active in the San Diego Sagon Penn Chapter of CopWatch, the California Coalition of Women Prisoners, and other local groups working for positive social change.

Arnold Schwartzenegger is estimated to have spent $40 million for his republican bid for governor; Phil Angelides $36 million for the democrats. Despite the 100,000 times funding advantage the corporate candidates have over Jordan, in a recent mock election amongst California students, Jordan came in third - within spitting distance of the leaders: Jordan, 15.7%; Camejo, 8.9%; Olivier, 4.8%,;Noonan, 3.5%; Angelides, 34.5%, Schwarzenegger, 32.7%.

I spoke with Jordan outside a CopWatch event on October 22, the National Day of Protest Against Police Brutality. Video: 8min 33sec.

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Effort to Raise Anti-Joe-Turner Article Rank
LA IMC reader,

People are trying to get the truth out about Joe Turner, San Bernardino school board candidate.
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Election Action Needed Monday 8:30 a.m.
Mark,

Ken Simpkins, one of the lawyers who filed the Busby/Bilbray lawsuit, has filed a writ of mandate because Mikel Haas, the Registrar of Voters, has said that it would be inconvenient for him to comply with the Secretary of State's directive to issue enough paper ballots for anyone who wants one, and to count them as normal votes the night of the election.

If you have the time on Monday morning to be in court as a show of support, you would be doing a service to all San Diego voters. This is the Superior Court at 330 W. Broadway. Since most people who are aware of how vulnerable the electronic voting machines are to hacking, will be asking for paper ballots, and these will be the bulk of the votes, if they are not counted the night of the election, the results will be very skewed.

Ken's a good guy. Used to fly a helicopter in Africa for a food program. Here's the email he sent out:
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An open letter to Christians who vote
A Christian,

Millions of American Christians have had enough of watching our faith being hijacked and warped for partisan political gain, and watching as "Christian" leaders annihilate Christ's message of love, compassion and peacemaking to replace it with a message of fear, arrogance, greed and warmongering. On November 7th, we'll reject the tactics of fear, hatred and deceit, and we'll vote Christ's values: love, compassion, gentleness, caring (including caring for gays and for women's medical privacy!), humility and peacemaking.

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Never Vote For an Incumbent
Rosemarie Jackowski,

Throw the bums out!!!
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SmokeBans Protect Industrial Carcinogen Mfgrs
Watchdog,

On Vote Day, many may vote for Prop. 86 thinking that would be a vote against the Cigarette Industry. It's just the opposite. It's a vote against the victims of that industry that distracts from and supports Big Cig.
This, below is about just one angle that questions the whole "smoking" brouhaha. Question is..how to get folks that don't like "smokey bars" to put that personal thing aside and to prioritize the issue of unjust law and corrupted science, gov't, and media?
A vote against "tobacco" or "smoking" is a vote FOR Big Pesticides and chlorine and dioxin and the rest, including their insurers and investors. True. Why ELSE would mainstream commercial media promote the "smoke free" issue? For our health?

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Schwarzenegger, Rove, Bush, and Fascism
4democracy,

Thinking about voting for Schwarzenegger--or not voting at all for Governor? Please refresh your memory about Schwarzenegger's family heritage, and please consider Schwarzenegger's own words: "I was always dreaming about very powerful people - dictators and things like that...people who could be remembered for hundreds of years."

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VENEZUELA'S DECEMBER PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
Stephen Lendman,

BUSH NEOCON PLANS TO DISRUPT THE VENEZUELAN ELECTION
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Former U.N. Weapons Inspector Declares Presid
Between the Lines' Scott Harris,

Former U.N. Weapons Inspector Declares President Bush Now Plans War Against Iran

Interview with former U.N. Chief Weapons Inspector Scott Ritter, conducted by Scott Harris

As the Bush administration stepped up pressure at the United Nations to impose sanctions against Iran, the government in Tehran defiantly announced that it had recently doubled their capacity to enrich uranium. The process employing centrifuges can either produce nuclear fuel or material for a warhead. Iranian officials have long maintained that their goal is only to generate electricity and reject charges from Washington that they are on a covert path to build nuclear weapons.

In recent weeks, there have been several reports speculating that the U.S. was sending Navy ships to the Persian Gulf for a possible pre-election attack on Iran -- charges dismissed by the Bush administration. But on Oct. 29, a naval training exercise led by the United States got underway off the Iranian coast. The two days of exercises involving ships from six nations were organized under the U.S.-led Proliferation Security Initiative, aimed at blocking nuclear proliferation by practicing the interception of ships at sea. Although U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Charlie Brown of America's 5th Fleet said the exercises would not affect shipping in or out of Iran, Iranian officials said they were watching the movements in the Gulf very carefully.

Scott Ritter is a former Marine intelligence officer who served as a chief U.N. weapons inspector in Iraq from 1991 to 1998. During the leadup to the Iraq war, Ritter challenged President Bush's rationale for the war, maintaining that Saddam Hussein possessed no weapons of mass destruction that threatened the U.S. Scott Ritter has written a new book titled, "Target Iran: The Truth About the White House's Plans for Regime Change." Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Ritter about his contention that Bush is now planning to launch a new war against Iran.

Scott Ritter's book, "Target Iran: The Truth About the White House's Plans for Regime Change," is published by Nation Books.

Related links:

"Parallel Deceptions: The Bush Agenda for War in Iraq and Iran"

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Electronic Blockade of Mexican Embassy and Co
Bob,

Electronic Blockade of Mexican Embassy and Consulate Websites
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Art of War : E Vote
Larmee,

E Vote
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Gay Marriage: The Game, Not the Name
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine,

A response to the New Jersey state supreme court decision of October 25 requiring that the New Jersey legislature offer same-sex couples all the rights and benefits of married heterosexual couples but not necessarily under the term "marriage." The author argues that this represents the best outcome the Queer community can achieve on the marriage issue and that Queers should reject the label of marriage for their relationships, both because agitating for the M-word is politically counterproductive and because in many ways the traditional, historical and cultural norms associated with the term "marriage" do not apply to same-gender relationships in general and Gay male relationships in particular.
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