Rapid Response Network - Weekend Edition

[DesEtoiles]

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ACTION ITEM
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In line with the assault on the judiciary, the Constitution Restoration Act was introduced in the Senate on March 3, 2005.  The purpose of the act is to "limit the jurisdiction of Federal courts in certain cases and promote federalism."  The bill has been submitted to the Committee on the Judiciary.  As noted in one article, the bill

http://www.startribune.com/stories/1519/5331831.html 
....would prohibit federal courts from exercising jurisdiction on any issue that involves government officials' "acknowledgment of God as the sovereign source of law, liberty or government." That would seem to remove all church-state questions, such as the display of the Ten Commandments in public places or the reference to "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, from judicial review.



The act also would prohibit any federal court from citing international law in deciding a case -- a slap at the Supreme Court, which cited international norms in recently outlawing the execution of juveniles.

The bill also has a provision for impeaching judges that issue rulings/decisions that contradict the act. 

The bill is sponsored by Sen. Shelby and five Republican senators (see bill for specifics  http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:s.00520:) 

See 911Truth.org for a good summary/editorial on the bill:  http://66.116.223.176/article.php?story=20050323215320295 

*ACTION*

There has been a virtual media blackout on this bill.  There is currently much in the media about the fallout from the Terri Schiavo case, DeLay and his crowd continuing their assault on the judiciary, and the strong current push from religious extremists.  When you see these articles, ask why the media isn't covering this bill and it's implications.  Mention it when you write about the issues that are cropping up subsequent to the Schiavo case.  This is a dangerous bill that has the potential to be pushed quietly through if action isn't taken to stop it.  A quick search indicates that there are conservative groups who are pushing the bill: 
Conservatives USA:    http://www.conservativeusa.org/action.htm#cra
Missouri Concerned Women for America:  http://www.mbcpathway.com/-1999993227/-1999958489.htm
Foundation for Moral Law:  http://www.morallaw.org/Text/pledge.htm 

The above is just a sampling.  It's safe to say that the majority of the extremists who've been railing against our judiciary will be supporting this law very vocally.

Either write to your legislators directly about this bill or include your feelings about this bill when you address current church/state issues and the assault on the judiciary.

A related article appeared in today's Washington Post:

And the Verdict on Justice Kennedy Is: Guilty  http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A38308-2005Apr8?language=printer

[email protected]

Anne Lindsay (NC)




ACTION REMINDER 1:  The bankruptcy bill can still be defeated!  Keep up the pressure!  Here's a great summary from The Black Commentator.  It provides information on how the bill may affect all of us, as well as lists of Democratic senators who voted for the bill and Democratic representatives who are supporting the bill:    Debt Slavery: What the Bankruptcy Bill Could Do to You   http://www.blackcommentator.com/132/132_guest_bankruptcy_bill.html 




ACTION REMINDER 2:  The "nuclear option" remains a constant threat.  Keep up the pressure!!


Senate Republicans' Bid to Destroy the Filibuster Option, And Push Through Ultraconservative Federal Judges: It seems Likely the "Nuclear Option" actually will be used.  (By John Dean)  http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/20050408.html



Santorum: Frist will go nuclear  http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/040705/santorum.html


 
There have been a number of articles of interest in the past few days that we haven't listed, so the list below is long -- just sift through for items of interest to you and feel free to act on any that you feel strongly about.  Many are follow-ups or continuations of issues that we previously sent out in alerts.

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OF INTEREST
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MISC

GOP Consultant Weds His Male Partner  http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/09/politics/09finkelstein.html?pagewanted=print&position=
Invisible Hand (of the U.S. Government) in Financial Markets   http://www.financialsense.com/editorials/reality/2005/0403.html
Teachers and Classmates Express Outrage at Arrest of Girl, 16, as a Terrorist Threat (NY Times)  http://digbig.com/4dcya 
High court may bar independents from primaries   http://www.dailybreeze.com/opinion/articles/1446672.html
U.S. unready for rising threat of 'moles'    http://www.christiansciencemonitor.com/2005/0408/p01s01-usfp.html
Pakistani Charged with Export of Devices with Nuclear Uses  http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A38757-2005Apr8?language=printer  
Dispensing Morality  http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A38702-2005Apr8?language=printer
Fear and Violence Accompany a Deadly Virus Across Angola (NY Times)  http://tinyurl.com/7ycwb
Terrorist Attacks on Reactor Pools  http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/09/opinion/09sat1.html?pagewanted=print&position=
How to Hurt American Business  http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/09/opinion/09sat2.html?pagewanted=print&position=
Killing Off Housing for the Poor  http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/09/opinion/09sat3.html?pagewanted=print&position=
Congress Fetches for the Gun Lobby  http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/09/opinion/09sat4.html?pagewanted=print&position=
US university enrolment 'in decline'  http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/worldwide/story/0,9959,1454408,00.html 
US nuclear warhead plan under fire  http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1455607,00.html
States Told Not to Steer Beneficiaries to Drug Plans (NY Times)  http://digbig.com/4dcyd 
DLC Misleadership  http://www.tompaine.com/articles/dlc_misleadership.php?dateid=20050408
Exclusive: Plame Game Over?  http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewWeb&articleId=9473

GUANTANAMO & TRIALS:

Records Give Voice to Guantanamo Detainees  (Yahoo/AP news)  http://digbig.com/4dcxp 
        AP collection of Guantanamo prisoner court records:  http://wid.ap.org/documents/detainees/list.html 
Administration Urges Appeals Court to Leg Guantanamo War Crimes Trials Resume  (NY Times) http://digbig.com/4dcyc 

FALLOUT FROM RECENT GOP ACTIONS & ASSOCIATED ARTICLES:

GOP Heading Over Political Cliff (John Conyers on Buzzflash)   http://www.buzzflash.com/contributors/05/04/con05129.html 
Bush Indifferent Over Falling Poll Numbers (includes Congressional poll numbers; Yahoo/AP)  http://digbig.com/4dcxr 
George Bush and the new America  http://www.dailytidings.com/2005/0405/040505forum.shtml

MEDIA
State employs a Herald columnist  (Boston Globe April 8)  http://digbig.com/4dcxw 
Herald severs ties with op-ed columnist  (Boston Globe April 9)  http://digbig.com/4dcxx
Boston Herald Fired Columnist Who Accepted contract to Promote Mass. Environmental Policies  http://abcnews.go.com/US/print?id=654214
       (Comment: How many others will we find?  We have the feds, Florida, and MA paying journalists -- how many are out there?)
Gannon Appears at National Press Club, Draws Heat  http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000874290 

IRAQ:
Iraq blighted by poor services  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4414291.stm 
Pinkertons at the CPA: Iraq's resurgent labor unions could have helped rebuild the country's civil society.  The Bush administration of course tried to crush them.
       http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2005/0504.harwood.html
Good news from Iraq overshadows hidden cost of war for Bush (Republican demands apology from Bush for misleading on war; Yahoo/AFP):
       http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20050408/wl_mideast_afp/usiraqcost&cid=1514&ncid=1473
KY soldier's armor e-mail gets attention  (Cincinnati Enquirer)  http://digbig.com/4dcxs
US legal legacy for Iraqi economy  http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4417759.stm
Sadr Supporters Demand U.S. Pull Out From Iraq  http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A39331-2005Apr9?language=printer
More Americans Feel Misled On Iraq War  http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewItem&itemID=6674  

DELAY
DeLay defense fund donations slow (good work everyone!! Keep it up!)  http://www.dallasnews.com/cgi-bin/bi/gold_print.cgi
Ethics Impasse  http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A38727-2005Apr8?language=printer
DeLay in Hot Water Again  http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,152909,00.html
DeLay steps up his attack on federal judiciary  (Seattle Times)  http://digbig.com/4dcxq   

BUSH
Waxman seeks cost of Bush trips; Allard joins chorus of Colorado officials opposed to ouster of trio from speech  (see Thurs. 4/7 alert for more on Waxman)
        http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_3684071,00.html
Personal Accounts Hit a Wall  http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-social9apr09,0,4252247,print.story?coll=la-home-nation

HOWARD DEAN
Dean on Jesus, balanced budgets  http://www.pahrumpvalleytimes.com/2005/04/08/opinion/brummett.html 
Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean Says National Party Will Invest in State Parties in Four States (ABC News) http://digbig.com/4dcye
The Dean Activists: Their Profile and Prospects (Pew Research Center)  http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?ReportID=240 


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[madfloridian]

1. I love Rapid Response. They are right on the ball.

I believe at last count, our Florida RR had over 250 members. It is good to have it in two parts like that...we get reminders for just the state.