Some things should be uninvented – DES, HRT, GMOs, hexachlorophene in infants’ soap, nuclear power plants, nuclear weapons, etc. Now a new threat, the Smart Grid and Smart Meters. If these are good ideas, why is the free market not providing them? Why the need for taxpayer funding? The fact that this industry must depend on taxpayer money is just one of many reasons it is suspect.

The May 20, 2011 Sandia Labs News Release reported that 69.3 Million has been granted for Smart Meter implementation in Vermont.

During a December 2011 news conference Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin and Senator Bernie Sanders announced their support of a 15 million dollar government grant to Sandia Labs. The grant is to be used for implementation of Smart Meter technology in Vermont. This is a perfect example of Corporate Welfare. Sandia has a long, fascinating history.

From the Sandia website:

…Sandia National Laboratories’ roots lie in World War II’s Manhattan Project and its history reflects the changing national security needs of postwar America. Sandia’s original emphasis on ordnance engineering — turning the nuclear physics packages created by Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories into deployable weapons — expanded into new areas as national security requirements changed. In addition to ensuring the safety and reliability of the stockpile, Sandia applied the expertise it acquired in weapons work to a variety of related areas such as energy research…

Is it really a good idea to put the national electric grid under the control of any corporation? How about a corporation with a history of war and destruction? There are many unanswered questions.

The Smart Grid is the opposite of the movement toward sustainable communities and transition towns. Control of the grid should be local. When power outaqes occur, and they will, the smaller the area of the black-out the better. The larger the area, the more difficult it is for any emergency response. This puts large populations at risk for property damage and death. In September 2011 a large power outage affected more than 5 million people in California, Arizona, and Mexico. In recent years, an ice storm caused a large power outage in northern New York State. Farmers were among those affected. Eventually farmers were able to access generators for milking machines on rural farms.

One of the big issues in Vermont is the lack of generators. When power goes out, individual home owners are on their own. Some home owners have purchased generators. Most cannot afford the high price. Estimates range upwards of $5000 for a hard wired generator that will allow a furnace to heat a home and prevent property damage. The damage caused by frozen pipes can be extensive. Also, there are health concerns for those who need electricity to power medical devices.

One of the most relevant questions is: why do we need a Smart Grid? Who will benefit? The first duty of a corporation is to its share holders. Profit and the bottom line trump consumer protection. In Vermont there is a history of this. For example, CVPS moved all of its emergency repair vehicles out of Bennington. The vehicles are now garaged many miles away in Sunderland. This decision to garage the vehicles in a less densely populated area was based on the corporate bottom line. That is understandable. It is not the duty of corporations to be benevolent. This is the way the capitalistic system works. The move of the vehicles has placed many homes at risk – especially during winter storms. This risk continues today.

Why the rush to an unproven technology? Will the cost per kilowatt go down for the consumer? Will there be privacy concerns? Who will have access to power consumption data of individual homes? For anyone with access, it will be easy to see which homes are occupied and when they are unoccupied. Will every home now need to be protected with battery powered burglar alarm systems?

Besides questions about the Grid, there are questions about Smart Meters. In some areas of the country they are illegal. There are questions about the synergistic consequences of additional EMF pollution in the environment. There have been reports of health devices and other electronic equipment being affected. Some believe that Smart Meters can cause cancer. All of the science is not yet in. It will take years. In the meantime, should people be used as guinea pigs for this big experiment? How much more would be accomplished if the science and money were dedicated to conservation and alternative sources of power? Every dollar spent on the Smart Grid is a dollar that is not available for other efforts.

There is another issue: that of the lack of a democratic process. In Vermont those who opt-out of the Smart Meter implementation will be charged an additional fee every month. It is reported that in Maine there is a one-time $40 opt-out fee. Op-out fees feel a little like blackmail. So far, the people have had no say in this controversy.

Maybe the most important reason to oppose Smart Grid technology, is that it places too much power in the hands of too few. Imagine bringing down the grid and the chaos that would result. No power. No refrigeration for the food supply in the summer. No heat to keep people alive in the northeast during winter. No transportation. No gas – it could not be pumped. No water – it could not be pumped.

A terrorist attack on the grid, is not the issue. Mistakes happen. Disgruntled workers react. Maybe the most sure thing is that technology fails. Sooner or later all technology fails. This is not a zero defects industry. If the unplanned shutdown damages large industrial turbines and generators, it could take many months to replace them. Think about many months without electricity.

Maybe the Smart Grid will be the greatest political-engineering feat of all time, or maybe not. Imagine just one flick of the switch and the entire system is brought down. This could be the end of everything – the real Armageddon. No food. No communication. No Internet. No life as we know it. Engineered back to the Stone Age without the survival skills that our Stone Age ancestors had.

Freedom of expression is the Matrix, the indispensable condition of nearly every other form of freedom.

– Justice Benjamin Cardozo

The Press has the right to print or not print anything it wants. That right should be supported. There is, however, another issue — that of journalistic ethics. Since OWS began, there has been a deluge of misinformation, innuendo, and inflammatory speech in print in the nation’s newspapers. I defend the right of newspapers to misinform, but I also defend the rights of citizens to push back after being misrepresented in print. It should not be necessary to own a large printing press in order to respond to a news organization.

Sometimes economic issues are at play. Newspapers don’t want to offend the money/business interests in the community. Sometimes inaccurate reporting is the result of a lack of knowledge of journalists. After all, how many schools teach a course in ‘Anarchy’? Actually, there are some schools that do have such a course of study. Surprising as it might be, one school that has a history of offering a well-taught class in ‘Anarchy’ is Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. RPI is a highly respected right-leaning institution in Troy, New York. RPI receives military contracts.

The article below is a response to an editorial. The response was submitted to the paper days ago, but has not been published. It probably won’t be. Across the country many do not have Internet connections. The only means of responding to an editorial is in the newspaper itself. A conundrum — a Catch 22.

A Response

The Editorial in the November 15, 2011 issue of the Bennington Banner deserves a reply. Thank you for recognizing OWS. As a fan of newspapers, I place great importance on the Press. It is the fabric that ties a community together. In many locations, it is the only means of mass communication. This places a heavy moral burden on the Press. I had my first newspaper job in 1952. In those days, The Big Story was a favorite TV program about newspapers. Journalism was a highly respected calling.

There are a couple of issues with the editorial about OWS. First is the use of the word “Anarchy”. It is used as a highly inflammatory, prejudicial term implying violence, often to misinform the reader. In my day, labeling — without explanation — even a small part of the movement as such would be called ‘sloppy journalism’. It is a label that paints all with the same brush. Christians, Jews, Democrats, Republicans all have members who exhibit violence. No one should ever condemn the entire group for the actions of a few.

… Professor Howard Zinn, author of the People’s History of the United States… describes anarchism in his book Declarations of Independence as following: “Anarchists, I discovered, did not believe in anarchy as it is usually defined — disorder, disorganization, chaos, confusion, and everyone doing as they like. On the contrary, they believed that society should be organized in a thousand different ways, that people had to cooperate in work and in play, to create a good society. But anarchists insisted, any organization must avoid hierarchy and command from the top; it must be democratic, consensual, reaching decisions through constant discussion and argument.”… What attracted me to anarchism was its rejection of any bullying authority — the authority of the state, of the church, or the employer. Anarchism believes that if we can create an egalitarian society without extremes of poverty and wealth, and join hands across all national boundaries, we will not need police forces, prisons, armies, or war, because the underlying causes of these will be gone.¹

”

Bennington OWS is organizationally much like Professor Zinn describes. Maybe the most important fact about OWS is that it is a horizontal movement. There is no hierarchy. No chain-of-command. No leaders. No followers. It is not only about money and banks. Yes, the misadventures of Wall Street are an issue – but only one of many issues. OWS is anything that the people want it to be – locally and globally. It is by far the most democratic organization that anyone could wish for.

It is about building sustainable communities. It is about organic farming. It is about justice for all. It is about transparency. It is about smart meters and dumb grids. It is about giving consumers choice. It is about advocating for victims of injustice. It is about hunger and homelessness. It is about home foreclosures. It is about the environment. It is about health care. It is about fracking. It is about war and peace. It is about drones. It is about the use of cluster bombs and land mines by the USA. And — my personal favorite — it is about the First Amendment. The First Amendment, as written, applies only to the Congress – but the spirit of the First Amendment applies to all. Why is censorship of political speech so common in Vermont? Why is there censorship of political books in Vermont? Why are public buildings allowed to be used for political debate, when some on the ballot are excluded — as in the Bennington Fire House? It might be legal, but it is not in keeping with the spirit of free political speech. It gets even worse. Dennis Steele, a Vermont Candidate for Governor being was arrested. His crime: he wanted to participate in a candidates’ forum.

One thing I know about Bennington OWS is that is it dedicated, passionate, empathetic, and altruistic. It is the most community oriented movement in the area. Imagine dedicating many hours every week to the community, for no money and no personal gain. Everyone is encouraged to join with us to build a fair, just, sustainable Vermont for all.

And finally, I thank the writer of the Editorial for mentioning boycotts. Many of us have been pushing for boycotts and strikes for decades. Bennington OWS is action oriented. You’ll be hearing from us. Stay tuned in.

1. An excerpt from Food Not Bombs.

2. The Black Budget finances covert operations in an unknown number of foreign countries. It was authorized during the Truman administration. Since then, because of secrecy, no informed ballot has been cast in the US. Would you support elimination of the Black Budget?
YES________ NO________

3. Would you support an end to the financing, manufacture, and use of Drones?
YES________ NO________

4. The US secret prison system has received world-wide criticism. Would you support the immediate closing of Guantanamo and all other US controlled prisons on foreign soil? Will you support the immediate release, or speedy Trials of all prisoners, including PFC Bradley Manning?
YES________ NO________

5. The Rule of Law has been suspended by an Executive Order allowing assassination – even of USA citizens. Will you pledge to rescind that Order?
YES________ NO________

6. Will you support the phasing out of all nuclear power plants?
YES________ NO________

7. Do you support Statehood for the Palestinians?
YES________ NO________

8. Will you support reform of the tax code? Eliminate tax on the first $88,000; a progressive tax on income above $88,000; a 98% tax on all income above $500,000, earned and unearned from investment.
YES________ NO________

9. Do you believe that Health Care is a human right, and that a Single Payer System is the best way to achieve it?
YES________ NO________

10. Do you believe that hunger and homelessness are national tragedies, often resulting from an unfair economic system?
YES________ NO________

11. Does the public educational system have an obligation to teach an accurate view of US and World History? This would include lessons about lynching, US war crimes, etc.
YES________ NO________

12. Will you support legal protection for families and children working on farms? Children as young as 2 years old have been filmed in farm fields because there is no system to provide safe child care, protection from toxic chemicals, adequate housing, fair pay, education, health services, etc.
YES_______ NO________

2…   Immediately discontinue the manufacture, export, and use of drones.  Cut the military budget by 99%. Cut the State Department budget by 90%.  Eliminate the Black Budget which was authorized by the 1947 National Security Act of President Truman.  Even if all uniformed members of the military were brought home, the killing would not end. It is clear that  the State Department, CIA, and private contractors are more dangerous than the military. The uniformed military is only the tip of the iceberg. The real danger is with US forces that operate in secret.

3…   Encourage the dissemination of information from whistleblowers such as Bradley Manning and Julian Assange.  Any possibility of a democratic nation died with the adoption of the Black Budget which prevented citizens from having access to information; therefore, no informed vote has been cast in the USA since 1947. If you can’t follow the money, you don’t know what your government is doing. More whisleblowers are needed so that voters will have the information necessary to cast informed ballots.

4…   Place a 100% tax on all income above $88,000 – all income, earned and unearned.

5…   Aim to close all nuclear power plants.  Encourage green power - solar power – water power – wind power.   A ridgeline with windmills is preferable to a ridgeline that has been contaminated.

6…   Support small, local, organic family farms.  End all subsidies to large industrial farms.

7…   End all secret boards.  This can be accomplished by withholding public funds from organizations that use secret boards for decision-making purposes.

Hospital ‘Ethics’ Boards meet in secret and make life and death decisions.  Any decision to ‘pull the plug’ should be made in the open. Patient confidentiality would not be violated if the identity of the patient was not disclosed.

Library boards sometimes meet behind closed doors and censor political books that could be considered ‘unpatriotic’.  (Yes, it is now happening in the USA.)

When fascism came, it was not at the point of a gun, it was not brought by government troops, it was not even imposed by the Corporate CEO or the Hedge Fund manager.  Fascism quietly came in the guise of a misinformed teacher, a celebrity celebrating assassination, and a bespectacled librarian banning books.

8…   The problems with the legal system could fill volumes but there are some simple improvements that could be made.

Limit the use of expert witnesses.  With enough money testimony can be designed to fit any goal desired – no matter how unjust. Juries should always be told when testimony is purchased.  Now is the perfect time to examine the way juries work.   Secret deliberations foster unjust verdicts.  The deliberations should be open -  the identities of the jurors could be withheld till after the verdict is rendered.   Group deliberations are a problem.   Anytime more than one person is in a room, one person will be dominant.   A pecking order contaminates the process and can prevent a fair verdict.  Is unanimity really a sacred concept – or should there be room for dissenting views within a jury?    Even the Supreme Court allows for dissenting opinion.

End the death penalty. The State should never have the power to kill its citizens or anyone else. In addition, the death penalty can be a deterrent to justice.  The first juror to speak publicly after the Casey Anthony trial stated that it was the death penalty that affected her verdict vote.

9…   Adopt a national policy which assures food, shelter, and medical/dental care for all – with no regard to race, creed, citizenship, economic status, place of birth, or any other dehumanizing judgment.

10…  Send a formal apology with an offer of reparations to all individual victims of unjust US imprisonment and torture.  Also to all countries that have been victims of USA foreign policy. Start with the former inhabitants of Diego Garcia. The Chagossians were forcibly removed so that the island could be transformed into a military base for the US. It can be debated that the forced expulsion of the native population is evidence of genocide by the USA.

TV psychologists/psychiatrists announce a new psychiatric diagnosis of the accused every day. The pundits refer to the family as dysfunctional even though they have no inside information and have never talked directly to family members. That is clearly a violation of professional ethics… a cruel source of pain to a grieving family.

The intense interest in the case by the media is understandable. It is all about ratings. That means money. Of course there are more important reasons for the intense interest. Courtroom drama is seductive. Will justice prevail? What exactly would be justice in this case? A child is forever taken from us. A family will never completely recover. Can there be such a thing as ‘closure’ after such an enormous tragedy?

Now multiply the tragedy by 500,000. The 24/7 media coverage of the Casey Anthony trial is in sharp contrast to the almost total blackout of the 500,000 Iraqi deaths. On May 12, 1996, CBS 60 Minutes, Leslie Stahl asked about the 500,000 Iraqi children who died as the result of USA policies. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright answered: “…We think the deaths of 500,000 children was worth it…” Since 1996 the world has been waiting for the Press to focus in on the US policy that led to those deaths. We are still waiting. ‘Worth it’ to whom? Certainly not worth it to many people I know. Why are these deaths trivialized? Is it because most of the Iraqi children had tan skin and black hair? Is it because these children were not, white, middle class ‘Americans’. Is USA Foreign Policy just too hard for political pundits in the media? Sex, scandal, and trivia are easier.

To the family of Caylee Anthony, I send prayers for strength and resilience. In spite of misinformation from pundits, there are many ordinary people who feel compassion and empathy for you.

To the families of the 500,000 Iraqi children, I send prayers. I also apologize and want you to know that some Americans are very sorry that we allowed our country to kill so many of your children.

We know that our drone attacks continue to kill your children and other civilians. We are sorry – we just are not smart enough to figure out a way to control our government. First we need to ‘inform’ the voters and our fellow citizens. How can we make that happen? We are just not smart enough.

As the 4th of July approaches, many ‘Proud Americans’ will rally around the flag – celebrate with parades – explode fireworks that mimic ‘bombs bursting in air’.

There will be another group – the ‘Humbled Americans’ – those who know what the USA has done – and continues to do. We will not celebrate. We will spend the day in quiet reflection. We will be mourning the deaths of 500,000 Iraqi children.

The biased view expressed in many textbooks has been an issue as way back as the 1950s — but in the 50s too few questioned what was being taught. The US never was the way it was portrayed in textbooks. Standard US Social Studies textbooks are based on mythology. Propaganda sells books. 

Remember those good old days in the 50s? The school day began with the reading of the Bible, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Pledge to the flag. Those were the days of pretty girls in poodle skirts and cute boys with buzz cuts. The really cool ones always carried their pack of Camels rolled up in the sleeve of their sparkling white T-shirts.

Everyone was happy back then — well, not exactly everyone. Lynching continued in the south but things like that were never discussed. Talk about lynching was never heard. Lynching continued through the 60s and still was not acknowledged by many.

Facts about lynching were not the only gaps in education in the old days. Most high school students were taught that the US never did anything wrong. Meanwhile, the CIA was in Guatemala killing the people there. Many who went to school during the 50s were so brainwashed that by the time graduation came, they were anxious to enlist in the military. Korea needed to be defeated in order to preserve our national honor. Symbols of patriotism were everywhere.

Are things any better in schools now? Are students taught about covert CIA actions, about how the US got its base at Diego Garcia, about the atrocities at No Gun Ri? When history textbooks are evaluated, one of the first words that should be checked in the index is No Gun Ri. Usually there is no mention of that US war crime.

Recently, it has been interesting watching and listening to the hate talk that has been directed toward people from other countries. If we label people “illegal”, it is socially acceptable to hate them. The term “illegal alien” is loaded with prejudice. No human being is illegal. Sometimes the law can be wrong. Remember, slavery was legal — that did not make it right. Why should the geographic location of a person’s mother at the time of his birth give any special privileges or penalties?

Are all men created equal? If that is to be a cherished national value, then the color of a person’s skin, his religion, and the location of his mother at the time of his birth are all irrelevant. Prejudice based on geography is no more acceptable than prejudice based on race, creed, ethnicity, or economic status.

In the 40s and 50s WW2 was a big topic. Most students were taught the official version of that war. They learned those lessons well, not only in the classroom. The Saturday matinee was the big event of the week. Any kid with 12 cents got in. Kids without the 12 cents usually were smart enough to figure out alternative methods of entry. The movies were often war films. Hating the Japanese was a patriotic duty. Facts about the hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians in Nagasaki and Hiroshima who were needlessly slaughtered by the atomic bombs were usually omitted in any classroom discussion. About the fire bombing of Dresden — well, that didn’t matter either. After all they were Germans.

Playing cowboys and Indians was a favorite pastime.  Kids were taught to hate Indians. No thought was ever given to the fact that Columbus could not have discovered a country that already had a native population. Logic would indicate that maybe the native people who were here first were the real discoverers. The European explorers, who were heroes in the textbooks, had blood on their hands. Students never learned about their criminal acts.

In the ’50s kids grew up hating Indians, the Japanese, Germans, and black people. Kids now grow up hating Muslims, and an assortment of other groups.  

The solution to the Texas textbook dilemma is easy. Just don’t buy the books.  This would save taxpayer money at a time when school budgets are in trouble.

There are plenty of historically accurate books that should be in classrooms. Rogue State and also Killing Hope are two superior reference books authored by William Blum. William Blum is a world-renowned historian, a former member of the US State Department, and recipient of Project Censored’s award for Exemplary Journalism.

Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States is considered to be the gold standard of US history books. No classroom is complete without it.

Ironically, at the same time, in Washington politicians were promising ‘preventive care’. Seems to be a failure to communicate?

In recent years, the medical community has finally, in a better-late-than-never move, recommended increased dosages of vitamin D. For decades anyone could track the higher rates of MS, breast cancer, colon cancer, osteoporosis, and other diseases in areas of the northern US where there is less exposure to sunlight. There are some fascinating theories that explain the disease-resistance of the Inuit people who inhabit the far northern regions of the globe. One theory states that what they lack in sun exposure they make up with ample doses of vitamin D in their diet which consists mainly of fatty fish. The value of sun exposure and the resultant vitamin D have been well documented. Now, will vitamin D be taxed in Vermont? Should sitting in the sun also be taxed?

Vitamin D is one of the least expensive supplements. It is widely available without a prescription. High doses of vitamin D are available by prescription. Will they be taxed? On the other hand CoQ 10 is a bit more costly. It is also known to have important health benefits. Paying a tax on it could prove to be a hardship for many. CoQ 10 has been one of the leading heart meds used in Japan since 1974. It is sometimes an effective treatment for AMD, Alzheimer’s, angina, some cancers, heart failure, low sperm count, Parkinson’s, AIDS, tinnitus, psychiatric disorders, and many other illnesses. CoQ 10 is not a magic bullet, but it is an important supplement. It should be available tax-free for those who chose to take it.

What about fish oil capsules, and for vegans flaxseed oil capsules? Are they a supplement, or are they a food? Will they be taxed? If flaxseed oil is taxed, should there be a tax on olive oil. Will the criteria be, tax it if it is in a capsule – but leave it untaxed if it is floating free in a bottle? Cod liver oil is available in capsule form and is also available floating free in bottle form. Here we have a conundrum.

What about red wine supplements? Will taxing Resveratrol encourage people to drink Cabernet Sauvignon instead of taking a pill? That could be fun, but will each household then be required to have a designated driver? 

And what about green tea tablets? If in pill form, tax it. If in tiny bags, the tea would be tax-free. Seems a bit arbitrary.

Here’s another one: turmeric. If purchased from the spice isle of the grocery store, it would be tax-free. If purchased from the supplement isle, it would be taxed.

Pre-natal vitamins, especially the B vitamins, are credited with decreasing the risk of neural tube birth defects. Should pre-natal vitamins be taxed?

For a long time the bagel tax has been controversial. Buy one bagel and it is taxed. Buy a dozen bagels and they are tax-free. Is it permissible to buy a dozen — eat one — and then return eleven to avoid the tax?

In other areas, some are calling for a tax on sugary drinks. That could gum up an already overly complicated tax code. Few people can decipher the tax regs on food now. Some food is taxed, or not taxed, depending on the temperature of the food. Tax it if it is hot – no tax if it is cold. This might have made sense in Montpelier, but it victimizes poor families who lack cooking facilities. Not every one has a working stove. If a shopper purchases hot food in a grocery store, he pays the hot-food tax. If, when he gets home, the food has cooled should the tax be refunded? Seems that that would be the fair thing to do.

In the larger scheme of things, all of this might seem trivial.  There is increasing homelessness, hunger, war, and a continuing health care crisis, but some things are a matter of principle.  A public policy that places a tax on vitamins cannot be morally justified — especially in a state where there is already a crisis in health care.  In the southern part of Vermont many have no access to a doctor or dentist. In Bennington, Vermont there is a health care clinic. It is staffed by benevolent volunteers. The problem is that it is open only three hours per week and it does not offer dental or vision care. Dental care would go a long way in assuring health. It should be at the top of the list for preventive care. There is not much recognition of that fact in Washington or in Montpelier.

The federal tax code is not any better than most state codes.  Some needed improvements are obvious.  Simplify the code. Eliminate most deductions.  Make it fair.  A progressive tax that starts at 1 % on incomes above $88,000 would be an improvement.  The tax could progressively increase to 100% on incomes above $1,000,000.   Most important: eliminate the cap on the Social Security tax and include all income, earned and unearned.  Make it a progressive tax that is fair to low wage workers.

The worse thing about a tax on vitamins might not be the adverse health effect that will result. The worse thing is that this is a regressive tax – hurting those who can least afford it. Instead of taxing vitamins, vitamins should be given free to all who could benefit from them. This could be paid for by placing a progressive tax on all incomes — earned and unearned — above a certain amount. Maybe $88,000 would be a good place to start the discussion. Seems that that would be the neighborly thing to do. Pay for your neighbor’s vitamins if your income is above $88,000.

Is Marie Antoinette in Vermont? Maybe not, but I can’t wait for Stephen Colbert to do a report on the Vermont tax code — or is Stephen the consultant who has written the tax code?

Stanstead and Derby Line just happen to be in two different countries. Stanstead is in Canada and Derby Line is in the US. That was never a problem — that is until Homeland Security arrived on the scene with Operation Stone Garden — a little known federal plan which uses local police to ‘watch’ citizens. Is that really a good idea?  

I admit that the guys in uniforms with the guns are faced with a bit of a conundrum — what to do when the international border is in the middle of a close-knit rural community. The local library is straddling the international border.  The locals get the books from the shelves in one country and check them out in the same building at the desk which happens to be on the other side of the international border.  The pizza shop is in Stanstead, Quebec. The hungry pharmacist was in Derby Line, Vermont.

Used to be that when Aunt Millie in Stanstead needed to borrow a cup of sugar she just walked down to her niece’s house in Derby Line.  But then came the restrictions — border guards, gates blocking the village streets. The quiet, little village was now under siege.

It has been reported that snow plow drivers were among the first to have problems. They could no longer turn their plows around. They were finally issued keys to unlock the gates so that they could drive through the barricades.

Now we have the interesting case of the hungry pharmacist, Roland ‘Buzz’ Roy. He lived 67 years as a law abiding citizen, but then on February 6, 2010 he walked across the border to the pizza shop. Yep, you guessed it.  He was frisked, handcuffed, and fined. Early reports said that he was fined $5000. That amount has now been reduced to $500. That’s a lot to pay for a pizza — even a pizza with ‘the works’,  loaded with all of the good stuff.

Local residents stand firmly in support of ‘Buzzy’ and a protest in his honor is planned for March 27. The ‘Free Buzzy’  movement is in full swing.

On March 20, 2003 there was a large protest of the war at the other end of the State of Vermont. One of the largest arrests in town history was made that day. The Bennington 12 were arrested for their peaceful protest of ‘Shock and Awe’.  That was a day to remember.  Shortly after the arrests, the town officers had second thoughts about the law in question. They, in their infinite wisdom, rewrote the law so that peaceful protesters in the future would not be exposed to the same complex legal process.  In the end, the government officials decided that there was a better way to use taxpayer funds. 

In Derby Line hopefully someone will step up to the plate so that common sense will prevail.  In the meantime — Free ‘Buzzy’, and  free pizza for everybody.  And watch out for that guy hiding behind the tree. He just might be part of Operation Stone Garden.

It might have been intended as a joke, but one of the most profound comments on this topic was made a while back by Bob and Ray Magliozzi, the car guys. On their radio program, while discussing how to solve the problems of world governance, they said that in order for any nation to function properly it must be small. In fact, they said that the only way for a government to work would be for the citizens to break up into groups of ten. Ten was the ideal number. That way everyone could be heard. Everyone’s rights could be honored. Every nation would consist of ten citizens.

Think about it. How many lives have been lost because of the size of the US Military. The size of the Pentagon Budget has created global harm. In addition, the size of the Black Budget is a major problem. It should be eliminated.

In a nation that is too big, there is no way that citizens can be informed on the complexities of the laws and regulations which impact their lives. Even legislators who vote on the laws are at a disadvantage when a bill is unnecessarily complicated and too lengthy. How many in Congress will have read the nearly 2000 page Health Care Bill before they vote on it? A Bill that is almost 2000 pages in length will most likely be read by Congressional staffers. They in turn will write up a brief — sort of a Cliff Notes for Congress. That’s not the way our forefathers meant for things to be. If the Ten Commandments can be written on an index card, the US should be able to write a health care bill in a few pages.

A perfect example of how complex regulations harm all of us was recently disclosed by Stan Brock during a C-Span interview. He made a shocking revelation. He said that free medical care would be more readily available in the US, if only it was not prohibited in all States except Tennessee. That was shocking — free medical care at no expense to the taxpayer or the patient. Free vision exams, free dental fillings, free medical procedures – unbelievable.

The need for medical services is of crisis proportions — sort of a Perfect Storm. Bad economy, lost jobs, home foreclosures. I started to do the research to prove that Stan Brock was wrong when he said that most States made it almost impossible for volunteer medical personnel from other States to donate their services. Tennessee was the only exception.

I owe Stan an apology. He was right. I was wrong. I had believed that no where in our nation would a doctor be prohibited from rendering free medical care to a sick person. Cause of death — lack of papers of the volunteering physician — sort of a Catch 22 in medical care.

Everyone should research the rules. They are different in each State. My research is not complete but so far this is what it looks like. State Regulatory Boards cave in to the pressure of special medical interest groups. Regulations are written to eliminate competition from out-of-state doctors. A licensed doctor from New York, Massachusetts, or New Hampshire is not permitted to cross the state line and practice in the adjoining Vermont town. In Vermont, the licensing of doctors is controlled by the State Medical Board.

On the other hand, to further complicate things, in Vermont, the licensing of dentists is not controlled by the State Medical Board. The licensing of dentists is regulated by the Office of Professional Regulation, a division of the Office of Secretary of State. The rules for doctors and dentists are different. Rule 4.8 provides for a Transient Practice Permit which allows an out-of-state or Canadian dentist to practice in Vermont for ten days per year. This rule applies only to dentists.

Figuring a way to fix this is not brain surgery, but it might allow a patient to get brain surgery if it is needed. The fix is easy. Medical licensing Boards should honor reciprocity. A licensed doctor from one State should be granted the right to practice in any other State. Red tape and bureaucratic loopholes should be eliminated. Licensing fees for humanitarian volunteers should be eliminated. The lack of reciprocity across State lines denies a patient’s right to choose. Worse, it sometimes denies a patient’s right to survive.

For those who are not familiar with the work of Stan Brock, he is founder of RAM — Remote Area Medical. The original plan was to serve those in remote, jungle areas. Now that the US has become a Third World country, RAM has held several free clinics in the US. News reports have shown people lining up in the dark of night with the hope of getting necessary medical care. Many have had to be turned away.

The need for a Single Payer system is urgent. Until we have a Single Payer system there will be a need for thousands of humanitarians like Stan Brock. On the downside, reliance on volunteer services such as RAM unfairly deprives others around the world of medical care.

In the meantime, the US bureaucracy needs to be downsized and simplified. Only then will heroes such as Stan Brock and the other volunteers be allowed to go about their work of saving lives.

Blogs that responded to the essay contain some interesting comments. Many bloggers blame poor parenting for the shootings. Many others describe a deep sense of compassion for Susan and show a greater level of understanding of the human condition.

Life can be complicated. Dave Pelzer is author of A Child Called It. He has never demonstrated any anti-social behavior. It appears that as a child, he was the victim of extreme abuse.

On the other hand, it appears that Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber, had a normal, loving childhood. His brother, David, is a highly respected member of the community. They grew up in the same home. The causes of criminal/ anti-social behavior are complex and not completely understood.

There can be no greater pain than the death of a child, except maybe having a son who kills others and then himself. Susan Klebold is now a member of a very exclusive club of parents and other family members who have suffered that extreme horror. The family of the Virginia Tech Shooter, the mother and brother of the Unabomber, and many others have a loved one who has murdered. They are too often held responsible for the crimes of their loved ones. How much responsibility do these family members have for the actions of the offender? None – they are not to blame. They, too, are innocent victims. Often they had no way of predicting the criminal act. Sometimes, even if the family had recognized warning signs, they still could not have prevented the horrific act. HIPA and other limits in our health care system act as roadblocks to mental health care. The Virginia Tech shooter had a history of counseling for mental health problems. Parents often are not given access to the student’s academic records, let alone health records.

We have morphed into a culture of blame-the-other-guy. I didn’t mean to do it. It was a mistake. The dog ate my homework. My wife doesn’t understand me. My husband doesn’t pay enough attention to me. Buyer beware. My mother didn’t love me enough. My father didn’t talk to me enough. It was just a campaign promise. The media lied to me. Everybody else is doing it. The bad economy made me enlist. I was just following orders.

Wall Street Bankers hoard a large portion of the national wealth and blame it on their compensation boards. Congress has written the legislation that allows such greed. The members of Congress blame the lobbyists. The lobbyists say they are just doing their job. The voters say that they have been misled by the media. The media says that they have to put ratings first. We are witnessing the death of personal responsibility.

Capitalism is a big contributor to the problem; but, voters do not have to vote for capitalists. On my ballot there were eight candidates for president, plus a write-in option. Voting has consequences. Uninformed voting has disastrous consequences. Voters say blame someone else. They say that they do not have time to research the issues. An uninformed voter is dangerous and should stay home on election day. It is better to not vote at all, than to cast an uninformed ballot and cancel the vote of someone who has studied the issues.

The lack of personal responsibility and compassion are blocking real health care reform. We need Reform School for the compassionless. The every-man-for-himself culture was especially evident during the health care town meetings. It was common to hear comments such as, “I am insured – the hell with everybody else”. Raise-the-drawbridge syndrome — I am safe and you don’t count.

A pervasive lack of personal responsibility exists in local and national governments – also as a business model in the corporate world. Decisions are often made by committee in order to distance one from any singular responsibility. Temporary Experts are often hired for the sole purpose of relieving others from the consequences of a decision. Passing the buck has become a national pastime. It’s enough to make one wish for the end of the government system as we know it — to be replaced by a Benevolent Monarchy. No more hiding behind Experts and committee group decisions.

The culture of the Internet is not helping. Bloggers usually prefer anonymity when dropping comments. Why the failure to accept responsibility for the comment left on the blog? The civility of the blogosphere would be greatly improved if everyone gave an honest identification.

The brain is an organ – in some ways like a pancreas or a liver. It is affected by genetics, age, drugs, the environment, electrical currents, illness, and an unknown number of other influences. Where should the line between evil and madness be drawn? And who should make that determination?

Psychiatrists will continue to debate the ability of a patient to make ethical judgments. Philosophers will continue to debate Free Will versus Determinism. Lawyers will continue to argue for the guilt or innocence of the accused; but, the simple fact is that a society which is organized on any principle that does not include personal responsibility will not work.

The bottom line is that everyone must be held responsible for their own actions, and no one should ever be held responsible for the acts of another. What a revolutionary concept.

News reports are filled with senseless acts of violence. Today’s report is about a group of teens who set a 15 year old boy on fire and then laughed as they watched him burn. We must do better. We must find a way to develop empathy and compassion. The teens who set the fire must be held accountable for their act. You and I, as members of society, must be held responsible for the culture of violence that disables the youthful conscience.

Susan Klebold should be held responsible, and maybe praised, for her parenting. She should never be held responsible for the acts of Dylan.

Forty-three year old Edith Rodriguez lost on both of those counts. Her life was needlessly brought to a tragic end. She spent her last time on earth writhing in pain. Why? Was Edith in some desolate third world country? No, she was in the United States. Was Edith in an isolated location, far from medical help? No, she was in the Emergency Room of a California hospital. Was this tragedy caused by the fact that she might not have had health insurance? Maybe. Was the problem that she was sick while being Hispanic? Could be.

The news reports have painted a picture that is difficult to think about. Edith writhing in pain in the Emergency Room — falling out of the wheel chair, vomiting blood while lying on the cold Emergency Room floor, excruciating pain, a possible bowel perforation — the janitorial staff cleaning the floor around her limp body, while the medical staff ignored the pleas for help from her family. This is not meant to be a condemnation of all doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel. It is meant to be a condemnation of the system, a system that has lost any hint of humanity.

Why did no one help Edith? What mistake did Edith make that caused this tragedy? Was this death-by-geography? If Edith had been almost anywhere else in the industrialized world, she probably would still be alive. She died because she was in the United States. Living in the US can be hazardous to your health. This is a nation that puts profits before patients; capitalism before compassion.

Sadly, Edith is not alone. In the United States 45,000 die every year from lack of medical care. That is like having fifteen 9/11s every year. It is worse than 9/11 because these are needless deaths that we are imposing on ourselves. These deaths will continue until there is a strong grassroots movement for a universal, single payer health care system.

Think that the Democrats or the Republicans will change things? Think again. Both political parties have been bought and paid for by the lobbyists. It is the lobbyists for the pharmaceutical companies, the HMOs, the insurance companies, and the for-profit medical centers who lurk through the halls of Congress and help write the legislation.

The US is in a crisis. Extortion by Insurance Company lobbyists must end. We need a Single Payer system immediately. Single Payer will save lives, and it also will save money. The exorbitant salaries of Insurance Company CEOs will be eliminated. The profit motive for investors will be eliminated. Administrative costs will be reduced because one single payer will replace a large number of insurance companies — all with different forms, different standards, and different requirements for an endless stream of confusing paper work. Single Payer will save money. Repeating, Single Payer will save money.

Health care by Wall Street standards does not work. Just ask the family of Edith Rodriguez.

In Vermont workers from other countries keep the dairy industry operating. These workers — in a xenophobic culture — often face discrimination but many Vermonters, including Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Pat Leahy, and Congressman Peter Welch have come to their defense. Some of the farm workers have the required legal documents — many others do not. Vermont dairy farmers have testified that without these workers the Vermont dairy industry could not survive.

Kevin O’Connor, Rutland Herald Staff Writer, has written about the plight of Vermont’s farm workers in an article titled “Of Milk and Mexicans.” published on March 9, 2009.

Workers from across the border, as well as native born workers, often experience hostility. They work on farms and in factories. They empty bed pans in nursing homes. They scrub toilets and make beds in the hotel industry. They work in retail outlets. They work in the construction industry as carpenters and roofers. They educate our children. They care for our elders. They have earned our respect and gratitude.

Below are typical statements made by bosses to their employees – workers who struggle for survival on the dark side of Capitalism.

1. Look, it doesn’t matter if the fumes are making you sick. OSHA says everything is OK.

2. I already told you that you couldn’t have the morning off. Your Father’s funeral can wait till the weekend.

3. Union, did I just hear somebody say, “Union”? Fire that damn Commie !

4. You want a raise……..hahhhhahhhahahahhhah. Who do you think you are, a Hedge Fund Manager!

5. If you want health insurance, move to Costa Rica. This is the USA. Love it, or leave it. Besides, we don’t have any sick people here. We fire them when they get sick.

6. You say you want paid maternity leave. If the corporation wanted you to have a baby we would have issued you one.

7. What’s the big deal – it’s just asbestos.

8. Next time that you want to go to the bathroom, ask for permission first. That’s the rule.

9. You say that the school called and told you that your child was just injured on the playground and needs to go to the hospital. Who gave you permission to use the phone? Get back to work.

10. A little bit of ionizing radiation never hurt anybody.

11. Think of it as an adventure. Nobody dies from black lung anymore.

12. You say you want a week of paid vacation — move to France, this is America.

13. Hell no, you can’t leave. Wait till your shift is over. I don’t care if your labor pains are just 3 minutes apart.

Doctor Gupta has a history of siding with the status quo. That is the opposite of what is needed. We need access to health care for everyone — pure and simple. Nothing less will do. This is not nuclear physics or brain surgery. It is politics.

Many of the 18,000 who die from lack of health care are children. On September 28, 2007 BBC reported:

… In February, there was an outcry over the case of Deamonte Driver, a 12-year-old boy who died because his family could not afford private dental treatment. “The thing about Deamonte was his smile, he was always smiling,” says Gina James, principal of The Foundation School in Maryland, where Deamonte was a popular and promising student.

It was while he was at school one Thursday in February that Deamonte complained of toothache. On the Saturday he had emergency surgery. An abscess had spread to his brain. A few weeks later he died.

“Everyone here was shocked,” says Ms James. “They couldn’t understand how he could have toothache and then die. We sometimes give the little kids candy as a reward; well, for a while they stopped taking it because they would say ‘if I get a cavity, will I die?’”

Deamonte’s mother, Alyce, could not afford private health insurance and in the US there is no state health service. For the poorest there is some free treatment, called Medicaid. But not all dentists or doctors accept Medicaid patients, and Alyce Driver could not afford to pay to have Deamonte’s tooth extracted. Some 45 million Americans are without health insurance, nine million of them children.

Many say it is America’s national scandal. …

The new Surgeon General should be someone who understands why the USA is the only developed nation in the industrialized world to have no health care for many citizens. Understanding the problem should be the number one qualification. Not only doctors, but also nurses, dentists, teachers, blue collar workers and those in many other professions qualify. The point is this — it is not necessary for the SG to be a medical doctor. Having an M.D. behind the name should neither qualify nor disqualify anyone. Lack of compassion and a lack of understanding of the real problem should be the disqualifying factors.

How about a Surgeon General nominee who needs a root canal but has no money? Extreme pain can sometimes fill a person with empathy. Dental care, eye care, prescription drug coverage, long term care (in and out of the home) should be included in a new Single Payer System.

Michael Moore made a major contribution with Sicko — one of the best documentaries of our generation. Mike Moore is a controversial guy, but that is irrelevant. The facts are the facts and Moore did a great job in presenting the facts in Sicko. He ‘gets’ it. He understands the suffering of those who face the calamity of a health crisis. He understands that the leading cause of bankruptcy has been major illness. He understands that it is the collusion between the Congress and the insurance companies that is responsible for the needless deaths — 18,000 every year. That is like having a 9/11 every sixty days — but worse. We are doing this to ourselves by continuing to allow the insurance companies to profiteer and deny care to those who have insurance. Those without insurance don’t stand a chance.

The powers that be, are tweaking around the ragged edges of health care. There is a movement to convert all paper medical records to an electronic form. Follow the money on that one. It will be a boondoggle for some companies. Will it compromise the privacy of patient records? Will it improve the quality of care or increase the number of people who have access to care? Unfortunately it will be a distraction from the real problem — lack of access to the care, not the records.

The bottom line is this. We can have insurance companies or we can have universal health care, but we can’t have both. Only a Single Payer System will work. Any plan that allows the insurance companies to continue to profiteer will fail to provide the care. Children, such as Deamonte Driver, will continue to die.

Good candidates for Surgeon General are Michael Moore, Ralph Nader, Dennis Kucinich, and many other lesser knowns. Ralph Nader is over-qualified for the job, but maybe that is exactly what is needed — someone with a long history as an advocate for the common man.

Now is the wrong time for a media star who does not understand what it feels like to have a loved one in need of health care that is not accessible. We need someone with compassion and the courage to go up against the power of the insurance companies — a fighter for the people.

The hedge fund managers and CEOs
Had told their tales of financial woes
Their stories were naughty – not very nice
They told of private jets and gluttonous vice

Meanwhile on Main Street the people were sad
No one could explain why things had gotten so bad
Some said the cause was market speculation
Others said Capitalism was the right explanation

Santa’s elves should create a People’s State
End all war, poverty, and hate
A Single Payer System would keep us healthy
Enough food for all – no need to be wealthy

At the shelter, the children were snuggled in their beds
As nightmares of foreclosure danced through their heads
A holiday miracle is what we need -
On second thought – we just might have to secede

Nowhere in the country has the problem with the Press been more serious than in the southern half of Vermont. Letters of support of non major Party candidates were not published. Campaign statements were not published. There was total news blackout in most of southern Vermont. Voters had almost no access to relevant candidate information.

This news blackout was so extreme that newspapers in the southern part of Vermont even refused to insert the Candidate Information Publication. This official, non-partisan publication had been authorized by the Vermont Legislature (17 V.S.A. 2810 b) and paid for by the taxpayers. As a contrast, newspapers in the central and northern parts of Vermont such as The Burlington Free Press, The Newport Daily News, The Rutland Herald, and The Times Argus inserted and distributed the publication. Those newspapers are to be commended for their public service.

The Office of Secretary of State is to be commended for sending more than a thousand copies of the publication to a private citizen in the southern part of the State. As a last resort, the citizen had volunteered to distribute the publication – a much less efficient system of distribution than insertion in the daily newspaper.

It is now necessary for the legislature to rewrite the law so that southern Vermont will have access to relevant information. Two amendments to the law (17 V.S.A. 2810b ) are recommended. First, set a publication date for the Candidate Information Publication that would precede the first day allowed for absentee voting. Becoming an informed voter after casting the ballot is not the proper sequence of events. Second, the law must provide for a plan of distribution in the southern part of the State.

In Vermont, and across the country, many have no access to the Internet. Some areas are not in a major media market; therefore, TV news is non existent. The newspaper is the only source of information – the lifeline of the community. It is that which transforms individuals into a community. In rural USA there is no voice that is more powerful than that of the local newspaper. When any newspaper fails in its sacred mission, the community is harmed.

The Vermont news blackout has had serious consequences. Not only were ordinary voters uninformed, but even campaign workers – usually a well-informed group of activists – were so lacking in information that it inspired an article, ‘Clueless at Campaign Headquarters’. It is published on this site. The article describes a phone call received from campaign headquarters in southern Vermont. The worker was not aware that there were any candidates on the ballot other than McCain and Obama. In Vermont there were eight candidates for president on the ballot. Many Vermonters were unprepared to see so many names on the ballot when they entered the voting booth.

Private companies that own newspapers have editorial rights. That right should be respected. Every newspaper has the right to print, or not print, anything it wants. That is not the issue. The issue is the lack of journalistic ethics. Ethics are not required by law – or are they? If any individual interfered with the electoral process in such an extreme way that it influenced the outcome of an election, would it be acceptable?

What occurred in Vermont was an extreme violation that resulted in many ripple effects on the outcome of the election. One such effect was that the Liberty Union/Socialist Party lost Major Party Status and all of the legal rights that accompany that status.

There can be no democracy where there is not a free-flow of political information.

Last night I received a phone call. It went something like this.

Caller: Hello, my name is Henry. I am calling from campaign headquarters and would like to ask you a few questions.

Me: Will it take very long?

Caller: No.

Me: OK.

Caller: I want to know if you are going to vote for Obama or the other guy.

Me: Which other guy? There are seven others on the ballot.

Caller: Ugh. Are you sure?

Me: Yes. Would you like me to give you their names?

Caller: Yes.

Me: Baldwin, Barr, Calero, Lariva, McCain, Moore, and Nader.

Long pause — silence on the other end of the phone line.

Caller: Hummmmm

Me: How can you be a campaign worker for one candidate if you don’t know the other candidates’ positions on the issues?

Caller: I like hanging out here.

Me: How do you feel about the 700 billion dollar bail out?

Caller: Oh, that was bad.

Me: Who are you going to vote for in the Congressional race?

Caller: The Democrat, of course.

Me: But he voted for the bailout.

Caller: Really?

Me: What do think about term limits?

Caller: Yes, that would be good.

Me: Then you should not be voting for an incumbent.

Caller: What’s an incumbent?

The conversation concluded with my recommendation that Henry visit some web sites and read some books. I suggested that he read Joshua Frank, Mickey Z, William Blum and some others.

The ultimate responsibility for the outcome of the election is the voter; but, in defense of Henry- the-Campaign-Worker, maybe he is not completely responsible for his lack of information. This phone conversation could have occurred anywhere in the country but it happened in Vermont. In Vermont some newspapers censor out information about some candidates. Being blacklisted by Vermont newspapers is so common that it has become a badge of honor. Many candidates have been ‘Naderized’ — denied access to the Press.

In addition, some newspapers in the southern part of the State have even refused to insert the Official State Candidates Information Publication. This publication is nonpartisan. It is authorized by Vermont Law (17 V.S.A. 2810-b) and has been paid for by the taxpayers. For many, this publication is the only source of voter information. A computer is a luxury that many cannot afford.

What is the difference between the Democratic-Republican Party and a gang in the hood? The gang in the hood usually limits its harm to the local area. The Dem-Repub Party causes global harm.

By now everyone has to admit that the US voter is about as informed on issues as a fruit fly is. Can anyone pretend that the average voter casts his ballot based on the economy, justice, or matters of war and peace? The two words that are the biggest threat to the sale of Ambien are “foreign policy”. Just mentioning those two words will clear a room faster than a skunk at a picnic. Think of how many democrats still believe that their Party is the anti-war Party.

The average US voter is so uninformed that he does not even vote in his own interest. How else can it be explained that 18,000 of our fellow citizens will continue to die every year because of the lack of access to health care. That is like having a 9/11 every 60 days, but worse. We are doing it to ourselves – and it is so unnecessary.

There is at least one candidate, Nader, who supports health care for all, while lowering the cost by eliminating the insurance companies. Both McCain and Obama support the insurance companies’ profits over health care for the people. A Single Payer system would save lives and also save taxpayer money. Why is there no national discussion about it — because both Parties have sold out to the insurance industry.

Take the hot issue of ‘experience’. Of course experience is important – the kind of experience that no Washington insider gets. How about the experience of having no health care, or having to cut back on groceries, or cutting the thermostat down to 55 in the winter and hoping that pipes don’t freeze. How about the experience of hoping that last year’s shoes will still fit the kids for this school year. How about the experience of not being able to take the family out for pizza, because that, too, is now a luxury that can no longer be afforded. How about the experience of facing foreclosure so some Hedge Fund manager can buy another yacht.

For years, many have wished for other ways of selecting a president. How about a national lottery. That would make it possible for ordinary people — truck drivers, teachers, nurses, farmers, and plumbers to hold the highest office. That won’t happen without changes in the Constitution.
This time around there are some choices for the voters. There is a list of candidates to chose from — Barr, McCain, McKinney, Moore, Nader, Obama and others. The electronic and the print media have all but excluded any candidate who is not a Democrat or Republican.

About Sarah Palin – yes, a brilliant political strategy. She will get the votes of the pro-war, pro-gun crowd. She can fire a weapon while wearing high heels. Biden, can you top that? And maybe most important of all, she will get the votes of all who envy those teeth. In a country where dental care is rapidly becoming a luxury – you have to admire those teeth. Beautiful teeth are becoming the ultimate status symbol. Oprah once said that you could determine persons’ economic class just by looking at their teeth. That just might be the most astute observation that Oprah has ever made.

US politics is all about fluff — personality and celebrity. Image over substance. Voters could change that by demanding that participation in the debates not be limited to Democratic and Republican candidates.

Here is a challenge for Governor Palin. How about refusing to participate in any debate which excludes the other VP candidates. Open the debates up to the top four or five candidates. That simple act would elevate Gov. Palin to the category of Statesperson. It would show that she places a higher value on the welfare of the nation than on Party affiliation. It would show a respect for the voters. The inclusion of VP candidate Matt Gonzalez and others would elevate the national discussion to include important issues such as foreign policy, health care, the economy, corporate welfare, and education.

The same voters, who would never tolerate a massive book burning, allow the media to pre-select the political messages allowed for public discussion. The media presents a virtual book burning every night with its exclusion of ideas that do not conform to the Republican/Democratic model. Shame on the media, more shame on the people who tolerate such censorship.

This election could be like a shining light, but unless voters become informed the bright light will just lead to another four-year dark tunnel.

In the quiet privacy of the voting booth will voters be thinking about the hundreds of thousands killed in our illegal, pre-emptive war, and the 18,000 who die every year because of lack of health care; or, will the voters’ minds wonder to those issues publicized by the media — lapel pins, age, pomp and ceremony — and don’t forget those teeth.

In the upcoming election, voters will have the opportunity to change the course of history. Across the country, the office of State Attorneys General will be more important during this election than at any time in the past. County Prosecutors and District Attorneys will also have a significant role to play. The time for War Crimes trials has finally come. We can stop holding our collective breath. The second shoe is about to drop.

The Bush Indictment Project has begun. The difference between Impeachment and Indictment is like the difference between night and day. The call for Impeachment looks like a Sunday School picnic by comparison. Impeachment has its flaws. It trivializes the war crimes. It is better than nothing, but not by much. Impeachment can result in removal from office. The criminal prosecution of George W. Bush could result in a life sentence or the death penalty.

The Bush Indictment Project is not perfect. One of the important criticisms is that it tends to place all of the responsibility for the war and the war crimes on the Executive Branch. That view exonerates the Congress. In fact, only the Congress has the power to declare and finance war. The complicity of the Congress is an important issue that should not be overlooked. The public has excused the Congressional crimes, and has focused only on the Bush Administration. Hopefully History will get it right and report that more Iraqi children were killed during the Clinton Administration than under both Bush Administrations and that always, the Congress has had Constitutional authority to wage or prevent war. Most complicit of all are the voters who put the accused war criminals in office in the first place.

Another deficiency of The Indictment Project is that the deaths of the Iraqis might be overlooked and find no justice in a US Court. Some predict that only US military deaths will be considered. What impression will that leave in the rest of the world? It has been estimated that possibly three million Iraqis have been killed by the US since the bombing started in 1991. Those deaths should not wait for justice in an International Court.

In spite of the obvious flaws, The Indictment Project is supported by many — former Attorney General Ramsey Clark and Vincent Bugliosi among others.

In his book, The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder, Bugliosi makes a strong case for the prosecution of Bush. Speaking in Venice, California on June 25, 2008, Bugliosi says, “…I am not going to be satisfied until I see George W. Bush in an American court being tried for first degree murder…” Bugliosi assures the audience that he has established jurisdiction in all fifty states.

In addition to laying out a convincing legal case, Bugliosi offered his services as a Special Prosecutor. That is important for two reasons. First, Bugliosi has an impressive record as a prosecutor. During his career, he prosecuted 106 felony jury trials, and lost only one of them. The second reason, is that voters across the country are concerned about diverting resources from the usual duties of the Offices of the State Attorneys General. With Bugliosi on board, the effect on other prosecutions would be minimized.

The ball is now in the voters’ court. No longer is it necessary to bow down to Congress and beg for action. Now the voters have the power. If the voters want justice for all who have died in the war their choice will be made clear at the polls. All voters must inform themselves on the position of the candidates for State Attorney General and District Attorney/Prosecutor in their voting districts.

Imagine Nuremberg. Imagine hundreds of indictments all across the country. Approximately one thousand public officials have the legal authorization to bring forth an indictment — fifty State Attorneys General, and nine hundred-fifty county prosecutors. No criminal action can be brought by a private citizen. The citizen’s power to act is limited to the voting booth; therefore, the most important vote cast in the upcoming election will be for the candidate who is authorized to take legal action — your State Attorney General.

It is really very simple. Get the facts which are clearly laid out in The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder. Find a candidate who supports your view. Pull the correct lever. Get the popcorn ready. The war crimes trials will be televised.

Brian Lamb interviewed Phil on C-Span on March 23. Phil is as edgy as ever. He has not lost any of his spunk or charm. For the past three years, Phil has been hard at work producing a documentary. This might possibly be the best depiction of the Iraq war yet to be filmed.

A complete review of the work will be forthcoming, but in the meantime all should be alerted. This project was funded by Donahue; therefore, the advertising campaign might not be competitive in today’s entertainment market. Unless there is a public demand, the film might not be shown in all locations. In order to see this film, a little persuasion at the local theater could be helpful. Often requesting a film to the theater management will bring results.

This is not just entertainment. It is history that has been recorded for current and future generations. The film should be shown in every classroom. Every mother who has a son or daughter should see the film. No one should sign up to enlist in the military without first seeing this film. Every voter who supports or opposes the war must see it.

The leading character in the documentary is Tomas Young, an injured Iraq War veteran, paralyzed from the chest down. Have you ever seen a mother catherize her adult son? Have you ever heard a young bride describe what is necessary for sexual activity with a husband who is paralyzed? The blue pills don’t work on someone with serious injuries. These difficult scenes were captured with perfection. Somehow they were filmed leaving nothing to the imagination but done in a sensitive and respectful way. Phil got it just right. The film editing was masterful. All who worked on the film are to be congratulated.

See this film and then go home and look at the war photos on the Robert Fisk War Photos website. The Fisk site photos show what we did to the civilian population in Iraq.

War is not glamorous; it is not romantic — and it is not necessary. In war there are no winners. War is hell. Just ask Tomas Young.

The name of the Documentary is Body of War — soon to be in a theater near you — but only if you request it.

No one automatically deserves a vote simply because of Party affiliation. Hillary and Obama will get the votes of the Party faithful. Other voters will cast their ballots based on issues. On the issues, is any candidate better than Nader? No major party candidate even compares. That is why they have refused to allow Nader to debate.

The Democrats had their chance, and once again they blew it. They started out with Kucinich who called for the immediate withdrawal from Iraq — not only withdrawal across the Iraq border — but Kucinich called for bringing all troops home now. He also supported a Single Payer Health care system. That would save the lives of 18,000 U.S. citizens every year.

The Democrats also had Edwards who had promised to fight the wave of corporate crime — a major problem. Would there be war if the corporations did not profit from the killing?

Instead of voting for Kucinich or Edwards, the Party faithful cast their votes for candidates with a questionable history of support for peace, health care, and economic justice. This has created a vacuum of ideas. Nader is now filling that vacuum. The Democrats could have had it all — a peace candidate and an easy win against a weakened Republican candidate. Instead, they will again blame Nader, while refusing to accept the inevitable results of the votes of the Party faithful. They have ignored one of the most fundamental lessons of politics — you get what you vote for.

The Democrats have turned their backs on a large segment of the population — the anti-war groups. No self-respecting peace advocate can vote for either Democratic candidate. One candidate wants to increase the size of the military. The other stood by in silence while the Clinton administration was responsible for the deaths of 500,000 Iraqi children. Both Democratic candidates have foreign policy positions that are to the far right of Republican Ron Paul.

Nader is not only correct on issues of Foreign Policy, but he is also the world’s greatest consumer advocate. His candidacy is perfect timing. We are all consumers — consumers of war and peace, consumers of public utilities, consumers of agricultural products, the list could go on and on.

How’s NAFTA working for you? Have you read the fine print on your credit card statement recently? Are you happy with your public utility company — what about your cable company, your Internet provider? What about health care insurers who try to maximize profits by denying medical care to the seriously ill? What is the salary of the CEO of your health insurance company?

Lack of vigilant consumer protection has led to a culture of distrust. We live in a red tape jungle. Only Nader can bring about the necessary changes so that consumers can develop a sense of trust and confidence in the corporations that provide essential goods and services.

Ralph Nader has been a national treasure for decades. He has worked quietly — without publicity or fanfare — helping ordinary citizens. I first met him many years ago. The public utility had a plan to build a floating nuclear power plant off the coast of Atlantic City, New Jersey. Ralph came to Cape May. He met with the citizens. Because of his help, the floating power plant was not built.

Members of the Press have shown a lack of interest in, and knowledge of, the issues. Some TV interviewers are so uninformed that they avoid the real issues. Watching them is sometimes painful. The problem is not limited to FOX. Tim, Chris, and the others make me wish for a real journalist such as Helen Thomas.

Nader is not the only candidate who has been the victim here. Ron Paul and Mike Gravel have also been marginalized and disrespected. The voters are the ultimate victims. They never get to hear the platforms of all candidates. Cynthia McKinney has a powerful message that most voters have not heard. How about a Nader/McKinney team! Race, gender, and party affiliation barriers can be broken down with support for a Nader/McKinney candidacy.

The Democrats have a history of using unethical, strong-arm legal tactics to keep Nader off the ballots and out of the debates. Is there anything that they won’t try in order to silence an opposing candidate? Nader supporters will have to come up with a nation-wide network of Pro Bono lawyers to help with any assault from the Democrats. That’s not how democracy is supposed to work. Freedom of speech should not have to be purchased in a court room. Open the debates. Allow all candidates to be heard.

Nader’s announcement as a candidate has given an opportunity to demand the truth — but in the words of Jack Nicolson, maybe the voters “can’t stand the truth.”