Reply to KPFK General Manager Jim Lafferty's New Years Report to Listeners

by Hymie Sunday, Feb. 10, 2008 at 10:29 PM

Looks like Jim got a good batch of something.

Reply to KPFK Genera...
kpfk_j_lafferty_letter.jpg, image/jpeg, 2439x3182

The attachment shows his letter.

You state: "Nationally and locally, the issues you and I care about are gaining momentum."

They are?

How about the Protect America Act so eloquently denounced by Ron Paul.

http://www.house.gov/paul/congrec/congrec2008/cr013008h.htm

but otherwise moving through Congress.

The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, no unreasonable searches and seizures and warrants only upon probable cause, enjoys no support in the Legislative Democratic party and now lies largely swallowed up, legally by warrantless search exceptions made up by Republican appellate judges and practically by Republican trial court judges, who accept as fact anything some law enforcement officer says.

This issue you say you care so much about as a member of the Lawyers's Guild lacks any momentum at all.



You state: "No matter how they sell the war in Iraq as surge or purge, it does not have the support of most Americans."

However, as a practical matter, the only Americans who count are 535 politicians on Capitol Hill, among whom a rock solid majority continues to support it.



You state: "Administrative claims about nuclear weapons in Iran were deflated by the facts."

Don't you remember last December 12, 2007 at Des Moines:

MS. WASHBURN: Senator Thompson -- (applause) -- Senator Thompson, you've expressed doubts that the recent report on Iran's nuclear capabilities is accurate. As president, how would you decide when to disagree with available intelligence, and then what would you do?

MR. THOMPSON: Well, that's probably the most important question that's been asked today.

We have a real problem with our intelligence community. It, along with certain parts of our military, were neglected for a long, long time in this country, and we're paying the price for it now. The fact is that nobody has any real confidence in the result that they're getting. The result you're talking about was directly contradicted by their strong beliefs just two years ago. So you've got to rebuild from the bottom up.

I think that, in the meantime, we have to rely on other people. The British are helpful to us. The Israelis sometimes are helpful to us.

MS. WASHBURN: Thank you.

MR. THOMPSON: In many respects, they have advancements that we don't have in terms of our intelligence capabilities. . . .


http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/12/us/politics/12debate-transcript.html?pagewanted=all

This is mainstream Fox News Republican thought.

Did you see "Iran will have nuclear weapon in three years: Mossad" at

http://www.spacewar.com/2006/080205110143.d0htdfqy.html ?

Facts are as irrelevant today in 2008 as they were when we bombed Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003. These people's minds don't think in terms of facts or evidence. They believe what they want to believe as a matter of faith.


You stated: " Blackwater is in hot water due to independent media exposure."

Among the one person in a hundred who reads independent media, I am sure this is true.



You stated: "The climate dinosaurs are vanishing."

You obviously haven't been to Drudge , http://www.drudgereport.com/ , lately. Here is a link from today, "Sun's 'disturbingly quiet' cycle prompts fear of global COOLING"

http://ibdeditorial.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=287279412587175

The demise of climate dinosaurs is greatly exaggerated. As long as Big Oil feeds them, they remain alive and well.



You stated: "[W]e count on you for your contribution today of $50, $100, $250."

Sorry Jim, but I'm broke at the moment.



You stated:

"But I am feeling upbeat."

"There are events that give me hope."

"Yes, I'm truly feeling upbeat."

"I hope you are feeling upbeat, too"

Jim, don't confuse the increase in quality of certain things you find on the market with the state of the world.