Hartsongs

Only 1/3 of the searches done on Google are from within the U.S.

This is so sad.

MLK

gave a dynamic speech today in the Constitution Hall. Sponsored by the Liberty Coalition, his well delivered remarks were frequently interrupted by applause and standing ovations.

He calls upon Americans to stand up and defend the Constitution, Congress to do their jobs, (perhaps even actually attending sessions to debate the issues facing America and the bills they're voting on) rather than looking for the best photo-ops, and for the current administration to be held accountable for their illegal actions.

A president who breaks the law is a threat to the very structure of our government. Our Founding Fathers were adamant that they had established a government of laws and not men. Indeed, they recognized that the structure of government they had enshrined in our Constitution – our system of checks and balances – was designed with a central purpose of ensuring that it would govern through the rule of law. As John Adams said: “The executive shall never exercise the legislative and judicial powers, or either of them, to the end that it may be a government of laws and not of men.”

An executive who arrogates to himself the power to ignore the legitimate legislative directives of the Congress or to act free of the check of the judiciary becomes the central threat that the Founders sought to nullify in the Constitution – an all-powerful executive too reminiscent of the King from whom they had broken free. In the words of James Madison, “the accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.

Wilson's government began to compel conformity, controlling speech in ways that had never been known before. Wilson pushed the Espionage Act through Congress in 1917, making it a crime "to willfully cause or attempt to cause insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty, in the military or naval forces of the United States," or to "willfully obstruct the recruiting or enlistment service" of the United States." It became a crime to "utter, print, write, or publish any disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language about the form of government of the United States, or the military or naval forces of the United States, or the flag." The act also targeted those who might "urge, incite, or advocate any curtailment of the production in this country of any thing or things necessary or essential to the conduct of the war." In fact, the Espionage Act even made it illegal to teach, suggest, defend, or advocate any criticism of the government. The bill gave the Postmaster the right to refuse delivery of any periodical he deemed unpatriotic or critical of the administration. The Postmaster soon stopped delivery of virtually all publications and any foreign-language publication that hinted of dissent….

Wilson hired a publicist, George Creek, to head the "Committee on Public Information" (CPI) -- a propaganda ministry with the sole purpose of "selling the war." CPI produced films, pamphlets, curriculum guides -- all designed to "paint Germany in a bad light." Wilson's propaganda ministry encouraged businesses to spy on their employees, parents to spy on their children, and neighbors to spy on neighbors. Most importantly, the CPI urged Americans to report "disloyal" pro-German sentiments. Creel himself stated that he demanded, "100% Americanism." The teaching of German was banned in schools; German folksongs, such as "Oh Tannenbaum" were torn from children's songbooks; German street names were changed; and sauerkraut was renamed "victory cabbage." Posters were produced urging Americans to report anyone "who spreads pessimistic stories, divulges -- or seeks -- confidential military information, cries for peace, or belittles our effort to win the war."

George and Laura seemed oddly out of place, seated beside artists and environmentalists at the Kennedy Center Honors.

They didn’t look like they were enjoying themselves very much. Did they find themselves feeling a mite uncomfortable in having to share the balcony with those darned activists, Tina Turner, Robert Redford, and Tony Bennett?

Did George squirm more than just a little at Paul Newman's tribute to Redford?

"I honor him because he is a citizen's citizen and a protector of the environment."

Did he resent having to honor an opponent of ANWR?

Does he regret that no one will be able to say the same about him?