From The Desk of Al Franken, U.S. Senator D, MINN

You might have seen in the news, on Twitter, or on Facebook recently that I'm opposing the NBC/Comcast merger in its current form. I wanted to write you today to explain why, and to ask for your help.

I have some experience in this industry, and I flat-out don't trust Comcast and NBC to operate in the best interest of consumers in Minnesota and around the country when it comes to this merger. Combining a company who provides programming and one who provides the pipes that carry said programming would almost certainly be a raw deal for consumers and independent content producers alike.

Click here to represent your opposition to this merger by supporting the vocal opposition (me) with a small, secure grassroots donation today!

I came to Washington to stand up to the lopsided influence of special interests on behalf of middle class Minnesota families, and opposing this merger is an opportunity to do just that. And as much as I don't trust Comcast and NBC to be honest brokers on this deal, I am trusting you to help me build support for my positions on issues like this one. And as usual, by 'support' I mean 'money.'

Online grassroots donations fuel our operation, and I need your help to keep it going strong -- click here to contribute, please.

I'm not afraid of standing up to these guys -- as I said it's why I ran for the Senate. But I also realize that given the recent Citizens United decision in the U.S. Supreme Court, corporations can now turn around and spend millions running ads telling voters I want to blow up their T.V. -- a patently untrue claim that they've got no research to support, by the way. But I don't need them on my side. I want you on my side.

If you're on my side on this one, please click here to help us build a massive grassroots machine to get our message out.

Fights like this one are more than worth having, they're essential to keeping our democracy representative of people instead of corporate entities. I realize that with a lot of my positions, I'm inviting special interest groups to spend a lot of money to defeat me down the road. As long as I have you standing with me, that's ok by me -- because corporations getting their way isn't some bad medicine consumers need to swallow -- we can stand, fight, and win.

Thanks for your time today, for all you've done, and all you'll do.


Al

P.S. If you think what we're doing in the Senate - taking on Halliburton and NBC/Comcast -- is a worthwhile endeavor, please consider joining our sustainer program today -- click here for more information. And, thanks again!

Change Congress First

Let Larry Lead

The Weather Underground, terrorists or freedom-fighters?

I am America, I come into your daughters room, to rape and kill her, I burn her with napalm, then leave her starving in the corner, while your neighbor watches. Now it is time for the Christian to forgive me, for the pacifist to turn the other cheek, and for the non-violent protester to hold a sit-in, because I come in the name of 'Liberty'?

When American's engage in illegal wars in far off countries and kill millions in the name of "freedom and democracy", there is little any person of conscience can do except throw themselves upon the gears of the military-industrial-congressional-complex.

The Weather Underground weren't truly violent, they avoided killing and bombed property, places the government used to continue unjust causes. Apparently the only people who died were their own soldiers. They could easily have hit hospitals, and schools, or stadiums full of republicans like Nixon, but they deemed the killing of unaware innocents to be wrong. I'm surprised they were not all hunted down and killed for such anti-american thinking. The fact that they were not, demonstrates the underlying incompetence of our American 'security' forces.

The use of terrorism, the killing of those not directly engaged in killing others is unforgivable, it is what American Soldiers do best, and in this Weatherman Underground case would have been hypocritical. But in the case of American Wars, I see no injustice in "An Eye for An Eye". If Iraq or Afghanistan had the ability to drop bombs from drones on American Cities and kill groups at funerals or weddings, they would be justified. Just a the Vietnamese would be justified in killing about two million Americans, due to the unjust and unnecessary war we perpetrated on them for 25 years.

Seeing the results of Agent Orange on their population, and the birth defects of Iraqi children due to Depleted Uranium and other toxic chemicals released by the American wars, if I were them it would be difficult for me to forgive the invading army. I think those who choose to forget or forgive us do so out of survival instinct, because they would have to effectively commit suicide attacking the dominant force or go mad in frustration. This is why these wars don't make the U.S. more secure, they just increase our insecurity because they motivate untold numbers of future fighters who can justify anything, even actual violence as a means of just retribution.

In my opinion the Wether Underground were heros, they helped raise political awareness in the USA and probably defused Vietnamese vengeance. To such a war torn country as Vietnam, the project of attacking civilians half-way around the world would seem worse than useless if that country were already tearing themselves apart from the inside with civilian resistance.

America is not a great country, we are deeply flawed. Our strength lies in the founding principals and values of our Constitution, yet even it has had to be Amended 27 times. And back in the 1960's Americans were even more openly bigoted and racist, willing to destroy nations without any public dialog. I guess not much different than today. Where are the students in the Universities today? Where are the survivors of Kent State? Where are the protests and sit-ins, where is the underground? Guess it's not hard to tell which way the wind blows.

Not Holding Leaders Responsible For Crimes Only Breeds More War

The U.S. hanged World War II German and Japanese war criminals “but no American leaders are held to criminal responsibility by America, no matter how dastardly their conduct,” writes Lawrence Velvel, dean of the Massachusetts School of Law at Andover.

“And we of course will not let any other country or body hold them to criminal responsibility for horrendous conduct,” writes Velvel, in his school’s “Long Term View” magazine. Indeed, he noted the President George W. Bush “with unaccustomed foresight refused to let America support and ‘participate’ in the International Criminal Court lest Americans be triable for their actions.”

More ...

CIA DOMESTIC BLACK-OP TEAM ARRESTED

Last week’s breakin at Senator Mary Landrieu’s office in the New Orleans Federal Building was more than it seemed, much more. All of the 4 arrested had been trained by the CIA and, possibly, Israel. One arrested, Stan Dai, is listed as an Operations Officer of the Department of Defense Irregular Warfare Program and a known expert and lecturer on, not only surveillance but explosives training, assassinations and “false flag operations.” If you wanted a plane to crash, an enemy to get sick and die or a building to blow up, Dai would be the man to know how to make it happen. Problem is, his skills were being used as part of a criminal conspiracy inside the United States against members of our own government. More...

Last week, Veterans Today outlined the many high security projects being monitored from Senator Landrieu’s office which included, not only terrorist money laundering and other security issues but investigations targeting tens of billions of dollars being hidden offshore illegally by Americans, many with ties to Israel.  The projects subject to spying by this CIA/Israeli operation are, among others:  (source:  Department of Homeland Security and the United States Senate)

SENATE HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE

Current hearings held by the Senate Homeland Security Committee chaired by Landireu, hearings subject to this espionage attack involve:

• Intelligence reform in the aftermath of the Christmas terrorist attack
• Overviews of contracting corruption in Afghanistan
• Planning for securing America’s diplomats around the world
• The Terrorist Reform and Terrorist Prevention Act (IRTPA)
• Investigating the root causes of the Ft. Hood attack
• Securing America from financial crimes
• America’s Defense from Cyber Attack
• Development plans for “post surge” Afghanistan

Current investigations by the Sub-Committee on Investigations are:

• Speculation in trading and how it effects national security
• How US banks help overseas corporation dodge US taxes
• Report on Tax Havens hiding billions from the IRS
• Massive abuses of government credit cards by employees
• Ending “offshore secrecy” to allow the US to recover billions in tax shortfall
• Shell Oil credit card interest abuses
• Medicaid abuse and equipment overcharges
• Billions in unpaid taxes on Medicaid income by American doctors
• Speculation in the energy markets costing American consumers billions a year
• Failures in United Nations reform, waste and corruption
• Speculation and manipulation that controls and rigs crude oil and gasoline markets
• and many many more

9/11

• The Senate HSC is responsible for implementing all intelligence reforms resulting from the findings of the 9/11 commission especially in light of continued failures as demonstrated by the Ft. Hood tragedy and the Detroit terror attack.

Current contracting oversight responsibilities:

• Overseeing all USAID reconstruction contracts in Afghanistan
• Investigating massive corruption tied to the US Embassy in Kabul
• Overseeing all US contractors used in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world in regard to corrupt practices and cost overruns
• Detecting and Prosecuting Contractor Fraud