| Flyby News Home - Flyby News Archives - Casinni NoFlyby - Flyby Links |
Part 1 - Kucinich Videos Released! * ABM Treaty still lives
July 4, 2002
1) Peace In Space & On Earth - Kucinich Videos Released!
2) ABM Treaty still lives
3) U.S. Complicity in 911 Attacks -- G6B Report
4) Enron-Peabody Destruction to Native Land & Water
5) Yucca Moving Target -- Action Alert
Editor's Notes:
Item 1 is very special, and could be the grass roots sort of tool to turn the nation around toward a progressive mind-set. Congressman Kucinich stands up as a leader for Americans with integrity, as he opposes the military-dictatorial rule that creates terror to stop terror, which is only fooling the evil-doers, themselves, as they take the temporary riches of Earth, and jeopardize the balance for all human life. This item gives quotes and information on two big "K" videos, that could make a difference. Please help distribute this information, and support the grass-roots campaign to transform the Democratic Party to the interests of the people. The large majority of members in Congress (in either party) is corruptible and manipulated. Dennis Kucinich, Chair of Progressive Caucus of the Democratic Party, has the vision, courage, tenacity, accomplishments, and communication talents to win the Democratic Party's nomination for US President in 2004 or 2008. How quickly is up to us; we need to get this information available to the mainstream public. Everything else will continue to worsen, but when and/or if we can transform the Democratic Party, we can transform the US and its current crazy life threatening policies.
Item 2 shows that the fight to maintain the ABM Treaty is not over. In 1972 the ABM Treaty was signed by President Richard Nixon and Leonid Brezhnev and approved by the Senate by a vote of 88 to 2. George W. Bush gave notice of termination on Dec. 13, 2001, without a vote of either the Senate or the House of Representatives. This item lists all the good representatives behind this suit. [I want to note that my Rep., John W. Olver, is on this list. How or why he switched sides on his vote to support Yucca Mt. shipments of radioactive wastes, cris-crossing our communities and nation during this day and age of terrorist threats and transport accidents, is beyond my ability to understand?
Item 3 is a recent report on the conference regarding US complicity in 9-11 attacks. Mike Ruppert and University of Ottawa Professor Michel Chossudovsky presented evidence of and a rationale for U.S. government complicity in last September's terrorist attacks. "In a question and answer session after the lecture, not one audience member questioned that the Bush Administration needed the attacks in order to mobilize public support for a war to control Central Asian oil reserves and the cash from the Afghani opium trade. Traditionally, Afghanistan has been the world's largest producer of opium."
Item 4 is a special letter, entitled, "The Drought and the Enron Scandal in Black Mesa" on Enron-Peabody (Lehman Bros) destruction to native land and water. Item 5 is on a critical alert on the Senate's upcoming vote for the Yucca Mountain, mobile Chernobyl fiasco. Following this item is information to join a progressive letter cooperative. It is best to write letters personally, but Flyby News also encourages you to join forces with this easy-to-do and free service provided by Quakers and long-time activists, helping progressive people make their voices heard.
Many thanks for Carol in Virginia for a critical $25 donation to Flyby News. Receiving your support is very much appreciated. We plan to distribute information at the upcoming SolarFest, and any donation will be put to good use. It is the intent of Flyby News to actively pursue its campaigns and update this web site in support of a transformation of policies threatening life until at least December 21, 2012. Working with others supporting such issues is a great motivator, and can help bring about what Dennis Kucinich said, "..a power within each of us..that can bring love to the world and compassion to the world and understanding to the world – that as we focus our conscious intent on making the world a better place, so it is. And we need to communicate that all across this country. This has to be a part of the promise of America. A new America... Not an America of fear, but an America of hope."
*********************************************************************************************************************************************************
1) Peace In Space & On Earth - Kucinich Videos Released!
"Peace In Space & On Earth" Videos Released
Featuring Speeches by Congressman Denis J. Kucinich
Los Angeles, CA – Mobilizing citizens to support legislation and a companion world treaty that will ban weapons in space is the aim of two new amazing videotapes, one 85-minute video and one 25-minute video, that features impassioned, informative and inspirational speeches by Congressman Dennis Kucinich, (D-OH) in programs sponsored by the Institute for Cooperation in Space (ICIS).
"We have a responsibility to challenge those who are so filled fear, to challenge those who feel that somehow we live in a unipolar world where America is king, to recognize that every man and woman on this planet is a king...and ought to be given the chance to live out their lives in dignity and decency without fear of destruction," said Kucinich to the frequent standing ovations of 1400+ people in attendance at the Agape International Spiritual Center. "We can reach millions of people in one month through the Internet," and "we can ban all space-based weapons," he told another group of about 250 people who packed a home meeting in Malibu, California, where emphasized "We must do this!"
As Chair of the House Progressive Caucus and Co-Chair of the Aviation and Space Caucus, Kucinich speaks about H.R. 3616, the Space Preservation Act of 2002, as well as the companion international treaty that can be signed now by all nation-state leaders. These documents are designed to permanently ban weapons from being deployed in outer space. He also addresses many subject areas including what it's like to work in Washington these days, and the abrogation of various long-standing treaties by the present administration that were to reduce and eliminate nuclear warheads, as well as many other issues, with the primary focus being on banning space-based weapons - and how to do it. Kucinich also talks about his pending legislation, H.R. 2459, that will create a cabinet level Department of Peace, and emphasized the urgency of supporting and passing HR 3616 and the companion world treaty into law. Kucinich sites a U.S. Space Command report, entitled "Vision for 2020" which openly proclaims its intentions to "dominate the High Heavens."
Kucinich, whose recent speeches and essays have been receiving widespread dissemination over the Internet and in print, delivered an impassioned plea, stating, "I maintain that there is a power within each of us..that can bring love to the world and compassion to the world and understanding to the world – that as we focus our conscious intent on making the world a better place, so it is. And we need to communicate that all across this country. This has to be a part of the promise of America. A new America... Not an America of fear, but an America of hope."
The VHS videos are excellent educational tools for home and community forums. Your donation of $25.00 for each video or $40 for both, will be deeply appreciated, and will help ICIS's efforts for the permanent ban on all space-based weapons by legislation Congressman Kucinich introduced, the Space Preservation Act of 2002 -- H..R. 3616 -- and companion world "Space Preservation Treaty." For inquiries on bulk and promotional copies, contact Carol Rosin, via tel. (805) 641-1999; or email: rosin@west.net. You can order online at the ICIS web site, or send your tax-deductible check to ICIS:
ICIS (Institute for Cooperation in Space)
PO Box 25040
Ventura, CA. 93001
USA
Web Site: http://www.peaceinspace.com
*********************************************************************************************************************************************************
2) "ABM Treaty Still Lives"
A War and Law League (WALL) News Report
"ABM Treaty still lives, say congressmen who sue to undo its 'unconstitutional' knifing by Bush without OK of Congress"
June 21, 2002
Although President George W. Bush may consider the Anti-Ballistic Missile Limitation Treaty of 1972 (ABM Treaty) dead as of the 13th of June, 33 members of Congress headed by Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH) maintain that it is still legally alive.
A lawsuit was filed against President Bush, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, and Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld on June 11. Congressmen asked the U.S. District Court in Washington, DC, to declare Bush's action in terminating the treaty without congressional authorization unconstitutional. Bush's six-month termination notice to Russia expired as June 13 arrived.
"This is a case arguing that the president does not have the authority under the Constitution to terminate a treaty without a majority of both houses of Congress or two-thirds of the Senate," said Peter Weiss, the lead attorney, a constitutional lawyer of New York City, in a telephone conversation.
The 33 plaintiffs, all representatives, include nine from California, four from New York, and three each from Illinois and Ohio. All are Democrats except for one independent, from Vermont.
The Californians are Rep. Bob Filner of Chula Vista; Reps. Hilda Solis, Maxine Waters, and Dianne Watson, all of Los Angeles; Rep. Lynn Woolsey of Marin and Sonoma Counties; Rep. Sam Farr of Monterey, Salinas, and Santa Cruz; and Reps. Barbara Lee, George Miller, and Fortney H. (Pete) Stark, all from the Oakland-East Bay area. (Others are listed below.)
Rep. Kucinich, the lead plaintiff, from Cleveland, Ohio, has introduced bills to ban "the weaponization of space" and to establish a U.S. "Department of Peace."
Senators such as Russell D. Feingold (D-WI) who had thought of joining the suit were forbidden to do so by the Senate Select Committee on Ethics, headed by Senator Harry Reid (D-NV). The reason given had to do with legal services that the lawyers had offered without charge
The complaint
Pointing out that the issue of presidential termination of treaties has never been decided by the courts, the "Complaint for Declaratory Relief" calls the issue "of supreme importance to the constitutional framework of this nation as well as the treaty-based system of international law."
The complaint refers to "ample evidence that the Framers intended Congress to have a role in the termination as well as the making of treaties."
It charges that President Bush's "proposed termination" of the ABM Treaty on his own violates the treaty power in Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution and "is inconsistent with two centuries of practice and with the overall design of separation of powers and checks and balances of the Constitution."
Furthermore, the complaint charges, "Since treaties have the status of laws, the President's proposed termination of the ABM Treaty without the assent of Congress violates Article II, Section 3, of the Constitution, which obliges the President to take care that the laws be faithfully executed."
The plaintiffs seek a court order with two main parts
"(a) Declaring that the President's withdrawal from the ABM Treaty is without force and effect until such time as the President has requested and received the assent of a majority of both Houses of Congress or two thirds of the Senate;
"(b) Ordering that the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense and their subordinate officers are enjoined from taking any action in violation of the ABM Treaty until its termination has received the assent of a majority of both Houses of Congress or two thirds of the Senate."
--Other plaintiffs and lawyers--
The other 23 members of the House of Representatives participating in the lawsuit are listed below by state.
ALABAMA -- Earl F. Hilliard
http://www.house.gov/writerep/
FLORIDA -- Alcee L. Hastings
alcee.pubhastings@mail.house.gov
GEORGIA -- Cynthia McKinney
http://www.house.gov/mckinney/guest.htm
HAWAII -- Patsy T. Mink
http://www.house.gov/writerep/
ILLINOIS -- Lane Evans lane.evans@mail.house.gov, Jesse Jackson, Jr., Tel. 202-225-0773 Janice D. Schakowsky email: http://www.house.gov/writerep/
MASSACHUSETTS -- John W. Olver, email: http://www.house.gov/writerep/
MICHIGAN -- John Conyers, Jr., email: http://www.house.gov/conyers/letstalk.htm
Carolyn C. Kilpatrick, email: http://www.house.gov/writerep/
MINNESOTA -- James L. Oberstar
MISSOURI -- William L. Clay, Jr.
NEW YORK -- Maurice D. Hinchey, Gregory W. Meeks, Jerrold Nadler, Edolphus Towns
OHIO -- Stephanie Tubbs Jones, Marcy Kaptur
OREGON -- Peter A. De Fazio
TEXAS -- Sheila Jackson Lee
VERMONT -- Bernard Sanders (ind.)
WASHINGTON -- Jim McDermott
WISCONSIN -- Tammy Baldwin
There were 31 plaintiffs when the suit was filed.
Reps. Dianne Watson of California and Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas joined later.
[You can easily locate contact information at "Contacting the Congress"
http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/index.html ]
Weiss, the attorney, and colleague John Burroughs belong to the Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy, sponsor of the lawsuit along with the Center for Constitutional Rights; both groups have headquarters in New York City. Julius Lobel and Michael Ratner of the center are assisting in the suit.
Other attorneys for the plaintiffs are Bruce Ackerman, professor of law and political science at Yale University; Edward A. Aguilar of Philadelphia, with the Lawyers Alliance for World Security; James R. Klimaski of the DC bar; and Jeremy Manning of New York City.
The above was from a report by the War and Law League. The complete report is posted:
http://warandlaw.homestead.com/files/index.html
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Related article -- Feingold Still Pushes ABM Treaty Fight
06/21/2002 @ 2:53pm
The Senate Ethics Committee has denied US Sen. Russ Feingold, D-WI., permission to join a lawsuit that asks the federal courts to clarify whether it was appropriate for President Bush to unilaterally end participation by the United States in the thirty-year-old Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.
But that does not mean that Feingold is giving up on the suit brought by 31 member of the House of Representatives, or the cause of pushing the Senate to assert its Constitutionally-defined authority role in deciding whether the US enters and exits international treaties.
"I wanted to be a part of the lawsuit because I think this is a fundamental issue for anyone who cares about the separation of powers. The fact that I am not going to be allowed to be a plaintiff does not make the lawsuit, or the issue, any less important," says Feingold, a lawyer who says he is considering filing an amicus brief in support of the legal action. "I am going to continue to do everything I can to help the members of Congress that are bringing the suit."
For the complete article, see:
See: http://www.thenation.com/thebeat/index.mhtml?bid=1&pid=76
*********************************************************************************************************************************************************
Part 2 - July 4, 2002 -
3) U.S. Complicity in 911 Attacks -- G6B Report
4) Enron-Peabody Destruction to Native Land & Water
5) Yucca Moving Target -- Action Alert
Is Posted at following Flyby News URL:
http://www.flybynews.com/cgi-local/newspro/viewnews.cgi?newsid1025803773,42737,m
*********************************************************************************************************************************************************
Your feedback, networking Flyby News, and forwarding us articles of interest are welcomed.
You can write to the publisher/editor Jonathan Mark info@flybynews.com