Talk about REVENGE. the refuqlicans once again show their "compassion". we ought to contact these congressmen and tell them "shame on you"

A federal government that's out of control should not be distributing public funds in the first place. So this attempt to abuse the funds for coercive purposes, and direct them to an insitution of imperial aggression, it's just all too much. Individuals should work to reduce their federal taxes as part of their civic duty. Everyone do your part to help starve the beast into submission.

Collective punishment continues as the policy and product of stupid people who have always sought to pursue and concentrate public power.

The members of Congress who authored this measure are really from the lowest order of ranks of the dumber than dumb! They simply are incapable of connecting the dots. In essence these same authors gladly kick the cane out from under an elder -- and take food from a hungry child and will then deliver some hot air speech of all the goodness they do.

Somehow, I suspect this form of "leadership" may be the result of too much in-breeding.

If the federal government follows through with this heartless bill born of a desperate and spiteful Iron Fist mentality incapable of recognizing other views, then the citizens of Berkeley should simply equivalently reduce and redirect their federal income taxes directly towards daily lunches for the poor, housing for the disabled, water ferry services, etc.

Who needs the fucking federal government anyhow.

The only city that has the courage to say it like it is gets trashed at every step of the way. How exactly do morons like demint get elected to office ? You scorch and burn a country (women and children first) to save it from a dictator !! You cut off school funds for kids lunches to get even with the city council (though this has more to do with the fact that these programs are an alternative to mcdonalds )!! These are the dying acts of a desperate party who have shown themselves to be completely incapable of morality.

Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga.
http://www.senate.gov/~chambliss/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactUs.ContactForm&CFID=4994051&CFTOKEN=93694566
Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla.
http://coburn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactSenatorCoburn.home
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas
http://cornyn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home
Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla.
http://inhofe.senate.gov/contactus.htm
Sen. David Vitter, R-La.
http://vitter.senate.gov/?module=webformiqv1
Rep. John Campbell, R-Newport Beach
http://campbell.house.gov/html/contact.cfm

Mr. DeMint needs to go back to school to learn a little about the way government is supposed to be run. I am so sick of people in government abusing the populace because they disagree with what it says and stands for. This is not the way America is supposed to be run. These rogue Republicans need to be displayed before the world as what they are: rash, childish, mean-spirited and un-patriotic morons. Semper-fi my ass. Mr. DeMint, please, go wash your hands of the blood of at least 164,000 human beings that your little brain wiped forever off the face of the earth through lies and intimidation and tell me that you are the superior thinker in this case of Evil versus the city of Berkeley. I support the innocent victims who are our troops, but I will never support people like you who think that their manner of patriotism is greater than anothers. Remember Jefferson's words: Dissent is the highest form of patriotism. Shame on you and your "Semper Fi" bill.

It will be interesting to see what California's two U.S. Senators say or do on DeMint's bill.

" Jeffrey Courion February 7th, 2008 12:39 pm

...

The members of Congress who authored this measure are really from the lowest order of ranks of the dumber than dumb! They simply are incapable of connecting the dots. In essence these same authors gladly kick the cane out from under an elder — and take food from a hungry child and will then deliver some hot air speech of all the goodness they do.

Somehow, I suspect this form of "leadership" may be the result of too much in-breeding."

NOW, LET'S LOOK AT THE OTHER PART OF THE STORY: Who elected these inbred beasts?! And would you say that it takes inbred people to vote for inbred others who pretend to be qualified to be elected, while provably being very disqualified, unfit?

NEXT part of story is, "Watch ahead; electors will again elect these criminal, despotic, ... politicians".

After all, they didn't elect themselves.

" fargokantrowitz February 7th, 2008 2:14 pm

Mr. DeMint needs to go back to school to learn a little about the way government is supposed to be run. I am so sick of people in government abusing the populace because they disagree with what it says and stands for. This is not the way America is supposed to be run. ..."

TRUE, but ... as per above; it's voters who elect these scumbag politicians, and repeatedly so. The electorate needs to become sane, informed, and to vote intelligently and responsibly, but too many prefer to vote for either the most evil candidates, or for less evil, so still evil contenders; instead of voting for only sane, intelligent, ... candidates, who the electorate helps to guarantee do not receive a fair chance when it comes to campaigning.

Hence, the sane voters have their insane and malicious counterparts as much to blame as the criminals and hypocrites running for office.

In the case of Bush, he was appointed, never really elected. But U.S. voters usually get to elect the president; either that, or the appointments are much less obvious and verified, so proven, than in the case of Bush.

ANYWAY, THE IDEA OF BERKELEY'IANS REFUSING TO PAY FEDERAL INCOME TAXES, this sure sounds like a good idea (in far more general terms too), but can it be legally done such that it also could be legally upheld or defended by honest and intelligent judges; assuming Berkeley'ians tried this manner of response? I wonder.

It's a certainly justified way to respond, but I don't know the taxation laws, so ...(?). I recently enough also read some article in which the writer was debunking the belief that U.S. citizens are not required to pay federal income taxes; while also believing to recall that many have claimed that U.S.A.'ians are not constitutionally obligated. The author of the article basically said that what many others have been claiming is a serious misinterpretation of what U.S. law requires of citizens; or he said there is a specific law requiring taxation and quoted the law. Which argument it was is something I'm not recalling, but it was either of the two just stated, and the argument seemed to be certainly right.

I remember that much; only forgetting the details of the argument. It's not something I'd bother to remember the details of, for the whole subject is very irrelevant to me; given I am not paying any U.S. taxes as a resident of Canada.

If that writer is right, then Berkeley'ians can't respond by ceasing to pay fed. income taxes, which'd be very unfortunate for Berkeley.

SEMPER FI ACT DEFINITELY SYMBOLISES DESPOTISM, HYPOCRISY, ... etcetera. It's a criminal act of govt; but then that's an awfully usual theme with the U.S. govt anyway. Because of that, I'm not surprised; while still seeing the whole idea of this Act as maddening and unjust. It's blatantly insane, and clearly is sociopathic, as well as psychopathic.

It's sociopathic towards Berkeley'ians and The People of the USA, while being psychopathic in terms of calling on U.S. citizens to serve in war based entirely on lies, a totally criminal war, and of course for what's been and continues to be done to Iraqis (and Afghans); besides the many other victims of U.S. crimes around this whole planet.

So these senators are clearly INSANE alright; it's strongly an immediately obvious that they are.

But they didn't elect themselves, either! 'Dumb animal' and 'malicious and dumb animal' voters love to keep screwing both their own country and the rest of the world of Humanity.

Now many want Obama or Billary, while many others want one of the evil or dement Repub. candidates, all of whom support the hell's-made state of Israel against Palestinian and Lebanese populations, as well as criminally declaring Iran's a threat to the world and that its Revolutionary Guard is a terrorist organisation; all this hellbent hypocrisy, lies, hegemony, ... HELL.

USA'ians have me very convinced that they love electing EVIL. One way or another, they demonstrate loving to put their support behind evil and criminal, etc., candidates for office; they obstinately refuse to support truly valid and good candidates. They LUST for evil and what it supposedly has to offer in return for being supported.

HOW MANY SENATE AND CONGRESS MEMBERS WILL CONDEMN THIS INSANE SEMPER FI ACT?

I wonder.

" peaceman February 7th, 2008 2:21 pm

It will be interesting to see how California's two U.S. Senators, Diane Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, say or how they respond to DeMint's bill."

THE ANSWER SEEMS TO BE IN THE ARTICLE.

Quote: "And a spokesman for Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., said she would "vigorously fight any effort to cut funding to these programs.""

Sounds faintly like Gaza. Punish the whole city, children and all, for the decision of the people in change.

Mike Corbeil; I'll wait and see, when it gets down on the floor.

DeMint said in a statement. "Patriotic American taxpayers won't sit quietly while Berkeley insults our brave Marines and tries to run them out of town.

You're either with us or against us... either patriotic or not patriotic. Idiot America speaks!

David Vitter wants the money to build more whore houses in D.C. and Louisiana. And more churches too so that he can find god after visiting the whore houses, and getting caught.

Just another example of the war-like nature of the US Government. So it's become unpatriotic to stand up for human rights and peace? One step closer to criminalizing dissent. Without dissent, there is no democracy.

Democratie anyone?

The only one insulting the Marines is DeMint. I am quite sure they (the marines) are capable of taking care of themselves or reaching and understanding with the city of Berkeley with out starving the children that live there. Mr.Demint has compromised his partriotism by this cowardly act.

Wow, what a telling symbolic act. Support our war or we'll starve your kids.

Pretty much sums up the USA in one simple picture.

That's the freedom our troops or dying to defend. Do what we say or else. No one is allowed to have any different opinions.

"How exactly do morons like demint get elected to office ?"

I take it you haven't spent much time in South Carolina?

Who's going to have the guts to introduce the counter legislation that would strip all sorts of federal funds from the state of South Carolina and give them to the City of Berkeley instead?

If the Dems could play real political hardball, that's the next logical step. If I was a US Senator, I'd put a personal 'hold' on every dollar going to the state of South Carolina right now.

And Georgia, and Texas, and Oklahoma, and Louisiana, since those Senators are in on this also.

It should be very, very easy to convince these fools this is a game they don't want to play. But that assumes there's someone in the Senate that is willing to stand up to thugs and defend the basic freedoms of Americans to think independently and of our democracy's ability to represent the views of its citizens.

I'm not exactly holding my breath waiting for someone to do this. Sen. Wellstone might have done it. You know damn well Sen Obama won't no matter how much he calls himself the next Wellstone. Sen. Clinton will run like hell from being on our side of this one.

It is just The Revenge of the Two-Backed Beast. The two parties are just a two-backed beast, one back has an "R" on it, the other a"D." Inside, you'll find a wealthy neocon businessman pulling the strings for his own profit and power.

He who dissents must be punished, it is the fascist way.

You have to realize that Republicans shoot with scatter guns (aka shotguns) and not a rifle. So in stead of hitting the true real target they kill everything in a broad area.
Like that old saying "nuke them all and let the gods sort them out"

Maybe we need bullets instead of ballots. This shit is getting way too far out of control

"I take it you haven't spent much time in South Carolina?"

No. Where the hell is that dump anyways ??

Betty Olds ( The Guardian Mother of all U.S. Marines) is from my friggin district. This looks like a great re-election bid on her part. Lets see how that plays out !!

"A spokesman for DeMint said the senator has been a longtime opponent of earmarks because they are hidden in spending bills and not debated."

Wow ! This M__t_r_F_c_k_r actually needs to 'debate' spending on childrens lunches ?!! But spending a $Trillion on slaughtering a million people just needs a simple presidential stamp.

Typical Federal Blackmail.

Like the drive 55 or we will not let you have your tax money back that you paid into the system.

I say cut funds to the recruiting station!

This is nothing new; it's just coming home to roost.

We have been treating "other countries governments" like this for some time.

You WILL accept out military base or you will be boycotted by all of our friends.

the professional class in berekely is up in arms, along with their supporters, partly because they are dumb enough to believe that the empire is destroying the world because working class people join the marines...yeah,right...

not having access to grad schools and summers in europe , silly working class types often join the service, unlike their brilant and superior upper classies who don't need that sort of thing, because they have no better way to economically advance themselves ...

helpless to do anything about corporate power or the israel lobby, it becomes easier to dump on a recruiting station and the people who have to resort to taking such measures as joining the military in order to survive...

no wonder we're sinking, fast...

Oh yes, please don't insult the Marines - but rather it's OK to let Congress send troops to commit atrocities in the name of the US government, using money taxed and collected from the American people who will be paying for this for many, many years to come, all so Congress can ruin a country, kill the people there, and steal their resources. Iraq has what the bullies in Congress what, and their BULLY mentality is hard to hide! When these same Marines come home, will Congress take care of them? Who's disrespecting whom? Talk about insults! Go figure! The American Government under this Administration, in cohorts with the 101st Congress, is a hypocritical bunch both unworthy to represent Americans and positively unqualified to judge what or whom the American people should respect, in large part owed to our governments over zealous support of Israel and the attempt to dominate the world.

Don't insult "our brave Marines" who are thoughtlessly helping to do what the world hates us more every day for. People who obey and hurt others without thinking are America's finest!

I did some snooping on just one of the names above-- Chambliss-- and I found out that Saxby Chambliss:
1. was one of the "Swift boat" liars.
2. has never served in the military himself.
3. is (ironically) on the US Select Committee on Intelligence.
4. And has a vested interest in defense spending. See this quote by the esteemed Georgia Senator: "The KC-X program is the Air Force's number one acquisition priority, and I am pleased that Boeing has chosen a Georgia-based company (Delta) with a proven track record as one of its key partners."
5. He is also up for re-election in 2008.
I guess he feels that securing his reelection by getting jobs for his constituents in Georgia and amassing his own fortune is worth the lives of our children, the Iraqi children, and the children in Berkeley.

Thanks my2sense

No doubt the others see this as a meal ticket also.

The old axiom, 'Revenge is a dish best served cold' in the neocon mind has come out, 'Revenge is a dish best served at a buffet'

WHY SO ANGRY? WAR MAKING IS PART OF THE AMERICAN DREAM ISN'T IT? There is asegment of this country that is completely old west and violent. Along with the violence comes ignorance. They can not understand the Berkley city council as far as they are concerned this is not American.

To make war is American and we all know that is the primary issue. You know folks,
"These colors don't run!" Wave the flag and pass the amunition. "Rockets Red Glare"
"Over there, over there" but certainly not here.

The Marines are not defending America they're killing, raping and injuring millions of people who have done nothing more than be the unfortunate citizens of a country with oil.

Nothing annoys me more than the apologists for thr Marines and Blackwater thugs hiding behind a " we're defending America Banner".

Berkley have realised the kids need protecting from the glamour uniforms and money these Marines offer.

"Berkeley needs to learn that their actions have consequences," DeMint said in a statement"

yah actions like exercising freedom of speech. that'll teach Americans that anyone using the freedoms outlined in our Bill of Rights cannot go unpunished.

"Plastic people, you're such a drag"-Frank Zappa

"A spokesman for DeMint said the senator has been a longtime opponent of earmarks because they are hidden in spending bills and not debated"--hidden and not debated, just like the reasons for and methods by which we got into this war in the first place, and most of the other moves the administration has made on this country.

Reactionaries are doing what is predicable really believe they can dictate how people should think and how they should act.
They are having their say now but come Nov. they will need to stock up on their depression Meds, I'm afraid they will need them.

DeTerminator needs to talk to DeMint.

frankscott --"it becomes easier to dump on a recruiting station and the people who have to resort to taking such measures as joining the military in order to survive…"

This mindless statement defies decsription. What exactly is your point ? I can vaguely understand the class connotations of your statement but being unemployed and joining the marines (who exterminate innocent civilians around the globe) is not a good enough reason to encourage recruiting stations. You actually sound like an apologist for the capitalists while spouting 'class' rhetoric.

The citizens of Berkeley should stop paying their federal taxes; ALL OF US should stop paying our federal taxes. It's ALL OF OUR responsibility. The wars will continue until WE refuse to pay for them.

Taxation without representation...

My son serves in the USAF. He joined right after HS and has given 10 years of his life to our country. I am real proud of him. But he joined because he believed in the ideals of freedom and democracy--the America that exists in the constitution--an ideal that has probably never existed in real life. My son had other options--like my other two kids and like myself, he could have worked his way through college, got the same training in telecommunications that he got in the USAF, and he could be out making big bucks right now. But he chose service to his country. I respect anyone who joins the military and risks their life for us. But I resent the profiteers who waste our kids' lives, destroy the meaning of American ideals, degrade the constitution and put all of us in danger with their greed.
Let's keep our eye on the real enemy here. It's not the marines or the recruiters who are to blame. Jesus nailed it when he said "Love of money is the root of all evil."

Just another episode in the continuing policies of the ultra-Right neofascist cabal in charge of the Republican party.

Their shameless political stooges run about on the House and Senate floor chambers like the vermin they are.

Re Saxby Chambliss:

This is a quote from Wikipedia. The Cleland referred to is Max Cleland, who served in Vietnam and lost both legs in the conflict.

"In 2002, Cleland was defeated in his bid for a second Senate term by Representative Saxby Chambliss. Voters were perhaps influenced by Chambliss ads that featured Cleland's likeness on the same screen as Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, ads that Cleland's supporters claim questioned his commitment to homeland security.[6] (The ads were removed after protest from some prominent politicians including John McCain.)"

The Berkeley city council should respond by encouraging Berkeley's citizens not to pay their federal income taxes and instead pay them into a fund that will replace what the Feds are taking away.

That will solve the problem real quick like.

Rich towns like Berkeley pay way more in Fed. taxes then they get back from the Fed. anyway, so, if anyone in Berkeley is reading this, get the council to advise people on how not to pay their taxes, instead paying them directly to the council for distribution.

Some how implicit in Republican response to this, is that militarism is implicitly a cultural value, where those who do not share this value, are, as we see in this case, to be targeted for a right wing retribution of sorts. I do not support militarism or fascist culture. Why does it appear that real left wing ideology is not acceptable in this "democracy".