AUSTIN, Texas -- Last week, The New York Times quoted a Harvard Law student who favors the privatization of Social Security as saying the accounts-formerly-known-as-private are "a no-brainer."

Funny, I'd say that pretty well describes this future legal eagle.

Here's my take: If you aren't smart enough to figure out what's wrong with President Bush's plan to privatize Social Security, then you won't be able to run one of the accounts-formerly-known-as-private, either. (The White House doesn't want anyone to call them private accounts anymore, even though they have always been known as private accounts -- it's the new political correctness.) It's not as though this were all just-too-complex for the average citizen.

Without any math at all, you can understand the most important problems with the Bush plan:

Do we need to start taking mass, nonviolent direct action for peace?

Street protest is no longer spontaneous, relevant, or reported in the news.

Permits for demonstrations are now staples of bureaucracy. Free speech zones with collapsible barricades are standard equipment. The recent inauguration even saw a separate bleacher section (of course, in a poor location) for protesters.

This is not how struggles are won. This is not what was done in the past.

Thousands of protesters demonstrated at the recent inauguration. What if hundreds or thousands of them had committed to a united direct action against the parade?

What if hundreds or thousands of people had blocked the limousines by standing (ala Tianamen Square) or lying down in front of them along the parade route? How many hours would it have taken the police to arrest and haul us all away? Would the police have had to airlift the president and company by helicopter out of the street?

What a spectacle that would have been. What a powerful statement. That is just one possibility. No doubt, there are many others.

Boycott Products with aspartame

Much controversy has surrounded the issue of whether or not the artificial sweetener aspartame is safe for consumption. However, the hot debate has reached an all-time high, as a $350-million class-action lawsuit has been filed in order to prove how deadly aspartame consumption truly is to the human body.

Also included in the lawsuit is the central role played by Donald Rumsfeld, current United States Secretary of Defense, in helping to get aspartame approved through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Plaintiffs claim that, despite objections of numerous FDA health researchers and negative studies, Rumsfeld used his political power and influence to get aspartame approved by the FDA.

Those charged in the lawsuit are being accused of knowingly using the neurotoxic aspartame as a sugar substitute in the manufacture of Equal, while fully aware that consumption of it could lead to a plethora of health problems.

Health problems linked to aspartame:

Editors:

I just read your article "Seige Heil:  The Bush-Rove-Schwarzenegger Nazi Nexus and the Destabilization of California," first published 10/6/03, written by Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman, online and you are to be applauded.  Not included, and probably because it had not yet occurred by 10/6/03, is the Schwarzenegger-Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) connection of Hatch trying to have the constitution changed so Schwarzenegger can run for president.  This is something that should be covered, possibly a follow-up? 

 ...
Thanks for the excellent article.

  Barbara Seiden
Michigan