33 Dean group members on black list for Bush event in North Dakota.

[madfloridian]

Links to the list and the Meet-up names at the site.

http://www.blogforamerica.com/archives/005919.html
It starts with a list...
President Bush will be speaking at the Bison Sports Arena in North Dakota today to stump for his Social Security reforms; however, 42 Fargo-area residents won't be attending—even if they wanted to. Fargo City Commissioner Linda Coates and 41 others have been blacklisted from the event (view the list) seemingly because of their ties to a Democracy for America Meetup group.

"I thought that was democracy," said.
Coates said she was shocked and "creeped out" Wednesday to learn she was on the list. Now she's outraged.

"To me, this is very revealing as to what this administration is all about someone who doesn't want disagreement," said Coates, whose husband, Mike, is also on the list. "That's not healthy."

It was revealed that at least 33 out of the 42 blacklisted citizens are members of the Fargo-Moorhead Democracy for America Meetup Group and listed publicly on the Meetup website. Commissioner Coates plans to attend the event anyway and will demand a reason if she is not admitted.

Don't let this blacklisting slip under the radar—let the media in ND know that DFA supporters are not content with being relegated to a blacklist for exercising their right to free speech. How long before your name ends up on a "do not admit" list?"

Posted by Tara Liloia at 12:07 PM

[Qanisqineq]

1. also discussed on Talking Points Memo

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/ with links to other articles about it.

"We hear another fellow on list is none other than James Holm, the producer for Fargo-based progressive talk radio star Ed Schultz.

You'd figure he'll probably make some mention of this on the show today."

Blacklisted, that is just creepy.

[Qanisqineq]

2. Ugh. Look at some of the reasons these people are being blacklisted

http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=82266
(I think registration is required, I am already registered so unsure)

The list contains a wide range of people. Several wrote opinion page letters to The Forum criticizing Bush or the war in Iraq. Others wrote letters in support of gay rights or of Democratic policies.

Can't even write a letter to the editor without being blacklisted. Big Brother is watching you!

[madfloridian]

3. A Kos diarist has a good post about this now.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/2/3/123015/5898

[flyarm]

4. gee and who's s.s. is he talking about??

is * only discussing s.s. with repugs that drink kool aide??
...so screw the rest oif us..we get no say in s.s.?? we get no say in how he tries to manipulate our kids in their decisions?? what world did i wake up in today??

wtf??

i hate these blastards!!

fly:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :nuke:

[Cha]

5. Typical bushit...the question is

.."when is it going to be enough?"

[madfloridian]

6. Letter-writing critical to Bush, Iraq, and supportive of gay rights.....

seems to be at least partly a common theme...from the Kos diary..

SNIP.."But two sources close to Tuesday's ticket distribution confirmed the list exists and includes a handful of names of people who were not to receive tickets to today's event at North Dakota State University's Bison Sports Arena.

The list contains a wide range of people. Several wrote opinion page letters to The Forum criticizing Bush or the war in Iraq. Others wrote letters in support of gay rights or of Democratic policies."

I guess that would qualify me as well. I have had letters to the editors printed against the war, against my GOP congressman, against the Medicare bill, and against the privatization of Social Security. I also just had words with my congressman in writing about Social Security. I also belong to DFA.

Wonder how many others would make a list like that.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

7. I just signed up for that group - guess I'm on the blacklist too.

That probably means that I'm on a "do not fly" list and all kinds of other things.

[Qanisqineq]

8. Oops! There are a few more that should be blacklisted

in today's letters to the Fargo Forum. They disagree with his SS plan, we can't have that now. (Just don't read the editorial, it is sickening.)

http://www.in-forum.com/opinion/

An excerpt from Alan Davis' letter:
"George Bush wants to raid Social Security for the sake of his supporters in the investment industry. They want to make a killing at taxpayer expense. They hate the New Deal and they hate the protection that it affords us. We deserve better from our leaders."

And two excerpts from Ray Ehlers' letter:
"Since an economic boom didn't happen with his generous tax cuts and refund checks, W. has decided to let ordinary citizens gamble their future retirement, legally of course, in a place where a large portion of people lose their money, the stock market. George Bush wanted you to spend your refund checks and tax cut money to increase the cash flow of our economy. However $300 per person just wasn't enough to do it. Hey, it was feel-good money anyway."

"Now the poor have a mandate: Get working. Let Bush's rich friends, contributors and investment corporations bilk you out of your retirement and then in a few years when you don't have a retirement left, they will have a scapegoat to blame, YOU!"

[madfloridian]

9. Just registered there, saw the list, and there is no doubt DFA is a reason

Definitely the DFA is a part of the criteria. Very creepy. And I guess that would be true elsewhere in the country. Depending on who makes up the list.

[Steve L]

10. Former Fargo resident

I'm a former Fargo resident now living in Ohio. Some step up, huh?
Anyway, I know the poeple quoted in the article. Mike Coates was a professor of mine that in college and I know his wife Linda as well. I'm sending them an email to let them know that their story needs to be heard.

[madfloridian]

11. That was nice of you.

I am very surprised at how little outrage there is about this. It is a shocking thing, and I would think all Democrats would be furious. Not just DFA members...everyone. Be sure to read the Kos diary I listed above...it has more about it, and a pic of her.

[bunkerbuster1]

12. Shouldn't the Fargo newspaper item be in LBN?

http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=82266

Bush is extending his "loyalty oath" campaign and it's become a permanent feature. This is important, no?

If nobody else will post it there, I will...

[bvar22]

13. Tip of the Iceberg!

The TIA (Total Information Awareness)(under a different name now) Central Database will become a powerful tool of the Compassionate Conservatives. This will be used to do so much more than just block you from attending a bush* event.

Wonder why you aren't getting promoted within the Corporation like your Republican co-workers?

Denied admission to a Graduate Program?

Denied that Pell Grant?

audited by IRS?

legitimate lawsuit thrown out of court?

zoning permit denied?

business license denied?

bank loan denied?

traveling blocked?

passport problems?

police harrassment?


These things and more ARE COMING!

[shance]

18. Great point. Good example of why Neocons should not have private access

to our lives because it invites abuse and corrupution.

What is the status of Total Information Awareness btw?

[bvar22]

19. Some info on TIA!

Here is the Very Creepy Logo of TIA (Total Information Awareness) and some background info:

"Every purchase you make with a credit card, every magazine subscription you buy and medical prescription you fill, every Web site you visit and e-mail you send or receive, every academic grade you receive, every bank deposit you make, every trip you book and every event you attend — all these transactions and communications will go into what the Defense Department describes as "a virtual, centralized grand database."

http://www.geocities.com/totalinformationawareness/

I believe that the WhiteHouse was forced to publicly disavow this program because of the backlash, but since then, I have heard nothing.
IMHO, it has just gone underground.

This deserves some checking.
Has anyone heard anything from the convicted traitor Admiral Poindexter?

[Steve L]

14. Contact Senator Conrad

I just talked to a friend in Fargo who said that Bush apparently had North Dakota's Democratic senator Kent Conrad up in Air Force One making his SS pitch. It may be good for Conrad to hear from us on this subject. I'm a new DUer and don't have enough posts to start a thread so if someone thinks this is important please do so.

[madfloridian]

16. I just posted it, thanks for sharing. Very important.

Welcome to the DU fray. :hi:

[bklyncowgirl]

15. This IS an outrage.

I can see barring people if they have made threats against the president but these appear to be activists and ordinary citizens who have engaged in activities guaranteed by the first amendment.

Anyone who takes this lightly is living in a dream world. Clearly this is a preemptive strike against freedom of speech and it effects us all.

[bvar22]

17. Ed Schultz talking about "The List" 2:10PM Central

Listen LIVE over the NET here:

http://www.bigeddieradio.com/

[madfloridian]

21. He was apologetic because his producer was a member of DFA.

Then Dorgan just shrugged off the list as though unimportant and talked about how nice it was to have Bush there today.

I only caught the first 20 minutes, so if they changed their tunes, I apologize.

Sorry, Big Ed and Dorgan, the list is a very big deal. A very big one.

[ultraist]

20. Only the followers ...

are allowed to be graced with the cult leader's holy presence.

[lojasmo]

22. Kick. Thanks for posting this MadFla!

:hi:

[txaslftist]

23. How do I get on the list?

[ultraist]

25. If...

You have donated money to "certain" candidates or have signed up on sites for "certain" orgs that lean left, you probably already are on "the list."

They denied me inaug tickets. YET, I received some propaganda material in the mail yesterday soliciting me to purchase Bush/Cheney paraphernalia.

Your party affiliation is public info and I'm sure they have hacked every left site to get names/email addresses/IP addresses.

[tishaLA]

24. Simply outrageous

I'll have be on the look out to see why the other nine were banned, too.

It's outrageous to behave like that....collecting the identities of "opponents" and blacklisting them.