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Politics : Don't Blame Me, I Voted For Kerry -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Orcastraiter who wrote (15301)	4/16/2004 1:01:05 PM
From: Augustus Gloop	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 81568

Campaign finance reform was discussed and shot down during the clinton years as well so it's a mutual pig for both sides. Although we didn't find WMD in Iraq I outlined the reasons why I support it in a post yesterday. That doesn't mean it can't backfire on us but we're in control of the outcome. How the citizens conduct themselves will have an impact over our success there. Citizen reaction will either give the impression of unity or it will embolden the terrorists. I hope everyone here can see that and realize the potential impact on both our troops and our safety here at home. <<I won't be hanging my head when I vote for Kerry, but if Bush is elected we will all be hanging our heads for another four years.>> I'm not going to say you should hang your head as we all have to reach our own conclusions. I will say that we clearly are not getting a choice between the two best people for the job. America has a wealth of good people with good minds but the two party system is choking them out before they ever get a chance.

To: Orcastraiter who wrote (15301)	4/16/2004 1:03:55 PM
From: American Spirit	Respond to of 81568

Bush Last Euro Allies In Political Trouble Berlusconi Graft Trial Resumes in Italy Fri Apr 16, 9:39 AM ET Add World - Reuters to My Yahoo! By Emilio Parodi MILAN (Reuters) - A corruption trial against Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi resumed on Friday after a 10-month halt, but was thrown into immediate confusion when prosecutors suggested the chief judge might be biased. The high-profile case was put on ice last June after parliament awarded Berlusconi immunity from prosecution during his time in office. Italy's highest tribunal later annulled the controversial law, unblocking proceedings. The original panel of three judges stood down for legal reasons. Prosecution lawyers on Friday complained that the new presiding judge, Francesco Castellano, had jeopardised his position by giving interviews to newspapers sympathetic to Berlusconi, and asked that he step down. "The judge's impartiality is a cardinal principle of our democracy," chief prosecutor Ilda Boccassini told the court. "The fact he gave the interview was a serious interference with a case underway." But the panel of judges, presided by Castellano himself, later rejected the prosecution's call after three hours of debate. Berlusconi stands accused of bribing judges to prevent the 1980s sale of a state-owned food chain, called SME, to a rival businessman. He denies the charges. In a 2002 interview with Il Giornale newspaper, which is owned by the prime minister's brother, Castellano said that Berlusconi's trial was not "normal." He also said that anti-graft magistrates in Italy's financial capital had focused much of their attention in recent years on the prime minister's business interests. Berlusconi has repeatedly accused magistrates of leading a politically-motivated witch hunt against him. The trial resumed at a critical time for the prime minister, who is grappling with a hostage crisis in Iraq (news - web sites) and seeking to bolster his political fortunes at European parliamentary elections in June. Berlusconi's lawyers have asked for the trial to be suspended during the electoral campaign. On Friday, judge Castellano was quoted by daily La Repubblica as saying the trial would be suspended within a few weeks "to avoid manipulation." The prosecution has asked Castellano to confirm the decision to suspend hearings during campaigning. The trial originally opened in 2000. Although the case against Berlusconi was put on hold in June, hearings against the other defendants continued. In a ruling in November, former Berlusconi lawyer Cesare Previti was acquitted of charges in connection with SME. But he was convicted of other corruption charges tied to his dealings with Berlusconi's business empire and sentenced to five years in jail. He is appealing the verdict.