Written by: Steven Thompson, Founding Editor
Freedom From The Press

Just yesterday, a new friend of mine reminded me of a piece I wrote for OpEdNews back in 2009. The message I wrote about then still applies today, “where are all of our “STARS?”

On very rare occasion, a star will step out of their comfortable surroundings to make a statement about something that concerns them. An example would be when a rock and roll band (U2) sings about Martin Luther King in Sunday Bloody Sunday. Or, when a group of performers unite to make a movie about the perils of nuclear power, the No Nukes concert.

When these acts of enlightenment and public courage are displayed for all to see, people take notice. Perhaps this is why a basketball star would decide to change his name to, “World Peace?” They, being our stars, want to draw public attention towards something that they believe to be unjust or, simply wrong.

As stated in my original piece, which basically advocated this statement, “when will our “STARS” stand up for the often oppressed 99%?” Until today, nobody even offered a simple acknowledgement to my question. Perhaps my timing was off by a few years. As an author and activist, could I be that ahead of the game? Let’s hope that’s indeed the case.

Here we go again, this time it’s 2012 and there are folks out there who are attempting to pedal their collective influences (namely political party’s, their candidates and their aligned friends within the Mainstream Media) upon the voting public, also known as, the 99%.

Let’s collectively ask our Stars this simple question, I’m searching far and wide and asking, “Stars, where are you and what do you intend to say, or do, in support of us, the 99%?

One-way streets are absolute hell and very unfair. All stars, except for those in our skies, expect the 99% to be supportive of them. Movie stars want us to view their latest efforts in the theater or purchase their latest DVD’s. Those in the music industry want the 99% to buy their CD’s, DVD’s, and attend their concerts. Sports stars want us to root for them as individuals or their teams by purchasing tickets to live events, watch them play their games on television and buy their apparel.

In our (99%) current, if not massive time of need, is it too much to ask for support from “our” STARS?

Corruption from within our governments and biggest corporations have all but destroyed Americas middle-class. Millions of Americans are unemployed, or under-employed, this is due in large part by give-away “Free Trade” agreements that were absolute treasure for those on Wall Street (who authored such agreements) at the expense of those on Main Street. All across America people are hurting from blatant corruption and an unsound currency. The 99% are not directly responsible for what has happened across America. That said, the 99% have felt the greatest harm by those who have placed personal greed ahead of everything else, to include “our” country.

So, I must again ask, who, (if not “our” Stars) will stand up in support of Americas 99%? We are in desperate need of a political system and process that truly serves the needs and wants of the 99%. The current co-opted two-party system and a corrupted media that continues to serve it can no longer be supported or trusted. Will “our” stars come out in defense of us, the 99%, or will you continue to hide in support of those who have all but destroyed America for their own personal gain.

The following comment was made at this link. Time will tell if CNN chooses to censor (by omission) this comment.

Written by: Steven Thompson
Editor, FFTP

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media_reformer
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I applaud Mr. John King for asking any question about the character of any candidate running for any elective office. These individuals, above anything else, should set the example for all Americans. Leadership by Example.

Furthermore, I’ve requested that CNN/Mr. King becomes even more aggressive towards Newt Gingrich’s past political history. These statements of fact, not opinions, should see the light of day so all Americans fully know what we’re getting into if we’re going to nominate Newt Gingrich.

The 1994 Contract With America was an ELECTION PLOY to get Independents to vote for and support what became the, “Republican Revolution.” This fact should be fully addressed by forcing Newt Gingrich to explain his actions following the 1994 election. Gingrich abandoned the Contract With America when it became a political liability for him and his Republican colleagues. The same can be said for all of the conservative talk show hosts across the country who allowed Gingrich to slide further and further away from issues that all of them supported prior to the 1994 election.

Yes, tell the idiot voters what they want to hear in order to win their votes… This form of politics (blatant deception) must come to a friendly end. The mainstream press does the American people no favors when they allow politicians to get away with this form of premeditated political deception…

I’d love to hear what CNN chooses to do about this? Doing nothing isn’t an acceptable option…

Originally posted at JohnKingUSA blog at CNN.com… Comments were CENSORED by omission, should be appearing at this provided link…

(CNN) – Here’s your chance to literally shape the debate in the race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination. Use the form below to submit your brief question to the Southern Republican Presidential Debate. Or tweet your questions to #CNNDebate. The debate will be held Thursday, January 19, 2012, in Charleston, South Carolina from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET.

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Steven Thompson
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Dear CNN,

Help me understand… Debates are held on FoxNews and CNN. Election coverage goes on through-out each and every day, 24/7. Both networks continue to place the majority of their focus on the battle between the “social conservatives”. Entire news segments (airtime) are given where only “social conservatives” are mentioned. Why do you choose to ignore certain candidates over others?

To be fair shouldn’t election news/programs give equal time to “fiscal conservatives”? And what about candidates (who are getting ignored) that happen to be both, social and fiscal conservative?

As for Mr. Gingrich? I’m hearing broadcast TV news segments where Gingrich is receiving credit for his 1994 Contract With America. Contract? really? Truthful analysis will discover these facts about Gingrich and his republican revolution. The fact that nobody is talking about this whenever the subject comes up is part of the bias that I’m always writing about.

Fact #1) The Contract With America was an election ploy to get Independents (mostly 1992 Perot supporters) to vote for and support GOP candidates in the 1994 election. Perot himself stumped in multiple states for candidates who signed onto the Gingrich Contract With America. Still in denial? Ask your TV pundit buddy Ed Rollins.

Fact #2) The infamous Contract With America wasn’t a “contract” at all, Concept With America would of been more accurate. Shortly after becoming House Speaker, Gingrich abandoned many of the key issues that made up the Concept With America. When questioned by Independent radio talk show hosts (who have since disappeared) Gingrich stated, “We were only obligated to bring these issues to the floor of the House.” Meaning, we’re not committed to seeing these issues passed into law. Had this revelation been made public prior to the 1994 elections, incumbent House Speaker Tom Foley may not of been defeated.

Fact #3) The Republican Revolution candidates would later support and vote to gut the regulations of the Glass Steagal Act. This Gingrich supported action paved the way for massive financial fraud that eventually crashed the U.S. economy. Senate bill S-900 was crafted by former Senator Phil Gramm who later went onto become a U.S. executive for the Swiss Bank UBS.

Fact #4) 2012 (pro-establishment) election bias is no better than that of 1994, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008 or 2010. Look at what’s happening to America and ask yourself what could we do to protect America from it’s current path of self-destruction? Please CNN, if you don’t know the truth, dig deeper…and, if neither social conservatives or their liberal friends have any real solutions, ask a fiscal conservative or Independent.

Steven Thompson, Editor
Freedom From The Press

Were the actions over this last weekend (01/07/2012) by those who sponsored and managed the two New Hampshire Republican Presidential debates, ABC Television on Saturday and NBC TV/Facebook on Sunday, illegal? And if not, should they be?

If you haven’t already done so, surf to Buddy Roemer’s Presidential website and get acquainted. Governor Roemer is just as qualified to run for President of The United States as Romney, Paul, Santorum, Gingrich, Perry or Huntsman.

Why Gov. Roemer continues to be excluded from the process is unprecedented. The only real difference is the fact that Roemer is questioning the absurd role of money in political elections. I haven’t heard one word from the rest of the pack about having to solicit a massive amount of money from either corporate interests or individuals in order to run for public office. Nor have we heard much about the public option for campaign financing where candidates are then limited on the amounts of money they can raise.

Something’s rotten with this entire process. Running for public office (in America) is like stepping up to a poker table. If you have a wad of available cash and are willing to feed the game (mainstream media), then those who are positioned to receive your money will recognize your existence by letting you play. Otherwise, you don’t exist and in this case, the electorate has to settle for a “hand picked” field. Whatever happened to the concept of letting the voters choose the viability or electability of any credible candidate(s)?

Sorry suckers! American democracy is DOA… The Courts, Congress and their friends in the mainstream media have deprived us all from free and fair elections…

FFTP Editor Steven Thompson’s comments: Plain and simple? Former Louisiana Governor and former U.S. Congressman Buddy Roemer should be allowed to participate in the Republican primary debates. Neither the RNC or Mainstream Media have constitutional authority to exclude legitimate candidates who are seeking public office. CNN, Fox News, ABC, NBC, CBS, CNBC, PBS should all be joining C-SPAN in providing equal time to candidate Roemer.

Pasted from Candidate Buddy Roemer’s Presidential Website @ buddyroemer.com

Gov. Roemer Gets Local Support To Be Included in GOP Debates

Written by: Steven Thompson
Editor, FFTP

Here’s a quote from this mornings fundraiser letter from Ron Paul 2012, “And I am the only candidate with a plan for a one-year, trillion-dollar spending cut and a balanced budget within one term. But it’s up to you and me to make sure the voters understand the facts. We certainly can’t count on the national media to do that job!”

If there’s ever been an issue that needs to go viral-in-America it’s this…

U.S. Elections are 100% corrupted by corporations and the one percents (1%) money. Furthermore, What are the 99% doing to fix it?

Two Ads, Two States, One Million $$$, most of which ends up in the hands of broadcast radio and television networks, also referred to as the MSM on this and other “truth based” websites…

 Summary

FACT: Our Political Process Is Corrupted By Big Money, How Do We Fix It?

SOLUTION: That’s easy, Make This Pledge, To Yourself And Country…

“I for one will only support and vote for federal candidates who will make the following statement binding and forever lasting policy as part of the FCC licensing process for all broadcast media outlets.”

Political Advertising will be FREE OF CHARGE for ALL CANDIDATES and ISSUES during ANY ELECTION where such candidates or issues appear on the official ballot. Failure to follow this policy will result in the termination of any or all FCC licenses held by such media outlet(s) or media network(s)… The end goal is to remove all profiteering from broadcast media in all U.S. Elections…

With this policy in place and full enforcement guaranteed, elections across these United States of America will finally become free and open to all who wish to proudly serve their nation, state, or community… Of, By and For “The People”… Without regard to personal wealth or personal/professional alliances…

You don’t like? Click the title, use the comment box to join the discussion and help make the solution better…

90 seconds.

That’s how much of the first hour of tonight’s GOP debate was given to [Congressman] Ron Paul. 90 measly seconds out of 3,600 seconds.

The remaining 3,510 seconds were spent with the other major candidates:

** Declaring their desire to start wars in Iran, Pakistan, and Syria;

** Rehashing their support for torture;

** Agreeing that President Obama has the right to unilaterally assassinate an American citizen without a court conviction;

** Explaining their plans to continue nation-building, policing, and occupying countries across the globe.

It literally made me sick watching the mainstream media once again silence the one sane voice in this election. The one dissenter to a decade of unchecked war. The one candidate who stands for true defense and actual constitutional government.

Ron Paul was silenced, in perhaps the most important debate of the cycle.

You have to ask yourself why.

I think I know the answer. Both parties have perpetuated the foreign policy that is bankrupting our nation and tearing apart the world.

Both parties have started wars without proper congressional authorization.

Both parties have fabricated reasons for war.

Both parties’ outrageous spending has taken us to the brink of disaster.

And if the other candidates on the stage tonight are to be believed, then there is only one candidate who would break the globalists’ stranglehold over our foreign policy, our Treasury, and the lives of our family, friends, and neighbors in the armed forces.

Ron Paul could change history. He could save our great nation from its own devastating policies of the past 10 years.

If his voice could be heard.

The media has once again BLACKED OUT Ron Paul.

Will you let it stand??

After almost two days, our Veterans Day Weekend Money Bomb has raised $758,977.

No doubt, that is a powerful total.

But it is not enough. I have met with our accountants and media team, and we have determined we must raise an additional $500,000 in the next 24 hours to be able to run the ads and mail the letters we need in the next 10 days.

I know $500,000 more is a lot to ask.

But you just saw what we are up against.

The policies of unlimited war, torture, and bankruptcy were given 3,510 seconds to be heard in one televised hour of tonight’s foreign policy debate.

Ron Paul was given 90 seconds.

Peace was ignored. A sane national defense policy was shut out.

Rational spending and our Constitution were thrown out the window.

Only you can help make this right.

We can complain all we want, but the reality is this: the other side wins this debate – and their foreign policy carries the day – unless Ron Paul can break through.

As Campaign Chairman Jesse Benton said in a press release issued immediately after the debate, “CBS News, in their arrogance, may think they can choose the next President. Fortunately, the people of Iowa, New Hampshire, and across America get to vote and not the media elites.”

But Ron Paul needs you to help him reach those voters and WIN this race.

Can I count on you tonight?

Can Ron count on you over the next 24 hours?

Please help us fight back by clicking HERE right now to donate.

I hope you are as fed up and outraged as I am.

If you are, you will redouble your efforts to help Ron succeed on a night where the establishment did its best to shut out a veteran, a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the leading spokesman for a strong national defense.

For Liberty,

John Tate

Written by: Steven Thompson
Editor, Freedom From The Press

http://www.freedomfromthepress.net

Prior to the rise of the Internet, many important news stories were once ignored or heavily twisted to fit a certain result or agenda. Many lesser, underfunded newsrooms would simply use the local newspaper(s)-of-record for their daily content. The same could be said for local and some national talk shows. If the story made the paper is was covered by radio news and talk radio. If a story was ignored by the local paper it all too often went under-reported or not reported at all. This manipulation of the news-of-the-day became common in communities across America. If stories weren’t included in the newspaper they simply didn’t happen.

Without the Internet, would the MSM (Mainstream Media) be covering the Occupy Wall Street movement? Or, would tomorrow’s National Transfer Day be receiving national media attention? Just tonight, I heard a major network news agency going after Members of Congress for their lofty government pensions. The reporter went onto state that a congressional hearing would take place in January of 2012 to discuss the congressional pension issue. WOW! Would the MSM  be interested in covering or promoting such a hearing if the power of the Internet didn’t exist?

Everywhere I turn, today’s (late 2011) MSM appears to have cleaned up their act. In Washington state, where I reside, network news affiliates are covering corrupt policemen for lying to government investigators in a case where the use of excessive force killed a retarded citizen (Google “Otto Zehm”).

Time will tell if the MSM can remain focused on public and government accountability. We’ve needed this shot of public trust and honesty for many years and I can only hold out hope that it will continue for all time.

Thank you! World Wide Web and those of you who are currently paying attention. Now, get out there and make a difference. If your bank or insurance company defrauded the public and then accepted bailout money, change banks and move your policies to a company you can trust. If your public officials violated your trust by providing government handouts to those who needed them least, vote them out and refuse to support businesses that received any direct benefits at the public’s expense. This would include shopping centers or sports stadiums that our municipal governments can no longer afford to maintain.

Written by: Steven Thompson
Editor, Freedom From The Press

(In response to a letter from Senator Paul requesting money, see below)

Hello Sen. Paul,

I’d be really excited if you folks (Ron Paul 4 President) were addressing the absurdity of running for public office. Why do candidates need to raise millions of dollars to get their messages out? And, Where does all of this money go? Haven’t mainstream media companies made a fortune off political elections? Since the MSM is a direct recipient of massive amounts of “free money” (meaning they don’t have to do anything to earn it) what are the odds of campaign finance laws ever being reformed?

Congressman Paul needs a political machine and platform that he’s 100% committed too… The American people need a political tool that belongs to the American people… The RNC and DNC stand for nothing, e.g. both supported NAFTA and TARP… And, neither supported following U.S. laws as they pertained to the “Prompt Corrective Action Law”…

Thanks to pro Wall Street trade policy the American middle-class has been sold-out… We’re quickly becoming yet another “third-world” nation where we’re either rich or poor…

I could go on but who really cares… The United States of America needs to hit rock bottom before “We The People” will ever have the opportunity to fix her…our MSM won’t have it any other way…

(Original letter received by the committee to elect Ron Paul for President)

Dear Steven,

I hope you’re as excited as I am about our opportunity to win this race and make Ron Paul the next President of the United States.

I know our chances are excellent, because it’s clear the establishment is panicking and trying their best to keep the American people from hearing about Ron Paul.

But judging from recent polls showing Ron Paul within striking distance of first place for the Republican nomination and even beating President Obama in a head-to-head matchup, I also know our campaign’s efforts to break through the media blackout by going straight to the voters are working.

On October 19th, you’ll have a chance to help us expand these efforts and reach millions of more voters by contributing to the “Black THIS Out” Money Bomb.

Please, pledge today to donate during this event.

Now is the time to stand up for limited constitutional government and send a clear message to the establishment that we refuse to let them handpick the Republican nominee in 2012.

Every election, you and I are told that the only candidates who can win are those who will protect the status quo.

And we saw how well that worked out for the Republican Party in 2008.

Our country simply cannot afford any more politicians who put power before people and change their views depending on the latest poll.

We need a strong, proven leader who can be trusted to make the tough decisions necessary to get America back on track.

I know I’m a little biased, but I firmly believe no other candidate can even come close to matching my dad’s consistent conservative record.

And once voters get all the facts on the Champion of the Constitution, I think they’ll agree.

So will you pledge to donate on October 19th and help ensure the Ron Paul campaign can continue to reach the American people with the freedom message?

The truth is, if you’ve ever felt angry at how Ron Paul has been mistreated by the media, this is the perfect time to let them know what you think of their shameless so-called “reporting.”

Can you imagine the message we will send to the gatekeepers if we can make this our strongest fundraising day so far in this campaign?

They’ll know their efforts to discourage us have not only failed but completely backfired.

And the American people will see once again that no other candidate has such a powerful grassroots base of support.

So please, stand with Ron Paul on October 19th by contributing to the “Black THIS Out” Money Bomb. You can join thousands of other Americans in pledging here to donate on that day.

Together, let’s show the establishment that no trick they pull will stop Ron Paul’s message from getting to the voters.

For Liberty,

Senator Rand Paul, Kentucky

P.S. The media thinks it can get us to back down by refusing to give fair coverage to my dad’s campaign.

On October 19th, you’ll have a chance to show them that their efforts have not only failed but completely backfired.

Pledge today to donate to the October 19th “Black THIS Out” Money Bomb and help our campaign continue to bypass the media blackout by going straight to the voters with Ron Paul’s message of freedom and limited constitutional government.

Written by: Heidi Hanford

January 7, 2011 – For Immediate Release…

Irvin Rosenfeld, the longest surviving patient of the four Federal Medical Cannabis Patients in the United States and a Director for Patients Out of Time will be flying to Montana on January 8th to speak before the Montana Legislature for a week. Irvin will be there to educate people of the importance of Medical Cannabis and its true value as a medicine. As a Federal Patient for over 28 years, he has knowledge and experience that no one has in this country which he will share with others. To him, Cannabis is a medicine like any other medicine and should be treated that way. As Senior Vice-President of Investments for Newbridge Securities in Ft. Lauderdale Florida, he also understands the economic aspect and how this medicine creates jobs for thousands of Montanans.

“Montana is being watched Nationally, and what happens in this legislative session could set precedence around the world” states Rosenfeld. “Medical Cannabis Patients are productive members of society. I am living proof. I have been a stockbroker for over 23 years handling millions of dollars on a daily basis.”

“One of the biggest problems in Montana now is, they have had very bad press. The media in Montana has focused its efforts on one specific individual, and that has bled over Nationally. There are some very experienced, professional, caring people in Montana working very hard to care for patients who have went virtually unrecognized in Montana. I know, I have met many of them.”

“My goal is to help educate the politicians in Montana. There are some very intelligent people in Montana, and I am sure they will see the science and facts, and consider what is best for the people of Montana. Montana has a proud history of pioneering. It is my hope they will take the lead, and be the true pioneers for Medical Cannabis, and a shining example of the true value of not only Medical Cannabis but Hemp as well.”

Editors Comment: Beyond the “negative” propaganda delved out across Americas media lies the honest truth about medical cannabis. I for one would love to learn more about prior and ongoing medical research proving the “positives” of this medicine… As Bill O’Reilly coined, “What Say You”?

Written by Christina Johnson, Utica, NY

In July 2009, three Americans – humanitarian workers on holiday in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region – were hiking in the mountains near the Iranian border. What happened next is unclear; according to the three Americans, they were simply on a pleasure outing when they were seized by Iranian border guards on the Iraqi side of the border – or at worst, inadvertently strayed over the boundary.

What Happened Next?

The Iranian government held the three incommunicado for several months. Formal charges of espionage were filed in December of 2009, but the Americans were not allowed to communicate with anyone outside of Evin Prison where they were held until family members were permitted a brief visit this past spring.

Significantly, the charges of espionage were announced almost at the same time that Tehran was demanding the release of 11 Iranians being detained by the U.S. on similar charges. One of these detainees was arrested in the former Soviet republic of Georgia and brought to the U.S., where he pleaded guilty to plotting the sale of U.S. military secrets to Iran. He is now serving a five-year sentence at a federal prison.

Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmedinejad flatly stated in a television interview that he would be willing to consider releasing the three Americans in exchange for the 11 Iranians.

Relations between one of the world’s oldest nations – Iran, known for centuries as Persia – and the U.S.A., one of the world’s youngest nations – has been a complex and often dysfunctional one over the decades. In some ways, it’s been a love-hate relationship. Average Iranians have a great deal of admiration for average Americans; at one time, Tehran was home to American-style jazz clubs and American movies were commonly shown in local cinemas. Of course, conservative and corporate elements in the U.S. have conveniently forgotten the show of support from the Iranian people in the days after the attacks of 11 September 2001, when thousands of people held candlelight vigils in the streets of the city.

On the other hand, those who control Iran’s government, particularly since 1979, have been suspicious and hostile toward their counterparts in Washington D.C. – suspicions and hostilities that have been fully reciprocated. The result has been an ongoing miniature “cold war” between Washington D.C. and Tehran.

Diplomacy Fails In One Place, Succeeds in Another

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been unsuccessful in negotiating for the release of the three Americans, though one of them – Sarah Shourd – was recently released on $500,000 bail and allowed to return home for “humanitarian” reasons.

In contrast, her husband, former U.S. president Bill Clinton and his political adviser, Doug Band, were remarkably successful in negotiating the release of two Asian-American journalists arrested by North Korean authorities. The two women strayed over China’s border with that country in March 2009. Within three months, they had been tried and sentenced to 12 years hard labor.

Interestingly, Mr. Clinton did not go to Pyongyang in any official capacity, but as a private citizen pleading for the two journalists on humanitarian grounds. The details of the agreement are not clear, but international news sources suggest that it may have to do with convincing Kim Jong-Il to back off – or at least scale down – North Korea’s nuclear program, which has been a major bone of contention between Washington D.C. and Pyongyang.

What About Iran’s Nukes?

It seems that the same old Cold War dramas that defined relations between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. for nearly half a century are now being replayed with Iran as that country pursues its own nuclear research. It is doubtful that Sarah Shourd and her two companions, Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, had the wherewithal to carry out any serious espionage – and the region in which they were detained is hundreds of miles from the nearest nuclear research facility.

Ironically, it was the U.S. that assisted Iran in starting its nuclear industry in the 1950s under a program called “Atoms for Peace.” At that time, the country was governed by the Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, who was a good friend of both the Eisenhower Administration and the British government – as well as private corporate oil interests in both the U.S. and the U.S. The Shah was deeply unpopular with the Iranian people however, and there was a great resentment toward the U.S. for its hand in deposing democratically-elected prime minister Mohammed Mossadeq in 1953.

Mossadeq had called upon the Iranian parliament of that time to nationalize the country’s oil reserves, making them the property of the Iranian people. This did not sit well with the CEO and shareholders of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company (APOC), corporate predecessor of BP. The corporation had invested heavily in Iranian oil fields; meanwhile, it paid almost nothing to the Iranians themselves in the way of royalties, and working conditions for oil field workers were dismal.

In 1951 the British government was prepared to invade Iran and seize its oil fields on behalf of APOC. Initially, U.S. President Harry Truman opposed Britain’s plans; through the U.S. ambassador to Iran, Truman attempted to broker a deal that would have split oil revenues 50-50. The proposal was rejected by both sides.

In the meantime, Truman found himself in need of British support for the war in Korea. In 1952, Eisenhower took office and the “Red Scare” was rampant. Calling it a form of “red socialism,” then-British Prime Minister Winston Churchill declared that nationalization of Iran’s oil was tantamount to a communist takeover. Ultimately, Eisenhower ordered the CIA to stage a coup that removed Mossadeq from power, returning the government to a pro-Western, pro-corporate administration.

Although a consortium was eventually formed that allowed Iran to share 50% of oil profits, the agreement prevented Iranians from participating in governance of the business and overseeing it in any way.

Long Memories and Short

This chapter of Anglo-American history is not taught in U.K. or U.S. schools or colleges today – but it has never been forgotten in Iran. Today, the “Cold War” between the U.S. and Iran, with all the distrust and hostility on both sides, is a legacy of failed foreign policy and interventionism on behalf of private industry.

In the meantime, three innocent people who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time have paid the price, serving as pawns in the continuing game of chess being played between Washington D.C. and Tehran.

Christina Johnson is a blogging hobbyist who enjoys writing about trending topics as they occur in real time. Christina has interest in political science, public policy, and international affairs and contributes written work to the blogosphere on topics that are political in nature. Christina is primarily interested in international relations.

Bibliography

Gasiorowski, Mark. U.S. Foreign Policy and the Shah: Building a Client State in Iran. (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1991)

Healy, Jack. “Iran Says 3 American Hikers Will Be Tried Over Crossing.” New York Times, 15 December 2009.

Kinzer, Stephen. All The Shah’s Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror. (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2006).

N/A. “Business: The Company File From Anglo-Persian Oil to BP Amoco.” BBC News, 11 August 1998.

Thatcher, Jonathan. “Clinton, U.S. journalists Leave N.Korea After Pardon.” Reuters, 5 August 2009

Zinn Howard. A People’s History of the United States. (New York: Harper-Collins 2003)

Thank you! Christina, best wishes and welcome to Freedom From The Press

Mark Adams - An Honest American Patriot

If you are interested in learning about why people continue to be elected even though they have let the banking industry engage in conduct which has crashed our economy, you might want to check out the John Michael Chambers show today. It is broadcast in the Tampa Bay area on WGUL AM 860 from 2:00 to 4:00 PM on Saturdays.

I’m a guest on Saturday, October 23, 2010. You can listen live at http://www.860wgul.com/ or you can listen to the show in the archives at http://podcast.den.liquidcompass.net/mgt/podcast/podcast.php?encoder_id=152&event_id=338 Today’s show may not be posted in the archives until Monday morning.

If you want to know more about the fraud which has been committed by the big banks and what can be done about it, see http://4closurefraud.org/2010/10/22/sdis-foreclose-on-the-foreclosure-fraudsters-part-1-put-bank-of-america-in-receivership/

If you want to know how those in government get away with violating our rights and ignoring our wishes, see Why Does the Government Ignore Our Wishes? at http://dailycensored.com/2009/09/11/why-does-the-government-ignore-our-wishes/ and don’t miss my short speech. If you take a look, you’ll learn why those in government and those who can illegally influence them get away with violating our rights, abusing their power, and committing horrible crimes. My article on torture includes a link to the U.S. Supreme Court case which explains how one of our stolen rights makes the difference between justice and injustice, between freedom and slavery.

For more about John’s work, see http://www.johnmichaelchambers.com/ and www.SaveAmericaFoundation.com Also, check out the Save America Foundation’s upcoming events which include a Freedom Festival at the Ruth Eckerd Hall on November 17, 2010.

Spread the news!

Mark A. Adams JD/MBA

P.S. For more information about my work, see my bio at http://dailycensored.com/writers/mark-a-adams/ and http://www.markadamsjdmba.com/ For more information about how to stop election theft, see http://www.projectvotecount.com/

A dedicated reader of FFTP sent this in via e-mail

Message:
JACKSON COUNTY COURTHOUSE IN JEFFERSON GA HAS BEEN IN THE SPOTLIGHT BEFORE FOR CORRUPTION AFTER THE ARREST OF TIM MADISON A FORMER DISTRICT ATTORNEY.  NOW THEY ARE ISSUING ILLEGAL WARRANTS.

THE FOURTH AMENDMENT SAYS:The right of the people to be secure in their persons … against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the … the person … to be seized.

THEREFORE, A PERSON CAN NOT AND SHOULD NOT BE ARRESTED WITHOUT PROOF OF A CRIME, WITNESSES,ETC.  I WAS ARRESTED BECAUSE A COURTHOUSE EMPLOYEE AND A JUDGE WERE FRIENDS.  A FELONY WARRANT WAS ISSUED AND SIGNED BY JUDGE BILLY JOE CHANDLER AND THERE IS NO PROOF OF A CRIME, NO WITNESS ONLY THE EMPLOYEES STATEMENTS.  ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS NO WARRANT HEARING HELD; WHICH IS YET AGAIN ILLEGAL.   WHEN THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICE REQUESTED PROOF OF A CRIME TO PROSECUTE; THE EMPLOYEE COULDNT PRESENT ANY, YET THE CASE IS STILL PENDING AND I STILL HAVE A FELONY-AGGRAVATED STALKING CHARGE ON ME.

IF A PERSON OFF THE STREET CAN COME INTO THE COURTHOUSE AND HAVE A FELONY WARRANT TAKEN OUT ON SOMEONE WITHOUT PROOF, WITNESSES, OR POLICE STATEMENT THEN WE ARE LIVING IN A DANGEROUS SOCIETY.   JACKSON COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS DISPLAYED ONCE AGAIN THAT THEY HAVE NO RESPECT FOR THE LAW ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY INTENTIONALLY INFRINGE UPON SOMEONES FOURTH AMENDMENT RIGHTS.

Please help me to expose the corruption in Jefferson GA.

Name: Carla McCown
Email: cdmccown@hotmail.com

Editors Note: Do you have a similar story to tell? We’re interested in factual stories of government corruption anywhere in the United States of America.

Thank you! Carla

Written by: Steven Thompson, editor
Freedom From The Press

Much is written and said about corporate money going to RNC and DNC candidates. Candidates are required to file reports showing how much money they’ve raised and from whom.

What isn’t being reported or discussed is where does all of that money go? The answer is the mainstream media… What goes unanswered is how much money do individual media companies earn from U.S. elections? And, should media companies be required to disclose all income received from our electoral processes?

I raise these questions because this amount of income is massive, perhaps as much as 25% of any particular MSM companies entire income stream. That said, why would the MSM ever dare to address any real public debate on campaign finance reform? In addition, what current incentive would MSM companies have to allow their news divisions the ability to report on any particular candidate or political organization that promotes FCC regulations in support of free airtime for all viable political organizations or candidates?

I pledge “Corporate” Allegiance to the flag of the United States of the Socially Oppressed, and to the gods of  K and Wall Street for which it stands, one nation under absolute control of The Elite, without liberty or justice for the underlings amongst us.

Written by: Steven Thompson, editor
Freedom From The Press

I’ve written in the past where I believe American political corruption begins and ends. These articles are then sent to news sites such as CNN, Fox News, the Huffington Post, OpEdNews and other less read sites. Some articles are even sent to whitehouse.gov and the FCC. On rare occasion will I ever receive any feedback from anyone. At times, I’ll receive some half-baked explanation for why my viewpoints and constructive solutions are being censored as “promotional material” that will only be published if I purchase their advertising space. That’s right, if I want the truth to reach certain readers I’ll be required to pay before access is granted and the article is published.

What are the most important political issues facing America that are being censored by all U.S. mainstream media companies?

• Thousands, millions if not billions of dollars are being raised by Americans seeking public office, where’s it being spent?
• Should all entities receiving campaign funds be required by law to make full public disclosure?
• Why are underfunded credible candidates being denied access by those in the media who cover elections?
• Why does the media show no interest in covering viable populist political party’s or organizations?

The honest answer to these questions is the very same reason why the mainstream press hasn’t covered the part in President Obama’s State of the Union Address where he talks about reforming campaign financing laws. Instead of covering the issue head on, the mainstream press has chosen to cover the President’s attack of the recent pro-corporation decision rendered by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Honest, law abiding citizens want to reform U.S. government. We want to address the corruption and fraud within the government from our local city council’s all the way to our nations capitol. Many concerned citizens who consider themselves populists, have in the past, attempted to win public office. We’ve been largely ignored by the mainstream press and the two major party candidates not because we were unelectable or didn’t have a political agenda that wasn’t popular with the American people. Political news, candidates and important information is being suppressed by a political system that has it’s own agenda. Congress, the U.S. Supreme Court and President Obama know the truth. President Barack Obama has decided to speak out while everyone else is content with maintaining status quo. “We The People” only have one question, Why?

What’s happened to Democracy In America? And why have those in America who have the ability to raise public awareness on this issue remained quiet? We have concerts and events all across America to promote issues such as Farm Aid. What about American Democracy? Isn’t Of, By, and For “The People” worth organizing and fighting for? I’d expect media companies such as the Huffington Post to cover this story but, as in the past, I’m not holding my breath.

Dear President Obama, I personally want to thank you for raising this issue. It’s very important that we liberate our current body politic from the greed and corruption that holds America and its people hostage. The time has come for all U.S. citizens, of all color, to be freed from corporate tyranny and slavery. Let all men be free and equal. American justice must also be liberated and if a constitutional convention is required to restore justice across all segments of American society, so be it. I pray for your success and can only hold out hope that you’re 100% committed to these endeavors. That said, at 53 years of age, I’ve never been a member of the DNC or RNC for they are one in the same, 100% controlled by corporate agents of political influence.

Independently yours,
Steven Thompson, editor

Re-published from http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=3985

Extra! January 2010

Freedom Forum CEO Tied to For-Profit Prisons
An advocate for–and against–freedom of information

By Beau Hodai

Charles Overby has a foot planted firmly in two very different worlds. In one, he is a champion of the free press. In the other, he is part of a group at the helm of a corporation that has worked hard to limit freedom of information and the ability of the press to inform the public.

In one world, Overby is chief executive officer of the Freedom Forum, a foundation created by former USA Today publisher Al Neuharth, and its Newseum—located on Pennsylvania Avenue, blocks from the Smithsonian and the Capitol, and which literally has the First Amendment etched onto its 75-foot marble edifice. He is a Pulitzer Prize–winning editor and reporter, former vice president of news and communications for Gannett, the largest U.S. newspaper chain, and former management committee member of both Gannett and its flagship paper USA Today.

What Overby’s Freedom Forum biography does not disclose is that since 2001, he’s been a director of the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA).

This omission is easy to understand when you juxtapose the Freedom Forum’s guiding principles—“free speech, free press and free spirit”—against CCA’s recent actions and attitudes toward the press and freedom of information.

CCA, the nation’s largest private jailer (holding more than 70,000 prisoners in over 60 facilities, and taking in $1.6 billion in revenue for 2008), spent millions of dollars from 2007 to 2009 successfully lobbying against two bills: the Public Safety Act of 2007 (which would outlaw private prisons) and the Private Prison Information Act of 2007. As no hearing was ever held on the Public Safety Act, it’s likely that the bulk of these resources went to suppress the PPIA.

As introduced to the 110th Congress by Rep. Tim Holden (D.-Pa.), the PPIA would bring privately owned and operated prisons contracting with the federal government under the purview of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). In June 2008, Holden alluded to the amount of adverse pressure facing the bill in his testimony before the House Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security:

In recent weeks, opposition to this bill has mobilized. Although I cannot testify on their behalf, I can reiterate my concern that opposition to this bill is opposition to reporting transparency.…As you will hear, repeated attempts to ascertain information from these institutions have been rejected, if not ignored completely.…Roughly 25,000 federal criminal prisoners are jailed in private facilities at any given time. Yet private prisons are not required to publicly disclose information about their facilities’ daily operations.…Without strong FOIA requirements, we cannot assure whistleblowers are able to come forth and gather evidence they need to support any claims; we cannot assure public safety is paramount if the information provided is not on-par with the information provided from our public state and federal institutions.

Holden went on to relate the findings of the Ohio Correctional Institution Inspection Committee, made up of members of the Ohio General Assembly, which conducted a surprise inspection of the CCA-owned Northeast Ohio Correctional Center in 2006. The facility, which CCA bills as “low security,” is under contract with the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the U.S. Marshals Service.

The committee found that there had been 44 prisoner-on-prisoner assaults at the facility between June 2005 and May 2006; by comparison, there were 305 recorded assaults in all of Ohio’s 32 correctional facilities during 2005. When members of the media inquired about the severity of the assaults and what subsequent actions had been taken by prison administrators, they received no reply.

The PPIA died before the subcommittee with the expiration of the 110th Congress, no vote being taken on it. “Our information was that lobbying by or on behalf of the privates had killed it,” said Alex Friedmann, associate editor of Prison Legal News and vice president of the Private Corrections Institute. Friedmann had testified before the subcommittee on behalf of the bill.

The only witness to testify before the subcommittee against the bill was Michael Flynn, director of government affairs for the Reason Foundation (publisher of Reason magazine)—which has received funding from the private prison industry, including CCA.

Overby declined to comment on his involvement with CCA and the corporation’s efforts to curtail freedom of information. Nor did Overby have any comment the only other time his connection to CCA has been publicly raised, by former USA Today reporter Jim Hopkins’ Gannett Blog (4/14/08).

As a CCA director, Overby is also a shareholder in the corporation. According to Security and Exchange Commission records, he was awarded stock options for 26,918 shares in 2008 and 2009 under the corporation’s incentive plan, simply for being reelected to the board. According to Forbes.com, Overby received a total of $198,610 in compensation as a CCA director in 2008.

Throughout the pitched battle between CCA and the press over PPIA, Overby remained silent, never weighing in to defend the assertions of media representatives and lawmakers that public inquiry into federally contacted private prisons should be backed by the FOIA.

From 2007 to 2009, CCA employed five sets of lobbyists assigned to several federal issues, including the PPIA. However, none of these groups—which had budgets in the hundreds of thousands of dollars—approached the monetary or professional clout of the corporation’s A-list lobby assigned to the PPIA.

This team was composed of Overby’s colleagues at CCA—executives such as CEO Damon Hininger, general counsel Gus Puryear, former Bureau of Prisons director and CCA senior vice president Michael Quinlan, and vice president of federal and local customer relations Bart Verhulst. These executive-level lobbyists expended $3.45 million lobbying against the Public Safety Act and the Private Prison Information Act over the course of 2007 and 2008.

While Overby is not registered as a lobbyist along with other CCA top brass, he has paid $35,000 into the CCA political action committee from 2003 to date—$10,000 of which was donated in 2007–08. During this period, the PAC gave thousands of dollars in campaign contributions to House crime subcommittee members Zoe Lofgren and Dan Lungren, and to Judiciary chair John Conyers—none of whom had benefited from the PAC prior to the introduction of the PPIA in 2007.

Peter Sussman is a co-author of the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics and a member of the SPJ Ethics Committee. While pointing out that he was not speaking for the SPJ, and that he had no prior knowledge of Overby’s involvement with CCA, Sussman called this “dual allegiance” troubling:

If you’re promoting freedom of the press—and it’s always been my understanding that the Freedom Forum does that—and at the same time appearing to purchase limits on press access to places that are acting on behalf of the public by contract—that just seems wrong…. It also troubles me when I hear that the head of an organization devoted to the freedom of the press won’t talk to the press about his own alleged conflict.

He said that this conflict of interest is especially egregious, as the press is only seeking access to institutions carrying out a function which has traditionally been one of the core responsibilities of the government:

The only way we are going to effectively evolve crime policies, the only way we’re going to be able to monitor the behavior of people who have sole control over other individuals without the access to the public that most other people have—the only way we’re going to do that is to allow the public, through the press, to look into the operations of these institutions and the behavior of the people who run them—and also talk to those incarcerated to get their perspective on this crucial public function that we have so far failed to handle effectively.

Last May, Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee reintroduced the bill as the Private Prison Information Act of 2009, citing concerns that the private prison industry, along with the Office of the Federal Detention Trustee, may be fabricating reports concerning immigrant detainee populations in order to gain additional funding and influence immigration policy. From the bill’s reintroduction through October, CCA has spent $540,000 on three sets of lobbyists with a stated interest in the PPIA.

SIDEBAR:
Freedom Forum’s Peculiar Priorities

While the Freedom Forum’s mission statement declares that it is a “nonpartisan foundation dedicated to free press, free speech and free spirit for all people,” it is unclear how it actually works to achieve these goals.

The Forum, a tax-exempt organization that reported assets in excess of $1 billion at the end of 2007, funds three primary projects: the Newseum, the First Amendment Center and the Diversity Institute. The Forum does not engage in litigation or file amicus briefs on behalf of litigants, as do many other high-profile First Amendment champions, such as the ACLU. Instead, the Forum’s focus lies in education, and its main vehicle is the Newseum. In its new location across the street from the National Mall, the Newseum attracted more than 700,000 visitors in its first year.

The museum, which has been home to both Ted Kaczynski’s cabin and Tim Russert’s desk, is also home to the News History Gallery and the Great Hall of News—paid for through $10 million grants from News Corp and the New York Times, respectively. It even houses its own Ethics Center, where visitors can test their ethical acumen through interactive kiosks.

The Newseum building, which occupies 643,000 square feet of prime D.C. property—purchased by the Forum for $100 million in 2000—is also home to 135 luxury apartments.

To be sure, the Freedom Forum does benefit other journalistic endeavors. According to tax filings from 2007, the most recent available, the Forum gave $6,000 to the International Press Institute, $5,000 to the International Women’s Media Foundation, $30,000 to the Inter-American Press Association and $32,000 to the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans (on whose board Forum CEO Charles Overby also sits), among others.

The Forum gave Overby $482,000 in wages and benefits in 2007, with another $95,000 in expenses. Freedom Forum’s founder and current senior advisory chair, retired Gannett CEO and USA Today founder Allen Neuharth, also drew $225,000 in compensation, plus an additional $200,545 in expenses from the Forum in 2007.

Then there are the many non sequitur charitable contributions: $5,000 to the United States Equestrian Team, Inc., $5,000 to the National Organization for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, $10,000 to the Basilian Fathers Missions, $10,000 to the United Way of Brevard County (Florida), Inc., and so on. (For more examples of Freedom Forum’s peculiar priorities, see Gannett Blog, 12/30/08.)

However, the forum’s greatest single beneficiary in recent years—outside of internal causes such as the Newseum—is the University of Mississippi, which received $5 million from the Forum toward the construction of the $7.5 million Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics.

See FAIR’s Archives for more on:
Gannett/USA Today
Civil Liberties
Crime and Punishment
Censorship
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Have elections become auctions?

Are politically based television and talk radio programs open and inclusive to all viewpoints?

Do the names Thom Hartmann, Rob Kall, Richard and Kate Mucci, Laura Flanders, William K. Black, Michael Parenti or Ravi Batra sound familiar?

The answer to the first question, Yes. Without money to feed the media the average citizen has a difficult if not impossible task of winning an election. Exceptions are few and far between. Fact: Jesse Ventura became Governor of Minnesota on a $ 300,000.00 bill. I raise this issue because of information I obtained while watching Conspiracy Theory on TruTV. During a recent episode of this weekly show, Governor Ventura said, “Soon after becoming governor, I was summoned to the basement of the Minnesota Capitol where I was questioned by a cordial and respectful gathering of over 30 CIA agents. What they wanted to know was how did I win the 1998 election as an Independent?”

“Note” To date, Jesse Ventura is the highest ranking Reform Party winner since becoming a political party in 1996. Fact: Since 1996, the mainstream press has shown little if any interest in covering the mission, principles or candidates of the populist Reform Party of the United States of America.

To answer the second question, since 1992, I’d say talk radio has swung right of center. Independent or left of center radio shows are few and far between. Political television programming has taken on more of a corporate approach rather than left or right. What’s good for corporations makes the nightly newscast or is political fodder for the Sunday morning political shows.

The fact that few have ever heard of the names listed in question 3 makes my point. Professional broadcasters such as Thom Hartmann have earned a spot to host a political news or opinion show for a major network. The fact that none of the mainstream broadcasters want populist opinion entering into the public debate proves my point of media bias and internal media corruption. With the exception of Lou Dobbs, the same absence of progressive or independent hosts in mainstream radio exist, and it isn’t because of lack of talent or lack of demand for populist/progressive content.

In essence, the mainstream media is in the business of dumbing down Americas body politic. In a democracy this reality has worked to weaken or eliminate the “consent of the governed” from the entire political equation.

Do America a favor, send this page as a link to everyone in your inbox. And, Google the names in question 3 for the populist truth and nothing but…

By now we’ve all heard that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is Time magazines “person of the year”.  Could the mainstream press stoop any lower in it’s efforts to keep “We The People” dis-informed? Folks like Bernanke, Rubin, Summers and Geithner want us to believe that our financial system is under control and our economy is headed in the direction of sustained growth with full employment right around the corner. The reality? If the Chinese government were to decide to stop buying U.S. debt the American dollar would collapse overnight.

The FFTP 2009 American Of The Year Award goes to Congressman Ron Paul of Texas who also won our award for Best Quote of 2009, “It’s hard to enforce fraud laws when the government participates in fraud.” -Ron Paul

During World War 2 Germany occupied Europe. Following World War 2 the USSR occupied Eastern Europe and later Afghanistan. In 2009, the United States of America occupies Iraq and Afghanistan due to weapons of mass destruction and terrorism. Doesn’t North Korea, Pakistan, India, China and Russia possess weapons of mass destruction? Why have our leaders singled out Iraq? Does Afghanistan hold a monopoly on harboring and training terrorists? Why haven’t we decided to occupy Yemen or Saudi Arabia? Weren’t the overwhelming majority of the 911 terrorists from Saudi Arabia? Representative Ron Paul has been against these foreign occupations since their beginning and for that he’s earned our American Of The Year award. The U.S. Constitution doesn’t contain language to sponsor or promote “nation building” abroad. The bums that support “foreign nation building” should be voted out of office beginning in 2010.

 

http://www.freedomfromthepress.net

“Deny, Degrade and Defeat.”  Those were the words used by U.S. Navy Admiral Mike Mullan who’s also the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in reference to the insurgents in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

When I heard these terms I could relate them as the very same tactics being used against the populist movement in America. Just tonight on CNN a senior political analyst stated, “A third party could never grow well in the U.S.” The discussion that prompted this response was how those in America who are against current free trade policies are as CNN states, “isolationists.” I’m reminded of a gubernatorial election held in Minnesota in 1998 as a excellent example of how third parties can gain traction and win elections. Perhaps CNN’s senior political expert on the dissemination of government sponsored propaganda can explain how Jesse Ventura and the Reform Party won in 1998?

Isolationist? Advocates of “fair trade” are immediately branded by the MSM as someone who wants to “isolate” America? That’s a boldfaced lie. CNN should be held accountable for this brand of unethical news reporting. When provided with equal access to media and political debates, underfunded Independent populists can and will win public office.

What CNN is doing is pure U.S. media/U.S. government propaganda that feeds and supports the high level of corruption found at every level of American government.

In today’s economy, fair trade policies that provide for good paying U.S. jobs are exactly what’s needed. The elitist created NAFTA, GATT, derivatives, liars loans and bailouts. Those in positions of absolute power have placed their personal wealth and corporate greed ahead of democracy, equality and most important of all, justice. We know the elitist created Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, odds are great that they created President Obama as well?

Wolf Blitzer, I wish you and others like you would retire. Open, inclusive, fair, ethical public debate and proactive action is what America needs right now. The status quo pro elitist attitudes cannot be allowed to dominate and drive public opinion. Aren’t we a nation of checks and balances? Name calling such as protectionist or isolationist must go. The truth must prevail.

The populist movement began in 1992 as United We Stand America and has never fully gone away. What the populist movement needs is a seat at the table. The majority of all registered voters consider themselves Independent. Therefore, independent voices deserve equal time, respect and participation on corporate owned newscasts and programming.

The American people are in desperate need for the mainstream news media to come entirely clean. The MSM should be required by law to disclose all income from political elections. The era of auctioning off positions of political power (public office) must come to an end. Americans deserve free and fair elections, we have neither and the mainstream press is largely to blame, Why?

Steven Thompson, editor
Freedom From The [compromised and corrupted] Press