Tell Me About Michael Bloombert

In this posting on www.VelvelOnNationalAffairs.com, Dean Lawrence R. Velvel of MSL asks his readers for help in finding out about Michael Bloomberg. Velvel expresses surprise after hearing a recent speech by Bloomberg about efforts to reduce poverty. Bloomberg seems to meet all the previously suggested characteristics a third party candidate would need to be successful. Is Bloomberg the perfect third party candidate? Or, as Velvel writes, “was [his speech] an anomaly?”

To read this and other posts by Dean Lawrence R. Velvel, visit us at www.velvelonnationalaffairs.com.

Truth, Secrecy, and National Security on the Federal Courts

In this posting on www.VelvelOnNationalAffairs.com, Dean Lawrence R. Velvel of MSL discussed the effect of truth, secrecy, and national security on the federal courts. Valerie Plame received an unclassified letter from the CIA releasing her dates of service. The letter was published in the Congressional Record and online. The CIA redacted the letter, stating it contained unidentified classified information. Plame then sued to have her dates of service released so that she could mention them in a memoir. But the court agreed with the CIA’s position that it could keep the information “secret” though it had been publicly disclosed.

Allowing the CIA to keep information classified even after it is public and available to anybody shows the extent to which the federal courts have bought into the secrecy mindset - - to the uttermost. By allowing secrecy under the guise of classification, state secrets, executive privilege, etc, the federal judiciary is bringing us closer to the national disaster which will arise from a secretive unchecked executive.

To read this posting and others, visit us at www.velvelonnationalaffairs.com. A free audio version of this and other blogs by Dean Lawrence R. Velvel can be found on Itunes and other podcast directories.

Bribery, Honesty, and the Government

In this posting on www.VelvelOnNationalAffairs.com, Dean Lawrence R. Velvel of MSL discusses bribery, honesty, and the government. Velvel says you cannot separate the acts of bribing and carrying out the bribe from the constitutionally protected act of voting on the floor and the constitutionally protected reasons for the vote. Courts aught to recognize this, and that the unusual question is the need for honesty in government. But they don’t and indeed allow legalized bribery called contributions. The upshot is we have a very the dishonest government.

Scooter Libby -- Lies, Reasons, Commutations!

In this installment of What The Media Doesn't Tell You Dean Lawrence R. Velvel of MSL discusses Scooter Libby's trial conviction, and commutation with Professors Constance Rudnick and Andrej Starkis, both of MSL. During opening statements, Libby's attorney stated that Vice President Cheney would testify, yet he never did. What did Libby know about Valerie Plame that caused him to lie to the grand jury? Did Libby lie to the grand jury to keep the heat off Cheney? In addition, why did Libby receive a commutation?

To find out more listen in at www.mslawradio.com and www.velvelonmedia.com.

How Can The Federal Court Sentence Terminally Ill Patients To Death?

In a recent posting on www.VelvelOnNationalAffairs.com, Dean Lawrence R. Velvel of the Massachusetts School of Law discusses a recent federal court decision which he considers immoral. In the case, a federal appeals court allowed the government to prevent terminally ill patients, for whom no standard treatment works, from having access to experimental drugs which are the only conceivable hope for saving their lives. Velvel says that this horrific decision stands the Constitution and our whole system of government on its head by failing to protect people from the misdeeds of government and instead allowing government to order what is in effect a death sentence for the innocent terminally ill. Velvel compares the judges who made the decision to the proverbial German judges of the Nazi era.

To find out more about this and other posts, visit www.VelvelOnNationalAffairs.com.

Comment on Increasing the Size of the Supreme Court

Historian and author Jean Edward Smith, in a recent op ed article in The New York Times, suggested that, “the Democrats could increase the size of [the Supreme] Court to protect liberal values if they win the presidency and Congress in 2008.” His suggestion was thereafter reviled in the letters to the editor column of the Times. Dean Lawrence R. Velvel of the Massachusetts School of Law, in a recent post on http://www.velvelonnationalaffairs.com/, takes strong issue with the letters that blasted Smith. Those letters, said Velvel, “represent[s] historically uninformed, antichange, pro status quo conventional wisdom, an ideological genre that is all too common in this country and is used in nearly every political field.”


Read Velvel’s full post and find out more at http://www.velvelonnationalaffairs.com/.

keywords: liberal media, progressive, supreme court

9/11, Were Aircraft Attacks Foreseeable?

In this broadcast of What the Media Doesn't Tell you, host Larry Velvel and veteran journalist Sherwood Ross discuss whether the air attack of 9/11 was, in any way, foreseeable. There were pronouncements by the administration that it was totally unforeseeable, was this true? Had aircraft ever been used as weapons before, had any ever struck tall buildings? Should the press have contradicted the official White House information?
The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit http://www.mslaw.edu/. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com/, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

Keywords: liberal media, media criticism, 9/11

Does Iran Have A Right To...

In this broadcast of What the Media Doesn't Tell you, host Larry Velvel and writer Randy Shaw discuss the issue of whether Iran has a right to be upset about what is happening in their neighboring nation, Iraq. Do they have valid vested interests in the political outcome in Iraq? Can any possible justification be given for their potential development of nuclear weaponry? Why does the mass media either ignore Iran or assume that the administration's pronouncements are correct?
The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

Why Do We HAve Corrupt Politicians

In this program, MSL dean Larry Velvel and guests, professor David M. Green and Alan Ehrenhalt, editor of Governing magazine, discuss why so many politicians seem to be corrupt and why the media does a minimal job of covering this phenomenon
The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

Gasoline

In this program of What the Media Doesn't Tell You, Larry Velvel and his guest, Tyson Slocum of Public Citizen discuss the real causes for the price we pay for gasoline at the pump. How has the market become separated from the old formula of supply and demand? Why doesn't the media cover the real reasons for the inflated price of gasoline? How does futures trading affect the present price?
The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

War Funding

In this edition of What the Media Doesn't Tell you, host Larry Velvel discusses with long-time journalist Sherwood Ross and peace activist David Swanson issues surrounding the reluctance of Congress to cut off funding for the Iraq war. Would such a move place our troops in jeopardy? Does the media investigate this issue and if not, why not? Has such a move ever been executed before now?
The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

Why Did George Bush Win In 2007?

Attorney Glenn Greenwald, a former constitutional lawyer who is now ablogger on politics and the media for Salon.com, was interviewed by DeanLawrence R. Velvel on how George Bush became the Republican candidate in2000. Greenwald has just written a book, to be published on Tuesday, June26th, on the disaster of George Bush’s presidency. The interview withVelvel was for the radio show called What The Media Doesn’t Tell You, whichdiscusses subjects the mainstream does not present (or presents only verybriefly) and why the media ignores these subjects.
Greenwald said that there were three fundamental reasons why George Bushbecame the Republican candidate in 2000. One he called “tribalism,” meaningthe cultural ideology of the right wing. Another was the political lineageof the Bush family. Finally, Bush has an affable personality that the medialiked. This last point was of major importance, said Greenwald, because themass media focuses on personal amiability and attractiveness, not oncompetence or knowledge. It also focuses, he said, on the horse raceaspects of politics - - who is ahead, by how much and why. Here too itignores competence and knowledge.
The reason the mass media ignores substance is that it is now largely ownedby large corporations, which feel they get more readers and viewers - - andmake more money - - by focusing on personalities rather than substance.Reporters have to go along with this to advance in their careers. In thisvacuum of substance, said Greenwald, blogs are making an importantcontribution because they are focusing on the substance neglected by themass media.
In addition to the foregoing reasons, there were also other reasons too whyGeorge Bush became the Republican candidate. The Republican politicalestablishment was desperate to win, especially because it hated theClintons, and was persuaded that George Bush had the best chance to win.And while member of the Republican establishment weren’t completely sureabout Bush’s ideology, they knew they did not like John McCain’s. Bush alsohad name recognition because of membership in a political dynasty, and hehad access to huge sums of money. Nor did the Republican politicalestablishment care a whit about the inadequacy of Bush’s record as Governorof Texas, nor about the fact that he had been a continuous failure inbusiness - - and thus had never demonstrated competence.
When asked whether America needs a third party because currently it has“only one party with two branches,” Greenwald demurred. In his view, thesituation is currently so terrible that it is crucial to defeat theRepublicans in 2008, and he feels the Democrats have the best chance to dothis. He thus favors efforts to change the Democrat Party so that, in thoseareas where it closely overlaps the Republicans, it would instead stand forthe very things that a third party would otherwise stand for. In responseto the possible objection that the nation is claimed to be in a criticalstate in every single presidential election - - a claim that would alwaysaugur against a third party and would make it impossible ever to start one -- Greenwald said that this time the situation truly is dire.
Greenwald concluded by saying that it is now essential to findcandidates who will engage in honest, competent debate, for the edificationof the American people, about America’s role in the world.
The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.
Direct download: vm7.mp3

NY Times Issues and Why Can't we get Good Politicians

In this edition of What the Media doesn't Tell You, Larry Velvel hosts two shorter programs that were extensions of two of his best shows. First, we hear more discussion with David Walsh and Sherwood Ross on the subject of the New York Times and their hesitation to publish regarding the domestic spying by the NSA just prior to the 2004 presidential election.
Second, Larry continues the discussion with David Michael Green and Alan Erhenhaldt about why we seem to have difficulty getting quality people in elected office, especially national office.
The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit www.mslaw.edu. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

LIBBY AND CHENEY - WHO KNEW WHAT

In this edition of What the Media doesn't Tell You, Larry Velvel and guest David Corn, Washington editor of The Nation magazine, discuss the Libby trial and who knew what and when. They focus on the media's role and whether or not there appears to have been a presumption of some kind of presidential commutation or pardon on the part of the defense before or during the trial proceedings.


The Massachusetts School of Law, located in Andover, Massachusetts, makes high quality, affordable legal education available to less privileged persons who are traditionally excluded from the legal profession. As part of its mission of providing high quality education and information for both law students and the general public, the Massachusetts School of Law also presents information on important current affairs to the general public via television and radio broadcasts, an intellectual journal, conferences, author appearances, blogs and books. For more information visit http://www.mslaw.edu/. MSLAW podcasts are available from http://mslaw.libsyn.com/rss, for subscriptions, or http://mslaw.libsyn.com/, for direct downloads. MSLAW videos are available from Google Video.

Keywords: The Nation, David Corn, Liberal Media, progressive viewpoints, Scooter Libby, Dick Cheney