Bear Left!

Fact of the Week

**Facts of the Week**
In his reaction to a federal court ruling that public schools could not include the phrase "under God" in their daily recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, President Bush expressed his dismay as follows: "I believe that it points up the fact that we need common-sense judges who understand that our rights were derived from God. And those are the kind of judges I intend to put on the bench." But Article VI, Clause 3 of the United States Constitution states, however, that "no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States." The Framers just might have known what they were doing. Sources: White House transcript, 27 June 2002; United States Constitution, 17 September 1787; to read the actual opinion, go here.

**This week's columns**
Resurrecting God to Wage War Paul Corrigan History tells us that if war is good for anything, it is good for religion. God and war are inseparable. Go to article!	Gut Check Time Tim Francis-Wright Do the Democrats have the guts to point to the rot at the heart of American business? Go to article!

Fundie Eruptions: Now and again, when the Bush administration looks almost civilized, shadowy plots lurch forth from the darkness (Michelangelo Signorile, New York Press).
Remembering Why We Are Americans: The government is amassing more information on more of us, traducing the law as never before (Nat Hentoff, The Village Voice).
The 'Gate-Less Community: Under George W. Bush, acts that not long ago would have constituted firing offenses can now be ridden out [and check out the telling Bush quote near the end!] (Joshua Green, The Washington Monthly).
Karl Rove's Legal Tricks: Satisfying the far right with judicial nominations is Karl Rove's special mission (John Nichols, The Nation).
All the President's Enrons: The President has talked about corporate "wrongdoers" but has done nothing for real reform (Frank Rich, New York Times).
Succeeding in Business: George Bush made his millions when his company used the same tricks used by today's corporate "wrongdoers" (Paul Krugman, New York Times).
Earth "Will Expire by 2050": The World Wildlife Fund will report that by 2050, two additional planets will be needed to support humanity (Mark Townsend and Jason Burke, The Observer).

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