AIR AMERICA RADIO KICKS OFF "AMERICAN AFTERNOON...with RICHARD BELZER" TODAY 3-6 EDT

By Tim Einenkel


Air America Radio (www.airamerica.com) is excited to present the debut of American Afternoon with guest host Richard Belzer, well-known for his work as Det. John Munch on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and numerous other TV shows including Homicide, The X-Files and The Beat. Starting today April 14 and continuing all week, the veteran comic, actor, talk-show host and author will be joined by special guests for an entertaining, fast-paced and engaging afternoon listening experience to Air America Radio broadcast, satellite and Internet audiences nationwide.


In the coming weeks, American Afternoon with...will feature a series of additional top celebrity hosts.


Belzer has honed his life experiences into barbed comedic material drawn from other former jobs including paperboy, teacher, census-taker, jewelry salesman and dockworker. He began his career in show business with a starring role in Groove Tube, the counterculture film that went on to become a cult classic. Since then, Belzer’s comedic talents have been featured in every entertainment medium from off-Broadway (The National Lampoon Show with Bill Murray, Gilda Radner and John Belushi) to radio (Brink and Belzer on WNBC) to film (Fame, Author, Author, Night Shift and Scarface). He also starred in the six-part comedy Showtime series The Richard Belzer Show, and hosted both the live Lifetime talk show, Hot Properties, and Court TV’s Crime Stories.


We hope you’ll tune in to hear Richard do what he does best; we welcome your feedback!


Mark Green
President, Air America Radio

Comments

(84)

No Subject

Mark i hate to say this but the feedback you're going to get by having these celebrities doing the 3-6pm timeslot is going to be negative, your solution for host of the 3-6pm timeslot is already in front of you Sam Seder to me that timeslot is already his if he wants it.

And i also wanna suggest to the board aka TPTB that i think you should consider giving Brad Friedman a sunday timeslot he's very good and knowledgeable on voting issues.

Hopefully AA will consider this so i'll wait and see.

Don't Miss What's Her Name

I'm enjoying Richard Belzer....he's a big improvement over the previous occupant of that spot.

Hope Belzer will continue on AAR after this week.

Progressively Worse

I tried to listen to Randi's replacement of the week Richard Belzer, and even though I like him personally I could not bear to listen after 15 minutes. Randi was very energetic like Rachel , Sam and Bill. I am strongly considering cancelling my xm subscription. Thanks for making progressive radio a little bit more boring.

Progressively Worse???............or Much Better

I am enjoying Richard Bekzer;s approach to AA talk format refreshing...........what is wrong with actually letting someone express their opinions and at least give me the feeling that he is listening.............I liked Randi show ioved her energy..........but it was her show and the call in for the most part were the straight men.............for different reasons I have been considering not cancelling my xm subscription ............I listen to music now and then.............I have found myself listening to some of AA talk hosts because they so push their own and have little regard for their callers.............I find Richards approach certainly different ............different as in........refreshing...........thank you for making progressive radio a little more interesting and different from our right wing pill swilling radio talk show hosts..............

Sign the Listener's Petition to Get Sam Seder a Daily Show!

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/sam-seder-show

Sam Seder's been on the cutting edge of liberal talk radio and community building for several years now. He's a funny, smart, engaging host who is an exceptional representative of liberal values. It's long past time for Seder to get a daily show!

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/sam-seder-show

alas...

even if sam did get the slot, we wouldn't hear it here. our local affiliate is broadcasting randi today.

oh, and our local affiliate is a small little place you may have heard of before...

LOS ANGELES!

i'll hang on for rachel as long as she's there but i don't expect that to be long.. so bye bye AAR. just wanna get in my farewell in before the implosion is complete.

what a waste of a movement.

she is heard in LA

ON AN UNKOWN STATION. LOL.

i like the clout guy

give him randi's slot.

obama says small town america is bitter

and hates people who are different.

belzer

doesn't look familiar to me. maybe he will SOUND familiar.

YOU DON 'T WANT FEEDBACK

You a-holes don't want feedback from the listeners. Otherwise Sam Seder would be on this afternoon and every afternoon. I am now joining Bill O'Reilly in looking forward to the final death of air america. The only 2 shows left worth listening to are Thom Hartmann and Rachel Maddow and I am sure they would be fine, in fact better off, without you bunch of losers.

Sam Seder to Nova M

All anyone who used to love this network needs to know about Mark Green can be learned from the latest episode of his show "Seven Days in America." On the 4-12 show he lavished praise on General Betrayus, Bush's top War Pig in charge of sending more flag draped coffins home. He also whined about poor Hilary being treated unfairly by the media why that scoundrel Obama gets a free ride. This is the man who chose Lionel over Sam and now instead keeping the afiliates bying giving Sam a show send them all to Nova M to stream Randi's show.

Save your time begging Air America to give Sam a slot. Instead deluge Nova M with requests to lure Sam away from AAR. Then Nova M can steal away all the stations from AAR and Rachel and Thom can Join Nova M as well. F*ck you AAR and Mr. Green. You shit on lour listeners one time to many.

Sam Seder to Nova M

All anyone who used to love this network needs to know about Mark Green can be learned from the latest episode of his show "Seven Days in America." On the 4-12 show he lavished praise on General Betrayus, Bush's top War Pig in charge of sending more flag draped coffins home. He also whined about poor Hilary being treated unfairly by the media while that scoundrel Obama gets a free ride from the press. Bush and mcain are the only ones who will get a free ride from the corporate media and Green knows it. This is the man who chose Lionel over Sam and now instead keeping the afiliates bying giving Sam a show he sends them all to Nova M to stream Randi's show.

Save your time begging Air America to give Sam a slot. Instead deluge Nova M with requests to lure Sam away from AAR. Then Nova M can steal away all the stations from AAR and Rachel and Thom can Join Nova M as well. F*ck you AAR and Mr. Green. You shit on lour listeners one time to many.

is it really necessary

to call patreaus a pig?

Would you prefer traitor?

Perhaps you have something more flattering for someone who facilitates the unnecessary deaths of our sons and daughters and the pillaging of our tax dollars?

obama voted to fund the iraq war

four times.

How is this related

What is the connection between Patreous failure to be anything more than a Bush puppet and O'bama? And if there is a connection how is Hillary not connected in the same way?

Very thin silver lining

Mr. Green is this your idea of a public beta for Air America 3.0? Because, having someone I do not care about temporarily host the 3-6 slot made it a very easy decision to become a Nova-M premium subscriber this morning.

Given Sam's following and his obvious desire to be back on five days a week, I would not be surprised if you loose him to Nova-M at the end of his contract because from the listener's perspective we get the impression that you have been d#%king around what is clearly a loyal and talented person for well over a year.

I have been a listener for four years, and a premium subscriber for two. I fully expect that there will be little if any reason for me to renew my AAR premium membership come August when it expires as every six months you eliminate or loose another unique and intelligent voice. The real question is will it be Rachel, who clearly has been identified as a talent by MSNBC, Thom, who is a natural fit on any network carrying Mike Malloy, or Sam, who seems to enjoy the respect of everyone but the programmers at AAR.

no

Like I said when you replaced Sam Seder with Lionel, I will not allow myself to fall in love with another Air America show. I will need to build back confidence in Air America before giving anything new a chance. Bring back Sam, Marc, Kent...... Then maybe you could work on being honest and open with your listeners. We've been through too many mysterious disappearances. They lead to speculation and anger. I appreciate the opportunity to have liberal talk radio but do not enjoy distrusting our own.

obama mocks hillary

childishly.

Off topic

The conversation is about Belzar and AAR. Your inability to do anything but post obtuse comments about Obama and Clinton mocks your intelligence.

Bring Back Sam or I'm Gone

Four year listener and subscriber to AAR, enjoyed the Cruise, loyal AAR fan...
Well, no more.
Seems to me that AAR is doing everything to destroy itself, and Progressive Talk Radio as well. As there are other shows available via other transmissions, this won't happen. But AAR itself is not long for this world.
See how AAR treats its employees Malloy, Seder, Mark Marin, Mark Riley, Rhodes. Hear the amazing 7 Days shows praising McCain one week and Petraeus the next; this is not Progressive Radio. Bring on Lionel of all people as their "Star" who enjoys dissing his callers...insulting.
Sam Seder has been loyal from Day One and see how AAR sh*ts on him.
Thanks a lot for disappointing me again, AAR.

How about American Afternoon with....

SAM SEDER?

Has a nice ring to it, I think!

Randi's Time Slot

Sorry Marc,

If you had continued Sam Sedar in "Randi's Time Slot", I might have given him a listen, as Sam is, next to Randi and Thom Hartmann the best there is, but since you're not, I will be listening to Randi in "her time slot" from my affiliate KTLK in Los Angeles. So, I imagine her other listeners will be, from the NovaM affiliates around the country. Too bad, you lose.

Sam, I hope to hear ya on NovaM one of these days too.

So long, AAR, it was a good listen while it lasted.

Sam Seder's American Afternoon

Even relegated to Sundays, Seder consistently runs some of the best progressive/liberal radio to be had on AAR. I sure wish these new folks would give Sam a break with a daily show of his own

Sam Seder's American Afternoon

thanks

Do you know how stupid you guys look right now???

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Green PFFT!!!!

Chalk one up for the little people.

Go fuck yourself AAR.

Sorry Belz, but I am sure you understand.

** If you lie down with BlueDogs you wake up with Red fleas. **

Silence = Acquiescence

AAR - Slow Motion Train Wreck

...with Mark Green at the controls. Nice job, ya putz.

Listening to Randi as I type this. AAR has just become irrelevant thanks to Mr. Empty Suit.

Buh bye.

BWAAAAHAAAAHAAAHAAAHAAA!!!!

I have an Idea Bring Randi

I have an Idea Bring Randi back or give the Slot to Sam.

OH MY GOD WE ALL ACTUALLY AGREE WITH BILL O'LIELLY AAR IS TOAST

Green et al you've done it. You've stuck the fork in yourselves.

It must really be a blow to a businessman's ego when he buy's a business and then tries to take the one WOMAN employee who intimidates him with her power and tries to put her in a subservient place in the relationship only to have her spit in his eye and walk leaving him to have his new venture disintegrate beneath him.

BUYWAH HA HA HAAAAAA!

As for Green. Well any New Yorker who's been around can tell you what an oily snake he is, one of those people who you dislike and mistrust within seconds of looking at his face even when you're not quite sure why.

A failure in all ways.

Whatever your role in this was I applaud you because I now live in Florida right where Randi is and I'm so glad she's back.

You are fools. You are like the former frat boys who have never eaten in a restaurant of higher class than TGI Fridays but decide to buy a 3 Michelin Star Restaurant and run it into the mud in record time.

You are the laughing stocks of not only radio but the national media and you have succeeded in doing what several fools before failed to do, kill the first liberal network in the history of radio.

Go back to your failed political career longings and tell the other idiots there to start getting their resumes together.

Must go. Randi's on.

I like it!

I like Air America.

I like Nova M

I like Randi Rhodes, and glad things are going to work out for her. She is an Eagle and Must Fly! It will be great to see what she does next!!! She's brilliant!

I like Sam Seder

I like the Entire line-up at AA!! I love listening to brilliant, talented Progressives! Hallelujah!!!

I love Richard Belzer! I think he is off to a Great beginning!!

Come on everybody in this instance change Is Good!! It is all going to work out.

Let's keep our eye on the objective!!
A STRONG AND VIBRANT PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT!!!
AND.....
THAT MEANS.....
NO 3PEAT NO MCBUSH IN 08' OR BEYOND!!!!

Nearly the Final Coffin Nail

I really couldn't believe that you got rid of Malloy, Maron, Kent Jones (among others), then demoted Seder so you could bring in lunatic Lionel. Now getting rid of Randi? You guys keep pounding nails in your own coffin. Who's next for the Error America treatment? Rachel? It's the end for me. I'll stream off Nova M or affiliates who bring me the programming that I want. Clearly I can't get it here anymore.

Sam and Rachel - get the hell out of there. Sign up for Nova M so the talent will be in one place.

And shame on the Huffington Post for the trash job that they did on Randi. HuffPo bloggers responded by the thousands against the Randi smears there. Was it because Ariana wants to keep her own AAR hosting gig on 7 Days in America?

So say I wanted to listen to this conspiracy theorist

it would be cool if there was a listing of stations and times on this thread. Or if there was a hyperlink to the station in my area so I could figure out when the show might be on. It would save me from googling to find out that Randi is still on my local station and there is no Belzer.

Given this, I'd like to say that the Randi whiners can now stop their whining. Randi's long-term on-air status would seem to be far more likely than AAR's.

Two names: Mark and Marc
Sure it was more than just those two but that doesn't mean it wasn't the greatest radio show ever.

we welcome your feedback!

Bullshit.

AAR has never cared much about what its listeners want, and is now just a pathetic vanity project.

To Mark Green

Green, do you even bother to read what the supporters of AAR think? I don't think so. You have been terrible at the helm, I'm glad we didn't elect you mayor of NYC. We keep asking for Sam Seder, yet you give us Belzer, and disrespect Sam to boot. Hopefully he'll jump ship too. I'm listening to Randi right now as I type on NovaM. http://www.novamradio.com/ Dr Billionaire, you can stream Randi here, or visit the Nova M sites to see what stations are available. Since NovaM shows are syndicated, each station has to pick it up. I hope your goggle search didn't hold you up any.

It's too bad what is happening with AAR, I have listened to it since the beginning.

I've also really enjoyed watching my NY Senator, Mrs. Clinton, lie, steal, deceive voters and the corporate media. Must be that post-traumatic stress from the Bosnia gunfire.

Thanks for the link!

I'm gone.

GIVE THIS TIME SLOT TO SAM!

I'm listening to Randi as I type this. Sam should have this slot. In fact, the only person who could get me not to listen to Randi is Sam. If you don't do right by him, I hope he goes to Nova M too.

Randi is on now?

See ya. I'll stay for Sam, otherwise Nova M here I come.

RELAX KIDS!

Wow!! All hate!!!

Is that Progressive???

For those Irate Progressives, please, relax your mind!!

Consider the positive side to how this is all playing out.

Do we have MORE Progressive Radio Today than we did even a few weeks ago??

I think once you chill a bit....it should be clear that our position is IMPROVING!!

Randi hasn't been silenced!!!

Now we have MORE Progressive Voices on the Air-waves!!

I am NOT going to be Hate-full about it!!!
I'M CELEBRATING!!!

Come On Now Progressives, BE PROGRESSIVE!! NOT HATERS!!

Is it burning your little ears Nancy?

Maybe it is time we spoke a little truth to power. Interesting. We are consurmers, we have a voice & have been screwed around now for years by the worst decisions ever in regard to programming. On television if you don't get an audience they are gone in a few shows. Here if you do have one you are gone. AAR is dumbing down Progressive Radio, by putting in old entertainers to do the work of those that know the political scene. They say if yo don't like something turn the channel, well after years of this the only way to turn AAR is OFF! If you think that is hate, you are a just an enabler of people that won't respond, & do their job, like let's say.....Nancy Pelosi!

Belzer

Belzer is Hartmann with edge. Keep him then turn him loose to do his thing. PLEASE GET HIM ON IN LOS ANGELES. They're running rhodes instead of Air America programming here,

I gave Belzer a try.. but no thanks

I listened to the first hour of Belzer's show, and was quite frankly bored. No guests. No news. Nothing informative. And very little that was even interesting. I found nothing that I'm looking for when I listen to AAR. I listen primarily to get informed, and also to laugh. Unfortunately Belzer's show did neither.

I'll stick with Rachel & Sam.

It could have been good

If they had put Sam on in Randi's time slot it would have worked out. We could have had Sam and Randi, but they blew the opportunity. This has nothing to do with hate. It has everything to do with makeing good decisions and they did not. They can still turn this around and give Sam his five days a week show.

Sam Seder would be better

For this time slot at least, Sam Seder would actually be better. People are clamoring for it. There may be some reason behind the scenes, but he has that built in fan base and AAR listeners are looking for reasons to stay. Seder would be one of them ....

Belzer I haven't listened to, yet, so can't say. I will be tuning in tomorrow but Seder DOES deserve his shot. He typifies reason, the flip-side of self-absorption.

- Temple

LEARNING CURVE

I want the Progressive Movement to grow!!

We need to reach people that are at DIFFERENT POINTS ON THE LEARNING CURVE!!!

We need to reach MORE people!!!

Isn't that what YOU want???

We will ALWAYS be able to get our Randi and Sam Fix on the Radio. That is, so long as long as Our Progressive Movement GROWS. If we stagnate we will all LOSE!!!

We NEED To MAKE PROGRESSIVE IMPERATIVES MAINSTREAM IMPERATIVES!!

Or are we going to let the FASCISTS CONTINUE to the be Mainstream?

I want my fix five days not just one :)

Put Belzar on Sundays and give Sam the weekdays.

Next Celebrity?

Carrot Top?

Air America, quite a collection of Dumb Assed Mo-Foes....

DUDESTEIN

guess ...... what

God damm did you guys fuck up or what?
That's why the right wing will always, always kick your fucking asses....cuzz ya' got' no balls.
Ok gota' go.....commercials are over

Feedback?

When have you ever cared about what the listeners wanted? If you did, Lionel would have been gone long ago. Air America use to be great and now it is racing to the bottom. You don't get it, you will never get it. I use to be a premium subscriber and I listened all the time. Now AAR is off my radar and you couldn't pay me to listen to most of the programs. If you had any sense you would dig up a copy of the schedule for the first line up what AAR ever had. Then, you would beg those people to come back. You could begin your rehabilitation by putting Sam back to five days a week. How long have the people been asking for this and how long have you refused to listen? Sam is the bar by which all the other hosts should be measured. He is fast paced, quick, witty and informative. No one (not even Lionel) in your line up today can touch him for his well rounded talents. Some are super intelligent but lack the comedic value. Others are informative, and think they are funny, but they are really embarrassing. And others are not informative, not funny, and down-right annoying (Lionel again). The bottom line is Sam is the last card you are holding as far as I am concerned. If he had any brains he would be at NOVA M already. If you had any brains Sam would be on the radio right now.

You wanted feedback, you got it.

Until Sam is back to five days a week I will not renew my premium membership.

NO SAMMY! NO PEACE!

And Lionel blows.

Belzer's doing just fine. "GUEST HOST" ... PROBEE HA!!!

I had doubts about you since I heard you with Greene down playing the 9/11 INSIDE JOB FACT BASE, however I stand corrected thus far. Since you acknowledged the preposterous single MAGIC SPECTER bullet and the Sirhan MK-ULTRA, besides mentioning the preponderance of evidence implicating the GOVT in MLK's martyrdom, you have established some credibility in the TRUTH arena.

You realize of course that unless the EVILDOERS are convicted for complicity in the NORAD Operation Vigilant Guardian STAND DOWN and the CONTROLLED DEMOLITION of the unique singularity free fall symmetrical collapse of WTC-7 ( the violation of Newton's law of conservation of angular momentum aside, investigating just the destruction of Giuliani's Disaster Command Center / tryst crash pad love nest, will expose the pre collapse detonations in WTC-1 & 2 witnessed by numerous FDNY and William Rodriguez causing the entire CAVEMAN MYTH lead by CIA asset UBL - Usama Bin Forgotten - to disintegrate with the empty Shanksvile pit and the evaporating INDESTRUCTIBLE landing gear and 6 ton engines at the Pentagon ), there will be more FALSE FLAG ATTACKS like this NEW PEARL HARBOR, via a NEW Gulf of Tonkin at the Straits of Hormuz to kick off the BOM-BOM IRAN OCTOBER SURPRISE operation to lock in McCainiac with HAVA BLACK BOX DRE's help.

Pump the www.nyc911initiative.org and www.WexlerWantsHearings.com every chance you get and you'll be golden with www.ae911truth.org movement.


FOLLOW THE MONEY!!!!!!!!!!

Ritter says White House preparing for war in Iran
- By ED BARNA Herald Correspondent, April 4, 2008
- W. Joseph Stroupe, Private Geopolitical and Energy Security Analyst

"The reality of Iraq is that it is a broken nation," Ritter said. Groups like the Kurds and Shia are not unified groups, there is already a civil war, and most of the opposition to our presence comes from our being the invaders, he said.

The main target of Ritter's criticisms was an American public that couldn't pass a test on the Constitution and understands little of international history and politics, and refuses to believe the life of an Iraqi is worth as much as the life of an American.

"It is far too easy to look for people to blame," he said. For instance, "we blame the media, but the media simply give us what we're asking for."

Everyone needs to start understanding and caring about their Constitutional rights, and everyone needs to start finding the facts for themselves and taking strong individual stands, Ritter said.

There is an 80 percent chance of war with Iran, he told about 200 people Wednesday at Middlebury College as part of a series of talks facilitated by the Vermont Peace and Justice Center.

INDICATORS:

  • Recent visits to Middle Eastern allies by high officials, ostensibly for other purposes, but really to prepare them for the effects of such a war.
  • The appearance of the "miracle laptop," as Ritter called it, a thousand pages of technical documents supposedly from a stolen Iranian computer, which dubiously had just the sort of information the administration needed to support a hard-line stand on Iran.
  • Congressional supplementary funding for more "bunker-busting" bombs, with a contract completion deadline of April.
  • Congressional supplementary funding for the extra bombers to carry those bombs, with a contract completion date of April.
  • Cheney's order to send a third aircraft carrier battle group close to the Persian Gulf, a necessary bolstering of forces for a war with Iran.
  • The US has recently positioned an array of Aegis destroyers, which excel in ballistic missile defense, close to its Persian Gulf allies and Israel, ready to intercept Iranian and Syrian missiles.
  • Dick Cheney has recently completed a ten-day tour of the Persian Gulf region, including also Turkey, where he met with leaders to discuss Iran, which was at the top of his agenda in every stop he made. His visit included every state that hosts large US military bases in the region, bases that would be key in any US military action against Iran.
  • In Saudi Arabia, Mr. Cheney won the Saudi king's support for actions to ease oil prices - something the Saudis had steadfastly refused to do until now. Any US strike on Iran will produce an oil price shock. However, such a shock can be cushioned by increased supply by Saudi Arabia, it is hoped. Mr. Cheney won the cooperation of the Saudis with respect to an increase in the global supply cushion.
  • Key European powers, most notably Germany and France, have recently come down firmly in support of Israel's security in the face of the mounting Iranian threat, which threat has been stated by German and French leaders to be grave and totally unacceptable. Though the German leader (Ms. Merkel) stopped short of endorsing military action against Iran, she vowed total support for Israel's security. One must realize that public statements that fail to explicitly support military action do not oblige Germany to withhold clandestine, real support for the military option. The French President is firmly on board with the US in a possible military option against Iran.
  • Note that the US, if it does strike Iran and Syria, it will almost assuredly use nuclear-tipped bunker busters to ensure the destruction of key targets buried deep underground, including nuclear assets, command and control, and the hiding places of the members of the Iranian and Syrian regimes. The US will enjoy plausible deniability as respects any use of nuclear weapons, since it can proclaim that any radiation that is released came from Iran's nuclear reactor (already fueled by Russia) and from secret underground nuclear sites in the target areas.
  • Mr. Bush has only about 10 months left in office. If he is to deal with the swarming Iranian threat, he must do so now. He cannot risk leaving the problem to a democrat successor and thereby go down in history as a totally failed leader. In his mind, that is not an option. The window of opportunity for him to save/establish his legacy is rapidly closing.
  • Starting on Sunday April 6, 2008 the Israelis will conduct the largest-ever nationwide, week-long defensive war drill simulating ballistic missile strikes on Israel from Iran and Syria. The dimensions of this upcoming drill are unprecedented. This drill may well be a cover, allowing Israel to prepare for an imminent US strike on Iran and Syria, but without depriving the US of its element of surprise.

Admiral William Fallon, the first admiral to be head of Central Command, said that level of naval forces was unnecessary and blocked the move. Ritter said that was "a heroic thing."

The sudden resignation of US CENTCOM commander Adm. Fallon, a vocal critic of the militarist policies of the Bush administration, strongly suggests that the US is now poised to exercise the military option. Exactly one year ago, when the US had placed four aircraft carrier battle groups in and around the Persian Gulf, Adm. Fallon vowed he would resign before he would carry out the command to order US forces into action against Iran. In effect, he thereby vetoed the US strike that was imminent last April. In the year that has followed until now, the US pursued diplomatic options in a futile effort to stem Iran's rise. Adm. Fallon's sudden departure raises truly ominous signs that the US administration, along with key NATO allies, has decided it must resort to the military option. Adm. Fallon, as promised, resigned before he would have any part in such a foolhardy venture. Whether he was forced out or resigned willingly is of little consequence here. He leaves his post on March 31, 2008. After that date the way is clear for a US strike.

Once IRAN's Shock&Awe commences public demonstrations will NOT be tolerated

Beginning in 1999, the government has entered into a series of single-bid contracts with Halliburton subsidiary Kellogg, Brown and Root (KBR) to build detention camps at undisclosed locations within the United States. The government has also contracted with several companies to build thousands of railcars, some reportedly equipped with shackles, ostensibly to transport detainees. According to diplomat and author Peter Dale Scott, the KBR contract is part of a Homeland Security plan titled ENDGAME, which sets as its goal the removal of "all removable aliens" and "potential terrorists."Fraud-busters such as Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Los Angeles, have complained about these contracts, saying that more taxpayer dollars should not go to taxpayer-gouging Halliburton.

Sect. 1042 of the 2007 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), "Use of the Armed Forces in Major Public Emergencies," gives the executive the power to invoke martial law. For the first time in more than a century, the president is now authorized to use the military in response to "a natural disaster, a disease outbreak, a terrorist attack or any other condition in which the President determines that domestic violence has occurred to the extent that state officials cannot maintain public order."The Military Commissions Act of 2006, rammed through Congress just before the 2006 midterm elections, allows for the indefinite imprisonment of anyone who donates money to a charity that turns up on a list of "terrorist" organizations, or who speaks out against the government's policies. The law calls for secret trials for citizens and noncitizens alike.

Also in 2007, the White House quietly issued National Security Presidential Directive 51 (NSPD-51), to ensure "continuity of government" in the event of what the document vaguely calls a "catastrophic emergency." Should the president determine that such an emergency has occurred, he and he alone is empowered to do whatever he deems necessary to ensure "continuity of government." This could include everything from canceling elections to suspending the Constitution to launching a nuclear attack. Congress has yet to hold a single hearing on NSPD-51.U.S.

Rep. Jane Harman, D-Venice (Los Angeles County) has come up with a new way to expand the domestic "war on terror." Her Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007 (HR1955), which passed the House by the lopsided vote of 404-6, would set up a commission to "examine and report upon the facts and causes" of so-called violent radicalism and extremist ideology, then make legislative recommendations on combating it.According to commentary in the Baltimore Sun, Rep. Harman and her colleagues from both sides of the aisle believe the country faces a native brand of terrorism, and needs a commission with sweeping investigative power to combat it. A clue as to where Harman's commission might be aiming is the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, a law that labels those who "engage in sit-ins, civil disobedience, trespass, or any other crime in the name of animal rights" as terrorists. Other groups in the crosshairs could be anti-abortion protesters, anti-tax agitators, immigration activists, environmentalists, peace demonstrators, Second Amendment rights supporters ... the list goes on and on.

According to author Naomi Wolf, the National Counterterrorism Center holds the names of roughly 775,000 "terror suspects" with the number increasing by 20,000 per month.What could the government be contemplating that leads it to make contingency plans to detain without recourse millions of its own citizens?
http://www.lit.org/print.php?viewid=41577

In August 2007, Congressman Peter DeFazio, a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, told the House that he and the rest of his Committee had been barred from reviewing parts of National Security Presidential Directive 51, the White House supersecret plans to implement so-called "Continuity of Government" in the event of a mass terror attack or natural disaster.

According to the Department of Homeland Security,

Endgame is the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office of Detention and Removal (DRO) multi-year strategic enforcement plan. It stresses the effective and efficient execution of the critical service DRO provides its partners and stakeholders to enforce the nation’s immigration and naturalization laws. The DRO strategic plan sets in motion a cohesive enforcement program with a ten-year time horizon that will build the capacity to "remove all removable aliens," eliminate the backlog of unexecuted final order removal cases, and realize its vision. ...

Detention can be affected by unforeseen events occurring in other countries, such as natural disasters (i.e., earthquakes, hurricanes, etc.), war, and economic/political crises. These events can produce a “shock” to DRO detention. Such shocks can produce large numbers of illegal aliens, additional detention needs, and the inability to remove aliens from the U.S. back to countries in crisis. Though these immigration emergencies are relatively short-term in nature, they can have a drastic and enduring impact on available detention space. (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, "ENDGAME, Office of Detention and Removal Strategic Plan, 2002-2012," June 27, 2003)

Commenting on ENDGAME, Peter Dale Scott wrote,

Significantly, both the KBR contract and the ENDGAME plan are open-ended. The contract calls for a response to "an emergency influx of immigrants, or to support the rapid development of new programs" in the event of other emergencies, such as "a natural disaster." "New programs" is of course a term with no precise limitation. So, in the current administration, is ENDGAME's goal of removing "potential terrorists."

It is relevant that in 2002, Attorney General John Ashcroft announced his desire to see camps for U.S. citizens deemed to be "enemy combatants." On Feb. 17 of this year, in a speech to the Council on Foreign Relations, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld spoke of the harm being done to the country's security, not just by the enemy, but also by what he called "news informers" who needed to be combated in "a contest of wills." Two days earlier, citing speeches critical of Bush by Al Gore, John Kerry, and Howard Dean, conservative columnist Ben Shapiro called for "legislation to prosecute such sedition." (Peter Dale Scott, "10-Year U.S. Strategic Plan for Detention Camps Revives Proposals from Oliver North," Pacific News Service, February 21, 2006)

But is the DHS' ENDGAME "only" a program for "removing all removable aliens"? Writing in the San Francisco Chronicle, environmental activist Lewis Seiler and former congressman Dan Hamburg ponder the real questions posed by such antidemocratic initiatives:

What kind of "new programs" require the construction and refurbishment of detention facilities in nearly every state of the union with the capacity to house perhaps millions of people?

THE AAR PHONE #'S You WON'T Be getting Randi's Callers anymore

In case anywhere there (presuming Sam & Rachel are not in the building) one of you is sharp enough to think that people calling Randi today are actually getting that half baked out of work actor you have sitting in Sam's chair, Oh and by the way just for the heck of it I've called five times and gotten through on the first ring....what's wrong? Phone boards not busy?
It took me 45 minutes of constant redialing with a hell of a fast redial phone to get through Randi on Nova 866-87RANDI.

We wouldn't want to disturb Belzer's naptime.

Ha Ha Ha Ha HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

no more randi callers?

then i can get on the air easier. great.

Im glad she is gone

Randi Rhodes is an obnoxious self absorbed tool.. glad she is finally gone.

The guests Belzer has had on are more stimulating and fun than listening to that female rush limbaugh explain how right she is.

Why bother calling? All she does is talk over and cut off people that call in.

Goodbye!!

Just another one moving to Nova M.

I get Randi, Hartman, Malloy and others, and no annoying Lionel. Our Madison radio station is polling listeners to see whether they want to stick with Randi or keep on listening to AA during her old time slot.

So far:

Air America Radio
18.25 %
Randi Rhodes
81.75 %

I've always liked Richard Belzer, I hope he does well for himself, but I won't be listening in, and it looks like neither will the rest of us in Madison.

And if AA does not appreciate Sam's talent I do hope he joins Randi and Mike over at Nova M.

war with iran?

then iran will restart it's nuclear weapons program.

time for a new and fresh

start. and that's good since aar was not making money with randi and the old guard.

they say they won't call or listen

but they are sure posting a lot. i wonder when the randinistas will be done with their temper tantrum?

Asking for Sam Seder makes you a randinista?

Clearly love has made critical thought difficult for you.

RANDI #1 In every timeslot she plays. Shove it

She has always beat ALL her competition, She always will.

Richard Belzer...HAAAAAAAAAAAA.

I wonder if Jerry Springer's still at liberty. Hey I know. Roseanne Barr. Naw
She's a progressive and has production experience. I guess not EVERY retired standup comic will take a low paying radio gig on a failing radio network.

Maybe Disney is interested in buy AAR out. They trashed the old WNEW buying it for kiddie radio...that was almost as big a success as AAR. Who knows though, Disney hasn't much better luck in management than this cesspool of a company God knows they're always willing to jump on any corporate carcass just as long as it is dying.

And I smell death!

Whats your point wassamada4u

You like randi rhodes . Im glad shes gone. move on go sit on hold and maybe she will talk over you if you get through.

BREAKING NEWS

Call 866-87RANDI

Be patient it takes a while. After all their lines are BUSY. If you're in a rush call AAR. You'll get right thru.

Rotating hosts is a Good idea

As we know, some hosts can go off the rails and listeners who like to think rather than get shouted at forever, will appreciate rotating hosts in the afternoon slot for awhile.

I'll be tuning in because thoughtful is VERY important and has become more important to me. Having someone who can speak without prolonged ums and ahs is invaluable as well.

But less rotating in management is also good.

Temple

Oh, God, no. Please not Belzer.

Please not Belzer. Please? Please? Isn't there anyone else?

It could be worse

Mr. Green could have asked Dennis Miller to sit in.

Mark, what happened to you? trying to go Hollywood?

Man, it's been some long strange trip since you were a Nader's Raider.

I really had high hopes when you joined Air America, but you are actually taking it down.

No slight to Richard Belzer, but if you're trying to signal loud and clear that Air America is stronger than ever, he is a totally inappropriate choice as her fill-in this week.

(Down the road at some point, perhaps -- but this week, the person holding the mic should have roared in with all engines fired up, to reassure listeners that liberals are not shrinking violents)

Like others, I too, am listening to Randi right now via Nova M, which in a single weeked put up a live stream that actually works and a website that is functional in any browser -- unlike AA.

However, unlike some, I don't want to see Air America die in her absence. There is plenty of room in American radio for not just two liberal flagships, but many.

But only the strong survive and thus far you're looking really weak.

Randi rhodes

HA! HA! HA! I am right now listening to Randi Rhodes on the Nova M network. You guys at AAR really blew it. I have also written to XM radio and urged them to drop your 3 PM show and pick up Randi Rhodes. Good bye, AAR.
Alan Dench

one more thing: about Lionel -- it's not his fault

While I too disagree with replacing Sam with Lionel, however, Lionel -- taken on his own merits -- is highly entertaining. He's got a unique voice (literally), does plenty of prep work for his show and as part of a far stronger mix than AA has now, his off the be