Misuse of Power: How the Far Right Gained and Misuses Power

“This is not a battle between Republicans and Democrats…it is between the ultra right-wing element, who want to mold us in their image only, and those of us who want to preserve an open, free nation with real possibilities for the future for our children and grandchildren.” —A moderate Republican

EDWARD ASNER Versatile, committed, eloquent and talented are all adjectives that describe actor/activist Edward Asner. Perhaps best known for his comedic and dramatic crossover as the gruff but soft-hearted journalist Lou Grant, the role he originated on the landmark TV news room comedy The Mary Tyler Moore Show and continued in the newspaper-set drama Lou Grant, which earned him five Emmys and three Golden Globe Awards. Asner received two more Emmy and Golden Globe Awards for the mini-series Rich Man, Poor Man and Roots. His prolific and much honored acting career demonstrates a consummate ability to transcend the line between comedy and drama.One of the most honored actors in the history of television; Edward Asner has been the recipient of seven Emmy Awards and 16 nominations, as well as five Golden Globe Awards and served as National President of the Screen Actors Guild for two terms. He was inducted into the TV Academy Hall of Fame in 1996. Asner received the Ralph Morgan Award from the Screen Actors Guild in 2000, presented periodically for distinguished service to the Guild's Hollywood membership. In March 2002, he was again honored by The Guild as the 38th recipient of the prestigious Life Achievement Award for career achievement and humanitarian accomplishment, presented annually to an actor who fosters the highest ideals of the profession. In addition to his professional versatility, Edward Asner has consistently served and committed himself to the rights of the working performer in addition to advocating for human rights world peace, environmental preservation and political freedom. A passionate and informed spokesperson for the causes he supports, Asner is a frequent speaker on labor issues and a particular ally for the acting industry's older artists. Some of the many honors he has received throughout his career include the Anne Frank Human Rights Award, The Eugene Debs Award, Organized Labor Publications Humanitarian Award, American Civil Liberties Union's Worker's Right's Committee Award and the National Emergency Civil Liberties Award.Edward Asner has more than 100 TV credits which include starring in the series Off the Rack, The Bronx Zoo and Thunder Alley. Numerous guest appearances include roles in Curb Your Enthusiasm, ER, Arliss and The Practice.. Besides commercials and numerous books on tape, he has lent his voice to popular cartoon shows such as The Simpsons, Spiderman and The Justice League. Asner's dozens of motion pictures include They Call Me Mister Tibbs!, Fort Apache the Bronx, JFK, and the European production of Giovanni XXIII - the highest rated television mini-series in the history of Italian TV. In 2003 he played the role of Santa Claus in the box office hit, Elf. He recently co-starred with John Goodman, Olylmpia Dukakis and Jean Smart on CBS in Center of the Universe, and starred in the Hallmark TV movie Out of the Woods in April 05. Burt Hall was formerly Group Director (analyst) for the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) and is a graduate of the Advanced Management Program of Harvard University. After serving in WWII, Mr. Hall joined the international division of Trans World Airlines, working in the electronics and radar field. He took a leave of absence and used the G. I. Bill to obtain a degree from the University of Louisville. He then became a CPA with a public accounting firm. He left that firm to join GAO and spent over 30 years analyzing a variety of activities of the Department of Defense and their contractors. At GAO he became an expert in the procurement field and was instrumental in creating the Truth in Negotiations Act, the modernized and unified federal procurement statute and the initial government-wide policy on acquisition of major weapon systems. For several years he was on loan to the Congressional Commission on Government Procurement and to the Office of Federal Procurement Policy of OMB. During his career with GAO he received performance awards and wrote several prize winning articles.Following his retirement, Mr. Hall competed in many major bridge tournaments, and co-authored and self-published, with his wife, a book on how the experts win at bridge. It won “Book of the Year” and has become a best seller. He also has authored a number of articles -- three with Ed Asner on 9/11, terrorism policy and the war in Iraq.

Burt Hall was formerly Group Director (analyst) for the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) and is a graduate of the Advanced Management Program of Harvard University. After serving in WWII, Mr. Hall joined the international division of Trans World Airlines, working in the electronics and radar field. He took a leave of absence and used the G. I. Bill to obtain a degree from the University of Louisville. He then became a CPA with a public accounting firm. He left that firm to join GAO and spent over 30 years analyzing a variety of activities of the Department of Defense and their contractors. At GAO he became an expert in the procurement field and was instrumental in creating the Truth in Negotiations Act, the modernized and unified federal procurement statute and the initial government-wide policy on acquisition of major weapon systems. For several years he was on loan to the Congressional Commission on Government Procurement and to the Office of Federal Procurement Policy of OMB. During his career with GAO he received performance awards and wrote several prize winning articles.Following his retirement, Mr. Hall competed in many major bridge tournaments, and co-authored and self-published, with his wife, a book on how the experts win at bridge. It won “Book of the Year” and has become a best seller. He also has authored a number of articles -- three with Ed Asner on 9/11, terrorism policy and the war in Iraq.One of the most honored actors in the history of television; Edward Asner has been the recipient of seven Emmy Awards and 16 nominations, as well as five Golden Globe Awards and served as National President of the Screen Actors Guild for two terms. He was inducted into the TV Academy Hall of Fame in 1996. Asner received the Ralph Morgan Award from the Screen Actors Guild in 2000, presented periodically for distinguished service to the Guild's Hollywood membership. In March 2002, he was again honored by The Guild as the 38th recipient of the prestigious Life Achievement Award for career achievement and humanitarian accomplishment, presented annually to an actor who fosters the highest ideals of the profession. In addition to his professional versatility, Edward Asner has consistently served and committed himself to the rights of the working performer in addition to advocating for human rights world peace, environmental preservation and political freedom. A passionate and informed spokesperson for the causes he supports, Asner is a frequent speaker on labor issues and a particular ally for the acting industry's older artists. Some of the many honors he has received throughout his career include the Anne Frank Human Rights Award, The Eugene Debs Award, Organized Labor Publications Humanitarian Award, American Civil Liberties Union's Worker's Right's Committee Award and the National Emergency Civil Liberties Award.