Thanks to our readers and their financial support, Online Journal is celebrating its ninth anniversary this month.

Online Journal was launched on September 5, 1998, when, to the cheers of the corporate media, the Republican-controlled Congress seemed bent on removing then President Bill Clinton from office for his sexual conduct and allegedly lying about it.

It's not that Clinton didn't deserve to be impeached and removed, but engaging in sexual trysts in the West Wing of the White House was the least of his crimes. The crimes Clinton should have been impeached for were unconstitutionally handing away the people's sovereignty by signing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and for embroiling the US in the World Trade Organization (WTO), signing dreadful crime bills and strengthening the unconstitutional secret FISA court, the bombing of Iraq, Kosovo, Sudan and Afghanistan, and continuing the sanctions against Iraq, all of which were favored by the corporate-controlled Congress critters in both parties and which added to paving the way to the far greater crimes of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney.

Yet, the country was blindsided by the attempt to remove a twice "duly elected" president for sexual misconduct. Today, we even have to question the "duly elected" part, given the machinations that took place in the subsequent four elections or as Greg Palast wrote in "Armed Madhouse," paraphrasing an old Soviet joke: "We pretend to vote and they pretend they are elected."

In retrospect (ah, the benefits of hindsight), any thinking, informed person is led to deduce that Clinton's impeachment was a smokescreen to divert attention from the nightmare to be foisted on Americans and the world by Bush/Cheney.

Thanks to all the wonderful writers around the globe who contribute their articles gratis to Online Journal, we have worked to cut through the fog and lay bare the truth of what is going on and the awful future America and the world faces if we the people don't stop the madness of the greedy corporations and their political and media shills.

It hasn't been easy working on a shoestring for the past nine years with many thinking Online Journal is some vast operation supported by foundations and rich moneybags, when, in fact, it has been our readers and those who have us host their websites that have kept us going. It takes $1,500-$2,000 a month to keep the lights on, pay for equipment, bandwidth, software, insurance and telephone, which is why we have to keep begging for your help. Unlike others who ask their readers for $50,000 or $75,000 -- some several times a year -- or have turned to foundations for funding, Online Journal has no paid staff and prefers not to go the expensive route of becoming a nonprofit in order to seek money that comes with strings attached from foundations. Online Journal is 100 percent independent!

We realize that not everyone has the means to help financially, but they can help by spreading the word about Online Journal. For those who can spare some cash, please consider making a secure credit card donation or, if you prefer to send a check or money order, emailing editor@onlinejournal.com for a mailing address. If you can spare $10 or more per month, you can help even more by making a recurring monthly donation or if you have a website that needs hosting, contact me.

With your help, Online Journal will mark its 10 anniversary at this time next year, unless the monsters in the District of Criminals find a way to pull the plug.

I treasure and appreciate all of Online Journal's readers and supporters -- even those readers who give me a chuckle with their brainless hate mail.