March on Washington Jan 27th

The Deans are first!

Buck Fush

Sen. Graham had one too many cups of coffee this morning. Flaming out wasn't very convincing.

Don't know if the above Howard picture has yet been posted.  It comes from Al Rodgers' diary on Daily Kos.  Here's the comment below the photo.  It didn't copy for some reason.

"...and he made it all possible."

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/1/7/0745/08766

per segment including Rep Ford(D) 

Wow!  Shame on Step on my horn a lot, ouch.  That was a choreographed and self serving laugh.  How shameful of George.

It had to be agreed upon that

 geoRge, Cockie robmeblind, and baseball card jukie Will

Would defame the democrats with Will's forehead on the table, cockie back in her chair as if in spasm, and lil George steponmiwowhoOfalotofus lead it all with his planned

 punch line

TOTAL DIS!

Great pic of Howard! He looks de-lighted!

I'm delighted too. The Seahawks won last night in spite of themselves. Yes!!!!!!!!

Hard to imagine the old guard dems engineering that victory, Howard is the man.

We need MEDIA REFORM

Which is why Political TV Shows thread is a tool.

Sen. Graham had one too many cups of coffee this morning. Flaming out wasn't very convincing.  

Well, add to that my 7.

Just two shows so far. 

mary

back to back defensive stops and saved by the replay

I still haven't figured out why Dallas didn't attempt a third down field goal just in case of a bad snap like it was sudden death overtime.

Sinclair has been shut out of media-com broadcasting of today's games.

couldn't happen to a better pair as the competition sells dishes

here is to Sinclair going out of business

lucky for me I get the games on my rabbit ears

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

skol paine I'll have another cup and play catch-up

Biden made a good statement to lead.

 skol phil

Seven cups of coffee? Wow.

------------

Not going to watch the shows this Sunday. Too frustrating.

Phil - We were celebrating last night. The kid was/still is in heaven over the "Hawks win and they're not even his favorite team. Philly is his team.

Just did a quick scroll

Apart from the Holdek and Fred show, an excellent overnight thread!

Wes Clark, on the "McCain Doctrine";

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article2132566.ece

Wesley Clark, the former Nato commander who led the 1999 war in Kosovo, is urging President George Bush not to send more troops to Iraq, saying the "surge" in forces being considered by the White House would be too little, too late and could only deepen the hole that the United States and its allies have dug themselves.

Writing exclusively in The Independent on Sunday, General Clark said the time for a military solution was long past, that US troops lack the skills and the political legitimacy to pacify the conflict-ridden regions, and that the only way forward was a political initiative encompassing the entire region.

"We've never had enough troops in Iraq," writes General Clark, who was the Supreme Allied Commander of Nato forces from 1997-2000. "In Kosovo, we had 40,000 troops for a population of two million. For Iraq, that ratio would call for at least 500,000 troops so adding 20,000 now is too little, too late."

"What the surge would do is put more American troops in harm's way, further undercut US forces' morale, and risk further alienation of elements of the Iraqi populace," he added.

Excellent piece (as always) by Frank Rich in today's NYT:

 Excerpts:

 It’s against the backdrop of both the Hussein video and the Ford presidency that we must examine the prospect of that much-previewed “surge” in Iraq — a surge, by the way, that the press should start calling by its rightful name, escalation. As Mr. Ford had it, America cannot regain its pride by refighting a war that is finished as far as America is concerned and, for that matter, as far as Iraq is concerned.

 The “surge,” then, is a sham. It is not meant to achieve that undefined “victory” Mr. Bush keeps talking about but to serve his own political spin. His real mission is to float the “we’re not winning, we’re not losing” status quo until Jan. 20, 2009. After that, as Joseph Biden put it last week, a new president will “be the guy landing helicopters inside the Green Zone, taking people off the roof.”

 As the White House tries to sell this flimflam, picture fresh American troops being tossed into Baghdad’s caldron to work alongside the Maliki-Sadr Shiite lynch mob that presided over the Saddam hanging. Contemplate as well Gerald Ford’s most famous words, spoken as he assumed the presidency after the Nixon resignation: “Our Constitution works; our great republic is a government of laws and not of men. Here the people rule.”

This time the people do not rule. Two months after Americans spoke decisively on Election Day, the president is determined to overrule them. Our long national nightmare in Iraq, far from being over, is about to get a second wind.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/1...

30 Year Oil Contracts in Iraq for BP, Exxon, Shell

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/1...

by LithiumCola

Sat Jan 06, 2007 at 10:48:57 PM PST

The New York Times stops just short of the "I" word on the editorial page of this Sunday's paper.

In a piece titled, "The Imperial Presidency 2.0", The Times writes that Democrats have the "moral responsibility" to "right the dangerous wrongs of the past six years." If Democrats do not, then they are "no better than the Republicans".

Can you see the rainbow at my 15, which was apparent and a blessing over the Massachusetts State House as citizens took the historic opportunity to meet the new Governor and Lt Goernor on thursday?

Can you see it? 15

Gore Leaves Door Ajar for 2008

By Chris Cillizza And Shailagh Murray
Sunday, January 7, 2007; Page A02


Will he or won't he?

As the Democratic field for 2008 takes shape, one big remaining question is whether former vice president Al Gore -- winner of the popular vote in 2000, an almost-candidate in 2004 and now the public face of the movement to address global warming -- will be in it.

Al Gore, shown at the premiere of "An Inconvenient Truth," his documentary on global warming, hasn't entirely ruled out another presidential campaign. (By Vincent Yu -- Associated Press)
Special Report



Over the past six years, Gore has become a heroic figure for the party's liberal left, thanks in large part to his early and steady opposition to the war in Iraq. And it's not just liberals who have taken to Gore. "An Inconvenient Truth," the film detailing Gore's lonely quest to raise awareness of climate change, is one of the most successful documentaries of all time and, as important, has transformed Gore's public image from cold to cool.

That renewed popularity has stoked speculation that Gore just may have another national race up his sleeve. "He's the Rocky Balboa of 2008," said Chris Lehane, a former Gore adviser.

But is Gore ready to enter the ring one more time? Don't count on it, say his closest advisers. "There are no secret meetings going on to plan the Gore campaign," said Carter Eskew, a longtime confidant of the former vice president.

But neither Eskew nor any of the small cadre of Gore's closest advisers would entirely rule out such a bid, leaving the same small but substantial amount of wiggle room that Gore himself has left in his public pronouncements.

And there are small signs here and there that could be read as the stirrings of his renewed interest in a campaign. Early last month, Gore addressed more than three dozen labor leaders in Washington, a wide-ranging talk about the Democratic congressional gains and the media, said one attendee, who demanded anonymity. Asked about 2008, Gore said that he has taken a number of calls from people encouraging him to consider running but he "didn't know whether he was going to or not," the source said. "Everybody felt he left a small door open."

For the moment, however, Gore seems more interested in his role as global-warming warrior. He couldn't make time for an interview for the Sunday Fix because he was training 600 people on the slide-show presentation featured in "An Inconvenient Truth," according to his spokeswoman.



http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con...

My favorite from Daily Kos: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/1/7/0745/08766

60 minutes tonight -- more on the life of Gerald Ford.

You would think 60 minutes producers could come up with something less redundant -- like the war in Iraq or the new Congress!

condition any support for Bush as a paygo rescinding of the tax cut

if Bush wants escalation his base has to pay for it

Hi Denise

~~~

There are ways Congress can make Bush think twice before an escalation.

Sen. Biden announces intent to seek presidency...

Hubby and I had a long debate about this, hubby likes Biden, I don't.

My thing is simple: I found my way here to Howard's site back in 2003 because I was looking for a candidate who was against the war. That was my number one issue and still is. I've come to the conclusion that I will only vote in 2008 for the candidate who never voted for the war (that includes candidates who didn' t vote at all one way or another). If there is no such person, I will not vote.

Karen

that is the main thing Obama has going for him (and Vilsack)

Gore would leap to the front for the same reason.

Phil~ I like all three you mentioned!

Biden is a bright likeable guy. (to keep up the rdorgan positive statement standard)

Happy New Year Denise......enjoy sunny SFO.

Joe "I like You" Biden, has been campaigning since 2005.  The only thing that surprises me more, is that his name is not on the DLC membership.

I saw a bumper sticker the the other day that read:

"An eye for an eye will make the world blind" 

There exists a phalanx of reasons to vote for a candidate for president in 2008.  I will vote in the primary in my state and the general election.  I will vote.

oops, time for me to go back to PLAIN, not bold.  :(  

Yep, PLAIN, that's me. 

You know, unlike the other DLC crowd, like Obama, at least Tom Vilsack doesn't run away from the Democratic National Committe and is actually utilizing the grassroots and tools the DNC has put on their website.

Apart from the Holdek and Fred show, an excellent overnight thread!

--------------

screw you, dork

38.

That's valid, Fred.  Just let it go.

28.

So what is New Hampshire? Chopped liver? Biden said he was running for President when he was here last year.
I have seen him at two events. He told me there would be no permanent bases in Iraq.
Some people were very enthusiastic. He appeared at some very low-keyed events and answered ordinary people's questions.
Superficial of me, I admit, but, in addition to not thinking the Senate as good preparation for the executive, I can't stand the fellow's whitened teeth and hair plugs.
Think I'd have more trust in Murtha.

Joan* In*Florida

------------------

great cartoon - thanks

Imn2Paine

---------------

I will - carry no grudges - just returning the compliment

So what is New Hampshire? Chopped liver?

But, Monica, you're not Russert! :+)

43

Oh, damn. I forgot.

I did, however, get an invite to a press event next week. LOL

I've come to the conclusion that I will only vote in 2008 for the candidate who never voted for the war (that includes candidates who didn' t vote at all one way or another). If there is no such person, I will not vote.

--------------

Nice protest but how about the poor, sick  and homeless that have suffered at the hands of neocon cutbacks.  Are you abandoning them to make a statement - sounds like a Naderite

Denise, how cool. I'll keep my toes crossed for ya! And if you have time on your visit (probably a big IF), please let me know if you want to get together. If you're here on a Thursday, we can all go to the Pyramid Cafe for good food and Belly Dancing. :)

Good morning, all. 

I got to see mprov's show last evening.  Really cool.  It is all improvisional-- maybe one person would start a note or sound and the rest would riff off of that instrumentally and lyrically....very intricate and seems to me a special kind of talent to be able to work together in that way.  I counted 10 people in the ensemble (mprov?) including the people who work the light show which is a big part of the show itself.  Using various elements in the room, these images are projected onto a screen behind the musicians.  The elements would be sometimes the musicians shadows (with color and patterns) or sometimes the windows in the room, the floor or even the musicians' shoes.  Simple elements become intricate patterns.   Hard to describe in words...

mprov's group, Dud, has a web site:

http://www.dudland.com 

You can visit their site and view clips of performances.  Remember-you only see a single performance once--it is all improvisational! 

 mprov's guitar is really pretty, too.

Anyone in the San Francisco bay area should check it out....really a creative group of people and an enjoyable evening....and you get to meet mprov! 

http://www.counterpunch.org/cockburn01062007.html

The war and the NYT:

The war in Iraq, one of the most disastrous military enterprises in the history of the Republic, has the New York Times' fingerprints all over it. The role the newspaper played in fomenting the 2003 attack is now one of the best known sagas in journalistic history, as embodied in the reports of Judy Miller, working in collusion with Iraqi exiles and US spooks to concoct Saddam's imaginary arsenal of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.

But so fixated have many Times critics been on the WMD/ Miller saga, that they have failed to notice that across the past sixth months the Times has been waging an equally disingenuous campaign to escalate American troop levels in this doomed enterprises.

The prime journalistic promoter of the escalation ­- it is time to retire the adroitly chosen word "surge" -- now being proposed by the White House is Michael Gordon, the Times' military correspondent, a man of fabled arrogance and self esteem.

Gordon's has been the mouthpiece for the faction ­-led by Gen. David H. Petraeus -- inside the U.S. military in Iraq that has been promoting the escalation.

On the face of it, the idea that the addition of some 25,000 to 30,000 troops will do anything more than add to the cumulative disaster is exactly the sort of crackpot realism "Crackpot realism" defined by the great Texan sociologist, C. Wright Mills in 1958."In crackpot realism," Mills wrote, " a high-flying moral rhetoric is joined with an opportunist crawling among a great scatter of unfocused fears and demands.

Just as it seemed beyond the realm of possibility a month ago that the US could contrive a situation in which Saddam Hussein would be resurrected as a martyr, so now it still seems incredible that two months after an election on November 7 in which the voters punished Bush for the Iraq disaster by giving Congress back to the Democrats , Bush should be pressing for an escalation, backed by almost daily doses of crackpot realism in the New York Times.

Reporter with a propaganda mission can always find the mouthpieces to say what they want. Gordon's "troop surge" campaign has been politically much more influential than the mad-dog ravings of the right-wing broadcasters.

One of the most famous lines in the history of journalism is William Randolph Hearst's 1897 cable to his artist, Frederic Remington, in Cuba, who was complaining there no war for him to draw pictures of. "You furnish the pictures," Hearst cabled his man." I'll furnish the war."

The Times helped furnish the 2003 U.S. attack on Iraq. Now it has played a major role in furnishing a likely escalation. There is blood on its hands, and grieving mothers like Cindy Sheehan have as much cause to demonstrate outside its offices as outside Bush's ranch in Crawford.

In his syndicated column published January 2, Robert Novak reported that barely more than a dozen Republican senators favor escalation. The rest remain impressed by the November 7 verdict of the electorate and fearful of worse in 2008. the Democrats' leaders in Congress--Reid and Pelosi--waver. One day they profess to oppose any escalation. The next, they refuse to countenance any effort to cut off funds for the war. They need 20,000 Cindy Sheehans in their faces, day after day, reminding them forcefully that they have one prime mandate: to bring the troops home

4. Donna, thanks for posting the pic of Howard. He looks soooooo presidential with glasses.

Fred, You're pushing the envelope here. Chill!

Kucinich Schedule:

On Sunday January 7th, I will appear live on CNN’s Late Edition (11am-1pm ET) to discuss my presidential campaign.

On Monday morning in New York City, I will unveil a comprehensive Iraq exit strategy at a news conference with major media already confirming attendance.

At noon I will present an address at Jesse Jackson’s Wall Street Project, entitled “Out of Iraq and Back to the American Cities.”

On Monday afternoon I will appear live in the New York studios of Fox TV’s Neil Cavuto Show and then return to Washington to meet with Congressional leaders to discuss my plan regarding Iraq.

GO DENNIS!

Good morning, all. Howie looks good in glasses.

Suppose this is too late for everyone but there are more Sunday shows that don't make the thread line up. And Harold Ford is Ex-Rep (he lost his election).

Did anyone see Pelosi or Boxer??? 

45

And what is wrong with a "Naderite"? He was right. About everything. And I voted for him not to make a statement, but because I believed he was the best candidate.

It could have been worse. I could have voted for Kerry. :) 

Sign up for Al Gore's Climate Project (11 comments )
READ MORE: Al Gore, Nashville

I just got back from Nashville, where I was a trainee in Session 3 of Al Gore's Climate Project - an amazing, amazing few days. To anyone who has considered, is considering or might someday consider joining the project, I've got one piece of advice: do it.

http://www.theclimateproject.org/

As some of you may know, Gore is training a thousand people to give the climate change presentation made famous by An Inconvenient Truth.

The trainees have committed to fan out across the country and give their personalized, updated version of the presentation to at least 10 audiences over the coming year, in the hope of reaching hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of people. In the few months since Gore began the program, his trainees have given as many presentations as he has in the past 15 years. And if you apply, there's no reason why the cavalry of a thousand can't turn into ten thousand, or even a hundred thousand.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nick-seave...

40

Lol. I worked with Biden's nephew on a campaign and all I did was tell him how much Biden sold us out to the financial industry.

He did not deny that about Biden, but only said "he's a nice guy".

Yeah, whatever. I am not voting for a "nice guy" who sells out America. Funny how his own nephew could not even come up with a better defense for the man. 

37

Well, it looks like if Gore is not running we will have a hold your nose vote anyway. So Tom doesn't look any worse than any others.  

34

Biden is not so much DLC as he is corporate bought and owned. That is a bigger issue than whether they are DLC or not. Hillary of course, is both.  

56. Linda NM

Maybe Al is training these people to not only spread the message, but to do it in his place while he campaigns for president:-)))) Hope may be on the way.

Huron John

38.
FRED from OR


People have been banned from the blog for less

-----------------

kiss my ass

54. Fire

Yes, she was her usual T-Terrific. She held firm from negative questions, and had a grasp on every single policy and option. I have so much faith in her, nowhere near to the degree that Howard was, but if she holds true, she is going to be just what our good doctor ordered for the House.

Although she and Howard had their disagreements and probably always will (that's what Dems do and do it well),  I'm sure he is proud as can be for her.

And what is wrong with a "Naderite"? He was right.

---------------

nothing wrong - it just sabotaged the election for Dems.  Well Perot did it for Herbert Walker Bush, so I guess we're even now.

Look how bad the war deaths are in the upper Midwest as a % of the population. Worse than any other region.

Fred, You're pushing the envelope here. Chill

------------------------

Anyone can go upthread and see who instigated the insult exchange.   I'm not worried.  When people treat me with respect, I treat them with respect.  They dis me, I'll dis them. Choice of words is not the criteria.  Provocation is the most important factor.

62

Sabatoged for the Dems? You have got to be kidding.

In 2000 the election was stolen. Put that aside for a moment and let's look at Florida where Nader was blamed.

250,000 Democrats in that state voted for Bush. Nader only got 97,000 vote total in that state and only 38% of those were from Democrats according to exit polls. So, we are saying Nader caused the loss for Gore when 250 G Dems voted for Bush? Do you realize how insane that argument is? That is up there with the "there is no global warming" crowd.

2004 the election was stolen again. We will put that aside for the sake of argument and also put aside the fact that Kerry was the worse candidate ever who could not decide on one position to take, and had he followed Nader’s advice to him, could have gotten a lot more support from liberals.

Nader was not even on the ballot in most states in 2004 (thanks to Democrats joining in the corruption with Republicans). And while the Democrats took legal action to ban him from being on the ballot in states like Florida, Bush legally should not have been on the ballot in Florida because they did not follow the correct filing procedures and deadline. But did the Democrats take legal action against the Republicans to make sure Bush was off the ballot in Florida? Nope. They were completely silent. If Bush was such a horrible, dangerous President, why did the Democratic leadership go out of their way to help him get elected in 2004? That would be a very good question for Bill Clinton and Terry McAwful. And where was the fight for vote counting in that election? You can let them fool you once (2000) but you know what they say about fool me twice…

Blaming Nader for the F@#ked up Democrats is like blaming Global warming on too many trees (aka Reagan).

At this point, no one can really make that argument without looking downright silly or uninformed.

Put that disdain toward the real problem.  Only then will we see positive change in this country (and the world).

Anybody in the market for a new Beethoven's 9th might want to pick up

http://www.amazon.com/Daniel-Barenboim-E...

Daniel Barenboim gathered some Israeli and Palestinian young musicians to make this music. Of course I bought (yet another) B 9th because my vote for the sexiest man alive with the voice like burnished mahogany http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/n... sings the bass part in 4th M. (This is the first voice you hear -- the bass). It is live from Berlin recorded in Aug 06 I believe.

59.

Joan* In*Florida


I thought the same thing. I said this is the best description of ones' foot soldiers.

Either way, it is truly such a progressive and creative way of getting the information out to the people.

Now I want to see (ATTN ROY NEEL...or AL Gore), a promotion of Climate Change on Current TV!

JC - I got an idea for a bumper sticker. It's a crown (as in King's crown) with a black circle and diagonal line over it. (As in 'no King)). Then maybe it could say Impeach!

the congess doesn' t get it. we voted against this dad gum war. you friggen idiots.

yep I will be there on Jan 27 and you should be too.

we have to do something to get rid of these idiots.

And what is wrong with a "Naderite"? He was right.

"Don't vote [for Nader] --- but do listen. What Nader's supporters have to say is important and real: We need change. We can't afford to have more of the same from Democrats."

-- Howard Dean, You Have The Power --
 

is this something DFA should support? sorry, its kind of long:

Howdy MMOB --

I just got a call from Matt Holland at True Majority and he is very much hoping MMOBsters (known for action!) would be some of the first to join a national push to get out and say NO MORE TROOPS as soon as Bush makes his expected announcement of pointless escalation this week. (See http://www.AmericaSaysNo.org and below for details)

We're thinking we should harken back to MMOB's "Rush Hour Roadside VOTE Shows" with this, and get out on street corners with the "NO MORE TROOPS" posters True Majority has (or make your own!), tape posters in car windows for the commute, do some yard banners, t-shirts on our dogs of course, whatever inspires. There is an additional effort to get millions of signatures on a petition for NO MORE TROOPS that this True Majority/Coalition campaign will deliver to Congress on the 27th. Please post any other ideas on the MMOB list serv.

As you'll see below, the America Says NO suggestion is to have a gathering the night of the announcement, take a photo, and upload it to the campaign to show this "surge of protest." This sounds good, but so does getting out in public the next day! Either way, please consider joining in with your own brand of NO MORE TROOPS sentiment, large or small. If you scroll down, you'll see the big stack of organizations we're joining by doing this.

Finally, if you're going to do something on your own, please consider registering your rabblerousing as an event, but just mark it "private" and send in a picture if possible. This will help paint a truer picture of the 'surge protest' when the dust settles!

If you're game, but have questions, post them on the MMOB list serv.

Very best to everyone,

Megan & the MMOB

WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT:

Americans Say NO! A Nationwide 'Surge' of Protest Events

Americans DO NOT want more troops in Iraq!
You're one of our best activists. Can you host an event to make that point loud and clear?

President Bush is expected to give his "new direction in Iraq" speech around Wednesday, January 10th -- and you won't like what he's planning to say. He wants to increase the number of men and women sent to Iraq, even though we just elected a new Congress to help get us out of there. We have to make it clear that Americans do NOT want more troops in Iraq and we have to act fast! Which is why I'm writing to you on a Saturday.


Can you host an event in your community to say NO to the President's escalation plan?

http://www.AmericaSaysNo.org/lead

This is just the beginning. On January 27th, we'll be delivering a petition signed by tens of thousands of Americans at the huge March on Washington in D.C. We know not everyone can board a bus to Washington to speak out, so these local events are a great way to get everyone in your community signed on.

Click below to get started:

http://www.AmericaSaysNo.org/lead


Here's how it works:
The Americans Say No events are simple, and easy to host. We'll all converge on the evening after the President's speech with some ready-made signs and petitions carrying our message. You can read out the names of the service members from your state who have already died in Iraq, or simply hold a silent vigil. Then, pass the petition around and be sure to take a digital photo of your event to add to an online collection.

Volunteer to lead an event by visiting http://www.AmericaSaysNo.org/lead. We've got lots of information to get you started, and more is on the way. Hosting these events is almost as simple as 1, 2, 3:


1) Pick a time and location for the event.
2) Download an event kit full of tools and ideas to make your event easy and successful.
3) Let your friends and neighbors know about the event. Point them to the website http://www.truemajorityaction.org/Americ... so they can RSVP.
And be sure to contact americasaysno@truemajorityaction.org with any questions or ideas about the event. It's folks like you that have lead the movement to end the war in Iraq, and together we're going to make it happen.

From Matt Holland
TrueMajorityACTION Online Director

Other groups in the surge, along with MMOB:


20/20 Vision
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities
Center for International Policy (CIP)
Conference of Major Superiors of Men
Council for a Livable World
Families USA
Feminist Majority
Fourth Freedom Forum
Friends of the Earth
Global Exchange
Greenpeace
Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR)

MMOB (Mainstreet Moms Organize or Bust)
MoveOn
NAACP
National Council of Churches
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
National Organization for Women (NOW)
NETWORK A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
Pax Christi USA
Peace Action
Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR)
Psychologists for Social Responsibility
Rainbow/Push Coalition
Shalom Center
Sierra Club
Sojourners
Soulforce
The Tikkun Community
TrueMajority
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
United Church of Christ
United Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society
Us Foundation
USAction
War Resisters League
Veterans for Peace
Women's Action for New Directions (WAND)
Working Assets
Artists United to Win Without War
Musicians United to Win Without War

Too many Democrats use Nader as the dog who ate their homework.

state voted for Bush. Nader only got 97,000 vote total in that state and only 38% of those were from Democrats according to exit polls. So, we are saying Nader caused the loss for Gore when 250 G Dems voted for Bush? Do you realize how insane that argument is? That is up there with the "there is no global warming" crowd.

--------------------

That's a bit of a hyperbole, to put it mildly, but you may or may not have a point.  I honestly don't know if technically it would have changes the outcome, assuming most Naderites would have voted for Gore.

Maybe someone here on the blog has done the math.

But splitting the vote is a way we could lose, and when you see how pro-environment Gore is, it becomes pretty obvious Mr. Nader's decision was more an exercise in self-grandizement than an altruistic move to save the country.  Dems should fry his ass.  The man cares more about his own ego and extremism than reality.   It is easier to criticize elected officials than being in the position of trying to get elected in the first place and then doing what's the best balance of fairness for everyone in the second place.

Nader's done a lot of good things and for that I am grateful.  That doesn't give him the right to disunite the opposion to Neocons.  He was inadvertantly working for Republicans.  In fact there were many stories of Republicans helping him to gather signatures to get on the ballot in some States, and Nader was grateful for the help.

well, well, guess who the moronic rethug members of the Va General Assembly have invited to the opening of the assembly on Monday?

None other that Darth Vader, Dick Cheney. what and appropriate name.

Now that sends a great message to the people of Va that voted in Jim Webb. F u from the vice preznit and the GA.

Well, ya know, this is really great.

Now I have the ammution to get rid of all the GA Rethugs from Newport News.

Just have your pix taken with Cheney and we will use it to get rid of you in November.

I am ready to work for the Dems and Progressives.

It is again going to be an interesting year in Va.

I am ready to get to work.

And Barrack Obama is going to be at our state JJ dinner next month. Feb 17 in Richmond.

come on down.

Hi, Blog.  It looks like very few, if any of you are reading the overnight thread anymore, since today no one talking about the headlines I posted in several places last night about Israel planning on nuking Iran.

I also posted the Pitt article and the cartoon about being speaker, as well as some New Year's eve photos, the one of the baby being priceless.

I can't believe there's no discussion here about the planned nuking of Iran.

So...I  think now I can go to bed much earlier and not hunt for stuff for you guys to read in the morning.  I feel  like I'm wasting my time.  And this is OK with me since I like going to bed a bit earlier.  It's also OK with me if you guys no longer read the overnight thread.

I imagine you'll eventually get to the articles about Israel attacking Iran with nukes.  Or maybe you did and it's just not that interesting... Frankly, I lost some sleep over the implications.

Seashell, the Israeli plans are the scariest thing out there.

 If/when they do it, it will be the beginning of WWIII.

well, well, guess who the moronic rethug members of the Va General Assembly have invited to the opening of the assembly on Monday? None other that Darth Vader, Dick Cheney.

If those Rethugs are politically stupid enough to want to be seen with a guy who has an 18% approval rating, be grateful for it. 

hang in there seashell, Judy will join us again soon

mprov had a gig last night

plus the eeeww factor of BooBoo

the $100 oil that would follow an attack on Iran would kill the economy and guarantee no Republican elected for a generation on the plus side

65.

I think the way it works is that they target the voting districts where Democrats are expected to have a large plurality and then they just fix it so the plurality ends up being very small. Since Dems still come out ahead, they have no ground to contest.
It's possible that in 2000 the votes were actually shifted over to Republicans. Only one in four would do the trick.
This time around they seem to have simply arranged for the votes to get "lost"
Gore was on track in 2000 in asking for a re-count in districts he expected to win big. Where they got derailed was in not anticipating the equal protection argument. Where we have all gotten derailed since was in failing to remember that people who violate the law are usually very knowledgable about what the law is.
Also, we tend to forget that the courts, usually, simply go with the argument that makes most sense to them. If one side fails to bring up an argument, no matter how on point, it just doesn't get considered.

Well here's a link I googled up.

I hope the knee-jerk supporters of the fascists Zionist leadership have something to say besides "Israel has a right to defend itself"

http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/international/ticker/detail/Israel_has_nuclear_plans_for_Iran_Times.html?siteSect=143&sid=7407662&cKey=1168196862000

81.

FRED from OR
Sun, 01/07/07
3:37 pm
------

Well, the prez is placing an Admiral to be head of Centcom. That, to me, would signal some interest in dealing with the Iranian nation.

http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=T2T4D

Phil wrote: "hang in there seashell, Judy will join us again soon."

So, Phil, what you're saying is that w/o Judy posting, few people read the overnight thread?  If that's the case, I'll still stop posting and read the thread in the morning. I can't help but notice that when she posts, and I love her posts, as I love her, a lot of morning people hang out and respond on the overnight thread.  Now that she's gone for awhile, it would seem that my links aren't that enticing.  I can handle that, but I do feel that our combined posts were appreciated.  It seems I was wrong...

I like being of service but not if not appeciated.  Most of you missed the New Year's legs as well.  LOL

Sheri, you're not having trouble with my posts, are you?  I hope not.

True, last night's thread was filled with argument, but I tried my best to bring in other things, including fun photos.

Anyway, those who read it, Thank you Huron John for the kudos) thank you.  Those who didn't, you really missed some good stuff - (pat pat pat on my own back)

Maybe the blog's just slow and I should interpret this with a grain of stevia.  :-)

My feelings are a little bit hurt but that's just my silly ego.  Begone EGO!!!

Bush making a bid to turn around his flagging presidency
By Sheryl Gay Stolberg
Published: January 7, 2007


WASHINGTON: The 13 senators did not mince words. Senator Barack Obama, Democrat of Illinois, told President George W. Bush that sending more troops to Iraq "was a mistake," while Senator Arlen Specter, Republican of Pennsylvania, said he too was opposed.

Senator Mary Landrieu, a Louisiana Democrat, complained of having "a much harder time convincing my constituents that victory is achievable."

Senator Larry Craig, Republican of Idaho, said Bush "got an earful and, I think, appropriately so."

The gathering Friday around the oval mahogany conference table in the Cabinet Room of the White House was hardly the scene that Bush envisioned in April when he hired a new chief of staff in a management shake-up intended to set his presidency on a fresh course. In the eight months since, things have grown only bleaker for the president. Democrats are running Congress, Republican support for the war is evaporating and Bush's sagging approval ratings have not budged.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/01/07/n...

Seashell, I always scroll through the overnight posts~930 the next morning. I've seen your posts on Iran, and they worry me to death (see 77, upthread).

Any attack on Iran,quite apart from anything else will send oil prices skyrocketing and put a serious crimp in supply.

And that's only the beginning.......................

Sea--I think you should count on at least two hundred readers for everyone that posts.
I was going to comment how nice it is that you seem to have all the kinks worked out with your new computer.
Yes, it's the New Year and the blog is slow. college students are still home, I think. New englanders are waiting for winter and enjoying every minute of pseudo spring outside.

Israel making plans to nuke Iran is stupid. On the other hand, somebody's talking and obviously trying to foil the plan. I think that's a little positive.

The countries in the region are convinced that the third world war has already begun and Iraq II is the fourth time that nuclear weapons are being used because of the depleted uranium. I expect Israel is acting as a cats paw--testing the waters to see how the public responds to the bunker busters, which come from us, don't you know.

Everybody needs to get every piece of information three times before it sinks in. You need to repeat post, if you have the time.

The legs are great. Some of us are jealous of your dancing--wish we could do it too. There's not enough time for many of us to learn. Americans spend too many hours working.

3012

68. Annilow

Here are a couple of attempts:

85.

Too many illusions. The Problem with the Bush/Cheney White House is that they are trying to run the world when they can't even run the United States' agencies and departments.

Somebody invited 13 Senators? Not an auspicious number. Wonder who failed to show up.

Fourteen people in a room for a half hour. What did they accomplish? Everybody got to make a statement. Did any notice whether George was doped up?

The press was alerted. To hear what?

"Pelosi says Democrats might deny funding if Bush seeks increase"...

Hope she sticks to her guns on this.

Hope she sticks to her guns on this.

---------------------

"might" ? what guns?  It would be nice if she could just say "will" instead of "might"

The president has the Democrats in a tight corner.  If we hold up a spending bill it could look like we are abandoning the troops in the field, or at least Repubs can spin it that way.  That's why she said "might" - first she has to see what moves Bush makes.  It is more complicated than it looks.

"Pelosi says Democrats might deny funding if Bush seeks increase"...

Might?  MIGHT?  No no no, Nancy;  WILL deny funding for an increase.  This is the 11th hours for the dems.  If they go along with increased spending, they will be seen in 08 as agreeing to the troops increase as well as increase in deaths and maiming.  They will be seen as agreeing with bush and the repugs and will lose the election. The repugs are planning on blaming them for not bringing the troops home.

I can't believe Pelosi would even consider funding an increase or is she playing it coy? Jeez, I hope she and Reid are smarter than that.********************

Monica, thanks for reminding me.  I'm all back to normal, whatever that is.  LOL 

seashell

it has been fun watching you master the blog software stacked against you

I'm not sure why highlighting the dangers of letting Israel lead us in our ME policy brings out some rather ugly arguments in people but it seems permission for incivility by some, and last night it got a little deep

if I drop off in the middle of a conversation it might be because my son called dibs which after one hour means an automatic turnover (like upthread)

my wife reads through the links of the overnight most mornings when she checks the news to start her day so I know for sure of three for one posting just at this computer as my son does too (although he religiously scrolls what he self defines as trolls)

Monica, no need to be jealous of my dancing.  I've paid some heavy dues to get here.

playing it coy?

If that's the same as *playing it smart*, then YES!

BTW the country has made it's mind up on Iraq, and is in a fighting mode against escalation.

I expect Bush to fall into the teens if he plows ahead.

If there was a line item way to defund the McCain move the country would back it for sure.

party rules means 50% of all leadership here in Iowa are women and I know that the skill set that brings to the table is different than just a bunch of guys deciding things

Pelosi "sticking to her guns" doesn't ring true as any kind of metaphor

"juggling priorities" is closer

So Rice did this?  I wonder if she'll pay a price?  Perhaps a bump up to VP?

A lengthy front page article in Sunday's New York Times reports that after a "sequence that [US] commanders saw as motivated less by a concern for justice than for revenge," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice "gave the green light" for Saddam Hussein to be turned over to Iraq, so that prime minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki could hang the ousted ruler before the year’s end.

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2007/NYT_Rice_gave_green_light_for_0107.html 

US selecting hybrid design for warheads
Bush admin. to announce building of first new nuke warhead since late '80s.

Rice has been a spectacular failure as Secretary of State. Medal of Freedom no doubt.

I spose I'm just a natural  Socratic thorn.  Here's an article that makes sense, altho some Leviticus lovers would argue.

by Cenk Uygur | Jan 7 2007 - 2:11pm |  permalink
article tools: email | print | read more Cenk Uygur

I don't know what other so-called "fundamentalist atheists" argue, but I am not concerned with how the world would be with or without religion. I care whether the religions are true or untrue.

And any non-insane, non-ignorant person can tell they are simply not true. Although I argue that we should start a war against fundamentalism (a war of ideas and culture), I am sure that RJ would call me a "fundamentalist" for my opinion that religion is indisputably wrong.

Am I also a fundamentalist for believing that 2+2=4? Or should I consider the idea that it might equal 5 because some people really have "faith" in that idea? I don't give a damn about their irrational faith in things that are clearly not true. And I don't have to respect it. It is dumb. More importantly, it is wrong.

Let me clarify with an example. In Leviticus, "God" explains that male homosexuality is an abomination! I am not sure if this mean they roast over an open fire for the rest of eternity or if they have simply displeased God greatly and will suffer some other lower forms of torture for their transgressions. Either way, fundamentalist Christians love that part of the Bible (as do many non-fundamentalists unfortunately). I am going to give them this one for now. So, let's assume for the moment being that insane and grotesque idea is true.

In the same Leviticus, "God" says that anyone who eats shellfish -- shrimp, lobster, crabs -- shall also suffer eternal damnation. If they are in the sea and do not have fins or scales, eating them is ... an abomination! So, if gay guys are such a problem for society, then the evil shrimp-eaters must be just as big a problem, right? How come I don't hear that one talked about in the press so much? Because it shows how absolutely nuts it is to believe in religion.

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/4515 

new thread

23. Joan

I love that cartoon!  Thanks, I hadn't seen it before. 

I have to take a shower after viewing that photo of Rice.  They all wanted revenge before bush's escalation, and I'm sure he'll mention in his speech that progress is being made cuz look at how Saddam was just swinging along.  We got the bad guy; now we can spend 400 years trying to wipe out other bad guys while we fall into a 6th world country of savages ourselves.  Actually, I think it possible the Chinese will eye all our open space for their huge population, stuffed like sardines into their cities. If we have nothing protecting our seaports and borders, what's to prevent  people from coming here for the *better life* and more space to breathe?  The Mexicans are already doing it with impunity.

Far-fetched?  Maybe, maybe not, the way we're going.

Grandchildren should be learning Chinese. 

We really need to stop these neo-cons NOW. 

Pelosi gets a call from me tomorrow. Reid too.

 93. seashell

 "Pelosi says Democrats might deny funding if Bush seeks increase"...

Might?  MIGHT?  No no no, Nancy;  WILL deny funding for an increase.

Pelosi shouldn't make assertions and promises she may not be able to back up or keep.

Remember that there are 40 House NeoDems with a history of collaboraton and a couple of dozen Rahmies elected last November. If they vote with the Republicants, Bush gets his funding and "bipartisan" approval for escalation.

Why do you blame Nader for the people who want to vote for him? What you advocate, is preventing anyone who is a perceived "threat" to your candidate from getting to run for office. If Democratic leaders cannot make an argument of why Nader is not the best progressive to vote for, then trying to ban him from ballot access is just a tyrannical method of fixing votes.

Regarding the other myth, Nader's ego, I know him personally and that is the most false thing people say about him. He has less ego than anyone I have ever met in political life (including Howard and I think Howard is pretty egoless as politicians go). Nader would never have achieve the things he has if his motivation was ego.

Republicans helping gather signatures for Nader...so what? Clearly if the voters want him on the ballot, that is their option regardless of what party. You don't seem to have a problem with the millions Kerry got in donations from prominent Republicans (which Nader did not). So, that is a hypocritical argument. And most of that rumor is a lie anyway. They said that about Arizona and I know for a fact it is a lie because I helped the campaign here and knew exactly where our signatures came from. 

Regarding the "numbers" that you want someone to run for you (apparently you don't believe mine) you can look that up for your self. FEC.GOV lists the election results that year. Cross reference that with the exist polls (MSN I believe had the most comprehensive) and you will get the same numbers I did with no more than + or - 3% variance. 

80 Monica, that would make sense except for the fact in FL you had districts that were overwhelmingly Dem that had thousands of votes not counted and other districts that had more people vote than even registered. That happened in Ohio too both in 2000 and 2004. That is a no brainer to file legal action. Having been involved in my state party Election integrity issues, we have filed suit with much less clear cut evidence. To have 200,000 people registered to vote and 300,000 show up and cast a vote...is pretty clear fraud.