Howard Dean is first!

Has a president ever done that -- walked the line ?

http://www.nypost.com/seven/07222007/news/nationalnews/obama_a_labor_man_nationalnews_.htm

July 22, 2007 -- DES MOINES, Iowa - Barack Obama is telling union activists he would walk a picket line as president if organized labor helps elect him in 2008.

The Illinois senator also criticized President Bush's policies toward working people.

"We are facing a Washington that has thrown open its doors to the most anti-union, anti-worker forces we've seen in generations," Obama said in remarks prepared for delivery last night. "What we need to make real today is the idea that in this country we value the labor of every American."

...

mary vb
Sun, 07/22/07
8:36 am

___________________________________________________________________________

mary,

I think these "young republicans" should fulfill a mandatory 5 year military service commitment o the war on terror and immediately be shipped off to the ME or afghnaistan...........of course, many of these rich young punks are headed for wall street and the golf course under their fathers wings so that wont happen.........................

* rdorgan
Sun, 07/22/07
9:23 am

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

wasnt that a Johny cash tune in the 60s?

Did you see LA v Chelsea?  beckham is overrated imo...........a true England supporter will never forgive hi for his childish kicking incident against argentina in the 1998 w that out them down a man and they eventually lost...........................

Mike -

Yep, "Walk The Line" (great Cash tune).

Indeed, Beckman is way overrated.

I'm waiting to watch the N E Revs versus Houston Dynamo game later today at 4 pm.

Well, I'm off to church.

In the words of Smokey Robinson, in regards to Phil's first post here regarding Howard, "I Second That Emotion".

Hillary Clinton did walk a picket line with the nurses in Dubuque.

AFSME had the meeting this week that brought all of the candidates to Iowa.

like ending the war, standing with workers is another area where the public is ahead of politicians

Kerry would have been well served in Ohio to walk a line to workers whose jobs were threatened with being outsourced if they didn't break

you don't win the Iowa caucuses unless labor views you as a friend, and that is the way it should be 

Feingold would add to any ticket.

I think the reason the corporatists aren't worried about the defeat of Republicans is because they have candidates in both of the major parties.  The assertion that there's no difference between the two parties is wrong.  However, that there's little difference in the purported leadership (party elite) is a fact.

Republican legislators have been supporting what the corporate lobbyists and the guys in the White House hand them.  Democratic legislators will draft their own bills that will please the corporatists.  From the perspective of the corporations, Democrats are actually more efficient because they get stuff done and it doesn't take nearly as much graft. 

New post on Hannah 

http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/lindorff/002

DEMOCRATS ARE THEIR OWN WORST ENEMIES

If it weren't so depressing, it would be entertaining to watch the loathed, ridiculed, and remarkably unpopular Bush administration continue to run circles around the supposedly ascendant Democrats in Congress.

Now that Democrats have provided Bush with full summer funding for his outrageous and doomed escalation of the Iraq War, they are finding themselves incapable of stopping even that affront to the American public, which last November made it clear it wanted this bloody madness in Iraq to end.

Having accepted Bush's terms -- that cutting funds for the war is "undermining the troops" -- the Democrats in Congress are now unable to challenge Bush's new line -- that they should provide even more money to the troops for raises. They are also vulnerable to the new pitch -- that they should "listen to the generals" and give the escalation (still being called a "surge" after 6 full months) until November. All of this is obviously setting the stage for September, when Bush will come back to Congress with a 2008 supplemental funding request to fund the war through the rest of his sorry term of office.

If the Democrats want to escape this trap of their own making, they are going to have to do something that has eluded Democrats for a generation -- really back to the presidency of Lyndon Johnson. They are going to have to stand up and be leaders.

Democrats, to succeed, need to speak forthrightly to the American people and say that while they may have been suckered and intimidated into supporting the war effort for 5 years, they recognize now that it has to stop, and they are going to do it -- for the sake of the troops, for the sake of America, and for the sake of the long-suffering Iraqi people. They also need to declare that the so-called War on Terror, beyond being the failure that it has been called by the latest National Intelligence Estimate, is also a fraud -- one shamelessly and intentionally used to frighten Americans (and their elected representatives) into surrendering freedoms and powers to the executive branch.

Don't hold your breath though. Democrats -- especially those in the leadership, but sadly, also the rest of the back benchers in both houses of Congress -- are, with few exceptions, a spineless lot, so used to being bullied by Republicans that even with the GOP in self-destruct mode, they are still supine, crouched in defensive postures.

Phil,

How would you plan to use any money collected in Act Blue toward Impeachment?
Doesn't sound like a way to create more enthusiasm or bring anyone to our blog. Don't see how it would interest Big Eddie or anyone else to talk about it.

Does a petition or bat in our name sound too controversial or something? Help me here.

Didn't Howard Dean also join the Food/Service/Custodian union picketing at Yale?

11. Which really help cement his relationship with Andy Stern?

Audrey and Seashell, add me to the list.

However, I have a really good idea who would probably cough up the big bucks....someone who is REALLY opposed to AIPAC, Mr. Soros.

I bet he would come out saying, being everyone needs hefty contributions to do anything, he is willing to cough up...said amount...for the DCCC, DSCC if they would do the RIGHT THING AND IMPEACH! :)

Alps town can't take the heat, shuts ski area
Warming experts expect more of the same at lower elevation resorts

AP Warming signals
View images from around the world that show signs of global warming.

Reuters Ice at the edge
View images of Greenland, where coastal edges of its vast ice cap are melting at an alarming rate.




Updated: 10:09 a.m. MT July 19, 2007

ABONDANCE, France - Muddy slopes, slushy peaks, unused lifts — this town in the French Alps is living out the nightmare of many a ski resort in a century scientists say is doomed to keep getting warmer.

The city council of Abondance — its name a cruel reminder of the generous snowfall it once enjoyed — voted last month 9-6 to shut down the ski area that has been its economic raison d'etre for more than 40 years. The reason: not enough snow.

Abondance is the French Alps' first ski station to fall apparent victim to global warming. It will almost certainly not be the last.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19851586/

Bankruptcy concerns
Last week, a commercial court in Lyon put the Transmontagne company, which operates mid-altitude resorts in France, Switzerland, Italy and Slovenia, under bankruptcy protection for the next six months. Warming weather is seen as a key reason for its financial woes.

Not to mention crops, destruction from extreme weather, plane crashes, business being affected around the world and the list goes on.

9.

audrey.nc

I guess it could be called the Cheney Impeachment fund, directing money to go to the DCCC.....no?

mprov...overnight....was that your words?....Beautiful song.

Annilow, no....LOL  NO Manolo Blahnik shoes.  

Talk about spikey..., if these got syrup on it, they would have to be trashed.

audrey

you need a clearing house for credit cards to actually transfer the funds to a bank account

ActBlue is working with DFA.

a bat is a click link to a secure credit card transaction

I thought you were proposing that anyone in the House that signs on to impeachment get a boost in their next FEC report from the grasroots

DFA has a contribute link to impeach Gonzales up right now.

Feingold is going to introduce a censure resolution, a bat for progressive patriots?

Bush signed a executive order allowing him to seize the property of those working against his war policy.

The more successful the bat the more tempted they would be to seize the bank account.

You know how I like to give wedgies, but I wouldn't put an arabic name on the fund to impeach.

More political spin crap from Olympia Snowe. Round and round the mulberry Bush, tra-la.

wonder how "the jihad to end sock puppetry" translates as sharia law to cut off the hand that offends  ...   lol

The conservative seams cracking....Poor David Brooks:

On March 9 he said "we'll know... in a few months whether it works or not."

On March 23 (almost 4 months ago), he said:

Fresh off his hero worship of President Bush, New York Times columnist David Brooks said last night on the PBS Newshour that he’s more confused than ever about Iraq. “Let me say, I’m more uncertain about what to do than I’ve ever been in this war,” he said. “I really have no clue. So I almost have no judgment on what we should do, stay or go. I really am so confused.”

 (Hat tip: Atrios and Think Progress)

13.

Linda,

Feingold on MTP talked about writing another censure resolution against Bush, and perhaps others in the Admin. He said he had talked with Harry  Reid and others about it and they agreed to see what it looked like after it is done.

Yet, big yet, Harry Reid on FTN said, when asked by Shitford, that he probably wouldn't go along with bring up a censure vote.

If you can't get a simple censure vote even brought to the floor in the Senate, just how flat would an impeachment proceeding fall in the House? Frustrating at best!

24.Joan, thanks.  I missed the beginning, turned on to a Mike McConnell spewing RW talking points and had to turn it off.  Too much before I even finished my coffee.

OK, I like THESE!

You all have me searching shoes...Manolo Blahniks at that.

 Like I can afford those puppies. 

It isn't the Democrats in Senate who are funding and supporting the war. It is the Republicans demanding 60 votes for each and every little amendment and bill -- all meant to stall and/or defeat them.

Repugs are practicing, they say, democracy by utilizing the filibuster and then pointing fingers at the Democrats for not getting anything done. The Repugs get away with this because there are just too many uninformed people in this country who don't understand what the holdup really is.

If more of them would tune into C-span 2, if they receive it, the U.S. citizenry would see what's going on. But too many of the do-nothing, learn-nothing citizens still believe Blitzer and Dobbs (preaching the divisive illegal "aliens" spin) are telling it like it is.

Less voters are going to be so naive in 2008. Even if they don't understand that the propaganda, spin, and lies are meant to fool them, they will hopefully beging to understand that if Democrats have a larger, filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, much more could get done.

Al Gore 2008

Still waiting Al

27.

Linda,

I can see me now treadmilling in those cuties. They are all horribly anti-woman shoes, meant to slow down and generally incapacitate:) Very unhealthy shoes for the anatomy in general. 

Plan for your old age now. Get some Nikis for day and dressy low heals for whenevers.

Phil #18

To avoid all of that, I was proposing to simply have a petition stating our purpose of Impeachment including the PLEDGING of campaign donations, the promise rather than the actual transfer of any funds at this time. Donations to be made "honor system" when the Congressperson signs on, and made by the signers of the petition, directly to their campaign fund. The bat would be for inspiration and a tally of how many signed, since we love bats.

It should be a side benefit that we could also use it for some publicity, since hardly anyone knows about DFA except the Progressive community. Someone in hdqtrs. recently told me we should be doing more in this regard.

You lose me when you mention collecting money nd then turning it over to the DCCC or DSCC. Pelosi and Shumer are the problems.

What I proposed. I think, is a good idea. Somebody needs to be doing something more now than just discussing the situation.

DU is getting energized, Sheehan is leading a march to Conyers office to stay until he agrees to impeach. This will happen in some State offices, and there's Conyers statement that he will impeach if he gets three more signers, and the present number is 14.

The pressure is building and it's time to give it a shove. Harry Reid just said that there are too many other things to do now. Well, Harry, there is NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT NOW. Your "other things" have already been vetoed or will be.

 Mike McConnell spewing RW talking points and had to turn it off

Linda, Yep, he gave us a bunch of bahooey at best. Sad that this guy is parading now as the Intelligence for the country.

We muted most of it while waiting for Russ who got all of about seven minutes. Russ still tells it all like it ought to be told -- the truth.

Is this not one of the saddest (scariest?) pics?

linda, there goes my breakfast.............................

watch this, now......................................

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/22/73916/6616

28. Joan LOL

Have plenty of those. The funny thing is, I've always loved heals-even for being as tall as I am. In school, they nicknamed me Palm Tree. LOL



But I do have plenty of (good 4 you) cas. shoes- my birkies, real clunkerss, walking/excercise shoes, etc. But I compromise and still where the heals. Not much these days though, so I don't have a need for buying them like I used to. I find I can wear the higher heals no prob if they have a platform in the front area. If not, it hurts with too high of a heal.

BUT, speaking of running. In Jr Highschool, I ALWAYS wore heals (hence Palm Tree), and we went through a problem period in my school where fighting and rioting was taking place. Pretty nasty too. I remember one time kids used alum. sticks that were used for plants as weapons and I had to walk through a pool of blood with a foot print smeared through it in the hallway. The next day, fighting started again and someone yelled "riot" and I jumped through an opened window and ran home, because I coudln't stand it. (2 miles) wearing those heals. :)

watch this, linda in nm and all my blog friends.

what r u gonna do??

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/22/73916/6616

sorry linda b, :( I didn't eat yet, still nursing my coffee.

watching now...that darn clip of Bush saying "we have found evidence...." He always looks so stupid in that clip that is used too frequently. His fake sincerity is laughable and looks like a Deer-in-the-headlights.

bb

122.

Michael Ellis
Sun, 07/22/07
7:46 am

Reply to this

Good article,about Ron Paul starting to appeal to young people and repubs.......also several CSPAN callers mention his name............this guy could be the Howard Dean of 2008.............

Stay tuned..........
=====================

You badmouth a Democrat like Biden who simply wants a real political solution as we exit, and then you show Dean-like admiration for a right-leaning libertarian.

What have you been drinking or smoking?

linda b, well, I'm crying my eyes out. Oh joy, what a way to start the day. :)

I love...LOVE Sean Penn. He has grown in to such an awesome man.

You badmouth a Democrat like Biden who simply wants a real political solution as we exit

The Iraqis don't give a rat's ass what Biden (or any other American) wants.

It's their country, and an overwhelming majority want us out--NOW!

Why don't we pay attention to what they want?

I love Feingold but his censure measure is toothless. It won't send any message. The Bush cabal know they are above the law -- they've ensured that.

Impeachment is the only option.

7. Phil Specht

Feingold would add to any ticket.

==============
How good can somebody be when their only response to the prognosis for a post-withdrawal Iraq is the same old, same old cliche "things are getting worse with us there" and the other one "polls show they don't want us there"

The Democrats are parroting this cliche as thoughtlessly as they did "Israel has a right to defend itself"

This does not answer the question, and basically says, "who cares? It can't get any worse."

Well, guess what? It can get a lot worse. And the Democrats are setting themselves up for "I told you so" and a burning conscience.

Democrats appear to be sticking their heads in the sand on this question, in spite of the warnings of unbiased observers, who have been there for a long time.

Ignoring warnings of an impending humanitarian disaster doesn't mean we should not leave, but except for Biden and Boxer and a few others, Democrats' answer for this is boiler-plate and it portrays wilful ignorance.

Maybe if we started taking the possibility of total chaos and ethnic cleansing disaster more seriously, we could find a bipartisan solution to getting out with some kind of intelligent political solution. Maybe we could get 2/3 majority and override the President, for exiting Iraq.

Why don't Democrats talk about the variety of political solutions that Bush does not pursue?

Dodd has a plan.

out.

now. 

39.

Huron John

The Iraqis don't give a rat's ass what Biden (or any other American) wants.

==============
You are wrong, John, tribal leaders have shown an interest in a weaker central government and stronger local control.

If we don't orchestrate a neat, three State Federation (as called for in the Iraqi Constitution, if fact,) with the help of the international community and let things evolve with violences, we may end up with 10 or 15 balkanized regions and no central government.

Edwards has a plan.

out.

now. 

Richardson has a plan.

out.

now.

Maybe if we started taking the possibility of total chaos and ethnic cleansing disaster more seriously, we could find a bipartisan solution to getting out with some kind of intelligent political solution.

Kissinger and others were blatting similar warnings about Vietnam 35 years ago. And you know what? there was no bloodbath.

The winners kicked ass and killed a few thousand collaborators, but then things settled down.

It isn't our business to try and stop a bloodbath; a bloodbath is what we have now. Let's leave, and let the Iraqis sort it out, with help from people they ask, not the Pentagon, or Tony freakin' Blair!

41.

Phil Specht
============

That's not a political solution. That's a rallying cry, or a bumper-sticker. I am starting to wonder if Democrats know the difference.

Kucinich has a plan.

out.

now.

We are watching a cow being rescued from a ravine.  They hauled her out on a plywood board.  She's walking on her own--sling still around her belly.

I have no idea why this is on our TV. 

You are wrong, John, tribal leaders have shown an interest in a weaker central government and stronger local control.

That doesn't make me wrong, If that's what they want, that'll work.

Besides, how could the "Central Government" get any weaker than it is now?

It controls nothing--not even the Green zone

The only responsibility the US has is treaty obligations of reparations for damages by an occupier, and no veto of the Security Council Resolutions that bring in the world to fix what we broke.

out.

now.

41.

Phil Specht
===========

The comparison is for Bosnia, not VietNam. There was no impending ethnic cleansing.

Biden isn't suggesting we push the military envelope like Vietnam. Biden is for the so-called "immediate withdrawal" but also wants to see a political solutions and Democrats are avoiding the political solution as much as Republicans are.

The country voted for change. On that issue they are getting more of the same.

48.

Actually, we don't have a blood bath.  The people being killed directly by people who hate them for one reason or another (because they're traitors?) are in a small minority.  Bobms and missiles sent in daily from various aircraft, including unmanned "predators" have been and continue to kill many more.

The air war is going unreported.  What do we think that an airbase that has more "traffic" than O'hare is sending out?  Not to mention the missiles from the carriers in the gulf.

We don't know the half of it yet. 

"intelligent"  ...  and a "political solution" that has our imprint are mutually exclusive

involving ourselves lessens the odds of success

47 Monica
LOL
Much better to create their own news than to report the real news.

Why let facts get in the way.

51.

Huron John

Besides, how could the "Central Government" get any weaker than it is now?

It controls nothing--not even the Green zone

===============
Good question but we need answers. We make it worse by training and arming the central government. It fuels the civil war, because the national forces moonlight as Shiite militia.

The central government is weak because it is partisan. Our political solutions needs to strengthen and support the local security and laws. The international aid and rebuilding needs to go straight to the local areas, not through the central government.

53.

Phil Specht

"intelligent" ... and a "political solution" that has our imprint are mutually exclusive

involving ourselves lessens the odds of success

=================
If led by Congress and not the White House, and included the international community and the UN, it would not be "our imprint" a la Bush.

Email this morning from Russ Feingold:

Yikes!

We absolutely DO need the preview option here on bloggie.

52.

Huron John

"You are wrong, John, tribal leaders have shown an interest in a weaker central government and stronger local control."

That doesn't make me wrong, If that's what they want, that'll work

============
What will work is a splintering of the country into many tribal fiefdoms, fighting each other and with/against regional players for dominance.

We claim to want to Save Darfur and we could be in the process of creating another Darfur, but both the "out now" crowd and the "stay the course" crowd have turned a deaf ear to reason.

33.

Linda NM

I tried heals when I worked in Chi-Town at the Merchandise Mart. Traipsing across grated bridges over the river, up and down slippery stairs, tripping over myself and others to get into the train -- well my affair with heals didn't last long.

Though I am a shorter 5'2" I have noticed that taller women look better in heals than shorter ones. Shorter gals seem to wear them to look taller but they, especially tall clogs, only accentuates how short they are:)

Joan, OH, YES. I always managed to wear loafer when I went in the city and I even used to drive in from the Island.

The smartest idea the ladies adopted...wear heals inside, change to sneakers when walking on the street.

...wonder what my sister's doing right now. She was in Manhattan for a girls w/e this w/e. If I remember our itinerary planning, she was supposed to be having her Brunch at Chris Noths Jazz Club right about NOW! :)



bbl

FRED from OR
Sun, 07/22/07
11:50 am
___________________________________________________________________________

Fred,

As a free thinker I will support any nominee from any party that is in favour of changing this countries foreign policy, which is at the very heart of our troubles.................Paul is no more a wacko than the people that have supported this scewy policy for decdes, Biden one of the major players...............

Fred, as opposed to you I never really partook in the heavy smoking of cannabis............drinking Ive always limited to socialy..................just because your health is poor dont mock those of us that are healthy and so earned it, either by luck or effort.

We claim to want to Save Darfur and we could be in the process of creating another Darfur, but both the "out now" crowd and the "stay the course" crowd have turned a deaf ear to reason.

******************************************

A time-honored propaganda technique is to define two extremes (out-now vs stay- the-course) then advance one's own "centrist" or "moderate" position as a reasonable compromise.

 The supreme irony of the mess that we've made in Iraq is that there is no "made-in-America" solution to it. Any American plan is DOA. That's what makes "Out-starting-now" the only reasonable solution. If the international community wants to step into the void, more power to it.

We didn't make the mess in Darfur, although we've excerbated it by ignoring it. We could participate in, or even lead an international effort to clean up that mess, except we have no troops that aren't otherwise occupied.

What will work is a splintering of the country into many tribal fiefdoms, fighting each other and with/against regional players for dominance.

so???

If we wanted to perform a useful function we could turn over local security to local control.

that is how we do it in America

the same ones who think state police are the way to go in Iraq were the ones that held up aid for Katrina so they could wrest Guard control from Blanco

Phil,

Please see #29 and comment if you get some time.
If we use Act Blue and take donations, can't the money be distributed by DFA? Why the Party?
BBL, going to the Dem picnic.

B-2 Stealths fitted with bunker buster bomb racks

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/22/12522/8170

Happy Birthday to Bob

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. . . . . . . .(_________________________________) . . . . . . . .

Yes! Happy Birthday, Bob! Have a greaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat one!

Rather than impeachment, you can sign onto Russ Feingold's censure resolution, which essentially does the same thing as impeachment but has no legal ramifications. No doubt it would need 60 votes to pass but if the censure gets those votes, the censure will make a huge statement, no only to the WH and to the American people but also be on the record as opposing the Bush Administration's actions.

Censure Resolutions

Millions of Americans agree that the time has come to demand accountability from the President and his administration.

The two censure resolutions that Senator Feingold proposed will hold the President, Vice President, and the administration responsible for the destructive path down which they've taken our country.

The White House can no longer be allowed to shred the constitution, and thumb their nose at the American people.

Over the recent months and years, we've learned that this President, and his administration, have used mistruths, spin, lofty-rhetoric, hyped-up intelligence reports, and scare tactics to drag this country into a war that can only be described as the worst foreign policy mistake in our nation's history.

In addition, the administration, in an attempt to justify this mistake, has repeatedly distorted the situation on the ground in Iraq.

And the President continues to keep our country bogged down in Iraq – in a civil war that has no military solution and actually hurts America's ability to fight those who attacked us on September 11th, 2001.

What's equally dangerous is the blatant disregard President Bush has had for the rule of law on which our country was founded.

Future generations must understand that at a time in our nation's history when the very foundation of our government was threatened, Congress was not silent.

Regardless of whether you are for or against the impeachment of the President, Vice President, and other administration officials, Senator Feingold's censure resolution is a powerful way to hold this administration accountable.

Congress needs to stand up and condemn this administration for their actions.

Americans are demanding accountability and censure is a step in that direction.

It's time for the President and his administration to return to the law.

It also would create no divisive issue as impeachment would, which is exactly what Repugs are looking to have going full blast in the 2008 elections.

http://www.progressivepatriotsfund.com/issues/censure/

Click here to support Russ's censure:

http://www.progressivepatriotsfund.com/input.html

IMO there will be no withdrawing of troops while these maniacs are in office.  We are left with once choice; impeachment.  All this talk about Iraq after and trying to draft a bill putz will sign is  a dangerous waste of time.

Audrey, your post above was spot on.  Going thru Soros and DCCC sounds complicated and I won't put my money there.  It has to go directly to the brave critters who actually get impeachment on the table.  Forget Reid and Pelosi.  We do an end run around their sorry asses.  We need action now, and we don't need intermediaries.  If Soros likes our idea, he can contribute.  Who reads Act Blue daily and why do we need a place to hold our money?  We simply pledge.    

Audrey, would the bat simply be a pledge bat?  That sounds good and then the money is sent directly to the critter who steps up to the plate so to speak.  OK, all in favor....aye.  Do we need 4 bats?  We have to make this sound worthwhile to a critter. If a bat pledge reached 100,000 dollars, would that be split 4 ways?

Who has the clout with HQ to get this rolling and will HQ want to be involved in this?  We have to move fast since Chertoff's gut is roiling!  LOL   We need a pledge bat up somewhere by the end of next week or sooner.

I like Russ, but he's daft to try censure.  Won't work.  Never did. 

What did you call it?  Impeach Cheney bat?  Then when the bat is up, we can inform kos, huffington, moveon etc to have their reading come hit it.   

The Black House will laugh at censure.  We're way past that and I'll write Russ about that.  Jesus, people, we almost done as a country and we're gonna slap their wrists? 

IMPEACH"

Audrey, we need to exchange emails!  Same with Judy, Linda SF and darn, someone else signed on last night and I can't remember who and I'm supposed to leave 5 minutes ago...unless I just changed plans. 

audry, sea, judy, linda sf 

72.

sea

Impeachment alone does NOT remove anyone from office. They must also be convicted by the Senate for that to happen and with this  Senate, that will never happen.

Even impeachment takes time. Read:

December 17, 1999
Web posted at: 6:42 p.m. EST (2342 GMT)
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sunday marks the first anniversary of the House's vote to impeach President Bill Clinton. As House members cast their votes to turn over Clinton's case to the Senate for trial, political observers and citizens alike by and large decried the move as one that had the potential to turn American democracy on its ear. One year later, one might hardly know the entire ordeal happened at all.
Clinton, who endured several harrowing weeks as his case was taken up by the House Judiciary Committee, the full House of Representatives and then the United States Senate, remains comfortably settled in the White House.

Republicans would just love an impeachment proceeding because its devisive nature would help their cause just as Russ Feingold writes above -- in case you didn't bother to read his statement.

This just came in an email.

*********************** 

Check http://www.snopes.com/politics/medical/mastectomy.asp  for validity.

From a nurse:

I'll never forget the look in my patients eyes when I had to tell them they had to go home with the drains, new exercises and no breast.
I remember begging the Doctors to keep these women in
The hospital longer, only to hear that they would, but their hands were tied by the insurance companies.
So there I sat with my patients, giving them the instructions they needed to take care of themselves, knowing full well they didn't grasp half of what I was saying, because the glazed, hopeless, frightened look spoke louder than the quiet 'Thank You they muttered.

A mastectomy is when a woman's breast is removed in order to
remove cancerous breast cells/tissue.
If you know anyone who has had a Mastectomy, you may know that there is a lot of discomfort and pain afterwards.  Insurance companies are trying to make mastectomies an
outpatient procedure.  
There's a bill called the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act which will require Insurance Companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospital stay for patients undergoing a mastectomy. It's about eliminating the 'drive-through mastectomy' where women are forced to go home just a few hours after surgery, against the wishes of their doctor, still groggy from anesthesia and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached.

Lifetime Television has put this bill on their Web page with a petition drive to show your support. Last year over half the House signed on.

Sign the petition by clicking on the Web site below. You need not give more than your name and zip code number.

http://www.lifetimetv.com/breastcancer/petition/signpetition.php

Joan, I fully understand that indictment might never happen.  It's the thought that counts and I've posted an article that said that the House has legal ways to do this speedily.

It's a lie that it takes a lot of time since they don't want the hassle. We need to show the next prez that a dictator is NOT gonna be tolerated by the people or the House.

If we don't do this, if we don't start and let P&P know that we're serious about preserving our Constitution, we're history, plain and simple.

Imagine Guliani with Putz's powers.  Or Hillary. 

Didn't you watch Bill Moyers last week.  It's 11:54 for our democracy. 

Still think that censure goes far enuf?

Bush Executive Order Targets Domestic Assets
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/072207A.shtml
The White House Office of the Press Secretary recently released a new executive order that, according to Truthout Editor Marc Ash, "seeks to circumvent both judicial and Congressional oversight, render[ing] unto the executive branch, and ultimately Mr. Bush, absolute power of law."
 

Pat in Colorado  6         

camouflages what they really look like? When are we going to have the courage to face the world with our real faces? 

________________________________

All I can say Pat is I'm not perfect, but the fewer that know it,the better...So, I'll say, after I'm dead & gone....

62.

Michael Ellis
Sun, 07/22/07
12:58 pm

Fred, as opposed to you I never really partook in the heavy smoking of cannabis............drinking Ive always limited to socialy..................just because your health is poor dont mock those of us that are healthy and so earned it, either by luck or effort.

===============

It was just a humorous question, "what have you been smoking or drinking?"

There was no need to turn it into gut-wrenching personal dig at the unfortunate state of my condition, and daily pain, further insinuating that I have only myself to blame.

My right-wing fascist uncle made the same insinuation once. Among MCS sufferers you will find people wide range of experiences, ages and backrounds. There is no common thread of substance abuse.

My question was germaine to your favorite response, "relax, have a cold one"
Actually, I wish I could have a "cold one" as you suggested, but my body doesn't tolerate alcohol (no, I am not an alcoholic)

You are a haughty one, aren't you? To put it mildly (trying hard to not use obscenity)

You could have simply responded "nothing" but you used it as a unique opportunity to humiliate me personally.

What does that say about your character? Or your political position, for that matter.

62.

Michael Ellis
Sun, 07/22/07
12:58 pm


As a free thinker I will support any nominee from any party that is in favour of changing this countries foreign policy, which is at the very heart of our troubles.................Paul is no more a wacko than the people that have supported this scewy policy for decdes, Biden one of the major players...............

================

Biden has compassion for women, the poor and the disabled. Ron Paul has no place on this blog. He'd sooner see funds cut off for the poor and disabled, and give the multi-nationals a free ride, and has a list of anti-progressive, anti-liberal positions.

Is that where you come from?

Biden was not a major player in the Iraq occupation. That is a lie. He's been against Bush's policy there for years. You don't make one vote for presidential authority responsible for the mess we have now, and the mess we will add to it if we leave without a plan.

Who ?

Punahou :

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19717989/site/newsweek/?from=rss

July 11, 2007 - The 166-year-old Punahou School in Honolulu is justly proud that Sen. Barack Obama is a graduate—along with golfer Michelle Wie and AOL cofounder Steve Case. But the institution, one of the nation's largest independent schools, is just as pleased to be ranked one of the top 10 green schools in America.

Each year The Green Guide, a bimonthly newsletter that the National Geographic Society purchased earlier this year, surveys schools to pick those friendliest to the environment. Using 10 categories including green building and construction, recycling programs, food choices and environmental curriculum, the Guide awards up to 10 points per category, for a maximum of 100 points. Punahou garnered 77.7 points

...

Joan, I read the censure and still say it'll do nothing.  What it's saying is, "You're bad boys!"  We can do better than this.  It will be ignored.  Articles of Impeachment will likely make them sit up and take notice, especially since more than half the country is behind the imp of cheney and the whole world would like to see both of them gone ASAP. 

I say we need bold action.  To not do this, we go fast ist.   It's not that it takes too long;  they're afraid of losing their precious power and such fear will end up with us losing our country completely.  The rich and well-connected live well under fast cism; the rest of us don't.

Guys, stop  arguing.  We have a Constitution to save if it's not already too late.

Just a drive-by after having time to read the thread...

Gravel had a plan to exit Iraq long before any of the others jumped on the bandwagon...it's the only one that will work too...someone has to show some balls though! Not likely huh?

Same old...same old coming from the Dems...I'm sick of the crap being spooned out by them...like I said before, I'll wait until after the primary to decide whether or not I stay in the party...till then other stuff to work on and it ain't working to elect Hillary, Obama or clones thereof.

It may be too late already to stop plutocracy but if I'm fighting for the little guy why would any of the top tier Dems be an option? Ron Paul is a Libertarian Republican and I like more of what he says than most from those of my own party...perhaps because I feel he speaks from the heart?

My suggestion...Dems better go back to their base and fight for them...we use to be the party that had guts and stood for what was right and for all...now it seems they spew the same empty words the repubs do...is it too late already and they know it or are they just trying to be like repubs...saying anything to get elected?

OUT OF IRAQ STARTING NOW!

 I will not vote for any candidate who is not for Impeachment. I will not wait for a party that assumes it will be in  control in 2008. I have the power, not to vote, if you do not Impeach.

OUT OF IRAQ, NOW

http://www.counterpunch.org/

Given their track record it's not implausible to argue, as many do, that by attacking Iran at some point in the coming months Bush and Cheney will try to revive their administration's fortunes and the presently abysmal prospects of Republican candidates--not just the presidential candidate--in the 2008 elections. Even though the ordinary folk are not enthused, there's considerable bipartisan support for such an attack among the political elites.

The Israel lobby has been publicly pushing for it for over a year. Senator Joseph Lieberman recently put up a resolution in Congress stigmatizing Iran as the prime instigator of the deaths of US personnel in Iraq and such supposed Democratic liberals as California's two senators--Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer--voted for it. Last week, around 70 Democrats let it be known they could not approve any plan for Iraq that didn't schedule an immediate start to withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. Good for them, but that leaves two thirds of the Democrats in the House NOT supporting such a plan. Plus every Republican except Ron Paul, the only Republican in the House to vote with the 70-odd Democrats on this issue.

why is al queda gaining strength? when we have pouring billions into homeland security and all we get is a " gut " feeling?

off with their heads.

 Impeachment is off the table? Well my vote will not be in the box on the table.

62.

Michael Ellis
============

We all love to refer to Neville Chamberlain, but Ron Paul's brand of isolationism would have made Neville Chamberlain look like a warmonger.

"...Most historians believe that Chamberlain, in holding to these views, pursued the policy of appeasement far longer than was justifiable, but it is not exactly clear whether any course could have averted war, and how much better the outcome would have been had armed hostilities begun earlier, given that France, as well, was unwilling to commit its forces, and there were no other effective allies: Italy had joined the Pact of Steel, the USSR had signed a non-aggression pact, and the United States was still officially isolationist.

He did, however, abort the proposal of von Kleist and Wilhelm Canaris before the invasion to Austria to eliminate Hitler, deciding instead to play on the edge of the situation: to maintain a strong anti-communist power in Central Europe, with the Nazis, accepting some 'reward' on 'lebensraum' and still 'manage' with Hitler. Chamberlain, who was nicknamed "Monsieur J'aime Berlin" (French for Mr I love Berlin) just before the outbreak of hostilities, remained hopeful up until Germany's invasion of the Low Countries that a peace treaty to avert a general war could be obtained in return for concessions "that we don't really care about". This policy was widely criticised both at the time and since; but given that the French General Staff was determined not to attack Germany but instead remain on the strategic defensive, what alternatives Chamberlain could have pursued are not clear. It is true that he used the months of the Phoney War to complete development of the Spitfire and Hurricane, and to strengthen the RDF or Radar defence grid in Britain. Both of these priorities would pay crucial dividends in the Battle of Britain...."

Chamberlain's biggest "blunder" was this below - in retrospect it can be construed that he helped the Nazis trap the jews for the gas chambers, but the U.S. was also rejecting visas and Roosevelt refused to bomb the railroad to the death camps.

 Palestine White Paper

One of the greatest controversies of Chamberlain's premiership concerned the government's policy on the future of the British Mandate of Palestine. After successive commissions and talks had failed to achieve a consensus, the government argued that the statements in the Balfour Declaration (1917) (that it "view[ed] with favour" a "national home" for Jews in Palestine) now had been achieved since over 450,000 Jews had immigrated there. The MacDonald White Paper of 1939, so named after the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Malcolm MacDonald, was then introduced. It proposed a quota of 75,000 further immigrants for the first five years, with restrictions on the purchase of land.

The White Paper caused a massive outcry, both in the Jewish world and in British politics. Many supporting the National Government were opposed to the policy on the grounds that they claimed it contradicted the Balfour Declaration. Many government MPs either voted against the proposals or abstained, including Cabinet Ministers such as the Jewish Leslie Hore-Belisha.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neville_Chamberlain

Gravel had a plan to exit Iraq long before any of the others jumped on the bandwagon...it's the only one that will work too...someone has to show some balls though!

85.

I agree with you sea, that Impeachment would make them sit up and take notice. But that's all it would do and it would take up so much time, perhaps a year, and accomplish nothing really except to create a divisiveness for Repugs candidates to play on.

I think the time is better used to concentrate on ending this war. My thinking is, after the September report from General Petraeus which I expect will bring nothing but more Bush crap, one of the houses of Congress needs to say "no more money" and that's that. They don't need 60 votes from Repugs. They just need to get busy on other issues and ignore the funding.

If only one house has the balls to do that, then no money will be allogated to continue the war. They will need, however, a smaller amount of $$ to fund the smaller military that will stay in Iraq and Afghanistan. To me that could be another problem: How to keep Bush from using any money lying around anywhere to keep the war going.

You can see why the Dems can't be blamed for trying to deal with a moron with power. It is those who voted for a moron that should be getting all the blame!

87.
Reed in VT
Sun, 07/22/07
4:18 pm

Reply to this

Gravel had a plan to exit Iraq long before any of the others jumped on the bandwagon...it's the only one that will work too...someone has to show some balls though!

.... Ron Paul is a Libertarian Republican and I like more of what he says than most from those of my own party...perhaps because I feel he speaks from the heart?

================

We need MORE BRAINS in our party - NOT MORE BALLS. Testosterone is not our problem. Grey matter is something both the "out now" crowd and "stay the course" crowd is short on.

Biden, Boxer, Hagel, Brownback and a few others, don't suscribe to the igorant goupspeak polarity that contaminates this blog.

91.

linda,

I don't have any figures but I think Homeland Security (if one wants to call it that) has been greatly underfunded by the repugs before Dems got the majority. And, they have not been using what they did get, even on Katrina as we have seen. Repugs are not interested in protecting America, just making war.

Would be interesting to dig out some info about the subject. Lieberman is chair of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security, etc.  Maybe that explains a lot.

Just passing through ... but I don't know why we can't impeach AND get us out of the war.

Most of us are multi-taskers ... I don't know why we shouldn't expect that our Congresscritturs also multi-task.

After all, we already have several Senators who think that they can legislate and run for President at the same time. If they'd put half as much energy into getting impeachment on the table, p & p would not be laughing their way right to the next war.

Which is what they are doing right now ... just as they are taking away our civil liberties as fast as they can.

Impeach Now!

Out of Iraq Now!

And those are the truths and the only truths that I want to hear from these people. And I want to see the actions to go with the truths.

***********
I do know that just slapping their wrists will let them go right along their merry way ... and have their war too.

************
Sorry for the rant, but this is too important to sit back and theorize about. And yes, I signed Feingold's censure motion but I told him that it was NOT enough.

ONLY impeachment will do!

97.

Well "said" Fred.

100.

Joan* In*Florida
==============
Thanks, it's a lonely battle

Fresh off his hero worship of President Bush, New York Times columnist David Brooks said last night on the PBS Newshour that he’s more confused than ever about Iraq. “Let me say, I’m more uncertain about what to do than I’ve ever been in this war,” he said. “I really have no clue. So I almost have no judgment on what we should do, stay or go. I really am so confused.”

Then just shut up -- and let those who had the wisdom and courage to have never followed Bush decide what to do. 

Here is someone who actually argues the case against impeachment quite cogently ... but most of the responders have exactly the same reaction as mine.

False choices ... and why NOT both!

We CAN walk and chew gum at the same time (although I myself don't chew gum) ... but the principle is the same.

==========

http://www.democraticunderground.com/dis...

David Brooks has always been confused. He just didn't realize it until lately.

When Brooks is ready to go over there himself and do the time with the rest of the troops, he can then argue *stay.*

Until then, he's just like the rest of the Rethug warmonger chickenhawks.

Bad bloggie ... I wrote my comment after Sitka's!

********
'Nite all ... I don't get to crawl BACK into bed tomorrow am.

I really wish more bloggers here could find the time and C -Span channels to see what actually goes on in Congress, especially the Senate. A vote for anything at all takes 60 votes there as Repugs filibuster every bill and every amendment that is introduced. They (Repugs) introduce sometimes more than 100 amendments per bill -- all meant to stall everything so nothing gets done. Harry Reid calls for "cloture" (and if you don't know what that means, you might want to consult Wiki) which takes 60 votes also. Pronto, quagmire!

Often in the House of Reps, which doesn't have the filibuster option, the Repugs have their own brand of filibustering by also introducing dozens of amendments. Pelosi has been pretty good at putting stops to that because she has more tools available to her than Reid.

I guess you read the part of my post that you wanted to Fred...and I disagree with your response.
It's my opinion and I'm sticking to it!!!!
Grey matter is something the "out now" crowd have above all.

 I remember when Candidate Dean was in the single digits, and we the people increased our efforts for the cause to take back our country. We the people, not we the party.                    IMPEACH.  Bring them Home NOW.  I will vote for someone who was against impeachment before they were for it. Flip Flop on this and we may get our constitution back, besides our country.

108. Three cheers for Reed!!!

new thread

http://www.blogforamerica.com/view/21593...

New Thread :-)