Howard Dean and the spirit of democracy reign numero uno!

Chris Dodd gets a HOWARDLY from me for his stand on the illegal surveillance.

I'm going to change my pulsepoll vote to reflect my appreciation.

Driving by to say this really ticks me off beyond belief:
===========================
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/10/26...

FEMA staff portrayed reporters at phony press conference
by UncommonSense [Subscribe]

Fri Oct 26, 2007 at 06:28:05 AM PDT

So the news here is reporting that the CA fires were arson.  So...right after 9/11, a cell was broken in Portland OR, so we know that the *terrists* are here and have been for some time. 

I'm gonna go with Faux News on this one and theorize that the arsonists (news says maybe 5) could have been terrorists of one brand or another, rather than a careless camper.   The BH would never admit that, since the fear mongering is built around the *gotta fight em there or they'll follow us home* crap.  It may even have been an inside job.

I'm not intending to fear monger...but if I were a nasty person wanting to damage the US, I'd do stuff like this and mess with the health of the food and water supply - which of course is already being done - out of neglect or on purpose I don't know.  I do know that I trust the BH to do everything it can do make money thru disasters and has proven that it starts disasters for that very reason, ie Iraq - Iran maybe next.  And who'd gonna profit from the fires?

Who made gazillions from Katrina?

Putz is Osama's best ally.

And then there's air quality which is seeping over to Las Vegas.

Prayers for all those who lost so much.  And fire already ravaged homes there 4 years ago...so what to do?  Portland is a Mecca for Californians but we have not enuf roads to handle another huge influx and the car pollution is substantial already and freeways are beginning rush hour at 1 or 2 PM, something that never happened when I moved there 10 years ago.

We really need to start a serious population explosion program. I don't mean right here in PDX, (but I wouldn't oppose that) but at a world level.  The planet is groaning and hurting and complaining loudly.  And no wonder..............

Suzanne Harris
Fri, 10/26/07
9:23 am

Yes, but will Gore heed the call and enter the race? You can't win until you enter.

Although it may be "smart" politics to stay on the sidelines, what about making the case to voters? Democracy is about running for office and saying what you will do.

There are many issues which we need to know about re. Al Gore. November 1st is the start of deadlines to get on the ballot....

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1602

""The bloggers and online donors represent an important resource for the party, but they are not representative of the majority you need to win elections," said Steve Elmendorf, a Democratic lobbyist who advised Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign.

"The trick will be to harness their energy and their money without looking like you are a captive of the activist left."

floridagal, I think we are being punked by our own.  the sob's will use anyone.

the last throes of the dlc is getting ready to roll over and die. thank god.

Here we go again. The conf. is going to be early this year. Heads up DFA

Register by December 30 to save on costs and secure yourself a spot at Take Back America 2008, the premier progressive event of the year!

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That power comes from you. And we need you at Take Back America 2008.

6.

seashell :-)
Fri, 10/26/07
10:23 am

........
Putz is Osama's best ally.
........

----------

...nope Sea.
They ARE real and true enemies.

Chris Dodd will be a guest on Meet the Press this Sunday.

Three cheers for CNN's Jack Cafferty!!!

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Cafferty_F...

Time to overthrow Bush.

4. As did I! My huge problem with Dodd is his WRONG vote on the war -- but at this point - out of all the mainstream candidates I like him the best.

 "It's not like anybody gave President Bush any of these powers -- he took them, as a brain-dead Congress just stood there and watched."

___________________________________________________________________________

Cowards...............

Florida is going to start requiring the teaching of evolution.   It is about time. 

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1603

Repost because of dead link above.  Never forget the words of Steve Elmendorf. 

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1602

""The bloggers and online donors represent an important resource for the party, but they are not representative of the majority you need to win elections," said Steve Elmendorf, a Democratic lobbyist who advised Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign.

"The trick will be to harness their energy and their money without looking like you are a captive of the activist left."  

When the issues are polled, the base of the Party is the true mainstream. We need to squelch this DLC talk that we are far left.

Also, when the issues are listed without candidate names, Kucinich, or a couple of others similar are chosen.

The Dem Pols moved to the right, but it looks like most of the people never did as far as their values were concerned. We need to feel comfortable in being in the mainstream and exploit it and fight. We're not far left by a long shot, and Dems who chase after Indys wearing Bushy costumes make a big mistake.

Quiet Friday...

So, to drum up some discussion -- 23 proposed Constitutional Amendments from Larry Sabado of the University of Virginia.  I neither support or reject any of them, although I have posted in the past on some of these topics:

Congress: 
1. Expand the Senate to 136 members to be more representative: Grant the 10 most populous states 2 additional Senators, the 15 next most populous states 1 additional Senator, and the District of Columbia 1 Senator.

2. Appoint all former Presidents and Vice Presidents to the new office of “National Senator.”

3. Mandate non-partisan redistricting for House elections to enhance electoral competition.

4. Lengthen House terms to 3 years (from 2) and set Senate terms to coincide with all Presidential elections, so the entire House and Senate would be elected at the same time as the President.

5. Expand the size of the House to approximately 1,000 members (from current 435), so House members can be closer to their constituents, and to level the playing field in House elections.

6. Establish term limits in the House and Senate to restore the Founders’ principle of frequent rotation in office.

7. Add a Balanced Budget Amendment to encourage fiscal fairness to future generations.

8. Create a Continuity of Government procedure to provide for replacement Senators and Congresspeople in the event of extensive deaths or incapacitation.

Presidency:
9. Establish a new 6-year, 1-time Presidential term with the option for the President to seek 2 additional years in an up/down referendum of the American people.

10. Limit some Presidential war-making powers and expand Congress’s oversight of war-making.

11. Give the President a line-item veto.

12. Allow men and women not born in the U.S. to run for President or Vice President after having been a citizen for 20 years.

Supreme Court:
13. Eliminate lifetime tenure for federal judges in favor of non-renewable 15-year terms for all federal judges.

14. Grant Congress the power to set a mandatory retirement age for all federal judges.

15. Expand the size of the Supreme Court from 9 to 12 to be more representative.

16. Give federal judges guaranteed cost of living increases so pay is never an issue.

Politics:
17. Write a new constitutional article specifically for the politics of the American system.

18. Adopt a regional, staggered lottery system, over 4 months, for Presidential party nominations to avoid the destructive front-loading of primaries.

19. Mend the Electoral College by granting more populated states additional electors, to preserve the benefits of the College while minimizing the chances a President will win without a majority of the popular vote.

20. Reform campaign financing by preventing wealthy candidates from financing their campaigns, and by mandating partial public financing for House and Senate campaigns.

21. Adopt an automatic registration system for all qualified American citizens to guarantee their right to vote is not abridged by bureaucratic requirements.

Universal National Service:
22. Create a Constitutional requirement that all able-bodied young Americans devote at least 2 years of their lives in service to the country.

National Constitutional Convention:
23. Convene a new Constitutional Convention using the state-based mechanism left to us by the Framers in the current Constitution.

Looks like the Pulse Poll has lost it's pulse. for hours only registering a very slight rise in numbers for Richardson. and a .01 decline for Edwards, everyone else is resting.

A blast from the past from me on the Constitution...

It's time to reorganize the Congress.

The House of Representatives has been stuck at 435 members for close to a century, resulting in members of the "People's House" who barely know the people, and whose campaigns cost so much, they spend all their time talking to contributors, not voters. This was not the intent of the founders, as can be seen by reading the Constitution.

The Senate's "all states are equal" status are a vestige of the Articles of Confederation. Years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that election districts should represent "one person - one vote". That is grossly violated in the Senate, and because our electoral system for President allocates Electoral votes according to representation in the House and Senate, less populated states are grossly overrepresented in the selection of the President.

Under the original Constitution, the Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty thousand. If that held today, Congress would number over 9800. Needless to say, the "People's House" is more remote from the people than it was then, and so long as membership is frozen at 435, it continues to grow more remote. The only thing stopping us from having 1000, or even 10,000 Representatives is the size of the House chamber. In this era of electronic voting and networks that is not an issue, except for ceremonial occasions like the State of the Union, which could take place at a sufficiently large auditorium away from the Capitol if necessary.

Senate

The Senate's "two Senators for every state regardless of size" is in marked contrast to "one person-one vote". Instead, one person in a small state may have 50 times the representation of one person in California. Senators should be allocated to the states by population, with the smallest states having one, and the larger ones allocated Senators by population. The size of the Senate should be enlarged to accomplish this, although not beyond a certain point in order to maintain the smaller and more collegial atmosphere of the upper house.

Rich....

I have to object to no. 2. We could have a
Pres.that we might not want to ever see or hear from again. Could happen.

Yes, but will Gore heed the call and enter the race? You can't win until you enter.

You can if everyone writes in Gore or supports him in the caucuses.

optimist that I am. . .

I'll be wearing my Run Al, Run T-shirt in my caucus.

audrey

Hillary has a large e-mail list and will jump 3-4000 as soon as her message goes out, just like the others.

I have to object to no. 2

I've actually gotten that far (not much further yet) in Sabado's book.  He does take into account the case where a former President/ VP has been impeached and convicted, or convicted of a crime, they would not qualify for the "National Senator" role.  Roughly, what he proposes is:

The position would be offered to former Presidents/VPs.

The would have four years to accept (to give them some time to decompress after being President (or make some money - not Sabado's words...mine).

Once you said no/resigned from the post, you are done.

The appointment is lifetime or until you resign, given good behavior (actually, he doesn't say that last part, which is a weakness of the proposal).

One of the things I'm wonder is would the lack of a need to run for the office make a person less beholden to the money men, or would a "National Senator" just set up a PAC/527 and become the chief money distributor for his or her party? 

if she sends one....

Hillary has a large e-mail list and will jump 3-4000 as soon as her message goes out, just like the others.

Hey, I still have an old Dean mailing list.  We could write him in :-).

rich

I hate internal contradictions.

~4. Lengthen House terms to 3 years (from 2)

option for the President to seek 2 additional years in an up/down referendum

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

Sabado sets up a three year House term to match up with a six year Presidential term and then gives voters of an uneven extension

on the merits, 3 years is a long time for a lame duck   

Don't be too sure Hillary wants to do well in this poll. Being snubbed by a reform org like DFA will impress her DLC cronies, and some Republicans who seem to have decided she's not really so bad.

Phil,

I disagree with Sabado's trying to "line up" all the elections.  I think having the Presidency, Senate and House all on different schedules is a good thing. In fact, I might support moving the House elections to odd numbered years. 

i think its better to get rid of "ALL" term limits and then go with clean money for all offices. this sabado fellow has some strange notions about how to get to more fair and representative if you ask me. senators, for example, represent states, not people. therefore population isn't a factor. it would be a major change to be otherwise. courts don't "represent" anyone. and for a good look at a 6 year pres., go no further than mexico. seems every one of their ex-pres' get indicted.

Hillary needs to come back to the blogospere and explain her Iran war resolution vote especially since Wes Clark endorsed and then sends out this message:

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

Yesterday, the AP reported that the Bush-Cheney Administration has instituted "sweeping new sanctions against Iran Thursday -- the harshest since the takeover of the U.S. Embassy in 1979 -- charging anew that Tehran supports terrorism in the Middle East, exports missiles and is engaging in a nuclear build up."

There are 3 choices in dealing with Iran. You can engage them. You can isolate them. Or you can attack them.

These sanctions could be part of any of the 3 strategies. The sanctions themselves can only be evaluated within the context of the overall policy. Currently, the administration has chosen a path of isolation with the threat of an attack.

This is the wrong strategy. The Bush-Cheney Administration's failure to use diplomacy in conjunction with these sanctions is unlikely to change Iran's behavior.

Please join VoteVets.org and me.  Send a message to President Bush to use diplomacy to deal with Iran. War is not the answer.

http://StopIranWar.com

The AP reported that Condoleezza Rice says Washington remains committed to "a diplomatic solution" and open to negotiations with Iran. Yet the Bush Administration refuses to speak with Iran unless the Iranians pre-emptively surrender their interests. This is not likely to happen, and the Administration will be left with two options: a nuclear Iran or war.

Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) stated yesterday:

"Unilateral sanctions rarely, ever work...I just don't think the unilateral approach and giving war speeches helps the situation. It will just drive the Iranians closer together...It escalates the danger of a military confrontation."

Diplomacy is about carrots and sticks. Unfortunately, the Administration seems to believe it only has sticks. They have continued their saber-rattling, and without diplomacy, the announced sanctions only serve to escalate the tensions between the U.S. and Iran.

Tell President Bush it is time to begin direct dialogue without conditions. War with Iran is not the answer. Send a letter to President Bush today.

http://StopIranWar.com

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Wes Clark

mary, I too like Dodd, as a person, but I can't get over his record that doesn't match where he is now.

Too many votes son't give me the confidence he would use different decisions as president, like Iraq War, patriot Act, Patriot Act 2, Justice Roberts AND ALITO.

But at least he didn't support Liebermans Nuke Bill.



...just in from NH....OUCH!

"Obama: focus on early states paying off

By Shir Haberman
shaberman@seacoastonline.com
October 24, 2007 6:10 PM

PORTSMOUTH — Speaking about the consensus among “inside-the-Beltway” political pundits that New York Sen. Hillary Clinton is a virtual shoo-in for the Democratic presidential nomination, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama quipped, “I was talking to President (Howard) Dean about this.”
http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs....

Rich....28.

Let's do write Howard in. I already have.

Why not the best?

He's already making arrangements to leave DNC for the anointed new Pres. So, he'll be available. Howard come home, we want you to be our President.

Linda,

At least for a while, we will be hearing the "President Dean" jokes.  At least until someone else builds up a big lead and then loses...or we elect President Dean. 

Some recent polls that show even compared to the existing candidates, that have been campaigning any where from almost a year, to over 5 years, Al Gore has the strongest numbers without yet being a candidate.

He holds best hope for the Democrats, the General and our WORLD.

And I hope he sees the support to help him decide he should seek the Presidency.


Starting here in New Mexico:
Data Collected: 10/12/2007 - 10/14/2007
Release Date: 10/22/2007 9:15 AM ET
48% Giuliani
47% Clinton
6% Undecided

50% McCain
43% Clinton
6% Undecided

45% Giuliani
49% Gore
6% Undecided

IOWA

43% Giuliani
48% Clinton
9% Undecided


42% Giuliani
51% Gore
7% Undecided

CBS Natonal Poll-just released, and THIS IS INCREDIBLE. Not yet being a
candidate,

In a hypothetical three-way contest, 51 percent of Democratic primary
voters choose Clinton as the nominee. That's the highest percentage since
CBS News started asking the question in the spring and an increase of
seven points from September. Twenty-three percent back Sen. Barack Obama,
while 13 percent support former Sen. John Edwards.


When former Vice President Al Gore, who has not entered the race, is added
as a choice for the Democratic nomination, he emerges as a serious
contender. Gore garners support of 32 percent of Democratic primary
voters, while Clinton gets 37 percent, Obama 16 percent, and Edwards 7
percent.


Time for a COOL change,
Gore
2008



Ref:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/2...
http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollRepo...
http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollRepo...

Hillary thinks of herself as one of us ( a member of the anti-war progressive wing).

and she isn't the one with personal problems with Howard of her crew

there was nothing personal about them backing Clark so as to bring down Dean

she might give it a try and come over here with a message, you can bet at some level the campaign is vetting the pros and cons

if for no other reason than floridagal's quote above

rich

I like your ideas on those subjects better than Sabado's

I hope you're the one elected to the next Constitutional Convention from your state.

I want a Privacy Amendment, and then the subject of this front post would be clearly unconstitutional (not that it isn't now)

I'm forgiven b/c I'm sick, but Monica I just realized this was 1) your diary and 2) well written and 3) right on.

ON TOPIC for maybe the first time ever, I saw this headline on capitalnews.org

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/whit...

White House to let committee leaders see surveillance docs
By Manu Raju
October 26, 2007
The White House will allow Senate Judiciary Committee leaders to see documents on the Bush administration’s secret surveillance program in an effort to win their support for legal immunity for telecommunications firms that allegedly participated in the program.

33.

Phil Specht
Fri, 10/26/07
1:03 pm

Hillary needs to come back to the blogospere and explain her Iran war resolution vote especially since Wes Clark endorsed and then sends out this message:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"
...
There are 3 choices in dealing with Iran. You can engage them. You can isolate them. Or you can attack them
.........
Diplomacy is about carrots and sticks....

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Wes Clark
--------------

Hillary "needs...to explain"...but not Wes Clark?

Sickened mindset should expect appropriate respond (presumably not only from Iran). Such a mindset is a tough desease..., no sign in sight "progressives" want to get America rid of it.

Phil,

It seems to be one of the topics dejour.  In addition to Sabado's book (A More Perfect Constitution), there's at least one other (Our Undemocratic Constitution) on the same subject. 

It's a topic worth discussing.  I used to be one of those people scared to death of a Constitutional Convention, but I'm getting less so, particularly since anything which came out of it would still have to be ratified by 3/4 of the states (unless the new convention took the 1789 model too seriously).

ON TOPIC for maybe the first time ever

~~~~~

Annilow

you know someone is new here when they comment about how no one on topic

Here's an amendment I'd favor, in an area Sabado ignores...

Federal Election Day shall be universally be from 10pm Eastern Time the first Monday of an election year, until 10pm Eastern Time the first Tuesday. Federal Elections shall use a common balloting method which provides recountable verification of individual ballots.

HEY RICH, IT IS LARRY SABATO, NOT SABADO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Went to his seminar in richmond a few months ago. got to talk to him bout stuff.

43. LOL - and if your ears are burning Phil, I'm making a pot of chili tonight thanks to you :~)

Phil,.....

During the last convention, Hillary was asked by a reporter what she thought of Howard Dean's idea of reforming the Party. She had a visible hissy fit and literally spat back at him that there was nothing wrong with the Dem Party, it is just fine the way it is, and turned and walked away from the reporter. I have it on tape, nothing personal? I think the DNC chr. serves at the wishes of a new Pres.

HEY RICH, IT IS LARRY SABATO, NOT SABADO!!!!!!!!!!!!

OOPS!  

However, I must give a shout out to Senator Dodds excellent "tools" website. Very handy and well done.

I think the DNC chr. serves at the wishes of a new Pres.

In theory no, it's a vote of the DNC.  In practice, yes, a President gets the party chair he (or she) wants.  If Hillary wins, I'd expect Howard to step down.  I'd also expect whoever takes over to go back to the corporate-based, 18 state, consultant ads theory of running the party, which is why I was never in favor of Howard becoming DNC chair in the first place.  He could have spent the past four years building this organization as his base for a 2008 run instead.

sorry for shouting but larry would want me to.

linda,

I'm sure he's interesting to talk to.  I'm not too far into his book yet.  I'll have to admit he turned me off a bit in his preamble where he talked about most Americans being centrists.  I agree with most (not all) of his problems with the Constitution.  I agree with fewer of his solutions.

Ultimately, the question is not what the amendments are, but whether we should have a Constitutional Convention at all, since the Convention will ultimately set its own agenda.  I used to be strongly against.  I'm now leaning in favor. 

And I want to give a shout out to Miss Activism, Linda b!!!!


bbl

Rich.....

I too didn't want howard to go to the DNC. I do think that this organization has grown in maturity, and others would join in to create the base necessary for his run. Especially if he would come in late and Gore doesn't enter.

One of the side effects of all the rain we're (finally) getting in Virginia -- I keep having to put my lawn signs back up after they are knocked down by the rain/wind.  It's worth it.

Weather like this reminds me to make sure my "beach umbrella" is ready for election day pollworking. 

audrey.nc
Fri, 10/26/07
1:47 pm
__________________________________________________________________________

Count me in......maybe we can go back to "rolling our shirt sleeves up" and fighting, instead of laying back like Mr Nice Guy..................

ON TOPIC for maybe the first time ever

~~~~~

Annilow

you know someone is new here when they comment about how no one is on topic

40 - Annilow, Monica aways writes well.  I have many of her articles in hard copy so that I can refer to them whenever I need to.

audrey,

At this point, I don't think anyone but Al Gore could come in and make a difference.  If there's a big split after Iowa/NH/NV/SC I could be wrong, but I don't know whether there would still be an opportunity to get on the February 5th ballots at that point.  This is one of the problems with frontloading.

Nope, if Howard wants to run again, he has to wait until 2012 or 2016.  If he wanted to run this time, he needed to spend the past four years building his organization.

 WTH I hit refresh and it reposted my last comment.

I'm coming and going unloading round bales of cornstalks as they arrive in the driveway so don't mind me if I don't respond, I'll be back.

Gore could pick Howard as a VP choice though.

I think part of the reason now for pressure to crowd the calendar is increasing rumblings of a Gore entry.

I'm going to vote to keep Iowa mid-January when the SCC meets to talk about what to do about the Republican jump to Jan.3rd.

conventional wisdom here is that an earlier date will benefit Edwards

One of the side effects of all the rain we're (finally) getting in Virginia -- I keep having to put my lawn signs back up after they are knocked down by the rain/wind.  It's worth it.

Weather like this reminds me to make sure my "beach umbrella" is ready for election day pollworking. 

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

speaking of which, I just put your list of things to bring on election day in my files for our precinct workers. for all 25 precincts in Newport News. election day is right around the corner.

Michael....

We could do it. If not before, then at the convention if there is no clear choice, during one of his long standing ovations someone screams out "we want Dean", and starts the stampede., and if we get enough of our Delegates there.

The leaders in Europe and others have said they are waiting for a "Howard Dean America".

SO AM I.

rich, I call sabato quirky to say the least. but interesting.

-----------

each year he allows only about 20 students into one of his political issue classes.

each student has to write an essay to get in.

one student only wrote one word. that word was MACACA.

THAT GUY WHO ALLEN RIDICULED IS AT UVA AND HE IS NOW A SABATO PROTEGE.

COOL.

Yeah - bucking the UN - Bush is putting financial sanctions on Iran.  TOO LATE!   He is so predictable that everyone knows how to deal with him.   THEY play chess.

WHO is Sanctioning WHO?  or is that Whom...  hmmmm

The last week brought sad news for the White House. To begin with, Japanese companies agreed to make payments in yens for Iran’s crude imports last Tuesday. The Japanese had previously paid for Iranian oil in the U.S. dollar. In fact, Iran had earlier signed an agreement on the yen payments for its crude exports with a number of small-sized Japanese refineries. Two leading Japanese oil exporters of Iranian crude joined the agreement last Tuesday. Japan is one of the world’s major oil exporters. The country has sent a clear message to the global oil market by switching to the yen in its payments for Iran’s oil.

From the technical point of view, it would be more difficult for the United States to block such accounts in a Japanese bank.

linda b

that is a great story

the power of a single word

Isreali Foreign Minister Says Iran NO THREAT

Israeli Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni said a few months ago in a series of closed discussions that in her opinion the Iranian nuclear weapons do not pose an existential threat to Israel, Haaretz magazine reveals in an article on Livni to be published tomorrow.

Livni also criticized the exaggerated use that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is making of the issue of the Iranian bomb, claiming that he is attempting to rally the public around him by playing on its most basic fears.  

I've seen Sabato on the NewsHour as a guest. at least he is thinking about some important issues, probably a good prof.

my son signed up for a poetry writing class with Andre Codrescu  I had told him about the interesting conversation I had with Andre when he came through here making a film, and encouraged him to take the class, my son works at the Southern Review and gets to read all kinds of unpublished poetry, and has an interest  http://codrescu.com/bio/index.html

the professor makes up half the knowledge gained in most classes

claiming that he is attempting to rally the public around him by playing on its most basic fears.

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

worked to get Bush re-elected

It's Friday!

Yes we’re  stuck in the middle with Fool,
All wondering what it is we can do,
It's so hard to keep the frowns from our faces,
Losing control? Yeah in all of these places,
Clowns to the left of us,

Rendition of Stealers Wheel, Stuck in the Middle With You : )

NCEC Launches 2008 Candidate Center Website

We are proud to announce our updated website featuring NCEC's Candidate Center. In the Candidate Center you can find information on all candidates running for federal office and NCEC's analysis of competitive House and Senate races as well as a state-by-state analysis of the 2008 presidential race. In the near future the Candidate Center will include links to campaign finance information and current polling. Please take a look and tell us what you think.

http://www.ncec.org/

Islamofascist push to collapse the west so they can establish a caliphate

a big Halloween boo!!!

Phil wrote "I'm going to vote to keep Iowa mid-January when the SCC meets to talk about what to do about the Republican jump to Jan.3rd. conventional wisdom here is that an earlier date will benefit Edwards.’

Can you explain how or why a delegate, selected in an Iowa caucus which takes place any earlier than 22 days before the first Tuesday of February 2008, will be certified at the national convention or, just as importantly, why Iowa would be permitted to have pre-caucus visits from the Democratic candidates, if its caucus is scheduled before January 14th?

It’s beyond my comprehension how having his caucus delegates be uncertified benefits Edwards.

If a song could be president
We’d hum on Election Day
The gospel choir would start to sway
And we’d all have a part to play

The first lady would free her hips
Pull a microphone to her lips
Break our hearts with Rhythm and Blues
Steve Earle would anchor the news

We’d vote for a melody
Pass it around on an MP3
All our best foreign policy
Would be built on harmony

If a song could be president
We’d fly a jukebox to the moon
All our founding fathers’ 45’s
Lightnin’ Hopkins and Patsy Cline
If a song could be president

If a song could be president
We could all add another verse
Life would teach us to rehearse
Till we found a key change

Break out of this minor key
Half-truths and hypocrisy
We wouldn’t need an underachiever-in-chief
If a song could be president

We’d make Neil Young a Senator
Even though he came from Canada
Emmylou would be Ambassador
World leaders would listen to her

They would show us where our country went wrong
Strum their guitars on the White House lawn
John Prine would run the FBI
All the criminals would laugh and cry
If a song could be president

WUFT FM Classical Friday afternoon trivia question (don't look it up):

Orson Welles asked this French composer to score his 1948 film adaptation of Macbeth. Name the composer.

72.

Phil Specht
Fri, 10/26/07
2:28 pm


Islamofascist push to collapse the west so they can establish a caliphate

a big Halloween boo!!!
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maybe...if under "caliphate" they do not mean "something" where...People "have power".

Annilow wrote "WUFT FM Classical Friday afternoon trivia question (don't look it up)"

All right, but if I don't look it up, I won't know the answer.

67.

Sam Ross
Fri, 10/26/07
2:11 pm


Isreali Foreign Minister Says Iran NO THREAT
.....
--------

!!!

Some Jews able of having (at least sometimes..., at least temporarily?..., lol) "common sense" understand horror prospectives Bush&Co's exploitation of "Judeo-Christian values", Holocaust, "Israel rights to exists", etc., etc.

Slowly they too beginning to realize that interests of Jewish people (as ANY other People!) ARE VERY LAST (if at all) on this Co.'s agenda.

What a surprise!!!

Here's Dodd's speech on the Senate floor--

Mr. President, for six years, this President has demonstrated time and time again that he doesn’t respect the role of Congress nor does he respect the rule of law.



Every six years as United States Senators we take the oath office to uphold the Constitution. Our colleagues on the House side take that oath every two years. That is important.



For six years this President has used scare tactics to prevent the Congress from reining in his abuse of authority. A case and point is the current direction this body appears to be headed as we prepare to reform and extend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.



Many of the unprecedented rollbacks to the rule of law by this Administration have been made in the name of national security.



The Bush Administration has relentlessly focused our nation’s resources and manpower on a war of choice in Iraq. That ill conceived war has broken our military, squandered resources and emboldened our enemies.



The President’s wholesale disregard of the rule of law has compounded the damage done in Iraq and has made our nation less secure and as a direct consequence of these acts, we are less secure, more vulnerable and more isolated in the world.



Consider the scandal at Abu Ghraib – where Iraqi prisoners were subjected to inhumane and humiliating acts by U.S. personnel charged with guarding them.



Consider Guantanamo Bay. Rather than helping to protect the nation, the prisons at Guantanamo Bay have instead become the very symbol for our weakened moral standing in the world.



Consider the secret prisons run by the CIA and the practice of extraordinary rendition that allows them to evade U.S. law regarding torture.



Consider the shameful actions of our outgoing Attorney General who politicized prosecutions – who was more committed to serving the President who appointed him than the laws he had sworn to uphold.



And consider, of course, the Military Commissions Act – a law that allows evidence obtained through torture to be admitted into evidence.



It denies individuals the right to counsel.



It denies them the right to invoke the Geneva Conventions.



And it denies them the single most important and effective safeguard of liberty man has known – the right of habeas corpus, permitting prisoners to be brought before a court to determine whether their detainment is lawful.



Warrantless wiretapping, torture – the list goes on.



Each of these policies share two things in common.



First, they have weakened our ability to prosecute the global war on terrorism – if for no other reason than they have made it harder, if not impossible, to build the international support and cooperation we need to fight it.



And second, each has only been possible because Congress has not been able to stop this President’s unprecedented expansion of executive power, although some in this body have tried.



Whether or not these policies were explicitly authorized is beside the point. In every instance, Congress has been unable to hold this Administration to account for violating the rule of law and our Constitution. In each instance, Republicans in the Congress have prevented this body from telling this Administration that “a state of war is not a blank check.”



And those aren’t my words, Mr. President – those are the words of Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor who was nominated by Ronald Reagan.



And today, it appears that we are prepared to consider the proposed renewal of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act – a law that in whatever form it eventually takes will almost certainly permit the Bush Administration to broadly eavesdrop on American citizens.



Legislation, as currently drafted, that would grant retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies that helped this Administration violate the civil liberties of Americans and the law of this country.



Mr. President while it may be true that the proposed legislation is an improvement on existing law, it remains fundamentally flawed because it fails to protect the privacy rights of Americans or hold the Executive or the private sector accountable if they choose to ignore the law.



That is why I will not stand on the floor of the United States Senate and be silent about the direction we are headed.



It is time to say “no more.”



No more trampling our Constitution.



No more excusing those who violate the rule of law.



These are our principles.



They have been around at least since the Magna Carta.



They are enduring.



What they are not is temporary. And what we do not do in a time where our country is at risk is abandon them.



My father was Executive Trial Counsel at the Nuremberg trials of Nazi war criminals during 1945 and 1946.



What America accomplished at those historic trials wasn’t a foregone conclusion. It took courage – when Stalin and even a leader as great and noble as Winston Churchill wanted to simply execute the Nazi leaders, we didn’t back down from our belief that these men—as terrible as they were—ought to have a trial.



We did not give in to vengeance.



As then, the issue before us today is the same.



Does America stand for all that is still right with our world? Or do we retreat in fear?



Do we stand for justice that secures America? Or do we act out of vengeance that weakens us?



Mr. President, I am well aware that this issue is seen as political. I believe that Democrats were elected to strengthen the nation – elected to restore our standing in the world.



I believe we were elected to ensure that this nation adheres to the rule of law and to stop this Administration’s assault on the Constitution.



But the rule of law is not the provenance of any one political party – but of every American who has been safer because of it.



Mr. President, I know this bill hasn’t even been reported out of the Judiciary Committee yet.



But I am here today because if I have learned anything in my 26 years in this body—particularly during the last 7 years—it is that if you wait until the end to voice your concerns, you will have waited too long. That is why I have written to the Majority Leader informing him that I will object to any effort to bring this legislation to the Senate floor for consideration.



I hope that Senator Leahy is able to remove this language – he is a dear friend and I know his respect for the rule of law runs deep.



But if he cannot, I am prepared to filibuster this bill.



President Bush is right about one thing: this debate is about security. But not in the way he imagines.



He believes we have to give up certain rights to be safe.



I believe the choice between moral authority and security is a false choice.



I believe it is precisely when you stand up and protect your rights that you become stronger, not weaker.



The damage that was done to our country on 9/11 was stunning. It changed the world forever.



But when you start diminishing our rights as a people, you compound that tragedy. You cannot protect America in the long run if you fail to protect our Constitution. It is that simple.



Mr. President, history will likely judge this President harshly for his war of choice and for fighting it with a disregard for our most cherished principles.



But history is about tomorrow. We must act today to stand up for the Constitution and the rule of law.



Mr. President, this is the moment. At long last, let us rise to it.

 

Can you explain how or why a delegate, selected in an Iowa caucus which takes place any earlier than 22 days before the first Tuesday of February 2008, will be certified at the national convention or, just as importantly, why Iowa would be permitted to have pre-caucus visits from the Democratic candidates, if its caucus is scheduled before January 14th?

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

the short answer no

so my vote will be no to move the date

75.

Jacque Ibert

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

77. LOL Tom, I never even heard of Jacques Ibert - usually I've at least heard of the answer when they announce it.

Well, it seems the house in VA found a tenant.  In this case it was literally a case of the early worm.  If this one falls through, the Iraqis are waiting.  They made up their mind just a little later than the other gal.  I have to admit to a bit of prejudice in favor of someone who's been living in Vermont.  Also, she's got a boy friend whom she's planning on putting to work around the house.  We'll see.  I don't make deals of the "labor for rent" variety.  The rent reflects the condition of the property.  If they make improvements to suit themselves, fine.  If they want to do something more major than paint, I'll spring for materials, once we see what they can do.

OK, so that seems to be one more task to cross off.

Next come the grand kids from new mexico for a week. 

Our meeting of the SCC will be a closed session, so if there are press reports of a unanimous vote they will be in error. Iowa has an open meeting law, but since significant costs around the production set used to report the caucus results will be in contracts that will be open for negotiation by date, I'm pretty sure our meeting can be legally closed, which is a good thing, because as you here know I occasionally slip into barnyard speak when angered. Mothers cover your children's ears.

Oh, and new post on Hannah

BTW, Subway has captured the Howardly and displays it on his site.  He awarded it to Dodd.

Dodd gave an impressive speech Monica, thanks for the transcript.

that was the issue I got his staff to post on youtube so I could share it with you all here (the lighting wasn't good, the words were)

one of my biggest disappointments with the Chicago Professor of Constitutional Law was that he hasn't given that speech on the Senate floor.

new thread