Oakland DFA
http://dfa.meetup.com/78/
is an active group.. here is another campaign they launched..  It got started at the previous meeting.

Feinstein Censure
Feinstein censure killed; Courage Campaign camera blocked
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmWlkLPaX7g

hi Susan

Dodd - restore Constitution..  the value of law.  excellent speech.. thank!


More from the Oakland DFA meeting,  Members talk on the values they feel the candidate they support represents to them.

Tara says Obama represents inspiration, hope and courage.
Progressive Values: Tara Marchant - Obama - Inspiration
http://youtube.com/watch?v=9tT2vkIeh3M

Openness and honesty
Progressive Values: Obama Rep - Openness
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alP4QhChe_Q

 Progressive Values: Jean Nichaus - Edwards - fight
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lthe7ODkqHg

Progressive Values: Aaron Lander - Edwards - Community
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXsbQaRMvx0




Progressive Values: Ruby Berstein - Edwards - Caring
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnOo5m9Xm0U

Progressive Values: Edwards Rep - Courage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSFYg2IoVBY

again.. Openness and honesty
Progressive Values: Obama Rep - Openness
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alP4QhChe_Q

3.

WhatAre Progressive Values
Fri, 12/07/07
12:50 am


You're welcome Edwin.

That is what I thought too. In a Democratic civil society it is very important to hold respect for the rule of law. I think that is what the present leadership in congress is trying doing. They're building a case to restore, preserve and protect the U.S. Constitution. The problem is that the Bush and Cheney Administration and their corporate sponsors only have contempt for it. The very foundation of our Republic has been under siege since the Reagan years and some of them have just awaken to that reality.

---

Below are some links to a couple of speeches by Vice President Gore. I think you'll find them helpful to this project.

The Highlights of Al Gore's Speech to the American Constitution Society on Domestic Spying - January 2006: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6bMDaX14...

full speech http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD_2e1dIl...

Al Gore on his book "Assault on Reason": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdPcwwK5D...

The IndependentPrimary.com Poll.

Vote NOW for your progressive choice. http://www.independentprimary.com/

The results of this poll will be watched by independent voters around the country, but particularly by those who will be voting in the nation's first primary in New Hampshire on Jan. 8, 2008 ... now voters all across the nation can affect the New Hampshire Primary.

Vote now at: http://www.independentprimary.com/

Are you an independent-minded person who votes more for the person than the political party? Are you bothered that big money, party bosses and the corporate media will have narrowed our choices before we even vote in our state political primaries? New Hampshire has an open primary. Anyone of any political party can vote in this internet poll.

Go to: http://www.independentprimary.com/ , take the independent primary poll today and exercise your power!

Show New Hampshire and the country there is strong support for a progressive candidate.

if anyone comes across video clips of the candidates talking specifically about values, please send them my way... I'm collecting them for possible use in our documentary..
you can join the

What are Progressive Values?   Youtube group and once your a member add clips to the group yourself. see

 http://youtube.com/group/ProgressiveValues

Good Morning Edwin. Great post!

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/12/7/...

This KOS diary is absolutely brilliantly written -- from a person of a certain age like me -- I could have written it myself if I could only write that well.





Progressive -- can you provide links to the videos rather than the videos themselves -- someone on dialup is going to have a tough time with this thread.

Lastnight we had another Tecton Gas/Oil meeting. It was disclosed that out of 13 wells they drilled in our surrounding area since the 80's, they got 400 Gallons from one and 30 from another. Wooooaaaa man, isn't that just worth destroying natural preserve, environment, beauty and YOUR WATER SUPPLY for, because they purchased land rights under another name "Green( something or other)" at the Galisteo preserve and water Aquifier. And their fracturing technique would ensure the destrucvtion of the entire regions water supply. Becuase they use harmful chemicals to fracture the ground. EPA considers them toxic.

Yet, in other areas, as folks spoke, their mothers water well that got contaminated and she became ill. They called out inspectors, but they claimed her water was fine. EPA came out and said....no problem...it's not your water. It continued, folks all around the area where previous drilling took place were becoming sick. The man when to check the filter of his mothers well and it was filled with oil sludge.

One of the final speakers was a Doctor that brought me to tears. He said he 'wanted to thank them, Tecton and these Tectonites. He got in to medicine to make a lot of money and work with disease. He is. He is making a lot of money over the years from all the disease he is seeing. It continues as he practicies north in Espanola. Thank you, he sees so much disease from all you Tectonites. He has so much leukemia, cancer, everything else, in children, mothers, etc. ' After speaking he sat down a moment, then put on his coat and walked out. I was balling my eyes out.

YOOOOHOOOOO Governor Richardson??????????

"Letter writing" sucks (is last)...it's akin to nutjobs Bible Thumping.

I abhor when anyone attempts to instill their so-called "values" upon me.

It didn't work in '04, folks...let go of it.

Fully grown adults are perfectly capable of vetting their own candidate choices online, BTW.

So, when you have a candidate pushing Nuclear development because they have a big donor named Exelon and pushing a Liquified Coal company with taxpayer dollars, so his other donors are happy....a long with those many Lobbyists...is that considered Progressive? Maybe to the DLC.

fighting is not a progressive value.

My group likes to write letters.   

Damn I'm in a combative mood...

44.

Monica Smith
Fri, 12/07/07
11:45 am

though this accomodation is not to be taken as an agreement that every opinion expressed on this blog needs to be documented and footnoted.
----------
I don't think we have to document and footnote every comment - I certainly don't -- but I try to differentiate btw my opinion and straight reporting. I thought your original post sounded like that was something you were asserting -- if you were referring to Giuliani, eg, you might have said something like 'if, as Giuliani asserts, link, black=white, then...' . Also, when I'm writing straight opinion I usually say I think or I feel or just IMO.

also, here's my take on 'monopoly' (with a cite :~))

also

monopoly - definition of monopoly - A situation in which a single company owns all or nearly all of the market for a given type of product or service.
http://www.investorwords.com/3112/monopo...
===============
I can't fight any more -- I have to go feed the cat in the woods. bbl

14. The other problem w/ letter writing we found in '04 was that Iowans were getting multiple letters- didn't we find that? That it turned people off?

Here we go again....more sneaky moves by Hoyer and his Bluedogs.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/12/07/dems-considering-proposal_n_75720.html

Some House Democratic leaders are considering plans to quietly fund the Iraq war while trying to minimize the political fall-out.

One of the latest proposals under discussion involves putting $30 billion in a nearly-completed omnibus spending bill that would be earmarked for the war in Afghanistan, but could freely be used for operations in Iraq.

According to Hill sources, Rep. David Obey, D-WI, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, initially pushed the Afghanistan funding idea. Top House Democrats Steny Hoyer (D-MD) is said to support the idea, while Speaker Nancy Pelosi has argued against it. But in an interview on Thursday, she acknowledged that "there probably will be some level of [money] addressing Afghanistan" in the omnibus.

14. The other problem w/ letter writing we found in '04 was that Iowans were getting multiple letters- didn't we find that? That it turned people off?

+++

Annilow -

Indeed.  I wrote letters for the Dean for America campaign to residents in New Hampshire, South Carolina, etc. and called residents in Iowa (based on sheets provided to me).  I don't know what happened with letters (what impact or what turnoff they might have caused) but the phone calls I did not personally like doing them (the residents in Iowa that I phoned were very polite [more so IMO than if the tables were turned and someone from IA was calling people in Massachusetts] but I could sense that I was bothering them.  I started to feel how it would be to be in their shoes.

I’m in doubts either our lovely PNAC implementer fully understands his own predictions...., lol.

On the other hand, its “hard job, hard job� to be able to see the death of so deeply cared, flourished and nurtured political doctrine!

If he would only know what he predicts..., lol!

-----------------------
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/120...

Cheney: Iraq to be self-governing by 2009

By: Mike Allen and Jim VandeHei and John F. Harris
Dec 5, 2007 03:54 PM EST


Vice President Cheney today predicted Iraq will be a self-governing democracy by the time he leaves office, calling the current U.S. surge strategy “a remarkable success story� that will be studied for years to come.

In an interview with Politico, Cheney offered a remarkably upbeat view of Iraq, despite continued violence and political paralysis in the war-torn nation.

Cheney, who has been widely criticized for overly optimistic — and sometime flat wrong — projections in the past, sounded as confident as ever that the Bush administration will achieve its objectives in Iraq.

“I am fairly confident we’ll have [Iraq] in a good place, where we’ll be able to look back on it and say, 'That was the right decision. It was a sound decision going into Iraq,'� Cheney told us in a 40-minute White House interview.

Sounding a note of caution, the vice president said: "We've got a lot of work to do. We're sort of halfway through the surge, in a sense. We'll be going back to pre-surge levels over the course of the next year."

But Cheney said that by the middle of January 2009, it will be clear that “we have in fact achieved our objective in terms of having a self-governing Iraq that’s capable for the most part of defending themselves, a democracy in the heart of the Middle East, a nation that will be a positive force in influencing the world around it in the future.�

It was a remarkable prediction by any measure, and one that is certain to infuriate congressional Democrats.
............

GD f'in blog clock bumped Mainefem up to 19 and slid me in as 16.

Geez! 

http://thephoenix.com/article_ektid51974.aspx

SEAN PENN

(FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WANT TO SLAY THE MESSENGER)

http://www.counterpunch.org/penn12072007.html

We got Iowa coming up, we got New Hampshire right on its ass. Do we sell it for electability? If Hitler were the only candidate, would voting for him be most American? Jump on a plane with me. Okay, we’re over the Middle East now…Let’s land. Take a deep breath.

Imagine the bodies, burned and mutilated, the concussive sounds of gunfire and explosives defining the last horrifying moments of the dying and the dead. Imagine the millions of refugees fleeing through the deserts of Iraq, the babies crying, and the stench of death in the air. Yuck. Let’s get back on the plane and head home.

Now, imagine American servicemen dead or broken, returning from a broken military to a silent casket or a broken veteran’s administration, to broken lives and broken businesses, broken wives, unspoken husbands, and devastated children. And what for? What have we gained?

Al-Qaida recruitment is up. Terrorism is up. Quality of life is down in our country and around the world. While the rich continue to get richer and the poor, poorer and more numerous. And on the verge of recession, we are witnessing the dramatic disassembling of the middle class amidst a flood of foreclosures and unpayable debts. To Osama Bin Laden’s infinite delight, we have become a country of principle breakers rather than principle bearers.

We are torturers and we too often, imprison only the weak. When our own administration chooses its bewilderingly un-American agenda (For the entitled people? By the entitled people?) over the Constitution in defining American values, principles, and law, Bin Laden laughs at the weakened sheep that we and our representatives have become.

High crimes and misdemeanors? How about full-blown treason for the outing our own CIA operatives? How about full-blown treason for those who support this administration through media propaganda?

While I’m not a proponent of the Death Penalty, existing law provides that the likes of Cheney, Bush, Rumsfeld and Rice, if found guilty, could have hoods thrown over their heads, their hands bound, facing a 12-man rifle corps executing death by firing squad. And our cowardly democratically dominated House and Senate can barely find one voice willing to propose so much as an impeachment. That one voice of a true American. That one voice of Congressman Dennis Kucinich.

But is he too short? Does his haircut not appeal? Is he not loyal enough to a cowardly democratic platform? Does he not appeal to the cult of personality? And what if the answer is yes? What if Dennis Kucinich, the most deserving and noble of candidates, the most experienced in issues of policy and the least willing to play into the politics of personal power? What if we can’t elect a man simply on the basis of the best ideas, the most courage, and the most selfless service? What does it say about our country when we can’t rally the voices of the common good to support a man, like our troops, who would die for us, who would die for our constitution? Who, as mayor of Cleveland at the age of 31 stood up against contracts on his life. Three separate assassins whose intent was to kill him as he stood up for his constituency there.

Nonetheless, he carries on. He continues to serve.

16. I agree Mainefem. I wrote a slew of letters in 04. After the Iowa debacle, a lot of caucusers said that the letter-writing campaign turned them off, and led them to vote for Kerry or Edwards.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I talked to many and never heard that complaint once.

Poll: Hispanic Shift Toward Democrats

By ALAN FRAM

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hispanics are returning to the Democratic Party after several years of drifting toward the Republicans, with many saying Bush administration policies have been harmful to their community, a poll showed Thursday.

By 57 percent to 23 percent, more Hispanic registered voters say they favor Democrats than Republicans, according to a survey by the nonpartisan Pew Hispanic Center.

That 34 percentage point Democratic edge — which includes people who said they lean toward either party — has grown since July 2006, when a Pew poll measured a 21 point difference. Then, 49 percent of registered Hispanic voters said they favored Democrats and 28 percent chose Republicans.

In 1999 before President Bush's election, more Hispanics favored Democrats than Republicans by 58 percent to 25 percent — about the same margin as in the current poll.

When the former Texas governor became president in 2001, Republicans saw an opportunity to woo Hispanics to the GOP. But as the 2008 presidential campaign has heated up, immigration has become a major issue and GOP candidates have competed over who could concoct the toughest plan for cracking down on illegal immigration.

The survey found that among Hispanic registered voters: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jARke...

robo-calls, calls during dinner, herding of number ones, all had negative results

the letter writing ... no ... that was positive

what is wrong with this campaign is that the universe affected DFA Iowa is already committed

Kerry won by bringing in new voters from outside the universe of the lists Dean was working from (the no-party Vietnam Vets)

* rdorgan
Fri, 12/07/07
1:01 pm

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

I wrote tons of letters too...........I think my singing telegrams doomed the Dean campaign.....

Its 1.35.............

John Edwards will win the most delegates from Democratic lists, but Obama is pulling in no-party support with his new way of doing business message, and Hillary has Tom Vilsack's lists of Republicans who can be pursuaded to support DLC types. Edwards will draw voters in the general that don't now vote, but that won't help much in a caucus state.

My uncle was in the the gun turret at the back of the ship

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

sitka,

In Naval lingo, its called "aft"..................

Phil -

I called an Iowan resident during a Green Bay Packers game.  He politely told me "ya caught me in the middle of a game".

Phil Specht
Fri, 12/07/07
1:28 pm

How strong is that support for Clinton? It seems to me that after being barraged with negative ads and responses by Clinton and Obama, softer support might turn to Edwards. It's only surprises that matter in Iowa. Edwards is in a perfect position, IMO, to avoid the attacks, be positive and bold, and then surge at just the right time...

What do you think?

WHAT THE DEMOCRATS KNEW AND WHEN THEY KNEW IT

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/07/what-the-democrats-knew-and-when-they-knew-it/index.html?ref=opinion

Jay Rockefeller claims that the Intel Committees were not ‘consulted’ on the use of the tapes ‘nor the decision to destroy the tapes.’ But he does not deny that he was informed of the agency’s intent to dispose of the tapes, and he acknowledges that he learned of the destruction one year ago, in November 2006,” Lederman writes. He continues:

And this is the first time he has said anything about it. Jay Rockefeller is constantly learning of legally dubious (at best) C.I.A. intelligence activities, and then saying nothing about them publicly until they are leaked to the press, at which point he expresses outrage and incredulity — but reveals nothing. Really, isn’t it about time the Democrats select an effective Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, one who will treat this scandal with the seriousness it deserves, and who will shed much-needed light on the C.I.A. program of torture, cruel treatment and obstruction of evidence?

Lederman also writes that “Jane Harman also knew of the intention to destroy the tapes, and she at least ‘urged’ the C.I.A. in writing not to do it.” But he notes, “But when she found out the C.I.A. had destroyed the tapes, where was Harman’s press conference? Where were the congressional hearings?”

DEMOCRATS SELDOM FAIL TO DISAPPOINT

30.

Indy Steve -

In all due respect, your lumping together of Hillary and Barack "with negative ads and responses" is a bit unfair to Barack.

You seem to be elevating John and putting down Barack, all in the interests of making John look good.

We'll see what happens on Jan 3 when Iowans go to the caucus. 

Indy

I seriously doubt there will be any surprises out of Iowa except for a strong fourth place finish. Clinton kept her powder dry on early ads and has some good TV up. She is running a good campaign but slips if she gets into spats. She might settle for third since she has the money to compete on Feb 5th.

Obama is the Kerry for 08 in the profile of supporters but he still has to deliver them on caucus night. Edwards has a core of old hands who will be dependable for turnout. I still expect a three way tie. 

16. I agree Mainefem. I wrote a slew of letters in 04. After the Iowa debacle, a lot of caucusers said that the letter-writing campaign turned them off, and led them to vote for Kerry or Edwards.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I talked to many and never heard that complaint once.

Phil, that was a fairly common complaint in the C-span  "post mortem" interviews.

Jay Rockefeller is privy to the nation's deepest secrets and is sworn not to reveal anything he knows. That puts him in a tough spot under an outlaw regime. It will take Conyers to free him by making the revelations in secret hearings. (or for the Senate to meet as a Committee of the Whole) 

Jay Rockefeller would face removal from the Senate were he to speak out of turn. what a bind

I guess Isreal must be a ‘little’ upset about the NIE report on Iran…Same ‘Banty rooster’ syndrome that Bush and Cheney have.. Israel warns Iran to co-operate or pay price - World - theage.com.au   Israel warns Iran to either co-operate with the West over its uranium enrichment program or face military action.  And, Too bad for the  'postponed' propoganda media special on CNN:NIE Intel report sinks CNN Iran special - Two-hour 'We Were Warned! - Iran Goes Nuclear".  was slated for Dec. 12http://www.variety.com/VR1117977083.htmlMerry Christmas WITH FEAR,  from CNN

Phil, that was a fairly common complaint in the C-span  "post mortem" interviews.

~~~~~~~~~~~

by spin meisters out to finish off Dean?

the letters were a net positive

the attack ads against Gephardt were not

Hey Phil.

Great point about expanding the universe. The next step in this campaign is an ad in Iowa newspapers to reach Democratic caucus goers who aren't Democrats.

-Ilya

WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE MSM?

http://www.opednews.com/maxwrite/linkframe.php?linkid=47067

1. Its members consistently defer to conservative Republican Presidents with a history of deliberate deception, allowing them to define their terms.

2. Its members invite Republican Congressmen, known to be not merely unreliable but delusional, to lie about Democratic Congressmen

3. Its members invite conservative Republican individuals known to be insane, unbalanced and unconcerned with the truth to lie about Democratic presidential candidates on the front page of their newspapers and when confronted respond that it is not their job to determine the truth.

4. Its corporations fire, and then buy the silence of, their own reporters in order to hide the truth, when it involves the draft records of certain conservative Republican Presidents.

5. Its members are so in thrall to the powerful conservative Republican figures they cover that they make up excuses for their self-serving behavior.

6. Its members ignore the substance of politics and instead focus obsessively on atmospherics, leaving voters clueless about the politicians for whom they are expected to vote.

Fully grown adults are perfectly capable of vetting their own candidate choices online, BTW.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

maine,

I agree......in 2004 after about 30 letters or so I said to myself, "wtf am i doing"?  Does some stranger in a state I have never visited want to hear from a perfect stranger about a candidate? Dont they get enough "junk" mail as it is?  I really gave this alot of thought then and decided that i dont need someone else informing me about a candidate, if they are telling the truth that is.......the intent may be honourable, but I could see then that the Dean campaign may hav edoomed itslef with overkill of letters, robo calls, door to door, etc.....I know that would turn me off personally................

I think of it as , when the circus comes to town.....all the locals flee for the hills............

Ilya,

What does the Newspaper Ad look like? If you can, please post it.

Steve

The campaigns have lists that identify Bradley caucus attendees and his progressive tax message matched Edwards current view. That is the kind of targeting needed at this stage.

REBUTTAL OF REASONS NOT TO IMPEACH

http://www.opednews.com/articles/2/opedne_rob_kall_071207_rebuttals_to_reasons.htm

1- That will give us Cheney as president.

Well, of course, we have to impeach Cheney first, but we can and should be INVESTIGATING both.  Once Cheney investigations start, the VP will get a note from the Doctor. He’ll try to pull the plug on hearings by resigning with his heart problems as the explanation.

2-Not enough time. Cheney and Bush will be out of office in 14 months. Why bother?

Lots of reasons. They committed crimes. Investigations will turn up more ugly dirt. Investigations will turn up new, fresh witnesses who will roll over and testify against Cheney and Bush. It’s not about timely convenience. It’s about the congress obeying their oath to uphold and defend the constitution—which Bush and Cheney have treasonously violated.  

3- . Bush and Cheney have broken no laws

Bush and his defenders argue that as Commander-in-Chief, Bush and his designate Cheney have not violated any laws.  The counter argument:  The violation of Geneva Convention principles would be a breaking of U. S. law since the United States has signed "a treaty" banning torture and other mistreatment of detainees.  International Treaties become U. S. Law and may not be negated by the President.  Justice Bryer 9 Oct 2007. And just because Bush issues a signing statement—actually, over 1000—doesn’t mean he is right, that he doesn’t have to follow the laws the congress has passed.

4- The Dems will be accused of wasting time.

So what. They're already being accused of that. It's a lame, weak, unacceptable argument.  

Lynn Woolsey says “impeachment would suck air out of the room and get nothing accomplished”  Sorry, it may be inconvenient, may even not fit with plans to keep the Republicans hanging out to dry, dangling with their corruption, in the wind, until November, but the Dem leaders in a congress have that annoying duty to uphold the constitution.

That's what hearings are for.

6. Impeachment will further divide this country. (That's Barack Obama's stance.)

The country is already divided. It can’t get any further divided. Impeachment will unite all the people who want to protect the constitution and democracy.

7. Not enough people support impeachment 

It’s not a popularity contest. It’s the job of the congress, when faced with crimes and even questions, to investigate, investigate.

Recent polls have reported that more than half the respondents want impeachment hearings for Cheney. Those numbers will climb when testimony begins, just like it did for Gonzales.

8. You can hold Bush and Cheney accountable without impeaching them. (Pelosi's stance)

Cheney and Bush, still free, still in control can still do further horrific damage to America. And crimes should be punished as the law prescribes., not ignored. If Clinton had prosecuted George Herbert Walker Bush for his involvement in illegal actions, his son would never have appeared on the picture, as a gubernatorial, let alone presidential candidate. He’d be the  failure son of a corrupt politician.

9. Pelosi can’t pursue impeachment  because she’d become president and it would look like she’s shooting for the job.

No she won’t . The Republicans will work it out with the Democrats. Bush will appoint a VP replacement who will become president—someone the Dems can tolerate.. The Dems will not allow anyone who might run for office, so Bush must appoint someone who could bring integrity and bring America together. He might even appoint  someone who actually creates something that leaves a positive legacy—a first woman , Latino, African American VP. Possible  VP appointees who might pass muster include; James Baker, Dubya’s  father, Herbert Walker Bush,  or even Colin Powell, Sen. Elizabeth Dole, Condi Rice or Mel Martinez.   

10. Impeachment will not succeed in the senate.

Investigations can last until November, if necessary, and they will hurt the right wingers still supporting Bush and Cheney. Gradually, more will see the light, like Hagel, until before impeachment ever went forward, enough senators would take “THE WALK” to the Whitehouse, to tell Bush it was time to go.

It may be self-serving of me (as State Platform Vice Chair) to suggest that the platform discussions on caucus night would be my route to increasing progressive turnout (and let them caucus for whomever their values dictate).

I would suggest a series of model resolutions to "CUT THIS OUT AND TAKE IT TO YOUR CAUCUS" improve attendance of progressives.

campaign reform, voting system integrity, universal health care, renunciation of pre-emptive war, global warming might be topics

The good part of such a strategy would be the inclusion of all of those planks in the State Platform.

* rdorgan
Fri, 12/07/07
1:45 pm

I'm just saying that with two close front-runners, there will be a strong tendency to go negative on the other. And a tit for tat as each responds to the attacks. That is tricky since everyone gets tired of it. I've seen it happen a hundred times and that is what happened in 04.

The same would happen if Edwards were suddenly surging now. This means Edwards is in a good position to let the other two slug it out while he plays positive ads with clear, BOLD plans for the future. I don't know that he'll do that. Phil can keep us informed. 

"Be it resolved that the Democratic Party oppose a rush to war with Iran, and illegal pre-emptive wars in general, and support International efforts towards peace." would be the kind of cut-out resolution that would increase Progressive turnout and tip the balance in that direction.

LUKE AND LAURA!!!

:) 

Phil Specht
Fri, 12/07/07
2:14 pm

GREAT PLAN....and it's always good to have more people participate in our democracy. If they happen to be more progressive folks, even better. ;-)

Steve a candidate that goes negative during the holidays will be in double trouble. The early date increases the penalty. Edwards best plan is to be the second choice of the non viable groups.

A quick note on the 2004 letter writing campaign to Iowa, SC and NH..........NOBODY ever wrote back to me thanking me for the letetr, my time spent writing it, the cost of the stamp and the eye opening wealth of knowledge I offered them about our candidate.........................oh well

Linda*in*SFNM
Fri, 12/07/07
2:25 pm
___________________________________________________________________________

Holey moley..........now you KNOW we are getting older..........

51.  Mike, now that was uncalled for   LMAO

Don't they look great?  Anthony Geary looks quite stylish. 

auuuhhh....the era of

I WANT MY MTV!  

:D 

Phil Specht
Fri, 12/07/07
2:24 pm

So what is Clinton's plan going negative all of a sudden then? Is she getting negative now so she can be all positive over christmas? Elections are not always controlled events, and if Obama continues to surge, she will be hard-pressed to dial it up. Of course, it will likely happen through third parties like with Kerry on Dean.  

Should we expect an Osama - Obama ad at some point?

"Be it resolved that the Democratic Party support a return to fair tax laws after the debacle of the burden Bush's tax cuts have placed on our children through record deficits and a weakened currency."

Phil,

What is the process for forming the platform at the caucus? Do people vote on all that stuff in the caucus itself? How does it get sorted out at the state level? Seems like your approach with broad, consistent progressive platform statements that could be brought up at numerous caucuses makes a lot of sense...

New Hampshire has an open primary. Anyone of any political party can vote in this internet poll.

OK, can someone please tell me what sense this makes if we want a progressive dem candidate?  Am I unstanding this right?  Neo-cons can vote in the NH dem primary? What planet are we on?

God, I hope I'm wrong and neo-cons can't vote and only registered dems can.

Phil wrote: The campaigns have lists that identify Bradley caucus attendees

That seems really dated to me. Seems that Edwards has the edge since he has his own attendees from last time Plus.

Steve

The caucus as a whole debates and approves or rejects resolutions brought by attendees, and they are forwarded to the county platform committee by the representative to that committee that is elected by the caucus as a whole. The process is repeated at the District level. The State Platform Committee works from the five District Platforms. The County Conventions elect the actual delegates that are allocated by the presidential preference groups on caucus night, that approve official platforms. The State Platform Committee is a standing committee that serves until the next convention and the Chair is a member of the State Central Committee. Precincts don't wite platforms but they do pass platform resolutions.

The Sierra Club, AARP, and such always present model resolutions, and progressive groups like DFA should too. The 1992 Platform was the first calling for carbon sequestration for example, but we have been calling for higher CAFE standareds since the 70's.

That seems really dated to me.

~~~~~~~~~~~

People that go to every caucus are a precious commodity, newcomers are much less dependable to show up.

3:11

Blog clock just made hash of that whole discussion, lol!

Hope the preps get frogs in their underpants: same sensation, I expect.

I wrote over 500 letters, and damned pleased to do so. Even managed to convert my local postmaster, lol! (He was bloody impressed. . . ) Got a couple of nice responses from Iowans: two Edwardians and one Kerrian. No negs. One lady tried to call me.

xox

That would be "perps" as in those who have perpetrated this f'ing mess. . . .

John Edwards has expressed a need for a progressive tax code at every event I have heard him speak since 2003. That is one of his signature issues and if you are a single issue voter and that is your issue he should have your support. Edwards knows which Bradley supporters were for Dean, at sign in, and Bradley ran on that issue as well, but I am using that as an example of the kind of precise targeting that would swing a particular demographic.

puddle

In the heyday of this blog so much conversation was going on that you had to comb through the reponses and make your own sense of who was talking to whom. This is just back to the future with the crazy clock.

The letters for Dean generated a great deal of goodwill and were in part responsible for keeping the Dean people together as a formed community here, and we since were the deciding factor in one if not two Congressional races in 2006 so THANK YOU to all who wrote.

Well it looks like the Energy bill in the US Senate will be taken up next week (and not tomorrow Sat 12/8/07):

http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=53798

The Senate voted 53-42, but 60 votes were needed to proceed toward a final vote. Three Democrats sided with the GOP against the bill; five Republicans voted in favor. A revised bill could come up for a Senate vote as soon as next week.

...

64.

Phil Specht
Fri, 12/07/07
3:05 pm

I've said this before.

That is what happends in quantum reality when people become empowered.

Phil Specht
Fri, 12/07/07
3:05 pm

I've said this before.

That is what happends in quantum reality when people become empowered

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

Gore expressed the same thing in the interview I heard yesterday. In fact it is the world"s last best hope to avert climate catastrophe. People have to do it. Governments can't.

10. monica - fight is not a progressive value.. 

what do you think the value is that Jean is trying to express?  I didn't think fight was a value either,  but wasn't sure what the underlying value was..

Driving by with the WUFT FM classical music trivia question for Friday afternoon (don't look it up). Rossini used the overture from his opera Elizabeth the Queen as the overture in this later opera. Name the opera.

striving for justice is a progressive value that implies a fight (fighter), since those that work to deny a just society must be removed from power in what is presumed will be a struggle

respect for human rights that extend to all is a progressive value that Chris Dodd has been upholding in his passionate defense of the Constitution

Thanks for all the explanations, Phil. Let me know if you receive an important call. You'll know if what I mean if you do.

I still say that if we practised loving our neighbors AND ourselves, that would be the only value we would need.

When you love, you can do no harm.  When you love, you already are honest, open and courageous.  When you love, you let people make their own decisions about who they marry etc etc etc.  When you love, you care for the sick and poor. At least that's my simple solution.  I like to keep things simple.  All this talk of values and definitions is a left-brain activity IMO, and not likely to sway voters who are stuck in fear and hate and the OT.

If we really loved cheney, we'd practice *tough love* with him and invite him out of office.  That would move him forward on the spiritual path...same with bush.  IMO   And if Congress really loved our country and the Constitution, they would impeach yesterday.

Our basic problem is lack of love and spiritual confusion as to the nature of *god.*  IMO 

There's love and there's fear.  Pretty simple, and now this simpleton is going out to have a magnificent day. 

My apoligies. I mistyped. The next step in the campaign is a newspaper ad to reach Democratic Caucus Goers who aren't DFA members.

-Ilya

seashell, that was Paul Wellstone's message as well as Dr. King's

Indy, I will be meeting with Edwards next week

bbl

My Genie Francis story.

Seeing her wandering around totally ignored at a Star Trek convention (where her husband, Jonathan Frakes, was a guest)  I struck up a conversation along the lines of "this must be an unusual experience for you."  We chatted pleasantly for several minutes, nobody passing by ever noticing.

Of course, she said, the same thing happens to Jonathan at Soap Opera conventions.

Wow, keep us informed, Phil! Let him and his staff know about your platform idea.

HEY GUYS!!!!!!!!!

BARACK OBAMA IS ENDORSING OUR GUY, PHIL FORGIT in the 1st district of Va.

We need your help. Go to this site and phone bank from home.

I DON'T ASK MUCH OF YOU ALL, PULEEZE HELP US.

DANKA.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/contact/splash/callva1

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• Help Democrat Phil Forgit win Virginia's 1st Congressional District on December 11th Login Click here to get started »
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BOY THE BLOG CLOCK IS WACKO.

But please help Phil Forgit if ya can. Anyway. We got 4 days.

66.

* rdorgan
Fri, 12/07/07
3:11 pm



Do you know who didn't brother to show up to vote and why?

55.  there is same day registration and someone can change their registration to vote and then change back.  in NH, that is.

Susan Rowe......

Do ou know why the Independent poll does not show the length of ime the poll will run and the ongoing results?

68.

WhatAre Progressive Values
Fri, 12/07/07
3:17 pm


It's about the fight for the survival of those values.

Speaking truth to power. Showing backbone. Allowing diversity to show it's true nature when it's being told to conform to the status quo. It's not a fight just for sport but a fight for the right thing to do. And sometimes when the heat is on you stand alone. It's called fight of noble virtue.


There is a new thread.

82.

audrey.nc
Fri, 12/07/07
4:20 pm



No I don't. I thought it was an interesting poll.

85.

s/b It's called the fight of noble virtue.

Torture tapes destroyed.  IMPEACH

*****

Hillary needs hubby to help her win.  Bye bye, Hill. 

The Nine Noble Virtues or NNV are the ethical code gleaned from various sources including the Poetic Edda (particularly the Hávamál), the Icelandic Sagas and Germanic folklore. They were codified by John Yeowell (a.k.a Stubba) and John Gibbs-Bailey (a.k.a Hoskuld) of the Odinic Rite in the 1970's.

The NNV and other similar constructs are moral and situational ethical guidelines loosely based upon those detailed in the Havamal, and are not considered commandments or moral imperatives.

Odinic Rite

1. Courage
2. Truth
3. Honour
4. Fidelity
5. Discipline
6. Hospitality
7. Self Reliance
8. Industriousness
9. Perseverance

is this the noble virture your talking about?  

86.

WhatAre Progressive Values
Fri, 12/07/07
5:10 pm


Yes and there are more.

Edwin,

Noble Virtue is about the right use of power.