Dean is totally first.

I was reading mprov and Annilow talk about ipods. I don’t have one, or a cell phone. I don’t like personal music systems or portable phones. I don’t like music or calls when I’m mobile, either walking or driving, well, except car radios. I do make minor use of a car CD player.

I got into a discussion with my daughter who attends Michigan State once on the ride home from school. I asked what they do on campus. I told her when I went to college I joined People Against Racism, went to baroque music and jazz concerts, demonstrations, lectures, plays, and art exhibits. I told her we had 6 different student run film series on campus, dividing my attention between 2 and 5 films a night. There were documentaries, foreign films, art films, retro films, experimental films, 8 mm films, all kinds of films, thankfully, because I didn’t have a television.

Her report was dismal. She told me they had none of that. She said Seinfeld came to campus, and sometimes there were bands or movies like Pirates of the Carribean. I was stupefied hearing this. I thought the whole idea of a campus was to provide a social setting involving other young adults where kids learned about things outside the sphere of their suburban existence. It was supposed to be a dynamic place that promoted spontaneity and sparked thinking, debate, and social and political action.

We also talked about another noticeable campus phenomenon. All kids, bar none, had ipods and cell phones with them wherever they went. Two people walking down the sidewalk would each be talking to another person on the phone, oblivious to the physical presence of each other. The sight of one person walking alone and listening silently to music was as or more common as the sight of groups of kids.

Now I remember walking alone on campus, but it wasn’t in some bubble shield that cordoned off my surroundings. My daughter seemed jealous of the accounts of my campus exploits, you know, back in the horse and buggy days when we had quadrophonic sound and record albums. I sense that the value of a college campus is being wasted on these kids and the main function of encouraging kids to advance towards meaningful adulthood is being defeated in large part.

Good work, linda b.

wOOT linda b! Yeah. And thank you Andres.

Last weekend while driving to Vermont ( check out www.jamaicacottageshop.com ) to South Londonderry and Jamaica on scenic route 100, my wife and I were heading north on Route 91 in western MA, just about to head into Vermont.

A car was passing us on the highway with the couple in it looking over at us, pointing and laughing.  My wife asked "What are they laughing at?"

When their car got past, I possibly figured it out.  It was a CT license-plated car with it's home state Dodd sticker on the rear bumper.

Maybe they thought it was funny for a MA plated-car to sport a out of state Obama sticker in the rear window ?  (reminded me of when I got questioned in 2003 by other MA residents why I was supporting VT's Dean over MA's Kerry)

My wife and I then laughed and proceded onto the Jamaica Cottage Shop where we decided on buying a gazebo-type structure they call the Florida Room.

It's a small world after all.

ANOTHER OPPORTUINITY FOR THE DEMOCRATS

http://www.progressivedailybeacon.com/more.php?page=opinion&id=1641

Democrats had better be ready for the Bush regime to use an attack on Iran as a political stick. A very blunt stick with which to beat Democrats about the head, while screaming, "Cowards," and insisting that, "they love Iran more than America and they love the Ayatollah more than the troops!"

For their part, because they are Democrats, Hillary 'Little Bush' Clinton will hem-n-haw and make excuses as to why she must go along with the Iranian assault and Congressional Democrats, urine dribbling down their trembling legs, will surrender and authorize Mister Bush's third disastrous war.

For the clueless Democrats, let's make it simple: For instructional purposes, think of the Bush-Rove-Republican scheme for election victory in 2008 as the, "Bomb Iran and Bludgeon the Ayatollah-Loving Democrats over the Head Plan," and work from there. Democrats ignore this warning, which they will most certainly do, at their own peril.

Now, the rest of America can sit back and watch as the Bush administration puts their plan into action. Too, it'll be pretty amusing to watch as the caught-completely-off-guard Democrats, as usual, disintegrate into a pile of blubbering buffoons

Wolfowitz 'tried to censor World Bank on climate change'
By Andrew Gumbel in Los Angeles
Published: 14 August 2007

The Bush administration has consistently thwarted efforts by the World Bank to include global warming in its calculations when considering whether to approve major investments in industry and infrastructure, according to documents made public through a watchdog yesterday.

On one occasion, the White House's pointman at the bank, the now disgraced Paul Wolfowitz, personally intervened to remove the words "climate change" from the title of a bank progress report and ordered changes to the text of the report to shift the focus away from global warming.

But the issue predates Mr Wolfowitz's appointment as president of the bank in June 2005. According to the Government Accountability Project (GAP), which has tracked efforts to censor debate on global warming, environmental specialists at the World Bank tried unsuccessfully to press for consideration of greenhouse- gas emissions in a paper written - but never published - in 2002.

It was politics that prevented the publication of that paper, according to one senior bank insider who spoke to the Los Angeles Times, and politics that has been the principal obstacle to progress since. Only now, with the Bush administration on the ropes politically and the scientific evidence for global warming reaching such critical mass that even President George Bush has been forced to acknowledge its reality, are those same bank officials trying again to put the issue on the agenda. "Our biggest obstacle has been that politically, [climate change] is very controversial," Kristalina Georgieva, the bank's strategy and operations director for sustainable development, told the LA Times.

linda b -

I watched the short video but it was like having an appetizer.

Just curious, what is Thelma Drake's position on the Iraq War ? 

ELIZABETH EDWARDS ON THE "ESTABLISHMENT DEMOCRATS"

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2007/08/elizabeth-edwar.html

Mrs. Edwards praised her husband for apologizing for his vote in favor of the Iraq War, and questioned Senator Hillary Clinton's, D-N.Y., for not doing the same.

And while Senator Barack Obama, D-Ill., was in the Illinois state legislature and not the Senate in 2003, Mrs. Edwards equally questioned his motives.

"Obama gives a speech that's likely to be extraordinarily popular in his home district," Edwards said, "and then comes to the Senate and votes for funding... so you are going to get people behaving in a holier-than-thou way."

Mrs. Edwards was similarly no-holds-barred on the issue of health care.

"Hillary is saying we need to develop a political will," Mrs. Edwards stated, referencing her personal battle with cancer and the stories she's heard from other patients who can't afford health care, "She hasn't been talking to people if she thinks we need to develop it. We do not."

Taking aim at Obama, Mrs. Edwards continued, "I don’t know why it took six months, but I'm glad he has a (health care) plan now. It doesn’t cover fifteen million people. If you're one of those fifteen million, it's not universal for you. The fact that he says he'll fix it later, that's not the kind of bold response we need on a problem that is important to America."

More venting on the Democants


Cowardly Democrats give in to president on NSA wiretapping
Submitted by davidswanson on Mon, 2007-08-13 14:06. Spying
By Bill Press, Baltimore Sun

Use it or lose it. That's the first lesson of political power - which Democrats still haven't learned. As they proved by their vote on the National Security Agency wiretap legislation, when push comes to shove, Democrats would rather fold than fight.

A quick recap: In December 2005, The New York Times first reported that, shortly after Sept. 11, President Bush ordered the NSA to monitor international phone calls without first getting a warrant from the court, as required by the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA. As if that weren't bad enough, we soon learned that many domestic calls were also included in the NSA sweep; that only a handful of members of Congress had been informed of the program (and sworn to secrecy); and that then-Attorney General John Ashcroft had refused to sanction the White House order because he believed it was against the law.

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=nod...

IMO Elizabeth should be running for president, instead of John.

Learn from the fall of Rome, US warned
By Jeremy Grant in Washington

The US government is on a ‘burning platform’ of unsustainable policies and practices with fiscal deficits, chronic healthcare underfunding, immigration and overseas military commitments threatening a crisis if action is not taken soon, the country’s top government inspector has warned.

David Walker, comptroller general of the US, issued the unusually downbeat assessment of his country’s future in a report that lays out what he called “chilling long-term simulations”.

These include “dramatic” tax rises, slashed government services and the large-scale dumping by foreign governments of holdings of US debt.

Drawing parallels with the end of the Roman empire, Mr Walker warned there were “striking similarities” between America’s current situation and the factors that brought down Rome, including “declining moral values and political civility at home, an over-confident and over-extended military in foreign lands and fiscal irresponsibility by the central government”.
“Sound familiar?” Mr Walker said. “In my view, it’s time to learn from history and take steps to ensure the American Republic is the first to stand the test of time.”

Mr Walker’s views carry weight because he is a non-partisan figure in charge of the Government Accountability Office, often described as the investigative arm of the US Congress.
While most of its studies are commissioned by legislators, about 10 per cent – such as the one containing his latest warnings – are initiated by the comptroller general himself.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Mr Walker said he had mentioned some of the issues before but now wanted to “turn up the volume”. Some of them were too sensitive for others in government to “have their name associated with”.

“I’m trying to sound an alarm and issue a wake-up call,” he said. “As comptroller general I’ve got an ability to look longer-range and take on issues that others may be hesitant, and in many cases may not be in a position, to take on.
“One of the concerns is obviously we are a great country but we face major sustainability challenges that we are not taking seriously enough,” said Mr Walker, who was appointed during the Clinton administration to the post, which carries a 15-year term.

The fiscal imbalance meant the US was “on a path toward an explosion of debt”.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/80fa0a2c-49ef-11...

1.

I went back to my alma mata college last Thurs (hadn't been there in years).

Couldn't believe all the new construction.

Those rapidly rising student tuition and fees (easily outpacing the inflation rate) I see have been put to (private) infrastructure usage.

Hi folks, This is Andres from the above blog.

 Your welcome Linda*in*SFNM!

typo - alma mata

s/b - alma mater

* rdorgan back on 7 you asked about Thelma Drakes stand on the war.

Lets put it this way she has voted over 95% in agreement with Bush...  and 100% in agreement with his reckless Iraq war policy. She is simply a rubberstamp for his Administration.

ASSEMBLY HEALTH COMMITTEE PASSES SB 840 AND OTHER MEASURES

Organizations line up to support SB 840...full article: http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/...



http://www.progressivecaucuscdp.org/page...

Michael Moore's SICKO
Please sign up to leaflet audiences at
Michael Moore’s SiCKO.
Help build support for Single Payer Health Care


Friday, June 29, 2007 marks the national release of Michael Moore’s movie SiCKO. This powerful film can have a profound educational effect in support of Single Payer Health Care. In addition, we think many viewers will want to take some action after seeing the movie. We want to help them do that—in support of Senator Kuehl’s Single Payer bill, SB 840.

We’ll need many volunteers during the week of June 29 to July 6 to work in teams, passing out information about SB 840. Many organizations are working together to coordinate this leafleting campaign, including the Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club. Once you sign up, the coordinator for your area will contact you to confirm the date, time, and theater location where you will leaflet.

If you can leaflet at a theater in your area, you can call, snail mail, fax or email us with your information. To send it in email form, please copy and paste the information requested below. Thank you for your support.

Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club
Health Care Committee


Supporters of SB 840 (Kuehl)
California Health Insurance Reliability Act
Date of Release: July 26, 2006
Total: 457
http://www.dist23.casen.govoffice.com/ve...

ASSEMBLY HEALTH COMMITTEE PASSES SB 840 AND OTHER MEASURES

Organizations line up to support SB 840...full article: http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/...



http://www.progressivecaucuscdp.org/page...

Michael Moore's SICKO
Please sign up to leaflet audiences at
Michael Moore’s SiCKO.
Help build support for Single Payer Health Care


Friday, June 29, 2007 marks the national release of Michael Moore’s movie SiCKO. This powerful film can have a profound educational effect in support of Single Payer Health Care. In addition, we think many viewers will want to take some action after seeing the movie. We want to help them do that—in support of Senator Kuehl’s Single Payer bill, SB 840.

We’ll need many volunteers during the week of June 29 to July 6 to work in teams, passing out information about SB 840. Many organizations are working together to coordinate this leafleting campaign, including the Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club. Once you sign up, the coordinator for your area will contact you to confirm the date, time, and theater location where you will leaflet.

If you can leaflet at a theater in your area, you can call, snail mail, fax or email us with your information. To send it in email form, please copy and paste the information requested below. Thank you for your support.

Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club
Health Care Committee


Supporters of SB 840 (Kuehl)
California Health Insurance Reliability Act
Date of Release: July 26, 2006
Total: 457
http://www.dist23.casen.govoffice.com/ve...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/08/14/hillarys-white-house-rec_n_60342.html

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton cites her experience as a compelling reason voters should make her president, but nearly 2 million pages of documents covering her White House years are locked up in a building here, obscuring a large swath of her record as first lady.

Clinton's calendars, appointment logs and memos are stored at her husband's presidential library, in the custody of federal archivists who do not expect them to be released until after the 2008 presidential election.

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

What's she hiding?????????

I read with interest the following comment by Elizabeth Edwards that John reproduced: "‘Obama gives a speech that's likely to be extraordinarily popular in his home district,’ Edwards said, ‘and then comes to the Senate and votes for funding... so you are going to get people behaving in a holier-than-thou way.’"

Nobody is this stupid, so let’s cut the bullshit. Edwards voted to authorize and fund, not defund, the war. In 2002, as a newly minted presidential candidate, with the WTC attack a year old, take it to the bank that this was designed to be "popular in his home district," because war opponents were swimming against a particularly strong tide at the time.

Now Obama is in the Senate and behaving "holier-than-thou" because the war Edwards voted to launch is a teeming mess five years later? Obama is holier-than-thou while Edwards sits on the sidelines giving expert advice to ex-colleagues about what they should do, now that he’s left the arena for the cozy comfort of his role as private citizen cum political pundit? Obama must be thinking about he scene in Robocop when Dick Jones of OCP tells arch fiend Clarence Boddicker that he has to kill Robocop and Clarence says "Your company built the fucking thing. Now I gotta deal with it?"

15.

Andres, thanks for the response.  I know nothing about Virginia, less even about the 2nd district but I don't understand how it appeared that the dem challenger Kellam was leading in many polls over Drake but just before the election, the last poll showed Drake ahead.  Drake won.

Was that like pulling a rabbit out of the hat by Drake or did actually Drake lead all along and the earlier polls were not accurately measuring sentiment of the voters in the 2nd ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_2nd_congressional_district_election%2C_2006

Virginia's 2nd congressional district election, 2006

...

In late June, CQPolitics wrote that the race: "is more competitive than initially expected in the Republican-leaning 2nd. This, in turn, has spurred CQPolitics.com to change its rating to Leans Republican from Republican Favored."[7]

Similarly, Larry Sabato's Center for Politics, in late June, rated the race as leaning Republican, and as one of the top thirty most competitive House races in the nation[8].

In late July, the Washington Post rated this race as a toss-up.[9]

SourceDateKellam (D)Drake (R)ZogbyNovember 1, 200643%51%Majority Watch pollOctober 31, 200650%45%RT StrategiesOctober 26, 200650%45%Mason-DixonOctober 10, 200644%46%RT StrategiesOctober 10, 200646%48%ZogbyOctober 2, 200646%42%RT StrategiesAugust 29, 200651%43%

Thelma won.

...

*rdorgan, Elizabeth Edwards is a cancer patient, a wife and mother.  Surely, that's occupation enough.

19.

ex-Senator Edwards (John) is like Alice In the Looking Glass.

So too is ex-Governor Romney.

Andres, HOWDY! Thank you for stopping by. And again, many thanks for all you have done and are doing.

Do I take it you live in Virginia? Have you had the opportunity to see and speak with Senator Webb yet? How do you feel about those who use cutting of funds as a means to not end the war? We all know that term is being played, because they would never cut funds from the troops that are still in place. Isn't that equal to continuing this war?

I'm just voicing what a lot of people around my neck of the woods have said about the Edwards, that's all.

Out--Now!

If John Edwards wins the dem nomination, he's got my vote in the general election.  Ditto, but with less enthusiasm, Clinton.

For now, my Obama 08 sticker is on my rear windows on my cars (only Gore's official entrance into the 08 race might have an influence on me as to whether they stay there or not).

19. Obfuscate:

1. To make so confused or opaque as to be difficult to perceive or understand: "A great effort was made . . . to obscure or obfuscate the truth" (Robert Conquest).
2. To render indistinct or dim; darken: The fog obfuscated the shore.

24.

Well, it's always easy to be for something that you know isn't going to happen.  There's a lot of that going around. 

Yes, well thats an interesting question. She won by 4,888 votes. Kellam's family has been involved in this area for over 200 years. He did not differ much from many of her views including ending the war in Iraq. The situation next year will not be the same. 5,000 people will have changed their mind between now and then. If she continues to be out of touch with the folks here and continues to vote for this war her political career is in peril - big time!

John wrote: "Obfuscate: . . .To make so confused or opaque as to be difficult to perceive or understand."

Did I write something you found difficult to understand?  Tell me if you have a specific question so I can clear that up.

29.

That sounds like a bluing of VA and that district in particular.  That's great.

(VA and MA are sister states in so many ways -- Jamestown and Plymouth, etc. and now can start hopefully being just as liberal and progressive too, thanks to your and linda b's work, and Rich's and the work of other VA activists)

30. The obfuscation consists of muddying the waters concerning Edwards' current stance on Iraq by ragging on his past actions, which he has renounced, and for which he has apologized.

It's what he says currently that defines him (and I don't agree with much of that, particularly "residual forces".)

Linda - Yes, I do live in VA. The views here are mixed on that issue. Ending a war cost money too. Dist 2 has a large military community, one of the largest in the nation. So one thing is for sure everyone here agrees that our troops need our support. We just think that to support our troops is to support an end to a war that has been misconceived, mismanaged, and in the end does not give the support it needs to those troops that have come home and require the care of this nation. We are placing our troops in the middle of a religious civil war and keep throwing more in like sticks on a fire…  that needs to end!

http://www.muddywaters.com/

John wrote "The obfuscation consists of muddying the waters concerning Edwards' current stance on Iraq by ragging on his past actions, which he has renounced, and for which he has apologized."

Thanks. I don’t really think I’ve misrepresented Edwards’ current position or the renunciation of his past actions. I think I’ve highlighted them. However, if some apology is what separates a good presidential candidate from a bad one, irrespective of past actions, Obama will be your candidate the day he apologizes after casting all the votes you find so reprehensible because, after all, he did not vote for invasion. He couldn’t. He was sitting on the sidelines like Edwards is now. It is like the purifying waters of baptism, erasing original sin, if I understand you correctly.

For a more rational view of muddying waters, consider this: Deciding to go into war is such a serious matter because it can’t be undone. The people in responsible positions after you make the decision have life and death decisions of their own to make to either cease, prolong or mitigate the effects of war that you helped begin. None of them are without the risk of suffering or the loss of life.

Let’s not obfuscate the certain fact that there is no state of conflict before a decision to invade, and after a decision to withdraw is made. It just so happens history reveals that not starting in the first place has much less severe consequences than the decision to get out afterwards.

Andres, thank you.

and of course, our linda b, for bringing you here. :)

I'm not sure why you Obama supporters feel compelled to bash Edwards.

running scared?

14 August Water levels in 3 Great Lakes dip far below normal.

14 August Arctic showing signs of global warming.

14 August Recent India floods spotlight myriad challenges. 

And, 

PLEASE, please try to avoid buying bottled water.  A HUGE pollutant,

 expense and waste.  Buy a bottle and fill it with water or whatever YOU want

and take with you.  Or, reuse a plastic bottle you purchased water in.

ALSO, SUMMER and parties.  If you are serving beer, please think about

renting a keg of beer instead of individual bottles.

14 August On the anti-bottled-water bandwagon.  

37.  OH!, AND Hillary-big time.

How can we do that? - By brining the issue up, discussing it with your neighbors, getting them and everyone you know to call the district offices, joining your representatives at public events, at church, their local coffee house and telling them face to face that they must take a stand against this war. Writing Letters to the Editor - they read those! - most importantly letting others know that they are not alone, that it is okay to speak up, and that it is the right time to do so. A great place to do so is attending the Aug 28th Take a Stand vigils or townhalls that will be taking place across this country!

Andres Moreno
Tue, 08/14/07
10:09 am

Andres,

Welcome....we all support the troops. Supporting the troops means voting for the funds to get them out of Iraq safely and responsibly. Good luck with Thelma Drake (lost cause, I believe, but keep up the pressure).

We need to also pressure our Democratic Senators and Reps to only fund a withdrawal and redeployment of US troops out of Iraq. Continuing to fund the war/occupation is supporting the Bush escalation.

Let's give Virgil Griffith a Nobel Prize or maybe even a Howardly. A good guy geek is helping to keep Wikipedia entries transparent.
------------
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/8/14/...

Diebold, CIA edit wiki entries
by winstnsmth [Subscribe]

Tue Aug 14, 2007 at 05:08:59 AM PDT

Wikipedia has launched a new feature that tracks back anonymous edits to the IP from which they came.

-----------

I'm sure everyone already read KOS but I just got up (again :)). This one gets a wow.

Canadian scientists find gene that turns cancers off
by a gnostic [Subscribe]

Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 08:24:47 PM PDT

This seems rather promising:

A unique gene that can stop cancerous cells from multiplying into tumours has been discovered by a team of scientists at the B.C. Cancer Agency in Vancouver.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/8/13/...

One of the problems with the Americans Against the Escalation in Iraq is that they are targeting only Republicans. It isn't just the Escalation we are against but the entire continued occupation (bad framing).

Unfortunately, a handful of Democrats, the Bluedogs, are preventing real action on Iraq. And members of the AAEI refuse to target ANY Demcrats. Put your efforts where they will have the greatest payoff.

Thelma Drake is NOT likely to change her position. Efforts ought to be focused on moderate Republicans and Conservative Democrats who are the REAL obstacles to ending the occupation.

We here in Iowa we built from the State Legislative races up to organize; and then took it to Congress.

Is there a Virginia issue besides the war that can energize another portion of the electorate to add to the base for next year?

Phil wrote "I'm not sure why you Obama supporters feel compelled to bash Edwards."

Good question.  Go read Elizabeth Edwards' comments above.

Same question; Indiana?

so bash Elizabeth

Phil wrote "so bash Elizabeth."

What for? She's just an apologist and obscurantist for her husband.  It's the actions and judgment of the person she's defending that bothers me.  

Here's a press release backing up what I'm saying from a suspect AAEI strategy:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 08/12/2007

Chicago – A caravan of Iraq war veterans, vets of other conflicts and military families stopped in downtown Chicago Sunday morning as part of a statewide trip aimed at pressuring Republican members of Congress to bring an end the war in Iraq.

WHY Doesn't AAIE target Melissa Bean, a Conservative Bluedog, who is undermining Democratic efforts to stay firm on the need to get out of Iraq? She voted for the escalation. They only target Republicans but give Conservative Democrats a pass. Hmmmm........

 This is Melissa Bean's  (D-IL-08) "proud" record on Iraq. She votes with the Repubicans. Yet AAEI will not target her. Why not?

PassedMaking emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007 05/10/2007FailedTo provide for the redeployment of United States Armed Forces and defense contractors from Iraq 05/10/2007PassedDepartment of Homeland Security Authorization Act 05/09/2007FailedMaking emergency supplemental appropriations for fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, and for other purposes 05/02/2007

AAEI was created to counter the escalation plans of President Bush, thus the name! There are many different aspects and components to AAEI, Iraq Summer is one of them. All of them focus on one goal – ending the war in Iraq!!!

Phil Specht
Tue, 08/14/07
10:45 am

yes, several. Health care, global warming/impact on farming, and more.

But the base is fed up with Bluedog stands on Iraq and giving Gonzo more power to spy on US citizens which passed only because Conservative Democrats voted for it.

52.

Thanks for that response.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/08/14/rove_exit_could_launch_new_political_strategy/

By Michael Kranish, Globe Staff  |  August 14, 2007

WASHINGTON -- The departure of Karl Rove, the longtime adviser to President Bush who announced yesterday that he is leaving at the end of this month, could provide an opening for the White House and the Republican Party to move away from Rove's signature policy of relying on the party base and appeal more to independents who will probably determine the outcome of the 2008 election, analysts said yesterday.

While Bush and others have heralded Rove as the architect of Bush's 2000 victory and 2004 reelection, some GOP critics have derided him for failing to stop the Democrats from seizing control of Congress from Republicans in 2006. That reversal of fortune led some GOP activists to suggest that Rove -- a powerful political opera tive who once envisioned "permanent" Republican control in Washington -- had overrelied on the most conservative voters and ignored voters with more moderate views who can swing an election.

"It was pretty evident that following the same focus-on-the-base strategy wasn't going to work but they did it again in 2006," said GOP pollster Tony Fabrizio, who is not allied with any presidential campaign. Unless the party draws more independent voters in 2008, he said, "it could be a horrible election for Republicans both congressionally and presidentially."

It is not clear, however, that Bush will forge a new path away from the influential adviser and friend of more than 30 years.

...

Annilow, didn't see that, thank you.

Andres Moreno
Tue, 08/14/07
10:56 am

We may have the same goals. However, you don't deal with the main criticism of AAEI and that is a refusal to target Conservative Democrats who are driving the agenda within the caucus to cave on Iraq. See my point about Melissa Bean above.

 There are three Bluedog Dems who lead the cave-in from Indiana and the AAEI coordinator here refuses to target them. The strategy is really more political (to beat up far-right Republicans) than truly effective which means criticizing Bluedog Dems as well. Without the Bluedogs, the Dems will fail to do anything significant. Please respond to this.

I'm off, ciao amici

Elizabeth Edwards reminds me of Howard and his "gaffes", she doesn't filter her remarks through a "spin" lens.

I'm glad that Hillary's "spat" with Obama has drawn him out and we may well get to see what his real views are.

I might find I like the guy.

I don't like candidates that use rehearsted platitudes.

I'll see if I can get Hillary to address seashell's concerns today. Harold Ford did on MTP.

Hey, Phil. Can you provide more info on why Clinton's team denied your request to blog from their event?  Speculation runs rampant but a few facts may clear things up....

Andres,

You are well-meaning and I am not questioning your hard work. But there is a clear strategy by AAEI to stay away from openly pressuring Democrats. And that is a failed strategy. History is full of well-meaning people pursuing admirable goals but using the wrong strategy.

Start asking these questions to your coordinators. We have here....and I'm not satisfied with the answers.

1. Tom, I don't carry my Ipod around town. But when you're faced with 3 hours in the airport followed by 8 hours on a plane, followed by an evening in a green hotel room with Get Smart dubbed in Italian, the thing really comes in handy. It's a little time consuming, but you can load ONLY your favorite songs from your CDs, and the sound from these little earbuds and a device the size of a cig lighter sounds like listening to a home stereo. The hard part is not singing along or 'conducting the orchestra' thus making a fool of yourself in public.

11. LindaSFNM I hope we can snag David Walker to run for something when his tenure as GAO head expires, I think in a couple of years. He and Brian Lamb are up there in my personal pantheon with Howard and Arthur Frommer.

38. Yes on No on the bottled water. Don't know what's taken us so long to understand this. I think we were all weaned too early and that's why we want our baba. I remember during the drought in CA maybe 1978 in a restaurant you had to ask for water -- the reason was not to conserve the drinking water but the water used to wash the glasses (or so they said.)

Just some more info on AAEI which I have personal experience with....the coordinators have worked to STEER pressure away from Bluedog Democrats and focus on Republicans who are much less likely to change their position. Why?

Republicans can turn this back on Democrats and say it's THEIR members who are passing these Bills to escalate the war and refusing to take the hard vote against it. They have a point....why should they change their position when so many Democrats (40-50 Bluedogs) won't do so?

62. True confessions -- I bought some yesterday (bottled water).

"I hope you stand with me to thank Andres for taking a stand."

+++

I second that statement by linba b.

Indy Steve

I'm free to blog. I was trying to duplicate my Dodd effort. I want all of the candidates free to provide responses to DFA, including stopping by and saying hello. The request to bring my son and his laptop into a very small setting was nixed, maybe because he was going to wear his Obama t-shirt. The whole secret service routine makes both Obama and Hillary much more scripted and filtered, and it might just have been the hassle of clearing that.

I'm still going to be meeting Hillary in person and will report. 

I wish when they did the "high milk prices" stories, they would point out that water is always priced higher.

I appreciate your comments Indy, and thanks - one thing is for sure it is hard work, and I do believe in it. There are alot of different ways to go about this, ours is one, and a winning one in my opinion. That being said, nothing is stopping others from pursuing other venues and strategies.  

I can not speak for the State Director in Indiana, but we, Iraq Summer, are targeting our efforts. We are focusing on over 60 members of Congress. Most of which are not far-right Republicans. We have a reason and strategy for focusing on these individuals. Some have shown some promising steps forward others are in situations that if they decide to continue to ignore the will of their constituents then they will face political peril; it is in their political interest to change their vote and take a stand against the war, even if they are more conservative then most of the targeted MoC. The members we are targeting can be found on our website. www.iraqsummer.org

AAEI, as a collation group is engaged in many different activities. I can only speak for what I know of Iraq Summer. I would not assume that because a member of congress is not being targeted by the field work we are doing that they are not being pressured to vote to end this war. I would say every member of congress is being pressured to vote to bring a responsible end to the war. If you have a representative that is voting the right way then you should continue pressuring and letting them know that their stance is what the people want. Taking these stances is hard for them and they need to see that the people are behind them.

Aug 28th Take a Stand Day Vigils and town hall meetings are taking place all over the country, including both democratic and republican districts, with MoC who agree or disagree with the war.

This blog is read by a much wider audience than participates.

bbl

Andres Moreno
Tue, 08/14/07
11:33 am

We can agreeably disagree! Focusing on people like Thelma Drake when we have Democrats like Bean and the three Indiana Bluedogs constantly undermining Democratic attempts to build a majority for withdrawal is a misuse of scarce resources.

I am not an armchair critic since I am active in Indiana politics (ran against said Bluedog who now votes for more war) and in the peace movement. And I have been thoroughly discouraged by the AAEI strategy which has actually split up people in our community. Just keep that in mind... and keep working for change in US Iraq policy.

Phil Specht
Tue, 08/14/07
11:25 am

We all had laptops at YearlyKos and blogged freely from the Democratic breakout sessions so I don't think it's a secret service issue. Probably the Obama t-shirt raised red flags (did you actually tell them that?)! Anyway, appreciate your efforts to live blog from a candidates' stump.

How about doing it with Edwards?

but we, Iraq Summer, are targeting our efforts. We are focusing on over 60 members of Congress. Most of which are not far-right Republicans

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

A HOWARDLY to Andres Moreno. Thanks for what you do. I agree that a disciplined targeting is necessary for results for the type of effort you are doing.

68.

I guess you didn't know that you would be called to the witness stand by the prosecution, lol.

Yes, you do have a winning stategy IMO and I'm grateful for all the hard work you and AAEI is doing to end the war in Iraq.

Phil Specht
Tue, 08/14/07
11:49 am

Targeting the right culprits and the most likely we'll sway is also necessary. And as long as 40-50 Democrats consistently vote for more war and funding, we will not achieve our target.

Andres wrote "If you have a representative that is voting the right way then you should continue pressuring and letting them know that their stance is what the people want. Taking these stances is hard for them and they need to see that the people are behind them."

I endorse these sentiments, particularly because it often goes unappreciated here that these positions on issues like this can be difficult for lawmakers. They have to answer to a broad constituency, often face well funded opposition to policies they adopt or are asked to adopt, and are otherwise faced with the trials of a democratic process which tend to be diminished in the eyes of spectators. Citizens who are detached from the process have the luxury of being critics and second guessers from their safe seats up in the stands.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070814/ap_on_el_pr/romney_wealth;_ylt=AputMy5zu5AcYo575pPHzd9h24cA

Romney worth as much as $250 million

By JIM KUHNHENN, Associated Press Writer

Tue Aug 14, 1:45 AM ET

WASHINGTON - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's vast wealth is spread over a dizzying array of foreign and domestic investments that at times have been sold to avoid conflicts with his public stances, the trustee of his blind trust said Monday.

...

Romney is by far the wealthiest candidate in the presidential field. He has already pumped about $9 million into his campaign from his personal wealth. The report suggests he could easily tap that vein again.

Presidential candidates had been required to file such disclosures by May 15, but Romney asked for two 45-day extensions to obtain detailed values of his and his wife's blind trusts.

The delay allowed Romney to file two days after the Iowa straw poll, a nonbinding but politically significant rite of passage in a state that holds the first presidential caucus. Romney won the straw poll with 31.5 percent after spending generously in the state on ads and mobilizing supporters.

...

Boston Red Sox fans — Romney among them — may blanch at one of the stocks held by one of Ann Romney's blind trust funds: A Goldman Sachs Capital Partners Fund invests in the Yankees Entertainment and Sports network.

The report also highlights a continuing connection between Romney and Bain Capital, the venture capital firm he founded and which he left in 1999 to assume leadership of the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.

Earlier this year, Romney played down any lingering connection after The Associated Press reported Bain Capital and Bain & Co., the management consulting firm where Romney used to work, had links to Iranian business interests. At the time, a spokesman highlighted Romney's 1999 resignation from Bain, while Romney himself said his divestment call applied only to future activity, not past dealings.

A notation in Romney's filing, however, says that under a noncompete agreement with Bain Capital, Romney retains a "passive profit share as a retired partner in certain Bain Capital entities formed on or prior to Feb. 11, 2009."

A note in Romney's report states that Romney asked for a listing of Bain's underlying holdings, but, like other funds in his blind trust, the fund managers said the information was confidential and declined to provide it.

* rdorgan
Tue, 08/14/07
11:50 am

So far, my position has been right. And I've been active in organizing here. Have you?

AAEI needs this feedback. It is really a fly-by organization that has inserted itself in communities with long-time peace efforts. They are diverting attention away from the Conservative Democrats who will continue to undermine any REAL success in ending the occupation/war. I wouldn't be so critical if they hadn't tried to divert local efforts.

78.

I don't need to respond or defend my level of organizing and IMO neither does Andres.

Citizens who are detached from the process have the luxury of being critics and second guessers from their safe seats up in the stands.

Tom Bearse
Tue, 08/14/07
11:53 am

And just who here is detached from the process, pray tell?

I just heard my Bluedog Democrat explain in an interview on the radio why he supports funding the escalation and giving Gonzo the power to spy on US citizens. He votes with the Republicans on these issues. I'm tired of protecting Conservative Democrats when they undermine efforts to build a majority to stand up to Bush.

Steve

asking Hillary herself to use my son's laptop is not the same as me doing it

and sure I identified my son as I was making the request, and he wears his Obama t-shirt to political events

who knows it might still happen after I make my case to Hillary in person

she does have a good enough sense of humor to see the irony

when she comes to our State Central Committee meetings the parking lot has every different bumper sticker, it is a little early for "get in line"; I doubt that is the reason 

Richardson is the next blogging target. I want all of the campaigns to feel free to talk directly to DFA.

I'm sitting here crying my eyes out, feeling so sad of the loss of Merv Griffin.  Is that silly?  I didn't know him, it just felt like I did because he exuded goodness.  I feel so sorry for the ones who knew him personally and were so close to him for the huge loss they are feeling right now.  On Larry King, many appearing to share their memories, Robert Loggia who just shared that he asked Merv to be his best friend.  Well, the camera panned on him as Ed McMahon was recounting exchanges of Merv and Johnny Carson, and his head fell with such a sadness of his loss, that made me just lose it.

Of course, lucky that they shared so much with someone

 they were so close with, but too the loss is that much greater.

Quick drive by and I'm up early today.

Thank you, Phil, if you can ask Hillary my questions!

bbl 

Indy wrote "And just who here is detached from the process, pray tell?"

Critics of lawmakers who aren't themselves lawmakers. 

Steve do you have an ActBlue account for your primary challenge. I'm with you if they vote with the Republicans they need a challenge.

For once, we're discussing a blog topic and getting deeper than rah, rah - ism.

That's a good thing and I support more of that here since very few come here to blog or even read the blog anymore.

So we can agreeably discuss issues and candidates and even disagree....that's a commitment I'll make to try to make the blog more discussion-friendly. How about you?

annilow, 5,000 tracks takes 21+GB. i've got the 40GB model.

tom, my experience with personal music devices goes back to my military service. out on the boat, little creature comforts are an absolute necessity. i had a portable cassette player in 1974, graduated to a walkman somewhere along the line, then a portable cd player, and a few years ago, an ipod. actually, though, i listen a lot more to itunes on my computer, than the actual ipod. i agree with annilow that its nice to have on trips. i'm on the road a lot.

cell phones: i held off getting one until i went to des moines for howard. they asked us to have one. i don't really like talking on the phone, but it has proven to be a real asset when i'm working.

your point about being disconnected carries weight, though.

Hurricane Dean to hit East Coast ? Great work Linda B. Get off the Island before the storm. I remember once being stuck on it for days.       Impeach...

Thanks for all the support folks! I have to step out for a short while, I'll be back in this afternoon so feel free to post any more questions or comments! Thanks again Linda, Phil, and *dorgan, Indy and all those silent readers! :-) and remember talk to your representative - tell them to take a stand and join us this Aug 28th when America will take a stand!

Phil Specht
Tue, 08/14/07
12:06 pm

Thanks, Phil. I haven't decided to mount a primary challenge or not yet. But I'll certainly let you and others know if I do.

Right now, I'm trying to publicly pressure my Bluedog (using my previous candidacy to gain media pressure) to not take us for granted. How he and other Democrats respond to the September report from Petraeus will be critical.

49.

I really resemble that remark.  The assumption that a spouse is just a mouth-piece is really insulting. 

Andres, I guess this means you're free to step down from the witness stand.

Indy wrote "And just who here is detached from the process, pray tell?"

Critics of lawmakers who aren't themselves lawmakers

Tom Bearse
Tue, 08/14/07
12:06 pm

So in your mind, the "process" only involves the elected lawmakers? Wow, I just don't subscribe to that definition of democratic process. What happened to people-powered politics? Or Democracy for that matter?

Monica wrote "I really resemble that remark.  The assumption that a spouse is just a mouth-piece is really insulting."

Boy, you aren't kidding.  I'll take Phil's advice and include Elizabeth in my bashing of John as if she were actually a candidate.  What an enabler. 

* rdorgan
Tue, 08/14/07
12:10 pm

I guess you aren't going to try to make this a place for respectful discussion? check out my pledge:

So we can agreeably discuss issues and candidates and even disagree....that's a commitment I'll make to try to make the blog more discussion-friendly. How about you?

Indy wrote "So in your mind, the 'process' only involves the elected lawmakers?"

No.  Sorry for the confusion.  I meant the lawmaking process, to the extent it only includes those voting on legislation.

Tom Bearse
Tue, 08/14/07
12:18 pm

Glad you clarified that...but the lawmaking process involves more than just the lawmaker. Certainly we need to do more than just work on campaigns and vote. Holding Democrats to the fire is, IMO, a more important strategy right now than targeting Republicans. 

Most Rethugs may say one thing but they are mostly going to vote with Bush. Why are so many Democrats doing the same?

Indy wrote "Glad you clarified that...but the lawmaking process involves more than just the lawmaker."

Well, yeah, lobbyists, the clerk that calls the roll, C-Span camera operators.  I was keying in on Andres' comment about legislators.

da -da- da- da- da- da- da- daaaaa   BAT MAN!

August 14, 2007

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Gotham)



Leahy has landed a role in the newest Batman movie.



WASHINGTON (CNN) – He's a veteran statesman and hard-hitting chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. But Sen. Patrick Leahy is set to leave the marble halls of Washington for the bright lights of Hollywood — at least briefly.


Vermont's senior senator has landed a speaking role in the newest Batman movie, CNN affiliate WPTZ reports and confirmed by Leahy's office.


Leahy is apparently a big comic book enthusiast, and actually served as an extra in the 1997 Batman installment: Batman and Robin.


The senator told the station he can't reveal the exact details of his role in the upcoming movie, but he did say he has landed a scene with its two stars, Christian Bale and Heath Ledger
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/
 

Tom Bearse
Tue, 08/14/07
12:24 pm

What about people in the District? As a politician, I would listen carefully to what they are saying. They are most important in the process. I agree that those legislators who vote the right way should receive praise, privately and publicly.

But when they consistently vote the wrong way, we need to stand up and say so as well. That's all....who could disagree with that?

Indy wrote "But when they consistently vote the wrong way, we need to stand up and say so as well. That's all....who could disagree with that?"

Nobody.  Why do you think I'm disagreeing with you?  I thought I wrote "it often goes unappreciated here that these positions on issues like this can be difficult for lawmakers" and that the trials of a democratic process "tend to be diminished in the eyes of spectators" and that citizens "who are detached from the process have the luxury of being critics and second guessers from their safe seats up in the stands."  Maybe I'll go back and read my post to make sure.

It isn't just that the Bluedog and Conservative Democrats are voting the wrong way. They may, after all, be representing a majority view in their respective Districts. But they are undermining the Democratic caucus efforts to build a majority for a position that the vast MAJORITY of Americans want: an end to the occupation/war.

They undermine it before the vote when they refuse to support any meaningful timelines with enforceable benchmarks. And they are using their key position (swing vote in the middle) to continue Bush's deadly policies.

Tom Bearse
Tue, 08/14/07
12:35 pm

I read your comments as saying we should understand the difficulties of a legislator's life and not be so critical from the spectator's stands. That perspsective undermines effective activism, IMO.  I am part of the process that will support my legislator if he will take the politically brave position to end the occupation/war.

The problem I see with AAEI is that they are giving the recalcitrant Bluedogs a pass. They need real pressure NOW, public and private.

Look at the bright side.  At least I didn't say "Elizabeth Edwards continues to be an attack dog for her husband" the way Richard Allen Greene did in Politico.com.

They are controllled not by values but the corporate donation dollars.

Indy wrote "I read your comments as saying we should understand the difficulties of a legislator's life and not be so critical from the spectator's stands. That perspsective undermines effective activism, IMO."

In John Edwards' opinion, too.  I can't see the manner in which I'm inhibiting in any way the steady stream of vitriol directed at the Democratic majority in Congress, especially from this sector.  I'm just agreeing with Andres that taking stands on issues can be difficult for some lawmakers, and that the fact often goes unappreciated by people who aren't themselves in that position.

How is it possible for someone to use so many words to say nothing?

Here's the main problem as I see it with Americans Against the Escalation: 

AAEI has a strategy of targeting 60 Republicans. Let's say they could be phemonally successful in changing 1/3 of those, gaining 20 votes against the escalation (a bad frame by the way because they only against escalation).

However, 60 Bluedog Democrats are blocking the legislation that would really begin to end the occupation. Until those turn, any strategy is bound to fail. So the strategy is to spend resources (millions) to go after a very difficult goal rather than targeting the Democrats who continue to block the caucus.

Doesn't make sense to me. Particularly when AAEI is splitting the peace movement and diverting people's focus on the most achievable goal.

Monica asked "How is it possible for someone to use so many words to say nothing?"

I don't think it is.

88. Thanks mprov - that's a lot of GB - my little Nano is suffering from GB envy lol.

Wow, new thread with an announcement regarding DFA Radio.  This is like a return to the old days of Dean for America.

And Monica, a WHOLE lotta' empty talk, especially for what he finally got to, as lame as it is, the same thing he's been pushing for for how long. Weak, weak, pitiful and bad.

Now he doesn't want the government in to choosing what the fossil fuel makers use to cut down that (woohoo) 1 percent of carbon, but he sure wanted government involved in paying for the auto makers health insurance for their employees, or for his "Liquified Coal" Bill , and giving tax dollars to FUND THAT.

Truly amazing...unbelievable.