Howard Dean is still first.

Agreed!  Howard Dean is the power behind- POWER TO THE PEOPLE!

WORLD WAR THREE HAS BEEN POSTPONED!

The latest indication is a candid interview in the Financial Times with Adm. William "Fox" Fallon, head of Central Command, who would be the Tommy Franks of any naval or air war on Iran.

Dealing with Iran is a "challenge," a strike is not "in the offing," Fallon is quoted. His comments, said the Times, "served as a shot across the bows of hawks who argue for imminent action."

A SHOT ACROSS THE BOW!

"Generally, the bellicose comments" out of Washington "are not particularly helpful," said our CentCom Commander Fallon.

That is naval gunfire directed right across the bow of the West Wing.

For the ranking man in Washington said to be arguing loudest for imminent action, is Dick Cheney. And the most "bellicose comments" about Iran coming out of Washington have come from George W. Bush.

http://www.antiwar.com/pat/?articleid=11899

Yay...whoopee.  Good to hear Howard Dean speaking out honestly again, even if it is controversial.  Good for him.    I love these statements.   Since I am a recovering Southern Baptist they are especially special to me.

Dean: "This country is not a theocracy,...there are no bars to heaven for anybody"

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1640

I'm semi-supporting Hillary.

I'll guess  that's the only kind of support she gets -- semi. Seems to be the same with the other candidates too, that people are supporting them by default -- which makes it curious why they propagandize for them with such verve.

Actually, I think we should elect a Republican...like Hagel.

From semi-hillary to pro-Hagel in one post! (I guess the difference is minimal.) In the 90s a lot of ordinary Dems were ga-ga for Powell. Then they hoped McCain would save their party from itself. Hagel is just the latest symptom of the same affliction that the most ardent of Democrat believers too often suffer from -- Demophobia -- fear of their party's platform. 

Maybe this balance thing would be good. We could still blame it on the Republicans.

That isn't a very lofty ideal or goal. I've come to believe it's one reason why the Democratic Party went from the majority party at every level of government to clinging for relevance and survival.

 It won't matter because, the House and Senate will have enough Democrats to get done what must be done.

The only thing DCDems consistently have the numbers to do these days is collaborate with Republicans on the NeoCon/Corporate agenda.

Dean: "This country is not a theocracy,...there are no bars to heaven for anybody"

I can see Emanuel and Schumer  (with Begala and Carville) cringing. 

Nah - all of those Democrats are not charlatans.  Mukasey's  past actions have shown that even if he disagres with 'the law' - he follows 'the law'.  He  is NOT who the Republicans wanted.   

You know, the loudest voices saying that Democrats have 'no principles and are spineless" and that the Left Wing and Progressives should TRASH  all the Democrats who voted for Mukasey....are coming from Republicans.   When I read this topic - I thought, I might be in the wrong forum.    I want to be in the one trashing REPUBLICANS, the 'real' evil doers.  

Yep, sitka, they will take revenge when they find out what he said.    Such wimps they are.

Sitka ---- Sometimes..... I am guilty of actually wanting 'the best for the whole country'..neither Democrat or Republican - but the COUNTRY.   " I pledge allegiance to............."    A  'balance of power' is what our forefathers wanted.  It works.  YOu may call that - lofty.  Semi-supporting Hillary - she has the guts, the smarts and the experience and a HELL of a first husband.  Personally ?   I wouldn't walk across the street to see her , don't like her haircut and I wouldn't want to have dinner with her.   But that's not the point is it.  We are all - trying to save our country - right?  We're in big trouble and it's going to get worse.  It's serious.  Petty differences aren't important.  Some of us want it all fixed RIGHT NOW!  Throw out the bums!  Well if you throw out OUR bums --- all you'll have left are the REAL bums.   But it's too big and it won't happen - you have to work form the inside out.  It FASCINATES me to see what I understand as 'progressive' and 'far left wing' Democrats only beating up on the Democrats....and leaving the lovely Republicans untouched.  I'm in this forum only because of Howard Dean.   And I'll tell you what.  HOWARD said - when the time came...you back our Democrat - John Kerry for President and every other Democrat!    Howard knows how big the stakes are - he's trying to fix it --- from the inside out.  So now this forum has become....... whose forum?  Republicans come here to get talking points.....

The Democrats Who Voted to Confirm Torture The following six Democrats voted for Mukasey anyway, signaling that it’s just fine with them if the Attorney General of the United States doesn’t enforce laws against torture: http://irregulartimes.com/index.php/archives/2007/11/09/democrats-for-torture-mukasey-vote/

Huffington Post saying almosy the same thing.

THIS IS WRONG – this is just as twisted and bent as Republican propaganda.

THESE people do not believe in torture or think it’s JUST FINE~!  They expect this Attorney General to do the RIGHT THING.  And by the way – IF MUKASEY DOES DO THE RIGHT THING ON WATERBOARDING as these fine Democrats believe –

Evan Bayh of Indiana
Tom Carper of Delaware
Dianne Feinstein of California
Mary Landrieu of Louisiana
Ben Nelson of Nebraska
Charles Schumer of New York

Check the records on these Democrats. 

I am not suggesting that all those who supported Mukasey are charlatans.  And while I was disappointed that there was not more concern over his refusal to acknowledge that waterboarding is a form of torture, I reluctantly acknowledge the political considerations that were at play. I do not intend to trash democrats, because they are the only hope we have for restoring our country to one of laws.

That being said, it is astounding that more of our elected representatives, on BOTH sides of the aisle, are not demanding that the United States stop sanctioning the use of torture, either directly or indirectly.  This is not a partisan issue, it goes to the very nature of what type nation we are and should be.    

Bottom line, the public needs to make it clear that we will not tolerate the use of torture in our names.  It is outrageous that we are engaging in acts like delivering Canadian citizen Maher Arar (by private jet, no less) to certain torture, and then claiming that we are immune from liability because the torture/detention occurred on foreign soil.  I say "we," because when the US government acts, it acts for all of us.  And if we don't speak up against these abuses, we are complicit in them.

Simplistic, perhaps, but ultimately this is a simple issue.  We should not become what we claim to loathe in others.

One more note:  I hope that Congress does not wait for Attorney General Mukasey to "do the right thing," but instead takes the lead in stopping the abuses of this administration.  Congress has that power, and should utilize it.  If not, what use is our system of separation of powers?

Good morning, everybody

Yes, the power to stop the abuse of power lies in impeachment.  

BTW, I have been thinking that a split ticket is in the works. 

stacey

This is why www.notacent.com was formed. You can't get any more grassroots,

thanks for your post and a HOWARDLY to all involved

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

Monica

Republicans can't run on the Republican failed record so will run with Lieberman on the ticket?

for you gold buffs did you take advantage of JC Penny's 65% off sale on gold jewelry?

makes more sense to me than pieces of paper that say you own gold

gold will drop $200 if Europe defends the dollar for us, to end the run up in oil

you can still wear your more prudent gold selection

I've seen under priced milk as a loss leader before to get people into your store but never gold. Guess there must be some nervousness over the Holiday Sales totals prospect.,

will the clock stay fixed?

Gore Teams Up with Investors on Green Businesses

"All Things Considered", November 12, 2007 · Al Gore, former vice president and Nobel Peace Prize winner, announces that he is becoming a partner in a prominent Silicon Valley venture capital firm that funds and promotes new ways to curb global warming.

Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Generation Investment Management is a global collaboration to find, fund and accelerate green business, technology and policy solutions, including renewable energy technology, carbon markets and sustainable agriculture.

Gore tells Melissa Block that it will take both government action and private investment to make real progress on global warming.

"We've now reached the stage where this shift is going to happen with or without new government policies. ... The business sector is ahead of the policy maker community in recognizing this shift toward a low-carbon economy has to take place," Gore says, although he does note that he believes new government policies will be forthcoming.

He downplays the impact of winning the Nobel Prize on his work and explains the connection between climate change and global conflict.

Gore says the rapid retreat of the polar ice cap and the gearing up of navies and "nationalistic impulses" to exploit this new, ice-free ocean is one example of how the climate crisis — with its "disruptive consequences" — has the potential for causing conflict.

"But it also has the potential for creating new areas of collaboration and cooperation, and my own work is aimed at trying to create those new opportunities," Gore says. ...read the full article or listen to the NPR interview here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story...

Thank you Susan. And as people show they are concerned more and more about the economny, everything costing more, following dollar, increasing cost of energy. What ar our candidates talking about?

it does seem they like talking about the war, but still not ending it. Redirects the attention.

12.

Monica Smith
Tue, 11/13/07
5:22 am


Bloomberg/Gore (or vice-versa)?

Are you wondering about that KOS diary that said quit putting him on ballots?

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

bbl-gotta go to work.

California Democratic Party to Consider Censuring Senator Feinstein

resolution has been created to censure Senator Feinstein for her outrageous votes in the last two weeks as a member of the judiciary committee. There are many other votes that she has taken that have made many of us wonder when she became the Joe Lieberman of the West. If you know any people who are E-board delegates and who will attend the CDP E-board meeting this coming weekend, please contact them and ask them to vote for the resolution which follows:
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=nod...

WHERE'S THE FLOAT? 

I think Gore could be the Democratic nominee and would support him, but I don't know what his plan or timeline is with respect to troop withdrawal from Iraq.  If you think it differs from the declared candidates, how does it differ, and what is the basis for your belief? 

Mr. Gore's office has asked that the Draft movement stop all Ballot movements.



It is a sad day indeed if this means we don't have the opportunity to vote for him for President. We will not see any of the changes that need to be made.



As nothing changes for the folks who are running, I cannot of course support them and will writen in Mr. Gore, I shall say CIAO!

My heart is indeed very heavy, because we all lose.

Be well and good health to all.

Time for
a COOL
change,
GORE!!!

Oh and I forgot, and even though they won't make the changes we need, I don't believe any of them can win in the General.

Sorry, but the truth.

ciao!

Linda wrote "I don't believe any of [the declared candidates] can win in the General."

If I may ask, which Republican do you think will be defeating any of them?

If I may ask, which Republican do you think will be defeating any of them?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Mccain will get the nomination and win........remember this prediction.......if not, sadly Id say Romney or Guiliiani will win...............

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/11/13/5142/4395

Mike wrote “Mccain will get the nomination and win........remember this prediction.......if not, sadly Id say Romney or Giuliani will win.”

Thanks for your intriguing analysis. Here are a couple of counterpoints. McCain is loathed by the Republic Party base. His nomination would almost be welcome, because it would signal the defeat of the ideological stranglehold  neoconservative right wing extremists have on the party, but he’s doomed by his policy positions on immigration and campaign financing, which are anathema to Republic Party power brokers.

Giuliani and Romney are almost comically lousy candidates, given that there is no social issue Romney is not willing to change his mind about to suit his particular political situation at a given moment, and Giuliani is a ticking time bomb for evangelicals and social conservatives, who will have to literally throw up in order to pull a lever for him in the election booth.

Of course anybody can win. But any of the Republic Party candidates you mention will have one serious disadvantage among independent and swing voters, namely, each bound themselves inextricably to Bush’s Iraq follies as supporters.

I know where your coming from because I used to be there myself. I hope you'll someday find your way out of the wilderness of apologies, excuses, and self deception. Then you can begin trying to reform the Democratic Party, which is the first necessary step to reforming government. 

19.  I've been working on my own diary all morning.

If I were Gore, I'd be pretty disappointed at how the effort to re-invent government was misused by the subsequent administration.  Making government more efficient was probably intended to reverse the trend towards privatization before the really injurious stuff took over.  Instead, the hurt was accellerated.

Only the elitist mentality can glory in the spread of poverty, disease, homelessness and destitution.  For every poor slob there's another made to feel superior for nothing.  Think about it.  It costs nothing to make people feel better than the guy sleeping on the sidewalk. 

Mr. Gore's office has asked that the Draft movement stop all Ballot movements

Let's hope they don't. After all, "drafting" someone isn't supposed to be done with their blessing. 

Just got back from DC after seeing Bruce Springsteien's  show on Sunday. Awesome. Just awesome.

Tired from all the campaigning so will be off again to rest before we start working on the campaign for the 1st district congressional seat. Special election on Dec. 11.

 Joanne Davis died last month of cancer and will be replaced I hope by a Democrat. That would be special.

Sitka wrote "After all, "drafting" someone isn't supposed to be done with their blessing."

But should it be done with his or her disapproval?

HDQTRS....HDQTRS......

May we please have some feedback on what the situation is with our Dem Primary challengers in Illinois and Maryland?

New thread on DFAM

If someone is selected with their approval, it isn't a draft.

draft: The process or method of selecting one or more individuals from a group, as for a service or duty: a candidate who did not pursue the nomination, but accepted a draft by the party convention.

Sitka wrote "If someone is selected with their approval, it isn't a draft."

I don't accept that premise.  There's a substantive distinction between not pursuing a nomination and requesting a draft movement to stop its efforts on your behalf, and it centers on approval.  The former doesn't signal either approval or disapproval necessarily, while the latter unmistakably does signal disapproval.  That's how draft movements manage to survive, on the strength of the subject's ambivalence towards the selection.

However, I recognize that Gore's request does not constitute a Shermanesque statement.

Tom Bearse
Tue, 11/13/07
10:02 am

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

Tom,

Your only experience is living in a blue state and Flint Michigan is not a red state......I live in ine and let me confirm for you that many will NOT vote for a Democrat period...so again forget the south for the most part and probabaly rocky ,mountain west again too...........my prediction is based upon the fact that I have only gotten one presidential race wrong since 1976, that was Clinton in 92..................I hope you are right, but you political, so called experts are failing to take into account the average American voter..........that speaks for itself right there..............

I still say Mccain over Clinton.........the countyr is still in war mode.......they have their new enemy in Iran and Ahmadinehjab so there ya go.................

Mike wrote “Your only experience is living in a blue state and Flint Michigan is not a red state......I live in one and let me confirm for you that many will NOT vote for a Democrat period...so again forget the south for the most part and probabaly rocky ,mountain west again too...........my prediction is based upon the fact that I have only gotten one presidential race wrong since 1976, that was Clinton in 92..................I hope you are right, but you political, so called experts are failing to take into account the average American voter..........that speaks for itself right there

“I still say Mccain over Clinton.........the country is still in war mode.......they have their new enemy in Iran and Ahmadinejad so there ya go.”

You make some very important points. (I’m in Detroit not Flint, by the way.)

I’m not suggesting that southern conservatives will not vote for the Republic candidate. We can safely assume most will vote for anyone except whoever is the Democratic candidate. We have the Democratic Party experience in 2004 to help us predict that.

What I’m trying to emphasize is that the Republic Party field is strictly from hunger. There is no enthusiasm among the base for the pool and, thus, no motivated voters, based on all the signs. The front runner is a cross dressing, Catholic, Yankee snob who supports abortion choice and gay rights. That’s like equal opportunity desecration of dyed in the wool Republic Party values. They get worse from there. To show you just how bad things are, Fred Thompson’s wan campaign was anticipated as the surprise salvation of the party’s 2008 fortunes. That is one wet firecracker of a cavalry charge.

On the whole, Democrats have much more enthusiasm for their field of candidates. That dynamic is wholly separate from whether there is a consensus candidate or problems with certain planks of a candidate or candidates' platform. That’s going to be ironed out after a few primaries, but if it isn’t, the suspense that will ensue at the convention will be exciting, as opposed to the funereal pall that will hover over the Republic Party convention.  Republicans know they're standing on a fault line for 2008.  You might as well know it, too.

Sitka  -   And I know where you're coming from.  Things look like they're going to Hell in a handbasket and you have no power to control it, so you blame those around you.  It's like a dog-team.  You've won three races and in the fourth - your lead dog stumbles and you lose.  The other team makes fun of you, so you shoot him.  Only to find out later that the other team had set up a trip wire.   Trip wires are sometimes - almost invisible.  Almost.

IKE WAS RIGHT about watching out for the HUGE military complex -- Beware the military bought off by corporations and politics, who pay for their GOLD stars with lost American soldiers, only to turn them in later  for very lucrative desk jobs.  But, as he hadn't thought about - there are also THOSE that are like HIM.  Good American patriots - who remember their first pledge was to the country and the constitution.   These few may well save us from another horrible war and the world-wide chaos that would follow.  My salute to Admiral Fallon!   God be with you.....

Not a good news day and I agree with Linda SF.  Clinton, if the nominee, will lose the gen'l.  By the time  Rove gets thru with her, and by the time the voters are again whipped into a frenzy of *death fear* and blood lust, the fear will win.  Her high negatives are telling us that it'll be another easily stealable election.  Then again, martial law could *break out.*

And how many of us will sit this one out and then drop out?

As ugly as it is to look at, the handwriting is on the wall.  The sky fell in 2000.

I would feel differently if Dodd or Kucinich were our nominee, but apparently the good people of IA aren't really interested in restoring the rule of law nor in ending the occupation.  Please tell me how the democratic caucus is not a sham...repug in dem clothing. 

If CA or OR were to go first, we could likely get a good candidate. 

And then there's this...we're no longer a healthy democracy nor a functioning republic. 

Good for our Howard, zapping the fundies for their exclusionist warped sick notions of who goes to heaven. 

Someone should teach them that heaven is not a place, but a state of mind.

Poor Howard, like Sisyphus.