I remember all those things, Howard.

Why didn't Tim Kaine mention them and why did he sound like a dork when he represented me?

Can't help mentioning: The Chinese were referred to as a potential threat in the President's speech this evening. Why then do we borrow billions of dollars from them to finance our deficit? They own more of our country then ever before.

REPOST:
In regards to healthcare:
Why are American families suffering with lack of healthcare because the President has decided they should foot the bill for pharmaceutical research for the world? I'm not ABLE to support the world. This is the same sort of disregard for Americans that we saw with the Katrina debacle.

In regards to basic facts:
Why all this talk of democracy promoting peace? It's just not supported by the facts: The Palestinians JUST elected Hammas to be their leaders; In spite of the President's insinuations, the Iranians ELECTED their brutal theocracy, and finally the Germans ELECTED the Nazi party to leadership before WWII. Didn't we Americans also overthrow democratically elected leaders in the Caribbean because they didn't support OUR values? What's REALLY going on here?
Finally, regarding non-oil sources of energy, why is this talk being sited as a revelation? Gore has been talking about all of this for well over 8 years. The whole situation reflects an oilman who has finally realized his precepts are doomed - and we're supposed to applaud this as inspiring? I'm so bloody confused by all of this talk. It's all Orwellian double-speak - what Senator Bayh calls "false choices."

In the time of Soviet propaganda we used to consider if something was true or politically motivated by whether it was based more on fact or ideology. In regards to the President's speech, I'm afraid that we've crossed over the line into true propaganda: Everything is framed for political advantage that supersedes truth... and truth is disposable. God help us.

Are you kidding me? What's up with the Infomercial steak knife sales response to the President's State of the Union? You get the most Republican-looking and sounding guy you can find, put him in a red tie with a flag on his lapel and have him reassure the red states by throwing God out there a couple times while standing in front of a fireplace? It came off as totally patronizing to the fence-sitters and asinine to dyed in the wool Democrats. Stop trying to beat the Republicans by looking Republican- it just makes you look like you have nothing to offer. Get some backbone. We’re the ones who don’t need to act patriotic with little flags and fireplaces because we ARE patriotic, remember? Why not Dean, Gore, or Obama? Get some fire. People are pissed and you undercut yourself by trying to play middle of the road. You can’t be indignant and middle of the road at the same time. Whatever he said was totally under whelmed by his presentation- sorry, I’m sure his heart’s in the right place.

Where is Bin Laden? I thought we were going to "Smoke him out, Dead or Alive?" Am I to believe that for over 4 years the greatest leader of the greatest nation in the free world has been unable to capture a mass-murdering man on the fly who is over 6 foot tall and on dialysis? Are we simply incompetent, or is his freedom part or a deal with the Saudis? What's going on????

Here's what I want to know, Howard ...

Who vetted Tim Kaine for the responsibility of representing this party against the excesses of the current adminstration?

And why haven't those people been called out and removed from leadership positions in the Democratic Party?

I've spent the last three years of my life writing letters to editors about what's wrong with the Republican priorities -- and what we'll do to put America on the right track (among many other things - because of your inspiration)

And if Kaine's rebuttal is the best that we can marshal, than God no longer blesses this country.

You all think I've gone off the deep end don't you? That I'm too radical - maybe a "Michael Moore" type or a "Howard Dean" type

Well - just about everyone in this country, libruls and pugs alike can spot a used car salesman

and the only thing that keeps their minds open is that in their guts they know this country is on the wrong track

Unfortunately, Kaine did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to assure them that the Democratic party put us on the right course.

---
I'll ask the question again ...

Who vetted Tim Kaine for the responsibility of representing this party against the excesses of the current adminstration?

And why haven't they been relieved of making those types of decisions.

Posted by dorsano on February 1, 2006 at 01:05 AM

Hey Dors,

Maybe their covert repub ops who infiltrated the DNC to continually make them look like jack asses. At least it wasn't Gov Locke. Not that he is a bad man or anything like that.

Posted by Hank on February 1, 2006 at 01:20 AM

Glad to see ya, Hank (truely - it's been awhile) - sorry - I've forgotten - Idaho right?

Gov. Dean, It is so refreshing to see what you've written, a description of what we progressives can accomplish. We do need to spend 90% of our time on this, and only 5% on watching the opposition and 5% on getting elected! (Time for public-financed election campaigns.)

-----------
Regarding Bush's speech tonight:

My favorite funny spot of the speech was his "Freedom's on the March" repeat: Now that we know that the American Citizenry is not free to have our right to privacy but is being spied on by the Bush Cabal, it was THE moment of ridiculous dissonance. Never before was it so clear that when Bush says "Freedom's on the March" he is really saying it is his Cabal's freedom to do as it pleases and march all over us.

And I would sum up his entire section on "anti-isolationism" this way: Bush thinks the opposite of "Imperialism"-PNAC-Style is isolationism. Another slogany framing attempt. (And it would NOT be the first time in American history that a populist party would be painted as isolationist. IN THIS PRESENT DAY CASE WE ARE NOT, because since when is a diplomatic international solution defined as isolationism!!!! But Bush would have it that anyone against his PNAC agenda of Imperial America is an isolationist. That's Rovespeak at best; at its worst it is divisive--the opposite of the bi-partisanship to which Bush pretended to pledge himself tonight!)

Regarding Gov. Kaine's retort:

We are on a runaway train here. We are falling off the track here at high speed. People are dying all around us (9/11, Iraq, Katrina, Medicare Drug Denial Plan...). And "We can do better"? Better than what? A train wreck????

We gotta at least get America back on the tracks.

Get another catchphrase for the party, puhlease!

Every year the minority talks into the camera uncomfortably. Why can't they just make the minority SOTU statement in front of an audience for a change?

Great response, Governor Dean! Too bad nobody else is going to see it! Why wasn't this script given to Tim Kain before he was allowed to go on National TV and make a fool of himself on our behalf? Please don't call and ask me for any more money after that ridiculous and embarrassing response!

Oh, and by the way, if you want to see a landslide victory for the republicans in 2006, keep up what you did tonight with Tim Kaine. What a bunch of phony baloney!

It's amazing...this party beats a drum of all Bush doesn't do. It still fails to stand up, state a strong idea of how to accomplish something, and follow through. Republicans were on the ropes a few weeks ago regarding scandal, wiretaps, and the war. Today's agenda: They still enjoy American support on Wiretaps, homeland security, and the ecomony. It's not about Bush. It's about ideas! Americans always give a bounce to Presidents after these addresses. And its not because they like the color of a tie...it's because presidents have learned to use the speach to talk about ideas. Good ideas, bad ideas, crazy ideas...Americans are innovative and love ideas to consider. Engage them and you'll create an excited electorate, the passion of both parties will grow, and we will have the benifit of competition of ideas between Dems and the GOP instead of this pissy nonsense whining about, "He didn't release this document and I'm concerned Alito is a conservate." No SH#% he's a conservative. Who needed the rocket scientist to point this out to you. He was appointed by George W. Bush, Republican, Conservative, right-winger, and Christian. Dean says, "When will we make serious strides towards energy independence? We get a greater percentage of our oil from cartels and dictatorships now than we did in 2000." In his letter. Well sir, give the people an idea...your idea...what specific steps would you take, popular or not, to correct this? Not taking this step is why Bush won by 5 points and continue to win when he chooses to care.

I want names - and more

I want to hear from every Democrat who thought Tim Kaine could speak for me - or speak to any American for that matter.

I want to hear those same Democrats explain to me - on this blog - how they thought Tim Kaine could possibly make a case against the worst president that this nation has ever produced

because as far as I'm concerned, he failed.

Is there transparency in this party?

Is there accountablity in this party?

Who engineered tonight's events?

Let's hear from you all - explain yourselves.

Or adopt the "We're no better than Republicans" defense.

The sun radiates across boundaries providing warmth and life. It shines without cost or prejudice to the benefit of plants and animals alike. But were it reasonably justifiable and possible there are those among us who would attempt to charge and tax the light of day.
When an honest man stoops to retrieve an item dropped upon the street and thus pockets the item as his clear and rightful possession, he does so with the belief that the item is without ownership. Suspecting that the item may be lost would obligate an honest man to the task of returning what is therefore found. Although devising a test to prudently assure that a true and rightful claim is achieved the restoration itself is the unfailing duty required by respectful and impartial etiquette.
Ownership for many is nothing more than a legal claim which dominates and discounts effort, talent and work. Disputes of ownership are commonplace and those who legally prevail are often undeserving with regards to talent, creativity or labor. This is a human problem which must be addressed by government.
In the jungle an older tribesman may claim first right by age. In the city a lady may claim first right by sex. These simple favors however are easily tolerated as harmless acts of compassion. But the ideology of legal favor which dominates work ethic and religion can have dire consequences.
Many of the rights of ownership awarded by law are claimed by reason only and such favoritism forbids and injures people in the most brutal ways that deprive comfort and prosperity. A nation of God fearing people would likely agree that the light of day was created by and therefore is the rightful property of the Almighty. Such sentiments are tolerated only because greedy fingers can not seize and hold the Sunlight. Even in church the clergy will often equate tithing as a rite to salvation just as insurance companies sell peace of mind.
Ownership is however necessary because it defines rights and establishes social order. And in America we strive for fairness and competition. But the public auctions and other techniques devised to keep competition alive are easily thwarted with wealth, loopholes and even outright corruption. A claimant can not only hold exclusive rights in the present but scheme for exclusive rights to future claims as well.
It is suggested that greed is the motivating force of Capitalism and that, in turn say Socialist, is the underlying problem with Capitalism. But greed is not the primary force behind Capitalism. It is need not greed that is the primary force behind Capitalism. A society regresses when greed is allowed to foster Capitalism. Society does not need tobacco, prostitutes, recreational drugs, alcohol, and such but we desire them and with those cravings we receive cancer, disease, addictions and such. Society does however need cars, tractors, hospitals, schools and such and although we may not crave these things, when we have them, we are improved.
Ownership when it is favored erodes that fabric of work and talent which binds great societies. Favoritism creates uncaring greedy individuals who rape nature and society alike. When obtaining permission to log a region without restrictions a greedy company will leave behind a barren waste land. When given the right to pump oil without restrictions a greedy company will pump with a fever because oil unlike boundaries can flow. So those who pump the quickest reap not only the oil under the chosen land but also the oil under neighboring lands as well. Therefore quicker does makes richer and it is within this fever that makes storage impossible. So in response to this behavior responsible governments attempt to manage their natural resources by implementing limits, standards and quotas.
However wealth can and does manipulate society and with the many connections to government, industry, and business large corporations can manipulate responsible management with a massive array of legal and questionable tactics. By manipulating supply and demand for example it becomes necessary to alter management.
Oil companies for example can devise ways to induce society to waste oil while simultaneously alleviating the cost of storage and increasing oil’s equilibrium price. Therefore with the assistance of a greedy Congress and advertising agencies people can be encouraged to waste fuel. The result will be that we will never progressed beyond using combustion engines and even regress to the position of driving extremely fuel inefficient cars in the name of fashion. And in all honesty I must ask the reader to stop and consider for a moment if we are in fact experiencing just such a state of affairs.
We often see construction companies repairing the same section of road month after month and in some cases year after year knowing that we are being taxed unfairly. And while we are loosing money through this ignorance and slothful indifference we loose additional income by setting idle in construction zones behind combustion engines that waste fuel as we crawl. And this also is a form of corruption, intentional or not, that wealth promotes.
Regardless of the activity, whether it is logging, fishing or oil exploration; it is the system that falters. When men are allowed to take what they did not rightfully obtain through work and talent then they will act like thieving children in a melon patch leaving behind a trail of destruction. Fine art which is given freely may hang in a closet but a simple painting which is dearly paid for will hang in a place of distinction.
For even now as we develop new fuels and technologies there are bad laws being written and loopholes left unplugged that will facilitate the corrupting effects of wealth. Preferential treatments will come at the expense of society and further delay and hinder progress and insure the status quo. Of course it is essential to avoid egalitarianism on the greater merits of skill and capability. But often capability is dependent on wealth and wealth is dependant on successful bidding. And it is this cycle of dependence that prevents successful competition and bidding for mineral rights and claims.
But more important are the resentments and social chaos this corruption brings. When people come to realize that they have been deprived they look for justice. In a democracy they vote with revenge and this action can alleviate anger but not the base pain. Therefore when the activity continues the people will rise to greater extremes. For example when business exploits children at the pain of their parents and at the expense of workers then unions will patch that eroded fabric where government failed.
Where democracy fails or does not exist then terrorism may develop and extend across borders like the light of day. But when democracy is finally restored then justice too is regained. True democracy in the Middle East for example will not provide America with inexpensive oil but will provide the poorest people there with roads, markets, homes and schools. It will deprive the royals and the favored class of a favored economic status.
Much the same will happen in America. When true democracy is restored here we will find leaders which are not for sell. It may take some new ideology which will make the idea of unions seem extremely Capitalistic in comparison but it may bring America back to democracy. Perhaps we will see a system where all land and natural resources are governmentally controlled and owned. Perhaps something even more extreme will develop out of this corruption that plagues America. As I stated in a previous opinion, “If that beast foretold in Christian prophesy does come, it will arrive not in Satan’s chariot but at our beckoning and resting securely upon the platform of our iniquities.”
On a personal I would like to congratulate President Bush for finally having the courage and integrity to acknowledge that we are wasting oil. I only wish he could have seen that in 2001 when so many were screaming that message. But I would like the President and Congress alike to know that I for one am not convinced of empty promises and half truths.

I am so Sorry, this is the third or forth version I have sent you of this letter. I keep hearing good idea’s from news commentators. I know, surprising.... This is the last one, and the best !!!

January 31, 2006

To: all Democrats, and Republicans!
Re: State of the Union Speech

Dear all,

I am a former Deputy Sheriff and life long republican, until 2000 that is. I should say I normally voted republican, because I vote the man, or woman, not the Party! I thought back then as I think now, Mr. Gore is the man for the job. At this time my beliefs just happen to be leaning wildly left. Why, because I think this man who was appointed President is a lying, stealing, cheating man, and the biggest Evil doer in history!!! every time I hear him saying we belong in Iraq, for what ever reason he is lying about at the time, I want to jump up and punch the TV. Why, again because it is not the truth, and that is what I want in my politicians to be, Honest! Anyone who wants my vote is going to have to stand up and call Bush what he is.
The Democratic turn was at best tonight a weak argument against the republicans. We need leaders who are not so afraid to take on Bush/Cheney and all their lies. All you have to do is lay out the facts as we now know them to be and go back and show what Bush/Cheney were saying and doing at that time. Pick any argument, 9-11, the war on Terror, the War in Iraq, Torture, where and how we hold suspected terrorists, culture corruption, cronyism, the economy, our deficits, Katrina, and the lack of response, the NSA spying program, ear marks, entitlement spending, the environment, the oil companies and their record profits, lack of caring about the middle class, hell any class but his own, Border Security, Halliburton, I get so confused because there are so many issues were Bush/Cheney have lied, and been caught! Still no one will take him on, Why ??? Bush and Cheney must be investigated by an independent prosecutor and let the chips fall where they may. Again, why, because the Truth Matters !!! Honesty in politics matters, and all of you need to get a handle on the truth. I understand why the Democrats have such a hard time putting together a forceful opposition to this administration. Bush, and Company are so dam Corrupt, have lied so much and so often, and have so many scandals going on, it is hard to get a handle on them, and the big picture. But the Truth matters to us regular Americans, and we will not support or condone a liar.
Bush absolutely thinks because he says something is true, it MUST BE SO. We are winning in Iraq, ya, prove it. That is something you democrats need to remember, prove it! Are we really winning this war in Iraq, No. We are losing there, and Bush still has not got Bin-laden. The honest Truth is, we Won in Iraq a long time ago. That is why we need to bring the troops home. Please help save another American kid before his, or her life is destroyed by Bush/Cheney deception and their lust for more Halliburton money. Why the press is not all over this company, and the favoritism they have been shown is beyond me. Bush just ordered that the Government pay 199 Million Dollars paid to KBR/Halliburton, when his own military has disputed those charges. Good God, why? Halliburton went from a Million Dollar a year company to a multi Billion Dollar a year company, all over this war. Need you really ask why he does everything he can to drag the war out. Not sending in enough troops to begin with. Why did Bush fire the four star General who was in charge of “central command”, (the Iraq theater of operations) when that General said he would need the same amount of troops his father had sent in the Gulf War, a much smaller operation. Back then they went in with half a million troops, (500,000) We went to war this time with less than a third of that many, why? Has anyone ever asked themselfs, why would Bush do that ??? The simple answer is he didn’t, Cheney did. You know, the former Defense Secretary/head of Halliburton, currant Vice President who does not think there is a conflict of interest even when he is personally making millions from this war. You mark my words, we will see much more paid to Bush/Cheney, after the White House. This makes me sick, and I do not know why no one seems to want to questions this conduct. Again I say to you, Bush and Cheney worship the American Almighty Dollar, everything they do shows this.
I mean take 9-11, who was in power for NINE Months before we were hit? Was the Bush administration warned, yes, the answer to that is yes! Take the 9-11 commission testimony of the former Clinton White House expert on terrorism. He said he warned this administration time and time again that we needed to hit Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan NOW, not later. There was the memo from the Phoenix FBI agent. God only knows what else they may have known, why, because they would not tell us. Bush and Cheney wanted to hide behind executive privilege, and not tell America anything. I am quite sure there are still things we do not know about that day. What is all this talk about the “Able Danger” program? Do we now know that Bush was Again, Warned??? What were/are Bush priorities, one, to hit AL-Qaeda in Afghanistan, second, to hit Saddam in Iraq. Now were in the hell does he come into 9-11. We know, he didn’t, but Bush said he was involved. Lies !!! Bush says tonight in the State of the Union, “We will not set back to be hit again” , No Democrat seems to want to point out the obvious, what was he doing on 9-11-2001, sitting back waiting to get hit first. It did wonders for his lies about Saddam being involved in 9-11. He was saying that in relation to his “Domestic surveillance program”, that he needs it, he needs to be able to spy on Americans. Well fine, go change the law, because the law is clear, you are not to do it without a WARRANT !!! But Bush does not care, he keeps saying in speech after speech, “I do not care what people say”, “what people think of me”, “what the polls say”, how people feel, as long as he is President he will keep doing what he wants. I mean why have any stinking law to start with then. It is simple, Bush/Cheney want to bully, and scare everyone into believing in them, their capital is FEAR! I mean come on Democrats, what has to be handed to you before you ACT ???
If Bush is so honest why wont he release the photo’s of Jack Abramoff, himself, and the his staff? Why had Jack Abramoff go to his Crawford Texas ranch 4 times? What were they talking about? Why did he lie to the Americans about getting warrants for wiretaps in a speech in Detroit? Why has Halliburton gotten every major Government in the Government both in Iraq and here at home? For God sakes why is the United States Army corp of engineers paying $1,000 a day for privet security in Iraq, while KBR/Halliburton getting United States Army security for Free???
I have never been for giving each Party a dollar for political campaigns in this country until now. I promise you, me and I bet 85% of all Americans would give you the money to run a campaign, If you politicians do away with all special interest, and lobbyist money. That way the republicans would no longer be able to out spend you. We may actually then have an honest, fair campaign. However, at this time I have to know Justice is going to be done. A special prosecutor should be appointed to look into all these suspected illegal activities of Bush/Cheney. Why does America think Bush is trying/doing stacking the Supreme Court? He does not want to go to jail, that is why, it is not because he knows he is right. Bush says in his speech that America needs to go around the world and use physical force to toss out any Government we think is wrong, to tough on their people, are corrupt? I mean that is what he said. We need to toss him out on his ass if that is the case. He says we need to spread democracy around the world. I ask you, is that what the founding fathers had in mind for our country, we are so right in this endeavor we need to force everyone else into it, is that what our founding fathers wanted?
Come on Democrats, pull your act together and lead us out of this future disaster we are heading for. We can do it if you promise the Truth and Honesty we need in Government. You need to point out that Democrats are also religious, not shy away from that wonderful fact. I assure you, the only thing George Bush, and Dick Cheney worship is the Almighty Dollar!!! They have proven that time and time and time again. We never see Bush at church unless he is needed there for a photo opt. If you all do not start supporting people who will stand up to this guy, he is going to be our next, and first King !!! I want this man Impeached, Now. I have written my representatives in both houses, and the crook himself. I have never gotten a response from any of them, or you all for that matter. Justice and the rule of Law must stand. The continued tyranny of this administration has gone on long enough. Are any of you listening???

Sincerely,
Mr. & Mrs. Darroll W. McKinney
425 E. McKellips Rd. #37
Mesa, Arizona 85203-2542
Dwolfaz@netzero.com

CC: Please forward to all concerned Democrats, politicians, and other interested Americans...... Before we lose what makes us Great!

Howard Dean Rocks!Okay,Change of Subject....

I have a few treats for you fellow Democrats.Instant voting results suggest that G.W.(Nixon)Bush got a D grade on his speech last night.See link:

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2006/state.union/results.html

Also,Hill Hill Hurray! Hill Hill Hurray! Mr. Bush's speech seems to have ran folks away from the tyrant, strait into the Arms of Hillary.Even "war hero" Guillianni was unable to beat her in these post speech polls.See link

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10547312/

2006/2008 Bring it on !

Here goes another one.Out of 25,403 people,76% would vote for Kerry if we could "Turn back Tyyeemmm" LOL. See Link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10365600#survey

As always, Gov. Dean on target. By the by, thanks for the action item link. I will do my best to spread it around.

www.democrats.org/sotu/rapidresponse

Do you know what stunk to high heaven like President Bush's lame State of the Union address last night? The even more lame official Democratic response, as voiced by Virginia State Governor Tim Kaine.

Talk about a total snooze fest. "We can do better!" Please.

You bet we can do better. We'd better do better, and Real Soon Now, or we voters can do better by electing better, more committed Democrats who are hopefully out there, and who actually have a spine and who will stand up and fight the Republicans who have a rather firm grip on Congress, the Executive and Judicial branches, and perhaps the entire country as well.

It's time that the wishy-washy Beltway Democrats started actually working for a living. It's time to start justifying their votes of confidence that we've given them.

Do incumbent Democrats want to be re-elected in Fall 2006? Do they want to take back the majority in the House and the Senate? And do they want to take back the Presidency in 2008?

That sure is something I'd like to see happen. But it's definitely not going to happen as long as the Status Quo continues on the same stale, safe pathway it has traversed for the past five years in the face of Republican dominance and, dare I say it, outright "bitch slapping". They own us and they know it, and it must stop right now.

Wake up, complacent and sleeping Washington Democrats. Time to go to work. It's now, or never.

From Paul Begala:

The president began by calling for greater civility in politics. That's like Paris Hilton calling for chastity. Bush has allowed his allies to attack his opponents -- from John McCain to John Kerry -- with rare and raw savagery. His calls for civility are as phony as his posing as a rancher... The president faces a credibility crisis. In 2002, 71 percent of Americans said Bush was honest and trustworthy. Today, 53 percent say he is neither honest nor trustworthy -- because he's not.

***

My take on the SOTU speech:

1) A simply awful speech from technical perspectives - boring, cliches, repetition and no substance.

2) I loved it when the Repubs clapped throughout Bush's diatribe on domestic issues and Democrats kept their seats.

3) Who was that poor Iraqi woman next to Laura Bush? She looked like she really hated being there.

4) Dumbya said nothing new about the "war on terror", Iraq, etc... But he did try to excuse his illegal wiretapping.

5) A commission on the baby boomers? Geez, how creatic! What is the mystery about the baby boomers? Social security was geared to address this issue in the 1980's. The economy did not keep up under Bush and he robbed the surplus to use in the Iraq war. This is why there are projected short falls. Raise the salary cap already!

6) Health care plan ... as John Kerry said in 2004, it a very short plan - don't get sick!

7) Energy policy? It takes more than rhetoric.

8) Education - how are we making ourselves more competitive when student loans are being cut back?

9) Global economy - more of the same diatribe, free trade is good, no isolationism, no protectionism. Bush's answer is emply platitudes.

All in all:

Phoohey!

rjsnj, I liked that ploy in Bushes speech, too.

Now they want civility when the campaign season has officially started? Has Rove ever engineered anything but dirty tricks, smear tactics, and the viliest of negative advertising from their side? They want peace till their meida buys begin to air in the fall?

If they really wanted civility, they should have thought about that when they engineered the donut hole in the Medicare perscription drug legislation. There are going to be millions of irate seniors and their adult children when this Republican "bomb" is dropped on these unsuspecting families this summer.

Targeting the weakest and sickest of seniors for the a big finanical hit is not Christian or a perscription for civility. And it's just the most obvious of their disasterous policies which are screwing over the middle class and working poor.

nora, all your points are well taken.

It was a real pleasure to get up early and find the Dean SOTU. Having heard neither the Bush or Keane version, I'm quite content.

If I'm correct, there was a mention of "health savings accounts" in the official SOTU. I have some thoughts on that.
Obviously, the phrase polls well. Everybody likes health and everybody likes savings and accounts are a good thing too, even if they're not easy to keep.
The problem is that health is not something that can be saved. So, it's an unrealistic expectation to do so. Whenever you plan to do something that can't be done, you set yourself up for failure.
Even if health could be saved, the very concept of savings as applied to health in inappropriate because, as in "saving for a rainy day," this strategy only works when you're dealing with a certainty. Health, whether it stays, goes, or succumbs to disasterous injury or disease, is characterized by uncertainty. Saving for an uncertainty doesn't make any sense, which is why most people don't do it.

Aside from the fact that a program of public health and safety actually serves to protect many who are not directly afflicted from harm, it would probably be useful to distinguish efforts to promote public health and safety from the notion that this is in any way connected to security. Securing people does not make them safe or keep them from getting ill.

The reason the word "security" works in combination with "social" is because it accurately portrays a social commitment, a firm pledge, to a particular course of action. That the leaders of society may not be keen on being tied to a particular program is understandable. However, in a democratic society, it's the community's commitments that should be "secure," rather than individual behavior.

In other words, "safe" and "safety" are in; "security" is out when we're talking about the freedom of individuals.

Now this is kick ass. Make your link more prominent. LET PEOPLE know that is there and what its for. I sent letters to my newspapers and I freeped polls. Great Job. Here is what I sent as my letter to the editor. Alright dems. Here are your tools and your talking points. So STFU and get to work covering the Gov. back.

"Bush failed to answer the real questions ordinary Americans have about the state of our union:

• When will we have a new strategy in Iraq that protects our troops and brings them home?
• When will we secure our ports and chemical and nuclear plants, and really begin the fight on terrorism?
• When will the Republican Party put its responsibility to the people before its greed and thirst for power?
• When will President Bush and the Republican Congress wake up to the fact that good jobs are leaving this country, the jobs that remain exploit working families and deny them benefits, and wages are stagnant and declining while the cost of living is escalating?
• When will Bush finally do something for the 46 million Americans who lack health insurance?
• When will we make serious strides towards energy independence?
• When will he take steps to further ensure retirement security for every American?

Bush and the Republicans won’t answer these questions because the answer to each and every one is "Never." Never as long as they control our government, never as long as they can execute the same incompetent, dishonest and destructive government without paying a price at the ballot box. The answer will be "never" until we restore checks and balances to our government and take our country back."

PS - Talk to Kos, Matt and the blog community. Let them know its here. I'll diary this, but I won't get the attention that you will. Great job. Thanks.

I'm still waiting! I'm still waiting for a Democrat who has the guts and courage to be outspoken. I'm still waiting for a Democrat who has a plan of action. I'm still waiting for a Democrat who can lead us out of our pit and help all of us gain back what has been stolen from the American people. I hoped TSOTU address would bring out the liberal voices loud and clear but it didn't happen. The issues are simple, the huge deficit, Iraq, and medical care are top on my list. It's time we all start speaking out against King George's policies. We have mid term elections coming and I'm still waiting to feel connected to a united democratic party. I don't want to wait forever. Time is short and we must get it together.

I have to give Bush credit that at least he didn't sound like the bumbling, uneducated puppet he usually does. Having said that, though, he still didn't say anything to give the country hope. Here is a guy saying that the bipartisan squabling has to end but he and his administration are the ones who do most of the damage.

What was the most irritating, however, was our response. Isn't there anybody in the party who is a good orator? Isn't there someone who can say "We can do better" and really get people to believe it? We complain about Bush not giving us any details in his State of the Union and then we give a response that's even worse. Come on!

I keep hearing that the Democrats have a plan and it will be unveiled. I heard Durbin give a speech where he said that Gingrich's Contract for America didn't come out until the September before the 1994 election and it did wonders for them. I for one don't want to wait that long.

Let's show we have plans and they don't just come out when we are trying to get elected. The Democratic response was the perfect time and on a world stage and we blew it.

Paul Hackett and John Murtha are the Democrats I wanted to hear from last night. We needed an In-Your-Face response- the people posting here realize it,why can't the Democratic "leadership" figure it out. This should have been like shooting fish in a barrel- instead, the Dems take one more step towards irrelevance.

"We Can Do Better"?? Pretty ironic.

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

lie
1 : to make an untrue statement with intent to deceive
2 : to create a false or misleading impression

When President Bush presents a false choice between imperialism and isolationism,...

IT IS A LIE!

When President Bush claims that we had to go to Iraq because of 9/11...

IT IS A LIE!

When President Bush acts as if the only alternative to our present course of action in Iraq constitutes a retreat...

IT IS A LIE!

When President Bush acts as if the only choice is between warrantless wiretapping of Al Qaeda and no wiretapping at all (rather than getting warrants for his wiretapping or asking Congress to update the law)....

IT IS A LIE!

Deliberately misleading the American people by using disingenuous false choices is LYING!

WHY CAN'T THE DEMOCRATS POINT THIS OUT REPEATEDLY, ALL DAY EVERY DAY FOR THE NEXT 2 YEARS, IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES!!!

When in heaven's name are we going to fill this leadership void in the Democratic Party with someone who can stand toe to toe with the Liar-in-chief and call him out on his lies?

It's just not that hard.

Posted by pordlaw on February 1, 2006 at 08:24 AM
I'm still waiting! I'm still waiting for a Democrat who has the guts and courage to be outspoken. I'm still waiting for a Democrat who has a plan of action. I'm still waiting for a Democrat who can lead us out of our pit and help all of us gain back what has been stolen from the American people.

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

We had one and he got massacred in Iowa by other Dem's running for Pres and the Repug machine too.

I did not watch the STOUA last night, I just could not stand to watch the swagger and lies. I did watch the "pre-game" warm-up, and was completely frustrated by the silencing of Cindy Sheehan. Once again the Bush Administion shows its disdain for freedom of speech/press. It is amazing to me how this president is so afraid of Cindy Sheehan. The truth really enslaves him and he knows it.

I could not stomach watching Bush stand there with that little smirk on the corner of his lip, so instead, tuned in afterwards to hear what people were saying.

I Too thought Tim Kaine was an AWFUL choice to give the rebuttal!!!
I don't know who chooses these guys, but it must be one of the old advisers to Kerry's campaign!
All of the networks roundtables said the same thing! Kaine sucked!

WE NEED TO SHOW STRENGTH, PEOPLE! We needed someone snickering over the distortions and lies and ridiculous ideas. Solve our Health Crisis with Health Savings Accounts???? Assinine!
Why didn't someone tear that one apart? How about all those with NO health insurance, period, OR those on Medicare? HSAs are of no help!

Staying the course in Iraq??? How many more US troops must die for a Lie!!!!

The Economy is good??? How about Low wages not keeping up with inflation? How about those jobs going overseas??? How about GM and Ford laying off 30,000 each , and Kraft this week with 8000!
What are those guys going to do about jobs and health insurance?

Come on Democratic Party - You got to do better than this!

Hope somebody was watching Joe Scarborough at the roundtable with Matthews and the WashPost guy. He very clearly was pointing out the way for Dems to win in November - the same way the Repubs won in 1994!!!

Impeachment.
Nothing any Democrats can do until this Administration's buffoon and cronys are impeached.

Even the many many good ideas can't have meaning or substance until this Criminal Bush and his Gang are prosecuted and serve time.

If you do not get that, you aren't in the leadership, or should not be.

Every campaign in the nation for an office that ends in Washington needs to be discussing impeachment and why the opposition at his level is ignoring the breaking of laws, and violations of the Constitution. Do the Republicans get this, does your opponent grasp that laws are bing violated, and that as Bush remarked, "the Constitution is just a piece of paper," and that he can ignore the laws, and that because he declared a war (not Congress) that he is above the law???

You all know the mantra. Push to impeach and prosecute. That is your election strategy and the only true way to have good ideas surface further down the line that serve the people instead of the few wealthiest.

Impeachment.
Nothing any Democrats can do until this Administration's buffoon and cronys are impeached.

Even the many many good ideas can't have meaning or substance until this Criminal Bush and his Gang are prosecuted and serve time.

If you do not get that, you aren't in the leadership, or should not be.

Every campaign in the nation for an office that ends in Washington needs to be discussing impeachment and why the opposition at his level is ignoring the breaking of laws, and violations of the Constitution. Do the Republicans get this, does your opponent grasp that laws are bing violated, and that as Bush remarked, "the Constitution is just a piece of paper," and that he can ignore the laws, and that because he declared a war (not Congress) that he is above the law???

You all know the mantra. Push to impeach and prosecute. That is your election strategy and the only true way to have good ideas surface further down the line that serve the people instead of the few wealthiest.

LaJara,

If you know of a way to get a Republican led congress to start impeachment hearings, let me know. I am all ears and want to jump on board.

I have been giving faithfully to impeachbush.org, and they had a panel on yesterday on C-Span, but it is not going to be very effective in pushing the idea onto Republicans who will stand around this President to the death!

Until the election debacle is rectified we will never win another election. We won in 2000 and we probably won 2004.
Even electronic voting with a paper trail is highly suspect.
Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to John Adams in 1813 titled "The Natural Aristocracy." http://www.greatbooks.org/typ/301.0.html?&no_cache=1&sword_list[]=The&sword_list[]=Natural&sword_list[]=Aristocracy
His letter reflects where the Nation is today in regards to allowing priveledged aristocrats having control of government. He told us we could remedy aristocratic rule every 4 years. It is also a statement of why our fore fathers envisioned the need for a death tax and taxing the wealthy. Unfortunatly, he was not aware of Diebold or ESSI.

One thing we didn't hear, either from the President or Howard Dean, was global warming. In the long run, this is by far the most serious issue facing the planet. I'd like to see a President begin the State of the Union address by talking about the state of the planet. If we don't learn to manage our natural resources, we'll be in big trouble.

Republicans who will stand around this President to the death!

Posted by PamB on February 1, 2006 at 09:51 AM

PamB,

That's fine with me!! Let's get on with voicing the Democratic message for the people, everyday, and perpetuate this objective!!;) Know?!?

I'd like to see a President begin the State of the Union address by talking about the state of the planet. If we don't learn to manage our natural resources, we'll be in big trouble.
***

Very true! Bush & the Repugs will never talk about such issues.

from daily kos:

Protests demanding that Bush Step Down were held tonight/last night (depending when you read this) in at least 68 cities! Reports on these actions are being posted here. I attended the demonstration in Times Square. Over a thousand people rallied in drizzling rain and were quite spirited. There were lots of noisemakers to "drown out Bush" and some good speakers and music. The speakers represented a wide array of groups but did a good job of keeping on message. The actions were organized in response to a call by World Can't wait which is now organizing to send buses down to DC for another protest this Saturday.

This was a gem from the SOTU address:

A hopeful society has institutions of science and medicine that do not cut ethical corners, and that recognize the matchless value of every life. Tonight I ask you to pass legislation to prohibit the most egregious abuses of medical research... creating human-animal hybrids...
-GWB, 1/31/06

Human animal hybrids? Wait a minute, that's Bush!

i was disappointed in both parties last night. if we are really democrats, we need to act like democrats and not put a white collar stiff-neck white democrat in front of the American people to refute mr. bush. as a young female in the party, i expected more. we have to MAKE progress happen!

I have to thank Jen for her posting a letter from Cindy Sheehan on the "Tuesday night thread"
explaining what happened to her at the SOTUA. I feel even more repulsed by this republican revolution. To the strict constructionist' view of the constitution the sedition act is alive and well. The people must demand that our government restrain from envolving this act at the will of tyranny.

The Sedition Act of 1798

SEC. 2. And be it farther enacted, That if any person shall write, print, utter or publish, or shall cause or procure to be written, printed, uttered or published, or shall knowingly and willingly assist or aid in writing, printing, uttering or publishing any false, scandalous and malicious writing or writings against the government of the United States, or either house of the Congress of the United States, or the President of the United States, with intent to defame the said government, or either house of the said Congress, or the said President, or to bring them, or either of them, into contempt or disrepute; or to excite against them, or either or any of them, the hatred of the good people of the United States, or to stir up sedition within the United States, or to excite any unlawful combinations therein, for opposing or resisting any law of the United States, or any act of the President of the United States, done in pursuance of any such law, or of the powers in him vested by the constitution of the United States, or to resist, oppose, or defeat any such law or act, or to aid, encourage or abet any hostile designs of any foreign nation against United States, their people or government, then such person, being thereof convicted before any court of the United States having jurisdiction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding two thousand dollars, and by imprisonment not exceeding two years.

Come on Media, Cindy's right ot wear that T-shirt is the same as your right to print the truth about this administration, stand for your rights!!

how in the world does the DNC continue to drop the fuc*ing ball on this? There are a million things to slam this stupid idiot and his minions for and they can't get their sh*t together for one fuc*ing night!!!
I've absolutely had it.

From the Democratic Progressive Caucus:

Alternative SOTU address from the Democratic House Progressive Caucus

Click on the audio streams.

The Democratic House Progressive Caucus is now 62 members! It's the largest growing caucus on Capital Hill. I believe the progressive caucus is the real hope for the future.

PamB,
RE: impeachment
It is the first order of business of the House in 2007. But every Democrat running for office has to campaign on this, has to point out that the will of the People is not to be lied to and that the breaking of the law, especially by the President and His Buddies is prohibited by the constitution. Republicans can be debated, but the Constitution is not obscure on this even with new tech.

There is a way to get to impeachment now, in the House, but it takes getting the Democrats together and focusing upon the impeachment task. The ACLU course may pan out at the supreme Court, even with Bush's buddy Alito on it.

But impeachment is something that requires some dems putting their favorite program on hold, no matter how good it is and to FOCUS on this impending impeachment. It means delaying the republican tyranny everyway possible, legislatively, to keep things in committe to keep things tied in committees and to file suit after suit to stop certain things even if they may not get stopped.

You may call this obstructionist. I call it necessary to perserve America. Someday we may actually move forward to a democracy.

The FISA laws, and the 4th amendment are legally the easiest ones to proceed on, other than the obvious lying to the people.

It is hard to imagine that the majority of the Supreme Court would try to overturn the 4th amendment, or to distort its meaning -- that probable cause is abided by a jurist, an officer of the court, an oath in the court -- not by the AG. But we will probably get to see this happen.

Nothing overshadows getting the truth out via impeachment proceedings, sooner better, but the issue in this years election needs to be focused on the impending impeachment.

Coming from Texas, I can relate to those who feel Tim Kaine was appealing to the fence-sitters, swing voters etc... Heck most Texas Dems including Paul Begala will preach that you must be Republican Light in order to win in Texas. Just look at what he did with Tony Sanchez (which by the way makes his new book laughable at best)...

I would have liked to have heard more about how we beat the GOP in their backyard myself and by that I dont mean how he worked "across the aisle" balogney. I am also cognisant of the fact that mostly diehard partisans post their views on this blog and so I will take them at their word. They clearly dont represent the views of a growing number of registered independent voters.

That having been said, I do believe the message appealed to those independents but I hope we can find a better voice for our next SOTU response. The young mayor from Los Angeles hit it out of the park for our Spanish speaking audience last night I am told...

To the strict constructionist' view of the constitution the sedition act is alive and well. The people must demand that our government restrain from envolving this act at the will of tyranny.
***

I agree the Ptariot Act has aspects that are very much like the Alien and Sedition Act of 1798. A true strict constructionist would actually reject both the Patriot Act and the Alien & Sedition Act. But, that's not what Scalia, Thomas, Roberts and Alito are. They are actually right wing judicials activists!

Posted by Poppythepitbull on February 1, 2006 at 10:47 AM,

Slam, Bam, Thank you Sam; but all that will get us is accused of being the opposition party. The Dems must start flooding the Congress with bills about all of our concerns. While the congress is busy "debating" our bills they won't have time to screw the working class anymore, and the Dems come away looking as the party with the real ideas, not just the complaining party.

This also makes the Republicans appear as the party of obstruction, as the always have been.

While the congress is busy "debating" our bills they won't have time to screw the working class anymore, and the Dems come away looking as the party with the real ideas, not just the complaining party.
***

I have no problem with posting lots of bills but there is one problem with what you are saying. Just because a Congressional Representative posts a bill doesn't mean it will be debated. First, it must have enough sponsors. Then it must be taken up by a committee/sub-committee (controlled by Pugs). Then it needs to make it out of committee to have a general debate. The Dems could keep use procedural maneuvers to try forcing some debates but it's not easy!

Posted by LaJaraHigh on February 1, 2006 at 10:49 AM,

I good first step at tying up the congress, but we need to follow this up with bills about health care, minimum wage, homeland security, fair taxation, education, the environment, et al., and then debate, debate, debate, while maintaining focus on articles of impeachment.

Give me one week running the DNC and I'll have 3/4's of the country voting blue. Non stop attack ads ripping this admin apart limb from limb. Until we get someone in there with some balls, the republicans will continue to trick and fool these stupid hicks in middle america. Open your eyes people!!!

I agree with Chairman Dean!
But why for a love of a God we didn't responded more forcefully last night??? It was way too soft.Sheriff McKinney is right in everything he said..We need people with ...you know what to speak up for rest of us.One thing though,altough that goof was confirmed yesterday,but I think we'll win a war inspite this battle being lost.John Kerry,Ted Kennedy...were magnificant.Ted Kennedy made all republicans spoke softly after he was done-they were intimidated and...dare I say scared!Can we do this more please!Only way you can deal with bully is punch him right in a nose.
I believe that "we have better way" is not good enough,we have to find something better to say which carry real meaning that an ordinary Americans can understand.This is way too simple and sound as a guy who doesnt have anything else to say.Put ideas and hard facts behind those words.If it's up to me,I would lock up all our brains behind close doors and not let them out until they reach unified platform-winning formula that they come up with.Whatever that is -give that to the people.
Give them hope and ways that we believe will change this catastrophic record of this WH and republican led congress.Americans are the most uninformed people in a world.We have to find the way to inform and educate ordinary Americans of why this country is so much disliked in rest of the world and by the way WHO IS RESPONSIBLE for it.Healthcare is winning ticked for us...how to fix abysmal record of the most expansive and failed healthcare system in a world.Who is responsible for that,it is time to throw again an idea about unversal healthcare and complete reforms of it.Our people can not be missinformed and scared by republicans about "terrible" care that is provided in rest of western countries.We have face the fact that this American style healthcare is export that no one wants and to tell them why say Sweden is way ahead of us in this.We have to be honest with American people and rest of the world.That is the only way of us winning back over American people and world in general.Americans and rest of the world need hope-we have to give them hope even if they are skeptical about it to start with,we must belive and make them believe because at the end of the day-honesty is the best policy,and whoever live by it will be rewarded for it.Winning ticket for us is also alternative energy,concrete plan how we would get a rid of dependency on foreign oil.We need to present to the American people that we are just as strong as republicans when it comes in defeating terror and dealing with rogue governments.We can not follow policy of trying to install "democracy" to those who don't know what it is and in the name of democracy-they chosing wrong people to lead them,people who hate us.Now winning ticket in any country in middle east is; more anti American you are-you will win!
We need to have concrete withdrawal plan (with honour) from Iraq.On same token-we will not allow republicans to lead Iran policy.In my book that is shaping up as a crisis as one that we never had before,not since Cuban one.We need to be as simple as possible in speaking in language which Iran understand;1.We will never allow you to build nuclear weapon.
2.We will defend Israel and all our friends with all available US might.
3.We offering you both- peace branch to coexsist,but also words of unimaginable cosequences for your people.
Mr.president of Iran-don't play craps with destiny of your nation!
We have to heed republicans in this-they will take adventage of this situation and lead Americans to believe that only them can protect us.They've stoled everything from us through this so called war on terror-they will do it again...if we are fools of course..
American people need hope,they are tired of b.s.,they are ready to embrace with both hands those who give them hope for better tomorrow.Our great slogan of "enough is enough"-lets make them believe in that slogan and in truth enough is finally enough..

In order for this country to regain some stability, the democrats not only need to show a united front, but we need to lead. In order to lead, we must have a leader that is intellegent, charismatic, and diplomatic. We don't need hot headed democratic speaking on behalf of the democratic party. We already have a hot headed president and the American people want change. The best leaders guide us through positive SOLUTIONS. This party needs to find a true leader in order for all Americans to follow. Example: Where is John Edwards? He is a leader we can follow. He has a balance of intellegence, charisma and diplomacy that the American people need right now. With the up coming mid-term elections and before we know it, the presidential elections, the time is now to stop the warranted complaining and give the American people what they need - SOLUTIONS. Now is the time to focus on finding true Democratic Leaders.

Decent speech but I really was not expecting much. Since the original justification for the Iraq war of 'a madman with weapons of mass destruction' has been disproven, he is now slapping the American people over the head with this 'democracy will defeat terrorism' mantra. The only problem is, in more and more of the dangerous Arab nations, the Islamic terrorists are winning in Bush's cherished democratic elections- giving them even more legitimate power, not less. He mentioned Osama Bin Laden once, maybe twice, through the speech because he does not want America to remember that monster is still breathing. I am gravely concerned with his lack of direction- what is his agenda? Democratic victories for terrorists or a safer America? Because it is becoming clearer and clearer that those are not one-in-the-same.

SOTU address:

"Same old lemon with a new twist" --- Congressional Rep. Danny Davis

*********** REPEAT AFTER ME *************

The National Dem Party need to "KEEP IT SIMPLE". GET THREE TALKIN POINTS, AND DRIVE IT HOME.

1. Culture of Corruption
2. Unfunded Health Care & Education
3. Deficit, Republicans uncontroled Spending.

Either put up or shut up!

Posted by rjsnj on February 1, 2006 at 11:00 AM,

I know you do not believe regaining our country is going to be easy. All I am trying to persuade is that the Democrats must start the process of answering the republican accusations of being complainers with real bills that answer the problems of all americans. You know that any bill designed to help the working class will be refused by the republicans, thus showing their true colors.

*********** REPEAT AFTER ME *************

The National Dem Party need to "KEEP IT SIMPLE". GET THREE TALKIN POINTS, AND DRIVE IT HOME.

1. Culture of Corruption
2. Unfunded Health Care & Education
3. Deficit, Republicans uncontroled Spending.

Either put up or shut up!

**sorry for the double post - a glich in the system?

I know you do not believe regaining our country is going to be easy.
***

That wasn't what I am saying. Regaining the Congress is actually simpler than tying the Republican controlled Congress up in knots.
It's just not possible to do that when the other side controls the calendar, the committees, etc... That's why we have these hearings by John Conyers in the basement of the Capital building. The Republicans disrespect the Democrats so much that won't give our Congressional Reps meeting rooms! We have to win the Congress back at the ballot box! Start now.

how's about these apples!

Senate Democrats Ahead Of GOP in Fundraising

By Thomas B. Edsall
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, February 1, 2006; Page A08

The major Senate Democratic fundraising committee has pulled millions of dollars ahead of its Republican counterpart despite the solid GOP Senate majority and the fundraising advantages of incumbency.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, chaired by Sen. Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.), reported collecting $44 million in 2005, nearly $10 million more than the $35.5 million raised by the National Republican Senatorial Committee, chaired by Sen. Elizabeth Dole (N.C.).

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/31/AR2006013101478.html

QUESTION@msnbc.com

Did Bush make his case in the State of the Union!

Let er rip, guys !

it would be helpful if open threads were open threads and topical threads were topical threads.

texas dem. i hate to say this but i don't think any realistic plan to identify a group of states where the democrats can pick up enough electoral votes to take back the white house can possibly include texas, alabama, mississippi, georgia, oklahoma and a few others. i know this perspective is not in line with the chairman's mantra but that is p.r. not a real plan to win anything. to become republican lite would mean losing half of the 60 million votes or so that we did get in 06. alot of folks would just say "why bother?". some states are too nut ballish with the jesoid stuff or still clinging to the stars and bars too much to waste time and energy trying to appeal to.

we need to broaden our base and appeal. we don't need to become complete assholes in the process.

yeah, chuck schummer...straight outa brooklyn, grilled scalito pretty good and is working hard to make his mark on the senate. good for him.

Gee George, people don't seem to like you. they really don't like you and they're not about to watch your silly 'ole speech, neither.

How did President Bush’s speech make you feel about the state of the nation?
More encouraged....19,226
Less encouraged....25,633
I didn’t watch it...40,789

http://www.cnn.com/

You know that any bill designed to help the working class will be refused by the republicans, thus showing their true colors.
***

davidual,

I agree that Pugs won't help anyone except the wealthy and causes that appeal to their religious extremists. The Pugs are Corporatists and Dominionists.

But, it's not enough just posting bills. The public is not up on every bill that a Congressional Rep. posts. Even us activists are not up on every bill that is posted. The media is totally clueless and don't report on pending bills. They do a rotten job reporting on bills being actively debated. You have to be a C-span junky just to know what is going on. That doesn't describe 99% of this country.

For example, how many people in the public know about HR676? Conyers and Kucinich posted that bill in 2001 to institute a single payer universal health care system. It's chapter and verse on how a SPUHC system would be implemented. The bill has been scored by leading economists at the Economic Policy Institute such as Dean Baker. Yet, how many people know this bill was posted? It still does not have enough sponsors to come up to a committee! So, you will never hear debate on HR676.

Posted by rjsnj on February 1, 2006 at 11:19 AM

Agreed!:\ You're right about the structure of how bills become laws. However, the creation of these bill, even if they are only sponsored by Democrats, help to identify the Democrsatic agenda that the Republican Congress is ultimately obstructing.

The Democrats must give Americans the hope and vision, or do not stand a chance in November.

P.S. I have something interesting for you and you draw your own conclusions on what I am aluding at.
"Naturally the common people don't want war;neither in Russia,nor in England,nor in America,nor in germany.That is uderstood.but after all,it is the leaders of the country who determine policy,and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along,whether it is democracy,or a fascist dictatorship,or a parliament,or communist dictatorship.Voice or no voice the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders.That is easy.All you have to do is to tell them that are being attacked,and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger.It works the same in any country."
Hermann Goering (Hitler's right hand general)

bb, i love the fact that so many didn't watch.as i wrote last nite i finally really focused on dave chappell to find something to watch and he was hysterical......

Posted by rjsnj on February 1, 2006 at 11:28 AM,

Acknowledged and agreed again! However, when we come down to the election wire the democrats have something to refute the republican claims that democrats are just complainers, lack real ideas and leadership.

I too see the problems with the Dems these days. Yes, I agree with EVERYONE who said that we blew ANOTHER opportunity to tell this lying bastard that we've had enough, point out each and every one of his lies, and tell him that he is NOT our President and we DO NOT stand with him, and then lay out OUR ideas (like Mr. Dean so eloquently did). Whoever though Mr. Kaine would be our new voice and would represent the Democratic Party in a forceful, eloquent, effective way needs to get his head examined (perhaps, Mr. Dean, this is why you couldn't even win the nomination vs. a pig-headed wuss like Kerry).

But this brings us to really the crix of the problem; I believe that the true issue is not that we don't know "What Bill (Clinton) Would Do" (WWBD) like Mr. Carville always refers to. It's that we are waiting in vain for someone to deliver the message IN THE SAME WAY as Clinton; CHARISMATIC, smooth, well-spoken, intelligent, energetic, a bit of humor...all the characteristics that we demand of our leaders. Like it or not, it is what the Republicans see in Bush. Like we were more than willing to overlook Clinton's faults, they look at the fact that Bush can't get two sentences out in a row without mispronouncing a word as "cute", "down-to-earth", "one of us", etc.

They then look at Kerry and we see a fake, someone who "represents the middle class" while he has more $$$$$$ than Midas; we see Hilary Clinton as a shrill carpetbagger whose ambition has no bounds, we see Dean as a far-left nutball who does the tomahawk chop on the campaign train, we see Edwards as too young and green, Obama an unknown, Gore as boring (I DON'T, but that's for another day)...ALL BECAUSE WE (THEY) ALLOW THE REPUBLICANS TO PAINT THEM THAT WAY. As Michael J. Fox said in "The American President," "in the absence of true leadership the American people will listen to anyone who steps up to the microphone."

It is time that the Democrats find that charismatic leader, the one that we can all rally around, the one who will be the mouthpiece for the party that obviously has the best ideas, and show a little backbone doing it. It is painfully obvious that the problems of this country are not all the Republican's fault...we as Democrats are partially to blame for not giving the American people a reason to choose one of our candidates to lead them, to provide the checks and balances the constitution affords.

This is a call to arms to you, Mr. Dean. Time is running out before the '06 elections. Find us that charistmatic leader that we can rally around...or as an Arizona resident, at least I will be close to the party that McCain will throw after he wins the '08 election!!!!!

PS - Is there ANY way that you can convince Mr. Gore to come out of his self-induced retirement? Help us Obiwan Gore, you're our only hope!!!

Posted by TonyF on February 1, 2006 at 11:30 AM,

In an un, or under, educated world this is the axiom, and also presumably why Rebublicans always seem to cut education expenditiures.

Acknowledged and agreed again! However, when we come down to the election wire the democrats have something to refute the republican claims that democrats are just complainers, lack real ideas and leadership.
***

davidual,

Insidious isn't it? That is the "evil brilliance" of the Re-Thuglicans tactics. They do everything in their power to make sure that the Democrats are not heard, can't get their bills to the floor and then they claim Democrats have no ideas! To the largely clueless public, they think that must be true since they never see Democratic bills getting attention. The public does not appreciate how one party can shut out the other party. The Re-Thuglicans have been ruthless at doing this - it's as bad as I ever seen. Makes me admire the British Parliamentary system where all parties have an equal shot the microphone and the prime minister has to take questions from everyone! Can you imagine Dumbya having to do that?

lost, don't follow leaders and watch your parking meters.

i like gore alot too but he needs to lose weight, do a tour in the wwf circuit, drive a nascar race car into a wall or two, kill one of the last bengal tigers on earth with his bare hands and see a vision of the virgin in his cheese filled crust pizza for the dumbs shits in the hills of america to go for him.

"I don't see him getting the democratic nomination in 2008, not with the likes of Warner, Clinton, Edwards, Kerry, maybe Clark? in the field."

You KNOW you LOVE HIM Bleu!

And how could any one NOT???

I dare the PUGS to pull a swiftie on this General!

MORNING EVERYONE!! There is HOPE! I stayed up late enough last night to get the stats (or GRADES) given W for his speech.

DellB gave me the news and it was HILARIOUS! ALL D's!! Hahahahahhahahah! But I'm sure everyone knows that by now. I'm just catching up.

gregg, you should pay closer attention to the demographic shift occurring in Texas. If you're implying I am advocating for GOP Lite then you missed my point altogether. You claim we need to we need to "broaden our base and appeal"... How do you accomplish that by avoinding the fact that Texas is now a majority minority state?

Posted by LostInAZ on February 1, 2006 at 11:37 AM,

Oh charisma!! Part of the problem with American politics is this reprehensible desire for a leader that looks good, or sounds good. Why do we need so much tangibility in relating solid ideas for our society? This is one aspect of modernity that society needs to comes to terms with. Just sayin'!!:)

Posted by gregg on February 1, 2006 at 11:30 AM

Dave and Jon Steward, Janine Garofolo (sp) and a lot more were in a movie called "Half Baked" a few years back and I swear I never laughed sooooooo hard in my entire life.

Well maybe when I saw the spoof "Army of Darkness" right after my 2nd divorce. That was also a much needed HAHA few hours!

Posted by gregg on February 1, 2006 at 11:30 AM

Dave and Jon Stewart, Janine Garofolo (sp) and a lot more were in a movie called "Half Baked" a few years back and I swear I never laughed sooooooo hard in my entire life.

Well maybe when I saw the spoof "Army of Darkness" right after my 2nd divorce. That was also a much needed HAHA few hours!

PS - Is there ANY way that you can convince Mr. Gore to come out of his self-induced retirement? Help us Obiwan Gore, you're our only hope!!!
Posted by LostInAZ on February 1, 2006 at 11:37 AM

That would be a nice start and also for someone to keep repeating this:

1. Culture of Corruption
2. Unfunded Health Care
3. Deficit

LostinAZ

Your version of John Kerry is EXACTLY what the Republicans painted him, and tried to make people think!

You should get a copy of Carville & Begalas new book, it goes into what happened to Kerry ---by far the better candidate going into the 2004 election, and how the Strategy of Bush campaign, totally turned him into a weak, flip flopper !

Do not buy into what you heard the Repugs say.

texas, i keep wondering about that. but in 04 kerry lost the state by 20%. how did that happen ? kerry did better in louisiana for christ's sake. so either the minority majority is voting for bush or they are not voting but do you think it is realistic to try to turn around a 20 point loss by 08? i don't and we need a win in 08 while we are praying that no more supreme court members fall over in the meantime.

but hey texas gave us johnson who in retrospect looks like a maoist so whatever....

i read that bush made a point of remarking on the building crisis in the area of man/beast creature creation. someone needs to tell laura to drop the sci-fi channel from the white house cable list and of course to get the bristles clipped from karl's nose...

It is sad to hear the news of Coretta Scott King passing away. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family.

Somehow, though, in total respect of MLK,jr's vision, it seems fitting that his wife would die on the same day that democracy took a giant leap backwards.

********************NEW THREAD OPEN*****************

i read that bush made a point of remarking on the building crisis in the area of man/beast creature creation.
***

gregg,

I almost fell out of my chair with Dumbya said that one. He must have Rick Sanitation (Santorum) proud. By the way, someone should tell Sanitation that his green tie didn't make a fashion statement. Turkey!

The newspaperw were all trumpeting a roll out of the Bush health care plan:

Health care will be the centerpiece of the White House's domestic agenda for 2006. In Tuesday's State of the Union, the president will focus on rising health costs, with more detailed policy announcements to follow in the weeks ahead." [Weekly Standard, 2/6/06]

"The State of the Union address this year is to focus on health care, illegal immigration and the nation's international economic competitiveness." [NYT, 1/30/06]

"President Bush's State of the Union address will attempt to shift focus from the polarizing war in Iraq to a more popular domestic priority: taming health care costs." [AP, 1/19/06]

***

The Big Dummy barely touched on health care. I think Dumbya "cut & ran" from health care. As Kerry said in 2004, Bush's health care plan is very short - don't get sick!

ThinkProgress analyzes Dumbya's speech:

http://www.thinkprogress.org/

Dumya:

“A hopeful society comes to the aid of fellow citizens in times of suffering and emergency – and stays at it until they are back on their feet.”
***

What is a "hopeful society"? He said that at least twice last night. He didn't say "ownership society" even once. I guess that the "ownership society" is doing lots of "hoping". Orweillian Bush rubbish!

I am quite concerned at the inability of my own party to adequately express my thoughts and ideas. The response to the SOTU was not very effective. Who wrote that? Who picked Kaine? Who animated his eyebrow?

The concepts and ideas needed to win the next series of elections are right in front of us, but none of the party insiders can seem to locate them. The Republican machine is vulnerable, yet we trot out the same rhetoric and the same tired cliches every time. All we have to do is focus on government by what makes sense and contrast it to government by ideology.

Bush has committed the country to PNAC principles of establishing worldwide democracy by military force. Does that make sense? Bush has postulated weaning ourselves from foreign oil, but has no conservation component or ethic. Does that make sense? Bush want to decrease the divisiveness and animosity of publci debate, but he can't get elected without the right wing propaganda machine. Does this make sense?

CAn we at least hire Garrison Keillor as a speechwriter? That alone would probably swing enough votes for us to take control of the House.

This will be what ruins this country if it is not fixed.

http://www.cbpp.org/10-17-05inc-f2.jpg

wage disparity

1. Profits are up, but the wages and the incomes of average Americans are down.
Inflation-adjusted hourly and weekly wages are still below where they were at the start of the recovery in November 2001. Yet, productivity—the growth of the economic pie—is up by 13.5%. 1
Wage growth has been shortchanged because 35% of the growth of total income in the corporate sector has been distributed as corporate profits, far more than the 22% in previous periods. 2
Consequently, median household income (inflation-adjusted) has fallen five years in a row and was 4% lower in 2004 than in 1999, falling from $46,129 to $44,389. 3

4. Poverty is on the rise.

The poverty rate rose from 11.3% in 2000 to 12.7% in 2004. 11
The number of people living in poverty has increased by 5.4 million since 2000. 12
More children are living in poverty: the child poverty rate increased from 16.2% in 2000 to 17.8% in 2004. 13
5. Rising health care costs are eroding families' already declining income.

Households are spending more on health care. Family health costs rose 43-45% for married couples with children, single mothers, and young singles from 2000 to 2003. 14
Employers are cutting back on health insurance. Last year, the percent of people with employer-provided health insurance fell for the fourth year in a row. Nearly 3.7 million fewer people had employer-provided insurance in 2004 than in 2000. Taking population growth into account, 11 million more people would have had employer-provided health insurance in 2004 if the coverage rate had remained at the 2000 level. 15

What part of this don't the politicians understand, the data is taken from the congressional budget office and all our elected official have access to seeing this.

Want a party to win, do your job, start looking at the data and make corrections.

Great job with Katie Kuric recently. Especially your point about Bin Laudin. I wish I had a dollar for everytime Bush mentioned "We're gonna get him. We're gonna smoke him out" yet no one replays or repeats how long it has been since he made these ridiculous comments. Please do it.

thank you Gov. Dean for your eloquent letter. My only question is why didn't Gov. Kaine ask these questions of Mr. Bush when he had the "big megaphone and the world's attention?"

for the love of god, there has got to be a better way!

I'd like to offer a comment concerning Gov.Tim Kaines response. A number of people on this blog have considered his response too weak-Kneed for their taste. Many of you have wanted a response with more bite to it, to be sure. Yet for the past serveral months, many Democrats have been doing just that, hammering the President for well-known abuses of his office. What has this gotten us? The President's polls and those of Republicans in congress are dangerously low. Yet,congressional Democtratic poll ranking are actually lower than the Presidents ranking (I'm refering to a poll mentioned on CNN). I agree with those who say that if we as a party ever hope to persuade the American people to put us back in control of the White House and Congress, we can't just point out the nakedly-obvious abuses President Bush has done on his watch, we must provide a POSITIVE, credible agenda to the American people to go to. Moreover, we must present it without coming off looking like a bunch of screaming idiots. This, I believe, is why our party leadership turned to Governor Kaine to deviver our party's response. I submit that he managed to strike the right balance between showing up President Bush's tragically flawed agenda and presenting a doable alternative without looking like a rabid attack dog which wouldn't have improved our standing with middle-America. While this approach might not seem agressive enough for suit some of us, this approach will put us in good stead with the mainstream of our country. Governor Kaine won his post with this tact in a state that should have gone Republican by conventional wisdom, so please lets cut this guy some slack.
Please don't get me wrong. I don't blame anyone of this blog for being pissed off. On his watch, President Bush has managed to get away with murder. I'm not saying for one minute that those of our party shouldn't be holding his feet to the fire and try hold him accountable, but we must play it smart. If we only critcize the President without giving positive alternatives, then, odds are, the American people will not see any reason to give us a chance in the next congressional and presidential election.

My two-cents worth,

NewDem

The first part of President Bush's speech sounded more like the state of Iraq and the middle east, rather than a review of the condition of our country.

To me this speech sounded like a call to arms as he served notice on the world that regimes which have domestic polices contrary to U.S. foreign interests may be in danger of being attacked. It appeared to be a warning for we Americans to steal ourselves for more international conflicts as he and his administration cast a greedy eye on foreign natural resources. After this speech Americans may be sure that Iran will make haste in developing nuclear weapons.

The President's call for a reduction of dependence on foreign oil was disingenuous at best and insulting at worst. U.S. energy corporations reaped a record $100 billion in profits during 2005, while receiving $1.6 billion in federal income tax breaks. With the energy industry that contributed the majority of their $32 million in campaign donations to Congressional Republicans and President Bush's election campaign five years ago, there is little economic, political or social incentive to develop alternative forms of energy in this nation. Reducing dependence on foreign oil and natural gas will never happen in this nation. Oil to this country is like blood to a body. This nation consumes nearly 20 million barrels of oil a day. 57 percent of which we import, about 43 percent of that from OPEC nations and over 20 percent from middle Persian Gulf countries.

Former U.S. General Norman Schwarzkopf, the commanding officer of coalition forces in the 1991 Gulf War put it best in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee in February 1990,

"Mideast oil is the West's lifeblood. It fuels us today, and being 77 percent of the Free World's proven oil reserves, is going to fuel us when the rest of the world has run dry. It is estimated that within 20 to 40 years the U.S. will have virtually depleted its economically available oil reserves, while the Persian Gulf region will still have at least 100 years of proven oil reserves."

Ignored in this speech was the state of this union. The President avoided discussion of how this nation is going to reduce its $8 trillion national debt, its $400 billion annual operating deficit requiring it to borrow over $1 billion a day through the sale of U.S. Treasury bonds to nations such as China and Saudi Arabia. The President also failed to discuss how he was going to work with Congress to reduce the U.S. foreign trade deficit currently approaching $200 billion a year. Not one word was uttered by President Bush on the estimate by the American Society of Civil Engineers projected $1 trillion need to repair and maintain our nations crumbling infrastructure. The silence on rebuilding New Orleans was also deafening. The mismanagement of relief efforts for the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina was a major issue in this nation in 2005, yet it was ignored.

What the President did address was the projected state of the U.S. Social Security and Medicare programs. His warning to U.S. citizens that entitlement programs such as Social Security threatened the U.S. economy in the next thirty years sounded to me like a call to alleviate these programs, turning the nations back on senior citizens who have contributing all of their working lives into the programs.

In conclusion, I was greatly disappointed in the in President Bush's State of the Union Speech. Specifically, President Bush failed to report on the state of this nation.

Who saw the tools in Tennessee today singing Proud to be an American with Lee Greenwood before Scumbya spoke???

What we should have heard last night, this is a truly inspiring speech, one of the best and mosr relevant ever. Tim Kaine wasn't horrible, but it certainly wasn't this, this speech makes me proud to be a democrat.

Today we are into our fifth year of war abroad and threats at home, and the state of the union is not what it should be, and not what it could be....

I want to express my admiration and appreciation for the men and women in our Armed Forces, and their families. They have served with courage and honor and with incredible skill.

They have volunteered, and served selflessly. Over 2200 have died in Iraq, others in Afghanistan, and tens of thousands have come home with the injuries and scars — physical and mental - that will mark them forever.

Won't you stand and join me in recognizing them, and all our veterans, with a round of applause?

A few weeks ago, as I rode across the Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan, the Pakistani-born cab driver interrupted my thoughts with his own story and reminded me why we all should feel this sense of privilege to be here in America....

"We came as three brothers," he said... "we came nine years ago...only I am still driving a cab....we own a store now, and a restaurant, and soon I will join the others full time in the restaurant....when we came we had nothing, but today....Only in America," he said, "could we do this, ONLY IN AMERICA!"

His story is the story of hundreds of millions of us and our forefathers who came here from somewhere else, who dreamed, dared, planned and struggled to forge new lives, raise strong families, and together, generation after generation we have built a great nation... exceptional…unique.

We are a nation where liberty is protected by the Constitution, a nation where people choose their own leaders, and a nation where government's power is limited. Generation after generation, America has throttled the self-serving impulses of the powerful and restrained the powerful passions of the multitudes, thus guaranteeing that the freedoms and opportunities of every citizen enumerated in law are provided in practice.

And in the process America has become a Beacon of Hope for people everywhere.

Unlike the taxi driver, I was born here. I learned to love this nation as a youngster growing up without a father, at a time when all our institutions and values were under attack by Communism.... I loved this nation enough to serve as a soldier, to come home from war on a stretcher, enough to stay in uniform for another thirty years....

My family and I lived in Germany, Belgium, and Panama, in Kansas and Kentucky, in Virginia and California, in Texas and New York.

Over time, like other officers I was given increasing responsibilities for others, commanding units, teaching courses, providing staff advice and assistance. We were at various times responsible for the work they did, the lessons they learned, the health care they received, the homes they lived in, the schools their children attended, the lives they led... and I learned about our country, our people, and how we are perceived in the world.

I was so proud to represent America in uniform....

And this is why today, I come before you with concern.... not in a spirit of partisanship, but because our nation is in trouble, veering from its heritage, and sliding into a dangerous future.

It doesn't have to happen this way, but we can change course only if we speak honestly and directly about what's gone wrong, and why, and how we must change, and then reach across Party lines to bring the American people together.

Today, billions of people abroad believe that America's beacon is fading, our star is dimming, and that America's time is passing. Why?

Because four years after 9/11, Osama Bin Laden remains on the loose in the fastness of western Pakistan, and Al Qaeda remains a potent force among millions of Muslims.

Because the threat of terrorism has actually increased, partly as a result of the unnecessary invasion of Iraq, where after almost three years, we find ourselves enmeshed in an intensifying sectarian struggle that is drawing in jihadi terrorists like a magnet and creating a new cadre of hardened opponents to America and our friends.

Because, despite our tough talk, Iran is discarding its international obligations in the apparent pursuit of nuclear weaponry, while simultaneously questioning Israel's existence and raising the specter of wider conflict in the Mideast.

Because, North Korea, with a standing army of more than 1 million men, armed with chemical and biological weapons as well as long-range missiles, is defying US efforts to contain its threat of nuclear proliferation.

Because, in the process of this struggle against insurgents and terrorists and the proliferation of nuclear weapons, we are in danger of losing the very principles we are fighting for as revelations of torture and degrading treatment of those detained confound our long standing commitment to human rights and undercut our moral strength and leadership.

Because America's long-standing commitment to assisting democracy abroad was recklessly transformed into hot rhetoric and direct action in Iraq— and it has not only offended cultural and national sensitivities in the Middle East, but it is also contributing to the anger and violence in the region.

Because while we are distracted by the war on terror, Iraq and Afghanistan, rising global competitors like China are taking advantage of the security umbrella we have created to lock in their own access to the resources needed to fuel their stupendous growth.

Because the United States has stood silently while the historic opportunity of a democratic Russia is systematically crushed and other new democracies threatened by the same power ministries and entrenched authorities that enslaved hundreds of millions during Communism's long reign.

Because our oldest friends and Allies, in Europe and Asia, are questioning America's commitment to the dialogue, institutions, and principles that kept us safe throughout the Cold War and even helped end ethnic cleansing in Europe during the 1990's.

The plain truth is, in America's rhetoric and conduct since 9/11, we've made more enemies than friends in the world - and that's no way to protect the American people!

And all of this at a time when Americans are more dependent on events abroad than ever before: the war in Iraq; the daily notification of losses; the threat of another terrorist incident; the rising price of gasoline, a global economy.

And here at home, to speak candidly, that beacon of hope is flickering also.

Again we ask why.

Because we're losing our manufacturing base in America, and failing to face the realities of a global labor market, international trade and capital flows which are robbing millions of Americans of income security and have mired us ever deeper in debt.

Because, while, statistically, the unemployment rate may be a little below 5% now, according to the way the Administration measures, these figures mask millions of people in the ranks of the long term unemployed, or trapped in low wage jobs, or underemployed in jobs which fail to use their skills.

Because even highly skilled jobs in the so-called knowledge industry are moving abroad, with big firms like Microsoft and GE as well as thousands of highly competent foreign-born, US educated entrepreneurs and business leaders seeking new talent, lower-cost labor and less competitive, friendlier business environments.

Because at home more than 45 million Americans lack access to health insurance, a profound systemic failure and imposes a staggering human cost on those least able to bear it and drives businesses offshore.

Because both our infrastructure and our system of public education lack essential modernization and reform, caught in a squeeze between rising costs for salaries, supplies, construction and repair, and rising federal deficits.

Because despite over thirty years of warning, this nation still has no policy to lead us to energy independence and away from the volatile and conflict-ridden regions where, today, the "geostrategic risk premium" is adding billions of dollars to the costs imposed on the American people.

Because the legal protections for the environment and natural resources on which so much of our economic welfare depends have been steadily undercut by new laws and policies, even as the Administration has tightened restrictions on the scientists and analysts who could tell us of the dangers ahead.

All this is common knowledge.

But what perhaps most surprising this year — despite the skill and dedication of our civil service, diplomatic, and military personnel - was the tragic incompetence of our government: failing effectively to assist the states in the terrible humanitarian catastrophe of Katrina, stumbling through a repetitive cycle of inflated rhetoric and crushing disappointments associated with reconstruction and reform in Iraq and the Middle East, and frustrating millions of American seniors floundering through a poorly designed and badly under resourced Medicare prescription drug program.

Even worse, has been the emergence of what appears to be a culture of corruption reaching from lobbyists, through the Republican leadership in Congress, and into the White House itself.

No wonder so many believes that America is a nation in trouble, squandering our precious resources in a destructive and unnecessary conflict abroad and a spendthrift economy at home. We are, they say, neglecting our future, failing in our duty to our children and grandchildren, and denying them the opportunities to dare, to dream, to achieve and create that our generation and our predecessors have enjoyed.

And they have a strong case.

What has happend to us?

We Americans can no longer hide behind our oceans, or pretend that the dialogue of politics should be confined to disagreements about domestic policy alone. And as for the partisan charge that Democrats are living in a pre-9/11 world, let us be very clear: the policies followed by this Administration since 9/11 - the belligerent tone, the unilateralism, the excessive reliance on military force are not making us safer; they are increasing the dangers we face abroad and distracting us from the most important challenges here at home.

From the late 1940's until the early 1990's, America led the world in winning an historic struggle, a victory in the Cold War against the tyranny and oppression of Communism.

We were guided abroad by a largely bipartisan strategy of containing the spread of Communist ideology, deterring the Soviet use of force, and supporting those who shared our values. And at home the stress of this titanic struggle inspired efforts in science and technology, industry, agriculture, education, health and fitness.

Over a period of forty years we persevered — through diplomacy, alliances, ideological struggle, and armed conflict in Korea and Vietnam. And in the end, we won — the Berlin Wall came down, the Soviet empire collapsed, and the Soviet Union disintegrated into 11 separate states.

It was the triumph of American ideals — of the nobility of the human spirit, the priceless significance of freedom and human rights, and the incredible creative force of a free-market economy.

But when we defeated our old adversary, we not only lost our opponent, we also lost our strategy — our organizing principles — the animating principles of our society, and much of the cohesion that held our world together.

Oh, we did well economically in the 1990's, creating jobs, reducing poverty, balancing the budget - but the United States never quite put in place another strategy, another publicly understood, bipartisan set of principles which could guide America's policies at home and abroad, and take us safely into the future. We had taken economic advantage of the global opening, but we really didn't understand how to mitigate the many strategic risks it brought along.

And then, four and a half years ago this nation was viciously attacked in a serious of terrorist hijackings of airliners that resulted in three thousand innocents' deaths. 9/11 was an act of war.

Action was required. America struck back at the terrorists who attacked us and the Taliban government in Afghanistan that supported them.

And we should have.

But, soon the errors began:

Letting Bin Laden slip thru the noose at Tora Bora, in December, 2001 and failing to commit sufficient forces to Afghanistan to finish the job there gave the terrorist movement continuing stature and enabled a host of local imitators to ride his coattails of impunity.

Naming an "Axis of Evil" helped drive the North Koreans and Iranians to accelerate nuclear weapons efforts and probably spurred a deepening cooperation, even as the term itself offended allies and convinced millions around the world that a just American effort against those who attacked our country was being transformed into a self-righteous moral crusade against those of different religious convictions or geostrategic alignment.

Invading Iraq, neglecting North Korea, and ducking the diplomacy on Iran — and labeling it all with a bellicose-sounding strategy of preemption left us concentrating the greatest resources on the least urgent strategic problem and doing so in a way that has exaccerbated the threats we face.

Ignoring our European allies and sidelining NATO left us bereft of the strong Allied support necessary to succeed in Iraq and simultaneously meet challenges elsewhere.

Pushing through a series of deep permanent tax cuts using the pretext of a temporary recession have prevented us from addressing urgent issues at home and shoved the nation into long term and unsustainable budget deficit.

And in the press of partisan politics, the governing party has elevated the role of money in American politics higher than ever before, encouraging a "pay to play" culture of corruption and aiming to control the political agenda with a ferocity almost unprecedented in American history, undercutting the common good and threatening the very Constitutional principles which guard our most precious freedoms.

What's gone wrong? In the last five years we have seen leadership without vision or foresight, a backwards look to tough talk and excessive unfair tax cuts, and a misguided idea from the 1990's that uncooperative Middle East regimes could be "cleaned up" by American military action.

And at the same time we've seen such partisanship that many believe that this Administration lacks the basic decency to respect its political opponents, and the fundamental integrity to adhere to common standards of transparency, honesty, and ethics in government.

Enough is enough!

Americans are ingenious, energetic, pragmatic, and almost inevitably optimistic. But they are also keenly aware of reality — and today a strong majority disapproves of the way our President and the one-Party rule on Capitol Hill are leading the country.

WE CANNOT AND MUST NOT STAY THAT COURSE.

A Forty Year War on Terrorism — which I have heard trumpeted more than once in this town — and which may well be required, particularly if we continue on this course — simply fails to provide the comprehensive strategy and framework — comparable to deterrence and containment in the Cold War - necessary to direct American policy abroad or guide needed change at home. We are a nation adrift, and America senses this.

Here's what we must do.

First, we've got to set things right at home. Protecting our Constitution comes first. Country before Party. Congress must fulfill its duties to the American people, not rollover for favors from the Executive branch. We need a full, in-depth, bipartisan investigation of the Administration's bypassing of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

Congress needs to show resolve that the laws it passes do bind the executive branch, whether in wiretapping, humane treatment of prisoners, or the freedom of information act. Moreover, it is time for a special prosecutor, independent of the Department of Justice, to be empowered to investigate the Abramoff scandal, and pursue the leads all the way through Congress and up to the highest office in the land, if necessary. Get it out and get it over.

Then, we have to focus on the principal challenge ahead: preparing our nation to succeed in a 21st Century world where capital and technology flows instantly across borders, where the labor market is global, and where the benefits and security Americans have taken for granted are put at risk as supergiant countries like China, with 1.3 billion people, grab resources, spur their own economic growth, redress old grievances, and naturally pursue their own interests.

Today, we are indisputably the world's most powerful nation, but how we organize and prepare America at home, and provide leadership abroad, in the face of China's growing power, is the real and enduring challenge that 21st Century America must answer.

Can we protect that which we value, welcome and profit from China's growth, maintain our own security, and avoid the conflict and war which has so often accompanied historical changes such as we will witness? I believe we can, if we see clearly what must be done and bend our will to do it.

It begins at home, for this is where the most intractable problems lie, with public education, health care, and creating a business environment that encourages innovation, growth, and the creation of meaningful valued jobs.

-In education, we should be offering public preschool across America, encouraging renewed study of mathematics, sciences and engineering, and reform and change must be deep and fundamental creating the community programs needed to assure that every American child graduates from high school.

We must commit more resources to public education — not pull them away with voucher programs - but the most important resources are not financial — they are the commitment of community leaders to create public schools emphasizing learning and character, and the commitment of parents to work with their children, to assure they are fully engaged in the classroom and at home in preparing for their own productive future.

We need to reward teachers for their skills and commitments, but the best form of teacher accountability is not found in standardized testing but in the dialogue between teachers and parents centered on the love and respect for each child in the class. And no student who seeks to go to college should be denied that opportunity because they can't pay.

-In health care, we need to take better advantage of modern technology to practice evidence-based medicine, in which treatments and practices are based on statistically proven results — not commercial advertising — and doctors and hospitals are held accountable for their performance, not just by the threat of malpractice but by the day-to-day quality of their results.

We need to harness the innovation of our biotech, pharmaceutical, and health insurance industries better to serve the public good, not just the private gain of shareholders. No child in America should grow up without regular medical check-ups and care — or regular exercise and physical fitness - and every adult should be provided access to the kinds of diagnostic testing and preventive treatments which can slow the onset of aging diseases like diabetes, atherosclerosis, and Alzheimer's. Additional insurance coverage should be directed to catastrophic illness and injuries, the kind that wreck families and shatter productive lives.

And inevitably this will mean transitioning over time from a work place centered, private payer system toward greater reliance on some form of single-payer system to ease administrative burdens and reduce costs.

-In the business community, we must spur research, development, and innovation, and the growth of the small companies that provide the majority of US employment. This will mean more private-public partnerships in developing new technology, and in linking our universities to business enterprises, as well as an expanded arsenal of economic and tax incentive programs aimed primarily at small businesses.

We must assure investments in the technology infrastructure — the broadband and wireless access improved and modernized highway, air, and rail transportation systems, and the access to affordable, reliable sustainable energy essential to continuing economic development.

We must have a real plan to achieve "energy independence."

And we need to do so without further damaging our fragile environment.

In fact, sustainable energy and so-called green engineering provide major growth opportunities for American ingenuity, and we must move in that direction.

We must chart a new path for labor in America, and probably for the union movement itself.

While workers still need help in redressing grievances against management, perhaps the old dividing lines make less sense in an age of high technology, social and geographic mobility, and global competition.

Is it possible that unions could become the "development agencies" for workers, protecting their rights, but also promoting their training, education and career development throughout a lifetime of many different skills and jobs? And if they don't who will.

For we know that in today's economy learning is a lifetime process and every American in the workplace must take increasing responsibility for his or her own development of skills, pursuit of opportunities, and creation of financial security for the family.

-And to address these and many other issues, our government will need more resources, for the great discovery of twentieth century America was not that we should get "government off our backs" but that government's could be a partner in the economy -in infrastructure, in regulation, in research and development, in education, and in health — laying the foundation for the achievements of private industry. In particular, we need resources to empower our people, with new programs comparable to the landmark contributions of the Homestead Act, the GI Bill, and the 30 year Mortgage in order to give every child in America a head start in education, business, home ownership, investment, and economic opportunity.

But we must raise resources in a way that protects the most needy and working families, and that still provides opportunities for the creation of the wealth that is the hallmarks of the American dream.

America's great strengths are our economy and the spirit of our people. And if we take these major, fundamental measures, we'll be well positioned to cope with the economic challenges of China's rapid development.

But we must also take other, urgent steps to assure America's security now.

Turning first to the Middle East, we need to use American military commitments to broker political arrangements that bring the Sunnis back into the Iraqi political system, delegitimate the insurgency, and reduce the threat of escalating civil war. We should create a regional security dialogue, in which we and the Iraqi government can hold real conversations with neighboring states, including Iran and Syria.

A substantial US troop presence will likely be required for years — and I am mindful of the sacrifices that we are asking from the men and women in the armed forces and their families.

It is a heavy burden, and they alone have been asked to bear such sacrifices - but we should draw down as rapidly as political objectives can be achieved and Iraqis can secure their own country.

Today, Syria presents an historic opportunity for the United States. Rather than just threatening Syria, we should talk directly to Bashir Assad, encouraging him to lay the foundations for economic and political opening and gradual transformation, cut off insurgent access through Syria into Iraq, and end the sponsorship of Iranian-backed terrorist institutions, in return for stabilizing his administration during the ongoing UN investigations.

And this in turn, will give us greater traction against Iran's steady march toward nuclear weaponry.

But actions on Iran are urgent.

We should join now — right now - in opening new talks with Iran, in which we ourselves participate, before pressing for UN action or moving toward the military option. No one should be mistaken: there is a military option.

We can strike hard enough to set back Iran's nuclear quest by many years, and take out much of their military capacity in the process. And we can at the same time protect most of the oil flow from Iran and deny their capacity to block transit through the Straits of Hormuz. But we also must recognize the possible consequences of this action: an embittered, vengeful Iran, seeking further destabilization of the region. Far better to pursue dialogue now, whatever the precedents, and save the military option for truly last resort. Understand: unlike others you may hear, I know when and how to determine our course with Iran.

As for Israel and the Palestinian people, there is no longer a "road map to peace." But Israel is increasingly secure.

It is now up to Hamas to form a government for the Palestinians. But they should be under no misunderstanding. Hamas is an international outlaw so long as it demands Israel's destruction.

The war against terrorists will continue, as it must. But it should be conducted with a new resolve to use diplomacy, local authorities, and international cooperation among law enforcement and intelligence agencies, reserving military forces only as a last resort.

Ultimately, we will not prevail in this war by killing terrorists — though that may need to be done — but rather by winning the battle for greater tolerance, understanding, and respect between peoples of differing religious convictions. It is first and foremost a battle of ideas. We need to bring terrorists to trial. And we must carefully guard our own values and principles, for in this struggle, moral leadership is far more valuable than pittances of information gained by compromising our beliefs.

We are still in danger from events in Southwest Asia.

We need to cooperate with Pakistan to eliminate the new terrorist base area forming along Pakistan's frontier with Afghanistan, and sustain an enlarged commitment to Afghanistan for many years.

But more fundamentally, we need to redirect the main thrusts of American efforts abroad. We need to rebuild our ties with Europe, with NATO as the foundation, and a new Atlantic Charter as the means. Europe is our "base," more than 400 million people with whom we are the most closely aligned in terms of values and interests, economics and power. Together we can move the international system. Isolated, alone in a multipolar world, America simply won't fare as well. And we should strengthen ties with India, the world's largest democracy and itself a rapidly developing superpower.

If we are to avoid the reemergence of a 19th Century balance of power system replete with threats and warfare between states and alliances, we must use this period of American preeminence to rebuild the system of international laws and institutions which two generations of American leaders fashioned and extolled. We should set the example in shaping and obeying international law. Likewise, we should lead in the reform of the United Nations, seeking its full potential as a place for dialogue and the expression of values, and as the source for international law and humanitarian assistance in emerging crises.

Fellow Americans, although our nation is incredibly wealthy and uniquely powerful, we are at historic turning point. Facing multiple near term crises and a great and long term challenge to our very identity as Americans, we have critical choices to make.

Will we choose to emphasize boastful rhetoric or constructive engagement abroad? Will we lash out in anger with military force, or will we pursue every reasonable avenue to avoid the terrible destruction of war? Will we fight fire with fire," relying on the means and techniques of our adversaries, or live and lead by the higher standard of the values we have professed?

At home, will we persist in shortsighted partisanship, or will we follow a stronger vision to the deep reforms needed to secure our future? Will it be selfishness or teamwork that is our rallying cry?

These are the choices before us.

I welcome the opportunity to participate in this great American adventure as we seek our destiny.

America's Beacon of Hope must shine brightly once more, lighting our beloved country and illuminating the whole world.

And if we choose wisely, it will.

How come Bush didn't talk about the BIRTH TAX he keeps increasing by not paying for his war (the first time America has not paid for it's war), more tax cuts for the rich, and his messed up priorities?

He could have said, "I know some are worried about the increasing Federal deficit, saying things like we will turn into a third world country when the debt and interest consume more and more of the future budgets." But I want American to know that I'm aware of the issue, and don't worry, the difference in a BILLION dollars and a TRILLION DOLLARS... is just one letter." (smirk)

Dean sounded great after the SOTU. He makes me proud to be a Democrat. I wish he would comment every time Bush opens his mouth. That would be a juxtapostion.

I was livid when Bush made that comment that he would ensure ethics in medicine and technology. The translation is "I will continue to oppose embryonic stem cell research. After all, we just re-defined the fetus as an individual life as a backdoor way of outlawing abortion. We will protect all stages of life... until they are born and need immunizations, or pre-natal care."

Who is this hypocrite to tell me about ETHICS when he takes from the poor and gives to the rich, decides to use massive force that killed tens of thousands of innocent lives, sends to troops into a gurilla war unprepared, gives seniors a save nothing drug plan so big pharma can have a huge tax break, cuts student loans for students to pay for his tax cuts for the rich... who does he think he is to tell me about ETHICS?!?!? What an ASS!!!

Even Joe Wilson, the cheif democrat naysayer whose nepotistic trip to Niger was the basis of everyone claiming their were no WMD, never said that Iraq had not tried to buy the Yellow Cake. They were not successful, according to Wilson's government sources in Niger , but Wilson readily admitted that the purchase was SOUGHT.

Democratic operatives have ever since tried to turn the word SOUGHT into BOUGHT.

Now we have Former Iraqi General Georges Sada saying that in fact Saddam Hussein did have WMD. The Air Force under Sada's command transported them to Syria.

Imagine that...

And what coverage did ABC, NBC and CBS give that? I don't know. Ive searched all their sites for Sada and got bupkas.

Interesting defense. Let me see if I understand the difference. Sought and bought... hoping they NAUGHT get CAUGHT making up reasons to go to war. Just FORGET many White House insiders have said they were looking to invade Iraq from the get-go.

So when the White House SOUGHT to make-up excuses to attack Iraq, they said Saddam SOUGHT cake in Niger. I assume a "mushroom cloud" recipe was BOUGHT. So the White House and VP are now believed to have destroyed emails so they would not get CAUGHT in a treasonous act.

NOW they got CAUGHT destroying evidence, which is OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE. And since people WERE compromised by the outing a secret CIA agent, when Rove and Libby get CAUGHT they will face "the chair" since it's a time of war.

Let me see if I got this right. The White House SOUGHT to mislead the people, who had not BOUGHT the lies about Iraq, and now they will get CAUGHT by Fitzgerald. Okay... I think I understand the difference in sought and baught. Thanks for pointing out the difference.

No wonder they want to delay the investigation by promoting one of the investigators, as was reported today. Treason in a time of war is not a good way to "restore integrity to the White House."

Dear Howard,

Your take on Bush's SOTU speech hit home. So did Murtha's.

But Kaine's missed.

Who invited that guy anyway? He sucked....Katrina vanden Huvel's opinion aside.

Really, isn't it time the New Democrats told the Old Guard to take a hike: the DLC, the Carvilles, the Begalas, the Scrums, the Hansens, the Mellmans, all the Usual Suspects that make up the entrenched Democratic political consultant establishment and the Vichy Dems who are nothing but Republican-lite.

Yeah, the next 10 months are make or break. And not just for the party, but for the country.

So how can we afford to go on letting these these fools drive the bus?

Posted by Myrtle on February 1, 2006 at 09:12 PM

Great job of playing PARROT, asswipe.

Joe Wilson IS and has always been a REPUBLICAN, MORON.

Go sell real estate, or whatever it is you try to do.

And it was PROVEN that Iraq never SOUGHT anything.

So, just HOW did Saddam get ALL of those "Mobile Labs", acres of BULDINGS, thousands of TONS of equipment, and ALL of the personnel into ONE 747 and fly ALL OF THAT SHIT to Syria with the "No FLY Zone" being enforced?

Go suck Limbaigh's ass pimple.

Funny how I am seeing and hearing zero Kaine bashing by the Rethugs since Tuesday night.

Oh, that's right. They don't have too. The Liberal bloggers are doing it for them!!!

Have you guys been drinking Karl's Kool-aid?

Here's another question for you hate mongers. If Kaine is as bad as you smear him out to be, then why during this past November did he beat a Republican in a supposedly Republican dominant state?

Here's why, he knows there is no reason to run a negative campaign when the Republicans themselves are turning against Bush/Cheney and the rest of the Rethugs. Why beat a dead horse, I mean elephant? The Republican voters get it. They know Bush sucks. The question now is, how do we convince Republican voters to vote Democratic?

Here's how. Get over your seething rage. Kaine was dead on Tuesday night. He has taken back the moral high ground and the Republican swing voters are impressed with the new Democratic message. Kaine has shown the way to an avalance of Democratic victories this coming November and it is through attracting not repulsing Republican voters!

While Bush offered nothing but more lies during his SOTU speech, in opposition Kaine offered substantial bipartisan results in Virginia as the Lt. Governor.

Kaine is the halo coated governor and cannot be touched by smears from either the Rethugs or by you Bush bashing reactionaries. He truly is a uniter and not a divider.

http://www.raisingkaine.com/category/2006-races/
Scroll down to Raising America

Unfortunately I registered as an Independant many years ago, but my heart belongs to the democaratic party. I want more than anything to see more democrates win seats in the coming elections. We cannot continue with all the usual we will do this or that, we need to come up with something to show the American people why we have to win. I'm sure with all the intelligent minds in the Democratic Party we can come up with same old same old lines. We must win more seats this year and the Presidency in 2008.

I liked Tim Kaine's speech. He tried to show that the Democrats DO stand for more than being Anti-Bush. Mark Warner would have been a better choice, however. He was the Governor (and Tim Kaine was the Lieutenant Governor) who turned a 6 BILLION dollar deficit into a surplus, while leaving office with a 74% approval rating in a red state. If Virginia didn't have a one-term limit on Governors, he could have been Governor for life.

I really hope the Democratic Party nominates Mark Warner as the Presidential candidate in 2008. He could have the slogan "I've already cleaned up after one fiscally irresponsible Republican administration, I can do it again".

There is speculation that our miserable Senator, George Allen, also wants to be President - he is nothing but a rubber stamp for Bush. I call his office periodically to tell his aides that we are paying Allen to think for himself, not to just do whatever Mad King George tells him to do.

KimE

The biggest problem we have is our leadership. Red state fly over country thinks Howard Dean is a nut and that Nancy Pelosi is a dingbat. The rhetoric that comes from their mouths turns people off. We need more level-headed leadership like Bill Richardson, Harold Ford & Barak Obama. Its time to put Ted Kennedy and Robert Byrd out to pasture. In case you haven't noticed no Northeastern Democrat has won since JFK in 1960. John F. Kerry obviously wasn't the answer in 2004. I see a lot of support for Al Gore on the various Dem blogs - remember he couldn't even win his own home state. Time to bring in new blood thats not related to this bunch of leadership. We need people like Wes Clark & John Edwards to keep the rhetoric level low and the idea level high. Just whining that we don't like Bush is getting us no where. Hillary is not the answer in 2008 - she would get wiped out by Rudy. Lets have some ideas people not just pointing out the problems.

The biggest problem that I see is we have to be united. We as democrates must be more united. We have to take a stand get a platform and stop calling each other names. Our President and His Republican party clobbered us in the last election, through ads that lied and who knows what else. So all this talk, all this complaining isn't worth a dime unless we start funding the democratic party so they can stand up and be counted. I am going to do just that.

When are we going to support the Dutch and make fun on principle of Mohammed?? We are the free speech leaders of the whole world!!! WE must fight for our rights!!!!! Jesus was easy!!
Stance5000

Dear Governor Dean:

Your comments on the State of the Union Address were excellent. The comments were appropriate within the context they were given. However, your comments were rhetoric, just as much as your perceived accusation of President Bush.

The Democratic Party is in disarray! The uproar on this blog about Tim Kaine is the latest example. Why can’t we (At this point I am a Democrat by default.)get together as a united front to present SOLUTIONS, not just attack the Republicans’ agenda. The attack is necessary and being done well. Congratulations to you and me! But we can’t stop there. Are there too many egos looking at 2008? Is this why we can’t get together?

The article by Josh McConaha, Senate Democrats’ Katrina Relief Plan, (Elsewhere on this site.) is an example of what we need. We need it for Social Security, Homeland Security, Iraq, Iran, North Korea, Economy, Taxes, Education. Civil Rights, to name a few. The Senate and House Democrats should caucus on each of these issues and hammer out a solution. Those that concur should sign on. Those that do not concur should be allowed to attach a dissent to explain their point of view.

Doesn’t anyone remember the Republican Contract with America?

JamesMA

Posted by TomH1957 on February 3, 2006 at 04:10 PM

What Republican would you suggest to run in 2008 as a Democrat candidate for prez? Just curious.

www.politicalpixeladpage.com
Net politics.

It is really very easy for the Democrats to take back our government. You cannot change the laws to stop corruption, you only need to change behavior. The Democrats just need to go out and buy a video camera for every Dem politician and record everything from the minute they get up until they go to bed at night. Then put up the video on the web and if the public wants they can see it all or an edited version like on "The Truman Show." Along with the video should be how much each person they meet with has given to the Dems and to the Repugs.

If the Dems do this, they can run on open and honest government and taunt the repugs for meeting behind closed doors. If the Dems are afraid to do it, then they are no better. The only reason to meet behind closed doors is a national security issue and they better present a pretty good argument for why it is needed at he time.

You know that the people would vote for it overwhelmingly and the repugs have way too much to hide.