September 30, 2006

Saturday Night Open Thread

Chat away...

Posted by at 8:00 PM | Comments (118)

Saturday Open Thread

Have you spent time in your local campaign office lately?

Posted by at 10:00 AM | Comments (104)

September 29, 2006

Midday Open Thread

Have you checked out the community pages?

Posted by at 5:03 PM | Comments (173)

State of Denial

In the open thread this morning I excerpted from a story in the Daily News. Now there is more from The New York Times:

The White House ignored an urgent warning in September 2003 from a top Iraq adviser who said that thousands of additional American troops were desperately needed to quell the insurgency there, according to a new book by Bob Woodward, the Washington Post reporter and author. The book describes a White House riven by dysfunction and division over the war.
The warning is described in “State of Denial,” scheduled for publication on Monday by Simon & Schuster. The book says President Bush’s top advisers were often at odds among themselves, and sometimes were barely on speaking terms, but shared a tendency to dismiss as too pessimistic assessments from American commanders and others about the situation in Iraq.

As late as November 2003, Mr. Bush is quoted as saying of the situation in Iraq: “I don’t want anyone in the cabinet to say it is an insurgency. I don’t think we are there yet.”

Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld is described as disengaged from the nuts-and-bolts of occupying and reconstructing Iraq — a task that was initially supposed to be under the direction of the Pentagon — and so hostile toward Condoleezza Rice, then the national security adviser, that President Bush had to tell him to return her phone calls. The American commander for the Middle East, Gen. John P. Abizaid, is reported to have told visitors to his headquarters in Qatar in the fall of 2005 that “Rumsfeld doesn’t have any credibility anymore” to make a public case for the American strategy for victory in Iraq.

...

It says that Mr. Blackwill and L. Paul Bremer III, then the top American official in Iraq, later briefed Ms. Rice and Stephen J. Hadley, her deputy, about the pressing need for more troops during a secure teleconference from Iraq. It says the White House did nothing in response.

...

Vice President Cheney is described as a man so determined to find proof that his claim about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq was accurate that, in the summer of 2003, his aides were calling the chief weapons inspector, David Kay, with specific satellite coordinates as the sites of possible caches. None resulted in any finds.

There's even more from The Washington Post. Not surprisingly, the book is currently #1 on Amazon.

Posted by at 12:33 PM | Comments (11)

ID-LG: Where's Jimmy?

Larry LaRocco's campaign has some creative supporters. They've put that to good use, and through the power of the internets, have injected some humor into the Idaho's LG race. Check out the video, via YouTube.

Liar

Ken Mehlman, Chair of the Republican National Committee, to Vanity Fair:

"Abramoff is someone who we don't know a lot about. We know what we read in the paper."

Today's Washington Post:

Disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his colleagues billed their clients for more than 400 contacts with White House officials between 2001 and 2004, according to a report released yesterday by the House Government Reform Committee....
The report also cites documents suggesting that former White House political director Ken Mehlman, now chairman of the Republican National Committee, may have helped Abramoff's team get money for a tribal client from the Justice Department. But the committee did not corroborate the claim...

One exchange of e-mails cited in the report suggests that former Abramoff lobbying team member Tony C. Rudy succeeded in getting Mehlman to press reluctant Justice Department appointees to release millions of dollars in congressionally earmarked funds for a new jail for the Mississippi Choctaw tribe, an Abramoff client. Rudy wrote Abramoff in November 2001 e-mails that Mehlman said he would "take care of" the funding holdup at Justice after learning from Rudy that the tribe made large donations to the GOP.

TPM has more:

[This is] by no means the only example of Mehlman's favors.
In 2001, he made sure a State Department official wasn't re-nominated for his post -- the official, Allen Stayman was a long-time foe of Abramoff's.

And according to a report from the Justice Department's Inspector General, Mehlman ordered one of his suboordinates at the White House to keep Abramoff updated on issues related to Guam; Abramoff was keen to see the U.S. Attorney there replaced.

Classic.

Posted by at 10:53 AM | Comments (7)

South Dakotans Find Common Ground

Yesterday South Dakota Democratic legislative candidates in Sioux Falls and Rapid City unveiled their unifying plan called "Common Ground". Backed by the entire Democratic slate of 90 candidates, Common Ground is a declaration of intent going into the 2007 legislative session. The plan was developed by legislative leadership, legislators, candidates, and state party staff.

House Democratic Leader Dale Hargens:

“In the last legislative session, the education debate was pushed aside to the last day to make way for debates on divisive social legislation. The Common Ground plan is designed to change the priorities of the legislature. Democrats want the education funding discussion to start on the first day, not the last.”

Senate Democratic Assistant Leader Gary Hanson

“There is power in unity. Democrats are committed to a new direction for South Dakota. We want to focus on the issues that unite us, not divide us.”

Common Ground addresses the "meat and potato issues that affect South Dakota families". Read more details about the plan, after the jump.

South Dakota Democrats have really been coming together this year to fight the extreme right-wing agenda in their state.

From the Argus Leader:

Thursday's event[s] demonstrates the Democrats are better organized this time around. That's due in part to some financing from the national party.

On October 7th the South Dakota Democratic Party hosts 3 events for the 50-State Turnout. Find one, here.

Keep reading "South Dakotans Find Common Ground"

Posted by at 9:33 AM

TGIF Open Thread

Disturbing:

The CIA'S top counterterrorism officials felt they could have killed Osama Bin Laden in the months before 9/11, but got the "brushoff" when they went to the Bush White House seeking the money and authorization.
CIA Director George Tenet and his counterterrorism head Cofer Black sought an urgent meeting with then-national security adviser Condoleezza Rice on July 10, 2001, writes Bob Woodward in his new book "State of Denial."

They went over top-secret intelligence pointing to an impending attack and "sounded the loudest warning" to the White House of a likely attack on the U.S. by Bin Laden.

Woodward writes that Rice was polite, but, "They felt the brushoff."

Posted by at 9:26 AM | Comments (146)

September 28, 2006

Support The "Confidence in Voting Act of 2006"

Fellow citizens,

We still have time to address the e-voting security crisis!

The November 7th mid term congressional and statewide elections are around the corner -- and fears and concerns about the integrity of our electoral system and the security of paperless electronic voting systems have increased daily.

But there is time to act!

Before Congress adjourns for the November elections, we must pressure our lawmakers to support legislation that would help produce a fair and transparent election. Please call your lawmaker now and asked them to support the "Confidence in Voting Act of 2006."

This legislation, sponsored in the Senate by Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Russ Feingold (WI), along with Congressman Rush Holt (D-NJ) in the House of Representatives will allow the states to use optical scan or other paper ballot-based voting systems to opt in to a program for this November's election whereby they would be reimbursed for giving voters the right to cast their votes on paper ballots.

The "Confidence in Voting Act of 2006" would also:

Reimburse States at the rate of 75 cents per printed ballot for offering voters, upon their request, the right to cast a vote by means of a contingency paper ballots, regardless of the voting equipment otherwise in use at the precinct;

Mandate that the voter's right to cast his or her vote by means of such a contingency paper ballot be conspicuously posted at polling places;

Mandate that jurisdictions treat contingency paper ballots as
regular ballots, and count them accordingly and not as provisional ballots (unless a voter is otherwise required to vote provisionally); and

Authorize such sums as are necessary to reimburse the States under the program.

We still have time to address the e-voting security crisis!

Every citizen deserves the right to vote and have that vote counted as cast. This is the system by which we hold our elected officials accountable and the cornerstone of a functioning democracy. A wide variety of non-partisan, objective studies have shown deeply troubling irregularities in the conduct of the 2000 and 2004 elections, as well as in some of the primary elections this year that call into question the fairness and accuracy of our current election system and demonstrate that the problems have not been fixed. Many of these voting irregularities are a direct result of malfunctioning electronic voting machines and poll workers who may be untrained in administering this new technology. Some of the problems could be eliminated by the use of voter-verified paper ballots. It's time we act and call upon our lawmakers to ensure this election is fair and transparent. Given the recent rampant election irregularities and discrepancies, voters are justifiably concerned about the integrity of their votes cast through potentially flawed and unreliable machinery.

That is why I am calling on Democrats to stand firmly in support of H.R.6187, the Confidence in Voting Act of 2006.

Posted by Donna Brazille at 6:36 PM | Comments (14)

A New Direction for America with Women Leading the Way

This year’s WLF Issue’s Conference is being dedicated to Governor Ann Richards, an extraordinary woman whose commitment to public service, and the people of Texas, was a big as her spirit.

In a letter to WLF Conference participants, Governor Dean wrote:

Governor Richards graced the WLF conference with her presence many times, starting in 1996 and most recently in 2004, when she delivered one of our keynote addresses. But even more important, Ann Richards graced and enriched our lives and the life of our great Party with her wisdom and wit, her unflappable determination to speak up and speak out, her inspirational leadership and her vision for a better Texas and a better America. Our nation lost a mighty warrior when Governor Richards passed away earlier this month. Her memory and example will long guide and embolden us, and our gratitude for all she was and all she did will stay with us forever.

In honor of Governor Richards, we all took a moment to remember her before lunch began with a special video, dedicated to this great leader, who continues to be a role model for women everywhere.

After the video, and quite a few teary eyes, Governor Dean took the podium to welcome everyone. He spoke briefly, noting that he was on the schedule tomorrow morning for a Town Hall meeting, but passionately, about the hard work that is being done in all 50 states to take back the House and the Senate. He spoke about the role the 50-State Strategy is playing in November’s elections, widening the field, making Democrats competitive in unexpected races, and reaching out to millions of voters in person and at their doors.

There was a lot of applause and a standing ovation, but more importantly there was a sense of urgency and excitement in the room. Democrats know what is at stake this November and we are fighting to take back our country from a rubber-stamp Congress that blindly acquiesces to the Bush administration’s failed policies.

One of the hottest races in the country is a race in upstate New York’s 20th Congressional district. It is there that Kirsten Gillibrand is running for Congress. As she describes it, it is a district that has been gerrymandered red, but is well on its way to turning blue. Kirsten is an alumni of the WLF organization. She has worked over the years to empower more women, particularly to get more young women involved in the political process, and she joined us to talk about her race and to introduce Senator Clinton.

Kirsten first spoke about her District and about her experiences meeting people on the campaign trail and talking to them about the issues that really matter to them. She described how the lack of leadership from the Republican Congress has hurt the people of she wants to represent, making it harder for them to make ends meet in an economy that is hurts the people who can least afford it.

She talked about the need for a vision for America that strives to achieve more, rather than less. And she was especially passionate about the need for real leadership in the area of energy independence. She remembered the kind of leadership America had under President Kennedy’s administration, saying:

John F. Kennedy had a vision and the reason he succeed, was that he created a vision for America to take hold of…We are going to do this, not because it's easy, but because it's hard. That is the kind of leadership we need in America.

Kirsten moved on to introduce Senator Clinton, whom she said has been a friend and a mentor throughout her campaign. She talked about the ways in which Senator Clinton has helped upstate New York, and the difference it has made for the people of the 20th District.

Senator Clinton was the day’s keynote speaker. Her message was one of urgency with a single simple theme: the importance of taking back the House and the Senate in 2006.

It is important for the future of our country - everything we care about is at stake. The damage that has been done to our country is incalculable. We are in a deep hole, and the Republicans want to keep on digging.

She talked about the challenges our country faces and the problems the rubber-stamp Republican Congress and Bush Administration have created.

Democrats know how to fix these problems. We've done it before and we'll do it again. On every issue there are big differences. But the biggest difference is the disregard of our constitutional democracy, the disdain of checks and balances, the denial of accountability. That is our entire system being put at risk. We can not afford to have our Constitution shredded and our country's commitment to freedom thrown out after setting the standard by which others are judged.

She urged the women of the WLF to do everything they could to make a difference in the races this November, and she stressed the ways their involvement has already play a part in getting us this far.

For me it sometimes seems as if November’s elections are forever away. But the truth is that they are around the corner, and there are 40 days left to do the hard work to take back the House and the Senate.

No one could have predicted a year ago how close we would be to so many successes. The hard work that has been done by Democrats up and down the ballot, by our elected officials, and by our State Parties, has created a super-competitive field, with dozens of races in play, and a team of amazing candidates who have stepped up to the plate to serve our country.

Those candidates are our friends and neighbors. They are school teachers and veterans, lawyers and ranchers. They are the face of the Democratic Party across our nation, and they are the face of America.

Together, we can send these men and women to the United States Congress and the United States Senate where they will serve us with honor and with purpose, but it’s going to take hard work, every day, until November 7th, to make it happen.

Posted by at 2:42 PM | Comments (4)

The Women's Leadership Forum Issues Conference

The Women's Leadership Forum is hosting their 13th annual issues forum today and tomorrow in Washington, DC. The Women's Leadership Forum hosts this event annually, which gives Democratic women the opportunity to meet with fellow activists, Party leaders and political experts. This two-day event is packed full, with sessions on politics and policy. There are training sessions to pick up new techniques and brush up on old skills.

I headed over to the Mayflower around 11 a.m. and as I was walking in the first person I spotted was Florida Congressional candidate Christine Jennings. Jennings is running in the 13th Congressional District of Florida. I met her way before I landed at the DNC. She has been working hard to take back the district for Florida Democrats for over a year. She had good news - polling that shows her ahead of her GOP opponent, and that was a great first conversation to have.

I did a quick lap of the various conference rooms. In the main room Congressman Murtha and Congresswoman Harman were briefing on national security issues. Congressman Murtha was talking about the need for a new strategy in Iraq, about the disasterous mess the President has gotten us into with his war of choice. Congresswoman Harman addressed the recent NIE report and the actions she has taken this week in response to the report. As I wrote yesterday, the Congresswoman has called on National Intelligence Director, John Negroponte, to releases a second NIE, which focuses solely on Iraq, However, the administration has said that report won't be ready for release until 2007, giving them additional time to hide from the mess that they have created and deceive the American people.

I hope to have more from the WLF Issues Forum for you through out the day. Senator Clinton and Congressional candidate Kirsten Gillibrand will be joining us during lunch. This afternoon we'll be doing several training sessions, including one I'll be helping lead on how to use the internet and the Democratic Party's online tools, like PartyBuilder, to organize and spread the Democratic message. The day ends with a special event for Young Women, with an emphasis on Young Women of Color, which will feature Star Jones Reynolds.

Posted by at 12:19 PM | Comments (1)

More Hope For A New Direction

Could Democrats take back the Senate? That is the question the New York Times poses today:

Six weeks before Election Day, the Democrats suddenly face a map with unexpected opportunities in their battle for control of the Senate.
In Virginia, a state that few expected to be seriously competitive, Senator George Allen looks newly vulnerable after a series of controversies over charges of racial insensitivity, strategists in both parties say. In Tennessee, another Southern state long considered safely red, Representative Harold E. Ford Jr., a Democrat, has run a strong campaign that has kept that state in contention.

Elsewhere, Democratic challengers are either ahead or close in races in five states held by the Republicans: Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, according to political strategists in both parties and the latest polls.

So what does this mean? Six months ago I remember hearing chatter about our '06 prospects and the consensus was that we had a good shot at taking taking back the House and that we'd likely make some gains in the Senate. Even the most optomistic observer was hesitant to say the Senate could flip. That's not the case any longer.

“Anybody who says there’s no way the Democrats could regain control of the Senate, that’s just wishful thinking,” said Glen Bolger, a Republican pollster active in numerous House and Senate races. “But there’s a long way between could and would, and the Republican resource advantage is just now coming to bear.”
Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York, chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said: “We will pick up seats. And if the stars continue to align, we can take back the Senate.”

This year there are more states in play than ever before, and this is why the 50-State Strategy is so crucial. We need a new direction for America. We need to break free of the strangle hold the Bush Administration and his do-nothing Republican Congress have on our country.

But we can only do it if we work together, which is why getting connected with your local campaigns is so important. To win in November we have to show up everywhere and ask for every vote. We can't take anything for granted. We can't take any short cuts. We have to do the hard work.

So what do you do?

Make sure you are registered to vote and make sure your closest family and friends are too.
Talk with your family and friends about why their vote is important and the Democratic vision for America. Don't worry about repeating specific talking points word for word, talk about what is important to you, what you think is at stake and why you are a Democrat.
Then, sign up to kick-off the final 30 days before Election Day with Democrats in your state at one of hundreds of 50-State Turnout events and help make change happen.

Posted by at 9:41 AM | Comments (10)

Thursday Open Thread

Chat away...

Posted by at 9:23 AM | Comments (311)

September 27, 2006

Late Night Open Thread

I was just on the phone with a customer service rep trying to get a gadget to work properly. When I told the nice guy who was helping me where I worked he started telling me how he was fed up with the direction our country was headed in, and really wanted to see things go in a new direction.

I couldn't agree more.

If you are fed up too, do something! 100actions.com has a new idea every day!

Posted by at 10:40 PM | Comments (92)

Listen Up: Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers

This week's DNC Podcast features award-winning film director Robert Greenwald. Greenwald discusses his newest work, Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers.

Iraq for Sale is a scathing documentary that exposes the record profits made off the war in Iraq by private corporations with Republican friends in Congress and the Republican decision makers that made it happen.

From the podcast:

"Blackwater, CACI, Titan, Halliburton - all have stocked their Boards of Directors or their high corporate levels with former military, former CIA, and former people in the legislative process so that they get a kind of protection against oversight. [As a result,] they give Halliburton millions of dollars. [Blackwater owner] Eric Prince's family has given $2.5 million to the Republican Party in the past couple of years. That buys them a kind of protection they should not be buying. There should be transparency and there should be oversight."

Greenwald also discussed the devastating impact the war profiteering has on soldiers on the ground in Iraq.

"Soldier after soldier was saying to me 'This is demoralizing to us, to work right next to someone who is doing exactly the same job and getting paid three and four times as much.' Outsourcing was never meant to do that...that takes a terrible toll on the troops."

Listen to the Podcast, here.

And remember, if you are an iTunes user, you can make sure you never miss a podcast - subscribe to the DNC podcast and you'll be updated automatically!

Posted by at 3:15 PM | Comments (13)

If the President Says It, It Must Be True

That's what Tony Snow, the White House Press Secretary said today. I have a bit of trouble following that logic. You see, the President doesn't have such a great track record when it comes to telling truth or dealing with facts.

Via ThinkProgress:

REPORTER: Thanks. You said first of all that Al Qaeda has been degraded. Actually, the report said the leadership has degraded, but its ranks have increased. You also just -
SNOW: Ok.

REPORTER: You also said that you were talking about things the administration has done, and yet the intelligence estimate is taking this into account and coming up with this conclusion that the factors fueling this growth of the movement, that they report, outweigh the vulnerabilities and will do so for some time. That’s not, we’re safer.

SNOW: No, it talks about jihadism.

REPORTER: It’s not, “We’re winning.”

SNOW: Well– It doesn’t draw judgements like that. You’ve read National Intelligence Estimates —

REPORTER: I’m practically quoting verbatim.

SNOW: I know, but look for, “We’re not winning.” Please show me. Well, the President says we’re winning.

Tony Snow was on a roll today. He also flat out lied about the existance of a second NIE, one that focuses on Iraq, despite the fact that it's existance has been confirmed by John Negroponte, the Director of National Intelligence.

Today, Jane Harman, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee called for it's release. In a letter to John Negroponte, she wrote:

I received your letter of September 26, in which you confirmed that the National Intelligence Council (NIC) is writing a National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iraq. Though you promised that the NIE would be completed “in a timely manner,” senior White House officials have indicated publicly that the report may not be completed until January 2007.
This timetable is unacceptable. Sectarian violence, which has reached record levels and continues to grow, is putting our troops – not to mention millions of Iraqis – at grave risk. Furthermore, the proven ineffectiveness of U.S.-trained Iraqi security forces, an absence of effective infrastructure reconstruction, and political crises that threaten the fragile new polity have made it clear that we need a new strategy in Iraq.

NIEs have been produced in as little as several weeks, as in the case of the 2002 report on Iraqi WMD. While I understand the desire to be thorough, events in Iraq make it urgent that the Intelligence Community produce this NIE immediately. If your intention is to delay this report until after the November elections, I do not think that is appropriate given that U.S. troops are at risk at this moment.

U.S. policymakers need the Intelligence Community’s insights to determine how to defend our troops and our interests in Iraq. I urge you to expedite completion of the NIE and to release it in both classified and publicly releasable unclassified forms.

Not surprisingly, the White House has said that the Iraq NIE won't be released until January 2007. Giving them some extra time to hide from the facts.

Posted by at 12:57 PM | Comments (15)

Sobering Conclusions

The National Intelligence Estimate, recently declassified, shows how the President's war of choice in Iraq, and his failed leadership, have fueled global terrorism.

From the Washington Post:

In announcing yesterday that he would release the key judgments of a controversial National Intelligence Estimate, President Bush said he agreed with the document's conclusion "that because of our successes against the leadership of al-Qaeda, the enemy is becoming more diffuse and independent."
But the estimate itself posits no such cause and effect. Instead, while it notes that counterterrorism efforts have seriously damaged and disrupted al-Qaeda's leadership, it describes the spreading "global jihadist movement" as fueled largely by forces that al-Qaeda exploits but is not actively directing. They include Iraq, corrupt and unjust governments in Muslim-majority countries, and "pervasive anti-U.S. sentiment among most Muslims."

The overall estimate is bleak, with minor notes of optimism. It depicts a movement that is likely to grow more quickly than the West's ability to counter it over the next five years, as the Iraq war continues to breed "deep resentment" throughout the Muslim world, shaping a new generation of terrorist leaders and cultivating new supporters for their ideology.

In describing Iraq as "the 'cause celebre' for jihadists," the document judges that real and perceived insurgent successes there will "inspire more fighters to continue the struggle elsewhere," while losses would have the opposite effect. It predicts that the elimination of al-Qaeda leaders, particularly Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who was killed after the estimate was completed in April, would probably leave that organization splintered into disparate groups that "for at least a time, pose a less serious threat to U.S. interests" than the current al-Qaeda structure.

President Bush still refuses to acknowledge the truth about his war of choice in Iraq, and the damage it has done. Yesterday he said:

"I of course read the key judgments on the NIE. My judgment is, if we were not in Iraq, they [the terrorists] would find some other excuse because they have ambitions. We're not going to let lies and propaganda by the enemy dictate how we win this war." [Remarks, 9/26/06]

Yet, the NIE presents the cold, hard truth.

The NIE Is U.S. Intelligence Community's Most Comprehensive Treatment Of A Subject. National Intelligence Estimates are produced by the National Intelligence Council, a group of high-level analysts from government and academic institutions. The document is designed to represent the U.S. intelligence community's most comprehensive treatment of a subject. [Los Angeles Times, 9/24/06]

What the report says:

NIE Says Iraq Made Overall Terrorism Problem Worse. The National Intelligence Estimate ''says that the Iraq war has made the overall terrorism problem worse,'' said one American intelligence official. [New York Times, 9/24/06]

NIE: Iraq War Main Recruiting Vehicle for Terrorists. U.S. officials told CNN that the National Intelligence Estimate report concludes that the war in Iraq and the insurgency is the main recruiting vehicle for new Islamic extremists. [CNN.com, 9/24/06]

From the NIE:
We assess that the Iraq jihad is shaping a new generation of terrorist leaders and operatives; perceived jihadist success there would inspire more fighters to continue the struggle elsewhere.

The Iraq conflict has become the "cause celebre" for jihadists, breeding a deep resentment of US involvement in the Muslim world and cultivating supporters for the global jihadist movement.

NIE: Iraq War Spread Jihad Ideology. An opening section of the report, ''Indicators of the Spread of the Global Jihadist Movement,'' cites the Iraq war as a reason for the diffusion of jihad ideology. The classified National Intelligence Estimate attributes a more direct role to the Iraq war in fueling radicalism than that presented either in recent White House documents or in a report released Wednesday by the House Intelligence Committee, according to several officials in Washington involved in preparing the assessment or who have read the final document. [New York Times, 9/24/06]

The report echos what scholars and experts have been saying all along:

Afghanistan Scholar, Barnett R. Rubin, director of studies and senior fellow at the Center on International Cooperation at New York University told the Philadelphia Inquirer that US Strategy in Afghanistan May Be Helping Al Qaeda.
A leading Afghanistan scholar says that America’s military counterterrorism strategy has failed to eliminate the Taliban – and may actually be contributing to the growth of the insurgent Islamist group.

He believes that although the international community helped Afghanistan create the trappings of democratic institutions, the changes are still largely cosmetic. Rubin says that in some places, the Bush Administration has "actually turned farmers in some areas against us and driven them into the arms of terrorists." [Philadelphia Inquirer, 9/10/06]

Terrorism Experts Say Al Qaeda Movement Has Gained Ground Since Invasion Of Iraq.
"Al Qaeda has responded to four years of intense pressure from the United States and its allies by dispersing its surviving operatives, distributing its ideology and techniques for mass-casualty attacks to a wide audience on the Internet, and encouraging new adherents to act spontaneously in its name. Since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, terrorism experts in and out of government have warned that the movement has appeared to gain ground, particularly in Europe, where a large, mobile, technology-savvy and well-educated Muslim population includes alienated young people attracted to the call of holy war against the West." [Washington Post, 7/8/05]

Posted by at 11:55 AM | Comments (20)

Wednesday Open Thread

Take Six! launches today.

TAKE SIX is an innovative program designed by the Women's Vote Center to reach the 20 million unmarried women who did not vote in 2004 -- the biggest potential group of new voters in the country, and the most likely to vote for Democrats -- but only if they vote.

As we learned from the West Wing:

If women were the only voters, the Democrats would win in a landslide every time.

EMILY's List will back us up:

Women voters have a huge influence on the outcome of elections. When they vote, Democrats win — because women voters tend to favor Democratic candidates. When they stay home, as they did in 1994, the radical right wins. It all comes down to voter turnout.

You can find the official sign-up, here and the PartyBuilder group, here.

Posted by at 9:18 AM | Comments (125)

September 26, 2006

MD-Sen: You can run...

...from the President and the Republican Party, but Michael Steele can't hide from his own record.

Posted by at 5:21 PM | Comments (9)

Standing Up Open Thread

This morning College Democrats of New York stood up to the right-wing propaganda machine, also known as Fox News, and stood up for President Bill Clinton, whose Sunday morning appearance has been making news.

Watch Fox and Friends co-anchors try and swing the camera away from the protesters. Not only will you remember why you don't watch Fox and Friends, but you'll get a laugh.

C&L has the video.

Posted by at 4:55 PM | Comments (110)

Not So Much

Condi Rice can parrot the President's fantasy talking points as often as she likes. It won't make them true. In an interview with the NY Post she claimed the Clinton Administration failed to leave behind a comprehensive strategy to fight al Queda.

The 9/11 Commission disagrees:

As the Clinton administration drew to a close, Clarke and his staff developed a policy paper of their own [which] incorporated the CIA’s new ideas from the Blue Sky memo, and posed several near-term policy options. Clarke and his staff proposed a goal to “roll back” al Qaeda over a period of three to five years …[including] covert aid to the Northern Alliance, covert aid to Uzbekistan, and renewed Predator flights in March 2001. A sentence called for military action to destroy al Qaeda command-and control targets and infrastructure and Taliban military and command assets. The paper also expressed concern about the presence of al Qaeda operatives in the United States.” [p. 197]

Plus, as Think Progress points out:

Clarke, who also worked for the Bush administration, wrote Condoleezza Rice a memo as soon as the Bush administration took office, stating, “[W]e urgently need…a Principals level review of the al Qida network.” His request was denied.

Posted by at 4:07 PM | Comments (6)

Today in Congress

Leader Pelosi offered a motion earlier designed to call Congress into a secret session to discuss the National Intelligence Estimate on global terrorism.

According to AP:

In an interview with The Associated Press, Pelosi, D-Calif., said the secret session is necessary to allow members to better understand the intelligence community's most recent assessment on global terrorism.
She said she hoped House Republicans would recognize the need for such an internal debate on the document, some of which leaked to the news media over the weekend.

But the Rubber-stamp Republican Congress couldn't be bothered to discuss the facts the NIE has presented to them. The motion was defeated.

Leader Pelosi:

"I don't know how anyone could vote against it," Pelosi told reporters in a conference call immediately after the vote. "What they're saying by voting against this is, 'Spare me the facts, spare me the truth.'"

Posted by at 2:27 PM

Of Course He Does

The frontpage of the NYT website reads "Bush Disagrees That Iraq War Raises Threat of Terror". Of course he disagrees. This President disagrees with anything that doesn't mirror his singular interpretation of the "success" of the war in Iraq.

"Some people have guessed what’s in the report and concluded that going into Iraq was a mistake," the president said. "I strongly disagree."
...

"I told the D.N.I to declassify the document, you can read it for yourself," Mr. Bush said.

"Everybody can make own judgments."

Governor Dean responds:

"Now that President Bush has heeded Democrats call to declassify the NIE report, the American people can decide on its merits for themselves. Facts are stubborn things.
"And unfortunately the Bush Administration has repeatedly chosen to ignore the facts when they're inconvenient, and make them up when they don't support their rigid ideology. This is no way to run a country or a war. It's telling that President Bush failed to say whether there were White House meetings on Osama bin Laden before the 9/11 attacks, but unfortunately this is one of many questions left answered about the lead up to the war in Iraq.

"Nothing changes the fact that President Bush's failed leadership and war of choice in Iraq have made us less safe and hampered our ability to fight and win the global war on terror. Democrats want a new direction for our country and will fight the war on terror based on the facts and guidance from our military and intelligence officials."

Posted by at 1:48 PM | Comments (27)

WY-AL: The Big Mo'

In case you missed it, the love keeps on coming for Wyoming Congressional candidate Gary Trauner.

Last week, Markos pointed out the way the 50-State Strategy has boosted Wyoming Democrats.

Today, we see Trauner keeps gaining momentum.

Posted by at 12:51 PM | Comments (5)

Tuesday Morning Open Thread

The New Orleans Saints won big last night in their first game at the Superdome in 13 months. They are now 3-0.

Action #43: Spread the word about President Clinton fighting back.

This is an open thread...

Posted by at 9:55 AM | Comments (89)

September 25, 2006

Democrats & Iraq

Senator Reid:

“There was a time when events like today’s hearing were commonplace in the halls of Congress—especially during war. Unfortunately in this Congress—for the war in Iraq—meaningful hearings have been few and far between. The 109th Congress has sat on the sidelines of the war, refusing to ask tough questions or take the necessary steps to make America safe. This lack of oversight has had disastrous consequences for our national security. We need a new direction. If the Administration won’t talk straight—and the Congressional Majority won’t hold them accountable—Democrats will.”

Read the full statement below the fold...

Keep reading "Democrats & Iraq"

Posted by at 3:01 PM | Comments (13)

Midday Open Thread

Did you catch this week's Democratic Radio address?

If not, check it out, here.

Posted by at 2:50 PM | Comments (211)

IL-06: Real Patriotism

Tammy Duckworth is the real thing:

During an election debate at the weekend in the outskirts of Chicago, Peter Roskam, the Republican candidate for Illinois's sixth district, trotted out the familiar line that his Democratic opponent wanted America to "cut and run" from Iraq.
His opponent, Tammy Duckworth, a former National Guard pilot who lost both her legs in Iraq last year when her helicopter was shot down by a rocket-propelled grenade, was visibly angry at the exchange. "I just could not believe he would say that to me," said Ms Duckworth, who now walks on artificial legs with the help of a cane. "I have risked my life to serve my country and you cannot question my patriotism."

...

"I am sick and tired of the Republicans saying 'Either you agree with us on national security or you are not patriotic'," says Ms Duckworth, whose campaign has ignited the highest level of volunteer door-to-door support the Democrats can remember in this district. "It is total baloney – in fact I have a better army word, but I can't use it. We must never forget that it is patriotic and it is American to question people in power."

(h/t TPM Cafe)

Posted by at 2:10 PM | Comments (10)

Falling into the Medicare Hole

This is what happens when Republicans let their buddies from the drug companies write Medicare legislation.

Posted by at 12:03 PM | Comments (1)

VA-Sen: Disgusting

I'm honestly too disgusted by the events recounted in the Salon article about Senator Allen to write about them in a way that would be acceptable on this blog.

Read the article and decide for yourself.

Posted by at 11:49 AM | Comments (4)

Fueling Radicalism

A must-read from the NYT:

A stark assessment of terrorism trends by American intelligence agencies has found that the American invasion and occupation of Iraq has helped spawn a new generation of Islamic radicalism and that the overall terrorist threat has grown since the Sept. 11 attacks.
The classified National Intelligence Estimate attributes a more direct role to the Iraq war in fueling radicalism than that presented either in recent White House documents or in a report released Wednesday by the House Intelligence Committee, according to several officials in Washington involved in preparing the assessment or who have read the final document.

The intelligence estimate, completed in April, is the first formal appraisal of global terrorism by United States intelligence agencies since the Iraq war began, and represents a consensus view of the 16 disparate spy services inside government. Titled “Trends in Global Terrorism: Implications for the United States,’’ it asserts that Islamic radicalism, rather than being in retreat, has metastasized and spread across the globe.

An opening section of the report, “Indicators of the Spread of the Global Jihadist Movement,” cites the Iraq war as a reason for the diffusion of jihad ideology.

The report “says that the Iraq war has made the overall terrorism problem worse,” said one American intelligence official.

Senator Reid responded to the report:

"No election-year White House P.R. campaign can hide this truth — it is crystal clear that America’s security demands we change course in Iraq.”

Posted by at 11:24 AM | Comments (4)

Did you see this?

(Governor Dean sent the following email to Democrats across the country today)

Dear Fellow Democrat,

You can't trust Republicans on national security -- and two things proved it yesterday:

1) In a powerful interview that aired yesterday, President Bill Clinton took on the extremist Republican propaganda about 9/11 -- and Fox News tried to cover up the fact that the Bush administration downgraded terrorism as a priority before September 11th and has failed to eliminate Osama bin Laden since the attacks.

2) An explosive report on the still-classified National Intelligence Estimate states that the "invasion and occupation of Iraq has helped spawn a new generation of Islamic radicalism and that the overall terrorist threat has grown since the Sept. 11 attacks" -- and Republicans have been trying to cover it up.

This is what we're fighting against every day -- an administration covering up of the Bush failure of 9/11 and covering up an honest look at the war in Iraq and the war on terror.

You know that Democrats have a real plan for destroying Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda, fixing the mess in Iraq, and really securing us at home.

But we've always had those things -- the problem until now has been our willingness to stand up and fight for them in the face of fear mongering, bullying and intimidation from the other side.

That's why we're going on the offense on national security. The future of our party, and of our country, depends on the ability of Democrats to get a strong national security message out in all 50 states this year. Donate to make it happen and watch President Clinton fight back now:

http://www.democrats.org/playmoreoffense

Here's the meat of the Fox News interview with President Clinton, where he's had enough of the right-wing revisionist history from the propaganda machine:

CLINTON: I'm being asked this on the Fox network. ABC just had a right-wing conservative run in their little Pathway to 9/11, falsely claiming it was based on the 9/11 Commission report, with three things asserted against me directly contradicted by the 9/11 Commission report. ... And I think it's very interesting that all the conservative Republicans, who now say I didn't do enough, claimed that I was too obsessed with bin Laden. All of President Bush's neo-cons thought I was too obsessed with bin Laden. They had no meetings on bin Laden for nine months after I left office. All the right-wingers who now say I didn't do enough said I did too much -- same people.

Over a quarter million Americans stood up to ABC and beat back the right-wing Republican 9/11 propaganda that tries to cover up the Bush administration's huge failures to protect America before and after the attacks.

Yesterday Bill Clinton did exactly what Democrats need to do in this election -- to stand up to the right-wing and tell the truth. We will not let the Republicans twist history and distort reality.

We're sick of playing defense against a Republican leadership that uses national security to scare people to win elections. We're not going to be pushed around, spun, and defamed by right-wing extremists and those whom they use to disseminate their propaganda.

Our plan for this election is to go on the offense -- to talk straight about the Republican failures and lay out a clear Democratic plan to take American foreign policy and national security in a better direction.

Watch President Clinton and donate now to Democrats who will fight back:

http://www.democrats.org/playmoreoffense

We have a fundamentally different vision for our security than the Party of Bush. We want a new direction in Iraq, more competent security at home, and the restoration of America's moral leadership in the world.

They failed to capture or kill Osama bin Laden, and five years after September 11th he still lives to taunt Americans.

They squandered America's moral authority and global leadership by launching a war of choice in Iraq instead of fighting the war on al Qaeda.

The calls of the 9/11 Commission Report and Hurricane Katrina simply did not awaken Republican leaders to our continuing vulnerabilities at home.

We've had enough, and we're going to run an honest campaign about the security of our country. People are smart and ready for real leadership -- will you make a donation right now to help get the message out?

http://www.democrats.org/playmoreoffense

Republicans have won two elections since 9/11 by instilling fear in people, and they're trying to do it again this year.

But it's not going to work. The Bush policies have failed. Iraq is sliding into civil war. Iran and North Korea are more dangerous than they were five and a half years ago. And the Taliban resurgence poses new threats in Afghanistan.

As President Clinton said on Fox News that we have a government "that thinks Afghanistan is only one-seventh as important as Iraq."

People have had enough. This administration cannot be trusted with our security.

Democrats are going to reclaim American leadership with a tough, smart plan to transform failed policies in Iraq, the Middle East and around the world.

We will increase the size of Special Forces to destroy Osama Bin Laden and terrorist networks like al Qaeda. We will implement the bipartisan 9/11 Commission proposal to secure America's borders and ports and screen every container. And we will fully man, train, and equip our National Guard and our police, firefighters and other first responders.

Let's get this message out to Americans who need to hear it:

http://www.democrats.org/playmoreoffense

When it comes to national security, the Republicans have not led.

We will.

Thank you,

Gov. Howard Dean, M.D.
Democratic National Committee

P.S. -- Below are a few excerpts from President Clinton's interview. To make a donation to Democrats across the country committed to beating back right-wing propaganda, click here:

http://www.democrats.org/playmoreoffense

Keep reading "Did you see this?"

Posted by Tracy Russo at 10:40 AM | Comments (51)

Monday Morning Open Thread

Chat away...

Posted by at 9:13 AM | Comments (87)

September 23, 2006

Weekend Open Thread

Have you signed up yet?

Posted by at 5:34 PM | Comments (394)

September 22, 2006

50-State Strategy: Nebraska's Scott Kleeb

Nebraska Democrats debuted their version of the 50-State Strategy - the 93-County Strategy - over a year ago, and it's paying off.

From Nebraska Democratic Party Executive Director, Barry Rubin:

A new poll conducted by national polling firm Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates September 20-21 shows that the 3rd District congressional race is up for grabs as we enter the last six weeks of the campaign.
When asked who they would vote for “if the election were held today,” 41 percent of definite voters said they would vote for Adrian Smith and 37 percent said they would vote for Scott Kleeb. The margin of error for the entire sample is ±4.87%.

Considering the margin of error and the high percentage of undecided voters – this race is most definitely in play. The poll was conducted among 405 likely voters in Nebraska’s 3rd congressional district.

Obviously, this is exciting news in one of the most Republican-leaning congressional districts in the country. Not only is it exciting for the people of greater Nebraska, it is a clear sign that voters are tired of politics as usual throughout the state and nation.

Kleeb is a candidate I have been watching since early in the cycle. I profiled him and stand by my words:

Scott Kleeb, a forth generation Nebraskan, educated at Yale University, who got his doctorate studying the history of cattle ranching, who lives and works on a ranch and who says:

"We need young people coming back to our state. Folks who get their education and come back to the communities that they're from. That's exactly what I'm doing."

Scott Kleeb is a unique candidate who can give Republican opponent Smith a real run for his money.

Check out his newest ad, here.

And it's not just Kleeb. Nebraska Democrats say their time "is now" and are running to win.

Nebraska Democrats already have a dozen events for the 50-State Turnout. Find one in your state.

Posted by at 4:56 PM | Comments (7)

50-State Strategy: A Utah Insurgency?

Larry Daniel, a Gulf War veteran, a professor of constitutional law and a Democratic candidate for the Utah State Legislature e-mailed us this look inside the the 50-State Strategy.

I wanted to take a few moments to let you know how the 50-State Strategy is working as applied in Utah. I would not be running for office if it were not for Utah Democratic Party Chairman Wayne Holland and the UT Dems 29-County Strategy application of the DNC's 50 State Strategy.

As a result of the UT Dems 29-County application of the 50-State Strategy, Republicans are defending and spending money in places they’ve thought were safe. This is turning out to be a "death by a thousand cuts" insurgency, particularly in Southern Utah.

Example:

Today's Utah Policy Daily reports Utah Republicans are planning a "Big Red Whistle Stop Tour" of Iron and Washington Counties "to energize the Republican base..." Participants will include the Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General and 2nd Congressional District candidate LaVar Christensen….
One can't help but wonder if this has as much to do with a reenergized Democratic Party in Iron and Washington Counties as with a less than enthusiastic Republican base. For the first time in perhaps decades, both Iron and Washington County feature a full slate of Democratic candidates. It appears participants in the "Big Red Whistle Stop Tour" will be seeing a lot more blue faces than they are used to.

Things get better.

During the UT Legislature’s Special Session on Tuesday, my opponent the incumbent I am in the race with, voted with the Democrats in favor of the education set aside and against the tax cut.

Several legislators told me he would never have voted that way, but he is scared. In fact, I've heard that he is scared from local movers-and-shakers, political insiders, and from lobbyists that he has called, frantically, searching for money.

A 14-year incumbent that has never faced a Democrat opponent in a district that went 82% Bush just two years ago, is scared. Several other Republicans voted with the Democrats for the same reason.

In my county, at the most local level, we’ve only had 2 Democrtas run for office in the past 20 years. Now, because of the support we get from our State Party which now has full-time, year-round staffers working to provide us with the resources, we have 4 candidates on the ballot, and our precinct caucuses have grown 300%.

Democratic registration in my county increased 25% in a single year. Plus, for the first time anyone can remember that we filled all of our slots at the state party convention.

All of this is because of Governor Dean, Chairman Wayne and the 50-State Strategy.

Posted by at 1:41 PM | Comments (2)

Today in Iraq: Stretched too Thin

With no end in sight and no real strategy for Iraq, the President and his Republican Congress have severely strained our military and hindered our ability to fight the real war on terror by bogging us down with his war of choice.

Strains on the Army from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have become so severe that Army officials say they may be forced to make greater use of the National Guard to provide enough troops for overseas deployments.
Senior Army officers have discussed that analysis — and described the possible need to use more members of the National Guard — with Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld’s senior adviser on personnel, David S. C. Chu, according to Pentagon officials.

While no decision has been made to mobilize more Guard forces, and may not need to be before midterm elections, the prospect presents the Bush administration with a politically vexing problem: how, without expanding the Army, to balance the pressing need for troops in the field against promises to limit overseas deployments for the Guard.

The National Guard has a goal of allowing five years at home between foreign deployments so as not to disrupt the family life and careers of its citizen soldiers. But instead it has been sending units every three to four years, according to Guard officials.

The question of how to sustain the high level of forces abroad became more acute this week as General John P. Abizaid, the senior American commander in the Middle East, said that the number of troops in Iraq, currently at more than 140,000, could not be expected to drop until next spring at the very earliest.

That disclosure comes amid many signs of mounting strain on active Army units. So many are deployed or only recently returned from combat duty that only two or three combat brigades — perhaps 7,000 to 10,000 troops — are fully ready to respond in case of unexpected crises, according to a senior Army general.

An internal Army document that was provided to The New York Times notes that the demand for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan has greatly exceeded past projections that predicted earlier troop reductions. According to the document, the Army needs $66.1 billion to make up for all of its equipment shortfalls. Referring to the units that are to deploy next to Iraq and Afghanistan, or are in training, the document shows a large question mark to indicate their limited readiness.

Posted by at 11:37 AM | Comments (14)

TGIF Open Thread

Governor Dean has an op-ed in today's Wall Street Journal. Go read!

Posted by at 9:35 AM | Comments (516)

September 21, 2006

50-State Strategy: Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Democratic Party is doing an amazing job motivating Democrats in America's heartland. Chair Lisa Prior has embraced the 50-State Strategy and the results are tangible.

Hundreds of Oklahoma Democrats turned out for their
Democratic Reunion event on July 29th.

From the Oklahoma Gazette:

“I’m not a member of any organized political party, I’m a Democrat!” —Will Rogers
The Oklahoma Democratic Party has decided to make Will Rogers into a liar. All indications are that, for the first time ever, a viable and organized Democratic Party is present in the Sooner State. And it is the presence of organization combined with dedication among the activist base and a stiff political wind blowing against the right that has Democrats thinking heady thought toward November.

The Democrats are finally emerging from a long, dark tea time of the soul that has seen their registration and identification advantages among voters collapse, culminating in the loss of majority in one legislative chamber, control of a single congressional seat and a minority party governor who had the good fortune to run against a pious star athlete and an attorney gifted in the art of political destruction. When Republican candidates ran up 60 percent-plus totals statewide and a huge party debt, political observers two years ago wondered if the party’s prospects would ever rebound or if they’d just follow the socialists into Sooner politics oblivion.

The good news for Democrats is that legislative Republicans proved to be good at cutting taxes and sharing credit with Brad Henry, while also being even more eager than Democrats to expand government spending. Republican lawmakers and statewide candidates have a hard time criticizing the popular Henry because they are complicit in his victories. Henry walks outside the shadow of allegations of legislator misconduct that dog the Republican Party majority leadership in the House….

…The danger for the state GOP is that, in pursuing Henry, Republicans will have to opt for an unfortunate politics of personal destruction or try to play scare cards on security and immigration. The national political campaign again turns to what one friend in Washington, D.C., called the “time to scare the shit out of the country again strategy,” beating war drums to mobilize the GOP base. While such a strategy has worked in the past, it could prove to be one visit too many to the new edition of the bloody shirt of American politics.

Democrats in Oklahoma know that. And they have unity in message, organization and desire, which is something they’ve lacked for a long time. And they won’t get fooled again.

Oklahoma Democrats 2006 Dream Team

Oklahoma Democrats are on a roll, and they aren't stopping anytime soon. Check out one of the many events they have scheduled for The 50-State Turnout.

Posted by at 4:44 PM | Comments (7)

Guess Who's Coming to the White House?

If you guessed Jack Ambramoff cronies & Republican Culture of Corruption Co-Conspirators, you'd be right.

Late yesterday after stonewalling for close to a year and months of negotiations the Administration finally responded to The Democratic Party's FOIA request.

A detailed examination of these documents show that the Bush Administration gave unprecedented special access to top Bush aides to cronies of convicted GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

In fact, President Bush and the Republican controlled Congress have repeatedly given privileged access to their special interest friends.

For instance, we've got:

Grover Norquist and Ralph Reed advocating on behalf of disgraced GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff's clients.

Dick Cheney inviting Big Oil to craft White House energy policy.

A GOP Congress allowing the drug companies to write a Medicare prescription drug bill that prohibits the government from negotiating the best drug prices for our seniors.

A reconstruction effort in Iraq plagued by cronyism, where loyalty to the Bush White House far outweighs the need for experience.

A HUD department which has directed that contracts be doled out based on contractors' support for President Bush.

A host of political appointees that lack experience in key government positions - from FEMA, to the Justice Department, to The Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Board of the Federal Reserve.

Governor Dean:

What happened to President Bush's promise to run an ethical Administration? How can the American people trust the President and his Administration when time and again evidence reveals that they put Party ahead of country and use their power to protect their political interests?
It's time to end Republican rule in Washington which has been characterized by unethical and questionable activity on the part of the Bush Administration and his GOP controlled Congress. Democrats offer a new direction. We will restore honesty and integrity in government with real ethics reform and will always put the interests of the American people ahead of the special interests.

When will it stop? When will the Republican culture of corruption stop putting the interests of the Republican Party ahead of the American people's interests?

Posted by at 3:19 PM | Comments (6)

Blocking the Vote

Yesterday the Republican controlled Congress passed H.R. 4844, a bill that would disenfranchise thousands of voters by requiring them to obtain and produce government issued photo ID proving their citizenship before they could vote.

As Donna Brazile, Chair of the DNC's Voting Rights Institute, said:

This Republican legislation would become the equivalent of a national poll tax. As Democrats, we believe that no American should have to pay in order to vote and we will continue to fight for meaningful election reform that ensures every citizen has access to the ballot and that those votes are accurately counted.

Today the NYT Editorial Board chimes in:

One of the cornerstones of the Republican Party’s strategy for winning elections these days is voter suppression, intentionally putting up barriers between eligible voters and the ballot box. The House of Representatives took a shameful step in this direction yesterday, voting largely along party lines for onerous new voter ID requirements. Laws of this kind are unconstitutional, as an array of courts have already held, and profoundly undemocratic. The Senate should not go along with this cynical, un-American electoral strategy.
The bill the House passed yesterday would require people to show photo ID to vote in 2008. Starting in 2010, that photo ID would have to be something like a passport, or an enhanced kind of driver’s license or non-driver’s identification, containing proof of citizenship. This is a level of identification that many Americans simply do not have.

The bill was sold as a means of deterring vote fraud, but that is a phony argument. There is no evidence that a significant number of people are showing up at the polls pretending to be other people, or that a significant number of noncitizens are voting.

Noncitizens, particularly undocumented ones, are so wary of getting into trouble with the law that it is hard to imagine them showing up in any numbers and trying to vote. The real threat of voter fraud on a large scale lies with electronic voting, a threat Congress has refused to do anything about.

The actual reason for this bill is the political calculus that certain kinds of people — the poor, minorities, disabled people and the elderly — are less likely to have valid ID. They are less likely to have cars, and therefore to have drivers’ licenses. There are ways for nondrivers to get special ID cards, but the bill’s supporters know that many people will not go to the effort if they don’t need them to drive.

If this bill passed the Senate and became law, the electorate would likely become more middle-aged, whiter and richer — and, its sponsors are anticipating, more Republican...