Condi Rice makes me sick every time I look at her or have to listen to her. She and the rest of Bush& co really dropped the ball prior to 9/11. Thier solution was to start a war to stay in power. Now thier solution to stay in power is to continue that war and to start other wars. There will a very special place in hell for these people who have with cold blooded calculation sent our young people to be maimed and killed for thier own profit. Hell will get these ....in the long run. In the shortrun, we need to get these ....out of office. To fail to do so will be to fail to protect the American people and our Democracy.

I see that Lieberman once again voted along his party line and sided with his Republican brothers and sisters on the torture bill.

We should all thank them for flipping off the rest of the world and telling them that the Geneva Conventions don't apply to us, as well as using the Constitution to wipe their backsides.

Thank you for thinking of our soldiers and realizing that their protection was far less important than stopping Bush's temper tantrum in Washington because we expected him to play by the rules.

Shame on all those that voted to give Bush ever more reaching power and brushing aside accountability.

Republican Mission Statement:

The Rules don't apply to us and if you say they do we will change them.

Yesterday I predicted that a minimum of five DLC Senators would vote to codify the United States' entry into the club of nations which sponsor terrorism (and if you think that spiriting away suspects to hidden prisons for an indeterminate amount of time, denying them legal counsel and torturing them is not "terrorism," then perhaps you should consider dual citizenship with our ally Uzbekistan - buy some winter vacation property there, perhaps. You can learn how to boil political dissenters in oil and send the meat to their relatives.)

Whoo boy was I wrong!

12 Democrats voted for the bill and nine of them were DLC'ers.

So...9 of 19 DLC'ers think that torture is peachy keen and habeus corpus is an inconveniece - 47% -
while only 3 of the remaining 25 non-DLC Senators
agree with them - 6%. This proves again, as if we needed further proof, that a DLC Democrat is roughly 8 times more likely to vote like a Republican than a normal Democrat.

I sincerely mean this - if an incumbent DLC Senator is running for reelection, the country and the Democratic Party would be better served if the Republican were to win. It's too hard to get the assholes out of office once they're elected, and I'd rather take my chances with a decent Democrat six years hence than give a DLC'er six more years to turn us into a single party banana republic.

Here are the Democratic Bush butt lickers who voted for this atrocity:

Carper
Johnson
Landrieu
Nelson
Nelson (yes, both of them)
Lieberman
Lautenberg
Pryor
Salazar
Stabenow
Menendez
Rockefeller

reposting from last open thread:

Posted by Kathy_in_Indiana on September 29, 2006 at 09:31 AM

Kathy, I find it extremely funny that the Republicans are talking about Democrats raising taxes when this year alone Republicans made sure my taxes went up while the Democrats fought to get the sales tax deduction untangled from various bad laws, such as cutting income to min. wage workers while making the appearance that they were in fact raising the standard.

Any of you that live in states that have a sales tax rather than an income tax can personally thank your Republican representatives for raising your tax bill this year.

Posted by Kristen on September 29, 2006 at 09:37 AM

I found this on the net last night... the whole mugshot lineup: Democrats for Torture. I say hold all their feet to the fire -- all the way up to their butts.

While Bill Clinton was "smoking" Chris Wallace, I was on my feet Cheering! I hope Bill Clinton speaks out even more often on the issues. Current historians have been way to easy on Bush. When objective historians in the future look objectivly at the presidencies of Bush and Clinton, Clinton's legacy will tower over that of Bush.

George Soros out of politics?

http://www.nypost.com/seven/09292006/news/regionalnews/anti_w__oros__i_quit_politics_regionalnews_maggie_haberman.htm

RedLetter_Rev -

I like the trademark on 911 - used by permission of the RNC. Good one!

And let's note, too, that Sherrod Brown is on the list. Recall that hackett was pushed out of the race by Chuckie Schumer, another DLC'er.

I can't believe that Lautenberg voted for this bill. Dementia muct finally be settling in.

"... for political purposes."

Ok, this should serious scare the crap out of you.

They cry, pray to Bush and wash out the devil - welcome to Jesus Camp

The children at the Kids on Fire summer camp are intent as they pray over a cardboard cutout of President George Bush. They raise their hands in the air and sway, eyes closed, as they join the chant for "righteous judges". Tears stream down their faces as they are told that they are "phonies" and "hypocrites" and must wash their hands in bottled water to drive out the devil....

...At one point Pastor Fischer equates the preparation she is giving children with the training of terrorists in the Middle East. "I want to see young people who are as committed to the cause of Jesus Christ as the young people are to the cause of Islam," she tells the camera. "I want to see them radically laying down their lives for the gospel, as they are over in Pakistan and Israel and Palestine." /blockquote>

Posted by Kristen on September 29, 2006 at 10:21 AM

Actually Kristen, I'm not that frightened by that camp. It will most likely result in some screwed up kids who will give all their money to psychologists some day.

Posted by BlueinIdaho on September 29, 2006 at 10:37 AM

Or blow up something up. What happened to not bearing witness to false idols? The idea of praying over a picture of GWB makes my skin crawl.

Joseph - Good read!

I would add, though, that the reason for outing Plame was more sinister than a smear job on Wilson.

I've never bought the idea that you could sell a trip to Niger of all places, as a boondoggle.

The purpose of outing Plame was to tell everyone in the intelligence community - "Screw with us and you will lose your career, and you may be find yourself in some very real danger."

Hmmm...I wonder how the DLC feels about exposing our CIA agents?

I wasn't around here much yesterday so this may have been talked about.

House approves wiretap law

Do you think that the Constitution comes in two-ply? I would think Republicans would be starting to chafe from number of times they have wiped themselves with it.

I hope that I will not be abused for posting this.

I've been a proud Democrat and progressive all my life. And I've been passionate about it - very much so, believe me.

This morning I've been trying to come to terms with the abolition of habeus corpus, the legalization of torture, and the retroactive indemnification against prosecution for war crimes of all members of the Bush administration.

I've been trying to understand what it's going to be like, living in a country which has given the President the LEGAL power to kidnap, imprison for life, and even torture to death anyone he pleases, without the slightest danger of ever being called to account. He can do this to any American citizen, entirely at his option. No one may question him. There are no checks or balances. He has more power than any king.

And my party stood by. They cast their "nay" votes - all but twelve traitors to their oaths of office - but they knew full well that they were going to lose.

Why didn't they filibuster?

I suppose...I fear that it was because they were afraid that if they filibustered, the Republicans would use that against the party. News flash: Bush and the Republicans are using that against the Democrats ANYWAY. They already have, this morning. And no one, no one who knows anything about modern politics can honestly claim to be surprised.

Any one senator could have filibustered. None did. I still can't get my mind around it. What happened? Please, what happened? It's like a nightmare.

I don't see any way around it. The Democratic Party no longer stands for the ideals I believe in - the ideals of basic human rights for all citizens. And so, with great sadness and even more fear for the future, I just called my local Board of Canvassers and have requested disenrollment forms for myself and my family.

I see no way around it. The party has left me. And it let America die. Disenrolling is almost totally meaningless, I know...but how can I remain in a party that won't even stand up for the right to not be tortured, for every citizen to get their day in court?

I was a proud Democrat all my life. I hoped to remain one forever. I can't tell you how sad I am that this has happened to our country, and to our party.

Kristen -

Edward R. Murrow once said, "We cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home."

What the fuck was HE thinking, anyway?

Peter, you surely won't be beat up for your post. I believe many here are wondering the same thing and the simple truth behind their votes seems so incredibly shallow that it is hard to believe it really boils down to wanting to save their careers.

An article I read this morning said that those that voted with the Republicans are in tough re election bids in their states and come from Republican leaning districts so they wanted to take the bite out of the 'soft on terror' barb Republicans are using this year. (and past years for that matter)

This seems extremely short sighted when you think of what these laws truly mean to us as a Country and what we have always stood for, with Bush's laws it is clear the terrorist (Bush) has won, we have been scared into handing him our Constitutional rights and thanked him for taking them away.

Posted by Peter on September 29, 2006 at 10:47 AM

No, I'm not going to beat you up. But I will question your reaction. How does that help your fellow Americans?

Hey I'm getting sick and tired of you people bitching and moaning about how the weakest members of our party were forced to vote for torture.Their constituencies wanted this crap and shooting these democrats in the back is a disgraceful display of your allegiance to the red scourge.How many of you have done something so easy like joining the ACLU or at least signing their petition online(aclu.org)?Have you sent your checks to the DNC?Are your signs up on your home? What about contacting friends or relatives that live in these districts to voice your opposition to torture?Stop being played like cheap fiddles by these despicable ugly red americans and stand up for what you believe!

Peter - you're not alone.

As for the filibuster, you may recall that seven mutant Dems, mostly DLC members by the way, decided that the only time it would be appropriate to filibuster is when the majority party says it's OK. The Democrats essentially promised not to filibuster in order to preserve their right to filibuster. Kind of like a teenager deciding to have sex to preserve his or her virginity.

I'm with you in feeling despair, but I hope against hope that the party is not fatally flawed by DLC Democrats who would rather compromise and capitulate in the belief that their actions will keep them in office, rather than fighting for principle with the knowledge they may lose their office fighting for a just cause. And that's being charitable. More likely is that most of these DLC assholes really would rather be Republicans, but can't figure out how to make the switch and survive their next reelection campaign.

Do you think Paul Hackett would vote for torture is he became a Senator from Ohio? Sherrod Brown, the DLC Schumer poster boy, has already shown his colors.

The DLC is EVRYTHING that is wrong with the Democratic Party.

Something from Dear Abby

Dear Abby,

I am a crack dealer in Bradenton who has recently been diagnosed as a carrier of a rare virus. My parents live in a suburb of Tampa and one of my sisters, who lives in Sarasota, is married to a child molester. My father and mother have recently been arrested for growing and selling marijuana and are currently dependent on my other two sisters who are prostitutes in Miami.

I have two brothers. One is currently serving a non-parole life sentence at Stark for murder of a teenage boy in 1994. The other brother is currently being held in the Manatee County Jail on charges of neglecting
his three children.

I have recently become engaged to marry a former Thai prostitute who lives in Jacksonville and, indeed, is still a part-time "working girl" in a brothel.

My problem is this: I love my fiancé and look forward to bringing her into the family and of course I want to be totally honest with her.

Should I tell her about my uncle who voted for Bush?

Signed,

Worried About My Reputation

ER -

Democrats who regularly vote with Republicans on the most important issues of the day (war, USSC nominmations, taxes, social security, civil rights and more, in no particular order) - and I'm talking about DLC Democrats - deserve to be pilloried in any forum available, particularly if other Democrats may be listening.

That said, doing so does not preclude anyone from taking any of the actions you suggest, although I would argue that giving money to the DNC is the wrong way to spend your political money. A much better spend is to suport specific Democratic candidates who agree with you on the major issues. Money given to the DNC will fund, in some part, the election campaigns of DLC Democrats.

Bush is lying to you about Iraq, Americans told

THE Bush Administration has lied about the level of violence in Iraq, especially against American troops, according to the investigative reporter Bob Woodward, who has spent the past two years researching and writing his new book State of Denial.

Woodward says that not only has the Administration lied about the level of violence, but it has buried intelligence reports that warn of the insurgency in Iraq getting worse in 2007.

BlueinIdaho wrote:
No, I'm not going to beat you up. But I will question your reaction. How does that help your fellow Americans?
It doesn't. I see no way to help myself, or them, or this country. I wish I could, but I can't.

I have a son. He's the most precious thing in my life. This is not the world I want to leave for him. If there was something I could do, I'd do it. I've tried for many years now, but wasn't able to stop this day from coming.

But please tell me why I should remain in a party that will not stand up for even the most basic human rights? Habeus corpus, for god's sake! Torture! How can I stay in a party that won't speak out about that? How can ANYONE sane think for ONE SECOND that it made sense not to stand up in the Senate and say "NO. Not this. This is not American."? Even if cloture passed, even if they went down to defeat...what the hell does victory at the polls gain them now? A junior piece of the pie in a dictatorship?

Where was Ted Kennedy? John Kerry? Russ Feingold? ANY of them? Please, please, please explain it to me.

Dean on cnn live now - I want to see a replay of this one.

There is a season for all things. A people, a nation have to be ready for Democracy. One of the tests of whether or not apeople are ready for democracy is; will they come together, will they work together; and most of all, will they fight for Democratic government
The government that we have installed in Iraq meets none of these tests. They will not only not fight for thier own freedom. they won't work together. They know amoung themselves who the insurgents are and they won't even furnish thier own government information to stop the killing. This is because they are more interested in killing off the opposing islamic sect so that the winner can install thier own version of an Islamic theocracy
It does not matter when we leave, one month from now, 6 months from now or years from now, these peoiple do not really want democratic government, they are not ready for it; they don't even understand it. If they did understand it, if they did want it, they would have already run with the opportunity we have given them.
It is time for us to cut our losses in troops, money and equiptment. We need to pull all of our troops out within 90 days and redeploy a substantial number of troops to Kurdistan. The Kurds have set up a functioning government and economy and have earned our support.That is only if the Kurd's want us there, if not bring all of our troops home now and lets regroup and learn something from all of this.

Peter, maybe this perspective will help:

Nonetheless, it is simply a fact that virtually every Republican in the House and the Senate (with one sole exception in the Senate and only 7 in the House) voted in favor of this tyrannical bill, while Democrats overwhelmingly opposed it (in the House, 160 Democrats voted "no," while 34 voted "yes"). With those facts assembled, it is fair to say that the Republicans are the party of torture, indefinite and unreviewable detention powers, and limitless presidential power, even over U.S. citizens on U.S. soil. By contrast, Democrats have largely opposed these tyrannical, un-American and truly dangerous measures. Even if Democrats didn’t oppose them as vociferously as they could have and should have — and that is plainly the case – this is still a meaningful and, at this point in our country’s history, a critically important contrast.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/

Posted by goodfoe on September 29, 2006 at 11:11 AM

That reminds me of something our Dem Candidate for Congress said at a meeting recently:

"I don't think that I'm the first person to tell President Bush that it will be hard to turn a nation of Islamics into a Christian Democracy".

It simply will never happen.

Peter - you have to do what is right for you.

I don't see any party better right now, and I still want to work on fixing this one. I for one have been saying much about popular candidates suchs as Harold Ford Jr. (who is a which way is the wind blowing checked before doing any vote - or conveniently doesn't vote) and there are many more (look at the list - and some arent on this list). I get hammered all the time about "you shouldn't be saying anything about them before the election", :don't give the repubs ammonition" and "troll". But these candidates need to be put on a list to be removed - if they can't get with the larger majority of the democratic views then they need to go. I also don't want to hear any nonsense about they voted for their constituients either, because I have lived here in W TN for 14 years, have voted Democratic all those years and have yet to be polled by any of them( dems) yet, I have been polled by republicans, and even invited to town meetings by Republican Paul Stanley. In TN the Dems seem to be a closed group, who don't go out of which ever box they are in to find new people who want to be heard, they just want the usual statis quo - well if you and me don't start to be heard both locally and nationaly (hense I have started blogging - not just here and doing other work) and continue to work hard like many others here. How will it get better if we all just jump ship. What are your options, move to Canada, crawl in a hole, or work to make it better?

This is what the Party of Torture (GOP) gave America:

Geneva Conventions Not Establishing Source of Rights- No alien unlawful enemy combatant subject to trial by military commission under this chapter may invoke the Geneva Conventions as a source of rights.

And, when they say "alien unlawful enemy combatant", that means every person in Iraq and Afghanistan they have rounded up so far and into the future.

Baronscarpia, you fail to understand that the dnc is not funding as much money to dlc candidates as they would like.Dean has kept the money for party infrastructure for future use.Your simple-minded attack on some faction of the party is not constructive now and should be saved until after nov. 7th when it would be more appropriate.Hold your fire until then and I'll be happy to join you in making some changes in what many of us agree is a flawed policy of being republican-lites.I appreciate your views but timing is essential to winning right now.

ER wrote:
Their constituencies wanted this crap and shooting these democrats in the back is a disgraceful display of your allegiance to the red scourge.
Are you serious? They're complicit in allowing TORTURE and you seriously expect me to support them? Why? On what basis?

Look, it's not like I'm mad because they won't support something esoteric, like public financing of elections or equal national funding for all schools. This is habeus corpus and torture. Just how low ARE your standards? Just how little do you EXPECT from party members, from your elected representatives?

If this isn't a betrayal of their oaths of office, what is?
How many of you have done something so easy like joining the ACLU or at least signing their petition online(aclu.org)?Have you sent your checks to the DNC?
Perhaps you haven't noticed, but the ACLU is undergoing a serious crisis. But in any case, I'm one of those little people who lives under a load of debt. I don't have anything to give but my time, and there's precious little of that. But I do what I can.

Does being poor mean that I don't have the right to an opinion or voice? Am I less of a citizen? Less of a party member?
Are your signs up on your home? What about contacting friends or relatives that live in these districts to voice your opposition to torture?Stop being played like cheap fiddles by these despicable ugly red americans and stand up for what you believe!
I do what I can. I always vote, and do my best to be informed. I've attended campaign dinners and rallies. I talk to candidates. I sign petitions. I write letters to the editor, and to my representatives. I used to write articles for sites like Democratic Underground, Bartcop, and Media Whores Online. Every relative I have is as passionately Democratic as I am - even my in-laws.

Just what more do you want me to do?

And...look, I don't like to say this, but NO DEMOCRATIC SENATOR was willing to filibuster. So far I have yet to hear ANY acceptable explanation why. I've given as much as I could to the party for my whole life. And now they've accepted torture and the loss of habeus corpus.

Where does it stop? I'll continue to vote Democratic, but why should I be a member of a party that did less than it could have to oppose torture? And they're committing political suicide into the bargain!

Peter, I don't know what to tell you or how to answer your questions. The Repukes are smart, tough and they have a lot of money to work with. What they have very cleverly done is to create a situation where it would create division in the Democratic Party. United we stand, devided we fall.
Don't give up hope yet, "The cream has a way of rising to the top." The Democratic Presidential primaries may well produce a strong leader who can reunite this party, give it unity and bring us total sucess, ie, contol of the House, the Senate and the White House. Until then we have to trudge on, differences and all. The alternative is joining the Repuke party where dissent is not allowed. True Democracy is a best, the melding of many different opinions, not blindly following a political party like the Repukes no matter what they do. The people of Germany blindly followed Hitler to destruction, not only for themselves but also for a large part of the world. 20 million people died in ww2, we can't afford another hitler, so, PLEASE STAY IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY!

Did you see the interview today on CNN with Howard Dean. The anchor was very contentious with Mr. Dean. Very disrepectful! Saying comments like UMM when he was giving his answers and o'really!

One question was how would the Democrats capture Osama Bin Laden. The last I knew THe PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES CONTROLS THE MILITARY!!! WHY DON'T THESE FAKE TAKING HEADS ASKS THOSE TYPE OF QUESTIONS TO THE REPUBLICANS!

Peter I don't expect you to support torture but who would you give your support to? The party that wrote this garbage or the party that opposes it? Would you have democrats in weak positions commit political suicide for your views? If they did I don't think you'd be very happy with their republican replacements.PS why fillibuster a bill that has no validity? It's garbage that can't withstand judicial review.No senator would risk political damage for dribble like this bill.

The republicans have no ideas,that's why they always ask what we will do.Don't give them any.

I'll continue to vote Democratic, but why should I be a member of a party that did less than it could have to oppose torture?!

Posted by Peter on September 29, 2006 at 11:37 AM

Because, if we do not grow the party that, in large numbers, opposed this unAmerican, unConstitutional rape of the world, we could be in for far worse.

I don't have an answer as to why they did not filibuster, as I agree, this is THE ISSUE to use that tool. However, people like you and me have to reach out to others to tell America what their leaders did. It is historical and sometime in the future we will collectively hang our head in shame. Just as we did when we imprisoned the Japanese and used Africans as slaves.

Peter then help John Edwards!

Did you see his statement posted on One America Committee:

"In its zeal to score a political victory before Congress adjourns for the midterm elections, the Bush administration and the Republican leadership are playing politics with our national security by pushing through a deeply-flawed bill that would undermine our long term ability to win the war on terror."

"Congress clearly must address the issue of the interrogation and judicial review of terrorism suspects and detainees. But Congress must do so in a manner that upholds the legal ideals and moral principles that for more than two centuries have made the United States a beacon to the entire world."

"President Bush is now proposing legislation which will repudiate the writ of habeas corpus and grant him the power to imprison whomever he pleases for as long as he pleases without trial, charge, or judicial review. This bill signals to the rest of the world that the United States government condones torture."
"To win the war on terror, we must preserve our moral authority to lead the world. If we are to succeed in spreading democracy abroad, we must defend the fundamental principles of democracy at home."
"The Senate should reject this proposed legislation, and address the issue of terrorist detainees in a manner worthy of our people, our heritage, and our values."

One America Committee here

dk2 wrote:
What are your options, move to Canada, crawl in a hole, or work to make it better?
As I said before, I have a son. Crawling into a hole is not an option. Nor can I stop trying to make it better, futile though those efforts seem to be; I'm just not wired to let the world go to hell without a fight.

But the leadership of the Democratic Party doesn't seem to be interested in this fight. There doesn't seem to be anything - ANYTHING - that they're willing to stand up about and say "No. Not this. I would rather die than see this happen to our country."

I believe that Howard Dean is a good man, and that his heart is in the right place. But he's only one man. There are a few other Democrats who I respect and trust - Barney Frank, for example. But I simply cannot get my head around the fact that NOT ONE DEMOCRATIC SENATOR was willing to filibuster. Not one.

And this isn't the first time this sort of thing has happened, either - look at the 2000 and 2004 elections, for starters. What does it take for the party leadership to say "Enough"? I can't escape the conclusion that there's NOTHING they'll stand up for. Somehow the party of FDR has turned into...this.

It's not just a betrayal, it's pure political idiocy. It makes no sense to me, not on any level. This clearly isn't my Democratic Party any more.

Oh, on a low level - people like most of the posters here - I'm with you. We're on the same page, you and I. And I'll keep on voting Democratic, no question. But I can't stay a member of a party that tacitly allows torture, that didn't fight to its UTMOST to save habeus corpus.

Those simply aren't my values. My father and grandparents fled a country like that, and I can't stomach the idea of being a member of an organization that allowed those things to happen here.

But the leadership of the Democratic Party doesn't seem to be interested in this fight. There doesn't seem to be anything - ANYTHING - that they're willing to stand up about and say "No. Not this. I would rather die than see this happen to our country."
****

peter,

They listen to the damned analysts, consultants and DLC money people way too much. What cracks me up is that these people have brought nothing but failure. Why continue going down the same road to failure? Makes no sense.

The one pleasant thought I can hang onto is the idea of Bush, Cheney and Rove being strapped down and waterboarded until they finally tell the truth as to why they invaded Iraq.

Those cowards will give it up before a single drop of water hits their face.

"The Senate should reject this proposed legislation, and address the issue of terrorist detainees in a manner worthy of our people, our heritage, and our values."
****

Thank goodness for Edwards! Kerry was also against this thing. So, what gives with Menendez?
Stupid, stupid, stupid ... never politics with your principles and never sell out the base.

Y'all know I rarely ask this, but if you're feeling charitible, would you mind giving me a read (and mebbe a recommend)? It's too long to post here and I'm not catharsized yet. If I don't write this out of my system, I'm going to explode.

Thanks, y'all.

Daily Kos

BlueNC

PartyBuilder Blogs

(Blog in haste, repent at leisure)

ER -

In the first place, I know a lot more than you evidently think about how money that is donated to the DNC is allocated to Democratic candidates, be they DLC or non-DLC. The argument between Dean on the one hand and Rahm Emmanuel and Chuck Schumer (chairs of the committees to elect Democratic Reps and Senators, respectively) on the other is not about WHETHER the DNC should allocate money to individual campaigns (as your argument suggests), it is about HOW MUCH should go to individual campaigns rather than the funding of staff and other expenses to build up the party structure in states previously "written off" by Dems. So yes, some of the money donated to the DNC will go to structural improvement of the party, but most certainly "some part" (as I said) will go to funding the campaigns of Democrats who may or may not espouse the core beliefs of the person making the donation.

As for the timing of my remarks about the DLC, I respectfully submit to you that there is no bad time to observe that a group of politicians are charting a course which is inappropriate. In fact, the DLC's very existence is based on a fundamental disagreement with the course the rest of the Democratic Party had taken through the sixteies and seventies. Sorry if the timing is inconvenient to you, but I think election time is PRECISELY the right time to be talking about Democrats who think and act and vote like Republicans. I won't apologize for taking a group like that to task, and I certainly won't refrain from isolating them from the rest of us after they whent and built their own fucking tree house for their own goddamned club with their own secret handshake, just to emphasize the point that they were different and apart from the Democratic Party.

Sorry if that's too simplistic for you.

And while we're on the subject of simple-mindedness, I would further suggest to you that there could be nothing more simple-minded than the adopting a political strategy which reduces the number of sitting Democrats in the Senate from a high water mark of 61, I believe it was when Ronnie took office, to the current pathetic figure of 44, and then proclaiming that what we need is more of the same strategy, and a further shift rightward, which is just what assholes in the DLC say to the rest of us Democrats.

The DLC represents everything that is wrong with the Democratic Party, and I see no point in keeping that our special little secret until after the elections. None at all.

Hey, Baron,

I hope whoever put that Dems For Torture page up will finish it. Dagnabbit, we don't need traitors to the Constitution in our midst. As soon as each and every one of those folks comes up for re-election, I hope and devoutly pray that a real Dem will step up to the plate to replace them.

Back to work with me. I'm still shaking my head over yesterday's disaster. Just can't wrap my brain around it at all...

Posted by RedLetter_Rev on September 29, 2006 at 12:12 PM

As always, dead on.

It's too long to post here and I'm not catharsized yet. If I don't write this out of my system, I'm going to explode.
****

You blog entry is exactly right. Destroy th econstitution and bill of rights and there is no more America.

I am amazed that people don't realize that. They are giving in to fear. They are buying the argument that politicians can gaurantee their security.

But there are guarantees. Taking away all civil liberties will NOT protect us. All that accomplishes is to make our lives miserable while the threats remain.

Back to work with me. I'm still shaking my head over yesterday's disaster. Just can't wrap my brain around it at all...

****

I said last week to prepare for disappointment. At the time, I didn't expect my two Senators to be part of the disappointment.

But there are guarantees.

****

Correction:

But there are no guarantees.

ER wrote:
Peter I don't expect you to support torture but who would you give your support to?
Well, as I said before I'll continue to vote Democratic. I was never one of those Nader supporters, and believe me, I'd NEVER vote for a third party candidate unless I was sure they had a good chance to win and wouldn't act as a spoiler.
The party that wrote this garbage or the party that opposes it?
If they really opposed it, they would have filibustered. Period. Does that mean I'm going to vote Republican? Never. But I'm not going to stay on the rolls of a party that won't defend basic human decency, my basic human rights as a citizen, the rights of my son, or THEMSELVES.
Would you have democrats in weak positions commit political suicide for your views?
Yes.

It would be better to commit political suicide than to go along with a bill like this. Because either way, the bill would be rammed through; but at least history would judge the Democrats kindly, and the world would know that SOME Americans, at least, were willing to take a stand.

But why are you so sure that it would be political suicide to oppose torture and support habeus corpus? Is it impossible that a principled stand might actually HELP Democrats at the polls, instead of hurting them? I don't know, but I would love to find out.
PS why fillibuster a bill that has no validity? It's garbage that can't withstand judicial review.No senator would risk political damage for dribble like this bill.
Dear God - are you serious? Are you not aware of Bush v. Gore? Or of the many other insane ruling which have proceeded from the Supreme Court? Not to mention the strong chance that Bush will get to replace yet another moderate justice with a right-wing supporter of the Imperial Presidency, thereby creating a 5-vote majority which could last twenty years of longer, and probably much longer?

If you or the Democratic senators are relying on the Supreme Court to save us all, I believe you'll have a very painful lesson soon.

And so will we all.

I believe it was when Ronnie took office, to the current pathetic figure of 44, and then proclaiming that what we need is more of the same strategy, and a further shift rightward, which is just what assholes in the DLC say to the rest of us Democrats.
****

Baron - what you said, what you said! It's time to dump that bunch of losers called the DLC. They are the ones that create confusion in the Democratic party. I would almost venture that the DLC is funded by GOOPERS (that may or may not be true). They clearly have been subverting the party and alienating the base. What a great strategy - alienate your base and activists. Do they honestly think they get Repubs to vote Dem by acting like Repubs? Why not just vote Repub in that case?

I knew when Bush started talking about installing a Democracy in Iraq, that he didn't have the slightest idea what he was getting us into. Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld had no understanding of Islam or the many devisions in Islam. The thought that you could ever bring the Shiites and the Sunni's into a "Democracy" was sheer stupidy. They didn't know that they didn't know and in thier arrogance, they didn't care. It is time to admit that we have made a tradgic mistake and bring the troops home. Now! 90 days and that's it!
Afer the dust settles, then we can go in and negotiate a contract for the oil. They prabably won't sell it to us, but they have to sell it somewhere which will increase the supply on the open market. AND NO MORE TRYING TO BUY FRIENDS WHICH MEANS NO MORE MONEY FOR RECONSTRUCTION IN IRAQ. THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT OF IRAQ IS ALREADY IN BED WITH IRAN, SO THEY CAN GET TJIER RECONSTRUCTION MONEY FROM IRAN.

Peter i'm not gonna beat you up either and your frustrations is understandable but i hope you'll reconsider and not leave because in 40+ days we have an enormous chance to take back the house,and i hope we'll do everything in our power to help Howard and put in real progressive candidates who will stand up for the constitution.

And i agree with my fellow posters and they're preaching to the choir about the DLC,this is there fault that they put us in this position and we must put an end to that.

My advice go to Barry Welsh's website and in there is a list of real progressive candidates in the 50 state strategy box and choose who you'd like to support.

I knew when Bush started talking about installing a Democracy in Iraq, that he didn't have the slightest idea what he was getting us into.

****

Now, that's for sure. I knew we were in deep trouble when Bush talked about the "axis of evil". I immediately said to myself - what the hell does this have to do with 9/11? Unfortunately, many Americans don't ask the tough questions. They just go along with whatever the government says. That's how we get into trouble. That's how we lose our liberties and expend resources foolishly.

ap215 wrote:
...but i hope you'll reconsider and not leave because in 40+ days we have an enormous chance to take back the house...
As I said before, I'll still vote Democratic. I won't join the Republicans. And when there's a choice, I'll vote for the more honest and progressive Democrat in the primaries. I live and vote in Rhode Island, so my primary candidates usually lose - the political machine in RI is very powerful and very corrupt.

They recently ran someone against a seated Democratic state representative to punish him for trying to unseat a powerful mayor. He lost.

Just to clarify, a progressive, SEATED Democratic state rep was defeated by the state Democratic party machine for the crime of trying to unseat a corrupt mayor.

But that's beside the point. I'll continue to vote Democratic. The party isn't losing my vote. It's losing me (and possibly my wife) as a member. Here in Rhode Island, that means less than nothing.

But it means something to me. I have a problem with torture, you see. I don't like it.

The more I think about it, the more I conclude that it comes down to how willing are we to challenge authority. I think that's the real agenda behind Bush's tribunal legislation. He wants to instill in every American the fear that being critical of your government may result in you being locked up, tortured or even killed AND he can get away with it by accusing you of terrorism. I think the showdown with the people is coming. Don't expect much help from the politicians. Populist movements are rarely embraced by politicians. When it comes down to it, most politicians embrace power that emanates from money and people in high places.

Judicial Reveiw
The power to strike down laws is not specifically listed, but is an implied power derived from Article III, and Article VI, which declares that the Constitution is the supreme law of the land: no state or federal law is allowed to violate the Constitution. The ultimate court for deciding the constitutionality of federal or state law under the Constitution of the United States is the Supreme Court of the United States. The doctrine of Judicial review was first established as part of Federal law in 1803 in the Supreme Court decision Marbury v. Madison.

Regardless of the legislation passed or voted on there is probably a pretty good chance that there will be a challenge to the constitutionality of that law.

President dickwad has already had a stike against him in federal court.

My guess is that some of our more backwards representatives are hoping that this legislation will be tested in the near future, letting them off the hook.

I'm not quite sure how the issue of previous offenses will be handled and the blanket immunity proved for the commander in cheese on down.

But, it will be tested and there is a very good chance that the legislation will be deemed, unconstitutional here and in violation of the Geneva Convention.

Makes for good pre-election erections though.

If you're a scum bag, gun totin', gay slappin', republican bitch.

Canadian soldier killed by blast in Afghanistan. The member of the 1st Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, based in Petawawa, Ont., died after triggering an explosive device while on foot patrol in Afghanistan's Panjwaii district around 1 p.m. local time.

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2006/09/29/soldier-afghanistan.html

Posted by RedLetter_Rev on September 29, 2006 at 12:12 PM

Always a pleasure to read ur' stuff:):)

Keep on brutha'

Rice Ignored Osama Bin Laden Warnings Prior to 9/11: By Jason Leopold
t r u t h o u t | Report

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/092906A.shtml

Many Rights in US Legal System Absent in New Bill
By R. Jeffrey Smith

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/092906K.shtml

Book Says Bush Ignored Urgent Warning on Iraq
By DAVID E. SANGER

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/29/washington/29account.html?hp&ex=1159588800&en=3862efd9e06a71e9&ei=5094&partner=homepage

THE Bush Administration has lied about the level of violence in Iraq, especially against American troops, according to the investigative reporter Bob Woodward, who has spent the past two years researching and writing his new book State of Denial.
Woodward says that not only has the Administration lied about the level of violence, but it has buried intelligence reports that warn of the insurgency in Iraq getting worse in 2007.

Posted by Kristen on September 29, 2006 at 11:08 AM

How mad are you though at the MSM and to a certain extent, our representatives. Surely, someone had a heads up on this.

Wonder how they are going to spin this shit. Woodward will probably be pillored as old, tired and unreliable. Poor sources.

But, where the hell is our democratic senators that sit on the intelligence committtes? Why is is that if Woodward has his facts right, that none, no one has said (after numerous trips to Baghdad) that what we are hearing and seeing on the MSM, is bullshit and the attacks are 5 times what we are being told. Where is the foreign media on this??

If this is in fact true and we as americans are being lied to by a complicit act between this administration and the MSM, it's just not the government that needs to be tossed out on their ass, it's also a cleansing of the way news is delivered in this country.

Attacks, missteps cost Iraq $16B in oil exports
Production slipped after invasion, still hasn’t fully rebounded.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15052173

I'm lost with words, simply no ethics or moral in this entire bunch.

Just wait until other countries adopt similar laws and copy our example. It will not be safe for normal people to travel abroad!

Big business could tag anyone as a threat, go squeal on their political connection, and anyone could become an enemy combatant anywhere without recourse.

You say it's only for aliens; how do you prove you are not an alien if habeas corpus is removed and you are denied representation!

Shameful, shameful, shameful...

Congresswoman Nancy Johnson (R) caught in the act taking the side of big drug companies instead of looking out for you. Watch the short video to learn more.

http://pol.moveon.org/donate/redhandedJM-QT.html

Congresswoman Deborah Pryce (R) caught redhanded taking the side of big drug companies instead of looking out for you. Watch the short video to learn more.

http://pol.moveon.org/donate/redhandedPM-QT.html

Congresswoman Thelma Drake (R) also caught in the act taking the side of big drug companies instead of looking out for you. Watch the short video to learn more.

http://pol.moveon.org/donate/redhandedDM-QT.html

Last but not least Congressman Chris Chocola also caught redhanded taking the side of big drug companies instead of looking out for you. Watch the short video to learn more.

http://pol.moveon.org/donate/redhandedCM-QT.html

Senior military officers have been pressing the government to withdraw British troops from Iraq and concentrate on what they now regard as a more worthwhile and winnable battleground in Afghanistan.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/military/story/0,,1883785,00.html

Take heart. In the UK, where they have a government, the military is actually telling the government, that they should withdraw.

It's the politicians that are keeping their troops there.

Has a familiar effin' ring doesn't it??

How does one prove he or she is an American if habeas corpus is removed from his or her rights?

My guess is that some of our more backwards representatives are hoping that this legislation will be tested in the near future, letting them off the hook.
****

That's my guess too though I never thought of my two NJ Senators as backwards - I still don't. In this case, I think they made a bad political calculation.

HybridFuel wrote:
How does one prove he or she is an American if habeas corpus is removed from his or her rights?
You don't understand.

It doesn't matter if you're an American citizen or not any more. I'm still looking for the text of the bill itself, but read this article from the LA Times for more information: http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-oe-ackerman28sep28,1,1031691.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

Here's an excerpt (emphasis added):
"The compromise legislation, which is racing toward the White House, authorizes the president to seize American citizens as enemy combatants, even if they have never left the United States. And once thrown into military prison, they cannot expect a trial by their peers or any other of the normal protections of the Bill of Rights."

Now that Republicans have redefined torture, will it be practiced in the United States, and will different states allow it within the state allowing the CIA of FBI to interrogate within their jurisdiction. If the CIA can do it the FBI must be allowed the privilege. Or must it be done away in secret away from American jurisdiction like Guantanamo, or in Europe, Egypt, or Syria.

Now that Republicans have redefined torture, is it redefined automatically by NATO, European Common Market, Canada, and the other democracies of the world by worldwide American definition.

Now that Republicans have redefined torture, will the White House CIA be allowed to practice it with impunity and no World Court oversight?

Now that Republicans have redefined torture, how will the religions of the world vote for it or vote against it. Ask the Pope and other leaders.

Maybe what an American President says needs no borders that it applies worldwide automatically by America’s "At Will" philosophy.

Many Rights in US Legal System Absent in New Bill
By R. Jeffrey Smith
***

Good article! It explains the schism we now have in our system of justice. There is grave danger here. All it takes is for a person to be accused of terrorism and it's off to the black hole of Calcutta. That just doesn't seem right. The real victims will be our troops who will receive harsh traetment if they ever are captured.

"Friends of Hillary" just sent me a copy of Senator Clinton's Senate Floor statement in opposition to this dispicable legislation. Senator Clinton did not cave in! In my response, I stated that I would like to see Bill Clinton "smoking" more of these people like Chris Wallace. Bill Clinton is liked and respected by a lot more people than Gearge Bush is; I hope he'll speak out more!

Now that Republicans have redefined torture, is it redefined automatically by NATO, European Common Market, Canada, and the other democracies of the world by worldwide American definition.
****

Nope! What it does is to make the United States a rogue nation. We are now more isolated than ever before. There is no more moral high ground. I pity our poor troops - pray that none are captured ever.

"Friends of Hillary" just sent me a copy of Senator Clinton's Senate Floor statement in opposition to this dispicable legislation. Senator Clinton did not cave in!
****

I agree - she stood her ground.

I don't see how Menendez, Ford and Brown hope to gain from supporting this. Supporting torture does exactly what for you?

Baffling!

But, keep in mind that this was a Republican bill that would have passed even with no Dems supporting it. Only one Republican Senator voted no - namely Chaffee.

Posted by Peter on September 29, 2006 at 02:19 PM

It doesn't matter if you're an American citizen or not any more. I'm still looking for the text of the bill itself, but read this article from the LA Times for more information: http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-oe-ackerman28sep28,1,1031691.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

YOU HAVE TO READ THIS ARTICLE ON HOW THE CONSTITION WAS REDEFINED THAT BY FREE SPEECH ONE CAN BE IMPRISONED WITHOUT TRIAL.

Day by day, week by week, the picture of what the republician party is building becomes more clear. They seek to build a permenant majority with an all powerful head of state. These are the Tories, the royalists of old. They believe in the virtue of a powerful central govt controlled by the rich and influential, themselves. Add to that picture the concept that Mr. Bush, with the help of Mr. Chaney, has determined that he may be able to remain in office beyond Jan. 20, 2009 if he has a congress that will support it and a Supreme Court that will not oppose it. The only loose end is the results of the coming election in Nov. If the GOP retains control of the congress, he's in.
Well, almost. The open question is if Justice John Paul Stevens can hang in there long enough. He is about 85, so it's "iffy". So if we understand the motivation and the plan, why can't we stop it? That's where 9/11 and Iraq come into play. Now that Bob Woodward's new book is being released we get another piece of the puzzle. It appears that they may have permitted the attack of 9/11 to occur. Not plotted or even encouraged it, just sat on their hands and let it happen. We also know now that they were fully aware that the intel on WMD in Iraq was unrealiable and mostly false, yet they treated it as valid in order to justify their invasion of that country. Why? Because a president has much more power as "commander in chief" when the country is at war. So, start one. In so doing, they have successfully neutrilized democratic opposition because to oppose them is to be "soft on terror" "unpatrotic" or "nieve".

There is one more element to this plot which is so sinister that it remains as secret as possible. "If you are not a good christian, you could be in serious trouble in the future." They would never vocalize this, nor would they even admit it if asked, but it is there, under the surface. So to all my friends and fellow Americans I have one thing to suggest: If this movement is not stopped and you are other than of the christian faith, it's time to start thinking "if not here, where?" If we Democrats and loyal Americans, believers in the principles upon which this nation was founded, are unable to find the courage and the strength to stop this onslaught upon our freedom, we will surely loose what has been know as the "American experiment" and the cause of true freedom will be gone from the earth. I have made a pledge to speak out on this subject and will continue to do so, regardless of the consequenses. I am reminded of the last phrase of the Declaration of Independance, "to this cause we pledge our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor."
Won't you join me?

14th Amendment to the Constitution:

Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

A law can be passed but it has to be constitutionally sound.

Be interesting to see how or if they can get around this amendment.

goodfoe wrote:
Senator Clinton did not cave in!
I'm sorry, but she did. She's taking you for a sucker. Because it doesn't matter what she said, and it doesn't matter how she voted. Before she ever voted, she knew that the Republicans had the votes to win this thing.

The only way to even slow it down was a filibuster. She could have stood up on the Senate floor and made a statement. She could have at least TRIED to stop this tragedy from happening to America. A filibuster was the only way.

She didn't do it. Not one Democrat did it. Nor did any Republican. She stood by, cast her symbolic "nay", said some flowery words, and let this be done to all of us, and to the Constitution.

And now? If George W. Bush wants, he can pick her or ANYONE - anyone in the entire world, American citizen or not - have them secretly taken away, imprisoned for life, and tortured to death.

And here's the funniest part: it will be LEGAL for him to do that.

So tell me, what was Hillary thinking? That she could trust George W. Bush and Dick Cheney not to abuse that power? That the Supreme Court would overturn the bill - the same Supreme Court which hijacked the 2000 election?

I'll tell you what she was thinking. She was thinking that if she filibustered, the Republicans would scream to high heaven and her chance to win the Presidency in 2008 would be reduced. She thought of her own political power, her own selfish interests, before the good of her country and her oath of office.

And the same thing is true of every other Senator in Congress.

Wake up. No one is going to save us now. The door is open, and the wolf is among the lambs. With the sheepdogs at his side, maintaining a properly pious look of regret...and waiting for their share of the meat.

"If you are not a good christian, you could be in serious trouble in the future."
****

Yes that fits very well. Think about it - all dictatorships use religion to give them legitimacy. It won't surprise to see the Repukes push for an official state religion - they already are pushing bills that trash the establishment clause. Once they have a state religion, they will then persecute anyone who doesn't conform to Christianity (at least their concept of Christianity). It's feudalism that is being setup. Rule by a wealthy elite at the top, blessed by religion and total suppression of the people. This is what Repuke trolls seem to like. Either they are too stupid to understand what is coming or they genuinely think that would be a good system of government.

irratateya -

Thank you for passing along the perspective of a party that has a "big tent" the size of a mailbox.

The only way to even slow it down was a filibuster.
****

Okay, what the cloture vote? What Dems voted for cloture? These days it;s a matter of cloture votes. There ae no more Mr. Smith Goes To Washington moments. Does anyone know how the cloture vote went?

President Bush=Emperor Palpatine

For those of you who know about the Star Wars movies, the current political environment reminds me of Emperor Palpatine. Emperor Palpatine was the evil dark side Sith Lord who worked his way up to the presidency of the Republic. He ended up manipulating and lying to the Republic senate so that they became merely a rubber stamp body and when the time was right, President Palpatine became the all powerful Emperor Palpatine. While Star Wars is of course just a science fiction movie, the behavior of George Bush really scares me and I compare it to the behavior of Emperor Palpatine. George Bush has lied and manipulated his way to the point where anyone in congress that does not approve of his will is automatically branded a traitor or un-American (dare I say a member of the Rebellion). Just as Palpatine had Darth Vader and General Tarkin to do his bidding, Bush has Darth Cheney and Defense Secretary Rumsfeld. I remember a couple of years ago in the run up to the 2004 presidential election many were saying that we need to reelect President Bush because we are at war and cannot risk changing leadership at this time. Well, at this rate we will still be at war when Bush’s term limit is up. Don’t be surprised if Bush does not try to get congress to pass a law ending term limits for the presidency. This would be the equivalent of Palpatine becoming Emperor. We would then have Emperor Bush. We cannot let that happen.

rjsnj wrote:
Okay, what the cloture vote? What Dems voted for cloture? These days it;s a matter of cloture votes. There ae no more Mr. Smith Goes To Washington moments. Does anyone know how the cloture vote went?
There was no cloture vote because no one tried to filibuster. Not one.

That's pretty much the epitaph of American Democracy, you know. Right now your only hope is to pray that George W. Bush and Dick Cheney don't decide to abuse that power...because nothing and no one is standing in their way.

This is not fiction. This is not a dream. You and ALL of us have lost the most basic human rights. And the people who should have tried to stop that from happening...didn't.

Thank you for passing along the perspective of a party that has a "big tent" the size of a mailbox.
****

More like the size of a black hole.

This Repuke trolls don't even understand what they are arguing for. They are tricked by these red meat issues. They don't think through the implications because they just don't think about what they don't think about. That must be why they like Rumsfeld and Bush so much.

I wonder if they would really approve of this crap if they understtod that it is leading to a feudal dictatorships. You don't have to have moats and castles for feudalism. Just an unbalanced with all of the money and power concentrated at the top. Throw in religion to bless those at the top and say that they rule by the grace of God and you are there.

There was no cloture vote because no one tried to filibuster. Not one.
****

Damn, so they verbally agreed to cloture? No call for the yeas and nays. That's really bad.

For those of you who know about the Star Wars movies, the current political environment reminds me of Emperor Palpatine.
****

Yep, it's exactly the same. Hardly surprising as I suspect George Lucas was trying to send a message about the current state of affairs. This is without a doubt on the road toward a fascist feudal society.

This is not fiction. This is not a dream.
****

It's a nightmare and no laughing matter. It's th enext step on the road toward a totalitarian nation.

rjsnj wrote:
Damn, so they verbally agreed to cloture? No call for the yeas and nays. That's really bad.
My understanding is that cloture only takes place if a filibuster is attempted. It's not required for every bill. No filibuster, no cloture needed.

If I'm wrong, I'm sure someone will tell me.

But anyway, no one filibustered. They didn't even threaten to.

A law can be passed but it has to be constitutionally sound.

Be interesting to see how or if they can get around this amendment.
****

that's true. Over the course of time, it could be found to be unconstitutional. Generally, Supreme Court judges are persauded by how the populace views an issue. In this poisonous environment created by Repukes (along with the media and their idiotic parrots/trolls), it will be hard to overturn it.

>>>>>BREAKING NEWS<<<<<

Congressman Foley has announced that HE IS DROPPING OUT OF HIS RACE IN FLORIDA in the wake of disclosures about his sending "weird" e-mails to a 16 year old male page.

My understanding is that cloture only takes place if a filibuster is attempted. It's not required for every bill. No filibuster, no cloture needed.
***

I don't think so. The way it works is that they schedule time for a debate, after the debate is over, there is a cloture vote (that means the debate is over). I think they can have a voice vote to ask for cloture.

Well, let me know if I got it wrong. There are some bills where no cloture vote takes place - I thought those were all of a financial nature (appropriation bills).

Posted by irritateya on September 29, 2006 at 03:05 PM

Didn't King George swear to uphold the laws of the U.S. and the Constitution. You guys are all liars.

Bush will not need an act of Congress to remain in power. Think about it: If there should be another attack upon the US in the fall of 2008, perhaps in mid-October, it would just be too dangerous to hold the electon on the first Tuesday of November. That would necessitate postponing the election "in order to protect the saftey of Americans". Sure, who could argue with that logic? Forget the Iraqis who braved the open threats of insurgents and went to the polls anyway. If we don't get to vote in a new president, I guess the present one must simply stay in office until an election can be held. Makes perfect sense, doesn't it? The sheep will buy in with no questions asked. When will it be safe enough to hold that election? When George says it is. Translation, never.

rjsnj wrote:
I don't think so. The way it works is that they schedule time for a debate, after the debate is over, there is a cloture vote (that means the debate is over). I think they can have a voice vote to ask for cloture.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloture

Wikipedia indicates otherwise. Not that it matters; this is just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. And the iceberg hit this morning.

I hope our laughing right-wing friends enjoy their dictatorship.

Fla. Congressman Foley to Resign After ABC Report About Sexually Explicit Emails To Underage Intern

Somebody said on the radio this morning that there was a new sex scandal simmerring under the surface and should be breaking soon.

NEW YORK -- Bilal Hussein, an Iraqi photographer who helped the Associated Press win a Pulitzer Prize last year, is now in his sixth month in a U.S. Army prison in Iraq. He doesn't understand why he's there, and neither do his AP colleagues.

The Army says it thinks Bilal has too many contacts among insurgents. He has taken pictures the Army thinks could have been made only with the connivance of insurgents. So Bilal himself must be one, too, or at least a sympathizer.

It is a measure of just how dangerous and disorienting Iraq has become that suspicions such as these are considered adequate grounds for locking up a man and throwing away the key.

After more than five months of trying to bring Bilal's case into the daylight, AP is now convinced the Army doesn't care whether Bilal is or isn't an insurgent. The Army doesn't have to care. Bilal is off the street, and the military says it doesn't consider itself accountable to any judicial authority that could question his guilt.

But Bilal's incarceration delivers a further bonus. He is no longer free to circulate in his native Falluja or in Ramadi, taking photographs that coalition commanders would prefer not to see published.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/09/28/culey.commentary/index.html

Wikipedia indicates otherwise. Not that it matters; this is just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. And the iceberg hit this morning.
****

Yeah but they don't actually filibuster in the sense that the debate goes on endlessly until someone says let's stop it. It's more like an agreement to debate for a fixed number of hours followed by a cloture vote. If cloture fails, a bill is killed off.

So, I wonder how the cloture vote went. It is possible to pass a cloture vote by a voice vote if no one calls for the yeas and nays.

This is what I observed in action.

At any rate, it obviously went by the cloture process and came to a vote. The rest is history.

Update to the update...

Foley has submitted his resignation letter to Hastert, and is RESIGNING his seat.

Sheer desperation is driving many Afghans back into the arms of the fanatical Taliban movement. Once again, the holy warriors have taken control of entire regions and are seeking to ensnare the Western allies in a bloody guerilla war. Bombs went off at hourly intervals in the Afghan capital. By Susanne Koelbl

http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,440017,00.html

NEW YORK -- Bilal Hussein, an Iraqi photographer who helped the Associated Press win a Pulitzer Prize last year, is now in his sixth month in a U.S. Army prison in Iraq. He doesn't understand why he's there, and neither do his AP colleagues.
****

This is just the tip of the iceberg! Once you can say with impunity that a person is a terrorist sympathizer, where does it stop? Do you then say that a peace activist is giving aid and comfort to terrorists? Do you lock them in jail, torture them - toward what end? Clearly, it has nothing to do with fighting terrorism - it;s just political intimidation. Our nation will regret passing this bill. There's no doubt in my mind about that. One day, we will have the mothers of sons & daughthers who have disappeared for no reason show at Capital Hill, just like with the dictator Pinochet in Chile (a person that Bush admires).

oley has submitted his resignation letter to Hastert, and is RESIGNING his seat.
***

Yet another ugly Pug gone.

Posted by DPD on September 29, 2006 at 03:17 PM

DPD if that is all true - how disgusting. He should resign.

I knew I'd find the link I read earlier today which contains SOME of the e-mails from that perv Congressman who was hitting on that 16 year old kid AND HIS FRIEND...

Put on your protective eyewear and rubber gloves.

Afternoon, all.

Peter, I just read your post, and just because you do not want your name linked to being a Democrat, when you weigh your 2 choices at the voting booth in 5 weeks, I hope you understand that to Vote Republican is to Vote for more of the same. We ALL have to take a chance that the Democrats in majority will have learned from old mistakes, will do what Clinton did when he took over a disastrous country, and the sun will come out again.

So, for your son's sake, vote the better of the 2 options and let's then put pressure on the Dems to never go astray and abuse power like Republicans did.

Disgrace on the Hill:

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2006/09/29/disgrace_on_the_hill.php

I couldn't agree more. This Repuke Congress has been the worst in American history coupled with an equally disgraceful president.

Hewitt Packard’s Watergate

Corporate denial like a Nixon President
One has the right to domestically spy
It is within the CEO fringe rights package
Republican right wing Executive Privilege

One must filter power into secret fraternities
Segregating into that absolute corrupt power
Follow the leader in Enron accounting policies
Paycheck fringe benefits, Oil Giant Chevron

American Corporate Freedom and Democracy
Where one must conform to CEO’s dictators
Who monitor, filter, censor, and mine employees
Into cloned submission with pretext investigators

So, for your son's sake, vote the better of the 2 options and let's then put pressure on the Dems to never go astray and abuse power like Republicans did.
****
I agree - it's still our only chance AND I am with two Senators that let us all down. I let them know I thought they screwed up but I am not willing to let Junior Kean win. He would have voted like all of the Repukes and Menendez would have never been backed into a corner if it wasn't for the Repuke majority and their disgusting "policies" (if you can call them policies).

The hell with the Repukes.

sorry for length, came in email form, Also clears up WHY the hatchett job on Cynthia McKinney:

By Zach Roberts

I'm going to start this with a sales pitch: you need to buy this film. No, really. Not because Greg Palast receives second billing but because you must see this film.

American Blackout is the kind of documentary that only comes along every few years. It's the sort of film that changes things -- changes how you think. If there was any justice in this world this film would receive the same buzz and box office that anything that Michael Moore releases gets. Greg Palast told me the film "blew him away" -- this from a man who is almost always underwhelmed by documentaries, especially ones about his field of expertise.

When delving into the voter issue, the media distracts you with all the things it loves to talk about. But you need to forget the hanging chads and forget the malfunctioning machines. They're just a sideshow to the real story. The real story is a lot less sexy, dealing with road blocks, purged voters, 'misplaced' voting machines, uncounted ballots and long lines. This is the Civil Rights Movement all over again but this time there are no great monsters like Bull Connor. The lynchings today are electronic and political... and the freedom riders nowhere to be found.

American Blackout, directed by Guerrilla News Network's Ian Inaba uses a stunning mix of never before seen archive and firsthand interviews. Inaba knows how to make otherwise dull C-Span clips look like something completely new and interesting. He does this by split-screen and zooming so you know who you're supposed to be looking at -- Katherine Harris, Jeb Bush, ChoicePoint representatives. You see them lying to a Civil Rights panel, you see them sweat when questioned by Congresswoman McKinney. All I can say is that I am stunned that I've never seen this technique used before -- it keeps you interested, on your toes and wanting for more. Yes, you will be wanting to see more of this documentary, these 90 minutes fly past quickly. So do take notes -- there will be a test afterwards -- the 2006 election.

Among the great footage in this documentary is a pan shot of lines of people waiting to vote -- I saw this once before, when I was 13 and apartheid came to an end. South Africa held its first free election and Black voters could be seen in lines that went on for miles. But this is America, we are not a developing democracy and should long have emerged from the dark ages of electoral segregation.

The story of Cynthia McKinney that sews the running thread through the film, is uglier than even I knew. Many only familiar with the Congresswoman's press coverage will be aghast at just how distorted a picture the media has fed us.It literally defies belief.

Here we see her cross-examining Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld with such surgical precision and grasp of her brief that Rumsfeld is left stammering and ashen-faced. It makes us wonder what kind of country we might have right now if more had put this administration under such factual scrutiny. American Blackout lays out exactly why she has been so relentlessly hounded. Every one of her speeches brings to mind the hoarse pleas of Jimmy Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, a force to be reckoned with. (In the DVD extras you can watch "Capitol Policeman Speaks Out" and see why she "lost it" back in March 2006.)

Inaba's film is intense yet easy to grasp for even the most non-political among us.

And for those who can't sit in one place for too long, the DVD comes with a shortened version which still gets the point across in under 20 minutes.

The Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion, Bjarne Haakon Hanssen, is disturbed over what he calls extreme attitudes expressed by imams in Norway, - among other things denying the existence of Al Qaida and Osama bin Laden.

http://www.norwaypost.no/cgi-bin/norwaypost/imaker?id=28088

rjs,

As you know, I have Lieberman here, so no sense writing to that Chicken Hawk War Monger!!!

I made an additional donation to Lamont though, as another way to hit him!

Two known Liars in a duel of words...

Sept. 29, 2006 — The White House is lashing out at a new report which says convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his associates had far more extensive contacts with the White House than President Bush's staff ever acknowledged.

Outside his home in Washington, D.C., Karl Rove commented exclusively to ABCNews on his dealings with Jack Abramoff.

In answer to an inquiry on whether he had accepted gifts from Abramoff, Rove simply replied, "afraid not."

Congressman Foley has announced that HE IS DROPPING OUT OF HIS RACE IN FLORIDA in the wake of disclosures about his sending "weird" e-mails to a 16 year old male page.

Posted by DPD on September 29, 2006 at 03:11 PM:

Another great example of our morally responsible elected officials. Do as they say, not as they do!!!
Do I smell a Rovian spin on this pertaining to Foley resigning immediately? You know, if Clinton had resigned immediately and responsibly we never would have been distracted for sex years and none that is happening now ever would have.
Morally responsible republicans? That's an oxymoron!!

PamB wrote:
I hope you understand that to Vote Republican is to Vote for more of the same.
I've already said this several times, but I'll never vote Republican. That wouldn't make any sense at all.

I simply refuse to remain enrolled in a party of which NOT ONE Senator was willing to filibuster to preserve our most basic rights. Every Senator has violated their oaths of office. Yes, the Republicans are much worse, and no, I'll never vote for a Republican...but the Democrats in the Senate today have proved that they don't really care about habeas corpus, and that they are willing to stand by while the most irresponsible President in history is given the power to torture anyone in the world. Including they, themselves.

And it wouldn't surprise me one bit if Bush and Cheney started rounding up their political opponents soon.

But anyway, don't worry - I'm a safe Democratic vote. Besides, you've got bigger things to worry about, now.

Private pessimism on Iraq grows
In a confidential memo, the outgoing UK ambassador in Iraq, William Patey, has warned that civil war is a more likely outcome in Iraq than democracy. The BBC's defence correspondent Paul Wood assesses the ambassador's remarks and the current situation in Baghdad.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5242696.stm

Since we have passed this torture legislation, does thatmean that line troops and the C.C.A. are free to torture at will and not be prosecuted. If so, what about the line troops who have already been convicted? Will Bush pardon them? Why not? At best they recieved mixed messages from thier superiors, at worst they recieved direct orders to torture thier captives. This "climate of torture" started in the White House and the Pentagon, if Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld can not be prosecuted for thier prior acts, will Bush pardon these line troops? I doubt it. that wood be too obvious, he'll save those pardons for himself and his buddies.

As you know, I have Lieberman here, so no sense writing to that Chicken Hawk War Monger!!!

I made an additional donation to Lamont though, as another way to hit him!
****

Pam,

That's a good approach.

Unfortunately, I have to live with the bitter pill that Menendez and Lautenberg voted for this terrible bill. I think they will find it was a counter-productive vote and there was no reason for it.

By the way, Menendez is leading in the latest Zogby poll.

I like to get my hands on the political anal-yst that advised Menendez to vote for this thing. I am sure that's what happened as it's such as uncharacteristic vote for the two of them. Probably, some jerk DLC-er that gave them a bum steer.

jmelli says it as clearly as could be:

Let's be clear about what is happening here. On this and other blogs, we are seeing the successes of the Karl Rove playbook. It's working. Phenominally. You bought it, I bought it and of course, Senator Menendez bought it. Make no mistake - Menendez's vote yesterday was unjustifiable, period. But this vote had one purpose and one purpose only - to put Menendez, Stabenow, Ford and Brown in a position with two seemingly difficult choices.

On the one hand, he could have voted against the bill, in which case the GOP would have run ads showing Menendez and bin Laden high-fiving each other while sharing margaritas on the beach. On the other, he could have voted for it, and suffered the wrath of a furious base. He made the wrong choice, both policy-wise and politically.

The fact is that no matter what he does, we know that the GOP will call him a traitor, a "cut and runner", a terrorist coddler, and worse (they already have). We should never forget that we face a party so full of hate that they morphed bin Laden's face into that of a veteran who lost three limbs fighting for his country. There is nothing, NOTHING Menendez could do to avoid a similar fate, yet he fell into their trap.

What we're seeing today are the rightful cries of anger and distress over losing something so fundamental to our democracy. That's exactly what Karl Rove was hoping for, and Tom Kean Jr is loving it. It's perfect timing because his campaign all along has been a lie - a clumsily staged production of astroturfing and deception where "Democrats" had supposedly lost faith in Menendez and were turning to Tom Kean Jr. Their story is still a fairy-tale, but the media may now report it as truth and through a revisionist sleight of hand, it will have been true all along.

Everyone has a right to and should be angry, sad and jaded because of this vote. I am. But after the dust settles, I'm not going to give Karl Rove the pleasure of desecrating my country any more than he already has.

****

I agree. I won't give Rove the satisfaction of dividing us. I said last week that this military tribunals crap was calculated to divide us - at the very least to turn off the activists.

Menendez's vote was dumb. Not trying to beat this in cloture was dumb. Dems listened to the DC insider way too much - they fell for the "weakness trap". That is classic DLC which is why I am condemning them. I don't for a fact that they advised Dems to handle this situation this way but it won't surprise me. If anyone finds out give us a post. We need to build a case that the DLC should be dumped for good.

I doubt it. that wood be too obvious, he'll save those pardons for himself and his buddies.
****

I doubt it too though a good lawyer can now make that argument! I would bet that Bush has no problem letting low level grunts suffer for his sins.

Touchy-Foley is gone. 1 down, 230 to go!

Peter on September 29, 2006 at 03:50 PM:ree!

I agree!! The 12 senators that stood with the republicans deserve the same fate as the republicans on election day. The problem with this assertion is the redistricting that has solidified republican districts. All of these party-line partisans should be voted out, but it will not happen in their districts. So, if we vote out the democratic senators that vote in favor of this monstrosity democrats slip further into the minority.
It's coming down to the only way to change this republican fiasco is through revolt, revolution, civil war whatever you desire to call it. Then watch how our government comes down on its own people.
Maybe then american people will realize just what a sad sad day this really is in the history of our once great country.

Check out the video showing Charlie Brown live on KCRA 3 News (NBC Sacramento Affiliate) last night facing off Doug Ose (Doolittle spokesperson and ex-congressman from another district) on Doolittles Support, Defense and Financing of the CNMI Forced Abortions, Sex Slavery, Sweat Shops and Religious Persecution.

Doolittle is the (R) Incumbent in CA-04.

See the video

Note Doolittles spokesperson laughing throughout the report. They really do think this is funny!

Dumbest response from Doolittle spokesman - "Go tell the Govt of CNMI" (cause we don't give a shit).

MORE breaking stuff!!! This is the guy who has been pushing "Kiddie porn" legislation which enabled the Feds to seize or look into private computers and e-mail accounts "to save the kids".

Meanwhile, he's been doing it all along. It was just a ploy to let the GOP spy on Dems under the guise of "saving our kids". But, as we ALL know, the GOP are the Grand Old Pedophiles

From what I'm hearing, there are a LOT more e-mails floating around.

Typical LIAR Pug. Anything to PANDER to the "base", (as "base" as one can get).

It's coming down to the only way to change this republican fiasco is through revolt, revolution, civil war whatever you desire to call it. Then watch how our government comes down on its own people.
****

I sure hope that it doesn't come to that. I never was a fan of civil disobedience - though sometimes there is no choice and people have nothing to lose. That's what it generally comes down to - when they feel they have nothing to lose, direct action becomes a possibility. I don't see that right now. So, the political system is what we have to work with for now.

In addition, it's hard to say that all 12 Senators should be voted out. In the case of the two NJ Senators, they have always been solid progressives. I find it hard to fathom voting them out or dropping out of their campaigns. Lautenberg will most likely retire anyway. I sure hope we can draft someone like Dick Codey or Loretta Weinberg to take his place.

Peter...
Good post re Senator Clinton...I respect you're right to your opinion, however, Senator Clinton spoke against this bill and voted against it. If you're going to degrade her, who do we have left, how do we go forward as a political party? Sometimes you have to live to fight another day.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Rep. Mark Foley, a Republican from Florida, resigned Friday from the House, a day after a former congressional page questioned e-mails Foley had sent to him.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/09/29/congressman.e.mails/index.html

That's what it generally comes down to - when they feel they have nothing to lose, direct action becomes a possibility. I don't see that right now. So, the political system is what we have to work with for now.

Posted by rjsnj on September 29, 2006 at 04:26 PM:

This could be the definition of terrorism. Couldn't it?

Massachusetts judge allows out-of-state lesbians to wed

Massachusetts Supreme Court Justice Thomas E. Connolly ruled that the wedding of Wendy Becker and Mary Norton, of Providence, Rhode Island, could go forward because their home state has no laws specifically banning same-sex marriages.

So that's 2 house seats the republicans have given away first Arizona and now Florida.

DPD on September 29, 2006 at 04:23 PM:

Grand old pedophiles, indeed!!

Larry Kissell blogging on Kos - now!

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/9/29/14474/7533

We'll see if my recommendations were correct,and if we win and lose rjs and baronvonwhatever then we can swing right back and pick them up in '08 with a position of strength large enough to accomodate them.The undercover cops in their neighborhood must wear their uniforms and badges.

40 tortured bodies found dumped in Baghdad
Car bomb kills 5, wounds 34 at eatery while other attacks leave 21 dead.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15041886

NJ-07: I'm Challenging You To Four Duels
by: Linda Stender
Thu Sep 28, 2006 at 14:07:01 PM EDT
( - promoted by jmelli)

Mike Ferguson, R-NJ7, is well known in political circles for being a bit distant, not spending much time in the district or meeting with everyday folks. It's helped him stay fairly unknown to most of the voters, and he uses that to define his image through taxpayer funded mailings and meetings in front of supportive groups.

But the truth is that Mike Ferguson is presenting an image 180 degrees away from his reality. He wants us to believe he supports the troops, but he voted against allowing service women in Iraq to have safe abortions in military hospitals. He wants us to believe he is a family friendly politician, but he voted to slash funding for catching dead-beat Dads and to increase the cost of student loans. He wants us to believe he cares about the environment, yet has a 17 percent rating from the bi-partisan League of Conservation Voters. He wants us to believe he opposes privatizing Social Security, but supports using Social Security funds in private Wall Street accounts.

Ferguson has been able to obscure his positions for six years, helped out by a favorable redistricting and a lot of out-of-state money from people like Tom DeLay and Bob Ney. But now the time for a fair election where the public knows the truth about the candidates is at hand.

Therefore, I am challenging Mike Ferguson to a series of four debates – one in each county New Jersey's 7th Congressional District represents. That's Hunterdon, Middlesex, Somerset and Union Counties.

I sent Congressman Ferguson a letter last week with the challenge, and have yet to hear back from him. We've only got a little less than seven weeks to go, and Ferguson is wasting time in the hopes that he can avoid getting in front of the voters.

You can help. Please call his campaign at (732) 560-4700 and tell them you want four debates so the voters know who they are voting for.
****

That's the style Linda! Challenge that chicken Fergie to debates.

People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
....
Tom Kean Jr. Stock fraud investigations. War profiteering in Iraq. Trading votes for corporate contributions.

No wonder he attacks his opponent. Pro-war, pro-Bush Tom Kean Jr.’s glass house of deceit is shattered.
****

Junior is a dirt bag. He is unacceptable for NJ.

Right on Pam! Ned Lamont has got to win because lieberman has turned his back on the voters. Lieberman can't think for himself that's why he votes with the Republicans. Check this out. Letter From Ned Lamont to Sen. Lieberman: National Intelligence Estimate Finds the War in Iraq Has Made Us Less Safe.

http://www.nedlamont.com

Chris Shays is another one, he calls himself a moderate Republican yet he keeps on supporting Bush's failed Iraq policy which is why we need people like Diane Farrell in congress to stand up and put a stop to this far right failure Iraq policy.

http://www.farrellforcongress.com

I'm sick and tired of people like Lieberman and Chris Shays who contine to repeat the same old spin about the failures in Bush's Iraq war and continue to support it. This is another great ad from Diane Farrell which proves she will stand up and say enough of this b.s. Iraq war!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eak3Szf4GOs&mode=related&search=

The price of healthcare is also skyrocketing and real Democrats like Diane Farrell, Ned Lamont, and John Destefano are looking out for the people.

John DeStefano's plan to provide universal health care for every family.

http://www.destefanoforct.com/content.jsp?content_KEY=1473

A Commitment to Moral Minimum Wage: John DeStefano’s Plan to Index the Minimum Wage to Inflation

http://www.destefanoforct.com/content.jsp?content_KEY=1588

DeStefano on Protecting Connecticut's Environment

http://www.destefanoforct.com/content.jsp?content_KEY=1435

LTE from a NJ resident (no it's not me):

I am from Hudson County and I am not corrupt. Senator Bob Menendez is also from Hudson County, and I do not believe he is corrupt either, but Karl Rove and Thomas Kean Jr. want you to think both of us are corrupt.

Sen. Menendez has held elected office in Hudson County for over 20 years, without the slightest hint of wrongdoing. Yet in the first week of the campaign season against Thomas Kean Jr., there are suddenly unsubstantiated claims of corruption. Yes, there are allegations, but no proof. How does the Kean campaign know that records seized had any thing to do with Sen. Menendez? Aren't investigations confidential? Oh, I know, since Karl Rove orchestrated the allegations, he told Junior. You see, to Republicans, every one in Hudson County is corrupt, so you don't need to supply proof.

Karl Rove is the guy that wiretapped his own office, and then tried to claim his political opponent was guilty of the offense. The Karl Rove political machine made up allegations against John McCain, John Kerry and Max Cleland and got away with it, so why not try it in New Jersey. If voters continue to let the Rove slime machine deceive them, who knows, next they will be manipulating the public to justify their unnecessary war. Oh, they have already done that, and as a result, we now have as many dead soldiers as victims of 9/11.

HUGH ROARTY BAYONNE

If you thought Virginia Senator George Allen's "macaca" comment was bad...

IN NEW RADIO COMMERCIAL AIRING IN NEW JERSEY, U.S. SENATE CANDIDATE TOM KEAN JR. PROUDLY SHOWCASES A SUPPORTER WHOSE RACIST, SEXIST AND ANTI-GAY VIEWS MAKE MEL GIBSON LOOK TOLERANT

Garden State Equality calls on Kean Jr. to withdraw the commercial and to apologize to New Jersey's women, people of color and LGBTI community

****

Hardly a surprise to me that Junior is just like all of the Repukes - rascist and sexist.

I feel just like Peter does . I'm not going to stop being a Democrat. I'm going to keep working for the party but..this really disgusts me and it's hard right now to feel proud to be a Democrat or an American. All I can do is write to every single person who voted yes and let them know what I think of it. That includes Republicans..How can anyone vote for this!
What a bunch of gutless wonders.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@

NEW OPEN THREAD!!

@@@@@@@@@@@@

ER -

Spoken like a true DLC'er. Don't run on principle. Run on what gets you elected.

Sounds like a "simple minded" argument for a one party system.

Thanks for checking in, though.

I feel just like Peter does . I'm not going to stop being a Democrat. I'm going to keep working for the party but..this really disgusts me and it's hard right now to feel proud to be a Democrat or an American.
****

Take a deep breathe. It doesn't reflect bad on you as a American or even on the Democratic party.
It reflects bad on the GOP who created this terrible atmosphere of fear, loathing and hate.

Baron, it's more like whatever it takes to promote a progressive secular government.Much larger than your silly DLC or either party for that matter.We "elite" in our "treehouses" have no need for secret handshakes or clubs.We don't even need to talk.

"Progressive secular" government?

Watch out, ER...there's some Bill O'Reilly dribbling out of the corner of your mouth.

Hmm thanks,I usually eat lawyers,sometimes a talking head slips in when I'm really hungry.

First of all I know I am preaching to the choir. I am not oblivious to this, admittedly this is intentional.

First of all Bill O'Reilly is an entertainer. He is not a real newsperson. When you only deal in fiction you are an entertainer. Now we all know that entertainers should have no political opinion, or they can have an opinion, it's just invalid, and they must keep their opinion to themselves. I guess under their guidelines he should be classified as a Hollywood liberal? hmmm.

Isn't it interesting that we demonize the party that tried to get Universal Health Care and we lift up the party who shot it down. No health care for all.

Who did this benefit? Corporations who no longer have to entertain the idea of taking care of it's employees. The corporations loyalty extends to: if your here great, if your here sick, fine. If you're not here you are replaced, because you are a dime a dozen. How dare you not show up because you are sick? You can't afford to see the doctor and prevent it? Neither can the employees we can replace you with in India, but they seem to drag their bodies into work for the few sheckles we pay.

Isn't it interesting that we demonized the party who wanted to protect pensions and social security, and we lifted those who said it was fine that corporations could cancel pensions to benefit their own bottom line.

If you have been working for the corporation for 15 years or more you were promised that if you did what you were supposed to, you would have money invested in your name to provide for your retirement. What has happened? We have 70 year old + in the workplace trying to put food on the table because corporations are allowed to rob their retirement. The corporations smugly point out, "If you don't like it we can ship your job to India."

We demonize the party that wanted to raise the minimum wage, and we lift up the party that shot it down.

No living wage that would actually benefit the countries' bottom line. If people have money they spend money and invest money. But that's ok. We just want make sure we have no one who has had consensual sex. When someone had any hint of sex, the country should admonish him and flog him, but when someone flogs the country, he should be adored, applauded and never questioned.

It's interesting that admitted mistakes resulting in death and directly effecting the country are exonerated, while personal mistakes, are unforgivable and deplorable.

It's interesting how people have voted. The have voted against their best interests. The middle class people have voted for people who have done away with the very safety nets put in place to protect them. How surprised they must be when they find out that the no check fees result in overdraft fees because their checks they write, clear faster than their paychecks. The parachute of bankruptcy has been collapsed to encompass only those who are the most wealthy who might lose their companies due to fraud and gouging their fellow man. The reversal of the Whistle blower law protects the corporations from being found out. Was it Enron and the whole Aunt Millie scandal that threw that chestnut into motion? It's interesting that this wonderful party has started writing laws to cover their own ass. What is torture? Ethics committee=poor ethics.

Lipstick on a pig. That's what we have.