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January 31, 2007

DNC Winter Meeting Prep

So the blog has been kind of quiet this week, as we've all been working on getting ready for the DNC Winter Meeting, which kicks-off tomorrow in Washington, DC.

We are all really excited about the meeting. After our successes in 2006, which put Democrats in control, not just of the United States Congress (though that's a huge deal), but also Governors' mansions, Legislative bodies and Mayors' offices all across America, Democrats are heading into 2007 strong and united. We've got the "big mo'" as one of my old campaign managers used to say, and we're using it.

In Congress, under the leadership of Speaker Pelosi, Democrats passed every item on the "100 Hours" agenda - ahead of schedule. In the Senate, Democrats are beginning the arduous task of cleaning up the mess the GOP left behind, while also aggressively moving forward to stop the President from escalating the war in Iraq.

Then there is the 2008 election. I'll just quote Governor Dean:

"Our Democratic leaders in Congress are working to make government work for every American, and the talented and diverse group of presidential candidates joining us this weekend are proof that we can bring the same kind of vision, talent and strong leadership to the White House. Democrats are energized and ready to build on our Party's successes, and we're confident that a Democrat will be America's next president."

Over the next three days, we'll provide an inside look into the Winter meeting - with blog posts, pictures and video of all that's going on.

If there is anything special you are interested in hearing about, let us know in the comments. We'll do our best to make sure we touch on every aspect of the meeting and bring you as close to the action as possible.

Posted by at 3:50 PM | Comments (12)

More Dirty Tricks

In typical GOP fashion, Republicans are accusing Democrats of out of control spending. Yet, the truth is on our side: Democrats are passing the budget that Republicans failed to pass last year.

From the Washington Post:

House and Senate Democratic leaders agreed yesterday to a $463 billion spending plan for the remainder of the fiscal year that would freeze many federal agencies at 2006 levels but include more money for veterans' health, education, scientific research, HIV programs and public parks, among other things.

In an unusual move, the congressional leaders stripped the spending bill of all earmarks, or narrow, special-interest provisions. The measure had to be cobbled together now because Congress did not finish its work last year and failed to pass nine of 11 spending bills.

This is not just another petty fight. Republicans opted not to complete the budget and appropriations process last year, and now the country is within weeks of the worst fiscal mess since the 1996 government shutdown (also caused by the GOP). The Republican-controlled Congress of yesteryear had the choice to finish budget work last year, tough choices and all, or push off the duty they were elected to complete for as long as possible. Surprise, surprise! They chose to shirk their responsibility. And now that Democrats are in charge, they are stuck cleaning up the mess left by the GOP. And still Republicans have the gall to try to blame Democrats for "reckless spending."

For shame.

Posted by at 10:44 AM | Comments (13)

Wednesday Open Thread

Chat away...

Posted by at 9:31 AM | Comments (210)

January 30, 2007

White House Has Its Head in the Sand

Thanks, Mr. President...

The Democratic chairman of a House panel examining the government's response to climate change said Tuesday there is evidence that senior Bush administration officials sought repeatedly "to mislead the public by injecting doubt into the science of global warming."
Rep. Henry Waxman (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., said he and the top Republican on his oversight committee, Rep. Tom Davis of Virginia, have sought documents from the administration on climate policy, but repeatedly been rebuffed.

"The committee isn't trying to obtain state secrets or documents that could affect our immediate national security," said Waxman, opening the hearing. "We are simply seeking answers to whether the White House's political staff is inappropriately censoring impartial government scientists."

"We know that the White House possesses documents that contain evidence of an attempt by senior administration officials to mislead the public by injecting doubt into the science of global warming and minimize the potential danger," Waxman said.

On the Hill: Senate Votes on Minimum Wage Later This Week

Senate watchers are expecting a vote today on an increase in the minimum wage and a vote on the Senate resolution opposing the troop escalation in Iraq. You may recall that last week, Senate Republicans blocked an attempt to raise the minimum wage.

From ABCnews.com:

The Senate is expected to move toward final passage this week on a bill that would increase in the minimum wage by $2.10 over two years — the first such hike in a decade.
[...]

A similar bill to increase the minimum wage passed the House of Representatives earlier this month, but that measure did not include tax breaks for small businesses, which have been tacked onto the Senate bill so that it can gain enough votes to overcome Republican opposition.

We will keep you posted.

[UPDATE: No vote on the resolutions, just the minimum wage vote today.

UPDATE 2: Cloture was invoked, 30 hours of debate will continue on minimum wage bill. Final vote on bill may come as early as Thursday.]

Posted by at 11:19 AM | Comments (14)

Listen Up!: Senator Schumer's Podcast

You asked the questions, he answered them.

In his DNC podcast, Senator Schumer takes your questions and talks about his new book, Positively American.

Listen here.

Posted by at 10:57 AM | Comments (2)

Who is the President Interested in Protecting?

Who is the President most interested in protecting?

On one side you have:

"Business groups...that have given strong political and financial backing to Mr. Bush."

vs.

The public.

That's the question to ask when you read this New York Times' article about how the President signed an executive order that says:

President Bush has signed a directive that gives the White House much greater control over the rules and policy statements that the government develops to protect public health, safety, the environment, civil rights and privacy.
In an executive order published last week in the Federal Register, Mr. Bush said that each agency must have a regulatory policy office run by a political appointee, to supervise the development of rules and documents providing guidance to regulated industries. The White House will thus have a gatekeeper in each agency to analyze the costs and the benefits of new rules and to make sure the agencies carry out the president’s priorities.

This strengthens the hand of the White House in shaping rules that have, in the past, often been generated by civil servants and scientific experts.

Rep. Waxman, Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform reacted to the news, saying:

“The executive order allows the political staff at the White House to dictate decisions on health and safety issues, even if the government’s own impartial experts disagree. This is a terrible way to govern, but great news for special interests.”

A terrible way to govern...that pretty much sums up Bush's actions throughout his entire administration.

Posted by at 10:18 AM | Comments (4)

Tuesday Open Thread

What's on your mind?

Posted by at 9:52 AM | Comments (306)

January 29, 2007

John McCain - A Video Montage

The myth of John McCain and the Straight Talk Express may soon die. At least that is what the folks at The Real McCain are working on. (And it's about time!) Check out their video montage of McCain, it's a must-see!

Posted by at 1:58 PM | Comments (32)

Congress' War Powers

A lot of people have been talking about Congress' role in ending the war in Iraq. With a President bent on escalation, ignoring the advice of his own generals, brushing aside the recommendations of the bi-partisan Iraq Study Group and unwilling to listen to the majority of the American people, it is now up to the Congress to try and reign in the President and bring an end to this ever more deadly conflict.

But can they do it? Does Congress have the authority? Is their historical precedent? Well the New York Times weighs in with an editorial, and it seems that they can and there is.

The Constitution’s provision that the president is the commander in chief clearly puts him at the top of the military chain of command. Congress would be overstepping if, for example, it passed a law requiring generals in the field to report directly to the speaker of the House.
But the Constitution also gives Congress an array of war powers, including the power to “declare war,” “raise and support armies” and “make rules concerning captures on land and water.” By “declare war,” the Constitution’s framers did not mean merely firing off a starting gun. In the 18th century, war declarations were often limited in scope — European powers might fight a naval battle in the Americas, for example, but not battle on their own continent. In giving Congress the power to declare war, the Constitution gives it authority to make decisions about a war’s scope and duration.

The Founders, including James Madison, who is often called “the father of the Constitution,” fully expected Congress to use these powers to rein in the commander in chief. “The constitution supposes, what the History of all Governments demonstrates, that the Executive is the branch of power most interested in war, and most prone to it,” Madison cautioned. “It has accordingly with studied care, vested the question of war in the Legislature.”

The whole thing is worth a read, even if it may have you cracking open an old history book or, in this day and age, a wikipedia page, to brush up on your constitutional law.

Posted by at 1:35 PM | Comments (10)

Just Another Manic Monday Open Thread

Someone's gonna get a pony for this...

President George W. Bush concluded his annual State of the Union address this week with the words “the State of our Union is strong … our cause in the world is right … and tonight that cause goes on.”
Maybe so, but the state of the Bush administration is at its worst yet, according to the latest Newsweek Poll. The president’s approval ratings are at their lowest point in the poll’s history—30 percent—and more than half the country (58 percent) say they wish the Bush presidency were simply over, a sentiment that is almost unanimous among Democrats (86 percent), and is shared by a clear majority (59 percent) of independents and even one in five (21 percent) Republicans.

Half (49 percent) of all registered voters would rather see a Democrat elected president in 2008, compared to just 28 percent who’d prefer the GOP to remain in the White House.

This is an open thread...

Posted by Tracy Russo at 9:31 AM | Comments (310)

January 28, 2007

Sunday Open Thread

Chat away...

Posted by at 5:58 PM | Comments (153)

January 27, 2007

Saturday Open Thread

I spent my Saturday protesting with hundreds of thousands of people from all over the country who want to see the war in Iraq end. It was my first protest on the Mall, and pretty amazing to see the crush of people coming together with a common purpose.

This is an open thread...

Posted by at 5:42 PM | Comments (295)

January 26, 2007

'08 GOP Watch

What did you miss this week?

Posted by at 5:41 PM | Comments (270)

Congress on Iraq

A senior bipartisan Congressional delegation led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today, following their trip to Iraq.

The delegation included Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton; Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Lantos; Intelligence Committee Chairman Silvestre Reyes; Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman John Murtha; State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Nita Lowey; and Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member David Hobson.

"Our delegation traveled to Iraq to thank our troops for the way they are doing their difficult jobs under extremely dangerous conditions. We expressed our unwavering support for them, and for their families, as well as our hope that they will come home safely and soon.
"In meetings with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalizad, and senior U.S. military officers, including multi-national commander General George Casey, we stressed our belief that it is well past time for the Iraqis to take primary responsibility for the security of their nation. The delegation's view is that American forces should quickly begin to transition from a combat role to one focused on training, counter-terrorism, force protection, and controlling Iraq's borders.

"We are convinced that there must be a political solution to the problems in Iraq. The sooner Iraqi leaders make necessary political accommodations, including amending their constitution to resolve outstanding differences among all Iraqi communities, the better the chances for ending the sectarian violence. We encourage active diplomacy in the region.

"We were inspired by the patriotism and dedication of the American troops we were privileged to meet. We left Iraq with a renewed appreciation for their courage and the selflessness they bring to the great service they provide to our country."

This comes on the heels of the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee passing a resolution declaring that the further escalation of the Iraq war was not in the country's best interest.

As Senator Jim Webb said after the State of the Union:

As I look at Iraq, I recall the words of former general and soon-to-be President Dwight Eisenhower during the dark days of the Korean War, which had fallen into a bloody stalemate. "When comes the end?" asked the General who had commanded our forces in Europe during World War Two. And as soon as he became President, he brought the Korean War to an end. These Presidents took the right kind of action, for the benefit of the American people and for the health of our relations around the world. Tonight we are calling on this President to take similar action, in both areas. If he does, we will join him. If he does not, we will be showing him the way.

Indeed.

Posted by at 5:27 PM | Comments (15)

TGIF Open Thread

It's freezing here!

Chat away...

Posted by at 9:33 AM | Comments (205)

January 25, 2007

All About the Children

Talking about family values, how about making sure kids don't get sick?

From ABC:

Children living in red states -- those in which a majority of the citizens voted Republican in the 2004 presidential election -- may be worse off in terms of health than those living in states that voted Democrat, according to a new book.
The book, "Homeland Insecurity . American Children at Risk," suggests kids in red states are more likely to lack health insurance, live in poverty and die early.

Michael Petit, president of the Every Child Matters Education Fund and author of the book, said politics is largely to blame for the discrepancy. And he adds that political decisions made at the state level have the most impact.

"Where it plays out for individual children and families is in the states -- nowhere more than in so-called red states where children are at significantly greater risk than children in blue states," said Petit in a press conference Wednesday.

Petit used U.S. census data and other government sources to compare states that voted Republican in the 2004 presidential election to those that voted Democratic. To rank the states, he used a set of 11 child-related statistics, several of which were measures of health, such as insurance coverage and prenatal care.

According to his findings, nine of the 10 top states with the best outcomes for children today were blue states. The top 10 states, in order, were Wisconsin, New Jersey, Washington, Minnesota, Nebraska, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, Iowa (the sole red state in the group) and New Hampshire.

All 10 of the bottom-rated states were red states -- Wyoming, Georgia, Arkansas, Alabama, South Carolina, Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Louisiana and Mississippi.

According to Petit's research, a child in the bottom 10 states is twice as likely to die by the age of 14 than a child in the top 10 states.

Children in the bottom 10 states were also 1.8 times more likely to be uninsured than their top 10 counterparts, and expectant mothers were more than twice as likely to receive inadequate prenatal care.

The data show that "children fare much better today if they happen to live in some states instead of others," said Dr. Joel Alpert, past president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, during Wednesday's press conference.

"Children who live in blue states do better. Children who live in red states do worse. It's there in the data," he said. "The data are convincing, and they are alarming."

Health policy experts said the findings establish a likely link between a state's politics and its efforts to safeguard children's health.

"The primary programs we have to insure kids -- namely Medicaid -- are basically federally funded state programs," said Timothy Jost, professor of health care law at the Washington and Lee University School of Law.

Jost said that individual states have a lot of sway when it comes to the health coverage that children receive.

"States that tend to be politically and economically conservative have less inclusive medical assistance programs," he said.

"So, it would make a great deal of sense that states that are Republican have conservative social and economic policies that lead to a decreased health status for poor children."

Healthcare for children is one of the issues which I have learned more and more about since coming to the DNC, because it is a passion of Governor Dean's. He often talks about it, deviating from prepared remarks, when he travels around the country.

When I worked for Ciro Rodriguez he often said that a society should be judged by how it cares for it's most vulnerable citizens - it's children and it's seniors. I think we could do a better job at both, and Democrats are committed to real solutions for health care - with policies that benefits the people and not the pharmaceutical industry.

Read more over here, or at the Speaker's site, here.

Posted by at 12:59 PM | Comments (20)

Confronting Bush Over the Iraq War

As the Bush administration continues to escalate the civil war in Iraq with tens of thousands of additional troops, the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee took the first step in their opposition with a resolution declaring the escalation "not in the national interest."

Senator Jim Webb, who sits on the Foreign Relations Committee and gave the Democratic response to Tuesday's State of the Union address, said the resolution "will serve notice to this administration... that when it comes to the troops, it has to use them in a more responsible fashion."

The escalation plan is wildly unpopular -- with Americans, with the troops, with the Generals, and with the foreign policy experts all in opposition. President Bush decided to ignore everybody, including the Congress, and proceed anyway. This resolution will serve as a warning that, as Webb told the Daily Press, "Congress is going to step up and be an equal player."

The resolution, according to the Virginian-Pilot, is expected to come to the Senate floor next week.

Posted by Michael Link at 11:57 AM | Comments (50)

Thursday Open Thread

What's up, doc?

Posted by at 10:10 AM | Comments (306)

January 24, 2007

LISTEN UP: Ask Senator Schumer!

Senator Schumer, yesterday.

This week the DNC Podcast will host New York Senator Chuck Schumer, Vice-Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus, chairman the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), and author of the new book, Positively American: Winning Back the Middle-Class Majority One Family at a Time.

In Positively American, the Senator draws on his vast experience in Democratic politics. He looks at where the Democrats went wrong in the first part of this century, and describes how they started to right the ship in 2006. He looks ahead to 2008 and the opportunity to become the dominant party for years to come.

Now Senator Schumer wants to hear from you. In the comments below, or via e-mail, submit your questions for Senator Schumer. We'll select the best one and use it during this week's Podcast.

Check out an excerpt from Positively American after the jump!

Keep reading "LISTEN UP: Ask Senator Schumer!"

Posted by at 5:22 PM | Comments (30)

GOP Blocks Minimum Wage Increase

Maybe they think we should go another ten years without an increase in the minimum wage?

It's not enough that about 9 out of 10 Americans realize that it's way past time we increase the minimum wage. It's not enough that families across the nation are struggling to make ends meet. It's not enough that the House already voted for a no-strings-attached minimum wage bill. Senate Republicans decided they would block an increase in the minimum wage.

What a disgrace.

Democrats were united in the vote to help working families keep up with rising costs. Despite several Senate Republicans jumping ship, the final vote fell just short of the 60 required to end debate.

Republicans are attempting to hold the livelihood of working men and women hostage in an attempt to include more business tax cuts in the bill. As Senator Kennedy said, "The first reason that this bill should remain clean is that adding a tax package to this bill creates procedural hurdles that will delay - perhaps significantly - the implementation of the increase." Bob Geiger explains:

A vote on those business tax breaks is not expected until early next week and, if that measure is passed, a quick cloture vote and a final vote on the minimum wage would follow shortly thereafter.
However, a minimum wage bill passed with tax breaks tacked on would then have to go to conference with the House -- to reconcile the differences in bills passed -- and it may run afoul of the House leadership, which has maintained that raising the minimum wage should be a straightforward endeavor that even Republicans can agree to without more tax cuts for business.

How long do Republicans who supported increasing their own pay plan on denying it to their fellow Americans?

Posted by Michael Link at 4:35 PM | Comments (115)

At Least Some GOPers Still Heart GWB

Like freshman GOPer Michele Bachmann of Minnesota....

Local Minnesota station KSTP reports:

While the President was signing autographs for members of Congress after the speech, the sixth-district Republican put her hand on Bush's shoulder. However, it wasn't just a tap. After he signed an autograph for her, Bachmann grabbed the president and did not let go for almost 30 seconds.
After signing the autograph for Bachmann, the president turns away, but Bachmann doesn't let go. In fact, the video shows her reaching out to get a better grip on him.

Bush then leans over to kiss another congresswoman, but Bachmann is still holding on. Bachmann then gets more attention, a kiss and an embrace from the president. A few seconds later, Bachman's hand finally comes off the presidential shoulder.

(h/t to Minnesota Monitor, who have much more here and here.)

Posted by at 11:02 AM | Comments (9)

Post-Game Analysis

Sometimes the New York Times' editorial board reads my mind:

When Republicans controlled Congress and the White House, Mr. Bush’s only real interest was in making their majority permanent; consultation meant telling the Democrats what he had decided.
Neither broken promises nor failed policies changed Mr. Bush’s mind. So the nation has been saddled with tax cuts that have turned a budget surplus into a big deficit, education reform that has been badly managed and underfinanced, far-right judges with scant qualifications, the dismantling of regulations in order to benefit corporations at the expense of workers, and a triumph of ideology over science in policy making on the environment and medical research. All along, Americans’ civil liberties and the constitutional balance have been trampled by a president determined to assert ever more power.

Now that the Democrats have taken Congress, Mr. Bush is acting as if he’d had the door to compromise open all along and the Democrats had refused to walk through it...

...Mr. Bush almost certainly didn’t intend it, but his speech did reinforce one vital political fact — that it’s not just up to him anymore.

And if you didn't check it out last night, ThinkProgress did a killer job fact-checking the State of the Union in real time. Watch as their rapid response is synchronized with the video of President Bush’s speech.

[Update by Christy:] Yeah, this just proves Tracy does heart sports, and she's been hiding it all along. Maybe she's a closet Wizards fan.

Posted by at 10:45 AM | Comments (124)

Wednesday Morning Open Thread

Happy Hump Day! What did you think of the State of the Union?

Posted by at 9:57 AM | Comments (251)

January 23, 2007

The State of Our Union

Governor Dean:

“Democrats welcome President Bush’s call to achieve ‘big things’ for the American people, but he should remember that the American people know actions speak louder than words. For too long, the words from this President have not matched the action required to solve the problems that hard working Americans face. From the escalation of the war in Iraq to his new health care tax to the energy crisis, once again tonight, we heard more hollow promises and empty proposals that just won’t fix the problems.
“Last November, the American people spoke loud and clear. Democrats heard what they had to say and are focused on continuing to deliver on the promises we made as we pass an increase in the minimum wage, improve our homeland security, help more kids go to college and promote life saving stem cell research. We hope the President will make good on his rhetoric this time and truly work with the bipartisan Congress to get things done for the American people.”

Speaker Pelosi and Senate Leader Reid just released the following statement:

"Congress has demonstrated in the last three weeks that great things happen for the American people when we work together. In his sixth State of the Union Address, President Bush once again talked about many of the issues facing our country. It is long past time to stop talking about our problems and start working to solve them. The Congress is delivering results, and doing it in a new way - by reaching across the aisle and putting the American people first. Tonight, we welcomed President Bush's overtures of bipartisanship and we hope to begin working with him to move our country in a new direction.
"Energy independence is a national security issue and an economic security issue. President Bush's goals for energy independence are commendable, but we now must get straight to work on a real national energy policy. In Congress, we have already begun work in earnest on renewable fuels, on global warming, and on shifting energy tax incentives away from Big Oil. We ask the President to join us to take real steps forward.

"Unfortunately, tonight the President demonstrated he has not listened to Americans' single greatest concern: the war in Iraq. The overwhelming majority of Americans, military leaders, and a bipartisan coalition in Congress oppose the President's plan to escalate the war. Democrats, Republicans, and the bipartisan Iraq Study Group have offered the President a plan to end our open-ended commitment to Iraq, transition the U.S. mission, and begin the phased redeployment of American troops. While the President continues to ignore the will of the country, Congress will not ignore this President's failed policy. His plan will receive an up-or-down vote in both the House and the Senate, and we will continue to hold him accountable for changing course in Iraq.

"When it comes to health care, we welcome the President's commitment to help the 47 million people living without health care and the millions more in danger of losing it. However, the President's plan falls short of meeting the health care challenge. Health care is a crisis in costs and coverage, and the President's plan will make both fronts worse for millions of Americans.

"Last November, Americans asked all of us in Washington to work together. Democrats will continue to take America in a new direction by making our nation energy secure, improving access to affordable health care, cutting costs for middle class families, and working to end the war in Iraq."

The President's seventh State of the Union address did not bring our nation fresh ideas or solid plans to fix the problems we face, just more empty rhetoric and hollow promises.

Use this as an open thread...

Posted by Tracy Russo at 10:46 PM | Comments (89)

The Democratic Response to the State of the Union

Senator James Webb:

In short, the middle class of this country, our historic backbone and our best hope for a strong society in the future, is losing its place at the table. Our workers know this, through painful experience. Our white-collar professionals are beginning to understand it, as their jobs start disappearing also. And they expect, rightly, that in this age of globalization, their government has a duty to insist that their concerns be dealt with fairly in the international marketplace. In the early days of our republic, President Andrew Jackson established an important principle of American-style democracy – that we should measure the health of our society not at its apex, but at its base. Not with the numbers that come out of Wall Street, but with the living conditions that exist on Main Street. We must recapture that spirit today.

And on Iraq...

The President took us into this war recklessly. He disregarded warnings from the national security adviser during the first Gulf War, the chief of staff of the army, two former commanding generals of the Central Command, whose jurisdiction includes Iraq, the director of operations on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and many, many others with great integrity and long experience in national security affairs. We are now, as a nation, held hostage to the predictable – and predicted – disarray that has followed....
The majority of the nation no longer supports the way this war is being fought; nor does the majority of our military. We need a new direction. Not one step back from the war against international terrorism. Not a precipitous withdrawal that ignores the possibility of further chaos. But an immediate shift toward strong regionally-based diplomacy, a policy that takes our soldiers off the streets of Iraq's cities, and a formula that will in short order allow our combat forces to leave Iraq.

See the video, here. Or read the Senator's full remarks, after the jump...

Keep reading "The Democratic Response to the State of the Union"

Posted by at 10:30 PM | Comments (55)

Pre-SOTU Open Thread

A picture of The Capitol building I snapped earlier tonight.

This is an open thread...

Posted by at 7:38 PM | Comments (253)

State of the Union Bingo!

Play State of the Union Bingo

Mark a square on your Bingo card every time President Bush says one of 25 key words. When you have marked 5 squares in a row (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally), you score Bingo! Click the "Reset Bingo Card" button to create a unique card for every guest. Play online or print the bingo card and use the Bush-inspired State of the Union Bingo chips.

Bingo Card | Bingo Chips

Posted by at 3:50 PM | Comments (13)

The Crime, The Cover-up, The Trial

"They're trying to set me up. They want me to be the sacrificial lamb. I will not be sacrificed so Karl Rove can be protected."
- Scooter Libby attorney Theodore Wells, recalling a conversation between Libby and his boss, Vice President Dick Cheney in 2003

The Scooter Libby trial got underway today, with opening statements being made by both sides. It would seem that things are going to get pretty interesting, if the opening statements are anything to go by.

Check these new claims, courtesy of ThinkProgress:

“Vice President Cheney himself directed Scooter Libby to essentially go around protocol and deal with the press and handle press himself…to try to beat back the criticism of administration critic Joe Wilson.”

Cheney personally “wrote out for Scooter Libby what Libby should say in a conversation with Time magazine reporter Matt Cooper.”

“Scooter Libby destroyed a note from Vice President Cheney about their conversations and about how Vice President Cheney wanted the Wilson matter handled.”

Plus, don't miss FireDogLake, whose fearless team is live-blogging the trial and doing a bang-up job

Markos has his take, here. My favorite part? Besides the title:

No matter which story you choose to believe -- the prosecutors or the defense -- they both paint a bleak picture for the administration. A veritable cornucopia of incompetence.

Posted by at 2:21 PM | Comments (17)

Watch It!: Governor Dean on TV

Catch Governor Dean on TV tonight. He'll be doing three interviews, back to back.

The line-up:

MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews at 5:00 pm
CNN's Situation Room at 5:15 pm

Bloomberg's Money and Politics 5:30 pm

Posted by at 1:28 PM | Comments (5)

Here's Hoping

As you may have heard, some genius at the White House decided that it would be fun to start comparing George W. Bush to Abraham Lincoln, and thus a talking point was born. Luckily, John Stewart and John Oliver, quickly debunked that:

But recently, another comparison has been made - to Nixon. Perhaps, this one is more apt. With an approval rating of just 28 percent and with 72 percent of Americans thinking that he should seek Congressional approval for any escalation of the war in Iraq, the President is dipping to dangerous lows with the American people.

As Matt pointed out yesterday:

Bush's approval is at 28, which is four points higher than Nixon's approval at his point of departure. Bush's disapproval is two points lower than Nixon's when he said 'the end'.

Now of course this isn't the first time we've seen Bush/Nixon comparisons. UVA Professor Larry Sabato pointed out the disturbing trend over a year ago (and if the graph was updated, it'd be even lower):

He noted:

The lesson is obvious, Mr. President: You're a lot closer to Nixon than you are to Eisenhower, Reagan, and Clinton. And that's not where you want to be. Nixon's second term ended rather badly, as you will recall.

But then there was this too:

The good news is that you've got enough time and ocean left to turn your ship of state around, plus you have the benefit of still-friendly GOP majorities in both houses of Congress for at least another year.

It would seem that shipped has sailed.

By his own hand, the President has painted himself into a corner. But tonight is the night he can begin to undo what he has done. In his State of the Union speech, the President has the chance to offer up something new, something different. Instead of a parade of broken promises and empty rhetoric, he can present the American people with a fresh approach and new ideas.

He can make good on his repeated assurances to work with the new Democratic Congress. He can acknowledge the mandate for change that was the November elections, and he can join with the Congress to solve the problems the American people need to be solved - both at home and abroad.

Our country faces problems which are too big for any one person or one Party to solve. But we can bring about real change, real progress, if we work together. Speaker Pelosi and Leader Reid have already expressed their willingness, and the willingness of the Congress and the Senate, to work with the President to serve the American people. The question is, is willing to step out from behind the podium, let go of his "go it alone" approach, and work with them?

Posted by at 11:08 AM | Comments (6)

Tuesday Open Thread

The nominations are in!

Oh, and the State of the Union is tonight. So that will be fun. More on that later!

This is an open thread...

Posted by at 9:33 AM | Comments (229)

January 22, 2007

The Title of the Post Says It All!

"Nancy Pelosi, Wildly Popular Speaker of the House"

Go Read!

Posted by at 6:10 PM | Comments (8)

On the 34th Anniversary of Roe vs. Wade

Governor Dean:

"Today marks the 34th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade. Democrats across the country stand with millions of Americans in recognizing and reaffirming the central message of this decision: that women have the right and freedom to make their own decisions about their health care.
"Democrats are committed to finding common ground in this debate that focuses on increased education and prevention that reduces the number of abortions each year in the United States. A woman’s decision about her own reproductive health care is a very personal and difficult choice but it should remain her own and not the decision of politicians in Washington."

Speaker Pelosi:

"Today, we observe the 34th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that affirmed a woman's right to make her own reproductive health care decisions.
"Roe v. Wade is based on a woman's fundamental right to privacy, a value that all Americans cherish. It established that decisions about whether to have a child do not and should not rest with the government. A woman – in consultation with her family, her physician, and her faith – is best qualified to make that decision.

"The 110th Congress signals an end to 12 years of destructive debate putting politics above science and restricting women's rights afforded by the Constitution. In this new Congress, we will work together in a bipartisan way to reduce the number of abortions by preventing unintended pregnancies through comprehensive sexuality education and access to family planning in the U.S. and abroad.

"As I have throughout my time in Congress, I will continue to work to ensure a woman's right to choose. We must preserve the right to privacy while promoting a comprehensive approach to reproductive health care, including planning for healthy families."

From Christy Agner, Director of the DNC's Women's Vote Center:

Today I recognize Roe v. Wade, a decision that came after my birth, but before my first kiss. Today I celebrate the fact that The Democratic Party truly respects everyone's opinion on the issue of abortion, but fights to allow all choices to be made by individual Americans, not the government. This morning I spoke to some family members who had come into DC for the March for Life and to attend a large mass to pray on the issue. I myself will attend a rally at the Supreme Court with the National Organization for Women to stand in support of the decision for choice. Whether its my family, your family, or the Democratic Party family, there can be healthy respect for choices about reproduction. I'm proud to work for a Party that does not require a litmus test - but that respects different opinions, supports the choices of individuals in this country, and protects their right to privacy.

And on a personal note...

Both of my parents are Republicans. My grandparents are Republicans. My aunts, uncles, cousins, the list goes on and on. And yet, somehow, here I am. Going against the grain, a true blue Democrat. And the thing is, I don't remember ever not considering myself a Democrat. When I think back to my first stages of political awareness, sometime early in my teen years, it occurs to me that I never considered that I might be a Republican. It just didn't fit. The main reason for this early alignment? Roe vs. Wade.

I knew I could never identify with a Party that didn't respect or trust me enough to give me the right to make my own choices about my reproductive health. Sometime between then and now, everything else fell into place, and I became more than just a single-issue voter, but this was the issue that was my gateway into Democratic politics.

Today, on this anniversary, I am especially proud to work for the Party that has fought for a woman's right to choose for 34 years, and who will keep fighting to protect those rights for years to come.

For more on what today's anniversay means, check out Jessica and Jill, who wrote two of my favorite posts today.

Posted by at 3:20 PM | Comments (4)

Monday Morning Open Thread

Hope everyone saw the Bears win on Sunday! This is an open thread, talk amongst yourselves...

[Update by Tracy]: I knew Christy was going to hijack the open thread for sports stuff, and ignore the truly important news of the week, which is that Tuesday is a big day! Huge! One we've been waiting all year for! Something way better than the SOTU - Oscar nominations will be announced tomorrow morning bright and early! Discuss...

Posted by at 9:52 AM | Comments (301)

January 21, 2007

State of the Union

President Bush delivers his State of the Union (SOTU) address on Tuesday, January 23. Already, Americans are looking ahead to the speech...and then reflecting back on previous promises made by the president at the "SOTU."

And then shaking our heads.

Turns out Bush has left a trail of broken promises following his previous SOTU's.

SOTU 2003: President Bush Spoke of Providing All Americans with Affordable Health Care. "We must work toward a system in which all Americans have a good insurance policy, choose their own doctors, and seniors and low-income Americans receive the help they need."
But Health Care Premiums Have Increased by Over 80 Percent. (U.S. Census Bureau, 8/29/06)

SOTU 2002: Bush Said Energy Must Be Made More Affordable. In 2002, President Bush said, "Good jobs also depend on reliable and affordable energy. This Congress must act to encourage conservation, promote technology, build infrastructure, and it must act to increase energy production at home so America is less dependent on foreign oil."

But Under Bush Prices Have Climbed. Heating Costs Have Increased 64 Percent. Gas Prices 86% Higher.

That's but a small sample...you can read more here, here, and here. (Those are all .pdf's, champ)

It's a little sad to read all the promises that were never meant to be kept. For a break from the seriousness, you can start a pool with your friends -- bet on who the special guests will be. Bet on what Harry Reid will be wearing. Bet on how many standing ovations the Republicans give Bush.

But don't bother listening to the speech, because it's unlikely any of it will actually happen.

Posted by at 10:09 AM | Comments (37)

Sunday Morning Open Thread

The Super Bowl is on February 4th...let's hope the Chicago Bears are there. This is an open thread.

Posted by at 9:12 AM | Comments (297)

January 20, 2007

Real Weekend Open Thread

Hope y'all are having a good one -- don't forget the Bears play tomorrow -- Go BEARS!!

This is an open thread...

[Update by Tracy]: Happy Birthday to Christy McConville!

Posted by at 12:02 PM | Comments (349)

January 19, 2007

Weekend Open Thread

Happy Birthday Tracy Russo! Use this as an open thread...

Posted by at 5:45 PM | Comments (149)

Smoke-and-Mirrors War Budgeting to End

Hearings have begun on past and future costs of the war in Iraq, with House Budget Committee chairman John Spratt providing long-overdue oversight that would never happen with the old rubber stamp Republican Congress.

Already, the hearings have yielded results. During Thursday's hearing, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England stated that Bush's latest request for over $100 billion would be the last time they would be using "emergency" appropriations that are supposed to be used for actual unforeseen emergencies.

An editorial in the Denver Post condemned the irresponsible Bush budgeting and praised the Democratic Congress:

Such emergency measures are properly used for unforeseeable disasters like Hurricane Katrina and were appropriate to pay the start-up costs of the war on terror in the wake of Sept. 11. But it's ludicrous to use the mechanism year after year to handle the costs of the ongoing deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan.
At Thursday's hearing, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England told the Budget Committee that the president's upcoming $100 billion-plus emergency request for the 2007 budget year would be the last such request. The administration's budget request for 2008 - to be presented the same day as the supplemental request for the current year - will be accompanied by an estimate for the war's costs in that year, though the figure might be adjusted later, England said.
[...]
We applaud the efforts of Spratt and his colleagues to get a handle on the war's budgetary impact. If we can't even calculate the Iraq war's cost to the treasury, how can we even hope to measure its price in lives and America's standing in the world.

The smoke-and-mirrors budgeting is an attempt to fund the war outside the normal federal budget, but no longer will the Bush administration be able to avoid scrutiny on these important issues.

UPDATE: TPM Muckraker's Justin Rood reports that House Government Reform Committee chairman Henry Waxman has invited the former head of the U.S. Coalition Provisional Authority, Paul Bremer, to testify in early February about "how nearly $9 billion in reconstruction funds went missing -- or in audit-speak, was 'disbursed. . . without accountability.'"

Posted by Michael Link at 3:45 PM | Comments (52)

Ethics Reform Bill Passes in the Senate

For those of you who believe good will always prevail over evil, maybe you've got something there. Senate Republicans capitulated yesterday and passed new ethics rules in the Senate. That's right, even the GOP has to concede that the culture of corruption is over in Congress. The New York Times breaks it down:

The Senate passed a broad overhaul of ethics, lobbying and earmark regulations yesterday after Democratic and Republican leaders broke a two-day logjam over GOP amendments. ... The bill (S 1) would ban senators and their staff from accepting meals, gifts and trips from lobbyists; prohibit senators from negotiating for private-sector jobs while still in office; create a point of order against bills that do not identify the sponsors of earmarks; establish a database of lobbyists' contacts and activities; and force lobbyists to certify that they have complied with the gift ban.

Happy Friday everyone!

Posted by at 12:22 PM | Comments (23)

My Teacher, My Hero

An Op/Ed in the New York Times this morning talks about the plight of teachers -- the one not seen on the silver screen.

From the article:

At the beginning of Ms. Swank's new movie, "Freedom Writers," her character, a teacher named Erin Gruwell, walks into her Long Beach, Calif., classroom, and the camera pans across the room to show us what we are supposed to believe is a terribly shabby learning environment. Any experienced educator will have already noted that not only does she have the right key to get into the room but, unlike the seventh-grade science teacher in my current school, she has a door to put the key into. The worst thing about Ms. Gruwell's classroom seems to be graffiti on the desks, and crooked blinds.

I felt like shouting, Hey, at least you have blinds! My first classroom didn't, but it did have a family of pigeons living next to the window, whose pane was a cracked piece of plastic. During the winter, snowflakes blew in. The pigeons competed with the mice and cockroaches for the students' attention.

The piece goes on to talk about the pressure placed on teachers -- they are called "incompetent and underqualified," and ignored when they ask for basic materials for their classrooms, or even a living wage for themselves. They are attacked over and over again while they try to do their job on the meager resources we've given them -- and don't even get me started on class sizes and special ed.

"Freedom Writers," like all teacher movies this side of "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie," is presented as a celebration of teaching, but its message is that poor students need only love, idealism and martyrdom.

I won't argue the need for more of the first two, but I'm always surprised at how, once a Ms. Gruwell wins over a class with clowning, tears, rewards and motivational speeches, there is nothing those kids can't do. It is as if all the previously insurmountable obstacles students face could be erased by a 10-minute pep talk or a fancy dinner. This trivializes not only the difficulties many real students must overcome, but also the hard-earned skill and tireless effort real teachers must use to help those students succeed.

While we all want what's best for our kids, we need to make sure we're not attacking educators who want the same. To all my friends who are teachers -- you guys are my heroes.

Posted by at 11:06 AM | Comments (25)

Friday Morning Open Thread

It's Friday morning, and here is your open thread...

Posted by at 9:22 AM | Comments (127)

January 18, 2007

Thursday Night Open Thread

Let it all out here in our open thread...

Posted by at 5:59 PM | Comments (155)

Livin' It Up

Apparently MTV has passed on making a Real World style documentary on the four Democratic lawmakers living in a Washington DC row house on Capitol Hill.

That hasn't discouraged the NY Times from writing an article about the situation.

So, laugh it up:

"I once had to pick up a mouse by the tail that Durbin refused to pick up," complained Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York, referring to his roommate Senator Richard J. Durbin of Illinois.

This characterization is not fair to Mr. Durbin, interjected another tenant in the Capitol Hill row house, Representative Bill Delahunt of Massachusetts. For starters, it overlooks Mr. Durbin’s gift for killing rats. "He will kill them with his bare hands," Mr. Delahunt marveled.

The biggest news out of this article: Senator Chuck Schumer doesn't make his bed. For political news, read all about the first 100 hours of the House of Representatives under Democratic leadership.

Posted by at 3:17 PM | Comments (3)

First 100 Hours Over

Even haters can't help but admit that Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats are getting things done. The NY Times calls the first 100 hours "a qualified success."

A quick read of the article reveals the "qualified" related to just one thing, the pay-as-you-go rules. But on the whole, the article is pretty much exuberantly hopeful.

More important in terms of substantive future legislation, the ability of the Democrats to win over significant numbers of Republicans on most votes signals the slim but enticing possibility of Democratic mastery over a demoralized Republican Party -- one that has thrived on polarized partisan warfare in recent years.

If the new bipartisanship takes root, the prospects for health care legislation and immigration reform sharply improve.

The following bills have passed the House, and will now go to the Senate and the White House on the path to becoming law:

Ethics reform,

An increase in the federal minimum wage for the first time in 10 years,

Enactment of the 9-11 commission's recommendations,

Expanded stem-cell research,

Government negotiation of prices with prescription drug companies,

Student loan interest rates cut in half,

The elimination of billions in subsidies for big oil companies.

Now if the Chicago Bears could just get to and win the Super Bowl, this year would be off to a fantastic start.

Posted by at 1:00 PM | Comments (20)

Senate Republicans Vote No on Ethics

Despite being voted out of power by an American public sick of corruption, the Senate Republicans don't seem to have learned their lesson. Yesterday, they voted against strengthening the body's ethics rules. Yup, the Republicans joined together to vote down being more accountable.

From the Washington Post:

Senate Republicans scuttled broad legislation last night to curtail lobbyists' influence and tighten congressional ethics rules, refusing to let the bill pass without a vote on an unrelated measure...But its [the ethics bill] unexpected collapse last night infuriated Democrats and the government watchdog groups that had been pushing it since the lobbying scandals that rocked the last Congress. Proponents charged that Republicans had used the spending-control measure as a ruse to thwart ethics rules they dared not defeat in a straight vote.

Republicans are becoming a parody of themselves. As Gob used to say on Arrested Development - oh, come on!

Posted by at 12:26 PM | Comments (8)

A Military Mom's Perspective

Our new podcast is a conversation with activist and military mom Nita Martin. She is the mother of two Marines who have served multiple tours in Iraq. It's a reminder of the strains that the president's failed Iraq policy has placed on our already thinly stretched military and their families.

You can listen here.

Posted by Michael Link at 12:05 PM | Comments (2)

Thursday Morning Open Thread

Good morning...this is an open thread.

Update/News You Can Use:

Bush Administration Flip Flops on Illegal Wiretapping: The Bush administration, in a surprise reversal, said on Wednesday that it had agreed to give a secret court jurisdiction over the National Security Agency’s wiretapping program and would end its practice of eavesdropping without warrants on Americans suspected of ties to terrorists. ... Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales is expected to face hostile questioning on Thursday from the Senate Judiciary Committee on the program.

Dems Address Energy Bill in the House Today: Newly empowered House Democrats are optimistic they can push through an energy package of $15 billion in fees, taxes and royalties on oil and gas companies to use to promote renewable fuels.

Democratic Senate Takes a Stand on Iraq: The Senate set the stage on Wednesday for a direct clash with President Bush over the war, with two senior Democrats and a prominent Republican introducing a symbolic measure to declare that the administration’s plan to send additional troops to Iraq runs counter to the national interest.

Bills on Climate Move to Spotlight in New Congress: Legislation to control global warming that once had a passionate but quixotic ring to it is now serious business. Congressional Democrats are increasingly determined to wrest control of the issue from the White House and impose the mandatory controls on carbon dioxide emissions that most smokestack industries have long opposed.

Senate Republicans Block Ethics Reform: the proposals appeared dead for now after 46 Senate Republicans blocked a vote on a broad ethics and lobbying bill. Fifty Democrats and one Republican, Senator Gordon H. Smith of Oregon, supported going ahead with the vote, but under Senate rules, 65 votes were needed to prevail.

Posted by at 9:10 AM | Comments (99)

January 17, 2007

Ending Big Oil Subsidies and Investing in Energy Independence

The last item on the 100 Hours Agenda? Rolling back multi-million dollar subsidies the GOP-controlled Congress awarded to Big Oil and investing in energy independence.

From the LA Times:

When oil company executives came before the Republican-controlled Congress in 2005 to defend their record profits amid high gasoline prices, they were spared the indignity of being sworn in under bright TV lights, as the tobacco chiefs had been a decade earlier.
But with Democrats in charge, perhaps no industry will find the new Congress less hospitable than the oil industry.

That will be underscored Thursday when the House is expected to approve a bill that would repeal billions of dollars in oil industry tax breaks passed by the GOP-controlled Congress.

The measure would raise about $14 billion over 10 years by repealing the tax breaks and by closing a loophole that allowed royalty-free offshore oil leases. The money would be used to promote energy conservation and develop alternative fuels.

Now, just for fun, watch Big Oil try and play "poor me". Someone might need to call the WAAAmbluence:

"This measure is purely political with the goal of punishing an industry that has low favorability on Capitol Hill," said Barry Russell, president of the Independent Petroleum Assn. of America.

Yes. Poor Big Oil. Nobody likes you. Everybody hates you. Guess you'll just eat worms - maybe gourmet worms with those record profits ($97 billion) you made last year while gas prices sky-rocketed?

In the meantime, the majority of Americans (who recognize a handout when they see one), will smile as the new Democratic Congress takes away your ridiculous subsidies and instead invests in clean, renewable, and alternative energy resources, promotes new emerging energy technologies and develops greater efficiency.

Check the facts and read the whole bill, here.

Posted by at 1:40 PM | Comments (16)

Open Thread

MoDO:

So after scaring Americans into backing the Sack of Iraq by warning that radicals could get W.M.D., now he’s trying to scare Americans into supporting the Surge in Iraq by warning that radicals could get W.M.D.
So many deaths, so little progress.

Posted by at 9:45 AM | Comments (234)

January 16, 2007

Making College Affordable - Now and in the Future

"This is really the first time that an entire generation of Americans has had to go deeply into debt in order to get a college degree. Public service professions, like teaching, are suffering, because graduates often cannot manage their college debt on public service salaries. And many would-be students as many as 200,000 per year are choosing to delay or forgo attending college because they can't afford it."
"This poses a serious threat not just to students and families, but to our nation's economy and to our future."
- Congressman George Miller (D-CA)

“Student debt is like quicksand – it swallows you up before you have a chance to gain your footing. Graduating from college should kick start a young person’s professional life, but massive debt will just bog you down for decades."
- Senator Chuck Schumer, (D-NY)

As part of their first 100 Hours Agenda, Democrats in the House are expected to vote tomorrow on the “College Student Relief Act of 2007” - which will cut interest rates in half on loans for middle class borrowers to a fixed rate of 3.4 percent, saving the average student thousands over the life of his or her loans.

Some facts about the rising cost of college and student aid:

The costs of attending college continue to skyrocket - putting college out-of-reach for more and more students. Tuition and fees at public universities have increased by 41 percent after inflation since the 2000-2001 school year and tuition and fees at private universities have jumped by 17 percent after inflation.

In addition to tuition and fees rising, interest rates on student loans have risen. Over the last five years, the interest rates on student loans have jumped by almost 2 percentage points - further increasing the cost of college. More and more students are staggering under the load of student debt - with the typical student borrower now graduating from college with $17,500 in debt.

According to studies from the Department of Education, financial barriers will prevent 4.4 million high school graduates from attending a four-year public college over the next decade, and prevent another two million high school graduates from attending any college at all.

More than ever, the health of our economy rests on having a highly-skilled and well-educated workforce. College access is the key to our remaining strong in the face of an increasingly competitive global economy. Without changes, by the year 2020, the United States is projected to face a shortage of up to 12 million college-educated workers, directly threatening America's economic strength.

Read the bill, here.

Posted by at 4:36 PM | Comments (9)

Tuesday Open Thread

This weekend it was reported that James Dobson (the ultra extreme religious right-wing head of Focus on the Family) said,

"I would not vote for John McCain under any circumstances."

That makes two of us.

Posted by at 9:29 AM | Comments (304)

Benchmarks and Accountability

Finally, with a Democratic Congress, the Bush administration is facing the tough questions on the mishandling of the war in Iraq. Appearing in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice received harsh criticism over the President Bush's plans to escalate the civil war in Iraq with tens of thousands of additional troops.

In his speech to the nation on Wednesday, Bush laid out yet another series of benchmarks--not for himself, of course, but for the Iraqi government--claiming that "America will hold the Iraqi government to the benchmarks it has announced."

But let's look at the Bush administration's history when it comes to holding the Iraqi government accountable. Democratic Senator Carl Levin had this to say to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates about the track record of the Iraqi government in meeting past benchmarks:

Iraqi President Talibani said in August 2006 that Iraqi forces would "take over security in all Iraqi provinces by the end of 2006." That pledge has not been kept.

Prime Minister Maliki said last June that he would disband the militias and illegal armed groups as part of his national reconciliation plan, and in October he set the timetable for disbanding the militias as the end of 2006. That commitment has not been kept.

The Iraqi Constitutional Review Commission was to present its recommendations for changes in the Constitution to the Council of Representatives within four months of the formation of the Government last May. The Commission has yet to formulate any recommendations.

Prime Minister Maliki put forward a series of reconciliation milestones to be completed by the end of 2006 or early 2007, including approval of the Provincial Election Law, the Petroleum Law, a new De-Baathification Law, and the Militia Law. Not one of these laws has been enacted.

The Iraqi army pledged six battalions in support of American and Coalition efforts during Operation Forward Together last summer. In fact, Iraqis provided only two battalions.

In response, Secretary Gates attempted to defend the use of the same failed policies by arguing it was different this time because "they really do seem to be eager to take control of this security."

Sound familiar?

President Bush, May 1, 2006: "They said [Iraqi leaders] were optimistic people, that they're full of energy and they're very eager to succeed."

It's the same thing all over again...

Posted by Michael Link at 6:01 AM | Comments (29)

January 15, 2007

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Open Thread

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Governor Dean:

"Today, Americans across the country celebrate the legacy of a man who gave us a powerful vision for our nation. It is only fitting that this year we broke ground on the long overdue memorial on the national mall which will celebrate Dr. Marin Luther King, Jr. This historic monument will convey to all who visit the nation's capital the importance of Dr. King's invaluable contributions to our country.
"Over forty years after Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech, our nation faces numerous challenges as we strive for the bright future that Dr. King envisioned. Our country remains at war, and we are still struggling to fight the scourges of poverty that were so obvious during the tragedies of Hurricane Katrina. Dr. King's dream of social and economic justice, his call for peace and his fight to fulfill the great dream of a shining America full of potential and greatness are even more relevant today.

"As we take this time to remember a man who impacted us all, let us also remember Dr. King's commitment to service and his belief that all men and women can achieve greatness by serving the greater community. It is in this spirit that we recommit ourselves on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to working together to create a new direction for America and to make the dream a reality.”

Posted by at 8:00 AM | Comments (2)

January 14, 2007

Honoring the Memory of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today we honor the life and memory of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. A Baptist Minister, King won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to promote racial equality and desegregation through nonviolence. On this day when we honor King's life, we pay tribute to a man who changed this country for the better, a man who will never be forgotten.

Best known for his "I Have a Dream" speech, King was a civil rights leader who will remain part of our collective conscious forever. King's accomplishments are too numerous to fully list, but here is a sample:

* President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, a leading civil rights organization. The organization combined Christian ideals with the techniques of Gandhi.

* Led a monumental demonstration in Birmingham, Alabama that made him a household name nearly worldwide. His "Letter from Birmingham Jail," written while he was in police custody after being arrested for peacefully protesting segregation, explains why the civil rights movement was justified in using civil disobedience.

* King directed the March on Washington, a march involving over 200,000 people in Washington, D.C. that culminated with his "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial.

* King was named Man of the Year by Time Magazine in 1963.

* King wrote five books and numerous articles; he was arrested upwards of twenty times; and was assaulted at least four times.

Two of my favorite quotes by a man of never-ending wisdom:

We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

Celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr. by remembering his words.

Posted by at 11:59 PM | Comments (228)

Sunday Open Thread

Discuss the talking heads...

Posted by at 8:00 AM | Comments (347)

January 13, 2007

Saturday Open Thread

Chat away...

Posted by at 8:00 AM | Comments (399)

January 12, 2007

TGIF Open Thread

Heads up! You can catch Governor Dean on CNN's The Situation Room today at 5:10 p.m. and on MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews at 5:20 p.m.

[Updated with earlier times!]

This is an open thread...

Posted by at 9:31 AM | Comments (287)

January 11, 2007

Can't Get Enough Convention News?

Well, neither can we!

New West Politics has has an article up, highlighting Governor Dean's commitment to Denver as a reflection of his commitment to the 50-State Strategy, and making sure the Democratic Party is a truly national party.

Dean, whose once-controversial "50-state strategy" was hugely vindicated in November, said in a conference call with reporters Thursday that the political opportunity Democrats see in the West was what "tipped" the decision to Denver. New York was the other major contender.
"Victories by strong Democratic candidates [in the November elections] show how important the West is, and if we win the West we'll win the presidency," Dean said. He added that the choice of a Heartland state was also a chance to "show that Democratic party values are American values."

Plus, Colorado Confidential has a Q&A with Chris Gates, Co-Chair of the Host Committee, where they dish on why Denver is the best choice for Dems in '08 and what it means for the mile-high city. (Other than the fact that it's the best thing ever!)

For people who aren’t familiar with a national political convention, why should they be excited about this?
It’s the coolest thing that’s ever happened to Denver. It’s bigger than the Summit of the Eight. It’s bigger than the NBA All-Star Game. This will bring 10 days of national attention for Denver, and it’s an incredible opportunity to celebrate the West.

Posted by at 5:27 PM | Comments (7)

50-State Strategy: By the Numbers

Harvard University's Elaine Kamarck spent some time looking at the numbers and trying to assess the 50-State Strategy.

By the end of Dean's first year in office, the fifty state strategy was in full swing. The DNC was paying for 183 people working for state parties as part of their coordinated campaigns. Most of this work went on below the radar screen.

She then goes on to compare districts, money spent by other campaign committees and comes up with what we already know: that when you show up, work hard and ask people for their votes, you do better! Except she's got some numbers to help prove it.

It's worth a read - you might learn something new. For instance, Chris Bowers, my favorite netroots numbers guy, takes a look and says:

I admit I was unaware of the wide scope of the fifty-state strategy--183 paid organizers is quite a large amount. It is certainly a very expensive electoral and party-building strategy that shifts a huge amount of funds away from television advertising during the final few weeks of the campaign in selected, narrowly targeted districts. Assessing the effectiveness of this strategy with an objective eye thus becomes increasingly important, since tens of millions of campaign dollars are at stake, and both those within the Democratic party infrastructure who favor the fifty-state strategy, such as state party chairs, as well as those who oppose it, such as consultants for Democratic campaign committees, stand to either gain or lose a huge amount of money depending on the scale to which the strategy is implemented.

You can check out Chris' analysis, here and read the full paper, here.

Posted by at 4:46 PM | Comments (18)

Make Your Voice Heard: Write to Your Local Paper!

Governor Dean sent the following e-mail to Democratic activists across the country today. I hope you will join in our Letter to the Editor campaign and make sure our message is heard loud and clear in every city and town in the nation!

Dear Fellow Democrat,

Last night, George Bush plans announce that he wants to send tens of thousands more troops to Iraq.

The American people oppose it. The generals, both active-duty and retired, say that it won't help. But George Bush thinks he can do it anyway.

He's got another thing coming.

We believe the Democratic Congress must have the opportunity to review and approve the troop increase in Iraq.

Whether you agree with a policy of escalation or not, Congress's involvement is fundamental to our democratic process. The people's representatives must consent to sending troops and spending money -- particularly on something as controversial as sending tens of thousands more troops into the middle of a civil war.

Unlike the way we got into this war, America must have a real conversation about how to end it. Congress finally asserting its constitutional authority is the only way that conversation will happen.

The most effective thing you can do right now is send a letter to the editor of your local paper about escalation, and let them know that you demand a vote on any troop increase. Writing your letter to the editor is simple using our PartyBuilder advocacy tools. Just click here to get started:

http://www.democrats.org/escalation

Why should Congress have to be consulted?

Because this is a new level of engagement in Iraq, far different than anything the Congress has authorized to date.

Whatever you felt about that Iraq vote in 2002, it's impossible to deny that the situation now has deteriorated and the president's policies have continually failed. We now know that the administration's claims about WMD stockpiles and Saddam's ties to al Qaeda were false. We also that the regime we went in to depose is long gone.

We've been fighting in Iraq for longer than we fought in World War II. There is a full-blown civil war there. And Saddam is dead.

The American people, through their elected representatives, deserve a voice in the decision to send tens of thousands more troops there.

Please take a moment and use the PartyBuilder Letters to Editors tool to make your voice heard:

http://www.democrats.org/escalation

Congressional oversight may seem strange to the pundits who have gotten used to a Republican-led group that barely showed up to work and didn't take its constitutional responsibilities seriously.

But there's plenty of precedent for it.

In the 1970's Congress passed laws to stop Richard Nixon from expanding the Vietnam War into Cambodia and, later, to cap the number of personnel allowed in Vietnam in order to force the administration to wind down the war.

In the 1980's Congress required Ronald Reagan to seek explicit authorization if he planned to expand U.S. forces in Lebanon and capped the number of troops on permanent duty elsewhere in the world.

Congress has the constitutional duty to represent the people, and the new Democratic Congress is prepared to live up to that responsibility.

Please write a letter to your local paper now demanding a debate on Bush's escalation plan:

http://www.democrats.org/escalation

I opposed this war from the beginning. But no matter how you felt then, it's clear that the president's policy has failed.

Last year's elections were a referendum on Iraq, and the president lost.

Ignoring the lessons of history by increasing troop levels is not an answer to the problems in Iraq. Nor is blaming the military for the President's own mistakes an answer, or ignoring the bipartisan Baker-Hamilton Commission recommendations, including an emphasis on diplomacy. And ignoring the will of the American people is certainly not an answer.

The people made their voices heard, and if the president isn't going to listen, the Democratic Congress will.

Democrats in Congress heard the people loud and clear in 2006. In 2007, they are ready to act.

Let's join them.

Governor Howard Dean, M.D.

Posted by at 3:52 PM | Comments (9)

Convention is Announced

We're going to Denver for the 2008 convention!

From our press shop:

Citing the Denver host committee's strong bid and growing Democratic gains in the Rocky Mountain West, Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean today announced that Denver will host the 2008 Democratic National Convention Monday, August 25 to Thursday, August 28.

We will post additional information in a few moments.

UPDATE: Here's the link to the full press release: http://www.democrats.org/a/conventiona/

Posted by at 11:57 AM | Comments (1)

Thursday Open Thread

Check out Cheers and Jeers this morning and find something to smile about.

Posted by at 9:46 AM | Comments (255)

January 10, 2007

Open Thread...

Go ahead and get it off your chest...

Posted by at 9:33 PM | Comments (158)

Governor Dean Responds to Bush Address On the War

"By choosing to escalate the crisis in Iraq, President Bush continues to ignore the lessons of history, ignore the advice of military experts, ignore the recommendations of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group and the will of the American people. The President's plan will not make America more secure. It puts more American troops in the middle of a civil war and a situation reminiscent of Vietnam. Democrats in Congress have made it clear that they fully support our brave troops in combat, but will also hold the President accountable for a new direction in Iraq that turns the country over to the Iraqis and allows for our troops to come home. Our troops have already sacrificed enough for the President's mistakes."

Posted by at 9:30 PM | Comments (38)

Democratic Leaders: Escalating Our Military Involvement in Iraq Sends Precisely the Wrong Message

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and Senate Assistant Democratic Leader Richard Durbin released the following statement tonight on President Bush's address to the nation on the war in Iraq:

"Last November, the American people delivered a strong message of no confidence in the President's Iraq policy and clearly expressed their desire for a new direction. The President had an opportunity tonight to demonstrate that he understood the depth of the concern in the country, make a long overdue course correction, and articulate a clear mission for our engagement in Iraq. Instead, he chose to escalate our involvement in Iraq's civil war by proposing a substantial increase in the number of our forces there. This proposal endangers our national security by placing additional burdens on our already over-extended military thereby making it even more difficult to respond to other crises.
"While we all want to see a stable and peaceful Iraq, many current and former senior military leaders have made clear that sending more American combat troops does not advance that goal. Our troops have performed the difficult missions given to them in Iraq with great courage. The Congress and the American people will continue to support them and provide them with every resource they need. But our military forces deserve a policy commensurate with the sacrifices they have been asked to make. Regrettably, the President has not provided that tonight.

"Rather than escalating our involvement in Iraq by sending additional troops, we believe that a plan for the way forward in Iraq requires these elements:

Shifting greater responsibility to the Iraqis for their security and transitioning the principal mission of our forces from combat to training, logistics, force protection, and counter terrorism operations;

Beginning the phased redeployment of our forces in the next four to six months; and

Implementing an aggressive diplomatic strategy, both within the region and beyond, which reflects the continuing obligation of the international community to help stabilize Iraq and which assists the Iraqis in achieving a sustainable political settlement, including by amending their constitution.

"Iraqi political leaders will not take the necessary steps to achieve a political resolution to the sectarian problems in their country until they understand that the U.S. commitment is not open-ended. Escalating our military involvement in Iraq sends precisely the wrong message and we oppose it.

"In the days ahead, Congress will exercise its Constitutional responsibilities by giving the President's latest proposal the scrutiny our troops and the American people expect. We will demand answers to the tough questions that have not been asked or answered to date. The American people want a change of course in Iraq. We intend to keep pressing President Bush to provide it."

Posted by at 9:26 PM | Comments (7)

The Old Plan vs. The "New" Plan

The first plan, from 2005. The second plan, the "new" one. It's in landscape format.

Posted by at 8:36 PM | Comments (3)

Multiple-Choice Mitt Strikes Again

Well that didn't take too long.

Just last week we looked at Mr. Multiple Choice and his record of saying whatever he thinks people want to hear.

Well he's done it again, but he's made the wrong choice this time.

In a statement released today, Mitt decides to support the President's plan for escalation by increasing troop levels with 5 more brigades and 2 more regiments of troops for Iraq.

Of course, this isn't his first time he's commented on Iraq. In the past he has claimed he couldn't weigh in because he was "still a Governor," but that was after he had already criticized the President's planning and troop strength.

Nice to know he's gonna stand by the President on his big night. I'm sure the President appreciates his new-found rubber-stamp rhetoric.

And it's also nice to know that he's finally taken a stand, even if it is against the advice of military and foreign policy experts and the wishes of the American people.

Posted by at 3:32 PM | Comments (2)

Bush Proposes Escalating The War In Iraq (Again)

At every stage, President Bush got it wrong on Iraq. At every stage, he offered more of the same while pretending there was change. And at every stage, our troops paid the price for his blunders.

As he prepares to address the nation tonight, with a plea for more troops to continue his failed strategy in Iraq, Democrats are sending a strong message that Congress will no longer serve as a rubber stamp. Nevertheless, President Bush appears to be ignoring the will of the people by attempting to go ahead with plans to escalate the war:

For a little over 20 minutes Wednesday night, Mr. Bush is to explain why a gradual buildup of about 20,000 additional U.S. troops, along with other steps expected to include pumping $1-billion (U.S.) into Iraq's economy, is the answer for a more than three-and-a-half-year-old war that has only gotten deadlier with no end in sight.

With the country descending further into a bloody civil war, the President has called to escalate the war yet again. The strategy is "more of the same" from this administration and the American people are tired of the same policies simply being given a new catchphrase.

"Mission Accomplished." "When Iraqi troops stand up, American forces will stand down." "We've turned the corner." "Stay the course." "Adapt to win."

And now, in an effort to use the catchphrase of the Iraq Study Group, while ignoring the substance of their report, he talks about "a new way forward." Rather than a real change in direction, a Bush administration official has already admitted it is "more of a political decision than a military one." The reason it is not a military decision may be that escalating the war is opposed by top military leaders.

Democrats have proposed a new direction in Iraq, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid writing to President Bush that "it is time to bring the war to a close." Congress will continue to exercise its Constitutional authority to hold the President accountable for a change of course that turns Iraq over to the Iraqis and allows for our troops to come home.

Posted by Michael Link at 3:25 PM | Comments (59)

Stem Cell Research: Offering Hope and Promise

One of the items on the House's 100 Hours agenda, and one of the Senate's first 10 bills of the 110th Congress, is to increase funding for embryonic stem cell research, legislation that both chambers passed in 2006, but was then vetoed by the President.

The Bush Administration and their cronies continue to mislead the public about the truth behind this science, carving out a policy that is based on the influence of extreme religious right-wing conservative minority, rather than the facts.

Earlier this week, Tony Snow, the Administration's spokesperson claimed:

"The vast majority of breakthroughs right now, virtually all, have involved those other than embryonic stem cells.”

That is a dangerously false claim. A large majority of the American people support this research, and Democrats are committed to crafting public policy based on sound science, not extreme ideology during the 110th Congress.

ThinkProgress compiled a list of the medical breakthroughs that have been made recently as a result of life-saving embryonic stem cell research, breakthroughs with the potential to cure diseases that effect millions of Americans, from those suffering from AIDS to diabetes.

Check out the list, here.

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

Who Supports Escalation?

The Troops? Nope. According to a Military Times Poll, a minority -- only 38% -- of American troops think there should be a greater number of troops than there are now.

The Commanders? Nope. General John Abizaid told Congress: "I met with every divisional commander, General Casey, the corps commander, General Dempsey, we all talked together. And I said, in your professional opinion, if we were to bring in more American Troops now, does it add considerably to our ability to achieve success in Iraq? And they all said no."

The Joint

January 31, 2007

DNC Winter Meeting Prep

More Dirty Tricks

Wednesday Open Thread

January 30, 2007

White House Has Its Head in the Sand

On the Hill: Senate Votes on Minimum Wage Later This Week

Listen Up!: Senator Schumer's Podcast

Who is the President Interested in Protecting?

Tuesday Open Thread

January 29, 2007

John McCain - A Video Montage

Congress' War Powers

Just Another Manic Monday Open Thread

January 28, 2007

Sunday Open Thread

January 27, 2007

Saturday Open Thread

January 26, 2007

'08 GOP Watch

Congress on Iraq

TGIF Open Thread

January 25, 2007

All About the Children

Confronting Bush Over the Iraq War

Thursday Open Thread

January 24, 2007

LISTEN UP: Ask Senator Schumer!

GOP Blocks Minimum Wage Increase

At Least Some GOPers Still *Heart* GWB

Post-Game Analysis

Wednesday Morning Open Thread

January 23, 2007

The State of Our Union

The Democratic Response to the State of the Union

Pre-SOTU Open Thread

State of the Union Bingo!

The Crime, The Cover-up, The Trial

Watch It!: Governor Dean on TV

Here's Hoping

Tuesday Open Thread

January 22, 2007

The Title of the Post Says It All!

On the 34th Anniversary of Roe vs. Wade

Monday Morning Open Thread

January 21, 2007

State of the Union

Sunday Morning Open Thread

January 20, 2007

Real Weekend Open Thread

January 19, 2007

Weekend Open Thread

Smoke-and-Mirrors War Budgeting to End

Ethics Reform Bill Passes in the Senate

My Teacher, My Hero

Friday Morning Open Thread

January 18, 2007

Thursday Night Open Thread

Livin' It Up

First 100 Hours Over

Senate Republicans Vote No on Ethics

A Military Mom's Perspective

Thursday Morning Open Thread

January 17, 2007

Ending Big Oil Subsidies and Investing in Energy Independence

Open Thread

January 16, 2007

Making College Affordable - Now and in the Future

Tuesday Open Thread

Benchmarks and Accountability

January 15, 2007

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Open Thread

January 14, 2007

Honoring the Memory of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Sunday Open Thread

January 13, 2007

Saturday Open Thread

January 12, 2007

TGIF Open Thread

January 11, 2007

At Least Some GOPers Still Heart GWB