Thank you, Michael!

Governments around the world seem to be caving in to the siren call of globalization. And their citizens are none too happy about it.

POLITICS: Gulf Seen Between Democracy in Theory and PracticeBy JimLobe

The belief that governments were being run by "a few big interests" was particularly pervasive in Ukraine (84 percent), Mexico (83 percent), the United States (80 percent), Nigeria and South Korea (78 percent), and Argentina (71 percent).

"The perception that governments are not responsive to the popular will appears to be contributing to the low levels of confidence in government found around the world," noted Steven Kull, who directs both the WPO and its parent organisation, the University of Maryland's Programme on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA).

read the entire article here

I would not be adverse to donating to her campaign towards her 2012 Senate re-election! We need to make sure she keeps her seat.

WASHINGTON - Should she lose or abandon her quest for the Democratic presidential nomination, Hillary Rodham Clinton will have to deal with her campaign's more than $20 million debt — a step that could test her relationship with Barack Obama and raise new issues in campaign finance law.

Clinton owed $10 million at the end of March, has made loans to her campaign totaling of $11.4 million thus far and will more than likely end the primary season significantly in the red.

Among her options is transferring that debt to her Senate campaign committee and paying it off with contributions to her 2012 re-election effort.

But, for the short term, many Democrats believe the answer lies with Obama and his vast network of contributors.

"That is a normal thing when a candidate finishes a race and loses, the winning candidate would try to help if there's some debt that's been incurred," said Tad Devine, a Democratic consultant who has worked in several presidential campaigns but is unaligned this year.

By law, Obama cannot write a massive check from his flush campaign account to hers. But Obama donors, large and small, might be willing to donate to Clinton in the name of party unity.

Clinton campaign officials say they have not contemplated what she will do with the debt. Asked whether she would welcome financial help from Obama, her spokesman, Howard Wolfson, told "Fox News Sunday" that "any talk of that is premature."

Obama's chief strategist, David Axelrod, offered a similar response.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080513/ap_on_el_pr/clinton_debt

Why you might not have gotten your tax rebate yet

http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/columnist/block/2008-05-12-tax-rebates_N.htm?se=yahoorefer

Am I missing something or what?Why does rove or any other person from this administration get to try to dictate terms as to they will or will not testify? This does nothing,but confuse and make me upset.These people don`t seem to be accountable for anything?

Is this working now? The front page says 4 comments but when I click on, it only shows 1.

Posted by PamB on May 13, 2008 at 03:20 PM

Bill Clinton has make $100 million since 2000 in speeches, he can go back on the circuit supporting, who ever is backing him. I am sure many Democrats, even with the price of gas, will come to hear him speak with eloquence. But I hope the Democrats are not on the receiving end of it, but his Bush Goodwill Ambassadors in how they screwed up America after him.

If Obama needs to help anyone with large sums of help, it is the bulk of Democrats that were forgotten, when to be Liberal was a bad name to mention, you were Progressive in Judging others but then Conservatives do what comes naturally, they self destruct in their own destructive forces of negativity. Then you need Liberals to bring them back into positive balance of Constitutional scale of balanced neutrality of respect and honor.

This is great. It puts into pictures what the rest of the world thinks of Chimpy.

Mexican newspaper ad: "A world so complex needs a good explanation"

Click on the ad for the full picture.

lester, you miss the point of that article. It says in other contests like this, when one candidate loses and is in the hole, it is not uncommon for supporters of the other candidate to help them out.

This would be VOLUNTARY, by not only Obama's supporters, but other voters, to get Hillary back on track. She may have to finish depleting her Senatorial war chest because of this, and we cannot afford to let her lose.

I do not believe she nor Bill can just give money to her political funds.

Not one mention about fining the corporation that hired these people who are trying hard to feed their families. Thanks, George, you've done it again.

Immigration raid in Iowa largest ever in US

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Federal officials say a raid at a northeastern Iowa meat processing plant this week was the largest in U.S. history.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials say 390 people have been arrested on immigration charges after Monday's raid at Agriprocessors Inc. in Postville. The facility is the world's largest kosher meatpacking plant.

http://news.findlaw.com/ap/other/1110//05-13-2008/20080513112003_57.html

Now I wonder how Al Gore ever managed this? I am sure it must be another liberal trick, right?

World Carbon Dioxide Levels Highest for 650,000 Years, Says US Report
By David Adam
The Guardian UK

Rise in chief greenhouse gas worse than feared. Earth may be losing ability to absorb CO2, say scientists.

The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has reached a record high, according to the latest figures, renewing fears that climate change could begin to slide out of control.

Scientists at the Mauna Loa observatory in Hawaii say that CO2 levels in the atmosphere now stand at 387 parts per million (ppm), up almost 40% since the industrial revolution and the highest for at least the last 650,000 years.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/051308F.shtml

Oops - here's the link regarding the article on the immigration raid in Iowa.

http://news.findlaw.com/ap/other/1110//05-13-2008/20080513112003_57.html

ah Pam, it's all Bill Clinton's fault! Young said something in an earlier post. Do you think we true liberals can come put out the closet now???????? (snicker)

Posted by PamB on May 13, 2008 at 04:00 PM

I guess it might be okay, but some people who contribute may get upset at the idea that money would be used for other purposes in Creative Accounting. I know some politicians like that Idaho Republican Senator, who have used it for lawyers, it seems it should have some better oversight. I do not even know if paid volunteers, pay social security and income taxes, or are under the table workers, do they? Do politician have a special form to report all the Contributions to the IRS?

Nobody has said about her losing, she is a talented Democrat with no gender or race needed as to her qualifications. We need for her to refrain from using divisive words that tend to divide the Party.

Common traits of a troll:

- Spending an inordinate amount of time where you're not wanted;
- A slavish, dog-like obedience to authority;
- A willingness to mimic any talking point;
- A willingness to change any opinion you hold at the drop of the President's hat;
- A contempt for those who challenge you on any point.

Other right-wing troll traits include calling those that disagree with you communists, as well as not being able to actually define what a communist is. When asked what a communist is, Toad the Wet Sprocket angrily lashed out "Only a communist would ask a stupid question like that. Commie."

Afternoon, blue

yawnnnnnnnn, don't you also get tired, of the same ole, same ole sour grape sore losers, posting crapola that nobody even reads??????

Michelle and he love to hear themselves look like idiots, don't they???? :)

Too bad it won't be finished until 2009.

Moore making ‘Fahrenheit 9/11′ sequel.

Good afternoon, all.

Posted by BoilerMan on May 13, 2008 at 03:18 PM

Boilerman,

It's interesting to note that the U.S. is now routinely grouped with all the rest of the banana republics in most studies.

Thank you, Mr. Bush, and all the rest of you Republicans across the country. You have been able to do what Hitler and Bin Lauden couldn't...destroy our military and our economy.

To think all the Communists ever had to do to "bury us" was to accept outsourcing gifts from the Republican-controlled Congress and lend them money which they knew the GOP would waste.

Posted by PamB on May 13, 2008 at 04:50 PM

Boring? yes. But, it always makes me realize that these guys are so desperate that they have no other place to go for attention. Poor li'l neglected republicans! :)

ZZZZZAAAAAPPPPPP!

Ah yes, the sound of another troll hitting the DNC buglight.

West Virginia Snapshot

Trolls can't count, today or any day.

1. Do Be
2. Boilerman
3. virgo
4. PamB
5. puggles
6. Kathy in IN
7. SandyH
8. BobVADemHawk
9. BlueinIdaho
10. Esmeralda
11. YoungPoet

Good night fellow Dmeocrats. Keep the Faith and keep the faith. The populist revolution has begun!

Today's Clean Laugh...I am one, so the laugh is on me! Enjoy!

Government Work

You know you work for the government when:

The process becomes more important than the product.

You don't see anything wrong with attending a meeting on a subject you know nothing about.

You feel you contributed to the meeting just by being there.

You stop raising issues/problems because you know you will be the one answering them.

You fly first class across the country to attend a conference with 100+ people to discuss the fact that the project does not have enough money.

You work for an acronym, on an acronym, and your job title is an acronym.

You understand the rationalization of an acronym composed of acronyms.

You know that the location of a meeting is directly related to its importance.
(1) A meeting at Fort Hood requires a subordinate or a contractor
(2) The same meeting at Lake Tahoe requires your personal attention

You've sat at the same desk for 3 years, done the same thing for 3 years, but have had 3 different business cards.

Posted by BobVADemHawk-Obama08 on May 13, 2008 at 05:10 PM

Bob,

It's time for a strategy session.

I'm detecting something here in the Mississippi and Ohio Valleys which you also seem to be noticing in the Mid-Costal states. The same could also be said of the Upper Plains and the Southwest.

We are attracting new voters in different places.
It calls for a new strategy and a focus on message not promises.

While I respect the Reagan Democrats and the clout they have in some states, I don't see them as the keystone for developing at a new Democratic majority. If they want to come along with us, by all means let's clear a wide space for them in the pews.

But if they are going to continue reverting back to the lure of Republican dirty tricks, stereotypes, and Swiftboating, I can't see trusting them to look out for my children's future.

Am I right? Do we have a unique opportunity to cast our net further out in this election? Is there a new breed of voters ready for change? I'm excited for what it could mean for our future...my grandchildren's future.

Do you think Hillary can see past Bill's small, narrow view of this nation and its voters stuck in rigid demographic groups?

If she can, I'd love to have her on the ticket with Obama. She would work her heart out to build this new majority. You can't ask for more than that from a V.P.

What do you think? Do we cut all ties with the past or ask them to help move us forward?

Evening all good Dems!
Has anyone heard anything about the results of the special election for the House of Representatives in Mississippi?
The Rep. candidate, G. Davis, (with the help of the RNC) ran the ugliest campaign that I have ever seen. The Dem. Candidate - Travis Childers ran a much more positive campaign.
Anyone have any idea what the web site is to find the results?

Posted by BlueinIdaho on May 13, 2008 at 04:46 PM

John McCain is a troll! Who knew?

Posted by SandyH on May 13, 2008 at 06:33 PM

While I would be proud to vote for Sen. Clinton on the ticket, let's not underestimate her importance in the Senate. If she is not (and I do not see how she could be) the Presidential Candidate, is it possible that she could actually do the democratic party more good in the Senate? We can't forget about needing 'bullet-proof' majorities in both houses of Congress.

I really like what you said about the Reagan Democrats. We would love to have them and we may need them in some states but we can not afford to change the liberal agenda just to pander to them.

Posted by Esmeralda on May 13, 2008 at 06:30 PM

Essie,

That's true of any large institution. I don't see government employees any differently than others.

The ice cream truck is coming down the street ringing its bell and playing that carnival music. I haven't seen one of those in this neighborhood in a decade. Things are a changing...lots of young families and potential Democratic votes.

I'm going to grab my wallet and a handful of registration forms. bbl.

Posted by marymac_memphis on May 13, 2008 at 06:45 PM

I think it depends totally on what she really wants.
If she will destroy the dem party because she wants vice presidency really bad, I will gladly vote for her to be vp
i hesitate only because I have seen the trouble a vp that wants their own way can cause for the president/country

New thread!

Posted by marymac_memphis on May 13, 2008 at 06:45 PM

Hi, marymac.

It's too cold for ice cream tonight. Only me and a retired couple showed up for a cone. I guess I'll have to head on over to the school ball fields on a nicer night.

I think you're right about Hillary wanting to lead the fight for health care and education in the Senate. But it's a lot easier to spearhead a policy at a rally than herd a bunch of cats in the Congress.

I think she'd like to stay out on the stump and chase down as many of those new votes as she can. If she is given a key role, she'll run with it.

But we have to find some way to ween her away from Bill. The party better figure out what to do with him. He represents the past and keeps on dragging her, and us, back to a place we no longer want to be.

She will be great wherever she goes.

O.K., Aren't the polls closed? Where is "Miss Congeniality?"

You are hurting OBama when you bash Bill Clinton! OBama has all but a few of Bill Clinton's Cabinet members on his choice of Cabinet workers.

Some have said OBama wants to run his policies similar to Bill Clintons. And he needs Bill's Cabinet advise to set up Bill's Policies.

All he would have to do is ask Hillary Clinton to be his V-President and she would advise him.

It is too earily for that. Lets see who wins.