Nicholas Wilt's Blog
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For those who are mystified as to why Clinton soldiers on in the Presidential campaign, you need look no further than
1) the $11M that she has "loaned" her campaign, and
2) her sordid history of campaign financing dealings that probably should be against the law.
I connect the dots, citing ancient history, in this diary post on dailykos.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/5/7/1027/93622/714/510847
How did the candidate who started the race by rolling over $10M left over from her Senate campaign, wind up $20M in debt?
1) the $11M that she has "loaned" her campaign, and
2) her sordid history of campaign financing dealings that probably should be against the law.
I connect the dots, citing ancient history, in this diary post on dailykos.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/5/7/1027/93622/714/510847
How did the candidate who started the race by rolling over $10M left over from her Senate campaign, wind up $20M in debt?
If you have not yet written your Senators about the pending FISA vote and their revisiting (again!) the issue of retroactive immunity for the telecommunications companies, PLEASE take a moment to get on their Web site and exhort them NOT to support retroactive immunity.
The issue goes beyond civil liberties: this article on communications security, co-authored by a who's who list of computer scientist security experts, raises the concern that the approach apparently used by the NSA poses a grave security risk. It can be co-opted by third parties outside the government to spy on those whose communications are being intercepted, which appears to have been all of us.
Risking Communications Security: Potential Hazards of the Protect America Act
By the way, much of the article is based on revelations brought to light by civil lawsuits against the telecoms that would never have gone forward with retroactive immunity.
Sen. Leahy has announced support for Sen. Dodd's vow to filibuster this legislation, if need be. Use Sen. Leahy's contact tool or call your Senators (toll free number for the switchboard: 1-800-965-4701) to urge them to vote against providing retroactive immunity to the telcos, and to vote YES on S 3907, the Dodd/Feingold amendment to strip immunity from the bill.
I realize we are all thinking about the primaries right now and wondering which Democrat is going to lead us out of this mess, but I think this study merits some attention in the "lull" between NH and NV.
Much of the opposition to the Iraq war centers on the costs to our troops: almost 4,000 dead and dozens of thousands grievously wounded.
But the picture is incomplete if we fail to account for the cost that Iraq has incurred. The most credible study to date has just been published, estimating that 151,000 Iraqis died in the three years after the United States invaded. Note that the study's timeframe closed in June 2006, so we have another 18 months of unaccounted for casualties.
Are Iraqi lives less valuable than American ones? If so, by how much? Even if an Iraqi life is 50x less valuable *and* you believe that Iraq had something to do with 9/11 (both faulty assumptions, but bear with me), we broke even in June 2006 by inflicting 50x more casualties on the Iraqis than we suffered on 9/11.
Meantime, when are we going to stop the hand-wringing about the effects of a precipitous pullout? The sooner we get out, the sooner the Iraqis will stop suffering at our hands.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22578010/from/ET/
Much of the opposition to the Iraq war centers on the costs to our troops: almost 4,000 dead and dozens of thousands grievously wounded.
But the picture is incomplete if we fail to account for the cost that Iraq has incurred. The most credible study to date has just been published, estimating that 151,000 Iraqis died in the three years after the United States invaded. Note that the study's timeframe closed in June 2006, so we have another 18 months of unaccounted for casualties.
Are Iraqi lives less valuable than American ones? If so, by how much? Even if an Iraqi life is 50x less valuable *and* you believe that Iraq had something to do with 9/11 (both faulty assumptions, but bear with me), we broke even in June 2006 by inflicting 50x more casualties on the Iraqis than we suffered on 9/11.
Meantime, when are we going to stop the hand-wringing about the effects of a precipitous pullout? The sooner we get out, the sooner the Iraqis will stop suffering at our hands.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22578010/from/ET/
Under the circumstances, I am amazed at the mileage Hillary Clinton gets from her argument that she has more "experience" than the other candidates.
During last night's debate for example, Hillary made much of her "35 years of experience." Personally I do not believe that being First Lady of Arkansas or First Lady of the United States constitutes public service, but granting that for the sake of argument, it is important to recognize that the First Lady's work is *off the record*. Without the Presidential papers that the Clintons have refused to disclose, the American people are in the dark about much of the "experience" that she claims. Legislators have attendance records, debate records, voting records that voters can use to assist in their decision-making process; what do we know about the time Hillary spent in the White House? And why isn't she more forthcoming in making that material available?
In any case- If you count his time in the Illinois state legislature Barack Obama has *more* legislative experience than Hillary Clinton .
In the 1990s, Hillary and her husband presided over a triangulation strategy that enabled political rhetoric to skew far to the right compared to where it had been. She keeps saying that she has been vetted and tested; but note that she has been vetted *and found wanting* by many voters in this country.
I hope primary voters continue to deliver the message that this country needs more change than flip-flopping the surname of the President between "Bush" and "Clinton."
During last night's debate for example, Hillary made much of her "35 years of experience." Personally I do not believe that being First Lady of Arkansas or First Lady of the United States constitutes public service, but granting that for the sake of argument, it is important to recognize that the First Lady's work is *off the record*. Without the Presidential papers that the Clintons have refused to disclose, the American people are in the dark about much of the "experience" that she claims. Legislators have attendance records, debate records, voting records that voters can use to assist in their decision-making process; what do we know about the time Hillary spent in the White House? And why isn't she more forthcoming in making that material available?
In any case- If you count his time in the Illinois state legislature Barack Obama has *more* legislative experience than Hillary Clinton .
In the 1990s, Hillary and her husband presided over a triangulation strategy that enabled political rhetoric to skew far to the right compared to where it had been. She keeps saying that she has been vetted and tested; but note that she has been vetted *and found wanting* by many voters in this country.
I hope primary voters continue to deliver the message that this country needs more change than flip-flopping the surname of the President between "Bush" and "Clinton."
Micro-blogging is the service pioneered by Twitter where you keep interested people apprised of your activities on a moment-by-moment basis during the day. Stuff as trivial as, "7:36am. Eating breakfast (cream of wheat)." or "2:00pm. Meeting w/so-and-so."
I submit that American citizens have an equally compelling interest in their representatives' daily activities. I'm not asking for much: a one-line summary of each substantive exchange they have over the course of the day. If CEOs can do it, so can members of Congress. Updates can be submitted via text messaging from your cell phone for cryin' out loud.
And if they've committed to do it, no one is exempt. That protects them as well as us. If Darth Cheney wants to arm-twist someone over an upcoming vote, it better serves our democracy if the fact of that meeting is recorded. If that gives him pause, so much the better!
This is not an unreasonable request. The technology's here; we have a right to know; and we get a much better window into the goings-on Inside The Beltway even if only a small percentage of members agree to do it.
Write your member of Congress and ask them to take a Transparency Pledge.
John Edwards favors requiring that voting machines have open source software. It may be counterintuitive to non-computer scientists, but the best way to build a secure system is to publish the source code and other details of how the machines are built. The transparency is needed to ensure that the design is subjected to the scrutiny and criticism needed to maximize the integrity of the process.
John Edwards Supports Open Source For Voting Systems
"Security by obscurity: it doesn't work, and it's a royal pain to recover when it fails." - Bruce Schneier, author, _Applied Cryptography_
Bruce Schneier on Security by Obscurity
John Edwards Supports Open Source For Voting Systems
"Security by obscurity: it doesn't work, and it's a royal pain to recover when it fails." - Bruce Schneier, author, _Applied Cryptography_
Bruce Schneier on Security by Obscurity
The 3 Party Slogans in 1984 are:
WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
Stop for a moment to reflect on this 9-word summary of the Bush Administration.
From the main character, who is a propagandist by trade, fomenting unthinking patriotism on the one hand and fear and hatred of an elusive Enemy on the other; to the deftness with which the government changes targets of that fear and hatred as its needs dictate; to the manufactured war hero who evokes the military's spin on Pat Tillman's death; to the pervasive surveillance that evokes the Bush Administration's warrantless wiretapping; to the torture (and reprogramming) scene that evokes the Bush Administration's extraordinary rendition program; every page rings true today, in a way that should disturb every American.
Even the stuff Orwell got wrong, he got right. In _1984_, sex is ruthlessly oppressed lest it distract the population; today, sex is ruthlessly exploited in order to distract the population. Different means, same end.
If you haven't read it, read it now.
If you have read it, read it again.
WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
Stop for a moment to reflect on this 9-word summary of the Bush Administration.
From the main character, who is a propagandist by trade, fomenting unthinking patriotism on the one hand and fear and hatred of an elusive Enemy on the other; to the deftness with which the government changes targets of that fear and hatred as its needs dictate; to the manufactured war hero who evokes the military's spin on Pat Tillman's death; to the pervasive surveillance that evokes the Bush Administration's warrantless wiretapping; to the torture (and reprogramming) scene that evokes the Bush Administration's extraordinary rendition program; every page rings true today, in a way that should disturb every American.
Even the stuff Orwell got wrong, he got right. In _1984_, sex is ruthlessly oppressed lest it distract the population; today, sex is ruthlessly exploited in order to distract the population. Different means, same end.
If you haven't read it, read it now.
If you have read it, read it again.
Some local members of the local Democracy for America council in Rochester NY (disclaimer: including myself) co-authored an editorial that appeared in today's Democrat & Chronicle. I thought the lead author (not me) articulated our position beautifully, although the headline that the paper chose is not ideal.
Some wingnuts in the comments section claim that America is not a democracy...
Democrat & Chronicle Editorial
In the wake of the General "Betray-Us" dustup, I noticed that MoveOn is still quoted as having 3.2 million members or so, and started thinking either the number is out of date, or MoveOn membership isn't growing much.
After the 2004 election, MoveOn sponsored house parties to help its membership narrow their focus to four issues that are confronting America:
- the war in Iraq;
- the healthcare crisis;
- the environment;
- democracy in America.
These are all mainstream issues that affect everyone in America! If anything, their importance and stature has grown in recent months; so I'm not sure why MoveOn membership wouldn't be growing.
I have been a member since the warrantless wiretapping story broke, and have found MoveOn to be a very effective way to organize events and meet local people who are like-minded. We don't agree on everything but wouldn't life be dull if we did? I've met some good friends and we have a group that meets monthly to socialize, discuss the latest goings-on, and plan events together.
MoveOn's "Operation Democracy" website says it better than I can: "From the sidelines, politics can be pretty depressing these days. But our members consistently say that getting out into the community and making actual progress on key issues is both fun and rewarding. Joining Operation Democracy and taking action in your area is a great way to meet like-minded neighbors and feel good building a better future, one person at a time."
So here it is: a blatant invitation to go to http://www.moveon.org and join up, if you think any of those four issues (Iraq, healthcare, environment, democracy in America) deserve more than lip service.
What I'd really like is for the next big news story on MoveOn to say that it has 10M members...
After the 2004 election, MoveOn sponsored house parties to help its membership narrow their focus to four issues that are confronting America:
- the war in Iraq;
- the healthcare crisis;
- the environment;
- democracy in America.
These are all mainstream issues that affect everyone in America! If anything, their importance and stature has grown in recent months; so I'm not sure why MoveOn membership wouldn't be growing.
I have been a member since the warrantless wiretapping story broke, and have found MoveOn to be a very effective way to organize events and meet local people who are like-minded. We don't agree on everything but wouldn't life be dull if we did? I've met some good friends and we have a group that meets monthly to socialize, discuss the latest goings-on, and plan events together.
MoveOn's "Operation Democracy" website says it better than I can: "From the sidelines, politics can be pretty depressing these days. But our members consistently say that getting out into the community and making actual progress on key issues is both fun and rewarding. Joining Operation Democracy and taking action in your area is a great way to meet like-minded neighbors and feel good building a better future, one person at a time."
So here it is: a blatant invitation to go to http://www.moveon.org and join up, if you think any of those four issues (Iraq, healthcare, environment, democracy in America) deserve more than lip service.
What I'd really like is for the next big news story on MoveOn to say that it has 10M members...
Join Iraq Veterans Against the War, Veterans for Peace, Camp Casey Peace Institute, the ANSWER Coalition, Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation, National Council of Arab-Americans, Grassroots America, Hip Hop Caucus, and thousands of others in Washington DC on September 15 for a huge antiwar protest timed to coincide with the report by General Petraeus on the "Surge" in Iraq.
September 15 March on Washington
If you cannot go in person, please donate to support the activity: Donate
September 15 March on Washington
If you cannot go in person, please donate to support the activity: Donate
This post is too windy for anything but extended post material.
Hillary supporters might not want to click through. Read More »
Hillary supporters might not want to click through. Read More »
This is making its way around the Internet, had to share.
The Center for Disease Control has issued a warning about a new virulent strain of Sexually Transmitted Disease. The disease is contracted through dangerous and high-risk behavior. The disease is called Gonorrhea Lectim and is pronounced "gonna re-elect him". Many victims contracted it in 2004, after having been screwed for the past four years.
Naturalists and epidemiologists are amazed at how this destructive disease originated approximately a mere seven years ago from a bush found in Texas .
Cognitive characteristics of individuals infected include: antisocial personality disorders, delusions of grandeur with messianic overtones, extreme cognitive dissonance, inability to incorporate new information, pronounced xenophobia and paranoia, inability to accept responsibility for own actions, cowardice masked by misplaced bravado, uncontrolled facial smirking, ignorance of geography and history, tendencies towards evangelical theocracy, categorical all-or-nothing behavior.
The Center for Disease Control has issued a warning about a new virulent strain of Sexually Transmitted Disease. The disease is contracted through dangerous and high-risk behavior. The disease is called Gonorrhea Lectim and is pronounced "gonna re-elect him". Many victims contracted it in 2004, after having been screwed for the past four years.
Naturalists and epidemiologists are amazed at how this destructive disease originated approximately a mere seven years ago from a bush found in Texas .
Cognitive characteristics of individuals infected include: antisocial personality disorders, delusions of grandeur with messianic overtones, extreme cognitive dissonance, inability to incorporate new information, pronounced xenophobia and paranoia, inability to accept responsibility for own actions, cowardice masked by misplaced bravado, uncontrolled facial smirking, ignorance of geography and history, tendencies towards evangelical theocracy, categorical all-or-nothing behavior.
I know this is a belated reaction, but I thought I would share anyway. My overall impression of the debate was that I didn't learn much about the candidates, but I did learn that Wolf Blitzer is a **terrible** moderator. He singled out candidates for ill treatment; he tried to rush things along inappropriately; and he made a point of interrupting candidates whenever they started to criticize the Administration. So I guess besides being a poor moderator, he also is a Republican.
ps Larry King was *there*, why couldn't *he* serve as moderator and Wolf do post-debate interviews?
pps "Raise Your Hand" questions. They need to stop. Now. I'm glad Blitzer got called on it because that was BS.
ps Larry King was *there*, why couldn't *he* serve as moderator and Wolf do post-debate interviews?
pps "Raise Your Hand" questions. They need to stop. Now. I'm glad Blitzer got called on it because that was BS.
Bottom Line: advertisers did not want to be associated with Don Imus because that association might reduce rather than enhancing consumers' impression of their brand.
So, if you have any conservative friends who lament his firing, tell them that no one's saying Don Imus cannot podcast. What we ARE saying is that carriers and advertisers should not pay him millions of dollars to spew his bile. Don Imus, CBS, and his sponsors were held to account by CONSUMERS in the FREE MARKET.
Finally, I have written something the right-wingers can understand!
So, if you have any conservative friends who lament his firing, tell them that no one's saying Don Imus cannot podcast. What we ARE saying is that carriers and advertisers should not pay him millions of dollars to spew his bile. Don Imus, CBS, and his sponsors were held to account by CONSUMERS in the FREE MARKET.
Finally, I have written something the right-wingers can understand!
Unless I misunderstand her profile, I believe we should be referring to Celina as our resident FOURTEEN year old world citizen blogger.
:-)
:-)
It is disappointing to see Obama appearing to cave to Bush's veto threat.
Are Vetoes The Key to a Bush Recovery?
Come on Barack, make him veto it! Then if you can't get the votes to override the veto, pass it again and make him veto it again! If Bush vetoes it, HE IS DENYING THE TROOPS THE FUNDS THEY NEED.
Does anyone else remember when the federal government shut down because Clinton vetoed a bill from Newt's new Congress? I do. Here is a link to the address that Clinton gave in the wake of that shutdown. Read it and judge for yourself whether President Bush will be able to play off a veto of the emergency war bill so deftly.
Clinton Speech After Government Shutdown
Republicans are mean, and mean people suck.
Meanwhile, write your representatives in Congress and tell them a timeline does not justify a veto.
Are Vetoes The Key to a Bush Recovery?
Some Democratic leaders forecast Bush winning the Iraq veto fight. â??I donâ??t think that we will see a majority of the Senate vote to cut off funding at this stage,â?? said Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. Sunday. â??Nobody wants to play chicken with our troops on the ground,â?? he said.
Come on Barack, make him veto it! Then if you can't get the votes to override the veto, pass it again and make him veto it again! If Bush vetoes it, HE IS DENYING THE TROOPS THE FUNDS THEY NEED.
Does anyone else remember when the federal government shut down because Clinton vetoed a bill from Newt's new Congress? I do. Here is a link to the address that Clinton gave in the wake of that shutdown. Read it and judge for yourself whether President Bush will be able to play off a veto of the emergency war bill so deftly.
Clinton Speech After Government Shutdown
Republicans are mean, and mean people suck.
Meanwhile, write your representatives in Congress and tell them a timeline does not justify a veto.
John Bolton calls for military action on Iran.
Link
John, if you think it's so important, why don't you join up? They are relaxing eligibility requirements by the day.
Link
John, if you think it's so important, why don't you join up? They are relaxing eligibility requirements by the day.
Is it just me, or does this stink to high heaven?
Link
Why does the Administration think this confession is worth anything? If you torture someone enough, they will confess to anything. And given the well-documented conditions at Gitmo, I am surprised he didn't confess to the Oklahoma City bombing as well.
Link
Why does the Administration think this confession is worth anything? If you torture someone enough, they will confess to anything. And given the well-documented conditions at Gitmo, I am surprised he didn't confess to the Oklahoma City bombing as well.
This post was prompted by a comments exchange where someone claimed that "The rest of the world isn't upset that the US is using its military. The rest of the world is upset the US isn't using its military for the things it wants us to use it for"; and separately, someone else claimed that "We are basically a benign and good people. We have our nuts, but they are really few and far between. The problem is that right now they are in charge." Here is a link to a recent interview with Chalmers Johnson, author of Blowback, The Sorrows of Empire, and Nemesis. Please give it a listen and consider reading these books.
Talk of the Nation Interview - Chalmers Johnson
Our society needs to start beating its swords into plowshares NOW. A good start would be to demand more transparency into the 40% of our defense budget that is classified and not subject to any measure of accountability.
Eisenhower tried to warn us in his farewell speech, where he coined the term "military-industrial complex."
Video and Audio of Eisenhower Farewell Speech
Here's a paragraph excerpted:
Disarmament, with mutual honor and confidence, is a continuing imperative. Together we must learn how to compose differences, not with arms, but with intellect and decent purpose.
Read More »
Talk of the Nation Interview - Chalmers Johnson
Our society needs to start beating its swords into plowshares NOW. A good start would be to demand more transparency into the 40% of our defense budget that is classified and not subject to any measure of accountability.
Eisenhower tried to warn us in his farewell speech, where he coined the term "military-industrial complex."
Video and Audio of Eisenhower Farewell Speech
Here's a paragraph excerpted:
Disarmament, with mutual honor and confidence, is a continuing imperative. Together we must learn how to compose differences, not with arms, but with intellect and decent purpose.
Read More »
If she hadn't already been on my s%&! list before, this latest certainly would have put her there. David Geffen, a former supporter of Bill Clinton and current supporter of Barack Obama, had the audacity to criticize Hillary Rodham Clinton and for that, her campaign is demanding that Obama cut ties to Geffen and return any funds that he helped to raise.
Link
I sure hope this backfires on them.
Why do Hillary Clinton's supporters PRESUME that she will inherit the Democratic nomination?
Link
I sure hope this backfires on them.
Why do Hillary Clinton's supporters PRESUME that she will inherit the Democratic nomination?
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