Guest Post by Julia Rosen. Julia is the Online Political Director for the Courage Campaign. She is also an editor at Calitics.
Let's start with the good news first, even though there is plenty of bad to come later, given the disgraceful behavior of California Democratic Party staffer Bob Mullholland, caught on video. In just five days, over 33,000 Americans, 90% or more Californians, joined the Courage Campaign call for the California Democratic Party (CDP) to censure Senator Dianne Feinstein for her pivotal votes to approve Judge Michael Mukasey as U.S. Attorney General and Judge Leslie Southwick to the U.S. Court of Appeals. These Americans were joined by the Courage Campaign, MoveOn.org, Progressive Democrats of America, CrooksandLiars.com and over 40 Democratic Clubs and progressive organizations from across California. With a week of non-stop organizing, this movement changed the conversation of the entire meeting of the CDP Executive Board.
Party Chair Art Torres spent about half of his speech on Saturday praising Senator Dianne Feinstein, acknowledging that people within the Democratic Party are upset with a few of her crucial votes. Of course, these weren't just any votes. They were votes contrary to core Democratic (and democratic) values like opposing torture, racism and homophobia. Despite the party chair's call not to censure Sen. Feinstein, the censure resolution was endorsed by the Women's Caucus, the Progressive Caucus and the Irish-American Caucus at the E-Board meeting. Unfortunately, it was never formally taken up or addressed by either the Resolutions Committee or the main body of the Executive Board. Members of the Resolutions Committee objected to hearing it, which meant it could not be brought to the Executive Board -- which was within their prerogative, given that it was a late resolution.
This is indeed what CDP Senior Advisor (read: paid party staffer) Bob Muholland said would happen.promised to the Huffington Post:
"It is going to be thrown out and rejected," said Bob Mulholland, a veteran party strategist in Sacramento. "Sometimes people can't anticipate or can't understand the big picture."
We knew this was going to happen. We knew that, even backed by over 33,000 people and some 40% of the CDP as represented by the caucuses and clubs that voted for the resolution, there was little chance that it was going to pass. The rules were stacked to kill such a resolution, without hearing. But we respected the process and accepted that action. The next day, members of the Progressive Caucus made an official, respectful request to the Executive Board general session within the bounds of parliamentary procedure to have the rules suspended so that the resolution would at least get a hearing. This motion -- which would have expressed no confidence in the chair of the meeting rather than dealing with the substance of the censure resolution -- failed to nobody's surprise. You can watch all of that in the following video. Admittedly, it is a bit rough; Jethro Rothe-Kushel, our videographer, was up all night cutting it. A good portion of the video is focused on Bob Mullholland's actions during the weekend, from his intentional attempt to block our camera when Jo Olson moved to have the resolution heard, to repeatedly calling Courage Campaign Chair Rick Jacobs and East Bay for Democracy's Chair Janet Stromberg "worse than Bush". According to the account provided by Courage's Rick Jacobs on the Huffington Post, Mulholland also disrupted the Resolutions Committee meeting the previous day:
When the resolution was brought up late in the session, the Party's senior advisor and long time chief spokesperson, Bob Mulholland, stood and shouted from the side of the room, "Object, and object!" There were other shouts from the room as committee members joined in. Committee Co-Chair John Hanna objected and then others objected and then, as if to make sure that we got the point, everyone who wanted to join the chorus of objections demanded that their objections be counted, too. It was a sort of pile on moment, in which one veto simply would not do. It all happened within about a minute.
You can watch it all in the video. Mulholland's total disrespect for openness and accountability of the CDP to the party membership -- the very people who pay dues and donate to pay his salary -- is appalling. But it gets worse. On Friday, the first day of the convention, Mullholland made the following comments to the Guardian (UK) about the movement to censure Senator Feinstein:
For Bob Mulholland, a campaign adviser to California Democrats who has known Feinstein since her time as San Francisco mayor, the backlash against Feinstein amounts to a betrayal rather than a defence of the party's core principles. Mulholland blasted the bloggers and activists supporting the censure resolution as "fringe" and "pre-nursing home". "The Democratic party's purpose is to remind armchair activists that the duty is to elect a Democrat to the White House so we can end the Iraq mess", he said. "Nothing should get in the way of that."
Ironically he was attacking his employers: The members of the California Democratic Party. The delegates who brought up the resolution. The caucuses and clubs who endorsed the resolution. The tens of thousands of grassroots and netroots activists who are registered Democratic Party members that signed on to the call to censure Dianne Feinstein. Mullholland's intent was to depress the hard work by thousands of activists who have been toiling successfully for years within the party structure to elect Democrats and make the party more open and accountable. They have been crashing the gates, only now to be told by Mullholland that the gates are closed and to bide their time until entering a nursing home. This is not the kind of Democratic Party I want to build. And it is not the Democratic Party that I know staffers, leaders, delegates and members want to build. It is, however, emblematic of larger problems within the political consultantocracy that the netroots are working to change. There are many who do not want to see our dirty laundry aired in public. To that I say, don't make the laundry dirty in the first place. Don't let people like Bob Mulholland speak for the Party and denigrate its members. Don't predetermine the outcome of the democratic process. Don't discourage people from wanting to get involved in party politics. Don't push energetic people out of the party or you'll continue to lose registration as is happening in California. Don't be defensive when new blood floods into the system. Do find ways to tap that energy and learn new tactics for the 21st century. Do apologize when you screw up. Open up the lines of communication. Don't say STFU you DFH. Bob Mullholland is not the party. All of us are the party.
Wow they love the blogs when they are working for them, interesting how quick their opinions can change. True colors is all I have to say.
www.hyerstandard.com
Bloggers worse than Bush? I call bullshit on party sniffer Mullholland.
Feinstein is a Bush-enabling piece of shit, and the truth hurts. If you would do her damn job and actually oppose corporate power-grabs and limit the scope of government involvement in our liberties, then no one would have a problem with her. She is not a Democrat, she's a war profiteer's wife and corporate lackey.
Sorry you don't like us Bob but we're not going to be silent while clueless schmucks like you compromise the Democratic party with your arrogant and selfish acts. Go join the Republicans if you can't come up with a better response than childish name calling. We don't need you---but YOU do need to listen to the voters for once.
Thanks for having me graces these pages again John. Looks like a few of my paragraph breaks are missing, small matter.
Please pass on the video and join us in discussing what it means to be a Democrat.
There are too many closet REPUBLICANS in the Democratic party.
They run as Dems to dilute the Majority's voice.
Our Washington State Senators try to tell us they are
"Conservative" Democrats when they vote Republican.
Please let us have mr. mullholland's email address so we can this a-hole know how we feel about such behavior.
The “pre-nursing home” insult by Bob Mulholland is age-ist.
He's implying that seniors over a certain age lack the judgement to assess Senator Dianne Feinstein.
You mean Windbag "There will be no surrender in this state to this Taliban element of the California Republican Party." Bob Mulholland.?
This reaction by the Democratic bosses reveals the REAL reason we are still in Iraq. The Democratic Party thinks getting into office is more important than anything, including the Constitution or the will of the people.
Feinstein is a poster for the disgusting, self serving, craven politics that Bush has made de riguer. I am a life long democrat and feel betrayed and belittled by Mullholland, Torres et. al.
Contribute to the party again? No very likely.
Ron Paul, anyone?
*sighs* The CDP can go straight to hell then.
An involved vocal constituency is the worst enemy of "party advisors".
This is what is frustrating! We have an opportunity to change the direction where this country is headed an we have the likes of Bob messing it up. He is the one who does not get the big picture. The big picture is....we, as a country, are screwed by the disastrous policies of this administration. The subject of Torture will haunt us for a long time, and Bob does not see that.Shame SHame and more Shame.
What would the effect of a censure resolution be? I think this effort got the message through, and that's something. Mulholland knows the rules, and the rules allow a late resolution to be killed by a single objection. No big thing. Feinstein will think twice the next time. She already did with the telecom immunity. We just have to keep a close eye on her.
The least they could have done was brand her forehead with an 'AR'. (For Ass*ole Republican)
So what's Mulholland's cut in this deal? What's in it for him?
I just emailed the Calif. Democratic party that until they shit can that arrogant little prick Mullholland, they lost the 4 votes from my family, and any other Dem friends I can convince. Fuck both parties.
No. The censure hasn't failed. WE THE PEOPLE have censured her. What some body of politicians does is another matter...
Ooh! Ooh! Please don't shout and be all angry at us, Bob Mullholland! We'll give in and behave ourselves! Oh wait, sorry, that's your job.
Oh yeah. We're so fuckin stupid.
:roll:
I don't know. But it must be a huge sum of money for him to blatantly give a large group of democrats supporting censure the proverbial "bitch slap" across the face. The nerve of this son of a bitch is beyond reprehensible!..
I know someone who's going to get in a whole lot of trouble in the future for corruption! His first name is Bob, and his last name is Mulholland.
Absurd.
Did they just learn that Feinstein is a thug? Where were they during the last election. Senators are state wide elected officials and in Az, state wide elected officials can be recalled. Why dont they start a grass roots recall.
We didn't elect this asshole. He's a lowlife staffer. He's in our way. He's a nobody with delusions of grandeur. Just like our president, whose tactics HE tends to emulate. We should mobilize to stomp this cockroach republican mole. There's one of him. Maybe two with Torres. There are at least 30,000 of us. Post his email address ASAP.
rj godin @ 10:
That figure of 33,000 citizens calling in only five days is such good news. If the Internet didn't exist, I can't imagine we would ever know a tenth of what goes on in our government. I don't think the politicians realize what they are up against, let alone how to deal with it.
I love it when a fool stands and declares himself an enemy of the best. We know you now Mr. Mulholland. We won't forget you.
We need a third fucking party.
The operative thought here is the description used to describe "them".
We call them "THEY".
Just like the Republicans, they're "them".
Not US.
Pretty much says it all doesn't it.
How long are we going to sit here and take this kind of DISRESPECT and keep voting for these SHITTY TURKEYS?
Why can't we overrun them and take back our party?
Thank You Rick
Thank you Julia
And Thank you Jethro
WE truly appreciate your efforts. We are here for you as needed.
Let's start another censure effort! Lord knows Senator Feinstein has made enough bad decisions to keep us busy for thea long time. Is there a way to censure Bob Mullholland as well? I am a California resident and with leaders like those two it may not be a Democratic state long.
Well, screw Bob Mulholland and the CDP then! If this how they're goihg to treat the rank-and-file, this is NOT the party I want representing me! I'm tired of giving money to this party and getting my views ignored. I'm switching my party affiliation to "Independent" and don't want to be associated with these embarrassing thugs any longer. So, Bob, if you come around begging for my money and my vote at some point in the future, I'm going to give you the same finger you just gave to me.
Thanks Che's Lounge. This whole thing has been as uplifting, as Mullholland's response has been troubling. To have now 34,000 people sign on to censure Sen. Feinstein in such a short period of time has been amazing.
Thanks to John and others for blogging about this and helping get the word out.
Here is a blog page where you may post comments to "pre-nursing home" Bob:
http://blog.cadem.org/partyline/2007/11/a-veteran-remem.html#comments
"Members of the Resolutions Committee objected to hearing it, which meant it could not be brought to the Executive Board..."
Aaahhh, they used the old ostrich defense.
IMPEACH.
Mullholland hates how democratic the California Democratic party has become lately.
He much preferred it when just he and Gray Davis spoke for the state party.
Those days are over, fatboy.
We have to replace the 10 to 20 percent of the democrats of our elected party. Most of these democrats are the ones controlling the "bad" policies and actions taken by our party. We have our leaders of the democratic party acting in the same manner which Bush and the republicans have been for 7 years, and we are not going to keep taken it.
Instead of our elected democrats censoring their democrat supporters like moveon.org, Pete Stark and other democrats using "FREE SPEECH" to condemn Bush and his administration's policies we have to start censoring "them permanently".
Check the policies and stands that your representatives are voting and taking our important matters and the ones that are voting along side of the republicans stop donations and vote them out in the democratic primary so we will have true democrats running for our party.
No more Lieberman, Feinstein, Schumer, Hoyer, Pelosi, Reid and other democratic republican supporters.....
What in the hell was he talking about.
Hey Mullholland, instead of slithering away like a worm, why couldn't you look these people in the eye and answer their questions.
Don't you dare tell me what my "duty" as a Democrat is. One of my duties as a Democrat is to get rid of fake Democrats like you and your friend Feinstein, and I'll do everything in my power to support MoveOn and The Courage Campaign to get it done.
I don't see any difference between Mullholland and the gooper swine I despise. I guess he needs to be retired, as the anachronism he is.
The Green Party. Yeah, their small time like Kucinich, but we have to start somewhere.
Fuck you. Sit down and shut up. You're too stupid to understand....and Oh by the way vote for us!
How did this idiot comes to the conclusion that we are no better than bush, when SHE is the one enabling him?
goatsage @ 33:
Thanks, I expressed my feelings.
Peace.
daveboy @ 3:
Could not have said it better myself. Most of congress is just a complete sell out. At least now we have blogs, and "true" organized opposition.
Ron Paul 2008
It is nice to see that the Dem leadership considers their constituency to be "worse than Bush."
It certainly puts the actions of the Dems in the past few years in their correct context; with the Dems constant enabling of Bush while at the same time, doing anything in their power to undermine their very own base.
This news, together with Biden's foopah stating how the Dems don't trust the people... certainly makes me glad I am no longer in any shape way or form will be wasting any of my time with a party that considers the common folk the enemy while trying to suck it up to a bunch of elitist sociopaths who long to bring back the "glory" days of the Robber Varons.
So, Dems... please keep on pissing on your very own drinking well. I am looking forward to yet another defeat snatched from the jaws of victory. Another GOPer in the WH will most certainly be the end of this country, however when the choices seem to be GOP or GOP-lite for 2008, I must say that "good riddance" will be most definitively in order come 2009.
Since Nader won't be around, I wonder who the Dems will blame this time around for their defeat. Obviously, it could not possibly be the DLC scheme of trying to cozy up to people who would rather take a shower with molten lava than vote for them (conservatives), while doing anything to piss off their very own base (liberals). Genius!
Oh, and btw: F*ck Feinstein. That war profiteering whore has been using death to not only make the big bucks but also to get her way politically ever since she took over the seat of a murdered major in SF. I guess crime does indeed pay for these bunch of degenerates...
the Democrats abandoned their base a long long time ago in favor of playing footsie with neocons. The Dems are really just neocons with a human face
This effort was worth doing, look at the fallout!
Almost no one in California pays any attention to the state-level Dem party organization. Most of those 25,000 or so who were in CA have EVER engaged the CA Dem party dinosaurs before. I applaud that increase in public attention.
However, the commenters here who think that the CA Dem party is somehow linked to the national party are stringing pearls on spagetti. This is why Howard Dean had such success in 2006, because the party apparatus under the DLC (Feinstain, Emanuel, etc.), which is mainly an East Coast operation, is just about garbage, especially in the West.
So, good work, and nevermind the ugly discoveries about the party wonks who run the CA Dem party. Not news to me, but you could poll Californians, 99.99% of whom could not name Art Torres or this fellow Mulholland.
And it's even worse if you're from Los Angeles, because California is pretty much split in half. Back when LA Mayor Tom Bradley was running for Governor, I informally polled people in both SF Bay Area and Sacramento, and failed to find a single person who a) knew who he was, b) knew he was running. So these problems at state level go all the way back, and this latest effort to confront the state party wonks is all to the good, IMO.
Pretending it has something pertinent to say about the national party is ridiculous, and hearing people who have never done ANYTHING to develop the state party organization pretend that it is a good reason to vote for war crime supporting Ron Paul is just the cherry on the tart.
The CDP is the same group of corporate lackeys that forced Phil Angelidies for the Democratic choice for governor on the voters instead of supporting Steve Wesley. So we wound up with Sad Sack versus The Terminator for our last election. No wonder we're stuck with Schwatzenegger. Maybe this Electoral Vote split is just what this party deserves.
Big John @ 44:
If that makes you feel better, then I understand why you think that. But you have given no evidence.
Most people don't know that the Dem party is at least three components, nationally. There is the Progressive wing (that's what most of us Democrats support), then there is the DLC (which is where these CA party wonks are from), and then there are the Blue Dogs (which are DINO on key issues). There is not 'one' Democratic party, there are at least three. Anyone active in the party or in major politics knows this, but to a lot of commenters it is ignored, in favor of bigoted overgeneralizations that would relate well to anti-jew or anti-gay logic. Just jumble everyone together into one bag -- they are so much easier to despise.
The real shame is that with the Dems pulling shit like this and undermining their own constituents, we all lose. Every American of every political, social, and economic stripe. GOoPers, Dems, Greens, pot-smokin' Libertarians: WE ALL LOSE.
Fuck it. I'm going surfing. I ain't quitting, but I need to blow out some of these bad vibes and recharge the batteries. But I am eyeing that Green party membership again...fucking Dems...
You know, we need to clean out our own party, really.
Dear Dianne;
Thanks for all those Twinkies. Good luck in your political career.
Much love;
Dan White
Bill T. @ 46 "The CDP is the same group of corporate lackeys that forced Phil Angelidies for the Democratic choice for governor on the voters instead of supporting Steve Wesley."
Wesley wouldn't have won either. The election was rigged.
"Maybe this Electoral Vote split is just what this party deserves."
It has an extremely small chance of succeeding.
Dan White @ 49:
Ouch..
Paul in LA,
I am encouraged by your thoughts! I CANNOT forget that one of the nice things about being a progressive Dem is that ours is NOT a lockstep party. Getting us to agree on anything can be like trying to herd cats. But that's an example small-d democracy in action, innit???
Grrrr! Let's roll up them sleeves!
Bonkers @ 48:
It's nothing like that tragic. These are conditions that have been around for quite a while, as a general result of APATHY.
Wow, Paul in LA. Seriously, are you a staffer or intern for the DNC? You can not possibly do all the shilling you do for the Dems for free. And if you do it for free, I must say that you are getting gipped.
BTW, some of us worked for the 2000/2002/2004 and 2006 campaigns. We poured sweat, money, and plenty of time and effort. And the actions of the Dems in return speak louder than words. And your constant "who are you going to believe you or our lying eyes" is just too condescending to be taken seriously, and it is starting to get not only irritating BTW.
In any case, it is ironic that you consider the people who see the actions of the Dem leadership and feel betrayed to be the enemy. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree I gues...
Not a freakin' penny more from this former Green Party member who changed back to the Democratic party as a show of solidarity and a vote of confidence. I've never been to an official Democratic organizing meeting without coming out slightly uneasy and feeling left out (and I'm in San Francisco!!!!). But I swallowed the bile and soldiered on, because no matter what, HalliBush,INC is and will always be so much worse. But Feinstein - how shameful. What an embarrassment. What a polluting pit of opportunism degrading this great state. Ah, fuck the Dems. I remember going to an organizing meeting and tried to get a conversation going about approaching progressives and Green Party members. I got that look. Youuuuuuu know the look I'm talkin' about. But even then, I stayed. Goddamit, Kucinich for President for all the CORRECT reasons.
On the other hand...once we get a Democrat in office... there'll be so much time to rebuild. And who knows, 8 or 16 years from now, the country will be ready for Dennis Kucinich, or a protege.
Bonkers @ 52:
No, the actual picture is that the state is far more progressive than the CDP.
As I tried to say above, they are a DLC-spawned group. Feinstain is their girl.
And yet CA supplies a great number of hardcore Progressives, such as Pelosi, Boxer, Waxman, Waters, Watson, Woolsey, etc.
We do need to 'progressivize' the state party committee, and this was a good first step. But to blame the national party for the state party is inside-out. Apathy has led to many of our current problems, and when people refuse to acknowledge their own responsibility, and even talk of supporting an anti-progressive like Ron Paul -- well, that is just hiding from the facts.
Dr. Who @ 54:
The gypsies wouldn't like to hear that.
I'm a proud Democrat, period. I don't work for any politician or political group for pay.
And as a Californian, I have been troubled by the CDP --forever--. The CA political system is quite poor, as the terrible Angelides race just proved again. We have a new AG (Jerry Brown) who is mostly twiddling his fingers looking to feather his cap with another governor's run, after doing basically nothing (other than suing the Feds over CAFE standards that should have doubled decades ago).
Yesterday, Democratic SecState Bowen sued ES&S for $15 Million over the vote-fraud. So it's not all darkness. But there is a lot of work to do, and the people pretending that the failure of this censure effort (of a Senator just reelected by 22% of the vote) is some sort of fire alarm is HILARIOUS.
Feinstein had been carrying water for the right wing for a lot longer than most California Democrats want to admit--glad to see them finally turn on her.
A lot of states that have two Democratic Senators seem to get one fairly progressive and one more conservative.
In WA, we have Patti Murray, who is pretty good on most progressive issues, and Maria Cantwell, who is from the Business Wing of the Democratic Party up here-The MicroSoft and Boeing wing.
Interestingly enough, the Republicans are always trying to take out Patti, and she always just crushes whom ever they run against her.
Maria has a much tougher time but they seem to run weaker candidates against her?
I wonder if that's true in CA, that they try to take out Boxer, who seems much more aligned with the base, and leave Fienstien a weaker challenger?
Bob Mulholland, translated:
Notice how the Dem party leadership have far more spine when they are telling their own DFPs to STFU?
Red flag # 1:
Elect a democrat to end the war on Iraq? BS, big time
Clinton (this guy's choice?) is only going to continue the occupation. If anyone thinks that an occupation of Iraq by a Democrat transforms it from a crime to a noble endeavor simply supports the other wing of the WarParty!
Strike/Boycott 08!
rj godin @ 10:
Sorry, I don't vote for paranoid anti-choice goverment-hating racists.
I can't vote Lieberman or Schummer out, but; I can vote against Fienstein and I along with others belittled by these bunch of full of themselves democrats; will vote this party traitor out; and I challenge California Democrats to move to outs Mullholland.
Bloggers will not stand idle anymore especially with arrogant disrepectful democrats that forget who they represent.
Fienstein is off my voting list as I am sure millions others.
Damian:
I don't either, but there seem to be a helluva lotta people in this government with those credentials.
How about a little proportional representation?
I haven't had representation for the last 7 years (to include the last year with a Democratic majority).
Bob Mulholland speaks on behalf of Democrats every Wednesday night on the Al Rantel show (on KABC 790 here in Los Angeles) and usually debates a representative from the California Republican Party. As much as the republican nutcase shows how arrogant and ignorant she is, Mulholland comes off as a psycho-babble-idiot (Rantel loves this...because he makes Mulholland into the voice of the modern day democratic party). Every Wednesday night I scream at the radio because of that idiot Mulholland. I've tried contacting the show to tell them how he doesn't represent me, but have never gotten through.
So, to all those in the SoCal area: listen to Al Rantel tomorrow night from between 6pm-9pm to try and listen to the segment he has with Mulholland. Maybe if we can get enough, we can call and get through to Rantel to tell him how much we disagree with Mulholland. Rantel would love to hear from democrats about how much of an idiot Mulholland is.
WashStateBlue @ 59:
No. Neither Boxer nor Feinstain has had any significant opposition for a decade at least. Senator Boxer just broke the US record for incumbent Senator percentage win (in 2004). She received the third highest number of votes in the 2004 election (after Kerry, and Boy Wonder).
if i worked for Madame Bechtel, i wouldnt be using the term "nursing home".
Nice work. Spread this around folks.
I heard this clown Mulholland on talk radio yesterday. Total party apparatchik, who couldn't give a rat's ass for values, ethics or the Constitution. It's all about winning. Well guess what Bob- a lot of people like me are repelled by that philosophy. If the democratic party stands for nothing, then I'll throw my support to helping build a third party. You don't speak for me or my values, and you sure as hell aren't guaranteed my vote.
You will never knock the Hero of 9/11 Meme out of the stilted
brain's of the Republics OR the MSM.
What you do to win against Rudy in the general is, show how FAR
he is gone to kiss up the crazy base, and make him eat all the
nutty things he is saying out there to win in the primaries?
He's winning a lot of Republic votes by claiming only he can
fight Hillary in CA and NY...
When, in fact, he can be torn to shreds with his primary stances
on all those issues Republics eat for breakfast.
But, sadly enough, this will not work. The base will just think
it's George Soros and Move On attacking Rudy.
Faux news will recoat their brains with the soft white milk
of fear and terror....
I saw this comment from a 48 years old factory worker, ONLY
RUDY is tough enough to stand up to...OsamaSaddamAmadenajhadPutenboogieman-2008!
Republics simply reject these kind of attacks, and the media
just shrugs and lets them go.
But, if a Democrat drops a wad of gum on sidewalk, FRONT PAGE
NEWS for a week, even in the NY Times.
Left wing Bias, my dying ass......
Gordon @ 6:
You ever wonder if this is part of what the Repubs meant when they said that the Repubs will have a permanent majority? That they have infiltrated the Dem party such that even if the Dems win, the Repub agenda will still go through?
the resolution failed as we knew that it would. that's not important. what is important is the process. the process went through and there was strong statement that was presented to feinstein and her camp. what did it say. basically it stated that when she opts to go with the bush camp in any aspect, her constituency will not tolerate and though it did not pass this time, if it happens again, there is a better possibility of it passing. there is a direct correlation to the censure resolution and an impeachment resolution, neither would have a chance to pass, but it would strengthen the democratic faithful.
Nohobear @ 69:
excellent and i agree completely.
So we are all crazy for wanting to have Democratic values.
If this is the best they can come up with then this DINO can just join lonesome Joe Liberman.
Next time the CA Democratic Party calls me to help in any way with any campaign, I'll remind them how I'm worse than Bush and to Cheney themselves.
Bet Lady Di runs as a repuke next time around...
P.S. Even the youngest child is "pre-nursing home". So basically he just said 'fuck you' to everyone not already in a nursing home. This should realy help Di's re-election next time around....
Democrat progressives are just like Charlie Brown trying to kick the football, only to have it repeatedly yanked away by Lucy. When are you people going to learn that the Democratic Party is Tweedledum to the GOP's Tweedledee. And you're shocked because Mulholland didn't offer you a reach-around? C'mon.
What needs to happen is for Kucinich supporters to get their man out of the DP and start building a true progressive party. There is no other way. The DP is finished. Over. Done. Bye bye. The Party of DiFi, Schumer, Pelosi, and on and on and on. Tools one and all.
So, less than 1/10th of 1 percent of Californians, including a few special interest groups, support a measure to censure Feinstein and they lose.
Perhaps those groups should listen a little harder to what's best for all Californians.
Cry babies.
Paul in LA @ 47:
Paul, I respect your position and commend your political activism even though I think it is naive. Nevertheless I find your arguments tiresomely technical and not compelling to the electorate at large. I am not here to debate, I just want to add my two cents, it is just a blog after all, not a caucus.
I am a liberal, but I do not feel a speck of loyalty to any Democratic politician. Especially I despise ones like Dianne Feinstein who betray the stated principles of the party by backing military corporations and BushCo policies.
Dianne Feinstein must go.
Anyone who votes for this piece of shit in the primary resembles her.
Paul in LA @ 45:
So, if I understand you correctly...
... you're saying for the Dems it's time for some kind of... California love? Because ... California knows HOW to party? For example, in the city of L.A.? That it's currently the wild, wild west from Diego to the Bay?
I would suggest that you pimps be on a mission for them Greens, and wary of lean mean money-makin-machines serving fiends. For we all must keep it rocking, and (of course) shake it, shake it mama... on the west coast...
This is revealing as to what the true nature of most democrats is, as Dennis Perrin have repeated, they're tribalists and they think once members of their specific tribe will be elected, everything will be just fine.
Also, apparently the best way to get elected is to cast wrong votes long enough, if you wanna get a chance. It's important to get the votes of the right-wing too on election day.
Bob Mullholland appears to not have an adequate response to the effort to change the DNC leadership. On the table are the following, which Bob Mullholland appears to have not adequately "staffed" for:
1. Speaker Pelosi's Removal, Clearing Way For Impeachment
Here are Summary links of the sample proclamation and precedents for this to happen. You'll see -- as with the State effort to call on Congress to impeach, or the "House 603 effort" -- the DNC leadership apparently has no legal basis to thwart any state legislature from calling on the House to formally discuss removing Pelosi, to make way for impeachment.
2. Congressional Candidate Support for Pelosi Removal
You'll notice at this link the Speaker and DNC have a problem: the public can well digest, respond, and field candidates who support the Removal of the speaker -- now, before the 2008 election. Mullholland has no strategy to dissuade any Member of Congress from joining the calls to have the Speaker ousted, and replaced with someone marginally more interested in the rule of law. Arguably, Mullholland is an alleged co-conspirator in an effort to engage in alleged unlawful rebellion against the rule of law; and has allegedly no plan to defend the Constitution against his alleged co-conspirators on the Congressional staff.
3. An entrenched, already organized group behind these proclamations to call on Congress to remove Pelosi
Here is the list of groups which are extremely knowledgeable of the House Rules, and power of the States to Pass Proclamations calling on the House to act. You'll note that there are a majority of states who well understand the power of the State to openly discuss removal of Pelosi as Speaker. More than half of the States' citizens have well researched, acted, and have openly discussed proclamations.
Big Clue For Bob Mullholland And the Alleged Lazy DNC-GOP Congressional Staff
5 USC 3331 oath of office compels all Members of Congress -- and their professional staff -- to fully assert their oath, use all lawful options to defend the Constitution, and have no mental reservations about defending the Constitution against domestic enemies. The Speaker and DNC well heard the 2006 voter mandate. That mandate was clear: Hold the leadership to account. This Congress -- both the DNC and GOP leadership -- have defied We the People. There is no requirement for We the People to remain loyal to a Congress which puts "something else" before its oath to the US Constitution.
We the People have options. Congressman Kucinich made it very clear that the House had a duty to act. For whatever reason, the House -- the majority of the Members of Congress in the House of representatives -- voted to support Kucinich, and forward the resolution to the House Judiciary Committee. There it sits. The DNC-GOP leadership in Congress are but one faction. We the People are the sovereign, and we have the lawful power to deploy, use, and lawfully use other faction to assert Our Will. Bob Mullholland and others in the Congressional Staff office must decide: Whether you are for the rule of law and accountability now; or whether you wish to have the rule of law -- as a principle -- imposed on you later. Either way, Our Will shall prevail.
On the table are serious allegations related to the laws of war, prisoner abuse, FISA violations. The issue -- at this juncture -- is not to count the votes in the senate before they are cast; but to ask whether the leadership who took the oath will permit any vote in the senate to occur. We the People would be pleased if there was a vote in the Senate. Soon. To get there, Bob Mullholland and others can either cooperate; or they can watch their leadership challenged. Openly. The issue is simple: Whether the Speaker, as an elected Member of Congress, will permit fact finding; or whether she will refuse to ensure all obstructions to that fact finding are cleared from the table. The Speaker appears to be part of the obstruction, not the fact finding. That is her problem to reconcile with her legal counsel. She knows the law, her oath, and her legal obligations to the Constitution. We the People have not taken an oath to anything; We the People compelled this oath to bind you and others to do what is difficult, so that you will act when inaction is easy.
Inaction is not an option. It is not allowed. Action compels the Congress to lead. We the People have attempted to well discuss our concerns, our hopes, and our dreams of defending this Constitution. This Congress does not appear interested. Despite. The. Clear. Voter. Mandate. This is unfortunate. We have attempted letters; we attempted action at the voting booth; and we also attempted to support resolutions calling for impeachment. This Congress -- in alleged contravention to their oath -- defied Our Will, blocked our efforts, and refused -- as required -- to act. We the People have opened formal discussions in all fifty states, and begin caucus discussions between the DNC and GOP allies who put their oath before their loyalty to the President and his alleged Rebellion against the rule of law. Our mandate is not a new requirement; it is one that compels We the People and the States to join forces and Act. Our Will compels us to defend this document. The way forward is to join We the People in removing the Speaker, and clearing the way for the impeachment investigation.
This is not a negotiation. Either the Speaker will clear the way for the impeachment investigation; or Nancy Pelosi shall be confronted with the expanding effort to remove her as Speaker. Those are your options. Choose.
What Is On The Table
There are two things readers can do:
1. Discuss this proclamation in your local communities, and apply learn the lessons from this effort;
2. Share with your friends the growing body of American people who well understand proclamations calling on the House To act; and the legal foundations and precedents of the House permitting the States to pass proclamations calling on the House to remove the Speaker.
These links will be important when you consider these lessons learned: there are solutions to removing roadblocks to the Speaker's removal. Heed the lessons of the House 603 effort; and ensure your friends well understand who you are up against: People who are allegedly putting "something else" before their oath, Our Will, and the Constitution. Their excuses for inaction or open defiance are contrary to reason. This does not ensure the law -- based on reason -- is preserved, but thwarted. That is not permissible.
The message is simple: We the People have options. This Congress is the problem. The issue is the failure of the Congress to challenge the President and Vice President. We the People are asserting our power to challenge the DNC leadership and the Speaker herself. Time for her to wakeup. The Support for Kucinich was, in part, fueled by the simple recognition by We the People that we had the power to compel the Congress -- through resolutions -- to confront the issue of impeachment. The majority of the House -- for whatever reason -- are open to accepting that premise. That assumption is one that We the People shall assert lawfully to compel this Congress to respond to Our Will. If the Congress refuses, We the People shall expand the proclamations to call on Congress to impeach others. Inaction is evidence of alleged mental reservations in re one's oath of office.
This is not a negotiation. This is an effort by We the People to collect evidence:
The rule of law, and the Will of We the People shall prevail. We the People can, without notice, revoke this Constitution and through a solemn ceremony, revoke and redelegate powers. All of them. Any. Time. We. Choose. Powers which Congress will not assert are not perpetual grants. They are conditional. Conditions have changed. The rules shall be used to compel you to act; or lawfully used against you to punish you for alleged domestic rebellion against the Constitution, the Supreme Law. You shall lose. Choose wisely.
Direct prosecution of Members of Congress, their staff, and the Congressional Staff counsel. Is. On. The. Table.
What these guys apparently don't seem to realize is that like the Republicans, the Democrats have a base too. And just as the Republicans may lose some votes this year by not appealing to that base, the Democrats are going to risk voter apathy and losing votes if they don't take positions that reflect our core values. Feinstein's vote for Mukasey was bad enough, but this guys effort to squelch party dissent is in a weird way seems more exemplary of how out of touch the leadership of the party is with its constituency. It would seem that they don't even want to know what those in the party think.
Feinstein has voted to go against the constitution in favor of the thugs in the crime family three times since her re-election. It is time to call her on it. I have written her on each and every vote and told her she should review the oath of office she took.
Why doesn't the CDP just fire his sorry ass. Isn't he just an employee. Sounds like he needs a reminder of who works for whom.
Paul in LA ~ If you're still around I'd like you to answer a question. What's your take on why Boxer campaigned for Lieberman against Lamont? Thanks.
I knew Bob Mulholland when he lived in Chico CA and he ran the city Democratic party. He was a bully then and now. You can thank Tom Hayden for bringing him into the state government. He was working for him in Chico and then when he got to Sacramento, he was working for him there. However, he is doing the dirty work for those in charge of the CA Democratic party. If you want to change the party, you just can't sign petitions, you need to get involved at your city level.
Good thing for Pelosi she is never running for office again because that Mullholland clown just ruined any chance she would have had for re-election. Unfortunitely for future CA. Dems he also put a huge dent in their chances of being elected too. What an out of touch idiot!
You wouldn't catch the Republicans censuring one of their own, but the Democrats do this crap all the time. That's how Clinton got impeached.
What do CA Dems need to do to make sure that Mullholland NEVER works in Democratic politics again?
kaT @ 91:
That's because Republicans believe in their party over the country, decency, reason and the law.
Che's Lounge @ 29:
I'm not in CA but I second that! I'm one of the 10% of non-CA residents who signed the Courage Campaigns call for censure. Keep fighting for what's right and just CA!!!
f Difi and her war profiteer hubby
Paul in LA @ 56:
Calling Pelosi progressive.... now THAT'S hiding from the facts!
Wow, this whole thing reads like a chapter out of one of Ann Coulter's fiction pieces. The video is clearly edited to push one side. Perhaps the editor might show the full room during the votes.
I am an Executive Board proxy and attended these meetings, and there were clear votes of the entire body to ignore the resolution because the majority of our party doesn't want to censure the Senator. For the Courage Campaign, this blog, and this video to attempt to cry foul play is a sad thing. The fact is the resolution wasn't adopted because its supporters couldn't MAKE 60% of the Executive Board vote for it, which is the required percentage to get it adopted.
Sorry Blog-o-sphere, sorry Progressive caucus, sorry Rick Jakobs, but you definitely don't control 60% of our Party, and nor will you ever. You people are insane - and I am horrified that your interest group would try to vilify our party, and leaders like Bob Mulholland. Rick was still in diapers when Bob was pushing our Party forward and fighting for the issues we all care about in the Democratic Party: a strong economy, social justice, equal rights, and things like education and healthcare for all.
I will be removing my subscription and support for the Courage Campaign, MoveOn.org, and Progressive Democrats of America. As an Executive Board member of the California College Democrats, and a member of the leadership in the California Young Democrats for the past 4 years, I will be encouraging our organization and its members to follow suit.
I have been extremely dissatisfied with Senator Feinstein, and I might have even signed your 33,000 strong call for her censure, but I don't support your abusive attacks on our Party, or its internal leadership. It is embarrassing and completely counterproductive.
American people really need to have more of a voice in these type of situations. We are simply being held hostage by these ass holes that lie like dogs to get into office.
Eddie Kirby @ 97:
What's embarrassing and counterproductive to the Democratic Party is people like you who just don't get it. It's people who think and act like you that lead to people like arnie and bush beating you so often. Get a clue.
Get over the fact that you idiots LOST. You were ignored because you are all a small minority in our Party. And clueless? Hah, says somone representing the idiots who can't even get a simple resolution passed the CDP Executive Board. You people are all fucking boneheads.
Eddie Kirby
Membership Director
California College Democrats
Eddie Kirby @ 97:
So if you don't support "abusive attacks" on our party what about Mulholland's attacks on progressives and bloggers? Conveniently overlooked that, didn't you? And are you arrogant enough to think that you and the other "leaders" of the CDP are beyond reproach? Who the hell do you think you are?
Mulholland doesn't get any respect here because he doesn't deserve any. And take your egotistical belating about how righteous you are elsewhere. It ain't workin' here, pal.
And as to your dropping out of Move On, Courage Campaign, etc.---go right ahead. None of those organizations needs an egotistical phony like you in them.
I was raised in a political family and one thing I learned right away was politics is not a game for the weak or thin skinned. So do us a favor. Get the hell out now and let competent leaders bury the Republicans in 2008. Thinking you are competent and being competent are very different concepts which you apparently have zero familiarity with.
And in the interest of reconciliation we'll look forward to Muholland's apology to us. But I'll bet that won't happen any day soon. The only thing people like you value is lockstep conformity and the egotistical efficacy of your overstated value.
Terrible @ 99:
You are the one who is embarrassing, I am older than you by 3 and know what the Democratic party is suppose to stand for. I knew Bob Mulholland almost 30 years ago, probably before you were born and he compromised true Democratic positions just to win a councilman's position in Chico CA. Feinstein is more Republican and Democratic and should actually be removed from representing our party. We are not counterproductive, we are pure to our party's ideals. You need to back to school and learn more about FDR, before spouting off crap like this.
Eddie Kirby @ 97:
You, sir, are an ass. A pompous ass. If you really represent the Democratic Party "leadership" (and granted, you sound like you do with your clueless but Holier-Than-Thou attitude), then it is no wonder congressional approval ratings have dropped into the teens. Most people call that a failing grade.
The only abusive attacks originally going around were those promoted by your equally clueless "strategist" Bob Mulholland. What a great strategist - shooting the progressive caucus in the feet. In fact, let's all form a circular firing squad.
No wonder people think the Dem Party is spineless - we have out-of-touch pols cow-towing to the Repubs, trying to capture the support of the 25% extreme right, and then insulting their base.
Congratulations, sir. Great job. /sarcasm
Eddie Kirby @ 100:
Get over yourself you incompetent hack. Having people like you in the leadership of the Democratic party is a disgrace and embarrassment. You best not forget what a small band of determined people can do.
my remarks were directed to Kirby
mulholland is a dlc hack
i say off with his head
Maybe if you all would stop sitting on your butts in front of your keyboards- get up and go walk a couple dozen precincts each for a local Democrat, then we might win a couple more. Till then the average people who work hard to fight for this Party's ideals will continue to tell you all to shut the fuck up.
Take a cue from Young Democrats around the country and be the margin of victory: go and walk those precincts for Charlie Brown, Francine Busby, or our chosen candidate for Governor and maybe we can win. All you assholes do is sit on these stupid fucking blogs and send out your emails and raise your money for awareness. Go do the hard work like Young Democrats have been trying to do for the past 5 years across the country and make us win. Perhaps if we worked together we would be able to elect our representatives in a majority large enough to make our ideas actual policy.
But as long as you all feel that your mere talking is enough to direct policy and elect good Democrats, we wont win.
Further, I bet the majority of you assholes are babyboomers - and guess what, fuck you because you are the people that are leaving a FUCKED up country to my generation. You are the idiots that couldn't figure out how to keep people like Bush from moving up the ladder. You are the people that allowed Regan and his cronies to set the scene. You are the people that have fucked my generation because you expect everything to be handed to you with no work. When I was 15 years old I lead a group of 15 High school students from my school to Reno, NV to try to stop Bush from being re-elected. Where the fuck are your droves of field people out making our Democrats win. Fuck you people.
~Eddie Kirby
ed kriner @ 61:
There is no such thing as a voter boycott.
Anthony Look @ 63:
You will have to wait FIVE YEARS to have any vote against her. She'll probably retire anyhow.
I take back any "sir" I proffered to Eddie Kerby. His credentials are little more than being a college student with an axe to grind:
http://www.californiacollegedems.com/cdems/index.php?/Officers/Eddie-Kir...
My last fucking comment: I am glad some of you "wise" folks grew up in political families. Well, I come from a poor family, my dad is in prison, my mom is a waitress, and my sister popped out a kid 7 months ago and she was only 17 years old.
I come from the underrepresented, and the victims of your generation, who all wanted their tax breaks while people suffered.
While you were all talking, Republicans were out winning elections in droves because the people calling me a "hack" were too elitist to go walk a precinct or make a fucking phone call. Fuck you people.
~Eddie Kirby
Membership Director
California College Democrats
Eddie Kirby @ 107:
I was knocking on doors and protesting in the streets and going to party meetings probably before your parents were born, so don't preach to me! Where is your generation on the streets during war protests? Were were you last September 2006 when I was marching in DC? Where is your generation? Do you think we all just sit in front of our computers? BTW, where are you sitting?
Big John @ 44/80 "The Dems are really just neocons with a human face...Nevertheless I find your arguments tiresomely technical and not compelling to the electorate at large."
Your statement that the Dems are neocons is a LIE. It may be your opinion, but your failure to actually support the statement is why I challenged you.
As for 'technical,' h'yeah, it's technical to note that Nancy Pelosi is the first Progressive Speaker in US history. Most people can't recall her career at all, because they pay no attention. Me, I'm 'technical' -- I have tirelessly followed her career, and know what a fine American she in fact is. She has fought the neocons all the way down the line, and your claim doesn't change those facts, unless you have facts of your own, or the willingness to present an argument instead of a prejudice.
And an ugly attitude (I'll try not to say anything about his visage).
Eddie Kirby @ 107:
I've been working in political campaigns for 30 years, which is well before you were born, you immature crybaby. And Baby Boomers like me aren't the problem---it's arrogant punks like you with no clue about history and an attitude problem. Respect is an entitlement to you because you supposedly work hard. Respect is earned, pal, not deserved.
And if we're counting on people like you in your generation to show us the way---I'd say we better count on Republican rule for a long time.
Grow up junior, we don't need your arrogance or superiority attitude. Arrogant phonies like you masquerading as "leaders" are a real pain in the ass and an obstruction to real progress.
Eddie,
If you want to know why you were unsuccessful running for your school board, take a good long hard look in the mirror. I can tell exactly why you lost.
wijg @ 88:
Oh, my take is that this kind of behavior is unimportant. She campaigned for him for Senate reasons, probably having to do with getting some bill passed or some repayment of a favor.
The Senate is NOT the core of the Dem party. I support Boxer, but my primary support is to the Progressive caucus in the House (including the Speaker). The Senate by comparison is a very hidebound operation, and we've been bloodying our noses banging into those plate glass windows for decades and decades.
Senators primarily represent the STATES. That means the business interests as well as the population. The House is where our proportional representation is found, and it is there that the party has the most progressive elements (as a result).
Eddie Kirby @ 111 "While you were all talking, Republicans were out winning elections in droves because the people calling me a "hack" were too elitist to go walk a precinct or make a fucking phone call."
Incorrect. They have been stealing the elections.
Most of the people here have at least phonebanked, donated, and rallied. Your anger is misplaced.
Terrible @ 96 "Calling Pelosi progressive.... now THAT'S hiding from the facts!"
In your ignorance, perhaps.
Nancy Pelosi has an American Conservatives Union rating of THREE (out of 100). She is by her votes over a twenty year period DEMONSTRABLY progressive voting.
You and your prejudices on one side; her actual record on the other.
Terrible @ 90:
Pelosi is on the ballot for next year, as she has been for twenty years.
• If you think District 8 is going to block her reelection, you really do need to study more.
I believe GSM Sheehan will withdraw soon after the primary. And for good reason. She wants to run against a unanimously-elected Speaker who has broken all records for rollcall votes in a single year -- it's a waste of her time. She wants to be a Representative, there are several R Reps who need replacing, and quite a few open seats as a result of R criminals retiring. In any case she will not be Speaker, and she will not have more power in the Congress than as 1 in 435.
(But I think you meant Feinstain. It's not clear if she will run again in 2012; I'd say it's 50/50. She'll be 79.)
79? Who's "pre-nursing home"?
Paul in LA @ 114:
Paul, all I am asking for is for you to leave me alone whenever I post...please. You and I live in different worlds. My world is all about raw naked unchecked power. I see no difference between Johnson and Bush...There is only one party in America...the Power Party. Packs of ferral dogs eat charred babies in bombed out homes...politicians fiddle in Kalifornia all the way to the bank...you want evidence...dude it's all around you, just look. The entire history of the US is one big bloodbath beginning with the extermination of native populations...read Zinn...Everything is money and power...When you say everything Dem is good and everything Repub is bad I just see the kinder gentler face of the same power mad coin. I despise partisanship from all sides...they are all crazy...our political class and media is effing crazy...go live in a war zone for a while and find out the real practice of politics and leave the high school ballot box stuffing to some one else.
There is a prob with Bob, there is a prob with Bob, there is a prob with Bob..
IMO I think it is important to listen to Mr. Kirby. He is obviously dedicated to the core principles of the party. That being said, Mr. Kirby should step off and take a look at the Progressive caucus.
I am one of those arm-chair politicians that people seem to want to berate. I am also someone who believes full throatedly in Progressive politics. I live my life in as Progressive a manner as possible. In that way, my life is politics. I do not get involved in party meetings and caucuses because I neither have the time, the intelligence or the will to do so. I would rather spend time with my family and friends or do one of a hundred things that help make my community more liveable. In short, I rely on people with the balls and passion like Mr. Kirby alongside the Progressive Caucus to keep the party alive.
That is why Mr. Mullholland's actions are so reprehensible to me. Just as reprehensible as the posters who resort to the same tactics. You know who you are.
Let's get this discussion back to the real issue, Senator Feinstein's tacit endorsement of a candidate unwilling to declare that torture is torture and that it is unconstitutional, against Army regulations, in violation of treaties, a danger to us all and immoral.
Time to get a rope....
Bring your pitchforks & torches. We might as well make it look like a revolution.
Eddie Kirby @ 112:
Spare us your commentary about your "humble" beginnings, because you aren't. You don't get any sympathy from me because of your victim mentality or tough times in life. We all have been there to some degree. Grow the hell up.
And if you want to be an effective leader in politics you need to learn how to work with diverse groups to build consensus and unity. Instead, you and your pal Mulholland used your arrogant authortarianism and overstated value to indulge yourself in a reckless and arrogant conversation about how right you were at the expense of others, which proves nothing except that the both of you are singularly unqualified to be leaders of our party.
It is obvious to me that you are very naive politically and have a whole lot to learn from the voice of experience. Good for you for being involved and active, but that doesn't give you the right to be boastful and condescending. More than ever, our party needs leaders that can facilitate unity and common cause. You need to stand down your super size ego and listen with your ears for once, not your mouth.
Or if this is the best you can do, quit now and join the Republicans instead of compromising the good name of our party. We don't need narrow minded bombthrowers in our party. The Repubs have lots of them, and they can keep them.
let me spell it out...Even if the Dems took every office in the entire country, the MCA Patriot Acts, NSA spying on Americans would NEVER be stopped. The rule of law will not be restored, secret prisons will not be disclosed and shut down, torture will continue as state policy.
The line "elect more Dems and then we will have the power to fix this" is TOTAL BS. There is only one Party in America with two factions.
Hi Eddie. My name is Julia Rosen. I wrote this post and I helped lead up Courage Campaign's efforts to try and advance the censure agenda. What is shown on the film is nearly every second of the time spend by the Exec Board on the resolution. It was not passed because we lacked 60% support. We have no clue what support there was for the resolution, because it was never heard by either the Resolutions Committee or the full body. The committee declined to hear it. The vote on the floor was about the ruling made by the chair not the resolution itself.
I do feel compelled to offer my activist (not of the armchair kind) credentials given your attacks. I have walked precincts, made calls, done data entry, cut maps and the whole nine yards both on a staff and a volunteer capacity. More specifically I have worked my butt off to try and get Charlie Brown elected. I walked numerous precincts and helped him staff GOTV weekend. I helped him win the DFA endorsement, and the Blue Majority one which have brought him tens of thousands of dollars. I have hosted a fundraiser for him while at the convention this spring. I am sure that many here have similar stories about their activism.
Gross-generalizations don't work here. As noted in the post, what Mulholland has said and done conflicts starkly with the response from the rest of the party. The party is not all bad or good. There are many shades of grey. But what the Courage Campaign wants to do is have an ongoing conversation about what it means to be a Democrat and continue to press for transparency and accountablity.
I'm one of those of the "outer fringe" who have nothing better to do then make life difficult for the likes of the Mulhollands, and Kid Kirbys, by expecting the Feinsteins whom we voted for to uphold true Democrat values.
Granted I'm only "one" of the 30 some odd thousands who signed the censure motion but I know for certain I speak for countless friends, family and associates.
Hear this and hear this clearly, We're not going to stand idly by while incompetent do nothing corporate politicians drive our country, our party, our principles down the toilet for a few pieces of
silver.
That's Mulholland, as in Mulholland Drive, a little street out in the L A area, maybe you heard of it, saw a David Lynch movie with that title? Bob is from the family that drive is named after, although he lives in far more conservative Thousand Oaks area. Obviously not a "regular middle class guy". What is he doing with the Democrats in the first place?
bobswire @ 131:
Here here. Time for the "inconvenience" of principled leadership and values over the convenience of political expediency and refusal to take a courageous stand because you are beholden to moneyed interests, not effective service to the public.
Anybody who acts this way is dirty and corrupt. It's just a matter of digging up his dirt. I suggest the netroots do what it does best. Research. Research this corrupt bastard and make everything you find public.
Lay off the young'uns, guys. I'm a young'un, too, and we're not all narcissistic jack-fucks like Eddie Kirby. Here's to taking over the CDP and tossing Bob Mulholland and his sycophantic lap-dog Kirby over the battlements.
Pre-nursing home? Is that a "democrat" adjective for dirty hippies? You're a clueless swine Mullholland.
It's a great way to activate voters to campaign harder and VOTE. Lest they forget, bloggers are also VOTERS! (signed... a dirty f*ckin' hippie)
That douchebag Mulholland can call us the anti-Christ for all I care. but it is us who are going to put people like he and Feinstein out of jobs. He is is going to be flipping burgers at McDonalds and wondering how the hell he ended up there.
Might be time to stop funding those chumps, and start giving money direct to actual liberal candidates.
Big John @ 124 "I see no difference between Johnson and Bush..."
A Yellow Dog is not a Democrat.
"There is only one party in America...the Power Party."
Zinn is unreliable. The suggestion that there has been no progress in America is absurd. The suggestion that it has been 'nothing but genocide' is ridiculous.
Pat Connors @ 103:
Pat, pat, pat...... are you off your medications?? You're older then me by 3??? Is that some kind of code you fringe people use or what? And then you go on to say 30 years ago was probably before I was born? Sorry you're more then a few years off there but nice wild guess. Then you say "Feinstein is more Republican and Democratic and should actually be removed from representing our party" which make no sense at all but getting rid of Feinstein was my posititon and the opposite of your buddy Mulholland. Christ on a cracker but you just make absolutely no sense what so ever!! No wonder the CA Dem party is falling apart, aparently the CDP is completely wacked out on some serious drugs. Maybe this is where all the Herion bush has been exporting from Afghanistan has been going??
Pat Connors @ 106:
Oh!! Then that does make a bit more sense! Sounded like you were giving me shit. That Kirby dude is one weird fringe a**hole!
I am really disappointed in Art for this bastardly defeat on the California voters. He should know better then this and the very fact he stood his short stupid ass up and promoted this destructive bitch, who has just given the finger to all of the thousands of people who put faith and confidence in her to vote in their names.
He knows he is wrong but I suspect the witch got to him as they have been friends for a long time now and he decided to give her a pass and I hope that he pays for this as I am sure it will be remembered when he decides to run for the governorship and I do think he has aspirations in that arena.
I hope he reads this blog site and understands that his decision not to go forward with this legitimate grievance from the people is going to cost him more then he will ever know.
Paul in LA @ 122:
You are right there Paul! My mistake!
Big John @ 124:
Well said Big John!!!! That's exactly the way I feel too!! The political class are the ones that do allow the atrocities of the world to happen. And profit from it to boot!! The political eltites(party afiliation doesn't matter) are the true enemies of the people who get out of bed and go to work to feed their families every morning!! Thanks Big John for putting that better then I could!
Eddie Kirby @ 112:
And you are a little asskisser, hoping for some payoff from a buncha greedsos who hand themselves kickbacks from defense contractors (and get campaign funds from same).
I know ALL about coming from a disadvantaged family -- it was totally alcoholic and smashed into smitereens. BUT I have never ever sold out values that say WAR IS WRONG, that graft is graft, that spitting on people who want to unite for social justice are "worse than BuZh" or rationalized for anyone who would say something like that.
You, you truly are pathetic.
I've DONE jail time for standing up for HUMAN rights, and I can see that perhaps it could happen AGAIN, in fact. Making EXCUSES for warmongers, those against democracy and tolerance cannot be borne.
I absolutely refuse to make excuses for party apparatchiks as are most of the people on this thread.
Take the cotton out of your ears and put in your mouth where it belongs LEARN SOMETHING. Waterboarding SUCKS. A hundred year war in the Middle East is NOT acceptable. WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.
I never got a single tax break in my LIFE, you little creep. Who's paying YOU??
Two words: Same Team. We need to ratchet down the rhetoric here. As a member of the Resolutions Cmte (if you check out the video you can see me and my fellow San Franciscan Rafael Mandelman as the two who didn't object in cmte), a blogger (I started Calitics) and as an active member of CYD, I think there are more similarities than we think. Now, Eddie was out of line on a number of levels, but we need to do a lot more to work together.
Name-calling does little good in actually getting anything done. So, let's figure out what it is that we want to see happen, and figure out how we get there from here.
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