April 19, 2008 11:30 PM
Open Thread
"The Troops Support" found at MonkeyMuck, which celebrates the big one year (!) blogiversary this week. Good times.
Open Thread below....
About Bluegal aka Fran
Executive Producer of The Professional Left Podcast. On staff at Crooks and Liars since 2007. Master's degree from Harvard. Happy wife of Driftglass. Mother of three geniuses. Obsessive knitter. Blogs at http://bgalrstate.blogspot.com. .
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I dream of impeachment hearings. Is this normal?
No more ABC!
Subversive.
Very subversive.
GOPnot4me @ 1:
Give it up.
Just pray that the next president takes these punks to the back of the woodshed.
Pray 'cause they probably won't.
HOW THE LUNATICS SAVED THE ASYLUM (Part $72,076,980,234.09 (plus tax))
hillary,
barry really doesn't want to have to whip the cottage cheese off your behind, but i'm afraid ben franklin keeps telling him he has to.
IT TOLLS FOR THEE, ICE QUEEN. SPRING IS HERE.
e-x-c-e-l-s-i-o-r-!
Hussein in a Handbasket @ 4:
Can I dream of Justice Department investigations leading to criminal trials?
Got a wake-up call of sorts tonight. Don't know if anyone saw Lara Logan's piece on 60 Minutes or not, but it was about the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan and the horrible conditions we've left our troops in because of Iraq. She's a pretty damn good reporter, which I already knew.
Watching that tonight, it hit me--McCain will do *nothing* to change this situation. In fact, it will get worse, as he's already inflexible (see today's WaPo story) and itching for a fight with Iran.
Now, I've been pretty outspoken here and other places about my support for Barack Obama. However, Clinton supporters, I'm here to say: truce. I've reached the conclusion that, if she gets the nomination, I will support her. I don't care for her much...that really hasn't changed. BUT...I realize that you who support her have your reasons, and I respect that. I will support either Democrat who receives the nomination, because we simply can't risk a McCain administration. There's too much at stake, and the well-being of our service personnel is part of that.
So, best of luck to you, Clinton supporters. May the voters decide. And may we join each other when the time comes. We've got to put things right. I know that I'm just one person, but hopefully that's a start.
Best,
RobertD @ 7:
I will support her too, but i really want Obama to be the nominee.
Bio-fuels are becoming unpopular.
McCain hearts deficits. Another gun-nut in Jersey. The rich continue to get richer.
The Army defends the crappy over-priced guns our troops use.
OPEC says oil prices will increase, while Ahmadinejad thinks we're still paying too little.
In the spirit of reminding ourselves that our real opposition is the Republican Party, I think I'll repost this:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Words are slippery things. The terms "Progressive" and "Conservative" have gone through considerable semantic metamorphoses through the course of history. And so, it is necessary to capture succinctly, and in popular format, the basic concepts those labels currently embody. To wit, I give you.................
THE TOP TEN MODERN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PROGRESSIVES AND CONSERVATIVES
Number 10
• Progressives want to improve America for everyone.
• Conservatives believe America is #1; improvement is impossible by definition.
Number 9
• Progressives believe in facts.
• Conservatives believe that anything that does not explicitly favor them is biased against them.
Number 8
• Conservatives would rather die than have gay soldiers help win the wars they start.
• Progressives would let any qualified citizen serve in the military, but would rather not start wars.
Number 7
• Progressives manipulate language to elucidate their own opinions.
• Conservatives manipulate language to distort progressives' opinions.
Number 6
• Progressives dislike hypocrisy.
• Conservatives dislike Progressives' hypocrisy.
Number 5
• Progressives believe that protecting life means protecting people who are alive.
• Conservatives believe that protecting life means protecting people who are in hopeless vegetative states, microscopic cells, flags, virginity and ignorance.
Number 4
• Progressives criticize the media because they don't like how it behaves.
• Conservatives criticize the media because they don't like that it exists.
Number 3
• Progressives believe that everyone is entitled to the pursuit of happiness.
• Conservatives believe that everyone is entitled to the pursuit of happiness except women, minorities, gays, atheists, Muslims, pot smokers, immigrants, foreigners, the impoverished and the Clintons.
Number 2
• Conservatives believe that 9/11 "changed everything," so we must do anything not let the terrorists win.
• Progressives believe that convincing ourselves that 9/11 changed anything lets the terrorists win.
And, the Number 1 Modern Difference Between Progressives and Conservatives
• Progressives believe that "we are all in it together."
• Conservatives believe that "you are on your own."
Most of the posters are Obama as I am, but I have said it before, support whoever becomes the nominee. Remember the SCOTUS.
Ron @ 12:
Exactly. Leave the Ego at the Door
silly hillary is playing repug games again. she has the nerve to say Obama would prefer mccain over chimpy. She is a straight up liar, and bad actor. Obama said "neither."
A few months ago I'd never thought it could be possible for the clintons to use repugs gutter tactics. I would have thought hillary wasn't capable of such rovian childish tactics. And her followers are strange too.
There's something serious wrong with hillary.
BTW -- The bs about the finger is beneath Obama. Assholes.
xoites defends Constitution @ 8:
So do I. I think I've said before that I was an Edwards supporter (in the absence of Kucinich, who never really got a chance). To me, Obama represents the best chance we have at negotiating with the world's trouble spots--maybe approaching problems differently. I don't agree with everything he says, but I find him to be a better option.
That said, the things I've read and seen today convince me that a McCain administration would be a total disaster.
Karen @ 11:
Yup, pretty well sums it up! Did you write that? Speaking of Obama vs. Clinton: I'm an Obama supporter. But, and this is a very long shot, if Clinton wins I'd rather vote for her than McSame. At least she's a Democrat in most ways.
Ron @ 12:
Yep. The Court is extremely, extremely important. More than people realize.
Karen @ 11:
Exceptional.
Awww, shucks BG, thanks for noticing my blogaversary. You're the best babe. And if it wasn't for C&L I woldn't be blogging today, I saw Zaius's jesus convention linked here and it insipried me to begin blogging.
I'm an Obama supporter. But if Clinton manages to the win the nomination, then I'll vote for her. She's still better than McCain.
Karen @ 16:
And John McCain is a lunatic. What he'd do to the Court is anybody's guess. I've followed him pretty closely since '04 when it looked like he first might be VP, and then I began to get wary when the press started fawning all over him. But I guess I didn't realize the extent of his temper and the degree to which he's disliked among Conservatives until I read the article in the Post today.
I don't trust Conservatives any more than most who post here, but their reasoning for disliking him seemed downright reasonable to me. If what they said was true, the guy either has a serious case of "small man syndrome," is nuts, or both. That's a scary guy to allow to put his finger on the button.
Leslie [Bitter Elitist Hussein] @ 18:
I must be late to the party. Most here (so far) seem to be a little more enlightened than I am.
Maybe it's because I'm "bitter." ; )
Iowa must be a very progressive state. I would like to see a story about that state and how it would break down into the talking heads' groups.
bullfrog @ 20:
I don't know what you mean by this...in fact, I'm not really even sure what "bling bling" is. That McCain is liable to blow a gasket, however, seems plausible.
RobertD @ 21:
No, I'm more bitter than you.
Ron @ 24:
Then I won't give you the finger. I'd hate to have you throw the kitchen sink at my flag lapel pin.
They had to change the name Bitterroot to Bitterron.
RobertD @ 24:
You ought to get the new flag lapel pins made of teflon.
RobertD @ 24:
STFU! I've been bitter since Nixon. Before 'bitter' was popular!
:D
Leslie [Bitter Elitist Hussein] @ 26:
I'm really trying hard to avoid buying stuff made in China. It's a difficult task.
miss_kitty @ 29:
And Nixon would make a person bitter, too. Or, as George Carlin said, constipated.
miss_kitty @ 29:
Ha, bet you weren't elitist before "elitist" was popular though?
RobertD @ 31:
Being one does not preclude the other!!!111!!!
:-)
miss_kitty @ 29:
During the Nixon days I was so bitter that a neighbor once asked me if I got the job at the FBI. I didn't know WTF he was talking about.
miss_kitty @ 33:
Point taken. Just look at any old photo of Nixon!
PEACE...it's not only for hippies anymore.
Leslie [Bitter Elitist Hussein] @ 32:
Well, if by 'elitist,' you mean bankrupt from a medical condition and under the poverty line, then YES!!! I've been 'elitist' before it was thought up!
miss_kitty @ 37:
We can't let McSame win.
Don't forget to add in the "under achiever" factor...he was, after all, 895th out of 900 in his graduating class at the academy.
Well, all, gotta be up early for work tomorrow. Thanks for the conversation.
G'nite and good luck.
miss_kitty @ 29:
I'm merely puzzled and depressed. Most of the Americans I meet in the course of my travels seem intelligent and well informed. Which begs the question, George Bush? Two terms? Was this some practical joke that gor out of hand? WTF people.
happy 420 all.
If cannabis were utilized, taxed and regulated, it could save our economy.
Stick that in your pipe and smoke it!
Leslie @ 16,
Thank you. :)
And yes, I did write it. Though I pretty much took #4 and #1 from Paul Waldman's descriptions.
I saw this video today that suggests "Now That We Know That They Knew" about torture, it's time something is done. It's written by Max and the Marginalized. It's Green Day meets Nelson Mandela. (The editing was done by Beulahman.)
Rice can call Sadr a coward all she wants, but she's part of the problem.
Is this a new trend, MSNBC has a seven page photo gallery of the 2008 fallen troops, 144 or so photos and mini biographies.
Karen @ 43:
I didn't think my comment posted, but it is up there after all. Oh, Paul Waldman...just added him to my blog list thanks.
The "Maverick" has less campaign money than Obama.
Tequila @ 47:
So do I. That doesn't mean that Obama can't win. Snark!
I guess the Bush clan will not exactly light fireworks today:
Opposition victorious in Paraguay
Former Roman Catholic bishop Fernando Lugo has won Paraguay's presidential election, ending more than six decades of rule by the Colorado Party.
With results declared in most polling stations, Mr Lugo has 41% of the vote.
His Colorado Party rival, Blanca Ovelar, has 31% and former army chief Lino Oviedo 22%.
The BBC's Gary Duffy in the capital Asuncion says many wanted a leadership change to help confront the poverty and unemployment rife in the country.
Mr Lugo brought together leftist unions, indigenous people and poor farmers into a coalition to form the centre-left Patriotic Alliance for Change.
...
Speaking to his supporters at his campaign headquarters, Mr Lugo said the result showed that little people could also win and that this was the Paraguay he had dreamt about - a country for everyone.
...
Our correspondent says that news of Mr Lugo's win triggered celebrations, with the skies above Asuncion being filled with fireworks lit by his supporters.
...
The switch in power is also the latest in a series of election triumphs by leftist, or centre-left, leaders in South America.
...
read on:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7357874.stm
the 4th Reich is rising @ 49:
It looks like the South American continent will have more democracy than we have had in many years.
Maybe South America can export their democracy here.
Ron @ 50:
The new land of the free.
Ron @ 52:
Venezuela, Brazil, and several other South and Latin American countries are signing an agreement called the Caracas Accords. They are forming a military alliance to oppose American Imperialism in the region. They are calling it the South American version of Nato. It doesn't look good for the gringos.
I will again be voting for the lesser of the two evils, Obama or Clinton verses Mcinsane, Woe is me!
chuck @ 53:
I have been thinking of moving there if they would have me but, if we all moved there, who would be here to try to fix our mess.
Karen @ 11:
I just have to comment on this so it gets posted again. :)
Ron @ 55:
I will die here fighting for what I know is right!
chuck @ 53:
Sure does look better for the people of South America though.
Paul's Bunions @ 57:
Thank you!
Hillary Clinton's Terrorist Ties:
"Her relationship with terrorists began in the mid-1980s when she served on the Board of the New World Foundation, which gave funds to the Palestine Liberation Organization, at a time when the PLO was officially recognized by the US government as a terrorist organization."
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,351760,00.html
http://digg.com/2008_us_elections/Hillary_Clinton_s_Terrorist_Ties
Paul's Bunions @ 57:
Excuse me, but the last thing this country needs is people who know what democracy is getting dead. Stay alive and fight, you are no use to us dead.
Leon @ 60:
I support the Palestinian people. I support the Jewish people.
It's the oppression and the bombings i can't stand.
xoites defends Constitution @ 61:
If I live to be 100, I will still be fighting for democracy!
British "Financial Times" endorses Obama in Editorial comment:
Democrats must choose Obama
Published: April 20 2008 18:59 | Last updated: April 20 2008 18:59
Barack Obama goes into Tuesday’s Pennsylvania primary as strong favourite, whatever happens, to secure the Democratic presidential nomination. Yet the vote could still go either way.
This is a sign of how close this race has been and how deeply it has divided the party.
Mr Obama and Hillary Clinton are both strong candidates and each appeals powerfully to distinct segments of Democratic support. This has heightened the risk of bitter division.
After Tuesday’s vote, the Democrats should move quickly to affirm Mr Obama’s nomination. That is not just because his lead in elected delegates is already unassailable and the contest should be brought to a swift conclusion. It is also because he is, in fact, the better candidate.
...
Mr Obama has fought a brilliant campaign, out-organising his opponent, raising more money, and convincing undecided Democrats as well as the country at large that he was more likeable, more straightforward and more worthy of trust.
On form, he is a spell-binding orator and holds arena-sized audiences in thrall. He is given to airy exhortations, it is true, but genuinely seeks consensus and has cross-party appeal.
Mrs Clinton’s campaign, in contrast, has been a shambles. She and her team expected to have it all sewn up long ago; they made no plans for a long struggle, ran short of money and had to reorganise on the run.
Her speaking style is pedestrian, when it is not actually grating. Those who dislike her tend to do so with a passion: her disapproval ratings started high and after months of campaigning are climbing still. It is a tribute to her tenacity and to the loyalty she commands in the party that her fate was not sealed weeks ago.
How much the way that a campaign is run tells you about a candidate’s fitness to be president is debatable – but it does tell you something, especially if the candidate with the misfiring strategy is running on a claim of management expertise.
In fact, the campaigns have underlined the contenders’ respective strengths and weaknesses.
Mr Obama’s consistent and relaxed demeanour attested to his coolness (in both senses, his swooning young admirers would add); it seemed to affirm his authenticity. In contrast, Mrs Clinton’s hyperactive advisers dressed her in a new personality each day, sometimes several in the course of an interview. They wheeled out Bill Clinton, to remind people of the 1990s, then reeled him back, to help them forget.
Too many course corrections, not enough course.
...
The Democratic party has waited an awfully long time for a politician like Barack Obama. Enough already.
read on:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/19c88b7c-0f00-11dd-9646-0000779fd2ac.html?ncli...
Paul's Bunions @ 63:
Here's to a long and fruitful life!
xoites defends Constitution @ 61:
It does look like we are having a serious turn around from where our country has gone. Our work is not done for a long time. It's going to take a few generations to get things back. I can only hope they don't steal another election whether it be the WH, the Congress or the senate. We have to be vigilante on all fronts.
Paul's Bunions @ 63:
xoites defends Constitution @ 61:
It costs too much money to die. Better to die in Mexico where it costs a lot less money.
chuck @ 67:
Yeah, they just leave you in the desert and the buzzards pick you apart. Here the buzzards pick you apart before you die.
xoites defends Constitution @ 62:
The point is it exposes Clinton's hypocrisy, she attacks Obama for once being on a board with a former terrorist, yet she was on a board that gave money to known terrorists.
Ron @ 66:
Elections are only one avenue towards acheiving political change. Historically, real political change has never come about through elections.
Karen @ 17:
True, but no matter what, the dems will probably pick up 20/30 more seats in congress & 6 to 9 more seats in the senate, thereby controlling the judiciary committee & if by some miracle McBush wins, he won't be able to get any legislation passed without dem approval let alone trying to get a conservative judge appointed to the SC, a conservative judge will never make it out of the judiciary committee.
Also, this is one of the dems biggest arguments in the presidential race, if 'we the people' want things to change in Washington or want anything important to get done then don't appoint/elect another bush clone, or should I say let the SC appoint another idiot!
Bottom line, America gets what it deserves, if McBush gets elected, then America deserves McBush, but the dems will immediately stop funding for the war, that's a given. The only reason the dems have approved war funding up 'til now is they want the war to remain all dubya's! & in that respect, the dems are cowards :( they don't want to screw up prospects of big gains in Nov. by taking control of the war themselves.
& so it goes ...
Leon @ 69:
If we start talking about stupid sideline issues we are going to completely overlook the real issues like healthcare and the economy. These things just aren't worth discussing.
chuck @ 70:
Careful, revolutions are not real popular at this site. I know from experience.
Leon @ 69:
Sorry, but i have a very hard time calling a people's liberation front (even though i strongly disagree with the violence they use) a terrorist organization. Forgive me, please.
Ron @ 73:
Non Violent Revolution is not only popular when well organized but highly effective.
xoites defends Constitution @ 75:
You've read this before, so you know where I'm coming from.
http://myfightfordemocracy.blogspot.com/2007/07/new-declaration-of-indep...
xoites defends Constitution @ 74:
What about Hamas, would you classify them as terrorists? Read the whole article instead of just my first quote.
Talking about South America: When will the USA turn her back on Iran and invade Brasil instead?
Brazil’s oil discovery spurs industry review
By Jonathan Wheatley in São Paulo
Published: April 20 2008 22:01 | Last updated: April 20 2008 22:01
The sight of a giant oil rig being towed past may not be what sun-lovers on the beautiful beaches of Brazil’s south-east coast most want to enjoy while getting away from their workaday cares. But if reports of a coming transformation of Brazil’s oil industry are to be believed, they had better get used to it.
Last week, such reports sent the shares of Petrobras, the government-controlled oil group, its foreign partners and their suppliers all shooting upwards. The cause was the impromptu “revelation” during an oil conference by Haroldo Lima, head of the industry watchdog, that a recently-discovered deep-water field contained as much as 33bn barrels of oil – which, if confirmed, would make it the third biggest single field ever discovered.
Never mind that such speculation is nothing new and that Mr Lima had no business adding to it – for which he was quickly rounded on by Petrobras, the oil minister, the securities commission and president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Broker analysts rushed to tell their clients that Brazil, as one minister put it a few months ago, was about to become the new Saudi Arabia.
...
“What worries us is the politicisation of this discovery,” says Adriano Pires, an oil industry analyst in Rio de Janeiro. “I’m afraid that Brazil will end up like Russia, with a lot of oil and a lot of regulatory risk.”
Such concerns are widespread in the oil industry. Behind them is the government’s announcement last November, as soon as the Tupi field was made public, that it would remove from its annual auction of oil exploration concessions 41 blocs situated within the salt shelf. It also called on Mr Lima’s watchdog to draw up proposals for regulatory changes in the light of the discoveries.
read on:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f2d821b0-0da8-11dd-b90a-0000779fd2ac.html
Brazil, that is.
Leon @ 77:
I really hate this whole Israel-Palestine issue. Blah...blah...blah...not my problem. Blah...blah...blah...not my country. Blah...blah...blah...we don't need to be putting our nose in everybodies business.
Ron @ 76:
Economic and cultural revolution is the way to go. Thatis how really make these corporate whores irrelevant.
Leon @ 77:
Classifying someone as a terrorist is a lot like classifying Hitler as a "Blitzkriegiest" or Ullysees S. Grant as a "Cavalryist."
Hussein in a Handbasket @ 4:
I have a vision... HRC unleashed either as POTUS or AG, run Repiggies run.
you can smell the Republican fear now, they are starting to wet themselves.
I wonder how many repugs are liquidating their assets and getting plane tickets ready.
Could explain the housing bubble crash, too many trying to sell their houses at the same time.
chuck @ 80:
I am curious as to when Israel became the 51st state and why they have more Senators and Congress Reps than any of the other 50 states.
Terrorphobia: Our False Sense of Insecurity
ferrofluid @ 83:
Naw, there isn't that much of a market for the mIllion + homes.
Ron @ 73:
78, 45 and 33 are
Ron @ 86:
I am sure there will be Federal (taxpayer) monies to recompense the poor impoverished paper millionaires
cboy @ 39:
No wonder he was a POW.
ferrofluid @ 84:
Just as many abused children become child abusers and some become serial killers, some Jews (through Israel) have become the oppressor and dare i say it? The dealer in genocide. 1948-2008 in a refugee camp is more than any human should be able to bear. I don't condone the violence the Palestinians have wrought on Israel, but i can certainly understand it. Much harder for me to understand is the devestation Israel have brought down on Palestine.
If the Palestinians went totally non violent and resisted Israel from the begining without any killing there would be justice by now. We propped up Israel during the cold war to keep our foot in the Middle East and we do it now for the same reasons: OIL.
shiloh @ 71:
The president has the sole power to appoint judges. The Senate has an advisory role, and must confirm by a simple majority. The Senate will eventually have to approve of some conservative judge because that's all Gone InSane will offer up. Reagan's and Bush Senior's judges were approved by Democratic Senates.
And I don't have much faith in the Democratic Party to advance anything truly progressive, or really fight for progressive judges.
There's a sense in which that's true, but the majority of Americans will not deserve what America gets.
Karen @ 91:
McCain is simply not an option.
Excerpt from an interview with heroic journalist Robert Fisk:
Q: Firstly, I wanted to know, does journalism, by sanitising or justifying war, also have a role in perpetuating it?
A: There are several things. First of all, there's the inability of many journalists from the United States to actually tell the truth about the Israel-Palestine situation--hence, occupied territories are called disputed territories, the wall is called the security barrier, a colony or settlement is called a neighbourhood or an outpost. Which means that if you see a Palestinian chucking a stone, if it's about an occupation, you can understand it, but if it's about a dispute, which you can presumably settle over a cup of tea, then obviously the Palestinians are generically violent. So you demean one side in this appalling conflict.
Then you have this business where television will not show what we see, for reasons of so-called "bad taste". I remember once being on the phone to a TV editor in London when Jazeera were asked to feed some tape of children killed and wounded by British shell fire in Basra, and the guy started saying, "there's no point feeding us this, we can't show this"the first excuse was, "people will be having their tea, so we can't put it on", and then it was, "this is sort of pornography, we don't show this". And it ended up--it is mesmeric to listen to this stuff - the last thing was "We have to show respect for the dead". So we don't show any respect for them when they are alive, we blow them to bits, and then we show respect for themSo because of this - and these bloodless sandpits with ex-generals pontificating - it becomes a game; you start propagating this idea that war is primarily about victory or defeat - when in fact, it's about death, and the infliction of massive pain.
I was in Iraq in 1991, when the British and Americans had been bombing one of the highways. There were women and children dead and in bits, and all these dogs came out of the desert and started eating themIf you saw what I saw you would never ever think of supporting war of any kind against anyone again.
But of course, the politicians--our leaders--are very happy that these pictures are not shown, because they make war more attractive, less painful.
"Just as the Wall is Called a Fence, So are the Mercenaries Called Contractors"
Cricket City.
GNA!
xoites defends Constitution @ 93:
I was just getting ready to say the same. GNA.
Ecuador wants out of the drug war. New Mexico gets global warming early.
chuck @ 72:
If we start talking about stupid sideline issues we are going to completely overlook the real issues like healthcare and the economy. These things just aren't worth discussing.
Look, I agree that the real issues are more important that this, but Obama gets attacked daily for his ties to weather-underground, his former pastor and others. Only because it's been repeated so many times on so many tv channels and websites that it's been beaten into the national consciousness. It's one of the main reasons he's unelectable according to some. When similar connections are found on the other candidates they'll get ignored or marginalized as meaningless, before the story has even taken-off and been exposed on a national scale such as what happen with Obamas ties it's forgotten, meanwhile they'll keep attacking Obama for the same thing. The only way to end this is have the hypocrisy exposed, that way we can move on when it becomes meaningless and talk about more important things. Hillary, Obama, McCain and probably every other politician have terrorist ties if you dig hard enough.
Obama tries the Anyone But Bush Card eight years too late. I hope that doesn't get used against him...
Is that a Bansky? re: photo
Sorry, I meant Banksy.
Karen @ 91:
Well, blame the founding fathers who preferred a republic over a democracy & blame many Americans who are too lazy to vote, particularly dems & that's not counting the many who are too lazy to even register! Hence, we get what we deserve.
But on the bright side, Gore & Kerry losing made it possible for the dems to retake congress, absolute power corrupting absolutely, the down side is over 4,000 dead u.s. soldiers in Iraq & many more soldiers & civilians killed & injured.
But I firmly believe McBush will implode sometime before Nov. & make it possible for Illinois to have its 3rd President ~ Lincoln, Reagan, Obama ~ a certain symmetry lol Lincoln tried to free the slaves & Obama being elected would fulfill the promise, in a sense. Bush's legacy so to speak, he f*cked up so bad he made it viable for America, still a racist country to elect an African-American. I digress ...
p.s. I know Lincoln was born in KY & Nov. is a long wayyy off. A little perspective, LBJ won in a landslide in 1964 & the pundits said the rep party would never recover, Nixon was elected in '68. Nixon won in a landslide in 1972 & the pundits again said the dems would never recover, Carter was elected in '76. It's amazing, knowing u.s. history, that the republic has survived pretty much intact 'til now, again I digress :) ciao
For the record, the photo is of a Banksy recreated in Mark Wallinger's "State Britain".
31 RobertD Says: miss_kitty @ 29:
RobertD @ 24:
Ron @ 24:
RobertD @ 21:
STFU! I’ve been bitter since Nixon. Before ‘bitter’ was popular!
***(Good one)
And Nixon would make a person bitter, too. Or, as George Carlin said, constipated.
=====================================
That explains Brit Hume. Nixon made him constipated and he's been bitter (and constipated) ever since.
42 equilibrio Says: happy 420 all.
If cannabis were utilized, taxed and regulated, it could save our economy.
Stick that in your pipe and smoke it!
==========================
They'd make a fucking mess of it, and it would all be Pot Lite.
81 chuck Says: Ron @ 76:
xoites defends Constitution @ 75:
Ron @ 73:
chuck @ 70:
Careful, revolutions are not real popular at this site. I know from experience.
Non Violent Revolution is not only popular when well organized but highly effective.
You’ve read this before, so you know where I’m coming from.
http://myfightfordemocracy.blo.....-2007.html
Economic and cultural revolution is the way to go. Thatis how really make these corporate whores irrelevant.
===================================
There is only one thing every government on earth has always feared. That is an angry MOB.
That is the major problem with McCain. He changes his position on issues almost weekly. It is a form of lying. McCain will say one thing to this group of voters and the exact opposite to another set of voters. McCain lies. He even lied about public campaign finance money. McCain is another Bush in so many ways. McCain just wants to be president at all costs. McCain lies when necessary.
ferrofluid @ 88:
That week off just flew by. Sharon and I got away on our own for a few days and the first night while dining Gorge Snofolofogous walks up and asks to join us.
He looks a lot shorter in real life so we got him a couple of phone books and ordered the kids special. When asked if we could help him out with some ideas he had about the upcoming week’s debate and interview my eyes met Sharron’s and we instantly knew without saying it that this little man was going to get tag teamed.
The democrat debate was great and Georgie asked all our questions.
Saturday night the phone rings and its George crying he is all itchy and stuff and his wife found the motel receipt. Sunday he goes off on Dad like its our fault. Oh well dems the primaries.
Check out our new campaign store. Lots of great stuff to let the world know you know McCain pain. The Prisoner Blindfold is selling well especially since mom sewed the Velcro tabs on the back. Dad still puts one on every holiday.
Gotta get down to the clinic for early an appointment.
Cant forget Dad’s health insurance card.
the 4th Reich is rising @ 49:
Remember that Rev. Moon and GHWB have 1 million and 100K acres apiece down there in Paraguay, along with a military length runway and merc base.
Its the Bushcos family getaway and escape route, how soon before somebody and Blackwater reverses the election.
What a slap in the face for Israel and the US (especially useless Condi Rice who both are apoplectic that Carter met with Hamas not once but twice!!!!!!!! That's because both pretend only in theory there should be peace with the Palestinians but as we all know their pragmatic pattern is to avoid it at all costs.
Carter has come up with some negotiated arrangment/pre-deal with Hamas that if Abbas agrees to it, and the Palestinians (including those in exile) vote for it, a two state based on the pre-1967 borders may happen.
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/world/news-palestinians-israel-carter.htm...
As expected this is still not going to be easy, but the point I wish to make is that Carter has to be commended (despite disrespectful snubbing from the Olmert goverment) simply because Hamas is vital if any peace is going to happen. They can holler till kingdom come but Hamas will still be necessary.
I salute Carter who was brave enough not to be intimidated by Israel and the US and who correctly and accurately called Israel an Apartheid regime, and whose barbaric treatment of the entire civilian population of Gaza equates that of the Nazis. This also underscores the importance of negotiations, something the US and Israel don't want (read: Iran) because to these Straussians, perpetual war is good economically and they can control the Palestinans better that way.
ferrofluid @ 108:
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How ironic that there should be true democratic elections in the very country that Bush will flee to, while he leaves us in a totally non-democratic hell with Hillary or McCain. He's not the stupid man people have depicted for so long. Seems like he'll be laughing last.
Daily Reading pt 1...
EARTH DAY - TOMORROW Tuesday April 22nd - please wear blue
Paul Krugman: Running Out of Planet to Exploit - http://economistsview.typepad.com/economistsview/2008/04/paul-krugman-ru...
But rich countries will face steady pressure on their economies from rising resource prices, making it harder to raise their standard of living. And some poor countries will find themselves living dangerously close to the edge — or over it.
Don’t look now, but the good times may have just stopped rolling.
The "Big Thirst"- for Oil - http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/04/the-big-thirst-for-oil.php
Dear Sir or Madam: Governors will 'pester' candidates about climate - http://grist.org/news/2008/04/18/governors/
Governors of 18 states, representing more than half of the U.S. population, pledge to "reach out to major presidential candidates as a means of shaping the first 100 days of the next administration."
On His Pope-box: Pope preaches environmental protection to United Nations - http://grist.org/news/2008/04/18/pope/index.html
Shocking Space Debris Images - http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/04/shocking-space-debris-images.php
Common BioFuel Myth: Corn-Based Ethanol To Blame For Global Food Shortages - http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/04/biofuel-_myth-corn-ethanol-globa...
Sure, government subsidy of corn based ethanol production is a contributing factor to the global food crisis now ensuing. However, there are multiple, significant independent causes; and, the interplay of contributing factors is far more complex than news headlines might lead you to believe (in the US media, especially).
Major Confirmation: U.S. Media Deceitfully Disseminates Government Propaganda - Glenn Greenwald
- http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/04/20/nyt/index.html
In 2002 and 2003, when Americans were relentlessly subjected to their commentary, news organizations were hardly unaware that these retired generals were mindlessly reciting the administration line on the war and related matters. To the contrary, that's precisely why our news organizations -- which themselves were devoted to selling the war both before and after the invasion by relentlessly featuring pro-war sources and all but excluding anti-war ones -- turned to them in the first place.
Obama building war machine to respond to 'Swift Boat' attacks - http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Obama_building_war_machine_to_respond_0420...
Obama is no fool, he's getting ready for the onslaught...
Turkey: Discovery of 12,000-year-old Temple Complex Could Alter Theory of Human Development - http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav041708a.shtml
"This place is a supernova", says Schmidt, standing under a lone tree on a windswept hilltop 35 miles north of Turkey’s border with Syria. "Within a minute of first seeing it I knew I had two choices: go away and tell nobody, or spend the rest of my life working here."Behind him are the first folds of the Anatolian plateau.
Daily Reading pt 2...
LA Times: Hillary Clinton dissed party activists and MoveOn.org - http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/04/hillary-clin-10.html
That's why she's losing and will lose...you don't alienate the people that are the lifeblood of your party....
Economist Fears Historic Loss of Assets for Minorities - http://www.alternet.org/story/82629/
A warning that the current economic downturn could lead to the greatest loss of assets for communities of color that's ever happened.
There are many causes behind the world food crisis, but one chief villain: World Bank head, Robert Zoellick - http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/raj_patel/2008/04/a_manmade_famine.html
Who else....but a Bushevik appointee....'wolfowitz's replacement'....
McCain/McBush: A Question of Temper-ament - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/19/AR200804...
Exposed: The Great GM Crops Myth - http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/exposed-the-great-...
Genetic modification actually cuts the productivity of crops, an authoritative new study shows, undermining repeated claims that a switch to the controversial technology is needed to solve the growing world food crisis. The study – carried out over the past three years at the University of Kansas in the US grain belt – has found that GM soya produces about 10 per cent less food than its conventional equivalent, contradicting assertions by advocates of the technology that it increases yields.
In Philadelphia on Friday Night, Obama Greeted by Largest Crowd of the Primary Campaign: 35,000 People - http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080419/ap_on_el_pr/obama_crowd;_ylt=AmLiwNO...
Tomgram: 12 Reasons to Get Out of Iraq - http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/174921
Think Progress: McCain Embraces ‘Cocktail-Napkin Economics,’ Pushes ‘Flawed,’ ‘Misleading’ And ‘Dubious’ Tax Theories
- http://thinkprogress.org/2008/04/20/mccain-capital-gains/
RED ALERT: Does John McCain Want to Ban Contraception? - http://mwcnews.net/content/view/21835/26
While the corporate media has delved into every detail of Barack Obama-related trivia, from his bowling score to whether he wears a flag lapel pin, there has been precious little attention paid to John McCain. As a result, Americans are uninformed, or misinformed, about John McCain's positions on the issues, and no one asks McCain to explain his close associations with extreme supporters, including a convicted felon.
Many Republican voters mistakenly believe McCain supports abortion rights. But McCain's extreme position in this area actually goes well beyond opposition to legalized abortion. Participants in focus groups are surprised to learn that, not only does McCain favor overturning Roe v. Wade, he opposes requirements that health plans provide contraception coverage.
Daily Reading pt 3...
Obama's Got a Shadow on the Trail: the McCain Campaign - http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/04/19/obamas_gop_shadow.ht...
Potential Election Fraud in Pennsylvania - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0804/S00288.htm
Cliff Schechter, Author of the "Real McCain": Reporters told Real McCain author Schecter that the McCains were estranged and that the senator frequented Hanoi's red light district.
- http://www.alternet.org/election08/82591/
What is a Confederate Flag Doing Behind Bush as He Greets the Pope? See This Photograph. - http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/President-Bush-Pope-Benedict-XVI/photo//08...
Clinton campaign gets new conservative nod - http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/04/20/clinton-campaign-gets-ne...
When Rupert Murdoch, Richard Mellon Scaife, Ed Rollins, Grover 'pedophile' Norquist, & Rush Limbaugh are endorsing someone...its time to wake up...
Sign Our EPIC "Global Warning" Petition - http://www.desmogblog.com/sign-our-epic-global-warning-petition
Leslie [Bitter Elitist Hussein] @ 20:
I really wish I could agree with you. At one time I was one on who felt the same way. The way things have went the last month, I don't see much of a differance between Hillary and McCrazy. She has used slash and burn repug tactics to tear Obama down. She has thrown the progressive wing of the party under the bus, she keeps attacking Obama not on issues, but on things like, Rev Wright, flag pins, weather underground and Americans are bitter shit. I have lost any respect that I had for her. By the tactics she has used, she has destoryed the chances of Democrats taking the white house in Nov.
Frank Rich takes apart the Always Broadcasting for Corporations debate: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/opinion/20rich.html?ex=1366430400&en=3...
(bitter & angry 67%) Edwin Hussein @ 104:
What about Bitter Mobs?
Karen @ 11:
Thank you for making my Monday.
diamondmc @ 112:
I couldn't agree with you more.
Here is a quote from Naomi Wolf's brilliant book "The End of America" (page 149)..this was written one year ago when Guiiliani was still in the offing, but it is still frightening because even then she equated Hillary with Guiliani (extrapolate that to McCain):
"Say for instance, God forbid, that in a year and a half there is another terrorist attack. Say we have a President Rudolph Guiliani -- OR EVEN A PRESIDENT HILLARY CLINTON . If the crisis is severe enough, the executive can and perhaps should declare a state of emergency". But without checks and balances, history shows that any leader, of any party, will be tempted to maintain emergency powers after the crisis has subsided. In the absence of traditional checks and balances, President Hillary Clinton endangers us no less than President Guiliani....The Founders knew...that excessive power WAS CERTAIN TO CORRUPT EQUALLY. This danger is not about partisanship; it is about power." (Capitalised letters are mine).
i.e. Clinton is just as likely to assume dictatorial powers if elected. Now the Bosnia sniper lies make sense, don't they?
Looking at the msm this morning it sounds like we are on the eve of a sad day tomorrow. If polls are to be believed, Hillary will win by double digits, which means she goes all the way. This will mean more slash and burn tactics, more Rev Wright, more flag pins, more Obama is a elitist ect. ect. McCrazy will talk about issues, while dems tear each other up over repug talking points. If Hillary would talk about issues, and show us the differance between her and Obama, and speak well about all dems I would feel better about her. As it stands right now, I could not and will not vote for her. Along with Obama she has thrown progressives under the bus and said she doesn't need us. People better get ready for, four more years of the same old shit.
Anyone catch the Jon Oliver stand up comedy thingy last night?
I though it was funnier'n shit!
mystic @ 115:
Oh come on! No way is Hillary that friggin bad! I prefer Obama obviously, but Hillary will DAMN SURE get my vote if she wins the nomination. Compared to McBain...Hillary's a saint! Come Hell or high water...we cannot have another republican in the WH!!!
liberalHUSSEINmoderation @ 118:
Thats the problem that Hillary has brought to the democratic party with the tactics she has been using. How can I vote for someone who say's, she doesn't need or agree with the progressive part of the party? McCrazy is down in Selma Al. right now talking about issues and Hillary is in Pa telling her people that Obama is a elitist, supports the weather underground, has a bad minister ect, ect. If she had taken the high road, I would have some respect for her, instead she went the slash and burn repug tactics to win. I won't and can't support someone who takes that road.
diamondmc @ 119:
So...what will you do if she wins the nomination? I don't disagree with your POV, but she is the lesser of two evils...by far. At least IMHO...I just can't stomach the fact of having McCain (or any other republican for that matter) in the WH!
liberalHUSSEINmoderation @ 120:
I guess I write in Obama or Edwards.
The way she has run with the slash and burn tactics and dumping the progressive part of the party, I don't really see much differance between her and McCrazy.
I'm watching MSNBC and Mika can't seem to wrap her brain around the money disparity.
For the last half hour, they've beaten to death the point that Obama has outspent Hillary 3-to-1 in Penn. and hasn't overtaken her in the polls. Even trotted out Buchanan/Barnicle and some other guy to discuss. Not one time in the discussion was it mentioned that Obama has closed a 20-pt. gap in a state that was considered Hillary country. Not one time has anyone discussed the media's unending focus on issues such as lapel pins, Wright, bittergate, etc. and last week's travesty of a "debate", which have more than compensated for Hillary's spending deficit.
What they've totally missed, is that the good people of Penn. have been deprived of any substantial discussion of the issues, cementing the idea that Hillary is totally devoid of any ideas except negative attacks and the politics of personal destruction. Let's hope the voters finally convince her that if she is going to stay in this race and compete, these tactics are working against her.
diamondmc @ 122:
I am NO fan of Hillary. But I think she would actually make a pretty damn good prez once in office...though I'm not really keen on her tactics trying to get there...McCain would be the death of this country.
And writing in Obama or Edwards is certainly your choice, both would also be excellent presidents....but I'm thinkin a write-in vote might be a wasted vote...
All that being said...I am supporting Obama...I think he will get the nod...
What will Pennsylvania really tell us?
Aside from the ultimate winner, and since this is a Democrats only primary, those all important Pennsylvania Democrats could rip a huge gaping hole in the party umbrella and reveal to the world, something else all together. And Rendell and other Clintonettes have offered repeated snippets of what's to come: the voters of Pennsylvania will clearly express by their votes, the amount of bigotry and racism that exists within the Democratic Party itself.
Clinton surely has a percentage of her voters that truly think she's wonderful, and would make the best President. But Rendell and company have also pointed out that she will also get by default, special classes of voters who, irregardless of Obamas capabilities, just don't want to vote for himbecause he's black.
The final numbers will reveal those percentages of: Jews that won't vote for a black Democrat, Democrat Hispanics that won't vote for a black Democrat, Asians that won't vote for a black Democrat and white Democrats that won't vote for a black Democrat
.
So how much of Clinton's expected win can be attributed entirely to them?
And why in the hell is that something the Clinton team and their supporters are proud of ??
How much more UN-Democratic can you get??
For a Democratic candidate to win not just the nomination, but the White House as well, based solely on an edge given that candidate from bigoted and racist voters, is not something any Democrat should be at all proud of and, is would be the polar opposite of the true meaning of "victory",
A Free Peek Into The Future
Michael Moore endorses Obama:
Monday, April 21st, 2008
My Vote's for Obama (if I could vote) ...by Michael Moore
Friends,
I don't get to vote for President this primary season. I live in Michigan. The party leaders (both here and in D.C.) couldn't get their act together, and thus our votes will not be counted.
So, if you live in Pennsylvania, can you do me a favor? Will you please cast my vote -- and yours -- on Tuesday for Senator Barack Obama?
...
read on:
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php?id=225
The Troops Support Peace? What a load of crock.
Let's just look at the last 50 years of US history and ask ourselves who were the ones doing the killing?
@Palestine:
Walk a mile in their shoes and then see what you would do.
Oh wait, the US did the same thing to the native Americans as Israel is doing to the Palestinians. Only difference is that the Palestinians are still fighting against their extinction.
Just like the '9/11 changed everything'. The same thing was pulled by a lot of other people. Germans against the Jews, Jews against the Palestinians, Russians in Chechnya, US against everyone else.
Often it was a case of the 'victims' beating people down and when the victims fight back, also play the victim, but in your case no one would dare criticize you.
No one in their right mind would not support the Jewish people after what they have been through during WW2 but that does NOT give Israel the right to do the SAME thing with the Palestinians.
liberalHUSSEINmoderation @ 124:
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I agree. Hillary IS the lesser of two evils when comparing her to McCain, but when comparing her to Obama, she's more evil; (2) Don't be surprised that if Hillary wins the presidency, she becomes our next dictator (as would McCain).
mystic @ 133:
Oh, undoubtedly, MUCH more evil when compared to Obama.
But no way will she be a dictator. I just don't think she is gonna go all fascist on us...I just honestly don't believe it.
Can't find the Oversight Committee hearing for AEY which Rep. Waxman was supposed to start April 17. Does anyone know what happened?
ferrofluid @ 87, 33 1/3
You need to properly credit the artist that created the image you are using. Graffitti artist Robert 'Banksy' Banks
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