Bold Progressives
By John Amato Saturday Oct 11, 2008 6:05amI'm taking the Bold Progressive pledge. I've done that since I started blogging and will continue to promote liberal ideas that will help repair the damage that has been done by Conservative ideology to this great nation. And I will fight against the Blue Dogs every chance I get.
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I will also take that plege there is so much to do and many more need to help too!
sorry about that typo in pledge. Can we get a go back and edit function???
If you Register then your comments come in Box's and even after you have posted them you can edit them. You also will get a Flag that tells you of "New Comments"
Become a Registered member, the new format isn't great I admit, but when your registered it's better.
I saw the verified thing and I'm trying to get use to the new format I'll go register now. . .
Are you serving any coolaid with this pledge?
I agree with everything the pledge stands for except for the pledge itself.
Political ideology should not require allegiance. This stifles free expression, creativity, and "progressive" movement itself.
Pledges are a dangerous tool no matter which side of the political spectrums are employing them.
In your taking umbrage about the concept of a "pledge" as a personal tool to subscribe to a set of standards and moraes, I fail to see your point.
The fact that it's come down to the need for people to stand up for their rights to truth in government by the taking of an oath or pledge speaks to the degenerated state of this Federal Government - a Republican led Federal Government where the DOJ has been contaminated and corrupted and refuses to uphold the laws and the Constitution of this country.
This requires a firm dedictation to righting this sinking ship and if the idea of pledge taking somehow annoys you, you need to think about the genesis of why people might feel the need for this kind of action.
Look around you: Where are your constitutional rights? In the toilet and swirling the bowl.
Taking a pledge reinstates a firm commitment to the rights of the citizens of this country - rights which have been consistently usurped by a renegade gang of thugs running this White House.
I guess then you disagree with a "marriage vow" or "pledge", too??
The fact that you made reference to the drinking of Kool-Aid, aka reichwing propaganda and twisted talking points, tells us plenty. It tells us that you're what we call a "concern troll" - a GOP operative.
Thanks, but no thanks!
I'm confused, isn't Blue the D's color.
Somebody fill me in here.
Apparently "Blue dogs" are the new enemy and are to be fought against at every turn.
I'm glad someone has finally "coined" a term for (them)
I say great! John Amato has come to realize that 80% (at least) of democrats (Blue dogs) are traitors to the constitution and the democratic party. Pelosi, Conyers, Reid, Frank, ect...ect...the list of double agent "democrats" is long indeed.
I think Amato should post his "list" of Blue dogs so we know who not to not vote for.
Kudos to John Amato and people like him all across america who are devoted to bringing truth back into our government. We applaud you for what you have personally done to bring this to fruition.
There is also another group out there where people can submit a claim for a slur to be investigated - email/chain mail, direct mail, or anything published in a newspaper or heard on local television media. They will investigated the claims immediately and turn them over to the proper authorities.
www.truthfightsback.com
My faith in humans is limited. Greed trumps grassroots and progressives.
The need for america's recommitment to truth in our government has never been greater in recent history of this country.
If we trace things such as "war crimes" back - we see that it was Bush's lies which were spun by an indulgent, sycophantic media who perpetuated and activated americans to believe that this war was not only moral but legal. We've discovered that both of these concepts were patently untrue. This has resulted in the needless deaths of nearly 5,000 americans and over a million innocent Iraqis.
But there's more....so much more....from the lack of safety of our young people in the GOP's pedophelia enablers in congress, to illegally spying on americans - and now we find out that they got their rocks off listening in to american soldiers of all things! They were laughing at the men whom they've put in harm's way, folks. They were illegally spying on our own american patriots. This is so sleazy that it's even beyond logical comprehension. We'll soon discover what other "crimes" this gang of thugs has committed.
In the end, however, the fact that americans across this country are taking a "renewed pledge" to bring honesty and truth back into the american dialogue tells the story completely. The fact that truth has been replaced by bold-faced lies, even by presidential and vice presidential candidates, is utterly appalling.
If taking a pledge or oath reinstates the honesty and integrity this country needs right now to righting this sinking, stinking morass of eels, then pledge we shall.
Concerned Kanuck: Don't be concerned about us. We're just fine. Keep your Canadian nose out of our business. thanks.
Your business is my business. Sorry if you don't think so. Everything you do affects me. As Bangkok Bob says in another thread, the entire world would overwhelmingly vote Obama. Your polls show it as a close race. Unfrigginbelievable. Stop the insanity. Superpower USA is crashing and burning and bringing the entire world along with it. That isn't my business?
What polls are you reading, Mr. Interconnectivity?
The Newsweek poll just released this AM says the following:
Obama 52
McCain 41
Even the FOX poll this morning has it:
Obama 47
McCain 39
So I'm just wondering....what polls does this Kanuck read?
Ahead by less than 10 percent with a +/- of 3 percent and you think what? Should this not be a blowout right now even at the polls? So I'm wondering, is your arrogance contagious?
The poll results may not reflect the effect of newly registered voters, support (or lack thereof) for Obama among minorities, or the number of caucasians who will vote against Obama because he is black. I think the election is much closer than the polls indicate. The popular vote is exactly that -- a popularity contest. Obama must carry Ohio and/or a few southern and border states to win this election. It may be a long election night.
The "gaming of the system" by George Bush and Mr. Deregulator, John McCain are at the bottom of this necrotic heap on Wall Street. That's fact.
Have you heard of GRAMM/LEACH/BLILEY? If the news up there is so delinquent, I'm sure you'll be hearing about it in full this week.
By "insanity" I trust you mean the vulgar antics of Palin and McCain this week on the stump while the financial markets are tanking?
Partially. BOTH parties are to blame for this. I know Rethugs have been in majority power the last few years, but the Dimbulbs vote with them overwhelmingly. Hell even Obama seems to think there is a "war on terra" going on. Is that honesty to you?
got sent to an (Untitled) page. No "Thank You" for resistering, or "share with a friend" page that I expected.
Anyone else get this?
I'm using Firefox3 with NoScript, scripts allowed.
Support the progressives we already have, like Kucinich and Waters. Smash the RW morons like the ones calling Obama an arab and calling for his murder. Arrest the criminals on Wall St. and K Street and in the Pentagon.
Why call the right wingers morons? They are highly educated and effective at robbing you.
ATTENTION: BOLD PROGRESSIVES!(This post may get me banned for C&L
If you are indeed a bold progressive you must....
1. Place your TV in the dumpster
2. Quit shopping at Wal Mart
3. Denounce the Holy Spirit
4. Quit eating meat
5. Boycott all professional sports
6. Sell your SuV
If you don't do these things you are not a progressive, you are pretending to be because...
1. When you watch TV you are paying Brokaw, Williams and Gibson's salary
2. When you shop at Wal Mart you are supporting the world's biggest enemy of American workers.
3. Religion has killed and oppressed more people than Bush!
4. Meat production is so cruel and poisonous it is a crime!
5. Pro sport is the Circus Maximus of modern times. Dumb asses that can't name their own congressperson can give you an in depth 45 minute dissertation of the the history of the Yankees batting and pitching.
6. You 12mpg wagon is helping to destroy our planet
Sorry! This may be my last post because JA will probabl;y ban me for saying these things.
I feel sorry for you. Your world is so narrow?
However,
1) I don't watch TV (but for the clips on the web & I have never had cable service!)
2) I've Boycott WalMart since Sam died
3) I'm not superstitious and believe in a greater force
4) Only once or twice a week then it is home grown
5) Can't afford the tickets
6) Despise the beasties
. . .and I do this as a good citizen of a once great nation that has been run into the ground by the Greedy Old Party (GOP) and the Religious Nazi Coalition(RNC)!
PEACE by Popular Demand!
My view is narrow...?
That's like saying I am narrow minded for not eating fatty food when my cholesterol is high!!!
Our country is dying. We need to make the right decisions.
I did not attack you, I merely stated your vision was limited and perhaps might consider broadening your horizons(thus your vision.) Nor did I speak of your diet choices, as a matter of fact that was your references. . .and Yes I agree with you fully that
"Our country is dying. We need to make the right decisions."
WE ALL NEED to work together to aid our nation and heal the rips in our social fabric.
PEACE by Popular Demand
- I use my TV to watch DVD movies
- I quit WalMart three years ago
- I gave up the Holy Spirit when I studied "Greek Mythology" in HS
- I believe men were designed to eat meat. I grew up on a farm.
I could be a vegan tomorrow, but by choice I'm not
- Professional sports are no better than the battle between Starbucks's
and Seattle's Best - They both bore me.
- I've never understood the need of an SUV except, perhaps, deliveries
To vote for the ticket of my choosing (Obama/Biden) without harboring a personal animosity against the opposition and their supporters.
To promote closure after the next election, especially to avoid feeling like others need to be blamed if the outcome doesn't go my way.
To be tolerant and understanding of other people's world views, whether their faith has a religious or secular basis.
Didn't you strongly support Hillary Clinton, and then push hard for her to be added to the ticket when she finally dropped out?
I can assure you I'm not a GOP operative. I've been a registered democrat since 1988 when I reached eighteen years of age. The Washington Democrats have me considering registering independent and the idea of a movement to fight against the Blue Dogs and bring the Democratic Party back to what I think it should stand for has me very excited. I stated that I agree with the ideas behind the Pledge. What I disagree with is the use of a pledge in regards to a political movement- not pledges in general. Its a rather minor critism but in my mind a pledge for a progressive movement is hypocritical. I'm no Glenn Greenwald, I can't site references from the top of my head and I don't have the time to do the research but I can recall many critisms coming from progressives towards the pledges required by many conservative movements. The same arguments used to denounce those can be applied here. The "because I agree with it" it makes it OK argument doesn't sit well with me.
I'm curious as to how you view the marriage pledge?
My critism is of pledges to ideologies and political movements in general. Not all vows or pledges.
I am a politician and a married man. I take my vows to these very seriously. Pledging to an established instution involving public trust is different then pledging to an ideological movement. I do not agree with the political philosophy of all my constituents yet by following the established rules of governance I believe they can be fairly represented. Marriage vows are both religious and institutional by nature. I am not a religious person but my vow to my wife is deeply personal and establishes a level of trust that would otherwise not exist. The role the state plays in this relationship is to validate this trust both legally and socially. This by the way is why I feel it's discriminating to not allow this to same sex couples.
Ironically it seems to me that vows to marriage and public office are the ones most often broken and allegiance to ideologies are the ones most blindly followed. My refernce to "Kool-aid"(Jim Jones,not third reich) was perhaps not fair yet injected to illustrate that point. I think it is dangerous for people to pledge to any ideology or political movement. A pledge to a Progressive movement in particular I find to be against the very idea of being progressive.
So what do you call getting behind this movement? I don't know. I suppose taking a pledge is a fair way to do it and my critism is more about semantics but when I see the lemmings marching into the sea I will step out of line. I feel that pledges are not meant to be broken and therefore I will not pledge to something that I may not be able to live up to.
I asked the blue dog in my district if he votes the way he does because his district is full of wingnuts.
He smiled. The key is to turn the districts blue and they will vote with the dems.
It helps when these wingnuts showed their ass in the hate rallies.
They are fiscal conservatives and that is a good thing.
Of course, they vote to save their careers and that is bad.
We should use the opportunity of this economic meltdown to fix our broken government.
This is the best blog on the Internet! I signed the pledge because I want to see the US survive. As a country, we have survived many crises and always emerged a better country. It will be so once we work through this crisis. Solutions to our current problems require bold, progressive leadership. The policies of the Bushies have failed us. It is time for our government to address the issues of national health care, decent paying jobs with benefits for all Americans, renewable energy sources, and quality educational opportunities for all who choose to persue them. We should be a country that values intelligence rather than scoff at it. FDR had bold ideas. Some of his ideas are still in place today. He was a bold progressive. Who will be our time's bold progressive?
Until I start seeing regular critique of Democrats on this blog I don't buy what you're selling with this pledge.
I enjoy reading this blog but it's overly slanted to side with Democrats rather than truly reflect the inclusiveness of the title "Crooks and Liars". How about some balanced critique?
For instance, how many Green Party ideas (and I'm not a member) have been presented here recently. I can't remember any... That's just one example of how this blog isn't very progressive when advancing alternative view points.
Right or wrong, this blog is for Progressive DEMOCRATS only. All Republicans are wingnuts. And there are no other parties because if everyone supported a third party, the Republicans would win the election somehow........LOL.....sarcasm off now.....bad week for all.
We noticed the reek. When they come into the room it makes it bad for anyone and everyone at the table.
Until they admit they have soiled their pants (Iraq War of Lies, Economic Devastation, World Pariah, Ruining the Idea of Democracy for the rest of the World etc.) they will be the unwelcome guests.
This is definitely a Democratic blog.
The owners, who are good people, are Dems. Bigtime.
This not Democracy Now! and it does not pretend to be.
It is the best blog on the net, that's for sure.
They bust Blue Dogs all the time, including Pelosi.
Pardon my ignorance but what is a "blue dog" and why are they bad?
Blue Dogs are Democrats that are "conservative". I say "conservative"
because conservative and liberal don't really mean anything to me.
A conservative should be for the environment and liberals should be
for gun ownership. See how stupid the labels are.
In my world view, there is one party, the Money/Power Party. Obama is
a member of this party. So are both Clintons. They will always put
the interests of the "military industrial mediatainment congressional big
pharma insurance complex" before those of working Americans. Always.
A Blue Dog is just another cur in the litter.
John Amato has been forced to admit that that there is a large group of traitorous Democrats at work in Congress. "Blue dogs"
...the truth hurts but we cant ignore it. the majority of congress does not work for or represent we the people anymore.
I myself would take the pledge but I already pledged alliegence to the flag of the United States of America.
That really bug me:
http://www.bestweekever.tv/bwe/images/2007/01...
I believe just about everyone who posts on C&L is a truthseeker.
We all know the truth about the history of the United States. Whether we read it in Howard Zinn's "A Peoples History of the United States" or in other books such as, "Body of Secrets" by James Bamford or David Ray Griffin's various books on 9/11 and on and on.
I believe we are all sickened by the obvious collusion between the Democrats and Republicans who are in control of the federal government. We have had our occasional Democratic Congressional heros, like Paul Wellstone. But they have been few and far between.
It is tough being a "Democrat" right now for me. McCain/Palin are 100% unacceptable to me and Obama/Biden are 95% unacceptable. I trust none of them with the fate of the planet. But I will vote for Obama/Biden just to take away one vote for McCain/Palin and hope after all the dust settles and the likes of Diebold, ESS and Sequoia have not had their way with the computerized voting machines, that Obama/Biden will win. All this in spite of the fact I hold no hope for any positive change.
The military industrial complex will continue to get it's pound of flesh from us, the indiscriminate murdering will continue in the Middle East, and on and on.
I have little hope to see any positive changes in my life. I am near retirement and thank God I have no savings in stocks/bonds, pensions etc. Unfortunately I am planning on collecting Social Security in about 10 years. I have serious doubts, especially in light of what has just gone down in the economy, that anyone's SS will be there.
I don't know about all you guys and gals, but watching my "fellow Americans" at rallys genuflecting to Sarah Palin and John McCain makes me sick. And to realize that half the population agrees with the moronic beliefs of these people is downright scary.
Now here we are, a long weekend with the markets closed until Tuesday and a national holiday approaching that honors a mass murderer.
I'd like to go for a nice long bike ride and pick some apples or something, but it's hard to find happiness in days like these.
Plus I happen to be living on the east end of Long Island where everyone I chat with is a Republican who just LOVES Sarah Palin and looks at McCain as the Second Coming.
It's so freakin' depressing I'm seriously considering moving back to California!!!
Move to Nassau County then.
I have a serious question here.
What are the elements of so-called "Progressive" thought?
I'm for fiscal responsibility and fair taxation.
I would very much would like to see the restoration of the Rights, Responsibilities and Privileges set forth in the Constitution of the United States.
When I cast a ballot, I vote for the politician that seems to stand for integrity and demonstrates an ability to reason fairly.
I'm not a joiner and resist dogmatic groups so I won't be signing or taking any oaths.
But, I would really like to know what is considered "Progressive" politics.
Thanks in advance.
A Progressive sees;
-Universal Health Care as an Humanitarian Act to care for all living beings. Not a socialist movement.
-The basics of Shelter, Food & Clothing as a natural right and humane. Not a marketing system
-Education as a means to move forward and bring rewards to our society, our country and our world. Not a drag on the government
-Violence as a last resort, not a mandate to rape and pillage foreign nations for their natural resources!
-Religion as a choice not a requirement and not the law of the land and the people.
-Privacy and the pursuit of happiness as universal rights!
I'm certain I could continue but I'll stop here for now. . .
PEACE by Popular Demand
"But, I would really like to know what is considered "Progressive" politics"....was your question.
Progressive want to make the world a better place for all people by
bringing peace and justice to as many people as possible. It posits that
we are obliged to help one another and that greed, hatred and racism are
treatable through education and opportunity. Some people say they are
progressives but they are really liberals. Clinton and Obama are
liberals, Kucinich and Feingold are progressives.
Ok, these are my hopes and dreams for government so I guess I am progressive...
(you still won't find me signing any oaths, but good luck with that and I mean it.)
BY any yard stick, George Bush is not a conservative, there is ABSOLUTELY nothing conservative about him and his administration .
Bush's sole purpose was to enrich the "owners" of this country. Conservative and liberal are meaningless labels used to define the 2 factions of the Money/Power Party.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9rf1CETob0
Well, Mr. Amato, I will beleive it when you support Cindy Shehan to replace Nancy Pelosi. The democrats problem is not a few blue dogs but a cowardly, undemocratic leadership that totally ignores the actual progressives in Congress. On the surge, FISA, the bailout, just about any policy you can name, the leadership, and particulalrly Pelosi, have sided with the repubs. So please, no more declarations until you actually get onboard with the real progressives.
As I understand it the purpose of this movement is to target the blue dog democrats that are up for re-election, a worthy cause that will hopefully persuade the likes of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reed to actually start representing the electorate.
I don't think anyone here would disagree with your points about Congress and the Democratic leadership. The idea is to come up with ways to instigate the change you are asking for and I believe this is a step in the right direction.
Simply criticising the progressiveness of someone does little to help change anything. It is very fustrating that the change needed can not happen faster given the simplicity of what should really be done but if the people in Congress will act only in their own interest, then changing what is in their best interest is perhaps the only way to instigate the change.
What more to say? This sort of thing is sorely needed these days.
Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAccountable.com
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