A Call To Action On Alito

No wonder Republicans say they have seen nothing to derail the Alito nomination... it displays with razor sharp crispness that Republicans have no regard for the civil rights of every American citizen, or for the rule of law.

marc:

When they say "right", they for dang sure don't mean "correct," or "proper," or "legitimate," or anything other than "me-mine-ours-and-screw-you-too."

impeach 'em all and let their god sort 'em out,
Otter

Just a reminder: We ought to focus calls on Nelson from Nebraska as well.

Right As Rein aka Acid Rein

Short-circuiting legitimate debate between Senators on such an important issue as confirming a new Supreme Court justice whose beliefs and practices are at best unclear is nothing short of a ham-handed, droit-de-seignor attempt to make an end run around democracy on the part of Bill "I Can Tell From The Videotape That She's Conscious" Frist, M.D.

So if your stomach's strong enough to wade through all the blatant bullspit to be found there without bringing up breakfast first... please go at once to Bill Frist's home website at http://frist.senate.gov/ and use the contact info there to write, call, fax, and/or send angry (but still civil) marchers into the lobby of his office, in order to raise such a hue and cry that Frist and his backstage masters will be *forced* to allow legitimate debate on the Senate floor regarding Alito's fitness to serve on the Supreme Court *before* before the up/down vote on his nomination happens on January 24th.

Those powermad greedhead sleazeweasels sitting on the top of the bloated and corrupt Rethuglican food chain absolutely *must* be brought down and brought to justice. And it'll take a village to do it. A progressive, independent, small-d village. (Not for the first time, I deeply regret that they no longer sell hot tar and fathers and lengths of split rail in the corner hardware stores of Washington, DC...)

time to make all-out war upon the GOP-branded axis of evil in the senate and the house,
Otter

the problem is the "rethuglicans" are in control. they will never impeach one of their own. they cover each others backs. even if the dirtiest of the dirty scandals they participate in is brought out against them, all they have to do is go to church and repent, and their moronic base will vote them back in.

Although... if all the powermad greedhead sleazeweasels were to be tarred and feathered and then ridden out of town on a rail, what's left of Washington would barely constitute a small, inconsequential backwater town.

Not that there's anything wrong with that, you understand.

you can have my democratic republic when you pry it from my hot angry fingers,
Otter

called my guys. will call again this afternoon.

Go ahead and filibuster. You'll get nuked, then we won't have any problem confirming as many Scalia's as we can find onto these courts.

Try us.

I am not gonna dignify the above statement with a response. I am going to do what I do with everything who is trying to blow smoke up my rear ignore them.

Has anyone noticed a lot of republicans are mentioning Leiberman as the poster boy for the Democratic Party? It seems to be going a lot like this lately paraphasing here. " Me and Jo Lieberman were talking about just this thing the other day, he agrees blah blah blah. As I told my mom last night when she said something about it, Lieberman is nothing but a Con Republican in Democratic Clothing, he can not even make the claim to being a Conservatice Democrat anymore, he has forgotten his roots and the core beliefs of the party. Actually I believe a lot of Democrats have. They can either remember and win with them or they can continue to let the Republicans define the party and constantly play catch up. One way is the path to winning the other is the path to even more hell.

Again I remind people Liberal means open minded it is not an insult to be called, one even if you arent one.

I called mine as well. Plus I asked them to 'lean' on Nelson as well as 'moderate Republicans.'

I also made sure I used the words, "an extremest who is WAY out of the mainstream".

Following the lead of a suggestion originally made on the Bulldog Manifesto blog ( http://bulldogpolitics.blogspot.com/ ) and further amplified by Liza over at CultureKitchen (http://www.culturekitchen.com ), I am now going to be appending the following signature file to all of my outgoing emails:

----------

NOTICE: Due to Presidential Executive Orders, the National Security Agency may have read this email without warning, warrant, or notice. They may do this without any judicial or legislative oversight. You have no recourse nor protection against this save to call for the impeachment of President George W. Bush and Vice-President Richard Cheney for authorizing an illegal policy of warrantless spying on American citizens.

----------

it may not be much but every little bit helps,
Otter

Interesting that the filibuster and nuke seems to come in mind when the extremest talk about the legal processes of democracy.

Why is it that they want to NUKE democracy?

Why is it that they want to eliminate the three branches of government and have only one executive branch who is accountable to noone?

Why is it that they want to spy on Americans without warrants?

All of those things MAKE us a democracy, yet in their bullying tactics they try to scare us and bully us into giving up the very foundation of what has made America a great place to live.

Posted by: Otter at January 20, 2006 12:32 PM

May I copy-cat that?

Posted by: Otter at January 20, 2006 12:32 PM

I second Sparrow request!!

it might be a good Idea to also warn google users that the goverment wants access to what has been searched for on Google and by whom.

More hide and seek from the NeoCONS. Please recommend this diary.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/1/20/12150/1863

Oh look, a troll! Hey gutcat...

Y'all rednecks O-reilly watchin' corkscrews sure do like them nukes, dontcha?

Oops, should Iran away, ya big bully?

Come back when ya wanna talk facts or even sense for that matter, ya spy-loving hypocrite.

Dopey Gillis

Otter -- that's really good. So good in fact I'm not even gonna ask your permission but copy it anyway since it's on the www!

Chuck in Doha

April,

Gosh, I guess I can't seek out porn anymore. Except what this regime has done to this country is extremely pornaphrapic!

I guess that's how they'll frame it when they search in my googles.

Posted by: monkey at January 20, 2006 12:46 PM

Thank YOU!! I wanted to do that so bad but thought I would get tossed I am never real sure of the rules here.

Oh, and gutcat... when you and your "kind", and use the word loosely, are in the minority (and quite frankly, I think you and your "kind" already are), I sure hope you don't need to use a filibuster.

Same ol' Neocons... don't like dissent, gonna shoot you instead of talkin' it thru.

Truth hurts, don't it gutfat?

Posted by: April at January 20, 2006 12:48 PM

April,

One rule for dealing with trolls...

chew thoroughly before swallowing their junk.

Posted by: rayd8 at January 20, 2006 12:49 PM

Good point!

Yes, by all means please do feel free to grab that sig file and make it your own, folks. Liza did a rewteak of the Bulldog version and then I tweaked it to my own version, so it's not like I'm gonna send the copyright police after you or anything.

And besides, the more times we keep that impeachment-for-cause meme echoing across the Internet, the better the odds of it catching enough eyeballs to influence the odd citizen here and there.

(And, as we well know, some of those citizens here and there are very odd indeed...)

this president deliberately, flagrantly, arrogantly defied the laws of his country... so deal with it,
Otter

Sparrow,

Remember when dealing with trolls facts seem to confuse them! They are so brainwashed by their hero Rush Drug Addict Limbaugh and the like that the truth actually makes them dizzy its like they have been off their drugs and are going through withdrawl or something.

This one isnt even to bright. The Repulicans might want to Nuke our Democracy but there are elections coming up that put their power into question, if they do this it will be hell on them when another party gets power.

I'm very proud of John Kerry's response to the neoCON smear of Michael Moore. Keep speaking up, JK!

http://americablog.blogspot.com/2006/01/john-kerry-responds-to-nbcs-chris.html

April,

Courtesy of D.U.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/roberts/roberts140.html

Perhaps they know how to keep stealing elections and maybe that's their plan to maintain power.

Posted by: April at January 20, 2006 12:58 PM

But April, the other party can't take control if the current party stays on it's current course of paying for everything it wants, including the owners of those peskyu voting machines.

Silly!

Posted by: rayd8 at January 20, 2006 01:03 PM

Posted by: sparrow at January 20, 2006 01:02 PM

Alls I have to say about this sad commentary on what one party is willing to do to stay in power is repeat the words of our founding fathers.

The Declaration of Independence

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security

http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/declaration_transcript.html

Posted by: rayd8 at January 20, 2006 01:03 PM

Posted by: sparrow at January 20, 2006 01:02 PM

Alls I have to say about this sad commentary on what one party is willing to do to stay in power is repeat the words of our founding fathers.

The Declaration of Independence

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security

http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/declaration_transcript.html

Posted by: April at January 20, 2006 01:18 PM

April,

One side will do anything to win--including ingoring that 'peice of paper'.

And there's a whole bunch of people out here who are apethetic and think that dems and Repubs are both the same--so what difference does it make...?

Posted by: April at January 20, 2006 01:19 PM

Oh...I should add...during the campaign and on the jk blog, I was always impressed by your determination and your ability to make people care.

I'm sure Kerry really won in NC all thanks to you and Denise (o'charlotte)!

Posted by: sparrow at January 20, 2006 01:20 PM

This is the way I look at this, the only thing that has kept Bush and company from being impeached is the fact that he let the special conc. Statute lapse. So if our congressmen and woman want to prove how unworried they are about what Bush and company have done they can vote a bill through with enough votes to overide a veto from said president and appoint another. Alberto, Bush friend is not the right one to be investigating this considering he is the one who told Bush all this was okay and this just sets wrong with me.

As to the voting machine thing what most of us can do is push absentee voting make a copy of our ballots and have it notorized to prove validity I know its a lot of trouble and most people wont want to do this but its the only way to save this country. Also like I have said in the past if Republicans are so sure of no wrong doing then they will push their congressmen and women hard with elections coming up to pass reforms on a host of things to prove their honesty it is past time we make them prove that they truly believe that representation is being honest.

One other thing, your right I have heard tons that people believe they are all the same, its up to our representives to prove them wrong. people want to be proven wrong they just need to see it. This starts with everyone in the Democratic Party and others stopping the Republicans from driving the argument we need one cohesive voice against their policies if that means driving people like Leberman out of our party then so be it!

Still looking for the part that talks about unlimited debate on a Supreme Court nominee. Perhaps you can find it in the Constitution for me.

Too bad every poll I've seen shows Americans supporting Alito. So much for your "Democracy" not wanting Alito. I'm sorry you guys are in the minority, but that's OK. If you surround yourselves with enough socialists, you'll feel like you're in power!

Posted by: April at January 20, 2006 01:30 PM

Leiberman is expected to vote no on Alito but now you have another strayer...Ben Nelson (Nebraska).

Yes, we need a cohesive message and better management of the Democrats (and they need to split up the neoCONS from the Republicans.) And we need people to go out there and MAKE the democrats present a UNIFIED and COMMITTED message to the American people.

Excuse me for cussing but **** the "Compassionate Conservative" meme of the past, Let all those who are truly COMPASSIONATE step up to the plate and make them speak loudly with a big bat and slam the message OUT of the park!

Posted by: sparrow at January 20, 2006 01:22 PM

I know he was close we will never know with all the ballot problems that the national news chose to ignore.

truthfully I think people who were reading the Kerry Blog and not talking were just afraid typos would make them look stupid lol then I came along with my million typos but pure mission and made them brave enough to join the discussion, I have no doubt they were already passionate about the discussion without me :)

Everyone on here and most people on there came off as so intelligent that it scared people. No one wants to look stupid. But you know what I dont care if anyone thinks my typos make me stupid lol, when I have something to say I say it :)

Posted by: gutshot at January 20, 2006 01:34 PM

Interesting gutshot...I bet you searched long and hard to find a poll that actually followed the strict guidelines that a poll should follow.

ie. How many people were polled? What was the makeup of the poll? In other words...how many men, women, young, old, Republican, Democrat? What was the size of the poll? One thousand people or one million people?

Thanks for that bit of worthless information about polls you just posted.

socialists, wow I am impressed with your vocabulary. Where did you learn such big words? By the way moron do you have any idea whatsoever what socialism is? Medicare, Social Security, 401 Ks? which I am sure you want be happy to dismantle.

Oh, gutfat repeated the RepugRush talking point SOOOO well, SOCIALISTS!

Gutfat is a parrot, and filled with yellow feathers.

... and the only polls you look at are the one's you must smack your cro-magnon skull against.

Daily.

Gutless,

Next...regarding the silly "never ending debate" comment, I've decided to educate you about filibusters. Let's start here for your learning moment:

http://www.democracycellproject.net/blog/archives/2005/03/filiblog_and_fi.html

Everyone on here and most people on there came off as so intelligent that it scared people. No one wants to look stupid. But you know what I dont care if anyone thinks my typos make me stupid lol, when I have something to say I say it :)

Posted by: April at January 20, 2006 01:36 PM

Well, that's what I'm here for too. (haha) I knew there was a reason for all those typos.

Posted by: gutshot at January 20, 2006 01:34 PM

What is about these guys that they feel the need to find places to start trouble?

Has anyone noticed they come around only when they feel in their guts but ignore it that their party is doing somthing wrong? They come to places like this and dont ask real questions but attack and insult, no the constitution does not allow for unlimited debate it does however allow for debate something your party constantly choses to ignore. There are also rules and procedures that make voting in the House when a vote is finally called a timely thing which your people have been ignoring since they got control of the house they have held votes open way past the deadlines so they could strong arm those who dissent from within your own party into voting the way they want them to, yet this is much ignored by you all and the press.

Some people in your party make the claim that Democrats did the same thing when they were in control, yet I have seen no proof when this contention is voiced. I have no doubt that they engaged in simular tactics but I am pretty sure it wasnt to this extent, I would also like to point out Democrats are more prone to decent in their own party, because we believe that everyone has a right to their own opinions sadly this kind of open mindedness is damaging the party, when faced with the one mind and voice mentality of the republican party no matter how wrong that voice might be you all tout your official party lines like a bunch of robots. That is not what this Country was founded on, this country was founded with the idea that everyone had a voice and that voice was spoken through someone they elected to office it is the peoples voices that have been silenced by special interest groups and the Republican Majority, and sadly for you sooner or later the people who are working themselves to death trying to make a living in a large part because of you are going to wake up and make you all listen, I have faith that this will happen.

Gutless...

Gosh, correct me if I'm wrong, but couldn't a socialist be the equivalent of a "compassionate conservative"?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism

That means Bush ran in 2000 as a socialist who then LIED and became a Capitalist after he took oath.

Oh well...just another lie to add to his ever expanding list.

Posted by: sparrow at January 20, 2006 01:54 PM

^^^^^^^^^^^^ I taught her that lol

Am now patting myself on the back you go girl :)

Posted by: April at January 20, 2006 01:53 PM

Right on!

Oh, please, folks, let's don't waste any more time or screen real estate even bothering to reply to that Gutless Wonder. Remember what I always used to point out back on the JK blog (when we had a *much* higher class of trolls to deal with, anyway):

Never try to teach a pig to sing.

It wastes your time, and it annoys the pig.

just ignore that fatuous fool and focus on what really matters instead,
Otter

Posted by: April at January 20, 2006 01:56 PM

Oh...I learned a lot from you and MANY of the people on the blog...

I had MORE THAN 50 pages saved of links and articles, and 20 minutes later, I'd find the one to post for the silly little trolls. (In the meantime, I'd come back to the blog and there'd be around 15 posts directed at said idiot troll.)

Go ahead and filibuster. You'll get nuked, then we won't have any problem confirming as many Scalia's as we can find onto these courts.

Try us.

Posted by: gutshot at January 20, 2006 11:52 AM
=================================================

Enjoy the chickenhawk show while you can, cuz 2006 will see be the end of the neocon powergrab.

The thing I like best about Republicans is that whenever they're elected, they screw things up so badly that they're not elected again for 30 years...

So by all means, enjoy the time you have left, because you are SO going away in 2006. The few that don't go to prison will be left trying to work out a compromise with the new Democratic majority.

See you at the polls.

Posted by: Otter at January 20, 2006 01:58 PM

Okay Daddy but I love swatting at the flies. But I will behave.

Have you ever noticed that what they do often backfires we get our dander up and kick their butts then we are ready to kick somemore :)

Posted by: sparrow at January 20, 2006 01:59 PM

I know but you got faster :) and better lol

I was just kidding goof.

Go ahead, filibuster. Drag the cots into the Senate, splash (no pun intended) Sen Kennedy's face all over C-Span and see how you like the nuke.

Alito is as good as it gets, can't wait until Stevens retires. It'll be fun to watch the heads explode.

OT but had to pipe in on this:

Here's my e-mail response to CNN on Glenn Beck.

"Glenn Beck must go.

For a network that SHOULD, for credibility, maintain a level of DECENCY and RESPECT for ALL its viewers, I find the purported hiring of Glenn Beck offensive in the extreme.

Your attempt to "appeal" to a broad range of viewpoints on your network by this hiring is a cynical act. By appealing, you are more than offending. You are sending what is left of the once great highground that were the glory days of CNN down the toilet.

Unfortunately, the kind of sludge thinking that Glenn Beck produces could not be adequately or properly cleansed by ANY sewage treatment plant.

Shame."

Hey he brought friends! wow I didnt know Trolls had those! They usually have the everyman for him or helfself mentality. Oh well heartland read all our responses to your little buddy there and then move a long we have more important things to do than deal with you today, we have a Country and our Democracy to save. Tootles

Trolls are back. YAY!!!

I guess they need the win right now because the ethics stench is so fogging up the room they want a breath of fresh air.

Sorry to disappoint. If Frist tries the nuke, they're sealing their own fate when the Congressional majority shifts in 2006 after Americans vote down the bribe-taking COngressional criminals--all entirely Republican, not Democrat.

IMPEACH begins with "I".

hey all, things must be pretty boring at the Republican sites today must be hard to find something to talk about when all your heros break the law in some fashion or another. So going on the attack(its what they have been trained to do when they are in the wrong) seemed like a good idea here is the problem with that it just proves how ugly and mean spirited they are, after all we may be angry but few of us ever go to their sites starting trouble. I guess they missed the fact that this is for education on community action.

hey all, things must be pretty boring at the Republican sites today must be hard to find something to talk about when all your heros break the law in some fashion or another. So going on the attack(its what they have been trained to do when they are in the wrong) seemed like a good idea here is the problem with that it just proves how ugly and mean spirited they are, after all we may be angry but few of us ever go to their sites starting trouble. I guess they missed the fact that this is for education on community action.

Okay that double post shouldnt have happened it told me to try to post again in a minute I did that and it did it double grrrr..

Actually, Fe... you'll notice the timing here:

First, the news breaks that the feddies are using Google and Yahoo searches to track down all those pesky pasty-faced people who use their computers to download porno and pirated software.

Then, bored trolls with no social skills and nothing else left to do with their computers suddenly start showing up here instead.

Coincidence? You make the call.

if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck,
Otter

Yep, I have _never_ heard your arguments anywhere. No one's ever called a conservative a redneck before, that's a good one.

And to whoever posted the article about filibustering, thanks. Never realized that Democracy = One person standing up and bloviating for days, preventing a real vote. Sounds more like a power trip to me. Still, I'm having a tough time remembering how many of Alito's liberal colleagues on the 3rd Circuit Court testified that he was fair and impartial, and would make an excellent Supreme Court Justice. It was a least 3 or 4.

Oh, yeah, I'm having a tough time finding recent polls about Alito. There was just about a poll a week before the hearings, with press releases almost glowing with the hope that Alito would crash and burn in front of the Judiciary Committee. Unfortunately, Kennedy looked like the hapless windbag he is, Biden couldn't quit stumping for 2008, and the rest slung mud at a teflon wall named Samuel.

He's in, save your filibuster for when you really need it.

Posted by: Otter at January 20, 2006 02:17 PM

Hey otter way to put 2+2 together I never realized that lol but your way right.

Posted by: gutshot at January 20, 2006 02:18 PM

Power trip?

Yeh...like Bush spying without warrants. NOW that's a power trip.

Hey, gutshot...sorry the google is down for you for a while.

Joe Connason just said on Air America that he believes that the President met with Jack Abramoff on May 9, 2001 according to a Texas Observer report.We should insist on finding out the nature of that meeting and what was discussed. Tapes anyone?

So here's a riddle for a very special troll...

You take one pResident who just like Al Queda loves to "think of ways to hurt Americans..."

And

You take one person who likes to 'abuse' guys and kids...just like Alberto, Bush, Cheney, et al...

What do you get?

Hmmmm....

Hey, Gutless, how're your bowling average and golf game doing these days? Maybe they'd improve if you didn't spend so much time marinating in your own pesticides down there.

Of course, if you weren't so gutless, you could have saved some time by pointing us to the kind of drivel you usually post over nicedoggie.net: http://tinyurl.com/crjvz

Oh, and by the way -- the Phillies really *do* suck, Bowa or no Bowa.

now go back to your crossword puzzles and your hate rants,
Otter

gunshot I would make a deal with you. Lets make illimination of the filibuster permanent. I'm sure that would not sit well with you or Orin if Hillary were to make a Supreme Ct. nomination down the road or to block real healthcare reform that didn't get the stamp of approval from folks like Abramoff. We would here you bloviating as you are fond of saying how impt the filibuster is to democracy. oh, no that would be different,right!

Posted by: April at January 20, 2006 02:06 PM

Friends?

Doubtful...more like the Three Faces of Eve.

I was just kidding goof.

Posted by: April at January 20, 2006 02:02 PM

I know you were. (goof)

;)

some names for future Supreme Ct. nominations:
1. Lawrence Tribe
2. Ralph Nader
3. Mario Cuomo
4. Bill Clinton
5. Elliot Spitzer
6. Ralph Neas
would we not expect the filibuster procedure to then be dusted off the shelf?

(*Nice*, Gutless! Now you're not only sinking to the lowest levels of ad hominem attacks -- since you know you're wrong, you're showing your true colors and acting like a true chickenshit -- but you're faking somebody else's known nick in order to do it. If you were any less of a dumbass, you'd realize that the real Sparrow's IP address isn't anything close to the one you just used to post your snarky but stupid hate message about me... which, you'll notice, the mods have already yanked. Just chalk it up to having rolled yet another 7-10 split on your part, spudboy.)

goddess, will these punks *ever* grow up?
Otter

Oh goodie! Trolls. They only come by when they are really scared.

NOW I am having a good day.

Keep up the great work DCP! I LOVE the photos.

Okay, I can't resist--gunshot just calls himself that because he can't spell lobotomized.

Nope, I didn't hijack anyone's account. Ask your mod, it wasn't me. The worst accusation I've made is that you are socialists, something that probably none of you would be offended by. I didn't go looking up your background and try to attack you personally. I guess I was too busy thinking about golf and bowling, right?

Obviously you don't like two sided debate, so I'll leave you guys alone. Enjoy trying to sink Alito, it's going to be difficult.

Good luck, then. I apologize for accusing you of something that someone else apparently did. But that's not totally surprising; we know that trolls usually travel in packs anyway, so obviously *somebody* was busy spoofing nicks and making hate posts while you were out of the room. I'm sorry that I assumed it was you this time.

meanwhile don't the door hit ya where the good lord split ya,
Otter

FOCUS | Robert Fisk: Osama, Is It Him?
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/012006Y.shtml
Robert Fisk asks: So why only on audio? Why no video tape? Is he sick? Yes, say the usual American "intelligence sources." It's the same old story: Osama bin Laden talks to us from the mouth of a cave, from within a cave, from a basement perhaps, from a tape almost certainly recorded down a telephone line from far away.

gutshot:

Your idea of a two-sided debate is to side-swipe the car and then take off before exchanging insurance policy numbers.

Please.

Oh yeah, no pigsinging, I forgot!

Thanks otter, yer the ruliest of the unruly.

Truly.

Yeah, and good luck sinking America, ratgut... you are off to a helluva start.

I mean, all this damage in less than 5 years, that's GOTTA be some kind of record.

And it is.

Good luck running from THAT.

Sam Alito On Brokeback Mountain
What do the bitter neocon nominee and the amazing Oscar-bound film have in common?
By Mark Morford

There is this theory, more of a truism really, tossed about like a fuzzy beach ball by the gurus and the masters and the mystics since Jesus was but a lint ball of possibility in the Great Belly Button of Time.

It goes like this: When human consciousness expands, for whatever reason and with whatever stimulation and even if you can only measure it in hairsbreadth, when our nasty habit of harsh judgment falls away and people begin to get a little bit, you know, lighter, there is always, as sure as there's someone who hates the sunrise, a clampdown, a recoil, a desperate need by the terrified and ever-paranoid conservative sect to, you know, put a quick stop to this so-called awakening crapola ASA-damn-P.

As soon as people begin realizing there's more to this brief little slice of existence than hate and war and the constant drumbeat of fear, there's always resistance, a reactive sneer at the idea that people might be waking up, even a little, and it's all in the name of protecting the status quo and defending the power base and not upsetting any of those carefully wrought prejudices, about making sure everyone stays quiet and doesn't ask any difficult questions of the Authority.

Religious groups make phone calls and complain. Big chunks of money get thrown into the pockets of sanctimonious politicians. Quasi-religious bonk-job leaders declare sex and music and gay people the source of all woes and vices and diseases. Ugly new laws get passed. And yes, bitter, convulsive justices get appointed to the Supreme Court. ...

(click here to read the rest)

(Full URL: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/gate/archive/2006/01/20/notes012006.DTL&nl=fix)

*sigh*

Alas, poor Marckey, I seem to have gone a bit beyond my own advice in re the pig singing stuff... ended up having to do a wee bit of pig sticking instead.

And I *hate* it when I do that.

Mostly, anyways...

not my fault I didn't do it musta been some other otter honest,
Otter

nmp:

You are so reading my mind. I was about to post that same article by Morford!

A great read everyone--a good article looking culturally and spiritually on the societal reality of Alito's nomination in the face of the production of and acclaim for "Brokeback Mountain".

"The more the Empire tightens it grip, the more that slips through its fingers..."

Gunshot, if you are still around...I can't help but ask, why do you like Alito and why do you think he would be good for the court, or the United States for that matter.

In other words, which of his rulings do you most agree with? And in what ways do you think that he will personally affect you life?

IRC anyone? interesting stuff

spinnaker... you just asked almost EXACTLY what I was gonna type.

And furthermore, to be told we don't like 2 sided debate by a person who burst into a blog and threatened to nuke anyone who dared to attemp at actually participating in 2 sided debate was, well, the usual standard hypocrisy.

Assimalito, resistence is futile.

"A spokesman said Salazar remained vague on whether he would support a filibuster, though he is a member of the "Gang of 14," which agreed that judicial filibusters should be used only under extraordinary circumstances."

Ellen on her blog about OBL tape...A good read. Here's a snippet:

What I want to know is, well I think we all know, but I'd like to see Bush and Cheney articulate, why, if the bin Laden tape is geniune, and the bin Laden threat is genuine, is the Bush Administration not talking about stepping up efforts to find and catch bin Laden? Why doesn't Cheney hope that the tape sparks the capture of bin Laden?

I would also like to know why the Bush administration negotiates our freedoms and rights away to the terrorists while it insists that the US does not negotiate with terrorists. Bush, in fact, negotiates with terrorists every time he throws our hard earned tax dollars down the Iraq drain, whittles away at Constitutional protections and changes our American way of life to suit his new terrorism-shaped fear-based world. The only thing that Bush does not negotiate away is his own power.

Read the whole thing.
http://ellenofthetenth.blogspot.com/2006/01/fear-drives-out-reason-part-ii.html#comments

And this one's for our guest troll of the day...

Durbin Says Filibuster on Alito Still Possible

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) announced Thursday he will vote against Judge Sam Alito for the U.S. Supreme Court. And he said so many other senators intensely oppose Alito that they may have enough votes to sustain a filibuster against the conservative jurist.(...)

As the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, it's Durbin's job to count votes for and against Alito. He said he won't know until Tuesday if there are enough strong opponents to filibuster Alito's nomination.

"A week ago, I would have told you it's not likely to happen," Durbin said. "As of [Wednesday], I just can't rule it out. I was surprised by the intensity of feeling of some of my colleagues. It's a matter of counting. We have 45 Democrats, counting [Vermont independent] Jim Jeffords, on our side. We could sustain a filibuster if 41 senators ... are willing to stand and fight.

MyDD makes this comment:
When I was down in DC, I heard some people optimistically argue that Republicans would not try and use the nuclear option if Democrats filibustered Alito, simply because going down that path would be extremely poor timing around the SOTU, the start of the legislative session, and the start of an election year. I have no idea if that is a likely scenario, as I also do not know if Democrats will actually be able to round up the votes on a filibuster. Clearly, however, the situation is extremely close, and the next reporter who writes or says that Alito is "likely" to be confirmed is either not paying attention, or needs to come clean about their connections to the Republican Noise Machine.
http://www.mydd.com/story/2006/1/20/133322/842

Gee. What a surprise... So original.

Rove: GOP to Use Terror As Campaign Issue
Embattled White House adviser Karl Rove vowed Friday to make the war on terrorism a central campaign issue in November.

He also said Democratic senators looked "mean-spirited and small-minded" in questioning Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito.

"Republicans have a post-9/11 view of the world. And Democrats have a pre-9/11 view of the world," Rove told Republican activists. "That doesn't make them unpatriotic, not at all. But it does make them wrong — deeply and profoundly and consistently wrong."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060120/ap_on_go_ot/republicans_rove

Bring it on, KKKKarl. Tell us just how much safer we are now...

al-Zawahiri -- OBL's #2 guy of a thousand lives -- released a tape today... Did we hear about that on the news??? CNN??? Funny. As georgia on DailyKos says, "What a difference a day makes..."

Check her diary out and ask the media why they aren't reporting this...

Al Zawahiri Releases Audiotape; U.S. Media Mum
by georgia10
What a difference a day makes! Yesterday, the media couldn't wait to break out their flashy "breaking news" graphics to cover bin Laden's audiotape, but a new audiotape by Al Qaeda's #2, Al Zawahiri, has gone relatively unnoticed.
http://www.dailykos.com/

(OK, I know I'm talking to myself here, but that's never stopped me before...)

Washingtonian has photos that prove that Georgie & Jackoff met...

Bush and Abramoff—Say Cheese?

White House press secretary Scott McClellan admits that the White House has been on a search mission for any photos showing President Bush with toxic lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who is cooperating with the Justice Department on its investigation of a wide-ranging lobbying scandal.

--snip--
If the White House can’t find the photos, prosecutors already know where to look. The Washingtonian has seen five photos of the President with Abramoff or his family. One photo shows the President and Abramoff shaking hands at a meeting in the Old Executive Office Building, where a bearded-Abramoff introduced Bush to several of the lobbyist’s native-American clients.

--snip--
Sources say the photographs are being kept safe. Abramoff would tell prosecutors, if asked, that not only did he know the President, but the President knew the names of Abramoff’s children and asked about them during their meetings. At one such photo session, Bush discussed the fact that both he and Abramoff were fathers of twins.
http://www.washingtonian.com/capital_comment/2006/PowerPlayers/02.html

Posted by: madame defarge at January 20, 2006 05:26 PM

You arent talking to yourself and thanks so much I was wondering if there were any photos to porve ties.

"(OK, I know I'm talking to myself here, but that's never stopped me before...)"

No defarge I've been listening and pushing this same story here since I heard David Gregory's pumelling Scotty about Abramoff meeting Bush in May 2001 in the oval office. where are the tapes?

photos are nice, but show me the tapes.

Posted by: Ira at January 20, 2006 05:31 PM

Rosemary Woods has the tapes... Oh wait, wrong crook. Sorry.

Posted by: madame defarge at January 20, 2006 05:12 PM

I read that one and it cracked me up. I just feel so much safer with the big strong Republicans in charge. I like how they captured Bin Laden right away and how he cant talk to us about how he wants Americans dead. I espcially love how they went after the real threat to our national security Iran, and how they have kept our military personal so safe. I also am really really glad that so many poor people have health insurance now not to mention all the elderly and children. I really love the way they are taking care of our enviroment and looking after our childrens economic future!! Yup they need to use security as the issue they really really do.

OK, correction. CNN just now posted something about al-Zawahiri's released tape. Get this title...

Bin Laden's No. 2 releases poetry tape
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/01/20/zawahiri.tape/index.html

I'm surprised they didn't categorize it under their "Entertainment" section. Sheesh. And we wonder why we need to be the media...

Posted by: madame defarge at January 20, 2006 05:12 PM

I read that one and it cracked me up. I just feel so much safer with the big strong Republicans in charge. I like how they captured Bin Laden right away and how he cant talk to us about how he wants Americans dead. I espcially love how they went after the real threat to our national security Iran, and how they have kept our military personal so safe. I also am really really glad that so many poor people have health insurance now not to mention all the elderly and children. I really love the way they are taking care of our enviroment and looking after our childrens economic future!! Yup they need to use security as the issue they really really do.

John Kerry to appear on This Week on Sunday. I believe he is currently in Iraq and may be reporting from there.

Just call me paronoid but does it strike anyone as strange the there have been two tapes released in as many days? I have been looking to see and cant find any referance to two tapes having been released so close together before. Even in the ones that delivered the go ahead to the 9/11 highjackers were spaced out.

OK, correction. CNN just now posted something about al-Zawahiri's released tape. Get this title...

Bin Laden's No. 2 releases poetry tape
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/01/20/zawahiri.tape/index.html

I'm surprised they didn't categorize it under their "Entertainment" section. Sheesh. And we wonder why we need to be the media...

Posted by: madame defarge at January 20, 2006 05:43 PM

Madame D:

I am having a "Snake Pliskin" moment.

Didn't we kill this guy in 2003, and then again in 2004?

("Snake Pliskin? I thought you were DEAD!!")

Has the Bush administration done a good job of putting terrorists 'out of business'?

THis is the CNN quick vote today its really funny.

http://www.cnn.com/

I wish we could say more than yes or no, since we now have two tapes released in as many days from said terrorists that we to quote bush "Have On The RUn"

Hey all, I am back!

Sorry this is a little off the Alito topic, but it is also very important... I have a question about the senate election in Ohio for DeWine's seat...

It seems to me like two equally great Democrats are running against eachother in the primary: Hackett and Brown. My questions are-- are any early polls saying which of the two is leading? Does anyone here particularly support one over the other? And finally, in light of Karl Rove's recent comments indicating that Republicans will focus on making national security the issue in 2006, do you think that Hackett, having served in Iraq, would be the best choice?

Posted by: NativeTexan4Kerry at January 20, 2006 05:55 PM

He's a vet they attack vets so I am not so sure.

It is heavy to read Fisk & Goff in the same day .. courtesy TruthOut .. usually I have to seek them out

Stan Goff | Returning Home Alive
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/012006C.shtml
All is not okay or right for those of us who return home alive and supposedly well, wrote Douglas Barber. What looks like normalcy and readjustment is only an illusion to be revealed by time and torment. Stan Goff tells the sad story of Douglas Barder, a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War, who committed suicide after returning home from Iraq.

b/c OBL & Al-Z are competing for followers .. prestige

I think many would prefer that Hackett have run for the Congressional seat again against Schmidt again especially after her outburst in Congress but personally I would love to see him take on Dewine in Nov; he's an exciting candidate but maybe not the organization or money of Brown. Zogby has them both up on Dewine by 3-5% points.

Native:

I like Hackett. Met him a few months ago. Seems to play it real straight and nearly WON in his Congressional race over Jean "Cheerleader Hair" Schmidt--you know, the one who insulted Murtha that day he stopped supporting the war?

The region he was running for is predominately Republican. Schmidt won by a few (less than 5) percentage points.

Thanks. Good points.

But as far as Hackett against Brown do we know who's leading?

native, in primaries its all about organization, ad buys and GOTV (getting out your supporters). polling is usually pretty meaningless in primaries. But you are right to raise this story as primary day is coming up soon, Fe in March is that correct, and Dewine is vulnerable. My querie, can the loser still go back and challenge Schmidt if Brown is in fact in her district Fe?.

Ira:

Good points.

Question: When was Schmidt first elected?

Posted by: NativeTexan4Kerry at January 20, 2006 05:55 PM

Welcome back NT4k,

This is what I hear from my fellow patriots in Ohio.

They say that election fraud is still well and good in Ohio. Prior to last Novembers votes on election reform, all polls showed bi-partison support for change, yet miraculously some fancy dancing provided a surprise 'win' for the corrupt Republicans there. In the meantime, their corrupt State Congress is bringing in more reforms that will create a big black hole for any fair election.

So...to answer your question...I'd have prefered Hackett to run against Schmidt and let Brown take on Levine; however, given the deep dark election system run by the dark overlords of Evil, may we only pray that whichever lacky is in charge of the master code will somehow get his formulas wrong and we end up with a fair election instead of another stolen one.

As it is said..."I have a dream..."

Posted by: spinnaker at January 20, 2006 03:43 PM

Do you think Gunshot approves of little 10 year old girls getting strip searched?

Maybe gutless wonder there doesn't even know about it.

Ira:

I am answering my own question and yours. Schmidt is up for re-election in '06. Already facing trouble from her previous party rival.

Will need to dive back into the web for answer on candidacy for Congress vs. Senate for Hackett. By most election rules across states, you gotta make a play for one in a year, unless there are write-in rules in state election laws.

Another thought, given the party's "favoring" Hackett, I intuited from recent articles I scanned just now that there is a marked leaning in the party leadership towards Hackett over Brown, and I think the strategy is a good one.

Hackett is a very public face on the war, and speaks to the very heart of it. His singular candidacy of a Senate race draws greater visibility to the Democrats with Hackett there, and therefore their ability to have street cred on national security. Hackett is a contender made more noticeable in that select group of 100 versus the HUNDREDS in Congress.

Ira:

I am answering my own question and yours. Schmidt is up for re-election in '06. Already facing trouble from her previous party rival.

Will need to dive back into the web for answer on candidacy for Congress vs. Senate for Hackett. By most election rules across states, you gotta make a play for one position, unless there are write-in rules in the state's election laws.

Another thought, given the party's "favoring" Hackett, I intuited from recent articles I scanned just now there seems to be a marked leaning in the party leadership towards Hackett over Brown, and if so, I think the strategy is a good one.

Hackett is a very public face on the war, and speaks to the very heart of it. His singular candidacy of a Senate race draws greater visibility to the Democrats with Hackett there, and therefore their ability to have street cred on national security. Hackett is a contender made more noticeable in that select group of 100 versus the HUNDREDS in Congress.

Personally, I think he can handle the Senate.

Sorry for the double post.

Posted by: Fe at January 20, 2006 06:06 PM

Schmidt won in the same area where the 04 election was illegally tabulated without witnesses due to a false terror alert.

Want to know something scary? No?

Tough luck, I'm telling it anyway. In the last 8 months, I've had the privalege of driving throughout Ohio. And sadly, I am now like little Ms. Election Reform Barbie Tour Guide. In other words, like any good tour guide, I'm able to point out the various scenes of the election crimes across the state of Ohio.

(Welcome visiters to Ohio. You are entering Lucas County, Ohio. The home of Tom and Bernadette Noe. As you drive south on ...you will exit at ...and will be able to see for yourself the little toy store that Tom and Bernadette Noe owned. Yes, looking at this toy store, you can see why Tom Noe had to steal from the Ohio Workers Compensation Fund.)

Well..you get the idea...

Hi all,

Haven't had a chance to catch on your voluminous remarks but it looks like you've had lots to say.

I'll try to catch up later on tonight or tomorrow.

Oh, it is so great to come in here and see that you guys are all going strong!!!

Funny thread today. You guys are AWESOME!!

You go, April. You tell it like it is, and you do encourage everyone to not be afraid to put their thoughts and feelings in writing, but to join in. That's what we are here for.

Sparrow, that is amazing that you learned that, and responded so quickly with the FACTS. Now, can you guys teach me your file system?

Fe, great to hear from you. No nonsense, factual, level headed, as always.

I am standing up in front of my computer applauding all of you!!! Kudos!!!

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

GUTLESS WONDER:

Do you like fascism?

Do you like the rich elite population to get richer off the sweat, poverty, neglect, and abuse of the average American worker who used to be called "Middle Class"?

Do you like to see elderly people having to choose between heating their home, buying food, or buying life sustaining prescription drugs?

Do you like to see hard working Americans working two and three jobs to keep the roof over their children's heads and food on their tables?

Do you like to see hard working and elderly people getting their wages attached to pay exhorbitant medical bills? (Everything is about big bucks and big business to the majority of corporate power loving Republicans.)

Do you like to see religious but not genuinely spiritual men and women do their religious rituals and toss around religious phrases while SCREWING the sheep in their flocks?

If you do, brother, well Hallelujah and Glory Be.

I don't.

I don't like abuse of power. I don't like pride. I don't like an absence of compassion and empathy for people before and after they've been screwed by big money interests.

I don't like to see young men killed in action to promote the wealthy corporate interests of the elite who not only cannot identify with the struggle of the working class, but are opportunistic in their use of these working class people to further promote their own greedy and selfish interests. They kill the young of our poor to fatten their pocketbooks, WONDER.

Do you like MURDER and MAIMING, WONDER?

I don't like the bombing and killing and maiming of innocent civilians in Iraq to steal the oil beneath their feet.

So take THAT to the bank, Gutless Wonder.

I call you that because I wonder how you can watch the canned propaganda on t.v. that calls itself the American News, and believe it. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to look around and see that what goes on in the average American's life isn't as rosey as the canned propaganda portrays it to be. It is far from rosey, WONDER. It is toxic. It is fatal. It not only destroys life, health, self-esteem, and mental health, it destroys hope and dignity and opportunity and prosperity and freedom and talent and artistic endeavor and happiness.

It doesn't take a brain surgeon, WONDER.

America is in dire straights, thanks to five years of George W. Bush and his corrupt cabal.

I used to be a Republican. I voted for George W. Bush because I believed his lies about morality and Christian compassion.

I wised up when I saw the proof in the pudding.

If a man's acts don't align with what he says, he is not genuine.

What is so hard to comprehend about that?

I wonder, WONDER, why you can't see it?

You are being lied to.

You can still change your mind. You didn't sign a lifetime contract to be a Republican yes man no matter the fruit of the lies, or the corruption, or the effect.

We give warm shelter here to anyone who wants the truth.

Aren't you SICK of it?

Yes, I've received error messages too, but I close out and go back in, and my messages are always posted in spite of the error message.

Thanks for working on it Tech Goddesses.

It has been touchy the last 48 hrs.

Is it okay to continue posting at this time, Techie Goddesses?

Blog Angels?

WOWZERS!!!

Stock market plunged over 200 points today.

When I worked in the industry a 50 point plunge was enough to send all of us into a frenzy. I can't IMAGINE the paperwork and the stress that was involved today in a 200 point plunge. This is a BIG DEAL, folks.

Also a BIG DEAL: Oil prices soared back up to the highest amount of $68.00 a barrel. This will reflect on your bill at the gas pump, so better fill up tonight. I am on my way out to fill up tonight while the price is still $2.25 per gallon here. I expect it to jump up within the next few days!

Thank you, blog angels.

Today alot of people lost all the money they had gained in the stock market the past year....

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/briefing/StockTicker.asp

This is going to further hurt Georgie's ratings.

Posted by: Truth Shall Prevail at January 20, 2006 07:26 PM

but Truth the economy is doing so good dincha know?

Bush and company keep saying so.

Posted by: April at January 20, 2006 07:29 PM

April of course it is.

And Bush is Sister Theresa and I'm the Easter Bunny.

I love having you back here, April.

Gone to get gasoline before it goes up.

Be back soon.

I'm no troll, but I'm going to talk nukes...and Iran.
You may have heard that Chirac talked about nukes recently, which didn't make anyone going nuts here because there was something behind. .something called Iran.
I tend to pay attention to political experts about Middle-East. In France there are 2 extra ones, of Lebanese origin, who are extremely smart and whose statements tend to happen. About a month ago, I heard both of them, separetaly saying that the Iranian crazy president (who is even getting the radicals crazy) "might fall down the staircase" = be suppressed, but that wouldn't state the case. Then I found an article, by Alexandre Adler, in Le Figaro stating the same thing, together with the intricated links with Russia and China. I mailed it to DiAnne, who can read French. Then came Chirac's warning about playing goofy with nukes....
And today, I had the opportunity of reading the post of an Iranian, who of course understands Farsi. Here it is, I shall translate further down.
===========================================

le 19/01/2006 à 14h01

Ce que les français ne savent pas c'est que le nouveau président Iranien est un fou ultra-religieux et sa motivation est de faire un jihad nucléraire. Il l'a maintes et maintes fois dit, le but est l'instauration de l'islam chiite, dans le monde. Il sera le 1er à coloniser la Palestine. c'est pourquoi la République Islamique d'Iran a ses bases au Liban et nourrit le terrorisme islamiste.!
Un Iranien qui a l'avantage de lire le persan et de suivre les actualités et les discours de Ahmadinejad le malade!
Hamid, Paris

What French don't know is that the new Iranian President is a mad ultra religious guy and that his motivation is to make a NUCLEAR JIHAD. He stated it, many and many times, in order to instore a Chiite islam over the world. he will be the first one to colonize palestine, that's why he has bases in Lebanon and nurtures Islamic terrorism.

From one iranian who has the advantage of reading Farsi, and who follows the news together with the speeches of Ahmadinejad, the lunatic one.

Hamid - Paris.
===========================================

So, where is the danger?
We just have to prepared for it, and never fear about it.

April,

Happy to see you back!
Hugs.

Posted by: Andrée - France at January 20, 2006 07:45 PM

Andree,

Sadly, Bush attacked Iraq which has left Iran to do what they can to gather more nukes. And frankly, they ARE a nation we should be frightened of. However, I will have to insist that the EU take care of Iran since I wouldn't trust the judgement of Bush, this current administration, and most of the Republicans in office who lack the courage and integrity to put a leash on their corrupt pResident and their own party members.

Cspan 2 should have the Conyers hearing tonight at 9 pm.

John Kerry put up a diary on Kos.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/1/20/175232/080

Sparrow,

We were surprised, but we just had our eyebrow lifting up. Hmmm, there must be something behind that we don't know.

We are not prone on wars, we had too many of them, and Europe was built on the ashes of WWII, so, that looked strange....until more information came through.

Of course, we are not about to nuke anyone, unless the rules of democracy were broken.
The problem being that fanatics don't respect democracy. That was just a warning, but sometimes you have to restate the rules, just the rules. But if???

Congressman, law scholar urge House to consider impeachment inquiry at hearing
RAW STORY
Published: January 20, 2006

Calls urging an impeachment inquiry into President Bush's domestic surveillance program were heard during an unofficial House Judiciary Committee hearing held by Democrats on Friday, RAW STORY has learned.

An article written by Stewart M. Powell, White House correspondent for Hearst Newspapers, reports that Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and law professor Jonathan Turley both argued strenuously that the President's alleged crimes and misdemeanors may be impeachable offenses.

Rep. Nadler said that the legal justifications offered, so far, by the Bush Administration are "not even debatable. They're frivolous arguments; they're arguments that could only be made by a monarch -- by someone who's trying to justify absolute power in the executive branch."

Advertisement

"This type of violation should be a textbook example of the impeachment issue because not only is it a federal crime but it violates the doctrine of separation of powers," Turley said at the hearing.

Congressman Conyers' opening statement at the hearing can be read at this link.

Excerpts from the article by Powell:

#
A Democratic congressman, a prominent legal scholar and a self-described target of government surveillance urged Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee Friday to consider impeaching President Bush for his domestic surveillance program.

....

Nadler, a lawyer and senior Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee's panel on the Constitution, called for the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee to explore whether Bush should face impeachment for alleged high crimes and misdemeanors stemming from his decision to authorize domestic surveillance without the court review required by a 1978 federal law.

....

Turley, a law professor at George Washington University since 1990 who has served as a defense lawyer in espionage cases, said Bush "committed a crime" by ordering domestic eavesdropping on telephone calls and e-mails inside the United States without the court approval required by federal law. Violations carry up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Turley said that Bush committed a potentially impeachable offense by claiming inherent powers under the Constitution to violate a law approved by Congress.

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Congressman_law_scholar_urge_House_to_0120.html

April,

Happy to see you back!
Hugs.

Posted by: Andrée - France at January 20, 2006 07:45 PM

What makes me angry is that our resources are taken up in Iraq and we can not face the gathering threat of Iran, what makes me sick is we knew Iran was a threat for a fact and the Bush Administration chose to ignore them in favor of Iraq who was marginilized for then. And on top of it we helped install a new theocracy in the middle east who could and probably will support Iran at some point in the not so distant future.

Hey Andree I have missed you hun HUGGGGGGGGGSSSSSSS

Thanks for the many email of love and support. Hug the girls for me.

Amazing to read the Koz diary by John Kerry & the comments .. I do know Teresa reads blogs, & back in the archives "before Iowa" she even posted before. She likes cartoonists & an association of cartoonists asked her to speak. Elizabeth Edwards used to guest blog too. They are so articulate, beautiful, intelligent compared to the Stepford that is in there now (illegitimately, I might add).

I ought to go post on Kos, if I can remember how. I could brag about all my memories, that I hardly dare to think about any more because I get too upset that the White House is occupado.

Once in Tacoma, I shook hands with John Kerry & someone next to him gave him a Freedom Fighter t-shirt & he thought it was from the Kerry Freedom Fighters (the old organization of original bloggers) & got all excited. The Secret Service was trying to get him to leave but there were about 300 women waiting to meet him & he touched all of their hands.

I met my Indonesian friend Ben Doko when we were both drivers for the Teresa Heinz motorcade. It was on the day of John & Teresa's anniversary & they ate at Wild Ginger. Later that night, Patti F & I sold tickets for a major fundraiser here & then we followed Congressman McDermott in & ended up across the velvet rope from Teresa & she recognized us. Then John said, "Where are the bloggers?" and grabbed me & ended up kissing me on the cheek!

Another time he showed up at Daybreak Star Indian Center & I gave him a "Democracy Cell Project" t-shirt and he said, "I know that one well". The next day I made it up on the stage and was photographed with him. My camera was slow to function so I had to stand there for awhile but he was very patient & also had nice cologne on.

On whatever day is the anniversary of "Iowa," John & Teresa will be receiving a scrapbook from Michelle (& probably some of you will have contributed).

Andree, you are a night owl!

top recommended diary - here's the end

Isn't it time we had the truth? Yes or no, did Osama Bin Laden escape from Tora Bora in 2001?

Here's a subject suited for true hard ball, on Hardball: four years of failure - enough is enough - why hasn't Osama Bin Laden been captured or killed, and how will he be destroyed before he next appears on tape to spread his disgusting message?

That discussion -- rather than criticizing American citizens who exercise their right to free speech and express dissenting opinions - is the discussion that America needs. That would be the kind of debate on Hardball to which we should all tune in.

John Kerry

P.S. I want you all to know that I’m reading your many comments. My wife Teresa reads blogs passionately, and I follow blogs too, and I’m glad I can be a part of this – and frankly I’m not worried about taking some slings and arrows along the way. I’ve faced worse! So keep the comments coming -- good, bad, hopefully not indifferent.

Tags: Hardball, John Kerry, Recommended, Osama bin Laden, Tora Bora (all tags)

View Comments | 632 comments

I kinda thought that particular Koz diary would git ya where ya live, DG... *grin*

and we still got each others' backs too,
Otter

Anybody in the IRC?

Yep, a bunch of us are over in there even as we type.

get up stand up don't give up the fight,
Otter

TSP,

Many are in irc

Dean yesterday on the "Culture of Corruption"

DEAN: You know, I think the president has been weak on national security all along. He got us into Iraq when our resources should have been devoted to getting rid of Osama bin Laden and his top people.

The bad news for the country is that these folks are still alive four years later in the face of the most powerful country on the face of the Earth. We have -- the president dropped the ball on national security. There's enormous numbers of things that he has not done that he should have, because he's done a lot of things that he shouldn't have.

And I think a lot of this has to do with the culture of corruption and his own political problems.

But at least we can say that, in the last six days, that we have scored some victories in Afghanistan and in northeastern Pakistan against the organization that killed 3,000 Americans. And I think that's a very positive thing.

BLITZER: I know you agree with Al Gore, the former vice president. Listen to what he said the other day. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AL GORE, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: What we do know about this pervasive wiretapping virtually compels the conclusion that the president of the United States has been breaking the law, repeatedly and insistently.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: If -- if you believe that, what's the remedy? What should be the punishment be? And I -- I refer specifically to impeachment. Would you believe -- do you believe impeachment is justified?

DEAN: Well, actually, interestingly enough, regardless of what I believe, 52 percent of Americans apparently believe that, if the president broke the law, that should be the remedy.

I -- what I think is -- and I don't have anything to say about this -- I'm not a member of Congress or the Senate. But I think the president -- president, at minimum, should come clean with the American people. There was no reason for doing what he did.

He keeps claiming this is a security initiative. It's not. You could tap the phone of any American today if you believed it was an emergency and it had something to do with terrorism, and then go and get the warrant after the fact.

The president deliberately broke the law. There was no reason for this. Let's have a nation of laws. Let's defend the Constitution of the United States. We all understand you have to take extraordinary measures and defend America. The law was deliberately crafted so you could do so. And I think the president ought to obey the law.

You don't have to believe the Democrats. Look at the -- the -- the nonpartisan organizations, like Congressional Research Service. They have concluded the president broke the law. Let's have a president who will abide by the law. This is not just about this wiretapping. This is the arrogance of power. This is the corruption scandals that are going through the Republican Party, both at the statehouse level and the -- and the Capitol level, and the White House itself, the vice president's office.

The arrogance of power leads to corruption. Do not break the law, Mr. President. It's not just about wiretapping. You could have done that anyway. It's about the messages you send to our children about growing up in America, what it means to be an American, and whether you're willing to defend the laws of the United States of America. BLITZER: By almost all accounts, Samuel Alito's about to be confirmed as the next associate justice in the Supreme Court.

~more~

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0601/20/sitroom.02.html

Sorry guys I got delayed in cyberspace.

Posted by: Truth Shall Prevail at January 20, 2006 11:03 PM

That was Howard Dean.

This was posted in a very conservative online magazine. I haven't lost hope for all Republicans-just some of them.

_____________________________________________________

Evidence of a Stolen Election
by Paul Craig Roberts
Posted Jan 19, 2006

Miller directs our attention to Bush's high-handed treatment of dissenters. If electronic voting machines programmed by private Republican firms remain in our future, dissent will become pointless unless it boils over into revolution. Power-mad Republicans need to consider the result when democracy loses its legitimacy and only the rich have anything to lose.

Mr. Roberts was associate editor of the Wall Street Journal editorial page from 1978 to 1980, and from 1981 to 1982, he was assistant secretary of the treasury for economic policy.

http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=11728

Posted by: Truth Shall Prevail at January 20, 2006 11:03 PM

Ok...I'm now a Deaniac! I guess I'll have to forgive him for not standing up against the Democratic non-response to election fraud.

The last few times he's been on CNN he's rocked!

Speaking of CNN, watch this and try not to throw your computer out the window. I think that Bushco propaganda really believes that the more they tell a lie the more people will believe it:

http://movies.crooksandliars.com/cnn_lf_wapo_censors_blog_060120a.mov

Use this link to let them know what you think:

http://www.cnn.com/feedback/form...s/form4.html? 16

Or call: CNN 1-404-827-1511

I think that Bushco propaganda really believes that the more they tell a lie the more people will believe it.

What I should have said is that I think that Bushco Propaganda really believes that Americans are as stupid as their President.

Good one, OnCall.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | The President's Growing Disregard for the Law
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/012006K.shtml
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette editorial states that everyone loses when a president chooses to carry out only the laws that he wants to, as he wants to. Fundamental governance of the United States through the rule of law is sabotaged by this practice.

Joe Conason | Republican Leaders Say They're Reformers!
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/012006M.shtml
Joe Conason writes that Republican leaders are glancing nervously behind them as their old cronies line up in the dock, from Jack Abramoff and Tom DeLay to Duke Cunningham and Bob Ney, and looking nervously ahead to Election Day, the rentable statesmen compete to prove their devotion to the highest ethical standards. Their proclamations of purity display a truly touching faith in the perpetual gullibility of the American voter.

Bush Administration 'Justifies' Spying
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/012006I.shtml
The Bush administration offered its fullest defense of the National Security Agency's domestic eavesdropping program to date on Thursday, saying that authorization from Congress to deter terrorist attacks "places the president at the zenith of his powers in authorizing the NSA activities."

{{{IMHO, The Cretin and Vice Cretin and the administration's lawyers can try to mangle the American English language all they want, but they still can NOT come up with a logical and moral and ethical reason to legally justify spying on people who are leading just plain ordinary lives who have never ever had an unpatriotic thought run through their brains. Their rationalizations and attempts at justification just do not make any kind of sense, common sense, or otherwise. It's too easy to get legal search warrants in criminal investigations; there just is no rational reason to spy on innocent people, now or ever.}}}

What they don't want you to know about the coming oil crisis:
Soaring fuel prices, rumours of winter power cuts, panic over the gas supply from Russia, abrupt changes to forecasts of crude output... Is something sinister going on? Yes, says former oil man Jeremy Leggett, and it's time to face the fact that the supplies we so depend on are going to run out
http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article339928.ece

Molly Ivins | I Will Not Support Hillary Clinton for President
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0120-30.htm

The Proposed Iranian Oil Bourse
Abstract: the proposed Iranian Oil Bourse will accelerate the fall of the American Empire.
By Krassimir Petrov, Ph.D.
A nation-state taxes its own citizens, while an empire taxes other nation-states. The history of empires, from Greek and Roman, to Ottoman and British, teaches that the economic foundation of every single empire is the taxation of other nations. The imperial ability to tax has always rested on a better and stronger economy, and as a consequence, a better and stronger military.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article11613.htm

Iran in the Crosshairs :
Iran's danger to America is not its nuclear program but its plan to introduce a euro-based energy exchange
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9936.htm

Petrodollar Warfare: Dollars, Euros and the Upcoming Iranian Oil Bourse:
Despite the complete absence of coverage from the five U.S. corporate media conglomerates, these foreign news stories suggest one of the Federal Reserve's nightmares may begin to unfold in the spring of 2006, when it appears that international buyers will have a choice of buying a barrel of oil for $60 dollars on the NYMEX and IPE - or purchase a barrel of oil for €45 - €50 euros via the Iranian Bourse.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9698.htm

The approaching war with Iran
How real is the Iran nuclear threat to the United States?
By Ed Haas
Given the fact that nuclear power plants are currently operating in 31 countries with 7 more countries in pursuit of atomic energy, is it possible that the United States of America is honestly threatened by Iran seeking nuclear power capabilities?
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article11616.htm

{{{IMHO, this is the most important news story I've read all month (and of course, Lamestream Media hasn't even whispered this one), and if the US is in yet another illegal war with Iran by March, at least I'll know why....}}}

Light Bulb Moment:

The Cretin is giving a state of the union speech this month, yes? Next week?

I'm thinking the OBL tape is fake, out just in time for The Cretin to yammer on about his fictitious and manufactured 'war on terr-r' ( http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011506B.shtml )and how much of a threat Iran is for wanting to build a nuclear power plant (and he will conveniently not mention that the US and many other countries already have 'noo-kew-lar' power plants...).

The world will run out of oil at some point (by estimates I've seen, the supply has already peaked and it's downhill from here on out). Why hasn't The Cretin's administration actively pursued research and development of alternative sources of energy??? I know. That's a silly rhetorical question, and the reason they are pursuing global war is so he and his corporate cronies can make more money than god - and rule the world per PNAC.

Still, why haven't Democrats pursued that line of questioning about the energy crisis that will surely come our way if alternate sources of energy are not developed?!? Are they as short sighted as the neoCons???

Seriously. Between Lamestream Media who never reports anything newsworthy and Democratic legislators who continually shoot themselves in the foot, that leaves this nation uninformed, dimwitted and out in the cold....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/20/AR2006012001773.html
Libby Team to Subpoena Media
Defense Plans to Go After Journalists' Notes in CIA Leak Case
Excerpt:
Fitzgerald declined to comment when asked yesterday in Chicago whether Rove remains, as he was in December, under investigation for possibly misleading investigators about his conversations about Plame with Time's Cooper.
But a person close to Rove said Fitzgerald so far this year has not indicated any change in Rove's status. Rove expects to hear a final decision from Fitzgerald soon and has told friends he is optimistic that he will be cleared.

Still, another person close to Rove said it was not a good sign that Fitzgerald has not already cleared President Bush's chief political adviser. Rove, this person said, has worked under the assumption that Fitzgerald is largely finished with his investigation and, because the prosecutor is sensitive to the political liability of a possible indictment hanging over the head of Rove, would publicly clear him quickly if he did not have enough evidence to charge him.

Rove, who reemerged on the political scene yesterday with a fiery speech to the Republican National Committee, has been assuming an increasingly public role at the White House, which suggested to other aides that he was confident of avoiding indictment. Still, White House aides remain largely in the dark about the legal fight and concerned that an indictment of Rove in the current political atmosphere would be a big blow to Bush just as the White House is gearing up its 2006 agenda.

Oy. By the time the next election cycle rolls around, we will be numb and immune to the unceasing talk about that stupid fake war on terror ( http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011506B.shtml ) and yet more war talk... if The Cretin hasn't declared an illegal war on Iran because of the Iranian Oil Bourse and started a global war, that is....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/20/AR2006012001853.html
Rove Offers Republicans A Battle Plan For Elections

Frist calls Alito Democrats' "nightmare"

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist told Republican Party activists on Friday night that U.S. Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito was the "worst nightmare of liberal Democrats."

Frist, a Tennessee Republican, made the remark to fellow Republicans during a private tour he gave them of the Senate chamber when the Senate was not in session.

Frist was not available for comment following his remarks.

Asked about the senator's remark, Frist spokesman Bob Stevenson said that Alito "is a thoughtful mainstream conservative jurist who is well respected by his peers, by Democrats and Republicans alike."

Stevenson added, "There are liberals, many of them represented by the outside groups, who will do anything to kill any nominee put forward by this administration."

Democrats have expressed concerns the conservative Alito would push the nation's highest court to the right in areas such as abortion rights, civil rights and presidential powers.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to vote on Tuesday on the Alito nomination and the full Senate intends to debate it next week.

Three top Democrats announced this week they would vote against sending Alito to a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court. They are Patrick Leahy of Vermont, the senior Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts and Dick Durbin of Illinois.

No Democrat so far has said he or she would try to block a Senate floor vote on Alito through a procedure known as a filibuster.

The Republican National Committee was holding a winter meeting in Washington this week, and the 50 or so party activists from across the United States were invited by Frist to tour the Senate chamber.

http://tinyurl.com/8uuy6

Gay families to join White House Easter event
Conservatives angry that annual egg roll will be ‘crashed’ by activists

NEW YORK - Three months before the annual Easter egg roll at the White House, the usually festive event is already taking on a divisive edge because of plans by gay- and lesbian-led families to turn out en masse in hopes of raising their public profile.

The Family Pride Coalition and other organizers envision the April 17 action as a celebration that will earn good will and showcase their families engaging in the annual tradition.

“It’s important for our families to be seen participating in all aspects of American life,” said Family Pride executive director Jennifer Chrisler.

Yet some conservatives, alerted to the plans this week, accuse gay activists of trying to “crash” an event for children and turn it into a forum for ideological politicking. Some groups are discussing ways to respond.

“It’s improper to use the egg roll for political purposes,” said Mark Tooley of the conservative Institute on Religion and Democracy. Tooley wrote a critical article this week in the Weekly Standard magazine about the planned event that has circulated widely on conservative Web sites.

Since the article appeared Tuesday, Chrisler said Family Pride has received “a flood of hate-filled, venomous messages telling us that our families aren’t welcome.”

“It’s not surprising that the right would be against it,” Chrisler said. “They are very clear about wanting to make our families invisible.”

‘A good family celebration’
The issue was raised at a White House news briefing Wednesday when spokesman Scott McClellan was asked if President Bush would seek to prevent the gay families’ action.

“This event is a time to celebrate Easter and to have a good family celebration here at the White House,” McClellan replied. “In terms of any other details about it, I think it’s still a few months off, so we’ll talk about it as we get closer.”

On conservative chat rooms, some critics of Family Pride suggested the White House could make the egg roll an invitation-only event, as it did in 2003 when attendance was limited to military families. Other critics said conservatives should mobilize to outnumber gay families at the egg roll.

more... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10946948/

Ford plans to announce Monday the close of at least 10 plants, and the cutting of 30,000 jobs, according to today's Wall Street Journal.

Excerpts from the Journal article follow:

Ford Motor Co. will announce Monday a sweeping restructuring of its money-losing North American auto operations, a plan that will close at least 10 plants, including assembly plants in St. Louis and Atlanta, and trim 25,000 hourly jobs over the next four years. Once salaried jobs are calculated in, the job cuts will number close to 30,000.

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Ford_to_announce_plant_closures_job_0120.html

Posted by: gutshot at January 20, 2006 01:34 PM

Better late than never.

Gutless....Does the "Senate has the right to advise and consent" pretty much sum up the matter for you?

AND furthermore, during Clinton's time in office, the Republican legislature refused to hold hearings on 60 of Clinton's nominees. They, following their typical path, refused to allow debate. Thus they were please to have secretly 'filibustered' 60 nominees.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4575047

In the same story, you can also read more about the filibuster itself and how it was inacted.

Q: What's the role of the filibuster in blocking nominees? Where does the filibuster come from? Is it written into Senate rules, or just part of Senate tradition?

According to the U.S. Senate historian's Web site, the use of the filibuster to delay or block legislation (or a nomination) "has a long history."

Also, Gutless One, here are examples of more reliable sources pertaining to the lies told about Judicial nominees and the filibuster:

http://mediamatters.org/items/200503080002

Syndicated columnist and CNN host Robert Novak falsely claimed that the number of President Bush's appellate court judicial nominees that have been blocked is "unprecedented" (snip...read more at the link)

http://mediamatters.org/items/200504120009?offset=20
(snip)...Bill Clinton---"And on judges, that's just a hoax. I mean, the Democrats blocked 10 out of over 200 judges. The Republicans wouldn't even give a vote to 40 of my Court of Appeals judges -- four times as many, just on the Court of Appeals, never mind all the others that they wouldn't have voted. So, this image that, I'm sad to say, you know, you just perpetrated it, it's ridiculous. The Democratic Senate has been nowhere near as obstructionist to President Bush on judges as the Republican Senate was to me. Not even close."

Posted by: NonnyO at January 21, 2006 07:07 AM

NonnyO,

I am glad to know that Fitz is still out there investigating. And I highly applaud Al Gore who called for an independant special council to investigate Bush's illegal activities-like spying--and compared the quality and integrity to Fitz.

The Justice Dept.'s Guide to Hunting and Fishing in Cyberspace
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/012106Z.shtml
Enough is never enough, not when the government believes that it can invade your privacy without repercussions. The Justice Department wants a federal judge to force Google to turn over millions of private Internet searches and according to the New York Times, Google is rightly fighting the demand.
Excerpt:

This is not about national security. The Justice Department is making this baldfaced grab to try to prop up an online pornography law that has been blocked once by the Supreme Court. And it's not the first time we've seen this sort of behavior. The government has zealously protected the Patriot Act's power to examine library records. It sought the private medical histories of a selected group of women, saying it needed the information to defend the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act in the federal courts.

The furor is still raging over President Bush's decision to permit spying on Americans without warrants. And the government now wants what could be billions of search terms entered into Google's Web pages and possibly a million Web-site addresses to go along with them.

Protecting minors from the nastier material on the Internet is a valid goal; the courts have asked the government to test whether technologies for filtering out the bad stuff are effective. And the government hasn't asked for users' personal data this time around. What's frightening is that the Justice Department is trying once again to dredge up information first and answer questions later, if at all. Had Google not resisted the government's attempt to seize records, would the public have ever found about the request?

[For more, click on link. Go Google!!!]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060121/ap_on_re_us/hotel_souter
Activists Seek to Evict Souter From Home
CONCORD, N.H. - Angered by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that sided with a Connecticut city that wanted to seize homes for economic development, a group of activists is trying to get one of the justices who voted for the decision evicted from his own home.
Excerpt:
"All we're trying to do is put an end to eminent domain abuse," Clements said, by having those who advocate or facilitate it "live under it, so they understand why it needs to end."

This one comes from the gut & goes out to the gutless... and you know who you are... don't you?

American Idiot
by Green Day

Don't wanna be an American idiot.
Don't want a nation under the new media.
And can you hear the sound of hysteria?
The subliminal mindf*ck America.

Welcome to a new kind of tension.
All across the alien nation.
Everything isn't meant to be okay.
Television dreams of tomorrow.
We're not the ones who're meant to follow.
Well that's enough to argue.

Well maybe I'm the faggot America.
I'm not a part of a redneck agenda.
Now everybody do the propaganda.
And sing along in the age of paranoia.

Welcome to a new kind of tension.
All across the alien nation.
Everything isn't meant to be okay.
Television dreams of tomorrow.
We're not the ones who're meant to follow.
Well that's enough to argue.

Don't wanna be an American idiot.
One nation controlled by the media.
Information nation of hysteria.
It's going out to idiot America.

Welcome to a new kind of tension.
All across the alien nation.
Everything isn't meant to be okay.
Television dreams of tomorrow.
We're not the ones who're meant to follow.

Posted by: Suz at January 21, 2006 09:14 AM

Me, too. Haven't heard anything about Fitzgerald's investigation recently, so wondered how it's been going.

The story about Rove Blackheart mentioned he may still be charged, I noticed....

One can only hope that Justice's blindfold will be removed from her eyes so she can see how badly she's been bruised and battered for the last five years....

Posted by: sparrow at January 20, 2006 06:19 PM

OMG...speaking of typos! What do you call this? A brain burp? I didn't even notice I typed Levine instead of Dewine.

Ok..so it's only two letters I was off by! (If this had those symbols boy would my face be red.)

Received by members of local grassroots group:

If you think Republicans are worried about the scandals and the war, read this article from the Washington Post.  We Democrats can no longer allow Republicans to define us or stake out a position that is illusion at best.  Seattle Voice is a step in gathering together, to share the active, to act instead of complain.  This Election does matter. Cantwell is a large target.  Think about your immediate future if this election is not won. 

Let's get started today.  This article shows the road they will take.  Let's choose a better road.

Rove Offers Republicans A Battle Plan For Elections

Saturday, January 21, 2006

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove offered a biting preview of the 2006 midterm elections yesterday, drawing sharp distinctions with the Democrats over the campaign against terrorism, tax cuts and judicial philosophy, and describing the opposition party as backward-looking and bereft of ideas.

"At the core, we are dealing with two parties that have fundamentally different views on national security," Rove said. "Republicans have a post-9/11 worldview and many Democrats have a pre-9/11 worldview. That doesn't make them unpatriotic -- not at all. But it does make them wrong -- deeply and profoundly and consistently wrong."

Rove spoke at the winter meeting of the Republican National Committee and, with RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman, provided a campaign blueprint for fighting the Democrats. They spoke at the beginning of an important election year in which Republicans are battling historical trends, public unrest over Iraq and a spreading corruption scandal that together threaten to reduce the GOP majorities in the House and the Senate and possibly shift control of one or both chambers to the Democrats.

At a time when Democrats have staked their hopes in large part on the issue of corruption, Rove and Mehlman showed that Republicans plan to contest the elections on themes that have helped expand their majorities under President Bush. They see national security and the vigorous prosecution of the campaign against terrorism at the heart of the GOP appeal to voters.

Rove's RNC address was a rare public appearance at a time when he remains under investigation in the CIA leak case that resulted in the indictment and resignation of Vice President Cheney's chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby. Despite the investigation, Rove is still Bush's top political adviser.

Taking no questions from the audience or the news media, Rove used his platform to excoriate Democrats for "wild and reckless and false charges" against Bush on the issue of domestic spying and what he called an attempted smear against Judge Samuel A. Alito Jr. at his Supreme Court confirmation hearings last week. "Some members of the committee came across as mean-spirited and small-minded, and it left a searing impression," Rove said, referring to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Mehlman echoed Rove on national security and taxes and explicitly addressed the corruption issue. Republicans and Democrats have offered competing plans to tighten the rules regulating the interaction between lawmakers and lobbyists, but, as the majority party, Republicans stand to lose more if there is widespread public revulsion over the scandal.

Calling for the vigorous prosecution of any wrongdoing, Mehlman sought to insulate his party from the spreading scandal involving lobbyist Jack Abramoff, the indictment of former House majority leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) and the guilty plea of former representative Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-Calif.). "If Republicans are guilty of illegal or inappropriate behavior," Mehlman said, "then they should pay the price and they should suffer the consequences."

Rove referred only indirectly to the corruption issue, warning Republicans against becoming complacent in power. "The GOP's progress during the last four decades is a stunning political achievement," he said. "But it is also a cautionary tale of what happens to a dominant party -- in this case the Democrat Party -- when its thinking becomes ossified, when its energy begins to drain, when an entitlement mentality takes over, and when political power becomes an end in itself rather than a means to achieve the common good."

Democrats were quick to respond, with Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean challenging Rove's fitness to serve. "Karl Rove only has a White House job and a security clearance because President Bush has refused to keep his promise to fire anyone involved in revealing the identity of an undercover CIA operative," Dean said in a statement. Dean added: "The truth is, Karl Rove breached our national security for partisan gain and that is both unpatriotic and wrong."

It was four years ago this week when Rove, appearing at another meeting of the RNC, said Republicans would make terrorism a central issue of the 2002 midterm elections. Rove's remarks infuriated Democrats, who protested that, until then, Bush had stressed bipartisanship and national unity in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Republicans made historic gains in 2002, and Bush successfully used the issue again to help secure his reelection in 2004, despite growing public dissatisfaction with the administration's handling of the war in Iraq. Yesterday's speeches by Rove and Mehlman signaled that the White House and the RNC intend to pursue much the same strategy in a midterm-election year that begins with Republicans on the defensive.

Mehlman and Rove accused the Democrats of trying to weaken the USA Patriot Act and of embracing calls for a premature exit from Iraq. They defended Bush's use of warrantless eavesdropping to gather intelligence about possible terrorist plots. "Do Nancy Pelosi and Howard Dean really think that when the NSA is listening in on terrorists planning attacks on America, they need to hang up when those terrorists dial their sleeper cells in the United States?" Mehlman asked. Pelosi (D-Calif.) is the House minority leader.

Before completing their meeting, the Republicans rebuffed efforts to pass a resolution on immigration that would have put the national committee at odds with the president over the issue of a guest-worker program. Instead, the RNC approved a resolution supporting Bush's position.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/20/AR2006012001853.html

Ahem... my dear fellow DCP blogsters...

You may (or may not) have noticed this caveat/request appearing in the 'Post A Comment' box at the bottom of every blog page here:

"In observing the 'fair use' of copyright material, please use excerpts when posting information that is not your own work if you do not have permission from the owner."

Notice the use of the word 'excerpts' in the above, well, notice. Please don't just copy and paste something from another site in its entirety as some of us so often seem to do. [Snip] it and "quote" it if you like, and by all means make sure you include the attribution and original source link. If you want to add your own thoughts and buttress your own points by referencing an outside article, that's as useful as it is meaningful.

However, simply regurgitating something from an outside source is not creating original content for us here. And reposting something else from somewhere else en toto, even if you do include the proper link at the end, is not only kinda lazy but it's kinda boring too, since most of us would rather read the original item in situ anyway. And doing that also puts this site at odds with the basic principle of Fair Use... none of which we or the DCP particularly want or need.

Sorry to be so such a noodge about something that you might assume to be so trivial, but it's a valid point to bring up and it's an honest request to make. It's something that's all too rampant in the political blogosphere, but that still doesn't make it okay. And if my saying so here on the DCP blog makes me more unpopular with you all, well, that's unfortunate; but hey. So indict me already.

don't need somebody else's weatherman to tell me which way the wind is blowin',
Otter

I'm guilty sometimes, your otter.

I'll work harder to convey less info. ;-)