LIVE BLOGGING the alternative SOTU given by the Congressional Progressive Caucus

Karen has already begun her day of live blogging. I'm getting information from her right now and will be posting it as quickly as I can.

Please stay tuned.

Also, IF you live within plane, train, or automobile distance of DC, (and can afford it), please go join the cause. Every person and voice counts!

As of 9 a.m., this morning Karen began her day at the Congressional Progressive Caucus Leaders SOTU. The discussion has just begun.

Now, I'm taking notes as quickly as Karen is passing them to me.

Lynne Woolsey and Barabara Lee
Paths to Renewal--title
"The failures of this President are far greater than we can know"

The 62 member Congressional Progessive Caucus is presenting alternative, inclusive, uplifting visions.

Paths to Renewal is the name of this issue of The Nation articles written by CPC members
on newsstands now

Q. 1: Is lobbying reform now presented enough?

ANS: Maxine Waters

It's not enough. There is tremendous pressure to raise money

Members of the press: you get the information about how much each of us raise. Too often, corporate press plays into this by fostering the idea that those who raise more money DESERVE more status--that those are better politicians.

How can Members get out of this conundrum? Upward mobility should not be based on how much money one can raise.

Press needs to help

Barbara Lee adds: until we get to public financing, we won't get there

Question from Japanese Daily: disarmament

US spends more money on military than anyone else. What do you think about it? What do you propose?

Lynne Woolsey: What the Pres. is doing is not only harmful for the US, it is harmful to the world

He's got us in a corner in Iraq--it's a lose/lose, so we need to bring the troops home now. It was time to bring them home before they went.

Kucinich: This administration has made a credo of moving money upwards--policy of pre-emption and agression and fear causes other nations to be pulled into conflagrations

They have too much power--using the media--to spread illusions of disasters.

We need a new ethic here

This admin. uses IMF and World Bank and NATO to cause nations to buy more weapons. We are proliferating arms all over the country. We are becoming a militarized society

(this is still Kucinich)

A Dept. of Peace is ONE of the solutions

BTW, we had a moment of silence for the passing of Coretta Scott King at the beginning)

We need to make young people part of the SOLUTION

Pres. speech tonight will be RIDDLED with violence but we must choose another path.

--Participation...Taking government back for the people

Now, Rep. Woolsey is introducing who is here:
Bob Wilner (San Diego) Maxine Waters, Dennis Kucinich, Hilda Solis, Barbara Lee, Jim McDermott, Diane Watson, Raoul Grijalva

Another great comment...someone from the Green Party asking Hilda Solis saying we all have to agree within the Dem party and we spend a lot of time working thru that.

Dem leadership is speaking out; but media is not always helpful.

Karen says:
What will be response to health savings accounts?

Jim McDermott--this is going to be the most fraudulent piece of tonight's speech. Half the people who need health insurance in this country do not pay taxes.

It is another set of (Public Relations) proposals that have no substance, just like the medicare reforms. It was never designed to work -- prescription drug plan -- another plan to make the rich richer. The average cost of individual health insurance is $10,000 for a family of four.

Therefore, in order to get decent health care, $35,000 income families will not make it

I am on, all of a sudden, so will try to post here

We are now in a session--panel on domestic policy.

Coretta Scott King is remembered as someone who was firmly against the death penalty.

Cong. Kucinich being asked: What is the SOTU? DK: This govt. works, but it works for oil companies, etc. Not for the people,

Cong. Kucinich being asked: What is the SOTU?

DK: This govt. works, but it works for oil companies, etc. Not for the people.

Need better health care for all people.

Pete Stark just showed up. He's re-emphasizing that WalMart employees cannot make it on this President's budget

Diane Watson from LA now saying we have not discussed youth--most of the uninsured are children. She wants to address the PSYCHOLOGICAL health of our young people--too many are locked up and until we have a comprehensive program for our youth, current members of congress will be leaving SOON--this got a big laugh.

HOWEVER THEY LEAVE

but young people need to be engaged, but not in harm's way.

Now they are talking about the average age and ethnicity of soldiers killed--they are young and they are minorities. "This is an anti-child, and anti-woman administration"--Diane Watson

(big applause for Diane)

Raoul Grijalva up now

One area that this caucus is important for is OVERSIGHT!

Part of the problem we have today is the doubt and lack of vision in the population based on the modeling of this administration.

But CPC will provde oversight and fairness.

sorry for all the typos!

I am suggesting that they talk about VOTING REFORM. They are talking about health care a lot--and youth violence.

Diane Watson is quite eloquent about the needs of youth. This is a woman who is up on the issue, and means to make a difference.

Issue of media reform: Watson addresses issue of runaway productions in Hollywood, and impact on economy of southern California.

Go to NOLA today and see what is happening--it is heart-breaking. The promnises are covered, but not the neglect of follow through on those promises.

Hilda Solis pointing out that cost of living is skyrocketing, including in her area (LA). Single heads of households are working 2-3 jobs just to get by.

Collective bargaining does not exist in their vocabulary.

How many times will we hear the names Jack Abramoff and Ken Lay mentioned tonight?
We should let him know we will not forget that both of these jokers were his personal friends. Bang your pots and pans; scream at the Whitehouse tonight.

Discussion now about the Democratic response tonight--it will not have the bite that is needed.

Pete Stark defending by saying we all believe in the same things--and we offer better programs that are fair and honest and will not rely on one interpretation of the bible over another.

Cong Kucinich asked what COULD we accomplish by spending money now being spent on the Iraq War?

DK: the need for a common defense is clear, but this government is preapred to spend billions of dollars to rule the world from space (the euphemistic 20/20 Program).

We are building the military at a time when the world is increasingly MORE connected and interdependent!!

DK: We can have Athens or Sparta. We can have enough education and health for everyone, or a huge military machine.

When we sing the Star Spangled Banner, we ask a QUESTION at the end. DOes that flag still wave over the land of the free and the brave?

karen it is obvious from yesterday's votes that all Dems do not believe in the same thing.
We offer 'better programs'. This guy just doesn't get it. Americans don't want to listen to just a laundry list of programs. Been there done that. That response doesn't resonate.

Pete Stark defending by saying we all believe in the same things--and we offer better programs that are fair and honest and will not rely on one interpretation of the bible over another.

Question: what should the President say about immigration tonight?
Hilda Solis: The SCIENCE of immiigration violations is not exactly working. The neo-Conservatives pushing for *immigration reform* which will hurt those who pay taxes, have children, have jobs--EARNED immigration.

Ira, I hear you. But they feel strongly that it is part of their job (the CPC) to take stands that others cannot or will not take.
I am incredibly inspired by what I am hearing here.

These people CARE.

The moderator for this panel (John Nichols) just stated that 9,000 workers have been laid off in NOLA because the money promised by the feds did not arrive.

Diane Watson mentioning that Halliburton et al are not coming through. Trailers donated cannot be conneccted up to the grid; the grid goes down after dark or on weekends. People are not ABLE to return to rebuild.

This thread is now crossposted at dailykos. Please go give it a recommend and a comment if you deem it worthy.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/1/31/10216/3412

Dennis K: on Katrina--temporary housing needs are NOT being met, fed. reconstruction contracts should be required to hire locally.

Pres. is pulling back on commitments--Congress CAN direct the Federal Reserve to provide a WPA-like program.

Can use existing funds in the Fed.

And one of the problems they are having: if they admit to the needs of MS, LA, they would have to admit to ill-housing, ill-educated populations across the country. Images of people drowning are seared in our minds--this is a government that does not believe in government--not for the social good, but as a service station for big businsses to drive up and reload.

DK: going back to issue of warrantless wiretapping--we used to hear about this from the Soviet Union--they are breaking both the 4th and the 1st amendment.

We are in a linguistic trap--homeland security.
We do have criminals within but they are holding public office!

We keep sending it the voting issue, folks. Hopefully they will talk about it.

AHA--issue of censuring or impeaching the President just came up!

Diane Watson: why treat Pres. Bush any different from Pres. Clinton?

When the President breaks the law by saying "well, I needed to act immediately". that's OK. But then you get the judge on the way back.

We have no moral right to spread democracy to the rest of the world.

Karen,

I want to know what the progressive caucus is doing to hold the media accountable.

I want to know what they're doing to get people elected in 06 who will take care of election reform and the media.

I want to know what they're doing to protect us from big-bad government-shrunk-to-the-size-of-a- bathtub-gone-a-muck!

CNN reports "a negative savings rate" for the first time since the Great Depression.

(IMO, CNN needs to look at how they aided and abbetted that disaster!)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2422266

God help our country for what the US Senate is currently doing.

Speaking of media reform, ePluribus Media is a group of bloggers, many from daily kos, who have formed a group to do lengthier, factually based and thoroughly researched articles. They also are doing a series of interviews of candidates running for Congress. They've just published a lengthy interview with a 'fighting Dem' who's running in Colorado... Bill Winter in CO-06.

go here to see the interview..
http://www.epluribusmedia.org/interviews/winter20060130p1.html

go here to check out the rest of ePM...
http://www.epluribusmedia.org/index.html

Posted by: dwahzon at January 31, 2006 11:18 AM

Thanks DW for bringing our attention to that. I will have to make sure I bookmark it.

A must read!

What is Bush Hiding?
by
Larry C. Johnson

I suppose the average American, one who has never held a security clearance or handled NSA intelligence, is inclined to cut George W. Bush some slack. Only a crazy person would argue that Al Qaeda terrorists have a right of privacy in the United States. But that, my friends, is a canard. The issue is not about giving aid and comfort to the enemy. Instead, does this President, hell, any President, have the right to unilaterally decide what does and does not constitute a threat to national security? We are a Republic founded on the principle that the power of the Federal Government is limited. It does not matter if George W. Bush is sincere or his intentions benign. What matters is whether he has chosen to ignore the Fourth Amendment because he, and he alone, has decided that the end justifies the means.

As one who has had access to NSA material, I am completely puzzled by the refusal of the Bush Administration to seek FISA approval for what amounts to roving wiretaps. Here is what I know for certain:

http://noquarter.typepad.com/my_weblog/2006/01/what_is_bush_hi.html#more

And one of the problems they are having: if they admit to the needs of MS, LA, they would have to admit to ill-housing, ill-educated populations across the country.

Posted by: karen at January 31, 2006 10:32 AM

Chronic poverty and corruption caused most of the problems that Katrina exposed.

No $2000 FEMA band-aid is going to fix these problems.

And for a humorous take on warrantless surveillance on a serious topic, check out what some of Cleveland's citizens did the other day...

A little guerilla theater for Homeland Security et al who did watch the proceedings...

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1138699832122070.xml&coll=2

Question: what should the President say about immigration tonight?
Hilda Solis: The SCIENCE of immiigration violations is not exactly working. The neo-Conservatives pushing for *immigration reform* which will hurt those who pay taxes, have children, have jobs--EARNED immigration.

Posted by: karen at January 31, 2006 10:23 AM

And no secret backroom deals for pro-Republican nationalities either (ESPECIALLY Cubans and Koreans).

We cannot afford to let in another Rev. Moon or John Yoo!

55%, or 23 million of the uninsurred, who are being promised a tax deduction tonight are in the 0 tax bracket. We should ask what help, giving these 23 million uninsurred, a tax deduction, is.

Karen and everyone at the WCWO, I thank you for going out there tonight and drowning out the lies.

I think the middleclass and poor just need to wear a sign on their chest--let it read, "Done targetting me yet?"

President Bush had a message for abortion opponents marking the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion.

He told them: "We shall prevail."

As CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports, the president's tone appears to have changed.

The anniversary of Roe vs. Wade always sparks debate. The 33rd anniversary of the abortion rights ruling was no different -- with one exception.

By phone, President Bush told a group of abortion opponents, "we're working to persuade more of our fellow Americans of the rightness of our cause."

"And history tells us that with such a cause, we will prevail," he added.

The statements drew cheers from anti-abortion activists in Washington and little surprise from activists here.

"At least in terms of recollection from previous years it seems to me that his message was very similar," said Bill Beckman, president of the Illinois Right To Life Committee.

But the CEO of Planned Parenthood Chicago, an abortion rights organization, says Bush's statements were bolder than in the past and potentially more revealing in light of his recent nominee to the Supreme Court, conservative Judge Samuel Alito.

"He's said what he's wanted to do. But this is the first time he's signaled that he feels he's going to prevail. And I think we have to take that very seriously because if Judge Alito is confirmed to the Supreme Court, he could prevail," said Steve Trombley, president of Planned Parenthood.

http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/local_story_023230647.html

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/1/31/124241/082
Domestic Spying: Next Step
by georgia10
Tue Jan 31, 2006 at 10:42:41 AM PDT
Now that the Alito filibuster rally is over, Democrats are ready to turn their attention to another critical issue: domestic spying. Gonzales is set to appear before the Judiciary Committee in a week. Liberal bloggers everywhere are wondering how to avoid a repeat of the Alito hearings, and how to ensure this scandal doesn't fade away like too many others.

William Rivers Pitt | The State of the Union
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/013106Y.shtml
William Rivers Pitt: In the interests of truth, the actual state of this union deserves to be displayed for all to see. This is the deal. This is how it is.
Excerpt:
The Reign of Witches

The state of this union is not good. We are poorer, frightened, faced with the swelling ranks of enemies our leaders have created, and hell-bent to do away with the most precious aspects of our system of government. We are surveilled, propagandized, intimidated. We empower the radicals and disenfranchise the common good. We are fed swill via the television and thus convinced that what they tell us is what we already believe. We are bought, and we are paid for.

The radicals running this country have long desired to destroy the government's ability to govern - they found things like taxes intrusive, which is amusing when one hears them now defending warrantless spying on Americans - and they are well along the path towards success. The budget is destroyed, spent on tax cuts and the Iraq occupation, while millions of Americans suffer the loss of necessary services. The one percent of the one percent is making a killing, and the rest of us are left behind.

If there is hope to be found in all this, it is in the words of Thomas Jefferson, written 208 years ago after the passage of the Sedition Act.

"A little patience, and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their spells dissolve, and the people, recovering their true sight, restore their government to its true principles. It is true that in the meantime we are suffering deeply in spirit, and incurring the horrors of a war and long oppressions of enormous public debt. If the game runs sometimes against us at home we must have patience till luck turns, and then we shall have an opportunity of winning back the principles we have lost, for this is a game where principles are at stake."

From (believe it or not) Fox News via Huffpo...

New Patriot Act Provision Creates Tighter Barrier to Officials at Public Events

Tuesday, January 31, 2006
By Kelley Beaucar Vlahos

WASHINGTON — A new provision tucked into the Patriot Act bill now before Congress would allow authorities to haul demonstrators at any "special event of national significance" away to jail on felony charges if they are caught breaching a security perimeter.

Sen. Arlen Specter , R-Pa., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sponsored the measure, which would extend the authority of the Secret Service to allow agents to arrest people who willingly or knowingly enter a restricted area at an event, even if the president or other official normally protected by the Secret Service isn't in attendance at the time.

The measure has civil libertarians protesting what they say is yet another power grab for the executive branch and one more loss for free speech.

read the rest here...
http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,183147,00.html

Time for some more letters I think...

Time for some more letters I think...

Posted by: dwahzon at January 31, 2006 02:33 PM

Better write 'em while it's still legal.

Hooked for phonics.

And in the 'one person CAN make a difference' category, is this item from firedoglake...

-------------

From reader Rayne, in the comments, I find this brilliant yet simple idea.
-----
I got off the phone with Senator Levin's office at 5:30 PM.

THEY CALLED ME.

Holy crap, that's twice in a month that his office CALLED ME.

Stay on this, you guys. It doesn't take much, really. You need to call both of your Senators' offices and find out when they are going to be in your area next, find out who's setting up the event they will be at, insist on attending. Shake their hands, introduce yourselves, ask a good question, follow up with a detailed letter on the topic to their office. And you will get a call back.

If you make a dent in their consciousness, you can make an impact when it counts, like during important votes. RIGHT NOW: Fax, email, call your Senators offices and tell them thank you for their Yea vote. If they voted Nay, then call and find out when you can see them in the flesh. They can't weasel out easily if you've been in their face.
------
Excellent idea. Let's all try out Rayne's advice -- and maybe we can get some amusing "Meet My Congresscritter" stories in the next few months.

posted by ReddHedd @ 8:20 AM

http://firedoglake.blogspot.com/2006_01_29_firedoglake_archive.html#113866246196693344

John Edwards has issued an early State of the Union response:

http://blog.oneamericacommittee.com/story/2006/1/31/10587/5125

Bush Explains Medicare Drug Bill
-- Verbatim Quote
Submitted on 2005-12-13 16:35:14

WOMAN IN AUDIENCE: 'I don't really understand. How is the new plan going to fix the problem?'

Verbatim response: PRESIDENT BUSH:

'Because the -- all which is on the table begins to address the big cost drivers. For example, how benefits are calculated, for example, is on the table. Whether or not benefits rise based upon wage increases or price increases. There's a series of parts of the formula that are being considered. And when you couple that, those different cost drivers, affecting those -- changing those with personal accounts, the idea is to get what has been promised more likely to be -- or closer delivered to that has been promised. Does that make any sense to you? It's kind of muddled. Look, there's a series of things that cause the -- like, for example, benefits are calculated based upon the increase of wages, as opposed to the increase of prices. Some have suggested that we calculate -- the benefits will rise based upon inflation, supposed to wage increases. There is a reform that would help solve the red if that were put into effect. In other words, how fast benefits grow, how fast the promised benefits grow, if those -- if that growth is affected, it will help on the red.'

Forward this to others -- so they, too, can understand...

wassat? is that some new language, b/c it sure isn't English.

Does anyone know if there will be any videocasts or pod past from the front of the Whitehouse tonight? If so where do we go to tune in?

More examples on regular people organizing in their local area and having a tremendous impact.

This is the 1 year anniversary of the launch of the Pacific NW Portal. There's a terrific story of its launch, its growth over the last year and just how much they support now.

check it out here...
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/1/31/145710/590

and here's the Pacific NW Portal homepage...
http://www.nwprogressive.org/portal/

wassat? is that some new language, b/c it sure isn't English.

Posted by: Ira at January 31, 2006 04:27 PM

I believe they call that The Kings English.

"What we have here is, a failure to communicate"

- Strother Martin

Does anyone know if there will be any videocasts or pod casts from the front of the Whitehouse tonight? If so where do we go to tune in? World Can't Wait protests tonight?

It had been a long time since I saw such a long article dedicated to the American democrats in Le Monde
Here are the headline, the introduction, and the last paragraph but one. Charles Kupchan, former member of the Clinton team, answers to the journalist :

"American democrats find it hard to organize in spite of the Bush administration's difficulties"

Nine months ahead of the November elections, the democrats haven't still been able to find a fighting tactic........

Problems of leadership....

Autodestruction.......

To the question : "Who has the best ideas?" people answer "the democrats" by 51%. But to the question "Who has the best leaders?", the republicans lead (47% against 41%)

The whole article is too long to be translated, some can read, but you can all meditate about what is written abroad and the way your party looks.
http://www.lemonde.fr/web/article/0,1-0@2-3222,36-736290@51-727289,0.html

I understood A thing : A leader is badly needed.

Bush will urge end to oil addiction
DEVELOPING STORY

President Bush's State of the Union speech will focus on kitchen table concerns of ordinary Americans, while also addressing U.S. leadership on the world stage. With gas prices rising again, he will declare America is "addicted to oil," and will call for new technology to break that addiction, according to excerpts released by the White House. "He'll talk at length about leadership in our country... and why it is critically important to maintain our economic leadership in the world," said Dan Bartlett, counselor to the president.

www.cnn.com

aka The Pothead Calling the Kettle Black

In the excerpts, Bush also renewed his commitment to the central pledge of his inaugural address. “Our nation is committed to an historic, long-term goal — we seek the end of tyranny in our world,” he said. “The future security of America depends on it.”

Posted by: madame defarge at January 31, 2006 04:08 PM

Isn't that the same answer he gave when asked to explain privatization of Social Security?

The people loved him after that road show (not).

Get out there, George! But remember to change feet, you've got the other one about chewed off.

O.K. It is officially the start of "Happy Hour".
Cocktails anyone?

As a prelude to tonight's entertainment, and to get you ready for the "big show", here again is a little ditty from MJS over at Correntewire.

It was posted a few threads back, but it is SOooo appropriate to the hour at hand......

Song In The Key Of A Well-Oiled Man
Submitted by MJS on Mon, 2006-01-09 23:55.

A Suit to Suit a Viper

I took a viper and I put him in a suit
I combed his hair across his head
To make him look real cute

I reminded him to keep his venom low
I taught him everything I know
Everything I know

I found a scorpion and trained him how to sit
He practiced tea and sympathy
His act was quite a hit

I took his stinger and wrapped it in a bow
I taught him everything I know
Everything I know

(chorus)
They sit angelic, composed and full of grace
They learn their lines by heart and keep a poker face
I know the world will benefit when they are truly free
To come and poison you and me
To come and posion you and me

I spied a vampire and put him to the test
Got him a lawyer and then
Sued God for damages

I told him: be patient, blood will surely flow
I taught him everything I know
Everything I know

I gussied up a tumor and took it to DC
And there it had a great career
It acted naturally

At the cocktail parties it always thanks the host
I taught it everything I know
Everything I know

(chorus)
They sit angelic, composed and full of grace
They learn their lines by heart and keep a poker face
I know the world will benefit when they are truly free
To come and poison you and me
To come and posion you and me

I took a viper and I put him in a suit
I combed his hair across his head
To make him look real cute

I reminded him to keep his venom low
I taught him everything I know
Everything I know

+++

One may smile and smile and be a villain

Hamlet
Wm. Shakespeare

+++

more.... http://www.correntewire.com/song_in_the_key_of_a_well_oiled_man

Ira and anyone else who's interested...

I talked to Karen and she said they've heard rumors that C-Span is sending a crew over to film the protest rally and performance.

That's not confirmed but check on C-Span / C-Span2 around 8 pm and see what shows up.

aka The Pothead Calling the Kettle Black

Posted by: monkey at January 31, 2006 05:48 PM

Hey, he said the same thing twice before....once when he was campaigning in 2000 and then again when campaigning in 2004. But I bet this time he really means it.

Wish somebody would pour some truth serum in his bong.

Hey, notice that Dan Bartlett, counselor to the president, has been mentioned more recently? Is that to take the heat off Rove? Now that the base is getting their judges, I don't think they'll look very favorably on Rove's symbiotic relationship with the Prez if Rove starts to smell.

04:03 AM Jan, 31, 2006

AT&T Sued Over NSA Eavesdropping
By Ryan Singel

The Electronic Frontier Foundation filed a class-action lawsuit against AT&T Tuesday, accusing the telecom company of violating federal laws by collaborating with the government's secret, warrantless wiretapping of American citizens' phone and internet usage.

The suit, (.pdf) filed by the civil liberties group in federal court in San Francisco, alleges AT&T secretly gave the NSA access to two massive databases that included both the contents of its subscribers' communications and detailed transaction records, such as numbers dialed and internet addresses visited.

"Our goal is to go after the people who are making the government's illegal surveillance possible," says EFF attorney Kevin Bankston. "They could not do what they are doing without the help of companies like AT&T. We want to make it clear to AT&T that it is not in their legal or economic interests to violate the law whenever the president asks them to."

more....

http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,70126-0.html?tw=wn_index_2

new thread

Travis is leading the march. Karen is going home now. It was AMAZING. They are breathless with excitement.

At the end of Bush's speech, there was rousing noice and Bush stepped down. Then Bill Mitchell announced that Cindy was being held in a nearby police station. So the crowd has marched over to the station to free her!

Ken Mackie played another round of Amazing Grace in honor of Mike Mitchell's son and Casey Sheehan (Cindy's son.).

It was a POWERFUL moment of honoring these families. The silence was very powerful!

And then the crowd began to march toward the police station led by Ken Mckie and the Rhythm Worker's Union on the drums.

Karen will post more when she arrives home. But for now, the protest was a success.

There are tons of media who were there tonight.