« Phone Call with Peter King's Staff | Main | Military Tribunals Ruled Illegal »
Superhighways to Global Warming
Despite the best efforts of Al Gore and millions of concerned citizens, the editors at the Washington Post are still oblivious to the threat of global warming.
It's not enough for the paper to run stories about new reports on disappearing glaciers, melting permafrost, and the like. We need editors and reporters who understand how the threat of global warming permeates their work, who don't let an opportunity go by to help readers make the connections between the mundane and unremarkable aspects of our lives and their accelerating threat of global climate change.
Take today's frontpage story ("The Superhighway to Everywhere") on the eve of the 50th anniversary of President Eisenhower’s signing of the law creating the federal Interstate Highway System. There is the parade of statistics (47,000 miles of highway, 55,000 bridges, etc.), some sociological observations about fast food restaurants and Wal-Mart, rush-hour congestion, and air pollution.
But nowhere in this paean to highways and cars does reporter T.R.Reid mention global warming. Cars and trucks contribute 25% of all U.S. CO2 emissions. And with about 5%of the world's population, the U.S. produces roughly 25% of the world's greenhouse gases.
No one involved in writing or editing T.R.Reid's story thought to even mention the role of the Interstate Highway System in accelerating the production of greenhouse gases. Here we have what is often hailed as "the largest engineering project in history," a project that undergirds a suburbanized system of land development that requires burning ever-larger quantities of fossil fuels, and there is not a word about global warming.
With this kind of silent stupidity from one of the country's leading newspapers about one of the greatest threats to world civilization, it's hard to avoid the feeling that we are unlikely to save our world from the violence of unchecked global warming.
How about the Post send its entire remaining (they just gave "early retirement" to a huge bunch of reporters) editorial staff to a remedial course in how to incorporate the impact of global warming into as many stories as they possibly can?
Or maybe the Post could simply order all of its employees to check out Tom Toles every day: his cartoon today features a dark cloud labeled ("Global Warming Plague Number One")with a bolt of lightening that has knocked over a tree on the White House, with a caption over the White House reading "...but the pharaoh's head remained hard."
(For more on cars and global warming, check out the Union of Concerned Scientists.
In the meantime, your tax dollars at work...From Think Progress:
Your tax dollars are being used to fund a misinformation campaign about Al Gore’s movie, An Inconvenient Truth.
Yesterday, the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works issued a press release headlined “AP Incorrectly Claims Scientists Praise Gore’s Movie.” It doesn’t substantiate the claim. The AP contacted 100 climate scientists, including noted “climate skeptics,” and of the 19 that had seen the movie, all commended its accuracy.
The Committee release faulted the AP for not cherry-picking the handful of scientists around the world who make a living questioning the scientific consensus on global warming. For example, an Australian scientist named Bob Carter told an obscure Canadian paper that Gore’s arguments are “so weak that they are pathetic.” How could the AP exclude this kind of incisive analysis?
http://www.thinkprogress.org
Marc Morano and Matt Dempsey, who work for the committee, encourage you to contact them about the release. Please be substantive and polite with any criticism.
Goober and Gomer can be contacted here: Contact: MARC MORANO (marc_morano@epw.senate.gov) 202-224-5762, MATT DEMPSEY (matthew_dempsey@epw.senate.gov) 202-224-9797
Karen,
Good post.
We clearly need to find other fuels and have better emission's standards on all vehicles.
As a person who has a brother who owns and operates a trucking business, I can tell you that the truckers know what they're up against. Frankly, the newer trucks perform better (in terms of both gas mileage and emissions) yet most truckers are going bankrupted as it is due to these outrageous gas prices.
The trucking business is the heart of our infrastructure---bringing merchandise and food from all around the country. Sometimes picking up products at train stations or visa versa.
We definitely need to think about how we can improve upon our own infrastructure and protect the environment and the human race too.
Supreme Court overturns PART OF Texas ReDistricting?
What the hey? Should I get excited over this?
Supreme Court overturns part of Texas political map
"Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court today threw out part of a Texas congressional map engineered by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, saying some of the new boundaries failed to protect minority voting rights.
The fractured decision was a small victory for Democratic and minority groups who accused Republicans of an unconstitutional power grab in drawing boundaries that booted four Democratic incumbents out of office."
This is all that I could find.
Ira,
I don't get how they could undo "part". Makes no sense to me.
E-voting and losing our democracy.
http://www.conyersblog.us/archives/00000486.htm
Must see video!
sparrow, Llyod Doggett's district stretches 350 mill in a very narrow band from Austin to Brownsville in the valley. Houston Districts made Lee's district larger and moved black voters totally out of Lampson old District and took minority voters almost totally out of some of our marginal districts and turned 55% Republican Districts into 65% Republican districts. You would have to see them to believe them. The Chronicle talks about existing Districts and New Districts so I am trying to study these maps and see if the court actually redrew the map or is sending it back to our right wing State Legislature for a Special Session. My guess is that it will make minimal difference. My concern is the precedent they are setting addressing partisan ReDistricting in violation of the 10 year Census Standards and how they addressed that issue.I will keep you posted if our local news interupts the soap operas, you know the important news of the day, and gives more details.I feel like I am the only person in Houston that seems to care about this story.
Ira,
I think many people care. But by the same token, many are feeling like abused spouces. (They have the victim mentality...some fight back and others lay down and whimper. You're the fighter and that only helps all of you.)
Thanks for the details. I look forward to more of them.
Also..I just emailed you.
WaPo is covering the Brennan Center article today about which I posted a couple days ago when USA Today covered it.
A Single Person Could Swing an Election
Electronic Systems' Weaknesses May Be Countered With Audits, Report Suggests
By Zachary A. Goldfarb
Special to The Washington Post
Wednesday, June 28, 2006; Page A07
To determine what it would take to hack a U.S. election, a team of cybersecurity experts turned to a fictional battleground state called Pennasota and a fictional gubernatorial race between Tom Jefferson and Johnny Adams. It's the year 2007, and the state uses electronic voting machines.
Jefferson was forecast to win the race by about 80,000 votes, or 2.3 percent of the vote. Adams's conspirators thought, "How easily can we manipulate the election results?"
The experts thought about all the ways to do it. And they concluded in a report issued yesterday that it would take only one person, with a sophisticated technical knowledge and timely access to the software that runs the voting machines, to change the outcome.
read the rest here...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/27/AR2006062701451.html
yep just as I suspected they threw out the ridiculous south Texas District probably Doggett's District that he was able to win and probably will make it harder for his re-election. Wouldn't you guess Alito thought DeLay's tactics were just fine. This is what I expected.
"WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court today upheld most of Texas' Republican-friendly U.S. House election district map.
The court said one district in Southwest Texas was unconstitutional because its design violated minority voting rights. Reshaping the district would force a change in at least some neighborhing districts.
But the high court ruling preserved other districts, in the Houston area and elsewhere, that were created by the Texas Legislature in 2003."
Posted by: dwahzon at June 28, 2006 10:41 AM
Dw.
Thanks for staying on this!
Hope you looked at the Crier link I posted above. (via Conyer's blog)
And here's an interesting post from Greg Sargent via Raw Story...
TREASURY DEPARTMENT REFUSING TO EXPLAIN WHY OFFICIALS DIDN'T URGE JOURNAL TO HOLD BANKING STORY.
I just got off the phone with a spokesperson for the Treasury Department, and she's refusing to explain why Treasury officials didn't demand that the Wall Street Journal hold off on publishing the story about the U.S.'s secret financial surveillance program, the way they demanded it of the New York Times and the L.A. Times.
This is interesting, because Tony Snow said today that the Treasury Department's press office could explain this. But now they're clamming up.
In this story from today's Editor and Publisher, reporter Joe Strupp wrote:
When asked why the administration had not asked the Wall Street Journal to hold off publication as it had with the other two papers, Snow said he did not know, referring such inquiries to Treasury Department Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tony Fratto. (Emphasis added.)
So -- what the heck? -- I called the Treasury Department's public affairs office. When told that Snow explicitly said that the Treasury Department could answer these questions, Treasury spokesperson Molly Millerwise nonetheless declined. Asked why no officials had urged the Journal to hold the story, she said: "I can't speak for what Tony said...I don't want to get into the particulars of any discussions."
This is key because the administration has apparently decided to focus all of its criticism on the New York Times for publishing the story, even though it appeared in the LA Times and the Journal, too. The question is, If publishing this story was such a danger to national security, as the administration is now claiming, why didn't they urge the Journal to hold off, too? There may be a valid explanation, but for now, neither Treasury nor the White House are saying.
--Greg Sargent
Posted by Greg Sargent on June 27, 2006 05:14 PM | Permalink
http://www.prospect.org/horsesmouth/2006/06/post_167.html#002977
I posted last week my hope that other state legislatures in places like New Mexico, California, Colorado and Oklahoma will get the message that they can ReDistrict any time for any purpose for partisan advantage. I know its not a big deal to many but this new policy by the US Supreme Ct. is shaping and will shape the makeup of your Congress, and the Supreme Ct. apparently sanctioned a new battle on partisan ReDistricting.Its time we take it right to those state legislatures, today.
Okay, okay... I know I'm dumping a lot on here but these 2 comments on Greg Sargent's post are really interesting.
The first post below was in response to a winger objecting that the NYT was a treasonous paper that only published liberal garbage and that some things had to stay secret.
----------
Congressional Testimony
Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs
John S. Pistole
Deputy Assistant Director
Counterterrorism Division
Federal Bureau of Investigation
July 31, 2003
"Terrorism Financing: Origination, Organization, and Prevention"
Being able to identify and track financial transactions and links after a terrorist act has occurred or terrorist activity has been identified represents only a small portion of the mission; the key lies in exploiting financial information in efforts to identify previously unknown terrorist cells, recognize potential terrorist activity/planning, and predict and prevent potential terrorist acts.
Prior to 9/11, there was not enough emphasis placed on addressing the mechanisms and systems associated with terrorist financing and disrupting them before they could be utilized to further terrorist activities. Since September 11, TFOS, together with the Counter-Terrorism Section (CTS), Criminal Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ), have begun a number of pro-active link analysis initiatives to identify potential terrorists and terrorist related financing activities.
http://www.fbi.gov/congress/congress03/pistole073103.htm
You can find transcripts on the white house web site of bush touting the wonderful work being done to track terrorist financing.
Everybody knows this is going on. The question is if the bush admin once again sh*t on the constitution.
Posted by: hadenough | June 28, 2006 10:20 AM
----------
It turns out Molly Millerwise [Treasury spokesperson that Greg spoke to] is the sister of CIA spokesdrone Jennifer Millerwise who in turn is married to Paul B. Dyck, former Rove employee now in the employ of Condi.
Quite the incestuous world they've got there.
Posted by: spork_incident | June 28, 2006 10:25 AM
------------------
article on possibility of Russian bourse with petrodollars in rubles - would probably have far more impact on the US dollar than Iran using Euros for oil. Russia already pumps alot - Iran is more in terms of potential to do so.
On top of that, check out the Cheney v Putin angle - not exactly diplomacy. Meanwhile, Condi in the middle between India & Pakistan (with nuke double standard & selective deal-cutting with India).
The other scary story is definitely Israel v Palestine. There is no hx of military action in the Gaza securing the release of any hostage - this can only escalate & is going to require some type of international mediation.
Meanwhile, chaos in Afghanistan, Iraq and potential badness with Iran and N Korea.
Then the Mexican election is July 7.
What a world ..
forgot the link
http://www.aljazeera.com/me.asp?service_ID=11253
Ira
If you aren't disgusted enough by hypocritical judges, read this
http://www.sapulpadailyherald.com/news/local_story_178114353.html?keyword=secondarystory
I had to Google to find it as it was sent to me only with the caption "This isn't the Onion..this is real"
Hey Ira,
Adam B, one of the lawyers over at dailykos just put up an analysis of the SCOTUS decision on TX redistricting along with a link to a pdf of the decision.
You can check it out here...
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/6/28/111835/521
sorry DiAnne I am not going there and associating with your post. I generally respect our local judiciary and if an amicable relationship with Republican judges.
My concern is with our new Supreme Court and the hard right turn they have taken this year.
I will do my own tilting at windmills with the Democratic state legislatures urging them by letter writing, to follow the Supreme Court's lead and ReDistrict whenever the partisan mood moves them. Perhaps it was my close involvement with the local opposition to the DeLay ReDistricting plan that has me up in arms about this. There is no way to spin this other than to say he won.
Its beyond time that Progressives in our state legislatures start playing hard ball on political issue effecting the national scene.
The story of the disgusting judge is suitable for the tabloid pages. I didn't think that was what we are aspiring to here.
and have(typo)an amicable relationship with our Republican judges.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060628/ap_on_re_us/northeast_flooding
3 are killed by floods after rescue in Md.
MYERSVILLE, Md. - Three young adults died Tuesday night when they were washed out of the bed of a pickup truck, shortly after being rescued from a car stranded in high water, according to a Frederick County fire official.
{{{Other states affected by flooding back east are mentioned, and only info about NY mentions National Guard troops being called out. I'm wondering where the National Guard troops from the other states are...??? Three guesses... and the first two don't count if it doesn't include some gawdfersaken desert location thousands of miles from the people they could be helping at home.... And, yes, I've wondered since I first heard about the flooding back east if it had anything to do with global warming....}}}
Good topic, Karen.
I just had to retire my Ford Contour at just 128,000 miles, and as I tool around the Mojave Desert on a work assignment in a replacement vehicle, a 15mpg Ford Econoline, I really feel guilty.
It's bad enough that I have to live through the Fox News propaganda on the Marine Corps base every day. It's worse to have to prematurely retire a 30mpg passenger car, because Ford decided that no money was to be made off of it, and therefore built it to very low standards. No wonder American car companies are losing market share to foreigners (and falsely blaming the unions while at it).
I'll continue to use the gas guzzling Econoline for now, as my remaining car, though it also gets 30mpg, is an "Old Europe" luxury car that won't win any points at the Marine base. If I ever get around to buying a cheap car to replace my Ford, I'll seriously consider hybrids, to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions, and to ensure that the oil companies get as little of my money as possible.
Back to the topic, while the Interstate Highway Network is a wonderful thing, the fact that it and the air transportation network (the two most polluting methods of transportation) developed at the EXPENSE of buses and trains (which were left only for bums too poor to own a car) is downright shameful. I live in Los Angeles, a city that gave up its excellent streetcar system to build freeways - a decision I'll never forgive.
Thanks, everybody, but my busy husband wrote that story, so I am going to change its authorship in a minute.
(He seems to have logged in under my name).
On gerrymandering: I believe that this is only one of the ways in which the 2004 election was mismanaged; allowing the SCOTUS judges to bully their own way into rightwing decision-making. We have created a country of neocon leaders, and the statue of justice on top of the Capitol must be weeping.
I do not know how we can get back to the democracy we need, but I do know no one else is going to do it for us.
Ira,
It's on yahoo. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060628/ap_on_go_su_co/scotus_texas_redistricting
So they say, "Shame on you..." on one hand, and then say, "Well, we're not going to do anything about reparations or fairness" on the other hand.
Split decision?
Seems more like a nondecision to me.
Sad news:
The recruiter from the movie F 9-11 was murdered in Iraq.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060628/ap_en_mo/michigan_recruiter
(I've decided since the war is based on a lie, it's murdered, not killed.)
"I do not know how we can get back to the democracy we need," said Karen
I do Karen. On November 8, 2006 we should begin working on the election of a Democratic President and work relentlessly until 8 pm on November 6, 2008 and then insist that the next Supreme Court Justice selected by our new President become an unapolegetic Liberal in the mold of Thurgood Marshall who would not have stood by and allow Tom DeLay to dictate the court's understanding of the Voting Rights Act.And when Republican Senators whine and say they want to do away with the Senate Compromise and start their filibuster against that nominee, we should say hell no, and threaten the nuclear option just like they did.
Currently we should demand that every Republican Senator and Congressman explain before this year's election why they oppose renewal of the Voting Rights Act and demand that they find time to support that instead of wasting our lives arguing over a nonexistant flag issue.
"The Constitution says states must adjust their congressional district lines every 10 years to account for population shifts. In Texas the boundaries were redrawn twice after the 2000 census, first by a court, then by state lawmakers in a second round promoted by DeLay after Republicans took control.
That was acceptable, the justices said."
Why?
"Some people are predicting a rash of mid-decade redistricting. I am skeptical," said Richard Hasen, an election law expert at Loyola Law School. "It would be seen as a power grab in a lot of places."
This is totally contradictory. The Supreme Ct says the race is now on for every Democratic state legislature to reDistrict whenever it is politically convenient. I ask then why not, why shouldn't our state legislatures follow this language from the US Supreme Ct. that clearly states that partisan, non decade ReDistricting is not only OK but apparently what the courts now expect to happen. Why should we unilaterally disarm? Anyone have a good answer?
that would be a power grab but what Tom DeLay did wasn't?
This really makes my blood boil to read this nonsense so I will quit for now.
...and the statue of justice on top of the Capitol must be weeping.
Posted by: karen at June 28, 2006 12:52 PM
For a very long time I've had a gruesome image in my mind of Lady Liberty crying tears of blood because of what has befallen this nation... I just added a mental image of Lady Justice also shedding bloody tears, with her scales swinging and dipping wildly out of balance because she's sobbing out of control....
Besides salty tears, we may all be shedding bloody tears if this nation can't get back on the correct path to being a good nation with leaders who follow the Constitution and the Bill of Rights again, leaders who will not commit illegal and unconstitutional acts and sanction war crimes.
With the talk of global warming, I've also remembered a book entitled The Elementals by Morgan Llewelyn (she's better known for her expertise on early Irish Celtic myth, legends, and history, all of which I have/have read). The Elementals deals with a small group of people who have survived global catastrophe, environmental destruction... chilling.
A couple of nights ago on PBS I saw what seems to be the first of a short series called "How Art Made the World." The first show dealt with ancient art, the depiction of the human form. Because I also just watched a PBS show on Sir Isaac Newton who predicted human beings would destroy the earth and themselves by 2060, I had to wonder if there would be anything left of humanity to dig up in 25,000 years by other humans, or if we, as a species, will be as monumentally stupid as our current "leaders" who seem hell-bent on destroying not only other species, but our own as well....
I only plan to live to be 100, so I have 40 years left... but I've wondered what life will be like by then, and whether humans will exist as a species, or if our less-than-intelligent current "leaders" will kill us all off before then, either through environmental catastrophies or atomic weapons of war....
Posted by: Ira at June 28, 2006 01:39 PM
First, we somehow have to hope/pray that there will be a huge outpouring if they steal elections in 06 and try to maintain control of Congress through election theft.
Then, when we have control these are the things that need to happen.
1. Election Reform--oust the e-machines and have real election reform.
2. Reaffirm the VRA and create serious laws to punish those like Blackwell and Harris who violate the civil rights of minorities or any party.
3. Media reform--enforce the Fair media act furthermore, break up conglomerate media.
4. Make DC a state. (It's not right that they have no representation.)
5. Repeal every law made by these neocons.
6. Hold hearings into the matters that have been stymied for the last 5 years.
7. Enact all the promises on health care, fiscal responsibility, jobs, etc...that we've promised. Help the average American through our laws and take away the redistribution of the money that the neocons arranged and support the poor and the middle class.
8. Enact public financing of candidates and ditch the lobbyists.
Please feel free to add to the list...
Oh, and I caught a few seconds of a news blurb accidentally this morning....
Condisleazy is in Afghanistan again. I had to wonder what the heck mischief she's causing now, again, over there.... Grrrr.....
Group files for injunction to halt evoting in Colorado, California
RAW STORY
Published: Wednesday June 28, 2006
Print This | Email This
A group is asking courts in Colorado and California to grant injunctions halting the use of certain electronic voting systems, RAW STORY has learned.
Voter Action will file a motion for a preliminary injunction today to halt the use of Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) voting systems in Colorado's November elections. This comes on the heels of a complaint filed by the nonprofit on June 1 against the use of DRE's made by Diebold Election Systems, Sequoia Voting Systems, ES&S, and Hart InterCivic in upcoming state elections.
In the filings, a number of academics and voting technology experts provided sworn declarations that the DRE's present unprecedented and unacceptable security and operational risks. Some will also testify at an evidentiary hearing to be scheduled before Judge Lawrence Manzanares of the Denver District Court.
In the coming days, Voter Action will also file for a motion for preliminary injunction in California to block the use of Diebold DRE's in the November 2006 elections. The case relating to this injunction was filed in March. The complaint in the California case, which led several counties to return to paper ballots, is directed at the counties intending to use Diebold touch screen computers.
The Colorado and California filings include, according to the group, evidence of security, accuracy, reliability, and verifiability problems with DRE's and will illustrate the tendency of DRE's to malfunction, which could result in voter disenfranchisement through break downs, delays and long lines.
A study released yesterday by the Brennan Center for Justice called the most comprehensive review of its kind found that electronic voting machine security flaws "pose a real danger to the integrity of national, state and local elections."
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Group_files_for_injunction_to_halt_0628.html
Posted by: sparrow at June 28, 2006 01:49 PM
9. IMPEACH the bam dastards (to quote Otter)!!!
and I concur and emphasize #5... I've mentioned before that the first of those laws that needs to be repealed is that stupid "Patriot Act" and subsequent versions of the same, followed in the same law repealing everything connected with anything enacted by Congress since 2000.
I would also doubly emphasize #6 to uncover all the #$%^#$%* secretive crap that's been going on behind closed doors since 2000 and the installation of that pack of crooks....!
First, we somehow have to hope/pray that there will be a huge outpouring if they steal elections in 06..
No we need to make absolutely sure that we win states like Ohio by such overwhelming numbers in Nov. that folks like Ken Blackwell will be overwhelmed and unable to steal this election.
That is why I am concentrating on the positive message Had Enough? and asking, no imploring as many volunteers as we can speak to find some time to get away from their jobs and families and join me in Cleveland and make absolutely sure that we don't have to count the excuses why we blew it and instead celebrate the defeat of Blackwell and DeWine and the corruption of the right.
Posted by: sparrow at June 28, 2006 01:58 PM
Progress... but it's not a done deal until it's a done deal....
I still favor throwing all the e-voting machines into a computer recycling pile and going back to paper ballots that can be recounted with some accuracy...!
Take your very own personal inventory on how YOU are doing (environmentally) with this book: A CHANGE OF HEART,The Global Wellness Inventory,by Meryn Callender and John Travis/Arcus publishing . It's beautifully illustrated and devotional toward the earth. I've purchased some for gifting esp. for those non-believers.
Beautiful day here today in the N.W. hope your's is a good one.
I just sent off to Gore an e/m asking him to include slides of the Oregon coast vs Fla.coast.
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Dems_planned_to_exclude_Clinton_from_0628.html
Ok...so now there's an article saying the Dems tried to exclued Hillary from a Bill she introduced. Does this really make sense? Are they sure it wasn't a mere accident or a screw up by a staffer?
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Dems_planned_to_exclude_Clinton_from_0628.html
Nonnyo,
Got rage?
@# #$%%^ %&(&$@ *&@#$
;)
Ira,
Work, hope and pray. Is that better?
Ok, you'll find this 'pass the buck' comment quite interesting.
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Video_Frist_blames_CNN_for_Republican_0628.html
work, work, work, then work some more then pray a lot.
Let's just stay positive suz, its going to happen, its going to happen, repeat that..
Had Enough?
Ira:
Do you think there's a link between the recent Texas re-districting ruling at the Supreme Court and the delay by House Republicans to renew the VRA?
"We are indeed the world. Only IF we have reason to fear what is in our hearts need we fear for the planet. TEACH YOURSELF PEACE. PASS IT ON !!"
Alice Walker
10. Fiscal responsibility and a respect for what our tax dollars are paying for. (ie. catapult the propaganda and the wasted bills like anti-gay bills or flagburning. OR put it in the constitution that flag burning IS a part of the freedom of speech. (ie. the argument they were using that expressions are not covered under the freedom of speech.)
NEXT COMES PAT ROBERTSON OR JERRY FALWELL, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, I LOVE MY TOWN!!
Berkeley council passes impeachment resolution
Carolyn Jones, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
(06-28) 11:01 PDT -- With overwhelming support from Berkeley residents, the Berkeley City Council unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday night to be the first jurisdiction in the United States to let the public vote for the impeachment of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.
The measure will appear on the Nov. 7 ballot, at a cost of about $10,000.
Among those who urged the council to approve the initiative were peace activists Cindy Sheehan and Daniel Ellsberg, as well as 500 Berkeley residents who sent supportive e-mails to City Hall. Only three residents said they were against the idea.
The council agreed to drop a provision that would have set up a task force of Berkeley residents to monitor the President and Vice President.
Posted by: Fe at June 28, 2006 02:46 PM
Dig it!!!
Dwahzon
Yes the story about the judge is suitable for tabloid pages but it was also the judicial behavior exhibited and published in a local newspaper in that state.
Like Abu Graib or the domestic wiretapping or the tracking of money secretly or the war, it's the behavior that's disgusting - not the coverup.
The story about the judge was a good example of hypocrisy.
As is this story about Manson & Bundy family values within the conservative echelons:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/6/28/133915/317
As is the Franklin coverup:
http://www.thelawparty.com/FranklinCoverup/franklin.htm
Sex scandals and even disgusting behavior are even more disgusting when their perpetrators try to legislate the morality of the populace. They go on and on about how government shouldn't meddle in our business & then that's the first thing they do.
Betsy Ross Would be Proud
..As long as public officials want to avoid dealing with difficult issues, and as long as they want to be perceived as more patriotic than their opponents, there will be the potential for the flag amendment to be brought up again. And again. It's quite possible that it won't be the only proposed amendment of questionable necessity and very little risk in terms of supporting it. In the near future, I won't be shocked to hear about:
The American Way To Cross The Street Amendment would clearly state that a red light means stop, and a green light means go. Whether it's OK to turn right on a red light will not be a federal issue.
The National Anthem Amendment would guarantee that "The Star Spangled Banner" would be the official National Anthem. This will be a big blow to the lobbyists who have been pushing for "I've Been Working On The Railroad." It is already the National Anthem but those who vote for this Amendment will be demonstrating just how patriotic they are.
The White House Amendment would prohibit any future President from having the White House painted any color but white. It may be painted off-white with two-thirds approval from both Houses of Congress.
After a while, they'll have to look even harder for "good ol' American issues" that need to be guaranteed by constitutional amendments:
The American Diet Amendment will guarantee that nobody has a right to tell us to be wiser about what we eat. If we Americans want to kill ourselves with fast food, that's one of our inalienable rights. The second clause of this Amendment states that American Cheese will be the official cheese of America. Foreign cheeses will continue to be viewed with suspicion.
The American Sports Amendment will guarantee that "soccer" will always be called soccer in America, even though the rest of the world calls it "football." Furthermore, even if it ever really catches on here, soccer is forever barred from becoming this country's "National Pastime." The Constitution will recognize only those sports as "American" that don't involve the bouncing of a ball off one's head.
The American Golf Pants Amendment would bar the wearing of brightly colored golf pants from anywhere in America except on a golf course. (I'm no expert, but I believe this Amendment has the greatest chance of passing.)
By the time you read this, some people in Washington will probably have thought of other "important and absolutely necessary" constitutional amendments that we can't even imagine. But whatever they are, I guarantee they won't be about expanding the powers of columnists.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/06/28/opinion/garver/main1759159.shtml
You know, it's interesting about "freedom" - Lakoff's new book is about how polarized the country is in terms of just what "freedom" means. One person's "freedom" is another person's "ball and chains" ..
The Window
by Steve Miller
Ask my baby what she wants to be
She'll say a monkey swingin' in a tree
Ask my baby what she's thinkin' of
She'll say there's nothing greater than love
Well, look through the window
Tell me what do you see
A beautiful planet
Peace and harmony
Think love you're surrounded
We are one you and I
Gather your leaves together
There's only love until we die
Until we die
Ask my baby what she's goin' through
She'll say the same thing, the same thing as you
Ask my baby what she's thinkin' of
She'll say there's nothing greater than love
Look through the window
Tell me what do you see
A beautiful planet
Peace and harmony
Think love you're surrounded
We are one you and I
Gather your leaves together
There's only love until we die
Until we die
So much for peace...
Syria: We chased off Israeli warplanes
Israeli warplanes flew over the home of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as Israeli forces sent troops into Gaza to save a kidnapped soldier. Syria says it chased Israeli warplanes out of its airspace after what it called a "hostile and provocative act," Syrian state television reported.
DEVELOPING STORY
Posted by: DiAnne at June 28, 2006 03:23 PM
And it added nothing of value to the quality of the discussion at the DCP and some might say it detracted from it.
Attached is a sleeper issue that I strongly recommend that our candidates reconsider.
The question needs to be, do you candidate X plan if you are elected or reelected as the US Republican Senator or Congressperson from _______
plan on voting with the President's plans in 2007 and 2008 to once again push to Privatize Social Security? Yes or No voters want your pledge. Voters seem to have totally forgotten Bush's push to privatize SS last year. Sounds to me that he plans to renew that unpopular position in 2007 and 2008 and it seems logical that Republican candidates need to answer whether they will be supporting Bush's unpopular and doa plans for privatization before the Nov. election.Its no longer in the past or hypothetical it should be framed as a real vote for the next Congress.
"ABC News' Karen Travers Notes, "President Bush strongly indicated [yesterday] that he would not give up on reforming Medicare and Social Security and if it cannot happen this year, he'll keep trying in the coming years.'
"'We can't get it done this year, I'm going to try next year. And if we can't get it done next year, I'm going to try the year after that. Because it is the right thing to do,' the President said."
this looks like a sleeper issue but it seems to me that a lot of elderly voters in Fla. Pa, and Arizona, places where we have a real chance of picking up seats would not be real happy to hear this story. What do the rest of you think?
Good idea Ira! (P.S. did you get my email?)
Also...
Thank God that there are a few moments of honesty on the media networks. They're rare, but you have to cherish them when you see them.
Watch Jack Cafferty and listen to the emails to him.
http://www.crooksandliars.com/posts/2006/06/28/cafferty-bush-and-his-signing-statements-hes-the-decider/
nope sparrow not at my work email or home email.
I want this new SS story to get out there and especially to the Ohio market; will forward to their campaign office. I think that if its played up it could be explosive. No one is talking about it maybe I will call it into Ed Schultz tomorrow.
Posted by: Ira at June 28, 2006 05:14 PM
Ira,
I know from my professional experiences that elderly voters are thoroughly disgusted with what has happened to medicare and the drug prescription program. Many are also vocal about Bush's plans to change Social Security. My practice is in a very conservative area of Illiois, and it is somewhat surprising to hear people whom I thought would be staunch supporters of Bushco, no matter what it did, actually be vocal in their opposition. Does that mean they are likely to not vote for the Republican running for Congress. It is hard to say. Still the elderly are known for taking their right to vote very seriously and many times can be relied on (as opposed to younger voters) to go out and vote.
Oncall,
Been dying to know--I just keep forgetting to ask--but what is with the Facism list you use to put up in the lounge?
Any updates?
I think Ira has the right point. Bush has said he's going to try to 'reform' social security.
I think he picked the wrong battle.
We need to paint the rubber stamping Republicans as willing to support Bush's plan and keep that fire burning.
I'd love to see some smart coder create a game for the internet that shows how much Bush and these neocons are costing us both physically and financially.
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/06/26/a_call_to_investigate_the_2004_election/
A call to investigate the 2004 election
By Steven F. Freeman and Joel Bleifuss | June 26, 2006
WE'VE ALL heard the story. Nov. 2, 2004, was shaping up as a day of celebration for Democrats. The exit polls were predicting a victory for Senator John Kerry. Many Americans, including most political observers, sat down to watch the evening television coverage convinced that Kerry would be the next president.
BIG SNIP (Read the whole article)
For these reasons and more, it is imperative that our newspapers of record as well as our governmental oversight bodies now investigate the question people continue to ask: Was the 2004 election stolen?
Dwahzon
I think the real problem was the behavior of the judge, not talking about it.
There is such a double standard - like for Bill Clinton's much more private & consensual behavior. I sure wouldn't want my family member to be on trial before such a judge & he's not the only hypocrite. Remember Wilbur Mills? Bill Bennett? Spokane's Mayor?
It's good that we still have Freedom of Speech in this country (sort of).
Iraq pulls down Bush in Missouri.
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/D51BF3E9DEC30CAA862571990018F60E?OpenDocument
Hmmm...anyone think their partison crap helped them there?
Glenn Greenwald has a smart summary on the NYT and the spinning on their "treason".
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
The most fact-free accusation yet - the "treason" of the New York Times
An important article today in The Boston Globe reports a self-evidently dispositive fact in the controversy over the "treasonous" disclosure by The New York Times and other newspapers of the Bush administration's financial surveillance program -- namely, that none of those articles disclosed any meaningful operational information that was not already in the public domain...
read more here...
http://glenngreenwald.blogspot.com/2006/06/most-fact-free-accusation-yet-treason.html
oncall and others I truly believe that Bush's attempts to privatize SS was the beginning of his downward slide, after katrina, Meyers, The ports and Iraq. The media has signaled from what I had heard, that Bush had moved on and reluctantly from Lutz and others been told that the Dems tag of Bush trying to privatize SS pushed by AARP and the unions had worked and that he and the Repubs did not have to worry about further attempts to privatize SS like they have tried with the Prescription Drug debacle. Oncall is absolutely right about the Prescription Drug bill that was strong armed by McClellan as costing $400 billion and actually cost closer $900 billion. Back in jan Bush was bragging that millions of seniors had signed up and were saving big bucks. Two weeks ago a report stated that the elderly drug costs who signed up for Part D have actually seen their costs go up some beyond what they were paying before signing up for PartD.
Oncall is absolutely right that the elderly are a potent voting force and are the most reliable when it comes to turnout. Somehow we need to have a megaphone that says you thought you were safe about SS Privatization well Bush is back with it. Do you want your Congress person to rubber stamp SS Privatization? That would send shock waves in every nursing home and to every AARP member that I know. Most folks thought he would smartly walk away from that proposal.
I am intent on getting Bush's new Privatization Plans out before Nov. and hope others will help me spread the word. Its a Bush quote that I think many Republicans running in states and districts with large numbers of elderly voters will certainly regret.
"Loose lips" kill Americans, top Republican says
Wed Jun 28, 2006 6:31pm ET
By Andy Sullivan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Declaring that "loose lips" kill Americans, a top congressional Republican leader said on Wednesday the House of Representatives would debate a resolution condemning the U.S. media for exposing details of secret intelligence programs.
The move heaps more criticism on The New York Times and other newspapers that reported last week on a secret program by the U.S. Treasury Department that monitors private bank records in an effort to track terrorist organizations.
"What we're talking about is people who are leaking classified information. It's not news. It's classified information our government is using to fight terrorists," said House Speaker Dennis Hastert, of Illinois.
"Loose lips kill American people," he added.
The nonbinding resolution, released later in the day, said the House "expects the cooperation of all news media organizations in protecting the lives of Americans and the capability of the government to identify, disrupt and capture terrorists by not disclosing classified intelligence programs such as the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program."
A floor vote is scheduled for Thursday, said a spokesman for House Majority Leader John Boehner.
more (ons)...
http://tinyurl.com/z272k
dw:
The Greenwald article is the best one yet. I also like Dan Froomkin on this: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2005/04/11/LI2005041100879.html
This is such a huge blame deflection game going on, with the NY Times so clearly the "Liberal Flagship" (even though we know it ain't), providing red meat to the Administration's base.
So the next question is:
What are they trying to obscure now? (Could it be the Casey troop draw-down plan? Putting more distance on the Haditha massacres? Hmmm)
Iraq insurgents offer to stop attacks By STEVEN R. HURST and QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA, Associated Press Writers
Wed Jun 28, 3:20 PM ET
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Eleven Sunni insurgent groups have offered to halt attacks on the U.S.-led military if the Iraqi government and President Bush set a two-year timetable for withdrawing all foreign troops from the country, insurgent and government officials told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
The demand is part of a broad offer from the groups, who operate north of Baghdad in the heavily Sunni Arab provinces of Salahuddin and Diyala. Although much of the fighting has been to the west, those provinces have become increasingly violent and the attacks there have regularly crippled oil and commerce routes.
The groups do not include the powerful Islamic Army in Iraq, Muhammad Army and the Mujahedeen Shura Council, the umbrella label for eight militant groups including al-Qaida in Iraq. But the new offer comes at a time when Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government is reaching out to militant Sunnis, including a new amnesty plan for insurgent fighters.
Al-Maliki, in remarks broadcast on national television Wednesday, did not issue an outright rejection of the timetable demand but said it was unrealistic because he could not be certain when the Iraqi army and police would be strong enough to assume full responsibility for the country's security.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060628/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_insurgent_offer;_ylt=Av8cPbL_Ogn4vgKwE3R0Lies0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--
THE BUSH WHITE HOUSE AND CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS: The Government of All-Theater, Do-Nothing Politics
Posted by: sparrow at June 28, 2006 02:11 PM
Um... yeah... I got rage.... I just can't type all those words without being banned from the blog.... ;-) You got rage, too, or you wouldn't be posting all those lovely blog entries! :-)
All I have to do is think of what those criminals in *our* White House are getting by with and I turn my own brain foggy with profane language that would make sailors, marines, fly boys, and army brats blush....
Then other times, I have a reason to smile:
Posted by: Fe at June 28, 2006 02:46 PM
GO Berkeley!!! :-) Oooohhhh, how do I become a resident, even temporarily, so I can vote for this wonderful piece of legislation...?
Posted by: DiAnne at June 28, 2006 03:23 PM
Yes, what you said...! Legislating morality is a dangerous game when the perpetrators can only say "Do as I say, not as I do 'cuz I'm special and I'm exempt from following the morality rules I think you should follow, and I'm gonna spy on what you do in the privacy of your own home, and even your bedroom, but I get to do what I think you shouldn't do...."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060628/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_060628113327
Iraq insurgents want U.S. out in 2 years
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Insurgents are demanding the withdrawal of all U.S. and British forces from Iraq within two years as a condition for joining reconciliation talks, a senior Iraqi government official said Wednesday.
{{{More on link. Gee... that would conveniently be in time for the '08 elections in the US.... Hmmmm....}}}
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060628/ap_on_re_us/michigan_recruiter
Marine in 'Fahrenheit 9/11' killed
DETROIT - A Marine and one-time recruiter who appeared in Michael Moore's documentary film "Fahrenheit 9/11" has died in a roadside bombing in Iraq.
{{{More on link.}}}
Posted by: monkey at June 28, 2006 07:49 PM
Great. Reduce the press to mere mouthpieces of the regime (as if it didn't happen already).
If the Democrats were in power, and trying to pass anything like this, they would've been tarred and feathered as big-government anti-freedom treasonous bastards.
Republicans are above the law right now, and we must change this. Soon.
Nonny:
You need to establish residence here. I think the term is a minimum of six months. Then register to vote here in the city/county.
I would have dearly LOVED to be part of the Berkeley-based White House and OVP surveillance and monitoring team, would that part of the measure have passed, but it was not to be.
One other thing, Nonny. If you choose to live in Berkeley, you'll have to deal with the residential traffic engineering, designed to protect streets from speeding and driving normal drivers searching for a direct line from Point A to Point B absolutely nuts.
Life is full of trade-offs.
Posted by: Ira at June 28, 2006 05:14 PM
Good idea, since the elderly are reliable voters. Tar and feather the Republicans as the destroyers of SS and Medicare.
But don't forget that the young may be driven toward the Republican camp, since for them, SS will most likely never pay.
Posted by: sparrow at June 28, 2006 07:06 PM
Go, Boston Globe!!! :-)
Get that story in Lamestream Media TV snooze coverage... please!
Posted by: Fe at June 28, 2006 08:31 PM
Hmmmm... only five months to election.
Too bad it's not like MN. I can't remember the days of residency requirement, but it's not much. And one can register to vote AT the polling place with proper ID and proof of residency to ensure one is supposed to vote at that particular polling place ON the day of election. Couldn't be any easier. If one prepares in advance, there's even a voter registration form in the phone book that one can mail to the courthouse to make sure one is on the computerized list on election day.
Posted by: oncall at June 28, 2006 05:37 PM
I also live in a very Republican area, mostly upper middle class and married but a good mix of WASPs and Asian immigrants, and it would appear that W's foreign policy blunders and the Republican war on immigrants would take a toll here, especially among immigrants.
It does appear that W's support is waning, even among diehard Korean-American Republicans. But the middle-aged WASP families are still staunchly supporting W's war on abortion and gays. After all, they love W's tax cut, and if life gets bad, they can blame the Democrats, who control things at the state level. In fact, the Democrats won't even run a congressional challenger in my district.
Honestly, as long as the media continues to spin the California Democrats as extremist (when in reality, the California Republicans are the real extremists), many suburbs of Southern California will be as Republican as ever. After all, they gave us Nixon and Reagan.
Posted by: NonnyO at June 28, 2006 08:42 PM
Nonny,
The residency requirement seems to pertain only to Berkeley city-level elections.
At the state level in California, you only need to register 14 days in advance, shortened from 30 days. Of course, the Secretary of State who did this was a Democrat - then after the recall of Gray Davis, the Republicans under Ahnuld slammed the Democratic SOS in a corruption probe and took over the office (and is giving Diebold sweetheart deals on voting machines).
What is happening in Gaza strip is so scary .. 1.3 million with utilities threatened
..trouble between Israel & Syria
It could get hot.
Well, another day another dollar.
On topic:
There is an incredible misinformation campaign against Al Gore and the scientific community. That is not news. What I found newsworthy however is John Stossel's comment that people who are warning us about man's contribution to global warming are actually socialists who hate capitalism. Now, that is news.
Stossel is a Class A putz.
Note to America: Turn off the idiot box, stat.
(It's the big button, on top of the remote)
less noticed than the Delay redistricting thing
Supreme Court: Prisons Can Withold Newspapers
Washington, June 28, 2006 - The Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that Pennsylvania officials did not violate the free-speech rights of troublesome inmates by keeping secular newspapers and magazines away from them.
Justices, by a 6-2 vote, said the state could use newspapers as incentives to get inmates in a high-security unit to behave themselves.
But Justice Stephen Breyer wrote that Pennsylvania's win could be short-lived, depending on whether there is another constitutional challenge to the high-security unit's rules.
The decision reverses a ruling by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals but validates a dissent by the high court's newest member, Justice Samuel Alito, who sided with Pennsylvania when he served on the appellate court. Alito did not participate in the argument before the Supreme Court.
Breyer said that "prison officials, relying on their professional judgment, reached an experience-based conclusion that the policies help to further legitimate prison objectives."
The high court's ruling could have affected prison operations nationwide if justices had required state officials to prove that their policies serve legitimate security and rehabilitative interests.
The Bush administration sided with Pennsylvania, saying the state's policy deserves deference from the courts because it involves maintaining order in prisons.
In a dissent, Justice John Paul Stevens said a trial should be held to determine whether Pennsylvania's goal is legitimate, especially because of the rights at stake.
"Plainly, the rule at issue in this case strikes at the core of the First Amendment rights to receive, to read and to think," Stevens wrote.
The case involved a high-security segregation unit that Pennsylvania created for inmates who failed to follow prison rules.
Inmates in that unit were permitted access to religious newspapers, two paperback books of general interest, their legal documents and letters from family. If the 40 or so inmates housed there behaved, state officials said the prisoners could regain the privilege of receiving secular newspapers and magazines.
Religious and civil liberties groups had argued that fundamental rights, such as freedom of speech, are not mere privileges that can be granted or revoked at the whim of a prison official. They worried that prison officials would not stop with newspapers but may one day bar access to the Bible.
The case began in October 2001 when Ronald Banks filed a civil rights lawsuit on behalf of himself and other inmates in the disciplinary unit, then located in Pittsburgh, after prison officials barred him from receiving The Christian Science Monitor, a nonreligious daily newspaper.
By a split vote, a three-judge 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals panel sided with Banks, ruling that prison officials had failed to show the policy had any effect on inmate behavior. This finding was reversed in Wednesday's Supreme Court ruling.
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=nation_world&id=4311528&ft=print
More media slammage from the righteous...
Commentary: Media provides cover for assault on traditional marriage
By James C. Dobson
Special to CNN
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (CNN) -- On June 7, the U.S. Senate voted for a second time on an amendment to define marriage in the U.S. Constitution as being exclusively between one man and one woman.
Again this year, the amendment failed to pass by a wide margin, falling 18 votes shy of a required two-thirds majority. The final tally was 49 in favor, 48 opposed.
Rarely has there been a greater disconnect between members of the Senate and the American people who put them in power. With the help of the media, which laid down "cover" by claiming voters didn't care about marriage, 40 Democrats, one Independent and seven Republicans turned their backs on this most basic social institution.
more fear and dimstone...
http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/06/28/dobson.gaymarriage/index.html
loose lips kill americans.......and all this time i was under the impression it was corrupt foreign policy killing americans...how stupid ive been. And no Democrat places a rebuttal in the media...?
If Democrat Leadership cannot decide on strategy to win this next election then Republicans will remain in power for decades, and the Democrat party must admit they are window dressing for this Republic and nothing more.
Either lead, follow, or get out of the way. There is no other choice. Decide and commit, or stop wasting everyones time, energy and money.
http://www.hrc.org/ came to my door just now - a shy young woman solicited my donation because the rightwing have wedge issue campaigns lined up one right after the other up to the upcoming mid-term elections and beyond.
I put more money where my mouth (or pen or mouse) is.
Congressman McDermott took on Newt Gingrich and has had to pay the price. He supports our First Amendment rights and has been the most consistent advocate I can think of for AIDS patients, psychiatric patients, vets of both Gulf Wars (he is a physician and psychiatrist) and is my hero as well as my Congressman from my district. No meals out this weekend for me.
The news from Jim:
The full U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has set aside ("vacated") an earlier adverse decision and agreed to hear my appeal before the full panel of judges on September 28th.
View the Appellate Court Order Here: mcdermottforcongress.com/press/PetitionGranted.pdf
It is crucial that we mount a first class legal appeal to stop the assault on the First Amendment.
I wandered on this site several months ago and have posted a few comments, although I mostly read, but I was curious about the fact that it did not seem like many people blogged here. It seems like a small circle of people, some very smart, some actually nasty and not very constructive, write in this forum. Are there plans to widen the circle? Thanks...Kos5678
kos5678,
Feel free to widen away. Most here have been thinkign and learning together for over two years, but new thoughts and ideas are always welcome.
I don;t think anyone here is nasty; I think we get snarky once in a while, but people come here because there are smart good folks. We have been through a lot together and that always makes it look more closed than it is.
You have asked good questions and provided good thoughts, so keep coming back!
... lead, follow, or get out of the way. There is no other choice. Decide and commit, or stop wasting everyones time, energy and money.
Posted by: Toolmaker at June 28, 2006 10:02 PM
What Toolmaker said.... It bears repeating.
Make a fridge magnet of it, or put it on a sticky note on your computer monitor....
Re widening circle, I think we should be linked to more blogs and keep our blogroll up to date. I know we're not just another blog, but alot of others aren't either.
I agree there is alot of intelligence here. We don't always stick on-topic. I think there is alot of diversity & people have their reasons for what they say, think and post - some times more well thought out than others, but some spontaneity and creativity is lost if we have too many rules, arbiters and police.
I like the honest questions, kos 5678.
kos5678,
Welcome. I saw your posts from several weeks ago. It might have been more recent than that, but time blends together doesn't it? I, like many others here, have been with DCP since its inception. You are right, this is a small group. It was larger, but for reasons unclear to me, people have moved on. The people here, for the most part, actively participated on the Kerry blog during the election campaign, and after it abruptly shut down they created a site for us to communicate. Because there are such a small number of people participating it must seem somewhat intimidating to somebody who has not participated before. For my part, I can say that I would love to see more people express their opinion. Please don't hesitiate to share your views, and ask others that you know to give their two cents as well.
It's a Democracy Cell! The thing is, we're from all over the country!! We are part of many interlocking rings.
Posted by: DiAnne at June 29, 2006 12:33 AM
DiAnne,
How true. People that met at the cell meetings I organized have gone on to develop active programs challenging our county election commission and its blind allegiance to electronic voting machine manufacturers, voter registration programs, anti war protests/vigils, and are currently gathering petitions for a referendum to be placed on the November ballot calling for an end to the war. This site has helped me use my courage to discuss my political views with others. I am always pleasantly surprised to discover that despite where I live (Henry Hyde's Congressional district), there are many people who feel that this country is on the wrong track and want to see a change in our government.
OnCall
That is very similar to what has happened with me. There is a flow of information back and forth and some may read blogs and be interested in them, but do not really get into posting.
One person has really specialized in voting systems and their reform, and she's given me stuff to put on the blog, I've given stuff to her that I've gotten from the blog, and that connects up with someone in NY doing the same thing. It multiplies the effort. That's just one example.
Another local network that feeds in and out of this site yet I do most of the posting - Vets for Peace, here in Seattle and also via Minneapolis, and we share a blog so that links two cities - for information and actions. One guy here has years of experience working with homeless Vets from Vietnam on & is a Quaker. His son & other friends work for local campaigns right now, one of which is coordinated by someone Karen from DCP knows well.
There is an Oregon network. There is a national network of people in the music industry. There are people I met through johnkerry.com and the local campaign, via going to Boston and recently to Las Vegas for Yearly Kos. It's not so much that the people link up through DCP specifically, but the information flows in and out all the time.
For me, johnkerry.com and also DCP have been a way and a window into what people are thinking in other parts of the country. & then I've had a way to link what's happening nationally with what I'm participating in & observing locally & then to feed some of that back out.
Most national security experts of all stripes say America's losing war on terror
RAW STORY
Published: Wednesday June 28, 2006
Most national security experts of all stripes say America's losing the war on terror, according to an Cox News article by Cox News Service slated to hit the wires on Thursday.
Excerpts from the article written by Bob Deans:
#
The United States is losing its fight against terrorism and the Iraq war is the biggest reason why, more than eight of ten American terrorism and national security experts concluded in a poll released Wednesday.
One participant in the survey, a former CIA official who described himself as a conservative Republican, said the war in Iraq has provided global terrorist groups with a recruiting bonanza, a valuable training ground and a strategic beach head at the crossroads of the oil-rich Persian Gulf and Turkey, the traditional land bridge linking the Middle East to Europe.
"The war in Iraq broke our back in the war on terror," said the former official, Michael Scheuer, the author of "Imperial Hubris," a popular book highly critical of the Bush administration's anti-terrorism efforts. "It has made everything more difficult and the threat more existential."
Scheuer, a former counter-terrorism expert with the CIA, is one of 100 national security and terrorism analysts who were surveyed this spring for the poll by Foreign Policy magazine and the Center for American Progress, a left-leaning think tank headed by John Podesta, who served as White House chief of staff in the Clinton administration.
Of the experts queried, 45 identified themselves as liberals, 40 said they were moderates and 31 called themselves conservatives. The pollsters then weighted the responses so that the percentage results reflected one-third participation by each group.
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Most_national_security_experts_of_all_0628.html
Dems say Judiciary Chair breaks rules, closes meeting after losing vote
RAW STORY
Published: Wednesday June 28, 2006
Chairman of the House Judiciary Committe F. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) has broken House rules to adjourn a meeting after losing a vote to Democrats, Democratic sources tell RAW STORY.
The vote was on an item from the Republican's "American Values Agenda," which the party says will codify "the American character." Specifically, it aims to bar any court--including the United States Supreme Court--from hearing any legal challenge to the pledge of allegiance.
Sensenbrenner, according to sources, hoped to reverse the vote when the committee reconvened later in the afternoon.
Democrats on the committee, save ranking member John Conyers (D-MI) refused to attend. With many Republicans also absent, there was no quorum present to hold a vote.
Conyers attended, according to sources, only for the sake of raising a point of order, indicating that the previous adjournment had violated rules. Sensenbrenner responded by indicating that he had not heard the objection earlier. However, sources tell RAW STORY that Sensenbrenner actually responded to the earlier statement at the time.
RAW STORY hopes to make a transcript available shortly.
The committee was again adjourned, and is likely to reconvene Thursday.
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Dems_say_Judiciary_Chair_breaks_rules_0628.html
Codify "the American character"??? Does that sound like freedom to you?
Happy Undependance Weekend
Posted by: monkey at June 29, 2006 07:55 AM
Specifically, it aims to bar any court--including the United States Supreme Court--from hearing any legal challenge to the pledge of allegiance.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
You know, I would like to make a law that specifically bars any court from handing out traffic fines (Not that I am a danger on the road).
I agree that it is entirely within the American character to drive fast whenever necessary and we should add the allowance for same to the American Code of Character.
I also think we need to be required to eat Twinkies.
The left likes Twinkies, the right likes Ho-Ho's.
Codify accordingly.
reading about cutting people off welfare, restricting in favor of conservatives and before the next election, & defeat of the net neutrality bill - & that's before I've even gotten to world news
Romanians pulling out of Iraq, insurgents want us out of Iraq within two years! Iran supposed to make a decision by July 5.
"codifying the American character" - just seems so urgent, you know ..
Before the thread changes, I really want to compliment the article & photograph. Dick is such a superb writer!
The Supreme Court is expected to rule today on whether President Bush overstepped his authority with military war-crimes trials for foreigners held at the U.S. prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
-- then they go on vacation for 3 months & return in time to
try a big case involving abortion, right before the election
even local news sucks today
Homebuilders (like Mafia here) group have joined Christian right in an alliance to elect conservative judges in WA state
&
a timber tax cut has been linked with repeal of estate tax, to cause trouble for Senators Murray & Cantwell
&
Blethen (owns Seattle Times) has a single-issue campaign to repeat the estate tax (euphemism/framing = death tax) vs
Bill Gates Sr. (& Warren Buffet), who think it's just plain wrong to not do something productive with inherited wealth
(Remember "Fortunate Son"?)
I don't think there are safe oases left.
Posted by: kos5678 at June 28, 2006 11:29 PM
Kos5678,
I noticed when you began posting. Your comments are always appreciated. For a while there, people were very involved locally and not able to post on the blog as much.
Our blog is like real life. As we get involved in different things: our families, our jobs, our volunteer situations, etc, our posting patterns increase or decrease. For instance, you originally came when I was heavily involved in work and a few others were working at DFA training, and a few others were involved with their local candidate. So thankfully, a few were here to post and help us try to retain some grey matter in our brains.
We all do what we can.
Did you sign up in the forum?
http://www.democracycellproject.net/forum/index.php?act=Reg&CODE=00
Or here, you can read some introductions and post your own introduction: http://www.democracycellproject.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=512&st=80&p=4449&#entry4449
With regards to your comment about snarkyness...sometimes that happens, but it's usually a frustration and exhaustion from always having to feel attacked. The world doesn't feel safe anymore. I believe we've felt this way since the neocon attack on Bill Clinton including all those investigations and ending with Monica and the impeachment. We feel under attack from every direction. So sometimes, we get so involved in making our point and trying to dog paddle to stay afloat, we may become frustrated and snarky. We're human.
But despite any snarkyness, we are all terrific people. We're all hard workers locally. Everyone here is extremely generous, including those who original may have offended you. They're caring and they're kind people. You can trust any of us, even if there's times you disagree. Their hearts are good. And I'm proud to be here working with all of them and I'm happy to have you join our blog too.
New topic now:
We have the irc too, though lately it's been quieter due to everyone's schedule. We'd love to visit with you or anyone else in there. (Maybe a good thing to resume again now that the election season has picked up.) --So this is a general call out...Let's try to meet in the irc at around 8:30 pm eastern time. I'll try to remember to log in myself at that time.
Other than that kos5678, we have the DCP gathering in St. Paul and we have lurkers and regulars who will be there. You're welcome to come too. I hope you can make it and meet everyone face to face.
Some of us (or rather many of us) have never met face to face. I'm already digging up my Halloween wig and the ugly makeup just so I can scare these good people with something other than national security... (ok..bad joke...)
At any rate, welcome to the dcp and keep bloggin'.
Crooks and liars has this interesting transcript on Delay and Matthews. (Looks like Matthews understands what they did when they leaked Plame's name.)
http://www.crooksandliars.com/posts/2006/06/28/delay-valerie-plame-was-not-a-cia-agent/#more-8342
Matthews: Isn’t this like the Yankees and baseball? Everyone wants to beat the Yankees…
Delay: It’s not politics; This is war.
Matthews: It’s not politics?
Delay: The American people understand the real war…
Matthews: You don’t think Karl Rove is behind this and saying, "Hey put in more fire, shoot ’em again, keep this going a couple of weeks"?
Delay: Absolutely not. This is war. The New York Times has undermined our national security and there ought to be consequences. It has nothing to do with politics.
Matthews: So you’re against leaking?
Delay: Yes, I’m against leaking.
Matthews: All leaking by the administration. So even this thing with the CIA agent shouldn’t have been leaked?
Delay: Absolutely not.
Matthews: So guys like Rove shouldn’t have been talking to the papers… and people like Scooter Libby shouldn’t have been talkin’;…I’m asking you.
Delay: I’m not gonna… I’m not a [???]; I’m not a judge.
Matthews: You said you were against leaking
Delay: You said something that Karl Rove is not being commited of, convicted of…
Matthews: He never denied it, and nobody is going to contest it. It’s public record that he leaked.
Delay: It’s just you saying that he is guilty.
Matthews: I am not saying it’s a crime. I’m saying he leaked.
Delay: How do you know he leaked?
Matthews: Because it’s the public record now that he leaked (laughs in frustration)! That doesn’t bother you?
Delay: No! Leaking national security secrets at a time of war is outrageous and shouldn’t be done.
Matthews: But not the identity of a CIA agent?
Delay: We can spend an hour on that. Valerie Plame was not a CIA agent.
Matthews: What was she?
Delay: (dismissively) She was behind a desk over at Langley.
Matthews: But was her classification undercover? She deep background?
Delay: Yes, but she was not an out-in-the field CIA agent, and that’s what the law is all about.
Matthews: That’s what the law is about, but it doesn’t say that… it just says… OK, we have exceptions here…Let me ask you….[goes on to next topic]
Suz
That is a good transcript! I wish Matthews could do that more.
I also enjoyed listening to Steve Inski of NPR interview slimy neocon Stephen Hadley at NSA on radio just now. He asked hard questions.
In other news, 10 Grannies for Peace arrested in Philadelphia. http://www.comcast.net/news/national/index.jsp?cat=DOMESTIC&fn=/2006/06/28/423676.html&cvqh=itn_grannies
Matthews is odd. Sometimes he's the Republican party hack and other times he makes Democratic points.
My brother thinks he's a lefty democrat hack and my mouth drops in awe with that idea!
Sure, he comes out once in a while on the lefty side, but usually (at least when I watched his show in the past) he had a bunch of righties smearing dems and he didn't correct their spin-lies.
Posted by: Suz at June 29, 2006 10:46 AM
It's all part of the "don't take a stand on anything" mentality that permeates the American landscape.
I'm sorry, but anymore, this country makes me wanna barf.
Ralph Buick
Suz
Yes, I was surprised Matthews "got the picture"!
I keep forgetting it's 11 AM on the east coast and only 8 AM here - just noticed that The Supreme Court ruled against Bush on Guantanamo hearings - more likelihood now that there need to be actual charges & legal process for detainees that is not so stacked against them.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2003093967_webgitmo29.html
I also noticed that our local media covered the MoveOn action held at a gas station, calling awareness to our dependence on oil.
There were stories on Canadian and Swedish groups that track violence & war on the planet, and small conflicts had gone down over the last 15 or so years. They did conclude that there continue to be problems wherever there is oil, with dangers building in Nigeria, Sudan etc. (& of course, the Iraq & Afghanistan situations already).
time to work
Essential news of the day:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003092749_japan28.html
Bush takes Japan's head to Graceland