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DCP Meetings in St. Paul
This weekend, our Midwest DCP Conference is beginning.
People attending will be discussing the direction of the DCP, what to focus on during the coming year, how best to distill what we have learned and disseminate it to the widest possible audience, fundraising, and the best use of resources.
To that end, let's hear your thoughts on these topics. Obviously, not all DCP folks can participate in person, but we would like to have as wide an involvement as possible.
We are working on a DCP phone-in meeting call, so watch this space for that information. You will be able to participate directly in the meetings in St. Paul.
We need you. We need your ideas. You are what make the DCP work.
So, let's hear it. The good, the bad, the fundraising.
Be nice and be constructive.
[UPDATE:
The CALL:
1:00pm Saturday Eastern
12:00 noon Central
11:00am Mountain
10:00am Pacific
218-936-6666
press 2
Access code: 160214#
Please let us know if you will be joining us.]
Marriage programs to get a boost from feds
Congress to spend $750 million to promote marriage, better fathers
July 21, 2006
WASHINGTON - Ron McLain has no qualms about the federal government getting involved in marriage. Indeed, he’s counting on it.
McLain has applied for a $550,000 federal grant to hire counselors for Marriage Mentoring Ministries Inc., a tiny business in Fresno County, Calif., that helps couples before and after they exchange wedding vows. He also has a bid in for a $250,000 grant to teach men to become better fathers.
“The market is obviously very ripe for this with the divorce rate as high as it is, and obviously couples want a good marriage,” said McLain, who oversees the organization along with his wife, Joan. They specialize in training couples to mentor other couples, with many of the classes taking place at local churches.
The grant money represents the latest shift in welfare reform in the United States. For the next five years, Congress is setting aside up to $100 million a year to promote marriage and $50 million a year to produce committed fathers. This year’s allotment goes out before Sept. 30.
more...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13964621/
Why not just make it a law that all men go to church every Sunday, since churchgoing men are so high on the morality scale... it would save a sh*tload of money... or is that on next years agenda?
Unbelievable.
Unbelievable.
Posted by: monkey at July 21, 2006 10:55 AM
Amen....
From previous thread:
Posted by: monkey at July 21, 2006 10:17 AM
So, that's more of 'war is peace'.....
Curious minds want to know: WHEN will any of the old impotent men who make wars (and make buku bucks off of wars) and make young people and innocent people die in those wars (a form of infanticide-by-proxy and forced fratricide, IMHO) ever have enough balls (and genuine wisdom and maturity) to say: 'Enough killing. I'll be the first to order my armies to stop firing guns and dropping bombs.... Let's make peace and quit killing each other....'
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060720/ap_on_go_co/congress_spending
Senate panel freezes Head Start, grants
WASHINGTON - The Senate Appropriations Committee voted Thursday to freeze funding for popular education programs such as Head Start and grants to schools for poor children and those with special needs.
http://news.yahoo.com/fc/world/iraq
2 Iraqi women, a child die in U.S. raid
BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. troops raided a neighborhood northeast of Baghdad early Friday, killing five people — including two women and a child — after gunmen fired from the rooftops of buildings, the U.S. military said.
Yo, DCP (chewing w/mouth closed)...
May have mentioned this before, but think this idea should be unleashed. Why not go local with LTE's to smalltown papers calling out churches on whether they are pro-war, or pro-America, or pro-conservative, or whatever? Call em out by name, make them declare whether they TRULY follow their faith, or does their allegiance to country or party come before the wishes of their Savior? They've been allowed to played both sides of the fence for far too long... do you stand for the Prince of Peace or don't you... period.
Killing to achieve an desired result is still killing in my Good Book. The hypocisy must end. If true faith were followed, we wouldn't be in this mess.
On another note, would love to phone in to DCP conference, or at least be the official provider of music on hold.
... and the beep goes on.
http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/ap/43f69e07-8809-4f18-9f34-f6ab0168124b.h2.jpg
Gee, I'm so relieved...
Blair to D.C. next week
Also, the White House announced on Friday that British Prime Minister Tony Blair, a leading U.S. foreign policy ally, will meet with Bush next Friday at the White House. The Middle East crisis will be high on the agenda.
The administration also made plans to press for another Senate vote on U.N. ambassador John Bolton, whose temporary appointment expires at the end of the year.
A key Republican who had opposed Bolton ’s confirmation before, Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, said he would now support Bolton for the post, citing the tense Middle East situation and what he said was Bolton’s good performance.
Bolton’s nomination remains before the Senate. Snow said White House officials are discussing with Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard Lugar, R-Ind., how to proceed — whether to begin committee hearings again or to try to bring Bolton’s nomination up directly for a Senate vote without new hearings.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13970342/
http://www.alternet.org/rights/39285/
I learned that medical students did things like photocopied their butts.
Posted by: not my president at July 21, 2006 09:59 AM
Now you know one of the reasons why I'm allergic to doctors..... ;-)
I live in my body. I think I know more about the inner workings of my body than most doctors. Some may have textbook knowledge (if they got straight A's), but they don't have the practical knowledge from my perspective. If they're men they don't have the body parts to know how it feels to be a woman, so they can't really say how it's "supposed" to feel to be an old woman from an inner perspective. It would be nice if they asked what I'm feeling from the perspective of me knowing what's going on in my body (and then actually listen and hear and understand what I'm saying - I'm not talking a foreign language in my answers) instead of telling me how I'm "supposed" to feel. I know how I'm "supposed" to feel when I'm well, and if I'm in a doctor's office, I'm not feeling like I'm "supposed" to feel, dang it!
I'm just P.O.'d at the entire medical community for a variety of reasons, not the least of which I realize that now all the old doctors with common sense are gone and almost everyone in the medical community is out for the almighty buck, not to cure illnesses. At my age, I don't want to go to a doctor when I'm well and have a "wellness check" so they can get more money. I only want to see a doctor when I can't avoid it because I'm genuinely ill. When my mother was alive and dying and on Medicare, they soaked Medicare for the most gawdawful unnecessary tests (a complete CAT-Scan for her entire body for a cracked rib that they saw on an X-ray and had already diagnosed, was totally uncalled for - but Blue Cross and Medicare paid the bill).
I also left my own snarky comment on a post on that AlterNet story that says more about how I feel about that whole mess relating to the religious reich and like-minded idiots who are preaching 'abstinence only.'
Don't know if this has been posted yet here. I just found it over at RealGM, an NBA-basketball site. It was posted during a discussion of recent events in Lebanon. It's called "Peace, Propaganda & The Promised Land"
Very powerful, so far:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7828123714384920696
THE U.S. DESCENDS ON PARAGUAY
Benjamin Dangl, The Nation
How a small town in a small South American country become one of the centers for U.S. military and anti-terrorism funding.
http://www.alternet.org/rights/39283/
MOTHER OF SUICIDE VET FLIES OLD GLORY UPSIDE DOWN
Matthew Rothschild, The Progressive
Four months after returning home from Iraq, Army reservist Jason Cooper hanged himself. And not even 'patriotic' entreaties or vandalism will stop his mother from flying the flag upside down.
http://www.alternet.org/rights/39159/
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060721/ap_on_re_mi_ea/saddam_letter
Saddam pins war on Bush, pro-Israel lobby
Posted by: NonnyO at July 21, 2006 12:18 PM
THE U.S. DESCENDS ON PARAGUAY
Benjamin Dangl, The Nation
How a small town in a small South American country become one of the centers for U.S. military and anti-terrorism funding.
http://www.alternet.org/rights/39283/
Republicans - making more and more of the world hate us every day - one country at a time.
Hey DCPers -
Sorry I won't be joining you all at the annual meeting, but I'll be trying to keep track of what's going on.
I have a question and maybe there is an obvious answer, but I never see us on the blog-rolls of other sites. Is this because of our NFP status, or.....? Is there something we need to do that we're not doing to get us there?
Are we not there on purpose?
Might be worth thinking about. We have a lot of good things to say, if I do say so myself.
Also - I'd like Fear Up to be high on our list of priorities, as well as coordinated actions for the coming election.
My two cents - I might pay more later!
Just finished watching "Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land".
It's a powerful film that brings out a side of the story that even PBS doesn't cover here in America. It can be viewed over at Google Video.
Cyrano -
I watched the first few minutes, and will watch the rest when I have more time. It is indeed powerful and eye opening. Our media fail us. And we fail ourselves by not informing ourselves.
Thanks for that link - here it is again:
http://video.google.com/videoplay? docid=-7828123714384920696
Oooops -
try this
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7828123714384920696
Posted by: monkey at July 21, 2006 11:28 AM
Hey...can I share Muzak duties with you? I'm up for a call-in as well, provided it's on the weekends. Or maybe a sort of live blog/open thread for those of us who can't attend and can't IRC from our secure undisclosed locations...
Posted by: Veritas at July 21, 2006 03:18 PM
Look around. If there's a fat, bald guy with glasses, an evil smirk, & a shotgun who's in the last throes of his vice-presidency, I'd get the hell out of that secure undisclosed location pronto...
Posted by: madame defarge at July 21, 2006 03:22 PM
Shoot, is that Archie Bunker, buster?
Confirmed: Senate will hold hearings on Bolton nomination, setting stage for new fight
John Byrne
Published: Friday July 21, 2006
Fast-track: Hearings scheduled next Thursday after key critic changes stance
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has confirmed that they will hold a fresh hearing on the nomination of Bush's pick to the United Nations, John Bolton, who failed to be confirmed by the Senate after his initial appointment by President Bush last year.
In a posting on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee website -- which has not been reported previously -- the Committee has publicly confirmed that they will hold hearings on Bolton's nomination next Thursday at 9:30 am ET.
A spokesman for ranking Foreign Relations Democrat Joe Biden (D-DE) said a notice went out this morning.
According to a senior Democratic aide, Sen. Biden demanded a hearing earlier this year to highlight what he believed was the "craven" nature of Bolton's recess appointment. Bolton was appointed by President Bush during a congressional recess after the Senate refused to appoint him.
Now that one of Bolton's most vehement Senate critics has changed his tune, the hearing is likely to embarrass Democrats.
"Now that [Sen. George] Voinovich (R-OH) is back on the reservation and Bolton is seen as Israel’s biggest defender every day at the U.N., the White House sees a wedge issue in calling Biden’s bluff and embarrassing the Democrats by having a hearing after all," the aide said.
The posting says that the meetings topic is to consider, "The Honorable John R. Bolton To be U.S. Representative to the United Nations with rank of Ambassador and U.S. Representative to the United Nations Security Council and U.S. Representative to Sessions of the United Nations General Assembly during his tenure of service as U.S. Representative to the United Nations."
No further details were immediately available.
more...
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Confirmed_Senate_will_hold_hearings_on_0721.html
William Rivers Pitt | The Ballad of Dumb George
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/072106J.shtml
"What's next?" asks William Rivers Pitt. "Will George go to the United Nations, sit on Kofi Annan's head, and fart like some bratty brother tormenting a sibling? Will the cameras catch him playing penny hockey during Middle East peace negotiations? You can't say it'll never happen."
{{{Oh, please, please, please do yourself a favor read this to the very end.... I've already forwarded it to practically everyone I know.}}}
Bush Loses First Round in Wiretap Suit
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/072106K.shtml
A federal judge Thursday refused to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the Bush administration’s domestic spying program, rejecting government claims that allowing the case to go forward could expose state secrets and jeopardize the war on terror.
Glenn Greenwald | Rechecking the Balance of Powers
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/072106D.shtml
Glenn Greenwald writes, "The US Supreme Court's June 29 ruling in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld - that the Bush administration's military tribunals violated federal law and the Geneva Conventions - resoundingly rejected the theories of radical executive power that the administration has used to justify a whole array of controversial governmental programs. But for now, it seems that the Bush administration remains intent on defending its actions while doing the minimum to comply with the ruling."
Karen J. Greenberg | The Color of "Transparency" Is Black
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/072106M.shtml
"I began skimming through the introductory matter and the boldface headings of the Jacoby Report," writes Karen J. Greenberg. "I stopped first at 'Detainee Operations Standard Operating Procedures.' Here it would be in black and white - or so I thought. But, as it happened, I was only half right. Startling amounts of the report were redacted or blacked out. Where there should have been text against white space, there was section after section filled with nothing but solid black blocs. Even some subsection titles were missing. Pure ink. Meant not to be read."
Bush Gets Chilly Reception at NAACP
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/072106N.shtml
Declaring it a "tragedy" that the Republican Party has alienated black voters, President Bush ended his five-year boycott of the NAACP convention on Thursday with a pledge to repair his relationship with the country's oldest civil rights group. But although Bush won a rousing ovation for his promise to sign a renewal of civil rights-era voting laws, he received a chillier reception as he laid out his ideas for improving the state of black America.
Senator Reid: Iraq Devolves Into "Civil War"
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/072106C.shtml
Declaring that he believes the situation in Iraq has devolved into a civil war, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday he plans to try to bring the war back up for debate on the Senate floor.
Bob Herbert | Leading to Low Ground
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/072106G.shtml
"The United States had complete command of the moral and ethical high ground in the immediate aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001. Most of the world was with us," writes Bob Herbert, "For some reason, the Bush administration deliberately abandoned those heights to pursue policies that were not just morally questionable, but reprehensible."
Excerpt:
"After a while you get the sense that real progress could be made, if only the Bush administration would get out of the way."
When in doubt, switch to the car chase.
MNSBC just broke away from Tucker Carlson's interview with a reporter (about the US' unhappiness with Israeli plans for a widening war) to show us breaking news from Texas - a high speed car chase. It's good to know that they have their priorities in order.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060721/bs_nm/moss_energy_halliburton_dc
Halliburton backs away from IPO of KBR unit
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060721/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_china_trade
Administration rejects China labor probe
Posted by: Matthew Carnicelli at July 21, 2006 04:59 PM
Sounds like Lamestream Media.... Standard Operating Procedure since 2000....
Why is it so many important and interesting and genuine news stories come out on Fridays? This is a pattern that is getting old. I know no one will talk about them on the Sunday talking heads shows (where Lamestream Media will once again yap about Hillary in '08, I'd bet), and by Monday the important news stories will all be 'old news' and not reported or heard about ever again except by progressive bloggers...? What I've been reading today is disgust with DumDum's behavior at the G-8 (if it had been Clinton, they'd be doing one-hour special news stories about it), and other stories are clearly a growing discontent with obsessive and paranoid secrecy, disgust with the Bu$hCo wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and disgust with the illegal wire tapping and torture that's all still going on, despite judicial decisions and opinions.... Just a general disgust with the whole mess Bu$hCo has made of everything since 2000....
Yes, that's a rhetorical question about why do important newsworthy stories get published on Fridays.... :-( I know it's deliberate.
By working I guess I must have missed something
I'm like "huh?!!" I do know JFK tried to keep the middle east an antinuclear zone & failed.
John Kerry on Rush Limbaugh’s Comments on Israel
“Rush Limbaugh’s ignorance and willingness to divide Americans knows no bounds. His latest statement about Israel is beyond offensive to all of us who have fought to protect Israel in the face of enemies committed to its destruction.
Rush Limbaugh needs to pick up a history book instead of a donut. It was a Democratic president who first recognized the State of Israel. It was a Democratic President who first sold Israel defensive weapons. And it was a Democratic President who first sold Israel offensive weapons.
The people of Israel and the Jewish community don’t need Rush Limbaugh to tell them who stands with them, and no one has time for right wing trying to score cheap political points while Israel fights to defend its very existence.”
US Threatened With Even More Isolation
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/15094543.htm
Posted by: Carol at July 21, 2006 12:57 PM
Yup.
How much worse will it have to get before people to pay attention...???
I dunno the answer to that. I would have thought the atrocious behavior at the G-8 would have tipped a scale or two (if anyone besides progressive bloggers even saw stories about it)... but I'm thinking all-out war all over the place is going to have to happen to do the metaphorical slap upside the head with a dead fish before the sheeple will stop drinking their weird kool-aid or smokin' funny cigarettes and come out of their stupors. By then it will be too late to do much except pick up the pieces.
"Rush Limbaugh needs to pick up a history book instead of a donut."
Is John going to get in trouble with the PC police over that one...
Posted by: DiAnne at July 21, 2006 05:59 PM
And Bu$hCo deserves it. The whole bloody administration deserves it. And so do the congressional and judicial members who have backed The Cretin, the Vice Cretin, and the Criminal Cabal since 2000.
I still think the rest of the world should shun Bu$hCo and go on with negotiating peace in the Mideast and wherever else in the world and leave the US "leaders" out of it (like Bu$hCo - or Bolt-head - could really *diplomatically* DO anything but FUBAR???).
We might have to put up with their crap for the next two and a half years (unless we get a Dem majority in Congress this fall if we can manage un-rigged elections), but the rest of the world certainly does not have to take their guffing and huffing and puffing or we'll blow your house down (or bomb you to smithereens).
Israel will again become a neo-con left and right voting wedge issue for the Democrats. I don't put past the GOP to okay the timing of more mideast bad policy, resulting in deaths, for that reason.
What's this about Paraguay? Haven't read the story, but that was a Nazi stronghold and refuge for Mengele.
Things are cooking for Fear-up here in NYC...
Try to get up north to Tofte (sp?), beautiful and cool.
Posted by: Marjorie G at July 21, 2006 06:12 PM
Paraguay story:
http://www.alternet.org/rights/39283/
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060721/ap_on_re_us/iraq_soldiers_charged
Soldiers say ordered to kill young men
EL PASO, Texas - Four U.S. soldiers accused of murdering suspected insurgents during a raid in Iraq said they were under orders to "kill all military age males," according to sworn statements obtained by The Associated Press.
I'm trying to read as much as I can about Middle East politics right now; I've avoided it for so long, but given the current situation, I now know it's now time to try to understand as much as possible. I found this diary very helpful & informative:
Hezbollah for Dummies...or Bush. Either one.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/7/21/164211/516
It's written by the author of "Confessions of a Former Dittohead", who adds his analysis & summary to a piece called "The Middle East--What's Really Driving the War?", which was written as part of a series of "Investor Insights" to give stock brokers some background info on the conflict and to forecast what impact this geo-political issue will have on the markets. (As I'm learning, economic reasons drive wars.) The 7/18/06 article relies on information provided by Dr. George Friedman's intelligence service at Stratfor.com and had this prediction:
"I look for Israel to put the hammer down in the next few days and weeks. Look for Israel to intensify the bombings. I believe the prior bombings and air campaign have been to clear the way for a ground campaign that could begin any day now. I could be wrong, of course, but this looks like the most likely scenario to me. Stratfor seems to agree. Fasten your seatbelts!"
Link to Friedman's CV: http://www.jhuapl.edu/POW/bios/friedman.htm
Link to complete article at InvestorsInsight: http://www.investorsinsight.com/forecasts.aspx
http://news.yahoo.com/fc/world/mideast_conflict
Israel massing military on Lebanon border
ON THE ISRAEL-LEBANON BORDER - Israel massed tanks and troops on the border Friday hours after calling up reserves and confirmed some units were already operating in Lebanon, as the army announced plans for a ground operation to destroy Hezbollah's tunnels, hideouts and weapons stashes. With Hezbollah's rocket attacks and Israeli bombings undiminished, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she would visit the Middle East beginning Sunday — her first trip to the region since the crisis erupted 10 days ago.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060721/bs_nm/telecoms_bellsouth_dc
BellSouth, AT&T shareholders OK merger
Israel launches barbaric action against the people of Lebanon
By George Galloway
Imagine if Lebanon destroyed every bridge in Israel, blew up the international airport, blockaded the ports, severed every arterial road, ordered people to leave their homes and then bombed them to pieces when they did... Do you think any Western leader would utter the words “Lebanon has a right to defend itself”?
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article14113.htm
This is not Dunkirk. This is Munich
By Robert Fisk:
These great warships had been sent here by Western leaders (Jacques Chirac excepted) too craven, too gutless, too immoral, to utter a single word of compassion for Lebanon's suffering.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article14100.htm
Collective Punishment Isn't Self-Defense
By Ted Rall
Neither the United States nor Israel is equivalent to Nazi Germany, yet both countries have adopted a Nazi-like obsession with collective punishment.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article14122.htm
Let the slaughter continue:
Israel angry, US wary as Annan peace plan calls for ceasefire :
Kofi Annan, the UN secretary general, mapped out a peace plan for Lebanon yesterday that produced a lukewarm response from Washington and ill-concealed fury from Israeli diplomats.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article14104.htm
Paul Krugman: The Price of Fantasy :
For years the self-proclaimed "war president" basked in the adulation of the crazies. Now they're accusing him of being a wimp. "We have been too weak," writes Mr. Kristol, "and have allowed ourselves to be perceived as weak."
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article14119.htm
DCP forces gathering in St. Paul, MN.
Vic
Jeanne
Dick
Karen
Dwahzon
Suz
Noisy Dem (from DU/Kos)
Oncall
The CALL:
1:00pm Saturday Eastern
12:00 noon Central
11:00am Mountain
10:00am Pacific
218-936-6666
press 2
Access code: 160214#
Please let us know if you will be joining us.
We have already noted the great suggestions above *
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060721/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_mideast
Rice rejects quick fix in Mideast
Casey I would sure like a discussion of the boundaries of dcp's tax exempt status and how that effects our member's involvement in partisan Democratic campaigns this November. I understand that we can not support or raise money for candidadtes here, but how about our members involvement and efforts among us to be personally engaged in critical campaigns in the country. Personally I will be spending 6 weeks in Cleveland and hoped others might be interested in joining me but I am reluctant to say much here b/c I certainly would not want the dcp to be accused of tax violations by my comments. How can we discuss campaigns here that we all know are critical to the very essence of this site without crossing that rubicon? This is supposedto be a political education site but what can we do to turn our past 18 months of political education here into political activism?
snip
"Not Mae Pearson, a 77-year-old widow at the Duckworth coffee. "I was raised Republican -- strong Republican -- and I thought it was so wonderful to move to DuPage County after I got married" in 1950, she says. "But it's just too hard to be a Republican anymore because it's not the Republican Party I grew up in."
"Embryos count, people don't," complains George Strejcek, 62. He and wife Elizabeth, 58, describe themselves as former Republicans. "Goldwater I could tolerate," he says. "But with these Republicans, they forget we live in a democracy, not a theocracy."
I like the idea of listening to what some Republicans are telling us about stem cell research and the war and think that using their owns words would be helpful; "Embryos Count, people don't". That simple statement communicates a great deal.
Ira,
Dick responding to you now:
The line has to do with advocating, rather than just discussing. The IRS just sent out a lot of letters to churches and nonprofits, telling them to cease advocating for a particular candidate or risk losing nonprofit status.
It is really only a problem if all or most of the comments were to be about working for candidates. We can't tell people to vote ofr someone or to work on a particular campaign. We can tell folks that there are interesting races going on. We can talk about tactics and strategies that work without mentioning any one candidate or race.
Money is a problem--we cannot tell anyone to donate to a candidate. We would need to be careful about PACs and 527s as well.
We encourage people to PARTICIPATE. Giving money is part of that, but we cannot tell anyone WHO to give it to.
For you Ira, please share how you got information about the race you are participating in, what worked, what didn't, techniques used, etc. It needs to be educational.
You can identify what camapign you are working for but you cannot tell us to give money to, vote for, or volunteer for any candidate or campaign.
You could do a daily diary of your activities. We would like to hear what your communications with voters is; what issues are coming up over and over.
We would love to chronicle how ordinary folks get engaged and involved here.
The IRS just sent out a lot of letters to churches and nonprofits, telling them to cease advocating for a particular candidate or risk losing nonprofit status.
Posted by: karen at July 21, 2006 08:58 PM
That is very good news. I hope they sent alot of them. I have heard a rumour that PR companies for political parties have used non-profit status as a front while being conveyers of messages for their respective parties. One of them was heavily into sending alot of "religious" emails intended to build and solidify the right base until they got caught.
sent money to Amnesty International
When I discuss why, that will be educational
Dick I have made several contacts in Ohio through this site and through personal emails generated here. My '04 experience in Denver taught me to be persistent and to start early. I have communicated relentlssly with co-ordinators in Pa as long ago as last summer and was told back in Jnauray by a Pa state co-ordinator that they would be getting back with me and making arrangements for my participation but they never did. That is when I turned to Ohio b/c I have been deeply interested in their Senate and Gubenatorial races since '04. I sent their Senate state volunteer co-ordinator a detailed letter why I was interested in participating in their campaign, what I could contribute and information about my 30 years of political actvism in Progressive cauess so they new first hand I was not going to cause mischief. Their response was that is really nice but unless you will pay for travel and commit to at least 2 weeks we are not much interested. When I asked them whether they would be interested in 6 weeks of my time and emailed them plane reservations for Sept and Oct 7 suddenly their ears perked up and I was provided a slot to work in and a family to stay with. I emailed my team leaders articles of issues I was interested in working with including a Bush quote that he is ready to resume Privatization of SS, so I am now assigned the task of working with the elderly voters in nursing homes and retirement communities. I am also attempting to find a way to have out of staters help with cell calls but there are security issues there. Several dcp bloggers have been communicating with me almost daily from within Ohio with ideas and Ohio contacts which is certainly helpful. More later.
July 22, 2006
NASA’s Goals Delete Mention of Home Planet
By ANDREW C. REVKIN
From 2002 until this year, NASA’s mission statement, prominently featured in its budget and planning documents, read: “To understand and protect our home planet; to explore the universe and search for life; to inspire the next generation of explorers ... as only NASA can.”
In early February, the statement was quietly altered, with the phrase “to understand and protect our home planet” deleted. In this year’s budget and planning documents, the agency’s mission is “to pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery and aeronautics research.”
David E. Steitz, a spokesman for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, said the aim was to square the mission statement with President Bush’s goal of pursuing human spaceflight to the Moon and Mars.
But the change comes as an unwelcome surprise to many NASA scientists, who say the “understand and protect” phrase was not merely window dressing but actively influenced the shaping and execution of research priorities. Without it, these scientists say, there will be far less incentive to pursue projects to improve understanding of terrestrial problems like climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/22/science/22nasa.html
another example of Republicans being anti science. His 5th grade science teacher must be ashamed. When will they advocate the flat earth theory?
Interesting query: How do we as Progessives stress the importance of science to this country without being attacked as lacking in religious values? We know that those concepts are not exclusive or contradictory, but that will certainly be the other sides' response. In a sense the word Progressive, in my mind means pro science. Perhaps we could ad being pro science to the explanation as to what it means to be a Progressive.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060721/ap_on_re_us/louisiana_offshore_leases
Louisiana sues to block offshore leases
Just saw an incredible bit of performance art - more on that later.
U.S. Speeds Up Bomb Delivery for the Israelis
By DAVID S. CLOUD and HELENE COOPER
Published: July 22, 2006
WASHINGTON, July 21 — The Bush administration is rushing a delivery of precision-guided bombs to Israel, which requested the expedited shipment last week after beginning its air campaign against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, American officials said Friday.
The decision to quickly ship the weapons to Israel was made with relatively little debate within the Bush administration, the officials said. Its disclosure threatens to anger Arab governments and others because of the appearance that the United States is actively aiding the Israeli bombing campaign in a way that could be compared to Iran’s efforts to arm and resupply Hezbollah.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/22/world/middleeast/22military.html
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration said on Thursday it approved the sale to Saudi Arabia of 24 UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters, radios, armoured vehicles and other military equipment worth more than $6 billion (3.25 billion pounds).
Congress has 30 days to block the sales, although such action is rare.
-snip-
A second deal, valued at up to $5.8 billion, would include 724 lightly armoured vehicles built by General Dynamics, based in Falls Church, Virginia. The deal also would provide more than 2,300 long-range military radio systems built by Harris, based in Melbourne, Florida, and other equipment to help modernize the Saudi Arabian National Guard.
http://tinyurl.com/qysuw
War... what is it good for?
Capital
Cheney Seeks To Hire Taxpaper-Funded Press Critic
By Greg Sargent
This is fun. It appears that Dick Cheney has been looking to hire a taxpayer-funded press critic. Over at The Daily Politics, Ben Smith has obtained a privately-circulated email looking for someone to fill the job of Cheney's press assistant. Here's how part of the email describes the gig:
The Press Assistant is responsible for monitoring media for various national security and domestic issues, informing the Press Secretary and Deputy Press Secretary of issues of note and factual inaccuracies in the media.
http://tinyurl.com/okuay
Report: DOD sells sensitive military equipment
Undercover GAO agents buy materiel that should have been destroyed
By Rich Gardella
Producer, NBC Investigative Unit
NBC News
July 21, 2006
Government Accountability Office investigators posing as private citizens were able to buy sensitive excess military equipment from a Department of Defense logistics agency, a GAO report obtained by NBC News shows.
The equipment included two launcher mounts for shoulder-fired guided missiles, two guided missile radar test sets, ceramic body armor inserts currently used by deployed troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, a digital signal converter used in naval surveillance, an all-band antenna used to track aircraft and 12 digital microcircuits used in F-14 fighter aircraft.
GAO identified at least 79 buyers of 2,669 sensitive items between November 2005 and June 2006.
Story continues below ↓
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GAO made purchases as recently as last month and was able to purchase some new and unused items at a fraction of the cost military units currently purchase them for. The department controls what can be sold, and the logistics agency carries out the transaction.
U.S. officials point out that sensitive Defense Department military surplus items have been illegally exported to China and Iran.
more...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13975473/
Who's more of a danger to national security, The Bush/Cheney administration or the New York Times?
Cha-ching.
I am truly disappointed that the New York Times would draw a moral equivalency argument of the US selling arms to Israel which we have done since 1948 to allow Israel to exist, vs Iran's furnishing weapons possible at no or little cost, to a nongovernmental band of thugs, and from reports I have read about Iranian leaders in Syria the day before the 2 Israeli soldiers were kidnapped, likely also directing terror attacks on Israel. To ty and compare the US and Iran is reprehensable. You might also note that Israel ordered precision missiles, vs ketupir rockets aimed at undifferentiated targets.
"the United States is actively aiding the Israeli bombing campaign in a way that could be compared to Iran’s efforts to arm and resupply Hezbollah."
MADISON, Wisconsin (AP) -- More than 60 state lawmakers are urging the University of Wisconsin-Madison to fire an instructor who has argued that the U.S. government orchestrated the September 11 terrorist attacks.
A letter sent Thursday and signed by 52 Assembly representatives and nine state senators condemns a decision to let Kevin Barrett teach an introductory class on Islam this fall.
U.W.-Madison Provost Pat Farrell launched a review after Barrett spoke last month on a talk show about his views that the terrorist attacks were the result of a government conspiracy to spark war in the Middle East. After the review, Farrell said Barrett was a qualified instructor who can present his views as one perspective on the attacks.
Barrett has said he thinks the most likely theory about the 9/11 plot is that it was an "inside job" organized and commanded by Vice President Dick Cheney
"I still have every expectation this will be a very positive educational experience for our students," Farrell said Thursday. "Some are upset about Mr. Barrett's viewpoints on 9/11 and don't want to pay much attention to what makes for a quality educational experience."
Republican Rep. Steve Nass said the lawmakers' letter, which called Barrett's views "academically dishonest," sends a strong message to top U.W. leaders.
"When 61 legislators condemn a decision by U.W.-Madison and demand the dismissal of Kevin Barrett, the leadership of the U.W. System operates at its own peril if it continues to ignore views of the taxpayers," Nass said in a statement.
Barrett has said Nass was "only interested in name-calling and witch hunting."
The state Assembly last week refused to take up a proposed resolution supported by Nass calling on university to fire Barrett, who will get $8,247 as a part-time instructor this fall.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/07/21/Sept.11.prof.ap/index.html
A Danish pen pal living in Oz sent me these lyrics which are so poetic I about collapsed in a blubbering heap.... I think you will appreciate them:
No Bravery
There are children standing here,
Arms outstretched into the sky,
Tears drying on their face.
He has been here.
Brothers lie in shallow graves.
Fathers lost without a trace.
A nation blind to their disgrace,
Since he's been here.
And I see no bravery,
No bravery in your eyes anymore.
Only sadness.
Houses burnt beyond repair.
The smell of death is in the air.
A woman weeping in despair says,
He has been here.
Tracer lighting up the sky.
It's another families' turn to die.
A child afraid to even cry out says,
He has been here.
And I see no bravery,
No bravery in your eyes anymore.
Only sadness.
There are children standing here,
Arms outstretched into the sky,
But no one asks the question why,
He has been here.
Old men kneel and accept their fate.
Wives and daughters cut and raped.
A generation drenched in hate.
Yes, he has been here.
And I see no bravery,
No bravery in your eyes anymore.
Only sadness.
~~~~x~~~~
by James Blunt
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060722/ap_on_re_mi_ea/lebanon_israel
Israeli troops raid Lebanese village
Troops on the ground now... more senseless waste of lives...
WHEN will impotent old men stop ordering young people to kill each other in fratricidal wars, while the old ball-less geezers gleefully enjoy the infanticide-by-proxy from a distance knowing they will acquire more wealth which makes them more powerful...? Who will say "Enough?"
Good morning from Minnesota!
Who will be calling in today?
Please call and please let us know that you are going to call...
I'll be calling in.
karen I would like to know if the dcp has any marketing type plans, free or otherwise, to try and spread the existence of our site to attract new members. Perhaps if we could get Ed Schultz or Al franken or others to put in a plug for us. I recall calling into the Ed Schultz show and before ending my call was asked if I had anything else to ad when I stated that listeners should log into our site. Hoping others here my do that same type of free marketing. Or perhaps an invitation we could create here to join us that each of us could email to our friends in our contact lists.
I copied Ira's post to the new thread and we noted that Matt will be calling in.
Meanwhile, ground troops just invaded Lebanon and we are also, obviously, deeply concerned and watching that situation.
Lamont Leads "The Kiss" Lieberman:
(there was no link given to this article)
The NationThu Jul 20, 11:52 AM ET
The Nation -- Joe is down. And for the first time in his eighteen year Senate career, he may be going down.
A new Quinnipiac University poll released today finds Ned Lamont holding a 51 to 47 percent lead over Lieberman among likely Democratic primary voters. Just six weeks ago, Lieberman was up by fifteen points. And a month before that, Lieberman's lead was three times that size.
Talk about a surge for Lamont. In a state where 83 percent of the population disapproves of the Iraq war and only 31 percent approve of President Bush, Lieberman's in big, big trouble with Democratic voters.
If he loses the primary, Lieberman plans to run as an Independent. The Quinnipiac shows him winning handily in that scenario; 51 percent, to 27 percent for Lamont and 9 percent for likely Republican candidate Alan Schlesinger.
The new party would be called "Connecticut for Lieberman." Funny how it's not "Lieberman for Connecticut." When it comes to his state and his party, it's all about Joe.
The Nation