Praying for Rain

Forwarded by a friend, for our amusement:

From: GOPUSA Friends [mailto:friends@gopusa.com]
Sent: Monday, July 17, 2006 11:11 PM
To: gopusafriends@gopusa.com
Subject: Nancy Pelosi -- Stop her from becoming Speaker

Greetings to the GOPUSA Family of Activists!

Campaign season is already gearing up.

Please see the message below from House Speaker Dennis Hastert and learn more about his campaign.

Keep up the fight,

Bobby Eberle

-----
Robert R. Eberle, Ph.D.
President and CEO, GOPUSA

Dear Fellow Conservative:

Nancy Pelosi is the most dangerous liberal in the country and you have the power to stop her.

Let's be honest for a moment. This is a tough year for conservatives. Democrats and their friends in the media are anticipating a victory in November and unless we stop her, Nancy Pelosi will take over my chair as Speaker of the House and control Congress.

I don't know about you, but that sure sounds like a nightmare scenario to me.

Please join my campaign today and contribute $50, $75, $150, $500, or even more to continue conservative Republican leadership and help me stop Ms. Pelosi, John Murtha, and Charlie Rangel from taking control of the House of Representatives.

This is more important than just one seat in Congress. It's about power and control of the agenda of our great country. Under Republican control, the House of Representatives lowered taxes on all Americans, steadfastly supported our troops in the War on Terror, capped outrageous medical malpractice settlements and passed legislation securing our borders first.

If Republicans don't win this November, a Pelosi-led Democrat Congress will:

* Leave our borders open to illegal immigrants and terrorist.
* Retreat from the War on Terror.
* Raise your taxes and reverse the positive progress our economy has made under a Republican-led House.
* Move to impeach President Bush and put top Republicans on trial.

I need your help right now to make sure this liberal agenda is not implemented. Please make a contribution right now and help me make sure the Pelosi agenda doesn't become law.

Right now, Nancy Pelosi is traveling the country taking money from liberal interest groups and giving it out to Democrats who are trying to defeat conservatives.

While Pelosi's out there taking special interest money and relying on her liberal friends for contributions, I'm relying on friends like you - true conservatives who want to see our country have secure borders and a strong national defense, lower taxes, and a growing economy.

Please donate to my campaign right now by using our secure, online system. Any contribution you can make will help to ensure that a Republican remains in the Speaker's chair.

You can be sure that under a Pelosi-led Congress, the conservative ideals of family values and an unwavering commitment to our troops will be ignored, while the interests of San Francisco liberals and trial lawyers will be heard loud and clear by Nancy Pelosi and her liberal friends.

Our country can't afford to let Nancy Pelosi, John Murtha, and Barney Frank reverse the progress we've made. Won't you join with me to defeat the Democrats and keep our Republican majority?

With your help we will win this November, and my Republican colleagues and I will continue to fight for the conservative values will all hold dear. But without your help our fears of Democratic control will come true. Please make you most generous contribution to my campaign now.

I look forward to working with you over the next few months as we work towards victory on Election Day. As always, thank you for your continued support.

Denny Hastert
Speaker of the House

P.S. If we're going to keep Nancy Pelosi from becoming Speaker on the House, I'm going to need your help. Please make a contribution in the next 48 hours and help keep the Republican majority.

Paid for and authorized by the Hastert for Congress Committee. Not Paid for at Government Expense.

Hastert for Congress Committee
P.O. Box 625 Batavia, IL 60510

****

LIBERALS. godammit, they're everywhere.

William Fisher: "Bring It On" Still Alive and Well
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/071806Z.shtml
The punditocracy has lately been waxing eloquent about President Bush's softer, more conciliatory tone and less hysterical, more humble rhetoric, which many have trumpeted as "the end of cowboy diplomacy." Not on your Nellie. If you believe our cowboy in the White House has somehow morphed into world statesman, have a look at Dubya's two most recent choices for big promotions.

Methinks the Dubs was WAY outta lines, if ya nose what I means.
Posted by: monkey at July 18, 2006 02:27 PM

Ah nose egg-zaktly what youse means, mah fren'.... ;-)

On the other hand, I can't think of one single thing he has done that has not been out of line ever since the debates of 2000 when he first LIED to the American public - which prompted my first taste of the horror that was to come when snooze anchors lauded him... I still can't believe I heard what I heard from those days forward to the present when I still hear snooze anchors and spinmeisters apologize and 'splain away the frat boy behavior and the obvious incompetence and lack of intelligence and the obvious LIES.... {{{- shudder -}}}

Posted by: NonnyO at July 18, 2006 02:40 PM

Ya mean like when Matthews said "the president hit a homerun tonight" by merely not looking like a complete friggin moron during a moment in the debates?

W: The King of Low Expectationssss

Wicked Rain
by Los Lobos

Rain, rain, rain, a wicked rain
Falling from the sky
Down, down, down, pouring down
Upon the night
Well there's just one chance in a million
That someday we'll make it out alive

Rain, rain, rain, an evil rain
Falling all the time
Sun, sun, sun
Sun don't ever want to shine
Well there'll be no light in the morning
Till some peace at last we find

Like travellers in the darkness
Can't see our way
Trying hard to make it through
Another day

Father, father, father
Why do you let your sons go astray
Brother, brother, brother
Why must we go on this way
There's a storm off in the distance
And it looks like it's here to stay

Rain, rain, rain
Rain, rain, rain

Barney Frank, San Francisco liberals, why don't they just spell it out their subliminal message.

Notice nothing was mentioned about re-electing good Republicans like Bob Ney and Tom DeLay.

Time to target all those cowards who voted against stem cell research today.

Bring it on Denny.

Posted by: Ira at July 18, 2006 04:41 PM

They're all cowards, every last one of them.

Discriminating, snide, smartass remarks to disparage others... gee, that's brave.

Wandering Nonads.

Somebody please tell me WHY our government is asking Americans to PAY for being evacuated from Lebanon?

Hundreds of Americans evacuate Lebanon
AP - 2 hours, 52 minutes ago

BEIRUT, Lebanon - At least 320 Americans left Lebanon by sea and air Tuesday, but hundreds more waited in frustration for a cruise ship hired by the U.S. to take them to Cyprus. The U.S. Embassy tried to calm their fears, saying everyone who wanted to leave will eventually get out. The move out did not start until a team of U.S. security experts arrived in Lebanon over the weekend to plan the operation, which will bill the evacuees.

more: (and boy, is Pelosi mad...)
http://news.yahoo.com/fc/world/mideast_conflict

Posted by: Fe at July 18, 2006 05:25 PM

Republicans: You're on your own, unless you can pay your way out. (see Katrina).

This country needs an enema.

Reporter asks White House, 'Why don't you want the fighting to stop?'

RAW STORY
Published: Tuesday July 18, 2006

A reporter at the White House press briefing today accused the administration of "giving Israel some breathing room" in order to "take out" more terrorist targets, RAW STORY has learned.

White House press secretary Tony Snow rejected the theory.

A transcript of the exchange follows:

#
QUESTION: If the president is truly concerned about Israel, you know, restraining -- you know, restraining themselves, why hasn't he talked to Olmert on the phone? And it appears that the United States is giving Israel some breathing room so they can take out -- weaken Hezbollah as much as possible.

SNOW: How is it -- how -- I'm -- how does it seem that the United States is giving breathing room?

I'm -- you and I have talked -- I'm just curious about the characterization. How would you draw that conclusion?

QUESTION: Well, I don't think that he's even had a conversation with Olmert.

SNOW: Well, okay, so you're assuming because the president hasn't called Olmert that that creates breathing room? I'm just -- I'm trying to get the context of the question.

Let me proceed, and if it doesn't do well enough, you can follow up.

-snip-

QUESTION: Why don't you want the fighting to stop?

So the idea that the United States is holding back in doing any more criticizing of Israel --

SNOW: I -- what the United --

QUESTION: -- is to give them a chance to take out as many targets as they want?

SNOW: No. No, because, Deb, the insinuation there is that there is either active military planning, collusion or collaboration between the United States and Israel, and there just isn't. Israel is proceeding in the manner it sees fit to defend itself and its territory.

The United States actually has been in the lead of the diplomatic efforts, issuing repeated calls for restraint, but at the same time, putting together an international consensus that -- we've got to remember who's responsible for this -- Hezbollah. Hezbollah started this. And Iran and Syria, its backers, ought to be using their influence to get Hezbollah to stop firing rockets and to return the soldiers. So that has been the consistent position. It is shared not only by our colleagues in the G-8, but the aforementioned governments -- Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt.

more...
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Reporter_asks_White_House_Why_dont_0718.html

GLEANING MORE FROM THE TAPE OF BUSH SWEARING....

I reviewed the 40 seconds tape which catches Bush swearing about Hezbollah to Tony Blair. I was more interested, this time, in getting to the gist of the conversation between Bush and Blair.

Bush was stuffing his face with food and seemed relatively unconcerned about the whole situation in the Middle East. Both Blair and Bush seemed to imply that sending Condi Rice to the region would make it appear like progress toward a ceasefire was being when, in fact, both men knew that no progress was being made.

Blair also sounded utter subservient to Bush, saying that he could go before Rice to lay the groundwork for a possible American diplomatic success by Rice.

I wonder where the rest of the tape is - perhaps the camera people were merely testing their equipment out and didn't catch anymore of the Bush/Blair conservation, either before or after the swearing incident.

I am a very big fan of Anthony Bourdain. He was taping a new episode of the Travel Channel's "No Reservations" in Beirut when the violence started. This is a post he sent yesterday to eGullet's (A website devoted to food and technology whose blog is called "Off the Broiler")

The following is an excerpt of Bourdain's observations while waiting to be evacuated:

"I'm very aware of how flip my response to the Post was (made last Wednesday, very early in the crisis)as I sought to reassure family and friends that we were safe and okayand in good cheer. . It was--at the time--very representative of the (outward) attitude of Beirutis themselves, who pride themselves on their resilience and their determination to "keep the party going."

Initially, many Beirutis were still going strong at nightclubs as jets flew low and menacingly overhead. Even that proud, famously world-weary attitude quickly changed, however, as circumstances here became even more appalling. I can certainly understand how offensive it might be to those on the ground here--or those with family and friends here--to read some of what's been posted on the other NR thread--and understand why it's been closed for now.

It is indeed heartbreaking and horrifying what has happened to this lovely country--to spanking new, lovingly restored, resurgent Beirut in particular, in only a few days of sustained and seemingly senseless destruction. A few days ago, this was a place where people were bursting with pride for the relative tolerance, progressive attitudes, and lack of conflict between groups. I was standing with a group: a Sunni, a Christian, and a Shiite--by the Hariri memorial when the gunfire started and the Hezbollah people appeared driving through city center and honking their horns in "celebration" for the capture/kidnappings. The look of dismay and embarrasment on all three faces...and the grim look of resignation as they all-- instantly-- recognized what would inevitably come next...it's something I will never forget. Of the three, our Shiite security guy, a tall, taciturn man, was the last to leave us, insisiting on staying by our side though he and his family lived in the much more perilous Southern part of Beirut.

After witnessing many quick telephone exchanges between him and his family, and as more bombs and shells began to fall, seeing him nervously fingering his prayer beads, we finally convinced him to leave. His house was later flattened..We were soon relocated to a safer part of town.The sense of regret and ...shame we feel at being relatively safe yet witness to the carnage...and that we never got to show the world how beautiful this country and its people are--how much "like us" (yet uniquely and wonderfully not), how international, muti-lingual, multi-faith..how fantastic the food and hospitality is...will gnaw at us forever.

WE will make it home. WE--unlike most Lebanese, have been (relatively) safe and secure during this. Trapped, yes--but trapped by a freaking swimming pool-not under the rubble of our homes. We may be only a few thousand yards or a few miles from the falling bombs-but we have an eventual way out. What hasn't been talked about much in the press, is how many young returnees there are/were here: young, educated Lebanese who'd emigrated abroad or been born aboad and only recenly returned..how filled with hope they were, how much they loved their country, how hopeful and enthusiastic they were that they could make a difference (and they WERE making a difference). That is all ashes now..

We (the NR crew) are indeed well--and well looked after. It's indeed frightening here, it's enraging, it's horrifying,and its frustrating..the classic "long hours of boredom interspersed with moments of terror" phenom they always use when talking about life during wartime. But we are relatively safe. And sooner or later we will no doubt be heading home.
We will never forget the Beirut that could have been-and will hopefully be again. Or what we saw here...

Somebody please tell me WHY our government is asking Americans to PAY for being evacuated from Lebanon?

Posted by: Fe at July 18, 2006 05:25 PM

Because it's the era of "personal responsibility!" You travel into a trouble zone like the Mideast, you assume all risks and pay for your way out.

That's the government that all those tax cuts for the rich buys you.

Sad, isn't it, Fe? :(

I'm just clarifying my position from the last thread since it appears that my comments were misinterpreted.

I'm not saying that Israel was right to react the way they did. What I was saying is that I've seen the progressive activist jump down Israel's throat while at the same time I've seen them excuse the actions of the Palestinians and the Islamic states when all are at fault.

There are innocent people in Israel, Lebanon, Iran, Syria, etc...but I can tell you that I know more about the situation in Iraq (as best as we're allowed to see) than I know of how many Israelis and Palestinians were allowed to die for this intifada.

I think Bush's reaction to this sucks. I think it's sucks that any civilians have died in this action as well as all the civilians who have died as a result of this intifada.

I want diplomacy too.

I believe Clinton was on the right path working with the Israelis and the Palestinians for a long term solution. But the solution also has to come from all the Islamic states who by their financial and verbal support promote Hezbollah and Hamas.

That was what I was saying last night and early this morning.

More on the Bush/Blair conversation-

A summary of Bush's diplomatic attitude:

1) The UN sucks

2) Kofi Annan sucks

3) Hezbollah sucks

4) Syria sucks

5) Iran sucks

6) Ceasefires suck

Posted by: Suz at July 18, 2006 07:53 PM

I understand completely. We are on the same wavelength on this one.

I've never understood why the progressives give the Muslim homophobes/sexists a blank check on their behavior, while punishing comparable Jews/Christians. I've never understood why they continually rail against racists, sexists, and homophobes of the WASP community, but consider it okay for Mexicans, Chinese, and African-Americans to engage in the same hateful behavior.

And the worst thing is, instead of uniting to fight against the conservative hate, the progressives are fighting amongst themselves over political correctness.

I'm so glad that so many people here at DCP (including you, Suz) are thoughtful enough to look beyond political correctness and deal with the real issues on hand.

Posted by: ralpheh at July 18, 2006 07:55 PM

Basically, anyone who doesn't suck up to W's cowboy diplomacy sucks, then.

Never mind that the UN was a US creation, and has primarily served US interests, until W started acting like a rogue state himself.

MORE OF BUSH ACTING LIKE A UNRULY SCHOOLBOY AT THE G-8 SUMMIT:

Pictures of Bush groping/grabbing German Chancellor Merkel from behind (something that one might have done on the playground during elementary school):

http://americablog.blogspot.com/2006/07/bush-gives-female-german-chancellor.html

This leads me to the question whether Bush may have been drunk. His behavior seemed unusually eratic...

Posted by: Ally McLesbian at July 18, 2006 07:58 PM

Ally,

Thank you for being kind but I'm not...not really. Does anyone think I'm not fighting within myself over my hawkish instincts and my dove instincts?

Sure...diplomacy would be best but in the middle east is there such a thing.

But I have to tell you that as a mom...if my kid went out for pizza one night and got blown to pieces by some group, and then the next day I was burying her/him, then I'd want to storm into their area and kick the daylights out of them. It's human instinct. (And might I add that this is exactly the same issue that makes it far easier for the r-winged neocons to use. We'd all instinctively want to k*** anyone who dared hurt our children.)

That's what makes this whole situation volatile. You're dealing with violence and unreasonable attitudes and death on both sides.

And you're dealing with prejudice to make matters that much more extreme.

Ralph,

Great observations. I think Bush looked something alright! Like scared about how he's suppose to be the prez when he's not incharge of the mission.

Thanx for all the great links & stuff -
been away from the news all day.

AOL's interview, appearing tonight, with Ann Coulter about her bitching opus, "Godless":

http://books.aol.com/feature/_a/license-to-be-bold/20060717101109990001

Ann is just babbling nonsense at this point... she has entered, with her book, into fields which she knows practically nothing about - Science and Religion!!!

if my kid went out for pizza one night and got blown to pieces by some group, and then the next day I was burying her/him, then I'd want to storm into their area and kick the daylights out of them. It's human instinct.

Posted by: Suz at July 18, 2006 08:19 PM

Exactly.

I have to admit that when someone from the LGBT community is harmed as a result of the teachings of the Moonies, or a greedy Koreatown grocer pays its Mexican laborers below minimum wage, (and both of these items have happened plenty of times in Los Angeles's Koreatown), I feel like raising major hell all over the area in retaliation. To not feel that way would be abnormal.

In fact, I once almost dragged a church deacon to Los Angeles Airport's Korean Air ticket counter, after he started blabbering his crap about how gays and liberals were destroying this "God-blessed special country."

But like the right-wing hardliners in Israel, Koreatown has the W regime on its side, so there is no way I will win through direct confrontation. I need to find some other way of resolving the matter - one that involves wit and charm offensive, not the brute force that Israel's Muslim neighbors have resorted to.

Ann is just babbling nonsense at this point... she has entered, with her book, into fields which she knows practically nothing about - Science and Religion!!!

Posted by: ralpheh at July 18, 2006 08:29 PM

Well, then why is the media still in a lovefest with this nonsense of a sodomite? And why are so many "homophobic" men in mad love with HIM?

This is completely beyond me.

The difference between them & them
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/7/18/14144/6432
Someone took the time to do alot of research - thought provoking

His behavior seemed unusually eratic...

Posted by: ralpheh at July 18, 2006 08:08 PM

His leg was bouncing a million miles an hour sitting in a chair at one of the photo ops as well.

It's The Real Thing.

Posted by: monkey at July 18, 2006 09:28 PM

He lost his crayon and paper. He couldn't ask Condi if he could pee.

AOL's interview, appearing tonight, with Ann Coulter about her bitching opus, "Godless":

http://books.aol.com/feature/_a/license-to-be-bold/20060717101109990001

Ann is just babbling nonsense at this point... she has entered, with her book, into fields which she knows practically nothing about - Science and Religion!!!

Posted by: ralpheh at July 18, 2006 08:29 PM

@@@@@@@@@@

Hey!!! The AOL interview with Little Annie Coulter is NOT all fluff. The interviewer pointedly asks Annie if slamming the 9-11 widows is the "Christian" thing to do. She also asks Annie about the many Republicans who don't care about religion at all (a surprising number are on the internet, and will tell you that they are not religious). What to do about the "Godless Conservatives"???

His behavior seemed unusually eratic...

Posted by: ralpheh at July 18, 2006 08:08 PM

His leg was bouncing a million miles an hour sitting in a chair at one of the photo ops as well.

It's The Real Thing.

Posted by: monkey at July 18, 2006 09:28 PM

@@@@@@@@@@@@@

A PRESIDENT WITH A.D.H.D.!! somebody get Bush on Ritalin!!!!

Check out the Patriot Project's work if you haven't so far.

http://www.patriotproject.com/2006/07/dave_johnson_th.php

Posted by: Suz at July 18, 2006 10:04 PM

Thanks for sharing. A very eye-opening insight into a serious problem.

BTW - I'm in the chat room if anyone wants to chat.

If this makes you laugh, good. If it makes you cry, good!.

These bumper stickers were compiled by Jerry Paul, a former Methodist
Minister in Lakeside, Ohio, who writes: "The following actual bumper
stickers are now on cars. I didn't write any of them. I'm only the
messenger. If they make you laugh, good. If they make you cry, good."

*IF YOU'RE NOT OUTRAGED, YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION

*IF YOU SUPPORTED BUSH, A YELLOW RIBBON WON'T MAKE UP FOR IT!!

*POVERTY, HEALTHCARE & HOMELESSNESS ARE MORAL ISSUES

*OF COURSE IT HURTS. YOU'RE GETTING SCREWED BY AN ELEPHANT

*BUSH LIED, AND YOU KNOW IT

*RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISM: A THREAT ABROAD, A THREAT AT HOME

*BUSH SPENT YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY MONEY ON HIS WAR

*PRO AMERICA, ANTI BUSH

*WHO WOULD JESUS BOMB?

*IF YOU SUPPORT BUSH'S WAR, WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE?

*FEEL SAFER NOW?

*JESUS WAS A SOCIAL ACTIVIST - A "LIBERAL"

*MY VALUES? FREE SPEECH. EQUALITY. LIBERTY. EDUCATION. TOLERANCE.

*IS IT 2008 YET?

*DISSENT IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF PATRIOTISM -- Thomas Jefferson

DON'T BLAME ME. I VOTED AGAINST BUSH -- TWICE!

*ANNOY A CONSERVATIVE; THINK FOR YOURSELF

*VISUALIZE IMPEACHMENT

*HEY BUSH! WHERE'S BIN LADEN?

*CORPORATE MEDIA = MASS MIND CONTROL

*STOP MAD COWBOY DISEASE

*GEORGE W. BUSH: MAKING TERRORISTS FASTER THAN HE CAN KILL THEM

*KEEP YOUR THEOCRACY OFF MY DEMOCRACY

*CORPORATE MEDIA: WEAPONS OF MASS DECEPTION

*DON'T CONFUSE DYING FOR OIL WITH FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM

*STEM CELL RESEARCH IS PRO LIFE

*HATE, GREED, IGNORANCE: WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

*HONOR OUR TROOPS; DEMAND THE TRUTH

*REBUILD IRAQ? WHY NOT SPEND 87 BILLION ON AMERICA?

FACT: BUSH OIL

1999 - $19 BARREL
2006 - $76 BARREL

*THE LAST TIME RELIGION CONTROLLED POLITICS, PEOPLE GOT BURNED AT THE STAKE

*SUPPORT OUR TROOPS; IMPEACH BUSH

nmp...good ones!

Or mine "support our troops...end the Iraq occupation!"

DiAnne and Suz,

Great ones... But I'd be kicked out of the Marine base I work at for "unpatriotic materials" if I dared to put any of them on my vehicle. :(

glad to see the DNC pick up on the Katrina analogy I mentioned yesterday regarding the refugees. the French and Italians got their citizens out of Lebanon yesterday without much fanfare. The Brownie mentality apparently is still at work in the state dept. We should now be wondering why Brownie didn't ask the New Orleans evacuees to sign promisoory notes and charged for their rescues. And to think that for a mere $150 ride this Administration was willing to p.o. all those Americans stranded in Lebanon.

Posted by: Ira at July 18, 2006 11:00 PM

Amazing! P.O.ing American citizens who get stranded. Wow...it's amazing how quickly it took them to our knees.

took them to bring us too our knees. sorry computer screwing up.

Great bumper stickers:

*IF YOU SUPPORTED BUSH, A YELLOW RIBBON WON'T MAKE UP FOR IT!!

*POVERTY, HEALTHCARE & HOMELESSNESS ARE MORAL ISSUES

a variation:

"JESUS WAS THE FIRST LIBERAL"

What?!!??!!?!!

Gonzales: Bush Blocked Eavesdropping Probe
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/071806R.shtml
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said Tuesday that President Bush personally blocked Justice Department lawyers from pursuing an internal probe of the warrantless eavesdropping program that monitors Americans' international calls and e-mails.

UN: Over 3,000 Iraqi Civilians Killed in June
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/071806S.shtml

An average of more than 100 civilians per day were killed in Iraq last month, the highest monthly tally of violent deaths since the fall of Baghdad. The death toll, drawn from Iraqi government agencies, was the most precise measurement of civilian deaths provided by any government organization since the invasion and represented a dramatic increase over daily media reports.

Another article on 100/dead/day

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/19/world/middleeast/19iraq.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

United States to Israel: you have one more week to blast Hizbullah

Bush 'gave green light' for limited attack, say Israeli and UK sources

http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,1823817,00.html

Posted by: not my president at July 18, 2006 11:21 PM

One week?

D I P L O M A C Y! Somebody needs to send that definition to Bush.

Posted by: not my president at July 18, 2006 11:21 PM

That sounds a lot like hedging his bets...trying to please the extreme right but also trying to get back the Average American who is appalled by this sudden escalation of violence.

I'm sure their WWIII talk didn't help matters.

Well regardless of how it started & the pros & cons for all parties involved, it's mind-boggling to have to evacuate at least half a million people already, from all over the world. If Israel goes with ground troops into Lebanon, they may be stuck there for 18 years again. As we're learning in Iraq, ground wars are no cakewalk.

Great comments, although I am feeling quite despairing. We have been working on the Fear Up script, and I am thinking about Riverbend's comments about Baghdad:

"And while I always thought Baghdad was one of the more marvelous cities in the world, I'm finding it very difficult this moment to see any beauty in a city stained with the blood of T. and so many other innocents"

and the description of Beirut Fe is sharing above.

And about Washington DC, where the evidence of bunker-building, concrete barriers, and surveillance cameras is sending an all-too-clear message.

Orange jumpsuits, anyone? Let's not trip on the chains.

"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." Burke

"He who gives up liberty for security deserves neither liberty nor security." Franklin

Such beautiful cities, such good lives, such hope. All lost.

Our reporter character says at the end of the play:

"I believe that confronting these extreme situations is itself an act of hope because in doing that, we are saying that there’s an alternative. We can do better."

Let us now confront. Please. Soon.

I am not promoting violence of self-destruction. I am pleading for alternatives to what is being wrought in our names.

The destruction of beauty and the killing of human souls are terrible crimes. Let us restore beauty and inspire souls wherever and whenever we can.

This pretty much substantiates what the Guardian published - that US is allowing Israel more time to back off Hezbollah. It's the "good cop bad cop" routine.

http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/world/15068868.htm

Israel already is sending in ground troops, probably won't attack Syria or Iran. This could make it harder for a UN buffer zone to be developed though, and let's hope the US stays out of the Syria/Iran part. They could really mess that up.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200607/s1690715.htm

Survey here:

http://www.political.moveon.org/memberfeedback?id=8234-5730142-2aOOc61pZmwZ3pu_q3H.Og&t=1

well its a litle after 5 am in rural ny and its finnaly cooling down.
I review the world situation and I see how easily it would be to be depressed.

I choose hope at this time.
I choose to focus on those that are fighting the reinstatement of a monarchy here in the US
I choose to support candidates who speak truth (well, those that can even see it at least)
I choose to speak when I might otherwise remain silent.

have a wonderful day everyone.

Republican Candidate Linked to Abramoff Loses in Ga. Primary

By Chris Cillizza
Special to The Washington Post
Wednesday, July 19, 2006; A03

Former Georgia Republican Party chairman Ralph Reed lost his bid for the party's nomination for lieutenant governor last night, the first electoral defeat this year that can be traced directly to the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal.

Meanwhile, Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.), facing her first election since a scuffle with a Capitol Police officer this spring, will face a runoff with her main challenger, Hank Johnson, a former county commissioner with roots in the heart of her core constituency.

Reed conceded defeat to Casey Cagle, a little-known state senator, less than three hours after the polls closed. With 94 percent of precincts reporting, Cagle led by 56 percent to 44 percent.

An upbeat Reed told a few dozen cheering supporters in Atlanta that his conservative message will live on.

"Stay in the fight. Don't retreat. And our values will win in November," he said.

The defeat represents an astounding fall for Reed, 45, who presided over the Christian Coalition for most of the 1990s and was regarded as one of the GOP's rising stars. In 2001, Georgia Republicans elected him state party chairman.

more...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/18/AR2006071800792_pf.html

Posted by: ralpheh at July 18, 2006 11:14 PM

Those ARE great bumper stickers. I love the top one....

Posted by: ralpheh at July 18, 2006 09:48 PM

"What to do about the Godless conservatives?"

Actually, Ralph, I think that is a great frame, and should be used!

that is actually too bad Reed lost; he would have been fun to attack in Oct.

I don't quite know if this quote at today's Washington Post should be read as an insult or compliment from the right?

"What they are doing on North Korea or Iran is what [Sen. John F.] Kerry would do, what a normal middle-of-the-road president would do," he said. "This administration prided itself on molding history, not just reacting to events. Its a normal foreign policy right now. It's the triumph of Kerryism."

I doubt Pres. Kerry would have reacted so weakly to the N. Korean testing.

just say No to vouchers:

"WASHINGTON (AP) -- Congressional Republicans on Tuesday proposed a $100 million plan to let poor children leave struggling schools and attend private schools at public expense."

"The Bush administration requested the school-choice plan, but Tuesday's media event caused some awkwardness for the Education Department. The agency just released a study that raises questions about whether private schools offer any advantage over public ones.

"Under the new legislation, the vouchers would mainly go to students in poor schools that have failed to meet their progress goals for at least five straight years."

"Parents could get $4,000 per year to put toward private-school tuition or a public school outside their local district. They could also seek up to $3,000 per year for extra tutoring."

"Voucher programs rob public-school students of scarce resources," said Reg Weaver, president of the National Education Association, a teachers union. "No matter what politicians call them, vouchers threaten the basic right of every child to attend a quality public school."

Meanwhile, Spellings faced questions about her department's handling of a new study comparing students in public and private schools that had been quietly released on Friday.

The study found that, overall, private school students outperform public school children in reading and math. But public school students often did as well, if not better, when compared to private-school peers with similar backgrounds."

Another major problem is the concept that you can enroll your kids into private schools even if you wanted to for $4,000/year. In reality it will just be windfall for the Privatization Gang, and to wealthy families who are already sending their kids to private schools and would love $4,000/kid. Bush will be speaking to the NAACP after 5 years of snubbing them and I am sure he will be telling the this lie that if we dry up funding to public schools and once again reward his Pioneers, that poor people will have a choice and will be able to send their kids to better private schools for $4,000. I am sure there is a study out there that reports the real cost of private schools which I am sure is closer to $10,000. Where the heck does he expect poor families to come up with an extra $6,000?

We need to debunk this lie.