September 2006 Archives

The more you know about the Mark Foley story, the more disgusted you will be.

As Josh Marshall points out in this quickly evolving news story, the Republican House leadership has known about alleged child sex predator, Rep. Mark Foley's (R-FL) activites, which include preying on underage pages using Congressional resources.

From Roll Call via Talking Points Memo:

Chairman of the House Page Board, Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL) interviewed Foley last year about some of the contacts with the page. The House clerk, who is also a member of the Board, was also present. Speaker Hastert's office was informed of the interview, but according to GOP leadership sources who spoke to Roll Call, Hastert himself was not informed.

Rep. Dale Kildee (D-MI), the only Democrat on the Board, was not informed of the interview, according to Roll Call.

Rep. Shimkus released the following statement ...

"As chairman of the bipartisan House Page Board in late 2005, I was notified by the then Clerk of the House, who manages the Page Program, that he had been told by Congressman Rodney Alexander about an email exchange between Congressman Foley and a former House Page. I took immediate action to investigate the matter.

“In that email exchange, Congressman Foley asked about the former Page’s well-being after Hurricane Katrina and requested a photograph. When asked about the email exchange, Congressman Foley said he expressed concern about the Page’s well-being and wanted a photo to see that the former Page was alright.

“Congressman Foley told the Clerk and me that he was simply acting as a mentor to this former House Page and that nothing inappropriate had occurred. Nevertheless, we ordered Congressman Foley to cease all contact with this former House Page to avoid even the appearance of impropriety. We also advised him to be especially mindful of his conduct with respect to current and former House Pages, and he assured us he would do so. I received no subsequent complaints about his behavior nor was I ever made aware of any additional emails.

“It has become clear to me today, based on information I only now have learned, that Congressman Foley was not honest about his conduct.

“As Chairman of the House Page Board, I am working with the Clerk to fully review this incident and determine what actions need to be taken.

“The House Page Program has been an integral part of the House of Representatives for many decades. Preserving the integrity of the House Page Program is of utmost importance to me and to the House of Representatives, and we intend to uphold and protect its values and traditions.”

The whole matter has been turned over to the House ethics committee.

What Josh's piece doesn't mention, is that now that an ethics committee investigation has been opened, the committee has ten days to issue a preliminary report that must include what Hastert and Boehner and others knew about this, and when they knew it. The press will likely beat them to that information.

Since Josh and team seem to have the best all around information and wrap around this story, I would suggest checking in there to keep updated.

My take on this? It becomes increasingly clear that the Republicans in office, from the White House to the House of Representatives cannot protect anyone or anything. Why would any American think that they can? Would you trsut your security to these buffons? Even after they have information about a child sex predator in their midst, they do nothing of use to protect the underage pages from coming in contact with him. It's all about politics with these guys and they will happily hand your child to a sicko, just as long as no one finds out so we don't mess up the elections.

So when you look at that picture above, remember that picture above, remember that there were some folks there who had at least an idea of what was going on. And were happy to be part of the photo op in order to advance their own political careers.

Hard to say which is sicker; the Congressman, or the ones that protected him for nearly a year.

Today's question is brought to us courtesy of Media Matters.

Why is CBS paying Nicolle Wallace to sound like Tony Snow?

On September 25, CBS News announced the hiring of Nicolle Wallace, who left her job as White House communications director three months ago, as a "political consultant." Two days later, Wallace made her first appearance on CBS in this capacity and immediately repeated talking points recently advanced by the White House communications office and President Bush himself.

On the September 27 edition of CBS' Early Show, co-host Harry Smith sat down with Wallace for a brief discussion of the recently released National Intelligence Estimate -- completed in April -- which concluded that the Iraq war has led to an increase in global terrorism. Smith first asked her, "What do you make of all of it?" Her response:

WALLACE: I think the most telling thing now is that this NIE has formed the basis of the public communications that the White House has engaged in, in a very concerted effort over the last six weeks to communicate directly to the American people about the stakes in Iraq. And they've made a lot of these points that are ... being played up and that are being politicized by Democrats --have been made by the president.

This would have been a nice time for Harry to say, "Gee Nicolle, even thought you work here at CBS now, you still sound like the President's mouthpiece. I see that's going to be a hard habit to break..."

Go read the whole exchange and watch the video here.

It's not so much the hiring or the presence of Mrs. Wallace that bothers me. It's the complete lack of any other version of reality offered it's viewers by CBS. We get Nicolle Devenish Wallace but no Dee Dee Myers?

This looks like a desperate attempt by corporate media to skew the elections in November by providing a network based daily Republican Talking Points segment that is sure to be entirely fact free.

Which brings me to my next point. Is it possible that progressives will organize some sort of fact finding campaign to expose this nonsense and protest to CBS? Would you become part of such an effort? The research will likely be provided by Media Matters. All folks would need to do is use that information in a write in/call in campaign. Would anyone here be interested in leading such an effort?

And what do you think is the motiviation behind CBS' decision to become the offical headquarters of the White House and RNC Communication Team? Why was Karl Rove's handmaiden hired as the lone political voice at CBS?

We have questions. You have the answers. Let's hear it.

The cluephone at the White House is once again ringing off the hook. Unfortunately, once again, no one there hears it.

The clear majority of Americans favors a US withdrawal from Iraq.

The clear majority of Iraqis favors a US withdrawal from Iraq.

Here's what I find the most interesting about these polls--millions of miles apart, Iraqis and Americans have reached the same conclusion on exactly what needs to happen vis-a-vis redeploying and withdrawing troops from Iraq, and the timetable in which this should happen.

The people have figured it out. Why can't the folks in the White House?

Once again, the clue phone is ringing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but as usual, they are tone deaf to the cries of the electorate, the oppressed and the occupied.

Father knows best. And if it doesn't fit in with the plans to maintain political power, Father isn't interested.

Shorter version of White House message to the people: Just lie back and enjoy it.

Did I really just type that headline?

I don't think I felt this overwhelming sense of sadness and sickness even on September 11, 2001. My God, what has happened to our moral compass in America?

As Chris Dodd pointed out a few minutes ago on the floor of the Senate, today is the anniversary of the Nuremburg trials, in which the United States defied world opinion, and set themselves apart by insisting on trials for Nazis.

By defying public opinion at the time, the US insisted that We Are Different than they are.

Today, it is a false dichotomy that we are being presented. One that states that either we agree to accept the edict of US state-sponsored torture of terror detainees, or we cannot keep America safe.

I wonder, what "America" is it that becomes a state-sponsor torturer?

As Dodd said, and I paraphrase here, every generation has its security threats and its moral choices to make.

This is not new. The fight to save our lives at the expense of our humanity is not new. This is a fight for the moral conscience of America.

It is a clash of civilizations. The question is, are we going to stand up for civilization by standing against torture, are are we going to abandon our belief as a nation in the rule of law, and the ideas an ideals of humanity?

Is this who we are?

[Editor's Note: The full text of Senator Dodd's remarks can be found here.]

I never thought that I would live to see the day when the United States Congress would stand up and adopt torture as an official tool of the United States. But Bush's get-out-of-jail free torture bill is winding its way through the Congress, as legislators tell reporters that they've got to wrap things up quickly so they can leave town and start on the all-important campaign trail.

Why is there not even a hint of a Democratic filibuster to stop this soul-destroying piece of legislation? As much as I despise Bush and his minions for this piece of tyrannical legislation, I despise the Democrats more for being unwilling to get bloodied up to stop this historic seizure of power.

I'm not kidding about historic either. The bill ends the ability of such prisoners to file for a writ of habeas corpus, one of the oldest protections against tyranny in Anglo-American law, with roots going back to 12th century England. 900 years of "the Great Writ," tossed out the window by Bush and this unforgivable Congress.

If I understand the terms of this bill correctly, it is written so loosely that George Bush will have the authority to designate anyone, American citizen or otherwise, as an enemy combatant, and then hold that person indefinitely, torturing him or her all the while, until the person either dies (from torture or old age) or the so-called war on terror "ends."

Bush's policies are those of a sadist. The adoption of torture as government policy is an irresistible draw for sadists. Participation in any part of the torture apparatus corrupts everyone who comes in contact; ultimately every single American bears the burden of the innocent men and women who our government will torture. According to the pollsters, Americans are the most religiously observant people in the industrial world. But by accepting the adoption of torture, America's churches and their members have sold their souls to the Devil.

Can you think of a better way to strengthen a resistance movement than to torture people left and right? Throwing dead animals into a well poisons the water for a while. Torturing people poisons the body politic for generations. Our intelligence services are telling us that our policies are producing ever-higher levels of anti-American feelings abroad. More torture can only accelerate and deepen this hatred of our country.

People have been getting arrested every day in Washington since last week, a dozen here, thirty there, a few in the gallery of the House of Representatives today. But not enough. Where are the people? The next chance for masses of people to hit the streets in protest is October 5th, when World Can't Wait: Throw Out the Bush Regime is organizing demonstrations in more than 105 cities across the country. The WCW website will link you to the demonstration closest to you.

It's big. Really big. Given the players it looks like a WWF smashfest. The wrestling match to end all wrestling matches.

This match is about the primary core belief that has kept the current majority the majority the last five years. The prize: To win the bulk of the news cycle this week over the National Intelligence Estimate reported about in last Sunday's NY Times, which completely discredits the Administration's claim that the war in Iraq is central to its ongoing War on Terror.

This match has all sectors of our esteemed political institution in the mix. In one corner, we have a POTUS. In another we have a former POTUS. In this corner, we have a Secretary of State, and in the other corner, we have a mysterious contender.

As referees for this match, we have a minority leader, a majority leader, and probably MORE SURPRISES TO COME.

The contending parties in this news cycle will push to have more guests on the weekend-circuit talk shows next week than any other. Any guess as to who will dominate the gas-bag gabfest next Sunday?

From Rising Hegemon, Atta J. Turk catches Newsweek's different covers from around the world. Note the difference between what you would see if you lived anywhere, but the United States:

That's an entry that just speaks for itself, doesn't it?

But, for the record, maybe I am wrong. Maybe Jon Meachem isn't a complete Bush Administration whore. So, let's have it--what's the alternate explanation for this? What would YOU have titled this post?

While I think it was a direct attempt by Meachem and company to manipulate the news, manipulate American's understanding of the war in Afhganistan, and manipulate the political process, again, maybe I am all wrong here. What do you think? What do you think Jon Meachem's intent was here in changing the cover art about the country's most pressing national security issue just six weeks before the election?

photo courtesy of AP

[Editor's Note, this is culled from the comments: I found coverage of the event at this government site]

Today, Monday, I plan to join with others at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 226, to witness the end of democracy, humanitarian values, and concern for human dignity.

Actually, that is what I expect to witness. It is always possible that a miracle will happen and the American people will wake up and do something about it.

Not likely, however.

And so I will witness and observe, and then I will decide what I need to do.

Here is what YOU can do:

Call the Congress. All day long. Call your members and the Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Email all your friends and tell them they must call too.

There will only be a few of us who will get into the hearings, so please support those who do. Watch C-Span to see if this is covered. Call the media. Write letters.

I ask you to do this in the name of those who died and are dying as a result of torure; those who have been tortured at Abu Ghraib and elsewhere, those raped and mudered in Iraq, those about to be tortured in Iran: all those humans who are bystanders in the race for profit and empire to which this administration adheres.

I ask you: if you do not speak up today, when? Who will speak up in the future?

Ray McGovern's words haunt me: "the worst word in the English language is the word blase." Howard Zinn reminds me that every action, no matter how small, gives hope to others.

Give us hope. Help.

Image courtesy of PS2

As Congress convenes this week, it looks as though there's about to be point of either critical mass or departure for those who have justified the war in Iraq as primary to our national defense and central to America's War on Terror. As reported today in the New York Times:

An excerpt from the article:

The White House, apparently concerned that reports of the intelligence assessment could undercut one of its most fundamental arguments for staying in Iraq, quickly issued a statement seeking to rebut points about it that were reported in The New York Times and later in The Washington Post today.

It takes alot more energy to prop up a lie rather than tell the truth, doesn't it? Read the article and weigh in on this ongoing smackdown between Rhetoric and Reality.

I have been so embedded in Camp Democracy that I have had little time to share with all of you the details, much less the highlights. But today, the tents come down, the equipment is stored, and everyone moves on to the next phase.

And I have some things to say.

First of all, this was a very challenging project, because many who enthused early on found fault as the planning evolved. Democracy is messy. In the absence of positive clear-headed decision-making by the many, efficiency tends to take over and not everyone feels "heard". It reminded me of past group efforts, including the JK Campaign, and I spent a small amount of time reminding my fellow organizers about the six phases of a project:

1. Enthusiasm
2. Disillusionment
3. Panic
4. Search for the Guilty
5. Punishment of the Innocent
6. Praise and Honors for the Non-Participants

We had amazing moments, and large crowds at times. The highlights I witnessed are below, but the major theme definitely came from Arun Gandhi, Mahatma's grandson:

Arun often ends his discussions about his grandfather by telling the parable of a King who wanted to know how to bring about world peace. His advisors told him to travel to an old wise man who may have the answer. So the King made the long journey and asked the old wise man how to bring about world peace. In response, the sage placed a single seed of wheat in the King’s palm. The King was too embarrassed to ask the meaning of this and so returned to his kingdom with the seed and placed it in a small gold box. Still unable to determine its meaning he finally asked one of his learned advisors its meaning. The advisor explained that peace begins like a small seed, but it cannot grow if it is kept locked away. True peace begins in the heart, but inner peace must be transferred into the world. It must be planted so it can grow.

Here are a couple of early morning questions that are on my mind:

If we can get a fair voting system in Iraq, why can't we get one here?

What's it gonna take for people to realize this is a serious problem?

Where the media? Kitty Pilgrim has been covering it on Lou Dobbs, but most of the LSM is MIA or AWOL.

Why is it so hard to get people interested in this subject? Is it because they feel like their vote doesn't matter anyway? Even the hard core activists seem to snooze at the subject. How do we make this issue interesting and engaging to people?

And what about mandatory voting? I would love to see mandatory voting. I think people need to take responsibility for the moral choices their governments makes, especially those contained in that most morally expressive of documents, The Budget of The Unites States.

I have questions. You have answers. Let's hear them.

DCP blogger dwahzon introduced me to a blog called, The Fourth Rail. Here is DW's take on it:

Please check out Bill Roggio's The Fourth Rail. He's former military and a reporter who's done 2 rounds of embed, 1st in Iraq in 2005 and then in Afghanistan in 2006. His reporting on what’s going on in Afghanistan and Pakistan is unlike anything you’ve seen or heard or read in mainstream media. He's very nicely summarized many of his postings in this entry called "The Fall of Waziristan". After his (somewhat lengthy) intro, he links to his series of posts on the Taliban takeover of Waziristan, each with a short synopsis, including his remarkable posts, Talibanistan: The Establishment of the Islamic Emirate of Waziristan and The Islamic Emirate of Waziristan and Greater Talibanistan. The foreign policy and military significance of this information is incredible and he started raising flags in January of this year and kept on doing so.

The detail and background information I've seen on this blog is altogether MIA in the corporate media.

This is why Americans are "surprised" when something happens overseas that finally breaks through the threshold of ignorance. The info was there all along -- the clues that something was going on -- but very few were paying attention.

Of course, it's hard to pay attention when news corporation have slashed foreign bureau operations to maximize profits and minimize actual news. But the real news is, in fact, out there. It's just not likely to be found on the "news" outlets. It's on the blogs. And when we find good sources of information, such as Bill Roggio's blog, we want to pass them along to you so you can pass them along and we can breakthrough what DW has aptly labelled, The Threshold of Ignorance.

As many of you know, I am an actor and core member of the Medea Project - Theater for Incarcerated Women. As the name says, our work is primarily about and for women in jail. We have been proceeding with rehearsals the last three months. Part of the rehearsal process is to bring information to the women to share and become part of the discussion about the new show we're producing.

This show, based on Nigerian author Amos Tutuola's "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts", talks about, among other things--disappearing, invisibility, and the ramifications of war and oppression.

Dick's article yesterday had me so incensed I rushed off a copy on the printer and brought it to rehearsal last night, and had the women on the inside read it aloud.

The realizations inside incited flames of thought. They attested to the fact that government-provided MEDICAL DOES NOT COMPARE with privately-owned HMOs--particularly in the manner of treatment. One woman said the difference in a few short years for her mother's health care under an HMO versus MEDICAL was startling.

A post-operative stay under an HMO allows a person the ability to recuperate for days, weeks even. A post-operative stay under MEDICAL means you get kicked out sooner than intended, and in this case to the detriment of her mother's health.

Its not hard to see the meanness and recalcitrance of the privileged in this country nowadays, and in the callous ways this sense of entitlement makes the poor invisible. And demonized.

Watching and listening to this group of women read, with incredulousness, the description of the VIP physical that Dick wrote about was one thing. Their questions about who is rich now, who is poor now and what it is to be middle class in America now were heartbreaking.

This is a sad reminder of the ghost of a safety net this country once had for its most vulnerable. Dick is right. This is our snapshot of Bush's America. And some ARE more equal than others.

We have known about this for years. But this government doesn't give a damn if you know about it, if you're mad about it, or whether you live or die because of it.

What a wonderful outpouring of love and affection for Ann Richards in the previous post. Whenever someone starts into the "all politicians are scum" routine, just remember how deeply a really good politician can touch peoples' hearts.

And speaking of hearts, and other bodily organs, sometimes an ad can say more about the state of the world than the most eloquent editorial.

Take today's Washington Post, on page A13 of the print version, which is dominated by a 5-column, 3/4ths page ad with the enticing headline:

"Is it decadent to offer a VIP physical? Not if it actually makes you get a physical."

For the ever-expanding number of Americans with no health insurance, there's not going to be any physical at all, much less a VIP physical.

So what do you get for your $3,500 VIP physical at Virginia Hospital Center?

We'll start you off in a private VIP lounge, with telephone, television and internet access, newspapers and magazines, and a full day's supply of peace and quiet as needed. Meals will be made to order. Snacks available as you need them. We can even arrange for a soothing massage--any style. (What about a Bloomberg ticker to keep up with the market--is this a real VIP physical or a cheap-o knockoff?)

Wow, that sounds exactly like the set up for my last physical--how about you?

And for those of you who are so important that the simple fact that you were even thinking about your health might shake the foundations of the stock market:

For the sake of your privacy, arrival by special entrance can be arranged. You can even be brought here by private town car if you wish.

(I have to say that I think the ad guy lost his composure in this last graph: of course your VIP would be arriving in a town car--what idiot VIP drives his (or her) own car.)

Well slap me upside the head and call me Bubba, but if you want a reminder of just how fast inequality in America is growing, think about yourself, getting a hot stone massage while a staffer pops grapes into your mouth, while your "personal escort [who] will deftly move you through the hospital halls" hovers in the wings, waiting to take you to your next specialist. Your insurance doesn't pay for this kind of service? And your stock options don't vest until next year? Damn. Get used to it. This is George Bush's America.

One of the joys of working in politics is that sometimes you are lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time when something very special happens.

So it was that I found myself standing high in the sweaty, steamy rafters of the convention center in Atlanta in 1988 when Ann Richards delivered her immortal line about George H.W. Bush being born with a "silver foot in his mouth". The line's still funny today, but nothing like how it felt to hear it the first time in her droll, laconic Texas-inflected story-teller voice. You hear people talk about "bringing the house down"; well in this case, it's lucky the laughter didn't blow the roof off the place.

Her loss to George W. Bush was an incomprehensible outrage, at least for those of us outside Texas who just assumed that no one with her gifts could succumb to such an obviously inferior candidate; another one of those bitter lessons in politics about never underestimating the most improbable of opponents.

But look at what she did do, first to get to the place where she could win the governor's office in Texas, and how much good she accomplished as governor. Here's an excerpt from an appreciation in the New York Times, which shows her blasting through one barrier to women in politics after another until she made it to the governorship, where she then used her power to bring thousands of formerly unempowered citizens into positions of power themselves within the state government.

Dorothy Ann Willis was born Sept. 1, 1933, in Lakeview, Tex. She graduated in 1950 from Waco High school, where she showed a special facility for debate and met her future husband, In her junior year, she attended the Girl’s State mock government program in Austin and was one of two delegates chosen to attend Girl’s Nation in Washington.

Ms. Richards went on to enroll at Baylor University in Waco on a debate scholarship. After graduating, she and Mr. Richards moved to Austin, where she earned a teaching certificate at the University of Texas in 1955 and taught social studies for several years at Fulmore Middle School....

As a young woman, Ann Richards volunteered in several gubernatorial campaigns, in 1958 for Henry Gonzalez and in 1952, 1954 and 1956 for Ralph Yarborough. She then helped Yarborough’s senatorial campaign in 1957.

In the early 1960’s, she and a handful of other young Democrats founded North Dallas Democratic Women in an effort to give more power to women in the party. “The regular Democratic Party and its organization was run by men who looked on women as little more than machine parts,” she said later.

In 1972, she ran her first campaign, helping elect to the Texas Legislature Sarah Weddington, who had successfully argued Roe v. Wade before the United States Supreme Court.

In 1976, Ms. Richards defeated a three-term incumbent to become a commissioner in Travis County, which includes Austin. She held the job for four years. She also began drinking heavily, becoming alcoholic and putting great strain on her marriage, she said later. It ended in divorce. After going into rehabilitation, she stopped drinking in 1980 and later said that the decision to seek help had saved her life and salvaged her political career.

“I have seen the very bottom of life,” she said. “I was so afraid I wouldn’t be funny anymore. I just knew that I would lose my zaniness and my sense of humor. But I didn’t. Recovery turned out to be a wonderful thing.”

In 1982, she ran for state treasurer and received the most votes of any statewide candidate, becoming the first woman elected to statewide office in Texas in 50 years. She was re-elected in 1986.

In 1990, when Gov. William P. Clements Jr., the first Republican governor of Texas since Reconstruction, decided not to run for re-election, Ms. Richards challenged a former Democratic governor, Mark White, in a primary and won. She went on to defeat the Republican candidate, Clayton Williams, a wealthy rancher, in the general election after a brutal campaign.

As governor, among other achievements, she fulfilled her campaign promise to bring more blacks, Hispanics and women into public office. She appointed the first black regent to the University of Texas and installed the first blacks and women on the state’s legendary police force, the Texas Rangers. She also pushed for harsher penalties for polluters and gained control of the state’s insurance board in a drive to reduce the industry’s influence over state government.

Ms. Richards oversaw an expansion of the state’s prison system, increasing the space for prisoners by a third, and cracked down on the number of prisoners being paroled. She also instituted a major substance abuse program for prisoners. And she championed the creation of the Texas lottery as a source of public school financing. She bought the first scratch-off ticket herself on May 29, 1992.

The same year, she was named chairwoman of the Democratic National Convention, which went on to nominate Bill Clinton for the first time....

Molly Ivins, a long-time friend of Ann Richards and a writer whose Texas wit is at least on a par with Richards, offers her thoughts about Richards. See especially the comment about all the whores in El Paso flushing their toilets.

Last week, we began a discussion about creating your own talking points. Carol helpfully posted a link and information to part of the Campaign for America's Future literature on this.

This morning I open my e-mail and find that Democray For America is offering night school with no less than George Lakoff, author of the book on framing political speech, "Don't Think of An Elephant". Dr. Lakoff will be teaching online with DFA-Link on Tuesday, September 19, 2006.

As some of you know, I had the pleasure of meeting Professor Lakoff last year. He is one of the most interesting people I have ever met, and I am sure going to night school with him as our teacher, is an extraordinary opportunity for us all.

Here's the link for information on how to sign up for DFA-Link and register for the class.

From the registration site (which you can't get to until you sign up):

The workshop will start at 8:30pm Eastern Time and continue for approximately one hour. It will consist of a conference call with an accompanying downloadable slideshow which you can save to your computer in advance.

You are not required to be online during the presentation, you simply need to dial into the conference call with a regular phone. The call-in number will be sent to you before the event, as long as you have RSVPed.

Here's the e-mail information I got:

With less than 8 weeks to go until November 7, it's time to put the final touches on your campaign plans. Whether you are a part-time volunteer, a first time candidate, or managing a swing congressional race -- Democracy for America's Night School can help you win. And... it's free!

Night School is an interactive lesson that couples an on-line presentation with a conference call that puts you in touch with expert instructors. The first class of the fall semester of Night School is on framing with Professor George Lakoff next Tuesday, September 19 at 8:30 p.m. Eastern. Sign up for next week's lesson now

This is part of the fall semester program, so while you are at the site, check out the other classes offered. It's a great opportunity for anyone who wants to increase their skills as an activist at any level. And it's FREE (the magic word!).

And now to the disclaimer: DFA is a PAC. As such, the DCP does not endorse, nor necessarily share the views of the organization. We are agnostic on the subject. The reason we have posted this is that many people here are working on campaigns, or will be, and have asked for this information. Also, this is what we do. We seek to bring the classroom to you, and to help all of us find ways to increase our political skill set to use however we may wish.

I am signing up right now.

Ahh..the campaign season. Funny how a few short years of memory lapse can create such marvelous moments:

For example, there's the resurrection of a classic idea of American diversity and inclusion.

There's lovely comments on immigration and fashion.

There's recognition of labor, here and elsewhere.

There's the enthusiasm of the crowds.

And of course, there's dedicated supporters and volunteers.

Its the fall election season, and campaigns are out motivating the "base".

Anyone want to venture what common denominator is the rallying cry for these individuals?

And who can forget who gets the rough end of the business in the process?

Today looks to be gloomy and chilly in our nation's capitol and that works just fine.

Despite the beauty of the Camp Democracy location, with stunning views of both the Capitol and the Washington Monument, we cannot help but be reminded, throughout each day, of the outrages being committed at both ends of the Mall. I often feel squeezed and anxious, choked between splendor and the dream of justice, and the harshest of realities: the knowledge that nothing seems to work.

The past week has been an ongoing unfolding of where we are as peace and justice activists, and the view is sobering. We have had moments of tremendous inspiration and purpose (the press event yesterday morning with the young Iraq vets was deeply moving, mostly because truth to power seems to choke a lot of us up), and moments of shaking our heads, wondering how we can ever get to a place where speaking truth to power will affect more than those few actually speaking.

Greetings from Camp Democracy's main tent on the Mall in Washington, DC, 4 blocks down from the west front of the Capitol. This morning got off with a bang-up press conference featuring four Iraqi vets and one of their supporters were arrested at the Pentagon yesterday. Their crime? They went over to see the new 9/11 memorial at the Pentagon. In a chapel, they found Gideon New Testaments bound in camouflage, and a DVD on how to live in the military as a Christian. The vets were carrying a one page document on the health impact from the radioactive depleted uranium weapons which the U.S. is using in Iraq.

(Depleted uranium is a waste product from the production of uranium for nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons. The material is the densest naturally occurring mineral, a property which makes it the best available material for penetrating armor. A depleted uranium shell fired into a tank cuts through the armor and explodes inside the tank, with the uranium vaporizing and bursting into flame. Untold numbers of American troops and Iraqi civilians are being exposed to the resulting radioactive dust. The U.S. claims that depleted uranium is not dangerous. There are numerous reports from Iraq that areas heavily contaminated with depleted uranium also have much higher levels of unusual birth defects. And many Iraqi veterans suffering from a variety of ailments suspect that depleted uranium is responsible for many of their symptoms.

Officials at the Pentagon arrested the vets after they put some of this depleted uranium document next to the religious literature. At the press conference this morning, the arrested vets attacked their arrests as an attack on their 1st amendment rights, and promised to mount a strong attack on their arrests.

Yesterday's arrests were another sign of the military's efforts to prevent opponents of the war from distributing information at military installations that challenge the war on Iraq. Ann Wright, one of only three State Department officials who resigned in protest over the start of the Iraq War, spoke about her experience earlier this summer at Fort McNair, where she left some postcards about the movie "Sir, No Sir". She was detained, shackled to a chair, and then several weeks later got a letter from the commanding officer of Fort Myer and Fort McNair telling her she was banned from both bases for a year. She appealed this decision, and just got a letter rejecting her appeal last week.

For more information on Camp Democracy and the schedule of events and speakers over the next two weeks, go to the Camp Democracy web site.

My first reaction to this story was shock.

(hattip to Kos Diarist, A Peaceful Warrior)

From Palast's website ( which is scatty at the moment due to high traffic):

Yes, the rumor's true. Greg Palast is facing a criminal complaint from the Department of Homeland Security stemming from his filming the Hurricane Katrina investigation for Link TV and Democracy Now. The film's producer, Matt Pascarella, is also facing the legal wrath of Big Brother.

It appears the complaint is about filming a sensitive national security site owned by Exxon petroleum. It seems that photographing major Bush donors is now a federal offense.

Reached at an undisclosed location, Palast says, "Let's not get over-excited. They haven't measured us for our orange suits yet."

During questioning by Homeland Security, Palast asked, "Hey, aren't you supposed to be looking for Osama? Or for guys with exploding shoes? ... We're journalists." At Palast's request, Homeland Security confirmed that Louisiana is, indeed, still part of the USA but did not respond when asked if the First Amendment applies there.

It seems that Homeland Security, in its infinite wisdom, has determined that Greg Palast is a bigger terrorist threat than, say, Osama bin Laden. Hence, they are pursuing a criminal investigation and charges against Palast, and not pursing 9-11 related charges against Osama, either through the CIA or the Justice Department.

In another reporter harassment and intimidation story (hattip to John Aravosis):

Two CNET News.com reporters' personal telephone records were accessed by a contractor hired by Hewlett-Packard to uncover the source of boardroom leaks to the media, according to the California attorney general's office.

[...]

Kawamoto and Krazit co-wrote a Jan. 23 article outlining a private, long-term strategy session held by HP's board of directors. The article, which quoted an unnamed source at length, prompted HP chairman Patricia Dunn to authorize an investigation into HP's board to determine the identity of the story's source.

Kawamoto and Krazit were apparently not the only reporters targeted by HP's investigators. The personal phone records of nine journalists, including a reporter from The Wall Street Journal, were accessed, HP spokesman Mike Moeller said late Thursday afternoon. He declined to comment on the timeframe over which the incidents took place or any of the organizations other than the Journal and CNET News.com.

The Journal reported on its Web site that reporter Pui-Wing Tam was targeted. Among other HP stories, Tam wrote in January 2005 about the board's unhappiness with ex-CEO Carly Fiorina. A reporter for The New York Times, John Markoff, also was a pretexting target in 2005, the Times said.

This is part of the effect of members of government holding themselves above the law. This is what happens when there is no public accountability. Corporations think they, too, are above the law. Every parent knows that the real worry of parenting is that your kids watch everything you do. And then repeat it. For better or worse, the government functions to some extent the same way. They lead, people follow. If they lead with criminal acts, then the people begin to wonder why they should obey the law.

Reporters who have written stories critical of the White House, or Hewlett-Packard being singled out for harassment is only the latest development in this disturbing pattern.

As I said, my first response to these stories was shock.

My second thought was, "Well, it was just a matter of time."

And sadly, wasn't it?

UPDATE: Here's how reporters who are friendly with the administration get treated (hint: think Armstrong Williams)hattip Josh Marshall:

At least 10 Florida journalists received regular payments from a U.S. government program aimed at undermining the Cuban government of Fidel Castro, The Miami Herald reported on Friday.

Total payments since 2001 ranged from $1,550 to $174,753 per journalist, according to the newspaper, which said it found no instance in which those involved had disclosed that they were being paid by the U.S. Office of Cuba Broadcasting.

Nice.

[Editor's Note: Greg Palast is author of the several dangerous tomes, such as, The Best Democracy Money Can Buy and Armed Madhouse]

Photo courtesy of Warner Brothers films

There's an Orwellian flourish to this week, with ABC network's apparently steadfast refusal to pull the docu-drama "Path to 9-11" from this weekend's TV lineup. The blogosphere is very well lit up with calls for activism to pull this show off the air. Former President Clinton has joined the fray.

With the week's buzz rising to a crescendo, I suggest we all check out Steven D's excellent diary, All Karl Rove's Gloves Are Off Now at Daily Kos.

...the most dangerous instrument in Rove's arsenal of deceits comes from the subversion of a major multinational media company, The Disney Corporation, to do his bidding.

...this corruption of the public airwaves by Mr. Rove and the Disney Corporation is further evidence, that our Republic has embarked even further on that very dangerous path which leads to a totalitarianism...

Its almost laughable to says that its just midterms, and the battle for media presence is on for the parties--business as usual. In this case, though I think we need to stay alert to this EXCEPTION.

This is one of the most important, volatile and harrowing iconic experiences in our country's history, and its being re-worked to become a lie. Again, from the diary (excerpted):

However, in the case of Disney and ABC, for the first time we have a major media company (other than Fox), and one of the Big 3 Networks, directly lying to the American public in Prime Time...It is no longer merely a case of sinning by omission. With this broadcast, ABC not only marches down the same path that Fox News has trod so many times before, it leap frog's over its sister in crime. A notably giant leap toward the complete and utter control of all major American media by a single political faction. One which, if followed to its logical endpoint, can only result in a totalitarian regime in Washington, D.C. in place of the democracy we once knew and cherished.

I am reminded of this exchange between Evey and V in "V for Vendetta":

Evey: My father was a writer. You would've liked him. He used to say that artists use lies to tell the truth while politicians use them to cover it up.
V: A man after my own heart.

Let us know what you think.

I've been living in Washington, DC for 21 years. As a lover of all things outdoors, I started driving out into “the country” as soon as I got here. But in the last few years, I've noticed that I've had to drive further and further in any direction to escape the scourge of McMansions sprouting like mushrooms from the fields and forests I used to drive past. I'm not making that much more money, but somebody is buying up all these faux chateaux with their stripped- bare landscapes and their multi-car garages.

Now the Census Department tells us that people really have been getting richer in the suburbs around DC.

And where is the money coming from? Can you say “homeland security” and “Iraq”? Bush and the Congress have signed off on billions of dollars in new spending since September 11, 2001, and are piling hundreds of billions of more on top of that for the Iraq war.

Here are some of the statistics:

--Loudoun County,Virginia, is now the wealthiest jurisdiction in the United States, with a media household income of more than $98,000.

--Fairfax County, VA, and Howard County, MD, follow Loudoun in the list of highest incomes

--The Washington region has the 2nd highest income of any metro area in the country (only San Jose ranks higher)

--And the region also has the least poverty of any metro area in the country.

The Census Department also released figures which confirm claims by other economic analysts that the gap between the rich and the poor continues to widen, despite other economic indicators that show that the economy is doing relatively well, as long as you don't look at income distribution.

During the height of the dot.com boom, "go west young man/woman" was good advice. But Bush has reversed the flow. As long as the war grinds on and politicians are content to just throw money at “terrorism” with no strategic goals, “go East young man/woman” is good advice indeed.

[Marie Antoinette, 1783]

Last month, in one of the more laughable attempts at plutocracy-in-action by the 109th Congress, the same Congress that voted itself a pay raise this year, the House majority presented their minimum wage increase bill attached with cuts to the estate tax.

The wage increase was to address nine long years of the minimum wage standard remaining static at $5.15/hour. The bill would increase wages to $7.25/hour phased over a period of three years, affecting over 6.6 million American workers trying to keep up with energy prices, the cost of living and healthcare.

The estate tax (aka Paris Hilton tax) break would cost the treasury $350 to $750 billion in lost tax revenue over ten years and would benefit just over 8,000 individuals representing America's wealthiest families. Ostensibly, the tax cut would bring the estate tax down from 55% to 15% for estates worth $10 million to $25 million, and for those estates larger that $25 million, from 55% to 30%.

This also means that 900 of the wealthiest Americans whose estates are worth more than $25 million will see a benefit of $5.6 million in return.

The Bill, HR 5970, failed in the Senate by vote of 56-42.

Gerald W. McEntee, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), said, "This was a transparent attempt to dangle a minimum-wage increase for families struggling to make ends meet to secure yet another Texas-size tax handout for the wealthiest."

Not content to let this defeat slide, the Senate majority plans to bring the minimum wage issue back to the floor after the Labor Day Weekend--hopefully, giving American workers most in need of bread a wage break to survive in this day and age.

There are growing numbers of cities and states that want to move the issue forward. I hope that if Congress decides to move forward on this issue in the remaining weeks it has left before the midterms, that they do it while NOT while dolefully licking the cake frosting off their gloved hands.

Do you think its possible?

Whenever anyone talks about the economy, I offer my brief history:

When Mr. Bush was selected in 2001, Linda was still able to work as a respiratory therapist and I finally got my AAS at age 44. We were middle class.

Fast forward to December, 2003 when Linda had to retire because she could no longer work an eight-hour day without supplemental oxygen. Ironic because she was a respiratory therapist doing tests on other folks yet she was the one who was now oxygen dependant. But now, Linda left the hospital where she had worked for over 23 years to assume the role of survivor. I was just over two years out of college but at least we could still pay the bills.

When Linda retired, we knew that Mr. Bush would starve us for six months of zero income before Linda could collect SSDI – Social Security Disability Insurance – the same insurance she had paid into for over 23 years. We struggled; we wound up charging our weekly groceries and medicines on our credit cards. We had no choice but to max out the balances. Finally, the SSDI checks started in but they were less than half of Linda’s old salary. So we struggled as most of us do but we made it.

In January, 2005 I was working for one of the three biggest law firms in Albuquerque. Suddenly, two of the attorneys leave New Mexico and I was the odd man out. I am now stuck with limited unemployment and no health insurance except COBRA. My only viable option at that time was to take a higher–paying but ueber-stressful job at a call center. At least I had health insurance until the spring of 2006 when the stress of the sales job started causing health problems for me and I had to the jettison that highlife.

I was fortunate enough to be offered a job working with the State of New Mexico TANF Program (welfare). I learned that there are countless folks who work in state government who have a real and aggressive desire to help the under privileged of this country. The pay was under $10/hour and Linda and I had to start charging medicine and our weekly groceries again. Unfortunately, the New Mexico Department of Labor was not chosen to continue this contract and again I again was left as the odd man out.

Luckily, in 1999 I was mentored by a tax litigation attorney with over 25 years experience in the Internal Revenue Service. She called me and I am now back working with her. Linda and I can now pay our bills – Linda refuses to tell me if we are in the red or the black.

The bottom line is that at age 50, I have no healthcare and Linda is on Medicare/Medicaid. We are not alone: 46 million Americans don’t have healthcare. I have to push my hybrid Toyota hybrid to 52 mpg so I spend about $35/month in fuel and I, like most Americans, are just trying to make ends meet. With Linda’s disability, we have not had a vacation in 4 years. We don’t give each other presents at Christmas anymore. And America no longer has what used to be a middle class.

What about you? How has the last six years impacted your wallet?

Happy Labor Day America and God Bless the Workin’ Man/Woman ! We are the Backbone of America ! High time we start to take our country back to rebuild the middle class.

Surprise, surprise...There's been a MAJOR ARREST of an Al Qaida member just in time for the kick off of the 2006 election season!

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq's national security adviser on Sunday announced the arrest of the second most senior figure in al-Qaida in Iraq.

Hamed Jumaa Farid al-Saeedi, known as Abu Humam or Abu Rana, was arrested a few days ago, Mouwaffak al-Rubaie said.

"We believe that al-Qaida in Iraq suffers from a serious leadership crisis. Our troops have dealt fatal and painful blows to this organization," he said.

Wow, can you imagine how many Al-Qaida number two men we could catch if we had election in the US, say every sixty days? Dozens, I'm sure.

Can some enterprising reporter ask President Bush this question for me: Now that we've hopelessly crippled Al Qaida over there, so they can't follow us back here, even though they were never there in the first place to even follow us here, can we declare victory and leave?

[Editor's Note: If you haven't visited the thread below and added your thoughts and ideas, please do so. Thanks.]

Great thread yesterday, everyone. Thanks. Good strategic thinking and great points were made by many.

And then the little surprise...

Thinkmuch63's mini-highjacking of the thread pointed out just how varied our political backgrounds are. Interestingly, and not surprisingly, we are not the fringe. Not even CLOSE to the fringe. As it turns out, most here (not DiAnne, of course) have voted Republican at least once, if not several times in our lifetimes.

It also is clear that what people here seek is good government, and good governace. A government where all three branches truly work as checks and balances and serve to protect the American people from the abuses at the hands of one party rule. And that means either party. Any party.

I picked the strategy discussion to have for a reason. As Labor Day comes and goes, we will see an intense ramping up of campaign rhetoric, with all its attendent misdirection and vitriolic spew.

How will you respond? I ask this, because how you respond is essentially, the strategy.

In the past, we have all had discussions with people we disagree with politically. Some end up in shouting matches, some end up being banned from further discussion at the dinner table (my sister's house), and some just end with headaches all around.

So this political season, for something a bit different, let's think ahead to what we will say to the people around us when the topic of elections or politics or Iraq comes up for discussion. I think this shows more promise for changing minds and hearts, than letting emotions take over discourse.

I would like to use this virtual blackboard space for working on responses to some of the stock issue arguments out there.

This is a non-partisan exercise, so if someone comes here and post that you support America being in Iraq, I expect that to be treated with respect. You may not get much help in supporting that position, but you will be treated with respect (and likely more than a few questions!)

My idea would be to take different issues, Iraq, Education, Stem Cell Research, Corruption, etc. and pare down the response of how we want to talk to others about them.

The idea here is that the citizenry is the best proponent for democracy. Engaging people that you meet in a meaningful, non-combative way, to get them to think about the political choices they are making, or in some case are abidicating to others, in a different light is a powerful thing to do.

But what I propose is one step further. What if all of you used this space to work on specific language--your own talking points--for issues, used them in the field, and then reported back here about how they worked?

Waddya think? Anyone up for it?

It's moving from BE THE MEDIA, to BE THE CAMPAIGN.

Let's hear what you think about this. Don't be shy.

It seems that the Republican Party has decided to try out a new set of talking points this week, in advance of Congress coming back next week into session. They go something like this:

1. The War in Iraq just exactly like World War II.

2. We're fighting the 21st century version of Nazis.

3. Anyone who doesn't agree with the Republicans is either a Nazi sympathizer, or a cowardly appeaser.

Here at the DCP, we are non-partisan. To that end, I bring this subject up as a discussion point about political strategy. If you were head of strategy for the Democrats, how would you respond to this new line of attack?

Try to think in terms of what specific languaging you would use, who you would send out to deliver the message, how would you carry your plan into Congress next week, and what would you strategy accomplish, and how would you proceed as the next step in your strategy, should it be successful, and, in the alternate, what do you do if your strategy is unsuccessful

This is a good exercise for us all to do and comment on one another's ideas. Let's try to stay on point and on topic, and if you are posting an article, please post the link at the end of your participatory comment.

Thanks.