http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/group_rss/CivicSatisfactionorg At the heart of all the issues we care about are the leaders we elected and the elections themselves. Everyone complains about who got elected and the elections. Civic Satisfaction works on solutions. Our first project aims to get more people more involved with whatever issues they care about. CivicSatisfaction.org lists all the political meetings, events and such. So far we only list metro-Denver, and dreaming large. So, send all your events and help us become the centeral listing for politics and activism. And send ideas and blogs on election and campaign reform. At least send gripes to be worked on. The police state has arrived, at least temporarily, in America curtesy of St. Paul and how city, state and federal law enforcement agencies conspired to shut down any and all protests before the Republican National Convention.  As I checked USAToday and Firedoglake.com I have come up with a rough estimate of over 700 protesters being arrested with a significant number being charged with felonies. As I noted before that Amy Goodman was arrested, along with her two producers, and that the police and intelligence organs planted informants into protest groups.  What I did not mention is that not only were those spies in protest groups to gather information but I would bet that they were provocateurs within those groups due to a resurrected cointelpro. In reading this post by the excellent reportage of Lindsay Beyerstein, Firedoglake.com, I caught this at the very end her report: The RNC took out a $10 million insurance policy to pay off police brutality settlements. This is the first time party host committee agreed to take out such a policy. Remember the 2004 RNC in New York City resulted in 1,800 people were arrested as reported by USAToday.  The resulting lawsuits had the city of New York pay out of it's own budget as they reached settlements.  At what point will it be too costly for political parties to hold national conventions if they have to have an insurance policy for the actions of the host city's police force?   http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CZGt http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CZGt/commentary#comments Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:32:41 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CZGt Ken Ken 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZGt/ It is time to call McCain a traitor.  Why? Because McCain has stated that he has a " plan " to capture/kill OBL.  If that is so then why wait?  Americans are being killed in Iraq and Afghanistan right now.  What moral reason does he have in not telling Mr. Bush his "plan"? Call our elected representatives and demand that McCain give his "plan" to Mr. Bush and not wait for an election. Let the local media know about this despicable tactic of McCain to let our soldiers die while he plays politics with his "plan to get OBL".   http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq73 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq73/commentary#comments Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:18:04 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq73 Ken Ken 3 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/Cq73/ This is just like the fringe thinking Republicans to view the assassination attempt by neo-Nazis to be something less than serious.  Dave Neiwert, Firedoglake.com, writes : Note the language used by Eid in dismissing the gravity of the case: the case isn't serious because they were " more aspirational, perhaps, than operational "? Well, when it was the Liberty Seven -- black Muslim men who were described by the FBI as "aspirational rather than operational" -- there was no hesitation by the Justice Department in bringing charges. Another funny thing: When a black man in prison sent a threatening letter containing baby powder to John McCain, Troy Eid brought down the full force of the law, complete with press conferences and public declarations that "We won't stand for threats of this kind in Colorado." But when it’s a claque of white men with rifles, disguises, and all the accoutrement of a conspiracy – as well as open admissions to it – Troy Eid isn’t worried. After all, they just a bunch of harmless, tweakers, right? … Just like little Timmy McVeigh . But then, when you’re a Karl Rove operative promoted to deliver justice the Republican way, as Troy Eid is, that’s the way the scales fall. As Marcy reported at the time , Eid in fact nearly didn't get the Colorado job because of concerns about "improper lobbying." His failure to take this matter seriously is itself a serious matter. When law-enforcement officials let this stuff slip by, they send a dangerous message to other would-be plotters out there. And next time, they may in fact be more competent. Maybe it is time for our state officials, like Gov. Ritter, and federal elected officials, like Senator Salazar, to speak up about the serious nature of people who want to assassinate politicians. http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq7K http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq7K/commentary#comments Wed, 03 Sep 2008 20:15:09 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq7K Ken Ken 2 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/Cq7K/ Washington Times reporter Ralph Z. Hallow writes : Mr. Paul has refused to endorse Mr. McCain, and Mr. McCain's operatives have refused to let him address the Republican National Convention. As a result, Mr. Paul decided to hold a rally of his own Tuesday billed as the "Campaign for Liberty." Initially set to be held at the University of Minnesota's 11,000-seat Williams Arena, it has been moved to the far-larger Target Center in Minneapolis. Mr. Paul said in an interview that he expects to attract up to 18,000 people. Meanwhile, Ted Goddard, Political Wire, writes : McCain Attracts Biggest Crowd Yet Jonathan Martin notes that Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin drew a crowd of 17,000 to his rally in Missouri. What does this tell you something about McCain and Ron Paul?        http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq7q http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq7q/commentary#comments Tue, 02 Sep 2008 12:06:37 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq7q Ken Ken 1 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/Cq7q/ Even well known reporters face arrest like Amy Goodman, DemocracyNow! anchor, while covering the RNC.  This report by Sanden Totten writes : One crew in the midst of it was the group from the show Democracy Now! Details are still sketchy, but it's been confirmed that the crew, along with the show's politically outspoken host, Amy Goodman, have been detained. The stated reason seems to be the recent police favorite "probable cause for riot." Intimidation by political/police organizations is nothing new around the world.  But what is new is the willingness of our own police to arrest journalists in order to only have an "official" view of events is dangerous to having an informed citizenry.  Will the corporate media follow this story? http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq7t http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq7t/commentary#comments Tue, 02 Sep 2008 09:14:44 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq7t Ken Ken 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/Cq7t/ J. Edgar "No Left Turns" Hoover must be smiling.  If you thought the response was bad for the DNC then this is much worse via Glenn Greenwald writes : Sunday Aug. 31, 2008 11:46 EDTFederal government involved in raids on protesters (update below) As the police attacks on protesters in Minnesota continue -- see this video of the police swarming a bus transporting members of Earth Justice, seizing the bus and leaving the group members stranded on the side of the highway -- it appears increasingly clear that it is the Federal Government that is directing this intimidation campaign. Minnesota Public Radio reported yesterday that "the searches were led by the Ramsey County Sheriff's office. Deputies coordinated searches with the Minneapolis and St. Paul police departments and the Federal Bureau of Investigation ." Today's Star Tribune added that the raids were specifically "aided by informants planted in protest groups." Back in May, Marcy Wheeler presciently noted that the Minneapolis Joint Terrorist Task Force -- an inter-agency group of federal, state and local law enforcement led by the FBI -- was actively recruiting Minneapolis residents to serve as plants, to infiltrate "vegan groups" and other left-wing activist groups and report back to the Task Force about what they were doing. There seems to be little doubt that it was this domestic spying by the Federal Government that led to the excessive and truly despicable home assaults by the police yesterday.... I could not agree more with Glenn when he states that "we cherish our 'freedoms'" but despise those who exercise those "freedoms" like  the right to peacable assemble.     http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq7p http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq7p/commentary#comments Sun, 31 Aug 2008 14:18:47 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq7p Ken Ken 1 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/Cq7p/ Is this what a Republican in the oval office has come to? Matt, Thinkprogress.org, writes : On Fox News Sunday this morning, Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol said that President Bush is more likely to attack Iran if he believes Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) is going to be elected. However, “if the president thought John McCain was going to be the next president, he would think it more appropriate to let the next president make that decision than do it on his way out,” Kristol said, reinforcing the fact that McCain is offering a third Bush term on Iran. So it has come down to:  Vote Obama and Bush will bomb Iran.   http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq7J http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq7J/commentary#comments Sat, 30 Aug 2008 11:35:16 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq7J Ken Ken 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/Cq7J/ From AP (h/t to Eschaton): NEW YORK (AP) — Barack Obama's acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention was seen by more than 38 million people. Nielsen Media Research said more people watched Obama speak than watched the Olympics opening ceremony in Beijing, the final "American Idol" or the Academy Awards this year. Obama talked before a live audience of 80,000 people in Denver. http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq7S http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq7S/commentary#comments Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:23:06 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq7S Ken Ken 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/Cq7S/ I usually scan Buzzflash.com once a day, and this little item came up which is a continuation of the assassination plot by four people.  Chris Stephen, News.scotsman.com, writes : THE three men arrested over a reported plot to kill the US Democratic presidential candidate, Barack Obama, have ties to the white supremacist group Aryan Nations, police said last night... All three belong to Aryan Nations, according to Victor Ross, the police chief in Glendale, a suburb of Denver where one of the suspects was arrested. The other two were held in Aurora, another suburb. "We don't usually have that number of Aryan Nations people here,'' Mr Ross said. "It was suspicious to us. We turned everything over to the federal authorities." I completely agree with the comments written to my previous post by Steve and RalphT that U.S. Attorney Troy Eid to resign by downplaying the seriousness of an assassination plot to kill Barack Obama.  In Eid's own words, from the Herald Sun : US Attorney Troy Eid said the men -- who were all high on the drug methamphetamine when arrested -- were not capable of carrying out an assassination. "The law recognises a difference between a true threat -- one that can be carried out -- and the reported racist rantings of a drug addict," Mr Eid said. Their plan was "more aspirational, perhaps, than operational", he said. Remember: Thursday's nomination acceptance takes place on the anniversary of the "I have a dream" speech by Martin Luther King, and King's campaign for racial equality saw him assassinated 40 years ago While many people do not place a huge significance on dates of important events there are fanatics who do.  Tim McVeigh and his ilk do place huge significance on the dates of certain events...like Ruby Ridge and Waco tragedies for their own ideological ends. From the Anti-Defamanation League website about Aryan Nations: Aryan Nations is one of the country's best-known enclaves of anti-Semitism and white nationalism. While founded as a Christian Identity outpost, the organization also incorporates neo-Nazi themes; its founder and longtime leader, Richard Girnt Butler, openly adulates Hitler. I will point out this from the Souther Poverty Law Center's 2006 report on racism and racist activity in the military: Department of Defense investigators estimate thousands of soldiers in the Army alone are involved in extremist or gang activity. "We've got Aryan Nations graffiti in Baghdad," said one investigator. "That's a problem." Southern Poverty Law Center President Richard Cohen urged Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to adopt a zero-tolerance policy regarding racist extremism among members of the U.S. military. McVeigh was a decorated combat veteran from Operation Desert Storm, and afterwards he was also a meth addict.  In interviews, Timothy McVeigh suggested that much of his inspirations stemmed from the racist thinking and the beliefs of the Aryan Nations group.  Meth appears to have been no impediment to carrying out a terrorist attack. But the above referenced report had to appear in a foreign news source not here in America.  What does that say about our nation's press and the willingness of the American people who are blindered and being lead around by the nose?   http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq7G http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq7G/commentary#comments Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:19:52 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq7G Ken Ken 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/Cq7G/ Neo-Nazi organizations like Aryan Nations, Hammerskins, and their fellow travelers like Jim Gilchrist's Minutemen are easily agitated and cheered on by hate spewing shock jocks of radio.  Those organizations their delusional notions of white suppression constitute a clear and present danger in this election. This first example was brought to my attention by Georgia10 writing at Dailykos.com: So the Daily Kos blogging contingent was all set to stay at a certain hotel in Denver. At the last minute --literally, the night before many of us flew out to Denver--we got word that we would be switching hotels. It turned out to be a dump, so yeah, an upgrade was in order. ... Waking up to swat teams is a surefire clue that you're not staying at a five star hotel, that's for sure, and if there was ever a sign to change hotels, a meth bust outside your hotel door is sure to be it... And today, we learn that the meth bust across the hall was just one part of a much larger and more disturbing story : DENVER (CBS4) ―  CBS4 has now learned at least four people are under arrest in connection with a possible plot to kill Barack Obama at his Thursday night acceptance speech in Denver. All are being held on either drug or weapons charges. [...] GregMitch, Dailykos.com, digs deeper and writes : Following up an earlier TV report, NBC in Denver is now reporting, "Sources tell NBC the two men had tattoos and jewelry popular with white supremacists."  It also notes that an unidentified source tells NBC,  "There is no reason for someone [with a criminal record] to have rifles with scopes." My Web research has found a home address for one of the men, Tharin Gartrell, in Lakewood, Co.... Rory O'Connor, Alternet.org, writes about the continuing efforts by the hate jocks of radio to foment violence this year:  Rodriguez says she "would usually shrug this off as idiotic, but it has actually gained traction. This right-wing jerk, whose show is a constant stream of anti-immigrant, racist, and homophobic rhetoric, is leading the charge, even commenting the other day that we need 'bloodshed in the polling places.' Dave Neiwert, Orcinus blog, has written an in depth investigation into eliminationist rhetoric: This is the naked bigotry revealed by both Klein's and Borat's stunts, and it has a particular quality to it -- a theme running through it, as it were: eliminationism. White frat boys who long to enslave blacks, Texas ranchers who think hunting and shooting a Jew sounds like fun, and radio audiences who want to tattoo Muslims and lock them up in concentration camps -- they all reflect the strands of the hard-wired right-wing desire to eliminate, by violent means if necessary, anyone deemed the Other, or the Enemy. What does this mean except that there is homegrown violent organizations from the right have taken hold and have been vigorously supported by the so called shock jocks from the big boys like Micheal Savage to the pip squeaks like Arizona's "Jon Justice" which will lead to murder and assassination attempts against all who are their enemies. We can counter but a major part is to remove their broadcast cheerleaders.  Those cheerleaders for hatred and eliminationist violence should be able to speak but only on their soapbox at a street corner.  The public airwaves should not be a cesspool that will cheerlead on people who are mentally unstable, paranoid, and delusional enough to carry out murder against ethnic and racial groups.       http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq7x http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq7x/commentary#comments Tue, 26 Aug 2008 08:19:01 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq7x Ken Ken 3 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/Cq7x/ I posted a few pics that I took on Sunday at my blog on Open.salon.com It is with Progressive Democrats of America, The Big Tent, and Amnesty International. Enjoy! http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq7g http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq7g/commentary#comments Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:57:29 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq7g Ken Ken 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/Cq7g/ What about "Smokin'" Joe Biden?   I hope he will be the attack dog for Obama because Obama is not gettin the job done on Mc$ame. Warming up by kos Sun Aug 24, 2008 at 06:22:56 PM PDT (Bumped -- kos) The more I read stuff like this (from Stephanopolous on Good Morning America Weekend Sunday), the more comfortable I am with Biden's selection. I have never seen a vice-presidential candidate, in the announcement, come out with THAT KIND of ferocity. Usually, you see it a little bit later in the campaign – not at the announcement. But Joe Biden showed one of the main reasons that Barack Obama picked him. They WANTED a scrapper out there. They WANT a fighter out there. They know Senator Biden will be able to get UNDER Senator McCain’s skin. They’ve known each other for an AWFUL long time – more than 35 years. Digby writes : Biden doesn't make me feel that way. He's a Washington insider, with all that that implies, but at least he hasn't spent his career making the social conservatives' case for them... if Biden can speak the language of the working class Dems (even if his record speaks to the typical beltway fealty to big business) then he is an asset.  However if you want a different perspective on Senator Biden I suggest that you look at what Glenn Greenwald states : The most entrenched establishment spokespeople are cheering the selection of Joe Biden because, in their minds, that selection confirms the most important fact for them: that in this election, the prevailing orthodoxies of our political system won't be meaningfully challenged. Chief Establishment Defender Fred Hiatt cheerfully announced today , also on the Editorial page of The Washington Post , that the Ways of Washington have been vindicated: Mr. Biden may share Mr. Obama's outlook, but with an idealism tempered by years in the trenches. Which points to Mr. Biden's second advantage: experience. Mr. Obama's willingness to reach out to the kind of seasoned insider that he has, at times, derided suggests a heartening recognition that time in Washington can be useful . David Brooks wrote earlier in the week that he hoped Obama chose Biden because it would advance what Brooks conceives of as "the good of the country." The political establishment's overriding preoccupation is that nothing meaningful should change how the political system works, that both parties should continue to embrace the central orthodoxies. Well there you have it!  The change is...facile or do we make the case for real change by demanding it!   http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq4y http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq4y/commentary#comments Sun, 24 Aug 2008 22:44:23 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq4y Ken Ken 2 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/Cq4y/ Why not this "champagne wishes and caviar dreams" to be used against Mc$ame? Would it not behoove Obama's campaign to get Robin "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" Leach to be in a national ad? Also, I would not just use the word "wealthy" to Mrs. Mc$ame but this "super wealthy".  Who can afford to spend $250,000 per year for house servants.   Pound those points all the time:  super wealthy, house servants, and lots of photos of Mc$ame's houses and condos. Anybody in the progressnowaction community up for a video challenge?  Who can make a video of 30 seconds in length about Mc$ame's super wealthy wife, $250,000 year budget for house servants, and Robin Leach's famous tag line "champagne wishes and caviar dreams"?    http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq4s http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq4s/commentary#comments Fri, 22 Aug 2008 09:29:38 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq4s Ken Ken 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/Cq4s/ Now is the time for change but change demands that Obama be strong and stand for the principals that form the bedrock of change that this nation's people desire.  Sure there are many who are against change and the uncertainty that change means to the "old ways".  However, change was never brought about by being meek and merely begging and changing your principals.  The easy way is not the way for a paradigm shift.  The easy way is the way for people to become discouraged about the catalyst of change. Theda Skocpal, from Talkingpointsmemo.com's Cafe, writes : The last month has been excruciating for Obama supporters, watching him and his campaign squander so many hopes and resources on an utterly wimpy campaign. For me, the last straw was yesterday -- in the VFW speech when supposedly Obama was gettting tough against McCain's character assassination strategy -- to watch him speak like a soporific college professor, repeating McCain's charges at length, flattering McCain as honorable and patriotic, and then, finally, sort of begging McCain to take it back! Josh Marshall is totally right to call Obama out on this. What are they thinking in Chicago? Why would they ever imagine that Americans will vote to make President a candidate who evades and begs... Politics is not just about issues, it is a metaphorical test of strength. If a man will not get immediately -- if quietly -- angry and fight back when his patriotism is attacked, why should we trust him to defend the country? And if he won't punch back by explaining clearly why his approach to foreign policy is actually tougher and smarter, why McCain's is thoughtless and reckless, why would we think he is better to be Commander in Chief? And on issues like oil drilling, why not recognize that McCain has adopted an ACTIVE metaphor that makes emotional sense to people? He is saying we should act to tap U.S. resources, and people are not really concerned about how many years it would take to tweak pump prices. They hear action and will and resolve -- and these are highly valued in a President! Obama can certainly get a hearing for other active steps, but he and the Dems should stop pretending that they can parry drilling with logic. This is the reason(s) why there is a seeming lack of enthusiasm and frustration with Obama and the lack of forcefulness in representing true change that America needs from the current direction of endangering America through imperialist hubris and reckless endangerment of the human species through actively trying to increase pollutants to reach the worst case scenario of global warming.   http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq4z http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq4z/commentary#comments Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:13:47 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq4z Ken Ken 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/Cq4z/ There is time to right the ship but  the window is rapidly closing as to how Obama is defined in the public's mind. From John Aravosis, Americablog.com, writes : Joe and I know a lot of people in politics. A lot of them are very smart. They're not the people you hate, the Cokie Roberts' and the Mrs. Greenspan's of the world. They're the kind of people you like and you trust. And those people are now telling us that they fear we're going to lose the election... There is an incredible discontent out there with the way this campaign is being run. The fact that the discontent isn't being recognized, isn't being assuaged, is disturbing. People aren't worried about the election, they're becoming despondent about it. They're not motivated to work twice as hard, they instead feel as if they've had the wind knocked out of them. This is far beyond a healthy skepticism as to whether Obama can win. From Josh Marshall, Talkingpointsmemo.com, writes "The lack of any consistent lines of attack against McCain is becoming palpable." Again, I say it is time for us, we are the agents of change and will continue to be so long after this election, to take charge and lead Obama.  Obama may be the catalyst but we have an obligation to see through this generational change for a better America.      http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq42 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq42/commentary#comments Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:21:09 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq42 Ken Ken 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/Cq42/ From Americablog.com: Join our online chat today at 3pm Eastern with Cong. Diana DeGette of Denver John Aravosis (DC) · 8/19/2008 09:00:00 AM ET · Link 2 Comments · reddit · FARK · Digg It! We'll be discussing Degette's book, "Sex, Science and Stem Cells: Inside the right wing assault on reason." But you're also free to ask her about the convention - she's the host - about her former allegiance to Hillary and now to Obama, or anything else you like. More on her book here. We'll be having the chat with the congresswoman in the comments around 3pm Eastern. http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq4L http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq4L/commentary#comments Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:10:46 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq4L Ken Ken 1 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/Cq4L/ This is essential reading on the myth of "We are all Georgians" by Bush/Cheney and Mc$ame on Dailykos.com by Billmon as he writes about the past, which I wasn't aware of: In early October 1994, as Congress hurried to adjourn for the mid-term elections, something called the "NATO Participation Act" was introduced – in the House by Democrat Sam Gejdenson of Connecticut and Ben Gilman of New York; in the Senate by Alan Simpson of Wyoming and Hank Brown of Colorado (a liberal Democrat, a moderate Republican and two conservative Republicans. In the warped context of our political duopoly, you can’t get much more bipartisan that that.) The measure was quickly attached to a bill authorizing international aid for the war on drugs, unanimously passed by both houses on voice votes, and quickly signed into law by President Clinton. There was no floor debate and, as far as I can tell, virtually no press coverage. This completely non-controversial (and indeed, barely noticed) law authorized the US government to immediately begin treating "countries emerging from communist domination" – and, in particular, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia – as de facto allies, even though no formal decision had been made on their applications to the NATO club. This meant the Pentagon could provide them with "surplus" stores and equipment, help upgrade their old Soviet-era military bases, and finance weapons sales under the same lenient terms extended to other US allies. It also authorized the stationing of US "trainers" (read: military advisors) on their home soil. The only thread left hanging was how the US would respond in the unlikely eventuality that our new unofficial allies were attacked. This is what Mc$ame said , on CBSnews.com, August 12: McCain told more than 2,000 voters in York that he spoke Tuesday morning with Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili to make sure he knows "that the thoughts, prayers and support of the American people are with that great little nation as it struggles today" for independence. "I told him that I know I speak for every American when I said to him, today, we are all Georgians," McCain said to loud applause. He said Saakashvili asked him to express his thanks to Americans.  But rather than give a critical eye to what Mc$ame was doing this is what Billmon wonders: But I have to admit, even I was startled when the semi-official media (Washington Post, NY Times, AP, etc.) began referring to Georgia as a staunch US "ally" . Are we going backwards in time to the knowable of...wanting a new "Cold" war in which there is a "proven" enemy to win money for the military-industrial complex? Since Mc$ame wants it because he is old and that is what is familiar to his generation. But as we step into a new world for the next generation is that what will be bequeathed to us by the remnants of the old guard?  http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq43 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq43/commentary#comments Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:37:28 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq43 Ken Ken 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/Cq43/ It is time to kick John McCain's *ss because the negative campaign ads are defining Obama.  Contrary to what experts say about the effectiveness of Obama's ads, those ads are not doing the job.  I could not agree more with Big Tent Democrat's view at Talkleft.com: [McCain spokeperson] Nicolle Wallace: ""The insinuation from the Obama campaign that John McCain, a former prisoner of war, cheated is outrageous." Sure it's stupid, but stupid works when you don't push back. It may be that Obama is talking at a "higher" plane and really wants to put campaigning at a different and more civilized level, but with Mc$ame's campaign being run by Karl's proteges there is a time and place for nice and for bringing out "a gun to a knife fight". If Obama doesn't like 527s he should understand that 527s will do the "dirty work" if his campaign isn't going to.  This doesn't mean taking the low road which Mc$ame has done but simply to fire back with real numbers rather than, for example, Obama's ad countering with Mc$ame's economic policies.   What should have been done is to state boldly the exact profit numbers of Exxon/Mobil for one quarter then one year with a comparison of gas prices and oil prices.  Finally hitting Mc$ame with giving oil companies even more tax breaks.  One point to make and then repeat it. Same thing with the Iraq/Afghanistan war veterans, the occupation of Iraq, and VA benefits-  hit Mc$ame with his support for the occupation and his denial of support for our veterans and the VA.  One point to make and then repeat it. I find that the ads for Obama are too soft and simply not hitting on the visceral level. Look at Mc$ame's ad strategy:  Leadership vs. "being a" Celebrity.  This strategy is the underpinning for all of his ads.  It is a consistent theme on what ever subject the ad is about.  I see that it is lacking in Obama campaign's ad team strategy.   Finally,  let the Obama campaign take the high road, but in politics, let our team fight with all the irons too.  http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq4K http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq4K/commentary#comments Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:13:30 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq4K Ken Ken 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/Cq4K/ Either we are suckers or Sen. Bayh is an idiot. From Talkingpointsmemo.com (originally from WSJ.com): "I don't remember any meetings, any conversations, any anything," Sen. Bayh said in a telephone interview Tuesday. "Obviously my name was linked to it, but other than that there's nothing that can be said." Greg Sargent writes: Senator Evan Bayh's co-chairing of the neocon Committee for the Liberation of Iraq, along with John McCain and Joe Lieberman, and why that makes him a bad Veep choice for Obama... This is deeply absurd, to put it very charitably. Join the Facebook.com group opposed to Evan Bayh being the choice by Obama.  http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq4r http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq4r/commentary#comments Thu, 14 Aug 2008 22:22:11 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/Cq4r Ken Ken 2 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/Cq4r/ US House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers is calling the membership of the Judiciary Committee back from their Fall recess to investigate Ron Suskind's revelations about the forged letter that falsely said that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. It has been reported that the order to the CIA to have the letter forged came on White House Stationary. On Democracy Now today Conyers said "The 110th Congress isn't over. We're starting our work, and then we're doing it in a period where the Congress is in recess. I'm calling everybody back. We've got a huge amount of work to engage in." Here's the link to Democracy Now Please contact the Judiciary Committee to urge them to impeach now: 202-225-3951 FAX: 202-225-7680 Please help by contacting all media outlets and members of Congress . Impeachment. More important than ever. Plenty of time. Impeach Colorado Coalition ImpeachCO.com IMPEACHMENT IS COMING .. http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennedyjohn/Cq4c http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennedyjohn/Cq4c/commentary#comments Thu, 14 Aug 2008 15:46:49 MDT http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/post/kennedyjohn/Cq4c John H Kennedy http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/profile_picture/5e4c96e6db734362f3_l5hmv2v71.jpg John H Kennedy 0 http://www.progressnowaction.org/page/community/comment_rss/Cq4c/