SoCal Grassroots

The trap that Democratic Presidents get drawn into

2009-10-06T10:15:00.000-07:00

It is a historic trajedy that Democratic Presidents often get drawn into conflicts or convinced that they must further prosecute wars rather than rising to the call to be peacemakers! That is the condundrum that the Obama Administration seems to find themselves in when it comes to Afghanistan. They say they are taking a comprehensive and thorough review of what we are engaged in, yet immediately declare that withdrawal is not an option. That is a disengenious act and belies that the review is anything but complete and thorough! Is it the timidity, you can insert gutless, that conventional wisdom says we Democrats have to saber rattle, expand a futile war, and prove we are strong on Defense and Security?

Kennedy followed through on the Eisenhower/CIA plan for the Bay of Pigs, Johnson escalated the war in Vietnam to the end of his presidency, now Obama seems on the edge of a pathway bound to lead him into the quicksand of Afghanistan.

What would I suggest. Three things that are common sense. End all preferred no bid contracts to the FOC [Friends of Cheney] that are still being paid to the tune of Billions being poured down a rat hole! These bids should be offered worldwide as nations are more likely to send troops where they also have an economic interest. Solicit military support from Islamic countries such as Indonesia, and others. If tomorrow so to speak the troops assisting in stabilizing a country bowed to Mecca five times a day; an entire layer of christian/islamic conflict would be diminished. This would improve Iraq, and possibly Afghanistan. Lastly admit that this quicksand that helped topple the former USSR, was a thorn in the side of the British Raj, and is historically a no win area of the world, is not a place to kill young men and women, either American or Afghani!

Counter insurgency didn't work in Belfast where you had streets and a partially sympathetic population; and it definitely won't work where you have isolated canyons, mountains, and valleys and a non supportive population. They may fit on a timeline as primitive in their lifestyle and technology. But they sure can use RPG's, Stingers, and the all too effective AK-47's with deadly accuracy. The President of Afghanistan, who is really no more than the Mayor of Kabul, is a weak and ineffective ally with a percieved record of corruption and a possibly stolen election!

The time to get out is now and it can be orderly but not escalated. When President Clinton was involved with Kosovo, Serbia and Croatia the military actions were studied, deliberative and they ended. Of course he had General Wesley Clark, which may be another missing factor.
At the end of the Day, Obama must end this folly in Afghanistan before we prepare ourselves to welcome a new President in 2012!

Quick Note Re: Obama Speech...

2009-09-11T15:17:00.000-07:00

As most of y'all know by now, last night President Obama addressed a joint session of Congress regarding health care reform. Personally, I thought it was an excellent speech. I didn't agree with everything in it -- mainly the requirement to carry health insurance. I understand the sentiment, but requirements such as this usually bring fines and the fines I've heard discussed seem pretty hefty and outside the budget of the average American. Also, my friend Eric brings up an excellent point regarding Obama comparing health care insurance to auto insurance. And while I'm more for single-payer or universal health care, making sure there is at least a government-run public option for those who cannot afford private insurance or whose jobs do not (or cannot) provide it is a step in the right direction. I just hope that it's only a first step and not a plateau. I also hope the passed bill takes into account those who are under-insured due to hefty deductibles. Any bill without at least a public option is laughable (co-ops would be a total joke, as would placing a trigger).

However, I do have a major concern: that Obama will not be able to get Congress to do the work it needs to do in order for the bill to be passed. I've never thought it would ever be a truly bi-partisan bill - the Republican Party in its current form is too busy flying off the crazy cliff. But even with a Democratic majority in the House and Senate, there are conservative Democrats who seem determined to tag along with the GOP in their mid-air flight. That could very well sink the bill.

Plus I'm still leery after Obama's refusal to at least place a moratorium on Don't Ask Don't Tell until a full repeal can be implemented. I understand that health care is near and dear to the president's heart whereas ensuring equal rights for all American soldiers doesn't seem to be. I also understand that equal access to quality health care affects far many more people than ensuring that qualified members of the military continue to serve their country. I just feel that there has been a precedent in the Obama's presidency that makes me leery. Because of this, I still have reservations.

I hope that my reservations are unfounded.

P.S. Re: the Joe Wilson kerfluffle - those who say the Democrats did it first may be referring to the moans which Democratic lawmakers uttered during Bush's 2005 State of the Union address in which he spoke about Social Security. Moaning and muttering "No" is not the same as calling Obama a liar when he is, in fact, telling the truth.

(Crossposted from just an ordinary goddess...)

the roar of the lion...

2009-08-26T15:23:00.000-07:00

...has been silenced.

Last night, Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy died at the age of 77, after a year long battle with brain cancer.

I found out when my boyfriend called me last night just as I was starting to drift into sleep. I fired up Twitter on my cell phone to see what others had tweeted and found only one news report, then realized it was much later Points East of Los Angeles. This morning I listened to President Obama's words on Kennedy as I readied myself for work.

There will be much written about him today. No matter how much is written, it could never do justice to the Lion of the Senate. Some have said that, while he was never their senator, they felt that he was America's Senator. This is a sentiment I wholeheartedly agree with.

My heart goes out to his family and friends in their grieving. But I also find that I'm grieving for myself and for the United States. Being human, he wasn't a perfect man, but he was one of the best and brightest of us and his loss will be felt keenly. Especially at a time when he is needed most. May someone of his strength, courage and convictions stand up to take his torch. Let the roar of the lion be heard again.

Requiescat in pace, Senator Kennedy.
You will sorely be missed.

(Crossposted from just an ordinary goddess...)

A Matter of two waivers

2009-07-12T21:09:00.000-07:00

Back when the California State Assembly and then State Senate passed AB-32, co-authored by then Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, and Speaker Fabian Nunez; California set what is an International Standard for standards for cleaning our air and stronger emissions standards. We had to wait almost six years until a new Administration and EPA would grant the federal waiver to allow stiffer state pollution standards then the federal recognized standards. This waiver was sought year after year from the Bush White House; and we only now can go forward on these key standards for a cleaner standard and to fight Global Warming.

We now face an equally strong campaign to pass federal Health Care reforms that must have a public option. More importantly for those of us who are committed to a Single Payer system; we must have a waiver allowing states to enact more comprehensive health care beyond that which we sadly can pass through congress currently. What many of us fear is that with the cooperation of Big Pharma and a coalition of Hospitals to support the Obama Health Care proposals; we may get some sort of public option that is tied to existing insurance and without a waiver for us to pass the Leno Bill for Single Payer in California.

The Conyers bill in the House currently allows for a limited waiver for enumerated states, and we face a potential conflict between the Senate Finance Bill and the H.E.L.P. bill of Senator Kennedy's in the US Senate. At the end of the day we must have a waiver in the law that allows for California to go forward. That is for now the story of two waivers.

POTUS is not timid on Iran. Obama is intelligently supportive of the Iranian people. Freedom is a right!

2009-06-21T12:34:00.000-07:00

In Eire [Ireland] we have a term "Soirse" which is Freedom in Irish! Interestingly the color wrist ban is also green as is the color of the Iranian movement within Iran for a resolution to the recent election results.

Our President has been accused by some conservative republicans of being timid about Iran. That is blatantly short sighted. In this case, our President is being intelligently supportive of the Iranian people and their desire for political & social freedom. This does not mean a western democratic solution necessarily; it means an Iranian solution to an Iranian problem. We must not continue our intervention in the affairs of a nation that goes all the way back to ancient persia. Don't forget that it was the US who helped topple a legally elected government to put the Shah on a repressive, but western friendly Peacock Throne!

The US record of subversion, intervention, and corporate "gun boat diplomacy" mars a century of intrusive actions in both Central and South America as well as in post colonial Africa and Asia!

The successful movements for a new governance by mediation and support of local solutions for local problems can be otherwise highlighted as in Post Apartheid South Africa, and the continuing progress in a six counties Post Good Friday agreement in what is sometimes called Northern Ireland.

The US must now be a honest broker, not a force of Bush-Cheney war mongering and initimidation by threat of force. We must stand for our better selfs and be an onlooker promoting self determination not Western style Democracy without any recognition of the wishes of the local people in a country.

First Step for Full Federal LGBTQ Equal Rights

2009-06-17T17:15:00.000-07:00

During his presidential campaign, Barack Obama said that he supported the complete repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and called for the repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT).

Since becoming president, Obama and his administration has, for the most part, been curiously silent on the subject, saying little more than, "These things take time." A recent legal brief from this administration's Department of Justice has merely fueled the fire of those criticizing Obama's inaction on LGBT issues, especially since the Senior Legal Counsel on the brief received a Distinguished Service Award from Alberto Gonzalez for his work on the constitutional challenges to the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003.

Today Obama signed a presidential memo granting same-sex partners of federal employees some federal benefits. Unfortunately, this memo does not go so far as to grant health or retirement benefits.

Critics of Obama's LGBTQ inaction are likening it to a token thrown at the LGBTQ community, saying,"Tokens are not enough."

These critics are correct. Tokens are not enough. While there is no way of knowing for certain, it is very likely that Obama would not have signed the memo had it not been for the recent outcry against his DOJ or the constant pressure from LGBTQ groups and individuals.

However, we also have to recognize that this is a positive first step towards full Federal rights for LGBTQ people. There is still a long way to go and a hell of lot of work to do. It's unfortunate that Obama needs to be pushed to keep his campaign promises. Yes, he has a lot on his plate trying to fix the extraordinary mess left behind by Bush and Friends. But a simple executive order placing a moratorium on DADT until a full repeal can be implemented would go a long way towards showing that he really is a staunch advocate of full equality.

Still, we must keep the pressure up. Equality is a matter of time - there is no turning back. Obama will see that as well.

Consistency is troubling when it is contradicted

2009-06-16T23:41:00.000-07:00

President Barack Obama, under growing criticism for not seeking to end the ban on openly gay men and women in the military, is extending benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees.

This AP story was posted earlier today and it does highlight the inconsistency of a White House who has backed away from ending "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". Worse is the Justice Department defending DOMA, The Defense of Marriage Act!

We must have a consistent moral position on a human rights question that candidate Obama was clear on; but his White House is not! We will have to see if our friends in the LGBT community are supported or betrayed in the give and take within the beltway?

It's time to play hardball with an out of touch governor

2009-06-04T15:46:00.000-07:00

We are facing budgetary hearings and negotiations in Sacramento and the elected Democratic Majority needs to express the true hardline positions of those they represent.

Let's dispose of one media lie at first. The defeat of a second set of Governor pushed initiatives in a second Special Election does not mean the further dismantling of the excellent state services we have built here in California. It means a reasonable, thoughtful analysis of majority passed fees, and looking to the boondoggle of FOA [Friends of Arnold] revenue refunds, returns and failing to impose fair taxation on Corporations and the extremely well conpensated. The burden can no longer be shunted to bonds and future liabilities, and also not laid on the backs of the middle class and working families and single adults.

Not only should these legally passed fees that can be sent to the governor with a legislative majority vote be sent; and when he vetoes any then he should be unmasked as the obstructionist that he has always been. The Governor may have a blue pencil; but the legislature has the budget proposal authority. Our Governor thought he could be mean spirited and in the most egregious partisan act cut the Lt. Governor's budget by 64%. Let's cut his budget by an equivalent amount. He is not accomplishing anything now. He wants to take the authority of the State Land's Commission to approve or deny applications for off shore oil drilling away from them. Why, because our wilted and false "green" Governor and his minions want to approve offshore drilling in Santa Barbara, would have approved offshore LNG terminals for Malibu, Santa Monica and the Northern California coast! The only thing that has stopped this is the courage and responsible votes of our Lt. Governor John Garamendi and our State Controller John Chiang who now hold the majority on that same State Land's Commission.

Lastly, when our State Board of Equalization Democratic member, Judy Chu, becomes our newest California Congresswoman; no Gubernatorial appointee that is not acceptable to the Democratic majority should be confirmed. The Governor must not be allowed to subvert the will of the voter by hoisting a non-elected Republican into that office!

very sad...

2009-06-02T11:53:00.000-07:00

Like most people, I was very sad to hear about the cold-blooded murder of Dr. George Tiller on Sunday when he was at church. He performed the procedures many doctors were afraid to do - late-term abortions that were deemed medically necessary to save the life of the mothers or where doctors had confirmed that the fetus would not live outside the womb. Dr. Tiller had been shot before, had many death threats and was forced to wear a bullet-proof vest on a regular basis, but he refused to give into the fear that gripped so many of his colleagues because, as he reportedly told a woman recently, he feared that the women he helped would have no place else to turn.

Candlelight vigils are still being held all over the country, but as Gloria Feldt wrote in Salon, George Tiller needs more than candlelight vigils. As always, write and lobby your representatives. Donate in Dr. Tiller's name to Planned Parenthood and to the women's health clinics in your area. Make your voice heard.

(Janiece at Hot Chicks Dig Smart Men and Mike at Man About Murfreesboro each have excellent posts regarding this tragedy and the cowardice of the anti-abortion faction. Go there.)

*************************
A little something about my own views on abortion: I am of the opinion that they should be safe, legal and rare. I've always known that it was something I could never personally go through, but I am of the firm belief that women should have that choice. The women I've known that have had abortions never considered it a decision made lightly and I respect their decisions.

Of the people I've known that are anti-abortion, only one could be considered pro-life in the true sense of the term: Michelle is a pacifist who is against abortion and the death penalty. Unlike so many anti-abortion people who mistakenly call themselves "pro-life," she actually believes that every child that is born should be provided for and not left to fend for himself/herself in dangerous home situations. She doesn't self-identify as Christian, but she embodies the teachings of Jesus far more completely than any religious anti-abortion nut protesting outside women's health clinics. I highly respect that.

As for my thoughts on late-term abortion, I sincerely hope that they would never be necessary, but I understand that in some cases they may be. It's truly sad that women in need have lost one of their champions - one of the few doctors left that they could turn to.

My thoughts go out to Dr. Tiller's family, to all the women that he helped and to all the women he could've helped.

(Crossposted from just an ordinary goddess...)

Equality should have no limits - freedom is freedom

2009-05-28T06:43:00.000-07:00

Everyone is talking about the mixed ruling of the California Supreme Court in regards Proposition 8! Now we have a trifurcated system of injustice. If you are a straight couple; you are allowed to marry; a same sex couple you can no longer; and if you were fortunate to marry as a same sex couple in that brief window then your marriage is legal!

I'm sorry that is ludicrous to the extreme. Everyone must have marriage equality, and no one's marriage is threatened by the loving relationship of another couple. To have three standards is offensive and law by misjudgement of the electorate and we must all stand in solidarity to correct this situation by returning to EQUALITY!

Gov. Rick Perry: Texas Could Secede, Leave Union

2009-04-16T10:58:00.001-07:00

Let's say for a moment that Governor Perry is basing his comment on the fact that Texas like California both entered the union as former Independent Republics, The Lone Star and Bear Flag, and so can petition to leave. If one can step back and look at the possible benefits of trading one bit of land for another; let's presuppose the following!

Texas petitions and secedes while having to negotiate a percapita payment of their share of the now Bushed enhanced National Debt! We, the remaining United States, gain a large pay back over time

of a significant part of that debt. We have a vacant star on our fifty state flag; why not invite Puerto Rico to become a state. No change in flag required. We now have two tourist island states of Hawaii and Puerto Rico. We can move Gitmo, the Marine Base, from Cuba to Puerto Rico and still have a caribbean base with all that expense now added to our new states income.

It does have some attractive possibilities.

Thom O'Shaughnessy, California
About Tax Day Tea Parties
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Tearing away the mountains, and Clint Eastwood too

2009-04-04T20:03:00.000-07:00

While there’s a lot not to like about the process of mining coal, and I’ll try to give it some historical context in an least a couple of postings, there is no doubt that currently the most destructive, ecologically, geologically and culturally is mountaintopping. You can get a basic idea of the destruction by following the link to an NPR article and photo essay below.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/pictureshow/2009/03/removing_mountains.html?ps=bb4

Replace Appalachian Mountains with Santa Monica Mountains while you look at it.

If you think something like that can’t happen in California, it already has. Fortunately it ended before most of us were born, but the scars still remain. The ‘49er with his pick and red long johns is something of a romantic figure, but he quickly gave way to American industrial ingenuity. First, streams in the northern Sierra Nevada were redirected so the streambeds could be dug up and loaded into sluice boxes that washed everything downstream except the heavy gold that settled to the bottom. Mining on that scale required capital investment and as the streams played out and the quantity of gold available declined sluicing wasn’t profitable enough. Things needed to scale up. So hydraulic mining started. Enormous water cannons were constructed, capable of blasting water 400 feet or more at high enough pressure to eat through a mountainside. There’s are historic pictures of the process at this link.
http://cprr.org/Museum/Hydraulic_Mining/

And this site has a basic overview of the process and the devastation to agriculture downstream that finally ended it.
http://www.museumca.org/goldrush/fever19-hy.html
Make sure you click on the link for the Malakoff Diggins. That’s the landscape after over 100 years of recovery.

Finally, I remembered that Clint Eastwood’s 1985 Western “Pale Rider” had scenes of hydraulic mining with the hydraulic miners as the villains. Wonder if that particular plotting had anything to do with Eastwood being a native of northern California?

I knew King Coal

2009-03-27T13:25:00.001-07:00

As did many Americans my age or older, I had a personal relationship with coal. In 1951, the year before I was born, coal peaked as the primary energy source for homes and businesses. Over 50% used coal for either boilers or forced air heat. The elementary schools I attended had coal-fired boilers for heat, and many of my friends lived in houses with coal furnaces. Until I entered junior high, so did I.

By the time I graduated from high school in 1970, the use of coal for heating homes and businesses had fallen to single digits. It’s used in less than two-tenths of a percent of homes today, but making a bit of a comeback as oil prices rise.

Living with a coal furnace required more than a turn of a thermostat to keep things warm in the winter. Although modernized in several ways, it was still an physically interactive experience.

Rather than throwing shovels of coal into the fiery maw of a furnace, coal was shoveled into a hopper box a few feet away. At the bottom of the hopper was an auger, a screw-like mechanism turned by an electric motor to grind the coal into smaller, more efficiently burnable pieces and move them into the fire box. The most sophisticated systems had sensors that fed as needed, others required a human to start and stop the motor.

At some point it became my daily chore in winter to check the hopper before going to school and when I got home and top it off if it needed more coal to keep the fire burning. Depending on what was available and the quality we could afford it might be hard, glittering, black anthracite I shoveled, soft, layered, dark bituminous or crumbly, dull, brown lignite. The harder and blacker the coal the longer and hotter it burned because it higher carbon and lower water content so the fewer shovelfuls had to be loaded into the hopper. So instead of ten minutes of indentured servitude loading lignite or lower grade bituminous I could be done in 5 with anthracite.

It also became my chore to clear the burnt cinder or clinkers from the clinker box under the furnace. I had a long handled iron rod with a 90 degree bend at the end that I used to coax the still warm clinkers into a bucket, then I’d have to drag the bucket out of the basement and dump it on the clinker pile in the back yard. If it was cold and we were burning lots of coal, I’d have to make more than one trip. Every spring my Dad would have to figure out what to do with the clinker pile. I’m not sure where it got rid of it.

On a massive scale, the generation of electricity and manufacturing have to deal with the same issues we dealt with in the basement of my house. The coal is poured into a hopper and ground, often into a fine dust for more even burning. After the energy is extracted in burning, there is slag. And after a while your backyard pile gets too big and you have to do something with it. But before we get to that part, I’m going to spend some time looking at how coal gets out of the ground.
　

Not the battle they want to fight

2009-03-18T15:25:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I received an e-mail blast forwarding a press release from Speaker Nancy Pelosi from Burns Strider, who I worked with briefly when I was organizing veterans for Hillary Clinton. It announced that the Obama administration was not going to proceed with the proposal to force veterans with combat-related injuries to use their private insurance for treatment. You can read the full news release with this link:
http://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/pressreleases?id=1055

Burns has worked for Speaker Peolsi as a Senior Advisor in the past, but I'm not sure what his current official relationship is now that he has his own firm.

The fact that I received the e-mail means that the opposition from veterans and their families from one end of the political spectrum to the other was loud enough and fierce enough that they're going way down the food chain to let anyone with any veteran contacts know that they made a mistake and they'll find another way to save money.

That wasn't what you told us when we signed up

2009-03-17T14:54:00.000-07:00

During the 2008 election I was honored to serve as one of the two California Co-Chairs for Veterans for Obama. I believed then and I believe now that Barack Obama was and is the best choice to be President and Commander-in-Chief. But I am deeply disturbed at the recently announced policy proposal to have treatment for service-connected injuries charged to veterans' private insurance plans in order to save the VA money.

Not only does this break covenant between the country and those who offered their lives in service, but it puts at risk the insurability of veterans with service connected injuries and their families. Even if the injuries are excluded as pre-existing conditions, long term treatment of serious injuries would exhaust annual and even lifetime benefit limits on nearly all private policies.

If the injuries are service connected it is not the responsibility of the former service members, their families, their employers and their insurance companies to provide treatment. It is the responsibility of the people and their government who sent them into harm’s way.

And after the coal is burned you have...sludge

2009-03-16T09:30:00.000-07:00

I'm going to spend some time later writing about the impact of coal mining and use on local eco-systems, but this wire service report encapsulates what happens with the stuff that doesn't go up the chimney.

http://www.salon.com/wires/ap/us/2009/03/16/D96V7GT00_coal_ash_potomac/index.html

It's just a lump of coal

2009-03-15T20:52:00.000-07:00

The last couple of weeks I’ve found myself thinking about coal. What started it was the case from West Virginia before the U.S. Supreme Court. Two West Virginia coal companies were suing each other and when the Massey Coal CEO thought he was about to lose, he set about to buy a West Virginia Supreme Court judge to make sure he won. The question before the U.S. Supreme Court is whether he bought him legally.

That reminded me that Massey Coal is one of the most notorious mountain top removers in the Appalachians. And all that thinking got me to doing some research. The more I read the more intrigued I became. Coal was central to American industrialization, labor history, transportation development, and urbanization. It is inextricably linked to the culture of rural Appalachia and over a billion tons a year continues to be mined in the United States. But the cost, both to produce it and to the environment continues to rise. There’s a lot of thinking to be done about coal, and I’ll be sharing some of my thoughts with you over the next few weeks.

China's arrogance and the use of the seven seas

2009-03-11T23:58:00.000-07:00

In the crowding of the USNS Impeccable by Chinese Trawlers and Naval vessels; one is reminded of both the USS Liberty and it's sister ship the USS Pueblo. It is actually more reminiscent of the Liberty, which was in International Waters when fired upon, and US Sailers murdered by the Israeli Air Force immediately before the six days war.

"China's territorial claims are sharpened still more by Beijing's interpretation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. China sees the convention as giving it the right to ban a broad range of activities within its exclusive economic zone. That grates against the U.S. position that the Navy ships were in international waters and therefore have the right to conduct surveying."

Please tell me what economic interest is being curtailed by a US Naval ship which is unarmed and listening in open and free waters to military transmissions by a growing military threat of the Chinese Navy. This is a violation of centuries of naval tradition and international law. We must not allow this super power to become the largest pirate nation in the world.

Don't do as we do; do as we say!

2009-03-01T20:10:00.000-08:00

Let's take a step back and look at nuclear nonproliferation as it appears to a large part of the rest of the world. We don't want Iran, North Korea or have a missed a country or two; to have tactical or strategic weapons of mass destruction. So how have we treated the new additions to the Nuclear Club in the past decades.

Let's see. Pakistan was never a close ally until they got the bomb. India was throughout the Cold War a client state of the USSR even though they were a parliamentary democracy. Israel, who everyone knows, got the bomb by the backdoor from us; is never officially recognized as a member of the club.

Now India and Pakistan are allies, in the case of India, a corporate client state for outsourcing; and they are being promoted into the World Trade circles along with other world decision making bodies.

Why in God's green earth wouldn't any nation want a bit of Uranium, Plutonium, and a breeder reactor if it gets you an invite to the table where world class showdown diplomatic poker is being dealt.

We have to actually mean what we say by doing it as well. We have to demonstrate, as the nation with the biggest cache of sub launched, plane dropped and missile delivered bombs as well as MRV
warheads, a true commitment to non proliferation and reduction of weapons. We also have to stop any foolishness as the former administration did in claiming we needed a nuclear bunker busting weapon. How many damn bunkers are we planning to bust that we need a new weapon system. We already have multiple Armageddon ready numbers to end life on this planet.

Has anyone looked at the Nuclear Clock lately to see how we are doing? No Nuke, now more so than ever before.

Senator Judd Gregg would have been a mixed blessing

2009-02-12T17:53:00.000-08:00

Today the news that Republican US Senator Judd Gregg has reconsidered and has withdrawn as President Obama's nominee for Secretary of Commerce was met with mixed emotions. Many of us are heaving a sigh of relief as this man as US Senator had proposed that the Department of Commerce be abolished, and had also voted to cut the Census budget in half.
It would have been placing a wolf, rather than a sheep dog, to protect the flocks of the Commerce Department.

What is it that so concerns Republicans about the US Census, required every decade by the US Constitution, and a process that has been in place since our nation was founded. That is sadly simple. Reapportionment, also called redistricting or Gerrymandering depending on who is drawing the lines; is based on the results of the Census. If you look closely at drawing state and congressional district lines; they are based on census tracts. Census tracts are the component of zip codes, and the lowest common denominator for data which identifies ones, race, sex, family status among many census indicators. Democrats want a more fully patterned model of counting that will eliminate the under counting of racial minorities, the homeless, and of course those displaced due to poverty. Republicans want a strict count by mail and household sampling as it supports a literal census
which encompasses under counting. This under counting not only effects the political redrawing of lines; but more importantly the count that determines funds to assist in social programs to cities, counties and states.

Here is my fondest hope that in looking to a new appointee; the White House not only finds a knowledgeable and
proficient executive; but also someone who understands the impact of a thorough and accurate census. I will end this with the admission as a strong supporter of New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson; that his exoneration from any shadow of improper actions may still allow him to be a strong, knowledgeable, and able member of the Obama-Biden administration.

A Tech Savvy White House

2009-01-22T15:58:00.000-08:00

On today's yahoo tech page it was reported that the tech savvy staff of President Obama were dismayed at the old versions of both software and computer equipment in this age of facebook, twitter, and my space along with youtube! I would comment that this may not be the case going forward.

Web savvy government can be accomplished. California has good web openness, and this is due to caring and tech sharp elected officials like our Secretary of State, Deborah Bowen. Granted the extra security of federal regulations may cause certain extra levels of security; but you can still establish approved links. Messages and updates can be cleared and a more open posting will insure substance to the new administrations dictates on a more open process for FOIA [Freedom of Information Act]. White House Communications, pronounced WHOCA, can be tasked to do that within secure guidelines.

National Security Concerns along with the White House Counsel's concerns can be part of a more open and technologically accessed government. It seems POTUS can be given a special General Dynamics hand held PDA, that has been approved by the NSA; that has dual functions that both allow open access by President Obama, and also cyber protected secure communications. Then the West Wing can be upgraded and enter the 21st Century with this new vital administration.

I personally look forward to hearing of the next upgrade in communications that we will see in the people's White House.

Is this the Promised Land?

2009-01-20T19:46:00.000-08:00

As I thought about Dr. King yesterday and watched today’s inauguration, I started wondering: with the inauguration of Barak Obama, have we at last crossed the River Jordan and reached the Promised Land that Dr. King told us he’d seen from the mountain top the night before he was killed?

I’m sure I don’t know. But then I had another question. What if we act like we have?

Reaching the Promised Land does not mean that our work is done, it only means the journey is over. We sometimes forget that only the land is promised. The milk and honey and sweet fruits come only after long days of labor. And it can all recede in the distance again if work isn’t done. And done again.

“We are likely to preserve the liberty we have obtained only by unremitting labors and perils." --Thomas Jefferson, 1796

How to help finance the Obama Economic Package

2009-01-08T08:18:00.000-08:00

This morning President-Elect Obama spoke on his proposed economic stimulus package and the changes that must begin in Washington to address this national crisis. It appears to be a 800 billion package with a possible 300 billion tax cut directed to small business and the middle class! The deficit for the coming budget year is looking to be 1.2 trillion as a point of departure. This package is proposed to create 3 million jobs in the coming years.

One area that is obvious is the timely extrication of our troops from Iraq! The green zone is now protected by the new Iraqi army. If our troops are going to be off the street, and barracked to some extent; let's bring numbers of them home soon if not immediately. We should see tens of thousands return to the United States. This is both a wise fiscal decision, and a moral imperative! Cut our financial hemorrhaging by decreasing our occupation of Iraq as promised!

Lastly, since these infrastructure projects are meant to improve roads, bridges, and other construction and refurbishment; let's get money to the states to restart stalled projects already on the street. One good example is the construction at Hollywood Way and the 134 freeway that is closed down due to California comparable financial crisis. This is a visual I see everyday in my hometown of Burbank, California.

Treaties that should be immediately reviewed for sign on

2008-12-30T03:45:00.000-08:00

As we await the administration of President Elect Obama and Vice President Elect Biden; lets look to one area where they along with Secretary of State designee Hillary Clinton and also Secretary of Commerce designee Bill Richardson can make a great step back to rejoining the world community.

We would look to the enlarged Democratic Senate majority to seek more visionary Republican Senate votes to ratify the following Treaties.

Let's start with the Kyoto Treaty, or let's call for a renewed round for what I would call the 2009 Gore Treaty! Let's look at signing on to the World Criminal Court now that we will have a new White House that knows that the Geneva Convention, Human Rights, and a rediscovery of our own Bill of Rights is essential for the United States to reclaim our former moral standing in the world community. Two others for this blog would be the landmine treaty that we have refused to sign onto and the most recent shameful non participation of the Treaty to abolish Cluster Bombs that almost all the world ratified with the exception of our country and other war making and weapons selling nations.

That would be a noble start.

You may have asked why I listed Commerce above. The new Kyoto Treaty improvement has major international economic repercussions. So does a review of NAFTA, CAFTA, and stopping the current Columbia and other sweetheart trade agreements that neglect environmental and labor standards. We have to not allow international trade to make us again a nation that uses gunboat diplomacy in our actions with our hemispheric neighbors.

Who should be the new Car Czar

2008-12-30T03:39:00.000-08:00

When we look to the aid offered to the Two of the Three; my Ford Company which has been much more innovative with a number of Hybrid models has not requested loan guarantees, a Presidential appointed Car Czar is often mentioned.

The best choice is simple, Lee Iaccoca! This is a man who in recent years has spoken of the irresponsibility of the current administrations policies and more to the point has decades of hands on experience in what you ask? Why, the manufacture of cars. He was the chief when the great Ford Mustang was first built. He turned around Chrysler the last time and paid back those Federal Loans early.

Lets review the Arnold debacle

2008-12-30T03:13:00.000-08:00

Can we all agree that Governor Arnold has led this State in the same direction as the outgoing President has led this nation. Lets review just a few points for the record.

When Arnold ran to replace Governor Gray Davis, one of his main points was that he wouldn't fund raise to the extent that Gray would and when he was elected he then broke the record for funds raised. One of the most damning fundraising efforts included high ticket events in New York with the Wall Street and Finance communities. You know, the same communities that have brought us to a recession that has many features of a feared depression.

Let's look at how well the Environmental Governor has been by his flagrant inconsistencies. One glaring example is when the State Lands Commission had a meeting to consider the Australian offshore LNG terminal that would have layed two large bore pipelines through the community of Oxnard. The two NO votes came from Lt. Governor John Garamendi and State Controller John Chiang; the Yes vote from the Governor's Department of Finance. His hit and miss support for Green efforts always has a pro corporation subtext.

His failure to sign a well thought out budget proposal that addressed many issues of concern and even had painful cuts along with judicious revenue enhancements means the state of the state is totally his responsibility along with his Republican "Yacht Party" legislative members. Their refusal to look at the needs for California should put the Minority Leadership on a recall hit list.

Keep all of this in mind when you look to who should be the next Governor of California in the 2010 election. I will write more on this in a later blog.

Earthbound in the Space Age

2008-11-22T20:47:00.000-08:00

I just finished watching a documentary titled, "When we left Earth" the NASA Missions; and was reminded of the folly that will allow the decommissioning of the Space Shuttle in 2010 while it's replacement, the Ares1 Orion, is not scheduled until at it's earliest in 2014! How will we service the International Space Station during this lapse? We will pay Russia to take our mission specialists, astronauts, and others in their own aged space vehicles. Why this is a folly is that it impacts on our technological growth, and further degrades the next generation of hoped for scientists, engineers, and a home grown aerospace manufacturing industry.

Back when President Kennedy challenged this nation to reach the moon in a decade; this impetus caused the micro-miniaturization that created the home computer and all of the advances that brought us into the information age. Funding this will promote good wage, next generation 21st century employment. This employment and the creation of new industries that will advance

and expand the technology to end Global warming, alternative energy, and even a automobile that will end our dependence on oil!

We must support bridging with a refurbished shuttle fleet until a true new generation of launch vehicles not based on last century Apollo era hardware can be developed. We must look to the future and fund one of our greatest native industries which will also employ new aerospace workers who can also assist in advances for Rapid Transit, and don't forget where solar energy came from!

Green is the new color for 2009

2008-11-21T14:05:00.000-08:00

While many of us worked for a bluer United States as well as a bluer California; the new color or better yet the renewed color for 2009 should be green! Green as in GREENpeace; green as in GREEN JOBS NOW, green as in Senator Barbara Boxer's excellent work in the US Senate. Green has always been a keynote color in the environmental movement; and there is a renewed call for green interaction between environmentalists and organized labor as well as small business.

On the November 2008 ballot in California were two Faux environmental propositions that we thankfully defeated. What we need is a proactive, labor intensive, small business green initiative that we can all get behind and support. Not a T. Boone Pickens enrichment plan, nor a so called alternative energy proposal that enriches speculators and major corporations but blocks small business and the plans we already have in place as we strive to advance and enhance the provisions of AB-32. AB-32 was the California Global Warming legislation co-authored by newly elected State Senator Fran Pavley, and former Speaker Fabian Nunez. Couple this with an Obama EPA that will give California a waiver and we are on our own Green Road to an environmental OZ.

Cabinet Appointments could deplete the Senate

2008-11-18T15:10:00.000-08:00

While I have to recognize that the US Senators that are being discussed are without exception qualified; why deplete the US Senate. Now that the Democrats have a stronger majority; it is time to support the President Elect in bringing our nation to an even keel.

For example: Hillary should work in the Senate and in the future become the first woman majority floor leader after Harry Reid; John Kerry should advance to be the new Foreign Relations Chair to work hand in hand with Secretary of State Bill Richardson.

Protest Prop. 8!

2008-11-11T11:07:00.000-08:00

Last week was one of mixed emotions 'round these parts. Going to sleep on Tuesday, November 4th with the cheers of millions still ringing, chants of "Obama!" and "Yes, We Did!" was a wondrous thing, causing my heart to grown three sizes that night at the election of the first African-American president of the United States - a man who seems as if he really will be able to lead us out of the nightmare of the Bush Administration, with a little help from all of us.

But to awaken on Wednesday morning to the news that Californians voted to pass Proposition 8? To know that the majority of citizens of my adopted state - where I've lived since I was 11 and the only state I've ever really known as home - decided it would be just fine and dandy to remove the rights of an entire group of fellow citizens and to codify hatred and bigotry into the California State Constitution?

All of my happiness and goodwill from the previous evening evaporated.

I thought we were better than that, California. We're known for being on the cutting edge of so many things, and here we've taken a step back into the dark ages of fear and bigotry, allowing out of state interests and churches to manipulate us for their own purposes, buying the lies that they told us about teaching same-sex marriage in schools and forcing churches to marry couples they don't want to marry. And for what?

To yank away existing civil rights for people who only want the same opportunities that the majority have: to marry the person that they love. Nothing more. Nothing less. If I have the right to marry a man at a quickie chapel in Las Vegas, two women or two men who have been together for a decade or more (or less) damn well better have the right to marry the person that he or she loves. And yes: MARRY. Not civil unions. Not separate but equal. Not accepting that said couples are second class citizens. We went down that road with African-Americans. Do we really want to go down that road again? I think not.

Dear readers, this ain't over. Not by a long shot.

SoCal Grassroots fully supports equality for all, which is why we've put together a page of links for actions that you can take to fight the passage of Proposition 8.

We're all in this together: gays, lesbians, straights, asexuals.

Everyone.

Let's work to assure basic civil rights for EVERY Californian. And EVERY American.

"That One" dismisses inpolite & rude comments from AZ Senator

2008-10-08T03:20:00.000-07:00

I am penning this ahead of the one I was preparing; as I just finished watching Presidential Debate II between US Senator Barack Obama, and US Senator John McCain. To say I was angry is an understatement. The Senator from Arizona dismissed his opponent with an off hand, over the shoulder, reference to "That One". Why didn't he just call him "Boy" and complete the insult and dismissive tone in his voice. That this former patriot, and hero could be so consumed in his blind ambition that he would display the kind of triumphalism last displayed in Northern Ireland against Irish Catholic Nationalist, as well as against native South African people of color by the Apartheid Regime is hateful. What next, a crowd scene at his next townhall with white hooded and robed supporters.

To anyone who thinks that this type of dismissive and patronizing words and tone is not bigotry should ask one of the following: a Northern Irish Catholic, a post Apartheid South African Black, a Jew from any number of communities, or a Hispanic American in the South West, or a Black American in many of our cities. Hate speech is full of code words, shrugs, and innuendos; Senator John McCain and his running mate have got that form of speech and body language down pat!

Do not allow your better nature to be distracted by lies about Senator Obama and his beliefs. He is a proud, patriotic, and religious American elected official who will lead our country out of its

" dark ages " when he becomes our next President.

Haste makes waste on display in the congress this week

2008-10-01T17:46:00.000-07:00

I listened this afternoon to the full debate over the expanded Rescue/Bail Out "Financial Markets Bill" on the floor of the United States Senate. This bill is a pressured ponzi scheme that will repay speculators, contains too little for the working and middle class, and may make the foreign investors happy but not your fellow citizens.

The eloquence of a Republican, Richard Shelby from Alabama; and Bernie Sanders, Independent from Vermont, spoke to the unsoundness of this hurried and now cobbled together package with an added $150 billion to the original $700 billion. The few opposed have stood against the wind of pack mob action to pass this bill under the threat of fear, insufficient hearings, and a "chicken little" panic that the sky is falling!

When we review the votes on Monday that led to the defeat of the initial leadership legislation; you will find not only conservative Republicans, but also Blue Dog Democrats and Progressive Democrats were also opposed. To name a few who voted No in the interests of the taxpayer: Adam Schiff, D-CA; Dennis Kucinich, D-OH; Shiela Jackson Lee, D-TX; Lynn Woolsey, D-CA; and Brad Sherman, D-CA. I am proud of each of their votes and know that a more thoughtful and long term solution can be done without approving the now $850 billion boondoggle.

Senator Harry Reid has stated that this was the only way, I disagree. I applaud Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold, Washington Senator Maria Cantwell and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders for their No votes among the few. I sadly regret that the Senate passed this legislation this evening and I hope that a majority of the House will still cast votes to defeat this on the House floor on Thursday or Friday!

So is it George W. Little or George W. Hoover

2008-09-24T21:10:00.000-07:00

The current incumbent of the White House spoke to the nation tonight and tried to sell us on a last imperial grab for power to grant his Secretary of Treasury unlimited control on an economic crisis that he helped start when he was an executive in the Financial trade on Wall Street. As he spoke and urged us to empower his faulty administration to further destroy the nations' financial infrastructure; he sounded like George W. Little [the presidential equivalent of Chicken Little]

crying that the sky was falling. He did neglect to accept blame for helping pull down the regulatory columns that held up that financial sky that is now falling.

Why would we allow this new Ponzi Scheme coming from the desk of this POTUS is beyond me.

We need to listen to the sound judgment that cries for deliberate, judicious and thoughtful reform and not a blank check.

When you listened to his dire warnings that might well cause an obvious further erosion based on his fear mongering; it may well be that he is really George W. Hoover [reminiscent of Herbert Hoover] who watched while the Great Depression unraveled the finances of this country.

We must not allow the lame duck residents of the Cabinet under this President rush us to a judgment that may will be a self fulfilling prophecy! Time is needed to view protections that guarantee home owners, working families, and if we bail out anyone we gain shareholder status as Senator Obama has stated and we cash out any proceeds back to the US taxpayers.

So whatever George W.'s new nom de plume; let's not elect John McBush in November.

Sarah Palin and UN Speed Dating

2008-09-24T19:04:00.000-07:00

In her first footprint on the sands of international relations; our Alaska Governor Sarah Palin exercised her one year old passport in a round of United Nations Speed dating. Her one on ones with various National leaders not only highlighted her inexperience and lack of diplomatic sense, but also belittled her as the No. 2 on the McCain ticket.

Campbell Brown, of CNN, said it well when she had Free Palin signs as a background when she commented on the Press avoidance posture of the McCain campaign. I can't call it the McCain-palin campaign as long as they patronize her and leave her unable to prove herself or fail on her own merits.

Dealing with others on the world stage is not a cliff notes exercise, nor a let's go out for coffee after New York UN speed dating!

We need serious people, with a sense of the world including setting foot on foreign territory and speaking to the various citizens of the world. Not looking across the Bering Strait and imagining the Murmansk Peninsula that cannot be seen beyond the curvature of the earth. Honestly the world is not flat.

Lovin' That Bad-Ass Bowen

2007-11-27T22:00:00.000-08:00

I have a confession to make: I have a bit of a girl-crush on California Secretary of State Debra Bowen. Mind you, it's a purely innocent and respectful girl-crush, only slightly greater than my love for chunky peanut butter and dark, dark chocolate.

Nonetheless, a girl-crush it is.

How else to describe the feeling that swept over me last week when I read about her lawsuit against ES&S for selling uncertified electronic voting machines to California counties? Indeed, as I was on public transportation at the time, I was forced to suppress a happy squeal upon reading:

"ES&S ignored the law over and over and over again, and it got caught," Bowen said in a statement after filing suit against the company. "I am not going to stand on the sidelines and watch a voting system vendor come into the state, ignore the laws and make millions of dollars from California's taxpayers in the process."

It's enough to make a straight progressive girl all woozy from joy.

I was favorably impressed with Secretary Bowen from the moment I met her, back in her pre-SoS days of 2005, when she had been in the California Legislature for a number of years and your humble blogger was a wet-behind-the-ears activist of only three months, greener than a Granny Smith apple. Everything I've seen since has only cemented that initial favorable impression and I know that Secretary Bowen will continue to be very impressive.

Way to go, Secretary Bowen. And keep on gettin' down with your bad-ass self.

To Feinstein's Staffers: RESIGN!

2007-11-06T18:26:00.000-08:00

Guest Blogger: Michael Jay

Letter to Trevor Daley, District Director for Senator Dianne Feinstein

Dear Trevor,

Thank you for meeting with us yesterday.

I was deeply disappointed to awake to the news that Senator Feinstein has chosen to again side against her constituents and instead enable the Bush administration, this time by voting to confirm another atrocious choice as the highest law officer of the land. Mukasey's tortured parsing of his position on waterboarding is widely seen as a maneuver to protect those who would otherwise be guilty of war crimes for having ordered the use of this procedure.

It makes sense that Bush would offer a nominee who would cover for him; what doesn't make sense is why the senior Senator of the country's largest left-leaning state would give cover to Bush.

Don't take my word for that: Even Keith Olbermann could find a cynical reason as to what his own Senator had to gain by dealing with Bush, but was at a loss about California's Feinstein; he said, "Sen. Schumer has seen it, reportedly, as some kind of puzzle piece in the New York political patronage system, and he has failed. What Sen. Feinstein has seen, to justify joining Schumer in rubber-stamping Mukasey, I cannot guess."

I can guess, for here, in California, Diane Feinstein's miserable record precedes this latest vote: Her votes to extend the Patriot Act and Bush's illegal circumvention of FISA, her support of Hayden to head the CIA (no surprise, in light of the aforementioned support for illegal wiretapping), her championing of bills and amendments on flag burning (I know that issue sure keeps my neighbors up at night), her atrocious giveaway to the vendors of electronic voting machines - oh, excuse me, I meant, her recent bill to revise HAVA, and her vote to censure MoveOn all make many wonder which Party our Senator belongs to.

Excuses about the possibility of Bush installing a much worse candidate, via a recess appointment, collapse in light of the courageous action by the many true Democrats on the panel, including Ted Kennedy and Russ Feingold.

But there's a much deeper factor, isn't there? Senator Feinstein's current husband, Richard Blum, was a majority owner of the military contractors URS Corp. and Perini Corp. at the same time that the Senator supervised the appropriation of billions of dollars through her position on the Military Construction Appropriations subcommittee (MILCON) That means that, from 2001 through 2005, every time Senator Feinstein directed an appropriation, citizen Feinstein had a little bit more money for some fine dining in San Francisco. Again, this isn't just my theory; as you know, enough heat was brought to bear on this gross conflict of interest that the Senator had to resign from MILCON.

As you noted yesterday, I've politely lobbied the Senator in semi-private meetings, and it doesn't take much to see that the problems of one constituent don't amount to a hill of beans in the crazy world of the military industrial complex. Whether for profit or because she can't remember which Party she's in (let alone remember her oath to protect and defend the Constitution), Senator Feinstein chooses to enable Bush's disastrous agenda. So, now I need to repeat the request that I made to you yesterday:

Resign.

As District Director, you are enabling one of the worst offenders among those who betray the Democratic Party and their country in this time of crisis. I submit to you that one man can have an impact; your resignation would be felt by the Senator, and noted around the nation. You said that citizen comments on Mukasey amounted to only a third of those concerning Judge Roberts, yet you also heard from several who reported that it was nearly impossible to phone the Senator's office. We are frozen out; you can send a message:

Resign.

You could regain employment with one of the true Democrats. Help us build an opposition Party, before America goes past the point of no return. Help reverse the ludicrous stance of the Party, which has disappointed and abandoned its constituency to the point that more Republicans now approve of Congress than Democrats- despite our majority rule of both houses.

Please stop enabling those false leaders who enable this assault on our Constitution, our country and the world. You'll be able to look yourself in the mirror in the morning. Resign.

Thank you for considering this.

Yours,

Michael Jay

Delegate, California State Democratic Party, 42nd Assembly District
Steering Committee, Progressive Democrats of America, Los Angeles
Coordinating Committee, SoCal Grassroots

PS - After our meeting yesterday, you saw me return to the building's lobby to criticize those guards who had lied to the police. Let me explain that, while Mimi Kennedy (National Board Chair of Progressive Democrats of America), myself and four others waited politely for you to come down from the Senator's office, the lobby guards barred others from entering. After just a few complaints from these others, the guards summoned the police, by lying that "people were, or were trying to, break down the doors." I learned of this (mis-)characterization from the police officers themselves, who, thankfully, explained that they are experienced enough to know that people often exaggerate or fabricate in order to procure police presence. Know that the guards lied, that we were mischaracterized, and that the Senator and her staff are being ill-served by her landlord's employees.

To the hundreds of others reading this message: Please call Senator Feinstein's offices, and tell her how you think a Democratic California Senator should vote.
D.C.: 202-224-3841
SF: 415-393-0707
LA: 310-914-7300

Representative Howard Berman: Don't Block Impeachment

2007-11-06T15:33:00.000-08:00

Guest Blogger: Michael Jay

Letter to Representative Howard Berman:
If you won't oppose Bush, at least don't oppose those Democrats who will!

Dear Congressman Berman,

On Tuesday Congressman Dennis Kucinich will introduce a privileged resolution to impeach Vice President Cheney.

It is a virtual certainty that another member will move to table this resolution.

What will you do?

We have debated at length our differences on the occupation of Iraq, and the wisdom of impeachment. Actually, we have no differences of opinion on Iraq: you have publicly agreed with every one of my observations, including the conclusion that the war makes us less safe; you differ, inexplicably, in the action that you take.

For years now I have begged you to be part of an opposition Party, to aggressively address Bush's assault on our country's reputation and bedrock principles. In this regard I have also demanded that you obey your oath to protect and defend the Constitution, by holding the Bush administration responsible for its irrefutably illegal actions.

You have espoused the same excuses I've heard from so many: "Impeachment will take too long" (though the time remaining is still four times the time it took to impeach Clinton and Nixon). "We don't have the votes"- as if they had the votes before they began investigating Nixon, and uncovered the smoking guns that even the Republicans couldn't deny. "It will keep us from more important work" - as if the current Congress was some beehive of new initiatives and unprecedented bipartisan efficiency. In reality, because of the failure of you and others to oppose Bush, he vetoes everything, and we pass nothing. The only thing my Party has achieved is to have squandered the wishes of those Democrats who put you in the majority with a mandate to stop funding the war and stand up to Bush. Your self described "conservative" agenda and the Party leadership's brilliant strategy has achieved one other thing: it has plunged Congress' approval ratings to 11%- less than half that of Bush's. Remember that, the next time you think my progressive stance is bad for the Party.

Well, here's your chance. You don't have to go out on a limb and introduce a resolution. You don't have to join a caucus or co-sponsor anything, or stick your head up out of the foxhole. This one's simple: I'm asking you to do nothing. That is, when the motion is made to table Kucinich's resolution to impeach, please DO NOT vote to table.

Is that so much to ask? That you not side with the Republicans (again)? That you let this action take its course, and give us a chance to get America back on track? That you see which other Democrats might show a spine? Maybe we'll surprise ourselves.

With Senator Feinstein enabling yet another lying Bush appointee for Attorney General, I'm so deep in this upside down world that I'm now asking you to do nothing: Please don't cast another vote that makes us citizen Democrats sick to heart to be Democrats. Please don't generate another front page headline in the LA Daily News like the one that read, "Berman Sides with GOP." Please let this one vestige of Thomas Jefferson's process take root for. Bottom line: If you won't oppose Bush, at least don't oppose those Democrats who will. Please remember that you took an oath- one you have yet to respect. Here's your chance. I, and the several hundred people with whom I'll be sharing this message, will be watching.

Yours,

Michael Jay

Delegate, California State Democratic Party, 42nd Assembly District
Steering Committee, Progressive Democrats of America, Los Angeles
Coordinating Committee, SoCal Grassroots

PS - To those citizens reading this message: CALL CONGRESS (202-225-3121) and tell your Democratic Representative NOT to vote to table Kucinich's resolution of impeachment.

What Is Torture? Why Is the United States Government Willing To Practice It?

2007-11-02T16:24:00.000-07:00

With all the controversy over the newest Attorney General nominee of this President, one has to ask the question: just what is torture and we will use the example of waterboarding.

Waterboarding is the horrendous method of interrogation that simulates drowing by dropping voctims strapped to a cruel albeit efficient version of our childhood teeter-totter and immersing them in water. This causes panic, can trigger cardiac incidents and drives victims to a near death experience.

Is this torture? President Bush's nominee Judge Mukasey says he doesn't know. But according to Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and even the US Military it is.

While our hosting organization has not taken an official position on the President's nominee; I would urge you to investigate the issue and convey your position to our Senator Diane Feinstein, as she sits on the Senate Committee on the Judiciary.

Many of the organizations that many of us are in solidarity with have clearly stated their opposition to this nomination. We do not need a Alberto Gonzalez in sheep's clothing as the next Attorney General.

Why we protect our California Coastline

2007-11-02T11:59:00.000-07:00

As a native Californian who was born, raised and grew up on the coast of California; I appreciate that we continue to strive to protect one of nature’s golden treasures, California’s coastline. Back in the Nixon administration, his Secretary of the Interior, Walter Hickle, who was a former governor of Alaska issued an order to not allow offshore oil drilling. He lost his cabinet position over that action.

A decade later we precincted and gathered signatures to qualify proposition 20, the California Coastal Initiative. This was done back when signature gatherers were not paid. We did all this when I was a college student. We created the California Coastal Commission which helped protect our coastline all these past years.

Lately the Liquid Natural Gas industry has taken two runs at getting approval for an LNG offshore terminal off of our coastline. They failed in Long Beach, and have been stopped at the Oxnard hearing of the State’s Land Commission. Now they are pushing for an offshore floating terminal in the Santa Monica Bay, or even taking over an unused former oil platform off of Santa Barbara.

We must strive to protect our pristine, natural coast to prevent any dangerous and environmentally tragic proposals such as an LNG terminal. This is a critical battle that we must win, we have to win every battle and the overall war. Let your elected officials, local, state, and federal know that you oppose any LNG terminal on our coastline.

Starting To Calm Down Just A Tiny Bit…

2007-10-25T16:29:00.000-07:00

...some of the fires in Southern California, I mean.

Many of them are still ferociously blazing, unfortunately: the worst of them in San Diego County, for instance. But apparently the winds are finally starting to die down in L.A County, allowing the firefighters to start to get an upper hand.

Many have said this, but it's true: this is the worst fire season that I've ever seen. I've lived in Southern California since 1977 and many fire seasons have come and gone, but so many fires simultaneously springing up over such a wide area is unheard of in my recollection. When I first heard about how broad an expanse the various fires covered, my first thoughts were arson. It looks like that may be the case in several of the fires. These are the sorts of people who need to be strung up by their most sensitive body parts and left alive for a very long time.

No one I know has yet been affected, which is of the good, but I still feel for everyone who's been affected. If y'all want to help out and haven't done so yet, please do.
*************************
On a less positive (and far more cynical) note, while I'm happy that the folks in San Diego County who are being displaced have found shelter at Qualcomm - amongst other refuges - I am furious that this sort of coordination and level of help wasn't available to the folks profoundly affected by Katrina. Granted, part of it is that the head of FEMA in 2005 was an idiot who didn't have the first clue of how to organize a sock drawer, let alone such a vitally important federal emergency agency. The current FEMA chief comes from an emergency response background and shows signs of competence that is stunning for anyone appointed by Bush and Buddies.

However, that doesn't excuse the continuing lack of attention paid by the federal government to the fine folks in New Orleans and the surrounding areas. There's no reason why ALL the federal attention is going to the displaced in Southern California and none is being diverted to NO. Well, no good reason. The only other thing I come up with - besides FEMA being run by someone who knows a thing or two about fires - is that the areas hardest hit by the fires< are in northern San Diego County. And if'n ya know anything that area, you know that the residents are, for the most part, rich, white and Republican.

Cynical? Perhaps. But being "governed" by those currently in the Executive Branch has engendered a definite cynicism where none previously existed. Besides which, I, like many others, have seen how this administration caters to the wealthy and Republican. It's certainly not beyond the realm of probability. It would also explain why the only people really doing anything to help the Katrina-ravaged areas are those who live there. People who, for the most part, are not rich, are not Republicans, and are less white per capita than the population of NE San Diego.

Again, I am happy that the displaced have got quality shelter. But the federal government still needs to turn their attention back to the Gulf Coast.

We're ALL American citizens, Bush and Co. Don't you dare forget it again.

crossposted from just an ordinary goddess

The US Under Apartheid & the 2008 Election

2007-10-14T13:48:00.000-07:00

a·part·heid

An official policy of segregation formerly practiced in the Republic of South Africa, involving political, legal, and economic discrimination against select members of society.
A policy or practice of separating or segregating groups.
The condition of being separated from others; segregation.

One of the concerns I hear most frequently voiced by democrats is that during the next election the Democratic party will split between the idealist, activist, grassroots and the more pragmatic, pro-business, pro-moderation members. The Common Wisdom is that a precursor of this disaster was seen in 2000 when Nader sucked up enough votes to help George Bush win the election. The Common Wisdom is wrong. It wasn't a lack of votes that caused the problem. The folks who "won" the election were determined to do anything they had to do in order to be handed the White House without open riots. The worst you can say about the Nader folks was . . . they probably saw it coming. They'd stopped trusting either party.
In preparation for the 2000 election, the "the powers that be" in Florida commissioned a "voter purge" that pulled 50,000 voters off the rolls, most of whom were liberal democrats, most of whom were black. Many of those voters came to the polls to vote in the election, as they had for years, only to find that they had been disenfranchised.
And when that wasn't enough to win the election, the Republican's turned to the courts of Florida to stop a vote count, and subsequently to the Supreme Court, to have the Florida court's decision over turned.
In the 2004 election, voters in Ohio were disenfranchised in a wide variety of well documented ways.
Across the country we are now using polling stations that are easy to tamper with. It has been proven, over and over again, that the vote HAS been tampered with. That it will be tampered with again is a foregone conclusion. Why else wouldn't those machines have been replaced and discarded. There's certainly been enough outcry and enough legal challenges to have brought that about. If the Democratic or Republican party leadership wanted those machines gone, they'd be gone.
And all this is in addition to all the ways in which key members of both parties have been effectively determining who will be a candidate and what issues will be voted on for years. You'll note that the population of this nation never gets to vote on a national health care system, and that's been something with a more than 60% approval for decades. These same folks determine which laws will be enforced. There are laws on the books against war profiteering and Halliburton is alive and well. We have laws against lying to congress and giving money to political cronies and torture. Bush is still in office, our last Attorney General was allowed to resign.
All of which means that we live under an apartheid government which effectively disenfranchises most of the people most of the time. If you are a democrat and the votes of OTHER democrats aren't counted, YOU are disenfranchised because you cannot ever "win" an election even if you have "won" the election. In fact, when the votes of Democrats aren't counted, even Republicans are disenfranchised because the election wasn't legal, didn't create consensus, doesn't represent the will of _anyone_ except the folks who rigged the election and their collaborators.
Its hard to imagine why the "pragmatic" among us, especially those in the democratic party, can't see their way clear to demanding immediate and visible action on election protection from the party and every single elected official as a condition for receiving their vote in 2008.
Actually I'm afraid I do understand why so many Democrats who call themselves pragmatists won't make that demand. Its because they know it will be refused. They want to believe there is still hope, that some how by accepting these "flaws" we can move on to other business. They believe that widespread election fraud is some kind of snafu that will ultimately be worked out.
If that's true . . . its terrifying. Ending apartheid _starts_ with giving every citizen a right to vote, and ensuring that vote is counted. As folks in South Africa, activists who fought for the rights of blacks in the US South, and survivors of the Holocaust will tell you . . . appeasement leads to tyranny.

Friday Afternoon, September 28th - Bring Our Troops Home Billboard Unveiled

2007-09-27T15:53:00.000-07:00

From SoCal Grassroots - San Gabriel Valley

This Friday afternoon, September 28th, on the corner of Foothill Blvd and Archibald Avenue in Rancho Cucamonga a new billboard will be unveiled. It will proudly announce to all who pass that we should bring our troops home.

This all began nearly a year ago when the newly founded Inland Valley Democratic Club, in the heart of Bush country started demonstrating against the war in Iraq. It has been a remarkable example of grassroots democracy. At first it was a small group of demonstrators made up of veterans of the war in Vietnam and others who had the courage to stand on that corner of a very busy thoroughfare to express their outrage and displeasure with the war in Iraq. They withstood a lot of unhappy motorists in the beginning months, but gradually things turned around. Instead of the verbal abuse they initially encountered that disagreement turned to support as time went on. It has been an amazing transformation to where they now get many of the cars and trucks that pass by to honk their horns in support.

This adventure in grassroots democracy will culminate this Friday with the unveiling of the sign announcing to the world that, "We support the troops bring them home." All of you are invited to join in the demonstration against the war in Iraq and support of our troops that begins at 4:00 PM.

Here's that info again:
Friday, September 28, 2007
4:00 pm - ???
Corner of Foothill Blvd and Archibald Ave
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730

Iowa & New Hampshire in a compressed Primary Season

2007-09-27T14:30:00.001-07:00

In this front loaded primary season; the media would have you believe that the old rules still apply! This is the same media that is anointing the partisan leaders in the two party marathon for their respective nominations.

The fallacy is that when the primaries started moving up on the calendar and Super Duper Tuesday, February 5th, was filling up with California and New York the pundits said this was totally to the benefit of the Frontrunner/s! But, as the primaries and caucuses filled in the survivability of all the contenders changed. Every Democrat can stay through the California plus Tuesday elections. Delegates are selected in varying formulas; using the CA model any candidate that crosses the 15% threshhold will get delegates to Denver in the summer. The junior senator from New York is in it with a lot of cash until the end. The junior senator from Illinois can also afford to be in it through February. The next two candidates of Senator John Edwards and Governor Bill Richardson can both afford and have the grassroots operations that will guarantee a strong February showing. The two senior senators from Connecticut & Deleware can also stay in until February though they might be the first who drop out. Congressman Kucinich is in it for the message and will hold on with delegates to Denver! Lastly, the former senator from Alaska, I hope he returns home to run against Ted Stevens, will last for his message as well.

What does all this activity portend? In my humble opinion it portends the strongest possibility of a brokered or a small d democratic convention in Denver for the Democratic Party. There will be so many delegates attributed to the field of eight, that no one candidate will lock it up before the gavel is sounded on the first night!

The scenario under the classic rules was that you were bound as a delegate to the person you ran to represent, with the exception of uncommitted party leaders, until they released you. Under the DNC rules you are bound through the first ballot. If Senator Clinton is not the presumptive nominee or negotiates a first ballot victory; then the nominee can well be another. The band wagon delegates, the opportunist delegates in CA for example who ran after the primary, and those who are smarting under the bare knuckle bruising of the primary; they will look around the room and become the new majority for another nominee for 2008! You read it here and I will either be part of the vanguard for new politics, or "how could you have been so naive"?

Bush Transcript Proves He Intentionally Deceived US

2007-09-27T14:30:00.000-07:00

I think this is the smoking gun. We had the Downing Street memos which indicated what this proves, but that was a "report" of a conversation had with the Bush Administration. It did not feature Bush's actual statements word for word. We now have a word for word transcript of statements made to Jose Maria Aznar of Spain, and Condoleeza Rice. He made these statements while he was telling the people of the US (and Congress) that all options were on the table with Iraq, and war would be a "last resort".

Saddam was willing to leave Iraq without war. Why, if regime change was the desired outcome, did we have to go to war with Iraq? Saddam could have walked away (could have been captured, imprisoned or assassinated despite assurances to the contrary). War was never necessary to oust him.

I suspect the truth is . . . the occupation of Iraq was always the objective.

And that is distrurbing. Becuase it indicates that this administration has gone to a great deal of trouble to "acquire" Iraq, and thus likely has no plans whatsoever to leave that nation, any more than it plans to remove all its troops from Germany or Japan.

Since this is SO CAL GRASSROOTS, I have every confidence you'll want to make up your own mind based on the evidence. Here's some documents to refer to.

Link to English story

Link to original transcript (in Spanish)

Best Liberal Laugh event -- with Stephanie Miller

2007-09-26T14:56:00.000-07:00

Although Stephanie Miller's progressive talk show/comedy cavalcade is beamed every weekday morning right out of Burbank to stations nationwide, her SoCal fans seldom get the chance to see her right here, especially in a political setting--and with her WHOLE CREW. Now's your chance.

The Burbank Democratic Club-of which I am the founding past president- is presenting our “Best Liberal Laugh of the Year” award, the BLLOTY, to her whole show from 5-8 p.m. on Saturday Oct. 13.

The event includes dinner, dessert, plus the chance to mix, pose and hurl questions in Q&A style with not only Stephanie but also her on-air mates: executive producer Chris Lavoie and “voice deity” Jim Ward, plus associate producer Rebekah Baker (“on phones and drums.”) It's a rare chance to see all four together, in person, and enjoy some of the impromptu, unpredictable wit and barbs that make their rapid-fire show such a hoot.

Keynoter will be Elliott S! Maggin, the principal scribe for 15 years of "Superman comics" who's now running as the “Truth, Justice, and the American Way!” Dem in the CA-24 House race. I'll be serving as your humble emcee, and we'll also have the musical punchlines of Elton John and "What's My Line, Live on Stage" keyboardist Adam Chester.

For more information about the event, click here.

Seating is limited. Hope to see you there!

How Not to Get Microwaved At Future Protests & Riots (Really)

2007-09-25T14:30:00.000-07:00

As Katrina indicated, this government is perfectly capable of abusing its own people just as it has abused the Iraqi people. And, isn't that a truism? What a nation does to people outside its borders eventually comes home. And it is not as if this nation is a stranger to domestic oppression. Native Americans and people of color are all to aware that being born in this country is no guarantee of civil rights.
So, I'm here to warn you. One day you may be at a protest and truck will drive up with a big flat rectangular screen. At first you may wonder if it is a television sattelite truck. If that screen is flat, it is not. Start moving _away_ from the truck. Its a "Microwave" weapon. Look up ACTIVE DENIAL SYSTEMS on Google. You'll find it described in great detail in the national media.
Active Denial Systems (or Directed Energy Weapons) are already being deployed in Iraq. "A Belgian doctor who braved the war in Iraq has, in his Baghdad Diary, provided an account of a possible first military antipersonnel use of DEW. The horrible account is given of a bus containing civilians that was fired upon on 1 April 2003 in A1 Sqifal, near Hilla, from an American checkpoint. According to reports from Dr. Saad El-Fadoui, a 52-year-old surgeon who studied in Scotland and who immediately went to the site of the incident from Hilla Hospital, "the bodies were all carbonized, terribly mutilated, torn into pieces". In and around the bus he saw heads, brains and intestines. According to witnesses no one had heard the sound of an explosion and no traces of shrapnel were found on the bodies..."
The manufacturers of the ADS system say say its a non-lethal weapon. It just boils the top layer of skin all over your body. And they'll tell you is not a "microwave" weapon. It's a millimeter wave weapon. The shorter the wave, the more the damage. I wonder . . . Could there be a dial (or a hack) that lets you set the length of the wave and the power behind it?
There's a hand held model of this weapon, so in addition to tasers we may soon have "Hand Held People Friers" in the hands of soldiers, policemen, INS agents, the FBI, etc.
Some folks say metal stops the rays. Skin boils, even skin under clothes . . . but clothes don't burn. In those old SCI Fi shows everyone's always wearing shiny metal clothes. Now you know why. Actually, I'm not entirely sure light-weight metal will stop the effect. You might need a suit of armor to face down these machines.
So if LA gets a big Earthquake, and the feds fail to respond with humanitarian aid (as they did with Katrina) and National Guard (oops, they're in Iraq, so maybe we'll get federal troops instead) are sent to quell the rioting caused by hunger, thirst and despair . . . I'm telling you. Stay away from the flat paneled trucks and the hand held people friers.
PS: There's a new hand held thermobaric weapon that is also being tested in Iraq. "This is a version of the standard USMC Shoulder Mounted Assault Weapon but with a new warhead. Described as NE - "Novel Explosive"- it is a thermobaric mixture which ignites the air, producing a shockwave of unparalleled destructive power, especially against buildings." http://www.defensetech.org/archives/001944.html
This really is a brave new world . . .

One More Major Reason to leave Iraq Now

2007-09-19T10:41:00.000-07:00

Just when I was preparing to blog this week on another subject - what do I see on the mornings headlines? "Safety an issue without Blackwater". The article continues with the fact that trips outside the Green Zone are restricted or not happening; and that means the US support meetings cannot occur with the various Iraqi ministries. That really makes it simple. The State Department is stating that they cannot do the diplomatic mission in Iraq without the services of Blackwater mercenaries! Yes, let's not be timid; these private security personnel are mercenaries. They are being paid large salaries to kill without the color of authority; but we have forced the occupied government of Iraq to exempt them from any prosecution for their violence upon the people of Iraq.

What is simple - this - GET OUT OF IRAQ now. Governor Bill Richardson is correct. Evacuate the country in six months. It can be done. Muslim nations will supply a force of peacekeepers. The vacuum that we are warned about will not occur, and the nations in closest proximity along with nations that bow to Mecca six times daily will supply troops to assist in stabilizing Iraq.

What have we lost by leaving Iraq. Let's enumerate them. We lose the carnage of young men and women continuing this folly. We lose sweet heart deals with the Vice President's cronies. We lose the improper control of another nations oil. We start to regain our reputation in the eyes of the world community. This reformation to moral standing in the world will have to be accomplished by a Democrat in the White House!
Not any Democrat, but one who has the experience of world diplomacy, UN experience, congressional skills in dealing with the people's congress, and a record of accomplishment. Where do we find such a paragon of leadership. Right here in the neighboring state of New Mexico. Governor Bill Richardson would be the right person for the job at this time in history.

Have You No Shame

2007-08-29T14:55:00.001-07:00

I was going to add to the din of "good riddance" at the soon to be departed Attorney General of the United States. What dissuaded me?
The President had the gall to go to New Orleans and add his simpering platitudes to the real mourning of the city and its citizens at the 2nd Anniversary of Katrina! This lame duck executive cares more about any city in Iraq then the entire Gulf Coast of this country. It isn't that one shouldn't have an expansive heart; it is the false note of this administration doing anything substantive for the devastated gulf coast and Crescent City. I will admit that my families roots are from New Orleans and a young Annie Gleeson came from Ireland in the hold of a Cotton Ship before she became what my French Cousins call "Shanty Irish". My mothers ashes rest below the caskets of one set of grandparents in St. Louis Cemetary # 2, the second oldest cemetary in New Orleans.

Back when Senator Joe McCarthy was conducting another witch hunt during the infamous Army-McCarthy hearings; the plaintiff's attorney asked the senator, "Have You No Shame" in response to a particular bit of verbal slander.

This morning the current occupant of the West Wing used the ceremony to again launch in on a litany of failed and dubious programs. He should just send down an armed car with disbursements for the people, release the Louisiana National Guard, authorize the Seabees to help rebuild the devastated infrastructure, and find someone competent to head up FEMA. President Bush, "Have You No Shame".

New Fly to Drop - Conny McCormack

2007-08-28T16:45:00.000-07:00

First Rove, then Gonzales, now Conny McCormack - Registrar of Voters for Los Angeles County, the most populous county in the United States - has announced that she is retiring, effective the end of 2007.

Wow.

Long time readers of this humble blog remember that we here at SoCal Grassroots aren't exactly fans of L.A. County's RoV. We've written about her insistence that we just not worry our pretty little heads about proprietary software and that she just doesn't concern herself about the "statistical abnormalities" of Ohio's voting during the 2004 presidential election. I've seen her speak several times and she has always struck me as someone who is more concerned about making her job easier and getting her buddies at Diebold nice fat contracts than the accuracy of the vote.

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, however. It seems that - much like Rove and Gonzales - she's planning on entering the private sector, concentrating on "shifting [her] energies and experience to election administration research and consulting both within the U.S. and worldwide."

I feel very sorry for those whom choose to hire her as a consultant.

My Oh My...

2007-08-28T14:18:00.000-07:00

....this looks like a week for Schadenfreude Pie.

Not only has yet another anti-gay Republican legislator been caught with his hand in the "soliciting gay sex in a public restroom" cookie jar and dear ol' Al Gonzales resigned as US Attorney General, but last week even Republican creationists on the Texas State School Board voted against including intelligent design in science classes.

Schadenfreude Pie - dark, rich and delicious...

Thank You, Teddi

2007-08-24T16:08:00.000-07:00

Early Tuesday morning, Teddi Winograd passed away in her Beverly Hills home from cancer, her family by her side. She was 87.

Your humble blogger didn't know Teddi all that well. I worked for her daughter Marcy last year, when Marcy ran for Congress against Jane Harman. It was through Marcy that I met Teddi and attended several events and meetings in her home. She always impressed me as being kind, warm and generous, welcoming to all who entered her home. She seemed to be strong of heart and mind, didn't suffer fools gladly and was fiercely devoted to her family.

She was also quite the activist, sure to be on the front lines and in the front rows of numerous protests and progressive events, many of those events in her own home. Her convictions drove her to fight for peace and justice and the real American Way.

I didn't know Teddi well, but I was amongst those who could count themselves as lucky for knowing her at all.

Thank you for your hard work, your graciousness and your positive energy, Teddi. You will be missed by many.

Teddi Winograd: The "Maternal Heart" of Progressive Democrats

POTUS is really amazing

2007-08-22T13:52:00.000-07:00

POTUS, the President of the United States, this morning spoke to the National Convention of the VFW, Veterans of Foreign Wars. In his lack of timerity, this President spoke to Veterans without addressing veterans problems. He thanked them for fighting, dying, and serving their country! No where did I hear any apology for declining VA services, inhospitable Hospitals, nor a lack of budgetary concern for military families.

What did he speak of on this informercial shown almost completely by the faux fox clone, CNN; well I'll tell you.
He gave us a history lesson complete with fallacies that would make a Logics professor blush. He started with Japan and World War II, took a reminiscenct visit to the Korean Police Action, and even spoke of Vietnam as a precursor to the current occupation of Iraq. He compared Vietnam to Iraq while spinning a fiction that would make for a great Kubrick farce; though this occupant of the White House oozed that hypocritical sincerity he is infamous for with no shame at all exhibited. He even mentioned Graham Greene's "The Quiet American", it is good that someone in the West Wing is literate!

Keep an eye out for the westwitch from Texas

2007-08-15T12:40:00.000-07:00

First off an apology for all white witches and good people - the west witch moniker just seemed to fit. Karl Rove, political beastie and policy wonk, is not setting his sail and going off in the west. Notwithstanding how he may protest that it is what he is doing, and that he has no new West Wing/Oval Office plans - yes, absolutely I believe everything this white house tells us!!!

At the least the Texas Republican paryty has to be warmed by the fact that this political pirranha is back in their coastal waters - remember that Politics at it's best or worst is a Blood Sport not made for the squeamish! Soon he will be the new Public Affairs Senior Vice President at a Cheney like salary in some heretofore unknown company. Who knew Hughes Tool before Howard, Halliburton before Cheney, and then we will discover that this unnamed company has been the recipient of the largess of great amounts of Federal dollars from the DOD, NASA, State Department and other administration bagmen!

Of course, to discover this news one would have to listen to, view or read the foreign press - you know the last bastion of an inquiring media outside of the print work of a hand full of Grey Ladies, the NY Times, Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, and the former Wall Street Journal front page bullet articles. I would start with the BBC, the Economist, and other open sources available as long as the internet is neutral and free
in so far as access that is!

I miss the days of my youth when I would listen on the shortwave, a Zenith Transoceanic, to both the world edition of the BBC, and also Radio Moscow, the english language version. Now that gave you a world eye's view of different opinions.

Congressional Cowardliness: Good for Bush - Bad for the US

2007-08-08T11:09:00.000-07:00

Saturday's capitulation by Congress to Bush and his administration's desire to pay more attention to citizens' private communications than to National Intelligence Estimates and real intelligence gathering has, understandably, got a lot of knickers in knots (including my own). By making a previously - and rightfully - illegal act into a legal one, Congress has ensured that private communications with friends, business contacts and loved ones in other countries are now within the purview of a power-hungry administration. Because you know our letters and packages are next.

Good one, guys. And here I thought you Dems were elected to stop this mad, mad, mad administration.

Oh, they say that they're doing it for us and have limited the law to a six month period, to end in February. And several of the Dems that said, "Sure, Bush, go ahead and infringe on the privacy of law-abiding American citizens," have said that they'll be working to fix the law. Speaker Pelosi's her blog said that S. 1927, "[...]contains many provisions that are unacceptable and she does not believe that the American people will want to wait that long before corrective action is taken." Question for all of you Dems who decided to capitulate: if this law is so very broken that it requires fixing, 1) why wait until September to start fixing it and 2) why even pass it at all? A bad law is a bad law. Pure and simple. And if y'all think Bush and Pals are going to let the sunset clause take effect, you have another think coming. Even if they do, they'll just bully Congress again and, yet gain, Congress will cave. They did it with the Patriot Act - you can be damned sure they'll do it with the Protect America Act.

BTW, California's own Senator Feinstein "defended her vote for the Republican version of the spy bill in part by circulating a letter she had received from McConnell describing the ways that the intelligence community would safeguard U.S. citizens' privacy under the new espionage authorities." Because they've been doing such a great job of that in the past, when wiretapping was illegal. Yeah, that's pretty damned believable.

Not surprisingly, protesting has commenced. MoveOn has got a petition urging Congress to reverse their capitulation. The ACLU "will today file legal papers with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) requesting that it disclose recent legal opinions discussing the scope of the government's authority to engage in secret wiretapping of Americans." Even the telecoms have gotten in on the act, though there is speculation they're doing it more to avoid lawsuits than to protect US citizens' privacy.

Let's keep screaming. Contact your senators and represnetatives. Let them know that this is an unforgivable act by the very people we elected to curb the abuses of the Bush administration.

Let's protect our privacy.

Voting Machines Have Failed The Hacking Tests...

2007-07-30T10:07:00.000-07:00

..color me the opposite of surprised.

(View LIVE hearing now!)

A few months ago California Secretary of State Debra Bowen decided to do something strange and unusual: she kept her campaign promises and instituted a top-to-bottom review of California's voting systems. The results of her review - published on Friday - showed that every electronic voting system had security issues:

The report documents 15 security problems found in the devices. For example, researchers were able to exploit bugs in the Windows operating system used by the Diebold GEMS election management system to circumvent the system's audit logs and directly access data on the machine. They were able to get a similar level of access to Sequoia WinEDS data as well.

Testers were also able to overwrite firmware, bypass locks on the systems, forge voter cards, and even secretly install a wireless device on the back of a GEMS server.

Those in the election protection community have been decrying the probabilities of such security failings for years, as have computer experts who have studied the problem, some of whom have been working on alternative, non-proprietary voting systems. So it's rather gratifying to learn that we have elected a secretary of state who listens to the concerns of the voting public and experts in their fields and takes the appropriate steps to rectify the situation.

However, something rather disturbing has been revealed: ES&S - the company that provides to Los Angeles County its electronic voting systems (including the machines that tabulate the InkaVote ballots) - did not provide access to its machines until it was too late to be included in this report. Secretary Bowen has said that ES&S systems will be evaluated at a later date. It is uncertain at this time whether the evaluation will be done in time for the February 2008 primaries, which could leave LA County (the county in which your humble blogger resides and the most populous county in the country) without certified machines. And the chances are excellent that our Registrar of Voters, Conny McCormack (who never met Diebold sales literature she didn't like), will be amongst the Californian RoV's and County Clerks who may choose to ignore Secretary Bowen's findings and use systems currently in place, even should they be uncertified.

There's a tough fight ahead, my dears. Thank heavens we have Debra Bowen on the side of transparency and democracy.

State GOP Leaders - Not Fond of the Poor

2007-07-25T11:28:00.001-07:00

For the last month the California State Senate has been unable to pass a budget, thanks to stalling by the Senate's Republicans. Flatly rejecting the budget passed by the Assembly, the Republican Caucus, as led by Dick Ackerman (R-Irvine), has insisted that the new budget slash an additional $1 billion in spending without giving detail as which programs would bear the brunt of such heavy slashing.

Until today.

Senate Republicans will present their budget to the California Senate today, but Ackerman has revealed a few of the proposed cuts: in a move that surprises no one, state welfare is a primary victim of the budget cuts, with $324-million to be yanked from its already too-lean budget:

After holding up the state budget nearly a month past deadline, Senate Republicans offered Tuesday to end the impasse if Democrats would move tens of thousands of poor families off welfare and make dozens of additional program cuts.

I understand the need to make sure that welfare is going to those who need it most and to root out fraud, which is what Ackerman says these cuts are supposed to accomplish. But the fact of the matter is, children will be hardest hit by these proposed cuts, since the slashing "[...] would eliminate safety net cash grants that are intended to keep children whose parents do not meet work requirements from becoming homeless. Children whose parents are in the country illegally also could lose assistance under the Republican plan."

Once again the GOP leadership shows that they don't care about those in our society that are most in need.

What a surprise.

Executive Branch Job Description Includes Treason

2007-07-19T21:11:00.000-07:00

Today the lawsuit against Cheney, Rove, Libby and Armitage brought by Valerie Plame and Joseph Wilson was dismissed because, according to Judge John Bates, Plame and Wilson "failed to show the case belongs in federal court."

I don't see how a case of treason, in which a covert agent's cover was blown in an extremely public manner by members of the current administration, could possibly NOT belong in federal court. But I'm not a Bush appointed judge who worked for Kenneth Starr during the Clinton impeachment debacle, so maybe my grasp of conservative legalese is a little off.

As is, it would seem, my knowledge of what is included in the job description of members of the executive branch as, according to the defense lawyers and Judge Bates,"federal law protects Cheney and the other top administration officials from being sued for actions taken as part of their official duties."

Who'da known that treason was part of their official duties? Guess all those former members of the executive branch over the last 200+ years were just not performing their jobs in a satisfactory manner.

I hope future administrations take note of this.

We Have Nothing To Fear...

2007-07-12T14:01:00.000-07:00

...except for whatever's rumbling in Michael Chertoff's gut.

Apparently Chertoff ate some really bad calamari, because he's saying that he has a "gut feeling" about possible terrorist attacks within the US:

He based his assessment on earlier patterns of terrorists in Europe and intelligence he would not disclose.

"Summertime seems to be appealing to them," Chertoff said in his discussion with [The Chicago Tribune] about terrorists. "We worry that they are rebuilding their activities."

Can't say that's surprising. There's something about a beautiful hot summer day that inspires feelings of suicidal and murderous hatred of the Western Capitalist Dogs in all of us.

And that's not the only thing to fear, my friends. Anonymous government sources have informed the media that an Al Qaeda cell might be on its way to the US or may already be here!

(Execpt. According to Global Security.org, the United States is most likely already home to autonomous underground al Qaeda cells. So the possibility of a "new" cell on its way to terrorize us all is ludicrous.)

Then again, perhaps we've nothing to fear after all. The FBI is building a new database and mining data on Americans in an effort "to assess the risk posed by people identified as potential or suspected terrorists." So we should be fine, right? It's not as if the FBI would abuse it or force people to keep quiet through National Security Letters, would it? And if it did and the Attorney General was told about it, he wouldn't lie about it, would he?

Hmmm, maybe we have something to fear after all. And it ain't Al Qaeda.

Damn that bad calamari...

Matter of When, Not If

2007-07-03T16:31:00.000-07:00

The fact that Libby isn't going to jail comes as no surprise to anyone with two brain cells to rub together. I think most of us knew it was merely a matter of when, not if.

However, there is some surprise that the form this deus ex machina took was one of commutation, not pardon. It's a savvy move, though. Pardoning a criminal convicted of obstruction of justice in a case of treason whilst the defense is still appealing the conviction shows that, high-handed as Bush's administration tends to be, they're still trying to give the appearance that they believe in following the at this stage than an outright pardon.

Of course, once the appeal is rejected (and trust me, it will be rejected), Bush will play the pardon card.

Unless the appeal makes it to the U.S. Supreme Court. Chances are damned good that another 5-4 decision would be handed down by those unjust justices.

Either way, Libby will never see the inside of a prison.

Guess treason just ain't as serious as it used to be.

Let the Chipping Away Commence!

2007-06-28T22:49:00.000-07:00

It seemed to take a long time, but it's finally happened. In what's proven to be a very busy week for those folks in the long black robes, the conservative U.S. Supreme Court has finally started chipping away at limiting corporate-funded broadcast ads, separation of church and state, voluntary affirmative action and antitrust laws. These new decisions go cozily hand in hand with the recent upholding of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003.

If it weren't so vital to the citizens of the United States to fight against these injust justices, I'd be tempted to sit back with some buttered popcorn, Twizzlers and SnoCaps and watch the show. Because, my friends, this is only the beginning of the epic foulness to come.

Give Federal Appeals Court a Cookie

2007-06-11T11:46:00.000-07:00

Actually, they deserve a boat-load of cookies - Court overrules Bush 'enemy combatant' policy:

The Bush administration cannot legally detain a legal U.S. resident it believes is an al-Qaida sleeper agent without charging him, a divided federal appeals court ruled Monday.

The case involves a Qatari national and suspected al-Qaida operative who is the only person being held in the United States as an "enemy combatant."

Thank heavens that the rule of law wins the day. Let's hope that this leads to the appeals court recognizing that this rule of law should apply to "enemy combatants" held on behalf of the US in other countries. No one should ever be held indefinitely without being charged. Because the Sixth Amendment is a good thing.

It's A Step...

2007-06-07T09:57:00.000-07:00

Senate OKs referendum on Iraq war:

California could become the first state to formally call for immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq under a ballot proposal the state Senate approved Wednesday.

[...]

The resolution is an advisory measure that voters would consider on the presidential primary ballot next February. The proposal is expected to be approved by the Assembly, but Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has not said publicly whether he will sign it.

Many see this resolution as a cynical ploy to bring out more Democratic voters to the polls in February, mainly so that voters will also vote for the change in term limits that Democratic law-makers are pushing for.

Frankly, I don't care.

Granted, though I'm not entirely crazy about term limits (we lost Jackie Goldberg, Dario Frommer and Paul Koretz when they were termed out), I'm not sure about voting to change term limits to keep Perrata et al. in state leadership positions.

However, it's time that California - and states in general - sent a strong message to the Bush Administration that we need to get the hell out of Iraq. Especially after the horrific capitulation of Congress to Bush's need to kill even more of our fine soldiers.

(Your erstwhile contributor was unable to write about that miscarriage of voter trust as everything came out as incoherent spittle. I'm barely able to keep from reverting even now. Back to the state resolution...)

Republican legislators are saying that such a resolution is not within the state's purview:

"We're elected by the people of California to handle the issues of California," asserted Senate GOP leader Dick Ackerman of Irvine. "If you want to handle federal issues, you can try to be elected to Congress."

What an extremely narrow view of the responsibilities of California legislators. Every aspect of the Iraq Occupation affects Californians on a deep level. We're losing soldiers over there. Our National Guard troop strength is down, in part due to deployment in Iraq. Like other states, our taxpayers are throwing money into a spiraling federal deficit.

We've got to get out. We've got to move on this now. And this is a good step.

In Memoriam

2007-05-28T10:59:00.000-07:00

As of 11AM PDT, May 28, 2007:

US Soldiers Died Memorial Weekend:
May 26, 2007

Erich S. Smallwood, 23, Army National Guard Specialist
Francis M. Trussel Jr., 21, Army Specialist
Clayton G. Dunn II, 22, Army Sergeant
Michael J. Jaurigue, 22, Army Sergeant
Gregory N. Millard, 22, Army Specialist
Nicholas R. Walsh, 27, Marine Sergeant
William Lee Bailey III, 29, Army National Guard Specialist
David Paul Lindsey, 20, Marine Corporal
Nicholas Walsh, 26, Marine Sergeant

Total US Military Deaths: 3,455
Total Coalition Military Deaths: 276
Total Contractor Deaths (list incomplete): 398
Total Journalists (list incomplete): 132
Total Iraqi Deaths (number approximate): 64,400 - 70,540 (though some estimates are in excess of 655,000)
Total Wounded US Military: 25,129

The Treatment Is Worse Than the Disease

2007-05-23T13:24:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year Governor Schwarzenegger put forth a bold new health care proposal for California, requiring that all Californians purchase health insurance. While laudable, there is concern that the subsidized coverage which is promised to those who cannot afford insurance could put a serious strain on an already over-burdened budget, even with companies pitching in 4% of their payroll to a state account, should they decide not to provide insurance to their employees.

In response, Democratic legislators have put together their own proposals, which would require companies to foot a larger piece of the pie:

Escalating the already tense fight about what financial burden businesses should bear, the Democrats who control the Legislature proposed Tuesday that most California employers be required to spend the equivalent of at least 7.5% of their payrolls on health care — nearly twice the amount Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed.

The mandate on employers would raise more than $5 billion and — along with federal taxpayer money and worker contributions — allow California to extend insurance to about 69% of the 4.9 million people who lack it at any given moment. Among states, only Hawaii has a significant employer mandate. But the Democratic proposals in California would go further by including dependent coverage and more part-time workers.

Those of us to the left-of-center tend to celebrate proposed legislation that helps those who, for whatever reason, cannot do for themselves. Especially if large corporations are the ones who contribute a healthy percentage of the costs.

The problem with this, however, is that large corporations, as a rule, already offer health care benefits to their employees and would not be required to give to the state fund unless the employee benefits equaled less than 7.5% of payroll. So guess who the burden to fund the desperately needed health care state fund would fall upon?

The small business owner.

Another thing that we liberals tend to like to encourage is independent business. We usually like our local mom-and-pop record stores and book stores over the soulless mondo-stores. We think Geek Patrol is kinda neat, but prefer to give our computers to the repair guy in the neighborhood who is a wiz at retrieving our info from fried drives. And isn't it better for the little guy to make money at coming up with new toys than for Mattel to rake in even more from ever-expanding toy opportunities?

Problem is, the average small business owner simply cannot afford to contribute 7.5% of payroll. That's assuming employees can even be afforded. Says Larry Spinak, founder of CompuNerds, "I have two employees, but they're really subcontractors and I use them part time. A big reason I don't have regular employees is because I can't afford all the benefits, etc. Another 7.5% would make it even more difficult."

And for those who do have employees? The proposed requirement could potentially put them out of business. According to a local business owner working in the toy industry (who prefers to remain anonymous), "Any additional tax on small business is potentially crippling. 7.5 percent of payroll is a huge number once you know that payroll is the largest expense in any business, 40 to 70% of all company income in many cases. Add that to the myriad of existing taxes - state, federal and local - insurances required by law, unemployment contributions and the ever famous 7.5% matching funds for Social Security. [...] This expense can make the difference between hiring and not hiring and not having a business to employ anyone including oneself."

Many large companies, should they decide the requirements of a certain state are too onerous to their bottom line, can opt to move to a friendlier state. It's not cheap, but they have the resources.

Not so the small business. Even if the business isn't tied to the community - as many of them seem to be - uprooting to another street would be prohibitive, let alone another state. We'd lose more of what we lefties love and there are precious few of those independent minded business folks as it is.

This is another reason why single-payer health care is so important to Californians. The system needs to be completely revamped and the playing field needs to be leveled, but not on the backs of the poor.

And not on the backs of small business owners.

Politics, Film -- United They Stand

2007-05-21T21:34:00.000-07:00

I'm always shocked when someone says "I hate political films". Isn't almost every film political? Crime, punishment, war, peace, racism, oppression, liberty, the right to work, the fight to feed a family . . . those are all political topics and those topics form the foundation for many of the very, very best films.

I think politics and film are a match made in heaven . . .

Why are people so afraid to discuss and debate the critical issues of our time? Is it because they fear one another? Is it because they fear the future? Is it because they fear our nation and our world will never find consensus again? I think so . . .

Which is why we need to keep politics in film.

"Guess Who's Coming to Dinner", "Lilies of the Valley", "To Kill a Mockingbird", "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington", "1984", "V for Vendetta", "Schindler's List". . . Films can and do change the world. They create a forum in which we can discuss the most difficult aspects of the problems that confront us. They create a common experience we can explore.

When people find a way to talk about issues and events that effect folks on the silver screen, they find it that much easier to dicuss the issues and events that effect them in the real world. We need politics in film to start the conversations that shape our collective destiny.

Brother, Can You Spare a Twenty?

2007-05-15T15:06:00.001-07:00

On May 10, Robert Greenwald testified before congress about profiteering.

He took on a misguided conservative congressman, and gained a committment to from that congressman to go with Greenwald to talk to soldiers in his district. Those of us who have talked to soldiers regarding profiteering know what this congressman will hear. Soldiers will wonder why their water is contaminated with parasites. Soldiers will ask why military contractors get paid $100,000+ a year tax free when soldiers get paid less than $24,000 as a rule. Soldiers will want to know why tens of billions that should have been spent on rebuilding Iraq have disappeared and why no one has been held accountable for the theft.

Greenwald spoke for me that day. He asked if our nation really wants to have corporations make billions off war. Greenwald and I agree. If you wage war with well-paid mercenaries, you'll end up in a lot more wars.

The US needs a National Defense Department, not a Murder for Hire Department.

Greenwald is going to be producing a host of short films in the weeks and months to come. He's going to do the kind of explosive investigative reporting that exposed Iraq profiteering, the strange and frightening relationship between Fox News and the White House, and Walmart's war on the middle class.

Pledge $10-$20 a month to support Greenwald's work. Let him speak for you as he has spoken for millions. You're buying your country back.

Online Entertainment for Soldiers? Not In This Man's Army...

2007-05-14T17:44:00.000-07:00

...at least not easily.

Over two weeks ago it was revealed that the US Army was clamping down on soldiers' blogs, even after the soldiers returned home. Now the Pentagon has has blocked access to sites such as YouTube and MySpace on military networks:

No more using the military's computer system to socialize and trade videos on MySpace, YouTube and nine other Web sites, the Pentagon says.

Citing security concerns and technological limits, the Pentagon has cut off access to those sites for personnel using the Defense Department's computer network.

The change limits use of the popular outlets for service members on the front lines, who regularly post videos and journals.

The Pentagon still allows soldiers to use their own computers, nor does it affect internet cafes in the area, which are run by a private vendor. However, for those soldiers who don't have the money to go to internet cafes or purchase laptops (or for those whose families are too poor to afford computers to ship to them), their access possible morale boosting entertainment has been severely curtailed.

As usual, those without money are getting the short, pointy, infected end of the stick.

Divide and Conquer

2007-05-13T17:43:00.000-07:00

The most effective lie the Fascists running the national Republican Party have tried to foist on the nation is the idea that "the Democrats are Disorganized".

What they really mean is, the Democratic Party isn't an army.

That's for the best. Being in the "Republican Army" sucks. To be a "good Republican" these days you have to tell the world you believe invading Iraq to the tune of 500+ Billion dollars was a grand idea. You have to swear you don't think the President lied to Congress and the rest of the world about the necessity for war. You have to promise not to do anything significant about Global Warming . . . You really have to sell yourself and your family down the river to stay in that marching band.

Remember this . . . the Best Defense against an army is millions of well armed, well funded revolutionaries.

Revolutionaries don't have a "plan", they have objectives. They work in small cells to acheive those objectives. Armies hate revolutionaries because you never know where they will strike next.

Some Democrats are the "angry mob" that gather outside the the White House gates demanding Impeachment. Others fight for freedom in the courts, working hard to hold this junta accountable. Still others fight in the media to free the minds of fellow Americans . . .

The folks running the Republican Party wish they were facing an army. It would make things so much easier. Instead they just face more than a hundred million angry citizens determined to get their country back.

The next time someone says "Those Democrats are sure disorganized," smile. That's what the Red Coats always say . . .

"It's Midnight in America, Jon"

2007-05-08T10:11:00.000-07:00

I found my political salvation, as many have, in Jon Stewart. He is a secular messiah to hundreds of millions because he demonstrates the only successful and peaceful strategy for restoring sanity to our nation in these troubled times.

He is not afraid.

He's not afraid of his government, the terrorists, his fellow Americans. And his lack of fear keeps his anger in check and lets him address the issues the rest of us run from. He looks into the heart of darkness . . . and laughs.

Thank God for Jon Stewart and for the fine men and women who work with him. Here's a link to his take on the Republican Presidential Debate. Enjoy.

What's "Political" Anyway?

2007-05-08T09:30:00.000-07:00

The term political seems to have no meaning any more. Like terrorist, it has turned into a word that means what the speaker wants it to mean.

In practice, it is now "political" to simply describe something that people don't want to know more about.

Think Iraq under US Occupation shouldn't have the highest infant death rate in the world? Think it should not be the case that the US has prisons for whole families of immigrants who aren't allowed to see lawyers or have timely trials?

That's political. Because sooner or later a discussion of how things are has to become "What are we going to do about it?"

I don't feel too bad about "being a little political" these days. As the kids in Iraq and the Prison Camps will tell you, its an uncomfortable time.

Those Irritating Environmentalists And Those Damned Bees

2007-05-02T11:53:00.000-07:00

I'm not an environmentalist. Well, at least, not the way some are. My trash has too much paper and plastic in it. And I leave my computers on all the time. And I'll be going to hell for the water I and my family use every day. So I'm one of the billions planet-wide who finds environmentalists somewhat irritating. I'm tired of those folks being right.

They are always trying to tell us that the little stuff matters. Pour your paint in the gutter and it will poison your oceans. Food grown and harvested abroad using techniques that are illegal here can kill you. (Did you know American's ate 2.5 million chickens fed the same poison that's been killing our cats and dogs? Lets all talk about the concept of fake protein made from the same inorganic compound used to manufacture hot tubs and counter tops.)

Now its the damned bees.

Something is killing the bees. Lots and lots and lots of bees. Its making them fly away from their hives leaving queens and baby bees behind. The problem is so shocking, so unnatural, so horrible in its implications that its starting to make nationwide news.

Cause it turns out we need bees. They hop from plant to plant fertilizing things. They are responsible for the fertilization of about 1/3 of the plants we eat. And they've been doing all that hard work for free.

Some folks think the widepread use of genetically engineered crops is causing BCC (Bee Colony Collapse). Some folks think its related to new pesticides, or ever larger cell phone towers. We do know something is causing a fungus to grow that kills whole hives in a matter of 48 hours or so and that bee predators seem far less inclined to consume the dead and dying bees from infected hives.

Once again those pesky environmentalists are right. The little stuff matters. Bees, as it turns out, matter a whole lot. Unless this problem is resolved quickly, you'll be eating far less, and paying far more for what you do eat, in the years to come.

If this infection continues its exposive growth, we are looking at something even the environmentally-stupid people like me can understand . . . Starvation.

ACTION ALERT: Help Keep Internet Radio Alive!

2007-05-01T13:16:00.000-07:00

The giant corporate music labels have decided that going after college kids downloading music from peer-to-peer networks and Digital Rights Management (DRM) aren't enough to keep the average music listener from cutting into their huge profits. Now they've strong-armed the Copyright Review Board into hiking fees for each song streamed by webcasters:

The new fee structure would change the basis of the payments to a flat fee for each song streamed on a per-user basis. Thus, in 2007, every song sent to every listener would net SoundExchange $0.0011, regardless of whether the broadcaster made any money by doing so. But that's probably not the worst of it. The fees are scheduled to more than double over the next five years, and apply retroactively to the start of 2006. Under this plan, it's hard to imagine that Internet broadcasting will make much financial sense without a dramatic increase in commercial time.

Luckily, Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA), along with Rep. Don Manzullo (R-Ill.), has introduced H.R. 2060 - the Internet Radio Equality Act, which would overturn that recent ruling.

If your representative is not one of the co-sponsors, I urge you to sign FreePress' petition and let your Congressmember know how important it is to keep internet radio alive.

Why on Earth Would We Stand for This?

2007-05-01T12:17:00.001-07:00

Don't you hate it when you go out to a group dinner and someone runs up a huge percentage of the bill and then decides to walk out on the check? Or they decide "we should just split things evenly" when you had soup and they had steak?

As I think back to the Democratic Convention, and the conversations I've had after, I find myself wondering how many folks who won't demand impeachment put up with these "lesser crimes" for years on end.

The truth is, Bush has run up one hell of a bill. 500,000 dead Iraqi's, 3000+ dead US troops, 500 Billion dollars. All for a war based on lies. And that's just the war thing. Illegal wiretapping, stripping away Habeas Corpus, illegal prison camps, torture, no-bid contracts to campaign contributors, the list goes on and on . . .

And I'm not sure why anyone wants to let him get away with it. And I'm not sure why those folks are so afraid of taking a stand and demanding that the Democrats hold Bush and his hive of evil geniuses accountable.

Some folks say impeachment will split the party and the nation. I find that hard to believe. If you don't hate George for the war, you hate him for something else.

Who doesn't think the guy is an out and out criminal?

Some say its more important to win in 2008 than to hold the Junta accountable. I think if we don't hold people accountable, now that we have the Congress we need to do it, we'll never get to pick another President.

We have given literally tens of billions of dollars to the people who put Bush in the White House. All the loopholes and backdoors are still wide open so they can rob us blind whenever they like. Imagine the media they can buy, the candidates and campaigns they can fund, the profits they can make.

Still want to let them all off?

This is just a question of morality and courage.

I am not afraid of this President and his friends and I'm not putting up with their crap any more. I and millions of others across the US are going to make sure this is a bill Bush & Company don't walk out on. We'll make it clear for generations to come this country is not for sale.

Guest Entry: The Late Great Constitution (and the Coming Civil War?)

2007-04-28T18:07:00.000-07:00

by Nancy Fulton (blogging from the California Democratic Convention in San Diego)

Here we are at the convention with thousands of delegates, activists and ordinary citizens, all discussing our nation and its future.

I think it might be bleak.

This convention is split between "impeachment" folks and pragmatists. Should we impeach a president/vice president and administration who seem to have broken so many laws we lost count? Or should we be pragmatic and focus on electing a Democratic president so we don't get a guy that makes Bush look good.

Half the folks at this convention, educated, affluent, wealthy, politically active . . . have no idea why impeachment is critical.

They don't understand that if they do NOT exercise impeachment when the crimes are so aggregious . . . we are saying we cannot hold the president and the executive branch accountable for anything. We are effectively eliminating the use of impeachment as a means for controlling a president.

If you don't prosecute a President who has lied you into a war that's killed 500,000 people to the tune of $500 billion dollars, tortured people, given his friends tens of billions, who says he can arrest, torture and hide people, who has done a hundred other impeachable things, . . . you are saying a President can do ANYTHING.

If you don't impeach him because you fear losing an election, how WILL you hold him accountable?

Tell me what will happen when this incestuous relationship between government and industry lets businesses contaminate ground water without repercussion or when it leads to civil suits being dismissed due to "national security".

The people of this nation have to reaffirm that even presidents and vice-presidents will be held accountable for crimes they commit, and that the rule of law founded in the constitution is in full force.

Failure to do this will result in a US without a constitution. And then this nation will be torn apart as we have to try to "reinvent" some kind of social contract and foundation in law.

Some of us won't pay taxes to support a dictatorship that won't guarantee the validity of their elections. I am personally disinclined to pay for a government that tortures and runs secret prison camps. I know soldiers who are telling other soldiers to desert rather than fight an illegal war.

This kind of thing translates into riots.

People will not like having their rights stripped away. As individuals they will try to hold the government (and others) accountable. That, in turn, will result in an escalation of force exerted by the government as the folks running it try to protect themselves and the public. It will create widespread division between communities and populations with differing economic and cultures interests.

See?

We NEED the constitution because it is the only social contract we have that spans the nation. Tearing apart that contract means all of us who must live together must reinvent a new social contract and that is a very bloody process.

I wouldn't be active in SO CAL GRASSROOTS if I weren't a patriot and a progressive. I know 99% of people are intelligent. I know that our constitution was shot to pieces by a bunch of fascists. I know we can tape it back together and it will be STRONGER for all that tape.

But it starts with holding Bush, Cheney and their fascist junta accountable. Because without impeachment they will face no prosecution at all. We absolutely must, as a nation reconfirm our committment to the constitution and to public servant accountability . . . or you can expect some very, very ugly times ahead. Bush was bad. Worse is on the horizon.

Guest Entry: What I learned at the California Democratic Convention

2007-04-28T17:46:00.000-07:00

by Nancy Fulton (guest blogger from the California Convention in San Diego)

So, I'm new to "official politics", party conventions and the "back room" but this first convention has been an eye-opener. My favorite e-ticket ride so far has been the Resolutions Committee.

So Groups like So Cal Grass Roots and Progressive Democrats of America write resolutions to propose to the California Democratic party. The resolution committee reviews the resolutions, and the top ones get voted on the floor of the convention and may be adopted. The adoption of those resolutions by the convention can be used by activists and others to lobby congressmen and party members.

So, there were multiple resolutions calling for IMPEACHMENT of BUSH and CHENEY brought by groups to the Resolution Committee. They are supposed to give them an up/down vote. In the case of about nine (of 105 resolutions) they decided not to.

Instead they decided to "refer" them which means that the language of the resolution (which folks like YOU might have voted for if you were member of a grass roots group) was NOT voted on. Instead they pointed to another resolution and said "its basically the same thing". Except, in many cases the language was entirely different in meaning and context.

The rules state that you are supposed to get an up or down vote on your resolution. If it gets voted down, you can collect 300 signatures and take it onto the floor.

Except when it gets referred (as many resolutions were) the Resolutions Committee decided not to give people the forms required to collect signatures. Thus resolutions couldn't be taken to the floor.

So, what I learned is . . . stupid little rules matter. Matters of procedure matter.

Except . . . . I'm sitting in a room with 700 people or so. They are an angry mob. And they are having quite an impact on the Resolutions Committee. We just made them give us our impeachment resolution. In a few minutes we'll decide if its one of the 10 that get to the floor.

So Rules Matter . . . but so does being an angry mob. Its amazing how the 700 people in this room have managed to change the behavior of that little committee.

Now we have to do it to Congress :) It is time to Impeach the President.

Guest Entry: Anger and Fear

2007-04-24T17:14:00.000-07:00

By Nancy Fulton

I've been saying for a long time that the problem we
have in this nation is NOT that the people aren't
intelligent, reasonable, or reasonably united. It's
that the Bush Administration honestly doesn't care
what the American People think. They have no interest
at all in doing what the vast majority of us want
done.

The Bush Administration cannot be called "public
servants". They do only what we force them to do by
conducting investigations and issuing indictments.

I think this first person account of an
encounter with Karl Rove at the White House
Correspondence Dinner makes this very clear.

This account demonstrates that when members of this
administration come "face to face" with voters who
want to hold them accountable, they show anger and
fear.

Requiescat In Pace, Ms. Millender-McDonald

2007-04-23T10:04:00.000-07:00

Three days after taking leave from the House after being diagnosed with cancer, Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-Carson) passed away at the age of 68.

Thank you for your service, Rep. Millender-McDonald.

How about a law enforcement officer who enforces the law?

2007-04-20T16:40:00.000-07:00

We have been very impressed with the questioning of both Republican and Democratic US Senators of Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales, in the Senate hearings about the political purging of capable US Attorneys by the Justice Department.

This Attorney General, who is supposed to be the Chief law enforcement officer of these United States is a tragic disappointment. While a White House Counselor, he advised that the Geneva Convention protocols were outmoded. With his seat mate in the West Wing, Harriet Meiers; they proposed a political loyalty test that transcends the Bill of Rights and the US Constitution. We know this because we read the e-mails; oh right, they have lost the e-mails. Alberto Gonzales also believes that torture is not the usually international standards recognized by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and others. He believes in the Abu Grahib standards of interrogation and rendering to foreign countries.

This Attorney General, dishonest, ethically challenged, and unable to remember from one statement to another what he said has to go. After he leaves, the man who appointed him, President Bush needs to follow him out of office. Now is the time as never before.

Did the British talk to Iran covertly - of course they did!

2007-04-05T05:49:00.000-07:00

The British Sailors and Marines are on their way home and thank cooler heads for prevailing. They officially say that there were no conversations between governments and no deals were made; I sincerely doubt that and that is allright!

There have always been cut outs; unofficial representatives with portfolio, and human rights being protected above the veneer of official government posturing has prevented a new war in the Middle East. In the days of the Irish struggle for their freedom and self government; there were "unofficial" conversations throughout the years of the "Troubles". During the Cold War there were discussions and meetings that exchanged personnel at the East Berlin gate, or on that county bridge away from the view of most of the world.

Nobel Peace Prizes are given for this type of diplomacy, and lives are saved by this type of shuttle conversation. Why is this important! Because it is a Counterpoint with the Pre-Emptive, Bomb First, Bush-Cheney war mongering. If these had been US forces seized in a possible incursion into Iran territorial waters; does anyone believe that there wouldn't have been bombing, air raids, and a newer conflict igniting the Middle East!

Thank you again for statesmanlike accomplishments by both the Government of Iran and the Government of the United Kingdom! The Bush Administration should take note and learn from this lesson of intelligent backing away from the brink of war!

Congress Tells Bush, "Oh yeah?"

2007-03-29T16:45:00.000-07:00

Senate passes war spending bill with withdrawal deadline:

Senate Democrats ignored a veto threat and pushed through a bill Thursday requiring President Bush to start withdrawing troops from "the civil war in Iraq," dealing a rare, sharp rebuke to a wartime commander in chief.

In a mostly party line 51-47 vote, the Senate signed off on a bill providing $122 billion to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It also orders Bush to begin withdrawing troops within 120 days of passage while setting a nonbinding goal of ending combat operations by March 31, 2008.

Personally, I have a number of issues with the House bill, which are addressed best by Tim Carpenter, Director of Progressive Democrats of America, "The bad news is that the House bill funds Bush's troop surge and won't bring our troops home until a Sept 1, 2008 "deadline" – with provisions allowing troops to stay in Iraq beyond that on vaguely-defined "training" or "anti-terrorism" missions. (That's why a group of progressive Congress members – including Barbara Lee, Lynn Woolsey, Maxine Waters, Diane Watson, John Lewis and Dennis Kucinich – felt the need to stand firm and vote no.)

"More bad news is the disunity stirred up among antiwar progressives in Congress by the House leadership's arm-twisting and the intervention of MoveOn.org in support of the leadership's arm-twisting."

However, much as I would have preferred that this bill had gotten it right the first time, its passage by the House, with the Senate signing off on it, is a good step. Of course Bush is going to veto it - there's no chance at this stage of the game that he would allow it to go through. But let's hope that progressive Congress members, to quote Representative Pete Stark, "[We] can write a better bill."

Y'all get started on that better bill writing, ya hear?

Selling His Boss Up the River...

2007-03-29T16:23:00.000-07:00

Despite Alberto Gonzales' assertions to the contrary, the Attorney General participated in discussions regarding the firing of the eight US attorneys for political reasons:

Former Gonzales chief of staff Kyle Sampson told senators his boss took part in the process from early 2005, well before the eight prosecutors were dismissed in 2006.

Gonzales "and I had discussions about it during the thinking phase of the process," Sampson testified. "Then after the sort of more final phase of the process in the fall of 2006 began, we discussed it."

Gonzales is following the Bush administration playbook to the letter: commit ethically questionable - if not downright illegal - actions, lie about said actions when they come to light, then have the lies bite him on the ass when the truth is uncovered thanks to incontrovertible evidence. One would think that mere observation would make one less likely to lie through one's teeth.

No doubt that why Monica Goodling took the fifth yesterday, or why Bush and his cronies were so stubborn about not allowing Karl Rove or Harriet Meiers to testify under oath or with a transcript. As many have said, what are they afraid of? The truth? Only wrongdoers have the truth to fear.

Ah - ha!

Next Up: Pardon!

2007-03-06T11:43:00.000-08:00

Libby Found Guilty in CIA Leak Trial:

Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, was convicted Tuesday of lying and obstructing a leak investigation that reached into the highest levels of the Bush administration.

Libby is the highest-ranking White House official to be convicted of a felony since the Iran-Contra scandal of the mid-1980s. The case brought new attention to the Bush administration's much-criticized handling of weapons of mass destruction intelligence in the run-up to the Iraq war.

This is a good first step, but it is only a step. It's obvious that Libby was covering for his boss, which is why he ended up Cheney's scapegoat. So the next step must be for investigations to start in Cheney's role in this treason against Valerie Plame.

Any bets as to when the presidential pardon will be?

Walter Reed Commander Let Go

2007-03-01T17:05:00.000-08:00

General in charge of Walter Reed hospital has been relieved of command:

The Army said Thursday that the two-star general in charge of Walter Reed Army Medical Center has been relieved of command following disclosures about inadequate treatment of wounded soldiers.

The firing of Maj. Gen. George W. Weightman, who was commanding general of the North Atlantic Regional Medical Command as well as Walter Reed hospital, was announced by Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey.

In a brief announcement, the Army said service leaders had "lost trust and confidence" in Weightman's leadership abilities "to address needed solutions for soldier outpatient care." He had headed Walter Reed since Aug. 25, 2006.

Considering that hospital officials have known about the abhorrent conditions and beauracracy faced by wounded veterans for over three years and that, according to the Army Times, soldiers were told, after the Washington Post expose, to keep quiet, this is the very least that could be done. Because the horrendous treatment of our wounded soldiers is unforgivable.

A Young Boy Dies From An Abcessed Tooth

2007-03-01T13:04:00.000-08:00

For Want of a Dentist:

Pr. George's Boy Dies After Bacteria From Tooth Spread to Brain
Twelve-year-old Deamonte Driver died of a toothache Sunday.

A routine, $80 tooth extraction might have saved him.

If his mother had been insured.

If his family had not lost its Medicaid.

If Medicaid dentists weren't so hard to find.

If his mother hadn't been focused on getting a dentist for his brother, who had six rotted teeth.

[...]

Some poor children have no dental coverage at all. Others travel three hours to find a dentist willing to take Medicaid patients and accept the incumbent paperwork. And some, including Deamonte's brother, get in for a tooth cleaning but have trouble securing an oral surgeon to fix deeper problems.

In spite of efforts to change the system, fewer than one in three children in Maryland's Medicaid program received any dental service at all in 2005, the latest year for which figures are available from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

. . .The Driver children have never received routine dental attention, said their mother, Alyce Driver. The bakery, construction and home health-care jobs she has held have not provided insurance. The children's Medicaid coverage had temporarily lapsed at the time Deamonte was hospitalized. And even with Medicaid's promise of dental care, the problem, she said, was finding it.

This is the tragedy of our country's broken health care system. Young Deamonte is, unfortunately, not unique. The most recent data available from the U.S. Census Bureau indicates that the "percentage and the number of children (people under 18 years old)without health insurance increased between 2004 and 2005, from 10.8 percent to 11.2 percent and from 7.9 million to 8.3 million, respectively." The higher percentage of children without access to health insurance and health care will ensure a higher percentage of child mortality.

Even from something that starts as humbly as a toothache.

(Tip O' the Hat to John Scalzi)

Won't Somebody Think of the Vegetables?

2007-02-28T18:05:00.000-08:00

Those poor defenseless fruits and vegetables have got a champion in the form of California State Assemblymember Audra Strickland (R-Thousand Oaks). For years, whenever some thoughtless critic of conventional farming methods dared to point out that pesticides were deadly to humans as well as pesky insects, or that genetic manipulation of produce might not be entirely healthy for consumers, or that maybe, just maybe, leafy vegetables with E. coli could make some people very sick and, occasionally, very dead, consumable flora have had no one to turn to to defend their rights.

But now Assemblymember Strickland has donned the red cape and leotard with the big "S" (for Super Assemblymember) and leapt to the defense of commercially grown produce (and their big bucks growers), drafting AB 689, the "Perishable agricultural product defamation" bill, which would allow growers to sue anyone who dared libel spinach and tomatoes and squash (amongst other innocent, health-depriving - vegetation) as being not entirely good for the populace at large:

This bill would allow a producer of a perishable agricultural
product, as defined, who suffers actual damages as a result of another person's disparagement of the producer's product to recover those actual damages if certain facts are found to be true. [Emphasis mine] The bill would define "disparagement" for these purposes as a false and unprivileged publication regarding a perishable agricultural product that clearly impugns the safety of the product. The bill would require the plaintiff to bear the burden of proof as to each element of the cause of action.

Should this bill be passed, California would join such forward thinking states as Texas and Georgia (as well as eleven other states) in protecting those who have, until now, had no voice: multi-million dollar agricultural interests.

May the cucumbers bless Ms. Strickland...

From Poverty Matters - Victory at L.A. City Hall!

2007-02-16T16:42:00.000-08:00

Today we received this heartening message from Susie Shannon, Vice-Chair of SoCal Grassroots and Executive Director of Poverty Matters:

Dear Group,

We had a major victory today as the Los Angeles City Council voted UNANIMOUSLY to oppose Governor Schwarzenegger's $434 million in cuts to CalWorks, an anti-poverty program which provides assistance to the poorest children in California.

Council Member Jose Huizar should be commended for his tremendous leadership in bringing this issue to the council with a 2nd by Council President Eric Garcetti.

Special thanks to the advocates who testified with me today in Council Chambers - Clarissa Woo of the ACLU of Southern California; Yolanda James of L.A. Coalition to End Hunger and Homelessness; and Joseph Villela of CHIRLA. And thanks to Nancy Berlin of California Partnership who testified in the IGR Committee.

Warm Regards,
Susie Shannon
Executive Director
Poverty Matters

This is an important victory. With Los Angeles officially on record as opposing the cruel cuts to CalWorks, Schwarzenegger may start to realize that balancing the budget on the backs of those who can least afford it - the poorest of children in the Golden State - will not be tolerated by its citizens.

Contact the governor and tell him you support the City of Los Angeles and oppose his horrendous proposed cuts to CalWorks. Let him know that his actions are unacceptable.

Didja Hear the One About Bush and Tehran?

2007-02-15T16:19:00.000-08:00

Bush "calls it irrelevant that no solid evidence links Iranian officials to alleged weapons aid"

WASHINGTON — U.S. officials from President Bush to a top general in Baghdad said Wednesday that there was no solid evidence that high-ranking officials in Iran had ordered deadly weapons to be sent to Iraq for use against American troops, backing away from claims made by military and intelligence officials in Baghdad this week.

But Bush continued to maintain an aggressive posture toward Tehran, saying elite Iranian Quds Force operatives were supplying weapons to insurgents in Iraq.

[...]

"When we find the networks that are enabling these weapons to end up in Iraq," he said at a late-morning White House news conference, "we will deal with them."

Ooh, here's an even funnier one:

"We're not trying to hype this," [chief military spokesman in Iraq, Army Maj. Gen. William B.] Caldwell said.

I know, I know. Damn near snorted root beer out of my nose. I mean, after the whole thing with "intelligence" re: WMDs and Iraq and that country's connection with Al Qaida, they can't honestly expect us to take them at their word. It's gotta be a big elaborate joke, with maybe a "Gotcha!" on April 1st, right? Am I right here?

:crickets chirp:

Oh crap.

Bush: LaLaLaLa - I Can't Hear You!

2007-02-13T14:30:00.000-08:00

Bush hangs back on House debate:

A month after President Bush announced plans to boost troop levels in Iraq, he will largely remain on the sidelines as the House begins the first major debate on the war since Democrats assumed control of Congress after the November election.

[...]

With Democrats in firm control of the House, Bush has little chance of derailing the resolution, which he has said he will ignore.

Since this is a non-binding resolution, the House cannot force Bush to follow its lead. However, ignoring the resolution is idiocy of the highest form.

Then again, considering the resident of the White House and his actions since he moved into 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, I can't say that I'm surprised...

Making It Tougher To Become A Citizen

2007-02-08T12:31:00.000-08:00

Something that seemed to have been overlooked last week - from the L.A. Times:

Cost of U.S. citizenship likely to rise

U.S. immigration authorities Wednesday proposed hefty fee hikes for citizenship and permanent residency applications, pledging to use the revenue to help shorten processing time and improve service.

But the proposal, which would hike citizenship application fees from $330 to $595, drew immediate criticism that it would put citizenship out of reach for many poor immigrants. The plan also would increase overall fees for green cards, work permits and other benefits an average of 66%.

That hike of sixty-six percent is expected to take effect in June. While it's understandable that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services are low in resources and funding and are looking for ways to increase both, it would make more sense to slowly increase fees over the course of several years or to ask Congress to renew the special appropriation that it granted in 2002. Such a steep increase in one shot is outrageous and one that many immigrants to the U.S cannot afford.

Angela Sanbrano of the Central American Resource Center in Los Angeles said that many of her immigrant clients struggled to pay the current fee and could ill-afford the increases.

"People will now have to make a decision as to whether to pay rent, buy food or become a citizen," she said. "Exercising your democratic right should not face these obstacles."

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services are currently holding a 60-day public comment period that is scheduled to end April 2, 2007. If you'd like to weigh in on this obscene hike of fees, please go to the Regulations.gov and perform a search using the drop-down menu - there is only one open public comment period on the USCIS docket.

The United States is a nation of immigrants. Let's not penalize those who wish to become new citizens just because we got ours.

Court-Martial of Principled Officer Ends in Mistrial

2007-02-07T15:29:00.000-08:00

Mistrial ends Watada court-martial:

FORT LEWIS, Wash. (AP) — FORT LEWIS -- The court-martial of 1st Lt. Ehren Watada ended in a mistrial Wednesday.

The case's judge, Lt. Col. John Head, declared the trial over after a day of wrangling over a stipulation of facts that Watada had signed before the trial and that would have been part of the instructions to the jury. The judge decided that Watada never intended when he signed the stipulation to mean that he had a duty to go to Iraq with his unit.

Again the issue was Watada's views on the Iraq war -- opinions that kept him from going with his unit to the conflict and that the judge didn't want brought up at the court-martial.

Head is woefully incorrect when he insists that the illegality of the Iraq Occupation is not the issue. It is the central issue. For the Army to insist that its officers and enlisted soldiers follow orders, despite their conscience, is criminal. I'm in danger of invoking Godwin's Law, but one must remember that the Nazis' defense was that they were just following orders.

Watada could have easily filed for conscientious objector status. He didn't because he isn't a pacifist and he is an honorable man. He strongly believes in serving his country by defending it. He sees that serving in an illegal occupation is not defending his country.

According to USA Today, a new trial date has been set for March 12.

Bush Doesn't Care About Poor People...Still

2007-02-06T09:49:00.000-08:00

Bush's recently released budget proposal is, yet again, a wonderment in its disregard for those less fortunate as it seeks to hold down desparately needed Medicare growth while making tax cuts to the rich a permanent feature. Yeah, that's the way to erase the national debit.

None of this comes as a surprise to anyone who pays attention to the cold-heartedness of this administration. And anyone who has two brain cells to rub together and a modicum of compassion would be outraged at this.

But it doesn't stop there, my friends. Included in the budget is a Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program:

Drawing the most criticism were proposals to cut the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program to about $1.8 billion, from the nearly $2.2 billion expected to be allocated in 2007, and to cut the weatherization program — which helps the poor insulate their homes — from the proposed $242 million for the current fiscal year to $144 million.

Nick Papas, a spokesman for the House Democratic caucus, said Bush was sending a message to families who receive energy assistance: "Stock up on blankets."

Sen. Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) called Bush's proposed cut in funding for the energy-assistance program "simply unacceptable," underscoring how energy policy often divides along climate zones rather than party lines.

So when families who rely on such programs to keep from freezing end up getting sick because they can't afford to heat their homes, they can just stay sick, because Medicare won't be picking up the cost.

The Democratic majority had better make sure this doesn't go through.

Requiescat In Pace, Ms. Ivins

2007-01-31T18:10:00.000-08:00

Today syndicated columnist and best-selling author Molly Ivins passed away after a long battle with breast cancer at the age of 62.

A life-time resident of Texas, Ms. Ivins specialized in skewering politicians of her home state, but her sharply honed talents singled out George W. Bush in such books as Shrub: The Short but Happy Political Life of George W. Bush - published a month before the 2000 presidential election - and Bushwhacked: Life in George W. Bush's America - published in 2003 after the invasion of Iraq.

She - and her well-slung arrows - will be missed.

Rest in peace, Ms. Ivins.

Elect Progressive Democratic Delegates

2007-01-08T20:05:00.000-08:00

SoCal Grassroots, Progressive Democrats of America and the Progressive Caucus of the California Democratic Party have joined together to run progressive slates in the upcoming elections for Assembly District Delegates to the California Democratic Party and we need your help!

Please come out on Saturday and Sunday, January 13th and 14th, to support fellow progressives in revitalizing the Democratic Party. Visit Progressive Slate to find out more about these elections, including the slates as they're set and election locations and times by assembly district. If you're unsure about your assembly district, please visit the CDP website.

Schwarzenegger Bewilders

2007-01-08T18:28:00.000-08:00

On the same day that Governor Schwarzenegger unveiled a health care plan that shows promise of covering all Californians (though a careful reading of the proposal may show otherwise - admittedly your humble blogger has not yet been able to read through the entire proposal), he also revealed an overhaul of the welfare system that promises to throw children and families on the street.

Once again, Schwarzenegger can't seem to decide if he's with the residents of California or against them.

Thank You, New CA SoS Debra Bowen!

2007-01-08T15:04:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it doesn't take much for an activist's heart to grow three sizes bigger:

BREAKING EXCLUSIVE: Major E-Voting Critic, Attorney Named to Key Voting Systems Oversight Role by New CA Secretary of State!

As incoming Sec. of State Debra Bowen was sworn in to her new office just moments ago, The BRAD BLOG can now reveal that one of the nation's top critics of unverifiable electronic voting systems --- and a key player across several states in the legal battles against voting machine companies such as Diebold, ES&S, Sequoia Voting Systems and Hart Intercivic --- is today being named by the new California Sec. of State Debra Bowen as Deputy SoS for Voting Systems Technology and Policy.

Lowell Finley, the lead attorney for the non-partisan voting machine legal watchdog organization VoterAction.org, will be named to the position today.

In his new capacity, Finley will oversee testing and certification for all voting machine technology in the State of California. In a phone call this morning, Finley confirmed that he would be working closely in his new role with key national associations like the National Institute for Science and Technology (NIST) and the U.S. Elections Assistance Commission (EAC).

E-voting critics and at least one California Registrar of Voters have hailed both the swearing in of Bowen as SoS and her appointment of Finley, expressing delight to The BRAD BLOG over the news, characterizing it as a "colossal surprise" and a "very, very good sign for the future of voters' rights in California."

So very nice...

If it walks like a duck

2007-01-05T09:42:00.000-08:00

The President of the United States is about to show us the newest version of the White House Ponzi scheme. If you accept the cards he shows you then the outcome is predetermined.

We are being told that the expected request for a "troop surge" is a short term method to contain and establish law & order in Iraq! This surge is just a newer name for the same old policy of Escalation. This is a case of renaming a bankrupt policy with a new name and a new coat of paint. If it walks like a duck, squawks like a duck, and swims in the pond like a duck - It's A Duck!

Increasing troop strength and placing more of our men & women in harm's way is Escalation.
Surge is dishonest, disingenuous, and an outright lie! One more reason for renewed congressional oversight, investigation, and when it is obvious to more of us - a call for Impeachment for High Crimes & Misdemeanors. End this new Ponzi Scheme that is murdering Americans every day in Iraq. End the Occupation of Iraq!

Gingrich's New Contract with America: Free Speech is Bad, Mmmm'k? Except for Political Corporate Donors...

2006-11-29T16:28:00.000-08:00

Gingrich raises alarm at event honoring those who stand up for freedom of speech:

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich yesterday said the country will be forced to reexamine freedom of speech to meet the threat of terrorism.

Gingrich, speaking at a Manchester awards banquet, said a "different set of rules" may be needed to reduce terrorists' ability to use the Internet and free speech to recruit and get out their message.

The beautiful thing is that the awards banquet is, "The annual Nackey S. Loeb First Amendment award dinner, which fetes people and organizations that stand up for freedom of speech."

Oh dear. Did someone give Newt the wrong invitation?

But Mr. Contract with America wasn't saying that freedom of speech is bad for everyone. He's very fond of free speech where political donations are concerned:

At the same time, Gingrich advocated what he called an expansion of free speech rights by allowing people to give any campaign contribution amount to any political candidate as long as the donation is reported online within 24 hours.

"Just as tax lawyers always succeed in out-thinking the (Internal Revenue Service) because they stay after five and the IRS goes home, the private-sector lawyers will always out-think the (Federal Election Commission) because they stay after five and the FEC goes home[...]"

Oh, and separation of church and state? Also bad for freedom of speech. Again, from the Union Leader:

He also said court rulings over separation of church and state have hurt citizens' ability to express themselves and their faith.

Wow. Just...wow. My brain hurts in trying to follow that "logic."

(Keith Olbermann's got it right, yet again.)

Something Is Rotten in the County of Riverside

2006-11-10T16:18:00.000-08:00

(crossposted to Daily Kos - ordgddss diary)

In recent months members of SoCal Grassroots traveled to Moreno Valley to work hard for the election of David Roth in the 45th Congressional District, where we hoped to oust Do-Nothing Republican and Bush-Rubber-Stamp Mary Bono. David is an inspiring and energetic man and was a perfect candidate for the Riverside/Palm Springs/Moreno Valley area.

We phoned. We precinct walked. We contacted voters of every stripe to let them know about David. Many voters were impressed by what they heard. Many Republicans, fed up with Mary Bono's disinterest in the district she was supposedly representing (the 45th CD was 57th out of 58 congressional districts in federal funds per capita, meaning only one Californian representative brought home less federal funding to the district), told the canvassers and the phone bankers that they were sick of Bono, sick of how she voted to cut benefits for soldiers and veterans, and would be voting for David Roth instead.

We were energized come Election Day, but it seemed that David was not destined to represent the 45th CD in the 110th Congress come January.

Except.

It was discovered last night that over 75,000 ballots had not yet been counted in Riverside County. Included in that staggering total? Every absentee ballot that was filed in the county.

As of this writing, this blogger is not certain that David Roth has officially conceded the race, or, if he has, whether there is something that can be done to reverse the decision, should it be determined by a recount that David is, indeed, the next representatve of the 45th Congressional District. However, I urge all readers to contact Riverside's Registrar of Voters and demand that they count all uncounted ballots:

Registrar of Voters
2724 Gateway Drive
Riverside, CA 92507

Customer Service -
ph: (951) 486-7200
fax: (951) 486-7272
tty: (951) 653-3718

Hours: 8 am - 5 pm
Mon - Fri
(No email address seems to be on the RoV website.)

In related news, Ventura County also has 71,000 votes uncounted as of yesterday. We have to remember that, in our speedy, high tech, microwave world, needing an immediate result is not always the best case scenario, especially when it comes to our democracy.

This ain't over, my friends.

Now We Can Breathe

2006-11-08T15:24:00.000-08:00

The results of yesterday's elections are enough to make this blogger weep and dance for joy. Rumsfield's resignation just makes it that much sweeter.

It wasn't a perfect election, by any means. The Governator is still in office. Propositions 87 and 89 - the two propositions I really wanted to pass - were left in the dust. We may not know about the outcome of Virginia's Senate race for several months. Far too many "marriage acts" were voted into law yesterday, thereby ensuring second class citizenship for men and women whose choice in partners doesn't jibe with the socially backwards.

But the Dems took the House. The Senate is only one seat shy of turning Blue. California's next Secretary of State is the amazing Debra Bowen. Dirty, rotten Pombo is out and will be replaced by McNerney, a man who actually cares about the environment and knows a thing or two about alternative energy. And South Dakota's horrendous abortion ban law was rejected.

The hard work comes next. The newly Blue House has got to realize that they didn't so much win as the Repiblicans lost resoundingly. They need to draft workable policies that will bring the US back from the brink of terminal illness and set it back on the path to health. And these policies need to be implemented as much as is humanly possible, considering that Bush is still in office. If not, then we'll lose across the board in 2008.

Still, let's enjoy today. We've all worked hard for it. One day of free breathing is not too much to ask before we jump back into the fray.

After all, the 2008 Presidential Election Season is just starting.

Today is Midterm Election Day!

2006-11-07T10:54:00.000-08:00

It's imperative that the Democrats regain control of the House and Senate. For only two reasons amongst the hundreds:

(Thanks to Ray in New Orleans for the second video.)

Polls close at 8PM. To find your polling place, go to the California Democratic Party website. Help take back America from the destructive hands of the current incarnation of the Republican party - vote today!